#christianblogger — Public Fediverse posts

The Samson Experience

Already had a post prepped for today’s blog. But while listening to a song called “Deliver Me” two things dropped in my spirit….What’s At Your Core? and Do You Need A Sampson Experience?

Which are some interesting sermon topics. But to address them one would have to think about what was at the core of Sampson’s being that caused him to fall into his millstone experience to begin with.

Understand, Samson was chosen by God from birth remember? He was born out of a barren situation—According to the text… Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children.  And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” (Judges 13:2-5 NKJV)

Not only was Samson an answer to prayer and a prophetic promise wrapped in purpose. But, he was anointed before he was announced. Yet despite being chosen, gifted, and empowered by God, something at his core remained unchecked. (Psalm 51:5-6 NKJV)

That’s the part many of us overlook. You can be called and still be careless. Anointed and still undisciplined. Used by God publicly while privately wrestling with appetites that have never been surrendered. (James 4:7-10 NKJV) And these are the flaws that cause the fissures in our armor and in ours souls. The place where a hole in our souls gives the enemy access.

Samson’s downfall did not begin with Delilah. No, Delilah merely exposed what had already been operating within him. His issue was deeper than a relationship; it was a pattern. He had a weakness for what appealed to his flesh, and eventually what he refused to master became the very thing that mastered him. That is why Paul instructs us to walk in the spirit and not the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

Now the question becomes…What’s at your core? When pressure hits, what spills out? When temptation whispers, what responds? When isolation comes, what part of you takes control?

Because eventually, what’s hidden in your core will surface in your conduct. (Luke 8:17 NKJV) Someone once told me that when a person shows you who they are—that’s usually who they are. But my deeper question has always been what got them there in the first place.

And maybe—just maybe—some of us need a “Samson experience.” Not because God wants to destroy us, but because He loves us enough to confront what our strength has been hiding. Samson lost his eyesight, his freedom, and his position before he finally regained clarity about his dependence on God. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)

Sometimes the millstone experience is the place where pride is broken. Sometimes captivity exposes what comfort concealed. Sometimes God will allow the crushing so the core can be corrected.

Notice Samson’s hair began to grow again. Which means grace was still working while he was grinding. Mercy was still moving while he was humbled. God had not abandoned him, even in the consequences of his own decisions. And that’s good news for anyone who feels like they’ve failed God, drifted from purpose, or compromised their calling. Your ending does not have to be your downfall. God can still redeem, restore, and rebuild what was weakened. (1 Peter 5:10 NKJV)

You might’ve come from a barren situation… a lot of us have. But first, you must honestly ask yourself—What’s really at my core? Like Samson, do you need to be delivered?

Other topics you may find helpful:

• Are You Still In the Prison House?
• Someone I Used To Know
• You Need Time To Heal
• Is Your Enemy’s Celebration A Bit Premature?

Thank you for your continued readership and support. Until next week…Be and stay blessed!

https://youtu.be/KwYJv455Zmk

© Rhema International 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema Internation

The Samson Experience

Already had a post prepped for today’s blog. But while listening to a song called “Deliver Me” two things dropped in my spirit….What’s At Your Core? and Do You Need A Sampson Experience?

Which are some interesting sermon topics. But to address them one would have to think about what was at the core of Sampson’s being that caused him to fall into his millstone experience to begin with.

Understand, Samson was chosen by God from birth remember? He was born out of a barren situation—According to the text… Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children.  And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” (Judges 13:2-5 NKJV)

Not only was Samson an answer to prayer and a prophetic promise wrapped in purpose. But, he was anointed before he was announced. Yet despite being chosen, gifted, and empowered by God, something at his core remained unchecked. (Psalm 51:5-6 NKJV)

That’s the part many of us overlook. You can be called and still be careless. Anointed and still undisciplined. Used by God publicly while privately wrestling with appetites that have never been surrendered. (James 4:7-10 NKJV) And these are the flaws that cause the fissures in our armor and in ours souls. The place where a hole in our souls gives the enemy access.

Samson’s downfall did not begin with Delilah. No, Delilah merely exposed what had already been operating within him. His issue was deeper than a relationship; it was a pattern. He had a weakness for what appealed to his flesh, and eventually what he refused to master became the very thing that mastered him. That is why Paul instructs us to walk in the spirit and not the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

Now the question becomes…What’s at your core? When pressure hits, what spills out? When temptation whispers, what responds? When isolation comes, what part of you takes control?

Because eventually, what’s hidden in your core will surface in your conduct. (Luke 8:17 NKJV) Someone once told me that when a person shows you who they are—that’s usually who they are. But my deeper question has always been what got them there in the first place.

And maybe—just maybe—some of us need a “Samson experience.” Not because God wants to destroy us, but because He loves us enough to confront what our strength has been hiding. Samson lost his eyesight, his freedom, and his position before he finally regained clarity about his dependence on God. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)

Sometimes the millstone experience is the place where pride is broken. Sometimes captivity exposes what comfort concealed. Sometimes God will allow the crushing so the core can be corrected.

Notice Samson’s hair began to grow again. Which means grace was still working while he was grinding. Mercy was still moving while he was humbled. God had not abandoned him, even in the consequences of his own decisions. And that’s good news for anyone who feels like they’ve failed God, drifted from purpose, or compromised their calling. Your ending does not have to be your downfall. God can still redeem, restore, and rebuild what was weakened. (1 Peter 5:10 NKJV)

You might’ve come from a barren situation… a lot of us have. But first, you must honestly ask yourself—What’s really at my core? Like Samson, do you need to be delivered?

Other topics you may find helpful:

• Are You Still In the Prison House?
• Someone I Used To Know
• You Need Time To Heal
• Is Your Enemy’s Celebration A Bit Premature?

Thank you for your continued readership and support. Until next week…Be and stay blessed!

https://youtu.be/KwYJv455Zmk

© Rhema International 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema Internation

The Samson Experience

Already had a post prepped for today’s blog. But while listening to a song called “Deliver Me” two things dropped in my spirit….What’s At Your Core? and Do You Need A Sampson Experience?

Which are some interesting sermon topics. But to address them one would have to think about what was at the core of Sampson’s being that caused him to fall into his millstone experience to begin with.

Understand, Samson was chosen by God from birth remember? He was born out of a barren situation—According to the text… Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children.  And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” (Judges 13:2-5 NKJV)

Not only was Samson an answer to prayer and a prophetic promise wrapped in purpose. But, he was anointed before he was announced. Yet despite being chosen, gifted, and empowered by God, something at his core remained unchecked. (Psalm 51:5-6 NKJV)

That’s the part many of us overlook. You can be called and still be careless. Anointed and still undisciplined. Used by God publicly while privately wrestling with appetites that have never been surrendered. (James 4:7-10 NKJV) And these are the flaws that cause the fissures in our armor and in ours souls. The place where a hole in our souls gives the enemy access.

Samson’s downfall did not begin with Delilah. No, Delilah merely exposed what had already been operating within him. His issue was deeper than a relationship; it was a pattern. He had a weakness for what appealed to his flesh, and eventually what he refused to master became the very thing that mastered him. That is why Paul instructs us to walk in the spirit and not the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

Now the question becomes…What’s at your core? When pressure hits, what spills out? When temptation whispers, what responds? When isolation comes, what part of you takes control?

Because eventually, what’s hidden in your core will surface in your conduct. (Luke 8:17 NKJV) Someone once told me that when a person shows you who they are—that’s usually who they are. But my deeper question has always been what got them there in the first place.

And maybe—just maybe—some of us need a “Samson experience.” Not because God wants to destroy us, but because He loves us enough to confront what our strength has been hiding. Samson lost his eyesight, his freedom, and his position before he finally regained clarity about his dependence on God. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)

Sometimes the millstone experience is the place where pride is broken. Sometimes captivity exposes what comfort concealed. Sometimes God will allow the crushing so the core can be corrected.

Notice Samson’s hair began to grow again. Which means grace was still working while he was grinding. Mercy was still moving while he was humbled. God had not abandoned him, even in the consequences of his own decisions. And that’s good news for anyone who feels like they’ve failed God, drifted from purpose, or compromised their calling. Your ending does not have to be your downfall. God can still redeem, restore, and rebuild what was weakened. (1 Peter 5:10 NKJV)

You might’ve come from a barren situation… a lot of us have. But first, you must honestly ask yourself—What’s really at my core? Like Samson, do you need to be delivered?

Other topics you may find helpful:

• Are You Still In the Prison House?
• Someone I Used To Know
• You Need Time To Heal
• Is Your Enemy’s Celebration A Bit Premature?

Thank you for your continued readership and support. Until next week…Be and stay blessed!

https://youtu.be/KwYJv455Zmk

© Rhema International 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema Internation

The Samson Experience

Already had a post prepped for today’s blog. But while listening to a song called “Deliver Me” two things dropped in my spirit….What’s At Your Core? and Do You Need A Sampson Experience?

Which are some interesting sermon topics. But to address them one would have to think about what was at the core of Sampson’s being that caused him to fall into his millstone experience to begin with.

Understand, Samson was chosen by God from birth remember? He was born out of a barren situation—According to the text… Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children.  And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” (Judges 13:2-5 NKJV)

Not only was Samson an answer to prayer and a prophetic promise wrapped in purpose. But, he was anointed before he was announced. Yet despite being chosen, gifted, and empowered by God, something at his core remained unchecked. (Psalm 51:5-6 NKJV)

That’s the part many of us overlook. You can be called and still be careless. Anointed and still undisciplined. Used by God publicly while privately wrestling with appetites that have never been surrendered. (James 4:7-10 NKJV) And these are the flaws that cause the fissures in our armor and in ours souls. The place where a hole in our souls gives the enemy access.

Samson’s downfall did not begin with Delilah. No, Delilah merely exposed what had already been operating within him. His issue was deeper than a relationship; it was a pattern. He had a weakness for what appealed to his flesh, and eventually what he refused to master became the very thing that mastered him. That is why Paul instructs us to walk in the spirit and not the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

Now the question becomes…What’s at your core? When pressure hits, what spills out? When temptation whispers, what responds? When isolation comes, what part of you takes control?

Because eventually, what’s hidden in your core will surface in your conduct. (Luke 8:17 NKJV) Someone once told me that when a person shows you who they are—that’s usually who they are. But my deeper question has always been what got them there in the first place.

