My Journey Journal

Written to Jewish Christians, the book of Hebrews contains some deep theology and passages that are personally challenging.  One passage that is a beautiful highlighting of history from the Jewish testament that leads into Christian responsibility is chapter 3, verses 7-13.  Read more... (611 words, 1 image, estimated 2:27 mins reading time)

I’ve made the mistake of thinking my salvation is primarily about me.  To be sure, God’s love is for me but a deeper reason He saves is for His purposes and to bring glory to Himself.

In my myopic existence I don’t focus my attention on Jesus.  I often consider my benefits and blessings, which are truly benefits and blessings and I should recognize them as such and thank God for them but His purpose goes beyond just saving me; He saves me as a testimony to His faithfulness, His grace, His love, His patience and His sovereignty.  His desire is to see all people choose Him and enter into an eternal relationship with Him but in Paul’s case, specifically:  Read more... (475 words, 1 image, estimated 1:54 mins reading time)

Reading through 2 Timothy this morning I ran across this which sounded so familiar.

“… God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace ….”
2 Timothy 1:8-9 ESV

Also stated by Paul famously in

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV  Read more... (121 words, 1 image, estimated 29 secs reading time)

I believe in a personal, engaged, all-powerful, God who is alive, aware and refers to Himself within His creation.  I believe the garden of Eden was His first example and  Judaism was another.  I believe He is and has been demonstrating that we, humans, as His creation will chose sinfulness rather than Him that no matter what options He gives us; we will choose to turn our backs on Him and reject Him.

I believe that He gave Israel (the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Israel) repeated grace; leading them Himself, through judges, prophets, priests and kings and they still rejected Him until He chastised them with slavery in other nations for almost 3,000 years.  Read more... (815 words, 2 images, estimated 3:16 mins reading time)

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