Holy Boldness; October 22, 2023

Posted on October 23, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 26:29 Paul replied, “Short time or long–I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”

Since yesterday I’ve known I would be writing on this verse. I almost read the whole chapter in anticipation, but I restrained myself. This is such a magnificent statement! Paul is talking to a king here, and is totally unintimidated, despite the fact that he is a chained prisoner. The level of courage, of boldness, is off the charts, and it is abso­lutely typical of Paul. His personality certainly had a lot to do with it, but I think that his going to heaven from being stoned and then being sent back (Acts 14:19-20, 2 Corinthians 12:2-5) had perhaps even more to do with it. Paul knew that he was a representative of Christ Jesus, (2 Corinthians 5:20) and as such had more real power and authority than any earthly king. The thing is, that is true of every genuine believer. We are never to let that puff us up, but we should also never back down. We didn’t earn that status, but God granted it to us in His love and grace, and as John said, His perfect love casts out all fear. (1 John 4:18) To the degree we take our eyes off of ourselves and our circumstances and fix them on Jesus, (Hebrews 12:2) we will be filled with His supernatural peace and assurance, and nothing will shake us.

Excitement has risen in me even as I have written this. I have tasted this boldness, and I want to walk in it continuously. I know that requires humility and holiness, which I will be speaking on this morning, but I have been convinced for many years that when God’s children wake up to whom they are in Christ, the world will be transformed faster than we would believe. We must not forget that all of this doesn’t insulate us from trials and suffering, as Paul’s own life demonstrated, and Jesus Himself stated, (John 16:33) but God wants us all to walk in the assurance of the ultimate outcome, which will be glorious beyond words. We are not to let this assurance make us rude or obnoxious, but we are never to hesitate to speak the truth in love. (1 Peter 3:15-16, Ephesians 4:15)

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. There’s a lot on the schedule today. Help me live out Your truth every moment so that everyone may be touched by Your Spirit, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Giving Testimony; October 21, 2023

Posted on October 22, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 26:17-18 “‘I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'”

What a beautiful, succinct yet complete, exposition of an absolutely magnificent commission! It’s no wonder that King Agrippa was nearly won over, and actually may have been, considering the rest of the chapter. Paul had no trouble expressing this because this was how God had said it to him in the first place, and he had probably shared it countless times. I think this is an excellent example of what Peter was talking about when he said, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15) After all, in verse six he has just said, “And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today.” Many Christians are oddly hesitant to share their personal testimony, whether it’s from a feeling they can’t do it well, or that it’s just too mundane, or from shyness or a heightened desire for privacy, or whatever. No excuse holds water before God, because we are commanded to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, and that requires sharing what we know of the saving grace of God. However, practice indeed makes perfect. It is wise to practice, if that’s the right word, by expressing our experience of God with brothers and sisters in Christ. If they are sensitive to Holy Spirit, they will encourage us and ask questions that will make it easier to bring out the important points. We don’t need to express it in theological terms, and indeed, doing that will make it less effective in winning people to faith. We just need to be open, sharing what God has done for us, in awe of His love for us and for the person to whom we are talking.

I’m not a “gifted evangelist,” but I am certainly a talker, and as I have written recently, as an MK/TCK I tend to try to explain myself to people. That gives me a tendency to drown people in words, and that’s not a good idea! I need to keep working on my sensitive obedience to Holy Spirit, so that I will say what He wants me to but no more. That “no more” part can be hard for me! I think I’m growing there though, and that’s a comfort. However, I still tend to preach at the drop of a hat! I am to be fully humble, allowing God to use me if He so chooses, but not demanding that He do so. I want to meet His appointments and not go barging in on my own.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the gift for words that You’ve given me. May that always be used as You intend and in no other way, as it has too often in the past, so that Your purposes for me may be accomplished on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Repentance; October 20, 2023

Posted on October 21, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 24:25 As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

