Dear.....
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Romans 10:13-15
As the End of times intensifies, one is reminded of God's promise that Christ will not return till the gospel of salvation is preached to all. I used to think those most unreached would be
in the impoverished remote far corners of the world, where physical accessibility denied many the opportunity to know the gospel. The fall of the Iron Curtain, and China's embracement of capitalism while still keeping its communist core have also removed major barriers to evangelism.
But the biggest hurdle to the spread of the gospel have been the hearts of the potential recipients. This is the experience globally, but none is as collectively shuttered as the peoples of Continental Europe, Thailand and Japan.
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17
Back in the lows of the subprime crisis in April 2009, our good Lord put in my heart the call to minister to 3 nations - Thailand, China and Japan.
Thailand is where I spent the best part of the past 15 years building relationships based on trust. It is also where our Lord fully lifted the veil in my heart. But tried as I might this past one year, Thailand is a door that is temporarily closed off for me.
What about China? I am always encouraged and attracted by the work done by the Antioch Mission in China. But the season has not come and I continue to seek a breakthrough in my Mandarin proficiency in the meanwhile.
A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
Japan, "the Land of the Rising Sun," is where our good Lord is bringing me to. The past years of dabbling in collecting Japanese art has given me an appreciation of an aspect of their culture that the average Watanabe are not familiar with. Prayerfully, the two art books I published will eventually be translated into Japanese to feed the growing hunger for the Word of God amongst the growing indigenous Christian community.
Nagasaki, on the western coast of Kyushu, was unfortunate to be bombed because the other chosen site was visibly blocked by the clouds. Before the atomic bomb, Nagasaki was also known as the gateway for the spread of Christianity in Japan, which flourished to include at one point 10% of the population. This was subsequently stifled but never snuffed out over 200 years, with persecution and cruxification of Christians by the governments of that day. "Hidden Christians," this was used to describe Japanese Christians who ostensibly renounced their faith to avoid persecution, but in actual fact worship Christ whose image were hidden behind the facade of Buddhist figurines.
Japan is a society that was an economic miracle, rising from the ashes of defeat in the aftermath of World War 2. The Americans needed to repress the "samurai" spirit that underlined the officer class of the Japanese Imperial Army, to ensure that such forces will never again be unleashed upon the world.
Today, with the Abe government, we are witnessing the reawakening of this very potent evil spirit, no doubt unwittingly aided by an unforgiving China who continues to harangue the till now docile Japanese. And the Obama Administration in their attempt to encircle China, is feeding this rising nationalism in Japan, for the United States holds the key to the pandora box.
God wants all to know about the good news of the gospel. Japan and Thailand are both very hard grounds for sowing the Word. Christianity in Thailand has traditionally been confined to the minority tribes straddling the notorious Golden Triangle. But I know that there has been a unprecedented tremendous growth down in Bangkok these past few years.
What about Japan? In this past one year since our Lord put in my heart( in Nov 2012) to start the process, of the call He gave me back in April 2009. I have come to know of and met by His Divine arrangement, like minded Singaporeans who have been led to Japan, to pray, to minister and to build the infrastructure for the coming harvest.
Japan, "the Land of the Rising Sun, " is reviving economically after more than 20 years in limbo. On the spiritual level, much as evil tries to reprise its role as in the past, I believe God is finally lifting the long oppressed nation out her spiritual bondage.
The people of Japan will witness the the love of Christ, the risen Son of God emanate forth.
As Christians in the Antioch of the East, is this not what God has prepared us for?
But not just Japan, but possibly the other major closed off market, North Korea, where the strong Christian faith were made stronger despite the determined attempts of their then Japanese rulers( in the 1930s) to repress. And when the yoke of the Japanese upon them were finally removed after WW2, instead of freedom, it was replaced by the present communist regime of North Korea today. Yet the seeds of the Christian faith were never eradicated, for many fled down South to turn South Korea into a great evangelical nation today. And even in North Korea, I believe the seeds of Christianity were repressed but never eradicated, but lying low, just waiting for God's timing to sprout forth.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
Psalms 37:23
Masayoshi Son, the billionaire Japanese of Korean descent made his wealth through his company, SoftBank during the internet boom. The next boom in Japan could be more grounded upon brick and mortar. Like many of the world who aspires to be rich, are we chasing the next delusory dream. But as people anointed by our Lord, we should be chasing after the salvation of souls that God is bringing about an increase in.
Japan is just an example. Where is God leading you to? Be still and know His will.
And be blessed to partake in the joy of being the lamp upon which His light shines forth.
For He has raised us up for a time like this.
God blesses
Eng Hieang
An afterthought - You raised me up
For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
John 20:9
"You raised me up." ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?hl=en-GB&gl=SG&v=Z5rMi2jKqkY) is a worship song that is stirring. It is a praise of affirmation, of God's grace and empowerment, to bring us to more than what we can be.
It is why the Christian life if lived in obedience is a walk of victory, for within us, resides the Spirit of our Sovereign God.
God brought me to this song twice over this past week. Why?
Increasingly, many in the world will hear about the risen Christ. But buy in will come only when they witness the power of the gospel lived through us, in all circumstances.
But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
Philippians 1:12
So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Philippians 1:13-14
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:20-21
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