Linda

28 May 2017

Dear Phyllis,

I believe 90% of the Lord's workings are under the radar, unreported. When I was with NLL I would regularly hear amazing testimonies coming out of China from the men working there. Later while I was in the states I shared some of these miracles with churches, and people would ask, “Why have we never heard these things?”. These were private acts of God, most of which were outside organizational activity. Paul has been stopping by sharing stories like I have never heard in my life. I would like to share these astounding testimonies but I don't know how I could relate them and I don't want to endanger the working of the Holy Spirit by advertising His doings. I believe the Lord is frequently doing amazing things for us in the shadows, of which we have no knowledge. Jacob never imagined what God was doing for him for ten years when God was establishing Joseph as the Prime Minister of Egypt. In the absence of anything else to write this week I want to re share an old event that is probably the most amazing testimony I ever heard.

It was in 1980 when we were back in the states for a one year furlough. We were attending a church supper for our home church, the Greenville Christian Fellowship. I was sitting next to a lady that I remembered from the last time we were home. She and her husband would frequently sit in front of us, but except from greetings at the door I had never spoken with her. Her husband was a fancy dude wearing loud Hawaiian shirts. She was somewhat on the plump side with a huge stack of Marie Antoinette blond hair on her head. I frequently remarked to Rosemary, “I serious doubt that that couple are saved.”. That night I spoke to her saying, “Linda, You probably don't recall us but my name is Bill Cook and my wife Rosemary. We are missionaries to Japan and used to see you in church six years ago.”. She turned to me and replied, “Bill Cook I know more about you than your mother. I would like to share my testimony with you.”.

Like we suspected they were not saved. Shortly after we left Greenville to return to Japan they stopped going to church altogether. Then one day a friend called inviting her to go to church with her the next Sunday to one of the larger churches in Greenville. Suddenly the Lord put in her heart an intense desire to go to church again. Linda said that was the longest week of her life. Every morning she would wake up and wonder how many more years would it be until Sunday came. Finally Sunday came and she got up early to get ready for church. But no friend. She despaired that she wouldn't show up. At last she got there but she was the slowest driver Linda had ever ridden with. Every traffic light in Greenville was red and Linda was about out of her mind when they finally got to church. Then her friend wanted to talk to every one in the parking lot. After an eternity they finally got seated in church. But the song service was interminable. By the time the pastor stood up to speak Linda had crossed every waiting line in her heart. Before the pastor could tell his first joke, Linda jumped to her feet, ran forward in front of 3000 startled people, and fell down at the altar pleading, “Jesus, Jesus, save me!”. Jesus jolly-well saved her – big time.

Man howdy, did she get a nose full of salvation! But there was no peace in heaven. After Linda got saved, she was on her knees day and night pleading for the salvation of her husband. Every time the Lord turned around Linda was in His face begging that Jake get saved. Poor Jake. What happened to his wonderful wife? She used to be a quiet soul but now she has gone totally bonkers for Jesus and His salvation. That put terrible pressure on him.

Jake was a carpenter. One day he was up on a roof; at 3:30 in the afternoon, suddenly he stood up, unbuckled his nail pouch, and climbed down off the roof, telling his gang, “I'll see you guys tomorrow.” The next morning he was on his way to work when there was a terrible accident and Jake was killed outright. The ambulance took him to the hospital but he was DEA. A pastor was there who never visited a hospital at 8:00 in the morning, but a believer in his church was having surgery that day, and he went early to pray for his church member. As he was walking out the foyer he heard an announcement over the PA system requesting if there was any clergy in the hospital; “Would you please report to administration”. He turned around and asked, “What is the problem?”. “They have just brought a man in here dead, and we would like to have a minister to break the news to his wife.”. He asked to see the body. They told him, “He is not a pretty sight, but if you want to see him the body is in the morgue.” The pastor went in the morgue, lifted up the sheet over Jake's face, looked at him, and placed the sheet back. Then he went to the hospital entrance to wait for Linda. When Linda came roaring up on the scene, dashing in the hospital, he stepped forward and said, “Mrs. Rogers, my name is Pastor Barnsworth. Your husband is in heaven with our Lord Jesus.”. Linda glared at him and replied, “Preacher, you are a liar. My husband is an unsaved man and he is in hell.” “Mrs. Rogers, I have something to tell you. Yesterday afternoon your husband went to a public phone booth, looked up the first church he could find listed in alphabetical order in the Yellow Pages, and at 5:00 o'clock yesterday afternoon I led you husband to Jesus Christ.” Boom!

