OMG! Holy @#$%!

OMG! Holy @#$%!

There was a time when you would hear people proclaim “holy cow!” as an exclamation of unbelief or surprise at what someone did or said. Now you hear “holy @#$%!” even from young children. It is so common place that I even hear “Christians” using this term of surprise or unbelief at some action or statement by another person. My wife, Charlene, and I have made the statement to family and friends that we hear say this, “That is not Holy!” or “There is nothing Holy about that!”

I have written a couple of papers this year on “Be Holy for I AM HOLY!” what it means for us to be Holy to GOD and how we become Holy to GOD. Last night as Charlene and I were talking the use of this statement came up and it suddenly hit me why this is so offensive to us and should be to all Christians. This is blasphemy and it can be blasphemy against The HOLY SPIRIT!

Study Matthew 12:31-37; Mark 3:20-30; Luke 12:1-12.

How, you may ask, is saying “holy @#$%” or “OMG” blasphemy? Well, I see it as taking that which is common or profane and calling it Holy, even in jest this is denigrating that which is HOLY! GOD is HOLY and JESUS is HOLY and the SPIRIT of GOD is HOLY! GOD calls us to make ourselves Holy as He is HOLY, but calling things that are not Holy as if they are is blasphemy.

James said, “But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well.” Study James 2:1-13. The Bible teaches us that our words matter and that we need to guard our mouth against sin. The problem with phrases like “holy @#$%” or “OMG” is that they help to harden our heart towards the True and Living GOD who is HOLY and who calls us to be Holy as He is HOLY.

 Study Leviticus 24:10-16, 23; Psalm 2; Psalm 74; Matthew 27:38-44; Luke 5:17-26; 1Timothy 1; Revelation 16:8-11, 17:1-6.

Worm = Soul?

Worm = Soul?

Jesus, when talking about those who would harm children and the innocent who believed in Him said that it would be better for them to be drowned with a mill stone around their neck. Then He talked about if some part of your body caused you to sin you should cut is off, for, “…it is better to enter into life maimed (crippled), rather than having {your full body}, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched – where ‘Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’”; Mark 9:42-50 NKJV He said this three times. It is a quote from Isaiah 66:22-24, “’For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,’ says the LORD, ‘so shall your descendents and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,’ says the LORD. ‘And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.’”

I’ve added the Greek and Hebrew definitions below because there are those who will think that worm means worm and they are right. A worm is a lowly living in the dirt squirmy thing that consumes the dead stuff in or on the ground. It is also a reference to a person of low or trashy character. But, it is always a mortal creature human or otherwise and doomed to eternal death (or never to live again). The difference between actual worms and humans is that worms will just return to dust but humans are a body that will return to dust and a soul that will live forever.

The human soul was created immortal in Adam and Eve; their sin (Eve’s through deception and Adam’s through disobedience) caused them; who had been created immortal to die (become mortal) that very day and all of their descendents (every human ever conceived or who will be conceived) lost that immortality.

So what did the LORD mean when He spoke this to Isaiah and what did He mean when He taught it to His followers?

In Isaiah it is a message to the redeemed of the LORD of the glorious future that awaits those who faithfully serve Him and what will happen to those who do not. In the Gospels it is the same message; this is GOD’s message to humanity throughout history; those who serve GOD in faith (trust) and obedience will be eternally rewarded and those who do not serve GOD will be eternally judged.

So what am I saying? We are not worms but we will be debased and humiliated by those who hate GOD and reject Him. More importantly we are to be humble and servants to GOD, each other and the world.

