Back!

Hi all,

Thank you so much for your great support! I am now safely back in the US just settling back into life. Since coming back, I have gone and shared about Japan and CBI at the Desiring God National Conference on missions this year, started a new job, found a new apartment, and a number of other things that have made this a crazy time of transition. While my time in Nagoya has come to a close, I'm excited for all the ways God has grown me and continuing to see the fruits of what He has done even after I leave Japan.

I have just started working at Google as an Associate Product Marketing Manager and will be soon relocating to San Francisco. A major factor in this decision has been a heart and leading towards marketplace ministry over the past year or so and a growing heart for reaching the city. An overwhelming majority of my coworkers in my program at Google also live in the city and I hope that through forging relationships with them, God can use me and others in gospel opportunities to reveal to them the height, width, depth, and breadth of the love of Christ.

As I begin a new job at Google with free meals, free shuttle service, company laptops and smart phones, and even free massages, I ask for prayer that I might be able to be in the world but not of the world. That I might continually have an eternal heavenly perspective in mind despite the many material temptations around me and material blessings God is providing me with this year. While these past 2 months I lived on an annual budget multiple times smaller than the starting pay at Google, I was so blessed by God's providence through you my supporters to have more than enough. I was able to be generous with others and bless them with my excess and I pray that this might show them even some small part of the love of Christ. I personally was blessed by many other missionaries who often bought me meals or cooked for me, even though some of them have an annual budget of less than $30,000 a year. It's hard to imagine how many career missionaries have budgets even lower than that, operating in even poorer parts of the world. Their example is both challenging and encouraging, and I pray that I will continue to think about their example and the good news that motivates their generosity as I move to be generous with others as I return to the states. Their generosity would not be possible without their supporters, and I am so thankful to all of you who have provided for me financially to go on missions and hope that you will join me in continuing to consider giving to global missions.

I hope that I can visit many of you over the upcoming weeks and months and share more about my missions experience. While I have given of my own time and money to go to Japan, I know I have received so much more back from my time with CBI in Nagoya. Through the mentorship and fellowship with other believers to the opportunity to serve CBI accomplishing a plethora of miscellaneous needs to being able to minister to the Japanese, I feel like God has grown me tremendously in a very short amount of time. My time in Japan was short but as I learned about how much God has grown the CBI ministry within 6 years, I have hope that our faithful and awesome God might use the small amount that I was able to contribute in Japan and grow it multiply it to produce fruit 100 times over in the future.

Thank you all for your support!

Blessings,

Kevin

Surreal

Not sure why, but listening to dreamy music while reading the vision of Ezekiel's temple (Ezekiel 40-48) was the most surreal incredible experience of sheer awe of God's gloriousness. To be able to read about all that Ezekiel saw and have a taste of the revelation and experience he had is such a blessing.

In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me to the city. In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.

(Ezekiel 40:1-4 ESV)

Nobody for Christ

My team leader just published a blog post on Desiring God's blog. It's good.

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/come-be-a-nobody-for-christ

Food

I definitely believe that the good things of this world point forward to something else. While many things are good and created by God to be enjoyed, like Ecclesiastes points out turning these good things into god things is vanity and surely to disappoint. But one thing Ecclesiastes does command is for us to go enjoy the good things that God has given us, such as our spouses or our food.

Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.

(Ecclesiastes 9:7 ESV)

And I think this points forward to the amazing riches and treasures we have in heaven, the least of these being the messianic supper prophesied in Revelations.

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

(Revelation 19:9 ESV)

The heavenly riches that we will enjoy through our adoption as sons of the living God are amazing and something I think that even though I have only understood an iota of how deep and lavish the riches of our adoption are, I'm already amazed at how wonderful a gift it is.

And so as someone who enjoys food, I just want to share that I can't wait for what heavenly feast awaits us for partaking already in the bread of life!

So this post is about food. Knowing that while these things were good, the best is yet to come. And also people have asked me what I've been eating.

This is a konbu nigiri. I've been eating a ton of different nigiri. Nigiri means rice ball and it's probably been my most common meal.

The super market near our apartment often has really good sales on stuff that they didn't sell earlier that day since they need to sell it before it goes bad. Thus I've been eating some pretty good things that otherwise would probably be a little too pricy. This is an unagi bento or eel box lunch!

Nagoya is famous for cafes and coffee shops. Most of them have free morning sets, meaning that by just ordering a coffee you get a small free breakfast like a boiled egg and toast. This is Komeda which is famous in Nagoya (though not that great in my opinion =P)

This is my favorite ramen shop in Japan, Ippudou. I was so glad to find one in Nagoya since last time I had it was when I was studying abroad in Kyoto. Definitely was a great meal =)

This is okonomiyaki. It's a specialty of Japan and it's sort of like a savory pancake made from egg and batter and filled with savory things like meat. It's really quite good though it looks unusual.

