Animal

'the wild animals take cover' Job 37:8

Cockroach! The blighter is hiding under the TV- but not for long...

See!

'see how he spreads the lightening' Job 36:30

Awesome storm today.

Wise?

'sometimes the elders are not wise' Job 32:9

Quite a few people in this neighbourhood are Nichiren Buddhists.

Understanding

"to forsake evil is true understanding" Job 28:28

I'm still not wise enough to escape this vicious circle of degradation and self-loathing.

On again off again

'When Silas and Timothy and I proclaimed the Son of God among you, did you pick up on any yes-and-no, on-again, off-again waffling?'
2 Corinthians 1:17-19

Wicked

'Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful?' Job 21:7

No names needed.

Lord

'You bless all of those who trust you, LORD, and refuse to worship idols or follow false gods.' Psalm 40:4

Flood

'If he releases the waters, they flood the earth.' Job 12:15

Pakistan is one of the worst countries to live as a Christian, due to human rights abuses. But even so I wish I could do more to help the children there at the moment.

Godless

'The hopes of the godless evaporate' Job 8:13

Understandable

'five understandable words' 1 Corinthians 14:19

It was probably unwise of me to attend Japanese mass for so long, given my lack of skill in listening to spoken Japanese.

Birth

'Had I died at birth I would now be at peace.' Job 3:13

My sibling and two of my children did not live even a few hours. But God in His unsearchable wisdom lets me live.

Love

'Love is patient' 1 Corinthians 13:4

There`s a long eloquent list of love`s qualities in this chapter. I still fail at the first hurdle.

Pagans

'When you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols' 1 Corinthians 12:2

There`s a big summer festival in Hakata known as Yamakasa.

Queen

'when they conveyed the King`s order to Queen Vashti, she refused to come. This made the king furious.'
Esther 1:12

Ah, Persian sexual politics. And some people say the Bible is boring and irrelevant!? Just a week or so back on Larry King women were discussing similar issues. Is Vashti a feminist role model here, standing up for herself against the drunken demands of her husband? Or she is an example to be avoided? (she loses her status as Queen and is replaced by a younger model shortly after this) Quite frankly, given the period she lived in, she had guts not to fear execution for disobeying a direct order from the monarch, I think. But it did her no good in the long run.

David

'David, the man of God' Nehemiah 12:36

Does God lie? No, of course not.

Many

'though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread' 1 Corinthians 10:17

When I worked for an ecumenical community, events were held at different local churches each month- Anglican, Catholic, Baptist; I was required to attend each. Some people with learning disabilities liked the lively music at the Baptist church. Some liked the church they were used to attending with their families. Probably none of them could explain the theological differences between them.

I believe Jesus loves all people, even though they are sinners, regardless of denomination, nationality, gender, or worldly success.

Leaders

'leaders and priests...' Nehemiah 9:32

Visited a Protestant church for the first time in ages today. (for the last few years I`ve mostly attended Catholic mass). Catholic churches have Priests, Protestants usually call their leaders Ministers or Pastors. I am not a theologian but as I understand it the words are reflective of the differences behind both views of church leadership- Protestants see their leaders in slightly less reverential terms and quote Peter on the 'priesthood' of all believers. (1 Peter 2:9)

As for me I am not sure which view is most correct- back in the Church of England we often call our leaders 'Vicar'. Which reminds me of a famous sign once found outside a church:

GOD! For those who require something slightly stronger than tea with the Vicar.

Understand

'He made their hearts,
so he understands everything they do.' Psalm 33:15

Unlike me.

Lord

'there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ' 1 Corinthians 8:6

Buddha and Mohammed are overrated.

Mocked

'we are being mocked' Nehemiah 4:4

Some are very quick to scoff at the Bible. But examine their own philosophical assumptions a little more closely, and you will soon find they are full of holes.

Ancestors

'the city where my ancestors are buried..' Nehemiah 2:3

This time of year people here visit family graves. For me, Worthing, Sussex is a bit of a long way to travel..

Future

'My future is in your hands.' Psalm 31:15

None of us can change the past. But with God leading us we can walk into the future without fear.

Steeped

'From the days of our ancestors until now, we have been steeped in sin.' Ezra 9:7

Us British are not free of guilt either.

POW

'prisoners of war' 1 Corinthians 4:9

Motives

'The LORD's light penetrates the human spirit,
exposing every hidden motive.' Proverbs 20:27

God knows what was in Harry Truman's heart.

Autumn

'In early autumn...' Ezra 3:1

When will this summer heat end?

Wait

'wait patiently for the LORD' Psalm 27:14

With Muslims taking advantage of Christian tolerance by building a mosque yards from Ground zero in NYC, while delaying or preventing church construction across the Muslim world; with gay US Judges striking down objections to homosexual 'marriage', it seems Christian civilization is on its knees.

Watch this space.

It ain't over 'til its over.

On Good Friday evening Christ`s enemies thought He was dead and buried. They were wrong.

Ancestors?

'the family divisions of your ancestors' 2 Chronicles 35:4

My questions about this missing old persons scandal here in Japan are: Were these 'people' voting? If so, who for?

Secrets

'A gossip goes around telling secrets' Proverbs 20:19

I (censored) (censored) (censored) (censored) (censored).

War

'Don't go to war without wise advice.' Proverbs 20:18

Afghanistan is a mess. The troops should go home, I think.

Prescribed

'the prescribed time' 2 Chronicles 30:3

There is an error on my teaching schedule, and I am not quite sure what to do about it.