June 9, 2012

Posted on June 9, 2012 by jgarrott

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

This rhetorical question addresses what is perhaps the most foundational need of the human soul, the need to be loved. In the next few verses Paul goes on to answer his own question, but it is still one that echoes to the depths of our being. Even a person who has the immense blessing of being raised by genuinely loving parents eventually discovers that the world itself at times doesn’t seem loving at all. That’s why an intimate relationship with God, who is love, is the greatest of treasures. Circumstances change and human parents age and die, but God never changes, and His love and grace are more than equal to anything we could ever face. Martyrs down through the centuries testify to that! A solid grasp of God’s love is foundational to spiritual and emotional maturity.

I always touch on this subject when counseling couples before their weddings, with the expectation that they will have children. Much of the evil in the world today is closely tied to the failure of parents to express love rightly to their children, and that is ample evidence that parents need all the help they can get. Sadly, few of them had good examples in their own upbringing, so they don’t know how to go about it with their children. In counseling people of all sorts, not just young couples, I often have occasion to quote quote the saying, either directly or indirectly, that “Everything God does is love, whatever it looks like at the moment.” Even His wrath is in that category, because it is seen only by those who turn their backs on His love. I need to remember it myself, and communicate it with His words and His wisdom to all who have ears to hear.

Father, thank You indeed for Your overwhelming love. Thank You for continuing to broaden and deepen my understanding of it. Help me never turn my back on it in any way, but walk in grateful obedience at all times. May my words and my example draw many others to trust Your love as well, so that we may walk together in all that You intend for us, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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June 8, 2012

Posted on June 9, 2012 by jgarrott

Romans 8:5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

The NIV does its readers a severe disservice by rendering “flesh” as “sinful nature.” That’s the kind of thinking that has led to churches putting far more effort and resources into “creature comforts” than into missions, and has directly contributed to the obesity epidemic. There’s a reason why fasting is a spiritual exercise recommended throughout the Bible! It’s not that our bodies are bad as such, since they were created by God and His creation is good, it’s just that if we place our bodies ahead of God, we are in dangerous territory indeed, as Paul points out again and again. That’s why the “If it feels good, do it” movement of the ’60s, that has carried over through the present day, is so very damaging. Again, it’s not bad to have physical enjoyment, but if that is our focus, our bodies have replaced God in our hearts. In contrast, Paul spoke of our bodies as tents that wear out and need to be replaced, and went on to say that the dissolution of our present bodies is something to be looked forward to! (2 Corinthians 5:1-10) That not only impacts our priorities, it also impacts how we respond to physical problems such as disease and injury. When our focus is on God, controlled by His Spirit, then our bodies are tools to be used in His service, taken care of but not placed ahead of the tasks for which they are needed. The image comes to mind of someone not wanting to use something they own because then it wouldn’t be “new” any more! We aren’t called to be collectors, we are called to be workmen.

This comes into sharp focus for me because of the past few days that have made it clear that a majority of my wife’s physical ailments over the past several years can be attributed to lupus (SLE). That isn’t something we want her to have, certainly, but by putting a face on things it makes them easier to deal with. Some people are surprised at our response to the news, particularly since we had a close family friend who died of lupus. However, we are aware of the temporary nature of our “tents,” and simply seek to get the best use out of them for as long as we need them. For me particularly, the prospect of her having physical suffering and/or leaving me behind is not at all a happy one, but as long as our focus is on God and we allow His Spirit to control us, we will have peace and joy.

Father, thank You for Your grace. Thinking about it, it is a bit odd that Cathy and I both responded to yesterday’s hospital visit with more relief than anything else. Thank You for teaching us to trust You, and that we can rest in the assurance of Your love. I ask for clear guidance as to how we are to cooperate with Your health for her, and for me too, for that matter. May we be good stewards of these bodies without allowing them to distract us from the tasks You have for us, for which we need to use our bodies. Thank You. Praise God!

