Loud

'loud clanging cymbals' Psalm 150:5

Tonight I get to listen to the local Buddhist temples making a lot of noise celebrating Pope Gregory's calendar...

Winter

'No fear of winter' Proverbs 31:21

I hope you and your family make it to spring without worry.

Clouds

'snow and clouds' Psalm 148:8

Mostly clouds, so far, but very cold.

Invited

'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb' Revelation 19:9

Merchants

'merchants who became wealthy by selling' Revelation 18:15

Kyushu Denki- isn't it great having a local electric firm who you know would never lie to you?

Blood

'drenched with blood like the corners of the altar' Zechariah 9:15

Heaven is welcoming lots of new Nigerians today.

Joy?

'festivals of joy' Zechariah 8:19

Happy Christmas. I hope this day brings you joy. If not, think of Jesus. Born in a cowshed, His death wasn't much fun either.

Eating

'Even now in your holy festivals, aren't you eating and drinking just to please yourselves?' Zechariah 7:6

Rescue

'Rescue me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me.' Psalm 142:6

Amen.

Your

'under your own grapevine' Zechariah 3:10

Freehold is a wonderful thing.

Birth

'the agony of giving birth' Revelation 12:2

Mary had no painkillers.

Darkness

'Darkness and light are the same to you.' Psalm 139:12

What does God see when He looks at us? Light or dark?

There are a thousand dark myths about Winter, but only one Light of the World: Jesus.

Son

'the king's sons' Zephaniah 1:8

Mr Kim was not very nice. But given his Mum died when he was 8, I hope he finds peace hereafter.

Songs

'one of those songs of Jerusalem' Psalm 137:3

'O come Thou Rod of Jesse free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell thy people save.
And give them victory over the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel.'

John M Neale/Henry S Coffin. (trans. from 8th Century Latin)

Peace

'A message of peace' Nahum 1:15

Jesus never killed, and orders his followers to love their enemies.

Guilt

'You freely forgive our sin and guilt' Micah 7:18

Human

'I am too stupid to be human' Proverbs 30:2

The Chinese zodiac has me as a Rooster, while the Western one has me as a Scorpion. Although I do not believe in either, there is no question I can be beastly sometimes.

Living

''Death is certainly better than living like this'' Jonah 4:8

But suicide is not an option. Hell is worse. Not that God sends all suicides to hell- who are we to judge? - but it is not worth the risk. Hamlet had it right-

'..say we end
the heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to? 'Tis a consummation
devoutly to be wished. To die to sleep,
To sleep, perchance to dream- ay there's the rub
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
must give us pause.'
(Act 3 Scene 1)

If you ever feel like ending yourself- please don't.

Sleep

'I will not let my eyes sleep
nor close my eyelids in slumber
until I find a place to build a house for the LORD' Psalm 132:4-5

You probably work harder than me. But what are you building?

Helpless

'cheating the helpless' Amos 8:5

Newt is being savaged by the left in the US for daring to suggest that poor kids should clean schools.

Meanwhile, here in Japan my 10 year old and her friends provide free unpaid labour for the state by cleaning their school on a regular basis, despite there being 'no time' for daily English classes and millions in Japan out of work. Heck, I've even seen unpaid labour squads of schoolchildren cleaning Shinto shrines, despite this country allegedly being a secular state.

I guess its more important for poor kids to Know Their Place than to learn to talk to foreigners, eh?

If you talk to many Japanese who have been through this system they will tell you they don't like those extremist Republicans in the US. Yet child labour is not even an issue here, as long as its the state that is doing the exploitation.

Songs

'You sing trivial songs' Amos 6:5

If Rihanna had Found Love in the arms of Jesus she would not be in such a Hopeless Place. Her song is popular as many of us make the same mistake.

Christmas is God saying to us, in the words of Stevie Wonder: 'I just called to say I love you.'

Exile

'whole villages into exile' Amos 1:6

After 11 years, I get nostalgia overdrive about small things from home.

Grandchildren

'May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.' Psalm 128:6

Autumn

'trees in autumn' Jude 1:12

The trees here have been looking magnificent recently.

Mist

'your love vanishes like the morning mist' Hosea 6:4

Why God hasn't scrapped Planet Earth entirely and started afresh is one of life's greatest mysteries.

Fools

'Fools vent their anger' Proverbs 29:11

In fairness to Fukuoka Bank, on my 3rd visit I did actually get MY money back. Merry Christmas, bankers everywhere, but please don't forget Tiny Tim.

Love

'Perfect love expels all fear.' 1 John 4:18

Nobody's perfect- except Jesus.

Children

'dear children' 1 John 3:7

'Every year over 700 Christian girls in Pakistan are kidnapped, forcibly converted to Islam and married to their Muslim kidnappers...the girls are often severely beaten and raped and held as virtual prisoners.' Barnabas Fund.

Sins

'Jesus came to take away our sins' 1 John 3:5

This is why Christmas is Good News.

Physical

'the world only offers a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see.' 1 John 2:16

Down, Shep!

Fooling

'If we claim we have no sin we are only fooling ourselves..' 1 John 1:8

Ungodly

'ungodly people will be destroyed' 2 Peter 3:7

God have mercy on us all.

Refused

'You refused to worship the God who gives you breath and controls everything you do.'
Daniel 5:23

It is still not easy to find a 2012 diary published here which doesn't have 'Buddhist' lucky days in it. The day of the terrible tsunami- March 11 2011- was not the worst day in the Buddhist calendar for March- so how much use is this scheme? Please don't give money to people who make false predictions.

Peter

'We were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes..'

2 Peter 1:16-17

Mean

'what it means' Daniel 2:36

Theological liberals and agnostics love to critique the Bible using supposedly historical techniques. When I was at high school I studied the book of Daniel using these 'advanced' techniques, known as higher criticism. Let me tell you how it works:

Daniel interprets a dream. He correctly predicts the end of the Babylonian empire. The higher critics assume because he got it right that the book was written after the fact, not before. Really scientific, eh? If a prophet correctly predicts the future they move the date of the book, not admit that Daniel may have been divinely inspired. Sorry guys, but it just ain't playing fair or open-minded.

They do exactly the same thing with the New Testament. Jesus correctly predicts the fall of Jerusalem decades beforehand. The critics assume the Gospels were written after 70 AD. Hello!? Is it beyond all possibility that God knows the future? He is God, after all. The critics presuppose true prophecy is impossible and thus completely misread the texts.

It may well be reasonable to question allegedly supernatural occurances such as prophecy. But 2000 years later, when Christianity is still here and global to boot, it is arrogant to say you know better than the people who were there at the time. If Jesus isn't the Son of God, why are we still talking about Him, and celebrating His birthday?

Language

'train these young men in the language' Daniel 1:4

So, 11 years in Japan, still wrestling with the language while trying to teach my daughter English.

Today I was reminded that the Chinese/Japanese character for household '家' is literally pig roof.

In English too pigs provide linguistic inspiration. Pig out over Thanksgiving, anyone? I ate too many birthday chocolates myself.

Crooks

'When crooks are in control it's best to hide' Proverbs 28:12

Of course there are worse forms of government than flawed democracy.

Wise

'A rich person is wise in his own eyes' Proverbs 28:11

Democracy sucks. Candidates think they know the answers, people wise enough to know their own ignorance don't run for office.

'Those who govern ought not to be lovers of the task' (Plato)

Anguish

'Look here, you rich people: weep and groan with anguish because all of the terrible troubles ahead of you.' James 5:1

The poor may look powerless but they have friends in Very High Places.

LORD

'The LORD is my God!' Psalm 118:28

Even when Jesus was being crucified his enemies continued to mock Him. We don't know their names.

