Israel - November 9, 2010

The highlight of the day for me was the house of Caiaphas. Caiaphas house is marked by a Catholic Church called the Church of the Rooster. The church is built on a much older church from the Byzantine period. On the walls of this church are pictures that tell the story Peter denying Christ three times before the rooster crowd.

The story has always haunted me. Peter didn't not want to deny Christ. The dialoge in look is especially insightful into the struggle Peter had in his 3 denials of Christ. In Luke 22:31-34 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. [32] But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." [33] But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." [34] Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." Peter's selfish desire to protect himself would be bolstered by Satan's work and IN SPITE OF HIS BEST INTENTIONS he would deny Christ. Peter's denial reaches this horrible crescendo in Luke with Jesus looking across Caiphas courtyard and right at Peter when he denies him that 3rd time. Luke records, "Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. [61] The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." [62] And he went outside and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:60-62) The rooster crowd. This is my third trip to The Church of the Rooster. On the first two trips were actually heard a rooster crow... They were probably placed nearby for effect... and it worked.

Have you ever heard the rooster crow? In spite of our best intentions we fail to say something we should or we say something we shouldn't... And we hear the rooster crow. Our loving Lord shines the light of his face on our heart and we realize we have failed miserably. At the Church of the Rooster the magnitude of our sin and the consequence of it for our Savior Jesus is reinforced by a cistern that rests below the church. Pilgrims descend to this small room. Symbols from long ago mark this room as a special place and we believe this is the place Jesus was kept after his unjust trial at Caiaphas home. We read Psalm 88 and when you read it in that context ... in that dungeon ... the weight of sin is overwhelming. Have you ever heard the rooster crow?

What is really cool in the church of the Rooster is extremely subtle... I'm positive that most pilgrims who enter the church miss it. On the wall one of the pictures is of a male speaking to women. I don't read Latin but I believe it's the angel after Jesus resurrection speaking to the women who came to the tomb early... What did that angel speak? I believe it is the word that must drowned out the noise every time the rooster crows! "He is not hear. He is risen! Go tell the disciples AND PETER he is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him! Jesus was raised to life for our justification! The message the angel bore at the resurrection was delivered very personally to Peter ... God made sure of it with that Easter proclamation. It must be very personally delivered to each of us as well. He is not here. He is Risen! Sins are paid for! This must drowned out the voice of every time the rooster crows! The piercing glance of the Savior's disappointmeht must be replaced by his Risen Victorious Face shining upon us with forgiveness and encouragement for the journey.

The Pictures today are ...
The Dungeon/Cistern below Caiaphas house.
The Valley of Elah where David slew Goliath.
The Supposed home and burial place of Samuel the prophet from which you can see the Valley of Ajalon where Joshua prayed for the Sun to stand still in the battle against the Amorites and it did. (Joshua 10)

The rest of the pictures from Israel - Nov 7-8, 2010

Needed another page for the pics!

Israel - November 7-8, 2010

Shalom from Jerusalem,
We have had an incredible Sunday and Monday. When you enter the old city of Jerusalem it is like you step into a time machine and travel back in time. The streets are bustling with vendors and people from every nation visiting the holy sites. Dotting the crowds as you look around are the Orthodox Jews in their black top hats and clothes with white shirts. When you go to the Western "wailing" wall you hear Scriptures be read in Hebrew and Psalms being chanted. You see Rabbi's teaching their disciples. The city today is "only" about 600 years old and was built over layers of the Crusaders and the Byzantine empire and the time of Jesus and before that David and Solomon - but as you read between the lines you can see the time of Jesus... You can see Jesus confidently walking up to the temple collonade to teach his disciples and crowds of people gathering to over hear his powerful teaching.

I'm overwhelmed by the grandeur of Herod's temple EVEN AS IT LAY IN RUINS. The smallest stone laid in the temple platform was 7000 pounds. The heaviest stone was 400 tons. That's right - about 800,000 lbs.! These stones are dressed and polished. Amazing.

Many of the Jews and Christians believe there will be a third temple that pales the Solomon temple and Herodian temple in majesty. They believe it will be a physical structure that bustles with activities like it bustled with in Solomon and Jesus' day. You have to be here to understand the magnitude and perhaps offense of what I am about to write ... BUT I BELIEVE THEY ARE UNDERESTIMATING THE POWER AND LOVE AND GLORY OF OUR GOD BY MISINTERPRETING SCRIPTURE IN SUCH A WAY!

