The Devil’s Deceptions; January 22, 2025

Posted on January 23, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 11:13-14 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

The world can be a dangerous place! In this present time, the devil and those who serve him run rampant, doing all they can to deceive, just as Jesus warned us. (Matthew 24:24) Sadly, many are indeed taken in by their lies, and can be deeply hurt in consequence. However, that’s not to say we are to live in fear. Rather, we are to keep our hearts fixed on Jesus, (Hebrews 12:2) knowing that in Him we have the victory, whatever is going on around us in the flesh. (Romans 8:37) That said, for our own sake and for the sake of those around us, we are to be careful not to be deceived. That means becoming so familiar with the Bible that anything that contradicts it is immediately obvious, and seeking and allowing the Holy Spirit to be our teacher and the interpreter of what we read and hear. In this Information Age we are bombarded with messages of all sorts. Some are uplifting and point us to Christ, but many are calculated to generate fear, grabbing our attention and seeking to control us. Those things might be religious or they might not. The devil doesn’t much care what he distracts us with, just so long as he distracts us from Christ. This might be as religious as deceptive visions or as secular as cries of climate change; the devil doesn’t care, so long as he grabs our attention and keeps us from fellowship with Christ by His Spirit.

I have seen quite a gamut of deceptions, and some of them were very persuasive. However, God is faithful, and He has protected me. That’s not to say I have everything right; I still agree with C. S. Lewis that when we get to heaven, we will all discover we were wrong somewhere. It is to say that I am deeply grateful for the firm foundation I was given by my parents’ faith and devotion to God and His Word. I once had a minister tell me my problem was I was “too balanced.” In his view, you needed to be a little unbalanced in order to keep moving! It is true that I haven’t been one to jump on the latest enthusiasm in Christian circles, but that is in keeping with my Teacher gifting. I don’t want to hold back from anything in which the Lord is directing me, but I know that my success is entirely because of Him, and not from any program or technique of man. I think my father’s adherence to Absolute Honesty helped me greatly, because it has made deceptions of all sorts much more obvious to me. I want to be absolutely faithful to my Lord, who is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed be a true apostle, sent and controlled by You and Your Spirit and no other, so that others may be delivered from the deceptions of the enemy to walk in Your light and life, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Being Yoked; January 21, 2025

Posted on January 22, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

This is an important teaching, but a difficult one. As Jesus said, we are in the world but not of it. (John 17:11, 14, 16) We interact daily with those who are not in Christ, and the question of how to do so is often a very pressing one. Some people choose the monastic route, withdrawing from the world as much as possible, but that is simply impractical, if not impossible, for most people. On top of that, if we cut off our interactions, how does evangelism happen? The key comes in “yoked.” This is most often applied to marriage, but it can equally apply to business partnerships and the like. Either way, it can make for some very hard choices. In Japan, the number of Christian young people is so low that insisting on a Christian spouse is limiting to say the very least. As a result, a large percentage of Christian young people marry non-Christians. Sometimes the result is that the spouse comes to genuine faith, and that is blessed indeed. However, that is far from being guaranteed. Then there is the matter of people coming to faith when they are already married. Both Paul (1 Corinthians 7:14-16) and Peter (1 Peter 3:1) deal with that situation. That said, I have seen some real tragedies of believers married to unbelievers. However, I have also seen some miracles in this area, of gangsters marrying Christian girls and, after years of living hell for the women, being transformed into ministers of the Gospel. This calls for submission to God first of all, listening carefully to Him rather than to our emotions or our flesh. We need to remember that His way is always best, whether it is the difficult path of waiting or the difficult path of living with an unbeliever. However, His grace is sufficient for us, (2 Corinthians 12:9) so we are able to do anything He directs us to do. (Philippians 4:13)

I was incredibly blessed to be given a spouse who is my partner in faith, as well as in every other way. At the time we got married, neither of us was very close to the Lord, but within a few years He brought first Cathy and then me into close fellowship with Him, and our relationship with each other continued to grow, as it does today. However, my children, both physical and spiritual, have not been as blessed in that area. One spiritual son has a very fine wife, but she is not yet a believer, though she isn’t actively against it. Like so many Japanese, she doesn’t understand the whole business of salvation and eternal life, and her need for it all. A spiritual daughter has already gone through one divorce, and her current “serious boyfriend” came to church for the first time ever just recently. Particularly given my own experience, my heart aches for them. I don’t know really how to pray for them, so I do most of it in tongues, letting the Holy Spirit give me the words that I don’t know. As I have said, I have seen miracles in this area, so I am not to be legalistic, but I am certainly to speak the truth in love, and trust God to sort it all out.

