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Today English Message

 

 

Ena Christian Center
Message: Pastor Genichi Jinnai

“The Established Purpose of Christmas” 6

Everyone becomes members of the household of God.
—5

And here’s how it happens.

Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬-‭22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Now we are being built up in the good works that were predestined so that we will become “the dwelling place of God.”
It is in Him, that is, in Christ that this is done.
The cornerstone is Jesus, and there was a plan in advance that the church would be built up with the apostles and prophets as the foundation.

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Ena Christian Center
Message: Pastor Genichi Jinnai

“The Established Purpose of Christmas” 7

Now, let’s move on to chapter 3.
There are two purposes for Paul’s service, and we will look at where they are written.

Who is Paul?

Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—

Prisoner can mean someone in a prison, but here it also has another meaning, a positive word that refers to a prisoner who serves God.

Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,

Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

“as I have briefly written already”
That is the content of Chapter 2, that Jews and Gentiles become joint heirs.
Normally, Jewish people thought that this was from the Jews, but this is the mystery of becoming joint heirs with the Gentiles.

Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
—7

How will He carry out the “eternal plan” that existed before the foundation of the world?

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Ena Christian Center
Message: Pastor Genichi Jinnai

“The Established Purpose of Christmas” 8

How will He carry out the “eternal plan” that existed before the foundation of the world?
It is through the church.
Paul, who worked within church, had two purposes.

Verse 8: “I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,”
One purpose is to tell the Gentiles that you too are in the grace of salvation, and there are unsearchable riches in Christ.

The other is “to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden”.
To make known how the mystery of God progresses.
This was Paul’s service.

Now we are in the church and are being saved as Gentiles.
And we are going to say to the Gentiles who are not yet believers and are not Jews that “When you believe, you will gain unsearchable riches of Christ. And you will truly know the mystery, the wonderful thing, hidden from the ages.” with the same feelings that Paul had and do it through church.

Verse 10: “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church”,
The church – we are not yet complete, but this church will become such an entity to show God’s wisdom.
That is God’s eternal plan.
It means that God will accomplish that plan through the church.
Because Jesus was resurrected, the church has the authority that Jesus had, and God’s plan was to proceed with this from the church.
—8

Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

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Ena Christian Center
Message: Pastor Genichi Jinnai

“The Established Purpose of Christmas” 8

How will He carry out the “eternal plan” that existed before the foundation of the world?
It is through the church.
Paul, who worked within church, had two purposes.

Verse 8: “I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,”
One purpose is to tell the Gentiles that you too are in the grace of salvation, and there are unsearchable riches in Christ.

The other is “to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden”.
To make known how the mystery of God progresses.
This was Paul’s service.

Now we are in the church and are being saved as Gentiles.
And we are going to say to the Gentiles who are not yet believers and are not Jews that “When you believe, you will gain unsearchable riches of Christ. And you will truly know the mystery, the wonderful thing, hidden from the ages.” with the same feelings that Paul had and do it through church.

Verse 10: “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church”,
The church – we are not yet complete, but this church will become such an entity to show God’s wisdom.
That is God’s eternal plan.
It means that God will accomplish that plan through the church.
Because Jesus was resurrected, the church has the authority that Jesus had, and God’s plan was to proceed with this from the church.
—8

Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

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Ena Christian Center
Message: Pastor Genichi Jinnai

“The Established Purpose of Christmas” 10

Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
‭‭
Grounded in love.
That is how we will move forward.
We will move forward while strengthening our inner man.

And how will we become?

Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

We will know the love of Christ which passes knowledge. We will know agape love.
And by doing so, we will be filled with all the fullness of God.
This is our growth.
And it is also how we, the church, will be prepared.
—10

Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

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Ena Christian Center
Message: Pastor Genichi Jinnai

“The Established Purpose of Christmas” 11

Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

It is “according to the power that works in us”, it is not a power outside of you.
It’s fine if the person outside of you says, “I can’t give a message, I’m not good at evangelism. I can’t do it. I’m embarrassed.”

By the power of the inner man, you will become someone who cannot teach, but is able to teach.
That’s what will happen.
And it is “the church” and “in the church” so that to Him glory will happen “forever and ever.”
That’s because the church is one body, one united with Christ.
—11
So let’s look at what the church is.

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Ena Christian Center
Message: Pastor Genichi Jinnai

“The Established Purpose of Christmas” 12

So let’s look at what the church is.
If we were to give a title to Ephesians chapter 4, it would be “Calling.”
We should walk faithfully in our “calling” and do the work of the church.

Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

Go into the calling to which you are called.
If you are called to be a pastor, don’t become an evangelist.
You may not be called to be a pastor, but rather someone who is moving toward business, and then you should go there.
Know what God is calling you to and go there.
What should you pay attention to in order to walk and live in the way you are called?

Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

If we know the “calling” that God has called us to, and as a desire to continue to know it, we should have lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.
One another means members of the church. We should bear with one another.
The church will not be built up if we say things like, “I hate that person, I don’t like that person.”
We have received agape love.
For us, who were enemies of God, Christ Jesus died.
The church is built up with Christ’s love of forgiveness, so we build up the church by forgiving one another with the feeling, “that person didn’t realize it.”
Verse 3, “the bond of peace”, “the unity of the Spirit”, we must not forget that we are building up as we do these.
—12

What did Jesus do when He died on the cross and was raised up from hell?

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Ena Christian Center
Message: Pastor Genichi Jinnai

“The Established Purpose of Christmas” 1

As Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ states, we will be freed from the curse that began with Adam, and we will be freed from poverty, sickness, and the second death, but we know that there is more to it than that.
Today, I would like to focus on Ephesians, that God’s plan is condensed and written.

In Ephesians, Paul was speaking to the Gentiles.

Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

We know that we have all spiritual blessings.
When Adam and Eve sinned, the curse began, but how was it resolved in the long Old Testament?
We also know that God had a plan before Adam and Eve sinned.

Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
‭‭
If we were to give a title to Ephesians chapter 1, it would be “God’s Plan.”
God’s plan is to make us holy and without blame through Christ, that is, in the flow of the New Testament, before the foundation of the world.

And this was “having predestined.”
Ephesians 1:7 “In Him”, in Christ.
“according to the riches of His grace”
We receive this riches of God’s grace.

God’s plan is to proceed through Christ and within it.
In the Old Testament, Jesus has not yet appeared, so even though God’s plan is there, the time has not yet come, so He waited.