I also am really fond of inari sushi. It's sushi wrapped with this sweet tofu shell. I eat it a lot and I also get it on sale from the supermarket.
I also have been cooking! This is something I made. It's black cod (gindara in Japanese) and I marinated it in miso sauce and served it ontop of some chazuke (rice tea porridge) and topped it with some wakame (seaweed) salad.
Japan also has the best bakeries I think. On par or better than Paris. I bought this bread for breakfast one day.
My roommate and I really like this Indian place that is about a 10-15 minute bike ride away. The owner came all the way from India to Japan for the purpose of starting an Indian restaurant. Their broccoli rice is amazing and they have free second helpings!

Japanese curry is also probably my favorite type of curry. There's a chain called CoCoIchiban that is near our house and it's definitely great for an affordable but delicious and filling meal.

Yoshinoya is also a very popular chain in Japan. It's basically fast food beef bowls. I'd take this over McDonalds any day though. Like McDonalds not the healthiest for you though. =P
But on the other hand some people are eating super healthy! This missionary is pretty amazing. He makes himself a smoothie for dinner and breakfast and puts crazy healthy things in it. This one has a whole head of broccoli and sticks of celery and grapes and many other fruits and veggies. This is only half his smoothie actually. It takes two really big cups to gulp down. Pretty intense.

Nagoya is also famous for kishimen, which is a flat type of noodles. I got this at a food court.

Okay, I hope now that I've whet your appetites you're excited to come do missions in Japan!?!

When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(Matthew 8:10-12 ESV)

Whore

[16:1] Again the word of the LORD came to me: [2] “Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations, [3] and say, Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. [4] And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. [5] No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born.

[6] “And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ [7] I made you flourish like a plant of the field. And you grew up and became tall and arrived at full adornment. Your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown; yet you were naked and bare.

[8] “When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine. [9] Then I bathed you with water and washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil. [10] I clothed you also with embroidered cloth and shod you with fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk. [11] And I adorned you with ornaments and put bracelets on your wrists and a chain on your neck. [12] And I put a ring on your nose and earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. [13] Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen and silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour and honey and oil. You grew exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty. [14] And your renown went forth among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through the splendor that I had bestowed on you, declares the Lord GOD.

[15] “But you trusted in your beauty and played the whore because of your renown and lavished your whorings on any passerby; your beauty became his. [16] You took some of your garments and made for yourself colorful shrines, and on them played the whore. The like has never been, nor ever shall be. [17] You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and with them played the whore. [18] And you took your embroidered garments to cover them, and set my oil and my incense before them. [19] Also my bread that I gave you—I fed you with fine flour and oil and honey—you set before them for a pleasing aroma; and so it was, declares the Lord GOD. [20] And you took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your whorings so small a matter [21] that you slaughtered my children and delivered them up as an offering by fire to them? [22] And in all your abominations and your whorings you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your blood.

[23] “And after all your wickedness (woe, woe to you! declares the Lord GOD), [24] you built yourself a vaulted chamber and made yourself a lofty place in every square. [25] At the head of every street you built your lofty place and made your beauty an abomination, offering yourself to any passerby and multiplying your whoring. [26] You also played the whore with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors, multiplying your whoring, to provoke me to anger. [27] Behold, therefore, I stretched out my hand against you and diminished your allotted portion and delivered you to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behavior. [28] You played the whore also with the Assyrians, because you were not satisfied; yes, you played the whore with them, and still you were not satisfied. [29] You multiplied your whoring also with the trading land of Chaldea, and even with this you were not satisfied.

[30] “How sick is your heart, declares the Lord GOD, because you did all these things, the deeds of a brazen prostitute, [31] building your vaulted chamber at the head of every street, and making your lofty place in every square. Yet you were not like a prostitute, because you scorned payment. [32] Adulterous wife, who receives strangers instead of her husband! [33] Men give gifts to all prostitutes, but you gave your gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from every side with your whorings. [34] So you were different from other women in your whorings. No one solicited you to play the whore, and you gave payment, while no payment was given to you; therefore you were different.

[35] “Therefore, O prostitute, hear the word of the LORD: [36] Thus says the Lord GOD, Because your lust was poured out and your nakedness uncovered in your whorings with your lovers, and with all your abominable idols, and because of the blood of your children that you gave to them, [37] therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from every side and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. [38] And I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged, and bring upon you the blood of wrath and jealousy. [39] And I will give you into their hands, and they shall throw down your vaulted chamber and break down your lofty places. They shall strip you of your clothes and take your beautiful jewels and leave you naked and bare. [40] They shall bring up a crowd against you, and they shall stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. [41] And they shall burn your houses and execute judgments upon you in the sight of many women. I will make you stop playing the whore, and you shall also give payment no more. [42] So will I satisfy my wrath on you, and my jealousy shall depart from you. I will be calm and will no more be angry. [43] Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, but have enraged me with all these things, therefore, behold, I have returned your deeds upon your head, declares the Lord GOD. Have you not committed lewdness in addition to all your abominations?

