Saying goodbye to Jerusalem

Before we leave Jerusalem

 there are some place I must show you.

 

 

This is one of the walkways in Old Jerusalem. When you think of Jesus, if you ever picture him walking on a flat surface, your visual is probably off, unless He is on the Temple mount. Everything in Israel seemed to be on a slant.

 

 

And this slant is truly extreme. Here we are headed down into Hezekiah's tunnel, under the city.

 

And down we go.

 

This Tunnel was built during the reign of King Hezekiah. The Assyrians were on there way to besiege Jerusalem. While Jerusalem was well placed to avoid capture, it had no water within the city walls. The Tunnel connects the Gihon Spring (outside the walls) to a man-made pool (Pool of Siloam) inside the walls.

 

 

The curving tunnel is 1748 feet long. It took us about 45 minutes to walk through it. The tunnel still has water running through it.

We got soaked from our legs down. 

We walked hunched over in some places,

 while other places would have allowed us to walk on stilts. 

An extremely tight fit in many spots.

This walk is not for the claustrophobic.

The reason for the variations fascinates me.

The Assyrian army, notorious for their brutality and lack of mercy, would be arriving far faster than King Hezekiah wanted. The only way to get the tunnel completed in time was by digging from both ends and meeting in the middle somewhere. Amazing. Also please note: these walls are not dirt, but solid rock. This tunnel was not easily built.

 

 This statue of King David sets outside his false tomb. Craziness. His real tomb hasn't been found so for now "Let's just fake it."

This lie is considered a holy place to the Jews. Men must cover their heads and women must go to a separate entrance.

Sad, exalting a lie and making it holy.  

Yet, unfortunately, sounds all too familiar.

 

 

 

Through this walkway you can see the church, which stands where the "upper room" once stood.

Church tradition is fairly united on this place. This is also believed to be the place where Jesus washed the apostles' feet.

 

 

Acts chapter 2 happened in this very location. Different building but same place. The room could easily hold 120 people waiting for the gift Jesus promised.

 

 

This was a weighty experience.
 Traveling back over 2000 years.
 Imagining the conversations.
 Their questions.
Their arguments.
Their guesses as to what this gift might mean for them.

The church was birthed from this place.

 Nothing spectacular.

But the Holy Spirit doesn't need spectacular,

He simply needs people waiting and willing.

 

Our final look today is an overview of Jerusalem.

 

This is model of Jerusalem from the time of Jesus.

You are looking at the city from what would be the Mount of Olives!

The large structure right in front is the Temple Mount.

Our guide showed us possible routes taken as Jesus made his triumphant entry.

And the possible path of the cross.

I envisioned so many scenes unfolding in this city as we walked around the walls.

 

But what astounded me the most was the size of the Temple.

 It could be clearly seen from any place in the city.

Can't you just see Jesus driving merchants out with a whip, furious with the condition of his Father's house.

But I can also picture Jesus sitting on the Mount of Olives weeping for this city and the people he so dearly loved.

Jerusalem, a city full of history, where God showed his immense love over and over again. And finally demonstrated the full extent of his love by allowing his son's crucifixion right outside the walls.

I'll never fully grasp this, but being in this city brought improved understanding and a deeper appreciation.

 

Stay tuned... from here we travel to Bethlehem!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Garden Tomb

The Garden Tomb

 

 

One of our favorite stops, right outside the walls of Jerusalem.

We learned, we worshipped, we prayed and we marveled.

This stop changed the resurrection story for us.

 It no longer looks the same in my head or heart.

I'll try to share some of the facts and some of the truths with you.

The first fact is about the stone that covered the tomb. I have always imagined a humongous boulder. I couldn't have been more wrong. 

The stone is a cut stone. It is about a foot wide and much shorter than one would expect. The stone, while much smaller than I ever imagined, is oddly enough incredibly heavy. Over 1000 pounds.

 

 

You can see from the picture with Rosalba just how small the stone would have been.

The next picture shows the track the stone rolled along in front of the tomb.

 

 

If you look at the bottom of the picture you can see the large groove that held the stone and allowed the stone to be moved.

Several of the guys on the trip tried to "roll the stone away."

They were not successful.

 

Next is a picture of the front of the tomb. It has a small opening. We had to duck down to enter the tomb.

 

The garden was once a vineyard. A vat was found not far from the tomb.

 

The Gospel accounts of the resurrection combined with the beauty and peace of this place left a mark on my soul that I sincerely hope never fades.

I could see Mary with the other women watching Joseph of Arimathea struggle to lay the dead body of Jesus in the tomb. How he would have had to stoop as he entered carrying precious dead weight.

How Peter and John ran through this garden, found an empty tomb, and left marveling and confused.

Can you imagine the angel declaring the good news to the Marys.

Their shock.

Their joy.

They had seen the very dead body of their Lord just days before this.

Romans 8:11 reminds us that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us! That same power is available to me!

I have seen a dead marriage brought back to life by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I have seen a dead relationship restored to fullness of life.

