April 1, 2019

The Will of God Shall Be Surely Done in Praise

Mitsuko

ー From Hawaii Retreat Concert Program ー

　In March 2001 we had our first Kohitsuji no Mure Hawaii retreat at a Catholic facility called Saint Stephen Diocesan Center in Kaneohe, Oahu, where we had another retreat in the following year. In 2005 we held the World Retreat, together with the first praise concert in Hawaii, at the Hawaii Convention Center. (It was called the World Retreat because it was our only retreat that year. In 2003, while having the New York retreat and the praise concert, we also had a retreat in Japan. So it was not called the World Retreat.)

　After that, praise continued to be offered in the house church gatherings and the joint services in Hawaii, but it was not until the year 2014 that a praise concert restarted, or rather started anew with the first Hawaiian praise given from heaven. Since then praise concerts have been held in Hawaii almost every year: 2015, 2017 and 2018. In November 2012 (the year when Cosmic Worship, meaning worship with all creation, was proclaimed), the Lord spoke to us during the Hawaii joint worship, “Time has moved.” With it the time of new worship has indeed opened up.

　In February this year, we are having the first Kohitsuji no Mure retreat and praise concert in Hilo on the Big Island.

　From Hawaii, which is called the belly button of the earth, we will release praise to all the earth. This is the concert to deliver praise to all the peoples in pain and sorrow around the world from the land which has borne the sorrowful history. It is our conviction that praise reaches everywhere transcending time and space.

　We believe that the time has come for praise to flow out to the entire earth from Hawaii.

　We, the Kohitsuji no Mure Christian Church, are a flock of praise. Our aim is to worship the Lord in Spirit and truth. The following is the interpretation the Lord spoke to us about praise:

I will send praise.

It means to send My people of praise.

Praise shall accomplish My desire. (September 2017)

　Entrusted with praise by God, we wish to respond to His will by praise. We believe that the will of God shall be surely done in praise.

I will send you to praise so as to pray for peace of the earth,

bring peace to the earth, fill the earth with praise, and accomplish healing.  (July 2018)

　God’s desire is to make all things “one” in Christ. It is for all creation to become one Body in Christ, which shall be manifested in worship.

In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.  (Ephesians 1:8-10 NAS)

　What we call Cosmic Worship is the worship for all things in heaven and on earth and under the earth to be united as one and praise God. This is the heavenly worship described in the book of Revelation:

And every created thing which is in heaven  and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:13-14 NAS)

　All things in heaven, on earth, under the earth and in the sea are invited to Cosmic Worship. “All” means to include not only joy but also illness, sorrow, life, death, the past, the present and the future. They all shall praise the Lord together.

　This indeed is the fulfillment of God’s plan for the entire earth to become the worship itself (meaning the completion of the Church of the Wind upon all the earth), which is the time for the redemption of Christ to be perfected. By the cross of Christ heaven and earth are reconciled and the true peace is achieved.

　We believe that all things are created to worship, and that we, Kohitsuji no Mure, are called to praise according to this purpose of God’s creation. 

　It is over 19 years since the heavenly praises started to shower on us in January 2000, and it continues to this day. We have so far received more than 2000 new praises, which must be necessary for God’s plan to be accomplished. His plan must be grand and earnest to such an extent.

　The very first praise was “O Holy” from the book of Revelation chapter 4. The praises were given at first from the Revelation, later from the nature such as flowers and winds, and then from Psalms, Isaiah and the Gospels.

　All created things have the resounding sound of life. I believe it is “the Word which was in the beginning (John 1:1).” Praise is this resounding sound of life accompanied by audible tunes. This sound is innate in all things. It is the reverberating sound of life, and of joy, at the time of God’s creation of all things. 

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.   (Revelation 4:11 KJV)

　In the midst of praise healings happen. That is because by returning to the Word which was in the beginning, we are brought back to our first image at the time of Creation. Unnecessary things are taken away, and if not removed, they are changed to praise the Lord together. As the created things resonate with the resounding of the Word in the beginning, they receive healing, and the true peace is done.

