This document discusses the origins of Santa Claus and argues that he is based on a real 4th century Christian bishop named Nicholas. It claims that teaching children about the historical Nicholas is better than misleading them about Santa Claus. The document also discusses the spread of Islam in former Christian regions and argues that areas like Syria and Turkey would benefit from returning to Christianity.
This weekend we bring our Liturgical Year as well as our Jubilee Year of Mercy to a close as we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King – a time for us to refocus on who or what is “King” in our lives.
There is no shortage of alternative “Kings”, but lately it would seem, politics has been a dominating “King” in all of our lives. If you are like me, maybe you are exhausted from being barraged for the past 18 months with divisive rhetoric from both sides of the isle filled with anger, fear and hatred and then seeing it repeated and amplified through social media – language and actions devoid of love and mercy…and now we are wondering why hate crimes are on the rise?
So what sets the priorities in your life? Who or what is your King? Perhaps a bit of wisdom from Elie Wiesel, Pope Francis and Lukan Gospels will point us in the right direction. Click and check it out.
This weekend we bring our Liturgical Year as well as our Jubilee Year of Mercy to a close as we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King – a time for us to refocus on who or what is “King” in our lives.
There is no shortage of alternative “Kings”, but lately it would seem, politics has been a dominating “King” in all of our lives. If you are like me, maybe you are exhausted from being barraged for the past 18 months with divisive rhetoric from both sides of the isle filled with anger, fear and hatred and then seeing it repeated and amplified through social media – language and actions devoid of love and mercy…and now we are wondering why hate crimes are on the rise?
So what sets the priorities in your life? Who or what is your King? Perhaps a bit of wisdom from Elie Wiesel, Pope Francis and Lukan Gospels will point us in the right direction. Click and check it out.
The slideshow of the Ordination Service Message given by the presiding General Superintendent to the 2012 Assembly of the Rochy Mountain District COTN.
This is the adult Sunday school PowerPoint presentation for May 31, 2020.
For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie and Bible Baptist Church of Puyallup, Washington please visit https://www.bbcpuyallup.org
Homily: 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2018James Knipper
This Sunday we celebrated the gift of love and marriage during the World Day of Marriage. So how does the gift of love and marriage tie into the Gospel of Jesus healing the Leper? Leave it to the wisdom of a group of 4 – 8 year olds to shed light on all of this! How do they do it? And what does that mean to you? Check it out….
This message is a prophetic word the Lord has given me. Test it.
Jerusalem represents the American Church— all the followers of Jesus
The broken walls of Jerusalem represent the broken moral and spiritual foundations of the Church— broken by many sins in the Church
Through those broken walls, forces of darkness have infiltrated and corrupted the people of God
The book of Nehemiah is a metaphor for how God is rebuilding our spiritual walls and cleansing God’s people in America
God restored Jerusalem in preparation for the coming of Jesus about 450 years later
God is restoring us now in preparation for a huge national and international revival
Video of this message starts at 52:43 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEEWhJFNP54
More info on Freemasonry at http://www.dear-mr-mason.com/Main.html
John Birch was a Baptist missionary from Macon, Georgia who dedicated his life to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ through mission work in China. John Birch spread the gospel of Jesus Christ by perfectly blending with the Chinese people. He helped churches and won people to the Lord through his witnessing and gospel tract ministry. During World War II he served the US Army Air Force. Back then the legitimate Chinese government under Chiang Kai-shek was an ally of the US. In 1945 the Chinese communists brutally butchered John Birch to death because the communists hated Americans and Christians in particular. Now we want to ask you to pray for the persecutors. John Birch became the first casualty of the Cold War.
The West Is Winning: Mike Pompeo speaking at Munich Security ConferenceIngo Breuer
US Secretary of Staet Mike Pompeo at the 2020 Munich Security Conference. Properly explaining the American viewpoint to European leaders. They needed to hear that. Explaining the importance of national sovereignty instead of centralistic domination.
