To give thanksgiving to God, and listen and obey to God is key for victory

David Maeda

 

Follow through faith

 

The Lord said to Abram. “You leave your birthplace and your father’s house and go to the land I show you. Then I make you great nation and bless you, and make your name great. Your name became blessing. I bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All races on earth is blessed through you. Abram left as the Lord said to him. (Genesis 12 : 1-4)

Abram left accustomed Haran land, and started on a trip to promise land, Canaan in spite of advanced age, 75 years old when he received God’s word. He went through perseverance, but fear God to the end. As a result of obeying, he could see fulfillment what God told.

In Bible, starting from Abraham, here are a lot of written stories for vessels who take great blessings from God. Noah, Moses, Elijah, Gideon, etc. God showed His great work through them and revealed the glory. Some people may think that they are used because God select them as special vessels. Certainly, they are vessels that God select. But when we see the Bible, we notice the reason which they are used (or select). It is that they are vessels which chose to obey words God told through faith.

God has the best plan and way to each of us. But if we walk on the prepared way to see fulfillment of the plan, we need to pray to God and receive God’s word, and accept the word which told from God through faith, and chose to obey through faith. If we don’t obey the way even we receive the word from God, we may leave from God’s special blessing. God hope that we step forth our faith.

 

Change to Tokyo

 

Through God’s blessing, I passed about ten years as pastor. A few years ago, when I was entrusted the work of pastor in Kobe, unexpected thing is showed from God. It is to move to Tokyo Antioch Church, which is center church of our church.

But the work in Kobe is blessed, and it cost serious to move with five children. I put about the change at corner of my head, and pray to be able to obey when the time of God comes. However, when my wife and I had time to pray together at Nagasaki on February, 2007, soon after that, we are told by God with word “The Lord needs you.” And prophecy “The time is close to move to Tokyo.” When we go back to home with thinking about those things, an absentee notice of registered letter is reached. The received letter is from the owner of a rented house, and content is like this. “Now as my daughter will marry, and I think to live her in this house. For that purpose, I am sorry to vacate you in three months.”

When I watch this, I am so surprised “I have never heard such a ridiculous thing!” But this is just after God voice, and pray, then I noticed that there is God’s had behind this.

However that may be, my daughter, first child, is third year of junior high school in this time. It seems to be impossible to move this time reality. But she has a dream. It is to be professional saxophone player, and to tell the gospel through performance and testimony to a lot of people.

In a morning, she asks a confirmation to God. “If it is your plan to me to dream of becoming professional saxophone player, not to go to high school, please show rainbow.” And, what she should do but decide to select to dream to be professional, not to go on to high school as she watch big rainbow she had never watched before on the way to school. And about the family finances which our most real bottleneck, it is solved first by back of all deposit, etc. at the time of entering this house because of the reason of owner of a rented house, and help from many people. It had been realized to move to Tokyo at May of the year.

And I was given ordination as the 20 th pastor of Tokyo Antioch Church. I live a greatly full life in the work on church music section with the church service. Also, after the moving, God works for 7 classmates of my children to believe Jesus Christ as their savior till now.

On my first child, she starts a part-time job, and help family budget, and apply herself to her daily prayer and saxophone practice.

One day, it is opened a miraculous encounter with professional saxophone player who acts at the front, whom she is attracted from junior high school student. Also she had grace to receive her direct lesson, and is considered her talent. Then, she starts to be given grace to appear on the stage of live house of Blue note where just the front prayer can stand on as one of saxophone quartet. She steps forth to dream with keeping to receive prayer answer one after another.

On a plan that God prepared for us, which seems impossible to move to Tokyo at first, we could steps forth the faithful foot in God’s grace hand. We step forth to revival with receiving new training.

 

To give thanksgiving to God about all things

 

To obey God voice is our blessed basement, and it is very important thing to see the fulfillment of God’s plan through the act of faith.

God gives us his talks through many ways. One time, he talks concretely through prophecy, and so on. In this case, on examination certainly, if you confirm it from God, let us take hold the words and obey the words. And the central point to receive God’s words for us is the words from Bible. Through the words from Bible, God talks to us directly as rhema specially. But the word from Bible is true words without mistake. So, we can receive the words as logos and respond, then we can know the truth of words and receive blessings.

On 1 Thessalonians 5 : 18, it says “ give thanksgiving to God on all circumstances”. “All” means good thing and to see bad. God hope to us to give thanksgiving to God all things. Why does God hope to us to do such a thing?

