Mary’s Seaside Town

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. Luke 8:1-3 The Sea of Galilee is located within the same depression as the Dead Sea to the south with the Jordan River joining them. […]

Lakeside View

 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. Mark 3:7 Excuse me for bragging, but this has been our view out the back of our hotel room the last couple days: When we think of Jesus withdrawing to the lake, it often conjures up having a cabin by a remote lake. It’s a place to get away from the busyness of life in order to relax. That’s the opposite of Jesus’ retreat. He  surrounded himself with the people who need him. The crowds came from miles around to hear him teach and seek […]

Cliff Faces

He who walks righteously    and speaks what is right,  who rejects gain from extortion    and keeps his hand from accepting bribes,  who stops his ears against plots of murder    and shuts his eyes against contemplating evil–this is the man who will dwell on the heights,    whose refuge will be the mountain fortress.  His bread will be supplied,    and water will not fail him. Isaiah 33:15-16 When Herod the Great was given the kingship of Israel by Rome, he still needed to secure it. His Jewish subjects didn’t all like the idea of him being king. One of the resistance points […]

Ancient Harbors

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20 Jesus visited some of the fishing villages on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. We visited them, too. Imagine Jesus and his disciples sailing in a boat like this: Despite being a fishing town, Bethsaida isn’t on the shore today. It is […]

Around the Lake

Let the sea resound, and everything in it,    the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 98:7 I’ve spent some time around the Sea of Galilee the last few days. It has allowed me to see the lake from several angles. The lake is about 700 feet below sea level, nestled in the Rift Valley with hills going up it on most sides. The Sea of Galilee is also a major source of Israel’s water supply today. Because of drought conditions, the lake has been dropping, but the last couple winters it has risen a couple meters! You can […]

Looking Up

When I consider your heavens,    the work of your fingers,  the moon and the stars,    which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him,    the son of man that you care for him? Psalm 8:3-4 We spent the last two nights on the shore of the Dead Sea. The moon was just past full last night as we captured some nice tripod pictures out of our window. We’ve made our way to the Golan region just east of the Sea of Galilee. There is less light here, allowing us to see more stars.

Do you Want to Change the World?

Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world? Steve Jobs to John Sculley Steve Jobs was looking for a new CEO for Apple Computer in 1983 and found John Sculley, the CEO of PepsiCo. Jobs wasn’t ready to take the reigns of Apple himself yet and needed someone to run the company. He found Sculley and wooed him to Apple. Jobs saw what he was doing as world-changing. In many ways, he was right. Jesus was walking on the shore of the Sea of Galilee […]

Around the Lake

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20 Our fourth and last day in the Galilee began with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Our day would focus on sites around the lake. Jesus and his disciples traversed this lake extensively. We stopped at the Jordan River about a mile […]