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June 7, 2012

Posted on June 7, 2012 by jgarrott

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This verse is rightly right up there after John 3:16 as one of the most famous verses in the NT, but that doesn’t mean we really grasp all that it means. The first thing it says, that completely escapes the vast majority of people, is that death isn’t so much punishment for sin as it is the automatic outcome. When you work at a job, you expect to get paid. The problem is, most people don’t think of themselves as “working for” sin or the devil. That’s because the devil tends to work through “shell companies,” seeming to be something else. Lots of people will will concede they are working for physical pleasure, social advancement, or whatever, without realizing at all that by ignoring God, they are working for the devil. Such work doesn’t pay a living wage, it pays a dying wage! Continuing the metaphor, that certainly isn’t a decent wage. God isn’t trying to “spoil our fun,” as the devil would try to make us believe, He’s trying to rescue us from a “dead end job” that only pays death. That’s why the second half of this verse is so wonderful. Since all have sinned, (Romans 3:23) all have earned death. However, God has given His son to “accept our pay” from sin and give us life instead. That is grace indeed! All we are asked to do is acknowledge that we have been serving sin, quit that job, and start serving God. The pay is much better! The Bible is clear that there are glorious rewards for serving God faithfully, but the eternal life that is the foundation of it all is a free gift that we don’t deserve and can’t earn.

I have of course known this most of my life, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been enticed into working for one of the devil’s “shell companies” more than once. The thing is, God knows our hearts, and our motives are even more important than our actions. Two people might be doing essentially the same thing, and for one it would be sin and for the other, not. Paul touches on that in Romans 14. I’ve got to keep watch over my heart, that I am not deceived. I am charged with communicating the good news of God’s grace with those around me. Actually, every believer is so charged, but as a pastor, my commission is perhaps more stringent. I need the help of the Holy Spirit to open people’s eyes to see what and whom they are serving, and what the wages are that they will be collecting, so that they may repent and change jobs, for their salvation and the glory of God.

Father, thank You for expressing this so clearly this morning. I think You’ve given me a sermon! Help me be faithful in communicating all You speak to me, so that as many as will come may be brought into Your kingdom, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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June 6, 2012

Posted on June 7, 2012 by jgarrott

Romans 5:20-21 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This passage is problematic for a lot of people, because of the statement that the Law was added so that infractions would increase. Americans in particular, with their sometimes extreme focus on personal liberty, tend to feel that is quite unfair! However, that really is to help us understand how much we need the grace of God. Any time we think we can get it right on our own, we tend to ignore God, yet we were created for fellowship with Him. The focus of this passage isn’t the Law, but the grace of God. I like how the Japanese says, “Grace reigns through the gift of righteousness.” God gave us the Law so that we would understand that we aren’t righteous on our own, and then He gave us the gift of righteousness through Christ Jesus our Lord. If we aren’t walking in righteousness, then we aren’t really walking in grace, but if we aren’t walking in the awareness of God’s grace, then we aren’t really walking in righteousness. Grace is a very deep subject, and we spend our lives learning about it!

There have been times when I thought I really understood grace, but then the Lord allowed me to “turn another corner,” so to speak, and discover more of it. Now I know better than to think I know everything about grace, but what I do know is pretty glorious! When it has taken me this long to learn even as much as I do know about grace, it’s only right that I should be patient with those to whom I minister who are struggling with the concept. I think one of the big­gest barriers to grace is pride, because really accepting grace totally eliminates pride, and we don’t like that. I’ve certainly had my share or more of pride! Pride is the fundamental sin, because it says, I don’t need God. As such, it is in direct opposition to grace. I believe more people go to hell because of pride than for any other reason. They won’t admit they’ve done it wrong and turn to God in repentance, and as a result they receive the full wages of their sin. Refusing to admit we are wrong is perhaps the most dangerous attitude of all.

