Our Image of God; May 30, 2024

Posted on May 31, 2024 by jgarrott

Hebrews 12:28-29 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

This is not at all what you hear in most churches today! That said, it was central to the sermon that triggered the revival, called The Great Awakening, that prepared Americans for the Revolutionary War. When we forget this face of God we lose sight of the magnificence of His grace. Very few people grasp what it means that God is perfectly holy. We imagine Him as being like we are, only better and stronger. That’s how the Greeks and others came up with the gods of their pantheons. Atheists regularly accuse religious people of “creating God in their own image,” and far too often they have a real point. None of us grasps God in His fullness, because He is literally infinite and we aren’t. However, if we approach Him in genuine humility and reverence, He reveals Himself to us. As He told Jeremiah, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) What is written here must be balanced with the fact that He is a personal God, that He cares about and relates to us individually. That is something that is missing from most religions, and sadly, from the awareness of many cultural Christians. That the infinite, omnipotent Creator of the universe would care about individual human beings defies all human logic and understanding, but it is a vital part of the Gospel we proclaim. That He would abound in love and grace on top of that is positively miraculous, but then, that’s part of the definition of God, isn’t it? We need to press beyond the various caricatures of God that have been presented to us, from Santa Claus to a bearded old man in the clouds to whatever, to offer God the worship, obedience, and love that He is due.

Once again I am aware of how very blessed I am to have been raised by parents who knew, loved, and served God with their whole lives. My image of God was always incomplete, even as it is right now, but I don’t think it was ever badly distorted. The issue is how obedient I have been to the God I know. As a pastor, and particularly one in Japan, my major challenge is in fostering an accurate image of God in those to whom I minister. I love to speak of His love and grace, but the danger is in creating an image of a “sugar daddy,” a Santa who just gives us things. At the same time, I don’t want to create an image of a stern old man with a stick, just waiting to whack us when we step out of line. In God’s holiness He cannot excuse sin, but in His love He has made repentance possible through the blood of His Son. That is the very core of the Gospel, and I must never forget it.

Father, thank You for the privilege of proclaiming Your Gospel. Help me be both bold and accurate in doing so, so that the lies of the devil may be exposed and refuted and people be set free to repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Discipline; May 29, 2024

Posted on May 30, 2024 by jgarrott

Hebrews 12:8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

Here we have a description of one of the biggest problems in soci­ety today. A few years ago it was widely discussed, but now it is so pervasive that it is taken for granted or ignored. Illegitimate children have existed throughout history, but in some ethnic groups in the US today, they account for over half of all the children born. When we add in all the functionally absent fathers, the situation is clearly dire indeed. The devil hates families, not just because he desires evil for mankind but because families teach us to relate rightly to our heavenly Father. No earthly father is perfect, but we still fill an absolutely essential role in raising our children. That’s why, in cases of tragedy, a “father figure” is of great importance for children. That might be a grandfather or a family friend, or even a school teacher or sports coach, but such a person is essential. That’s one of the many lies of the feminist movement, that men are completely unessential, except perhaps as sperm donors. God designed us to live in families, with each member having a different role. Those roles change over time, because you can’t relate to your teenager the way you would to a toddler, and the relationship changes even further – but doesn’t disappear – when the child marries and has children of their own. The issue mentioned in this verse, discipline, is a major factor in that. It is a sad truth that the Japanese language has no good word for discipline. (The Bible translation I’m using says “training” in this verse.) However, “disciple” is a valid and widely understood term. In English we sometimes lose that connection, but discipline is indeed discipleship training. We are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ and to make disciples for Him, and that requires discipline, whether we like it or not. As this passage talks about, we need to accept God’s discipline with gratitude, not resentment: gratitude that He loves us enough, cares enough, to give us what we need instead of what we want.

This applies as much to me as it does to anyone. I was blessed with a loving, conscientious, believing father, but the majority of people around me were not as blessed in that area as I was. As a result, I have become a father figure to a number of people, and I must not take that lightly. One of my spiritual children, whose parents divorced before I met him, openly acknowledges that relationship, and there are others that aren’t that obvious. As a pastor, in a number of ways I am the “father” in this church, even though we aren’t Catholic and don’t use that terminology. I am to take that seriously, and as Paul recognized, use that authority to build people up and not tear them down. (2 Corinthians 10:8) I also must remember that my authority comes only from being submitted to my heavenly Father.

