Dear Partners In Mission,
We just returned from Israel, Jordan and Rome. It was amazing
to watch God directly bless our small band of pilgrims even
through tears. I’ll explain the tears in a moment.
Our last tour had 90 people which necessitated two full size
tour buses. This time there were twelve of us and we used
a step van.
There were some pretty amazing things on this tour. God touched
lives, hearts and the weather in amazing ways. Our guide
told us that we saw perhaps 60% more than most tours see
as we went all the way from the northern to southern Israel
and also traversed much of the country of Jordan.
GIDEON, OUR WONDERFUL GUIDE
I told Gideon,our Jewish Israeli guide, that I knew of another
Jewish man who was also raised in the Galilee and who had
also led twelve people through the land. He smiled and said
that he loved the Galilee more than Jerusalem not just because
he was raised there but also because "it all started there."
Gideon was able to tell us about his experiences as a young man in the land from
his boyhood to his days serving in the army during wartime. I would stay up at
night with Gideon and just talk. Julie stayed up for awhile with us but she was
pretty tired and went to our room the first night we were at the Dead Sea.
He told me that he is close with Evangelist Perry Stone and put him on the phone
with me as well as with the man who is bringing the Dead Sea scrolls around America.
Gideon has also been the tour guide for celebrity types like Paul Newman and
Robert Mitchum. Evangelist Stone told me that an Orthodox rabbi had helped bring
to Israel the Daystar evangelical satellite network which will be seen in 1,300,000
Israeli homes. He told me the rabbi had said he was doing this for his country’s
sake and because “these evangelicals are our very good friends and they
worship the same God we do.” As he held hands with our group and prayed
in the Garden of Gethsemane, Gideon prayed that the Messiah would return. I feel
I have found a wonderful new friend.
TRAGEDY STRIKES WHILE WE’RE IN
FLIGHT
On the way to Israel we heard of the death of Promise Barker,
who had been one of our regular attenders of MCO on Monday
nights and was a wonderful young Christian woman. I had experienced
a sad heaviness of spirit days before we left. I really had
a sense of gloom and had mentioned to Julie and longstanding
friend and ICA board member Joel Griffith . I couldn't put
my finger on why I felt that way. I just couldn't shake the
sad feeling and it made me wonder about everything regarding
the tour as you can well imagine. After checking,rechecking
and praying about it, I was sure it had nothing to do with
the overall safety of the trip. As it turned out I believe
the apprehension or premonition was about this very dear
person leaving us for glory. I was very fond of Promise and
she reminded me of my son Daniel which is something I had
mentioned to her on several occasions.
Promise, 26, was the spiritually vibrant sister of Salem Barker, 25,with whom
she owned a house. She is also the granddaughter of Tracy Barker,both of whom,were
on our tour.After coughing up much blood she died in the arms of her mother before
help could arrive. This was a result of radiation treatment that had left almost
no membrane between her esophagus and artery.
Her death occurred in Rockford while we were in flight from Chicago to Newark.
Their pastor had called and I let him be the one to break the news to them.
I wept with Salem, holding him in the airport terminal. They decided Promise
would have wanted them to continue on the trip as she herself had so wanted to
go but was told not to go by her doctor. She was still weak even though she had
complete remission from her cancer.
THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOWS
I shared what had happened with Gideon when we first met
at the airport.
Without saying anything to me as to why he wanted to do so,
he said we should to go directly to “The Valley of the Shadows.” It was the first place
we stopped at on our way to our hotel in the Dead Sea. It is a desolate and yet
majestically beautiful place that hearkens one to the 23rd Psalm. When you look
out at it the very sight ministers to your soul. It is thought to be the place
David had in mind for that Psalm. It is also where our Lord was tempted in the
wilderness by the devil. I know that Tracy was ministered to there as the Lord
allowed his sorrow to be expressed with tears over Promise.This was just one
of many ways the Lord had His hand on His group of pilgrims.