And maybe—just maybe—some of us need a “Samson experience.” Not because God wants to destroy us, but because He loves us enough to confront what our strength has been hiding. Samson lost his eyesight, his freedom, and his position before he finally regained clarity about his dependence on God. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)

Sometimes the millstone experience is the place where pride is broken. Sometimes captivity exposes what comfort concealed. Sometimes God will allow the crushing so the core can be corrected.

Notice Samson’s hair began to grow again. Which means grace was still working while he was grinding. Mercy was still moving while he was humbled. God had not abandoned him, even in the consequences of his own decisions. And that’s good news for anyone who feels like they’ve failed God, drifted from purpose, or compromised their calling. Your ending does not have to be your downfall. God can still redeem, restore, and rebuild what was weakened. (1 Peter 5:10 NKJV)

You might’ve come from a barren situation… a lot of us have. But first, you must honestly ask yourself—What’s really at my core? Like Samson, do you need to be delivered?

Other topics you may find helpful:

• Are You Still In the Prison House?
• Someone I Used To Know
• You Need Time To Heal
• Is Your Enemy’s Celebration A Bit Premature?

Thank you for your continued readership and support. Until next week…Be and stay blessed!

https://youtu.be/KwYJv455Zmk

© Rhema International 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema Internation

The Samson Experience

Already had a post prepped for today’s blog. But while listening to a song called “Deliver Me” two things dropped in my spirit….What’s At Your Core? and Do You Need A Sampson Experience?

Which are some interesting sermon topics. But to address them one would have to think about what was at the core of Sampson’s being that caused him to fall into his millstone experience to begin with.

Understand, Samson was chosen by God from birth remember? He was born out of a barren situation—According to the text… Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children.  And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” (Judges 13:2-5 NKJV)

Not only was Samson an answer to prayer and a prophetic promise wrapped in purpose. But, he was anointed before he was announced. Yet despite being chosen, gifted, and empowered by God, something at his core remained unchecked. (Psalm 51:5-6 NKJV)

That’s the part many of us overlook. You can be called and still be careless. Anointed and still undisciplined. Used by God publicly while privately wrestling with appetites that have never been surrendered. (James 4:7-10 NKJV) And these are the flaws that cause the fissures in our armor and in ours souls. The place where a hole in our souls gives the enemy access.

Samson’s downfall did not begin with Delilah. No, Delilah merely exposed what had already been operating within him. His issue was deeper than a relationship; it was a pattern. He had a weakness for what appealed to his flesh, and eventually what he refused to master became the very thing that mastered him. That is why Paul instructs us to walk in the spirit and not the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

Now the question becomes…What’s at your core? When pressure hits, what spills out? When temptation whispers, what responds? When isolation comes, what part of you takes control?

Because eventually, what’s hidden in your core will surface in your conduct. (Luke 8:17 NKJV) Someone once told me that when a person shows you who they are—that’s usually who they are. But my deeper question has always been what got them there in the first place.

And maybe—just maybe—some of us need a “Samson experience.” Not because God wants to destroy us, but because He loves us enough to confront what our strength has been hiding. Samson lost his eyesight, his freedom, and his position before he finally regained clarity about his dependence on God. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)

Sometimes the millstone experience is the place where pride is broken. Sometimes captivity exposes what comfort concealed. Sometimes God will allow the crushing so the core can be corrected.

Notice Samson’s hair began to grow again. Which means grace was still working while he was grinding. Mercy was still moving while he was humbled. God had not abandoned him, even in the consequences of his own decisions. And that’s good news for anyone who feels like they’ve failed God, drifted from purpose, or compromised their calling. Your ending does not have to be your downfall. God can still redeem, restore, and rebuild what was weakened. (1 Peter 5:10 NKJV)

You might’ve come from a barren situation… a lot of us have. But first, you must honestly ask yourself—What’s really at my core? Like Samson, do you need to be delivered?

Other topics you may find helpful:

• Are You Still In the Prison House?
• Someone I Used To Know
• You Need Time To Heal
• Is Your Enemy’s Celebration A Bit Premature?

Thank you for your continued readership and support. Until next week…Be and stay blessed!

https://youtu.be/KwYJv455Zmk

© Rhema International 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema Internation

An Interesting Day

Yesterday was quite an interesting day. It started as my normal Saturday writing the Just A Thought, Miscellaneous Minds, and Movie Reviews. That were pretty much prepped through the week. But, I noticed my baby boy, Bobby Leach II, left a message—I kind on panicked because when that kid reaches out—it’s like the Day the Earth Stood Still—in jest, we call him the “Invisible Man” because he’s like a rarity that one very seldom sees. He left me a message that said, “Good morning Mom, just called to tell you I love you, and hope you’re having a wonderful weekend.” I called him up—we had a long conversation and he ended with…I’ve come to the conclusion that God has it all so we just need to do what’s right, look out for each other—everybody’s not on the same level and you can’t judge where they are—just help them when and if you can and keep it moving.”

This conversation started me on the trek of calling the rest of the crew, then I called Tanisha, my baby girl…opening with “Is the world coming to an end?” She asked why? I said, “your brother just called me—he never does that!” She said, “I know, we had a long conversation yesterday.” We discussed our plans for today and decided cooking was not part of the program.

The next call…Joi, who I call my logistics person. She’s always exploring new restaurants and places to eat. So, I immediately asked her what were the plans for tomorrow. She was talking about something was brewing with her friend Jackie, because her mom was in town, but there was nothing carved in stone. I told her I’d like to do something with our crew — last minute would be hard to find any reservations at all if possible—but like Sherlock Holmes, she was on the case.

I then called my oldest son, Andre’, who was on his way to the gym to workout. He’s our neighborhood health buff. When you see him, he’s a towering giant with a heart of gold. We talked for a brief moment. I told him I couldn’t wait until my new license plate came. He said, “Mom, I can’t believe how excited you are over a license plate.”

In the interim, my Goddaughter, Christina, was calling to see what I was doing because she wanted to come by. I told her was thinking about starting to paint the trim but hadn’t started yet. By the time she showed up, I was sitting in my easy chair with my feet up. Christina showed up at the door with the most beautiful bouquet of what looked to be like velvet flowers. She grabbed a cold bottle of water out of the fridge and we hung out watching one of my favorite Asian films…

Somehow that painting project got placed on hold. But I had a great day. Perhaps you are thinking all she did was talk to her kids. That may be true. But the point of this post is … Communication is key…My kid’s ages range from 40 to 54. I am so thankful to God, first of all, because they are still here, secondly, they’re never too busy for momma, and God is bringing healing and restoration in places in this family’s relationship that I prayed for.

So, on this Mother’s Day, I am so grateful for my crew. I feel like Stitch, “This is my family, it’s small and broken, but still good.” We must learn to love each other flaws and all. Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom—all my daughter’s, all the mothers at Peace Progressive MB, and my loyal readers. May your day be Merry and Bright! Blessings and Peace!

© Rhema International 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema Internation

Love Lifted Me

Woke up this morning with a song in my heart. It’s an old gospel hymn I grew up on… “Love lifted me, love lifted me, when nothing else would help love lifted me.” And as I was meditating on that, this song came to mind…”Lookin’ for love in all the wrong places, looking for love in too many faces, searchin’ their eyes lookin’ for traces of what I’ve been dreaming of.”

At first, these two songs seem like they’re pulling in different directions. But the longer I sat with them, the more they felt like they belonged together, almost stacked on top of each other. One’s the wandering—lost, trying to fill something inside you. The other is the moment you realize you’ve finally landed somewhere safe. I know I’ve vascillated between both in my own life.

The line about “looking for love in all the wrong places”—really hits hard, not just because it’s catchy, but because it’s fact. We’re wired to search, to want something bigger. We chase approval, relationships, achievements—all those things we think might fix the emptiness. They don’t, though. Not at the deepest level. They just aren’t cut out for it. What we’re really after is to be known and loved for real, by the One who made us.

So we keep looking. We hand out little bits of ourselves, hoping this next thing or person will finally make us feel okay. Sometimes, it even works for a minute. But the emptiness always creeps back in, and you see it’s just another dry well—lots of promise, but never what you actually need.

Then without any advanced warning something changes…

“Love lifted me” isn’t just a nice ending. It’s being pulled out of the chaos. God moves first, before we even have words for how lost we are. That’s the point: we only love at all because He loved us first. (1 John 4:19-21) He starts it, not us. His love doesn’t just slap a band-aid on things. It cuts through all the places where we’ve felt small or forgotten. When we give up and nothing else works, God’s love holds. It doesn’t fizzle out. It sticks.

Funny thing is, all those “wrong places” end up mattering too. They’re not wasted years. They help us see the real thing when it finally shows up. So, I guess that’s it: the searching and the finding don’t cancel each other out. They’re part of the same story.

One song is about reaching for God without knowing it. The other is about what happens when He finds you.

If you’re tired of chasing things that never last, maybe today’s the day to turn and look for the love that already knows you. It doesn’t just drop in for a visit. It lifts you up. It restores you. And it never leaves. To God be the glory!

Thank you so much for your support and your continued readership. Have a blessed new week!

© Rhema International 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema International.

The Answer To Empty Hearts

The other night while out driving, a song came on with these words: “All I ever needed I could never find. All I ever wanted was to get it right. Somebody tell me what is wrong with me. I wasn’t sure, but I know that I believe that love don’t love me.” I couldn’t shake those lyrics—they stuck with me for days.

I started thinking about it. Honestly, so many of us seem to go through life like we’re on some kind of scavenger hunt, always searching for that one fix, that magic answer to all the stuff that hurts. People travel all over—some go to the Himalayas looking for wisdom, some journey to Mecca chasing the answer, others dive deep into oceans or head for outer space. But even after all these adventures and trophies, they still feel empty inside.

Scripture gets right to the heart of that emptiness. Ecclesiastes says chasing after worldly things is like “chasing the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 1:14 NKJV) No matter where we go, no matter how much we achieve, something always slips through our grasp. That ache in your chest isn’t random—it’s spiritual. It’s your soul pointing out that it wasn’t made for temporary fixes.

