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Israel The Most Amazing Trip Day 4 Journal Entry

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12-31-09

New Year’s Eve!  And, What a day!  Thank you – Jesus – for all you’ve shown me.  Holy Spirit, thank you!

Our first stop was Beit She’An near the end of the Jezreel Valley. Once a city of commercial and military importance, it is  near where King Saul’s body was nailed to city walls. (I Sam. 31).   This place was fascinating.  It had been under a field for many years and a farmer with his tractor hit the top of a column.  Underneath was a treasure of historical and archeological finds.

Megiddo is on the edge of the Plain of Armageddon – the site of the final battle in Rev. 16:16.  I had always pictured this to be rugged – dry and rocky.  But the valley is a brilliant lush green.  The fortified structure at Megiddo was something to behold.  An impressive water system is still in place.  Twenty-five civilizations have been uncovered in this one spot. Megiddo was where King Solomon had a large reserve of horses and chariots.

Caesarea was beautiful … on the Mediterranean coast.  Johnnie Moore taught us from Acts 23 while we sat in the theater where Paul testified of Jesus.

Please give me more boldness. Lord, I’m available for you.  I love you.


Israel The Most Amazing Trip Day 3 Journal Entry

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12/30/09  Day 3

This morning I’m looking over the Sea of Galilee watching a gentle rain. Our guide told us that Israel has been in a drought and the rain is needed.  It is a pleasant 60 degrees.  Thank you, Lord, for the rain.

1 .Capernaum – This is a city that Jesus  called home in Mark 2:1.  Jesus performed more miracles here than anywhere else. This city was judged in Matt. 11: 23.  They saw Jesus – and still rejected Him.  We can be like that – too.  Lord, help us not to be ever seeing but never believing.

2. Mt. Of Beatitudes – Matt. 5   Our group gathered on the steps of a theater when it began to rain and we all huddled under a shelter to listen to D. Carson share 3 levels of discipleship: 1. Come and See, 2. Sit and Listen, 3. Trust and Obey.  The sun was shining on one side of the Sea of Galilee and it was raining on the other.

3. Tabgha – The place where it is thought that Jesus took a simple boy’s lunch and fed 5000.  D. Carson reminded us that “little is much when God is in it.”

4. The Ancient Boat

5. Tiberias – We ate St. Peter’s fish at Deck’s on the edge of the Sea of Galilee.   It was wonderful- but I had to cover the fish’s eyes.

6. Sea of Galilee -After lunch, we boarded a boat and J. Moore taught a lesson on the encounters that Peter had around the Sea of Galilee.  A small storm blew up while we were on the boat and it was easy to vision what it might have been like when Jesus calmed the water. Luke 22:61  Noted that in Jewish culture – you don’t eat with your enemies.  Peter had denied Jesus – but Jesus invited Peter to join him at the fire.  Thank you, Lord, that you invited Peter to eat with you on the shore.  Thank you that you invite me into relationship with You.

7. Jordan River – We made our way around the Sea of Galilee and stopped at the Jordan River for members of our group to be baptized.  While in some places the River now looks more like a stream, this area of the river it is wider and looks more like it would have during the time of Jesus.

It was a very full and wonderful day.  Thank you, Lord.