"when ye fall into divers temptations" - Be Awaken Always as Christ Jesus Said

Mt. Fuji at evening of January 2

Be Awaken Always as Christ Jesus Said

In WWII, some Judaists fled from Poland to Hungary after German occupation of Poland.  They told Judaists living in Hungary what was happening to Judaists in Poland.  But Judaists in Hungary did not take the matter seriously.  Many of Judaists thought that as Hungary was an ally to Germany they would be safe there.  But Nazi Germans invaded Hungary to capture most of Judaists living in Hungary to send them to Auschwitz.

In December 2004, a great earthquake of magnitude 9.1 and huge tsunamis were set off in the Indian Ocean off Sumatra Island, killing more than 280,000 people.  But Japanese did not take the incident so seriously,  In March 2011, a great earthquake of magnitude 9.0 and huge tsunamis occurred in the North Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast line of Honsyu Island, Japan.  It killed about 18,000 people, while triggering the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

But more alarmingly, in 1950 China invaded and occupied Tibet.  The world and the United Nations did not take it seriously.  In 2015, China intensified its military occupation of most of islands in the South China Sea.

In this context, people do not sacrifice customary ways of living and thinking if they observe something terrible in remote places.  To correctly assess an incident, people should be daily living in line with some principle.  Then, they will view such an incident not superficially but at a depth to know on how it is related to them.

For example, world war occurred twice, and it is very doubtful how much mankind has improved their humanity to avoid the Third World War.  And, a global financial crisis occurred twice in 1929 and 2008, but it is very doubtful how much mankind has improved their humanity to avoid the third global financial crisis.

What's more, the Bible describes the end of the world.  But today people do not believe that the end of the world will come and the second advent of Christ Jesus will really take place.  However, considering anti-Christ movements, covert and overt, in the Western World, such prophecies in the Bible would most like occur or a occurring in the world.

Indeed, we have to be awaken always as Christ Jesus said.
    




**** **** ****


Jam 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
Jam 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jam 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

"signified it by his angel unto his servant John" - The American Influences since 2001

Mt. Fuji on January 1

The American Influences since 2001

The new year 2016 has come.

So, it is the 15th year since the 2001 9/11 Terror in New York and Washington DC.  The world can change greatly in 15 years.  But what changes should we see?

The most remarkable change is that the US has now an African American president.  The second most remarkable change is seen in the Islamic world, which was triggered by the US military invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan.  The third one is China's rise as an economic and military power.

The first two great changes are uniquely related to the US.  Racial aspects in the world have been influenced by the emergence of President Obama.  It is positive.  But due to America's War on Terror, a million or so Muslims lost lives and tens of millions have been inflicted great damage on.  The rise of IS terrorists is ultimately ascribed to the American War on Terror.  It is very negative.   The two great changes triggered by the US in these 15 years is positive and negative.

But as for the rise of China as an economic power, both Japan and the US have played key roles, providing huge amounts of technical and financial aid in these decades.  Japan has used cheaper Chinese labor force, relocating many factories from Japan to China or building new plants in China.  Now China is not only a big factory in the world but also a big market for businesses of Japan and the US as well as the EU.  The US has also supported Chinese economic growth partly to suppress Japan.  The US wanted China to become an economic rival of Japan so as to lessen a possible threat from Japan to the US.  The US thought that it could control Beijing, but now it is getting clear that China has no intention to follow Washington.  Leveraging the past huge aid and support from Japan and the US, China is now trying to hold hegemony over Asia.

So, these 15 years have been under strong influences of the US.

For eight years since 2001 under the presidency of George Bush, the US launched the controversial War on Terror and triggered the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.  And for the next seven years under the presidency of Barack Obama, the US rather gave chances for IS terrorists and Chinese hegemonic leaders to exercise their military power.

Therefore, who will be or should be elected as next US President really matters to the world.  It is so still the US is the sole super-power in the world like the Roman Empire 2000 years ago, though the Empire was domed to collapse leaving the Vatican for the future generations.




**** **** ****


Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

"the son of David, the son of Abraham"

New Year visitors to a Shinto Shrine around Tokyo at evening of January 1








**** **** ****




Mat 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Mat 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
Mat 1:3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

"love thy neighbour as thyself" - An Old Year is Going

Shinto shrine waiting for million or more visitors after 12:00 a.m. of January 1, around Tokyo

An Old Year is Going

So, the year 2015 has ended in Japan.

The year 2015 was the year for refugees from the Middle East to Europe in the world.

It was the year when some power to stop evil deeds came to appear in Japan along with the demolition of the $3 billion extravagant plan of construction of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics stadium and the cancellation of the Olympic emblem under suspicion of copyright infringement.

However, China came to reveal its evil aggression policy toward the world while the US was absorbed by capitalistic Trump's emergence in the 2016 Presidential election race.

The year 2016 will more intensify these trends on the earth.

So, an old year is going and a new year is coming like in the world 2000 years ago or 4000 years ago though the current calendar system was adopted by the Vatican in the late 16th century, 100 years later after Columbus.  




