June 30, 2012

  • Kidnapped! (By 10 year olds)

    Yesterday was quite an adventure, and worth sharing.  You see, yesterday was the last day of school for the students.  (The Teachers have to put in one more week.)  Yes, you read that right, it's June 30th, and school in Taiwan just ended.  That is the way of it every year, school ends when June ends.  Kids go home and begin their TWO MONTH summer vacation.   American kids ---- you have it easy.

    This story actually starts in April, though,  when I got fed up.  Anger finally got to me over learning Chinese, and I shut down.  This year was my split year.  I went forward in 3rd Grade to continue learning new words (at least continue WRITING new words....) and backwards to 1st Grade (AGAIN!!!) in order to focus on learning to speak Chinese.  I am really finding it that difficult, honestly.  Well, in March my eyesight started getting so bad that I couldn't see the blackboard any more from the distance of my desk at the back of the room.  When the teacher wrote something, if it wasn't large, it was a blur.  My eye glasses are now 5 years old.  Time for a new pair.... but the Car / Scooter Accident last month sucked away our extra savings and.... now it will be a few more months for new glasses to materialize.

    In December I had asked a friend for prayer regarding a medical issue.  Well... it decided to stick around.... for the next 5 months.  This also fed into my frustration.  Lastly, this year I didn't learn much in 1st Grade because the teacher was multi-tasked out to the max, and did not have the extra time to do such things as.... ya know... teach.  She would often leave the class for 30-90 minutes, leaving me to play baby sitter.  I am not kidding.  After months of it, after failing eyesight, after a continuing bout of "aging issues"  --- I had enough.  I stopped going to school.  I still did the homework, but I did it at home.

    I also got heavily involved in three projects.  My Topical Index, a picture project I'll talk about in a bit, and the Pilgrim's Progress story I'm trying to post up over time.  These three massive projects managed to suck 3 months life out of me.... but they were totally worth it. 

    Sooooo.... for the last 3 months I have been to school about 7 times.  You need to know that. Back to story.

    The kids missed me.

    The 3rd grade kids, whom I have now spent 2 years with, REALLY missed me.  (Several of them figured out how to join Facebook so that they could spend time with me on there!)

    So those days when I would show up for a few hours, it was like a grand holiday at recess.  I came to school for my birthday cause I couldn't think of anyone else in the world I would rather spend that day with than my classmates.

    So this week I planned to do a summer vacation party on Tuesday.  Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches (something they don't do here in Taiwan for some reason unknown to mankind...) and Pepperidge Farm Goldfish.  What child in the universe doesn't like these things?  Cheddar Fish.... what's there not to like?

    So Tuesday I spent the whole day at school, and the 3rd graders soaked it up.  40 little helpers, 80 little hands, and 8 hours of hysterical fun.  We made a total mess, got grilled cheese scattered all over the room, served up over 100+ students and teachers.... and I passed along the photograph project I had been working on.

    You see, it came to my awareness in April that I had all these pictures of these kids I've spent the last 3 years with.... and some of these pictures are quite precious.  And.... I gambled that the parents would love to have a DVD showing the growth of their children over the last 3 years time.  The project took over 150 hours work, managed to eat up 80+ DVDs (after I had to reburn them because of missing pictures, crossed English / Chinese names and other issues.) and in the end.... brought many parent to straight tears.  Here is a sampling of the photos I took from the last 3 years.  Every kid is one of my classmates.

    Anna, 1st then second Grade.



    Me, Lisa, Kelly & Joanna, 2nd Grade field trip.  Maggie using my camera to take pictures.

    Joanna WEARING the bookmark I gave her (and all the kids) for Christmas in 2nd Grade.

    Future Social Events Planner, Kelly.  2nd Grade

     

    Maggie & Mebo, 2nd Grade.

     

    Lily, somber as usual.  Maggie, Joanna & Tiffany in the background.  2nd Grade

     

    Linda -- super hard to take a good picture of.  This was probably the best I ever got.  2nd grade.

     

    Sam, 1st Grade.  Sweet Kid, but yes, he will need Anger Management classes at some point.

     

    Lisa, 1st grade.  Is it time to go  home yet?

     

    Joanna, Claudy and Jing-Yi.... with Xiao PiKu.  3rd Grade.

       

    Mebo 3rd grade then 1st Grade.  She looks healthy, but she's actually the sicker of the two twins.  She's missed many days of school "recovering" from this or that.

    Polly is actually Vietnamese.  One of the sweetest kids I've had the pleasure to get to know.  Loves Cats.... preferably living.  (Vietnamese folk will eat stray cats and dogs....)  3rd Grade.

     

    Joanna, Sam, Jing-Yi and James, with our teacher.  1st Grade.

     

    The OTHER Dora (Not Mebo's sister), Shelly, Irene, and Sandy (bottom middle) --- 2nd grade, 2nd class. I spent time with the kids in both classes, even though I was in the 1st class officially.