THE THIRD TEMPLE IS ALREADY BUILT - IT IS MORE GLORIOUS AND MORE BEAUTIFUL AND COVERS MORE AREA WITH ORNATE FINE DRESSING THAN ANY PHYSICAL TEMPLE EVER COULD COVER. Jesus told his disciples that a physical temple would not continue to stand. In Matthew 24:1-2 It says, "Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.
[2] "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." In light of this bad news - throughout Jesus ministry Jesus held out BETTER NEWS. Listen to the words of Jesus recorded in the book of John right after Jesus cleanses the temple: Joh 2:19-22 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." [20] The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" [21] But the temple he had spoken of was his body. [22] After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken." Jesus teaching regarding the temple was so scandalous and so prevalent that in Jesus trial his speaking against the temple was one of the accusations of his adversaries as a reason he should be condemned. Indeed,regarding Jesus crucifixion it says in Mark 15:29, "Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, [30] come down from the cross and save yourself!"

Jesus is the temple! The temple was all about God dwelling with His people. People needed to bathe in pools. Sacrifices needed to be made for sin. All of this was so that the people could be at peace with God and relate to him ... so that they could be his people and he could be their God. All of this pointed to the relationship that was beyond what they could ever imagine in the person and work of the Messiah- Jesus. Jesus is the the very presence of God - Immanuel - God with us! John explains this to us in John 1:14 right before he tells us about Jesus telling us that in 3 days he would raise a temple beyond our wildest dreams. "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." The DWELLING OF GOD HAS COME TO US IN JESUS!

This is a dwelling that is greater even than the massive stones of the Herodian temple as the temple of the body of Christ fills ALL THE EARTH. Peter writes about this in 1 Peter 2:4-9 "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— [5] you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [6] For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." [7] Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," [8] and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. [9] But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. [10] Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

There is no more need for sacrifice in this temple for the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world once and for all has been slain. As it says in Hebrews 7:27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. No longer do the people need to take bath after bath as they ascend the temple mount to try and get clean enough to meet with God for we have been recipients of Jesus sacrifice once and for all through "one baptism for the remission of sins." The cloud of the glory of God that fell on Solomons temple at it's dedication has fallen on us through the gift of the Holy Spirit... 1Co 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

One of my favorite thoughts related to the temple is that it is the place that was set apart to bear the name of our LORD - Yahweh. It was to be a show piece representing the one true God - When the first temple was dedicated Solomon wrote- 1Ki 8:29 May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, 'My Name shall be there,' so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. Now the place where the NAME is put is far more glorious for it fills all the earth - It is the body of the temple Jesus as it fills the earth - Each and Every One of us who bear his name through baptism.Mat 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Mat 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD!! Hallelujah! May your life be praise and thanksgiving and bring Glory to the NAME!

The pictures are from:
The Mount of Olives
Gethsemane
The Pools of Bethesda
The rock of the supposed site of Calvary at The Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Western Wailing Wall
The Upper Room
Golgotha - the place of the skull
The garden tomb

Israel - November 6, 2010

Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. [11] Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

What an AWESOME DAY! Today we went to the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem for morning worship. It was all in Hebrew. I could only understand some of the words but it was awesome. We heard amazing harmonization as the Psalms were sung. We saw devout people crying out to our Holy God. It was heart warming to see their devotion. It was also incredibly sad that they don't believe in Jesus - the fulfillment of all that they long for. I could almost hear echo Paul's words in my ears in that Great Synagogue, "I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— [2] I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. [3] For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, [4] the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. [5] Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. [6] It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel." Rom 9:1-6 Paul was so worked up that his fellow Jesus didn't get the fact that Jesus is the Messiah they have been waiting for that he wished he could be cut off for their sake so that all of them could just be saved and grafted back in to the real Israel. He wanted them to know that the Israel of God was not just physical descendant of Abraham. The real Israel is the Israel of the faith of Abraham. In Romans 4:16 Paul writes, "Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. ... Rom 4:22 This is why [it says] "it was credited to him as righteousness." ...[23] The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, [24] but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. [25] He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." All of this is to say - Jesus the Messiah who has fulfilled all the promises of the Old Testament about the Messiah except the ones related to His second coming is THE ONLY WAY TO A BLESSED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER. He alone is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. So please stop whatever you are doing right now and pray for the salvation of Israel. Pray that the veil that keeps them from recognizing the glory of God in the face of Christ might be lifted. Pray for the salvation of Jesus' own race the race through whom the greatest gift ever given came.

