The normal does the unusual

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

So I finished the first book of the summer, "Big God".
If you graciously follow this blod, you've heard many times I quoted from this book or the author Britt Merrick.

In the book, I studied Hebrew 11 aka "The Hall of Faith".
I saw the life of.....
Adel - faith worshipping
Enoch - Faith walking
Noah - Faith Working
Abraham - Faith Willing
Sarah - Faith Waiting
Abraham with Isaac - Faith Well-Tried
Moses - Faith Winning
Rahab - Faith Welcoming
David and the Rest - Faith Warring

One big thing I found throughout this book is that there people are so normal but did great things.
I know Bible records that Noah was drunk, Abraham lied, Moses was afraid. Rahab was prostitute and David committed adultery.
Pastor Britt in epilogue writes
"When you look at the list, you really have no excuses. These are the examples given to us in God's Word. They weren't great people, but they had great faith in a great God. At the critical moments of their lives, they exercised great faith and made the right faith decisions."

What a challenge!!
I always put those people in "the hall of faith", seeing so different from myself.
They were so great, bold and courageous I would think. And I am an ordinary man who might be able to do little for God.
I thought that to be faithful to the "little" was what I need to do.

In the sense, I was wrong.
I can do so much more if I trust and love the Lord more!!
Because they didn't earn faith, faith is a gift from God!!
In Him, I can do any thing!!!

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

Ephesians 2:8-10

Glory to God

Ready to talk??

Last Wednesday, I had a great opportunity to attend the very special class at Tokyo University. Th guest teacher for the class was Prof.  Michael Sandel from Harvar Univ.. 

(in this building, the class was held)

His class is called "Justice" which itself is really interesting to not only as a student but also as a Christian.

I watched his classes online and on Japanese TV. I happened to find the information of the class by going through internet sites while I was at work. (just make sure, I was going through my company' websites ok?) So I applied to the class not knowing that there was keen competition, the applicants were ten times as many as the fixed number. 

But, God totally blessed me and I received the acceptation from the office. (I typed wrong email address so they called me which it is another miracle!!)

class scene

His class is very unique in his style. Though the size of his class is about 1,000 student, he interacts with students and proceeds his teaching with discussing the problems of moral justice. 

In the beginning he mentioned to the talk that says Japanese are too shy to engage in discussion. Well, I thought that makes sense to some degree.

For example we discuss case like this

 a famous nineteenth century legal case involving a shipwrecked crew of four.  After nineteen days lost at sea, the captain decides to kill the weakest amongst them, the young cabin boy, so that the rest can feed on his blood and body to survive.  One of the reason they chose him was he was orphan and had no family but rest of them did. Another was that he drank sea water against other' opposition.

So, was the action they took was right?

There was really good discussion. He concluded saying "Japanese are ready to engage in deep philosophical discussion!!"

Yeah, they are ready!! 

As a Christian, I thought Japanese don't think about spiritual and much deeper problem in life, compared with people form west.

It proved to be I was wrong.

  

We can talk about that!!

"What's the meaning of life and death?"

"What is the truth?"

So it was really encouraging class.

I will talk little more on the discussion part next time.

With bros !!

"The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit."

2Corinthians 12:12-13

One of the great thing about having good fellowship is to have good brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we can encourage one another to follow Christ.

Our out-reach wasn't about music, worship song. But really, it was about spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.
So while we were playing music, others were passing out flyers that has information of our different church services, some were even able to engage in conversation with people sharing from Bible!!

I am so blessed with work for the Kingdom of God with those godly men and women.

Outreaching with stretching

I don't know where to start, so many things has happened this past few weeks.

I will start first, second week of this month was our church' out-reach week.

We do it every year. Of course we should be reaching out to the lost always, but it is also good to set a time to concentrate more on evangelism. 

So the main idea is to share the Gospel with others and invite them to church right?

Yes, it is correct.

But, after the week, what I found was that God stretched my faith through the out-reach we did.

This year, we decided to go out on street and play music every night in front of the station.

and this has been always challenging to me to play in front of people.

But, I knew it is all for Christ, so I went and played.

So Tuesday night was my first playing there and it was ok.

Since I was able to get used to playing there a little, Wednesday was better.

Then come Thursday.

We started playing and got to the song called "Halleluja Jesus" which I have played like hundrad times.

