Holy
Land
By Gabriela Fletcher
Israel is well known as a religious destination
by Christians around the world. For a city that
is estimated to be 4,000 years old, its existence
is well documented. Despite its rich history
Before arriving at the Holy Land, I prayed that
by the end of my journey there, I would have
a deeper understanding of the Great Commission. I learned that my faith in Jesus is found-
All of the years that I had
personally poured into studying
traveled through the Holy Land
however, skeptics have long argued and contested the biblical reliability of Israel. I learned
quickly though, that there is little to dispute.
The late Chuck Smith, founding pastor of the
Calvary Chapel movement, once said that a
trip to Israel was equivalent to a year’s worth
of studying in seminary. Upon arrival to this
great land, I realized the truth behind his statement.
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ed upon facts. The Bible is not a fairy tale or
a fable but a reliable text that documents real,
true historical events that actually happened.
Witnessing this further confirmed to me the
reliability of the Word of God. It also created in me a greater anticipation to share God’s
Word with others. The bible tells us to go and
make disciples of all nations. Seeing Israel’s
rich history stirred within me a greater desire
to fulfill the call of the Great Commission.
Perhaps you too dream about visiting the ancient country of Israel. May I suggest to you
that there is no better time and no better
investment that I could think of that comes
close to the richness of touring the Holy
Land. I would like to encourage you to prioritize a visit there. Touring Israel’s holy sites is
one of the greatest investments of time that I
have ever made. Not only will you be able to
tour through the same land that Jesus once
walked, but you will also experience a boost
in your faith unlike anything else you will ever
experience. Inquire at your church about upcoming tours to Israel and perhaps you will
soon experience Israel’s biblical richness.
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the Bible were further enriched as I
From riding in a boat in the Sea of Galilee
to walking through the streets of Old Town
Jerusalem, the moments you capture while
touring the country of Israel will be remembered when you come across a biblical text
that describes a place you have personally encountered.
Read & Pass it on
All of the years that I had personally poured
into studying the Bible were further enriched
as I traveled through the Holy Land. The Bible
came to life like never before and I was able
to look at the Word of God from a firsthand
perspective. Site by site with my bible in hand,
my eyes were opened to subjects I was previously unfamiliar with. As a result, my love for
Jesus Christ grew in a way that I‘m still trying
to comprehend.
I must admit that I was initially hesitant to
travel to Israel, especially considering the persecution that is happening in the Middle East
right now. I concluded that now is the BEST
time to face my fears despite the media’s
downplay of traveling there. I experienced a
tremendous sense of security and peace while
touring throughout Israel. From the moment
I arrived in Tel Aviv, I felt protected. I knew
that I was safe and remembered God’s love for
Israel and the Holy Land.
Reaching One Soul At a Time!
T
here is something about Israel that captures the imagination upon arrival. Years
ago when I first became a new believer,
the thought of traveling to Israel fascinated me. I had done a lot of traveling in the past,
but nothing compared to one day touring the
Holy Land. Most recently however, my dream
of traveling there became a reality as I got to
witness firsthand the biblical richness of the
ancient city.
The bible tells us to
go and make disciples
of all nations. Seeing
Israel’s rich history
stirred within me
a greater desire to
fulfill the call of the
Great Commission
Gabriela Fletcher is the Publisher
and Editor of OC & LA Christian
Magazine. Visit TheOCChristianMagazine.com for additional
publication information. Learn
more about the Israel Ministry of
Tourism at GoIsrael.com.
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