Father, You know better than I do how many times I have stubbornly insisted I was right, when I wasn’t. Thank You for Your grace! Thank You for helping me understand that being “right” isn’t nearly as important as love. Thank You also for helping me understand that true love isn’t “soft and squishy,” but works for the best for the one loved, even when it’s hard. I ask You to keep growing me as an instrument of Your grace and love to those around me, regardless of whether they recognize it for what it is or not, so that as many as possible may be brought to Your salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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June 5, 2012

Posted on June 5, 2012 by jgarrott

Romans 5:11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

I don’t know that I’ve ever underlined this verse before. The 10 verses that come ahead of it are so justly famous that this one just didn’t click. However, I now realize it contains a simple, yet powerful truth. The preceding verses speak of what God has done for us in Christ, which is of course of vital importance, but this verse points out that all of that is not just abstract, “positional” stuff, we can really get happy about it! God really does delight to delight His children, and if we fail to rejoice in what He has done for us, it’s disappointing to Him. Both Old and New Testaments tell us again and again to rejoice. That should be good news that’s fun to obey, but sometimes we stubbornly refuse! There is of course a mountain of negative stuff we could be depressed about at any given moment, but if our hearts are focused on what God has done for us in Christ, we’re going to be happy! This is not to say that we’re always to have a smile on our face, because that quickly becomes plastic hypocrisy. However, it is to say that if we aren’t rejoicing a majority of the time, our focus is on the wrong things.

It’s been a year and a half now since the Lord spoke to me and through me that we are to rest, relax, and rejoice. That’s good news, but I haven’t followed through 100%! There is no end to the bad news that is available to us, and the devil loves to use that to try to steal our joy. (It’s not that he gets it, he just wants to deprive us of it.) I must not cooperate with that! If my focus is on Christ, trusting Him to do in, for, and through me all that the Father has planned, then I’m going to be really happy, looking forward to what is going to happen next. I never really know what that’s going to be, but by faith I can be assured that it will ultimately be good, even if it’s difficult in the process. I often quote John 16:33. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Translation can be a tricky thing, but where the NIV says “take heart,” other translations say “rejoice,” or “be boldly confident.” As I preach to others, I must not forget to receive the Word myself!

Father, You’ve been working on me for some time now to get me to trust You regardless of what’s going on in the world. Thank You. My joy level is a pretty good indicator of how well I’m following through with that. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, not simply for my own benefit but also so that others may know that it’s possible. I deal with very many people who have little or no real hope. Help me transmit hope to them through joy, not denigrating their problems but showing them that You are far greater than any problem, so that they may turn to You and receive all that You have for them, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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June 4, 2012

Posted on June 5, 2012 by jgarrott

Romans 4:21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

God has made many promises to us, and frankly, some of them seem pretty extreme. The question for us, as is was for Abraham, is whether we really believe them. What makes it more difficult is that sometimes the fulfillment isn’t even in this life! (Hebrews 11:39-40) That doesn’t mean we are to live in a fantasy, ignoring everything that is going on around us. That is severe mental illness! However, it is to remember what the Lord told Paul, that His grace is all we need, (2 Corinthians 23:9) and trust Him with timing and everything else. Abraham obviously had no inkling of how God’s promise to him was going to be fulfilled, but he trusted anyway. That’s why he is the father of all who have faith, as this chapter says.

This chapter is a real challenge to me, because I believe, and yet at times my faith seems so weak. I have seen some amazing fulfillments of things God has said, either in Scripture or through prophecy, and yet other things just don’t seem to “work” like I expect. In particular, I don’t know why prayers for healing or deliverance sometimes produce immediate results, and sometimes seem to have no effect at all. That can be a real faith stretcher! I have received prophecies, through others and even through my own mouth, that say wonderful things about the ministry here in Omura, yet I have seen only the smallest hints of their fulfillment to this point. I need to remember how long Abraham waited, and not lose hope!