I never heard such a testimony in my life. It had taken Linda fifteen to twenty minutes to get that far. Rosemary was dissolved in tears and had gone through every paper napkin on the table and was read to start blowing her nose on the table cloth. But then Linda dropped the bomb. She told me, “After the Lord took Jake from me, you and your family have replaced my husband in my heart.” Somehow she had gotten a family picture of us and posted over her sink to look at while she washed the dishes. I have no idea how, but she had been able to get copies of our monthly missionary prayer letter and any scrap of information she could. She talked to anyone who had been in Japan and seen us or heard anything about us. Linda told me, “When I wake up in the morning the first thing that comes to my mind is the Bill Cook family in Japan. When I have my devotions, the main thing I pray for is the Cooks. When I am in the kitchen the I think about the Cooks. All day long you fill my mind and the last thing I do before falling asleep is to pray for the Bill Cooks. You and your family have replaced my husband in my heart.”

That did it! I never heard such a testimony in my life – before or since. I didn't think that girl knew my name but but the Lord had made us the be the closest thing in her heart. I had no idea that such a person was praying for us. I tuned to Rosemary and said, “If there is anything we do while we are here in Greenville it is to spend maximum time with this sister.”. And that was the last time I ever saw her. Somehow we didn't get her phone number or address. She wasn't going to that church and we never were able to get together with Linda. Sometime later I heard she had remarried and then, unexpectedly, the Lord took Linda at an early age to join Jake in heaven.

Such are the ways of the Lord. What Jesus is doing for us of which we are aware is wonderful, but I suspect when we get to heaven we will be amazed of all our Lord is doing all the time of things we never knew.

Oh, Jesus is wonderful,

                                       bill

Language School

2 April 2017

Dear Phyllis,

Recently it came to me that I have written very little about the language school. This is odd as the Karuizawa Japanese Language School was central for 20% of my life.

As Karuizawa has always been known as the missionary center of Japan, when the war was over and hundreds of new missionaries came, there was a large community of nearly 100 (mostly TEAM) missionaries who were gathered for language study. In the early days there was no school but the various ladies teaching went from house to house teaching missionaries. In 1961 John Schone thought it would be more efficient to have everyone gather in one place to study there, and that was the birth of the language school in the old TEAM center. In 1961, as I was in the process of leaving the Air Force, I went to Karuizawa to seek the Lord for guidance. While there the Lord confirmed my call to Japan and I asked John if I could study there. He accepted me and I first started studying in February 1962.

Eventually there were more non-TEAMers studying in the school than TEAM missionaries and there was talk about closing the school. But Karuizawa was too strategic a place to close the school so in 1967 three other missions got together with TEAM to sponsor the reorganized Karuizawa language school. I happened to be in Karuizawa as I had just finished my second attempt to get the language, and, in August, I was number five on the list of men who were asked to be the director.

I am no scholar and felt totally unqualified to be the director of a school. Harvey Taylor was studying in Hawaii to get a doctorate in Nihongo (Japanese) and was coming to take the school in December. I promised the language committee that I would keep the door open until Harvey could get there. He never made it and I wound up being the director for the next 13 years.

As I had no qualifications to be the director of a language school I promised the Lord that, at a minimum, I would see that Jesus was in charge. I vowed I would have nothing to do with liberals, anyone who wasn't serious about serving Jesus, or hire a non-Christian teacher. Because of my intense convictions Karuizawa wound up being the only true Christian language school in Japan.

In 1974, when we were in the states for furlough, Dick Dennis was standing in as the temporary director. There was a girl in town that had been born with her hip out of joint. Unfortunately no one put it in place so Takei san wound up with one leg shorter than the other. Like all girls Takei dreamed of being married and having a family but no one in Japan was interested in marrying a crippled girl. Looking for happiness, Takei had gotten, and Dick brought her into the school as a teacher. When we got back to Japan that summer my buddy and assistant, Koji, told me the school was in an uproar over Takei. He said, “We have to fire her”.

