Two Tokyoites’ insider views on the Japanese fountain pen world!
Dedicated to the legacy of bold thinking Christianity through the writings of George MacDonald and Michael Phillips.
We are the Inklings, a podcast started in July 2011 devoted to the fantasy genre.
In the spirit of Oxford Inklings C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, this podcast explores spiritual themes bubbling up in human creativity, religion and relationships. Hosted by Kurt Bruner, spiritual formation pastor and author.
An offbeat exploration of the world of film and pop culture!
After passing through Galilee and returning home to Capernaum, Jesus posed a very pointed question to the disciples: "What were you discussing on the way?" Their response was that of a group of children caught red-handed with their hands in the cookie jar. Mark merely says, "They were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who w…
CY and Jacob talk about stationery store visits during Golden Week, Pilot and Sailor news, and the Noodler’s Ink controversy that’s rocking the fountain pen world. (Trigger warning: there is discussion of antisemitic imagery from Noodler’s Ink) Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).…
Jesus does not even leave it at Rejoice when you are persecuted and Love and pray for your enemies. He goes further still. The three-tiered progression of response to ill-treatment in Luke 6 is incredible and completely impractical. The program Jesus outlines is impossible by any earthly standards. From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Mic…
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Command #47 - Love and Pray For Your Adversaries
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As world changing as would be the influence of Christians taking the words seriously, Rejoice and be glad when you are reviled and persecuted (Matthew 5:11-12), Jesus goes on to elevate the relation between Christians and their adversaries to a shockingly ambitious level. From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More informat…
Biblical literalists more eager to find loopholes in the Commands than to obey them will be the first to point out that Jesus never specifically commanded kindness upon his disciples. We could find no better example of straining at a gnat to swallow a camel. From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this an…
The Command, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, may also seem an illusive one. A moment's reflection, however, reveals this as one of the most down-to-earth of all Jesus' Commands. From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar wri…
Among the "spiritual" Commands, few are so illusive as this. Jesus concludes his Do not be anxious about your life discussion of the birds of the air and lilies of the the field in Matthew 6 with the words: Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as wel…
One of the profound mysteries of the Christian Church is that human goodness has not comprised more focus in its theology. While it is true that greater good has been done throughout history by Christianity than any nation, movement, or creed, one is hard-pressed to find goodness at the center of any doctrinal teaching. From The Commands by Michael…
If we transplant Peter's question and the Lord's response from Matthew 18 into the sixth chapter where the theme of forgiveness emerges out of the Lord's prayer, we would have a succinct teaching on prayer, forgiveness, and the reach of forgiveness. From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar…
We noted that forgiveness is one of the least understood components of Christian doctrine. Sadly, it is misunderstood by Christians and non-Christians alike. From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and …
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Command #40 - Beware of Practicing Piety to be Noticed
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Righteousness is one of the more curious character qualities of the committed Christian disciple. Jesus tells us to let our light shine before men, but to pray, fast, and do good in secret. If it is visible obedience by Christians that changes the world, why are we also commanded to be invisibly righteous? From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Rea…
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Command #39 - Pray, Fast, Give, and Do Good in Secret
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It is fearfully easy to read the Do Not Commands and assume, "Oh, I would never do that." Because the context of examples used by Jesus sometimes seems so ludicrously absurd, we too easily overlook our own glaring presence in the midst of the Gospel pages. From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and …
Created by his hand and in his image, all humanity are God's children. Yet we are put upon this earth to become something more, to become true sons and daughters of chosen obedience. Given life and, in time, independence, our destiny is gained by yielding back that independence into the hand of our Creator, and thus, by that relinquishment, discove…
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COA #120 - Recognize Yourselves as a People Set Apart
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Separation from the world is not high on the list of objectives for third millennium Christians. Just the opposite. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other book…
Countless sermons and devotions have been based on Jesus' exchange with the man we know as the "rich young ruler." The first three gospels recount the story using largely identical words and phrases. Indeed, this passage is one of those upon which scholars base their conviction that Matthew and Luke founded their writings upon Mark's gospel. From T…
It might be said that there are two kinds of Christians in the world--bumper sticker Christians and character Christians. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and othe…
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COA #118 - Live Your Faith With Zeal, Good Cheer, and Steadfastness
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One of the hallmarks of youth is zealous energy and passionate vision. How well I understand! From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other books by Michael Phillips.…
CY and Jacob talk about Sanzen Tomoe River, Tono & Lims's spring event, Kurashiki, financial statements, new products from Pilot, and Tohma pens. Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).CY and Jacob による
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COA #117 - Work Diligently and Do Not Be Slothful or Idle
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Paul was no fan of the welfare state. His disdain for laziness was so strong that he gave the Thessalonians the memorable command, If a man will not work, let him not eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10) From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the…
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COA #116 - Aim at What is Honorable in Men’s Eyes As Well as God’s
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Having seen that scriptural modesty is undermined by an obsessive attempt to fit in with every fashion, we now find ourselves facing the question: How then are we to look in the world's eyes? From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the In…
From the elusive Command, Lose your life, we now encounter one of the most down to earth of all the Commands: Be a servant. No mystery exists here. We all know what it means to serve, to put someone else's need ahead of our own...the good deed, the kindness shown, the helping hand, the burden shared, the load lifted, the feet washed, the cup for th…
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COA #115 - Be Modest in Dress, Manners, and Demeanor
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It is probably true that on the whole Paul's commands are more difficult for women to swallow than men. Paul irks modern sensibilities. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apo…
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COA #114 - Honor, Respect, and Give Your Best to Your Masters and Employers
