Life

Here’s a few things God is showing me lately and teaching me….they’re not fully formed and I think God wants to teach me more layers but I wanted to go ahead and share because I’ve been really encouraged:

Two passages I’ve been looking at are James 1:19-20, 26 and Deuteronomy 30.

James
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

Deuteronomy 30:6-9, 11, 14, 20
The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands …

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

I lose my temper and am impatient often; I’m grieved by how often.  In the past, I lowered the expectation as to how often I would lose my temper thinking ‘be holy, as I am holy’ was out of my reach.

But I have been challenged by several things in these passages. One – Religion that is valuable is one that affects my actions. Two – My anger does not accomplish what I wish; it is only destructive.

But what I found most encouraging in these passages is this: what God commands is not too difficult for me. He has already provided what I need to meet the expectation! And in these two passages, it became clear to me the ‘how’ of obeying: humbly accept the word planted in you AND the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

It’s funny how something so basic to our faith can suddenly seem so fresh and new. But the importance of knowing the Word and really believing it so that I do it feels very apparent from these verses.

And the final thought I had as I read Deuteronomy is this : in obedience is life. Over and over again, God says ‘obey me.  You live!  You prosper!  You’re blessed! OR if you don’t obey me, if you don’t love me, if you don’t follow my commands there is death, curses, destruction.’  I just feel God’s heart pleading with the Israelites (and us) to obey him, to do what He asks.  Because in Him we have life: Genuine, vibrant, joyful life!

Danielle

Fragrance of Christ

Let me start by saying that being able to share the gospel with someone is always exhilarating.  For me, there’s the usual nervousness beforehand coupled with a desire to not make the appointment (seriously) due to various practical reasons that seem daunting.  But I recognize these signs as being a ‘jar of clay’ that makes it apparent God is the one working, not me.

So today I had an appointment to do a bible study with a friend.  I experienced the usual emotions, even hoping at one point it would get cancelled so that I could have a relaxed day with the kiddos.  But it turned out to be one of the most glorious experiences in sharing the gospel I’ve had to date!

Instead of doing the lesson plan I had intended, my friend asked to go over the same verse we did last week, John 3:16.  I said ‘Awesome!’  So we began going through it, with me attempting to use the One Verse Evangelism approach (I’m still learning so it was choppy).  

The format is looking at one verse, asking 7 questions and letting these questions lead you through the gospel by finding the answers in the verse.  As I was asking ‘Who do you think Jesus is?’ Mattie exuberantly says, “He’s the King!”  I was surprised by this answer (although princesses have been THE subject at our house so we’ve been attempting to use this as a way to point her to Christ).  Later Mattie said “Jesus died for our sins.”  I said ‘Yeah.  We’ve all sinned (or something like it)’ and Mattie followed up with ‘for my sins, Mommy’s sins, our friend’s sins, Daddy’s sins, Ben’s sins.’  

Words cannot express how incredible it was to feel that Mattie and I were getting to share God’s truth together.  I was so surprised with how much she was able to say and the parts of the gospel she comprehends.  How awesome to see God pursuing her heart.

So at the end of the verse, I asked my friend what she thought.  She said I do believe this, but I need more knowledge.  So I tried to encourage her that the only belief needed is in Christ’s work on the cross and His resurrection but also that I’d love to keep studying!  I then asked on a scale of 0-100%, where was she at in this?  She said 80%.  Let me add that when we first hung out, I was asking her interest level in religion.  She said not really at all.  Consequently, I marked her on my ‘not interested’ list but kept hanging out with her because I genuinely enjoyed being with her and her English is great!

Later during our time, I asked her what her husband thought of her studying the Bible.  She said he’d like to study the Bible but is very busy.  As a typical Japanese ‘salaryman’, he works from 8a to about 10 or 11p each weekday.  I mentioned the possibility of David meeting her husband at his workplace and studying during his lunch hour; she said that’d be good.  One of the things we’ve been asking God for is to save households in Japan.  Seems like God is moving that way!

One last thing 🙂  The verse in 2 Corinthians 2 says But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life” feels very appropriate for this friend.  I have continually done things that are culturally insensitive and yet she still wants to hang out with me!  

As examples, in our time the other day alone, I forgot to asked if she wanted a drink until she’d been in our home for at least a half hour and then I warmed up water but forgot to make the tea for another half hour.  Yay for lukewarm tea!  Then in making lunch, I forgot to turn the rice maker on so rice was ready 15 minutes after we began lunch (stir fry which rice is pretty essential).  And finally, I initially gave her a fork to eat lunch with.  Hi.  We’re in Japan.  After realizing my mistake, I offered chopsticks.

My experience reminded me of this: God wants to save people.  He chooses to use us.  And regardless of how skilled or ‘with it’ we are, people can be brought to the knowledge of Him!  We ARE the fragrance of Christ.  Its a given…for those who are being saved.

A Bicycle!

Ever since coming to Japan, Mattie has been excited about riding a bike.  She often points at them as people ride past us.  She often wants to go look at the bikes in the parking area, particularly the pink ones, and just stare at them.  She also frequently says, ‘I ride a bike when I get older.’

David and I were talking about getting one for her, perhaps for Christmas.  But last week, a new friend (Maki), sent an email to me asking if I would like to take a tricycle that her girls no longer used.  I excitedly wrote back, ‘yes!’  Today Maki brought the bike over.

Mattie was so excited!  We took it outside and she loved pedaling with her feet on the ground, she couldn’t quite figure the pedals out yet.  She had a hard time coming back inside for lunch and after lunch wanted to go back out.  Later in the day she just sat on her bike in our entryway, pretending to ride.

Its always fun when God gives David or I gifts but seeing Him do things like this for our kids is especially sweet.