The promises of God never fail....

 

As Rachel and I walked to church tonight, we were stopped in our tracks by a double rainbow across the stree from the church. This picture will never do justice to the beauty of the rainbow. But it reminded me today that God's promises will never fail. The rainbow was a sign to Noah that God would never again flood the whole earth. God will never break His promises. Whether they be that His word will not return void, or that He wishes that none will perish, or that when we call upon the elders to pray for the sick they will be healed....God will never break His promises. He had promised to never leave us or forsake us. That is true today and forever both here in Taiwan and in the United States and everywhere in the world! What an awesome God we serve!

Ghosts and WWJD?

Do you believe in Ghosts??? I'm not really sure that I don't. Well, maybe I don't believe in ghosts, but I believe in a powerful enemy that has the ability to manifest himself however he wishes. And this is increased when people open their hearts to him and invite him to take a seat at their tables.

This month is the "ghost festival" where the Taiwanese believe that the spirits, ghosts, and the spirits of their ancestors are free to roam the earth. Appeasing the spirits and ghosts during this month is highly important. Today is the 15 of the month (according to the Chinese calendar) which is a very important day. From what I understand, this is the day set aside to worship your ancestors and appease the spirits. As I walked the streets of Ximen today, I watched as many people prayed, burned incense and offered up food and other things on makeshift alters. The smell was overwhelming. On every side people were burning the incense. But more than that, the feeling of sadness for these people that are wasting their time, money and worship with something that will never benefit them. I ached for their souls that will themselves burn in an eternal hell unless they turn from their idols to the True and Living God.

As I walked the streets of Ximen today these words came to me and I wrote them down as I traveled to work on the MRT.

"What if Jesus had come to the Far East instead of the Middle East? What if Jesus had spoken Mandarin instead of Hebrew? What if Jesus had walked the streets of Ximen instead of the streets of Judea? What would He have done differently if He were here now instead of 2000 years ago?

I bet He would have still healed the sick, given sight to the blind and made the lame walk. Maybe He would have even raised the dead. Would He have fed the multitudes hanging out at Movie Park or walked across the mucky river and purified it's waters? But what I want to know is "What I am supposed to do?"

Would He have given money to the "poor Filipino man?" who begs at our street corner? Would he sit and eat with James who has no legs and begs at the MRT every day? What would He do when walking past the temples and alters? How would He respond to Ghost Month and all of it's celebrations? Would He yell and overturn their tables and tell them of the One True Living God? Would He ache for their lostness and pray for their salvation? What Would Jesus Do?

How would He interact with his pagan co-workers? How would He feel about their charms that they wear to keep them safe? Would he still say, "Let the little children come to me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," if they have already taken part in so many of the festivals and sacrifices to pagan gods?

What would Jesus do in Taipei? What would Jesus preach in Ximen? How would Jesus act in Taiwan? What What Jesus Do?

Would He give them "a light"?
Would he go hang out with friends at a night club?
Would He drink a beer?
Would He allow His co-workers to swear and talk about porn in His presence?
Would He cringe at the incense?
Would He tear down the icons and charms?
Would He cry at their pain and laugh when they laugh?
Would He take the MRT and sit where they sat?
Would the food make Him gag?
Would He choke at the smell of Stinky Tofu?
Would the filth make Him sad?
Would He dance with the youth?
Would He sit with the old?
Would He make friends with the outcasts?
Would He shout from the corners of the street..."I LOVE YOU! I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE!!!!"

WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?????

For I am the hands of a King. I have the feet of the Savior. His Spirit indwells within me. Jesus may have come to Bethlehem 2000 years ago. But I, His servant, His hands and feet, have come to Ximen now. WWDJ is no longer just a bracelet to wear, it is a calling to live a life that is worthy of wearing His Name as my sending agency.

What would Jesus do? Its a calling!

EnVision Promotion!

This coming January, the Alliance is hosting what they are calling the Alliance version of Urbana here in Taipei, Taiwan. All expenses except for flights are covered for only $475. I would love to see any of you come out here this coming January!

For those of you that can not come out this coming January, I ask that you continue to pray that God will use this conference to reach out to the people here in Taipei as well as to call young people to missions, and maybe even to Taiwan. Check out their website at:

http://www.alliance-youth.com/envision/

On another note, please be praying that God will be using a "One Thing" Conference that is going on this week! Hopefully I will be able to attend some of the evening sessions and worship services! Pray for an awakening of the heart here in Taiwan. The darkness is great, but God's light shines brightly in the darkest places. Pray that the Taiwanese hearts will be softened to the Word of God.

