Listening to God; October 12, 2023

Posted on October 13, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 18:9-10 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

What an encouraging vision! God speaks to us in all sorts of ways, and the more tuned to Him we are, the better we can recognize them. However, we need to be on our guard, because the devil is also trying to speak to us. Everything God says is going to agree with what He has already said, because as He said to Malachi, “I the Lord do not change.” (Malachi 3:6) This particular vision to Paul is an echo of Psalm 91, for example. We need to be taking in His Word regularly and in quantity, meditating on it and allowing it to seep into the depths of our being, because then we will be secure against any attack. We need to be familiar enough with the Bible that any time we hear something, from whatever source, we will know immediately whether it agrees with the Bible or not. None of us have that down perfectly, so we need to be like the Bereans who came up in the reading two days ago, searching the Scriptures to see if what we are hearing is from the Lord. (Acts 17:11) God knows what we need to hear when, and He is perfectly faithful to speak to us. Sometimes His “speaking schedule” isn’t what we would like, because we tend to want to know things NOW, but He knows what will cause us to grow in faith and obedience, and we have every reason to trust Him completely.

I will never forget the first time I heard the Lord speak to me in what seemed like an audible voice (though I don’t think someone with me would have heard anything). I was praying while I drove, which I do frequently. I don’t remember the particular issue I was concerned about, but I was praying pretty much non-stop, saying, “Lord, guide me! Lord, speak to me.” When I paused for breath, I heard with utmost clarity, “Well then, shut up.” I was caught totally off guard, but I did shut up, and almost immediately started laughing at my own foolishness. To hear God I’ve got to be listening, not rattling! I do tend to talk a lot, and I’ve had to work on my listening skills over the years. I was deeply touched and grateful when one of my daughters told me that she always felt she could say anything to me and I would listen, but I was also quite surprised that she would say that, because I haven’t felt like I was a very good listener. God can indeed do far more that we expect or realize! I do desire to be a good listener, first to God and also to people, and God is working on that, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the many ways You have changed me over the years, and that You aren’t through with me yet. Right now I need to hear what You want said to the congregation here on Sunday, but I don’t want to limit my listening to “professional” topics. Help me hear You so that I will be obedient to You in every detail, accomplishing Your will on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Sensitivity in Evangelism; October 11, 2023

Posted on October 12, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 17:24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.”

We aren’t used to thinking of multiple gods by their names, but that is how things were in the 1st Century. If Paul had simply used God’s covenant name of Yahweh, he would probably have been dismissed, besides the fact that as a devout Jew he wouldn’t have used that name freely in any case. He very wisely (and certainly under the inspiration of Holy Spirit) chose to speak of Him as Creator, rather than assigning Him any sort of name, even that of Jesus. This example is further evidence of what came up on the 8th about methods of evangelism. This was the same message, but a very different presentation from what Paul gave in synagogues. We need to have the flexibility Paul did to tailor our presentation to our audience, without doing damage to the content of the Gospel. At the same time, it is worth noting that this magnificent message produced sparse results. Verse 34 mentions that “A few men became followers of Paul and believed.” Not every field where we “sow the seed” is plowed, fertilized, and watered! (Luke 8:4-15) The Athenians were secure in their intellectualism, and that dulled their ears to the Gospel. We see that all around us today, particularly in “institutions of higher learning.” Pride is a powerful barrier to salvation! We are responsible to be faithful to speak and to be wise in tailoring our message, but the response is the responsibility of each person who hears.

This is of course extremely pertinent to me, ministering in Japan. Statistically, Japan has the lowest response rate to the Gospel of any nation or people-group on the planet. Even the word we use to mean God, Kami, is associated with the countless gods of Shinto, which is why the “Creator Translation” of the Bible came out a few years ago to try to get past that. However, Sozo Nushi is twice the number of syllables as Kami, and seems cumbersome and awkward when used often. I do make reference to “the Creator of heaven and earth” in talking to people, just as Paul does here, but particularly in songs, Kami is by far the simpler choice. I’ve got to be sensitive and obedient to Holy Spirit at all times, if my words are to produce the results that God intends.

