Holidays Or Holy Days Does It Matter Which Days We Observe

Author : United Church of God
Publisher : United Church of God
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 50,7 Mb
Release : 2010-08-20
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780557621590

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Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Observe? by United Church of God Pdf

Many people are shocked to discover the origins of our most popular religious holidays. They are also surprised to find that the days God commands us to observe in the Bible—the same days Jesus Christ and the apostles kept—are almost universally ignored. Why? Also, why are today's supposedly Christian holidays observed with so many rituals and customs that are not sanctioned anywhere in the Bible? Here are some questions to think about... Does Christmas really honor Jesus and His birth? Where did the Christmas holiday come from? How did it begin, and why? Did you realize that historians (and the Bible) agree that Jesus Christ wasn't born anywhere near December 25? Or that this particular date was well known for its pagan religious celebrations long before Jesus Christ was born? Would Jesus Keep Easter? Can we find any historical or biblical record of Jesus or His disciples keeping Easter or teaching parents and children to dye eggs and display bunnies on this holiday? Did Jesus or His apostles instruct any of His followers to worship His resurrection at sunrise on Easter Sunday—or at any other time, for that matter? If Easter were not sanctioned by Jesus or instituted by His apostles, then where did Easter come from? In other words, if Jesus were living among us today, would He keep Easter or encourage others to do so? Should you, as a Christian, celebrate Easter? Few people know why they believe or do the things they do—especially when it comes to their religious beliefs and practices. Inside the Bible study aid ebook, Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Observe?, discover the shocking truths about several of the world's most popular holidays. Perhaps even more surprising is how they came to be connected with Jesus Christ and the Christian religion. Chapters in this ebook: -- Crucial Questions -- Christmas: The Untold Story -- How Christmas Grew -- Christmas vs. the Bible -- Biblical Evidence Shows Jesus Wasn't Born on December 25 -- Easter: Masking a Biblical Truth -- The Resurrection Connection -- Fertility Symbols: Beneath the Dignity of God -- The Chronology of Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection -- Halloween: A Celebration of Evil -- What About Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Purim? -- God's Days of Worship -- God's Festivals in the New Testament -- Does It Matter to God? -- An Ancient Cultural Clash -- The Delights of Obedience Inside this Bible Study Aid ebook: "Did the writers of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) consider Jesus' birth to be one of the most significant events for Christians to acknowledge or celebrate?... Did Jesus Christ tell us to celebrate His birth? No." "A careful analysis of Scripture, however, clearly indicates that December 25 is an unlikely date for Christ’s birth. Here are two primary reasons..." "The word Easter appears once in the King James Version of the Bible, in Acts 12:4, where it is a mistranslation." "The New Testament does not mention an Easter celebration. Early Christians had nothing to do with Easter. Instead, they kept the Passover, instituted by God centuries earlier at the time of the Exodus (Exodus 12:13-14; Leviticus 23:5)." "The popular belief is that Christ was crucified on a Friday and rose on a Sunday. But neither of these suppositions is supported by the biblical record."

Author : David Treybig
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 47 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 2008
Category : Christmas
ISBN : OCLC:1032830586

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Holidays Or Holy Days by David Treybig Pdf

Author : David Treybig
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 24 pages
File Size : 41,9 Mb
Release : 2004
Category : Christmas
ISBN : OCLC:311740689

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Holidays Or Holy Days by David Treybig Pdf

Author : Bob Thiel Ph D
Publisher : Nazarene Books, Division of Doctors' Research Incorporated
Page : 96 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 2016-03-10
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1940482178

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Should You Keep God's Holidays Or Demonic Holidays? by Bob Thiel Ph D Pdf

Are God's feast days listed in the Bible? Which days did Jesus keep? Which days did the Apostles keep? Which days did the early followers of Christ keep? Are the Holy Days alluded to in the Book of Genesis? Do you observe any holidays? Do you know the history of where they came from? Do you know why you and others may observe them? Do any have religious connotations? Might you be observing demonic holidays? Does it matter to God what days you may keep? If you believe that you are Christian, are you possibly celebrating demonic or pagan ones that Jesus would condemn? If so, does the truth matter enough to you that you would follow Jesus on this? This book contains multiple scriptures, as well as over 130 historical and other citations, to show the history of the Holy Days that Jesus and His early followers kept as well as warnings and other information about those that they would not. If you are interested in the biblical and historical truth about holy days and holidays, this book is one you will want to read and refer to.