Deeds

'Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?' James 2:20

Mother Teresa, one of the greatest women of our last century, was Catholic, not Buddhist. In fact, if you compare her life with one of the most respected Buddhists of our day, the Lama who ran away from Tibet when the tanks arrived, you will see that she instead walked towards the danger of the slums and away from a more comfortable life.

Rich

'Isn't it the rich who oppress you...?' James 2:6

Fukuoka Bank won't let me close my account with them, even though I had ID and a Japanese seal in my name. It's not like there's much chance of me being mistaken for someone else either- I can go weeks here without seeing another white person, let alone someone with my sirname.

Thieving Bankers.. getting rich on our money. Do you think if I go to the police anyone will get arrested? You can bet if it was ME that owed THEM money they'd drag me through the courts...

Childlike

'The LORD protects those of childlike faith.
I was facing death and he saved me.' Psalm 116:6

Kids these days are pretty streetwise, and many are much too cynical to believe in a Big Daddy in the sky that sends angels in times of distress.

So instead of angels we have teen pregnancies, abortions, suicide, matricide, patricide, fratricide, rape, prostitution, cyber bullying, sexting, childhood obesity, anorexia, childhood ritalin, childhood alcoholism, drug addiction, self harm, Columbine, and other things you will read about in the news next week. Great, isn't it?

My experience is that the words of the Psalmist are true. I was a kid once. God got me through it mostly unscathed. The damage I did manage to inflict on myself was my fault, not His, as sometimes I ignored the warning signs.

Land

'I will completely destroy the land and demolish her pride'
Ezekiel 33:28

So my choice at the supermarket today was onions from Hokkaido or carrots from Nagasaki. As I have not yet purchased my own personal geiger counter (a must have fashion item in Japan these days), I was unable to acertain which was less radioactive, so went with the carrots, as my daughter is not a big onion fan anyway.

Dystopia, thy name is Nippon. If you would have told me in 2001 that I would be worrying about radiation poisoning when shopping, I would have said you'd been reading too much science fiction... but yesterday when I purchased a drink at 50% off, I peeled back the sticker to find the kanji 東京　-Tokyo- had been conveniently hidden. I threw it away.

Yet all the while outside the sunlight on the river, the clear water where fish are swimming, the clear blue sky. Everything looks perfect. The most upsetting thing about radiation is you can't see it, smell it, taste it. It is invisible. Just like God.

Human

'human desire is never satisfied' Proverbs 27:20

Much has changed since the Bible was first written, but people have not.

Fleeting

' the fleeting pleasures of sin...' Hebrews 11:25

Christ

'When Christ came into the world...' Hebrews 10:5

Are you looking forward to Christmas? Or do you wish it was Dec 26th already?
Even here in Kyushu, Christmas is difficult to ignore- we already have a picture of AKB girls in Santa outfits trying to sell stuff for the local store.

But Jesus did not visit Earth to make money out of us. There was no glitter when He was born. Far from having a party, Joseph was in Bethlehem to sort out some goverment forms. (see Luke 2)

Back

'You will look back on all the ways you have defiled yourselves and will hate yourselves because of the evil you have done'. Ezekiel 20:43

I am not proud of what I have become. But if you are proud of who you are, do you really know thyself?

Destroyed

'they were finally destroyed by their sin' Psalm 103:46

Truly

'A truly good friend will openly correct you' Proverbs 27:5

A con man in Tokyo has been robbing my mother-in-law and her family blind for decades.

Destroyed

'the power of a life that cannot be destroyed' Hebrews 7:16

My computer keyboard is falling apart. My jaw feels like it is decaying never to be sound again. The world's economy is trending ever downward. But there are reasons to be cheerful: Jesus, though tortured to death, is now beyond the reach of his enemies. His resurrection power is infinite, and He wishes to share it with us.

Bruised

'they bruised his feet..' Psalm 105:18

So it has been 4 days since I last saw the dentist- how long should you trust a man when pain persists?

Perfect

'a perfect high priest' Hebrews 5:9

Priests are not perfect. Neither are Christians, but Jesus is.

Heart

'unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes...' Ezekiel 6:9

Guilty as charged.

Fear

'Son of man, do not fear them or their words.' Ezekiel 2:6

FDR almost got it right. Only thing we have to fear is God himself.

Angels

'it is not angels who will control the future world.' Hebrews 2:5

Why is the world so obsessed with ghost stories? Because supernatural evil really does exist. But it is not Almighty. The devil is merely an angel that rebelled. (see the Book of Jude)

Evil

'Hate evil' Hebrews 1:9

It is not often I go into the centre of a Japanese city and see a couple of witches. Then again it is All Hallows Eve tomorrow.

I'm almost certain the girls were more interested in a cute costume than contacting evil spirits. But I feel it important to remind you that despite what you may have read in fiction like Harry Potter- real witches are not cute- but diabolical.

Little

'Little children and tiny babies
are fainting and dying in the streets.' Lamentations 2:11

Sell St Pauls to the highest bidder. Then give the money to the poor in Somalia. There are plenty of other places for Christians to meet in London.

Punishment

'The LORD is a God who gives just punishment.' Jeremiah 51:56

I love chocolate. I just had root canal work. Seems fair really.

Souls decay too. Hell is soulache. Jesus can fix it but only if you ask Him in time.

Medicine

'Give her medicine.' Jeremiah 51:8

Thank God (and Alfred Einhorn) for Novocain.

Justice

'For the LORD is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice.' Psalm 98:9

Amen! Lord, have mercy.

Dog

'a dog returns to its vomit' Proverbs 26:11

Escape

'escape the devil's trap' 2 Timothy 2:26

Red Devils 1- City 6

For all of you who spend Sundays worshipping Man United or any other team instead of going to church- wake up!

Faithful

'If we are unfaithful,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny who he is.' 2 Timothy 2:13

Men cheat. Women lie. God does neither.

Wrath

'We live our lives beneath your wrath' Psalm 90:9

One of the central disagreements between Christians boils down to just how angry God is. We all need to be careful of making our conceptions of The Almighty fit what we want to hear.

Prison

'Jeremiah was put in the palace prison' Jeremiah 37:21

Jeremiah lost his freedom for telling the truth, and many Christians across the world today are waking up behind bars for the same reason, including between 10-15% of the Christians in North Korea.

Daughter

'our daughters' Jeremiah 35:8

There are many good things about Japanese and British cultures. But at a Japanese state school, my daughter is learning virtually nothing about England. Nearly 6 years of full time education here and she cannot speak English apart from what I myself have taught her in my own time. Multicultural education it is not. She seems to have picked up racism against Chinese people which she did not learn from me. The only good things- she is fluent in Japanese, and she seems to have many friends (all Japanese).

It is breaking my heart watching it happen. I feel she has been stolen from me. The simple British pleasure of strolling to the chip shop and sharing a meal- gone. My daughter hardly knows what fish and chips tastes like.

In appearance she will never pass as fully Japanese. And yet she is being taught virtually nothing about her true identity as British and Japanese. In fact the Government will make her choose one nationality when she comes of age- dual citizenship is not recognised here. The message is clear- assimilate or leave. It feels like cultural rape.

North and South.

'You created north and south' Psalm 89:12

If Google maps are correct, North Korea is north from here. Indonesia is south. Plus a whole lot of ocean of course. In Indonesia many Christians have been killed by radical Muslims- in North Korea many Christians have been killed by the regime.

Cheerful

'Singing cheerful songs to someone with a heavy heart
is like taking someone's coat in cold weather.' Proverbs 25:20

Teaching English in Japan sounds exotic, doesn't it? But the reality often is: you take a train so crowded you can barely stand let alone sit, to a kindergarden where dozens of ankle-biters attempt to climb all over you while you sing along to a tape of 'If you're happy and you know it clap your hands...' sung by people so manically happy you feel their mood has to be chemically enhanced. If you mildly slap a kid for shouting in your ear at the top of his voice you will henceforth be considered some kind of Nazi war criminal.