We will look at the fullness of time for God’s plan to be fulfilled.

Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

This plan, “having predestined”, this fullness of time, takes place in the New Testament.
In verse 9, “according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,” in His Son, Jesus.
As we read earlier in Ephesians 1:5, it says, “having predestined”.

“The fullness of the times”brought the birth of Jesus. Then it became the New Testament, and not only that, but it also had to reach the point where Jesus was crucified and resurrected.

Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
‭‭
Continue

Ena Christian Center
Message: Pastor Genichi Jinnai

“The Established Purpose of Christmas” 2

Humans have acquired dominion over the earth, but God does not intend to complete everything on this earth, but planned to make us inheritors of His kingdom in the invisible world.
In the Old Testament, because of sin, no one could go to heaven because if they saw God, they died. They could not meet God in the kingdom of God.
But God makes it possible.
This is by becoming holy and without blame in Christ.
We will go to the kingdom of God wearing Christ.

We have been given the guarantee that we will receive that kingdom.

Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

We have received the Holy Spirit as that guarantee.

‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

Also, as Romans 8:15 says, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
You have learned that you received a guarantee to be the same children of God as Jesus, who can call God the Father “Abba, Father.”

Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Let us have our hearts’ and spiritual eyes opened to know this.
God crucified Jesus, took all our sins upon Him, and then used His almighty power to raise Him from the dead, and sat Him at the right hand of God.
At that time, Jesus had a certain authority.

Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

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Ena Christian Center
Message: Pastor Genichi Jinnai

“The Established Purpose of Christmas” 3

After Jesus was crucified, died and rose from the dead, He was given all the authority of far above every name that is named.
What does this mean for us?
In the “predestined” plan, we become holy and without blame in Christ.
Originally, Jesus did not need to be crucified.
And in Christ, we gain far above all principality and power that surpasses all things in Christ.
The gathering of us is the church.

Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
‭‭
The “church” is in this plan of God.
The church is a gathering of us Christians, not a building.
Through this church, Jesus has the authority to further God’s plan, and gave Him to be head of the church.
And the church is the body of Christ.
Because we are the body of Christ, we are saved.
This was predestined.

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Ena Christian Center
Message: Pastor Genichi Jinnai

“The Established Purpose of Christmas” 4

Next, chapter 2.
The plan to save us, how was it done?

Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

Such people are “by nature children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3).
However, in the grace of Jesus Christ, we become sinless and receive salvation.

And not only that,

Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Jesus was born and crucified. Because of what Jesus did, we who believe in Christ are united with Christ and made to sit together in the heavenly places.
This is what He planned.
What will we need at that time?

Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

We become this way “through faith.”
The faith is not the faith you believe in, but the faith you have received, that is, the faith of Jesus.
No one is saved by their own good works. We move into it with the faith we receive from God.
And while we are made holy and without blame in Christ, there is a plan for us.

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Ena Christian Center
Message: Pastor Genichi Jinnai

“The Established Purpose of Christmas” 5

Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

It was predestined that Jesus would be crucified.
And it was also predestined that we would be saved and do God’s work.
We must not only rejoice that Jesus came at Christmas, but also know that there is something that has been prepared for us beforehand.
What is it?

Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
‭‭
These two are Jews and Gentiles.
The one who was close was the Jew, and the one who was far was the Gentile.
The plan was to make these two into a new man.
There is currently a war in Israel, but there is a plan for us and them to become one in Christ.
Jesus also spoke about these two things in other verses.

John‬ ‭10‬:‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
‭‭
This also mentions Gentiles and Jews.
This is part of God’s plan.
We will bring revival to Japan and the world, but we must not forget the revival in Israel.
This means that they will change from Judaism to Christianity.
However, in the prophecy of the Bible, only a part of them will change, not all of them.
The 144,000 Jews are the ones who will wait until the end and be saved.
I would like us to be firmly aware that we will be saved by something.

Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬:
For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

It is through one Spirit, the Holy Spirit, that we have access to God.
This is because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit that can call God “Abba, Father.”
This can only be done through the Holy Spirit.
And including Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians, verse 19 says, “members of the household of God”‭‭.
Everyone becomes members of the household of God.
—5

And here’s how it happens.

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フィリピンの方の証です。

私の名前はベスです。フィリピン出身です。
私はこの教会(ERM京都聖会)に時々参加しています。

私は先週日曜日、私が以前通っていた教会の礼拝に参加しました。
ある女性の方の隣に座ったのですが、(周りの人が言うに)その方は悪霊に取り憑かれているようでした。
私はただその方の腰に触っただけだったのですが、その後家に帰ると、(私の頭に)3つのできものと、(首回りに)3つの腫れ物が出来ていました。
それはとても痛くて、月曜から、火曜、水曜、木曜、とずっと痛みがありました。

ですが、今日友人からこの聖会のことを聞いて、参加しに来たのです。

私がこの部屋に入った途端、できものや腫れ物の全部が消えてしまいました!!!!
主を褒め称えます。

だから私はこうやって首回りを触っているのです!!!
本当に、主よ感謝します。誉めたたえます!

 

 

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今日のみことばN

2025年1月5日 聖日礼拝

恵那クリスチャンセンター

メッセージ:神内源一牧師

 「新約から見るエステル記」

今日は新約の視点からエステル記を見ていきたいと思っています。

アハシュエロス王はネブカデネザルによるバビロン捕囚で移住の後、ダリヨス王の後だと思います。

1節にアハシュエロス王はホド(インド)からクシュ(エチオピア)まで治めていたと書いてありますから、非常に広範の国を支配していました。

その国には127州あったということです。

この王様は恵まれていて、国も安定しており、治世3年目にシュシャンの城で宴会を催し、諸州の貴族、ペルシャとメディヤの有力者などが出席し、180日間にわたって行われました。その後続く7日間に身分の低い者も参加できる宴会も用意されました。

王の勢力を示すかのごとく素晴らしい調度品の数々が置かれ、一つ一つ施しの違う金杯で酒がふるまわれました。

王妃ワシュティも並行して夫人たちのための宴会を催していました

7日目になった時に王様は心が陽気になり、美しいワシュティに王冠をつけてお披露目したいと思い、王妃を呼び出しますが、彼女は拒みます。

王は、王を軽んじ、また家々でも夫に従わないような風潮になっては良くないと憤り、王妃を処罰することになり、王の前にはワシュティは出てくるなという法律を決め、代わりの王妃を探すことになりました。

