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Because of last week’s Thanksgiving break from school, I did not log treadmill walking time last Wednesday through Friday, so there’s not a new Tokyo prayer walk location for today. Lord willing, tomorrow that will resume.

However, I wanted to share a song with you all that relates to why TGP exists. Yesterday this song came across my YouTube playlist, and really caught my attention because at church we have been going through Revelation in our adult Sunday School class, and have been in chapter five the last couple weeks. That chapter is the basis for the song “Is He Worthy?”, which concludes with a resounding “He Is!”

Jesus is worthy of everything. Any sacrifices made to spread His gospel are swallowed up in the vastness of His eternal glory. Let us rejoice to be loved by such a great God, and to be the recipients of His promise to one day see Him in His full splendor.

Please follow this link to listen to “Is He Worthy?”

https://youtu.be/g4aPrt35X6g?si=Yac7_fwVpJo_5Nl1

Revelation 5

As today marks the official beginning of the Christmas season, let us pause to pray for the many church Christmas outreaches around the world planned for the next month.

1. Pray for your church to be a light in your community over the coming weeks, and that the Lord would bring at least one person to faith in Him through that witness.

2. Pray for our team member Julie Andrews, who is currently in Boston, Massachusetts, to help her sister and brother-in-law’s church with their annual Christmas party for inner city kids. Pray for the Lord to bless that outreach and touch many lives.

3. Pray that God will once again this year touch your soul with the wonder of the very first Christmas.

Psalm 103:1

From deadly fires in Hong Kong to an attack on US National Guardsmen near the White House to flooding in Thailand and Indonesia to a coup taking over the government in Guinea-Bissau, many parts of the world are in turmoil today. In light of these events, added to other personal difficulties some may be facing, the question might be raised whether it’s appropriate and meaningful at all for Americans to eat turkey and celebrate Thanksgiving today.

The answer can be summarized by Psalm 103:19,22 – “The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.
Bless the Lord, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!”

In comparison to God’s eternal rule, current world events are nothing. He is, always has been, and always shall be on the throne. In addition to His omnipotence, He is always graciously benevolent to us (Psalm 103:17). It is therefore highly appropriate and deeply meaningful to celebrate Thanksgiving with a full heart of gratitude to our God.

For today’s TGP prayer time, please follow this link to listen to Ron Hamilton’s “The Praise Song.” It’s less than two minutes long, but very powerful. As a personal testimony, I have found that singing it out loud is very effective in re-focusing on the Lord.

https://youtu.be/o4Wem9FkbOo?si=FPR9Vm-EcEtDeAgT

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you! Psalm 103

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.

1. Deaflympics: Continue to pray for the Deaflympics being held November 15-26 in Tokyo, Japan. The connections our TGP team members have to this event are really special! First, Julie Andrews sent in the heads up about the event. After yesterday’s post, Cheryl Howe let me know that her friend Emily (from Chattanooga, Tennessee) is playing tennis in the Deaflympics. Go, Emily!

The Lord is working to reach people! Last night I saw an update from the missionaries Julie told me about, and yesterday they led a former Buddhist to Christ. Let’s keep praying daily for the Lord to bring many people to Himself while they are in Tokyo for the Deaflympics, and provide avenues for further discipleship when they return to their various home countries.

2. Kevin Rideout: Hebrews 13:3 tells us to, “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.” Pray today for grace, strength, hope, and peace for Kevin Rideout, and for his soon release.

3. Your Choice: Please pray for a request that you remember from one of the other locations featured this week:

National Route 20 (Tokyo, Japan)

Juniso Dori Ave. (Tokyo, Japan)

Koen Dori (Tokyo, Japan)

Crown Point, Trinidad and Tobago

Thank you for praying!

Luke 9:26

For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

1. Kevin Rideout: Continue to pray for the safety of Kevin Rideout, a missionary pilot kidnapped in Niger on October 21. The US State Department continues to work toward his release.

