August 7, 2012

Posted on August 8, 2012 by jgarrott

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

I find I quote James a lot, because his letter has a lot of very practical, down-to-earth stuff in it. The whole matter of wisdom is a really complicated one. In the first place, as Brother Kawata brought out in his message July 29th, wisdom is not the same as knowledge. That is to say, in blunt terms, that being ignorant is not the same as being stupid. Sometimes we don’t like to admit we’re ignorant, but we really don’t like to admit we’re stupid! That’s why it takes courage to receive God’s supply of wisdom, as James is talking about here. Frankly, education in most countries today is focused on knowledge rather than wisdom, and people are not taught the analytical skills that help them toward wisdom. As the saying goes, “We grow too soon old and too late smart.” If you really believe the Bible, and specifically what James says here, then you understand that admitting you aren’t smart is the smartest thing you can do! Eve thought she was smart enough to figure things out for herself, with the “help” of the serpent, instead of accepting that only God had true wisdom, and He had her best interests in mind. (Genesis 3) Pride is the biggest obstacle to receiving God’s wisdom, and pride always gets us into trouble.

This is an area where I’ve had a tremendous struggle. Growing up, I was always different from my peers. I was different from my Japanese friends because I was an American. I was different from my friends at school because they were from military families and I was not, plus they were only in Japan for a couple of years, but I was here long term. Particularly at school I retreated into a “nerd” persona, because I was certainly not athletically gifted but I did have a high IQ. Because school classes were for the most part easy for me, I became proud of my “brains,” and used that as a shield against my strong social insecurity. Frankly, I mistook knowledge and IQ for wisdom, which showed my lack of wisdom! It was only a very few years ago that the Lord finally got it through my head that He’s smart and I’m not. What a relief it was to come to that place! As long as I think, “I can handle this,” I won’t seek and receive God’s supply of wisdom and everything else needed. It is almost amazing to me that it took me so long to really grasp that. I say almost, because nothing should surprise me about the stupidity of fallen humanity! However, the thing now is not to keep looking back over how I have been, but look forward to what God is making me to be in Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:30-31)

Father, thank You for Your truly amazing grace. Help me walk in it consistently and lead others to do the same, so that together we may express not only Your wisdom but all of Your other qualities as well, to the world around us, drawing more and more to recognize their own need and Your supply, to repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 6, 2012

Posted on August 8, 2012 by jgarrott

Hebrews 10:23, 35-36 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

I don’t think I’ve ever put these verses together like this before, but they make a very clear point. The devil is always trying to get Christians to give up, and sometimes he doesn’t have to try very hard! As came out in the message yesterday, rock solid assurance comes from knowing God. We don’t like to be told that what we need is patient endurance, but that is very often the case. This isn’t a constant focus on “the sweet bye and bye;” that causes us to overlook blessings in the here and now. Rather, it is an awareness that problems are temporary, no matter how acute, and that some day we will look back and know it was all worth it. Two songs come to mind: “If It Keeps Getting Better and Better,” and “I Wouldn’t take Nothing for my Journey Now.” The first points out that God’s blessings do pile up, but blessings by themselves aren’t the best thing for us. The second looks back on a life lived with the Lord and understands that even the trials are actually blessings in disguise, because God indeed “works everything for the good of those who love Him, who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

I have had a strong temptation to give up even recently, but thankfully I recognized where it came from and resisted it, and it passed pretty quickly. I keep remembering that being attacked simply means we’re giving the devil problems, and that’s a good thing! I have been delighted to see how things have played out in the US from the COO of Chick-fil-A making a clear statement on the Biblical standard of marriage, and that he stands by it. His corporate bottom line would rejoice at more such attacks! I don’t expect anything as high-profile as that in my own life, but that’s still a good reminder of the truth of today’s passage. As a pastor, this is a message I try to communicate to the believers, but sometimes they don’t really want to hear it. I am not to put them down for that, because I’ve been there myself, but I am to be gently, lovingly persistent in helping them get their focus on Christ instead of themselves, so that they may indeed receive all that God has promised.