The slideshow of the Ordination Service Message given by the presiding General Superintendent to the 2012 Assembly of the Rochy Mountain District COTN.
This is the adult Sunday school PowerPoint presentation for May 31, 2020.
For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie and Bible Baptist Church of Puyallup, Washington please visit https://www.bbcpuyallup.org
Homily: 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2018James Knipper
This Sunday we celebrated the gift of love and marriage during the World Day of Marriage. So how does the gift of love and marriage tie into the Gospel of Jesus healing the Leper? Leave it to the wisdom of a group of 4 – 8 year olds to shed light on all of this! How do they do it? And what does that mean to you? Check it out….
This message is a prophetic word the Lord has given me. Test it.
Jerusalem represents the American Church— all the followers of Jesus
The broken walls of Jerusalem represent the broken moral and spiritual foundations of the Church— broken by many sins in the Church
Through those broken walls, forces of darkness have infiltrated and corrupted the people of God
The book of Nehemiah is a metaphor for how God is rebuilding our spiritual walls and cleansing God’s people in America
God restored Jerusalem in preparation for the coming of Jesus about 450 years later
God is restoring us now in preparation for a huge national and international revival
Video of this message starts at 52:43 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEEWhJFNP54
More info on Freemasonry at http://www.dear-mr-mason.com/Main.html
John Birch was a Baptist missionary from Macon, Georgia who dedicated his life to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ through mission work in China. John Birch spread the gospel of Jesus Christ by perfectly blending with the Chinese people. He helped churches and won people to the Lord through his witnessing and gospel tract ministry. During World War II he served the US Army Air Force. Back then the legitimate Chinese government under Chiang Kai-shek was an ally of the US. In 1945 the Chinese communists brutally butchered John Birch to death because the communists hated Americans and Christians in particular. Now we want to ask you to pray for the persecutors. John Birch became the first casualty of the Cold War.
The West Is Winning: Mike Pompeo speaking at Munich Security ConferenceIngo Breuer
US Secretary of Staet Mike Pompeo at the 2020 Munich Security Conference. Properly explaining the American viewpoint to European leaders. They needed to hear that. Explaining the importance of national sovereignty instead of centralistic domination.
Proclamation On National Sanctity Of Human Life Day, 2021Ingo Breuer
Proclamation on National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2021, January 22, 2021. One of the last great achievements of the Trump administration and a guidepost and rebuke for the following administration.
Geneva Consensus Declaration: protecting families, women's health and the right to life. More nations should sign and oppose UN & EU leftist radicalism.
Geneva Consensus Declaration: protecting families, women's health and the right to life. More nations should sign and oppose UN & EU leftist radicalism.
Geneva Consensus Declaration: protecting families, women's health and the right to life. More nations should sign and oppose UN & EU leftist radicalism.
Geneva Consensus Declaration English 11-10-2020Ingo Breuer
Geneva Consensus Declaration: protecting families, women's health and the right to life. More nations should sign and oppose UN & EU leftist radicalism.
Geneva Consensus Declaration: protecting families, women's health and the right to life. More nations should sign and oppose UN & EU leftist radicalism.
Die schlimme Entchristlichung führt zu einer gefährlichen Machtverschiebung in der europäischen Politik. Freiheit ist in Gefahr durch linksgrüne Gefährder, die für mehr Verbote und staatliche Einmischung sowie zentralistischer Kontrolle stehen. Der Weg in eine heidnsiche Tyrannei und europäischen Totalitarismus ist gebahnt. Jetzt ist die Stunde des christlich-konservativen Widerstandes.
Was genau ist Nächstenliebe? Ist es bloße Gefälligkeit oder Schönreden von Sünde? Ist es nicht erst recht Liebe, wenn man sich wirklich um die Seele sorgt und für die Ewigkeit bewußt wird? Eine Lektion aus einem katholischen Katechismus, die heute dringend vonnöten ist.
