October 11, 2007

Dear World News and Prophecy Subscriber,

I have just returned home from a two-week trip to Jordan and Israel. It was a very successful trip that mixed the observance of the biblical Feast of Tabernacles, touring biblical sites and meeting people from other parts of the world. I was also able to make some contacts that can help further our mission of preaching the gospel and preparing God's people for their future role in His Kingdom.

Touring the ancient sites where God worked with kings and prophets, religious leaders and fishermen, brought those episodes into sharp focus. My teaching stressed the application to our daily lives. The land of Jordan and Israel contains rivers, lakes, cities and towns where Jesus walked, taught and healed the people who were desperately hungry for good news and a better life.

As we visited these sites I wanted our people to understand it was more than just a nice tour. We were there to study the Bible on-site. We were there to reinforce our commitment to the living Christ's work within us by the Holy Spirit. The same work done on-site by Christ in those first-century villages is being done today by and through His Church, of which He is the living head. Our tour was designed to make the Bible come alive and encourage and motivate us for the work that lies ahead.

Today most of these places have been turned into dusty, crowded tourist spots that prevent you from really picturing the setting we read of in the Gospels. There is one site that is an exception. It happened to be our final stop in Israel, the ancient city of Bethsaida. This is the small town on the Sea of Galilee where Christ fed five thousand and healed the sick. It was one of three cities, along with Chorazin and Capernaum, that He chided for not responding to the mighty works done in their midst (Matthew 11:20-24).

Today you can visit this site and walk on the pavement where Christ walked and see the remains of the city in the shape and form it was in during the first century. In Bethsaida, unlike Jerusalem, you get a sense of place from the pages of the Gospels. It can be quite moving. I did a Beyond Today television program called "A Passion for Christ" and referenced this location to illustrate this idea.

Bethsaida was a fishing village on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was the home of the disciples Peter, Andrew and Philip. Today the waters of the sea have receded more than a mile away. It offers a compelling lesson that if we do not hear the words and teachings of Christ, letting them move us to repentance and engagement with His work, then we, too, can be cut off from the life-giving waters of the Spirit. Christ is with us and involved with our lives when we listen to His teaching and let Him walk with us in our daily life.

More than ever the message of the gospel of the Kingdom of God needs to reach the spiritually impoverished and blind peoples of our strife-torn world. The gospel of the Kingdom is the only message that can give people the light of understanding in a dark world held captive by the prince of darkness. Matthew's Gospel spoke of the light Christ brought to the cities of Galilee: "The land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned" (Matthew 4:15-16).

This work is proclaiming the true gospel of the coming Kingdom of God. This is the light that shines through the darkness of today's world, giving hope and a vision of a better life. I am glad to have once again had a two-week change from my normal routine to travel and see other cultures. I have literally had a news blackout from current events because of the pace of our travels. I will get caught up on these events and start commenting on my Longitude blog over the coming days.

If you have not had a chance to read the posts I made on the trip, be sure to do so at wnponline.org. We are starting to work on the November issue of World News and Prophecy. Keep an eye on our Web site for updates on the many issues and events happening in our world.

Keep watching,