Messianic Jews

Our Jewish brothren can teach us muchabout the wisdom of God. I hope this blesses you = ).

Mystery of God

Is indeed a very profound mystery.

That mystery is Christ. Paul wrote to the Colossi church about Christ being God's wisdom.
He came to make men like him, as some early church fathers would put it "God became man so that man might become a god." When we read places like 1 John 3:1-3 and 1 Peter 1:4, we see something like what they said. Not that our nature changes, but we participate in God's divine nature! This intimate relationship can only be represented by marriage, the intimacy between a man and a woman. Even that is just a shadow of things to come. That's why marriage is a mystery.

Not only do we become sinless, but holy, pure, righteous, and glorious like our Father, enjoying exceedingly pleasurable, joyful, eternal, intimate communion and fellowship with God in the marriage between Christ and the church. This is the divine mystery.

Duality

Little children love him because of his pure heart.
Wicked people hate him because he exposes the evil in their heart.

Simple people understand him, the wise are baffled and stumped by him.
Because he makes wise the simple, yet makes foolish the wisdom of this world.

In meekness he endured revile and torture from his enemies,
Yet he will destroy them with terrible power in the end.

Both man and God, temporal and eternal.
Good and terrible, the lion and the lamb.

Beginning and the end, alpha and omega.
All things flow from Him and through Him and to Him.

He is Jesus. He is life.

My testimony

Ever since I was a kid, I was afraid of getting sick. I liked to wander in my mind and think about the mysteries of life and death, thinking what it would be like to die. Of course, I could find no answer.

My father was angry and critical, because my grandpa was like that towards him. All the years of bitterness made him like that. He would dump his anger on my mom and I. As I grew up, I disliked, even hated my father, sometimes I wondered if I’m really loved, if everyone else was just as bitter and angry, if my life really had purpose.

One day when I was very small(maybe 4 or 5), mother came in to put me to sleep. She told me about a man named Jesus who was killed on the cross. She didn’t know why he had to die, nor do I know where she heard the story, so I felt sad for Jesus, thinking no one should die like that. Even though I didn’t know him, God burned this incident deep into my memory.

Life went on and we came to Canada in grade 4, I was very happy up until highschool, my dad was away in England, I made many friends. Around that time my mom and I started going to church because we thought it was the culture here.

I believe we went to a roman catholic church, naively taking communion. Someone from a Baptist church happened to be there are invited us to one of their meetings.

By God’s grace my mom came to know the Lord and was baptized. I would go to church with her on Sundays, but I did not care for the sermon nor for God. I went because I didn’t want her to feel bad.

Eventually, I thought I was a Christian because I belonged to a group, being a Christian was just fitting into a mold for me. I was baptized, but it was to please the pastor. I remember when we are to confess our sin, I couldn’t think of any. So I made up Buddhism. I was supposed to do a testimony, but I lied about it, because God did not work in me, my heart of stone still remains, I never heard the Gospel, yet no one told me the truth or questioned my life.

My relationship with my dad worsened, I yelled at him one time when I finally became fed up with all his bitterness. I stopped talking to him. I was addicted to pornography and all kinds of sexual sin, yet trying to appear to be good, because I thought a Christian was supposed to be a good, moral person, but you see, true goodness does not flow out of a heart of stone. I was like a beautiful casket. Life became bleak, I wasted all my days watching porn, playing video games and in entertainment.

It wasn’t until 2^nd year university, for some reason I went on a retreat with Hamilton Chinese Christian fellowship. They even let me serve on the worship team. I was so lost and so messed up, thinking I can basically offer God my service and he would accept me and help me out of my crappy life.

I remember the pastor speaking on Isaiah 64, how all our righteousness are filthy rags before God. I was shocked, wasn’t offended, but found it interesting because I never knew God was like that. Back in our rooms we did a bible study on 1 John, I guess the Isaiah passage really griped my attention, I became interested in the bible, I had a lot of questions about walking in the light and the darkness.

