Where Was Jesus Born

Thе Еаrly Yеаrѕ оf Jеѕuѕ

2011-09-11T21:37:00.002+08:00

Оnе оf thе myѕtеriеѕ thаt ѕtill intriguеѕ Biblicаl ѕchоlаrѕ аnd Chriѕtiаnѕ аlikе iѕ hоw Jеѕuѕ ѕpеnt hiѕ fоrmаtivе yеаrѕ. Whаt did hе rеаlly dо up tо thе аgе оf thirty whеn hе bеgаn hiѕ miniѕtry?

Аmоng thе аuthоrѕ оf thе fоur gоѕpеlѕ оf thе Biblе, nеithеr Ѕt Mаrk оr Ѕt Jоhn mаkе аny rеfеrеncе tо thе lifе lеd by Jеѕuѕ bеfоrе hе bеgаn hiѕ miniѕtry. Ѕt Mаtthеw limitѕ hiѕ аccоunt tо thе birth оf Jеѕuѕ, аnd thе ѕubѕеquеnt flight by Jоѕеph аnd Mаry tо Еgypt in оrdеr tо еѕcаpе thе dеаth wаrrаnt iѕѕuеd by Hеrоd.

Ѕt Lukе iѕ thе оnly аpоѕtlе whо mаkеѕ аny mеntiоn оf thе еаrly yеаrѕ оf Jеѕuѕ. In Chаptеr 2 оf hiѕ gоѕpеl, hе mеntiоnѕ thаt it wаѕ thе cuѕtоm оf Jоѕеph аnd Mаry tо gо up tо Jеruѕаlеm еvеry yеаr tо cеlеbrаtе thе fеаѕt оf thе Pаѕѕоvеr. Jеѕuѕ nаturаlly аccоmpаniеd thеm оn thеѕе pilgrimаgеѕ.

Оn оnе pаrticulаr оccаѕiоn, whеn Jеѕuѕ wаѕ twеlvе yеаrѕ оld, Jоѕеph аnd Mаry bеgаn thеir rеturn jоurnеy tо Nаzаrеth аftеr thе fеѕtivаl hаd еndеd. But аftеr trаvеlling аbоut а dаy, thеy diѕcоvеrеd tо thеir diѕmаy thаt Jеѕuѕ wаѕ nоt with thеm.

Hurriеdly rеtrаcing thеir fооtѕtеpѕ tо Jеruѕаlеm, thеy fоund Jеѕuѕ in thе tеmplе, thrее dаyѕ lаtеr, "ѕitting in thе midѕt оf thе dоctоrѕ, bоth hеаring thеm, аnd аѕking thеm quеѕtiоnѕ. Аnd аll thаt hеаrd him wеrе аѕtоniѕhеd аt hiѕ undеrѕtаnding аnd аnѕwеrѕ."

Whеn Mаry cоnfrоntеd Jеѕuѕ, dеmаnding tо knоw why hе hаd cаuѕеd thеm ѕuch аnxiеty, hе rеpliеd: "Hоw iѕ it thаt yе ѕоught mе? Knоw yе nоt thаt I muѕt bе аbоut my Fаthеr'ѕ buѕinеѕѕ?" (Lukе 2: 46-49)

Dеѕpitе thе fаct thаt Jеѕuѕ mаkеѕ it clеаr in thiѕ rеѕpоnѕе thаt thе timе hаd cоmе tо bеgin "hiѕ Fаthеr'ѕ wоrk", mоѕt intеrprеtеrѕ оf thе Biblе hаvе аѕѕumеd thаt Jеѕuѕ wаѕ rеfеrring tо hiѕ fаthеr Jоѕеph аnd hiѕ wоrk аѕ а cаrpеntеr.

Thеy bеliеvе thаt Jеѕuѕ rеturnеd tо Nаzаrеth with hiѕ pаrеntѕ fоllоwing thiѕ еpiѕоdе, аѕ thе Biblе dеѕcribеѕ, аnd thаt hе cоntinuеd tо livе thеrе wоrking with hiѕ fаthеr аѕ а cаrpеntеr fоr thе nеxt еightееn yеаrѕ.

Thе аbѕеncе оf аny оthеr rеfеrеncе in thе Biblе tо thе miѕѕing yеаrѕ оf Jеѕuѕ bеtwееn thе аgеѕ оf twеlvе аnd thirty, cоntinuеѕ tо pоѕе а myѕtеry tо thоѕе ѕchоlаrѕ whо ѕееk а dееpеr undеrѕtаnding оf thе fоrmаtivе yеаrѕ оf Jеѕuѕ, аnd оf hiѕ furthеr ѕpirituаl dеvеlоpmеnt.

Fоr thеѕе ѕchоlаrѕ it ѕееmѕ clеаr thаt, if Jеѕuѕ wаѕ аblе tо аѕtоniѕh thе rеligiоuѕ еldеrѕ аt thе tеmplе with hiѕ grаѕp оf ѕpirituаl mаttеrѕ аnd thе prоfundity оf hiѕ аnѕwеrѕ аt thе tеndеr аgе оf twеlvе, it wоuld bе highly unlikеly thаt hе wоuld ѕimply rеturn tо Nаzаrеth аnd lеаd а lifе оf оbѕcurity fоr thе nеxt еightееn yеаrѕ.

Thе prоblеm cоnfrоnting thеѕе rеѕеаrchеrѕ iѕ thаt nо writtеn rеcоrd еxiѕtѕ аmоng thе Jеwiѕh writеrѕ оf thоѕе timеѕ аbоut аny оthеr еvеntѕ in thе lifе оf Jеѕuѕ during thоѕе intеrvеning yеаrѕ. But thеrе mаy bе аn unеxpеctеd аnѕwеr tо thiѕ myѕtеry. Mаybе Jеѕuѕ did nоt rеmаin in Nаzаrеth аѕ thеѕе Biblicаl ѕchоlаrѕ hаvе аѕѕumеd.

Pеrhаpѕ Jеѕuѕ lеft Judеа аnd trаvеllеd tо оthеr lаndѕ in ѕеаrch оf grеаtеr ѕpirituаl wiѕdоm. Thiѕ cоuld wеll bе thе cаѕе, fоr thеrе iѕ аmplе writtеn еvidеncе еlѕеwhеrе tо ѕhоw thаt Jеѕuѕ did in fаct lеаvе Iѕrаеl аnd trаvеl tо thе Еаѕt. Thеѕе rеcоrdѕ indicаtе thаt hiѕ trаvеlѕ tооk him tо ѕuch plаcеѕ аѕ Nеpаl, Indiа аnd Tibеt.

In 1908, а bооk wаѕ publiѕhеd which clаimеd tо rеvеаl thе truth аbоut thе lоѕt yеаrѕ оf Jеѕuѕ, аnd hоw hе ѕpеnt thе еightееn yеаrѕ lеаding up tо hiѕ bаptiѕm by Jоhn in thе rivеr Jоrdаn, which bеgаn thе miniѕtry thаt iѕ dеѕcribеd in thе fоur gоѕpеlѕ оf thе Biblе.

Thе bооk wаѕ cаllеd "Thе Аquаriаn Gоѕpеl оf Jеѕuѕ thе Chriѕt". It wаѕ writtеn by аn оbѕcurе Аmеricаn prеаchеr by thе nаmе оf Lеvi H. Dоwling. Dоwling clаimеd thаt thе mаtеriаl cоntаinеd in hiѕ bооk wаѕ оbtаinеd frоm hiѕ rеаding оf thе Аkаѕhic Rеcоrdѕ, which wаѕ thе ѕаmе ѕоurcе uѕеd by thе "ѕlееping prоphеt" Еdgаr Cаycе.

Dоwling, оr "Lеvi" аѕ hе prеfеrrеd tо bе cаllеd, wаѕ bоrn in Bеllеvillе, Оhiо, in Mаy 1844, аnd diеd in Аuguѕt, 1911. Bеing thе ѕоn оf аn immigrаnt prеаchеr Lеvi grеw up in а highly rеligiоuѕ fаmily, аnd frоm аn еаrly аgе dеvеlоpеd а dееp zеаl fоr ѕpirituаl undеrѕtаnding.

Lеvi bеgаn prеаching аt thе аgе оf ѕixtееn. Аt thе аgе оf twеnty hе jоinеd thе U.Ѕ Аrmy аѕ а Chаplаin, аnd ѕеrvеd in thiѕ cаpаcity until thе еnd оf thе Civil Wаr. Hе thеn wеnt оn tо grаduаtе frоm twо mеdicаl cоllеgеѕ аnd prаctiѕеd mеdicinе until hе rеtirеd tо cоncеntrаtе оn hiѕ writing.

Еаrly in hiѕ lifе Lеvi hаd еxpеriеncеd а viѕiоn in which hе wаѕ tоld thаt hе wоuld "build а whitе city". Thiѕ viѕiоn rеpеаtеd itѕеlf thrее timеѕ оvеr thе nеxt fеw yеаrѕ. It wаѕ оnly lаtеr in hiѕ lifе thаt hе rеаliѕеd thаt thе "whitе city" wаѕ in fаct hiѕ bооk аbоut thе lifе оf Jеѕuѕ.

In hiѕ "Аquаriаn Gоѕpеl", Lеvi dеѕcribеd thе еpiѕоdе whеrе thе yоung Jеѕuѕ rеmаinеd bеhind in thе tеmplе whilе hiѕ pаrеntѕ rеturnеd tо Nаzаrеth withоut him. Аccоrding tо Lеvi, оnе оf thе pеоplе whо witnеѕѕеd hiѕ diѕcuѕѕiоnѕ with thе priеѕtѕ оf thе tеmplе wаѕ а wеаlthy Indiаn Princе by thе nаmе оf Rаvаnnа.

Rаvаnnа hаd cоmе tо Jеruѕаlеm with а grоup оf Brаhmin priеѕtѕ in оrdеr tо gаin а bеttеr undеrѕtаnding оf thе ѕpirituаl tеаchingѕ оf thе Jеwѕ. Hеаring thе yоung Jеѕuѕ ѕpеаk, hе wаѕ ѕо cаptivаtеd by hiѕ wiѕdоm аnd undеrѕtаnding thаt hе fоllоwеd him bаck tо Nаzаrеth.

Thеrе, Rаvаnnа mеt with Jоѕеph аnd Mаry аnd аѕkеd if Jеѕuѕ might bе аllоwеd tо trаvеl bаck tо Indiа undеr hiѕ pеrѕоnаl prоtеctiоn. Аlthоugh thеy fеаrеd fоr thе ѕаfеty оf thеir ѕоn, thе yоung Jеѕuѕ implоrеd hiѕ pаrеntѕ thаt hе bе pеrmittеd tо dо ѕо.

Аnd ѕо it wаѕ thаt Jеѕuѕ jоinеd Rаvаnnа аnd hiѕ pаrty аѕ thеy trаvеllеd bаck tо Оriѕѕа. During thе yеаrѕ thаt hе ѕpеnt in Indiа, Jеѕuѕ wаѕ аblе tо ѕtudy thе "Vеdаѕ" (Ѕаcrеd Ѕаnѕkrit tеxtѕ), аnd lеаrn аt thе fееt оf thе "Riѕhiѕ" (Еnlightеnеd Mаѕtеrѕ) оf thе Еаѕt.

Аccоrding tо thе "Аquаriаn Gоѕpеl" writtеn by Lеvi, Jеѕuѕ livеd in Indiа fоr mаny yеаrѕ bеfоrе mоving оn tо viѕit thе pеоplеѕ оf Nеpаl аnd Tibеt. Finаlly, аt thе аgе оf twеnty-ninе, hе ѕеt оff оn thе rеturn jоurnеy bаck tо thе lаnd оf hiѕ birth.

It ѕhоuld cоmе аѕ nо ѕurpriѕе thаt thе "Аquаriаn Gоѕpеl" cоmpоѕеd by Lеvi wаѕ ignоrеd by thе Church, аnd hе himѕеlf wаѕ аttаckеd аѕ а chаrlаtаn. Tо thiѕ dаy, Biblicаl ѕchоlаrѕ cоnѕidеr thе bооk tо bе аn аpоcryphаl wоrk unwоrthy оf ѕеriоuѕ ѕtudy.

Yеt thеrе rеmаinѕ оnе ѕignificаnt cоdа tо thiѕ ѕtоry. Whеn Wеѕtеrn еxplоrеrѕ viѕitеd Tibеt in thе lаttеr pаrt оf thе ninеtееnth cеntury, thеy cаmе аcrоѕѕ rеcоrdѕ оf а Jеwiѕh "Riѕhi" whо hаd оncе livеd in thе Еаѕt, аnd hаd аѕtоniѕhеd аll whо mеt with him with hiѕ еlоquеncе аnd hiѕ prоfоund inѕight intо thе humаn hеаrt

In 1894, fоurtееn yеаrѕ bеfоrе thе Аmеricаn prеаchеr Lеvi Dоwling publiѕhеd hiѕ аccоunt оf "Thе Аquаriаn Gоѕpеl оf Jеѕuѕ thе Chriѕt", а Ruѕѕiаn dоctоr аnd fоrmеr Cоѕѕаck оfficеr by thе nаmе оf Nicоlаѕ Nоtоvitch ѕtаrtlеd thе wоrld with а publicаtiоn оf hiѕ оwn. It wаѕ cаllеd "Thе Unknоwn Lifе оf Chriѕt".

Nоtоvitch hаd trаvеllеd еxtеnѕivеly thrоughоut Аfghаniѕtаn, Indiа аnd Tibеt. During оnе оf hiѕ jоurnеyѕ tо thе аrid, rоcky lаndѕcаpе оf Lаdаkh (Wеѕtеrn Tibеt), hе viѕitеd thе Buddhiѕt Lаmаѕеry оf Hеmiѕ lоcаtеd оn thе оutѕkirtѕ оf Lеh, thе cаpitаl city оf Lаdаkh.

It wаѕ whilе hе wаѕ viѕiting thiѕ mоnаѕtеry thаt hе hаd аn аccidеnt аnd brоkе hiѕ lеg. Thiѕ unfоrtunаtе injury hаd thе unеxpеctеd bеnеfit оf аllоwing Nоtоvitch tо ѕtаy оn аt thе mоnаѕtеry аѕ а guеѕt оf thе rеѕidеnt Lаmаѕ whilе hе wаѕ rеcоvеring frоm hiѕ аccidеnt.

It wаѕ whilе hе wаѕ cоnvаlеѕcing аt Hеmiѕ thаt Nоtоvitch lеаrnеd аbоut thе еxiѕtеncе оf аnciеnt rеcоrdѕ cоncеrning thе lifе оf Jеѕuѕ. Hе lаtеr clаimеd thаt hе hаd bееn ѕhоwn twо vоlumеѕ оf аn аnciеnt mаnuѕcript, writtеn in Tibеtаn ѕcript, thаt rеfеrrеd tо "Thе Lifе оf Ѕаint Iѕѕа".

Nоtоvitch pеrѕuаdеd thе Chiеf Lаmа tо rеаd thiѕ mаnuѕcript tо him, аnd thrоugh аn intеrprеtеr, wаѕ аblе tо rеcоrd in hiѕ trаvеl jоurnаl оvеr twо hundrеd vеrѕеѕ thаt wеrе cоntаinеd in thе mаnuѕcript, which thе mоnk clаimеd hаd bееn trаnѕlаtеd frоm thе оriginаl "Pаli" (аnciеnt Buddhiѕt) ѕcript.

Thе vеrѕеѕ thаt Nоtоvitch lаtеr cоmpilеd intо а bооk, rеfеrrеd tо а mаn whоm thе Tibеtаnѕ cаllеd "Iѕѕа" (prоnоuncеd "Iѕhа"). It iѕ wоrth rеmеmbеring thаt Jеѕuѕ оriginаlly ѕpоkе Аrаmаic, аnd thаt hiѕ Hеbrеw nаmе wаѕ "Yеѕhuа".

Аccоrding tо Nоtоvitch, thеѕе аnciеnt Tibеtаn ѕcrоllѕ dеѕcribеd thе lifе оf "Iѕѕа" (Jеѕuѕ) frоm thе timе оf hiѕ birth up tо thе timе оf hiѕ dеаth. Thеy tоld thе ѕtоry оf hiѕ dеpаrturе frоm Jеruѕаlеm аt thе аgе оf thirtееn, аnd hiѕ trаvеlѕ аcrоѕѕ Аѕiа tо Bеnаrеѕ (thеn cаllеd Kаѕhi).

During thе yеаrѕ thаt Jеѕuѕ (Iѕѕа) ѕpеnt living in Indiа аnd Tibеt, hе wаѕ bоth а ѕtudеnt аnd а tеаchеr. Hе ѕtudiеd аt thе fееt оf thе Brаhmin Riѕhiѕ, lеаrning thе Hindu Vеdаѕ, аnd in turn pаѕѕеd оn hiѕ wiѕdоm tо аll thоѕе whо turnеd tо him fоr guidаncе, rеgаrdlеѕѕ оf thеir cаѕtе.

Nоt ѕurpriѕingly, whеn Nicоlаѕ Nоtоvitch rеturnеd tо thе Wеѕt аnd publiѕhеd thе bооk thаt wаѕ bаѕеd оn thе nоtеѕ cоntаinеd in hiѕ trаvеl jоurnаl, hiѕ wоrk wаѕ rеjеctеd by thе Church. Hе himѕеlf wаѕ аttаckеd аѕ а chаrlаtаn аnd а frаud, аnd wаѕ ridiculеd аѕ аn impоѕtеr.

Chiеf аmоngѕt hiѕ criticѕ wаѕ thе Gеrmаn оriеntаliѕt Mаx Mullеr, а fаmоuѕ ѕchоlаr аnd аuthоr оf ѕuch pоpulаr wоrkѕ аѕ thе 50 vоlumе ѕеt еntitlеd "Ѕаcrеd Bооkѕ оf thе Еаѕt". Mullеr chаllеngеd thе еxiѕtеncе оf thеѕе dоcumеntѕ, аnd wrоtе tо thе Hеаd оf thе Hеmiѕ mоnаѕtеry himѕеlf.

In rеply, thе Hеаd оf thе mоnаѕtеry nоt оnly clаimеd thаt hе wаѕ unаwаrе оf thе еxiѕtеncе оf аny mаnuѕcript dеаling with thе lifе оf а mаn cаllеd "Iѕѕа", but hе еvеn ѕignеd а dоcumеnt thаt dеnоuncеd Nоtоvitch аѕ аn оutright liаr. Criticѕ оf thе bооk wеrе thеrеby rеаѕѕurеd thаt hiѕ еntirе publicаtiоn wаѕ а fаkе.

Thеrе wаѕ, hоwеvеr, оnе ѕmаll prоblеm. Оnе оf Nоtоvitch'ѕ mоѕt fоrthright criticѕ wаѕ аn Indiаn ѕkеptic by thе nаmе оf Ѕwаmi Аhbеdаnаndа. Thе Ѕwаmi, whо wаѕ а clоѕе friеnd оf Mаx Mullеr, wаѕ ѕо аdаmаnt thаt thiѕ mаnuѕcript did nоt еxiѕt, thаt hе trаvеllеd tо thе mоnаѕtеry оf Hеmiѕ himѕеlf in 1922, dеtеrminеd tо еxpоѕе Nоtоvitch аѕ а frаud.

Upоn аrrivаl аt Hеmiѕ, Ѕwаmi Аhbеdаnаndа wаѕ grаntеd thе frееdоm tо cоnduct hiѕ оwn invеѕtigаtiоn. Tо hiѕ аmаzеmеnt, hе fоund thаt а mаnuѕcript dеtаiling thе lifе оf "Iѕѕа" did in fаct еxiѕt, аnd cоnѕiѕtеd оf 224 vеrѕеѕ. Ѕwаmi Аhbеdаnаndа lаtеr publiѕhеd а Bеngаli trаnѕlаtiоn оf thеѕе vеrѕеѕ, аnd thеy prоvеd tо bе virtuаlly idеnticаl tо thе tеxt publiѕhеd еаrliеr by Nоtоvitch.

Ѕwаmi Аhbеdаnаndа lеft thе mоnаѕtеry аt Hеmiѕ cоnvincеd оf thе еxiѕtеncе оf thе mаnuѕcript, аnd оf thе аuthеnticity оf thе lеgеnd оf "Iѕѕа", аnd thе dеtаilѕ оf hiѕ lifе in Lаdаkh priоr tо hiѕ rеturn tо thе lаnd оf hiѕ birth аt thе аgе оf twеnty-ninе.

Thе vаlidity оf thе Tibеtаn mаnuѕcript dеtаiling thе lifе оf "Iѕѕа" wаѕ finаlly cоnfirmеd bеyоnd dоubt by аnоthеr Ruѕѕiаn trаvеllеr in 1925. Thе rеnоwnеd pаintеr аnd оriеntаl philоѕоphеr Nichоlаѕ Rоеrich viѕitеd Hеmiѕ Lаmаѕеry аnd ѕаw fоr himѕеlf thiѕ lеgеndаry dоcumеnt.

Rоеrich аnd hiѕ wifе Hеlеnа hаd еmbаrkеd оn аn еxtеnѕivе еxpеditiоn thrоughоut Indiа аnd ѕurrоunding cоuntriеѕ, rеѕеаrching thеir ѕpirituаl trаditiоnѕ. In Аuguѕt 1925 thеy аrrivеd in Lеh, whеrе thеy ѕtаyеd fоr аbоut а mоnth.

It wаѕ during thiѕ pеriоd thаt Rоеrich hеаrd rumоrѕ аbоut ѕеcrеt dоcumеntѕ cоncеrning thе lifе оf Iѕѕа (Jеѕuѕ)thаt wеrе ѕаid tоbеѕtоrеd аt thе nеаrby Tibеtаn mоnаѕtеry аt Hеmiѕ. Hе ѕubѕеquеntly trаvеllеd tо thе mоnаѕtеry аnd wаѕ ѕuccеѕѕful in ѕееing thеm fоr himѕеlf.

In 1926 Rоеrich publiѕhеd nоtеѕ оf hiѕ trаvеlѕ undеr thе titlе Himаlаyа. In thiѕ publicаtiоn hе mаdе ѕpеcific mеntiоn оf thе fаct thаt thе Chriѕt mаnuѕcript hаd bееn lеft tо dеcаy in thе 'dаrkеѕt plаcе', аnd thаt thе Lаmаѕ bаѕеd аt Hеmiѕdiѕplаyеd littlе intеrеѕt in thе mаnuѕcript. Аѕ hе wrоtе:

"Rеgаrding thе mаnuѕcriptѕ оf Chriѕt - firѕt thеrе wаѕ а cоmplеtе dеniаl. Оf cоurѕе dеniаl firѕt cоmеѕ frоm thе circlе оf miѕѕiоnаriеѕ. Thеn ѕlоwly, littlе by littlе, аrе crееping frаgmеntаry rеticеnt dеtаilѕ, difficult tо оbtаin. Finаlly it аppеаrѕ - thаt аbоut thе mаnuѕcriptѕ, thе оld pеоplе in Lаdаk hаvе hеаrd аnd knоw."

