Study the honor and glory of your Master.

"Misemployment of time is injurious to the mind. In illness I have looked back with self-reproach on days spent in my study; I was wading through history and poetry and monthly journals, but I was in my study! Another man's trifling is notorious to all observers, but what am I doing? Nothing, perhaps, that has reference to the spiritual good of my congregation. Be much in retirement and prayer. Study the honor and glory of your Master." Richard Cecil

Communion on the Moon: July 20th, 1969

Forty years ago today two human beings changed history by walking on the surface of the moon.....　Buzz Aldrin took communion on the surface of the moon.....

Aldrin was an elder at his Presbyterian Church in Texas during this period in his life, and knowing that he would soon be doing something unprecedented in human history, he felt he should mark the occasion somehow, and he asked his pastor to help him. So the pastor consecrated a communion wafer and a small vial of communion wine. Aldrin took them with him out of the Earth's orbit and on to the surface of the moon.

He and Armstrong had only been on the lunar surface for a few minutes when Aldrin made the following public statement: "This is the LM pilot. I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way." He then ended radio communication and there, on the silent surface of the moon, 250,000 miles from home, he read a verse from the Gospel of John, and he took communion.

Here is his own account of what happened: "In the radio blackout, I opened the little plastic packages which contained the bread and the wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine slowly curled and gracefully came up the side of the cup. Then I read the Scripture, 'I am the vine, you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit... Apart from me you can do nothing.'

I had intended to read my communion passage back to earth, but at the last minute [they] had requested that I not do this. NASA was already embroiled in a legal battle with Madelyn Murray O'Hare, the celebrated opponent of religion, over the Apollo 8 crew reading from Genesis while orbiting the moon at Christmas. I agreed reluctantly. I ate the tiny Host and swallowed the wine. I gave thanks for the intelligence and spirit that had brought two young pilots to the Sea of Tranquility.

It was interesting for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the very first food eaten there, were the communion element And of course, it's interesting to think that some of the first words spoken on the moon were the words of Jesus Christ, who made the Earth and the moon- and Who is Himself the "Love that moves the Sun and other stars."

* I have not verified this story. However, in all places and at all times, even without the bread and wine, our heart's desire is to Remember Christ.

The Journey 6

December 21st, after two weeks of flying and driving, we finally got to be with family in Petoskey, MI- not far from Canada.

The kids had never seen so much snow.

I think I enjoyed most visiting the elderly folks with Dad and preaching a simple gospel message.

At Trinity Church we enjoyed a Christmas Eve service with our extended family.

On Christmas day we all enjoyed opening presents. Here's my wife Naho.

Sunday, the 27th, we again worshiped at Trinity. Our kids are here with Grandma who is the Bible teacher.

* More picts from Petoskey soon.

He’d always want the right thing

“A perfect man would never act from a sense of duty; he’d always want the right thing more than the wrong one. Duty is only a substitute for love (of God and of other people) like a crutch which is a substitute for a leg. Most of us need the crutch at times; but of course it is idiotic to use the crutch when our own legs (our own loves, tastes, habits etc.) can do the journey on their own.” 　C.S. Lewis

The affection of the gospel

"A moralist will be unsuccessful in trying to displace his love of the world by reviewing the ills of the world. Misplaced affections need to be replaced by the far greater power of the affection of the gospel." Thomas Chalmers

*This quote is take from the sermon The Expulsive Power of a New Affection. Please read the full sermon. What grace!

Valentine’s Day Worship

We had a good Valentine's Day worship, Feb, 14th. Enjoy the picts.

Naho (my wife) taking coffee orders.

Easter serving Rodney.

Professor Hamajima gave a good message on Christ's love.

We had people from the U.S., Philippines and of course Japan. We also had Baptist, Charismatics, Catholics and Presbyterians. This is probably what heaven is like.

No idol more debasing than the worship of money.

“Man must have an idol- The amassing of wealth is one the worst species of idolatry. No idol more debasing than the worship of money. Whatever I engage in I must push inordinately therefore should I be careful to choose the life which will be the most elevating in character. To continue much longer overwhelmed by business cares and with most of my thoughts wholly upon the way to make more money in the shortest time, must degrade me beyond the hope of permanent recovery. I will resign business at thirty five, but during the ensuing two years, I wish to spend the afternoons in securing instruction, and reading systematically.” 　Andrew Carnegie

* Pastor Tim Keller’s comment: ”Andrew Carnegie knew that money was an idol in his heart, but he didn’t know how to root it out. It can’t be removed, only replaced. It must be supplanted by the one who, though rich, became poor, so that we might be truly rich.”

‘the era of crisis.’

The leaders of the Japanese church call this present time in Japan ‘the era of crisis.’ After 150 years with the Protestant church in Japan and now 6o years after World War 2, the believers in Japan are a mere 0.5%. Only a total of 600,000 worshippers. {It is said that our neighbor Korea is at 30%.}

The Christian population in the outlying areas is at a much lower percentage. The Japanese church is getting older. There are fewer middle age to younger age believers. There are even fewer from the youngest ages- high school and younger.

Pastor Toshio Murase of the Japan Presbyterian Church asks this very urgent question. “If we maintain this trend what will become of the Japanese church?”

