Experience

"Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn." C.S. Lewis, CS Lewis by Alister McGrath: review - Telegraph

"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5

What on earth...?

What on earth are we- the David Junkers-  doing in Japan?

Right now, my family- Naho (my wife), Joshua (19), Shane (17), Hosahna (15) and I- are serving with the Abundant Life Christ Church in Matsumoto, Japan. My parents served in this area for close to 50 years and started 6 churches. My brothers and I are seeking to further their ministry and then start more reproducing churches…. This Abundant Life Christ Church almost 'went under', but, by God's grace, is now coming back to ‘life.’ The Lord has used my brother Jon and his wife in a special way to bring this about. We are also working toward transforming this church- by the power of the gospel (Romans 1:15-17). We want it to be a healthy church that reproduces other churches. And we want to do this in partnership with other churches, such as Azumino Family Chapel and Pastor Koiwai.... I teach ‘writing’ part-time at Shinshu University (presently 3 classes). However, my passion is gospel-centered living, preaching and discipling. My wife’s gifts are in the area of worship and music…. Our church has about 30 weekly worshippers, but can not support a Japanese pastor yet.... Please do pray for us....

And contact us at ☎ 0263-28-9836 & thru e-mail  David Junker  (dave@junkerjapan.org)
                        Or snail mail: 2-22-14 Idegawa, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0827 Japan

Pict: David preaching at Abundant Life Christ Church, Dec. 2011.

"I will make him a helper fit for him."

I thank the Lord for my wife Naho! She serves in various aspects of the church, neighborhood and school... in my place. Thank you, Naho!

"Then the LORD God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.'... And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man." Genesis 2:18, 22

 I'm reading The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God, by Timothy Keller & Kathy Keller. Excellent!

Abortion...

"The truth is that most of us tend to be less interested in sick-making stories- if the sick-making was done by 'our side.'" Megan McArdle, self-described "pro-choice" correspondent for the Daily Beast, on why she hestitates to report stories that show the ugliest aspects of abortion.　WORLD | Today's News, Christian Views

"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32

"Lift them up forever."

"Lift them up forever."
Psalm 28:9

God's people need lifting up. They are very heavy by nature. They have no wings, or, if they have, they are like the dove of old which lay among the pots; and they need divine grace to make them mount on wings covered with silver, and with feathers of yellow gold. 

By nature sparks fly upward, but the sinful souls of men fall downward. O Lord, "lift them up forever!" David himself said, "Unto thee, O God, do I lift up my soul," and he here feels the necessity that other men's souls should be lifted up as well as his own. 

When you ask this blessing for yourself, forget not to seek it for others also. There are three ways in which God's people require to be lifted up. They require to be elevated in character. Lift them up, O Lord; do not suffer thy people to be like the world's people! The world lieth in the wicked one; lift them out of it! The world's people are looking after silver and gold, seeking their own pleasures, and the gratification of their lusts; but, Lord, lift thy people up above all this; keep them from being "muck-rakers," as John Bunyan calls the man who was always scraping after gold! Set thou their hearts upon their risen Lord and the heavenly heritage! Moreover, believers need to be prospered in conflict. In the battle, if they seem to fall, O Lord, be pleased to give them the victory. If the foot of the foe be upon their necks for a moment, help them to grasp the sword of the Spirit, and eventually to win the battle. Lord, lift up thy children's spirits in the day of conflict; let them not sit in the dust, mourning forever. Suffer not the adversary to vex them sore, and make them fret; but if they have been, like Hannah, persecuted, let them sing of the mercy of a delivering God.

We may also ask our Lord to lift them up at the last! Lift them up by taking them home, lift their bodies from the tomb, and raise their souls to thine eternal kingdom in glory.

from C. H. Spurgeon's Morning and Evening: Evening

Recital

Hosahna's piano recital, April 6th. It was great!

Hosahna's name means 'praise.'

Praise the LORD!

Praise God in his sanctuary; 

praise him in his mighty heavens!  

Praise him for his mighty deeds; 

praise him according to his excellent greatness! 

Praise him with trumpet sound; 

praise him with lute and harp! 

Praise him with tambourine and dance; 

praise him with strings and pipe! 

Praise him with sounding cymbals; 

praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! 

Praise the LORD!

Psalm150

Karuizawa

March 25th ~ 27th, we relaxed in Karuizawa. A resort about 2 hours from here. Pict: Walking the Ginza. There is a Ginza in Karuizawa as well as in Tokyo. Here in Karuizawa I have met John Lennon and also the present Emperor of Japan- twice... Don't worry! We stayed there for a total of $200- all five of us... and Charlie (our dog)... Thanks TEAM for letting us stay there.

Jesus earned our acceptance!

“We do not have to make ourselves suffer in order to merit forgiveness. We simply receive the forgiveness earned by Christ. 1 John 1:9 says that God forgives us because He is ‘just.’ That is a remarkable statement. It would be unjust of God to ever deny us forgiveness, because Jesus earned our acceptance! In religion we earn our forgiveness with our repentance, but in the gospel we just receive it.” 

Tim Keller, Sermons by Keller from Redeemer Presbyterian Church

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

What grace!

Mr. Momose (pict) and I worked under the floor of the church the other day.... What would have cost us over $1000, Mr. Momose did for the cost of the material- $30. What grace!

“The world can do almost anything as well as or better than the church. You need not be a Christian to build houses, feed the hungry, or heal the sick. There is only one thing the world can not do. It cannot offer grace.” Gordon MacDonald

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10