It is always funny to me going in to a new class. You might have entered the same building hundreds of times, but this time something feels different; today I am here for school. Maybe this is instilled in us as children as we intrepidly march of to our first day of kindergarten the under watchful eye of Mom or Dad. I do not know the exact source of these feelings, but I do know this they motivate me to learn. And Learn I have over the past 5 weeks.

There have been two main areas that I have grown in:

One: I have gained a much better grasp of the Bible holistically. From creation to revelation I now feel at ease discussing the big picture of the Bible with someone. This is an awesome feeling. To know that I can sit down and take someone step by step Old Testament to New Testament and show them how God was and is at work is a blessed thing that I will treasure.

Two: There has been for many years now some lingering questions that I have had about certain passages of scripture that are now, praise the Lord, answered!!! For example I have always wondered what it meant when Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is near. I mean seriously thatcould mean so many different things, but to hear it lucidly described as Jesus heralding the the impending destruction of sin and invasion of a corrupt world was inspiring and has further given me hope that I may find answers to other things that bother me.

In light of these recent discoveries I think it is safe to say that the next 10 or so weeks of class are going to be a real blessing. It is my hope that I do not hoard this blessing but that I would pour out this new found knowledge on all the ears that are willing to listen.