DEVOTIONALS

Bible Stuph

"We wish you a Merry Christmas,
"We wish you a Merry Christmas,
"We wish you a Merry Christmas,
"And a Happy New Year!"

So goes the popular English carol. But how many realise that the original "Christmas" festival, and the spirit of the modern one, has little or nothing to do with Christianity, but is rooted in the vilest of paganism? The original Christmas festival originated in the Babylon founded by Nimrod, the grandsom of Ham, the son of Noah. Actually Christmas and Western Capitalism are perfect bed-fellows for it was Nimrod who originated the Babylonish system of organised competition, of man-ruled governments and empires based upon the competitive and profit-making economic system. It was Nimrod who built the original tower of Babel, the first city of Babylon, Nineveh (the capital of Assyria) and many other commercial and pagan-religious centres.

Nimrod was so evil that he married his own mother, Semiramis. After Nimrod's untimely death, Semiramis established a false Messiah or anti-Christ doctrine which was adopted subsequently by many pagan religions. She claimed that a full-grown evergreen tree sprang overnight from a dead tree stump, which symbolised the springing forth unto new life of the dead Nimrod. On each anniversary of his birth, she claimed, Nimrod would visit the evergreen tree and leave gifts upon it. 25 December was the birthday of Nimrod. It is from this myth, created by a woman living in an incestual relationship with one of the most wicked men that ever lived on the earth, that we get the original Christmas tree.

After her death Semiramis was worshipped as the "Queen of Heaven", and Nimrod, under various names, became the "divine son of heaven". Through the generations, in this idolatrous worship, Nimrod also became the false Messiah, son of Baal the Sun-god. In this false Babylonish system, the "Mother and Child" (Semiramis and Nimrod reborn) became chief objects of worship in all pagan religions. The names varied in different countries and languages. In Egypt it was Isis and Osiris; in Asia, Cybele and Deoius; in pagan Rome, Fortuna and Jupiterpuer. Even in Greece, China, Japan, and Tibet this counterpart of the Madonna is to be found, and long before the first advent of Christ.

The evergreen tree, which a symbol of the annual rebirth of this false Messiah, lies at the centre of the Christmas festival. Here in Norway children dance around the Christmas tree, imitating a pagan rite established by Nimrod and his priests thousands of years ago. Long ago the Lord emphatically warned against imitating these pagan customs:

"Thus saith the Lord: Learn not the way of the heathen...For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not" (Jeremiah 10:2-6).

Yet this is what the materialistic, Nimrodian Western world does every year at Christmastime, "decking" the tree with decorations, lights, presents, and flags. They fix their trees in pots so that they can't "move".

There are many other traditions associated with Christmas, such as the Yule log, the exchanging of presents and Christmas cards, Santa Claus (Nimrod himself) and so on, all of which have the same pagan origin. The exchanging of presents in particular is part of the intoxicating commerical season when people seasonally bankrupt themselves and governments, in some countries (such as Norway) have lower taxes in December to encourage people to spend.

The Christmas season does not honour Christ -- it honours Nimrod, and therefore Satan. No Christian presented with the facts of its origin has any excuse to celebrate it any longer. He should be morally outraged and revolted and boycot the whole season. Celebration of this devilish system is for New Covenant Christians, who know the facts, a compromise with the world, a denial of the true Messiah, Jesus Christ, who was born on 6 April and not 25 December.

Brethren and sisters, if you are true to the times and seasons of the Lord, and break the bonds of Christmas celebration, He will surely bless you, and He will turn vanity into spiritual prosperity. I counsel you to gather together with the saints over the Christmas season and make it a special time of fellowship and worship apart from the world and the false religious systems that are so much in league with the Nimrodian economic and political system -- a system that will soon play a major rôle in the return of a far worse Nimrod than he who established Babylon, even the Antichrist. Instead go and tell your friends about Jesus who came to free people from all sin, including pagan traditions, and invite them to receive Him as their Saviour.

So shall we say: "We wish you a Merry Christmas" this Christmas? God forbid! And let us stop calling it "Christmas" for such defiles the name of Christ. Let us call it what it really is, The Festival of Nimrod or Brumalia (the Roman name). Would you wish anyone a "Happy Nimrod" or a "Happy Brumalia"?