Father, thank You for this reminder. This issue comes into play more often than I’m aware, I think. Help me indeed accept Your discipline and grow from it, rejoicing that You love me enough to apply “the board of education” to “the seat of learning.” May I be a loving channel of Your discipline to those in my care, so that together we may grow to be the children that You desire, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Faithfulness; May 28, 2024

Posted on May 29, 2024 by jgarrott

Hebrews 6:10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

The reason the Bible tells us repeatedly that God remembers and will reward what we do in obedience to Him is that the devil is constantly telling us that’s not the case. The thing is, not everyone is faithful. I personally know some people who seem to fit the description a few verses after this of those who have tasted the gifts of the Spirit and then discarded them. The world still holds them in high regard, but they have made themselves their god, and I shudder to think what awaits them. It has been said many times that the Christian life isn’t a dash, but a marathon. Downhill spurts can be exciting, but we have uphill slogs as well, and we are to thank God for them. After all, the uphill sections build muscle, and high speed downhill is an invitation to accidents. We have trouble seeing things as God does, and so get discouraged. That’s where faith comes in. We don’t know what’s around the corner, much less what’s down the road, but the more we know our Lord, the more peace and the less anxiety we have. Life on this earth is an adventure in learning, and if we approach it that way it is deeply satisfying. In the first place, we have much to learn about ourselves. Some of that isn’t necessarily good news, as we discover weaknesses we might wish we didn’t have, but in general we find that God doesn’t make junk, as a t-shirt I once saw proclaimed. We also have much to learn about the people around us. Again, those discoveries can be a mixed bag, but knowledge and understanding are blessings. Most importantly, we have much to learn about our Creator, who loved us enough to send His Son to die for us. He is infinite, so by definition we always have more to learn of Him, and those discoveries are always good. Sometimes they give us pause, when we realize how totally holy He is, but they are often to­tally delightful, as when we discover that He even has a sense of humor! Learning more of God is the great adventure that makes all the rest of it worth it. As Jesus famously told us, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

I was immensely blessed to have deeply faithful parents, who were faithful to each other, to the Lord, and to the tasks He set for them. I have a magnificent example to follow. In the recent celebration of the 40th anniversary of this church some people commented on my faithfulness, but I’m not so sure about that. I think some of what they were calling faithfulness is simply inertia! However, it is indeed my desire to be faithful, even as I realize that I have no power in myself to do that. However, I do know my Lord, and know that He is able to keep even me on the path, if I will yield myself to Him. I have the comfort of knowing that I don’t have so many years left to keep dealing with all the issues of my flesh, and my “sinful nature,” as the NIV frequently puts it. As Paul quoted to Timothy, “If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your absolute faithfulness. Thank You that I was able to pass the senior adult testing yesterday before my upcoming driver’s license renewal, and for the certificate that says, “Shows no signs of senility.” May I indeed be faithful by Your power for as long as You keep me here, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Proclaiming the Word; May 27, 2024

Posted on May 28, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.

This, along with verse 5, is rather heart-wrenching when you realize that it was written shortly before Paul’s martyrdom. Verses 7 and 8 are justly famous as a triumphant declaration of our eternal reward, but before that there is this matter of Paul’s last advice to his spiritual son. You don’t say something casual in such a situation! This verse starts with declaring the Word of God. We associate preaching with a formal setting, such as in a church, but this is much broader than that. The Japanese says, “Declare the Word.” It also says, “Do this fully/properly, whether the time is good or bad.” We tend to make excuses for ourselves about when to speak God’s Word, but all such excuses are meaningless if God says to do it. And the things listed after this have nothing to do with whether someone is offended or not. We aren’t to hurt people needlessly, but we must never draw back from what God is saying because someone’s feelings might be hurt. One of the biggest demonic lies prevalent today is in putting feelings ahead of truth. Feelings don’t affect truth! We use the expression, “truth hurts,” and that’s often the case. I’ll say again that we aren’t to hurt people needlessly, and we certainly aren’t to gloat over how our words might be painful to someone, but if God is saying to speak, we are not to draw back. We often forget that evangelism, for example, requires that we “get someone lost” before they can be saved, as an American evangelist once told me. That is to say, they have to realize and accept that they are a sinner headed for hell before they are going to repent and believe for their salvation. It can take some pretty strong words to accomplish that, but the result is bringing someone from death to life, and that’s certainly worth doing. That Paul would say this to Timothy shortly before his own execution gives it real punch. We too need to be done with excuses and get with God’s program!

