Connecting Life with Faith: Strike while the Iron is Hot

Take the Arrows and Strike the ground said Elisha, the prophet of the LORD

God works in mysterious ways is a commonly used line by many.  The Bible says that His ways are higher than ours His thoughts and plans greater in every way in Isaiah 55 The LORD declares,

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

and this means because God can see everything at once and we can`t it makes sense that we can`t comprehend His methods and His timing for things.  That being said I want to share a story that the LORD keeps bringing to mind.

The story is from 2 Kings 13.

We will pick up the story from verse 14

14Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. “My father! My father!” he cried. “The chariots and horsemen of Israel!”

15Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. 16“Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.

17“Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!” Elisha said, and he shot. “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!” Elisha declared. “You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.”

18Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. 19The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.”

20Elisha died and was buried.

Now just to give a little context this King was not a good king.  In fact the verses previous specifically say that he did evil in the eyes of the LORD.  However, God gives this King a chance for victory but because of his apathy and lack of faith to respond to the WORD of the prophet complete victory was not achieved for the Kingdom of Israel.

Recently God has open doors for us to start GBC-radio as a way to spread the Gospel in Japanese and now starting this month in English.  When the LORD opens a path for you or clearly directs you he wants us to strike hard and fast.  Notice how Elisha said "strike!" not how many times the King should strike.  God wants to see our obedience and desire for His victory.  When he says "go" or "strike" we shouldn`t do it and think how long or how many times.  We should know that if it is the LORD with every strike there will be victory.  With every encounter! With every journey! We will see His victory.

We have been uploading podcasts daily to GBC radio and we are seeing victory in the name of JESUS.  We have seen God bring at least three people into the KIngdom of God through listening the WORD and seen deliverance and healing in many more listeners who send in emails daily and record their testimonies for us.  Most of our listeners are Japanese, a country with 1% Christian.  But now is the time to strike.  With every upload of a podcast may there be victory!  

And for you those of you reading this, remember that God wants to show you His might and power but even more His love for you.  Jesus shares His victory over sin and death through faith in Him.  

Grab hold of that victory today! in Jesus name!

Connecting Life with Faith: A Kingdom of People

Ohori Park in downtown Fukuoka

Over the past few weeks I have experienced a lot.  I have sense horrific scenes of destruction and scenes of people coming to together to provide for one another.  I have seen people become confused and disoriented and some angry or proud.

I have this reflection... What is the Kingdom of God? What is it that Jesus said would have no end and be established forever and ever.

When Jesus commanded us to pray for the purpose of this Kingdom what did he say? Pray for workers, laborers, not money, not power, not more of a particular anointing either...
In a way He said "people"

The kingdom of God is all about people and each one with their set of skills, abilities, resources etc coming together to make the Kingdom what is and essentially stronger.

Do we have needs in our churches or ministries?  Most certainly we do and the answer for continuing the harvest is more workers.

I think about the volunteer effort in the disaster area of Kumamoto and there are thousands of volunteers aiding now but in a week most will be gone.  There is a continual need for laborers there and in every field of His work for His kingdom around the world.

Me with two volunteers in Kumamoto

And laborers are the means of expanding the kingdom and they ARE the Kingdom as well.  All the externals of buildings, organizations, and systems sometimes can distract from the fact that all the really matters is people when it comes to God`s kingdom.

Hence we should know what we are working and fighting for.  We are not working to get a bigger facilities for our churches or for our organizations to grow larger.  Those may happen but I pray they happen as a result of bringing in the harvest and seeing God bring new laborers together for His purpose.... not ours.

His church, His organization, His body

Be blessed and love those around you today.  Let us all labor with joy so that God would send us more laborers to share in the work together.

Connecting Life with Faith: As a Living Sacrifice

Japanese Cherries (Sakuranbo)  in Fukuoka Japan

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

ROMANS 12:1,2

To be honest this is one of those passages I nod with my head, but in my heart I tend to cringe.  The idea of living sacrificially isn't very appealing to be honest.  In our fleshly way of thinking we see things short-sided and lack the perspective like Jesus had before enduring the suffering of the cross.

