To prepare for revival

Pastor Paul Yumino

 

　No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

(Romans chapter 8 verse 37)

 

In the beginning

 

Christians are promised to be able to walk as overwhelming winner through this word. "In all these things" is, trouble, hardship and persecution, and so on., that is trying to separate us from Christ's Love as is written in verse 35. Certainly, most Christians leave God with making complaints, being despondent and not being able to endure before they see the victory when problems happens. But the word is truth. We can certainly see the victory through our life and in our service unto God. The secret comes from Jesus Christ who loves us in His words, as we see in the Bible. If Jesus works, we can see overwhelming victory. The era is moving considerably to the end. In that time, the point that we become winner is thanksgiving and praise, and to pray, listen and obey him.

 

The end of the time is drawing near.

 

God named winter camp held in our church "Hakuba Snargoy Camp". Snargoy means co-worker Greek, and Hakuba means white horse to take big victory that shows up in Revelation Chapter 6. God showed us that building up co-worker toward the revival in the end times.

And God named America dispatch in the end of March that have a Seminar of Mr. Marlin Carothers who is famous with thanks and worship "Thanks, Worship and Revival Camp". Through this team, we learned a lot about thanks and worship, and things about revival were opened. Through changing name in this time, I feel strongly the revival is drawing near.

It is written in Matthew capter 24 verse 7 to 8. "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." This is a word that Jesus Christ told to His disciples when they asked Him to teach the sign of the end of the time.

In recent years, earthquakes occur in the world. The Big earthquake in the East Japan occurred the time immediately after Hakuba Snargoy Camp in this time. God showed us the East Japan big earthquake is the beginning of birth. Then, He showed us that we will have difficulties. That's why I feel that it has big meaning to have "Thanks, Worship and Revival Camp".

This devastating earthquake is happened a huge earth quake no one imagine. Tsunami attacked covering a wide area. And then, radioactive contamination problem through nuclear power plant destruction occurred. It is like to see one side in the various situations written in Revelation.

God controls all things. Nothing is happened by accident. God told us certainly in the end of the time, and the revival in the end times is drawing near through these things.

 

To thank to all things

 

With those things, as it is written (Matthew capter 24 verse 9), "Then you will be handed over to ne persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.", persecution against Christian is occurred in the end of the time. For the preparation, God gives us the learning of thanks and worship many times to guide us to Mr. Marlin who is a caliber of thanks and worship. When problems and difficulties is allowed, the necessary things to us, Christians, is to take a religious corresponding.. In those things, the Lord told that there is a big point to thanks especially as it is written in the Bible, "give thanks to all circumstances," (1Thessaloninas chapter 5 verse 18).

We can thank to good things, but to thank to difficulty situations and to be allowed problems is not easy. It is because mutter goes out first because humans are sinners. Even Mr. Marlin who is world caliber said daily training is necessary. Needless to say, the daily training is necessary to us. And because God loves us, He gives the training to build up each of us.

Some days ago, a battery of my cell phone, iPhone, I am using, suddenly didn't turn on. It is not soak in water or drop it. It didn't run any more. I tried all thinkable way to reset and plug into battery cable, but it didn't move any more. At night, I showed it to church's young people that they are good to be said as iPhone enthusiast. They tried to keep few days kindly, and repair in their discussion.

But the result is difficult to repair. They gave me some advice kindly, "It needs to request repair to bring it to Softbank even the cost is high.", or "You just pay the contract deposit until 2 years contract is finished.", and so on. It is quite shocked honestly. It is regrettable to pay contract deposit while I can't use. I didn't nothing to break. I think it is ridiculous to pay high repair cost. Anyway, I went home to keep thanks with my wife together.

After we got home, we thank to God from our heart together, and dance with joy from our heart because no one watch us. After we dance until we are given peace to our heart, I turned on again to bring it to Sonfbank anyway to prepaid. Then it moved! We are so surprised. However, the date was 1st of January on 1970. I felt what it means. But I could understand soon.