     Joy 1 and Joy 2 --- kinda like Thing 1 and Thing 2 in "The Cat in the Hat".  Both are hysterically funny mischief makers... Joy 1 reminds me greatly of Curly from the Three Stooges.  I've been trying to teach him "Nyuck, Nyuck, Nyuck..."

    Polly and Katty cleaning..... the bathroom.  The kids do the janitor work at school in Taiwan, and that likewise means cleaning the toilets.  They don't complain.... much....  As well... that is a unisex bathroom.  Boys and girls... often at the same time.  Guess in grade school it doesn't matter much.

    Ok... so I threw a party on Tuesday to celebrate summer... and since Friday was the last day of school (and a half day at that) I decided to show up to say goodbye.  I expected to be gone only 2 hours.  It turned into a 9 hour adventure.

    Little did I know how things would turn out for the day.

    Sometime around 11 AM, as things were finally pulling together for the kids to leave, one of the parents comes to me ---- My daughters are going over to Lisa's house to play for a few hours... do you want to join us?

    Ummm.... I brought Kiki with me so the kids could say goodbye (the entire school loves Kiki, and she loves them right back.  Kiki used to come to school once a week during the fall.) and Kiki could bask in the adoration of her fans.  Kiki doesn't do well for many many hours away from a litterbox and food... you know what I mean?

    We'll take care of it.

    Ummm.... I have to get home to feed Xiao PiKu (Little Butt).  He's only 6 weeks old at this point, and still needs regular feedings.  He's not up to dry food yet.

    We'll figure something out.

    Ummm.... Does Lisa's mom know I'll be a surprise guest?

    We'll work on it.

    There was no way these kids were taking "NO" as an answer.... even if it meant scaring poor Lisa's mom to death at the sight of a slightly chubby American walking in her front door.

    So the Twins (Dora and Mebo)

    Yes.... they are twins.... and Dora (in pink) is actually the healthy one, though you wouldn't know it from the looks of her.

    and Lisa....

    Who gained the nickname "Shadow" cause she follows me everywhere, but doesn't say a single word.

    We actually communicate very well, her and I, with only facial expressions and just plain silliness.  She said her very first word (in Chinese!) to me in 3rd Grade, believe it or not.  Lisa is very dear to me.... if for no other reason than she made me feel like I belonged in class.

    These three kids plotted, planned, and in short kidnapped me ---- just so I could be their playmate for a few hours time before summer took us off on other adventures.

    Behind my house is a mountain.  It's fairly big, our apartment building is 14 floors and it towers over us by quite a lot.  I knew that Lisa lived on the mountain and that her home was hard to get to... so I was always curious about that.

    Off we go.  By bus.  There is a special shuttle bus that goes up the mountain 3 times a day.  If Lisa misses the Noon bus, she's stuck at school until 4 PM.  Ouch.

    I spent the day cooking with Lisa's surprised mother.  The kids had no lunch at school, so I pitched in and helped.  Lisa's mom's first reaction to my getting off the bus ---- Oh wow.... what am I going to feed him!?!?!?  She didn't have to worry, her homemade meal was delicious.  BBQ'd (NOT American style, it's simply a sauce they add for flavor) Pork, Broccoli cooked in vinegar, oil and garlic and simple white rice.  Not gourmet, but worth  the trip.  I washed the dishes and generally tried hard to make myself useful.

    Somehow Spongebob Squarepants has hit it big in Taiwan, so during lunch we all sat down to an American TV show.... in Chinese.  Listening to Spongebob talk in Chinese is hysterically funny to me.  Had no clue what was being said.... but laughed none-the-less.

    We played Hide and seek.

    We played some variation of Red Light / Green Light.... with a twist or two.

    We played some game with a ball wherein we were supposed to catch the ball, take three steps and try to hit someone with it.

    And then..... we climbed the mountain.

    Now, I've talked about the day... but I haven't mentioned the view.  Lisa literally does live on the mountain, in a small community that is not visible from the base.  You can't see it.  It doesn't show.  At all.  25 2 story houses, several farms and gardens and even a few small businesses, and it's all so well hidden by the trees and the mountain itself that you just wouldn't know its there.   But the view .... wow... I stood for a long time on Lisa's back porch just soaking in the beauty and serenity of her home.  You can see the ocean.  You can see town across the river and the HUGE (bigger than ours) mountain behind them.... you can see for miles.... and noone can see you.

    The mountain has a cleft, that has filled over with trees over the years, and that is where Lisa's home is.  In this amazing tiny community that has been there for over 100 years.

    I'm very sad I didn't have a camera with me.  Maybe next time.

    Kai finally came to rescue me at 4 PM.  I had an ESL class to teach and after all this running around and mountain climbing (we never even came close to the top!)  I needed a shower badly if I was going to attend to teaching.

    Next time these kids want to kidnap me.... I'm not going to put up much of a fight.  It was a grand adventure. 

