Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine
Day-by-Day; Biblical Moment-by-Biblical Moment Log of Month-Long Spiritual Journey!
For those of you who have followed my world golf journeys over the last 5 years—to Mexico, Central America, South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the 2016 Summer Golf Olympics in Rio de Janerio, Brazil—know that they became inspiration-seeking, spiritual journeys as well. Well this one to Israel and Palestine will be purely spiritual in nature. Seeking any and all religious and spiritual insights into Judaism, Islam, Christianity et al, my life goal is to learn how to change hearts beginning with mine! Changing and connecting hearts around the world seems to me to be the only hope for bringing true worldwide peace, joy, justice, reconciliation, unity, freedom, faith, and abundance to all human beings. Please wish me well with your thoughts and prayers! TROML Baby (an exclamation of joy)! PS: as always I am looking for personal contacts with regard to accommodations and what sites to visit. I will have a rental car and it is a relatively small country so I can stay anywhere and be anywhere for the day! Thank you! Andy
(Facebook Post with 1 Pic; Andy Reistetter; 11-14-18)
Day 1: Arrived safely in Israel! Already visited Haifa, Nazareth, and Tiberias & Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee! Cursory first look! Amazing to be where Jesus lived, walked, & ministered 2,000+ years ago! Tel Aviv and Jerusalem today! Seven hours ahead of USA on Friday morning! TROML Baby (an exclamation of joy)!!!
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 30 Pics; 12-14-18)
Bible Moment No. 1: In the Bible there are 2,548 references to Israel—the people, the land, this country on the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. There are 645 Topical Indexes ranging alphabetically from Aaron to Zuzims!
In the Bible there is only one reference to Palestine but there are 60 Topical Indexes. Here is the sole biblical reference to Palestine:
I found my bed in the dark in Nentanya the first night and woke up to seen the beautiful coast of the Mediterranean Sea!
Judges 1:1: “Canaanites in Palestine. After the death of Joshua the Israelites consulted the Lord, asking, “Who shall be first among us to attack the Canaanites and to do battle with them?”
Why am I here? Why did I come to Israel and Palestine on this Spiritual Journey?
Because the world is confusing, I am confusing within and so is every other human being. I seek spiritual solutions to living in this secular and religious world of confusion. I seek answers for my life here on Earth and beyond. I want to see beyond what seems to be—within me and in the world as we know it today!
I seek to find my Splendid Spiritual Self!
(Andy Reistetter; Bible Moment No. 1: Arriving in Israel & Palestine)
Biblical Moment 2: Walking as Jesus Walked in Israel & Palestine…
Day 1 of a 2-day quick orientation of where Jesus walked in Israel and Palestine. More area to be covered in the month-long ‘Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine’ but for now just a cursory look to get my bearings.
View from Nazareth to the south into the Jezreel Valley…
Today, after rising in Nentanya on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea refreshed after two days of travel, I ventured north and east to Haifa, Nazareth, and Tiberius, & Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee.
A Bible search for Jesus has in 978 hits and 691 Topical Indexes which I interpret as saying wherever Jesus went and whatever Jesus said was pretty much a new topic; an endless vein of truth, clarity, and life to fully explore.
That is my wish for completing this endeavor—to not only be more knowledgeable about Jesus in my mind but also to know His Presence in my heart. To cleanse and purify my heart in Jesus and relate to Him, The Holy Spirit, and God Our Father as closely as possible as my Splendid Spiritual Self.
Interesting that the above Bible Search had one suggested result:
John 11:35: “And Jesus wept.”
Jesus was a human being just like us and…
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”
Present and accountable on the shore of the Sea of Galilee!
1 Peter 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…”
John 14:26: “The Advocate, The Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you…”
This day I ventured to Haifa near Mount Carmel and the Caves of Elijah; then over to Nazareth where Jesus lived as a child; onward east to the appearance and spectacle of the Sea of Galilee while driving down the slope to Tiberius; and then just a bit north along the shore to Capernaum where Jesus called home during much of his 3-year ministry.
