Author name: Editor

Time: 10:01-10:30am

Passage: 2 Kings 11&12

We first read 2 Kings 11 and shared what we learned from there.
From that story, I brought up a statement Kanami made from a previous chapter about how she learned that God always has a plan for everything no matter what goes wrong. In the same way, God had a plan to counter the destruction that Athaliah tried to bring. He hid one member of the royal family so that their generation could go on.

Currently in my life, my family is going through some kind of financial crisis. It is causing my parents, mainly my mom, a lot of stress. Therefore, it has been hard living with her because she becomes frustrated/angry about everything, especially when it comes to buying something (even groceries) or anything to do with money because she believes that we do not have the money to afford it.
I don’t want this to come off as offensive but I’m really beginning to see the mentality that she’s living by and I don’t want to live the same way.

Therefore, now that I have come to understand more that God is my real father (through the help of Masami-san and Jun), I have started to ask him to take care of situations that my parents seem unable to do.
For example, I plan to live in an apartment that is close to school but my mom is trying to make me commute by bus. I have asked God to take care of this situation of giving me a nice apartment to live in that is close to the school so that I won’t have to commute from far.
In the past, I always looked at the circumstances as a true reality that could happen to me. Although, it can be, I have come to have strong faith in the fact that if I trust God to take care of the situation, then he will make sure that what the circumstances show will never happen to me.

Kanami shared that believes the same: that God will take care of everything. She believes that faith is really important during situations such as these. God will use the circumstances to test our faith and see what we will do.

After this, we read 2 Kings 12.

From this passage, I shared about how I’ve been learning recently how important it is to put God first in the sense of giving your time to him. For me that would be helping in the church and tithing. In the past, I used to not really think that Hoshi was important, I more just saw it as volunteer work. Same thing with tithing, although I knew it was important in my head, it didn’t really have meaning in my heart, so I don’t think I was really giving with faith. However, now, I have come to understand its importance a little more than before. In addition, I really have strong faith in the verse Luke 6:38 “give and it will be given to you”. So, I’ve come to have more faith in the confessions we make during offering time and it has brought the desire in me to want to give more.
In the same way, with Hoshi, I have come to understand that it is an opportunity from God to be his vessel and be a blessing to others. Also, I’ve come to understand that it is also an opportunity to receive blessings from God. Although this may still be a bit selfish, it has stirred up a bigger desire in me to do more work for the church.
For example, in the past, I would have not volunteered to do something like helping with father’s day or even posting the piano flyers. But now, I have come to want to do these things a little more and I believe it is because God has been helping me to grow through all the help I’ve been receiving from Jun and Masami-san.

Kanami shared how she is the opposite, I believe it is in the sense that she has always wanted to do Hoshi. She has learned that it is a chance for her to see the bigger picture of what God wants to do through her. Therefore, she has been learning to see it as a way of what she can do for others.

In response to this, I shared about how I can learn from her in what she said about not just thinking about herself but in how she can help others.

In terms of our week, we did not really have anything to share. I did ask Kana if there was anything I needed to prepare for the Poke thing for Father’s Day.

We started reading at 7:32, and we read 2 Kings 12 and 13. The participants were Emiri, Hiyori, Akari, Tomas, and Seiyu. Hiyori learned that it is important to follow God’s commands completely and that it is not God’s will to follow incompletely. She also learned how there were good kings in the Old Testament, but some of them didn’t completely destroy idols. Regarding her week, she shared that she went to pass out flyers at PCC with Akari and Emiri. Akari learned that God is very patient, especially with humans. She thought about this as numerous kings in the Old Testament made the same mistakes over and over.

We started reading at 7:33, and the participants were Tomas, Timothy, Emiri, Hiyori, Akari, and Seiyu. We read 2 Kings 11, and Hiyori learned God has a plan for everyone and that it is important to follow the words of people who guide you. Regarding her week, she shared that she went to one of the in-person summer classes, which is anthropology, and she also shared how she put the posters of the piano concert around her school. Akari learned that during the time in 2 Kings 11, the country was unstable and women/children couldn’t rule back then. She thought it was crazy that Athaliah ruled and that Joash ruled when he was 7. She also shared that this was all part of God’s plan.

今日は列王記下９章と１０章を読みました。午後７時４７分頃から読み始めました。参加者は、えみり、ひより、あかり、そしてせいゆでした。ティモシーは、携帯電話の電源が切れていると言って、シェアリングタイムに参加しました。ひよりは、イエフが神の命令に部分的にしか従わなかったことから、神が命じられたことを実行し、それを続けることが大切だと学びました。また、9章で神が預言者に逃げるように言われたことも興味深いと思いました。今週の出来事として、あかりとPCCでチラシ配りに行ったことを話しました。

