A few days ago the local power company issued a warning that a “planned outage” was
going to happen at a particular date and time. I thought to myself then that this plan was
not my plan. Who wants to sit around in the dark? Who came up with this plan anyway?
Immediately the survivalist instinct took over. Lights, and batteries…check. Candles and fire
making devices (in case the lights and batteries went out) …check. As I was preparing to
exist in darkness I wondered about how distinct and different darkness and light are. In
Genesis 1:3 we read that light was the first thing God spoke into being “And God said, Let
there be light: and there was light.” God followed that up in verse 4 “And God saw the light,
that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” Ever since that time light
and darkness have been at odds with each other. Here is a good definition of Light and
Darkness from Lexham Theological Wordbook “Physically, light and darkness exist in
metaphysical opposition. Light as an energy source provides illumination, leading to the
ability to make visual distinctions among colors and physical objects. Darkness is the
absence of light and color, whether as a place or condition, which results in disorientation,
distortion, and confusion.” When darkness comes people look for ways to break that
darkness and reach for the light switch (providing there is not a “planned outage.”) Most
folks seek the light and shun the darkness.
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In 2 nd Corinthians 4:4-6 we read “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of
them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of
God, should shine unto them. 5  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and
ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in
the face of Jesus Christ.” In this passage God associates darkness with a blinded or
unbelieving mind. It is in the darkness of the heart that the “god of this world” operates.
The devil who rules this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe and
because of that they cannot grasp the Gospel. The believer is defined as a person who has
been saved. We can read in Romans 10:9-13 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved. 10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation. 11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him
shall not be ashamed. 12  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the
same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13  For whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved.” A belief in God from the heart is the only way to know

God, the only way to have sins forgiven. In Acts 26:18 Paul testified before King Agrippa
that Jesus had selected him to share the Gospel “To open their eyes, and to turn them from
darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness
of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” It is
through Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross, his shed blood that we have the opportunity for
forgiveness of sin. I say opportunity because sadly not all who hear will believe. Some will
struggle along their way believing in Satan, the god of this world, reject that opportunity
and die in their sins. Because of that decision they will spend an eternity in hell separated
from God forever.

In 2 nd Corinthians 4:6 God “commanded the light to shine out of darkness.” In this dark
world we as believers function as light. There is no separation for a believer from your
relationship to God and your life in this world. God’s word applies to all aspects of our life. It
is that word that he will measure us by. The darker the night the greater the light. Be the
light that this dark world needs to see.

Enjoy your day!
Pastor Gary

With all that we have going on in the world and in our nation today intelligent people are searching, asking questions, and are striving to learn the truth. At times, the search for truth can be confusing and exasperating. There is a difference between what is factual and what is fiction. Keep in mind that opinions are just that and may or may not be based on fact. 

In my study this morning I was reading a commentary by D. L. Moody and he addressed truth and life as defined by Jesus. I want to share his words with you this morning. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.—John 14:6.
PEOPLE say: “I want to know what is the truth.” Listen: “I am the truth,” says Christ. (John 14:5.) If you want to know what the truth is, get acquainted with Christ. People also complain that they have not life. Many are trying to give themselves spiritual life. You may galvanize yourselves and put electricity into yourselves, so to speak; but the effect will not last very long. Christ alone is the author of life. If you would have real spiritual life, get to know Christ. Many try to stir up spiritual life by going to meetings. These may be well enough; but it will be of no use, unless they get into contact with the living Christ. Then spiritual life will not be a spasmodic thing, but will be perpetual; flowing on and on, and bringing forth fruit to God.[1]

What is truth…what are the facts? They are what God says they are. Mr. Moody states that people need to “get into contact with the living Christ.” I would encourage you to get into the Bible, know what it says and how the word of God applies to our daily lives. The words of God contained in the Bible supersedes any opinion, platform, policies, and ways of man. The only way we can be correct in life is to be Biblically correct. Turn to Jesus and make him the center of your life. In him and him alone can life be attained and truth be known. 
Enjoy your day! 
Pastor Gary

[1] Moody, D. L. (1900). The D. L. Moody Year Book: A Living Daily Message from the Words of D. L. Moody. (E. M. Fitt, Ed.) (p. 220). East Northfield, MA: The Bookstore.