One brother took notice of this, and offered to meet up with me to pray and go through Basic Christianity by John Stott. I asked him a lot of questions, but mostly to trick him and feel intellectually superior.

But God was gracious and merciful, one day I woke up and felt his presence in my room, he made me realize my sins, I felt sad for all the hatred I had for others, I felt someone understood my pain, I felt forgiveness. I got up dumbfounded, I didn’t really know what happened back then. I wouldn’t say I was a Christian, but God was working in my life, even though odds were against me, he was determined to bring me home.

I went on mission trips, but was full of pride, my relationship with people was selfish, I still practiced sexual sin. I deceived myself, not knowing the truth and putting down clear warnings in the bible on continual sin. I was putting up a front before people and living a lie. The more I did it, the more judgmental I became with others. It wasn’t until 5^th year university where God made me question my supposed faith and salvation. After a period of severe depression, where God was tearing down all the walls of self-righteousness and pride, all the intellectual, theological knowledge that was puffing me up, I understood Jesus is the only way, he is the way, the truth, and the life, no one goes to God except through him. He died on the cross for my sins, for my inability, morally, spiritually to live up to the standards of God’s law. He brought me back to 1 John again, back to the familiar, yet foreign truths about darkness and light, truth and lie .That was when I truly understood God’s love, that even though I have sin, and I have sinned and messed up my life, there is an advocate before God, who is righteous, who bore my sin and the sins of the whole world. If we are willing to lay down our own efforts and simply come to Jesus, we will find life. That day, I went out with joy, truly, the old has gone, and the new has come. I couldn’t stop smiling because Jesus had freed me from my bondage to pornography and bitterness, my natural desire is no longer to hate and be judgmental, but to love others, when I see others, I no longer believe they are just as bitter as my dad, but everyone is God’s creation, precious, needing of love.

I’m not saying I am perfect, nor have my circumstances changed much, I still sin and struggle with temptation, but I have a Father in heaven who is perfect. Although my family and friends can disappoint sometimes, He works out all things for my good. Day by day, he transforms me into the likeness of Jesus, so that the world may see the works of his hands.

I need fellowship!!

I need fellowship!!! I need more than just a bunch of friends to hang out with eating and drinking and watching TV! I need people who love God to encourage each other unto faith and good works!

If a log burns alone, it is but extinguished in a moment. But if many logs burn together in a fire, it burns ever so brighter and brighter.

This has been so long the deepest desire of my soul.

People, God, wrestling in the mud, taking off burdens.

The more time we spend with each other,
The more we wrestle in the mud.
Our heart and soul burdened down with quagmire.

The more we spend time with God,
The more we see his smile. Calling out to our dear dad.
Where heavy burdens are lifted up, and the dirt of this world cleansed by the blood of the lamb.

Tim's testimony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g4LYlTuIso

This is so encouraging.
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Nothing is in my control, and it's magnificent!

I was such a little coward.

When I grew up, I was never the bravest kid. I was basically a goody two shoes who always listened to my teacher and parents, or so it seemed. I was living a life looking at the eyes and emotions of other people, because from all the years of yelling from my parents, I got really scared of being punished. So I tried my best to appear good. But it was all in vain. As Jesus says I was just a beautiful tomb. Dead on the inside.

As I became older, my relationships with people got really messed up. Trying to be good in front of others caused me to become really anxious about what others thought of me, I was never able to speak the truth to people or admit my mistakes. My relationship with my parents, especially my dad was estranged. I screamed at him. It was a mess, I was so prideful and hurt and hiding it. Yet sometimes it would explode in fits of rage.

But Jesus saved me! Although I still struggle with seeking men's approval, and building a relationship with others, I no longer have to be afraid of my sins and mistakes, because Jesus died for me and he is my advocate with God. He freed me from sin's power and a guilty conscious.

Even though my circumstances are not in my control, it is a magnificent truth to behold. Because God is in control, and he works all things out for the good of those who love him. Day by day, he is my strength to overcome my fears and anxiety. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!