It's no wonder three years is the absolute maximum for most people.

Modest

'I would like for women to wear modest and sensible clothes.'
1 Timothy 2:9

Saint Paul is not popular with feminists. But despite slutwalks, this verse does not seem harsh to me. Women in China often are killed before they are born. But some women in the West seem to think their alleged right to wear exactly want they want, where they want and when they want is more important than the genocide of their sisters in other countries.

If you feel men should have no influence over what you wear, just imagine the boot on the other foot. Should men have the right to go out in the street naked if they feel like it?

Saint Paul is a voice of reason. There is a middle path between Jersey Shore and the hijab and it is called Christianity.

Late

'one day in late summer' Jeremiah 28:1

It may be half way through October but here in southern Japan it is still T shirt weather, at least today.

Saw two storks standing on two roofs. I was expecting them to flirt or squawk or fight or something, but nothing happened. It turns out storks don't squawk- they can't.

Animals

'..even the wild animals, under his control..' Jeremiah 27:6

Mrs Pigeon has a new clutch of eggs. I can't bring myself to smash them, even though I would really like a clean, pigeon-poop-free balcony...

And guess what? Those teen pigeons, all grown up now, never return to say thank-coo.

Messengers

'let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word.' Jeremiah 23:28

I'm not good enough to be a priest or a pastor. But I can tell you Every Word of the Bible is worth reading. Let God tell you stuff about your life that you didn't know yourself. Just read with an open mind.

Eternal

'He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgement on those who don't know God and those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with eternal destruction.' 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9

Fukushima is a walk in the park compared to Judgement Day.

Heart

'The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.' Jeremiah 17:9

Are you good? Or do you just think you are?

Wickedness

'Lord, we confess our wickedness
and that of our ancestors, too.
We have all sinned against you.' Jeremiah 14:20

I love England, and am proud to be English. Too much so, sometimes. Living in exile has made me much more patriotic than I used to be when I actually lived there and took everything for granted.

But we English need to accept that much of our wealth was gained from the exploitation of others through empire. And British culture today is far from perfect.

When I see rich countries like the UK, Western Europe, the US and Japan struggling while developing countries make great strides forward, part of me fears for the future. But part of me feels- isn't it their turn to get a piece of the pie? We have had it good for a long time, and instead of thanking God for it we thought it was cool to ignore Him.

Please

'Our purpose is to please God, not people.' 1 Thessalonians 2:4

Talking about Jesus or God's laws does not make you popular.

Shrines

'they angered God by building shrines to other gods.' Psalm 78:58

Shinto is hurting Japan.

Anger

'Now is the time to get rid of anger' Colossians 3:8

Jesus forgave his enemies. But I am still struggling with it.

Children

'Watch how the children gather wood and the fathers build sacrificial fires'
Jeremiah 7:18

Are we sacrificing our kids on the Altar of Technological Progress and Prosperity?

Land

''This is what the LORD says:
'The whole land will be ruined,
but I will not destroy it completely.' '' Jeremiah 4:27

Unclean

'she had made both herself and the land unclean by worshiping idols of stone and wood.'
Jeremiah 3:9

Get your updates about the Japan nuclear disaster from the Old Testament.

Womb

'I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb' Jeremiah 1:5

I admire left wing politicians who really care about the poor and the oppressed. But I cannot vote for them if they support killing unborn babies. Since when did standing up for the rights of ordinary men and women involve killing children?

I have been asked by my daughter's school to help with the neighborhood patrol today. But if we really care about kids, we have to ask- how many babies in this area never made it to school? Never got that chance? How many were killed not by some evil random stranger but by their own evil mothers?

Church

'..I harshly persecuted the church' Philippians 3:6

Saul saw the Light in the end.

Rest

'Take no rest, all you who pray to the LORD.' Isaiah 62:6

I don't pray enough. I am too easily distracted.

Living

'I could keep on living and doing something useful' Philippians 1:22

Is there a connection between Buddhism and the exceptionally high suicide rates here in Japan? I believe there is. People also say Japanese mental health services are underdeveloped- I say thank God kids aren't being chemically coshed for minor things like they are in the US. But there are far too many people without hope here.

The word 'hope' has become something of a joke after its use by politicians. But without it people perish. We need not to hope in smooth talkers, well paid jobs, good lovers, cute kids, considerate friends, or anything advertisers try to sell us. We need to hope in God, and allow him to choose the day of our death, for He knows best.

Devil

'Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.' Ephesians 6:11

Buddhist exorcisms are no good, because Buddhism itself is a Satanic deception. A girl died this week when a Japanese monk ended up drowning her.

Sacrifice

'[Christ] loved us, and offered himself as a sacrifice for us.' Ephesians 5:2

Lies

'Many enemies try to destroy me with lies' Psalm 69:4

Many in the media are no longer interested in the truth. Take ABC news today for example. Herman Cain wins an important GOP poll in Florida. Does that mean we get to hear what an Christian African-American man has to say for himself? No. ABC spent more camera time on a female reporter's legs than it did on Cain's words. Cain, in spite of WINNING the poll, was not allowed one word on ABC. SHAME ON YOU, ABC. And you call the Tea Party racist?

And take Japan's NHK. Last night they led with a Buddha Air crash in Nepal. One Japanese man is tragically presumed dead. Meanwhile millions of people in Fukushima are at risk of fatal cancer, but NHK reports about the dangers of travelling abroad. Is there a hidden agenda at work here?

White hair

'I will be your God throughout your lifetime-
until your hair is white with age.' Isaiah 46:4

3 months til Christmas. There's a job advert for Santas already.

Hollywood- stuck for a fresh Santa Christmas movie? The elves and the reindeer have been done to death. Next time I want to see 'Young Saint Nick' the true to life story of how a young guy in Demre, Turkey gets to be this old white haired altruist. There's an interesting arc there of how an ordinary man with problems like us becomes the saint who is famous worldwide and loved by children everywhere. Mel or somebody please, make the movie!

Run

'Let those who hate God run for their lives.' Psalm 68:1

Some North Americans come thousands of miles to Japan partly to get away from hometowns that are predominantly Christian. Imagine how batty it drives them to find Jesus people out here too...

Try Pluto lads. No Christians there that I know of... but be warned. There's nowhere in this universe you can escape God's presence.

Harvest

'May the nations praise you, O God.
Yes, may all the nations praise you.
Then the earth will yield its harvests
and God, our God, will richly bless us.' Psalm 67:5-6

Secularism rises, and the economy falters.

Grass

'..people are like the grass.
Their beauty fades as quickly
as the flowers in a field.' Isaiah 40:6

I will soon be 42. I think my body is past its sell-by date.

Rain

'You drench the plowed ground with rain,
melting the clods and leveling the ridges..' Psalm 65:10

Climate scientists need to remember God is the most important factor in the equation:

Society - God = Disaster

Truth

'Buy the truth' Proverbs 23:23

Bibles are not expensive and can be read for free online in many languages. Or try your local library or church.

Crooked

'They plot crooked schemes' Isaiah 32:7

Well done to the Japanese network that showed a Ken Loach movie last night. But I hope everyone who watched it is not naive enough to think that immigrants are only expoited in the UK. Tell that to the teachers working here in Japan that did not get paid for work done. Tell that to the families of the Chinese who died in Japanese factories. Tell that to Mexicans working in the US.

Dragons

'flying fiery dragons' Isaiah 30:6

There was a program on TV last night about ancient flying things that I was half watching- didn't hear the evolutionary biologists call them dragons though- they seem to prefer longer words.

