Virtual Vitamins

1 John 1:6-7 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Merely theoretical faith just doesn’t cut it. Throughout the Bible the point is made very clearly that our actions have to line up with our words. Smooth talkers can fool a lot of people, but they can never fool God. That’s not to say that someone with a facile tongue is necessarily insincere, but rather that our actions, our lifestyles, have to match our words. This is of course most obvious in public figures. Politicians come to mind, but actually, pastors fit in the same category. There are those who preach love from the pulpit and yet are abusive at home. These verses and the ones following make it very clear not only that we are to strive for consistency, God’s grace is sufficient for our failures. The standard is perfection. Since we are imperfect by definition, we live either in repentance or deception. Repentance brings forgiveness and cleansing, but deception brings a deepening spiral of darkness. At any point in that spiral, if we will turn around in repentance, we will rediscover all the blessings of the Cross, lifting us out of the pit we have dug for ourselves.

This is a truth that I have experienced first hand, but which I have trouble communicating consistently. The problem is, none of us likes to have our deceptions exposed, and so we retreat into the darkness. As a pastor I have seen people withdraw from fellowship many times, and it is always troubling. True love will discipline, but all too often people respond by running further away. I need to respond first in intercessory prayer, and be very careful that any words I speak to others are guided by the Holy Spirit in love. I have had some rather big failures in this area in the past, and I cannot be presumptuous. At the same time, I am not to take such situations as something I have to fix on my own. In the first place, I couldn’t begin to do it in my own strength and wisdom, and in the second place, nothing is impossible for God. I need to pray in humility and faith, doing all I can to walk consistently in the light myself, so that more and more around me may join in that fellowship in the light.

Father, You’ve just given me another message! There is so much valuable, wonderful truth in Your Word. Help me know what to feed Your flock when, so that they will be nourished to grow strong as You intend. Give us all courage to walk fully in the light, not hiding in any sort of deception but allowing Your Spirit to shine into and through every part of our beings, cleansing and healing us and drawing many more to life in Christ, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

2 Peter 1:13-15 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

Leaving a written record was especially important in the 1^st Century, when the canon of Scripture had not been set, and doubly so for Peter, who was of the inner circle of the apostles. Tradition as well as modern analytical scholarship tell us that the Gospel of Mark is essentially as Peter told it to Mark. James, as the first of the 12 to be martyred, never had an opportunity to leave anything written, and interestingly, his brother John was the last to leave a written record. That said, written records of what God has said and how He has worked have hardly been insignificant even in the centuries since the canon was closed. People still read the sermons of Spurgeon, for example, and are greatly blessed. The point is that what we are given from the Lord, whether it be materially, intellectually or spiritually, is never just for us; it is to be shared. The greater the treasure, the greater the responsibility to bless others with it. Sometimes we have a distorted idea of the value of what we have been given, either too high or too low. The important thing is to hold everything loosely, allowing God to show us how it is to be used to build up the Body of Christ.

This is an immediate issue for me, with the current difficulties in getting this blog posted. Feedback I have gotten has made it clear that the content has blessed many, which is why there are problems: the devil doesn’t want it to get out. I need wisdom in getting the English blog back on line, and I need wisdom in dealing with the translation issue in the Japanese blog. Internet technology can be a great blessing in communication, but in itself it is no more than a tool. Much of the content is inconsequential or worse. I need to be sensitive and obedient so that I won’t be adding to the “inconsequential or worse,” but rather communicating the truth that has been spoken to me in the love of the One who spoke it.

Father, I’ve been under a good bit of attack emotionally over this issue in recent days. Help me indeed hold everything loosely, allowing You to show me how it is to be used and shared, so that Your purposes may be fulfilled on every level, in me and in those to whom I minister, in person or otherwise, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

This was our Scripture of the Year a few years back, but it certainly bears review. Frankly, very few Christians really believe this verse, much less apply it as it should be. From one standpoint it sounds like pure conceit, and it would be if it weren’t true! The spiritual placement of Christians is mind-boggling, but it is all grace, and nothing we have earned. When we get that straight, the next thing we have to understand is that, like everything else, this work of God has a purpose. The purpose is that we proclaim what God has done and give Him the credit He is due. That’s not at all because God is on some kind of ego trip, but it is because otherwise, the people around us aren’t going to know the provision God has made for their salvation. If they do not know, then they won’t turn to Him in repentance to receive the same grace that has been poured out on us. God desires to make us fit for fellowship with Him, and that requires incredible grace and deep repentance. God has provided the grace; the only thing we have to supply is repentance.

