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).

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

A tangled heap of cleats, pads, helmets and jerseys. The game of football. While I grasp the basic idea of the game, the details boggle my mind. However, a determination to learn prevails. Every time #88 enters the field I want to know what he is doing. Football moms, just one of our responsibilities and joys.

Capturing the game with prize pictures, another responsibility I take extremely seriously. The 150 plus photos taken at each game proves my determination yet also highlights my ignorance of the sport. As father and son peruse my photographic efforts, a running commentary on the game ensues. I desperately try to follow the conversation, unfortunately with limited success. Thankfully they eventually take pity on my frustration and, less than patiently, begin to instruct the clueless football mom.

These weekly sessions enhance my knowledge of this bewildering pastime. I now know positions, players’ responsibilities and what a good block, tackle, throw and play should look like. In pictures. On the field, the chaos still baffles me, as I often lose sight of the ball completely. And the field again appears to be a place of tossed about boys and their equipment. 

With minimal effort, these sports photos translate to life. At a glance, the disarray seems without purpose, a tangled mess of life and people. Observers easily lose sight of the primary purpose. As daily life requires quick calls, fast feet, and excessive strength, the participant must be fully aware of where God is in each moment.

Just as running, blocking, dodging and passing are worthless movements without the football, so are endless days of activity without Jesus. Actions, regardless of earthly value, have no eternal value without God. Likewise, regardless of how mundane, activities which include Him instantly achieve eternal significance. When life begins to look and feel disheveled, take a moment and readjust your focus. The Prince of Peace can take the tangled and tousled and provide meaning and value.

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Walking on the Rocks

            I just recently returned from a week of church camp, the same one I attended as a camper through junior high and high school. I can’t help but compare my experiences, even though 20 years separates them. Much about camp life has changed. The most important upgrade—air conditioning in all buildings! Pretty sure camp would just be a memory if that particular change had not been included. Activities have been added and others removed as times and teenagers continue to change. But much remains the same. Beautiful singing under the stars. Late nights and early mornings. Baptisms at the river.

            The river. A landmark at camp. A cherished spot for all. Worship, play, baptisms, Bible studies and more happen on the shore or in the clear flowing water of the Medina River. Unfortunately, the river, no longer draws me. In fact, I dread the trip down the hill to the bank of the river. What was once a favorite now represents challenge and possible danger.

            As I sit on my golf cart, I watch teenager after teenager run across the river rocks as they seek to get the best seat or at least a seat with friends. They fly across, never even looking down at the rocks that make up the shore of the river. I, too, once navigated the rocks without a single thought. They were just there, nothing to consider or slow me down. Not so now. Those rocks make me incredibly nervous. One wrong step and my already weak and injured ankle could be damaged beyond repair. The rocks scare me.

            As a teenager my ankles were as strong and hearty as the next guy. The rocks posed no threat. But add 20 years and an ankle weakened by Cerebral Palsy and the rocks that went unnoticed, now seem menacing. To get my camp chair with the other adults, who line the back of the youth, I must walk across about 20 feet of unstable river rock. And typically I do this multiple times throughout the week. It is exhausting both mentally and physically.

            It isn’t walking on water but the parallels still exist. My weak ankle causes me to focus on the rocks, the danger. The teenagers’ strong ankles allow them to cross the rocks oblivious to any danger. Rocks. Waves. Strong faith. Weakened faith. Eyes focused on the danger. Eyes focused on Jesus.

            Navigation through life, focus, and attitude directly link to the condition of faith. A weak faith sees ever danger as it forever focuses on the circumstances it continually encounters. A strong faith, eyes on Jesus, moves through circumstances confident and steady. If I want to one day cross those rocks as I once did, I must strengthen my ankle. A strong faith allows us to yield to the Good Shepherd with whom crossing through dangerous ground no longer holds fear, for our Shepherd will get us safely through. This does not mean rocks or circumstances are removed. What it means is—He has promised and He will faithfully see us through.  

Settling

            Physical therapy consumed much of my time as a child, or at least that is how my memory reads. There was much time stretching, strengthening, and complaining. I hated every minute of therapy. However, I am now eternally grateful for those long hours. I can do far more than the doctors ever dreamed, because my parents persevered despite my tantrums and tears. They understood the value of pressing forward despite the opposition (me)—because cerebral palsy was not something that was going away.

