Bud Wenzel's Israel Journeys

Well we made it…22 hours later we arrived in Tel Aviv. God has been gracious to us in many ways already. First of all, both of our flights arrived early. That is incredibly rare in international travel with connections. We had no trouble with our flights and everyone received their luggage. Also, as we were getting off the plane here in Tel Aviv we noticed that there was a British Airways plane offloading onto the same ramp. As it turns out it was Deana’s plane. We literally ran into her about 50 feet from the plane. This was so unexpected because we were supposed to arrive at different times.
Everyone was quite tired when we arrived to the hotel. But, no one was too tired to eat that wonderful food. Our dining room sat on the edge of the beach overlooking the Mediterranean where we were able to watch the sunset while eating. What a perfect and beautiful end to this day. I believe that is how tomorrow will start…with God surprising His people with the beauty and wonder of this incredible land.
We were delighted to meet our tour guide for the next 8 days. She is a dear sweet lady named Gilla, and it appears as if she has really connected with some of our folks already. They gathered and sat with her after dinner discussing the nature of Jews living in the land.
Tomorrow is a huge day beginning with a hotel departure of 8:30AM. I can’t wait to see there faces as they meet with new and exciting adventures in the Land.
Shalom!

One day until departure! I pray that those of you who are about to embark on this journey will be blessed with all the abundance of God's presence and intimacy. We know that God is eager to show Himself to those who desire Him. There are strong statements in the Bible concerning God's love for Israel the people....and this land. I believe with all my heart that God blesses those who care enough to seek out all that God loves so that they may love it too. Listen to what God says,

"Therefore you shall keep every commandment which I command yo9u today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land which you cross over to possess, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord swore to give your fathers, to them and their descendants, 'a land flowing with milk and honey.' For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come...but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the Lord your God cares; they eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year." (Deuteronomy 11:8-12)

"The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, Even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, The excellence of Carmel and Sharon, They shall see the glory of the Lord, The excellence of our God." (Isaiah 35:1-2)

May you see deeply into the heart of God as you walk through the land of God's revelation and glory. The rose is blossoming so go and see...rejoice!

I will see you all tomorrow morning at the Continental check in ticket counter. Remember to be there no later than 8:45AM. And, Don't forget your passports!!!

I have enabled the "comment" feature on my blogs...feel free to add your comments at the bottom of any entry to make this fun! Keep it clean!

Ok, all those going on this trip should be fully engaged in packing today. Although, I have heard that some have been practicing for some time now. I love to hear how excited everyone is! Here is something to keep in mind...It is very important to provide room for the things that you may be bringing back. I promise you that you will find many little souvenirs to bring back with you. Don't miscount the value of these items. One of the things we will learn on this trip is that people need physical reminders to connect them to spiritual truths. That is why the Lord instituted the Lord's Supper and Baptism. So, there may be something (it might even be a rock taken from the ground) that you can bring back with you to see, touch, and talk about in order to remind you of the moving experience of renewal. You may bring back something that you put in your living room that facilitates spiritual discussion every time people come to visit...you may acquire something that is deeply personal that serves as a reminder of God's truth...or, you may bring back a unique and valuable teaching tool that aids you in your small group class.
Let this trip be a physical exercise in "going to God". We should really evaluate our lives. What are we doing every day? What are my true priorities? Do I love God with all my heart, soul, and strength? Is God as real to me as he is to the Jewish people that I observed? These are all good questions for contemplation and prayer. He alone is worthy!

Tomorrow's weather in Tiberias: Sunny, High 81 - Low 67
Tomorrow's weather in Jerusalem: Sunny, High 73 - Low 54

There has never been a better time to travel to Israel. One of the really exciting things about going today is the abundance of archeological sites. The Jewish people are working very hard (with the help and support of many academic and Biblical institutions) to make up for lost time. There is a sense of urgency to the historical discovery process right now. After all, Jews are eager to show their heritage and physical identity to the land.

They are discovering new sites and artifacts at breakneck speed. And Israel is a treasure field of ancient and Biblical historical finds. It is said that you can't stick a shovel in the ground there without hitting a piece of valuable history.
We will be very blessed to see and experience the fruit of many of these archeological finds. These discoveries always verify and affirm the Bible as being accurate. Now...we don't use archeology to "prove" the Bible. The Bible does not need any physical historical evidence to be proven. It is true because it is the Word of God, and it lives in us. However, we can use archeology to affirm the historical accuracy of the Bible. And, more importantly it gives us a greater understanding of the context in order to more fully understand and apply the Bible to our lives. It sheds light, magnifies, and brings to life those stories that have become strangely distant in our minds.
So...bring your Bibles, your pens, and your shovels (ok, not your shovels) and we will "dig in" to the Bible to glean all we can from the incredible physical findings of Biblical history.

Weather tomorrow in Tiberias: Sunny/ 84 degrees
Weather tomorrow in Jerusalem: Sunny/ 77 degrees

As of today all of our flight information remains the same. We are scheduled to depart Monday at 11:45AM. We arrive in Newark at 8:04PM, and then fly out for Tel Aviv at 10:50PM. That will put us in Tel Aviv at 4:15PM on Tuesday, May 26th. The first evening in Israel will be spent getting acclimated for the most part. We will be met by our tour guide and bus driver who will take us to our first hotel. The short drive will be filled with introductions and some informative briefings. After a wonderful meal and maybe a walk on the beach of the Mediterranean, we will all head off to bed for a much needed full night's sleep. The next day will be absolutely full!

The first day will begin with two locations that are very key to the success of the first church. We will see how Peter's vision and visit to Cornelius' house was perfectly timed in history to facilitate the Gospel being spread to everyone...especially the gentiles. You will also see an actual location of a "Bema" seat that Paul stood before after being arrested and taken to Caesarea. Just when you think you have seen all you can see for one day...we will ascend to the very top of Mt. Carmel to see where Elijah called on God in order to defeat the prophets of Baal. It won't be over...more that afternoon.

Tomorrow's weather in Tiberias: Sunny/ 84 degrees
Tomorrow's weather in Jerusalem: Sunny/ 78 degrees