One Word, One Journal

"...But there's only one thing you need. Mary has chosen what is better, and it is not to be taken away from her." (Luke 10:42)

ONLY one! Have you discovered that one thing?

Some of us have started this year by picking just one word to guide us this year instead of a long list of resolutions. 

We chose just one word to have clarity by taking all our big plans for life change and narrowing them down into a single focus. Just one word that centers on our character and creates a vision for our future. (See more at: http://myoneword.org/#.dpuf)

What about you? What's your one word for this year? Tell us and we will give you a journal (FREE!) that you can use in your personal Bible study and quiet time. And at the end of the year, we will have a special year-end REAL Groups session to  praise God and look back how He used our one word to shape us into His likeness.

Comment on this blog post with your name and one word or tell Evelyn or Pearl or Saki on Sabbath (^_−)−☆

Detox

HAVE you ever wondered what happens to our brain when we check our phone all the time? Here's a link to a video that explains it.

http://www.businessinsider.com/smartphone-exposure-affecting-brain-2016-3

Technology is important and convenient and I am guilty of using my phone almost all the time not only to chat or enjoy social media. 

My phone is my alarm clock, devotional, Bible, dictionary, recipe book, camera, GPS, diary, music and podcast player and many more! It's difficult to imagine a day without my smartphone. But obviously, there is danger in depending on smartphones for many things. 

Some of us have thought of doing a 7-day smartphone detox. Feel free to join us! Tailor it to whatever works for your lifestyle. And let us know what it did for you!

Let's Support a Church Building in Bolivia

FOR 14 years, our brothers and sisters in Alto-Irpavi, La Paz, Bolivia. One of its original members now worships with us, Rosa Mayta. In behalf of her church in Bolivia, she is seeking help for the construction of their church building. Here are some recent photos:

The congregation has 30 members and they are mostly young people and children. We are hoping we can all extend help to our brothers and sisters in Bolivia.

If you'd like to donate, please contact Rosa directly: maytarosa@gmail.com or rosamayta@yahoo.com.

"南米ボリビアの教会設立募金活動ご協力のお願い"

 

ボリビア西部、海抜3650mに位置するLa Pezは世界で最も標高の高い都市ととして知られています。AltroIrpavi（アルトロ　イルパビ）はLa Pazに属する町で、セブンスデーアドベンチストの兄弟、姉妹たちが14年間に渡り集会礼拝を続けています。

SDA大阪センター教会、国際部のメンバーでのRosa Maytaは、この町の出身で、現在大阪にある大学に留学中です。今回、Rosaのホームタウンであるアルトロに住むアドベンチストメンバーが教会を建設するにあたり、建設費の寄付協力お願いの依頼がありました。

 

現地では約３０名のメンバー、主に子供達、、若い年代のメンバーが中心となって礼拝を行っています。厳しい気候に屈することなく、メンバー達は神様の御言葉を学び、より多くの人達に伝えていきたいとたい意欲に満ちています。

 

現地の状況は掲載写真をご覧ください。

 

我々の援助を通して、アルトロのメンバー達に少しでも安全で快適な環境を提供出来たらと思います。

 

寄付活動にご協力いただける方は、以下、Rosa Maytaへ直接ご連絡お願いします。

 

rosamayta@yahoo.com

 

皆様からの多くのご協力をお願い致します。

 

 

 

 

Sermon Notes: A Charge That on Himself, He Laid by Charles Nyahucho

THIS Sabbath, we have been blessed with a song from Radius and Meilany called "Blessings." Charles also gave us a sermon and here are the important points for us to meditate upon:

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Jesus Christ to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

 - Ephesians 4:10

We are the product of God's handiwork.

"God saw all that He made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day."

  - Genesis 1:31

As a product is coming out of manufacturer tested and confirmed to be good we also came from God perfectly.

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

 - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

As manufacturers of product like mobile phone, when God created you went through Conceptualization of Fabrication.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."

