Day 4 - IAF Base, Megiddo... En-route to Jerusalem

Today, more than any other so far, did more to open my eyes to what everyday Israeli people feel and think.  This evening, we were honored to hear a special advisor to the government and the last 4 prime ministers.  He spoke about the complex relationships here in the Middle East and how, much to the disagreement of many of your closest friends at home, CNN, and our government in particular, the Israeli people do, in fact, seek peace.

He explained that we as Westerners must put on the shoes of all people in this region and try to understand them from their own perspectives.  And, for that matter, peace is not the kind of peace we value and seek here in the States, where we achieve a lasting peace based on mutual respect.  No, they hope for just one more day without conflict, without one more attempt by terrorists to take out their children at school or, as just happened a block from here recently, a man who wanted to kill Jews ran into two people at a bus stop.

I heard from a handful of different people that peace is desired, and that they don't want to fight, but are forced to defend themselves.  But peace is possible.  Look no further than Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.  All have active peace treaties with Israel.  And peace is desired with the Palestinian people, many of whom are tragic victims in the pawn game played here.  When leaders force a resident to store weapons in their home, and if refused, shoot them out in the middle of the street.  And we were given proof.

We had a very rare privilege to see selected parts of an Israeli Air Force base and speak with a squadron F-16 navigator, an articulate young man who was candid with his personal thoughts of life and his mission, while being careful, of course, not to reveal any classified info!  He, too, expressed his desire for peace and the Israeli protocol not to harm innocent people whenever possible, and how that saddens him when cowardice uses human shields - children sent to either find mines or block attacks.  And the enemy knows they won't shoot.  He told us the lengths they go to in ensuring as far as possible to not harm civilians, giving ample warning and using sophisticated technology to find out who is in a building.  We saw actual footage of missions done recently (back in August) to back up his words.

And yet when innocents are hurt, he grieves.  I do, too.  I met a young girl (OK, 20 year old young woman!) who is now an Air Force Lieutenant and her proud parents who toured the base with her today.  And I saw the fear in them as they said goodbye, knowing at any moment, her life may be demanded of them.  (For those who may not know, every citizen must serve 2 years in the military.  I saw a young woman in a wheelchair, who only had use of one hand and part of an arm, in uniform, carrying material to the reception area!  Everyone takes part.  Would that happen here?)

I spoke with several people on our tour today of Megiddo (more in a moment) as well, and how glad they were that the US, despite recent events in support of Iran, still cares enough to come and see for themselves.  I have been thinking about these interactions tonight, and I have a LOT to process, especially from our guest speaker this evening - the many implications raised and cultural awareness that he brought to the table.  Expect more on this in the days to come, I think!

Our historic site we visited: Armageddon in Revelation 16 where the final battle will be fought in the End Days.  Here, overlooking the Jezreel Valley, the most famous battlefield in the world, stands the ancient royal Caananite citadel, the king of which was slain by Joshua in Jos. 12:21.  Here, Solomon rebuilt a fortified defense post in his kingdom, 1 Kings 10:26, with stables capable of taking care of 450 horses and 150 chariots - the tank battalions of that day!

We toured the ruins - built 25 times, one on top of the other, as was common in that day - to build on the old foundations after conquests or earthquakes destroyed a town or fortress.  Archaeologists have uncovered down to the 17th layer, Solomon's era, because it is the most significant in history.  Here you can pick up fragments of 3000 year old pottery and touch the past in his day.  And the overlook of this important region stimulated my thirst to know more of God's Word and the history we have as heirs - grafted into this Vine!

What provokes your interest?  Is it foreign relations?  Global crises?  Or might it be historical facts that reveal the future.  Can you see how all of these topics are intertwined together?  I am beginning to, myself... I hope you do, as well.

And, since it's 11PM and we made the long trek to Jerusalem, good night from the Holy City.  I am grateful you are on this journey with me.  Tomorrow the Dead Sea and Masada await us!

Day 3 Continued - Golan Heights, Part Deux!

I must admit, I wasn't quite sure what to think about the region I visited today...an area hotly contested on the global stage, front and center in national politics: the Golan Heights. In my own mind, this was a chunk of barren plateau, without much vegetation besides brown grass, good-for-nothing, that served no real purpose. And it was, until...

In 1973, on Yom Kippur, when all the nation observed this holy day, Israel was attacked, and war with Syria broke out.  I knew little of the fight, or what it was really about.  We visited a kibbutz and learned through film and from an Israeli veteran about the odds they faced - tanks outnumbering them 10 to 1.  He believed their success was a miracle from God - to reclaim the land God promised to the half-tribe of Manassah in the Bible.

