Take Me In






The first book of Corinthians, verse 3:16 says, "Do you not know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit."  The Jewish temple there were three courts: the outer court, the inner court, and the Holy of holies.  Knowing this is key to the rest here.

Our bodies are like the outer court. The inner court is like our mind, our will and our emotions. But inside of us is the Holy of holies where the Spirit of G-d dwells. The Holy Spirit dwells inside our spirit. So inside you and inside me is the Holy of holies. The Holy of holies is in you. Verse 17 of that chapter says,  "The temple of G-d is holy, and that temple is what you are." That will help your self-image to know the Holy of holies is in you and in me.

How then do we keep our temples cleansed? Once we’ve accepted Christ the blood of Christ cleanses us. How then do we keep our temples cleansed? We do it by faith. By letting G-d raise us up again.
1 John 1:9 is a verse I like to call "the Christian’s bar of soap."  It says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

The last time you washed your hands when they were really dirty, did you stand over the sink and say, “Where did the dirt go, I’m so worried about it?” No you didn’t. You accepted by faith that the dirt went down the drain. You never gave it a second thought. That is what we need to do. If we confess our sins, He is faithful, G-d is faithful and will not lie, He is just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We need to believe He has forgiven us even if we don’t see or feel it.

The Holy Spirit always points us to Christ. He always points us to forgiveness, to the cross and to the blood of Christ. He always points us to no condemnation. Why? Because Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Yeshua Ha'Meshiach (Jesus Christ)."
But what does Satan do? He wants to rob you of the peace G-d says is yours. Satan tries to make you look back and think about your own sin. You think about those things and they go across your mind like a video. What we need to do is bring those sins under the cross and say,  "Lord Jesus this just proves that I need a Savior. Lord, thank you that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from all sin." Think about your sins through the cross and through the blood of Christ, and you will have G-d's peace. Don’t sit and dwell on old sins. Believe G-d’s forgiveness, though because he did, and will supersede your past with righteousness.

Are You Talkin' To Me?

Luke 18:9, "And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and viewed others with contempt.” I realized I viewed others in a wrong fashion, in contempt, every day.

This is the parable Yeshua told:
"Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee (self-righteous, arrogant religious leaders in Yeshuas' day) and the other a tax collector (often corrupt, over-taxing people, hated by most.) The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself, 'G-d I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I pay tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast saying, 'G-d be merciful to me, the sinner.'"
Yeshua explained the parable saying, "I tell you this man (the man who said ‘G-d be merciful to me the sinner’) went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted."

When I read this I said, “Oh Lord, I’m being like the Pharisees. I hate this. I’m viewing this person with contempt.” I realized that I needed to look at my own heart. As I began to look at my own heart, I saw jealousy, lack of love, pride, anger, judging, pointing my finger. I then looked at Galatians 5:16-23. "But I say walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh…The fruit (or deeds) of the flesh are evident which are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, outburst of anger, jealousy, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these…But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control, against such things there is no law."

Sometimes we look things like a Christmas naughty and nice list, and always end up on the naughty list. We fail to look at ourselves in that list list and say, “How loving am I being? How kind am I being? How faithful am I being? How gentle am I being?” We tend to measure ourselves by the sins instead of measuring ourselves by the fruit of the Spirit.  It's always easy to believe the bad things that people throw at you every day, in the office, at home, wherever, than the compliments, the good things.  Most of the time if we hear anything good we turn around again because we just cannot believe this world has any good in it, and the truth says we are the body and the Holy of Holies.

I feel it is also right to look at 1 Peter 3:8-9 now, "To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind hearted and humble in spirit, not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult."

Right there we are told "filling the gap" between you and the Holy Sprit has nothing at all to do with fleshly deeds and works accomplished.

I felt this person had done evil things to me, had done insulting things to me. But after it says, “not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult," it says, "but giving a blessing instead, for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing."

The Holy Spirit will always be faithful to show us where we are not like Yeshua Ha'Meshiach. He is always faithful to show me where I am not like Christ. As we read G-d’s Word and ask the Holy Spirit to lead us in ways that are pleasing to him, he will produce more and more soiling of in our lives the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control."

Yeshua said, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love…These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:9,11)

OBEDEBIENCE

The Difficulty of Obeying G-d

The fact of the matter is that most find it very difficult, if not impossible, to obey God, at least most of the time.  Good proof of this is the violence, crimes, discord and misunderstanding we find all around us, and the whole world, for that matter. If people have no difficulty or not finding it impossible to obey G-d, then we would not have these terrible problems we see and come across all around us. All would be obeying G-d and all would be in harmony with G-d and with one another.  There would be peace everywhere and in everything - nice thought, huh?

