tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49099479101004274102024-03-14T00:11:13.557-05:00bramer's blogblessings, bloopers and bible from bramerAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-25841508483106614072015-03-11T10:40:00.002-05:002015-03-11T10:40:29.724-05:00Last day in Rome - the Catacombs!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPxu_W-hFzUkCY2NJZLIed06jSPC4-7xxaVgKVjv0nSMwk-97Jzpf82DljY0jUa6Q_hm6uqPFPgaGOTiDZ8cHyYVA6WI29rhPOzQqo84XBKvdTTnCQ9rtcS4kYkoSSiQYzhc5KDlDlpQ/s1600/IMG_7503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPxu_W-hFzUkCY2NJZLIed06jSPC4-7xxaVgKVjv0nSMwk-97Jzpf82DljY0jUa6Q_hm6uqPFPgaGOTiDZ8cHyYVA6WI29rhPOzQqo84XBKvdTTnCQ9rtcS4kYkoSSiQYzhc5KDlDlpQ/s1600/IMG_7503.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">On my last day in Rome on this, my first trip to Rome, I planned on visiting the catacombs. I understand while there are many catacombs, there are about 7 that are open to the public and each of these contains 5-11 miles on tunnels and hundreds of thousands of graves. These were used in a small way even before </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjnSMKLSbSLCN1tY12CDvLWakzNC1a_c7yT0bSxFI6fsFUHpwyNRfFgFcbNG_UL3AlY6lcwPLPL4i_HdxPV20OiO_EUUQfwQ3AhdRhzdPd72QcV4F_CyYCJXmumYItGCcrL0ARg3aZ8w/s1600/IMG_7487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjnSMKLSbSLCN1tY12CDvLWakzNC1a_c7yT0bSxFI6fsFUHpwyNRfFgFcbNG_UL3AlY6lcwPLPL4i_HdxPV20OiO_EUUQfwQ3AhdRhzdPd72QcV4F_CyYCJXmumYItGCcrL0ARg3aZ8w/s1600/IMG_7487.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">the Christians began to make constant use of them. Christians never lived in these tunnels but since they were forbidden to bury their dead in the city of Rome they looked for places to bury believers in belief of the bodily resurrection. Romans usually practices cremation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghj9EmxeDuJqSz44SfpAsTPiQ4AYIWYSCLDP0aUk1B02VQvBKDf552lzJ9eF6B_vYK4cxgvZrt4Bpfv2RhdHOXyDo06Fu0HIDgIkHgXfoeUFWotVMhVkhkCRXWAjsaWe3q273vflbrl0/s1600/IMG_7486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghj9EmxeDuJqSz44SfpAsTPiQ4AYIWYSCLDP0aUk1B02VQvBKDf552lzJ9eF6B_vYK4cxgvZrt4Bpfv2RhdHOXyDo06Fu0HIDgIkHgXfoeUFWotVMhVkhkCRXWAjsaWe3q273vflbrl0/s1600/IMG_7486.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">However, the particular catacomb I was planning on visiting is closed on Wednesday (I discovered this the night before as I was doing my research) and so I had to choose another one or two!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So at 10 am as the Catacomb of Saint Sebastiano opened this morning I was there having taken a subway train and then a bus to the outskirts of Rome (then and even today). I was able to immediately join an English speaking student group from North Carolina for the tour. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vWzlgwOVs_etfj6KQvkbKzO9dzHebSOHIOFu0P72VbSEN05lmjVwAoHPTk_7CvTjXQ6gkG1QhoyMWPHaR-AImqOILDnjagVXu0Y8I7hNcfTGACkdUkb2wapB9p3jYSyxwuR-CBa-YuU/s1600/IMG_7491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vWzlgwOVs_etfj6KQvkbKzO9dzHebSOHIOFu0P72VbSEN05lmjVwAoHPTk_7CvTjXQ6gkG1QhoyMWPHaR-AImqOILDnjagVXu0Y8I7hNcfTGACkdUkb2wapB9p3jYSyxwuR-CBa-YuU/s1600/IMG_7491.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steps heading down to the next underground level</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You MUST believe me when I say that since I was the last to join this group I had not heard the guide ask for "no photos" nor had a chance to view the "no photo" sign. And so, since the guide asked me to remain last in line and make sure no "sheep" wandered down so corridor or staircase (these catacombs are miles of tunnels on 3-4 levels, each about 5 yards lower than the previous level, I carefully took pictures after the line moved on so I would not get too many people in my pictures! When the leaders of the group asked me some questions near the end of the tour, they were pretty excited </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflIcr558FuydxkOoPKm0lCiwswZbxsYDu58KS6gJOOAceTkuOo68lh7cHNomTcgLj3km90UzhItVxeSiH_Q8WKFuuOSacm_OvfJSkhTZQ3t9i_xisCRVQp3Ck7NwAfsoivueVcT7pIb0/s1600/IMG_7494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflIcr558FuydxkOoPKm0lCiwswZbxsYDu58KS6gJOOAceTkuOo68lh7cHNomTcgLj3km90UzhItVxeSiH_Q8WKFuuOSacm_OvfJSkhTZQ3t9i_xisCRVQp3Ck7NwAfsoivueVcT7pIb0/s1600/IMG_7494.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">that I was a professor from Dallas Theological Seminary. Shortly after that I realized as we returned to the starting place that there were "no photo" signs. I went over to explain to the leaders that I had not realized that I wasn't supposed to take pictures which I'm sure they had noticed me doing, especially near the end. They told me they had wondered but figured since I was a professor I was allowed to do it! Great people!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMJQXCd46jRkpLhIRl8oJzQ1_pnpyeZhTP-CxCHxjwpdShjjv-mXjTWDWvFQJG3kdh0ojQqfHg8U7mijVXxK9HbcRNZlah_R3qzAXxH4-VCTH97WA27_CBiELVNVi0AJjCuvkqnZBzaM/s1600/IMG_7505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMJQXCd46jRkpLhIRl8oJzQ1_pnpyeZhTP-CxCHxjwpdShjjv-mXjTWDWvFQJG3kdh0ojQqfHg8U7mijVXxK9HbcRNZlah_R3qzAXxH4-VCTH97WA27_CBiELVNVi0AJjCuvkqnZBzaM/s1600/IMG_7505.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">By the way, I was told there were seven Basilicas in Rome and this was one of them. I visited 3 of them on this tour. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPt0pH7JbCJqAZUouXYTDkjXQTamG-LO-DtNR7WG_NHR51aiJrPXZhSP5Lz2fSmZsFvuHyiWZKjfOMv_B5Mr5qqjYgSoA7Nxj9xfc1xme3fniDqgroFy5o9PbN7KpcyumbEu1DVjIkvs/s1600/IMG_7506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPt0pH7JbCJqAZUouXYTDkjXQTamG-LO-DtNR7WG_NHR51aiJrPXZhSP5Lz2fSmZsFvuHyiWZKjfOMv_B5Mr5qqjYgSoA7Nxj9xfc1xme3fniDqgroFy5o9PbN7KpcyumbEu1DVjIkvs/s1600/IMG_7506.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This catacomb was not really well marked! </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After a half mile walk or so I found another one of the catacombs open to the public, the Catacomb of Domitillo. Not quite a popular as the previous catacomb which has a wonder history (including the tradition that both Paul and Peter's bodies were moved here briefly to preserve them from being destroyed where they had previously been buried), I arrived at 11:15 to find the last tour of the morning just leaving and it was in English! So I joined as the last one once again.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8Vr56jRLU2EEbEtvNT7bEfgNhwP13gEawHQgnSLOBf-A0CfSgq5mGpm51hXvVwGTrP7biegD-Fnc5wyk0vVH4ru5B9a_GkurEICxvb4W8Q22AV8vV8WqEqmOvkNhlslxSfer0gu8oFA/s1600/IMG_7511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8Vr56jRLU2EEbEtvNT7bEfgNhwP13gEawHQgnSLOBf-A0CfSgq5mGpm51hXvVwGTrP7biegD-Fnc5wyk0vVH4ru5B9a_GkurEICxvb4W8Q22AV8vV8WqEqmOvkNhlslxSfer0gu8oFA/s1600/IMG_7511.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Again a wonderful tour and a reminder of how precious these early believers (from 1st to 5th centuries) held to the bodily resurrection. What was unique to this tour was the area where they had gathered together the many oil lamps they had found which the grave-diggers had used. They are small but remember air was precious down below ground. Also this catacomb had a rare painted fresco that decorated one of the tombs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQvoLAtEBwHNSPBdizP3XFcU3JvM8ZqjgO-2Iz9WHARUWh5snwqpzy9vj-XgE-nEoNJB0gHO7aEJ2x0Rg6iEqtbPHzpdq6s0uD4RPMSivf2IAY17tUHcLuYJxqiPe-aHPyZNAnIB3WYQ/s1600/IMG_7513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQvoLAtEBwHNSPBdizP3XFcU3JvM8ZqjgO-2Iz9WHARUWh5snwqpzy9vj-XgE-nEoNJB0gHO7aEJ2x0Rg6iEqtbPHzpdq6s0uD4RPMSivf2IAY17tUHcLuYJxqiPe-aHPyZNAnIB3WYQ/s1600/IMG_7513.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It was time to return to my hotel, gather my belongings together and walk to the bus stop where I could catch a bus to the second of the two Rome airports, this time for my flight to Athens. My first flight from Budapest to Rome cost me $61 and this one to Tel Aviv, Israel with a stop over in Athens cost a whopping $121. So my vacation so far has been relatively inexpensive so far which pleases the Scottish blood in me and releases some of my guilt that I am here without my beautiful, supportive wife Sharon. For the worrying types, I am here with her blessing! We talk almost every night on Skype too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I believe my teaching on the Apostles Paul and Peter will be richer for me being here. You do need to take my classes or listened to my preaching to see if this becomes true!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-67684750469207286522015-03-10T16:59:00.001-05:002015-03-10T16:59:16.117-05:00Coliseum, Vatican Museum and more - Second Day in Rome<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3aL7APT1nwqoF51SnAGcxOLnUt7_fgKOhdgsak6ZZEqoXhHbJMm8ns804uEc6_8NskS20UHwAnODSEuPP4S_CeSbQom0Tg3gkjQ8txSi_GvGt4rjEShbXDIMCdU02IT8oAyq9CMG8QAs/s1600/IMG_7398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3aL7APT1nwqoF51SnAGcxOLnUt7_fgKOhdgsak6ZZEqoXhHbJMm8ns804uEc6_8NskS20UHwAnODSEuPP4S_CeSbQom0Tg3gkjQ8txSi_GvGt4rjEShbXDIMCdU02IT8oAyq9CMG8QAs/s1600/IMG_7398.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crowds were just beginning to formed as I left the Coliseum and took this picture from the hill opposite.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was at the Coliseum before it opened and so I beat the buses and the crowds. I spent about 2 hours wandering, listening to my audio-guide, taking pictures and just being amazed at what they could </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Q16ZDDrU2HDRNJlXeYxZnWNvqOTDnRbv2nJ11k3sQEupQ2rKc8uT8LTmCzQcYoJx0KUayH1iGQxwtFm-HzsVQCbRf4gZgiHXSp3utTx4Jih98hCddxAZTXsXYI8uj2RLJBjDMsc_Knc/s1600/IMG_7375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Q16ZDDrU2HDRNJlXeYxZnWNvqOTDnRbv2nJ11k3sQEupQ2rKc8uT8LTmCzQcYoJx0KUayH1iGQxwtFm-HzsVQCbRf4gZgiHXSp3utTx4Jih98hCddxAZTXsXYI8uj2RLJBjDMsc_Knc/s1600/IMG_7375.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">build almost 2,000 years ago and what they did in this place. One thing they did not do here was to use Christians to fight animals etc. But the gladiators and wild beasts by the thousands were killed here. The way they built an amphitheater that could hold somewhere between 50-75,000 without modern technology <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JTbjmW06AE76S19xHggYOpjzb7ud9jQgscrZfwbp5xnPvi-k0SdX9asOsU8XEONAqssxeEuj9cTWBjWoEk49S5GCLRFTJZiaX6p3pykMRRVirMNRFHoWvQ3CKiZHRiH9YZJCcobdWxQ/s1600/IMG_7373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JTbjmW06AE76S19xHggYOpjzb7ud9jQgscrZfwbp5xnPvi-k0SdX9asOsU8XEONAqssxeEuj9cTWBjWoEk49S5GCLRFTJZiaX6p3pykMRRVirMNRFHoWvQ3CKiZHRiH9YZJCcobdWxQ/s1600/IMG_7373.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
and equipment amazes me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">After the Coliseum it was up to the "upper city"man-made elevated area called Palatine Hill and also the Forum (downtown area of temples etc.). Because of what I've had the privilege of viewing in the past in both Israel, Jordan, Greece and Turkey I was not awe-stuck at the many ruins but the number and size of them is still impressive. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The one carving I was determined to see here in Rome was that of the Menorah that had been taken </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYG7pmjV1LIMIeop_I2xx3zgwtVxC9I4uvY63XLEG7PZCVAUZ-gB4IKORL6jI4VtAsA8GdJn_SALI8T7J1YKP9uu4biqIQUNv0WRCyeq3u7gehosZznnNMP7CuclAK103BzWffgfpQ3k/s1600/IMG_7390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYG7pmjV1LIMIeop_I2xx3zgwtVxC9I4uvY63XLEG7PZCVAUZ-gB4IKORL6jI4VtAsA8GdJn_SALI8T7J1YKP9uu4biqIQUNv0WRCyeq3u7gehosZznnNMP7CuclAK103BzWffgfpQ3k/s1600/IMG_7390.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">from the Temple in Jerusalem. I found it on the inside of the Titus Arch and I just had to wonder if it is still residing somewhere in the basement of the Vatican Museum? The money in gold and silver that the Romans took from Jerusalem was used to help restore Rome and probably begin to build the Coliseum too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I spent some time in various museums and in one I found an altar. </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I leave for Athens, Greece tomorrow afternoon where I
will see again the "altar to the unknown god" that Paul spoke of when he
visited that city. I was surprised to find in a </span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDg_WGVBCnroOjgnBoLL3GAaWPUjGfPr9cH_01W1MkfK6aI5zzJXLv8b_NMfYG6I52xWhdBwyUyu5yLAB9vIm6T7DPpnL-0eNTGAcbLsng_T7AmlqAW07JzR5p0Fri3FGmdMmCJjkdPsc/s1600/IMG_7400.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDg_WGVBCnroOjgnBoLL3GAaWPUjGfPr9cH_01W1MkfK6aI5zzJXLv8b_NMfYG6I52xWhdBwyUyu5yLAB9vIm6T7DPpnL-0eNTGAcbLsng_T7AmlqAW07JzR5p0Fri3FGmdMmCJjkdPsc/s1600/IMG_7400.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Museum an altar in Rome by the same name. I'm so glad I know the knowable God and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloG89MTQ3ZL90U-zg3lrpur8eeBuiVyRzkROHEKzOvuXBndCRtrIQjM1S9XETQ3UzxQsEpJaYmeXRwQAsDa8uH1eQQtK3jl0Q9wMXiwlfIbELBm4CPfqbmObwlAWqRaDKIBg1ZVS-GtM/s1600/IMG_7401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloG89MTQ3ZL90U-zg3lrpur8eeBuiVyRzkROHEKzOvuXBndCRtrIQjM1S9XETQ3UzxQsEpJaYmeXRwQAsDa8uH1eQQtK3jl0Q9wMXiwlfIbELBm4CPfqbmObwlAWqRaDKIBg1ZVS-GtM/s1600/IMG_7401.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Once again (see my previous Facebook posting: <i>"What amazes me is that when I travel in the Middle East and Europe I am
often spoken to on the street by native speakers who expect me to
respond. Today it happened twice, questioned by two people on the
streets who apparently wanted me to help them in some way. What amazes
me is that I am obviously a pale, but scruffy (I haven't shaved
recently) older Canadian who speaks, I'm imaging, with a soft Texas
accent now that I've lived there for 18 years. Why would they think I'm a
native?")</i> I was able to be of little assistance to the people who greeted me in Italian and, I assume, asked me for directions or my help or were perhaps just being friendly. I am learning that if I put an "o" or "i" on the end of some words I think I sound Italian but it doesn't help at all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Off to the Vatican and specifically the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. I'm not great at appreciating art (painting, wall hangings, carving, handworks, and sculpture) but it's hard not to be impressed with what I saw. I think the disturbing thing to me was the amount of money the Catholic Church has spent on items that don't further the gospel (in my opinion) and the </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">many times it seems like the Catholic Church compromised with society and adapted and adopted non-biblical thinking into the teachings of the church if I interpreted what I saw correctly. Obviously, I'm not a church historian or theologian but these were my personal reactions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Sistine Chapel was remarkable, though unmoving for me. I know I have just offended all of you art lovers out there but I'm sorry, I'm just not "into" it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I did, however, appreciate the various archeological items from Nineveh, from Nebuchadnezzar, Assurbanipal, Sargon and others mentioned in the Scriptures. Also two very small pieces of the Dead Sea Scrolls (not as impressive as seeing the Scroll of Isaiah in Israel but still neat.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9foh8cM8FGytPWQk5QfUqfp84n0EhWXObmRd9OyjFASblRxVzOW2tjth3VH-_oHcl1gkpoxmXB-tECrmS1beTV07r9JqxZKm4EVS1XuM2E7-dyxoj2wTO116qPutUSUGmPZWDDHB7Ubg/s1600/IMG_7448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9foh8cM8FGytPWQk5QfUqfp84n0EhWXObmRd9OyjFASblRxVzOW2tjth3VH-_oHcl1gkpoxmXB-tECrmS1beTV07r9JqxZKm4EVS1XuM2E7-dyxoj2wTO116qPutUSUGmPZWDDHB7Ubg/s1600/IMG_7448.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8Py0rHnmAM9Si87gwrd6daFrFmpJeHOeSI0XxnzEDh06r8bhmpNx47e3Eh3KvewVZ6hglrX8larbfDfasSGonN86JoLDr0UsJdm3bKfAPzGRaF07EueMGuKbajd_yOaep86exkBN6tI/s1600/IMG_7450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8Py0rHnmAM9Si87gwrd6daFrFmpJeHOeSI0XxnzEDh06r8bhmpNx47e3Eh3KvewVZ6hglrX8larbfDfasSGonN86JoLDr0UsJdm3bKfAPzGRaF07EueMGuKbajd_yOaep86exkBN6tI/s1600/IMG_7450.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">I also enjoyed seeing the pottery from the area around Jericho in Israel (called Palestine in most museums since this was the common term until it became associated more recently with Arabs in the land. I actually have a couple authentic examples of these pots (perhaps 4-5,000 years old) in my office so come by and see me sometimes and I'll show them to you so you won't need to come all the way to Rome to see them!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">By now I was exhausted since I tend to do a lot of walking (and quickly my wife will remind me) and I hadn't eaten much and it was 4 pm. It seems like everyone I saw (OK a slight exaggeration) were in couples and so I had a hard time stopping at a street-side cafe to drink coffee and eat Italian food. So it was Burger King for me today! (I'm not too adventurous you might notice in the food area. I did have some excellent spaghetti tonight with something on it that was wonderful so I feel like I haven't dishonored the Italian people now).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tomorrow I'm here til early afternoon so I have the catacombs on my schedule for the morning. The ones I was planning to see I discovered at closed on Wednesdays so I've found two others that I think I can find my way to by metro and bus and a walk. I can't wait.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-2333672519222031642015-03-09T15:32:00.000-05:002015-03-09T15:32:15.305-05:00What did Stephen see First in Rome?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">As my plane from Budpest approached an airport in Rome I had a great aerial view of the Vatican and the Coliseum's ruins. I knew I was going to be visiting both of these remarkable buildings but I also had decided that these were not my priorities in why I had come to Rome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I study and teach the Bible. I had just finished teaching 2 Timothy to 62 college students and I knew that where I wanted to start was where the Apostle Paul ended. I have been reading about Paul being "poured out like a drink offering . . . and I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith." I wanted to see the place where Paul finished.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I bought a metro ticket and rode the subway to the end of the line. Then I began to walk, about a half mile I imagine. I was trying to find a church that is not on most tourist maps. Wayne Stiles, on his blog "6 Christian Sites in Rome You Should Know About" (http://www.waynestiles.com/6-christian-sites-in-rome-you-should-know-about/) had alerted me to this church. It's called "Tres Fontaine Abbey" not to be confused with the popular Tres Fontane (how could anyone confuse those two!). I didn't get lost (God has given me a wonderful sense of direction that doesn't fail me too often) although I did use my very, very limited Italian (primarily what I have picked up though watching old Mafia movies) about half way just to be assured I was heading in the right direction. I'm sure the two Italian men had a good conversation after I left!