The list could go on and on.

Do you see something dead that needs new life!

He who rose from the dead is able and He is good.

Ask Him and trust Him for miraculous new life.

 

 



The Garden Of Gethsemane

The Garden of Gethsemane

This was another stop on our first day in Israel. The place where Jesus often came to spend time with his disciples.

Where he taught.

Where he prayed.

Where he was betrayed.

The Garden of Gethsemane is located at the foot of the Mt. of Olives and is actually an olive tree grove. Some of the trees still standing are believed to be over 2000 years old.

They may have witnessed both the prayers and the betrayal. If only trees could talk the stories these could tell.

 

 

They could tell us of a heart wrenching prayer repeated three times.

They could tell of sleepy friends too tired to watch and pray.

They would trip over each others roots trying to describe the soldiers and the flying ear. They would raise their branches praising the healer of the ear and its owner. They would droop as they whispered of the flight of the friends and the betrayal.

It was a night I am sure they never would forget.

Unfortunately, much of this Garden is now gone. And what is left can only be seen from the outside of a protective fence.

No one prays under these branches any more.

 

 

This church now stands where much of the garden once stood. The church, elaborate and ornate, is beautiful, yet seems out of place. The columns and gold seem far removed from the antiquity of the gnarled olive trees.

 

 

After some prayer and reflection at the end of this first day in Israel, a powerful truth arose from pictures and discussion. Troy and I both were somewhat disgruntled with all the "stuff."

Vendors grew out of the pavement and could smell tourists before a bus even rounded the corner.

Churches dotted the landscape in a most unbecoming way.

All the extra distracted from the essential.

 

 

God opened my eyes to see how this truth applies to my life.

I also have "extras" that distract me from the "Essential."

Removing the distractions may create a void,

but that void leaves room for the Spirit of God.

 

 

 

 

Our Saddest Stop

 

The Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall

 

Millions visit this historic site every year, Jews and non-Jews.

 We are now part of that number.

We watched. We prayed. We marveled.

 And our hearts hurt.

 These precious people, who love God, remain blind to the resurrected Messiah. I desperately wanted to stand up on the nearest chair and declare for all to hear,

 "He has come! (and you missed it)."

Of course this would have accomplished nothing positive.

 Yet, this stop lays heavy on our hearts and minds. 

 

 

We didn't judge them. We didn't hate them.

We loved them and ached for them.

So we prayed for them.

And we continue to pray for them.

 

 

These precious people love God! They love His Word.

But their eyes remain blinded.

Only the power of God will open their eyes.

Not all my clever arguments.

Not ridicule. And NEVER judgment.

My prayers, partnered with your prayers and other prayers around the world--that will open their eyes.

 

"No one can come to me unless

 the Father who sent me draws them."

John 6:44

 

 

Please join us in praying for the Jews around the world.

God loves each of them, just as he loves us.

So we must love each of them

and from this place of love,

 we can powerfully and effectively pray for them.

What breaks God's heart should break our hearts.

He wants NO ONE to perish, but all to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

 

 

Please share this post asking your family and friends to pray for Jews everywhere, asking God to open their eyes and their hearts to Jesus, their risen Messiah.

Thank you.

The Gates of Jerusalem

The Gates of Jerusalem

 

         I have studied the Bible in a variety of ways, as I am sure you have. There is the topical study, the examination of a specific book of the Bible, the analysis of a person, but I have never considered the Bible from a “place” perspective. Our trip to Israel prompted this and the journey through scripture has been both enjoyable and insightful. By looking at a specific place and chronicling the events which occurred there these locations have come alive with such a striking depth of antiquity.

         The Gates of Jerusalem, varying in number throughout history, have seen both the miraculous and the profane. I want to share a little of both with you. Join me as we visit a few of the gates traveling both back in history and forward to heaven!

         There are 17 gates mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament). The New Testament mentions only four gates. Today Jerusalem has 7 usable gates and four sealed gates. And finally the New Jerusalem mentioned in Revelation will have twelve gates, all will be a single pearl and named for the twelve tribes of Israel.

         Now time to look at a few specific gates!
 

 This is the Gate Beautiful as seen from the Mount of Olives.

Jesus would have used the gate often. This gate is also mentioned in Acts chapter 3. Peter heals the lame beggar here.

 

 The Zion Gate. It is one of the 8 gates that go into The Old of Jerusalem. You can see the bullets holes all around this gate. In 1967 Israel fought to recapture the Old City from this gate, and won.

 Finally, this is the Dung Gate. Not a very appealing name. But this gate is mentioned throughout the Old Testament and serves an important purpose. This gate is the closest gate to the Temple Mount and it is through here all trash and waste once left the city. The close proximity is not an accident. The priests could quickly dispose of unclean parts of the animal which could not be sacrificed.  Getting the “unclean” removed from the “holy” was and still is vital.  The Dung Gate reminds me to remove the filth from my life. What that looks like varies daily (even hourly some days): a bad attitude, prideful anger, selfishness, and the list goes on.  The gate stands open. I just need to dispose of the trash.

