Let’s begin by understanding what a promise is. A promise can be described as a pledge or an assurance to someone that a specific task will be fulfilled.
How important are the promises of God? The bible is filled with many promises that God has made to His children. His promises are important because they bring peace, joy, comfort and they also help to strengthen believers.
God’s promises prove that His words are true, everlasting and that we can put our faith, hope and trust in Him. The word of God declares that “God is not a man that He should lie” (Numbers 23:19). In this we can have confident that He will fulfill all His promises. In order to see God’s promises manifest in our lives, we must become obedient, humble, seek Hs will, pray, repent and live our lives for Him.
Psalm 145:13 declares that “The Lord is faithful to all His promises).
Promises can fall under a number of different categories:
(a)Promise made by God to His children (John 14:13) (b)Promise made by God to Jesus (John 13:3-5) (c)Promise made by one individual to another (Nehemiah 5:12) (d)Promise made by a believer to God (Ecclesiastes 5:4-10)
God’s promises bring contentment in every situation. (Phil 4:10-14) We have a blessed assurance and a divine hope as we continue to hold on to all the promises that God has made to us.
All about love: What is Love? The bible tells us that love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self–seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) We will now examine the different kinds of love:
(a)Agape ( Greek)- A choice to love God, neighbor and to accept ourselves. Agape love is the perfect love that originates from God and is the characteristic of God. This love is unconditional, it is a love that always forgives and endures with patience through any hardship or attacks from outside influences. This Agape love cannot be shaken or altered.
(b)Philos( Greek)- Refers to affection shared between friends or between a wife and husband/children. Philos love is imperfect when placed in comparison to Agape love. Philos love can have limitations and conditions that have the ability to break the love.
(c)Eros (Greek) - Refers to the self-centered kind of love. This is a temporary expression of love and can also stand on its own. Eros love can be expressed with or without a marriage or commitment, and will last as long as erotica attraction has strength to support it.
(d)Stergos (Greek) – Refers to the love shared between family members. Simply put, there is an obligation that each person has because of the sacrifices of others for you. This is seen in the child’s gratitude to the parents because of all they do for him, and within a marriage (one for another).
We are always encouraged to love one another as God loves us. At the end of the day love never fails. Remember there is no fear in love, because perfect love casts out fear. Amen! (1John 4:18)
God's armor is our protection against Satan's attacks and from all other evil forces that we battle against in this life.
Ephesians 6:10-17- teaches us to always use every piece of God's armor to resist the Devil's attacks and also to stand firm on God's word whenever we come under attack.
Let's go deeper into what these principles are: First we have:
(1)The Belt- this represents God's truth that can also be found in His word, which helps to defeat the Devil's lies.
(2) Breastplate-This represents God's righteousness, this protects our hearts and ensures God's love for us.
(3) Footgear-This represents our readiness to spread the Good News of the gospel, which also serves as our motivation to continue to proclaim the genuine peace that comes from God.
(4)Sheild- This represents our faith, this helps us to know that the victory is ours and it also offers protection from setbacks, temptations and anything else the enemy throws at us.
(5)Helmet-This represents our salvation, this also protects our mind from doubting who we are in God and His abounding love for us and His saving grace towards us.
(6) Sword- This represents thw Word of God, this helps us when we are tempted are otherwise in distress, it brings reassurance to us through the Word of God, so we can be encouraged and edified to become stronger in our faith.
With these things we are able to better withstand all the schemes of the Devil and to overcome adversities in our lives.
My prayer is that we continue to be alert and in everything put God first and continue always in prayer and supplication before Almighty God.
What are the different names for God? Why is it important to know these names?
We have below a list of names for God. Each name for God gives helps to give us a better understanding of who He is, so we can be better equipped when we call on His name. Amen!
1)Abba- (Father) (Mark 14:36)
2)El Shaddai- (Almighty) - The all Powerful God. (Ruth 1:20)
3)Ancient Of Days- (Attiq Yomin) God is active in history (Dan 7:9)
Very inspiring. It is wonderful to praise God with His names. I find when I begin to praise The Lord with His names Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God Everlasting Father Prince of Peace Lion of The Tribe of Judah, Alpha and Omega, The Way, The Truth, The Life, The Door, The Bread that came down from Heaven, The Faithful and True Witness, The Rock and more. You are right it gives us a better understanding of who He is and builds us up as our feet are firmly planted on the Solid Rock, the sure foundation knowing who He is and that He forever reigns, Sovereign Lord.