[44] “Behold, everyone who uses proverbs will use this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ [45] You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and her children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. [46] And your elder sister is Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you, is Sodom with her daughters. [47] Not only did you walk in their ways and do according to their abominations; within a very little time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways. [48] As I live, declares the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. [49] Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. [50] They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it. [51] Samaria has not committed half your sins. You have committed more abominations than they, and have made your sisters appear righteous by all the abominations that you have committed. [52] Bear your disgrace, you also, for you have intervened on behalf of your sisters. Because of your sins in which you acted more abominably than they, they are more in the right than you. So be ashamed, you also, and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.

[53] “I will restore their fortunes, both the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters, and I will restore your own fortunes in their midst, [54] that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all that you have done, becoming a consolation to them. [55] As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former state, and you and your daughters shall return to your former state. [56] Was not your sister Sodom a byword in your mouth in the day of your pride, [57] before your wickedness was uncovered? Now you have become an object of reproach for the daughters of Syria and all those around her, and for the daughters of the Philistines, those all around who despise you. [58] You bear the penalty of your lewdness and your abominations, declares the LORD.

[59] “For thus says the Lord GOD: I will deal with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant, [60] yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant. [61] Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you take your sisters, both your elder and your younger, and I give them to you as daughters, but not on account of the covenant with you. [62] I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD, [63] that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord GOD.”

(Ezekiel 16:1-63 ESV)

I'm not sure if there's quite a biblical metaphor for God's love for us that gets me more than the one of Christ and his adulterous bride, the church. I mean, wow, as part of God's church, I've been so unfaithful, whoring after other idols. All the times I bought into the lie that the pleasures of this world are better than the pleasures of God, all the times I counted myself as wise and right instead of Him, all the times I've been selfish and failed to steward all the things I've been graciously given, all those times I've exchanged the glory of God for a lie (Romans 1).

And I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged, and bring upon you the blood of wrath and jealousy. (Ezekiel 16:38 ESV)

And that whoring deserves punishment. And what was the punishment for adultery?

If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. (Leviticus 20:10 ESV)

And in Leviticus, death is the punishment for committing adultery even just once. And yet how much more of an adulterous am I?

And what shame I feel for being no better than those who came before me and left me in my sin. Like mother like daughter says verse 44. The same mother who abandoned her own child is the sinful example in which I follow.

Behold, everyone who uses proverbs will use this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ (Ezekiel 16:44 ESV)

But to me, the craziest part is despite that, God responds with grace. He makes a way to atone for my sins himself! (v. 63) Instead He makes with us, the Church, an everlasting covenant! (v. 60) That in union with Christ through faith alone He forgives us and promises us a share in His glory and a place in His kingdom.

Christ lays down his life for the church. All that wrath I deserve for how much I've sinned against God, Christ bares himself. All the punishment the law requires he bares on the cross. And he patiently pursues us, preparing us, sanctifying us as His bride when we're so unfaithful and unworthy. Christ suffers for, sacrifices for, pursues, and loves unfaithful me. It's news thats almost too good to be true.

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little. (Luke 7:47 ESV)

Sign!

We just put up the new sign on the new building! woot!

One of the hopes for the new CBI center in downtown Nagoya is for it to become a center for evangelical Christian activity within the city. We hope to host as many as 6 worship services a sunday, have a safe space ministry (Heart and Soul cafe), and make the space available for other evangelical churches who might need the space. While visible signage is but one step of many more, I'm excited and thankful to see progress being made! Praise God!

He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

(Exodus 3:12 ESV)

Earthquake-proof

The new CBI building

Yesterday I spent the bulk of the day cleaning our new building which was very dirty from a lot of construction dust and age. The building was remodeled in some places but still maintained a lot of the original furniture, stairways, appliances, and windows. It was a big cleaning job that still wasn't done by the end of the day. I'm glad that I could contribute in this way and hopefully still be a help here in Japan, despite the short length of my stay.

I'm looking forward to the opening of the new building. CBI has come a long way and is quickly moving towards becoming an increasingly viable option for students to come and study. The new central location in downtown Nagoya while inconvenient for many currently on staff should be much easier for prospective students to attend.

The seminary however needs much more funds to continue to grow. Michael hopes to eventually purchase a small near-by dilapidated building to turn into a small dorm to house students. But the biggest need is money for the earthquake supports installed to make the building earthquake safe. Although expensive, the leadership decided that the safety made the support beams a necessary investment. While we've been trying to raise funds to cover the expense, we've only raised $30,000 of our $100,000 goal. Please pray that the building will be able to get done in time for new classes in September and that we would be able to raise adequate funding for proper safety. If you feel led, you can also contact me if you're interested in giving money to CBI for the earthquake supports.

Mopping up a dirty floor...for the 3rd time

The earthquake support beams

Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV

Burden

[23] “Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away? [24] Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD. [25] I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ [26] How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, [27] who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal? [28] Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the LORD. [29] Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? [30] Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who steal my words from one another. [31] Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who use their tongues and declare, ‘declares the LORD.’ [32] Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the LORD.