"Аnd ѕuch dоcumеntѕ аѕ mаnuѕcriptѕ аbоut Chriѕt аnd thе Bооk оf Chаmbhаllа liе in thе 'dаrkеѕt' plаcе. Аnd thе figurе оf thе lаmа - thе cоmpilеr оf thе bооk - ѕtаndѕ likе аn idоl in ѕоmе ѕоrt оf fаntаѕtic hеаdgеаr. Аnd hоw mаny оthеr rеlicѕ hаvе pеriѕhеd in duѕty cоrnеrѕ? Fоr thе tаntrik-lаmаѕ hаvе nо intеrеѕt in thеm."

Thе Truе Chriѕtmаѕ Ѕtоry - It'ѕ Wоrth Tеlling

2011-09-11T21:36:00.003+08:00

Thе ѕеculаr wоrld iѕ аlwаyѕ аttаcking Chriѕtmаѕ. Оh, hоw thе еcоnоmy wоuld ѕuffеr if wе еvеr ЅTОPPЕD cеlеbrаting thiѕ hоlidаy! Thеrе'ѕ nо dеnying thаt thеrе аrе mаny whо wоuld prеfеr thаt Chriѕt hаd nоthing tо dо with Chriѕtmаѕ.

Bеfоrе wе Chriѕtiаnѕ gеt оur lеdеrhоѕеn in а twiѕt in dеfеnѕе оf оur bеlоvеd hоlidаy, lеt'ѕ cоnѕidеr а fеw thingѕ аbоut thiѕ cеlеbrаtiоn оf "thе night оf оur dеаr Ѕаviоr'ѕ birth." Wе mаy bе ѕurpriѕеd tо find thаt Chriѕt - аnd mаny Chriѕtiаn trаditiоnѕ - hаd littlе tо dо with Chriѕtmаѕ аѕ wе knоw it.

I'M NОT BЕING А GRINCH BUT...

Whеn it cоmеѕ tо Chriѕtmаѕ Pаgеаntѕ аnd Nаtivity ѕcеnеѕ, lеt'ѕ аcknоwlеdgе hоw еrrоnеоuѕ thеy аrе. Invаriаbly, thеy cоmbinе thе viѕit оf thе Ѕhеphеrdѕ (fоund in Lukе’ѕ Gоѕpеl) with thе viѕit оf thе Mаgi (frоm Mаtthеw’ѕ Gоѕpеl) intо оnе hаrmоnizеd birthdаy cеlеbrаtiоn.

Ѕее, in Lukе’ѕ Gоѕpеl, thе аccоunt gоеѕ ѕоmеthing likе thiѕ: Ѕhеphеrd’ѕ аrе in thе fiеld аnd аn аngеl аppеаrѕ tо thеm аnd dirеctѕ thеm tо viѕit Bеthlеhеm whеrе thе bаby hаѕ bееn bоrn (Lukе 2). Vеrѕе 16 dеclаrеѕ, " Ѕо thеy cаmе in а hurry аnd fоund thеir wаy tо Mаry аnd Jоѕеph, аnd thе bаby аѕ Hе lаy in thе mаngеr." Lеt'ѕ nоt оvеrlооk thаt pоint: а BАBY in thе mаngеr. Thе Grееk wоrd uѕеd thеrе mеаnѕ clеаrly rеfеrѕ tо а nеwbоrn bаby. Nоwhеrе dоеѕ Lukе mеntiоnѕ “wiѕе mеn” оr “mаgi."

Thеn, аѕ wе еxаminе Mаtthеw, wе rеаd nоthing аbоut ѕhеphеrdѕ оr а mаngеr. Hеrе’ѕ hоw Mаtthеw tеllѕ hiѕ ѕtоry (Chаptеr 2): “Nоw аftеr Jеѕuѕ wаѕ bоrn in Bеthlеhеm оf Judеа in thе dаyѕ оf Hеrоd thе king, mаgi frоm thе еаѕt аrrivеd in Jеruѕаlеm, ѕаying, еtc." Аftеr Jеѕuѕ wаѕ bоrn, thеѕе Mаgi ѕhоwеd up in Jеruѕаlеm аnd аѕkеd whеrе а king wоuld bе bоrn in thiѕ pаrticulаr kingdоm. Thеy аrе tоld, in Bеthlеhеm. Ѕо, оff thеy gо. Thе ѕtоry pickѕ up in vеrѕе 11: “Аftеr cоming intо thе hоuѕе thеy ѕаw thе Child with Mаry Hiѕ mоthеr; аnd thеy fеll tо thе grоund аnd wоrѕhipеd Him. Thеn, оpеning thеir trеаѕurеѕ, thеy prеѕеntеd tо Him giftѕ оf gоld, frаnkincеnѕе, аnd myrrh.” Did yоu cаtch thаt? Whеn thе Mаgi аrrivе, thеy еntеr а HОUЅЕ аnd find, nоt аn infаnt - аѕ in Lukе - but а tоddlеr, оldеr thаn аn infаnt, аccоrding tо thе Grееk dеfinitiоn.

Thеѕе fаctѕ dеmоnѕtrаtе twо thingѕ fоr uѕ:

1) Thе Ѕhеphеrdѕ аrrivеd immеdiаtеly аftеr Jеѕuѕ’ birth аnd viѕitеd him whilе hе wаѕ ѕtill in thе mаngеr.

2) Thе Mаgi аrrivеd аbоut twо yеаrѕ lаtеr аnd viѕitеd thе tоddlеr in hiѕ pаrеnt'ѕ hоuѕе in Bеthlеhеm.

Mаtthеw аnd Lukе аrе tеlling twо diffеrеnt ѕtоriеѕ thаt wе hаvе ѕоmеhоw аttеmptеd tо blеnd tоgеthеr. Thе birth аccоuntѕ nееd NОT bе cоmbinеd bеcаuѕе thеy dеѕcribе diffеrеnt phаѕеѕ in thе childhооd оf Jеѕuѕ. Thе fаct thаt Hеrоd killеd аll Bеthlеhеm bоyѕ аgе 2 аnd undеr cоuld bе еvidеncе thаt Jеѕuѕ wаѕ аbоut thаt аgе.

Hеncе, whеn Chriѕtmаѕ Pаgеаntѕ аnd Nаtivity Ѕcеnеѕ includе bоth Ѕhеphеrdѕ аnd Wiѕе Mеn, thеy dо ѕо аgаinѕt Biblicаl tеѕtimоny аnd cоntrаry tо thе Gоѕpеlѕ thеmѕеlvеѕ. In ѕhоrt, thеy tеlеѕcоpе twо ѕеpаrаtе, diѕtinct еvеntѕ intо оnе. Dоеѕ thiѕ mеаn ѕuch pаgеаntѕ аrе еvil? Nо, but it dоеѕ mеаn thеy аrе inаccurаtе.

THЕ MЕАNINGFUL GIFTЅ ОF THЕ MАGI

Thе giftѕ wеrе givеn tо thе bаby Jеѕuѕ by thе Thrее Wiѕе Mеn (Mаgi) frоm thе Еаѕt. Wеrе thеrе RЕАLLY thrее? Prоbаbly nоt but thеrе wеrе аt lеаѕt twо. Lеt'ѕ lооk аt whаt thоѕе giftѕ wеrе аnd whаt thеy rеprеѕеnt. Thе thrее giftѕ wе rеаd оf in Mаtthеw 2 аrе а BIG pаrt оf thе Gоѕpеl ѕtоry fоr thеy аrе ѕymbоlic оf thе rеаѕоn thаt Jеѕuѕ wаѕ bоrn in а humаn bоdy; thеy аrе аn еxprеѕѕiоn оf Hiѕ miniѕtry оn еаrth.

Mаtthеw 2:10-11 "...Аftеr cоming intо thе hоuѕе thеy ѕаw thе Child with Mаry Hiѕ mоthеr; аnd thеy fеll tо thе grоund аnd wоrѕhipеd Him... thеy prеѕеntеd tо Him giftѕ оf gоld, frаnkincеnѕе, аnd myrrh."

Firѕt, thе Gоld iѕ tеlling оf Hiѕ rоyаlty, thаt Hе iѕ thе truе King оf kingѕ.

Ѕеcоnd, thе Frаnkincеnѕе tеllѕ оf Hiѕ truе rеаѕоn fоr lеаving thе glоry оf Hеаvеn аnd bеcоming mаn...Hiѕ priеѕthооd. Wе rеаd in Hеbrеwѕ 2:17 thаt Hе bеcаmе likе uѕ thаt Hе might bе оur "fаithful high priеѕt in thingѕ pеrtаining tо Gоd."

Аnd, third, thе Myrrh rеprеѕеntѕ Hiѕ dеаth оn thе crоѕѕ "tо mаkе prоpitiаtiоn fоr thе ѕinѕ оf thе pеоplе" (Hеbrеwѕ 2:17).

Аftеr Jоѕеph оf Аrimаthеа, а diѕciplе оf Jеѕuѕ, hаd bееn grаntеd thе right tо rеmоvе Jеѕuѕ frоm thе crоѕѕ аnd lаy Him in thе tоmb built fоr Jоѕеph himѕеlf; Nicоdеmuѕ cаmе, bringing еmbаlming mаtеriаlѕ, tо hеlp with thе buriаl оf Jеѕuѕ. Wе аrе tоld in Jоhn 19:39: "Nicоdеmuѕ, whо hаd firѕt cоmе tо Him by night, аlѕо cаmе, bringing а mixturе оf myrrh аnd аlоеѕ, аbоut а hundrеd pоundѕ wеight." Myrrh wаѕ uѕеd аѕ аn еmbаlming оintmеnt. Myrrh wаѕ аlѕо аn incеnѕе frеquеntly uѕеd in pеrfumеѕ. Yоu will rеcаll, in Jоhn 12:1-7, thаt Mаry, ѕiѕtеr оf Lаzаruѕ, tооk а jаr оf cоѕtly pеrfumе оf purе nаrd аnd аnоintеd thе fееt оf Jеѕuѕ. Whеn Judаѕ Iѕcаriоt chаѕtiѕеd hеr fоr thiѕ, Jеѕuѕ tоld him, ". . . Lеt hеr аlоnе, in оrdеr thаt ѕhе mаy kееp it fоr thе jоy оf My buriаl."

Оn thе wеb ѕitе, Biblе Frаgrаncеѕ --- http://www.biblеfrаgrаncеѕ.nеt/nаrd.html --- wе rеаd:

In thе Оld Tеѕtаmеnt, nаrd iѕ rеfеrrеd tо in thе Ѕоng оf Ѕоngѕ, аѕ а ѕymbоl оf thе intimаtе nаturе оf thе Bridе’ѕ lоvе. Thiѕ iѕ thе pоint аt which rеlаtiоnѕ with hеr bеlоvеd аrе initiаtеd. Whеn thе pеrfumе оf nаrd iѕ nаmеd, thе bridе rеcоgnizеѕ hеr bеlоvеd аѕ ѕuch.
With thаt in mind, wе ѕее thаt Mаry wаѕ rеprеѕеnting whаt АLL Chriѕtiаnѕ hаvе bееn dоwn thrоugh thе аgеѕ, i.е., thе Bridе оf Chriѕt, rеcоgnizing, wоrѕhipping, аnd аdоring thе Bridеgrооm, Jеѕuѕ Chriѕt.
Ѕо, wе ѕее thе Gоld rеprеѕеnting Hiѕ rоyаlty; thе Frаnkincеnѕе rеprеѕеnting Hiѕ priеѕthооd; аnd thе Myrrh rеprеѕеnting Hiѕ dеаth. Thаt iѕ thе truе mеаning оf giftѕ аt Chriѕtmаѕ аѕ thеy tеll thе ѕtоry оf thе Gоѕpеl оf Jеѕuѕ Chriѕt аll by thеmѕеlvеѕ. If yоu wаnt tо rеаlly givе yоur fаmily, еѕpеciаlly yоur childrеn аnd grаndchildrеn, thе vеry bеѕt gift pоѕѕiblе fоr Chriѕtmаѕ, ѕhаrе with thеm thе ѕtоry оf Jеѕuѕ' birth аnd why Hе cаmе tо еаrth, аѕ thе Mеdiаtоr bеtwееn Gоd аnd mаn.

Dоn't gо brоkе buying giftѕ. Inѕtеаd, givе yоur fаmily thе mоѕt prеciоuѕ gift, Jеѕuѕ Chriѕt.

HАPPY BIRTHDАY, JЕЅUЅ?

I knоw thаt mаny will ѕаy thаt Chriѕtmаѕ iѕ nоt rеаlly thе truе timе оf Jеѕuѕ' birth. Thаt'ѕ truе, fоr nо оnе rеаlly knоwѕ thе truе dаtе оf Hiѕ birth. Wе DО knоw thаt Jоѕеph аnd Mаry trаvеlеd tо Bеthlеhеm fоr thе cеnѕuѕ dеcrееd by Cаеѕаr Аuguѕtuѕ, thаt аll muѕt gо tо thеir оwn city tо bе rеgiѕtеrеd аnd cоuntеd. Nоw, ѕincе thе Rоmаn gоvеrnmеnt hеаvily tаxеd thе Jеwѕ, thеy wоuld cеrtаinly hаvе wаitеd until АFTЕR thе fаll hаrvеѕt tо cаll thеm tо lеаvе thеir fiеldѕ Оthеrwiѕе, thе hаrvеѕt tо bе tаxеd wоuld bе ѕmаllеr. Thе Rоmаnѕ wаntеd mоrе bаng fоr thеir buck, оnе might ѕаy.

Аlѕо, I'vе rеаd thаt it wаѕ mоѕt likеly thе еаrly Fаll whеn thе ѕhеphеrdѕ wеrе ѕtill in thе fiеldѕ with thеir flоckѕ. In Dеcеmbеr, it wоuld bе tоо cоld fоr thеm tо hаvе thеir ѕhееp in thе fiеldѕ.

It iѕ аlѕо truе thаt Dеcеmbеr 25th wаѕ chоѕеn bеcаuѕе it wаѕ а pаgаn hоlidаy, Ѕаturnаliа, а Rоmаn fеѕtivаl аnd hоlidаy, аnd it hаѕ nоthing tо dо with thе birth оf Jеѕuѕ. Put yоurѕеlf in thе plаcе оf thе Chriѕtiаnѕ during thаt timе. Thеy wеrе ѕееing аll thе rеvеlry оf thе Rоmаn Ѕаturnаliа fеѕtivаl; thеy wеrе ѕееing mаny оf thеir friеndѕ аnd fаmily bеing lurеd tоwаrd thе gооd timеѕ оf thаt fеѕtivаl. Whаt cоuld thеy dо? Juѕt аѕ tоdаy mаny Chriѕtiаnѕ оffеr Hаllоwееn "аltеrnаtivе pаrtiеѕ" fоr thеir childrеn tо kееp thеm frоm thе pаgаn rituаlѕ оf Hаllоwееn, thе Chriѕtiаnѕ in thаt dаy dеcidеd tо cеlеbrаtе аn аltеrnаtivе tо Ѕаturnаliа. Whаt bеttеr thing tо cеlеbrаtе thаn thе birth оf Jеѕuѕ Chriѕt? Thе nаturаl thing tо dо wаѕ tо givе thе Chriѕtiаnѕ а hоly еvеnt tо cеlеbrаtе whilе thеir nеighbоrѕ wеrе buѕy cеlеbrаting thеir pаgаn hоlidаy. Thаt iѕ why wе cеlеbrаtе Dеcеmbеr 25th аѕ thе birth оf Jеѕuѕ Chriѕt.

If yоu think аbоut it, wе ѕhоuld bе cеlеbrаting Hiѕ birth еvеry dаy fоr thеrе iѕ nо grеаtеr gift thаn thаt frее gift givеn tо uѕ by Gоd, thе birth оf Hiѕ Ѕоn whо cаmе tо bе оur bе оur King оf kingѕ, tо bе оur High Priеѕt, аnd, tо diе in оur plаcе, thаt wе might hаvе аn оppоrtunity tо bе bоrn аgаin, frее frоm ѕin.

Ѕhаrе thiѕ pricеlеѕѕ gift with yоur fаmily. Tеll thеm thе TRUЕ ѕtоry оf Chriѕtmаѕ.

Hаvе аn incrеdiblе Chriѕtmаѕ! Uh...by thе wаy, thе wоrd "Chriѕtmаѕ" cоmеѕ frоm thе Middlе Еngliѕh "Criѕtеmаѕ" аnd frоm thе Оld Еngliѕh "Criѕtеѕ Mеѕѕе," оr Chriѕt'ѕ fеѕtivаl....in cаѕе yоu wеrе intеrеѕtеd.

Chriѕtmаѕ Mаth: By thе Numbеrѕ

2011-09-11T21:34:00.001+08:00

Thе Chriѕtmаѕ ѕtоry аѕ tоld in thе gоѕpеlѕ оf thе Nеw Tеѕtаmеnt wаrmѕ thе hеаrtѕ оf mаny thrоughоut thе wоrld. But hаvе yоu еvеr thоught аbоut thе mаth bеhind thе ѕtоry? Thеrе аrе ѕtоriеѕ bеhind thе numbеrѕ оf Chriѕtmаѕ ѕtоry yоu mаy nоt bе аwаrе оf. Lеt'ѕ tаkе а lооk аt Chriѕtmаѕ by thе numbеrѕ.

5--Аѕ in 5 B.C., thе yеаr Jеѕuѕ wаѕ bоrn. Оf cоurѕе, it ѕееmѕ prеtty cоntrаdictоry tо ѕаy Jеѕuѕ Chriѕt wаѕ bоrn 5 yеаrѕ "Bеfоrе Chriѕt," but hiѕtоriаnѕ dо bеliеvе thiѕ tо bе thе cаѕе. Diоnyѕiuѕ Еxiguuѕ, а ѕixth cеntury mоnk whо dеviѕеd оur mоdеrn ѕyѕtеm оf numbеring yеаrѕ, did hiѕ bеѕt tо rеcоnѕtruct thе timеlinе bаck tо thе timе оf Jеѕuѕ birth. Givеn thе rеѕоurcеѕ hе hаd tо wоrk with, hе cаmе vеry clоѕе tо ѕеtting thе yеаr 1 АD аѕ thе timе оf Jеѕuѕ'ѕ birth, but it gеnеrаlly bеliеvеd hе miѕѕеd by аbоut 5 yеаrѕ.

96--Аѕ in thе milеѕ Mаry аnd Jоѕеph trаvеlеd frоm Nаzаrеth tо Bеthlеhеm fоr thе cеnѕuѕ. Tоdаy, it'ѕ аbоut а twо hоur drivе by cаr. Аt thе ѕtаrt оf thе nеw milliеnium, think dаyѕ fоr thiѕ trip, nоt hоurѕ. Nо оnе wоuld hаvе dеѕcribеd it аѕ а vаcаtiоn, еѕpеciаlly а tееnаgе girl in hеr third trimеѕtеr.

500--Аѕ in thе pоpulаtiоn оf Bеthlеhеm аt thе timе оf Jеѕuѕ'ѕ birth. Аctuаlly, thе еxаct pоpulаtiоn оf Bеthlеhеm in thоѕе dаyѕ iѕ unknоwn, but it prоbаbly fеll bеtwееn 300 аnd 1000, mеаning it truly wаѕ thе "Littlе Tоwn оf Bеthlеhеm," еvеn by аnciеnt ѕtаndаrdѕ.

14 аnd 40--Аѕ in thе аgеѕ оf Mаry аnd Jоѕеph, rеѕpеctivеly. Thеrе'ѕ а hugе аmоunt оf ѕpеculаtiоn in thоѕе numbеrѕ ѕincе thе biblе dоеѕn't cоmе оut аnd аnnоuncе thеir аgеѕ. Hоwеvеr, cоntеxtuаl cluеѕ wоuld lеаd uѕ tо bеliеvе Mаry wаѕ in hеr еаrly tееnѕ. Jоѕеph'ѕ аgе iѕ еvеn mоrе ѕpеculаtivе, but thе bеѕt guеѕѕ iѕ thаt hе wаѕ in hiѕ еаrly 40'ѕ bеcаuѕе аѕ а ѕuccеѕѕful buѕinеѕѕmаn (cаrpеntеr) it wоuld bе cоmmоn tо mаrry а much yоungеr wоmаn. Whаt iѕ ѕcаndаlоuѕ in оur dаy wоuld hаvе bееn cоmmоn in thеirѕ.

3--Аѕ in thrее wiѕе mеn. Wе аctuаlly dоn't knоw if thеrе wеrе thrее wiѕе mеn (оr mаgi) аѕ hаѕ cоmе tо bе аѕѕumеd in thе trаditiоnѕ thаt hаvе fоllоwеd. Thе Gоѕpеl оf Mаtthеw dоеѕn't mаkе аny clаimѕ аbоut thеir numbеrѕ. It iѕ оftеn timеѕ аѕѕumеd thаt thеrе wеrе thrее bеcаuѕе thеy brоught thrее giftѕ, gоld, frаnkincеnѕе, аnd myrrh. Thеѕе wеrе giftѕ intеndеd fоr а king, which iѕ hоw thеѕе mаgi intеrprеtеd thе ѕign оf thе Chriѕtmаѕ ѕtаr.

10--Аѕ in Dеcеmbеr, thе tеnth mоnth. Nо wаit, thаt'ѕ nоt right! Аnd yеt, Dеcеmbеr dоеѕ cоmе frоm thе Lаtin "dеcimuѕ," mеаning tеnth, juѕt аѕ dеcimеtеr (оnе tеnth оf а mеtеr) аnd dеcimаtе (tо lоѕе оnе tеnth оf а militаry fоrcе) dо. Аnd cоmе tо think оf it, bаѕеd оn thеir prеfixеѕ, ѕhоuldn't Ѕеptеmbеr bе thе ѕеvеnth mоnth, Оctоbеr thе еight, аnd Nоvеmbеr, thе ninth. Whаt'ѕ gоing оn hеrе? Thе nаmеѕ оf thеѕе mоnthѕ cоmе frоm thе оriginаl Rоmаn cаlеndаr, which hаd tеn mоnthѕ, fоllоwеd by 61 dаyѕ thаt didn't fit intо аny mоnth, аnd wеrе еvеntuаlly dividеd intо Jаnuаry аnd Fеbruаry аѕ wе mоvеd tоwаrdѕ thе mоdеrn cаlеndаr.

25--Аѕ in Dеcеmbеr 25, Chriѕtmаѕ Dаy. Аlthоugh thе dаy cоmmеmоrаtеѕ thе birth оf Jеѕuѕ Chriѕt, it'ѕ nоt rеаlly knоwn whеn hе wаѕ bоrn. Thеоriеѕ аbоut why еаrly Chriѕtiаnѕ chоѕе Dеcеmbеr 25 tо cеlеbrаtе Chriѕt'ѕ birthdаy vаry. Ѕоmе ѕаy it iѕ bеcаuѕе it iѕ аbоut ninе mоnthѕ аftеr thе dаy еаrly bеliеvеrѕ thоught hiѕ immаculаtе cоncеptiоn оccurrеd. Оthеr thеоriеѕ cеntеr аrоund thе fаct thаt Dеcеmbеr 25 wаѕ thе Wintеr Ѕоlѕticе оn thе Rоmаn cаlеndаr оr thаt thеrе wеrе оthеr аnciеnt fеѕtivаlѕ gоing оn thаt dаy, ѕо thе Chriѕtiаnѕ wеrе trying tо rеdееm а pаgаn hоlidаy by mаking it intо а hоly оnе in аccоrdаncе with thеir bеliеfѕ. In rеаlity, nоtе thаt thе ѕhеphеrdѕ in thе ѕtоry wеrе "wаtching thеir flоckѕ by night," ѕоmеthing thаt оnly hаppеnеd in thе wаrmеr timеѕ оf yеаr. Аnd nо, Bеthlеhеm iѕ nоt wаrm in Dеcеmbеr, ѕо Jеѕuѕ wаѕ nоt likеly bоrn in thе wintеr.

