Day 8 & Final Day of Isreal Tour
Today was our final day of this awesome trip to the little nation of Israel. I have been looking for this day all week! Our first stop was to the Old City again and to the pool of Bethesda. Here we enjoyed getting the opportunity to sing in the church there on the grounds, we sang Holy, Holy, Holy, God seemed to sweep through there a early touch from the Holy Ghost. It seemed to set the stage for the day. As we got to the actual pools themselves, God took me back to the very first message I ever preached, it was on the lame man by the pool out of John 5, on "What are you waiting on?" Wow what a blessing this place was to me. Our second stop was to the western wall of the Old City here is where most of the wall is still in tack from all these years. Here is where all the "religious people" go to have prayer time each day as they face this wall. They believe that God's presence is still there. But I am thankful that God's presence is everywhere for the power of the Holy Ghost. It is a idol to many, but something to see for me.  After lunch we made our way to Calvary, here is where business picked up!! We entered the garden tomb area where they believed to be the place where Christ was crucified, the actual place of the skull, Golgotha. As we looked upon hillside I was reminded of that old song thanks to Calvary I am not the man I used to be, But for the Blood, and Bought by the Blood. Lastly the old hymn that starts out..."On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross the emblem of suffering and shame," thank you Jesus for bearing my cross and paying the debt of sin that I owed! I'm glad the story does not in there, for our next stop was right over the hill to the empty tomb! The stone was rolled back because up from the grave He arose, GLORY TO HIS NAME!!! Here brother David Woods preached the gospel message that attracted the crowds from other groups even after being warned to quieten down, you can't be quiet about serving a risen Savior, Amen! After the preaching we sang a song, and then Dr. Lockee led us in a communion service. We cried, shouted, and worshipped God there in that special place. Friends and church family that itself was worth the trip!!
Oh what a Saviour is mine. Well dear friends that concluded our tour of Israel, we had supper and just got finished packing our things. I will rest for about an hour, the prepare to leave hotel around 1am my time. I will update you on flight info when we get to airport. Please pray for our safe travel, it's going to be a long 18hr flight day...!! Love ya and see you soon...Pastor Wayne

Pool of Bethesda - John 5

The Western Wall - the only remaining part of the original Old City Wall

The place of the skull....Calvary!!!!

The EMPTY Tomb!!!! GLORY!!!!!!

Day 7 of Tour of Israel
After breakfast we made our way to our first of four stops today, the house of Caiaphas. Here is where they brought Jesus after his betrayal in the garden of Gethsemane. Here is also the place where Peter denied the Lord 3 times and the cock crew. Here they had the original steps most likely where our Lord and Savior climbed up as he went into the house and Cephus that day. Our second stop today was at the Bible Museum here is where portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls are located and also a big model of the city of Jerusalem in the days of King David and Jesus. This was a very interesting stop where we got a lot of information about the city as a whole during those days. After the museum we made our way to the east side of the valley to the Mount of Olives.  Here is where Jesus spent a lot of time in his ministry this was a place of peace and rest and where he gave the great Olivett discourse that included the Lord's prayer. Our stop was a blessing brother Jimmy Cox got to preach right there in the Mount of Olives my what a blessing it was! We sang the song in the garden and God of heaven showed up on the scene, it was rich!! Our final stop of the day was to the garden of Gethsemane. Here is where Jesus took his disciples for one last prayer before he would be betrayed by Judas Iscariot and eventually to the cross. Here is where Jesus' sweat became as great drops of blood as he drink the bitter cup for you and for me (Luke 22: 39-44).  Here is where our Lord visited on many occasions to pray and to seek serenity from the multitudes. That serenity and peace was around there today as a sweet lamb of God spoke to our hearts as we prayed in the garden today. Friends it truly was a sight to behold I wish you could have been there, such a beautiful place but most of all the sweet presence of the Lord was in that garden. I had a time!!! Whooooooooooo, GLORY! Tomorrow will conclude our tour of Israel please pray that God would show up on the scene as we visit Mount Calvary and then the empty tomb! It's gonna be rich, I just know it! I can't wait to see you all soon! Pastor Wayne