王妃の処罰が終わり、王の心が落ち着いた時、仕える者たちが、エステル記2章2節にあるように容姿の美しい未婚の娘たちを探しましょうと提案し、その中から一人選び、王妃を決めることになりました。

モルデガイというユダヤ人がいて、彼は叔父の娘ハダサ(後にエステル)をその両親の死後、引き取って娘として養育していました。

彼女はモルデガイに自分がユダヤ人だということを一切言ってはいけないと言われていました。なぜなら時間は経っていましたが捕囚されてきたものでしたので、隠すように言われていました。

彼女は王の妃候補になれるような生活はしていたと思います。

彼女は選ばれ、監督官の心にかなったので好意を得て、彼はエステルに必要なものを用意し、7人の侍女も与えられ、選ばれている婦人たちの中で最も良い部屋を与えられるという厚遇を受けていきました。

そういうことが起こったのは、ユダヤ人にアブラハム・ブレッシングがあるからです。

その後6ヶ月間の没薬の油の期間と6ヶ月間化粧して整える準備の期間を過ごし、1年後、王の前に行くものとなりました。

エステル記2章15節 普通は候補になるとあれこれ要求するのですが、エステルは求めることをしなかったので、すべての人の好意を受けていました。

そして治世第7年の第10月に王妃として選ばれていき、彼女のための宴会が2回ほど持たれました。もちろん彼女はユダヤ人であることを伝えてはいけないという言い付けに従っていました。

私たちも言い付けに従っていきます。

聖霊の声は内なる声です。

今ここで言うべきでないということは言わないという訓練を受けて、正しく従っていく生き方をする時に、道が開かれていくことがあると思います。

そして、エステルが王妃になった時にある事件が起きました。

エステル記2章21節 モルデガイがアハシュエロス王の暗殺情報を聞きつけ、その情報を、エステルを通して王に伝えたのです。

暗殺を企てた者が調べられ明らかになり彼らは処罰されました。

23節「このことは王の前の年代記の書に記録された。」

エステル記3章で、ハマンという人が取り立てられ王の次の地位まで昇進をしました。

王の命によってハマンに対して膝をかがめてひれ伏すという取り決めがありましたが、モルデガイは膝をかがめずひれ伏すこともしませんでした。

ハマンはモルデガイだけに憤るならいいのですが、ユダヤ人を根絶やしにしようと、とんでもないことを計画します。(6節)

「坊主憎けりゃ袈裟まで憎い」という諺がありますが、ハマンはモルデガイが憎けりゃユダヤ人を皆殺しにしてしまえという考えを持つ人でした。

エステル記3章7節 王の第12年第一の月に、ユダヤ人を滅ぼす日時を決めるため、

プル(くじ)が投げられ12月と決まりました。

実行までに1年の猶予ができ、ハマンは王にあることを提案しました。

「ところが、ハマンはモルデガイひとりに手を下すことだけで満足しなかった。彼らがモルデガイの民族のことを、ハマンに知らせていたからである。それでハマンは、アハシュエロスの王国中のすべてのユダヤ人、すなわちモルデガイの民族を、根絶やしにしようとした。

アハシュエロス王の第十二年の第一の月、すなわちニサンの月に、日と月とを決めるためにハマンの前で、プル、すなわちくじが投げられ、くじは第十二の月、すなわちアダルの月に当たった。

ハマンはアハシュエロス王に言った。「あなたの王国のすべての州にいる諸民族の間に、散らされて離れ離れになっている一つの民族がいます。彼らの法令は、どの民族のものとも違っていて、彼らは王の法令を守っていません。それで、彼らをそのままにさせておくことは、王のためになりません。」エステル3:6~8)

エステル記3章9節 その民族を滅ぼす者を募り、その仕事をする者たちに銀1万タラントを渡すということも計画します。王はハマンに指輪を渡して「その民族もあなたの好きなようにしなさい。」と言いました。

12節 第1の月の13日に決められたことをしるした書簡に印が押され、

13節 第12の月の13日にユダヤ人を根絶やしにし、ユダヤ人の財産を没収せよと急使が国中に送られました。

インドからエチオピアまで時間もかかりますが、実行されるのは1年後です。

モルデガイはこのことを聞いて荒布をまとって王の門のところまで来ました。

法令が届いたところでは多くのユダヤ人が断食と嘆きと灰の上に座ったということが書かれています。

エステルはモルデガイが荒布をまとっているのを聞いてモルデガイに良い着物を持って行ったのですが拒絶されます。

エステル記4章7節 モルデカイがエステルから遣わされた使いの者に自分の身に起こったことを言います。

ハマンがユダヤ人を滅ぼそうと計画していること。

またハマンが王に約束した正確な金額も告げます。

法令の文書の写しを渡し、王にあわれみをかけてもらえるようにエステルに頼みます。

しかし、エステルには不安がありました。それはある取り決めがあったからです。

「王の家臣も、王の諸州の民族もみな、男でも女でも、だれでも、召されないで内庭に入り、王のところに行く者は死刑に処されるという一つの法令があることを知っております。しかし、王がその者に金の笏を差し伸ばせば、その者は生きます。でも、私はこの三十日間、まだ、王のところへ行くようにと召されていません。」(エステル4:11)

いきなり王様のところに行って、王の好意をもらえなければ処刑されてしまうので恐ろしくて行けないとエステルは言います。

モルデガイはエステルにあなたはすべてのユダヤ人から離れて王宮にいるから助かるだろうと考えてはならない。」と言いました。

私たちは今この時代に生きています。私たちはなぜこの時代に、ここに生きているのかに注意しなければいけません。

「もし、あなたがこのような時に沈黙を守るなら、別の所から、助けと救いがユダヤ人のために起ころう。しかしあなたも、あなたの父の家も滅びよう。あなたがこの王国に来たのは、もしかすると、この時のためであるかもしれない。」エステル4:14)

エステルがここに来たのはこのため、ユダヤ人が滅ぼされないためです。

神様はアブラハムとまた後の子孫と契約を結びました。

神様の計画があり、ここでユダヤ人が全滅して消滅してしまったらイエス様が来られません。ですからそれを救うための働きがこのエステルの使命だったのです

皆さんは自分自身の使命がまだ分からないかもしれません。

なぜ東京に住んでいるのか。なぜ姫路に住んでいるのか。なぜここに住んでいるのか。

このように考えたことはないでしょうか。

神の計画があるのです。

エステルが神の民のために立たないなら他の者が立てられる。

あなたは、今あなたの地域において伝道する者として計画されていることは決まっていると思いますが、あなたが黙っていたならば、あなたの代わりの人が起こっていくということです。

