|
FEAR
OR
FAITH
???
By
Josie
Silver
Israel's
new
tourism
minister,
Rabbi
Benny
Elon,
has
been
in
the
United
States
to
spur
travel
to
the
Holy
Land
and
rescind
a
State
Department
travel
warning
on
tourism
to
Israel.
The
visit
comes
in
the
midst
of
one
of
the
worst
tourist
droughts
ever,
including
a
50
percent
drop
in
tourism
from
the
US
this
year,
due
to
the
violence
and
tensions
in
the
region.
As
I
was
reading
thru
an
article
from
a
sister
who
had
recently
been
in
Israel,
I
suddenly
felt
an
impulse
to
write
what
you
are
about
to
read
-
and
I
said
to
David,
I
believe
it
should
go
out
as
the
Carmel
Alert
comment
this
week.
Sadly,
this
sister's
article
was
one
of
the very
few that
I
have
had
the
pleasure
of
reading
in
this
last
year,
about
small
groups
of
Christians
coming
up
to
the
Land
of
Israel,
in
spite
of
the
possible
risks,
to
let
their
feet
touch
and
walk
the
soil
of
this
land,
to
be
present
in
the
land
and
to
show
support,
and
solidarity
with
Israel
at THIS
time.
As
we
all
know,
Israel
has
been
absolutely
dependent
on
tourism
to
assist
the
economy
for
many
years
now.
Tourism
in
Israel
provides
employment
for
thousands
and
thousands
of
people.
As
a
result
of
the
Intifada,
tourism
has
almost
completely
died,
and
the
severity
of
it
has
affected
many
facets
of
the
social
structure
here
in
the
Land.
So
many
potential
tourists,
yes
even
believers,
have
been "scared
off"
because
of
what
they
have
seen
on
the
television,
heard
on
the
airwaves,
or
what
they
have
read
in
the
newspapers.
Unfortunately
the
majority
decided
to
cancel
their
trips,
all
because
of fear.
Yes,
there
is
danger
here,
(and
it
can
feel
intense)
but
where
is
there
not
the
presence
of
danger?.
There
is
danger
in
just
getting
in
your
car,
standing
on
a
stepladder,
playing
sports
etc.
It's
not
about
where
the
danger
is,
it's
about
exercising
your
faith.
Faith
comes
from
hearing
and
hearing
comes
from
the
word
of
the
Lord.
I
personally
experienced
this
when
I
first
came
to
Israel
on
tour
before
we
made
Aliyah.
We
came JUST
before
the
Gulf
War
broke
out.
My
family
were
going
crazy.
My
friends
said
I
was
mad,
even
I
thought
I
was
mad
and
I
was
definitely
scared,!! BUT I
chose
(not
by
what
I felt) to
trust
God
-
fear
was
defeated
and
faith
was
victorious.
As
difficult
as
it
was,
I
will
never
regret
the
decision
I
made
to
continue
with
our
travel
plans.
Israel
needs
you
!
- NOW is
the
time
to
come,
not
when
there
is
relative
peace,
or
the
war
is
over,
or
Hamas
has
decided
to
stop
suicide
bombings
"Come and
let
us
go up
to
the mountain
of
the
Lord,
to
the
house
of
the
God
of
Jacob"..................
I
can
honestly
tell
you,
because
I
live
here,
that
live
goes
on
here
in
normality
most
days,
yes,
there
are
areas
that
you
don't
go
near,
but
90%
of
this
country
is
safe.
The
people
that
David
and
I
know
of,
who
have
come
in
the
last
year,
said
they
wouldn't
have
missed
being
here
for
anything
in
the
world.
They
were
blessed
to
be
here
at "such
a
time
as
this". I
heard
numerous
testimonies
where
Israelis
and
the
tourists
were
brought
to
tears.
The
Israelis
because
they
could
not
believe
that
ANYONE
would
come
here
to bless
them at
such
a
time
-
the
tourists,
because
they
experienced
God's
love
(and
pain)
for
His
people
as
they
ministered
in
being
His
hands,
feet
and
mouthpiece.
I
am
personally
challenging
you,
if
you
have
thought
of
coming
to
Israel
,
but
have
cancelled,
because
of
fear,
to rebook.
Let
go
of
your
fear,
and
let
faith
take
hold,
move
out
in
faith.
You
will
not
regret
it.
It
will
be
the
trip
of
a
lifetime
for
you.
Come
and
walk
the
land,
intercede,
pray,
weep,
proclaim
the
scriptures
at
different
strategic
sites,
blow
the
shofar,
take
the
communion,
worship,
dance,
eat
the
from
the
good
of
the
Land.
Visit
some
Messianic
congregations
and
encourage
them.
Love, comfort
and
fellowship
with
the
local
Israeli
people,
of
whom
a
large
portion
are
extremely
fearful
and
live
in
despair.
They
will
love
you
back.
Come
and
speak
words
of
hope
and
love
into
their
empty
and
sad
souls.
Thru
your
prayer
and
intercession
you
will
help
to
prepare
the
way,
prevent
disasters
,
bring
healing
to
the
land,
and
hope
to
the
Israeli
people.
Come
and
support
Israel
and
as
you
do,
you
will
very
obviously
declare
your
solidarity
with
the
Israeli
people
as
well
as help
revive the
tourism
sector.
David
and
I
are
prepared
to
assist
you
in
any
way
we
can,
with
your
travel
arrangements.
We
have
a
project
called Living
Stones
Tours
which
encourages
Christians
to
make
a
more
meaningful
tour,
than
just
visiting
the
standard
'
Holy
Sites
'
where
all
you
see
are
the
dead
stones.
Email
us
for
more
information.
See
you THIS
YEAR
in
Jerusalem
!!!
-
God
Bless
you
all
-
Josie
|
UT
of ZION MINISTRIES