What does it mean to walk by faith? Well we know that to “walk” means to move with one foot before the other. So we could say that to “walk” in faith can be described as a continual forward movement in the Hope that is found in God’s promises.
The scriptures describe faith as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) So can we somehow be compelled by this faith in our walk with God? The answer lies within our hearts as well as within the scriptures.
Let’s examine the scripture that teaches us that the just shall live by faith. (Hebrews 10:38)
To understand this we must choose to release ourselves of our own understanding and take on a mindset that is in tuned with God’s heart. If we want to be fully persuaded to live a faith driven life, we have to depend, trust, believe and receive every word that comes from God without hesitation or reservation.
We have to set aside our own doubts, fears, unresolved issues, questions and completely trust God. It is when we release ourselves to God, we become better able to understand and receive everything that God has in store for us. Remembering that without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)
By faith Noah built an Ark (Hebrews 11:7) By faith Abel offered God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain (Hebrews 11:4) By faith Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac. (Hebrews 11:17) By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. (Hebrews 11:3)
Therefore it is with much faith we are able to continue in Christ running the race set out before us. The race of faith can lead us down many paths, but if we continue to press on in faith and run with endurance, then we can be assured that the Lord Jesus is more than able to help us to finish the race. So let us continue looking unto Jesus the author and finisher or our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)
Amen. It is interesting that the scripture asks will He find faith when He comes. Faith helps us to see what others cannot see, and helps us believe far beyond our capabilities, and we learn from faith to faith.
What exactly is Easter all about? Even though Easter is a worldwide tradition involving many customs that people believe to be Christian. Why do we believe what we believe? Where did we get our beliefs? Is the source of our religious beliefs taken from the Bible—or some other authority? If we say the Bible, are we sure?
Since hundreds of millions keep it, supposedly in honor of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection, then certainly the Bible must have much to say about it. Easter requires close scrutiny and Christians will need to examine it very carefully.
The name “Easter” has its roots in ancient polytheistic religions (paganism). On this, all scholars agree. This name is never used in the original Scriptures, nor is it ever associated biblically with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For these reasons, most people prefer to use the term “Resurrection Sunday” rather than “Easter” when referring to the annual Christian remembrance of Christ's resurrection.
As the people scattered from Babel with their different languages, they, of course, used different names for Nimrod (Tammuz) and Semiramis. Some called the Mother Goddess “ISHTAR” (originally pronounced “Easter”).[9] In other lands, she was called Eostre, Astarte, Ostera, and Eastre.
The Easter Bunny
The rabbit is well known as a sexual symbol of fertility. In various parts of the world, religions which developed from Babel also associate the rabbit with periodicity, both human and lunar (Egypt, China, etc.) the Mother Goddess Semiramis (Easter) is associated with the Moon; the Easter bunny also symbolizes the Mother Goddess.
The Easter Egg
Most children and families who color or hide Easter eggs as part of their Resurrection Sunday tradition have no knowledge of the origin of these traditions. Easter egg activities have become a part of Western culture. Many would be surprised and even dismayed to learn where the traditions originated.
“The egg was a sacred symbol among the Babylonians. They believed an old fable about an egg of wondrous size which was supposed to have fallen from heaven into the Euphrates River. From this “marvelous” egg - according to the ancient story - the Goddess Astarte (Easter) [Semiramis] was hatched. And so the egg came to symbolize the Goddess Easter.”[11] The idea of a mystic egg spread from Babylon to many parts of the world.[12]
The egg was also a symbol of fertility; Semiramis (Easter) was the goddess of Fertility. The Easter egg is a symbol of the pagan Mother Goddess, and it even bears one of her names.
For Christians, the origin of Easter is simply the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ about 2,000 years ago. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus Christ, the true Messiah promised in the Old Testament, was crucified and resurrected at the time of the Jewish Passover.
Since that awesome event took place, those who believe Christ is their Messiah have honored that day and often celebrated it with the traditional Passover.
As the Gospel of Christ spread throughout non-Jewish nations, among people who did not have a history of celebrating the Passover, the pagan rites of Easter gradually became assimilated into what the Christian church called "Resurrection Day." Compromising the commandments of God with the comfort of the world is as old as the nation of Israel itself.