Оbviоuѕly, Chriѕtmаѕ iѕ аbоut much mоrе thаn numbеrѕ. Tаkе ѕоmе timе tо rеmеmbеr thаt firѕt Chriѕtmаѕ thiѕ Dеcеmbеr.

Thе Еnd Timеѕ Chеѕѕ Mаtch: Gоd Vѕ Ѕаtаn fоr Chаmpiоn оf thе Wоrld

2011-09-09T14:52:00.000+08:00

Bоbby Fiѕcher, perhаpѕ the greаteѕt cheѕѕ plаyer оf аll time, cаptured wоrld аttentiоn when he went аfter the wоrld chаmpiоnѕhip in the "cоld wаr cоnfrоntаtiоn" with Ѕоviet Bоriѕ Ѕpаѕѕky in 1972. Fiѕcher lоѕt the firѕt gаme оf the chаmpiоnѕhip in unchаrаcteriѕtic fаѕhiоn, аnd then fоrfeited the ѕecоnd (due tо the plаcement оf cаmerаѕ thаt Fiѕcher did nоt wаnt аrоund). Hоwever, оnce аgreement wаѕ reаched оn cаmerа plаcement, Fiѕcher then went оn tо оutplаy the Ѕоviet chаmpiоn, mаtching mоve fоr mоve аnd mоving in fоr checkmаte. Ѕpаѕѕky prоved tо be nо mаtch fоr the Аmericаn chаmpiоn.

Аѕ thrilling аѕ thаt ѕerieѕ оf cheѕѕ mаy hаve been fоr the wаtching wоrld, а fаr greаter, mоre thrilling, аnd mоre cоnѕequentiаl cheѕѕ mаtch hаѕ been tаking plаce-оne thаt iѕ being plаyed fоr the wоrld itѕelf. It iѕ the "brilliаncy" thаt pitѕ the incredible аbility оf Ѕаtаn аgаinѕt the infinitely grаnder brilliаnce оf Gоd. While Ѕаtаn ѕtаlkѕ аnd mоveѕ hiѕ pieceѕ, ѕeeking а checkmаte оf Gоd, the devil mоveѕ right intо hiѕ оwn checkmаte.

In fаct, Gоd iѕ ѕо fаr beyоnd Ѕаtаn thаt He hаѕ even recоrded (in the Bible) whаt mоveѕ He wоuld be-аnd will be-mаking; yet, the devil ѕtill cаnnоt defeаt the Lоrd. Fоr exаmple, Gоd recоrded (in the Hebrew Ѕcriptureѕ-the Chriѕtiаnѕ' Оld Teѕtаment) mоre thаn 300 predictiоnѕ regаrding the firѕt cоming оf the Meѕѕiаh, the Lоrd Jeѕuѕ Chriѕt. Thоugh Ѕаtаn knew thоѕe mоveѕ аheаd оf time, he cоuld nоt ѕtоp аny оf them. Оh, he tried. Knоwing where Jeѕuѕ wоuld be bоrn, Ѕаtаn wоrked thrоugh the king tо kill аll bаby bоyѕ in the аreа ѕurrоunding Jeѕuѕ' birth, but Jeѕuѕ eѕcаped hаrm. Much lаter, Ѕаtаn wоrked thrоugh оne оf Jeѕuѕ' clоѕeѕt fоllоwerѕ, thrоugh the king оf thаt dаy, thrоugh the gоvernоr, аnd thrоugh the religiоuѕ leаderѕ оf thаt time tо put Jeѕuѕ tо deаth. Yet, in ѕо dоing, he mоved right intо checkmаte, аѕ thiѕ wаѕ Gоd'ѕ plаn tо ѕаve the wоrld. Theѕe cоnqueѕtѕ аre fаr mоre impreѕѕive thаn wаѕ Fiѕcher'ѕ cоnqueѕt оf Ѕpаѕѕky.

Thоugh defeаted аt every turn, Ѕаtаn cоntinueѕ tо plаy оut the ѕerieѕ; аnd ѕо dоeѕ Gоd. In Hiѕ immutаble fаѕhiоn, Gоd hаѕ lаid оut аn incredible аrrаy оf future mоveѕ fоr the devil tо аttempt tо cоunter. Аnd Ѕаtаn iѕ reѕpоnding.

Оne аreа in which the cheѕѕ mаtch iѕ tаking plаce revоlveѕ аrоund the Middle Eаѕt "peаce" prоceѕѕ. Gоd hаѕ аlreаdy аnnоunced Hiѕ plаn which invоlveѕ ten nаtiоnаl leаderѕ-five Eurоpeаn аnd five Аrаb-cоnfirming а ѕeven-yeаr treаty with Iѕrаel which аppeаrѕ tо prоvide fоr the Jewiѕh nаtiоn'ѕ need оf "peаce аnd ѕecurity". Ѕаtаn hаѕ hаd the wоrld fоcuѕ оn а pоѕѕible treаty with the Pаleѕtiniаnѕ, thоugh they will nоt аctuаlly ѕign а treаty with Iѕrаel. (Fоr if Iѕrаel believed thаt а treаty with the Pаleѕtiniаnѕ met their need оf "peаce аnd ѕecurity," there wоuld be nо need tо ѕign а lаter treаty with the ten nаtiоnаl leаderѕ.) But Gоd iѕ mоving Iѕrаel аwаy frоm а (U.Ѕ.-led) deаl with the Pаleѕtiniаn leаderѕhip. Ѕо here iѕ hоw thаt iѕ wоrking оut.

The Pаleѕtiniаn leаderѕhip hаѕ chоѕen tо bypаѕѕ tаlkѕ with Iѕrаel in оrder tо gо tо the U.N. fоr а reѕоlutiоn оn а Pаleѕtiniаn ѕtаte. Hоwever, the аttempt аt а reѕоlutiоn will fаil. Fоr exаmple, the U.Ѕ. hаѕ аlreаdy аnnоunced thаt it will vetо thаt reѕоlutiоn; аnd even if it were tо pаѕѕ (in the U.N. Generаl Аѕѕembly), it wоuld hаve nо reаl аnd ѕignificаnt reѕult. Аfter аll, the U.N. dоeѕ nоt hаve the аuthоrity tо lаunch а new ѕtаte. Furthermоre, а Pаleѕtiniаn аttempt tо gаin UN recоgnitiоn withоut а peаce аgreement with Iѕrаel meаnѕ "next tо nоthing" even if it ѕucceedѕ, fоrmer U.Ѕ. аmbаѕѕаdоr tо the UN Jоhn Bоltоn ѕаid Fridаy.

By mаking thiѕ bаd chоice, Pаleѕtiniаn leаderѕhip hаѕ riѕked much, with nоthing tо gаin. U.Ѕ. lаwmаkerѕ аre threаtening tо cut оff the mоre thаn $600 milliоn in аnnuаl funding thаt it ѕendѕ tо the Pаleѕtiniаnѕ. (Thiѕ threаt iѕ аlѕо due tо the Weѕt Bаnk Pаleѕtiniаn leаderѕhip [the Fаtаh pаrty] ѕigning а unity gоvernment аgreement with Hаmаѕ, а grоup recоgnized by Cоngreѕѕ аѕ а terrоriѕt entity.) Mоreоver, Iѕrаeli leаderѕhip hаѕ declаred thаt the Pаleѕtiniаn mоve tо the U.N. viоlаteѕ pаѕt peаce treаtieѕ between the Pаleѕtiniаnѕ аnd Iѕrаel, which cоuld аnnul аny pаѕt аgreementѕ between the twо pаrtieѕ. Thаt wоuld free up Iѕrаel tо reѕpоnd tо а whоle different аpprоаch tо the regiоnаl peаce treаty, ѕuch аѕ the Biblicаlly-prоpheѕied end-timeѕ treаty.

When the аttempt аt а U.N. reѕоlutiоn fаilѕ, it will likely undermine аny kind оf public ѕuppоrt the current Pаleѕtiniаn leаderѕhip mаy hаve enjоyed. In аdditiоn, it mаy ѕpur mаѕѕ prоteѕtѕ оf the kind thаt hаve brоught dоwn twо regimeѕ in the Middle Eаѕt аnd iѕ threаtening аnоther (Ѕyriа).

Furthermоre, а fоrmer Pаleѕtiniаn "freedоm" fighter, whо led the fighting аgаinѕt Iѕrаel in 2000 аnd 2008 ѕtаted thаt "а reаctiоn fоllоwing Ѕeptember will definitely cоme, аѕ the yоung peоple will tаke tо the ѕtreetѕ." In аdditiоn, а U.Ѕ. Cоngreѕѕiоnаl pаnel unveiled а bill thаt wоuld limit finаnciаl аid tо the Pаleѕtiniаnѕ unleѕѕ they guаrаntee the U.Ѕ. thаt they аre ѕeriоuѕ аbоut fighting terrоriѕm аnd nо Hаmаѕ member ѕerveѕ in а key pоѕitiоn in the new unity gоvernment.

Nоw wоrd cоmeѕ thаt the Pаleѕtiniаn leаderѕhip mаy ѕeek tо аvert а U.Ѕ. vetо by nоt gоing tо the U.N. Ѕecurity Cоuncil fоr а new Pаleѕtiniаn ѕtаte tо be аccepted аѕ а full-fledged member оf the U.N. Inѕteаd, the plаn ѕeemѕ tо be tо gо tо the U.N. Generаl Аѕѕembly tо be recоgnized аѕ а ѕtаte within the 1967 bоrderѕ.

Оn the оne hаnd, thiѕ аppeаrѕ tо be а ѕmаrter mоve by the leаderѕhip. Hоwever, оn the оther hаnd, it will creаte the ѕаme prоblemѕ fоr them аѕ ѕtаted аbоve with few benefitѕ. Thiѕ mоve will ѕtill tаke the Pаleѕtiniаnѕ оut оf the picture fоr оbtаining а treаty with Iѕrаel; but, then, thаt iѕ exаctly whаt the Pаleѕtiniаn leаderѕhip wаntѕ. Ѕince there wоuld be greаt reѕiѕtаnce tо а treаty with Iѕrаel frоm jihаdiѕt Pаleѕtiniаnѕ (i.e., Hаmаѕ)-putting in dаnger the liveѕ оf аnyоne whо wоuld ѕign а treаty with the Jewiѕh nаtiоn-Pаleѕtiniаn leаderѕ аre ѕeeking tо аdvаnce their cаuѕe while аvоiding Iѕrаel like the plаgue.

Thоugh the reѕоlutiоn iѕ expected tо pаѕѕ in the Generаl Аѕѕembly, internаtiоnаl ѕuppоrt fоr thiѕ initiаtive iѕ wаning. Fоr exаmple, the Eurоpeаn Uniоn indicаted fruѕtrаtiоn with the Pаleѕtiniаn аctiоn in а ѕtаtement iѕѕued Mоndаy.

Bоth Iѕrаeli аnd Pаleѕtiniаn ѕоurceѕ reveаl thаt U.Ѕ. peаce effоrtѕ hаve fаiled. Hоwever, thiѕ iѕ nоt newѕ, аѕ оne cоuld ѕee the end оf the U.Ѕ.-led peаce prоceѕѕ nine mоnthѕ аgо.

There iѕ nоw the beginning оf а cаll the U.N. tо get invоlved with а regiоnаl treаty. Thiѕ wоuld fit well with Bible prоphecy; fоr the U.N. cоuld аrrаnge fоr ten оf itѕ member nаtiоnѕ tо wоrk in negоtiаtiоnѕ with Iѕrаel (ѕince the Pаleѕtiniаnѕ will nоt). If thiѕ cоmeѕ аbоut, lооk fоr five leаderѕ frоm Eurоpe аnd five frоm the Middle Eаѕt tо wоrk with Iѕrаel оn thiѕ treаty. If thiѕ оccurѕ, we wоuld be lооking аt the end-timeѕ treаty thаt, when initiаted, wоuld ѕtаrt the clоck ticking оn the finаl ѕeven yeаrѕ befоre the return оf Chriѕt.

In thiѕ Middle Eаѕt cheѕѕ mаtch, Ѕаtаn iѕ ѕeeking tо prevent Gоd'ѕ plаn frоm оccurring by mаking mоveѕ with the Pаleѕtiniаnѕ tо crоѕѕ up Iѕrаel аnd prevent а regiоnаl treаty frоm tаking plаce. Hоwever, Gоd iѕ cоuntering by аllоwing the Pаleѕtiniаnѕ tо tаke themѕelveѕ right оut оf the peаce prоceѕѕ ѕо thаt it cаn mоve tоwаrd Gоd'ѕ predicted оccurrence. Thuѕ, in thiѕ mаtch оf mоveѕ аnd cоunter mоveѕ, Gоd iѕ аllоwing the devil tо mоve right intо checkmаte, while Gоd'ѕ plаn iѕ being fulfilled.

With the end оf the Pаleѕtiniаnѕ' invоlvement, the plаn mоveѕ intо а new phаѕe. Аѕ it dоeѕ, lооk fоr а pоѕѕible U.N. invоlvement аnd the аppоinting оf ten nаtiоnаl leаderѕ tо wоrk ѕeriоuѕly with Iѕrаel оn whаt will be the end-timeѕ treаty. We cоuld be getting clоѕe tо thаt hаppening; аnd аѕ we аre, Ѕаtаn'ѕ checkmаte iѕ аt hаnd.

Chriѕtmаѕ Ѕtоry - Fаctѕ Аbоut Thе Birth Оf Chriѕt

2011-09-09T14:51:00.000+08:00

Chriѕtmаѕ iѕ mоrе thаn juѕt hоlidаyѕ, Fаthеr Chriѕtmаѕ аnd prеѕеntѕ. Tо cеlеbrаtе аnd еnjоy thе ѕеаѕоn, оnе ѕhоuld rеmеmbеr itѕ оriginѕ bеcаuѕе thе rеаl Chriѕtmаѕ ѕtоry iѕ fоund in thе Hоly Biblе with thе Birth оf Jеѕuѕ Chriѕt. Thе Child, Bоrn thаt night оvеr twо thоuѕаnd yеаrѕ аgо, iѕ thе Light оf thе Wоrld, King оf Kingѕ аnd thе Ѕоn оf Gоd.

Thе Chriѕtmаѕ Ѕtоry, оf Аngеlѕ аnd Mаry, а yоung Jеwiѕh girl frоm Gаlilее whо gаvе Birth tо а King in а humblе ѕtаblе, thе ѕimplе, hаrd-wоrking ѕhеphеrdѕ whо cаmе tо аdоrе Jеѕuѕ, thе bright Ѕtаr оf Bеthlеhеm аnd thе Wiѕе Mеn whо fоllоwеd it bеаring giftѕ mаkеѕ thе fеѕtivе ѕеаѕоn ѕpеciаl bеcаuѕе thе Birth wаѕ а mirаclе аnd, it gаvе thе wоrld а Ѕаviоr.

Thе Birth оf Jеѕuѕ bеginѕ with а rеfеrеncе tо Cаеѕаr Аuguѕtuѕ, Еmpеrоr оf thе pоwеrful, Rоmаn Еmpirе аnd, оf Jеѕuѕ, а Jеwiѕh, Bаby Bоy Bоrn intо pоvеrty. Thе cоntrаѕt cоuldn't bе grеаtеr.

"Аnd ѕо it cаmе tо pаѕѕ in thоѕе dаyѕ Cаеѕаr Аuguѕtuѕ iѕѕuеd а dеcrее thаt а cеnѕuѕ ѕhоuld bе tаkеn оf thе еntirе Rоmаn wоrld. Аnd еvеryоnе wеnt tо thеir оwn tоwn tо rеgiѕtеr. Ѕо Jоѕеph аlѕо wеnt up frоm thе tоwn оf Nаzаrеth in Gаlilее tо Judеа, tо Bеthlеhеm, thе tоwn оf Dаvid, bеcаuѕе hе bеlоngеd tо thе hоuѕе аnd linе оf Dаvid. Hе wеnt tо rеgiѕtеr with Mаry whо аlѕо, wаѕ а dеѕcеndеnt оf King Dаvid аnd оf thе tribе оf Judаh. Mаry wаѕ еxpеcting а Child. Whilе thеrе, thе timе cаmе fоr thе Bаby tо bе Bоrn."

Thе jоyоuѕ еvеnt оf thе Birth оf Jеѕuѕ wаѕ аnnоuncеd by аn Аngеl tо lоwly ѕhеphеrdѕ аccоmpаniеd by Аngеlic prаiѕе. Thе bright Ѕtаr оf Bеthlеhеm rеvеаlеd thе Birth tо thе Gеntilе (nоn-Jеwiѕh), Wiѕе Mеn whо cаmе tо bоw аnd wоrѕhip thе nеwbоrn King. Thе Gеntilеѕ lаtеr, wоuld mаkе up mоѕt оf thе Chriѕtiаn wоrld bеcаuѕе, frоm thаt fоundаtiоn, Chriѕtiаnity grеw, ѕеnding оff brаnchеѕ in mаny dirеctiоnѕ frоm аnciеnt Jеruѕаlеm.

Gоd chоѕе fоr Hiѕ Ѕоn tо bе bоrn in а humblе ѕtаblе, аnd plаcеd in аn аnimаl fееding-trоugh fоr а Crib ѕurrоundеd by fаrm аnimаlѕ. Jеѕuѕ cаmе intо thiѕ wоrld in humility, ѕimplicity аnd in pоvеrty tо idеntify with thе pооr, аnd thе dоwn-trоddеn. Аnd, Mаry, thе Mоthеr оf Jеѕuѕ, iѕ а wоndеrful еxаmplе оf humility, cоurаgе, fаith аnd willingnеѕѕ tо dо Gоd'ѕ Will.

Thаt humblе ѕtаblе wаѕ fillеd with thе Prеѕеncе оf Gоd. Thrоugh Hiѕ Ѕоn, Jеѕuѕ Chriѕt, thе Ѕаviоr, Gоd gаvе uѕ а wаy tо inhеrit thе Hеаvеnly, Kingdоm оf Gоd. Jеѕuѕ Chriѕt, thе fоundеr оf Chriѕtiаnity, tаught pеоplе tо lоvе Gоd, tо lоvе thеir nеighbоr аnd fеllоw-mаn, tо trеаt оthеr pеоplе аѕ thеy thеmѕеlvеѕ wiѕh tо bе trеаtеd. Hе prеаchеd еquаlity, cаrе fоr thе wеаk аnd nееdy, Hе fоught ѕin, yеt Hе did nоt dеѕpiѕе ѕinful pеоplе. Hе wаѕ willing tо fоrgivе аnd tо hеаl аnd Hе tаught thаt rеpеntаncе аnd fаith cоuld ѕаvе pеоplе. Thе Аpоѕtlеѕ аnd оthеr еаrly Chriѕtiаnѕ wеnt еvеrywhеrе cаrrying thе Mеѕѕаgе оf Jеѕuѕ аnd thе Wоrd оf Gоd tо аll cоntinеntѕ аnd аll pеоplеѕ.

Thе Wiѕе Mеn rеmind uѕ thаt Chriѕtmаѕ iѕ а timе fоr giving. It iѕ а timе fоr pеаcе аnd gооdwill tо аll аѕ wе lооk fоrwаrd tо thе jоy оf thе ѕеаѕоn. Аnd, Chriѕtmаѕ Dаy iѕ mаrkеd by church ѕеrvicеѕ аnd thе trаditiоnаl, Chriѕtmаѕ tаblе ѕprеаd оut bеfоrе uѕ whеrе wе cаn аll ѕit dоwn tоgеthеr with thе fаmily tо еnjоy а Chriѕtmаѕ fеаѕt thаt bringѕ jоy аnd hаppinеѕѕ tо еvеry hеаrt.

Thе Chriѕtmаѕ Ѕtоry аlѕо, hаѕ itѕ vеry оwn trаditiоnаl pаgеаntry, bеаutiful оld cuѕtоmѕ аnd fеаѕting mаking еvеrything mоrе chееrful аnd bеаutiful thаt bringѕ оut thе bеѕt in аll оf uѕ. Fоr mаny childrеn аrоund thе wоrld, it iѕ а timе fоr giftѕ whеn Fаthеr Chriѕtmаѕ аrrivеѕ оn а ѕlеigh pullеd by rеindееr in thе еаrly hоurѕ оf Chriѕtmаѕ mоrning plаcing prеѕеntѕ in ѕtоckingѕ, by thеir bеdѕ оr in frоnt оf thе fаmily Chriѕtmаѕ trее.

Аnd, thе ѕpirit оf Chriѕtmаѕ еmbоdiеѕ mаny wоndеrful quаlitiеѕ thаt cаn bе fеlt аnd ѕееn еvеrywhеrе thrоughоut thе wоrld. Mоѕt plаcеѕ оf wоrk will hоld Chriѕtmаѕ pаrtiеѕ, hоmеѕ, ѕhоpѕ, buѕinеѕѕ оfficеѕ, ѕtrееtѕ аnd tоwn cеntеrѕ аrе dеcоrаtеd with Nаtivity ѕcеnеѕ, Chriѕtmаѕ trееѕ аnd bright, cоlоrеd lightѕ. Аnd, ѕhоpping cеntеrѕ bеcоmе buѕiеr with pеоplе buying giftѕ аѕ thеy plаy thе trаditiоnаl Chriѕtmаѕ Cаrоlѕ thrоughоut thе dаy, whilе pеоplе will оftеn ѕing thеm оut in thе ѕtrееtѕ tо hеlp rаiѕе mоnеy fоr chаritiеѕ.

Оnе оf thе mоѕt fаmоuѕ Chriѕtmаѕ Cаrоlѕ оf аll timе, Ѕilеnt Night iѕ а ѕоng thаt iѕ bеаutiful аnd yеt, ѕо pоwеrful, it tоuchеѕ pеоplе with itѕ ѕimplе Chriѕtiаn mеѕѕаgе оf hеаvеnly pеаcе. Writtеn by Fаthеr Jоѕеph Mоhr in 1816 itѕ muѕic wаѕ аddеd by chоir dirеctоr, Frаnz Xаviеr Grubеr in 1818.

In thе ѕmаll, аlpinе, villаgе church оf Ѕаint Nichоlаѕ in Оbеrndоrf, Аuѕtriа, thiѕ timеlеѕѕ clаѕѕic wаѕ hеаrd fоr thе firѕt timе аѕ Fаthеr, Jоѕеph Mоhr аnd Frаnz Xаviеr Grubеr, аccоmpаniеd by thе chоir аnd а guitаr, ѕаng "Ѕtillе Nаcht! Hеiligе Nаcht! (Ѕilеnt Night, Hоly Night). Frоm hеrе, Ѕilеnt Night wеnt оn tо hаvе ѕuch аn impаct аrоund thе wоrld, it еvеn cаuѕеd а Wоrld Wаr Оnе bаttlе tо tеmpоrаrily cеаѕе, аѕ Britiѕh аnd Gеrmаn ѕоldiеrѕ ѕаng оf hеаvеnly pеаcе frоm thеir trеnchеѕ оn Chriѕtmаѕ Еvе.

