The Ultimate Gift – Priceless Christmas Gift to Enjoy For a Lifetime and Give to Generations

The ultimate gift Jesus Christ laid down His life for you to give His life to you and to live His supernatural life through you! Jesus being a “child of the Holy Spirit” was supernaturally born of God the Father through a virgin named Mary for you!

The wise men of Christ’s generation came to the child Jesus bearing gifts. Sensing the power and feeling the divine Presence of Almighty God upon Christ Jesus, though in the flesh He was but a baby, they fell to their knees and worshipped Christ (Matthew 2:10-11).

Throughout the life and ministry of Christ miracles and supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit confirmed His every Word (Hebrews 2:4; Mark 16:20), He being the the Word sent from God made flesh on earth (John 1:1,14).

Although jealous Jewish priests and Roman rulers crucified Christ, He rose the third day by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11), victorious over death, hell and the grave being the first-fruits of the resurrection.

Christ truly is the resurrection, way, truth and life by which all mankind shall experience newness of life. Whosoever believes can today taste, see and experience the power of the resurrection through the Spirit of Christ within their own heart.

As you celebrate Christmas today (whatever day it may be), welcome the living and risen Christ to forgive you of your sins, cleanse you within and fill you to overflowing with His powerful Holy Spirit enabling you to taste and daily live in the power of the resurrection in newness of life as you continue to fellowship with Christ the Lord.

Take a moment to get on your knees and ask Christ Jesus to forgive, free and fill you with the power of His Holy Spirit today so you can experience the miracle of Christmas and the ultimate gift that keeps on giving for a lifetime and will flow through you to generations that follow.

Truly the priceless prize of salvation, divine relationship and eternal life in Jesus Christ is the ultimate gift to be cherished above all else.

I know because Jesus changed my life by the power of His Holy Spirit, which I powerfully experienced in my bedroom when I invited Christ to forgive, free and fill me with His divine Presence.

I wish the same for you this Christmas and the ongoing joy of divine fellowship with the Father in heaven and Christ daily throughout the remainder of your life.

Can You Really Learn A Foreign Language While You Sleep?

It really seems so easy. Just put on the CD or tapes, relax in bed and learn English (or another foreign language) while you sleep. Have you ever seen those ads that say, “Learn English While Sleeping” or that promise “effortless” language learning by listening to a tape or CD while you relax or take a nap? With the continual rise in the study of English as a foreign or second language, (EFL, ESL) progressive TEFL English and foreign language teachers, foreign language learners, and educational administrators need to be aware of the implications posed by claims of “learning English (or another foreign language) while you sleep. To better understand the processes involved let’s first look at each of them individually in turn. In this first part of the series, we’ll examine the elements of sleep.

What is Sleep?

The state of sleep is generally defined as “the resting state in which the body is not active and the mind is unconscious.” A more extensive definition is offered by Webster’s New World Dictionary (third ed., 1989); “sleep: a natural, regularly occurring condition of rest for the body and mind, during which the eyes are usually closed and there is little or no conscious thought or voluntary movement, but there is intermittent dreaming”.

Sleep is also likened to death. In the Holy Bible (NWT, 1981) at John 11: 11 Jesus says, “Lazarus or friend has gone to rest, but I am journeying there to awaken him from sleep.” Then in verse 14 Jesus clarifies his meaning of “sleep”, “At that time, therefore, Jesus said to them outspokenly: Lazarus has died.” In describing death the bible continues at Ecclesiastes 9: 5 stating, “The living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all.” Sleep then, is characterized as a condition typically devoid of conscious thought. Have you ever slept through a severe thunder storm, a series of car alarms going off, an explosion, an earth tremor (minor earthquake) or dogs barking loudly at night? Completely unconscious, right? For even further clarification, here are some characteristics of human sleep.

Characteristics of Sleep

Characteristics of sleep in humans are:

o lying down, if possible although sleep is possible in almost any position according to studies done on astronauts and in sleep study centers

o Eyes are closed, but sleep can occur with opened eyes in an environment devoid of light and / or distraction

o You don’t hear anything or do not consciously respond to external sounds depending on the level, depth or stage of sleep

o Slow, rhythmic breathing pattern (which might be altered during dream stage)

o Muscles are completely relaxed with the exception of altered states of sleep or reaction to dreams or abnormal physical conditions

o Person may occasionally roll over changing positions

Stages of Sleep

On the average, a person goes through five stages, or levels of sleep. The stages each have distinctive characteristics and determine what the brain and body are capable of.

o Stage One – 4-5% Light sleep. Muscle activity slows down

o Stage Two – 45-55% Breathing and heart rate slows. Body temperature decreases

o Stage Three – 4-6% Deep sleep. Slow Delta waves begin

o Stage Four – 12-15% Very deep sleep; brain produces Delta waves

o Stage Five – 20-25% Rapid eye movement (REM); dreaming occurs

Why Do We Sleep?