The next stop of our day was at the Shepherds fields in Bethlehem. This was the highlight of the journey for me so far!!! Awesome!!! There were out in the fields nearby - Shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night... The church of the Nativity which is supposedly built over the cave Jesus was born in is a gaudy marble and gold church. It is beautiful ... but you will not find a manger rude and bare there. In the Shepherd's field you will find a cave however that the shepherds might have used as a sheepfold on the night Jesus was born. You look at the rough cold walls of the cave and you remember when the infinite became finite with awe. How could the one who made the universe with such wisdom and power be so loving as to come down in the frail flesh of an infant to be our Savior? The incarnation becomes the striking event it should be all the time with a little more impact in the setting of the cave. We sat in this cave and sang Christmas carols until they kicked us out. It was overwhelming.

The final stop was the Church of the Nativity founded by Emperor Constantine's mother Helena some time after 325 AD. It is the oldest standing Christian Church in the world. Under the church in a cave with ornate material on the walls and marble on the floors is a star marking the place he was born and marble slab marking the place where the manger was that Mary set him in.

Enjoy the pictures. Like the shepherds - spread the news concerning this child. He is Christ the LORD!!

Israel - November 4 & 5, 2010

Israel – November 4 and 5

Shavot Shalom or Peaceful Sabbath to all of you. Sorry about missing the blog last night. We were simply exhausted. You do not come to Israel to rest … that is for sure! … But the exhaustion you experience from the excitement of going to these Biblical sites and Bible study into the wee hours is the kind of exhaustion that is very satisfying. Today while we were in the desert of Judea for a reenactment of the lifestyle Abraham lived the verse that came to me was Psalm 63:1 “When he was in the Desert of Judah. O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. [2] I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. [3] Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. [4] I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. [5] My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.” I cannot tell you how powerful these words are as you stand in the dessert of Judea contemplating the faith of Abraham who did not depend on the lush land or the strength of his hand but rather depended on the grace of God. I cannot tell you the power of these words as you think of the long line of pilgrims like David who simply went to the desert to fast and pray and be alone with God … Suffice it to say- the more you experience our Glorious God – the more hungry for him you become. His love is better than life. He satisfies your inmost being with the richest of foods. Enjoy the pictures and if I can get them to download the videos … and Shavot Shalom … Sabbath Peace in Christ Jesus the Lord of the Sabbath to all of you!! Mat 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

The pictures attached to the blog are from November 4 and today November 5.
November 4, 2010
Caesarea Philippi which was considered by the ancient world to be the gates of hell. In Matthew 16:13-17:13 Jesus proclaimed to his disciples the gates of hell would not overcome us as we go forth with His Gospel to rescue people from Satan’s kingdom and the tyranny of their own hearts.
Tel Dan where Scripture tells us when the kingdom of Israel was divided by King Jereboam after Solomon’s reign Jereboam set up idol worship in Dan. Two golden calves were set up so the people in Jereboam’s Northern Kingdom would not go to Jerusalem’s temple to worship the true God and renew their allegiance to the King of the Southern kingdom. 1 Kings 12:27-29
November 5, 2010
Ein Harod – The people of Israel say this is part of the original Garden of Eden … most people think that was closer to Iraq - but hey – I like big gardens – If my Father in heaven likes big gardens who knows how big they could be! The story of Gideon thinning his troops to 300 happens at Ein Harod Judges 7:7
Beit Shean- Capitol of the 10 cities of the Decapolis where Jesus almost certainly preached the Gospel. In ancient times it was the city where the enemies of God hung the bodies of Saul and his sons after winning a victory against Israel. David came and claimed the bodies and took them to the be buried on the Mountains of Gilead. 1 Samuel 31. Beit Shean has some of the best ruins of a Roman City in the ancient world.
Genisis Land – The desert of Judea for a reenactment of the life of Abraham.