Study Genesis 3; Jeremiah 7; Matthew 10:27-31; Luke 12; Revelation 19-21

The Hebrew word in Isaiah 66:24 is towla’ - to-law’ (fem.) or towle’ah – to-lay-aw’ or towla‘ath – to-lah’-ath or tola’ath to-lah’-ath: from shephel shay’-fel (a humble rank, low estate [place]); from shaphel shaw-fale’ (a prim. Root; to depress of sink [espec. fig. to humiliate, intrans, or trans.] – abase, bring [cast, put] down, debase, humble [self], be [bring, lay make, put] low [-er]). Towla’ means a maggot (as voracious); spec. (often with the ellips. of shaniy - shaw-nee’) the crimson grub, but used only (in this connection) of the color from it, and cloths dyed therewith: - crimson, scarlet, worm. With all of the root Hebrew words it basically means to be humbled, debased or lowly as a worm.

The Greek word in Mark 9:44,46,48 is skolex sko’-lakes: of uncert. der.; a grub, maggot or earth-worm; worm.

Luke 10:38-42

Luke 10:38-42

“On their way YESHUA and His talmidim (disciples) came to a village where a woman named Marta welcomed them into her home. She had a sister named Miryam who also sat at the LORD’s feet and heard what He had to say. But, Marta was busy with all the work to be done; so, she said, ‘Sir, don’t You care that my sister has been leaving me to do all the work by myself?’ However, the LORD answered her, ‘Marta, Marta, you are fretting and worrying about so many things! But, there is only one thing that is essential. Miryam has chosen the right thing, and it won’t be taken away from her.’” CJB

I have read this passage, only the LORD knows how many times, and I have heard it taught on several times. But, this morning as I was reading the SPIRIT (The Holy SPIRIT) impressed me that it was really about the Word of GOD before the Works of His Kingdom! There has been much debate about works verses faith throughout the ages and it began with the Law and continued in the epistles.

The answer is that if we know (truly understand and believe) the Word of GOD then we will truly know and understand that works and faith go hand in hand. You cannot have the one and not do the other if you are in a personal salvation based relationship with the True and Living GOD!

The problem with many Christians and that included myself for most of my 45 years as a Christian is that we are about form over substance or works to prove our faith. Works do not prove faith and the claim of faith does not validate works. Both faith and works can be religious rather than relational; they can be all about appearance rather than obedience. Study Matthew 7:21-29, 15:7-9.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments obedience over works (sacrifice) is emphasized as the correct relationship between humanity and GOD. This relationship cannot be achieved without a thorough knowledge and understanding of GOD and self. Abraham was called the friend of GOD, 2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23. Moses was called the Servant of the LORD and was faithful in GOD’s call Deuteronomy 34:5-7; Hebrews 3:2. David was called a man after GOD’s heart 1 Samuel 13:14, 15:28; Acts 7:44-46, 13:22.

To know and understand ourself we have to be honest with ourself and not compare ourself with anyone else; to do this we have to know GOD and His plan for us. So, we have to first know and understand who GOD is and His plan for creation and humanity. The only way we can know and understand GOD is by reading, studying and meditating on His Word, The Bible. The Bible is GOD’s revelation to humanity of who He is and His plan for creation and humanity and it is the only way we will get to know Him. GOD’s SPIRIT moves throughout the earth and pours our His blessings, grace and good gifts on every human being. The Bible tells us that GOD causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust and the sun to shine on the good and the bad, it also tells us that all good gifts come from Him, and He uses people to do that, even if they do not know that GOD is using them. Study Jeremiah 9:23-24; Matthew 5:43-45; 2 Corinthians 11:29-30; James 1:12-18.

So, by His Word and His SPIRIT we can know and understand GOD and His purpose (will) for us as individuals and as a whole (humanity). In the prayer that JESUS taught His disciples and us to pray, the Our Father or LORD’s Prayer, in Matthew 6:9-11 He tells us to first honor GOD and ask for His Kingdom and Will to be done in the earth as it is in Heaven. How is His Kingdom and Will to be done in the earth as it is in Heaven? By His Children, those who know and understand who GOD is and what He wants us to do. And, how do we know and understand GOD? By His SPIRIT and Word! This does take time, but we can start immediately with what we know and as we grow and mature GOD’s SPIRIT will give us greater understanding and a deeper relationship. Study Matthew 6:9-13; John 1:12-14; Philippians 2:5-15, 3, 4:8-9; Colossians; Revelation 12:10-12.