THE LORD WAS THEIR SHEPHERD!
The Lord was good to us and the journey was healing in many
ways. Salem went on a long walking adventure late at night
in Tiberias with my 18-year-old son Caleb. They covered a
lot of ground in the city and near the lake. Gideon later
warned us that vipers are something to be mindful of in the springtime.
Praise God for His protection as they had climbed what Caleb described as a
“huge steep hill” covered with tall grass! They had even explored
the ruins of an ancient Crusader church. They were attracted to it because it
looked like a castle.The plaque outside told them what it was.
GUEST SPEAKERS
Our speakers this trip included several well known authors
including a frequent Perspective Underground guest journalist
David Dolan, Barry Chamisch, “Temple
Mount Faithful” —leader Gershon Solomon, and the legendary founder
of the Christian Embassy in Jerusalem,author Jan Willem Vander Hoeven.I want
to thank Kent-Bar-Shov and Gail Seigal of Sar-El for their wonderful efforts
in working with us to make this all happen!
BAPTISMS IN JORDAN RIVER
Everyone but me was baptized in the Jordan. I had been previously
baptized there but it was a pure joy to be able to baptize
my son Caleb. He had alwaysnsisted on delaying his baptism
as he wanted to be baptized in the Jordan River.
Afterward, Caleb then helped me baptize the others. It was a beautiful time of
testimony as each shared what Jesus meant to them and affirmed that He is risen!
Tracy was just beeming with joy as he sang to His Lord, with his palms uplifted
standing in the same river where Jesus had been baptized so long ago.
We had an unexpected blessing as a mother and daughter from Russia asked us if
they could be baptized as well. I was able to share with them a smattering of
Russian praises to God that my former songwriting partner, Joeseph Ravitts had
taught me.
MYSTERIOUS POOL OF BETHESDA
As a small group we were at a lot of places in a very private
way before the other tourists arrived. We were alone as we
watched the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem mysteriously being
stirred in Jerusalem the whole time the scripture passages
describing a similar scene (John 5:2-16) were read by Jim Breuhaus.
The passage was about the angel stirring the water and Jesus healing there.
Caleb went down to see what could have stirred the water and there was nothing
there. Julie said it looked just like someone with a hand in the pool stirring
it. Jim is fighting cancer and we hope along with his wife Irene that this indicates
a healing for him. He walked down to the pool with Caleb, some 50 feet from where
we were above it on the modern level, but couldn't get to the actual water without
diving in from a long way still above it. It was too dangerous to actually climb
in it.
DUST DEVIL?
We saw what seemed like a spirit induced temper tantrum at
Caesaria Philippi (AKA“Panias” or“Banias” named
for the horned god Pan). It was the northernmost city in
the land where Jesus led the disciples. This was also where
virgins were formerly sacrificed by drowning in front of
a large cave opening. You can still see the niches for the
idol statues carved in it. The ancients used to think it
was the gate to the netherworld or Hades for the spirits
of people who died in that region.
This site is likely the one to which Jesus referred in Mt 16:16-18 replying to
Simon Pete who had said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and
blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. "I also
say to you that you are Peter (petros; small rock or pebble), and upon this rock
(petra or large rock) I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not
overpower it.
I explained that the words Jesus had spoken to Peter were about Peter’s
testimony of who Jesus is and didn’t establish Peter as the first pope
as is believed by Roman Catholicism.
Jesus in His divinity is the Rock NOT Peter. as is seen in
the Apostle’s
writings. The Apostle Paul says in 1Co 10:4 “and all drank the same spiritual
drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and
the rock was Christ.” Apostle Peter himself spoke to Who “The Rock” is
in 1Peter
2:6-8 “For this is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION
A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE
DISAPPOINTED."This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for
those who disbelieve, "THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME
THE VERY CORNERSTONE," and, "A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE";
for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they
were also appointed”
I taught this and then I said that these words showed the supremacy of the Church
over all satanically inspired pagan religions, the occult and death.
