Intimacy

How many times have I heard Pastor Thomas share that “when you sow spiritually, you reap rejection?” 

As our pilgrims have set their eyes on their assignment, thing after thing has landed in their pathway. They swerve and dodge, yet continue to press forward. Between canceled connecting flights, “escalating” accidents, lost luggage, and when have you ever heard of an international flight being moved twenty minutes early. Thankfully, the time was adjusted back or the Tabernacle crew would have had their own Indy 500 to the gate. Please, please pray that these small setbacks would be squelched so they are not delayed for their appointed times.

Rev. Perry Stone

For instance: As the group was getting ready to go through the last security check point to board the Tel Aviv flight, a man approached David Young. “Sir, you look familiar, have we met before?” David looked up to see Rev. Perry Stone standing before him. Who is Perry Stone you may ask? And I did, ask Pastor Joe Nance. He said that he is man of God that travels to Israel to teach all of the time. He is on television, frequently. Candace spoke up and said that after having worked at a Christian bookstore for many years, they couldn’t keep Rev. Stone’s books on the shelves, people would buy them up so quickly.  Pastor Joe said that one of Rev. Stone’s recent teachings that he heard is “Angels on Assignment.” (Click here to hear more about his teaching on this topic.) David and Pastor Kathy got to share with him about the assignment they believed they were on for this hour! Glory! He talked with them until it was time for them to go.

We got word moments before church Sunday morning that the pilgrim’s “boots were on the ground in Tel Aviv.” Pastor Kathy shared that Meir, our guide, hugged she and David so hard she thought he might break her glasses.

Mount of Beatitudes

You see, God has provided us a beautiful relationship with Meir. It seems as if time after time, when God leads for a trip to Israel it is right in the middle of a time of great need for our Jewish brother. He is such an incredible man. A tank commander, a police officer, a guide, and student of the Bible with a passion for the things of G-d. 

We will never forget the trip Pastor Thomas and Pastor Oliver Hogue took together so many years ago. They were on the Mount of Beatitudes in Galilee. Pastor Hogue asked a lovely lady from Arkansas, Brenda Ball, to read the Beatitudes for the group. Little did he know, she came on this trip knowing that her father was close to eternity and had gotten word that he had been “promoted to glory” that very morning. As she read through tears, “Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted,” the power of the Holy Spirit covered the hillside. 

Pastor Thomas looked around and Meir was nowhere to be found, which is very unusual. Pastor Thomas made an unusual  announcement at the end of the service. They were going to return to the hotel and have the afternoon and morning free to relax and begin touring at lunch the next day. Meir, with tear stained eyes, approached Pastor, “I know that you hear from God. Because of the schedule change, I will be able to go home to my family who is mourning the loss of my uncle. You see, we were only one year apart. He was my closest friend.” That 24-hour period where Meir did not have to lead the trip, allowed just enough time for him to return to Jerusalem and grieve with his family. When the words of Jesus were spoken on the mountain this day, it spoke to the heart of our Jewish brother’s grief.

Meir & Pastor Thomas

Our relationship with him, has only gotten stronger. He often will call on me (Elizabeth) to sing just like Daddy (Pastor Thomas) does. He and I have had wonderful discussions. I’ll never forget him sharing his heart about Israel’s fight for the right to exist as we ascended Castel. But most recently, the morning Mom, James and I were driving to the hospital the morning of Daddy’s surgery. Meir sent us the scriptures he was praying for my Dad. I could sense his earnest sincerity when he wrote:

“To all family of Thomas Young that is also my family. I was very hurt to hear what happened to my brother Thomas. I pray and ask God to send him a health care. Most important is faith in God, so I'll send him some successful Psalms:

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart
 PSALM 30

Meir touching the part of the Western Wall
that is closest to where the Holy of Holies
would have been.

 I praise you, Lord, for you raised me up and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O Lord, my God, I cried out to you and you healed me.
Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you kept me from going down to the pit.
 PSALM 57
 In the shadow of your wings I seek shelter till harm pass by.
I call to God Most High, to God who provides for me.
May God send help from heaven to save me, shame those who trample upon me.
 PSALM 91
Security Under God's Protection
 You have the Lord for your refuge; you have made the Most High your stronghold.
No evil shall befall you, no affliction come near your tent.
For God commands the angels to guard you in all your ways.
With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”
 Glory!