The problems is not with the gospel of Christ. Pastor Murase wisely points out that we must appeal to the ‘felt needs’ of the people. In this difficult era there are bound to be many people seeking help and salvation. However, Is the Japanese church a refuge?

He gives the most appropriate answer. “Isn’t the answer in the glory of the gospel itself?” In the preaching of gospel, there is forgiveness of sins, eternal life and son-ship. The church that simply receives and proclaims this gospel is thankful for this abundant grace. Thus it is full of joy and love. This is the answer the one seeking salvation is looking for.

He concludes with John 13:34: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” We are to carve into our hearts and obey the command of Christ who is the source of the gospel.

Pict: The picture is of Abundant Life Church, Nagano, Japan. My parents started it, then I followed them for a few years. Now my brother Jon is continuing the work. It is an up hill battle there too.

Recreation to a minister.....

"Recreation to a minister must be as whetting is with the mower -- that is, to be used only so far as is necessary for his work. May a physician in plague-time take any more relaxation or recreation than is necessary for his life, when so many are expecting his help in a case of life and death? Will you stand by and see sinners gasping under the pangs of death, and say: 'God doth not require me to make myself a drudge to save them'? Is this the voice of ministerial or Christian compassion or rather of sensual laziness and diabolical cruelty."

Richard Baxter

It begins to kill off the addiction

“When we believe in what he accomplished for us with our minds, and when we are moved by what he did for us in our hearts, it begins to kill off the addiction, the need for success at all costs.” Tim Keller

It takes a community of faith

“No one Christian can himself or herself adequately reflect Jesus Christ. It takes a community of faith...” Gene Getz

The Journey 5

We returned to Waterford, Mi. This is my mother's place of birth. Even though my real 'home town' is Matsumoto, Japan, my 'home town' in the States is Waterford.

Dec. 18th, we met the Mr. & Mrs. Movius. They often pray for us.

Then we had lunch with the Gibsons. Five years ago, they let us stay in their home for 2 weeks, he was our children's doctor and she took Naho shopping at Costco (and payed the bill).

The 19th, Naho enjoyed shopping at Great Lakes Mall and then we all enjoyed the rides afterwards.

We 'walked through Bethlehem' with the Johns (above left) at Waterford Church and then enjoyed some steak with them.

The 20th, we enjoyed worship at Marimont Church with the Terbushes- our gracious hosts. We were also able to share our ministry in Japan with one of the adult Bible classes.

We also enjoyed a special time with the Powells our relatives. Uncle Ernie and Aunt Ann (above), Susie and Sean and also Pattie, Todd and family. In the past, the Powells graciously let me stays with them for nearly 3 years. Thanks!

To err is human, to forgive divine

"To err is human, to forgive divine." Abraham Lincoln

“On one occasion, the Sanitary Commission of New York sent Tad (Lincoln) a soldier doll, which he named ‘Jack.’ The doll was dressed in Zouave uniform. Sadly, Jack had unfortunate character traits, causing the boys to have to frequently court-martial him- for sleeping at his post, or desertion, or some other crime- always sentencing him to be shot at sunrise. Tad, with his toy cannon, would act as firing squad. Afterward the dishonored Jack would be buried, undeservedly, with full military honors, in the White House rose garden.

One day, Julia (Taft, friend of the Lincoln’s children) was in Mrs. Lincoln’s room when ‘a strange and dreadful sound came through the window.’

‘What is that noise, Julia?’ Mrs. Lincoln asked her.

‘It’s probably the “dead march,”’ Julia answered. ‘I suppose the boys are burying Jack again.’

Mrs. Lincoln told Julia to hurry out and tell the boys to cease, as it would kill the roses. She obeyed, even though she knew that previous warnings hadn’t worked. Outside, Julia found a band of ‘a broken-down fiddle, a dented horn, a paper over a comb, and Tad’s drum.’ The irate gardener, Major Watt, arrived on the scene. Desperate for the survival of his precious roses, inspiration came to him: ‘Why don’t you boys get Jack pardoned?’

The boys felt this was a capital idea, and ran upstairs, Julia vainly trying to keep them from interrupting the president. John hay had no better luck stopping them. Hearing all the commotion outside his office, Lincoln came out to see what the trouble was. After hearing Tad’s request, the president told Tad that pardons weren’t granted without a hearing, and it was up to them to tell him why Jack deserved a pardon.

Tad characteristically delivered his argument in a rush of words. Almost everyday, he said, they tried Jack for being a spy or deserter or something and then they shot him and buried him and Julia said it spoiled his clothes and Major Watt said it dug up his roses so they thought they should get Pa to fix up a pardon.

The president considered these facts with due gravity and then told Tad he thought he’d made a case. It was a good law, he said, that no man shall twice be put in jeopardy of his life for the same offense. Since Jack had been shot and buried a dozen times, he was entitled to a pardon. He turned to his desk, on which so many pardons were to be signed, and wrote on his official paper: ‘The Doll Jack is pardoned by order of the President A. Lincoln.’

And so poor Jack was saved from execution. However, it is sad to relate that even the presidential pardon failed to reform the incorrigible Jack. In less than a week, he was again convicted of being a spy. This time, however, they decided he should be hanged from a tree in the Taft garden.”

Ruth Painter Randall, Lincoln’s Sons