あかりは、イエフが偶像崇拝をやめなかったことから、彼は良い王ではなかったと学びました。また、神はすべてを監視しており、すべての計画を持っていることを学びました。このことから、他の誰にも従わず、ただ神に従うことが大切だと学びました。現在、特定の技術に取り組んでいること、そしてその難しいところは、一度犯した間違いを取り消せないことだと話しました。エミリは、イエフが目標志向で、目標を達成するためには何でもする人だったことを学びました。彼女は、これは神のために使うのでなければ、良い考え方だと付け加えました。彼女は、このような考え方を持ち、神のために使いたいと述べました。今週の出来事として、今週は2つのプレゼンテーションがあり、卒業アルバムのクラスでPHSの卒業アルバムを作り終えたことを共有しました。卒業アルバムについては、一生懸命取り組んだことが形になるのを見るのは嬉しいことだと話しました。私はイエフは動機が悪かったため、神に完全に従うことができなかったことを学びました。このことをリトルトーキョーでの伝道活動に当てはめ、最初から正しい動機と心を持つことが、毎週コンスタントにチラシを配るためにいかに大切かを伝えました。私は、あと２週間学校に通えることを伝えました。

Today, we read 2 Kings 9 and 10, and we started at around 7:47 pm. The participants were Emiri, Hiyori, Akari, and Seiyu. Timothy joined during the sharing time as he said that his phone was off. Hiyori learned that it’s important to do and to continue to do what God tells her to do, as Jehu only followed God’s commands partially. She also thought it was interesting how in chapter 9, God told the prophet to run away. Regarding her week, she shared that she went to pass out flyers with Akari at PCC. Akari learned that Jehu wasn’t a good king, as he didn’t stop idol worshipping. She also learned that God oversees everything and that he has a plan for everything. From this, she learned that it’s important to solely follow God and no one else. She shared that she’s currently working on a specific kind of craft and that the hard part about it is that you can’t undo your mistakes.

Emiri learned that Jehu was goal-oriented and did anything to achieve his goals. She added that this is a good mindset to have unless you use it for God. She said that she wants to have this type of mindset and use it for God. Regarding her week, she shared that she had 2 presentations this week and that she finished making the yearbook of PHS with her yearbook class. Regarding the yearbook, she shared that it was nice to see something you worked hard on become tangible. I learned that Jehu wasn’t able to fully obey God as his motivations were bad. I applied this to the tract time in Little Tokyo and how it’s good to have the right motivation and heart from the start, so that you can consistently pass out flyers every week.

We started at 7:32 pm, and the participants were Emiri, Hiyori, Akari, and Seiyu. We read 2 Kings 8, and Hiyori learned the importance of taking action when hearing and receiving God’s word, as the Shunammite woman listened to what Elisha/God said. Regarding her week, she shared how she started summer school this week and that she has 2 online classes and 1 in person. She said she’s taking an art class, a theater class, and an anthropology class.

Akari said that she learned from the Cornelius meeting about the Samaritan woman, and she realized that the Samaritan woman and the Shunammite woman from today’s passage, are similar, as their actions were out of love for God. She learned that it’s important to do things out of love for God. She said that she’s currently doing various crafts. Emiri learned that your vessel can change your character for better or worse. She learned that it is important to be aware of what kind of vessel she is. This week she went to her friend’s house to work on a presentation on Sweden.

She said she enjoyed talking to her and that she didn’t really know her that well until she worked on this presentation with her. She also made Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes with her friend. I learned that the Shunammite woman obeyed and trusted in Elisha’s/God’s words and that she obeyed and trusted in his words despite having to stay somewhere for a long 7 years and unsure of what the future would hold. I applied this to basketball and weight training, as these require consistency and trusting the process.

今日は列王記下３章と４章を読みました。午後７時半から読み始めました。参加者は、トマス、エミリ、ひより、あかり、 テモテ 、そしてセイユでした。

ひよりは、神の預言者の言葉に従うことの大切さを学びました。彼女にとってそれは、まさみ先生がおっしゃっていることと同じでした。今週の出来事について、彼女は学校を終え、２〜３週間後にサマースクールが始まると話しました。また、昨日PCCでチラシを配ったことも話してくれました。エミリは、３章でハープ奏者が演奏を始めた後、神がエリシャを通して語られたように、賛美が大切であることを学びました。また、今週はギターの練習をもっとしたいと話しました。彼女はAPプレカルキュラステストを受けたこと、そしてAPユーロテストよりも簡単だったと感じたことについて話しました。

アカリは、第４章の女性が困難な状況にもかかわらずエリシャに従順であったように、どんな状況にあっても神の言葉に従うことが大切だと学びました。彼女は今週、エミリ、ジュリ、ミノリとビクトリーパークでバレーボールをしたことを話しました。トマスは、シュネムの女性の息子がエリシャを通して神によって生き返らされたように、祈り、信じるなら神はあなたを癒すことができることを学びました。彼は水曜日と木曜日に病気になったときにこのことを自分の生活に当てはめ、金曜日の最後の陸上競技大会を走れるように祈りました。彼は陸上競技大会を問題なく走ることができたと言いました。彼は来週の月曜日と木曜日にコンサートがあることを話しました。