Today we started out by going through the border checkpoint between Israel and Jordan. Jordan maintains a somewhat friendly position with Israel but we were still leaving one country going to another and that always is tedious and there is a level of anxiousness that goes along with it. However if we wanted to visit the ancient city of Petra that was the only way to do it. Once though the checkpoint we were met by Sheik Mohammed, our Jordanian tour guide for the day. Sheik Mohammed is a Bedouin Sheik who grew up and still somewhat maintains the Bedouin lifestyle. Interesting chap and very knowledgeable about his country. 
​

More than two thousand years ago, Petra was built as the capital city of the Nabataeans in the heart of the Shara Mountains. We traveled through those mountains today to see the city. Truly a barren land. Petra prospered in the first centuries and was on a trade route connecting Mesopotamia and Egypt. After an earthquake in 363 AD and changes in the trade route Petra was soon abandoned.

Petra was also known as the rose-red city, a name that it got from the color of the rock in that area. It was in this rock that the people of Petra carved intricate dwellings, business and their seat of government. Today many of those carved structures still remain. From the “treasury” to the “temple” to the 4,000 seat amphitheater, Petra is an amazing site to behold.

Prophetic passages in the Bible lead some to believe that Petra will be the place that the Jewish remnant will flee to during the time of tribulation. During the tribulation two thirds of the Jews will be killed by Antichrist and his forces. Passages such as Micah 2:12, Isaiah 63:1-6 and Matthew 25:15-16 among others supports Petra-like city. Daniel 11:41 says the the areas of Ammon, Edom and Moab will be the only areas that the Antichrist will not be able to overcome. Petra lies within that area. 
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There is only one way to enter the town of Petra and that is through a narrow canyon about a mile long know as the “Siq.” While there is only one way there are two means of doing so. One is walking and the sites are amazing along the path. The other is by a horse drawn, two seater carriage. If you can take the walk it is truly beautiful and can be done in about 45 minutes. If you want a different view and a quicker way take the horse drawn buggy. Both experiences are totally different and worth the trip.

Back after darkness fell the day was long, eventful and always a learning adventure. Always exciting to see the Bible come alive before your eyes. Even more alive is one who has trusted Jesus as Saviour. Ephesians 2 speak of one who was “quickened” or made alive, no longer dead in trespasses and sin. Have you given yourself to him?
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The land of YHWH. Thankful to be here. Thankful for you. 

Today we started at the Jordan River baptismal site. Research has shown this to be the site where John the Baptist was baptizing when Jesus came to the river. Brings back great memories of an earlier trip when I had the privilege of baptizing in the Jordan.
Our next stop was the Dead Sea.The Dead Sea is dying. The water has receded to levels so low that they have dug a trough to push water from the upper Dead Sea to the Lower Dead Sea. The salinity is about 33% which makes floating possible for most anyone. Drinking the water is harmful so no swimming is allowed, only floating.

Leaving the Dead Sea we then went to En-Gedi. In 1st Samuel 24 we read about Saul’s
pursuit of David. In verse one Saul was told about David being in the “wilderness of En-
Gedi.” There is a cave there large enough to fit about 200 men inside. You can read that
chapter and see where David could have taken the life of Saul but did not. The spring, the caves and the “wild goats,” they are all there.

The Dead Sea Scrolls…what a story! Qumran is Ann archeological site in the West Bank of Israel. Started by a group of strict Jews known as Hellenists in 104 BC and lasting for about 200 years this group removed themselves from the world to devote themselves to God. The community consisted of 200 men. As men died or left others moved in and the community lasted until Rome came after them in about 68 AD. Before they moved out they hid their most prized possessions in a number of different caves. They copied the biblical manuscripts and took those copies and has them in clay jars. They never returned. A Bedouin shepherd boy went looking for a lost sheep and found some scrolls. He went back and found more. After a bit and through numerous channels others went to search the site. One of the greatest finds was the Dead Sea Scrolls. Isaiah was the first one found and the entire Old Testament was found with the exception of Esther and about two years ago that book was found.

