Sacred Sweets and Heavenly Fields

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The sky has a light fog, as we drive from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The air is this strange combination of cool and very dry.

We met our lovely guide, Shany.  (Meir will join us in a couple of days.) She welcomes our weary selves. Shany has been leading trips for seven years. She shared with us while taking her leave during her time in the military; she discovered her love for the outdoors and hiking. At some point on her journey, she began asking herself (because as she noted some of your greatest conversations are the ones you have with yourself) She said, “Shany?” “Yes, Shany?” “Isn’t it about time you started living a life you love?” She said she remembered her first days at studying to be a guide. “This is it!” This whole new world opened up. She saw the beauty of this land she had been born in and realized she could share that love with people week after week. “I think I have the best job in the world. My office is always changing. The people I get to work with are varied and always provide the opportunity for a fresh challenge and outlook for me and for them.”

As we continued to Jerusalem, the subject on the bus turned toward seasons and agriculture. We were driving through farmland and fields of wheat. Shany shared with us that we are in between the flowers and the fruit. The spring flowers have come. Pastor Josephine Fleming (South Carolina) spoke up and asked, “What fruits are in season?” Shany replied, “They all are about to be.” Glory! We are about to step into a season of great fruitfulness! Can you feel it?

It was on my heart (Elizabeth) to sing a song as went drove along. All week, “We’re Marching to Zion” kept flooding over me. It has been many years since I have sang the second verse, but I was blown away. We had spent the last half hour talking about seasons and fruit. And we were headed to Jerusalem. Then this:

The hill of Zion yields
A thousand sacred sweets
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Or walk the golden streets.
Or walk the golden streets.
 We’re marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We’re marching upward to Zion,
The beautiful city of God.

“Sacred sweets? Heavenly Fields?” But we haven’t even walked “the golden streets!” Oh! It’s before all that. I love when God stamps His presence in ways beyond our ability to figure and premeditate. It was a testimony to me of Him being with us. There it was: His signature ways, ways that are higher.

Quietly at the back of the bus, Molly and Taylor begin to worship:

“Your praise will Ever Be on my lips.”

We entered Jerusalem. We passed the remains of some kind of celebration in a park. Flags and tents. Shany explained that it was the remnants of the Jerusalem Marathon. It had happened the day before. And because it ended leading into sundown on the Sabbath, they left everything up and would come back to clear down after sundown on Saturday. There were 30,000 runners in this 26-mile race that wound around Jerusalem (new and old). She said, “Personally, I don’t get it- running forever. I did speak to a member of the group I was leading who came just to participate in the marathon about what it was like to run in Jerusalem. They responded, “I don’t know how its possible, but everything is uphill. You are running uphill for 26 miles.”

I am sure there are many a reader familiar with marathons of running uphill. The uphill battles in and around our lives can wear us down, but

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Keeping running your race! We drove past a place where their race… it was finished. All that remained was the evidence that a race had happened there. We witnessed the remains of a finished race.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

We reached our overlook and gathered for a moment to pause and perform the ceremony of blessing as we entered the City. Before us, was a gorgeous view of the City of David, the Pilgrim Steps, the Old City Walls. Just as the sun was setting. There is little like it.

It was on Pastor Thomas’s heart that we pause here. Roby Mizrahi had met us at the airport and road with us to Jerusalem. Pastor took a moment to remember the fact that it was the Lord who had established our relationship with the Mizrahi’s so many years ago. Roby’s father, Joseph, had work with the leader of our group, Rev. Loran Helm, from the 70’s on. Pastor Jerry and Pastor Thomas have been working with his son Roby. And we have dear friend in Joseph’s grandson, Erez (who met us at the airport for a few minutes, but will be joining us later in Jerusalem).

Pastor Thomas took a moment to thank Roby for his hard work in getting this trip together and to offer our condolences at the loss of his mother Sarah, Joseph’s wife. Pastor Thomas expressed his appreciation for Joseph and ask that we all pray for him as he has stepped in the twilight of his days at 96. He asked for me to sing, “Hine Ma Tov Umanaim” in appreciation. It is based off of the first verse of Psalm 133:

 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!”