We ask ourselves all the time, “What’s wrong with me?” But the Bible shifts the question. Romans tells us we all fall short—not to shame us (Romans 3:23 NKJV), but to diagnose what’s really going on. The problem isn’t that we’re unlovable. The problem is, we’ve disconnected from love itself.

And here’s where it all flips.

The Scriptures show us the emptiness, but they also hand us the answer. In John, Jesus talks about “living water”—the kind that satisfies for real, not just momentarily. He’s not talking about a drink, but about a deep, spiritual fulfillment you can’t find anywhere else. (John 4:13-14 NKJV)

We spend years looking for love, as if we have to earn it or stumble across it. But the Gospel tells it straight: “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19 NKJV). It changes the entire dynamic. Love isn’t hiding or playing hard to get—it’s already reaching out to you.

Even when we doubt, wander, or feel like “love don’t love me,” one truth doesn’t budge. Romans says nothing—not heights, depths, or anything else—can break us away from God’s love. (Romans 8:38-39 NKJV)

Maybe all this searching for love in the world isn’t what matters. Maybe what matters is letting ourselves be found by love. Honestly, the peace we’ve been craving starts the minute we stop running, and look toward the One who’s been waiting for us all along.

In the end, the answer isn’t buried in some distant land or locked away behind achievement. It’s in relationship. It’s in Christ.

And in Him, you realize love was never avoiding you—it’s been calling your name all along.

Thank you so much for your support and your continued readership. Have a blessed new week!

© Rhema International 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema International.

God’s Provisions

Came across a blog post not long ago that finished with this bit of wisdom about God’s provision: “And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.” (Psalm 104:15) That verse really sticks with me, so let’s dig into it a little.

It’s only a line, but there’s a whole world packed into it—joy, dignity, and what we need just to get by. Wine, oil, and bread here are more than just things you put on a table. They stand for everything that makes life full: happiness, honor, and the strength to keep going.

Take wine, for instance—the kind that “makes the heart glad.” Ancient people poured wine at celebrations, shared it with guests, and used it to bring people together. It’s not about getting carried away. It’s about remembering that joy is something we’re meant to experience. It cracks open stiff silences, draws us into conversation, and turns being alone into being seen and heard.

Then there’s oil—the stuff “that makes his face shine.” Back then, olive oil was for lamp-lighting, soothing your skin, or blessings in religious ceremonies. Think of someone whose face lights up: they look healthy; they feel cared for. Oil is a picture of what restores us, inside and out—whether that’s sleep, kindness, or just knowing someone’s in your corner.

Finally, bread—the one “which strengthens man’s heart.” This is as basic as it gets. Bread is the thing that keeps us upright and going, the fuel that turns hard work into real strength. When scripture talks about strengthening the heart, it’s talking about the grit you need to face another day, both in your body and your spirit. Bread keeps our feet on the ground so joy and dignity don’t float away from reality.

Put them together and you get a simple, powerful call: make room for joy, honor each person’s dignity, and look out for people’s needs. Whether you’re leading, building a community, or just being a decent neighbor, it’s about celebrating together, letting people shine, and making sure everyone has enough to eat. That’s what keeps life whole.

Thank you so much for your support and your continued readership. Have a blessed new week!

© Rhema International 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema International.

The Sabbath wasn't made to be a religious burden of "dos and don'ts"—it was made for you.

​Discover how to reclaim your rest: https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/the-love-principle-study-18-you-and-rest

#ChristianReflections #bibleverse #sabbathrest #christianity #christianblogger

The Sabbath wasn't made to be a religious burden of "dos and don'ts"—it was made for you.

​Discover how to reclaim your rest: https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/the-love-principle-study-18-you-and-rest

#ChristianReflections #bibleverse #sabbathrest #christianity #christianblogger

What Else Can Be Said?

What else can be said about the resurrection that hasn’t already been said? When the subject is Christ, it can feel like every angle has been explored, every doctrine defined, every sermon preached. And yet, the resurrection of Jesus Christ continues to meet people not as a closed case, but as an open invitation.

At the center of the resurrection is not merely an event, but a person—Jesus Christ Himself. Too often, discussions drift toward arguments about evidence or theology, important as those may be. But the resurrection, as presented in the Gospels, is intensely personal. It is not just that Christ rose; it is that He appeared, spoke, called names, and restored relationships.

Consider how the risen Christ interacts with individuals. He meets Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18 NKJV) in her grief and calls her by name. He engages Thomas in his doubt without condemnation (John 20:24-29 NKJV). He prepares breakfast for His disciples who had returned to fishing, meeting them in their uncertainty. (John 21:1-14 NKJV) These moments suggest that the resurrection is not simply about proving power over death, but about revealing the character of Christ—patient, relational, and present.

What often goes unsaid is that the resurrection affirms not only Christ’s divinity but His continuity. The same Jesus who walked, taught, suffered, and was crucified is the one who rose. He is not a distant or altered figure, but recognizably Himself. The wounds remain, not as signs of defeat, but as marks of identity. This continuity matters because it anchors hope not in an abstract miracle, but in a consistent Savior.

The resurrection also reframes victory. It is not triumph in the way the world typically defines it—through dominance or spectacle—but through sacrifice and restoration. Christ does not return with vengeance, but with peace. His first words to His followers are not rebuke, but reassurance. In this way, the resurrection reveals a different kind of power: one that restores rather than destroys.

Perhaps what remains to be said is this: the resurrection of Christ is less about settling debates and more about extending relationship. It is an invitation to encounter the living Christ, not just to understand Him. It calls individuals not only to believe that He rose, but to consider what it means that He is still present.

In the end, the resurrection has not exhausted its meaning because Christ Himself has not ceased to be relevant. As long as people wrestle with doubt, seek hope, and long for restoration, the risen Christ remains not just a figure of the past, but a presence that continues to meet people where they are.

Happy Resurrection Sunday! And may the peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus!

Thank you so much for your support and your continued readership. Have a blessed new week!

© Rhema International 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema International.

I Visited The Western Wall Twice

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from my personal experiences and observations during the Israel pilgrimage tour I joined and what happened during my free time. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, readers and fellow followers of the Lord! This is the 11th chapter of my ongoing series of articles about the holy nation of Israel with recollections about the experiences and discoveries I had during the pilgrimage tour I joined with my local church (hosted by strategic partner Behold Israel) in 2023. To see my previous Israel tour articles, click here, here, here, here, here,  here, here, here, here and here. No matter what happens in this unpredictable and chaotic world we live in, I will always stand with Israel and my faith in the Lord remains uncompromising!

In this latest edition of my Israel 2023 series, I share with you what I experienced when I visited Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem not once but twice. Also referred to as the Wailing Wall, the Western Wall is a very holy site and is one of the most definitive places to be in with regards to worshiping the Lord.

For starters, I share with you the very video I recorded about my first time ever to arrive at the Western Wall Plaza (note: I was with my pilgrimage tour group companions, our pastors and our hard-working local tour guide) as well as my first-ever approach (starts at 2:01 in the video) to the Western Wall itself. It’s a video of more than three minutes and it’s available for public viewing via YouTube. Watch the video below and pay attention to the details closely.

https://youtu.be/H9EF50bcv_A

As you can see in the above video, I stopped recording before entering the perimeter to get closer to the Western Wall. What happened after was my personal discovery and my personal sensing of the Lord’s presence.

About The Western Wall

To put things in perspective, the Western Wall is a retaining wall which was part of the Temple Mount expansion that King Herod (Herod the Great) did in around 19 BC. It is one of the four supporting walls of the Temple Mount which remained intact after the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple many decades later. Above it is the Temple Mount already.

Historically, the First Jewish Temple was built on the top of Mount Moriah during the time of King Solomon. The temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. In 19 BC, King Herod started rebuilding a new temple and this includes enlarging the Temple Mount platform a lot which made it 1,575 feet long and 985 feet wide. Herod had ten thousand men working and trained a thousand priests to work on the most sacred parts of the Second Jewish Temple.

The construction was done after several years but the decoration was completed in 64 AD. Six years after the Second Jewish Temple was fully completed, the Romans destroyed it but the western side of the Temple Mount survived. This happened in 70 AD, long after Lord Jesus conquered death and ascended to Heaven.

The Western Wall faces westward and it is the closest in proximity to the site of the Holy of Holies, the most sacred location in the Temple for the Jewish people. Be aware that Mount Moriah is the same exact mountain where Abraham almost sacrificed his son Isaac before God sent the angel to intervene and provided the ram as the sacrifice.   

For centuries, the Western Wall became a great source of influence and inspiration. It became the focus of yearning and prayer for the Jewish people for countless generations. The open-air section of the Western Wall serves as a place of worshipping the Lord and it is officially a synagogue. Apart from worship, the Western Wall keeps the memory of the Jewish Temples alive and it has also been used by the State of Israel for formal ceremonies. For centuries, pilgrims from around world came to the wall to pray and leave written noted in its ancient stones.

Physically, the Western Wall is 488 meters long and the height of the exposed section reaches a height of 40 meters above the bedrock of the eastern hill of Jerusalem (Mount Moriah). The open-air section of the wall (visible to the Prayer Plaza) is comprised of 46 layers of stone and the very large stones (that many are able to touch) were put in place during the time of King Herod (Second Jewish Temple period).

My First Visit – February 13, 2023

After recording the video, I placed my smartphone into my pocket, entered the worship area and gradually made my way to the wall.

With my Holy Bible in my left hand, I touched the Western Wall with my right hand and started spending quality time with the Lord God, praying to Him. With all my heart, I expressed my thanks and dedication to Lord Jesus there at the wall. I also prayed in support of Israel and the peace of Jerusalem.

Each moment I had there, I truly felt God’s presence and I did not confuse it with the wall’s visual magnificence. As I prayed, I felt the unction from the Lord to open my eyes and look straight up at the blue sky above knowing that He is spiritual, and He is in Heaven. The Lord is not inside the stones of the wall but in His Kingdom. That said, I did not worship the stones (reminder: idolatry is foolish and unholy) as I directed my worship directly to the Lord knowing He is in Heaven.

Because we only had fifteen minutes to spend as our tour group had a schedule to follow, I wisely spent time to praising and honoring the Lord. Let me remind you all that Lord Jesus will someday return and He will fulfill His promise. He will return in Israel and Jerusalem will be His destination.