For the most part, sleep allows several vital functions to take place. It is an essential physical and mental state with which we cannot do without. Our sleep allows us:

o To repair muscles and other tissues

o To replace aging or dead cells

o An opportunity for the brain to organize and archive memories, that is in part, to transfer data and memories from short to long-term memory

o Lowers energy consumption (balance of enzyme production achieved, i.e. blood glucose levels, electrolyte levels, etc.)

o To recharge the brain (diminished supplies of fluids and enzymes in organs and lymphatic system can be replenished during sleep)

How Much Sleep?

Most young adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night, but the quantity of sleep required can vary depending on age, daily activity, diet, nutrition and other physical and / or psychological factors. Sleep deprivation can directly affect:

o Short term memory

o Performance

o Efficiency

o Physical health

o Emotional health

With 30 to 40 million Americans suffering from serious sleep-related disorders, the effect of sleep on learning and cognitive competencies is of serious concern.

In the next segment of this series, “Learn A Foreign Language While You Sleep: Theoretical Approaches”, we’ll look at both recent and current language-learning theories and approaches and how some might seemingly provide some support for these claims.

Hump ​​Day of Holy Week

It was Hump Day of Holy Week, the original Holy Week. That was a high time for the Disciples of Jesus. Just three days earlier, the Master had sent a few of them into a nearby town to get a young donkey animal just where He said they would; they told the owner what He told them to say when the owner asked them what they were doing with his donkey. All went well.

They brought the donkey to Jesus, put Him on it, and He rode it into Jerusalem. It was quite a spectacle. Crowds gathered. They broke out in praise – shouting "Hosanna," "Blessed be the name of the Lord," "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord." They threw their cloaks and palm branches on the road before Jesus. His approval rating was through the roof.

It seemed that the Messiah's ministry had reached a tipping point. So, on Wednesday of that week following what is called His Triumphal Entry, all Twelve Disciples of Jesus were filled with excitement about the future, most probably dreaming about their new roles in His soon-to-be established Kingdom. Judas, of course, was on a different course; he was privately working a deal with the Jewish leaders to betray the Master into their hands. His excitement would relate to what he might do with the 30 pieces of silver those leaders were offering him.

For all the faithful Disciples, this day and the days ahead seemed full of glorious promise. They had no idea that in a couple of days their world would turn upside down. They would not merely come down from this mountain, they would fall into a deep valley – a valley of despair, the valley of the shadow of death. They would witness horrific, incomprehensible, violence and injustice – against the One they had pledged to follow and come to deeply love.

Though the valley took them by surprise, it did not take their Master by surprise. He would meet them in that valley, after going through His own – alone. The Faithful One would teach them in that valley. And they would understand His Kingdom like never before. Thankfully, they would assume their roles in that Kingdom. They would again climb a mountain of elation in Jesus' Name. They would launch His Church, but only their valley.

Jesus is Lord! He is Lord of all. Lord of mountains. Lord of valleys. Here is the crucial question: Is He Lord of you? Still today, He has a tender word for you: Come! "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink" Jesus, John 7:37).

Supplements to Reduce Anxiety May Help Avoid Coronary Heart Disease and Cardiac Death

In two independent studies, researchers from Sweden and the Netherlands have discovered that anxiety increases the likelihood of coronary heart disease by 25% and cardiac death by up to 50%. Utilizing high quality Poliquin Supplements to reduce anxiety may greatly improve your odds at avoiding coronary heart disease and cardiac death altogether.

Studying almost 300,000 people over a period averaging more than 25 years, researchers were surprised to learn that anxiety was such an accurate predictor of coronary heart disease and cardiac death.

Dr Joel E Dimsdale (University of California, San Diego) who wrote an accompanying editorial to the findings for the June 29, 2010 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology stated:

“It is odd that anxiety symptoms can be such a strong beacon, lighting the way to future coronary disease decades in advance.” Cardiologists, he says “are certainly cognizant of anxiety’s effects” on transient physiology, such as blood pressure, palpitations, and angina, but this new research suggests that asking about previous early-life anxiety might be relevant in clinical assessment for the diagnosis and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

To combat anxiety and stress related illness, Poliquin Supplements offer several great stress and anxiety reducing supplements to help live a longer, healthier life.

Poliquin Supplements’ Serenity 2.0, for instance, is a ancient blend of proprietary Ayruvedic herbs that calm the mind without making your drowsy. Serenity 2.0 is safe, all natural and can be taken any time you feel anxious or stressed.

Poliquin Supplements also offers a wonderful Holy Basil based supplement called Holy Basil Supreme. Holy Basil Supreme helps normalize the stress hormone cortisol, balance the brain’s neurotransmitters and detoxify the body.

All Poliquin Supplements are safe, third-party tested, all natural, organic and created under the strictest and highest quality control standards in the industry.

If stress plays a role in your life (as it does for most of us) -don’t let it shorten your lifespan, make you ill or cause cardiovascular complications later. Take good care of your body and consider adding quality Poliquin Supplements to your diet and exercise program to ensure your good health and longevity.

