“as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many” (2 Corinthians 1:11)
Driving at 70 km/hr (the maximum speed of the commuter trains in Japan) I was able to observe the passengers on a packed evening train from the outside. Everyone silently gazing at their smartphones, oblivious to the people around them. Seeking a way to make the time go by painlessly, or perhaps trying to use every second to accomplish some pressing task.
I wonder how the angels feel when they watch us. Do they want to say “Are you sleeping?” “Don’t you realize that you’re alive?”
We have a friend Christina from South Africa who God has sent to Japan to encourage the missionaries and Christians here. She received this image. If our life on earth were a grain of sand, then the next life is like a beach made of sand grains. It is common for believers to spend many years of their lives preparing for this earthly life, whether it is their career or their retirement. How much time are we willing to spend preparing for eternity? I have found this to be an inspiring image!
One day as I was going down into the subway, I noticed a hooded man dressed all in black, draped with red sashes, wearing spiked gloves, and carrying some kind of a steel weapon. Everyone else was noticing him too and when he started making kung-fu moves on the train platform I thought “This could be a problem”. I felt the Holy Spirit urging me to stand near to him, and when I bent to see under his hood his face was completely covered with a black veil! Although I thought talking to someone like this would be pointless, I greeted him “Konnichiwa”! It turned out that he was a foreigner and spoke English. As he spoke to me, he removed his veil and his hood and he looked like a normal Asian young man. As we boarded the train he was trying to tell me something about the Kung-fu which he practiced. I said I was a Christian and that Christ tells us “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” He said that he thought this was a joke, but that he didn’t want to hurt anyone. (thanks God!) We spoke for a while and I was able to give him a copy of The Father’s Love Letter FATHERS LOVE LETTER .COM – Home which is one of the gospel tracts that we use. I also invited him to check out the Youtube broadcasts that we do with Onfire Japan and surprisingly he said he would definitely look at that. Then I got off and then watched the train bustle onwards.
Let’s pray that The Father will work in his heart. “For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
When talking about this experience with Masami and with the members of the Pray for Japan Zoom call, they felt there was something symbolic about the way this young man removed his veil and hood as we talked about the gospel of peace. Let’s pray that many people in Japan will let their guard down, unveil themselves, and come out of shame into the father’s arms! Also let each of us unveil ourselves and let the Joy out!
Our disguises may be more appropriate than the hooded man, but we still need to take them off. If we really believe that we have Joy like a fountain, Peace like a river, Love like an ocean in our souls – then we need to let it out! As we release the flow (by faith) we will experience it more and more! Love has to look like something. Joy has to look like something. Peace has to look like something. This means intentionally fostering a lifestyle of love, a lifestyle of joy, and a lifestyle of peace.
Is God inviting you to next step to partner with Him in his work in Japan?
- Pray →Every Friday 6pm (Winnipeg Time) we meet on Zoom for 1 hour to pray for Japan. We have had people from BC,AB,SK, MB and Japan on this call and would love to have new people join. Please reply to this email if you are interested!
- Go →Hirano MB Church in Osaka is looking for Children’s outreach worker. If God is calling you to come to Japan (short or long-term), we would love to hear from you!
Praise Items
Praise God for the great spring of many visitors; our son Joshua in February, Prayer Team from Parliament Community Church in March, Multiply team and Cory’s parents in April!
Prayer Requests
- May 27th MB Pastors Wives get together
- June 3rd Multiply Japan Day
- June 7-8 Bushi (Men’s Discipleship) Camp
- June 18-20 MB Pastors Retreat
Thank you for praying,
Cory and Masami