After praying to Him, I spent the remaining minutes looking around and observing. I was surrounded by Ultra-Orthodox Jews, National Religious Jews, rabbis, tourists and Christians. I witnessed the religious rituals and practices of the Jewish people and I know deep inside that the ties between Jews and Christians are biblical.

The whole area is indeed sacred and that means visitors should be respectful and should practice decency near the Western Wall. People praying to God are to be respected and when there are many others praying while touching the wall, you will really have to wait for your turn. Be mindful that the Lord is always watching you as there is simply no reason to cause disrespect, playing around and causing trouble at the Western Wall.

When my fifteen minutes ran out, I went to the exit to rejoin my tour group.

My Second Visit – February 15, 2023

Two days later, it was our tour group’s one and only rest day. After having a really early breakfast at our hotel, I marched to the Old City of Jerusalem and visited the Temple Mount for the first time ever. After spending time up there, I took the exit and made my way down to return to the Western Wall.

Once again I took time touching the wall and praying to the Lord and expressing my thanks to Him with a lot of heart. After several minutes, I took a seat to pray to Him while resting my legs. Then I noticed a North American man (who looked so much like Hillsong Church’s Phil Dooley) with the Holy Bible at one end of the fence (separating the men and the women) by the wall facing at the other direction (his back on the wall). He preached the Word of God and asked the Lord to save everyone. What he said reminded me that God has a plan for everyone, including the Jews (His chosen people) and there is still time for the lost and unsaved to realize Jesus as the Lord and the Savior of all.

After I was done praying by the wall, I decided to visit Wilson’s Arch as I was so curious why a lot of people had been entering and exiting it. It turned out to be Western Wall tunnel (with an arch area) and inside was a synagogue where there lots of Jews read the Old Testament, the Torah and pray. At the entrance/exit, a Jewish rabbi invited me in and assured me that foreigners and non-Jews were welcome. So I went in and he showed some parts of the indoor synagogue.

As it was a place of worship by the Jews, I was cautious moving inside and spending time observing. Carefully I only took a few photos for this feature article and it was astonishing to see more of the Western Wall indoors. Not only that, it was impressive to see the arches – including those huge stones above our heads – and it turns out they were constructed during Herod’s time and without any cement at all. There were also lots of shelves of books on both sides.

The indoor synagogue is one of the holiest synagogues in Israel due to its proximity to where the original Jewish Temple was wherein the Holy of Holies resided. Since it was my plan to revisit the Upper Room and visit both King David’s Tomb and Oskar Schindler’s grave, I eventually left the Western Wall tunnel. Before tracing my way back to the Jewish Quarter (where we visited two days prior), I took one last look back at the Western Wall. I intend to revisit it and spend quality time with the Lord there again in the future.  

Biblical Significance

While it is a fact that the Western Wall was not explicitly mentioned in the Holy Bible, it has always been part of the Temple Mount since Herod’s time. To put things in perspective, we need to go back to the time when King Solomon dedicated the First Temple asking God to hear the prayers made toward it. Learn from the holy scriptures below.

that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.

1 Kings 8:29-30 (NKJV)

“Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.

1 Kings 8:41-43 (NKJV)

The First Jewish Temple eventually got destroyed by the Babylonians. Centuries later, Herod executed the massive rebuilding of the Temple (Second Jewish Temple) in Jerusalem as well as the expansion of the Temple Mount itself. What was achieved drew reactions from many people who saw it and there were references of such reactions in the New Testament. For insight, read the scriptures below.

Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”

Mark 13:1 (NKJV)

Then the Jews replied, It took forty-six years to build this temple (sanctuary), and will You raise it up in three days?

John 2:20 (AMPC)

To be clear, the forty-six years mentioned in John 2:20 refers to the massive renovation and the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple.

Long before the Second Temple got destroyed, Lord Jesus prophesied its destruction. By the time Lord Jesus made the prophesy, He was already rejected by the religious Jews. Those people refused to accept Him as their Messiah and they had disobeyed God as a result. Lord Jesus wept for Jerusalem knowing that suffering and destruction would come and it happened in 70 AD. Learn from the scriptures below.

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying,

“If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Luke 19:41-44 (NKJV)

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them,

“Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Matthew 24:1-2 (NKJV)

As it is very clear that God always has a plan for the faithful and His chosen people, it was prophesied that He would bring the Jews (scattered around the world) back to Israel in the last days. This prophecy was fulfilled in May 1948 when the modern State of Israel was formally established and a lot of Jews returned or settled in since then. Lord Jesus will return to us some time in the future and there is time for the Jews to accept Him as their Messiah, to repent and submit to Him. The other lost and unsaved people of the world still have opportunities to realize Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Very clearly, Lord Jesus is the hope of ALL nations! Learn from the scriptures below.

If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.

Deuteronomy 30:4-5 (NKJV)

Jesus answered him,

“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3 (AMP)

Beloved ones, let me repeat emphatically that the gospel entrusted to me was not given to me by any man. No one taught me this revelation, for it was given to me directly by the unveiling of Jesus Christ.

By now you have heard stories of how severely I harassed and persecuted Christians and how systematically I endeavored to destroy God’s church, all because of my radical devotion to the Jewish religion. My zeal and passion for the doctrines of Judaism distinguished me among my people, for I was far more advanced in my religious instruction than others my age.

But then God called me by his grace, and chose me from my birth to be his. He was pleased to unveil his Son in me so that I would proclaim him to the peoples of the world. After I had this encounter, I kept it a secret for some time, sharing it with no one. And I had no desire to run to Jerusalem and try to impress those who had become apostles before me. Instead, I withdrew into the Arabian Desert. Then I returned to Damascus, where I had first encountered Jesus.

Galatians 1:11-17 (TPT)

For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us,

By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace.

And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile, united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end.

And He came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off and [peace] to those who were near.

For it is through Him that we both [whether far off or near] now have an introduction (access) by one [Holy] Spirit to the Father [so that we are able to approach Him].

Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God’s own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God’s [own] household.

You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the chief Cornerstone.

In Him the whole structure is joined (bound, welded) together harmoniously, and it continues to rise (grow, increase) into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and sacred to the presence of the Lord].

In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:14-22 (AMPC)

Conclusion

My two visits to the Western Wall were very significant to me personally. As seen above, each visit has been different, new discoveries happened and I spent quality time with Lord. The place is holy and it is a must-visit for anyone going to Israel. If I ever visit Israel again, I would return to the Western Wall to praise, thank and honor the Lord. If you are a person of faith who is about to visit Israel for the first time, I urge you to visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Learn from my experiences. I also encourage you all to stand united in support of Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people, help the lost and unsaved come to Lord Jesus and always pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you [the Holy City]!

May peace be within your walls and prosperity within your palaces!

For my brethren and companions’ sake, I will now say, Peace be within you!

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek, inquire for, and require your good.

Psalm 122:6-9 (AMPC)

Israel is the holiest place to visit in the whole world! Visit Israel with the Holy Bible! Pray to the Lord wholeheartedly and reveal to Him your heart’s desire to visit Israel to deepen your faith in Him. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Follow the light of Lord Jesus, keep on praying to support Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Watch out for more Israel 2023 travel articles here. There is more to come! Thank you for reading.

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I Visited The Western Wall Twice

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from my personal experiences and observations during the Israel pilgrimage tour I joined and what happened during my free time. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, readers and fellow followers of the Lord! This is the 11th chapter of my ongoing series of articles about the holy nation of Israel with recollections about the experiences and discoveries I had during the pilgrimage tour I joined with my local church (hosted by strategic partner Behold Israel) in 2023. To see my previous Israel tour articles, click here, here, here, here, here,  here, here, here, here and here. No matter what happens in this unpredictable and chaotic world we live in, I will always stand with Israel and my faith in the Lord remains uncompromising!

In this latest edition of my Israel 2023 series, I share with you what I experienced when I visited Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem not once but twice. Also referred to as the Wailing Wall, the Western Wall is a very holy site and is one of the most definitive places to be in with regards to worshiping the Lord.

For starters, I share with you the very video I recorded about my first time ever to arrive at the Western Wall Plaza (note: I was with my pilgrimage tour group companions, our pastors and our hard-working local tour guide) as well as my first-ever approach (starts at 2:01 in the video) to the Western Wall itself. It’s a video of more than three minutes and it’s available for public viewing via YouTube. Watch the video below and pay attention to the details closely.

https://youtu.be/H9EF50bcv_A

As you can see in the above video, I stopped recording before entering the perimeter to get closer to the Western Wall. What happened after was my personal discovery and my personal sensing of the Lord’s presence.

About The Western Wall

To put things in perspective, the Western Wall is a retaining wall which was part of the Temple Mount expansion that King Herod (Herod the Great) did in around 19 BC. It is one of the four supporting walls of the Temple Mount which remained intact after the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple many decades later. Above it is the Temple Mount already.

Historically, the First Jewish Temple was built on the top of Mount Moriah during the time of King Solomon. The temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. In 19 BC, King Herod started rebuilding a new temple and this includes enlarging the Temple Mount platform a lot which made it 1,575 feet long and 985 feet wide. Herod had ten thousand men working and trained a thousand priests to work on the most sacred parts of the Second Jewish Temple.

The construction was done after several years but the decoration was completed in 64 AD. Six years after the Second Jewish Temple was fully completed, the Romans destroyed it but the western side of the Temple Mount survived. This happened in 70 AD, long after Lord Jesus conquered death and ascended to Heaven.

The Western Wall faces westward and it is the closest in proximity to the site of the Holy of Holies, the most sacred location in the Temple for the Jewish people. Be aware that Mount Moriah is the same exact mountain where Abraham almost sacrificed his son Isaac before God sent the angel to intervene and provided the ram as the sacrifice.   

For centuries, the Western Wall became a great source of influence and inspiration. It became the focus of yearning and prayer for the Jewish people for countless generations. The open-air section of the Western Wall serves as a place of worshipping the Lord and it is officially a synagogue. Apart from worship, the Western Wall keeps the memory of the Jewish Temples alive and it has also been used by the State of Israel for formal ceremonies. For centuries, pilgrims from around world came to the wall to pray and leave written noted in its ancient stones.

