The Gospel; December 19, 2023

Posted on December 20, 2023 by jgarrott

Colossians 1:6 The gospel 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.

We toss the word, Gospel, around rather casually, when as this verse indicates, it is a thing of great power. On the face of it, it seems simple, expressed succinctly in John 3:16, but it has incredible depth. It includes everything my father wrote about in his PhD dissertation on In Christ, and even more than that. That’s why Paul says here, “since you really understood it,” as the Japanese translates it. The thing is, there is so much depth to the Gospel that our understanding should keep growing as long as we are on this earth. Of course, as Paul noted to the Corinthians, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) One thing we have to look forward to in heaven is finally under­standing the Gospel fully, and how we and everyone else fits into it in God’s incredible plan. One of our greatest privileges in this life is in sharing the Gospel, as imperfect as our understanding of it is. We don’t know it all, but we know enough to get someone saved, just as we were. We aren’t to wait for perfect understanding before we share. Doing that would mean no one would share! As has been said, evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. We need to remember that the Gospel at its heart isn’t information, it’s a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, who loves us so incredibly. Evangelism isn’t abstract teaching, it’s introducing people to the One they have always needed and wanted to know, even if they didn’t realize it. To do that, we’ve got to be on good terms with Him ourselves, so as my father often said, we’ve got to keep giving all we know of ourselves to all we know of Christ, because our knowledge keeps growing on both sides of that equation.

Of course, this applies to me as much as it does to anyone else. I don’t feel gifted as an evangelist, but I do love to tell people about Jesus. The problem is in their recognizing their need for Him, and Japanese culture can be a big hindrance to that. However, nothing is impossible for God, so I’ve got to keep sharing the Gospel at every opportunity the Lord gives me. I’ll be leading a Christmas party for my nursing school students the day after tomorrow, and I always share the true story of Christmas at such occasions, since many of the students literally don’t know it. I’ve never heard that anyone became a Christian because of those parties, and this is the 42nd year to hold them, but God knows the fruit those seeds have born, even though I don’t. I’m to remember that it’s His Gospel, and trust Him with it on every level.

Father, ministry in Japan can be discouraging, given the low “rate of return,” but You love these people more than I do. I pray that Your will may be done in this nation, tearing apart the lies of the devil that have bound them for so long, for a great harvest in Your kingdom, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Cross; December 18, 2023

Posted on December 19, 2023 by jgarrott

Philippians 3:18-19 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.

As I read this I immediately got a mental image of churches filled with obese people. Such are not unusual, but immediately after that I realized that there are many other things of this world that we can focus on , rather than just food. The NIV says “their god is their stomach,” but the Japanese makes it much broader, saying, “their god is their desire.” As I have explained to my students in teaching Medical English, “appetite” most often refers to food, but it can apply to any number of things, and I think that’s the case here. There are plenty of people who seek temporal things to the exclusion of God: physical pleasure, human approval, (i.e. Social media) physical appearance, political power, and the list goes on and on. It’s all a matter of focus and priorities. We really don’t like that Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) Frank Viola has written a good bit about the importance of the cross for our spiritual health, and about the many forms that can take. Too many people would rather be slaves to sin than take up their cross. That’s certainly “an inconvenient truth,” and it’s a sad one. Paul says here that he wept over it. It is painful indeed to see people we care deeply about living with sadly misplaced priorities. This doesn’t mean that we are to seek out pain; masochism has no place in the Church. However, fasting, not just food but any sort of temporal indulgence, is a powerful aid in seeing ourselves accurately, so that we can see our Lord more accurately. Jesus was not being mean when He said we needed to take up our cross, He was telling us the fastest, and really easiest, way to become like Him, which is certainly the highest good.

And may I say, ouch! I’ve never been much of a glutton when it came to food (though my appetite was legendary around the time I grew 6 inches in one year as a child) but I have allowed a wide variety of things to take precedence over the Lord at various times and in various ways. There’s an excellent reason the first of the 10 Commandments is, “You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3) Living in Japan, which calls itself “The Land of 8 Million Gods,” I have tended to think of that in terms of religious idolatry, but I’ve got to remember in practical terms that it’s much broader than that. As Jesus said, the choice to put Him first is daily. These times of prayer and reading the Bible every morning are certainly helpful, but I am presented with choices throughout every day, and I need to keep my focus sharp.