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The Significance of Releasing Funeral White Doves at Funeral and Memorial Ceremonies

Releasing funeral doves as part of the service or celebration of the life of a loved one not only pays a poignant tribute to the person who has died, but can also prove emotionally uplifting and inspirational for the mourners attending the funeral. The sense of peace and closure is almost tangible.

Specialist Funeral Dove Release Service Providers

Dove release service providers will tailor a package according to your exact wishes and will then liaise with the funeral director to organise the presentation.

The actual release of the doves usually takes place at the end of the funeral service, civil ceremony or memorial service. A poem or piece of prose may be read or a favourite piece of music played to accompany the release. Alternatively, you may choose for the doves to be released in total silence.

The doves are released from a basket decorated in the style of your choice and the presentation is carried out by experienced dove handlers who will be appropriately attired for the occasion. On a practical note, one should bear in mind that funeral doves can only be released outdoors and in full daylight. This allows sufficient time for them to return home before it gets dark, typically at least two hours before sunset.

Symbolic Meaning & Significance

The dove is the universal symbol of peace, hope and freedom and, in this context, the release of funeral doves symbolises the release of the spirit of the departed who is finally at peace. The actual number of doves released is also significant and offers nuances of symbolic meaning and representation. For example:

  • a single white dove represents the peaceful release and onward journey of the spirit of the deceased;
  • a pair of doves symbolises the journey of the spirit of the person who has died accompanied by their spirit guide or guardian angel;
  • the release of three doves followed immediately by the release of a single dove signifies the Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost guiding the spirit of the departed on their journey to heaven;
  • ten doves released simultaneously offer a symbolic celebration of the life of a loved one and say a simple, fond farewell.

Saint Spyridon – The Spirit of Corfu

Speaking of Corfu and its patron saint, Lawrence Durrell wrote: 'The island is really the Saint: and the Saint is the island.' For in Greece, each place has its own reverend patron and so does each individual Greek – a saint whose name he bears and whose annual name day he celebrates. In the case of a huge number of Corfiots, this is St Spyridon.

The saint is Corfu's most revered and influential resident, his mummy encased in a silver reliquary and enthroned like royalty in the red-domed church that bears his name. The faithful who bend to kiss his tiny slippers would never countenance the fact that Spyridon was not always a saint, nor ever, indeed, a Corfiot. Born in the middle of the 4th century AD, he became a shepherd in the mountains of Cyprus, but though poor and uneducated he attained a reputation for piety, self-sacrifice and wisdom. He married, but his beloved wife died giving birth to his only child, Irini. When she came of age she was made a nun, and her father retired into a monastery.

Eventually, he was named Bishop of Trimithion, and accounts of his Solomon-like wisdom began to be recorded, mixing legend and fact. There are stories of miracles performed during his lifetime, but none compares with those the saint accomplished after his death in AD350. In life, Spyridon may have confined himself to meting out individual justice and homely logic; in death he would rout Turk, plague and famine.

Spyridon's body was taken to Constantinople during the 7th century but by the mid-15th century that city was no longer safe for Christians, alive or dead, and George Kaloheiritis, the priest in whose church St Spyridon reposed, decided to move his holy charge. He set out across what is now northern Greece and eventually came to Corfu, where he married and produced three sons, to whom he willed the holy relics. His son, Phillip, also a priest, considered moving Spyridon to Venice, but the Corfiots' tearful entreaties stopped him.

The Church of the Miracle working St Spyridon in Kerkyra is filled with votive offerings. There are four great miracles performed by the saint oil behalf of his island that are commemorated by processing his relics through the town. The first is commemorated on Easter Saturday, celebrating St Spyridon's deliverance of the island from famine; the Palm Sunday procession recalls Corfu's salvation from plague in 1629; the first Sunday in November marks its deliverance from cholera in 1673. The last great miracle was performed on 24 June 1716, when St Spyridon is said to have appeared to the Ottoman army, holding a 'sword flashing lightning and furiously pursuing them'. The Ottomans fled, and the fourth annual procession of the saint was instituted on 11 August.

For the people of Corfu, the saint is a touchstone and talisman. The finest greeting and farewell in Corfu is Aghios Spyridonas mazi sou '-' May St Spyridon be with you '.

Holy Spirit 3 Day Miracle Prayer

Pray this prayer daily for 3 consecutive days, your prayer will be answered after the third day. In making your request, promise to publish this prayer (share in writing on the internet this prayer or distribute this prayer to others).

Holy Spirit

You who make me see everything and showed me the way to reach my ideals, You who gave me the Divine gift to forgive all the wrong that was done to me, and You who are in all instances in my my life. I want to Thank You for everything and confirm with you once more I never want to be separated from You no matter how great the material desire may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual Glory. Amen < Make request >

Holy Spirit 3 Day Miracle Prayer

Who is the Holy Ghost?

A. The Holy Ghost is the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity.

*95 Q. From whom does the Holy Ghost proceed?