 For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 
HEBREWS 12:2

But Jesus is LORD! He is awesome... I can't be like that.  That is where I tend to be...  It is very easy to take a back seat and only make sacrifices when we HAVE to.

But living as a sacrifice this is a whole new perspective!  In the Old Testament times certain sacrifices were burnt offerings others were grain and some were drink poured out before the LORD.  Most were typically shared as a meal not as a waste.  When we sacrifice for His purpose it is never a waste.

So what does this mean living under the New Testament.  Well I like to think that we pour ourselves into others. We look to invest ourselves and our resources in the Kingdom of God, essentially the people of God that He has put around us for a specific purpose.  This lifestyle of putting others first and pouring our hearts into them is compatible with the people of the first church in Acts

44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
 ACTS 2:44-47

We see them sharing and living sacrificially not because they had to but because the LOVE of God was abiding in them.

Finally there is this wonderful example that Jesus gives us about sacrifice.

24Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 
JOHN 12:24

This is the exciting thing about living as a sacrifice.  You don't know what kind of amazing impact you may have on the future.  You can count the number of seeds in an apple, but you can't count the number of apples that can come from one seed!

Be Blessed and Multiply in His Name!

Connecting Life with Faith: A New Creation

Spring in Fukuoka, Japan

It is spring and this is a time of new life.  The world all around us is teeming with flowers and buds soon to be fruit and blessing.  This is a natural cycle that we experience with every year and it serves as a reminder of newness and the joy of new life.

I reflect on the passage in 2 Corinthians 5.  "Therefore if anyone be in Christ, the new creation has come..."  First of all the phrase therefore should cause us to look for a reason for this statement.  Paul is speaking about our thinking, our outlook on the world.  As we abide in Christ, basically staying connected with Him as a branch or vine does with a tree, the new creation, the new life, the new way of thinking from Christ will come into our life.  There will be a newness, a joy much like springtime when we abide in Christ and reconcile our minds to Him who bore ALL of our sin.

We must look forward to the work God wants to do in our life today and not at the failures of the past.  We mustn't be dragged down by the wintry trials we have faced or the sinful ways of the past, but should embrace the new life God has for us; a life that doesn't end here on earth but  extends into eternity.

With a new outlook we can begin the work of reconciliation. Without renewing our own mind in this way how can we hope to share the Gospel with the dying world?  If we are made new again by His power, we can testify and share His resurrection and His kingdom with the world.

So open your heart and mind to Him today. Let the Holy Spirit reconcile your thoughts to the Word of God, to the mind of Christ Jesus, and experience the overflow of life and joy of the GOSPEL.  He is RISEN and He LIVES even after Easter let us celebrate the NEW LIFE in Christ!

Connecting Life with Faith: Love is Supernatural

Fukuoka Japan

The word "love" gets tossed around a lot in our everyday lives.  We hear it at the end of a phone call with our close ones.  We hear it on TV as two lovers embrace.  We hear it when people talk about their favorite food.  The word gets a lot of use!

And there lies perhaps a lack of reflection on the power of such a word. In the Bible Jesus speaks a lot on the topic of love: from loving our neighbors to loving God and the most shocking of statements "Love your enemy"! So how is that supposed to happen?

Well the more I have discovered about this biblical form of "love" I have found that it is not a natural instinct. While humans have innate desires to care for offspring and ourselves, etc. I could not argue that we naturally "love our enemies"

Love as seen in the Bible is best described as a decision and an action not necessarily a feeling although our feelings definitely play a part. So when Christ says to love your enemy he is not speaking about how you feel towards them, but primarily your actions towards them.

1 Corinthians 13 is a famous passage on the love.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

So wait a minute, can this be applied to our actions to those we would consider enemies? Wow! This is amazing! How can we do this when we see the atrocities around the world?  The answer is a supernatural one, one that Jesus clearly tells us in John 15 "...Abide in My love".  We can't do it alone.  True love is supernatural and it comes from God.  Even the love we share with one another, with our spouses, our children, and ultimately our enemies.  I feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit even as I write these words.  Am I abiding in His love?