God knows that I was electric engineer. He showed us it was really broken. God has nothing to impossible. Probably, I just thought that it is good to to bring Softbank after we pray in short time when I work in a company and have suitable salary. But when we have difficulties and problems, we can see God's great work after we take religious act because we know God has God's plan after the act, and work for that. It is important to thank to God even it is small things in daily walk. God gives us training to prepare for difficulties era it will be happened. We can't neglect daily training.

To believe God's word and obey

Some days ago, I join in "thanks and worship, revival camp", I could attend on Mr. Merlin Carothers's seminar. I was told a lot of things in the seminar. There was a very interesting testimony.

Mr. Merlin was born in August. He is always slow to run during elementary and junior high school. He also couldn't study well. It is because America starts a new school term from September. It is because to be born in August is late in growth side very much. I also thought, Japanese new school term is April, I that was born in February was always last in footrace in the sports day until elementary school 3rd year. I always thought that I want to be absent school in any reason. Mr. Marlin thought that God didn't do anything while he is child. After he enter the seminary school, the inferiority complex is continued. The person who is world caliber was like this person is very consoled and encouraged.

But after he became military chaplain, God told him "you can do everything..". He was told that he can do everything as it is written in words if he believe God's words and act even about the things that he can't talk well and write well. He was pressed why you don7t believe God's words. It is written in the Bible like this. "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians chapter 4 verse 13)

Then actually he believe the word, and go out to town, talk about Jesus. A church's pastor was listening, and felt he really believe in God's word. A pastor invite to church. After that, he started to be invited to many places one after another. It is difficult to imagine from present Mr. Merlin. He is good at speaking and writing like published 19 millions books all over the world. This book is written in easily that everyone can understand and sentences in getting his ideas in shape well. But the first is the opposite. The opposite drama start after he believe God's word and obey what God said.

Just after I became a pastor, I got to know with athlete Hosey in Yakult Swallows at the time. One day, God told me to have crusade with athlete Hosey at Yokohama park where there is Yokohama Stadium. I was not suited for speaking in public by nature. That's why I thought that it is too early to have massage outside and I can't do it for me simply. But God is told me many times. So, I took the revelation and believe God worked. Then, I keep praying "Please take responsibility, God." and finally, I decide to obey God's revelation. The conformation is taken from Hosey, then when I start to worship where there is stairs stage beside Yokohama stadium during many people pass this way. A cheering party of Yokohama BayStars said to me what you do in such a place. I couldn't say this is a mission meeting . I said this is Hosey's story. Then they said in anger about speaking about Yakult athlete, but story about Hosey is specially allowed. So it becomes O.K.. But those people were listening in all the time to keep staying there. From these things, more and more, a uneasiness feeling is coming to me of fear and I can't speak mission message. But I change my mind that God send us. After athlete Hosey speake his testimony, I start to speak God's good news. Then, what is happened. I could speak in loud voice freely. I kept speaking with feeling God is working.. And I invite to receive Jesus, 30 people in 200 people come forward, then could pray for confession.. I praise the Lord. When we obey to the Lord, God use such like me and show God's overwhelmingly victory. God work comes from God work with God rather than our power.

If we don't have our power, God governs all, and can do everything. It is not good to decide things by our standard and judgment. When we believe God's word and obey, we can do everything. Because there is God's hand. God works for it.

 

We see God's work from now on.

 

　At the end of the times, God certainly shows us great mowing (revival) that God promised. God has plan to use us for the big work . Each of us is the things belonging to God's country, as it is written in "But our citizenship is in heaven."(Philippians chapter 3 verse 20). Now, we are send to each places from the place by basement of God's plan . We need to fulfill the mission that God gives us. That is to expand God's contry.

We are looking to God's overwhelmingly victory when we thank all things even if we are allowed any situation and problems in fulfilling the work . Also when we listen and obey God's word, God's plans are fulfilled because God works. It does not relate on our ability and social competence.

Towards the end of times, God certainly use us. For that, He leads training more thanks and praying, listen and obey. Now is important time for preparation. Let us take this training faithfully. God has plan to show revival, God's great plan that we haven't experienced yet, through us.

　 Certainly, God's overwhelmingly victory is appeared.

 

(Reprinted by monthly publication "Rainbow in the Clouds" June, 2001)