Earth

'The earth suffers for the sins of its people,
for they have twisted God's instructions,
violated his laws,
and broken his everlasting covenant.' Isaiah 24:5

Filth

'Listen to the filth that comes from their mouths' Psalm 59:7

In todays tolerant age, you may well question my use of the word 'filth' to describe a Buddhist mantra. But I say to you- if a Buddhist chants twice a day, feels good about herself, but the poor in Africa go unfed and the homeless in Japan sleep on the streets for one more day, what good is that kind of religion?

As the current Pope so wisely said, that kind of religion is mere spiritual self-abuse. In this city, it is the Christians and the Communists that help those on the street- the Buddhists are too busy making a useless noise to lend a hand.

Poison

'Your words spread poison
like the bite of a cobra..' Psalm 58:4

If Buddhism is true why are 30,000 Japanese Buddhists killing themselves every year?

Distress

'I am weary from distress' Psalm 57:6

God really does care about our problems and He understands better than anyone.

Mountain

'Nothing harmful will take place
on the LORD's holy mountain.' Isaiah 11:9

Good news! There is a better place than our suffering and broken world.

Terror

'the terror of death assaults me' Psalm 55:4

Saved?

'Save me, God, by your power' Psalm 54:1

When bad things happen, governments and reasonable, well meaning people are not enough. We need a God who never makes mistakes.

Fools

''Only fools say in their hearts
'There is no God'
They are corrupt..'' Psalm 53:1

Why other people follow them I don't know, I guess they say things people want to hear. False prophets are often popular.

Kind

'...the gentleness and kindness of Christ.' 2 Corinthians 10:1

I'm no gentleman, but I know a Man who is.

Love

'Many waters cannot quench love,
nor can rivers drown it.' Song of Solomon 8:7

May God have mercy on the souls of the dead.

Experts

'experts at fighting' Song of Solomon 3:8

Rugby can be beautiful to watch when the ball is flying fast from hand to hand. But all too often it descends to a war of attrition.

Although I went to a comprehensive, we did play rugby at my high school. Darren, who had strength and speed, and was somewhat chunkier than my skinny teen self, seemed to run through me on more than one occasion...

At VI Form I took up table tennis and bridge.

If you are reading this Dazza, hope life is treating you well.

Wise

'My words are wise,
and my thoughts are filled with insight' Psalm 49:3

Skeptics often point to minor discrepancies in the Bible, but it's a bit like going to hear Beethoven's 5th and calling the piece rubbish because somebody coughed. Who do you trust, Jesus or A. N. Other who says it is all horse manure? Can Dr Other save you from the fires of hell?

Prosperity

'No one who sins
and rejects God
will prosper...' Ecclesiastes 8:13

Wind

'..people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbours. But this too is meaningless-like chasing the wind.'

Ecclesiastes 4:4

Wise?

'Wise or foolish, we all die, and are soon forgotten'. Ecclesiastes 2:16

Girls

' little girls to play with' Job 41:5

Back to school.

Sweltering

'sweltering in your clothes' Job 37:17

Summer is not over yet.

Preserves?

'the LORD preserves those with knowledge' Proverbs 22:12

Noda may be good at economics, but a few knee-jerk revisionist cliches does not a foreign policy make. Do yourself a favor, Mr Prime Minister, and read a history book before you go to Korea or China.

Heart

'my heart has lusted for what my eyes have seen' Job 31:7

Winds

'He decided how hard the winds should blow
and how much rain should fall.' Job 28:25

See

'God is always at work
though I never see him.' Job 23:9

Now, more than ever, is the time for Japan, and especially the people of Tohoku, to read the whole Book of Job.

Powerful?

'Who can tell God what to do?
He judges powerful rulers.' Job 21:22

Swollen

'my eyes are swollen' Job 17:7

My kid went to Osaka on holiday and came back with a black eye.

Victory

'Victory belongs to the LORD' Proverbs 21:31

We can try to plan carefully, but the many things outside our control mean God is always in charge, and should get the credit.

Flesh

'Didn`t you dress me in skin and flesh...?' Job 10:11

I have a lipoma, apparently.

Trouble

'those who plant seeds of evil harvest trouble.' Job 4:8

Rob Da Hood and his Dodgy Geezers were hiding on the Sherwood Estate from the Sheriff of Paddington.
-Oi, Rob- said Tuc the Social Worker. 'Are we gonna rob the rich this week?-
-Nah, mate, las time we trid dat i got an arra up me jaxie. Less rob the poor dis week, man-
-Er... is that cool?-
-Look, Marion ain gonna hang wid us if we ain got no dosh.
-ok, Sorted.

So they opened a tabacconists and sold lottery tickets.

Weary

'..in death the wicked cause no trouble,
and the weary are at rest.' Job 3:17

Incomplete

'Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete' I Corinthians 12:9

Anyone that tells you evolution is a 'fact' is just showing their own ignorance of epistemology.

Jesus

'Jesus is Lord' I Corinthians 12:3

This phrase has become such an evangelical cliche that I wonder if we really hear it anymore. Let me put it another way:

Jesus decides whether we breathe or not.

Darling

'Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.' Psalm 35:17

Being the father of a daughter is not easy.

Confrontation

'I confronted them...' Nehemiah 13:25

We are not essentially good. Teachers need the power to physically chastise. Children cannot be allowed to run schools.

Justice?

'When justice is done, good citizens are glad, and crooks are terrified.'
Proverbs 21:15

Only God is a perfect Judge.

Protection

'If you honor the LORD,
his angel will protect you.' Psalm 34:7

Fair

'God is always fair.' Proverbs 21:11

Frustrated

'the LORD frustrates the plans of the nations' Psalm 33:10

Was God invited to the London Olympics?

Passing

'this world as we know it is passing away.' I Corinthians 7:21

The rich get richer while the poor get poorer. But there is no need for violent direct action by the underclass. The corrupt rich will be first up against the wall when God's revolution comes.

City

'How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancesters are buried is in ruins...'
Nehemiah 2:3

Thief?

'Don't fool yourselves! No one who is immoral or worships idols or is unfaithful in marriage or is a pervert or behaves like a homosexual will share in God's kingdom.
Neither will any thief or greedy person or drunkard or anyone who curses and cheats others.' 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

God have mercy upon us.

Corruption

'the land is filled with corruption' Ezra 9:11

The perverse British police arrested a man recently for calling homosexuality a sin in public. The violent rioting spreading across the UK shows what happens when a society turns its back on God and HIS laws.

Ridiculed

'you are honoured, but we are ridiculed' 1 Corinthians 4:10

Called

'Few of you were wise in the world's eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise.'
1 Corinthians 1:18-19

Inheritance

'An inheritance obtained too early in life
is not a blessing in the end.' Proverbs 20:21

The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James is a wonderful but heart-breaking book.

Greetings

'Be sure to give each other a warm greeting.' Romans 16:16 (CEV)

Most older English translations have 'holy kiss' but I have never ever heard a sermon about such things...

Test

'God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him' 2 Chronicles 32:31

How many points would you get in a Bible quiz? What about a test on systematic theology? Don't worry. I am not going to test you.

However, there is Someone in Heaven who is grading us today on Faith and Practical Moral Living. Did you pass? I think I just flunked it again...

Bargain

'Everyone likes to brag about getting a bargain' Proverbs 20:14

Chosen

'the LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence' 2 Chronicles 29:11

RIP John Stott. (1921-2011)

Children

'The good or bad
that children do
Shows what they are like.' Proverbs 20:11

Hate

'Hate what is wrong.' Romans 12:9

It is not wrong to hate evil. It is wrong to hate Someone. Some of us have difficulty distinguishing the two.