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And there it was. Really no good space for bus parking, just a small area for about 15 cars. And what was of importance to me - a church commemorating the place where the Apostle Paul was beheaded for the gospel and Lord he believed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">However, the tradition for this place is not grea<span style="font-family: inherit;">t. From what I can ascertain, Santa Maria Scala Coeli is a 16th century pilgrimage church at the Abbey of Tre Fontane, and is only the legendary site of the martyrdom of St Paul the Apostle. Nevertheless, Paul did die somewhere near Rome and I took time at this spot to pray and thank the Lord for the Apostle Paul. We, as believers, are so indebted to him for his writings and modelling. I was moved as I thought of him lonely here in Rome; many believers had forsaken him and he desperately wanted his young protege Timothy to come to him before winter and to bring the scrolls and parchments. Paul was a student to the end!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From here it was off to the church that commemorates Paul's burial, a place that is about 2 miles from the traditional place of his execution. It's called "The Church of St. Paul Outside the Wall [ie of the ancient City of Rome]." Today the traditional ancient tomb of Paul is contained in a magnificent </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">basilica </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">that is huge and ornate. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A section of ancient chain is also here to observe, the type Paul would have had on his body (I personally would take this display of chain and move it to the Mamertine Prison [see below] where Paul was actually in chains </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">but apparently I don't appreciate all the church politics that would make such an intelligent action completely unthinkable). I didn't feel sad here, I know what Paul wrote about "being absent from the body and present with the Lord." If his body was placed here Paul was already with Jesus. However, in the resurrection . . . </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By now I was hungry, sobered, full of deep thoughts so I had lunch at McDonalds!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIFCJKmmC5_-ZDbvf9sSundIAl18c51RBE5uKEdxsPF1AtyHwADU3tMvvMNJuR1ZSlKI7KMpMtf0nNjZIvNLcLSGv6OV1X9zhrK1jRnsfaPUjHLs_cvhDH_RoXupwe3zc1QMVDVKzgY4/s1600/IMG_7351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIFCJKmmC5_-ZDbvf9sSundIAl18c51RBE5uKEdxsPF1AtyHwADU3tMvvMNJuR1ZSlKI7KMpMtf0nNjZIvNLcLSGv6OV1X9zhrK1jRnsfaPUjHLs_cvhDH_RoXupwe3zc1QMVDVKzgY4/s1600/IMG_7351.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then off to the area around the Coliseum to find the traditional prison cell/dungeon that Paul was held in during his second imprisonment in Rome (2 Timothy) called the Mamertine Prison (the Catholic Church places a great deal of emphasis that Peter was held here too - but this is not stated in Scripture - or that Peter was even in Rome. In his first imprisonment Paul apparently was under </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rmvteoK0swRthVxwYQaiGKWVusSmuB-Z4ObkcOvNp_pA3zKAomQJEioLHizpOK0DtSBVRYwsB17CZZZnxX_fmfabZ1qEvykFsf7i7d1OgTpBG2KmAr2Zf7R3kkAPb7mRqQ8vY7lnbh0/s1600/IMG_7361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rmvteoK0swRthVxwYQaiGKWVusSmuB-Z4ObkcOvNp_pA3zKAomQJEioLHizpOK0DtSBVRYwsB17CZZZnxX_fmfabZ1qEvykFsf7i7d1OgTpBG2KmAr2Zf7R3kkAPb7mRqQ8vY7lnbh0/s1600/IMG_7361.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">some form of house-arrest (Philippians) although chained to guards. I had to seek some help from an Italian policeman to find this site and it was somewhat hidden by on-going construction beside it. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today I was able to walk down some steps into what was a circular dungeon prison cell (some of this circular cell was later damaged and so it is not a complete </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50OPVkwRS7XyjQCk5_FZZTuBhqyVKCmXju4XuYRj77MyKjOD1HpimLhZcE0O7860eTjQLd3Fyw8K6KjFhdciOMfoNXiOHDXntMfnBLtfJn1B7x1rWP75bV0jZQ5BuHhMHNV_-aZcHtyU/s1600/IMG_7369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50OPVkwRS7XyjQCk5_FZZTuBhqyVKCmXju4XuYRj77MyKjOD1HpimLhZcE0O7860eTjQLd3Fyw8K6KjFhdciOMfoNXiOHDXntMfnBLtfJn1B7x1rWP75bV0jZQ5BuHhMHNV_-aZcHtyU/s1600/IMG_7369.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">circle today). In Paul's day he would have been let down through the hole in the ceiling and then left in this dark, <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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damp cell. How he wrote 2 Timothy from such a place is almost beyond me. I can get distracted from writing if I need a coffee! He was able to have purpose even in the suffering he experienced for the gospel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Up at 3:30 am today, by mid afternoon I was ready for a cold drink and a nap. I'm on vacation — so I did.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-83481616871679966252015-03-08T16:00:00.002-05:002015-03-08T16:00:51.905-05:00Brethren Church in Miskolc, Hungary - An Opportunity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"> This morning I preached at the Brethren Church in Miskolc, Hungary this morning.
Miskolc is the third largest city in Hungary. It is know throughout </span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSiJ2tJTs-7HoDmbucoi5fiji71z3TU8HG0TSkxsgVxyKhJQioyuIXhyphenhyphenKys8IttQtzBdAPaTOA5En73TyHsCR9If84uf3owhA976avjA18d3yMxy0E9-HJ7cyoQBFzPphBKcrKOm7Tb8/s1600/IMG_7301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSiJ2tJTs-7HoDmbucoi5fiji71z3TU8HG0TSkxsgVxyKhJQioyuIXhyphenhyphenKys8IttQtzBdAPaTOA5En73TyHsCR9If84uf3owhA976avjA18d3yMxy0E9-HJ7cyoQBFzPphBKcrKOm7Tb8/s1600/IMG_7301.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Europe for its hot spring baths, the most famous one that is in a cave. For many years buses from all over the communist <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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world arrived here. This city also has the largest
Brethren church in the nation <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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(though it is small <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhro210Ca3FKgxDI-pNy9AM0rgOprDwd0gqEDfD8C68JRgvyuh3bOVSwf-Vl-cFvgGYbRdlWv2-YWAxaLnFgEiJkVegQkPNy4XkjsAaB6dnvynpoaj1T4ca45mZDOevYS-Zys7qUHReIoQ/s1600/IMG_7290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhro210Ca3FKgxDI-pNy9AM0rgOprDwd0gqEDfD8C68JRgvyuh3bOVSwf-Vl-cFvgGYbRdlWv2-YWAxaLnFgEiJkVegQkPNy4XkjsAaB6dnvynpoaj1T4ca45mZDOevYS-Zys7qUHReIoQ/s1600/IMG_7290.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The church stretches back from this building with a V-shaped sky-lighted roof.</td></tr>
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in comparison to many churches in North America). What a privilege to return to this
historic church where I preached two years ago. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">The starting of this church is remarkable and the testimony of an early church member Anni Roth, a converted Jew, who later chose to go with the Hungarian Jewish population to be killed in a concentration camp moves me each time I've heard it. Anni had the option of using a letter which declared her to be a Christian and not be deported. She decided the Jewish people needed her more than the church and so she declined the use the letter to avoid deportation to Poland. I wonder how many she was able to lead to the Lord before she was exterminated? What faith and courage! The oldest members of the church still remember.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOWvGdAd3ezfekc5E-j3Z853CqSciM3TV7FWSjTB12PFnRidA5F7mJ2Ex_ODet4jDJ5WYukJm83PJRObDLGpl-HDW4OJMZACXWidrkN0fFkyjBt1S_l6puTMyq1OnLmAblD_8GYILmU8/s1600/IMG_7297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOWvGdAd3ezfekc5E-j3Z853CqSciM3TV7FWSjTB12PFnRidA5F7mJ2Ex_ODet4jDJ5WYukJm83PJRObDLGpl-HDW4OJMZACXWidrkN0fFkyjBt1S_l6puTMyq1OnLmAblD_8GYILmU8/s1600/IMG_7297.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wonderful restaurant where I had a delicious Hungarian dinner!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">An elder of this church spoke to me at lunch and asked if I could return in the fall to speak to a special gathering of 150 young people from Hungary and Romania. I told him my schedule would not allow me to do it this year but he is wanting to schedule me for October 2016. I believe this may be of the Lord and the Word of Life Bible Institute is prepared to schedule me to come and teach around that conference rather than in March when I usually come. Would you pray that if this is His will all the details might be worked out?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After a long 10 hour day of traveling and speaking I had a chance to have dinner tonight with Paul and Jill Weaver. Paul is the Director of the Bible Institute here and a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. They are doing a great work among the students. They also hosted Dr. Daniel Anderson, President and Professor of Appalachia Bible College (also a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary) for dinner and it was a privilege and honor to get to know him! He is here to teach this week the Book of Joshua.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tomorrow I start a week of vacation. I leave here at 4:30 am for a flight to Rome for 2 days, then to Athens for a day, and then to Jerusalem for 3 days. Not a week of rest but surely a vacation! More on that in my next blog!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-70216994771006809582015-03-06T13:39:00.004-06:002015-03-06T13:39:54.458-06:00Music, Drama and Videos - Hungarian Style!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE9txaZ7kwkVAj7WaMivym1irHM64ZALp1CJ8cBCsGeEbANxICwoyZ727wSm9gwshmi1DaRjePDlFOnrSzsuJJLUyGiATAFb6USAsjBqfJICntcH5yelbhwVsI9As38j_ZqXKH264Q9mY/s1600/IMG_7197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE9txaZ7kwkVAj7WaMivym1irHM64ZALp1CJ8cBCsGeEbANxICwoyZ727wSm9gwshmi1DaRjePDlFOnrSzsuJJLUyGiATAFb6USAsjBqfJICntcH5yelbhwVsI9As38j_ZqXKH264Q9mY/s1600/IMG_7197.JPG" height="480" width="640" /> </a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXskhoSQoMhFBRjHH2r3E5Bv9KSFPRmS2wjKKTq39GSE0YIFYrSMn9bUeMomTbN9YugM2sBzRg-_rBLk9F2qAMX4QfvQbq2fX_nlB-NNMEwwRehljYoqXi2npWMzeeozvJCyejvfQKDgY/s1600/IMG_7221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXskhoSQoMhFBRjHH2r3E5Bv9KSFPRmS2wjKKTq39GSE0YIFYrSMn9bUeMomTbN9YugM2sBzRg-_rBLk9F2qAMX4QfvQbq2fX_nlB-NNMEwwRehljYoqXi2npWMzeeozvJCyejvfQKDgY/s1600/IMG_7221.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKSdsNK3JncWxueqEEGkYGo6zcphpqrexK4S-6HQ2bnt8Z_FdW-SfWh99ZJTKmBvbhg62kaTMa75T7uB4jaoRWxjBPb0QVitbd4ctrVOUM0HJ61Na0HAKa1urfnfytE47o0l9IuyKAp4/s1600/IMG_7219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKSdsNK3JncWxueqEEGkYGo6zcphpqrexK4S-6HQ2bnt8Z_FdW-SfWh99ZJTKmBvbhg62kaTMa75T7uB4jaoRWxjBPb0QVitbd4ctrVOUM0HJ61Na0HAKa1urfnfytE47o0l9IuyKAp4/s1600/IMG_7219.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Today was my last day teaching here at the Bible Institute of Word of Life, Hungary. I've been teaching through interruption, I'm mean translation (an Hungarian intern has been translating for me and she has been wonderful)! In the second session of the three I had today the students had the option of presenting 2-4 verses of 2 Timothy in a creative fashion. I wish you could have been there! Serious songs, humorous videos, exciting dramas by students from different cultures and countries all lent a very creative application to what we've been learning from 2 Timothy. As you </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kYW_Hah6SpGjrJY2Xg9H438wxjWH-N3QOfiSofGnY9PPHfix_q1Wuz77iAhyphenhyphenq6h8NawUKGjTw3PyDqPwjNRYmLPkK-1LWzM1niuNSbyOwRt_57ZFwN37HFndzAurM5s_9mvv3lUISOY/s1600/IMG_7231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kYW_Hah6SpGjrJY2Xg9H438wxjWH-N3QOfiSofGnY9PPHfix_q1Wuz77iAhyphenhyphenq6h8NawUKGjTw3PyDqPwjNRYmLPkK-1LWzM1niuNSbyOwRt_57ZFwN37HFndzAurM5s_9mvv3lUISOY/s1600/IMG_7231.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">can see from some of the pictures the stage in the meeting room where I teach is under construction but that didn't seem to affect the creativity and insights that the students produced. I was blessed.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi526VvhJCD3VcSedPb2LLbMiuCAqa3SlCFO3cw_pupJHmMq4bT-a4eRJYmkuFLPgvnccHXi6JjDmI1sgppHgKs4TxTX30XJu5NFN_mnMjeOV9SjYZvkcNpoRYwpXw2X0Tq_Ww2lxo0Vm4/s1600/IMG_7227.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi526VvhJCD3VcSedPb2LLbMiuCAqa3SlCFO3cw_pupJHmMq4bT-a4eRJYmkuFLPgvnccHXi6JjDmI1sgppHgKs4TxTX30XJu5NFN_mnMjeOV9SjYZvkcNpoRYwpXw2X0Tq_Ww2lxo0Vm4/s1600/IMG_7227.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi526VvhJCD3VcSedPb2LLbMiuCAqa3SlCFO3cw_pupJHmMq4bT-a4eRJYmkuFLPgvnccHXi6JjDmI1sgppHgKs4TxTX30XJu5NFN_mnMjeOV9SjYZvkcNpoRYwpXw2X0Tq_Ww2lxo0Vm4/s1600/IMG_7227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: large;">I concluded my teaching with a challenge to the students to be faithful in the presence of difficult </span><span style="font-size: large;">circumstances and difficult people. I realized as I was speaking that many of these students are from countries where it is much more difficult than in America to live courageously as a believer. I prayed for them as I finished.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10xa1V3y2DsH5A0K02w9pgFGTXcVlEk3IS-Ij4Q8UpePPCHTzafS9Z53zgMif1qK1qd1aB2WGzvaHSSfq6xeZBoN2ktDN1CzUBM0Z7osIjJXk598Sg8coC3DfouSiAoXJOVRBf1_8-Qk/s1600/IMG_7191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10xa1V3y2DsH5A0K02w9pgFGTXcVlEk3IS-Ij4Q8UpePPCHTzafS9Z53zgMif1qK1qd1aB2WGzvaHSSfq6xeZBoN2ktDN1CzUBM0Z7osIjJXk598Sg8coC3DfouSiAoXJOVRBf1_8-Qk/s1600/IMG_7191.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA3Ier5VXmR_9zMePIqO73fScxYhesa81s-Q0YpO2DSpU6k39QM1dkKkXjEtUErQtxYv8vUioa1jLkDzICLs81wUeHjZByMcuwabnYGSLPTv2t4Kjwrs0iJPxufNqaieBJOePuICP6OM/s1600/IMG_7195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA3Ier5VXmR_9zMePIqO73fScxYhesa81s-Q0YpO2DSpU6k39QM1dkKkXjEtUErQtxYv8vUioa1jLkDzICLs81wUeHjZByMcuwabnYGSLPTv2t4Kjwrs0iJPxufNqaieBJOePuICP6OM/s1600/IMG_7195.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwUVb1iOdEEm_SptC3bvY06SxNzwXklqfDKbRVlR8kW0tVSN_vp1nO9OFNud-q-OOsTRhlUNHAJJiEaPE2PfrAOdGvLjpLVtxCaiGhjqKvy5Sw-dPAcN-1kp0UodNwBVX0sbMfUeNDco/s1600/IMG_7194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwUVb1iOdEEm_SptC3bvY06SxNzwXklqfDKbRVlR8kW0tVSN_vp1nO9OFNud-q-OOsTRhlUNHAJJiEaPE2PfrAOdGvLjpLVtxCaiGhjqKvy5Sw-dPAcN-1kp0UodNwBVX0sbMfUeNDco/s1600/IMG_7194.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Each evening I have had the privilege of being hosted for dinner by one of the staff members here at Word of Life. Usually they have invited a few students to join me for dinner at their home and I have been blessed. To hear stories from staff and students about how God has worked in their lives is always encouraging and often challenging. This week I have been struggling with a cough and a little illness but that seems so small a concern when I hear the </span><span style="font-size: large;">testimonies of God. If you have a young person who is looking for a place to spend a year learning God's Word and getting to know God's people from around the world, then they should consider coming here to Word of Life, Hungary for a year. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWuw0RbpOia3brkhbm9fEhGBrEP4SNK5ddUc_Uj2UStzO7_b1-kgelhjiILNzSxqOMpeffkNmXpwI-vEBBsw_oGAwooOX8ebOX5UpIXX1HnN1fGwglljqKmZ90LbvlVlNNMNV9AIsIVI/s1600/IMG_7192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWuw0RbpOia3brkhbm9fEhGBrEP4SNK5ddUc_Uj2UStzO7_b1-kgelhjiILNzSxqOMpeffkNmXpwI-vEBBsw_oGAwooOX8ebOX5UpIXX1HnN1fGwglljqKmZ90LbvlVlNNMNV9AIsIVI/s1600/IMG_7192.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The staircase up to my room!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-47247572215399765842015-03-04T13:40:00.001-06:002015-03-04T13:40:33.866-06:0031 Pizzas!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEITO4X6zyUhfx8T1T1KWPU0O5ISnpZKyUrhuov7Aw8MOPUPSygJozSLpRmzc1n8UkEkjJb5UgweWeBZ76ygHfjLMywwfJg52J1ZgCqqIiYyMGZ6VbgTPJfOVllhpsUP7N7W1J77IFEQ/s1600/IMG_7165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEITO4X6zyUhfx8T1T1KWPU0O5ISnpZKyUrhuov7Aw8MOPUPSygJozSLpRmzc1n8UkEkjJb5UgweWeBZ76ygHfjLMywwfJg52J1ZgCqqIiYyMGZ6VbgTPJfOVllhpsUP7N7W1J77IFEQ/s1600/IMG_7165.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Tonight the 62 students (along with many staff and some guest from the Czech Republic who were here visiting as potential students) had lots of pizza, soda and dessert due to the generosity of the members of Waterbrook Bible Fellowship (http://www.waterbrook.org/). On my last Sunday before coming here I was preaching at WBF and offer to collect any money our church members wanted to give so that the students here could have dessert one night. Not surprisingly at least to me, the generous people of Waterbrook </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8sZvJR1DpfNHOKoZeoqD-gP-J3Sh9AUsGBRhuJpkE1-iMu362w3fbN6rMWdXqIqmo6YS-CJGsas8XrFxigU-c5ov0DoTSbPadPmDYikUJt9tlxmE5rXDRjJk10Dj6At_XhZ6bhMzO2w8/s1600/IMG_7166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8sZvJR1DpfNHOKoZeoqD-gP-J3Sh9AUsGBRhuJpkE1-iMu362w3fbN6rMWdXqIqmo6YS-CJGsas8XrFxigU-c5ov0DoTSbPadPmDYikUJt9tlxmE5rXDRjJk10Dj6At_XhZ6bhMzO2w8/s1600/IMG_7166.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">filled my pocket with bills and so tonight it was not just dessert but a great meal for everyone! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I wish you could have been there to see the excitement and to hear the words of thanks from these students. They were crowded into the foyer of the "castle" some time before the pizzas ever arrived! Once it did arrive there were many expressions of thanksgiving and joy. Over and over again I was told to thank the people of my home church. So Waterbrook Bible Fellowship thank you! You don't realize how proud and honored I am to come from a generous church - generous in so many ways.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5WXWYew44PVEz-9dMYH32Jom9pCNBRLp1skVC_dsCwvKhqMRNFv0YOe-ZRkjPzE32M_Hps2NVBBZoWJvNPN1yXlk3NAaBAFn39LPXzUBLK__4UWN0nymuPZu2IFW0ffTPH-ST4lIyhU/s1600/IMG_7175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5WXWYew44PVEz-9dMYH32Jom9pCNBRLp1skVC_dsCwvKhqMRNFv0YOe-ZRkjPzE32M_Hps2NVBBZoWJvNPN1yXlk3NAaBAFn39LPXzUBLK__4UWN0nymuPZu2IFW0ffTPH-ST4lIyhU/s1600/IMG_7175.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">They ordered 11 large pizzas </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">from one company and 20 medium pizzas from another company, both from nearby towns here 40 miles east of Budapest. Along with dessert from a local bakery the night was delightful. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqK6qnXYYgSQfSvlCjRimssz6SvWUznKM1HDwBfFr5sKjcKYEq4JFEu75yBXOq6_MBZeb-SXKkGSW6x4fmX_NyneXyazfjtGiP37NSbpsij29CgTPgPLbO9yr1ECTcGNGzOAJLSVGJbA/s1600/IMG_7180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqK6qnXYYgSQfSvlCjRimssz6SvWUznKM1HDwBfFr5sKjcKYEq4JFEu75yBXOq6_MBZeb-SXKkGSW6x4fmX_NyneXyazfjtGiP37NSbpsij29CgTPgPLbO9yr1ECTcGNGzOAJLSVGJbA/s1600/IMG_7180.