Father, this is indeed an area in which I have a great deal of empathy for those who are struggling! I’m facing some things myself right now that I would rather not have to deal with, but I know that You are indeed faithful, and I just have to walk in obedience. This week has a lot in it already that I know about. Help me take each step in assured hope, knowing that Your plans are good, acceptable, and perfect, and all I have to do is follow You. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 5, 2012

Posted on August 8, 2012 by jgarrott

Hebrews 6:12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Everything we receive from God is pure grace – that is, we can’t really earn it – but we aren’t to be passive about it all, either. The two things that come out in this verse are faith and patient endurance. As I am frequently reminded, faith itself is a gift from God, but it must be exercised for it to grow. Some people choose to be “body build­ers,” but every Christian should be a “faith builder.” We grow in faith by choosing to trust God in the various circumstances of life. I have seen people who deliberately choose not to trust God on a specific issue, and the result is devastating to them. Of course, not everything works out as quickly as we would like, and that’s where the patient endurance comes in. Actually, if everything were instant, our faith wouldn’t grow much at all. Right at the end of the famous “faith chapter,” the writer points out that sometimes we don’t receive what we have been believing God for before we leave this world. (Hebrews 11:39-40) That can lead to a really mature faith, such as demonstrated by Job (Job 1:21, 2:10, 13:15) and Daniel’s three friends. (Daniel 3:16-18) And you don’t have to be physically old to have such faith. Daniel’s friends were no older than in their 20’s, and possibly younger. The important thing is the choice to trust and obey, whatever things look like to our minds and our senses. If we will do that, there is no limit to all that God will pour out on us.

I am very blessed that I was raised with the world view that faith is the smart choice, but that certainly doesn’t mean I haven’t been tested in the area of patient endurance! Like everyone else, I would like good things to happen immediately, but that is seldom the case. Looking back I can see that things indeed happened much faster than it felt like at the time, so that helps with patiently enduring whatever I’m going through at the moment. However, as a pastor I’m never satisfied with simply being blessed myself; I want the whole flock to be blessed. There have been too many who have not wanted to hear the message of “faith and patient endurance,” and they have not stayed the course. I would be the last to say that I have it all together myself, but by the grace of God I am to be leading the flock in the dual choice to trust and to obey. When we make that choice firmly, all the patient endurance we need will follow.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I am constantly presented with situations that I would like to move more quickly, but I have seen so many times that Your timing is perfect. Keep me from missing Your timing, either by rushing or by lagging behind. May I be faithful on a moment by moment basis, so that Your plans may be fulfilled on Your schedule, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 4, 2012

Posted on August 4, 2012 by jgarrott

Hebrews 4:2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.

Evidently this isn’t the easiest verse in the NT to translate, but the major thrust of it comes through in almost every variation. That is, it takes faith for the Gospel to do us any good. There are many people who were raised in church and so have heard the Gospel many times, but they haven’t applied it to themselves in faith, and so are not saved. That’s why “Christian” nations have so many “false converts:” being able to parrot the facts doesn’t mean you really believe, appropriate, and apply them. We are indeed saved by faith, but that’s not just an intellectual acceptance of information. As James points out, even demons know the facts, but that certainly doesn’t mean they are saved. (James 2:19) The character and quality of faith is demonstrat­ed in how it is lived out. That’s why Jesus said to evaluate people by what their lives produce. (Matthew 7:16-20) That certainly doesn’t mean we’re to run around being judgmental; the Bible prohibits that in several places. However, we are to examine our own lives, and we are to be discerning about others as well. I would say that every real Christian prays (and needs to) the prayer of the father of the epileptic boy: “Lord, I believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

As a pastor, not only do I deal with my own level of faith, I also have to speak and act appropriately to the various levels of faith in those around me, both in the church and out of it. This is acute when it comes to the decision of whether to baptize someone, and it is heartbreaking when it shows that someone who is actively going through the motions doesn’t really have a foundation of faith. I need to pray for faith, for myself and for those to whom I minister, and I need to speak faith-building truth to them. I don’t have to make up “faith stories;” there’s plenty of truth available, both in the Bible and in contemporary experience. As someone with Teacher gifting, I tend to feel, on the emotional level, that simply communicating the facts should be enough to change people’s hearts. However, long years of experience have taught me the painful truth that it doesn’t work that way, just as this verse from Hebrews says. I need to work toward helping people apply the truth of the Gospel so that it becomes part of them, the foundation of who they are. Only then will they reap the full benefits that God intends for them.