June 27, 2012

  • Unexpected Reactions: Movie Review - Extremely Loud, Incredibly Close / Hurt Locker

    Last night my wife and I rented two movies, one of which we were greatly anticipating, the other one was mere curiosity.  I have to say that my reaction was completely unexpected.  I hated the one we wanted to see and loved the one we didn't intend to.

    Extremely Loud, Incredibly Close is a movie that my wife and I were both anticipating for quite a long while.  The movie teasers had us hooked: a boy who lost his father to 9/11 is given the chance to enjoy one more exploration of his father's world --- through a big game of hide and seek.

    What the teasers didn't tell you, or show, is that the boy drones on and on and on, endlessly, saying random things that at times make no sense.  Example --- upon first meeting Abby Black, this 12 year old asks "May I kiss you?"  This coming from a kid who has anxiety issues a mile long.   Which brings up another "this makes no sense" point.  The kid lists his anxieties early on... one of which is "Ringing things".  Then he proceeds to use doorbells galore with not even a second glance.

    The movie rambles on, going seemingly nowhere, and answering nothing.  In the end, the matter of the 6th Borough is never really concluded, and we are expected to believe that it never rains, snows or gets wet in New York City for 2 years.  How else could a note remain readable left out in the open of Central Park for that long?

    By the end of the movie I was actually telling the kid to "Shut up and get to your point already!"  I didn't care any more about his search, his father or the movie.  Everything that seemingly mattered --- didn't.   "Sometimes things just make no sense" his mother tells him --- for this movie, that could be the tagline.

    Hurt Locker  (Chinese Title: Crisis Countdown)

    I went into this with no expectations.  I am not a war movie fan.  I do own Blackhawk Down, Saving Private Ryan, Behind Enemy Lines and my personal favorite Sergeant York (1930, Gary Cooper, telling a real story).  Heck, I even own From Here to Eternity come to think of it and All Quiet on the Western Front.  Great War movies, one and all.

    I saw Apocalypse Now in the theater.  Thought it was a waste of time and film.  I saw about 30 minutes of Full Metal Jacket --- that was more than enough to know it wasn't for me.  There's a big difference between realistic and gruesome... and it's a line that gets crossed far to often in Hollowwood.

    But this...  Wow.  My wife and I both did not see this coming.  We began the night with Extremely Loud / Incredibly Close expecting to have our hearts melted by a bittersweet tear-jerker.  that movie was over by 12:30 AM.  It was late, but my wife had something she HAD to finish for school the next day and she wasn't done.  So I popped in Hurt Locker just to pass the time.

    By 2:30 AM we were so engrossed in this movie that we had to drag ourselves away from the TV so that we could sleep.  The characters were realistic, the situations intense, and the movie was a very serious look at how war affects people differently.  From Sergeant First Class Will James and his addiction to tension (He's an Adrenaline junkie) to Sergeant Sanborn's "Play it safe, let's make it through this and get home", to Specialist Owen Eldridge and his "frightened little boy" terror.  Even the bit roles --- Guy Peirce is totally dead on for the "Tough-as-nails-and-playing-the-odds" portrayal of Staff Sergeant Matt Thompson and Christian Carmago as the Clueless Colonel Cambridge.... who thinks he can simply talk to the Iraqis with no repercussions.   Each actor brings something to this movie that adds to its over all impact.  Each actor precisely details why "war is hell".

    The movie starts off with a bang, continues running with a double-shot of expresso that leaves you on the edge of jitters, and finally hits you with a needle-to-the-heart shot of adrenaline that jolts you to full awareness. 

    We expected to like Extremely Loud.... in my opinion it sucked.  I can't speak for my wife.  But we had no expectations for Hurt Locker, and to be honest it was one of the best movies either of us have seen in a while.

    There is a reason it won 6 Oscars and took home the "Best Picture of 2008".  If you haven't seen it... do so.  You won't regret it.

June 21, 2012

  • In the World and OF the world

    2 years ago when I wrote "god words Vs GOD'S WORD (Going to hell in Jesus Name)" I had a very specific person in mind.  That person had been a part of my inner circle here on Xanga, had left many comments over the 2 1/2 years I knew her, and was close enough to become a Facebook friend.

    But something changed.  She grew up and outgrew her need of Christ.  Oh, to be sure, she had some "Spiritual" sounding things to say .... occasionally.  She would (infrequently) make some passing comment on Facebook to the effect of "Must think positive thoughts" or "My world is defined by the power of my words" or some such crap as that.  And all along the way, I would ask her "Where is Jesus in all of this?"  It wasn't a question she wanted to deal with.

    “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33)

    Over the course of one years time, my questions started to annoy and irritate her, and it all came to a head when she got involved in hypnotism --- "looking for answers".  I reacted, telling her of the demonic nature of the act of opening your mind up to "outside forces" and she reacted by de-friending me.  She'd had enough of my trying to help her see the slippery slope she'd side-tracked to.

