Tales From Japan, Okinawa - Healings Breakout and Spread to others in Japan

I was so excited to see God work in Okinawa in so many ways

Last Sunday night I arrived in Okinawa and on Monday I gathered together for a time of sharing about Dynamic Church Planting training.  That was a great time to seek the LORD, network, pray, and get to know one another before our training event coming up (April 24-26)

As we were having dinner at the church which opens its doors to feed neighborhood families, I encountered a woman in a lot of pain.  She couldn't stop talking about how much it hurt and how she could barely move without pain.  Pastor Naomi from the church said let's pray and after everyone had ate we took the woman aside and began to pray.  She sat calmly as I began to lay on hands and rebuke and cast out the sickness in every area she told me.  She had side, chest, neck, shoulder pain and a headache.  Within in less than a minute her whole body began to get very hot she said.  At this point I asked her to stand up and walk around and tell me how she felt.  She was completely shocked.  Everything was gone.  No pain anywhere.  You can see her reaction in the video below.




Also after that others began to line up for prayer.  We saw miracles from severe stomach pain being healed to blind eyes seeing and even family members were healed at the same time in other areas of Okinawa.  In the video below a generational condition of bad eye sight was healed in Jesus' name simultaneously.  The healings even continued into the next day as I went together with some others to pray in a local park.

The FB videos are in Japanese but I think most will understand what is going on.  I was so inspired about what God was doing I did a FB live to explain with the hopes of equipping and inspiring others to do the same.








I podcasted about the healings which also led to more people being healed because the faith for healing became contagious.  So often we do not have because we do not ask God, nor do we believe. This is a struggle for me even after seen such amazing miracles.  The walk of faith requires daily renewing our mind in the word and stepping out from what is comfortable into a real RISK.  Yes faith causes us to risk something.  But the sacrifice of humiliation or akwardness is nothing compared to the price JESUS paid, nor can it come close to the glory when GOD shows up and does a wonder in our midst.


I explain in this video the details about the miracles in ENGLISH


 






(JAPANESE)

 

(JAPANESE)

His Word English Podcast - New Levels Advanced and Beginner January

New podcasts via GBC radio playlist for His Word English for January 2017. Lots of words and sentences to learn from. ENJOY!!

 

Teaching English in Japan with His Word - Videos and Podcasts

For the last two years I have been teaching weekly English classes in Japan using the Bible.  The class is basically free and I do not charge students anything and all are welcome.  I would get a variety of students from high schoolers, salarymen and seniors.  With the new addition of FB live, I have been able to even share the classes to hundreds of viewers online as well.  Also I have begun podcasting with the same idea of sharing English through the Bible for Japanese listeners on GBC-radio.

I started podcasting His Word in mid-August last year and now have split my podcast into two levels. A beginner level on Monday and Thursday will be an podcast for more advanced students.





It is exciting to see this ministry grow and share God's Word with many who are hearing it for the first time.  I discuss not only the English meanings but the context of the passage as well to the students and listeners.

(Recent videos of classes below)







 God is now calling me from the classroom portion of the ministry for a time to reboot things.  This will be my last month teaching classes for free in Fukuoka at Daimyo Cross Garden.  Exactly two years ago His Word English started as an idea, a leading from the Holy Spirit and it has grown and I believe that even though I will be temporarily stopping the classroom portion (podcasts will continue) I am confident God will give me direction on how to expand it so that more Japanese can hear and learn English through His Word.

Thanks for those who have prayed and supported my ministry.  I look forward to the new direction God will provide for the ministry.

DCPI training in Okinawa Podcast with Chris Centeio

Some of the participants on the last day of church planting training in Okinawa December 2016

We had a great time in Okinawa! God was moving in many ways as we did the three day training. Some were able to attend a day or so and some others were able to receive training and also answer the call to partner in sponsoring and assist with more trainings in Okinawa in 2017. Listen to me and Chris Centeio from DCPI headquarters talk about what went on in the training. Also check out the photos and live videos below. If you are interested in training in your area please contact me or leave a comment.



 





Pastor Kentaro came out from Tokyo.  This is him doing his last session until going back to Tokyo.  He is speaking in Japanese about the final phase of church planting.








