Jewish Salvation

Oh how I wish I could see your face after reading the title of this entry. lol  Before you make any judgments or exit the screen, just take a deep breath and check out, not my answers, but my ever increasing questions. 

The other day I after finishing Velvit Elvis God impressed upon my heart a desire to study the Torah (The first five books of the old testament).  I think the desire had a lot to do with Rob Bell’s method of teaching scripture which dealt a good deal with Jesus’ own Jewish culture.  Considering the fact that He was a Rabbi and probably grew up like every Jewish child did 2000 years ago memorizing the Torah (also referred to as Hebrew Scriptures) it seems important to study those things.  One example of Jesus studying from Rabbis is when he was a young man and his parents found him in the temple “…sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions…”  So I decided what better way to study the scripture than to actually read it.  Unknowingly I began reading in Genesis about half hour before my first class.  When I arrived at class I looked at my schedule only to realize I had been set up!  You see I was sitting in a class entitle “Hebrew Roots of the Christian Faith.”  As the prof. began to talk I realized all the more how I had been set up because the focus of the class is on Jewish culture/ tradition and the application of the Torah then and now.  So I was pretty amazed and excited about what I would learn.  So I went to my next class only to read the class title “Beginnings of Christianity.”   You guessed it set up again!  Then I became just plain stupefied as I looked down my schedule and saw that I was enrolled in another religion class called “World of Religions”.  Needless to say I think God is preparing me for something this semester and I’m excited about the possibilities. 

Today I was in my Hebrew roots class participating in the class discussion about God’s blessing.  What does it mean to have God’s blessing as a group of people?  The Jews (Israel) was referred to in the Old Testament primarily as God’s people.  How does that come into account today, since Christ (the Son of God) has come to this earth and paid the ultimate price for our sins?  We discussed the story of Jacob and Esau asking the question “does God have only one blessing to give?”  Does that mean that salvation cannot come to the Jews who have been scarred by the title of God’s chosen rebels.  Many questions of pluralism were addressed.  If Jesus said “I am the way the truth and the life and no man can come to the Father except through me”  does that mean that God’s covenant with the Jews is invalid? 

I realized two things as I continue to contemplate this delicate/ complex issue that has a tendency to divide rather than unite our two religions.  First of all is the fact that Jesus did say that He didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it!  Again where does this leave the Jews?  Second is the fact that God is the one who decides who receives “salvation” and what that means in this life and the life after this world.  I have no right to condemn or declare someone cannot receive God’s grace. 

These are some of the things my mind has been mulling over in the last 72 hours as I begin to dive into this semester head first. 

Let me just say a little disclaimer just to make sure everyone is completely clear:  The thoughts and feelings I have expressed on this page are in continual process of thought.  Not all of the views I have expressed here are what I hold to be true, I simply referred to them to give you an idea of the opinions I am faced with.  Truth is something that I am leaving more and more to Christ as I journey through this thing we call life. 

May this be something that can produce questions in your own mind and heart so that God may grow in you and through you. 

New Semester… New Home!

First of all let me say that the first day of classes went well today!  I’m excited to see how God is going to teach me this year. 

Along with new classes this semester I’ve also moved into a new appartment.  The accommodations are extremely nice, espeically after living in dorms for two years (which I wouldn’t have traded for anything).  

Let me give you a tour of our new place…

 First is a picture of our living room

Second is the Kitchen

Third is the hallway

Forth is my bedroom

There are 4 bedrooms and 2 baths

When you enter the door you are in the livingroom/ kitchen which has different style of flooring, so it feels like two different areas.

On each side of the kitchen are hallways which lead to two bedrooms and a bath.  There are two sinks on each hall along with an additional closet.

Anyway our set up is pretty sweet and will be made complete in the next couple of weeks when we get a few more pictures up and buy our fish to put in the fish tank.

The End of Summer

Today is offically the last day of summer for me and 2400 other undergrad students at AU who will begin classes tomorrow morning.  Let me just be brutally honest with you and say that I’m not ready!  I think summer has flown by way to fast and my mind has spent the last two weeks trying to catch up while more things have been happening all at the same time.  Brain cramped is the best way to describe it.  Nevertheless I will dive into classes and face each day with a determination to press on. 

Some days will be brighter than others, Some days will be lighter than others, and some days will just plan stink.     I’m sure I will learn a lot from those days! 

Perseverance- Determination- Steadfast- Committed-

Yea I guess I’m in it for the long haul, through the thick and thin.  It’s going to be a great year!

ULTIMATE!!!

The frisbee flies as the player yells “ULTIMATE!”  I was able to hear that today for the first time as a group of about 14 guys gathered on the practice fields at 2 pm.  Ultimate frisbee is a sport that is played very similarly to soccer/ football minus the tackling (well not all the time).  It is a sport which I have grown to love and here at AU we play it year round.  I remember playing last Feb when we returned to school from Christmas break.  There was a good bit of melting snow on the ground, but that didn’t damper our spirits as most of the guys were wearing shorts and a long sleave shirt.  To tell you the truth it didn’t really matter what clothes you had on, because once you hit the ground once you were pretty much guarented to be frozen the rest of the time. 

