Love Doesn't Complain

"Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people" (Philippians 2:14-15, NLT)

Do you remember an old song called Grumblers? I do. It went something like this:

In country, town and city, some people can be found,

Who spend their time at grumbling at everything around.
Oh, yes, they always grumble no matter what you say,

For these are chronic grumblers they grumble night and day.

OHHHH they grumble on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,

Grumble on Thursday too. Grumble on Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Grumble the whole week through.

Nobody wants to be known as a grumbler, but how often do we get caught up in complaining about everything going on in our lives. When someone asks how we are doing we give them a list of all our woes. It gets to the place where no one wants to ask how you are.

We have to monitor our words. We really have to think about them before we say them. What is coming out of our mouths? Is it a complaint, grumble, gripe, or is it a positive word, a praise, a thankful heart? If we find we are always negative, we can change that. We can change our language. I know some people who used to cuss all the time, but with God's help they were able to clean up their language. The same is true for us, if we find there are foul things coming out of our mouths, then we must allow God to help us clean up our language.

Did you ever have your mouth washed out with soap? I never did because I was so sweet. Ha, Ha. But I have heard others tell of it and it was not a good experience but it was a memorable one. I would rather not have to have God wash my mouth out with soap, but instead help me to put sweet and positive things there.

This scripture says if we live a life without complaining then we will be shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. When we shine like these lights then we can be a witness to the world, when we are full of complaining, they don't see any difference between us and them. They don't see anything in us that they would want that is different then what they are already experiencing.

My challenge to you today is to make note of each time you complain, grumble, gripe, or argue. At the end of the day, see how you did. Make a commitment that you will do better tomorrow.

Home at Last

Thanks for all your prayers and the wonderful comments. We arrived home about 10:00 p.m. Friday night. We were all very tired after over 30 hours of travel. In total we traveled over 12,ooo air miles, over 1,200 miles while in Israel and Jordon, over 500 miles here in the States, and approximately 100 miles of walking ( at least it seemed like it). God was so good. We had no major incidents, although a couple of folks had some travelers sickness for a few days. It was a trip of a life-time. We will have a special service next Sunday night (2/22/09) to share about the trip. maybe we can see you all then.

Thanks again for following the blog, commenting, and most of all praying for us while we were traveling.

Love Much,

Pastor Tom

From The Red, To The Dead, And Now At The Med.

Well here we are about to bring this trip to a close. I can hardly believe it has passed so quickly. This morning we left our hotel on the Sea of Galilee and headed out for several sites in the Jordan region.





Our first stop was Zipporri where we saw an ancient home from Roman times. It is possible Jesus could have visited this very site. From there we traveled to Nazareth which happens to be our bus driver Anise’s home town. Yoni jumped off the bus and grabbed us some very yummy goat cheese pastries. They really were good. From there we ascended to the top of Mount Carmel. This was especially neat for us “Carmel Folk.” From this very high vantage point we could see the Jezrel Valley and the small town of Megiddo. This is where the great Battle of Armageddon will take place at the end of the tribulation. We also considered several passages about the Prophet Elijah. It was here, where a Catholic church stands now, that fire fell from Heaven and consumed the sacrifice. We could see the river in the valley where Elijah took the prophets of Baal and killed them. We also saw a grove of olive trees that it is believed he went into to wait for word from his servant about the rain. From here we could see the Mediterranean Sea about 6 miles to our southwest. That is where the servant first saw the “cloud the size of a man’s hand”. The ancient road down the mountain was still in use and is likely where Ahab & Jezebel, along with Elijah, ran for higher ground. On our way down the mountain we stopped in a Drew Village for lunch. It was good and we had our pastries for dessert.





From there we headed toward the sea. We visited the ruins of ancient Caesarea on the coast. We saw an amphitheater built by Alexander the Great and could have been where Paul was tried. Also here was Alexander’s seaside palace and a huge hippodrome where they held chariot races. We considered the ministry of Paul from this place.





Today has completed our journey around the entire country. We have also covered from Genesis to Revelations. It truly has been the trip of a lifetime. We then headed to our hotel where we had the sad duty of saying goodbye to Yoni. He has been so wonderful. Everyone has just fallen in love with him. It was a tearful time for us all. After we settled into our rooms we went for a walk on the shoreline. The rocks were amazing but the sunset was breathtaking.

“Moore Pics”





We had dinner and are preparing to leave for the airport at 1:30 a.m. We will fly out at 5:30 a.m. but we have to be there 3 hours ahead. We will be in Atlanta at 4:30 Friday afternoon. Looking forward to seeing everyone soon. Keep us in your prayers for the last leg of our journey.

Pastor Tom, Rese & the Ready To Be Home 24

A Day Around The Sea

The songwriter said it best, “Since I’ve walked where Jesus walked, I’ll never be the same again.” We started our day from our hotel which is located on a kibbutz which is a communal farm. The food is the best we have had on the trip. The Grounds are beautiful. We are on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee is actually a wide spot in the Jordan River. Jesus was very active around this body of water.




