ISRAEL 2006:

"I rejoiced with those that said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord.' Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem." Psalm 122:1,2

What a great joy and blessing for us to return to God's Promised Land, the land of Israel in March, and to once again stand in the gates of Jerusalem. We landed in Tel Aviv/Joppa, and stayed in Herzliya overlooking the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. Our first day took us to Caesarea by the Sea, Mount Carmel, the Jezreel Valley, Megiddo (see article below), Cana, Nazareth and over to Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. We stayed in Tiberias for three nights which allowed us to travel all around the Sea of Galilee, take a boat ride on the Sea, visit numerous places all around it where Jesus ministered and lived, and go up to the Golan Heights and to the base of Mt. Hermon.

Our tour included people from California, Mexico, the South, Ohio, and NY state. It was a joy to see many have their first experience of Israel and be baptized in the Jordan River. We drove along the West Bank of the Jordan down to the Dead Sea where we relaxed in it's soothing waters (heated in the hotel's pool, of course) and visited Bet She'an (one of the oldest cities of the Ancient Middle East), Masada Fortress (reached by cable car), the oasis of En Gedi, and Qumran (discovery place of the Dead Sea Scrolls).

After six incredible days visiting all of these and more incredible places, it was finally time to go up to Jerusalem, the City of our King!!! On the way, we drove the old and very windy road from Jericho along the way of the "Good Samaritan". We could see the lights of Jerusalem twinkling among the hills as dusk turned to dark. An great hush of anticipation fell over the bus as those who shortly see Jerusalem for the first time waited along with those who where returning. For me, the return to Jerusalem this year was even more emotional than my first time, although that was incredibly special and unique. Looking back on it, I believe it was this way because I realized that a piece of my heart had stayed there last year and I was truly returning home. Also, the guide on our bus was a very lovely Jewish woman and she was excited with us. It was so wonderful to enter the city with her rejoiceing and singing with us! We were all worshipping together!! How wonderful is that!!

How can I tell you of our blessed time in Jerusalem? It is a city like no other. We visited so many wonderful places, including the Mt. of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Western Wall (where we left your prayer requests in the wall), the Temple Mount area, the Garden Tomb, the Pool of Bethesda, Bethlehem, Mt. Zion, Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Museum), the Old City and others. We were in the city during the celebration of Purim (book of Esther) and saw how Jews remember this time in their history. Our hotel had refugees from the Gaza Strip staying in it. The incident in Jericho happened while we were in Jerusalem, but at no time did we ever feel unsafe or concerned.

We had the privilege of sharing some worship time with Messianic believers and hearing David Dolan, a well-known news correspondant speak to us of the current events in Israel and what they mean prophetically. We were blessed to worship and pray at a 24/7 House of Prayer overlooking the city. We felt like we were with family.

Israel is a very diverse and beautiful land. There is so much to learn, and we did learn so much more. Things are always changing and new discoveries are being made each year. Have you heard of the find of what is believed to be the remains of the oldest church dating to the third century?? (see article below)

Going to Israel changes us. We read the Bible differently. We gain understanding and revelation. We get a deeper glimpse into the Lord's heart. Love for the Jewish people, the land, the church, and our beloved Messiah increases. We long to return..................."Next year in Jerusalem".........come join us!

We will have another "Israeli Day" on Sunday September 24th which is Rosh Hashanah (The Feast of Trumpets). Jim Jackson, President of CBU Ministries, has led 60 tours to Israel, and will be our special guest speaker. Jim's love for Israel is very real and evident. You will be blessed! Please join us as we pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Mikol halev (from all our heart),

Jim and Betsy Roy

BELOW is from Pastor David Gericke of Delmar Full Gospel Church in Albany, NY . He and his wife Laurie where on the trip with us.