Why We Need To Obey G-d

But before we can discuss how to be obedient to G-d we have to discuss a bit about the why of it all. Why do we need to be obedient to God? The reasons are so simple and yet so difficult to really internalize in our life.

We need to be obedient to G-d because ultimately we came from him, ultimately we are going back to him and because ultimately everything that happens in this world happens according to his will, NOT OURS, no matter what we'd like to think.

We need to be obedient because we came from God. He alone knows of what stuff we are made of and for what purpose we are made (Jer.29:11). So obeying him is simply natural since he alone knows where we are heading in life to. We do not know the direction of our life really. Only G-d knows. So, obeying him is the safest way to conduct ourselves in life.

We need to be obedient to G-d because everything that happens around us is ultimately due to his will. So if we insist on disobeying this will we will be the losers. He will win anyway at the end of the game. So, why go against him? It is better to obey him and win with him at the end.

Having very briefly discussed why we need to obey G-d, let us now go to the how. How are we to be obedient to G-d?

How Are We To Obey God

We are to be obedient to G-d by knowing more and more of him, reading what he has provided, etc.  There are people who say that G-d made this world and everything on it and left it to operate according to the laws he put therein. These people claim that God is impersonal. He may just be a Supreme Force that works in the affairs of men and nations by laws which he put in these affairs.

But if we try to know more and more of this G-d we will find that he is not just a force. He is a "person." He is a G-d who is most interested in all our affairs. But again we will not come to know this aspect of G-d if we do not care to advance in our personal knowledge of him.

And how are we going to know more of G-d so that we can obey him with love and affection? We can look at the things he created and reflect on his goodness, power and wisdom. We can read the books that are written about him and the Bible.

Secondly, after knowing more of G-d, we can obey him gladly and not with constraint. Sometimes we feel that some of his commandments are unfair, like loving our enemies. But if we really know G-d, this will no longer be a problem. We will know God is most fair, making his sun shine and his rain fall on his friends and enemies. Knowing that G-d is most fair, we will not need to force ourselves to obey G-d. We will joyfully obey G-d.

Thirdly, as we get to know more of G-d, and as we continue to obey him gladly, we will love him more and more and our obedience will be just an expression of our love for him. We will obey him, not because we "fear" him, as maybe our teachers in religion have taught us (threatening us with hell if we didn’t obey), but we will obey God because we love him.

Then if we obey G-d because we love him, we shall be obeying the greatest commandment of all: To love G-d with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul and with all our strength.

How are we to be obedient to G-d? We are to be obedient to G-d by knowing more of him, by gladly obeying him and by loving him. In return G-d will give us the best which he has in store for us. (Jer.29:11)

Trippin' Love - Justin Helm                   

(intro)
Well I'm takin' me a trip right now, goin' to Texas in my mind
Yeah, I'm gonna try Austin and Antonio

(chorus)
Now I'll tell ya what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna give my love to you
I'm gonna take you where the lights are bright
I'm gonna give you love tonight
I'm gonna spend a little time high on the road.
(It all looks green from here...)

(verse)
But when it gets to twelve o'clock
I just feel I gotta gotta rock
I better let my hair hang down
So we can dig this all over the cities

(bridge/outro)
Just gotta take a trip, trip with me
Just gotta take a trip, trip with me(x?)

(verse/lead in)
Im flying high, over the birds and the seas
Yeah, I'm all over hot lands in the southern stars
I'm gonna do it underneathe the moon
I'm gonna give my love to you
So won't ya take me where the lights are bright
Won't you give me your love tonight

Is It True Or Not?

Men stumble over the truth from time to time, but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened. - Winston Churchill

What the Bible Says About Truth

Truth is so important in the Bible that it is emphasized hundreds of times. The Bible claims to be true throughout and that all G-d has said is true.  The Bible also claims that the gospel (good news) of Yeshua Ha'Meshiach (Jesus Christ) is true and the way of salvation. Any prophecy that is made in the name of the Lord is to be tested for truth  so that one knows whether a prophet speaks for G-d or not.

Truth stood on one side and Ease on the other; it has often been so.  -Theodore Parker

G-d's truthfulness

One of the most often described attribute of G-d is His truthfulness.  In fact, G-d is called the "G-d of truth."  Since the G-d of Christianity is described as a Trinity consisting of three persons, all members share the same attributes. Therefore, not only G-d the Father, but G-d the Son  (Yeshua Ha'Meshiach [Jesus Christ]) and G-d the Holy Spirit  represent truth. In fact, Yeshua said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." The Holy Spirit is also known as the "Spirit of truth" So, after love, G-d's most often described attribute is that He represents truth.