We loaded the bus after breakfast and headed off to Capernaum. First we stopped at a site our guide, Yoni, believes to be the western end of the ancient city. He also showed us the spot that is most likely the location of the Sermon on the Mount. This site is where Jesus healed the woman with the issue of blood, where Peter told Jesus three times that he loved him, and where Jesus sent the disciples out to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. We had a great time reflecting on these passages. We hopped on the bus and headed north toward the mouth of the Jordan. We traveled just west of the Golan Heights and came to where Lebanon was in view just a few miles to the north. As we traveled we saw fields littered with landmines that are left from the past conflicts with Syria and Lebanon.





We arrived at the mountain cave where the springs form the head waters of the Jordan. This is also the Biblical city of Caesarea Philippi. Yoni gave us a wonderful lesson from the passage where Jesus ask Peter “Who do you say I Am”. We also saw the likely site of the transfiguration.




On our way to lunch we stopped at the place where Jesus cast out the demons and made them go into the pigs. We went to lunch at a fish restaurant on the shore of the Galilee. It was a neat experience even if the heads were on the fish and the birds were in the restaurant with us.




After lunch we went to the baptismal site and had a wonder baptismal service. The water of the Jordan was soooooooooo coldddddddddd. Several decided not to get in. Those who wanted to be baptized rented smocks and towels and changed for the great experience. The water seemed to get warmer after I went numb. We changed into our dry clothes and headed back to the Sea.




We had a boat waiting there for us. We got on the boat and went for a breathtaking ride on the Sea of Galilee at Sunset. When we got out into the sea a little ways we stopped and Yoni gave us a wonderful lesson on the scriptures about the events on this very body of water. “Peace be still” took on a new meaning. We were looking at the mountain where Jesus would have seen His disciples struggling in the storm.






After we watched the sun go behind the mountains we got off and went to a museum that is located on our Kibbutz. Inside the museum we saw an ancient boat that had been excavated from the shore near here. It dated back to Jesus’ time or before. We headed to our rooms for a short time then joined everyone for dinner in the dining room. We had hamburgers and oven fried chicken—it was all very delicious. After dinner we had a session with Yoni where he shared with us several interesting insights from Hebrew scripture.

"MOORE" PICS



We are now getting ready to go to bed to prepare for another full day tomorrow. We will be at our final destination tomorrow afternoon at our hotel at the Mediterranean Sea. We will try to do one final post from Israel tomorrow night, however I am not promising. We will be very busy getting ready to be at the airport by 2:30 a.m.. We will be in Atlanta by 4:30 p.m. eastern time and hope to be home by 10 or 11 p.m. Keep us in your prayers for safety as we travel.
We love you all,
Pastor Tom & Rese and the Israel 24

From The City To The Sea

Sorry i did not post last night. It was late when we arrived in Tiberius and it was storming. I did not want to get on the internet because of the lightening. I am having to hurry this morning because we are leaving here in 30 minutes. Yesterday was just awesome. We spent the day in Jerusalem around the Temple Mount and in the Old City. We visited The City of David and Hezakiah's tunnel. We visited the Western (Wailing wall) it was great. Lunch was good. The rains came in the afternoon but did not interrupt our day. I will tell it all later. We are in Tiberius and will be here 2 nights. All is well and we are off to see the Galilee area today and have baptism in the Jordan. Enjoy the pics. i will do better tonight.

Love From Israel

Pastor Tom, Rese, & The Tireder 24

The Old City In A New Light

This has been another wonderful day. The weather is still very nice although we hear it may be stormy tomorrow. We started out with breakfast at the hotel and then on the bus to the Old City.





This is the portion of Jerusalem that is considered to be the ancient and holy sites. The Old City is divided into three sections: Christian, Jewish, & Muslim. It is nothing like I had thought. The narrow streets are lined with small shops some of which sell basic needs like vegetables and bread to the residents of the Old City. The majority of the shops are souvenir shops where you can get a good deal if you haggle with the shop owners. They always have a “special for you today”. The Olds City is surrounded by a wall, therefore you have to enter thru one of many gates. The gates are the main markers for your travel in the Old City. When we first arrived we entered thru the Dung Gate. This is the closest gate to the security check point that would lead us to the Temple Mount. After Yoni briefed us on some history on the retaining wall around the mount we went thru the security check point without incident. We are blessed to be here at this time. They are doing some construction in the area that you would normally go up to the Temple Mount so we had to use an elevated walkway that took us to the most awesome vantage point to view the Western Wall. This is sometimes called the Wailing Wall. It is where orthodox Jews come to pray. They write their prayers and stick them in the wall. Jewish people also come to read the Torah (the first 5 books of the Old Testament) and to celebrate special occasions such as Barmitzva when a Jewish boy turns 13, or a wedding day celebration. We stood on the overlook for a good while as Yoni explained what we were seeing and many of the practices of the orthodox Jews. Orthodox Jews are Jewish people who have not accepted Jesus as the Messiah. They Believe in God the Father and still keep the Law. A Jew who has accepted Jesus as their savior is called a messianic Jew. Well enough world religions class. As we entered the Temple Mount, an area under Muslim control, there were several things we had to observe. Men & women could not hold hands or touch each other, there could be no loud outburst and we were not allowed inside the Dome of the Rock nor the Al-Aksa Mosque. This is the most disputed piece of real estate on the plant.