As we traveled south the nation of Jordan was always to our left. Prior to the Six Day War in 1967 Jordan controlled the area we are traveling in. We could see the mountains of Moab across the Dead Sea. Those are the mountains that Moses stood on when he looked over into the promised land. As I looked I saw where he was standing and I was traveling seeing what he could not. So much to learn, so little time.
One of the highlights of this trip for me was Masada. Masada was built by King Herod as a defense palace. Although he only visited about 5 times during his life Masada was always kept as a escape for him and his family. Masada simply means “fort.” He had large reserves of food and water there at all times. Three sides had a bout a 1200 foot drop and one side had a 300 foot drop. As Rome tightened its grip on the Jews and Jerusalem there was a band of zealots of about 1000 men, women and children that went and took over Masada. Rome sent the best they had, the 10 th Legion to go and destroy Masada and enslave the zealots. Jerusalem fell in 70 AD and Masada stayed a thorn in the side of Rome until 76 AD. When they finally breached the walls they found no one left alive among the zealots. They saw their choice as living free or being slaves to Rome. They lived and died on their terms. Today Masada to the Jew stands as a monument to triumph. Every Jew looks at Masada and says “Never Again.”

As the sun was setting we went to a mountain range that had a top layer of salt. Here we
saw what some believe to be Lot’s wife or the pillar she was turned into. The Bible is
intriguing about Lots wife. The second shortest verse in the Bible is “Remember Lot’s wife.” Why? Why would God put that there? Message in the making there…
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The land of YHWH. Thankful to be here. Thankful for you.

Today we started the day at Israel’s 9/11 Memorial. The 9/11 Living Memorial Plaza is a
monument located on a hill in the Arazim Valley of Ramot, Jerusalem. The plaza was built on 5 acres to remember and honor the victims of the September 11, 2001 attack by Islamic terrorists. Israel is proud that they are the only nation to erect a memorial outside of the US to list the names of the nearly 3000 victims, including five Israelis. 

Next we went to the Mt. of Olives, walked down into the Kidron Valley and through the
Garden of Gethsemane. Each of the places are special to a believer. All the Biblical accounts that flow through your mind as you literally walk the areas where Jesus taught, prayed agonized and was taken by the soldiers to be crucified. It is almost an overload as you try and comprehend why a God would do that. Yet the answer is simple. Jesus paid a price that we could not pay to reconcile us to him. He loved us that much.

While we were there we went to the Tomb of the Prophets. Tradition is that this is the tomb of Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. A large tomb was dug into the ground and has burial sites for the prophets and their followers. At the bottom of the hewn stone staircase a caretaker hands you a candle, gives you a brief history of the tomb and then you can explore to your heart's content.

From there we boarded our travel coach and crossed the Kidron Valley to enter the old city of Jerusalem. We walked down to the Eastern Gate or Glorious Gate of the city. The Eastern Gate faces the Mt. Of Olives from the other side of the Kidron Valley. This gate gives the most direct access to what would have been the area of the Temple. This would be the gate that Jesus came through as he exited the city going to the Garden of Gethsemane, the Mount of Olives or perhaps heading to Bethany to have dinner with Mary, Martha and Lazarus. In 1541 the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman sealed the gate, started a Muslim cemetery in front of the gate and thought that would prevent the return of Jesus. That’s not going to work.

We then went to the Lion’s Gate and entered the old city to see the ruins of the pool of
Bethesda. I am sure you are familiar with the account in John 5 of Jesus healing a lame
man. This man had “an infirmity thirty and eight years” when Jesus walked by. Jesus
looking on this man recognized his plight and healed him. Thirty eight years he had been
lame and instantly he picked up his bed and walked. Jesus changed his life that day and he can change yours.

While in the vicinity of the Pool of Bethesda we went into St. Annes church. This church is known for great acoustics. Inside we sang “it is Well.” Wow, what a great sound.

Exiting back through the Lion’s Gate we boarded the Israel Express and went around the
city and made a stop at the “House of Caiaphas.” We were able to see the dungeon that
Jesus was kept in as they decided what to do and how to carry out their treachery. Standing outside the house and seeing the actual steps that led from the Garden of Gethsemane up to the House of Caiaphas, I realized that Jesus made that journey willingly. He had to make it to the cross to give his life for you and I. What a Savior!

As we left the “House of Caiaphas” we headed to the “Upper Room.” While the upper room that held the last supper was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD this is believed to be on or near the same site. I was privileged to speak there and I read from John 14. Jesus wanted us to not be troubled. Jesus wanted us to know that those who believe in him have a place in his Father’s House. Jesus wanted us to know the only way to salvation comes through him. I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.