[33] “When one of this people, or a prophet or a priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the LORD?’ you shall say to them, ‘You are the burden, and I will cast you off, declares the LORD.’ [34] And as for the prophet, priest, or one of the people who says, ‘The burden of the LORD,’ I will punish that man and his household. [35] Thus shall you say, every one to his neighbor and every one to his brother, ‘What has the LORD answered?’ or ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ [36] But ‘the burden of the LORD’ you shall mention no more, for the burden is every man's own word, and you pervert the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God. [37] Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ or ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ [38] But if you say, ‘The burden of the LORD,’ thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have said these words, “The burden of the LORD,” when I sent to you, saying, “You shall not say, ‘The burden of the LORD,’” [39] therefore, behold, I will surely lift you up and cast you away from my presence, you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers. [40] And I will bring upon you everlasting reproach and perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.’”

Jeremiah 23:23-40 ESV

I've come to realize that for all the times I've mishandled the word of truth, I've been like a burden to the Lord. That might sound harsh, but I think Jeremiah makes it clear how much He despises sin. He despises when others His people astray, whether purposefully or not. While As I've continue to learn how to rightly handle the word of truth, I can see how in the past I've emphasized the wrong things in certain parts of scripture. I can see how often in trying to exhort people to give Jesus everything, I didn't fully explain how in giving Jesus everything we receive everything. I told people to give up everything, pick up their cross, deny themselves, and follow Christ without telling them that by losing their life they will find it! And while I strive to be more deeply rooted in increasingly biblical hermeneutics and exposition and not separate the indicative commands of the bible without explaining how these things have already been done for us through Christ, thereby giving us the joy and motivation to pursue righteousness, how often have I failed and still fail. I've been a burden to God. And yet, He loves me so dearly and deeply and uses me despite my failures. He counts me as a coheir with Christ. I'm blown away by His grace.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

Toilet Paper

Today I bought toilet paper. Toilet paper isn't included in my short-term missions budget though haha. And since donations to my missions organization are tax deductible, trying to buy toilet paper out of my food budget isn't allowed since the government keeps strict tabs on exactly how the money is being used (for good reason of course). I figure toilet paper is worth buying anyways though! And really, how can I mind spending a little money on toilet paper when God has given me so much. Whether it comes through my missions budget or out of my pocket, it's all come from Him so all the more praise to His providence!

Even toilet paper testifies to His glory =)

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

(James 1:16-18 ESV)

Earthquake

Wow! We just had a sort of big tremor here! Everything is totally fine. I'm totally fine. Nothing fell down. But the earthquake lasted for a good 15 seconds or so and the whole apartment was shaking and I just sat there in awe of God's might.

But the multitude of your foreign foes shall be like small dust,

and the multitude of the ruthless like passing chaff.

And in an instant, suddenly,

you will be visited by the LORD of hosts

with thunder and with earthquake and great noise,

with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.

(Isaiah 29:5-6 ESV)

Cornerstone

Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers,

who rule this people in Jerusalem!

Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,

and with Sheol we have an agreement,

when the overwhelming whip passes through

it will not come to us,

for we have made lies our refuge,

and in falsehood we have taken shelter”;

therefore thus says the Lord GOD,

“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,

a stone, a tested stone,

a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:

‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’

And I will make justice the line,

and righteousness the plumb line;

and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,

and waters will overwhelm the shelter.”

Then your covenant with death will be annulled,

and your agreement with Sheol will not stand;

when the overwhelming scourge passes through,

you will be beaten down by it.

As often as it passes through it will take you;

for morning by morning it will pass through,

by day and by night;

and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.

For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on,

and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in.

For the LORD will rise up as on Mount Perazim;

as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused;

to do his deed—strange is his deed!

and to work his work—alien is his work!

Now therefore do not scoff,

lest your bonds be made strong;

for I have heard a decree of destruction

from the Lord GOD of hosts against the whole land.

(Isaiah 28:14-22 ESV)

I read this today and was utterly amazed at how amazing it is that God is both just and merciful. So clearly like the Israelites of old I have put my trust time and time again in the promises of the world, making "lies my refuge" and "taken shelter with falsehood." And how justly God is angry with my sin and how deserving I am of the same judgement He promises to heap on an adulterous Israel. And yet at the same time, God provides a way out through grace by faith. He sets the precious cornerstone that is a sure foundation where believers won't be in haste. Instead of haste, the faithful patiently trust in God to provide and protect them. And He provides that route through Christ, the stumbling stone and precious cornerstone who absorbs on my behalf all the wrath of God that I deserve. Amazing.

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious,

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

(1 Peter 2:4-6 ESV)

End of my first week

I've just about finished my first week here...which was really only half a week since I didn't get to Nagoya until about 6! Well, to be more specifically I'm living in Nagakute-Cho which is a little east of central Nagoya.

I've come at a time of great business for the CBI team. CBI is about to move to a new building in central Nagoya to better accommodate it's perspective students in hopes of becoming more accessible and attractive. CBI is currently a few rooms on the 2nd floor of the Nisshin Christ Center (about a 15 minute bike from where I live) but it'll be a bit more a commute after they move.