So what should be do when people wish you a "Happy Christmas?" Remember, that much good is done during this season and this should be encouraged. Whatever is good is of God. Sometimes you will have time to explain what your position is regarding this festival but often you won't. If someone wishes you a "Merry Christmas" in passing, why not reply by saying: "May God bless you", as Jesus would have done? Who knows. Maybe their curiosity will get the better of them and you will be given the opportunity to witness of Christ. Then the season really will become holy to you, and not because of any pagan festival, but because you stood up for the truth and brought salvation into the world through your witness. Thus every day will become a Holy Day -- a true "holiday". – Amen.

GOING THROUGH THE FIRE

Chronicles 7:1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying,
the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices;
and the glory of the LORD filled the house.

We won't enjoy His glory without His fire. His fire consumes a willing sacrifice now, or an unwilling sacrifice later. It is not the 'flesh' that will taste of His glory (1 Corinthians 1:29), for 'the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord' (Proverbs 20:27). His Word searches out the inward parts, igniting us with His fire, burning out the dross of worldly things. 'Did not our heart burn within us,while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptures?'said the disciples of Jesus' words (Luke 24:32). His'rhema' words search us, try us, locate us, take us through the fire, reveal His glory! Peter tells us the 'fiery trials' also come to make us partakers of Christ's sufferings that we may rejoice in His revealed glory. Again: no fire, no glory! It was in fire that the early Church was born on each head a tongue of fire at Pentecost.It was from a bush of fire that Moses heard God's command. The fire may be unpleasant, but the glory is worth it! Jesus counsels you, today,to'buy of Me gold tried in the fire' (Revelation 3:18). John the Baptist introduced Jesus as the One Who would baptize with the Holy Spirit, and with fire! Let us welcome the fire as we would His Spirit. From whatever source comes the heat of unkind words, the pain of persecution, the blessings He would seem to withhold He is at work, dear one, forging you in the character of His mould!

Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.... I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Matt. 9:12-13) Imagine you stumble into the doctor’s office with a severe case of pneumonia. You discover the doctor is not in his office, but out conducting a special conference. He cannot see you today. “What is the conference?” you inquire. The nurse informs you that he has called all the people who are not sick to gather and talk about how great they feel. They are discussing illness, but only to the extent that they are celebrating the diseases they don’t have. You rush down to the convention center and stomp into the conference screaming, “What are you doing? I need a doctor!” All of the well dressed, healthy folks peer down their noses at you as you hear someone exclaim “get her out of here, she is sick!” You immediately feel a tug at your arm and a burly gentlemen leads you out of the building. Sadly, we sometimes operate our churches that way.We spend the majority of our lives trying to please other Christians. We forget that we are suppo sed to be helping the “Great Physician” minister to the sick. Don’t forget your commission. Prayer: Lord help me to seek out the lost, not gather in a holy huddle.

And when He came into the house the blind men came to Him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Imagine you are at the circus. The ringmaster makes an announcement. This act involves a member from the audience. At that very moment, you raise your hand to waive at a friend and accidentally are chosen as a volunteer. The usher takes you right down to the center ring, where you stand next to the tight-rope walker. The ringmaster thrusts the microphone in your face and the circus performer asks, “Do you believe that I can walk across that rope way up there?” “Of course you can,” you confidently respond. “Are you sure?” “Yes, I’m sure.” “Then,” continues the performer, “right now you are going to demonstrate your belief as you ride on my back across this arena.” “But..but..wait..” Your voice trails off as they lead you to the top of the ladder, your anxiety is quickly replace with fear. Your belief in God only go as far as you are willing to exercise them. We say we believe in God, but many times it is only superficial belief. Additionally, a lack of belief can cause many serious problems:
Despair = a lack of belief God can solve our problems
Anxiety = a lack of belief God is in control
Fear = a lack of belief God will protect
We can’t avoid life’s struggles. Are you willing to believe? Are you willing to substantiate that belief with action? Do you believe that He can? Will you say, “Yes Lord?”

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matt. 11:30) For some reason, most teenagers all fall into the same trap. I remember turning sixteen and thinking about independence. I assumed, suddenly, I needed to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. As I was shouldering this incredible weight, I failed to notice that there was someone very near that was dying to help me shoulder it – my parents Many Christians treat God the same way. We want to solve all our own problems, carry our own burdens and make our own path. Meanwhile, the Lord stands very near inviting us to “cast all our cares” (I Pt. 5:7) upon Him. The reason His yoke is “easy” is because He wants to lift it off our shoulders. He already paid the price and earned the right to carry it. God will never give us responsibility that He doesn’t have the ability to accomplish. Too many of us work to the level of our incompetence instead of to the level of God’s omnipotence. Cast all your cares on Him and find that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