Father, I see You working in various ways, and yet the challenges and the attacks never let up. Help me keep my eyes on Christ. Right now Cathy’s health is a particular concern, yet I know that You are faithful, and Your grace is indeed sufficient. Help us walk in all that You intend for us, by faith, in full obedience, firmly resisting the devil, so that all of Your purposes for us may be accomplished, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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June 3, 2012

Posted on June 3, 2012 by jgarrott

Romans 4:3-5 What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

This is a vitally important passage, and it has been rightly applied by some and twisted by others down through the centuries. It was part of Luther’s spiritual awakening, and so is a foundation stone of Protestant theology, but it is also misused by the “easy believism” crowd to say that it doesn’t matter how we live, if we only believe. The thing is, true righteousness is indeed a gift of grace. However, saving faith at least desires to be faithful. We cannot be fully faithful in our own strength, but if our commitment is to Jesus Christ as Lord, He manifests His faithfulness in and through us. (2 Corinthians 5:21) We must remember that whatever true righteousness we may have, our salvation itself, is a gift; there is absolutely no room for pride. (Ephesians 2:8-9) However, precisely because it doesn’t depend on us, we can have great assurance, because God, who has called us, is faithful. (1 Corinthians 1:9)

This is of course foundational to my understanding of salvation, but the question is always one of my consistent application. I am all too prone to descend into pride, and that is never good. As a pastor, I deal both with people who are proud of their righteousness and those who think they can never be righteous. I need to get God’s grace through to both! That will happen only as I walk in that grace by faith myself. As in everything else, my focus needs to be on Christ, and not first on myself or even on the people to whom I minister. I will see things correctly only to the degree that I am looking first to Christ.

Father, You know my weakness and foolishness even better than I do, and yet You love me. Thank You. Thank You for circumstances that confront me with my humanity, so that I may repent and receive Your grace. Thank You for the message You’ve given me for this morning on repentance. I’m not capable of delivering it correctly on my own, but if You will speak it through me by Your Spirit, this church will be transformed. That’s what I ask for, for the sake of the Body of Christ and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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June 2, 2012

Posted on June 3, 2012 by jgarrott

Romans 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?

It’s interesting how much and how often God is misunderstood. Since He is infinite and we are not, it’s impossible for any human being to know and understand Him completely, but there’s a big difference between limited knowledge and wrong “knowledge.” God sent His Son not only to die for our sins, but also to help straighten out some of the many misconceptions we have about Him. Even so, many of those misconceptions are very stubborn, because they are rooted in our sinful nature. These first chapters of Romans might seem like they are talking about a mean, fierce God, but this verse points out that His character is actually loving and kind; it is our stupid rebellion that brings His wrath upon us. When we don’t get “zapped” instantly for doing something wrong, we start to think it was OK after all, as this verse points out. God wants us to repent, not be destroyed!

I’ve been given a message on repentance for tomorrow. In preparing for it, it’s been interesting to see how very many Scriptures there are on the subject, and in preparing for the service, it’s been interesting to see how few songs there are on the subject. We like to avoid the subject, even though God says it’s a life-or-death matter! I have preached on repentance far too little, which goes along with my insufficient focus on Jesus Christ, but God has very graciously pointed those things out to me recently, to allow me to repent of my failures. I’ve got to follow through, and not think it’s OK just because I haven’t been zapped for it up until now. I really have no idea how many blessings I have missed because of my failures! I need to be quick to obey, whatever the Lord is telling me to do, whether it’s to change or whether it’s to hang in there and stay the course.

Father, once again I’m confronted with the gap between my head knowledge and my heart knowledge, my follow-through on the things I know. That too is an area for repentance! I am up against what You had James write: “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” (James 4:17) Help me follow through with all You tell me and show me, so that I may be fully useful and pleasing to You, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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June 1, 2012

Posted on June 3, 2012 by jgarrott

Romans 1:32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

It’s not pleasant to read the second half of the first chapter of Romans, precisely because it seems to be an all-too-accurate and detailed description of modern society, particularly in the US. It’s heart breaking, as well as disgusting. As it says in verse 22, people are busily proclaiming themselves wise and “enlightened,” all the while becoming more and more incredibly foolish. The seeds for this were sown with Darwin, when his ideas were seized on as a way to get around the existence of God, and our accountability toward Him. Now, the very people who insist that people who believe in the Creator who loved us enough to send His Son are “deluded bigots” are championing practices that result in the total destruction of society. There is no internal consistency to the mind that is in rebellion against God. All that believing people can do is pray the Lord’s Prayer in honesty and sincerity, offering themselves as instruments for God’s will to be done, bringing His kingdom for His glory.