So do you have any enemies? Chances are we all do in some form or another.  So how do we love them? First abide in Christ, ask Him, and fulfill what he has said and find great reward.


Matthew 5:46
"For if you love those who only love you what reward do you have?"

Connecting Life with Faith: Looking to God

Photo from GodLife

When we are need or in trouble we begin to look for answers, solutions, miracles if need be.  In life we will have troubles: in singleness, in married life, with or without children.  Jesus himself said that "everyday has its own troubles "Matthew 6:34 and "in this world you will have trouble." John 16:33. So get ready for it and look to God continually.

So what are we looking for exactly. Well we solve problems with wisdom and vision.  Wisdom is a more practical way to solve problems and vision a supernatural way.  God gives us both when we ask. James 1:5  In fact Jesus encourages us to ask Him continually for such things. Matthew 7:7

I love language, I love how complex and yet simple it is.  Every little sound and word has potential for meaning and can unlock a mystery.  Even looking at the word "to" in the phrase "Looking to God" Do you notice what happened to the meaning when I changed from "looking at" to "looking to"?

When you look at someone or something it is a one way action, but with the word "to" we understand it to mean there is an expectation of a reaction.  In a sense our "looking" can be received. For example, I can look at a bird but I can`t look to a bird because we perceive that the bird is not capable of receiving my look.  Pretty deep isn't it!  So we can look to God because we know He will react, he will receive our "look" which comes in the form of facing Him and asking. This takes faith and that is what pleases God.

Hebrews 11:6 says that we must come to God with the belief that He exists and rewards those who seek him diligently.

So look to God, turn the eyes of your heart to Him today and celebrate the love He has for you. The love of a divine Father to care for you and make you into something wonderful.

Connecting Life with Faith: Deliverance

Image from shutterstock.com

For the gospel of Christ to be revelant we all need to come to a point of desperation.  Just as the ancient Hebrews cried out to God because of the difficulties forced upon them, we too must experience hardships in order to fully know and prove our faith.

Exodus 2:23

" During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. "

And God does hear us and our cries to Him.

Psalm 56:8

" You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. "

But there is a time of waiting on Him, learning to trust Him at your lowest point that refines you, makes you more glorious, as He is.

2 Corinthians 3:16-18

" But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. "

These verses are loaded with teaching points but the point I want to emphasize is how turning to The Lord our veils are taken away and we are granted freedom in our spirits.  The freedom "to hope in Him" and contemplate His glory and this process transforms us.

His deliverance from trouble is not something we seek half heartedily. It is something that is poured out daily before Him.  

When His deliverance becomes a priority in your life, the Gospel of Christ becomes the sweetest and most blessed news you'll ever hear.

Psalm 119:103

" How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! "

Be blessed and seek Him in your times of trouble always!

Connecting Life with Faith: Seeking The Kingdom of God

What is the kingdom of God?

People

Not systems of goverment, institutions, or even churches... people.

God wants people, loves people.

Desires them to the point of shedding His own blood.

All of it poured out on the cross.

Whenever you read in the bible of the words "Kingdom of Heaven"

It's all about people.

We are His kingdom, we are His people

All it takes is a mustard seed of faith. It starts small and it grows day by day when it moves toward the light.

Trust Him today and you will begin to transform into a blessed member of His kingdom. 

1 John 5:19

"Whoever has the Son has life (unending) and whoever does not have Him does not have life (unending). This means death becomes merely a door not an end.

All the countries, kingdoms, corporations, and systems of the world have an end but His kingdom will have no end.

This is the joyous news of the "gospel."

Imagine the joy Jesus had declaring it to the world.

Luke 4:43, Jesus speaks of how the Gospel of the Kingdom must be preached in more places and towns.  He then commissions 70 of His followers and greatly rejoices in the Holy Spirit upon hearing their report, Luke 10:21.

This was still the heart of our LORD even as He was drawing closer to cross in Matthew 24.

"And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole earth... "

Seeking His kingdom means living and sharing the good news that investing your heart in the person of Jesus is the way to eternity, the way to life, the way to completeness.

