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Monthly Archives: December 2013
Christmas Love: A Sonnet and Studies.
A chorus of angels assigns a chore for us:
Run to see the Savior, Christ the Lord.
Young Mary’s heart, soon pierced by evil sword.
Yet magi come with royal gifts, implore us
Let us pray and worship Christ the King
of Whom the moving stars in heaven sing:
Your Jewish baby prince is bringing peace
His sacred suffering shall send forth release
from debt to sin. “You must be born again.”
We run abroad, afar to spread the news,
that God saves any He’d elect to use
while carried by the Comforter, our Friend.
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Below are links to various resources on Christmas: links to sites with historical information on Christmas.
CHRISTMAS IN BETHLEHEM:
Christmas is an opportunity to share the news about the gift that God gave the world, Jesus, whom people can TRUST for their eternal lives! No other message can be GREATER THAN THIS GOOD NEWS! Unfortunately, many people in the world cannot or will not accept this gift of ?Light and life.In fact, there are a growing number of skeptics, atheists, some scholars and agnostics who are attempting to use ?evidencefrom science, archaeology and literature to show there is no God and the Bible does not contain truth! In 2009, a DVD supposedly on Biblical Archaeology was produced that is full of inaccurate information on the OT. The film
indicated that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were NOT father, son and grandson! The use of false accusations such as these cause doubt and confusion. The Bible stands on its own testimony, ?inspired of God2 Tim.3:16. There is a great need for Christians to be able to accurately communicate the truth of God?s Word!
This is especially important when it comes to the Birth of Jesus!
One source of information is
http://www.bethlehem5bc.com/
It contains: The Prelude (Old Testament including Jesus?s Genealogy-how God used the Jewish people to be a witness to the world), The Town (Bethlehem) of Jesus Birth, The
Postlude and The Future (Jesus Ministry and the second coming of Jesus as told in Revelation). During this Christmas season the Mission Focus will present some facts found in these sections. We are starting with the Prelude. This gives a background about important historical and spiritual points from the Old Testament (and secular history) that prepared the way for Christ?s Birth. Included was prophecies such as Micah 5:2, "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." MAGI: ?From about 600 B.C. to 600 A.D., the MAGI were from the PRIESTLY TRIBE OF THE KINGDOM OF PARTHIA (IRAN). Daniel chapter 2:48 tells why King Nebuchadnezzar II
appointed Daniel to be the leader of the Magi after interpreting his dream! Chapter 2 of Daniel is important to read as it tells us so
much about the power of God! BIRTH OF CHRIST: ?We know now that that King Herod probably died in 4 B.C. The Magi came after the Birth of Jesus, but before the death of King Herod. They spoke with Herod. So Jesus was probably born in 5 or perhaps 4 B.C.
CHRISTMAS HAD ITS ORIGINS IN THE EARLY CHURCH, NOT PAGANISM
Credible evidence to support the traditional dating of Christmas on the 25th December. Not only so, he argues that "the Roman pagan festival was instituted after the Christians had already been celebrating the birth of Christ on that day for many decades. Their pagan festival was an attempt to create an alternative tradition, which already was associated with the birth of Christ"
http://www.christianaction.org.za/index.php/articles/biblical-worldview/212-was-jesus-born-on-25-december
Why did the early church institute December 25 as Christmas, a day for giving gifts? Because it was the day when Maji presented Jesus with their gifts. See the next link:
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM & the DAY OF THE CROSS:
A look at the heavens during the time of Christ & an affirmation of the birth of Jesus. The basis for studying astronomy and not practicing astrology: The stars tell us about the God of heavens like a thermometer: They signify things are hot & cold but don't make things
hot or cold. Stars indicate what is going on but don't make things happen. ?This explanation of the Star is compelling…NASA's Chief Engineer for the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station
http://www.bethlehemstar.net/
Money & Compassion: What is Marriage, What is Love?
http://www.dennyburk.com/how-not-to-have-a-debate-about-gay-marriage/
Several mistakes in this “debate” as I listened to it:
A. Suze Orman attempts to justify her homosexual feelings/actions for another woman through her monetary success. Money does not prove anything. If it did, Al Capone and the crooks who successfully steel millions would be saints. Money is not the basis for right & wrong. Money is not the basis for marriage.