I was dragging my heals but in October the time came when I had to give her a pink slip. I asked our head teacher, Sasaki sensei, to do the difficult task of telling her she was finished. Half an hour later Sasaki sensei came out and told me that Takei wanted to speak with me. Man howdy that was tough. Takei was quietly weeping and very apologetic. It was Wednesday and she asked me if I wanted her to quit then. I said, “No, finish the week out and we will terminate things Friday”. Friday came and I couldn't make the schedule without her. I asked her to finish the month and I would get a new teacher then. The end of the month came and I couldn't make the schedule without her and asked her to stay one more month. That went on. By February students were asking me if they could study with Takei sensei. I remarked, “What in the world? Students are threatening to quit school if they got stuck with her and you are asking for her full time?” Ron and Katie Scisco said, “She is she best teacher in the school”. That saved her. By the end of the year Takei sensei wound up being the number two most popular teacher we had, and in a couple of years Takei sensei was probably the finest Japanese instructor in Japan.

I only compromised my convictions about hiring an unsaved teacher one time. Mrs. Hoshino had asked if she could be a teacher. Because she was a Kyodan believer (Kyodan is liberal) I had refused her. But then, one time, I desperately needed a new teacher and the Lord told me to hire her. That was my second greatest surprise.

Shortly after Toshiko came in the school, I tried to start a Bible study in a friends house in Naka Karuizawa. Toshiko Hoshino asked me if she could come. The Bible study lasted one time and the door was closed. Toshiko asked me if I would come to her house for the Bible study. The Hoshinos were one of the wealthiest, most powerful, families in Nagano-ken (prefecture). Her husband wasn't too happy about having a Bible study in his home and was 20 minutes late in showing up. The second night he was 10 minutes late coming in, and the third night Saburo was standing at the door to welcome me. The Bible study was incredible. Man howdy we had a good time. After three months Saburo began to show all the signs of a born-again man. I asked him, “Saburo, are you saved?” He replied, “Praise God, I am!” “Saburo, how did you get saved?”

“When you first came here I wasn't too happy.” I knew that. “But then I began to understand something about sin. Then I realized I was a sinner. You told us Jesus died for sinners. And finally I believed Jesus died for me.” That Bible study in the Hoshinos home was one of the best Bible studies I have ever had. Week after week we would get together around the Word of God and it was like being in heaven. And Toshiko blossomed out to be the finest Christian we had in the language school.

One year we were going to the lepresarium in Kusatsu for dendo. The night before the furnace went out in my house. If I didn't get that fix that day the water pipes in my house would freeze and I had to cancel going with them. That meant there was no interpreter. When the gang from the school got to the lepresarium they were taken to a sound studio. The nurse handed them a mike and told them they could speak to 1,000 patients. No one wanted to talk. When Bob Shade saw everyone was holding back he stepped forward and said, “Give me that mike.” Bob had only been studying four months and his Nihongo level at that time was pitiful. When Toshiko saw Bob stammering with extremely limited speech she was convicted in her heart and said, “If that gaijin (foreigner) is willing to use what little language he has; as a native speaker, what excuse do I have for not speaking up for Jesus?” She vowed in her heart that she would never decline any opportunity to stand up for Jesus and share the Gospel. And she kept that vow.

The language school was a lot of fun. Those were some of the happiest most blessed days of my life. In my wildest imagination I never dreamed of that being in my portfolio, but anything Jesus places in our hand, or job He gives us to do, is a gift from God.

Oh, thank You Lord,

                                    bill

Jesus' Activities

9 April 2017

Dear Phyllis,

Recently I have been thinking about the activities of Christ. They are enormous. I have no idea how many things Jesus has done and is presently doing. It is odd that of all the things Jesus has done and is doing the Church seems to mainly center on one – dying on the Cross. Thank God, that was His main objective when He came to this earth and He successfully did that. But His present activities may be just as important. There are several, but in Hebrews 2 the Holy Spirit only mentions three. They are declaring the Name of the Father, singing the the church, and believing God (Heb. 2:11,12).

I have little understanding about declaring the Name of the Father, but I know it is important. In Jesus' final report to His Father the last thing He said was, “I have declared unto them (His own) Thy Name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them and I in them” (Jn. 17:26). This is petty basic. And Hebrews reaffirms that He presently is doing it.

When I first saw that Jesus was singing I was surprised and asked Him what, where, when, and how He was singing. I said, “Lord Jesus, I want to hear You sing.” In answer to my question, the Lord told me His singing was the song in the heart (Eph. 5:18,19). This is one of the proofs of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Music is a very basic part of spiritual life.