Father, thank You for this Word. I do pray for my children of all sorts, that Your very best for them would be manifested, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Mortality; January 20, 2025

Posted on January 21, 2025 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

I have quoted verse 17 more times than I could count, but not this one so much. However, at 76 I have a great appreciation for it! I think it should be posted on the wall of every Christian nursing home and retirement home. It is a fact of life that these “tents” we inhabit wear out, to use Paul’s analogy from chapter 5 of this same letter. (2 Corinthians 5:1, 4) However, as he says here, we shouldn’t let that drag us down. Those who have no hope of eternity with Christ get very involved with keeping up the externals, often spending lots of money, if they have it, on plastic surgery and the like. How foolish, and sad, really. I frankly wouldn’t want to be in this body for eternity! However, like Paul says here, I am grateful and at times excited for the various ways God continues to grow my “inner man.” I’m certainly not perfect, but it’s encouraging to recognize growing patience, discernment, and gratitude. Interestingly, people often comment on “how young I seem.” Part of that is flattery, I’m sure, but what truth there is comes from the fact that I haven’t given up on anything. I am indeed remarkably healthy for my age, but that’s with the awareness that God could call me home at any moment. However, that awareness excites me rather than scares me. As the next verse says, I know that the glory that awaits me will make every trial I experience in this life be totally trivial by comparison. I have been present for the death of people from a toddler to advanced age, and I am very aware that these bodies are temporary. And that’s fine! I think that if our bodies were immortal we would have a whole raft of other problems and temptations that I don’t care to think about. I have read science fiction novels that posited lifespans in the hundreds of years, potentially indefinitely renewable, but they don’t seem to express the wisdom that should come with age! We’re back to the whole question of priorities and values. When we’re in love with this world, this life, we totally miss eternity. (1 John 2:15) We are to be grateful for, and make full use of, our time in this world, but we must remember that it is no more than a prelude for the full symphony that God has planned for us.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You again for the joy of leading a 99-year-old woman to welcome Jesus into her heart just before Christmas. I look forward to conducting her funeral! Thank You for the privilege of sharing Your Gospel with all who will receive it, for their eternal salvation and Your glory. May that happen more and more! Hallelujah!

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Faithful Stewardship; January 19, 2025

Posted on January 20, 2025 by jgarrott

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

I have quoted verse 2 of this chapter many times, but haven’t always connected it with verse 1. Because the Bible is widely available, ministers aren’t seen so much as “stewards of the mysteries of God” the way they were before the printing press and vernacular translations. However, God does honor the office, and those in positions of leadership are often shown things that people not so designated might not see. That’s why verse 2 is so weighty. As James put it, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) The sad truth is that many ministers preach what they think their congregations want to hear, instead of what God wants them to hear. That is not being a faithful steward! This isn’t to stress the “clergy/laity divide,” as is done in some groups. Every believer is capable of being filled with the Holy Spirit, seeing things that can only be perceived in the spirit realm. However, it is to say that if you are appointed as a shepherd, you’d better apply yourself to the task!

Of course, this applies to me. I wish I could say I’ve always been faithful, but as Paul says right after this, God is my judge, even more than I am capable of judging myself. I realized years ago that things that seemed completely obvious to me were pretty opaque to many of those around me. It’s a major problem when that makes me feel proud or puffed up. When I am shown things, I’m to be faithful to share them with others, in ways that they can receive them. That said, I’m not personally responsible for how they respond to what I share; my job is to speak the truth in love. It is sometimes heartbreaking when people decline to receive the Word I share with them, but I am to keep praying for them, keep loving them, and keep expressing God’s truth to them. Sometimes the “loving” part can get difficult! However, I need to remember God’s patience with me, and so be patient with those to whom He has me minister. I will not be judged on their response, but on my faithfulness.

