Hidden Myths and Unknown Expectations

Until I reached this age in my life I never realized the hidden myths and unknown expectations that were buried beneath my conscious level of thinking. I guess growing up in America when I did caused this “myth” to be implanted in my subconscious. The Myth was “when your children turn 18 or 21 (or complete school) the parent is free of responsibility.” I don’t know where I got that. I guess I heard over and over that when you finish high school or college you are old enough to be on your own and you should get a job and support yourself financially. I imagined that the mother and father were then free to concentrate on their latter years with utter disregard for their progeny who were now successfully weaned and independent. If you still think my “myth” is true, wait a few years.

Only very recently have I realized I had an expectation that had never surfaced. I really felt, or anticipated, that at this point in my life (age 57 and married for 36 years) I would be financially secure and set for my senior years. At an even deeper level I think I felt that I would also be independent in that I no longer had to trust God for my “daily bread.” “Give us our daily bread,” was for young people just starting out—not for educated people with good jobs and successful careers. That sounds terrible when you write it down. Theologically I would have agreed you will always have to acknowledge God in all things and not lean on your own understanding and prowess. But that wasn’t the reality at the core of my subconscious.

Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” The Greek word for truth, alethia, can be translated, “that which is real.” Only when we see what is truly real can we be set free. More than at any time in my life I have to pray and exercise faith when I pray “give us this day our daily bread.” I, my wife, and our family are more dependent on the goodness of God now than at any point in our lives. With my mind I know this is a good place to be but my will and emotions still get really shaky some days! All too often I feel like the man with the demon possessed mute son when Jesus told him, " 'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief."

I do believe and have enough experience to back up my belief. So, I shouldn't need to ask God to "help my unbelief" so often--but I do! I also need to ask the Holy Spirit to search me and reveal any more "hidden myths" and "unknown expectations."

Cars & Kiwis: Victory in the End

The afternoon of the big earthquake in Shizuoka Sarah and Ako were on their way to Children's Hospital to visit one of our babies there when a van ran coming out of a side street ran the stop sign and plowed into their car. I rushed to the scene and took Sarah to the emergency room. She had been knocked out for a few seconds and does not remember what happened. She was fine and still is. However, our car was severely damaged.

After weeks almost 2 months of hassling our 2 insurance companies have still not reached a settlement. We are hoping they will pay 80% of the repair cost. Without our go-ahead to repair the old car, it got repaired. Without knowing this, we signed all the papers with our old friend to purchase a very nice 8 year old Nissan Station wagon. So, we have bills now on two cars. If the insurance company pays the 80% we still need about $6,500 to pay off all the cars. [We've been trying to sell our repaired car but so far NO one is interested.] BUT, based on years of trusting the Lord in many unexpected situations we have learned to expect this to be a blessing (in the end) and not a disaster. Like Joseph told his brothers in Egypt, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result..." (Gen.50:20)

When we first moved into our church’s present location we had a kiwi orchard behind the church. One day the owner complained that some of the church boys had "destroyed his crop" and demanded that we "buy his entire harvest of kiwis." This was totally absurd but he insisted. We learned that some of the boys had shot holes in the leaves of 1 tree with rubber bands. The farmer pitched such a fit that we purchased his entire harvest just to keep up good relationships in the neighborhood (this is the Japanese way--or maybe the Asian way--whoever screams the loudest, the longest, gets his way).

One of our members who grew up in the neighborhood told his father what happened. His father remarked, "I'm not surprised. His father was a crook before him."

However, since we serve a Great God who causes all things to work together for our good we actually came out ahead on the kiwi debacle. We sold enough of the kiwis to recoup all our money and still gave away many baskets to anyone who had helped us or the church, not to mention eating kiwis at church every Sunday for weeks. They were some of the best kiwis I have ever eaten. Actually, in the end we made a profit!

I am expecting the same with this car deal. God is good and has always been faithful. Thank you for participating in His workings.

Psalms 112:7-8 says, "He [the righteous man] will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. ⁸ His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes."

Yu kun 2 Miracles? 2 Healings? God be Glorified

Yu-kun came to us when he was 5 months old.  Other than being a Down Syndrome child, he was diagnosed with a 4mm hole in his heart and undescended testicles and hearing loss.  When his heart was checked about 4 weeks ago he did NOT have a hole in his heart.  Today, he had his testicles checked.  The doctor said, “They’re where they are supposed to be now.  This happens sometimes.”  So, do we have 2 miracles?  2 healings? 2 answered prayers? Or, was all this a natural occurrence?  Only God knows for sure.  The facts are simple though.  He came to us with 2 significant problems diagnosed by doctors (his birth father is a doctor, too).  He doesn’t have those physical problems any more.  We give God the glory!  And, we are believing for there to be no hearing loss!