So far, I've completed a class on wisdom literature (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job, Song of Solomon) and have definitely learned a lot and believe that by God's mercy through the Holy Spirit I've gained in wisdom. I also realize how little I know the depth of God's character and how little of His wisdom and knowledge I know and have been completely humbled. Like Job I realize I've uttered what I did not understand and am awestruck that God would send His own son to death for a fool like me.

Through the class I was able to meet some of the students studying at the seminary and staff workers of CBI and will try to be getting to know them better while I'm here. Please pray for opportunities to develop relationships with them and for us to be an encouragement to one another. I also will be trying to visit their churches' Sunday mornings so I can gain a fuller picture of what God is doing here in Nagoya, what the character of the Japanese church is, and what the needs of the Japanese are so please pray that I will be able to see these things during my time here.

This morning my roommate Kenny and I helped out with the Kid's Gospel Week program, which concluded with a concert and matsuri or festival which consisted of fun kid's games and foods. Summer outreach programs like this are popular in Japan and many of the participants are not Christians. The program teaches kids gospel worship songs which then can become a great medium for telling the kids about the song's meanings while they have fun, are baby-sat, and even learn some english. This program even included bible teaching about Jesus (I got to meet the pastor at the men's bible study on Wednesday).

I helped with the nagashi somen booth which consists of floating somen noodles down a stream of running water for the hungry to gobble up with their chopsticks. Eventually holding a big bowl of noodles in my left arm became so tiring that my arm started to shake and I couldn't even hold a snow cone without it shaking. It was a fun experience though and I enjoyed being able to help out and talk to some of the Japanese putting on the program. I was amazed that Yabuhara-san, the man who I was helping serve noodles with, built the whole nagashi-somen contraption himself!

Tomorrow I will be visiting the Nisshin Christ Church Sunday morning and then be going to All Nations Fellowship in the afternoon, which is the church that CBI helps run. My Japanese is continuing to get better/come-back but at times I can't understand everything or say exactly what I want to say so please pray for language ability. Please also pray that as I continue to learn more about Japan that God might be revealing to me how He wants to use me in the future after this trip.

Helping with nagashi somen

Then Job answered the LORD and said:

“I know that you can do all things,

and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’

Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,

things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

‘Hear, and I will speak;

I will question you, and you make it known to me.’

I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,

but now my eye sees you;

therefore I despise myself,

and repent in dust and ashes.”

(Job 42:1-6 ESV)

Day 1!

Today was my first day! I just arrived in Nagoya safely and soundly yesterday. Thank you all who prayed for safe travel and against jetlag. By His bountiful provision I've adjusted nearly seamlessly to Japan time. The first night I tried to make sure I stayed up until midnight (which was 4am Hawaii time) and then fall right asleep so I could quickly adjust to falling asleep at the right time. I woke up at a couple odd times during the night, but I ended up sleeping almost 8 hours so I think I've adjusted pretty well to the time zone.

The flight was also awesome...I was in a row of 3 but no one was in the seats next to me so I had the whole row to myself to stretch out and lie down. It was great!!!

I'm staying in a small apartment with another guy interning with CBI named Kenny. He's been here for about 9 months already and is looking to stay another year. We've already had a number of great conversations and I've enjoyed his fellowship and hospitality and generosity. He made me curry dinner the first night!

I'm mostly following him around these first couple days to sort of get acclimated to CBI. To my delight, today that included taking part in 2 classes today being taught at the seminary on the Old Testament and a men's bible study tonight. I enjoyed being able to learn a ton about the law, prophets, and covenants today and also really enjoyed getting to talk to and get to know some of the Japanese people working or studying at the seminary. Please pray that we might be able to encourage each other to Him through our interactions and that God might be granting us all wisdom and understanding. Please pray that growing to understand God's word more deeply through the work of the holy spirit might also work to edify me and prepare me for all that God plans to do in me and through me.

My room until I move to the futon in 3 weeks!

Me at the Nagoya airport waiting for the bus

The two empty seats next to mine!

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

(Luke 24:25-27 ESV)

Prayer

Today I'm leaving for Japan. I'll be counting on the prayer support of brothers and sisters in Christ while I'm in Japan. Prayer is so crucial to the life of a believer and critical to partner with and support my ministry.

I found this link to be particularly helpful in knowing how and what to pray. It's from another missions agency called OMF.

http://www.omf.org/omf/us/resources__1/prayer_resources/why_and_how_to_pray_for_missionaries

DA Carson with a short theology of prayer.

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

(Ephesians 1:15-23 ESV)

Culture

The past two days I finished reading a book called Foreign to Familiar that I received from my missions agency. It addressed the differences between what the author called "hot climate" cultures and "cold climate" cultures. Hot climate cultures are relationship-oriented, indirect in communication, group-based, inclusive, and event oriented. According to the author cultures like these tend to include South America, the southern US, Africa, and Asia. Cold climate cultures are task-oriented, direct in communication, individualistic, private, and time oriented. Cultures like these include the Northern US states and most of Europe.