This is so because Jesus said the "gates of hell would not prevail against
the Church."
It seemed as if an invisible someone didn't like what I said
there as a strong wind arose immediately out of nowhere
and was directly in our midst causing us to cover our faces
from the dust eruption. Caleb shouted as he covered his
eyes, "Dad!
What did you say?" It lasted for about a minute then the blast of wind left
as fast as it had arrived prompting Salem to say, "Say it again!" It
may, or may not have been, a natural or non-personal phenomeno.Then again, it
may have been quite a personal fit of anger! The timing seemed very — significant
and it didn’t happen again —the wind remained calm the rest of our
time there.
A DRAMATIC
ANSWER TO PRAYER!
Later on there was a Saharan wind that brought a covering of choking dust blown
in from a sandstorm in Africa. It settled over the Sea of Galilee and you couldn't
see across it. Gideon was crestfallen and said that it sometimes lasts four days.
We bought masks as some of us had a hard time breathing. We prayed at dinner
that God would take care of the dust and a rain started immediately. By the time
we were done with dinner we knew the dust was over. We saw the lights from the
other side of the water which we hadn't been able to see before eating.
RAIN, RAIN
WENT AWAY!
Another wonderful thing that happened was the delay of rain
for us when we were at Nazareth. Gideon warned us that there
was a forecast for rain. We had gone outside of town to the "precipice." It is a hill that ends in a huge
drop off. It's the cliff off of where the people of Nazareth were going to push
Jesus when He miraculously passed between them and left. You can see much of
the valley from there and it was POURING sheets of rain all around us. There
was dark gray cloud cover everywhere except right above us where there was a
patch of blue sky! We got out of our vehicle and another large tour bus had just
pulled up. They all looked at us as we ignored the small drops of rain and climbed
the hill. After we were up there for awhile even the small drops had ceased,then
they too came up. It was amazing to see rain in a circle all around us while
we just had pleasant wind in our faces and sunshine and blue sky above us!
Mysterious Rocks
We went to the upper Golan and saw the ruins of Gamla that
contains the only remains of a first century synagogue in
which Jesus might have preached. On the way there we saw “Dolmens” which are set up with two vertical stones
supporting a connecting rock “roof”. They are located all over the
area that the Nephilim used to inhabit. No one knows what the large stones signify.
Mysterious Stone Tablets
The Ezekiel Stones are at the center of a scholastic debate
as to whether they are first or second generation from
Ezekiel. They came to Israel in 1949 from Ezekiel’s
tomb in Iraq. The debate centers on whether the style of
Hebrew used is more recent than Ezekiel’s time. Dr.
David Allen Lewis shows research that indicates the type
of Hebrew used was extant at the time of Ezekiel. This
would make them the only autograph of the Scriptures in
existence. Gideon was surprised I knew about the Ezekiel
Stones as he had reently taken Perry Stone there as a surprise
to him. Not many people know about them. Gideon’s
relative is the head of the museum at the former Israeli
President Zvi’s home where the Tablets are kept.
Jordan and Rome
We also went to Amman, Jordan and Rome, Italy. We saw Petra
and Mt. Nebo where Moses died and were able to look into
the Promised Land from where he would have stood.
We went to Rome on our way home and had a nighttime tour
of the city. The pope was lying in state but we didn’t
want to spend the time to wait in line.
Pope John Paul II had died while we were in Jerusalem and
we first knew of it from the Gregorian Requiem chanting outside
of our hotel window in the predawn hours. I told Julie the
Pope must have died and she turned on the TV to CNN and verfied
it.
In Rome we had a very knowledgeable guide named Fabrezio.
He was a little younger than me but we found out we were
both musicians. I think some in our group may have been amused
at seeing the two of us singing a Beatles song together at
the dinner table! Please pray for him as he was quite sad
at the death of his cousin and another good friend in his
aprtment building. He attended a Baptist church in Rome for
5 years as he was dating the pastor’s daughter, Pray
for assurance for him!