Healing Breakthrough from April 5, 2009

We had 3 meetings the only day the Bethel team was with us.  They not only taught about healing but sought to impart and energize the believers to minister to others.  We had several significant breakthroughs for members of the church.  Jason had severely bruised the knuckles of both hands.  Off-and-on he experienced great pain and was unable to lift and hold heavy objects.  Walking through the “fire wall,” (leaders line up on 2 sides and pray for people as they walk between them) Jason’s pain was instantly gone and his hands restored—much to his surprise!  Pitia and his wife, Gloria, (both from The Sudan) received healings.  Pitia had not been able to eat normal food for over 1 year without terrible reflux and had a constant burning sensation.  He was healed and ate lunch with the church for the first time in many months.  Gloria was healed of constant back pain from falling off a bicycle.  Akihiro had suffered from knee pain for the past 4 years after having knee surgery.  He was unable to do certain exercises but after prayer could again perform a one legged, deep knee bend.  Others received partial healing or improvement and continue to contend for total recovery.  I’ve posted several videos of testimonies on my Facebook site.

Internationally Blessed

We've experienced the international fragrance of the Body of Christ in the last two months!  It started with Hagan Gabrielson who is Swedish but has spent the last 18 years in Singapore as he ministers throughout Asia.  A few days later Eric Johnson, son of Bill Johnson, led a team from Bethel Church in Redding, CA.  Eric (American) brought a lady from London, a young man from Norway, and a young woman from South Africa.  The next week, Peter Helms, who was born and grew up in Amsterdam but now has a ministry based in Canada, was so encouraging as he ministered among us for two days.  David Abbott, from Cornwall, England taught the children and church for the 3 weeks he was with us (his 25th visit to Japan).  Just before our long holiday weekend the first of May, Claude and Michelle Ezagouri came.  They were both born in Algeria but had to immigrate to France when they were thirteen.  They met and married in France but have lived and worked in Israel for the past 33 years and have pastored a church in Tiberias for the past 18 years.  Claude is Jewish and Michelle's family is Italian.  To top it off Graeme Fawcett (New Zeland) and his wife Lucy (Malaysian) spent the week end with us.  They brought a lovely couple from The Congo with them.  We have been so blessed to have such a variety of God's children among us.  I remember growing up in Abbeville, AL and meeting only one foreigner my first 18 years there!  I do enjoy getting to know so many from so many different places and each one has something unique and special to express as the Life of Christ shines through them.

NAOTAKA'S JOURNEY TO HEALING

About 18 years ago Naotaka was a foreign student in America when he had a car accident that left him in a coma with little hope of any recovery.  His parents quickly flew to America, hoping to see him one last time before he died.  When he didn’t die the doctors pronounced, “He will never regain consciousness.”  The family flew him back to Japan, still in a coma.  When he came out of the coma the Japanese doctors told the family, “He’ll be bedridden the rest of his life.”  When he was able to get out of bed and into a wheel chair, the “official word” was, “He’ll never walk again.”  Naotaka was befriended by a former Marine sniper turned missionary who took him to the gym.  The guys at the gym helped and encouraged him to regain his strength.  Slowly Naotaka was able to walk again.  He was still unsteady, but he was walking.  Then his family returned to the father’s hometown—our city.  Naotaka has been a faithful member now for about 12 years.

A few years ago he began to shake, almost uncontrollably.  It made me very nervous to watch him try to get a cup of hot coffee to his mouth.  About 3 years ago the doctors tried an experimental electrical implant into his brain hoping to stop the tremors.  Naotaka actually got worse.  Through all this we have prayed.  We have prayed for Naotaka hundreds of times over the past 12 years. 

I once asked him, “Don’t you get discouraged having people pray for you all the time and seeing such little results?" 

He responded, “No.  I’m supposed to be dead!”  Even though he had extensive brain and nerve damage his English has remained far better than most of my university students!  His attitude has remained positive most of the time as he remembers all the doctors predictions that did NOT come to pass.

Last Sunday, Naotaka called my wife and I over to him at lunch.  He asked us to look at him and tell him what was different.  At first it didn’t hit us.  Then we realized he wasn’t shaking.  Naotaka said the doctor had confirmed that 90% of his shaking had stopped.  Indeed, as he talked to us and we stared at him, he was as steady as anyone else in the room.  He did NOT shake at all.  The doctors have no explanation.  He should be getting worse—not better.  But, if we listened to them he should be dead or bedridden or wheel chair bound or shaking himself to pieces.

Believe with us, with Naotaka, for a full recovery.  Agree with us that God will be glorified through His son and through His church!