i want to know Christ - yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings (php 3:10)

150 years has passed since Christianity was brought to Japan, yet only 0.05% of its population are Christians.

如果这次的海啸死去的人数有15000，根据0.05%的比率来算，有几个灵魂进如天堂？如果15000人当中只有8个是基督徒，那其余的14992条命去了哪里？

I found myself tearing after that statement was made by Jiami chuandao. How often have I not prayed for unbelievers but for myself? How many times have opportunities arisen to tell my friends about the gospel but I chose not to due to whatever excuses?

Have I become too comfortable a Christian?

What mockery, to claim to be a child of God yet disobey Him. I realized how fortunate I am to be able to attend Sunday services. Yesterday a friend of my mother's came to my mind and I realized that, having the time to attend Sunday services and Saturday fellowships are blessing that I have taken for granted. To earn a living, my mother's friend has to work on weekends, and for many years since she started working at her teenage years, she has been toiling at the same job. Not everyone enjoys the luxury of having the choice to free up their weekends, and even if they did, their decision normally pays a high price.

While preparing the study of the book of Mark for the youths, I came across the incident of Jesus riding on a colt into Jerusalem; a far cry from what a king might have ridden instead. I envisioned Jesus as meek and gentle as how He was portrayed, not every time though, as He rode into Jerusalem.

Then it struck me how remarkably different Jesus was depicted in Revelations. He was no longer sitting on a colt, but on a white horse, with Justice He judges and makes war. He was not the figure shown in the gospels as someone whom an ordinary person, or a child could easily approach. In Revelations, His eyes are blazing like fire. He is dressed in a white robe dipped in blood. And on His robe and thigh it is written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Dear Lord, have mercy on the Japanese, and give me the courage to press on towards the goal for which You have called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.