Faith

How do we walk by faith?

One step at a time.

What I feel is God's heart for Japan.

I taped this just before I came back to Australia to inform people of what I feel God is doing and wanting to do in Japan.  I ask for grace if there be any pride in me whilst taping this, and that rather than hearing what I have to say, that you would hear God's heart, and that anything of me would fall to the ground.  Be blessed my friends.  Your brother in the faith,  Tri. :^)

A kind of vision of heaven, angels and the Lord

On Wednesday night,

I was laying in bed and asking God to teach me about tongues, and for Him to send angels to attend to my needs.
I then began reading a book called God's Generals, and as I opened the pages, I felt that I had to speak in tongues.
After a few minutes of this, I then read a few pages, then closed the book, turned off the light and got ready to try and sleep.
Usually I take a couple of hours to fall asleep (on average), but suddenly:

I felt I was immersed in a spiritual darkness and fear...one which I have felt before.
Now the light was off, so it was dark, but not this kind of deep darkness.
The fear was so much so that I tried to say Jesus name and felt that I barely could, as my mouth was trembling.
I then felt my spirit say to God please take me to a place of your peace, realising that this was now my last resort.
Next thing I know the spirit of darkness and fear leave me, or I leave it, and although I can’t see anything, I feel a sense of being in a different place with life.
I hear the sound of tongues, but not just any tongues, it was as though they were coming from angels...beings worshipping the Lord.

I now started to notice the sound of a piano in the back ground towards the upper left of wherever I was...the piano was far away and up high but still very clear and was playing a beautiful melody or song mainly in the higher pitch/octave range...thus I could sense I was in a vast space, with what could only be described as having heavenly acoustics.
I then felt my hands being lifted up by the hands of another.
I felt that this other was the one who loved me, who loves me, and really knew me.
He was right in front of me, though I couldn't see him.
I felt peace as he put his hands under mine and began to lift them up.
He then began to gently swing both of my hands to one side, and then to another, as though playing and dancing with me. I felt such absolute peace, nothing like I have ever felt before...yet similar to when you are a baby in the arms of a loving mother...but deeper.
He had answered my prayer request.
I felt his love for me, a constant, eternal, deep and intimate knowing kind of love.
At some point during this time in what seemed to be a visit to a, or the, heavenly realm I felt myself go back to the worldly realm, the first time this happened I think I could still feel fear, but once I focused on the heavenly realm where he dwelt and the praises, songs, tongues, and music of heaven was heard, I was immediately back there.
After a couple of visits back to this place I then came back to the realm of the world and upon trying to visit again, felt that that was it for now.  It was after feeling Jesus dance with me, that I recall waking up, looking at my hands and seeing that they were not apart as in the vision, but were clasped together in a kind of prayer pose around a pillow.
More to the point, the fear that I felt was now gone.
Instead I felt the fragrance of His love on me from head to toe.


God taught me that tongues comes from Heaven and originates from there as a language of worship.
God showed me how close the angels were and how their singing could act like warfare keeping the enemy at bay.
Finally God showed me that spiritual beauty is beauty you can experience even when you can't see anything.  Spiritual beauty is eternal and comes from the Lord himself.  He is the source of spiritual and eternal beauty, for He himself is the beautiful one, who's love for each of us is beyond comprehension my friends.

Back in Oz

From Nihon to Japan
and
my initial Impressions and actionings in my pursuit of Pho!

Upon my return to Oz, I find that there is indeed a plethora of cultures at play, more so than my first return to Australia some 6 years ago from Japan.  My first return just made me see blonde hair and hear dinky dye Aussie accents everywhere I went, particularly at the airport.

Finding myself in Sydney City only an hour or so after landing at Sydney Airport I immediately go on the lookout, with suitcase in tow, for a Pho restaurant near Central Station.

Looking at the time and seeing 6.59am meaning 8.59am I notice that the earliest a Pho restaurant will open is 9.30am.

Nearby are some adult stores/shops with one lady opening up a store standing directly in front whilst peering intently down one end of the footpath.  I notice this and make eye contact.  I then notice that the Adult shop is right next door to the Pho restaurant that would soon open up.

With 30 minutes remaining on the wait for that delicious bowl of pho, a kind of 2nd breakfast after the Qantas plane b-fast, I decide to go to a cafe which is a couple of shops down.  I order my chai latte large paying the $3.80 and after browsing the selection of pies noting the over $5 price I notice a back section.