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">I had a long but wonderful day of teaching here, with a late night devotional still to come. I taught 3 sessions of 2 Timothy followed immediately by a chapel message to the staff and students. My translator was a former student from my first time teaching here back in 2002!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I hope some day some of you will have the joy of joining me here to see God at work in some very fine Christian young people who I believe are going to make an impact for Christ, now and in the years to come. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-82854058285875575852015-03-02T15:05:00.004-06:002015-03-02T15:05:47.212-06:00Why have I returned 10 times to Hungary since 2002?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">Tonight I, along with 5 students and one intern, had dinner at Monca Rakossy's apartment. Monca was a student that Sharon and I met back in 2002 when I first came to Hungary to teach at Word of Life Bible Institute. Since then she has become the Dean of Women and is a delightful Christian lady that I look forward to meeting each time I return. She loves the Lord and the women under her care (Monca is on the top right with the Word of Life hoodie).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXljPYQtZAio5PZwr_cLIaIbTmNZrjpHCti9jjrEU3BJPOseIFKHwCilyAQ-OOGP8mwAtFauxioMvnct6E4xTl_50n8TglUBY9X4xe9m81WP7AlqHrUxd2iUTUBoyZkGXcAlZ_ajDoS0/s1600/IMG_7150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXljPYQtZAio5PZwr_cLIaIbTmNZrjpHCti9jjrEU3BJPOseIFKHwCilyAQ-OOGP8mwAtFauxioMvnct6E4xTl_50n8TglUBY9X4xe9m81WP7AlqHrUxd2iUTUBoyZkGXcAlZ_ajDoS0/s1600/IMG_7150.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNu1LJIOtRxjrrRoY5y4irzXw6V4Sl-18OHwdb_h7MCxCXpwElt1dQOdpp5MA0FV38YpZ5uqfCBDePx-EGxufrNfqsQf7StTzgdKTF__JdlEAq6prf1ZsOlbZKQ6ttcPvjENtOkpbfXFU/s1600/IMG_7152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: large;">As we ate dinner tonight I looked around the table and realized that there was a person there from Romania, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Poland, Slovakia, and a young married couple from Macedonia (the husband Tony had to leave before we took the picture above). Mark, an intern from Slovakia is taking the above picture – I just </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNu1LJIOtRxjrrRoY5y4irzXw6V4Sl-18OHwdb_h7MCxCXpwElt1dQOdpp5MA0FV38YpZ5uqfCBDePx-EGxufrNfqsQf7StTzgdKTF__JdlEAq6prf1ZsOlbZKQ6ttcPvjENtOkpbfXFU/s1600/IMG_7152.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNu1LJIOtRxjrrRoY5y4irzXw6V4Sl-18OHwdb_h7MCxCXpwElt1dQOdpp5MA0FV38YpZ5uqfCBDePx-EGxufrNfqsQf7StTzgdKTF__JdlEAq6prf1ZsOlbZKQ6ttcPvjENtOkpbfXFU/s1600/IMG_7152.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>wanted my good friends to know that I wasn't left there as the lone male (see the pics to the right with Mark! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Why do I return almost every year? To teach young people like this who will have an impact for Christ around the world in the next few years! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">For the next week I will teach 62 young people the book of 2 Timothy. They are from 15 different countries and speak well over 15 different languages (they each have to speak either English or Hungarian to be admitted to this Bible Institute)! I'd appreciate prayer that I will be filled with the Spirit and used by the Lord in teaching His Word.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0n_beSM-lt3Zl6dVpqE4olXFDofV2rPglLn9Nd7Pr-RKPQ-mxszHS3P2MZaa6yskDb3l9BvAFtSUN6va3xhhiQVmZs3rP80cGG7zaOgdi3TxWMRa13c9DuF6Cqf9mbnj8M0RVGKbZLvM/s1600/IMG_7148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0n_beSM-lt3Zl6dVpqE4olXFDofV2rPglLn9Nd7Pr-RKPQ-mxszHS3P2MZaa6yskDb3l9BvAFtSUN6va3xhhiQVmZs3rP80cGG7zaOgdi3TxWMRa13c9DuF6Cqf9mbnj8M0RVGKbZLvM/s1600/IMG_7148.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The street in Tóalmás leading up to the gate of the Word of Life property (through the gate seen at the end of the street).</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The young lady from Kazakhstan mentioned that her country is 70% Muslim and that being a Christian in this former Communistic country that is close friends with Russia can be "hard" at times. And I remembered that sometimes I complain about some of my "difficulties." The young couple from Macedonia wants to go back and plant a church in a country with very few churches (mostly Charismatics) and only a few thousand registered evangelicals in the entire country – and only a small number of these are ready to share the gospel with others. And I think of when I complained at the difficulties of planting a church!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Why do I come back year after year? So that I can learn and be challenged by the lives of these young people who are prepared to sacrifice for the Lord in ways that I have never been challenged to do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you'd like to be a student here, or be part of serving here in the the summer camp ministry, check out the opportunities at: http://www.eletszava.org/ </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-88667816718568437302015-03-01T10:57:00.000-06:002015-03-01T10:57:30.724-06:00Preaching in Hungary 2015 Brethren Church<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJwIK8U_UHxPpGgecjLRblEzQnrEvnoZSThcVTpd1809LQV2MvsdR2SkLjF-uPAnZ3N_o6RpKQ0XpVdrpHNQDTqiCFNLwYd3nxdWY-0xE0UfIqOanRe5VYpA6ENuR-oY_hRqWkEhar2U/s1600/IMG_7137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJwIK8U_UHxPpGgecjLRblEzQnrEvnoZSThcVTpd1809LQV2MvsdR2SkLjF-uPAnZ3N_o6RpKQ0XpVdrpHNQDTqiCFNLwYd3nxdWY-0xE0UfIqOanRe5VYpA6ENuR-oY_hRqWkEhar2U/s1600/IMG_7137.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Biatorbágy</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This morning I left at 8:15 am (I arrived here in Hungary at Word of Life, Tóalmás at about 10:30 pm) for an hour and half drive to a village of about 10,000 people called Biatorbágy. The Brethren Church in this village was founded just after WWII in the late 1040's. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12VzRKktS4XW3EGiTgQ3fM_dDKpqW9yJ4MzjVOSSGg1oksG4r6-tLccaLk6ar9tFKBh7K_dhyiJvApeTqxNEthNHzfwuAZGX9Iw8YJ7bYjpZRzolxlBeLwv-gtsJNCG94zLfeisBJqmM/s1600/IMG_7126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12VzRKktS4XW3EGiTgQ3fM_dDKpqW9yJ4MzjVOSSGg1oksG4r6-tLccaLk6ar9tFKBh7K_dhyiJvApeTqxNEthNHzfwuAZGX9Iw8YJ7bYjpZRzolxlBeLwv-gtsJNCG94zLfeisBJqmM/s1600/IMG_7126.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gate into the Church (held in the basement of the house at the far right). </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today it meets in the basement of a home (in the picture the home on the far right, behind a landscaping business; t</span><span style="font-size: large;">he white sign to the left in the picture is the church information) and consists of a large room for the main service, a nursery, kitchen/Sunday School room for kids and restroom.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6xgShNmd8qUHsw9ByalliKir57bBTcbvk5x2jfBxuBa_GYKOBAZeoIjiFGpY8R1ml-LpqUzK54WHQF_qjMEkPjg4iZBSKkIWSOPAqZ2Gelw1M_BLjKlekU669f4wve7JuKfeRU7Kq0c/s1600/IMG_7129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6xgShNmd8qUHsw9ByalliKir57bBTcbvk5x2jfBxuBa_GYKOBAZeoIjiFGpY8R1ml-LpqUzK54WHQF_qjMEkPjg4iZBSKkIWSOPAqZ2Gelw1M_BLjKlekU669f4wve7JuKfeRU7Kq0c/s1600/IMG_7129.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This morning the main room was almost filled to capacity (maybe 70-75) and the singing just lifted my spirit. Led by a keyboard and <b>5</b> guitars, the people sang in parts and with real spirit. When prayer was announced everyone stood as the praying took place and then returned to their seats. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLC7X-ON5xK-zb1XG6Gz4RAwxpb8B1-YBt95Bqi0NOQ2egOfConaagHAR53yi814iRn818jylUkVa3EsWU2tfmmj0T4VJ_8LMv62_Jxpk2NEg8XmgfQgDKXbE-tvZl_uxoHtIeWiyt0WU/s1600/IMG_7135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLC7X-ON5xK-zb1XG6Gz4RAwxpb8B1-YBt95Bqi0NOQ2egOfConaagHAR53yi814iRn818jylUkVa3EsWU2tfmmj0T4VJ_8LMv62_Jxpk2NEg8XmgfQgDKXbE-tvZl_uxoHtIeWiyt0WU/s1600/IMG_7135.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The Lord's Table (communion) was celebrated with two pieces of sliced bread (each person broke off a small piece) and then two cups of wine were passed. Before the bread and wine were prayed over, something was said in Hungarian and only those desiring/ready to <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGR5Va0EPtj67KS8PcfbdiSPGPECkdWqq4KVUwtMO3dpHEx54OKJUtZ3InqDpIZS933jPdClEp0pQJp7MNSfI2zjHyAB2ez9xFCNIu72h-U-QBxQRrKDkc9UlMizAEJ2lGWgGU10E29VI/s1600/IMG_7136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGR5Va0EPtj67KS8PcfbdiSPGPECkdWqq4KVUwtMO3dpHEx54OKJUtZ3InqDpIZS933jPdClEp0pQJp7MNSfI2zjHyAB2ez9xFCNIu72h-U-QBxQRrKDkc9UlMizAEJ2lGWgGU10E29VI/s1600/IMG_7136.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
take communion stood. We remained standing until we had received both the bread and the wine and then were seated again. Not everyone stood.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My sermon on Trusting God in the Testing Times was translated and after I spoke I greeted the people, a few of whom could speak English with me – especially the younger people. The Lord seemed to bless His Word as I shared it this morning from some of the gracious comments.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixanRHen4AWaVkG8SfF1zk221uSHU0rpgK6qIUgVQdgdI4vWhMm0M__VxCUaaG5DEMkzTi3PtyjpLRdw_JKF_VwrhHix0NG7aGmDfG7ypJ3iSPMmiuWLnknfdA_NUw9w3k_6vidnRlblo/s1600/IMG_7145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: large;">After church we spent lunch and fellowship with the Csikós, Mihály (Michael) and Kati. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Mihály is one of the elders at the church and though retired still works with Child Evangelism of Hungary. (His son is the President of Word of Life in Hungary.) We had a wonderful time around a meal of cold fruit soup (super), </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixanRHen4AWaVkG8SfF1zk221uSHU0rpgK6qIUgVQdgdI4vWhMm0M__VxCUaaG5DEMkzTi3PtyjpLRdw_JKF_VwrhHix0NG7aGmDfG7ypJ3iSPMmiuWLnknfdA_NUw9w3k_6vidnRlblo/s1600/IMG_7145.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixanRHen4AWaVkG8SfF1zk221uSHU0rpgK6qIUgVQdgdI4vWhMm0M__VxCUaaG5DEMkzTi3PtyjpLRdw_JKF_VwrhHix0NG7aGmDfG7ypJ3iSPMmiuWLnknfdA_NUw9w3k_6vidnRlblo/s1600/IMG_7145.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>chicken, baked cheese, potatoes, mixed vegetables, and onions. Followed by dessert pastries and hot tea the time with the </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixanRHen4AWaVkG8SfF1zk221uSHU0rpgK6qIUgVQdgdI4vWhMm0M__VxCUaaG5DEMkzTi3PtyjpLRdw_JKF_VwrhHix0NG7aGmDfG7ypJ3iSPMmiuWLnknfdA_NUw9w3k_6vidnRlblo/s1600/IMG_7145.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Csikós was a real blessing. Before I left I had the honor to pray for Kati's 90 year old mother who was resting in bed.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Tonight I'm off to have dinner with Paul and Jill Weaver (Paul was one of my students at DTS and is the Director of the Bible Institute). Then off to bed at about 11 pm (that's 4 pm Dallas time) and up for a great week here at the Bible Institute. </span><br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-9534744465978612092014-10-15T16:14:00.003-05:002014-10-15T16:16:57.015-05:00The Bible Reader's Joke Book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">For many years I have been collecting jokes from books, sermons, lectures, magazines, etc. I have used jokes and humor stories in my sermons and classes since I first started in ministry.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="projectSummaryName">The Bible Reader's Joke Book</span><span class="projectSummarySubTitle"> </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now I've put over 2,000 of these jokes together in a 500 page book and published it. It is available on Amazon.com in either paperback or Kindle version.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The jokes are categorized from Genesis to Revelation and there is also an extensive topical index at the end if you want to see where other jokes on the same topic are located.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The paperback can be ordered from: http://www.amazon.com/The-Bible-Readers-Joke-Book/dp/1502741202/ref=zg_bs_tab_pd_bsnr_2</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The Kindle version is available at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Bible-Readers-Joke-Book-ebook/dp/B00ODFRK9C/ref=zg_bs_tab_pd_bsnr_3</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> This book is designed for use by Youth Pastors, preachers or teachers, Bible Study leaders, and by anyone who loves humor and loves the Bible</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">October is Pastor Appreciation Month. If you appreciate your pastor perhaps this is a ministry tool that he doesn't yet have that he would enjoy!</span><br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-62261901347168766162013-02-19T12:31:00.002-06:002013-02-19T12:31:33.192-06:00Unique Experiences in Jordan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKja4hKx_zJEXt8jTeQGfS3gNYvsRdbQbJa-tnwxNOSD5tvlMCdUL3c4KiiE8t3nuQMV20rTdiZ8X8byAHB5CbPBe9HrgQDIX84H6polADKRClcRNjcxZOUXlEv0N7haPQ5t0o4rLRFpA/s1600/IMG_0660.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKja4hKx_zJEXt8jTeQGfS3gNYvsRdbQbJa-tnwxNOSD5tvlMCdUL3c4KiiE8t3nuQMV20rTdiZ8X8byAHB5CbPBe9HrgQDIX84H6polADKRClcRNjcxZOUXlEv0N7haPQ5t0o4rLRFpA/s640/IMG_0660.jpg" width="640" /></a>I think I've traveled to Jordan about 11 times in the last 13 years (including 6 times to teach and 5 tours). Even when I'm here teaching I usually rent a car and with my map (and Canadian passport for safety) I try and see as many archeological sites as I can. I also try and just enjoy the diversity of this country and I've enjoyed driving in the desert until I <span style="font-size: large;">was </span>almost in Saudi Arabia and even headed down the road to Iraq a ways until I thought some wise thoughts! The students in class have kidded me that I know more, and have seen more, of Jordan than they have! This year (and in every past time I've taught here at the Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary) I don't think any student has been aware of the 6th Century Byzantine Mosaic floor that is only a 1/4 away from the school. I have to show them pictures before they will believe me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElrROPtPjuqCxUXdq7URJBQwWhx4iosSAYhJ9dh7P8BI16opTiiRshyGU5ddXJ4NO5x03uYeAY8rNeIR9xSfU5OtBFzb-xd4N-dNc7LzRlS7J7dnuafA6opYV5H0K9gvui88ABii8D8k/s1600/IMG_0590.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElrROPtPjuqCxUXdq7URJBQwWhx4iosSAYhJ9dh7P8BI16opTiiRshyGU5ddXJ4NO5x03uYeAY8rNeIR9xSfU5OtBFzb-xd4N-dNc7LzRlS7J7dnuafA6opYV5H0K9gvui88ABii8D8k/s640/IMG_0590.jpg" width="640" /></a>But often my highlight of any tour is when I have a chance to "get off the beaten track" and see the inside of the people and country. This past week has included several of these unique experiences in Jordan that I probably couldn't plan even with money but the Lord has graciously provided them for me.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-AfobnBSKYKhP0xnVwWgZh1uL-5-hFJu5aIOP3rXy6Cp3mOO8Ssiin0493qWTzr5k29qxT6Tv4DGbf_YIeNsCqrBCrRS8-VS9DVzbQDx5ka4-IFvVmiPsoaTyRD6IkkQqKdR6JAjPFI/s1600/IMG_0601.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-AfobnBSKYKhP0xnVwWgZh1uL-5-hFJu5aIOP3rXy6Cp3mOO8Ssiin0493qWTzr5k29qxT6Tv4DGbf_YIeNsCqrBCrRS8-VS9DVzbQDx5ka4-IFvVmiPsoaTyRD6IkkQqKdR6JAjPFI/s640/IMG_0601.jpg" width="480" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Let me just briefly mention a few of them and include a picture of two for you</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydMrBzXjNTT4itGDvtjU1L_uA0gueRBL_KvZ2EXFWg5yDvptMPUI4IStO8h6MmbKSTyXHX_XCdeKblZkNHBR9yVrIPXEKRXqsmGrEC3MSRvkO5LIKxUv-9NLRxOvayOq_Ocwsytiu8DE/s1600/IMG_0594.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydMrBzXjNTT4itGDvtjU1L_uA0gueRBL_KvZ2EXFWg5yDvptMPUI4IStO8h6MmbKSTyXHX_XCdeKblZkNHBR9yVrIPXEKRXqsmGrEC3MSRvkO5LIKxUv-9NLRxOvayOq_Ocwsytiu8DE/s640/IMG_0594.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>1) Preaching in Churches in Jordan.</b></i> On this particular trip I have preached in an Arabic Church of the Nazarene near downtown Amman (1st Circle), at a Sudanese Arabic Church (2nd Circle) which ended up being attended by about 15 different Nationalities<span style="font-size: large;">, and at an Alliance Church just o<span style="font-size: large;">utside Amman proper in a village called Marj </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Al-hama<span style="font-size: large;">m. (<span style="font-size: large;">also two chapels services at JETS with students here from 6 or 7 different<span style="font-size: large;"> nations<span style="font-size: large;">). I'll also <span style="font-size: large;">teach class for 56 hours including translation ove<span style="font-size: large;">r the <span style="font-size: large;">18 days I am here in Jordan. I am planning to rest when I return (while, sort of, since Sharon and I leave for Israel and Jordan exact<span style="font-size: large;">ly one week from the day I arrive home!)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>2) Eating and Drinking in Jordanian Homes.</b></i> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Years ago I would have had a hard time eating anythi<span style="font-size: large;">ng that wasn't from a cow and accompanied solely by<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> potatoes and "normal" vegetables<span style="font-size: large;">. God has allowed me to change and enjoy a wider variety of <span style="font-size: large;">H</span>is good t<span style="font-size: large;">hings. <span style="font-size: large;">H</span>ere in Jordan I have enjoyed Arabic bar<span style="font-size: large;">beque, <span style="font-size: large;">Ma</span>nse<span style="font-size: large;">f</span>, Maqluba (upside down rice and califlower or eggplant or ? with either chi<span style="font-size: large;">cken or lamb, <span style="font-size: large;">Arabic coffee</span></span>, Turkish coffee, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sahlab, and along with these meals in the tradi<span style="font-size: large;">onal Arabic/Jordanian hospitality. Today I posted on Facebook the foll<span style="font-size: large;">owing post on my lunch today — </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Today
I was the guest of the parents of Hass<span style="font-size: large;">an</span> (<span style="font-size: large;">one of </span>my student and a pastor of an
Alliance Church <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqu76sLihg6-WDiZPO6vNr6PPM-H6xYefRPJBu05JsvwkC-sbSNjdDMMaRrHHgZDC6vBbnnRtJxcD5EJRWamjo3ce03I417rxQnjTduNN7S3vlJBIm5mRz4Y7kmIYJC4J9N31-TxRIVxM/s1600/IMG_4858.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqu76sLihg6-WDiZPO6vNr6PPM-H6xYefRPJBu05JsvwkC-sbSNjdDMMaRrHHgZDC6vBbnnRtJxcD5EJRWamjo3ce03I417rxQnjTduNN7S3vlJBIm5mRz4Y7kmIYJC4J9N31-TxRIVxM/s640/IMG_4858.jpg" width="640" /></a>in Marj Al-hamam, just outside of Amman) in Na'our, Jordan.