    “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.  (Matthew 7:13-14)

    She preferred the party life with the stars, seeking fortune and fame in Hollywood, where she now resides, "Hoping for that one big break".     That was 2 years ago.  She's still hoping... still thinking positively.... and now utterly and completely silent on all things spiritual... I know because though she de-friended me, she didn't de-friend my wife. 

    I've respected her desire for me not to speak, but I have occasionally used my wife's account to go back to her Facebook page and see where she is any more.  Today.... I find lewd, provocative pictures (sexually themed), off-color jokes, and any manner of things which speak volumes to the state of her heart.  Gone is any semblance of desire for God.  She has left the church and joined the world.

    Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.  (Matthew 16:24-27)

    The party life and the pursuit of fame has ripped away any veneer she once had of being "Christian" and now she merely strives to be "Positive".   Thing is, only a life surrendered to Christ, seeking obedience to His Word, will be the litmus test that harkens entrance into Heaven.

    Today I find that yet another friend has left Christ.  Thing is, though, she never had Him in the first place.  She never belong to Christ before. (Matthew 7:21-23) Her leaving only shows what was the true state of her heart all along.  (1 John 2:19; Matthew 13:18-23)  She was a goat among the sheep, a tare among the wheat. (Matthew 25:31-46; Matthew 13:24-30) She was trying to look good in Church, seeking the applause of men.... even in the Church. (Galatians 1:10)  To Christ, she was thorny soil and what little seed was planted has now been choked out by the cares of this world. (Matthew 13:22) She has shown herself to be IN the world and OF the world. (James 4:4)  All her former "god words" were just that... vain human attempts at rationalizing God and avoiding the truth in His Word, the Bible.

    Today... I grieve for my friend.  I still care.  I never stopped.  Neither have I ever stopped praying for her.  But for the moment her choices reflect not the desires of Christ, but the passing whims and fancies of this world.... and she doesn't want to hear what I have to say.   She is merely one more pretty face hoping for fame and fortune this world offers.  Thing about this world's treasures though --- moth's eat, rust destroys and men steal.... and personal beauty... fades in time regardless of how many Botox sessions you schedule or however many different hairstyles / colors you try.  

    It's all passing.  It's all temporary.  It's like looking for silver --- and settling for chrome because it's shiny.

    Unless the Lord builds the house,
        its builders labor in vain.
    Unless the Lord watches over the city,
        the watchmen stand guard in vain.
    In vain you rise early
        and stay up late,
    toiling for food to eat—
        for he grants sleep to those he loves.  (Psalms 127:1-2)

    God loved Israel.  Loved them enough to promise them a savior.  But time and again they would turn from him and play harlot to the ways of this world.

    My people have committed two sins:
    They have forsaken me,
        the spring of living water,
    and have dug their own cisterns,
        broken cisterns that cannot hold water.  (Jeremiah 2:13)

    As Paul reminds us:  "... For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel."  (Romans 9:6)  Not everyone who claims to be "for God" really is.

    Even then, though God claimed Israel as His own, he still looked not upon ancestral heritage, but rather upon a life of faith.  (Habakkuk 2:4)  Even though we show up in Church --- does not give us privilege before or with God.  We score no brownie points for good efforts or intentions -- if our life is not characterized by living in surrender to Christ's Lordship, God has no place for us in His Kingdom.

    For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’” (Matthew 15:19-20)

    The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.  (Luke 6:46)


    Thing is, with people in this state, unless God breaks them they will not see their lostness.  They will go through life one of two ways, either (A) assuming they're on the right track in doing whatever they wish "in Jesus name".  (Proverbs 14:12)  Never repenting, never acknowledging their sin and never able to come to a true knowledge of the Truth.  (2 Timothy 3:7)  They will assume they have "light" and are not blind.  (John 9:41)  or (B) they will fall away and assume they "tried" Christianity, had it all figured out, and it didn't work.  It will become impossible to reach them because they have hardened their hearts to repenting. (Hebrews 6:4-6)

    There is a third option... (C) repent, acknowledge they never truly trusted God, never really knew him and had indeed only built up idols "in his name" --- and be saved.  Only God's Spirit can move them to this point though... and for those lost in religiousness... or numbed to it... it's a hard road to walk.  (Luke 15:18,21)  No one ever likes to be humbled.

    Time shows all things clearly.  In time, all sins come to light, just as Scripture says: Be sure that your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)  Wheat or weeds, sheep or goats, real or false --- in time... all things come to the light of Christ for exposure.  I can only pray that my friend sees her need now, humbles herself before God and rejects the fickle fame of this world for something of true value: The Love of God and the Blood of Christ, His Son.  In the end, it will be the only thing that matters, as God won't be impressed that you bought John Voight's car, had dinner with Oliver Stone or got invited to a Paramount audition  ---- even if your Facebook friends are impressed by these temporary things.  Gain the world --- lose your soul.  What a lousy trade-off.

