“Thank you so much for your daily devotionals. I receive them every day right at 12:00 PM Uganda Time, and they’ve been such a timely encouragement in this season. Today’s message really spoke to me. It reminded me that going through fire doesn’t mean I’ve failed, it just means God is doing a deeper work. That line about “being flammable, not a loser,” stayed with me. It’s not that I’ve never heard these things before, but sometimes we need to hear them again — clearly and with fresh fire — and that’s exactly what your message did. Thank you for staying true to the Word and for sharing what God puts on your heart. I’m praying for you, your ministry, and for your son’s mission in Japan. May God continue to strengthen you and use you to set many more hearts on fire for Him.”                          

(Never forget! Your prayers and financial gifts help make these testimonies possible!)

Are you a professional?
(From Dea) I took my wife, Kathy’s, car to the nearby car wash. As I sat in the car, a middle-aged man was using a long-handled brush and a bucket of soap water to clean the obviously dirtier areas of the car. As I slowly crept past him into the interior of the car wash, I tapped vigorously on the side window so he would see where some bird had soiled it to get his attention to clean that area. Apparently slightly offended that I thought he would miss it, as he cleaned the area he said to me, “I am a professional!” I learned something that day. I had never viewed people who work at a car wash as professionals. But I had met a man who proudly washed cars, made a living, and did his best at it.     What a double-standard I had! To preach and teach that every Christian has a ministry and they are called to take that ministry seriously, and yet, here was a man at the bottom of the food chain, who worked hard, responsibly, and even considered himself a professional! Become a professional in whatever talent God has given you

The New Anointing…
I write much about the new anointing that I am convinced is soon to fall upon me and the whole body of Christ. When I text messages, I use Siri to save time. I wrote an intercessor: “Pray that God will annoy me to help His Bride get ready!”  I saw that Siri had spell-corrected the word “anoint” to the word “annoy.”  A sign? If you are going through some annoying experiences, don’t complain! The Lord is just making you more capable of Him entrusting you with the new anointing!

Do You Love Jesus?
Jesus is easy to love. But is there anybody you know that you are having a hard time loving? The true test of Christianity isn’t just loving Jesus… It’s loving Judas. Did God bring some “traitor” into your life to teach you how to love? “Love your enemies” (Matt. 5:44).

Forget those things which are behind..
Phil. 3:13 is often used as a catch all, but we are NOT supposed to forget everything. The word “remember” is used 352 times in the Bible. Knowing what to forget and what to remember is a most important aspect of wisdom!

1 in 1,000…
2 Peter 3:8 says, “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” Think of it! The Lord sees things a thousand years forward resulting from the things that happen in just one day. Today’s prayers, witness, financial gifts, and even smiles can truly affect forever. Make this one day count for eternity!

No souls won to Christ?
Discouraged because you have tried and tried, prayed and prayed, attempted to witness and no real conversions yet? Don’t blame yourself! Remember, 2 Peter 2:5 says that Noah was a “preacher of righteousness” and he preached for over a hundred years without one convert!

Times that Try?
Thomas Paine famously said,
“These are times that try men’s souls.” Rick Joyner says, “If we are alive for these times then we were made for them.”

Don’t despair living in the last days, you are greatly privileged to do so!

“The last shall be first” (Matt. 20:16).

Are you a “saved sinner?”
According to revivalist Leonard Ravenhill,
“Oh, I’m just a saved sinner.” That’s like saying you’re a married bachelor. That’s like saying, you’re an honest thief, or a pure harlot. You can’t be a saved sinner. You are either saved or you’re a sinner!”

Thank you for helping the Warford family save sinners!

Nathan’s Report from Tokyo…
The past few weeks God has been doing a wonderful work here in Japan!  We continue to see fruit through our weekly church service where we continue to receive visitors from in Tokyo and outside of Tokyo. Several people whom we have been evangelizing continue to visit.  

Two of my disciples are growing substantially in the Lord: thank you for your prayers for both Hiro and Sho! Recently Hiro had a terrible experience at work, but his response was “God is stronger!” as he placed his trust in God more fully.  This was a huge test and area of overcoming for him and I was so proud to hear it.  He is prayerfully looking to change his job and move closer to us in Tokyo so he can participate more in our ministry! He also wants to understand reading the Bible more and so I have been teaching him and sharing tools with him.

Sho for months he has been struggling with getting over a church hurt and betrayal from a close church friend.  However, he has been opening up more and has begun to once again realize his need for the church and to forgive and release his friend to God.  He is coming to our Bible study more consistently and getting more vulnerable and also realizing His need to grow in Christ.  A true answer to prayer! 

I am meeting weekly with each of my disciples for prayer, Bible study and evangelism and they are growing in God! In fact, our whole men’s Bible study of around 7-8 guys has been growing through extended times of prayer and Bible reading together.  It’s so rare for something like this to happen in Tokyo. Our prayers are working!

God has given multiple opportunities for evangelism as well. I partnered with a few teams in a neighboring city from YWAM and went to park nearby the ocean.  There were hundreds of high schoolers and their teachers around.  I held a sign that said “Need prayer? Do you have depression, loneliness, anxiety, etc.?” As a result I prayed for many high schoolers, shared the Gospel with them, and handed out tracts.  I even had the opportunity to pray for and invite one of their teachers to church! 

A week later, there was a massive festival being held in Tokyo where false Gods are worshipped and “arks” dedicated to idols were carried across the city.  My disciple and I met with a family he knew who were participating in the festival.  I shared that I was a missionary and why I was in Tokyo: Jesus and the love of the Japanese!  It was a wonderful opportunity to be “in the world but not of the world” as I shared and connected with this family.  I even practiced English with their daughters. One man was a trans-woman with a deep man’s voice. Different nation; same devil! Please pray for more opportunities to connect with Tokyo families.

I can’t begin to thank you enough again for your support and prayers for me as I seek to reach the lost and disciple Christians here in Tokyo.  I’m excited for what’s to come and to share with you more fruitful results again soon.

Your Missionary Evangelist, 
Nathan Warford
(The pictures below help me tell my story…)