So it is gradual....

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Philippians 2:12-13

I have been reading a book called "Fit for the Master's Use" by F.B.Meyer. It's really old book but has given me much inspiration so far.

I'd like to share one little portion with you this time.

So God deals with you and me. He does not turn the heart upside down and empty it of every sin at once. First the twilight, and we put away obvious sin; then morning, and we put away other sins not seen before; then eleven o'clock in the morning, and we put away deeper sins that we had missed; until it comes sins, the small dust we had missed. We see deeper, deeper down, and every year a man is saved more completely from the power of known sin. So it is gradual.

You see how kind God is??
I am so amazed at His kindness in working in my heart.
We all have to admit unless God works within us, we cannot substantially changed.
He does bring radical change sometimes, but most of the time, He deals with us gradually.
He does not show us above what we can handle.
As we read the Word and meditate upon it. He, through the work of the Spirit, shows and convicts of our sins.
At same time, He perfectly knows how much we can handle and helps us go through.

I trust in this Gracious and Merciful God.

「そういうわけですから、愛する人たち、いつも従順であったように、私がいるときだけでなく、私のいない今はなおさら、恐れおおのいて自分の救いの達成に努めなさい。

神はみこころのままに、あなたがたのうちに働いて志を立たせ、事を行わせてくださるのです。」

ピリピ２：１２−１３

最近読んでいる本に、F.B.Meyer著の「Fit For The Master's Use」（訳：主に用いられるのために）というのがあります。
これまで読んでいて、多くのインスピレーションを受けました。
その中の一つをここでシェアしたいと思います。（がんばって訳してみます）

「このように、神は私とあなたを扱われます。神は心をひっくり返して、一度に心にある罪をすべて取り除くというような事はなさりません。初めに、薄明かりがあり、私たちは明らかな罪を取り去ります。そうしたら、朝日が来て、私たちはこれまで見れなかった他の罪を取り去ります。そして、午前１１時になるとこれまで見落としていたもっと深いところの罪を取り去ります。私たちはだんだんと深い深いところを見て、年を重ねる度に人は知られている罪の力からさらに完璧に救われるのです。そういうわけで、それは漸進的なのです。」

私は、このような神の恵み、優しさに感謝します！
自分が圧倒されて、諦めたくなるような目には神は会わされないのです。
むしろ、一つ一つ、みことばを通して、罪が示され。一つ一つ、神の助けをもって、取り扱っていく。それが、クリスチャンライフ！

本当に、このような神が私の神であることは感謝以外の何ものでもありません！

主に栄光

Soli Deo Gloria

"to-do" & "to-be"

"that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."

Philippians 3:10-11

well, as you saw on my last post, I have (maybe should say "had") been crazily busy. There are so many things to do and I was so obsessed with getting them done.
I do think they are necessarily bad thing to get things which should be done.
But I now think I didn't notice that "to-do" was changing my "to-be".


Searching for job (or so-called "Job Hunting") is very unique culture to Japan. 
I don't have enough time to explain to you here but, in short, we start searching for job through the winter of Junior year and mostly end of April or May of Senior year. 
So for some it takes half year, for most people 4 or 5 months to do that kind of work.
(you know actually working for the company until next year though)


well, getting a job is a once in life decision. yeah, I know I can change my job if I really want to do but even this job changing depends on my first career.
In short, job hunting is extremely important.


In my mind, I knew it and was doing my best.
I even had a season of a few weeks that I didn't get more than 4 hours sleep.
I was really into it; going to different companies' seminars and writing applications.....etc
There are always things to do if I want or try to do.


But I was struggling with my spiritual life.
I really couldn't find time to read my Bible, pray and having fellowship with other Christians.
I knew it was for the season and saw it as necessary sacrifice.
("Sacrifice"?? how stupid I was "sacrificing" God!!)


well, God had His plan.
I met the guy who is manager at IBM Japan. One of my good friend introduced him, when I told him that I am really interested in getting a Job there.
So we met and talked. He is excellent business-man and godly man.
I asked him many things; about IBM Japan, works he does, career planing and getting MBA. well, at the end, he talked about getting a job as a Christian: how he struggled getting job after his college and on and on....


At very end he told me
"As Christian, I just have to do God's will. I can plan things regarding my career. But at the end, it all fall on submission to God. I know economy isn't good and it is hard to get a job. But God has His plan for you. Of-course you have to do what you have to do. But be more optimistic!!"


