The Forgotten Ones Remembered.

Dear friends and readers,

Peace and grace to you and your families in the name of JESUS CHRIST.

Well, the holidays are over - - - whoops, I almost fell into the thinking of the world. After all, we all have to be "politically correct" don't we? So, let's start out by SCRATCHING "Happy Holidays" and from my family to yours - we hope you had a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and that you were able to remember that the real reason for the season is Jesus Christ.

We have been very busy, in fact, on a recent trip to Israel we covered 18,000 miles in 5 weeks. For that reason, I'm a little bit behind. :-)

This week's article is entitled "The Forgotten Ones Remembered". It is written by my wife, best friend and ministry partner, Brandy. Enjoy.

Pastor Rance

Oh, how my heart is glad in the Lord!!!

I wanted to share with you about what happenend today at our Christmas party for what I call the "Forgotten Ones". A very special church to us, Crossorads Community Church in Chowchilla, California has been sending Christmas gifts to us faithfully for years to give to the poor here in Mexico. These boxes are made with love, care and the heart to share Jesus Christ with the children and families who receive them. To this day, Crossroads has not been able to come to Mexico to experience firsthand the joy of this season, even though their hearts are to do just that, but yet every year, faithfullly, their church family makes these gifts and sends them down to us to give out as the Lord leads us. This faithfulness has spoken so deeply to our hearts over the years.

As you know, for years when Rance pastored IDT, the Lord bountifully blessed us with shoebox gifts every year. Some years we even received as many as 3,500! I remember our first year when God began sending the gifts through Chrisitans in the U.S.A., we were so excited! That was way back in 1994. I can share with you story after story about Christmas gift outreaches, faces, families, and stories that would rip your heart out. Here we are in 2010 and still, the power of love during this season never ceases to amaze me. This year Rance & I received about 30 boxes from this church, so we prayerfully asked the Lord what HE would have us do with them. IDT still receives many boxes and it's such a blessing to know the many churches and families who are blessed through these gifts! They work very hard to make sure that the local church lists and needy children's hearts are met.

This year, knowing that our portion would be around 30, I felt that the Lord had to have a very special 30 kids in mind. So as I prayed, I felt that the focus this year was to be on children who would not be a part of any Christmas outreach. Children whose parents don't go to church. Children whose parents can't afford gifts. Children who don't live in Christ centered homes. This is what my heart was burdened for, and I shared this with my friend and sister, Maria.

Maria actually is much more than a friend and sister. Maria has been working with me for 11 years now, helping me with Santiago and my home 3 days a week. Miraculously, although financially tight most of the time, the Lord has enabled us to help her as she helps us. Without Maria, I don't know how we could have done what we have done ministerially over the years. More than that, Maria has become one of my closest friends and has faithfully been there more times than I could count. And best of all Santiago loves her and her kids and grandkids, all of whom are his sisters and brothers.

Maria and her husband Tomas are from Oaxaca, and have raised 8 children here in Baja. He is a driver for one of the local ranches. All their kids are field workers. I have encouraged her to write her story, because it is one that needs to be told. We met Maria in 1994 when I began giving Bible Studies in the campo Rancho Nuevo. I am sharing all this because this leads up to what happened today, and if I didn't share the background, you wouldn't understand the full impact of why today was so special to us.

No one in Maria's family has ever had an education past the 6th grade or Jr. High School. Except her youngest 3 daughters, Yessinia, Yanet and Mariela. Not only did they all graduate from high school, but all 3 are in college in Ensenada. Truly, this is a miracle. Yessinia is studying to be a doctor, Yanet a psychologist and Mariela, a nurse. (Although Mariela's dream was to be a veterarian, but that's another story). They share an apartment together in Ensenada, are committed to not dating (none of them ever have, and they are 18, 20 & 21) until they graduate college, they are plugged in to a solid Bible teaching church in Ensenada that is focused on reaching out to the needy (like prostitutes and abused children) and sharing the Gospel. These young ladies, who although are truly set apart, grew up with tremendous struggles and all odds against them. Now to witness where they are in their lives, is only by God's grace.

