Post by GraftedGirl on Aug 7, 2006 22:27:34 GMT -8
Hello everyone! I'm Grafted (in) Girl ( 
) from Buffalo, NY. You can call me Ggirl for short, if you wish. I have been a Christian since May of 1985. Please forgive me if I spell any Jewish terms wrong or use them incorrectly. I will not be offended if you correct me 
.
I first became aware of the Jewish heritage of my faith about 3 years ago when I was listening to WDCX, a Christian Radio Station here in Buffalo. A 15-minute radio show called "Messianic Perspectives" was on and they were talking about Passover.
I always knew what basically Passover meant and that Jesus was the Lamb of God, but I was amazed as Gary Hedrick (or was is Dr. Hailf?) explained how the Hebrews celebrated Passover by telling what each of the foods on the Seder plate meant. I knew nothing about the Jewish faith, but I was fascinated. When he mentioned that the matzah was like Jesus' body-- striped like a whip's lash for our transgressions and riddled with holes because He was pierced for our iniquities-- well, as we say in America, "I was blown away!" I felt a stirring in my heart. I just had to know more. I listened to the show whenever I could, explored Messianic resources on the web (especially Bridges for Peace) and perused a few books. Two years later I went to my first Passover Satyr and it was just great.
As my knowledge grew, so did my joy and my sorrow. I was happy because what I was learning greatly helped my understanding of the Scriptures, especially the Old Testament.
I was sorrowful because I realized how we in the Western world misinterpret and misunderstand the Bible for the simple fact that most of us are not Jewish. The Bible was written in the East 2000 years ago by another culture, with another language, by a different belief system and with different traditions and customs than our own. Of course we don't understand parts of the Word as well as we should-- we aren't Jews!
I was also sorrowful as I learned of the terrible oppression, suppression and even violence that the Body of Christ, His Church, has brought upon the Jewish people all because of misunderstanding because of ignorance of the Jewish faith. It is just so
. I thank God every day that there are organizations that are helping to enlighten Believers as to the rich spiritual heritage that is the foundation of our faith. It's that to say, "Jesus is a Jew" in some churches brings a negative reaction. Not in mine. If they didn't stand for Israel, I wouldn't be there.
Also, as my eyes began to open to the importance of Judaism to my faith (I'm convinced that Christianity is actually a sect of Judaism, BTW. Most Christians don't know it yet), my heart naturally turned to Jerusalem and Her people. One of my goals is to go to Israel one day. But some people say, "I wouldn't go there-- it's too dangerous!" Well, we are all going to die someday and I can't think of a better place to be when I die than in the City of the Great King!
Furthermore, I began to be aware of the amazing worldwide conspiracy there is against the Jews. People don't even realize it's there because the attacks are satanic in nature. First, there was, tragically, the Holocaust. Then there was the amazing story I saw on public television about how Israel became a nation. After the Jews went through all they did in the Holocaust, I couldn't believe it when the program said that basically, NO ONE on planet earth wanted the Jews. Disgusting. I take great joy in the fact that my country helped the Jews survive. If my country ever stops supporting Israel, I would set up a protest and dress all in black saying, "I am mourning for Israel because since the US doesn't support her, she will be destroyed!" Of course, God has a pretty good record of caring for His little daughter, Zion!
Another part of this conspiracy I notice is the notion I hear over and over and over again that when Israel is attacked by Islamic Jihad or Hisbollah or Hamas that Israel shouldn't be defending itself and it should back down. This is so ludicrous that I can't believe I hear it coming out of the mouths of government leaders. EVERY country has the right to defend itself, especially Israel, surrounded on every side as she is! Not long ago, the US had a few soldiers captured by Islamic extremists and we plunged right in and fought tooth and nail to try to get them back. Unfortunately, they were found dead a few days later. We completely justified ourselves for our attacks (even though some of the deaths were unnecessary).
Now Israel has done the same thing. They were just going in to rescue some of their own men and the whole world makes a big, huge, ridiculous stink after Israel defends itself after Hisbollah used the Israeli's rescue attempt as an excuse to start a war! Hamas doesn't even recognize Israel's right to exist , for crying out loud! If anyone ever said that we as the US don't have the right to exsist-- look out! The hypocrisy just drives me crazy.
I remember how bad things were after 9/11. We were all devastated here over what happened. The ugliness of radical Islam paid us a bloody, sickening visit. And then I thought: we think this is bad (and it was)? How about Israel, who has to live with this kind of threat every day? I can't imagine what it must be like to walk out of your door in the morning with the knowledge that there is a 50/50 chance that instead of coming home you will take a slight "detour" to the morgue because you happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time when a car bomb went off. How do they function? How can they let their husbands go to work, their children go to school? And people are banging on the national doors to get in to make aliyah-- to a city where cars blow up and the weather can call for a 50 percent chance of raining mortars!
I can only come to the conclusion that people living in Israel are either very foolish or very brave. A part of me thinks it's foolish. Why stay in such a place? But mostly I think it's bravery and I understand why. People love the Land and they won't leave it. Period. You Jews have all worked very, very hard to get Israel to get her to where she is today; it's hard work to get a flower to blossom in the desert. It takes work, perseverance and, most of all, the grace of God. I know that that is what really makes you "tick" and why, after all these years, you have survived. Whether the world acknowledges it or not, Israel is in the hollow of the hands of her God. It is such an honor and a miracle of grace that I am grafted in with the faith of such a People.