Actually, American history teaches us that Easter was dismissed as a pagan holiday by the nation's founding Puritans and did not begin to be widely observed until just after the Civil War.
In conclusion, it is clear that we must seek the face of the Lord our God diligently so that He can reveal His truth to us; As He has said in His word: (John 8:32) “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
And collectively, we will come to know the truth and the truth will indeed set us free. Amen!
Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, `If you obey my word, you are truly my disciples. And you will understand the truth and the truth will make you free.'
The book of Revelation was written by John during a time of great persecution for the Christians. John wrote the book based on the vision he received while he was exiled on the prison island of Patmos.
John’s message is that God has already triumphed over evil and that He will destroy all evil at the end of time. The primary emphasis of this book is to emphasize the triumphant Christ who is unveiled in His glory. Revelation serves as a constant reminder of God’s warning and encouragement to His people.
The letters are addressed to seven churches. What state are these churches in? What is the true description for these churches? Let’s find out.
1)The first church- Ephesus-is the “Loveless” church-this church had lost its love for Christ Jesus.
2)The second church- Smyrna-is the “Persecuted” church- this church was persecuted and endured great suffering and poverty.
3)The third church-Pergamos-is the “Compromising” church- this church tolerated immorality, idolatry and heresies.
4)The fourth church-Thyatira-is the “Corrupt” church- this church tolerated Jezebel and her wickedness.
5)The fifth church-Sardis-“Dead”-this church had few who had remained faithful.
6)The sixth church- Philadelphia-Faithful-this church was faithful.
7)The seventh church- Laodicea-“Lukewarm”-this church was indifferent, needed to seek genuine spiritual riches.
As we examine these churches let’s also examine our hearts and see if we fit the description of any of these churches that needed correction. Let us allow Christ to stir up positive changes within our lives, so that we can impact our world in a way that will bring glory to His name. Amen!
1)SHABACH- to praise, to address in a loud voice, as in triumph.
"My lips shall praise Thee". Ps. 63:3 "Praise ("halal" the Lord, all nations;) praise Him all peoples"! Ps. 117:1
2)YADAH - ("to give thanks; or to praise") to worship with extended, uplifted hands; to praise; to give thanks.
"It is good thing to give thanks to the Lord". Ps 92:2 "At midnight I will rise up to give thanks". Ps 119:2 "Surely the righteous will give thanks to Thy Name". Ps 140:13
3)BARAK - to kneel in adoration; to bless.
"Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker". Ps 95:6 "Sing unto the Lord and bless His name". Ps 99:5 "I will bless you and I will bless those that bless you". Gen 12:2-3
4)KARAR - to dance and whirl about.
"David was dancing before the Lord with all his might". II Sam 6:14
5)HALAL -(to praise, to celebrate hilariously, to be clamorously foolish, to rave, to boast, to make a show, to shine forth. Root word in "Hallelujah" (literally means "Praise Yah").
"Praise the Lord!" Ps. 149:1; 150:1-6 "Whosoever offereth praise glorifieth Me." Ps. 50:23 "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised." I Chr. 16:25 "And the people said Amen, and praised the Lord." I Chr. 16:36
The word Sabbath or (Shabbat) means to “rest or to cease” from work. This comes from the Hebrew word Shavat. The Sabbath “day” is a period that starts on the evening or sundown of the Friday until the evening or sundown of the Saturday.
A Sabbath is a period of time divided into seven equal parts. There is a seventh day Sabbath which occurs on the seventh day of the week, an annual Sabbath which happens every seven years and a 49 year Sabbath where the Jubilee year is the 50th year.
The Bible tells us in Daniel that a persecuting power would change God’s laws which it did – the Seventh Day Sabbath became the first day Sabbath without God’s approval. The book of Daniel also refers to this change of God’s law by the antichrist power as reaching to the host of heaven and trampling the heavenly sanctuary under foot. We find the same expression used in Hebrews chapter ten in reference to willful sin.
Since the majority of Christians grow up with Sunday worship as their custom, it becomes very much a mind set and people are also very reluctant to accept change or alter their lifestyle. Saturday is also a day that is not convenient for most Christians and so sadly, most would rather not know truth and go into denial. Because of these factors, even when a pastor is presented with the Sabbath truth, it becomes difficult to both accept and see.
