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Friday, October 28, 2016

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about Halloween. This follows this post about the immigration threat. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

by Larry Walker 3 comments Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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A little boy trick or treating with his mother. — Does Halloween serves a positive Christian purpose?

Monday night millions of children around the nation will be donning costumes, ringing doorbells and uttering the traditional “trick or treat” Halloween greeting. Most people consider this a harmless, fun activity for children. Others condemn the entire occasion because of the pagan origin of the day and connect it with demonism and the occult.
An article from a prominent Christian magazine suggested that “Christians should embrace the ‘devilish’ holiday with gusto—and laughter.” The author suggests that Halloween presents us with an opportunity to “mock” and “laugh at” Satan and “the forces of evil.”
A local pastor, writing wistfully of his past childhood Halloween celebration, said, “I enjoyed being a devil.” He asserted that “a child doesn’t think of a red devil as an enemy of God or the apostle of hate and destruction.” He went on to defend wearing costumes as merely superficial, and suggested that opposition to celebrating Halloween stems from lack of confidence in Christian beliefs.

Really only harmless fun?

Wait a minute! Is it unchristian for parents not to want their children to dress up as the Devil? Or does Satan theDevil even exist? According to a recent Barna survey, nearly 50 percent of professing Christians do not believe that Satan is a living being. For these folks, the whole question must be a moot point. But perhaps the rest of us ought to reconsider our perspective regarding Halloween.
Would anyone dare to suggest applying this reasoning to Hitler? Would wearing Hitler masks and swastikas and dressing like the skeletal remains of his victims be an appropriate way to “laugh at” Hitler and “mock” the diabolical evils of Nazism?
Is Satan a laughing matter? Does God want our children to associate fun and treats with the forces of evil?
I am not implying that a child who puts on a Halloween mask is dabbling in the occult or is in danger of demon possession. I am simply questioning the suggestion that Halloween serves a positive Christian purpose.
According to Deuteronomy 12:31-32 God does not approve of recycling, reconstituting and relabeling pagan customs to celebrate Christian events.

Carnal holidays trumped by God’s Holy Days

My wife and I just finished celebrating eight fun-filled days of the Feast of Tabernacles with more than 700 men, women and children here in Central Oregon. I so much wish all of Christianity could share the joy of this meaningfuloccasion. Here is a God-ordained festival that was observed by Jesus, Paul and the apostolic Church and is still celebrated today by many Christians. It is one of seven annual Holy Days that foreshadow future events in God’s plan (Colossians 2:16-17) rather than focusing on the powers of darkness that form the legacy of Halloween.
Anyone who dares express objections to Halloween has two strikes against him: 1. It is fun for the kids, and 2. It is a long-standing, firmly entrenched custom in our culture.
But the Feast of Tabernacles has Halloween beat in both categories: 1. It is fun for kids and the whole family and is eight days long, and 2. It was established thousands of years ago by God Himself. And most importantly, it and all of Holy Days of the Bible teach valuable lessons about the plan of God.
For more information, I invite you to read our free booklets, Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Observe? and Is There Really a Devil?

Halloween

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Beyond Today -- God's Holy Days: Blueprint for Salvation

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Why should Christians celebrate the Feast of Trumpets?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the Feast of Trumpets. This follows this post about Iraq. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.

Why should Christians celebrate the Feast of Trumpets?

by United Church of God 1 comment Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Sunrise over the crest of a hill — Christ's return is announced by the seventh and final trumpet

