MEET ME IN GALILEE

By Dan Luehrs

Months before we were to go to Israel the Lord gave me this little message on Galilee. At the time of the writing I did not even think about going there, let alone taking a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee that would change my life. I now read my Bible and I see Galilee everywhere in the New Testament with greater understanding as to the importance of this most amazing place. My wife and I both have written our testimonies later in this article as to what occurred when we were there.

GO TO GALILEE

"But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee." Matt 26:32 (NASU)

"But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ' He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.'" Mark 16:7 (NASU)

After reading these verses about Jesus meeting His disciples in Galilee after the resurrection it put me on a quest to seek out what is so important about Galilee. Why could they not meet in Jerusalem where they all were, why did they have to travel several days on foot to have an encounter with the risen Savior? As you may know Galilee was no important place on the map for the Jewish people, it was not like people were planning to move there or to vacation on the Sea of Galilee. No, Galilee was a despised place and was the home of Nazareth, and of course nothing good could come out of Nazareth they said! “And the crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee." Matt 21:11 (NASU)

GALILEE

There were three providences in Israel just as there is fifty states in the United States. One was Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, each providence governed themselves through their own leadership. Jesus and eleven of His disciples were from Galilee and that is a big deal, because only Judas was not! There has to be some spiritual significance as to what pivotal place that Galilee plays in the formation of the church. The question then arises in my heart, am I, are you from spiritual Galilee and what difference would it make anyway? If there is a spiritual New Jerusalem then there also must be a spiritual Galilee because it played such a very important part in making up the true church, starting with Jesus and His chosen ones. We could ask, why did Jesus give The Great Commission at the Sea of Galilee?

Galilee means, (A circuit, like a whirlwind or like a wheel hub going around in circles). Which makes me think of Ezekiel’s vision of a wheel within a wheel representing the Holy Spirit’s moving with the living creatures. In fact if we look at creation and the universe itself with the stars and planets moving in a circular motion.

Jesus’ whole ministry was like a circuit rider from Galilee to Israel just as there were so called circuit riders in America who preached the gospel in all the towns. And so it was with Jesus, He came and went from this place called Galilee and finished His ministry where He started at home. In fact most of His teachings and miracles were done there.

“And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.” Luke 4:14 (NASU)

“This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.” John 2:11 (NASU)

Galilee represents the place where nobody wants to be from. Maybe that’s you! Many people I have spoken to wished that they would be living somewhere other than where they are. Somehow thinking that life would be better spent elsewhere. But I have learned that we had better grow where we are planted, for if you try and plant a palm tree in Minnesota it will surely die outside! And if God in all of His wisdom can make the universe work perfectly don’t you think He has us where He wants us? In fact, it might be a good thing that we are not fully comfortable where we are, because if we were we would not seek God for His perfect will in our lives. We would be just like a tree growing in a greenhouse having no deep roots and when the winds of hard times comes we could not stand.

YOU WILL SEE ME IN GALILEE

"Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you." And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, " Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me." Matt 28:7-10 (NASU)

Twice in these few verses they are told strongly to make sure that they tell the disciples to get out of Jerusalem and leave for Galilee. This was of utmost importance for Him to have this said twice to them. After Jesus left the tomb the Jewish leadership wanted to blame the disciples for taking the body of Jesus and surely had they not left for Galilee they would have been caught and killed, but Jesus knew to get them out of Jerusalem.

Jesus didn’t tell them what all to do when they got to Galilee, so they went fishing in the Sea of Galilee when Jesus preforms a great miracle of catching many fish without the net breaking. There are many lessons for us to learn from the Lord about Galilee, I do not pretend to have the whole revelation about it, yet there are many truths for us to gleam. We will be learning for eternity about the things of God and the scriptures.

I read a prophecy about this very thing of catching many fish which I am including here.