Here is the tricky part; GOD’s gift and calling for each of us cannot be taken away, but they can be used by those who do not personally know and serve GOD through JESUS CHRIST. While this leads to religious works it does not lead to salvation. Salvation is a free gift from GOD to those who receive it and then seek Him and His Righteousness above everything else.

Study Matthew 6:24-34, 7:21-23; John 3:1-21 and Romans 11 & 12.

“My son, give attention to My Words; incline your ear to My sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are Life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence. For out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful (devious) mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:20-27 NKJV As a father speaking the Wisdom of GOD, Solomon understood how to live a relational life with GOD. Study Deuteronomy 30:11-20; Psalm 119:105-112; Proverbs chapters 1-9, 30:5-6; Matthew 6:13, 7:13-14, 12:31-37; Luke 6:43-49; John 1:1-5, 14-18; 14:6, 22-24; 17:6-19; 1 Corinthians 10:1-21; 1 Thessalonians 1; Hebrews 2:1-4; chapters 3 & 4; 1 Peter 1:22-25; 2 Peter 2.

The scriptures say that we are to be like CHRIST! How? By taking up our cross daily, working out the process of our salvation with fear and trembling, by having the same mindset as CHRIST, by being conformed to CHRIST in the fellowship of His suffering and the power of His resurrection, by doing the Will of The Father. “I have been crucified with CHRIST; it is no longer I who live, but CHRIST lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of GOD, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 NKJV Study Matthew 10:34-39; Mark 8:34-38; Luke 14:25-27; Philippians 2-4; Colossians 2-3

Jesus paraphrased Solomon, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear GOD and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For GOD will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” when He said, “More than that, Blessed are those who hear the Word of GOD and keep it!” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Luke 11:27-28

Things To Think About From 2019

Life is not a fairy tale. If you lose your shoe at midnight, you're drunk.

If women are upset at Trump's naughty words, who bought 80 million copies of 50 Shades of Gray?!

Jim Comey answered, "I don't know," "I don't recall," and "I don't remember" 236 times while under oath. But he remembered enough to write a book.

President Trump should nominate Hillary Clinton for the next opening on the Supreme Court. Then he can finally get her investigated.

Not one feminist has defended Sarah Sanders. It seems women's rights only matter if those women are liberal.

No Border Walls. No voter ID laws. You figured it out yet?

Chelsea Clinton got out of college and got a job at NBC that paid $900,000 per year. Her mom flies around the country speaking out about white privilege.

SOCIALISM: An idea that is so good that it has to be mandatory. Bernie Sanders walks into a bar and yells... "Free drinks for everyone!" looks around and says "Who's buying?"

What is the difference between an Illegal immigrant and E.T.? 

E.T. learned to speak English and went home.

And just like that they went from being against foreign interference in our elections to allowing non-citizens to vote in our elections.

Watching the left come up with schemes to "catch Trump" is like watching Wile E. Coyote trying to catch Road Runner.

President Trump's wall cost less than the Obama care website alone. Let that sink in, America.

We are one election away from open borders, socialism, gun confiscation, and full term abortion nationally. We are fighting evil.

They sent more troops and armament to arrest Roger Stone than they sent to defend Benghazi.

60 years ago, Venezuela was 4th on the world economic freedom index. Today, they are 179th and their citizens are dying of starvation. In only 10 years, Venezuela was destroyed by democratic socialism.

Russia donated $0.00 to the Trump campaign. Russia donated $145,600,000 to the Clinton Foundation. But Trump was the one they investigated! (Note: the cost of Mueller’s investigation is much lower than previous ones. The investigation into President Bill Clinton from 1994 to 2002 cost approximately $69 million, and the investigation into Iran-Contra cost approximately $47 million, not adjusted for inflation, according to the Washington Post.)

