frustrating.......

We have had several fantastic encounters this trip and I'll write about them when we get back to the US.  But what I want to share now is the casualness of faith in this city.  It is such a hotbed of emotion with tensions between Jews, Palestinians, Arab Israelis and Muslims.  It is not just a religious difference, it is a land issue and a political mess.

However, in the midst of all of it, we find the same "ho hum" attitude for true faith that we find in the US.  Not many are living and walking a pursuit of YHVH.  Even the Jews we have had extensive conversations with, have little regard for Torah but instead, pursue Talmudic laws and teachings.  In fact, we have spent several hours in Biblical conversation with one in particular, sharing in depth about our Messiah only from the Tanak (Old Testament).  Not only did this man not have a Tanak to reference as we read, he, being a former Catholic Priest turned Jewish, has only the rabbinical excuses of why he has renounced Yeshua.

Christians are the same.  Their faith is not who they are....it seems to simply be just an addendum.  They have no pursuit of the scriptures, no unquenchable thirst to know YHVH, no transforming attitudes, opinions or desires that conform to the scriptures.  It appears that true faith is too costly here.  Maybe I am unfair.  Maybe any alliance with YHVH (and therefore Jews) could pose a danger.  Maybe true faith associates the person with the same enemy that posed a threat to our Messiah and His disciples.

But what can I say?  Don't we see this timidity turn into boldness after the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit?  Are those only Sunday school stories that have no bearing on our own lives?  Frustrating for sure...............