Our last stop of the day was at the Garden Tomb. Here we saw the crucifixion site and went into the tomb where Jesus was buried. It is empty! Jesus overcame death so that we may have life. Finished the day with communion. We did in remembrance of him.

​The land of YHWH. Thankful to be here. Thankful for you.

Our day started with a tour of Yad Vashem the world holocaust remembrance center located in Jerusalem. Years in the making Yad Vashem occupies about 4,200 square meters of space dedicated to the remembrance of the Holocaust. By 1945 Nazi Germany and its collaborators murdered nearly six million Jews and of that 25% percent were children under the age of 10. The Holocaust was a systematic attempt at total annihilation of a race. For me personally Yad Vashem invokes so many emotions. Extreme sadness, anger and helplessness. There is a section of Yad Vashem dedicated to non-Jews who took great risks to save Jews during the Holocaust. As I stood and looked at the horrors of the Holocaust I wondered what I would have done given the opportunity. What would you have done? I guess one indicator of what we may have done is to look at ourselves and ask what are we doing now.

Our next stop of the day was the Israel Museum. Our main focus of the visit was the
“Second Temple” model. Our guide Aharon used this model to introduce the changes that have taken place in Jerusalem over the years. There is a difference between the “Ancient city” of Jerusalem and the “Old city.” The replica was based on Jerusalem about 66A.D. One of the major differences is that Solomon’s Temple was gone and Herod’s Temple was built in its place. An outstanding site to get the overall layout of Jerusalem and how it appeared in the time of Christ.

Stop number three of the day was at the “Shrine of the Book.” This site was dedicated to
the “Dead Sea Scrolls.” These scrolls are the most complete copy of the Old Testament
found to date. The first seven scrolls discovered in Qumran in 1947 are housed there and
the book of Isaiah is on display. 

We next went into the city of Bethany. Bethany is another city located on the West Bank. As you know Bethany was the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. We went there to see the grave of Lazarus. He was buried in a tomb 24 steps in the ground. As I stood there I could not help but wonder what it must have been like for those people to hear Jesus command Lazarus to come out of his grave. There is nothing recorded in the Bible that Lazarus ever said anything yet the account of his resurrection by Jesus is known to everyone today.

Our last stop of the day was the Western Wall. Since this was the sabbath we got to see the religious day being celebrated. Singing by those congregated. Dancing by the IDF. Prayers being offered. Readings and recitations from rabbinical writings. There was great joy on the sabbath. Sadly though they are still looking for Messiah and he has come already.

​The land of YHWH. Thankful to be here. Thankful for you.

This morning we packed up and left Upper Galilee working our way through Lower Galilee to Jerusalem. As we drove some of the locations we went by were the height’s of Issachar, Mount Gilboa, Mount Tabor and the Plains of Jezreel. Each is mentioned and has significance in the Bible.

Our first stop was the city of Nazareth. Narrow streets, hillside living and a bustling
marketplace. The streets in Nazareth were originally donkey paths and even today they are not much wider than a pack laden donkey. There we went to the Nazareth Village, a first century village where the life and times of Jesus are portrayed. This a working
farm/museum and an excellent depiction of life in the time of Christ. Nazareth Village sits about 500 yards from the original town of Nazareth.

Our next stop was Ma’ayan Harod National Park-Gideon’s Spring where we got to see, hear and if we wanted to drink from the very spring that Gideon used in Judges 7. The spring rises in a cave on the slope of Mt. Gilboa. Here Gideon following God’s instruction came up with a army of 300 men to battle the Midianites. God took 300 men against a multitude that was so numerous they were “like grasshoppers.” God fought the battle that day.

At Bet She’an we saw probably one of the best archeological sites I have ever seen. There was saw the spectacular ruins of a Roman city from the Byzantine era. Only about 10% of the city has been recovered and that is all that will ever be recovered since the rest of the city is under the current city. Rising above that is where the biblical city of Bet She’an stood. Impressive architecture, planning and another look into the history of Israel.

We finished up the day on the West Bank portion of Israel in the city of Jericho. It is the
administrative seat of the Jericho Governate and is governed by the Palestinian National
Authority. A town of about 20K, Jericho is home to the biblical city of Jericho and contains the only remaining portion of the Jericho Wall that was not destroyed by God. It was truly amazing to stand in front of that wall and look where Rahab had her home. You may ask how I know that was where her home was? How can I be sure? Because it is still there. The rest of the wall was destroyed but Rahab and her household was spared because she trusted in God and his people. Read Joshua 2.