Nancy Pelosi invited illegal aliens to the State of the Union. President Trump invited victims of illegal aliens to the State of the Union. Let that sink in.

A socialist is basically a communist who doesn't have the power to take everything from their citizens at gunpoint ... Yet!

How do you walk 3,000 miles across Mexico without food or support and show up at our border 100 pounds overweight and with a cell phone? (courtesy of Soros)

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez wants to ban cars, ban planes, give out universal income and thinks socialism works. She calls Donald Trump crazy.

Bill Clinton paid $850,000 to Paula Jones to get her to go away. I don't remember the FBI raiding his lawyer's office.

I wake up every day and I am grateful that Hillary Clinton is not the President of the United States of America.  (Amen!)

The same media that told me Hillary Clinton had a 95% chance of winning now tells me Trump's approval ratings are low.

"The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money."” Margaret Thatcher

Maxine Waters opposes voter ID laws; she thinks that they are racist. You need to have a photo ID to attend her town hall meetings.

Trump: “They're not after me. They're after you. I'm just in their way.”

Why Greta Thunberg Should Be Time’s Person of the Year By John Horvat II

Why Greta Thunberg Should Be Time’s Person of the Year

By John Horvat II

Time magazine has announced that this year’s Person of the Year award will go to the 16-year-old Greta Thunberg. The Swedish school-girl-turned-eco-activist has become the poster-girl of the climate change-turned-emergency worldwide. The choice was not surprising, given the media adulation for the girl who has traveled the globe with a minimal carbon footprint.

Time has long abandoned the pretense of giving the award to truly great people, full of personality and talents, and who influence events. Alas, the time of grandeur, discipline and vision is over. Time is no longer the serious magazine of importance that it once was. People no longer want to make an effort to know, admire and appreciate grand figures. We easily tire of greatness.

Greta a Perfect Fit

In this sense, the award to Greta Thunberg fits perfectly. In our shallow and mediocre times, today’s figures must not be too deep or complex. They must not be connected to any historical or religious narrative outside of their own evolving story. Their speech must be Twitter-friendly. The new models need not be exceptional as long as they defy standard definitions. Time typically picks those who can link themselves to all the liberal causes in vogue.

By naming Greta Thunberg, Time is presenting a perfect postmodern archetype. Her award might be better called the Archetype of the Year award. Like all archetypes, she serves as the model for which all other activists of the same type are representations. She is meant to represent “the power of youth” in rebellion against an adult-dominated world. Her story expresses well postmodernity’s rejection of Western Christian civilization.

Time’s choice makes more sense when we consider that agendas progress more with archetypes than party platforms. If a movement can find an archetypal person who can embody its platform principles, it will advance much more quickly. If the media can propagate a perfect archetype, they can make a cause universal.

Thus, Greta Thunberg is the personification of all the eco-movement could want and more. As a child, she can lay claim to represent the future. She does not play the role of leader but assumes the much more important mantle of symbol. In so doing, she need not present concrete proposals but only make impossible demands.

What She Is Not

She presents a new human type to act on a world stage that will be stripped of leaders and thinkers. She stands out much more for what she is not than what she is.

Thus, Greta is not a deep thinker or an articulator. She is nothing more than a symbol. Hers is a fatalistic world of gloom and doom of either-or alternatives. She accepts no other explanations beyond the coming human extinction scenario, and, like a broken record, she repeats it over and over again.

She is not given to tact, subtlety or diplomacy. Instead, she demands vague and urgent action without specifics. Her message is cold, brutal and unpoetic. She will talk about the hopes of youth and the instability of ecosystems without transitions. Her discourse uses direct, simplistic terms that address her anger, rage, frustration and desperation.