Connecting Life with Faith: Going through the Fire

Fukuoka is hot, very hot. You hear people say a place is hot and you have your experience of what hot "feels" like but when it is a new level of hot, you are forced to do whatever necessary to stay "cool."

This past month I was stretched. A few days of really hot 90 degree nights is bearable, but day after day gets to be a grind.  Without air conditioning only with wet towels and fans did my family and I sweat out the month of July. I was shocked to find out that the exact spot we live in, Fukuoka city-Central Ward was that hottest place in Japan. 

Fukuoka declared hottest place in Japan for month of July news link (Japanese)

Fukuoka the hottest place in Japan

Hotter than places like Kumagaya 

(famous valley hotspot) Okinawa, and Saitama. Hotter than other places like Bangkok, Thailand, Hawaii, and New Dehli, India! 

I was amazed! 

This was an extreme experience I will never forget.  Salvation comes in many forms. Ours came in the form of two letters AC!

So now I am sleeping, sleeping like a drooling rock! All my kids are...sleeping only a few hours at a time for over a month wore us down, down to our bones.

I was reminded of the words of Peter 4:12

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you"

Trials are not something strange, they are the way we grow and the way others grow.  They are the mark of the Christ follower.

Here's another story about Peter:

Story from Acts chapter 12

⁶ The night before Herod was going to bring him out to the people, Peter was sleeping between two guards. He was tied with two chains, and there were guards on duty at the prison gate. ⁷ Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there, and a light shone in the cell. The angel shook Peter by the shoulder, woke him up, and said, “Hurry! Get up!” At once the chains fell off Peter's hands. ⁸ Then the angel said, “Tighten your belt and put on your sandals.” Peter did so, and the angel said, “Put your cloak around you and come with me.” ⁹ Peter followed him out of the prison, not knowing, however, if what the angel was doing was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ They passed by the first guard station and then the second, and came at last to the iron gate that opens into the city. The gate opened for them by itself, and they went out. They walked down a street, and suddenly the angel left Peter.
¹¹ Then Peter realized what had happened to him, and said, “Now I know that it is really true! The Lord sent his angel to rescue me from Herod's power and from everything the Jewish people expected to happen.”
¹² Aware of his situation, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. ¹³ Peter knocked at the outside door, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer it. ¹⁴ She recognized Peter's voice and was so happy that she ran back in without opening the door, and announced that Peter was standing outside. ¹⁵ “You are crazy!” they told her. But she insisted that it was true. So they answered, “It is his angel.”
¹⁶ Meanwhile Peter kept on knocking. At last they opened the door, and when they saw him, they were amazed. ¹⁷ He motioned with his hand for them to be quiet, and he explained to them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell this to James and the rest of the believers,” he said; then he left and went somewhere else.

When people prayed for Peter and he arrived at their doorstep they were increased in faith. Our trials are not only for us but for those who would pray for us that they may also share in our suffering and revel in our joy when the Lord delivers us.

I am learning to take joy in the sufferings in whatever way I can and I do not say that lightly, especially after having bouts of heatstroke and insomnia. The joy is not irrational optimism, but anchored in faith and experience with God.

Joy and suffering are the engine of the Christian experience of faith and obedience. And Christ is our ultimate example from Hebrews 12:2-3:

2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Why do we endure suffering, shame, or hostility of any kind?  The JOY, this same joy that Christ owned in His heart. The joy of the lost coming home, the joy depicted in parable after parable in the gospels. Indeed it is a joy that gives holy strength;  the joy of the LORD.  

Connecting Life with Faith: Living on a Prayer

Photo Image source worldim.com

Many times we hear the word "prayer" and most of us imagine a picture of somebody with folded hands, eyes closed and head bowed down.

Our ideas about prayer are usually based on our own experiences and also our cultural perspective. Yet it is clear as we explore other countries and people that there is a universality to the idea of prayer.  

When people are in need, desperate, despairing of life they turn to this age old practice in hope of help. Almost like a primal instinct this thought to reach out for God springs out of the suffering soul.

I have become fond of this saying,

"There are no atheists in fox holes." 

Death and suffering really cause us to examine what we believe, and the reality is we all need God. 

Let's dive further in with prayer.