Honest evangelism is always risky, at least to some extent, because it requires a call to repentance, and people don’t want to acknowledge that they are guilty. We have no idea what Felix was guilty of, but it’s clear from his actions that he didn’t have a clear conscience. It was actually wise of him to feel afraid, but what he did in response to his fear was not at all wise. Avoidance doesn’t change reality! His actions showed that he was not righteous or self-controlled, and had every reason to fear the coming judgment. Some preachers avoid talking about sin because they don’t want to “drive people away,” but that shows that they are more interested in numbers than in leading people to salvation. The Gospel is good news not because it says we are innocent, but because it says that repentance is possible. Far too many church members have never faced the fact that they are sinners, and have no hope apart from the atoning work of Jesus Christ. The only real risk in that is in people thinking that because they are sinners whose sins have been covered by the blood of Jesus, it doesn’t matter what they do now. Even Paul had to face that distortion directly: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2) If we don’t talk about sin because we want people to feel “comfortable,” then we have abandoned the true Gospel. That’s not at all to say that sin is all we are to talk about. God’s promises are absolutely glorious and they are very real, but we must never forget that repentance is a firm requirement, for ourselves or for anyone else.

As I have written before, I was liberated from a habitual sin by something Peter wrote. “But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.” (2 Peter 1:9) I have learned that if I dwell on what I have done, I’m far more likely to do it again. God’s forgiveness and cleansing are real, but the devil lies to us and insists on dragging up things that have already been dealt with. It isn’t “Into bliss and out of blister,” as my grandfather used to put it, because it is a living out of the holiness that we have in Christ. As Paul said, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) In my efforts to win people I am never to gloss over the reality of sin or the need for repentance.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me be always fully responsive to what You want to say and do through me, so that Your truth may go forth undistorted, shattering the lies of the enemy and setting people free, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Humility; October 19, 2023

Posted on October 20, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 24:16 “So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.”

I wonder how many people feel this way? Or rather, actually live this way? This requires self-awareness without self-centeredness, and that is a tall order for most of us. We see examples all around us of people who seem to be the opposite, living totally for themselves and not realizing how obvious that is to those around them. I could give examples of various public figures but that wouldn’t be fair because, not only are there so many of them, we all have somewhat of this tendency. What is required is a fundamental humility that we could all use more of. We first of all have to acknowledge that we are created beings, and as such are accountable to our Creator. As Isaiah said, “You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘He did not make me’? Can the pot say of the potter, ‘He knows nothing’?” (Isaiah 29:16) Some people formulate this into a philosophy of atheism, but even people who don’t go that far often complain to God about things instead of being faithful with what is placed at their disposal. We need to be aware of our Creator and striving to please Him, which is the attitude Paul is claiming here. We need to remember that we aren’t the center of the universe. The flip side of that is being aware also that we aren’t the only person in the universe, and that we are created to interact with the people around us. We can’t please all the people all the time (or fool all the people all the time) but as Paul said to the Romans, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18) We are all born with a stubborn, self-centered streak, and we need to stand against it. (There are people who seem to be exceptions to this, but they are rare indeed.) We aren’t to make ourselves doormats, but we are to consider how our lives impact those around us and strive to be instruments of God’s blessing, rather than irritants. Some people have that irritating thing down to an art! We are to be true to what God shows us and not be controlled by people’s opinions, but we’re back to what Paul told the Romans. He had already written that letter before the events around today’s passage, so we know he practiced what he preached. He is certainly worthy of our emulation.

Of course I’m preaching to myself here, because this is an area in which we all need to keep growing. I’ve known of God from infancy, yet I have ignored Him more times than I could possibly count. I have been self-centered to the point of being an introvert, happy if I had books and maybe some machinery to tinker with, ignoring everyone around me. God fixed that one by pairing me with one of the most social, outgoing people on the planet, and after 54 years, a good bit (emphasis on the good) has rubbed off on me, to the point that some people are disbelieving when I say I’m an introvert. That said, I’ve still got plenty of room to grow. Pride still rears its ugly head, and I have to strive to keep a clear conscience, just like Paul did. That said, I have experienced that God is incredibly patient and gracious, and He keeps working in and on me so that He can work through me at times as well, and I am deeply grateful.