Caiaphas the high priest house where they took Jesus after his betrayal

Bible Museum

Preacher Wayne overlooking the Mount of Olives

Garden of Gethsemane 

Day 6- Israel Trip (Sunday)
This morning we left Jerusalem headed south east on our journey toward the Dead Sea region.  Our first stop was Masada National Park.  Masada was the last kind of Jewish freedom fighters against the Romans during the second temple period. Built by King Herod, King of Judea. Masada was a fortress built high above the dead in the style of ancient Roman. The plateau of Masada is located on the eastern fridge of the Judean Deasert near the shore of the Dead Sea, between En Gedi and Sodom. What makes this place so amazing is that it sets 450 meters above the Dead Sea. It literally is on a mountain!! It is also along the route that one would have to take from Moab to Bethlehem-Judean so basically Naomi and Ruth would had to have passed that way in Ruth chapter 1. Our second stop of the day was to the Qumran National Park.  Here is where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, the Word of God. The scrolls were found hidden in these mountain caves in jars! Here they have been preserved for nearly 2000 years! Just think your holding a copy of the word of God, that has came a long, long way, yet preserved!! I say Glory! After that we went to lunch at a place right on the Dead Sea. We then went down to the water and felt of its uniqueness being 33% salt and other minerals, it was definitely interesting!! Folks were out there in the water just floating around without swimming really because of its uniqueness of salt saturation! Here we are reminded of where God rained down fire and brimstone of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. After our trip to the Dead Sea we made our way back to the hotel for 7 PM supper and then service tonight at 8pm! God helped us in the service, Bro Dillon Bolt got to preach then after that Bro Lockee called on me to testify, I thank God for the opportunity! We have a busy day tomorrow we're planning on going to the Mount of Olives, to Bethany and into the Garden of Gethsemane. It's going to be wonderful I know!! Praying for you all; pray for us. God Bless You all; I sure do miss everyone at church...Pastor Wayne

Masada National Park

Pastor Wayne & Dr. Lockee at the Qumran National Park (Dead Sea Scrolls)

Pastor Wayne at the Dead Sea

Day 5 of Israel Trip
Good morning from Jerusalem!! This morning after breakfast we drove about 10m to the city of David, Bethlehem.   Our first stop was at the field of the shepherds. We visited a cave along the roadside where the shepherds of Luke 2 were probably tending to their sheep during there angelic visit. We had a time there in the cave as we rejoiced to know that Jesus had made the annoucement to those lowly shepherds first. I'm so glad he came not just for the rich & powerful, but also the meek and lowly.  A young preacher Bro Josh Russell preached on Isaiah 9 about how He's the Wonderful, Counsellr & The Mighty GOD, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. After that we went to a local gift shop & then to lunch. Our third and final stop on the tour was to The Church of the Nativity.  This is the traditional place of Jesus' birth. It was truly amazing to see the place where our Lord had come to Earth. It was a place that the Catholic's & Orthadox Greeks have about made into a spectacle instead of a Holy Place! Nevertheless I left thanking God HE had came to man...the long awaited Messiah, Emmanuel....GOD WITH US!  After that it was a trip back to the motel around 4pm...for supper at 7pm.  So between 4-7pm without our guide most of us went back into the "Old City" where most of the business' were closed because today (Sat.) was their sabbath. Our plan was to walk the "Via Dolorosa" the street that Jesus walked, but Heaven feel along the way and we only made it through the first 2 of 14 stops along the way!! We had to leave for the motel to make our dinner reservations at 7, but it wasn't that we wanted to...God was doing something for us on that trail.  I can't wait to walk the rest of the way. We enjoined a good dinner duck, rice, and potatoes.  Then in the prayer meeting in the room GOD DID IT AGAIN! There were 12 men in there weeping, testifying, singing, & praising God. Church family...I prayed for you all, I love you & will miss being there at Pilgrims Way tomorrow. Tomorrow is The Lords Day & we have 2 services planned for tomorrow and a trip to the Dead Sea, & Bethany the place where He raised Lazaurus from the dead. God Bless You and continue praying for me. Love ya...Pastor Wayne