They treated my in traditional Jordanian fashion which meant I felt I
was royalty! I was fed lamb (his mother kept putting pieces on my place -
I ate three!) and rice and nuts and vegetables and fruit and of course
Arabic coffee (it comes in just a tiny cup but it is powerful and it was
just wonderful). At one time this man owned over 100 dunams [25 acres]
of land as well as sheep and goats etc. He sold much of it when land,
this close to Amman, became valuable, and he kept a high hill on which
he and all his sons (and uncles and <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SYWkmI2SdhgTqyEXM10oDSQbnVY0drU6K-2A8H9CJweH68ScAx3pmx-rUInGv44QhIn_yVVszM-vajTQAQCKjfrfqI9LyZnJnOElm8D_cjnRgFbr5jQom1I5WZJX-bZOsOGfV_cosU4/s1600/IMG_4863.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SYWkmI2SdhgTqyEXM10oDSQbnVY0drU6K-2A8H9CJweH68ScAx3pmx-rUInGv44QhIn_yVVszM-vajTQAQCKjfrfqI9LyZnJnOElm8D_cjnRgFbr5jQom1I5WZJX-bZOsOGfV_cosU4/s640/IMG_4863.jpg" width="640" /></a>cousins) now have beautiful, modern
homes that would rival much of what I see in upscale Dallas. You can see
the tall buildings of Amman in one direction (10 miles?) and in another
direction (30 miles?) you can see the hills of Judea in Israel today.</span><br />
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}" style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
I asked this 75-80 year old man numerous questions about his younger years in this land,
the events of 1947-48 and 1967 when wars was in this region, and what it
was like when he met the King of Jordan etc. etc. I was just curious
and fascinated, and he loved my interest in his much loved land and
country.</span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvV_4JxKwXDung-hCvCwhwQD2GUaHRuFGD_l-IqJdC1K1JD8hGzgvXdqad-jrPubWYzn99KlIzvRLpIYJBdv2nveYSuqKFXTLTpaoStgMPi-FM6YdbwJ-pCgBmJQA2KTS6Ls5gOvZ16k/s1600/IMG_4865.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvV_4JxKwXDung-hCvCwhwQD2GUaHRuFGD_l-IqJdC1K1JD8hGzgvXdqad-jrPubWYzn99KlIzvRLpIYJBdv2nveYSuqKFXTLTpaoStgMPi-FM6YdbwJ-pCgBmJQA2KTS6Ls5gOvZ16k/s640/IMG_4865.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></h5>
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<span style="font-size: large;">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> I have found when I serve my Lord, with what a times seems
like some sacrifice, He blesses me with people and experiences that I
couldn't buy with money. Today was one of them.</span></span></span></span></h5>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElrROPtPjuqCxUXdq7URJBQwWhx4iosSAYhJ9dh7P8BI16opTiiRshyGU5ddXJ4NO5x03uYeAY8rNeIR9xSfU5OtBFzb-xd4N-dNc7LzRlS7J7dnuafA6opYV5H0K9gvui88ABii8D8k/s1600/IMG_0590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDgLfXHBvX3NSDs5r7GWSQbXWbLILYeeEGR3LgQBcxEwLcxirw8BMA2QkzBZ34cmi_v6pOopVImxKPOIIUYWQC2XSSIvIjdySOWE7x4uvMLMJz5BbU094Mf8xdha2utGCYbZkroiyu7c/s1600/IMG_0653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br /><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDgLfXHBvX3NSDs5r7GWSQbXWbLILYeeEGR3LgQBcxEwLcxirw8BMA2QkzBZ34cmi_v6pOopVImxKPOIIUYWQC2XSSIvIjdySOWE7x4uvMLMJz5BbU094Mf8xdha2utGCYbZkroiyu7c/s1600/IMG_0653.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></i><span style="font-size: large;">On<span style="font-size: large;"> Sunday afternoon I asked Hass<span style="font-size: large;">a</span>n to stop the car so I could </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">take a p<span style="font-size: large;">icture of the Almond Tree that was<span style="font-size: large;"> in bloom by the </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">side of the road. As I took the picture a<span style="font-size: large;">n Arab woman came out to see what we were doing. As it turns out s<span style="font-size: large;">he knew Hassen's parents </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi38vhvChyphenhyphenAS7sDSjjy7fLCrFRna7GUlPyRVsLrIPFgL_pMsuTkUbVVkOU7HUgRSrHamF8zlAMLRn8-YxA5dOYLbdhX1TesoebIz_v-jSy3c9GgoWLGiKWtgdRsfBbbBoZsAiNaGJJ1Fo/s1600/IMG_0659.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi38vhvChyphenhyphenAS7sDSjjy7fLCrFRna7GUlPyRVsLrIPFgL_pMsuTkUbVVkOU7HUgRSrHamF8zlAMLRn8-YxA5dOYLbdhX1TesoebIz_v-jSy3c9GgoWLGiKWtgdRsfBbbBoZsAiNaGJJ1Fo/s640/IMG_0659.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>The Almond tree <span style="font-size: large;">that I originally was<span style="font-size: large;"> shooting <span style="font-size: large;">can be seen outside on the other side of the road</span></span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">quite well and so of course now needed to give them three <span style="font-size: large;">bags of </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">fre<span style="font-size: large;">sh vegetables <span style="font-size: large;">so he could take them home. Once she met me and realized I was a guest in <span style="font-size: large;">her cou<span style="font-size: large;">ntry she <span style="font-size: large;">INSISTED we come in for "just a moment" so she could </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">feed us a l<span style="font-size: large;">ittle something<span style="font-size: large;"> (I had just finished a wonderful chicken meal at Hass<span style="font-size: large;">an</span>'s home that his wife Rula had cooked)</span>. Abo<span style="font-size: large;">ut 30 <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">o</span>r 40 minutes later after I have eaten the <span style="font-size: large;">BEST figs, almonds, sweet moist r<span style="font-size: large;">ais<span style="font-size: large;">i</span>ns<span style="font-size: large;"> I have <span style="font-size: large;">ever eaten (and also I turned down ora<span style="font-size: large;">nges, apples, bananas, and the offer to come back for a </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDgLfXHBvX3NSDs5r7GWSQbXWbLILYeeEGR3LgQBcxEwLcxirw8BMA2QkzBZ34cmi_v6pOopVImxKPOIIUYWQC2XSSIvIjdySOWE7x4uvMLMJz5BbU094Mf8xdha2utGCYbZkroiyu7c/s1600/IMG_0653.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDgLfXHBvX3NSDs5r7GWSQbXWbLILYeeEGR3LgQBcxEwLcxirw8BMA2QkzBZ34cmi_v6pOopVImxKPOIIUYWQC2XSSIvIjdySOWE7x4uvMLMJz5BbU094Mf8xdha2utGCYbZkroiyu7c/s640/IMG_0653.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">I'm
kneeling down beside the "first wave" she brought i<span style="font-size: large;">n</span>. Isn't it a
beautiful room<span style="font-size: large;">?</span> You might never guess as you pass by outside.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">meal of lamb!) and I have drunk fruit juice and then Arabic coffee (not the thick, dark Turkish coffee <span style="font-size: large;">I often have in a home here)</span>. I </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">was going to turn down the coffee but the pastor quickly informed me that this type of coffee signified fr<span style="font-size: large;">iendship<span style="font-size: large;">. It hardly tastes like <span style="font-size: large;">coffee (it is made </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">with water, lightly roasted coffee, ground with cardamom and boiled for about 15 to 20 minutes—not percolated </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfugy9d52NQEYtQD435DGqncG4CgqzZroIYuUJmmelpXbuEqjTgzqRCNH2nTbSMvIXagHNSOC27GvKsGTGmyVhwjs-aoNUP1xxWT_BJlnW-zxJFDolMjXNH3i-iXNHvirvpS5oS9KhtuM/s1600/IMG_0657.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfugy9d52NQEYtQD435DGqncG4CgqzZroIYuUJmmelpXbuEqjTgzqRCNH2nTbSMvIXagHNSOC27GvKsGTGmyVhwjs-aoNUP1xxWT_BJlnW-zxJFDolMjXNH3i-iXNHvirvpS5oS9KhtuM/s640/IMG_0657.jpg" width="640" /></a>or filtered—but boiled<span style="font-size: large;"> and<span style="font-size: large;"> this particular <span style="font-size: large;">Arabic coffee ha<span style="font-size: large;">d something else in it too but <span style="font-size: large;">no<span style="font-size: large;">body could tell me what it was! But I saw it and felt it in my mou<span style="font-size: large;">th - almost like rice?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span>) In the past this <span style="font-size: large;">type of coffee was <span style="font-size: large;">used to conclude a negotiation or show reconciliation and so to refuse to drink this would be an insult. Here I am (an American/Canadian, male, professor, Believer in Christ), sitting in a very special hospitality room (<span style="font-size: large;">attached to the home but with a sep<span style="font-size: large;">a</span>rate entrance from the house entrance) being shown gracious hospitality by an Arab, Mu<span style="font-size: large;">slim, <span style="font-size: large;">B</span>edouin woman!</span> </span>I'm glad I didn't insult anyone, I drank it, enjoyed it and look forward to having th<span style="font-size: large;">e opportunity to do this again! You can't buy <span style="font-size: large;">experiences like this!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09CQmZws2tg3E_EF-LXcBRsa8Byly9GOPiVilkXEoemfdjw8KS5xmauN-5Uw4M-xHQl_X01wZBFfSsN9lLnhT4EVacX2dZJHQTKbY9fFTG1oIWxlHn3aWxjTsR_Pt3aj8ycGzDot-R7I/s1600/IMG_0621.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09CQmZws2tg3E_EF-LXcBRsa8Byly9GOPiVilkXEoemfdjw8KS5xmauN-5Uw4M-xHQl_X01wZBFfSsN9lLnhT4EVacX2dZJHQTKbY9fFTG1oIWxlHn3aWxjTsR_Pt3aj8ycGzDot-R7I/s640/IMG_0621.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>3) Unique Sites. </b></i>This time I have been so committed to ministry (every day but one since I've been here) I haven't taken any trips </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">solely for the purpose of sight-seeing and resea<span style="font-size: large;">rch. But on Sunday after dinner and before church I was privileged to see, <span style="font-size: large;">on a private </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXL6Viqtt_ic9rETq7lWZIaEWK0dflV6xPsGM5Ey8ZwMK0ewQ_7xJlzdC1rIy821cUCbdE7nUaHm9FI0xdmSzEniBGiftMLiAWUWtIWGd5JdX-Weks_nvqXNpwM1UTKWux-Cq07bXzJ9Q/s1600/IMG_0630.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXL6Viqtt_ic9rETq7lWZIaEWK0dflV6xPsGM5Ey8ZwMK0ewQ_7xJlzdC1rIy821cUCbdE7nUaHm9FI0xdmSzEniBGiftMLiAWUWtIWGd5JdX-Weks_nvqXNpwM1UTKWux-Cq07bXzJ9Q/s640/IMG_0630.jpg" width="640" /></a>farm,<span style="font-size: large;"> a very ancient tree. It was huge, the men I spoke to disagree on its age (anywhere from 140 years back to a thousand years). No one could tell me for sure what type of tree it was <span style="font-size: large;">(nothing that I ha<span style="font-size: large;">ve ever seen in my travels here in the Middle East<span style="font-size: large;"> that I can remember).</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">People <span style="font-size: large;">sometimes ask me why I travel so far and work <span style="font-size: large;">fairly hard when I could be at home with m<span style="font-size: large;">y</span> family and grandkids enjoying my sabbatical (and let me say I enjoy every min<span style="font-size: large;">ute with my family <span style="font-size: large;">and miss <span style="font-size: large;">Sharon lots when I'm away).</span></span></span></span></span> I do this because I believe the Lord has called me to do it. I think that this <span style="font-size: large;">seminary in Jordan is st<span style="font-size: large;">rategic<span style="font-size: large;">al</span>ly placed for such a time as this. There will never be <span style="font-size: large;">any true peace here unless <span style="font-size: large;">hearts are changed. The Lord can do this in <span style="font-size: large;">Arab lives throughout this country and the surrounding countries. I don't do it for this great and enjoy<span style="font-size: large;">able experiences I have "on the side" but isn't our God good to give them to me?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">JETS hopes to move into their campus in August. However, they need about $400,000 to complete it to the standard the government is insisting on before they can take possession. Would you pray with me that the Lord will provide this<span style="font-size: large;">? </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-84846073308666588902013-02-11T13:46:00.002-06:002013-02-11T13:46:13.653-06:00Preaching in Jordan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuGLzelk3LWn5uuO9KfmC6Z_W2o20bQKTJJj_VfJc90HkKzu7wvAYv-NTLDDb29EWxCdrBGsxNQRXWkeYrBaeHaUcyDpuqwoM-6vwRH7fiXGAKWmoaJcekktNbW6mCIWHcIPQ33rInJ4/s1600/IMG_4729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuGLzelk3LWn5uuO9KfmC6Z_W2o20bQKTJJj_VfJc90HkKzu7wvAYv-NTLDDb29EWxCdrBGsxNQRXWkeYrBaeHaUcyDpuqwoM-6vwRH7fiXGAKWmoaJcekktNbW6mCIWHcIPQ33rInJ4/s640/IMG_4729.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">When I'm here in the summer (I usually come in July but because I'm on sabbatical it allowed me to come here in Febuary) I often see license plates from Saudi Arabia. I haven't seen many of them this time but I did see one that seemed to have some connection with the monarchy or at least government. I was wondering as I took the picture if a security person was going to start asking questions. Apparently I looked innocent enough and I went on my walk.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSc43UOWDpgRViBr2PA19sZCum_xBo-k-bLX8_tTg-KozNP4EOYhWUtkA1oniEmIx-Doah7Vm-EKLm-AXFvZyi_fc53RnY6ap-edHBjJHsPKotAY1_eklbaU6ofcWitzMggDphnkGfHxk/s1600/IMG_4748_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSc43UOWDpgRViBr2PA19sZCum_xBo-k-bLX8_tTg-KozNP4EOYhWUtkA1oniEmIx-Doah7Vm-EKLm-AXFvZyi_fc53RnY6ap-edHBjJHsPKotAY1_eklbaU6ofcWitzMggDphnkGfHxk/s640/IMG_4748_2.jpg" width="640" /></a>One of the real joys I have as one who enjoys both the Scriptures and the local church is the opportunity I often have to preach when I am traveling. On Saturday morning I preached in morning <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqo65AJfMamv7053h8WPbRhTXiX5id8AA_eMQ7Fl8GyWUySZSrwV3GnuFfEuP4G5X1rRZomMuf8KfDADW2DffVnkkdfqdoysCQuMq8WJ141shBWx5sJcKONg53wPdmv2NqCzUAdylifg/s1600/IMG_0554.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqo65AJfMamv7053h8WPbRhTXiX5id8AA_eMQ7Fl8GyWUySZSrwV3GnuFfEuP4G5X1rRZomMuf8KfDADW2DffVnkkdfqdoysCQuMq8WJ141shBWx5sJcKONg53wPdmv2NqCzUAdylifg/s400/IMG_0554.jpg" width="300" /></a>chapel at JETS with men and women present from at least 6 different countries. Sunday evening I preached at 1st Circle Church of the Nazarene whose pastor is a former student I taught at JETS, I was translated by a former student and translator I had at JETS, and in the audience was a former student and his wife that I taught at DTS in Dallas! Although I just had a little part in the preparation of these former students, what a joy it is to see them in ministry and to hear what God is doing through them.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-zrhqirH2zljv3p0HEQn1jqCxjxk5SLSIRPytFtB6dECUcp7REJDrHoCzqvbaxgBWG1pfYDnN7kfBGlNEHn7DlaDCUkKa5ZtV4w7mjBRE-TQPIT_LF7Qw5flttXRy6Xz6fuFLnyCItM/s1600/IMG_0569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-zrhqirH2zljv3p0HEQn1jqCxjxk5SLSIRPytFtB6dECUcp7REJDrHoCzqvbaxgBWG1pfYDnN7kfBGlNEHn7DlaDCUkKa5ZtV4w7mjBRE-TQPIT_LF7Qw5flttXRy6Xz6fuFLnyCItM/s320/IMG_0569.jpg" width="320" /></a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM23TcPxpLTT1bkbYYmugr8dyk_PwO_Dq20roQLUJN8BZgE8PVPNsoAUHYpEKyaRyG3fnIyRnfbSEmTm9L-28xHq0Crv5IKbWaWcx_DeOMAbPvqZgllQ73Rm1sr8G93CbFyN6qrj9HsDY/s1600/IMG_0575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM23TcPxpLTT1bkbYYmugr8dyk_PwO_Dq20roQLUJN8BZgE8PVPNsoAUHYpEKyaRyG3fnIyRnfbSEmTm9L-28xHq0Crv5IKbWaWcx_DeOMAbPvqZgllQ73Rm1sr8G93CbFyN6qrj9HsDY/s400/IMG_0575.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">In my class right now I have 3 students from Egypt, 1 student from Syria, 3 students from South Sudan, 1 student from Korea, and 3 students from Jordan. What will God do through these committed servants of His? Some of them have very little and they have been through so much. I plan to give whatever I can to help them prepare to preach and teach the Word. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If anyone reading my blog feels God wants them to contribute some money to these students, please just write me an email. You could send it to my home, meanwhile I could use my bank card to get some money and give it to them while I'm here. These students are a tremendous investment in reaching the Arabic speaking world.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-82353901573015508922013-02-08T04:38:00.001-06:002013-02-08T12:44:34.141-06:00First Week in Amman, Jordan<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4t4T-bXx31iUQH68EA0KoYYFStM1AztX2F-iy4U1ocKvL8IhOAOQY96qKvyZ8W-RkUBIZ1rLLmi5wYV5ZYt_NQnEkskmLg3ADD_niKbpqSpLB0mmksJ6_dxq3VeRVcoGcfSYCYm-0sk/s1600/IMG_4646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUZQcw33TzDZXS_iIb09cjWfk7R85uBgzgJTNrqymWWpeE65jGb4QnsDWXCvNc2nUipsGHx4u5Z5lfhkp6Sk3iJ-msenAHM0kLrEyfWJd3mM82SH7URmParhYNBkCcgW7_k_8AJS0IIM/s1600/IMG_4636.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUZQcw33TzDZXS_iIb09cjWfk7R85uBgzgJTNrqymWWpeE65jGb4QnsDWXCvNc2nUipsGHx4u5Z5lfhkp6Sk3iJ-msenAHM0kLrEyfWJd3mM82SH7URmParhYNBkCcgW7_k_8AJS0IIM/s640/IMG_4636.JPG" width="640" /></a>Today is Friday and in the Middle East this means it is the "Weekend" since the Muslims (who are the majority, except in Israel) take this day as their day of worship. The roads are pretty empty, stores are closed and the seminary here takes a break as well. If you want to reach your neighbors you can't offend them and today many churches will have services so that neighbors can come. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCxEUQ8k4vISIgAr0hATO60dF73BwjYRWRFbA7Wj6iCH3a0xSkOHvkNkKm_xb8oD1t3cJ2yudhP0WNuRyybG7cw1a1Jq7dLjlRlVb2EPAL4qhabZfTDqyrsye0G62SzrLuTHbORCwzOQ/s1600/IMG_0551.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCxEUQ8k4vISIgAr0hATO60dF73BwjYRWRFbA7Wj6iCH3a0xSkOHvkNkKm_xb8oD1t3cJ2yudhP0WNuRyybG7cw1a1Jq7dLjlRlVb2EPAL4qhabZfTDqyrsye0G62SzrLuTHbORCwzOQ/s400/IMG_0551.jpg" width="400" /></a>Saturday here is a regular weekday and so I will teach tomorrow from 9 am - 1:30 pm with just two 15 minute breaks. Four hours of classes a day can be energy consuming but of course I only have to actually speak for half that time since everything I say is translated into Arabic.