(Andy Reistetter; Bible Moment No. 2: Walking as Jesus Walked in Israel & Palestine…)
Day 2: First Look at Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Jerusalem, The Old City, & The Western Wall…
Fishing in the Mediterranean Sea at the Port of Jaffa just south of Tel Aviv!
Day 2 of Andy’s month-long ‘Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine! Crashing a real estate Grand Opening Celebration! A cursory first look at Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Jerusalem, and The Western Wall (nice parking space)! Home in Netanya by sunset!
TROML Baby (an exclamation of Joy & Gratitude)!!!
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 32 Pics; 12-22-18)
Biblical Moment 3: Jerusalem, Jerusalem. The Old City & the Western Wall…
Jews, Christians, and Muslims go to Israel to visit Jerusalem, the Old City of Jerusalem…
The Western Wall straight ahead with the ‘temporary’ bridge to the Temple Mount on the right.
As did I, somehow making my way way through Jerusalem, finding the Old City, finding a parking place literally at the Western Wall, and going inside the Dung Gate to pay my respects and pray at the Western Wall. Late on a Friday afternoon, with the sun going down at the start of Shabbat…
Matthew 23:37: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were unwilling!”
There are 931 references and 352 topical indexes attributed to ‘Jerusalem’ in the Bible.
Saint Paul the Apostle noted the Old City of Jerusalem as being the center of Christianity.
Romans 15:19: “By the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum I have finished preaching the gospel of Christ.”
Inside Wilson’s Arch at the Western Wall.
Although this visit to Jerusalem was short, only a couple of hours, I spent most of my time at the Western Wall. I wore a yamaka provided by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation and went inside the covered area within Wilson’s Arch to the left of the Western Wall. There I sat in a chair, wrote in my TROML Journal and prayed for peace, wisdom, and the knowledge of God’s Will for the rest of my life.
I would come back to Jerusalem, The Old City, and the Western Wall three more times during my month-long visit to Israel and Palestine. I wrote my prayers on Post-It Notes and placed them in the crevice of the Western Wall on the third visit and stayed in the Christ Church Guest House inside the Jaffa Gate to the Old City for three nights on my fourth visit.
Finding the Church of the Holy Sepulcher inside the Old City on my second visit and spending time inside the Empty Tomb touched and changed my heart eternally.
(Andy Reistetter; Biblical Moment 3: Jerusalem, Jerusalem. The Old City & the Western Wall…)
Day 3: Discovering Caesarea Golf & CC and Caesarea National Park, a Biblical Place!
Day 3 of Andy’s month-long ‘Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine! A quiet Shabbat Sabbath for the Jews of Israel! I took a short drive north to discover the only golf course in Israel- the Caesarea Golf & Country Club! A sneak preview of the 2007 Pete Dye Signature Course!
Then I went a mile west to see the Mediterranean Sea and discovered the biblical Caesarea National Park! WOW, built by King Herod in Pontius Pilate and Jesus’s time on this earth!
Then home to Netanya Square to enjoy a beer and slice of pizza at Casa Mia and capture this inspirational day in my TROML/SSS journal! TROML Baby (an exclamation of joy)!
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 40 Pics; 12-24-18)
Biblical Moment No. 4: Paul’s Trial at Caesarea Sets Him Free to Sail to Rome!
Biblical Moment No. 4 of Andy’s Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine; in Caesarea where Paul appeared in the Audience Hall of King Herod’s Palace… with artifacts of Pontius Pilate…
Very detailed account of Apostle & Saint Paul in Caesarea in Acts C23-27… suffice it to say that he was granted his wish to be tried as a Roman in Rome… includes his interaction and conversion with Jesus on the road to Damascus while he was a persecutor of the Christ disciples…
Biblical Moment No. 5: Saint Peter the Apostle Converts Cornelius to Christianity at Caesarea!
Biblical Moment No. 5 of Andy’s Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine… King Herod’s Caesarea was a very important part of the Roman Empire at the time… but the presence of Saint Paul the Apostle and Saint Peter the Apostle in Caesarea had lasting and dynamic implications for Christianity and the world. Cornelius, a Gentile, would be converted and baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and become one of the early Christians. Here is the biblical account of Saint Peter the Apostle in Caesarea: Cornelius’s Vision (Acts 10: 1-48 (In its entirety.))
