Saved Out of Miry Clay

My heart was distressed, neat Jehovah's dread frown, And low in the pit where my sins dragged me down, I cried to the Lord from the deep miry clay, Who tenderly brought me out to golden day. He brought me out of the miry clay, He set my feet on the rock to stay, He puts a song in my soul today, A song of praise, hallelujah. I am missionary Richard Yerby, ever so honored to be called by my master in heaven to be singing of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ abroad in Buddhist Japan, now for more than half a century.

My title for this sermon is Saved Out of Miry Clay. The Japanese people boast of having 8 million gods in their religions. That number is exaggerated, but they do have numerous false gods, and they make an image, an idol of each of those false gods, and behind each image that they make and display is a demon or several demons.

Therefore, this land is filled with demons, and the thick spiritual darkness the demons bring. And because the Japanese people worship these many idol gods, and thereby worship the demons behind the idols, the people's hearts become full of darkness, ever so miserable an existence that be. And up ahead, eternity in hell fire awaits them after their present life of enslavement that the devil is over.

But I know the remedy for miserable hearts in darkness. The entrance of thy words giveth light, Psalms 119 verse 130 tells us. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not, John 1 verse 5 tells us.

God's powerful words give light, the true light of God that has come into this old sin-darkened world, that true light shineth into that satanic darkness, and the darkness cannot possibly overcome it. Glory to God. Oh, how lost souls need that light, and God forbid that I fail to let that light shine, the light that is so needed in this old sin-darkened world.

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. The Japanese around me are so terribly blinded by Satan that most of them oppose me letting that light shine, but I pay no heed to their opposition. Instead, I heed my Lord's command to let that light shine.

Let your light so shine before men, he commands us. Neither was I quiet. Letting that light shine out in public has been a main source of spiritual growth for me.

I memorize much scripture in Japanese by repeatedly reading it as I preach. Most all of the deeper preaching God has entrusted to me is a direct reward from him to me in return for me preaching simple salvation out in public. Most of the power I have when I preach in a pulpit in a steeple house, God has given to me because I have preached many more hundreds of hours out on the street without a pulpit.

The vast majority of the content of this series of sermons came to my mind while I was out preaching in public. I firmly believe that God gave it to me as a reward for street preaching, and I trust God to use this preaching to change a multitude of lives for the good, to God be the glory for it all. I say all that to strongly urge you, my fellow Christian men, to zealously proclaim God's word out in public.

It will give you a wealth of blessings, benefits, and joy unspeakable and full of glory. Neither was I quiet. He placed me upon the strong rock by his side.

My steps were established and here I'll abide. No danger of falling while here I remain, but stand by his grace until the crown I gain. He brought me out of the miry clay.

He set my feet on the rock to stay. He puts a song in my soul today, a song of praise. Hallelujah.

In my previous sermon, I told of Miss Yoneko, a young Japanese lady who found Christ after a suicide attempt by stepping in front of an oncoming train that left her severely maimed and crippled. The other heart-rending tragic story that I want you to hear is that of a young Japanese lady named Eiko who did succeed in committing suicide. Her younger brother Kenji tells a story whom God saved soon after Eiko's suicide when he was also considering suicide to escape the much dark misery and pain that filled his life.

Kenji starts the story with his birth in 1953. He was the third and last child born into his family. Listen to Kenji now.

My birth should have brought the joy that a new baby normally brings, but instead it opened up a curtain of great pain and suffering for my family. That is because my birth was traumatic to my mother, bringing on schizophrenia. My dad divorced her and mother was committed to an insane asylum.

That happened when I was three, my sister Eiko was six, and my brother Shunichi was 10 years old. I was never held nor hugged by my mother, nor could I remember her face. What a sad little boy I was.

Starting soon after that, Kenji's dad married and divorced one woman after another, till by the time that Kenji was 15 years old, Kenji had his fifth stepmother. Apparently his dad was hot-tempered and fought with each woman he married, resulting in the marriage breaking up. This illustrated booklet of Kenji's true story shows his dad arguing and fighting with one of his wives.

She is throwing dishes that are crashing and breaking, so elder brother Shunichi is shown herding little Eiko and Kenji into a side room for their safety. Their dad is screaming to the wife to get out of that house, and she is screaming back that she will be glad to leave. Little Kenji cries, elder brother this is scary.

Shunichi says, you will be okay in here in the side room, nothing will come flying at you. Eiko moans in tears, daddy is so bad to divorce that woman, I'm never going to marry. Shunichi tells her, Eiko, all men are not bad.

With hot tears streaming down her little face, Eiko bawls out, I hate marriage, I won't out of this house. She hugs little Kenji to her and says to him, Ken, let's die together. Clinging to her, Kenji bawls back, oh sister, sister.

The illustration shows Eiko to be eight or nine years old and Kenji to be five or six years old. How my heart breaks as I now look at the illustration of that tender little girl so messed up by her dad that she is weeping and saying, I hate marriage, I won't out of this house. Then next is a tragic scene of her hugging little Kenji to her pain rack bosom, Kenji clinging her too, and both are bawling their eyes out as Eiko wails, Kenji, let's die together.

