Day 2 in Jerusalem

Day 2 in Jerusalem:

As Monday came upon us, I was beginning to feel it. My calf muscles were the most sore. But in spite of my soreness and fatigue, I still felt exhilarated to be where I was. And I knew that this day would truly be special as we traveled to Bethlehem.

Our first stop was to look out over Shepherd's Field. This was a view of the area where the shepherds would have been when the angels came to them to announce the birth of Jesus. Shepherds in Jesus' time worked in what was considered a dishonorable job. They spent much time alone with their flocks and had to work at nights instead of being home with their families. These are the first to come and worship Jesus. How God has changed the image of the shepherd from Old Testament times to today as we think of Jesus as the "Good Shepherd".

After some teaching and many pictures taken, we went on into the city. Bethlehem is in the West Bank and under Palestinian control. There is a wall that has been built up to separate it from Israel. No Israelis can cross by order of the Israeli government. It is said that this is for security reasons, but whenever anyone was asked why, they gave this answer like they didn't totally believe it or agree with it. Some Palestinians can cross if they get the right papers. But it was said that this is like pulling teeth. I guess dealing with government stuff can be a hassle no matter where you live. The wall is not only dividing Israel from Palestine, but Palestinian people from their fields, jobs, health care, etc. You see, Palestinians live on both sides of the wall and own property on both sides. They may have to cross to see their doctors or go to their places of business. It's a shame that in the place where the Prince of Peace was born, there are walls to divide people.

Our next stop in Bethlehem was Hope School. This is a secondary school that The United Methodist Church supports and is an extraordinary place. We arrived and saw the children there happy and playing, some Muslim and others Christian. They teach peacemaking along with there studies there. And these wonderful kids made it seem like all was right with the world when I was around them.

After Hope School, we went to Bethlehem Bible College where Alex Awad shared with us the history of the Jewish/Palestinian struggle. Alex is a Palestinian Christian. He told us that all of Israel was called Palestine until 1948 when the land became known as Israel. The majority of the people were Palestinians and at one time, Palestinian Christians were the majority. But now the Christians have become the minority after the other two major religions there.

About 800,000 Palestinians became refugees in 1948 where they lived in camps for about 10 years. Now Palestinian control exists in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Though the Gaza Strip has been called the biggest prison in the world. Basically, most there can not go past the borders and are stuck there.

Yesterday we had a glimpse of the atrocities that took place to the Jews while visiting the Holocaust Museum. There has been much sadness in this people's history. But in fact, when it comes to them and the Palestinians, probably both sides have made mistakes and are at fault in this conflict. For instance, the suicide bombers and the radical teaching that comes from Hamas in Gaza are just wrong. But when you look at it like it was the only way at one time that they could fight back, it becomes a little more clear why they did it. It's still wrong. But maybe at first it became a defense mechanism (one that has now gotten out of control).

If both sides could just come to the table, most Palestinians and Israelis (I'm told) believe that there could be a peaceful solution. But the radicals like Hamas and the powers that be in Israel have not allowed that to happen. It was asked that we simply pray that our new president can bring both parties to the table and that we be even-handed. Our government has been pro-Israel. They are our ally. That's understandable. The Palestinians aren't asking for us to become Pro-Palestinian, but simply to be even-handed. This actually sounds kind of Christian.

Our day ended with a lot to think about. And, obviously, a lot to eat before turning in.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Bloggers' Prayer

Bloggers' Prayer

"Almighty God, you proclaim your truth in every age by many voices: Direct, in our time, we pray, those who speak where many listen and write what many read; that they may do their part in making the heart of this people wise, its mind sound, and its will righteous; to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord."
Book of Common Prayer

(emailed to me by Bishop Hope Morgan Ward - may it be a prayer for all my blogging friends today)

Day 1 in Jerusalem

Day 1 in Jerusalem:

We've left the country and moved into the city. This city is special, the holiest city in the world to both Jews and Christians and the third most holy to Muslims. We arrived last night after a long day and sat down to eat yet another wonderful meal filled with fresh vegetables, breads, soups and other hot dishes.