And of course, I’m preaching to myself here. In my youth I sometimes used words as weapons, deliberately hurting people with them, and I certainly had to repent of that, even though I was lashing out from it having been done to me. Now, I’m more likely to be silent, or at least not say the necessary things, because I want people to like me and not feel offended by me. That means I love myself more than I love them, and Jesus said we are to love others equally with ourselves. Also, if God is telling me to say something and I fail to do it, that means I don’t fully love Him! (John 14:15) I am to speak the truth in love, certainly, but falsehood is not love, and I must not say pretty platitudes when someone needs correction. I have never been a “hellfire and brimstone” preacher, but I must not sugar-coat reality to the point that people fail to repent and believe.

Father, this is a strong Word. Help me respond to it as You desire and intend, so that the devil’s lies may be demolished and people be set free indeed, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Quarrels; May 26, 2024

Posted on May 27, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Timothy 2:14 Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.

It strikes me that this section is getting down to the nitty gritty of how to teach people to be teachers, which is what I’m preaching on this morning! The root Scripture is verse two of this chapter, which speaks of entrusting God’s truth to faithful men who will be able to teach others also, and this is talking about how to do that. The verse after this one is justly famous, often quoted to young people just setting out in ministry, but the point is that to lead others into truth, the leader must deal rightly with that truth himself. As this verse says, words are necessary for communicating truth, but they are not truth in themselves, and can be twisted to do evil. That sort of thing is happing all around us right now, with people appropriating words to make them mean what they want them to say, instead of the actual original meaning. That’s been happening a long time. I remember my mother being very offended at homosexuals appropriating the word, gay, which she had always liked, as meaning bright and pleasurable. Quarrels about words have split churches many times, not to mention societies and nations. Disagreements are part of life, but we seem to have forgotten how to disagree without quarreling. We are to stand firm in the truth, but do so in love. It is not loving to deny biology, for example, and say that we can change genders at will. Those who know Christ, who is Truth, (John 14:6) are to stand firm in the truth and not waver, knowing that the devil is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44) Swallowing and/or agreeing to lies is not loving.

As a man of words, this is very pertinent to me. I don’t think I have gotten into many quarrels about words, but I have certainly observed a lot of them. Many of the “doctrinal differences” between churches are really no more than word definitions, and it is sad. It doesn’t really matter if someone serving God is called an elder, a deacon, a pastor, a bishop, or whatever. Those terms are hardly meaningless, but they don’t define anyone. After all, the first seven “deacons” quickly grew into other ministry roles, with Philip being called an evangelist and Steven being martyred. I try to be relaxed about such things in this church, and it bothers those with a denominational background! However, I’m not to get proud because “I know better,” but rather extend God’s grace to all, and let the Holy Spirit deal with such issues, speaking only as He directs.

Father, thank You for Your grace toward me. Help me be an open channel of that grace to all, standing firm in Your truth but not quarreling over inconsequential things. Help me always remember that You alone know everything, and You alone are always right. Thank You. Praise God!

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Standards; May 25, 2024

Posted on May 26, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 6:11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

This is a restating of Romans 12:2, specifically aimed at someone who was already committed to serving God. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Paul has just been talking about the way many people in the world are, and is telling Timothy, “Don’t you be like that.” We are quick to excuse ourselves by looking at the people around us and saying, to ourselves at any rate, “I’m no different, and certainly no worse, than they are.” That’s exactly the point! Our standard is never to be the people around us, but Jesus Christ Himself, and we meet that standard only to the degree we abide in Him. This is important for every believer to remember, and especially so for those in “full-time ministry.” Social pressure to conform can be extreme, and at the same time it can be very subtle. That’s why the devil loves to use it. Every believer needs to realize that we are in a war zone, and the battle can be unrelenting. We need to take James’ words as both instructions and encouragement: “Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) We just need to recognize the devil’s attacks as they come.

This certainly applies to me. I have stumbled countless times, most often when I haven’t recognized there was anything in my way. That’s what baseball would call an error. Doing my best and falling short is different from walking around with my eyes shut! I have learned that the more I recognize my weaknesses and choose to depend on God, the more His strength is manifested in me, just as Paul recognized after God gave him that famous promise, “My grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) I’m not to try to be strong in myself, but only in Christ, and that requires laying down all of my personal pride. After all, everything good about me is by the grace of God, and I should rejoice in that reality. The world is never to be my standard or my example, but only Christ Jesus my Lord.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. I’ve needed it more times than I care to remember! Help me indeed abide in Christ, allowing You to fill me by Your Spirit, so that in all things I may accurately represent Christ to those around me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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The Trinity; May 24, 2024