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcOlGY2iftf7ARa01BT7Sr0ulDXohRpJ-NBavmgTlientYsRTSzxTimnTo8eXR4pmTSL5Bi0sVzqjnYWCqGsmCbaD1sm_Cw_jno_yn2QBT6s_KMcudkGm6NFPqU7b6A2YPg02TKtqOzo/s1600/IMG_4644.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcOlGY2iftf7ARa01BT7Sr0ulDXohRpJ-NBavmgTlientYsRTSzxTimnTo8eXR4pmTSL5Bi0sVzqjnYWCqGsmCbaD1sm_Cw_jno_yn2QBT6s_KMcudkGm6NFPqU7b6A2YPg02TKtqOzo/s400/IMG_4644.jpg" width="400" /></a>Tomorrow I will first speak in chapel at 8:15 am (on Wednesday the chaplain had a Jordanian "breakfast" for chapel time! [see the picture]) and then in the late afternoon I will head off to the International Church here in Amman to hear one of our DTS alumni, Jeffrey Townsend, preach. Sunday will be a "day off" here at JETS (Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary) since many Christian churches will have services, though often in the evenings since Sunday is a regular work day for most people. I will be preaching at the 1st Circle Church of the Nazarene (near the downtown of the Old City). This church is pastored by one of my first students that I taught here at JETS back in about 2003. Lo'ay and his wife Wafa (from Syria) are a wonderful couple that I enjoy fellowshipping with every time I come to Jordan. Their children Laith and Rula will be receiving some special treats I brought them from Texas!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnq-5qz0_kZDxx-KAghjvWgWk5ydZieRKisnevnsdW2fV0j-8_tlN1wUPYfZr6UUhIcTS66sd1qQHOfYQ0TEObpLj9P9hHwsgzAMPoirEqLEy0nINJvRAExMLStZUUIzRAhDt3ROyI9fw/s1600/IMG_4637.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnq-5qz0_kZDxx-KAghjvWgWk5ydZieRKisnevnsdW2fV0j-8_tlN1wUPYfZr6UUhIcTS66sd1qQHOfYQ0TEObpLj9P9hHwsgzAMPoirEqLEy0nINJvRAExMLStZUUIzRAhDt3ROyI9fw/s400/IMG_4637.jpg" width="400" /></a>In the past I have always visited Jordan (I think I've been in this country at least 11 different times) during the summer months (May to August) and so this is the first time I have been here in the winter and seen rain. In fact, on Wednesday it was foggy and rainy as I went for my daily walk. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4t4T-bXx31iUQH68EA0KoYYFStM1AztX2F-iy4U1ocKvL8IhOAOQY96qKvyZ8W-RkUBIZ1rLLmi5wYV5ZYt_NQnEkskmLg3ADD_niKbpqSpLB0mmksJ6_dxq3VeRVcoGcfSYCYm-0sk/s1600/IMG_4646.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4t4T-bXx31iUQH68EA0KoYYFStM1AztX2F-iy4U1ocKvL8IhOAOQY96qKvyZ8W-RkUBIZ1rLLmi5wYV5ZYt_NQnEkskmLg3ADD_niKbpqSpLB0mmksJ6_dxq3VeRVcoGcfSYCYm-0sk/s400/IMG_4646.jpg" width="400" /></a>On my walks this week I passed by a site I have visited in the past (none of my students here even knew that it was there even though it is just a 1/2 mile from JETS). It is a mosaic from the 6th Century. These days however, it is locked and the outside of the shelter is overflowing with trash. Can you imagine if in America we had a man-made relic that was 1,400 years old? We'd have it displayed is a modern building and charge an admission fee. Here in the Middle East there are so many ancient remains that most of them are not even properly preserved. But not everything here in Amman Jordan is ancient or rundown. I took a picture of a new mall that is being developed just a mile from where I am staying. They also have a great pedestrian mall with Starbucks just a half mile away, just a hundred yards from the Sixth Century mosaic floor (above). There is a real mixture here, ancient - modern, religious - secular, Muslim - Christian, etc. Jordan for the most part is a stable <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZtiNAHStPP74ToDNfTs88kVHErkcQFtX1bScHeKpSxxZlCnHpljlwK9bWgCfKQekwz18uMtb0EKTaebBt6BiGrpdla3ua0cc6tRa_oo81qaFljDHujhvG87vVnKcla9jfcX4b5ycrOY/s1600/IMG_4641.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZtiNAHStPP74ToDNfTs88kVHErkcQFtX1bScHeKpSxxZlCnHpljlwK9bWgCfKQekwz18uMtb0EKTaebBt6BiGrpdla3ua0cc6tRa_oo81qaFljDHujhvG87vVnKcla9jfcX4b5ycrOY/s400/IMG_4641.jpg" width="400" /></a>nation with the population not supporting the Muslim Brotherhood in the latest election and yet it is a monarch with a king who has almost absolute power (he can dissolve Parliament whenever he desires). Yet the people recognize that in many surrounding nations chaos reigns. I'd appreciate prayer as I seek to minister here. I need wisdom in what to say, what not to say, how to say what I need to say etc. The people who host me here are fabulous. I admire them for their commitment to this ministry here.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-73785631362984454222013-02-05T12:40:00.000-06:002013-02-05T12:40:54.102-06:00Teaching in Jordan, 2013<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXihNspL-XYfrWsl9StFGjDz8YaPDW4ScoqVag0NzHZKg-YkPiJyWXLD0M61cmbWtesnUSblKnIFTNVLWruFFP8MXPOfCf1qF51aUGjrwfToGCsdYMdL1CH46owNjPnnoE8VtyZZs0KM/s1600/Slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXihNspL-XYfrWsl9StFGjDz8YaPDW4ScoqVag0NzHZKg-YkPiJyWXLD0M61cmbWtesnUSblKnIFTNVLWruFFP8MXPOfCf1qF51aUGjrwfToGCsdYMdL1CH46owNjPnnoE8VtyZZs0KM/s400/Slide1.jpg" width="400" /></a>I'm back in Jordan, teaching for 3 weeks at the Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary. I've been coming here since 2003 and it is thrilling for me each time I have the opportunity to teach our Arabic brothers and sisters (and they teach me lots too!).</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefgiy36jisU4ieyRhVsGrjqTtMnCk70JlLjFXcyiaUk7d4Bq4PhH0C1A2pAMZ-dATzmws51MWxFzrmqbW2mrJ_0_lfhYrSX-IkEE8F_5GK7pnXed_SwhnpB0bF92mhZbMsLV2nROEE3U/s1600/Slide3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefgiy36jisU4ieyRhVsGrjqTtMnCk70JlLjFXcyiaUk7d4Bq4PhH0C1A2pAMZ-dATzmws51MWxFzrmqbW2mrJ_0_lfhYrSX-IkEE8F_5GK7pnXed_SwhnpB0bF92mhZbMsLV2nROEE3U/s400/Slide3.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">This year I am teaching the Gospels and Acts course and I have 11 master's level students. They come from Jordan, Sudan, Egypt, Syria and Korea! It was exciting today to hear how each one is intimately involved in ministry even as they study here. I may be able to share, at least in general terms, some of their involvement in later blogs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiEpUv-5HTzmr4yTm59hnsgHrEDYG2sH6R5eAy0KZJrWI4jxbDhEHYqFoi2EKP837hLmwAsTURVkpx0RqlVt_iKEmbglFVfoyHYhw71YE9eE6KNfxH4mVz1XUMw0Zg3r-qR3PjR18XwY/s1600/Slide2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiEpUv-5HTzmr4yTm59hnsgHrEDYG2sH6R5eAy0KZJrWI4jxbDhEHYqFoi2EKP837hLmwAsTURVkpx0RqlVt_iKEmbglFVfoyHYhw71YE9eE6KNfxH4mVz1XUMw0Zg3r-qR3PjR18XwY/s400/Slide2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jpTr5NImq8z7GB9ETpedDB5nWBzh9nZRuMl0hPqccscT_z3koqcj3to1bscNK-WGVreCDHiPKPxAkfbTvAkc499VTClpG0CWvBucdpKYyqluVhN3xwyjAhao1xmaZnnEN3QJDWPc7bk/s1600/Slide4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jpTr5NImq8z7GB9ETpedDB5nWBzh9nZRuMl0hPqccscT_z3koqcj3to1bscNK-WGVreCDHiPKPxAkfbTvAkc499VTClpG0CWvBucdpKYyqluVhN3xwyjAhao1xmaZnnEN3QJDWPc7bk/s400/Slide4.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I left Texas on Saturday to fly to Tampa, Florida to speak twice at Bayside Community Church. They do post their sermons so if you are bored or intrigu<span style="font-size: large;">ed<span style="font-size: large;"> or . . . you can find the messages I preached at:</span></span> (http://www.baysidecommunitychurch.net/home.html OR http://bcctampa.sermon.tv/). On Sunday afternoon I left for the airport at 3 pm and arrived here in Amman, Jordan (via Atlant<span style="font-size: large;">a and Paris) </span>at the guest house on Tuesday morning at 1 am! Air France had some problems with the plane out of Paris and so I arrived about 4 hours later than expected. A quick sleep and then a cup of tea, chapel and class for 4 1/2 hours (9 am - 1:30 pm), lunch with JETS president Dr. Imad Shehadeh, an afternoon nap, dinner, some prep and now some blog time.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I think every Christian, if possible, should travel and experi<span style="font-size: large;">ence <span style="font-size: large;">"</span>Church" in a different culture. This morning I sat and listened as Arabic voices l<span style="font-size: large;">oudly sang praises to our God. I prayed along with a b<span style="font-size: large;">rother and sister (though I couldn't understand their words exc<span style="font-size: large;">ept for just a few) but I knew they were praying <span style="font-size: large;">in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The devotional was kindl<span style="font-size: large;">y translated for me and it was a good challenge from Ezekiel 37. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the days ahead I hope to share more of what is happening here in Jordan and what the Lord is doing with, in<span style="font-size: large;">, and through me these days.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-16762276399080120752012-12-28T14:12:00.000-06:002012-12-28T14:12:06.493-06:00In Israel, in Samaria<b><span class="userContent">Challenges Getting Here</span></b><br />
<span class="userContent">I left Dallas on Dec 26, 2012 to co-lead a tour to Israel until Jan 6, 2013. Because of snow in Dallas and bad weather in Philadelphia our plane took off 4 hours late and we only had a 4 hour layover in Philadelphia on our way to Tel Aviv. International flights are never delayed and yet 15 of our tour members from Houston and 11 members from Dallas were able to run through the airport, go through special security and board the plane after we had been told the doors were closed! We took off an hour later than scheduled but we were all on board! We believe it was the hand of God to allow us all to experience this special time in the LAND (all of our suitcases didn't make the transfer!) We just got them delivered to our second hotel, 24 hours late, but not one complaint that I've heard. We are just feeling blessed to be here.</span><br />
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<span class="userContent"><b>Unique Tour to Israel </b></span><br />
<span class="userContent">This tour has some second-timers to Israel on it so my co-leader Dr. Paul Shockley and I tried hard to develop a tour that would have some new experiences in it for these people and yet cover the major sites for those who had never been to Israel before.</span><br />
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<span class="userContent"><b>One of our changes was to spend our first night in the middle of Samaria!</b></span><br />
<span class="userContent">The picture above shows the sunrise this morning from our hotel in Ariel, in the middle
of Samaria. In moments like this I find it hard to believe that I am
here, walking in the land of Abraham, Isaac, Jaocb . . . and Jesus! We
spent time in Shiloh (where the tabernacle existed fo<span class="text_exposed_show">r
300 years, Elon Moreh (where God first promised Abrah the land and
where Abram first built an alter to the Lord), Caesarea (think Peter,
Philip, Paul), Mt. Carmel (Elijah and the prophets of Baal), and
wonderful sites as we drove along the the LAND.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsrPQy7MeSpm0is-2yZR6C8jzoCH8N2xql_81oQxSAniZBFKpJrze_nIyQ8K47AxdDUt-pmTUfBzir17UdFM7fiJIiR3hJh26L-i22NgkVYemZPb3eCJjSdR3jCRsWn7lrM1dYZ7qyu4/s1600/IMG_0082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsrPQy7MeSpm0is-2yZR6C8jzoCH8N2xql_81oQxSAniZBFKpJrze_nIyQ8K47AxdDUt-pmTUfBzir17UdFM7fiJIiR3hJh26L-i22NgkVYemZPb3eCJjSdR3jCRsWn7lrM1dYZ7qyu4/s400/IMG_0082.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">Last night I had the chance of a lifetime to listen to Menachem Gilboa tell his story. </span></span></b><br />
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<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_50ddf9812597f0d73728438">
Menachem
from Ariel told me the story of how 10 years ago he was able to wrestle a suicide
bomber to the ground at a gas station outside his hotel. He later
received a metal and citation of recognition form the IDF Command
Central Region of the State of Israel. To realize the courage of this
man to put his own life at risk to save 100 J<span class="text_exposed_show">ewish
soldiers outside their buses, again reminded me of how great a love a
person can have for others. After the terrorist was shot dead and
Menachem was able to get up and start to walk away, a soldier shot the
dead body again and the bomb exploded. Three soldiers were killed, many
were wounded and Menachem experienced serious injuries. I felt the 5 mm
ball bearings still lodged throughout his body. To hear his story, to
speak to his wife Tova and to realize that 6 months prior to this
explosion she had been injured in an explosion inside the hotel lobby,
and to hear of their faith in God has been a very moving experience for
me.</span></div>
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<b><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></b></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_50ddf9812597f0d73728438">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS08k22vaVnhpexN2r70VFMvDmA9m44aUjeLjQ09WGVRJW_wBpae-WdAJ-Nq0K-6h7WFQZrB5l45LTLv8DZBFvjS8arZ711JCTvEWa6HAjmV7FsTrobHuGKnBOcUMCoI3Lialqc83DtN8/s1600/262707_10151288740377347_1074403371_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS08k22vaVnhpexN2r70VFMvDmA9m44aUjeLjQ09WGVRJW_wBpae-WdAJ-Nq0K-6h7WFQZrB5l45LTLv8DZBFvjS8arZ711JCTvEWa6HAjmV7FsTrobHuGKnBOcUMCoI3Lialqc83DtN8/s400/262707_10151288740377347_1074403371_n.jpg" width="400" /></a><b><span class="text_exposed_show">Preach/Teaching on Mt. Carmel</span></b><span class="text_exposed_show"></span><br /><span class="userContent">I love to preach/teach anywhere, but when I'm standing on top of Mt. Carmel talking about a God who Answers, I can get excited! The sun was setting over the Mediterraean Sea, the mountains of Jordan could be seen in the distance, the valley of Jezreel was behind me, no other group was on the roof of the Carmelite monastary, our group wanted to listen, and I had my Bible in my hand. Doesn't get too much better for a preacher!</span></div>
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<span class="userContent"> </span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_50ddf9812597f0d73728438">
<span class="userContent"><b>Hotel on the Med</b></span></div>
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<span class="userContent">Tonight we are staying at the Palm Beach Hotel on the Mediterranean Sea. Tomorrow we start with Acco and then . . . and we'll end up at Kibbutz En Gev on the east shore of the Sea of Galilee. I can hardly wait for tomorrow.</span></div>
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-91334925194087801622012-08-08T20:29:00.002-05:002012-08-08T20:29:48.555-05:00This year in Israel?<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
Join me in Israel <i>this</i> December (2012)</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluMa7PefmyyRFOepMSDJ90Reks5hsIEkErKOCymrcqwwFw7gxrVLROFCiD8u3YZ_R92X5s8uiSWZFsB2qQ6XDK3oRAbwSH-uQH5d_VkXV6wIXLzWf0kQ_nOHTcZyP2rB1EtJSzSGX59A/s1600/Brochure+page+1.tiff"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682809773596345522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluMa7PefmyyRFOepMSDJ90Reks5hsIEkErKOCymrcqwwFw7gxrVLROFCiD8u3YZ_R92X5s8uiSWZFsB2qQ6XDK3oRAbwSH-uQH5d_VkXV6wIXLzWf0kQ_nOHTcZyP2rB1EtJSzSGX59A/s400/Brochure+page+1.tiff" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 309px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span class="messageBody"><br />I'd like you to consider joining Dr. Paul Shockley and me for a unique journey into Israel whereby we will explore <span style="font-weight: bold;">the best of Old Testament and New Testament Israel</span>. This month is the last month to obtain the group travel rates we have negotiated. </span>If you want to make your own airfare arrangements, and you register for
trip before August 30, then you can receive a $1,500.00 credit off total
price. If you are seriously teetering, do not delay. Please do not
hesitate to contact Paul R. Shockley or Stephen J. Bramer if you have
any questions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody">We will travel to places we all love to see, (e.g., Western Wall; Sea
of Galilee), but also see places not normally seen (e.g., Akko;
Samaria; Shiloh; Qumran Cave # 1). This would be a great tour even if
you have been to Israel before. You'll see the best of the old and the
best of the new sites. If you are interested, you can take a look the
pictures on this page <span style="font-weight: bold;">(click on them to increase their size)</span> or at an e-brochure on front page of Paul's website: <a href="http://www.prshockley.org/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.prshockley.org</a> or I will be glad to email you a PDF copy of brochure. </span></span></div>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody">Our trip will be between fall and spring semesters, <span style="font-weight: bold;">December 26, 2012- January 6, 2013</span>
and we think this is going to allow a number of people in education to
go on this tour since the tours in the fall and spring are often during
regular school days. Some businesses are not as busy during these two
weeks and so this might be a great time to combine a week of vacation