- 2 Timothy 3:16

The Holy Bible is the "Manufacturer's Manual"

- warranty/guarantee are in it for you as a product

-promises are found in the Bible

- we have assurance of salvation in the Bible

- we have instructions when defects are found in us, how to deal with it, in the Bible

As Jesus' disciples, our life is also full of flaws:

weakness

failings

imperfections

mistakes

defects

blemishes

conflicts

death

wars

calamities

etc.

  

WE WERE CREATED FOR GOOD WORKS IN CHRIST, NOT FLOWS OF FLAWS.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, I will give you rest. 

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

- Matthew 11:28-30

Your protection and treasure is a charge that on Himself He laid.

God bless you. 

Nagoya Church Visit

HAPPY SABBATH!

WE are in the process of planning a return visit to Nagoya Church. We need to know all those who are definitely interested in going so we can make the plans. The tentative dates are

• May 14
• June 11
• July 9

Richard contacted the Nagoya church and was told that May would be a good time as there will be an English sermon on May 14th plus the spring weather should be beautiful.

Transportation Options:

Bus

Osaka 7:30am - Nagoya 10:23 

Fare: 1,500 - 2,500 yen

Nagoya 19:30 - Osaka 22:50

Fare: 1,500 - 2,500 yen

Train

Bullet train (Shinkansen): 4,300 yen (one way)

Must be reserved in advance.

Train leaves every hour.

Takes about 1 hour from Osaka to Nagoya.

• Bullet train + hotel is 18,000 yen

Kintetsu Express

Takes about 3 hours + hotel package is 13,000 yen.

Please let Richard know if you are interested in going and whether May 14th is convenient and what your transportation preferences are.

Are You "There"?

THE safest place to be is where God wants you to be. That place is your “there.” It describes your reality. “THERE” can be a physical location (e.g., a place to work, study, or live) or it can be a particular time to take an action. THERE can also be a dream or career to pursue, a relationship to engage in, or even a spiritual experience to have. To be THERE is to do or to live in God’s will, however perplexing. As long as you’re THERE, God will provide for you, protect you, and bless you (cf. 1 Kings 17:4, 9, 10). 

The real question, then, is: Are you THERE? If not, make every effort to be THERE. And if you’re already there, determine to patiently stay THERE. For, THERE is the soul’s place of quietness and peace. 

Credit: http://eaglesonline.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a263b56490405bb83081ea113&id=ea683bb461&e=4246cc632c

Sermon Notes: Created for a purpose by Charles Nyahucho

This sermon was given on February 13, 2016
 

Before the church was constructed

The idea was there for having a building for serving several purposes like, church, classrooms, cafeteria, etc.

An architect, engineer and quantity surveyor and team

Jointly they reflected church ideas/purposes in the following:

• Plan
• Elevations (views)
• Sections
• Landscaping plan
• Estimates of materials
• Specifications for doors, windows, stairs, elevators, etc.
• The final picture of the building the way it looks when finished

God had you in mind before you came

"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness...'"
"Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God and there is no other; I
am God there is no other like me. I made known the end from the beginning, from
ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please." -- Isaiah 46:9,10

God knows your end from the beginning

"For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be
holy and blameless in His sight" -- Ephesians 1:4

"The Lord Almighty has sworn, 'Surely, as I have planned,
so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.'" -- Isaiah 14:24

Everyone has come for a very specific purpose

As fingerprints differ, everyone has their specific task to accomplish

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless." -- Psalms 84:11

There is nothing that was not provided for you to accomplish your task

How can I or you accomplish God's purpose?

• Adam and Eve at the garden
• Abraham and Sarah, concubine
• Ananias and Sapphira
• Joseph and Potiphar's wife
• Job and his wife
• Four brothers in Babylon

Stop doubting God's wisdom
1 Peter 5:6,7

Appeal
Psalm 90:12 

• You are special to God, created to fulfill and accomplish His special purpose regardless of who you are
• God has already supplied all you need to accomplish His purpose
• Your task is unique and different from any other human being
• If you admit and respect His wisdom all your days, you will never fall

Amen.