Dear brothers and sisters,
In our day the news is showing the tragedy of many lives being lost and thousands of people without homes because one of the worst summer floods in recent history in southern Japan. These days can see some people asking the same question that Job asked in the midst of his anguish and crisis: Where is hope? (Job: 17:15)
In Japan, hunger, poverty, and shootings are not the daily trials. However, their main trials hurt as much or even more than material or physical struggles. Here, Japanese society suffocates with the emptiness of superficiality. Everything needs to look good for the outside eye, but on the inside there is sin that leafs to suicides, idolatry, broken family structures, repression and discrimination that leaves with a suffering country in need of real hope. The national slogan in times of disaster, “日本人しんじてる” (“I believe in Japanese people), evaporates with the heat of their hopelessness.
But praise the Lord that we have a God that still cares for the lost in Japan; praise the Lord because he is still calling people through times of disaster. Recently we had the privilege and joy of sharing with people from many countries expressing that there is only hope in the name of Christ. Please pray for us so we continue sharing our Lord’s Gospel of hope; a hope that does not depend on the daily circumstances of this fallen world but in eternal blessings (Ephesians 1:3-14). Jesus warned us in John 16:33 that we will have tribulations in this world, but have hope because He has overcome the world. All glory to God.
Praise the Lord for the discipleships and bible lessons we are having at the church. It is a privilege to see people reading good books about the Gospel and on the church and extending their time, not only to worship on Sundays, but to attend weekday bible studies. Please pray for the future leaders that are being trained and for our Lord to strengthen more the foundations and faith of the teenagers that are also attending the healthy church classes.
Please pray for God to continue helping us to be a church formed by families that pray with thanksgiving, repentance, petitions and praises. We want to continue communicating to the new believers and new generations that a biblical prayer life is to be a foundation in our lives and in the church.Also, pray for the Japanese, Peruvian, and American groups that are attending the Bible lessons. Some of them are not believers. Please pray for the Bible verses and for the Gospel to save their lives.
Please pray for the Operation Christmas ministry that is hosting some outreach events to the Japanese, Air Force, and the Hispanic communities. Pray also for the churches that will receive the boxes as a resource to share the Gospel with many children and families in the Philippines.
Always thank you for holding the rope through your prayers and support.
Luis
Timothy began working for HeartCry in 2015 and assists with the work in Asia. He is married, has eight children, two sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.
More By Timothy Jotham
