Up to Jerusalem

Our last planned day was in the City of Jerusalem.  It is always a wonderful time of exploration and introspection.  On our way to the city, we stopped in the area where Philip met the Ethiopian Eunuch.  It says Philip met him in the "desert" and we visualize rolling sand dunes...wrong picture.  When the Bible says desert, the word means an area where sheep and goats can graze much like the land pictured in the this photograph.

Desert

The word wilderness in the Bible is closer to the picture of rolling sand dunes that comes to our mind like when we are told that David was in the wilderness.  He was often down in the Judean wilderness which is much more desert like.  The wilderness is truly a dry and thirsty land pictured just below.                             
                                                                     
                                                                        Wilderness

The Lord uses both desert times and wilderness times in our lives.  There is a time to stop and feed on the nourishment He provides us.  There are other times that are dry to say the least.  His character and ours are revealed in these seasons. Rejoice!


We stopped at the House of Caiaphus which is where the Jewish trial of Jesus took place.  From the balconey of the facility, you can look over at the temple mount area.  Jesus and His disciples covered a lot of area that fateful night.  But, it was all in the plan of God.  They went from Passover to prayer to persecution to death.  Communion (Passover) with God is such a necessary part of our relationship with Him.  We are told to have our Passover with Him often for a reason.  It keeps us connected to the tremendous gift of life through our Lord.  Prayer is the natural result of communion with our Lord.  Prayer changes things....mostly us. :-)  Communion and prayer lead us to a godly life in Jesus.  He said, "Those who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."  That is not one of the promises we often embrace, but it is a reality.  Rejoice when you go through difficult times for the Lord's sake.  There are many of our brothers and sisters that have suffered to the point of death for Him.  Pray for many that are suffering real physical persecution.   Our suffering is often limited to emotional and spiritual persecution, but these are every bit as real as physical persecution.  Pray for one another.  The Lord's grace be upon you during difficult times

You see one of the blessings we had in the city of  Jerusalem....pizza!!!!!!!!! Yea....well I know its not spiritual, but it was a blessing.  And, we were able to do worship in the restaurant while at the same time gobbling down peperroni pizza....it was an Arab restaurant so we could have cheese and meat together.  It was really, really, really good.  It was also glorious to sing Blessed be the Name and fill the streets of Jerusalem with praise.  It made my heart happy. :-)   The owner was very gracious and was glad to serve up seventeen pizzas and soft drinks.  It made his day,literally .

We left through the Jaffa Gate which you see pictured below.  It was a grand and glorious time in Israel and the city of Jerusalem.  I pray that all who have a heart for God's people and plan will have the opportunity to visit at least once.  As the Jewish people say at the end of Passover, "NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!".

Be blessed today in the name of Yeshua Ha Mashiach!

By the Sea

The Galilee area is perhaps my favorite area in Israel.  It is largely undeveloped and agricultural in nature.  We spent some time in Capernaum which was the home of Jesus during His ministry days.  The site is located on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Genessert).  The Sea of Galilee is fifteen miles long and about six to seven miles wide.  So you can understand why the disciples might have grumbled when the Lord said lets row to the other side. :-(  There are a number of accounts of Jesus' work in this town, but the most impacting thing is to remember that the people of Capernaum turned away from Jesus.  After all He did there they did not believe and the town was judged. (see Matthew.n 11:23)  It challenges me to always remember the faithful works of the Lord in my life.  I never want unbelief to creep in to my heart and mind.  The Lord is good and is worthy of my love and allegiance.

Later we traveled to the east side of the Sea of Galilee and stopped at the site of the story regarding the pigs running into the sea (deviled ham!).   Oh well, just remember that this area was part of the land given to the people of Israel and swine where definitely not kosher.  That compromise took time to set in their lives.

Samaria was our last stop.  This is where Ahab and Jezebel had their place.  But, even this opulence was not enough to satisfy Ahab.  He needed more and that cost the life of Naiboth.  Covetousness will always bring us down.  Be content with what the Lord has provided.

Well, my time is up.  I am sorry for the brevity of this post.  Be blessed in Yeshua Ha Mashiach.

Late for the party

Gamla was an unknown city to me before this trip.  It is now ruins of course, but in Jesus' day it was

a thriving community.  It was less than thirty years after Jesus' return to heaven that the Jews rebelled against Rome.  Rome came down on Israel with a vengeance and Gamla was the last village destroyed before Titus turned his attention to Jerusalem which ultimately lead to the destruction of the city and the temple.  There were about 5,500 people killed in the battle at Gamla.  The soldiers were driven to the top of the knob pictured here and most jumped to their deaths rather than fall into the hands of the Roman legions.