A. The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son.

*96 Q. Is the Holy Ghost equal to the Father and the Son? A. The Holy Ghost is equal to the Father and the Son, being the same Lord and God as they are.

97 Q. On what day did the Holy Ghost come down upon the Apostles? A. The Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles ten days after the Ascension of Our Lord; and the day on which He came down upon the Apostles is called Whit-Sunday or Pentecost.

We have seen already that the Apostles fled and were very much afraid when Our Lord was taken prisoner. Even Peter, the chief of the Apostles, who said he would die rather than leave Our Lord, shamefully denied Him; and St. John, the beloved disciple, stood near the Cross, but offered no resistance to Our Lord’s enemies. After the Crucifixion of Our Lord, the Apostles, afraid of being put to death, shut themselves up in a room. Ten days after Our Lord’s Ascension they were praying as usual in their room, when suddenly they heard the sound as it were of a great wind, and then they saw tongues the shape of our own, but all on fire, coming, and one tongue resting on the head of each Apostle present. (Acts 2).

This was the Holy Ghost coming to them. The Holy Ghost, being a pure spirit without a body, can take any form He pleases. He sometimes came in the form of a dove; so when you see a dove painted in a church near the altar, it is there to represent the Holy Ghost. You could not paint a spirit, so angels and God Himself are generally represented in pictures as they at some time appeared to men.

“Whit-Sunday,” or White-Sunday; probably so called because in the early ages of the Church converts were baptized on the day before, and after their Baptism wore white robes or garments as a mark of the soul’s purity after Baptism.

“Pentecost” means the fiftieth day, because the feast comes fifty days after the resurrection of Our Lord. After His resurrection He remained forty days upon earth, and ten days after He ascended into Heaven the Holy Ghost came, thus making the fifty days.

After the Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles they were no longer timid men. They went forth boldly into the streets and preached Christ crucified, telling the people how the Son of God — the true Messias promised — had been put to death. Many who heard them believed and were baptized. The first time St. Peter preached to the people three thousand were converted (Acts 2:41); so that when all the Apostles preached the number of Christians increased rapidly, and the Christian religion was soon carried to distant parts of the world.

At the time Our Lord was put to death the Jews were celebrating a great feast in Jerusalem. The Jews were not like us in this respect. We have many churches, and in all of them sacrifice, that is, the Holy Mass, is offered. The Jews had only one temple where sacrifice could be offered, and that was in Jerusalem. They had synagogues or meeting houses throughout the land in which they assembled to pray and hear the Holy Scriptures read; but they could not offer sacrifice in them. Three times a year they went to Jerusalem to celebrate their great feasts. One of these feasts was called the Pasch, or Passover, and it was during the celebration of that feast that Our Lord was put to death; so that there were many persons from all parts of the nation present at the sad execution. I must now tell you why they celebrated the Pasch. We generally celebrate a feast to commemorate — to remind us of — some great event; and the Jews celebrated this feast to remind them of their deliverance from the slavery of the Egyptians, in which their ancestors had been suffering for about two hundred years. At the end of that time God sent Moses to deliver them. You should know, then, who Moses was and what he did to deliver his people, and you should know also something of the history of his people — the Israelites — and how they came to be in Egypt.

At the time I am now going to speak of the old patriarch Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, had eleven sons — for Benjamin, the twelfth son, was born afterwards — and the youngest was called Joseph. Joseph was the favorite of his father, and his brothers were jealous of him. The brothers were shepherds, and used to take their flocks to feed at a great distance from home, and did not return for a long time. One day the father sent Joseph to his brothers to see if all were well. They hated Joseph because his father loved him best; and when they saw him coming they agreed never to let him return to his father. (Gen.37). They intended to kill him. While they were debating about how they should put him to death — he was then only sixteen years old — some merchants passed on their way to Egypt; so, instead of killing him, they sold him as a slave to the merchants. Then they took Joseph’s coat and dipped it in the blood of a kid, and sent it to their poor old father, saying they had found it, and making him believe that some wild beast on the way had eaten Joseph. When the merchants arrived in Egypt, Potiphar, one of the king’s officers, bought Joseph, and brought him as a slave to his own house. While there, Joseph was falsely accused of a great crime, and cast into prison. While Joseph was in prison the king had a dream. (Gen.41). He saw in the dream seven fat cows coming up out of a river, followed by seven lean cows; and the lean cows ate up the fat cows. He saw also seven fat ears of corn and seven lean ears of corn; and the seven lean ears ate up the seven fat ears. The king was very much troubled, and called together all his wise men to tell him what the dream meant, but they could not. Then the king heard of Joseph, and sent for him. Now Joseph was a very good young man, and God showed him the meaning; so he told the king that the seven fat ears of corn and the seven fat cows meant seven years of great abundance in Egypt, and that the seven lean ears and the seven lean cows meant seven years of famine that would follow, and all the abundance of the previous seven years would be consumed. So he advised the king to build great barns during the years of plenty, and gather up all the corn everywhere to save it for the years of famine. The king was delighted at Joseph’s wisdom, and made him after himself the most powerful in the kingdom, giving him charge of everything, so that Joseph himself might do what he had advised. Now it happened years after this that there was a famine in the country where Joseph’s father lived, and he sent all his sons down into Egypt to buy corn. (Gen.42). They did not know their brother Joseph, but he knew them; and after forgiving them for what they had done to him, he sent them home with an abundance of corn. Afterwards Joseph’s father and brothers left their own country and came to live near Joseph in Egypt. The king gave them good land (Gen.47), and they lived there in peace and happiness. Learn from this beautiful history of Joseph how God protects those that love and serve Him no matter where they are or in what danger they may be placed; and how He even turns the evil deeds of their enemies into blessings for them.