The fourth festival of God (after Pentecost) is the Feast of Trumpets (or a “memorial of blowing of trumpets,” Leviticus 23:24-25), which falls in September or October. This festival is called Rosh Hashanah by the Jews today. Ancient Israel understood that trumpets were used as a way of announcing special, very important messages (Numbers 10:1-10).
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ reveals that before His return to the earth, there will be the blowing of seven trumpets, announcing progressive stages of the downfall and overthrow of this world’s kingdoms, ending with the return of Christ to take possession of the earth. Christ’s return is announced by the seventh and final trumpet (Revelation 8:2; Revelation 11:15). This day also pictures the time when faithful Christians will be resurrected to eternal life at the time of the seventh trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16) to reign with Jesus Christ for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6).
Interestingly, it was around this time of year that Jesus was born—not in the dead of winter (see “Biblical Evidence Shows Jesus Wasn’t Born on December 25 “). And the fall feast season represents the time when Jesus Christ will come to the earth again to reign in glory.
The remaining fall feast days describe steps in the establishment of the prophesied Kingdom of God on earth and judgment of humanity after Christ’s return. The Feast of Trumpets is followed by the Day of Atonement.
For more information, please read our booklet God’s Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind .

Feast of Trumpets God's Holy Days Kingdom of God

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Friday, October 30, 2015

What a Former Witch Told Me About the Dark Side

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about witchcraft. This follows this post about Halloween. This follows this post about "Christian" alternatives to Halloween. This follows this post about Purgatory. This follows this post about the Devil infiltrating churches. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.
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What a Former Witch Told Me About the Dark Side

by Darris McNeely 1 comment Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Dear World News and Prophecy Subscriber, Halloween is this weekend, in case you haven’t noticed. But it’s hard not to notice. Halloween has become the second-largest retail holiday in North America. It’s second only to Christmas in sales generated by the strong consumer desire to party with the dead and macabre elements. Imitating ghosts and demons may seem like harmless fun. It’s not. Playing with the darker elements of this world is inviting strong forces into your life. You do this at your own peril. I recently interviewed a lady who spent 20 years as a practicing witch. Her story was the centerpiece of a Beyond Today program called “Dancing With the Dark Side.” The program aired last week on WGN America and drew considerable comment from viewers. One viewer wrote asking for help counseling a child who wished to become a witch. Another wrote detailing the disastrous impact on his family from involvement with the dark, satanic world. As my interview with “Mary” (the pseudonym for the woman who was once a witch) shows, you do not want to go down that road. Here is part of that interview. McNeely: What do you think you were looking for when you entered into that world? Mary: Power. To be special, to be unique. McNeely: You think that’s what other people are looking for, as well? Mary: Oh yes. Yeah. I mean, you get into it seeking power to control your life, manifest or will things into your life, but the bad thing about it is after it progresses, it starts taking on a negative tone. I started out with Wicca. I started out with thinking I was just worshipping the earth because I wanted something tangible, something I could see, something I could adhere to. The equinox, the sabbaths in Wicca. It soon didn’t feel like enough. I felt compelled to check out or read books about necromancy and voodoo, and like I said, I was in it for about 20 years and there toward the end, I felt like if I hadn’t had the car wreck, I would’ve been gone, because I would’ve opened myself up to channeling. I’d already started using my own blood in my own rituals, in my own spells. I’d already started making voodoo dolls and casting bad spells on people. McNeely: Did you actually see those spells come to pass? Mary: Mhm. McNeely: You did? Mary: Yes. McNeely: Things happened? Mary: Yes. Things always happened. Mary went on to explain that people who dabble with the dark arts are looking for a power to control their lives and that of others. They end up being controlled by a darker power they do not understand. Fortunately for Mary, she escaped the hold of the dark side and is building a better life for herself. She finally is in control of her life, in a right way. Why not watch the entire Beyond Today video, “Dancing With the Dark Side,” on our BeyondToday.tv Web site? Is There Really a Devil?Satan offers a clever counterfeit path to power for those who venture into his dark world. But the tragedy is that his path is a dead-end street filled with wrecked and broken lives. Evil is a very real force in this modern world that scoffs at the existence of a spiritual dimension. This Halloween, instead of celebrating a holiday for the dead, why not educate yourself in the truth? Our booklet Is There Really a Devil? provides solid biblical teaching on the subject. Though the media often trivializes it today, there is indeed a dark spiritual world, and it wants to deceive and destroy you. Don’t let it happen. Resist it, and cling to the incredible future God has prepared for you. Keep watching!