Father, thank You for this clear reminder. It’s particularly appropriate as I am retiring from secular teaching, since my choices are much more operative than they have been. Help me choose to take up the cross You give me with joy, not grumbling, to become more and more like Christ Jesus my Lord, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Justice; December 17, 2023

Posted on December 18, 2023 by jgarrott

Isaiah 42:4 He will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope.”

This seems like a very timely Scripture. Issues of justice and injustice abound! America has certainly been displaying a two-tiered justice system of late, but there is hope, as more and more is being exposed and more and more people are waking up. There is no joy to what is going on in Israel, but at the very least the lines are being drawn very clearly and allegiances are quite obvious. In all of this mess it would be easy to become cynical, to essentially give up hope for mankind, but that’s why God gave us His Word, to let us know that He hasn’t forgotten or abandoned us, but His plans are still in effect. There have been countless times throughout history when people were tempted to give up all hope, but God has been faithful in spite of it all. From the human standpoint it can all seem very illogical, but as God had to remind Isaiah, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) In the first place, we are born with an innate sense of justice. Even small children complain if something is “not fair,” in their estimation. However, every parent has encountered situations where their children complained, but the parents knew there were necessary things going on that the children didn’t understand. That’s how it is with us and God. We forget that the ultimate resolution isn’t in the world as we see it, but in God’s eternity. We should strive for justice on this earth and offer ourselves to God as His agents to accomplish that, but never think that we have the final answer in ourselves. I am reminded of a case where a vicious murderer escaped police but was later found in the desert, having died of thirst and exposure. The official wrote on his records, “Remanded to a higher court.” Ultimate justice is in God’s hands, and we should rest secure in that assurance.

I occasionally get worked up over injustice as I see it in the world, but I remind myself of this truth and choose to trust God. I have long liked this particular verse because of the last line in it. It might seem silly to assign “islands” to Japan, but there it is! (I give full permission to believers in Indonesia and other island nations to claim it for themselves.) My family has labored for 90 years now in this nation, and to this point have seen only a little fruit. However, the Bible has many references to harvest and reward. I know that my parents are currently more than compensated for their labors, and I have assurance that I will be as well. God is indeed just, as well as gracious and loving, and I can rest in that reality.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the message You’ve given me from this passage for this morning. May it indeed be Your words, accomplishing Your will in the hearts and lives of my hearers, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Humility; December 16, 2023

Posted on December 17, 2023 by jgarrott

Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

The Japanese is a little bit richer than the NIV here, saying, “Have this attitude among you, just as it can be seen in Christ Jesus.” This isn’t just an individual thing, but something for the whole body of believers. The poem/hymn that follows is justly famous as a description of the heart of Christ in coming to earth to be our Savior, but the Japanese also points to the verses ahead of this, that speak of unselfish unity. We aren’t going to be expressing the character of Christ if we are envious of each other, in rivalry, jockeying for position. The chief characteristic of Christ that comes out in the verses that follow is humility, and we should be no different. This doesn’t mean denying the things God has given us, whether they be physical abilities or skills or even appearance, but it does mean that we don’t place ourselves ahead, even or especially in our own minds, of those who are differently gifted. That tends to fly in the face of human nature, or the expectations of society. It can be difficult to be humble if you always come in first in a particular kind of competition – and competition is a part of life. The answer isn’t “participation trophies,” as are currently in vogue in American schools, but rather in recognizing that different abilities don’t mean different value as human beings. Skillful players are valued on a team, but there is no team without the other members as well. The Church is representative of all mankind, with the full gamut of everything. All of us are created by God in His love, and all of us are necessary parts of His plan. We need to rejoice to contribute what God has placed in us, and encourage and praise what God has placed in our brothers and sisters as well.

I will never forget something that happened during my second visit to the US, when I was 10 years old. The pastor of the church we attended was named John, and there was another John in the church who had cerebral palsy. This second John would station himself in the foyer every Sunday morning, welcoming all who came in with a genuine joy that was contagious. One day one of the church officers died suddenly of a heart attack, a very respected man in the community, of comfortable means and with a family. John the greeter went to John the pastor in tears, saying, “Why couldn’t it have been me? I have no family or place in society, but he was valuable!” John the pastor told him, “John, more people know your face and your voice in this church than that man, and probably than me. You are the face of Jesus to those who enter this building.” I know of that interchange because the pastor shared it in a subsequent message, and I cannot recall it without tears, because indeed John the greeter’s face is etched in my memory, fully as much as that of John the pastor. I pray that I never forget that lesson, but indeed have the attitude of Christ.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the many experiences You have used to shape me. May none of them be wasted. May I indeed be transformed into the likeness of Christ Jesus my Lord, (2 Corinthians 3:18) for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Worthy; December 15, 2023