After the death of Joseph and his brothers, their descendants became very numerous, and the new king of the Egyptians began to persecute them. (Ex.2). He imposed upon them the hardest works, and treated them most cruelly. He ordered that all their male infants should, as soon as born, be thrown into the River Nile. Now about that time Moses was born. (Ex.2). His mother did not obey the king’s order, but hid him for about three months. When she could conceal him no longer she made a little cradle of rushes, and covering it over with pitch or tar to keep out the water, placed him in it, and then laid it in the tall grass by the edge of the river, sending his little sister to watch what would become of him. Just then the king’s daughter came down to bathe, and seeing the little child, ordered one of her servants to bring him to her. At that moment Moses’ little sister, pretending not to know him, ran up and asked the king’s daughter if she wished to procure a nurse for him. The king’s daughter replied in the affirmative and permitted her to bring one; so Moses’ own mother was brought and engaged to be his nurse: but he was not known as her son, but as the adopted son of the king’s daughter. When Moses grew up he was an officer in the king’s army; but because he took the part of his persecuted countrymen he offended the king, and had to fly from the palace. He then went into another country and became a shepherd.

During all this time the persecuted Israelites were praying to the true God to be delivered from the slavery of the Egyptians, who were idolaters. One day Moses saw a bush burning; and as he came near to look at it, he heard a voice telling him not to come too near, and bidding him take off his shoes, for he was on holy ground. (Ex.3). It was God who thus appeared and spoke to him, and He ordered him to take off his shoes as a mark of respect and reverence. When we want to show our respect for any person or place, we take off our hats; but the people of that country, instead of their hats, took off their shoes. It was the custom of the country and did not seem strange to them.

Then God told Moses that He was going to send him to deliver His people from the Egyptians and lead them back to their own country; and He sent Aaron, the brother of Moses, with him. Then Moses said to God, the king of Egypt will not let the people go, and what can I do? God gave Moses two signs or miracles to show the king, so that he could know that Moses was really sent by Him. He gave him power to change a rod into a serpent, and back again into a rod; power also to bring a disease instantly upon his hand, and to heal it instantly. (Ex.4). Do these, said Almighty God, in the presence of the king. Then Moses and Aaron went to the king and did as God commanded them; and when the rod of Aaron became a serpent, the king’s magicians — that is, men who do apparently wonderful things by sleight of hand or the power of the devil — cast their rods upon the ground, and they also became serpents — not that their rods were changed into serpents, but the devil, who was helping them, took away instantly their rods and put real serpents in their place — but Aaron’s serpent swallowed them up. (Ex.7). After these signs the king would not let the people go with Moses; for God permitted the king’s heart to be hardened, so that all the Egyptians might see the great work God was going to do for His people.

Then God sent the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, while the Israelites — God’s people — suffered nothing from these plagues.