We toured military bunkers overlooking the Syrian border, about a mile away, and saw the conflict raging in Syria firsthand.  Three (at least) groups are waging civil war there: the government forces of Assad, the local rebel fighters connected to Al-Qaeda, and the strongholds of ISIS.  I was blessed to meet 4 UN peacekeepers from 4 separate European nations (I won't reveal their nationalities or pictures for their protection) - and asked them about the perspective.  What I heard made me pause and reconsider my opinions of this region.  What would it look like if someone asked you to give up your own land that you sweated to make prosperous and hand it over to another person who wanted nothing more than to kill you?  Hmm...

Yesterday, I left you with the word "until."  Yes, this actually was a barren land 50 years ago, but now things are drastically different.  This area has been developed with settlements, schools, hospitals (that treat all patients, frankly, without regard to nationality), and stores.  The more amazing thing: the land has been cleared down to usable soil and now is the "fruit basket" for all of Israel!  Figs, pomegranates, bananas, dates, apples, olives, and cherries, to name a few, besides wheat and cotton, are grown there.  We toured an olive oil farm that not only produces some fantastic oil (that has sadly been boycotted here) but revolutionary cosmetics that don't harm the environment (oh, but those you can get in the states!)

I talked with real people - those who gave up a comfortable lifestyle in Tel Aviv, for example, to scrape a living from the earth - why?  Because they believed their efforts would honor God and their people who have come home.  I saw evidence of rockets fired over the border into these areas and the determination of a people who want the best for the region.

I did a lot of thinking yesterday.  But it also wasn't for the political implications, but the geographical and biblical ones that made me see the validity of this area remaining in control of Israel.  The terrain is unique.  A plateau that holds the headwaters of three major springs that flow into the Jordan River, and provide all the water for the entire nation, by the way, from Mt. Hermon, the place many believe Jesus was transfigured.

We toured the old remains of Caesarea Philippi - a place built by Herod to honor Caesar (like he did with the other Caesarea from Day 1 with his palace.)  Here, he honored his son, Philip, as well, by building a temple to the fertility god, Pan (half man, half horse, with dancing, flute-playing goats, if you remember your Greek & Roman mythology) and a separate one honoring Zeus.  Here it was believed, where the spring flowed from the mountain, was the opening "Gates of Hades" - the literal entrance to hell itself.

It was here that Jesus took his disciples (a 30+mile journey, by the way) to teach them an object lesson in Matthew 16:13-23.  No good rabbi would EVER go there, to defile himself at such a pagan and unclean place!  Jesus asked them who people thought He was.  Remember the answer Peter gave?  "You are the Christ, the son of the Living God!"  And that foundational statement, and that of the Church itself, the gates of hell will never prevail against!

I was left with two questions that challenged me... will they challenge you?  1) What about this region of the earth?  Our country is involved in a persuasion to have Israel hand over this territory, to a severely unstable nation.  Is that the right course of action, to go back to 1967 border lines as if this area is a chunk of rock with no usable purpose? 2) What about Jesus?  Is He who He really says He is?  What do you believe about Him?

That provoked in me a familiar quote by C.S. Lewis that Mat Staver shared last night: 

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about him, “I am ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.”  That is the one thing we must not say.  A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.  He would either be a lunatic - on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell.  You must make your choice.  Either this man was and is the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.  You can shut him up as a fool, you can spit at Him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God.  But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher.  He has not left that open to us.  He did not intend to.”

What about you?  Will you consider these with me?

Day 3 - Golan Heights

I must admit, I wasn't quite sure what to think about the region I visited today...an area hotly contested on the global stage, front and center in national politics: the Golan Heights. In my own mind, this was a chunk of barren plateau, without much vegetation besides brown grass, good-for-nothing, that served no real purpose. And it was, until...

(Well, I lost all the balance of this post, that I just spent the last hour writing on my phone, and it's nearly midnight. So I will bid you a good night and post it all (again) tomorrow. So much to share, and thanks for your patience!)

Day 2 - Capernaum, Mt. of Beatitudes, Sea of Galilee, and the Jordan River

The end of a wonderful day...albeit hotter than yesterday at 113°F and 90-some % humidity! They are riding a heat wave here that shouldn't start til July. This fact, and today's travel, does, however, give me a greater appreciation for Jesus' ministry.

Capernaum, a city where more miracles were done by Jesus than any place else, moved me. I touched the foundation and ruins of the synagogue where Jesus taught. Made of basalt, a volcanic rock (which as a geology fan, I delighted in) echoed 2000 years of history.