This is my message and my calling. I’ve got to walk in up-to-date repentance myself, but that doesn’t mean I’m to go around beating myself up for my sins. Jesus has already paid in full for all my sins, and continuing to carry them as guilt means either that I haven’t repented or that I don’t believe God when He says He has forgiven me. I need to walk in the liberty of forgiveness and do all I can to help others understand that they can do so too. As a pastor, I seek to help those who have already believed for salvation understand all the ramifications of that salvation, and this verse is a good tool for that. As I have said for years, when believers wake up to who they are in Christ, things happen!

Father, once again I am back to understanding that I can’t possibly do the job You’ve given me in my own strength. That’s why I ask You to do it through me. I ask You to pour out a Spirit of revelation on all the believers, just as Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17-23. Help us all understand how much You love us and what that love has caused You to do for us, so that we may respond fully in the love, worship and obedience that You deserve, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Once again the NIV dilutes the meaning of the text, saying “heavenly lights” instead of just saying “light.” God didn’t just create the sun, moon, and stars, He is the source of all that illuminates, spiritually and intellectually as well as physically. That said, there are two main points to this verse. The first is that since God is the source of everything good, we should be grateful! The failure to be grateful, instead taking things for granted, has been a problem for mankind ever since Creation. The Japanese uses two different words for “gift,” one being a present, like we would send to one another, and the other being like abilities, such as a gift for music. Both material things and abilities are gifts from Heavenly Father. When we forget that, we get into all sorts of trouble. The second point of the verse is that God doesn’t change. He said that to us very clearly through the prophet Malachi: “I the Lord do not change.” (Malachi 3:6) He is the only perfectly reliable thing in existence. We tend to rely on things like the earth and the sea, but recent events in Northeast Japan show we can’t even do that! We can have stability in this rapidly changing world only when we are grounded in our unchanging Creator. The rate of change has been increasing so much lately that mental and emotional problems are rising sharply, because people simply can’t keep up. The answer isn’t giving up, it’s looking up!

I’m in the middle of a stressful change at the moment myself, with one blogging service changing to another without my knowing what was happening. I have no high horse from which to look down on anyone on this issue! Like everyone else, I need to keep looking up, recognizing the overwhelmingly abundant grace and blessings that are poured out on me, and spend my days in grateful obedience. The nation of Japan has just been given a strong lesson in grace, which is to say, none of us deserve any of the good things we have. We need to do an inventory, recognizing that everything good is God’s gracious gift, and turn our hearts to Him in gratitude and obedience.

Father, I need Your wisdom and anointing in conveying this message to those around me, especially to those who have not yet acknowledged Christ. I pray that grace and anointing especially for Your children who are ministering in Northeast Japan right now. I pray it also for for all Your children across Japan, that they may radiate the hope, peace, and joy that are found in Christ alone, drawing many into Your kingdom for a mighty harvest, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Hebrews 10:35-36 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.

Sometimes the Christian life is very much a matter of “keeping on keeping on.” We wonder at times if there will ever be an end to trials, and the short answer is “No, they will continue until we are before God’s throne.” That’s not at all to say that there are no joys and blessings to the life of faith; quite the opposite, in fact. However, longing for a time in which there will be absolutely nothing wrong is an exercise in futility and frustration. And that adds to our suffering! Our assurance is not in our own abilities or in some kind of easy street, but in Christ who loved us so much that He went through almost indescribable suffering in order to save us. As Paul said, we know whom we have believed, and are convinced that He is able to take care of us and everything else. (2 Timothy 1:12) And Paul said that shortly before he was martyred! As this passage says, what we need to enable us to receive the fulfillment of all the promises of God is patient endurance. This has been true for saints through the ages, and it will continue to be true until we have the new heaven and the new earth promised in Revelation. So, as the saying goes, we need to “get over it!”

