Just the beginning...

As I type this I shoot up a prayer to the almighty God, who is both all powerful and "all-intimate" if that could be a kind-of word.

Trying to listen to the bible on mp3 whilst typing this at the same time proves to be quite difficult, and so for now the headphones are coming off.

So today I had a light bulb thought moment...one which made me think of how awesome it would be to do something like write for a living, and more to the point blog for a living.

I have been reading various reviews on things such as my now eight week old 13 inch Macbook Air, as well as reviews in the past on other items I have either purchased or researched in the lead up to that inevitable swipe of the eftpos card with the "savings" button so nonchalantly (hehe, I had to google that word and then add the l and y to the end) pressed.

You see I am in the midst of (as I smell a refreshing scent of some kind of perfume here at Starbucks Ikebukuro, Japan) organising information and Q&A's relating to my desire to return to Japan, after raising prayer and financial support in Australia, as a full time missionary.

I have another blog titled Life in Japan which goes into more detail of my life and learning experiences as a follower of Jesus in Japan.

Now back to the thought of writing or blogging for a living.  Although writing may be something you are either gifted in or have studied hard to develop skill and prowess in, I feel that if I have at my hearts centre the desire to "help the living" rather than "make a living", that I will indeed give something to the world of people who may be interested with the thoughts of a unique and blessed individual by the name of Tri.

I realised today that as great as facebook is for communication through status updates, messages, wall posts, notes, and facebook chat, that I have this blogging resource which although tapping into for missions purposes, has been sitting there lying dormant to what could be somewhat of a great kind of companion and outlet.

As a follower of Jesus, I am very blessed in that I have Holy Spirit in me pointing me to Jesus and revealing him to me, as well as my identity as a child of our Heavenly Father.  It's true I'm not perfect, but that is exactly why Jesus is my Lord and Saviour.

(Just to interject right now...it's snowing.  There are flakes of snow falling in Ikebukuro which is a city of Greater Tokyo here in Japan)

Ok, and I am yawning even though I am practically ninety percent the way through this Super Gigantic (Venti sized) hot Mocha...strange times we live in.

Anyway, there are some things which just aren't relevant to be sharing on facebook, and at least in a way which reaches people who may care about particular aspects of my life such as extended thoughts on life as a single person...and even more so, a single guy following Jesus by His grace and mercy.

This blog is a kind of introduction to aspects of singleness in my life as a follower of Jesus.

In the past eleven years or so as a person saved by Grace, I have been blessed by God in ways I believe too deep and beyond my understand to authentically communicate, particularly just with words...as good as words are and can be.  I do though pray He will speak through what I do end up sharing from blog to blog.

I recalled today how I felt about three months in to my walk with God back in Nov/Dec 2000 as I stood on my friends porch overlooking Australian bush, how this new relationship with God through Jesus was both fascinating and deep.  I remember thinking of how I wouldn't even mind if I was single for a year or so whilst I explored this newfound relationship with Jesus.  The question coming to my mind of what life would be like in a years time came to mind and I think I even asked my soon to be flatmate and long time brother in Christ that question.

Pic from the web

Without going in to too much detail, that year went by with such a growth in my passion and desire for Jesus that I really didn't care too much about my pre-facebook single status back then.

To cut a long story short (of which I may extend upon later) I am still single today, though having built some friendships with real quality sisters in Christ.  Yes I have had opportunities for education in life as a single christian guy looking for that special someone, but with every day that God is with me, I have felt His grace to be sufficient...so much so that I pray all of His best for my sisters in Christ, every single beautiful one of them.  Of course there has certainly been moments and perhaps even seasons of frustration in this area too.

Speaking of "beauty", a thought or topic which has been an ongoing one for the past eleven years or so, I feel that God has indeed revealed to me just how significant inner beauty is to the beauty of a person.  It may sound oh so cliche but as I begin to feel Holy Spirit revealing to me the spiritual nature of my faith and walk with him, it is far from cliche.

Holy Spirit has been showing me that as the bible is the inspired, breathed, or God revealed Word of God, so is the hearing or understanding of it.  To put it more simply: God who revealed Himself through his word to the initial writers of the bible is the only who can reveal the meaning of it to the reader or listener...it is not just a head understanding that we need.

So this connection with Holy Spirit revealing to me the Spiritual meaning of the bible is made with what I feel is also Holy Spirit's desire to reveal to me Spiritual beauty...that inner beauty in any given person, and not just my future wife either.

I believe that when I eventually meet that special someone that there will be both a physical attraction, but even more importantly, a spiritual attraction.  You see each of us has that eternal part which does not fade, hence being eternal.  That eternal part of us is the spirit which God has created in His own image, the image of the Eternal One.

I won't go into detail regarding the fall of man/woman but basically since sin has entered the world the outward part of a person has become mortal and so has a point where eventual death is the result.  When looking at a person from an eternal perspective as Holy Spirit reveals to us, we are then, I believe, able to recognise beauty not so much in terms of a peak in looks and perfection, but rather, beauty in terms of life...or the eternal part of that person, their spirit.

There are indeed people who many would regard as beautiful on the inside whether it be due to a character or multiple character traits, and as good as those things are, even they alone are not what I am referring to when I refer to inner beauty of the spirit.

Pic from the web

As I write/type this segment of the blog I realise that I am now writing about things that are indeed beyond my understanding, so in fact I am writing by faith (though still learning) hoping and praying that Holy Spirit will guide my words.

There is a light that is indeed beautiful.  In fact when we think about beauty it is quite difficult for most to comprehend beauty without there being some kind of light involved.   This light that I am referring to is the eternal light, the Creator light, and the Light that has entered the world.  The light is Jesus.

It is I believe only when a person has Jesus revealed to them, that they can truly see beauty for the first time...eternal spiritual beauty.  This is not perceived with their physical eyes but their spiritual eyes.  Yet this beauty desires not only to reveal himself to us but to give himself to us.  This occurs when we actually respond through our repentance of sin and life in darkness...spiritual darkness, to turn to and receive this eternal Light, Jesus.

The world in which we live in wants to claim that there are many kinds of light, that there are many kinds of beauty, and while with our human minds this may seem spot on(particularly in the physical), this is actually not the case in truth(in the spirit).  Spiritually there is only one light, and one darkness...basically light and darkness.

You are born into darkness, but are saved and given life through the light.

You become a child of the light when you have Holy Spirit fill you and renew you.

It is not something you can do on your own, but something that you have to have first revealed to you, and then through the gift of faith, you respond to by turning from the darkness, and receiving Jesus.
This then is only the beginning.  You are now given His Spirit with whom the purpose of the Light is now love and ushering in of the Kingdom of Light, the kingdom of Heaven.

Pic from the web

There are some dreams children have that are more truth than fiction.  These dreams that I am referring to are the childlike faith dreams of the heart.  Children are not born expecting death, they are born expecting life.  They are not born desiring confusion, but instead care.  Children are ultimately born for relationship through love.  They are born for and from love, but into a dark world...spiritually dark I mean.

There is a time coming when God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh, our sons and daughters will prophecy, our young men will have visions and our old men will dream dreams.  This is only possible as the light of His Spirit reveals truth, indeed illuminates truth to the people whom he so truly loves, with an undying love.



I pray the amazing Creator and Saviour Jesus Christ would be revealed to each of you more and more by the power of Holy Spirit.  He has such great love for each of you it amazes me.




In love...His Love, be supremely blessed with the greatest gift, the gift of the Son, Jesus.


Tri.

(Some of the photos in this blog were taken today, some were taken other days recently here in Japan)