"I am fearfully and wonderfully made"

"The complexity of these things (child's development), the mathematical model of how these things are indeed done, [is] beyond human comprehension. Even though I am a mathematician I look at this with the marvel of, 'How did these instruction sets build that which is us?' It's a mystery, it's magic, it's divinity." Alexander Tsiaras

View Alexander Tsiaras TED talk and visualization. Video on TED.com  Conception to Birth - Visualized,  Alexander Tsiaras

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." Psalm 139:13-14

Ongijyai

Korean praise group Ongijyai visited Azumino Family Chapel last Sunday- the 25th.

Praise Seminar

The whole group

Strings including piano

The quality of mercy is not strain'd....

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. 

William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice

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

The Merchant of Venice (2004) 

Limits

"Honoring the limits...is what deepens life... Artists learn to love limits: a poet respects the fourteen-line limit on the sonnet as a form of freedom; a painter respects the limiting frame of the canvas as a check on endless subjectivism and so a freedom to deal with this piece of reality; a performing musician respects the limitations of the score as freedom to participate in another and usually larger world of music; a composing musician respects the limits of a key signature in order to be free to explore that tonality without interference from all the others." Eugene Peterson

Tim Keller was asked/tweeted during a Q & A, "If you could give my generation one piece of advice/encouragement what would it be?" His answer: You are the generation most afraid of real community because it inevitably limits freedom and choice. Get over your fear." Timothy Keller Talks Christianity and Church's 'Biggest Problem'

We must go back again and again

“At the root of all our disobedience are particular ways in which we continue to seek control of our lives through systems of works-righteousness. The way to progress as a Christian is to continually repent and uproot these systems the same way we become Christians, namely by the vivid depiction (and re-depiction) of Christ’s saving work for us, and the abandoning of self-trusting efforts to complete ourselves. We must go back again and again to the gospel of Christ-crucified, so that our hearts are more deeply gripped by the reality of what he did and who we are in him.” Tim Keller

"Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved:... that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures." I Corinthians 15:1-4

Camping at Adera Ravine

Aug. 19-21.

Naho taking a pict.

 Eating

 Josh, Hosahna and Shane

 Great water!

But cold!... That's me.

Adera Ravine is about 2 hours south of Matsumoto on the way to Nagoya.

To Karuizawa

Aug. 15 - 16, TEAM Conference

Worship

Speaker: Jim Meyer

Our cabin

It was relaxing.

To Yokohama

Aug. 12 -14th, Mrs. Ando welcomed us to Yokohama.

We saw Naho's childhood school and church.

Mrs. Ando made some great sushi.

Took us to the sights....

Including the sight of the home of Dr. Hepburn- amazing missionary.

Finally, to her church for prayer meeting.

Idolatry....

Japan has many idols or graven images. But I don't doubt that the most of our idols are the idols of our heart. Not only Japanese but also Americans and even missionaries have these misdirected affections....

"An idol is something that we look to for things that only God can give. Idolatry functions widely inside religious communities when doctrinal truth is elevated to the position of a false god. This occurs when people rely on the rightness of their doctrine for their standing with God rather than on God himself and his grace. It is a subtle but deadly mistake. The sign that you have fallen into this form of self-justification is that you become what the book of Proverbs calls a 'scoffer'. Scoffers always show contempt and disdain for opponents rather than graciousness. This is a sign that they do not see themselves as sinners saved by grace. Instead, their trust in the rightness of their views makes them feel superior."

Tim Keller, author of Counterfeit Gods and also Prodigal God

▶ Tim Keller - The Gospel and Idolatry - Acts 19:23-41 - YouTube

NorthStar

Aug. 7-9, Visited NorthStar, Dan's lodge, with Naho and Hosahna 

while the boys went mountain climbing.

New building

Free hot spring near by

Nice room

Joined Tina for a pizza lunch

Flowers as Hosahna and I hicked

 Meals were great!

Water fall a few minutes away

Soba noodles for lunch

NorthStar is in Norikura in the Japan Alps, 

about 1 hour from our home & church in Matsumoto

NORTHSTAR Outdoor Adventures | Mt. Norikura, Backcountry, Snowboard, MTB | About NORTHSTAR Outdoor Adventure

without antibodies

"A faith without some doubts is like a human body without antibodies in it.  People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic." 
Tim Keller

'Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"' Mark 9:24

Amazon.com: tim keller reason for god: Books

Shinshu University

Students writing a narrative essay outline. 

Today was the last day of first semester at Shinshu University.