We tend to think prayer is about asking first and listening if we have time. I find myself often falling into this pattern of prayer.

With so many needs and demands coming at us, I think many feel this way.

And certainly prayer feels amazing when we see our Heavenly Father answer our requests and see our needs. After all asking is something we teach our own children.  Even if we know what they need as parents, we enjoy to see them come and ask honestly, with expectation.

When the the Scripture instructs about prayer it mostly comes from the New Testament. There is good reason for that.

The Holy Spirit, God abiding in us through believing in Jesus Christ, is an integral part of prayer.  

It is the mind of Christ given by the Holy Spirit that speaks to us on how to pray.  

1 Corinthians 2:16

We are not heard for our many words, nor because of our prayer stance. We are heard because we have faith first and this  makes us His children.

Pray for one another. 

Ephesians 6:18

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people."

Care for one another.

Phillipians 2:4 

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Galatians 6:2

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ

Over the last several months I have been able to say I have made it through by God supplying my needs through the prayers and deeds of His saints. 

This place of partnership is where a brother or sister in the LORD becomes a partner in the work of His Kingdom.  

1 Corinthians 3:9 

"We are coworkers in God's service.."

The Word of God calls us to colabor with one another and to pray for and bless one another. This is what the church Acts demonstrated so beautifully to the world and inspired the local community of onlookers to say, "Behold, look how they love each other"

So live on the prayers of one another and provide and help one another as the LORD enables.  The saddest thing we can do is neglect each other and model hypocrisy to world in Jesus' name.

Be blessed so that you may bless others! 

Reflections of Worship: Bless the LORD! 10,000 Reasons to Sing

The idea of blessing God struck me in an odd way when I first heard it.  But it is in the Bible, explicitly in Psalm 103

"Bless the Lord of my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name."

and Psalm 34

"I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth."

If God is perfectly content and happy why would he care if I blessed Him or not.  If fact usually we are asking Him for blessing because we know that He is the source of all creation and blessing.

In most other religions people are desire blessings from God or gods to satisfy their appetites.  The popular idea of heaven being the ultimate blessing of getting whatever you want all the time in a perfect paradise with God in charge is not at all biblical Christian.  This concept seems to be in conflict with the biblical images of worship continually focused on God that we see in Revelation, Daniel and other prophetic books of the Bible.

A heaven that is all about me, it sounds kind of selfish when you think about it.

So does God need our worship or the blessing of our mouths?

NO- need is certainly not the right word!

But what happens when we bless the Lord and worship Him is that we experience the realm of heaven in our hearts.  Heaven is in continuous worship of God.  It is the irresistible response to being in His glorious presence.

Blessing and worship the LORD actually becomes a blessing unto us, much like giving blesses the giver not just the receiver.  This reciprocity is why the author of the Psalms is so excited to bless the LORD.  When he blesses God and speaks His praise there is a jubilation in his heart and I believe in the heart of God , our Father as well.

So Bless the LORD in song and experience the heart of heaven in your life.

Tales From Japan: Back to the Island

photo taken from View World Beauty

We find ourselves back in Japan after leaving one year ago. Almost like something out of the TV series LOST. A lot of unique and supernatural events have brought us back with a new perspective and purpose.
There have been some interesting revelations and a lot of challenges over the past year but we look forward with hope.

Right before coming to Japan I had an opportunity to share about this message of hope with a Japanese man.

God is the God of hope.

Jesus' call to believe in Him instills a new hope in us. This is hope of a new life, hope for a future beyond death even, and for everything we need to accomplish the task He has set for us.

It is the hope for the new world that God will establish in the era to come that we fix our eyes upon.  The prize of heaven as the apostle Paul called it.

And it is a prize worth seeking, it is worth the confusion and suffering that we go through.  Where God is, there is LIFE and it is never ending. 

Jesus came to save souls and give them life eternally.  His primary objective was not to die for our sins but to give us life, abundant and everlasting.  The cross of Christ and His sacrifice is the great cost.  Jesus is excited about you growing in your faith through your trials.  He is overjoyed at the idea of being with you in heaven, sharing His gift of everlasting life with you.