He gave me a song, was a new song of praise. By day and by night, it's sweet notes I will raise. My heart's overflowing, I'm happy and free.

I'll praise my redeemer who has rescued me. He brought me out of the miry clay. He set my feet on the rock to stay.

He puts a song in my soul today, a song of praise, hallelujah. The story then moves years ahead to the time when Eiko did kill herself at about the age of 22. Likely it took her that long to mature, get up the courage and or to come to the know-how of a way to take her life.

Kenji narrates that he has recently turned 19 years old in this new and much later scene. He returns home one afternoon from school, likely college, greets Eiko who is cooking at the stove and notes that it is strange that she said nothing to him in return. She had determined to take her life upon his return home that afternoon and she didn't dare open her mouth for fear of her emotions spilling out.

Kenji flips on the TV and sitting facing it says to Eiko who is behind him, the old man isn't home yet, so hurry up and fix my meal so I can eat and leave for work. I don't want to see his face. He got no verbal response from the kitchen behind him but in his heart as clear as a bell he heard Eiko screaming, Kenji it's hot.

He whirled around and was shocked to see no one in the kitchen. He flew out the back door screaming, sister and there is Eiko kneeling engulfed in flames. Most Japanese homes then kept a can of kerosene for the stove, likely Eiko poured that kerosene over herself and then set herself on fire.

Screaming sister, Kenji grabs a fire extinguisher out of the house and sprays it on her but the little avail. Kenji cries sister, Eiko moans painfully, I want to die sister, I want to die. Again comes her weak dying voice out of the flame.

Someone calls an ambulance that soon arrives but Eiko dies likely before the ambulance gets there. The next scene shows Kenji on his knees before a bag containing Eiko's cremated remains, her ashes. Weeping his heart out, I'm sorry sister, I'm so sorry.

Kenji narrates a story, I was so caught up with and busy with my own personal affairs that I had no idea a sister was going to take her life. He feels guilty that he hadn't been paying close enough attention to her to recognize her condition and intention and thereby prevent her from killing herself. I knelt before my elder sister's cremated remains and shed a half a lifetime of tears.

Kenji narrates, I'll sing of his wonderful mercy to me, I'll praise him to all men his goodness shall see. I'll sing of salvation at home and abroad till many shall hear the truth and trusting God. He brought me out of the miry clay, he set my feet on the rock to stay.

He puts a song in my soul today, a song of praise hallelujah. My Christian friend listening to me now, do you have any compassion and concern at all for the lost perishing world around you? Back to Kenji's narration, then all I could do was to curse my dad and God. Why is my life so full of continuous sorrow and misery? Does God or Buddha really exist? He continues cursing God.

As time passed after Eiko's death, Kenji tries to pull himself together. He reasons, well since death will someday end my existence, then I might as well have the biggest fling possible now while I live. Thus setting out to enjoy excitement and thrills, he chose hot riding, racing cars with his buddy on public streets.

Soon with a friend riding with him, Kenji turns the car too sharply at high speed to avoid an oncoming car and his car rolled over three times. Kenji received only slight injuries, but his friend was hurt worse and took some time in the hospital to recover. Kenji's newly acquired driver's license was revoked because of the accident.

Now he plummets ever so low emotionally, feeling guilty over causing injury to his friend on top of feeling guilty for not preventing his sister's death. Kenji narrates, what can the future possibly hold for me? How can I possibly go on living? What can I possibly do to keep on living? Is there no other choice but to do what sister did? Echo's voice again echoes in his heart. Ken, it's hot, it's hot, it's hot.

Kenji, no, not death. I don't want to die. Not death.

Dreadful death was about the only choice left in Kenji's mind, but it was so scary and repulsive to him. Christian friend, the lost souls around you right now don't really want to weep and gnash their teeth forever in hell's flames. You have a duty to warn them of that eternal fate soon awaiting them if they die as a Christ rejecter.

Do your duty, my Christian friend. I'll tell of the pit with its gloom and despair. I'll praise the dear father who answered my prayer.

I'll sing my new song, the glad story of love, then join in the chorus with the saints above. He brought me out of the miry clay. He set my feet on the rock to stay.

He puts a song in my soul today, a song of praise. Hallelujah. Kenji narrates, in this desperate, hopeless condition I was in, God's hand finally touched me.

The illustrations in this comic book, true story, show Kenji walking into a gospel coffee shop here in Japan named Shalom and ordering coffee. Wandering the streets in despondency, apparently he just went in for coffee, not seeking Christ and not aware that any help awaited him inside. Of course, God in mercy led Kenji in there to rescue that miserable, perishing soul.

Kenji compliments the young waitress on the bright, cheerful atmosphere of the coffee shop and asked her for matches as he pulls out his pack of cigarettes. Back then, smoking was allowed most anywhere in Japan. That has changed over the years, thank God.