This was Sunday, so the first thing on our agenda was to go to church. We arrived at the 8:30 service at St. George's Cathedral, which is an Anglican Church. It was a very different experience from what I'm used to, but also a good one. The message was about being peacemakers in a land that is divided. What we would see and hear over the next couple of days would help us to understand the division much more clearly. After the message was Holy Communion in which for the first time I drank from the common cup. As I tasted the wine, it seemed sweeter...not like grape juice...but a taste that would leave you wanting more. I think that's what Jesus is like to me. As I take Him in, I just want more and more.

After worship was over we went to the Holocaust Museum. This is the first place that I saw a group of soldiers (though it wouldn't be the last). They looked to be about 17 or 18 years old, male and female, many carrying what I was told was M-60's around their shoulders much like I was carrying my backpack. These kids (turned adults) were not there protecting. They, and many more, were there being taught the history of their people. After taking a class on the Holocaust in seminary, I was familiar with some of this. But one roomed took my breath away. It was the Hall of Names. There the names of Holocaust victims are put in binders to be preserved and remembered. It's a circular room with shelves 20 high from floor to ceiling. So many names. Such a tragedy. I just had to take pause at the sorrow that had been felt for all these names. It seemed overwhelming.

It was time to leave the city and go into the Wilderness. When scripture speaks of the Wilderness where Jesus went to be tempted, it means a specific region. The Judean Wilderness runs from Jericho to Jerusalem. It's a dry and arid place. I can only imagine Jesus being in this place with no trees and no immediate water source. When we were there the wind picked up and I got a very small taste of how it would be like traveling through this land. I'm so glad I had bottled water with me. On a side note, this is where the rise of Christian monasticism began in the 4th century.

From the Wilderness to the oasis in the desert....Jericho. Jericho is actually in the West Bank and under Palestinian control. It was used as a refugee camp for Arabs after 1948 when Israel became a state and is still there today. Actually, Jericho is the oldest continuous city in the world. This is part of the oasis that Moses was leading the Israelites to.

Today is a different story. It is still a beautiful city from afar as you see the palm trees and other greenery. But as you come near and go through the check point (that Israel controls) you see on the left a building with multiple gun rounds in it. You see many abandoned buildings. And you see sadness. That is, until you look at the people's faces. They were all happy to see us. It was said that the Jews tell people not to go to Jericho. But they begged us to go back tell people to come back to their city. They were very hospitable, and I felt safe the whole time. It was a truly unique experience.

The day wound down with us going to Qumran where the dead sea scrolls were found. And from there we headed back to Jerusalem for another meal and some much needed rest.

In the love of Christ,
greg

A note from Bishop Hope Morgan Ward

(My thanks to Bishop Ward for allowing me to post this. It was a treat having her lead the devotions and Holy Communion on our trip).

Redeem Israel, O God, out of all its troubles. . .

- Psalm 25:22

I read the whole of Psalm 25 appointed for the beginning of Lent, all the way to the last verse.

Just last week, with 45 Mississippi travelers, I crossed in a bus through a massive gate in the new wall Israel is constructing around designated Palestinian territory. Inside the wall is Bethlehem with the fields of the shepherds and the Church of the Nativity, children and families - Christian and Muslim, homes and schools and businesses.

At Hope Secondary School, students were overjoyed to practice their English with us. We learned that the students at this mission school of The United Methodist Church were all children who had survived poverty and broken homes. They have been gathered in by our church. They are loved and taught. Last year, every graduate passed the rigorous examinations required for graduation in their nation.

At Bethlehem Bible College, we received the witness of a missionary of our church, a Palestinian Christian, who gently shared the history of the long struggle for land. When asked what the Palestinians desire from the USA, he said simply, "That you be even-handed in your support of Israel and of Palestine." As we left this holy time, one of our group sitting behind me said gently, "I once was blind, but now I see."

Lent is a time for confession, for naming our guilt, "for it is great." (Psalm 25:11)

In January, I saw another wall. This wall is being built by our country on the border between Mexico and the United States. Our wall looks much like the wall dividing Palestine from Israel, except that we are building a double wall and in some places a triple wall. With United Methodist friends, I stood at a place in the wall that is still wire, not yet concrete. We celebrated communion with leaders of the Methodist Church of Mexico, passing the bread and cup through a torn place in the wire.