NEXT FALL IN JERUSALEM?
This last tour was put together in a very short amount of
time and without using our entire mailing list. We announced
it on the radio and through our e-mail list only. As a result,
people have said that they would be interested in going again,
or for the first time ,if they had more time to plan. We
are looking into a tour in the fall and need to hear from
anyone interested. Please contact us via e-mail or by phone.We
are tentatively planning to go in the October/November time
frame and possibly coinciding with the Feast of Tabernacles
celebration in which many Christians participate.
HOMELAND SECURITY AND
CRISIS NEGOTIATORS ADDRESSED
I was asked to address the topic of Islam for 200 members
of the Illinois Crisis Negotiators Association who are law
enforcement people. They had an overnight symposium at Cliffbreakers
in Rockford, IL. I was scheduled to be one of the first presenters
until one of the other key speakers had to cancel at the
last minute.That left a retired university professor who
had written a book on “Verbal Judo” and myself
to decide who would speak when. Since I was local I offered
to go last on the next day. I didn’t know that I was
asking for the worst position on the schedule of events.
The e-mail below tells the “rest of the story.”
Kevin,
Thanks again for your terrific presentation at ICNA. Not
only did you hold more people in the room (even after a break)
than I have seen previous last speakers do, but they asked
a LOT of questions, also more than what I have seen before.
You really had them engaged - I knew this was something vitally
important for them to hear, but had no idea to what degree
they would embrace this.
M/Sgt. Keith Owano
Zone 2 - Blackhawk Area Task Force
Board Member ICNA
Keith later told me on the phone that what they appreciated
in the presentation was my sticking to the facts and presenting
the basic foundational scriptures of both the Judeo-Christian
West and the Muslim East. I also gave the historical facts
and the concerns of those in our government about the rise
of militant Islam. He said that law enforcement negotiators
are trained to not let their thoughts show but he surmised
from their actions that they were “not just interested
but fascinated”, I didn’t pull any punches nor
did I try to make the situation with colliding civilizations
worse nor less than it actiually is. I let them know that
not all Muslims are devout or committed to the Jihad teachings
of the Koran and the Hadith. However, I pointed out that
it was when some of the 911 hijackers became more devout
to the Koran that they were vulnerable to Wahhabi teachings.
I let them know that Islam doesn’t mean “peace” but “submission” contrary
to what others in our government would have us believe!
Thank you partners for all your prayers about this. One officer
from a large Chicago suburb asked for a card saying that
his entire police department needed to hear my presentation.
Another officer told me about a cult that they have dealt
with that uses an Israeli-sounding name but is in fact an
Islamic group that prays to Allah. He said there are several
homicides that are somehow linked to this cult along with
drug trafficking.
ENDTIMES DISCERNMENT
We are living in the days that discernment is essential especially
in the area of doctrinal truth. Jude 3 remains our marching
orders: “Beloved, while I was making every effort to
write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity
to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for
the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints”.
God tells us why
in the next verse:.
“For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand
marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our
God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ”
We are told to follow
chief apologist Paul:
“ Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk
according to the pattern you have in us.—Philippians 3:17 We are also
told why:
“For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping,
that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose
god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds
on earthly things”
. Satan is not going to jump out and yell, “Boo! Here
I am!” It takes thought and courage to confront doctrinal
error in an increasingly-anti- thought and anti-Christ world!
Thank you for standing with us in this fight for the hearts
and minds/psyches/souls of mankind!
Please Pray For:
• The Trunnel Family
Their young son Blake has had
a grapefruit sized
cancerous tumor taken frm his chest. He is at Iowa City having
treatments for the remaining cells that could not be reached
as they were too close to his lungs.
Pray that the recovery will be rapid and final. Pray for
his dad Brian as well. He had a heart attack last fall and
this is very stressful. Blake’s mom and Brian’s
wife is Shelley. Brian is a very dear friend of mine and
was also a loyal friend of my father’s.