Physically, the Western Wall is 488 meters long and the height of the exposed section reaches a height of 40 meters above the bedrock of the eastern hill of Jerusalem (Mount Moriah). The open-air section of the wall (visible to the Prayer Plaza) is comprised of 46 layers of stone and the very large stones (that many are able to touch) were put in place during the time of King Herod (Second Jewish Temple period).

My First Visit – February 13, 2023

After recording the video, I placed my smartphone into my pocket, entered the worship area and gradually made my way to the wall.

With my Holy Bible in my left hand, I touched the Western Wall with my right hand and started spending quality time with the Lord God, praying to Him. With all my heart, I expressed my thanks and dedication to Lord Jesus there at the wall. I also prayed in support of Israel and the peace of Jerusalem.

Each moment I had there, I truly felt God’s presence and I did not confuse it with the wall’s visual magnificence. As I prayed, I felt the unction from the Lord to open my eyes and look straight up at the blue sky above knowing that He is spiritual, and He is in Heaven. The Lord is not inside the stones of the wall but in His Kingdom. That said, I did not worship the stones (reminder: idolatry is foolish and unholy) as I directed my worship directly to the Lord knowing He is in Heaven.

Because we only had fifteen minutes to spend as our tour group had a schedule to follow, I wisely spent time to praising and honoring the Lord. Let me remind you all that Lord Jesus will someday return and He will fulfill His promise. He will return in Israel and Jerusalem will be His destination.

After praying to Him, I spent the remaining minutes looking around and observing. I was surrounded by Ultra-Orthodox Jews, National Religious Jews, rabbis, tourists and Christians. I witnessed the religious rituals and practices of the Jewish people and I know deep inside that the ties between Jews and Christians are biblical.

The whole area is indeed sacred and that means visitors should be respectful and should practice decency near the Western Wall. People praying to God are to be respected and when there are many others praying while touching the wall, you will really have to wait for your turn. Be mindful that the Lord is always watching you as there is simply no reason to cause disrespect, playing around and causing trouble at the Western Wall.

When my fifteen minutes ran out, I went to the exit to rejoin my tour group.

My Second Visit – February 15, 2023

Two days later, it was our tour group’s one and only rest day. After having a really early breakfast at our hotel, I marched to the Old City of Jerusalem and visited the Temple Mount for the first time ever. After spending time up there, I took the exit and made my way down to return to the Western Wall.

Once again I took time touching the wall and praying to the Lord and expressing my thanks to Him with a lot of heart. After several minutes, I took a seat to pray to Him while resting my legs. Then I noticed a North American man (who looked so much like Hillsong Church’s Phil Dooley) with the Holy Bible at one end of the fence (separating the men and the women) by the wall facing at the other direction (his back on the wall). He preached the Word of God and asked the Lord to save everyone. What he said reminded me that God has a plan for everyone, including the Jews (His chosen people) and there is still time for the lost and unsaved to realize Jesus as the Lord and the Savior of all.

After I was done praying by the wall, I decided to visit Wilson’s Arch as I was so curious why a lot of people had been entering and exiting it. It turned out to be Western Wall tunnel (with an arch area) and inside was a synagogue where there lots of Jews read the Old Testament, the Torah and pray. At the entrance/exit, a Jewish rabbi invited me in and assured me that foreigners and non-Jews were welcome. So I went in and he showed some parts of the indoor synagogue.

As it was a place of worship by the Jews, I was cautious moving inside and spending time observing. Carefully I only took a few photos for this feature article and it was astonishing to see more of the Western Wall indoors. Not only that, it was impressive to see the arches – including those huge stones above our heads – and it turns out they were constructed during Herod’s time and without any cement at all. There were also lots of shelves of books on both sides.

The indoor synagogue is one of the holiest synagogues in Israel due to its proximity to where the original Jewish Temple was wherein the Holy of Holies resided. Since it was my plan to revisit the Upper Room and visit both King David’s Tomb and Oskar Schindler’s grave, I eventually left the Western Wall tunnel. Before tracing my way back to the Jewish Quarter (where we visited two days prior), I took one last look back at the Western Wall. I intend to revisit it and spend quality time with the Lord there again in the future.  

Biblical Significance

While it is a fact that the Western Wall was not explicitly mentioned in the Holy Bible, it has always been part of the Temple Mount since Herod’s time. To put things in perspective, we need to go back to the time when King Solomon dedicated the First Temple asking God to hear the prayers made toward it. Learn from the holy scriptures below.

that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.

1 Kings 8:29-30 (NKJV)

“Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.

1 Kings 8:41-43 (NKJV)

The First Jewish Temple eventually got destroyed by the Babylonians. Centuries later, Herod executed the massive rebuilding of the Temple (Second Jewish Temple) in Jerusalem as well as the expansion of the Temple Mount itself. What was achieved drew reactions from many people who saw it and there were references of such reactions in the New Testament. For insight, read the scriptures below.

Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”

Mark 13:1 (NKJV)

Then the Jews replied, It took forty-six years to build this temple (sanctuary), and will You raise it up in three days?

John 2:20 (AMPC)

To be clear, the forty-six years mentioned in John 2:20 refers to the massive renovation and the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple.

Long before the Second Temple got destroyed, Lord Jesus prophesied its destruction. By the time Lord Jesus made the prophesy, He was already rejected by the religious Jews. Those people refused to accept Him as their Messiah and they had disobeyed God as a result. Lord Jesus wept for Jerusalem knowing that suffering and destruction would come and it happened in 70 AD. Learn from the scriptures below.

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying,

“If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Luke 19:41-44 (NKJV)

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them,

“Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Matthew 24:1-2 (NKJV)

As it is very clear that God always has a plan for the faithful and His chosen people, it was prophesied that He would bring the Jews (scattered around the world) back to Israel in the last days. This prophecy was fulfilled in May 1948 when the modern State of Israel was formally established and a lot of Jews returned or settled in since then. Lord Jesus will return to us some time in the future and there is time for the Jews to accept Him as their Messiah, to repent and submit to Him. The other lost and unsaved people of the world still have opportunities to realize Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Very clearly, Lord Jesus is the hope of ALL nations! Learn from the scriptures below.

If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.

Deuteronomy 30:4-5 (NKJV)

Jesus answered him,

“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3 (AMP)

Beloved ones, let me repeat emphatically that the gospel entrusted to me was not given to me by any man. No one taught me this revelation, for it was given to me directly by the unveiling of Jesus Christ.

By now you have heard stories of how severely I harassed and persecuted Christians and how systematically I endeavored to destroy God’s church, all because of my radical devotion to the Jewish religion. My zeal and passion for the doctrines of Judaism distinguished me among my people, for I was far more advanced in my religious instruction than others my age.

But then God called me by his grace, and chose me from my birth to be his. He was pleased to unveil his Son in me so that I would proclaim him to the peoples of the world. After I had this encounter, I kept it a secret for some time, sharing it with no one. And I had no desire to run to Jerusalem and try to impress those who had become apostles before me. Instead, I withdrew into the Arabian Desert. Then I returned to Damascus, where I had first encountered Jesus.

Galatians 1:11-17 (TPT)

For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us,

By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace.

And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile, united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end.

And He came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off and [peace] to those who were near.

For it is through Him that we both [whether far off or near] now have an introduction (access) by one [Holy] Spirit to the Father [so that we are able to approach Him].

Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God’s own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God’s [own] household.

You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the chief Cornerstone.

In Him the whole structure is joined (bound, welded) together harmoniously, and it continues to rise (grow, increase) into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and sacred to the presence of the Lord].

In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:14-22 (AMPC)

Conclusion

My two visits to the Western Wall were very significant to me personally. As seen above, each visit has been different, new discoveries happened and I spent quality time with Lord. The place is holy and it is a must-visit for anyone going to Israel. If I ever visit Israel again, I would return to the Western Wall to praise, thank and honor the Lord. If you are a person of faith who is about to visit Israel for the first time, I urge you to visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Learn from my experiences. I also encourage you all to stand united in support of Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people, help the lost and unsaved come to Lord Jesus and always pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you [the Holy City]!

May peace be within your walls and prosperity within your palaces!

For my brethren and companions’ sake, I will now say, Peace be within you!

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek, inquire for, and require your good.

Psalm 122:6-9 (AMPC)

Israel is the holiest place to visit in the whole world! Visit Israel with the Holy Bible! Pray to the Lord wholeheartedly and reveal to Him your heart’s desire to visit Israel to deepen your faith in Him. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Follow the light of Lord Jesus, keep on praying to support Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Watch out for more Israel 2023 travel articles here. There is more to come! Thank you for reading.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

I Visited The Western Wall Twice

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from my personal experiences and observations during the Israel pilgrimage tour I joined and what happened during my free time. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, readers and fellow followers of the Lord! This is the 11th chapter of my ongoing series of articles about the holy nation of Israel with recollections about the experiences and discoveries I had during the pilgrimage tour I joined with my local church (hosted by strategic partner Behold Israel) in 2023. To see my previous Israel tour articles, click here, here, here, here, here,  here, here, here, here and here. No matter what happens in this unpredictable and chaotic world we live in, I will always stand with Israel and my faith in the Lord remains uncompromising!

In this latest edition of my Israel 2023 series, I share with you what I experienced when I visited Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem not once but twice. Also referred to as the Wailing Wall, the Western Wall is a very holy site and is one of the most definitive places to be in with regards to worshiping the Lord.

For starters, I share with you the very video I recorded about my first time ever to arrive at the Western Wall Plaza (note: I was with my pilgrimage tour group companions, our pastors and our hard-working local tour guide) as well as my first-ever approach (starts at 2:01 in the video) to the Western Wall itself. It’s a video of more than three minutes and it’s available for public viewing via YouTube. Watch the video below and pay attention to the details closely.

https://youtu.be/H9EF50bcv_A

As you can see in the above video, I stopped recording before entering the perimeter to get closer to the Western Wall. What happened after was my personal discovery and my personal sensing of the Lord’s presence.

About The Western Wall

To put things in perspective, the Western Wall is a retaining wall which was part of the Temple Mount expansion that King Herod (Herod the Great) did in around 19 BC. It is one of the four supporting walls of the Temple Mount which remained intact after the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple many decades later. Above it is the Temple Mount already.

Historically, the First Jewish Temple was built on the top of Mount Moriah during the time of King Solomon. The temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. In 19 BC, King Herod started rebuilding a new temple and this includes enlarging the Temple Mount platform a lot which made it 1,575 feet long and 985 feet wide. Herod had ten thousand men working and trained a thousand priests to work on the most sacred parts of the Second Jewish Temple.