Author : Susan E. Richardson
Publisher : Regal Books
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2004-05
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 0830734422

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Holidays and Holy Days by Susan E. Richardson Pdf

Holidaus and Holy Days gives you fascinating facts and background about all of the major and minor American holidays, including Jewish feast days. It is a valuable resource for any Christian -- and fun to read besides! Book jacket.

Author : Herbert W. Armstrong,Philadelphia Church of God
Publisher : Philadelphia Church of God
Page : 58 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2013-10-09
Category : Religion
ISBN : 8210379456XXX

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Pagan Holidays—or God's Holy Days—Which? by Herbert W. Armstrong,Philadelphia Church of God Pdf

Does it make any difference which days we observe-or whether we keep them? Does the Bible establish whether we are to keep certain days holy to God? Were these days given to ancient Israel only? Are they binding today only on the Jewish people, while Christians are commanded to keep holidays such as Christmas? In this booklet: • Which Days Should We Keep? • What You Should Know About Pentecost • Feast of Trumpets and Day of Atonement • Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day This ebook is offered completely free of charge by the Philadelphia Church of God. However, please not that Google Play will need a verified Google Wallet account which requires your credit card information. In a small number of countries, a temporary authorization of $1 will be charged to your account but will be refunded. This refund can take up to 1 month to process.

Author : United Church of God
Publisher : United Church of God
Page : 157 pages
File Size : 43,5 Mb
Release : 2018-01-02
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780557621606

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Jesus Christ: The Real Story by United Church of God Pdf

The story of Jesus Christ goes much deeper than His crucifixion and resurrection. Few will dispute that a man named Jesus Christ lived 2,000 years ago and that He was a great teacher who impacted the world. Christ made a controversial claim—that He was the very Son of God, the long-prophesied Messiah—causing religious authorities in Jerusalem to reject Him, hate Him and eventually succeeded in having Him put to death. Likewise, the local Roman civil authorities also saw Him as a threat and became complicit in His execution. The religions of His day, both Judaism and paganism, opposed the growth of His teachings and used unlawful and violent means to try to destroy the Church He founded. The government of Rome also came to vigorously persecute the followers of this Jewish teacher from Galilee. Today, there is much confusion and questions concerning this controversial figure. Where can you go for the answers? The Bible. This Bible Study aid booklet, "Jesus Christ: The Real Story" will help explain what is written in the Bible about Jesus Christ. You can discover the answers to these questions and more: Who was Jesus Christ of Nazareth? Where did He come from? When was Jesus Christ born? What did Jesus teach? Was He God in the flesh? What did Jesus look like? Was He only a man? Why did He die? Discover the true, fascinating story that so few understand. The story of the greatest Man who ever lived and the misunderstood message He preached—the gospel (good news) of the coming Kingdom of God! Chapters in this ebook: -- Introduction - Jesus Christ: The Real Story -- Who—and What—Was Jesus Christ? -- Jesus Christ's Disciples Understood Him to Be the Creator -- Jesus Christ: 'The Rock' of the Old Testament -- The Family of God -- Jesus' Amazing Fulfillment of Prophecy -- The Bible Prophesied the Exact Year the Messiah Would Appear -- Was Jesus Born on Dec. 25? -- A Sinless and Miraculous Life -- Could Jesus Perform Miracles? -- Did Jesus Really Die and Live Again? -- Roman Forms of Crucifixion -- When Was Jesus Christ Crucified and Resurrected? -- The Chronology of the Crucifixion and Resurrection -- Do Other Nonbiblical Sources Confirm Jesus Christ's Existence? -- Much More Than a Man -- Was Jesus a Created Being? -- The God Who Became a Human Being -- Jesus' Family Connections -- Did Jesus Have Long Hair? -- The Messiah's Misunderstood Mission -- What Do 'Messiah' and 'Jesus Christ' Mean? -- What Was Jesus' Gospel? -- Salvation Is Entrance Into the Kingdom of God -- Other Names for the Kingdom -- Jesus' Teaching on God's Law -- Other Important Ways Jesus Fulfilled the Law -- Christ's New Commandment -- Does the New Covenant Abolish the Commandments? -- Jesus Christ and the Festivals of the Bible -- Who Killed Jesus? -- Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God -- The Tearing of the Temple Veil -- Alive Again Today and Forever -- Your Date With Destiny: Meeting the Real Jesus -- 'Even So, Come, Lord Jesus!' Inside this Bible Study Aid ebook: "Perhaps the boldest claim Jesus made about His identity was the statement, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM” (John:8:58)...What was going on here? Jesus was revealing His identity as the actual One whom the Jews knew as God in the Old Testament." "The New Testament writers cite messianic prophecies from the Old Testament more than 130 times. By some estimates the Old Testament contains 300 prophetic passages that describe who the Messiah is and what He will do. Of these, 60 are major prophecies. What are the chances of these prophecies being fulfilled in one person?" "A careful analysis of Scripture, however, clearly indicates that December 25 is an unlikely date for Christ’s birth. Here are two primary reasons..." "How can we fit “three days and three nights” between a Friday-afternoon crucifixion and a Sunday-morning resurrection?"

