I'm off to Israel on Friday

A fellow church member and our pastor and I will be leaving from Winnipeg, Canada on Friday morning. We live in Minnesota but the fellow church member likes to visit relatives in Canada each time before flying to Israel. After the flight is done we will arrive in Tel Aviv at 10:30 AM Sat morning Israeli time. We will be gone for three weeks - Nov 18-Dec 9. They both have been before but not me. I consider it a VERY SPECIAL privilege to be able to go with them. I really wasn't even thinking of going or planning for it and within about five days and the most casual inquiry from me the whole thing fell together for me. And the Lord has helped the finances work out.

We have some things planned but yet are going to maintain a loose schedule. The man sort of leading the tour has been several times and has made a series of friendships and relationships and we are going to see some things and be visiting with these folks. Some are Orthodox Jews so it can get interesting he says. Please pray for a group of Bedouins we will be visiting in Muslim territory at the last part of the trip. We are going to cut through the tourist and religious facade and start out rubbing shoulders with all these folks who are said to be just normal people with normal problems and needs just like everyone. We want to be their servants and share anything with them the Lord may prompt but yet not be overbearing or presumptous in any way or try to manufacture the Holy Spirit doing something when He is not. I'll be thinking of you good folks while I'm there. We consider this the Lord's trip and not ours.

Thank you.

Great news David,

I pray you and the Lord bring light in the midst of darkness.
Go as a sent one in the power of the Holy Spirit!

The Lord is always working to redeem and to save. I pray that you will be a co- laborer with Him in the greatest of all work!

Blessings,

My mom and dad went several years ago- lots of photos. One with an armed Israeli soldier next to their tour bus.

My favorite pictures were of Gethsemane- and the shore of the Sea of Galilee where they think Jesus had his breakfast on the beach with his disciples in John 21.

Hope you have a blessed and productive visit.

On my way to Winnipeg today and on to Tel Aviv (knock on wood) tomorrow. Thanks for the thoughts.

18 He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.

19 He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

20 You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham, which you have sworn to our fathers from days of old. (Micah 7:18-20)

We landed here Friday in Tel Aviv and then came on to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built on and surrounded by high hills ascending upward. I never really knew that before. The antiquity of old Jerusalem is astounding and I feel I never knew what real antiquity is before now as it beckons strongly back to another time. Amazing! We visited the Temple Mount after the Wailing Wall. The famous Islamic temple is directly where or almost directly where the old temple was, We saw the eastern gate from both sides. The Muslims have placed a graveyard outside the eastern gate because if Christ returns and is a priest He won't walk through a graveyard to get to the eastern gate which is now sealed up. We went through Hezekiah's underground tunnels chisled out of stone under Jerusalem and just wide enough for humans to walk throuvh as we did. The tunnels are over 1,500 feet long (II Chron 32). The water coming through the tunnels fed the pool of Siloam where the blind man washed his eyes at the command of Christ (John 9). We walked along this pool. The Mount of Olives is awesome. It's hard to describe standing at the quarters of David and Solomon and looking down into the valley of Kidron and being able to plainly see the path they walked Christ along as he was bound and on the way to the house of Caiphas the high priest of that day. We saw the actual steps leading up to the house of Caiphas and it was these very steps Christ walked up. Inside was where they abused Christ the first time and outside was the courtyard where Peter denied Christ.

I'm maybe talking too much but this is unique what the Lord is allowing us to experience. Yesterday we were in Joppa and saw friends of one with us and the house of Simon the tanner where Peter saw the sheet being lowered. We visited Casesera today where Herod had a palace and saw the spot where Paul addressed King Agrippa with that marvelous speech birthed by the Holy Spirit (Acts 26). Then on to the Mount of Transfiguration we went - Mt. Tabor. There's sure a lot to do around here and we've been witnessing a bit as we go along. Well, I cant go on forever but just wanted to say hi. We're in for the night in Tiberias. Muslim prayer towers and Muslims are common in this rugged mountainy land. The Israeli soldiers with their weapons on their side are common and they are so young and include women. No problem. 'Nuf for now good saints.

12 But You, shall endure forever, and the remembrance of your name to all generations.

13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the set time to favor her, yes. the set time has come.