If it weren’t for the Internet, I would be in blissful ignorance of the vast majority of the junk that is going on in the world today. That tells me two things: I can’t fix it myself, and I need to pray and trust the only One who can fix it. I’ll never forget the time I was lying in bed, not consciously praying, but just thinking, “There are so many things I wish were different.” God spoke to me very clearly then, only the second time He has ever spoken to me so clearly, and said, “How do you think I feel?” That helped me understand a little more of the magnificence of God’s plan, in which He allows us genuine free will so that some, at least, will choose Him on their own, not as subservient puppets but as His children. It is real comfort that the Bible makes it clear that this state of affairs won’t go on forever, and frankly, the news that comes in daily makes me cry out, Maranatha, indeed. (1 Corinthians 16:22) However, I’m not to focus on the negative, or even on how long we might have left, but be faithful at the tasks the Lord has set for me. I can accomplish nothing on my own, but if I stay yielded to Christ, He can do great and mighty things through me, for the salvation of many and for His glory.

Father, thank You for all You allow me to do. Thank You for using me as Your agent to my students yesterday morning, just as I had asked, and for the privilege of ministering to the couple at the hospital yesterday afternoon. Thank You for Your plans for today. May I rest, relax, and rejoice in You every moment of this day, trusting You with the universe, because it is Yours, and You are more than able to take care of it all. Thank You. Praise God!

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May 31, 2012

Posted on June 3, 2012 by jgarrott

Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

This verse should be engraved on the heart of every believer in the world. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to be. Far too many Christians seem to be embarrassed, or at least apologetic, for the Gospel. Not understanding that it is “the power of God for the salvation of all who believe,” they fail to proclaim it, or even to stand firm on it when pressed by those who follow one lie or another of the devil. Not only do they fail to win converts that way, they lose much of the joy and victory of being a child of God themselves. We have a strong tendency to take what we see as “the easy way out” of any situation, not realizing that it is seldom if ever the way to joy peace, fruitfulness, and blessing. In the letters to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus repeatedly refers to “him who overcomes.” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26, 3:5,12, 21) You don’t overcome by hiding or running away! Anyone who says, “If the Gospel was powerful enough to save me, it can save anybody,” is a long way down the road to overcoming. We need to discard the nonsense of “political correctness” and call sin, sin, and call Jesus Lord, speaking the truth in love so that people will be set free from the deceptive traps of the devil.

I think I’m personally on fairly firm ground here, but as a pastor, I want every believer to join me! In America, social Christianity makes it very easy to say one thing and do another, and that has hobbled many Christians and churches. In Japan, the ideas of “don’t rock the boat” and “don’t intrude into someone’s personal space” have combined to make personal evangelism a rare thing indeed. God doesn’t like either of those situations! I need to speak the truth in love, but the difficulty is, because I’m a Caucasian, I am seen as “other,” and thus not a valid example to be followed. On top of that, I’m a “professional Christian,” and that makes people of all racial backgrounds put me in a separate category. I can’t change that myself, but God can work in people’s hearts and minds to change how they perceive me and perceive themselves, and that’s what I need to pray and work for. I know that God desires a bold, vibrant, loving Church even more than I do, so I can pray with assurance that I am in His will, offering myself as His instrument toward that goal.

Father, You are continuing to do very good things among us. Thank You for all the lessons You are teaching us along the way. Thank You for the recent change to written prayer requests every Sunday, prayed over generally at the time and specifically at Wednesday prayer meeting. There are more changes we need to make. Help us recognize them and be willing to grow as You direct. May we indeed walk in the assurance that the Gospel is Your power for salvation, rejoicing not only to receive it ourselves but to communicate it to those around us, for a massive harvest in Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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