April 20, 2012

Posted on April 22, 2012 by jgarrott

Luke 12:48 “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

Jesus touched on this issue of stewardship several times, and others did likewise. Probably the best known of those is Paul’s statement that “it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2) We tend to have a number of problems in this area. Lots of people, perhaps even the majority, have no awareness of how much they have been given, which certainly makes them less than effective stewards. They don’t recognize that their every ability, even life itself, is a gift from God, and so make use of it in submission to God for His pleasure and glory. Others, particularly those with specific abilities and/or resources, tend to think they got those purely by their own efforts, and again fail to make use of what they have in submission to God for His pleasure and glory. We tend to be greedy for more without making proper use of what we already have. This is true even with spiritual gifts. Every spiritual gift is for drawing people to God and building up the Body of Christ, yet some treat spiritual gifts like accessories, “bling,” if you will. They want others to know they have them, rather than considering why they have them. Jesus makes the foolishness of such attitudes very clear here.

I think I’ve always known I was blessed by God in many ways, but that doesn’t mean I’ve always been faithful with those blessings. I keep coming back to the awareness that intellectual knowledge of the Bible is of no benefit if it’s not being appropriated and applied. Likewise, I have a portfolio of abilities that is intimidating to some, yet I have done very little with much of it. Frankly, there aren’t enough hours in a day or days in a year for me to explore every ability fully, so the key is in doing what God tells me to do, rather than trying to figure out how to use all the abilities He’s given me. I couldn’t begin to count all the times I’ve been called on to do something that made use of an ability I’d neglected, or even forgotten I had. I’m not to be anxious about it, but know that God has already equipped me for everything He is going to call me to do. My responsibility is simply to be faithful in my obedience.

Father, the longer I walk with You the more I realize that everything is by Your grace. Thank You for the blessing of that awareness. Right now You have me in another training exercise for trusting You and refusing anxiety, just as You’ve given me a message for Sunday on that very subject. Thank You. Thank You for the knowledge that You are more than adequate for this current challenge, even though I am not. Thank You that to the degree I abide in Christ, I will more than meet the challenge, and will grow as Your child for Your glory. Thank You for Your answers for the challenges that face us. Help me not be frantic in searching for those answers, but calm and joyful in the assurance that they are already provided, and patient as I wait for Your timing in revealing them. May I individually and we as a church be found faithful, so that Your plans may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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April 19, 2012

Posted on April 19, 2012 by jgarrott

Luke 12:25-26 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”

The Bible speaks again and again and again about not worrying, yet we still worry! Anxiety probably drains more energy out of us than anything else, quite literally shortening our lives through hypertension, compromised immune systems, and any number of other things. Yet, as Jesus points out here, we even worry about that! Talk about a vicious cycle! The world and life have countless things for us to worry about, but that’s where faith comes in. It is in learning to release things to God in trust that we grow in faith, and in the process receive more and more of His grace and blessings. All of this is not to say that we are to be thoughtless and irresponsible; planning is an important part of stewardship. However, there’s a huge difference between planning and anxiety.

I would say that I’m probably less anxious than average, because of temperament, faith, and experience, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have my struggles with anxiety. Undesirable scenarios play through my mind just as they do everyone’s. I must not preach to others about trusting God and then fail to do so myself! As Jesus pointed out, the devil is out to steal, kill, and destroy, (John 10:10) and anxiety is his chief weapon for that in relation to our peace, joy, and over-all quality of life. I’ve got to submit to God and resist the devil! (James 4:7) The more God blesses me and this church, the more the devil says, “But what if…” I’ve got to recognize that and choose to trust God. As Jesus said, it delights my heavenly Father to give us His kingdom! (Luke 12:32) I get frustrated with others who are clearly bound by anxieties, but I have the same tendencies, and it is only by the grace of God that I’m not as bound as they are. I’m back to what the Lord told me over a year ago: rest, relax, rejoice! It is only in trusting God that I and my flock will enjoy the abundance He has planned and prepared for us.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s hardly as though I didn’t already know these things, but there can be such a gap between knowledge and application! Thank You for making it clear to me just now that I’m to speak on this Sunday. The irony that I was a little anxious about the message, when You have been so faithful to speak to and through me, is sharp. Help me be active in trusting obedience in every detail of my personal life and in every detail of this church. Help me be a faithful steward of my body, time, abilities and opportunities, but leave the results of that in Your hands. May I deliver Your Word this Sunday without hesitation or distortion, and may I receive it as well as communicate it, so that all of us may grow in trusting obedience, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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April 18, 2012

