Background sharing

[Kris10leigh]

Please tell me how you personally came to be a Messianic believer. What has been your journey?

I grew up Christian, basically Methodist. In my household, we simply existed as Christians. We didn't study, learn or discuss and most of what I did learn was pretty much by osmosis. ^_^

In college I was very impressed with my Jewish friends who had so much biblical knowledge. They knew WHY they did almost everything they did, whereas I didn't know the history of anything I did. I nearly converted.

Then I realized I wasn't really rejecting Yeshua, but wanting to follow Him in a different way. I always struggled with Jewish Yeshua was and how Christian we are! It's vastly different and can't be what Yeshua wanted from us.

So that has been my journey. How about you?

[Ivy]

Okay....well, I guess it depends on the definition of "Messianic" believer, which get wrangled about endlessly, doesn't it?

One well-meaning friend said to me, "Well, what about your calling as a 'Messianic Gentile'?" and when I reported this question to another friend, they said, "Well, a Messianic Gentile is a Christian." Made sense to me, and my feeling was, "What I'm doing about it is going to church."

Anyway, I think I'm digressing......already.....from your question. ;)^_^ I see myself as a Christian who loves the Jewish people and feels a gratitude to them for the wonderful spiritual heritage we received because of them. I haven't felt, for myself, that the best way to express that gratitude is to go and try to live a Jewish lifestyle, though it has many beautiful aspects. I enjoy it and learn about it, but I don't adopt it as my own....and of course many people see this differently; there's a feeling among some that there is an obligation to adopt it.

Anyway, I've spent close to fourteen years in the Messianic movement, and it really is a mixed bag. I do like Daniel Juster, and it seems like Russ Resnick has a good head too. Myself, I think that God-created distinctions are meant for blessing and joy.....just as God created male and female, so He created Jew and Gentile.....and when we value these distinctions instead of blur them, there is greater joy and mutual appreciation and less confusion.

So that's my little usual spiel. :cool:

[Tishri1]

When I was young I discovered my Grampa and Gramma were both Jewish but it was their parents who walked away from their heritage. My Grampa gave my mom our family genealogy chart for good keeping, and we poured over that HUGE document looking at all the Jewish names and places in it, it didnt seem to interest him at all, but my mom and I, being Christians, WE DEFINITELY WERE INTERESTED:clap::clap::clap::clap:

My mom had heard from folks all her life tell her that she was Jewish, but she didnt really take it in till she gave her life to Jesus in her 50s, and not till we both saw who and how many Jews we had in our past (all those names being Jewish)did we start to understand what that meant......To my mom it simply meant that she was blessed to come from Jesus' people , but to me it became a wonderful journey a few years later when I started to research the Jewish Roots of Christianity myself- I have been MJ for 11 years and have kept a relationship with both the MJ community and with the Church....

My family feels more comfortable with the Church setting and thats ok, my daughter and I are attending both, but you will find us all celebrating the Festivals with Family, Friends and our Shul, and our Church, and we all attend Church services, my kids being heavily involved with youth activities there....My churches pastor's wife is actually the daughter of one of our Messianic Congregates, and our Rabbi teaches at my Church on a regular basis...they call him The Church's Rabbi:)


Recently I have been struggling with coming back to the Christian Holidays because for 10 years we didnt do Christmas and Easter because of the pagan roots in them .....BUT now I am starting to see that there are some very nice ways to incorporate parts of these Holidays to keep the connection to family and society and still ignore and "pass" on the pagan things that seem to have hung around thru the generations.

My two youngest kids were not raised with Christmas and Easter and this last year was the first year we didnt hide away for those two days ..... It was weird for us after 11 years of avoiding them like the plague, but it was nice to be able to share with family and friends the Joy of Jesus Birth and Resurrection(and celebrate them each twice in a year as well;)) That fellowship was something we missed out on for 11 years:groupray:.....I still love the Jewish festivals better:) for all they teach and bring to my heart, but I can now help to better bring that experience to my friends more, as I am not outside their world and they are not outside mine......