But I was greatly surprised when I saw Jesus' third ministry was believing God. I saw a little light on this subject when He showed me the second half of that statement was, “(I will put My trust in Him) I and the children which God has given Me”. This is the faith that Jesus puts in our heart when we get saved. Jesus is believing God and He is also believing God in us.

In thinking about this, recently it came to me that Jesus had to live by faith just as we do. We have no problem accepting that Jesus became a man, but the full extent of that condition is a subject that eludes us. Somehow we think that because Jesus was God He could do anything. We glibly say, “Oh yes, because He was God He could turn water into wine, He could feed 5,000 (plus) with next to nothing, He could raise the dead, He could command the weather, He could walk on water, He could do anything. No problem. But that dismisses the fact that He was a total man. We make Him half man and half God. I believe when Jesus came to this earth He divested Himself of His deity and did not avail to Himself any attribute that was not given in Adam. I believe when Jesus took on the devil, He stripped Himself of all the attributes of deity and faced the devil as a total man with nothing beyond what He avails to any human man. This means that Jesus had to walk by faith just as we do. And Jesus extends to us the possibility of having the same relationship with the Father as He experienced.

When I got on this subject. I asked the question, “How did Jesus walk by faith?”. If He was a man just like we are, obviously He had to trust God the same way we have to trust God. Hebrews strongly argues for this when it says, “I will put My trust in Him, I and the children which God gives me”. How did Jesus walk by faith? Ironically Jesus frequently said, “I speak to the world the things which I have heard of Him” (Jn. 8:26). And “The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do...these also doeth the Son likewise”. “I speak that which I have seen with My Father”.

Jesus lived by faith by the things He HEARD and SAW of the Father. And He clearly applies this hearing and seeing to our spiritual life also. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice...and they follow Me (Jn. 10:27). He that is of God heareth God's Word” (Jn. 8:47). He that heareth My Word...hath everlasting life” (Jn. 5:24). Faith cometh by hearing” (Rom. 10:17). Obviously faith comes by hearing.

When the Carrol girls we little I was with Joe one day doing errands in town. Elizabeth and Anna were with us. After a while they got tired and started a chorus of “Daddy take us home”. At first Joe ignored them and then explained, “We have two more places to go then we will go home”. They weren't satisfied. While Joe was in the post office Elizabeth sorted out her problem and decided the answer was a confession of faith. She had unsuccessfully made her request, now it was time to make a confession of faith. She said to Anna, “Oh, Daddy is so wonderful. He is going to take us right straight home.” Anna gave the most brilliant reply I ever heard - “Did he say so?” “No, but I believe he will. He is the most wonderful daddy”. Joe didn't. Everything in faith depends on what God has said. You cannot put words in God's mouth and then trust God for it. If God has not said so that faith is pure presumption. Jesus walked by what He heard, and so must we. But that isn't easy as there are many deceptive voices.

I could understand a little bit about Jesus hearing the Voice of the Spirit. But seeing was a little more difficult. Then I saw something that really stunned me. Jesus said to His enemies, “I speak that which I have seen with My Father, and you do that which you have seen with your father” (Jn. 8:38). Jesus later said “You are of your father the devil” (Jn. 8:44). In speaking of seeing this suggests that His way of seeing was the same as theirs. Obviously they weren't having spiritual visions and following it, and neither was Jesus.

There is a seeing by observation. The apostles said, “We cannot but speak of the things we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). In speaking of Jesus, John the Baptist said, “Of the things He hath seen and heard He testifieth” (Jn. 3:32). John said, “That we have seen and heard declare we unto you (1 Jn. 1:3). We learn by example. Paul said to the Philippians, “The things which ye have...heard and seen in me, do...”. The problem today is that young people (old ones too) do what the see on TV. Lot vexed his soul by seeing and hearing (2 Pet. 2:8). Spiritual life is by hearing and seeing.

In 1998 I saw the desperate need of Bibles in Vietnam and other SEA countries. I knew it was the fundamental character of any true missionary to lay down their life to carry the Gospel to others. How could I stay in comfortable Japan when thousands in SEA were desperately crying to God for Bibles? I couldn't. I had to go. Jesus knew the heart of God. In His Spirit He saw the heart of God just as we see it in many instances. That moved Him and that moves us.

Oh my goodness, this subject of Jesus walking by faith is enormous. I don't believe I have ever heard anyone speak on it, but I am greatly challenged and am asking the Lord to teach me more of His life. What little I have seen blows my mind and has given me a new appreciation for the wonder and unspeakable marvel of our wonderful, wonderful, savior.