Pastor Jerry began to share about not getting distracted in this time. About doing our best to disconnect from home for these moments so that we can embrace the fullness of them to bring them back to all of you. So dear friends, if you have loved ones on this trip, give them the grace of not being fully available to you because they need to be fully available to God.

He encouraged us not to go into full on tourist mode. Just looking through a camera lens and taking selfies. (I couldn’t help it and spoke up, “Deny Selfie!”) He reminded us we are here on assignment and we must be at attention to obey and move together.

Shany then explained she had a special surprise arranged by Yarkon Tours. We were going to bless this first moment together as the Jewish pilgrims do when they come to Israel. It is a blessing that gives thanks to God for being able to experience a special or new occasion:

 The Shehecheyanu Blessing
  “Barukh ata adonai elohenu melekh ha’olam,
shehecheyanu, v’kiyimanu,
v’higiyanu la’z’man ha’zeh,” 

Translation:

 “Blessed are You Lord our God,
Ruler of the Universe who has given us life,
sustained us, and allowed us to reach this moment.”

You drink a little cup of the vine.  As we poured the wine, Molly sang “Jerusalem of Gold.” We drank and toasted “L’chaim!” “To life!”

And then we ripped off a piece of bread and dipped it in salt. We took and ate.

It was very much like communion. So not only were we doing it in “remembrance of” Him, we partook to bless God and remember the moment we were in.

--> We received the sacred sweets of this holy place and this holy hour. And while we neither marched, nor ran to Zion, our entrance into this city, this country, this hour was heavenly. -->

Gravitational Invitation

Once upon a time, I asked two women a question. One woman was my grandmother Bea Mullins. The other was my husband’s grandmother, Katherine Richardson. I had asked them about those early trips to Israel in the 70’s. They both speak in awe of the fact that they, little hill girls from the mountains of West Virginia had travelled the world.

The only time people in their communities traveled was to go to war.

They shared that had it not been for the servant of God leading them, inviting them, encouraging them. They would never have taken the first step. And by proxy, I would not be as at ease. Their willingness opened up the pathway for generations to come.

I am thankful for the men and women in our lives that continue the leading, inviting and encouraging for people to return to Israel. I am thankful for the love of Israel my parents (Thomas and Barbara Young) instilled in me at a young age. My first trip was when I was 14 years old. I have spoken to Taylor and Molly Keller and they feel the same about Pastor Jerry Keller’s love for Israel that has overflowed into them.

I look at the ladies on this trip from Evangelical House of God Bible Teaching Center. If Sheba hadn’t been brave enough to accept her invitation on the last trip from Pastor Thomas, something no one in her community had yet to do, would their invitations ever come?

Sheba brought with her five lovely ladies that have never been to Israel. Some who will take their first flight today with us. I think about the fact that sometimes it takes an invitation. A nudge to escape the gravitational pull of our daily lives and routines. For many years, I have defaulted to not wanting to bother someone with invitations, but this world is hungry to belong, to matter, to go on adventures. I honestly cannot wait to see the legacy of this one young lady’s invitation to her church.

Many of you reading this, that have done this trip before, were impacted by one man’s obedience. Rev. Loran Helm carved this pathway to go and obey and to love the People of the Book.

Each obedience was an invitation from the Holy Spirit to walk with Him. It is beautiful how invitation and obedience flow together and trickle down one pathway to the next, to the next.

If we follow our own trails back, we are all following in the footsteps of a man from Galilee that said “Come Follow Me”. May we still continue to obey and invite. When, He leads, where He leads, how He leads.

Blueprints of Promise

Almost a year ago, as I began praying for this trip to Israel, I asked the Lord, “What do you have to say about this 2017 pilgrimage. Immediately, He dropped the following in my heart:

“Blueprints of Promise”

Blueprints, like the electric blue background with letters of white just like you would find on the draft tables of architects, engineers, and inventors.

“Okay, God. Blueprints… Could you expound?”

He took me from 0 to 60 in my mind’s eye, like when a car is going so fast you cannot keep up with watching the scenery flying by you. It makes your head spin.

