You Are Vital

Survival. There is much to be learned from Christians in the Middle East, who have existed there for the last 2,000 years. Up until the recent years, there were tribes of believers that lived on the land and traveled together. One was the Ghassani tribe, from which my spouse’s father’s family descends.

As they moved across camel trails, over mountains and through deserts, the Gospel of Jesus went with them and was shared. They were known as people of the Book.

Other settlements of Christians lived together in villages, like Acco, on the Mediterranean Sea, not far from Nazareth.

Christians in the Middle East today still live together, for safety, in their own villages or near to relatives. They support each other’s businesses and services. Together, with God’s help, they have kept the churches in the Holy Lands open and vital for 2,000 years. This has not been easy. They have endured poverty, famine, occupation, empires, and numerous wars. But they are still standing and many refuse to leave.

The Word of God says that it is good and pleasant for brothers to dwell together in unity. (Psalm 133:1-3) The psalmist, David, likens the oneness of brotherhood to the dew which comes down upon Mount Hermon in northern Israel. Refreshing.

Lord Jesus had a large following of believers and disciples during His three-year ministry on Earth. There were squabbles about who would be first and where bread could be purchased, but the men and women lived as a community, following The Lord. He kept them safe. (John 17:12)

After The Lord’s ascension, the Acts church developed and boomed to thousands from 120 on Pentecost because of the baptism of Holy Spirit. Under persecution from the Jewish and later Roman societies, these believers learned to listen to Holy Spirit and live together in community. Even land was sold to provide for others; no went in need. (Acts 4:32-37)

Once again, there were squabbles about eating meat first sacrificed to idols or meats previously considered unclean, but division was overcome.

They lived in the world, but were not of the world. They were separate from the world. And they lived together and were of one mind. (Acts 2:41-47; John 17:11)

Believers are to meet regularly, eat together, pray together, study Scripture together, even daily and be of one mind, living in unity with each other. (Romans 15:5; 1Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 1:27) There will be squabbles, just as there were in the beginning, but they too can be overcome with God’s help, counsel and direction.

Do you rely upon the fellowship of community?

If a great crisis came, would you have a network of believers to go to for help?

We are called to love each other. This is a command of Lord Jesus. Do not isolate yourself. You matter and you are needed by The Lord as a vital part of the body of Christ. (Romans 12:5)

Unity of the body of Christ is necessary for survival just as it always has been.

(C) 2020 Kelly Jadon

Will Your Grave Be Empty?

During a family visit to Israel, I told my spouse that I wished to see the family cemetery in Nazareth. Peering through locked gates, I saw inside several small concrete buildings, one belonging to our family. It is a Greek Orthodox resting place for the bodies and bones of generations of the faithful gone ahead.

The day after my father-in-law’s funeral, the women of our family went early in the morning to meet the Greek Orthodox priest at the cemetery. It is a tradition, 2000 years old, done in remembrance of Lord Jesus and the promise to raise believers in Lord Jesus on the last day.

On the third day after Lord Jesus was laid in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb, female disciples of The Lord went to the grave to further anoint His body with spices. (Matthew 27:57-61)

The two women were Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, the mother of James and Salome. (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1-3) They knew the entrance of the tomb had been blocked and wondered who would open it for them.

Surprised, the women found the tomb open and empty. Inside, they saw a young moan, an angel in a white robe who announced, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, Who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. Go, tell His disciples and Peter..’” (Mark 16:4-6)

The women ran in fear! And, they kept their mouths closed, being afraid.

Then, Lord Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene. She made full report to the disciples. (Mark 16:9-11)

David prophesied in Psalm 16:10 of Lord Jesus, “For You will not abandon My soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” The Savior’s body never began decomposing, though it laid in the tomb.

With hope, our women return to the grave, remembering the faithful Savior Who declared that He would rise on the third day. (Luke 24:4-8)

And He did!

Eyewitnesses matter. They are used in a court of law. Many people saw the risen Christ besides Mary, the men on the road to Emmaus, Peter, the disciples, and on one occasion to more than 500 believers at the same time. (1Corinthians 15:4-8)

With hope, our women return to the grave, remembering the Word, that we too, believers who are in Heaven, our bodies in the grave, will also rise when The Lord returns at the trumpet sound. (1Thessalonians 4:16-17)

Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? That He was crucified and raised again by Holy Spirit and God the Father on the third day?

Will you too be raised from the grave, in body, at the trumpet call of God?

Will your grave be empty, just as The Lord’s is?

(C) 2020 Kelly Jadon

Children Hindered: The Repercussions

Outside of Nazareth, to its northwest, lays the quiet village of Shefar’amr. Home of an ancient Byzantine church and a Knights Templar fortress.

Today Shefar’amr is famous for its ice cream shop, relishing in pistachio, lemon and a sort of mastica-flavored creamy frozen desserts. My taste buds jumped with delight when first introduced to Shefar’amr’s edible fame.

When I first visited my mother-in-law’s sisters and brothers in Shefar’amr, it was a small village windows open to the broad greened fields. Their many children were young. I was a new bride, and customs of the Holy Land were also new to me.

In every home we entered, my spouse and I were hosted and even treated. as honored guests.

At one uncle’s I was asked if I’d like an ice cream. I would indeed. An older child ran upstairs to street level where shops were located and purchased a cup for me.

As I licked my spoon, several pairs of childish eyes watched.