**** **** ****




Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mar 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
Mar 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Mar 12:34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

"the prince of this world be cast out"

Shinto shrine in preparation for New Year visitors around Tokyo








**** **** ****


Joh 12:30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

"seek not ye what ye shall eat" - Difference between Us and Roman Believers

Tokyo Station

Difference between Us and Roman Believers

How did people in the Roman Empire come to accept Christianity between the fall of Jerusalem in the late first century to the fall of the Roman Empire in the late fifth century?

What messages and contents of the teaching of early Christianity and the Bible appealed to the minds and hearts of the ancient Romans?

First of all, till Christianity prevailed, the Roman citizens had been living in the society of polytheism.  Many gods and deities had been revered in the Empire, though Judaists believed in only one God of their own.  Therefore, the concept of the only one god over mankind was so remote to them.  If any Christian had told them the theory of the one and only God, Roman citizens should not have accepted it easily.

But, as a matter of historical fact, they eventually accepted the idea of the one and only God over mankind.  But how did early Christians persuade Roman citizens to believe their God?

One of keys is the Bible.  The Gospels were not complied after Roman citizens accepted the faith in Christ Jesus.  It was compiled prior to the large-scale conversion of Roman citizens to Christianity.  The Gospels were written in Greeks so that Roman citizens could read and understand, since Greek was the common language in the Empire.

Whatever a strange early Christian told to Roman citizens, they would soon forget it.  But, if a document containing the work by Christ Jesus was presented or read to Roman citizens, they would rather take it more serious.  As result, some of them came to believe Christ Jesus and the only and one God.

Of course, in addition to the existence of the Bible, behaviors and deeds of early Christians must have also appealed to Roman citizens.  As early Christians lived honest and moral living, some of them must have acquired respect from Roman citizens.  Many of Roman mothers must have taught their children to learn from early Christians in the Empire.  However, there must have been a great gap between respect for early Christians in terms of morality and total conversion to Christianity.  Romans who wondered if they should join early Christians must have needed some evidence on the one and only God.  And, the Gospels played a role of that evidence.

After reading the Gospels, Romans got confidence that there is the only and one God over mankind.  But why?

Or conversely, the Gospels had been compiled so that Romans would come to believe in the one and only God.  Christ Jesus in the Bible was depicted as the one who had been chosen by the one and sole God.  He only prayed to the one and only God.  Christ Jesus had been depicted as one who believed in the one and only God.  So, Roman readers would try to know how deeds and words of Christ Jesus had been fit for the theory of the monotheistic teaching of early Christians.  And consequently, they confirmed that Christ Jesus was the Son of the one and only God.

Though Christ Jesus was crucified and killed by Roman soldiers, Roman citizens who read the Bible eventually came to believe Christianity, Christ Jesus, and the God of Christ Jesus.  It looks like a great mystery for us living in the 21st century or in the world 2000 years after the holy mission of Christ Jesus on the earth.

At least, in this context, it must have been very important that Christ Jesus had resurrected after the Crucifixion for Romans.  But, more importantly, the words of Christ Jesus written in the Bible must have significant influences on Romans.  Probably, even miracles should have happened around those sincere Bible readers in their daily lives.  The words contained in the Bible must have worked as the spirit of Christ Jesus on Roman readers.  You may wonder specifically what words in the Bible moved the souls of Romans.  However, it looks most likely that all the words of Christ Jesus in the Bible functioned well for this purpose.

But there is a question.  How differently Roman citizens read the Bible from people today living.  Everything is so different between situations where citizens of the Roman Empire were living and those where we are today living.

Or we might have lost some crucial ability to understand the words of Christ Jesus while ancient Romans had it.

Then, there might be a need for a new Bible to be compiled today.  But who could write it based on his observation of holy work by Christ Jesus who left this world 2000 years ago in the historical term?  







**** **** ****

Luk 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

"Which is the first commandment of all?" - Christianity, Commercialism and Democracy/Freedom

Tokyo Station

Christianity, Commercialism and Democracy/Freedom

Europeans colonized many regions in Africa and Asia and exploited many Africans and Asians.  They even destroyed some cultural heritage of those peoples.

But Europeans have not been essentially sorry for them.  Because Europeans have thought that they taught advanced civilization to Africans and Asians.  So, Europeans think that colonized people of Africa and Asia should be thankful to European colonial rulers as they introduced advanced civilization into regions they colonized.

And the core of the European civilization is Christianity.  One of excuses for Europeans to have ventured into the world, establishing colonies, is that they had a mission to spread Christianity.  But Christianity could not replace Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, etc., though it was accepted by some peoples mostly living in some regions of Africa and Central/South Americas where no such traditional and sophisticated religions were practiced.

In other word, materially the European civilization prevailed.  Material products of the European civilization have been widely accepted even in the Islamic world, India, China, Southeast Asia, Japan, etc.  But, people of these areas have not totally adopted Christianity.

