ANNOUNCEMENT: Winter Holiday Schedule

Due to travel plans & events scheduled at Cafe Decision, our sessions will be scheduled as follows for the rest of December:

Wednesday
December 17th
Session as regularly scheduled.

Thursday
December 18th
Bible Study Night- Hosted by Mr. John LaDue of YWAM

Wednesday
December 24th
No session- Christmas Eve
Jennifer out of town

Thursday
December 25th
No session- Christmas Day
Jennifer out of town

Wednesday
December 31st
No session- New Year's Eve
Jennifer out of town

Thursday
January 1st
No session- New Year's Day
Jennifer out of town

Wednesday
January 7th
First session of 2009- Location TBA

A is for Apple

What is it about an apple that brings to rememberance the basics? The simplicity? The endless hours spent in kindergarten singing the ABC song while looking at flash card images of apples? A is for apple... A is for the basics. A is for a starting point.

After nearly 6 weeks of prayer sessions, it's safe to say we've finally settled into our own "A" of the ABCs. That is, we've developed a loose structure to our sessions. They are turning out something like this:

Welcome & Introductions
the HOP concept is a very new thing to Japan and bears answering the question, "so, what's a HOP anyway?"

Testimony & Sharing
how God's answered prayers and/or spoken to us over the course of the week- often, scriptures & passages shared will reveal some of the direction prayers will flow durring a session

Prayer Points & Personal Requests
quick reminder/introduction of key prayer points & list up of personal prayer requests for the week
if a white board is available, they are written up there for all to see- this visual aid has proved helpful since English is not the mother tongue of many in our tribe

Brief "How to Pray" & Establish Expectations Announcement
who will start, how we'll finish and that it's okay to pray in tongues, sing, walk around, pray in ones native tongue, speak the scripture, etc...
again, something proven helpful for first time participants

Opening Prayer & Worship
prayer leader opens with worship to follow intermittenly over the course of a session
worship has been somewhat creative up to this point- we've not got a "worship team" yet and it's not always possible to play live music... (we'll get there eventually though)

Wrapping Up
Last 5-10 minutes of a session: personal prayer requests, closing prayer & offering collection

It's definately a good feeling to be able to say, "yes, we've got a system." Now we can really start to focus on our what instead of the how.
This is so exciting!

Thank you Abba!

UPDATES: We Are One Month Old!!

Wow!
Just wow~!
How great is our God hey? I mean, it's been an entire month and we started our first prayer meeting on Wednesday evening, November 5th with a grand total of 3 individuals. I do have to say, I feel a bit like the proud parent of a newborn! Haha!

General Report:
In the space of two weeks, we went from one meeting a week to two meetings a week and finished off November with a grand total of 7 prayer sessions. We've also grown from a meager start of 3 individuals to 10 individuals in attendance over the course of our two designated prayer nights. While some of us manage to attend both nights, not all are able to. However, the fact remains that we've had up to 10 people showing up in various combinations to pray during the course of a two session week. Something I'm sure we can all agree, is just great! Certainly many more than I imagined God would send to our new tribe in its first month.

The Tribe:
To supply some insight into the international flavor God has begun pulling together on this prayer team; we've had in attendance:
2 Americans
1 Australian
1 German
2 Japanese
1 Korean
1 Taiwainese

This is truly starting off as a house... for ALL nations!

Holy Spirit Buzz:
There have been several email inquiries and networking opportunities into the "Tokyo HOP" thing. Some of which were in response to the "we're getting started" email I sent out to the mailing list in October. Others were from word of mouth and fliers we passed out during one of the Saturday Night Fellowship gatherings (a house church group.) A few that came from other online applications and networking circles. It's great how news travels when you are plugged into God's network. How wonderful it is to be surprised by Him every day.

Family:
We have become the sister HOP of The Altar International House of Prayer located in Meadville, PA; USA. While this is not officially official, it is "official" if you know what I mean. There is still lots of paperwork and research to be done but we are very much headed in that direction. THANK YOU ABBA! And yay!

Name Change:
We will also be changing our name from "House of Prayer, Tokyo" to "The Altar International House of Prayer, Tokyo." Yay! How exciting is this?

Future Website:
On that note, I've been doing research and planning for our future website and I am happy to say things are coming along reasonably well. As the site is still very much in the planning & initation phase, it will be awhile before it's up and running. I think though, the blog is working well at the moment and there is no need to rush this.