June 14, 2012

  • Another Earthquake - 5.4r 10k

    Man is this getting regular or what?  If you check my topical index you'll see that I only track the big ones, and that in 3 1/2 years there's been less than 10.  In the last 2 weeks there've been 5 all 4.9 or greater.  As I said, it's been 10+ years since Taiwan experienced a 7.0 earth shatterer, that earthquake literally spun a mountain around... I've seen the pictures, it's stunning.

    Tonight, we had a 5.4 on the east coast, very shallow, only 10 kilometers deep.  While we felt it here in Taipei, the actual epicenter was about 150-200 miles away in a straight line.  That means our friends in Gong Qian really felt this one, as they were only 20 miles or so from the epicenter.  It was immediately followed by another 4.3 earthquake merely 4 minutes later.

    Update 20 minutes later ---- there's been 4 more smaller ones (all in the 3.2 - 3.5 range) that followed in direct succession after about 4-5 minutes apart.  The link below will show you what I am talking about.  Looks like it's gonna be a long night.

    Here's the map.


    Taiwan Government Earthquake updates in English.

    As stated.. this one was shallow and strong.  I honestly worry that something else is on the way... and that this is only the pre-cursors.

    Pray for Taiwan.  Thanks.

June 13, 2012

  • EARTHQUAKE! 4.9 on the Richter, but very shallow

    This one caught me off-guard.  I was making milk for the new kitten and suddenly my kitchenware started rattling.  I looked to see which cat was messing around and only when I saw none did I realize it was an earthquake.  Lasted about 15-20 seconds.

     What's really scary is the location and depth.  The location was only about 20-30 miles from where I live and the depth was only less than 4 miles deep.  This means that there's gonna be a lot of folk in Taoyuan County with earthquake damage today.

June 11, 2012

  • What does the Bible say is Evil? (Part 1)

    THIS IS NOT A POST.....

    boy, I'm saying that a lot lately, ain't I?

    Last September I posted up a question post that got no comments.  I followed it by a response post, which got many comments -- mostly in argument against what the Bible actually states plainly.  That argument led to nearly a year long study by me on what the Bible calls "EVIL".  I literally wrote out every Bible verse that uses the word "EVIL" and started verse by verse to jot down notes.  This post is a compilation of my notes.

    Here is the basic structure for my notes:

    Verse    ---   Who is in Mind?    ---   What is viewed as Evil?

    Footnotes and thoughts

    I have to state up front that there are 479 verses in the Bible that use the word "EVIL" --- using the New International Version as my standard.   Just for the record:

    • The Good News Version has 637 verses
    • the American Standard Version has 626 verses
    • The King James Version has 592 verses
    • The New Living Translation has 530 verses
    • New American Standard has 510
    • The New International Version has 479
    • The Contemporary English Version has 447
    • The Message has 403  

    Picking the NIV seemed reasonable since it was most commonly used, and had a average number of uses for the term.  It's also the version I am most familiar with, having spent nearly 20 years in it's pages.

    Genesis 2:9    ---   General Reference  ---  Knowledge of Good and Evil
    God gave man a choice, obedience with blessing or disobedience and death.  Evil was viewed as a knowledge of things.

    Genesis 2:17  ---   Adam   ---  Tree of Knowledge

    Here the commandment is given, along with the punishment for disobedience.

    Genesis 3:5   ---   General Reference   ---   Satan Tempts Eve

    Satan equates "Being Like God" to experiencing / knowing Good & Evil.  he implies that both are necessary when in fact they are not.  In God there is no evil - I do not "Need" to "experience" killing someone to know that it's wrong, evil.

    Genesis 3:22   ---   Adam & Eve   ---   Fall of Man

    God brings about punishment in place of death, having already sacrificed for their atonement.  He proclaims man to have become "like God" for having gained knowledge sinfully.

    Genesis 6:5   ---   All Mankind   ---   Thoughts and intents of the heart

    God views the very thought life of man and says we are fully intent on evil.  We imagine it, dream of it, relish it and pursue it.  God reviews man after 1,600 years and finds us corrupted entirely by sin.

    Genesis 8:21   ---   All Mankind   ---   Evil Thoughts and imagination

    God acknowledges our every thought is evil from childhood

    Genesis 44:4   ---   Brothers of Joseph   ---   Theft

    Joseph sets his brothers up and then calls their alleged theft as "evil"

    Exodus 10:10   ---   Moses   ---   Accused of evil plans

    Pharoah accuses Moses of evil where there wasn't evil intent.

    Exodus 32:12   ---   God   ---   Accused of evil by the Egyptians

    Moses prays to God with a concern of how men will speak of God.

    Exodus 32:22   ---   Israel   ---   Intent to do evil by idolatry

    Aaron pleads mercy on himself by laying the evil of idolatry at their feet .... "They are set to do evil."

    Leviticus 5:4   ---   All Men   ---   Vows to do evil

    God lays down the law on sin, if we even merely vow to do evil, though we act not, we still sin by the intent of our heart.

