Local 'Town Hall' Meeting

Sunday, the 26th, we participated in our last local meeting. Our area includes about 50 homes or so and they get together occasionally. This day we said our 'goodbyes and thank yous.'

And we pray the following for them:

"The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make his face to shine upon you

and be gracious to you;

the LORD lift up his countenance upon you

and give you peace."

Numbers 6:24-26

Continue to pray for northeaster Japan- the area devastated by the earthquake...

"In terms of economic impact, the Japanese government now estimates that material damage alone could cost as much as $300 billion. The region's fishing industry -- one of the economic mainstays of the area -- was decimated by the tsunami..." Read more: Japan one year on: What's changed? - CNN.com

Please look at this raw CNN video Capturing a Nightmare. It will break your heart, and you must pray. Continue to pray for northeastern Japan- the area devastated by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactor. And then go and serve them, if the Lord leads you. There is still great need emotionally and spiritually.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people..." Galatians 6:9-10

Confused goals.

“We are a generation of improved means. And confused goals.” Albert Einstein

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:35-40

Jesus, Lover of my Soul

Jesus, lover of my soul,
　

Let me to Thy bosom fly,
　

While the nearer waters roll,
　

While the tempest still is high. 


Hide me, O my Savior, hide,
　

Till the storm of life is past;
　

Safe into the haven guide;
　

Oh, receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none,　


Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;　


Leave, ah! leave me not alone,　

Still support and comfort me.
　

All my trust on Thee is stayed,
　

All my help from Thee I bring;
　

Cover my defenseless head
　

With the shadow of Thy wing.

Wilt Thou not regard my call?　


Wilt Thou not accept my prayer?　


Lo! I sink, I faint, I fall—
　

Lo! on Thee I cast my care.
　

Reach me out Thy gracious hand!
　

While I of Thy strength receive,
　

Hoping against hope I stand,
　

Dying, and behold, I live.

Thou, O Christ, art all I want,
　

More than all in Thee I find;
　

Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
　

Heal the sick, and lead the blind.
　

Just and holy is Thy Name,
　

Source of all true righteousness;


Thou art evermore the same,
　

Thou art full of truth and grace.

Plenteous grace with Thee is found,
　

Grace to cover all my sin;
　

Let the healing streams abound;　

Make and keep me pure within.
　

Thou of life the fountain art,
　

Freely let me take of Thee;
　

Spring Thou up within my heart;　


Rise to all eternity.

Charles Wesley

'Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”' John 4:13-14

Gateball?

Last Saturday, the 18th, Shane was involved in a Gateball Tournament with the local elementary schools. The 2nd game he led his team to a win. Gateball is like our croquet, often played by the elderly here in Japan.

Pray!

"The best help in all action is – to pray, that is true genius; then one never goes wrong." Soren Kierkegaard

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people." 1 Timothy 2:1

Christ has no body on earth now but yours.

Christ has no body on earth but yours;

yours are the only hands with which he can do his work,

yours are the only feet with which he can go about the world,

yours are the only eyes through which has compassion can shine forth upon a troubled world.

Christ has no body on earth now but yours.

Teresa of Avila

" Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Linsation

After a Utah Jazz game, New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin said to the reporters, “God works in mysterious and miraculous ways.” His favorite verse is, "But we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us..." Romans 5:3-5

Read more: New York Times The Knicks’ Jeremy Lin — Faith, Pride and Points

I got nothing that I asked for, But everything that I hoped for.

“I asked for strength that I might achieve;

I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked for health that I might do greater things;

I was given infirmity that I might do better things.

I asked for riches that I might be happy;

I was given poverty that I might be wise.

I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;

I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;

I was given life that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for,

But everything that I hoped for.

Almost despite myself my unspoken prayer were answered;

I am, among all men, most richly blessed.

-Prayer of an unkown confederate soldier

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42

Minako and Makoto's Wedding

Feb. 11th, Naho's sister was married.

"...for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health..."