This instantly gives the enemy the upper hand as he now just whispers in your mind, “the day does not matter”. If it mattered everyone would know about it and would be keeping Saturday.” Sadly, all too many listen and never investigate and Satan continues to be victorious in keeping Christians ignorantly breaking one of the Commandments of God.
God Started It “On the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:2, 3).
Because God rested on the seventh day, he designated it a holy day to be remembered for all time. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,” He says in the fourth commandment. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:8-10).
The Reason for the Sabbath God designed the Sabbath for two main reasons: to commemorate creation and as a sign of our salvation. “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:11). “I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy” (Ezekiel 20:12). The Sabbath remains today as a day of rest, fellowship and worship.
Many say the Sabbath was changed to Sunday in honor of the resurrection and others say it was nailed to the cross. Others will tell you any day can be kept as the Sabbath day as long as you keep one. And still others say as long as you do everything to the glory of God the Sabbath is as good as kept. And yet still others will say it is legalism.
Worst of all, and this is becoming more popular by the decade, some say the Ten Commandments are gone. Never underestimate the enemy’s ability to slowly and subtly bring heresy into the Church and make those with the most Biblical truth to get labeled falsely as cults or legalists. It should be obvious that Satan will always attack truth the hardest and sadly he has no trouble finding those he can deceive to accomplish his task very convincingly.
The fact of the matter is that what is popular is not always truth and what is truth is not always popular. Since the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments that defines what sin is, why wouldn't Satan attack this one Commandment that is the easiest one to attack and do everything in his power to ensure that it does not get recognized or taught so he can get many to live in lawlessness? If one truly studies this and checks it with unbiased history, they would find that Satan has achieved this goal and because most Christians do not study the Word and tend to rely on what their friends or pastor tells them, the lie continues to perpetuate.
There are a lot of misconceptions and questions about the Sabbath. However the Word of God is still the same and we should use it as our guide to the truth. Let us not listen to the lies that have been told to us anymore. There is a rest eternally for God’s people and it is an eternal Sabbath rest, regardless of what is being taught! Remember that in order to follow Christ fully, we must do exactly what He did.
Just as God rested from His creation work, we are to rest from our day-to-day occupations and refocus on what’s really important. It’s a day to push the reset button. Taking a Sabbath rest is an act of faith; it’s a reminder that no matter what we do, God is in control. When we cease from pursuing our material goals for one day each week, we’re saying, “God, I trust You to maintain control while I spend this day focusing on You.
I trust You to provide for my needs seven days a week even if I only work for six of them, today I’m going to rest my mind and body and bask in the Lord’s presence.” To divert from His ways only leads to error and opens us up for the attacks of the “devil”. From a logical perspective, in order to follow anyone, we have to do exactly what they do, and to this day I have not seen in scriptures where Christ ever worshipped on a Sunday.
So again I urge each and every one of us to read the scriptures fully, pray for clarity of the “Word” and ask God for His guidance and direction so that all His children can enjoy the beauty of the Sabbath blessing and the Sabbath rest. I pray that The Lord will continue to give us His strength and peace as we continue our search for the truth.
Stay Blessed!
Information Materials The Holy Bible Sabbath Day Truth Sabbath Truth
Holding on to the promises of God
ReplyDeleteLet’s begin by understanding what a promise is. A promise can be described as a pledge or an assurance to someone that a specific task will be fulfilled.
How important are the promises of God?
The bible is filled with many promises that God has made to His children. His promises are important because they bring peace, joy, comfort and they also help to strengthen believers.
God’s promises prove that His words are true, everlasting and that we can put our faith, hope and trust in Him.
The word of God declares that “God is not a man that He should lie” (Numbers 23:19). In this we can have confident that He will fulfill all His promises.
In order to see God’s promises manifest in our lives, we must become obedient, humble, seek Hs will, pray, repent and live our lives for Him.
Psalm 145:13 declares that “The Lord is faithful to all His promises).
Promises can fall under a number of different categories:
(a)Promise made by God to His children (John 14:13)
(b)Promise made by God to Jesus (John 13:3-5)
(c)Promise made by one individual to another (Nehemiah 5:12)
(d)Promise made by a believer to God (Ecclesiastes 5:4-10)
God’s promises bring contentment in every situation. (Phil 4:10-14) We have a blessed assurance and a divine hope as we continue to hold on to all the promises that God has made to us.