MEGIDDO IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR IT'S PLACE IN THE FUTURE.... IT IS TO BE THE SITE FOR THE FINAL CONFLICT.......... ARMAGEDDON

DERIVED FROM THE HEBREW "HILL OF MEGIDDO"

BUT WHILE WE WERE THERE WE DISCOVERING SOMETHING VERY EXCITING

ON OCT. 30TH OF LAST YEAR, ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE FINDS IN ARCHEOLOGY WAS AT THE BASE OF MEGIDDO

AS WE STOOD AT THE TOP OF THIS HILL WE COULD SEE A PRISON.... AND WHILE DIGGING THE FOUNDATION FOR AN ADDITION ONTO THE PRISON THEY UNEARTHED A MOSAIC FLOOR

WELL THE ISRAEL ANTIQUITY AUTHORITIES WERE CALLED IN AND CONSTRUCTION WAS HALTED WHILE THEY EXAMINED THESE FLOORS

THIS WAS ALL KEPT VERY QUIET UNTIL THEY A NEWS CONFERENCE WAS CALLED TO ANNOUNCE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FINDS FOR THE HISTORY OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY

THEY HAD UNEARTHED THE REMAINS OF A ROMAN ERA CHRISTIAN BUILDING.. MOST LIKELY A CHURCH DATING BACK TO THE MID-3RD CENTURY

MAKING IT THE OLDEST CHURCH BUILDING EVER FOUND

INSCRIBED ON THE WELL PRESERVED FLOORS WERE THE NAMES OF THE PERSON WHO FUNDED THE WORK... ALONG WITH THE MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING IT

AND PROOF THAT IT WAS A CHURCH THEY FOUND TWO FISH... THE EARLY SYMBOL OF CHRISTIANITY

IN A SECOND MOSAIC THEY FOUND THE NAMES OF FOUR WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY

AND THE MOST VALUABLE MOSAIC READS, "THE GOD-LOVING AKETOUS HAS OFFERED THIS TABLE TO THE GOD JESUS CHRIST, AS A MEMORIAL"

THE TABLE WAS PROBABLY USED AS AN ALTAR

KEEP IN MIND THAT CHRISTIANITY WAS OUTLAWED FOR THE FIRST THREE CENTURIES AFTER CHRIST

THE EARLIEST CHURCH IN THE HOLY LAND WAS BELIEVED TO DATE TO AROUND 313 A.D. WHEN THE ROMAN EMPEROR CONSTANTINE LEGALIZED CHRISTIANITY.

THIS SITE WOULD PREDATE THIS BY DECADES

THIS LITTLE HILL... AND THIS SITE LINKS OUR FAITH TO ALMOST TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO.....

AND IT IS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF OUR FUTURE

BUT THE REMARKABLE THING TO ME WAS WHO GOD USED TO UNEARTH THIS FIND AND WHERE IT WAS FOUND

THIS PRISON IS A HIGH SECURITY PRISON HOLDING 1,200 PRISONERS, INCLUDING SOME OF THE WORST TERRORISTS

BECAUSE OF SECURITY REASONS, THESE POLITICAL PRISONERS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE PART IN THE DIG.... ONLY A FEW HELD FOR NON-POLITICAL CRIMES COULD HELP OUT

BUT GOD CHOSE TO USE THIS SITE THAT HOLDS THE MODERN DAY TERRORIST WHO TRY TO HOLD ISRAEL CAPTIVE

WHILE DIGGING TO EXPAND THEIR FOUNDATION... THEY UNEARTHED THE ROCK

THE CHRIST... .UPON WHICH WE WILL EXPAND THE KINGDOM

AND WHERE IS THIS PRISON?????? AT THE SITE THAT WILL CONCLUDE THE CHAPTER ON THIS EARTH

ISRAEL IS A PLACE OF HISTORY.... BUT LET'S NOT FORGET THAT IT IS A PLACE OF PROPHECY

AND LET US NOT FORGET THAT IT IS A PLACE WHERE GOD ALMIGHTY MADE A COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM... AND GOD WILL NOT.... CANNOT BREAK HIS COVENANT

AND SO AS A CHRISTIAN... ISRAEL IS MY HOME

WHEN WE ENTERED INTO JERUSALEM FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME WE WERE BROUGHT UP TO MOUNT SCOPUS OVERLOOKING THE NIGHT LIGHTS OF THE CITY OF OUR KING

AND OUR JEWISH GUIDE, TAMAR.....LIFTED HER HANDS TO HEAVEN AND SHOUTED, "WELCOME HOME"......

OUR DESIRE TODAY IS TO IMPART TO YOU A LOVE FOR ISRAEL.... A LOVE FOR THE JEWISH NATION... A LOVE FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE... A LOVE FOR THEIR WONDERFUL TRADITIONS

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE THIS LOVE... THEN PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF ISRAEL

IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT... LET US PRAY FOR YOU TO HAVE THIS LOVE IMPARTED TO YOU