These are huge problems, complex issues, great challenges. In our place, here in Mississippi, let us this Lent name before God the walls that continue to divide. Let us be faithful witnesses to Jesus Christ, who in this season teaches, heals, weeps, forgives and rises to break through every dividing wall.

Hope

Day 3 in Galilee

This was the day that we packed our bags and said good-bye to the Sea of Galilee to began our trek south. This was Valentines Day. But more importantly for the Jewish community, it was Shabat (Sabbath). This is the day that if we were in Jerusalem, we would've noticed a special elevator that stopped at every floor for the traditional Jews who adhered strictly to their Sabbath laws. There is no work on the Sabbath. This includes pushing buttons to go up and down the elevator. But as we would soon notice, there were many more secular Jews in Israel than Orthodox. This means that they weren't as strict.

The bus left Tiberias heading for Cana, Zippori, Nazareth, Megiddo and Ceasarea. Our travels in Cana brought us through an alley to the church that was built over the traditional site where Jesus turned the water into wine. Inside the church, we got to go down into the ruins. Being at the place where Jesus performed his first miracle (according to John's Gospel) was a treat.

Next came Zippori. This was a major city in Jesus' time that was called the "Ornament of Galilee". Herod Antipas put his capital here for a time, before moving it to Tiberias. It was a city that probably had roughly 40,000 people in it. You might say it was the "big city" for Jesus, for he grew up in Nazareth, which in comparison was only about 150 people, and was only 4 miles away. The bible never mentions Jesus traveling to Zippori, but how could he not? As a carpenter in a small village, he'd need to go outside for work. Plus, as a kid, who could resist going into the city? I'm sure he traversed the streets of Zippori at some point or another and maybe even sat in the huge theater where we sat and learned about the city.

Next stop, Nazareth. The Church of the Annunciation was built over the traditional site of Mary's home, which was a cave. This church commemorates the visit of the angel. After Nazareth was Megiddo. We walked through the underground aqueduct and out of this city that had 26 different levels of occupation throughout its history. This is also known as Armegeddon, where many believe the last battle will be fought.

Before going to our final stop for the day, we needed a quick lunch. So where do you think we went? McDonald's, of course. But it wasn't as quick as we'd hoped and by the time we got to Caesarea, the open theater was closing. But we drove down the road just a little ways and got out on the beach and into the Mediterranean Sea and watched the sun go down. Yet, another beautiful sight to give thanks to God for.

This was known as Caesarea Maritimal, meaning by the sea. The name Caesarea comes from Caesar, whom Herod named the city after. The Roman theater that we got to sit in for a couple of minutes before being kicked out seated about 5,000 people. And the city probably had about 50,000 in all. The city's harbor was man made and a true building achievement that made Caesarea a powerful city. Ironically, it also is the harbor that would've take the Gospel into the world. It is also the harbor that would've cast Paul's boat out to Rome for the final time.

As this day wound down, we arrived at Jerusalem and The Olive Tree Hotel. This would be our home for the next several days.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Pictures from the Holy Land

Mediteranean Sea at the end of the day
Playing in the Sea
Pastry Shop - good eats
View from Meggido
Church in Nazareth

Day 2 in Galilee

Day 2 in Galilee:




We awoke to yet another beautiful sunrise over the Sea of Galilee. I knew it would be a good day, spiritually speaking. But I had no idea how perfect it would be temperature wise. I actually got some sun on this 70 degree February day. Our travels took us from our hotel in Tiberius to the Mount of Beatitudes, Eremos, the Church of the Primacy, Chorazim and Tabgha.

The Mount of Beatitudes is the traditional location where it's believed that Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount. Some believe that these famous verses from Matthew 5-7 are not one continuous sermon, but Jesus' teachings brought together in one place by the author of the Gospel. Either way, it seems evident to me that Jesus taught some or all of these teachings right there on that hillside that overlooked the Sea of Galilee.