Just look what the Word of God says

Hebrews 12:2
...Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross...

Back to the story of the Japanese man...
I prayed with this Japanese man who desperately needed hope. He needed a God who is real and who cares. Our meeting was a supernatural event that beckoned me to share my faith and my hope, with this man who prayed a most beautiful prayer:



God help me...

神様僕を助けて、

Jesus please come and save a person like me...

イエスさまこんな僕を救い出して下さい


To see this man in such desperation of heart to pray without any coaching the simple sinner's prayer brought tears to my eyes.


I told him, "Today is a new day, you are reborn when you repent and turn to Him, the one who can save.　Today you encountered the God of Hope"

今日あなたが生まれ変わる日です。神様を求めてイエスに信じるもの必ず助けます。今日は新しい日です。希望の神に出会いました！


So it is a new day for Japan and a new day for me. Everyday we need His grace, everyday sinner and saint. Though the Japanese may not bow at the name of Jesus, God is patient and long suffering wanting for many to turn and call upon Him like that man I met did.
We are back to this island because there is work to do and because God has a plan and purpose for many. And that plan is to give them new life and new hope for the age to come.   Thank God who works in mysterious ways and redeems all things into His glorious plan.   We look forward to many more tales to come from the land of the Rising Son.

Connecting Life with Faith: Taking Hold of His Peace

Photo Image taken from THIS SITE

For most of us world is a battleground. At times we may experience a time of rest at the end of the day, but usually the daily battles of work, family, commute, and general business take their toll on us don't they?  Especially in times of great desperation and frustration we lose control of our focus, direction and even emotions.  I can speak from personal experience that trials reveal our weaknesses and fraility.  They force us to seek a way to cope.  For the follower of Christ, trials force us continually to Him, our God and comforter.

Jesus said to His disciples, just as God said to His people many times.
 "Do not fear!" 
"Do not be troubled!" 

"The tense of these verses often times are not carried over into our English translations." as one Bible scholar recently told me.

These many verses contain verbs that are in a tense that descibe an emphatic imperitive command.  We often try to capture emphasis with an exclamation mark.  However, our exclamation marks come at the end of sentence and tends to communicate the entire sentence was exclaimed rather than one particular word or clause. Most of the time these emphatics phrases are left out.

Enough with the grammar lesson...

Jesus gave His followers a promise in conjuction with His command not to be afraid.  His said that He gives us peace.  And He gives not as the world does.  He gives us this peace without price per pill, without taking it back, or without manipulation.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.


This relational gift of peace is something we must receive.  It is something that will not simply enter us through osmosis or unconscious means.  It is something we cling to instead of fear and worry , something we can only have as we take hold of Him.  We ask through prayer and receive through faith the promise of His peace. 

In the fierce storms, in personal despair, in pain and anguish, in the harsh conditions of survival these words of our LORD become a source of life and strength to us. 

So what can we do but act!?  Our God sees our hearts and knows everything that is going on within us but He responds to our actions.  So if you are in need, cry out for it, and show God how much you need His peace today.  In prayer, in song, with fasting, with your acts of devotion God will certainly grant the peace you need.  His peace is real and tangible and it is a gift from His heart.  He knows you need it, and that is why He promises it for us.

For one day we will awake to a new world and the old things will have passed away.  But till that day comes, hold onto Him and He will keep your soul and bless you greatly. Amen.

Connecting Life with Faith: Time Warping

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Recently I had quite a surreal experience.   Almost like out of a dream, or something of that nature, I found myself in the classroom of my old high school history teacher.  A year ago I was in Japan living life as usual doing all the things I normally did.  Who would have known I would have traveled to such an obscure place.  Often times I had recalled the days spent studying under this particular teacher and so recalled his entertaining style and exuberant discourse. But to ever sit and watch him again? The 15 years of time seemed to matter little, as I sat down accompanying a student serving as his aid for the day.  I sat in the desk assuming the position of any other student in the room almost like I was reenacting a moment of history.  The days of my youth filled my mind as I heard the cantor of his familiar voice.  It was like time warping into the past.