Father, once again I’m faced with my own lack of wisdom and ability. Thank You for using me in spite of that. I pray that I would be fully available to You at all times, as Paul was, so that Your will may be done in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Berean Believers; October 10, 2023

Posted on October 11, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

This is a well-known verse, and is the origin of the name of Berea College in Kentucky, half a world away from the Berea mentioned here. The Japanese specifies that it was the Berean Jews who are referred to here, which makes sense, since the Gentiles wouldn’t have had the Old Testament to search it. Regardless of that, their attitude is commended, and rightly so. It is certainly not wrong to confirm from the Bible whether what you are hearing is accurate. It occurs to me, however, that we don’t hear much about the Berean believers anywhere else, other than a brief mention of someone who was from there, in Acts 20:4. The Thessalonians, however, had two letters written to them by Paul included in the New Testament! To me that indicates the level of pastoral care needed in each situation. The Thessalonian believers encountered persecution, as mentioned in this chapter and in the two letters addressed to them, but there’s no indication that was the case particularly in Berea. Rooted in the Bible, they “grew themselves,” so to speak, rather than needing very much attention from Paul and the like. There’s no question which is the easier situation to pastor, but God loves them both, and we are to be faithful in whatever situation we find ourselves. Sometimes we need opposition to test and grow our faith! Even in opposition, however, we are to “Test everything. Hold on to the good,” as Paul wrote to the Thessalonians themselves. (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

I like to think of myself as something of a Berean Christian, but that can devolve into conceit. I sometimes wonder if my faith wouldn’t have more fire if I had endured persecution! I do love the Bible, and am quick to check whether messages I hear agree with it. I have had to learn that just because a particular interpretation is new to me doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not Biblical! I have had a pastor tell me I was “too balanced,” because “a perfectly balanced wheel doesn’t move, and we need to keep moving for the Lord.” I tend to disagree with that! However, I do need to keep moving forward as the Lord directs, so that His kingdom may advance through me.

Father, thank You that You deal with each of us individually. Thank You for all You did through Cathy and me over the past three days at the Japan Cockayne Syndrome Network meeting. Thank You for the privilege of being a channel of Your love to the children and their parents. Thank You for speaking through me, both in the formal memorial service and in many private conversations. Thank You that we’re back into our “normal” lifestyle again! I pray that I would be able to catch up on all the things that are waiting for me here, and be Your agent in everything I am involved in, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Promises; October 9, 2023

Posted on October 11, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 16:34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God — he and his whole family.

This story has many memorable verses, most notably verses 30 and 31, but particularly in reference to those, this verse must not be overlooked. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household” (verse 31) is a glorious promise, but it doesn’t exempt anyone in the household from the need to repent and believe. I have seen people cling to verse 31, both in the US and Japan, without doing anything particular to help those in their household believe for themselves. That’s changing a Biblical promise into a good luck charm. We can’t force anyone to believe, but we can pray consistently for them and give them all the information necessary to believe, most especially by the testimony of our changed lives. Just yesterday we were with a couple who illustrate this principle beautifully. The wife was raised in a Christian home and had been a Christian for many years, but they had been married for over 30 years before the husband, to the great shock of his wife, suddenly believed and was transformed. He verbally indicates that it was because of my impact on him, but I think his wife had largely given up on him years before. At this point they are praying for their grown daughter to become a Christian, but the Lord spoke through me yesterday to tell the wife to challenge her daughter to commit herself to Christ, since she has seen what that did to her father. Witnessing to family members is difficult, since they see all our faults as well as our strong points, but that in itself is part of our testimony: God saves those who need it! After all, Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32) We are to rejoice in God’s promises, but not overlook the conditions that attach to them.

I couldn’t begin to count how many people I have run into who have clung to verse 31 while overlooking their part in its fulfillment. It really is rather tragic. I rejoice that my closest family are believers, but there are others a little further out who haven’t made the commitment. I am limited in my impact because of physical distance, but that is no obstacle to prayer, and I’m certainly to keep that up. I grew up in a family of faith and I know the huge blessing that is, so I am to “keep up the pressure,” spiritually speaking, so that others may enjoy that blessing as well.