I guess thats what being the kind of MJ I am means to me- being inside and apart of both worlds- Christian and Jew:thumbsup:

[ContraMundum]

Good words, Tish!

[Ivy]

Double-dipping is a blast, isn't it, Tish? :thumbsup: It's wonderful how believers can bless and complete each other.

Which of the biblical Jewish holidays do you enjoy best?

Which of the Christian holidays do you find is easiest to relate to?

What about you, CM? Kris10?

[Kris10leigh]

Double-dipping is a blast, isn't it, Tish? :thumbsup: It's wonderful how believers can bless and complete each other.

Which of the biblical Jewish holidays do you enjoy best?

Which of the Christian holidays do you find is easiest to relate to?

What about you, CM? Kris10?
:wave: Hi, Ivy!

The Biblical holiday with which I am most familiar is Passover, so I guess it's my favorite. I celebrated this past Purim this year and enjoyed it, though it was stressful because it fell on Good Friday and my husband wasn't sure what to make of that. Beyond that, I'm a blank slate right now!

Which Christian holidays do I find it easiest to relate to? I don't know how to answer that, being completely immersed in Christianity still, really. I can tell you which Christian holiday I most struggle with and that is Easter. I find Easter to be the holiest of the Christian holidays and every year I feel compelled to start studying the roots of the holiday and the religion itself. I struggle with all the symbolism surrounding the holiday that I don't believe to be of God, and I yet I feel it is good and right to remember the death and resurrection of Yeshua. That's a tough holiday around here.

I still love Christmas. :blush: I'm not ready to give that one up.

Gosh, what other Christian holidays are there? Halloween is not Christian, and yes, we do dress up the children and dole out the treats. Thanksgiving is not Christian, but that's a favorite holiday of mine.

[ContraMundum]

Gosh, what other Christian holidays are there? Halloween is not Christian, and yes, we do dress up the children and dole out the treats. Thanksgiving is not Christian, but that's a favorite holiday of mine.

Depends on your church. More Orthodox/Apostolic churches have plenty of Holy Days to celebrate. Not just Christmas and Easter, but also Pentecost and a whole array of days dedicated to Saints and the Trinity.

I also double up. I keep Jewish holiodays because I'm a Jew and it's part of my culture and history, and I keep Christian holidays because they remember not only the 2000 year history of the church and it's blessings to the world but also the Jewish holidays in the timeframe that they fell on during the last year of Jesus' life (eg. Easter always must fall on the first day of the week, as that is when He rose again, Pentecost afterward etc. all calculated according as they were in the year of the Cross etc.). I think as I have gotten older the Christian holidays have been a greater blessing to me.

[Tishri1]

In the Past it was Christmas for sure now its Thanksgiving we dont have any Pagan Roots to deal with in Thanksgiving its just the perfect day for ALL of us to dedicate our praise to the Lord......I know many here have a great time incorporating ALL things in the Christian Holidays and I deeply respect that as its not my place to point fingers and I never would :hug::hug::hug::hug:,but if there is someone out there who does have other options for Santa at Christmas and for Easter Bunny for Easter please pass them along for me and my family to try, it would make bless us immensely ...I have 3 kids 11,13, and 21 so that may help as well to pass cool replacements our way.....

As far a the Hebrew Festivals for teaching Purposes I LOVE ROSH HA SHANNAH:clap::clap:(Im not called Tishri1 for nothing:hug::hug::hug::hug::hug:)but I also LOVE parties and so Passover Takes the Cake for Celebrating

We danced for 4 hours(off and on) at our last Seder:clap::clap::clap:

The sights ,smells, sounds and reason for the season just stands out for me as the most exciting time of year/////we are suppose to walk thru this time as if it had actually happened to us IN OUR LIFE back then, and in a way it could someday if Abba so ordains another evacuation for us someday....we will definitely know what is happening to us because we will have rehearsed it time and again, and took it exactly the way he suggested we do...As if it had happened to us the first time back in Egypt:groupray:

Yep Loving Passover:clap:

[Ivy]

Hi, I:wave:vy!