Author : Richella Parham
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
Page : 157 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2019-10-22
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780830864669

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Mythical Me by Richella Parham Pdf

IVP Readers' Choice Award Do you ever find yourself stuck in the comparison trap? Speaker and author Richella Parham knows what this feels like. "I couldn't break free from admiring one person's achievements, someone else's personality, another's skills, yet another's relationships. And don't get me started on how I looked at other people's appearances," she writes. "I was haunted by the admirable attributes of other people, certain that I could never match their worthiness. No matter how well-intentioned the teaching or pithy the advice, I found that most of it didn't help me change my thoughts, feelings, or actions." While there are no easy answers, Parham has identified cultural and spiritual myths about others, God, and ourselves that keep us trapped. From there the journey is a spiritual one. We can pick up practices that help us walk in the freedom of Christ with confidence in ourselves. If you've ever suffered from tortured moments of comparison on Facebook, in the office, or in the hallway at church, you'll benefit from this fresh perspective.

Author : G. Q. Bowler,Gerry Bowler
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 310 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2017
Category : History
ISBN : 9780190499006

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Christmas in the Crosshairs by G. Q. Bowler,Gerry Bowler Pdf

Christmas, a global phenomenon adored by billions and a backbone of international trade, is the biggest single event on the planet. For Christians it is the second-most sacred date on the calendar. But whether one celebrates it or not, it engages billions of people who are caught up in its commercialism, music, sentiment, travel, and frenetic busyness. Since its controversial invention in the Roman Empire, Christmas has struggled with paganism, popular culture, fierce Christian opposition to its celebration, its abolition in Scotland and New England, and its neglect and near-death experience in the 1700s, only to be miraculously reinvented in the 1800s. The twentieth century saw it opposed by Bolsheviks, twisted by Hitler, and appropriated by every special interest group in the industrialized world. Lately it has been caught up in the cultural struggles between the left and the right in America, often misinterpreted as a war on Christmas, when the fight is really over whether religion in general will be allowed a public face. Gerry Bowler tells the fascinating story of the tug-of-war over Christmas, replete with cross-dressing priests, ranting Puritans, atheist witches, the League of the Militant Godless, aesthetic terrorists in Quebec and rap-singing Santa killers in Spain.

Author : Alex A Gondola Jr,Alex A. Gondola
Publisher : CSS Publishing
Page : 207 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 2004
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780788023286

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Holidays Are Holy Days by Alex A Gondola Jr,Alex A. Gondola Pdf