Fast forward.

So, Maria and I had the same heart to do something for kids who are tucked away, forgotten and who would not be a part of an outreach. Maria offered her house to have a get together, and from there - the Lord began giving she and her girls a vision for today. This all came together in the last week. Because Maria knows where these kids are, she began making the invitation list of those who she knew for sure fit in this category.

I had suggested to Maria that her 3 girls do all the organizing and working with the kids. (They are home on Christmas break from college). (At the time I didn't understand why, I normally do all that, but TODAY I REALIZED WHY GOD GUIDED ME IN THAT DECISION.) A couple of days ago I went to her house and taught them how to bake and decorate Christmas cookies. Then they took off with it! I brought all the shoebox gifts to her house and she and her girls put the children's names correspondingly on the boxes, and invited them to come to her house today at 1:00.

In the past few days, Santiago and I got sick, so I couldn't be as much help as I had wanted, so bascially I just showed up with my camera! The Lord certainly knew.

BUT GOD. What a master planner He is!

I arrived about 1:15, and all the kids and some of their moms were already there. (Unheard of in Mexico) :-) They had them all sitting on a tarp in Maria's yard and they were having a drawing contest with paper and crayons. The challenge was "who can draw the best picture that describes what Christmas really is". I WAS FLABBERGASTED. Oh the excitement! Then, they played several other games including a balloon popping dance, and a sack race (with white plastic garbage sacks - priceless). Then, they passed out the Christmas cookies Mariela and Maria had made, and oh, the order!!!! No screaming, pushing, etc... all of them so well behaved and excited to be there, the Lord used the girls to bring such order and excitment all at the same time! They gave prizes to all the winners They sang & taught the kids songs about Jesus, with hand motions, and all of them got involved, even the pre-teen boys which was amazing. Then they fed everyone simple sandwiches and sodas and ... I don't know how to explain this... just watching the thankfulness in their eyes brought me to tears. You see, I remember years and years ago, Yessinia, Yanet and Mariela were those same little girls as we gave Christmas parties and outreaches back when they were the ages of these kids... and now... here they are, they are now the ones teaching the Christmas story, sharing the love of Christ, giving back all they received... all on their own. All these years later, it was these same little girls who are young women now themselves, it was they who organized this outreach, and did it - all by themselves. How can I put into words what my heart is feeling right now?

I can't.

I am filled with gratitude. Overwhelmed with joy. And so incredibly thankful that Jesus was born, lived and died, to give us eternity with Him and those who will put their trust in Him. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone, and may the Lord bless you with the way of surrender in 2011.

And to those of you from Crossroads Community Church in Chowchilla reading this - GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU WITH ALL OUR HEARTS. If you'd like to see more photos, please click on to my facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=255293&id=520547917

Brandy (& Rance & Santiago Cook, of course!)

Servants of the King

Vicente Guerrero, Baja Mexico

p.s. I just talked to Rigo, a friend of ours who helps Rance here at our home. He had given Maria and I four names of little kids who he knew would not be receiving any gifts. Tonight, he told me the following that broke my heart. He said thank you so much for the gifts for these 4 children, they have NEVER received a gift in their lives, their parents are so poor they have never had enough money to buy gifts for their kids. (ages 3-12). He said one of the kids, I think the oldest one, after receiving the invitation, was SO EXCITED she couldn't sleep at all the night before. He said she couldn't even imagine what is was going to be like receiving a Christmas gift. (!!!!!) Lord Jesus. This is the heart of this ministry during Christmas - to bring the Love Of The Ultimate Gift to these little ones. LORD, YOU ARE SO GOOD...

From Pastor Rance:

It occurs to me as I read this article that there may be some of you who are wondering whether or not "your little contribution" for the Lord's work may really mean anything. Does anyone remember the story of the "widows mite" in the Bible?