A2. Suze bases her argument on estate taxes (and she makes not claim to poverty, to my knowledge.) But then says that this is not really the issue when the Ryan Anderson states that he and the Heritage Foundation share the position calling for the abolition of the unjust estate tax.
B. There is something wrong with Suze Orman. She is a sinner … like everyone else was in that room, not to mention in the world. Therefore, Suze’s choices do not prove anything about what should be legally endorsed or not.
C. Suze basis her definition of marriage on monetary status: from that perspective all of the following could be eventually: polygamy, incest, herbogamy, pontigamy.
D. Love leads to life in terms of reproduction, not merely adoption.
E. America is defined as tolerant & loving … forget the liberty to state truth based on what God said & based on historical realities.
F. A very small, very biased sample size (the studio audience) is used to represent an entire nation of well over 315,000,000 people. Hmmm… not a very sophisticated way to prove a point.
G. Suze calls Ryan Anderson uneducated, when in fact he is well educated, being a Ph.D. from Notre Dame and graduating with highest honors from Princeton. She then recants and states that while he may have his facts collected and correct, he is wrong. She then lifts herself up and says she has “compassion” on him. That is a lie. She has no compassion for him, otherwise she would hear Ryan out. She is arrogant because she judges as intolerant while not wanting to tolerate him.
If she truly felt compassion for him, she would perhaps be moved to grant Ryan Anderson’s organization the Heritage Foundation a gift of substance. This is the most ugly kind of love: it boasts of itself, while giving not gifts; it does not lead to future generations, but propagates lies; it claims to be tolerant, but cannot stand to hear the truth.
IF this is America, then America will fall. And like Babylon of old, it will be a great fall. Like Rome, it will fall utterly when the rottenness in Washington, New York, and Hollywood have pooled together into a cesspool of corruption that leads to the pit. Woe to this America with a futile, empty compassion! Woe to this America that calls evil good and good evil. Woe to this America that conspires against righteousness!
Is there hope for America? Yes, if people in America will repent and trust in Jesus and humble themselves and delight themselves in the redeemer rather than in the ridiculous notions of their own morality. There is hope, ready to be had, if only Americans will call out to Jesus as their friend and will acknowledge their own sins and turn from the sins of our fathers. There is hope if we allow the Word of God once again to govern society and look not only to vain tradition but to the Scriptures which are able to equip us for every good work.
If there is a lack of good work this year, it is because we have failed to look to Jesus to provide it.
If there are hungry people in the world, it is because we have fed ourselves rather than sharing.
If there are lonely people, it is because we have lacked real compassion & real love that reaches beyond marriage into all nations.
I must go now.
Categories: Law & Government, Marriage, Revival
Tags: America, analysis, children, compassion, giving, homosexuality, intolerant, judge, judgement, Love, money, Notre Dame, Piers Morgan, Princeton, Ryan Anderson, sharing, Suze Orman, tolerant
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Barriers to Joy & Peace
This Christmas, remove any barriers to joy & peace in your life so that you can share in the Love of Christ which is shed abroad in our hearts.
See if any of the following are blocking your capacity to love:
1. Bitterness & lack of forgiveness. If so, let go and forgive.
2. Lack of gratitude. If so, count your blessings.
3. Loneliness. If so, befriend the lonely.
4. Sickness. If so, go to the Doctor.
5. Ignorance. If so, study the Bible & hear a message on Jesus & be honest.
6. Feeling poor. If so, share something you have with others.
7. Hunger. If so, work with your hands and go to a Christian to ask for help buying food.
8. Fear of death. If so, repent of your sin & return to the Lord Jesus. He conquered death.
9. Worry. If so, pray in Jesus name and read promises from the Word of God.
10. Uncertainty. If so, do the one thing you know you last knew was the right thing to do.
Categories: Holiday, Suffering
Tags: Bible, bitterness, blessing, Doctor, fear of death, Hope, hunger, ignorance, ingratitude, lonely, poverty, Prayer, sickness, study, thanksgiving, uncertainty, work, worry
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