Neville Johnson in Perth, Australia, which we receive as a word of the Lord. He writes, “I found myself in the dream standing on a beach, the tide was almost full and somehow that seemed significant. The water gently lapped the sandy shoreline and a light colored mist hung over the water a few hundred meters offshore. The atmosphere was crisp yet warm. Suddenly a boat appeared through the mist heading towards me. A man was standing, holding a tiller, and cheerfully calling to me, saying, ‘Do you want to come fishing?’ I hesitated for a moment, then said, ‘OK,’ pushing the boat out and at the same time jumping in. The man’s face emanated a glow that was not of this world; he had a rugged yet refined look and he seemed very focused and determined. “I had the strange feeling that I had been here before but could not quite put my finger on it. The boat quickly moved out into deep water and stopped. The water was teeming with fish and it almost seemed like the fish wanted to be caught. This man looked at me and said, ‘My name is Peter.’ With that he threw the net out and in what seemed like no time at all, he was pulling it in again and the net was teeming with fish. As soon as the fish hit the deck of the boat, they turned into people of all ages. I was struggling to get my mind around this unusual phenomenon when Peter said, ‘The final harvest must be reaped but it can only be reaped by those who have crossed the River Jordan.’ Suddenly it dawned on me that, in my dream, I was talking to the apostle Peter. “Before I could speak, Peter continued, ‘Jesus was involved in two fishing trips while He walked this earth; one was at the beginning of His ministry and one towards the end of His ministry’ (Lk. 5:4-10; Jn. 21:6-8). Peter continued, ‘On the first fishing trip the net broke, but on the second trip the net held. And so it will be in this final harvest…the net will hold. The net broke in the early church and much was lost, but it will not be so in your day. Those who have left the wilderness behind and have crossed over into the promised-land are those who have one goal and motive which is only to build the kingdom of God. Jealousy, anger, and selfish ambition no longer will hinder them nor spoil the harvest. Pride no longer motivates them and they have come into rest. The final harvest has begun and will increase in intensity until the end. The end is now in sight, the finishing line is in view; what began at Pentecost will finish in your day. “‘The great cloud of witnesses watches with great joy and anticipation for the final consummation. Just as the harvest began with one generation in my day, so it will finish with this present generation in your day. My generation saw the foundations laid; your generation will see the building completed. There will be many in your generation that will overcome all things, even death. My generation saw tares sown into the harvest field, your generation will see all the tares removed. The harvest wave is upon you and you will accomplish, in one generation, what hundreds of generations have longed to see. The feast of Pentecost must give way to the feast of Tabernacles. Your generation will accomplish that which the church could not over the past two thousand years. The glorious shadow that emanated from the early church was just that, a shadow. You will see the fullness of the glory of God in one generation manifested in such a way that nothing will be impossible. The miracles we saw were just a foretaste of what was to come.’ “Peter paused, looking at the people in the boat. He said, ‘See how the boat has now grown!’ I was amazed! The boat was now huge and was accommodating so many people. It was impossible to estimate how many people were now in the boat. Peter continued, ‘The seed of early church martyrs will blossom in your generation. One seed will produce countless multitudes in the harvest of your day. They will watch, with gratitude to the Lord, for allowing them to be a part of what you will experience. This seed will explode into continuing, ever increasing harvests…they have waited to see this day.’ “Peter looked at me and said, ‘Tell the Christian leaders of your day…if they seek to profit by this harvest and build their own kingdoms with the harvest, they will be destroyed. This harvest is Holy; this fruit is precious. If you cause any to stumble, you will surely be destroyed.’ I felt the force and gravity of what Peter had just said. It hit me like a hammer blow and I had to steady myself somewhat in order not to miss anything more Peter had to say. Peter continued, ‘Purity of heart is required for those who are to be - 10 - involved in gathering this harvest. It is the Lord’s harvest — not your harvest. HE has waited for this with great longing and anticipation! Don’t be impetuous like I was, follow the Lord of the Harvest. True sons of God are led by the Spirit of God!’ I began to feel a holy fear which triggered a determination never to hurt or hinder the harvest…never to use it for my own ends and purposes. Peter looked at me and said, ‘Great grace will be given to your generation but great accountability will be required.’ With that, he was gone and I awoke” — end quote.

This dream that this man had was a great confirmation to me because the night before I read this God had spoken to me about the bigger boats that are coming. And when I read the dream I became numb and said, “God is going to do this thing very soon and we must be ready!”

THE GREAT COMMISION GIVEN IN GALILEE

“But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matt 28:16-20 (NASU)

Now how does this story of Galilee relate to us? We are to go where God sends us and we are to stay there for as long as He wants us to be there even if it makes no sense to us. Our life is not our own and if we are His disciples we must be about the Masters business! The place of our calling, is the place of our destiny; that is our great commission to sojourn in the land of His calling. The Lord is saying us, “Meet me in Galilee, from that place I will tell you what I would have you to be and do.” If you feel that you are living in a place that God has not called you, you have to get where He has called you no matter what the price is. When God called me to move from Minnesota to Louisiana we did, then we were called to move to South Dakota, then to Florida. It was not easy and definitely not always fun, but this has now brought us into the place of His destiny for our lives. We call our home, (Destiny Lane) because that is where the Lord has placed us. The Lord told me clearly that had I not moved in obedience to Florida He could not have given me the revelations of the word that He has. I did not want to make any of these moves because I was comfortable where I was. The door of destiny is always the darkest at first and can be very terrifying. I once said, “In moving I am going to find out if there is a God or we will starve!”

