Ministry is so very tough in Japan. Only 0.5% Christian. Listen to When It Appears the Gospel Isn't Working
“Paul’s ministry is a catalog of weakness, suffering, and failure. They are looking at him and saying, It doesn’t appear his gospel is working.” – Mike Cain
2 Corinthians 4:7~ "But we have this treasure in jars of clay…."
The Faith of the ‘Killable People’ | Christianity Today Here is an amazing story of the Lord's mercy, grace and love.
Matthew 12:20, "A bruised reed he (Jesus Christ) will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory." Also Isaiah 42:3
John Piper and Tim Keller Wrestle with Sanctification - YouTube
Sanctification in the Everyday | Desiring God "How does the cross and victory of Jesus affect your everyday sanctification?"… John Piper writes, “When Charles Wesley taught us to sing, ‘He breaks the power of cancelled sin,’ he was teaching the fundamental truth about how the cross and our battle with sin are related. The cross cancels sins for all who believe on Jesus. Then on the basis of that cancellation of our sins, the power of our actual sinning is broken. It’s not the other way around.”
What to Make of Karl Barth’s Steadfast Adultery | Christianity Today
A thoughtful quote: I am a firm believer that good theology can be an immense help in leading a godly life. But there is a reason the Lord also gave us prayer and fellowship, Scripture and worship, among a host of other gifts: to help us grow up into the full stature of Christ. To paraphrase our Lord, some sins theology cannot exorcise but come out only by prayer and fasting.
Titus 2:11-14, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."