While of course these are not perfect groupings, I found the book really insightful and helpful in understanding other cultural mentalities. I think growing up 4th generation Japanese-American in Hawaii, I have stronger cold climate tendencies but have a lot of experience interacting with or in hot climate cultural situations. I realize many things that my family does such as bring back gifts from trips or always try to make sure there is more than enough food are culturally hot climate but many of the ways I act outside of my home such as booking my schedule full of appointments and asking others direct yes or no questions when I'm wondering if something is bothering them or they want to go somewhere tend to be cold climate behaviors.

I hope that this information will help prepare me to better enter into Japanese culture and minister cross-culturally to the Japanese. I know Japanese culture can tend to be very "hot climate," full of etiquette intended to build relationships and a strong group-based cultural mentality. While this isn't something I'm used to, I hope that I'll now be better equipped to navigate relationships in Japanese culture.

Further, I'm very much amazed at the power of the gospel to bridge cultural differences. While I can now see and understand better how different cultures will react to the gospel differently, I'm more and more amazed at the power the gospel has to transform across cultures and provide universal truth and salvation for those who believe by grace through faith. Culture can even be a strong motivator to promote sinful behavior such as ancestor worship and in no way justifies how people live, but because I understand Japanese culture better, I pray that I'll be better equipped to identify idols that hold people from Christ so that I can help expose them and destroy them so that people might come to know true love and grace in Jesus Christ.

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

(Acts 10:34-35 ESV)

Golf

Today I went golfing with my dad and two of his doctor buddies. I only started about 4 years ago and haven't had the chance to get much better these past 4 years so I'm still a newbie to the game. But these are three things I learned (and am continuing to learn).

1. Patience. Golf is frustrating and has a steep learning curve. Often the shot I end up hitting is far from the shot I was envisioning in my head and consequently, my bad shot sets me up for another difficult shot. Golf totally is a game where one mistake snowballs into many. I think learning patience is an eternal lesson for me and my patience is always in short supply, especially at home. How can I be so impatient when God has been so much more patient with me? Please pray for me to grow in patience and grace.

2. Humility. Along with the steep learning curve comes a lack of performance and skill. This is probably the only game my dad beats me in. And if you haven't noticed, I'm actually a pretty competitive person and am not really a big fan of losing. But what does winning or losing a game matter when the victory is already won in Christ? I think today helped me swallow my pride and focus on learning and getting better and accepting the criticism and tips from my dad.

How can I be so prideful when I am only anything because of the sacrifice of Christ? Please pray for me to grow in humility and true greatness.

3. Perseverance. Sometimes golf can be a long day when your game is off. A whole round of 18 holes can take 4 hours or more. Further, in a game where one bad shot snowballs into many more, sometimes one might feel like giving up and just moving on to the next hole. I think today stretched my perseverance and while I struggled at times, I managed to finish every hole. How can I fail to persevere when I know the victory is already won and that God promises to carry me through? Please pray for my perseverance.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)

Understanding

So I realized that I probably should write more about what I'm doing besides what I'm learning and thinking about. So to update you all, currently I'm home in Hawaii getting ready to go on my missions trip. In the meantime I've been trying to review my Japanese, read books I haven't had the chance to read during the years, and pray and meditate on the word. I'm hoping that these things will help prepare me to learn, grow, and serve as much as I can while in Japan.

I've also been meeting up with old friends here and there. I'm hoping that I can witness to them by demonstrating and sharing with them the transformative work God has started doing in me since He saved me in college. Paul instructs us to put on our new selves that we are given once we have been adopted into God's family through the death of His son on the cross, and while I still have a long way left to go, I'm personally already amazed at how much He has transformed me. I hope that the transformation He's done in me might testify to His glory and the greatness of the gospel and that I can share this with old friends who knew my old self.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

(Colossians 3:5-10 ESV)

I'm also trying to meet up with someone who I've ministered to at Stanford and hope that He might also see and be transformed by how much love and grace God has poured out for Him in sacrificing His own son for us. Not being at Stanford next year, I imagine this might be one of the last times I have the opportunity to reach out to him. I pray that he might realize that he is therefore no longer His own but rather has been purchased by God through the blood of His son and that while there is nothing God therefore cannot ask of him, this is a good and awesome relationship to have with such an amazing father.

But for the most part, I'm cooped up at home studying and learning and watching the food network and woman's world cup. I'm reading through Spiritual Depression by Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones which I'm finding particularly helpful in understanding how to minister to those who lack Christian joy in their walk with Him. While I don't mean to over-emphasize learning and intellectual ascent in my spiritual growth, I do not wish to under-emphasize it either. Stephen Um of City Life Presbyterian Church in Boston says it like this, the Christian faith is much more than intellectual ascent, but it's at least intellectual ascent.

For example, in Hebrews 11:3 (ESV) we see that "By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible." The act of understanding is integral to having faith.