　When the Church of the Wind, our sanctuary, was completed in 2008, we started receiving Latin praises and in 2014 Hawaiian praises. Besides Latin and Hawaiian, we sing praise in other languages such as Japanese, English and Hebrew.

　Since the House of Life, our prayer house, was built in 2016, the will of God has rapidly unfolded toward Cosmic Worship. I remember the interpretation given in 2000, the year in which the flood of praise started pouring upon us:

Praise is My faith.

Now is the time to stand on My faith.

Sing a new song.

The time of a new song has come.

                                 (February 2000)

　2019 is the year of the “Faith of God.” God is now telling us again to stand on the faith of God, for it will bring forth the new worship. It is the time for all things to be renewed.

January 30, 2019

 As a Postscript

From Hawaii Retreat Concert Program

Peter

　Cosmic Worship, which we urge all of you to join, is the most joyous experience of encountering the Holy One. The Savior died for the living and the dead so that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. He is the One who has opened the world beneath and set prisoners free to meet the true and loving God in Christ Jesus. 

　In our New Year worship service at the Church of the Wind, the whole congregation participated in Cosmic Worship, imagining that each was worshipping the Lord in the Nativity. Some were deeply moved beholding the Babe in the manger … Some witnessed the glorious face of the Lady … Some were astounded at the heavenly choir over the hut … Some saw the animals and the sheep, even tiny insects, grinning and glittering in exceeding joy. 

　Our praise concert is not a mere music presentation. This is worship itself. Participating in a biblical story, you will for sure experience the essence of worshipping, for the Redeemer is inviting you to know it and worship the Lord God in Spirit and truth. 

February 8, 2019

Pastor Peter’s prayer at the end of the Concert in Hawaii

Joy, joy, and joy. Joy of the Lord is our strength, which sweeps over the world, 

and penetrates into the depth of the ocean. Joy of the Lord is our strength. 

And the Lord Jesus Christ, we are the witnesses of Your joy, of Your love, and of Your power. 

This is Your memorial day of Joy. Thank You Lord, Jesus. 

We give our everlasting gratitude. Praise the Lord. Amen.

Joy of the Concert

Feedbacks from the people of praise who joined the Retreat Concert

At the end of the concert, we sang a few praise songs together with the congregation. We praised “Sorrow Is Healed” with the hula, and the hula perfectly fit to this praise! And also we sang, “La La La, Praise the Lord,” becoming birds. With chirping voices of many different kinds of birds, including roosters, the joy of praise overflowed in the whole creation!

Mitsuko-san, Otsukaresama! The multi-dimensional praise was so beautiful to hear in person. Despite the low ceiling of the concert hall, this song echoed so beautifully, perfectly in the room. The choir did great and it was very nice to see the hula dance. Thank you for a wonderful concert!  “Kanshayana (Thanks Be to God!)” (Anonymous)

Of course the praise, the voice was impressive,  I could not take my eyes off from the Hula dancers. Because the attractive and beautiful dancers were there, the joy and happiness of the praise expanded. That was the time I realized the power of Hula dance. I wish I can dance with them next time…. (Rin Matsuura)

Amazing! God completed each worship and concert perfectly in His faith. (Michael Fujii)

I liked the songs, very nice. I feel relaxed. I like the way expression was told by movements in the song. I understand what they are saying.

But he was crushed for the evil things we did,  he was punished for the evil things we did.  The punishment which made us well was given to him, and we are healed because of his wounds. (Isaiah 53:3)   (Angel Carty, Age 10)               

Thank you for the concert and please do it again. (Toby Davis, Age 10)       

I enjoyed singing with everyone. (Miya, Age 13)

♪　Hoho hoho . . . mahalo ka Haku.  ♪