Capernaum Miracles

The Ancient Synagogue in Capernaum- 
built on the foundation of a 1st century synagogue.

Possibly the original basalt step Jesus

 would have walked on

 to enter the first century synagogue.

During the time of Christ,

 Capernaum was a large Galilean fishing village. 

It was located near the Via Maris,

 an international trade route from

 Egypt to Syria and Mesopotamia.

Roman military personnel were stationed at Capernaum

 under the command of a centurion.

 A Roman centurion built the synagogue

 in which Jesus often taught.

This the same centurion whose servant Jesus healed.

Matt. 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10

After being rejected
 in his home town of Nazareth, 

Jesus moved to Capernaum,
 making it the base of his ministry.

 James and John were from here
 and Andrew and Peter moved here from Bethsaida,
 before meeting Jesus,

 probably due to the good fishing economy.

Tax collector Matthew
 was also stationed in Capernaum.

Excavations in Capernaum - from the time of Jesus.

 Perhaps nearby Jesus healed the paralyzed man.

Matt. 9:2-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:18-20

This excavated house is believed

 to be the house of Peter and his wife. 

Jesus likely used this house as his headquarters

 when he was in town. 

It was in this house that Jesus
 healed Peter's mother-in-law.

Matt. 8:14-15 and Mark 1:29-34

After the death of Jesus and his resurrection,
 this house apparently
 became a house church for his followers.

Centuries later,
 Christians honored the site by building a church here-
that was later destroyed. 

By the13th Century AD, the town was all but abandoned. 
The remains of Capernaum were rediscovered in1837.

The Fransciscans bought the land in 1893, 

                                           and planted palms.
                      The latest church structure was built in 1990, 

                                    with a glass floor that looks
                                     into the early excavations- 

                                        and the house of Peter.

Here in Capernaum, the people witnessed

 spectacular miracles that Jesus performed.

Here He established his heavenly authority.

 Yet, they were rebuked for their lack of repentance.

This Jesus came to be a Servant of servants.

He wanted to touch hearts and heal bodies.

He desired to meet the needs of people.

How often do I let Him
 really be close enough to 

heal me-body and soul?

Time to let Him be near.

Sea of Galilee Wanderings

The Sea of Galilee from

 the Nof Ginosar kibbutz shore

I am not sure just what I expected

 with our visit to the Holy Land.

Perhaps to confirm some small piece of history

 and connecting it to sacred writings

 would have been easy and simple. 

To confirm what I already knew.

 I was not prepared for what really happened in Israel:

the confirmation of how much I really did not know.

 Faith yes- that has always been there---

but what arose was a yearning to see not only the

 BIG PICTURE,

 but to savor the small details.

So, I suppose this is a dangerous place to acknowledge

 that I have some woefully big gaps in my

Biblical Literacy.

 But, stating that fact, 

I can then say that this Lenten journey

 is not so much stating what I already

know about the Holy Land,

 but delving into new gleanings in new territory.

Early morning boat ride on the Sea of Galillee

Quiet-

a Bigger body of water than I had imagined.

Fishermen already in from their very early treks onto the water.

Daniel Carmel- 

boat owner and worship leader for our boat ride.

A powerful testimony for Holy Spirit work

 in the heart of a Jewish person.

Daniel showing us how to throw the nets.

Here the Mark 1 story comes alive- 

watching the flinging of the nets into the water,

 picturing the challenging life of a fisherman.

Seeing how teamwork made all the difference.

Thinking about real men called to "Follow Me."
Peter, Andrew, James and John.

                                                                                                                 photo by jdenninger

The Sea of Galilee is also called the Lake of Gennesaret, 

or Kinneret,  which means "harp" in Hebrew.

 It is about 33 miles in circumference

 and its maximum depth is 150 feet.

Though called a sea, it is really an oblong lake.

14 miles long and 7 1/2 miles wide at is broadest point.

There are 22 species of fish in the lake.

It is thought that during the First Century AD, 

there were at least 16 harbors around the lake.

 The harbor of Gadara on the SE corner was the largest.

The Sea of Galilee, at 650 feet below sea level,

 is the lowest freshwater lake on earth.

The lake is partially fed by underground springs,

 but its main source is the Upper Jordan River-

originating near Mt. Hermon in the north

 flowing in to the lake. 

                                                                                                              photo by jdenninger

According to Josephus, the Jewish historian,

 over 200 small towns and villages
 dotted the landscape in Jesus' day. 

Crowds of people followed Jesus everywhere.

I suppose I pictured modern day cities
 along the shoreline
 and hotels grabbing a piece of prime real estate.

Instead-

the same mountain outline across the horizon

 that Jesus saw as He set foot on the shore.

the same notched edge on the mountain side.