Posted on May 25, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

I probably quote this verse more than any other, though I do expand it slightly, specifying “Father God” and “intimate fellowship.” It is powerful and deeply meaningful. It’s not that these specific qualities are unique to each member of the Trinity, but there is a special operation in each case. Grace is spoken of in relation to Christ because it was His sacrifice that wrought our salvation, which we certainly didn’t deserve. That is the ultimate definition of grace. Love is spoken of with Father God, because He is love, (1 John 4:8) and everything He does is motivated by love, from creation itself to sending His Son to be our Savior. (John 3:16) And it is the Holy Spirit who binds us all together in the fellowship that is beyond words to express. Countless things have been said about the Trinity from the earliest days of the Church. In the Old Testament we have much mention of the Father, and the Spirit is mentioned a few times, but the Son had not yet been manifested, and so appears only prophetically. However, as it says in Hebrews, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.” (Hebrews 1:1-2) After all, the New Covenant was sealed with His blood. (Luke 22:20) The word, Trinity, never appears in the Bible, but was rather formulated to describe what is manifestly represented by the whole Bible. The whole idea overwhelms human intellect, because God is certainly One, yet He is also manifestly Three. Actually, modern theoretical physics comes close to explaining it, with talk of multiplied dimensions and string theory and the like, but even that can’t do it fully. We may not be able to explain the Trinity, but we can experience it, just as Paul states here.

As I was growing up, the Trinity was simply stated fact, but as my experience of the Holy Spirit has expanded, so has my grasp of the Trinity. I am very grateful for the Spirit as the agent of my intimacy with my Creator and my Savior. When I have tasted such intimacy, the idea of eternity without it is more horrible than all the physical torment we usually ascribe to hell. That’s why I want everyone to have that intimacy, starting right now and continuing throughout eternity. I know from sad experience that sin interrupts that intimacy, and that is the biggest reason to avoid it, and the biggest motivation for repentance. To the degree I walk in that intimacy with the Trinity, others will see the hope that I have and desire it for themselves. (1 Peter 3:15) I may not be gifted as an evangelist, but I desire to serve as “bait” to cause others to desire salvation for themselves.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It seems very appropriate for my 55th wedding anniversary, since my relationship with my wife has taught me so much about intimacy on so many levels. That seems awkward to talk about, but Paul expressly brought it up in Ephesians 5. Thank You that our marriage has been a demonstration to many of what You intend marriage to be. May it continue to be so, drawing more and more to repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Spiritual DNA; May 23, 2024

Posted on May 24, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 12:18 I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and follow the same course?

It strikes me that Paul had great confidence in those he had trained. Many people are aware of his close relationship with Timothy, but here Titus is spoken of as practically a clone of Paul. We are to be disciples of Jesus Christ for precisely the same reason, and we are to choose our human mentors for the degree to which they seem to be disciples of Christ. We become like those we imitate! It is common but relatively insignificant to see students take on their teacher’s mannerisms. What is of far more importance is that we take our values and goals ultimately from Christ, whoever might be the channel of their coming to us. Here, Paul had absolutely no worry that Titus might have deceived or defrauded the Corinthian believers, because he could boldly say they had the same heart, that is, attitude and motivation. Education has become far more impersonal than it was back then, so this sort of connection has been blurred, and that’s a shame. Another word for all of this is impartation. Paul had imparted himself into Titus, Timothy, and others, to the degree that they were exten­sions of His ministry. They were their own men, and they went on to train up others, just as Paul wrote for Timothy to do. (2 Timothy 2:2) That is precisely what Jesus did with His 12 apostles. They didn’t respond identically, and Judas even jumped ship entirely, so we aren’t to expect, much less require, that those we mentor copy us exactly, but the Biblical pattern is clear.

Thinking about it, those I have raised up have indeed loved the Word and expected God to speak to them through it. That’s my greatest satisfaction. It is amusing, and not very important, that many have caught “the pun disease” as well! It was not deliberate, but my own speech and mannerisms are so much like that of my father that a pastor who was raised up under his ministry wept when he watched me perform a wedding in that pastor’s church, I was so much like my father. I don’t object to that in any way, but the spiritual elements are far more important. In recent years I’ve heard the term “spiritual DNA” used a good bit, and I think it’s appropriate. I’m very grateful to carry my father’s physical and spiritual DNA, and I trust that the spiritual DNA will be carried on through multiple generations, for the glory of God.

