Hallelujah!!! Today was a glorious day in the LORD! Greg and I had the blessing of being baptized side by side in the Jordan River! Although Greg and I both have been baptized previously, we wanted to enter the same waters where Jesus was baptized and simply enjoy that experience together!
It was the most beautiful blessing to stand with 100 plus believers, all dressed in white robes waiting to enter the Jordan River for baptism with rejoicing as we sang Amazing Grace!
Once Greg and I entered the water, Greg was baptized first and then, my wonderful husband baptized me! I arose out of the water with an exultant shout of JOY: JESUS!!! GLORY!!! 😇😇😇
I’m that moment, Greg and I were both so full of the Joy of the Lord!!! GLORY!!!What a blessing to rededicate our lives together through re-baptism in the Jordan River!
After our baptisms, we left for our next destination: NAZARETH, the home of Jesus! Nazareth is so beautiful and runs gently along the top of the mountains. While there, we were able to visit the ruins of the town where Jesus once lived as a child. The ruins of Nazareth are decked with beautiful limestone streets and buildings and the walls of the ruins have mosaics and painted murals. The overall feeling is peaceful and serene.
However, the city itself has become very urban and the presence of Islam was there. Upon arrival, we were greeted with the voice of a man projecting loud shouts through megaphones across the city as he delivered an impassioned Islamic message. This was a little frightening for me and very unsettlingly to say the least. It made my heart yearn for Jesus to return….SOON!
Just outside of Nazareth, we hiked to the location where scripture says that the Pharisees, drove Jesus from the synagogue and out to the cliffs to throw Jesus over “headlong” and to his death! Why would the Pharisees do such a terrible thing? The reason was simply stated by Jesus himself: “A Prophet has no honor in his own country”. (Mark 6:4; John 4:44). Jesus had just returned from his own baptism and immediate departure into the wilderness to fast and pray for 40 days. Upon his return, Jesus visited the Jewish synagogue and read from Isaiah 61:1-4, fulfilling a prophecy spoken by the prophet Elijah foretelling of a Messiah who would “bind up the broken-hearted and set captives free!”
The Rabbis did not possess the faith to believe and instead attempted to kill Jesus. How did Jesus escape this perilous moment? Scripture states “He passed through the midst of them”. In other words, Jesus simply vanished right before their eyes. (Luke 4:29-30). Hallelujah! Nothing can stop the plans of the LORD!
What about you? If you met Jesus today on the street and he told you he was the Messiah, would you receive him? Scripture states “My sheep know me and they hear my voice”. (John 10:27). How do we come to know someone? We spend time with them.
Today, I pray you will spend time learning about the life of Jesus and ask him to reveal himself to you through the Word and your time in prayer and worship and you will come to “know his voice”.
Amen and Hallelujah!
Grace and Peace,
Ashley 🙏