“Ops! Sorry,” apologizing to a little hunched-over woman behind me in a black coat and hat. Too much focus on my daily errands left me insensitive to others around me. I turned to the woman with long gray hair assuming she was hard of hearing because she continued to stand still with no response. As I bent down to look at her I found a bright green grotesque face. I took a step back as I realized it was a life size manikin of a witch.
Feeling silly I wondered over to another aisle and met another manikin eye-to-eye. This time it was a decomposed man, dressed in a tuxedo, with fake blood trickling down the corner of his mouth. I guess you can tell Halloween is not my favorite anymore.
"Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. Do not practice divination or sorcery.” Leviticus 19:26
Halloween traces back to the Celts, in Ireland, during medieval times. Their armies imitated over 300 different gods in efforts to terrorize their enemy. Witchcraft was, also, practiced to tap into the spiritual world for strength.
A feast called, Samhain (Sah-ween), was celebrated to mark the release of hostile supernatural forces to wonder around the earth. The chosen day…October 31st, the day before All Saints Day on November 1st. European Catholics would pray, to the saints, for their deceased ancestors who may be in purgatory.
Halloween seems to be gaining more attention. Decorations are becoming more elaborate too. So, what are we teaching our children? What will this lead to? Little wonder why movies like Harry Potter and Twilight have grossed over 1.6 billion dollars at the box office and DVD sales (this total does not include other series). The fascination of occult practices is evidently on the rise.
The definition of Halloween is: the last night of the year in the old Celtic calendar, where it was Old Year's Night; a night for witches.
The word Hallowed, as in the Lord’s Prayer, ‘Hallowed be Thy name…’ means; holy, sanctified, consecrated, and sacred.
Which would you rather celebrate?
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Power in the Blood
The sight of blood still makes me weak—not to mention the needle that comes before it. I dread when the doctor says at the end of an exam, “Okay, I’d like to have some blood drawn so we can see how you’re doing.”
As a child I remember squirming in my pew when we sang hymns with words like: there is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb; what can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus; are you washed in the blood, in the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb. My high soprano 7 year old voice sang along with my family all the while wondering why we had to sing about blood.
For years I ran from the Blood Donor buses when they arrived in the church parking lot. The cookies and juice looked good but no way was I going to sacrifice pain to give a pint of blood. However, the Lord changed this scardy cat when a friend desperately needed platelets in her war against leukemia. (Warning…should the Lord call you to do the same, do not look under your chair to see a plastic bag filled with yellow-white looking paste. The sight of my own platelets made the room grow dark as if I were looking through a paper towel roll. “I think I’m passing out” was all I said to bring me a crowd of white coats.)
I felt so small when I witnessed my friend get out of her hospital bed and walk. How silly for me to act so selfish over a tiny little stick to my arm. Watching her take steps from lifeless to life demonstrated there truly is power in blood.
What once scared me as a child now amazes me of God’s precious gift of warm blood that circulates throughout my body to experience another day. For it is He that commands my heart to beat another beat.
Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words." Exodus 24:8
As a child I remember squirming in my pew when we sang hymns with words like: there is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb; what can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus; are you washed in the blood, in the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb. My high soprano 7 year old voice sang along with my family all the while wondering why we had to sing about blood.
For years I ran from the Blood Donor buses when they arrived in the church parking lot. The cookies and juice looked good but no way was I going to sacrifice pain to give a pint of blood. However, the Lord changed this scardy cat when a friend desperately needed platelets in her war against leukemia. (Warning…should the Lord call you to do the same, do not look under your chair to see a plastic bag filled with yellow-white looking paste. The sight of my own platelets made the room grow dark as if I were looking through a paper towel roll. “I think I’m passing out” was all I said to bring me a crowd of white coats.)
I felt so small when I witnessed my friend get out of her hospital bed and walk. How silly for me to act so selfish over a tiny little stick to my arm. Watching her take steps from lifeless to life demonstrated there truly is power in blood.
What once scared me as a child now amazes me of God’s precious gift of warm blood that circulates throughout my body to experience another day. For it is He that commands my heart to beat another beat.
Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words." Exodus 24:8
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The Proof Is In The Prophecy – Part 2
With a Master of Studies degree in Law from Yale Law School, Lee Strobel became an award-winning journalist. His greatest talent is the ability to investigate until truth is found. Married, with children, his Agnostic wife discovered truth in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lee, an Atheist, soon turned his attention towards a thorough investigation on the prophecies of Jesus in an effort to rescue his wife from this ‘cult’ she had joined called Christianity.
Lee’s investigation lasted a year and nine months. However, what started out as evidence against Christ eventually led to evidence for Christ when he discovered prophecy written hundreds of years prior were fulfilled by one man; Jesus.
Statistics support physics are only right 6% of the time yet the prophets of the Bible were correct 100%. Lee had no choice but to respond to the truth and became a Christian as well.
Lee is the author of the best-selling book, The Case for Christ, and since has written several other great books that show undeniable evidence that God’s Word is ‘the whole truth and nothing but the truth…so help us God’.