She has no fondness for anything since she is the ultimate expression of anti-consumerism. She dresses in plain expressionless clothes without adornments or jewelry. Everything surrounding her life is likewise plain and unassuming. It is a joyless world that does not admit an appreciation of man-made beauty or progress. A coldness permeates her world, filling it with sadness.

Mystery and Mysticism

There is also an element of mystery and mysticism in her presentation. Unfortunately, she suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, which impairs her emotional expression, making it cold, mysterious and disconnected. Thus, everything about her tragically defies the standard definition of what might be expected of this child seemingly without a childhood.

Like all who embrace the ecological cause, Greta claims to have a spiritual connection with the earth from which we might draw energies. She takes up the cause of the indigenous peoples who she holds up as models of eco-friendly populations.

As Time notes, she is a 16-year-old that appears to be twelve in her short five-foot-tall body. Time’s cover picture reinforces a mystical overtone by presenting an almost elfin figure staring out into the vast expanses of waves crashing into a rocky beach.

The media have been quick to capitalize on ascribing to her mystical persona special powers, not unlike that of a prophetess or oracle. However, the school truant from Sweden has only become a sensation due to the enabling power of adults who have opened every door from the Vatican to the United Nations. It is no coincidence that every liberal cause, from feminism to indigenous rights to gun control, can identify with Greta.

Advancing the Liberal Cause

If the object of Time’s Person of the Year award is to recognize the person that most advances the liberal agenda, then Greta Thunberg certainly can claim the title. By serving as an archetype for the ecology cause, she is a model to take the sagging eco-movement’s fortunes forward.

However, what we need are authentic role models that practice virtue and move society to true progress. This vision is not found in a neo-pagan pantheistic worldview that rejects all that is civilized and Western. Instead, truly representative figures in society aspire to an order based on sanctity and governed by a personal God and His Providential action on Earth.

HOLY!

HOLY!

We know that GOD is HOLY or set apart from every other being because He is the creator of all beings and no being can stand before GOD on their own merit.

We know that GOD created humanity in His own image and called humanity to be Holy as He is HOLY; we are to be set apart to GOD above everything and everybody else.

We know that GOD is Spirit and that being made in His image that humanity is spirit. We know that Ruach HaKodesh (The HOLY SPIRIT or SPIRIT of GOD) is GOD. One of the identifying marks of the believer is that the SPIRIT of GOD is the seal or mark of our salvation; or the HOLY SPIRIT is the seal of our being set apart to GOD. This is the evidence to the spiritual and physical world that we are redeemed by the Blood of the LAMB; that those humans who believe and confess that JESUS CHRIST is Savior and LORD are born again as a new creation in CHRIST JESUS. We are set apart from the world even though we still live in the world because He has made us Holy as He is HOLY.

So why does GOD tell us in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, “Be Holy as I am HOLY!” if His SPIRIT sets us apart from those who do not believe and is the seal of our Holiness? Because as the whole of the Old and New Testaments teach; we are to stop living like those of the world around us live. As JESUS said, “Go and sin no more!” we are called to be separate from those in the world who do not believe in GOD and JESUS CHRIST, those who continue to sin.

It is not about religious activity, even though under the Law the Jews were called to be Holy as GOD is HOLY they did not desire a personal relationship with GOD but preferred Moses to act as their mediator, and they failed to understand and therefore know GOD as SPIRIT and TRUTH so they became religious. JESUS came as the perfect and only mediator between GOD and humanity that could actually bring humanity back into relationship with GOD and lead humanity into Holiness; because as the Son of GOD (in the SPIRIT) and the Son of Man (in the flesh) He was the only person who was set apart to GOD from conception since Adam and it was Adam who sinned (disobeyed) and caused humanity to stop being Holy to GOD.

Adam was conceived in the heart of GOD and formed from the dust (which GOD had created) and then GOD breathed into Adam and made him a living being and commissioned him to care for His creation. JESUS was conceived in the heart of GOD before the foundation of the earth was laid then formed in the womb of the virgin and commissioned with the salvation of humanity and creation waits for the fulfillment of our salvation.