Field of Shepherds

Shepherd Cave in Bethlehem

Traditional place of Jesus' Birth

Day 4 of the Israel Tour- April 4, 2014
This morning after breakfast & checkout we left the sea of Galilee and the city of Tiberius heading south toward the city of Jericho and finally Jerusalem! We will be staying and Jerusalem for the remainder of our stay in Israel. Our first stop this morning was by the Jordan River (pic) at its most northern point, south of Sea of Galilee, it was a beautiful site to see as you can tell in picture. Our next stop was approximately 75 miles south to the site of where Jesus was baptized of John the Baptist. Whooooooooo Glory that's where John the Baptist said "behold the Lamb of God which take away the sins of the world." Amen! After Jordan River we stopped in the oldest city in the world the place called Jericho, here is where the book of Joshua comes alive! Especially Joshua 2 where Rahab the harlot believed on God to the saving of the 2 spies that went in to spy out the land of Cannan, & then Joshua 6 where the walls of that great city fell down flat! Also in Jericho, we seen the place where Jesus was tempted of the devil there in Matthew chapter 4, my what a site (pic) at truly was! We left Jericho and then made our way to the hotel and our final stop tonight in Jerusalem. We praise God for the things we've seen and heard thus far and cannot wait to begin our tour around Bethlehem and Jerusalem starting tomorrow! I love you church family & half way through this journey to this land I just want to report in and say it's been worth every mile!!!!! GLORY, Preacher Wayne

Pastor Wayne at the widest part of the Jordan River

Mount of Temptation Matthew 4

Zacchaeus Sycamore Tree in Jericho

Day 3- Today after breakfast we got up and went out this morning on the sea of Galilee by boat. While on the water, Brother Travis Parker preached a message that really thrilled my soul about Jesus calming the storms that night while his disciples were in the storm...I'm glad Jesus is still in the storm calming business!!! After the Sea of Galilee we went to Capernaum the place where Jesus went to live with Peter. They call Capernaum the place of Jesus. There we saw the original ground & home of Simon Peter. It was truly breath taking to actually see the same ground where Jesus & Peter walked on. After that we went to the Mount of Beattitudes, where Jesus gave the Sermon on the mount, it was a beautiful place to behold.  We ate a great lunch at one of the local restaurants (good fish).  After lunch we went to Mt. Hermon (Caesarea Philipi) the home of where Peter made his great confession that "Jesus was the Christ the Son of the living God."  Jesus replied unto him "that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Brother Josh Mathis brought us another message, it was good & The Lord touched us. Mt Hermon is also one of the mouths of the beginning of the Jordan river.  It was a special place because in those days there were a lost of false idol worship going on in that place and God said all this will not prevail against it. GLORY!!!!!! It has been a great day in The Lord and we are now back at the hotel for supper then rest for our last night in Tiberius. Tomorrow we will make our way toward Jerusalem!! I can't wait.....Pastor Wayne S

The Holy Land Tour 2014

Hello church family it has been a long day in the airplane but glory to God we finally made it safe & sound!! Thanks so much for your prayers I have felt them already in getting here safely. We arrived here in Israel about 9:30am (nc time) Tuesday. (14hrs total)  The trip has been wonderful this first day and cannot wait until tomorrow when the tour really begins!!  I'm rooming this week with Bro Josh Calvert and that is going to great as well. We are staying tonight only at King Solomon Hotel in Natayan, right on the Mediterranean Sea! Tomorrow we are going to Caesarea and then to Mount Caramel, etc. & please pray that the fire of the Holy Ghost falls as it did when Elijah was there. I'm going to get some much needed rest, so I love you all, & will post again tomorrow! Pastor Wayne

Day 2- Today after breakfast we began our Holy Land tour in the city of Cesserea. It was a beautiful place to see. It is a city right on the Mediterranean Sea. It is where Paul sailed from his third missionary trip after meeting with King Agrippa. We seen the ruins of the temple that Herod the great had built, after visiting several spots there at Caesarea and we ate a great lunch right on the sea shore! After Caesarea, we went to Mount caramel where Elijah and the prophets of Baal had the contest of sending down the fire. Wow, what a beautiful place to see and experience the power of God on top of the mountain today was absolutely wonderful. While on top of Mount Caramel we could look over and see the valley of Jezreel where the battle of Armageddon will be fought. We left Mount Caramel then traveled to Nazareth boyhood home of Jesus, while on mountain in Nazareth we could look over to Mount Tabor which is where the mountain Transfiguration took place! I felt God there for sure, and the sceptic said "can anything good come out of Nazareth," friends there was something not only good, but great that came out of Nazareth and his name is JESUS!  From Nazareth we left to come to the Sea of Galilee, here we will check into motel, eat, & stay for next 2 nights. Lord willing we going out on the sea of Galilee tomorrow by boat and hearing a message preached by one of the men in our group please pray for the moving of God! Give more info tomorrow! Have a great service tonight, and I'm going to miss being there! Love y'all dearly, Pastor Wayne