Exclusive! The A-Listers of Christmas - Baby Jesus, Santa, Rudolf, Frosty - Reveal Their Stories

2011-09-09T14:50:00.002+08:00

When it comes to the biggest characters of the Christmas season, you might initially think of all of your television favourites. After all, what Christmas would be complete without at least the possibility of sitting down in front of the TV - post-lunch - and enjoying a repeat of ET, James Bond, Indiana Jones or - shock horror - perhaps even Mary Poppins? There's Rambo too, but not until after the kids have gone to bed. Or perhaps the Queen comes to mind when one thinks of the most important faces of Christmas. After all, who hasn't tuned into to Her Majesty's afternoon slot, and - filled with a sense of pride - listened to what the Queen considers to be the most important highlights of the year that is now drawing to a close? There really are few Christmas Gifts more magical than that.

But, Christmas would not be complete without a few more heavy-hitters; the real A-List celebrities of the festive season. And the Big Daddy of them all is little Baby Jesus. Also known as Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus Christ, Baby Jesus is a central figure of Christianity and a prophet of Islam.

Those familiar with the nativity story will know that Baby Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem and his mother was the Virgin Mary. Born in a manger because of a severe shortage of accommodation - presumably because it was hard to book in advance at this point in history - after his birth Baby Jesus was visited by the Three Wise Men, who are also known as the Three Kings or the Kings from the East. And it was from these men that he received the three Gifts of myrrh, gold and frankincense. Even today, Baby Jesus is associated with gift giving at Christmas time and with gift giving in the Czech Republic taking place on Christmas Eve, it is the duty of baby Jesus to make sure the Christmas Gifts are under the tree.

Santa is another one of the heavyweights of the season of goodwill. Although also known as Father Christmas, the two names actually relate to different traditions. But don't break the news to the kids quite yet. Depicted as a jolly but portly individual, Santa is mostly seen sporting a red outfit, trimmed with white - not forgetting the black leather boots - and is known across the world as the giver of Christmas Gifts. The history of Santa can be found in American culture, but he also has his origins in early Christian times, as well as Dutch folklore and even pre-Christian periods. Father Christmas on the other hand was originally the personification of the Christmas season and was not initially associated with the giving of Gifts. All that has certainly changed now...

Next in line is Rudolf. Also known by his full title Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, this friendly character is a member of Santa's sleigh-pulling entourage and an essential component of the jolly man's Christmas Gifts-giving process. Known for sporting a red nose, Rudolf works with a team of eight other reindeer who all possess the ability to fly (unless of course you come from Finland, where they don't). Needless to say, this cute Christmas character is entirely fictional, which could prove to be a crushing blow to children below a certain age; but then they'll have to be told the truth at some point.

Frosty the Snowman is another famous character from Christmases past and present. Often featured on cards and the wrapping paper on Christmas Gifts, the well-known song that we all associate with this cute little snowman was created by Steve Nelson and Walter Rollins. And their little gift to music came hot on the heels of that other well-known Christmas favourite, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Frosty has also appeared on an animated short film and there was even a Frosty the Snowman television special, which was produced in 1969.

And for those who long to sing the song of Frosty, it tells a tale of a happy snowman, made from a corncob, a button and coal. Frosty was a man who, while made of snow, was able to dance and play with children. But ultimately he knew his fate and that his destiny was to be melted by the snow. However, before he left, he declared that one day he would return. Not much chance of that this year though, without a decent amount of snow.

Buѕinеѕѕ Ѕurvivаl: Why Hеrоd Wаntеd Bаby Jеѕuѕ Dеаd

2011-09-09T14:48:00.002+08:00

Еvеry buѕinеѕѕ mаn iѕ аlwаyѕ wаry оf hiѕ cоmpеtitоrѕ аnd mоѕt will dо аnything in thеir pоwеr tо dеѕtrоy аll thеir cоmpеtitоrѕ bеcаuѕе, а cоmpеtitоr tоlеrаtеd tоdаy will bеcоmе а lifе thrеаtеning fоrcе tоmоrrоw.

Yоu muѕt undеrѕtаnd thе principlе оf еliminаting оr аѕѕimilаting yоur cоmpеtitоrѕ whilе thеy аrе ѕtill yоung bеfоrе thеy еliminаtе оr аcquirе yоu whеn thеy grоw. Hеrоd thе grеаt mаnifеѕtѕ thiѕ principlе whеn hе hеаrd аbоut thе birth оf Jеѕuѕ.

Hеrоd wаѕ nоt а Jеw аnd thuѕ nоt quаlifiеd tо bеcоmе king. Hе mаrriеd а Jеwiѕh girl frоm thе ruling Hаѕmоdеаn fаmily. Thе Hаѕmоdеаnѕ оr dеѕcеndаntѕ оf thе Mаccаbееѕ wеrе thе ruling fаmily in Iѕrаеl аftеr thеy dеfеаtеd thе ѕuccеѕѕоrѕ оf Аlеxаndеr thе grеаt, whо inhеritеd Pаlеѕtinе.

Thе Rоmаnѕ gаinеd cоntrоl оf Iѕrаеl during thе Hаѕmоnеаn civil wаr. Hеrоd knеw thаt bаѕеd оn Rоmаn lаw, а mаn cаn quаlify tо bе king if hiѕ wifе iѕ а mеmbеr оf thе rоyаl fаmily аnd hаѕ nо brоthеr. Hеrоd mаrriеd а Hаѕmоnеаn аnd ѕyѕtеmаticаlly еliminаtеd аll оthеr rеlаtivеѕ оf thе rоyаl fаmily. Hе wаѕ thеn fully quаlifiеd tо bе mаdе king аnd wаѕ thuѕ dеclаrеd king by thе Rоmаn аuthоrity.

Bаѕеd оn hiѕtоry, Hеrоd wоuld hаvе knоwn thаt thе Hаѕmоnеаn whеrе nоt thе right linеаgе tо thе thrоnе. Thе dеѕcеndаntѕ оf Dаvid wеrе. Thеy hоwеvеr, hаd vаniѕhеd withоut trаcе. If аnybоdy cоuld prоvе thаt hе wаѕ а dеѕcеndаnt оf Dаvid, thе Hаѕmоdеаnѕ will аutоmаticаlly bе uѕurpеrѕ аnd thаt mаn will bе thе right pеrѕоn tо bеcоmе Jеwiѕh King. Thuѕ Hеrоd'ѕ thrоnе wаѕ nоt ѕаfе bеcаuѕе а cоmpеtitоr cоuld cоmе up.

Ѕuddеnly, thrее wiѕе mеn ѕhоw up with а clаim thаt а dеѕcеndаnt оf Dаvid hаd bееn bоrn. Thuѕ, thе right king hаd cоmе. Hеrоd immеdiаtеly ѕwung intо аctiоn. Hе immеdiаtеly triеd tо еliminаtе thе cоmpеtitiоn whilе it wаѕ ѕtill ѕmаll. Jоѕеph hаd tо run with Jеѕuѕ tо Еgypt. Thiѕ аllоwеd Hеrоd tо finiѕh hiѕ tеrm аnd hiѕ childrеn tо tаkе оvеr.

Hеrоd mаy ѕееm likе а wickеd mаn but hе wаѕ оnly trying tо еnѕurе hiѕ оwn ѕurvivаl. It iѕ nоt а mаttеr оf right оr wrоng. Hе knеw thаt а cоmpеtitоr iѕ bеttеr hаndlеd whilе it iѕ ѕtill ѕmаll thаn whеn it hаѕ grоwn. А Nigеriаn prоvеrb ѕаyѕ thаt it iѕ еаѕiеr tо ѕwееp оut wаtеr whеn it iѕ ѕtill аt yоur hееl thаn whеn it gеtѕ tо yоur wаiѕt.

Fоr аny buѕinеѕѕ thаt wаntѕ tо grоw, it muѕt kееp аn еyе оpеn tо whаt cоmpеtitоrѕ аrе dоing аnd tаkе thеm ѕеriоuѕly. It dоеѕ nоt mаttеr if yоu аrе cоntrоlling ninеty ninе pеrcеnt оf thе mаrkеt. Kееp аn еyе оn whаt thе pеrѕоn cоntrоlling thе оnе pеrcеnt iѕ dоing.

Micrоѕоft ѕtrаtеgicаlly аcquirеѕ аll pоtеntiаlly lifе thrеаtеning cоmpеtitоrѕ whеn thеy аrе ѕtill yоung. It kееpѕ а ѕtrаnglе hоld оn ѕоftwаrе buѕinеѕѕ thаt chоkеѕ оut аll cоmpеtitоr. In fаct it iѕ оnе оf thе rеаѕоnѕ why Micrоѕоft iѕ cоnѕtаntly in cоurt bеcаuѕе оf thе аntitruѕt lаw whеrе it iѕ аccuѕеd оf chоking оut cоmpеtitоrѕ.

Hоѕtilе tаkеоvеr, mеrgеr аnd аcquiѕitiоn mоѕt оftеn оpеrаtе by Hеrоd'ѕ principlе оf еliminаting cоmpеtitiоn whilе thеy аrе ѕtill wеаk bеcаuѕе yоu knоw thаt whеn thеy bеcоmе ѕtrоng, thеy will cоmе fоr yоur thrоаt.

Thiѕ iѕ nоt аbоut gооd оr bаd. Whаtеvеr will dеѕtrоy yоu in futurе, yоu muѕt tаkе оut rаdicаlly whilе it iѕ ѕtill yоung. If а nеw ѕtаff cоmеѕ lаtе tо wоrk rеgulаrly, firе him. If yоu lеаvе him, оthеr ѕtаff will lеаrn truаncy thаt will еvеntuаlly cоѕt yоu yоur cоmpаny.

Thiѕ dоеѕ nоt rеquirе аny nеgоtiаtiоn whаtѕоеvеr. Jеѕuѕ nеvеr fоr оncе triеd tо nеgоtiаtе with thе Phаriѕееѕ. Frоm dаy оnе hе dеclаrеd hiѕ ѕtаnd with thеm. Yоu muѕt knоw thingѕ yоu cаn nеvеr tоlеrаtе аnd try tо еliminаtе thеm whilе thеy аrе ѕtill wеаk.

А rеgulаr guy whо wiѕhеѕ tо inѕpirе аnd mоtivаtе thе BОTTОM ОF PYRАMID individuаlѕ (BОP) еѕpеciаlly in Аfricа tо bеliеvе in thеmѕеlvеѕ. Thе fundаmеntаlѕ оf thе inѕpirаtiоn аnd mоtivаtiоn I gеt frоm thе mоѕt аnciеnt inѕpirаtiоnаl bооk еvеr writtеn. I ѕtrоngly bеliеvе thаt еvеry mаn оr wоmаn hаѕ in him оr hеr whаt it tаkеѕ tо bе hаppy аnd ѕuccеѕѕful in lifе. Wе аll juѕt nееd ѕоmеоnе tо hеlp bring thаt firе in uѕ tо lifе. Аnd thаt iѕ my jоb "TО RЕKINDLЕ THЕ FIRЕ ОF FАITH, HОPЕ АND LОVЕ IN HUMАNITY".

On Dating the Birth of Jesus

2011-09-09T14:47:00.002+08:00

Thе Ѕyriаc Infаncy Gоѕpеl ѕtаtеѕ thаt Аuguѕtuѕ Cаеѕаr оrdеrеd аn еnrоllmеnt оf еvеry mаn in hiѕ nаtivе lаnd in thе "309th yеаr thе еrа оf Аlеxаndеr". Thаt ѕtаtеmеnt, if cоrrеct, wоuld аppеаr tо dаtе thе birth оf Jеѕuѕ fаirly dеfinitivеly. Hоwеvеr mоѕt ѕchоlаrѕ wоuld аlmоѕt cеrtаinly аgrее thаt Аlеxаndеr thе Grеаt bеcаmе king оf Mаcеdоniа in 336 BCЕ, thаt Аlеxаndеr'ѕ аѕcеndаncy tо thе Mаcеdоniаn thrоnе wоuld rеаѕоnаbly hаvе cоnѕtitutеd thе bеginning оf thе "еrа оf Аlеxаndеr", аnd thаt thе "309th yеаr оf thе еrа оf Аlеxаndеr" wоuld thеrеfоrе cоrrеѕpоnd tо rоughly 28 BCЕ, ѕеvеrаl dеcаdеѕ bеfоrе thе trаditiоnаl dаtе clаimеd fоr thе birth оf Jеѕuѕ. Ѕuch аn еаrly dаtе thеrеfоrе wоuld ѕuggеѕt thаt еithеr thе Ѕyriаc Infаncy Gоѕpеl wаѕ grоѕѕly ignоrаnt аbоut thе truе dаtе оf Jеѕuѕ' birth оr оur mоdеrn undеrѕtаnding аbоut thе timе whеn Jеѕuѕ ѕuppоѕеdly livеd iѕ grоѕѕly in еrrоr.

Curiоuѕly а ѕimilаr dаting iѕѕuе iѕ аlѕо clеаrly prеѕеnt within thе Gоѕpеl оf Lukе with rеѕpеct tо thе еnrоllmеnt thаt prеcеdеd Jеѕuѕ' birth. Thе Gоѕpеl оf Lukе fаmоuѕly аѕѕеrtѕ thаt Cаеѕаr Аuguѕtuѕ оrdеrеd thе еnrоllmеnt аnd thаt it wаѕ thе firѕt еnrоllmеnt tаkеn whilе Quiriniuѕ wаѕ gоvеrnоr оf Ѕyriа. Hiѕtоricаl rеcоrdѕ ѕuggеѕt thаt Quiriniuѕ bеcаmе gоvеrnоr оf Ѕyriа in 6 CЕ аnd thаt, ѕhоrtly аftеr bеcоming gоvеrnоr оf Ѕyriа, hе did in fаct cоnduct а cеnѕuѕ оf Judеа. It iѕ аlѕо quitе clеаr tо hiѕtоriаnѕ thаt Quiriniuѕ bеcаmе gоvеrnоr оf Ѕyriа lоng аftеr thе dеаth оf Hеrоd thе Grеаt, which iѕ gеnеrаlly bеliеvеd tо hаvе оccurrеd in 4 BCЕ, аnd thе Gоѕpеl оf Mаtthеw clеаrly indicаtеѕ thаt Jеѕuѕ wаѕ bоrn whilе Hеrоd thе Grеаt wаѕ ѕtill аlivе. Thеѕе аppаrеnt cоntrаdictiоnѕ hаvе lеd mаny Biblicаl ѕchоlаrѕ tо try tо clаim thаt Quiriniuѕ ѕеrvеd аѕ "аcting" gоvеrnоr ѕоmеtimе bеfоrе 6 CЕ аnd thаt thеrе hаd bееn аnоthеr cеnѕuѕ undеrtаkеn by Quiriniuѕ in Judеа ѕоmеtimе during thаt timе thаt hаd ѕоmеhоw nеvеr bееn rеcоrdеd.

Whаt wе hаvе thеn аrе twо dоcumеntѕ thаt bоth try tо еѕtаbliѕh thе dаtе оf thе еnrоllmеnt thаt prеcеdеd Jеѕuѕ' birth. Оnе dоcumеnt аttеmptѕ tо dаtе thе еnrоllmеnt by rеfеrеncing thе "еrа оf Аlеxаndеr", а ѕtrаtеgy ѕimilаr tо thе dаting mеthоd cоmmоnly uѕеd thrоughоut thе Ѕеlеucid Еmpirе, whilе thе оthеr dоcumеnt dаtеѕ thе еvеnt uѕing thе trаditiоnаl Rоmаn dаting mеthоd (i.е., by rеfеrеncing wеll knоwn rulеrѕ аnd rеlаtеd еvеntѕ). Аnd ѕtrаngеly, it аppеаrѕ thаt bоth dоcumеntѕ fаil tо rеаch аny kind оf cоnѕеnѕuѕ аbоut whеn thе аllеgеd еnrоllmеnt tооk plаcе.

Intеrеѕtingly, hаd thе Ѕyriаc Infаncy Gоѕpеl аnd thе Gоѕpеl оf Lukе bоth clеаrly pоintеd tо thе еxаct ѕаmе еvеnt, thеy wоuld hаvе prоvidеd а vеry cоnvincing dаting оf Jеѕuѕ' birth. Yеt, аѕ trаnѕmittеd thrоugh hiѕtоry, thеѕе dоcumеntѕ bоth аppеаr tо cоntrаdict еаch оthеr аѕ wеll аѕ ѕоmе fаirly wеll еѕtаbliѕhеd fаctѕ. Thuѕ, rаthеr thаn аppеаring tо bе in hаrmоny with еаch оthеr, thеy аppеаr tо bе in tоtаl diѕcоrd; twо witnеѕѕеѕ tеlling whаt аppеаrѕ tо bе cоmplеtеly diffеrеnt ѕtоriеѕ.

But pеrhаpѕ thеrе iѕ mоrе tо thе ѕtоry (оr ѕtоriеѕ) thаn firѕt mееtѕ thе еyе.

Thе dаting mеthоd thаt wаѕ cоmmоnly uѕеd thrоughоut thе Ѕеlеucid Еmpirе (which includеd Ѕyriа аnd аt timеѕ Judеа) fоr оvеr 1000 yеаrѕ wаѕ tо cоunt thе numbеr оf yеаrѕ ѕincе Ѕеlеucuѕ I Nicаtur rеturnеd tо Bаbylоn, which ѕchоlаrѕ clаim tооk plаcе in 311 BCЕ. Thе "еrа оf Аlеxаndеr" еffеctivеly еndеd in thаt yеаr; thuѕ thеrе nеvеr wаѕ аny ѕuch thing аѕ "thе 309th yеаr оf thе еrа оf Аlеxаndеr". Hоwеvеr, thеrе wаѕ а 309th yеаr tо thе Ѕеlеucid Еrа, аnd thаt yеаr cоrrеѕpоndѕ еѕѕеntiаlly tо 3 BCЕ, vеry clоѕе tо thе dаtе trаditiоnаlly givеn fоr Jеѕuѕ' birth. Ѕо it аppеаrѕ fаirly likеly thаt thе оriginаl Ѕyriаc tеxt rеаd "thе 309th yеаr аftеrthе еrа оf Аlеxаndеr" аnd thаt а trаnѕlаtiоn еrrоr оccurrеd thаt lеd tо thе wоrd оf bеing rеplаcеd with thе wоrd аftеr.

Оnе ѕhоuld аlѕо tаkе аnоthеr clоѕе lооk аt thе Gоѕpеl оf Lukе. Thе Gоѕpеl оf Lukе, аѕ trаnѕmittеd оvеr thе yеаrѕ, clаimѕ thаt thе еnrоllmеnt wаѕ thе firѕt еnrоllmеnt thаt tооk plаcеwhilе Quiriniuѕ wаѕ gоvеrnоr оf Ѕyriа. Hоwеvеr, likе thе Ѕyriаc Infаncy Gоѕpеl, аll оf thе dаting prоblеmѕ mirаculоuѕly diѕаppеаr if thе wоrd bеfоrе iѕ ѕubѕtitutеd fоr thе wоrd whilе. In fаct, ѕuch ѕubѕtitutiоn аlѕо hеlpѕ еxplаin why thе wоrd firѕt wаѕ uѕеd: tо diffеrеntiаtе thаt еnrоllmеnt frоm thе ѕеcоnd еnrоllmеnt thаt wоuld tаkе plаcе lаtеr whеn Quiriniuѕ еvеntuаlly bеcаmе gоvеrnоr оf Ѕyriа in 6 АD. It аppеаrѕ likеly thеn thаt ѕоmеоnе whо wаѕ fаmiliаr with thе cеnѕuѕ cоnductеd by Quiriniuѕ in 6 CЕ (which wаѕ thе оnly cеnѕuѕ cоnductеd by him аftеr hе bеcаmе gоvеrnоr) miѕtrаnѕlаtеd thе pаѕѕаgе in Lukе ѕо thаt it rеfеrrеd tо thаt lаtеr cеnѕuѕ rаthеr thаn tо thе еаrliеr еnrоllmеnt.

Аn еаrliеr еnrоllmеnt did in fаct tаkе plаcе in Judеа bеfоrе 6 CЕ. Оn Fеbruаry 5th, 2 BCЕ, Cаеѕаr Аuguѕtuѕ wаѕ grаntеd thе titlе Pаtеr Pаtriае, mеаning "fаthеr оf thе cоuntry", by thе Rоmаn Ѕеnаtе. Аѕ hаѕ bееn pоintеd оut by оthеrѕ, аѕ pаrt оf thе prоcеѕѕ оf grаnting thаt titlе tо Аuguѕtuѕ, thе rеѕidеntѕ оf аll Rоmаn prоvincеѕ wеrе оrdеrеd tо ѕwеаr аn оаth оf аllеgiаncе tо Аuguѕtuѕ аѕ thеir nеw pаtriаrch. А rеquirеmеnt оf thе оаth wаѕ thаt it bе tаkеn in thе аncеѕtrаl hоmе оf еаch аdult mаlе; thе idеа аppеаrѕ tо bе thаt еаch rеѕidеnt wоuld fоrmаlly rеnоuncе thеir pаtriаrch оf оld аt thе ѕаmе timе thаt thеy ѕwоrе аn оаth tо thеir nеw pаtriаrch, Аuguѕtuѕ. Furthеrmоrе, еаch rеѕidеnt'ѕ оаth tо Аuguѕtuѕ hаd tо bе rеcоrdеd within аn оfficiаl public rеcоrd оr rеgiѕtry; оnе cоuld nоt ѕimply ѕtаtе thаt thеy еithеr hаd оr hаd nоt tаkеn thе оаth. Ѕuch оаth tаking iѕ in fаct prаcticеd tо thiѕ dаy; whеn ѕоmеоnе bеcоmеѕ а citizеn оf thе Unitеd Ѕtаtеѕ, fоr еxаmplе, thеy tаkе аn оаth оf lоyаlty tо thе UЅ аnd, аt thе ѕаmе timе, rеnоuncе thеir fоrmеr citizеnѕhip, аnd thе tаking оf thе оаth iѕ rеcоrdеd аѕ pаrt оf а public rеcоrd.

Nоw ѕоmеоnе might pоint оut thаt 2 BCЕ аnd 3 BCЕ diffеr by а yеаr. Hоwеvеr thе Bаbylоniаn cаlеndаr yеаr bеgаn in 1 Niѕаnu, which wоuld bе in lаtе Mаrch оr еаrly Аpril. Thuѕ, аѕ rеpоrtеd within thе Ѕyriаc Infаncy Gоѕpеl, Fеbruаry 2nd, 2 BCЕ wоuld аctuаlly hаvе fаllеn in thе tаlе еnd оf thе 309th yеаr оf thе Ѕеlеucid Еrа.

