PREPARING FOR ALIYA

MAINTAIN PERSONAL DEVOTION - ‘Pray without ceasing’ should be a lifestyle and especially on mission trips, more especially in the land of demonic invasion. You are safe in Yeshua, but you are vulnerable to spiritual warfare. DO NOT FORGET! Walk with Yeshua/Jesus through His land; write letters, poetry, songs, and love letters to Him. You will never be the same!

BE PUNCTUAL - It is important to be ON TIME for meals, meetings, appointments, and devotions.

BE ACCOUNTABLE - The hallmark of our time together is team UNITY. Please do not surrender to temptation to be independent spirited, the urge to ‘go your own way,’ or to split the team. Be the one we can count on to bond the team in love.

BE CONSIDERATE - We want to be like Yesha in every facet, in CLEANLINESS (daily shower), ENVIRONMENT (pick up trash in rooms and bus), how you SPEAK, what you say, your ACTIONS, attitude toward the team and others. Please do not SIT in the same seat every time you get on the bus or in the van. NOTE: FRONT L & R SEATS ARE RESERVED. Be considerate when using hotel computer. Quiet time in Ysrael is from 2 until 4 PM; many take naps especially in hot weather. Respect Ysrael’s law of the Sabbath.

BE SAFE - Do not bring valuable jewelry; keep your monies and PASSPORT on you at all times; watch traffic; do not leave the team without confirmation. The power in Ysrael is 220 AC. Power converters/ transformers typically do not handle hair dryers, curlers, etc.

DRESS PROPER - We do not want to attract attention to our bodies by immodest dress or clothes that flag the body. Bathing suits for Dead Sea to be modest, no bikinis or tight fitting spandex suits. Men wear comfortable shoes, pants, and shirts with sleeves (short or long); women wear comfortable shoes, pants, bring at least one skirt for messianic worship; blouses and shirts with sleeves (short and long).

SHARE YESHUA WITH PEOPLE - Use terms of culture like “messiah;” do not use negative terms like “missionary.” Before going to Ysrael read good books on Jewish evangelism like, Why Me by Yacov Damkani, Betrayed by Stan Telchin, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, Our Jewish Friends by Luis Goldberg, and my favorite, Our Yerushalayim by Bertha Spafford, daughter of Haratio Spafford.

KNOW THE TIME PERIODS

COPPER AGE (4,000-3200 BC)

EARLY BRONZE AGE ((3200-2200 BC)

MIDDLE BRONZE AGE (2200-1500 BC)

LATE BRONZE AGE (1500-1200 BC)

EARLY IRON AGE (1200-1000 BC)

IRON AGE (1000-600 BC)

BABYLONIAN PERIOD (600-539 BC)

PERSIAN PERIOD (539-332 BC)

HELLENISTIC PERIOD (332-165 BC)

HASMONIAN PERIOD (165-60 BC)

ROMAN PERIOD (60 BC – AD 324)

BYZANTINE PERIOD (AD 324-640)

EARLY ARAB PERIOD (AD 640-1099)

CRUSADER PERIOD (AD 1099-1291)

MAMELUKE PERIOD (AD 1291-1516)

OTTOMON PERIOD (AD 1517-1917)

BRITISH MANDATE (AD 1917-1948)

MODERN ISRAEL (AD 1948-2026)

PRAYER WALKING ISRAEL

1.     Be spiritually clean! Confess all known sin(s). Make sure you have been forgiven by others and that you have forgiven others.

2.     Be comfortable in clothing, shoes, and dress. Also, be comforted dressed in God’s battle armor.

3.     Have a significant other; never, go alone! NEVER GO ALONE!

4.     Pray as you walk. Talk to the Lord as your Father about what you see, what you smell, what you hear, what you sense and feel, etc.

5.     Pray God’s Word since it is God’s Word and He never returns void. Say what God has said about everything. Don’t disagree with God about anything.

6.     Pray over the land, over the village, over the neighborhood, over the streets, cars passing, buses, people walking, and over the homes. Talk with God about it all.

7.     Have quiet moments. Let God talk to you and usually He does so when you get quiet.

8.     Walk slowly, but don't meander. Be sensitive to where you are, how much time is left, where you are going, how to get back, and be intentional and be alert.

9.     Feel free to sit and stand and converse and be quiet. Don't be rigid or ritualistic. 

10.  Pray for things: believers, missionaries, congregations, churches, souls needing salvation.

11.  Pray against things: demonic forces, dark powers that tempt, deceive, corrupt, oppress, depress, blind, and terrorize. Pray against rabbinical teachings and leadership, the confusion reigning in Israel’s synagogues.

 TWELVE WAYS TO RUIN A STUDY/MISSIONS/TOUR 

World Christian Magazine, 1983, Vol. 2

1. GO IT ALONE. Beware of being a “team player,” of joining any organization. This could hamper your style. Do things your way, on your time. AND YOU WILL RUIN OUR MISSION TRIP! 

2. REMEMBER YOUR PURPOSE IS SPIRITUAL. Refuse to do the menial work like making beds, sweeping, taking out garbage, cooking, doing dishes, loading or unloading trucks. These distract you from your spiritual tasks. AND YOU WILL RUIN OUR MISSION TRIP.

3. ABANDON DAILY PRAYER AND BIBLE STUDY. Time will go fast; you won’t have time for these, so load up on the word and prayer before you go. Once there you will find people needing your full load, and you will get all you need spiritually from the daily devotions. AND YOU WILL RUIN OUR MISSION TRIP.

4. BE SCHEDULED. Plan your schedule before you go and stick to it. Delays, last-minute changes, impromptu visits are obstacles to be avoided at all costs. Also, carry an arm full of watches to keep up with time. AND YOU WILL RUIN OUR MISSION TRIP.

5. HELP THE MISSIONARIES BY POINTING OUT THEIR MISTAKES. Relate to them the latest missiological trends. Be sure to win the favor of the nationals to your views. AND YOU WILL RUIN OUR MISSION TRIP.

6. DON’T EMBARRASS YOURSELF BY TRYING TO LEARN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE. Remember that English is spoken around the world, and people need to learn the language of your superior nation. AND YOU WILL RUIN OUR MISSION TRIP.

7. BE SURE AND POINT OUT THE SHORT COMINGS AND FAULTS OF FELLOW TEAM MEMBERS. Time is short, and people must be willing to make the changes that will make you comfortable or else they are selfish. God has you on this trip to teach others the myriad lessons that you have learned. AND YOU WILL RUIN OUR MISSION TRIP.

8. TAKE CARE NOT TO GET DIRTY OR EAT THE LOCAL FOOD. You may miss a few friendly opportunities with “the natives,” but you will avoid any chance of getting sick. Also, “cleanliness is next to Godliness” so do not succumb to foiling your attire. Stay neat and tidy for others to see. AND YOU WILL RUIN OUR MISSION TRIP.

9. WATCH OUT FOR THOSE TEAM MEMBERS WHO COULD NOT RAISE THEIR FULL SUPPORT. THEY WILL ATTEMPT TO MOOCH OFF YOU. It will build their faith more if you let them sweat it out. AND YOU WILL RUIN OUR MISSION TRIP.

10. HAVE A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP. Identify those lonely urges as signs from God that it is not good for you to be alone; you should consider drawing close physically. AND YOU WILL RUIN OUR MISSION TRIP.

11. REMEMBER that as an overseas veteran you are honorably discharged. You are now much more valuable at home lecturing. AND YOU WILL RUIN YOUR MISSION TRIP POTENTIAL.