So, then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing” -- and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked-- (Rev 3:16-17) Too many of our cities, towns and churches live under the disguise of contentment. Under the cloak of false contentment many times likes a festering pool of complacency. Jesus described that attitude as “lukewarm.” Complacency causes us to have a false impression of ourselves. When God blesses us, like He did the Laodaceans, we sometimes become apathetic and proud. We assume we’ve got it all together, but in God’s eyes we are missing the mark. We lose our intensity. We are not against God, but we are not doing anything for Him. We are like coffee that has sits too long on our desk. We appear to God as lukewarm coffee that He can’t tolerate. We should be hot (Lk. 24:32), we used to be cold (Mt 24:12), but now we have become lukewarm. We lose our intuition. When we become complacent we have the wrong impression of ourselves. We shift our value system to that of the world. Because God has brought some success to our lives, we assume that we’ve arrived or “got it made,” yet God says we are really wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked in His eyes. In the later verses of chapter 3, Jesus explains what need to happen. First, God must heat us up and anytime something heats up the impurities are burned off. We must be disciplined. When my kids are obedient, they get a blessing. When they are don’t understand (cold), they get conviction and direction. But, when they are lukewarm (complacent), they get correction. Be zealous for the things of God. Behold, he stands and knocks!!

MAY EACH MOMENT OF YOUR DAY UNFOLD TENDERLY, LIKE ROSE PETALS IN SUNLIGHT GLOWING SO SOFTLY! TOUCHING EVERY PART OF YOUR LIFE WITH HIS LOVE LIGHT, IN JESUS EVERY HOUR OF YOUR DAY IS JUST RIGHT. PRECIOUS PETALS REVEALING GOD'S LOVE AND HIS GRACE, GIVING GLORY TO GOD AS YOU ABIDE IN YOUR PLACE! PETALS OF PRAYER AND PRAISE UNFOLDING ALL DAY LONG, AS YOU ABIDE IN GOD'S LIGHT YOU ARE ALWAYS STRONG! FOR EVEN WHEN YOUR LIFE PETALS ARE SADLY CRUSHED, THAN GOD'S SWEET FRAGRANCE OF LOVE RISES AND IS TOUCHED! EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY YOU CAN BE, GOD'S BEAUTIFUL ROSE PETALS FOR PEOPLE TO SEE! BELIEVE AND TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST TO BE YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR: YOU WILL RECEIVE GOD'S LOVE AND LIGHT, AND YOU WILL SHINE WITH TRUE BEAUTY FOR ETERNITY!

AuthorUnknown

~Life's Tug Of War~ Life can seem ungrateful ~ and not always kind. Life can pull at your heartstrings ~ and play with your mind. Life can be blissful ~ and happy and free. Life can put beauty ~ in the things that you see. Life can place challenges ~ right at your feet. Life can make good ~ of the hardships that we meet. Life can overwhelm you ~ and make your head spin. Life can reward those ~ determined to win. Life can be hurtful ~ and not always fair. Life can surround you ~ with people who care. Life clearly does offer ~ its ups and its downs. Life's days can bring you ~ both smiles and frowns. Life teaches us to take ~ the good with the bad. Life is a mixture ~ of happy and sad. So..... Take the life that you have ~ and give it your best. Think positive, be happy ~ let God do the rest. Take the challenges ~ that life has laid at your feet. Take pride and be thankful ~ for each one you meet. To yourself give forgiveness ~ if you stumble and fall. Take each day that is dealt you ~ and give it your all. Take the love that you're given ~ and return it with care. Have faith that when needed ~ it will always be there. Take time to find the beauty ~ in the things that you see. Take life's simple pleasures ~ let them set your heart free. The idea here is simply ~ to even the score. As you are met and faced with ~ Life's Tug Of War. There are only two ways to live your life; One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is.

Heaven's Grocery Store

I was walking down life's highway a long time ago, one day I saw a sign that read "Heaven's Grocery Store. As I got a little closer the door came open wide, and when I came to myself I was standing inside. I saw a host of Angels, they were standing everywhere one handed me a blanket and said, "My child shop with care, everything a Christian needs is in that grocery store, and all you can't carry, come back the next day for more. First I got some Patience, Love was in the same row, further down was Understanding, needed everywhere you go. I got a box or two of Wisdom, a bag or two of Faith, I just couldn't miss the Holy Ghost, it was all over the place. I stopped to get some Strength and Courage to help me run this race, but then my blanket was getting full and I remembered I needed Grace. I didn't forget Salvation which like the others was free, so I tried to get enough of that to save both you and me. Then I started to the counter to pay my grocery bill, for I thought I had everything to do my master's will. As I went up the aisle, I saw Prayer and had to put it in, for I knew when I stepped outside, I would run right into sin. Peace and Joy were plentiful, they were on the last shelf, Song and Praises were hanging near so I just helped myself. Then, I said to the Angel "How much do I owe?" the Angel smiled and said "Just take them everywhere you go". Again I politely asked"How much do I really owe?". The Angel smiled again and said,"My Child, Jesus Paid Your Bill A Long Time Ago."