We later went to a place called Qazrin which was a Talmudic village.  This was a wonderful and informative village demonstrating how the people lived during the time of Jesus.  You see here a home much like what the people lived in during the time of Jesus.  You can almost visualize Jesus teaching and pointing to items in the home (whether a lamp or a bushel) as part of His object lesson.  Oh, by the way,  you see here that the houses were made largely of stone.  Jesus was likely a mason as well as being a carpentar which would explain how He drove the money changers out of temple.  He was truly Mr. Universe...I love it!!!  This place was also a reminder of the foolishness of man. We have the Bible which we read and depend on for our guidance.  The religious Jews went beyound their scriptures (Torah - first five books of the Bible) and developed the Mishan (the oral law).  The Talmud is the commentary by Rabbis on what each of the oral laws really meant.  God had given them clear guidance in the law, but that was not enough apparently.  It is another reminder of what man does with God's clear direction when they have a better idea.  In fact, the rabbis determined that when the Sanhedrin had a majority opinion on some issue it was stronger than even God and that He would have to submit to their determination.  Wow!!!!  Watch out for the lightening. :-)   It was a great encouragement to me concerning the freedom we have in Jesus whose burden it truly light.  Those religious folks were invited to a wonderful party and they still haven't accepted that invitation.  Boy, are they late the party.  One day they will understand.  Check out the book of Zechariah.

We finished our day at Mount Bental which is located at the north border of Israel. We stood there looking into Syria to the east and Lebanon to the north as we talked about the cost of freedom and the coming days.  We heard stories of the bravery of many Israeli soldiers as they defended their country against the forces committed to the destruction of Israel.  It is not by the arm of flesh that they will survive.  Ultimately, Israel will acknowledge their true Salvation. But, God as truly been good to His people Israel.

Remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the spiritual awakening of God's people.  May you be blessed today in the name of Yeshua Ha Mashiach.

Heart for Worship

We began our day at Samuel's tomb in the lower Galilee.  It is set on a hill with an amazing panoramic view of the surrounding area.  It was in this area the Samuel called the people of Israel to return to Jehovah. 

The story of Judges 19 about the Levite who journeyed to retrieve his wife in Bethlehem Judah played out within view of this hill.  It is a grisly story, but also a reminder of the importance of starting our day early so that we can complete the journey that God has set before us.  This man was only one day's journey from home, but he allowed himself to be sidetracked by ease and it cost him and the nation of Israel greatly.  The psalmist rightly said, "...early will I seek thee...." May that be true of us.

Just below the Byzantine church picture here Solomon offered sacrifices to God after he became king of Israel.  You can see the area of the altar where God blessed the offerings of Solomon's hands by meeting Solomon and speaking into his life. (in the background is the city of Ramallah)  The sacrifices of praise, worship and service are pleasing to our Heavenly Father.  I am fully convinced that worship is at the core of change and that change is an essential part of our Christian experience.  Worship Him!

We journeyed on to Shiloh which was the capital of Israel from some 369 years.  It is here that Eli and his sons served as priests before Jehovah.  The site where the tabernacle set is extensive.  It was here that the tabernacle had solid walls and the same roof coverings as the first tabernacle.  Eli's sons Hophni and Phineas where not faithful men and they abused their position to take advantage of God's people and were ultimately judged by God as was their father Eli.  You might remember that they took the arc from here into the battle with the Philistines as if it were some sort of lucky charm.  They failed to understand that it was not the arc that had power, but the God whose glory rested above the mercy seat between the wings of the cherubim.  I need to remember that God will never be put in a box.   Oh, check out the picture just below.  It is the mandrake plant that we read about in the story of Leah and Rachel.  It grows to about one meter in height and it is the roots that were desired.









Our last stop for the day was Bet Shean.  The Philistines took the bodies of Saul and others here after their victory.  This is only a small part of the area, but Paul may have been talking about the arena pictured when he told Timothy that the Lord had delivered him from the mouth of the lion.  There is still a lion looking to devour God's people.  Yet, praise the Lord, Yeshua has delivered us from the mouth of the lion.  The victory has been won and the teeth of the roaring lion have been removed.  The best he can do is drool on us. :-)  The evil one has no power over us as we abide in our Master.  That should give us great confidence and cause us to desire to worship Him in an ever fuller measure.