The construction was done after several years but the decoration was completed in 64 AD. Six years after the Second Jewish Temple was fully completed, the Romans destroyed it but the western side of the Temple Mount survived. This happened in 70 AD, long after Lord Jesus conquered death and ascended to Heaven.

The Western Wall faces westward and it is the closest in proximity to the site of the Holy of Holies, the most sacred location in the Temple for the Jewish people. Be aware that Mount Moriah is the same exact mountain where Abraham almost sacrificed his son Isaac before God sent the angel to intervene and provided the ram as the sacrifice.   

For centuries, the Western Wall became a great source of influence and inspiration. It became the focus of yearning and prayer for the Jewish people for countless generations. The open-air section of the Western Wall serves as a place of worshipping the Lord and it is officially a synagogue. Apart from worship, the Western Wall keeps the memory of the Jewish Temples alive and it has also been used by the State of Israel for formal ceremonies. For centuries, pilgrims from around world came to the wall to pray and leave written noted in its ancient stones.

Physically, the Western Wall is 488 meters long and the height of the exposed section reaches a height of 40 meters above the bedrock of the eastern hill of Jerusalem (Mount Moriah). The open-air section of the wall (visible to the Prayer Plaza) is comprised of 46 layers of stone and the very large stones (that many are able to touch) were put in place during the time of King Herod (Second Jewish Temple period).

My First Visit – February 13, 2023

After recording the video, I placed my smartphone into my pocket, entered the worship area and gradually made my way to the wall.

With my Holy Bible in my left hand, I touched the Western Wall with my right hand and started spending quality time with the Lord God, praying to Him. With all my heart, I expressed my thanks and dedication to Lord Jesus there at the wall. I also prayed in support of Israel and the peace of Jerusalem.

Each moment I had there, I truly felt God’s presence and I did not confuse it with the wall’s visual magnificence. As I prayed, I felt the unction from the Lord to open my eyes and look straight up at the blue sky above knowing that He is spiritual, and He is in Heaven. The Lord is not inside the stones of the wall but in His Kingdom. That said, I did not worship the stones (reminder: idolatry is foolish and unholy) as I directed my worship directly to the Lord knowing He is in Heaven.

Because we only had fifteen minutes to spend as our tour group had a schedule to follow, I wisely spent time to praising and honoring the Lord. Let me remind you all that Lord Jesus will someday return and He will fulfill His promise. He will return in Israel and Jerusalem will be His destination.

After praying to Him, I spent the remaining minutes looking around and observing. I was surrounded by Ultra-Orthodox Jews, National Religious Jews, rabbis, tourists and Christians. I witnessed the religious rituals and practices of the Jewish people and I know deep inside that the ties between Jews and Christians are biblical.

The whole area is indeed sacred and that means visitors should be respectful and should practice decency near the Western Wall. People praying to God are to be respected and when there are many others praying while touching the wall, you will really have to wait for your turn. Be mindful that the Lord is always watching you as there is simply no reason to cause disrespect, playing around and causing trouble at the Western Wall.

When my fifteen minutes ran out, I went to the exit to rejoin my tour group.

My Second Visit – February 15, 2023

Two days later, it was our tour group’s one and only rest day. After having a really early breakfast at our hotel, I marched to the Old City of Jerusalem and visited the Temple Mount for the first time ever. After spending time up there, I took the exit and made my way down to return to the Western Wall.

Once again I took time touching the wall and praying to the Lord and expressing my thanks to Him with a lot of heart. After several minutes, I took a seat to pray to Him while resting my legs. Then I noticed a North American man (who looked so much like Hillsong Church’s Phil Dooley) with the Holy Bible at one end of the fence (separating the men and the women) by the wall facing at the other direction (his back on the wall). He preached the Word of God and asked the Lord to save everyone. What he said reminded me that God has a plan for everyone, including the Jews (His chosen people) and there is still time for the lost and unsaved to realize Jesus as the Lord and the Savior of all.

After I was done praying by the wall, I decided to visit Wilson’s Arch as I was so curious why a lot of people had been entering and exiting it. It turned out to be Western Wall tunnel (with an arch area) and inside was a synagogue where there lots of Jews read the Old Testament, the Torah and pray. At the entrance/exit, a Jewish rabbi invited me in and assured me that foreigners and non-Jews were welcome. So I went in and he showed some parts of the indoor synagogue.

As it was a place of worship by the Jews, I was cautious moving inside and spending time observing. Carefully I only took a few photos for this feature article and it was astonishing to see more of the Western Wall indoors. Not only that, it was impressive to see the arches – including those huge stones above our heads – and it turns out they were constructed during Herod’s time and without any cement at all. There were also lots of shelves of books on both sides.

The indoor synagogue is one of the holiest synagogues in Israel due to its proximity to where the original Jewish Temple was wherein the Holy of Holies resided. Since it was my plan to revisit the Upper Room and visit both King David’s Tomb and Oskar Schindler’s grave, I eventually left the Western Wall tunnel. Before tracing my way back to the Jewish Quarter (where we visited two days prior), I took one last look back at the Western Wall. I intend to revisit it and spend quality time with the Lord there again in the future.  

Biblical Significance

While it is a fact that the Western Wall was not explicitly mentioned in the Holy Bible, it has always been part of the Temple Mount since Herod’s time. To put things in perspective, we need to go back to the time when King Solomon dedicated the First Temple asking God to hear the prayers made toward it. Learn from the holy scriptures below.

that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.

1 Kings 8:29-30 (NKJV)

“Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.

1 Kings 8:41-43 (NKJV)

The First Jewish Temple eventually got destroyed by the Babylonians. Centuries later, Herod executed the massive rebuilding of the Temple (Second Jewish Temple) in Jerusalem as well as the expansion of the Temple Mount itself. What was achieved drew reactions from many people who saw it and there were references of such reactions in the New Testament. For insight, read the scriptures below.

Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”

Mark 13:1 (NKJV)

Then the Jews replied, It took forty-six years to build this temple (sanctuary), and will You raise it up in three days?

John 2:20 (AMPC)

To be clear, the forty-six years mentioned in John 2:20 refers to the massive renovation and the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple.

Long before the Second Temple got destroyed, Lord Jesus prophesied its destruction. By the time Lord Jesus made the prophesy, He was already rejected by the religious Jews. Those people refused to accept Him as their Messiah and they had disobeyed God as a result. Lord Jesus wept for Jerusalem knowing that suffering and destruction would come and it happened in 70 AD. Learn from the scriptures below.

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying,

“If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Luke 19:41-44 (NKJV)

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them,

“Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Matthew 24:1-2 (NKJV)

As it is very clear that God always has a plan for the faithful and His chosen people, it was prophesied that He would bring the Jews (scattered around the world) back to Israel in the last days. This prophecy was fulfilled in May 1948 when the modern State of Israel was formally established and a lot of Jews returned or settled in since then. Lord Jesus will return to us some time in the future and there is time for the Jews to accept Him as their Messiah, to repent and submit to Him. The other lost and unsaved people of the world still have opportunities to realize Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Very clearly, Lord Jesus is the hope of ALL nations! Learn from the scriptures below.

If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.

Deuteronomy 30:4-5 (NKJV)

Jesus answered him,

“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3 (AMP)

Beloved ones, let me repeat emphatically that the gospel entrusted to me was not given to me by any man. No one taught me this revelation, for it was given to me directly by the unveiling of Jesus Christ.

By now you have heard stories of how severely I harassed and persecuted Christians and how systematically I endeavored to destroy God’s church, all because of my radical devotion to the Jewish religion. My zeal and passion for the doctrines of Judaism distinguished me among my people, for I was far more advanced in my religious instruction than others my age.

But then God called me by his grace, and chose me from my birth to be his. He was pleased to unveil his Son in me so that I would proclaim him to the peoples of the world. After I had this encounter, I kept it a secret for some time, sharing it with no one. And I had no desire to run to Jerusalem and try to impress those who had become apostles before me. Instead, I withdrew into the Arabian Desert. Then I returned to Damascus, where I had first encountered Jesus.

Galatians 1:11-17 (TPT)

For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us,

By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace.

And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile, united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end.

And He came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off and [peace] to those who were near.

For it is through Him that we both [whether far off or near] now have an introduction (access) by one [Holy] Spirit to the Father [so that we are able to approach Him].

Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God’s own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God’s [own] household.

You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the chief Cornerstone.

In Him the whole structure is joined (bound, welded) together harmoniously, and it continues to rise (grow, increase) into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and sacred to the presence of the Lord].

In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:14-22 (AMPC)

Conclusion

My two visits to the Western Wall were very significant to me personally. As seen above, each visit has been different, new discoveries happened and I spent quality time with Lord. The place is holy and it is a must-visit for anyone going to Israel. If I ever visit Israel again, I would return to the Western Wall to praise, thank and honor the Lord. If you are a person of faith who is about to visit Israel for the first time, I urge you to visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Learn from my experiences. I also encourage you all to stand united in support of Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people, help the lost and unsaved come to Lord Jesus and always pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you [the Holy City]!

May peace be within your walls and prosperity within your palaces!

For my brethren and companions’ sake, I will now say, Peace be within you!

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek, inquire for, and require your good.

Psalm 122:6-9 (AMPC)

Israel is the holiest place to visit in the whole world! Visit Israel with the Holy Bible! Pray to the Lord wholeheartedly and reveal to Him your heart’s desire to visit Israel to deepen your faith in Him. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Follow the light of Lord Jesus, keep on praying to support Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Watch out for more Israel 2023 travel articles here. There is more to come! Thank you for reading.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

I Visited The Western Wall Twice

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from my personal experiences and observations during the Israel pilgrimage tour I joined and what happened during my free time. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, readers and fellow followers of the Lord! This is the 11th chapter of my ongoing series of articles about the holy nation of Israel with recollections about the experiences and discoveries I had during the pilgrimage tour I joined with my local church (hosted by strategic partner Behold Israel) in 2023. To see my previous Israel tour articles, click here, here, here, here, here,  here, here, here, here and here. No matter what happens in this unpredictable and chaotic world we live in, I will always stand with Israel and my faith in the Lord remains uncompromising!