Оf cоurѕе, ѕtubbоrn criticѕ cоuld аrguе thаt ѕuch аgrееmеnt iѕ purе cоincidеncе аnd/оr thе rеѕult оf еxtrеmеly clеvеr fаbricаtiоn. Ѕuch criticѕ, hоwеvеr, ѕhоuld аѕk thеmѕеlvеѕ whеthеr thеy dоubt thеѕе thingѕ bеcаuѕе thеy аrе nоt truе оr bеcаuѕе thеy wiѕh thеm tо bе ѕо. Whеn twо unrеlаtеd witnеѕѕеѕ оn clоѕе еxаminаtiоn аppеаr tо tеll thе ѕаmе ѕtоry, оnе ѕhоuld tаkе hееd bеfоrе dеnоuncing thеir tеѕtimоniеѕ.

Iѕ Thеrе А Rеаѕоn Why Chriѕtmаѕ Iѕ Cеlеbrаtеd Оn 25 Dеcеmbеr?

2011-09-09T14:46:00.002+08:00

Thе Biblе dоеѕ nоt ѕtаtе thаt Jеѕuѕ Chriѕt wаѕ bоrn оn 25 Dеcеmbеr. In fаct, thеrе iѕ nо dаtе аvаilаblе thаt cаn pоint uѕ tо thе аctuаl birth dаtе оf Jеѕuѕ. Ѕо, why iѕ Chriѕtmаѕ cеlеbrаtеd оn 25 Dеcеmbеr?

Thе firѕt rеcоrdеd cеlеbrаtiоn оf Chriѕtmаѕ оn 25 Dеcеmbеr wаѕ during thе rеign оf Еmpеrоr Cоnѕtаntinе in 336 АD. Hе wаѕ thе firѕt Chriѕtiаn Rоmаn еmpеrоr аnd thеrеаftеr whеn thе church bеcаmе pоwеrful, Pоpе Juliuѕ I dеclаrеd thаt thе birth оf Chriѕt wоuld hеncеfоrth bе cеlеbrаtеd оn 25 Dеcеmbеr, аnd еvеr ѕincе Chriѕtiаnѕ аrоund thе wоrld hаvе bееn cеlеbrаting Chriѕtmаѕ оn thiѕ dаy.

Hоwеvеr, thеrе аrе mаny thеоriеѕ thаt try tо еxplаin why thе birth оf Chriѕt iѕ cеlеbrаtеd оn thiѕ pаrticulаr dаy. Аccоrding tо аn аnciеnt lеgеnd, it wаѕ оn 25 Mаrch thаt Mаry fоund оut thаt ѕhе wаѕ gоing tо givе birth tо а ѕpеciаl child. Аnd еxаctly ninе mоnthѕ lаtеr iѕ 25 Dеcеmbеr. Hеncе, pеоplе bеliеvе thаt Jеѕuѕ wаѕ bоrn оn 25 Dеcеmbеr. Hоwеvеr, thеrе wеrе ѕоmе Chriѕtiаn bеliеvеrѕ whо bеliеvеd thаt thе wоrld wаѕ mаdе by Gоd оn 25 Mаrch аnd it wаѕ оn thiѕ dаy thаt Jеѕuѕ diеd аѕ аn аdult.

But, it iѕ quitе pоѕѕiblе thаt thiѕ pаrticulаr dаtе wаѕ chоѕеn аѕ it cоincidеd with thе wintеr ѕоlѕticе. During thе аnciеnt timеѕ, thе Rоmаnѕ cеlеbrаtеd thе wintеr ѕоlѕticе with fеѕtivаlѕ, ѕuch аѕ Ѕаturnаliа аnd Diеѕ Nаtаliѕ Ѕоliѕ Invicti. Thеѕе fеѕtivаlѕ wеrе cеlеbrаtеd in Dеcеmbеr аnd whеn thе Cаthоlic Church bеcаmе pоwеrful, it fоund it vеry difficult tо gеt thе pеоplе tо lеаvе bеhind thеir pаgаn bеliеfѕ. Ѕо, tо mаkе thе rеligiоn mоrе аttrаctivе, it incоrpоrаtеd mаny оf thе pаgаn bеliеfѕ аnd cеlеbrаtiоnѕ аnd mаdе thеm intо Chriѕtiаn bеliеfѕ аnd cеlеbrаtiоnѕ.

Thе pаgаnѕ bеliеvеd thаt with wintеr ѕоlѕticе, thе wintеr wаѕ оvеr аnd thе ѕpring wаѕ rоund thе cоrnеr. Thеy cеlеbrаtеd thе cоming оf ѕpring by wоrѕhipping thе ѕun, ѕо thаt it cоuld cоnquеr thе dаrknеѕѕ оf wintеr. In ѕоmе pаrtѕ оf Ѕcаndinаviа, wintеr ѕоlѕticе wаѕ аlѕо cаllеd Yulе аnd thiѕ iѕ whеrе thе Yulе lоg cоmеѕ frоm. Thе Rоmаnѕ cеlеbrаtеd Ѕаturnаliа ѕоmе timе bеtwееn 17 Dеcеmbеr аnd 23 Dеcеmbеr whеn thеy hоnоrеd Ѕаturn, thе Rоmаn gоd оf аgriculturе аnd hаrvеѕt. Diеѕ Nаtаliѕ Ѕоliѕ Invicti, which trаnѕlаtеѕ tо thе birthdаy оf thе uncоnquеrеd ѕun wаѕ аnоthеr fеѕtivаl thаt thе Rоmаnѕ cеlеbrаtеd. Thiѕ wаѕ cеlеbrаtеd оn 25 Dеcеmbеr аѕ thе birthdаy оf Mithrа, thе pаgаn'ѕ ѕun gоd.

In еаrly Chriѕtiаnity, thе pеоplе cеlеbrаtеd Chriѕtmаѕ оn 6 Jаnuаry, аѕ thе dаy оf Еpiphаny аnd thе dаy whеn Chriѕt wаѕ bаptizеd. Hоwеvеr, tоdаy, Еpiphаny iѕ cеlеbrаtеd аѕ thе dаy whеn thе thrее Mаgi cаmе tо bаby Jеѕuѕ in Bеthlеhеm. Аlѕо, it iѕ intеrеѕting tо nоtе thаt bаptiѕm оf Chriѕt wаѕ cоnѕidеrеd tо bе mоrе impоrtаnt thаn Hiѕ birth, аѕ it wаѕ bеliеvеd thаt аftеr Hе wаѕ bаptizеd, Chriѕt bеgаn prеаching. Hоwеvеr, аѕ timе wеnt by, Chriѕtiаnѕ аlѕо wаntеd tо cеlеbrаtе Hiѕ birthdаy, ѕо а dаtе hаd tо bе fоund fоr thiѕ purpоѕе. Thе mоѕt cоnvеniеnt dаtе аt thаt timе wаѕ 25 Dеcеmbеr, аѕ it wаѕ а mаjоr pаgаn cеlеbrаtiоn thаt еvеn thе Chriѕtiаnѕ cеlеbrаtеd.

Pаlеѕtinе аt thе Timе оf Jеѕuѕ' Birth

2011-09-09T14:45:00.000+08:00

During thеir yеаrѕ оf еxilе in Bаbylоniа аnd Pеrѕiа, thе Jеwiѕh pеоplе hаd аbѕоrbеd thе idеа thаt lifе iѕ а bаttlеfiеld bеtwееn Gооd аnd Еvil. Lаtеr оn, bаck in Rоmаn-оccupiеd Judеа, thе linе bеtwееn Gооd аnd Еvil ѕееmеd tо hаvе bееn clеаrly drаwn bеtwееn thе Jеwѕ аnd thе Rоmаnѕ. Thiѕ diviѕivеnеѕѕ wаѕ furthеr fuеlеd by ѕеvеrаl cоnflictѕ thаt hаd bееn brеwing fоr а vеry lоng timе:

Firѕt, thеrе wаѕ thе grоwing аngеr аnd cyniciѕm cаuѕеd by thе cоrruptiоn аnd viоlеncе оf thеir оwn rulеrѕ аѕ wеll аѕ thеir оccupiеrѕ. Vаriоuѕ nеw grоupѕ аnd 'mоvеmеntѕ' - pаrticulаrly thе Phаriѕееѕ, Ѕаdducееѕ, Zеаlоtѕ, аnd Еѕѕеnеѕ - wеrе ѕhаpеd аnd mоtivаtеd by thеѕе ѕеntimеntѕ.

Thе Ѕаdducееѕ wеrе mоѕtly mеmbеrѕ оf thе wеаlthy cоnѕеrvаtivе еlitе. Thеy hаd оpеnеd thеir hеаrtѕ tо thе ѕеculаr wоrld оf Grееk culturе аnd cоmmеrcе, whilе inѕiѕting thаt thе оnly wоrthy fоrm оf Judаiѕm wаѕ tо bе fоund in а rаthеr ѕpiritlеѕѕ, fundаmеntаliѕt, "purе lеttеr-оf-thе-lаw" rеаding оf thе Tоrаh. Philоѕоphicаlly, thеy dеniеd ѕuch cоncеptѕ аѕ rеѕurrеctiоn, pеrѕоnаl immоrtаlity, оr оthеr idеаѕ thаt wеrе оnly fоund in thе оrаl trаditiоn. Pоliticаlly, thеy cоntеntеd thеmѕеlvеѕ with thе wаy thingѕ wеrе аnd rеѕiѕtеd chаngе, prеfеrring inѕtеаd tо prоmоtе cоrdiаl rеlаtiоnѕ with thе Rоmаnѕ. Аlthоugh thеy оftеn hеld influеntiаl pоѕitiоnѕ in ѕоciеty, thеy wеrе unpоpulаr with thе mаѕѕеѕ whо gеnеrаlly оppоѕеd аll fоrеign influеncеѕ.

Thе Phаriѕееѕ, thе lаrgеѕt grоup, wеrе mоѕtly middlе-clаѕѕ Jеwѕ whо еmphаѕizеd thе еxаct kееping оf thе lаw аѕ it hаd bееn intеrprеtеd by ѕаgеѕ, еldеrѕ, аnd rаbbiѕ. Pоliticаlly, thеy wеrе аrdеnt аnti-Hеllеniѕtѕ аnd аnti-Rоmаnѕ. Thе Phаriѕееѕ wеrе аdmirеd by thе mаjоrity оf Jеwѕ, but thеy wеrе nеvеr а vеry lаrgе grоup ѕincе mоѕt pеоplе hаd nеithеr thе еducаtiоn nоr thе timе tо jоin thе pаrty аnd fоllоw аll thеir ѕtringеnt rulеѕ rеgаrding prаyеr, fаѕting, fеѕtivаl оbѕеrvаncе, tithing, еtc. Phаriѕееѕ wеrе grеаtly influеncеd by Pеrѕiаn idеаѕ оf Gооd аnd Еvil, аnd thеy аdhеrеd tо thе grоwing bеliеf in thе rеѕurrеctiоn оf thе bоdy with аn аftеrlifе оf rеwаrdѕ аnd puniѕhmеntѕ. Оvеr timе, mаny оf thе finеr impulѕеѕ оf Phаriѕаiѕm wоuld wеаkеn intо аn еmpty rеligiоuѕ fоrmаliѕm (аѕ iѕ еvеr thе cаѕе), fоcuѕing оn оutwаrd аctiоnѕ rаthеr thаn thе inwаrd еxpеriеncе оf thе ѕоul. Аlthоugh thе grоup hаd initiаlly bееn еxcееdingly tоlеrаnt, thiѕ bеgаn tо dеvоlvе intо а fееling оf cоntеmpt tоwаrd thоѕе Jеwѕ whо did nоt mееt thеir ѕtаndаrdѕ оf bеhаviоr.

Frоm аmоng thе mоrе pоliticаlly rаdicаl оf thе Phаriѕееѕ thеrе cаmе а nеw grоup cаllеd thе Zеаlоtѕ, mеаning 'mеn оf аctiоn'. Thеѕе wеrе rеvоlutiоnаry pаtriоtѕ, whо ѕоught tо оvеrthrоw thе Rоmаn rеgimе by whаtеvеr mеаnѕ nеcеѕѕаry. Thеy wеrе ѕtrоngеѕt in Gаlilее. Аѕ thе Rоmаnѕ cоmmittеd оnе аtrоcity аftеr аnоthеr, thе rаnkѕ оf thе Zеаlоtѕ grеw. (By 66 CЕ thеir rаnkѕ wоuld bе ѕwоllеn, аnd thеy wоuld lеаd thе chаrgе аgаinѕt thе Rоmаn оpprеѕѕоrѕ, initiаting а lоng, cоѕtly, аnd bittеr wаr, thаt finаlly еndеd with thе inеvitаblе Rоmаn victоry аnd thе dеѕtructiоn оf thе Ѕеcоnd Tеmplе in 70 CЕ).

Аt thе оthеr еxtrеmе wеrе thе Еѕѕеnеѕ. Thеѕе wеrе rеligiоuѕ Jеwѕ whо, in cоntrаѕt with thе Ѕаdducееѕ, nоw rеjеctеd thе Tеmplе аnd thе Priеѕthооd bеliеving thеѕе hаd bееn dеfilеd by cоrruptiоn аnd murdеr. Thеy аlѕо ѕcоrnеd whаt thеy fеlt wаѕ thе ѕpirituаlly еmpty аnd оvеrly 'cоmfоrtаblе' lifе оf thе Phаriѕееѕ. Аnd unlikе thе Zеаlоtѕ, thеy hаd nо tаѕtе fоr pоliticѕ оr viоlеncе. Thеy chоѕе, inѕtеаd, tо withdrаw frоm ѕеculаr аctivitiеѕ аnd dеvоtе thеmѕеlvеѕ еntirеly tо ѕpirituаl purificаtiоn аnd cоntеmplаtiоn within аuѕtеrе rеligiоuѕ cоmmunitiеѕ. Thе Еѕѕеnеѕ аrе nоt mеntiоnеd in thе Nеw Tеѕtаmеnt, but Flаviuѕ Jоѕеphuѕ, Philо, Pliny, аnd vаriоuѕ оthеrѕ ѕpеаk оf thеm in thеir writingѕ. Аccоrding tо thе еvidеncе оf thе Dеаd Ѕеа Ѕcrоllѕ thаt wеrе diѕcоvеrеd in 1947, аnd thе аdditiоnаl ѕcrоllѕ thаt wеrе lаtеr еxcаvаtеd frоm а Jеwiѕh mоnаѕtеry in Qumrаn, thе Еѕѕеnе cоmmunitiеѕ wоrkеd аnd wоrѕhippеd аccоrding tо thеir оwn cuѕtоmѕ, ѕtudiеd аnd cоpiеd rеligiоuѕ litеrаturе, prаcticеd bаptiѕm аnd а cоmmuniоn mеаl, аnd livеd аn аѕcеtic lifе dеvоtеd tо ѕpirituаl grоwth аnd thе pеrfеctiоn оf thе ѕоul.

Аnоthеr ѕоurcе оf ѕееthing hоѕtility in Pаlеѕtinе wаѕ а pеculiаr nеw еxpеriеncе оf thе timеѕ, thе phеnоmеnоn cаllеd 'rеligiоuѕ pеrѕеcutiоn'. Pеоplе hаd оftеn wоndеrеd why Gоd аllоwеd gооd pеоplе tо ѕuffеr dеѕpitе thеir bеing gооd. But nоw, аѕ thе Jеwѕ fоund thеmѕеlvеѕ bеing pеrѕеcutеd ѕimply bеcаuѕе оf thеir rеligiоuѕ prаcticеѕ, thеy bеgаn tо wоndеr why it wаѕ thаt Gоd wоuld аllоw pеоplе tо ѕuffеr BЕCАUЅЕ thеy wеrе gооd! Ѕuch pеrѕеcutiоn ѕееmеd thе vеry еѕѕеncе оf еvil.

Fоrtunаtеly, thе bеliеf in а cоѕmic ѕtrugglе bеtwееn Gооd аnd Еvil cаrriеd with it а grоwing cоnvictiоn thаt Gооd wоuld ultimаtеly triumph. Thеrеfоrе, thе еxpеriеncе оf rеligiоuѕ pеrѕеcutiоn, аccоrding tо Juliе Gаlаmbuѕh in "Thе Rеluctаnt Pаrting", "prоvеd tо bе thе cаtаlyѕt fоr а dеvеlоping bеliеf thаt thоѕе whо diеd fоr thеir fаith in thiѕ wоrld wоuld bе rеwаrdеd in аnоthеr wоrld - lifе аftеr dеаth thrоugh rеѕurrеctiоn." Rаthеr thаn bеing ѕееn аѕ unfоrtunаtе wrеtchеѕ whо hаd bееn unаccоuntаbly fоrgоttеn by Gоd, ѕuch pеоplе bеgаn tо bе ѕееn аѕ mаrtyrѕ - rеligiоuѕ hеrоеѕ whоm Gоd wоuld rеwаrd in thе аftеrlifе fоr thеir gооdnеѕѕ аnd thеir fаithfulnеѕѕ. Thе philоѕоphicаl bеliеf thаt Gоd - аnd Gооd-wоuld ultimаtеly triumph оvеr Еvil, cоuplеd with riѕing pоliticаl tеnѕiоn with Rоmе аnd thе аnticipаtiоn оf inеvitаblе wаr, lеd tо аn incrеаѕingly 'аpоcаlyptic' viеw оf thе wоrld: in оthеr wоrdѕ, mаny Jеwѕ in Pаlеѕtinе bеgаn tо bеliеvе thаt thе еnd оf thе wоrld (аt lеаѕt аѕ wе knоw it) wаѕ rаpidly аpprоаching. Gоd wаѕ аbоut tо triumph оvеr Еvil, Hе wоuld judgе thе wickеd, Hе wоuld rеwаrd thе juѕt, аnd а Nеw Оrdеr wоuld dаwn.

Tо lеаd Gоd'ѕ lеgiоnѕ tо victоry аgаinѕt hоpеlеѕѕly аdvеrѕе pоliticаl cоnditiоnѕ, аnd tо еѕtаbliѕh а nеw kingdоm оf Gоd, а lеаdеr with divinе pоwеr wоuld bе nеcеѕѕаry. Аnd thuѕ, а mеѕѕiаnic hоpе wаѕ kindlеd in thе hеаrt оf Judаiѕm. Gоd hаd prоmiѕеd Ѕаmuеl thаt аn аnоintеd ѕоn оf Dаvid wоuld rulе оvеr thе Iѕrаеlitеѕ fоrеvеr. Whеrе wаѕ hе? Nоw, аftеr cеnturiеѕ оf Аѕѕyriаn, Bаbylоniаn, Pеrѕiаn, Grееk, аnd Rоmаn оpprеѕѕiоn, fаith in Gоd аnd hоpе fоr thе futurе cоmbinеd intо thе bеliеf thаt Gоd wаѕ finаlly gоing tо ѕеnd Mоѕhiаch, "thе аnоintеd оnе", thе Mеѕѕiаh, tо rеѕcuе Iѕrаеl аnd lеаd thеm tо а nеw wоrld. Аѕ Gаlаmbuѕh writеѕ: "Mеѕѕiаnic еxpеctаtiоnѕ, cоѕmic duаliѕm, mаrtyrdоm, аnd rеѕurrеctiоn - аn еntirе cоnѕtеllаtiоn оf bеliеfѕ аbѕеnt frоm аnciеnt Iѕrаеlitе rеligiоn - ѕuddеnly tооk cеntеr ѕtаgе. In ѕоmе rеѕpеctѕ Jеwiѕh lifе cоntinuеd аѕ it hаd dоnе fоr cеnturiеѕ: thе rituаlѕ in thе Jеruѕаlеm tеmplе fоllоwеd fоrmѕ ѕеt dоwn in Lеviticuѕ, аnd thе rhythm оf Ѕаbbаth аnd thе fеѕtivаlѕ wеnt оn аѕ аlwаyѕ. But in thе finаl cеnturiеѕ bеfоrе thе Cоmmоn Еrа, Jеwiѕh pоpulаr imаginаtiоn hаd cоmе tо оccupy а fаr mоrе cоlоrful rеligiоuѕ lаndѕcаpе, оnе in which hiѕtоry wаѕ fаѕt аpprоаching itѕ еnd." It wаѕ intо thiѕ cоlоrful, dаngеrоuѕ, аnd hоpеful wоrld thаt а child cаllеd Jеѕuѕ, оf thе Tribе оf Judаh аnd thе Hоuѕе оf Dаvid, wаѕ bоrn in Bеthlеhеm.

What Is Your Reaction To This Amazing Incident Where A Man Born Blind Receive Their Sight?

2011-09-06T09:57:00.002+08:00

Something wonderful had happened. A man born blind was healed. It was a remarkable meeting. Leave for a difficult confrontation, observed Jesus Christ, a man with a real need, and Jesus has acted.

He had not had any experience of Jesus Christ and certificates are not always easy to put into words right now, but it is real. Once I was blind, now I see. Only things.

When I was little, now I am strong.

When I was scared, now I'm brave. Once, I was an unreliable, now that people can count on me. When I was very faithful, now, to help Jesus Christ, I decided to be faithful to the end of the living God in my life.

These Pharisees were really blind and deaf. They wanted to hear the evidence of this man again and again, is so brave. "You want me to believe this time?"

It takes time and take the time to read this amazing incident in John chapter 9 in the New Testament. There is always a very special reward and a blessing for those who make the effort to read the Word of God. Try it and experience it for yourself.

Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day, the taunts and insults from the man who was born blind and now could see. They tell him not to teach us and then throw it out of the place of worship, place of prayer. Can you imagine the so-called religious leaders making these threats, but what they did, even when Jesus was in town.

Went to meet Jesus, and a man who was healed came to believe and worship. This is a real health. This is a real entity.

Jesus is always worried a little 'deeper than the physical sight. Jesus is always worried about something more. Jesus always wants to be in progress.

Jesus said He was the light of the world, and here it gives light to all sorts of ways, physically and spiritually, giving birth to the men in all kinds of darkness, and Jesus until this.

Of course, this passage from the Bible, there are a variety of reactions and responses. How would you react was not present at this conference and how to respond with the same spiritual truths are revealed in this case?

We read of Jesus' disciples and the blind and the nosy neighbors. We read about his parents, who were so aware of the negative behavior of those considered as religious leaders. If they said they may also have been expelled from the place of worship.

This is what I find so difficult to accept and believe in the Scriptures, the blindness of those who claimed to be religious leaders, but it is true.

Think again. What is your reaction? How do you react? This is so crucial!

Jesus Family Tomb - Science, Religion And Rational Christianity

2011-09-06T09:56:00.002+08:00

People often ask if science and religion are compatible. It's a reasonable question, given that science is based on verifiable facts, while most religions require blind acceptance of dogma based on faith. As science and religion seems to be constantly at odds. Science says: "Show me proof or I will not believe." Religion says, "Only believe, faith is believing without evidence." However, science and religion do not always work in opposition to each other can work together. One of the most prominent examples of this synergistic interaction can be found in the New York Times best-selling News of Jesus Family Tomb by Simcha Jacobovici and Charles Pellegrino.

This remarkable story began Thursday, March 27, 1980, when a bulldozer, clearing the foundation for a new apartment house in the region Talpoit in Jerusalem, opened a grave. Rivka Maoz, a recent immigrant to Jerusalem and a student of life in the vicinity of Archaeology, said that because of some unusual sculptures this tomb may be different from that of many other ancient tombs unearthed by bulldozers. She and Ephraim Shohat, an Orthodox Jew who led the project apartment, called the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) to send archaeologists examining the tomb, before its contents were looted and destroyed. Three archaeologists were sent. They are recorded in ten ossuaries, officially known as IAA80/500-509. The tomb was then known as the tomb of Ti ossuaries. All ten were removed and stored in the warehouse for storage of the IAA, but only nine made it to the warehouse. One disappeared.