Well, Father, once again I’ve made it clear that I don’t have the wisdom and strength for the task at hand. Thank You that You do have that wisdom and strength, and You will apply it through me as I yield myself to You. Help me indeed do that, allowing You to impart faith through me, so that many will be brought from darkness to light, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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August 3, 2012

Posted on August 4, 2012 by jgarrott

Hebrews 2:11 Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.

Part of knowing God is in knowing Jesus as Big Brother. From that standpoint, the famous line from George Orwell’s 1984, “Big Brother is watching you,” is both true and good, rather than ominous as it is usually taken. A major purpose of Christ being born as a human baby and living a fully human life was accessibility. Apart from that, God would always seem unapproachable, too entirely “Other” for us to have any real hope of knowing Him. Too many people have never had a really intimate conversation with their physical father, much less their Heavenly Father, but big brothers are a different matter. However, Jesus being our Brother doesn’t change the fact that He is Lord, just as this verse says. It is significant that the two of Jesus’ half-brothers who left letters as part of the New Testament, James and Jude, don’t claim their kinship to Him through Mary, but rather speak of Him as Lord. They were on equal footing in that respect with every other believer, and had they not believed, they would have been cut off. It is indeed a miracle of grace that Christ isn’t ashamed to call us His brothers, as it says in the verses right after this one, and we must not take that grace lightly. We should be enormously grateful that the Lord of the universe would stoop to call us His brothers, and live out our thanks in obedience.

Once again I have the enormous advantage of having had this truth expressed to me from my childhood. There have been times when I have taken it for granted and times when I have directly violated it, but I have still known it was true. However, I minister to people who, for the most part, have trouble wrapping their minds around the idea that God could possibly be so accessible to them. I am preaching on “Knowing God” this coming Sunday, but this isn’t something that will penetrate with one message! It is easy to tell who is starting to grasp this, because their faith is different from those who don’t. When we really see God as Father and Christ as Brother and Lord, then our hearts are opened to receive faith and so much more.

Father, You know better than I do that I don’t have wisdom or strength to get this through to people. I ask for the anointing of Your Spirit, not just as I speak on Sunday but every time I interact with someone to share the good news of Your grace. May Your words through me strip away the lies and confusion that cover their spiritual eyes, so that they may indeed know Your truth and be set free to receive the birthright that You have prepared for them in Christ. May we together rejoice to be Your people indeed, doing Your will in full and joyful obedience, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 2, 2012

Posted on August 4, 2012 by jgarrott

Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Many people mistake God’s grace for license, thinking it gives them permission to live however they like, but here Paul is saying the opposite. Properly understood, God’s grace teaches us to live holy lives in a way that nothing else could. Because of word order in Japanese grammar, the verb that the English renders simply as “teaches” is brought to the end of verse 13, where it is rendered “teaches and enlightens.” “Enlightenment” may be a Buddhist ideal, but the devil never comes up with anything original, he just twists what God has created, and this concept is one of those things. In any Japanese translation of the Bible, the word appears fairly frequently, particularly in Paul’s writings. It essentially refers to those “Aha!” moments when things fall into place and we grasp what we could not understand before. True enlightenment comes only by the grace of God, but the devil has many counterfeits. In my college days, “Turn on, tune in, drop out,” was the mantra of those who had been deceived by LSD. That sort of “enlightenment” certainly didn’t lead to holy living! Sadly, the generation that was addled by such drug-fueled enlightenment (mine, though I didn’t indulge) is now in control of the US government, and probably many others as well. That’s why it’s vital that true Christians, those who have had a revelation of God’s grace, allow that grace to govern how they live. The world certainly isn’t going to influence us toward holy living!

God has called and appointed me as a messenger of His grace, which is all the more reason for me to be living by it myself. My message must be that yes, we are all weak, sinful beings, but God in His grace supplies all the power and wisdom we need to be true to His Word as representatives of Christ, if we will only accept it. I have experienced myself the reality that if we focus on our sin, we are all the more likely to repeat it. However, if we focus on the love, grace, and forgiveness of God, then that sin loses its power over us, and we walk free. We tend to think habitual sin defines us, but that is a lie of the devil. I need to help people understand that anyone who is in Christ is indeed a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) We do trip at times, but that no longer defines us. It is only by grasping the grace of God that we can be set free from habitual sin. I have experienced that myself, and I am to communicate it to as many as possible, for their salvation and God’s glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. You’ve given me another sermon, when You had already shown me what I’m to preach on this coming Sunday! Show me when, where, and how to share the truth You pour out on me, so that Your Word through me may accomplish everything for which You send it, for the salvation and maturation of many, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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August 1, 2012

