Studying God's Word has been AWESOME! We are going through an End Times study at Sha'ar which has been interesting and informative.....as well as confusing sometimes. I like to ask a lot of questions. I am blown away by all the things that I've never heard before in the "traditional christian church" that seemed to either get skimmed over quickly or not talked about at all. I am also continually fascinated as I learn more about the Jewish roots and how I have been grafted into the family......while provoking the Jews to jealousy which prayerfully will result in their hearts turning to Yeshua Ha'Mashiach-The Messiah.
In my own personal study times (mainly on my train rides to and from work) I've mostly been reading in 1st and 2nd Samuel....well I started in Ruth....went into Judges and then just decided to keep going. It's been really cool! I'm really getting an up close and personal view of David's life. I've been moved by his deep friendship/kinship with Jonathan and identified with the pain of their separation. I was also touched and saddened by Saul's progressive downfall.......how he held David in high esteem and as a son.....then came to despise him out of jealousy and wanted to kill him. What touched me deeply was when Saul spoke this to David after David had spared his life.....
1 Samuel 24:16-20
16 Saul asked, "Is that your voice, David my son?" And he wept aloud.
17 "You are more righteous than I," he said. "You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.
18 You have just now told me of the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me.
19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today.
20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
I started a pretty basic bible study (Ames) with my roommate and we worked through our 1st lesson today. I was so proud of her and excited to see her get into the Word and read out loud, asking questions and reading the surrounding verses to get what the context of the scriptures is saying. I think we went for almost 2 hours and we only got through about half of the 1st lesson! Well, there is no better way to study the bible than to dig deep! Jay & I will be starting a bible study together as well. We don't have any structured format but the important thing is that we want to get in the word together (and individually of course) and allow the Lord to teach us and draw us closer to Himself and each other.
A couple weeks ago I started beseeching the Lord and asking Him again to show me what He wants me to do ministry wise......also letting Him know that I am still open to missions. I want to be a witness to the world!!! Well, just 2 days after I asked, He opened up a door for me to share about God's love, hope and salvation with a guy name John that I met on the train. I will definitely write more about him later-it is an intense story!!! There have also been 2 other people that I've met on the train (one of which works at my YMCA) that I've had the opportunity to chat with and talk about God!!!
God's Word is living and active and I'm amazed at how conversations have started just from people seeing me reading my Book and asking me what it is.
I tell them, "I'm reading the Bible, you have to arm yourself with the Word of God and fill yourself with The Truth everyday!"
AMEN!!!