I have certainly wasted plenty of energy complaining, and I see some who are absolutely crippled by it. We need to realize that if we are following Christ, the drama of our lives is not a tragedy, whatever twists and turns the plot might take on the way to its conclusion. I had more training in this over the past week, with undesired events working on my anxiety level, but yesterday brought beautiful resolution, at least at this point. I’m not to get lazy and presumptive, but receive and apply the lessons I have been taught in times of stress. The devil would love to see me give up, and he will redouble his efforts as more of God’s plans for us are manifested, but he is no match for the Holy Spirit in me! I indeed need to exercise patient endurance with all assurance, so that every one of God’s plans and promises for me may be fulfilled.

Father, thank You for the beautiful day yesterday. There were disappointments and things I need to deal with, but You spoke and acted, and we were blessed. Help me continue to grow in my obedience through all You allow me to experience. I ask for wisdom in all aspects of the tract distribution You are leading us to do: content, timing, and personnel. I ask for wisdom, peace, and childlike obedience to You for those facing major life decisions. I pray that Your truth would break through and set free those who are in rebellion. May your will be done in every individual and every activity of this church, so that Your kingdom may come, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness

Paul consistently points out that his appointment as an apostle was not his doing, but God’s. With human ecclesiastical organizations, this is something we tend to forget with people today. Indeed, sometimes today God seems to have very little to do with who occupies what position in the Church, other than permission. In a sense, people should occupy Church office because they can’t help it (though God does not violate our free will). Paul had a clear grasp of why he had been made an apostle, and that was to build up the faith and knowledge of those God had chosen to be saved. That job description can be applied to virtually every Church office, with variations in how it is applied. What makes an apostle different is that in Greek, the implication is of one who is sent, much as an ambassador. That does carry a strong implication of authority, but the focus is not on the apostle/ambassador himself, but on the one sending him. The one sent cannot overstep the authority of the one sending. Whether apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher, those set by God into place in His Church must remember that they are servants of God, not independent people doing their own thing. Their purpose is always to build up the Body of Christ for the glory of God.

I am a pastor/teacher, yet in a number of respects I fit the description of apostle, because the closest equivalent in modern usage is missionary. People react, generally negatively, when someone takes the job title of apostle, and often with good reason. Those using the title often forget that the first term Paul used was servant/slave, and they also tend to forget that their purpose is to build people up, not inflate themselves in any way. I have had a fair bit of trouble with my own job title/description, and at times that has gotten in my way. In some respects it seems inappropriate to call me a missionary, because I have no sending organization. I am a pastor, but by default and not choice, really. I don’t seem to do a terribly good job at it! I am a teacher, but not in some recognized framework in the Church. What I can say is that I’m a servant of God, and I am here in Omura because God sent me here. How well I have done at what God had for me to do is His business to judge. From my viewpoint, I don’t have much to crow about, but I am God’s servant and He is my judge.

Father, You know me better than I know myself. You know what You have placed in me, and what I have done with it. All I can do is trust Your grace and mercy, but I know that grace is all I need. I ask that Your will be done in every area of my life and of this church, and each member of it. There is no church, no Christian, without problems, but again, as You told Paul, Your grace is sufficient for us.(2 Corinthians 12:9) Help me not rail at my weaknesses, but rejoice in Your grace. May all that You desire and intend be accomplished in me and in this church, today and each day, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