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Ephesians ５：２５、３３

Preaching on Hell

“I appeal to every one, whether this is not the very course they would take in case of exposedness to any great temporal calamity? If any of you who are heads of families saw one of your children in a house all on fire, and in imminent danger of being soon consumed in the flames, yet seemed to be very insensible of its danger, and neglected to escape after you had often called to it—would you go on to speak to it only in a cold and indifferent manner? Would not you cry aloud, and call earnestly to it, and represent the danger it was in, and its own folly in delaying, in the most lively manner of which you was capable? If you should continue to speak to it only in a cold manner, as you are wont to do in ordinary conversation about indifferent matters, would not those about you begin to think you were bereft of reason yourself? This is not the way of mankind in temporal affairs of great moment, that require earnest heed and great haste, and about which they are greatly concerned. They are not wont to speak to other of their danger, and warn them but a little or in a cold and indifferent manner. Nature teaches men otherwise. If we who have the care of souls, knew what hell was, had seen the state of the damned, or by any other means had become sensible how dreadful their case was—and at the same time knew that the greater part of men went thither, and saw our hearers not sensible of their danger—it would be morally impossible for us to avoid most earnestly setting before them the dreadfulness of that misery, and their great exposedness to it, and even to cry aloud to them."

Jonathan Edwards, concerning preaching on hell

"Rather, speaking the truth in love..." Ephesians 4:13

First they came.....

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.
Martin Niemoeller

"Obama Administration has refused to grant religious organizations an exemption from purchasing health insurance that covers abortion-inducing drugs, surgical sterilization, and contraception." Chuck Colson

"Where temporal power presumes to prescribe laws for the soul, it encroaches upon God's government and only misleads and destroys souls." Martin Luther

Read more.... First They Came for the Catholics: Obama's Contraceptive Mandate, Christianity Today

Manno Christ Church

I preached at Manno Christ Church (Presbyterian) last Sunday from 1 Peter 1:18-21. "You know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." We are beckoned to worship the One who died for us.

My ‘hosahna’ is born of a furnace of doubt.

“It is not as a child that I believe and confess Christ. My ‘hosahna’ is born of a furnace of doubt.” Fyodor Dostoevsti

'The boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”' Mark 9:24

And Christ said, ^"Blessed are they who do not see, and yet believe.” John 20:29

Mercy in the eyes

“We (Allied World War 2 prisoners in Thailand) came once to a village where the treatment we received was so different it astonished us. There was mercy in the eyes of those who rushed to the roadside to watch us go by. Before we had reached the end of their settlement they were back laden with cakes, bananas, eggs, medicines, and money which they thrust into our hands. In time we learned that this village had been converted to Christianity by missionaries, and that the Japanese, who found out about their friendly behavior, severely punished them for it.

A key figure in carrying the light of Christianity to these jungle outposts had been an elderly missionary woman who managed to continue her work during Japanese occupation. When she was forced finally to take to the jungle, she was handed along from one group of Christians to another. The Japanese knew of her existence and were never far behind. But although they put a high price on her head, she eluded them.

“We came once to a village where the treatment we received was so different it astonished us. There was mercy in the eyes of those who rushed to the roadside to watch us go by. Before we had reached the end of their settlement they were back laden with cakes, bananas, eggs, medicines, and money which they thrust into our hands. In time we learned that this village had been converted to Christianity by missionaries, and that the Japanese, who found out about their friendly behavior, severely punished them for it.

A key figure in carrying the light of Christianity to these jungle outposts had been an elderly missionary woman who managed to continue her work during Japanese occupation. When she was forced finally to take to the jungle, she was handed along from one group of Christians to another. The Japanese knew of her existence and were never far behind. But although they put a high price on her head, she eluded them.

Earnest Gordon, Through the Valley of the Kwai

"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." Matthew 5:7

Late have I loved you...

"Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace."

from The Confessions of Saint Augustine

"Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him."

Psalm 34:8