Just think after all that Jesus did with His disciples for three and a half years there were some that doubted that it was even Him who was telling them what to do. If those who saw Him in the flesh doubted, do you think that we also will not go through times of doubting that God has called us where we are to be? Of course we will, it is only human nature, we must get our focus off ourselves and on to God Who is leading and guiding us.

The problem with many Christians is that they are not living in the right geographical place that God has called them to, they and their families are suffering for it. We must repent and seek God with our whole heart and find the place where He would have us to be. I have heard some people say that we don’t have to go anywhere to seek God because He is everywhere. This is true, but what if the disciples would have said, “Oh God is in Jerusalem so let’s just stay here!” If God’s Spirit is moving in a church, city, state, or even in another country and God tells you to go, you had better go because you will miss out on a great blessing for your life. Just as Jesus appeared to over 500 people after His resurrection and only 120 showed up on the day of Pentecost. They missed it! Please don’t miss God’s will for your life just because of money or missing your comforts of life you will regret it for eternity. Pray and seek Gods face and obeying Him, you will be glad you did! I will be looking for you on top of the mountain in Galilee!

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AT GALILEE

For thirty years I have wanted to go to Israel and have tried to go at least three times to no avail. When MorningStar Ministries decided to take a cruise to Israel we felt this is the time to go. Not realizing that it will be 70 years that Israel will have been a nation and that Jerusalem has now been a part of Israel for 50 years. This is truly a time when God is doing the miraculous in the land of the Bible with the prospering of Israel!

On 10/31/2017 we were at the Sea of Galilee when my wife and I had an experience with the Lord of glory. This day was the 500 anniversary of the Reformation when we were on the Sea of Galilee when the presence of the Lord manifested. Julie Joyner lead worship and the heavens opened up, I felt as if the whole boat had been suspended in the heavenlies. I was weeping in the presence of the Lord and did not want to open my eyes lest the experience would end. I then saw the Lord as the Disciple did on the Sea of Galilee! Jesus came to us on the boat handing a parchment to some of us. I do not know what the paper said on the inside, but that the Lord was giving us instructions for the next phase of our lives.

Just a few nights before we were at dinner with a few friends on the ship and the glory of God fell on me while I sat at the table and I felt as if I was growing larger. I ask the Lord, What is this about? He said, “Look where you are at, (meaning Israel) I have come to give you purpose and peace.” For weeks I had been anticipating this trip and feeling that that Lord was sending us, rather than us just taking a family vacation. I felt like I was doing cartwheels in my spirit and I was truly not disappointed! For it was at the Sea of Galilee where Jesus commissioned the Apostles to preach the Gospel and to heal the sick and raise the dead. On this same day we were also baptized in the Jordan River and I was able to help baptize several people in the Jordan, what a privilege it was to be there.

This is Marilyn’s account of what she saw at the Sea of Galilee.

Since booking this trip I have said that I was the most excited for the day we went to Sea of Galilee, but did not know why. Well, while waiting in line to get on the boat I started to feel the presence of the Lord, then we got on the boat and the crew members had us all stand as they raised the American flag and played our national anthem. Behind the flag was a big mountain and while singing the national anthem I begin to cry, then I saw the Lord Jesus! As He was standing on a mountain He smiled and waved His hand at me! Oh the JOY, PEACE, and LOVE that was in that smile and wave! Then all of a sudden He grew large to where He covered the entire mountain!

On the boat someone was reading the scriptures and I could not help thinking about what I just saw. I must now contend for signs, wonders, and miracles to become our normal; (the supernatural becoming our natural). When Jesus walked the earth most of His miracles were done around the Sea of Galilee, I believe the significance of this happening at the time of the national anthem being sung was the Lord saying that He is watching over America, that the signs wonders and miracles will happen in greater measure in America and that He is coming in a BIG way to America!

My wife and I did not discuss our experiences with the Lord until later on the bus and we were amazed that this happened to both of us. The next morning the group of about 80 of us came together and we all shared our experiences and there was one other lady that also saw the Lord on the Sea of Galilee. All most all the people said that the Sea of Galilee was the best experience of the whole trip. Even though most did not see the Lord Jesus, they felt His presence in the midst of the boat which is pretty much the same thing, because He was manifesting Himself in our midst. Seek Him with your whole heart, and meet Him at Galilee!

Dan Luehrs

PO Box 341

Intercession City, FL 33848