All about love:
ReplyDeleteWhat is Love? The bible tells us that love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self–seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
We will now examine the different kinds of love:
(a)Agape ( Greek)- A choice to love God, neighbor and to accept ourselves. Agape love is the perfect love that originates from God and is the characteristic of God. This love is unconditional, it is a love that always forgives and endures with patience through any hardship or attacks from outside influences. This Agape love cannot be shaken or altered.
(b)Philos( Greek)- Refers to affection shared between friends or between a wife and husband/children. Philos love is imperfect when placed in comparison to Agape love. Philos love can have limitations and conditions that have the ability to break the love.
(c)Eros (Greek) - Refers to the self-centered kind of love. This is a temporary expression of love and can also stand on its own. Eros love can be expressed with or without a marriage or commitment, and will last as long as erotica attraction has strength to support it.
(d)Stergos (Greek) – Refers to the love shared between family members. Simply put, there is an obligation that each person has because of the sacrifices of others for you. This is seen in the child’s gratitude to the parents because of all they do for him, and within a marriage (one for another).
We are always encouraged to love one another as God loves us. At the end of the day love never fails. Remember there is no fear in love, because perfect love casts out fear. Amen!
(1John 4:18)
The Armor Of God
ReplyDeleteWhat is God's armor?
God's armor is our protection against Satan's attacks and from all other evil forces that we battle against in this life.
Ephesians 6:10-17- teaches us to always use every piece of God's armor to resist the Devil's attacks and also to stand firm on God's word whenever we come under attack.
Let's go deeper into what these principles are:
First we have:
(1)The Belt- this represents God's truth that can also be found in His word, which helps to defeat the Devil's lies.
(2) Breastplate-This represents God's righteousness, this protects our hearts and ensures God's love for us.
(3) Footgear-This represents our readiness to spread the Good News of the gospel, which also serves as our motivation to continue to proclaim the genuine peace that comes from God.
(4)Sheild- This represents our faith, this helps us to know that the victory is ours and it also offers protection from setbacks, temptations and anything else the enemy throws at us.
(5)Helmet-This represents our salvation, this also protects our mind from doubting who we are in God and His abounding love for us and His saving grace towards us.
(6) Sword- This represents thw Word of God, this helps us when we are tempted are otherwise in distress, it brings reassurance to us through the Word of God, so we can be encouraged and edified to become stronger in our faith.
With these things we are able to better withstand all the schemes of the Devil and to overcome adversities in our lives.
My prayer is that we continue to be alert and in everything put God first and continue always in prayer and supplication before Almighty God.
Stay Blessed!
Names of God
ReplyDeleteWhat are the different names for God?
Why is it important to know these names?
We have below a list of names for God. Each name for God gives helps to give us a better understanding of who He is, so we can be better equipped when we call on His name. Amen!
1)Abba- (Father) (Mark 14:36)
2)El Shaddai- (Almighty) - The all Powerful God. (Ruth 1:20)
3)Ancient Of Days- (Attiq Yomin) God is active in history (Dan 7:9)
4)The Everlasting God/The Eternal God- (El Olam) (Gen 21:33)
5) God (Elohim) The Creator- (Gen 3:3)
6) The Most High God- El Elyon/Illaya-(The Exalted One)
(Gen 14:18-20 and Dan 7:25)
7)The God who sees- El Roi- The responders to needs
(Gen 16:13)
8)Shapat- The leader (who pronounces judgement)
(Gen 18:25)
9)Adonai- The Master (Psalm 2:4)
10)Yahweh-The personal, most intimate name God assigned to Himself. (1Sam 1:20)
11)Yahweh (Nissi)- The Lord is my Banner. (Yahweh Protects)
(Ex 17:15)
12) The Lord of Hosts- Sabaoth- Yahweh of the armies
(1 Sam 1:3)
13) The Lord is Peace- Yahweh Shalom- Yahweh is peace. (Judge 6:24)
14) The Lord will provide- (Yahweh provides)- Yahweh Yireh-
(Gen 22:14)
15) The Lord our Righteousness- Yahweh Tsidekenu
(The Righteous one) (Jer 23:6)
16) The Lord is my Shepherd- Yahweh-Rohi-The God who provides loving care. (Psalm 23:1)
17) The Holy One of Israel-The set apart God of Israel (Qedosh Yisra’el (Isaiah 1:4)
Very inspiring. It is wonderful to praise God with His names. I find when I begin to praise The Lord with His names Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God Everlasting Father Prince of Peace Lion of The Tribe of Judah, Alpha and Omega, The Way, The Truth, The Life, The Door, The Bread that came down from Heaven, The Faithful and True Witness, The Rock and more. You are right it gives us a better understanding of who He is and builds us up as our feet are firmly planted on the Solid Rock, the sure foundation knowing who He is and that He forever reigns, Sovereign Lord.