The first plague was blood. All the water in the land was converted into blood. (Ex.7). The king then sent for Moses and promised that if he would take away the plague he would allow all the people to depart. Moses prayed to God, and the plague was removed. But after it was taken away the king’s heart was hardened again and he would not keep his promise. Just as people in sickness, distress, or danger sometimes promise God they will lead better lives if only He will help them, and when they are saved they do not keep their promises, so did Pharao; and therefore God sent another plague. The second plague was frogs. Great numbers of them came out of the rivers and lakes, and filled all the houses of the Egyptians, and crawled into their food, beds, etc. Again the king sent for Moses and did as before; and again Moses prayed, and all the frogs went back into the waters or died. (Ex.8). But the king again hardened his heart and did not keep his promise. The third plague was sciniphs (Ex.8) — very small flies, that filled the land. Imagine our country filled with mosquitoes so numerous that you could scarcely walk through them; it would be a dreadful plague. As it is, two or three might cause you considerable annoyance, and pain: what then if there were millions doubly venomous, because sent to punish you? So these little flies must have greatly punished the Egyptians. The fourth plague was flies that filled the land and covered everything, to the great disgust of the people. The fifth plague was murrain — a disease that broke out among the cattle. The sixth plague was a disease — boils — that broke out on men and beasts, so that scarcely anyone could move on account of the pains and suffering. The seventh plague was hail, that fell in large pieces and destroyed all their crops. The eighth plague was locusts. These are very destructive little animals. They look something like our grasshoppers, but are about two or three times their size. They fly and come in millions. They come to this country in great numbers — almost a plague — every fifteen or twenty-five years, and the farmers fear them very much. They eat up every green blade or leaf, and thus destroy all the crops and trees. When the locusts came upon Egypt, Moses, at the king’s request, prayed, and God sent a strong wind that swept them into the sea, where they perished in the water. The ninth plague was a horrible darkness for three days in all the land of Egypt. The tenth plague, the last, was the most terrible of all — the killing of the firstborn in all the land of Egypt. (Ex.12). God instructed Moses to tell the Israelites in the land that on a certain night they were to take a lamb in each family, kill it, and sprinkle its blood on the doorposts of their houses. They were then to cook the lamb and eat it standing, with their garments ready as for a journey. (Ex.12). The lamb was called the paschal lamb, and was, after that, to be eaten every year, at about what is with us Easter-time, in commemoration of this event. That night God sent an angel through all the land, and he killed the firstborn of man and beast in all the houses of the Egyptians. That is, he killed the eldest son in the house; and if the father was the firstborn in his father’s family, he was killed also; and the same for the beasts. This was a terrible punishment. In the house of every Egyptian there were some dead but not one in the houses of the Israelites; for when the angel saw the blood of the lamb on the doorposts, he passed over and did not enter into their houses, so that this event, called Passover or Pasch, was kept always as a great feast by God’s people. This paschal lamb was a figure of our blessed Lord, for as its blood saved the Israelites from death, so Our Lord’s blood saved and still saves us from eternal death in Hell.

After that dreadful night Pharao allowed the people to depart with Moses; but when they had gone as far as the Red Sea, he was sorry he let them go, and set out with a great army to bring them back. There the people stood, with the sea before them and Pharao and his army coming behind them; but God provided for them a means of escape. At God’s command, Moses stretched his rod over the sea, and the waters divided and stood like great walls on either side and all the people passed through the opening in the waters, on the dry bed of the sea. (Ex.14).

Pharao attempted to follow them, but when he and his army were on the dry bed of the sea, between the two walls of water, God allowed the waters to close over them, and they were all drowned. Then the Israelites began the great journey through the desert, in which they travelled for forty years. During all that time God fed them with manna. He Himself, as a guide, went with them in a cloud, that shaded them from the heat of the sun during the day and was a light for them at night. But you will ask: Was the desert so large that it took forty years to cross it? No, but these people, notwithstanding all God had done for them, sinned against Him in the desert; so He permitted them to wander about through it till a new generation of people grew up, who were to be led into the promised land by Josue, the successor of Moses. From this we may learn a lesson for ourselves: God will always punish those who deserve it, even though He loves them and may often have done great things to save them; but He will wait for His own time to punish.

The Israelites then, as I have said, went from every part of the land up to the Temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Pasch each year. It was during one of these celebrations that Our Lord was put to death, and during another feast that St. Peter preached to the people after Our Lord’s death. He spoke only in one language, and yet all his hearers understood, for each heard his own language spoken. (Acts 2:6). This was called the gift of tongues, and was given to the Apostles when the Holy Ghost came upon them. For example, if each of you came from a different country and understood the language only of the country from which you came, and I gave the instructions only in English, then if everyone thought I was speaking his language — German, French, Spanish, Italian, etc. — and understood me, I would have what is called the gift of tongues, and it would be a great miracle, as it was when bestowed upon the Apostles.

In the first ages of the Church God performed more miracles than He does now, because they are not now so necessary. These miracles were performed only to make the Church better known, and to prove that she was the true Church, with her power and authority from God. That can now be known and seen in Christian countries without miracles. These special gifts, like the gift of tongues, were given also to some of the early Christians by the Holy Ghost, when they received Confirmation; but they were not a part of or necessary for Confirmation, but only to show the power of the true religion. Those who heard St. Peter preach, when they went back to their own countries told what they had seen and heard, and thus their countrymen were prepared to receive the Gospel when the Apostles came to preach it.

*98 Q. How did the Holy Ghost come down upon the Apostles? A. The Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles in the form of tongues of fire.

99 Q. Who sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles?

A. Our Lord Jesus Christ sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles.

100 Q. Why did Christ send the Holy Ghost?

A. Christ sent the Holy Ghost to sanctify His Church, to enlighten and strengthen the Apostles, and to enable them to preach the Gospel.