Friday, October 23, 2015

What is purgatory?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about Purgatory. This follows this post about the Devil infiltrating churches. This follows this post about the Islamic threat. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.
Please follow me here for continued posts.

What is purgatory?

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

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The Catholic Encyclopedia defines purgatory as “a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God's grace, are not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.” This concept is like a place for people not bad enough for hell, but not yet good enough for heaven. The Bible, however, does not speak of anything like purgatory at all.
The Bible is very explicit in what happens immediately after death: “For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing ” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, emphasis added). According to the Bible, there is no immortal soul that is whisked off to an eternity in heaven, hell or purgatory—there is only unconsciousness until the resurrections following Jesus Christ's return to the earth (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; Revelation 20:12-13).
The concept of purgatory also clashes with biblical truth in its assertion that sins can be erased through punishing the sinner. No such idea exists in the pages of the Bible, which contends that only the death of our Savior pays the penalty for sin (Acts 4:12; Romans 5:8). Scripture also teaches that there are no minor sins (James 2:10). Sins cannot be purged by cruel punishment, but they can be forgiven and overcome with the help of a loving Creator.
What about those who die without ever having had an opportunity to repent of their sins? That is likely the reason some hope in the unbiblical doctrine of purgatory. God intends to give everyone an opportunity for salvation, as we explain in What Happens After Death?

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Does the Bible Speak of Hellfire That Lasts Forever?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about hell. This follows this post about transgenders. This follows this post about the Devil. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.
Please follow me here for continued posts.

Does the Bible Speak of Hellfire That Lasts Forever?

http://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets

by United Church of God Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

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First, notice the setting to which they refer—when Jesus “comes in His glory” (Matthew 25:31-32). We are told that He separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep represent the righteous (Matthew 25:34-40). At His return He sets the sheep at His right hand. The goats in this instance represent sinners. They are appointed to assemble on Jesus’ left hand. He then consigns the goats to “the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).
The word everlasting is translated from the Greek word aionios. The key to understanding this verse is knowing what will occur everlastingly. Does it refer to a fire that tortures without end, or does it have another meaning?
In Matthew 25:46 Jesus spoke in a single sentence of everlasting ( aionios ) punishment and of life eternal ( aionios ). Since the righteous will be given eternal, or everlasting, life, many theologians believe the punishing of the wicked must last as long as the life given to the righteous. But this cannot be reconciled with the statement that those cast into the lake of fire perish— they are killed. As explained elsewhere, they suffer death—the second death (Revelation 2:11; Revelation 20:6, Revelation 14:1-20 1 And I looked, and, see, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. 6 And I saw another angel fly in the middle of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. 8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from now on: Yes, said the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. 14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and on the cloud one sat like to the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in your sickle, and reap: for the time is come for you to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great wine press of the wrath of God. 20 And the wine press was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the wine press, even to the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
American King James Version; Revelation 21:8).
A plain and simple meaning of Matthew 25:46 that fits with the rest of the Bible is that the wicked are cast into a fire that annihilates them—renders them forever extinct. The resulting punishment of being cast into the aionios fire is a one-time event. It is a permanent punishment , the results of which will remain forever—that is, eternal death. It is not ongoing punishing that continues forever without end. This is the only explanation that agrees with the rest of the Scriptures.
An additional point needs to be made regarding the meaning of aionios. Genesis 19 describes God’s destruction of two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, for their wickedness: “Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah” (Genesis 19:24). They were utterly destroyed—consumed by fire.
In the New Testament, the book of Jude describes these cities as “suffering the vengeance of eternal [ aionios ] fire” (Jude 1:7). Yet it is obvious that the fires that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah are not still burning. In the case of these cities and in the case of the wicked, who are consigned to aionios fire, the fire burns and completely destroys. But the eternal aspect of the fire is its everlasting effect, not how long it actually burns.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