In this latest edition of my Israel 2023 series, I share with you what I experienced when I visited Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem not once but twice. Also referred to as the Wailing Wall, the Western Wall is a very holy site and is one of the most definitive places to be in with regards to worshiping the Lord.

For starters, I share with you the very video I recorded about my first time ever to arrive at the Western Wall Plaza (note: I was with my pilgrimage tour group companions, our pastors and our hard-working local tour guide) as well as my first-ever approach (starts at 2:01 in the video) to the Western Wall itself. It’s a video of more than three minutes and it’s available for public viewing via YouTube. Watch the video below and pay attention to the details closely.

https://youtu.be/H9EF50bcv_A

As you can see in the above video, I stopped recording before entering the perimeter to get closer to the Western Wall. What happened after was my personal discovery and my personal sensing of the Lord’s presence.

About The Western Wall

To put things in perspective, the Western Wall is a retaining wall which was part of the Temple Mount expansion that King Herod (Herod the Great) did in around 19 BC. It is one of the four supporting walls of the Temple Mount which remained intact after the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple many decades later. Above it is the Temple Mount already.

Historically, the First Jewish Temple was built on the top of Mount Moriah during the time of King Solomon. The temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. In 19 BC, King Herod started rebuilding a new temple and this includes enlarging the Temple Mount platform a lot which made it 1,575 feet long and 985 feet wide. Herod had ten thousand men working and trained a thousand priests to work on the most sacred parts of the Second Jewish Temple.

The construction was done after several years but the decoration was completed in 64 AD. Six years after the Second Jewish Temple was fully completed, the Romans destroyed it but the western side of the Temple Mount survived. This happened in 70 AD, long after Lord Jesus conquered death and ascended to Heaven.

The Western Wall faces westward and it is the closest in proximity to the site of the Holy of Holies, the most sacred location in the Temple for the Jewish people. Be aware that Mount Moriah is the same exact mountain where Abraham almost sacrificed his son Isaac before God sent the angel to intervene and provided the ram as the sacrifice.   

For centuries, the Western Wall became a great source of influence and inspiration. It became the focus of yearning and prayer for the Jewish people for countless generations. The open-air section of the Western Wall serves as a place of worshipping the Lord and it is officially a synagogue. Apart from worship, the Western Wall keeps the memory of the Jewish Temples alive and it has also been used by the State of Israel for formal ceremonies. For centuries, pilgrims from around world came to the wall to pray and leave written noted in its ancient stones.

Physically, the Western Wall is 488 meters long and the height of the exposed section reaches a height of 40 meters above the bedrock of the eastern hill of Jerusalem (Mount Moriah). The open-air section of the wall (visible to the Prayer Plaza) is comprised of 46 layers of stone and the very large stones (that many are able to touch) were put in place during the time of King Herod (Second Jewish Temple period).

My First Visit – February 13, 2023

After recording the video, I placed my smartphone into my pocket, entered the worship area and gradually made my way to the wall.

With my Holy Bible in my left hand, I touched the Western Wall with my right hand and started spending quality time with the Lord God, praying to Him. With all my heart, I expressed my thanks and dedication to Lord Jesus there at the wall. I also prayed in support of Israel and the peace of Jerusalem.

Each moment I had there, I truly felt God’s presence and I did not confuse it with the wall’s visual magnificence. As I prayed, I felt the unction from the Lord to open my eyes and look straight up at the blue sky above knowing that He is spiritual, and He is in Heaven. The Lord is not inside the stones of the wall but in His Kingdom. That said, I did not worship the stones (reminder: idolatry is foolish and unholy) as I directed my worship directly to the Lord knowing He is in Heaven.

Because we only had fifteen minutes to spend as our tour group had a schedule to follow, I wisely spent time to praising and honoring the Lord. Let me remind you all that Lord Jesus will someday return and He will fulfill His promise. He will return in Israel and Jerusalem will be His destination.

After praying to Him, I spent the remaining minutes looking around and observing. I was surrounded by Ultra-Orthodox Jews, National Religious Jews, rabbis, tourists and Christians. I witnessed the religious rituals and practices of the Jewish people and I know deep inside that the ties between Jews and Christians are biblical.

The whole area is indeed sacred and that means visitors should be respectful and should practice decency near the Western Wall. People praying to God are to be respected and when there are many others praying while touching the wall, you will really have to wait for your turn. Be mindful that the Lord is always watching you as there is simply no reason to cause disrespect, playing around and causing trouble at the Western Wall.

When my fifteen minutes ran out, I went to the exit to rejoin my tour group.

My Second Visit – February 15, 2023

Two days later, it was our tour group’s one and only rest day. After having a really early breakfast at our hotel, I marched to the Old City of Jerusalem and visited the Temple Mount for the first time ever. After spending time up there, I took the exit and made my way down to return to the Western Wall.

Once again I took time touching the wall and praying to the Lord and expressing my thanks to Him with a lot of heart. After several minutes, I took a seat to pray to Him while resting my legs. Then I noticed a North American man (who looked so much like Hillsong Church’s Phil Dooley) with the Holy Bible at one end of the fence (separating the men and the women) by the wall facing at the other direction (his back on the wall). He preached the Word of God and asked the Lord to save everyone. What he said reminded me that God has a plan for everyone, including the Jews (His chosen people) and there is still time for the lost and unsaved to realize Jesus as the Lord and the Savior of all.

After I was done praying by the wall, I decided to visit Wilson’s Arch as I was so curious why a lot of people had been entering and exiting it. It turned out to be Western Wall tunnel (with an arch area) and inside was a synagogue where there lots of Jews read the Old Testament, the Torah and pray. At the entrance/exit, a Jewish rabbi invited me in and assured me that foreigners and non-Jews were welcome. So I went in and he showed some parts of the indoor synagogue.

As it was a place of worship by the Jews, I was cautious moving inside and spending time observing. Carefully I only took a few photos for this feature article and it was astonishing to see more of the Western Wall indoors. Not only that, it was impressive to see the arches – including those huge stones above our heads – and it turns out they were constructed during Herod’s time and without any cement at all. There were also lots of shelves of books on both sides.

The indoor synagogue is one of the holiest synagogues in Israel due to its proximity to where the original Jewish Temple was wherein the Holy of Holies resided. Since it was my plan to revisit the Upper Room and visit both King David’s Tomb and Oskar Schindler’s grave, I eventually left the Western Wall tunnel. Before tracing my way back to the Jewish Quarter (where we visited two days prior), I took one last look back at the Western Wall. I intend to revisit it and spend quality time with the Lord there again in the future.  

Biblical Significance

While it is a fact that the Western Wall was not explicitly mentioned in the Holy Bible, it has always been part of the Temple Mount since Herod’s time. To put things in perspective, we need to go back to the time when King Solomon dedicated the First Temple asking God to hear the prayers made toward it. Learn from the holy scriptures below.

that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.

1 Kings 8:29-30 (NKJV)

“Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.

1 Kings 8:41-43 (NKJV)

The First Jewish Temple eventually got destroyed by the Babylonians. Centuries later, Herod executed the massive rebuilding of the Temple (Second Jewish Temple) in Jerusalem as well as the expansion of the Temple Mount itself. What was achieved drew reactions from many people who saw it and there were references of such reactions in the New Testament. For insight, read the scriptures below.

Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”

Mark 13:1 (NKJV)

Then the Jews replied, It took forty-six years to build this temple (sanctuary), and will You raise it up in three days?

John 2:20 (AMPC)

To be clear, the forty-six years mentioned in John 2:20 refers to the massive renovation and the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple.

Long before the Second Temple got destroyed, Lord Jesus prophesied its destruction. By the time Lord Jesus made the prophesy, He was already rejected by the religious Jews. Those people refused to accept Him as their Messiah and they had disobeyed God as a result. Lord Jesus wept for Jerusalem knowing that suffering and destruction would come and it happened in 70 AD. Learn from the scriptures below.

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying,

“If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Luke 19:41-44 (NKJV)

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them,

“Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Matthew 24:1-2 (NKJV)

As it is very clear that God always has a plan for the faithful and His chosen people, it was prophesied that He would bring the Jews (scattered around the world) back to Israel in the last days. This prophecy was fulfilled in May 1948 when the modern State of Israel was formally established and a lot of Jews returned or settled in since then. Lord Jesus will return to us some time in the future and there is time for the Jews to accept Him as their Messiah, to repent and submit to Him. The other lost and unsaved people of the world still have opportunities to realize Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Very clearly, Lord Jesus is the hope of ALL nations! Learn from the scriptures below.

If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.

Deuteronomy 30:4-5 (NKJV)

Jesus answered him,

“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3 (AMP)

Beloved ones, let me repeat emphatically that the gospel entrusted to me was not given to me by any man. No one taught me this revelation, for it was given to me directly by the unveiling of Jesus Christ.

By now you have heard stories of how severely I harassed and persecuted Christians and how systematically I endeavored to destroy God’s church, all because of my radical devotion to the Jewish religion. My zeal and passion for the doctrines of Judaism distinguished me among my people, for I was far more advanced in my religious instruction than others my age.

But then God called me by his grace, and chose me from my birth to be his. He was pleased to unveil his Son in me so that I would proclaim him to the peoples of the world. After I had this encounter, I kept it a secret for some time, sharing it with no one. And I had no desire to run to Jerusalem and try to impress those who had become apostles before me. Instead, I withdrew into the Arabian Desert. Then I returned to Damascus, where I had first encountered Jesus.

Galatians 1:11-17 (TPT)

For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us,

By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace.

And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile, united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end.

And He came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off and [peace] to those who were near.

For it is through Him that we both [whether far off or near] now have an introduction (access) by one [Holy] Spirit to the Father [so that we are able to approach Him].

Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God’s own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God’s [own] household.

You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the chief Cornerstone.

In Him the whole structure is joined (bound, welded) together harmoniously, and it continues to rise (grow, increase) into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and sacred to the presence of the Lord].

In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:14-22 (AMPC)

Conclusion

My two visits to the Western Wall were very significant to me personally. As seen above, each visit has been different, new discoveries happened and I spent quality time with Lord. The place is holy and it is a must-visit for anyone going to Israel. If I ever visit Israel again, I would return to the Western Wall to praise, thank and honor the Lord. If you are a person of faith who is about to visit Israel for the first time, I urge you to visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Learn from my experiences. I also encourage you all to stand united in support of Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people, help the lost and unsaved come to Lord Jesus and always pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you [the Holy City]!