Israel - November 3, 2010

Another Great Day in Israel!! Hallelujah.
We started the day at the Jesus Boat museum. They actually have preserved a boat they found from Jesus day... perhaps the same size that Jesus was in with his disciples when he calmed the storm. We then went on a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. I have attached a video of our tour guide Sara explaining the deep HEART felt meaning that overwhelms you when you are floating on the Sea of Galilee. After the boat ride on the Sea of Galilee we went to the traditional site where Jesus gave the Sermon on the mount. The slopes in this area make this area abundant with natural ampitheatres for people to hear Jesus teaching that was always simply profound. I think all of us got goose bumps as we heard the sermon on the mount read and saw sparrows flying and the beautiful flowers all around. "Why do you worry ... look at the sparrow. Not one falls to the ground without the Father knowing.... look at the lilley of the field - not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these. O you of little faith - why do you worry. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be added to you as well." From the Mount of Beatitudes we went to Capernaum. We saw Peter's house that expanded over time as the church grew. We read stories related to the city of Capernaum... You could almost see the men digging through the roof to get past the crowd to our Savior!... Then Jesus saying to the crippled man, "That you may know the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins I say to you get up and walk!" ... and he did. From Capernaum we went to the Jordan to remember our Baptism. WE ARE HIS ... HIS FORGIVEN CHILDREN ... HIS BELOVED CHILDREN ... HIS AMBASSADORS OF THE GOSPEL.

Israel - November 2, 2010

Today we began our journey on the beautiful shores of the Mediterranean in Tel Aviv. We went North up the coast to Caesarea Maritime and saw this amazing city that Herod the Great built. The city was built for the most part as a show piece for Herod's ego. It was adorned with marble and Roman Architecture. Even the ruins of the ampitheatre,hippodrome,palace,baths,and harbor are stunning... but they are just that - RUINS. Herod wanted his power and influence to last. But shortly after his death his kingdom crumbled. I put a message in the 1 minute video related to this. Casarea is rich in Biblical history. It the port for early Christians. As recorded in Acts 10-11 - it is here where Cornelius lived and Peter came to share the Gospel with him and his family. He believed and the Holy Spirit came on he and his family and he and his family were baptized opening the door for me and every other gentile who has ever lived to the blessings given to Abraham of forgiveness life and salvation. It is recorded in Acts 23 that Paul was taken here and held under guard in the palace from where he witnessed to Felix and others about Jesus our Savior before appealing to Caesar and being shipped to Rome. It is here where Herod Agrippa in Acts 12:19ff... gave a great speech and was call a God and since he did not give glory to God he was eaten by worms. ... Can you tell I like Caesarea Maritime?

From Caesarea we went North to Mt. Carmel were it is recorded in 1 Kings 18 that Elijah dualed with the prophets of Baal and God brought fire from heaven to consume Elijah's altar proving that our God is the only true God. From Mt. Carmel you can see a spectacular view of the Jezreel Valley where battle after battle occurs in the Old Testament ... it is the valley that sits in the shadows of Mt. Megiddo or in Hebrew Harmegiddo... also known as the valley of Armageddon.

From Mt. Carmel we traveled to Megiddo the city that cities at the crossroads of the North South East and West in Israel. It is a magnificent city that Kings for centuries used as a strategic trade and military center. 25 times the city has been rebuilt and still it is in ruins today. Two fascinating points in this city are the altar of uncut stones and the waterworks that tunneled over 300 feet through solid rock to get to the water source so that if the city were under siege it would not need water.

From Megiddo we traveled to Nazareth to see the area where Mary and Joseph and Jesus lived as Jesus was growing up. We went to Nazareth Village and learned about the culture of the people of Israel at the time of Jesus. The teaching in this place opened our eyes to understanding much about the parables and teachings of Jesus.