Prophecy:
In one of our most recent sessions, one of our team members was led to pray for the government & leaders of Japan. While in that stream, I ended up prophesying

there will be a Minister of Foreign Affairs who will meet Jesus and make a national public delcaration of this faith change.

It is not known however, whether this is the individual who currently holds this title or one who is yet to come. The timing is all up to God. Additionally, I personally do not know if the current Minister of Foreign Affairs is male or female. In all honesty, it doesn't really matter male or female, now or later. Heck, for all we know, it could be for several Ministers of Foreign Affairs! :-) We all know, what matters is God moving on the hearts and minds of the people in this nation be they in the halls of government or halls of day care centers.

Creative Solutions to Doing HOP in Japan:
In lieu of a Skype chat/discussion with one of our prayer team members just last night, we are going to look into scheduling sessions with mini-prayer teams(2-4 per group)via Skype at intervals during the week. This is a great solution to the "we do not have our own building to meet in" challenge and also works well with the commute time/distance/cost challenge which those who are living in and around Tokyo face. I think this may be a very creative answer to prayers asking God to establish the HOP, Tokyo and also show us how to effectively use the resources we already have access to.

If you are not able to join our Wednesday or Thursday night prayer sessions but would still like to be a part of the action, please contact me and I will see about setting up some remote "Skype prayer teams." Email: jagracey@cba.att.ne.jp

Prayers Please:
In prayer, we can use all the support we can get. Members of our team have been experiencing (in varying degrees) such things as intense headaches, sickness, extreme sleepiness, interestingly timed relationship difficulties and more chaotic than usual work days since we've begun to meet.

This is pretty common demonic reaction and interference over here. It is really a battle of will and endurance for some of our team members to attend the sessions. This is true for those who are and who are not yet fully aware the source of those previously mentioned manifestations.

Basically, the moment people begin to gather to pray here, things are set in motion to discourage and prevent that from happening. Understandably so since every word we speak in prayer is like lightning striking from the sky. It's all good though- you've gotta learn to love the battle to be in on this fight hey?

Prayers for endurance, disernment, divine strategy, God to bring His designated and appointed tribesmen to our camp, financial provision, supernatural grace & wisdom for the leadership and really what ever else comes to mind. If you think it, we could use prayer for it. :-) We aren't picky! (hee hee)

Funding the Kingdom:
Finally, if anyone feels led to support the HOP, Tokyo financially I'd like to share a few immediate needs with you:

1. Printing fees for the HOP info. fliers and other basic documents are about $20 USD or 2,000 JPY per 100 sheets of A4 size paper.

2. Round trip train fare to Tokyo and back from my home is about $24 USD or 2,400 JPY. To attend each session of the HOP (2 sessions a week x 4 weeks) it's about $200 USD or 20,000 JPY a month in commutation expenses.

3. A high quality USB port compatable IC voice recorder (with English directions and buttons) so we can start recording some of our sessions and transcribing prophecy and other important things that transpire. The devices are somewhere between $200-300 USD or 20,000-30,000 JPY.

4. Monthly, Quarterly or Yearly support of any capacity for staffing and basic operations/administration costs of running and setting up a ministry. Tokyo is one of the most expensive cities in the world and the costs involved with doing anything here are higher than average.

If you are outside of Japan, please contact either The Altar International House of Prayer (refer to link for address & contact information) or myself directly.

If you are inside of Japan, please contact myself directly via email: jagracey@cba.att.ne.jp


Grace, glory & fire,
JG

HOP info & contact flier

This is the final version of our flier. It includes English & Japanese. Many thanks to Manami & Hiro for helping with the translation and also the proofing process.

Next steps:
printing & distribution

Top 10 Cities in the World

According to Interesting Top 10 Lists Blog, 6 of the 10 largest cities in the world(based on population)are located in Asia.
#10 shanghai
#8 manila
#5 mumbai (bombay)
#4 dehli
#2 seoul
#1 tokyo

According to worldatlas.com, 4 of the 10 largest cities in the world(based on population)are located in Asia.
#9 calcutta
#6 shanghai
#3 mumbai (bombay)
#1 tokyo

According to citypopulation.de, 6 of the 10 largest cities in the world(based on population)are located in Asia.
#10 shanghai
#8 manila
#5 mumbai (bombay)
#4 delhi
#2 seoul
#1 tokyo

According to geography.about.com -list 1, 6 of the 10 largest cities in the world(based on population)are located in Asia.
#9 jakarta
#8 mumbai (bombay)
#7 manila
#6 osaka-kobe-kyoto
#4 seoul-incheon
#1 tokyo

According to geography.about.com -list 2, 6 of the 10 largest cities in the world(based on population)are located in Asia.
#10 jakarta
#9 shanghai
#7 dehli
#6 mumbai (bombay)
#3 seoul
#1 tokyo

The information from these sources dates from 2005 to 2008. The numbers posted on these lists for the population of Tokyo range from 28 million to 34 million individuals who live in and around the metropolis. And surely, it's been noted that on each of these lists, Tokyo is number one. This is every bit as much interesting as it is impressive. One cannot help but find themselves in contemplation, "What are your plans for the largest metropolis in the world Lord?"

