ThanksGiving. 感謝。

Some of you guessed this post would be the post regarding Thanks Giving Day.

Well, in fact, it's not really like that way. Not in bad meaning, we do not have Thanks Giving Day in Japan. No offense ;-)


But, I just wanted to Thank all the Readers or Followers of this Blog!!!!

I was studying last chapters of Romans and listening to Pastor Brian Brodersen' message.
He was saying how amazing it is that one man, Paul, was able to do, preaching all over Asia, without the technology we have today. It got me into thinking how I am blessed to have this kind of technology.
I have been overwhelmed to see how much I can do just writing my thoughts on this blog.

I started this blog to output what God is doing in my life and make them in record.
Hoping to be , perhaps, blessing to others who accidentally came here and read the posts.

But, those comments you have made has blessed me tremendously!!!

I thank God for people I have come across through this blog ( I cannot mention specific names on this public space though ).

So, again,
Thank You for Reading and Commenting on this Blog!!!
They are such a big Encouragement to Me!!!!


　　最近ローマ書の最後の部分を勉強していて、ブライアン・ブローダーソンのメッセージを聞いていました。その中で、彼が「パウロが、現代のようなテクノロジー（インターネットや車など）なしに、このような働き（多くの国での伝道）ができたのには感嘆せざるを得ない」というようなことを言っていました。

　　これを聞いたときに、このブログを通してどれだけ神が祝福をもたらしてくれていることを改めて、思い起こしました。

　　始めはただ神が自分の人生のなかでなさっていることを記録に留めて、アウトプットするという目的出始め、もしかしたら、他の人のためにもなれればと考えていました。

　　そうしたら、予想以上（元の予想がかなり低かったかもしれなけれど）に多くの人が読んでくれて、コメントも残してくれました。また、新たな出会いのようなものもありました。
　　だから、今回はその一人一人に感謝をしたいと思い書いています。

　　このブログを読んでくれてありがとう！！神に感謝します！

Truth, Exclusive?? Part3 "Tear Down The Wall!!"

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down
this wall!"

by Ronald Reagan

On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan
spoke the people of West Berlin at the base of the Brandenburg Gate, near the
Berlin wall. Due to the amplification system being used, the President's words
could also be heard on the Eastern (Communist-controlled) side of the wall. The
address Reagan delivered that day is considered by many to have affirmed the
beginning of the end of the Cold War and the fall of communism. On Nov. 9-11,
1989, the people of a free Berlin tore down that wall.

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain
from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks
rent

Mathew27:51

Oh, how significant! The veil of the temple was the testimony of how unapproachable God was to man. No man dared to enter in beyond that veil, except the high priest, and that only day in the year. And that only after many sacrifices and washings. And that only with great reverence and fear, having these bells tied on the bottom of his coat and a rope tied around his foot, so that those outside of the veil would listen for these bells to be tinkling inside. And if they would stop, then they would pull the guy out by his foot, knowing that he went into the presence of God with some blemish an God smote him dead. And so the rope, so they could pull him out and wouldn't even have to go in to get him. God was unapproachable by man. Man's sin had alienated from God. God's hand was not short, His ear was not heavy, but sins had separated people and the veil represented that separation of the unrighteous man from God. But at the death of Christ the way was made by which man might come to God, and God ripped that veil from the top to the bottom, saying "Come, come, it's open!" The way is now made through Jesus Christ for you, for me, to be able to come directly to God.

(From C2000 series of Chuck Smith)

20 years ago, the wall of Berlin was broken down, torn.
Maybe some of you have seen the video of the moment on TV lately. I was watching one documentary program by Japanese TV company (for which I work). I couldn't help myself being reminded of this passage.

God made it possible for man like me, unrighteous, wicked and dishonest one to come before Him with Righteousness of Jesus so that I may enter in His temple, Heaven. Isn't glorious????

The tragedy of religion is that they teach people to work to get to the heaven. But, man's work is never enough to enable themselves to do so. We may Do, Work, Try hard, even Fight. But, how does it make you right enough to be in Heaven? We have this confidence that by His grace which means something we never earn but given to us, God's undeserving favor to us, Jesus' work on the cross of Calvary and resurrection on third day, we can approach God and enter in eternal relationship with Holy God with the freedom from my sins.

He opened the door that leads to salvation for us. As Pastor Chuck said, He is saying to us "Come, come, it's open!!". God loves all the human being. God Loves you and me personally. He loves Ahmadinejad and Osama bin Laden.
Again, is Christianity exclusive? YES and NO!!! Why No? Because God Opened the Door to All the human being.

Truth, Exclusive?? Part2

True Tolerance

Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

— Acts 4:12

I find it ironic that those who tell us we need to be tolerant are very intolerant of the gospel. In fact, the most intolerant people seem to be those who are always telling you to be tolerant. I have heard the complaint that Christians are so intolerant, yet I don't think that is true at all.

I think Christians are the most tolerant people of all, because we want to reason with those who have a different belief system than ours or live a different lifestyle than we live. Yes, we believe in absolute truth and believe in it unapologetically. But I have found that people who are the most intolerant are the ones who say, "I don't like the fact that you believe in absolute truth, and I am tolerant of everyone except you. I want you to shut up. I don't want you to state your views." What happened to all their tolerance? Where is the so-called love?

To proclaim that Jesus Christ is the only way to God will offend some people. But we proclaim it because the Bible clearly teaches it. This is what we call an essential, a nonnegotiable. Jesus stated it as succinctly as it could be stated when He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). When we state that as fact, it will offend certain people.

When a physician discovers a problem with a patient's health, he or she must tell the truth, even if it could upset the patient. As Christians, we must tell the truth about a person's condition, which, according to the Bible, is sinful. We must explain the problem and then offer the solution through Jesus Christ. And this will offend some people.

This is the quote from one of the devotions I receive daily from Pastor Greg Laurie's ministry.

I thank God that I read this in time like now.

I posted one article previously. In short, Ozawa's assertion was that Christianity is exclusive, in other words, "Intolerant".

Please read this and tell me what you think.

God bless

Truth, Exclusive??

Ozawa lashes out with scathing remarks on Christianity

Kyodo News
Ichiro Ozawa, secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan. criticized Christianity on Tuesday, saying the religion is "exclusive and self-righteous" and that Western society is "stuck in a dead end."

Ozawa also said "Islamism is also exclusive, although it's somewhat better than Christianity" regarding exclusiveness.

The comments will no doubt cause a stir as he is the most influential figure in the ruling party.

He made the comments to reporters after meeting with Yukei Matsunaga, chairman of the Japan Buddhist Federation, a body of 102 Buddhist sects and groups, in Koyacho, Wakayama.

Christianity "is an exclusive, self-righteous religion. Western society, whose background is Christianity, has been stuck in a dead end," Ozawa said.

"Modern society has forgotten or lost sight of the sprit of the Japanese people," he said. "Buddhism teaches you how humans should live and how the conditions of the mind should be from a fundamental standpoint."

How did this article impress on you???
Stunning? Surprising? Shocked? Saddening? maybe Bothering?

Do you think that Christianity is exclusive?
Yes, I think it is. I think that the Truth is intrinsically exclusive.
Suppose it is inclusive, how can you get to the heaven?

I cannot imagine Jesus saying "Hey, Buddha, I think you are good enough to help me get people to the heaven!!", "Oh, yeah, we share some partial truth, Muhammad. Wecan work together."

No way!!!
Jesus said He is the ONLY way to the Father, to the heaven.
"No other way, No other truth, No other life apart from You."
(http://www.raymondgregory.com/)