Snare

'Let their bountiful table become a snare,
a trap that makes them think all is well' Romans 11:9

Everyone

'Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.' Romans 10:13

Drink

'Those led astray by drink cannot be wise' Proverbs 20:1

Nothing

'I am convinced that nothing can ever seperate us from God's love. Neither death nor life...' Romans 8:38

RIP Amy Winehouse (1983-2011)

Shield

'He is a shield for all who look to him for protection' Psalm 18:30

Slave

'You become the slave of whatever you choose to obey' Romans 6:16

Nice to see ECC's latest TV ad is promoting Christian values- albeit in the guise of trendy Native American spirituality.

Helpless

'When we were utterly helpless, Christ came just at the right time and died for us sinners.' Romans 5:6

Only Jesus can save us.

Cattle

'Shaphat son of Adlai was responsible for the cattle in the valleys.'
1 Chronicles 27:29

Our children's health and safety depends on the integrity and wisdom of men like these.

Everyone

'everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard' Romans 3:23

This is Protestantism 101.

Terrified

'Terrified by the drawn sword of the angel of the LORD' 1 Chronicles 21:30

Fear of hell in these liberal days is seen as neurotic. I see it as a sign of grace, and a dose of realism.

If only Hitler had been slightly more God fearing...

Secure

'a secure place' 1 Chronicles 17:9

Despite my efforts to discourage her, hidden away in a corner of the balcony is a nest. Mrs Pigeon and her two eggs appear to be doing fine.

Wicked

'The wicked think ''God isn't watching us!..'' ' Psalm 10:11

In Russia, the communists took on the church and lost. Why do the authorities in China think the result will be different?

Loyalties

'if David switches loyalties...' 1 Chronicles 12:19

Loyalty is very highly prized in Japan. Samurai often laid down their lives for their lords. So it seems ironic that many Japanese students seem to prefer to pay English teachers who talk smack about America and Britain, and who are willing to make compromises to be popular with the locals. I try not to be like that. And I am unemployed.

Having said that, living here for eleven years has made me realize that things were not as black and white during World War Two as they were sometimes painted in the UK when I was growing up. These days I feel little loyalty to the British government- I didn't vote for it, it doesn't represent my values. But I am never going to pretend to worship at a Shinto shrine just to fit in. Loyalty to a bad leader is a bad thing.

Flesh

'your own flesh and blood' 1 Chronicles 11:1

RIP Edith Gaythorpe born today in 1904. Sleep well Gran.

Kill

'kill me before these pagan Philistines come to taunt and torture me..'
I Chronicles 10:4

I think I understand how Saul feels. But suicide is not the right answer.

Weak

'Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak.' Psalm 6:2

父

'テコアの父'　(the father of Tekoa) 1 Chronicles 4:5

My own father hated the lists of names on some pages of the Bible. I can see why he thought it was boring to read, but what he perhaps failed to appreciate is each name is someone's life.

We don`t know what chariot he drove, or even if he had a chariot. We don`t know what kind of neighbourhood he lived in. We don`t know the kind of alcohol he liked, the clothes he wore, or any of the other things that advertisers say define us.

We do know his child's name.

Prison

'Because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.' Acts 24:27

There are still Christians unjustly imprisoned in many countries, including Pastor Vahik Abrahamian in Iran.

Sick?

'being cheerful helps when we are sick' Proverbs 18:14

Many women who go through labor have little sympathy when their menfolk complain of minor ailments. As my wife is a nurse, this lack of sympathy is only exacerbated as she is used to seeing serious illness on a daily basis. Sometimes it feels like I would need to be dead three days before she would even think of calling a doctor... and if you think I am exaggerating, let me say that when the time came for her to have our baby, she was so concerned about not troubling the hospital too early beforehand, in the end my daughter was born less than ten minutes after we arrived at the maternity ward by emergency ambulance... indeed she was nearly born IN the ambulance.

Nation

'every nation on earth will belong to you'. Psalm 2:8

I love America, even though I have never been there. I spent 2 years at university studying US literature. But it seems to me as an interested observer that the US is at a crossroads. It is no longer 'one nation under God'. There is serious division between those that acknowledge God's reign, and those who foolishly think that America made itself great without His help.

Die

'you are going to die...' 2 Kings 20:1

Immediately after Fukushima, I wanted to leave the country but my wife refused. So then I was trying to be very careful about the food I bought. But now I am resigned- I feel it is highly likely I will get cancer- it is impossible to check everything all the time. I will die - it is just a matter of when. Quite frankly I would rather not suffer 30 years of increasing incapacity anyhow. But God gets to choose, not me.

Planned

'I planned for you to crush fortified cities
into heaps of rubble.
That is why their people have so little power...' 2 Kings 19:26

Japan and the world needs to understand that although the technicians had no idea what was coming on March 11, God knew exactly what was going to go down. But get this- God isn't some kind of sadistic joker that enjoys death and destruction. He only allows terrible suffering when He knows it will bring far greater good. My mum was agnostic until she got cancer. She died knowing God loved her.

Secretly

'The people of Israel had also secretly done many things that were not pleasing to the LORD their God.' 2 Kings 17:9

We may seem respectable but God knows the truth.

Stand

'Who can stand the cold?' Psalm 147:17

31 degrees today. When I walked to the supermarket, my eyes were stinging as it was so hot my eyebrows failed to keep the sweat out of my eyes.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Glorious

'the glorious splendour of your majesty,
and on your wonderous works will I meditate.' Psalm 145:5

'Men will go further and pay more to see a tawdry picture on a canvas, a poor painted scene, than to behold the fairest or grandest scene that nature ever displays in their immediate vicinity...'

Thoreau, Journal.

Terrible

'I know the terrible things you will do...' 2 Kings 8:12

Thousands of years ago the leaders of Syria were not very nice, according to the Bible.
Not that much has changed.

Leprosy

'There were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city...' 2 Kings 7:3

Why should Japanese people listen to a social outcast like me talk about Jesus?


Because I am telling the truth. Only Jesus can save us from our sins.

Turn

'Turn to the living God, who made the sky, the sea, the earth and everything in them.'
Acts 14:15

It is high time Japan and the West stop thinking technology alone can save them.

Quarrel

'Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin' Proverbs 17:19

My college religious studies class was full of fierce debates about the nature of reality, God, and just about everything under the sun. My friend J loved the cut and thrust of intellectual argument- much as Socrates seemed to in the account by Plato which was one of our set texts. But although some people can find God through logical debate, most don't I find. Christianity has very strong grounds for faith in the historical evidence and in the experiences of millions worldwide. But as Cardinal Newman commented, we believe what we want to believe- and many simply just don't want the inconvenience of having to follow Christ, even though He is the Truth.

Descendants

'I will destroy every one of your male descendants.' I Kings 21:21

I have three children. Two are in heaven, praise God. Better there than here.

Daydreaming

'..surely [Baal] is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming or relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip..'
1 Kings 18:27

I love Elijah. A great prophet, he didn't give a flying fig for political correctness.

Sense

'You can't beat sense into a fool.' Proverbs 17:9

There are a lot of atheists out there that are busy creating a world of pain for themselves, hellbent on self-destruction.

God-Fearing

'a devout, God-fearing man' Acts 10:2

'the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom' Psalm 111:10

Satisfied

'I will satisfy its poor with food..' Psalm 132:15

Most Japanese bars are very expensive. Gone are the days when I could order a half of mild in Brum for around a quid...

Turn

'You must not marry them, for they will turn your hearts..' 1 Kings 11:2

In stressing equality legislation, feminists sometimes deliberately overlook the fact that all too often, women have a 'soft power' advantage over men. This is not to state that the oppression of women is ok-far from it. But when laws passed in the name of equality end up actually dominating and subjugating men, through for example the family court system, just who exactly is equal? Is it ok for a father to have his child aborted without his consent? Is it ok for women to criticise patriarchy but stay silent when matriarchy instead of equality is its replacement? Sisters, if matriachy is your true goal, please be gentlemanly enough to admit it.