God says to teach beloved child a lesson (Hebrew 12 : 6). That means Christians come together with trial and hardship. But it is things for us to rely on to God. It is forgiven to build up our faith. And God prepares way to escape with trials together (1 Corinthians 10 : 13). God is the one just do best. So if you think it worst situation first, we need to know God’s hand behind it. So, we give thanksgiving to God on all things.

Through to give thanksgiving to God, we know things to see worst is prologue to reveal God’s glory, and through giviing thanksgiving to God, we can see victory prepared by God.

 

Allowed trials

 

It is when my wife is carrying our 5 th children. During driving, she said to me. “Do you know my wallet?” Of course I don’t know. We couldn’t find it from our car. There were already no wallet at places where we think to lost.

Usually, we don’t put lots money in wallet, but the time was a large amount of money for rent before pay, and so on. We think we are in trouble. But I obey the words “to give thanksgiving to God all things”, and we could give thanksgiving to God. But just before we lost wallet, we bought cheap chicken western food box,we leave small regret we are better to choose expensive sukiyaki or stake food box.

But two weeks later. Our family live in North Kyushu, and we went to TLCCC God’s servant Nagasaki church every week. There were at Nagasaki city where away from our house. At the day, I wrote a testimony for monthly issue “The Appearance of a Rainbow in the Clouds” at house of church member after Sunday service. And at next day, it is when we are going to back home after also attending Monday service. My wife said to me again. “Do you know my wallet?” What is happened! My wife lost her wallet at two times in this two week. In that time, I regretfully forget to give thanksgiving to God, and I am disappointed and surprised, then reproach her.

And we couldn’t use expressway. So we go home to use a national highway. When we are almost middle distance to home, I came to through her scream. A white light truck crossed in front of me. I jam on the brakes and turn the handle as possible as I can. But it is impossible to avoid and we collided. The accident cause is my ignoring a traffic light. I keep driving in being disappointed and didn’t notice a red light, and didn’t reduce the speed, and enter the crossing.

The car of the other party had heavy damage, but the driver had a small damage on neck. I had a full feeling to apologize and to apologize earnestly, but think “Why does God allow happen such a thing?” and be disappointed moreover.

 

Give thanksgiving to God

 

After a short while, police officer came for inspection the accident He asks me “Where did you go?”and I answer “it is Nagasaki.” Then he asked me “What for?” and I answer “To woship God.”

Then police officer said like this. “Are you Christian? Then give thanksgiving to God. Usually, crossing accident from ignoring a traffic light and no brake is normal to be accidental death, but you are in this level. Maybe your God helps you. So, give thanksgiving to God.”

When I heard this word, it is like to have the scales fall from my eyes. In a situation that I feel worst, God flashed across my mind to give thanksgiving to God through police officer.

I repent to mutter and bewail till the time, and give thanksgiving to God on all things which is allowed. The front of my car was totally damaged, but it possible to drive fortunately. We keep to go back to home in the situation. In the car, when we worship God with praise with thanksgiving to God with family, we just could know to be loved by God. It is wonder for us to be given peaceful feelings.

When I call to insurance company, in this accident case, I am 100% bad and should keep my license suspended and certainly pay a 150 – 300 thousand yen penalty. So I was told to prepare it. In that time, I work to drive a car. So, I think that it became harder. But I entrust it to God, and keep giving thanksgiving to God everyday. In those days, God give me His words. It is that “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.(Romans 8 : 28 ).

I took hold the words, and keep praying to ask God’s best solution with giving thanksgiving to God moreover. Then, for a while, I noticed a strange thing. It is that I don’t have summons from police for long time. So, I decide to change prayer boldly to “I hope that the penalty become cheaper and cheaper and license suspended become shorter and shorter.” and “Please help me not to pay any one yen penalty and not to be reduced any one point score!” After who months from the accident, I received notice from insurance company. It is written that “All things were done in all insurance for both car repair cost, also the other party’s treatment cost, and so on. God answers my prayer and give me solution without lose any one point. Also, God gives me more finances than we lost after that.

Through this accident, I could experience through myself the thing that God makes all things benefit when we give thanksgiving to God.

To give thanksgiving to God and to listen and obey to God voice, it is important key for us to receive God’s grace and blessings. Also it is indispensable things for us, Christian’s walk, to face the end of time. Please pray and ask God’s words, and obey the God’s words which given to you, and use perseverance like Abraham, and keep rely on to God. Let us wait with hope till the time of God’s words. Let us watch God great victory together that God gives us to use weapon those are thanksgiving to God, and listen and obey God.

 

(Reprinted from monthly publication “The Appearance of a Rainbow in the Clouds” on September 2010)