Posted on April 19, 2012 by jgarrott

Luke 11:13 “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

In the parallel passage in Matthew 7:11 it says “good gifts” rather than “the Holy Spirit,” which would certainly indicate that the Holy Spirit is a good gift (as if we didn’t know that already)! It is ironic and sad that many in the non-charismatic camp seem actively afraid of the Holy Spirit. The problem seems to be especially a fear of losing control, which is sad on several levels. In the first place, the Holy Spirit doesn’t force, He enables. Paul said specifically that “The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets, for God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” (1 Corinthians 14:32-33) It is true that some have used the Holy Spirit as an excuse for excess of various sorts, but that is simply a misunderstanding on the other side. A larger reason fear of losing control is sad is that when we are in control, we mess things up! If we choose to follow the Holy Spirit, He will always lead us to Jesus, and that’s always a good thing. Jesus was very clear that the gift of the Holy Spirit is to empower us to be His witnesses. (Acts 1:8) That’s what the gifts of the Holy Spirit, listed in 1 Corinthians 12 and elsewhere, are all about. If our desire is to be more effective as His witnesses, then we will want everything the Holy Spirit has to give us! It is worth noting that at one point over half the Southern Baptist missionaries in Japan were Charismatic in faith and experience, even though the mission board had (and still has) an explicit policy against such. Those missionaries got on the field and realized they couldn’t possibly do the job without the help of the Holy Spirit!

This particular verse was instrumental in my own experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. I had been actively seeking it, but had experienced nothing. In 1974 a missionary friend pointed out to me that everything we receive from God we receive by faith, so if God had promised me His Holy Spirit, then I should ask in faith, trust that He had been true to His Word, and thank Him for it. I did that, and felt nothing, but two days later I suddenly realized that I was actively telling a total stranger about Christ, and He brought Acts 1:8 to mind. Gifts came later, but ever since then I have never doubted that the Holy Spirit has been given to me to be a witness of Christ. It has been strange and frustrating to me that not all to whom I minister have received in faith. There too the problem often seems to be a fear of losing control. I can only pray God’s grace for them, that they may trust God enough to receive all He wants to pour out on them.

Father, thank You for Your truly amazing grace toward me. Help me be ever more effective in communicating that grace to others, so that they may repent and believe, opening up to all that You want to pour out on them as well, for the sake of the Body of Christ and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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April 17, 2012

Posted on April 19, 2012 by jgarrott

Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

This church has joked a good bit about “Mary and Martha” over the years, but the issue has actually been the source of a great deal of hurt feelings, with more than one person leaving the church over it. I think the root lies in the matter of gifting and our sense of fairness. Everyone tends to think that everyone else should be like them on many levels, when the fact of the matter is that there are no two identical people in the world, even twins. The Motivational Gifts teaching developed by Don and Katie Fortune helps a great deal in understanding this, but mental understanding and emotional understanding are two different things. Someone who is gifted, like Martha here, in serving, sees what needs to be done and can’t grasp that it isn’t so obvious to others. However, when others don’t place such high priority on such things, the Server often feels great resentment about the “injustice” of it all. I’m afraid Jesus’ response in this passage isn’t much comfort to Servers! Actually, the point is not that hospitality isn’t important, it’s that the greatest commandment is to love God, and the second is to love our neighbor. (Matthew 22:36-40) When our sense of propriety gets in the way of either of those, then we are in the wrong.

This issue has caused me more headaches, and heartaches, over my years of ministry than perhaps any other. Everyone is wounded in some way, and we tend to inflict our wounds on others. Knowing that’s a problem doesn’t keep it from happening! Human interactions are hardly ever simple, because we are complex beings. It’s very clear I don’t have the necessary wisdom, so I’ve got to rely on God all the more – and that’s a good thing! It’s very easy to justify myself and feel I’m in the right about everything, but that’s just deceiving myself. I need to approach every situation in all humility, seeing others as better than myself. (Philippians 2:3-4) I’m well aware that I need to express appreciation more consistently and effectively, not hiding behind “They need to do it for the Lord, and not for the praise of men,” however true that might be. At the same time, I am not to nurture a sense of entitlement when it comes to being thanked and recognized. I don’t have the wisdom! However, God is more than able to use us, imperfect as we are, and I am to trust Him to guide and grow us as we need, for His glory.

