What Are You Made of?

Apoptosis is essentially when a cell is programmed to willingly die for the greater good of the whole. This is what happens when the cells holding a leaf on a tree die so the leaf drops off, when the cells holding our fingers and toes together die and slough off so we can spread our fingers and toes, etc. Though not recognized in the scientific community I call this micro apoptosis. Why? Because I think macro apoptosis exists too. Micro occurs at the level of cells within an organism, macro occurs at the level of organisms within a group of like organisms. Consider lemmings that drown themselves in droves, or an injured or sick animal that separates itself from the herd/pack - e.g. javelin. It sounds simple enough until you consider that it applies to people as well - think about people who volunteer to fight in war.

          This is not to say that we are just animals. We are more than the sum of our biological parts. All living things share genetic material because we are made from the same stuff - think of the chemicals that make up the genetic material. The atomic mass of the human body is about 65% oxygen, 19 % carbon, 10% hydrogen, and miscellaneous after that (nitrogen 3%, etc.). That means we are chemically about the same as a big bucket of water with a few handfuls of diamonds dropped in it (add a dollop of chicken manure to get even closer to us).

So much for being related to apes! Anyway, these are just a few things to think on.

What Are You Made of? Part II

Last week’s thought concerned what we are composed of from the standpoint of chemical mass. Water is the most abundant chemical compound in human cells (65-90% of each cell). Most (not all) water molecule consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, but the mass of each oxygen atom is much higher than the combined mass of the hydrogen atoms. Six elements account for 99% of the mass of the human body (and most other animals too): oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. This is easy to understand since YHWH made us all from the same stuff.

We when look at what we are composed of numerically we find a very different story. There are many species of bacteria and other microorganisms that live on or inside our body. In fact, 90% (by number) of the cells in or on our body are microbes. Some of these are necessary for our health - people have actually died because modern antibiotics have killed off too many of their digestive bacteria. Those that neither help nor harm us are called commensal organisms. There are about 10 times more bacterial cells in our body than human cells. Again, no surprise since we were made from the dust of the Earth - which is packed full of microbes.

There is also an estimated 100 times more microbial genes than human genes in our human genome. A handful of human genes (the consensus today is around 40) appear to be bacterial in origin. How and why are they there? Some scientists say the bacteria are fairly recently in evolutionary history, because the genes are not found in our closest animal ancestors. Others say they are ancient relics from evolutionary events that took place long ago and, for reasons unknown, the genes were lost in these ancestors.

Bottom line is that science really has no answer. YHWH does!

Reference Articles:

NPR

Scientific American

A Different Kind of New Years Resolution

This time of year a lot of folks have made a “new year resolution”. If you consider yourself a Christian I have a suggestion for one you probably have not considered. Confirm your beliefs for yourself.

          This is not as simple as it sounds since most folks believe what they do because they were raised to believe in them. They then go thru life convinced in beliefs they have never researched for themselves. To complicate matters these beliefs are then often reinforced because they then associate with others that hold those same unconfirmed beliefs.

          Consider what it would be like if folks like Luther had not studied for themselves. Do you believe all your sins are forgiven by the blood of Jesus? That is not what Jesus says. Read the gospels for yourself and you will see this. Do you believe the Law is done away with? That is not what Jesus says. Read the gospels for yourself and you will see this.

          It is your own soul that is at risk. Do you love YHWH enough to learn for yourself what He expects from you?

Trinity doctrine is a lie!

Then he came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne.

(Revelation 5:7)

Then I heard every creature — in heaven, on earth, under the earth, in the sea, and all that is in them — singing: "To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be praise, honor, glory, and ruling power forever and ever!"

(Revelation 5:13)

When YHWH physically saved the people of the earth He used Noah. Noah saved all of the people - plus himself.

When a person finally sees the fallacy of the trinity they may well see a love so far beyond our comprehension as to be unimaginable. How awesome it was that YHWH may have risked His only begotten Son Jesus to spiritually save us. Jesus came to Earth to be born of woman; and, to save all born of woman. Plus Himself?

If Jesus had failed as man, then what would have become of Him? Could YHWH have lost His only Son? What an unimaginable risk! That is a love to glorious to contemplate.

We know Jesus gave His life as a man as a sacrifice for us. But did Jesus, if He failed as man, also risk eternal damnation just to save us? What an unimaginable risk! That is a love to glorious to contemplate. That is love beyond comparison.

For the Father is not judging anyone, but has given the judgment to the Son, that all may be honoring the Son just as they are honoring the Father. The one not honoring the Son is not honoring the Father - the one sending him.

(John 5:22-23)

          Yes, we should honor Jesus as we honor YHWH; but, never worship Jesus, the Son of YHWH, as God the Father, YHWH Himself!

Pagan Holiday Season

I'll probably be seen as a scrooge but . . . there is no Biblical basis for christmas. Most folks should know by now that the "roots" of christmas are the pagan holiday of Saturnalia. The RC incorporated it into "Christianity" in the 4th century to appease the roman pagans. Even the "traditions" of the tree, mistletoe, and gift giving are all pagan based. I don't "observe" christmas myself (biblical evidence is against a winter birth time frame anyway) and am surprised by the arguments about "merry christmas" versus "happy holidays". The word christmas comes from Christ Mass and holiday comes from "Holy day" - again the RC and pagan influences.

