Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts

Saturday 23 April 2011

Peter Cottontail and a Bunny laying Eastereggs

Flemish version / Vlaamse versie: Een Konijn dat Paaseiren legt

Where does one gets it from that a rabbit would lay eggs ? 

Tomorrow, Easter Sunday for many, will be that tradition to conceal eggs everywhere.  It will be a pleasant coming together and a chocolate feast.  Only can Christians participate really at that festival? 

Tomorrow, not on the 14th of Nissan, some celebrate what they call 'Easter'. Several Christians take it as the feast coming from the Pascha. for many Easter is the next important holiday, after Christmas.

Some years after Jesus' dead old heathen feasts became church festivals with change of name and worship by so called Christians. About 405ad images of saints and martyrs began to appear in the churches, at first as memorials, then in succession revered, adored, and worshipped. Jesse Lyman Hurlbut, a mainstream Protestant author, writing about the period between 313ad and 476ad acknowledges that the forms and ceremonies of paganism gradually crept into the worship. (As you also shall be able to find in the coming up articles on Belgian Biblestudents WP)

All scholars concede that the word "Pascha" from which the word "Easter" is translated is correctly rendered "Passover" and has no relation to Easter whatsoever. And, virtually all scholars recognize that the word "Easter" is simply a derivation of the name of the ancient goddess Ishtar or "Isis"—goddess of sex and fertility of the ancient Middle East. That, of course, is where "Easter eggs" come from—the pagan worship of sex and fertility.

"The word “Easter” is not in any reliable translation of the Bible, though it has been incorrectly translated as Easter (KJV) from the original word pascha, which is Passover.
In ancient Anglo-Saxon myth, the goddess Eostre/Ostara/Astarte, etc., is associated with the spring and fertility, the moon, and also personifies greeting the rising sun. To amuse children, Eostre changed her pet bird into a hare that layed brightly coloured eggs which the goddess gave to the children. Saxons held the pagan festival for Eostra on the vernal equinox, the beginning of spring."

Also we must make children nothing wise and take away our credibility through inept stories which we would present for real,  like clocks which would throw eggs or rabbits that would lay eggs. 

The Living Church of God has placed an article on the internet lots of Christians should took under consideration. They warn about the importance to remember what happened at the end of Jesus' human life and what he clearly did and instigated. Jesus observed the Passover and for us it is important that he that evening Break the Bread and took the Cup and said to all present to do it in remembrance.

> Easter Bunny or Eostre Hare By Roger Meyer


Warning: be carefull before you link to the article links in the Living Church of God Website: Compared to the past, when email was the key method for spreading viruses and spyware, now more than 80% of malware spreads via the internet. In fact, latest avast! Virus Lab research shows that 99% of it spreads through legitimate websites, with only 1% coming from suspicious or ‘dodgy’ sites. Personal information can be stolen in transit by spyware such as keyloggers and via infected websites through insecure internet connections. While internet users sometimes have the option of selecting secure DNS or HTTPS connections, multiple layers within many sites make this a complicated process. This security vulnerability is most critical for people that extensively shop and bank online.
The link URLS in the article were one from the 68,152 infected websites discover. So before you click on the links in the article of Church of God check your virus program that it is updated. It was good  my Avast blocked it.

Friday 5 November 2010

Making church

That God our prayers wants is sometimes found strange even by Christian believers. But our Creator has His eye on us and would like to have it tht His creation loves Him as their father. We should show our presence, our gifts and our service as the expression of our gratitude to God. Jesus gave us the task to pray to His Father as well instituted he at the Last Supper, just a few hours before his dead, the Memorial Meal.

As such we do have received the task to come together, regularly meeting to remember the dead of Jesus.It is
our presence our physical presence, our attendance, that we have to give to God. As part of the limb of Christ we should become thriving blood and give the community warmth and health to live and grow.
Remember the old story about the blind man who also had great difficulty hearing? He couldn't see and couldn't hear, but he never missed church. He was there every Sunday. Someone asked him, "Why? You can't see what's happening and you can't hear much of what is being said, but you are always here at church. You are always here. Why? Why do you come?"
He answered, "Because I want the world to know whose side I'm on."