Father, this is a strong and timely Word. Help me apply it fully, as a faithful servant indeed, so that Your purposes for me may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Foundation; January 18, 2025

Posted on January 19, 2025 by jgarrott

1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

This passage by Paul immediately brings to mind Jesus’ famous parable of whose who build on rock and those who build on sand. (Matthew 7:24-27) Foundations are important! That’s why early childhood education, particularly by the parents, is so important. If a child is not given a firm foundation of faith and morality, the rest of their life is likely to be shaky at best. God does work miracles, and there are exceptions, people who somehow absorb God’s principles later in life, but repairing foundations is far harder than laying them right in the first place! When the current Nagasaki Medical Center building was being built, it seemed like they never would stop digging, working on the foundation. It took months! However, the finished product has been standing firm for many years now, looking like a beautiful hotel up on the hill. God sometimes has to do that sort of work in us, because we likely have some pretty swampy and/or sandy areas in our heart. No parent is perfect, and there is always personal responsibility. Sadly, some churches put out teaching that is analogous to Styrofoam, or even jelly. Such a “foundation” will never stand up, however good it might look for a moment or two. We need to be careful that we are firmly grounded on Christ Jesus our Lord, and then, as Paul says, be careful how we build our lives on that foundation.

I had the huge blessing of being raised by parents who did all they could to lay a solid foundation in my life. Not all that I have built on that has been good, but God has been faithful to tear out sloppy workmanship as called for. At this point in my life I feel like I could handle a tsunami, if necessary – not that I want to, you understand! That is all well and good as far as I am concerned, but I am called to minister to others, to help them get their foundation firmly in Christ. That is a joy, but at the same time it is sometimes a major headache! I need to remember that, as I have said, there is always personal responsibility. I am to be faithful to say and do what the Lord directs; what people do with that is between them and God. I have not been a perfect model, but I think I can say with Paul, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1) My task, as Paul wrote Timothy, is to “entrust [God’s truth] to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Timothy 2:2) I am blessed that several ministers have already gone out from this church, and we are raising up more. God is faithful, and He will build His Church. (Matthew 16:18)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the foundation You have laid in me, first by my parents and then in various other ways as well. May I lay only Your foundation in those under my ministry, so that they may stand firm against everything the devil and this world throw at them, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Putting On Christ; January 17, 2025

Posted on January 18, 2025 by jgarrott

Romans 13:14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

This is the exact opposite of what the world tells us. In my youth, the motto was, “If it feels good, do it.” I knew a lot of people who had personal tragedy because of that attitude. The Japanese turn of phrase here is interesting: “Don’t use your soul to satisfy your flesh.” That said, there are other religions, notably Buddhism, that teach this sort of thing. What is unique in Christianity is the alternative Paul gives us here: putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. That sounds awkward at best, if not downright impossible, not to mention weird, to our human intellect, but it is glorious reality in God’s economy. It takes us back to the Upper Room Discourse in John 13-17 (including Jesus’ Pastoral Prayer). Paul was not present, and indeed was far from faith, at that time, but he had experienced the reality of it by this point. Jesus repeatedly used words like “in,” and “remain” in what He said. Paul’s metaphor is a bit different, but the result is the same. The point is that our identity as children of God by faith (John 1:12) is more important than anything physical. This is not to say that we are to ignore our bodies, much less mistreat them. We are stewards, and accountable to our Creator for how we use what He has given us. However, at this point over half the people in the US have done harm to their bodies by over-indulging them. In the recent pandemic, the most common, and most dangerous, “existing condition contributing to a poor outcome,” was obesity. Like good mechanics, we are to be careful of fuel and maintenance, but we aren’t to be obsessed with our bodies in any way. Rather, we are to be focused on our Lord Jesus Christ, and what He wants us to do with these bodies He’s given us.

I have perhaps been more aware of this issue than most people, because my father’s doctoral dissertation was on the use of In Christ, and congruent Greek phrases, in the New Testament. However, he told me that, even having written that dissertation, he had no idea what it meant until he had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit as a new, single missionary in Japan. I had his example growing up, though it wasn’t the subject of conversation, so when I encountered the Charismatic Movement in 1973, it seemed very familiar and desirable. I can’t say that I have operated perfectly in this by any means, but I do know what it is, and I hope by God’s grace to live it out more and more fully for as long as He keeps me here.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for making it possible to “put on Christ,” to abide in Him and have You and Him in me by Your Spirit. May I walk in that glorious reality more and more each day, so that all of Your purposes for me may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Hypocrisy; January 16, 2025

Posted on January 17, 2025 by jgarrott

Romans 2:19-21 If you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?