The Biblical holiday with which I am most familiar is Passover, so I guess it's my favorite. I celebrated this past Purim this year and enjoyed it, though it was stressful because it fell on Good Friday and my husband wasn't sure what to make of that.

:wave:Howdy Kris,

Yes, that was weird beyond weird this year, wasn't it? :o I came straight from a Good Friday service over to a Purim party in the evening, with my costume in the car, & changed at the building.

From this very sober & reverential occasion over to the highly manic & crazy Purim occasion......yikes! It was a little too much, to be honest. But I survived it somehow.

I think of the Biblical holidays, I like Shavuot the best......there's the romantic story of Boaz and Ruth, and how can you go wrong with flowers and cheesecake? ^_^ It's also the least work by far and so appeals to a laid-back personality such as yours truly. ;)

Of the non-Biblical, Hanukkah has it hands down for me. I really dig that whole candle thing!

Of the Christian, Resurrection Day hits it out of the park!..........I went to an Easter Vigil service this year that was so awesome and beautiful, it had my jaw on the floor the whole time. What a KO! I never saw anything like that before in my life.

I grew up in a Christian home, but my mom and dad just quietly omitted the easter bunny and santa claus the whole time we were growing up.....so I guess it doesn't bug me because it's just stayed on my "ignore list" the rest of my life. I guess I acquired the skill of ignoring that stuff while I was young & it stuck, I guess. :cool:

[Ivy]

One thing interesting I heard about Thanksgiving is its similarity to Sukkot.....being that there's a harvest & joy theme going in both.

[Tishri1]

:wave:

I grew up in a Christian home, but my mom and dad just quietly omitted the easter bunny and santa claus the whole time we were growing up.....so I guess it doesn't bug me because it's just stayed on my "ignore list" the rest of my life. I guess I acquired the skill of ignoring that stuff while I was young & it stuck, I guess. :cool:
your parents were very wise, thats what we want to do from now on, it was surprising to see how much attention we gave those holidays while we were avoiding them like the plague we could talk of nothing else:P now we just enjoy them and are trying to elevate the good stuff as high as we can:clap:

[Tishri1]

One thing interesting I heard about Thanksgiving is its similarity to Sukkot.....being that there's a harvest & joy theme going in both.I have heard this too:clap:

[HalcyonFire]

so... where do people like me fit in this thread? I'm not quite "there" yet, but that's how I'm leaning in many ways. I find protestant practice lacking and (no offense) catholicism is distasteful to me spiritually. So I am not happy where I am, but I don't feel "under" the law so much as desiring a more honest way to celebrate my Christ (and this is the most truthful I've seen - the Messianic movement I mean)

[Tishri1]

In this subforum you fit in where ever you are at, as long as your not antagonistic to the idea of expressing and learning Hebrew Roots, an MJ lifestyle and going to Church as well you will fit in just fine:groupray:

Tell us more k?:hug:

[Kris10leigh]

so... where do people like me fit in this thread? I'm not quite "there" yet, but that's how I'm leaning in many ways. I find protestant practice lacking and (no offense) catholicism is distasteful to me spiritually. So I am not happy where I am, but I don't feel "under" the law so much as desiring a more honest way to celebrate my Christ (and this is the most truthful I've seen - the Messianic movement I mean)

You sound like me, really. I've been searching and wandering down this path a long time, but participating in this forum has been my first real step. So personally, I think you fit in just fine!