We left the Old City and descended the mountain on foot across the Kidron Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane. A Catholic church has control of this site and they believe they have identified the very rock at which Jesus prayed. I am not too sure they know which rock, but we knew we were in the general area. After a quick look in the very beautiful church, we crossed the street to another part of the garden and heard a very enlightening lesson on the olive tree, being grafted in, and the shoots that spring up from the roots. We loaded the bus and headed for the Old City again. This time We entered the Jaffa Gate. After a short walk thru the Old City we came to a small room Yoni had reserved for lunch. We had traditional Israeli food and it was pretty good.






Then we walked the Via Dolorosa, the path Jesus walked to Calvary. We exited thru the Damascus Gate into the area were Stephen was likely stoned. From there we went to the Golgotha and the Garden Tomb. A guide joined us for the tour of these areas.







After we visited the Garden Tomb we were seated in a reserved area where we shared communion. It was a wonderful time of singing and praising the Lord for His great plan of salvation.






We returned to the Hotel around 5:00 p.m. and went to Dinner at 7:00. It was a very good dinner. We met other believers from the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, our sister fellowship. It is so neat. After dinner we were joined by some members of the Jerusalem Cornerstone Foundation who shared the ministry they are involved in. It was a very moving presentation. It is 9:05 p.m. and Rese & I are sitting in the lobby finishing up the post for tonight.

Some "Moore" Pics From Today





We will leave Jerusalem tomorrow and head for the Sea of Galilee area and will overnight in Tiberius the last three nights. Everyone is doing great. No one has fallen or gotten sick. That is a miracle as many steps as we have taken. Keep us in your prayers. Enjoy the pics. We will be in touch.


Pastor Tom, Rese & The Tired Travelers

Stong Men, Giant Killers, & So Much More

Another wonderful day in Israel is quickly coming to a close. I believe we have sensed every emotion humanly possible today. Last night some of us walked down into the old city and did some shopping before we called it a night. After breakfast at the hotel, we loaded up the bus and headed out. We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived in Jerusalem last night to see Bro. Danny Warrick, a friend from Pace setting in the hotel lobby. He had wanted to make the trip with us but was unable to come for the whole trip so he just flew over for a few days with us here in Jerusalem. Our first stop was the Holocaust Museum. There are no words to describe this memorial to the 6 million Jews who lost their life. The Museum focused not only on their lost, but on the contributions the Gentile world made to attempt to help them. After this very moving visit, we loaded up and headed to the areas surrounding Jerusalem.





We stopped at a location that some historians believe to be Samuel’s Tomb, but our guide said it was not true; however, it was a wonderful place to view many historical biblical sites. From there we traveled through the West Bank to the Land of Samson. Before we got too spiritual, we made a stop at the golden arches. Although it was not just exactly like home, it was a neat experience. After lunch we climbed a small hill overlooking a beautiful valley. We considered the valley through which the Philistines sent the Ark of The Covenant back to the Jews and the land from which Delilah came. From here we traveled a short distance to the valley where David faced off with Goliath. It hardly seemed possible to be standing in the spot that could very well have been the place where the giant fell. From there we traveled further through the West Bank back toward Jerusalem to near the city of Bethlehem. Due to the current political situation in the country our guide did not feel comfortable taking us to Bethlehem today. We instead stopped on a mountainside and viewed the Bethlehem area. Yoni eventually gave us on trying to share with us when a local woman and her son approached us to have their pictures made for money. The beautiful almond trees in bloom were a sight to see and reminded us of the many scripture references to almonds, especially Aaron’s rod that budded. From there we traveled to a very expensive gift shop where we looked but did not buy. We went an overlook where we could see Jerusalem from the south. Yoni pointed out many significant sights in and around Jerusalem, most especially the Kidron Valley. We were joined there by Yoni’s wife and 4 children.





After returning to the hotel, several of us taxied back to the Old City for a time of shopping then back to the hotel for dinner. We were joined at dinner by Suzanne Artley, who is from our church. She is involved in a study program here in Jerusalem through Southeastern University. She brought a couple of friends with her and we all had dinner together. It was great to see her and hear all of the exciting things that are happening in her life while she is here in Israel. We are really tired and are having to type this post in the lobby of the hotel because that is the only place there is internet. There is so much more we could tell, we will share more when we get home. Tomorrow will be a full down in and around the Old City.

Some Additional Pics

We will start our day at the temple mound and also will see the Garden Tomb and share communion. I just can’t wait. We will update you again tomorrow night. Hope all is well at home and trust services went well today. If you read it please comment. The group enjoys the comments. (SOMEONE PLEASE LET JUDY STVERSON KNOW ABOUT THE BLOG!)

Pastor Tom & Rese with the Israel 24