Father, this is the area in which I feel least adequate. Thank You that I have such areas, to keep me aware of my dependence on You. Help me love people accurately, nurturing them but not spoiling them, correcting them but not judging or disrespecting them. You know better than I do how I have failed at that in the past. I ask You to place a guard on my lips to keep me from hurtful comments. May I always speak Your truth in love, to build people up and point them to You, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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April 16, 2012

Posted on April 16, 2012 by jgarrott

Luke 10:16 “He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

This is a parallel passage to Matthew 10:40, (“He who receives you receives Me”) though the occasions were different, and in either case the meaning is staggering for any thoughtful believer. In a nutshell, it is that we are very literally Christ’s representatives, just as He represented the Father on the earth. Paul understood that, writing in 2 Corinthians 5:20 that we are Christ’s ambassadors. The implications are immense. There is a danger of conceit, but any objective appraisal will quickly bring us to humility and dependence on God. In no way is this to make anyone strut around like a little rooster, proclaiming, “I am God’s representative.” Rather, it is to give us the assurance that God can, will, and does speak and act through us to bless people and draw them to Himself. It is also to comfort and encourage us that when people reject us we aren’t to take it personally, because they are really rejecting the One whom we serve. Actually, this is where it gets tricky, because this should not be an excuse for needlessly offensive behavior. Our hygiene and manners should be above reproach, and every word and action must be motivated by love for God and for our neighbor. (1 Corinthians 13, Ephesians 4:15) If we have that as our operating premise, then we can be assured that people’s response to us is actually their response to Christ.

I have preached on this multiple times and want to do so again, because it is a truth I urgently want instilled in each believer. It is something I myself have grown in over the years, but still need more growth. The big question for me is all the people who have received Cathy and me so graciously over the 30 years we’ve been in Omura, yet who have never so much as attended church, much less made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord. I have no definitive answer, and can only commit them to the grace of God. I know very well that Universalism is a non-Biblical heresy, and so ache to see these people safely in the fold, but I can’t force anyone through the gate. I can only walk in personal faithfulness and pray that God’s name be hallowed, His kingdom come, and His will be done.

Father, I do pray for the salvation of the people of Omura, and especially of the many with whom You have knit Cathy and me in friendship, sometimes very closely. I ask Your grace and mercy for them, and I pray that I would be totally available to You in drawing them into full commitment. I pray that each member of this church would likewise be an effective harvest worker, not only planting and watering but bringing in the sheaves of grain, so that Your house may be full, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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April 15, 2012

Posted on April 16, 2012 by jgarrott

Luke 9:41 “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

It’s actually rather nice to know that Jesus got exasperated, because that means it isn’t a sin! It’s also nice to be reminded that, as a human being, Jesus wanted to get things over with. That likewise means that such feelings aren’t sin. It is significant that immediately after healing the boy, He told his disciples that He would be betrayed, even though they couldn’t take in what He was telling them. Jesus dealt with frustrating situations just as we do! Frustration doesn’t necessarily mean we are in the wrong, it may simply be an indication that we live in a fallen world. I would guess that Jesus prayed a lot about His frustrations, because that’s the best thing to do with them. They are excellent training in trusting God and releasing things to Him! That’s probably what it’s talking about in Hebrews when it says that He “learned obedience from what He suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8) All us have to deal with living in a fallen world among imperfect human beings, but Jesus did too. We need to learn from Him to trust our Father and walk in faithful obedience.