私たちは神からの使命をもらっています。

自分の使命が何かはっきりと知って、それに向かって準備していかなければいけません。

エステル記4章16節 エステルは覚悟を決めて3日間断食します。

そして「私のために断食をしてください。三日三晩、食べたり飲んだりしないように。私も、私の侍女たちも、同じように断食をしましょう。」と伝えます。

そして彼女は「私は、死ななければならないのでしたら、死にます」と決意します。

私たちもクリスチャンになった時に決意しました。

分からないで信じた人は ガラテヤ2:20、私たちは死んだということを覚えてください。

自分では何もできない。イエス様を頼って生きよう。

自分でなんとかして、幸せになれそうだ、癒せそうだ、解決できそうだという人生でなく、神に頼っていく人生を選択すると、良いことがあらかじめ定まっています。

モルデガイは王の暗殺を阻止する情報を与えました。それが後で活かされていきます。

今、待遇の悪い会社に勤めているかもしれない。環境の悪い地域にいるかもしれない。

しかし、神の計画はわざわいではない、平安であり将来と希望溢れる人生を与えることなので、あなたが自分のすべきことをしているなら、必ずこのユダヤ人たちのように守られるのです。

この当時はユダヤ人ですが、今の時代は私たち、クリスチャンが守られることを覚えていただきたいと思います。

仮に今から多くのユダヤ人が殺されるとします。

そういう時代が来るかはわかりませんが、私たちはクリスチャンとして守られる。この意識をもって信仰生活をしていきたいと思います。

エステルは断食した後、王のところに行きます。

王に呼ばれてはいないので殺されるかもしれない状況です。

そこで王の好意を得て金の笏を伸ばされたのでその先に触り、許されて王様のところへ行きました。

エステル記5章4節 エステルは宴会をハマンと王様だけに設けたいと申し出ました。

宴会の後、王様が何か求めるものがあるのかと尋ね、望むなら王国の半分でも与えようというくらいエステルは王様に愛されていたのです。

5章8節 エステルは、もう一度宴会を設けますのでハマンとお越しくださいと願いました

ハマンは上機嫌で帰っていきますが、門のところにいるモルデガイが礼をしないので憤りながら家に帰りました。

5章11節、12節 ハマンは、友人や妻に、まず自分がどんなに輝かしいところにあるか、昇進したかと自慢話をします。

また王妃エステルに自分だけ呼ばれて王様と宴会に行くということで上機嫌になっていました。

しかし、モルデガイのことを思い出すと腹立たしいと言いました。

すると妻ゼルシュと友人からある提案がなされました。

「すると、彼の妻ゼレシュとすべての友人たちは、彼に言った。「高さ50キュビトの柱を立てさせ、あしたの朝、王に話して、モルデガイをそれにかけ、それから、王と一緒に喜んでその宴会においでなさい。」 この進言はハマンの気に入ったので、彼はその柱を立てさせた。」(エステル5:14)

2m20㎝ぐらいの柱を立てて、朝、王様に進言し許可をもらったら、それにモルデガイをかけようとします。

その時、神様は王にモルデガイがしたことを、王様に思い出させるのです。

王様が眠れなかったので年代記を王の前で読ませていると、モルデガイによって助かったあの報告が書かれていて思い出しますその時モルデガイに何も与えていなかったので褒美を与えようと思いました。

ハマンが王に言ってモルデガイを殺そうしたその前夜に神が働かれたのです。

伝道者の書3章11節「神のなさることは、すべて時にかなって美しい。

神様はちゃんと助けてくれます。

皆さんも色んなトラブルがサタンから来るかもしれませんが、必ず守りがある。

あなたに策略や罠を仕掛ける人がいたとしても、このユダヤ人、モルデガイが守られたように、神の計画、アブラハム・ブレッシングを受けているユダヤ人、そしてそれを引き継いでいる私たちは必ず守られる。災害はやってこない。

このように信じる人生を歩んでいきたいと思います。

王がモルデガイに褒美を与えたいと思っているところに、ハマンが庭に来たので相談します。

そうしたらハマンは王様からこういう褒美を受けるのは自分以外にはないと自惚れて、自分がしてほしいことを言います。

エステル記6章7節8節「王が栄誉を与えたいと思われる人のためには、

王が着ておられた王服を持って来させ、また、王の乗られた馬を、その頭に王冠をつけて引いて来させてください。

9節「その王服と馬を、貴族である王の首長のひとりの手に渡し、王が栄誉を与えたいと思われる人に王服を着させ、その人を馬に乗せて、町の広場に導かせ、その前で『王が栄誉を与えたいと思われる人はこのとおりである』と、ふれさせてください。」

王様はハマンに、「モルデガイにそのようにしなさい」と言ったので、ハマンは腹が立ったでしょうが、そのようにしてから嘆いて帰ってきました。

妻と友だちはモルデカイがユダヤ人であるなら、彼にはもう勝てないと言いました。

そういった気分が優れない状態の中でエステルが招いた2回目の宴会の催促が来て出かけました。

「王妃エステルは答えて言った。「もしも王さまのお許しが得られ、王さまがよろしければ、私の願いを聞き入れて、私にいのちを与え、私の望みを聞き入れて、私の民族にもいのちを与えてください。

私も私の民族も、売られて、根絶やしにされ、殺害され、滅ぼされることになっています。私たちが男女の奴隷として売られるだけなら、私は黙っていたでしょうに。事実、その迫害者は王の損失を償うことができないのです。」 

アハシュエロス王は王妃エステルに尋ねて言った。「そんなことをあえてしようとたくらんでいる者は、いったいだれか。どこにいるのか。」(エステル7:3~5)

王が願いごとを訊ねると、エステルは「私にいのちを与えてください。私の望みを聞き入れてください。私の民にもいのちを与えてください。私の民族は売られて根絶やしにされ殺害され滅ぼされることになっていますので助けてください」と願います。