It is about how we live our life now that we believe in JESUS and confess Him as Savior and LORD. Our part of being Holy as GOD is HOLY is to demonstrate to the world by our lifestyle that we are no longer part of the world (even though we still live in the world) but that we are set apart for GOD’s eternal Kingdom now! We are to be witnesses (light and salt) of GOD’s eternal Kingdom so that others will see and desire what we have and we are to be ambassadors of GOD’s eternal Kingdom (telling people how to receive  citizenship).

But we must be clear this is not a dual citizenship life we now live. We cannot be citizens of both the world and GOD’s eternal Kingdom! The true sign of our being Holy as GOD is HOLY is that we live in the world even while we live for GOD’s eternal Kingdom. Relationship with GOD is about lifestyle. We can be religious and live for the world but we cannot have a personal relationship with GOD as our Father and live for the world. To have a personal relationship with GOD as our Father we have to live for Him and His eternal Kingdom. That is being set apart only for GOD, that is being Holy as GOD is HOLY!

Study Genesis 1-3; Exodus; Matthew 1-7; John 15-18; Romans and Hebrews.

CHRIST Mass 2019

CHRIST’s Mass 2019

Yesterday while sitting in the lobby of a doctor’s office Charlene mentioned that it did not feel like Christmas and we talked a moment about how worldly Christmas has become. Then HOLY SPIRIT prompted this thought, “We do not celebrate CHRIST’s birth as we celebrate our own.” So I thought about that for a moment then commented to Charlene that “We don’t celebrate CHRIST’s birth like we celebrate our birthday, we celebrate CHRIST as a baby but we celebrate our own birthday as we are now.”

We focus our celebration of CHRIST’s birth all about the baby and that He is GOD the Father’s free gift to humanity for salvation. There is some mention that His birth was just the beginning of His work of salvation but most of the emphasis is on His virgin conception, birth in a stable and the visit of the Magi.

When we celebrate CHRIST’s death and resurrection (Easter) while we talk about His arrest, trial and crucifixion we mostly (and rightly so) focus on His resurrection, commission and ascension. There is much teaching about Pentecost and the sealing of our salvation by GOD’s HOLY SPIRIT being given to those who believe.

We celebrate human births each year just as we celebrate CHRIST’s birth, the difference is that we celebrate a person’s birth by celebrating them as they are at that time in their life. There may be some remembrance of their actual birth events, humorous remembrances of past events but most of the celebration is about the person now.

This is how we should celebrate Christmas and Easter, we remember the details about His birth and death but the reason should be the focus of why He was virgin born and crucified! The main focus should be on the fact that He (the Gift of GOD to all humanity) is not a baby, is not on the cross or in the grave, but that He is seated at the right hand of GOD almighty and that He has already sent His SPIRIT to live in those who believe.

We focus a lot of our celebration on Christmas and Easter about the events that lead up to, the moment of and the events that immediately follow and almost none on who He is today and how that impacts our life and the world we live in. We do that for ourself and every other person’s (alive or dead) birthday or death we celebrate but not for CHRIST our LORD and Savior.

Let’s change the celebration of Christmas and Easter from the past to the present and future. For while the past is the foundation that today and tomorrow are build on we are not living in the past we are living in the present and preparing for the future.

Am I talking about changing our traditions around Christmas and Easter? No, I’m talking about changing our focus from what happened to what is happening. Most of the world knows the story of JESUS’ birth, death and resurrection but they do not see the importance for the world today. They say things like, “That’s old news.” “That’s history and history is boring.” “No one cares anymore.” “What does that have to do with me?” “That was then, this is now.” That is our call and purpose (the great commission), to make CHRIST revilent to the world now. To show them not just what happened but why it happened and how that impacts their life and the world today.