He flipped image after image in split seconds. He started with His blueprints throughout scripture. He was gentle with me at first walking me through the more obvious ones. Like, the blueprints he handed Noah for the ark, the blueprints of the Tabernacle He bestowed unto Moses, the plans He presented for the Temple to King David that Solomon built,

People can receive their blueprints in different ways. The author of Hebrews said something pretty astounding:

“Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, ‘See,’ says he, ‘that you make all things according to the pattern showed to you in the mount.’”Hebrews 8:5

Many believe that God showed Moses a model of the Tabernacle. And then said go and build it. He gave instructions for the how, the who, the what… all of it!

King David, himself, had an unusual experience when it came to receiving his instructions. King David did not build the temple because of the blood on his hands, but how he got the plans that is a whole other story!

King David was very thorough in his instructions for Solomon. He spelled out his specific lists of porches and store houses. Even supplying specific amounts of gold and silver dedicated to certain instruments and additions. He weighed out the gold to be used for the ark of the covenant.

When David ended, his explanation of to-do lists and materials, he said to Solomon and all of the assembly of Israel:

“‘All [this], the Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern." 
1 Chronicles 28:19

Whoa! In verse 12, David says the God gave him these specifications “by the spirit” and in verse 19 “in the writing by His hand… the works of this pattern.” God gave him a blueprint in His handwriting for His house.

This wasn’t the only time we see God writing a pattern for people to follow: Moses received the tablets of stone that were "written with the finger of God" (Exodus 24:12, 31:18, 32:15-16) 

This blueprint was of His desire for how His people were to live everyday with Him- the Law.

God unrolled more and more before me. The blueprints that are the prophecies- ones fulfilled and others yet to be fulfilled. The blueprint of man’s heart to God in the psalms of David. He said David was a man after His own heart. I know that is taken as meaning he pursued God, but what if it means in the pattern of God. In the model of. From the blueprints of.

The blueprint of God’s heart toward man in the person of Jesus Christ. The blueprint of how He wants to connect to mankind, and mankind to Him in the work of the Holy Spirit.

The blueprint of the Cross, what its purpose was and is.  I believe the design God put in place for the temple and for His people gives a window into some of the beautiful mysteries of the Cross.

Just before His ascension, Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for us. He already has the blueprints. Can you imagine what this Carpenter from Galilee is preparing for us!

Then He breezed through history of His blueprint of how the gospel spread across the earth. How Jesus came at a time when people were just starting to travel. How the developments in technology coincided with the distribution of His Word like book binding, and the printing press… yes even the internet! His desire for every heart to know Him.

I, then, found myself face to face with the promises spoken over my own life. Words of Promise… Words of prayer. Prophetic words. The promises were blueprints of God’s best design and desire for my life. If I could stick to His plans.

Those coming on our trip have a promise that He will meet them in Israel because He has invited them.

Those of you following along will be able to bear witness to the work that God is about to perform. A work that very well may be the ground breaking ceremony of some of the blueprints of the lives involved.

He is the architect. God is the engineer. He is the inventor.

If we can get ahold of the blueprints He has for us and believe that their design is perfect, we may very well see something built in our lifetime that changes the skyline forever.

“For I know the plans (blueprints!) I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:11

Come build something amazing with us. Dust off your blueprints. Open up your promises. Look at what God longs to perform in your life. Believe Him.

Fellowship of All Nations Under a Blood Moon

“And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
32 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls." Joel 2:28-32

Monday morning found us gazing up and observing part of these words. Here we were in Zion the city of our God and taking note of what was being written in the skies. We stood as the wise men, traveling far, foreigners, following the signs of heaven. We were not only symbolically like the wise men. You see, in the last couple of months an old friend has appeared in the heavens. It has not been seen for nearly two thousand years. While we were gazing at the blood moon on one side of the roof behind us was the Star of Bethlehem positioned over the Old City. So a great convergence happened on the roof- the sun began to rise, the moon eclipse went dark and turned to blood, and the Star of Bethlehem observed it all! What can it mean?! I have no idea! But the Scriptures say to watch the skies. It also says that all of Creation is waiting and longing for the sons of God to be revealed. Let us ponder the mystery.