Let's give it our best shot for Jesus this coming week, bill

Solomon

Go forth, behold King Solomon with the crown wherewith His mother crowned Him in the day of His espousal

15 April 2017

Dear Phyllis,

There is a verse in Song of Solomon that is as unique as any in scripture. Very clearly the Song of Sol. is the relationship of Jesus with His Bride, and verse 2:11 speaks of His coronation. As in many languages where nouns are expressed in male and female gender there is gender in scripture where things of the earth are expressed as the female gender and things on the heavenly side are in the male gender. All Christians are known as the Sons of God. This is because of our new birth with the Holy Spirit. Christ's humanity as man came through His female mother, and His Sonship as the Son of God was through His Father.

Solomon is a strong type of Christ, and Jesus was well known as the son of David. Solomon had two coronations. The first one was a private event when his brother Adonijah tried to usurp the kingdom (1Kn. 1). The second one was a more formal one after the kingdom was firmly established (1 Ch. 29:22). Just as Solomon had two coronations, Jesus will have two coronations. His first coronation was on earth and the second one will be in heaven. That is why S of S 2:11, in speaking of His earthly coronation, the Bible describes it as “wherewith His mother crowned Him”. It is His earthly coronation. And what a coronation it was!

In line with the Inverted Kingdom, every thing in the life of Christ is the opposite of mans ways and His coronation is the most inverted thing imaginable. Just as it is inconceivable that the Creator of all things should be born as a baby of a peasant girl in a barn, so the coronation of the Son of God is the most diametric event possible.

One third of the four gospels is devoted to the Last Week of the life of Christ. I believe the reason for this extensive coverage is because this describes the coronation of Christ. In former years, coronation of royalty was not something done in two or three hours. Dignitaries and honored guest came by ship from around the world and the event lasted several days. The king of Thailand died a few months ago. The new one, his son, has not been crowned yet, but they say when he is crowned that coronation will last seven days. In Jesus' case it lasted one week.

It is perfectly proper that the coronation should begin with a parade and this was done with the Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday. For Queen Elizabeth and several previous kings of England they were brought in in a carriage drawn by royal horses. When David had Solomon first crowned he told Nathan, “Let him ride on my own mule” (1Kn. 1:33). This was a special animal that no one but the king rode. What a royal steed Jesus had for His Triumphal Entry. He came in on the colt of a donkey. Red carpets are always used for dignitaries. For a red carpet He had palm branches the dirty coats of followers; and for royal trumpeters He had the cries of children.

For our US president's inauguration they have dances all over Washington. Obama had ten and Trump had three. For royal coronations they have several dignitary banquets and state dinners. For Jesus' coronation state dinner it was a meal in a lepers house where He was anointed by a poor woman with ointment used for burial. Then there was an argument among His disciples why that ointment should be wasted.

For a coronation the king is brought in with a military parade and great ceremony. For Jesus' coronation His parade was at midnight where he was brought in by soldiers as a bound criminal. But the coronation itself was astounding. After being sent around town for three different trials (the Sanhedrin, Pilot, and Herod) He was sent back to Pilot for final sentencing. It was here where the actual crowning took place. After being severely abused, scourged, and spit on; for His crowning Jesus was taken to the Praetorian. There He was striped naked and dressed in His royal robe. A reed was placed in His hand for a royal scepter, and the Crown was placed on His head. Then the soldiers bowed before Him saying, “Hail King of the Jews”. This was His crowning. What a scene! It is impossible to construct a more disgusting mockery. What an event!

But the crown! I cannot describe it. It is only with reluctance that I attempt with inadequate words to discuss it. Nothing could be more fulfilling than Jesus' crown should be a crown of thorns. At this point time flashes back 4,000 years to what took place in the Garden. The direct result of Adam's sin was thorns. There were no thorns or thistles in the original Garden, but the fruit of sin was to bring forth thorns (Gen. 3:17,18). As the second Adam Jesus came to undo the tragedy of the Fall. To do this, as humanities representative, it is inexpressible that Jesus would wear the fruit of Adams transgression and be crowned with thorns. It is to this point that the Holy Spirit encourages us to “Go forth and “Behold the King with the Crown wherewith His mother crowned Him”. This was Jesus' coronation. It was at this point that Jesus was crowned the King of the Jews.