Day 4: St. Anthony & St. Peter Churches in Jaffa and Little Prague in Bat Yam!
Enlightening dinner conversation with my new Arab Christian friend Linda at Little Prague.
A beautiful Sunday in Tel-Aviv celebrating mass at St. Anthony’s both in Arabic and English; in between masses I was asked by Linda to join her family, Father Augustine (who gave both masses and is from Mexico… that’s at least 3 fluent languages!) & others for coffee which turned out to be a sweet Mexican pineapple stew and deserts leftover from a Spanish Celebration the night before (lucky me!).
I had lunch at the kosher IFRAM restaurant (falalfel), visited St. Peters Church and walked around Jaffa Port with its beautiful views of Tel-Aviv.
Later I joined Linda for dinner at Little Prague in Bat Yam… as expected the chicken cordon blue was delicious and the conversation fascinating! What a blessing to meet other Christians that have grown up on the opposite side of the world!
TROML Baby (an Exclamation of Joy & Gratitude)!!!
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 40 Pics; 12-31-18)
Comment Highlights:
April Ann: Incredible what a journey!
Biblical Moment 6: Visiting St. Peter’s Church in Jaffa where Saint Peter Performed Miracles!
St. Peter’s Church set on a bluff overlooking the Port of Jaffa and the Mediterranean Sea; a beacon of light for sailors and Christian Pilgrims too!
Biblical Moment No. 6 of Andy’s Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine… visiting St. Peter’s church in Jaffa, near the Old Jaffa Port, just south of Tel-Aviv. The biblical presence of St. Peter in Jaffa (called Joppa in the Bible) is enormous and very critical to the growth of Christianity back in the days of the Apostles.
It is here in Jaffa that Saint Peter heals the paralyzed Aenas; performs the resurrection of Tabitha; and stays at Simon the Tanner’s home.
There Saint Peter receives a Vision of the Spirit. Then he travels to Caesarea to visit Cornelius and understands that Vision to be that all people, Gentiles included are welcome and eligible for the Salvation of the Lord. “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” And he ordered them (Gentiles) to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Here are the Scriptures of St. Peter’s Ministry in Jaffa:
Acts 9: 32-35: “Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up. And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.”
Acts 9: 36-43: “Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” So Peter arose and went with them.
Inside St. Peter’s Church… The Holy Spirit is upon us!
When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.”
Acts Chapter 10:
Day 5: Back to Jerusalem for Second Time in First Five Days!
Day 5 of Andy’s month-long ‘Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine!
Woke up in Tel-Aviv… navigated around the city to meet a friend of a friend for coffee… headed to Jerusalem, this time for a 2-night stay… made my way up the Mount of Olives just in time for a breathtaking sunset over the Old City of Jerusalem.
Piece of pizza and found my way to my Airbnb on Levi Street a couple of kilometers from the Old City… made it to Jerusalem!
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 29 Pics; 12-31-18)
Biblical Moment 7: “I have chosen Jerusalem, that My Name may be There… God the Father. Al-le-lu-ia!!!
Biblical Moment No. 7 of Andy’s Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine:
2 Chronicles 6:6: “Yet I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.”
From the Mount of Olives overlooking the Old City… which contains the Western Wall (Judaism)… Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Christianity)… and the Dome of the Rock (Islam)… all three faiths plus more religions and 40,000 residents living in respect, harmony, & peace for the most part!
If Jerusalem can do it, why can’t the world?
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 7 Pics; 12-17-18)
Day 6: From Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem to His Resurrection in the Empty Tomb in the Old City!