Roughly 18 years ago, my wife preached the Gospel to a bunch of little girls who were living in cardboard and plastic huts with dirt floors, no sanitation, many without shoes and socks and most going to bed at night without a proper meal. These are the very same little girls who have grown into Godly women, in college, and are now preaching the Gospel themselves to other little children, many of whom are living in horrible conditions. What my wife did was the widow's mite. I want to encourage each of you to remember that even though you may have doubts in yourself, to God who sees you in vastly different ways, you are incredibly important. Your labor is not in vain. Have a happy new year, in Jesus name.

Pastor Rance.

The Hanukkah Connection!

Dear friends,

Peace and grace to each of you in the Name of Yeshua (Jesus).

As you may remember we have been in Israel and have just returned home after 5 weeks "on the road". I am sure you will all agree that in the final analysis, there really is no place like home. While in Israel I posted several short articles and pictures regarding our trip and sincerely hope that you enjoyed them. I know that they were read because I want to thank new readers in the nations of Bahamas, Senegal, Morocco and Spain. As stated in past articles, my goal is to reach every country on the planet and thanks to you we are now at 39 and growing. Praise the Lord!!!

This week I am going to do something a bit different. We are now in the season of Hanukkah which is the Festival of Lights or also called the Feast of Dedication as seen in John 10:22. Jesus Himself attended this feast in Jerusalem and as always I stress that as Christians today, there is much to learn from these important Biblical appointed times.

There are many ministries that send out reports and newsletters regarding Biblical events as they appear each year on the calendar. However in this case it is my desire to put something into your hands that you can not only read but also download and use as a basis for teaching your own family, friends or congregation. As a result what you are about to experience is a bit longer than usual but is printed in easily flowing "bullet point" format that you can use as a tool in ministry.

The author, Jackie Newman is a new staff writer for this blog. She is the founder of a teaching and dance ministry called B'Shem, graduate of a Bible school, a Pastor's wife plus both mother and grandmother, not to mention a very dear friend of our family. Jackie is a "Berean" and she teaches the Word of God with passion and is especially gifted in teaching about God's Appointed Times. In this article, Jackie will be referring in part to "the book of Maccabees". If you are not a student of the Bible, please allow me to explain that "MACCABEES" is one of books contained within the "APOCRYPHA" which are historical books covering a span of about 400 years the events for which occurred between the last Old Testament book of Malachi and the first New Testament book of Matthew.

Please welcome Jackie Newman! And BE BLESSED BY THIS WONDERFULLY GOD-INSPIRED ARTICLE ON HANUKKAH.

Hanukkah 2010

Introduction:

There are 7 Biblical Feasts that God gives to show His plan of redemption.

Show chart/explain feasts (contact this ministry to obtain information on helpful charts).

Today we are in the middle of an 8 day feast called Hanukkah-Feast of Dedication or Feast of Lights.

It is not a Biblical Feast but a historical one.

Why celebrate Hanukkah when it is not a Biblical feast?

Many reasons:

1. Identify with Jewish people

1. Jesus was Jewish
2. For over 10 years the church was Jewish in nature

1. Jewish nation preserved the history of God’s people

1. Jewish history shows how God deals with His people
2. Preserved the Scriptures- both OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS

1. They are God’s covenant nation

1. They will forever be God’s chosen people
2. They have a history that will make you cry out with them “Never again!”

1. Jesus was in the Temple on Hanukkah teaching

1. It is important to learn what He was teaching
2. This wasn’t random, it had a purpose and was for this day

1. There is much to learn from the lessons of Hanukkah

1. Application in our own walk with the Lord
2. End times
3. God has a continuing, unfolding plan for Israel in the end times. We need to be aware of it and not buying into man’s humanistic ideas of:

1. Replacement theology

1. Thinking the church has replaced Israel
2. That God is done with the Jews

Hanukkah is happening again:

Hanukkah is a time when the evil one tries to use men to wipe out the Jewish nation. It has happened many times before: Haman to Hitler and many in-between.

We see it today:

Iran-We will wipe Israel off the map-this time we will do it

Arab neighbors-Many have had peace with Israel for years are now turning against her.

