Unwilling to recognize sin!?

“Truly it is an evil to be full of faults, but it is a still greater evil to full of them, and to be unwilling to recognize them.” Blaise Pascal

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:8-9

Love, forgiveness, and grace….

“Many years ago I was driven to the conclusion that the two major causes of most emotional problems among evangelical Christians are these: the failure to understand, receive, and live out God’s unconditional grace and forgiveness; and the failure to give out that unconditional love, forgiveness, and grace to other people…. We read, we hear, we believe a good theology of grace. But that’s not the way we live. The good news of the Gospel of grace has not penetrated the level of our emotions.” David Seamands

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 4:32-5:2

Pray for Matsumoto….

An ancient (about 300 A.D.) burial mound,

looking down on the city of Matsumoto (pop. 210,000).

We are praying for Matsumoto. "But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." Jeremiah 29:7 Pastor Tim Keller said, "Now here’s what this means, and don’t forget this is God talking to his children. If you believe you are connected to God, if you believe you’re a child of God, this has to be your attitude toward the earthly city in which you reside. God says, “I want you to seek and pray for, root for that city, and pray for its shalom.” Please pray with us for the true blessing of Matsumoto and Japan.

a trail of broken relationships

"In pursuit of the good life, most men leave a trail of broken relationships. Our secular culture has stirred man’s natural inclinations to pursue fame and fortune into a cauldron with has selfish nature to create a strange, unstable mixture of ambition and vision of grandeur. All too often this concoction explodes in his face, scattering what should be his most treasure possessions- his relationships- like the irretrievable shattered fragments of a precious vase, an heirloom that was destined to b a joy of future generations, linking one generation to the next.” Patrick Morely

"Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker (more delicate) vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered." 1 Peter 3:7 

Nobeyama

A few days alone at Nobeyama

If we would be holy, we must get to the cross….

"The secret of a believer's holy walk is his continual recurrence to the blood of the Surety (the Lord Jesus Christ), and his daily (communion) with a crucified and risen Lord. All divine life, and all precious fruits of it, pardon, peace, and holiness, spring from the cross. All fancied sanctification which does not arise wholly from the blood of the cross is nothing better than Pharisaism. If we would be holy, we must get to the cross, and dwell there; else, notwithstanding all our labor, diligence, fasting, praying and good works, we shall be yet void of real sanctification, destitute of those humble, gracious tempers with accompany a clear view of the cross.
     False ideas of the holiness are common, not only among those who profess false religions, but among those who profess the true. The love of God to us, and our love to Him, work together for producing holiness. Terror accomplishes no real obedience. Suspense brings forth no fruit unto holiness. No gloomy uncertainty as to God's favor can subdue one lust, or correct our crookedness of will. But the free pardon of the cross uproots sin, and withers all its branches. Only the certainty of love, forgiving love, can do this…
     Free and warm reception into the divine favour is the strongest of all motives in leading a man to seek conformity to Him who has thus freely forgiven him all trespasses."

Horatius Bonar

"To the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace." Ephesians 1:6