This is a perennial problem, probably from the dawn of history. The self-righteous rarely if ever live up to what they proclaim. Jesus dealt with it with the Pharisees, and told His disciples, “Do as they say, not as they do.” (Matthew 23:3) Very recently, in the Senate confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, some senators were accusing him of being drunk on the job in previous work. Not only are such accusations from anonymous sources, they have been vigorously denied by people who actually have worked with him. That said, the perfect rebuttal was given by another senator who said to the accusers, “How many times have you seen fellow senators come in to vote in the evening after having been drinking? I know it’s been many times, but you never accuse them.” This is sadly human nature. Politicians may be in a special category, but this problem certainly infects the Church as well. None of us live up totally to the standards we hold. The only person to ever do that was Jesus of Nazareth. That’s why we are all so urgently in need of the grace of God. Spiritual conceit is the most dangerous kind! We all need to seek to be honest with ourselves and with God, because if we are that, we will certainly be humble! The flip side of that is parents who fail to discipline their children because they remember that they themselves did the same or worse. That too is a big mistake. We are to be honest about our imperfections, but still not deny the perfection that God calls us to. (Matthew 5:48)

This is something I have tangled with thoroughly. Being familiar with the Bible from my childhood, I thought that familiarity was all I needed, making me better than those around me. God finally dealt with me strongly on that issue when I was 24, and I have been painfully aware of it ever since. From that point, I have felt that James 1:22 was written expressly for me: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” The people Paul was writing to here deceived themselves into thinking that their head knowledge was equal to obedience, but that is a trap of the devil. I have been a pastor for many years now, but I am always aware that I am preaching first to myself, and that I can’t expect others to do better than I do. The good news is that God’s grace is sufficient for us all, so we can encourage and support one another, even in our weaknesses.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me never forget it! May I indeed proclaim Your righteousness, holiness, and truth, but do it in the awareness of Your grace and mercy, and that I am as in need of that grace and mercy as those to whom I minister, for Your glory alone. Thank You. Praise God!

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Motivation; January 15, 2025

Posted on January 16, 2025 by jgarrott

Acts 26:28-29 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”
Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”

This is the third time the story of Paul’s encounter with Jesus is recorded, and each has its differences. The interaction in these two verses is a magnificent declaration of why we should all be bold in proclaiming our own relationship with the Savior. It should never be to inflate us, but rather to persuade our hearers to open their own hearts to receive the grace and love of God. We don’t want people to have our various limitations and problems, indicated here by the chains with which Paul was bound, but we should certainly want everyone to repent and believe for their salvation. We are frankly limited in our capacity to care, at least on a personal level. And we aren’t to accuse ourselves about that. However, in each specific instance, we should desire God’s grace and mercy for the person in front of us. And that includes people we don’t like, and people who are active enemies, just as Paul was experiencing here. We shouldn’t be intimidated by anyone’s social status. Paul was here interacting with King Agrippa! I have thought many times about how different things might have turned out if a genuine Christian had been so bold as to share Christ effectively with the Beatles, for example. They were hungry for spiritual reality, but only found a counterfeit in Hindu mysticism. It would have been so powerful if their musical gifts had been dedicated to the Kingdom of God! Most of us never encounter kings or world-famous performers and the like, but such people are just as in need of salvation as anyone else, and if we know the way, we should share it!

I have never been terribly effective as an evangelist, being gifted instead as a teacher, but I have thankfully never been intimidated by anyone’s status. In my case, it made a difference that my parents were considered “high status,” and we had people coming through our home, and even staying the night, who are currently in the history books. I knew they were as human as I was! At the same time, I had my father’s example of never considering anyone to be beneath him, and that was equally valuable. I want my attitude to be the same as what Paul expresses here, and I honestly think it is. Not everyone should have my various quirks, but I want everyone to know that their Creator loves them enough to send His Son to die for them, so that they may open their heart in repentance and faith for their salvation.

Father, thank You for this reminder. May I be increasingly effective in sharing the grace and truth You have poured out on me, so that others may likewise rejoice in Your goodness, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Hearing God; January 14, 2025

Posted on January 15, 2025 by jgarrott

Acts 22:9 “My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.”

