Easter - Its Origins and Relationship to Pagans and Passover

I"m confused about Easter, how about you? There seems to be much scholarly discourse that links the Christian tradition of Easter to the Jewish tradition of Passover and to certain Pagan rituals and beliefs that came before them. There is even some dispute over the actual date of Christ"s death and resurrection, but the faith that each of us hold in our hearts cannot be in dispute. This I believe. The name Easter may have first been associated with an ancient Goddess, The Venerable Bede, (672-735). She was the mother Goddess of the Saxon people in Northern Europe who was known as Eastra. Many Pagan religions in the Mediterranean area had a major seasonal day of religious celebration following the Spring Equinox.

Speaking In Tongues - ABC s Nightline Gives Em Somethin To Talk about

It's a subject that fascinates people everywhere. Even people in the media, like ABC's Nightline, for instance. Some say it's of God while others say it's demonic. A Nazarene preacher told me that, when he was in preparation to teach about the gifts of the Spirit, he was not sure how to handle the gift of tongues. "My denomination doesn't believe in that... personally, I'm not so sure." A woman from a Church of Christ phoned me one day to say she wanted the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. We dropped everything to meet with her at mid-day. Though she didn't speak in tongues - not yet anyway - she wrote later to say that she felt she'd had a double espresso and a B-12 shot.

Oh Jesus, Why?

Are you afraid to be spiritual, to express your wisdom, or to teach what you have learned? Do you feel you are stifling yourself, and being what society and your family want you to be to stay safe? Are you concerned that you will be hurt or killed if you are truly yourself? Well, you are not alone. As a Marriage, Family Therapist for 27 years, I worked with numerous clients who had these fears. In a process I developed, HART which stands for Holistic And Rapid Transformation, I helped many men and women overcome their blocks and free themselves to be all that they are. For example, Stan, a forty-two-year-old salesman, had relationship, career, and health problems.

Nyepi, Balinese New Year Day Of Silence

Once in your lifetime you must experience the real Balinese culture and its sacred event. The silence day happen to be celebrated once a year and all people are very excited to celebrate the coming day. The ceremony chain are three days, starting the day before Nyepi (silence day) and come to an end the day after. Pengerupukan Day On the day before Nyepi Balinese people will have a ceremony named Tawur Kesanga, a purification day. Held at the main village crossroad which is believed as the home or meeting point of demons and evils. All villagers having Hindus ceremony at their home as well to expel the bad evil surround it.

Three Ways For Jewish Women To Find Liberation From The Slavery Of Passover Preparations

For many Jewish women, Passover marks a time of slavery rather than liberation. Despite the egalitarian nature of many homes, the jobs of cleaning the house, making the kitchen kosher for Passover (fit for use according to Jewish dietary or ceremonial laws), removing all leavened products - down to the last crumb found in the corner of an upstairs bedroom, and cooking for numerous seder (the ritual Passover meal) guests most often fall on the lady of the home. Thus, on top of all their other daily household duties, childcare responsibilities and professional work outside the home, they must take on the huge job of preparing for this yearly holiday that marks the Biblical story of the Israelite's escape from Egyptian slavery.

Jesus - The Only Way!

Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also]. 1 John 2:23 In our present day and age, there are many who believe in God, yet fail to believe in His Son as the Doorway through which we come to Him. Throughout this letter we have discovered that John was writing concerning Gnostic teachers who proclaimed that Jesus was the "Way shower" but did not believe Him to be the Way. As in Johns day, there are many that teach God as a "higher power" or as an impersonal "Universal Force" but as the Gnostic's, fail to include Jesus Christ into their beliefs.

The Pastor And The D-Word

Can a pastor be divorced? Yes, a pastor can be divorced. Many pastors are currently in the process or have been. Before we decide on whether or not that makes it "right, " let's take a look at a deeper issue: The word "Pastor" itself. Yes, the word does appear in the Bible in Ephesians 4:11: "And he gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as PASTORS and teachers." This is the only place in Scripture where the word is actually used. Imagine! A single verse has come to define one incredibly significant, manmade office in every institutional church for 1700 years.

What Is Persecution

Mt: 13: 21. "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Jesus said persecutions arises because of the Word. When you hear the Word of God, Satan immediately comes to steal the Word from your heart. If he can"t do that he"ll try to get you to take your eyes off of the solution and on to the problem, diverting you away so that you will fail. This was part of the parable of the sower? Satan"s main job is to get the church to back down off the Word of God so that doubt and unbelief will choke it out.

Is it Time to Rewrite the Holy Books? 1

The pastor from the Evangelical Church in Hackney, London, was patient but firm. There was definitely life after death, one where we would all be judged by God. But eternal salvation was possible only through strict adherence to the teachings of the Bible, and these were not negotiable. Though I listened to him with interest, and respected him and his views, my convictions were set in concrete. My only afterlife would exist in someone else's head. I too believe in God but I also believe I was placed on earth for a reason and any judgement would not be reserved just for the future. The full works would be meted out right here and now: in the quality of my life and for treating others in ways which reflected God's teachings of charity, kindness and forgiveness.

Bible Study - The Gospel According to Mark 1 12-13

Jesus' presentation as God's Son and the beginning of His ministry were as much a reason to rejoice in first century Judea as it is today. Normally when we celebrate something we throw a party or hold a parade. We have celebrations for birthdays, anniversaries, parades to honor holidays, winning sports teams and other special events. Jesus however, was not to be so honored. At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him (NIV) The Greek word translated here as "at once", eutheos (yoo-theh'-oce), has also been translated as "immediately", "quickly", "straightaway" and "just then".