I certainly experience this as a pastor, but every parent experiences it as well. I’m not to give up on myself or on any of my flock, and I’m not to put myself down for having such feelings. It’s not wrong to say and feel, Maran atha! (Come, O Lord.) (1 Corinthians 16:22) However, I’ve got to release the timing into His hands. Meanwhile, I’m to be faithful at the tasks I’ve been given. This is actually part of the message I’ve been given for this morning, because I’m preaching on “Persevering.” I must not preach to others and fail to be obedient myself! Exasperation is no excuse for trying to take things into my own hands. Some scholars say that is what Judas did, thinking he was forcing Jesus to display His power and take command, not realizing that he was trying to manipulate God. I must not do that! I need to rest, relax, and rejoice, regardless of the path the Lord leads me on and whatever happens along the way.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. I ask for Your anointing this morning as I speak, that it may be Your Word indeed, to me and to everyone. Help us all hear from You with obedient hearts, allowing You to change, grow, and mature us as we need it, to be Your children indeed, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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April 14, 2012

Posted on April 14, 2012 by jgarrott

Luke 9:1, 2, 6 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.

A very basic, yet easily overlooked, part of this story is that the 12 did as they were told. There is no record that any of them said, “I can’t do that,” even though in their own strength they couldn’t. I’m reminded of the motto of one of the army units I was associated with: “I’ll try, Sir.” That came from an historical incident in which they were commanded to make a seemingly impossible assault – up a cliff, or something like that – and having given that response, they were successful. The 12 hadn’t been associated with Jesus more that a year or two at the most at this point, but they were committed to obe­dience, which enabled His authority to operate through them. It strikes me that the 12 here included Judas, whose faith and understanding were very flawed at best, but to the degree he was obedient, the authority still flowed. God doesn’t require perfection of us – He remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:14) – but He does ask for obedience. That’s what Lordship is all about, and if Jesus isn’t our Lord, He isn’t our Savior, either. That’s a point a lot of people either ignore or try to weasel out of, but such an attitude does not lead to salvation! God desires to do great things for and through each of His children, but they must be obedient for it to happen.

I’m certainly not the “paragon of virtue” here. I have kicked at what I was told more times than I could count, not doing it or even doing the opposite. That’s not the way to blessing! By God’s grace He does indeed “work in [me] to will and to do His good pleasure,” (Philippians 2:13) and I am deeply grateful. However, I need to be active and intentional in my obedience. As a pastor, I need to be encouraging that attitude in the believers. I have lost count of the people who have come through this church with great potential that was greatly marred by a rebellious attitude toward authority. That’s one of the reasons I’ve been hesitant to exercise the authority God has invested in me. I am always to speak God’s truth in love, but I must not draw back from the message of obedience to God, and by extension, to those in whom He has invested authority.

Father, that isn’t what I expected to write! I’ve seen pastors who were petty tyrants, and I want none of that. However, You have spoken to me many times over the years about exercising the authority You have placed in me, and I haven’t been fully obedient myself. I know that the full unfolding of Your plans for me and for this church depends on our full obedience, and that’s got to start with me. Help me hear You clearly and follow You fully, so that all that You intend for us may be fulfilled on Your schedule, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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April 13, 2012

Posted on April 14, 2012 by jgarrott

Luke 8:18, 21 “Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.” “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

had never noticed before that these two verses were in such close proximity. Thinking about it, though, verse 21 is the explanation of verse 18. The idea that “those who have will be given more” has caused a lot of resentment in various people over the centuries, and it certainly runs counter to the socialist idea of “spread the wealth around.” However, not just here but in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and elsewhere, Jesus is very clear that what we are given is to be put to work. That doesn’t just apply to material resources, it also applies to knowledge of God and His kingdom. It does no real good simply to know the facts about God if we aren’t appropriating those in our daily lives. If we are appropriating and applying them, then Jesus says we are His family! That’s why we have to be careful how we listen. If we are just gathering information, it will do us no real good and we will lose what we think we have. If we are seeking to apply each thing we take in, then our capacity will be expanded and God will pour more and more out on us and into us and through us.