王様はそれを企んでいるのは誰だと問い、エステルは言いました。

6節「その迫害する者、その敵は、この悪いハマンです。」

ハマンは震え上がり、王様は憤って席を立ちました。

ハマンは王の決心がわかったので、エステルに命ごいをしようと王妃が座っている長椅子の上にひれ伏しているところに王様が戻ってきます。

そこで長椅子に膝まずいていたハマンを見て、王妃に乱暴しようとしていると思い、さらに怒りを買ってしまいます。

そこに、一人の宦官がやってきて、王に良い知らせを告げたモルデガイのために、ハマンが用意した高さ50キュビトの柱がハマンの家に立っていますと言ったのです。

王様はそれにハマンをかけろと命じ、ハマンはモルデガイを殺すための柱にはり付けになりました。

それで王様の憤りはおさまったとのことです。

その後、伝令は各国、国中に伝っていますので取り消されなければなりませんので、エステルが再度王のところに赴き書簡を取り消してくださるように文書を出しくださいと願います。

エステル記8章9節 第3の月の23日に訂正の詔書が発布されたとあります。

この間すでにユダヤ人を虐めている者もいたでしょう。

「モルデガイはアハシュエロス王の名で書き、王の指輪でそれに印を押し、その手紙を、速く走る御用馬の早馬に乗る急使に託して送った。

その中で王は、どこの町にいるユダヤ人にも、自分たちのいのちを守るために集まって、彼らを襲う民や州の軍隊を、子どもも女たちも含めて残らず根絶やしにし、殺害し、滅ぼすことを許し、また、彼らの家財をかすめ奪うことも許した。(エステル8:10,11)

今度はハマンが決めた日にそういうことをした者があれば、逆に軍であろうが、その家族であろうが、みな根絶やしにする許可が得られました。

このことはハマンがくじで決めた12月の13日(イスラエルの暦)の1日になされるように決められ、ユダヤ人は助かりました。

モルデガイが青と白の王服を着て出て行くと歓声が起こりました。

エステル記8章16節ユダヤ人にとって、それは光と、喜びと、楽しみと、栄誉であった。

私たちもクリスチャンとして、色々な苦難があったとしてもそこから解放されることがあります。

今個人の問題として光がないという状態であったとしても、光の時が来て、喜びの時が来て、楽しみの時が来て、栄誉の時が来る。

そのようなことを私たちは味わうことができるのです。

エステル記8章17節 王の命令と法令が届いたどの州、どの町でもユダヤ人は喜び楽しみ、祝宴を張り、祝日にしたとあります。

誰もユダヤ人に反抗しないようになりました。

シュシャンの城では500人ほどが処刑され、ハマンの子ども10人も処刑されたと書いてあります。

エステル記9章16節 合計で7万5千人が処刑されましたが、彼らの財産には手をつけなかったということです。

これが記念日となりました。

今ユダヤにプルから来たプリムという祭りがあります。エステル記の出来事は史実にあったことなのでユダヤの祭りの一つになっています。

エステル記9章21節 アダルの月の14日と15日を祝日にするとあります。

その祝宴と喜びの日、互いにご馳走を送り合う日、また貧しい人に物を送る日となっています。

9章26節 「こういうわけで、ユダヤ人はプルの名を取って、これらの日をプリムと呼んだ。

モルデガイはインドからエジプトまでの間の国の中で2番目の権威を持つものとなっていったということが書かれています。

モルデガイ自身はユダヤ人だと言っていましたが、エステルにはユダヤ人だと言わないように言っていました。

今までユダヤ人であることを言わないようにしていたユダヤ人は、勝利したことによって胸を張って自分はユダヤ人だと言えるようになったのです。

「王の命令とその法令が届いたどの州、どの町でも、ユダヤ人は喜び、楽しみ、祝宴を張って、祝日とした。この国の民のうちで、自分がユダヤ人であることを宣言する者が大ぜいいた。それは彼らがユダヤ人を恐れるようになったからである。」エステル8:17)

クリスチャンであることを公にしていない人はいますか。

家族の中でクリスチャンだと言っていない。

近所の方にクリスチャンと言っていない。

会社の中でクリスチャンと言っていない人がいるでしょうか。

このような勝利を約束されたものとして、私たちは胸を張ってクリスチャンであると言えるものになっていただきたいと思っています。

新約の視点から、磔になったハマンのことを見るとどのようなものであるか、私が思うところから話します。

モルデガイが磔になるところ、逆にハマンが磔になりました。

ハマンは高慢で悪い人間で、ある民族を滅ぼそうとする人間だから当然だと思うのですがこの磔は何でしょうか。

私たちの時代でいうと十字架です。

十字架は一体何であるのか。

ハマンが磔になったことを私たちに重ね合わせると、アダムとイヴが善悪を知る木の実を食べたので、私たちはハマンのように高慢で神に従わない者になりました。

そして祝福された者つまりイエス様を十字架にかけてしまおうとするものでした。

磔ということにおいて罪を民数記で見てみます。 

出エジプトで、神に従わない民だったので燃える蛇、噛まれると死ぬ猛毒を持っている蛇が送られました。

それを助けるために蛇を掲げます。

「すると、主はモーセに仰せられた。「あなたは燃える蛇を作り、それを旗ざおの上につけよ。すべてかまれた者は、それを仰ぎ見れば、生きる。」 

モーセは一つの青銅の蛇を作り、それを旗ざおの上につけた。もし蛇が人をかんでも、その者が青銅の蛇を仰ぎ見ると、生きた。(民数記21:8,9)

蛇ではなくて他のものを拝んで助かるならわかりますが、なぜ蛇なのか。

つまり蛇とは罪。もっと言うならサタンです。

サタンである蛇を作り、それを旗竿の上につけ見上げるなら助かる。それが示す意味はイエス様の十字架です。

ネフシュタンという青銅の蛇 ー 新約でこれがイエス様の十字架と同じことだと書いてあります。

「モーセが荒野で蛇を上げたように、人の子もまた上げられなければなりません。」(ヨハネ3:14)