“Sanctify,” to make more holy by the grace which He would give to the members of the Church. “To enlighten.” The Apostles did not understand very well everything Our Lord taught while He was with them; but after the Holy Ghost came upon them they understood perfectly, and remembered many things which Our Lord said to them, and understood the true meaning of all. The prophets foretold that when the Messias, Christ, would come, He would bring all the world under His power. The prophets meant in a spiritual sense; but most of the people understood that He was to be a great general, with powerful armies, who would subdue all the nations of the earth, and bring them under the authority of the Jews. We know they thought that the great kingdom He was to establish upon earth would be a temporal kingdom, from many of their sayings and actions. One day the mother of two of Our Lord’s Apostles came to ask Him if, when He had established His kingdom upon the earth, He would give her sons honorable positions in it, and place them high in authority. (Matt.20:20). Our Lord told her she did not understand what she was asking. This shows that even some of the Apostles — much less the people — did not understand the full nature of Our Lord’s mission upon earth, nor of His kingdom, the Church. Often too, when He preached to the people, the Apostles asked Him on His return what His sermon meant (Luke 8:9). But after the Holy Ghost came, they were enlightened, and understood all without difficulty. “Strengthen.” I told you already that before the Holy Ghost came they were timid and afraid of being arrested, but that afterwards they went out boldly, and taught all they had learned from Our Lord. They were often taken prisoners and scourged, but it mattered not — they were firm in their faith, and could suffer anything for Christ after they had been enlightened and strengthened by the Holy Ghost. Finally, they were all, with the exception of St. John, put to death for their holy faith. St. Peter and St. Paul were crucified at Rome about the year 65, that is, about thirty-two years after the death of Our Lord. St. James was beheaded by order of King Herod. St. John lived the longest, and was the only one of the Apostles who was not put to death, though he was cast into a large vessel of boiling oil, but was miraculously saved.

Certainly by dying for their faith the Apostles showed that they were not impostors or hypocrites. They must really have believed what they taught, otherwise they would not have laid down their lives for it. They were certain of what they taught, as we saw when speaking of St. Thomas.

*101 Q. Will the Holy Ghost abide with the Church forever? A. The Holy Ghost will abide with the Church forever, and guide it in the way of holiness and truth.

“Abide” means to stay with us.

The Unforgivable Sin – Those Against God

Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

~Matthew 12:31 (NRSV).

This issue is loaded like a cannon and ready for complete misinterpretation – as many have been caused to misuse or feel condemned by it. Let’s get it clear that this is not about flippant blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

Rather it is the “deliberate perversion of the truth” in a way that’s a “settled decision to oppose the work of God.”[1] That, in sum, in this context that Jesus was in, was the Pharisees. To go to one’s death virulent in opposition to the Holy Spirit’s power and work is to welcome the gates of hell.

Assuaging Our Own Guilt

We have all blasphemed God. That issue is not in doubt and that’s something we’re found pardoned for, without doubt.

Jesus’ situation was one where the Pharisees were throwing every dark trick imaginable against the Holy Spirit’s ministry in and through him. The accusations levelled at Jesus were inflammatory tantamount to death; had Jesus not turned the issue back on them with holy cunning as he did, he may well have found himself going to the cross earlier… of course, that was not the Father’s plan!

Thinking of the Pharisees’ action to ensnare Jesus – here and at other times – it is easy to see their viciousness against the work of God. These blind guides were thrust forward to evil so much it’s difficult to contrast them with an equivalent in today’s terms – a group overt in ‘said’ stance for God, yet so much against the Spirit’s purposes.

Well, we know the false teachers that Jesus and the apostles wrote of fit into this category; those teachers preaching one thing and living clearly another… to the point of utter dichotomy.

Our focus is on knowing that normal (i.e. penitent) belief is forgiven unconditionally.

Who is Left Unforgiven?

The unforgivable sin is the action of the person actively worshiping Satan; the one doing his dirty work against the kingdom of God. That is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Who are these people in today’s terms? There are some who, like these First Century Pharisees who sought to trip Jesus up, might say they’re fervently for God, but their very activities in discouraging and dissuading the work of God are working against Kingdom purposes. This is a heart turned hard; a heart turned against certain devices or methods God might be using… in a word, legalism.

These, ironically, are the ‘ministers’ quick to judge others’ action and intent as heretical, especially if those they judge are authentic workers in the Kingdom. Whoever is not against the kingdom of God is for it (Mark 9:40). Workers for the Kingdom are never beyond reproach; they should be ready to give an account for their ministries. No one ever ministers without fault – theologically or in practice. That is, however, forgivable.

The saved person who is actively working against the devil’s purposes is for God – their forgiveness is assured, no matter what they’ve said or done in the past to the contrary!

Copyright (c) 2011 S. J. Wickham.

[1] R.T. France, Matthew – New Bible Commentary (Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1953, 1954, 1970, 1994), p. 920.

An Introduction to Religious Funerals

Funerals are becoming more secular, with greater spend on floral tributes and distinctive non-religious memorials. However, religious funerals are still preferred by a large percentage of the UK population.

While many people in the UK don’t attend church or a place of worship, on a regular basis, they often turn to religion in times of bereavement to provide a religious funeral service. Members of the clergy are regularly called upon to officiate at cremations and burials and to conduct ceremonies at the crematorium rather than in their church.