As the teacher wove together his discussion on the Articles of Confederation and their role in U.S. history I found myself thoroughly pleased to listen.  I greatly appreciated his verbose and passionate style and wished I could come to school tomorrow and hear more.  There were times I almost felt like raising my hand and answering his questions in the class.  It was a bitter sweet moment.  One that few perhaps can experience.

It was like I was living in a memory for 40 minutes.  To my disappointment, the time in that class seemed to be over instantly.   As I stood up to leave my existence felt out of place and I couldn't help but contemplate the odds.  Why would such an amazing coincidence happen? Is God telling me something?

Is there a profound meaning to all this?

I made sure to thank the teacher and also tell him how much I enjoyed seeing him again and being able to listen to him.  I thanked him for instilling a love of history in me.  I hope it encouraged and blessed him to hear such words.

Like a parent, your teacher will always be your teacher.  No matter how old you become that relationship between master and pupil is sacred, meant to be enjoyed and honored.

So what do I think about all this?

I think it was a reminder of eternity, of how time and experience come together to both form who we are.  God is the author of our story and brings people into our lives to form and shape us. Deja Vu or surreal experiences like this should bring us closer to an understanding of how our experience is so limited and often out of our own control.

Instead of fearing life or freaking out, God says, "Trust me."  He has a plan and a story for our life and the best thing we can do is take it all in.  We were born to live and experience life, and most of all to experience His grace and love through it all.

Bless you for reading, know Him and know His peace today.

Reflections of Worship: Lead Me to the Cross

No matter who you are there are times in life when you feel lost.  What God has taught me is that when I am tired and weary and lost looking for the answers that it all goes back to Jesus.  The Cross of Christ is the place of forgiveness and the ultimate place of sacrifice.  No greater love does a man have than to lay down His life for His friends.
Yeshua Messiah, Jesus the Christ of all humanity chose the cross as a place to pour out His love for us.  It is a place where we fully bear witness and reflect on the depth of His love for us.

No matter where we are at in life, the Cross of Christ says "You were worth it all."  It says to every person, "Your life means so much that I (God) will bear upon myself death and damnation in your place."

So if God would go so far and give all He had in this life, will He not seek to give the days ahead purpose and redeem them for His glory?

Once again come to the cross and be healed, renewed, and set free.  Worship Him with me.

Connecting Life with Faith: Back to the Diving Board

Photo by Vaughan Hannigan Artist site here

When I was a young boy I took swimming lessons almost every summer.  Many of you know how it is.  You start out in the shallow end attempting to master such feats as going under water, blowing bubbles in the water and using kickboards etc.  Most of the time in these parts of the lesson there are instructors present with you, guiding and supporting you as you develop.  But then comes the time for the diving board!

Since it is summer and I frequent pools often with my children I began to reflect on various pool memories of the past. As I did this I began to contemplate the spiritual lessons that lay like gems embedded in those memories. 

Discipleship, mentoring and teaching are great for getting the basics of religious routine and theology.  They are all necessary for developing a strong healthy vibrant believer.

However, the real spiritual faith test comes at the diving board.  When I was taking those swimming lessons many times the teacher would line us up at the diving board and every time I refused to jump because of my fear.  My eyes full of tears I retreated to the poolside to watch the other children plunge into the deep end of the pool and watch the instructor catch hold of them as they floated to the top.

I knew and understood that the instructor was there and that it was not an entirely dangerous affair, yet without my own experience my instincts were bent on self perservation and escaping the situation. It was a very emotional time for me.

And isn' that the way it is spiritually too?  We read the Bible and we understand with our mind yet when it comes to commiting our lives into His hands and facing potential danger we can have difficulty jumping into His waiting arms. 

We know He is good, we know He is there waiting to catch us though the plunge may be a shock and we get wet and there may be dark times when you feel overwhelmed.  God's plan for us is to perfect us by faith.  He completes our existence by giving us a choice to obey His instruction and follow His ways becoming more like Him. 

Without trials there would be no need for faith.

So in these days I find myself back at the diving board of life again.  Having to trust God is the real situation I am facing, but now the diving board is a lot higher than those grade school days, the risks are real and more intense than ever. 