But, what happened was that I totally lose the music, rhythm and my mind went blank. 

I knew I wasn't playing right, but I didn't  know what to do with it.

My pastor came and asked me if I'm ok, I said "no, you need to play for me."

I handed guitar to him thinking how that happened.

I felt so embarrassed and so stupid and was so sorry for everyone else for making this disaster happen.

But I didn't leave there immediately. Instead, I started passing out flyers with others from fellowship.

Well, it was good time, but the feeling of stupidness and mortified( I know this word isn't proper here, but you know what it conveys)  was still there.

So I went on my way to home. On my way to home, I stopped at McDonalds to have a coffee.

I was thinking back what had happened today and asking God what to do.

Then, principle of "JOY" came to my mind.

J- Jesus first

O- Others next

Y- You last

I just happened to have finished listening to Pastor Britt Merrick' message that I introduced in previous post. and was listening to Francis Chan' message on Loving Jesus.

So I asked myself, "Do I love Jesus?"

"Yes" I replied and felt God telling me "Then you know what you need to do."

I was reminded of what Pastor Britt is going through and thought "why am I so disappointed with such a little failure, compared with his situation?"

And asked myself "What are you doing?"
I felt so stupid, in a good sense this time!!

I was so obvious what I need to do.

I was reading "Big God" at McDonalds and it was on Rehab, welcoming God's will with taking risk.

That was just encouraging for me in order to step out in faith again.
Yes, I will go in spite of the possibility to mess it up again!

God is always with me calling me to His work with His love.

Yes, there are times that I feel I can't take it any more.

There are times that I feel I am not the one who should be doing this.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." 2Corinthians 4:7-9 

Yes, God is the power that I need!!

I thanked God for giving me this word of His.

I went next day, did played.

God provided me with His power, I was able to play all the songs.

I was so convicted of my pride which my disappointment revealed. 

But now, I am a little better than who I was before. 

"These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 

I Peter 1:7 

My Mom

Hi, guys!!
I think I have been keeping good pace with my blog.

My mom, Takako, is currently in the city of Tel Aviv, Israel.
I still remember even in my childhood she was telling me and my sister her heart for Israel and that she wants to go there ans serve Israelis.
I think I was sensing she will go there in the future but not like this.

I have great respect towards her. She is woman of faith.
I recall when she quitted her office work at school.
I asked "Hey, you know what are you going to do next?"
She replied, "I know I am taking a trip to Israel, but not after that. I just had to obey God and trust in Him."
I thought she was craziest mom in the world.

Then about 5 years later, after my sister moving to Tokyo for college,
She told me she was going to Israel not for a trip but to serve there.
I asked her "So when are you coming back?"
She said "I don't really know. Whenever God leads me."
I again thought she was crazy.

But, in all things that I saw my mom did, there was always dependency on God.
I didn't get it back then, neither now perfectly, but little better than before.

Being away (really far) from my mother, God has given me such a special opportunity to see how my mom means to me.
I really never had said this but I can say now
"I have best mom in the world."

Would you please pray for my mom?
As she serves at Calvary Chapel Tel Aviv.
Please check out her blog too.

(taken summer of '09)

my campus

well, I know when I started this blog, I wanted it to be a record of what God has done in my life and my sharing them with others will glorify God.
That's the true and ultimate purpose of this blog still.
I write both in Japanese and English (or either of them), sometimes just for my conveniences.

But I thought it will be not bad to post what is happening in my life.

so here is the first post from the thought

It's about my campus!!
I LOOOOVVVEE my campus. It is so beautiful and nice!!!

I know God has placed my in this place and I have mission here.
Please pray for me as I ONLY have a year and half at this campus.
For the lost soul and unsaved friends of mine

 they had "Open Campus", and many high schoolers were at campus

it's usually nice and quiet palce

she is taking pic of our famous auditorium 

体験的？Or合理的？

「それでも神は実在するのか？」Byリー・ストローベル

は、すごい本です。

「弁証論」って、英語ではApologeticsっていって、キリスト教を弁護・弁証することを指すんだけれど、とっても個人的にこの学びが好きなんです。

そして、この本は、副題にもなっているように、キリスト教にたいする最も手強い反論をあげて、それをラビ・ザカライアスやウィリアム・レイン・クレイグなどの名だたるApologist、「キリスト教弁護者」たちにインタビューにぶつけてみるなかで、神の実在を証明していくとう本である。