In the days of Jonah, the city of Nineveah was also a large city and quite possibly the "Tokyo" of its day and age. In a conversation between God and a very disgruntled Jonah, God clearly spoke His heart to Jonah (Jonah 4.11),

"...Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

If we apply this to our day and time, we could also read this passage as follows:

"... Tokyo has more than 30 million people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and uncountable numbers of animals as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

"Should I not be concerned...?," says God.
Can you hear His voice thunder as He speaks those words?

"Should I NOT BE CONCERNED for the city of Tokyo? For the Nation of Japan?..."

What will happen if we begin to pray, as if lives depended on it, for God to raise up and release those who are called to preach and walk in the anointing of Jonah? If we begin to pray for God to raise up and anoint each one of us with the mantle of Jonah that we may go into our own "cities" and release His Word in those places...

We don't have much record of Jonah's sermons other than he issued a call of repentence ahead of impending consequence. (Jonah 3.4) We don't really know exactly how he delivered his message other than he started delivering the message at one location and finished three days later. Scholars even speculate as to whether or not Jonah's message was delivered to other cities which were within the neighboring area or to every home and neighborhood within the city walls. We do know though, the words from Jonah's mouth struck the hammer of the Lord against stony hearts of a people.

And we also know, the words Jonah released into the atmosphere of that great city shook her and resonated within her like a gong. The people, from the greatest to the smallest dressed in garments of humility and fasted. (Jonah 3.5-7)

Let us pray then for this vision to come to pass. For, if God is able to turn a single heart, He is well able to turn a city. If He can turn a city then, turn a nation. And if He can turn a nation, He can also turn an entire region. Even if the city be Tokyo and the region be Asia.

"... nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few." 1 Samuel 14.6

"Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment?..." Isaiah 66.8


The Spirit and the Bride say, "amen & come Lord Jesus."

The Blue Flame IS a Pilot Light

Leviticus 6.12 states, "The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out..."

The fire.
On the altar.
Must be.
Kept burning.
It must.
NOT go out.

This was before access to such deep underground treasures as natural gas and oil. This was before oil pipelines, refineries and gas mains. This was before furnaces and boilers. This was before basements to keep the furnaces and boilers in.

The fire.
On the altar.
Must be.
Kept burning.
It must.
NOT go out.

This sounds like a pilot light. And being from a place like Alaska, pilot lights are essential to life. In winter, if the pilot light goes out- the whole house freezes. Water pipes turn to ice. Showers, toilets, washing machines stop working. There is no heat. Stone cold.

The fire.
On the altar.
Must be.
Kept burning.
It must.
NOT go out.

If the water is frozen... if there is no heat source... in winter, in Alaska and places like it- you die. It's a non-negotiable truth in this realm. And if that is a non-negotiable truth in this realm, why would it be different in the next?

If we look at the fire on the altar as it really is- the sacrifice of our praise and worship. The sacrifice from our lips, our hearts... our minds set after Him and IF those sacrifices are not placed upon His altar, the fire will stop burning. It will go out.

The pilot light will be snuffed out because the source of its burning is cut off.

So, what has this to do with anything? Especially a House of Prayer? Well, a picture Abba's been painting the past few years is of "the church" as one building. With the prayer rooms in the basement.

The prayer rooms, the Houses of Prayer- they are the furnace... they are THE pilot light of the building called "church." If there are no prayer rooms, the building goes cold. The activities of the building cease because the water of the Spirit stops flowing. It freezes.

This is on every level. A multi-tired operation which, when brought together, equals the whole.
It is personal.
It is by family. Bible study group. Church fellowship on the corner. It is denominational and ministerial. It is national and it is universal.

The old testament describes the groupings in such terms as families, clans, tribes, etc.

I feel God speaking in this hour with an urgency for His people to understand the absolute necessity of prayer & worship. We have mistakenly understood the function and purpose of both.