DeleteThe “Faith” driven life.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean to walk by faith? Well we know that to “walk” means to move with one foot before the other. So we could say that to “walk” in faith can be described as a continual forward movement in the Hope that is found in God’s promises.
The scriptures describe faith as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
So can we somehow be compelled by this faith in our walk with God? The answer lies within our hearts as well as within the scriptures.
Let’s examine the scripture that teaches us that the just shall live by faith. (Hebrews 10:38)
To understand this we must choose to release ourselves of our own understanding and take on a mindset that is in tuned with God’s heart. If we want to be fully persuaded to live a faith driven life, we have to depend, trust, believe and receive every word that comes from God without hesitation or reservation.
We have to set aside our own doubts, fears, unresolved issues, questions and completely trust God. It is when we release ourselves to God, we become better able to understand and receive everything that God has in store for us.
Remembering that without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)
By faith Noah built an Ark (Hebrews 11:7)
By faith Abel offered God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain (Hebrews 11:4)
By faith Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac. (Hebrews 11:17)
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.
(Hebrews 11:3)
Therefore it is with much faith we are able to continue in Christ running the race set out before us. The race of faith can lead us down many paths, but if we continue to press on in faith and run with endurance, then we can be assured that the Lord Jesus is more than able to help us to finish the race. So let us continue looking unto Jesus the author and finisher or our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)
Amen. It is interesting that the scripture asks will He find faith when He comes. Faith helps us to see what others cannot see, and helps us believe far beyond our capabilities, and we learn from faith to faith.
DeleteWhat is the origin of Easter?
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly is Easter all about? Even though Easter is a worldwide tradition involving many customs that people believe to be Christian. Why do we believe what we believe? Where did we get our beliefs? Is the source of our religious beliefs taken from the Bible—or some other authority? If we say the Bible, are we sure?
Since hundreds of millions keep it, supposedly in honor of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection, then certainly the Bible must have much to say about it. Easter requires close scrutiny and Christians will need to examine it very carefully.
The name “Easter” has its roots in ancient polytheistic religions (paganism). On this, all scholars agree. This name is never used in the original Scriptures, nor is it ever associated biblically with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For these reasons, most people prefer to use the term “Resurrection Sunday” rather than “Easter” when referring to the annual Christian remembrance of Christ's resurrection.
As the people scattered from Babel with their different languages, they, of course, used different names for Nimrod (Tammuz) and Semiramis. Some called the Mother Goddess “ISHTAR” (originally pronounced “Easter”).[9] In other lands, she was called Eostre, Astarte, Ostera, and Eastre.
The Easter Bunny
The rabbit is well known as a sexual symbol of fertility. In various parts of the world, religions which developed from Babel also associate the rabbit with periodicity, both human and lunar (Egypt, China, etc.) the Mother Goddess Semiramis (Easter) is associated with the Moon; the Easter bunny also symbolizes the Mother Goddess.
The Easter Egg
Most children and families who color or hide Easter eggs as part of their Resurrection Sunday tradition have no knowledge of the origin of these traditions. Easter egg activities have become a part of Western culture. Many would be surprised and even dismayed to learn where the traditions originated.
“The egg was a sacred symbol among the Babylonians. They believed an old fable about an egg of wondrous size which was supposed to have fallen from heaven into the Euphrates River. From this “marvelous” egg - according to the ancient story - the Goddess Astarte (Easter) [Semiramis] was hatched. And so the egg came to symbolize the Goddess Easter.”[11] The idea of a mystic egg spread from Babylon to many parts of the world.[12]
The egg was also a symbol of fertility; Semiramis (Easter) was the goddess of Fertility. The Easter egg is a symbol of the pagan Mother Goddess, and it even bears one of her names.