Anyway, she complies and hands him a box of matches. Immediately, the writing on the matchbox seizes Kenji's attention. Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11, 28. Hey, lady, what's this writing? Those are Jesus's words recorded in the Bible. Jesus's words? Following that conversation with the waitress, Kenji narrates to us, those words fit me perfectly.

I was just totally worn out and weary of life. All you that labor and are heavy laden, Kenji ponders that in his mind. Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Kenji hears Christ's gentle voice speaking to his heart. Kenji, do you want to die? Do you really want to die? I am so tired, Kenji replies to Jesus. Please take my burden away.

Please help me. Glory to God, whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how shall they call upon him unless you tell them about him? Due to this encounter at the coffee shop, Kenji started attending church where he heard good gospel preaching about salvation, true help, and true hope in Christ.

About two months later, he prayed the following prayer during his baptismal service. God, if you truly live, then please make me anew. Also, please make my family members anew.

He thinks on his dad, whose existence Kenji has detested for so many years. I wonder if dad would go to church with me. Upon being invited to church by Kenji, his dad replies, I sure have seen a change in you since you quit your bartending job, but just don't push your faith onto me.

Soon Kenji became engaged to a young Christian lady, so his pastor visited his home to discuss the upcoming church wedding, and Kenji's mean old dad got to talking to the pastor. If your God is the real God, then I have a request to him. For many years now, I have had constant back pain, and I want him to heal it.

So right then and there, the preacher prayed for Kenji's dad, and God immediately healed him. It's healed completely, Kenji's dad exclaims with joy, God lives, this is wonderful. Turning to his wife, he proclaims, woman, from now on we're going to church together.

That must have been his sixth wife, counting his children's mother, and the illustration shows a most shocked look on her face when that mean husband told her they were to start going to church. One week before Kenji married that Christian bride in a beautiful church wedding, his father, then his older brother, Shunichi, and his stepmother, all three put their trust in Christ to save them. What a miracle.

A few months later, Kenji got word that his real mother wanted to see her children. Mother, it's been over 20 years, Kenji mused. Kenji's dad declined to go, but Kenji and Shunichi took their pastor along, and the three of them went to the hospital where his mom was.

He said medication had improved her condition, and the illustration shows her weeping. Shunichi, Kenji, I've been wanting to see you, been wanting to see you. Kenji narrates that for all his life, he had drawn a blank when trying to visualize his mother's face.

Now he was so glad to behold it, an old and very worn face after 20 years in a mental institution. Looking at each wrinkle on her face, he could readily see what a life of suffering she had endured. Kenji started visiting his mother regularly in the hospital and soon began telling her about her creator.

Mother, I know you have endured much terrible pain and suffering. I wish I were fully able to comprehend the extent of that pain and suffering and thereby be properly able to sympathize with you. But mother, there is someone who does completely understand all your sufferings and can take them all away.

That is Jesus, and it would be so good for you to trust in him. Really? Really? Thank you. At Christmas time here in the hospital, they have a Christmas service and tell us about Jesus.

Is an old one like me now supposed to follow my child? Kenji, if you believe in Jesus, then he must be the true God. Whereupon Kenji's mother put her trust in Christ. Kenji soon became a pastor.

About that time, he started bringing his mother home from the hospital once a month to stay a couple of days and attend his church on Sunday. The illustration shows her in front of his church with two of Kenji's children clinging to her, their grandmother. The artist did a good job in that simple sketch of showing her old worn wrinkled face, smiling and aglow with the joy of the Lord.

Kenji said she wrote him a short letter every week and one is displayed in this booklet. It reads, God is the God of all comfort. He has shown me that no matter what kind of trials we go through, he comforts and encourages us.

What a powerful testimony by that woman who had suffered so. The story closes with a flashback of Kenji at his baptismal service, praying for God to convert his family. Then the final scene is Pastor Kenji saying, that prayer was answered and my family was translated out of darkness into God's light.

Truly God is presently alive and working mightily. My time is up, so I plan to conclude Kenji's story in my following sermon, number 2025-27, titled Delivered from the Power of Darkness. These audio sermons are on my website, www.christisall.us. Separate those three words with two dashes, christ-is-all.us. Anyone worldwide can access my homepage and listen to those audio sermons anytime.

You Christian friends listening to me on the radio now, I plead with you to please be a missionary helper to me by inviting everyone that you possibly can to listen to those sermons and by interceding in prayer for suicide for lost Japanese souls who hear my preaching. Suicide is gradually increasing in Japan, especially among teenagers. May God use us as instruments in saving them out of that miry clay.

You think seriously on Kenji's deep regret, deep bitter regret and remorse over being so caught up in his own life that he failed to take notice of how bad off Eiko was and thus do all he could to prevent her suicide. Will you stand with bloody hands before almighty God's judgment because you were so caught up in your busy lifestyle that you failed to hold forth the word of life to perishing souls around you? Think on those things and may God richly bless you my friend this day and every day.