Check out the video message. It's the greatest gift of your life to be his forgiven child and be able to call Him LORD! Php 2:10 At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Made it to Israel, November 1, 2010

We made it to Israel. 26 of us ventured the nearly 6000 miles from Michigan in the USA to the land of Israel. We left Philadelphia at at about 9:15 PM Sunday night, October 31 and arrived in Tel-aviv at 1:15 PM Israel time. We picked up our bags and immediately went to tour the ancient city of Joppa. Joppa was Israel’s Mediterranean sea port in Ancient times. It’s name comes up frequently in the texts of Scripture as the location of significant events. It was to Joppa that Solomon floated logs from the forests of Lebanon in order to build God’s Holy temple. (2 Chronicles 2:15-16) It was in Joppa that Jonah set sail in the OPPOSITE direction of Nineveh when God told him to call Nineveh to repentance – and he was swallowed by a big fish. (Jonah 1ff) It was in Joppa that Peter raised Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:36-42) and then received the dream in the home of Simon that Tanner that he was to go to the Centurion named Corneleus and proclaim that the Good News about Jesus was not just for the Jews it was for the Gentiles as well. (Acts 9-10-11)

One spot… so rich in history!!! … All of it with one common thread – John writes, “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:31 Just as Jesus’ servant raised the corpse of Tabitha up from death he seeks to take us by the hand and give us forgiveness, abundant life, and ultimately eternal salvation.

Open Arms Youth in Nashville Day 1

In devo's with the youth tonight we talked about why we are here in Nashville... I had everyone take a guess at why the person to their right or left were on the trip... The youth had fun with it ... "to have fun" ... "share Jesus" ... "to hang out" ... "to meet new people" ... "to serve" ... The last person got to share why Pastor Jim is here. Answer given... to share Jesus... I said in my best Minnesotan, "YUP." I clarified and said, "So we all grow in faith and share our faith in Jesus." Our Bible verses for the evening were Romans 1:16-17 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. [17] For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." We discussed some great questions ... What is faith??? How is our Christian faith different than all other faiths... Leah, my daughter, gave a great answer... It's the difference between DO and DONE! All other faiths are about DO ... what man does to please God and earn heaven. Christianity is about what God has DONE for us by giving his Son, Jesus, to suffer, die and rise in victory. ALL that we DO is out of gratitude for what HE HAS DONE!! I asked the kids to explain the following statement. "Hope is the BLUEPRINT and Faith is the CONTRACTOR. We had a great discussion about this. A lot of people confuse FAITH and HOPE. The statement I gave the youth to finish: "It's hard to believe when ... On Tuesday I'll collect the statements and share them with you... They will help Open Arms in our next sermon series: GIVE ME FAITH!! We closed with the Where'd you see Jesus today??? Angela Wensley got the reward for opening the door for everyone in the rain.

Nashville HERE WE COME!!

15 Open Arms Youth and 3 adult counselors are about to embark on a great adventure with Jesus. We are going to Nashville... We started toward this goal last September ... almost a year ago. At that time the youth of Open Arms and a few adults and I picked Nashville because it seemed like a cool place to go and there were people there that needed help... NOT REAL SPIRITUAL... Little did we know at that time that Nashville would face one of the worst natural disasters it has experienced in its modern history in the form of flooding just two months before our trip. The picture is supposed to be a number of flood victoms and people in some way touched by the flood at a benefit concert at one of Nashville's many outdoor stages. I love the picture of reaching people ... It's a metaphor to me of the needs of the people of Nashville and everywhere else for God. We are flooded with empty promises from this world that will never satisfy our unquenchable need for God ... For forgiveness ... for love ... for community ... for help in many forms. The God of ALL GRACE has provided for us a very wonderful MISSION TRIP to Nashville. We will go and serve the reaching needy people of Nashville. We will share Jesus with them. We will make disciples. Following are a few verses that I invite you to pray over me and the rest of the 17 people with me as we embark on this adventure with Jesus: 2 Cor. 12:9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.; 1 John 4:10-12 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. [11] Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. [12] No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Get Naked AND Get Clothes ...