Posted on August 4, 2012 by jgarrott

2 Timothy 2:1-2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

As Paul was nearing the end of his ministry he was very aware of the matter of succession. Timothy was his son in the faith, and he wanted him to be all that God intended him to be. Just as Paul had been faithful to teach Timothy, he wanted Timothy in turn to teach others. Two aphorisms come to mind. One is, “God has no grandchildren,” and the other is, “There is no success without a successor.” Both are true, but limited. “God has no grandchildren” is true in the sense that everyone must have their own relationship to Christ as Savior and Lord, which makes them children of God. (John 1:11-12) At the same time, we are called to birth people into the family of God, just as Timothy was Paul’s son in the faith. We cannot be saved by someone believing for us, but we can receive faith through someone. “There is no success without at successor” is true in terms of long term impact and success, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t have success at specific projects. The thrust of this saying, which came to me through Kevin Conner and his son Mark, is that the Church is always just one generation away from extinction. Just as Paul did with Timothy, every minister of the Gospel must be working for generational transfer, both of faith and of ministry. A very important facet of that is for the older generation to let go. “Entrust” means exactly what it says: to trust someone with something enough to let go of it yourself. The one receiving it will probably make mistakes, but you’ve got to let go of it anyway. That is a major issue in ministry, and many ministers have failed miserably at it.

Ouch! I’m stomping on my own toes pretty hard here. The area of letting go has never been a strong suit for me! I am growing in this area, however. It is easier than it used to be for me to let a young person preach. This past Sunday was a good case in point, and the message that was brought by Hiroki Kawata was excellent. It was not my style, but it was the Word of God. When preaching comes so easily for me, it has been hard to release it to others who have to work harder at it than I do. The difference in styles can make truths I have sought to communicate hit home in ways that haven’t happened with my messages. I need to let go of other things as well. Just because something isn’t done the way I would do it doesn’t mean it’s wrong! I have had a tendency to micromanage, and that doesn’t raise people up to multiply my ministry and eventually succeed me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the pastors who are currently serving other churches, but were raised here. Thank you for the two currently here, who are committed to full-time ministry. Enable me to train them without micromanaging, to correct without squashing, to encourage them to grow in the unique gifts and calling that You have given them, so that they may in turn rise up to teach and train others, so that the Church may be built up, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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July 31, 2012

Posted on July 31, 2012 by jgarrott

2 Timothy 1:12 Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

This is the most powerful motivation in the world. Absolutely nothing can compare with it. When we really know God and are convinced of His love and power, then nothing can shake us. This has strengthened martyrs and ordinary saints down through the centuries. The only sad thing is how few people who say they are Christians and who have accepted the facts of the Gospel, really know God. In ages past the Bible was greatly restricted, even in “Christian” nations, to the same degree or more so than in Islamic countries today, so few people had the opportunity to know God except by revelation. (It is interesting that God has been granting visions of Christ to many in Islamic countries even in recent years, resulting in marvelous conversions.) Today, however, in most countries around the world, the Bible is freely available, and there is nothing to keep anyone from pressing in to know more and more of God. Sadly, not many take advantage of that. Paul knew the value of knowing God in Christ, and it was his driving motivation. (Philippians 3:10 and following) If more Christians caught that spark, to be able to proclaim this verse with full assurance, the world would be a different place.

And here I go preaching to myself again! I feel I can make this statement in all honesty, but at the same time I have to acknowledge that there is so much more I want and need to learn of God. Some of that is purely experiential, and I will simply have to wait for His timing. For example, I will not know Him as the one who translates me from this life to the next until that happens. However, other areas await my deeper surrender to Him. I know too well that I still have “pockets of resistance” that don’t fully acknowledge the Lordship of Christ. Too often I act like a “mere human,” (1 Corinthians 3:3) and I’m not happy about that! I need to keep pressing in, not only so that I may more accurately reflect Christ, but also so that the believers may know it is possible. I want to raise up a generation of disciples who will indeed know the One whom they believe, with rock-solid assurance, and live and act accordingly.