Where is the joy in their eyes?

I really like riding the MRT (subway system here in Taipei). A lot of the other team members would think I'm crazy for saying this because it is all underground. Part of the reason I like to ride it over the bus is because it is easy, has signs in English and is reliable! But the main reason I like to ride on the MRT is because I can see people better. Most of the time, you have to stand, which provides a better view of people.

And of their eyes.

I like to look into their eyes. I like to imagine that I can hear what they are thinking or feeling at the moment. I've always enjoyed looking into people's eyes, but never so much as today. Maybe enjoy is too strong of a word. I'm not sure I "enjoyed" it today. Because what I saw today was a lack of joy. Not a lack of happiness. There is plenty of that to go around here! But a lack of joy. There is something missing in the eyes of those around me. I've made some friends here who are Christians. One Christian friend in particular stands out to me. Her name is Sweety. She is 30 years old, but I'm pretty sure we will be good friends by the end of this year! Her eyes don't reflect a lack of joy, but rather of immense joy and peace. Even when she is going through a hard time, that same look is in her eyes. And I would imagine, that even when she is crying and hurting, deep inside of her eyes you can still find peace and joy.


This is a picture of Sweety and my team mate Sharon. Can you see the joy in her eyes?

When I looked into the eyes of those on the train with me today, I didn't see any joy in any of their eyes. I actually saw sadness, a sense of meaningless, a sense of having to go to work in order to make ends meet, not a sense of purpose. I saw this same look in young and old alike. There was one person who had some joy in her eyes, but she was only about 4.

What do I do with all of these millions of people that come across my radar? My prayer is two-fold. One, that the love of God will pour out of my own eyes. That they will see something, even in just my eyes, that will make them crave what I have. We saw last night in our Bible study, that we are supposed to live in such a way that our lives are causing the gospel to be attractive to others. And two, that as I continue to ride the MRT every day, that I will have the eyes of Jesus. Not just so that people will see Jesus in me, but also that I will see people the way that Jesus sees them. That I will have a deep sense of love for these people, and that I will go out of my way to show them the love of the Savior. I love Brandon Heath's new song "Give Me Your Eyes"

Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
All those people going somewhere,
Why have I never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work
He's buying time
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

I've Been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all along

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

Picasa Web Albums!!!!

Hey Gang,
I hope you enjoyed watching my testimony on how I got to Taiwan! Here are some links to some Picasa web albums. I will try to keep this updated on any new albums that me and my team members put up! Enjoy!!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/ximen.taiwan/ChengKaiShek?authkey=Gv1sRgCI_Oov3TxIWIxgE#

http://picasaweb.google.com/ximen.taiwan/FirstWeekInTaiwan?authkey=Gv1sRgCMvM9dDL5OmntwE#

http://picasaweb.google.com/ximen.taiwan/FirstWeekInTaipei?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ2M__C44oahjgE#"

http://picasaweb.google.com/ximen.taiwan/LAAndJourneyToTaiwan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKW7p5GT_PWJwwE#

My Testimony on how I got to Taiwan! :)

Taiwan sights and adventures!

My first few days in LA for training and in Taipei!

We got to drive down Rodeo Blvd. and see Holly Wood from a distance! So cool!

I felt like I was in a movie!

Heading to The Groove to hang out in LA for the evening. My team leader Jamie O'dell on the left, and Melissa Olson from the national office who came out for our training.



Kenji came from Taiwan to see America and hang out with us during our training.


Our fearless team leader Chris O'dell.


My teammate Rachel and I pointing to Taiwan on the wing of our "guardian angel" :)


Our first sightings of Japan. It was too dark to take a picture of our first sighting of Taiwan.


The Red Theater. This is the location that the En-Vision conference will be held in January. We are praying for over 300 Taiwanese students to attend! A time of worship and teaching.


A few images from the city of Taipei!





Chris showing us where they envision a church being in the future.


One of the temples in the area. We were able to go into one, but didn't take pictures inside. The darkness here is very real.


More pictures will follow! I just thought that you would like to be able to see some of the sights that I've seen over the last few days. Keep those prayers coming!