May God be glorified in your life and man this day as we say, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow!"  Be blessed in the name of Yeshua Ha Mashiach.

A Ride to Remember

Meet Mabel!  She and I became great friends on our ride across the desert above Masada.  We experienced a closeness that I didn't think possible.  I did recover however. :-)  We began our day with a camel ride through the desert.  It was an special time.  I have a new appreciation for David as he moved through this area in his trek to survive.  Mabel also gave me a new appreciation for the wonder of God's creation.  The camel is an amazing creature.  She can drink around 300 litres of water without harm.  Five liters will kill a human.  Her eyes and nostrils are designed to protect during sand storms and there are many other like characteristics.  How anyone can say these things happened without design it beyond me.  God is good!!!

We were able to take an extended time for worship and quiet reflection on the greatness of our God.  I rejoice that our Heavenly Father has given us the capacity to worship.  As I sat on the canyon rim you see here,   I was reminded that the same God that preserved David is actively at work to preserve you and me.  He continues to seek those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.  David proclaimed, I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth [all things] for me. Psalm 57:2  I encourage you to cry out to Him today.  He is worthy of our praise and our trust.

Later on in the day, we walked up the west side of Masada to the top of the tell.  Can you hear me breathing hard?  It is more exercise for sure when I get home.  Right!  It is an awesome site and is a commentary on the ingenuity of man.  Herod the Great built this palace for his family.  It has thirty huge cisterns for water and many storerooms for grain.  It is truly a fortress, but one that was ultimately conquered by the Romans as they sought to capture the Jewish rebels that had taken refuge here.  I am so glad that our Refuge and Strength has conquered and will never be conquered.  Our God is an awesome God; He reigns in heaven above!!!

I pray you will be greatly blessed this day.  We are praying for you in the name of Yeshua Ha Mashiach.

Who to trust

There are times when you begin a day and wonder how things are going to go.  We gathered for breakfast around 7 a.m. this morning to prepare for the day ahead.  While we were waiting for our departure I went into the office of Yad Hashmona.  One of the guys was waiting for the clerk and asked if I had any shekels handy.  Of course, I instantly remembered my foresight to bring the shekels I found at home.  I offered them to the clerk who had now arrived to take the money.  When she looked at my offering she smiled and said, "This is not Israeli money."  I was, of course, sure she was wrong until I saw the words "Estados Unidos of Mexico", or something like that, on the outside ring of the coin.... It was all very embarrassing, but as our Jewish friends would say, "What can you do?"

Our first stopping point was Bet Shemesh and a view of the Valley of Sorek where Samson met the woman of his undoing in Judges 16.  He was a man of great potential.  He became over the years, however,  bent on revenge and it consumed him.  During his battles with the Philistines, he killed thirty men, then three hundred and finally three thousand.  It is a reminder that revenge is never satisfied and will ultimately consume us.  Oh, for the grace to allow God to be our defender.

Afterward we continued to the Azekah where we could see toward the Philistine cities of Gath and Ashdod to the west and the Valley of Elah to the east were David did battle with Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.  What a contrast between two men.  One who depended on his own strength and understanding and one who depended on his God and His understanding.  We then went up to the cave of Adullam where David hide from Saul.  The cave is located near the West Bank border.  We headed toward the site and were intercepted by a group of soldiers in a military vehicle.  They stopped us to check out what we were doing and then escorted us up to the site.  They were more than happy to pose for a photo op.! :-)  We spent some time considering the challenges presented to a young man anointed
to be king, but still destined to run from a man whom he had served faithfully.  It was a hard thing to be sure, but was part of God's training camp for David.  Sometimes God will lay before us an anointing for service and then take us to training camp in preparation for the tasks that are ahead of us.  It is hard and yet will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness in our lives.  It will all be worth the challenges we experience in the process of living ours lives here in this place.

We later hiked up to the Cave Adullam and it was amazing.  The opening, which you can see here, is just big enough for one person to go through.  There are other openings into this expansive cave on the hillside.  There is certainly enough room inside for David and his men to hid.  There is a small olive press with the rolling stone still in place which had been carved out of the rock inside the cave. (Wow!!!)   It was cool.  Again we see God's provision for his servant as the enemy was closing in to wipe him out.  But, isn't that the God we serve?  He is our shield and exceeding great reward.