Father, thank You for this. When I started writing, I had no idea You were giving me the message for Sunday! Help me express what You are saying clearly, so that each person hearing may receive what You know they need, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Discrimination; October 18, 2023

Posted on October 20, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 22:22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!”

Human beings can be amazing, sometimes in good ways and sometimes in bad. This is a bad way! The level of prejudice expressed here is pretty remarkable. The initial uproar had been about false accusations that Paul had brought a Gentile into the temple, and all it took was the mention of Gentiles by him to trigger murderous intent. They listened rather quietly while he gave his testimony that indicated that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Son of God, but the moment he mentioned Gentiles, they wanted to tear him apart. We have just seen the mirror of this, sadly enough, with Hamas terrorists murdering babies simply because they were racially Jewish. This is horribly ugly whatever labels are used. Similar things have happened in India, with mob action against Christians simply because they were Christian. The devil is all about division and hatred, because he and the angels that followed him were cast out of heaven because of his pride that lusted after the worship that is due only to God. (Isaiah 14:12-15) In contrast, Jesus famously prayed for unity. (John 17) We need to be very careful about knee-jerk reactions against anyone, but be humble before God and realize that we are dependent on His grace. All discrimination comes from a desire to feel superior, when on a cosmic scale only God is superior.

I have encountered discrimination in various directions all my life, growing up as a Caucasian in Japan, as a missionary kid in a military dependents school, and in various other ways. And I can’t say I haven’t practiced it a bit myself. That last fact makes me all the more aware that we are all flawed and in need of grace. I’ve had to come to the awareness that I’m not capable of generating such loving grace on my own, so there too I am dependent on God. That said, I have also experienced God’s supply in this area, forgiving people who have been despiteful against me. I recently saw a video testimony of a now Messianic Jew who had been virulently anti-Christian, and he said he could imagine Jesus saying, “I want that one!” God loves to flip people around, and I’ve got to remember that He is more than capable of turning an enemy into a brother.

Father, thank You for this awareness. Thank You for how You have used me to demonstrate Your love to people, including the neighbor who died a couple of days ago, as well as to his children. Thank You that the children seem to recognize that love. I don’t know whether that neighbor cried out to You while he had the opportunity, but I pray that this experience would draw his children to do so, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Truth and Lies; October 17, 2023

Posted on October 18, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 21:36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!”

The whole story of Paul’s arrest is a perfect example of the reality that you can’t reason with terrorists or mobs. The “Jews from the province of Asia” (verse 27) were upset at Paul’s success in that pro­vince and so manufactured lies to whip up a mob against him, and they were sadly successful at that. We are seeing that sort of thing constantly all around us today, as unscrupulous people of various persuasions use all sorts of lies to whip people up about the subject of their choice. The whole pandemic thing was one example, when governments took a very real, though engineered, disease and used it to control whole populations with assertions that had little to no basis in actual scientific fact. Right now the world is in the middle of a war that the only real basis for it is antisemitism, but horrible suffering is the result. Rational statements are in danger of being drowned out by the uproar, just as they were at Paul’s arrest. Believers, and actually rational people of all stripes, need to step back and consider the bias of whatever “news” sources they have, and not be tricked into mob action. Jesus is the truth, (John 14:6) and God’s truth sets us free, (John 8:32) but the devil is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44) The devil is an expert at taking facts out of context and twisting them into lies to control and destroy people. As James said, we’ve got to submit to God and resist the devil. (James 4:7)

I’ve got to be as careful of this as anyone. I too am partial to “confirmation bias.” The problem is, we all like to be right, and so grasp onto things that make us feel our opinions were correct. I have strong opinions about a lot of things, but I’ve got to be humble enough to hear truth that contradicts those opinions. At the same time, I’ve got to remember that rational argument is useless in some situations. I need to speak the truth in love, but not be surprised when the truth produces opposition.