Posted on December 16, 2023 by jgarrott

Philippians 1:27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Just two days ago we had Paul telling us to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received,” (Ephesians 4:1) and here he is telling us to live worthy of the Gospel. That seems like a lot of pressure! The thing is, in our own strength and righteousness, none of us are worthy of any of that! We trip up in countless ways, but that is why God’s grace is grace: we don’t deserve it, but God loves and supports us anyway. In terms of the two passages, I would say that they are just two ways of saying the same thing, because a life worthy of the calling we have received is worthy of the Gospel, and vice versa. Either way, it’s a matter of maintaining focus on Christ and living consistently with that focus. That’s why the devil works so hard to distract us, and why trials can sometimes be a huge blessing. People under active persecution often have a much purer and stronger faith than those in nominally Christian societies. As has been said, there’s nothing like impending execution to sharpen our focus! As this chapter makes clear, Paul wrote this letter while he was under the threat of execution. Most scholars think he lived for some time after this, and may even have been released from prison for a while, but 2 Timothy was clearly written shortly before he actually was executed. He followed his own advice, which is why he was able to write, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8) With such an example, and of course, that of Jesus before him, we too should fix our eyes on the goal and give it our all, just as Paul wrote later in this same letter. (Philippians 3:13-14)

And this naturally applies to me! At 75 I am much closer to the finish line than I have been in earlier periods of my life, so this is certainly no time to slack off. Retiring from secular teaching, I will have much more “discretionary time” than I have had previously – so I must use discretion in the use of my time! Since I will have fewer scheduled events, I will need to be all the more sensitive to the Lord’s appointments. Just yesterday I had an unexpected call to translate an important legal document. I don’t necessarily enjoy that, because I’m not exactly turned on by legalese, but it’s something I could do, and the Lord enabled me to do it, in fairly short order. I was scheduled to give a final examination to my nursing students today, but ¼ of the class has come down with COVID, so the exam is postponed and I have another clear day in my schedule. That calls for consciously seeking how the Lord would have me spend each moment, and that’s a good thing. I know from experience that, left entirely to myself, my life is not particularly worthy of the Gospel, of the calling that God has given me, so I need to be fully intentional in seeking and following Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s certainly timely! Thank You for reminding me that I need to draw up the January Scripture reading list today, and I need to get more ink to print Christmas cards that church members have requested. Help me flow on Your schedule without being anxious, resting, relaxing, and rejoicing in You just as You have told me to do, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Words; December 14, 2023

Posted on December 15, 2023 by jgarrott

Ephesians 6:19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel

You might think that someone like Paul would not need to make a prayer request like this, because words were his “stock in trade,” so to speak. However, he wasn’t “hawking his own goods,” but expressing the words of his Lord, and that made all the difference. By this point he had learned, doubtless the hard way, that anything he said entirely on his own was essentially worthless, but that when God spoke through him, anything could happen. That’s a lesson every preacher, in particular, needs to learn! Frank Viola puts it in terms of speaking to the head, to the emotions, or to the heart. The first two are common, and recently, speaking to the emotions seems to be the goal of many. However, it is only words that penetrate to the heart that make a lasting difference, and those need to come from the One who created the heart, and everything else. I think we underestimate our total dependence on God, because we fool ourselves into thinking we are accomplishing things in our own strength and wisdom. Paul was given “a thorn in the flesh” to cure him of that deception, and that was a blessing. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) The higher profile the preacher (or politician, or entertainer, or whatever) the more they need such reminders. We are remarkably adept at fooling ourselves, (James 1:22) and anything that protects us from that is to be welcomed.

I am talking about myself here, because I have always been a person of words. In the 7th grade I made a higher score on a comprehensive vocabulary test than my English teacher did! However, having a lot of words at my disposal didn’t, and still doesn’t, mean that I necessarily use them correctly from God’s viewpoint. I may be a stickler for grammar, but that’s not what I’m talking about. If I’m not expressing God’s truth in the way He wants it said, then my words are meaningless, chaff that deserves no better than to be blown away by the wind. I have certainly experienced speaking chaff, and I have also experienced speaking the words of God. There’s no question which I want to do! This isn’t to say that I am to be mute until the Spirit moves me, but it is to say that I am constantly to be praying that God would set a guard on my lips to keep me from speaking that which is not of Him. I have seen my words bring blessing, and I have seen them bring pain. I want to be an instrument of blessing! Sometimes, as my father cautioned me at the point I was entering college, my words are to be a scalpel, cutting away undesirable things from people’s hearts, but I must be very careful that they aren’t infected with any trace of envy, pride, or hatred. Like Paul, I want to consistently make known the mysteries of the Gospel, so that people may be set free to repent and believe for their salvation, for the glory of God.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the gift for words You have given me. May that gift, and my words, always be used as You intend, defeating the devil and setting people free, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Calling; December 13, 2023