Today we played for about an hour and a half even though it felt like the humidity was 150%.  Everyone was out of shape, but because of that there were a good number of bust out plays.  There is something about running as fast as you can toward a disc that’s in the air and swatting it down just as your opponent is going up to catch it. 

Anyway it was great to be back out on the field again today, but now it’s time to get back to work.  I’m working on some internship stuff that I need to finish up and then I am going to try to work some more on the talks that I will be giving next weekend at Labor Day Camp for South Meridian. 

Love God Serve people!

Opportunities

If it’s one thing that I have had while here at AU it is opportunities.  From the numerous campus activities, friendship opportunities, campus ministries, jobs, how to spend breaks, classes, student leadership positions, ministry opportunities, etc…  for me the flood of opportunities has overwhelmed me at times.  What would God have me do?  Where can I serve that God can use me the best?  I guess the sum of all of these questions is what is the will of God? 

I looked up the word used for God’s will in the old and new testament. There are some interesting distinctions made.

Rason is used in the old testament to describe the reaction of a superior (God) to an inferior (human).  > delight, favor, grace, kindness

Thelema is used in the new testament refering more to desire, choice, or inclination.  It is not to be accepted as a demand, but as an expression or inclination of pleasure- a want or desire which pleases and creates JOY

I was told some very good advice yesterday as I’m in the process of making a decision about this semester which could affect the next 2-10 years of my life.  I was told “If your heart’s not in it, if this opportunity doesn’t excite you to action, then at this stage in your life don’t do it.”  He prefaced what he said by saying that God does prompt us to do things sometimes which we don’t initially have the burning desire to do, but at this stage in my life with school as my primary objective I have to be careful about flooding my life with engaging in opportunities. 

This really resonated within my heart, especially as I read the definitions for God’s will in the Old and New Testament.  Let me try to explain.  In the old testament God is the supreme authority and relationship between God and man was action based..mainly referring to the physical sacrafice of animals as offering for God.  God’s relationship with humans was in many ways “outside the body.”  Moses and the burning bush, God leading Israel by a pillar of fire and a cloud, the presense of God dwelling in the tabernacle (the holy of holies) where the ark of the covenant was kept. 

Enter Jesus.

When God sent his only son Jesus as THE Atoning Sacrafice a new personal (notice I didn’t say private) deminsion to the relationship between God and man was opened.  This relationship comes from the new life that we have in Christ when we come to the cross.  “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone and the new has come…” 2 Corinthians 5:17       

The Will of God now dwells within our heart. 

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

God has given us a new spirit, not an old one that has being washed and ragged out, but if you are in Christ you are a new creation!  The mind is where the daily battle takes place. Your Spirit (your heart) is new, and it wages war against the sinful flesh which the devil uses to steal, kill, and destroy.  The battleground being the mind. 

So as I am confronted with all of these opportunities I must search out my inmost being for Christ who dwells within my heart.  I must put off my old self (the flesh)- usually pride, anger, rage, malice, lies   and let Christ shine through.  We are the light of the world aren’t we?  Our light is shown forth through the agents of Faith, Love, and Hope. 

So I must ask myself where is my heart in dealing with ministry?  Where is it that I feel a deep connection to and know that Christ is drawing me toward. 

To Him be the glory!

Love God Serve People!        

No More Dorms!!!

I’ve finally moved in here at AU and I’m very excited about our new accommodations.  When I say “our” I’m talking about my roommates for this year.  JJ, Nick, and David are three good friends of mine who each hold a very special place in my heart.  David is a great friend and a man of God who I look up to in many ways.  He has been a great friend over the past two years and always seems to be able to put others in a good mood.  Nick was my roommate my freshman year and he taught me alot!  We stayed up many nights that year having many deep conversations as we tried to find ourselves.  Nick is held in high regard for his love for his friends.  JJ holds a speical place in my heart and my upmost respect.  He gave me one of the highest compliments anyone has ever given me by introducing me to his sister who I am now dating.  JJ is blessed with an artists touch and has always been there for me through whatever is going on.  Needless to say I’m thrilled about living with these men and growing with them as we journey through this thing we call college. 

It’s funny to see all the freshman move in today.  It seems like only yesterday I was living B’ham with my car packed and my mom in the passenger seat on my way to face the rest of my life.  As I saw the crowded streets filled with students who were excited, scared, nervous, intimidated, laughing, crying, and joyful  I couldn’t but help and thank God for bringing me this far in my college career.  He has blessed me with many relationships and experiences which all reveal to me just how good our God truly is.  

And so I say good by to dorms… goodbye to the first two years of college and hello to apartments… hello to old and new friendships… continuing to ask God to mold me into his vessel.

Love God Serve People

As I continue my college journey I have found it increasingly difficult to find time to write long emails which many of you have received over the past two years.  I hope this blog site is a functional way to keep you involved in my life.  I cherish the time you spend reading my postings and only hope you will write/ email me from time to time.  I’m excited about the possibilities of this new endeavour.