2. Hurricane Melissa: Pray for people whose lives have been devastated by the destruction of this hurricane. Pray for the Lord to meet their needs on every level.

3. Your Choice: Please pray for a request you remember from one of the locations featured this week:

Haradh, United Arab Emirates

Umm Salal Muhammad, Qatar

Mekomeseng, Equatorial Guinea

Metropolitan Expressway Route 5 (Tokyo, Japan)

Kanda Aqueduct Remains (Tokyo, Japan)

Thank you for praying!

Luke 9:25

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

1. Kevin Rideout: Continue to pray for the safety / release of the Baptist missionary pilot Kevin Rideout, who was kidnapped in Niger on October 21. Pray for the salvation of his captors, peace for his family, and God to be glorified. 

2. Direct witness: Continue praying that you will meet a Japanese person and have an opportunity to witness for Jesus to that individual. Pray also for boldness to witness to contacts of any ethnicity whom God has already brought into your life.

3. Your Choice: Please pray for a request you remember from one of the locations featured this week:

Bunkyo City (Tokyo)

Denmyoji Temple (Tokyo)

Rte. 434, near the Koraku Park Junior Baseball Field (Tokyo)

Bangkok, Thailand

Santiago, Chile

Thank you for praying!

Please pray for Kevin Rideout, a missionary pilot in Niger who was taken from his home by three armed jihadists on October 21. Niger is a country infamous for persecution against Christians. Pray that wherever Kevin is right now, he will continually sense the presence of the Lord. Pray for his family during this time, and for God to be glorified on all fronts.

Luke 9:24

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

1. Rikugien Gardens (Tokyo, Japan): One beautiful aspect of Rikugien’s illumination shows is how the vibrant fall colors of the leaves are reflected in the pond. Pray for Christians in Tokyo to beautifully reflect the character of their Savior, that all who see their lives may see something of Him.

2. Arue, French Polynesia: Pray for a Christian in Arue who is being tempted by the pull of materialism to remember the lasting satisfaction he already possesses in Christ.

3. Your Choice: Please pray for a request you remember from one of the locations featured this week in our Tokyo prayer walk:

Tohaku Cha-kan (tea house)

Grand Maison Sendagi Ichibankan (apartment complex)

Intersection of Rte. 17 & Rte. 437 (building with Bunkyo Orthopedic Surgery and Denny’s)

Thank you for praying!

Luke 9:23

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.“

1. The “Impossible”: The one you know – Pray for the individual you personally know who is so blind to his / her own condition that it seems like he / she would never believe the gospel. Pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to work in that life, and for the miracle of repentance to occur.

2. Akhisar (Thyatira), Turkey: Jesus sent the church in Akhisar (Thyatira) a message in Revelation 2:18-29. Pray for modern believers there to continue loving and serving the Lord, and to abstain from physical and spiritual fornication.

3. Your Choice: Please pray for a request you remember from one of the locations featured this week in our Tokyo prayer walk:

Ueno Park

Yushima Fuji Building

Hitotsu Bridge

Kanda Myoujin Shrine

Thank you for praying!

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:23-26

Pray for the salvation of these difficult-to-reach individuals:

1. President Donald Trump – By his own words, he thinks that entrance to heaven must be earned. However, he has heard the gospel as recently as at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service. Pray for him to really “get it” in regards to what God’s grace is all about.

2. Elon Musk – He was impressed by the forgiveness Erija Kirk demonstrated toward her husband’s killer. Pray for Mr. Musk to realize that God offers him personal salvific forgiveness, and for him to have faith to believe that the Bible is the only true authority for this life and the next.

3. Greta Thunberg – This 22-year-old climate change activist has gained worldwide fame. Pray for the Lord to help her see the reality of the most dangerous condition to escape – her impending eternal separation from Him caused by her sin. Pray that she will hear the gospel, and trust in the work of Christ as the only remedy to that problem.

4. The one you know – Pray for the individual you personally know who is so blind to his / her own condition that it seems like he / she would never believe the gospel. Pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to work in that life, and for the miracle of repentance to occur.