“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ~Numbers 6:24-26

Hello from the Olympic host nation of Japan!
People from around the world have their attention focused on Japan as the sporting battles and victories are played out from day to day. Despite the odds Japan has managed to provide a beautifully presented and smoothly running games so far.  There is great drama on the screen but the average Japanese person is not able to experience it; especially now that the country is going into its fourth lockdown.

The Tokyo Olympics are not going at all like many had hoped and planned.  There was a plan for over 100 different Christian outreach teams to visit Japan to witness to the hope that we have in Jesus, but none have been able to come.  It appears that God had other plans.

What are God’s plans for the Tokyo Olympics?
We feel that God is asking people to take a time-out and pray for Japan.
Teach us to pray!
While the world is in a time-out may we take time to be still and know that God is God.

Pray for Japan:

For Churches
After many years of gospel endeavor in Japan the number of Jesus-followers is still less than one percent of the population.
Pray Ephesians 1:17-19 “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

For Pastors
Pray Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

The average age of pastors in Japan has risen so that now over 50 percent of pastors are over 70 years old and only 10 percent are under forty years old.
Pray Luke 10:02 “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest”

For the Unreached
There are many in Japan who know nothing about Jesus.  Among these (50% of the population) there are many who will be drawn to him as a moth to a lightbulb or as a hungry person to a delicious smelling meal when they get a chance.
Pray Romans 10:14-15 “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

For more prayer items for Japan, please See Here!

Praise Items:

• We thank God that Joshua got his first summer job! He will be working as a gardeners’ assistant.
• Praise God for the baptism of a teenager at Ishibashi Church.
• For Japanese churches to come together for prayer during the Olympic time. Click here for more information!

Prayer Items:

• August 7th Roses Church Discipleship Workshop
• August 10th Ikoi shokuda (soup kitchen) farm day
• August 23rd Start of new school semester
• 2nd and 4th Tuesdays Pastors Wives’ Zoom Prayer
• For Masami’s parents to receive Jesus as their savior