Leviticus 19:2 states "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them:You shall be holy for the Lord your God am holy." Qadosh is the Hebrew word for holy. It means set apart, sacred, clean, morally or ceremonially pure. Holiness is separation from everything profane and defiling; and at the same time, it is dedication to everything holy and pure. He (God) is called Qadosh, "the Holy One of Israel." Thus verse 19:2 can say, "you shall be qedoshjim [holy ones] for I...am holy." Be holy; Don't DO holy! Become a living arc of His Presence, one that displays His fruit and shares His gifts. "Be holy as I am holy." Love without holiness is earthly: holiness without love is lofty and external! Love and holiness must be married. It is the heart that makes us holy; not the rules we follow, or the things we wear, He wants us to quit striving, doing the things He has already done for us. "It Is Finished" says it all. Holy--unholy, Clean--unclean, We all need to KNOW the difference! Romans 11:16 says "For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches." Verse 36 reads "For out of Him , the sustainer of everything, came everything, and NOW everything finds fulfillment in Him. May all praise & honor be given to Him forever! Amen!!
Exodus 34:6 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering , and abounding in goodness and truth... In this verse IS the disposition of Messiah. The early church used this important verse to judge prophecy and conduct in the church atmosphere. There were three elders who were in charge of hearing and deciding if what was said and done in that time was in the disposition of Messiah. In this very shaky and explosive time we are living in (exciting & wonderful time I might add) it would serve us well if we would write this verse on the tablet of our heart and in every circumstance, situation we find ourselves apply it rightly and justly. By doing this, we, as the body of Christ, will start looking like the "church" the public has never seen!!!
Amen
ReplyDelete