Get Naked! A friend of mine recently went to a men's retreat with a number of men he didn't know. His wife knew he was feeling a little stale in his faith life and that he needed a faith lift. Although, he was grateful for his wifes gesture of love and knew he really did need the faith lift he said, "I just wasn't excited about getting naked in front of a bunch of people I didn't know." By "Getting Naked" he obviously wasn't talking about taking his physical clothes off. He was talking about revealing his personal struggles ... physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual. We all struggle with this kind of "Getting Naked" in front of others ... BUT just like "Getting Naked" is often necessary when we go to the doctor ... "Getting Naked" spiritually with people that know the Savior Jesus we know - THE PEOPLE WE TRUST is really healthy. Getting Naked is not easy... Jesus said in Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, [22] greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. [23] All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' " Jesus came to do an INSIDE JOB on us. He came to take these sins away and cleans us and help us DO BATTLE with these ever flowing sinful inclinations so that we could have the GOOD and ABUNDANT life he longs for us to have. This morning I was reading in Revelation and I found two verse that made me think on these things ... Rev. 3:17-18 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. [18] I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. AND Rev. 16:15 "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." What a gift to know that through repentance and faith in Christ ... God Clothes us in WHITE. He clothes us in Jesus perfect life, death, and resurrection... If you have a few minutes read Galatians 2:15-20 and Galatians 3:10-29. You will be super-abundantly blessed. This section concludes with the beatiful verse Galatians 3:26-27 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, [27] for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

What's there to worry about?

What's there to worry about?

I'm excited to be back blogging...back to stay. Either on this site or another. Hopefully, it will be a great way to have some good conversations with all of you. I plan on being faithful in posting this Mondays through Thursdays... and other days as the Spirit moves me.

Today - the title goes along with the picture. In less than two weeks the two guys pictured in the photo -(Our youth guy - John Rickel - and ME) and one other adult not pictured (Edie Poupard) will accompany 15 youth on a mission trip to Nashville. What's there to worry about? The picture kind of answers that question! SHEEP LEADING SHEEP!

We are always Sheep leading Sheep as Jesus followers ... aren't we? That would give us GREAT REASON for CONCERN if not for something Peter reminds us: 1 Peter 2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. What's there to worry about? ... NOTHING! We have returned to the Good Shepherd who willingly laid down his life for us sheep. He came that we might have ABUNDANT LIFE.

Please keep the Open Arms Youth in your prayers. You'll hear much about this trip. We will be on the journey from June 26 - July 3, 2010.

Israel AGAIN in 2010!

LORD WILLING - We are Going to Israel AGAIN in 2010! I'm pictured here with my brother-in-law Phil McLain who serves as a Pastor in Nashville, TN. He will be leading the trip with me. Our hope is that October 31st -November 14th of the year of our Lord 2010 we will walk where Jesus walked and see where the stories of the Bible unfolded. This will be my 3rd trip to Israel and I think this is by far the best trip plan so far.

Itinerary*
October 31 - Departure
November 1 - Arrival in Israel
November 2—Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Megiddo, Nazareth, Cana, and the Sea of Galilee
November 3—Jesus boat Museum, Ride on Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Mt. Beatitudes, Korazim, and Kursi
November 4—Golan Heights, Katzerin, Mt. Bental, Banias (Caesarea Philippi), and Tel Dan
November 5– Ein Harod, Beit Shean, Genesis Land, Camel Ride, and arrival in Jerusalem
November 6– Bethlehem: Church of the Nativity, Shepherd’s Field, and Ein Karem
November 7—Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Pool of Bethesda, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and Mount Zion
November 8—Western Wall, Yad Vashem, Garden Tomb, and Worship in the Garden
November 9—Tomb of Prophet Samuel, Valley of Ayalon, Emmaus, Beit Shemesh, Valley of Elah, and Beit Guvrin
November 10—Judean Hills, Qumran, Ein Gedi, Massada, and stop at the Dead Sea
November 11—Leisure by the Dead Sea or you may opt (additional fee) to go to Jordan and visit, Madaba, Mt. Nebo and the Traditional site of Jesus’ Baptism
November 12—”Fountain of Tears” and Tel Sheva at Beersheba, and then back to Tel Aviv
November 13—Worship at Immanuel Church, and touring “Old Joppa,” and farewell dinner
November 14— Return home

A Trip to En Gedi

We were given the Sabbath to Rest and a few of us traveled to En Gedi. This is a lush Oasis stronghold in the middle of the Judean dessert overlooking the Dead Sea. We hiked up to the cave that the following account is taken from:
1 Samuel 24:1-13 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the Desert of En Gedi." [2] So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
[3] He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. [4] The men said, "This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.' " Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe.
[5] Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. [6] He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the Lord." [7] With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way. [8] Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. [9] He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when men say, 'David is bent on harming you'? [10] This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, 'I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the Lord's anointed.' [11] See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. [12] May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. [13] As the old saying goes, 'From evildoers come evil deeds,'