[HalcyonFire]

my grandfather was a Baptist minister and the most godly man I have ever met. (It is who he was, not just how he presented himself which I find excedingly rare now a days). I was not raised in a church by my parents (my mom was Methodist). I went on my own accord to the church I chose in my childhood (Southern Baptist) and I suffered for it. I lived under condemnation for much of my young life. I rejected church totally (not God) and wandered around in my own head without any fellowship or direction for a long time. It actually wasn't until I moved last year that I ended up at a church (and even then I was like "God, do I HAVE to?"). My role there has seemed to end as has my compulsion to be there now that it has been wrenched from the hands of a cult-leader wanna be. :) Anyway, I just feel compelled to study Judaism, and though I would never reject Christ, this seems... well... RIGHT to me. Again, not being under the law or the sabbath but understanding His influence in me leads me this direction... to what He set up for me. Since I have been in this place my relationship with Christ has grown by leaps and bounds and I am amazed that I never really knew who he was until now.

[Tishri1]

I think "under the law" is a misnomer anyway....When you really look into those scriptures of Paul's he was talking about a sub group that was attacking in a subtle way the MJs of his day ...Even though they believed in Yeshua, they were hung up in some man made Jewish legalistic stuff that God hadnt intended the folks to be under ...it was "That law" IMO Paul was addressing, not Torah written on the heart:)

[HalcyonFire]

I agree. Without the heart part though, it's very much a prison.

[Kris10leigh]

When I first came to this forum it was the intention of adding Biblical holidays to my family life. I was looking for information. Since then I have been bombarded with legalism and am trying to sort it out in my head. I have no idea where I am being led as far as what I'm supposed to DO. I have a tendency to fall prey to phases in my life and am struggling to keep this ongoing and not just a passing phase. My feelings about Judaism and its relationship to what SHOULD be Christianity (in my opinion) is unwavering and has been for some time, but what I DO about it is another story.

And ERM, I like the way you said you "wandered around in your head" there for a while. That's exactly how I feel.

[Tishri1]

Exactly and with out Yeshua's power to write it on the heart as well



Ezekiel 11:18-20 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context)


18"When they come there, they will (A (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20674A))remove all its (B (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20674B))detestable things and all its abominations from it. 19"And I will (C (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20675C))give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them And I will take the (D (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20675D))heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a (E (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20675E))heart of flesh,
20that they may (F (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20676F))walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them Then they will be (G (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20676G))My people, and I shall be their God.

[Lulav]

When I first came to this forum it was the intention of adding Biblical holidays to my family life. I was looking for information. Since then I have been bombarded with legalism and am trying to sort it out in my head. I have no idea where I am being led as far as what I'm supposed to DO. I have a tendency to fall prey to phases in my life and am struggling to keep this ongoing and not just a passing phase. My feelings about Judaism and its relationship to what SHOULD be Christianity (in my opinion) is unwavering and has been for some time, but what I DO about it is another story.

And ERM, I like the way you said you "wandered around in your head" there for a while. That's exactly how I feel.

Kristi, I know this can be overwhelming, but look at it this way. You have just gone to a new school, now normally you would be put in the grade at your level, but here, you have basicallyl walked into a 'school' that has kindergarten through graduate school, all in the same classroom! that is because there are only a few students for each grade so they are put all together, but that doesn't mean they all are expected to BE at the same level, just to Be with each other , together as they go (learn) at their own pace.

If you are familiar with home schooling then you know what I mean. :)

PS, what did you mean by:

I have been bombarded with legalism

[Lulav]

Exactly and with out Yeshua's power to write it on the heart as well



Ezekiel 11:18-20 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context)


18"When they come there, they will (A (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20674A))remove all its (B (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20674B))detestable things and all its abominations from it. 19"And I will (C (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20675C))give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them And I will take the (D (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20675D))heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a (E (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20675E))heart of flesh,
20that they may (F (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20676F))walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them Then they will be (G (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=33&chapter=11&verse=18&end_verse=20&version=49&context=context#cen-NASB-20676G))My people, and I shall be their God.

do you believe this has happened, in full now? I look at this verse and see this as speaking of Israel, and speaking of a day in the future, where we all have ONE HEART, which is different than what is going on today I think.