​After Jericho we began the ascent to Jerusalem. The next three nights will be spent in and around Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. I cant wait.
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The land of YHWH. Thankful to be here. Thankful for you.

Tuesday and Wednesday night, the group stayed at the Ramos Hotel in Tiberias. Loaded on the bus at 7:30am,  we began our day at Capernaum. A large part of the ministry of Jesus was centered around the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum was his base of operations. Much of the city has been excavated and you can see the layout of the city. As we walked through Capernaum it was interesting to dwell upon the biblical accounts that took place there. I had the privilege of speaking to the group on the shores of the Sea of Galilee just outside the city walls. I spoke on Mark 2:1-12. That account is about the man in need of healing that was let down through the roof of a house where Jesus was preaching. As I spoke I thought of the city and mostly the house that stood in that day had a foundation still standing today. What a privilege to see.

​Our next stop was in Tiberias at The Ancient Boat Museum in the Yigal Allen Center located in Ginosaur Village. This is the home of the “ancient boat.” The is a 2000 year old boat found of the shores of the Sea of Galilee buried in mud. The restoration was extensive but the result is a boat that was used to fish during the time of Jesus’ ministry here on earth. Mostly the frame was all that is left but just seeing the boat that sailed 2000 years ago was amazing. Those shore we see today were the same shore that boat sailed by. We then went to the boat dock and got aboard a boat that carried us around the Sea of Galilee. We went past the town of Capernaum, past the cliffs of Gadara (yep, Matthew 8) and returned.

​The land of YHWH. Thankful to be here. Thankful for you.

Today started by leaving the Metropolitan Hotel and Tel Aviv. We arrived in Tel Aviv on Monday afternoon after great ten hour flight from Newark. On Monday, we went into Tel Aviv and walked to a period house representative of where Simon the Tanner lived and where he conducted business. To close out the evening, the group went to a Tel Aviv overlook where our guide, Aharon Yahav, gave us a brief history of Tel Aviv and the upcoming days in Israel. Aharon made it clear this was not going to be a vacation but an educational trip. He suggested taking a cruise if that is what we were looking for. 😀

We left there and drove north to begin the ascent to Mt. Carmel. Mt. Carmel is the site
where the prophet Elijah called down fire from Heaven and later slew the false prophets of Baal in the brook Kishon. At the top of Mt. Carmel there is the Deir Al-Mukhraqa Carmelite Monastary. There we had a view of the Plains of Jezreel. We read in the books of Daniel and Revelation that it is in the Plains of Jezreel where Satan will assemble his army to march on Jerusalem and slay two thirds of the Jews there.

Next was Tel Megiddo where 21 different levels of civilizations have been unearthed. Think of the history, the up and downs on 21 different periods of time where people built, lived, conquered and started over again and again.
The land of YHWH. Thankful to be here. Thankful for you.

​We continued toward the shores of the Sea of Galilee where we stop at the Church of the
Primacy to see where Jesus three times asked Peter “Do you love me?” A fair question we all must answer and then show Jesus how we do. It was there we ended the day as the sun set over the Sea of Galilee.

​The land of YHWH. Thankful to be here. Thankful for you.

A season of Thanksgiving. A time where we can pause and reflect on what we have to be thankful for. Do you find it easy or difficult to be thankful? The care and burdens of this world can challenge us at times to be thankful and take away from us the opportunity we have to thank God for his goodness toward us.
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There was a time that just the basic needs of shelter, peace and food were things to be thankful for. Those pilgrims that came to settle this land and seek freedom at times found the basic necessities lacking. Governor William Bradford, Plymouth Colony - "To all ye pilgrims: Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as He has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience; now, I your magistrate do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November ye 29th of the year of our Lord, one thousand six hundred and twenty-three, and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor, and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings."
1st Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The ability through Jesus to gain victory over this present world surely gives us something to be thankful for.

Psalms 136:1 “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Each of us benefit from the mercy of God. During this Thanksgiving season challenge yourself to be truly thankful to God.

Enjoy your coffee!
Love you all,
Pastor Gary