あの蛇のようにイエス様が十字架に上がるということです。

イエス様は聖いものとして十字架に架かったのではなく、私たちの罪として、私たちが正しくできない罪ために十字架に架かったのです。

だからハマンの磔はイエス様の十字架なのです。

私たちはイエス様の身代わりによって助かる。

ではこのモルデガイは何でしょうか。

ー 神の祝福を受けた私たちです。

本当に神を信じるもの、また神の子になっている、イエス様のような人になっている私たちには、このような助けがある。

これらのことを新約の目で見ると、私たちに当てはまるのです。

だから私たちはどんなトラブルがあっても必ず脱出の道があると同時に解決されることを信じていきたいと思います。

ここでもう一つ、クリスチャンになってクリスチャンに敵対するものがいたら罰していいのかということです。

この出来事のとき、7万5千人が処刑されました。

私たちも自分を苦しめた人たちを罰するのでしょうか。

私たちの罪はイエス様の身代わりによって処罰されたので、私たちはそういうことはしません。

これは旧約だからです。旧約はそのようにすることを教えています。

神様は新約の中身を私に教えようとしていますが、旧約ではイエス様がいないので、そうでなければ処罰されることになる者ですよと教えているのです

では私たちは敵に対して、あなたを攻撃するハマンのような人たちに対してどうするのでしょうか。

神様にハマンを、この悪い人を何とかしてくださいと祈るのでしょうか。

そうではなく、私たちは赦されている者です。

ハマンは磔になったのですが、イエス様によって私たちの罪は磔になったのですから、私たちを攻撃するハマンのような人たちを恨むのではない。

彼らは敵ではありません。

新約の敵は彼らを操っているサタンです。

その視点をもって旧約を読みます。7万5千人が処刑されたのだから相手を処罰していい、邪魔していい、迷惑をかけてもいいというような態度をとってよいとは神様は言われません。

さばきは神に任せます。

旧約にあるように権威ある人たちに仕返しをするというような視点は持ちません。

私たちも赦されている。

私たちがイエス・キリストを信じる前に、また信じた後に犯す罪➖マンの磔です。

その部分をイエス様が身代わって払ってくださった。

そうして私たちは赦されたので、全ての人に対して赦します、愛します、祝福します。

サタンを憎みます。

旧約は、新約の視点で読みます。

 旧約の人たちにはイエス様が復活後、福音を宣べ伝えられました。

そのようにイエス様でしか救いがない。 

私たちが救われたように他の人たちもイエス様を信じたら救われる

この恵みを信じて進んでいきたいと思います。

お祈りします。

天のお父様、感謝します。

私たちは新しい年を迎えました。

私たちは選ばれたものであり、祝福されたものであり、本当に良いわざが用意されていますから感謝します。

日本の国において、またそれぞれの地域の中で福音を知っているもの、守られるものとして輝く時、私はクリスチャンですと胸を張って言うことができ、守られる姿を見て私たちのようになりたいというような祝福を人々に与えてください。

そして日本のリバイバルが間近なところから起っていきますようにあなたがしてくださったと信じます。

今日なされました全ての栄光をあなたの元にお返ししますのでお一人お一人を使ってください。

私たちは自分が黙っていたら他の人が用いられていきます。

私たちは多くの方々に語れるように選ばれたものであるがゆえに、伝道の準備と伝道が進んでいきますように、道を開いてくださり、またそれぞれの良き報告、よい助けができることは予め決まっています。

モルデガイが王の暗殺計画を知らせたことで、後に益を受けたように、私たちは神の計画を知り、その声に従って正しい選択の中で主の助けの中にある祝福された人生を送るようにしてくださっていることを感謝します。

そして何よりも私たちは地上生活が終わり天に行けることが決まっていることを感謝します。

主イエス・キリストの御恵み、神の愛、聖霊の親しき交わりが、お一人お一人の上に豊かにあるように祝福します。

イエス様の名前でアーメン

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川崎聖会 3/11 会場zoom

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Message: Truth and Reality

Kigen Joh
Principal
ERM Bible School

What is the “truth”?
When we proclaim, “I am blessed”, then that will come to pass. Every morning, a sister in Okinawa was proclaiming, “I am blessed! I am loved by God just as God loved Jesus.” She, a single mother, and her daughter were both unemployed, but money came in and a call came from her former place of employment asking her to return to work. In the past, this sister used to say, “I am sinful and unclean”, but today she has become someone who proclaims, “I am blessed”.
“I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him (mark 11:23). It says here that we must believe in heart and say it. What we say from our mouths, however, is not only about what we believe, what we doubt also comes out of our mouths.

Let’s take a look at Job who was respectful of God. “This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). Job was such a wonderful person as this. Verse 3 says, “He was the greatest man among all the people of the East”. But he had a certain worry. In verse 5 we learn, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.” Job was worrying that his sons might be sinning. And then Job lost his fortune, fire took place, he got sick, and lost his sons and daughters. Why would these things happen to such an upright God fearing person? Job said, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (vs 21). It is so written in the Bible, however, this was not what God had said, but it was said by Job. Job said, “God gives and God takes away”.

Actually, we believe that God is He who gives and gives even more.
Why did such a rich man like Job lose his fortune, get sick, lose his children and become like a beggar? The problem was with Job’s confession.
What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me (Job 3:25). Job was fearful. And what was in his heart had been said by his mouth. Perhaps he was saying something like, “maybe one day I might lose my fortune, or lose my children because they sinned.”

For us, what we speak will come true.
Because Jesus was cursed on our behalf, we are no longer under any curse. Because we all have the curse from the sin of Adam and Eve, Jesus was put on the cross to remove that curse from us. You who believe in this, is not under any curse.

Let us say out loud,
”I am not under any curse. God’s plan is not to harm me but to give me peace, hope and a future. In the name of Jesus”.
When we continue to speak this, it will come to pass just as it has been said.
I may have talked about another sister who had been living on a meager salary from the church. She said to herself, “Since Pastor Joh is always saying he is blessed, why don’t I say it too.”
When she started to speak, “I am blessed”, the blouse she had been wanting was given to her by a church council member, and she started to obtain things at low costs. When she was going overseas at the time fuel charges were escalating, she was told her flight had been changed and for that the fuel charge was being waived. It is important to confess!

Let us look at anther verse regarding confession. “From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (proverbs 18:20, 21).

Everything about us is decided by what we speak.
Speak what is good. Good things will happen to those who are saying,
”I am blessed!” “I am healed”. If you think and say, “I am sick”, then you are continuing to hold on to that.

Let us look into what it is that we should confess.
As a Christian, if you do not know the difference between the truth and reality, then faith can fluctuate.

A person questioned me, “Pastor Joh, you are always energetic. Do you not get discouraged?” I think this is because I know the difference between “reality” and “truth”.
What we are to confess is not the “reality”.
There are three types of Christians.

First, there are those who are praying but do not understand the heart of God. They do not know if their prayers will be answered or not, but they are praying.
Second, there are those, let us say are sick, for example. Though they are sick in reality, these are the people who by faith are receiving in advance, by praying and proclaiming that they have been healed. All is well as long as they are in belief. However, when the condition prolongs, because their standing position is in the reality, they look at the surroundings, and seeing that they have not been healed thus far, they become discouraged.