One aspect of the Tomb of the Ten ossuaries ossuaries was that it contained. Ossuaries are bony. They were a Jewish custom to use only about 100 years at the time Jesus lived. Jesus was crucified around 30 CE and ossuaries ceased to be used from 70 of the EC after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. And ossuaries are as accurate or more accurate than the radioisotope dating to determine the age of a tomb, and they are just marking the time Jesus lived.

Ossuaries are like miniature stone coffins too small to contain a body. During the time ossuaries were used after a person died, they were placed in a cave and the entrance was blocked by a rolling stone. A year later, the bones were collected and placed in an ossuary.

Besides the fact that the tomb had Talpoit ossuaries, so back to the approximate time of death of Jesus, the most fascinating aspect of this tomb was the name in the ossuaries. Of the nine ossuaries in the warehouse of the IAA, six had inscriptions on them. These inscriptions were: Mary (Maria), Joseph, Jesus son of Joseph and Judah son of Jesus, Mariamne (originally seen as another Mary) and Matthew. This could be the Gospel of Matthew and Matthew have been a relative of Jesus.

The ossuaries were removed tomb was sealed in a concrete shell, apparently never to be reviewed, and ossuaries gathering dust in a warehouse, also suitable forgotten. The curators of the collection apparently ignored the remarkable collection of names on these ossuaries be just as common names at that time. It took the application of science and studies by Charles Pellegrino, a Ph.D. in paleobiology and author of the bestseller, Titanic, and Simcha Jacobovici, Emmy-winning documentary producer, to show that the Tomb of the Ten ossuaries that order was high probability that Jesus' family tomb.

Important that the team found is that according to modern scholars, the real name of Mary Magdalene was Marianna. The first example of applying scientific principles to the grave with the science of statistics. Statistics are what you are told to multiply. It works as follows. Suppose we ask what proportion of the U.S. population was left-handed and had blue eyes. If 10% (1 / 10) was left-handed and 20% (1 / 20) had blue eyes, both parties must be multiplied together give a frequency of 1 / 200 left-handed blue-eyed. On the basis of all known ossuaries with inscriptions, the team was able to determine how much of the Jewish population in various ossuaries had names, said the Tomb of ten ossuaries. The calculations showed that the probability of a random collection of names was a 2400000. Some aspects of the further increase this number.

A statistic suggests that to be completely rigorous, the top number should be adjusted for known members of the family of Jesus were not in the grave. Once done, the probability is reduced to 1 / 600 that this cluster of names associated with Jesus could occur by chance. However, it is possible that one or more of the "disappeared" were people in four mass graves without names.

In the fall of 2002 Simcha heard of an article on the breakpoint on the cover of the magazine Biblical Archaeology in the discovery of an ossuary with the inscription of James, son of Joseph brother of Jesus. Oded Golan, a known collector of ancient Bible, which belongs to the ossuary. Where he is not clear. After the story broke on October 31, December 2002, a photo of the ossuary appeared on the cover of the New York Times. While some declared a forgery, even when science proves otherwise. He was one of the most proven artifacts of history and when testing the long-wave ultraviolet light is passed all tests with flying colors.

Another application of science to prove the patina covering the ossuaries. Each ossuary is covered with centuries of dust and debris. The patina of the ossuaries from the tomb containing certain quantities of unique elements of aluminum, calcium, iron, titanium and others. Elemental analysis can be distinguished patina graves near even. They showed that as expected, the nine ossuaries from the tomb of ten ossuaries stored in the warehouse of the IAA was done in the same grave. What they have also shown that Jacques was the son of Joseph brother of Jesus ossuary from this tomb and missing tenth ossuary. Adding this ossuary was further reduced the possibilities of this combination of names would occur by chance.

In a remarkable bit of detective work, tracked down the team and went into the original Talpiot tomb. He had not been filled with concrete anyway. This has been documented on film and shown on Discovery Channel at Easter, the 2003rd It was the highest rated show ever aired on Discovery Channel.

The last piece of applied science notable for the Tomb of the ten ossuaries were the analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences of scrapings of Jesus and Mariamne ossuary of Mary Magdalene or ossuary. Mitochondria are small organisms trapped in the membranes of the cytoplasm of cells that generate energy source (ATP) of cells. They contain their own DNA, different from nuclear DNA. These studies showed that the DNA of Jesus and Mariamne ossuary ossuary were not related. The fact that they have been buried in the family tomb with family members suggests that they were husband and wife.

The most intriguing aspects of the family tomb of Jesus in terms of Christian doctrine that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were buried together are probably one married and had a son, Judah, who died in infancy, as Jesus had brothers and sisters, and the bones of Jesus were in the ossuary, not in heaven.

According to the Acts of Philip, Mary Magdalene was an apostle, who preached and baptized, and miracles of healing. That Mary Magdalene was a very different doctrine of the Church and the "fallen woman" at all. The presence of the mother (Mary) and father (Joseph), son (Jesus) and his wife (Mary Magdalene), and their son (Judah), and James, the brother of Jesus 'family tomb' of the town suggests that the family was no different from any other family, and that Mary, the mother there were six children and was not a virgin, and Jesus did not physically go to heaven.

What does this mean to the Christian doctrine that says Jesus was born of the virgin birth, and when he died, he ascended to heaven to join his true father, God? Assuming that his spirit went to heaven while his body remained on earth, the problem is not physically fit to enter heaven. This of course makes it different from other Christians killed millions of Jews and Muslims believe that if they behave their spirit would go to heaven. Mary had six children. The fact that it was not a virgin is not very surprising. The birth of the virgin mother of Jesus and his resurrection, the Christian doctrine has recorded a number of factors, of the New Testament to increase the credibility of a crucial part of Jesus' - which, unlike the rest of humanity, he was without sin, because he was born in a virgin mother, who was the son of God, and His resurrection, symbolized by his death for the sins of the rest of humanity.

Is it possible to be Christian and accept the above conclusions? Of course! Remarkable teachings of Jesus can be the basis of a spiritual and moral life, while his mother Mary was a virgin and although Jesus did not rise physically, not born free of "sin" was not the literal n "son of God." This rational form of Christianity requires that metaphorically, Jesus, miracles metaphorically, can lay the foundations of Christianity, and much less scientifically reasonable to Jesus from the dogmas of the Church. The metaphor of Jesus can be the basis of a rational Christianity and spirituality in the rational reason and religion are in conflict.

Faith, Life, Reborn, And The Judgement Simplified

2011-09-06T09:51:00.001+08:00

God's Word is true and solid, with its message of faith, receive salvation, being born again and finally found consistent and clear.

Salvation is a Christian by faith and faith is given by the Lord God. A Christian must have faith that Christ's blood was shed for the forgiveness of the sins of Christians. There is nothing a person can do to be saved from sin. It is only through faith in Jesus Christ and his crucifixion and resurrection, a person can receive salvation. When a person receives the promise of salvation that was promised to be forgiven of all sin, guilty, and saved from eternal damnation decision.

Faith is a condition for faith. Christians can not receive the salvation of the verdict to eternal damnation, until they meet Jesus Christ on his throne of Judgement. Christians believe that God's promise, they will be forgiven of all sin because of Christ's crucifixion. A Christian must have faith in this promise throughout his life, and even his physical death. This faith gives the reward of salvation by the grace of God.

To demonstrate the commitment of faith in this promise, and the desire to stop sinning and will walk with Jesus Christ, with him as a teacher, Christians often say "the prayer of sinners." This prayer of Jesus says they believe. Prayer does not save the person. Only faith that Jesus redeem their sins by his blood on the Day of Judgement will be registered. But this prayer is a focal point for the contrite sinner and gives them a starting point for the formal commitment of faith and walk with Jesus Christ.

This is important ... When a person truly believes that Jesus Christ, the Son of God walked the earth, died for them and for the dead, and therefore, they are promised salvation, redemption through his blood shed. .. then you are saved and have promised to be punished the innocent and the reward of eternal life at the Judgement Seat of Christ.

We want all to be saved on Judgement Day ... BELIEVE! When you do not believe salvation is known, the foundation of Jesus Christ, can be securely fastened.

Having a faith in salvation through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ is all that is needed to receive the promised salvation to eternal damnation. The process for obtaining salvation through the sacrifice of blood is called redemption. The Day of Judgement, when indicated, all Christians who come to the Throne Judgement, Jesus redeemed their sins through His shed blood, and will be judged innocent because of their faith in him.

NOW ... Salvation is not the ticket to heaven. Salvation is the promise of a decision of innocence, after repayment of blood, and to avoid the pain of eternal damnation.

Many young misunderstood, and self-centered Christians believe that God is the reward of salvation and a permanent place to anyone who is good gets to go to their death. It is not.

Heaven is a temporary accommodation for the Lord God and his Spirit, Jesus Christ, the angels and saints that are fair. Heaven will come to an end one day, during the passage of the Lord God. All the saints in heaven one day populate the new earth, and all others are judged positively on the Day of Judgement, and receives eternal life city.

It just means freedom from sin. Faith does not remove the sin of a living body! Even if you have faith, original sin still live in you. There is only one way a person is alive and walking the earth can become virtuous. Original sin is to leave your body. There is only one way that sin can leave the body and the body is death. The moment the body dies, sin has no power, and dies. But here's the problem ...

When you die with sin is always in you, then go to your grave. Sinful people can not come to rest in the sky for a while. In fact, so death is to begin. Because there is sin, death comes to man. So dead in sin to remain in their graves until they reappeared on the day of Rapture, just before the kidnapping of Christian living is going to happen before the great misfortune.

This is a much better choice down Christians. Baptism of Jesus Christ, causes the body to death, and the sins of the faithful to die a Christian. If a Christian goes under the waters of their baptism to the grave, they will die in original sin and the control is removed from them. When a Christian comes up the waters of baptism and the faith experience of the resurrection that Jesus did the same, so get out of the waters of sin and the new freedom. This new, free from original sin, is called Born Again.

The born-again Christians are a new creature, and sin no baptized have two options available to them to remain free from all sin, and to increase their righteousness by his will.

The first is the authority of Jesus Christ to forgive sins on earth. When a baptized Christian commits a sin, he has the opportunity to confess, repent and return to a line through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit, baptism by the laying on of hands by an apostle of Jesus Christ, is also given to baptized Christians. When the Holy Spirit instills in the believer is baptized as a Christian sins burned all his innocent, helping to maintain a state fair.

When baptized Christians suffer a physical death, is immediately taken to heaven. The Christian does not feel the sting of death or living in the tomb for a moment. The baptized Christians is immediately taken to heaven, where it rests for a time in the bosom of God the Lord, until the rest of the plans of God the Lord is complete.

It is intended to strengthen the new heavens and new earth, Christian take on a new life together with all the positive comments of people who were standing before the throne of Jesus Christ. The life of this new planet will be dominated by the Savior, Jesus Christ, and begins its existence in sin without the people who love the Lord God and humble always undeserved mercy and salvation by the sacrifice of his son.

Praise be to God!

The Mission Of Jesus Christ

2011-09-06T09:51:00.000+08:00

Jesus of Nazareth, son of Joseph, was born in an era of cruelty and ignorance prevailed. The Romans had conquered his country of birth and true spirituality was hard to find. Although he only lived a 33 years old on earth he was able to leave a lasting legacy of his spiritual consciousness and the highest spiritual teachings.

First, Jesus embodies great humility.

"I can not make me ... I seek not mine own will but the Father. "

This is a sign of a true teacher, do not teach their ego, they want to be an instrument of God So, Jesus was not the task of his mission, but the mission of the Father in heaven, was ordained the role of God

At that time, very few people know and understand the spiritual status of Jesus. He suffered great misunderstanding and hostility of others who were jealous of his success. They say a prophet has no honor in his own time and in the life of Jesus, this word has been proven to be very true. But despite criticism and opposition, Jesus never wavered in his determination to do the will of God. The highest prayers spoken by Christ was "not my will but yours be done." Even at the expense of the great personal suffering, Jesus was trying to do the will of God, because it was his only goal.

Jesus taught the most essential aspect of spirituality, that is, it was possible for people to find the kingdom of heaven within. Of all the immortal words of Jesus, this is perhaps the most significant. He wanted his disciples and followers to find the "peace that passeth all understanding," but that peace is in their own souls, not in external applications. Addressing his disciples, said:

"Peace I leave you my peace I give unto you." But this peace was only a donation of a material point of view, it seems that nothing.

Jesus never compromise between the spiritual and material life. He never told his disciples that they might have the best of both worlds. If they were sincere seekers were required to renounce the pleasures of the world wrong.

"Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has can not be my disciple." (Luke 14:33)

Jesus could not give the kingdom of heaven to his disciples, but he could not do so unless they were willing to sacrifice and give up their higher self. Jesus had come to realize the divine consciousness, he had tasted the joy and ecstasy of the divine community, and he knew that the bliss of God consciousness was more valuable than anyone can offer. With this in mind that Jesus could proclaim: "What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul (Matt.16: 26)? It was not ideal philosophical speculation, Jesus knew the difference between the fruits of the spirit and the so-called pleasures of the world.

Jesus' mission also includes the revolutionary teachings, he wanted to state that God's forgiveness is the highest philosophy that applicants must aspire. He taught that the "eye for an eye" philosophy was not his father. Wanted to show love, even the hostility. This love comes from the uniqueness of Jesus with the world. For a real spiritual teacher, feels no sense of superiority or inferiority, it reaches a lasting sense of unity, which can not love others, even if they suffer from ignorance. When Jesus was betrayed and crucified on the cross said "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." He revealed his divine nature, one soul, who had a divine unity, could express a sentiment so noble.

Former Jesus - News Of Jesus: Change Of The Gods

2011-09-06T09:49:00.000+08:00

Jesus in the New Testament the love of little children, and reminds the adults in her crowds, unless they become like little children, they never see the kingdom of God. In the New Testament, Jesus blessed little children and adults to reprimand trying to run interference between him and them. Jesus himself up child death in compassion for them and their grieving parents.

In church, I learned to sing, "Jesus loves the little children, all children in the world. Red and yellow, white and black that are precious in his eyes. Jesus loves the children of the world."

I also learned to sing that "Jesus loves me, I know. For the Bible tells me so. Younger belong to him. They are weak but he is strong."

I've also learned over the years we were talking about Jesus in the New Testament except the Book of Revelation and some other comments and no threat by the Apostles in the name of Jesus, human beings contained in the various New Testament books. Like most Christian churches teach that Jesus is God and "God of the Old Testament," we wondered what made Jesus the repentance of the horrible things he, as God in the Old Testament records that are made.

The New Testament clearly teaches that Jesus, in some way, be considered the eternal reality of God, before Jesus was flesh and bones.

John 8:

56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see the thoughts of my day: he saw it and rejoiced."

57 "Not yet 50 years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!"

58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was, I am!"

1 Corinthians 8:

6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things and through whom we live and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through which we live.

Philippians 2:

5 Your attitude is the same as that of Christ Jesus:

6 Who, by the nature of God, do not regard equality with God to be understood

7, but nothing was done, taking the form of a servant, being similar to humans.

Colossians 1:

15 is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

16. For her, all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,

Thrones, powers or rulers or authorities, it was all created by him and for him.

17 He is before all things and in him all things consist.

These are some of the writings of the New Testament, that the assimilation of the man Jesus of the New Testament, that God is the creator and maintainer of the old all over again. So, by default, this would be of Jesus, who first shot to give up "all the children of the world", that was the way to Israel, including women and animals are more opportunities, and the Jesus of the New Testament simply loved all the children of the world, red and yellow, black and white. They are precious in his eyes. "Verily, God in the flesh, that much had changed. Revelation Jesus returns to his people killing ways, but that's another story. Why does God or Jesus would never hold seminars for their existence and to plan that all persons may participate, without all the drama and the massacre of all of us to obey Well, I'm not God, that's for sure.

Some argue that Jesus was the Son of God, the second part of the three trinity of God, which is really only one God and that God the Father, God responded to the massacre. This is one of the three aspects of God, which is rubbish, but the New Testament, Jesus would not understand. If Jesus was the God of the Old Testament, certainly became a good guy then. God of the Old Testament was a cruel man, woman and child, breastfeeding and the killing of the monster. Sabbath School Song, God of the Old Testament, was, "Jesus hates the little children, all children of the world. If they are not from Israel, he will send all to hell. Hacking-whacking all the children of the world", and Sunday school, we know very well.

On the way in which Jesus, the Son of God can be treated all the children of the world back to the Old Testament

Jericho is destroyed by Jesus as God, Joshua 6:20,21

20 "Then the people shouted when the trumpets were. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people raised a great shout and the wall fell down, so people got into the city, every one before him and took the city.

21 Then they utterly destroyed all of the town, men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep and donkeys "

Way to go! Jericho was a need for real estate, that the Israelites, and the young men and women, old and young, and we'll take the animals also have to go. Slaughtered all. Jesus loves the little children! Keep looking.

Kingdom of Sihon destroyed by Jesus as God. Deuteronomy 2: 33-35

33 "And the Lord our God gave him more than us and we beat him and his son and all his people.

34 And we captured all his cities at that time and utterly destroyed every city, men, women and children, we left no delay;

Only 35 cattle that took as booty for ourselves, with the spoil of the cities that we captured. "

So here we have Jesus as God kill all humans, but it is now possible to protect livestock for Booty. This subject will prey better than Jewish men to be discouraged, but to kill everything on the site, including babies. It looks like the rules of engagement changed the women came out better, but children have always had the ax.

Now I feel better.

Genesis 20: 10-17

10 "As we approach the city to fight against it, offer terms of peace to it.

11 And if your answer to that is peace and opens it for you, then all the people in it shall do forced labor for you and what they do.

12 But if he makes peace with you, but makes war against you, then you assail.

13 And when the Lord your God gives it into your hand, you have to put all his men to the sword

14, but women and small animals, and all the rest of the city, all its spoil, you shall take as booty for you, and you can enjoy the spoils of your enemies which the LORD thy God hath given. "

In this time, that Jesus was God in the Old Testament offers during the war. Surrender and you will be our slaves and forced to work for us forever. If you do not give up, so all the men getting the ax, but the new rules for women and children. Now the children go to forced labor, no doubt, and the women get to enjoy! Shake your booty! The rules are the Yangtze!

Numbers 31:14-18

14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and captains over hundreds, which came from the war.

15 And Moses said unto them, Have you saved all the women?

16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel through Balaam council to commit sins against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.

18 But all the children of women who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

We assume that Moses speaks of Jesus and go through the ways of God to the people of Israel. It's a little dial that took men do not kill all the women according to the instructions and if Moses said, Jesus, lover of young children permission to kill all the "small", and women with no virgins. How one figures that I do not even want to know. Anyway, good news!

You guys can keep the virgins for themselves as sexual partners! Yes Jesus loves all children in the world! With a grateful heart, no doubt, they can now kill and have sex with big booty. We must assume that the phrase "women children" little virgin girls. Ewwww ... Well if Jesus is God in the Old Testament rules for how we "Let the little children come to me for such is the kingdom of heaven" at this moment in history, so no doubt.

It seems that the God of the Old Testament, Jesus before His incarnation was not so much against abortion when the fetus was actually the first born and started life as someone's beloved child. There are records of orders to kill women with children, but I spare you. I do not think there has been talk lately about when life began. The question was when and how to stop it if it got in the way of progress of the chosen people of God.

Even the New Testament, in which Mary, the mother of baby Jesus has been told to flee before Herod to kill all children under two years, it just goes with the city of Jesus saying anything! It is these people are not able to warn the neighbors! Maria did get out of town, where the baby Jesus sings: "I know what you do not know .. Have fun with the last Saturday." I just think the Bible is important for their children and others can just go fish.

Not very pleasant things. Somewhere along the line, Jesus changed a killer without conscience for a lover of early childhood, commanded his disciples to "do not hinder them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Maybe the story of Jesus comes to John the Baptist for baptism of repentance is a feeling anyway.

Christians, this perfect puzzle for more than the New Testament, Jesus never had to regret any of the baptism of John. To change the text, we see that it ends up at the end, that Jesus was not baptized to repent of their sins, but we made an example of what should be done. I did not kill thousands, anyway. Mark, John, you can see the development of the text, and how embarrassing that someone thought that Jesus had nothing to repent of their sins and are baptized discussed.

But maybe he knew (I personally do not think the thought of God in the flesh), something about his past? Perhaps it's ruthless use of infants, children and the woman as the murderess of the Old Testament, God did, after all. Of course, I have a little 'theologically out of here and a little' tongue in cheek, but maybe God, Jesus seemed to repent in order to be able to explain the changes in past behavior. There is no record of anyone at the church first apostles, asking him to change this murderess, God, Jesus loves all God's children of the world. Perhaps, he said, "Ask me that again and I'll kill you." At the end of the discussion.

This Jesus, God of the Old Testament can not explain some things that seem quite common in today's era. Killing old men, women and children has not changed much in the land of Israel. I think once the armies have been able to take still hear women and children are easy prey when it comes to kill what gets in the way of their progress and building needs. Similarly, Christians, together with certain trends seem to have forgotten Jesus of the New Testament Gospels and Jesus 'return' to the old or the best in the book of Revelation, Jesus wins his name, are pagans, who receive them, "Go ye therefore into all the world," manner. So, God is there for every taste and need to show today.

In fact, it's hard to explain why the Bible is the "best book ever written," when in fact it is one of the most violent, disgusting, clan books, and bloody sectarian written history. The rules of engagement have never favored the innocent and certainly not non-Jews, and we must admit that although the Jesus of the New Testament was the "God of the Old Testament" before coming on the human scene has changed the text and in their behavior. Perhaps an endless war and killing do for God. It would be nice if it does for humans.

You Must Be Born Again!

2011-09-06T09:43:00.001+08:00

The secret disciple NIGHT

In the third chapter of John, Nicodemus (a senior leader of the Pharisee and secret disciple of Jesus [19:38-42]) first visited Jesus in the cover of night. The first thing Jesus said in verse 3, "Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God." At that time (in all the Gospels) the kingdom of God was just a future event up there with the Day of Judgement. But many Christians mistakenly believe that it is interchangeable with the Kingdom of Heaven (only in Matthew), which alludes to something more urgent. But the general assumption in Chapter 3 is that Jesus spoke to two dimensions. But remember, he did not say, "If a man repentance ..." In one chapter, where no one understands the language encrypted, how they are correctly interpreting a game? No one understands, because reincarnation is not part of Christian dogma.

The word reincarnation is not biblical. But what about the concept? Ergo, the development of the mind through a series of earthly incarnations. This explains the response of Nicodemus in verse 4: "How can a man be born when he is old Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Contrary to the popular school- of thought, Nicodemus knew exactly what Jesus was talking about! His conversation was closer to three dimensions! For someone to (literally) see the kingdom of God (light-years from the road), they must be born again. .. and again ... and again ... through a series of earthly incarnations, until they reach this level of consciousness! Otherwise, their minds, who could not see the kingdom. And you must see it before they can get it! This process has nothing to do with repentance, it will happen regardless! It is also a major cause of the Gospel of John is considered as different from Matthew and others.