with normal holidays.</span></span></h6>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody">The weather will be cool with a possibility of rain. At this same time last year Paul and I spend two weeks in Israel and <span style="font-weight: bold;">we loved the coolness, clear days, bright flowers and the beautifully green fields</span>.</span></span></h6>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody">We are limiting this tour to a <span style="font-weight: bold;">single bus</span> so once it is full it is full! Consider putting down your deposit sooner (now!) rather than later.</span></span></h6>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-79526635154284059692012-07-25T14:29:00.003-05:002012-07-25T14:29:39.312-05:00Keeping shop in the Old City of Jerusalem<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Today I left Bethlehem about 8:15 am and caught a Palestinian bus from there to Joppa Gate in Jerusalem. I walked down (with my suitcase and backpack) to Christian Quarter road to see some of my old friends only to discover that because of Ramadan (Muslim month-long festival) no one got to their shops very early! </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVeQDORjPzhN8auMCpE5GXqhkaIoIKD16bEmv87UnlV9DNUaXhVNcf6ofoug6jrFeM0PB_d7pCVz1_DlWsCtPm0ZVeXtRHlIxDbAStvZhxzsltBJbZ226PnYsaZi6wnfMNTvsth_A8-E/s1600/IMG_2696.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVeQDORjPzhN8auMCpE5GXqhkaIoIKD16bEmv87UnlV9DNUaXhVNcf6ofoug6jrFeM0PB_d7pCVz1_DlWsCtPm0ZVeXtRHlIxDbAStvZhxzsltBJbZ226PnYsaZi6wnfMNTvsth_A8-E/s640/IMG_2696.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">9 am and only the bread man is about. My luggage is in front of Ali Baba Souvenir Shop owned by Shabaan.</span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Close by to where I was waiting was a small food shop so I had a tea and Turkish Delight with nuts. The owner is recently from California so we had a good talk. He insisted I sit in his chair and with my suitcase beside me I had a relaxed hour and a half before things began to come alive in this part of the city. Although it is the "Christian Quarter" many shopkeepers are Arab Muslims. It is called the Christian Quarter because it is where the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (traditional place of Christ's crucifixion and burial) is located (today there are other churches and pilgrim rest places etc. in this part of the Old City).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGubxCjyTe_WBWEDEwYD8AnnGMDPVBZcDk9a2UypxzOgtvrEsuqfFi9MfHS3hlrbOyFg9YYO66ANEfzYejbRmicKfiRcxsi9JIUROXYbeLqV52KNeLw1IeeRKHXVKHJyG6LSdZefQ29E/s1600/IMG_2698.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGubxCjyTe_WBWEDEwYD8AnnGMDPVBZcDk9a2UypxzOgtvrEsuqfFi9MfHS3hlrbOyFg9YYO66ANEfzYejbRmicKfiRcxsi9JIUROXYbeLqV52KNeLw1IeeRKHXVKHJyG6LSdZefQ29E/s640/IMG_2698.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Glad this shop was open for some "breakfast" of Turkish Delight with nuts!</span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">During the month of Ramadan every good Muslim is to fast from sunup to sundown. This fast is not only to include food but water and cigarettes! (I think I noticed that some were especially grumpy by the afternoon!) After sunset they celebrate with eating and drinking and then get up early to have a big breakfast. Apparently, after eating breakfast my shopkeeper friends took another sleep! I was invited to a home tonight which is planning for 100 guests but I had to leave for the airport. I was really disappointed because it would have been quite a honor to be a guest in a home during Ramadan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Later in the day </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">I became a shop-keeper in the Old City of Jerusalem! Well, it was only for
about 1/2 hour, and I wasn't too busy, but I helped some people, and I
only accepted one shipment that the owner hadn't ordered! My 22 year
long friendship with Shabaan (a Muslim who is celebrating Ramadan these
days) resulted in Shabaan asking me to watch his shop while he took some
people to another part of the city. I will record this as one of my
accomplishments during this sabbatical year from DTS!</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo518acDliIDgcttIFE8QWRRARDJTSFrqhKwUHA94l1kB468gsdzcroaw86EBatTmJ8aF9i-5-SPKK6DS278VuKPLuHog9xrl0Za7eEthuV6fYzfawJmi5c-gInRzzV5QMS842FD1XetY/s1600/IMG_2700.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo518acDliIDgcttIFE8QWRRARDJTSFrqhKwUHA94l1kB468gsdzcroaw86EBatTmJ8aF9i-5-SPKK6DS278VuKPLuHog9xrl0Za7eEthuV6fYzfawJmi5c-gInRzzV5QMS842FD1XetY/s640/IMG_2700.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Shopkeeper in the Old City of Jerusalem!</span>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">I also spent much of my day with my good friend Zack who owns an antiquity shop at 24 Christian Quarter Rd. We drank mint tea (Zack is a Christian believer so he was not fasting, PTL) which is my favorite drink while sitting in the shops of the Old City. If you are ever in Jerusalem part of your experience so be to visit with Zack (and Shabaan)! Tell them Dr. Stephen sent you and they will treat you well.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-66652416069957798822012-07-24T13:58:00.001-05:002012-07-24T13:58:15.678-05:00Stars over Bethlehem!<span style="font-size: large;">"Stars over Bethlehem" — I've never been able to write or say that before but tonight I can. Tonight I went for a walk (with my good friend Charles Savelle who just arrived this afternoon) and I looked out over the town of Bethlehem from the neighboring, slightly higher in elevation, town of Beit Jala. The stars were just coming out as well as a sliver of the moon. And I stood there — realizing that over 2,000 years ago the wise men from the east had come here to Bethlehem to worship King Jesus. Nights don't get much better!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Tomorrow morning I leave this part of the country to spend the day in Jerusalem with some long-time friends and then I'll head to the airport for my flight home.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnLOMzW54jJ0JaqOqqoEaOzYVSMhxnFY-S7iORKu8DDLgWB_Chp5JsYtODWb4My4i8jShK-CZURBZIZGXWnJIeoBNvx4ZKkFpJvZ9RDjfl12o8OyxGHvCGFQ2sA02Rcz1Epnt4kUUU-g/s1600/IMG_2687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnLOMzW54jJ0JaqOqqoEaOzYVSMhxnFY-S7iORKu8DDLgWB_Chp5JsYtODWb4My4i8jShK-CZURBZIZGXWnJIeoBNvx4ZKkFpJvZ9RDjfl12o8OyxGHvCGFQ2sA02Rcz1Epnt4kUUU-g/s640/IMG_2687.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The modern city of Bethlehem (the church steeples [top center] mark the place of Christ's birth. Yesterday I was in Nazareth looking at the church that marked where Mary was told the Holy Spirit would put the Christ-child in her womb.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> On Saturday I'll be at the funeral of my very good friend Stan Johnson. I'm so thankful I can be home in time to honor him but I miss him so very much already. Glad he is home with Jesus.</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-37184182860924308492012-07-21T04:17:00.000-05:002012-07-21T04:17:57.453-05:00Where David and the Son of David were born<span style="font-size: large;">Last night I got to Bethlehem, the "original" City of David and where our Lord Jesus Christ was born. I'll be careful what I write from here since there is always tension and I want to take care of friends that I make and not make it harder on them.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The trip from Amman to Bethlehem included a taxi to the border (10JD each [$14], an hour going through Jordanian passport control (and paying an 8JD [about $12]) exit fee. Then we purchased a ticket for the bus to take us across the Jordan River (3.5JD [$5]) and another ticket (1.3JD [$2]) for our luggage. The trip across the Jordan was about 3 miles but for various checks and unknown reasons the trip took about 3/4 hour. Then there was a long line as three or four buses unloaded at the Israeli passport control area (before when I have been with a tour bus we have proceeded to a different terminal). Bags and passports were checked, questions asked and answered, waiting was required but an hour and a half later we were through. Then we purchased a ticket in a shared bus (we ended up taking all 10 seats in one bus) for $10 each. This bus was supposed to drop us off at Damascus gate in Jerusalem but because it was Friday AND the first day of Ramadan the Israelis closed all the streets leading to Damascus gate. He dropped us off 1/2 mile away and we walked with our luggage to the bus station beside Damascus gate. However, no buses were running until after the Muslim prayers ended up at al-Aqsa mosque on the "Temple Mount" which Muslims call <span class="st">"Haram al-Sharif" ("The Noble Sanctuary"). Although Muslims are</span> not allowed to eat or drink for about 15 hours each day during Ramadan, they still sell food and so were were able to purchase some bread and humus for a light lunch.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxS9JlBjScLptOR9IgEFXF7JrZuO4Skr8zDXWSNhzWhahdCwAyZM8IBox8-fvazEmqp0fflFa3qNJk6nfGCvcYoBIke3gR9fZaRbbj7qaJRP5Ri-x89kwfQ1pNFtnNyCRovj2QrRzJDs/s1600/IMG_2632.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxS9JlBjScLptOR9IgEFXF7JrZuO4Skr8zDXWSNhzWhahdCwAyZM8IBox8-fvazEmqp0fflFa3qNJk6nfGCvcYoBIke3gR9fZaRbbj7qaJRP5Ri-x89kwfQ1pNFtnNyCRovj2QrRzJDs/s640/IMG_2632.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Entering into Bethlehem</span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We were able to get a bus (a Palestinian bus which cost us 5shekels [$1.25] each) that took us to the border "wall" between Israel and Palestine (occupied territory) and after going through light security we entered into Bethlehem. Some friends arranged some taxis for us and were got to where we are staying. Eight hours after we started we arrived! On a clear day, from the top of Mt. of Olives in Jerusalem, you can see tall towers in Amman!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uM_W7kD1RLORTV-500-aaiA1wGTvzYa8glVPRLdgrKiOPg_Tl8GntmaEZlIA_VWXzk5XqzoOWdAg0IyNEuof_AHRX_wbkyOuwlGMvtlLxiY23P_oT6JHsioB1ElKIIEVfihtxPBFQI4/s1600/IMG_2633.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uM_W7kD1RLORTV-500-aaiA1wGTvzYa8glVPRLdgrKiOPg_Tl8GntmaEZlIA_VWXzk5XqzoOWdAg0IyNEuof_AHRX_wbkyOuwlGMvtlLxiY23P_oT6JHsioB1ElKIIEVfihtxPBFQI4/s640/IMG_2633.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Outside our kitchen balcony</span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our accommodations are very pleasant and clean and our building is built on a hillside just outside where the "little town of Bethlehem" used to be. Today it is a busy, modern city filled with Muslims and Christians (non-Jew, non-Muslim) and only the Church of the Nativity reminds us of the place were Christ was born. The hillside that I look out on to could well have been were David once took his sheep to graze. I plan to take a walk to the top of a nearby hill from where I am told I can see Jerusalem probably 6 miles away (to the Old City).</span><span style="font-size: large;">Wish you could be here enjoying this with me!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Remember, if you are wanting to join me in Israel this December, the bus is filling up. Take a look at the brochure and sign up today! Take a look:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">http://bramersblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/join-me-in-israel-next-december.html</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-48603949468777852602012-07-17T11:37:00.002-05:002012-07-17T11:42:47.861-05:00Facinating Amman!<span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes serving our Lord in a distant country without your family is hard. I miss my wife Sharon, my grandkids (Madelin, Soren and Marlow) and my adult kids and their spouses. But it is a privilege to serve our God and I sense that right now he wants me over here in Jordan. I'm having a great time teaching some YWAM students (with some interesting discussions at times), I've enjoyed speaking at chapel at the Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary and at the Nazarene Church.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I also enjoy traveling around Jordan. The driving can be an adventure (I just about ran out of gas along the Dead Sea and there were no gas stations until the north end! The last three days have included:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow";">Touring Central (Hesbon, Arnon, Machaerus,
Madeba, Mt Nebo, Dead Sea</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow";">Touring North (farm, Deir Alla, Pella, Um
Quis, Jerash, Jabbok)</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow";">Touring South (Kerak Castle [think "Kingdom of Heaven" movie], Bozrah [main city of Edom], Sela [10,000 Edomite men killed here by King of Judah], Lot’s
Cave [incest from which we get the Moabites and Ammonites], Muja </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow";">River [outlet of Arnon River but all the water is captured before it can reach the Dead Sea</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow";">)</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And I enjoy the experience of living and driving in Amman, a city of over 2 million people with too many cars and not enough streets! As I was sitting here looking out the window (a conference call I was having with the Board of Directors of Insight for Living had just been dropped due to the weak signal here) I decided to take a picture of a "normal" scene outside my second story window at 7 pm in the evening on the main street in the downtown of Amman.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNjtSBuX0H3r30om0QF11rj8M2mGPTaP_X5_8BI034HCJ_X0AzsI5RKfcl_Tuuv5LqVQbb2t3oF2ts7uNfYwbO3WfkpZzVJNd-hcRw9u8qM3FaJyxIEKN3u856_Bi_KKoVzrtXc3r8ek/s1600/Slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNjtSBuX0H3r30om0QF11rj8M2mGPTaP_X5_8BI034HCJ_X0AzsI5RKfcl_Tuuv5LqVQbb2t3oF2ts7uNfYwbO3WfkpZzVJNd-hcRw9u8qM3FaJyxIEKN3u856_Bi_KKoVzrtXc3r8ek/s640/Slide1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">#1 A man is pushing a cart loaded with something slowly down the street.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#2 A van pulled up behind him. As I kept looking I realized this van had decided to stop and buy/do something on the other side of the "fence" along the street. This fence is to protect the pedestrians from the cars (See picture below).</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Downtown Amman at 7 pm, 15 seconds after above picture</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">#3 A van is stopped, double-parked and is now backing up.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#4 A mini-van is delivering a number of bags and a man from the store is coming out with his cart to unload the van.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#5 A couple of men have apparently decided the sidewalk is too crowded (it often is) and so they are walking out in the street.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">#6 A man is about to enter an oil-covered crosswalk and it is my experience no one will stop for him so he will have to dodge his way across the street (I do this at this exact spot a couple of times each day and it increases my prayer life each and every time.) If you step in front of a car they are polite not to drive over you but you have to step out in front first to find this out (and hope it is not some tourist who will run you over)!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Skype is a wonderful invention and I enjoy seeing my grandkids (hint to Joshua and Haleigh) every few days.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Notice the mannequin standing in the street in front of the parked silver car and the sugar cane stalks standing just behind the white truck ready to be squeezed into sugar can juice.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Friday we leave for Bethlehem. Today they closed the central crossing (across from Jericho) for some reason so I'd appreciate prayers for our crossing this Friday. Friday is also the first day of Ramadan, the month-long Muslim holiday so I'm not sure how all the details will come together. Praise God we serve a God who we can trust.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-66265011070834883412012-07-16T12:45:00.000-05:002012-07-16T12:45:18.924-05:00A Bad Fall at Tel Hesbon<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tel Hesbon</td></tr>
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On Saturday we rented two cars and the ten of us started off on a day's touring on the Medaba Plateau area of Jordan. We saw Tel Hesbon (captial of the Amorites in this area at the time of the conquest), the Arnon River Gourge (the "Grand Canyon" of Jordan, and the natural border of Moab), Dibon (where the Mesha Stele was found), Machareus (where Josephus says John the Baptist was beheaded) <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The shore of the Dead Sea (Jordanian side)<br />
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the mosaic map of the Byzantine Near East in St. George's Church in Madaba, Mt Nebo, and finally a "float" in the Dead Sea. We did all this but I took a pretty good fall at Tel Hesbon.<br />
I was climbing up the edge of an excavated part of Tel Hesbon (check your Bibles! It was the capital of the Amorites, where King Sihon ruled). I had just found a piece of Roman glass and as I stepped on a stone sticking out from the side (I had used it as a foothold on the way down) it gave away. I fell <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YWAM students floating in the Dead Sea<br />
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maybe 12-15 feet, hitting first some ground and landing on some 12-16 inch rockpile. I laid there for a moment or two to make sure I wasn't seriously injured. Nothing with my head! I have a badly bruised heal, a cut on the other ankle, a very badly scrapped elbow, puncture hole in one hand and scrapped the skin off a 1/2 inch area on the other hand. I landed hard but so far nothing appears the worse for wear other than what I have mentioned. I did this at about 9 am this morning. I washed it out at the next stop and 10 hours later I have put antibiotic cream on it. My elbow has been <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the reasons why I didn't go in the Dead Sea<br />
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"weaping" all day.<br />I just went to a pharmacy and bought some gauze to wrap it in for tonight and again tomorrow.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvthSzXi6FK8Gjclp1yHdzDje3M54bCPAjviIRwj7QSh1G3uCCJbX3aDj8nlWk0uC4g0_8Tu8-PmcPrwGNrnjc6AbiRDUfoXlGfgNDNxolpfcKvQzu1xTHrMFK53YIQI8CzQVhNt61iQg/s1600/IMG_2591.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvthSzXi6FK8Gjclp1yHdzDje3M54bCPAjviIRwj7QSh1G3uCCJbX3aDj8nlWk0uC4g0_8Tu8-PmcPrwGNrnjc6AbiRDUfoXlGfgNDNxolpfcKvQzu1xTHrMFK53YIQI8CzQVhNt61iQg/s640/IMG_2591.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a bad view from my hammock!