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We take the world's habits and attitudes far too easily and thoughtlessly for granted. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other books by Michael Phillips.…
Christians in all times have found this a particularly odious command. Many today manufacture a variety of justifications why in this or that case Christians are not obligated to heed the strict letter of its requirement. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings ma…
We have spoken about unity within Christ's body as the fulfillment of Jesus' intimate prayer to his Father of John 17. But the harmony of humanity we are to exhibit as God's ambassadors to the world, and as avowed disciples of his Son, goes much further. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More informatio…
Most of Jesus' Commands are reasonably straightforward, easy enough to understand, uncomplicated, unambiguous. Easy to obey--no. Easy to understand--yes. It is not usually a question of being confused about what is required. Rather it is a question of how serious we are about wanting to obey. From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael K…
One of the first scriptures my mother taught my sisters and me was Romans 12:18. To this day the words are emblazoned on my memory where they were Scotch-taped to our refrigerator: If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on …
Unity is the great neglected virtue of the New Testament. It may, in fact, be the most important of all the virtues the church is to display to the world. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The …
CY, Jacob, and Khuê talk about exciting paper news, the return of Kamihaku, a popular Traveler's notebook release, and elusive Sailor inks from Tochigi. Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).CY and Jacob による
We find ourselves here facing a sometimes confusing, often misapplied, and complex command. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other books by Michael Phillips.…
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COA #108 - Deal With Body Conflicts in the Church
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This command contains two elements. One, when problems and conflicts arise in the church--deal with them. Two, when problems have to be resolved, don't involve outsiders. As much as possible keep them in the church. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be f…
The great moral teacher interpretation of the life and impact of Jesus Christ is surely one of the most naive perspectives ever proposed for such an important historical figure. C.S. Lewis has memorably argued that anyone making the claims Jesus did must either be a lunatic, a madman, or what he claimed to be. It is not merely Jesus' claim to be on…
Paul wrote these words to sum up the 14th chapter of 1 Corinthians in which he had been setting forth guidelines for the use and operation of the spiritual gifts. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purch…
At first read, this command seems so obvious as to be unnecessary. Who would choose to use a gift unwisely? From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other books by Mic…
It is occasionally easy to read Paul's words about the "weak on faith" from the self-aggrandizing perspective of my maturity. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and …
Encouragement is personal. This command clearly comes as a corollary to building up the body of Christ. It is not limited, however, to our relationships with Christians or a church environment. We are exhorted to encourage all men, all women, all children, in all circumstances. This is a 24/7 command. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Ph…
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Command #33 - Be At Peace, Reconciled, and United With Others
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The enormity of this Command is of such scope and magnitude that it is impossible to overstate. If Love is the first Command, this surely represents one of the most important dimensions of Love itself. Indeed, unity with our fellow man is one of Love's significant visible expressions. If we would "Be righteous," this is where it begins. From The Co…
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COA #103 - Pursue and Emphasize What Builds Up the Body of Christ
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The analogy of building is used throughout Scripture as symbolic of spiritual growth and development. It is an especially apt image with respect to the church. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase…
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COA #102 - Older Men and Women, Teach Younger Men and Women
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Christian teaching is built on maturity not celebrity. Gray hair not star power is the guide for leadership in the church. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and oth…
Khuê, Alesa, and CY get together to talk about Mythical Emperors, Kurashiki, and give their best entry, mid range, and high end pen suggestions. Show notes with links and feedback form. Jingle by Audionautix.com (CC Attribution).CY and Jacob による
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COA #101 - Do Not Be Anxious to Teach or Place the Immature in Leadership
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The "young prodigy" and "famous star" syndromes represent constant temptations for modern Christendom, especially in an era of worldwide entertainment and media exposure. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon …
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COA #100 - Equip Yourselves For Fitness to Teach Spiritual Completeness
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We climax this series of commands to build mature beliefs (Hebrews 6:1: Let us...go on to maturity) with an exhortation that expands maturity out of the merely personal. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon t…
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Command #32 - If Part Of Your Body Sins, Get Rid Of It
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It has been mentioned before that Jesus occasionally uses overstatement and exaggeration to get his point across. This is obviously again the case here. No one seriously believes this Command is to be obeyed literally. None of Jesus' own disciples, to our knowledge, obeyed this Command as it stands, nor did Jesus expect them to. From The Commands b…
The two "D's" we considered earlier are intrinsically linked--Discernment and Deception. Obviously they are opposites. It is discernment that guards against deception. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to …
What was the favorite intellectual pastime of Christians? We all know the answer because we've engaged in it ourselves probably more times than we can count--arguing over doctrine. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Vis…
It has been customary in recent years to equate what we call "discernment" with the spiritual gift mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:10. But discernment exists in a much broader and more life-encompassing context than what might be evidenced in a worship setting as a singular "gift." From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michae…
Three kinds of shallow beliefts are constant internal battles for the serious Christian. If we are not alert, they will infiltrate at every opportunity, and turn rigorous, practical, dynamic, growing faith into shallow, dogmatic, formularistic religion. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information…
The Commands of Jesus seem to come in two broad categories: Those that are straightforward and relatively simple to obey...and those that are impossible to obey. From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands …
It is customary to think of religious "legalisms" as superficial rites, rituals, and observances such as those Jesus identified in Mark 7. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the …
There is an enormous difference between loving truth, loving doctrine, and loving opinion. It is fearfully easy, however, to confuse the three. From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of…