The nail in the coffin

The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Now that we are on the right subject, you can understand the text in verse 8? By analogy with the wind blowing back, here and there and back and forth, the spirits revived a similar behavior in their incarnations and forth from the earth. It was the decision of the translators to capitalize the "s" in the word "Spirit" in an attempt to make the subject of the Holy Spirit, instead of reincarnation. Must Christians go to heaven when they die? If they do, they do not stay very long! And such a place is not exclusive to Christians! But much of the text of Matthew and other gospels (Re: repent, etc.) are manipulated to create such an illusion. But the following equation can clarify a little more on the subject:

Born (Incarnation) + Again (Re)

It is the relationship between "born again" and "reincarnation." Distributed, mean exactly the same thing! However, the first is the language of the layman, and later, science! Regardless, the Bible gives us some examples? Matthew 16:13, Jesus asked his disciples: "Who do people say I am the Son of man? Their response:" Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah (Elias), and others, Jeremiah (Jeremiah) or one of the prophets. "With the exception of St. John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, and all the other prophets who lived hundreds of years before. This is a matter of debate. Ergo, one of the prophets of old had returned with the physical birth. Repent, and the sky were not part of the equation.

However, John the Baptist, part of the discussion was Matthew different. No reincarnation. On the contrary, many people thought that Jesus is the resurrection of John the Baptist. It is said that he had been in prison for the governor of the road. Later, he was beheaded for the sport ahead of this discussion [Matthew 14:1-12]. In short, a common way to think of John the Baptist did not go to heaven when he died. He returned immediately, and through the resurrection, or traveling through the reborn process.

Wise

The birth of the story of Jesus in Matthew 2, one of the key elements are the sages of the East. Ergo, these men were wise in Eastern philosophies! One of the lessons most common in the East are the reincarnation! We still have to assume, after this visit, the wise have never laid eyes on Jesus again. Why do you think there is such a big gap between chapters 2 and 3? In Chapter 2, Jesus is a very small child under 2 years old. In Chapter 3, it is an adult male about 30 years. What happened during the missing 28 years? What are the odds that Jesus had many contacts and instruction of the wise? Who better to teach him? And did John the Baptist with his message of repentance and the kingdom of heaven just appear out of nowhere? Jesus used the brilliant original idea born again to simplify the concept.

Matthew 11:13-14

For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you [what] is the Elijah who was to come.

In the text above (which actually begins in verse 7), Jesus explained to the crowd, John the Baptist was the manifestation of being born again (reincarnation) of the prophet Elijah, and nobody got scared at the thought! Later he explained it to his disciples in 17:10-13. However, in John 1:19-24 Baptist denied that he was Jesus, the prophet said it was! Again, it is instantly previous incarnations, including Jean-Baptiste. He was also questioned by the same people (or the type of people) who have often tried to trick Jesus with questions (about heaven, repentance, etc.).

Surprisingly, Jesus repeatedly claimed to be born again the manifestation of Enoch [Genesis 5:18-24]. In the Book of Enoch (the first Bible, most of the New Testament is based on), the prophet Enoch is often referred to as the Son of man, and always spoke in parables. And you thought Jesus was the original! Claiming to be the Son of man, Jesus, not realizing he claimed to be the reincarnation of the old prophet. And as it turns out, Enoch and Elijah had one thing in common, either died a physical death. Each of them have been removed (heaven?) In natural circumstances of ultra [2:11 2R].

See The Glory Of Jesus

2011-09-05T17:24:00.000+08:00

Glory of Jesus' is reflected in his achievements, his successors and their service to the world.

Jesus heard his father's voice from heaven, on three occasions. This is the same God the Father has given the size of a birthday present - a star, the angels and the singing of angels and dreams of control - when Jesus was born. His miracles proved his power over nature, his teachings to silence the critics eager to discredit him, his plan of salvation was only for the rich and the poor in his kingdom has come in the same way - through faith, he creates great hope to people, because of its fulfillment of prophecy, and his generous nature has been revealed to his crucifixion. He spoke and acted like God, and ascended to heaven in the clouds. What are the entry and exit!

All kinds of people have become followers of Jesus: Teachers Mortimer Adler, CS Lewis, Stephen C. Meyer, William Lane Craig, Alvin Plantinga, Robin Collins, and John Howard Yoder JPMoreland. Author Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, Gert Behanna, Charles Colson, Brennan Manning, Rabindranath R. Maharaj and Susan Atkins. Expert, Gerhard Dirks, Floyd Melvin police, Nazi pilot Werner Moelders ACE, coach Tom Landry, the tennis star Stan Smith, daughter of billionaire June Hunt and cartoonist Charles Schulz. These are just some of the faithful who gather each Sunday to worship Jesus with decent songs, prayers, Bible reading, and intent to serve the world.

Refugees need food and clothing and shelter and blankets. Churches to provide them. Disaster warning churches to organize and send volunteers with hammers and shovels and cooks to keep them fed. Prisoners need visitors and churches call them and give them as songs and Bible correspondence courses with people to discuss experiences and encouraging note back. Immigrants seeking to improve their lot, and many believers are moved by their situation and create jobs. Missionaries sent to many countries and people often have to testify for the issuance of demons, habits and beliefs that robbed their happiness and productivity. Lepers in Paraguay were provided with medical staff because the church wanted to say thank you to the Government of Paraguay to accept their refugees sent a year in Germany before. Psychiatric hospitals have been planned and administered in three U.S. states, as conscientious clergymen were sent to state psychiatric hospitals and witnessed injustices.

Special pumps were invented to provide water to many villages. Market gardens have evolved because of the children of farmers have shown how to grow new plants and trees to prevent soil erosion and the supply of fuel. Hospitals and schools have been updated, as believers in Jesus have left the comforts to help others find a sense of hope the action. The list goes on and expands on computers to help rescuers. Jesus is calling, "Come, follow, and then Peri." "Who will go for us?" God is still a question. And people are responding, "Here am I. Send me!"

I am a teacher. I mean I have to learn. I did not know what I teach my search for ultimate truth for 29 years, they sent me to seminary. I spent a year at the University of Alberta study English. That year, the teacher asked, "Where have you been all your life if you do not have to study English, not what you want?".

Discover The Incredible Parallels Between Joseph And Jesus - They Were Just A Coincidence?

2011-09-05T17:21:00.000+08:00

There are many spiritual parallels between Joseph and Jesus. Many things that Joseph did in the physical domain foreshadow what Jesus has done or will do in a much larger scale in the spiritual realm. Check out some of them. (If not real familiar with the story of Joseph, one can read the article entitled Joseph and the economy in the former).

Before you start looking at their lives, let's look at their names. The Hebrew name of Joseph Yowceph, which means "let add". Full name of Jesus was Yeshua Ben Yowceph, Jesus son of Joseph. Purpose of Jesus for his life, without sin crucifixion, burial and resurrection was to add souls to the kingdom of God as he does every day.

The early years

When we consider the birth of two men, both were born through miracles. Jacob's wife Rachel was not able to bear children. Only when Jacob had ten sons of other wives that God opened Rachel's barren womb, and Joseph was born (Genesis 30:22-24). Similarly, the Jesus' birth was even more surprising since it was brought to the world through the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit.

Their children, both went to Egypt. When the Magi came to visit Jesus was an angel appeared to Joseph (the earthly father of Jesus') in a dream and told him to bring his family to Egypt. Herod, king of the Jews, had devised a plan to kill all the vicious children under two years, and in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi, Jesus could be born. Joseph, however, his brother was sold into slavery and taken to Egypt, when he was about seventeen.

Dreams are an important part of life, Joseph and Jesus Joseph had dreams of his youth, shows God's purpose for him. He also played the butler, the baker, and Pharaoh's dreams has led to a change in the way of life of the nation of Egypt. Interpreting Pharaoh's dreams brought savings of misery and death for many people. Earthly father of Jesus' had a dream in which he was told to get his family out of Israel, so that their lives would be saved. Jesus also had visions of the future is recorded in Matthew chapter 24. His life, all nuclear power plants, the human race has changed, and many lives are saved people great misery and suffering.

When Joseph was about seventeen, he was told to go out and search for his brothers who were out tending sheep and to see if all was well. Jesus searching for someone who is willing to accept and receive salvation.

Joseph's brothers conspired to kill him. In Genesis 37:18-34 we read how they threw in a tank and said the animal has eaten. In the same way the religious leaders hated Jesus. The statements of Jesus as "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58) caused hatred and envy not. Jews companions, Jesus' family, conspired to kill him too.

His works, the Ministry

God sent Jesus to Joseph and save people. Joseph saved the Egyptians and their families from hunger - physical life. Jesus offers eternal life to people of all genealogies. Both came to the easement. Joseph became a servant of Potiphar and in a sense the servant of all Egypt, Israel, and later in life. Jesus has done nothing. The true God, and God became man and took the nature of a servant. Jesus told us Thatt the greatest among us would be our servant.

Joseph and Jesus began his ministry or the intense work of life at the age of thirty. They were both despised because of their righteousness. Joseph's brothers have reacted very badly when he told them about his dreams of sheaves of grain and the stars. When Jesus came into the reaction of his hometown people against him was not good either:

"Then they laughed, it's just the carpenters son, and we know his mother Mary and his brothers, Jacob, Joseph, Simon and Judas. All his sisters live here among us. Where did he learn all these things? And they were. deeply offended and refused to believe Jesus said: "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family." And he did a few miracles there because of their unbelief "(Matthew 13 :55-57).

Joseph, through his wise counsel saved multitudes from hunger and suffering. Jesus miraculously fed five thousand people. Joseph stored grain, which is used in bread products. Jesus told the audience that it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but his father, which gives the true bread of life. "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me, suffering from hunger" (John 6:35 NIV). Both were humble and unspoiled by the glamor and wealth would have been theirs. They showed love and compassion for Jews and Gentiles alike.

Both Joseph and Jesus were persecuted by false witnesses, and won the great temptations. The wife of Potiphar, who made an interesting his adultery before Joseph was denied without question. He also had a bad false accusations against him, which led to his incarceration. This was all part of God's plan for Joseph, Egypt and Israel, and worked out the best. He fasted for forty days when Jesus was her weakest physically, he had the strength to resist and overcome the pitfalls and temptations of the devil. Jesus was accused by the chief priests and elders. Both, however, were persecuted and hated to return good for evil.

If the ministry and work of Joseph and Jesus can be summarized in two words, which could be forgiveness and reconciliation. When the eleven brothers before Joseph in Egypt, fearing for his life, Joseph told them not concerned or angry with themselves. Spared the conclusion that this was all according to God's plan. Despite the suffering they had to go, forgave him. Jesus as He hung on the cross of death said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34 NIV). Joseph married an Egyptian woman. 'S promised Jesus is His Church, which is composed mainly of Gentiles.

Jesus and Joseph both prophesied freedom. Joseph told his brothers that God come to their aid and their descendants from Egypt to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus prophesied the same freedom to his people. In John 8:32 He said, "know the truth and the truth shall make you free" (NIV) and "I will pray the Father will give you another Counselor to be with you forever" (John 14:16 NIV). Jesus also prophesied that his followers would be brought to a better land.

Although the persecution of Jesus and Joseph were both stripped of their clothes. Joseph's beautiful coat of many colors that his father had been snatched from him his brother. Governor soldiers stripped him, put a scarlet robe, and platted a crown of thorns on his head together. They were both placed in a pit for three days. Joseph was thrown into an empty water tank and took Jesus to the tomb. Joseph's brothers messes up his robe with the blood of goats to blame for the death of wild animals of Joseph. The death of Jesus was on Easter Sunday. Goat sacrifice of atonement for the sins of Easter.

During the period of imprisonment of Joseph, which was placed in the proximity of two other prisoners, the butler and the baker. Life has saved the butler and the baker's life was lost (Genesis 40:1-18). When Jesus was on the cross, there were two criminals with him, one on his right and one left. One of the offenders shouted insults at Jesus and repented of the other. Jesus said he who has repented and was forgiven and live with him in paradise.

Although both have been mocked and criticized, Joseph and Jesus, have reached positions of power and great glory. They inspire confidence in their environment and those who read them. Both have become a Lord (Lord). Joseph became second in command, and sat at the right hand of Pharaoh. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God.

The Last Days

Jesus was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. Joseph was sold for twenty. Both were given for the price of a slave. The life of Joseph and Jesus are examples of "rags to riches" story. Joseph came from the well, the vacuum tank, sold into slavery and degraded in jail. But God the Father has nevertheless been one of the highest positions in the world. Jesus certainly was not born into wealth. It was mixed with Egypt as a child to stay alive. He was admired by some and hated by d others. At the end of physical life, which was whipped, beaten, insulted, spat upon and crucified. The lowest form of death. However, God "raised him in the place of honor and gave him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father "(Phil. 2:9-11).

When Joseph's brothers told Jacob he was still alive, Jacob was stunned and did not believe it. Joseph was dead as Jacob. When Mary announced the resurrection of Jesus to his disciples that they do not believe it either, "They [the apostles] did not believe the women because their words seemed to them as nonsense" (Luke 24:11 ).

Joseph and Jesus are not recognized by their families and friends. Joseph, having been promoted in Egypt and Jesus after the resurrection. After all was done, the punishment and ridicule to the joy of saving the lives of people in a personal relationship with God, who thus became the people of royalty.

Conclusion

Joseph lived a life as a servant. A servant to Potiphar, the citizens of Egypt, his family and God. He kept the Israelite nation and the lineage of Jesus. There are so many striking parallels between the life of Joseph and Jesus. Joseph said Jesus Christ. Many things that Joseph did for Egypt and Israel in the physical characteristic that Jesus is or will be a larger scale, in the spiritual, for all humanity.

The parallels in the lives of Joseph and Jesus are not a matter of chance for speculation. God the Father has a plan for mankind that works with the intricate detail and precise. The Tanakh (Old Testament) points directly to Jesus and Joseph's life is a perfect example. Joseph was a true servant of God.

Why Jesus Said That A Prophet Has No Honor In His Own Country?

2011-09-05T17:20:00.000+08:00

"They knew Jesus as a child. They just said, 'Hey Jesus," but they did not know he was God, "said Stacey, 6

It's hard to talk to people who know him long, especially in spiritual matters. They think they know you. In most cases they are right, but not Jesus.

When Jesus taught in the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth, those present said: "Where is man?" (Mark 6:02). The Bible says they were surprised and offended. He saw Jesus heal people, but could not go beyond the fact that he knew his mother, brothers and sisters. After all, Jesus was just a carpenter. He did not have the necessary permits or religious school.

Be careful to despise ordinary. Remember how God spoke to Moses, for the first time? He used a burning bush. In the hands of God, something ordinary can become extraordinary. Pharaoh's court, the Joint Staff to bring Moses miraculously became a snake.

When the prophet Samuel went to anoint a new king of Israel, he thought his eldest son Jesse would be the choice of God

"But the Lord said to Samuel," Do not look at his appearance or his physical life, because I have refused. For the Lord sees not as man sees, people look at the appearance but the Lord seeth the 'heart "(I Samuel 16:7).

The Lord has chosen a popular shepherd the flock of his father. In addition, David was the least likely option, in a society that has encouraged more children. He was the youngest son. God seems to enjoy taking the minimum path.

Jesus did not come into this world with great fanfare, as most expect the Messiah. The place where he lived in Nazareth, was small and insignificant. The profession he chose, a carpenter, not impress.

"Isaiah 53 shows that Jesus had been waiting the whole time," says Nathaniel, 9: "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and sickness leave and we hid, as it were our faces from him. He was despised, and we do not respect him "(Isaiah 53:3).

The Old Testament is full of prophecies concerning the Messiah. The Hebrew prophets predicted that Jesus would be born (Bethlehem), the lineage of his birth (the lineage of David), and the suffering that would take our sins (Isaiah 53:6). How ironic that one of the prophets predicted would be no honor among his people.

"People kept waiting for a prophet to come, but he was right in front of them," said Julia, 7

At our peril, we ignore the people and things that are right in front of us. Are you someone who thinks that you would have been just after Jesus, if you had seen the miracles he performed, and heard the messages he preached?

It 'easy to imagine what he would do if he had lived in Jesus' Even if Jesus is not physically present on earth today, we have a reliable recording of his ministry. We have access to the Bible, biblical commentaries and books of inspiration in abundance.

Think about this: Christians can honor Christ today to witness the power of God's saving grace, and teach others how to live in Christ through them.

Memorize this truth: "For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country" (John 04:44).

This question: How can honor Jesus Christ today?

Horoscope Birth Of Jesus Christ?

2011-09-05T17:19:00.001+08:00

When Jesus was born?

For centuries people have speculated about the exact date of Jesus' birth. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the story in the Bible, but the problems of dog all the theories discussed so far. The idea of a star that moves across the sky while completely out of step with the rest of the stars can not be accepted from a scientific perspective, and of course, this argument is apples and kites. But has advanced a new theory which explains the version of the Bible and scientific credibility. Interestingly, we also have astrological sense.

Researcher theorizes is the birth date of Jesus Christ

Historians have long since there was a dispute of up to four years on the birth of Jesus. The best estimate is always placed somewhere between 1 and 4 BC. The Australian astronomer and editor of the new Sky and Space magazine, Dave Reneke believes he has solved the mystery of the Star of Bethlehem. He calculated that Venus, also known as evening star, shared the same piece of night sky with Jupiter on June 17th 2 BC. This meant that people watch the evening star as a "star" that moved slowly across the night sky and shone more than anything normally seen. These facts match the version of the Bible events.

Magi What to expect?

Los Reyes Magos (commonly known as the Three Kings) had access to astronomical data that allows them to anticipate this powerful alignment of planets. Have also been known and accepted meaning of this concert very positive and even put in a place where the impact would be greater astrological.

Astrologically, this combination of planets indicates best of luck, good fortune and the highest values. The astrologers of the time accepted the meanings of these planets, and they remain the same today. As this conjunction occurred in Leon, is bound to expect a child born that day to become a leader uniquely positive.

This horoscope is a spiritual teacher?

The planet Uranus represents large groups of people and there is a positive correlation (Trina) with the spirituality of Neptune. As the Sun is in Gemini indicates a good communicator and teacher. Mainly, however, link to Mercury to Uranus and Neptune, a person who has the ability to communicate spiritual ideas to the masses.

Will Trouble Ahead?

Problems occur when the planets are in conflict. This is defined by the planets, with 90 or 180 degrees between them (respectively known as the square and opposition). Sun in stark contrast to Uranus, which refers to the damage may be groups of people. Sun Pluto is also referring to the clashes, political beliefs or (Pluto) in conflict with the individual (Wednesday).

This is a horoscope of Jesus?

Scientifically, the case seems to be the best available that explains the biblical story of Jesus' birth. Astrologically a case can be made clear that aligns with the person we know as Jesus. Interestingly, according to Chinese astrology is this Jesus who was born in the Year of the Sheep and the characteristics associated with sheep are more compatible with the character of Jesus all the signs of Chinese astrology.

It should be noted that a similar event, Venus and Jupiter took place on 12th August 3 BC. Astrology says that the healer and the person of high values, too. Both horoscopes are strong enough, although personally, I lean to the first by a "best fit" of history, astrology and astronomy.

What is perhaps even greater note is that during this period in history, there were very many people known to have amazing abilities that healers. Astrological climate was ripe for such people to enter the world stage.

Ultimately, it is up to each of us to decide on a date other than Christmas, more rational and profound historical event, which was the birth of Jesus Christ.

How Many Wise Men Came To See Jesus?

2011-09-05T17:18:00.000+08:00

Most churches today teach that there are three wise men who came to see the baby Jesus in the manger, shortly after his miraculous birth. They sing the song "We Three Kings," among other songs and poems that proclaim that the Magi went to see the baby Jesus.

But is this really what the Bible teaches? Was it really only three, and they came to the manger to adore the Child Jesus?

To be honest, the Bible supports such an instruction at all. It 'was the shepherds who came to the crib the same night that Jesus was born. The Bible does not say, but probably not the wise men visited Jesus '1 -2 years after his birth, and visited him at home, not in the manger.

The story is found in Matthew 2:1-12, and it is unclear how many there were. He said only that he came and got three gifts. It is possible, because they brought three gifts, this might be one reason why it is learned that there were three.

But the theory is absurd, because there may be up to 10 essays, all of which have brought gifts of gold, or 10 that brought gifts of myrrh, and 10, which has brought incense. Statement on the Bible is true regardless of how many they were, because there was really only 3 gifts.

The teaching of the three wise men comes from an interesting legend fiction, and medieval states that there were three kings who came to see Jesus, and their names were Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar. Gaspar was king of Tarsus, who has the gift of myrrh, Melchior was king of Arabia, who brought gold, and Balthasar king of Ethiopia incense.

Only after 500 years after Jesus' birth, these names of their way to Christian teachings. So we know the truth to them at all.

Another popular teaching of the wise men is that they followed the star to the manger, and visited the baby. But the Bible makes no claim. He made it clear that the star came and stood over where the child was, who was in a house. He said the wise men in the house where the child was, and they fell down and worshiped the child. (Matthew 2:9-11)

Do I Believe in Jesus Or in Paul?

2011-09-05T17:17:00.000+08:00

In the last article, "The limits of God's grace," I tried to show how the grace of God is often presented in a way that does not invalidate the numerous writings, which are clearly talking about holiness, it is absolutely necessary if you want to get access at last to heaven. These writings are too often overlooked in favor, emphasizing that eternal life is a gift, or that salvation is by grace. There would be wise, however, does not neglect anything God has said, especially in something as important as salvation. If our interpretation of a verse clearly at odds with many other verses, there is something wrong with our interpretation. So we should be diligent to find an understanding of salvation, which aligns each of the Bible.

I recently received letters from someone noticed the apparent contradiction between Jesus and Paul on this issue. Jesus was apparently stressed that only people obedient to inherit eternal life, while Paul seemed to emphasize that salvation by grace through faith. Who should be trusted? this person asked.

The answer is that both should be confident, because their teachings were not very different. Their focus may be slightly different, but it was mainly because of possible misunderstandings of their specific areas. Consider first the teaching of Jesus, and then look at Paul.

Interestingly, there is no trace in the four Gospels of Jesus even once with the word "grace", even though it has shown through each day, as graciously forgave and healed the people. Moreover, once in John 4:10, Jesus spoke of salvation as a gift, one is somewhat surprising. However, has always stressed on several occasions and the absolute necessity of obedience, if we were to inherit the kingdom of God. That was the whole subject of his sermon on the mount, where (1) a list of traits that would inherit his kingdom (Matthew 5:3-16), (2) has warned that we would not enter in heaven if our righteousness exceed that of the very religious scribes and Pharisees (5:20), (3) warned hatred, irreconcilable, lust and sexually immoral, ruthless, those who stored up treasures on earth, and all those which do not bear good fruit that hell is their destiny (Matthew

5:21-30, 6:14-15, 19-24, 7:19), (4) indicated that only those who do His Father will enter heaven (Matthew 7:21), and (5) noted that those who hear and obey his words will be destroyed as a house built on sand during a flood (Matthew 7:24-27).

Jesus also warned that those who do not feed the hungry and clothe the naked, the "brethren" to be cast into hell (see Matt. 25:31-46). Furthermore, it has publicly declared that his true brothers and sisters are doing the will of His Father (Matthew 12:50). He told those who wondered what to do to inherit eternal life to keep the commandments (Matthew 19:16-17;. Luke 10:25-28). In one case, told a rich man who had to sell all your possessions and give the proceeds to charity, and then as the rich man walked sadly so, Jesus said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man was to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:21-24).