In a shady area (thankfully!) we sat under sycamore trees and were taught by Dr. Mat Staver from the Liberty Council. Many disciples were called here: Peter, Andrew, James and even Matthew, the local tax dude! And I felt more like a disciple must have felt back then... learning more about the Kingdom of God arriving in a Person. (Lord, thank You for this opportunity!)

I realized it wasn't just those early disciples that saw miracles, but that I had, too... even just today. It IS a miracle that a state of Israel even exists, and most agree on that! It is a miracle an ancient language like Hebrew survives and is spoken, rather than Akkadian or some other pagan language group that dominated.

And is also a miracle this city of thousands no longer exists! No one built upon this site, as was so common to do... but it should have been, given it's strategic location for trade and the robust fishing economy. Here we saw the fulfillment of Matt. 11:20-24. (Yeah, I want you to read it!)

Several hundred years later, an 8+ magnitude earthquake hit, leveling the town, and it has remained deserted until a site preservation started in the 18th century by a Catholic order for the ruins including Peter's house.

Many sites, like the Mt. of Beatitudes, are kept up this way. At this traditional site (and that is said, I learned, when people don't know the exact place) Jesus is said to have given his Matthew 5 Sermon on the Mount. The topography is such that thousands could hear Jesus from his position in that theater-like setting above the Sea of Galilee. Reread vs. 38-48 as I did and see if you are not convicted - especially visiting in a land where the opposite of what Jesus taught is the norm. How will we love our enemies?

From here we journeyed to the Sea itself...for a boat ride to the middle of the lake. Even though it was daylight and the water like glass, it wasn't hard to imagine it pitch-black and waves 6-8 ft high as is prone to happen! Here Jesus, after hearing his cousin John was beheaded (think ISIS, here, literally) in Matt. 14, He sent the disciples off so He could mourn. Right after, the crowds came, 5000 strong, and he fed them with a fisherman's lunch. No rest for Him, and He again sent the disciples away that night to pray.

But that night, a storm came up, 3AM-ish, and the men were alarmed. Wouldn't you be? I would! I was out there...it wouldn't be a picnic!

He came to them, walking on water, and as Peter's faith began to falter, Jesus rescued him and them!

His next words, vs. 31, rang true for me. "Why did you doubt Me?" How often do I doubt Him? Probably more often than I care to admit. And you?

My faith became richer as I stepped foot into the Jordan River, and like so many pilgrims, was immersed in baptism there. I struggled with this for weeks... whether I would somehow nullify or degrade or cheapen my own baptism 40 years ago. And as I prayed, my experience at the Sea and at Capernaum rushed into my mind concurrently with the words at Jesus' own baptism, done not because he HAD to religiously, but "to fulfill all righteousness." (Mt. 3:15)

No, I didn't have to, nor did I compare myself to Jesus, but I prayed, "Lord let me be evermore Yours, a learner who desperately wants to follow You, my Master... so that Your righteousness is seen, and not me.

At dinner tonight, that prayer was answered, as our table discussion focused on how we might reveal more of His righteousness to others for His glory and not our own...how we can allow Him to work in us to produce Kingdom changes so desperately needed in our churches. I was able to share how I see Jesus in my Valley Family, how He had brought about a culture change... where Christ-likeness is the norm, not the exception.

Does the Man from Galilee deserve anything less than our full devotion?

Thanks for sharing this pilgrimage with me. I miss and love you!

Day 1 - Tel Aviv, Caesarea Maritima & Mt. Carmel

After a very long and bumpy flight, with no sleep we landed safely in Tel Aviv...a thoroughly modern metropolis and home to as many tech companies as in the U.S. (betcha didn't know that! I didnt!) Without stopping, since we had several of our group delayed in customs, we began our travel to Caesarea Maritima.

It's the ruins of King Herod's palace and city built  on the Mediterranean coast halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa to the north. Today, this city is the Beverly Hills of Israel, with one of only 2 golf courses in the country. Posh or is, but it hearkens back to the time of Jesus' birth and Herod's opulence dedicated to the Emperor.

Here he built a palace, theater, and hippodrome (Kentucky Derby-like only with chariots!) In the Bible, this is where Cornelius followed Jesus and was baptized and where Agrippa died (Acts 10-11) but also where Paul in Acts 21-25 made his famous appeal to Caesar.

That's the history, but the feeling of standing where Paul stood, giving a reason for his faith, preaching...powerful! To touch the stones and the original mortar on an ancient aqueduct originally 6 miles long with a slope of only 2 degrees - without any modern GPS equipment - makes me marvel!

But then, my faith was boosted by an archeological fact. A stone was found with an inscription from Pontius Pilate...here...proving this leader existed, when no other evidence existed and was the basis of skeptics doubting the crucifixion account! Friends, you can be confident in your faith that rests on facts not feelings! 