Why do some people follow and worship celebrities but find it impossible to trust God? Why do some parrot the opinions of celebrities but find it impossible to obey God's Word?
Ein Grundbekenntnis des Glaubens für bibeltreue Christen. Genau das haben viele Baptisten im US-Bundesstaat New Hampshire auf einer Versammlung niedergeschrieben in 18 einzelnen Glaubensartikeln.
Hier wirk erklärt, daß Baptisten keine Protestanten sind, sondern schon vor der Reformation existierten und ihre Herkunft auf die Zeit Jesu und der Apostel zurückführen können.
Warum kamen die Pharisäer nicht wirklich mit Jesus zurecht? Weil Jesus überall seine Göttlichkeit gezeigt hat. Er ist Herr über den Sabbat. Er heilt und vergibt Sünden. Er betont seine Einheit mit dem Vater im Himmel. Jesus ist eben Gott von Gott. Eine christliche Kernaussage.
What is the greatest thing in the world? Find out as you listen to Henry Drummond's famous treatise of the love chapter - 1 Corinthians 13 - edited and narrated by Dr. Batsell Barrett Baxter.
This message was taken from an old record found at a Goodwill store in Tennessee. I hope this message will help people all over the world.
Was genau ist das Reich Gottes? Welche Auswirkungen hat es auf uns? Wie sieht es nachhaltig in Ewigkeit aus? Eine Lektion aus einem katholischen Katechismus.
Discover various methods for clearing negative entities from your space and spirit, including energy clearing techniques, spiritual rituals, and professional assistance. Gain practical knowledge on how to implement these techniques to restore peace and harmony. For more information visit here: https://www.reikihealingdistance.com/negative-entity-removal/
Exploring the Mindfulness Understanding Its Benefits.pptxMartaLoveguard
Slide 1: Title: Exploring the Mindfulness: Understanding Its Benefits
Slide 2: Introduction to Mindfulness
Mindfulness, defined as the conscious, non-judgmental observation of the present moment, has deep roots in Buddhist meditation practice but has gained significant popularity in the Western world in recent years. In today's society, filled with distractions and constant stimuli, mindfulness offers a valuable tool for regaining inner peace and reconnecting with our true selves. By cultivating mindfulness, we can develop a heightened awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, leading to a greater sense of clarity and presence in our daily lives.
Slide 3: Benefits of Mindfulness for Mental Well-being
Practicing mindfulness can help reduce stress and anxiety levels, improving overall quality of life.
Mindfulness increases awareness of our emotions and teaches us to manage them better, leading to improved mood.
Regular mindfulness practice can improve our ability to concentrate and focus our attention on the present moment.
Slide 4: Benefits of Mindfulness for Physical Health
Research has shown that practicing mindfulness can contribute to lowering blood pressure, which is beneficial for heart health.
Regular meditation and mindfulness practice can strengthen the immune system, aiding the body in fighting infections.
Mindfulness may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity by reducing stress and improving overall lifestyle habits.
Slide 5: Impact of Mindfulness on Relationships
Mindfulness can help us better understand others and improve communication, leading to healthier relationships.
By focusing on the present moment and being fully attentive, mindfulness helps build stronger and more authentic connections with others.
Mindfulness teaches us how to be present for others in difficult times, leading to increased compassion and understanding.
Slide 6: Mindfulness Techniques and Practices
Focusing on the breath and mindful breathing can be a simple way to enter a state of mindfulness.
Body scan meditation involves focusing on different parts of the body, paying attention to any sensations and feelings.
Practicing mindful walking and eating involves consciously focusing on each step or bite, with full attention to sensory experiences.
Slide 7: Incorporating Mindfulness into Daily Life
You can practice mindfulness in everyday activities such as washing dishes or taking a walk in the park.
Adding mindfulness practice to daily routines can help increase awareness and presence.
