Tag: Faith

Different

Jerry Wirtley

An exercise and sports nutrition-focused kinesiology doctoral student at Texas A&M, Jake is also an avid fan of the outdoors who enjoys camping and hiking. Originally from Green Bay, WI, he is also an avid Green Bay sports fan.

As a student originally from out of state, Jake was looking for a community to keep him connected to the faith he established as a youth. He was also looking for something outside of his academic bubble. “I was first introduced to Treehouse by Tammy at Peace Lutheran Church,” Jake said. “I also saw Pastor Jerry with a couple of Treehouse students speak at Peace. So I thought I would give it a try.”

“Treehouse was advertised as an everyone is welcome community,” Jake expounded. “And I came back when I found it was as advertised. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. A nice place to be and spend time with community. In an environment where you don’t feel like you’re trying to meet a deadline, we enjoy the time together.”

Jake continues to be a part of Treehouse, because we are not all alike. He is the only one of his major and loves that this is a group of different people, from different places in life. 

Treehouse is “a group of people who could care less what you look like, what you are wearing.” Jake said. “We are all happy to be who you are and it is fine to just come together and laugh about nonsense with fellow believers.”

Questions

Jerry Wirtley

Fighting Aggie of the class of 26, Lauren an Ocean Studies Major hopes to do research in the middle of an ocean. She loves animals, and reading books, and grew up coming to Aggie Football games.

Lauren grew up as an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) member and remembered Pastor Jerry speaking at her congregation, Palm Valley Lutheran when she graduated from high school. “The senior banquet,” Lauren remembered, “had Pastor Jerry as a speaker, and he told us about Treehouse and I decided then to go and see what Treehouse was.”

Lauren came to the Texas A&M Ice Cream social, that is a part of Howdy week and went to several faith based groups and none of them seemed to be the one. “I went to other booths at the TAMU ice cream social and didn’t click.” Lauren said, “I clicked here.”

“I knew Treehouse was the place for me, the first worship gathering after Treehouse’s Ice Cream Social,” Lauren stated. “Pastor Jerry asked a question, and we were going around answering, and then someone else asked a question and Pastor Jerry said I don’t know. It showed me I didn’t need all of the answers.” Treehouse is a safe space to live in the question. We are Lutheran and love the simultaneously saint and sinner aspect of life. Questions aren’t things to shy away from. “I was looking for a place that would allow me to stay connected to my faith because I was going to lose it completely. I needed a place I could ask questions because it seemed we always needed to have answers.” Lauren proclaimed, “And Treehouse was a place I could ask questions.”

“I am very glad Treehouse exists,” Lauren remarked, “because I know there are people who are freaked out about asking questions, needing to know all the answers. Treehouse is a safe space to ask questions and know no one will think you are stupid.”

in faith

Jerry Wirtley

All these people died in faith without receiving the promises, but they saw the promises from a distance and welcomed them. They confessed that they were strangers and immigrants on earth. People who say this kind of thing make it clear that they are looking for a homeland. If they had been thinking about the country that they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return to it. But at this point in time, they are longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God isn’t ashamed to be called their God—he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham offered Isaac when he was tested. The one who received the promises was offering his only son. He had been told concerning him, Your legitimate descendants will come from Isaac. He figured that God could even raise him from the dead. So in a way he did receive him back from the dead. By faith Isaac also blessed Jacob and Esau concerning their future. By faith Jacob blessed each of Joseph’s sons as he was dying and bowed in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph recalled the exodus of the Israelites at the end of his life, and gave instructions about burying his bones. (Hebrews 11:13-22, CEB)

The people from yesterday (Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah) died before the promise was received. They believed and trust and by faith were made right and in faith they died, knowing that the promise would be fulfilled.

We may not receive the promise before we cross over the threshold of death, but we can trust and believe that it is coming and have faith in God to deliver the promise.

There are many in the Bible who had/have faith in God and knew they could trust God.

Do you?

Loving People. Loving God.

faith = life

Jerry Wirtley

Understand that in the same way that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, those who believe are the children of Abraham. But when it saw ahead of time that God would make the Gentiles righteous on the basis of faith, scripture preached the gospel in advance to Abraham: All the Gentiles will be blessed in you. Therefore, those who believe are blessed together with Abraham who believed. All those who rely on the works of the Law are under a curse, because it is written, Everyone is cursed who does not keep on doing all the things that have been written in the Law scroll. But since no one is made righteous by the Law as far as God is concerned, it is clear that the righteous one will live on the basis of faith. The Law isn’t based on faith; rather, the one doing these things will live by them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us—because it is written, Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed. He redeemed us so that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, and that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:6-14, CEB)

Abraham believed the promise that God gave him. And it was credited to him as righteousness.

Abraham was made righteous by his trust/belief in God’s promise.

We are made righteous when we believe that the baby we wait for, was/is God and God came into this world to take on our suffering, to teach us to love, and to help us see love incarnate.

When we believe and trust it is credited to us as righteousness. We live by faith.

Faith = Life!

The baby we wait for showed us how to love and how to live.

Love Out Loud.

Loving People. Loving God.

confirms

Jerry Wirtley

The one who comes from above is above all things. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all things. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever accepts his testimony confirms that God is true. The one whom God sent speaks God’s words because God gives the Spirit generously. The Father loves the Son and gives everything into his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever doesn’t believe in the Son won’t see life, but the angry judgment of God remains on them.” (John 3:31-36, CEB)

When we believe the promises from the Hebrew Scripture and the promises Jesus gives us, we confirm that God is true.

When we hold fast to the truth that God gives us, we speak the truth in love to the world.

The Father gave everything to the Son and when we believe in Jesus, who is the Son of God, we have eternal life. That is not something we are waiting on, but it is ours now.

So love Out Loud and share the love you have been given and help others believe in the truth.

Loving People. Loving God.

Faith

Jerry Wirtley

Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see. The elders in the past were approved because they showed faith. By faith we understand that the universe has been created by a word from God so that the visible came into existence from the invisible. By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain, which showed that he was righteous, since God gave approval to him for his gift. Though he died, he’s still speaking through faith. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he didn’t see death, and he wasn’t found because God took him up. He was given approval for having pleased God before he was taken up. It’s impossible to please God without faith because the one who draws near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards people who try to find him. By faith Noah responded with godly fear when he was warned about events he hadn’t seen yet. He built an ark to deliver his household. With his faith, he criticized the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes from faith. (Hebrews 11:1-7, CEB)

We live by faith. We can not prove what we believe in. Faith is the assurance of what we hope for, the proof of what we do not see. People ask why I believe in God when you really can’t prove that God exists. Well, can you prove God doesn’t exist? Just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I have never seen a billion dollars but I do not doubt it exists.

Also, what about the wind? Have you seen the wind? We do not see the wind, but we see the effects of the wind. I don’t see God but I see the effects of God in my life and in the lives of others.

So live in faith, and love as you go.

Loving People. Loving God.