Posted on December 14, 2023 by jgarrott

Ephesians 4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

As often happens in Paul’s letters, the rest of this chapter unpacks all the meaning contained in this deceptively simple verse. There are three issues here: what calling we have received, understanding what that calling involves, and living it out. Virtually everyone falls down on at least one, and I would say all three, of those points. In the first place, many people fail to recognize that God has called them to come and be His children, living in fellowship with Him. I don’t think anyone is left out of that, because as Paul said, God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) Expressing God’s calling is the major task of evangelism, but as anyone who has tried it can testify, responses are all over the place, even though there is no salvation without a repentant response to this call. In the second place, we tend to misunderstand our calling, even when we come to Christ as our Lord. Everyone is gifted differently, and everyone has different life circumstances that shape them. Faithful obedience to God for one person isn’t going to be identical to equally faithful obedience for another person. This can really get tricky, because we are so quick to compare ourselves with each other. We tend to puff ourselves up or put ourselves down because we aren’t the same as someone we’re looking at, but again as Paul said, “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” (2 Corinthians 10:12) Each of us is individually accountable to God for ourselves, and we aren’t accountable for how our neighbor responds to God’s call. The third point is closely related, because it is how well we live out the calling we have received, and that is the overall point of the verse. In the verses following, Paul speaks of different functions for different people, as well as universal principles that apply to all believers, but those are actually all included in this verse.

I don’t think I’ve ever unpacked this verse this thoroughly before, and I’m grateful for the insight. As I was saying to my wife and daughters just recently, I tend to feel that I have been an underachiever, considering all that God has poured out on me. I was very touched that my younger daughter stood up for me strongly, insisting that I have been very faithful, but I am reminded of something Jesus said: “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” (Luke 17:10) As Paul said, comparisons aren’t wise. I am to remember that my first calling is to draw near to my Lord, and my second calling is to be fully obedient to Him in every way. I haven’t fulfilled either of those perfectly, so I’ve got to keep growing.

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for this clear explanation of this verse. Thank You that my calling extends into eternity, where I will be with You forever. Help me indeed keep that in mind and live appropriately each moment, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Plans; December 12, 2023

Posted on December 13, 2023 by jgarrott

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

After expressing his prayer for the Ephesian believers, Paul can’t hold himself back from praising God. The better we know God and understand how much He has done for us in Christ, the more praise and thanksgiving will well up from within us. The word order in Japanese hit me just now as I read this, because it starts with “According to the power that works in us.” This isn’t some pie-in-the sky thing, it is already working in us! It also isn’t simply historical, grateful that something happened 2000 years ago, or anticipatory, that someday we’ll be in heaven, but it’s right now, working in us. The more we think about that, the more it should blow our minds! That Paul would say, “more than we can ask or imagine,” is very significant. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve got a pretty active imagination! This is another reason why we should never try to dictate to God: His plans for us are always better than anything we could plan for ourselves, regardless of what they look like in the moment. Sometimes He takes us through some pretty deep stuff, but it’s always for our good. Paul himself went through times that “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.” (2 Corinthians 1:8) No one in their right mind would choose that sort of thing voluntarily, but in the very same letter he tells us, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) We can’t imagine the extent of the glory that awaits us, but God is working in and through us right now to prepare us for that glory, and we should be very grateful.

