Walk Toward the Light

The tenth Aglow trip to Israel has been completed with the majority of the group returning home on May 4. Those in the group who traveled to Petra in Jordan, returned on May 6 and 7 after being delayed due to jet fuel contamination. All flights within the nation were delayed for two days while more fuel was brought in.

Every trip we have taken to Israel has been purposeful and packed with prophetic meaning. I am convinced that our presence there is more significant than we can possibly ever see this side of heaven.

With, The Struggle for Jerusalem as the theme many significant things took place during this journey and we believe that we fulfilled our prophetic purpose in being there.

Our trip began in the Galilee area with a fun boat ride on the sea, a visit to the Mount of Beatitudes and a meaningful baptismal service at the Jordan River, led by Billy Fleming. Even those who were not being baptized stepped into the Jordan signifying a stepping into the new season and asking God for a fresh outpouring of His Holy Spirit upon us as individuals and as a ministry.

As we departed the Galilee and traveled south to Jerusalem we stopped to visit Cana, the place of Jesus’ first miracle. While there, we witnessed the renewal of vows between Glenda and Billy Fleming’s daughter Jamie and her husband Jay Holland. It was a beautiful time for all of us as we renewed our covenant relationship with Jesus, our bridegroom, as well as renewed our commitment to Aglow. Tony and I blessed the couple and we ended by singing love songs to Jesus.

As we arrived in Jerusalem we met on Mt. Scopus for a Watchmen on the Wall commissioning. As we stood there it began to rain, softly as first and then with more intensity. We began singing, It’s Beginning to Rain, calling for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit over the Jewish people. That night there was loud thunder and lightning mixed with hard rain. It continued to rain off and on through the next day.

Ezra, our tour guide, told us that Aglow is the only group he knows of that causes rain to come out of season to a parched Israel.

Another unique Aglow timing connection was May 1st.  It was Aglow’s first time on the Temple Mount as an entire group. It was also the same morning that Bin Laden’s death was announced; and it was Israel’s National Holocaust Memorial Day and the 66th anniversary of the announcement of Hitler’s death.

We had a meaningful time in the Garden of Gethsemane, took communion together at the Garden Tomb, visited the Rabbinical Tunnels that wind under the Western Wall, had a beautiful prayer time in the Jerusalem Prayer Tower (which is a part of King of Kings church,) and met with Asher Intrater’s team at the Revive Israel Training Center. Some of the group traveled to Eilat on the Red Sea and took a side trip to Petra in Jordan.

Every trip we have taken to Israel has been purposeful and packed with prophetic meaning. I am convinced that our presence there is more significant than we can possibly ever see this side of heaven. It has been a journey of faith and a journey of obedience to travel to Israel these past 10 years. It has been a time filled with great turmoil, unrest, intifadas, threats and growing hatred focused on the Jewish people. But, we have heard clearly that, we have been called for such a time as this.

We remain obedient and focused on that which God has called us to in standing with His people for His purposes. Zechariah 12:3 states, I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. Ultimately, the stone, the rock that has become the issue is not just Jerusalem and the Jewish people.  It’s Jesus, the One the world will either accept or reject. It is His authority that is the final issue.

Even as Jesus asked the disciples to watch and pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, He is asking of us the same thing today. Will you watch and pray with Him in this time of great distress as the world closes in on the tiny, but powerful nation of Israel?

April 25^th is the departure date for Aglow’s 10^th trip into Israel. There will be women and men from 7 nations represented and we too will be, …standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!   Praying for the peace of Jerusalem…. and that Peace be within your walls….

I have a great sense of urgency about this trip.  Each trip we have taken to Israel has been purposeful and prophetic, but perhaps none as significant as this year’s time in the land.

 

Israel is God’s Prophetic Time Clock

I think we can all sense the changing of the times and the increase of the signs of the times, from ever changing weather patterns to changes in societal thinking.  With the rise of abortions, homosexuality, drug abuse, pornography, human trafficking, violence on our streets and in our schools, and an erosion of Judeo-Christian values, society is experiencing a downward spiral.