私は、もともと頭でっかちというか、ある分野では、（あまり、普段はないのだが）頭で考えることに傾くことがる。

イエスは

「心を尽くし、思いを尽くし、知力をつくして、あなたの神である主を愛せよ。」

マタイ２２：３７

を第一の戒めとしました。

だから、このような学びは決して聖書に反したことではないし、無駄でもないんですね。

でも、怖いのは、このことに傾倒しすぎることなんですよ。

あまりに、「頭でっかち」になって、神様との関係を深めることに目が向かなることです。

しかし、クレイグ博士のインタビューの最後の方のことばは、そんな僕に気づきを与えてくれました、

「神の実在を示す文献や科学的証拠はもちろん大切だし有効だけれど、私たちが神に差し向かいで会った場合、それは二次的要素になるのです。人間の心にいる聖霊が働いて、超自然的に神が自らを啓示したことの追認証拠に過ぎないのです。」

確かに、そうです！！！

僕がどれだけ知性で神を追い求めようと、神と私たちは霊の領域でしか交わることのできない関係にあるのですから、聖霊の働きがクリスチャンライフには不可欠なのです！！

僕も、この学びを進めるにあたって、もっと神との深い交わり、そして聖霊の働きを体験できるように求めていきたいと思いました。

祈ってみよう！

先のポストでも書いたように、今読んでいる本の１つはE.M.バウンズの「祈りは奉仕を生かす」という本です。（僕は並読する人なので）
彼の引用は、以前に一度やってて「祈りの人」だったことは知ってはいたのですが、協会の図書で彼の本を見つけて、本当胸が騒ぎました。牧師の勧めもあり、読むことにしました。

でも、本当に大正解でした。神の導きは本当に不思議です。
祈りについて、これまでもBlogでも、「もっと祈らないと」と言ってきたのですが、これほど祈りの生活を励まされることは、過去を振り返ってもなかなかない体験でしたし、これからもっと読み進めるのが楽しみです！

「神が人を扱われるとき、祈りほど重要なものはありません。しかし、祈ることは、人にとってもきわめて重要なことです。祈ることに失敗することは、人生全体に失敗することを意味します。（中略）　信仰者のいのちも、個人的救いも、クリスチャンとしての個人的恵みも、みな祈りの中に存在し、祈りの中に花開き、祈りの中に身を結びます。」

なんとうことでしょう！！「祈りに失敗することは、人生全体に失敗する」とは、本当に大胆な言葉ではないでしょうか。
では、この「失敗」とは何のことでしょうか？
それを考えるには「成功」について考えることをしなくてはいけません。
そして、その成功は、神の私たちに対する目的を達成することでしょう。
その目的は、私たちは神の栄光のためにつくらたといことではないでしょうか。これは、私の存在意義でもあります。

イエスは「地上で『実』を結ぶ」ように、弟子たち（もちろん、私にでもあります）に命じられました。(マタイ７、ルカ６）
また、イエスは有名な大宣教命令を、弟子たちに与えられました。（マタイ28)
これら全てのことは、神に栄光のためです。

思うに、
私たちが教会に日曜日に行くのは、そこで良い牧師がいるからでしょうか？
もちろん、それがあっても何も悪くないと思います。でも、それが第一義的な目的であったら、寂しくないでしょうか。もし、その日のメッセージがそんなにだったら？もしも、その日、牧師にちょっと嫌なことを言われたら？（もちろん、これは仮定の話なので、そこまで真剣にとらないで）
でも、教会に人々が神の栄光のために集まるなら、そこには愛の香りが溢れんばかりに漂うでしょう。そこには、手を上げ神にほめ歌を捧げる人たちがりるでしょう。そこには、聖書を通して語られる神の言葉に動かされる人がいるでしょう。そして、これらのことすべては神に栄光を帰するわけです。

このように、「神の栄光のため」という私の目的を、私が失うとき、忘れるとき、そのために働いていないとき、私は人生に失敗しているのです。
では、どうしたらそうならないようにすべきなのでしょう。
祈りは、私たちの心を神に向けます。そして、その神ご自身が私たちの求めているゴールなのです！！（“Am I Willing??”参照）