Father, I am really saddened at the way lies take over the narrative so often, but certainly not as much as You are. Help me stand in Your truth, and especially the truth that You are our Creator who loves us so much You sent Your Son to die as our Savior. Help me communicate that truth effectively to as many as will receive it, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Trusting God with the Church; October 16, 2023

Posted on October 17, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 20:32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

This is why and how Paul could go around doing what he did. He wasn’t depending on man, either himself or the people to whom he ministered, but on God, and specifically on God’s Word. He could do this even though he knew prophetically that “savage wolves” would come in to do all the damage they could. (verses 29-30) We have such trouble trusting God like that! Church history is indeed filled with stories of such “wolves,” and it’s hardly pretty. However, there has always been a remnant that has clung to God and His truth in faithfulness, and that is the Bride of Christ that Revelation talks about. The letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3 point this out, with various kinds of “wolves” mentioned, but the recurring refrain of “He who overcomes” applies to each situation. Jesus words about “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33) apply to churches as well as individuals! Individual shepherds are to be on their guard as Paul said, but they aren’t to be anxious. Organizations come and go, but the Body of Christ is His, and His business. We are to be faithful in all we say and do, but know that the final outcome is in God’s hands, and it is glorious.

This couldn’t be more applicable to me! At 75, I and others around me are concerned about my successor in this church, but effective ministers have already gone out from this church, and the believers here are increasingly grounded in the Word. I am to indeed trust God and the Word of His grace, just as Paul did. That doesn’t mean I’m to be lazy or take things for granted, but it does mean that I’m to remember that it ultimately doesn’t depend on me, because it is God’s church, and He who is in me, and us, is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

Father, thank You for this encouraging reminder. World events can certainly be anxiety-producing, and events closer to home can be upsetting as well. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, just as You have told me to do, so that I may be a faithful servant for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Transparency; October 15, 2023

Posted on October 16, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 20:20-21 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

Paul had a very public ministry, not because he was trying to be seen so much as because he wasn’t hiding anything. That’s quite a contrast to some today who are very public on media, but behind the scenes get involved in all sorts of things. Not everyone is called to public ministry but everyone is called to be open and honest, transparent in what they say and do so that Christ may be seen through them. As the song says, “Let others see Jesus in you.” What we say sometimes isn’t as important as how we say it, and our lives must always be congruent with our words. The phrase, “Do as I say, not as I do,” is sadly well known, and all too common in actual practice. Any disciple of Jesus Christ is to be the same in public and private, living out the faith they proclaim. We may feel we don’t have much to say, or that we aren’t worth looking at, but as Paul pointed out to the Corinthians, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29) If you feel you aren’t much, then good! Let people see that God can use someone who isn’t much to reflect His glory. The point is to be open and honest about it all, not trying to take credit for the good stuff or escape responsibility for our mistakes. The more we are focused on Christ, the less we will be concerned with how people see us.

I have always been something of a compulsive sharer, telling people things about myself when they probably didn’t really care. I’m told that’s not unusual for MKs/TCKs because we can have trouble making real connections with people, and everyone needs to be connected. The problem is that I have sometimes made problems by telling things about other people that they didn’t want shared, and that has occasionally made for broken relationships. I am to be open and transparent, but I’m not to force others to be likewise. I need to remember that people don’t need to see or know me, they need to see and know Jesus, and I’ve got to be out of the way for that to happen. If I will remember that and live that way, then people will be drawn to Christ through me, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, thank You for that reminder. Thank You for last week, when Cathy and I weren’t here for the service, and that we are here today. I pray that I would be fully transparent, not just in the message but in every detail, to that Christ alone may be glorified. Thank You. Praise God!

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Spreading the Gospel; October 14, 2023

Posted on October 15, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 19:10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

The Japanese uses a slightly different phoneticization of “Asia” here to differentiate from the continent we refer to by that name, but that distinction is artificial, because the name of the continent is actually an expansion of the name of the province referred to here. That said, this is a somewhat jarring statement when we read it today. The area referred to was about the size of a Japanese prefecture, and the population density certainly wasn’t what we see in Japanese urban areas, but this is still a rather remarkable record, considering that all communication was either hand-written or face-to-face. Paul and those with him certainly didn’t talk personally to everyone in the province, so that means those who heard from Paul in turn told others. Frank Laubach was very effective in literacy training in the 20th Century, first in the American South and then in various other countries. His mantra, which was extremely effective, was, “Each one teach one.” In other words, you didn’t have to have a teaching certificate to teach someone else what you had just learned. That is exactly how the Gospel is supposed to spread. We tend to think we have to have all the answers before we try talking to anybody, when that is emphatically not the case. I’m reminded of the statement by the man whom Jesus healed when he had been born blind: “”Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25) When believers understand this, nothing can stop the spread of the Gospel.

