True love not in a Karaoke Song

John 15:9-14 Recently we went to Karaoke with some of our students. I found the gospel section. “He’s got the whole world in His hands.” I was singing about the magnificent God we serve.
We were given a thick book full of songs and I noticed there were so many love songs. A lot of songs are written by a person to express their love to another person or by a person desiring love. “When I fall in love.” “I want to know what love is; I want you to show me.”

Everybody desires love. We need to know we are loved, that we are wanted. In John 3:16 Jesus said, “God so loved the world.” God loves this crazy world we live in and he loves you. The God that made you loves you. He hasn’t abandoned you to just worship an idol or at a shrine. He wants to have a relationship with you. He wants you to know him. Many people go to the shrine or temple and have no real connection with anything, just a superstition that tells them if you come here and pray you may get blessed. Well in Jesus we have love and purpose of life.

John 15:13 This is the greatest form of love; to sacrifice oneself for another. And Jesus has done this. Though he was despised and rejected by this world He loved this world and gave Himself for it.

Do you want to know great love? It’s not in a Karaoke song. It’s not in having a boy say, “I love you” and giving you flowers or a girl saying “I love you” and giving you chocolates. It’s in laying your life down for another. He has shown you the highest form of love.

If you don’t know Jesus he is calling to you; He wants you to know Him. He wants to give you hope in your life. He loves you and wants you to have a fulfilled life.

Karaoke Night

What an enjoyable experience. Some of our students were keen to go out singing and show us how the Japanese do it. We went to place that was having it's 2nd anniversary, so the rooms were newer. We paid for the premium room, we thought we might as well experience the best of Karaoke. About $18.00 each for 2 hours.

I was first up singing "I believe I can fly." Then came ABBA from the girls, the beatles and so on.


With free soft drink the 2 hours went past very quick.



After our experience we discovered you can pay around $9.00 during the weekday and stay as long as you like until 6pm. So Sharon and I have plans to go again.



Later we were told by one of our sudents who is a businessman that it is common for office workers, businessmen and women to go for drinks after work and then go to Karaoke once their walls are down. He said it is a great way to build community amongst your work collegues. I must agree, even in our short time together our students seemed more open toward us later. We finished the night off at McDonalds.

Coming soon - Our first experience of Karaoke

Tragedy in Japan

Yesterday on the news I read about the young man that went on a stabbing frenzy in downtown Tokyo. yahoo newsWhat a tragedy. The thing I heard through the report was the young man claimed he didn't want to live. What sadness that others had to die for his lack of desire to live.

My heart now goes out for those who are mourning from this; but this also brings me to think, how many other young men are on the edge? Fustrated with life, having no meaning and no purpose in their life has to come to an edge at some point. Many suffer in silence whilst some choose other ways to release their pain.

For Japan the issues aren't seen untill a tradegy like this surfaces. This just highlights to me the need for a Saviour. Not one out of a Manga magazine but the creator of our lives.

Despite this incident there is great things happening in Japan. Through our church here in Kyoto and other great church's
jesuslifehouse jhouse

If anyone is looking to serve in Japan these are three great church's to consider.

May the light of Jesus rise and bring hope to this nation.