Almost every month in the year has a secular holiday -- and on those "special" Sundays, preachers need to balance honoring the occasion with maintaining their focus on the proclamation of God's Word. It can be a challenging task, but it also presents a great opportunity to uncover the religious significance of our civic celebrations. In this extensive volume of inspiring messages, Alex Gondola draws on the rich variety of American culture and scriptural insight to remind us that holidays truly are holy days. Great for personal reading, adult study groups, or fresh sermon ideas, Holidays Are Holy Days is a versatile resource that you'll draw on throughout the year. Sermons are included for: - New Year's Day - Martin Luther King Day - Super Bowl Sunday - Valentine's Day - Presidents' Day - St. Patrick's Day - April Fool's Day - Earth Day - Mother's Day - Memorial Day - Father's Day - Independence Day - Labor Day - Grandparent's Day - Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day - Halloween/All Saints - Reformation Sunday - Veterans' Day - Thanksgiving - Christmas How does one avoid simplistic, even overly sentimental, preaching and yet address themes that are important to many American churchgoers? In this book Alex Gondola masterfully navigates his way into insightful sermons on themes which often tax the imagination of excellent preachers. Novice and seasoned preachers will benefit from this book, and all persons who read it will be inspired. Benjamin Griffin President Emeritus Andover Newton Theological School This is biblical preaching in the best sense: informative, creatively theological, challenging, invitational, occasionally wry, always participatory, and faithful to the God whose interests inform every page. In these sermons Gondola weaves hard data, history, and practical theology in the service of challenging Christians to live faithfully in the 21st century. Nancy S. Taylor Minister and President Massachusetts Conference, United Church of Christ Designed for those special days in our "civil religion" that preachers often find challenging, these expertly crafted sermons make an intelligent, creative use of scripture that demonstrates the relevance of those ancient texts to the present day. Filled with stories from everyday life, they reach both the head and the heart, and they have a social conscience. Kenneth Cauthen John Price Crozer Griffith Professor of Theology Emeritus Colgate-Rochester-Crozer Divinity School Author of Rejoicing in Life's "Melissa Moments" Alex A. Gondola Jr., is senior pastor of St. Paul United Church of Christ in Wapakoneta, Ohio. He previously served Dennis Union Church in Dennis, Massachusetts. A graduate of Allegheny College (B.A.), Andover Newton Theological School (M.Div.), and Colgate Rochester Divinity School (D.Min.), Gondola has also studied at Hartford Seminary and the New College of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh (Scotland). He is the author of Come As You Are, Pray Like This... and Don't Forget The Child (CSS), and also contributed several stewardship sermons to the CSS anthology From Every Angle.

Author : United Church of God
Publisher : United Church of God
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 47,8 Mb
Release : 2014-02-03
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780557876532

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The Church Jesus Built by United Church of God Pdf

Jesus Christ said that He would build His Church and that it would never die out. Is today's Christianity, with its hundreds of denominations with widely differing beliefs and practices, the Church Jesus promised that He would build? -- Inside this Bible study aid booklet: -- A People Special to God -- The Historical Background of the Term Church -- 'Church' and 'Congregation' in the Scriptures -- A Spiritually Transformed People -- The Apostles: A Case Study in Conversion -- The Responsibility and Mission of the Church -- What is the True Gospel? -- Is Today the Only Day of Salvation? -- The Rise of a Counterfeit Christianity -- Changes in Christian Scholars' Perspective on God's Law -- Early Trends That Affected the Future of the Church -- The Church of God Today -- What Did the Early Church Believe and Practice? -- The Church as the Bride of Christ

Author : Steven H. Propp
Publisher : iUniverse
Page : 468 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2011-12-13
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 9781462059942

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Another Jesus, a Different Spirit, a Different Gospel by Steven H. Propp Pdf

Its the Christmas seasonthe most wonderful time of the year for most people in River City, California. But for Jehovahs Witnesses Lawrence and Brad, its a time for them to try to explain the truth about this holiday season to the people of the community. Their earnest efforts may earn them ridicule, disagreement, or a door slammed rudely in their faces, but they persistand are sometimes able to find a mind and heart receptive to their urgent message about Jehovahs coming Kingdom. Whereas for Elders Skousen and Marshalltwo Latter-day Saint (Mormon) missionariesthe season is another opportunity to share their Churchs distinctive interpretation of the Christian gospel; but their efforts are often rebuffed, as well. In the course of their work, these two pairs of men engage in dialogue with traditional Christians, as well as members of the Church of Christ; the Community of Christ (RLDS); Seventh-day Adventists; and Oneness Pentecostalsnot to mention skeptics, atheists, and the increasing numbers of people who lack any particular religious beliefs. But when a local church brings in a researcher to give a series of lectures on Cultsand specifically targeting the Jehovahs Witnesses and Mormonsa confrontation is ensured, where theological and biblical concepts collide in a public forum. Who, if anyone, really has the Truth? Can one still discover the true meaning of Christmas in the midst of passionate disagreements over the validity of the holiday season? Are objections raised about the secularization and rampant commercialism of the modern celebration valid? Spend a holiday season (or any other season) with some interesting and intellectually-stimulating characters, as they explore these and other challenging questions. (Readers of the authors earlier novel, A Multicultural Christmas, will be pleased to see a brief reappearance of two characters from that book.)