It does not have to be every Sunday or even on Sunday, but we should have to be able to find a day in the so many hours which lay for us. Every one of us who finds himself a believer should be courageous enough to come out in this world as a follower of Christ and show it by his attitude.The world should tell by the way you live, by your love for the church, by your devotion to the church, by your church attendance record, whose side you are on. In the spirit of gratitude to God for his inexpressible gift of Jesus Christ, we can give our prayers and our presence.

When we as believers would unite and come together we shall be able to create church. We can become church.



We can pray, too, that God will be with you and will use you as His instrument of love and peace and grace. But then you have to be prepared to be willing to give yourself as an instrument in the hands of God.

Then it becomes important that we ask God to create His instrument here on earth for us. We can pray that we can form with others a church where we may be faithful in continuing the preaching, teaching, healing, caring ministry of Christ. Please pray for your church. The church needs your prayers.

In the articles Opbouw van een ecclesia en verbonden kosten & The Ecclesia in the churchsystem we go in to present the possibilities and difficulties we have to face forming an ecclesia.

We show that
the point is that we are all needed. But, you know, there is another thing to be said that is even more important: We all need to give. Giving is good for our souls. It's the spiritual expression of our gratitude and commitment to God and it is so important to our spiritual health. Virtue is its own reward and so is giving. The real reward is in the giving. And this giving can be in different ways. Everybody has something in which he can excell. that what we can do well we can use for the community. We can give our service to all the believers who want to become united.

When we join hands in grateful service to God we are making the church together. When in gratitude to God for His inexpressible gift of Jesus Christ, we give our prayers, our presence, our gifts and our service. We are making the church together. Let's do just that - for our own sakes, for the good of others, and for the greater glory of God.

+

Read more > 
The Ecclesia in the churchsystem

For the Dutch version go to  / Nederlandse versie: Maken van een kerk

Dat wij allemaal samen kunnen werken in het verwezenlijken van een ware kerkgemeenschap kan u vinden in  Opbouw van een ecclesia en verbonden kosten & uitgebreider in de Engelse versie The Ecclesia in the churchsystem

Wednesday 30 June 2010

Call for prayer to help with unity crisis

Peter Wisniowski on behalf of the Church St. Ecclesial Arranging Board writes

Greetings in the Master's Name!

The Church St. Ecclesia wishes to warmly invite all the ecclesias to join with us in a day of prayer to petition our Heaveny Father during this difficult time. The attached letter seeks the involvement of every member to join with us in a day of prayer on, God willing, Sunday July 11, 10:30 AM, 2010 EST. The purpose of this is to join hearts and hands to call upon our God to help with our unity crisis and the many problems facing the Brotherhood in this day and age. It is with great desire that we humbly ask you to consider agreeing with this initiative and sharing this request with your ecclesias. We believe that we all seek to worship in spirit and in truth and that, as one body, we yearn for Biblical unity. And we know that God can help, for nothing is impossible for Him!

Church St. Ecclesia has greatly responded to this prayer meeting request and will have a half hour early start time before our breaking of bread service , having arranged ahead of time the brethren who will offer up prayer for Biblical unity and other necessary things. We will have a continuous sequence of prayer with little interuption and end with the memorial. You may however have your own way of performing this prayer meeting - whatever works for you. As stated in the accompanying letter , we wish this day of prayer go even beyond the borders of this province. Please pass this message on far and wide!

Your brother by Providence,
On behalf of the Church St. Ecclesial Arranging Board,
Peter Wisniowski

+++
2013 update:

 
Enhanced by Zemanta

Tuesday 25 May 2010

Christendom Astray The Devil Not A Personal Super-Natural Being


Christendom Astray

Lecture 7

By Robert Roberts



The Devil Not A Personal Super-Natural Being,


But The Scriptural Personification of Sin

In Its Manifestations Among Men


IN THE religion of Christendom, the devil figures almost more prominently than God. If we have found Christendom astray as to the nature of man, it will not be wonderful if we find it astray on the subject of the devil, with which, scripturally, man has so much to do.


The theology of Christendom places the devil in juxtaposition with God. As the one is presented for worship as the source and  embodiment of all good, so the other is held up for detestation and dread, as the instigator and promoter of all evil.
Practically, the one is regarded in the light of the good God, and the other as the bad god. It is the polytheism of paganism in its smallest form: and the philosophy of the ancients embodied in names and forms supplied by the Bible.



