Writing by the Sea of Galilee

eliavesikula@blogspot.com

Editorial

With God’s blessings, I am  part of this editorial beside the lake of Tiberias also known as the Sea of Galilee in Israel.

This is where  Lord  Jesus Christ, Yeshua, the Lord of Lords walked 2500 years ago to call on his disciples Peter, Andrew, the sons of Zebedee,  to follow and learn from him so he can turn them into fishers of man. It is also here in the Sea of Galilee where the Lord Jesus calmed a fierce storm. It is the miracle that convinced the disciples that the Lord Jesus was the son of God. Mathew 8;22-27.

The story unfolds at the Sea of Galilee in the lower portion of the Jordan Valley in a mountain range that rises to 4,000 feet above sea level. The lake itself is 700 feet below the Mediterranean Sea. One of the more noteworthy aspects of this body of water is that it is greatly susceptible to sudden and extremely violent storms. These storms are caused by the cold air rushing down from the mountains surrounding it and colliding with the warm, moist air rising off the surface of the water itself

                                    Christian journalist Elia Vesikula at the Sea of Galilee

“When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; don’t be afraid.’ Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading” (John 6:6-21)

As I sat beside the lake a long way from Fiji, I felt the peace of the Holy Spirit that I always felt during early morning prayers in Fiji. I am thankful that the Lord made me feel what peace really means just sitting there and looking at the lake in front of me and trying to imagine what was it like in   Jesus days. I could feel the peace and tranquility that the Lord Jesus commanded when he said “peace be still”. That peace is still there in the Sea of Galilee and it can be yours as you go about your everyday life. There is more, the Lord Jesus is always there to calm the storms in our lives. The problems and challenges in life. The storms in relationships, in the family, at work, in our villages and in our marriage life. The challenges of making ends meet in our daily lives. The whirlwind storm in the emptiness of life when we yearn for earthly pleasures. We need the Lord Jesus and his peace and the boat will take us across to victory.

The Sea of Galilee in front of me and my wife was very calm and peaceful as the waves rippled gently blown by the wind towards the stony shores.  My mind was very peaceful, my heart was full of joy and I wanted to continuously thank and praise the Lord Jesus.   I reflected of how God Jesus Christ called on his faithful disciples who were inspired by the might of God, the Holy Spirit to follow their Lord.

                                                  Elia and Vini Vesikula at Gaza in Israel

 I wondered what was that morning like when I watched the sun rose over the mountains around the Tiberias Lake and over the city of Tiberias. I wondered about what was in the minds of his disciples as they heard the Lord’s call for the first time to follow him.  What a call and what a response of mighty faith. Sometimes this is the call we all need to hear – the call to follow his teachings and the faith to do his words.

I could see the high desert mountains across the lake with brown rocky mountain tops glistering in the sun in the morning now is deeming in the beautiful evening Tiberias sun set.

We glorify God Jehovah, God Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit who inspired the publishing of this magazine called the “THE WORD”.  My family had prayed for the magazine for about 10 years.  We were asking the Lord Jesus for a way to spread his word and now I am writing the editorial at the Lake of Tiberias in Israel. The land where the Lord Jesus Christ performed most of his miracles among the chosen people of God, the Jews.

                                                      Jesus walks on the Sea of Galilee

This blog will bring readers in Fiji, the Pacific and the world “The WORD OF GOD”. Psalm 9:10 “Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light to my path. We are indebted, thankful and glorify God for his miraculous power and love and the leading of His Holy Spirit. The WORD OF GOD has been always our guide as we bring you this first edition of the“THE WORD”

The gentle splashing sound of the waves on the rocks at the Lake Tiberias is like the call of God that his word will cover the world with his sanctifying blood that washed away our sins presenting us righteous in the presence of our Holy God

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John !:9)

SHALOM. We pray that you will be blessed by this blogsite eliavesikula@blogspot.com. WORD”

Elia Vesikula