And then the lifting up on His Throne. Here all human reason and expression retreats in silence. There are no words in human language to express the paradox of the Throne upon which He was lifted up. Nothing could be a greater mystery than the Son of God, the Creator and ruler of all things, should be crowned with thorns and be lifted up on a Cross-Throne.

And may I suggest that it has been from this Cross-Throne that Jesus has ruled His Kingdom for the past 2,000 years. “It was through death that Jesus destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb. 2:14,15). The Cross is the ultimate instrument and symbol of death. There is no one more helpless than a man on a cross. But the Cross of Christ has proved to be the power of God unto salvation(1 Cor. 1:18). Norman Grub raised the question, “Which is more powerful, the Roman sword or the Cross of Christ?”. For three hundred years the Roman sword was the most powerful instrument on earth. The Roman sword is gone today but the message of the Cross of Christ still prevails. Mao said, “Political power comes through the barrel of a gun.” His wife boasted Christianity would soon be utterly extinguished. Today China is fast becoming the most Christian country on earth. Tyrants have come and gone, but the Cross of Christ is the most enduring Throne and has brought the Kingdom of God to any place on this planet where it has been proclaimed.

Today is Resurrection Sunday. The Cross was Jesus' key to unlock the prison of sin and set millions of prisoners free. And with His resurrection and ascension to heaven Jesus has gone before us to unlock the gate of the City to allow us to enter heaven.

Just as Solomon was crowned twice – the first time was at a time of contention, and the second time after the kingdom was firmly established – in like manner Jesus will be crowned a 2^nd time. But this will be when the marriage is culminated with His Bride (Rev. 21). His first Crown was a crown of thorns, but His second Crown will be the glory and honor of His Father.

Just as God caused to deep sleep to fall upon Adam to bring his bride out of his rib bone (Gen. 2:24), it was by the death of Christ that His Bride was born out of His heart. The day of Jesus' earthly crowning was the day of His espousal. That was the day when He won His Bride. But the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be the day of that marriage culmination.

Oh my goodness, this message has never been more powerful than it has been to me this past week as I have beheld our King with His Crown at that earthly event that took place 2,000 years ago. There are no words in human language to describe it. All we can do is gaze, wonder, and worship.

                                                      bill

The Road

23 April 2017

Dear Phyllis,

For me, I have found the road to heaven anything but straight. I don't have fingers and toes enough to count the number of times I thought I knew the will of God for my future only to hit another major bend in the road. My path has had so many turns at times I think I am going in circles. At first it was the military. I loved the Air Force and had every intention of making a life career out of it. That only lasted five years. Then it was Karuizawa. (With a one parenthetical year with Mino Mission in Yokkaichi). From 1962 to 1980 Karuizawa was my home. I have never been in a town that I loved more. And my 13 years with the language school were some of the happiest of my life. Then 1980 was the worst year of my life. Every possible disaster imaginable fell upon me. The most of the students and our friends turned against us, I was dismissed from being the director of the school, we lost our home that was the closest object to my heart, and went back to America for a one year furlough; only to run into a buzz saw that made every catastrophic thing that happened in Japan seem like it was only the practice. After an unimaginable disastrous one year in the states we went back to Japan for a third term.

A year later we found ourselves moving to Ikoma to join Japan Mission. Oh me, that was good. Ikoma was so good it almost replaced Karuizawa as first place in my heart. The Lord gave us the Joy Corral that was the best house I ever lived in. I thought I had finally found a place to set my roots. Then in 1989 Chernobyl struck with Rosemary's giving her heart and body to another man. I desperately begged God for family salvation and in 1990 went to Link Care in Fresno, California to save the marriage; only to discover that was the worst place I had ever been. I said nothing could be worse than 1980, but 1990 went substantially beyond what I thought bad could possibly happen. Up to that point I had lost all my earthly possessions a couple of times but in 1990 I lost my family - and for the next four years was homeless.

But in 1995 I went to Saitama to join New Life league. Oh me, that was good. For the first time in five years I had my own room and a stable life. NLL was an outstanding organization, and I considered it a real privilege to be a part of that family. It was in 1998 that the Lord laid heavily on my heart the burden to go to SEA to work supplying Bibles to the underground church in communist countries. The Lord had given me many outstanding privileges up to now but I consider this as the pinnacle of my life. For five years I shuttled back and forth from Japan to Chiang Mai carrying Bibles into the varies countries surrounding Thailand. And in 2003, when I was terminated at NLL, I returned to Chiang Mai where I have lived in one house for the past 14 years. Six years ago the Lord unexpectedly gave me a new wife which has radically changed the color of life for me. I have left out so many other major events that has happened in the past 60 years that it almost makes my path this far look like a straight road.