Father, thank You for this clear Word. Guide me in sharing it Sunday, and in raising up my spiritual children as You intend. Thank You for the awareness that I can’t possibly do it on my own, but that You are more than capable of doing it through me. May we all be Your children indeed, accurately reflecting Your Son to the world around us, so that many more may repent and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Perspective; May 22, 2024

Posted on May 23, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Corinthians 7:5 For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn–conflicts on the outside, fears within.

Sometimes we forget what the early believers went through, just as we fail to meditate on Jesus’ suffering on our behalf. We think of Paul as something of a “spiritual Superman,” when actually he went through an amazing litany of trials. Reading his letters, we can see that every one of the churches to whom he wrote had problems, even the one at Phillipi, with which he had a very close relationship. The thing is, if they had not had problems, Paul would never have written the letters that now form half of the New Testament! Paul’s personal difficulties likewise were the occasion of growth and revelation to him that have blessed countless believers in the 2000 years since. We have a strong tendency to focus in on the difficulties of the moment and lose sight of the reality that God hasn’t changed. Paul himself realized that, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit he wrote, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) And that was in this same letter, not that much before he wrote this verse! Paul didn’t ignore difficulties or pretend they didn’t exist. Some people today seem to have “faith in faith,” and only want to make a “positive confession.” That certainly doesn’t jive with Paul’s experience! It is far more honest and helpful to say, to ourselves first as well as to those around us, “I’m in a world of hurt, but God’s got the answer and I’ve got to trust Him for it.” That’s what God so famously said when Paul, who had been used in many healing miracles, didn’t get relief even after praying earnestly for healing three times. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) And that record is in this same letter! We need to choose God’s perspective, recognizing that the temporal is real for us right now, but God’s plans for us are eternal, and they are indeed to give us hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

This is intensely personal, as it really is for every human being. I am as prone to focus on the moment as anyone else! In my particular situation, my wife’s physical issues can be rather consuming. She had a restless night, with her sleep continually interrupted by physical pain. That was and is complicated by her fear that she won’t be physically able to enjoy our plans for celebrating our 55th wedding anniversary on Friday. This verse describes her present situation to a remarkable degree! As her husband, I need God’s wisdom and guid­ance in how to support and encourage her. He’s told me personally to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him. I’m still growing in learning how to do that, but I need to help and encourage her in doing likewise. We had a magnificently blessed day on Sunday, with the celebration of the church’s 40th anniversary, and it seems like the devil redoubles his attacks after such occasions. We both need the help of Holy Spirit to keep our eyes on Jesus, (Hebrews 12:2) so that we may be submitted to God and resist the devil. (James 4:7)

Father, thank You for this reminder, both in Scripture and in our circumstances. Help us both release everything into Your hands and receive the blessings You have for us, so that Your purposes may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Projection; May 21, 2024

Posted on May 22, 2024 by jgarrott

Romans 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

I had never thought about the fact that projection was so clearly described in the Bible. In recent years the habit of politicians accusing each other of doing the very things they themselves are doing has been very prominent, but the practice is as old as mankind. A person who lies a lot is going to be very distrustful of others, for example. It’s not that we aren’t to be discerning. That can leave us open to all sorts of tricks and traps. However, any time we find ourselves parti­cularly irritated by someone’s behavior, we need to examine ourselves honestly to see if our reaction isn’t because of projection. Another thing to remember is that when the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, He does so very specifically, whereas the devil’s accusations tend to be blanket. After all, the name, Satan, means, “the accuser.” That applies to us and to others. The Holy Spirit will say, “That behavior doesn’t please God,” whereas the devil will say, “You are no good,” or, “He is no good.” Every human being is created in the image of God, (Genesis 1:27) however many mistakes or sins they may have committed, and God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) God is absolutely holy and righteous and so cannot excuse sin, but His love for us is so great that He sent His Son to take the penalty for our sins. (John 3:16) We’ve got to keep remembering that for ourselves and in relation to others, and walk in repentance and gratitude.

I had such an issue with spiritual pride that I’m quick to recognize it in others, but I cannot do so in condemnation, because I remember what an extreme example of it I was. It was very interesting, almost surprising, to hear one of the speakers in Sunday’s 40th Anniversary Celebration list humility as one of my good points! I guess God has really been working on me all these years. I can only thank Him, because I could never have made such a change in my own strength. I need to accept people as they are, while encouraging them to become as God wants them to be, because that’s exactly what God has done for me, and I’m to be a channel of His grace.

Father, thank You indeed for Your grace. I’m very hard to shock, because I know what I’m capable of! Help me be an effective tool in Your hands to open people’s eyes to You, so that they may repent and believe for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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