Mindfulness helps us become more aware of our needs and better manage our time, leading to balance and harmony in life.
Slide 8: Summary: Embracing Mindfulness for Full Living
Mindfulness can bring numerous benefits for physical and mental health.
Regular mindfulness practice can help achieve a fuller and more satisfying life.
Mindfulness has the power to change our perspective and way of perceiving the world, leading to deeper se
A375 Example Taste the taste of the Lord, the taste of the Lord The taste of...franktsao4
It seems that current missionary work requires spending a lot of money, preparing a lot of materials, and traveling to far away places, so that it feels like missionary work. But what was the result they brought back? It's just a lot of photos of activities, fun eating, drinking and some playing games. And then we have to do the same thing next year, never ending. The church once mentioned that a certain missionary would go to the field where she used to work before the end of his life. It seemed that if she had not gone, no one would be willing to go. The reason why these missionary work is so difficult is that no one obeys God’s words, and the Bible is not the main content during missionary work, because in the eyes of those who do not obey God’s words, the Bible is just words and cannot be connected with life, so Reading out God's words is boring because it doesn't have any life experience, so it cannot be connected with human life. I will give a few examples in the hope that this situation can be changed. A375
2 Peter 3: Because some scriptures are hard to understand and some will force them to say things God never intended, Peter warns us to take care.
https://youtu.be/nV4kGHFsEHw
The Hope of Salvation - Jude 1:24-25 - MessageCole Hartman
Jude gives us hope at the end of a dark letter. In a dark world like today, we need the light of Christ to shine brighter and brighter. Jude shows us where to fix our focus so we can be filled with God's goodness and glory. Join us to explore this incredible passage.
Why is this So? ~ Do Seek to KNOW (English & Chinese).pptxOH TEIK BIN
A PowerPoint Presentation based on the Dhamma teaching of Kamma-Vipaka (Intentional Actions-Ripening Effects).
A Presentation for developing morality, concentration and wisdom and to spur us to practice the Dhamma diligently.
The texts are in English and Chinese.
In Jude 17-23 Jude shifts from piling up examples of false teachers from the Old Testament to a series of practical exhortations that flow from apostolic instruction. He preserves for us what may well have been part of the apostolic catechism for the first generation of Christ-followers. In these instructions Jude exhorts the believer to deal with 3 different groups of people: scoffers who are "devoid of the Spirit", believers who have come under the influence of scoffers and believers who are so entrenched in false teaching that they need rescue and pose some real spiritual risk for the rescuer. In all of this Jude emphasizes Jesus' call to rescue straying sheep, leaving the 99 safely behind and pursuing the 1.
1. There Really Is A Santa Claus!
1
There Really
Is A
Santa Claus!
Ingo Breuer
Many children grow up with the belief in Santa Claus who lives on the Northpole, rides his reindeer
sleigh and brings presents on Christmas by climbing through the chimney. In other countries there
are the traditions of “Father Christmas”, “Sinterklaas”, “Saint Nick” or Nicholas. Then as those
children grow up they are coldheartedly told “There is no Santa Claus!” And for many children this is
a moment of disillusionment from which they will not recover for he rest of their lives. They were led
to believe in this man of goodness and generosity and later they are deliberately being disappointed
and left with the impression that in reality only vice and greed exists while true goodness is just a
“fairytale”. I believe it is both stupid and immoral to lead children to believe something and then
later tell them it’s not true. We as Christians want to teach children the truth. We are like John: it is
our greatest joy to see children walk in truth.
If it is my effort and goal to teach children about the truth of God, the Savior Jesus Christ and the
need for personal salvation, then it is counter-productive when I let them believe in Santa Claus and
then later at age 10 tell them that wasn’t true. Then I am guilty of deliberately misleading and
confusing a child. After all, that child might logically think: “If all this story about Santa is not true,
then all this talk about Jesus might not be true either.” So once again, our society is guilty of the most
destructive social patterns of behavior. Instead of avoiding such mistakes, people by the millions
jump for it and go right ahead and make such mistakes and end up miserable because they have not
followed the Bible.