One of the strangest things that has happened was a year ago when for two months I was virtually an invalid. To this day I have no idea what happened. All I know is that I was completely out of gas. My distance of travel was restricted to about 50 feet. I couldn't walk further than from my bedroom to the bathroom and back. I couldn't walk up stairs without resting in a chair at the landing for five minutes. I tried a couple of times to tough it out and go up without the rest, only to find myself writhing in bed in severe pain from hyper-exhaustion. I spent 20 hours a day in bed and the other four sitting in my chase lounge chair on my balcony. Sanha took me to two hospitals and all the tests showed I was the healthiest man in town. But my total incapacitation was real. It was not imagination that at one point I couldn't hold a coffee cup in one hand. But at that time I felt the Lord's promise to me was, “He healeth all thy diseases...thy youth is renewed like the eagle” (Ps. 103:3-5).

Praise God, Jesus has done this. Today I have as much energy as I have had at any time in my life. Three yeas ago I gave up my shop and every tool I owned. He has given me back my shop and I feel 20 years younger. I feel like a 40 year old man again. (I know 20 from 81 isn't 40 but when I was 61 I said I was 40). Friday was the first time in three years that I put in a full day of working in my shop nine hours and it was so wonderful I had forgotten how good it felt. This is the 5^th time the Lord has given me back a shop and this one is the best yet. My tools are an utter delight. Life is almost at an all time high. Pammy has developed into a very helpful wife. This is the first time I have had a wife who honestly loves me.

Another major blessing is Jesus has given me a wonderful harp. I have played the auto harp for 50 years. My old one just wore out. A year or two ago I asked Jesus to give me a new harp. When I was in the states last year my niece and her husband bought me the finest auto harp I have ever had. After I stuck my hand in a table saw 16 years ago, my left hand got abbreviated to three usable fingers. I have found that is no problem and can play the harp better now than at any point before. After playing for 50 years my skill level is at a new high. The tunes pour out beautifully without thinking. David only had ten strings but I have 35 to praise the Lord.

The reason I write all of this today is because last week was one of the most joyful, satisfying, weeks I have had in many years. After walking so many sandy, stony, miles where it seemed all was lost, to come to such a point of contentment is surprising. I feel like a little boy sitting under a Christmas tree surrounded by a mountain of packages and new toys. I don't know which toy I enjoy the most. The main point isn't the toys, but the heart of our loving Father who has given them. Which do we love the most, the toys or the Giver? Toys change but our Father never changes. My road to heaven has had so many curves I can't record them all, but Jesus has proven Himself utterly faithful; and in very reality He has made ALL THINGS to work together for GOOD (Rom. 8:28). How many miles are still in front of me is a wide open guess. Praise God it isn't far from here, but walking with Jesus is wonderful. It is a curvy road but I highly recommend it to anyone.

                                                       bill

John's Gospel

7 May 2017

It is arguable that John was the most profound writer that ever lived. Of the four gospels the Gospel of John stands by itself as the most unique. This is the one that gives us a glimpse into the heart of Christ. More than any other book John shares with us the intimate relationship of Jesus with the Father. And John chapter one is mind boggling with deep truth expressed with few words. I used to wonder why John began his gospel by saying, “In the beginning was the Word”. Obviously he is talking about Jesus, but why doesn't he come out and say so? But with those short five words he has told us more about Jesus than shelves full of books.

Why is Jesus called the Word of God? Words may be the most profound, powerful vehicle known to man. Words are a unique vehicle. Words are the only means of communicating, or imparting, something inside of one persons heart to another.

Information is one of the most valuable treasures we have. Information can tell us where to find gold, it can tell us how to do things, it can explain mysteries. Information is the key to unlocking innumerable varieties of subjects. But the only way that information can be transmitted is by means of words. If there is something in one persons heart that he wants to communicate, or impart, to another the only mode of doing this is by the vehicle of words..