Birthplace, Manger, Baby Jesus, and Christmas Tree from Bethlehem; Calvary and Empty Tomb with Risen Lord Above at Chiurch of the Holy Speulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem (From Lower Left Corner Clockwise)
What an extraordinary day this day was! One of perseverance, determination and in the end everything working out beyond expectations! At the end of the day I spent quiet time with my Lord & Savior in the exact location He was born in the Grotto underneath the altar in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in Palestine and at Calvary where He was crucified and in the Empty Tomb where He was resurrected in the Church of the Nativity in the Old City of Jerusalem. With perfect timing at all three locations there were no lines and I was able to pray for about 15 minutes at each place. Just mind and spirit boggling to say the least; hard to comprehend; and now even a year later still so purifying, cleansing and impactful!
Biblical Moment 8: In Bethlehem Visiting the Church of the Nativity where Jesus was Born!
A Prayer of Smiles & Joy at the exact spot where Jesus was born!
Luke 2:4-7: “Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Extraordinary day crossing into Palestine and walking a couple of miles through Bethlehem up to the Church of the Nativity… going into the Nativity Grotto under the altar and seeing the exact spot where Jesus was born and a few feet away the manger… right after witnessing the Noon Blessing! Al-le-lu-ia!
I quickly realized that a Noon blessing ceremony was about to take place so I went to the video and captured it timing out my 5-minute timer twice and then shot a third depicting their exit through the tiny door at the end of the cavern that I would wonder about a bit later.
CLICK HERE for Part 1 of 3 of the VIDEO of the Noon Nativity Blessing!
CLICK HERE for Part 2 of 3 of the VIDEO of the Noon Nativity Blessing!
CLICK HERE for Part 3 of 3 of the VIDEO of the Noon Nativity Blessing!
Calvary in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Christ died on the Cross for our sins…
Biblical Moment 9: Visiting Calvary in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City…
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”
Bit of a strange day being where Jesus was born, where he died, and where he rose from the dead. My emotions were all over the place from the moment I woke up with anticipation to the moment I fell asleep with joy and comfort. Yet there were deep moments of sadness being at Golgatha in between His Birth in Bethlehem and His Resurrection downstairs and not too far away in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Biblical Moment 10: Celebrating the Easter Resurrection of Jesus Christ in the Empty Holy Sepulchre!
Praying inside the Empty Tomb, for myself, family, friends, & strangers… for peace in our world!
John 11:25-26: “Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Suffice it to say that the day started with the birth of Baby Jesus in Bethlehem; moved to the Old City to witness the death of Jesus on the Cross for our sins at Golgatha; and ended joyously with the Easter Resurrection of Jesus Christ!
The tomb was indeed empty and housed me for a good 15 minutes or so of contemplation, prayer, and joyous celebration!
Day 7: Backtracking to Tel-Aviv to Fully Experience the Port of Jaffa and then North to Haifa!
Lodging in Haifa overlooking the port and downtown areas, right down the street from the B’haia Gardens!
After spending the first week exploring and taking cursory looks at Haifa, Nazareth, Tiberias, Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem it is time to double back, spend some more time and experience each of these places up close and personally.
First up is the Old Port of Jaffa in Tel-Aviv and then up the Mediterranean Coast to Haifa!
Here are the pictures!
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 34 Pics; 1-13-19)
Biblical Moment 11: Simon the Tanner’s House in Jaffa; Saint Peter’s Vision of Unity for All!
Somebody lives in Simon the Tanner’s house today… does God the Father, God The Holy Spirit, and God The Son Jesus Christ live inside you right now?
The references in the Scriptures to Simon the Tanner’s house in Joppa (Jaffa today):
And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon. Acts 9: 43 (NASB)
Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea. Acts 10: 5-6 (NASB)
On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop (of Simon the Tanner’s house) about the sixth hour to pray. Acts 10:9.
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 40 Pics; 1-13-19)
Biblical Moment 12: Jonah’s Disobedience, Repentance, & Ninevah’s Freedom!
Day 7: Biblical Moment No. 12 of Andy’s Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine… familiar book and story of the Bible began in Jaffa (called Joppa in the Bible)… we all know how that one turned out… best to do as the Lord commands from the get-go! The entire 4-chapter book of Jonah is presented here with the reference to Jaffa (Joppa) in Verse 1:3.
Book of Jonah:
Jonah’s Disobedience
1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 9 Pics; 1-13-19)
Day 8 of Andy’s month-long ‘Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine!
Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth…
Off to Nazareth to visit the Church of the Annunciation where the archangel Gabriel told the young Virgin Mary that she would become the mother of the Son of God. Amazing to be at the place written about in the Bible!
Then through the nearby markets (bought a pair of sandals) to the Old Synagogue where Jesus utilized the reading from the Prophet Isaias in the Old Testament to reveal that He is The Messiah.
After lunch and a view of the Jezreel Valley, it was off to visit the Wedding Church at Cana where Jesus performed His first miracle turning water into wine,
Then onward to Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee to be greeted by a rainbow.
Seeing the rainbow as a sign of God’s renewed covenant with me I figured that it was time to renew my baptismal commitment to Him, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit and be baptized in the Jordan River at nearby Yardenit. Thank you to Pastor Komolate of Nigeria for taking the time to baptize me at closing time while a bus load of pilgrims waited for him!
Back to Haifa to celebrate a great day of life on the festive Yafe Nof Street! TROML Baby (an exclamation of joy)!
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 40 Pics; 1-13-19)
Biblical Moment No. 13 of Andy’s Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine… visiting the Church of the Annuciation where the Angel Gabriel inform the Virgin Mary that she would become the Mother of the Son of God and she accepted God’s Will… immersed in the spirituality, inspiration, & obedience of the Virgin Mary…. Here are the Scriptures from Luke & Matthew:
Praying to the Virgin Mary in the lower level of the Church of the Annunciation!
Jesus’ Birth Foretold Luke 1: 26-38 (NASB): “Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.
The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 40 Pics; 1-14-19)
Biblical Moment No. 14 of Andy’s Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine… early in the ministry of Jesus after being baptized by John and tempted by the devil… Jesus in the Synagogue in Nazareth utilizes the reading from the Prophet Isaias in the Old Testament to reveal that He is the Messiah that Isaias prophesied…
Reading in the Synagogue in Nazareth:
And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written (Reference Isaias 61:1-3),
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners….
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 36 Pics; 1-1-2019)
Biblical Moment No. 15 of Andy’s Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine… visiting the Wedding Church of Cana where Jesus performed His first miracle by turning water into wine…. here are the Scriptures from John:
Miracle at Cana John 2:1-11 (NASB): “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him.
When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”
This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 36 Pics; 1-14-19)
A sign of God’s Covenant with US! A rainbow over the Sea of Galilee!
Biblical Moment No. 16 of Andy’s Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine!
A Sign of God’s Covenant with Us: A Rainbow Over the Sea of Galilee!
Genesis 9:13,14 & 16: “I do set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud… And the rainbow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.”
CLICK HERE for Video of Rainbow over the Sea of Galilee—God’s Covenant with US!
Biblical Moment 17: Being Baptized in the Jordan River at Yardenit by Pastor Komolate!
Coming down into Tiberias, a rainbow appeared over the Sea of Galilee to greet me to this historic and spiritual place!
Seeing the rainbow as a sign of God’s renewed covenant with me I figured that it was time to renew my baptismal commitment to Him, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit and be baptized in the Jordan River at nearby Yardenit.
A special thank you to Pastor Komolate of Nigeria for taking the time to baptize me at closing time while a bus load of pilgrims waited for him! Back to Haifa to celebrate a great day of life on the festive Yafe Nof Street! TROML Baby (an exclamation of joy)!
We can be baptized anywhere at any time… all that is needed is an open heart and an open mind… and a willingness to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and leave sin behind… to live in the Law of God and the Love of Jesus as your Splendid Spiritual Self in The Holy Spirit as best you can as a human being in this secular world…
Day 9: Playing Golf at Caesarea GC on a Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine!!!
My journeys in golf transitioned into something a bit more spiritual so no surprise that Day 9 of my Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine should include a little golf!
Privileged & blessed to walk & play the Pete Dye Signature Caesarea Golf Club, Israel joined by members Iser & Zeev!