I had been suffering from an allergy related nasal condition. I kept saying, “I believe I am healed”, but I was not healing for a long time. It became painful for me to say, “I believe I am healed”, because I was beginning to feel as though I was lying.

Today, I would like for you to leave in knowing the difference between “reality/fact” and “truth”, that which is meant by the Bible. When you come to understand this, you can always be joyful.
I have here a bottled drink.
Who believes there is a bottled drink here?
You do not have to believe that do you? Because it is here, it is a fact that it is here. To believe means believing in something when that something is not in the reality. When asked, whether this bottled drink is the ” truth”, though it is actually here, can I say that is the “truth”? What is the “truth”?

Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6).
And before Jesus was put to the cross, He said: “In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth (John 18:37). “What is truth?” Pilate asked (vs. 38).
Unless a Christian understands what the “truth” is, he cannot walk the true walk of life.
The “truth” is unchanging.
When this service is over, the remaining water in this bottle will be brought back to Ena in the car. Therefore, the fact that this bottled drink is here now, is not an unchanging matter. Therefore, it is not the truth, but a fact.
The fact that this bottled drink is here is not the truth.
We must be clear about this.
There is a difference between the “truth” and the “fact”.
What is it that we must confess?
We are not to confess our wishes, or, confess the present condition.
For some twenty years, I suffered in confessing, “I am healed”, when I was not healed. This suffering was solved.

First of all, what is the “truth”?
When you come to understand the difference between the “truth” and the “fact”, you will stand in true faith and not waver.
(It is this person who is standing on true faith which is the third type of Christian.)
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth ( John 17:17).
God’s word is the “truth”.
Do you know how this world had come to be?
The reason why the people of the world do not understand God is because they only accept the “reality”, that which they can see.

As we journey in the way of the Christian life, we should know the realm of the “reality”, and the other realm which is that of the “spiritual”.
“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible (Hebrew 11:3)”.
As we walk our Christian lives, we must recognize that there is the world of the “reality” and the world of the invisible (spiritual world).

”What is seen was not made out of what was visible”.
This is the creation of God.
Satan will say, “You say you are healed but you are sniffling. You are not healed yet.” Furthermore, we sin as we carry on in our Christian lives. Then, Satan will say, “You call yourself a Christian? A Pastor?” In “reality or fact”, that is so.
Satan is the ruler of this world. Satan is controlling what is visible.
That is why Satan will direct you to look at the reality.
I suffered in confessing “I am healed” though my nasal inflammation was there. As a Christian, lying will bring on suffering. Satan will also say, “Are you going to lie in saying that you are healed when you are not?”
I want you to understand well what it is that we should be confessing.
Unknowingly, we sometime say out loud the “present state” of things.
We say things like: ”I don’t have money.” “Sickness is prolonging.” “I’m lacking ability.”

Now let us see what Satan is like. Satan is the ruler of this world.
He is the controller of the visible world that this is.
The devil gives the riches of this world to those he picks.
“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
Satan is not standing on the “truth”.
Furthermore, he is not standing on the “Word”.

Let us look once again at Hebrew 11:3,
“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”
This world was made by the Word of God.
”What was not visible” is meant as God’s Word.
All things were made by the Word of God.
Satan may talk about “reality”. But that is not the “truth”.
”God’s Word” is the “truth”.

In leading a Christian life, one will become discouraged as long as he is wondering if he can do something or not, if he posses such faith or not.
However, when you believe in God, in Jesus, and take the position that what God is saying is exactly about you, then your thinking pattern will begin to change.

“By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). In the Bible it is written so in the past tense. Therefore, we pray,“I have been healed.”
For two month, I was inconvenienced by the fact that I had double vision from my left eye. At that time I kept saying, “I believe my eye has been healed.” The following day I would say, “I believe I am healed.” After a month, I was saying, “I believe I am healed.” When I looked into the mirror I was seeing four eyes. Satan will say, “you are not healed, look at the reality.” For two month I continued to say, “I believe I am healed, and I was healed. Reality changes by the “Word of God, the truth”.

If we hold on tightly to the “truth, that which is unchanging”, then we can bring that into this world. However, for those who do not hold on tightly, that will not happen. To believe means not to recognize the “reality” of not being healed. I have talked about my wife before.
She was semi-paralyzed due to cerebral infarction.
“In the name of Jesus, left hand move!” Still no movement. But I don’t quit. The devil says, “It’s not going to move, it is impossible.” He attacks with “reality, the fact”. However, the “truth” is the “Word of God”.
1 Peter 2:24: “By his wounds you have been healed”. This is the “truth”.
Next day I said, “In the name of Jesus, hold my finger!” Then she held my finger. She recovered, and a month later she was released from the hospital.
What would have happened if my wife’s hand did not move the second day?
I would have continued speaking, “In the name of Jesus, left hand move!”
Is there anyone sick at this time? Perhaps in reality there is that sickness.
However, we must know what to confess. It is the Word of God that we shall confess. The Word of God is the” truth and it is unchanging”.
When we believe in that which is invisible and “unchanging”, “reality” will change. This is the nature of our faith.
If the Word of God says we are “healed”, then we are healed.
That is the “truth”.

A sister in Okinawa is confessing, “I am blessed!”
She has no husband, the daughters have no work, and she herself had no work in recent times. In such midst, by confessing the “truth” in proclaiming, “I am blessed!”, the “reality” begins to change. She received, 500,000 yen, 1,000, 000 yen, and I was told she was also given work.
That is because the Bible says, “ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).
When we continue to mouth, “that is mine”, then that begins to take place.

Let us proclaim again today:
”I am blessed in the highest!
“I am loved by God in the highest!”
“I am more than a conqueror.”
“I have decided to forgive all people and love all people!”.
“In the name of Jesus. Amen.”