 

 

The Mount of Olives

 

The Chapel of the Ascension

 

2684 feet high, east of Jerusalem and presently holds about 150,000 graves—The Mount of Olives. It is mentioned by name 14 times in the Bible; twice in the Old Testament and 12 times in the New Testament. However, Biblical writers often just reference the site as the mount east of Jerusalem.

 

Some of the graves on the mount.

Friday April 24, 2015 found me atop the Mount of Olives. The wind blustered furiously and the cold assaulted our group. But it would take more than wind and cold to squelch burning curiosity and excitement.

This mount holds such history, it has witnessed both moments of triumph and defeat. King David stopped here to weep while fleeing Jerusalem when Absalom staged a coup. King Josiah tore down idols which stood on this mount. Jesus pauses here to mourn for Jerusalem before he mounts a young donkey for his triumphant entry into the city (Palm Sunday). On the night of his betrayal, Jesus spends time here with his followers before continuing on to the Garden of Gethsemane (located near the base of the mount). And finally, Jesus ascends from here and scripture tells us he will return here and the mount will be split in two, one side moving south, the other north (Zechariah 14:4).

As we walked down this mount our guide asked, “Why did Jesus chose to ride a donkey? Why not a horse?”

Well, as we were with a large group of cowboys, the question seemed both appropriate and obvious. Donkeys are more sure footed, less risk of falling on the rugged terrain. Imagine our surprise to find we, the Texans, well versed in horse logic, were wrong. In the Jewish culture the donkey is the symbol for peace. Jesus made a statement with his choice of ride. He, the Prince of Peace, entered Jerusalem offering peace through the sacrifice of his life. He purchased our peace with his blood.

However, when he returns he will come riding a horse, the symbol for war. He will wage war against Satan and those who stand with him and he will reign victorious!

Everything matters. God specializes in the details. And the beauty of these entry choices leaves me awe struck at his incredible love for mankind. First he offers peace at an incredible cost, and withholds war, not wanting any to perish. The war will come, but his patience holds it off for now.

Much to think about as I descended this mount and now as I recall the unforgettable time spent there.

 

A Spiritual Journey through Israel

This picture was taken from the Mt. of Olives with Jerusalem in the background.

 

A Spiritual Journey through Israel

As many of you know, Troy and I, along with about 50 other Texans just returned from a trip to Israel. I’m inviting you to join me in my reminiscing, as I carefully probe back through my days in the Holy Land. I believe the time will be well spent, exciting and far less exhausting than the original journey. Each post will include new and fascinating pictures which will help bring the stories alive. So,

Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. When you read you begin with A, B, C; when you sing you begin with Do, Re, Me; and when you travel through Israel you begin with God’s Word.

Pastor Rob, from Lonestar Cowboy Church was our leader, Billy from Nazereth our guide, Fadi our driver, but God’s Word was the foundation of our trip. Our theme text, Psalm 48, extols God’s majesty and encourages the reader to explore his chosen land. And we did both during our time in Israel. We praised our mighty God and walked about in the land spoken of throughout the pages of our Bibles.

Our itinerary had little breathing room. Before the rooster even thought to crow, we were up, fed and on the bus, yawning from jet lag, but eager for the day’s exploration. I am just as eager to revisit these sites with you. Stay tuned… we begin on the Mt. of Olives, a very good place to start.

What all happened here? And why is it now a massive graveyard? Just a few of the topics for our next discussion.

 This is Billy & Fadi! The best possible team to lead us on our journey. Very thankful for these 2 guys!

 

Ever Editing

            I am new to writing. Not really new, but new to writing where people other than a teacher or professor will be reading my scattered words. I must admit, I would rather be talking. It is easier and comes more than naturally to me. But, God invited me down this writing path and I am eager to see where it leads. So, I write. And I edit.

            For every word I write, I delete at least two. If this was a dance, it would be a great two-step, which I would completely enjoy. But this is writing, and deleting more than you keep is both frustrating and tiring. However, without editing, the jumble of words would be more bewildering than helpful. So, I edit and edit some more. The point of all this deleting and moving of words is simple—I want the message to be clearly received. Without editing, readers would never see the message through the mess.

            As I sat recently editing an especially difficult paragraph, my mind strayed down a reflective path. God edits me daily. He moves things, removes things and adds a special touch here and there. He, as my creator, designed me with a particular plan. I, as the human creation, often allow things to clutter up my life, distracting me from God’s purposes. So, God edits. He deletes activities, people and my agendas as needed. But He also adds beauty with just the right person, just the right activity or just the right circumstance at just the right time.

            Thankfully my written work does not fight back as I edit. The process drains without any extra trouble. Unfortunately, I often cling tightly to edited areas, not wanting change, not wanting to lose anything. But I have discovered the most incredible truth through repeated experiences. God removes for our good and his glory and He adds for our good and his glory. The ultimate truth—God edits perfectly. I just need to let him.

            So, I will agree with Job, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:20).