Bad things can happen to good people

God is good all the time! Yet, there times in our lives when we go through trials and tribulations and as Christians we must endure. Despite what the world or optimistic preachers may say, bad things can happen to good people. In fact, as you read this, I know in my heart that you have gone through times and situations that can not be classified as good. Times of confusion, times of seeking and needing answers, yet the answers seem aloof and hard to find.

These difficult times I believe God allows in our lives for several reasons. The first and foremost is so we can turn to him with faith and hope, knowing he will deliver us from the wiles and snares of the enemy. It is during these time when we are down we can look up to God. These trials give us the opportunity to trust in God, to stand still fear not and watch God. Paul the Apostle tells us in 2 Timothy 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

I know it is difficult to thank God for bad trials, yet we are to rejoice and give God thanks for all circumstance. This is His will for us in Christ. James said in chapter 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;

If we believe and do not doubt; if we put all of our trust in God, and give him praise for our trials, he will quickly provide answers and give us direction and hope. The first step in this process is Trust God; the second is to obey Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:16

Be joyful always;

17:pray continually;

18:give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Tamil Article

பாட்டினால் நிறைந்து

பர்வதங்களும் மலைகளும் உங்களுக்கு முன்பாகக் கெம்பீரமாய் முழங்கி வெளியின் மரங்களெல்லாம் கைகொட்டும் (ஏசா.55:12).

பாவம் மன்னிக்கப்பட்டதும் நம் துக்கம் நீங்கி மகிழ்ச்சி தொடங்குகிறது. ஆண்டவர் தம்மோடு ஒப்புரவாக்கப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு இவ்வித மகிழ்ச்சியையே அளிக்கிறார். அது பொங்கி வழிந்து இயற்கையையே மகிழ்ச்சியால் நிரப்புகிறது. பருப்பொருள் சார்ந்த உலகில் இசை நிறைந்திருக்கிறது. புதிதாக்கப்பட்ட இதயம் அதை வெளிப்படுத்தி நாதமாக்கும் முறையை அறிந்திருக்கிறது. படைப்பு இசைக்கருவியாகும். கிருபை நிறைந்த மனிதன் அதன் சுரத் தொகுதியைக் கண்டு பிடித்து அதில் பண்இசைத்து படைப்பையெல்லாம் ஒருங்கிசைத்து துதிபாடச் செய்கிறான். மலைகளும் குன்றுகளும் இயற்கையின் பெரிய பொருள்களும் இசைக்குழுவில் கெம்பீரமாய் முழங்குகின்றன. காட்டிலுள்ள மரங்களும் மற்றும் உயிருள்ளவை எல்லாம் இன்னிசையின் நயத்தை வெளிப்படுத்துவதில் ஈடுபடுகின்றன.

கடவுளின் செய்தி எங்கும் எடுத்துச் செல்லப்பட்டு ஆன்மாக்கள் இரட்சிக்கப்படும்போது எங்கும் பாட்டினால் நிறைந்திருக்கிறது. இளம் விசுவாசிகள் பாவங்களை அறிக்கையிடுவதையும் நன்கு அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்ட பரிசுத்தவான்கள் சாட்சி கூறுவதையும் கேட்கும்போது நம்மில் மகிழ்ச்சி பொங்கி நாம் ஆண்டவரைத் துதித்துப்பாட ஏவப்படுகிறோம். அப்போது பர்வதங்களும் மலைகளும் காடுகளும் வயல் வெளிகளும் நம் பாட்டை எதிரொலித்து உலகையே இன்னிசை பரப்பும் இசைக் கருவியாளர் குழுவாக்குகிறது. ஆண்டவரே மகிழ்ச்சிகரமான மே தினத்தில் இசை பாடும் வானம்பாடி பாடி மகிழ்வதுபோல இன்னிசை நிறைந்திருக்கும் உலகிற்குள் என்னை வழிநடத்தும்.