    Numbers 32:12   ---   Israel   ---   Evil acts judged

    The Lord's anger aroused over the evil act of idolatry by Israel

    Deuteronomy 1:35   ---   Israel   ---   Doubt

    Recounting God's vow that none of the "evil generation" who doubted god's ability even after he brought them out of Egypt.

    Deuteronomy 4:25   ---   All Israel   ---   Idolatry (The making of Idols)

    God says anyone who makes a carved image (Idol) does evil in His sight.

    Deuteronomy 9:18   ---   All Israel   ---    committed evil before God

    Moses, speaking of the time of the Golden Calf idol, recounts praying for Israel and seeking forgiveness from God for "all the evil (Israel) had done in the Lord's sight, provoking him to anger."

    Deuteronomy 13:5   ---   False Prophets   ---   Leading men astray

    God commands that false prophets or dreamers be put to death for the "Evil" of their seeking to lead men away from God and his commandments.

    Deuteronomy 13:11   ---   Anyone   ---   Idolatry (Seeking to server 'another' god)

    Lengthy passage (13:6-11) wherein anyone who seeks to draw men away from God to worship false gods is deemed as evil.

    Deuteronomy 17:2,5,7   ---   Anyone   ---   Worshiping the sun or moon or stars or other gods (Idolatry)

    Anyone who bows in worship to anything God has created --- or --- seeks to worship a false god, does evil.

    Deuteronomy 17:12   ---   Anyone   ---   refusing to obey authority or leadership

    People are seen as evil who refuse to heed, obey, or listen to one of the priests that God has placed in Authority.
    To presume to know more than authority raises the issue of pride and arrogance.

    Deuteronomy 19:19-20   ---   Anyone   ---   seeking to malign another by false witness

    Both the act and the person are seen as evil before God.  The punishment shall be to exact the same punishment that the false witness sought to exact upon another --- An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.  (Deut. 19:21)

    Deuteronomy 21:21   ---   A son   ---   Rebellion to parents

    A son who is a drunkard, gluttonous, stubborn or rebellious is seen as evil.  He is to be put to death.

    Deuteronomy 22:21   ---   A daughter   ---   sexual promiscuity

    A daughter who is found to have been sleeping around is seen as evil.

    Deuteronomy 22:22   ---   Any man   ---   Adultery

    Any man found sleeping with another mans' wife shall be put to death.  He is viewed as evil.

    Deuteronomy 22:24   ---   Anyone   ---   sexual promiscuity

    The scenario is one of rape or adultery but both the man and the woman are seen as evil    ---  IF    ---  the act was within a city and the woman did not cry out for help.

    Deuteronomy 24:7   ---   Anyone   ---   kidnapping

    The kidnapper is viewed as evil.

    Deuteronomy 28:20   ---   Anyone   ---   forsaking God

    The person who forsakes God is seen as evil

    Deuteronomy 31:29   ---   Israel   ---   Disobedient to the Law of God

    Those (in the future) who turn aside from God's way are said to be evil.

    Joshua 23:15   ---  

    Israel is promised God's judgement if they rebel.  The judgment is said of "all the evil that was spoken of will come upon you."  Other translations say 'disasters' or harmful things'.

    Judges 2:11   ---   Israel   ---   Served Ba'al's

    This act is said to be evil in God's sight.

    Judges 2:19   ---   Israel   ---   Evil acts

    Upon the death of a judge, the people of Israel would invariably revert back to doing evil and being stubborn.

    Judges 3:7   ---   Israel   ---   Idolatry

    They did evil by serving Ba'al and Asherah.

    Judges 3:12   ---  Judges 4:1   ---   Judges 6:1   ---   Judges 13:1

    General reference to Israel doing evil with no specific reference to what the evil was.

    Judges 10:6   ---   Israel   ---   Idolatry

    Israel did evil by forsaking God to serve false Gods.

    Judges 20:13   ---   Men of Gibeah   ---   Rape

    All Israel stood up to judge the men who did this evil act.

    1 Samuel 12:17,19-20   ---   Israel   ---   Seeking a King

    For wanting to be like the nations around them, Israel was said to have committed evil.

    1 Samuel 12:25   ---  

    A promise that judgment will fall if Israel falls to evil.

June 9, 2012

  • EARTHQUAKE!!! 6.5 on Richter

    This one actually woke Kai and me up from a dead sleep.  I mean literally we were in bed and.... next moment we were both screaming "EARTHQUAKE" at each other and trying to get dressed as the floor rocked violently.

    The Epicenter was about 150 miles from here, in the ocean (Praise the Lord), and very deep (at least 50 miles underground).  Still, it rocked so hard that our furniture was shaking.  That almost never happens.

    Here's the Taiwan Weather Website map and link....


    Sorry, forgot to post the link initially. (It's now 4 hours later... and there have been two strong aftershocks)  here's the link...

    Taiwan Weather Website Earthquake Alert Page in English

    The east coast is going to be threatened by Tsunami's from this one... I know it... and the question is.... is there a bigger one yet on the horizon???