We continued with a trip to Hebron and the Cave of Machpelah. (look it up! :-))  This is a city largely given over to the Arabs and would be part of a Palestinian state should one be formed.  It is important  for us to remember that this is the heart of biblical Israel.  My heart was heavy for all of the people of Israel as we left this place.  God's plan is surely unfolding as He planned, but the way is hard and many challenges are ahead.  We need to pray for the people of this land, her leaders and those that will be greatly impacted by the decisions made.

 We moved on from Hebron to the Bedouin camp just west of Masada.  It is big site with numerous tents that can accommodate up to 600, or perhaps more, people.  We had a wonderful dinner and night under the stars considering the bigness of our God.  Our beds were mats inside a tent much like the one pictured here.  I must confess that the tent was heated for our comfort!  Yea!....  Don't judge me! ;-)


I am expectant for the coming days.  I know that God has a divine appointment for each of the men in our group.  We continue to pray for you all and covet your prayers as well.  Blessings in the name of Yeshua Ha Mashiach!  

At Last!

Well, forty eight hours later we made it to the land of Israel.  The journey is always worth it regardless of the seeming obstacles that arise. It is always a blessing to me when I step onto the ground in Israel.  The time spent on the first part of our trip resulted in new friends and new opportunities to see God work in and through us.  I struck up a conversation with one of the airline staff and discovered she was a believer and a part of an east coast Calvary Chapel.  We talked about Israel and her desire to visit the land with her husband.  We exchange contact information and I walked away knowing the Lord is the great orchestrator.  While I know God is everywhere, there is a special sense of richness in my soul as I walk this land.  We hit the ground running with our first visit just one hour after land (puff puff!).  We went to Aphek where David met the Philistine commanders before their battle with Israel. I Samuel 29 (Picture of the park at Aphek)

I always enjoyed seeing David in my mind's eye playing the part of the disappointed soldier when he wasn't able to go to battle with Achish against Israel while, I'm sure, breathing a great sigh of relief in his Spirit. I thought how often I get myself in jams like that.  The Bible is truly a living epistle to us for our use, enjoyment and growth.  I pray we will all use it more effectively as the gift from God that it is!

 
 We then went on for an overview of the city of Jerusalem.  I encourage you to read the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120 - 134) and visualize the Pilgrims going up to Jerusalem for the feasts.  It is awesome!  We stood on the Mount of Olives and viewed the Kidron Valley, the Hinnom Valley and Temple Mount while considering all the history of that place and past and future temples...Come Lord Jesus!  It is an impacting site to be sure.


We arrived at Yad Hashmona in the early evening which will be our home base while in Israel.  It is a Kibbutz (look it up in the dictionary :-)) near Jerusalem.  You can look it up on the internet if you want to see it since we got there after dark. Tomorrow we go to the Judean Dessert for a campout.  Unfortunately they insist that they can't provide the pillar of fire for warmth.  I guess the Bedouin tent we are staying in will have to do. brrrrrrrr

Blessings to you all in the name of Yeshua.  We covet your prayers for us and our families during this season.

Blessed are the flexible

Well, things have not progressed as we had originally anticipated.  After spending seven hours rather than two hours at Medford International Airport, we finally made it to San Francisco to find that we had another six hours to wait.  The clam chowder at the airport made it all worthwhile however.  The flight to New Jersey as good as I spent almost the time checking my eyelids for leaks.  Our arrival at Newark was rewarded with another nine hour wait for our flight to Tel Aviv.  I was reminded of the axiom, "Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be broken".  God provided us with an amazing revelation in the form of  Continental's Presidential Club. 

What 23 hours of travel looks like

Now twenty three hours into our nineteen hour flight the hot shower was amazing and the continental breakfast was truly a spiritual experience. :-)  It is amazing how good bagels and cereal can be.  We are soon to head for Tel Aviv and are praying that this ten hours will not mysteriously grow as did the other legs of our flight. It has been a good time of fellowship with the three other guys traveling with me.  I look forward to our arrival in Israel.

The Beginning of the Journey

It is the evening before our departure to the land of Israel.  Even though I have been to the land a number of times, I am expectant about what the Lord will show me and the sixteen other men that will travel together.  The plans that have come together over the last six months are only those of men, but they become the venue by which Jesus Christ will touch and change our lives.  Many prayers have been offered before the Lord for His guidance, revelation and protection for us and the families we leave behind.  Tomorrow is the first leg of a journey ordained by God for each of us and only time will reveal the wonder of that journey.  Please pray that He will be glorified and that we will be better equipped to minister the gospel of Jesus upon our return.  Isaiah writes, I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.  Isaiah 46:13  May we experience that glory as we walk God's land of Israel.