            I am once again seeing a physical therapist and we have become friends. Shocking but true. I need her knowledge and expertise to walk pain free. We have made huge strides together. However, recently she mentioned my hand and the possible need to see an occupational therapist. Since we are friends, I decided to give it a try.

            Well, I didn’t realize there was so much I couldn’t do. It was most disheartening. The therapist asked me to do the craziest things and most often, I couldn’t. And really who cares? Right? Why waste so much time on something that wasn’t even bothering me. My right hand can hold my phone or my drink; seemed enough to me. Why ask it to do more?

            The therapist had a much different opinion and outlook. “Why not be as healthy as you can be? Why settle for less than you can have?”

            Her words continue to haunt me. “Why settle?”

            In my physical life I have chosen to settle for years and the result is deterioration. Muscles are shrinking and weakening. The situation now requires hours of work each week just to try to regain all I have lost. And honestly, I lost it and didn’t even notice it going. Just one day, there were so many things I could no longer do.

            If not vigilant, spiritual life can suffer the same fate.  A thriving relationship with Jesus with enough “settling” quietly falls into disrepair. A compassionate heart becomes cold and hard without notice or warning. It doesn’t happen overnight; but it sure seems like it. A powerful prayer life decays into a rotting bunch of trite mumbled prayers. When did it happen? It was never the desire or intent, but it happened.

            Settling is more than just settling. It is an unconscious path to a subtle decline. Time masks the progression of dilapidation. Long before noticed the damage sets in. Full recovery demands intense time and energy just to regain what was lost.

            The solution? Never chose to settle! “Why not be as healthy as you can be?”

            The greatest aim—a powerful passionate pursuit of Jesus. In the chase, growth and fruit result.

            Settling is never an option.

A Fresh Glimpse of God’s Love

Hebrews 12:11 “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

 Being a mother is the greatest blessing and the hardest job ever. Your heart is so tightly laced with your children, you often aren’t sure where you end and they begin. Their joy brings you joy; their pain brings you pain. It is a delicate and precious bond. But for all its beauty it is also often messy and miserable.

This week one of my darlings made a series of bad choices at school. This resulted in a vast variety of consequences. My first emotional response was shock, quickly followed by anger and disappointment. My heart hurt over the intensity of it all. I had to be firm, but not mean. I had to show love but also displeasure. How do you know where the line is? What is too much? What is enough?

Thankfully the call from the school came before lunch so I had several hours to pray and seek wise counsel. As her father and I discussed, debated and deliberated over our options I felt completely unequipped to correctly navigate these unknown waters. But, I was equipped. God’s Word framed and guided our choices. We were ready. We agreed upon a plan and the school supported our choices. Step one and two done. The next step, telling the child and setting the consequences in motion.

The tears shed that afternoon by both child and mother could fill our bathtub, but we had accomplished our desire: to touch the heart and teach an invaluable lesson. But the whole of the consequences would not go into effect until today.

As I dropped my humbled and contrite child at school this morning, whispered words tumbled from the passenger seat, “I’m scared.”

My heart broke. But I held it together and assured all would be well. We had prayed and God would supply the strength needed. Backpack and lunch box were bravely grabbed, and chin lifted as the uncertain child made the trip into the school.

I made it out of the parking lot before I began to sob. I had agreed to this consequence. It was right. But it hurt unbelievably. I wanted to swoop in and rescue, spare the pain and possible embarrassment, but that would be wrong. This was best. The lesson was too important, a little heart was at stake. My child’s.

As I sat at my desk looking through baby pictures and crying a startling truth become glaringly evident. God allows consequences for our good. Yes, he could intervene and spare us, but he allows them because He knows—a heart is at stake. He isn’t looking to modify behavior; He wants to change our hearts and sometimes the process requires painful consequences. But God isn’t up there watching unaffected. He hurts with us. He shares our pain because of his great love for us. Just as we, the parents careful weighed the possibilities, our Heavenly Father allows nothing to touch us that He can’t use to grow and change us.

God is infinitely good and we are gloriously loved. Even when life hurts and the pain is crippling, the faithfulness of God can see us through and He will use those very things to mold us into the image of His Son. What a great God we serve!