This is a massive issue here in Japan, because Japanese culture tends to relegate everything to “experts.” That’s no way to spread the Gospel! I am seen as an “expert” for a number of reasons, but I am not personally very effective at evangelism, partly because as a Caucasian I am seen as “other” by most Japanese, so they don’t take what I say as applying to them. Japanese culture is “shame based,” rather than “sin based.” That means that people do things or don’t do them depending on whether it would be embarrassing or not, rather than whether it is empirically right or wrong. Parents tend to discipline their children with, “People will laugh at you,” rather than with “That’s bad.” Japanese are famous for being poor at learning foreign languages, and a big part of that is they hesitate to speak because they don’t want to be embarrassed by getting it wrong. As an English teacher I’ve struggled with that for over 40 years! It is a far more serious issue that Japanese believers seldom if ever share their faith, because of a fear of being rejected or laughed at. I am reminded of Jesus’ words: “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26) My goal is for every Japanese believer to speak freely of the Lord who saved them!

Father, You’ve given me a goal that is humanly impossible, but that’s just like You! Many years ago You gave us the vision of Omura again being the foremost Christian city in the nation, and that too is humanly impossible. Help me take my eyes off of human weakness, my own or that of the believers, and fix them on You, for whom nothing is impossible, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Christian Unity; October 13, 2023

Posted on October 14, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 18:25-26 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

Apollos is a very interesting figure to me. He appears briefly in the narrative, here and in 1 Corinthians 3, but he is obviously an example of someone with Teacher gifting, and I personally think he wrote the letter to the Hebrews, which essentially explains the Old Testament in the light of Christ. However, as this passage makes clear, Teacher gifting doesn’t guarantee complete, or even necessarily accurate, knowledge. This chapter says that what Apollos had known up to this point wasn’t wrong, it was just incomplete, and Priscilla and Aquilla filled him in on the information he was lacking. Many Church divisions have occurred for precisely this reason, and it has often been quite unnecessary. The truth of God is vast, and just because someone doesn’t have the same focus that you do doesn’t mean that they’re your enemy. The Church as a whole needs to pay much more attention to 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul goes into detail about how different parts of the body all need each other, and he expressly says that the Body of Christ is the same way. Apollos was a real help to the Church even before he was instructed about the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and Priscilla and Aquilla were very wise to take him in and not shut him out. Just as the opposing camps in the Israeli government have just formed a unified government in the face of Hamas and Hezbollah, churches need to recognize that other groups are far more on their side than their actual opposition, which is the forces of hell. The spiritual conflict is intensifying, just as the physical conflict is in Israel, and we can’t afford to shut out allies over minor differences. That doesn’t mean we’re to accept blatant violations of Scripture, but things like the style of worship or church government don’t fit in that category.

I have been non-denominational for the past 40 years for precisely this reason. I have more in common with even fringe Christian groups than I do with Buddhists! That’s not to say I swallow their theology, but anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God, the only Savior who died and rose again, is my brother or sister, whatever disagreements I might have with them. I could never be a Catholic, for example, but I have some close brothers in the Lord who are, and that doesn’t disturb our fellowship. As the Lord gives opportunity I seek to share my understanding of Scripture with them, and I also seek to learn from them. As C. S. Lewis wrote, one thing we can be sure of is that when we get to heaven we will all discover we were wrong somewhere!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for my brothers and sisters in Christ of all labels. May Your church indeed grow into the unity that Jesus prayed for before His crucifixion, for our eternal blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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