• The family of Promise Barker
They know she is in heaven but they don’t have her
here with them and that is hard! Pray for God’s comfort
to be extended to all members of the family and that her
death may reach out to all who don’t know the Lord
but knew of Him through her testimony!
• Our “hauling vehicle” had its motor
freeze up on it when it mysteriously
lost all oil. It served us well as it had over 250,000 miles
on it. Still, we don’t have a vehicle to haul things
in and we don’t have a spare vehicle that can take
the whole family in while the other van (which is way up
in miles itself and has already had its transmission replaced)
is having work done on it. If you have a van or pick up truck
that you would like to donate please let us know.
• Pray for the needed inspiration
and finances that will allow the
completion of the last half of our music album Just One Lord.
The price will be around
4 thousand dollars but we can proceed with the production
of the last 5 songs at roughly three to five hundred dollars
a song. We will then need to have them manufactured, packaged
and made ready to sell.
• Pray for our radio program Perspective
Underground that God would
continue to lead us to those subjects that need to be covered.
Also pray that God would open the doors needed for syndication
and internet expansion.
• Pray for the revamping of our website!
• If you have mechanical skills and would
like to help us with our lawn
equipment maintenance please call or e-mail us.
We Invite Your Involvement:
Listen to the weekly broadcast of “Perspective Underground” on
88.3FM WFEN in Rockford, Il, and 103 FM in Madison, WI. Saturdays
at noon! Topics Covered
Include: Current Events From A Christian Worldview, Biblical
Prophecy, Apologetics and Cults, Christian Morality and Government.
Please let us know what guests you’d like to see in
person at our auditorium!
Attend our interdenominational Monday night discussion and
teaching class
at 7:00 pm at First Evangelical Free Church in Rockford,
Illinois. We cover similar, if not the same, topics as the
radio program, and watch and listen to the latest Christian
video and audio tapes. We also keep abreast of current media
coverage of Christian concerns. Lively discussion plus question
and answer is the norm. The class has been attended widely
across denominational lines.
For ten years we have been meeting downstairs in the board
room at the church.
Call us at 815-947-CULT if you are witnessing to a person
lost in a cult, false religion or the occult and if you have
any question or spiritual need relating to Christ. We will
try to help with information, prayer and Bible based counsel.
Make use of our Speakers Bureau! Rev. Kevin Johnson, Joel
Griffith and Jim Korleski are available to come to your church
and fill the pulpit, teach Sunday school classes, speak to
youth groups, or do a special series of seminars on a wide
variety of topics including: Post-Modernism, Evolution Vs.Creation,
Israel and/or Post-Yavne Judaism, Using Your Gifts In The
Body of Christ, The Believer’s Position In Christ,
The Christian and Politics, Legalism, The Occult, Biblical
Prophecy and Modern Times, The Cults Overview, Following
The Example of The Apostles In Evangelization and Missions,
Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Islam. Please approach
those who are in authority in your church or organization
who are able to bring us in and urge them to do so!
Be a spiritual detective For M.C.O./I.C.A.!! You can help
MCO by sending us interesting bits of information in the
form of newsclips, articles, tapes and books that pertain
to prophetic developments, doctrinal issues in the church,
the cults and the occult. Also call the media outlets (radio,
TV, newspapers) and urge them to use us as expert sources
or evangelical spokesmen.
Urge your church’s missions board to join other churches
in their support of MCO!
Please continue to regularly support MCO in prayer and monthly
giving as the
Lord leads! Notes of encouragement also mean a
lot!
We thank the Lord for each one of you!
In His Service Gladly,
Kevin
Mount Carmel Outreach
All donations to The Institute For Christian
Apologetics are
tax-deductible, greatly needed and equally appreciated!
Make your checks out to:
The Institute For Christian Apologetics
Send them to P.O. Box 5761 Rockford, IL 61125
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