Where I grew up, it would have been considered practically a sin to eat such a treat without giving any to the children. My heart hurt.

Moments later, my purse opened with my heart and I went up to the street myself and bought each child also a cup of ice cream.

During the time of Lord Jesus’ ministry on Earth, He gave blessings and worked miracles for adults and children. At times, children were deliberately kept away by His disciples.

But The Lord insisted, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  (Matthew 19:14)

The blessings, gifts, and even the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to children. They should not be hindered from knowing The Lord. To keep them away from the knowledge of God, The Word, is to keep them from The Lord. It is wrong.

In 1962 the U. S. Supreme Court ruled prayer unconstitutional in public schools. In 1963, they kicked out the Bible.

Our children are no longer taught how to come to God, to speak with Him, neither are they taught the knowledge of God nor to respect Him.

This is sin as a society and its repercussions are being felt today.

Lord Jesus prophesied what would come in the last days, "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.” (Mark 13:12)

Without reverence of God, there is no value of life.

Parents, are you doing what Lord Jesus wants you to do? Leading your children in prayer to The Savior and giving them the knowledge of Him through regular Bible reading?

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance!” (Psalm 33:12)

(C) 2020 Kelly Jadon

Persecuted Church

If you’ve traveled to Israel on a Holy Land pilgrimage, you’ve no doubt visited Nazareth in the Lower Galilee. Lord Jesus grew up here, just about one block away from where my spouse also grew up.

When I visit Nazareth, I walk the streets, sidewalks and stairs, climbing higher and higher until I reach my mother-in-law’s home. The city sits atop five mountains and her house is built into the side of one. I like to walk instead of travel in a car because I can see the people, greet them, speak with them and take my time. My daily habit is to stop and pray in the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation built over Mary’s well. You can still drink from it. Up to the right of the well are stairs seen behind glass, those which Mary, the mother of Jesus would have used to descend to the well and fill her water jugs.

The church itself is about 600 years old and is our family church. My children were baptized here in deep golden bowls of water infused with oil, numerous family wedding ceremonies have been conducted inside, and final funeral ceremonies are held, including my father-in-law’s.

This church is a holy place, built to preserve a Biblical location. Here, the virgin Mary received a visit from the angel Gabriel, telling her that she would become the mother of the Savior. (Luke 1:26-38) At this time, the Jewish nation endured persecution at the hands of the Romans. They looked for a savior.

Beneath the church are tunnels and hidden caves where early Christians, persecuted, worshiped in secret. Passing through priestly gardens, my father-in-law once took me below through a cobbed web entrance to see this. Persecution of the early church pushed believers out of Jerusalem and into other places, taking the Gospel with them. (Acts 8:1)

Lord Jesus explained this to His disciples: “Remember the Word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:20) The Lord was persecuted throughout His ministry, tortured, and then crucified.

This is the life of a follower of Lord Jesus; it will not always be as a ship upon a calm balmy sea. Storms suddenly surf up!

Why? Why are believers hated so?

Lord Jesus stated, ““They have done this to fulfill the Word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’” (Psalm 69:4)

We are hated by the world because we are in the world, but NOT of it. We are from the Kingdom of Light, the Kingdom of Lord Jesus, and NOT the Kingdom of Darkness, the Kingdom of this world. (Colossians 1:12-13; Ephesians 2:2; 1John 5:19) The two kingdoms are at war with each other.

When you are attacked and hated, persecuted, even oppressed on every side, look to The Lord, Who understands well what you go through. He will help you. (Psalm 46:1)

My spouse’s family dates their faith back 2000 years. They have lived through many wars, racial conflicts, and religious attacks. Before my father-in-law went to Heaven, he had lived through 14 wars, each day prepared as if it was his last.

(C) 2020 Kelly Jadon

View From Armageddon

We walked the dusty pathway up to Megiddo, up in the Galilee of Northern Israel. An ancient place, before the government made it a tourist site, no other visitors in sight. I’d not brought my tennis shoes to the Holy Land, thinking I’d walk as the Savior did, in sandals. This day, I regretted my decision.

The ground had sharp stones peeking out, Thorns, like those upon Lord Jesus’ head on the cross, grew up along the way. The climb was somewhat steep, without a handrail, and uneven. Without enough traction, I slipped.

But Megiddo awaited. Our tour guide, our cousin, a local pastor, led the way.

Megiddo is the location of a former Canaanite city and later a royal city of ancient Israel during the time of King Solomon. (1Kings 9:15) From its peak, the Jezreel Valley can be seen, where several battles were fought. This is the location where King Josiah of Israel fell. (2Kings 23:29)

In the New Testament, the same location is called Armageddon in Greek. It means “place of crowds” in the original Hebrew. (Revelation 16:16)

Armageddon is the location of the last war before the return of Lord Jesus. The Jezreel Valley will be full of armies from around the world, gathered together for “the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.” (Revelation 16:13-16)

Lord Jesus states in the middle of revealing about the coming war at Armageddon, “(Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.” Revelation 16:15)

Are you ready for Lord Jesus’ return? Are you appropriately dressed?

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)

Don’t be found naked, without salvation, without righteousness, without good works. (Revelation 19:7-8)

Those without the covering of Christ will walk in shame.

War is coming. Lord Jesus is coming.

“But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36)

(C) 2020 Kelly Jadon