Hardship; January 12, 2024

Posted on January 13, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Timothy 2:3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

I don’t see how anyone who is familiar with the New Testament could be sucked in by the Prosperity Gospel! This admonition by Paul to Timothy is perfectly in line with what Jesus said just before His crucifixion: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) From this world’s standpoint the Christian life is hardly a bed of roses – unless you include the reality that roses have thorns! There are indeed countless blessings in Christ even in this life, but signing up for His army instantly puts you deep into enemy territory, because that’s what the world system is. That’s perhaps a bit easier to understand when you look at “globalists” like Charles Schwab and George Soros, but our focus isn’t to be on them, but rather on our Lord. Technology is changing things all around us in ways unimaginable even a generation back, but technology doesn’t change human nature, so Paul’s advice is just as relevant to us as it was to Timothy. We aren’t to be seeking “Easy Street,” but rather “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14) In a sense it’s like one of America’s founding fathers said: “Those who would sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither.” If we refuse the cross that Christ offers us, thinking to have it easy, we eventually discover that we have refused life itself.

I’m as big on avoiding discomfort as the next guy, but 75 years on this planet have taught me that indeed, in this world we have trouble. However, I am deeply grateful to say that I have tasted life in Christ, and as Bill Gaither wrote, “The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.” Yesterday I had an encounter that I had been dreading, but the Lord brought us through it and brought genuine blessing in the process. Every situation looks different as we approach it and then as we move on from it. At our Thanksgiving dinner last year one of our believers gave a testimony that it had been a very rough year, but that looking back on it, it had been a very blessed year. I’ve had that sort of experience countless times. I need to look forward to God’s plans for me, whatever they look like in the process of going through them, because I know that the outcome will be blessed.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You indeed for Your presence and guidance yesterday. Thank You for the things You have for today. May I walk in full obedience and peace each step of the way, however hard it might seem in the moment, for my blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Assurance; January 11, 2023

Posted on January 12, 2024 by jgarrott

2 Timothy 1:12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

Reading this very familiar and glorious verse, I am reminded of where Paul used the same terminology in writing to the Romans: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16) Social pressure is very real, and shame, or simple embarrassment, is a big part of that. It takes different forms in different cultures or societies, but the devil loves to use it to mess with us. However, Jesus set the example: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) Depictions of His crucifixion always include a loin cloth of some sort, but that wasn’t part of most crucifixions. The whole point was not only to make it as painful as possible, but also as shameful as possible. Anything we might have to go through doesn’t top that. As he wrote to Timothy, Paul had been a prisoner for years, and he faced his eventual martyrdom. The thing that sustained him was his complete assurance that Christ whom he served was more than able to carry him through to the glorious eternity that was promised to him. We tend to waver at much more trivial challenges! We never know how we might act in various hypothetical situations, but countless believers down through the centuries have discovered that God is indeed faithful. The record of Steven being stoned is a good example. I don’t think he had planned on martyrdom, but in the moment, he was able to say, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:60) The key is, as it says in Hebrews, to fix our eyes on Jesus. Paul had that focus, and it was all he needed.

I have long loved the hymn made from this verse, and since the chorus is simply this verse set to music, I memorized this verse at a very young age. The verses of that hymn talk about all the things we don’t know, pointing out the ultimate importance of knowing Christ Himself as our personal Lord and Savior. (I like that the Japanese term for “Savior” is literally, “Saving Lord.”) If we only know about Him but don’t know Him personally, then we won’t have the assurance that Paul and Steven had. I don’t expect to be martyred, but I do rejoice in getting to know my Lord more and more as I walk with Him. There are various things I would rather avoid, but I know that He will be with me in and through them, so I have no reason to be anxious. I have plenty of experience in being unreasonably anxious! I am not to put myself down, but rather rejoice in God’s mercy and patience toward me, knowing that I’m a work in progress, and that the end result will be His doing and not my own.

Father, thank You for Your plans for me. Thank you for what You are taking me through even as I write. I pray that You would enable me to take my eyes off of myself and indeed fix them on my Lord, so that Your purposes may be accomplished in and through me on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Encouragement; January 10, 2024

Posted on January 11, 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.