まあ、ここで色々、べらべらと思いを延々と並べることもできますが、
まずは祈ってみます！

ps: Sorry for English readers. This is a book written in Japanese, so it is more comfortable for me to write in Japanese. Hope you'll learn to read Japanese ;)

ちょこっと宣言。

夏休みに入って、本を多く読むことができるようになりました。

ですので、ここで少し、自分に対し宣言というか、目標をここで提示したいと思います。

以下の本を、読みます！！神の力によって、もちろん！

「祈りは奉仕を生かす」　E.M.バウンズ (E.M.Bounds) 

"Epicenter" Joel Rosenberg

"Big God" Britt Merrick (I have been reading this for a while.)

「それでも神は実在するのか？」("The Case for faith") Lee Strobel リー・ストロベル

もしも、他におすすめの本があれば是非とも教えてください！！

Well, my summer break is finally here. 

So, I just thought it would be good to let you know what my goal for this summer and make myself motivated by doing so.

I really want to commit myself to reading books. 

Last year, I tried to read "The world is flat" but only made it half :/ Maybe it was too big for me....well anyways!

Following Japanese part is list of books that I want to read. 

If you have any good suggestion of a book, please let me know!!!

Am I Willing to Go???

Now the LORD had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,

From your family

And from your father’s house,

To a land that I will show you.

² I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you

And make your name great;

And you shall be a blessing.

³ I will bless those who bless you,

And I will curse him who curses you;

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

⁴ So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Genesis 12:1-4

So I have read "Big God" half way through and reached the chapter of "Abraham", who is called Father of Faith.

well, if you have read through Genesis, you know that Abraham had made many mistakes. Yes, but isn't it the theme of this book?? "God can use ordinary people like those are written in Hebrew 11, who made horrible mistakes yet lived the life of faith."

This chapter has made huge impact on my life!!!

It is such a joy that I can share this with you. Again thank your for all the faithful readers!!!

As I have shared before that I have thinking about what to do after graduating college.

God has been so faithful; showing me one by one that I need, step by step that I can take,

And God had had this chapter in store for me!!! Now I have seen!!

When God told Abraham to leave the land of Ur and go to the promised land.

But, Abraham was not told where is Canaan was the land God was taking about after he went!!

So, Why Did he GO????

It is so simple, "He trusted God.".

But how do I go??

I found that as I think about what to do after college, I am trying to collect as much information as possible to see what awaits in the path, rather seeking, praying and listening to God.

Well, it does not mean that I don't pray. But it's about priority, I think.

I read books and website that tells me about certain jobs or how to make good decisions on job hunting 2 hours and pray 30 minutes. this isn't cool.

I should read and be on Internet 30 minutes and pray 2 hours, instead!!!

isn't it Martin Luther that said,

"So many things to do today, I've got to spend the first three hours with the Lord!!"

You may have heard this thousands of times. But let me say it again,

It is All About God, Himself Glorified!!

I love God, my heavenly Father. And He is calling me to come, but I don't sometimes because I think I can't see what will happen when I really go to Him.

That's not a faith.

God has been telling me to go to where He wants me to go.

Yes, it is risky. But as Pastor Britt says

"As Christians we need to be willing to take risks according to that reality - risks that bring glory to God and benefit His kingdom, instead of benefiting us."

in Jeremiah 29:11-13

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

So what will happen when I call on Him, pray to Him, search for Him??

I will find the plan!! But what is the "plan"??

It is Jesus Christ!! God is the goal!!

I love how Pastor Britt says, it is convicting but encouraging as well.

"And it's this worldliness that keeps us from on authentic life of faith. Even though we may never act upon it, the inner desire to do wrong is the root from which we need to sever ourselves. To overcome we must fall more in love with Jesus and to see Him more desirable than anything the world has to offer. I've found that we can't force ourselves to be good - and we're not called to. We are called to be transformed by the Holy Spirit through a loving, meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ."

What is interesting is that as I write this post, God is speaking to me to GO!!!

So my challenge is " Am I Willing ?" like Abraham was willing to go and leave his home.

Hopefully, I can share what I believe God has calling me to do soon.

God bless

ps: if you have time, I recommend to go to this link and watch "Abraham, 'Faith,Willing'".