Back to the story, at the end of summer during the last lesson, the class ended as always with jumping from the diving board.  It was this time I realized that in order to pass and get the certificate and the coveted candy that came with it I had to jump from the diving board.  This was my last chance and as the crowd of parents watched and I looked at the water below I took in a breath holding back the tears in my eyes.  Then everything seemed still and I leaned forward and hopped towards the water, and before I knew it I was in the water pulled out and taken to poolside.  I smile of joy and shock was on my face.  Wow! I thought to myself that was exciting, maybe I'll do it again.

Be blessed and may God be with you in all you do.

Remembering Japan: A Night of Prayer and Hope

A year from the exact day of the March 11th 2011 disaster in Japan we lit candles and placed them to spell out the characters for Japan as we said our prayers for the people and nation.

I was blessed to have the opportunity to hold an event in memory of March 11th 2011. There is no way I could capture in words the shock, terror, and sheer awe of the images the world saw on that day in Japan, yet we shared our story of that day with the people present.  We gathered with the purpose to remember together and pray together for those who are still hurting, still struggling, still suffering greatly from the aftermath of that tragic day.

The most powerful earthquake in Japan's recorded history has turned many to seek a new hope and to come together as a people. Our prayers for the Japanese were not silent wishes going up to some ambiguous Deity but were cries from the heart to bring hope and peace for them appealing to a loving and righteous God. It is a difficult thing to reflect on, but if all life belongs to God there is no other we can appeal to, no other we can turn to for something so grand, so profound.

There is hope for Japan despite all that has happened and that will happen. If Japan were to be humbled, let them rise ever stronger under a new banner of hope in a true God.

It truly was a night I will remember, a night that we, people with a burden for the Japanese, could share together. There is hope only when we look deep within and find our need to extend beyond ourselves.  We must see God's glorious story and purpose for humanity. That story began with our creation and was redeemed through Christ's sacrifice and continues with us into the future.

Reflections of Worship: We need Love

In the face of our struggles and daily battles we return wasted and spent. The purpose of our existence is found in one word "love."

We live to love and need it to sustain us. God is the creator of love and it is in His love that we find the reason of existence.
I once heard a rabbi speak about the love of God. He said that it is God's love that sustains and perpetuates the universe. God's love is so great for us that we are always on His mind. In fact, if He were to cease to think about us, we would simply exist to be. His love knows no bounds and transcends time and space.

I encourage to open your hearts and receive His love and to rest in it, to let it satisfy your need to be, for this life and hereafter His love will endure. Amen.

Facing Our Struggles: A New Year, a New Life

Sunset setting through palm trees as 2011 comes to an end

Well it has been almost two months since I have posted.

I now start the new year with a new post in a new place. My family and I have left Japan though we much desired to stay.  The clarity of the hazardous situation demanded action on my behalf. And I hope that our action to abandon everything we had there speaks loudly and boldly. We hope and pray the best for our friends there, especially for their children. We pray for their protection and if it be possible we pray for their evacuation.

Yet being back in the U.S.A. does not make for an EASY solution. The challenge of starting life with very little and no job stretches our faith in a very real way. We have been blessed miraculously through the entire transition both from friends in Japan and in America. It is in these relationships that we are strengthened to continue and face our struggles with courage.

I truly from the core of my being give thanks for the many who have given us their loving support.

Though I am not currently in Japan. I will continue to write and share my experiences of living there as well as information of what is going on there.

For those who follow and read my blog I am grateful for your comments and concerns for us. I hope you continue to visit as I plan to post regularly from the plethora of stories I have accumulated in my 7 years, along with devotional posts, social commentaries, and other interesting observations.

It is truly a new life for us. We do not know what the future holds but we know that with God and with each other we can accomplish much and know a life of abundance even in the darkest of times.

I pray that you are all encouraged and strengthened as you wake to this New Year.  May you experience and grow abundantly always being thankful for the universal gift of LIFE.

Facing Our Struggles: Champions over the World

There is an innate need for humanity to reach for greatness, to strive for victory, to run the road set before us in stride...

I did a guest post at another blog.
Read my new post at Be the Few - Champions over the World


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