G-d's instructions on truthfulness

The Bible says that G-d desires truth in our innermost being  and that he "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" We are told that we should serve G-d in truth and worship Him in spirit and truth.  Our prayers are to be presented in sincerity and truth.  We are to select our leaders on the basis of their truthfulness,  and their judgments are to be based upon the truth. In fact, no person was to be convicted of a capital crime on the basis of one witness, but at least two were required,  to minimize the possibility of a false conviction.

Individuals are implored to speak the truth at all times,  and are commended for doing so. We are instructed not to lie, and lying is strongly condemned. Testifying falsely against another person is specifically prohibited in the Ten Commandments,  and is punishable with the same punishment the accused would have received (including falsely testifying in a capital crime). Evil and unrighteous people oppose the truth and will not even receive it. A lack of truth leads to evil and injustice.  G-d will punish those who suppress the truth, and lying is one of the sins that keeps one out of heaven,  since it is the "City of Truth".


How The Christian Treats Truth

The Bible says that those who practice the truth will come to the Light of Yeshua to be saved, and that the truth of following Yeshua's teaching will set one free from sin.  One who receives Yeshua becomes a new creation, established in truth in the likeness of G-d. The Christian puts on spiritual "armor," which includes the belt of truth.  The Christian is to "buy truth," "love truth," and rejoice in the truth."  The Christian is to be established in the truth,  to love in truth and deed (not just lip service),  and correct those who stray from the truth.  The Christian is to think deeply about things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, excellent, and worthy of praise.  The Christian church is to be the "pillar of the truth." When surveyed about the importance of honesty, more theists rated honesty as "very important" compared to atheists.

Is it ever alright to lie?

From all the preceding Bible verses, it would seem that lying would never be acceptable. However, this is not necessarily correct, since there are times that telling the truth would actually facilitate the exercise of evil. A good example of this principle occurred during World War II, when Christians hid Jews and lied to the occupying authorities to prevent their deaths. A biblical example occurred when Rahab the prostitute hid the Jewish scouts on her roof and lied to the king of Jericho to protect their lives.  Because of this act, her life was spared and she was counted as one of the people of faith in the New Testament book of Hebrews.  So, lying is okay only when not doing so would jeopardize innocent life.

What about Christians who lie?

It often seems that Christian leaders get caught all the time lying or having affairs or doing some other evil thing that contradicts the tenets of Christianity. The perception that this is common is a function of the news media, which loves to report such kinds of behavior. Everyone loves to hate a hypocrite. When famous atheists commit adultery (even on a routine basis) it isn't news at all, since there is no tenet of atheism that one be faithful to his spouse.

Although there are "Christians" who lie, we can't be sure that they are really Christians at all. This is because being a Christian isn't based upon what a person says, but what Yeshua says at the judgment. According to Yeshua, many who claim to do things in His name will be rejected by Him at the judgment:

"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'" (Matthew 7:23)

 
From all the deception that has gone on among Christians, it would seem that truth is not held in very much esteem. However, Christianity does not teach this kind of immoral behavior. The G-d of the Bible is also known as the G-d of Truth, who desires that all people convey truth to each other at all times. The Christian is to live a life that is established in truth - truth in speaking, in loving, and truth in all one does and thinks. Those who knowingly violate such ideals are in opposition to Christianity, and may not even be Christians. The Christian church is to be the "pillar of the truth." 

Homosexuality ISNT A Sin

It was never even mentioned in the Bible

This "battle" say, among who's right and who's wrong has gone on long enough, we're all one body in Christ, or at least supposed to be, and this issue is the biggest and needs a say.  There are even many Christians "thrown out of the church" because they are gay.. what does that say about the body of Christ?  At least have an open mind and let's look into it.

Many Bible Scholars sometimes discuss the idea of the intent of the original context of the Bible, both the New and Old Testament. In answering this question about homosexuality, understanding original intent in scripture is really important.
 
Was G-d talking about modern, twenty first century, committed, faithful, non-cultic, same sex partnerships or was He talking about pagan sexual rituals in worship of the Canaanite fertility goddess?

There is no evidence in the Bible that G-d or OT Jews or Yeshua Ha'Meshiach(Jesus Christ) Himself understood Leviticus 18:22 & 20:13 as prohibiting committed, faithful, non-cultic, same sex partnerships. The homosexuality wrong - idea comes from taking verses out of context, the original Hebrew is proof of that.

We know that because, although Sodom is mentioned about 48 times in the Bible, not once in 48 verses of scripture in the Old and New Testaments does G-d ever reference homosexuality when He speaks of Sodom.
 
