Grace and Effort

”Grace is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to earning. Effort is action. Earning is attitude.” Dallas Willard

”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

"And the Word became flesh…."

"In Jesus Christ the reality of God has entered into the reality of this world. The place where the questions about the reality of God and about the reality of the world are answered at the same time is characterized solely by the name: Jesus Christ. God and the world are enclosed in this name … we cannot speak rightly of either God or the world without speaking of Jesus Christ. All concepts of reality that ignore Jesus Christ are abstractions….As long as Christ and the world are conceived as two realms bumping against and repelling each other, we are left with only the following options. Giving up on reality as a whole – either we place ourselves in one of the two realms, wanting Christ without the world or the world without Christ – and in both cases we deceive ourselves.… There are not two realities, but only one reality, and that is God’s reality revealed in Christ in the reality of the world. Partaking in Christ, we stand at the same time in the reality of God and in the reality of the world. The reality of Christ embraces the reality of the world in itself. The world has no reality of its own independent of God’s revelation in Christ. … [T]he theme of two realms, which has dominated the history of the church again and again, is foreign to the New Testament." Dietrich Bonhoeffer | Jewish Virtual Library

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

A louder word over us

”The voice of condemnation speaks accurately about the sins we have committed; 

God speaks a louder word over us in the gospel.” Martin Luther

He still prayed

"When Job was prospering, he prayed. When he was suffering, he still prayed." Tim Keller

'And Job said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."' Job 1:21

Three picts...

Flowers before our apartment and church

Men of the Abundant Life Church painting the sign post.

My students at Shinshu University working on an outline for their narrative essay.

Rhythm of work and rest

"All of us are haunted by the work under the work- that need to prove and save ourselves, to gain a sense of worth and identity…. Since God rested after his creation, we must also rest after ours. This rhythm of work and rest is not only for believers; it is for everyone, as part of our created nature…. To rest is actually a way to enjoy and honor the goodness of God's creation and our own. To violate the rhythm of work and rest leads to chaos in our life…. 

"God portrays the Sabbath day as a reenactment of emancipation from slavery…. Sabbath is therefore a declaration of our freedom. It means you are not a slave- not your culture's expectations, your family's hopes, your medical school's demands, not even your own insecurities…. 

"A deeply rested people are far more productive…. 

"We also are to think of Sabbath as an act of trust…. You are not the one who keeps the world running, who provides for your family, not even the one who keeps your work projects moving forward…. God is there- and you are not alone in your work…. It is a chance to mediate on passages like Matthew 6 until deep rest begins to penetrate you…. 

"It is normally through the sympathy and encouragement of Christian friends that we experience God refreshing us and supporting us in our work…. 

"(Jesus) is the only boss who will not drive you into the ground, the only audience that does not need your best performance in order to be satisfied with you. Why is this? Because his work for you is finished…. A Christian is able to rest only because God's redemptive work is… finished in Christ."

Tim Keller, Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work: Timothy Keller, Amazon.com: Books

"When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." John 19:30

"He will glorify me"

“Revival, above everything else, is a glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is the restoration of him to the center of the life of the Church. You find this warm devotion, personal devotion, to him.” D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

"He (the Holy Spirit) will glorify me." Jesus Christ, John 16:14