It being the last Sunday of September, I'd like to give thanks to God for His protection and guidance this month. The other day, an airplane accident happened, which was such a sad and shocking thing to us. So many sad and depressing things have been happening around us. However, we need to remember that everything is in His hands. We are to use God's eyes [when we look at the world's events].

Last week, we had our 14th anniversary since the founding of Chapel Noah. At the gathering, in the afternoon, we had a good talk and shared lots of visions that we have for our future together. We will continue to offer this place as a temple of God and house of prayer. At a certain church, Christian men, who are too busy with working obligations, gathering together on Saturdays for their prayer times. This church has been through several problems and sufferings. But, with the power of prayer, all of those problems were solved. Prayer is power and triumph! [Do you really want to experience power and triumph? Then seek God out with your whole heart, and you will!]

Being at a turning point now of 14 years, we, Chapel Noah people, need to keep growing spiritually. Some people might think that the events that have been recorded in the Bible are beyond ordinary lives. True, those people can not believe the Bible. But, everything that happened in the Bible, every single miraculous thing recorded in there, is true.

In today's reading concerning the feeding of the 5,000, [it is actually more miraculous than might be apparent;] if counted including the numbers of women and children, there would have been over 10,000! Sounds impossible. But, with God, nothing is impossible. With God, the Creator, everything is possible and we are to lead our lives in this knowledge.

We are so apt to be influenced by what we "see" in the "visible" [so-called empirical world] around us. In a way, we learn to see things negatively, in our daily lives, for we are always surrounded by depressing [, disheartening] news.

See Ph.4:11,13 and Ro.4:17-21. It totally depended on Abraham, our father of faith, whether God's promise would or would not be fulfilled. The situation may look negative or impossible, but whether or not God can work depends on our faith. And, in such situations, we are tested by God. In today's lesson, Philip, one of Jesus' disciples, was tested by Jesus [See Jn.6:5-7]. This particular situation seemed so negative. It was starting to get dark. There were too many people to feed. There were logistical problems: it would cost too much to feed them all, etc. But, Andrew was not like the other disciples. He didn't see the real reality [See Jn.6:8-9]. Jesus told us that if we had the faith of a mustard seed we could make a mountain fall into the sea. Nothing is impossible with such faith -- this appears to be so difficult to accept. We always have fears. We all know that with only human strength we can not do everything. But, with faith, it is God that works through us and shows His glory.

1 K.17:8-16 -- Here is a wonderful thing that happened to Elijah. Just because this lady followed Elijah's instructions a wonderful thing happened. In following with faith, we can see God working and realize what it is we need Him to do.

With faith, we are to be renewed inside. When we believe, we are placed in a different world than the ordinary world. The spiritual world is so different from the physical world. Things happen in the spiritual world that are out of the ordinary. Things which seem impossible in the physical world are not impossible in the spiritual world. Since birth, we have been learning the negative way of taking things, being surrounded daily by negative news. But, the world we Christians live in does not belong to the negative world. With faith, we can see God's possibility.

Some or lots of Christians have experienced this possibility with faith. Let us have the wonderful work of God with faith!

Translated by Junko Okamoto - Edited for the Net by Shido
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