Shalom! On the Road

Today we woke early and boarded a boat on the Sea of Galilee.

Here's what Carolyn Tinney of West Virginia wrote:

Today, October 31st, 2007 was an amazing day in Israel. We took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. The weather was beautiful, probably in the low 80's. There was a cool breeze out on the water. Imagine our surprise when first thing the crew raised an American flag and played our national anthem. We stood, hands over our hearts, and sang loudly. I was moved to tears.

Our tour guide Ethan told us that the Sea of Galilee is not a sea, but a lake. It is called a sea because in the original Hebrew there was no word for lake, so every body of water was called a sea. It is also the only fresh water lake in Israel (maybe even the Middle East) It is so blue and beautiful it is called the "blue eye of God."

We stopped, the engines were turned off, and we had a Bible study about Peter walking on the water and also about Jesus asking Peter, "Do you love me?" Jannie, our Bible teacher, reminded us that we are not to worry about what others are doing.....just to do what Jesus said in John 21:22 "...you follow Me!"

Being out on the sea and hearing the Word was a very emotional experience for me. Again, I was moved to tears. We are so blessed to be here! Thank you Jesus!

We then continued our journey on to the Mount of Beatitudes where Nelda Thomas taught the Sermon on the Mount.

Amy Etrheim of Onalaska, Wisconsin writes:

The birds chirp softly. Golden sunshine flitters and shines through the lush foliage. The breeze softly and gently rustles the leaves above us as we sit on the Mount of Beatitudes. Awesome to sit on that beautiful hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee and realize that we may have stepped on the very footprint that Jesus or one of the twelve disciples left.
We learned about being the light of the world and the salt of the earth and about how we should "shine and shake", as Nelda put it. We also discussed the wide and narrow gates in Matthew 7:13-14. Nelda also mentioned the false prophets, and how we need to know the word of God ourselves. The final point while walking through all these passages is in Matthew 7:24-27. Hear these words of Jesus', and act on them! I encourage you to join us and do the same.

We then traveled North on Road 90 to Caesarea Philippi to Mt. Hermon, where we studied Matthew 16-17. Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" and "Who do you say that I am?" Peter answers, and Jesus gives him the keys to the kingdom. Just as Jesus gave Peter authority we also have the ability to walk in kingdom authority. This is also known as the place where the transfiguration occurred.

Our final stop of the day was Capernaum. Jannie taught us from John 6 in the same synagogue where Jesus taught. Jesus said, "I am the bread of life." Many followers of Christ grumbled, argued and then left. Jesus challenged the disciples, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Remember it is not where you go, but to whom should you go?

Shalom!

Shalom! We have arrived in Israel.

Shalom! We have arrived in Israel. Today we toured Tel Aviv, also stopped at Bet Shemesh, the site where David fought with Goliath. We walked through the marketplace in Joppa, the port where Jonah boarded the ship to Tarshish. We went through the Valley of Sorek well know for the story of Samson and Delilah. Riding through the Valley of Aijalon we were reminded of the story of Joshua fighting the Amorites, the battle raged on and the light of day was fading when Joshua prayed to God to make the sun stand still. Finally we rode through Emmaus where our Lord talked with two men by the way.

It is absolutely beautiful here,between 70 and 80 degrees. The presence of the Lord is here, wish you were too.

Praise be to the Lord, the God Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Psa 41:13

The Countdown Begins

We are just a few days away from departure and we are so excited! There are people coming from about 10 different states and we are so looking forward to touring the "Lands of the Bible".

Grace & Peace

J. Wilcoxson

Preparing to Embark

Soon we will be loading the airplane to Israel, and begin our trip of a lifetime! Be prepared for an incredible experience as we combine walking through the Bible with walking in the "Lands of the Bible".
Join us on our journey as we explore the historical sites of Israel on this unforgettable and spectacular Bible study tour that promises to change your life and walk forever.