Below, we note a few procedures and customs associated with religious funerals:

Protestant

A dying person may have a minister attend the death bed and prayers said. A prayer is then said at the church on the Sunday after the death. The funeral can take many forms and may include speeches and Christian readings by relatives and close friends.

Roman Catholic

At the approach of death, a priest visits to hear the dying person’s confession and to absolve them, administer Holy Communion and Extreme Unction, anointing the person with oil that has been blessed by a bishop. Burial is preceded by prayers for the dead. A requiem is recited at the funeral and the body in the coffin is sprinkled with holy water and blessed with incense.

Muslim

Muslims use burial as opposed to any other method and prefer their graves to be directed towards Mecca. Some, but by no means all public cemeteries, have set aside areas of their cemetery to provide this facility.

The body is washed and buried, as soon as possible; cremation and routine autopsies are forbidden. Friends and relatives of the bereaved assist by preparing meals for three days. The emphasis is on simplicity and therefore gifts of flowers are inappropriate.

Hindu

Hindus, on the other hand, require bodies to be cremated. Immediately after death, the body is placed on the floor with the head pointing south. An oil lamp is placed beside it and kept burning continuously for the first three days following death. The body is bathed by purified water, and then dressed in white clothes for a male or a widow red or yellow for women.

Traditionally, the son of the deceased lights the funeral pyre and in modern cremation services this is achieved by providing a remote switch and an observation area.

If the family receives flowers from visitors, they are placed at the feet of the deceased. After the funeral, friends may visit, and the custom is to bring gifts of fruit.

Sikh

Cremation is the preferred method of disposal. Worship of the dead with gravestones, etc. is discouraged, because the body is considered to be only the shell and the person’s soul is their real essence. The ashes are disposed of by placing them in the nearest river.

The funeral service is called the Antam Sanskar and is performed at the Gurdwara where the mourners sing hymns (Shabads) and recite prayers (Kirtan).

Jewish

Burial takes place where at all possible on the day of death. Chevra Kadisha (Holy Group) is a Jewish burial society made up of volunteers who prepare the deceased for burial. The service will usually takes place at the burial ground and will commence with eulogies or “hespeds” to the deceased. No flowers are sent to a Jewish funeral. However, a growing custom is for close friends to send flowers to the family of the deceased, during the weeks after the funeral, (except for Orthodox Jews).

For seven days, thereafter, mourners come to the home of the deceased, and hold a worship service called the Shivah (seven days). Additionally, mourners do not contact other friends or do business, during this seven-day period.

A Holy, Impeccable, Unblemished Life

If your child or a loved one came to you asking the following question, what would your honest answers be: Are you holy, impeccable and unblemished? Well, I know myself very well and, unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to answer yes to any of the three. I suspect, like all of us, you too would have to hang your head and say no, we don’t make it.

Sometime during the day we make the wrong choice and fail miserably.

But when God looks at me and you, he sees all of us as holy, impeccable and unblemished. He doesn’t see my unholy actions, my blemishes or a need to reproach me. All because of Jesus’ death on the cross. His blood that was spilt made it possible for God to see us differently.

22But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God’s side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don’t walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust…

The King James Version puts it so beautifully: 21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight…

God sees you as holy. He sees you as unblemished. He sees your impeccable deeds. But, honestly, I want to call out to Paul and say, no, you don’t know Gert. My life is not like that, o no! Walk with me for a day or two, then you’ll see all the unholiness in my life. You will see all the blemishes of my actions and that I often deserve to be held accountable.

And then Paul’s words ring through my head: Jesus came to make peace between you and God. God sees me as holy, without blemish and impeccable. That’s it. It doesn’t matter what your past looks like. It doesn’t matter what you think about yourself. It doesn’t even matter what the reality is. God sees you differently.

It doesn’t really make sense to me, because it’s beyond my understanding. Yes, I’m only human and I don’t always understand how God works. It’s on another level.

But… it’s the truth and we people must get our heads around it. Jesus’ spilt blood makes us irreproachable before God. We need no longer be scolded for the wrong things we did. We need no longer be punished for our sin, because Jesus was already punished for it.

Wow, are you also flooded with gratitude? Do you also now want to do something to show how grateful you are for God’s intervention in our lives? Well, then it is probably a good idea to start living exactly the way that God sees us, holy, unblemished, impeccable. And by the way, the King James Version talks about us now being unblameable. We must live in such a way that we cannot be blamed for wrong deeds.

May we all try to live the way that God sees us. May others look at us and see that we are holy, impeccable and unblemished by sin.

Scripture

Colossians 1:21-23

Reflection

Do you see yourself as holy, unblemished and impeccable?

What did Jesus succeed in doing?

How can you change your life so that you can live more holy, unblemished and impeccable?

Prayer

Our Father and Jesus Christ, I don’t understand everything. I cannot understand that You see me as holy, unblemished and impeccable. I do know it is Jesus’ blood that did this. Therefore, I have to get my life in order. Please give me the strength and wisdom to live it. Amen.

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