“The Christian’s Attitude Toward His Body.”

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on April 19, 2009 at 7:19pm

Caring for the physical body is a matter of stewardship. A steward is one who is entrusted with the care and management of another person’s property. Obviously, everything we possess actually belongs to God. That includes our body (1 Corinthians 6:19). As Christian stewards, we must be trustworthy with our responsibilities (1 Corinthians 4:2). We prove our service through our sacrifice. “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” (Romans 12:1). As trustworthy stewards we must never neglect our bodies (1 Timothy 4:7-8). We must discipline our body everyday through proper rest, diet, and exercise. Paul said, “I discipline my body and make it my slave” (1 Corinthians 9:27). We are to exercise “self-control in all things” in order to become fellow partakers of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:23-27). Paul tells us to care for our bodies “so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:10). The greatest compliment anyone could ever receive is, “I can see Jesus in you.” We will also answer to Christ at the Judgment “so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Faithful stewardship of our physical body is very important in our Christian walk. This presents at least four challenges in caring for our physical body: Cherish and nurture the body (Ephesians 5:28-29). Consider the body dead to any immorality (Colossians 3:5-9). Present the body to God as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). Do not let sin reign or control our physical body (Romans 6:12). In order to assist the Christian in being a trustworthy steward of his physical body, the following biblical guidance is offered from 1 Corinthians 6:13-20: Our bodies are for the Lord’s work and glory. Our bodies are members of Christ’s body. Obey the command to flee all immorality, which is sin against the body. Our bodies are the temple of God’s spirit. We have been bought with the blood of Jesus. Although caring for the spiritual body is far more important than caring for the physical body, their health is still linked. We are commanded to take care of both. May God bless you as you endeavor to treat your body as His temple! “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

AMERICA SINKS INTO GLUTTONY

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on April 16, 2009 at 8:34pm

In the land of the large, food has become almost like football. Just ask Richard Shea, whose organization sponsors a regular circuit of fast-and-furious eating contests. ”Americans love that type of competition,” said Shea, president of the the New York-based International Federation of Competitive Eating. But he denies that watching someone devour 15 burritos or 49 doughnuts in eight minutes is symptomatic of the overweight-and-out-of-shape epidemic that experts say has hit the United States. ”I would argue that if America is obese, it’s because they go to these warehouses or club stores and they can get a crate of Fritos or sugary drinks or salty snacks at low cost,” he said. ”And that’s what America is living on.” Today, statistics show, one-fifth to one-third of Americans are obese — defined as being at least 30 to 40 pounds overweight. The causes, most agree, are overeating and a lack of exercise. Obesity-related health-care costs were about $117 billion in 2000, according to the U.S. surgeon general. In times past, overeating — often called gluttony — has received its share of attention in the religious world, with many faiths condemning it as a failure to follow the precept of moderation in all things. In the book of Sirach, among the apocryphal works that stand alongside Scripture, is this warning: “Do not give yourself up to food; for overeating brings sickness, and gluttony leads to nausea.” In the New Testament, Paul said the body is ”the temple of the Holy Spirit” that must be cared for. In medieval times, gluttony made the list of the Roman Catholic Church’s seven deadliest sins. Fasting as discipline The idea of fasting — abstaining from certain foods or from eating altogether at certain times — was a way of discouraging gluttony among early Christians, said Stephen Webb, professor of religion at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind. But fasting days — which at one time included more than half the days of the year in the church calendar — were aimed more at spiritual health, ”because we need to be careful about our desires and we need to discipline them,” he said. Webb, author of the book Good Eating, said that through the centuries Christians became less concerned with taking care of their bodies. Now, as the nation’s girth grows, it’s difficult for clergy members to talk about it. ”You’re up there talking about gluttony, and you look out on the congregation and quite frankly, quite honestly, you see a lot of people who are way, way overweight,” he said. ”You realize this is a personal issue, it’s a hard issue. You don’t want to offend anybody.” But taking care of oneself is something that every person should be thinking about, Webb said, noting that it is part of many religious creeds and histories. It’s something that can be discussed, ”as long as you don’t lay it out as a guilt trip,” he said. ”People are hungry to have some spiritual direction to their eating habits because we’re quite literally drowning in bad eating habits,” he said. In evangelical Christianity, material concerns, such as good health, often lose out to spiritual matters, said Wyndy Corbin, associate professor of theology and ethics at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, Ohio. ”There is this privileging of the spiritual over the material,” she said. ”People’s real needs are spiritual. So when you hear Christians talk about evangelism and social action, like feeding the poor, that is important. But their really bigger need is to know Jesus.” Corbin said Americans need to reflect on how their overeating habits affect others, within the context of responsibility to each other as stewards of the world given to them by God. They should be asking, she said, ”Who is my neighbor today in this world that is intricately connected, where my buying habits and my consumption patterns probably are at the expense of someone else?” Similarly, Christian Scientists, known for their belief in bodily healing through proper living and prayer, hold that the obligation to be healthy is tied to their duty to help others, said Donely Johnson, spokesman for Christian Scientists in Ohio. Being healthy puts a person ”in a position to be obedient to the commandment of loving your neighbor as you love yourself, so you’re able to contribute to society in a better way,” Johnson said. Moderation as guide Jews believe people have an obligation to maintain good health because they are created in God’s image, said Barnett Brickner, interim rabbi at Temple Israel on the Far East Side. ”Our body in a sense is the house of the soul,” Brickner said. ”Therefore, given this is a temporary thing for us, God’s gift to us, we take care of it.” Without good health, he said, people are unable to enjoy the many beautiful things God has created. Judaism’s dietary laws — part of the faith since ancient times — were created more to promote Jewish identity, not for health reasons, he said. Fasting on certain holy days of the year is meant to cleanse spiritually, not bodily, Brickner said. While eating is part of many Jewish celebrations, he said, ”everything is accepted in moderation in our tradition.” Kenny Loy, a nutritionist in Madison, Ala., said it was his study of the Bible that led him to start eating better and shed weight beginning in 1994. Loy, author of The Prophet Daniel’s Guide to Nutrition, said biblical directives convinced him that he needed to take better care of himself. ”If you believe God’s word is inspired, you want to follow it to the best of your ability. And that’s why I turned in that direction,” he said. Loy said Americans need to be self-disciplined about their health and not blame others, such as fast-food companies. ”That’s one I think that’s tough for everybody,” he said. ”And I believe the lack of discipline may be part of the reason Americans have become obese.” Among United Methodists, ordination candidates must exhibit ”habits conducive to bodily health” if they want to become ministers, said the Rev. Norman ”Ned” Dewire, president of the Methodist Theological School in Ohio in Delaware. Churches themselves add to bulging waistlines, he said, because food is an integral part of so many activities. ”I like to call it the potluck-to-potbelly syndrome,” Dewire said. ”There’s a lot of potlucks in a lot of churches that lead to a lot of potbellied preachers and lay people.” While he considers overeating silly rather than sinful, Dewire agreed with Loy that people need to learn to check themselves. ”Part of the joy of the Christian faith is a disciplined life,” he said. ”Discipline involves what you put in your mouth.”

How to Fight False Teachings

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on April 15, 2009 at 10:00pm

“Among you also there will be false teachers who will struggle in pernicious heresies. They will go so far as to deny the Master Who acquired them for His own, thereby bring on themselves swift disaster. Their lustful ways will lure many away. Through them, the true way will be made subject to contempt” (2 Pt 2:1-2).

“Let us, then, be children no longer, tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine that originates in human trickery and skill in proposing error” (Eph 4:14). We live in a time of false teaching “when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but, following their own desires, will surround themselves with teachers who tickle their ears” (2 Tm 4:3). These false teachings are so destructive to people’s lives that we must “fight hard for the faith” (Jude 3), and “guard the rich deposit of faith” (2 Tm 1:14; 1 Tm 6:20). “There are many irresponsible teachers…these must be silenced” (Ti 1:10-11). To fight false teaching, we must: 1. pray. “Pray that we may be delivered from confused and evil men” (2 Thes 3:2). 2. repent. “Remove the plank from your own eye first; then you will see clearly to take the speck from your brother’s eye” (Mt 7:5). 3. obey the Lord and His Church. God’s word promises: “We are ready to punish disobedience in anyone else once your own obedience is perfect” (2 Cor 10:6). 4. know true teachings. We must do our best to know the Bible (see Acts 20:30- 32) and the teachings of the Church (see 1 Tm 3:15). 5. teach the truth. “I charge you to preach the word, to stay with this pealing– constantly teaching” (2 Tm 4:2). 6. “profess the truth in love” (Eph 4:15). We must hate the sin of false teaching, but love the sinners. Love is based on truth (2 Jn 2). 7. correct false teachers sharply (Ti 1:13) but gently “in the hope always that God will enable them to repent and know the truth” (2 Tm 2:25). If our correction is not followed, we should pray about informing the pastor, bishop or proper higher authority about the false teaching. We should do this only after informing the false teacher that we are contacting his or her superior. 8. “stay clear” of those who “oppose the truth” and “with perverted minds…falsify the faith” (2 Tm 3:5, 8; see also 2 Jn 10-11). “The influence of their talk will spread like the plague” (2 Tm 2:17). We should not leave our church; instead we should be careful not to let ourselves be infected with secular humanism and “blinded by the god of the present age” (2 Cor 4:4). 9. be willing to suffer persecution and death. “Even to the death fight for truth, and the Lord your God will battle for you” (Sir 4:28). 10. rejoice in the measure that we share Christ’s sufferings (1 Pt 4:13). God’s truth will win out. “His truth is marching on” (”The Battle Hymn of the Republic”). When we receive true teaching and fight false teaching, God’s divine revelation is much clearer to us. This clarity is the basis for unity in the body of Christ, victory over temptations, and commitment to live our lives for the Lord and His Church. So, “fight hard for the faith” (Jude 3).

Why You Should Avoid White Flour Products Such as White Breads and Pastas

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on April 14, 2009 at 9:23pm

In the manufacture of white flour, manufacturers first remove the wheat seed’s bran, its six outer layers, and the germ (or embryo) which contains 76% of the vitamins and minerals. 97% of the dietary fiber is also lost. Then it gets even worse. What little is left is then bleached, preserved, and aged with chlorine dioxide. It is further whitened by adding chalk, alum, and ammonium carbonate to make it look and feel more improved and appealing to the consumer. An anti-salting agent called sorbitan mono-saturate is added in the final stage. A few synthetic nutrients are then added back into the white flour and it is then called “enriched.” In actuality, there has been no real “enrichment” of the original product, but deception and destruction of the life-giving properties of one of the many perfect creations we find in nature. Laboratory rats usually die in a week to ten days when placed on a diet of white flour. All of the chemicals from white flour and other elements in our environment wreak havoc on the human body. Humans were not designed nor equipped to ingest cumulative chemicals. A tremendous amount of strain is placed on the pancreas when it is forced to try to protect the body from chemicals. It cannot, at the same time, adequately perform its critical role of protecting the body from diseases. Whole wheat flour and other whole-grain flours retain their bran, germ, and nutrients, and the vitamin E present in whole-grain flours acts as a natural preservative that keeps it from turning rancid for several months, after which it can be refrigerated or frozen. Don’t be deceived by products that are advertised as whole grain, but really are not. They may have some whole grains in them, but there may be a lot of other unnecessary and unhealthy ingredients. For example, if bread is soft, it is not primarily whole grain. It should be firm, heavy, and “grainy” with texture — not spongy. Make sure you read all ingredients carefully on all products.

The Mission of the Church

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on April 13, 2009 at 9:03pm

The witness of a united church The New Testament has a lot more to say about the kind of community the church ought to be before the world than it has to say about its mission to the world. However, Jesus made it abundantly plain that the reason he wanted his people to develop true community was “so that the world may believe” (John 17:21). This is his ultimate goal. There is no doubt that it is when the church most clearly lives out the gospel in the relationship of its members, it becomes the most powerful force for attracting non-members. It was so in the early church in Jerusalem. Take, for example, the following passages in Acts: ” They all joined together constantly in prayer…” (1:14). ” …they were all together in one place” (2:1). ” Every day they continued to meet together…They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people” (2:46, 47). ” …they raised their voices together in prayer to God” (4:24). “All the believers were one in heart and mind” (4:32). ” And all the believers used to meet together…” (5:12). It is no wonder that “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). Dr. Kyung Chik Han, a South Korean Pastor, speaking at the Asia-South Pacific Congress on Evangelism in 1968, said of this early church: Their hearts were filled with joy, for they were at peace with God and men. They were happy, for they loved God and one another. Such a joyful community attracts people, just as a beautiful flower garden attracts butterflies and bees. Such a church grows daily, naturally and without much conscious effort. Jesus, the model for ministry Jesus’ purpose for his followers was that they should be “salt for everyone on earth” and “light for the whole world“ (Matthew 5:13, 14 - italics mine). His final message to his church was that they were to take the gospel to the ends of the earth and he promised them the resources to do it (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 24:45-49; Acts 1:8). It seems apparent from these passages that he must have repeated this challenge to his followers many times over the forty days of his resurrection appearances, although in different words and with different emphases. As S. D. Gordon wrote: There’s a great passion burning in the heart of God. It is tenderly warm and tenaciously strong. Its fires never burn low, nor lose their fine glow. That passion is to win people back home again. The entire world of [humankind] is included in its warm, eager reach. Jesus also gave his disciples some indication of how they were to go about it. On the night of his arrest he prayed to his Father: “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18). Three days later, on the evening of his resurrection from the dead, he said to his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21). These words from John’s Gospel represent the simplest form of the Great Commission, yet they are the most profound and most challenging. That is probably why they are the most neglected. The Church’s ministry to the world is to be similar to his. As he had been sent, so he sends his disciples. In considering how Jesus had been sent by his Father I see three important aspects: 1. Jesus’ identity with humanity First, he had been sent to indentify with us. He identified with us in our human nature by his conception and birth of a human mother. “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity …He had to be made like his brothers in every way” (Hebrews 2:14-17). He knew hunger, thirst, tiredness and the whole gamut of human emotions. He identified with us in our suffering. He exposed himself to temptation, sorrow, loneliness, opposition and scorn. “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God…should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.” “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:10, 18). He identified with us in our sins. Though without sins to repent of himself, he submitted himself to John’s baptism. In his ministry he mixed freely with the dregs and outcasts of society and on the cross to took the full consequences of “the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). “It is not a matter of Commission or Compassion, but a Commission of Compassion” So Jesus calls us to identify with those whom we are called to serve. We are called to identify with people in their hopes and fears, and when called to do so, to share their physical conditions. Paul had learned something of this secret. He said: “I am not anyone’s slave. But I have become a slave to everyone, so that I can win as many people as possible. When I am with the Jews, I live like a Jew to win Jews…When I am with people who are not ruled by the Law [of Moses], I forget about the Law to win them…When I am with people whose faith is weak, I live as they do to win them. I do everything I can to win everyone I possibly can. I do all this for the good news, because I want to share its blessings” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). At the World Congress on Evangelism in Berlin in 1966, John Stott stated, in a Bible Study on John’s version of the Great Commission: By his birth, by his life and his death, God’s Son identified himself with us. He did not stay apart from us or aloof from us. He made himself one with us…Now he says to us “As the Father sent me into the world, so send I you.” I personally believe that our failure to obey the implications of this command is the greatest weakness of evangelical Christians in the field of evangelism today. 2.Jesus came at personal cost Jesus’ coming involved a cost. Part of the cost was in leaving the comfort and joys of heaven for the harsh realities of life on earth. However, the greatest cost was in that “he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8). He was willing to die for our salvation. Now his challenge to us is: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). In those days someone took up a cross for only one purpose - to die on it. Not many of us are called to give our physical lives for the sake of the gospel, though there have been more martyrs for Christ in this century than in all previous centuries combined. But we are all called to surrender our lives unreservedly to him as Lord, or, as Paul puts it, “to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). No doubt the greatest cost for many of us is the willingness to let go of our own petty plans, and allow him reveal how we can best serve him and humanity in this short life he has given us. 3. Jesus deals with us as whole people Christ was sent by the Father to minister to both our physical and spiritual needs. I can never get enthused about arguments as to which should have priority, evangelism or ministering to people’s physical and emotional needs. Jesus did both. He healed the sick, the disabled and the demon possessed, as well as preaching about the kingdom of God whenever provided with the opportunity. He “went around teaching from village to village” (Mark 6:6) and he “went around doing good and healing” (Acts 10:38). He sent out his disciples to do the same (Matthew 10:7, 8). Even in the midst of incredible suffering on the cross he forgave a thief his sins and showed practical care for his mother. Not only in his actions, but in his teaching he gave this double emphasis. His two most loved parables are The Prodigal Son (which highlights conversion) and The Good Samaritan (which highlights social action). John Stott, in The Contemporary Christian, points out some remarkable similarities between these two parables. God gives his people differing gifts, and none of us can do everything, but in some way all Christians are called to be witnesses (Matthew 10:32), and all are called to love their neighbours in practical ways. Jesus declared that it would be the fact that we had fed the hungry, welcomed the stranger, clothed the naked, cared for the sick and visited the prisoner, that would prove our identity as true believers on Judgement Day (Matthew 25:31-46). It is not a matter of Commission or Compassion, but a Commission of Compassion. Love focuses outwards “The reason the early church grew so fast in the first three centuries is that they out-thought, out-loved and out-served their contemporaries” Human beings were created to love as do the members of the Trinity. The love that exists between members of the Trinity spills outwards. As Archbishop William Temple pointed out, all the activity of the Trinity in the New Testament is for our benefit. With our rebellion against God our love has become inverted, centred on ourselves. One of the expressions of this today is the excessive preoccupation with such things as my rights, my life, my liberty, my pursuit of happiness. Religion becomes a means toward self-realisation with the interest being on self-esteem, self-fulfillment, self-identity, the human potential movement and possibility thinking, leading to either the nihilism of post-modernism or the neo-gnosticism of the New Age Movement which identifies the self with God. E. Stanley Jones, in The Unshakeable Kingdom and the Unchanging Person, gets to the heart of the problem: The most miserable people in the world are the people who are self-centred, who don’t do anything for anybody except themselves. They are centres of misery with no exceptions. On the contrary, the happiest people are the people who deliberately take on themselves the sorrows and troubles of others. Their hearts sing with a strange wild joy, automatically and with no exceptions. We are structured for the outgoingness of the love of the Kingdom. It is our native land. Part of God’s purpose for our lives is to turn this around so our love is focused outward. “Christ’s love compels us…he died…that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:14, 15). And what he wants to do for us individually, he wants to do for his church. When we first join a church, often it is because we are looking for something for ourselves. We have taken a step further when our motivation for being involved is that we want to develop a true community that is pleasing to God, using our gifts to serve others. The church has taken a further step towards maturity when its members can plan and pray together to support one another in ministries to those who are not its members. Paul writes to the Thessalonians: “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else…” (1 Thessalonians 3:12). It has been said that the reason the early church grew so fast in the first three centuries is that they out-thought, out-loved and out-served their contemporaries. I like the mission statement of one church, which is: to be a loving fellowship of committed believers worshipping together, seeking to reconcile persons to Christ, mature them in him, and involve them in ministry to one another and the world*. *First Church of God, Toledo, Ohio “If we have experienced the blessings of the gospel and don’t pass it on, then we are denying them that which is rightly theirs” The church whose priority is focused on its own existence and rituals is still in its infancy, or to quote Bonhoeffer, “an authentic church is one that lives for others.” Harry Boer wrote, in Pentecost and Missions: When the church tries to bottle up the Spirit within herself, she acts contrary both to her own and to his nature. For it is the nature of the church ever to be enlarging her borders, and it is the nature of the Spirit to transmit his life to ever-widening circles. When the church does not recognise this law of her being and of the being of the Spirit, the Spirit is quenched and he withdraws himself, and the deposit of religiosity that is left becomes a putrefaction in the lives of those who have grieved him. Or to put it a little more succinctly, evangelist Luis Palau has compared Christians to manure. Where they “pile up” in one place they begin to stink, but when they are spread out, they fertilize the land! In Emil Brunner’s often quoted phrase: “The Church exists by mission as fire exists by burning.” In Romans 1:14 Paul says, “I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel…”. The Greek word “obligated” is literally “a debtor”. There are two ways you can be in debt to someone. They can give you something which you then owe them, or someone can entrust you with something to pass on to the person to whom it really belongs. It is in this latter sense that Paul considers himself a debtor to others. He had been entrusted with the gospel to pass on to others. If we have experienced the blessings of the gospel and don’t pass it on, then we are denying them that which is rightly theirs. Paul also talks about sharing our faith as a necessary step in our growth in spiritual understanding. Writing to his friend Philemon, he said, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ” (Philemon 1:6). One of our motivations for seeing men and women, boys and girls coming to trust in Jesus is that they should share in the blessings of this great family. “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). However, our greatest motivation should be our desire for the glory of God. In 2 Corinthians, chapter 4, Paul speaks of both his faithfulness to the truth of the gospel and his sufferings in the work of sharing it with others. He then declares: “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God” (v. 15). A story Gilbert Bilezikian, in Community 101, tells a story that is worth repeating. It happened in the Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. This is a church where ministry is recognised not as the privilege of the few, but as the divine call for all to invest themselves fully and joyfully in the work of the kingdom. Under the broad ministry umbrella of the church, more than a hundred subministries are in place, functioning around the clock or ready to respond to emergencies at a moment’s notice. Most of those ministries were started because someone in the congregation saw a need, gathered a team of believers with similar gifting and passion around herself or himself, and, under staff coordination, launched a new dimension of outreach or community care sustained by volunteer lay workers. One Sunday, as Bilezikian was standing at the back of the auditorium watching worshippers making their way out of the building, someone tapped him on the shoulder. Turning, he saw a shy, plain-looking woman with two small children standing quietly beside her. She said, “Dr. B, I want to thank the people of this church. It saved our lives.” Intrigued by her statement, he asked her what she meant. In a flat monotone voice, without show of emotion, she told her story. She had attended the church with her children and they had loved it. As a result she had received Jesus as her Saviour. Then, eighteen months previously, her husband had left her for another woman. He took the car and they had two months rent due on her apartment. There was no money and almost no food. She didn’t know who to go to for help and all her neighbours went to work every day. She sat alone in the empty building crying all the time. She became sad and could do nothing. All that came in the mail was bills and letters from lawyers asking for money. She thought they might die and hoped that all three would die at the same time. Eventually she had the idea of going out in the middle of the night and searching her neighbours’ garbage bins for food. Then, she said, a miracle happened: One evening, the buzzer rang. When I opened the door, an angel of the Lord was standing there. She came in, saw my predicament, and left. That same evening, some people came in and brought a beautiful hot meal. A man and his son brought bags of groceries and children’s clothes. They said it was all from the church’s food pantry. Two people came with a little stack of twenty dollar bills and said the money was ours. I couldn’t believe my eyes, for they were complete strangers to me. The next day, the rent was paid and the phone reconnected. Two ladies came in, put a set of keys on the table, and said there was a car parked outside that was provided by the car ministry of the church and that it was mine. In the following days, they arranged for child care and gave me leads so I could look for a job. I did find a job and now we’re standing on our own feet. I know we’re going to make it. You see, Dr. B, this church saved our lives. Bilezikian made a discreet inquiry and found out that the “angel” in the story was none other than the Sunday School teacher of one of the children. She had noticed the child’s absence and had tried to reach the family on the phone. Upon learning that the phone had been disconnected, she assumed that they had moved away and removed the card from the file. But it was her habit to pray through the roster of children periodically. Each time she came to the name of this child she felt a strange unrest. Finally, she got up one morning, pulled out the family’s address, located it on the map, and in the evening, after work, drove over - just in case. Here we get a glimpse of a church, in a memorable phrase of Miroslav Volf’s, “created out of a ‘rib’ of the triune God and the ‘wounded side’ of the Crucified.”

THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on April 12, 2009 at 9:09pm

The term ''Queen of Heaven'' is unknown to most people, and of those who have heard the term, few of them know who or what it refers to. Our intention here is to help you to understand the meaning of the term "Queen of Heaven" when you come across it in the Bible. This is a Satanic cult or practice that crept into many religions around the world, including some of the Christian churches. Secular history and tradition tell us that "Nimrod" married a woman who was as evil and demonic as himself. Her name was "Semerimus". Knowing God's promise of a future Savior (Gen. 3:15), Semerimus brazenly claimed that "Tammuz", her first son, fulfilled this prophecy. Semerimus thereupon instituted a religious system which made both her and her son the objects of divine worship. Thus began the Mother-child cult which later spread all over the world. From Babylon it spread to Phoenicia under the name of Ashteroth and Tammuz. From Phoenicia it traveled to Pergamos in Asia Minor. This is the reason for John's admonition to the church at Pergamos in the book of Revelation: ''I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is'' (Rev. 2:13). In Egypt the mother-child cult was known as Isia and Horus. In Greece it became Aphrodite and Eros. In Rome this pair was worshipped as Venus and cupid. In China it became known as Mother Shing Moo and her child. The teachings of Semerimus' satanic church (mother-child). That Semerimus herself was the way to God. She actually adopted the title ''Queen of Heaven''. That she alone could administer salvation to the sinner through various sacraments, such as the sprinkling of holy water. That her son Tammuz was tragically slain by a wild boar during a hunting trip, however, he resurrected from the dead forty days later. Thus, each year afterward, the temple virgins of this cult would enter a forty-day fast as a memorial to Tammuz' death and resurrection. After the forty-day fast, a joyful feast called Ishtar took place. At this feast colored eggs were exchanged (Our Easter tradition) and eaten as a symbol of the resurrection. An evergreen tree was displayed and a Yule log was burned. This is the root of our Christmas tradition. Finally, hot cakes marked with the letter T (to remind everybody of Tammuz) were baked and eaten. This is the root of our yearly Hot Cross buns during the lent season. About 2000 B.C., God called Abraham away from all this (see Josh. 24:2-3) and led him into the promised land, but by 850 B.C. Israel had returned to this devil worship under the influence of wicked Jezebel (1 Kings 16:30-33). At this time the cult was worshiped under the name of Baal. Both Ezekiel and Jeremiah warned against this hellish thing. Ezek. 8:14 ....there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Jer. 7:18 .....and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven. Jer. 44:25 .... to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to her. By the time of Christ, this cult had so influenced Roman life that the Caesars were not only crowned as emperors of

Rome, but also bore the title Pontifex Maximus, meaning, ''high priest''. They were high priest of the Babylonian satanic church. During A.D. 306, A Roman Emperor named Constantine, was threatened by a very powerful enemy army. Realizing that his uneasy troops needed confidence, Constantine claimed to have seen a vision on the eve of battle. He saw a large blue flag with a red cross on it and heard a mighty voice which said, In hoc signo vinces --- ''In this sign conquer.'' He thereupon marched his troops into a shallow river, claimed them to be officially baptized, and ordered the sign of the cross painted on all his weapons. Thus inspired, he led his troops to victory and subsequently made Christianity the state religion of Rome. The Roman priests of Tammuz soon discovered that they could easily make the transition into Christianity (with certain changes) and thereupon carried their traditions forward without interruption by promoting the Madonna-Child worship concept, the holy water sacrament, etc. For nearly 300 years the devil had attempted to destroy the church from outside by his terrible persecutions. But with the advent of Constantine he changed his tactics, walking the aisle to work from within. The Virgin Mother of Jesus, Mary, is to be honored. Her son Jesus, who is the Son of God, and God the Son (Word) is to be worshiped! God has made it very clear throughout the Bible (God's Word), God only is to be worshiped. Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. That NO ONE ELSE, OR NO THING is to be worshipped! To worship Mary as the Mother of God, or as the Queen of Heaven, is idolatry! For myself, I make note that every reference in the Bible concerning the Queen of Heaven or Tammuz, is ALWAYS shown to be idolatry and an abomination before God. Therefore, those so called Christians who placed the tag of Queen of Heaven on the Virgin Mary defiled her name and tied her directly to idolatry.

Should We Observe Religious Holy Days Such as Christmas, Easter, and Lent?

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on April 10, 2009 at 7:15pm

Denominations commonly observe and celebrate religious holidays in the name of Christianity and worship of Jesus Christ. What does the Bible teach about such holy days as Christmas, Easter, and Lent? Is their origin truly Christian? Should we participate in the observance and celebration of such days as part of the religion that Jesus revealed in the gospel? Introduction: Modern denominations, that claim to be Christian, observe various holy days in celebration of religious events. These holidays include Christmas, Easter, Lent, and many others. While you may read in the Bible about the events these days are supposed to memorialize, you do not find that the gospel tells us to celebrate these holidays in memory of these events. They have been developed by men over the centuries since the New Testament was written. The purpose of this study is to examine these holy days and see what the Bible says about them. Many people observe these days simply from habit. They may be awed or excited by the ritual surrounding Christmas, Easter, or Lent. Their churches celebrate the days, so the members participate without questioning whether or not they truly ought to be part of Christianity. It may never occur to these folks to question where these holidays came from or whether they are really right. 2 Corinthians 13:5 - Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 - Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. The question to be considered is whether these observances are pleasing to God. Note that we are studying the observance of the days as religious holy days. It is not our purpose to consider whether Christians may participate in various traditional or secular aspects of those days. To please God, religious observances must be authorized in His word. John 4:23,24 - Worship must be in spirit and in truth. Matthew 15:9 - And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. The question we must consider is whether God has authorized these religious observances or whether they are human in origin. To answer these questions, we must examine the various holy days to consider their origin and nature. We will do this by considering the claims made for these days by the groups that observe them (with a few general facts from competent encyclopedias). We will consider their own explanation of the days, what they mean, and where they came from. Then we will compare this to the Bible to find out if the Bible authorized them. We will consider the three most commonly known and most widely practiced holy days or seasons (though there are many more that could be considered): Easter, Christmas, and Lent. I. Nature and Origin of the Days A. Lent The meaning of the day Catholic Dictionary: “Lent. A fast of forty days preceding Easter, kept, after the example of Moses, Elias, and above all, of Christ Himself, in order to prepare the faithful for the Easter feast … It was a season of mourning, and hence the Church has always strongly discountenanced festivities of all kinds during Lent. Lastly, the body is mortified, in order that the soul may be invigorated …” - p. 512, 514. Ash Wednesday is the day when the Catholic church sprinkles ashes on the foreheads of members as a sign of penitence, especially for those who seek to be restored to communion on Easter. A Catechism for Adults (Catholic): “The church’s law of abstinence says that on certain days you may not eat meat … What are the days of obligatory abstinence? Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent … On these days, no meat may be taken at the full meal” - p. 132. Baker’s Dictionary of Theology (Protestant): “Lent. The forty days of fasting immediately preceding Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday …” - p. 320 Origin and authority for the day “There is no mention in Scripture of the observance of Lent, or, indeed, of any determined time for fasting among Christians” - Catholic Dictionary, p. 512. They do claim, however, that there is historical evidence of a fast of some type before Easter dating back to or nearly to the first century. “Not until much later (ca. seventh century) did the forty days’ period become universally recognized in honor of our Lord’s fast in the wilderness (Matt. 4:2). … The name is derived from the old English lenckten, meaning the ’spring.’” - Baker’s Dictionary, p. 321. Summary Hence, according to the statements of those who participate in lent, it is a period of forty days prior to Easter. People are to humble themselves by denying various pleasures and repenting. Its origin is not known exactly, but as practiced today goes back to the seventh century. The Catholic church admits the practice of abstaining from meat at lent is a law made by the church and not found in the Scriptures (see quotes from Catechism and Dictionary above). In contrast, by observing the Bible we can learn: The Bible mentions Jesus’ forty-day fast (Matt. 4:2), but never uses the word “lent,” never tells us to fast in memory of Jesus’ fast, and never gives any set time for fasting at all. It rebukes those who would require abstaining from meats (1 Tim. 4:1-4). We conclude that religious observance of lent is without God’s approval or authority (2 John 9). The practice is human in origin, and therefore vain worship (Matt. 15:9). B. Easter Easter is the “feast of our Lord’s resurrection” - Catholic Dictionary, p. 283. “The annual festival of our Lord’s resurrection … It is at once the oldest and greatest festival of the Christian church, having been observed from very early times” - Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, p. 175. The Origin of the Holy Day “The celebration of a special Paschal or Easter feast among Christians goes back to the remotest antiquity, though it is impossible to determine the date of its introduction” - Catholic Dictionary, p. 284. “The Jewish Christians in the early church continued to celebrate the Passover, regarding Christ as the true paschal lamb, and this naturally passed over into a commemoration of the death and resurrection of Our Lord, or an Easter feast” - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. II, p. 889. “The Jewish Christians linked it with the Passover, and so observed it on the 14th day of Nisan, regardless of the day of the week. But Gentile believers celebrated the Resurrection on the Lord’s day, Sunday. This difference was settled by the Council of Nicea in 325 AD” (which set the date for the annual observance of Easter) - Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary, p. 230f. The Term “Easter” “The word Easter is derived from that of the Saxon goddess Eastre, the same deity whom the Germans proper called Ostara, and honoured … as the divinity of the dawn” - Catholic Dictionary, p. 283. “The Eng. word comes from the AS Eastre or Estera, a Teutonic goddess to whom sacrifice was offered in April, so the name was transferred to the paschal feast” - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. II, p. 889. “According to Bede, the name Easter is derived from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess whose festival was held in the spring.” - Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, p. 175. “The English word ‘Easter,’ however, corresponding to the German Oster, reveals Christianity’s indebtedness to the Teutonic tribes of central Europe. Christianity, when it reached the Teutons, incorporated in its celebration of the great Christian feast day many of the heathen rites and customs which accompanied their observance of the spring festival” - Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 7, p. 859. Bible authority for the annual holy day? “…it is impossible to determine the date of its introduction” - Catholic Dictionary, p. 284. This would, of course, be possible if the practice had been revealed in the Bible. “There is no trace of Easter celebration in the NT, though some would see an intimation of it in 1 Cor. 5:7″ - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. II, p. 889. “There is no celebration of the Resurrection in the NT” - Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary, p. 230f. What about the word “Easter” in KJV Acts 12:4? (1) All modern translations say “Passover” (cf. ASV, NASB, etc.) (2) The original Greek word is pasca, which is always without exception elsewhere translated “Passover,” even in the KJV. (3) Even Catholic translations, such as the Confraternity version, use “Passover” here. (3) V3 refers to activities of Jews during “the Days of Unleavened Bread.” This was undeniably a Jewish feast associated with the Passover. Hence, the context proves the reference is to the Passover. (4) Nothing in any way connects Christians with the day as though it was a Christian holy day. (5) Even people today who celebrate Easter religiously will admit that this reference in the KJV does not refer to a Christian holy day but to the Jewish Passover: “The word [Easter] does not properly occur in Scripture, although AV has it in Acts 12:4 where it stands for Passover, as it is rightly rendered in RV” - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. II, p. 889. “…rendered Easter in Acts 12:4 KJV, but correctly translated Passover in ASV” - Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary, p. 230f. Summary Based on statements from those who observe Easter, it is an annual holy day in memory of Jesus’ resurrection. It is the result of Jewish and pagan influences combined into the present form by the Roman Catholic church. It is named after a pagan goddess, and many concepts associated with it are pagan in origin. As an annual religious holy day, Easter cannot be found in the Bible. We conclude again that the religious observance of Easter is human in origin, begun in pagan and apostate religion. See Matt. 15:9; etc. C. Christmas Christmas is: “The 25th of December, on which the Church celebrates Christ’s birth” - Catholic Dictionary, p. 161. “Christmas … the anniversary of the birth of Christ, and its observance; celebrated by most Protestants and by Roman Catholics on December 25 … The word Christmas is formed of Christ + Mass, meaning a mass of religious service in commemoration of the birth of Christ” - Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary, p. 162f. Origin “In the East, and later in the West, Christ’s birthday was observed on January 6th in connection with his baptism, a day on which the pagan world celebrated the feast of Dionysus, associated with the lengthening of the days … In Rome, December 25th is attested as the day of Christ’s birth in 336. It was introduced perhaps by Constantine the Great who evidently chose the day because of the popular pagan feast of the sun” - Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, p. 117. “The first mention of its observance on December 25 is in the time of Constantine, about A.D. 325″ - Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary, pp. 162f. “In the south of Europe, in Egypt and Persia, the sun gods were worshipped with elaborate ceremonies at the season of the winter solstice, as a fitting time to pay tribute to the benign god of plenty … The exact day and year of Christ’s birth have never been satisfactorily settled, but when the fathers of the church in A.D. 440 decided upon a date to celebrate the event, they wisely chose the day of the winter solstice which was firmly fixed in the minds of the people and which was their most important festival… “When missionaries were sent from Rome … their instructions given by Pope Gregory I made clear the policy of the church: ‘Let the shrines of idols by no means be destroyed but let the idols which are in them be destroyed … And because they were wont to sacrifice oxen to devils, some celebration should be given in exchange for this … they should celebrate a religious feast and worship God by their feasting, so that still keeping outward pleasures, they may more readily receive spiritual joys.’ (Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation.)” - Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 5, p. 643. Authority “Whether or not the birth of our Lord really occurred on this day, ancient authorities are not agreed” - Catholic Dictionary, p. 161. Note that this clearly implies that the Bible does not tell us when Jesus was born. “The date of the birth of Christ is not known … Whether the early Christians thought of or observed Christmas is not clear” - Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary, p. 162f. Note that this clearly shows that we have no Bible authority or example of anyone observing Jesus’ birth. If it was in the Bible, we would know that Christians observed it. “The early Christians did not observe the festival of Christ’s birth, to which they did not attach the importance ascribed to his death and resurrection” - Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, p. 117. Clearly, those who observe Christmas religiously are admitting that the Bible does not authorize the practice. It is of later origin. Summary According to those who practice Christmas, it is an annual celebration of Jesus’ birthday. However, no one knows when He was born. The name means a mass to Christ (the mass being a Catholic worship ritual). There is no evidence in the Bible that God told His people to have an annual religious observance of Jesus’ birth, and no evidence the early Christians did so. The practice began as a pagan festival in worship of the sun god, and was adopted by the Catholic church as a memorial to Jesus’ birth. Further, by observing the Bible, we can learn the following facts: Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and this was a time of great joy (Matt. 1:18-2:23; Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-40). There are several factual errors associated with the modern religious observance of Christmas: (1) The time or day of year when Jesus was born is unknown. The fact shepherds were in their fields at night makes it highly unlikely He was born in December (Luke 2:8ff). (2) “Wise men” came to visit Jesus, but there is no indication of the number of them (Matt. 2:1,7,16). The concept of three of them is human tradition. (3) The wise men visited Jesus at a “house,” and Herod’s reaction indicates that Jesus was not a newborn but older (Matt. 2:11,16; cf. Luke 2:6ff). There is no evidence the wise men visited Jesus at the manger in the stable. (4) A “mass” is the Catholic practice of repeating the sacrifice of Jesus in the Lord’s supper, so that it becomes Jesus’ literal, physical body and blood. However, Jesus was sacrificed only once (Heb. 9:24-28; 10:8-10; etc.). The bread and fruit of the vine are not His literal body and blood but are memorials of them (1 Cor. 11:23-26). No one in the Bible ever observed an annual religious holy day in memory of Jesus’ birth, nor does the Bible ever authorize the practice. It is a human religious ritual, formed in pagan idolatry and religious apostasy. 2 Tim. 3:16,17 - The Scriptures provide to all good works. These holy days are nowhere found in the Scriptures, so how can they be good works? II. Bible Principles Involved Having accumulated the facts about these modern holy days, even according to the view of those who practice them, let us consider the application of Bible principles to these practices. We will examine the question of whether Christians should participate in these holy days religiously. Consider the application of these Bible principles. A. The Holy days Promote and Encourage Many Errors & Sinful Practices. These errors are not the most fundamental objections to the days. One may argue that the days could be observed without these errors. But some of these errors are fundamental parts of the practices of these days, and it is inevitable that days that are originated by men and based on pagan and apostate practices will lead to perversions such as these. Many aspects of the Bible teaching about Jesus’ birth are perverted by the practice of Christmas. This has been discussed above. The most fundamental and dangerous error is the Catholic concept of the mass which, to every Catholic, is part of the ChristMAS celebration. These masses are also celebrated in connection with Easter (”midnight mass”) and Lent. Lent involves a church law requiring abstaining from meat. This is clearly identified in the Bible as a sign of apostasy - 1 Tim. 4:1-3. Many parents openly lie to their children during the holiday season. Many tell their children there is a Santa Claus who rides a sleigh with reindeer and comes on Christmas eve to give presents to those who have been good. This might be harmless if it is presented as pretend or make-believe, like Mother Goose. But many present it as truth and assure children it is true when the children ask about it. Revelation 21:8 - All liars will be in the lake of fire. What can the Santa Claus story be but a lie, if it is presented as truth to a child? When the child finds out Santa Claus is not true, how will that affect his respect and trust in his parents’ honesty? How can a parent punish his child for not telling the truth, when the parent has lied to the child in the name of religion? When the child learns Santa Claus is make-believe, though his parents told him it was true, will he then put God, Jesus, the Bible, and other religious teachings in the same category? To lie to a child is to undermine your moral authority as a parent and to put doubts in his mind about other things that are true and must be believed. Many people use the holiday seasons as opportunities for drunkenness and revelry. Galatians 5:19-21 - Drunkenness, lasciviousness (sexual suggestiveness), and revelry (carousing, dancing, wild parties) will keep people out of the kingdom of heaven. Yet many people use the religious holy days as a time to do all these. Mardi gras is a wild celebration with immorality of all kinds right before the beginning of lent. Knowing they will have to give up various vices during lent, people have a final fling in immorality before lent begins! Christmas season also becomes an excuse for much evil. This is not just a matter of coincidence or perversion. Remember the Catholic church adopted these days expressly because they had been celebrated by pagan idol worshipers. But this is how the pagans celebrate, so why be surprised when those holy days are adopted into “Christianity” and people continue to celebrate them in immorality? The outward rituals of holy days often hinder true penitence and spiritual service. Commercialization of the “Christmas spirit” is well known. Many people emphasize physical gifts and money-making schemes. The so-called religious holy day becomes instead an occasion to emphasize material gain. Many people fail to contribute to the church as they otherwise would because they have spent so much on gifts, and they “couldn’t disappoint the children.” What about disappointing the Lord? People are encouraged to “repent” and give up vices for lent (smoking, drinking, etc.). But everyone knows the sacrifice is temporary, and as soon as lent is over they will go back to the vices. What does this teach about the concept of repentance? If an act is sinful, it should be given up permanently. Anything less is not repentance. Again, these ideas are not just incidental perversions. When pagan celebrations are adopted and become the basis of “Christian” holy days, what else can one expect? How can true spirituality come from pagan heathenism? Many people believe, and some churches teach, that attendance of worship meetings is more important on holy days than other times. “How often are Catholics obliged to receive Holy Communion? At least once a year during the Easter Season … Is this a serious obligation? It would be a mortal sin deliberately to ignore it. This is called the Easter Duty. How often do good Catholics receive Holy Communion? Every Sunday, and many receive every day” - Catholic Catechism, p. 71. The majority of Protestants, while not claiming to accept the authority of the Catholic church, nevertheless believe it is more important to attend at Easter and Christmas than at other times. This is an inevitable perversion that occurs whenever people, on their own human authority, make a special time of year more important religiously than other times. People will inevitably begin to think it is more important to be religious then than at other times. Hebrews 10:25 - The Bible says we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Meeting with God’s people is not a once or twice a year obligation. We should be there whenever the church meets. Acts 20:7 - Specifically, we should meet for the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week, as often as that comes, not once a year nor even every day. When people act by human authority and especially when they adopt pagan practices which are steeped in evil, immorality, and religious perversions, such errors as these are inevitable. They are not just incidentals but are an inherent part of the error. B. The Holy days Are Wholly Lacking in New Testament Authority. They are not authorized in the New Testament, and this is admitted by those who practice them yet know something about the Bible. Some try to justify having these annual holy days on the basis of the holy days of the Old Testament. They claim their modern holy days are modifications of Old Testament holy days or are the same kind of thing as those were. They reason that, if it was acceptable to have holy days in the Old Testament, then it should be acceptable to have holy days now. Colossians 2:14,16,17 - The law was removed when Jesus died (nailed to His cross). These things, including holy days, were just a shadow of things to come. Therefore, we should allow no one to judge us regarding them. The law cannot be used as authority for holy days because it is no longer binding as law. Galatians 5:1-4 - If we use the law to justify our practices, then we must keep it all, and we are fallen from grace because we have forsaken the gospel of Jesus. It is not proper to use the law to justify a few isolated concepts that we want to observe. It must be taken or rejected as a whole. Specifically, if we seek to justify holy days on the basis of the law, then we must keep all the Old Testament holy days in the way the law said to keep them (Passover, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, etc.). We cannot change them or add new ones to suit ourselves. And we must keep all the other requirements of the law: circumcision, animal sacrifices, seventh-day sabbath, etc. If we do so, we have fallen from grace. The Old Testament shows that, when God wants a holy day observed, He plainly reveals what to observe, when to do so, and why it should be observed. In the Old Testament, God instituted a number of holy days. These are not in effect today, but the record of them in the Old Testament can teach us some useful lessons (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:1-12). One lesson is that God always clearly told His people what He wanted done on a holy day, what its purpose was, and when to do it. Consider the following examples: MEMORIAL FEAST SCRIPTURE TIME PURPOSE Passover Ex. 12:6,14,24ff 14th Day, 1st Mo Memorial of death of firstborn Trumpets Lev. 23:24 1st Day, 7th Mo Memorial of blowing of trumpets Atonement Lev. 23:27 10th Day, 7th Mo To make atonement for sin Tabernacles Lev. 23:39-44 15th Day, 7th Mo Memorial of living in wilderness Sabbath Ex. 20:8-11 Deut. 5:12-15 7th day of week Memorial of creation & delivery from Egypt Lord’s Supper Acts 20:7 Matt. 26:26-29 1st day of week Memorial of Jesus’ death Never did God leave men free to decide whether to observe these feasts, when to do so, or what the purpose was. These were always clearly revealed. If God wants us to observe such annual holy days as Christmas, Easter, and Lent, why are they not just as clearly revealed in the Scriptures? People sometimes use the Old Testament to justify practices that are not mentioned in the New Testament. Actually, a study of the Old Testament ought to more strongly convince us God does not want these practices. When God accepted certain Old Testament annual holy days, He expressly said so in clear terms. If he wants annual holy days today, such as Christmas and Easter, why does He not clearly say what to do, when to do it, and what the purpose is? The contrast to what He said about Old Testament holy days is convincing evidence He does not want such days observed. The New Testament does clearly authorize a weekly memorial to Jesus’ death. Matthew 26:26-29 - Jesus clearly taught us what to do and what the purpose is. We eat the bread and drink the fruit of the vine remembering His body and blood. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 says this is a memorial to His death. The context shows we do it when the church is assembled together. This was to be done regularly (Acts 2:42). Acts 20:7 - The disciples did this on the first day of the week whenever that day comes. Again in this memorial God tells us what to do, when to do it, and what the purpose is, just as clearly as with Old Testament feasts. Yet this is a memorial of the major event of the New Testament by which our sins are forgiven. Since God has clearly authorized the Lord’s supper as the memorial He wants to Jesus’ death, and since all admit that He never authorized these annual holy days, by what right do we observe them religiously? Worship to God must always be authorized in His will. 2 Timothy 3:16,17 - The Scriptures instruct and provide us to all good works. When God wanted annual holy days, He clearly provided for them in His word. Today He clearly provides for a weekly memorial to Jesus’ death. If these modern annual holy days are “good works,” why are they nowhere taught in the Scriptures? John 4:23,24 - God seeks those who worship Him in Spirit and truth. His word is truth (John 17:17). If annual holy days should be practiced in His worship, we ought to find them in His word. Yet all admit they are not found in His word. Hence, they are not part of truth. How can we practice them if we worship Him in spirit and truth? Colossians 3:17 - What we do should be done in Jesus’ name, by His authority. We can remember His death each first day of the week by His authority. Yet all agree His word never authorizes annual holy days, therefore they cannot be kept religiously in His name. Since we must do all things in His name, by what right could we observe them religiously? C. To Observe These Holy Days Is to Follow Human Commandment and Tradition. The origin of these holy days clearly shows that they were begun by men and are not found in the Scriptures. They admittedly exist by human authority and are perpetuated by human tradition. What does God say about this? Matthew 15:1-3,6-9,13,14 - Jews criticized Jesus’ followers for not keeping their human traditions. Jesus taught that their human traditions made void God’s word. Following human doctrines made their worship vain. He compared these doctrines to plants the Father had not planted that would be rooted up. Admittedly, modern religious holy days are not in the Bible, hence they must be human in origin. They are man-made traditions. Colossians 2:8,20-23 - Be on guard lest people spoil our service to God by human philosophies and traditions, not according to God’s word. Why subject ourselves to human ordinances, precepts of men, regarding what should not be tasted? They constitute a show of humility, but don’t really lead to overcoming fleshly indulgence. Lent is a perfect example of the very thing described here. Human doctrines declare that certain foods (meats) should not be tasted. A show of humility is made in giving up certain vices, but it is only done temporarily, fully intending to go back to it later. Extra indulgence is done before and after Lent because there will be none during Lent. There is no real value in overcoming fleshing indulgence. Galatians 1:6-9 - Those who preach a different gospel than that given by inspired men, are accursed. Yet it is agreed that these holy days are not in the teachings of inspired men anywhere. They are human in origin and constitute a change in the gospel. 2 John 9 - The teaching of Christ says to remember Jesus’ death in the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week. If we abide in His teaching, we have fellowship with Him and the Father. But if we do not abide in His teaching, we do not have that fellowship. Yet it is admitted by all that modern holy days are not found in His teaching. Modern holy days are human in origin, not authorized by God. Hence, we must not participate religiously in them if we seek to please the Lord. D. To Participate Religiously in These Holy Days Is to Have Fellowship with Pagan and Apostate Religion. Again, the history of these days shows that they began in heathen paganism and were adopted by an apostate so-called Christian group, the Catholic church. To participate in them religiously is to participate in pagan, apostate religion. 2 John 9-11 - When people are not abiding in the doctrine of Christ and they bring these doctrines to us, we must not bid them Godspeed nor partake in their evil works. 1 Corinthians 10:19-22 - Participation in pagan religious rites provokes the Lord to jealousy. The same principle applies to false religion in general. To participate religiously in the rites of apostate groups is to have communion with demons. We cannot do that and still participate in true worship of God. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 - What fellowship can light have with darkness, righteousness with iniquity, or God’s people with idols? If we want God to be in us, we must separate ourselves from pagan, apostate practices and do not touch what is unclean. Then we are truly sons and daughters of God Almighty. Galatians 4:8-10 - The Galatians were returning to practices different from the true gospel (1:6-9). This included returning to heathen worship (those that are by nature no gods) in observing days, months, seasons, and years. Such led Paul to fear that his efforts to teach them the truth had been in vain. Yet modern holy days are pagan and apostate in origin. Easter is named after a pagan goddess! The dates of Christmas and Easter were chosen to coincide with pagan holy days. Many practices involved are pagan and apostate in origin. If we observe these religiously, we are returning to fellowship with pagan and apostate practices, just as Paul opposed here! Ephesians 5:11 - Instead of having fellowship in such practices, we ought to rebuke them. [2 Tim. 4:2-4; 1 Sam. 15:22; Rom. 12:2] Conclusion In this study we have considered the dangers of religious participation in these holy days. While we have not discussed social, seasonal, or civil aspects of these days, yet in these areas we need to be concerned about the influence of our participation (1 Cor. 8 & 10; Rom. 14). It is admitted by all that these days are without Bible authority, but are based solely on human doctrine and tradition. They involve many perversions of Bible principles. And they are fundamentally pagan and heathen in origin, adopted in the name of Christianity by an apostate religious body, Roman Catholicism. Many Scriptures warn us to avoid such religious practices. Instead we ought to remember Jesus’ death in the memorial God Himself has authorized. We should commune with His body and blood in the Lord’s supper on the first day of each week.