Author : J. Ellsworth Kalas
Publisher : Westminster John Knox Press
Page : 156 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2004-01-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 0664227147

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Preaching the Calendar by J. Ellsworth Kalas Pdf

Pastors face a perennial challenge in deciding how to treat special days in the calendar. For days marked in the church year, the challenge is how to speak a fresh word about a familiar theme or story. For days marked in the civil calendar, the challenge is to discern within secular celebrations appropriate connections with the Christian gospel. In Preaching the Calendar, masterful preacher J. Ellsworth Kalas discusses the importance of embracing holidays and special days as occasions when sermons can enlarge and deepen spiritual yearnings. His words of wisdom demonstrate how this type of preaching can be done well and serve as valuable sources of stories and sermon illustrations for pastors eager to help people find new and renewed relationships with God.

Author : Edward Mark Deems
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 792 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 1968
Category : Church year
ISBN : UCR:31210001307378

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Holy-days and Holidays by Edward Mark Deems Pdf

Author : Holly M. Snead
Publisher : iUniverse
Page : 211 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2012-12-07
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781475959666

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The Holy Days of God, the Holidays of Man by Holly M. Snead Pdf

For two thousand years, the Church Universal has celebrated the life of our Lord. At Christmas, we remember and celebrate his birth in a stable in Bethlehem. We watch him grow to a young boy who sat at the feet of the Temple leaders and spoke wonders they could not understand. We continue to watch him as he started his ministry and preached to his people of the promises of God to the people of Israel. After his three years of ministry, we prepare for his suffering and death, and grieve at the foolishness of the people who could not believe. We stand at his cross and watch as his disciples who followed him fled in fear for their lives, but three days later we rejoice with the faithful women who went to the grave to grieve the loss of their Lord. To their wonder, and ours, we rejoice in his resurrection and celebrate the life he has given us through his suffering, death and resurrection. We celebrate his ascension to Heaven, with his promise that he would be with his disciples in the Presence of the Spirit, to teach and prepare them for his return. Ten days after his Ascension, we witness and celebrate the Coming of the Spirit at Pentecost and rejoice in the birth of the Church. We hear the words of Peter and sit in wonder of all the Spirit promised. Then, suddenly, the Church stops its celebration. There is silence for six months, until in December we return to the stable in Bethlehem and start our celebration again. What have we forgotten; what do we neglect? What are we missing? Why has the celebration stopped at Pentecost? Where is the mature Church, the victorious Church. Where is the promised Return of our Lord in His Fathers Glory? Where is the Bridegroom? How much longer must the Bride wait? Come with us as we learn the Rest of the Story and discover all we have missed because our celebrations stop at Pentecost. God calls us to celebrate the entire story, from beginning to end. He promised his faithful remnant that he would return to them and they would dwell with him in His Presence. He promised the rejoicing would have no end. Come with us as we learn and celebrate the Rest of the Story! ------------------------------------ A great tragedy of modern evangelical Christianity is the failure to either appreciate or to properly interpret the incredible significance of Israels Feast Days. The prophetic content of the feast days is normally given barely a summary acknowledgement and then forgotten. Holly Snead has done the Christian community a great favor in bringing to the fore not only the typological significance of Israels festal calendar, but Gods faithfulness in bringing all those feast days to final fulfillment in Christs Parousia. What she brings to the reader is tremendous, and exciting, insight into how the NT writers applied Israel's feast days to the work of Christ. If you have never considered Israels New Moons, feast days and sabbaths as they relate to the End Times you owe it to yourself to read this book. Whatever you do, read the Appendices! These special studies are more than worth the price of the book all by themselves. Don K. Preston D. Div. President Preterist Research Institute www.eschatology.org