[Kris10leigh]

PS, what did you mean by:
I've always hesitated to use that word because I think it carries some negative conotations. There are very few "rules" I follow in my religion and pretty much just study. I'm a good person and am conservative in nature, in that my outward appearance is conservative. But I don't keep Kosher, cover my hair, wear only dresses, study Torah, etc. I don't condemn those who do those things, and in fact admire them. There are days I feel like I should be doing all those things...and then there are days I rebel against doing those things. There are days I actually want to be more obedient. And there are days I feel like those things might be considered weird in my circle of friends/acquaintances. So I am feeling torn.

[Ivy]

If you're being obedient to what the Holy Spirit is telling you, then don't beat yourself up and don't compare yourself to others.

[HalcyonFire]

If you're being obedient to what the Holy Spirit is telling you, then don't beat yourself up and don't compare yourself to others.
:thumbsup::amen::preach:

[Tishri1]

do you believe this has happened, in full now? I look at this verse and see this as speaking of Israel, and speaking of a day in the future, where we all have ONE HEART, which is different than what is going on today I think.
thats one way to look at it but I think the Gift of Abba's Ruach writes in our hearts His Word and speaks it to us all the time, like a reminder of what we are and who we are.... its like the inner tzitzit remind us to obey....

[Tishri1]

When I first came to this forum it was the intention of adding Biblical holidays to my family life. I was looking for information. Since then I have been bombarded with legalism and am trying to sort it out in my head. I have no idea where I am being led as far as what I'm supposed to DO. I have a tendency to fall prey to phases in my life and am struggling to keep this ongoing and not just a passing phase. My feelings about Judaism and its relationship to what SHOULD be Christianity (in my opinion) is unwavering and has been for some time, but what I DO about it is another story.

And ERM, I like the way you said you "wandered around in your head" there for a while. That's exactly how I feel.There is no legalism in Yeshua we do things our of love not out of fear or to get anything...if the motivation isnt love and adoration to ABBA and Yeshua then maybe thats not really a relationship its maybe something else entirely


Just MY Opinion Im not saying that legalisticaly:P^_^:hug:

[SingingElk]

This is my first time posting in this thread. A little bit about my background: I am without a Shul, not by choice. I have been without one since moving from Colorado five years ago. In live in a tiny little town in Southwestern Minnesota. It is mostly Lutheran, Catholic and Methodist. My husband and I found a little Baptist church to attend, because it was closest to my beliefs. My son and husband are very much Gentile in lifestyle. They love their shrimp and pork. :sick: They are also very much attached to holidays such as Christmas and Easter which make me squirm. I am not comfortable with these holidays. When the Church puts on special events on these days, I just disappear.

[Tishri1]

If you're being obedient to what the Holy Spirit is telling you, then don't beat yourself up and don't compare yourself to others.amen:)

[Tishri1]

This is my first time posting in this thread. A little bit about my background: I am without a Shul, not by choice. I have been without one since moving from Colorado five years ago. In live in a tiny little town in Southwestern Minnesota. It is mostly Lutheran, Catholic and Methodist. My husband and I found a little Baptist church to attend, because it was closest to my beliefs. My son and husband are very much Gentile in lifestyle. They love their shrimp and pork. :sick: They are also very much attached to holidays such as Christmas and Easter which make me squirm. I am not comfortable with these holidays. When the Church puts on special events on these days, I just disappear.My fam is mixed too I can relate:hug:

[soap]

ok, well, I had a question, but since I'm only a guest here (I'm just a Christian--not Jewish/Hebrew, etc.), I decided to delete it. I don't think I'm allowed to ask questions; just fellowship--according to the fellowship guidelines.

So, nevermind. Thanks for the little bit of time, everyone. I'll see you around other parts of the forum.