Teaching on the mountain would be of significance for these Jewish people. In their Torah (the first 5 books of our Old Testament) Moses went up to the mountain to receive the Law. Jesus goes up on the mountain to fulfill this law and explain it more clearly as it's meant to be for people. I wonder what it felt like listening to this new teacher as he told the people that he wasn't actually abolishing the Law of Moses, but bringing out its true meaning? Were they devout Jews who wondered why their God made life hard for them through all the rules and regulations (some from God and others from man)? Did they see Jesus as a rebel? Or did they see him as one who was simply bringing the Law to life for them, making it relevant for their lives? The Zealots were looking for a good strong leader. What did they think when he taught the Golden Rule and "turn the other cheek"? I wonder how many on that mountain "got it" then...and how many of us really "get it" today? I guess only God knows.

Eremos means lonely. In the Gospels Jesus often times goes to a place of solitude. I never thought about this place being a cave, but after seeing the landscape, it only makes sense. Eremos is the traditional spot where Jesus might have been. Located above the Mount of Beatitudes and the place where Jesus is believed to have fed the 5,000, it would be a logical location. As Michelle and I had our pictures taken there, I wondered if Jesus sat and looked over the Sea...lonely. I wonder how it felt knowing that he was the only one of his kind? I wonder if he was ever lonely, even in a crowd?

The Church of the Primacy remembers the place where Peter is restored after denying Jesus three times. This is found at the end of the Gospel of John. This is the place where all the disciples see Jesus for the last time in John's Gospel. It is a place where they'd been fishing and Jesus told them to throw their nets out on the other side. The last time that he told them this was when he called them to be fishers of men. And this is believed to be in a cove just a little ways down the bank of the Sea of Galilee. It's amazing how close these places really are.

Chorazim means wheat all around. It was in the midst of a very fertile area. This is one of the places that Jesus curses when he says "Woe to Chorizim". I wonder why they didn't accept? I guess that's a question for all who never believe.

Finally, we ended up at Tabgha. You might not be familiar with this place from your bible. That's because it's not named there. Tabgha is the traditional location where Jesus fed the 5,000. It sits right beside the Mount of Beatitudes. Again, this shows the close proximity of all of Jesus' ministry in Galilee. It was here that our Bishop served us Holy Communion. What a blessed place to Commune with God.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Pictures from the Holy Land

Picture 1 - Michelle by the Sea of Galilee.

Picture 2 - Me doing what I'm told and finding Michelle and rock to bring home from the Sea of Galilee

Picture 3 - A rocky shore

Picture 4 - Anyone remember how Jesus speaks about how beautiful the lillies of the field are? Well, these are the lillies that he referred to. Beautiful, huh?

Picture 5 - Church at the Mount of Beatitudes. Did you know that many Medieval churches were octagonal in shape because there were 8 Beatitudes and because Peter said that 8 came out of the ark. This is a baptismal number. Check out your baptismal fount at your church and see if it's not 8 sided.

Day 1 in the Holy Land

During our time in Israel, Michelle and I were told about a Gospel that we'd never heard of before. It was brought to our attention that there were not 4 Gospels, but in fact 5. As you can imagine, this brought up some red flags for me and made me wonder what was going on. But before the trip was over, I had come to agree with our teachers. There were actually 5 Gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and the last being...the Land. As we traveled to the places Jesus would've taught, performed miracles and sacrificed himself for us, we learned so much more about the other 4 Gospel stories. And what an experience that was. Over the next few days, I will try my best to share just a little of what this experience was like. But in truth, as they say, you had to be there. So I encourage any of you reading this to make it a priority to some day make the same pilgrimage that we did. You won't regret it.



So we begin with day one in Galilee and looking out our hotel room window over the Sea of Galilee as the sun rises above it. What a beautiful site.

Breakfast was then had, and we realized at that moment that we were going to be fed very nicely. I will say that I gained 4 or 5 pounds and at the same time brought my blood sugar down. It was amazing. I ate and ate, but it was all fresh vegetables and food that was good for me. The food was worth going for if nothing else. But there was something else waiting as we left the hotel.

