HTG, what made you choose Messianic Judaism? Was it family influence or what you grew up around? Why aren't you let's say a Muslim or Hindu or Buddhist, etc, etc? What made you want to follow one specific religion, rather than any of the other ones?
Also for the religious folks. If you are friends with a person that isn't religious, or better yet follow another religion, do you believe they are wrong? Do you think they're damned or what not?
Grew up knowing of God n Jesus. Thats it, no church or much bible reading just head knowledge. Used to pray tho when I needed stuff ( good grades w/o studying, kicks, chicks) Late H.S. to college, became athiest. I always loved science, logic, philosophy and that grew and I just didn't have time to entertain those fantastical ideas and stories anymore. They dont make any sense at all and completely break the laws that our existence as we know it is governed by and go completely against my sense of reality.
Then met my wife and she got pregnant with our first kid. ( Insert Young Jeezy: TM103, track no.7 chorus here) She wanted to ' become a better person' for ur kid and started looking religions that follow the bible. She became Baptist cus they were the closet thing she found to true bible believers. I was like, good for you, as I watched her go to church by herself. *FFWD* moved to CT and was living in a car while she stayed with her parents. Had no job no hope no help. She kept a bible in the car so I read that and started prayer for a better way. I was desperate. Rock bottom would have been cloud 9 for me cus life was a b with aids at that time. I read the bible like, whatever you say God. Sounds nuts, but im buying it all. Who am I to say this isn't real? My knowledge is limited and life is finite, so I'll go out on this wild limb here.
Then things started happening for me. My wifes friend reached out and let me crash on their couch, then I got a job, then got an apartment and was balling. I then forgot about reading and praying and dwas back to doing me. Then shortly after, things started becoming really stressful at work, arguments started at home, and I felt depressed and unfulfilled. I had everythign I wanted, a truck huge tv, and a nice place. Then picked the book back up again more diligently than before. Started letting in convict me and change me and it was soothing. I started going to church ith my wife, which blew her mind and there was a joy and peace in my life I had never experienced.
After a year of church I began realizing that some of my interpretations of scripture and Pastors differed. I used him as a guide, not as a source life most ppl do. So i researched what I was finding in the word different from what he was ( I didnt bring it to him cus he went to bible college, trained to defend and blow off whatever that dont line up with what he was taught.) Then I came across a slew aof resources (119 ministries, passion for truth ministires) that shared, expanded, and explained what scripture had been pointing me towards. That once you accept Messiah as your savior, you are grafted into the House of Israel and you should keep all the commands of Yehovah. Flipped my world upside down. But I look at my life and see that Hes been calling me for the longest time. And now I get to properly answer.
The Bible is the main tangible factor her I guess, to how I got to where I am. Scripture says that this is the way. I accept that. But I dont dwell on that and focus on that cus I am not the ultimate authority, so that isn't my call to make. i have no clue how that all works, if theres more than one path to God. So I just dont think about it . I dont even spread my belief. I just live according to the way he wants me to in the word and answer questions as I am asked. I would like to know how it all works but I dont need to know. Can fit the ocean in a cup, and Im ok with that.
yoooo!
troll bait averted
