The Elephant in the Room

I have been listening to series of Ecclesiastes of Pastor Tim Chaddick, Reality LA.

I had never had deep study on Ecclesiastes, and this series has been rocking my world. The book contains, frankly saying, so much deep stuff!!!

It has much to do with last post, but the book and "the preacher" makes me face some serious, heavy and unavoidable topics about life.
I might write about this further later but I have been thinking about how to relate and make relevant the heavy topic that Bible has to say to us to the people with whom I hope and pray to share my faith.

It gets very hard when it comes to talking about life, death and eternity.
Pastor Tim called it "The Elephant in the room."
I do not want to bang my friends with scriptures, but at the same time I know I want to share what the Bible says!!

One verse said to me a lot about this.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end." 

Ecclesiastes 3:11

 One thing it taught me was, I think, there is always timing and leading of God.
He has His timing and it's so beautiful.
As I obey the leading of the Spirit, God is working in their eternity.

And another is that everyone has the sense of eternity in their heart because God has put it in their hearts!!
The very fact that I and others have a sense of eternity, even a thought of it, it the proof that God created them. And we all in deep wonder where we are going after this life.

To me, so many seemed to be indifferent with such matter, but as I learned how to be obedient to the Spirit and try to see people's hearts I found it more often that many want to know what it is.

Many people know the existence of "the elephant." but do not want to admit it.
It is easier to ignore than tackling with the elephant. But you never be able to dismiss it completely, only can delay, and sometimes it's too late.
I think I need to be a guide to help people see the seriousness of the existence.

You can only try to escape and dismiss the elephant in your mind, but the fact remains, "The Elephant Is In The Room."

大事なのはやっぱり関係？

「学生のうちにやっていた方が良いことランキング」

学生時代にやっておいた方が良いことにもいろいろありますが、やはり重要なのは人とのつながりを作ること。中でも生涯大切にできる《親友を作る》ことを一 番にあげる人が多いようです。社会に出てから親友を作ることもできますが、生涯で最も多感な学生時代に同じ空気を共有した親友というのは、どこか兄弟や家 族にも通じるつながりの深さを感じますよね。クラブ・サークル活動などを通じて《人脈を広げる》ことも重要です。特に大学時代に培った人脈は社会に出てか らも役立つことが多く、その後の人生に大きな影響を与えることもあります。

今、一番にしていることは何かと考えるのはとても大切です。
そして、それに対する答えは色々なものが考えられるでしょう。
でも、「本当に」大切、 一番大きな意味をもつものを考えたことはあるでしょうか？
多くの場合、私たちは目の前の楽しさに気をとられ、このことを考えることを忘れてしまいます。
しかし、このことを考えるのに時間を割くことは決して無駄なことではありません。

上記のリンクには一番大切なことは「人との関係」だと言っています。
私たちは、「関係」を意識的であれ、無意識であれ心では渇き、欲しています。

最近、キャンパスでは新歓活動が活発に行われていました。新入生はサークル・部活に入ることが当然と思われています。なぜですか？？？
それは、「関係」が欲しいからです。誰かとつながることで安心が得られるし、誰かとつながることで自分が意味のある存在だということを確認できるからです。

これは、聖書でも言っていることです。
人は、一人では生きていくようには造られていないのです。
アダムには、イヴが与えられました。それは、「人がひとりでいるのはよくない」とされたからです。
しかし、アダムが持った最初の関係はイヴとの関係ではありませんでした。
彼が最初に持った関係は、「神との関係」でした。
しかし、彼の罪（神への逆らい）がそれを壊してしまったのです。

私たちもアダムと同じように、私たちの神との関係も、私たちが犯した罪によって、壊されています。

「すべての人は罪を犯したので、きよい神から遠く離れている。」 ローマ３：２３

しかし、アダムたちがいけにえを神に捧げたように、私たちにもイエスが救いの道を用意してくださいました。
バプテスマのヨハネはイエスをこう表しました、

「見よ、世の罪を取り除く神の子羊。」

そして、イエスは私たちと関係を持とうとされています

「さあ、私（イエス）は戸の外に立って叩いています。誰でも私の声を聞いて戸を開けるなら、私はその中に入り、その人と一緒に食事をします。」黙示録３：２０

食事は、とても親しい関係の表れです。

私たちとの関係を神は欲しています。そして、私たちには神との正しい関係が必要です。

どうですか、神との関係を欲しますか？

誰一人として、神を必要としない人はいません。

Stepping out in faith

“Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.”
Acts 18:9-10

here is quote from Greg Laurie's weekend devotion

Edward Kimball was an ordinary man who taught Sunday school at his church. He sensed God's leading to share the gospel with a shoe salesman.

After nervously pacing outside the store several times, he found this young man in the storage room. Kimball shared God's love and the salesman received Christ.

The year was 1858 and the salesman's name was Dwight L. Moody, who went on to become one of the greatest evangelists in human history. But the story doesn't stop there.

Several years later, when Moody was preaching, a pastor named Frederick B. Meyer was deeply stirred by Moody's preaching. As a result, he started a nationwide preaching ministry.

A college student named J. Wilbur Chapman accepted Christ after listening to one of Meyer's sermons. Chapman became a pastor and started holding evangelistic outreaches.

One of the assistants he hired was Billy Sunday, a former baseball player. Sunday went on to become a powerful evangelist, reaching thousands and thousands of people with the gospel in the early 20th-century.

One of Billy Sunday's evangelistic crusades was held in Charlotte, North Carolina. Afterward, a group of enthusiastic businessmen wanted to do more outreach in the area and asked another evangelist named Mordecai Ham to come and preach.

During Ham's revival meetings, a young farm boy known to neighbors as Billy Frank made his way down the "Sawdust Trail" and gave his life to Christ. Today, we know Billy Frank by his given name, Billy Graham.

So look at this chain of events, starting with this unsung hero. Kimball reached Moody, who touched Meyer, who reached Chapman, who helped Sunday, who reached businessmen in Charlotte, causing them to invite Ham, who reached Graham!

It starts with one!

It all began with the simple witness of Edward Kimball!
If we had more Andrews, we would have more Simon Peters. If we had more Edward Kimballs, we would have more D.L. Moodys. If we had more Mordecai Hams, we would have more Billy Grahams!
So do your part to reach someone today. Who knows, they could be the next great evangelist God uses to reach a generation!

Great story!!! isn't it??

When we step out in faith, knowing God will help me share the gospel with other people, there is so much possibility that can turn the world upside down.
I would often think "You know, he seems to have stubborn heart. Maybe I should wait and see how he react to things around him. Then, maybe there will be chance to tell him that I am Christian and next time maybe little bit more....."

Well, of course there is a place for patient evangelism. But, God really convicted me of not being bold to share my faith. Thank God for He showed my weakness and bringing repentance.

Please, Pray for me that I will more bold and faithful for His calling.

To God alone be the glory.