I was really convicted of my lack of trust in God.
I had known that God has His plan for me. But I think I was aspiring too much to find the plan by works of flesh. 
I spent more time on internet studying companies than in prayer. I spent more time readying economic magazine than reading Bible.
My "to-do" was invading my "to-be" as a Christian.


Well, I am really thankful for God's conviction.
Now I know what was wrong.


But the reality hasn't changed much. I still have to look for a job.
But my inner being is changed.
More trust in God, more confidence in Him, more optimistic in a positive way.


Thank you for your prayer those who are praying for me!


Love

these days.........

sorry that I didn't update for long time!!

My life has been really crazy as I started what is called "Job Hunting".
I might as well first explain what "job hunting" is.

In Japan, students start looking for job that they will have after their graduation around end of their junior year.
That means you will have the notification of acceptance from companies around April and May of senior year. It will take about 5-6 month to go through recruiting process.

I have been praying for my future and still not sure about it.
So I officially started doing Job Hunting. (I haven't decided to work right after college though...)

Super High Tech bending machine

UNIQLO

Near Tokyo Station

Roppongi (by the Westin Tokyo)

As I go to briefing of companies, I get to go downton often, which is both fun and tiring..

But, I think I am getting into it little too much.
My week has been really filled with going to seminar, writing ES(Entry Sheet=application sheet) or studying for interviews......etc
Being eliminated by the companies is kind of discouraging..... (like J.P.Morgan, Roland Belgar, Morgan Stanley... I already said good-bye to them :P )

I hadn't had good time with God sadly..
BUUUUT, Today was little relaxing day and God blessed me with good bible study tonight!!! Praise God!!

Please Pray for me as I continue to seek God's plan for me.

Thank you

The Suffering of God

So, I will try to make this post as well bilingualed as possible. (I just made the word up)

I have been reading "The Reason for God" by Timothy Keller, Pastor of Redeemer Church in NY.
In this book there is a section called "The Suffering of God" and it really hit and spoke to my heart so I want to share it with you.

We cannot fathom, however, what it would be like to lose not just spousal love or parental love that has lasted several years, but the infinite love of the Father that Jesus had from all eternity. Jesus's sufferings would have been eternally unbearable. Christian theology has always recognized that Jesus bore, as the substitute in our place, the endless exclusion from God that the human race has merited. In the Garden of Gethsemane, even the beginning and foretaste of this experience began to put Jesus into a state of shock. New Testament scholar Bill Lane writes: "Jesus came to be with the Father for an interlude before his betrayal, but hell rather than heaven opened before Him, and He staggered." On the cross, Jesus's cry of dereliction - "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" - is a deeply relational statement. Lane writes:  "The cry has a ruthless authenticity.... Jesus did not die renouncing God. Even in the inferno of abandonment he did not surrender his faith in God but expressed His anguished prayer in a cry of affirmation 'My God, my God'". Jesus still used the language of intimacy - "my God"- even as he experiences infinite separation from the Father.

The section that comes before is called "Comparing Jesus to the Martyrs". I once wondered almost same thing; "In our theology, Jesus bore all the suffering and pain that we experience. But Peter died on the cross that was turned up side down. It sounds more excruciating. Why was agony of Jesus was great?".
Pastor Timothy Keller nailed it!!!
Losing a relationship that had lasted from the beginning of the time? oh my.....

I am so glad to meet this book.
Now I understand little more about Jesus!!

I really believe every Christian should study the cross of Jesus in his or her live.
I want to study and know more about His Cross and Suffering and Resurrection!!

"Lord, help me to know how much it cost
 to see my sin upon the cross...." 