This is something I have continued to grow into over the years. My “asking and thinking” has been pretty immature at times, but God has been patient with me. I continue to ask for and imagine an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Japan, bringing repentance and faith as all the lies of the devil are smashed, but I could no more accomplish that on my own than I could take a quick trip to the Andromeda Galaxy and back. As John wrote, faith is indeed the victory over all the opposition. (1 John 5:4) I need to keep trusting God to bring about His perfect plans, keeping myself available for however He might want to use me in them, so that He will receive the glory and satisfaction that is due Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all that You are doing in and around me, much of it unexpected. Thank You for being an infinitely better planner than I am! Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You as Your plans are fulfilled, on Your schedule and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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God’s Grace; December 11, 2023

Posted on December 12, 2023 by jgarrott

Ephesians 3:12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Everything is dependent on Christ. That’s why Jesus said so clearly, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Apart from faith in Christ, anyone drawing close to God, in our natural, sinful state, would get zapped, much like in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Sometimes fiction can help us understand truth! We really have trouble understanding the absolute holiness of God, and how sinfulness simply cannot exist in His presence. The more we understand His holiness, the more we grasp how incredible and magnificent His grace toward us really is. We rightly love the song, Amazing Grace, but most of the time we live without a grasp of how essential that grace is to us. Physicists tell us about matter and antimatter, and how they are totally mutually exclusive. When they touch, both are instantly converted into energy, to the point that the reaction has been considered as an energy source for space ships and the like. (The problem is in how to maintain a supply of antimatter within a vessel of matter, so it’s strictly in the area of mind games at this point.) When sinfulness touches the holiness of God, the destruction is just as total for the sinfulness, but God cannot be destroyed; it’s no skin off of His nose. That’s why the truth expressed in this verse is so incredible. The New Testament is loaded with passages that speak of God’s grace, expressed in Christ Jesus, and there are plenty of Old Testament prophesies that point to it as well, most notably Isaiah 53. Only God could have come up with the plan to sacrifice His own Son to atone for the sins of mankind! We do, however, have to believe it for it to be effective in our lives personally. That’s why all who believe in Christ for themselves are compelled by God’s love to share the knowledge of Christ with those around them, so that they too may have the opportunity to believe. (2 Corinthians 5:14)

This is of course the reason why I live, and specifically, why I live in Japan as a missionary pastor. So few Japanese know enough about Christ to believe in Him! The biggest mystery to me is why more Japanese don’t recognize their need of salvation. There are many factors to that, but I keep reminding myself that nothing is impossible for God. (Luke 1:37) I am to remain humble and faithful, knowing that I have no hope apart from Christ, and that in Him I have every hope indeed. I am to keep sharing His truth, however He gives opportunity, and trust Him with the outcome.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all that You are doing here. People are being drawn, and I praise You for that. I pray that every lie of the devil would be defeated and everyone You are calling would follow through, so that Your children may rise up as a mighty army in this place, defeating the works of the enemy, (1 John 3:8) setting people free, and preparing the way for Christ’s return. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Comfort; December 10, 2023

Posted on December 11, 2023 by jgarrott

Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

We have a strange relationship with the word, comfort, in English. As a verb, as it is here, it is an emotional thing, but as a noun, it can mean what is given by the verb, or it can mean something entirely physical, and the adjective, comfortable, takes it entirely in that direction. That can leave us somewhat confused as to exactly what the Lord is talking about here. I am reminded of the very true saying that God is far more concerned with our character than with our comfort. This verse isn’t talking about putting us in a nice, soft chair! We even speak of a high income as “comfortable circumstances!” That is of very little importance, because it is strictly temporal. Emotional pain can be far deeper than physical pain, but we sometimes try to mask the emotional by dealing entirely with physical issues, which doesn’t work. Just ask someone who has just lost a loved one whether they care about how soft their chair is! God is here speaking of the emotional and spiritual support that only He can provide. All too often we lose sight of that reality and try to cover up the ache in our heart with physical pleasures, but it never works in the long run. We need to remember that one of the titles for Holy Spirit is “the Comforter.” He is the One who can touch our heart where it really hurts and bring the healing we need.

I have experienced both comfort and discomfort both physically and emotionally. In college at one point I simply wanted to die, and I tried to do it, but God stopped me. That’s why I know that suicide is both self-centered and stupid. I haven’t endured active persecution for my faith, but I have certainly experienced disappointments, both with myself and with others. I have experienced medical issues, but compared to my wife, certainly nothing to speak of. I have experienced the loss of my parents, and I anticipate the loss of others close to me. All of that makes me very grateful for the comfort that only God can give. I am never to put others down for the pain they are experiencing, whether it be physical or emotional, but rather seek to be a channel of God’s comfort to them. Sometimes that comfort requires repentance to be received; sin is never to be excused. However, my focus is never to be on inflicting pain, but rather on healing it. I am all too adept at inflicting emotional pain!

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for the privilege of speaking on this verse this morning. I pray that my words would be yours indeed, both comforting those who hear them and inspiring them to be agents of Your comfort as well, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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