Although fundamental Christians wish the Bible talked about homosexuality whenever Sodom is mentioned, G-d just doesn’t make that connection in the Bible in any of the 48 verses which mention Sodom. Think about that before assuming homosexuality is wrong.
Yeshua spoke of Sodom but He never linked Sodom to homosexuality.
Yeshua mentioned Sodom - in Matthew 10:15 and 11:23, Mark 6:11, Luke 10:12 and 17:29 - but Yeshua never mentioned homosexuality in connection with Sodom.
I know many Christians think He should have mentioned how bad homosexuality is but Yeshua never said anything like that. Homosexuality wrong? Not according to Yeshua.

If Yeshua agreed with the fundamental viewpoint, don't you think He would have said so when He spoke of Sodom?

Did you know that in the Bible, the term eunuch sometimes describes a gay man? Do you remember reading what Yeshua said about eunuchs in Matthew 19:3-12?

Listen to what Yeshua said about eunuchs.

“But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs , which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.” Matthew 19:11-12.

Yeshua said there are three kinds of eunuchs and the first class of eunuchs He mentions are those eunuchs who "were so born from their mother's womb." Matthew 19:12.

Do you understand
what Yeshua said?

When referring to eunuchs, Yeshua said, in Matthew 19:11 that eunuchs cannot receive His teaching about the Adam and Eve marriage paradigm in Matthew 19:5.
 
And Yeshua pointed out to all who will receive it that some eunuchs never made a choice to be eunuchs - they were born that way. Yeshua specifically excluded "born eunuchs" from the heterosexual, Adam and Eve marriage paradigm, Matthew 19:4-6. (the homosexuality paradigm?) 

What on earth is a born eunuch?

When we define what it means to be a born eunuch, honesty requires that we be historically accurate. What did Yeshua mean by the term “born eunuch.”

If one is born a eunuch, then being a eunuch was NOT the result of personal choice or too much or too little testosterone in the womb or nurture by parents or influence by society, right? Which possibility below is most historically accurate and which option best fits what Yeshua said?

1. Born Eunuch could refer to As-sexuality. Yeshua could mean that a born eunuch is born without any sexual desire - an as-sexual person. That is such a rare condition it is difficult to believe Yeshua intended His disciples to understand as-sexuality as His definition of “born eunuch.” (homosexual paradigm?)
   
2. Born Eunuch could refer to Genital Birth Defects. Yeshua could mean that a born eunuch is born with defective reproductive organs so that he is incapable of procreation. This is also such a rare condition that it is doubtful Yeshua intended His disciples to understand genital birth defects as His definition of “born eunuchs.” (homosexual paradigm?)
   
3. Born Eunuch could refer to Homosexuals. Yeshua could mean that a born eunuch is a man who is physically intact and capable of procreation but who is same sex attracted instead of being sexually interested in women. (homosexual paradigm?)
   It perfectly fits the ancient Jewish viewpoint about “saris” - the Hebrew word for eunuchs, that Yeshua intended His disciples to understand that a born eunuch was a "saris," a homosexual man or possibly a lesbian woman or a gender variant person like a transgendered person or a gay man not inclined to marry a woman.

WE ARE ONE

"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ "


Once you get the Jews and the Gentiles in the Church together, how does that work?  Jews and Gentiles is like Republicans and Democrats.  As an experiment one should put the two in a house together for 2 weeks.  After 2 weeks, they might come out as, no longer Republican or Democrat, but libertarians.  That is kind of what Yeshua tried to accomplish with the Jew and the Gentile. 

Uniting Jew and Gentile.  Under what conditions is this possible, and who gets to say? G-d’s plan has always been not only to sum up everything in heaven and earth in Christ, but to bring together the whole human race in him as a sign to the principalities and powers (Ephesians 3:10). Caesar and world powers today would have loved to unite the world in this way, but they cannot. Only God is able to cross national and traditional boundaries with all the differences this implies, and cross gender lines, social class, and levels of authority and unite all in one body under the Lordship of Yeshua.

This is the emerging Kingdom of God on this earth - all nations throughout the world, united as one people in obedience to the G-d of Abraham. So, Acts 15 asks the question does one have to belong to the family of Abraham (symbolized in the act of circumcision) in order to be saved? It depends upon who gets to tell the story of the people of G-d. The believing Pharisees in Acts 15 told the story of the people of G-d needing to be circumcised to be associated with the Abrahamic Covenant and the promises and the need to keep the Law of Moses and be kept in line thereby in order to inherit those promises. Therefore, anyone wanting to take part in a basically Jewish movement must become a Jew in order to be associated with the G-d of Abraham. This is a very logical point of view, but it is also wrong, if the Bible has anything to say.