It strikes me that it probably blessed Timothy to his core that Paul addressed him as “man of God.” We know nothing of Timothy’s biological father, except that he was Greek, but Paul was very much a father figure to him. We know that Timothy struggled with self-image issues, (2 Timothy 1:7) but here Paul is addressing him as an equal, a fellow-worker, and it probably gave Timothy a glow that lasted for some time. The second thing that strikes me about this verse is that after talking about all the negatives of fixating on material wealth, he then gives a list of alternative things to seek after, and it is a good list indeed. For many people Christianity has the image of being very negative. I remember the “church lady” character in Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In of over 50 years ago. The show as a whole was very enjoyable and often hilarious, but that character was part of the devil’s push to get people to marginalize faith, and for many people that push was all too successful. The last thing the devil wants is for people to discover the joy and peace that are available only through Christ Jesus the Lord. Even believers get distracted, so we all need to be reminded of this list from time to time. We all need help in staying on track. That’s a major reason for the Church, so we can encourage one another, as it says repeatedly in 1 Thessalonians 4:18 and 5:11 and Hebrews 3:13 and 10:25. We are indeed to admonish one another when we see risky behavior, (Colossians 3:16 and elsewhere) but our focus should be on the positive, reminding one another of all the good that God has prepared for us.

This is something I need to remember, both as a pastor and as a believer. I tend toward perfectionism, and too often fail to express appreciation to other believers for their efforts, particularly when they don’t do things the way I might prefer. That’s an area where I need to keep growing, just as Paul told Timothy to do. The fact that people have inadvertently stomped on me when I was emotionally weak is no excuse for me to do it to others. I need to keep praying to see others as God sees them, recognizing them as God’s precious children and treating them appropriately. Yes, I am to admonish when called for, but the major focus needs to be on appreciation and encouragement, because that is what God has done for me.

Father, thank You for this very timely Word. Help me not just say, that’s nice, but rather live it out in practical application, building up the Body of Christ for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Gain; January 9, 2024

Posted on January 10, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Talk about a verse of Scripture that is at odds with modern society! Both the godliness and the contentment seem to have been thrown out the window by a huge number of people. However, some people seem to be waking up to what they have done, and even secular publications occasionally tout “the simple lifestyle.” That said, consumerism is the norm. Personal debt is rampant because we can’t seem to understand how much we don’t need. The average American lives in a level of luxury that would have been almost unimaginable even a couple of generations ago, but we are constantly buying more with money we don’t have. The next verse is a truism: “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” (1 Timothy 6:7) Sadly, we pay it no more than lip service. The following verses talk about the damage we do with our lust for stuff, but we pay them no attention. This whole passage is in a way an extension of what Jesus said about treasure in heaven. (Matthew 6:19-21) If we get our priorities straight, all kinds of things fall into place and we have peace and joy this world knows nothing about.

Growing up in a missionary household, materialism wasn’t very big in our awareness, but at the same time, we lived in circumstances that seemed luxurious to many of those around us. Space is at a premium in Japan, and we lived in a large house, designed by my mother, and had a large yard and drove an imported car. I know now that the land we lived on would have been at least four if not five building plots for Japanese houses. It made no difference that none of that belonged to my family personally; we had full use of it. When the land was given to the City of Fukuoka in exchange for reclaimed land by Seinan University, where we lived was made into a park! I have lived the reality of Jesus’ famous statement, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) I have experienced this as an adult as well. We have had times that were financially tight, but God has been incredibly faithful. Our income level is hardly remarkable, but what we have generally seems to last a long time! I need to keep my focus on that which lasts forever, which is my relationship to my Lord. If I will do that, then Elon Musk, “the richest person in the world,” has nothing on me!

Father, thank You for Your incredible grace, mercy and faithfulness. Help me indeed keep my eyes on Christ Jesus my Lord (Hebrews 12:2) and leave everything in Your hands, as a good steward of all You provide, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Favoritism; January 8, 2024

Posted on January 9, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 5:21 I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