Video of some of the students during break talking about the training (JAPANESE)

A quick photo outside the media station in Okinawa`s American Village.
This was after the second day of training

MEETING IN THE HOTEL BEFORE TRAINING WITH OUR TRAINERS (English&Japanese)

Explanation of the Vision Plan Timeline presentation by me in Japanese

We always end the training with prayer and laying on of hands to bless each participant

GBC - Wells in Malawi AFRICA - video of the Fresh Water pouring forth in the desert!

The children of Malawi live in some of poorest conditions in the world.
How Precious they are to our Father in Heaven!

God is writing an amazing story with all of us and at times our stories interweave and intertwine into an awesome ministry cross- over.  In only a few months since starting GBC-radio we have partnered with Reaching the Hungry in an effort to help some villages in Malawi, Africa, one of the poorest nations on the planet.  Last month Pastor Carlos of Reaching The Hungry sent a mission team to build 4 water wells and two of those were sponsored by listener donations from GBC-radio.  We are based in Japan so all the donations were from Japanese who sponsored a U.S. mission team to bless people in Malawi.  Talk about an international move of GOD!

It is so exciting to watch these videos of people singing and dancing, celebrating a miracle for their village.  In response hundreds of people gave their life to Christ and will be discipled using TALKING BIBLES.

Literally entire villages coming to Christ.  The Book of Acts is still happening today!

For only $2000 US a well can be constructed! At GBC - radio we have funded two and saw the videos bringing many of our listeners and staff to tears.  PRAISE THE LORD!

This is only the beginning!!

 For more on how to give go here

GBC radio - Japanese Podcast In HIM - As a famiy Sharing God`s Word

All of my five children and my wife Yumi.

 There has been a lot going on recently as far as developments in ministry.  GBC radio only started in mid June and overseeing developments of programming and working together with the other members of the team.  For the most part I have been doing interview podcasts and uploading as Holy Fire Japan, but in mid September I started a Saturday morning podcast in Japanese called In HIM.

Sometimes I appear with my wife and we share what the Spirit has been showing along with Bible verses etc.  The LORD has led us and we are excited as people listen and are encouraged and blessed.  Remember there isn`t mainstream Christian radio-podcasts in Japan and only about 1% of the population is Christian.  So we are at the beginning of something that GOD wants to do.

Pray, listen and share!

His Word English - Teaching English in Japanese with the Bible (video)

Daimyo Cross Garden in Fukuoka, Japan.  I teach here every Wednesday night

Many Japanese struggle with learning English.  I teach weekly in Fukuoka and have even begun to use Facebook Live as a tool to teach Japanese how to use English by teaching the differences between the languages and also looking at examples in text primarily the Bible.  The Bible has historically had a huge impact on the English language itself and studying it along with English certainly benefits my students greatly.

Below is the video from my class on 10/26/2016 and also below that are my podcasts which are about 20-30 min each that are similar to my lessons.  Introducing Japanese to ideas within the Bible and the gospel has certainly led to many dialogues about faith.




Signs for Moses - His Word English class

Barrett Kids sharing God's Word and singing praises on GBC radio in Japan

It is always exciting to see your kids grow and use their talents and abilities and even more when they can use them for the kingdom of God.

I am thrilled that my kids stepped up to the mic and recorded for GBC-radio.  We actually get a lot of feedback when we feature children and when they pray and sing.  Something about the honesty and sincerity of what they say or do touches peoples' hearts.

Because kids aren't pros or don't have a lot of experience some people might shy away from having them be on the radio, but what did Jesus say

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Matthew 19:14

The Kids sing Amazing Grace. God let that be the foundation of our families!

image from Ministry to Children

Last weekend my kids got to be part of worship up in front and lead everyone in the song Amazing Grace. Although the song is in English it is very well known in Japan.  It is played at weddings and on dramas of all kinds even though they aren`t Christian.  Seeing my family be a part of the ministry is very exciting.  Today I spoke on the GBC-radio on our show this morning about Christ being the cornerstone or the foundation of our lives.  At that means just more than our individual lives but our collective communities, families and marriages.  The rock is solid and we can lean into in without the fear of things falling apart.  This is what Jesus wants us to do.  He is strong and able and we can stand and have peace in the storm if he is our ROCK the foundation of the lives.  And even if things fall apart we have His amazing grace with us always.


 

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!