Satan is a liar (John 8:44). What is a lie? Here is a bottled drink. This is “reality”. This can become a lie. What is it compared to that this becomes a lie? When that is compared against the “truth”. Perhaps you are sick at this time. Perhaps you are troubled financially. Perhaps you are amidst problems.
But looked at from the standpoint of the “truth” which is the Bible, those are “lies”. Satan is not standing on the “truth”. You may be suffering from illness. And Satan will say, “in fact that is so”. However, Jesus was put on the cross and had taken the curse of your illness upon himself, therefore, that curse does not belong to you. What is there is a “lie.” Anyone who understands this and proclaims, “I believe I have been healed in Jesus”, for him the “reality” will change no matter how many years he has been sick.
For 25 years, Abraham kept believing in being given a child. Why was he able to continue believing for such a long time? It is because he was not looking at the “reality”. “The child is not born yet, maybe it is not possible.”
Not Abraham. He was standing on the “truth”. Abraham did not waver because he was standing on the Word of God, the truth, that said, “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, like the dust of the earth” (Genesis 12~).

Those who have problems now, please say, “This present condition that I am in is not right!” It is not right for me to remain in sickness. It is not right for me to remain in poverty. It is not right for me to be without work. We must speak these. Blessings will come when we believe so. When we believe, those blessings will come. Galatians 3:13, 14: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”
Those who proclaim, “I am blessed”, who are standing on the Word that is the truth, do not waver. Those who are standing on “reality”, and speaking with the feeling of, “I wish if it would turn out this way”, when answers to prayers are prolonged, they relent to saying, “perhaps it is not possible.”

Today, I would like for you to remember that what we are proclaiming is not our wishes, but the “truth of the Word”. I suffered in not knowing the difference between the “truth” and “reality.” The Word is unchanging. We shall stand on the “truth”, on the “Word.” Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away (Mark 13:31). We shall be free when we know the “truth”!

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31, 32).

Many do not understand the truth. They only understand what is visible. But the“truth”is in the invisible.

Person with cancer gets healed, and like in Pastor Gwajima’s ministry, the deceased come back to life. Because there is belief in the Word of truth that says to raise the dead, such a phenomenon is taking place. Furthermore, if you will abide in the truth, you will truly become disciples of Jesus. Jesus is saying He has taken the place of your sickness. If you will believe that then you are His disciple, and just as He says will surely come to pass though we do not know when.

And when you come to know the truth, you will be free.
In the unseen, there are many “truths”.

For example, is there someone who is in financial difficulty? In the spiritual realm, there is the truth that says you shall not be troubled (Ephesians 1:3).
We are not to look at the world of “reality”. The Word is the “truth”.
Therefore, we shall stand on the Word. That is our standing position.

Jesus became poor for our sake.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Therefore, in Christ we are rich.
Therefore, we will continuously proclaim, “I am rich”.

Because we proclaim this “truth”, reality changes.
Like Job, should we say something other than what the Word says, then we happen to invite that on. We are not to be speaking the symptoms of the reality. The doctor may speak of worse symptom. He may say something fearful that may cause anxiety. We, however, will not be that way. For God has given to us a plan that is, “not of anxiety but of peace, future and hope”, which is God’s Word. Therefore, my life is rich in hope!

Those who believed that sickness has been healed knows that in the spiritual realm this has already been accomplished, therefore, he does not dwell everyday on whether he has been healed or not, but instead, he thinks about how he will exist in the reality until healing comes. He knows he is going to be healed, therefore, he can think about what he will do when he is healed. In the meanwhile, he is positive, perhaps thinking about obtaining qualifications to find work, etc.
I will confess of the “truth”.
The Devil will look at me and say, “Is your attitude appropriate for a pastor? And you call yourself a Christian?”

What is the Bible saying to us about the “truth”?
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 8:1). You are not condemned to sin.
This is the “truth”. God’s Word says you are definitely not condemned, but you are condemning yourself to sin. That is because you are looking at “reality/fact”.

Should we sin, then let us pray, “Father in heaven, I have sinned. I have done what is wrong but please forgive me now, for on the cross, Jesus has paid for all my sins until I go to heaven. I believe I have been forgiven, and I give thanks unto you.” And then we shall proclaim the Word of the truth.
As we look into the Bible, we are being the person that is even unimaginable to ourselves.

Japan’s revival will take place from now, but what is said of the kind of people God will use? He will use those who are without worldly wisdom, power or knowledge, the ordinary, marginalized and many kinds of people.
If someone is not able to believe that, then that is when he is looking at the “reality” of his ability, thinking that he will not be used.

Paul had wisdom. He was distinguished. Then, why was he of wisdom used by God? It is because he said, the wisdom and ability he held were “rubbish”.
“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ”, (Philippians 3:8).
He did not say he was of excellence, far superior to others, and that surely he ought to be used. Rather, he said he has nothing.

You may say, “I have nothing”. But if you begin to speak the “Word of truth” and say, “I who have nothing is quite awesome in Christ”, then you will change.
Do not look at yourself which is in the“reality/fact”.
It is a fact that I am not smart. I am lazy and I am weak.
However, in the “truth”, I am more than conquerors. “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us”, (Romans 8:37). When we confess that, then that which we confess will begin to take place.

We shall not look at the “reality”.
The “reality”, when compared with the “truth” could be a lie.
What is real is the ”truth”.

“But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation”, (Colossians 1:22).
Reconciliation has already taken place through Jesus.
Therefore, we are holy, without blemish, free from accusations. We shall confess this every day.
For when we do so, the “reality” of being holy, without blemish, free from accusations, will come to pass.

Let us proclaim, “I am holy. I am without blemish. I am free from accusations. That is me! That is the “truth”! I am successful. I have been healed! I have no reason to be sick.”
When we are speaking the “truth” in this way, then if sickness is there, it will change to healing, and change for blessings will come to be. We must know the difference between “truth” and “reality”, and speak not the facts, but the “truth”.

I will close with a prayer.
“Merciful heavenly Father, we give you thanks. And we return all glory unto you.
That though in reality each person is not yet able to see who he really is, I give you thanks because he will know the realm of the truth, and when he proclaims the Word, he will come to know who he really is.

I give thanks because when we say what you had said, when we say the Word of God, as the visible evolves out of the invisible, our true selves, the selves of the truth will become the reality..

Though someone might be sick at this time, the truth of 1 Peter 2:24 that says, “by his wounds you have been healed”, will heal him, restore his health, make him able to work, and give him a life of future and hope. Therefore, I give thanks.
Though some might be thinking, “I am not capable”, “I don’t have the ability”, I give thanks that these people will become as so in declaring the Word of truth that says in Philippians 4:13, “ I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

In the name of Jesus we will continue to speak the truth no matter what circumstances or situations we may be in.
We are not speaking lies. But the lies called “reality” will begin to change.
In the name of Jesus I give thanks.
Amen.”

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