Why? Radical Muslims infused with demonic hatred for God’s people are rising up in these nations.

Even non-Muslim nations are turning against Israel.

Our nation-our president

Entertaining Iran’s president in White House

Snubbing Israel’s president when He came

Giving millions to Hamas

Bowing down to Muslims

Am I upset about this: Yes

Am I surprised by it: No

Because the book of Revelation makes it clear that in the end days all the nations of the world will be against Israel and her Messiah: Jesus Christ Himself!!

As we will learn today: It is the folly of man to reject God and His people.

It is what is called the “anti-christ” spirit.

What does all this have to do with Hanukkah?

Background of Hanukkah:

The history of Hanukkah begins in what is called the Inter- testament time-called “silent years”-But as you will see they weren’t so silent.

It spans a time between 175BC-135BC

Hanukkah is amazingly prophesied to happen in Chapter 8 in the book of Daniel, hundreds of years before it occured.

It is time of the Grecian Empire.

Two strong leaders: Egypt & Syria that fought against each other with Israel caught in the middle.

But even in the midst of all the fighting the Jews were pretty much left alone to live as they wanted.

Even though they were living in Greek land and were encouraged to assimilate into Greek culture (to become “Hellenistic”) they were not forced.

They were free to worship the God of the Bible and to keep their customs…..to stay distinct as Jews.

In 200BC Syria defeated the Egyptians and took over the whole region which included the land of Israel.

175BC a new leader rose up: Antiochus Epiphanies, claiming that he was actually a god, became king of the Syria and the new leader over the Jews.

He did two things:

1. He ordered everyone to erect and worship statues of him (as god) in their temple.
2. He made it mandatory that all people (Jews included) to accept and live a totally Hellenistic (Greek) lifestyle.

He made 4 things mandatory:

1. Greek language
2. Greek culture
3. Greek worship
4. Greek food

What this meant for the Jews:

1. Greek language -no Hebrew language-Holy tongue-language of Torah

a. used in their worship to God.

1. Greek culture -no Torah, circumcision, Sabbath, or feasts.

1. Torah’s burned-take God’s word from the people-to know true God
2. The Driedel game began
3. Circumcision-no sign of being God’s people-identification as God’s own people-Death for one who did it (included the mother & child).
4. Shabbat or feast days-no days to remember what God had done in past

1. Greek religion-no worship of the one true God

1. Idolatry-temple was stripped and converted into Temple to Zeus
2. Daily sacrifices continued with one exception-pig sacrifices instead

1. Greek food-no keeping Biblically kosher

1. Pig was required to eat as part of worship and loyalty to the Greek god.

These demands flew in the face of everything God had told His people to do.

It is easy to see the demonic plan.

They were forced to make a choice: Obey God or obey man.

This was a plan specifically to break and control the faithful Jews of that time.

Many Jews had already assimilated to most of Greek culture so following the rules of this mad man, Antiochus, was just the next step.

They even allowed a man that had changed his name to Jason, a Greek name, to be High Priest. Jason allowed Greek worship in the Temple which amounted to idolatry, strictly forbidden by God.

God’s holy Temple was being defiled!

This was a demonic war to steal the heart of God’s people….a way of annihilation of the Jews as God’s chosen people by assimilation.

Most forsook Torah to save their lives but for many who could not compromise it cost them dearly….even their lives.

Famous heroes of that time:

Eliezer: 2 Maccabees 6:18-31

He was an old man….a uncompromising scribe, who was commanded to eat pork.

When he refused they held him down, opened his mouth and shoved it in.

What did he do? He spit it out. They then killed him….but that story isn’t about defeat….it is about victory.

Hannah: 2Maccabees 7

Seven sons with their mother were commanded by the king to taste swine's flesh, and were tormented with scourges and whips.

One of them that spoke: Why are you whipping us to try to get us to change our minds: We are ready to die rather than to transgress the laws of our fathers.