Father, thank You for the joy and privilege of participating in Your plan of salvation for others. May I be consistent in my witness, in actions as well as words, so that as many as possible may be brought from death to life, from darkness to light, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Methods of Evangelism; October 8, 2023

Posted on October 10, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 16:13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.

This is a significant verse in that it tells what Paul and crew did when there was no synagogue from which to start their ministry. They were apparently familiar enough with the local culture to know where to find religious-minded people, and they hit the nail on the head. Looking for religious people of a different religion has a much better chance of success in evangelism than the general population, even though it also has a higher chance of active opposition. Dr. Cal Guy, one of my seminary professors, always said that opposition was easier to overcome than indifference. They also had the flexibility to speak to the women they found, despite the risk of being thought to be “hitting on” them. Such social mores are different in different cultures and can be important, but in a sense, risk is the name of the game. We let all sorts of things deter us from sharing Christ, but the fundamental rule is, share! Failing to speak gets us nowhere. Research into culture, getting advice, and various techniques and programs can be helpful, but it all boils down to getting in there and doing it. Today in the US, “offense” is the name of the game, but we’ve got to remember that in most cases, being offended is that person’s choice. We need to remember that what we have to share means the difference between eternal life and eternal death for that person, and love them enough to make the effort. That doesn’t mean we’re to be obnoxious, but it very much means that we’ve got to take our eyes off of ourselves and our “comfort level” and care more about the person we’re speaking to than about the possibility we will be rejected.

I’m very much talking to myself here. I don’t feel I am gifted in evangelism, and indeed, people with Teacher gifting seldom are, so it takes a conscious choice on my part to get started. However, I need to remember that the proof I had that God had baptized me in His Spirit was that I started talking to a total stranger about Jesus, and so seek and follow Holy Spirit’s guidance in every encounter. I delight when He gives me “divine appointments” to share Christ, and I need to be looking out for them constantly. I particularly need to keep my eyes off of myself, and have a happy anticipation of whatever God wants to do through me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I’m at a conference where I have plenty of opportunity to express Your love, but opportunities to explicitly share the Gospel have to be seized. Help me not be needlessly offensive, but share Christ in whatever ways You desire and make possible, so that more and more people, even in this network, may repent and believe for their salvation, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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The Unity of the Spirit; October 7, 2023

Posted on October 10, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 15:28 “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements.”

That one little phrase, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us,” really jumps out at me from this passage. We, either individually or in groups, sometimes get tied in knots over decisions. The answer lies in something Paul calls “the unity of the Spirit,” both in Romans (Romans 15:5) and Ephesians (Ephesians 4:3). Those who aren’t open to the Holy Spirit really put this sort of thing down, and indeed, some unscrupulous leaders have used it to justify their lusts, but for those who are genuinely submitted to God, it is a glorious reality. The very best kind of unity and agreement comes from being mutually agreed with the Holy Spirit. This isn’t compulsion, but rather liberation, because again as Paul said, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17) The interesting thing is, even in the middle of such unity there can be differences of opinion on minor points, but there is a deep, calm assurance of what is right on the major points. We don’t need to get all mystical about this, and sometimes disagreements are part of God’s plan, as when Paul and Barnabas disagreed, right after this, over whether to give Mark another chance as an itinerant missionary. That ended with Barnabas taking Mark and Paul taking Silas, which effectively doubled the ministry! (Acts 15:36-41) That doesn’t lessen the need to seek the unity of the Spirit, but it does mean that we aren’t to be rigid about human agreement.

Even as I have sought to be true to the Lord myself, there have been times when I have been in agreement with people around me and times when I felt very alone. Agreement feels much better, but agreement with God is of the utmost importance. The danger for me is in convincing myself that my opinion is God’s, when actually I haven’t submitted the issue fully to Him. Joy Dawson called it “dying to the issue.” In other words, it means letting go of it so fully that it doesn’t matter which way it goes, just as things don’t matter to someone who is already dead. That can be easier said than done! However, I know from experience that the more I grow in that direction the more peace and joy I have, because I am letting Jesus be Lord indeed.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I have various decisions coming up, as we leave for a 3-day conference this morning. Help me be agreed first with Your Spirit, and then with my wife, and then with those around me as You lead, so that Your will may be done on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Salvation; October 6, 2023