Glory to Him

最近読んでいる本に、ニューヨークのリディーマー・チャーチの牧師、ティモシー・ケラー師が書いた”The Reason for God"（神のための理由）（直訳すぎるかな？）という弁証論的なのがあります。

そこの「神の苦しみ」というところがとってもよかったので、みなとシェアしたい！
頑張って、要約すると、
ケラー師はまず、その前のセクションでイエスの苦しみと殉教者の苦しみがどうちがうのかという問題を提示しました。
このことは、私も考えていたことでした。私たちの神学では「イエスが人類の全ての苦しみ、痛みを背負われた」というのがあります。でも、逆さ十字架にかかったペテロや、もっと残酷な殺され方をした殉教者は多くいます。それでも、イエスの苦しみの方が大きかったのか？という疑問です。
ケラー師は続けて、「痛みというのは、引き裂かれる関係による。そして、その関係はそれを築いた質、そして時間に比例する」という説明をします。つまり、親と子は家庭で時間を過ごし、短くとも親子関係というとても濃い質の関係があります。また、友人だったら、時間をかけて築く関係や、いきなり意気投合するということもあるかもしれません。関係の発展は色々な形をとります。
御子イエスは父なる神と時間のはじめからともにいました。そこで、完全な一致を保っていました。しかし、神は人を救うために御子イエスを地に遣わしたのです。そこで、イエス・キリストは十字架にかかって死なれました。そのとき、よみに下ったのです。つまり、永遠という関係にあった、御子と御父の関係が始めて断絶されたのです。

その苦しみは私には想像できません。でも、イエスの味わわれた苦しみがこれまでよりも、すこし理解できるようになりました。
私たちは死んでも、神と共にいるということを知っています。しかし、イエスはそこから引き離されたのです。
クリスチャンにとって、イエスの十字架を知ることは人生をかけて学ぶべきことだと思います。私も、これからももっと十字架を、キリストの復活をしりたいと思ってます。

Shanghai bound!!!!

I know I haven't done posting here for a while, this new semester has been driving me crazy. I haven't had enough time to update my blog.

Please keep me in your prayer that I will keep my priority right and be able to pray and listen to God and obey Him. 

So this is finale for my summer series.

I went to Shanghai in the end of Sept.. This was so amazing trip.

The travel fare was ridiculously cheap. It was because this trip was planned my OB (meaning "Old Boy", the graduated from) of my dorm and is chief of the board. 

He basically invited some students to accompany with them. And two students went  and one of the two happened to be ME!!!

We stayed at Johnson Howard Plaza in Shanghai for three days one of which we took a day trip to Suzhou. And last day we spent in Hangzhou and stayed at Hyatt Regency. 

I Love going oversea, taking airplanes and traveling!!!

I thank God for providing me opportunities and money that I need.

At Shanghai Expo 2010, Japan pavilion. 

The line was 5 hours waiting!!!

Night scenery was so beautiful.  

ramdom pic

I was able to hook up with my good friend, Keisuke. 

I have known him for years from Okinawa.

It was so encouraging to see him walking with the Lord!!( of course, playing Sanshin, as you can see :)

We saw temples too. 

Chinese people are so religious. but still worshipping false god and it grieves my heart......

down town

First hotel

second one (there were pianist and singer at lobby!!)

This is it!!
I am now back in school and having normal life which is spiced and turned into extraordinary  by God.

Keep in touch!

To God be the glory

MY Sweet home Okinawa Part3(last)

Last week in Okinawa, after seeing off my seminar group to Tokyo.

I was given opportunity to lead worship for Midweek Bible study.

Not having led worship for a while, I was quite a bit nervous. But, once I started worshiping, God totally fill me with His strength.

so, as you saw, my first week was filled with to-dos.

It's not bad, because I love doing ministries and serving!!!

Though I think I had needed real "vacation".

After the midweek study, I basically had nothing to do, but had chances to meet my old friends.

I met friends from High school. Though some stayed in Okinawa, many left the island, I feel the tie we build through Jr. and Senior High school is very strong. They are brilliant and so inspiring people.

I pray that I will be good witness to them and they will one day accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Then.... I will explain with pictures from here

I was able to hang out with my friends from CCGinowan.

Joel (whom I know since he came for his first semester in Okinawa) and Tom Cotton.

Zach Ruiz (whom I know for about 7 years?)

I took my grandparents and rest of the family out to dinner on the "elders' day".

left: last root beer at air port.
right: my most favorite starbucks in the word. went there almost every night.


Every single time I come home, God is so faithful to show me so many great things He is doing in Okinawa. And I am always blessed with good bros and sisters in Christ.

Special thanks to my family(grandparents and aunt and uncle), allowing me to stay their house for whole trip.
And Staff at CCOkinawa, the church I love and always call "home", Rick, Glenn, Kevin and Roy. I love you all and am praying for you.

Thanks every one who blessed me while I was there!!
Can't wait to see you again!

Love