Songs in the night Worship God only


Songs in the night

Get thee hence, Satan:
for it is written,
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,
and him only shalt thou serve.
Matthew 4:10

DURING the forty days in the wilderness our Lord had come to see that the dominion of earth could be attained only through great
suffering.
He was weak from his long fast, and all the details of prophecy were
before his mind. He saw himself as a lamb dumb before his shearers; as the serpent lifted up in the wilderness.
Satan’s suggestion was a temptation, but after consideration he saw that Satan was asking him to violate his covenant
— to go contrary to God’s will.
Immediately he answered, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve.”
Then the devil left the Lord, finding nothing to work upon
— so loyal was Jesus to the Word of Jehovah.
Afterwards the angels came and ministered unto him. —Z. 1912-262 (Hymn 200)

+++

Enhanced by Zemanta

Monday 29 March 2010

Only worship the Creator of all things

10 And I felled down before his feet, to worship him. And he said to me, See thou, that thou do not; I am a servant with thee [And I fell down before his feet, for to worship him. And he said to me, See, that thou do not; I am thine even-servant], and of thy brethren, having the witnessing of Jesus; worship thou God. For the witnessing of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
- Revelation of John 19:10 Wycliffe translation 10Then I fell prostrate at his feet to worship (to pay divine honors) to him, but he [restrained me] and said, Refrain! [You must not do that!] I am [only] another servant with you and your brethren who have [accepted and hold] the testimony borne by Jesus. Worship God! For the substance (essence) of the truth revealed by Jesus is the spirit of all prophecy [the vital breath, the inspiration of all inspired preaching and interpretation of the divine will and purpose, including both mine and yours].
- Revelation of John 19:10 Amplified version

Enhanced by Zemanta

Thursday 3 December 2009

Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation!


"Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation! Worship the Lord in holy attire!"
Psalm 29:2 (NET)

"Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.

Why do the nations say, "Where is their God?"

Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.

But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.

They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see.

They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell.

They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats.

Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

House of Israel, trust in the LORD­ he is their help and shield.

House of Aaron, trust in the LORD­ he is their help and shield.

You who fear him, trust in the LORD­ he is their help and shield.

The LORD remembers us and will bless us: He will bless the house of Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron, he will bless those who fear the LORD­ small and great alike.
May the LORD cause you to increase, both you and your children. May you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to humankind.

It is not the dead who praise the LORD, those who go down to the place of silence; it is we who extol the LORD, both now and forevermore. Praise the LORD."
Psalm 115 (TNIV)

Ascribe to Jehovah the glory of his name. Bow down to Jehovah in holy adornment.
Psalm 29:2 (NWV)
Psalms 115:1-18
(NWT)
1 To us belongs nothing, O Jehovah, to us belongs nothing, But to your name give glory According to your loving-kindness, according to your trueness.
2 Why should the nations say: “Where, now, is their God?”
3 But our God is in the heavens; Everything that he delighted [to do] he has done.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, The work of the hands of earthling man.
5 A mouth they have, but they cannot speak; Eyes they have, but they cannot see;
6 Ears they have, but they cannot hear. A nose they have, but they cannot smell.
7 Hands are theirs, but they cannot feel. Feet are theirs, but they cannot walk; They utter no sound with their throat.
8 Those making them will become just like them, All those who are trusting in them.
9 O Israel, trust in Jehovah; He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, put YOUR trust in Jehovah; He is their help and their shield.
11 YOU that fear Jehovah, trust in Jehovah; He is their help and their shield.
12 Jehovah himself has remembered us; he will bless, He will bless the house of Israel, He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless those fearing Jehovah, The small ones as well as the great ones.
14 Jehovah will give increase to YOU, To YOU and to YOUR sons.
15 YOU are the ones blessed by Jehovah, The Maker of heaven and earth.
16 As regards the heavens, to Jehovah the heavens belong, But the earth he has given to the sons of men.
17 The dead themselves do not praise Jah, Nor do any going down into silence.
18 But we ourselves will bless Jah From now on and to time indefinite. Praise Jah, YOU people!

