1 John 2:9-11 (GWTransl)
Those who say that they are in the light but hate other believers are still in the dark. Those who love other believers live in the light. Nothing will destroy the faith of those who live in the light. Those who hate other believers are in the dark and live in the dark. They don’t know where they’re going, because they can’t see in the dark.
Your outward life reflects your inward condition
1 John 1:5-7 (GWTransl)
This is the message we heard from Christ and are reporting to you: God is light, and there isn’t any darkness in him. If we say, “We have a relationship with God” and yet live in the dark, we’re lying. We aren’t being truthful.
But if we live in the light in the same way that God is in the light, we have a relationship with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from every sin.
Franklin Graham At The Tokyo Celebration Of Love
It was wonderful to have Franklin Graham coming to Japan to share the Gospel of Jesus. About 20 of us went from Victory. One person in the crowd was recording the last part where Franklin gave the salvation call. One of the volunteer ushers shouted, “Do not record” at her during the closing of the message.
It was sad that some religious nut could be so callous in an event. You would think that type of message you would want posted all over the net, youtube, instagram, whatever voice we can use to lift up the name of Jesus.
Overall the evening event was nice to visit. It is neat to see people proclaiming the Gospel in Tokyo. Even though different denominations have different flavors, it is good to see we serve the same Lord. It reminded me that there are different levels of hunger as well. As Mariko preached the other day, there are definitely different levels of faith. We should all build our faith daily to be like the Centurion whom Jesus said had Great Faith.
Interesting after this event, Bill Johnson of Bethel Church came, now that was a powerful meeting. Not sure if I’d do another Graham meeting (hopefully the organizers can get their volunteers under control), but definitely looking forward to next year’s Bill Johnson in January 2017!
UPDATED 12 Feb 2016
Dreaming To publish a Japanese Study Bible
Why Does Jesus Tell Us To Be Baptized And Why Is Baptism Significant?
Jesus commands us to be baptized. Matter of fact, it is so important that He got baptized himself.
15 And He said to them, “ Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned
(Mark 16:15-16 NKJV)
It’s very simple, but good to understand a bit more about baptism.
Water baptism is not only significant to the person being baptized, but it also testifies to his or her community what happened when their life was changed by Jesus. It confirms and strengthens the new believer’s commitment to live a godly life. It also gives the believer the opportunity to openly testify to others of his experience of having been crucified with Christ, buried with Him and raised together with Him to walk in newness of life (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4-6).
The significance of water baptism is clear when you understand the meaning of the original Greek verb baptidzo. It means “to immerse.” Immersion is a picture of burial. So, though some churches sprinkle or pour water in the baptismal ceremony, it is when a believer is completely submerged and then raised up out of the water that the significance is more clearly understood. The old man is dead and buried. A new man is raised up out of the grave, reborn to live a new life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is important. Without first making Jesus Lord and believing that God raised Him from the dead, water baptism would have no purpose. Water baptism is not the baptism that saves. What cleanses us from sin is not the water but the precious blood that Jesus shed on the cross (see Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:22; Revelation 1:5). If you feel you’ve never properly buried your old, sinful nature and dedicated your whole self to the Lord, don’t wait any longer—find a place to participate in water baptism and get totally free!
This description is quoted from here.
Don’t Give Place To Sin
James 1:14-15 (GWT)
Everyone is tempted by his own desires as they lure him away and trap him. Then desire becomes pregnant and gives birth to sin. When sin grows up, it gives birth to death.
Doubt and unbelief will take you nowhere with God- Let’s go places for Jesus
James 1:6-8 (GWTransl)
When you ask for something, don’t have any doubts. A person who has doubts is like a wave that is blown by the wind and tossed by the sea. A person who has doubts shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord. A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can’t make up his mind about anything.
If you need wisdom and ideas, there’s hope
James 1:5 (GWTransl)
If any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and he will give it to you. God is generous to everyone and doesn’t find fault with them.
The Word Study Bible
Protect Your Heart
Proverbs 4:23 (GWT)
Guard your heart more than anything else,
because the source of your life flows from it.
As a believer, we are challenged to protect our hearts. Remember, as humans, we are a three-part being. We are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body. (1 Thess 5:23).
Our heart in the Bible is our soul and our spirit. Of course, our soul is our mind, will, and emotions. The wisdom of Proverbs to to protect your heart. How do you do it? By protecting the entrances to your heart or soul, your eyes, ears, nose, mouth.. Your senses.
If you want to go deeper with God, you can’t watch what the world watches. You can’t say what the world says. You can’t listen to what the world listens to. You’ve got to surround yourself with God things. Gods ways are the way to eternal life. Gods ways are the way to long life.
As you go about your day today, make an effort to protect your heart. When you do, your spirit will become more sensitive to hearing Gods voice when He directs you.