I must say I was a little surprised to find that we were not the only group positioned on the roof to observe and ponder the skies. Many were trying to capture the moment. All of a sudden, I found myself surrounded with a delightful tones of English accents, and as I found out more specifically Welsh accents. We had a delightful time. They came close to look at the version of the Blood Moon captured in my larger camera. Someone expressed sadness that their photos were not turning out so great, so I told them I would find them later at a meal and give them my information so they could get my photos from the blog.

I missed them at breakfast, but found them later that night. Pastor Clive Owen of Wellspring Christian Fellowship in Langstone near Newport, Wales. He said he was given his name long before the famous Clive, I said, “Well then, can I still have your autograph?” We both laughed.

He saw our group and asked several questions. I shared that the group we were apart of had been coming to Israel since the 60’s. I pointed out my grandmother, Bea Mullins, and explained that her first trip was in 1971. He said that his first trip was 10 years later in 1981. I shared the website info with him and greeted their group. After I sat down, I saw that he had gone over and sat down with my grandmother, my Aunt Susan, and mother, Barbara Young. I found out from them that this was his 56th trip since 1981. He had been leading groups from Wales all of that time. We knew they were headed to Hebron the next day. When Daddy heard the story, he said,  “We need to pray for their protection.” So, we did. I met up with him Wednesday night. He said that their trip was tense, but they had no fear. He shared that they would be leaving the next day. Knowing that we were getting ready to return to the Western Wall, I asked if their was any prayer requests he would have us pray for. He asked for prayer for a lady named Gail with pancreatic cancer. I told him we would lift her up.

He then asked me about “the big fellow in blue”. And glanced over in James Miles’ direction. He said, “we could sure use him for our national football (soccer) team.”  I laughed. I said, “Yes, he would be great. Not only is he a big guy, he was a fast one. Since a young age, if you could just get a ball to him, he could do wonders.” I told Mr. Owen that James was following in his dad’s footsteps of starting his career in becoming a physical education teacher. “He not only wants to teach P.E. but he wants to be in the elementary schools because so many of the little guys and girls don’t have a positive male role model in their lives. He wants to be a real presence in their lives.” Mr. Owen shared about his daughter, how she had saved the lives of several children. Saved? This was getting interesting. In her flat (apartment building), a young lady had come to her and asked if she could borrow her car. The subject of why came up. She wanted to use it to go get an abortion. This daughter looked into the eyes of this desperate woman, and said, “We will not be going this day. I will walk beside you through this, I will help you raise this child.” And so they have. Mr. Owen and his family have partnered in covering the live of three children who would have been aborted. The whole Owen family, stands beside these mothers. To father these children. To take them to church, to have them in their homes. He said, one of the little guys asked if they could call him “Da”, “No, son, I’m your “Pa”. He didn’t want to confuse him, because he has a father in the picture, even if he wanders out of the frame every once in awhile. Mr. Owen shared that there were many in this world desperate for the love from a father. He said I want to be one that shows this love because the Father has fathered me. We blessed each other and prayed that some day, we would see one another again. Bless you, Welsh family!

We gathered on the top of the Mount of Olives and looked over the vast skyline of the Old City. Meir began to point out various places to draw our attention to. In passing he mentioned, where the temple would have been positioned and spoke of the two pillars that stood in front of the temple. Their names were Jachin and Boaz. They had names? Yes. Jachin means “establishes” and Boaz means “strength”. I’m curious about knowing more about this. It is making me look at the physical and the figurative pillars of our lives.

As Meir was discussing, we heard some loud cracking noises, and small explosion, and some other noises coming from the direction of the Temple Mount. At first, it sounded like fireworks. Meir said, “those weren’t just fireworks.” I walked beside him as we proceeded down the hill. He said it was probably a clash with the police. He said apart of it was because of the blood moon. According to the news, the Muslim groups that like to stir up the people to a frenzy, they had been calling for “A day of revenge”. “Well, that’s delightful,” I responded. I found out later reading in the Jerusalem Post that because of some violence the day before, the police had restricted access to the Temple Mount. Only women and men over 50 were allowed for the day. I guess a group of teenagers threw fireworks at the police, which cause the police to have to shut down the riot that was beginning with loud, blank explosions, and rubber bullets. I spoke to Mr. Owen and he said, “Oh that’s what happened… we had just walked past a group of men at the entrance to the Dome of the Rock. After, turning the corner, we heard the explosions.”