It was a beautiful walk in a beautiful park which happens to be a golf course! Caesarea GC has the feel of a Scottish Links course with a sense of place that takes one far beyond the start of the game of golf to a place where civilization begun. What a primitive and exciting feeling! What a setting in which to tee it up!
The picture of me and Iser on the tee at the par-3 12th still has Iser with a big smile from his recent ace on the hole!
A BIG thank you to Michael, Iser, & Zeev for hosting Andy’s Golf & Travel Diary! Ditto for Perry Dye and Dye Designs, this is a challenging & loveable Pete Dye Masterpiece!
(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 40 Pics; 1-14-19)
For those of you who have followed my world golf journeys over the last 5 years—to Mexico, Central America, South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the 2016 Summer Golf Olympics in Rio de Janerio, Brazil—know that they became inspiration-seeking, spiritual journeys as well. Well this one to Israel and Palestine will be purely spiritual in nature. Seeking any and all religious and spiritual insights into Judaism, Islam, Christianity et al, my life goal is to l
If there is one day I will remember of my 28-day Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine it will be this day—Day No. 6. Staying in Jerusalem in Israel for some reason I woke up with the conviction to take a bus to Checkpoint 300 and visit Bethlehem in Palestine. Specifically the place where Jesus was born in the grotto or small cave beneath the altar of the Church of the Nativity. I had done my research. It would be a short 10-minute straight-away bus ride down Route 60 on Bus 324 to the border and then another two miles or so to Nativity Square. Seven shekels and a gut-level calling to go to Palestine to pay my respect and worship that little Baby Jesus that change the world. On a day exactly one week before Christmas!
The walk was exhilarating and a bit challenging as it was definitely up to the Church of the Nativity. One cab driver stopped to tell me it was too dangerous to be walking through the area I was walking through. He might have been right but turned out to be wrong. I followed the endless streams of cabs down the side streets they using hydrocarbon power and me using foot power. It wasn’t long before I emerged on what I knew to be Main Street. I knew the right direction—uphill! Isn’t it strange how there are times in life that you know you are in exactly the right place heading in the right direction looking for the right thing and knowing that you will find it?
The first sign was hard to miss whether walking or riding along in a taxi cab. I was on the other side of it now. Being an American I know I am blessed with freedom to come and go as I like virtually throughout the world. Some people can’t do that and some have died trying and their names and their stories are on that wall. I have been to Soweto in Johannesburg, South Africa from which Nelson Mandela emerged to be president following a serpentine and serendipitous route in life. What I have seen of Palestine so far is definitely not Soweto but I have yet to tour a settlement camp from 1946. These murals tell a story that the world must hear!
I got up and continued walking through the city of Bethlehem to the place of enormous importance. The third sign appeared to me as I noticed a statue on the other side of the street. Not one of a single man, woman or person or committee (good luck finding one of those) but one of the number ‘2’ and three links of chain extending towards the heavens. Fascinated I crossed the street to have a closer look and to take some pictures. I like when the story of the artwork is clearly displayed to put me in the mind and perspective of the creator. This one had it and it is like you or I wanted the same thing for us and our grandchildren, one of which I now have been blessed with! The links are our three monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—reaching for the third millennium from the second instead of “tumbling down in a clash for the past.”
It took me a while to figure out the bus passing through the border process. Bus stops. Palestinians get off and wait in line to have their credentials checked. Israel soldiers with AK-47s come on board and walk the aisle looking for suspicious people I guess. After being interrogated the Palestinians re-board the same bus and we cross the border in silence as though nothing happened. No judgment here but it seems to me that there are two definitions of ‘country’ when it comes to Palestine and Israel. I believe in the State of Israel, my opinion is that it is biblical. I also believe in the State of Palestine. Every nationality should have their own country with the respect of Mahmoud and the hope of Ottaviano. We are blessed way beyond our nonexistent entitlement in America that is for sure.
I sought and I found the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Moments later I found myself in the tomb with Jesus where he died and was resurrected. No lines, no wait, almost as if it was pre-destined. Though we do not know the hour of our death I imagine it will be something like the day I had today. Only closeness, human and spiritual freedom and completeness forever.