He then commanded to cut out the tongue of him that spoke first, and to cut off the utmost parts of his body, the rest of his brethren and his mother looking on.

Then he commanded him being yet alive to be brought to the fire, and to be fried in the pan.

How did this family react? They exhorted one another with the mother to die manfully.

So when the first was dead, they brought the second to make him a laughing stock: and when they had pulled off the skin of his head with the hair, they asked him, Will you now eat or be punished throughout every member of your body?

When he said, no he also received the next torment in order, as the former did.

How did he react? He said, “You, like a fury take us out of this present life, but the King of the world shall raise us up, the ones who have died for his laws, unto everlasting life.”

This happened to the third, not wavering in his commitment to His God.

Now when this man was dead also, they tormented and mangled the fourth in like manner.

When he was about to die he said “ It is good, being put to death by men, to look for hope from God to be raised up again by him: as for you, you shall have no resurrection to life.

Afterward they brought the fifth also, and mangled him.

As this man looked at the king he said, “You have power over men, you are corruptible, and you do what you will; yet think not that our nation is forsaken of God.” Think not that you can strive against God and escape unpunished.

As the mother saw her seven sons slain within the space of one day, she bore it with a good courage, because of the hope that she had in the Lord.

With these examples we see that the Jews that were standing up for God in Jerusalem went under heavy persecution…..even to the death.

These Jews became a symbol of what Hanukkah is all about: Dedication to God.\

The war begins:

Antiochus thought he could force the Jews to abandon their beliefs and their God, but he misunderstood the nature of Jewish people: tough, committed and not afraid to fight.

Antiochus thought that he could impose Hellenism on all Jews or just kill them off.

But, he had not counted on what God was doing in the hearts of His people.

Especially in one family called the Maccabees.

The father of this family was deeply committed to God and had raised 5 sons in the Lord. They would not wavier to their devotion to God and His ways.

They were prepared to fight.

While the persecution was raging in Jerusalem, the Maccabees were raising up an army of men who were also zealous for God and were ready to stand against Antiochus and his army.

The word Maccabees means “Hammer” and God was getting ready to use His hammer for His glory.

As this army prepared for battle, Antiochus was getting more aggressive and becoming more mad with power.

So much so that as a final rejection of the true God and to make a final statement and insult to God’s people, Antiochus entered the Holy of Holies and poured pigs blood over the mercy seat, totally defiling it and mocking God.

This time Antiochus had gone too far. It was war!

After much prayer and fasting this little army of 3,000 zealots made their way to Jerusalem and when they did they were met with the 47,000 Syrian soldiers.

Some began to waiver: And asked “How can we, few as we are, fight such an army as this? Besides, we are weak today from fasting”.”

The Maccabees’ answer was clear: “It is easy for many to be overcome by few; in the sight of Heaven there is no difference between deliverance by many only few; for victory in war does not depend upon the size of the army, but on strength that comes from Heaven. With great presumption and lawlessness they came against us to destroy us and our wives and children and to despoil us; but we are fighting for our lives and our Torah laws. He (God) Himself will crush them before us; so do not be afraid of them.”

So, the war started: 47,000/6,000…it looked like the Maccabees were outnumbered…but then again, they had God on their side!!

And victory it was!!!!

The Lord overthrew the massive Syrian army before the small band of an uncompromising, God honoring army.

After fighting for a little over 3 years, finally they were able to take back Jerusalem.

Upon entering Jerusalem, the other priests immediately entered the Temple.

Sadly they found the Temple was desolate, the altar had been profaned, the gates burned and the holy courtyard overgrown with weeds.

As righteous emotions overtook them, they tore their garments, cried out to heaven and sounded the shofar.

It must have been a mournful sound.

But….

It was time for all the Jews to assemble, wake up and return to the Holy One of Israel.

They immediately began to restore the Temple.

They tore down the defiled alter and built a new one. They made all new furniture for the holy place.

With this completed, they knew they needed to light the “eternal flame” of the Menorah, that which God had said in His Torah that was to burn continually.

But all the purified oil was destroyed except enough oil to burn for one day.