But there are many many different types of words. There is the spoken word. There is the written word. Signs language, talking with your hands are words. Diagrams, blue prints, or drawings are words. Maps are words. Pictures are words. Models are words. Actions tell stories that are hard to deny. If we want to teach someone how to do things, being an example is the best teacher. Let them follow you. We have body language. Sometimes silence speaks louder than shouting. Pain speaks a very clear message. All these are different types of words that we use to communicate information. But the best mode of communication is to show them the real object. If I was trying to tell somebody what my son was like I could do it use various means of communication but the best way would be to introduce them to my son and say, “This is my son”.

Hebrews 1:1 tells us that in ancient times God spoke to the fathers by various means. He spoke to them by the prophets. He gave them His Book. He spoke to them by nature, by friends and enemies. God spoke to His people by many various means – “but in these last days He has spoken unto us by His Son” (Heb. 1:2). It has been said that all God wanted to communicate to humanity He has placed in Christ. It is literally true that all we can know about God has been expressed in Christ. Phillip said to Jesus, “Show us the Father and we will be satisfied” (Jn. 14:8). Jesus replied, “Phillip, have I been with you so long and you have not known Me. He that has seen Me has seen the Father” (Jn. 14:9). Oh my goodness, what a statement! That is why Jesus is called, “the Word of God”. The Living Word is God's ultimate and highest mode of communication. Words are the most important tool in any tool box. It is by the Living Word that God has communicate to us the most important message that He want us to know.

There are three different types of the Word of God. Rhema is the spoken Word. Rhema can only be heard. Logos is the written Word of God. Logos can be written, read, studied, memorized, and taught. The Bible is the Logos of God. You can do none of this with rhema. Rhema can only be heard. When rhema is converted from what you hear to distinct words it becomes logos. Thirdly we have the Living Word of God – Jesus. Jesus is God's highest message to humanity.

I first heard of the doctrine of “the power of the spoken word” in an excellent message by Jack Taylor in 1973. I thought, “Man howdy, this is an important message”. But over the years I decided that really doesn't stand up. Then I heard it again in 1978, at the Haggie Iverson conference in Karuizawa. Haggie had a very strong message that “God created His world by His mouth and so do we create our world by our mouth”. Haggie had some incredible illustrations and he brought a lady with him to share her testimony. After listening to Haggie I thought, “There is something to this message”. Years later I have come to a half and half position. I believe there is much truth in what Jack Taylor and Haggie Iverson taught but I am not sure it is an infallible principle.

Last week I believe the Lord shared an important truth with me. I was thinking about the statement in John 1:4 in connection with the Word and Life. Jesus is the Word. In 1:4 John goes on to explain to us that “In Him was Life”. It is true that all God wanted to share with us He has done so in Christ and Jesus is God's Word. In that Word (Jesus) was Life. How is that Life transmitted to us? It is only by the Word. When we receive the Word and it takes root in our heart, we have His Life. I believe this is universally true. There are many different ways of getting saved but ultimately it is when we hear, understand, and believe the Gospel that the Life of Christ enters into our heart. Salvation is not something abstract. Forgiveness may be abstract, but salvation is Jesus. Salvation is Jesus living in our heart. How does Jesus get in our heart? When we hear and believe His Word, Life (Jesus) comes into our heart. This is how God imparts His Life to us. It is by His Word.

Paul picks up, and emphases, this truth in his argument for evangelism in Romans 10. Romans 10 is known as the Roman Road. It is used by many in soul winning in showing people how to get saved. Romans 10:9 is one of the most basic verses in

scripture where it tell us, “If we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe with our heart that God has raised Him from the dead we shall be saved” It is an incontestable fact that the only way to get saved is by believing with our heart. When we believe Jesus comes in. But how can we believe if we don't hear?

Gomen nasai, I am sorry I have done a very poor job in explaining this to you. There is so much truth and material in this subject that I have not been able to sort it out to present it in a clearer manner. The subject that the Lord spoke to me about was that Jesus was God's Word and in Him was (is) Life. The connection between the Word and Life is clear.

But I believe there is also a principle that goes beyond the theological implications. In a more general manner I believe words hold in them the power of life and death. Nineteen years ago a message was communicated to me that was absolutely lethal. It caused something inside me to die. I felt exactly like a woman who was pregnant with a dead baby inside. For six months I felt like I was carrying something dead inside me. And then there have been times when I felt like a dead man and a message came that was like a massive shot of life.

There is no question but what words are tremendously powerful. They are the means of transmitting something from one person to another. Jesus was God's Word to us and it is through Him that we have life. Oh thank God, thank God, thank God for Jesus! Oh hallelujah He has given us life.

How great is our debt of gratitude, bill