For Christians, the origin of Easter is simply the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ about 2,000 years ago. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus Christ, the true Messiah promised in the Old Testament, was crucified and resurrected at the time of the Jewish Passover.
Since that awesome event took place, those who believe Christ is their Messiah have honored that day and often celebrated it with the traditional Passover.
As the Gospel of Christ spread throughout non-Jewish nations, among people who did not have a history of celebrating the Passover, the pagan rites of Easter gradually became assimilated into what the Christian church called "Resurrection Day." Compromising the commandments of God with the comfort of the world is as old as the nation of Israel itself.
Actually, American history teaches us that Easter was dismissed as a pagan holiday by the nation's founding Puritans and did not begin to be widely observed until just after the Civil War.
In conclusion, it is clear that we must seek the face of the Lord our God diligently so that He can reveal His truth to us; As He has said in His word: (John 8:32) “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
And collectively, we will come to know the truth and the truth will indeed set us free. Amen!
Reference scriptures: Acts 12:(1-4),Leviticus(23:4-5), Galatians 4:(9-10)Exodus 12:(12-15,Acts 2:1,1 Cor 5(7-8)
In addition:
ReplyDeleteJohn 8:(31-32)
Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, `If you obey my word, you are truly my disciples.
And you will understand the truth and the truth will make you free.'
The seven churches of Revelation.
ReplyDeleteThe book of Revelation was written by John during a time of great persecution for the Christians. John wrote the book based on the vision he received while he was exiled on the prison island of Patmos.
John’s message is that God has already triumphed over evil and that He will destroy all evil at the end of time. The primary emphasis of this book is to emphasize the triumphant Christ who is unveiled in His glory. Revelation serves as a constant reminder of God’s warning and encouragement to His people.
The letters are addressed to seven churches. What state are these churches in? What is the true description for these churches? Let’s find out.
1)The first church- Ephesus-is the “Loveless” church-this church had lost its love for Christ Jesus.
2)The second church- Smyrna-is the “Persecuted” church- this church was persecuted and endured great suffering and poverty.
3)The third church-Pergamos-is the “Compromising” church- this church tolerated immorality, idolatry and heresies.
4)The fourth church-Thyatira-is the “Corrupt” church- this church tolerated Jezebel and her wickedness.
5)The fifth church-Sardis-“Dead”-this church had few who had remained faithful.
6)The sixth church- Philadelphia-Faithful-this church was faithful.
7)The seventh church- Laodicea-“Lukewarm”-this church was indifferent, needed to seek genuine spiritual riches.
As we examine these churches let’s also examine our hearts and see if we fit the description of any of these churches that needed correction. Let us allow Christ to stir up positive changes within our lives, so that we can impact our world in a way that will bring glory to His name. Amen!
Hebrew words for praise and worship.
ReplyDelete1)SHABACH- to praise, to address in a loud voice, as in triumph.
"My lips shall praise Thee". Ps. 63:3
"Praise ("halal" the Lord, all nations;) praise Him all peoples"! Ps. 117:1
2)YADAH - ("to give thanks; or to praise") to worship with extended, uplifted hands; to praise; to give thanks.
"It is good thing to give thanks to the Lord". Ps 92:2
"At midnight I will rise up to give thanks". Ps 119:2
"Surely the righteous will give thanks to Thy Name". Ps 140:13
3)BARAK - to kneel in adoration; to bless.
"Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker". Ps 95:6
"Sing unto the Lord and bless His name". Ps 99:5
"I will bless you and I will bless those that bless you". Gen 12:2-3
4)KARAR - to dance and whirl about.
"David was dancing before the Lord with all his might". II Sam 6:14
5)HALAL -(to praise, to celebrate hilariously, to be clamorously foolish, to rave, to boast, to make a show, to shine forth.
Root word in "Hallelujah" (literally means "Praise Yah").
"Praise the Lord!" Ps. 149:1; 150:1-6
"Whosoever offereth praise glorifieth Me." Ps. 50:23
"Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised." I Chr. 16:25
"And the people said Amen, and praised the Lord." I Chr. 16:36
The Sabbath-
ReplyDeleteTHE “FORGOTTEN” COMMAND.
The word Sabbath or (Shabbat) means to “rest or to cease” from work. This comes from the Hebrew word Shavat. The Sabbath “day” is a period that starts on the evening or sundown of the Friday until the evening or sundown of the Saturday.