Consider the fact that Peter (Acts 15:6-11) told the story differently showing G-d placed no difference between the Jews and Gentiles, because without being circumcised the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit just as it fell upon Jews in the beginning (Acts 2). Afterward, James stood up and gave his judgment of the matter in Acts 15:13-21. Quoting Amos 9:11, James says that the Lord would raise up the tabernacle (Temple) of David in order that “the remnant of men, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called, may earnestly seek me, says the Lord who does all these things” (Amos 9:12).

The new or rebuilt Temple (tabernacle) of David is Yeshua and the Church emerging throughout the world!  James doesn’t claim the Gospel has nothing to do with Abraham or Moses, but he draws from the Old Covenant itself to prove the equality of Jews and Gentiles come together in one body. Had James believed that the salvation of Yeshua had nothing to do with the Old Covenant, this would have been a good time to show it. However, instead of cutting himself off from the Old Covenant, he drew his supporting argument from it.

It is important to note that Luke uses the arguments of Peter and James rather than Paul and Barnabas to provide the Scriptural answer to the problem of uniting Jew and Gentile. Had he not done so, modern critics might have some support in claiming Christianity was invented by Paul, but Luke refutes this argument here by showing Peter and James support Paul’s claim against the traditional Jewish claim that righteousness comes through the Law and identification with G-d comes through circumcision. The point is, the Law was incapable of giving the life it promised. This is why it is so wrong to seek to be righteous through it - in doing so, we put G-d to the test (Acts 15:10). Rather we are saved through faith or trust in Yeshua that he will do all that is needed in and through us. He is Lord, not the Law. All the Law can do is show me I am a lawbreaker. It cannot offer life, because I am unable to keep it perfectly. Life or salvation comes only through Yeshua. Deep within the heart of the prophecies of the Old Testament is the statement that when G-d does everything for Israel that he intends to do, then the Gentiles would want to join in also. And why not, aren’t they also the creation of G-d who has created everything else?

James concludes by writing a letter to the Gentile churches affected by those Jews who erroneously claimed to be sent out by him and says that circumcision and uncircumcision are irrelevant. Gentiles do not have to become Jews in order to be saved and have a relationship with the G-d of Abraham. However, this doesn’t mean the Gentiles have no responsibility. They do have the basic responsibility of no longer participating in pagan temples of worship (Acts 15:20, 29), of being faithful to G-d in all things related to prayer, thus not seeking answer to prayer through the curious arts (cp. Acts 19:19), to refrain from eating meats that have not  been properly bled (e.g. strangled animals), and of not participating in meals "with blood" - i.e. meals that invite the god (demon) to eat with them. By doing these things we leave the door open to practicing Jews in our communities who have their eyes open to the fact that Yeshua is the Messiah.

Unite and Rise

…27For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:27-29)

Many people wonder what the Bible has to say about the heart. The word “heart” is mentioned 762 times in the KJV Bible, and it is used in various contexts, I'm sure. The references that have the most significance for Christians involve the heart representing a person’s will or desires. G-d wants people to love Him with all of their hearts. When they stray, G-d wants them to return to Him with all of their hearts.

Circumcision began at the beginning of the Bible in Genesis. The Bible says, “And G-d said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.” (Genesis 17:9-10 KJV)

G-d revealed to the apostles that, under the New Covenant, He makes no distinction between Jew and Gentile. Regardless of race or ethnic origin, He extends the promises of salvation to any and all whom He chooses to call. Under the New Covenant, physical descent from Abraham no longer matters because G-d is concerned only over the person’s repentance and faith in Christ. Those who receive the Holy Spirit after repentance and baptism become “the seed of Abraham.”

Additionally, because the purpose and meaning of physical circumcision have been superseded by the New Covenant, there is no need to inflict pain and possible psychological distress on an adult male through this operation. G-d looked upon the hearts of the Gentiles and saw their repentance. Although they were not circumcised, G-d forgave their sins because of their repentance and faith in Christ and granted them the gift of the Holy Spirit. They were, therefore, justified by faith and spiritually circumcised. The Bible says, “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of G-d.” (Romans 2:28-29 KJV) 

In other words, being of Israel or being a Jew has NOTHING to do with being a Christian.  Yeshua came to unite the Jews and the Gentiles even though He was a Jew Himself.

When He was crucified, it was for Jews and Gentiles alike.  The Bible says,
 ...Abraham "believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." 7: So you see that it is men of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8: And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed." (Galatians 3:6-9)