Father, thank You for this reminder this morning. Thank You for all You are doing in this church, in individuals and in the group as a whole. Thank You for guiding Cathy and me in our visiting yesterday. Keep us doing Your will on Your schedule, so that Your plans may be accomplished for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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July 30, 2012

Posted on July 31, 2012 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

I think it was about 80 years ago that one of the wealthiest men in America was asked, “How much money is enough,” and he replied, “A little more.” Money itself is neutral, but as Paul famously declares in verse 10, the love of money creates all kinds of problems. Money, like sex, is ultimately unsatisfying. It may seem wonderful in the moment, but that doesn’t last, and we are left hungry for more. It boils down to what Jesus said: “You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13) Money is temporal, of this world, and is therefore temporary. The fact that “you can’t take it with you” never seems to sink in for a lot of people. Jesus even told the story of a man who delighted in his wealth, with the punchline of “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.” (Luke 12:20) In contrast, godliness, which is to say, putting God first in your thoughts, values, and actions, leads to treasures that can be gained no other way. We are not to be satisfied with our level of maturity or obedience to God, but in everything else we are to let God be God, and be satisfied with what He provides. This is not about being passive; we are to be active participants in God’s kingdom. Rather, it is about letting go of the things the world tells us we should chase, and rather seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness. (Matthew 6:33)

I’ve come a long way in this area, but I still see “things” at times that arouse my craving for more, such as computers and cameras. That only robs me of peace and joy! I have certainly tasted God’s goodness enough to know that nothing else is truly satisfying. (Psalm 34:8) As a pastor I deal with people all the time, both non-Christians and Christians, who aren’t yet to that bedrock understanding. It amazes me sometimes to see how wasteful people who struggle in this area can be. It is just as possible to serve money as a poor person as it is as a rich person, but either way, money is a very unkind and irrational master. It is only in releasing control to God that we can be really free, from this or any other trap. I’m reminded of the fact that monkeys can be caught by placing something they want in a jar with an opening they can get their hand through only if they aren’t holding anything. I need to help people let go so that they can be free!

Father, You have been overwhelmingly gracious toward me. Thank You. Keep me from letting my values wander. Help me rather focus more and more on You, in adoration and obedience, so that I will be fully available for all You want to pour onto, into, and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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July 29, 2012

Posted on July 29, 2012 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 4:9-10 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

This passage just taught me a Japanese term with which I was not familiar, but which expresses something we all experience. Where the NIV says “labor and strive,” the Japanese says “labor and have heart suffering.” It’s that “heart suffering” that rang a bell for me. It is well known and understood that emotional factors can be just as exhausting as physical labor, if not more so. That’s certainly true for a pastor! That’s why our heart attitude is so important. Whatever our bodies are doing, our hearts need to be resting in Christ. That’s why Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) (The NIV says “weary and burdened” there, but Scripture learned in childhood stays with you!) Many preachers have taught on this theme, using such expressions as “an attitude of gratitude,” and “God will never bring you to anything He will not bring you through.” These different expression are all good and helpful, because it takes a lot to get this truth through our heads. That’s why the Bible tells us so many times not to be anxious. (I couldn’t begin to list all the references!) Physical burdens are easily set down, and the relief is immediate, but emotional burdens are far harder to let go of. Paul certainly experienced them, as He says in Galatians 4:19-20. Comparing them to the pain of childbirth is a pretty extreme example! Everyone is faced with such burdens, but a Christian has the opportunity and the instructions from Jesus to release them to Him and let Him carry them. What an enormous blessing!

I’ve lived with the Lord long enough to be able to tell, most of the time, when I am trying to carry emotional burdens by myself, and I have certainly learned the futility of it! That’s why it’s painful to me to see brothers and sisters in Christ who seem completely unable to release their emotional burdens to Christ. The devil tries to blind us to the possibility, and he fills our minds with “what if” scenarios. If we yield to that, we are totally worn out in no time! Faith is a gift, (Ephesians 2:8) and as such it must be received, which is a conscious choice. Recently I was enormously encouraged by one of the believers here who, when confronted with something that looked humanly difficult, said, “I choose to believe.” That’s the attitude I need to have in myself, and that I need to foster in all the believers.

Father, to human eyes, life is certainly a succession of mountains, and some of them seem pretty steep. Help me, help us all, see them from Your perspective and realize that from heaven, they will look as smooth as glass. I pray for several in this church who are facing what they see as difficult situations. Help them rest in You, realizing that nothing is difficult for You. Help me maintain that same attitude, being faithful to do all that You show me but doing it in the power that You pour through me, resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in You every moment, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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