2 Timothy 1:7-8 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner.

Verse 7 gets quoted many times, but not often in the context of verse 8. The love, power, and self-control, as opposed to timidity, that Paul is talking about are in relation to witnessing to Christ. The world is full of Christians who have never spoken to a non-believer about Christ, even a single time. They need to be filled with the Holy Spirit! As Jesus said clearly in Acts 1:8, the Holy Spirit is given to us to supply power to be His witnesses. Failure to witness indicates either a deficiency of submission to the Spirit, or a misapplication of His presence and power. In Timothy’s case, he needed to trust what God had already given him, and that is the case with the majority of non-witnessing believers today. If you don’t believe that God has given you His Spirit, then you will be hesitant to allow the Holy Spirit to express Himself through you. Much has been made of a distinct experience of baptism in the Holy Spirit, and especially of the gift of tongues, but I think that does a disservice to the Church. Jesus didn’t say, “When the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will speak in tongues,” He said, “You will receive power and be My witnesses.” There are two sides to that. One is, the Church groups around the world that are growing, rather than declining, are those that accept and acknowledge the active ministry of the Holy Spirit today. The other is, the majority of missionaries, of whatever denomination, are Pentecostal/Charismatic by belief and practice simply because they know by experience that they can do their job only by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is not to say that every Christian is to be a 5-fold ministry Evangelist (Ephesians 4:11). Some who have that gifting and calling believe, or at least give the impression, that everyone is supposed to have it. That’s not the case! However, everyone is called to demonstrate Christ in their daily living and not hesitate to tell others what makes such a difference in their life.

This of course fits in with my own experience of the Holy Spirit, and it is a theme I keep coming back to in my pastoral ministry. Some people have actually gotten offended at my insisting they are to be witnesses, saying that I don’t understand their circumstances. That’s not at all the case. I don’t know everyone’s circumstances, and I know that some circumstances make witnessing difficult, but I also know that God calls us all to be witnesses regardless of our circumstances. Some people don’t want to hear that! I need to be loving and patient, but not back down. Japanese society is a particularly difficult environment for witnessing, because for the most part, people don’t talk about religion and faith. However, if we are looking for them, God will give us opportunities to witness, and that’s what I need to encourage the believers in doing.

Father, thank You for the man You brought here the other day. He is actively looking for You because of recognition of his own need, and he says he has no trust of Buddhism. I pray that the words You spoke through me to him would indeed illuminate his heart with Your truth and set him free to receive Your full salvation. Thank You for the believer who came with him, and for that believer experiencing the witnessing session. I pray that every believer in this church would rejoice in the privilege of being Your witness, so that Your Spirit may use us all to draw many into Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

From a world-wide perspective, the Japanese have certainly been on the high end of the scale when it comes to material goods, and they have just had a strong lesson in the impermanence of such things. Depending on what happens with the damaged nuclear reactors, that lesson may get even stronger. The point is, God is the only dependable constant, and we need to remember that. Actually, this verse is also a good rebuttal to ascetics who frown on anything material and/or enjoyable, because it specifically says that God gives us all material things for our enjoyment. The whole issue, as keeps coming up again and again, is a matter of focus, of priorities. Paul knew how to enjoy the “good things” of life, just as he knew how to rejoice and sing praise when he was beaten and imprisoned. He said that is was God who enabled him to do both! (Philippians 4:11-13) Material blessing isn’t something to feel guilty about, but our focus must be on God and not on what He has provided. Only then will we be able to make right use of each thing, for the blessing of many and for His glory.

Like everyone else, I live in a material world, and my status in that has certainly had its ups and downs. I am blessed abundantly, but people in general tend to think I’m better off financially than I am because of all that God has provided through other means. I still have difficulty in letting go of things, thinking “I could use that some day.” Just as I tell others, I need to hold all things except Christ lightly, rejoicing in God first and foremost and keeping everything else in subjection to Him. Whatever happens economically, short term or long, I need to rest, relax, and rejoice in God my Savior, who indeed meets all my needs.