May peace be within your walls and prosperity within your palaces!

For my brethren and companions’ sake, I will now say, Peace be within you!

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek, inquire for, and require your good.

Psalm 122:6-9 (AMPC)

Israel is the holiest place to visit in the whole world! Visit Israel with the Holy Bible! Pray to the Lord wholeheartedly and reveal to Him your heart’s desire to visit Israel to deepen your faith in Him. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Follow the light of Lord Jesus, keep on praying to support Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Watch out for more Israel 2023 travel articles here. There is more to come! Thank you for reading.

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The Suffering Servant

As a continuation from our Sunday’s Devotion, Isaiah 53:11…“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied…” These words from Isaiah offer a profound glimpse into the heart of the gospel. They point to Jesus, the suffering servant, whose mission was not only to endure pain but to accomplish redemption through it.

The phrase “travail of his soul” speaks of deep anguish—an inner suffering that goes beyond physical pain. Jesus’ journey to the cross was marked by rejection, betrayal, and unimaginable sorrow. Yet this suffering was not meaningless. It was purposeful, intentional, and anchored in love. He willingly bore the weight of humanity’s sin, stepping into the place we could never stand on our own.

What is remarkable is that “he shall be satisfied.” Satisfaction here is not relief from suffering but fulfillment because of what that suffering achieved. Jesus looked beyond the cross to its outcome: restored relationship between God and humanity. His sacrifice opened the door for forgiveness, reconciliation, and new life. The pain had a purpose, and that purpose was you and me.

The verse continues, “by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.” This highlights both who Jesus is and what he does. He is the righteous servant—perfect, without sin, fully obedient. Through knowing him—not just intellectually, but relationally—we are justified. To be justified means to be declared righteous, not because of our own efforts, but because of his finished work.

Finally, “for he shall bear their iniquities.” This is the heart of substitution. Jesus took upon himself the burden of our wrongdoing. Every failure, every hidden fault, every open rebellion—he carried it. In exchange, he offers his righteousness. It is the greatest exchange in history: our guilt for his grace.

This passage invites us to reflect deeply. Jesus was not a victim of circumstance but a willing servant. His suffering was not defeat but victory. And his satisfaction comes in seeing lives transformed through his sacrifice.

As we consider these words, we are reminded that faith is not merely about belief, but response. To know him is to trust him, to receive what he has done, and to live in the freedom he has secured.

The suffering servant has completed his work—and in him, we find our peace.

Thank you so much for your continued readership and support. Have a blessed new week. Until next week be and stay blessed!

© Rhema International 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema International.

Early Morning Wake Up

It’s 4:29 a.m. and I find myself being roused by creativity given me by the Creator. As I proceeded down the hallway I asked the Almighty what He was doing? Perhaps He was lifting me out of the dregs of my own insanity because that’s what I asked Him.— Don’t ask. Running to my desk to write a poem that popped into my head while watching one of my favorite Asian films, “Dinner Mate.” I’d put most of the poem on my trusty “Smart Recorder” but still had two more lines to add and didn’t want to lose the thought.

In the midst of this “I don’t know” month. He tapped me on the shoulder to remind me of who I was. Because sometimes in our human nature we seem to allow our identity to get lost in life’s shuffle. Note I said allow.

Sometimes you feel like you’re in a box of pick up sticks and you’re the only stick left laying on the ground. Sometimes you feel like you’re in a bag of marbles and always are the one getting plucked into oblivion. Sometimes you feel like an out of place chess piece with no board. Other times you feel like you’re on a deserted island with your thoughts that leave you in a circular reasoning contest. And no matter your location you feel like you’re in a paper bag just trying to find your way to the nearest exit sign without losing what character you have left.

No, this writer is not insane—just intrigued. And right in the midst of these silent insecurities God will allow a scripture to fall into your spirit just at the right time like the first raindrop to touch a pond. Leaving a rippling effect in your spirit. Replacing this madness with meaning. For me, my scripture is Isaiah 53:1–-Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

Perhaps He was reminding me of my past victories because that was one of the questions He asked me as I was getting off the hospital gurney about to go into one of most deadly battles of my life. He told me “This sickness is not unto death whose report will you believe? In that moment my mindset had to change and through the process His arm was revealed to me because I chose to believe His report. And by His grace, I am still here after the doctor’s said it was only a 20% chance.

Perhaps He was reminding that no matter our circumstance we have to choose to believe the report of the LORD. Instead of allowing all of those “sometimes” that are trying to replace our most holy faith with fear to take up residence in our minds. Or maybe He simply wanted to remind me that He is not a man that He should lie neither the son of man that He should repent.

And just in case you’re wondering what the point to this blog post is…Don’t allow the “sometimes” to become “all the times” in your life. And if you are blessed to be touched by the hand of the Creator in the midst of your mess. You will find a message in it if you choose to believe the report of the Lord and in that message His arm shall be revealed to you.

Thank you so much for your continued readership and support. Have a blessed new week. Until next week be and stay blessed!

© Rhema International 2026. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema International.

The Bible doesn't sugarcoat the truth. From David and Bathsheba to the tragic story of Amnon and Tamar, we see a recurring theme: Adultery always causes something to die. 🥀

​Read more here: https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/the-love-principle-study-10-your-neighbour-and-adultery

#sex #adultery #bibleblog #bibleblogger #christianblogger

The Bible doesn't sugarcoat the truth. From David and Bathsheba to the tragic story of Amnon and Tamar, we see a recurring theme: Adultery always causes something to die. 🥀

​Read more here: https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/the-love-principle-study-10-your-neighbour-and-adultery

#sex #adultery #bibleblog #bibleblogger #christianblogger

The Bible doesn't sugarcoat the truth. From David and Bathsheba to the tragic story of Amnon and Tamar, we see a recurring theme: Adultery always causes something to die. 🥀

​Read more here: https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/the-love-principle-study-10-your-neighbour-and-adultery

#sex #adultery #bibleblog #bibleblogger #christianblogger

In troubled times like these, our relationships matter. They are what make us strong and resilient to face each day.
Take a look at my free blog posts to see how we can strengthen the ties that make us strong 👇
https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/meditations/categories/love
#lovenotwar #loveyourneighbor #familyties #bibleblogger #christianblogger

In troubled times like these, our relationships matter. They are what make us strong and resilient to face each day.
Take a look at my free blog posts to see how we can strengthen the ties that make us strong 👇
https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/meditations/categories/love
#lovenotwar #loveyourneighbor #familyties #bibleblogger #christianblogger

In troubled times like these, our relationships matter. They are what make us strong and resilient to face each day.
Take a look at my free blog posts to see how we can strengthen the ties that make us strong 👇
https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/meditations/categories/love
#lovenotwar #loveyourneighbor #familyties #bibleblogger #christianblogger

In an era of viral clips and "subscriber counts," it’s easy to turn the Gospel into a competition. Paul faced rivals who tried to exploit his imprisonment, but his reaction might surprise you.
​Stop the rivalry: https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/get-off-the-ladder-the-cure
#rivalry #jealousy #breakfree #Christianblogger

If they know we are Christians ⛪️ by our love ❤️, what does that love look like?
Read this study to find out 👇
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#truelove #Godslove #GodIsLove #Bibleblogger
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Love ❤️ is the sum total of all obedience, the heartbeat of all mission and the goal of all discipleship.
How does your love measure up?
Click below to find out👇
https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/the-love-principle-study-2-the-meaning
#truelove #Godslove #GodIsLove #Bibleblogger
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If you are looking for true love ❤️, then this is what it looks like 👇
https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/the-love-principle-study-2-the-meaning
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#truelove #Godslove #GodIsLove #Bibleblogger
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From fake vacation photos to luxury knock-offs, we’re living in a pandemic of "pretending." 📸

​But real faith doesn’t do fakes.

Let’s talk about the danger of spiritual plagiarism.
​Full post: https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/get-off-the-ladder-the-fakes 🔗
#Authenticity #TrueFaith #ChristianBlogger

While Jesus was bearing our shame, the disciples were jostling for the best seats. 🪑 We’re diving into why coveting power and wealth is a "Jesus OR," not a "Jesus AND" situation.
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From Herod’s thirst for power to Judas’ greed for silver, we’re looking at the "thought crime" that puts us on the wrong side of the tracks. Are we seeking to serve, or to be served?
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Happy 2026! I’m launching a 12-part deep dive into the Tenth Commandment: “You shall not covet.” 📖
​If you’re tired of the "climb" and ready to find joy that doesn't drain away, join me for this series on Exodus 20:17 👇
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​#ChristianBlogger #BibleStudy

While Jesus was bearing our shame, the disciples were jostling for the best seats. 🪑 We’re diving into why coveting power and wealth is a "Jesus OR," not a "Jesus AND" situation.
​Don't miss it: https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/get-off-the-ladder-the-opponents
​#BibleStudy #thoughtcrime #ChristianBlogger

While Jesus was bearing our shame, the disciples were jostling for the best seats. 🪑 We’re diving into why coveting power and wealth is a "Jesus OR," not a "Jesus AND" situation.
​Don't miss it: https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/get-off-the-ladder-the-opponents
​#BibleStudy #thoughtcrime #ChristianBlogger

Proverbs 23:24

“The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.”
Proverbs 23:24

Read More - https://vatenoa.com/proverbs-2324/

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Love ❤️ is the sum total of all obedience, the heartbeat of all mission and the goal of all discipleship.
How does your love measure up?
Click below to find out👇
https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/the-love-principle-study-2-the-meaning
#truelove #Godslove #GodIsLove #Bibleblogger
#ChristianBlogger

If you are looking for true love ❤️, then this is what it looks like 👇
https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/the-love-principle-study-2-the-meaning
The question is: could you love like this?
#truelove #Godslove #GodIsLove #Bibleblogger
#ChristianBlogger

If you are looking for true love ❤️, then this is what it looks like 👇
https://downiefamily.wixsite.com/wherebreadisfound/post/the-love-principle-study-2-the-meaning
The question is: could you love like this?
#truelove #Godslove #GodIsLove #Bibleblogger
#ChristianBlogger