テモテは、神はオリーブオイルのような小さなものを使って奇跡を起こすことができ、無から有を生み出すことができることを学びました。彼はまた、エリシャがシチューに入れた小麦粉はイエスを象徴しているのではないかと尋ねました。イエスは命のパンであり、パンは小麦粉から作られるからです。今週の出来事について、彼は今週APテストがあったことを話しました。また、猫を寄生虫病に感染させてしまったので獣医に連れて行き、駆虫薬とノミ退治薬を買ったことも話してくれました。セイユは神様は奇跡を起こせる方だと学びました。第４章で起こった奇跡は、死者を蘇らせるような奇跡を見たことがなく、時々信じられないこともあると話しました。また、毎日運動して好きなことをできることは、恵みであり奇跡だとも話しました。

Today, we read 2 Kings 3 and 4、 and we started at 7:30 pm. The participants were Tomas, Emiri, Hiyori, Akari, Timothy, and Seiyu.

Hiyori learned that it’s important to follow the words of God’s prophets. For her, it would be what Masami-sensei says. Regarding her week, she said she finished school and that she’ll be starting summer school 2-3 weeks later. She also shared that she passed out flyers yesterday at PCC. Emiri learned that praise is important, as in chapter 3, after the harpist started playing, God spoke through Elisha. She also shared that she wants to practice guitar more during her week. She shared that she took her AP precalculus test and that she felt like it was easier than her AP Euro test.

Akari learned that it’s important to obey God’s words, despite your current circumstances, as the woman in chapter 4 was obedient to Elisha, despite her tough circumstances. She shared that this week, she played volleyball at Victory Park with Emiri, Juri, and Minori. Tomas learned that God can heal you if you pray and believe, as the Shunammite woman’s son was brought back to life by God through Elisha. He applied this to his life as he was sick on Wednesday and Thursday, and he prayed so that he could have the strength to run his final track meet on Friday. He said he was able to run his track meet without any issues. He shared that he has a concert next Monday and Thursday.

Timothy learned that God is able to use small things such as olive oil for his miracles and that he can create something out of nothing. He also inquired if the flour Elisha put in the stew symbolizes Jesus, as he is the bread of life, and bread is made from flour. Regarding his week, he shared he had an AP test this week. He also shared that he took his cat to the vet due to parasites and that he bought a dewormer and flea medication. I learned that God is capable of miracles. Seiyu shared that the miracles that happened in chapter 4 are hard to believe at times, as he never witnessed miracles of that degree, such as raising someone from the dead. He also shared that being able to work out every day and do the things I love to do is a blessing/miracle.

Time: 10:01-10:12am

Passage: 2 Kings 1

After reading, I shared about how it was interesting that God actively tried to include himself into Ahaziah’s situation. It showed me that he really cares about everyone and will do anything to offer them a chance to turn to him. He didn’t have to do anything about Ahaziah’s condition, it really wasn’t his business, Ahaziah, himself, did not even ask for God’s help. Nevertheless, God still tried to speak to Ahaziah.

We both wondered what the meaning of the whole sending 3 groups of men to Elijah was about. Kanami talked about how there has to be a meaning behind each number (3 groups of men), similar to how there were 400 false prophets in the previous chapter (1 Kings 22).

Kanami did not really have anything to share about her week so far. I shared about how yesterday was the first time that I wore my retainers since my wisdom teeth removal. I was instructed by the doctor to not wear them until my next checkup appointment, which ended up being moved all the way to this Friday. Therefore, since it has been almost 3 weeks, they told me that I could wear them if everything seemed ok (no pain or anything in my mouth). Since it had been quite a while, the retainers felt VERY tight (a little painful almost) as my teeth had already begun to move (once you get braces/invisalign, you are required to wear your retainers for the rest of your life).

Before ending the call, I also asked Kana about how she seasons her chicken (I have been eating a lot of chicken, as that is really the main source of meat that I can eat right now). She talked about how she does all sorts. She gave an example of Italian seasoning, using herbs. I asked if there is a specific one that she likes, to which she responded that she enjoys ponzu-like seasoning, nothing too heavy.

Time: 10:00-10:30am

Passage: 1 Kings 20

After reading, we were both a bit confused as to what happened in the story, so, we went back to analyze what happened. After doing so, we shared what we learned.

I learned that we should always follow through exactly what God tells us to do and not try to change things according to our understanding. I also brought up how I thought it kind of ties to what I learned from the service yesterday. Abraham did not believe that God would come through in giving him a child, so he tried to do it himself. As a result, Ishmael was born. However, God was unable to use Ishmael because he was created through fleshly efforts. In this sense, I learned that God is very strict about us following his ways. He wants us to trust him and do exactly as he tells us, even if we may not understand the situation.

Kanami shared about how she thought that it was interesting how God still chose to use Ahab, a bad king. From this, she understood that 1) God will/can use anyone and 2) God will always try to give everyone a chance to turn to him.