Folks complain that the observance of christmas is all about "commercialization", but it never has been different. The Puritans banned it. Throughout most of history it has been used as an excuse to kill Jews.

Folks seem to love to focus on the birth and death of Jesus while leaving out His words and His example for living as minor events.

Anyway, hope everybody stays safe and well for the rest of the year and beyond. May YHWH’s will be done.

Are you fruitful?

Every branch in Me not bearing fruit, He takes it away; and each one bearing fruit, He prunes, so that it may bear more fruit.

(John 15:2)

          The above sentence expresses a simple concept. It is a concept so simple most folks today ignore it. The concept is this: we must continue in Jesus or YHWH will remove us. We will be cast out and burned:

Unless one continues in Me, he is cast out as the branch and is dried up; and, they gather and throw them into a fire and he is burned.

(John 15:6)

          Jesus goes on to tell us:

If you are keeping My commandments you will continue in My love, as I have kept My Father's commandments and continue in His love.

(John 15:10)

          If you are not keeping His commandments then you are not continuing in Jesus - you will be cast out. It is that simple. Jesus commandments are YHWH commandments. He tells us:

 

The one not loving me is not keeping My Words. And the Word which you hear is not Mine but of the Father who sent Me.

(John 14:24)

          Obey or be burned. It is that simple. No matter what Paul or your church leader says. Jesus says we have the Holy Spirit to remind of this. Who are you listening to?

Interesting OT references in the NT

Old Testament Reference made in all four gospel accounts:

For this is he spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord! Make His paths straight!"

(Matthew 3:3)

He said, "I am a voice crying in the wilderness:" "Make straight" "the way of the Lord," as Isaiah the prophet said.

(John 1:23)

as it has been written in the scroll of the Words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.

(Luke 3:4)

the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight."

(Mark 1:3)

The voice of him who cries in the wilderness: Prepare the way of YHWH; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

(Isaiah 40:3)

Old Testament References made in five books of the NT:

And the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled on them, which says, "In hearing you will hear and in no way understand, and seeing you will see yet in no way perceive. For the heart of this people has grown fat, and they heard heavily with the ears, and they have closed their eyes, that they not see with the eyes, or hear with the ears, and understand with the heart, and be converted, and I heal them."

(Matthew 13:14-15)

"He has blinded their eyes" and "has hardened their heart," "that they might not see with the eyes" and "understand with the heart," "and be converted," "and I should heal them."

(John 12:40)

And He said, To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables, that seeing they might not see, and hearing, they might not understand.

(Luke 8:10)

that seeing they may see and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand, lest they should convert, and the sins be forgiven to them.

(Mark 4:12)

saying, "Go to this people and say, You will surely hear, and not at all understand; and you will surely see, and not at all perceive; for the heart of this people was fattened, and they have heard with the ears heavily; and they closed their eyes lest at any time they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."

(Acts 28:26-27)

And He said, Go and say to this people, Hearing you hear, but do not understand; and seeing you see, but do not know. Make the heart of this people fat, and make his ears heavy, and shut his eyes, that he not see with his eyes, and hear with his ears, and understand with his heart, and turn back, and one heals him.

(Isaiah 6:9-10)

AND:

"The Lord said to my Lord, Sit off My right until I should put Your hostile ones as a footstool for Your feet?"

(Matthew 22:44)

Even David himself said in the Book of Psalms, "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand until I place the ones hostile to You as a footstool of Your feet."

(Luke 20:42-43)

For David himself said by the Holy Spirit, "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit off My right until I place Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet."

(Mark 12:36)

For David did not ascend into Heaven, but he says, "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand until I place those hostile to You as a footstool for Your feet."

(Acts 2:34-35)

But to which of the angels did He ever say, "Sit at My right hand until I place Your enemies as a footstool of Your feet?"

(Hebrews 1:13)

A Psalm of David. A declaration of Jehovah to my Lord: Sit at My

right hand, until I place Your enemies as Your footstool.

(LXX-Psa. 109:1; MT-Psa. 110:1)

Old Testament References made only by Matthew and John:

"Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King comes to you, meek and mounted on an ass, even a colt, the son of an ass."

(Matthew 21:5)

"Do not fear," "daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes" "sitting on" "the foal of an ass."

(John 12:15)

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous and being victorious, humble, and riding on an ass, even on a colt, the son of an ass.

(Zechariah 9:9)

AND:

And having crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting a lot, that might be fulfilled that spoken by the prophet, "They divided My garments to themselves, and they cast a lot over My clothing."

(Matthew 27:35)

Then they said to one another, Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots about it, whose it will be (that the Scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided My garments among them," and "they threw a lot for My garment." Then indeed the soldiers did these things.

(John 19:24)

They divide My garments among them, and they made fall a

lot for My clothing.

(LXX-Psa. 21:19; MT-Psa. 22:18 )