14 For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and show favor to her dust. (Psalm 102:12-14)

Blessings to everyone and to Greg.

Shalom.

Bless you David. Thanks for the update.
Stay safe

Great update. Sounds amazing.

What a blessing! I hope that you take lots of photos!

Best first hand experience I've read dear brother:)
Thank you for sharing your experience with us!

So on this trip yesterday we first of all stopped at an ancient gate that may have been the one Abraham came through when he entered the land. Pretty cool.

Then we visited the very place where a idolatrous golden calf was set up by King Jeroboam. See I Kings 12:25-33. It is mind and spirit boggling that he could think to do this and remain in God's favor. But there a few feet away from us was the remains of the very altar he sacrificed from to this golden calf.

Then on to Caesarea Phillipi. Matt 16:13 - "when Jesus had come into the region of Caesarea Philippi." It was here that Jesus asked "who do men say that I am?" before asking "but who do you say that I am?" Here there is a very large rock foundation and imposing and strong rock mountain where a temple dedicated to Greek and Roman gods used to stand. The Greeks had dancing flue playing drinking festivals dedicated to goat gods to ensure fertility for the herds and the Romans had their thing and a temple dedicated to Zeus etc. Against this backdrop of a multitude of gods Jesus asked, "Who do men and you say that I am?" Against this backdrop of many gods Peter replied, "YOU ARE THE CHRIST, the SON of the living God" (Matt 16:16). It is upon this large foundational basic rock of spiritual strength and high revelation that Christ will build His church. Flesh and blood cannot reveal this. No high places of idolatry here.

I wish I could say more but time is a bit limited. Along the way today I saw some of the most SPECTACULAR scenry almost hard to put into words. This land is beautiful and majestic.

So we are driving home by way of the Golan Heights because of the scenry and Adam says to the left is Syria. So we are looking across at Syria and stop on a curve to buy some honey. While we are there looking down into Syria hardly a mile or so away 12 to 15 rockets go off one after the other. Then a few minutes later 12 or 15 more go off. We are standing there in amazement and a few minutes later 2 shells of return fire come in from anther direction directed toward the site of the rocket launches. The explosions we can feel in our bodies, I felt sad because all this is near a civilian town. We skeedaddled on pretty quick after this part of the Syrian civil war we stumbled across.

It was dark and on the way home someone said as were passing a spot right up there is where the Roman centurion said Christ did not even have to come to his house to heal his daughter but just say the word and it would be done. This Jesus WHO IS THE CHRIST can do all things. All these things transpired in a single day yesterday. I havent even mentioned the grand ancient fortress we visited near the top of Mt. Hermon the highest mountain in Israel. We are going to rest today here in Tiberias where we are staying. The Jewish couple downstairs are friends of Adam and the lady plays the harp. Evening before last we ate the sabbath meal with them and they told us their testimonies of how they came to know Jesus as their Messiah. Tears were in their eyes as Adam from our group of three shared his testimony. A anointed songwriter was here and she played the piano while the lady played along on the harp and they sang Jewish songs to us. We worshiped and prayed and interceded. Divine fellowship of the richest kind.

Richest blessings to everyone. Thank you Greg.

This Jesus. Who do you say that He is?

Thanks for sharing David.

I stand with Peter on this: " He is the Christ the Son of the Living God!"

Come, Lord Jesus!

Hi David, Glad to hear you are having such a blessed time in Israel. It brings back memories of our family trip in 2006. We also stayed in the Tiberias area, actually in Arbel which the mount up just above and looking down on Tiberias. If you haven't and have time it's worth going up there as it is real peacful with fantastic views over the lake. It's only a few minutes drive up from centre of Tiberias. Did you vist the Morning Star fellowship in Tiberias?

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. We didnt get to Arbel but were close and limited our fellowship in Tiberias to those we were staying with and their friends.

We visited Masada day before yesterday and on top could see the Dead Sea and where Sodom and Gomorrah used to be. The plain by the sea is the one Lot wanted and was attracted to but then it was green and lush. I suppose it has never recovered from the punishing blast that came against Sodom and Gomorrah. We could see the fords of Arnon also.