What is a "soul"?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about what a soul is. This follows this post about Christopher Columbus. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.
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What is the "soul"?

http://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets

8 comments Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

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The Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, repeatedly makes reference to the “soul.” Mainstream Christianity generally teaches that this soul is an immortal component of human beings; that upon our death, it is released from our bodies to spend eternity in either eternal bliss or eternal torment, depending on our conduct in this life. But a closer examination of the word shows that this is not the case.
The only Hebrew word translated as “soul” in the Old Testament, nephesh , is also translated elsewhere as “creature” or “being.” All three words are synonymous, whether we look at God's creation of “an abundance of living creatures [ nephesh ]” in the sea (Genesis 1:20) or that “man became a living being [ nephesh ]” (Genesis 2:7) or read God's declaration that “the soul [ nephesh ] who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4).
That last verse is key to understanding the concept of a soul. If the soul is immortal, it would be impossible to say that sinning would produce death. Rather, if mainstream Christianity were correct in its doctrine of hell, Ezekiel 18:4 would have to say, “the soul who sins shall be condemned to eternal torment.” But it, along with the apostle Paul in Romans 6:23, plainly states that the penalty of sin is death , not never-ending fiery torment in hell.
Given that the soul is capable of death, and taking into consideration the fact that the word translated “soul” is used in reference to all sorts of living creatures, we can only conclude that the soul talked about in the Bible is a living being itself—not an eternal component of mankind.
For further explanation of the soul, including a look at instances of the word in the New Testament and information about the “spirit in man” (Job 32:8).
Please read our booklets What Happens After Death? and Heaven and Hell: What Does the Bible Really Teach?

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Friday, July 24, 2015

Mindsets A Set Mind

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about mindsets. This follows this post about abortion. This follows this post about evolution. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.
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Mindsets A Set Mind

by Robert Berendt 1 comment

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I am sure all of us have experienced meeting people with something so deeply etched in their minds that they find it virtually impossible to erase that impression. I know a woman who was caught under a wooden raft on a pond for a few minutes before being rescued. She developed paranoia of water. People have phobias about heights, snakes or spiders, the dark, a closed-in space, crowds of people and a whole list of other very real and debilitating fears. Paranoia is defined in Chamber’s Concise Dictionary as: “a form of mental disorder characterized by fixed delusions, esp. of grandeur, pride, persecution, intense fear or suspicion.”
Phobia is: “a fear, aversion or hatred, esp. morbid and irrational.” It is somewhat bewildering to see the tremendous grip such a fear has on the mind. We seem to develop a mindset towards things happening which frighten us and we do the same towards ideas and concepts impacting us in culture, education, etc.
The really frightening aspect of a fear so deep and so often not understood at all is that trying to correct the mind in this matter takes so much effort that people usually just learn to live with it. Worse yet, it seems if we do not tackle our fears and phobias, they only get worse. Often one fear induces another and another.
A person can be afraid of spiders and soon, it seems, he’ll avoid places where spiders might be, and even a spider’s web invokes the same terrified response. Years ago, a scientist named Pavlov wrote about his experiments with dogs. He would set up a series of lights or other effects and at the end of the series, a bit of food would drop out for a dog. The dog salivated as soon as he saw the food. It did not take long, however, before the dog began salivating as soon as one of the lights came on.
I was taken by surprise when I visited the home of a brother-in-law. The moment he stood up from his special comfortable chair, all the fish in his aquarium swam over against the glass. They were already anticipating food the moment he arose. My son’s family has a dog that gets fed once a day. On the odd occasion I have been in the home, I have broken off just a half of a dog’s milk biscuit from the box in the pantry. I do not go over terribly often, but now just as soon as the dog sees me coming, he greets me at the door and makes a bee-line for the pantry door, stands there with one paw in the air and looks only at the door. He has developed a mindset about me—and his mind is really set!
I have observed the pain many people carry with them from abuse they may have received as a child. An abusive teacher, for example, can turn a student off of education. An overly critical coach can hinder an athlete’s performance. Parents who constantly tell their children, “You are dumb,” or, “You will never amount to anything,” often instill an attitude that hampers a child for the rest of their lives. From those areas, we can only imagine the deep wounds that are left in children who are born with fetal-alcohol syndrome, drug addiction or other similar problems.
Abusive, alcoholic, violent or even absent parents all impact a child. Many people reach adult lives with thought patterns that are deeply ingrained and certainly not asked for. Some have no idea why they think and feel as they do. There are always reasons, but we cannot always find them—and even knowing the reasons does not always help in making things better.

