Broken

This December, a movie on Louie Zamperini's life, "Unbroken," will be shown in theaters across the United States. 

His life is amazing. During World War 2, he is caught by the Japanese, after he survives 47 days in the Pacific on a life raft. He is abused terribly by a guard named Watanabe. He remains unbroken by his captives, it seems. However, in reality he is broken. Immediately after the war, He struggles with alchoholism. 

But then he is mended through the gospel of Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade. He himself says, "I dropped to my knees and for the first time in my life truly humbled myself before the Lord. I ask him to forgive me for not having kept the promises I'd made during the war, and for my sinful life. I made no excuses. I did not rationalize, I did not blame. He had said, 'Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,' so I took him at his word, begged for his pardon, and asked Jesus to come into my life.' 

He said for a previous CBS documentary, "You have to have my conversion in there." I can't understand why director Angelina Jolie takes Louie's transforming hope out of the movie. Others need the same hope that not only delivers personally, but transforms relationships. 

By gospel grace he forgives his captors. Even though Mr. Watanabe refuses to see him, Louie seeks him out to forgive him.

This movie has great meaning to me, because my father also fought in World War 2 and hated the Japanese. But by the gospel, he also learned to love his enemies. My father ended up serving in Japan as a missionary close to 50 years.

Read more: Broken: The Power of Conversion in Louie Zamperini’s Life | TGC | The Gospel Coalition

Watch "Unbroken" Official Trailer  Angelina Jolie Directed  - YouTube

Read the book Amazon.com: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption: Laura Hillenbrand

Picts….

Jon preaching at Abundant Life Church a couple of weeks ago.

Joe Burney (former MK) visiting with us.

Japan Alps behind Azumino Family Chapel.

Until you experience significant failure….

“Until you experience significant failure in your personal life or ministry, you won't even know that your heart is functionally operating in contradiction to what you’re saying with your mouth. And you certainly won’t be in a position where you get those two things in line.” Tim Keller

"….Apart from me you can do nothing." Jesus Christ, John 15:5b

The salvation of a single soul….

“The salvation of a single soul is more important than the production or preservation of all the epics and tragedies in the world.”　C.S. Lewis 

“The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying Him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life.”

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise." Proverbs 11:30

In Christ Alone

"Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, 
are righteousness and strength." Isaiah 45:24

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

This is beautiful. Please listen: 
Gettymusic - Online music resources for the church

Teach the free man how to praise.

“In the deserts of the heart

Let the healing fountain start,

In the prison of his days

Teach the free man how to praise.”

W. H. Auden

"Let this be recorded for a generation to come, 
so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD: 
that he looked down from his holy height; 
from heaven the LORD looked at the earth, 
to hear the groans of the prisoners, 
to set free those who were doomed to die, 
that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD, 
and in Jerusalem his praise, 
when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, 
to worship the LORD." 
                                          Psalms 102:18-22