20 feet from Jordanian Border Guards

The last two days have been fabulous. Friday was our "northern Israel" day and we visited Dan, Caesarea, Golan Heights, and finally a baptismal service on the Jordan River. The picture on the right is Sharon and me in front of the Dan Spring. It is from here the Jor-Dan river begins. In Dan is the Jeroboam altar foundation that the king of the northern kingdom developed and where he place a golden calf. Behind the altar and under an ancient oak tree, I'm sharing a devotional to those on my bus on "Being Content with God's Gifts." We also saw a 4,000+ old Canaanite mud gate that would have been here when Abraham came by Dan seeking to rescue his nephew Lot! And we think things are old in North American if they are a couple of hundreds of years old!
Saturday (today) started at Tiberias and ended at Jerusalem! We started with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. The boat is owned by a friend I have made over the years here and is named "Faith." The people really enjoyed as Daniel led us in a number of worship choruses before we met up with the other boats and heard Steve Green sing and Chuck Swindoll preach. Then it was on to Beth Shean where King Saul's dead body was hung on the walls after he was slain on nearby Mt. Gilboa. Dr. Reg Grant, a good friend of ours for the last 13 years performed a wonderful drama concerning a man from Jabesh-Gilead who came to rescue the body of Saul and take it back across the Jordan River. It was extremely powerful in its message. The picture on the right is of Reg performing in Israel's largest ancient Roman theater. After a wonderful lunch and touring Gideon Spring (En Harod) and a short devotional there, it was south down the west bank of the Jordan River. Our lead guide Amir had arranged to have the Israeli military escort us down to a newly build site on the Jordan River where ancient churches indicate that John the Baptist baptized here. Right across the river was Jordan (the border is in the middle of the river) and I was able to greet the guards there in Arabic. The interesting thing was I had just been on the opposite side this past June looking into Israel at this exact spot! It was probably right here that Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan after God miraculously stopped up the water. Then up to Jerusalem!!! More about Jerusalem tomorrow.

Today We Walked where Jesus Walked

Today we walked where Jesus walked. We started off at the Mt of Beatitudes where Chuck Swindoll preached a great message on the Beatitudes of Matthew 5. Then it was off to Nazareth Village, a reproduction of village life from the first century on a piece of land within the present city of Nazareth. We saw shepherds with their sheep, the watchman in his watchtower, a young women weaving, a carpenter working his trade, all as we were guided around by a young Arab man who had married at DTS grad after she had volunteered at this place a few years ago! He gave great teaching, especially as we were sitting in a synagogue just like Jesus would have attended when he lived here.
After a St. Peter's fish lunch (notice I've learned to order mine without the head and tails and bones!) I spoke from Mark 5 about how Christ can heal a man (from the story of the Gadarene demoniac at a steep bank that leads down to the Sea of Galilee (remember the deviled ham!). We then went to Capernaum and saw so many great things there and heard about the great miracles Christ had done here. Off to see the 1st century "Jesus Boat" and then back to the hotel for a great buffet dinner on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Just in case we hadn't gotten enough to eat we walked into downtown Tiberius for Sharon's traditional coconut ice cream and my bubble gun ice cream cones! Some things are just good!
Tomorrow we'll see some amazing things including Lebanon and Syria!

Caesarea. Mt. Carmel and Megiddo

Today was our first day of touring with the IFL Israel 2010 tour. We had a great day that started off with a worship service with Chuck Swindoll preaching, Steve Green singing and an appearance of King Agrippa I (Dr. Reg Grant; see picture to the right) at Caesarea on the coast. What a great service.
We also visited Mt. Carmel where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal so that everyone could decide who truly was the LORD, the God of Israel. The picture to the left has me standing in front of the statue at the site. You can see that Elijah has his foot on the neck of a false prophet of Baal and in his hand is a sword. No fooling around with false teachers of Israel!

After a great outdoor lunch at Megiddo, we toured the site. The picture to the below left has Sharon and I standing in front of a Late Bronze Age (15th-13th Century BC) gate. This was probably standing here when Joshua conquered the land and specifically Megiddo. On the top of the tel (which has approximately 20 levels of human occupation representing the time from the Canaanites to Solomon and beyond) I had a chance to give a devotional about Armageddon (Rev 16:16). In the background of the picture below you can see a small part of the Jezreel Valley where the kings of the world will gather for the final battle. It is a moving experience to read Rev 19:11-16 and to explain that despite the mass of forces arranged against God, Jerusalem, and his people, One will show up whose names is "King of Kings, and Lord of Lords" and He will be the Victorious One!

Tonight we are in a hotel on the shore of the Sea of Galilee with a full day planned for tomorrow.