The bus took us just down the road where we loaded onto a pontoon-like boat and headed out to sea. Of course putting out to sea in the Sea of Galilee is like going out into a big lake for it's only 13 miles long and 9 miles wide at it's widest. But heading out into the middle of this body of water, I had no idea what kind of Holy Spirit moment awaited me. Our teachers brought it to our attention that fishermen in Jesus' day would not travel into the deep waters of the middle of the lake. This is because it was too dangerous. We had the luxury of engines to take us where we wanted to go, but they didn't. Each village had its own cove in which the village fishermen would fish from. So even though there are 35 varieties of fish in the lake, they would have caught only the smaller ones that would've come closer to the shore.

As I looked over the rail to the northern part of the lake, I was taught that this is where Jesus travels would have been. We also were pointed out the general areas where he would've fed the 5,000 and taught those wonderful lessons we now call the Sermon on the Mount. It was at that moment I had my first "Holy Spirit" experience. I looked out over the lake to the place where he would have sent the disciples across after feeding the 5,000. As Matthew, Mark and John all describe, after sending the crowds home, he found a place to pray and then went out on the water...walking on water. As this came to my mind, I realized that in my eyesight somewhere out there, I saw the actual place where Jesus walked on water. And it brought chills to me. I felt like I could actually see my Savior out there. And I cannot truly explain what the feeling was like, except to say that I didn't want it to end.

And this was only the beginning of the day. At the end of the day we had traveled to Capernaum, Kursi (traditional place where Jesus sent the demons into the swine) and Bethsaida. We had lunch at En Gev Kubbutz where I ate St. Peter's fish (Tilapia) fromt the Sea of Galilee (it looked back at me as I ate). And I learned that at Capernaum it was not the poor people who accepted Jesus', but some of the more wealthy like a Roman Soldier, Jairus and Matthew the tax collector turned disciple. So all in all it was an eventful day filled with learning and Spiritual experiences. Thanks be to God.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thank You and Prayer for last couple of weeks

Greetings after a short 12 hour nap lasting from 5:30pm Thursday until 5:30am on Friday.

Pictures are being downloaded. Jet lag is slowly subsiding. Luggage that was lost has been found. A good night's sleep has been had. And life will soon be getting back to normal (whatever that is) for Michelle and me.

I want to thank you all for your prayers. There was not a moment that we didn't feel safe. And I'm convinced that there was no time when we weren't. The weather was as close to perfect for us as it could be. One day it misted a little, but otherwise it was gorgeous. We had unseasonably warm 70 days in Galilee. How many of us have been able to say that we have gotten sun burnt in February? Well, add my name to the list, Ha ha. I praise my God for the great things He has done over the last couple of weeks.

We took over a thousand pictures and will be placing them on Facebook, my Blog and slideshows for people to see. But for now, we must wade through them and I must begin thinking about what I will say Sunday morning. I have a feeling much of it will be off the cuff. :)

I will be sharing much more in the coming weeks. But for now, allow me to get cleaned up and check my email and say a small prayer of thanks to God and for you.

Dear Lord, I thank you for your goodness and your love. I thank you for the many friends and family that we have who've thought about us, prayed for us, and even worried about us. Lord I ask now that each prayer lifted for us be turned around for each of those who prayed. Please bless them and keep them. Please grant them good days filled with joy and peace. May they experience your presence, walk in your ways and be forgiven by you when they fail. Thank you for the great people who made this trip to the place where your Son walked possible. Thank you for our guides, who were wonderful, and for our Bishop for all she did. Thank you for all those I've forgotten. And thank you most of all for you; your love, your peace and your presence through the Holy Spirit that was not only felt in Israel, but is still being felt today. Thank you Lord. I love you...we love you. In Jesus Holy and Precious Name I pray, Amen.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Change in itinerary

Instead of leaving tomorrow morning to go to Atlanta, Rome and Tel Aviv, we leave tomorrow at 6pm to Atlanta and then straight to Tel Aviv. Yippee!! Much better travel itinerary!

Prayer Request for Pilgrimage

Today's "Thought of the Day !!" is a request. I am extremely excited that tomorrow morning Michelle and I will be leaving on a plane headed for Atlanta, Rome and a final destination of Tel Aviv, Israel.