It was over a hundred degrees F, very humid and I was hurting from my
fall but how could I not enjoy this beautiful creation of our God?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-63195436886154616702012-07-09T11:09:00.004-05:002012-07-09T11:09:44.707-05:00Sunday in Amman, Jordan<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2wKCBEEGLAmPv7zg18nhRgfpqJmTRxtGx2FqUkNA62kM65xzHYX8o2JJ-Y5L9c3PSYIy2Xv4YOadb8jUhZbG46KLlJRZsuNOGfOW70KGGS-F8BSdmt_ha76bPxoPnk71rCHlKjFRxyk/s1600/IMG_2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2wKCBEEGLAmPv7zg18nhRgfpqJmTRxtGx2FqUkNA62kM65xzHYX8o2JJ-Y5L9c3PSYIy2Xv4YOadb8jUhZbG46KLlJRZsuNOGfOW70KGGS-F8BSdmt_ha76bPxoPnk71rCHlKjFRxyk/s320/IMG_2529.jpg" width="238" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMvlDIf3Qo9Aw2OS7cY245Pwbd4WDS33FHHjQnu6CUXNfF_sicPdhG6L72z7-BXcnZe2BtiLz2Hc_dOsHeeFKTF3NusYbIcy10uebnmLQQ7JBjrBzjH-sQDtqxXJ9zZ-e0da_urLvVMs/s1600/IMG_2531.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMvlDIf3Qo9Aw2OS7cY245Pwbd4WDS33FHHjQnu6CUXNfF_sicPdhG6L72z7-BXcnZe2BtiLz2Hc_dOsHeeFKTF3NusYbIcy10uebnmLQQ7JBjrBzjH-sQDtqxXJ9zZ-e0da_urLvVMs/s320/IMG_2531.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSombddIiRPRvzBjc3IVdef4psplVL2lRGhP-7YU2R-w7kSqJON9gb5TGxOQxTf7jmjskRhkS9ma1zxGFr6mTzEBBYeiG8WaAq6jv9wteSa2a1M6_PcdLzDeB9NGJjv1xjzIZWiJ-Y7N0/s1600/IMG_2530.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSombddIiRPRvzBjc3IVdef4psplVL2lRGhP-7YU2R-w7kSqJON9gb5TGxOQxTf7jmjskRhkS9ma1zxGFr6mTzEBBYeiG8WaAq6jv9wteSa2a1M6_PcdLzDeB9NGJjv1xjzIZWiJ-Y7N0/s320/IMG_2530.jpg" width="238" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMvlDIf3Qo9Aw2OS7cY245Pwbd4WDS33FHHjQnu6CUXNfF_sicPdhG6L72z7-BXcnZe2BtiLz2Hc_dOsHeeFKTF3NusYbIcy10uebnmLQQ7JBjrBzjH-sQDtqxXJ9zZ-e0da_urLvVMs/s1600/IMG_2531.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: large;">Sunday morning started with an</span><span style="font-size: large;"> early morning climb up to the citadel hill in Amman. It is probably an 5oo foot climb I'm guessing but for an old man like myself it was a good workout. The reason for climbing the hill was four-fold. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-size: large;">One, it provides a great view of downtown Amman, especially the Roman theater and odeum. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnc5HtCxJq9TkCowrxil9AGw6ZysZ4J8LzM2J267QTjm6GHkV6iFpVWE6noiqA19EyuUVzX506z1DzyBl6M6LEKN-M5s1tfQkCQ6np7lcwHQvUTdqf6PUdC9hHSetPf1z_R9dMNFhG7c/s1600/IMG_2533.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnc5HtCxJq9TkCowrxil9AGw6ZysZ4J8LzM2J267QTjm6GHkV6iFpVWE6noiqA19EyuUVzX506z1DzyBl6M6LEKN-M5s1tfQkCQ6np7lcwHQvUTdqf6PUdC9hHSetPf1z_R9dMNFhG7c/s640/IMG_2533.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of the Roman theater (and odeum to the left) from the top of the Amman citadel (hilltop fortress)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Two, there are some ruins on top including the temple of Hercules, an ancient Islamic palace, and a Byzantine church. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjZw5IewCckNNvjNOPMG4UKTlIQPx9wv3QIhGCyvgCs485YsEAwILKJY4pdrPvbCG9Q2XsZtaHq2aUe-PzzjQSZs7u1rfwpvyUClK-h424YDdofwYz3NW1oNhP0NrII4d27tb9J1nD5o/s1600/IMG_2536.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjZw5IewCckNNvjNOPMG4UKTlIQPx9wv3QIhGCyvgCs485YsEAwILKJY4pdrPvbCG9Q2XsZtaHq2aUe-PzzjQSZs7u1rfwpvyUClK-h424YDdofwYz3NW1oNhP0NrII4d27tb9J1nD5o/s640/IMG_2536.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The temple of Hercules<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXLRUCqU1klIQ5HF6T-q1PFzZjy-70h6l6Wgvs9VUsdR1ZF8C0VvuwDD377oPlHpvndLZL0Rj8LI1HFtK04xQ0-BsStHphpI5WtAKujcXiCDNz4tfmVDbn5qSv5_QhoKFG4uRNK7WhBw/s1600/IMG_2541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXLRUCqU1klIQ5HF6T-q1PFzZjy-70h6l6Wgvs9VUsdR1ZF8C0VvuwDD377oPlHpvndLZL0Rj8LI1HFtK04xQ0-BsStHphpI5WtAKujcXiCDNz4tfmVDbn5qSv5_QhoKFG4uRNK7WhBw/s400/IMG_2541.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of three dozen plaster human figures thousands of years old</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">discovered at Ain Ghazai</td></tr>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;">Third, there is a small but great archaeological museum located up here. The contents of this museum are to be moved to the new Jordanian Archaeological Museum which has been under construction since 2005 I believe. As I mentioned previously it is now build but unopened. The only items I could see that have already been moved are the Dead Sea scrolls and related materials. It is a disappointment not to be able to see these right now but the museum was still worthwhile. The earliest paster-clay </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6KY7MyZJX9QJajZQMMhFVU2NpMNNBNAxdhHL0GdI_LUjbravJ87MU_7gaBva2ZUw0saf6zyQZrDZP9tbRKwjiN6zm1R9rMNACZZXO8Nqf0cJFHiu2wNSDXrml-HK1GwlVNDzE9CCw08/s1600/IMG_2538.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6KY7MyZJX9QJajZQMMhFVU2NpMNNBNAxdhHL0GdI_LUjbravJ87MU_7gaBva2ZUw0saf6zyQZrDZP9tbRKwjiN6zm1R9rMNACZZXO8Nqf0cJFHiu2wNSDXrml-HK1GwlVNDzE9CCw08/s400/IMG_2538.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balaam Inscription<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">human figures ever discovered (they were found in AinGhazai in Jordan) anywhere are housed here, as well as the extra-biblical Balaam prophecy on plaster from Deir Alla in the Jordan River </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-size: large;">valley, Nabataean pottery and items from Petra, and pottery and coins etc. etc. We were alone in the museum for much of the time and so it was wonderful and unhurried.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Four, we had the chance to read and talk about the story of Uriah and the events of his death while looking down from the city that Uriah was trying to conquer when Joab allowed him to be killed (2 Samuel 11). As we also talked about the events of David and </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBzND5rzqj-h_oHHxTLkxXBo0tqJoNiMPcORXwXRROumqpZKc7TE10CkQUJVUXtL1wqk40_D298bTtY3W9CrK-IjVaW-s93Twe1aRmVTM2fLmyQjDPRKK7ib5fkm2ELEZlcljd46TgI8/s1600/IMG_2544.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBzND5rzqj-h_oHHxTLkxXBo0tqJoNiMPcORXwXRROumqpZKc7TE10CkQUJVUXtL1wqk40_D298bTtY3W9CrK-IjVaW-s93Twe1aRmVTM2fLmyQjDPRKK7ib5fkm2ELEZlcljd46TgI8/s640/IMG_2544.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Although
there are no walls left from the time of David, these later walls
allowed the students to visualize how hard it would be to attach a
walled city at the top of this hill.<br />
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;">Bathsheba the students found it easy to imagine how David could have looked down on her rooftop as they observed the way even today the houses are build down the sides of the hills in Amman.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sunday evening was spent at the Nazarene Church where three </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaFo8BVAHYZB2FGrdDh2IR3M_RLl__-wjrYe4okD-Jv05nHo1hN1Km8ZVE6ULcBFOB-7Bubk1-FDHm-5Xh4V_cmKvTNtRnWk3f4ejRFLXmE9Pt5RTYBwCU303QyhlLx2NkGgJsada9iQ/s1600/IMG_2555.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaFo8BVAHYZB2FGrdDh2IR3M_RLl__-wjrYe4okD-Jv05nHo1hN1Km8ZVE6ULcBFOB-7Bubk1-FDHm-5Xh4V_cmKvTNtRnWk3f4ejRFLXmE9Pt5RTYBwCU303QyhlLx2NkGgJsada9iQ/s320/IMG_2555.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jebel Amman Nazarene Church<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMvlDIf3Qo9Aw2OS7cY245Pwbd4WDS33FHHjQnu6CUXNfF_sicPdhG6L72z7-BXcnZe2BtiLz2Hc_dOsHeeFKTF3NusYbIcy10uebnmLQQ7JBjrBzjH-sQDtqxXJ9zZ-e0da_urLvVMs/s1600/IMG_2531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">students sang and I preached through translation. It seemed to go well and we spent an hour or two after church on the church roof terrace eating falafel and drinking 7-up!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Wish you could experience all that we are experiencing.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-13537904151989609052012-07-06T12:06:00.001-05:002012-07-06T12:09:34.118-05:00First Day with YWAM in Amman<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCSV_XM-MpeR8v8KcQA04rYMq2zJnRDIUJtc_Lca8O8kWU4ZUEjgZF96K8rbJX6WGHtX7K3uiT1LkN6x8nkudnH12GB1MVo1ZFtbmNO87xgsC6IfyA8-SF4ZryjV7Yge9kF143e70txU/s1600/IMG_2479.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCSV_XM-MpeR8v8KcQA04rYMq2zJnRDIUJtc_Lca8O8kWU4ZUEjgZF96K8rbJX6WGHtX7K3uiT1LkN6x8nkudnH12GB1MVo1ZFtbmNO87xgsC6IfyA8-SF4ZryjV7Yge9kF143e70txU/s400/IMG_2479.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Amman 10:30 pm</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsPXANvwAgiBjJB8UsmdeI59C1RFCkSphLELcZFUM-doIDd3WKcHG5ln8u_H4Zorfz0_66Di_pzkVUmKaFFpsIL1sJ3lhjP5RViry6dAs7khh6XFhyphenhyphenXna0exuSGaXA9RkBdjAtxEs9fs/s1600/IMG_2499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCSV_XM-MpeR8v8KcQA04rYMq2zJnRDIUJtc_Lca8O8kWU4ZUEjgZF96K8rbJX6WGHtX7K3uiT1LkN6x8nkudnH12GB1MVo1ZFtbmNO87xgsC6IfyA8-SF4ZryjV7Yge9kF143e70txU/s1600/IMG_2479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: large;">The first picture is of the traffic last night outside the roof terrace in the hostel where I am staying. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsPXANvwAgiBjJB8UsmdeI59C1RFCkSphLELcZFUM-doIDd3WKcHG5ln8u_H4Zorfz0_66Di_pzkVUmKaFFpsIL1sJ3lhjP5RViry6dAs7khh6XFhyphenhyphenXna0exuSGaXA9RkBdjAtxEs9fs/s400/IMG_2499.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman Odeum (small theater) taken from larger theater.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMEh5DHSMjbamUOw5BlDwCqYCzBNePfRJWLkLkxrp_tnFbFUHgLfSYhhREFVAb4KLLE7-rzlNi7-R-RqQSMUx0c3euVNQMQQzNNBCYKANVsMXmHHinHbqJKd6lAc4HOYw7RyLZxfhYX8/s1600/IMG_2498.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMEh5DHSMjbamUOw5BlDwCqYCzBNePfRJWLkLkxrp_tnFbFUHgLfSYhhREFVAb4KLLE7-rzlNi7-R-RqQSMUx0c3euVNQMQQzNNBCYKANVsMXmHHinHbqJKd6lAc4HOYw7RyLZxfhYX8/s320/IMG_2498.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6-7,00 seat Roman theater in Amman, Jordan</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A great day today in Amman, Jordan. I met with the 9 young people with whom I will spend the next 21 days teaching, sharing, eating, and touring together. A good time of sharing on the roof terrace (the streets were quiet since today is Friday, the Muslim holy day) and then a slow walk around the Roman ruins (odeum, theater, and nymphaeum). I've been here a number of times and the Roman nymphaeum (water fountain) has always been locked. Today the guard was present and let us in for a private tour! It's always good to have some firsts on each tour.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UyZDnaKOM8SyIcw341UQxXf5I7xzYn3JT-6ouqiIQHTWVzyhYygwGiSIL_sx8uVJ2TvKR_whx7K_4jYwluHi6xrMUtVuViwSHDW2vuKrtE9E5lazvtuJ2OH2G3xnaELuN5bBk_nfdf4/s1600/IMG_2503.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UyZDnaKOM8SyIcw341UQxXf5I7xzYn3JT-6ouqiIQHTWVzyhYygwGiSIL_sx8uVJ2TvKR_whx7K_4jYwluHi6xrMUtVuViwSHDW2vuKrtE9E5lazvtuJ2OH2G3xnaELuN5bBk_nfdf4/s320/IMG_2503.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman Nymphaeum (water fountain)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"> The students on this YWAM trip are great in their attitude and I'm looking forward to teaching them. I'll start tomorrow with a PowerPoint presentation on the land/geography/topography of Jordan and Israel to give them a sense of where they are and what to look for as we travel around. We are hoping to be able to rent a couple of cars for a few days next week to visit sites that are a distance from Amman. We'd love to go to Petra but the entrance fee is now about $75 each! Maybe Mt. Nebo will be a better option.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Keep reading for the latest!</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-71813005040105890522012-07-05T14:34:00.001-05:002012-07-05T14:34:14.045-05:00Amman, Jordan<span style="font-size: large;">Just an hour ago I arrived in Amman, Jordan via Paris, France via Toronto, Canada from Dallas, Texas. What a sight to look down from the plane and view the region of Samaria with the Sea of Galilee in the distance and then to fly over the Decapolis city of Philadelphia (today's Amman with probably a million population I'm guessing). A great adventure awaits!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I am sitting in the second story of a hostel looking out on the busy, busy main downtown street where the stores are open and people are shopping and eating etc. . . . by the way it is 10:27 pm and it still looks like it is 2 pm in terms of activity.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The students who I will be teaching for the next three weeks arrived this morning from India (where they have been ministering for the last 6 weeks) and so tomorrow we will start with a time of sharing, probably on the roof terrace if we can. Otherwise, I think the room I'm sharing with the male leader Kyle will become our classroom!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Pictures and my ongoing adventures here in the "other" holy land (in contrast to Israel on the other side of the Jordan) should follow in the days ahead.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-23684554589204666462012-06-22T11:25:00.001-05:002012-06-22T11:25:31.819-05:00YWAM Teaching in Jordan and Israel<img alt="" src="data:image/png;base64,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" /><br />
In two weeks I will fly to Amman, Jordan (via Toronto, Ontario, Canada to visit my parents for 3 days) to join a group of 10 YWAM student/missionaries on a special year-long YWAM program called PHOTOGENX (http://photogenx.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=104:the-photogenx-track&catid=45:photogenx-training). These young people have been traveling now for 3 months learning photography & communication (in Thailand), evangelism (in India), and starting July 6th they will spend six weeks digging deeper into the Bible (in Jordan, Israel and Egypt). I have the privilege of teaching them for the first three weeks and then my good friend and a Ph.D. candidate at DTS, Charles Savelle will teach them for another 3 weeks.<br />