At the same time, we are witnessing an escalation of the world’s focus on the nation of Israel and the Jewish people.  It causes us to pay close attention to the unfolding series of events and the increase of anti-Semitism, with its expressions of hatred and violence against the Jewish people.

Historical church movements, which are generally against Christian Zionism and hold to replacement theology or fulfillment theology (the Church is the fulfillment of the meaning of Israel and ethnic Israel has no great significance), are calling for disinvestment in companies doing business with Israel.  Those who continue to stand with Israel and who support the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy, are being viewed as misguided.

Israel today is facing greater and greater isolation from the world, as well as a targeted campaign to delegitimize her.

 

The Struggle for Jerusalem

The theme chosen for this journey to Israel is, The Struggle for Jerusalem. The final showdown will be related to this capital city.  God has spoken a great deal about the city of Jerusalem.  It is His eternal city.  He promises, I…will be a wall of fire around her and…the glory in her midst. Zechariah 2:4-5 NKJV

The struggle is ultimately a governmental issue, with God’s authority being the final issue of the times. GOD chose the city and the nation that would be the reference point of His authority. Israel and its capital city,  Jerusalem will be the place that constitutes a test for all mankind. God will make her an immoveable rock for all nations.  The struggle to submit to God’s authority is inevitable!

…I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.  And it shall happen in the day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples;  all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. Zechariah 12:2-3 NKJV

For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation:  ‘This is My resting place forever:  Here I will dwell for I have desired it.’ Psalm 132:13-14 NKJV

With the increase of Jews returning to Israel from the four corners of the earth, God has been fulfilling the prophetic word spoken in Isaiah 11:11.  Through the  recognition of Israel as a nation in 1948, we have seen the fulfillment of Isaiah 66:7-8.  And then, through the re-occupation of the city of Jerusalem, the fulfillment of Zechariah 8:4-8.

Yes, truly, the restoration of modern day Israel is not a political coincidence, but rather, evidence of God’s faithfulness to His word.  We are seeing God’s prophetic time table move forward in our day in amazing ways.

The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.  Glorious things are spoken of you, O City of God. Psalm 87:2-3 NKJV

Aglow will be standing within the gates of Zion, proclaiming the heart of God for His people and crying out…

PEACE, PEACE, PEACE, WITHIN YOUR WALLS!

I have just returned home after attending Graham Cooke’s conference entitled, “The Art of Thinking Brilliantly.”   Graham has such a simple, yet profound way of expressing God’s truth and ways.  This conference was significant in its expression of our daily, ongoing need to have our mind renewed.

We all encounter various trials.  Life has its way of measuring out a regular dose of challenges along the way, doesn’t it?  It’s easy to get bogged down, overwhelmed, and discouraged.

However, as Graham reminded us, there is only one thought to have in any situation…it is the one God is having about it!  Our starting place always guarantees the outcome. And we can trust the Holy Spirit to show us that starting place.

James said we are to “count it all joy.”  So, when we encounter trials of any sort, or fall into various temptations, there is a higher way to encounter it than an “oh no” in our spirit.

Every trial enlarges our experience of God’s goodness.  Every situation has an upgrade contained in it.  If our mindset was changed to wholly embrace everything as a challenge from heaven, and to see what God is doing, it would drastically adjust how we live, and how we view all things.  Our emotions would be stabilized and our demeanor more peaceful.  Our joyfulness would become contagious.  ”…to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”  Romans 8:6 NKJV

Begin to take stock of how God is going to manifest His victory and His joy in every situation you face.  Partner with God through laughter and joy.  Every challenge is an opportunity to “think brilliantly” and to know that every issue you face is already in Christ’s hands because you are in Christ.  That means you cannot fail! God is bringing you into a whole new, fresh way.

We will spend eternity walking in this kind of joyfulness.  Let’s start now.

This week I received an exciting letter from our friend and ministry partner, Dr. Victor Khalil, President of Ministries International. Dr. Khalil is an Aglow International Advisor, a vital part of our Diwaniya Arabic Television series, and oversees our North American TV Response Center. Victor was born in Egypt and his insights about events that have been taking place there the past few weeks are very encouraging. Let me share some of his thoughts: