Category: CHURCH

What do you know about the Cross? The Cross that the Lord died upon.
It’s interesting that it was made of wood AND that God chose NOT to save it …
What did it look like> A “T” or “t” or “X” or “I” .The word Cross only appears in the New Testament.
28 times. 17 times in the Gospels and 11 times in the epistles.
Jesus mentioned the cross 6 times BUT not to His cross.
Matthew 10:38, 16:24, Mark 8:34, 10:21, Luke 9:23, 14:27 As a burden.
The cross has been immortalized in song: “The Old Rugged Cross”.

What was THIS Cross?
To the Mob … it was an instrument of punishment and death. One of the cruelest forms of execution devised by man. It wasn’t around very long, used by the Romans. Yet 1000 years before the Psalmist wrote Psalm 22.
To the Jew … His cross was a curse! On the way to Calvary, the Lord stumbles and Simon the Cyrene was compelled to take up the cross.
Why compelled? Matthew 27:32
Simon was a Jew, on a pilgrimage to the Holy City, Jerusalem.
He knew Hebrew Law,
Deuteronomy 21:23, And the cross was a tree.
YES, to the mob, an instrument of death, to the Jew a curse.
But to God, it was an altar. Since the days of Adam, innocent blood has been shed to cover the sins of man. Now, the final sacrifice was to be given to forgive the sins of man.
The Lamb of God would offer His blood for the Sin of all.
1 Peter 3:18, Hebrews 9:28, 10:12,14

To the mob, an instrument of death, to the Jew a curse, to God an altar.

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Acts 12:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
Easter, Latin Pascha, Greek Pascha, principal festival of the Christian church, which celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his Crucifixion. The earliest recorded observance of an Easter celebration comes from the 2nd century, though the commemoration of Jesus’ Resurrection probably occurred earlier.
Acts 12:4 SHOULD NOT contain the word EASTER since the earliest recorded observation was in the 2nd century.
Despite its significance as a Christian holy day, many of the traditions and symbols that play a key role in Easter observances actually have roots in pagan celebrations—particularly the pagan goddess Eostre—and in the Jewish holiday of Passover. Easter is also associated with the Jewish holiday of Passover, as well as the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, as described in the Old Testament. These links are clearly seen in the Last Supper, which occurred the night before Jesus’ arrest and the sufferings Jesus endured following his arrest. The Last Supper was essentially a Passover feast.

Easter is not a federal holiday.

⇛ continue reading Easter (2) Part 2

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There are over 1500 National Days, Weeks and Months in the USA.
Many of them are laughable.
Just get on the internet and search National “…. “ to find them.
Here are just three of them:

August 11th, National Sons and daughters Day. First celebrated in 1944.

Fourth Sunday in July, National Parents Day.  First celebrated in 1994.

First Sunday after Labor Day in September, National Grandparents Day an official holiday in 1988.

These are really not necessary. God has already given us instructions on how we should treat our Children (Sons and Daughters), our Parents, and our Grandparents. There are too many verses to list them here. But start with the 5th commandment. Read Ephesians 6 for starters. Psalm and Proverbs also contain many great verses of instruction. We don’t need our government to tell us how to honor our family members.

Oh Yes, Happy National Day …

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First observed in Rome, 354 A.D.
First observed in Jerusalem 385 A.D.
December 25th was chosen in Rome to coincide with the Pagan Holiday of Sun Worship so that Christians might perform their sacred rites undisturbed, while the Pagans celebrated their Holiday.
In 1647, the Puritans, Baptists, Presbyterians, and Quakers so opposed Christmas that it was outlawed in North America.

CHRISTMAS … formed from the word’s Christ’s Mass.
Occurred in English Language as early as 1038.
ADVENT … the time of preparation, preceding the coming of the Lord.
EPIPHANY … the Festival in the Christian Church honoring the visit of the Magi.
Occurs on January 6th, the 12th day after Christmas.
NOEL … French word – A word shouted or sung as an expression of Joy.
Originally to honor the birth of Christ.
YULE … of pagan Teutonic Origin … the idea of noise or clamor accompanying some feast. In old English it’s used to denote the time of December, January.
CANDLEMAS … the feast celebrating the purification of the Virgin Mary.
Or the presentation of Christ in the Temple. It occurs on February 2nd.

The real reason for Christmas … The birth of the Saviour of the World.
The Old Testament is full of His coming. Consider:
Born of a Woman
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Seed of Abraham
Genesis 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
From the Tribe of Judah
Genesis 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Born of a Virgin
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Heir to David’s Throne
Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Time of His birth (fulness of Time)
Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Place of His birth
Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

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The Spirit of Christmas

C – Christian Giving –
   2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let   him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
H – Honoring God for His gift –
   2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
R – Remembering the poor –
   Proverbs 28:27He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
I – Inquiring of Him –
   Matthew 2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
S – Singing His praises –
   Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
T – Thanks giving –
   Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
M – Making room for Him –
   Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
A – Accepting the gift –
   John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
S – Sacrifice for others –
   Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

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Thoughts on Christmas
The problem with Christmas is the concentration on the celebration,
rather than on the reason for the celebration.
Will there be a Christmas after the Rapture occurs?
Christmas … carried away with the babe in the manger
Easter … hung up with the man on the cross