The greatest commandment says that we must “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment." (Matthew 22:37b-38 ESV). Here we see that the mind is integral to our relationship with God.

Of course the heart and soul are equally important as the mind, but we must never reduce our faith to something as simple as "loving others" or "loving God" without fully applying mind, heart and will to the act of loving.

I believe Paul puts it well in Romans 6:17 where he mentions all 3 together, where we see the necessity of obedience (or the will), teaching (or the mind), and the heart in our walks with Him and our on going sanctification.

Anyhow, I hope this is clarifying in explaining why the focus of this blog may have been oriented a lot around my thoughts and feelings and I hope to seek a better balance of including more of what I'm doing as well =)

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

(Romans 6:17-18 ESV)

Sin

‎"The point at which a man like Joseph showed his spiritual insight and understanding supremely was this. Tempted by Potiphar's wife he said: 'How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?' What troubled Joseph was not the possibility of sinning against the woman but against God Himself. Now that is true spiritual thinking. We must not think so much about the sin itself. That is what we tend to do. What constituted sin for Joseph was the fact that it involved his relationship to God - 'if I do that I will be sinning against God'. David saw the same thing. Murderer and adulterer that he was, this is what troubled him: 'Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned and done this evil in Thy sight.' He was not minimizing the wrong he had done to others; he knew all about that; but that was not the worst thing. it was God - his relationship to God. The moment you think of it like that you forget particular sins, and you forget that one is worse than another. 'My unbelief,' says Paul, 'that was the trouble' - not particular actions. it in indeed our relationship to God and His Law that matters."

- from "Spiritual Depression" from Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones

I've been reading through this book called Spiritual Depression by this dead London preacher named Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones. In the latest chapter, I stumbled upon this. Dr. Lloyd-Jones is so spot on when he says we so often think about the sin itself and even relativize our sins against other sins and fail to grasp how offensive we are to God. Our greatest offense is in our unbelieving, ungrateful, adulterous hearts.

Jesus said: And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

(Matthew 15:16-20 ESV)

And with my very thoughts and desires, I constantly offend God and don't realize how deeply sinful I am.

And further, James said: For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.

(James 2:10 ESV)

Even with my one wayward thought, I've already become guilty of all the law.

And yet despite all that, I think the really crazy thing is that God still loves me and has forgiven me through the death of His son and has adopted me into His family to be a co-heir with Christ.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

(2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)

The prodigal love and grace God lavishes on us is amazing and I pray that it will impress itself on me more deeply and that I might continue to understand it's breadth, length, height, and depth so that I will be more and more moved to live for Him rather than for me.

And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
(Luke 15:21-24 ESV)

Languages

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may 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 ESV)

Yesterday, I shared the gospel in Japanese with my grandmother! One thing I've been concerned about is my language abilities and recently I've been trying to review my Japanese in preparation. Besides my rustiness, one obstacle to explaining the gospel in Japanese is learning all the relevant vocabulary. However, being forced to explain the gospel has forced me to strip away all the "Christianese" that while holds deep meaning, isn't always necessary in explaining the gospel to others. As such, I was excited that God still was able to use me despite my lack of abilities as a messenger of his good news.

Specifically, I talked about this verse from Ephesians and the relationship between faith and works. I'm still amazed to know that grace is solely by faith alone, knowing that there is nothing I have to do in order to be saved. Paul makes it clear writing that faith is a gift from God, not a result of works or anything I do. There's nothing I have to do such as be a good person or give up my possessions or care for the needy in order to be saved; rather God gives his grace freely as a gift when we believe.

Now while salvation is by faith alone, I don't mean to say good works aren't important. Salvation may be by faith alone, but that faith is never alone. As James explains, "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." (James 2:26 ESV) A true faith produces good works, but grace is not the product of good works. Rather, out of the joy that we have in being God's adopted children and workmanship, we strive to do the good works he prepares for us (Ephesians 2:10).

While I think that sometimes this is hard to explain in english, I've before been intimidated in knowing I have to share how truly amazing the gospel is in a foreign language. However, I know the Lord will prepare and provide the way for me to do whatever He wills in Japan. He even promises Moses to be his mouth in Exodus.

Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

(Exodus 4:11-12 ESV)

Thank you Lord for both working in me and working at my heart to give me the desire to live for you.

for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

(Philippians 2:13 ESV)

Help

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper;

the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

The LORD will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore.

(Psalm 121 ESV)

I wanted to share the good news that at this point, I've reached my fundraising goal of $4000! Any amount I still receive above $4000 I will apply to my airfare to Japan (about $1600). The remaining airfare I have pledged to commit out of the abundance of my job that God has graciously given me for this coming fall. If for some reason I receive more funds than that, they will be donated to MTW.

I'm thankful to God and the generosity of all my supporters for their gracious donations and willingness to partner with me on my short-term missions trip. While this was my first time fundraising, I was amazed at how God has more than delivered the finances I need to go on this trip.

