Category: Insights

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Dealing With Fame

Prov 27:20-21

20 Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied,
so human desire is never satisfied.

21 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,
but a person is tested by being praised. NLT

Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson

When the media reported on the death of two famous personalities yesterday, I knew we were in for a flurry of stories on both Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. Now we are starting to see a deluge of analysis of their lives.

Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett

Why are we talking about the dead, when we should be talking about the living?

What are you doing while you are here?

Unfortunately, we all die physically. It is definitely not something to look forward to…. Unless you know the Author of Life.

Undoubtedly, we are going to see these lives analyzed to the micron. Rather than analyzing the dead, let’s analyze the living. You and I!

Again, I say, what am I doing while I am here? Do I know God and am I leaving a legacy for God? Even as I become well known, how am I handling it?

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Two Empty Boats

Today I preached about two empty boats. Sounds somewhat strange from to some I would guess. But really the message is about empty lives. Without Jesus, you are running on empty.

Check out the podcast here

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I Am A Christian

As the US was founded as a Christian nation, we have an awesome heritage. Being a Christian is a choice, not a heriditary gift passed down just because dad, mom, or Grandma was a Christian.

It is still popular for politicians to say they are Christian, but in most cases not really demonstrate what being a Christian is all about; being “like Christ”. I saw this video of the current US president and it got me thinking;

So what does is Yashua say a Christian is? He answers the lawyer (maybe not too far off from a politician) in Luke 10. Check it out-

25 And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?”
27 And he answered, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD [YAHWEH] YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
28 And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.”

God will judge everyone for their actions. However, as a believer, we’ve got to be wise about discerning the true believers from the false. Yashua said you will know a tree by its fruit. A good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit.

If someone says they are a Christian, their lives should prove it by a living daily relationship with the Almighty God. You still have to carefully consider their actions and not blindly follow any man or woman.

God is SO good!

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Japan Facts

Here are some interesting facts about Japan

Japan Map

LAND AREA:

377,899 sq km

POPULATION:

127.8m (February 2008)

MAIN TOWNS:

Population in millions (October 2006)

Tokyo (capital; 23 central wards): 8.5

Yokohama: 3.6

Osaka: 2.6

Nagoya: 2.2

Sapporo: 1.9

Kobe: 1.5

Kyoto: 1.5

Fukuoka: 1.4

CLIMATE:

Generally temperate with seasonal winds and typhoons in September-October and, on the Japan Sea side, heavy snow in December- February

WEATHER:

IN TOKYO (ALTITUDE 5.3 METRES): Hottest month, July, 28.5 C; coldest month, January, 4.9 C (2001 data); driest month, February, 23 mm rainfall; wettest month, October, 343 mm rainfall (2001 data)

LANGUAGES:

Japanese

MEASURES:

Mainly metric system. Some local measures are: 1 tsubo=3.3 sq metres; 1 sun=3 cm; 1 ri=4 km; 1 kairi=1.8 km (used for sea distances)

TIME:

9 hours ahead of GMT

CURRENCY:

Yen (¥)=100 sen; average exchange rates in 2007: ¥117.8:US$1, ¥161.2:€1, ¥235.7:£1; exchange rates on March 31st 2008: ¥99.7:US$1, ¥157.7:€1, ¥197.8.1:£1

FISCAL YEAR:

April 1st-March 31st

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:

January 1st, 14th; February 11th; March 20th; April 29th; May 3rd-5th; July 21st; September 15th, 23rd; October 13th; November 3rd, 23rd; December 23rd

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Guidelines for Young Readers

For young guys and gals who love to read, that is wonderful. You will really excel the more you read. We all need to remember that the Bible says to protect our hearts diligently (Proverbs 4:20-22). Therefore I drafted a little list of a few guidelines you can be thinking about when you are selecting a book or even beginning to read a book.

If you find any of the below elements in the book, then you probably don’t want to read it. These elements are-

1) Foul Language
2) Sexual overtones
3) A Storyline with darkness such as witchcraft, magic and other evil themes
4) Abusive, tense or suffering situations

If you see any of this put the book down, return it to the library, do whatever you can to distance yourself from that book as it will hurt you more than help you.

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Victory Praise Concert- 27 June 2009

Our first promotional video for Victory Word Church. We are all very excited about our first Victory Praise Night!

People are coming, prayer is being made, practicing is being done. It is so neat to see our Awesome God bringing everything together. Check out our first promotional video for Victory Praise Night below.

Come if you can (and even if you can’t). God is breaking through in Japan, as we the church rise up!

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From The Top of Tokyo

May is Golden Week season in Japan. People usually get 3 working days off as three holidays are put together to create a nice vacation.

tokyoskylinefromtoyosu

Enjoyed some time with my family at my sis-in-law’s house in Toyosu. We had a great time, but you would be amazed at how small the condominiums are in Tokyo. We went to the top of their tower 45 floors up, and had some good views of the city, the Tokyo bay, and North towards Tokyo Disneyland.

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Smith Wigglesworth

preaching_smith

When looking at different men and women of God that have lived on this earth there aren’t many that seem to compare with Smith Wigglesworth. This guy is amazing.

Never have I seen such a man born into poverty with such a heart for people. He was really a rags to riches story because he worked so hard. When he got filled with the Holy Spirit, there was no stopping the guy. Such compassion for people. He traveled the world and was able to minister to hundreds of thousands of people.. It must be more than that even.

As Spirit-filled Christians, of course we study the gifts of the Spirit and the working of miracles. King Jesus tells us-

John 14:12
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.

God promised us that we would do even greater works. Some cultural Christian folks, say that those works are something that only Jesus could do because He was the Son of God.  Or worse yet, they say signs and wonders ended with the deaths of Jesus’ friends (the apostles).  They are in denial.  No where in any Bible does it say anything that.

Smith Wiggleworth is a case in point.  I want to be more like Jesus!  Wigglesworth is a great spiritual role model.

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Resurrection Day- Tokyo Churches

2009-sakura-2

Special thanks to everyone!  Resurrection day this last Sunday was the best ever.

Our church is growing, people are getting saved, people are getting physical healings, miracles are happening, and God is moving in our worship.

We started Victory as there were very few churches that teach Bible faith, believe in and allow the gifts of the Spirit, and flow in an anointed message as well as music.

It is awesome to see more and more people coming and being changed.  We believe Victory is going to be a spiritual spark, then a fire, then a major burn of the Holy Spirit in Japan.

Thank you so much for being a part of what God is doing in Japan!