Oh, but then, after a traditional Druze lunch, we headed to Mt. Carmel, site of the Carmelite Catholic order for centuries. Atop this mountain, Elijah confronted the pagan prophets of Baal, and God displayed His mighty power...and where, at the brook Lisbon just below, Elijah slew all of them (1st Kings 18).

Oh yes, this mountain figured prominently there, but from it's heights, you can see the entire Vally of Jezreel, My. Hermon to the north, Mt. Tabor to the east, and Harm-Meggida (Armageddon). This is where Revelation describes the last battle...right here! And yes, there is an active military base here with F-16s overhead as well! Besides these implications, I have to say, the view, even on a hot, windy and hazy day (at 103°F) is spectacular!

It gives me a sense of history that is wrapped all together...a story interwoven through all of time... here, in this place. As our guide, an Israeli archeologist, pointed all this out, my goosebumps ran wild.

I guess I never stopped to consider the global implications of this until now, precisely because, I think, we in the West can prefer to be ignorant. "It's their problem, so why should I care?"

Family, think of this. From this mountain you can see the northern, western and eastern borders of this nation, a mere 85K square miles, and all the world wants it. I can see why. The resources here are precious, but this is worth it! I feel.very at home here...safe...yet strangely uneasy. Why? Because we know what happens here. The final showdown...but our hope is in the Lord who has ultimate victory!

I realize it may be the jet-lag catching up to me and no sleep for 2 days (!!) but what is on your heart as you read this? Let me challenge you as I am challenged this week. Thanks for going on this journey with.me. And as always, I enjoy walking it with you!

Beginnings

Anticipation... Sitting in the Ontario terminal awaiting my group number to be called, I know I am only traveling to the East Coast today, but the journey begins. And there is anticipation...only of what God wants to do.

I am excited... I slept little, yet feel so refreshed. And I realized just now that I love to people-watch! A break last year taught me that!

I marvel at God's hand at creating such diverse and complex individuals! He is so brilliant, not just in glory, but in design.

I'm reminded, as a baby hasn't stopped crying for about 15 minutes just how precious that little life is. Others may be annoyed, but to me, now, it's music. (I'm sure halfway into the flight, I may feel differently, but that's what headphones are for!)

What are you anticipating today? Will you see others, even though they may be annoying, as His handiwork? And what do you expect Him to do?

Thanks for coming on this journey with me. I'm anticipating some wonderful awareness of Him...will you?

Breaking the Barrier

This month, I began a season of rest, renewal and retreat - officially a sabbatical to reconnect with the Lord and my family.  It has been harder than I thought.  I have had some difficulty in adjusting my schedule, especially in getting into God's Word.

Next January marks my 40th year of following Jesus.  That fact alone tells me I'm getting older and the grey in my beard attests to it!  I've been doing some thinking lately about my growth in Christ over those years.  I've had this difficulty before.  I came across an article I wrote for our College Ministry a number of years ago, and thought it was a great reminder as I experience a time of refreshing.  Read on...

I understand the struggle that many of us face: "How can I get 'into' God's Word and actually get something out of it?"  For a lot of Christians and seekers, we don't realize that we're not supposed to "get" something from Him; we are to give Him our lives and let Him be glorified through our devotion to Him.  But we still need to hear God's voice and understand His Presence.  We are hindered by "The Barrier." 

Now, moving past it isn't difficult (and yes, I invite you to see if that is true!) In fact, it will seem like common sense, really.  A few thoughts for you to consider...

Posture is important. 

No, I'm not an advocate for chiropractic care here!  I simply want to draw you toward correct positioning in your attitude before we get wrapped up in the Bible itself.

One of my goals this year has been to begin my daily time with the Lord BEFORE I get to church.  So, I asked Him to help me with this by waking me up early in the morning before the kids wake up.  (This is where people I know start laughing at me, because mature Christians understand that if you ask, He will deliver!)  And, as you can expect, God has been faithful. 

I wake up around 6AM everyday. Now, quite honestly, there have been times when I haven't wanted to get up - like you, I like my beauty rest, especially when you have kids with colds waking you up at ungodly hours to get a drink or blow their noses! Tuesday this week was like that - I was up with my son at 2:45.  I was beat.  And, to top it off, I woke up with a start at precisely 5:21AM to the sound of my cell phone going off - it was a gentleman in our church, who shall remain nameless - and I could hear him laughing and talking in the background.  I'm yelling, "Hello...hello!"  He hit redial on his phone by accident, apparently.