It would take 7 days to purify more oil according to God’s directions.

The faithful Jews now found themselves in a dilemma according to Exodus 27:20

They could light the Menorah, as commanded in this verse, knowing that it would go out and that then would break the second commandment of this verse: to not let it go out!

They chose to follow God and trust Him for the results.

And as the story goes in the Talmud: He did. God kept the Menorah lit for 7 more days while more oil could be purified.

They believed that God honored their obedience and zeal for Him by giving them a miracle!

That is why the some think that Hanukkah is celebrated for 8 days and is called the “Festival of Lights.”

So, we light 8 lights during Hanukkah.

There is a tradition when lighting the Hanukkiah. We say “A great miracle happened here.”

Some say it is because of the miracle of the oil. Some say it is because of the victory the God-fearing Jews had over Hellenism.

But one thing is certain:

That the Torah-honoring Maccabees won a great victory against overwhelming odds….because the light of the truth will always shine in darkness!!

Hanukkah is a shadow of things to come:

Hanukkah is a “shadow” of things to come in the end times.

Remember the anti-christ will attempt assimilate God’s people into his mindset.

The mindset of man=humanism

Just like Antiochus of Syria, the anti-christ will try desperately to deceive believers from trust in God to trust in man.

Again God’s people will be forced to choose between the path of compromise or the path of dedication and faithfulness to God and His people.

We can learn from Hanukkah by comparing Antiochus and the Hanukkah account with the future prophecies about the Anti-christ in Revelation 13.

Comparison:

Antiochus of Hanukkah Anti-c in Rev. 13

Blasphemed God’s name (Epiphanies) vs. 1

Ruler over people vs1

Authority by devil vs.2

Many will give into him vs. 4

And worship Him because he is powerful

The war against God’s people=31/2 yrs. vs.5

Defile the Temple vs. 6

Many will give in to persecution vs. 8

The faithful will stay true vs. 10

It is easy to see why Hanukkah is a shadow of the end days.

We need to be aware and ready and prepared for the beginning of the battle when it comes.

It is looking imminent.

What Jesus taught on Hanukkah:

In light of Hanukkah and all we have looked at today why did Jesus teach what He taught at the Temple during Hanukkah?

John 10:22-27

Jesus calls believers “My sheep”, Jesus sheep have certain qualities:

1. They hear His voice-hear, hear and understand
2. They are known by Him-personal relationship
3. They follow Him-obey His Word
4. They have eternal life-promise of salvation
5. Not under God’s wrath-forgiven and cleansed
6. Can’t be snatched from the Father’s hand by any man, be it Antiochus or Anti-christ. God is in control of our lives.

Jesus’ sheep have “sheep promises”. Jesus’ sheep are loyal to their God.

How to respond in these day leading up to the next Hanukkah:

We are in a time leading up to another Hanukkah.

The Bible calls them birth pangs.

The end is on its way.

History is shifting as lines are being drawn between people who will believe and trust God and those who will believe and trust man.

The world is being set up for one who will have all the answers, a new savior: The Anti-christ.

2 John 1:7 tells us that the anti-christ spirit is already in the world.

The same 4 things that Antiochus demanded at the first Hanukkah, the devil is trying to deceive believers today:

1. Change our language: What Christian words are not “in” these days?

What words do we use that aren’t edifying?

1. Buy into the culture: What does our culture say is ok, that God say isn’t?
2. UnBiblical Worship: What forms of worship are we accepting that are not acceptable to God?

Who is the focus of our worship?

We are to be in the world but not of the world. So, what are we, as believers, to do?

Daniel 12:3- It is time for us to have insight (to be wise), to shine brightly, and to lead many to righteousness.

This is our end time calling.

I am asked a lot if Christians should celebrate Hanukkah.

My answer: There is too much to know and learn, not to. Our future depends on it.

AMEN and thank you Jackie! Pastor Rance here to conclude todays teaching. If you would like more information regarding this teaching outline, please contact me at pastorrance@wgcnet.com

In the meantime, until next week, may the Lord of Glory continue to bless you and give you Peace.