Lugging the suitcase out the back but leaving it midway in the hall to better check out the back end scene of this newly found cafe I see a group of asian girls and an older asian lady.  I also semi eavesdropped the moment I felt the inkling of Japanese in their midst.  So I decided that I would bring the suitcase over to a table that gave me a good bit of space to pull out the macbook but also give the group some space.

It then immediately became obvious that they indeed were talking in Japanese, though I wasn’t sure if it was a Japanese lesson, or if it was some other sort of get together.  One of the girls wore a big cross, and I do mean big.  It was silver and kind of funky looking.  Unfortunately though, not long after settling into the groove with chai latte in hand, the group begins to making ready their move to head out of the cafe.

Seeing the Japanese group, or group talking in Japanese, gave me a rye sense of confirmation that indeed I will be returning to Japan soon.  I already have a number of strong feelings and direction on this, but it was just funny that the moment I decided to sit down in Sydney to chill out for a bit before my Pho fix, I find that I am right back in Japan...well kinda.

Journal entry of thoughts (whilst at Tully’s cafe in Higashi Kurume)

What happens If the word of God is exactly that...

the word of God?

If God has said something to me...

words that give me life...

then what if they were the words that I needed to hear...that I needed to listen to.

3 people stand before us...

a Priest, a King, and God.

who do you choose to listen to?

as a follower of Jesus, I (hope that I) follow him based on both his identity and his actions/will.

Jesus is God the Son, the King.

Jesus will is that none would perish, but that all would come to salvation through repentance and faith in him.

Does it matter any more what a Priest or King of this world says compared to what Jesus says, and his actions say?

This is what and who my faith is in.

Yet, without obedience and his love and power working through and leading my life...

all the faith in the world may come to nothing in the “following” of Jesus.

Sure I may be “saved” but he says to me “follow me”...

through faith I can follow him.

Holy Spirit lead and fill me...over power me with your presence, love and purpose.

Lead me to follow Jesus, not just have a faith in him.

Jesus is not a good luck charm.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

This means he is to be everything to me...

everything...

yes, 

EVERYTHING.

Life in Japan with Jesus

Living in Japan with Jesus
(written a couple of weeks ago)

So I’m sitting here in a Gyoza and ramen shop and waiting for my 12 gyoza, rice, soup and pickled veggies to be cooked and served.


I brought my computer here to begin typing out what I feel I am going through at the moment in various aspects of my life here in Japan.


It started snowing this morning, and I was like “hmmm...there you go.”  Though actually I found out that it was snowing due to reading an email where a friend noted how it was now snowing in Tokyo...I pulled back my blue curtain and saw the white snow covering large patches of grass...haha...the world we live in!


My gyoza has arrived...so I’ ll start eating it, and then get back to this blog.

picture from http://www.foodjunkiechronicles.com

-------------


yummm...oishkatta yo!!


So, now that my stomach is partially full, I shall continue...
(I say partially because there may be another trip to a different shop...specializing in Ramen and Tsukemen noodles...pretty much just across the street)


Last night was actually quite an invaluable night in that whilst spending time in prayer, worship and sharing with some brothers in Christ in my new home town, I could feel God was softening my heart and teaching me about the humility required in being part of and leading/serving in a relatively new church.


It was as though my eyes were opened up to the different dynamics of serving where there is more responsibility with a team of leaders feeling the call to “feed Jesus’ sheep”.  My pride seemed to be further uncovered and felt in contrast to the softening that occurred during our discussions last night.

Of late in my life there has been an increased awareness of the various teachings in the “Christian world” which though having many appealing points, at times seem to contradict or oppose each another.  I found myself questioning my beliefs on certain matters of my faith experiences.  Though at times confused, I felt that it was indeed an important time.


In the end the question I asked myself regarding all of these teachings was this: “what do all of these teachings and christians have in common?”...the answer was and is Jesus.


So that was a healthy wake up call to focus on the core of my faith and my life...Jesus.  
Over the past couple of weeks I have begun to read the bible recognizing the importance of myself discovering truths, rather than a reliance on other people whom I trust, or simply those who are very convincing in their delivery.  During this time, I have found the voice and words of Jesus very comforting and at the same time surprising.  Jesus I am finding says things that only he could say.  “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”, and “no one comes to the father except through the son”, the list goes on.