Recently, I read through Psalm 121 as I was going through my devotions and was amazed by the depth of meaning of what it means for the Lord to be our provider of help and what a striking message I believe this psalm carries.

First of all, I want to highlight how Psalm 121 comments on God's awesomeness. Verse 2 writes that God is the one "who made heaven and earth," meaning that God is a creator God, powerful and mighty.

God also keeps and watches over His people perfectly and incessantly. Verses 3-8 repeat the word keep which I looked up in Hebrew (shamar) to mean keep, guard, or watch over. God here is depicted as keeping his people all the time, never resting (verse 4), never failing (verse 3, verse 6), and always close at hand (verse 5). I particularly am amazed at the hyperbole here...the thought of God being at my right hand is one that I seldom think about but am amazed at the proximity He grants me to Him.

And of course, what makes this even more amazing to me is how undeserving we are of this. There is nothing in Psalm 121 that talks about any caveat or thing we must do so that the Lord fulfills these things. He just does! Amazing! What incredible help we have in such an amazing God. And I'm amazed that He is the one I can count on for help, despite the fact that He is so much bigger and more awesome than I.

Which I think points me to my final reflection on this Psalm for the day; and all of this is made possible through Jesus, the reconciler of unrighteous, unworthy me to a perfect and mighty God. I believe this is pointed towards in verse 8, where God is depicted as our keeper but eternally "from this time and forevermore." Is not Christ our ultimate source of aid in saving us into salvation? And further, are these promises not ours because the one who suffered the forsaking of these promises and of protection in our stead? (Luke 23) As such, I'm amazed God has provided for me in my finances and know He will be keeping me even more, wherever the Lord might lead me. And I have comfort in this and am ever more amazed at the power of the gospel to adopt me into this kind of relationship with God.

Kevin

Typhoon!

It's typhooning outside! It's sorta just strong winds and lots of rain. But it's sorta reminding me of how big and awesome God is compared to us.

So often I'm focused on myself and my own life and forget how much bigger God is than me. Like really, life is not about me, it's about Him. Maybe the whole history is "His story" thing is a little cliche, but really, it sort of gets the point across. To God, we're like specks of dust (speaking just on a size scale here, so don't misunderstand). How can I be so often caught up with my own wants and desires and thinking life is all about me. Even when reading scripture, so often do I focus on myself and personal application and continually fail to grasp how awesome and glorious God is.

But I think what really strikes me is how despite my smallness, God loves me and cares for me deeply and knows me from even when I was in my mother's womb. He adopts me as His son when I'm totally undeserving small speck of dust. And in fact, a dirty sinful speck of dust. But God still celebrates my being found, sacrifices His own son to find me and clean me, and puts His robes and ring on me.

I think this John Piper sermon in particular really hits at many of the unfathomable ways God makes so much of the Church. And how by loving us, He makes Himself an even more amazing God and father to us.

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/how-much-does-god-love-this-church

And so I pray that in this busy season when not just weather but business and spiritual forces seem to be typhooning around me, I might be firmly rooted and grounded in the love of Christ as my strength and the object of my faith. That because of the love of Christ, I might yearn to pursue God and worship Him and be protected by Him, that I might live for His glory and for my joy.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

(Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV)

Community

2 weeks ago I attended the Acts 29 church planting boot camp in San Jose on June 3rd and 4th. I was excited to learn more about the spread of the good news across the Bay Area and how to be a steward of the deposit entrusted to us (2 Tim 1:14). I definitely feel convicted that there are not enough gospel-centric churches in the Bay Area and that the Bay Area is in need of more churches that will go and plant other churches that will go and plant more churches.

It was also a pleasure meeting other brothers and sisters passionate about His glory being known and magnified, and I felt encouraged by the testimonies and convictions we exchanged. The worship was also amazing, courtesy of a band called Zimmerman. Definitely check them out! http://www.zimmermanband.com/

Some of the speakers I listened to before at The Gospel Coalition Conference back in April such as Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, Jeff Vanderstelt, and D.A. Carson. (I also met Steven Chin at the conference who is in the video above and a pastor in the Boston area). D.A. Carson, research professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and one of the most noted New Testament scholars alive today, made up roughly half the talks at the Acts 29 conference.

In one of his talks Carson asked the audience to think about their church and ponder how many people would they actually be friends with at their church if it weren’t for the gospel. Me being the weird idiosyncratic person that I am, the answer for me is probably countable on my fingers! Carson’s question really pierced me in realizing how the Christ really brings believers together as one body and family of God. People from all ages and backgrounds are reconciled together through the reconciling work of Christ.

Communities truly testify to the power of the gospel. They are an amazing blessing that believers have to enjoy and a powerful witness to those who do not yet believe. I realize though that this is something that many in Japan do not have the privilege to enjoy in the way we do in the United States. Even in the Bay Area where we meet and have conferences just to talk about how we need more Christ centered communities in the area, the same could be said ten-fold for Japan.

Please pray for the community of believers to multiply across the Japanese nation!


Kevin



Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
Hebrews 3:12-14 ESV