Let’s consider the life of the Lord Jesus …
The greatest of all teachers … He fulfilled the will of God
Matthew 7:28-29 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Let’s just consider what he did and said … (Just looking into John)
John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
John 5:36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
John 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
John 10:37-38 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
John 11:45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
John 15:24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

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2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Had Christ not come that Christmas Eve
Himself with men to dwell
All would e lost, no hope – no light
He darkness to dispel.
No Saviour and no sacrifice
To pay the price of sin,
No precious blood to cleanse my heart
And keep me pure within,

No righteousness except my own –
No pardon I could claim,
No avenue of prayer to God
Through Jesus’ Mighty Name!
No comfort in my deepest need
No lamp to light my way,
No One to understand and care
To keep me day by day.

No hope, no peace, no Advocate
To intercede for me,
And what of Satan’s subtle snares –
Would I have victory?
No grace of God, no mercy shown
No love to warm my soul,
No Heaven, no crown, no Christ to meet,
No purpose and no goal.

O world of misery and woe
What deep and dark despair –
Had God not sent His Only Son
Our sin and shame to bear.
But Christ HAS come – O Glorious Day,
That Babe in swaddling dress
Grew up to be my Saviour Lord,
My Hope and Righteousness!

By Norma Helgerson

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QUESTION? What have you done with Christ since you heard about Him?

Luke 2:8-38
4 groups or types of people in the above text.
All of them had the knowledge that a Christ/Messiah child had been born.
Simeon (vs 25) Anna (vs 38)
Yes, they all knew, but what did they do with their knowledge?
Matthew 2:1-3 Introduces 2 groups or types:
Herod the King and Jerusalem.
Herod was troubled. The puppet Jewish King of Rome.
A tyrant … he was his own god. Nobody would dethrone him!
(many are like him today…they are their own god.)
Jerusalem was troubled. Religion was a way of life. Don’t rock the boat.
Go to temple every Sabbath, Make all the proper sacrifices and offerings.
Be good, God, if he still existed would reward them.
Remember, they hadn’t heard from God for over 400 years.
(Does this sound like anybody you know?).
Matthew 2:4 Introduces a third type. Chief Priests and Scribes … The Religious!
They knew the Scriptures. To be born of a virgin, in Bethlehem.
BUT WHO SAYS IT’S HAPPENED?
(Religious leaders today have the Scripture! Christ Jesus died, was buried and rose again, returned to Heaven and is coming again!). BUT WHEN?
Sure, He’s coming but not in our life time … 2 Peter 3:3-7
Matthew 2:1 The forth group or type … The Wise.
The wise are prepared … remember the parable of the ten virgins
Matthew 25:1-13
The (Magi) Wise men (Probably Jews) came from the east and had knowledge of the Scripture, Seeking the Messiah, the King of the Jews.
Matthew 2:2 They had a sign, ‘seen His star’ they knew something special had occurred. (we Have signs around us today)
They searched, inquired, trying to find Him.
Matthew 2:11 Finally, after a long search they found Him.
They searched, They found, They fell down and worshipped, They gave gifts…
Matthew 2:12 They continued to obey!

Do you remember the Question?
What have you done with Christ since you heard about Him?

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Christmas is coming and most of us have special plans.
Relatives are coming or we are going to visit them.
Diner plans, shopping plans, what to get for who, plans …
Plans are good, but they must not be short ranged. We must also plan for the future .. what about next year, or 2, 3 or ever 5 five years from now? …..
Consider Joseph:
Joseph had plans … pledged to a young virgin .. marriage … raise a family …train his sons in carpentry … await the coming of the Messiah. Matthew 1:18-20. Yes, he was a just man, righteous, (right with God) walking according to the Laws and Commandments, trusting in the coming of the Messiah, offering in faith the required sacrifices Leviticus 4:27-35. Things were going good for Joseph.
A beautiful young virgin was soon to be his wife and a life of obedience to God….
BUT then a monkey wrench … How did Joseph know about Mary’s Problem? How did he discover her secret? Luke 1:26,39,56, 2:1-5 SHE WAS WITH CHILD! Did she tell him? Perhaps a friend? Or maybe he just noticed! Plans change. ..What should he do? He considered God’s Word! (WE should always consider God’s Word). What to do … PUBLIC EXAMPLE Leviticus 20:10 – PRIVATELY Deuteronomy 24:1
BUT God had extraordinary Plans! Joseph no doubt knew Isaiah 7:14, 9:6.
He just didn’t know about his part in them. Something to remember as we travel life’s road, living for God: God only expects obedience!

God had a special way to communicate His plans to Joseph…
Through a dream an angel reminded Joseph of the prophecy Matthew 1:20-23. Joseph obeys Matthew 1:24.
Notice three things about Joseph… A just man… In the Linage of David… Obedient to God

Today, God speaks to us …
Thru His Word, Matthew 1:21-23
Thru circumstances, Matthew 1:18
Thru our feelings Matthew 1:24

AS we make plans, always remember God has plans for us.

⇛ see Mary’s Problem

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