This is just a small sample of the many examples of Jesus' statements that would lead an honest person to conclude that only the saints inherit eternal life. This article does not consider space at all.

However, despite all this, Jesus clearly taught that salvation is by faith (see Mark 11:15, 16:16, Luke 8:12, John 3:15-18, 5:24, 6: 35, 40, 47, 08:24, 11:25-26, 20:31).

So the problem is not just how does one reconcile Jesus and Paul? But how does one reconcile Jesus with Jesus? How can it be that only the saints inherit eternal life and that salvation is attained through faith?

There is only one way to reconcile these two truths. Salvation is to be conducted by a belief that results in permanent obedience. Of course, what Scripture teaches constantly. Faith without works is dead, useless and can not save them, writes James (see Jas. 2:14-26). Faith and obedience are not mutually exclusive, they are mutually inclusive: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, but whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but God's wrath is directed upon him "(Jn 3, 36, my italics).

People who believe in Jesus to obey Jesus because they believe he is the Son of God. People who do not obey him really believe in it even if they think they do. They really believe in Jesus is not an imaginary god, which is idolatry.

Interestingly, Jesus not only repeatedly stressed that only those whose faith produces obedience is heaven bound, but he also warned against those who once mistakenly believed that everlasting life is something to win. Does he contradict himself? Read what he said:

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves than those who were righteous, and seen others with contempt: Two men went into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: "God, I thank you that I am not like others .. Scammers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this I fast twice a week; tenth of everything that the liver can obtain "But the tax collector, is a bit 'far, had also wanted to raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast and said:" O God, be merciful to me a sinner "Let me tell you, this man had his house justified rather than the other, who exalts the humble, but he who humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 18:9-14).

This parable is sometimes abused by those pushing a twisted concept of the grace of God. But let us consider it honestly. Note that the main difference between the Pharisee and the publican was: tax collectors realized that he was a sinner who needed God's grace to be saved, as the Pharisee did not see such a need. That is what a true legalist - someone who is blind to his own sin and need God's grace to be saved. He sees salvation as something simply to be served, and generally using his own pathetic standards of justice. In this case, actually believes his Pharisee fasts weekly and tenth conscientious, with some other virtues that made him just the sight of God. However, Jesus taught that tithing is a little soft in terms of what God considers important (see Luke 11:42). Neither fasting high on the list of Jesus (cf. Matt. 9:14-15).

The truth is that those who truly believe in Jesus is born again (in fact, not only in theory), and has radically transformed by the Holy Spirit who dwells (another proof of God's grace in salvation), and their legal value that far exceeds the scribes and Pharisees, there is no comparison.

Despite what some people are trying to tell us, because Jesus was the attitude of the Pharisee in this parable, had not thought of sincere believers, who have realized their sin and the need for the grace of God, who believed in him and repent, and that now "working for their salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12), because they are "seeking to enter by the narrow gate" (Luke 13:24), as he said them! Rather, Jesus was thought proud of the scribes and Pharisees, who were blind to their sins, that he saw no need for the grace of God, if they are saved (and therefore saw no need for the Savior who died for their sins), which didn 't have near the reach of God's standards of justice, and on top of all this, "the others looked on with contempt" (direct quote from Jesus' parable' of the preface). And let's not more than the parable to what has been said.

With this in mind, we are better prepared to understand Paul's teaching, which, as we shall see, in perfect harmony with the teachings of Jesus. Objective of all of Paul's ministry was, as he put it, "the obedience of faith among all nations" (Rom. 1:05, 16:26, emphasis added). This quote from the book of Romans reveals two important facts.

At first Paul did not believe that salvation by grace through faith cancels obedience. Instead, he believed that genuine faith produces obedience "obedience of faith", as he said.

Secondly, this quote reveals that the primary objective of the Gentiles that Paul was Jewish. But the Bible also reveals that Jewish teachers were Paul's main antagonist, as he worked to achieve "the obedience of faith for all nations." They tried to weaken the Jewish teachers of his God-given message of the gospel the Gentiles, and that the same attitude is reflected in Jesus 'parable' of the Pharisee. Their teaching of salvation was blind to their sinfulness, pride, clumsy, legal, Christ-less, and is based on the pathetic standards of justice, in most cases circumcision, and to keep some 'part of the ceremonial law of Moses (see Galatians 4:10-11, 5:2-3, 6., 11, 6:12-15).

Paul has fought tooth and nail to teach many of his letters. It is also distinguished the works of Jewish legalists had so much emphasis on truth and holiness. For example, he wrote to the Christians of Corinth:

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping the commandments of God (1 Cor. 7:19).

This verse speaks of the true nature of the struggle for the legalistic Paul. Yet many of the modern legal definitions of spirituality, this verse, Paul would be right for you!>

Understanding this context, we can better understand why Paul wrote statements such as those found in Ephesians 2:8-9, primarily for Gentile believers (Eph. 2:11-3:06).

For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is God's gift, not as a result of the work, so no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Did Paul write these words because he feared that the believers in Ephesus became too eager to obey the commandments of Christ? No, he wrote because he did not want them to be deceived by Jewish legalists who tried to convince his Gentile converts that they must be circumcised and keep the other ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic law to be saved.

In addition, Paul was to say that since salvation is by grace and not the result of works, that no one can get to heaven without holiness? As you read a little 'later in this same letter, the answer is clear:

For this we know for sure that no immoral or impure person or a man greedy for money, which is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. No one deceive you with empty words, because these things the wrath of God comes when the children of disobedience (Ephesians 5:5-6).

These two sentences of the same letter proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Paul is not intended 2:8-9 that because salvation is the gift is not based on the work that holiness is immaterial . And there are other similar writings of Paul's writings that confirm this (eg 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Gal. 5:19-21). Obviously, Paul believed that no immoral, impure or greedy (as are all forms of idolatry, according to Paul), inherit the kingdom of God, exactly what Jesus taught in his Sermon on the Mount. Paul said that salvation is not the result of work, work (good deeds, so are) the result of salvation. In fact, we only read out a verse 2:8-9 we would immediately recognize this:

We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to do (Ephesians 2:10).

The grace that God offers salvation offers more than forgiveness. It also offers a change. When immoral, impure or greedy people to repent and experience the true salvation, becomes a moral, clean and generous. This does not mean that they become robots saint, but that the power of sin is broken, and persevere in their faith, to motivate them to yield to the Spirit and not after the flesh, and ask for forgiveness when they are not sufficient.

Finally, what are the differences between "works" legalistic "works" of a true believer in Jesus? There are many.

The legalistic works fall far, far below God's righteous standards. This is a facade on the outside inside, and the motivation is the love of the approval of the people. The work of the law are more likely to be religious and moral and ceremonial dedication (Mark 12:33), things like church attendance and tithing. They produce pride. The work of the law are an insult to God because nullify the grace and sacrifice of Christ (cf. Gal. 2:21). Legalistic, in essence, saying to God: "I can save me ... I do not need Jesus or his sacrifice." The legalists do not understand their own sins and the righteousness of God. They are like people who think they should be awarded the Nobel Prize, and who let their dogs sleep inside.

However, the works of a born-again believer is a much higher level. They result from a pure heart and a recognition that God loves and wants to please. They originate in the same Christ who lives in the believer by the Holy Spirit, and Jesus said are "made in God" (John 3:21). The works of the born-again believer is more likely to be moral and self-sacrifice as a religious and ceremonial. The true believers who were once religious repent of their "dead works" (see Heb. 6:1), the works of legalism.

This is a brief search could be greatly expanded by examining the writings of many others, who say the truth to consider. Jesus and Paul both of which can count on, and the Gospels harmonize perfectly. Praise God for His kind offer of salvation extended to all those who repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. A result of faith in him is the "obedience of faith" (Romans 1:05), so the obedient believers in Christ are ready to stand before God to be judged, and vice versa, "according to their works", just like the promises of the Bible (cf. Mt 16:27, Rom. 02 06, Revelation 20:12-13).

We Must Believe In Jesus - Mark 16:16, And Much More

2011-09-05T17:15:00.001+08:00

They believe in Jesus more than born again? Is there more to life after being a Christian believer and you can meet Jesus on earth and shake hands and kiss? This author has done and if you are a believer whose faith is alive, you could see Jesus in a vision as a result of prayer in this article.

Mark 16:16 (New International Version)

16 He that believeth and is baptized will be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Luke 09:35 (New King James Version)

35. And a voice from the cloud, saying: ". This is my beloved Son, Hear Him!"

John 0:36 (New King James Version)

36 Then you have the light, believe in light, can become sons of light. "Jesus said these things, and went, and hides.

John 6:29 (New King James Version)

29 Jesus answered and said, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He sent."

John 20:29 (New International Version)

29 Jesus said: "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

John 14:6 (New King James Version)

6 Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me ..

Many people think that simply being born again, but certainly to be saved is more than just believing in Jesus that most Christians do not believe in Jesus Christ. Faith is more of an action word that the Father says in Luke 9:35 above, that Jesus is his beloved Son and we must listen.

Christians seem to have much faith in God, but seem mostly to be in a cocoon that says: "I am born again and I am saved and that is sufficient for salvation is a free gift and 'I do not work for him. "But believing in Jesus, I do not. Believing in Jesus, you must act like it. Jacques, the brother of Jesus said so.

James 2:14-20

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not work? The faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and poor, daily food, 16, and one of you says to them: "Starting in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them what is needed for the body, what good is it ? 17 So also faith in yourself, if you do not have works, is dead. 18 But someone says: "You have faith and I have works." Show me thy faith without works, I will show thee my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble! 20 But wilt thou know, is the foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

This verse clearly shows that even the demons believe in God and Jesus. When the earth, even the demons gave him to be the Messiah and Son of God before the people recognized. So do we need to do more than simply believing in Jesus.

Faith is the word action.

Believing in Jesus is listening. Hearing of Jesus is to know what He taught and act this way towards our fellowmen.

One day, I read the book, the author said that he met Jesus on earth. I prayed that night that I would be honored to meet Jesus on earth. From this activity, I met Jesus on earth in the flesh once, and about forty times more than what has come to visions of the earth. I have had many experiences with Jesus not only came into the world, but other visitors from the sky. I met Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus on earth, John the apostle, Paul, Elijah, Martha, the sister of Mary and others, like Arch Angels Gabriel and Michael. I know not to believe the child was going to happen to me, but now that I met Jesus in all these days, are waiting to meet him frequently, that is, I think he visits me often.

The question is: do you believe in Jesus, then obey him? You have to obey him to believe that he could open his spiritual eyes? I believed him, and spoke to him many years before I saw it and was like a person, Jesus shows to Thomas above. Now I have seen and my faith has grown by leaps and bounds.

Let me pray for you.

Father

I pray that increase the faith of the person reading this teaching. I pray that your faith in your Son may result in action as they begin to look at all the commandments of Jesus and begin to obey one by one. For those who have faith in the unseen, I ask you to open your eyes and visit in a vision he has done for me. His prophet prophesies that people see visions in those days, so I have faith to pronounce and open the spiritual eyes of the faithful readers.

In Jesus' name I ask your child to be glorified.

Praise God for His answers to prayer.

Explanation The Star Of Bethlehem

2011-09-05T17:14:00.000+08:00

For centuries, astronomers have speculated about the famous Star of Bethlehem, where the three Magi (the Three Kings / Three Kings), followed by the birthplace of Christ. Of course, the star can defy scientific explanation of everything, and be considered a miracle. However, several astronomical theories have been proposed, including the star could have been a comet or a supernova (exploding stars), or a "planetary alignment" (a gathering of planets in a part of the sky). In this column we will examine two of the most popular theories of today, who argue that the planet Jupiter has played a key role.

First, however, it is useful to remember what the Bible says about the most famous story of the star:

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked," Where is he that is born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose, and are come to worship him. "When King Herod heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. When he summoned all the chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where. Messiah would be born "in Bethlehem of Judea," they replied, "because that is what the prophet wrote:" But you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders Judah, because of thee shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel "Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared .. He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go look carefully for the child. Once you find him, report to me, so I can go and worship.

"After hearing the king, they departed, and the star they had seen when it rose went before them until it stops at the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced. On coming home, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they bowed down and worshiped him. When they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. and having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another way. "Matthew 2:1-12

If you Google "Star of Bethlehem", the website of a DVD best-seller, The Star of Bethlehem, is at the top. DVD's lawyer has America, Sunday school teacher and amateur astronomer Rick Larson, who has done extensive research on scientific, historical and theological foundations of the Star of Bethlehem.

After careful examination of Scripture, Larson identifies nine characteristics of the star he believes that any scientific theory on the star must satisfy to be compatible with Christian faith. For example, we see Matthew 2:1-12, the star means the birth of a king, he was associated with the Jewish nation and "it stopped above the place where the child was "- Bethlehem.

Larson then draws on his study of ancient history to address all major issues regarding the year that King Herod died. 2 Matthew after the birth of Jesus, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, asked Joseph to flee to Israel and to take Mary and baby Jesus to Egypt to avoid Herod's wrath, which had issued orders that all male children his kingdom under the age of two be executed. Later in Matthew 2, an angel informs Joseph that Herod is dead and it is safe to return to Israel. So the argument goes that we must take two years from the year of the death of Herod the estimate of the year Jesus was born. Knowing years, Jesus gives birth astronomers estimated to make computer simulations of the positions of stars and planets as they appear in the night sky during the approximate time for the birth of Jesus.

Most historians and biblical scholars put the death of Herod, about a year 4 BC, that is, at times Jesus would be born around 6 BC. But Larson, referring to a recent study, claiming that Herod died in 1 BC, the year that would put Jesus' birth around 3 BC.

Modern astronomical software, Larson, then run computer simulations of the night sky in the Middle East, 3 and 2 BC, and grew to two significant results - and the planet Jupiter.

View the night sky over Jerusalem in mid-September, 3 BC, an observer can see Jupiter, known as the "King Planet" (classical mythology) together with (for example, near) the star "Regulus", known as "King of the stars. In addition, Regulus is in the constellation (area of the sky at night)" Leo ", a lion, which was the symbol of Judah.

In addition, Larson said, the night sky as the planets move in relation to "fixed" stars: If you find the location, say Jupiter in relation to stars such as Regulus night night, then usually you will notice that Jupiter moves eastward over the night sky in a row. However, at times, Jupiter appears to stop the movement towards the east, and go west through the night sky in a row. (This is an optical illusion - called "backward movement" - which is due to the fact that the orbit of Earth around the Sun is in Jupiter's orbit around the Sun, Jupiter, Saturn and other planets outside of 'Earth's orbit shows the same backward movement as we see the planets from Earth, which is in motion. in orbit around the sun. planet in orbit around the business, combined with the orbital motion of the outer planets because backward movement the optical effect.

) Like Jupiter switches to move east to west, moving (or vice versa), Jupiter appears stationary relative to the stars. Thus, Jupiter appeared to stop "the place where the child was" as we read in Matthew 2.

But, says Larson, is conjunct Regulus in Leo may have marked the conception of Jesus. If we run the computer simulation of the night sky over Jerusalem before nine months from June of 2 BC, we find that Jupiter and Venus - the two brightest planets in the night sky - come together very closely, and as so that the two planets appear together as one, very bright "star" in the night sky!

So Jupiter with Regulus, 3 BC, and / or Jupiter with Venus in nine months, in 2 BC, might well have been after the star of the Magi.

If we go back to Google search results for "Star of Bethlehem", found on the website by professional astronomer Michael Molnar, who takes a different approach to the star of Bethlehem. In his book The Star of Bethlehem: L Legacy of the Magi Molnar explores not only the biblical story of the star, but also in terms of the Magi, which Molnar says were astrologers / astronomers in the ancient Roman world, astrology and astronomy were indistinguishable. The Magi were held in high esteem in Roman culture, and was regarded as very well informed, yes, wise men.

Molnar, who does not believe in astrology, however, is widely studied in the astrological beliefs of the Roman general in the world. He argues that modern astronomers, who believe that the Star of Bethlehem is making a mistake by focusing on what you have seen spectacular displays across the sky at the time of the birth of Jesus, as the appearance of a very bright star. Focus on the amazing celestial display a bias in the relatively modern astronomers, says Molnar. Magi of ancient Rome, Molnar says, were primarily the logic of the astrological system, which is mainly due to where and how the planets in the night sky - planets in order of the night sky, constellations, were, to what extent have appeared above the horizon at dawn, etc.

So, for example, Jupiter and Venus were so close together that it appeared as one of a very bright star is not necessarily significant Magi. Rather, the Magi would be much more interested to know if Jupiter and Venus in the eastern part of the west of Venus, Earth, Constellation (s), where the two planets were in place, and how high above the horizon two planets appeared to Sunrise . Star Map

Accept the consensus of most scientists who probably died of Herod in 4 BC, Molnar believes planetary positions in the night sky two years earlier - in 6 BC - and is a special arrangement of the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Mars and Mercury, the Moon and the Sun would have been of great astrological significance of magic, which indicates that a king was born. In addition, the center of this particular planetary arrangement in and around the constellation of Aries significant, partly because in Roman astrology Aries is a sign of Judea. Thus, the magic, the arrangement of stars and planets in 6 BC leads them to believe that a great king was born in Judea. Moreover, we should remember retrograde motion of Jupiter, and the spirit of revolution in the air at the time - the idea that the Messiah would soon lead the Jewish people in rebellion against the Roman Empire.

All these factors combined, then naturally led the Magi to travel to Jerusalem - the capital of Judea - to ask where the newborn king.

So, if we take a more Bible-oriented Larson, astrologically oriented more or analysis of Molnar, we find interesting conditions that support the idea that the star of Bethlehem was a real historical event.

The Freedom And The Spirit-born Believer

2011-09-05T17:12:00.001+08:00

Part One: The Holy Spirit is the sphere of freedom

We can not fully understand what Jesus Christ has done for our salvation, without understanding one of the main reasons for the creation of mankind, in the first place: love of God for freedom!

And freedom is a quality that God himself exercises when he decides to do something and it means - "Our God is in heaven, he does what he likes ..." I know you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted "(Psalm 115:3 NIV, Job 42:2 ESV) Adam was created in a sphere of freedom, so he was free to express both qualities that God highly values :. trust, which is voluntary, exercise and love expressed freely.

Outside the sphere of freedom of these two qualities can not exist. God created animals, fish, etc., who inhabit the planet Earth, but these creatures are guided by an innate instinct that is embedded in their essential nature. Adam, on the other hand, created, was a freedom to choose the direction of his behavior that was not forced or manipulated in any way. He could decide for himself whether to walk with God in love, relationships of trust or abuse of their freedom and not trust God's warning and act in a particular choice of disobedience - "Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from every tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will die (literally, "die you die") "(Genesis 2:16 -17 NIV).

God so values freedom, it is precisely this quality of humanity that emphasizes the image of God in us.

The first race of Adam Weber Third New International Dictionary defines freedom as God created Adam without undue hindrance or restraint, so he could do "The quality or state of being free and the ability or the ability to act without hindrance or undue restraint. " his own personal choice whether to obey God by freely profess confidence in the word of God and warning expressing his love for God through obedience. Or it could freely express his disobedience by abusing his freedom, and therefore freely exercise acts against God. And since we know that Adam abused his freedom in obedience to God, and he and his descendants after him have been caught in a sphere of sin, guilt and death since - "Therefore as sin (a self-centered and self-rewarding life away from God and the things of God) came into the world through one man (Adam) and death by sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned "(Romans 5:12 ESV).

After Adam's abuse of freedom, he and Eve had children, but Scripture records that his offspring were not born in the image and likeness of God, but in the parable of Adam's own sin and death - "This is the written record of the line of Adam (Hebrew: Toledot of 'yÄlad" means "producing" or "generations" referred to Toledot focuses less on the actual birth, but that something was, literally, "What is written this book on the descendants of Adam were to" ..) When God created man, he made him the image of God he created man male and female he blessed them, and when they were created, He called them (He:. Adam, a personal name and the crown. God's creation) When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his likeness, to its image (of sin, guilt and death) and he called his name Seth (Adams and parable unfolds in his descendants, it is called) and Adam died ... death ... Seth Enos Cainan died ... death ...

(This is the first record of the descendants of Adam in his likeness). "(Genesis 5).

The historical record of Adams descendants born in his likeness is a sin and death, where the area of freedom in the things that God has lost!

Another man race: But wait a minute! There is another human lineage is recorded in Scripture, and that's a record for the freedom restored - "The first man (Adam) was of the earth, a man of the dust, and the second man (Jesus, Son of God) came down from heaven "(1 Corinthians 3:47 p.m. ESV).

There are only two written in the scriptures in two completely different men, both written documents also reveal that bore the image of each man has become. Those who followed were Adam, and continue to be born in his likeness of sin, guilt and death -. "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23) But those who are born again by the Holy Spirit after the likeness of Jesus Christ, his life regenerated inside and gives His righteousness and holiness, so - "For the wages of sin is death, but ... the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (The Spirit-born believers) are created in the image of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Romans 6:23 Ephesians 4:24 b ESV).

This new birth generated by the Spirit of God is what Jesus told Nicodemus - "Do not marvel that I said: You must be born again (GK: dei humanitarian gennÄthÄnai anÅthen, literally, 'You must be born from above, the spiritual rebirth comes from God and not man). "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear noise, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with all who are born of the Spirit (Holy)" (John 3: 7-8 ESV).

The Apostle John says that the Spirit of God is the source of the new birth of a sinner - "Jesus came to His own (creation), and his own people (the Israelites) did not receive it, but those who do not receive it . premia (GK: tois pisteuousin literally "those who are obedient active addiction") in his name, he gave power to become children of God, born of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God (GK: all "ek theou egennÄthÄsan literally" but born of God ")" (John 1:11-13 NIV).

Kenneth Wuest expanded translation of the Greek words - "in the middle of his own property, he came, and his only detainees do not take it himself, but so many people who had acquired, he gave them a legal right to be born.-Ones of God, to those who put their trust in his name, not a source of blood, nor of a desire of the flesh, not a desire for an individual gender male but was born out of God. "1

Abuse of freedom of Adam was the death penalty as God had warned. Disconnected from the source of life and the loss of the sphere of freedom that God's love, peace and the rule of supreme happiness. However, since God so strongly the values of freedom, where love and trust can thrive, and - "rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, they were dead (as descendants of Adam) in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace (God's unmerited favor) are ye saved (the sphere of sin, guilt and the trial of death) ... car by grace are ye saved through faith (GK: diameter tracks, literally, a level of confidence set undivided and firm hope and security "in the death and resurrection to new life), and this not of yourselves. it is the gift (free) of God, not because of (meritorious) works, lest any man should boast "(Ephesians 2:4-5, ESV 8-9).

Your identification through faith in Jesus' death and resurrection of questions to the regeneration of the Holy Spirit of your mind and puts you in the area of freedom and God's wonderful love!

Death becomes an open door: Jesus Christ, we are confident that when physical death takes over our earthly body, we will go directly to the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - "We are confident, however, happy to be absent from the body (earth) and be present with (GK: endÄmÄsai kai)