At the end of the day, I want to see God’s kingdom come, just as Jesus intended it to.  I am free to confess my weaknesses...yes, even as a person who is saved by grace.  As I confess my sin and areas of weakness, God is then able to reveal himself to me and those around me.


There is no need to hide, whether prior to salvation through Christ, or after.  With the focus heavily on leaders and pastors within churches we are learning here that more and more, Jesus is desiring for the leaders to be transparent with God and with people, confessing their weaknesses and sin, and continuing to point people to God, point people to Jesus...who is the perfect one.  If leaders don’t have the heart to serve God and His people, then they are not...we are not...God’s chosen leaders.

We desire and try all to often (even myself right now as I type) to draw attention to ourselves to receive glory and edification from one another...and though encouragement isn’t bad in and of itself...the state of our hearts and pride give way to ourselves preventing God from receiving the glory that He deserves...why?  because we stand in the way...soaking up what was, is, and always will be intended for him.


A message in itself, whether from the word, or divine revelation in and of itself may not get “the job done”.  I feel that we here at Cornerstone Tokyo are coming to a greater realization of the need as believers for the Father to give us here in Japan an outpouring of the power of the Holy Spirit.  As believers we are sealed with the Holy Spirit upon our faith in Jesus, but the baptism and power of the Holy Spirit which the world so desperately needs is something we believe we need to ask for, seek, and knock on God’s door for.

May God correct our mistakes and the direction in which we walk...but for God to truly receive glory in this world...it has to not only be our own faith...and our own power that does the will of God...but God’s power and Spirit himself.  


Even as followers of Christ...we must seek to see Jesus receive glory and not ourselves.  I don’t believe this to be false humility...because to walk in that (“false” humility) we must first understand what true humility is...and I at least speak for myself when I say this, but I don’t think we truly understand the meaning of this true humility yet...and as such let’s pray that we would come to understand and walk in true humility as sons and daughters, servants, and friends of God...




Glory to your name Jesus.

6 weeks and counting...

Hey there family and friends.

It’s been just over 6 weeks since I arrived back in Japan.  The first couple of weeks I just couldn’t get the smile off my face...I really missed Japan and was so glad to be back.

I’m currently typing this from a spot close to where I used to live, just on a river in a city I now also live in called Higashi-Kurume.  There is something special about this town.  It’s got a real family vibe to it.  There are some paddocks amidst some bulk housing/flats and also new and older style homes.  Love the sound of the flowing water over rocks. :^)

One thing I really missed about Japan was the people and lifestyle.  I enjoyed the sense of honor that there seemed to be here as well as how smoothly life seemed to run.  This includes the transport system, restaurants, and just about any other aspect of practical living.

As the weeks have rolled on, I have found that I have had the opportunity to minister to people and be ministered to.  I believe that Jesus is teaching me a lot about dependance on the Holy Spirit, humility and how all the glory truly does belong to him.

I do apologize that I have not been keeping people updated on my time here in Japan.  I’m in the phase of looking for work and as such still feel that I am in a transition phase, so prayer for God’s wisdom, guidance, and my adherence to his leading would be much appreciated.

Whilst here in Japan I have felt God reveal to me the importance of love in his Church.  God has led me to partner with some people in a relatively new church in Tokyo/Ikebukuro called Cornerstone Tokyo. (Above you'll see a video inviting people to our Christmas Party)

Here at this church upon my first visit I found the rawness of emotion and desire to know God quite refreshing.  There did not seem to be “one person” who had all the answers but instead a realization of our need to know and be led by “the one” who is the answer...Jesus.

Prayer would be appreciated for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit here in Japan.  I feel, as well as a number of others here, that Japan is in desperate need for the Holy Spirit to have his way, rather than man’s seemingly good intentioned way.

The cry of our hearts is for more of his presence, more of his power...more of his love to come and invade our lives, the very lives of his body and his church.

We want no man to receive glory for this work, the work of his Spirit, but instead, the one to whom all glory belongs.  Even as I type, I believe the Spirit is saying, more glory, more glory, more glory to whom the glory is due...Jesus...King Jesus.

Thank you for being vessels of Gods transforming power and love over the past few years to me...let’s keep praying, and confessing our need for the life giving power and work of Jesus in the lives of those in our lives.   Let no glory fall on us, and may God be rid of any desire we have of such glory.

I pray God’s peace and presence guide us and teach us daily as we walk with him.

Tri.