Maybe the natural preservationists

 have worked overtime to preserve the view.

When we asked a local (not sure if he was Christian or not)

he simply stated- "But, this is a sacred lake."

Perhaps, a small tug at my heart-

 that a few more things need to be held sacred.

I will be using these books to help tell the story-

There is sometimes a bit of discrepancy
 in the accounts (facts) of these books-
 and I will try to use the most commonly accepted-
(in my limited knowledge base.)
Right now we have massive files of 100's of photos
that John and I took- kind of all smooched together.
His photographs are generally always better than mine-
 and I will try to give credit to him as photographer-
 when I know it is one of his photos.

Thank you for joining this journey
 to the HOLY LAND this LENT.

Jerusalem -Door Openings

On this Beginning of Lent- Ash Wednesday-

 I open the door to our recent pilgrimage

 to the Holy Land.

Telling the story in this Lenten season,

from Galilee, up to Jerusalem.

Opening doors to mercy,

in our earthly walk of THE WAY.

Glimpses of where Jesus lived and moved

among the people.

To bring encouragement to all of His Followers.

1 Corinthians 15:58 

"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. 
Let nothing move you.

 Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, 

because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
 
 And a fitting Lenten reflection:

Bruce Milne writes,

 "Every kingdom work, whether publicly performed

 or privately endeavored,

 partakes of the kingdom's imperishable character.

 Every honest intention, every stumbling word of witness, 

every resistance of temptation, every motion of repentance, 

every gesture of concern, every routine engagement, 

every motion of worship,

 every struggle towards obedience,

 every mumbled prayer, everything, literally, 

which flows out of our faith relationship 

with the Ever Living One

 will find its place in the ever living heavenly order 

which will dawn at His coming."

Desert Landscape- Lenten Awakenings

on the road to Sedona, Arizona

Rugged and SPARE

and beautiful

Contrasts that seek replenishing water

And some living plant life

 at the Phoenix Botanical Garden- Feb. 2014

Somehow these desert days

 replayed our time in Israel in January.

 And so for this Lenten Season,

 I will tell a bit of the story

 of our pilgrimage in the Holy Land.

Up to Jerusalem.

Chihuly in the Garden- Phoenix

Stunning Glass art from artist-  Dale Chihuly

Discovery and surprise await on the Garden trails.  Dale Chihuly has these works in the Desert Botanical Garden, in Phoenix, Arizona.

This exhibition includes  these extraordinary and vibrant works of art.

 Chihuly is credited with revolutionizing the Studio Glass movement 
and elevating the perception of the glass medium from craft to fine art.

A recent trip to Phoenix allowed an afternoon strolling in these beautiful botanical gardens.

A bit of bright color on some snow laden days back here in Virginia.

An Immutable God brings HOPE

As the frigid  and raw days of Winter stay within our boundaries,

there is HOPE.

Though this photo was taken in Phoenix, Arizona last week,

 we returned to the tundra to see the daffodils in the yard.

They are 6-8 inches tall- shot right out of the ground.

Isn't it wonderful that Spring knows how to do Spring?

 That we don't have to make it happen.

In the spinning and whirling of our days,

 we don't have to put this on our "to do" list.

Thanks, God, for taking the burden of rebirth from us humans.

For being the ONE that controls the seasons.

And when we are hunkered down in the waiting line-

We simply Hold out with HOPE.

For just as it is impossible for God to lie,

He sets Hope before us.

 He will do what He says.

 He will fulfill His purpose in Christ.

Spring will come.

"Thus God determining to show

 more abundantly

 to the heirs of promise

 the immutability of His counsel,

 confirmed it by an oath,

 that by two immutable things,

 in which it is impossible for God to lie,

 we might have strong consolation, 

who have fled for refuge

 to lay hold of the hope set before us.

 This hope we have an an anchor of the soul,

 both sure and steadfast."

 Hebrews 6: 17-19

Faith Rolodex Words:

" 

These are the words I am thinking about today.

I explained what the Faith Family Rolodex is on this post:

faith-family-rolodex

 So on a cold February day-

I have an immutable God who brings HOPE.

Praying the Psalms- Three

  Finishing up the Praying the Psalms postings.

Psalm 15- Walk straight, act right. Tell the truth.

Psalm 16- Be my Lord! 

without YOU- nothing makes sense.

Psalm 17- Paint Grace graffiti on the fences!

Psalm 18- He Abides with me!

Psalm 19- God's Word is better than a diamond!

Psalm 20- He can transform our failures 

into victories.

God's Word-

 writing it down and 

praying it in, 

through the gift

of the

Holy Spirit.