May God bless you all and may He deliver Mount Zion from her enemies as He did in days of old!
) from Buffalo, NY. You can call me Ggirl for short, if you wish. I have been a Christian since May of 1985. Please forgive me if I spell any Jewish terms wrong or use them incorrectly. I will not be offended if you correct me 
.I first became aware of the Jewish heritage of my faith about 3 years ago when I was listening to WDCX, a Christian Radio Station here in Buffalo. A 15-minute radio show called "Messianic Perspectives" was on and they were talking about Passover.
I always knew what basically Passover meant and that Jesus was the Lamb of God, but I was amazed as Gary Hedrick (or was is Dr. Hailf?) explained how the Hebrews celebrated Passover by telling what each of the foods on the Seder plate meant. I knew nothing about the Jewish faith, but I was fascinated. When he mentioned that the matzah was like Jesus' body-- striped like a whip's lash for our transgressions and riddled with holes because He was pierced for our iniquities-- well, as we say in America, "I was blown away!" I felt a stirring in my heart. I just had to know more. I listened to the show whenever I could, explored Messianic resources on the web (especially Bridges for Peace) and perused a few books. Two years later I went to my first Passover Satyr and it was just great.
As my knowledge grew, so did my joy and my sorrow. I was happy because what I was learning greatly helped my understanding of the Scriptures, especially the Old Testament.
I was sorrowful because I realized how we in the Western world misinterpret and misunderstand the Bible for the simple fact that most of us are not Jewish. The Bible was written in the East 2000 years ago by another culture, with another language, by a different belief system and with different traditions and customs than our own. Of course we don't understand parts of the Word as well as we should-- we aren't Jews!
I was also sorrowful as I learned of the terrible oppression, suppression and even violence that the Body of Christ, His Church, has brought upon the Jewish people all because of misunderstanding because of ignorance of the Jewish faith. It is just so
. I thank God every day that there are organizations that are helping to enlighten Believers as to the rich spiritual heritage that is the foundation of our faith. It's that to say, "Jesus is a Jew" in some churches brings a negative reaction. Not in mine. If they didn't stand for Israel, I wouldn't be there.Also, as my eyes began to open to the importance of Judaism to my faith (I'm convinced that Christianity is actually a sect of Judaism, BTW. Most Christians don't know it yet), my heart naturally turned to Jerusalem and Her people. One of my goals is to go to Israel one day. But some people say, "I wouldn't go there-- it's too dangerous!" Well, we are all going to die someday and I can't think of a better place to be when I die than in the City of the Great King!
Furthermore, I began to be aware of the amazing worldwide conspiracy there is against the Jews. People don't even realize it's there because the attacks are satanic in nature. First, there was, tragically, the Holocaust. Then there was the amazing story I saw on public television about how Israel became a nation. After the Jews went through all they did in the Holocaust, I couldn't believe it when the program said that basically, NO ONE on planet earth wanted the Jews. Disgusting. I take great joy in the fact that my country helped the Jews survive. If my country ever stops supporting Israel, I would set up a protest and dress all in black saying, "I am mourning for Israel because since the US doesn't support her, she will be destroyed!" Of course, God has a pretty good record of caring for His little daughter, Zion!
Another part of this conspiracy I notice is the notion I hear over and over and over again that when Israel is attacked by Islamic Jihad or Hisbollah or Hamas that Israel shouldn't be defending itself and it should back down. This is so ludicrous that I can't believe I hear it coming out of the mouths of government leaders. EVERY country has the right to defend itself, especially Israel, surrounded on every side as she is! Not long ago, the US had a few soldiers captured by Islamic extremists and we plunged right in and fought tooth and nail to try to get them back. Unfortunately, they were found dead a few days later. We completely justified ourselves for our attacks (even though some of the deaths were unnecessary).
Now Israel has done the same thing. They were just going in to rescue some of their own men and the whole world makes a big, huge, ridiculous stink after Israel defends itself after Hisbollah used the Israeli's rescue attempt as an excuse to start a war! Hamas doesn't even recognize Israel's right to exist , for crying out loud! If anyone ever said that we as the US don't have the right to exsist-- look out! The hypocrisy just drives me crazy.
I remember how bad things were after 9/11. We were all devastated here over what happened. The ugliness of radical Islam paid us a bloody, sickening visit. And then I thought: we think this is bad (and it was)? How about Israel, who has to live with this kind of threat every day? I can't imagine what it must be like to walk out of your door in the morning with the knowledge that there is a 50/50 chance that instead of coming home you will take a slight "detour" to the morgue because you happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time when a car bomb went off. How do they function? How can they let their husbands go to work, their children go to school? And people are banging on the national doors to get in to make aliyah-- to a city where cars blow up and the weather can call for a 50 percent chance of raining mortars!
I can only come to the conclusion that people living in Israel are either very foolish or very brave. A part of me thinks it's foolish. Why stay in such a place? But mostly I think it's bravery and I understand why. People love the Land and they won't leave it. Period. You Jews have all worked very, very hard to get Israel to get her to where she is today; it's hard work to get a flower to blossom in the desert. It takes work, perseverance and, most of all, the grace of God. I know that that is what really makes you "tick" and why, after all these years, you have survived. Whether the world acknowledges it or not, Israel is in the hollow of the hands of her God. It is such an honor and a miracle of grace that I am grafted in with the faith of such a People.
May God bless you all and may He deliver Mount Zion from her enemies as He did in days of old!
