At the end of the year, I caught such a bad cold that it has made it difficult for me to do my work as well as I'd like to. However, the cold is probably owing to the fact that I have been much too busy. Around this time of year, though, I also receive many cards from friends and acquaintances that are very encouraging to me. One of these cards came from a certain christian man whom could bear my burdens with me when I first started a church after graduating from bible college. I'd like to read his card out to you now. "Merry Christmas! I hope and pray that you've been doing find and have been well blessed. Being 94 years old this year, I quite often feel weak physically, but with the strength and support of the Spirit I am doing fine. I pray that you will be more blessed as you work for the souls of the lost people." With this card, I regained spiritual strength..

Every time I receive the blessing of Christ, I always imagine that all the people around the world are enjoying the birth of Jesus together (but in different time zones of course). "We are all one in Christ." -- this is such a true saying.

I was in the United States only one time in my life and that was during my deputation work. During that time I visited several places, and all of the people that I met were so kind and generous to me. I have never forgotten that. On my way to San Diego, I was travelling by train, and rode next to a certain African American. The moment I revealed to her that I was in fact a Christian, I remember that her face changed into such a lovely one. We had a good talk together on our way. This is why I say that being a Christian is something precious and beautiful.

However, as human beings are, we have been long having wars, and triffles, and competitions, and murders, such evil incidents in our histories. And above these, many cults having been spreading out over the world, taking advantage of peoples' acceptance and abusing them in ways that make many distrust true faith in God. In every society, there are serious problems which are almost impossible to solve. Look at Isaiah 59:1-16. Does this surprise you? In this passage we can see the reflection of our world today. What happens if we come into the new year of 2000 with such evils?

In Israel a certain christian group named Bridges for Peace is being well-used. In the letter that this group regularly publishes, a certain christian woman wrote: 'On the third visit to Israel, I had a sensational experience with a photograph. In this photograph, twin boys are gazing into the camera after having had their penises cut off!' The picture was one of those displayed to demonstrate the horror of Nazi Germany. Because this lady had a son of her own at approximately the same age of the twins shown, her shock was beyond description. But then she said she could hear a voice speaking to her. "Are you shocked and saddened because your son is their age? Well, I am suffering for 600 million people." Then she could feel and touch on God's own sorrow.

As most of you know, I have been suffering both physically and spiritually for about 6 months now. I couldn't receive inspiration from God at all. I couldn't prepare sermons well enough to reach out to many people. The same happened to me even on Christmas Day! I couldn't prepare a satisfactory sermon at all! Even while I was in front of the congregation, I didn't know what to preach. I don't remember what it is that I said, but only that at the end of my sermon God seemed to touch me. He showed me what to say, but it was too late. The time for closing the sermon had come. How I had wished that I could have had that lost time back.. Through this I learned that I needed to repent before Him. I don't know exactly what to repent of. But certainly God spoke to me to repent. Then, part of today's reading came to me; II Chronicles 7:14.

Here is another thing to remember; the blood of Jesus. How precious Jesus' blood shed on the cross is to us! You see, only His blood can bring forgiveness to our sins from God, and give us a life that is associated with God's reign. Just like what we have read in Isaiah, we find that people are lost, and God can find no one to reach out to them all. A certain pastor once said: "I for Japan, Japan for the World, the World for Christ, and all for God." At the end of this year, especially the end of the 1900's, we are called to repent of whatever is making God sad. Please read John's first letter, chapter 1, verse 9. Remember this: Without repentance there's no forgiveness from God, and His work is not in us or among us.

Sermon translated by Junko Okamoto - Edited for the Net by Shido
For another sermon see: Oita Evangelical Christ Church
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