Some fathers are getting a very raw deal, and no amount of cards and gifts of socks will bring true justice.

News

'The Good News about Jesus' Acts 8:35

We are all sinners, deserving of Hell. But Jesus died for you and me, to save us from eternal damnation.

Persecution

'a great wave of persecution began' Acts 8:1

If Christians aren`t being killed in Iraq, Egypt or N. Korea, they are being sacked in the US or Europe for no good reason. I can see why some are too scared to admit they wish to follow Jesus.

Everything

'I have made everything' Acts 7:50

God made every land and ocean, and every living creature, including the pigeons that seem to like making out on our balcony.

Foreign

'a foreign land' Acts 7:6

In a couple of weeks I will have been in this small corner of Japan eleven years- Sussex is the only place I have lived longer.

Small

'small creatures' 1 Kings 4:33

Beautiful butterflies like it when the grass is allowed to grow naturally along the riverside. Why does the city spend money cutting such natural habitat down?

Regulations

'decrees, commands, regulations...' 1 Kings 2:3

My local authority has about 8 pages on its website devoted to recyling, giving us precise instructions about how to handle various types of waste.

Witnesses

'God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!' Acts 3:15

Any lawyer will tell you how important an eyewitness is in determining the facts of a case.

Others

'others in the crowd ridiculed them...' Acts 2:13

People have been mocking the followers of Jesus for 2000 years. Meanwhile the church has grown by millions and spread worldwide. Atheists, will anyone remember your name 2000 years from now?

Pride

'Pride goes before destruction.' Proverbs 16:18

Many secularists are far too sophisticated to believe in Angels, or Heaven.

Dine

'Come and dine' John 21:12

Spicy food is somewhat unpopular in this household.

Evil

'Evil people won't obey you,
and so they have no hope
of being saved.' Psalm 119:155

Have mercy on us, Jesus.

Love

'In your faithful love, O LORD, hear my cry.' Psalm 119:149

Real love isn't about doing the right thing just when people are watching.

Barabbas

'We want Barabbas' John 18:40

We all make bad choices sometimes. It gets us nowhere.

Plans

'We can make our plans,
but the LORD determines our steps.' Proverbs 16:9

Eternal

'Our LORD, you are eternal' Psalm 119:89

Suffer

'While you are in the world, you will have to suffer...' John 16:33

Furious

'I become furious with the wicked,
because they reject your instructions.' Psalm 119:53

If an atheist mocked the Holy Name of God and the Bible, Mother Teresa would probably have smiled at him. I am not that holy- in fact it's probably fair to say I have major anger management problems.

But what hurts and angers me more than anything is that Japanese society, the media, my in-laws, the school, all have plans and expectations for my daughter, and none of them have anything to do with God. She is my daughter though, and until she is of an age to fully comprehend the issues for herself, I resent efforts to undermine what is best for her. I am hampered by the fact that traditionally here, fathers are expected to be breadwinners and leave the upbringing of children to women.

I do need to find more appropriate ways of expressing myself. Here on this blog, I can express myself in nuanced English. My Japanese remains a very blunt instrument.

Hope

'your regulations are my only hope' Psalm 119:43

We have seen where godless science leads to: Fukushima and Chernobyl.

Help

'Help me to understand the meaning of your commandments' Psalm 119:27

Catholics emphasize the authority of the church when talking about interpreting scripture. Protestants stress the individual conscience before God, balanced by the church. The recent mishap over the date of the End was down to a certain individual not listening to the wider church on the issue, just as Bush went into Iraq against the advice of his Methodist denomination.

It seems that Obama is only willing to listen to liberals on the issue of abortion, rather than the majority of evangelicals and catholics. I think that is a mistake. There is no need to parse 'do not murder' (Exodus 20:13 CEV) so that the unborn are not included.

Long

'a long war...' 2 Samuel 3:1

When will the violence in Libya end?

Judgement

''Jesus shouted to the crowds'...all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgement by the truth I have spoken'. '' John 12:44,47

So, as 99% of Christians correctly foresaw, the world did not end yesterday. But this is no time for the media to be mocking- as end it will, and soon. WE WON'T KNOW THE DAY OR THE HOUR.

Soil

'Must I die on foreign soil...?' 1 Samuel 26:20

Folly

'Folly delights a man who lacks judgement' Proverbs 15:21

Blind

'why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?' John 9:2

Why are some people atheists, when God so clearly exists in everything He has created?

Rain

'the LORD sent thunder and rain' 1 Samuel 12:18

Intense rain here recently.

Silenced

'everyone who is wicked will be silenced.' Psalm 107:42

God bless Rick Sanctorum and his family.

Work

'Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent." John 6:29

God doesn`t need our help.

Better to be unemployed with Jesus than to be a CEO or Prime Minister without Him.

Wild

'In the wilderness their desires ran wild' Psalm 106:14

Begging

'begging for money' 1 Samuel 2:36

George Mueller never asked for money, it is said.

Honest

'An honest witness can save your life, but liars can`t be trusted.' Proverbs 14:25

I read the Bible, I pray, I go to church, but I still fail to lead a good moral life. My only hope of heaven is the forgiveness of God in Jesus Christ. But if you wait to meet a perfect Christian before you will pick up a Bible you may leave it too late.

Kill

'There are some short-tempered men around here who might get angry and kill you and your family' Judges 18:25

Osama`s death is not a great victory for the US. When the last Muslim throws his book of hate in the trash, of his own volition, that will be victory.

Wife

'Samson took a young goat as a present to his wife.' Judges 15:1

Samson's wife really got his goat.

Of God.

'To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.' John 1:12

There is something better than being famous or rich or royal or of a certain nationality- being a child of God.

Love

'The LORD is good.
His unfailing love continues forever.' Psalm 100:5

No one

'Each heart knows its own bitterness
and no one else can fully share its joy.' Proverbs 14:10

King

'The LORD is King' Psalm 97:1

The universe is not a democracy.

Nations

'O nations of the world, recognize the LORD' Psalm 96:7

Although Japan claims that its schools are secular, I beg to differ. There is a religion taught: Japanolatry.

She

'She brought him yogurt. Then with her left hand she reached for a tent peg...'
Judges 5:25-6

My mother tried to warn me about women like Jael.

Mightier

'Mightier than the violent raging of the seas,
mightier than the breakers on the shore-
The LORD above is mightier than these!' Psalm 93:4

'The passion of love
bursting into flame
is more powerful than death,
stronger than the grave.' Song of Songs 8:6

Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed.

Lamb

'the Passover lamb is sacrificed.' Luke 22:7

To truly understand what the death of Jesus means, you need to understand the Jewish festival of Passover. And the concept of substitutionary atonement.

But long words aren't needed. If you owe someone ten million yen, but God pays the debt for you, wouldn't you be just a little grateful?

All

'all will die' Psalm 89:48

主

"力ある者、神、主"

ヨシュア　22:22

Children

'Children of God and children of the resurrection' Luke 20:36

What?

'Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God.' Luke 20:25

My child's soul does not now, has never, and will never belong to the state.

Shall...?

'Shall the dead arise and praise Thee?' Psalm 88:10 (21st KJV)

Is it really so difficult to believe that God Almighty is just a tad more technically advanced than we are in matters of bioengineering?

Happy Easter, to you and yours.

Jerusalem

'Jesus was getting closer to Jerusalem...' Luke 19:11

If Jesus had gone to Japan, instead of Jerusalem, what would have happened?

Pride

'Pride leads to conflict' Proverbs 13:10

Why are there so many Christian denominations?