June 5, 2012

June 2, 2012

  • A Christ they despise - A Jesus the World Hates

    I don't think we really give thought to this much: The world HATES Jesus.  They despise Him.

    Oh, they might claim that He's a wonderful teacher.  They might claim that the Christian has Christ all wrong, that Paul (and the rest of the boys) merely created fanciful whims and whimsical magical fairy tales to help suppress women and keep (the boys) in charge. They might assume that Jesus was some political rebel out to smash the establishment.  They might even claim that Jesus was a great moral example of what all men should aspire to.

    In truth, though, they HATE Jesus.

    I lived through a robbery.  I was 21 at the time, working at night and in walks a guy asking for change for the phone cause his car broke down.  It was 2 AM, my slow time.  Being the helpful sort that I am, I said sure, no problem.

    Now, to understand what happens next you need to know this.  I was sitting on a 3-legged stool.  Around the bottom of that stool was a metal ring for support.  It was my habit to sit on the stool and stand on the ring when I needed to get up, thus giving myself about another 5 inches of height --- and helping me see everything going on in my store.

    I stood up, now taller than the guy, and opened the register.  As soon as I did, his hand went into his pocket and he pointed a gun at me.  He calmly and forcefully said "Give me the money in the register".

    Without thinking, I slammed the register drawer so hard it knocked the register back an inch, grabbed the key and twisted it to get it out, pulled the key out of the register, and threw it as hard as I could at.... but beyond... the guy.

    I said with equal force and calmness and looking him square in the eye, "If you want the money, give me the key".

    He freaked because my pulling the key out and slamming the drawer unexpectedly made the register go spastic and make a high pitched noise almost like an alarm.  Score one for me.

    He booked.... and didn't get one dime.  In fact, he left the dollar he gave me. 

    There's a reason I told you this story.  I was 21.  In 3 days I turn 48.  That event was 27 years ago.... but I was an eye witness to the event and I have it burned into my memory even today.   Every detail is there.  I even remember the flannel coat (red, black, white checkered pattern) that he was wearing.  I don't have to embellish the story --- it is true and that in itself is remarkable.  I survived a robbery by freaking the robber out to the point where he ran from me.  Obviously, God protects fools. (meaning myself)

    27 years.  And I can paint you a perfect picture of that night still to this day.

    Jesus did things that were remarkable.  Amazing.  No one..... NO ONE.... sees a true miracle (I'm not talking the fake "Healing Crusades" that Benny Hinn or Kathryn Khulman orchestrates for mere money.  Mark this people --- if they're charging you money for your healing --- their motivation is their greed, not God, regardless of how loudly they shout his name.)  No one sees a true miracle and forgets.  Even years later.

    If my account of that robbery attempt is still vivid and down to the details --- why question the testimonies of eye-witnesses to Jesus life?  John clearly understood that people would doubt when he wrote 1 John --- consider the opening few verses carefully.

    That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched —this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.  (1 John  1:1-4)

    but.... Evidence is only as valid as the skepticism behind which it is viewed.

    Do I need to repeat that?

    The skeptic (and the lawyer) serve to call question and doubt upon even the clearest of evidence.  A courtroom full of people knew that O J Simpson was guilty --- but the lawyer took the evidence and cast his magic spell of skepticism upon the jury.  If it doesn't fit, you must acquit!  And so OJ gets away with murder.   Often this occurs because we simply do not WANT to believe it actually could happen.  Our hero, accused of murder.  Our role model, our mentor, our friend.  Thus we ditch the evidence in favor of our passions, our emotions, our skepticism.

    Jesus said this --

    “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

    “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

    “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

    “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

    “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

    “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

    “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”   (Luke 16:19-31)

    Even if they have evidence --- they will reject it in favor of their own opinions.  Even though they had the Scriptures --- they still wouldn't listen.  Even if they see a full blown, undeniable miracle --- they still won't believe.   In John 9

    (SIDE NOTE: My favorite chapter in scripture -- I broke the whole thing down in 3 posts a few years back to show it's beauty and depth. Here's the links: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3)

    there was a blind man healed.  This man was clearly recognized, and clearly understood to have been healed --- and yet his neighbors, his family and the temple elite all rejected what he had to say .... because it didn't fit what they wanted as "Truth".   Jesus couldn't possibly be the Messiah... damn the evidence, full speed ahead to the crucifixion.

    Is it any wonder that Jesus likewise said....

    This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  (John 3:19-20)

    Here's where we start to get to the crux of my thoughts.

    Today in modern Evangelicalism we play-act like witnessing is merely a presentation of the right INFORMATION.  Today in modern Charismatic circles we pretend that if we can strike the right EMOTIONAL chord in someone's "heart", we can win them over.  Today, in the "modern Emergent / Seeker-Friendly church" we're told that "if I can find the person's felt needs" I can win that person over to Jesus.