The great adventure continues...

Dear friends,

Peace and grace to you all in Jesus name!

What can I say? At this point in our trip to Israel, we are all homesick. On the one hand we are blessed by the Lord to live a very unusual life of adventure. This coming Sunday, Brandy and I will celebrate our 18th year of marriage and what a joy it is to be able to do so in Jerusalem.

On the other hand, we are both very basic "homebodies" who love nothing more that our daily routine in our own home.

These are outrageous extremes that we both deal with on nearly a daily basis. During our lives together, we have had the pleasure of doing the Lord's work in several countries and unfortunately we end up falling in love with each of them. When we are at home in Mexico, the fact is that in short order, we can't wait to "get on the road---somewhere, anywhere"! What's up with that? When we are ANYPLACE OTHER THAN HOME, we are homesick. When in Israel we can't wait to return home and when at home we can't wait to be in Israel, Africa, the United States---and I could go on and on. We simply do not live what most people consider to be a normal life. Brandy has a relative that whenever she speaks to on the phone, immediately says "where are you"? Not HOW are you but WHERE are you because no one ever really knows for sure where we are until we pop up somewhere.

That may seem to some like a very dis-connected life style but for us it is "NORMAL". For us it is simple. If the Lord says go, we get in the car, on the plane, or ? That IS a life of adventure and frankly we would not have it any other way. So at this moment we are in downtown Jerusalem, the city of the Great King. To narrow that down a bit, we are in our hotel preparing to prowl the Old City of Jerusalem that dates back several thousand years. Right now we are about 6 blocks from the Temple Mount where both the Temples of Kings Solomon and Herod stood. Of course those events were separated in time by multiple lifetimes of normal people who also prowled this phenomenal city.

Our formal tour is ended now although the group we have led for the past two weeks is still here for another 5 days "in vacation mode". We are on the one hand helping them plan interesting days of sight seeing and on the other hand, spending time with our son Santiago, just prowling, meeting pastors and making the most of our time here! Today we will be in both the Jewish and Christian quarters of the old city. Two days ago we were in both the Armenian and Muslim Arab quarters. What a tremendous mix of cultures they are, all crammed next to one another in a fantastic boiling pot of International humanity and wildly different religious perspective. Each is frankly fascinating beyond belief.

This morning we will go visit our long time friend Basim, the owner of a tiny Armenian spice shop that goes back to his great grandfather. This man will break out into an ear splitting grin when he see's Santiago and try to express his joy trough a mixture of at least a dozen languages that he speaks nearly fluently. Within two minutes he will have ordered turkish coffee delivered by a small Arab child delicately balanced on a shiny ancient brass platter. This coffee is so strong that it is served in teeny, tiny little cups because if you drank a full mug of the stuff you would most likely spend the next three hours "bouncing of the domed walls" of the merchants shouk that has been in continuous operation since camels were the Mercedes of the Middle East.

After that reunion we will visit other shops, many owners of which will also remember and greet us as long lost relatives while at the same time try to relieve us of every last cent we own for priceless thousand year old coins and antiques-------that we really minted sometime last week-------! Of course we know this and they know FULL WELL that we know it but the friendly game of "grin and lie" is on and we will all have a great time trying to outwit one another for the best possible price. They will be miserable and broke by the time we leave (as they laugh all the way to the bank) and we will be thrilled that we obtained what we wanted for less than what we planned to pay in the shop next door.

Then off to a falafel stand for lunch and to just soak in this complicated atmosphere that cannot be duplicated anywhere else on earth.

On Sunday, Brandy and I will leave Santiago here at the hotel with "Auntie Meli" and the Penner family for a few hours so we can "steal away into the night" and celebrate our anniversary. First on this most important of "dates" is to visit the Western Wall under the Temple Mount where Brandy will pray on the women's side and me on the men's. While there we will place written prayers into cracks into the wall that were sent with us by many folks in both Coronado, California and our home area of Mexico.