Iraqi churches cancel Christmas festivities

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on November 30, 1999 at 6:00am

KIRKUK, Iraq – Iraqi Christians on Wednesday called off Christmas festivities across the country as al-Qaida insurgents threatened more attacks on a beleaguered community still terrified from a bloody siege at a Baghdad church two months earlier.

A council representing Christian denominations across Iraq advised its followers to cancel public Christmas celebrations out of concern over new terror attacks and as a show of mourning for the victims of thechurch siege and other violence.

Church officials in the northern cities of Kirkuk and Mosul, the southern city of Basra and in the capital confirmed they will not put up Christmas decorations or hold evening Mass and have urged worshippers to refrain from decorating their homes. Even an appearance by Santa Claus was called off.

"Nobody can ignore the threats of al-Qaida against Iraqi Christians," said Chaldean Archbishop Louis Sako in Kirkuk. "We cannot find a single source of joy that makes us celebrate. The situation of the Christians is bleak."

Christians across Iraq have been living in fear since a Baghdad church attack in October that left 68 people dead. Days later insurgents targeted Christian homes and neighborhoods across the capital with a series of bombs.

An al-Qaida front group that claimed responsibility for the church siege vowed at the time to carry out a reign of terror against Christians.

The Islamic State of Iraq renewed its threats in a message posted late Tuesday on a website frequented by Islamic extremists. The group said it wants the release of two women it claims are being held captive by Egypt's Coptic Church.

Muslim extremists in Egypt say the church has detained the women for allegedly converting to Islam. The church denies the allegations but extremists in Iraq have latched onto the issue. The message Tuesday was addressed to Iraq's Christian community and said it was designed to "pressure" Egypt.

Sunni Muslim extremists that make up groups like al-Qaida perceive Christians to be nonbelievers aligned with Western countries such as the U.S.

Few reliable statistics exist on the number of Christians in this nation of 29 million. A recent State Department report says Christian leaders estimate 400,000 to 600,000 remain, down from a prewar level as high as 1.4 million by some estimates.

Since the deadly church siege, the U.N. estimates some 1,000 Christian families have fled to the Kurdish region in northern Iraq which is generally much safer.

For those who remain, this Christmas will be a somber affair.

In the northern city of Kirkuk, 180 miles (290 kilometers) north of Baghdad, Sako said church officials will not put up Christmas decorations outside the church and urged worshippers to refrain from decorating their homes.

A traditional Santa Claus appearance outside one of the city's churches has also been called off, he said. Money usually used on celebrations or gifts will instead go to help Christian refugees, he said.

Ashour Binyamin, a 55-year-old Christian from Kirkuk said he and his family would not go to church on Christmas but instead would celebrate at home.

At Baghdad's Our Lady of Salvation church where more than 120 parishioners were held hostage by gunmen on Oct. 31, there will be no Christmas tree and Mass on both Christmas Eve and Christmas day has been canceled. Only a modest manger display representing the birth of Jesus Christ will mark the occasion.

"We have canceled all celebrations in the church," said Father Mukhlis. "We are still in deep sorrow over the innocent victims who fell during the evil attack."

Tennessee Titans Pick Marcus Mariota with No. 2 Pick in NFL Draft

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on November 30, 1999 at 6:00am

marcus-mariota1.jpg?resize=550%2C302&width=550

Despite a near constant stream of trade rumors, the Titans held onto their No. 2 pick and landed Marcus Mariota.

The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner was thought to be coveted by his former college coach, Chip Kelly, as well as higherups from the Browns, Bears and Jets.

In the end, though, the Titans liked him enough to decline any and all offers that headlined one of the busier pre-draft periods in recent memory.

Mariota will provide a challenge for Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt, who will need to strike a balance between Mariota’s unique skillset and the traditional demands of a pro-style offense.

Though the lines between college and pro have never been blurrier, Whisenhunt talked at length about working Mariota out under center.

If the pick works out, alleviating some of the “system quarterback” concerns that have dogged Mariota throughout the draft, this will be a coup in Nashville. Mariota was the cleaner prospect, he turned the ball over far less and he was more accurate during his time at Oregon.%3

Lecrae to Make his Third Appearance On ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ November 1st November 01, 2016 Lecrae has announced that he will be performing again on The Tonight Show Starring Ji

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on November 30, 1999 at 6:00am

Lecrae to Make his Third Appearance On ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ November 1st

November 01, 2016

Lecrae has announced that he will be performing again on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

The scheduled taping of the NBC television show will feature guests Whoopi Goldberg, Zoe Lister-Jones, and will end with Lecrae as the musical guest,

Ebro of Hot 97 thinks Lecrae may have influenced Chance The Rapper

Hot 97 interviewed Lecrae when he dropped his new single, “Can’t Stop Me Now” , and co-host Ebro Darden suggested that Lecrae’s album Anomaly may have made hip-hop artists like Chance The Rapper more comfortable to rap about their faith more frequently. Read More ...

500+ Christian Hip Hop Rap Music Magazine | Rapzilla / 8h

Sadat X and Jurny Big talk fatherhood on Flowers

Sadat X and Jurny Big on the rhymes, Sebastian Hochstein on the beat, and DJ Kair One on the cuts. Being a parent is the weightiest task we have in life. Leave a legacy for your children. Be present and available for your kids. What are you doing to raise up the next generation? What virtues do you wish to instill in your children? This is the stuff that matters. Sadat X and Jurny Big rhyme about

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