    But all of this misses the basic point --- the world despises Jesus.

    • It's not about proper or right information, though that does help.
    • It's not about connecting emotionally, though that does play a part.
    • It's not about discerning felt-needs and then manipulating the person in to seeing Jesus as the answer to that need.

    No.  People have a twisted view of Christ to begin with and they need to see this clearly first --- Jesus didn't say "SOME OF the world would hate you..."

    If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.  (John 15:18-19)

    He said the whole world would hate you.... because THE WHOLE WORLD HATED HIM.

    When I say "the whole world would hate you" here, I am not saying that they might not be nice to you.  I'm not saying that they might not help you out.  A gambler gave Oral Roberts 2 million dollars "to help him out" (though that money bought him nothing in eternity) back in 1987.  What I am saying is that the message of the cross is offensive to them and if you honestly present it the way it is meant to be presented... you will offend them.  Why, because the message of the cross is foolishness to the world!

    People don't want Jesus to be God.  They don't want to be accountable for their EVERY action and deed.  Their every lie and lustful thought.  They hated Jesus back 2000 years ago because Jesus condemned men of their sins --- Not just the Pharisees, but ALL MEN.  It was the whole crowd that cried out "Crucify Him!" and "Give us Barabbas - Away with this man." (Luke 23:18)

    People don't want Jesus to be a moral standard they have to measure up against.  They prefer him to be a preacher of "Love" who came to shake up the religious majority and be a backwater rebel out to shake up the system.  They prefer him to be a good role model.  They prefer to see him as misunderstood.

    In short --- people still prefer to create idols, only now they do it in the name of "Jesus".   They want a Jesus they can buddy up to --- and the church is not helping by simply giving them what they want.  We present Jesus today as though all you have to do is sign on the dotted line and your saved.

    Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.  And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

    “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

    “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?  If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.  In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25:33)

    I don't think we completely grasp, today, in the modern Christian movement, the totality of what this means --- "They hated me."   And I don't think we understand that this must be our starting point for evangelism.

    For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

    The starting point of our reaching the lost is to show them that they are a sinner before a Holy God.  That they cannot --- though given eternity --- repay the debt they owe to God.  Wasn't that one of the main points of the parable of the Unmerciful Servant?  (Matthew 18:21-35)

    Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.  Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. (Matthew 18:23-25)

    They must see themselves as sinful --- if they are to see their need of a savior.  They need to see that they have broken not merely the moral law of God's Ten Commandments, but that they actually and honestly offend God by their idolatry --- of trying to make false mental idols of who God is.... when in point of fact God is nothing near what they believe.

    They cannot get to God's love until they understand God's Justice.  That is why the Law came first, before Grace.  Have you never wondered why Jesus didn't just come and die for all mankind in the beginning..... without having to give us a law that obviously condemns us?  Mankind needs to see it's utter depravity --- if it's to understand it's helplessness before a absolutely Holy God.  Mankind needs to comprehend ---

    The heart (RE: The rational thinking process of a man, not merely his emotions.  The link is to a bible study on the scriptural use of "Heart".) is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things, who can know it?  (Jeremiah 17:9)

    If you, though you are evil, still know how to give good gifts to your children...  (Jesus, Matthew 7:11)

    For if, when we were God’s enemies....  (Romans 5:10)

    If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.  (Hebrews 10:26-27)

    ...the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.  Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.  (Romans 8:7-8)

    .....you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.  They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.  Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.  (Ephesians 4:17-19)

    There are more verses I wanted to give, but that last one from Ephesians kind of makes me want to pull back and say "This is the whole point!"  

    • Our Understanding is darkened
      • we are separated from the life of God
        • we are ignorant
          • we have hardened our hearts
            • we have lost ALL sensitivity to sinful things
              • we have given ourselves over to sensuality
                • we indulge in every manner of impurity (RE: all things UN-holy)
                  • and lastly, we continually lust for more.

    This is how mankind is without Christ.  This is how they need to see themselves if they are to be honestly and actually saved.  This is what they need to know --- that they despise God and are headed for His Eternal wrath (Romans 2:5; Hebrews 10:27,31) unless they repent.

    And what does repent mean?

    (1) To turn from sin and rededicate oneself to the amendment of one's life
    (2) To feel regret or contrition
    (3) To change one's mind.

    So in essence we are calling all men to change their minds, to understand that they honestly hate God for his calling them to a holy standard.  That unless they do change their minds (Repent) Heaven will never be their home.  Why....

    Because they hate God.  They Despise Jesus.  They have created an idol and until they smash it and come to know the real God, there is no hope for them.

    BTW: The robbery had an interesting ending.

    2 weeks later the guy showed up at my work again.  I immediately called the cops and he was arrested on the spot. 

    He was wearing the exact same clothes he had on the night he tried to rob me.  How dumb was that?  I had given the cops such a perfect description that there was no contest in court.  He served 5 years for attempted robbery.

    And I got scolded by the boss for taking risks.  Go figure.