Jesus’ Death and Resurrection:
Betrayed by a friend—despised and rejected—beaten and spat on—a Son that was given— a lamb that was slaughtered—the Passover sacrifice with no bone broken—hung on a tree as a curse for us— wounded for our transgressions—thirsty during his execution— given vinegar to drink—struck in the head—hands and feet pierced—soldiers cast lots for his coat—buried with the rich—raised from the dead—swallow up death in victory—ascended on high
His Titles and Attributes:
Promised Redeemer—A Righteous King—Seed of David—The High Priest—Chief Cornerstone—Immanuel—God With Us—The Light—The Stone in Zion—God’s Elect Servant—The Righteous Branch—Good Shepherd
…"How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?" If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken…” Deuteronomy 18:21-22
Lee’s investigation lasted a year and nine months. However, what started out as evidence against Christ eventually led to evidence for Christ when he discovered prophecy written hundreds of years prior were fulfilled by one man; Jesus.
Statistics support physics are only right 6% of the time yet the prophets of the Bible were correct 100%. Lee had no choice but to respond to the truth and became a Christian as well.
Lee is the author of the best-selling book, The Case for Christ, and since has written several other great books that show undeniable evidence that God’s Word is ‘the whole truth and nothing but the truth…so help us God’.
Jesus’ Death and Resurrection:
Betrayed by a friend—despised and rejected—beaten and spat on—a Son that was given— a lamb that was slaughtered—the Passover sacrifice with no bone broken—hung on a tree as a curse for us— wounded for our transgressions—thirsty during his execution— given vinegar to drink—struck in the head—hands and feet pierced—soldiers cast lots for his coat—buried with the rich—raised from the dead—swallow up death in victory—ascended on high
His Titles and Attributes:
Promised Redeemer—A Righteous King—Seed of David—The High Priest—Chief Cornerstone—Immanuel—God With Us—The Light—The Stone in Zion—God’s Elect Servant—The Righteous Branch—Good Shepherd
…"How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?" If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken…” Deuteronomy 18:21-22
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The Proof Is In The Prophecy
How many prophecies do you think are in the Bible? A) 500 B) 1,000 C) 2,000 D) 2,500? J. Barton Payne’s Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy lists 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament, for a total of 1,817. These encompass 8,352 verses. So, if you guessed C you guessed the closest to what one person has stated to be the correct number. Congratulations!
Jesus has fulfilled over 300 of those prophecies. Here are just a few from Rose Publishing’s pamphlet 100 Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus:
Jesus’ Birth:
He was born of a virgin—a seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—from the tribe of Judah—born in Bethlehem of Judea—from a birth line of King David—kings will bring the baby gifts and will bow down before him in worship—be a first born to be sacrificed—be a rod out of the stem of Jesse
Jesus’ Life and Ministry:
A messenger would be sent first to prepare the way (John the Baptist)—be rejected from his brethren—rulers take council against him—will be a rejected capstone—would reach out to the Gentiles as well—he will come riding on a donkey to Jerusalem—be a stumbling block for the Jews—make the deaf to hear and the blind to see—make an everlasting covenant—be a light to a dark world—would speak the words of God—be hated without reason—would come only to do the will of the Father—was anointed by God—would have a zeal for God’s house--would care for the needy—speak in parables—pray for his enemies—people’s hearts would harden from him—would minister in Zebulun, Naphtali, and Galilee—be healer and do miracles—be a shepherd who tends to his sheep—a redeemer out of Zion—preach to those that were captive—will dwell among his people—would establish a new priesthood
These are just a few from His birth and ministry that can be found in the Old Testament. Only through the study of all God’s Word have I discovered how His Words bring power to the foretelling of why we needed a Savior in the first place. It’s obvious that God provided His only Son, Jesus, who would become our sin who knew no sin.
Jesus has fulfilled over 300 of those prophecies. Here are just a few from Rose Publishing’s pamphlet 100 Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus:
Jesus’ Birth:
He was born of a virgin—a seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—from the tribe of Judah—born in Bethlehem of Judea—from a birth line of King David—kings will bring the baby gifts and will bow down before him in worship—be a first born to be sacrificed—be a rod out of the stem of Jesse
Jesus’ Life and Ministry:
A messenger would be sent first to prepare the way (John the Baptist)—be rejected from his brethren—rulers take council against him—will be a rejected capstone—would reach out to the Gentiles as well—he will come riding on a donkey to Jerusalem—be a stumbling block for the Jews—make the deaf to hear and the blind to see—make an everlasting covenant—be a light to a dark world—would speak the words of God—be hated without reason—would come only to do the will of the Father—was anointed by God—would have a zeal for God’s house--would care for the needy—speak in parables—pray for his enemies—people’s hearts would harden from him—would minister in Zebulun, Naphtali, and Galilee—be healer and do miracles—be a shepherd who tends to his sheep—a redeemer out of Zion—preach to those that were captive—will dwell among his people—would establish a new priesthood
These are just a few from His birth and ministry that can be found in the Old Testament. Only through the study of all God’s Word have I discovered how His Words bring power to the foretelling of why we needed a Savior in the first place. It’s obvious that God provided His only Son, Jesus, who would become our sin who knew no sin.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)