Putting the past behind us

I am greatly encouraged when I read the statement Paul was inspired to write in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” The word “were” is vital in this sentence. Almighty God is able to erase and remove every painful fear that has been etched into our minds. He is able to heal us completely. He does not turn from those who are suffering, but His love leads us to have faith and trust in His forgiveness—and to leave the past behind us. We may not lose every painful memory or developed phobia, but He eases our load.
We all know through experience those fighting alcoholism must abstain from drinking any alcoholic beverages. They fight this battle on a day by day basis. It is a battle of the mind and certainly is not easy. I have come to realize how difficult it is for people who smoke to drop the habit. There are still far, far more difficult habits, emotions and actions that we may have to fight with. All of the categories Paul listed as not being allowed into the kingdom of God are present in our society. The word “were” indicates that a person is no longer in the grip of that “category.” It does not mean the battle against the mind and or the emotions is over—it only means that the person no longer fornicates, worships idols, commits adultery, etc. He or she has this under control.
In some extreme cases a person may have to live alone and avoid any situation compromising his struggle. Jesus made a strong point as to the value of our struggles when he said, “if your eye makes you sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into [Gehenna] fire” (Mark 9:47). C.S. Lewis wrote, “You cannot take all luggage with you on all journeys; on one journey even your right hand and your right eye may be among the things you have to leave behind.” Naturally, we know it is not the eye that makes us offend—it is our mind and our mindset.
It is that which may be deep within our minds and provides the thrust in certain directions. Mark does not mean to remove an eye—his words basically tell us to take whatever steps needed in order not to sin. We are not to remain in the categories to which the kingdom of God is barred. We cannot stay in them. We may have to fight the good fight every day—but it is worth it a thousand times over.

Changing the inner man

The battle or struggle is not going to be easy—but then the goal is worth far more than any effort we may need to expend. Added to our effort, God offers strength and help through His Holy Spirit. He does not do the work for us, but He is there to give us rest, direction and encouragement. What is being changed is the “inner man”—that which makes you the person you are. All of us—every human being who plans to enter into the kingdom of God one day needs to change anything and everything contrary to God. We need to “walk in newness of life” as we accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. That path is not easy for anyone, but you will have plenty of company.
After many trying times for David, at one point, he is overcome by the realization that things will turn out all right. Why? Because of God’s love for him. Psalm 103 expresses his deep feelings at understanding the depth of God’s forgiveness, patience and mercy.
There is one important point that we need to know. We need to want to change the habits or mindset that hurts us so and which confronts God. God gives us choices and He gives us help, but we need to want to change and we need to determine (with His help) to do whatever is needed. We need to learn about ourselves and seek the steps leading to freedom. Every one of us needs God in our lives and every one of us needs to conform our minds into the mind of Christ. We need a new mindset on which to set our minds. That focus ought to be on the kingdom of God. Make that real in your life.

Friday, October 28, 2016

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Really only harmless fun?

Carnal holidays trumped by God’s Holy Days

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Wednesday, September 28, 2016

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Friday, October 30, 2015

Friday, October 23, 2015

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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

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Wednesday, October 14, 2015

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Friday, July 24, 2015

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Putting the past behind us

Changing the inner man

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