Joppa

Today after an orientation meeting with Chuck and Cynthia Swindoll, a number of us walked down to Joppa — the port to which David and Solomon brought cedars from Lebanon so they could build their palaces and of course the Temple, the site of Jonah's ship flight from God, the location of the raising of Dorcas by Peter and of Peter's vision which challenged his long held beliefs of what God wanted from him. I had a short devotional there in which I challenge those present to open their eyes to see all that we would observe during this tour, but especially to open their eyes spiritually to see all that God wants us to understand in the 10 days ahead as we walk this land.
Tomorrow we start early to travel 35 miles north to Caesarea just like Peter did when he traveled to see Cornelius and open the Christian church to Gentiles and not only Jews.
It has been an unusually warm (hot) day today in Israel for March. They recently received a couple inches of rain so everything is wonderfully green Hope your spiritual life is growing too.

Where a professor takes his wife on a date in Israel!

Today was a day just for Sharon and I to relax, get over the jet lag, and do something in Israel that we won't get to do on the IFL tour. So at 8 am this morning I was at Budget Rental Cars in Tel Aviv to get the car for the day.
Where should I take my beautiful wife for a day she won't soon forget? Why not . . . start the day by trying to get to the significant site of Gezer, one of the three major cities that Solomon fortified (1 Kings 9:15) but we were stopped by a muddy river bottom that we couldn't go through! So why not . . . to the Emmaus the traditional site where Jesus revealed himself to two disciples who recognized him in the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:13). . . then a drive up the Aijalon Valley all the way to Beth Horon on the Beth Horon ridge route (we had to stop at the more modern Jewish Beth Horon and take a picture down to the Arab village and beyond to the Aijalon Valley since this area is part of the West Bank [see the picture to the right]). Here I read Joshua 10 that I had preached last week at Waterbrook Bible Fellowship. Sharon and I were literally standing between Gibeon [where the sun stood still 10:12] and the Aijalon Valley [where the moon stood still 10:12] as I read about a day like no other in the history of the world (10:14). Then . . . on to Zorah the birthplace of Samson (Judges 13:2) . . . to the Sorek Valley where Samson lit the Philistines grain on fire (Judges 15:5) . . . to Tel Beth Shemesh the place where the ark came to rest after the Philistines sent it on its way on a cart pulled by two milk cows (1 Samuel 6:12) . . . then over a ridge to the Elah Valley where David fought Goliath (1 Samuel 17:2) . . then back to our hotel on the Mediterraean Sea! In the middle of what I would consider a great date, I stopped with my wife at Aroma Coffee for a fresh sandwich and chocolate coffee (and a stop to at Canada Park)! What more could a wife ask for on a date with a professor!
For me, to travel and stop and read the Scriptures about the sites with the one I have loved for almost 35 years now is an amazing experience. Sharon is having a short rest now before we greet the 13 other professors who are arriving shortly or I'd give her a chance to express her feelings about the day. For any ladies reading this, if she is somehow disappointed in such a "biblical" date, I promise you I will buy her some jewelery in Jerusalem!

Do you know where your parents are? Joppa, Israel!

About a half hour ago the clock tower in Joppa (Jaffa) struck nine times for 9 pm. Sharon and I looked at each other, smiled, and then I said, "Kids, do you know where your parents are — right now?" We used to worry about our kids. Now our kids are probably wondering what their two middle-aged to slightly older parents (Sharon celebrated her birthday last week) are doing wandering around in Joppa at night, holding hands as they walk along the Mediterranean Sea, talking about Jonah, Peter, Dorcus and what God can still do for people today! We arrived in Israel about 4 pm on Sunday afternoon after leaving Dallas about noon on Saturday. We are about 8 hours ahead here so it really wasn't too long a flight. The picture to the left was taken of the Med Sea from our balcony just after we arrived at the Dan Panorama in Tel Aviv. We had a shower, a great buffet for dinner and then did our little one mile each way walk to Joppa. In the Old Testament Joppa was the seaport for Jerusalem. It was here that the timbers for the temple were taken out of the sea after being floated down from Lebanon. Then they were taken up the Aijalon Valley (right past the airport!). This valley was where the sun and moon "stood still" in the time of Joshua.

Joppa was the place where Jonah caught his "international one-way cruise away from God" boat. Joppa was the place where Peter caused Dorcus to come back to life through the power of God and Joppa was the place where God caused Peter to bring Life to the Gentiles 35 miles up the coast at Caesarea.

Tomorrow is a "date-day" for Stephen and Sharon before the 14 busloads arrive. Where will Stephen take his wife for a date? Check in tomorrow. Just a clue — its not the usual place a guy takes a girl for a romantic date!

Off to Israel (again!)

Today Sharon and I leave for Israel. I think this is my 15th tour of the Land of Promise and Sharon's 12th. This is our 5th time with Chuck Swindoll and Insight for Living who offer a great 12 day tour. If you would like to see and hear what we are experiencing in Israel, check out this blog: http://www.insight.org/ministry/events/video-blog/
We are excited to be able to share with those going, most for the first and only time in their life, the sites and significance of this Land. Most people are never the same and they certainly don't read their Bibles in quite the same way once they have been to where it all happened. Next year I am planning to travel back to Israel twice, one will be a tour for married couples with my good friend Dr. Dave Currie and once with a church from the Dallas area. Let me know if you are interested in coming on either of these.
Tomorrow in Israel. I'll try and keep you posted.