My request is for your prayers for us as we are away. There are people who are worried about us and tell us to be careful (see mom, you're not the only one). But truth be told, Michelle and I have no fear or worry. We believe that we're supposed to be on this trip and that everything will be fine. We know that there is still a lot of violence going on over there, but our God has given us peace.

So pray for our safety (for that surely won't hurt). But please pray for God to increase our knowledge of the Holy Land, wisdom about how to use this knowledge and our faith in general. Please pray, with us, that God does something great through this trip and that we come back changed for the better and closer to our Heavenly Father than ever before.

I know that this pilgrimage to the Holy Land will be exciting and Spirit-filled. And I pray that when I return the effects will be able to be used in my devotions and in my church.

We leave tomorrow morning and come home next Thursday evening. I may get a chance to write before then, but if not, plan on the "Thoughts" returning on Monday, Feb. 23. May God bless you and keep you in the interim.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

Fear is a strong motivator. People who are afraid will do things they might otherwise not ever think of. If someone has a gun to his or her head, the fear of being shot could cause them to do whatever the person holding the gun says to do. Fear of a burning building my cause someone to jump out of a 4-story window. The devil knows all about fear and will use it to sidetrack us…to get us off course and to simply make our lives miserable.

The key to fighting fear is to ask for God's assurance and find our strength in Him. In Isaiah we learn not to fear, for God is with us. And He is, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

King David knew this to be true. So true that he wrote in the Psalms that "(God) alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken." (Psalm 62:6 – NIV). He knew that God was the key to getting past our fears. As the Bible says, if God is with us, who can be against us?

So as we strive to live our lives out in victory and in joy, we can conquer the fears that will detour us from living the way we should by bringing them to God and spending time studying God's Word.

May your weekend be blessed with courage in the face of your fears. May you be like King David, who even though he had enemies constantly trying to kill him, found strength and peace in the Lord.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."
1 Corinthians 11:23-24

Whenever you partake of Holy Communion, remember Jesus. Whenever you go to church, remember Jesus. Whenever you wake up in the morning, remember Jesus. Whenever you go to work, remember Jesus. Whenever you sit down to eat, remember Jesus. Whenever you go to bed at night, remember Jesus.

Sometimes we get caught up in the stuff that fills our lives (good and bad), and we forget the Savior, the one we've decided to call Lord. Jesus should be a part of our daily lives. In every decision we make, every thought we take, we should instinctively do them in the light of how Christ would want us to act.

Jesus left us with the Lord's Supper so that we would have something to use to remember him. Let us not forget him then or any other time of the day or week.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12 (NASB)

The Golden Rule as I was taught it goes "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." If we'd learn to live by this rule our lives would be much more peaceful and joyful. The alternative is to do unto others as we believe they deserve. This would be the world's version of the Rule to live by, and it's as worthless as the Golden Rule is valuable.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Who would know better the paths that will lead to fulfillment? The one who created the paths or the one blindly following the path? We so often think that we know best, but when we'll seek God's will and trust in His ways for our lives, we'll figure out just how little we knew all along. Allow God to guide you today, and not your imperfect understanding of the world and all that's in it. In doing this you will find peace.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
Leviticus 19:2 (NLT)

I was reading an article where the Barna Group did a survey on people's understanding, or lack of understanding of holiness. It seems that many of us don't understand what it means to be holy even though, as Barna points out, God's people are called holy more than two dozen times in the New Testament.

What is your definition of holiness? What does it mean to be holy? Is this something you ever think about? Is it something that you can obtain? Or is this set aside for that special Sunday School teacher that taught you about Jesus or the lady down the street that always seems to be in a good mood and came to church every Sunday or the preachers filling the pulpits? (Many may have their doubts about some of the latter in today's world.)

Paul gives us an idea of holiness in his first letter to the church in Corinth.

Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you Christians are that temple. Stop fooling yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you will have to become a fool so you can become wise by God's standards. - I Corinthians 3:16-18

Being a Christian means that we become part of God's temple, part of the body of Christ, and therefore holy. And as such, we are to "become wise by God's standards." This means becoming "right" with God, living by His standards set forth by His Son Jesus.

So you are holy when you live your life trying to be right with God. It's not when you're perfect. It's when you're striving for Christian Perfection.

In the love of Christ,
greg