A Sabbath is a period of time divided into seven equal parts. There is a seventh day Sabbath which occurs on the seventh day of the week, an annual Sabbath which happens every seven years and a 49 year Sabbath where the Jubilee year is the 50th year.
The Bible tells us in Daniel that a persecuting power would change God’s laws which it did – the Seventh Day Sabbath became the first day Sabbath without God’s approval. The book of Daniel also refers to this change of God’s law by the antichrist power as reaching to the host of heaven and trampling the heavenly sanctuary under foot. We find the same expression used in Hebrews chapter ten in reference to willful sin.
Since the majority of Christians grow up with Sunday worship as their custom, it becomes very much a mind set and people are also very reluctant to accept change or alter their lifestyle. Saturday is also a day that is not convenient for most Christians and so sadly, most would rather not know truth and go into denial. Because of these factors, even when a pastor is presented with the Sabbath truth, it becomes difficult to both accept and see.
This instantly gives the enemy the upper hand as he now just whispers in your mind, “the day does not matter”. If it mattered everyone would know about it and would be keeping Saturday.” Sadly, all too many listen and never investigate and Satan continues to be victorious in keeping Christians ignorantly breaking one of the Commandments of God.
God Started It
“On the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:2, 3).
Because God rested on the seventh day, he designated it a holy day to be remembered for all time. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,” He says in the fourth commandment. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:8-10).
Stay Blessed!
The Sabbath-The Forgotten Command (Part 2)
ReplyDeleteThe Reason for the Sabbath
God designed the Sabbath for two main reasons: to commemorate creation and as a sign of our salvation. “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:11). “I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy” (Ezekiel 20:12). The Sabbath remains today as a day of rest, fellowship and worship.
Many say the Sabbath was changed to Sunday in honor of the resurrection and others say it was nailed to the cross. Others will tell you any day can be kept as the Sabbath day as long as you keep one. And still others say as long as you do everything to the glory of God the Sabbath is as good as kept. And yet still others will say it is legalism.
Worst of all, and this is becoming more popular by the decade, some say the Ten Commandments are gone. Never underestimate the enemy’s ability to slowly and subtly bring heresy into the Church and make those with the most Biblical truth to get labeled falsely as cults or legalists. It should be obvious that Satan will always attack truth the hardest and sadly he has no trouble finding those he can deceive to accomplish his task very convincingly.
The fact of the matter is that what is popular is not always truth and what is truth is not always popular.
Since the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments that defines what sin is, why wouldn't Satan attack this one Commandment that is the easiest one to attack and do everything in his power to ensure that it does not get recognized or taught so he can get many to live in lawlessness? If one truly studies this and checks it with unbiased history, they would find that Satan has achieved this goal and because most Christians do not study the Word and tend to rely on what their friends or pastor tells them, the lie continues to perpetuate.
There are a lot of misconceptions and questions about the Sabbath. However the Word of God is still the same and we should use it as our guide to the truth. Let us not listen to the lies that have been told to us anymore. There is a rest eternally for God’s people and it is an eternal Sabbath rest, regardless of what is being taught! Remember that in order to follow Christ fully, we must do exactly what He did.
Just as God rested from His creation work, we are to rest from our day-to-day occupations and refocus on what’s really important. It’s a day to push the reset button. Taking a Sabbath rest is an act of faith; it’s a reminder that no matter what we do, God is in control. When we cease from pursuing our material goals for one day each week, we’re saying, “God, I trust You to maintain control while I spend this day focusing on You.
I trust You to provide for my needs seven days a week even if I only work for six of them, today I’m going to rest my mind and body and bask in the Lord’s presence.”
To divert from His ways only leads to error and opens us up for the attacks of the “devil”. From a logical perspective, in order to follow anyone, we have to do exactly what they do, and to this day I have not seen in scriptures where Christ ever worshipped on a Sunday.
So again I urge each and every one of us to read the scriptures fully, pray for clarity of the “Word” and ask God for His guidance and direction so that all His children can enjoy the beauty of the Sabbath blessing and the Sabbath rest. I pray that The Lord will continue to give us His strength and peace as we continue our search for the truth.
Stay Blessed!
Information Materials
The Holy Bible
Sabbath Day Truth
Sabbath Truth