Realness

One of the values that I appreciate most about people is REALNESS, or being genuine about what one is really thinking and feeling.

I was a little hesitant last week to post what I did about the humidity in Japan. ("It's Starting to Boil!") This aim of this blog is to glorify God - in all of life, yet here I was basically complaining about the weather! But I told myself then, "It is alright to be honest and real about your thoughts, even while keeping a heart of confidence in God's goodness in all things." To be a cheesy, always grinning, overly-spiritual person is not glorifying to God.

Sometimes, (actually often) God's glory is shown more clearly through frustrating, discouraging or even horrible circumstances. In a small way, God showed me his kindness through refreshingly cool weather, (this last week has been amazingly cool and nice!) amidst an expected heat wave. So, I am learning that God has a bigger plan, even in annoying small things, to shape me and mold me into a man who loves God more.

Though I hate pain, I thank God for the trials that help me to see the reality of what sin has done to this world and what it is going to do for an eternity for those separated from Christ. It gives me a compassion for a lost and suffering world.

Fourth of July Weekend

New Scientific Research Journal for Creationists

Andrew A. Snelling, PhD (Geology), editor-in-chief:

Answers in Genesis is excited to announce the launch of its online technical journal, Answers Research Journal. ARJ is a professional, peer-reviewed technical journal for the publication of interdisciplinary scientific and other relevant research from the perspective of the recent Creation and the global Flood within a biblical framework.

You may now read it for FREE online. Check it out here.

The State of the Union - Spiritually

Viewed over 100,000 times already, watch The State of the Union address here. What is the real state of America today? What has happened? Why is the church not reaching the culture today as it has in the past? Don’t pass up this opportunity to hear firsthand from co-authors of the new book Already Gone! Find out what we can do to keep America from becoming the next Europe, or to help Japan from continuing down the same path.

It's Starting to Boil!



Japan is starting to get hot. It is not just the hot sun, but (as they always say) it's the crazy humidity - hence the title. Now I tend to like "hot" summers, but "boiling" is a better word for Japanese summers, especially when rainy season is hot. Sometimes I end up taking two or three showers a day just to stay ahead of the sweat! Of course we have an air conditioner, but is not for the whole house. We end up staying in our living room for most of the time. Maybe this is why in Japan there are at least five different words for "boil". (If there are more, please tell me.) Just as Eskimos have many words for snow, in Japan we have many words for boiling. If you come to Japan, you may find out why! Now, I wonder how many words for "boil" are there in the Philippines. Maybe I'll go ask my Filipino friend.

Wondering at Free Grace
by my friend Eric Schumacher

Are you really amazed by the good news? How do you think about your "little sins"?

"Wesley pictures himself as one who is not simply a sinner, but one who is chasing Christ in order to kill him and torture him. How is it that Christ could die for such a person?

And that is exactly the point that Paul is driving at in Romans 5:6-11. In verse 5, Paul has mentioned the love of God that has been poured out into our hearts. And where is this love grounded and where is it seen? In Christ’s death.

And when did Christ die for us? “While we were still weak.” And what does Paul mean by “weak”? He is referring to our moral condition. He says that “at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

On rare occasions, scarcely, someone will die in the place of a righteous person (one’s whose life is outwardly morally upright) or for a good person (someone who does good). But such is scarce.

God’s love—which Wesley calls “amazing love”—is seen in this, “that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In verse ten, Paul says that this happened “while we were enemies.”

Friend, do you believe this morning that you are one “who caused his pain, who him to death pursued”? Do you believe that you are “weak,” “ungodly,” a “sinner,” and an “enemy of God”? If you do not believe yourself to be such, then you cannot possibly believe that Jesus Christ died for you—because that is who this passage says that Christ died for!"

My Science 3 Class... I love 'em.

Cool Japanese Moth
Has anyone ever seen one of these? I guess since I didn't grow up here I am still being amazed at the various creatures that I have never seen before - even after almost 8 years! God is so creative.

The Next Place I Want to Go To

My buddy Trey went to the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. After seeing his pictures, I have to go!

Why I Don't own a Television and Rarely Go to Movies

John Piper:
"TV consumes more and more time for those who get used to watching it. You start to feel like it belongs. You wonder how you could get along without it. I am jealous for my evenings. There are so many things in life I want to accomplish. I simply could not do what I do if I watched television. So we have never had a TV in 40 years of marriage (except in Germany, to help learn the language)."

I have to agree with Piper here. With the internet, I don't even really need a T.V. for language study either. My wife and I watch movies that are recommended to us by trusted sources about once a month. This seems to be enough for us.

Read the rest of Piper's article here.

Pastor Dad

Taken from a book (which can be read online here) from Mark Driscoll:

"Your children and your wife are your first ministry. You must begin at home. Then you can work out from your home to invite strangers in to see the difference Jesus makes in the life of a man, his wife, and their children. Isaiah 8:18 says, "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion." Isaiah rightly understood that in dark days, it is men who love God, love their wives, and raise their children with wisdom, grace, and joy who shine forth like the first rays of dawn.

More than bigger governments, bigger schools, more free school lunches, more child therapists, more child medications, more daycares, more prisons, and more birth control, we need more godly men who raise their sons to be godly men who raise their sons to be godly men who raise their sons to be godly men (Ps. 78:5-8)."

Grace Isn't Fair

I don't agree with Rob Bell on a lot of things, but this video sure is worth the 11 minutes it takes to watch.

Noah's B-Day and Other Random Family Fun

Fatherhood

My friend Justin Taylor has a great post about the sacrifices and joys of fatherhood. Before this Father's Day (this Sunday), I pray that you would truly thank God for your father; and if you had a "not-so-good" father, that you would be brought to deep thankfulness over our true heavenly Father, who has paid every price to love us and never leave us.

The Gift of a New Heart

"I am concerned for the poor, but more for you.  I know not what Christ will say to you in the great day... I fear there are many who may know well that they are not Christians because they do not love to give.  To give largely and liberally, not grudgingly at all, requires a new heart.  An old heart would rather part with its life-blood than its money.  Oh my friends!  Enjoy your money; make the most of it; give none away; enjoy it quickly for I can tell you, you will beggars throughout eternity."
- Robert Murray M'Cheyne (Scottish pastor, died at the age of 29.)