In the middle of various detailed instructions about pastoral ministry, Paul puts in this very strong admonition about favoritism. This sort of thing can creep into almost any situation, from the family all the way up to international politics. The most striking Biblical example is the way that Jacob treated Joseph, which created such jealousy in Joseph’s brothers that they sold him into slavery. The thing is, we all have preferences, and such things are entirely natural. What is wrong is treating people differently because of our preferences. This is specifically speaking of pastoral ministry, and favoritism in that context has even caused church splits. God has His sovereign choices, as Paul quoted Malachi saying for God, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (Romans 9:13) However, we aren’t God, and we are to treat people equally. That said, we need to remember that people aren’t going to respond equally. I think God’s choices are because He knows how people are going to respond down the line. Jacob and Esau certainly had different attitudes toward God! We don’t have that knowledge, however, so we are to give everyone equal opportunities. That is currently a hot-button political topic these days, with all the discussion of “equity” as opposed to equality of opportunity. In a sports framework, tryouts are valid, but we must never exclude people from the start, saying, “You aren’t allowed to try.” Every one of us is imperfect, “damaged goods,” if you will, and that is all the more reason not to show favoritism. God’s love is universal, and it is up to each individual how they will respond to it, and not up to any human being to specify how anyone else is allowed to respond to God.

Having been in pastoral ministry over half my life, and frankly, not by my own choice, this is a very “live” topic for me. I must be an “equal opportunity pastor,” assigning responsibility and giving praise with an even hand. There are an infinite number of differences among people, and I need God’s wisdom for how to interact with each one. That is particularly true for the emotionally needy. I must be gentle and loving, but not pampering. Spoiled children are not genuinely happy children. The fact that different people need different levels of attention isn’t the same as favoritism. When I come right down to it, I flat don’t have the wisdom to keep it all straight, so I must maintain awareness of my total dependence on God.

Father, thank You for Your example of grace and mercy, toward me and toward everyone. Help me be an unobstructed channel of that grace and mercy toward all, letting “love cover a multitude of sins,” as Peter put it, (1 Peter 4:8) so that the Body of Christ may be built up, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Expressing Faith; January 7, 2024

Posted on January 8, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 5:8 If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

There are all kinds of hypocrisy, and every one is obvious to God. Sadly, we hear of elder abuse all the time. The situation isn’t always cut and dried; Paul himself writes right here about the attitudes and activities of those who invite or don’t invite being taken care of. However, younger generations who are self-centered and stingy are a blot on society, and Paul says they have discarded faith. It could be argued whether he means “their faith” or “the faith,” but in either case it comes down to living out what we say we believe. If we really believe that we are hopeless sinners apart from the grace of God, then we will seek always to allow the character of Christ to be manifested in and through us. Several years ago WWJD, What Would Jesus Do, was all the fad. That is good in itself, but when it is just a fad it becomes meaningless. As James famously pointed out, when we just give lip service to God’s truth, we are just deceiving ourselves, and probably not anyone else. (James 1:22) Indeed, claiming faith and then not living it out is worse than not claiming it in the first place, as Paul says here.

This is very pointed to me right now, because I have hurt one of the church members by being accusatory when I should have been appreciative. The incident in question might seem minor, but again as James said, “We who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1) When people look to me as a spiritual father-figure and mentor, every word and action tends to bear more weight than is comfortable at times. I would like them to respond that way when I am sharing God’s truth with them, but not so much when I am being merely human! As many teachers have pointed out, the expectation and even demand that we be perfect can be a huge burden at times. However, again as Paul said, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) I am to be grateful for this further breaking of my stubborn pride and allow God to turn this incident around for the blessing of everyone involved, for His glory.

Father, thank You for all You allow me to go through. Thank You for the good day of fellowship yesterday as we went in a group to help out some of our number. I do pray for the brother who will be returning to Taiwan today, after being here very sacrificially for the past three months as a volunteer carpenter. I pray that You would continue to guide him in Your plans for him, for his blessing and the advancement of Your kingdom Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Things Taught by Demons; January 6, 2024

Posted on January 7, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 4:3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

I have long been aware that “forbidding to marry” was the first example Paul gave of “things taught by demons,” but this morning it hit me that “abstaining from certain foods” is the second example. The reason marriage has always been in my awareness is my disagreement with the Catholic doctrine of the celibacy of the priesthood. Knowing Church history, I have been aware that the origin of that teaching was entirely political, and it came up over 1,000 years after the start of the Church. Its falsehood is all the more obvious when we realize that Peter, the first “Vicar of Rome,” was the only one of the first 12 apostles that we positively know was married! And of course, forbidding marriage has resulted in all sorts of destructive perversions. All of that said, the second doctrine mentioned has been rampant in recent years, with “vegan” becoming a buzzword that didn’t even exist 50 years ago. Allergies and the like are legitimate reasons to avoid certain foods, but they have no spiritual implications, and are certainly different for each individual. Overeating isn’t the only way to be controlled by food! The demonic origin of such fads is obvious from the way pride gets wrapped up in it all, with people feeling they are “superior” for abstaining from meat, or animal products of any sort. The irony in this case is that there is plenty of research that shows an omnivorous diet produces the best results for human beings, hands down. Even cutting out animal fats has negative consequences, and over-processed foods are destructive in quantity. The point is to believe that God has created everything, and what He has created is good, if we will relate to it in submission and obedience to Him.