Father, I continue to pray for those in Northeast Japan who have lost everything. I ask Your comfort, provision, and encouragement for them. I pray likewise for those who are there to help, and particularly for those who are there because of Christ. May they have Your wisdom and strength to be Your agents of provision, not just of material supplies but especially of hope, and ultimately of faith and salvation. As people are seeking anything to help them, may those who know You be bold to share You, so that there may be a mighty harvest of souls into Your kingdom, not just in the physically devastated area but across the nation, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

2 Thessalonians 5:3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Frankly, this sounds precisely like the recent earthquake and tsunami. Everything was as usual, and then suddenly everything was destroyed. As was preached this past Sunday, we need to live as though every day were our last. However, Paul is specifically talking about the return of Christ here, and one thing stands out to me in how he does so. Labor pains indeed come on suddenly, but they are not unexpected. There is some variation in timing, but the rule of thumb of 280 days from conception is very solid. For Christians, Christ’s return will be as sudden as for anyone else, but like labor pains, it will not be unexpected. From the Biblical description, there will be a good bit of discomfort involved, just as with labor, but again as with labor, anticipation of the end result should make it bearable. I well remember the excitement (though I wasn’t the one experiencing the pain) when our daughters were born, and when one of our grandchildren was a little late, I remember our elation at the news that labor had started. Things are happening around the world right now that seem to fit in very well with Matthew 24 and other such passages, and Christians all over are starting to ask, is this the beginning of labor? The point is not to get in a panic, but to be faithful at the tasks God sets for us. Sometimes those tasks are in response to events, and sometimes they seem to have no connection. The important thing is to be faithful in our obedience, as Jesus said. (Matthew 24:45-46)

I find myself conflicted about how I am to respond to the disaster in Northeast Japan. I feel guilty when I see what some others are doing, yet I do not hear the Lord telling me to be more active. I am not to let the opportunity for evangelism pass me by, and I am certainly to be faithful in praying for those in hands-on ministry in the area, but at this point I do not know of anything else. That leaves me afraid of the charge of insensitivity toward the very real suffering that is going on. I am reminded of when Andrew and Philip told Jesus there were some Greeks wanting to see Him. His response seemed totally unrelated to the news! (John 12:20~) I need to see what tracts we already have here at the church that would be appropriate, and get to work distributing those. (Fresh tracts, by me or someone else, may be called for.) When people are feeling the labor pains, they need to know about the Baby!

Father, help me not fear people’s responses, but help me also not miss the opportunities You provide to share the good news of Your kingdom. I ask for sensitivity to those around me, but especially for sensitivity to You. Help me hear and obey promptly, not dulled or distracted by routines or events, so that Your purposes may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

Colossians 1:6 that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.

What a difference translation makes! The NIV seems good enough, but then the Japanese comes along and takes it to a completely different level. The biggest point of difference as I see it is that the NIV says, “you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth,” where the Japanese says, “you heard and really understood God’s grace.” A major problem in the Church today is that far too many Christians don’t really understand God’s grace. Understanding God’s grace is a lifelong journey, but the better we understand it, the better prepared we are to stand against everything that comes against us in this life, to walk in the peace, joy, and victory that God intends. Jesus was very up front in saying that “in this world you will have difficulties,” (John 16:33) but when we understand God’s grace, we can get through them and even rejoice in the process! When Hosea says, on behalf of God, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,” (Hosea 4:6) he isn’t talking about an academic education! He is talking about knowing God, in all His holiness, power, and love. That is really understanding God’s grace.

It’s been many years since I first stated publicly that when the Japanese believers wake up to who they are in Christ, it will change not only the Church but the whole nation of Japan. That’s what this verse is all about. Because the Colossian believers really understood God’s grace, the Gospel bore fruit among them that echoed across the world. My calling and commitment are to help the Japanese really understand God’s grace. I see some who are quick learners, and I see some who can never seem to really grasp it. I’m not to take pride in those who do learn (though I certainly rejoice), and I am not to be discouraged by those who are slow. Rather, I am to be faithful as a tool in God’s hands, a mouthpiece for the Holy Spirit, so that as He gives people ears to hear, He may communicate His grace through me. I am as imperfect as the next guy, but if I will be available, He will use me. That’s His grace!

Father, sometimes my heart aches for wanting people to grasp Your grace and receive it in all its fullness. Keep me from trying to force it on anyone. Rather, let me be such an example that people will learn to walk in it with me, so that together we may understand and appropriate all that You have done for us in Christ, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!