Sing to Jehovah, Jehovah's Witnesses' current ...
Sing to Jehovah, Jehovah's Witnesses' current hymnal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Enhanced by Zemanta

Holiness and expression of worship coming from inside

"... the beauty of holiness, the expression of worship, is something which breaks through from inside. It is centred in a heart filled with reverent fear, seeking to discover the will of God and to answer it in humble joy; a life trembling at His word and responsive to His command; walking in the way of God’s appointment, whatever it may be, like sheep content with the pasture which the shepherd has selected; a life of holiness unfolding the beauty which glorifies God.

The phrase occurs in Psalm 29:2, one more proof that worship is achieved by giving glory to God: “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” If we seek to do the first in the regular exercise of the life of faith, we shall thereby worship the great God in the daily experience of discipleship.

Psalm 115 reveals a great principle—that men become like the God they worship—false or true. The end of true worship is Godlikeness. This principle is at the root of a great New Testament word: “We shall be like him”. But one thing is essential—that the worship is true."

- Dennis Gillett
The Genius of Discipleship
Worship - Part 2
The Beauty of Holiness
Continue reading > Doctrine and Conduct Cause and Effect
+ Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation!
+ Prayer: Blessed be the name of Jehovah

Dutch translation / Nederlandse vertaling > Schoonheid van heiligheid

worship
worship (Photo credit: vicki wolkins)

Enhanced by Zemanta

Friday 30 October 2009

I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late !

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday  Morning  Commentary.

  My confession:  I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish.  And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.  I don't feel threatened.  I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.  It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me.  I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto.  In fact, I kind of like it.  It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu .  If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.  I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians.

  I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.  I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country.  I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.  Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?  I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.  But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.  In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different:  This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

  Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).  Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response.  She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives..  And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out.  How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'  In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc..  I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.  Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school.  The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself.  And we said OK.  Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide).  We said an expert should know what he's talking about.  And we said okay.

  Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves..  Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out.  I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'  Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.  Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.  Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.  Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

  Are you laughing yet?  Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.  Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.  Pass it on if you think it has merit.   If not, then just discard it... no one will know you did.  But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

      My Best Regards,  Honestly and respectfully,  Ben Stein

Friday 13 March 2009

Kill the messenger

Concerning the reaction against certain preachers and churches:

Since religion is such a personal and emotional thing, most people
resent anyone who seems to threaten their long-held religious beliefs.
This is particularly true when they are told that the very God they love
and worship is not the God of the Bible, but a God who has been
constructed by apostate Christians into a three-in-one God. Rather than
actually learn from the scripture itself about these important things,
most people would rather "kill the messenger."
- Teddy Trueblood

Dutch translation > Dood de boodschapper

Thursday 5 March 2009

If we, in our prosperity, neglect religious instruction and authority

Daniel Webster was one of the great orators of the mid-1800s. As a Member of Congress; debater before the Supreme Court; and twice Secretary of State, he loved America. He once said: “If we, in our prosperity, neglect religious instruction and authority, violate the rules of eternal justice, trifle with the injunctions of morality, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us that shall bury all of our glory in profound obscurity.”
  We have become a nation of idol worshippers. No, I don’t mean that we carve out little forms, put them on an altar and kneel before them. Though that would be no more offensive to God than the things we do. When we think only of our man-made security; when the things we treasure are material (for “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”); when we believe that we ourselves are responsible for our successes; when we drag God down and turn Him into mortal man and worship that man as God - then we have turned away from God and are worshipping idols. We have been warned that, as the result of such abandonment, “there shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world nor ever shall be.” We are asking for that “great tribulation.” Our conduct as a nation, is begging to be destroyed. Our hearts should be repentant and our prayer should be for forgiveness before we have the nerve to ask God for His blessing.
  Abraham Lincoln wrote: “We have forgotten the gracious Hand which has preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.”
  - A Christian in California

Sunday 28 December 2008

Receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken


Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."


Dutch version / Voor Nederlands zie > Het onwankelbare koninkrijk in dankbaarheid aanvaarden



Thoughts
    Every earth-made empire will eventually topple. Every man-made structure will decay and fall. God, however, has given us a kingdom that can't rust, spoil, or fade, kept ready for us. It won't rot or ruin and no thief can break in and steal it away.

Prayer
    All praise and adoration be yours, O great King of the Ages. Thank you for giving me a place in your incomparable, indestructible, and unconquerable Kingdom. In Jesus' name I praise you. Amen.


+++

2016 update:
Enhanced by Zemanta