Back to the current trip. By the end of Sunday morning service here in the States, the group was looking over the night skyline of the Old City from Mount Scopus. Looking over Jerusalem, not knowing, which street corner they would have that divine appointment.

Night view of the Lights of Jerusalem
from Mount Scopus

By the way, I am getting my information on this trip from Pastor Kathy Young, (the world’s best mother-in-law, whom I love dearly). As I prayed about going on the trip, I believed that God would have me stay to help my father, but I thought I could still report.

Pastor Kathy shared that having been traveling to Israel over a great many years the air of the country is somber, as if it is holding its breath in attentiveness to what might happen next.

Pastor Kathy Young

Their first day began on the Mount of Olives. They proceeded to the Pool of Bethesda where Pastor Kathy shared “Come away with me.” Song of Songs 2:10 says, My beloved spoke, and said to me:
“Rise up, my love, my fair one,
And come away. God has summoned them this day, this week not just for a tour but an intimate conversation. 

Just like the words from the Jesus Culture song:

“Come Away with Me.  It’s never too late. It’s not too late for you. See, I have a plan for you. It’s gonna be wild. It’s gonna be great. It’s gonna be full of me. Open up your heart and let Me in.”

She went on to speak from John 5 about the healing waters that are spoken of this pool.

 “For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.” John 5:4

Pool of Bethesda

Pastor Kathy reviewed the story from many years ago of Keith Lavender in this very place:

In the seventies, a group traveled to Israel under the direction of Rev. Loran Helm. Pastor Oliver Hogue brought a group from Scott Depot, WV. Keith Lavender was among this group. He had been aggressively warned by his doctors not to make this trip. You see, he had been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and the doctors believed that if he went, he most likely would not recover. As the group gathered at the Pool of Bethesda this day, Rev. Helm shared the scripture above and turned to Keith. He prayed that God would heal him completely. In an instant, the Lord touched him, and Keith was completely well. He went on to live four decades past the time when all reports were dark and despairing. 

 The Israeli driver of the bus, who was not a particularly spiritual man, had come along to this service by the healing waters. Upon witnessing Mr. Lavender’s healing, God got ahold of his life. He was never the same. He began attending synagogue and began a lifelong pursuit of God. His family didn’t know what to think!

Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Jerusalem

The group continued, on this first day, walking the Via Dolorosa, “The Way of Suffering.” The way of Calvary, of the Cross. The way of Jesus, our Lord. They spent some time in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or Calvary. Beneath the place of where the Cross was set in the ground, you can see the results of the earthquake that happened the moment Christ died for us. The moment the veil was rended from Heaven to Earth. The moment we received the gift of access to the Father through The Great Intercessor, Jesus. The First Adam set up this veil through his disobedience and lost access to the intimacy of God. The Second Adam tore the veil, and made a way for that intimate conversation like Pastor Kathy shared at the Pool. Glory!

Pastor Thomas & Rabbi Moshe
Jewish Quarter, Jerusalem

Pastor Kathy spoke to Rabbi Moshe of Shorashim today and thanked him for praying for Pastor Thomas. He asked how he was and was believing for a speedy recovery so they could get back to their conversations of the relationship of the Christian and Jew in these turbulent hours.

Our first time pilgrims are having a wonderful time. Kathy Burick has diagnosed herself in sanguine mode (or like Tigger from Pooh, for those of you not familiar with temperaments.) I think the Jewish Quarter has smitten her.

They toured the Hurva Synagogue. Classes were in recess. So they got to look in the door of the first floor. This synagogue has been destroyed and rebuilt many times- 6 times over the last 300 years. The latest destruction involved a strike at the heart of Jewish Jerusalem in 1948. The rabbis, women and children took shelter within her walls to keep safe from the onslaught from the Arab Legion. They gave their lives and were the last Jews in Jerusalem until 1967. The group's guide at the Hurva talked about the visionary of this synagogue and how the vision died with him in the 1700's, but with the rebuilding the Jewish people say, "We have brushed off our ashes. We are looking for Messiah." Looking toward the hope of fulfillment. 

Please continue to pray! More to come!