Flood

'Everybody kept on eating and drinking, and men and women married, up to the very day Noah went into the boat and the flood came and killed them all.' Luke 17:27

Cursed

'May you be cursed' Joshua 9:22

I said something I shouldn`t have yesterday. But thankfully I didn`t get a 100,000 dollar fine. Political correctness in the west is getting way out of control.

Achan

'It`s true' Achan answered. ' I sinned and disobeyed the LORD God...' Joshua 7:20

Wise

'A wise son heeds his father's instruction' Proverbs 13:1

We are all children of God.

Cook

'Anyone too lazy to cook will starve' Proverbs 12:27

I had 2 pot noodles this weekend, and now I feel totally crap. I really do believe there is a connection between the pot noodle industry here and the high suicide rate. Most doctors will tell you there is a link between diet and depression.

Armed

'..strong warriors, fully armed' Joshua 1:14

I feel like I am fighting with one hand tied behind my back.

Encouraging

'an encouraging word cheers a person up' Proverbs 12:25

Pop band BarlowGirl has many encouraging words...

Without

'without sense' Deuteronomy 32:28

Quite a few of us make fools of ourselves in springtime, I think. At least, I`m sure it`s not just me.

Angels

'a band of destroying angels' Psalm 78:49

I think the modern world has got angels all wrong. Where in the Bible does it say they are cute?

Indescribable

'indescribable plagues' Deuteronomy 28:59

There is something wrong with my throat.

Temptation

'don`t let us yield to temptation.' Luke 11:4

Rome wasn`t built in a day.

Drafted?

'drafted into the army...' Deuteronomy 24:5

Kept passing a church on the outskirts of the city centre. Finally went today, and lo, they are Japanese Salvationists. Kind people. Brings tears to the eyes of an sinful Eastender like me. The town where I went to high school, Worthing, is also famous for throwing seriously unpleasant stuff at these guys.

Boundaries

'You set the boundaries of the earth' Psalm 74:14

Follow

'you are to follow only GOD' Deuteronomy 13:4

If you are a member of SGI I strongly advise you to get the hell out before it is too late.

Children

'your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the LORD your God' Deut 11:2

My child starts 4th grade soon. At the moment Christianity is not important to her. I was the same at her age. Although my grandmother was an Anglican, each generation needs to experience God for themselves. The secular Japanese education system, following the US, chooses not to emphasize this, but ultimately there is nothing anyone can do to keep God out of the classroom. Holidays here may ignore Easter, but Jesus cannot be put back into the Tomb- He is Alive forever, and He finds His own way into the hearts of those He chooses.

Seed

'The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so they may not believe and be saved.' Luke 8:11-12

wild

'the wild animals would multiply' Deuteronomy 7:22

Saw two drakes fighting over a female today.

Solid

Jesus said: 'I will show you what it is like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm.' Luke 6:47-8

Sorrow

'What sorrow awaits you who laugh now' Luke 6:25

For those who mock radiation concerns as scaremongering, let me quote the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize recipients, the Physicians for Social Responsibility. They state: 'According to the National Academy of Sciences, there are no safe levels of radiation. Decades of research show clearly that any dose of radiation increases an individual's risk for the development of cancer.'

Since when did government officials all have degrees in nuclear physics?

Hoard

'People curse the one who hoards grain' Proverbs 11:26

I did buy a few extra tins of sweetcorn. But I am really not sure what to do now regarding fresh veg.

Harrassed

'they will harrass you' Numbers 33:55

Afraid

'everyone will be afraid;
they will proclaim the mighty acts of God.' Psalm 64:9

Radiation has finally reached the part of Japan where we live. I am sure an 'expert' will tell us it is perfectly safe: I seem to remember they said that about tobacco for decades before they finally admitted how much harm it does.

Heal

'Physician, heal yourself' Luke 4:23

Pursue

'whoever pursues evil finds death' Proverbs 11:19

The more godless scientists pursue their technological dreams without regard for the Lord of the Universe, the more our children are going to suffer. We need to claim our future back.

Desert

'In the desert
someone is shouting
"Get the road ready
for the LORD!" ' Luke 3:4

Child

'the child grew and became strong...' Luke 2:40

We all want our children to be healthy.

Room

'no guest room available' Luke 2:7

Jesus was homeless too.

Peace

'God`s love and kindness
will shine upon us
like the sun that rises
in the sky. On us who live
in the dark shadow
of death
this light will shine
to guide us
into a life of peace.' Luke 1:78-79

It seems things will get worse. But God has not abandoned Japan. He wants to help us, if we will let Him. Please let Him. Read the Bible. Visit a church. Ask Jesus to guide you.

Protection

'Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
I look to you for protection.' Psalm 57:1

I have no faith at all in scientists who think in their hubris that they do not need God`s help.

Only God can protect us now.

Truth

'you can be certain of the truth' Luke 1:4

So much has happened in Northern Japan recently it is difficult to know the whole story. One thing we can be sure of: God`s words in the Bible.

Everything

'Everything is falling apart' Psalm 55:11

May God have mercy on the souls of the dead, and on those who decided to build nuclear reactors in a known earthquake zone.

Crime?

'What crime has he committed?' Mark 15:14

Japanese politics is very confusing.

Human

'God looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
if anyone seeks God.
But no, all have turned away,
all have become corrupt.' Psalm 53:2-3

Exploring

'exploring the land for forty days' Numbers 13:25

"No place of grace for those who deny the face
No time to rejoice for those who walk among noise and deny the voice"

Ash Wednesday, T.S. Eliot.

Advice

'The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice,
but the tongue that deceives will be cut off'. Proverbs 10:31

A preacher in the US has predicted the world will end in October 2011. However, as he also predicted it in 1994, I do not think we can trust him.

However, to dismiss all talk of the end and the return of Christ is extremely unwise. Read the Book of Revelation for yourself if you are curious to know what will happen in the future.

It is futile to spend time and energy planning for your retirement without seriously considering the future of your soul too. If most of the pundits on TV scorn such things, ask yourself- how many commentators predicted civil war in Libya this year?

Shave

'They must wait for seven days then shave their heads. Then they will be cleansed from their defilement.' Numbers 6:9

Important

Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Listen O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: Love your neighbour as yourself.'" Mark 12:29

If you have never disobeyed either of these then you are going to heaven. I am not that perfect myself.

Boys

'Men and boys...' Numbers 3:14

When I was a wee laddie, I used to enjoy Kipling`s stories.

Are you able..?

'Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?'
Mark 10:38

There are a lot of non-religious guys quite prepared to boast about the amount of alcohol they can drink.

But they aren't man enough to handle crucifixion juice.

Permanent

'This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation..' Leviticus 24:3

Men pass unjust laws, but they do not last.

Holy

'be holy...' Leviticus 19:1

My life as a Christian has been one long failure in this regard. If I was holy I wouldn't need Jesus.

Sex

'Don't have sex with another man's wife--that would make you unclean...It is disgusting for a man to have sex with another man.' Leviticus 18:20-22 (CEV)

Probably THE most controversial verses in God's Word these days.

Israel

'the people of Israel...' Leviticus 15:1

'Fiddler on the Roof' is one of my favourite movies.

Punishment

'my punishment is from you' Psalm 39:9

Rich

'It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich' Psalm 37:16

The best paying job I have ever had in Japan, for an large eikaiwa that shall remain nameless, (it has shut, thank God), involved me attempting to seduce young impressionable Japanese into parting with huge amounts of cash for an English course that provided dubious results. I left before the year was up because I couldn`t stand it.

Prospering?

'Don`t worry about evil people who prosper' Psalm 37:7

Right-wingers tend to emphasize that 'hard workers get rich' (Proverbs 10:4) and sometimes ignore that the Bible makes it clear that not everyone prospers through virtue. It`s also true that hard work is not rewarded equitably: Teachers usually earn less than professional baseball players, and homemakers earn nothing.