We had a very interesting Swedish man take us deep into the desert wilderness yesterday. Way out in the middle of nowhere was a fertile oasis where streams actually bubble up in the wilderness. The children of Israel were likely familar with this oasis. It was wonderfully almost surreal. This tour guide Arthur has worked on more than one kibbutz and in agricultural experimentation for which modern Israel has not gotten enough credit for. He shared how modern Israel has literally made the desert blossom in so many places.

The folks we are staying with in the Negev are Messianic believers with seven well behaved children. He is Jewish and she is South African. They told us a incredible story last night of how his mother and father were separated and yet miraculously survived the holocaust and found each other again after the war even though large parts of their families perished. It was very touching.

I think we are going to visit a Jewish artist lady today even though most of the people we have met have some kind of artistic outlet they practice.

Nuf for now.

Blessings.

18 Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old,

19 Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?

20 The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert to give drink to My people, My chosen.

21 This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise. (Isaiah 43:19-21)

Awed. Love the updates and thank you.

We attended a service here in the home we are staying in. Many believers came and the worship and singing was so great and full of joy. They sing many of the same songs we do in the states. Many young students wete there from diffetent ands. A young Korean led the worship. About the first thing that happened was a Israeli woman shared that pride about being Jewish or living in the land was vain. We then talked about the one new man in Christ and how its main call is to LOVE. Now the end of the commandment is love from a pure heart and not wrangling about endless genealogies about who is from whom (I Tim 1:1-5). Evangelism to the far reaches and even the strenghtening of the local church is done through LOVE. It is the perfect doctrine and proper children's bread to offer and demonstrate to the world. Otherwise we preach ourselves and not Christ Jesus.

I hope I'm not annoying you good folks but this trip is still proving to be profitable and highly inteteresting and educational. We visited Hebron today and it is a place of tangible tension between Islam and the Jewish people and is highly significant in Biblical history. In 1929, well before 1948, there was a peaceful Jewish community there of about 500 people living on land they had legally purchased and suddenly and without warning they were attacked by Arabs and 69 Jews were massacred. The British army of thaty day neglected its duty and did nothing to stop the violence. Many streets stll lie deserted where once there were thriving Jewish shops. We visited a museum dedicated to the victims of the massacre. The Oslo accords gave Israel only 3% of Hebron and 97% to the Arabs. The Arab section where I was at today is run down and poorly kept. We saw what might have been Abraham's well and some of the hills Caleb was not afraid to take and also the burial site of King David's father. Abraham is actually buried several feet below but Abraham's sepulchre above is enclosed by a large Muslim building built by Muslims when they conquered the area and banned all Jews and Christians from entering. Israeli soldiers are well represented in Hebron and some tour guides were wearing pistols. Tangible spiritual warfare as Abraham and Ruth and others lie buried in a Muslim edifice. It was grievous. We three and another believer who is a tour guide and who we met up with earlier before we went ate at a little cafeteria on the grounds afterward and felt led to take communion together in the shop and pray for the area. The spirit of murder and Islamic Arabic hate of Jewry lies in the streets of 3% Jewish Hebron. Earlier we had stood together in these streets and prayed for God to again fill these streets with the light of His love. It's ironic to stand and gaze at Abraham's tomb while at the same time feeling Islam sitting on your shoulder, Many Orthodox Jews are in the area and sort of share these grounds with Islam and have rooms of their own in this Muslim edifice and these Orthodox are in desperate need of light also. All was a living real world concrete example of the greatest ongoing controversy.

Thanks David,

Enjoying your reports immensely and learning much from it!

Keep it up.

God bless,

Thank you for detailing your experience. I'm going through Berkhoff's "Christ and the Powers" and really feeling more of their effect where I am. It is interesting to revisit places from our past because it can give us insight into not only our thinking and understanding of that time but the wisdom of the Principalities and Powers dominant in the period. Today I can look back at things I lusted after that God directly forbid me or closed the door to and can see that they were this type of thing. I think it will be interesting to hear your reflections a year on as to what has remained and deepened your understanding.

Brother David,
Am also blessed by your account knowing you love the Word and can relate physical details through spiritual eyes. Thanks for posting!
L