Till the 20th century, Europeans thought that only Europeans living in Christian environments could develop the material part of the European civilization.  As Muslims, Indians, Southeast Asians, Chinese, and Japanese didn't convert to Christianity, Europeans thought, they could not develop modern science and technology.

But, Japanese drastically changed this view.  Japanese, still being Buddhists and Shintoists, carried out its version of the Industrial Revolution from the late 19th century.  Its scientific and technological development has never ceased through the 20th century and, especially WWII.  Even before WWII, Japan was recognized as an industrial and military power competing with European powers.

To adopt and develop the material side of the European civilization, you don't have to become Christians.  This is what Japan proved in the 20th century.  Owing to the Japanese success, today India, China, and other Asian nations are developing their industries without converting to Christianity.  But before Japan's success prior to WWII or since the late 19th century, it was widely believed not only by Europeans but by peoples in the world that only Christian Europeans could develop the modern industry.

Globalization of economy means that the Islamic nations, India, Southeast Asians, Chinese, and other nations that were once regarded as impossible nations for developing modern industry are now actively promoting their versions of the Industrial Revolution.

Nonetheless, there is one new common religion prevailing in all these newly industrialized nations as well as Europe, the US, and Japan.  It is faith in wealth and money, which may be termed capitalism or commercialism.  Today no rich Europeans ask Asians what religions they believe but how much money they have.

Of course, democracy and freedom are other elements prevailing along with commercialism.  As the US is enjoying its material success based on huge material wealth while maintaining the American democracy and freedom, newly industrialized countries are expected to adopt full or American-style democracy and freedom.

In this context, it is still only Japan that has such democracy and freedom of people, though the Japanese society has still underlying influential power of Buddhism and Shintoism.

The friction in the world mostly arises from this point.  The Islamic nations, India, China, and even Russia cannot fully introduce democracy and freedom in their societies due to their unique historical, political, cultural, and religious conditions.

But will America play a role of a teacher teaching democracy and freedom to those nations?  The EU looks very reluctant to join such a mission.  Japan is just watching how America will decide, since Japan introduced almost fully American-style democracy and freedom after WWII.

Whether or not the US and the EU are working on those nations for adoption of full democracy and freedom, these nations have to undergo an era of trial as to how much they can allow their peoples to enjoy democracy and freedom, another core of the modern Western Civilization.

But for this cause, will American troops advance and occupy, say, Damascus, Riyadh, Moscow, and Beijing in addition to Pyongyang?

  




**** **** ****



Mar 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
Mar 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

"came there a voice from heaven" - Some Global News

Some Global News

We heard global news: the Iraqi forces regained a certain important city from IS; floods are observed in England and around Brazil; violent weather destroyed 600 houses and killed 11 or so residents in Texas; and Japan and South Korea reached an agreement on solution of the so-called Comfort Woman Issue.

But not yet glorious news, though the Kingdom of God cannot be seen?


**** **** ****


Joh 12:28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

"I am the God of Abraham" - Miracle of 360 Days per Year

Gymnasium, a legacy of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics

Miracle of 360 Days per Year

One year is remarkably about 360 days but not 350 days or 370 days.

That is why the Sumerians developed a numbering system based on 60 more than 5000 years ago.  Accordingly they divided a day into 6 that was further divided by four, the first half and the second half of each of the night and the day times, namely 24 hours.

These numbers 360 and 24 are still used today as basses for counting days per year and hours per day.  We also measure the angle of a circle as 360 degrees.

We are still under an influence of the Sumerian Civilization.  And, Abraham was born around the Sumerian city Ur about 4000 years ago.  He must have been also under the Sumerian civilization.  Abraham must have also known that a year consists of 360 days and a day consists of 24 hours.

The fact that 360 and 24 are so convenient as bases for our modern lives implies that the 60-based numbering system allowed the Sumerians and other ancient people to develop their versions of science and culture.  The human sense to numerals or number symbols must have been developed so well as one year has 360 days almost.  If it had been 350 days or 370 days, the Sumerian civilization and other ancient civilization, including the ancient Greek civilization, had not been so well developed in a sophisticated manner.

Put simply, it is a miracle that one year on the earth has 360 days.  It is as if God had set it so to allow mankind to develop their intellectual power so smoothly.

Mathematics started to begin when Sumerians found that one year is 360 days almost.  And it must be God who had set it so.

However it is known scientifically that one year of the earth 350 million years ago was 400 days.  When the Pangaea Continent was formed 250 million years ago, along with the emergence of dinosaurs, the number of days per year suddenly decreased to 360 days almost eventually.

The number of days per year on the earth in the past determined from coral fossils.
(The unity of the numbers on the upper horizontal line is a hundred of million years ago.
The numbers on the right vertical axis are days per year.)
http://ameblo.jp/oldworld/entry-11237169103.html


Anyway December 25 is almost the 360th day of a year.  So, one of the biggest Christmas present from God to the mankind must be His setting to the number of days per year at 360 days or so for development of civilization of mankind.


**** **** ****




Mar 12:26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
Mar 12:27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.