Authority

'the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.' Mark 2:10

Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Trap

'I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.' Psalm 35:7

One of the wisest Japanese teachers I ever had, an old guy that worked for free as a volunteer, once quoted Mother Teresa:

Although Japan is one of the richest countries in the world, spiritually it is one of the poorest.

Maybe losing ground economically to China will be good for its soul. Let's hope so. And lest I be accused of racism, I want to make clear that Teresa of Calcutta was talking about the US and Britain too.

Brokenhearted

'The LORD is close to the brokenhearted' Psalm 34:18

Gall

'wine mixed with bitter gall' Matthew 27:34

The liberals that run Britain are trying to force churches to accept homosexual weddings.

Army

'The best-equipped army cannot save a king' Psalm 33:16

While I would like to see freedom and peace in Egypt, it seems we are not there yet.

AWESOME GOD

Love

'the unfailing love of the LORD fills the earth.' Psalm 33:5

There really is no good reason to be an atheist.

Spit

'They began to spit in Jesus' face..' Matthew 26:67

Watching a film about post-war occupied Tokyo, a unexploded bomb is dressed up in Christmas lights, and just before killing a foreign soldier who has raped her, a woman cries 'Merry Christmas'. Given the history of this country I can understand some of the anger but let me say this:

Jesus never killed anyone. He never raped anyone either.

Fed

'I was hungry and you fed me...' Matthew 25:35

To all those involved in growing and producing food, and delivering it to us, a big thankyou. Thanks to you all, my daughter gets shepherd`s pie for tea. At least it would be shepherd`s pie, but I`m using Chinese and Japanese vegetables, so maybe I should call it East Asian shepherd`s pie. Or French sounds posher, so perhaps 'Hachis Parmentier du Japon'.

Kept

'You kept me from falling into the pit of death.' Psalm 30:3

With God, there are no negative side effects.

You know..?

'You know what it is like to be a foreigner...' Exodus 23:9

So I lost my temper again today. I'm not proud of it, but I met this old lady who had draped her dog in the US flag... this in a country which has had peace, prosperity and democracy for the last 65 or so years partly due to US soldiers being willing to lay down their lives in its defence.

Wait

'Wait patiently for the Lord' Psalm 27:14

I'm not a patient man. What is clear though is that if I wait for politicians to improve my human rights I will wait a long time.

Felt

'Jesus felt sorry for them...' Matthew 20:33

Jesus feels compassion for us. Drug companies make a lot of money.

Idols

'do not worship idols' Psalm 24:4

Most of us are somewhat guilty of idolizing our home nation. Thank God there are still teachers in Japan who are willing to sit down for what they believe.

LORD

'My name is the LORD' Exodus 6:2

Whether it is riots all across the Arab world, car sales or the lack of them, or volcanos, God is in charge, and always will be.

Blame

'Your own people are to blame!' Exodus 5:16

It is very hard for a racist to admit that the problems of the world don't start with foreigners.

Why?

'Why couldn`t we cast out that demon?' Matthew 17:19

As I feared, on the drugs I seem to have even less impulse-control than I do normally. But it's early yet.

However, this is the problem with modern day attitudes to evil. Society these days laughs at the idea of a literal Satan in a red cape and horns- rightly so- the real Devil is far more subtle. If we go up against inner demons armed only with a few pills and a trendy theory, however interesting, by Jung or whoever- all too often we fail.

Part of my frustration with Japanese society is that even though Buddhist teaching talks about a real demon called Mara, many Japanese are far more comfortable with modern liberal ideas about the innate goodness of everyone. A child was stabbed this week- NHK news chose to lead with less distressing stories. How can we begin to fix the problem if we try to pretend there isn`t one?

Bitter

'they made their lives bitter...' Exodus 1:14

I`m now on sedatives. I would like to draw your attention to the work of Dr Clare Xanthos at Morehouse school of Medicine. She writes: 'the interplay between racial minority status stress, racism induced stress and racial bias in diagnosis may be significant factors influencing the high Black incidence rate of schizophrenia in the UK.' (Racializing Mental Illness 2008) She quotes a wide range of similar reports to justify her conclusions.

Ravenous

'...a ravenous wolf' Genesis 49:27

Pure

'reverence for the LORD is pure,
lasting forever.' Psalm 19:9

Unlike TV.

Not

'it was God who sent me here, not you!' Genesis 45:8

What atheists don't understand is that even when they rebel against God and do the opposite of what the Bible teaches, they are still doing what God has planned.

Humiliate

'you humiliate the proud' Psalm 18:27

After 10 years in Japan, a C at level one of the kanji game

Love

'Don`t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.' Proverbs 4:6

Soon be Valentines Day again...

Justice

'O LORD, hear my plea for justice.' Psalm 17:1

Evangelical Christians in the UK have been predicting for quite some time a season during which it would be illegal to practise Christianity in Britain. With this weeks court ruling it seems more than ever that that time has arrived.

Words

'you must give an account on judgement day for every idle word you speak' Matthew 12:36

God have mercy upon me, a sinner.

Idols

'Jacob told everyone in his household, "Get rid of all your pagan idols.." '
Genesis 35:2

We have a Buddhist altar in this flat, which brings a curse on the whole family. (Deut. 11:28) But it is not the only thing we need to get rid of.

Stayed

'Jacob stayed where he was...' Genesis 32:13

Momentous times for English Christianity. 3 former Anglican bishops became Catholic priests this weekend. That`s a bit like a Japanese Buddhist leader agreeing to take orders from Tibet.

Cold

'cold and sleepless nights...' Genesis 31:40

I could go back to the shrink for sleeping pills, but it's expensive and I don`t really want to.

Agreement?

'I have fulfilled my agreement' Genesis 29:21

We have been paying for a phone that did not function properly, I have lost work and customers as a result, and now AU want us to pay for the repairs to the service they failed to provide?? I jolly well want a refund!

***

Since I wrote this AU have sent me a new download. Not sure yet whether the problem is totally fixed.

Godless

'the godless nations will vanish' Psalm 10:16

Watched a film adaptation of a classic Japanese novel yesterday, Hizakurige. There`s a great scene where the heroine hides in a cupboard with a buddhist statue, then finds she`s locked in. She has to destroy the idol to smash her way free.

I see this as a parable for Japan now. Although we can criticise individual politicians or political/economic philosophies for the current problems, ultimately the problem lies deeper. Buddhism never could, never will, and cannot now save the Japanese.

Heard?

'heard their answer....' Genesis 24:52

Is there something wrong with my mobile phone..?

She

'She died..' Genesis 23:2

Daphne Cynthia Clark (4th June 1937- 10th January 1990)

Rest in peace, Mum.

Sleep

'Go and sleep with my servant...' Genesis 16:2

Abram can`t win. He does what his wife asks and she is still angry with him. But unlike some legends about saints and buddhas, at least we recognise this as a real flesh and blood marriage.

Footstool

'the earth is God`s footstool..' Matthew 5:35

A long time ago in Japan, people suspected of being Christians were asked to put their feet on a crucifix, and if they refused they were often tortured to death.

Still today, many both in Japan and elsewhere mock the idea of a Omnipotent God. Good luck with that.

Flattery

'Their tongues are filled with flattery.' Psalm 5:9

Quite a few British women are converting to Islam, God help them. I can well understand their disillusionment with western secularism, but to prefer Mohammed to Jesus is very misguided.

Looked

'the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious..' Genesis 3:6

'I can resist everything except temptation' Oscar Wilde.

Birds

'Then God said, "Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind." Genesis 1:20

On the first morning of 2011, a Japanese wagtail. Happy New Year everyone!