Trip to Israel
I would like to share with you my trip to Israel. I will try to blog about the various sites we saw in Israel. I hope my blogging about the trip will bless you. It truly was a trip of a lifetime for me.
The very first site we saw was the Mount of Olives. It was a chilly overcast morning when we arrived at the top of the Mount of Olives. The Mount of Olives is the place where Jesus ascended into heaven. It is also the place of His second return to the earth. Zechariah 14 says the Lord will return to earth and step foot on the Mount of Olives. On the Mount of Olives is a Jewish cemetery. It is filled with white tombstones. I'm sure these tombstones were the ones Jesus was referring to when he called the hypocritical Pharisees "whitewashed tombstones." The Mount of Olives overlooks the Kidron Valley and the Gihon Spring. On the other side of the valled is the Temple Mount. This was the place where Abraham offered Isaac, where David purchased the threshingfloor from Arunah, where Solomon and Herod built the temple. It is also known as Mount Moriah. Right now, the dome of the rock sits on top of the temple mount. The dome of the rock is a muslim holy site. I believe the dome of the rock will be destroyed by a devastating earthquake. A Jewish temple will be re-built where the dome of the rock now sits. From the Mount of Olives you can see the Eastern Gate that leads to the temple Mount. It is that gate that Jesus entered on a donkey on palm sunday. It is the very gate that Jesus will enter the temple area at His second coming. The Muslims, in order to stop the Jewish Messiah, have sealed the Eastern Gate and planted a Muslim cemetery in front of the gate. However, neither the sealed gate or cemetery will stop our Lord and Christ from establishing His kingdom. On the mount of Olives is also the place called dominus flevit. This is the place where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. At the foot of the Mount of Olives is the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was betrayed by Judas. I'll talk a little more about these two places on my next post.
I loved seeing the Mount of Olives. You can see the temple mount and Jerusalem from the top of this historic hill. Jesus ascended from this Mount and He will come back to the very hill when He returns a second time. Acts 1 teaches us that this same Jesus will return the same manner in which he left the earth. He will come back personally, bodily, and visibly. I look forward to His return.
With your description, I feel
With your description, I feel like I am right there! Looking forward to your next post.
Welcome Back
Pastor I'm with you, in looking forward to His return. It is incredible to think you were standing on the very mountain that Jesus will return. That is one of the things I love about the God that we love and serve, that makes Him stand out. The fact that I know and beleive in Him, it brings me comfort that He does not hesitate to use His very creation with specific details of places and objects of His creation to teach us and lead us.
Welcome home pastor, I look forward to your future posts, and hope one day you might lead us on another trip to Israel, I would sure love the opportunity to go...
Garden of Gethsemane
The Garden of Gethsemane lies at the foot of the Mount of Olives. It is at this place that Jesus was betrayed by Judas Isacariot with a kiss. It is at this place that Jesus prayed, "Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done." I was really moved at the Garden. There is an actual olive tree that is 2000 years old in this Garden. It was alive the night Jesus prayed and was betrayed. It was fenced off, but Rhonda and I put our hands through the fence and touched it. Rhonda and I prayed together in the Garden of Gethsemane. We prayed for ourselves and our children. I was moved to tears as I felt the presence of the Lord and contemplated the sufferings of Christ. It is truly an awesome experience to be at the very place where Jesus stood, knelt, and prayed. Right near the Garden of Gethsemane was dominus flevit. This is the place where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. We were not able to visit the site, because it was closed at the time of our visit. The site truly reflects the heart of God for Israel, the lost, and the world. From the Garden of Gethsemane, you can easily see Jerusalem and the temple mount. Jesus was arrested and taken from the Garden of Gethseman to Caiaphas' house. It was a pretty good walk (less than a mile) for the Lord that night. We visited Caiaphas' house on the trip, but I will save that description for another day.
I want to encourage you to have your Garden experience. Jesus prayed in a garden. The only way your life can truly bloom and be fruitful is if you pray, "not my will but thine be done." Give up control of your life to the Lord. Once you do, your life will bud and bloom spiritually. It's not easy to give up control to God, but it is necessary. God bless, Pastor
Garden of Gethsemane
Thanks for this post. That is one reason that I admire Jesus, that he not only gave *us* advice, but he lived it in his own life.
hanna and luke
dear pastor, while you were away i was fortunate to hear your daughter hanna and husband on sunday and your son luke on wednesday would you pass on to them that i really enjoyed all of them . i'm not yet a member but hope to be soon listening to them just made me more confident the LORD was leading me here ! this is one awesome church the peace and excitement i get when i walk in those doors is incredible ! THANK YOU JESUS for leading me their jim