Having been allergic to milk, cheese, and chocolate from around 3 to around 10, I certainly understand about allergies. I have also seen people be destroyed by overeating. And, I have known people who have been deeply wounded by the prohibition to marry. I am well aware that anything can be abused, and I need to keep myself in submission to the Lord rather than to human tradition. Of course, the temptation is always to pride, to feeling “I know better than they do.” I have always appreciated C. S. Lewis’ observation that one thing we can be sure of is that when we get to heaven, we will discover that we were all wrong somewhere. Paul speaks several times of those who get caught up in prohibitions as “weak,” and tells us, “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” (1 Corinthians 8:9) I am to speak the truth in love, but not put people down when they don’t have the same understanding of things that I do.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You also for the training You are giving me in pastoral ministry, right in line with what You said to me yesterday morning. I do pray that my mistakes would not have lingering negative effects, but that the Body of Christ right here would continue to grow on all levels, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Families; January 5, 2024

Posted on January 6, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 3:5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)

This parenthetical comment, stuck into an exposition on Church leadership, could hardly be more timeless and timely. As comes out again and again, family relationships are God’s idea, which is why the devil attacks them so strongly. Ephesians 5 is clear that the relationship of a husband and wife is to be a mirror of that between Christ and the Church, and there are countless places throughout the Bible that speak of God as our Father. That’s why the “epidemic of fatherlessness” on the human level is so tragic, as well as demonic: if we have no human father, and no right relationship with him, we will have great difficulty believing in and relating to our Heavenly Father. That is exactly the devil’s goal. This particular verse is addressing this issue from the father’s side and pointing out its importance. Paul puts it as a rhetorical question, because the answer seems so obvious. If we can’t handle the relationships in our biological family correctly, then how can we handle the relationships in our church family? And it’s worth noticing here that Paul doesn’t use “love” in this discussion. It isn’t that love isn’t expected and important within a family, but that if our focus is on emotions, we’re likely to mess everything up. This is a point that Dennis Prager mentions from time to time. He has two sons, one biological and one adopted. The adopted one was born to a meth addict mother, but was adopted by the Pragers at birth. He obviously had a genetic predisposition to addiction, and got into alcohol and drugs into his teens. However, Dennis didn’t coddle him, and he eventually came out of it and is currently very effective as an addiction counselor. He was the guest on a recent episode of Dennis’ Fireside Chat program, and the mutual respect and love between them was obvious. Those who are in church leadership are to say and do everything in love, but that must be on the foundation of respect. Parents who don’t raise their children to respect them are doing them a horrible disservice and incubating untold tragedies. Pastors are to do the same, or the Church will fall apart.

Since I’ve been a pastor for over half my life, and a father for longer than that, I can’t say this doesn’t apply to me! I am very thankful to have had a human father who took parenting seriously, though he was at times distracted by his huge load of other responsibilities. He didn’t do a perfect job, but then no father does, I would think. My own children have turned out such that I am proud of them, and I think justifiably so. My spiritual children have been a mixed bag. They run all the way from some in full-time ministry to others who have totally disappeared, in my observation at least. I have been more hesitant to apply discipline in the church context than in the family context, and that hasn’t always been good. (Of course, church members don’t have the same automatic connection to me that my biological children do.) I am to seek the good of the church just as I do for my family, and be willing to make the same sacrifices. Delegating responsibility is a continuing challenge for me, but God is faithful even when I’m not. This is something I’ll be involved in for the rest of my life, because even when I retire from the pastorate, my children will still be my children, both biological and spiritual. I am constantly dependent on God’s wisdom and guidance, and I must never forget it.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Our local church family is growing at this point. I pray that my relationship with each member will be exactly as You desire and intend, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Prayer for Those in Authority; January 4, 2023

Posted on January 5, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 2:1-2 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