OK, Mike, what does this have to do with posturing? So, I sat there, awake. And I simply said, "Lord, today is your day." Immediately, I sensed His call to get up. I went into the kitchen, started the coffee and sat down with God's Word and my notebook.  I adopted a posture of connection with Him. I responded to a call I sensed for His direction.  And, I only could "hear" what He had to say when I changed my attitude of "have to meet with God" to "desire to meet with Him."

That's what posturing is... longing for what He wants to say to me through His love-letter to the world and being ready to apply His truth to my life.  I ask Him first to open my heart, free me from my distractions, and then I am ready to write down my thoughts on what I read in His Word.  I want to understand the facts of what He says, gain insights by what He says to me, respond by letting God know what I will do about what He says, and then evaluating if I did it or not.  (Yes, this is the familiar FIRE study outline we've used for years in our Connection 101 class.)  Posture is important.

Quality vs. quantity.  

After I have the right attitude and simply desire to learn from Him , how much/little do I read?  I am a big fan of quality time with God.  My rule of thumb is to read just enough Scripture to gain one simple insight for my life (anywhere from just a few verses like in the rich sections of Paul's letters, or a few chapters like in the historical or narrative passages of the Old Testament).  Often, I even understand several insights in a short passage - when God shouts out truths for me that day!

How much or how little isn't the factor.  It rests on my desire to honor Him and be still before Him, resting in His love, being content with only Him.  This isn't some ascetic practice; it is making Him a priority in my life (even before my wife, my kids, or my job).

Personal transformation. 

Let me be blunt - I get broadsided a lot in ministry by well-intentioned people who take out their aggression - negatively and with much criticism and complaining.  So, even though I try not to take it personally, I still hurt.  I feel for them because I love them, in all their humanity!  I had been wrestling with a person I needed to confront, and I asked God several days before for an answer.  Little did I know that the sum of my time with Him in the Bible would answer that prayer in a big way.

I've been reading through the book of Ezekiel for the past few months, and I learned some life-transforming truths in the past few chapters I read.  As I read through chapter 33 early Sunday morning, I noticed (for the first time in a deep way) that God desires even the wicked people of this world to not perish, but live. 

Yes, I knew that, but the insight came as I read God's own voice say, "I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! ...Why should you die?" (vs. 11 NLT) God takes no pleasure in punishing us when we are wrong - He desires our closeness, our nearness to Him. 

That was my first lesson I needed to heed before I dealt with this person at church.  I must deal with my own sinfulness of wanting to be right and insisting on it - I needed to run to Christ first.  Then, I'll understand the value God places on others, and my heart will respond to them with God's perspective of redemption in mind rather than restitution.  Oh, how I needed that from Him!

The next day, I continued on in that chapter and received one of the greatest insights I'd ever gotten from Him - an encouragement of monumental proportions for me as a pastor.  Verses 30-33: "Son of man, your people are whispering behind your back. They talk about you in their houses and whisper about you at the doors, saying, `Come on, let's have some fun! Let's go hear the prophet tell us what the LORD is saying!'  So they come pretending to be sincere and sit before you listening. But they have no intention of doing what I tell them. They express love with their mouths, but their hearts seek only after money. You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don't do it!  But when all these terrible things happen to them—as they certainly will—then they will know a prophet has been among them."

It was as if Jesus were sitting next to me, consoling my broken heart with His choicest words.  I heard Him say, in these words, that there will be those who will be entertained by my words, even convicted by what the Spirit is saying, but they won't obey God.  I needed to hear Him say that to me.  He designed this passage, at this point in time, to speak volumes of encouragement to me.  I know that I simply speak the truth of God, and let Him do the convicting.  I need to understand that their response to Him is up to them.  Oh, how freeing that was to hear in my soul! The depth of ministry that He did that morning was rapturous, beyond compare.  (And, I'm glad you know about His great love for us in this example, too!)

Finally, on Tuesday, I read in chapter 34 about the Good Shepherd (vs. 11-16) - looking for the lost sheep of His scattered flock. I was encouraged to go and gather this lost person and love them, encourage and exhort them to follow Jesus. Again, a confirmation of what I needed to do in my life.

My desire for you is simply this: understand that God has designed His Word to give you life - abundantly - and that "The Barrier" isn't really one at all.  Will you meet with Him and "hear" His words to you, rather than try on your own efforts to "get" something from the Bible?  Will you adopt a posture of desire for Him?  Will you not focus on how much or little, but a depth with God?  And finally, are you willing to be personally transformed? 

I pray God will bless your devotion to Him, and that your time in His Presence will be truly transformational!

Oh, how I needed these words yet again in my struggle this week.  I hope you do, too!

Compelled by His love,

Mike