Posted on October 7, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 15:11 “No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

The importance of this meeting in Church history cannot be overstated. Having been in a lot of church meetings, I can imagine the scene very easily. Tensions and emotions had risen quite high by the point Peter made this vitally important pronouncement. As he said in verse seven, God had chosen him as “point man” in sharing the Gospel with Gentiles, and he and Paul were on exactly the same page here. Paul later famously restated Peter’s declaration in Ephesians 2:8-9, and it is something that needs to be renewed in every spiritual generation. The moment we think that our actions can in any way earn salvation for us, we are putting ourselves into the place of God. Christ alone is the Savior! God does have stuff He wants us to do, as Paul said in Ephesians 2:10, but that is after we are saved for eternal life. Yesterday I watched a video of Ray Comfort talking with several people in the US about salvation and the Gospel, and it was remarkable how they all tried to make salvation about being “good people,” even though every one of them had had church exposure, at least. That shows that American churches aren’t really communicating the Gospel! What makes this so prevalent is that we all want to take credit for our salvation so that we can take pride in it. Pride is precisely what caused Lucifer’s downfall! Salvation requires a level of humility that some people reject. The “Judaizers” in this conference wanted to take pride in the things they considered made them Jewish, and Peter is here proclaiming that every human being is on level ground when it comes to salvation. The Judaizers didn’t like that!

Since I’ve always been a Gentile this might not seem so pertinent to me, but as an MK in Japan I saw missionaries who seemed to attach cultural elements to salvation, requiring Japanese to behave in certain ways. Whereas it is true that there are elements of popular Japanese culture that violate Biblical principles, there are elements of American culture that do the same! Culture, religion, and faith are all different, but they certainly tend to bleed into each other. There are many Japanese who can’t imagine how they could be fully Japanese without participating in Buddhism and Shinto, and they have a great fear of becoming “un-Japanese.” At the same time, many missionaries feel, at least subconsciously, that “The American way is the Biblical way.” Sometimes it is, but sometimes it isn’t! As a “Third Culture Kid” I have an advantage in seeing the flaws in both cultures, but that puts me at risk of thinking I’m always right, perhaps even more than monocultural people do. We’re back to the necessity of humility, and that’s where I stumble all too often. I rejoice when God manages to use me and speak through me, but any truth that comes from my lips originates in Him, not me, so I am to be grateful, and neither proud nor presumptuous.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Having hit 75 I garner a lot of respect simply from age, but that number just means I haven’t died yet! Help me be genuinely humble before You, accurately transmitting what You have said and are saying, so that Your truth through me may indeed set people free, (John 8:32) for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Church Leadership; October 5, 2023

Posted on October 6, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

I have long been impressed by the organization, or you might say, lack of organization, of the New Testament Church. Later Paul writes to Timothy that an elder “must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.” (1 Timothy 3:6) He may have written that from painful experience, because all of the “elders” chosen at this point were new believers! However, Paul and Barnabas didn’t have any other options, so they moved forward and trusted God. We tend to put in all sorts of humanistic requirements and “qualifications” for church leadership, seemingly forgetting that the Church, and each local church, belongs to Christ and not to us. Today there are many churches that have lost connection to Christ, even though they are still in good standing with their denominations, because the leadership has stopped trusting in the Lord they say they serve. Recently Tucker Carlson, hardly considered a “religious leader,” has given some speeches that were far better sermons than some that are proclaimed in pulpits! We look for academic credentials and the like, instead of looking at fruit the way Jesus told us to do. (Matthew 7:15-20) The Church needs to follow people who are genuinely following Christ, just as Paul did, (1 Corinthians 11:1) instead of people who are following their own ambitions or prideful thinking.