This has been an issue for me all my life, because with my rich home environment I acquired a lot of knowledge about the Bible and God from an early age. However, learning to apply what I know has been an ongoing process. That should give me patience with those to whom I minister, as they too learn to apply what they hear. I am not to demand perfection, but I am to urge it and encourage it, in myself and my flock. James of course recorded one of the most pithy comments on this issue, saying that failing to do what we hear of the Word is simply deceiving ourselves. (James 1:22) I need to seek to be God’s instrument in raising up a body of doing believers, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this Word this morning. Help me follow through! Thank You for Your faithfulness to speak through me time and time again. Help us all listen to what You are saying, with hearts that are committed to obedience. Thank You for the business meeting this coming Sunday. May our deliberations and decisions be in perfect agreement with Your will, so that as a church and as individuals we may be doing what You say, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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April 12, 2012

Posted on April 14, 2012 by jgarrott

Luke 8:15 “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

The word that jumps out at me this morning is “persevering” That’s something that is each individual’s responsibility. We can have equal gifts and equal opportunities, but the one who really “bears fruit” is the one who perseveres. That’s rather a foreign concept in this age of instant everything, with ever shorter attention spans, let alone ADD. Sometimes I think one of the devil’s biggest attacks on mankind is distraction. God calls us to meditate, to abide, and the devil knows that if we will do that, he’s toast, so he does all he can to interfere. The reason God allows this is that it becomes a further selection process, making it ever clearer who is committed to Christ. We cannot change society on our own, but we can make Godly choices, choosing to focus in on Him and His Word, rather than on the flash and fluff of the world. Actually, we don’t have the wisdom and strength of will to do that on our own, but if that is our honest choice, then God will supply all that is needed. Where we have to start is the choice to be good soil, to be receptive toward God and His Word and stick with it. If that is indeed our choice, then we will bear abundant fruit that will last. (John 15:16)

Probably the reason “persevering” jumped out at me is that I have struggled with it so much. Distraction could easily be my middle name! However, God is more than faithful, and He has brought me a long way. Ministering the Gospel in Japan is certainly training in perseverance! I am not to give up on people, and I am certainly not to give up on the vision God has given me for this city. The fact that it is totally beyond my ability is all the more reason to trust God for it. I have been tempted to pack up and leave many times, but this is where the Lord has assigned me, and like Peter told Jesus, where would I go? (John 6:68) When I start cooking up “Plan B,” then I have stopped abiding in Christ. I am to accept trials as training, knowing that God will never bring me to anything that He will not bring me through. As He has been telling me for well over a year now, I need to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him!

Father, thank You for this reminder this morning. Help me not only walk in this truth myself, but also communicate it effectively to others. I deal with a lot of impatient people! Help me have Your patience with them, guiding, encouraging, and admonishing in all wisdom and love, so that together we may produce the fruit that You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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April 11, 2012

Posted on April 14, 2012 by jgarrott

John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

When John 20 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, it’s pretty difficult to choose one verse to write on! However, John is here expressing what is essentially my motivation for publishing a blog, and really the motivation for most of what I do. I have been asked numbers of times why I am a pastor in Japan. The motivation behind the question has been varied, with some people antagonistic to the very idea of “pushing Christianity on the Japanese,” some people not understanding a life choice that doesn’t lead to much money, and some people knowing that Japan has the reputation of being a “graveyard for missionaries,” because of the very low rate of response. To all of these my answer is much the same. Like the early disciples, I cannot help but speak of what I have seen and heard of my Lord Jesus, (Acts 4:20) not physically but in my spirit. When I have encountered such a gracious Lord who offers such a magnificent salvation, I would be terribly ungrateful and stingy not to share all I can with others. Financial gain is entirely beside the point! As to why Japan, I can only say that God has given me a love for the land where I was born that keeps me here in spite of the disappointments. I have learned that He is the Lord of the harvest, and my part is to be faithful in plowing, planting, and watering, rejoicing when He allows me to partake of the fruit. Yes, I would like to see massive numbers. Yes, life would be easier if this church were large enough to pay me a real salary. Yes, I want to see the kingdom of God established in the hearts and minds of the Japanese. However, I cannot bring any of those things to pass by my own efforts alone. God will use me in the process, but I am entirely secondary, or less. My place is to be as open and transparent as possible, so that Jesus may be seen, experienced, and believed, for the salvation of many and for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It helps to put it into writing! Help me be true to what I have just written, because I know too well I am not reliable in myself. Thank You for each opportunity You give me to share Your truth with others. Thank You for the young man yesterday, and for the necessary wisdom and guidance to deal with him. Thank You for my school classes that are starting up this week, and for the opportunity to represent Christ to my students. I do ask for a harvest from among them, even this year. I pray that my every contact with people, under whatever circumstances, would point them, draw them to Christ, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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