MOVING FORWARD - pastor mike landry

It’s been another great day full of new adventures and “holy” moments.

We began the day with a visit to a church in Madaba, Jordan. The mosaic floor of this church included the oldest known map of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. Amazing how well preserved it was. It gave us a preview of what we’ll be exploring in a few days. Excitement is mounting.

Then off to Mt. Nebo we went. Because of the altitude and cold front that just came in, we froze on top of the mountain where God showed Moses the Promised Land. The Bible says that Moses died on that mountain and was never able to enter in because he did not obey God at Meribah-kadesh. Regardless of the blustery weather, everyone experienced a sobering “holy” moment. Many did not want to leave. What an incredible reminder of how seriously God takes our disobedience and the consequences of our sin. Also, it was another reminder of how God always keeps His promises to His people.

And then it was down the mountain and over to the Jordan River to the site where most believe Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. This, too, was one of those moments when God tightened His grip on our hearts and reminded us how important it is to follow God’s plan precisely. I know there was nothing magical about the water, but it sure had a special effect on all of us as we thought about the significance of Jesus’ baptism. Can you imagine what it would have been like to see with your own eyes the Holy Spirit come upon Jesus like a dove after coming up from the water and to hear a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved son, in you I am well pleased.” That’s sort of what we were reliving.

We then proceeded to the border and crossed King Hussein Bridge (the former location of the Allenby bridge) into Israel. Everyone was initiated to a complete security check. We must have been checked 4 or 5 times before we were able to board our tour bus that would take us into Israel. It only took about 2 hours at the check point. Our group was so flexible and cheerful throughout the ordeal and were great examples of the Lord we serve.

But now it was about 3:30 pm and we hadn’t eaten since 7 am. Everyone was hungry. So we stopped at a rest stop and tasted of some fine Israeli cuisine and had a great time interacting with the Israeli people. We ran into a busload of teenagers returning from camp and had a great time talking with them about life in Israel.

After a quick break it was off to Tiberius, a two hour drive away. The sun had already set by the time we got to Tiberius and therefore were not able to see the Sea of Galillee, which our hotel happens to be on. Can’t wait to see the sun rise tomorrow morning from our windows overlooking this beautiful view of Galillee.

After eating dinner we had a group meeting, and then split up. Most to their rooms to catch up on some sleep but others to explore the night life in Tiberius.

Last item, I need to mention – health issues. God answered your prayers about the man who had stomach issues yesterday and is doing great today. Thank you for praying. Two more in our group now need your prayers. One lady severely sprained her ankle and another woman is currently visiting the local hospital over other medical issues. Pray for their fast recovery.