2010.08.28 TGIS Blog

2010.08.28 TGIS Blog  (Posted by Ninja)

ICEBREAK---"Chicken or Eagle" (Yue)
Today's activity was a discussion on 'freedom'. I entitled this activity, "Chicken or Eagle" because of Yue's last question. When do you feel free? What does 'freedom' mean to you? How do you get it? Which one would you like to be, chicken or eagle?... See? The topic sounds deep and fascinating, doesn't it? Yes it was! We all enjoyed listening to each other. Let me invite you to come join us next time. It's a week after next week,  but we'd like to see you in our circle! Please don't be shy. ...OK. Maybe you are just very far from Tokyo. All right, then, you may want to check out our website around 15:00 [TOKYO time] so that you may see us enjoying these activities. Have you ever heard of USTREAM service? Do you know anything about TWITTER? TGIS service is now available on USTREAM, so please try it, if you are familiar with these services. Unfortunately I cannot help you with these things, as I see myself practically a dinosaur in the technological transition!) Anyway, thanks, Yue, for leading today's ICEBREAK!

By the way, our dear brother Aki nicely put his comments on spiritual freedom. Very nice! New Vocabulary: Financial freedom, Emotional freedom, Spiritual freedom. Anxiety and worries.

TESTIMONY (Kumi)

Kumi shared her testimony on her recent trip to UK. She was there for enjoying a cup of tea with Queen. Of course, I'm joking. What are you talking about. Kumi went to UK this summer for studying and working on a project, but she also enjoyed meeting people including professors and English teachers from various countries. God amazingly gave her opportunities to share the Gospel with some of her new friends. That is awesome! God is amazing. Indeed, He can show and teach us many things everywhere we go. He is beyond times. (Can we say that? I mean, "Kami-sama wa Jikan no Waku wo Koeru" in Japanese.) I sincerely believe that your new dream will come true, Kumi. (God helped Kumi to revisit her memory of traveling UK with her family, and now she's got a new dream. Her new dream is to go to Wimbledon with her dad to watch the Wimbledon Champion tournament.) Ronnie said that watching tennis on-live is really different from watching it on TV, so you will have a great time there! Oops! I've just realized that last week's testimony by Ronnie and this week's by Kumi, both point us to this: Honor your father and your mother. Amen!

MESSAGE (Wayne)

Wayne! We love your joke in the beginning! (Maru calls it "Oyaji-gyagu", but don't worry. He loves your joke, too.) The title of today's message is "A House Divided". We read Luke 11:17: A house divided will fall.

Theme for this week was "Learning & Growing, You can enter the Promised Land of a Happy Life/Marriage", so Wayne first opened the floor for a question: What makes a house divided?

I.     Unresolved conflict, hurt feelings, unforgiveness, bitterness, 

        complaining & grumbling, anger, pride, selfishness, revenge, and 

        hardheadedness

      A. Whose to blame? What's the cause?

           Self, the world, and the devil

      B. It starts with a seed thought and goes into the heart

      C. Absalom, who was he? He made a divided house, very selfish

II.    There's only one hope for a unified house, Jesus

      A. It's found in his Word, and the power of the Holy Spirit

      B. Reconciliation: to make things right, listen to what God has to say

      C. Covet unity

III.   Story of Mae: Domestic Violence, she married young, had a son,  

        husband an alcoholic, she found out, beat her until he threatened to

        kill her and the child, crossed country through safe houses, ended

        in Hawaii, became a Christian, met and married my good friend,

        Jesus rescued her and has a stable home

Summary: When in a group/church/marriage/company, don't be the one to have unresolved conflict, strive for unity. yes you can disagree, but quickly forgive, forget, pray, always look to the Lord, WWJD. Don't shoot

each other in the toe, its not worth it. Let's not be a house divided but one of unity going forth for his kingdom       

SONGS (Ronnie [Worship Leader], Aki [PA])

1. You are Good

2. You are Holy

3. At the Cross

4. From the Inside Out

Announcement (Pastor Elmer)

There will be no TGIS service next week at Shinjuku Shalom Church. Instead, we will be attending the Christopher Sun Conference held at Ariake Colosseum. (Flyers are available at church. Also, please visit at:

http://www.sun2010.org/ for more information. Thank you.)

Fellowship Time
Thank you for coming to TGIS today!