Rejoice in the Lord!

Philippians 4:1-4
April 28th 2024, Forth Holy Day of the month
Michio Harikae, Intern

The Letter to the Philippians has been called the "Letter of Joy". It is also known as Paul's prison letter. He was in prison because of Christ, but in the midst of it all, he was filled with joy in Christ. What was this joy in Christ like, that is, "joy in the Lord," which Paul had in him?

Firstly, it is "the joy of knowing Christ". Because of the surpassing worth of it, Paul, who knew Christ and received salvation through Christ, confessed that he counted as rubbish, as for everything he had thought as a gain so far.

Secondly, it is "the joy to live for the Lord". Paul's joy was just to "Christ be glorified, whether he himself lives or dies". Thus, he was able to rejoice no matter what circumstances he was in.

Thirdly, it is an "everlasting joy". Joy in the Lord is "always" within us, today and also in the future, and will never be lost.

Let us also be such ones who are not captivated by the changing things of this world and find joy in the Lord, who is everlasting and unchanging!

<The Verse of the Bible>

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Philippians 4:4 (English Standard Version)

Qualities Which Should Be Added (the latter half)

2 Peter 1:5-9
April 21st 2024, Third Holy Day of the month
Rev. Tadashi Nagae, pastor

In this section, seven qualities are written for us to make every effort to supplement our faith with. Today, let us learn about the remaining four qualities.

The first is steadfastness. This is not mere endurance, but endurance with faith in the Lord's promises. Steadfastness is cultivated through trials. God's blessings are prepared for us at the end of our perseverance.

The second is godliness. It means to live our lives as we fear God and love Him. To walk in godliness, it is essential to become familiar with the Word of the LORD and to pray and have fellowship with Him. And training for godliness is beneficial to everything.

The third is brotherly affection and love. We are always self-centered and very weak in loving others. We need to remember the love which God has given us, and love others with that love.

When we have these qualities, we are used by the Lord, and able to walk in a way that bears fruit. Let us rely on the Lord, and encourage ourselves to add these to our faith!

<The Verse of the Bible>

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

2 Peter 1:5-7 (English Standard Version)

Qualities Which Should Be Added (the First half)

2 Peter 1 :5-9
April 14th 2024, Second Holy Day of the month
Rev. Tadashi Nagae, pastor

In this section, seven qualities are written for us to make every effort to supplement our faith with. Of those, let us learn the three today.

The first is virtue. We could regard it as a nature of Jesus Christ. It is not enough only if we are saved and entitled to enter the heaven. We need to be the likeness of God for the glory of Him.

The second is knowledge. It is to learn the Bible and keep the word in our hearts. To do so, we need to spend a Bible-friendly life.

The third is self-control. Nowadays the world is filled with wicked information. Be careful, otherwise, our minds will get caught up in those evil information. We need to put on self-control in other various respects as well.

Without His help, we cannot add virtue, knowledge nor self-control to ourselves. We will be able to acquire them only if we rely on the Lord. Let us make every effort to supplement our faith with these threes in this fiscal year!

<The Verse of the Bible>

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

2 Peter 1:5-7 (English Standard Version)

Crossing the Jordan River

Joshua 3:1-17
April 7, 2024, First Holy Day of the month
Rev. Tadashi Nagae, pastor

The Jordan River was in front of the Israelites, and they had to cross it to enter　the land of Canaan. The Jordan River is also in front of us. It is what hinders our　progress in faith. God has blessings prepared on the other side. Let us learn what it takes to cross that river.

First, fear God and sanctify ourselves. In order to be used by the holy God, we must first fear Him and sanctify ourselves.

Second, remember that God is with us and will guide us. The Lord, who died on the cross in our place and rose again, is always with us and guides us.

Third, believe in the Lord's promises and move forward. Their only guarantee for crossing the Jordan River was in the Word of God.　They believed in it and moved forward. We should also believe in God's promises and move forward.

Let us each cross the Jordan River that stands in front of us by faith in the Lord!

<The Verse of the Bible>

And when the soles of the feet of the tribes of Israel, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the water of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from the flowing, and the water coming down from above shall stand in one heap.

Joshua 3: 13 (English Standard Version)