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"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces."
(Psalm 122:6-7)
This week's devotions will be different. I will share with you much of what I wrote in my journal on our recent trip to Israel. I will write this week about my personal observations and beliefs. I know some will disagree with some of my beliefs, but there will be many more who agree and affirm. Forgive the rough style of the devotions this week. At times, these writings will lack a clear flow, but keep in mind, these devotions are based on my journal entries while in Israel.
My wife Ashley and I, along with 1,000 other evangelical pastors and ministry leaders, traveled to Israel for an 8-day Ambassador's Summit. All expenses for the trip were paid by the Israeli government and the Friends of Zion, led by 78-year-old Mike Evans. He is the most passionate man I have ever met whose life's aim is to bless the nation of Israel. This trip was very different than trips I have previously taken to the Holy Land (and a holy land indeed it is). Eighty percent of the events in the Old and New Testaments of Holy Scripture happened in Israel. It is always a powerful time whenever I visit this place. If the Lord wills, I plan to return many more times.
We traveled from Austin, TX to New Jersey and then boarded a 10-hour flight to Tel Aviv. We then drove for an hour to Jerusalem to stay at the King David Hotel. (Only in Jerusalem and the USA is there a 9-11 Memorial with all the names of those who died. Israel is our greatest ally in the Middle East.) This is one of the nicest hotels in the world; many kings and dignitaries have stayed here. Their signatures are written on the ground floor of the hotel and visible for all to see. We were up at 5:30 a.m. on December 3rd for a 2-hour drive (gas is $8 a gallon in Israel!) to attend a ceremony at the Nova Festival site where over 1,200 Jews were killed by Hamas terrorists. Gaza is only 4 kilometers away. We were told that it was helpful (even therapeutic) for Israelis to see Americans coming to the kibbutz Be'eri outside Gaza to remember those killed Oct 7, 2023.
In Judges 16:28, Samson prayed for God to give him strength in one last victory over the Philistines. This event in Samson's life occurred in this area of Gaza where he died. The Israelites, however, went and got Samson's body and brought it back to Israel.
Unfortunately, we learned that it was not just Hamas but many Gazan citizens who participated in the massacre. The wall of separation between Israel and Gaza was broken through in around 80 places. War is horrible. Israel responded with a vengeance, and unfortunately many civilians have been killed in this war since October 2023. Ambassador Mike Huckabee told our group that one of the lies being promoted is that Israel is committing genocide on the innocent Gazan people. He said that is not true, and if Israel was guilty of genocide, then they are terrible at it. He also shared that of all wars fought, this one has had the least amount of collateral damage.
Please pray for Israel and for peace for the many innocent Gazan people caught up in a war led by Hamas.
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