The last part of this passage reminds me of the ancient Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.” We certainly live in interesting times today! As I write, Japan has had a major earthquake and a spectacular aircraft collision at the busiest airport in the country, and that’s all within the past four days. And of course that doesn’t begin to touch on the major turmoil that’s going on all around the world. All of these things seem totally out of our control, but that’s what the first part of the passage is about. How many people genuinely pray for “kings and all those in authority?” I’m registered with Intercessors for America, and each of their frequent newsletters has three political figures listed at the bottom, with a place to click if you are praying for that person and a number to indicate how many people have clicked. I don’t know how many people receive those newsletters, but the number of those praying is seldom very large. And that’s just America! I remember how touched a Romanian evangelist was quite a few years ago when I told him I regularly prayed for Gorbachev, who was not long after that very instrumental in the dissolution of the Iron Curtain. How many people today pray for Putin? I don’t think we realize that our prayers make a difference. We need to think of the context at the time Paul wrote this. The “kings and those in authority” were for the most part far from godly men, yet Paul said to “offer requests, prayers, intercession, and thanks” for them. When we see such lying scoundrels in power, it’s hard to respond that way! However, we need to remember a verse from Proverbs: “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” (Proverbs 21:1) The Bible records God using a lot of people who didn’t believe in Him to accomplish His purposes, starting with Cyrus the Persian who sent the Jews back to Judea. People can be very stubborn, but they are no match for God, and we can pray to God! I think we all take the privilege and responsibility of prayer too lightly.

And of course I’m preaching to myself here. I do pray for various world leaders from time to time, and particularly American leaders, but I seldom if ever pray for Prime Minister Kishida, and I don’t even know who represents Nagasaki in the Diet! (I can’t vote in Japan, but he does have an influence on my environment.) I do pray for our mayor, but then I know him personally, having conducted his wedding. We have recently acquired a prayer warrior in this church, and she is an inspiration to me. At 75 I realize that I am just scratching the surface of prayer, even though prayer is extremely natural to me. As I have commented recently, I have no idea why prayer works, because why would the Creator listen to me? However, I have experienced countless times of seeing prayer work, and I am to respond in gratitude and obedience. As James said, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective,” (James 5:16) and “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) I have no excuse not to pray!

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Help me not slough it off but allow it to change my daily habits, growing me more and more into the child that You desire, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Praise God! January 3, 2024

Posted on January 4, 2024 by jgarrott

1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Several places in his letters Paul breaks his narrative to pour out a doxology, a declaration of praise to God. Here, he has just been talking about what a lost cause he was before Christ met him on the road to Damascus, and he is overwhelmed by the magnificence of God’s grace. How often do we take time to think of how incredible it is that God would accept, much less choose, us as one of His children? If we would do so in all honesty, then praise would well up from within us no less than it did from Paul. Indeed, no human being is worthy in themselves of being accepted and acknowledged by God, but He does it anyway, for all who will come to Him in repentance and faith. The better we understand our own unworthiness, the more we will praise and love Him! This is the polar opposite of entitlement, which is why the devil works so hard to foster an entitlement mentality in as many people as possible. When we understand how hopeless we are without Christ and how secure we are in Him, we can’t help but be overwhelmed with gratitude, which will produce a level of peace and joy the world knows nothing about. The devil can’t stand that, so the more grateful and joyous we are, the more effectively we are resisting him!

I was thankfully raised to be grateful, and our home environment was certainly one of love for God, but I didn’t learn much about active praise to God until I was introduced to the Charismatic Movement in 1973. These days that style of music has become common, but sadly, many Christians and churches have adopted the style without adopting the heart attitude that generated it. Performance isn’t praise. I was blessed with musical ability, and I am certainly to give my best to God, but if I am more worried about my performance than I am about the One to whom I am singing, then it is worthless. If my life isn’t a praise to God, then what I do in church is going to be hollow. Teaching and leading others to praise God is a joy indeed, but it must come from a heart that realizes how totally unworthy I am for the task. I am to praise God that He enables me to exercise the privilege of doing that, just as Paul does in the verse just ahead of this. God is more than worthy of all the praise in the universe!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed overflow with praise to You, regardless of what is going on around me. We had reports of two tragedies here in Japan just yesterday, but that in no way diminishes the praise that You are due. Help me put everything into context, so that Your name may be acknowledged as holy and Your rule and reign be established as Your will is done, by me and by everyone, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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