From there we will stroll hand in hand throughout the city with no particular purpose in mind other than to enjoy each others company. Eventually we will end up at the famous "King David Hotel" and enjoy a quiet time of private conversation over hor'dourves and cappuccino. A very romantic time, after which REALITY DAWNS, and it is back to our own hotel to resume our mantles of just plain old Mommy and Daddy. We wouldn't have it any other way.

Now THAT is a life of adventure!!!

Until next time,

May the Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you all!

From Jerusalem,

Pastor Rance.

Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust Museum

Hi Everyone, this is Rance's wife Brandy filling in for him today. We are almost to the end of our tour in Israel and Santiago and I stayed back to rest today and prepare to have worship and communion at the Garden Tomb this afternoon. Rance is currently with our group at the City of David and King Hezakiah's tunnel.

Rance wanted me to update you today about our time yesterday at Yad Vashem, the first Holocaust Memorial here in Israel. I will be putting some pictures in between my writing.

In a nutshell, I can tell you that this is my 7th time being there and I almost didn't make it through. Half way through I told Rance, "I can't stay here any longer". Then, right after that, we came to the place in the museum of the "righteous among the nations". That's when I completely fell apart. But being there yesterday got both of us painfully refocused on why we started "Comfort Israel" in the first place. www.comfortisrael.ws

(To try to properly write about this horrendous subject, I need to wait until I go home, where I can take all the time I need to write. For now, however, I wanted to share with you the website to Yad Vashem where you can get just a glimpse of an idea of where we were. www.yadvashem.org.il )

For those of you who are not familiar with the term "the righteous among the nations", they were gentiles who saved and hid Jews during the Holocaust. They risked their lives to save Jewish children, men, and women alike. Some were discovered and put to death, some made it along with rescuing and saving lives of the future of Israel. I am so without words right now on this that it will be best for me to write about it after I get home, back to Mexico, where I can have quiet time to process, weep, sit before the LORD and then share more... there could never be enough words to share about it, and never, ever enough tears.

I know one thing for sure, both Santiago and I wouldn't have made "the cut", Him being handicapped, and me being a Jew.

Someone once asked David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel, "if there hadn't been a Holocaust, perhaps there would never have been the nation of Israel" and to that he thoughtfully replied, "but if there had been been the nation of Israel, there never would have been the Holocaust."

Just above this photo is of Rance, just coming out of the horrific reality of walking through Yad Vashem and seeing the horrific atrocities committed against the Jews, simply because they were Jews. Yet a magnificent statement is made when you come out of that heartbreaking place. The exit doors open wide, you walk outside and all you see are the MOUNTAINS OF JERUSALEM, FILLED WITH HOMES, WITH PEOPLE, WITH LIFE!!!!! Am Yisrael Chai!!! The people of Israel LIVE!!!!

The truth is, is that what satan tried to accomplish once again by trying to snuff out the Jewish people from the face of the earth during the Holocaust - he failed. Just like Pharoah, Haman, Herod, many others and now the diabolically inspired Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is trying to do... the resurgence of the spirt of Haman from ancient Persia, modern day Iran's president. BUT HE WILL NOT SUCEED. For thus says the LORD of hosts: "He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. Zechariah 2:8 (In other words, he who touches Israel pokes God in the eye).

Be sober and alert during these days, and be a watchmen you who call upon the name of the Lord. Isaiah 62 May we be found faithful at His coming, about our Father's business, preaching the Gospel to both Jew and Gentile, sharing the Truth of His kingdom, and loving His chosen people Israel, NO MATTER WHAT THE COST. He died for us, let us live for Him.

With blessings from Jerusalem,

Brandy Cook p.s. Below is another picture I took at Yad Vashem near the children's memorial. Did you know that of the 6 million Jews who were systematically murdered by the Nazis, 1.5 million of them were children????????? Here you can see a photo that EVEN IN THEIR OWN LAND, they must be protected by an armed guard against the terrorists who want them dead. God have mercy. Genesis 12:3.