In Acts 9 we have the record of Saul’s conversion from a third person perspective, but here we have it as spoken by Paul himself. Since they’re both in this book written by Luke, it’s hardly surprising that they agree! That said, this one little detail is worth noting. Here Paul says that those with him both saw the light and heard a voice, but they couldn’t understand what the voice was saying. Something very similar happened at Jesus’ baptism, (Luke 3:22) and again just after some Greeks came looking for Jesus, (John 12:28-29) with the John passage specifying that some people just thought it thundered. The thing is, God speaks to us all the time, but we often fail to hear Him correctly. That’s why Jesus repeatedly said things like, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Luke 8:8, etc.) Even the risen and glorified Christ said, “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:7, etc.) The Greek in the Revelation passage puts it in the singular form, which is to say, “If you have even one ear, listen up!” We need to listen carefully to God however He speaks to us, because we are all too prone to mis-hear Him. That’s why we need as deep and broad a foundation in the Bible as we can manage, because He is never going to contradict Himself. The more familiar we are with the Bible, the more easily we will recognize what He is saying to us through other means as well. Sadly, many Christians don’t really expect to hear God even when they read the Bible! The world is full of voices of all sorts speaking to us, so we need a conscious commitment to listen to God.

I have been aware of God speaking to me many times in my life, but I am particularly grateful for this SOAP system to reading the Bible, which I learned from Wayne Cordeiro. Every morning I read the Bible and then write (type) out the part of the passage that particularly resonates with me. (S, Scripture) I then write what I feel God is saying through that part of the passage. (O, Observation) I then seek to apply that specifically to my own life. (A, Application) Finally, I write out a Prayer, P, in response to what the Lord has just shown me. It isn’t unusual for me to receive fresh revelation this way, being surprised by what I have just written! That is my regular, daily habit, but the Lord has also spoken to me unexpectedly more than once, and that always blows me out of the water. I have absolutely no doubt that God is real and alive, because He has spoken to me! That isn’t from any special holiness of mine, but because by His grace He has given me ears to hear, and I have chosen to use them. I must never take any of that for granted, but allow God’s words to work in and through me, for His glory.

Father, thank You for Your incredible grace toward me. Thank You for Wayne Cordeiro, and for his faithfulness to share what You have shown him. May I likewise be faithful, so that more and more of Your children may grow ears to hear You accurately so as to be fully obedient to You, for Your kingdom to come as Your will is done, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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God’s Use of Circumstances; January 13, 2025

Posted on January 14, 2025 by jgarrott

Acts 16:17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”

Everything about this story is interesting, and worthy of meditation! I have always found it very interesting that this woman was giving Paul and crew free, accurate publicity, but the way she was doing it was so irritating that Paul finally couldn’t take it anymore. I really wonder what other symptoms of demonic possession she displayed, that her owners immediately recognized that she had been delivered. We don’t have any record of what happened to her after this, but I would imagine she became a firm believer! Her shouting under the influence of the demon was probably widely reported, influencing the words of the jailer, reported in verse 30. I have a feeling that the earthquake, on top of what she had been shouting, scared the behoozis out of the magistrates who had ordered Paul and Silas to be beaten and jailed, so Paul requiring them to come and apologize personally was icing on the cake. The total events certainly proved that Paul and Silas were definitely “servants of the Most High God!” I’m sure Paul and Silas would not have chosen for things to go as they did, but I’m equally sure that they rejoiced at the final outcome, and were at peace with their part in it, as physically painful as it was. We don’t know how God is going to use what He allows us to experience. I don’t think God wanted Paul and Silas to be beaten and jailed, but He certainly used it for good. We need to trust God to “work everything together for good” (Romans 8:28) in our lives, to the point that we indeed thank Him for everything, (Ephesians 5:29) so that He will be free to use us for His kingdom and His glory.

This is something the Lord has been teaching me over the years, but I still need refreshers on it. Yesterday was a very good day in several respects, but for reasons I don’t understand, I was depressed by bedtime. I have essentially no idea why. It may have been to keep me from getting high over all the good things that had happened! I need to stay grounded in Him, resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in Him just as He has told me to do, and not be swayed by circumstances. He has made it clear that He is in control and that His plans are good, and I need to trust Him totally in that, not trying to dictate the form that things are going to take along the way. I’ve known that in theory for a long time, but I obviously need further training in living it out! However, God is graciously patient with me, so I need to be patient with myself, because He is indeed “able to keep me from stumbling and present me blameless before His presence with great joy.” (Jude 1:24)

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for all that You are doing. Thank You for Your plans for today. Help me flow with Your Spirit on Your schedule throughout today, being neither hesitant nor impatient, so that Your will may be done for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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