It has always bothered me that some denominations require academic examinations be passed before someone is given the title of Pastor. Japan is very academically minded and tends to relegate things to “experts,” so I can see how it happened, but I can’t see that it’s a good thing. After all, someone becomes a shepherd by taking care of sheep, and that’s precisely what “pastor” means. Lots of things about being a shepherd you can’t learn until you start doing them! I feel it’s a lot like marriage. No one has the maturity for it until they get married! Right now many people, myself included, are wondering who my successor will be in this church. What gives me peace is that there already believers in this church who have produced solid fruit, and there are others associated with us who are likewise fruitful. God already has several “candidates” lined up! I need to trust God myself and keep my eyes open for others who likewise trust Him, knowing that the church belongs to Him and He will provide everything necessary.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You that I’ll be out of town this weekend, giving the believers a chance to taste the reality that the church belongs to You and not to me. May we continue to grow and move as You desire and intend, for Your pleasure and glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Perspective; October 4, 2023

Posted on October 5, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 14:18-19 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them. Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.

To me this is very reminiscent of Palm Sunday and Good Friday, where Jesus was lauded as the Messiah and then handed over to the Romans to be crucified. Crowds are very unreliable! The people here were wanting to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods, and then Jews from Antioch and Iconium convinced them to stone Paul. We never know what will happen! However, as horrible as this was, this was in all probability the time when Paul was taken up into heaven, as he describes in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, and I’m sure he was very grateful for that experience. God indeed uses everything that is submitted to Him for our good! (Romans 8:28) We don’t know how the ripples will spread, so to speak, either from what we do and say or from what happens to us, so we need to be active in submitting and committing everything to God. That requires real faith, because we aren’t very good at it, but the better we get at it, the more peace and joy we will have. As it says in Hebrews, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11) We need faith both to reject the adulation of men, as Paul and Barnabas did, as well as to stand firm in the face of their attacks.

At this point I’m getting a lot of flattery, as people are shocked to hear I’m as old as I am, and as people at my schools respond to the idea that this is my last term of teaching there, so I need strength of character to stand against that. I’m not to be rude, but I particularly need to stand against such things going to my head. God alone is worthy of praise and glory, but my flesh covets it! As I’ve written recently, I don’t feel like I’ve encountered much real persecution, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen at any point. I’m not to seek it out, but neither am I to run from it. After all, everything on earth is by definition temporal, and thus not worth comparing to what awaits me in eternity with my Lord. Again, Paul said it well: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18) And that applies to the things that seem enjoyable, as well as the things that do not.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I’ve been very slow to learn this, but I don’t think I’m unique in that slowness. Help me indeed apply and live out all that You show me, so that Your purposes and no other may be accomplished in my life, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Response to Persecution; October 3, 2023

Posted on October 4, 2023 by jgarrott

Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

The single largest provocation for the persecution that the believers experienced at this point was jealousy, as it says clearly in verse 45. However, the response on the part of the believers was joy, and openness to the Holy Spirit. In the Church today, local churches are just as likely to become jealous of secular organizations and seek to copy them, even to the point of discarding the truths of God completely. Just yesterday I saw a news report of a church that was “unapologetic” for having a “drag queen” program in the service! Talk about getting things backward! When churches lose sight of their purpose and their Lord, they have nothing to draw people, nothing to offer. The world might welcome them as their own, since that is what they have become, but they have cut themselves off from the Source of life, and are dead indeed. In the Upper Room Discourse just before He was arrested (John 13-16) Jesus made it clear that persecution was “part of the package,” so to speak, but in the very last verse of that, just before He started praying, Jesus said, “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) That’s precisely what the disciples mentioned here experienced. “Toning down” our expressions of faith to try to avoid trouble doesn’t work; it just robs us of our joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.

As I have written before, I don’t feel like I have been persecuted for my faith. At times it’s almost worried me, making me think I wasn’t being true to my Lord! However, I have certainly had trouble of various sorts, just as Jesus said. I have been betrayed and even ridiculed, but I would hardly call that persecution, compared to what I know my brothers and sisters in faith in other places experience. I have indeed experienced what this verse says, being filled with joy and the Holy Spirit, and I am deeply grateful. I am to so live that those who are hungry for peace and joy will come to me to receive what God gives so freely, for their salvation and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Right now I am filled with thoughts of our neighbor, who was taken to the hospital last night for what will likely be the last time. I pray that he would remember the things I’ve shared with him over the years and cry out to You in this time of need, to receive the eternal life that only You can offer. May he accept Your salvation while he still has the opportunity, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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