I was glad to have been on the opposite mountaintop, but, guys, there is something entirely eerie about looking over the city and hearing explosions. We must really pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

We stood to leave and the piazza filled with people. We were trying to share a staircase. Someone explained later that this is the time to channel your inner Israeli elbow. There is always time for politeness, but sometimes you must press to get to where you are being led. So politely push your way through the “buffeting” immediately on the other side of the crowd you can breathe freely and get to where you are supposed to be.

Pastor Thomas shared with us at our next stop:

“Keep your passion with your face toward Jesus. Your heart toward God. We only have one
appropriate response to the end times: I died to the world a long time ago. When I gave my life to the Lord, I gave up everything to that point, so I have no fear of any further taking. It cannot be taken, but it can be given. Keep you heart focused on the king of glory. You are on the front lines right now and it is not time for fear or to worry. It’s time to believe. There has not been a major change without passion behind it. We are in an interesting time and in an interesting place with people. I tell you that to bring you more at rest than anything. This man, Meir, is a trained warrior. He would never take us anywhere that was unsafe. Be comforted. Push fear aside. We are in change. Amazing things can happen this week.  Don’t be afraid but you may feel free to pray as much as you want.”

We entered the grounds of Dominus Flevit. This is where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. The chapel here is in the shape of a tear. Upon each of its four corners are phials (vials) to collect the tears Jesus wept over the city. The artist/architect positioned the church in such a way so that the window on the inside of the church marks a specific place on the Jerusalem skyline. If you stand perfectly behind it. The cross in the window is placed over the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, better known to you all as Calvary. This is one of the few churches we go to that does not have colored stained glass windows. To me this speaks that Christ fixed his eyes on Calvary as he wept for Jersualem with total clarity. Full knowledge, except for one piece: obedience. He knew why he did what he did. Along the way, Hebrews 5:8-9 says, “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”

Sally Leist begins to pray over the city. May our faith become sight.

Pastor Jerry Keller shared that many people when they first see this vista are moved by the immensity of it. When Jesus wept here, it was not simply because he was stirred. He wept because if Jerusalem and her children would have listened, he would have gathered them to himself. So Jesus wept because He was listening and others weren’t, not because of simply an emotional stir over the
sight. Molly and Taylor sing “Running”.

Once again, the crowds pressed in, pushing us out. We continued down the Triumphal Entry. Here would be a great place to mention an insight I heard a couple of weeks ago in a meeting with Bible teacher, Beth Moore, in Greenville, SC. She explained that the Presence of God over the course of the book entered and exited the city on the same path. When the presence came to dwell in the Temple. It came from this mountain and into that side of the temple. When the glory departed, it retraced its steps up the Mount of Olives. When Jesus came into the city, he used this path. When he ascended into heaven, he came back up on top of this mountain. When He comes again, he will return from the direction he left from. Jews and Christians believe that those on this mountain will be the first to arise when He comes. Fascinating thought!

At the Church of All Nations that is surrounded by ancient olive trees, we each took some time to
wander around the property. As we were soaking in the beauty of the Garden of Gethsemane, a portion of group of 700 people from Indonesia came through. They were singing and rejoicing. They were down below the porch we were on, outside the Garden gate. Several of our ladies began to rejoice with them, waving and dancing. The crowd below became so excited, they started sharing gifts with us. Throwing them up to us. Some handmade bracelets, some souvenirs you know they had just purchased. The exchange was so beautiful. One lady came up to Michelle and gave here a handful of handmade bracelets. They had been praying over their trip and felt like they were to find those to come into unity with and give these bracelets to. They represent the fire and the presence. Michelle thanked them and distributed them to the people in our group that we may carry the fire and the presence with us. I’ve seen a couple from our group still wearing and carrying the fire of the presence everyday! Beautiful! It really was a Church for All Nations in that moment.

Early that morning, we stood shoulder to shoulder observing the skies with our friends from Wales and by lunch we extended our arms to the Far East, embracing and worshipped with our brothers and sisters of Indonesia.

The day didn’t end there…
So until our next installment, blessings to you!