For the three weeks I will be with them we will be staying in hostels (basic, no AC!) in Amman, Jordan (downtown across from the Roman theater), and then in Bethlehem (Palestinian controlled West Bank city). Most mornings will be spent in the study of the Word and we will travel to see some of the places we are studying as finances allow. I will also preach in churches and at a chapel service at the Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary.<br />
This is not my unusual teaching venue.<br />
These are not my normal seminary students. <br />
This is the way I am starting a year's sabbatical graciously given to me by Dallas Theological Seminary.<br />
I am both intimidated and excited. It's hard not to be when you really don't know what lies ahead of you.<br />
Pray for good health, an ability to sleep in very hot nights without AC, good relationships, spiritual conversations, ability to teach and so much more.<br />
I'll try and keep you updated through this blog.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4909947910100427410.post-3389739525248663242012-04-29T13:51:00.000-05:002012-04-29T13:51:09.694-05:00"Church" in Sardis, Thyatira, Pergamum and Philadelphia<span style="font-size: large;">Most Christian try and attend church on Sunday, usually just one. Today I "attended" church in 4 of the cities to whom John wrote letters found in the Book of Revelation! "Attended" may be a bit strong. I walked around what was left of the ancient city and then read the letter written to that church. Even though none of these churches had buildings back in the first century, I was often looking at some things they would have seen too. And I always looked around to see where the residential area of the city was and tried to wonder if somewhere there was the house they had met in to read the letter from the Apostle John (on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ). What a day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5GwA-5yWeBpzz_QQHfmjHU75XjilnzT2-2Vv_ZUq91Db5DlFvrAjJ2uZ85XwLO27sAHBntxO7ClyiwNEPM0VwJ4NJp__eY8WkFhC65Sb1jLWmoF9RU4Th1PV5lO5RiOITycz7wRitjs/s1600/P1016285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5GwA-5yWeBpzz_QQHfmjHU75XjilnzT2-2Vv_ZUq91Db5DlFvrAjJ2uZ85XwLO27sAHBntxO7ClyiwNEPM0VwJ4NJp__eY8WkFhC65Sb1jLWmoF9RU4Th1PV5lO5RiOITycz7wRitjs/s640/P1016285.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwZ5NH4tR7WRTJZCJoL5Fg48096oeOf_zxlksE45hdFtH5aoGhp4FlnbuN_KVMIK3fn5_e71cuELQgBnU1wgEEFNie7ujWXuva8DxYWEGrpchlYVULez60ThN802OILrl0afgNgQOWtg/s1600/P1016305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVwZ5NH4tR7WRTJZCJoL5Fg48096oeOf_zxlksE45hdFtH5aoGhp4FlnbuN_KVMIK3fn5_e71cuELQgBnU1wgEEFNie7ujWXuva8DxYWEGrpchlYVULez60ThN802OILrl0afgNgQOWtg/s400/P1016305.jpg" width="400" /></a>Two of the four cities I visited had little in the way of first century remains. Both Philadelphia and Thyatira are limited to a block in the middle of the modern city. Sardis and Pergamum on the other hand have extensive archeological remains.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_putIq2_-03VEMon7zwO1Ptka5tEqT6Gyg8zCeuqY7AWGYtHf5ECVyeIqm6W233k45tcAOgKZGjSg_wlXTEmWlkEQRs49cjdScsk7F0OIbf5oxIoEuEga93V89UcFcaXfogO8gekCIaU/s1600/P1016297.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_putIq2_-03VEMon7zwO1Ptka5tEqT6Gyg8zCeuqY7AWGYtHf5ECVyeIqm6W233k45tcAOgKZGjSg_wlXTEmWlkEQRs49cjdScsk7F0OIbf5oxIoEuEga93V89UcFcaXfogO8gekCIaU/s320/P1016297.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjiQgxPdr2BJMYibwLtAQAC19N1CaL78TGlsSb20ZWX2Rc9f4hfECcq5KAVMpCGP107kuvmu3B1kk-iVGU4E3-yNuPIibQ8YAKuB61W2uazk9NF7RUP021nCVI3gxqD99uEV8wUkJaaU/s1600/P1016291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjiQgxPdr2BJMYibwLtAQAC19N1CaL78TGlsSb20ZWX2Rc9f4hfECcq5KAVMpCGP107kuvmu3B1kk-iVGU4E3-yNuPIibQ8YAKuB61W2uazk9NF7RUP021nCVI3gxqD99uEV8wUkJaaU/s320/P1016291.jpg" width="240" /></a>After finding my way into the modern city of
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Akhisar</span>
, I "happened" on a small sign that said "Kültür Park" and after going around a few blocks I found what I hoped was there. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Just a few pillars from a church building in about 600 AD. It was closed but I hung around and within minutes it was open and I got the opportunity to go inside the gate. I didn't however, find "brotherly love" in this city but then I only stayed 1/2 hour and I couldn't speak the language of anyone here either.</span><style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxkXw-wFiy4euQfIkvZp0l1V2n_j-Otmgz9umq6hIY5KXq1vdExBdeiag4izoum4QoIxNr3Z5Tz3Vqa4e_8vkY-h4aqRVznQFx-PRkHueyEnyDnWA4JK_F457xRd2SnQeTfA3_aOASZc/s1600/P1016321.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxkXw-wFiy4euQfIkvZp0l1V2n_j-Otmgz9umq6hIY5KXq1vdExBdeiag4izoum4QoIxNr3Z5Tz3Vqa4e_8vkY-h4aqRVznQFx-PRkHueyEnyDnWA4JK_F457xRd2SnQeTfA3_aOASZc/s320/P1016321.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxkXw-wFiy4euQfIkvZp0l1V2n_j-Otmgz9umq6hIY5KXq1vdExBdeiag4izoum4QoIxNr3Z5Tz3Vqa4e_8vkY-h4aqRVznQFx-PRkHueyEnyDnWA4JK_F457xRd2SnQeTfA3_aOASZc/s1600/P1016321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbxlL9sI1HNZUjhvRGtibB_gS0-52jhYPBFMMcSAYZV0ec2TiNd9K5BDsDBKtfp7yjz9J7BuQg48x5Y6MzI8B2g-6-5P8YleWiS12hOp_ZzHrd89wX0__GROiEcGMoItBN2JpQ_NO4Ik/s1600/P1016367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbxlL9sI1HNZUjhvRGtibB_gS0-52jhYPBFMMcSAYZV0ec2TiNd9K5BDsDBKtfp7yjz9J7BuQg48x5Y6MzI8B2g-6-5P8YleWiS12hOp_ZzHrd89wX0__GROiEcGMoItBN2JpQ_NO4Ik/s640/P1016367.jpg" width="480" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwQPqrthiO5gHzgq7quNX_jhaDCjNfEy1VeIf41pTwOUhPTzAbg5rnxkpTK2SgFQcM-H9SqWS6wr7GN6C5Vh7GkTRgD9rf6g8sOqfUUwHtzHwyUCwJo-bo8AzDK5BbH2B9j3otm6PUfI/s1600/P1016327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwQPqrthiO5gHzgq7quNX_jhaDCjNfEy1VeIf41pTwOUhPTzAbg5rnxkpTK2SgFQcM-H9SqWS6wr7GN6C5Vh7GkTRgD9rf6g8sOqfUUwHtzHwyUCwJo-bo8AzDK5BbH2B9j3otm6PUfI/s400/P1016327.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Sardis (modern Sart) was unbelievable. It had a huge temple (of Artemis) which was 1/2 mile away from the main ruins, a massive ancient synagogue dating back to the 3rd century AB, and a 2nd century AD Marble Court of the Imperial Cult, and other "stuff!" During Roman times the city was over 300 acres in size.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9v15QGlsgGaH_PqfJrxc7GHpovvIO0av9InUG_JQigV3ARw1caBPENdmBWHbeZDuGqNqbqAfHCOeyFhx4nYU8d3hUgP_2yZnQZdAL3LzeWPgFuEVUEnAwpJQbcr1yQMC9uhcGsgKZ7M/s1600/P1016390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KqPq9iOH3OSxJZ3twr1Vjw53y9-MqWkZKRldUQECq8IXpKYEe9j2I5GvcnfhpmImQ_hNmfxzLdyV2ZAfcMrkEOO6V-gN7LrszW0L_fzQuW1_h_9xgkeaO90hx1Hex74x1j_yXDsYQj0/s1600/P1016427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KqPq9iOH3OSxJZ3twr1Vjw53y9-MqWkZKRldUQECq8IXpKYEe9j2I5GvcnfhpmImQ_hNmfxzLdyV2ZAfcMrkEOO6V-gN7LrszW0L_fzQuW1_h_9xgkeaO90hx1Hex74x1j_yXDsYQj0/s640/P1016427.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2X-NX_r8G_A9I3mxsws3UPax3i8sAR8hW35jKmX7wFoh85uJg2VBAT7CZl1u6EqxMi0O9WoadsZA0SStTMZAHXkdAz9OnLasVaTA_pD9q-wuX5nOh_BGQAHyyGHoq75Vp3ToDnAm4RWM/s1600/P1016465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2X-NX_r8G_A9I3mxsws3UPax3i8sAR8hW35jKmX7wFoh85uJg2VBAT7CZl1u6EqxMi0O9WoadsZA0SStTMZAHXkdAz9OnLasVaTA_pD9q-wuX5nOh_BGQAHyyGHoq75Vp3ToDnAm4RWM/s400/P1016465.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9v15QGlsgGaH_PqfJrxc7GHpovvIO0av9InUG_JQigV3ARw1caBPENdmBWHbeZDuGqNqbqAfHCOeyFhx4nYU8d3hUgP_2yZnQZdAL3LzeWPgFuEVUEnAwpJQbcr1yQMC9uhcGsgKZ7M/s1600/P1016390.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9v15QGlsgGaH_PqfJrxc7GHpovvIO0av9InUG_JQigV3ARw1caBPENdmBWHbeZDuGqNqbqAfHCOeyFhx4nYU8d3hUgP_2yZnQZdAL3LzeWPgFuEVUEnAwpJQbcr1yQMC9uhcGsgKZ7M/s320/P1016390.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MLeEhNl9vp0Ia9k_5DVhmgUThUV5d21Iq3QN3krhTFk9W2higZM6oLtL1MAfTM0yl_duM7pFKdvuseiV44xiGovrETGquSobfwH4r3J-mUNzNx9DmdzPHmf5-XrALUPJ5b7zVO5p-fQ/s1600/P1016479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MLeEhNl9vp0Ia9k_5DVhmgUThUV5d21Iq3QN3krhTFk9W2higZM6oLtL1MAfTM0yl_duM7pFKdvuseiV44xiGovrETGquSobfwH4r3J-mUNzNx9DmdzPHmf5-XrALUPJ5b7zVO5p-fQ/s320/P1016479.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSpu21QsjHuvCBEWfASXyfeBprTH0NySa_Frm9dtXO4aiv0MUzVKxVxL6F5vL3qFxV_Qwaa7GTt4bP2xSW0u0JDrnevsjNUsDw2Gaed0EBpqIoruyxj4FURhqZ0jJRo6AzryJJ0tUZZM/s1600/P1016492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSpu21QsjHuvCBEWfASXyfeBprTH0NySa_Frm9dtXO4aiv0MUzVKxVxL6F5vL3qFxV_Qwaa7GTt4bP2xSW0u0JDrnevsjNUsDw2Gaed0EBpqIoruyxj4FURhqZ0jJRo6AzryJJ0tUZZM/s400/P1016492.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">The city of Thyatira is today the modern city of Akhisar and the ruins lie right down in the middle surrounded by shops and restaurants. Not much to see really but the ruins reminded me that there was a city here when Revelation was written and somewhere in this area a group of believers met and read and probably reread the letter until they had memorized it. Just wish there was a strong Christian church in each of these Muslim cities today. I took a picture of this purple flower (not sure that it is from the plant that they made a purple dye from in this area) because it reminded me of Lyddia, the seller of purple cloths who was from this city even though Paul met her over in Philippi.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_MUUdA4mx0JSKVgg8mBqq-BLANJ1zG7dXsIpJdPHMSPyHziP-eMtHjwxx4NdeLb3Nj89XOBjV8ZSa4djBPphG_z8mBZgsgyExBr4Me9LUucPbYrBhyeVak48DhYu6xUWZXC6HZ-sR0E/s1600/P1016521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91g7yo97dvmNfF57tx2O5dCW0LyCpRaAutOVU0O5IfKTYwNzSqoPZLbwTLjWgGUQ9A0pB4aso3bSRT_pRz8TK80OG9CdA2s2OSs8aD90m0236v5w_WXsjQxEqqmBOicVCUpfjz5mi_gU/s1600/P1016534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH54IQNsvtlgASwyDxctnvdfeUCz11PzRG5aAJWMqPU_wQcDAuX6lgOfoD0aLNt85uJXorekRhE4QTu6RpZ6MuEfDPKGdNMSorXYESkwFBbI6nDwbWOml4PQKR5al-i_r2n5-L0Cg1X_Y/s1600/P1016526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: large;">Pergamum (modern city of Bergama) had me heading back west towards the Aegean Sea. I knew there were remarkable ruins here but I didn't realize quite where they were! I had to take a cable car </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_MUUdA4mx0JSKVgg8mBqq-BLANJ1zG7dXsIpJdPHMSPyHziP-eMtHjwxx4NdeLb3Nj89XOBjV8ZSa4djBPphG_z8mBZgsgyExBr4Me9LUucPbYrBhyeVak48DhYu6xUWZXC6HZ-sR0E/s1600/P1016521.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_MUUdA4mx0JSKVgg8mBqq-BLANJ1zG7dXsIpJdPHMSPyHziP-eMtHjwxx4NdeLb3Nj89XOBjV8ZSa4djBPphG_z8mBZgsgyExBr4Me9LUucPbYrBhyeVak48DhYu6xUWZXC6HZ-sR0E/s640/P1016521.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">just to get up to the Acropolis and was stunned to see what they had built up top. A temple whose floor lay suspended above a carefully constructed arched platform to increase the size, and then a 10,000 seat theater that was build on the side of a STEEP sloop! I've been to many theaters but never have I been as in awe as I was of this one (even Ephesus with its massive 22,000 seat). It was because it </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH54IQNsvtlgASwyDxctnvdfeUCz11PzRG5aAJWMqPU_wQcDAuX6lgOfoD0aLNt85uJXorekRhE4QTu6RpZ6MuEfDPKGdNMSorXYESkwFBbI6nDwbWOml4PQKR5al-i_r2n5-L0Cg1X_Y/s1600/P1016526.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH54IQNsvtlgASwyDxctnvdfeUCz11PzRG5aAJWMqPU_wQcDAuX6lgOfoD0aLNt85uJXorekRhE4QTu6RpZ6MuEfDPKGdNMSorXYESkwFBbI6nDwbWOml4PQKR5al-i_r2n5-L0Cg1X_Y/s640/P1016526.jpg" width="480" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">was on the side of a mountain with a valley a river way, way below. I walked down took a couple of pictures and then walked up again. Just saying that the part of me that comes "last" is hurting tonight! As I read the letter written to this church again I was not disappointed that the early </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91g7yo97dvmNfF57tx2O5dCW0LyCpRaAutOVU0O5IfKTYwNzSqoPZLbwTLjWgGUQ9A0pB4aso3bSRT_pRz8TK80OG9CdA2s2OSs8aD90m0236v5w_WXsjQxEqqmBOicVCUpfjz5mi_gU/s1600/P1016534.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91g7yo97dvmNfF57tx2O5dCW0LyCpRaAutOVU0O5IfKTYwNzSqoPZLbwTLjWgGUQ9A0pB4aso3bSRT_pRz8TK80OG9CdA2s2OSs8aD90m0236v5w_WXsjQxEqqmBOicVCUpfjz5mi_gU/s400/P1016534.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">church hadn't left me a building to see but that as far as I know there is no vital gospel witness in this place. The teaching of Islam finally wiped out the </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRod2pQ_AHIqKJNDvo_byg29zzpbLtemJRWjOsA5E_WSOFazYzgbsCAFZtd9dtMp-g3nKz_LsbOWr33RxIgiIbH0IjBXd9RgG2JoYX3NFxeT7MkXT_a00vNrLmU_pBk7arvCvDzCZ1gDc/s1600/P1016561.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRod2pQ_AHIqKJNDvo_byg29zzpbLtemJRWjOsA5E_WSOFazYzgbsCAFZtd9dtMp-g3nKz_LsbOWr33RxIgiIbH0IjBXd9RgG2JoYX3NFxeT7MkXT_a00vNrLmU_pBk7arvCvDzCZ1gDc/s400/P1016561.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">church here. So sad.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Tonight I am a hotel that is about 200 yards from the Aegean Sea. I went for a walk along the beach and realized that Paul had sailed down this very sea a couple of times in his missionaries journeys to "Asia" (now Turkey).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAZtNBpqvFt2P4_6JnI1iizaU9esiK-rjWaKUJLRoFHhtmMzDpzawB0iWjcYhc5y_3-xFHS3WDpYNri3D4qG5_fagv7gZJFb4W3uITLx5f57-ZlXaTA-baR2H1Rygu8vLHfSsQ1fF4lI/s1600/P1016570.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAZtNBpqvFt2P4_6JnI1iizaU9esiK-rjWaKUJLRoFHhtmMzDpzawB0iWjcYhc5y_3-xFHS3WDpYNri3D4qG5_fagv7gZJFb4W3uITLx5f57-ZlXaTA-baR2H1Rygu8vLHfSsQ1fF4lI/s640/P1016570.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRod2pQ_AHIqKJNDvo_byg29zzpbLtemJRWjOsA5E_WSOFazYzgbsCAFZtd9dtMp-g3nKz_LsbOWr33RxIgiIbH0IjBXd9RgG2JoYX3NFxeT7MkXT_a00vNrLmU_pBk7arvCvDzCZ1gDc/s1600/P1016561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: large;"> I missed being at church today and singing the songs
and hymns of praise and hearing the Word expounded from the pulpit. But I
must admit, I really enjoyed my Sunday visiting the sites of four of
the first century churches mentioned in Scripture.<br />
</span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14132105177050185327noreply@blogger.com1