Good Morning—Welcome to -1°F

It was -1°F when I stepped outside my cabin door at 7:30 am. Kind of took my breath away! I know I should be experienced in this type of cold after living in Canada but Texas has a way of making one "soft" in the area of cold weather.
I taught from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm with 53 students in class. They seem like a great bunch of young people, eager to learn. After lunch I took a 50 minute walk down the plowed road leading up into the school/camp area. I usually walk up in the mountains but the trails are a little too deep for me this year. As I walked along the road I saw the tracks of numerous animals (esp. deer) all over the snow-covered meadows and forest trails. Last year two mountain lions were shot on the school property (one is hung now in the dining room!) and a third close by. One of the mountain lions had killed one of the dogs living on the property so they felt they had to get rid of them. Just yesterday a staff member saw another set of tracks so I'll probably stick to walking on the road these days. In Dallas all I would have to be afraid of is a drive-by shooting or something similar.
The students are learning how to share their faith in a class tonight and soon I'll meet them down at the Hob Nob (coffee shop with a wood burning stove in the new gym building). Pray for our time together.

A Week in Montana

Each October I make my annual pilgrimage up to Montana for a week. I spend this week teaching approximately 60 young people who are attending Montana Wilderness School of the Bible (http://www.mwsb.org/). My goal is to "cover" the Pentateuch over the next five morning with these young people who are investing a year of their life (mostly right out of high school) to learn the Bible and how to live Christianly in this world. I've been coming here since 2004 and it has become for me not only an opportunity to reconnect and teach young people but also a spiritual retreat in a wonderful part of God's creation.
I arrived here around 4 pm today (after a flight from Dallas to Minn/St.Paul, another flight to Great Falls, MT, and then an hour and a half drive west to the edge of the Rocky Mountains. We drove to the end of the road, right where the Lewis and Clark National Forest begins, and right where the school/camp is located.
There is about a foot of snow on the ground (see picture on the left taken outside the door of my cabin), the clouds are hanging over the peaks of the mountains, the smell of a wood fire is in the air, everything is silent, and the presence of our Glorious God is everywhere if you chose to recognize it.
Dinner will be in the dining hall (see the picture above right) in an hour. The students are returning this evening from a long weekend and I am looking forward to meeting them all for the first time.
I am enjoying the warm weather in Texas but a long icicle hanging from the roof of the cabin is still a thing of beauty. I'll probably break one off to eat it tonight (I'm on weight watchers and whenever I find something I can eat that is 0 points, I'm trying it!).
Pray for my ministry here to these young people.

After 56 years

Yesterday I turned 56 years of age. I don't feel that old. But my hair is no longer dark brown and my beard is almost completely gray. I know I'm not a teenager but I still feel I have good energy and a desire to serve the Lord with all that I am. After 56 years I wish I knew a little more, was more holy, communicated better, and trusted the Lord more in the routines of life. But I am not once I once was and I hope to keep growing.
This past year I preached over 30 times (my home church Waterbrook.org and 7 others), taught 10 courses at DTS (280 lectures), spoke at 2 weekend retreats and at a family camp (Northern Pines), led and taught on 2 Israel Tours, traveled to Jordan to teach at JETS and speak at churches, did an "academic" river tour down the Grand Canyon, had a great vacation with my wife in British Columbia as we visited Sarah and John, saw my daughter Charity (and husband Justin) face melanoma cancer, rejoiced with Joshua as he got engaged to Haleight (wedding this coming May), saw Jeff Denton come to be our lead pastor at Waterbrook, took on a new position as Department Chair of Bible Exposition, postponed my sabbatical from next year to the following year, and enjoyed life.
I'm still in love with my wife Sharon after 34 years, I am enjoyed my adult children and their spouses (still waiting for grandkids, hint), glad my mother and father, brothers and sisters are still healthy and following the Lord and I still enjoy ministry at DTS and when I get a chance to travel I love to preach (last week Joshua and I did a sermon-duet at Bayside (http://www.baysidecommunitychurch.net/speakers.html).
Sometimes I think I get a little too busy but I do want to make my life count while I'm here on earth these few short years. This November I will celebrate 20 years of my kidney transplant (thanks Eleanor for the gift) and so I am perhaps conscious more than most that our days are numbered and we are responsible to the Lord to use each day for his glory. I take time to watch TV, read, eat, meet with people, etc. My wife helps keep my feet on the ground and and my life practical.
This coming year, besides my regular duties at DTS and Waterbrook, I am planning to help lead the IFL Swindoll tour to Israel (http://www.insight.org/ministry/events/israel-2010.html), to teach at Word of Life in Hungary (and possibly also in Romania), to teach in Hong Kong, preach at Crier Creek Family Camp, to teach at Montana Wilderness School of the Bible, perform the wedding of Joshua and Haleigh, go to Ontario to celebrate my parents 60th, and lose some weight. I'll report, Lord willing, next year on how my 56th year went!