❖ Video ❖ Audio Let Us Heed These Things Psalm 107:33-43 Andy Nagahara A. Reasons for withering and flourishing (33-38) He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle. They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; he　blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their herds diminish. For the people of Israel and the surrounding areas at that time, water was so precious that it is completely unimaginable to those of us who live in Japan where water is abundant.…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Irreplaceable Love of God Romans 8:31-39 Mari Ikeda We’ve been reading Romans from the beginning of this year, and now we have finally got to the halfway point today. Today’s part  – Chap 8 verse 31-39 is the praise to God as a closing of the first half of Romans. We will hear Paul’s words of excitement to God repeatedly. Verse 31-34 talks about how God loves us so much, and 35-39 talks about how we can never go astray from God now that we know His such love for us. We will read the scriptures little by little as usual. Let’s start with 31-32. …

❖ Video ❖ Audio Crying Out to the Lord in Distress Psalms 107:1-32 Andy Nagahara I will divide Psalm 107 into two parts. Today we will go through verse 33. Here, the people of Israel were redeemed from various hardships and brought together, which is appropriate for us as we have just resumed our on-site worship service this month! The first three verses describe the gratitude and joy of being redeemed and called together. After that, four different kinds of hardships are recorded. Each of us, as a people who have been freed from various hardships and called to this place, should listen carefully to the message of Jesus as…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Work of the Holy Spirit: The Power to Believe in Hope that is Unseen Romans 8:18-30 Mari Ikeda A. Present suffering and future hope (18) 1. Creation is suffering with humanity (19-22) 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Let’s Trust in the Word of the Lord and Sing His Praise psalm 106 Andy Nagahara A. What is the reason we have been brought together? (1-5, 47, 48) This Psalm, like Psam 106 is long; but I will discuss it by introducing relevant verses that you can read each day of the week.  However, don’t feel guilty if you find yourself too busy to do the daily reading or end up skipping some parts. Let’s first read through verse 5 and then verses 47 and 48. 1 Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.2 Who can…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Work of the Holy Spirit 2: Making Us God’s Children Romans 8:12-17 Mari Ikeda      Today, as we continue to read chapter 8 of the Book of Romans, let’s learn about the work of the Holy Spirit. Let’s read verses 12-13 first.  A. Our consciousness is necessary (12-13) 12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. The word “flesh” appears here again, and…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Journey of Faith Psalm 105 Andy Nagagara A. Looking to the past for the sake of the future (1-11, 45) Like Psalms 103 and 104, Psalms 105 is also a long psalm, but I am going to discuss it in one sermon instead of dividing it. Having said that, tLike Psalms 103 and 104, Psalms 105 is also a long psalm, but I am going to discuss it in one sermon instead of dividing it. Having said that, the content of this Psalm is mainly a recount of what is written in Genesis. So today I would like to suggest to you that you read…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Work of the Holy Spirit 1: Leading Us to Eternal Life Romans 8:1-11 Mari Ikeda   We are going to enter into chapter 8 of the Book of Romans from today, and I want to read this chapter as a three-part series titled, “the Work of the Holy Spirit,” as that is the theme of this chapter. So far in Romans, it has been repeatedly emphasized that we are unable to save ourselves by our own strength, but this chapter 8 talks about the Holy Spirit, who can lead us to a right direction. A right direction is the direction of Jesus. Jesus wanted to…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Hallelujah! O My Soul! Psalm 104:24-35 Andy Nagahara A. Human conscience and morals cannot save  1. Both us and the leviathan (24-26) 24 How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. 25 There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number– living things both large and small. 26 There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. 2. God gives and God takes away (27-30) 27 These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time.28 When you give it to them,…

❖ Video ❖ Audio We Cannot Save Ourselves Romans 7:7-25 Mari Ikeda    Today I would like to talk about the concept that ‘we cannot save ourselves’. Both personal and social problems have the same underlying problem which is our human sin. We all need to take responsibility for our actions; however, we need to know that our underlying problem is so serious that it is beyond our control. In the face of that problem, human conscience and morality are of no help, and trying to fix it with effort and perseverance will not fix it.    The main part of today’s topic is a bit abstract and depressing, but…