Looking at prayer & worship in comparison to a simple pilot light found in one's basement offers insight into a much needed paradigm shift for many of us.

We literally become the pilot light burning as we pray & worship. We burn BLUE! Though small, and most often kept in a hidden part of the building structure, this is the hottest part of a flame. As we burn, we are literally tapped into THE source of OIL rather than A source of oil.
Because we are tapped into THE source of oil, we BURN hot enough to heat the WHOLE house as we interceede.

"For the Lord your God is a consuming fire..." Deuteronomy 4.24
"... consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it." 2 Samuel 22.9 & Psalm 18.8
"See, the Name of the LORD comes from afar, ... and his tongue is a consuming fire." Isaiah 30.27
"...for our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12.29

A characteristic unique to the HOP, Tokyo is our location. I believe it is a prophetic illustration of this truth. Cafe' Decision which currently hosts the HOP, Tokyo is located in the basement of a building called "Big Vision." And inside of Cafe' Decision is a downstairs and an upstairs.

We usually meet for prayer meetings and fellowship gatherings in the upper room underground. To elaborate on the symbolism, the fire of the Spirt fell upon those who were present in the upper room on the day of pentecost. This was THE prayer meeting if that century! (Acts ch 1.12-14 & 2.1-4)

It seems to me, God is making a statement. There is a Big Vision for the upper room which is underground. If that's the case, fire will fall from above and burn up from below. There is high potential for a pretty hot furnace. May we be a people who live daily in the middle of it.

December 4, 2008
Additonal Note:
An interesting bit of Pilot Light trivia.
A sign that the gas being burned is pure and without mixture is the blue color of the flame. When it contains orange or yellow flames, there is a source other than pure gas being burned.

UPDATES: First Meetings

We've had two sessions so far. The first on November 5, 2008 and the second on November 12, 2008.

There were three of us the first meeting, an American, a German and a Japanese praying in agreement God will establish this house- both the HOP, Tokyo and Cafe' Decision. The 10 prayer directives were introduced and prayed through.

The second meeting, there were two. An American and a Japanese. Again, the prayer directives were introduced and prayed through. It seemed the Holy Spirit was up for "girls night" and it was a sweet time of fellowship with His heart.

At this writing, I keep "meeting" people who say they are both glad to hear a HOP is getting started in Tokyo and that they've been looking for a place to just "come and pray." I also keep bumping into individuals who are asking, "What's a HOP? I've started hearing about this HOP thing more and more recently and want to know what it is." I can't help but think these are divine moves on the Holy Spirit's chess board. At the very least, little check points to say, "yes, you are going the right way."

I don't know who or when "those who are called" will start to show up but I think a slow, tiny start is actually good. Gives time to lay foundations properly. I keep seeing a vision of a stream. A stream that has barely just begun trickle up to the surface. Exciting because we've tapped in to A SOURCE of water! YAY!

At that, it seems two nights (Wednesday AND Thursday) will become available to us as early as next week! Imagine, doubling our capacity after only two sessions- both of which were introductary! Wow! That must be a record breaker somewhere. Thank you ABBA!!!

Please pray that we use this time well. I sense in my spirit a need to spend some time speaking on HOP concepts and helping people get a good solid grasp of what it's all about.

I also feel a strong need to just keep things simple. Especially at the start.
Focus on Prayer. Worship. Hearing God's voice.
Then, the other stuff.

Wisdom and Revelation required hey? Abba, what's your plan for this hour? I could use some blue prints.

In Great Anticipation,
Jennifer :-)

First Flier

Here is our first flier. It is B5 size and designed to be printed two per A4 size page. This was designed on MSPublisher 2007.

It contains:
-the HOP, Tokyo Logo
-the 5 key scriptures for the HOP, Tokyo
-a brief introduction
-contact & basic location information

Next steps:
-translation into Japanese
-printing & distribution

yay! How exciting is this?
Grace,
JG

HOP, Tokyo Logo

This the first edition of the HOP, Tokyo Logo. It was started by a friend in early 2008. Was able to modify it some and make it into the Japanese Flag. Very happy with the way it turned out so far. :-)

Designed on MS PhotoDraw2000 and MS Publisher 2007. Hoping to get up and running on Adobe CS3 sometime in the near future though... None-the-less, doing well with what is accessable and available now hey?

Thank you Abba.

Under Construction

Hello and Welcome.

This blog and the HOP, Tokyo are both very much under construction. Please check back soon for updates, postings and the like.

Thanks so much-

The HOP, Tokyo Team