But upon closer research I found a blessing. There really is a Santa Claus and there is an urgent
message in his life-story that cries for global attention. When you take the modernday legends of
Santa Claus, Sinterklaas, Weihnachtsmann or Saint Nick and trace them back to their historic origin,
then you will find a real person. You can teach your child about that REAL PERSON who is behind
Santa Claus. All the modern stories lead us back to a man named Nicholas. He was a Christian man
and later became a church leader (bishop) at a time when Christians faced enormous persecution by
the pagan Roman state. He lived in Minor Asia which today is Turkey. He was born in 270 AD and
died in 343 AD. Does you child know about Nicholas – the man behind the modern Santa Claus. Is
that being taught in your child’s school?
Nicholas was a man of integrity. He was known for helping the poor, defending the true doctrine of
Christianity against heresies, stepping up to be a bishop at a time of persecution when others would
rather hide from serving in a Christian office. There are stories of him helping sailors in a storm on a
2. There Really Is A Santa Claus!
2
ship. The idea of “Santa Claus” bringing gifts or the various traditions of secret gift giving might have
originated from Nicholas. There was a poor man who could not afford dowries for his 3 daughters.
Nicholas must have known about the situation and he had a way of helping them to prevent the
daughters from ending up in sex trafficking and prostitution. Nicholas decided to help secretly. He
passed by their house by night and threw 3 bags of money through a window to help them have their
dowry for marriage. This reminds us that Jesus taught us to do our giving in secret and not publicly
tout our horn about how much money we give to charity. Let not your left hand know what your
right hand is doing. Jesus teaches the three secret disciplines of giving, prayer and fasting. Matthew
6:1-18. That is a basic principle of how we ought to live as believers in Jesus Christ.
While much of today’s Santa Claus traditions are mere inventions and embellishments, there is a
core of truth behind all that. The story of Nicholas reminds me of this Proverb:
“The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.” Proverbs 20:7.
The real Nicholas lived 1700 years ago but his legacy lasts till today. Every child can find a good
example in the life story of Nicholas. Instead of misleading children to worship and idolize sinful,
godless rock stars who are not Christians, they should know about Nicholas. And most of all, they
need to know Jesus Christ. It is wrong for anybody to idolize people. Remember when Apostle Peter
came to Cornelius, then Cornelius fell down and worshiped the man. But Peter said “Quit! I am just a
man.” People worship is wrong. Children should never ever under no circumstances be misled to
idolize celebrities, rock stars or sports stars. IF YOU ARE SAVE YOU HAVE NO CELEBRITY BUT JESUS
CHRIST. If you have followed the world and idolized people or things, then this would be a good time
to course-correct and repent to God.
Nicholas was born in a town called Patara and served as bishop of Myra. The city of Myra was
near today’s city of Turkey. Turkey is a Muslim country today. The disciples of Jesus were first called
Christians in Antioch which is in the country of Syria. Also a Muslim country in a mess of war right
now. The apostle Paul went about preaching the gospel and establishing churches all over Asia
Minor, Syria, Cyprus … Did you notice that all the major places in the Bible today have been overrun
by the doctrine of the false prophet of Islam? Just think of it: In the book of Nehemia, Ezra and Esther
we read about the king of Persia helping the Jews – God’s chosen people. You know that Persia now
is called Iran and Iran is Muslim and those people today hate the Jews and want them off the map.
About 2500 years ago their kings used to help the Jews in getting temple worship started and having
the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt. Iranian donations made it possible! The Iran of today is definitely out-
of-sync with their national history. They used the bless God’s people instead of cursing them. So you
see how those former Christian or pro-Jewish countries have all been overrun with Islam. The historic
lesson is this: Apostasy is followed by terrorism. Decadents are overrun by barbarians. If you commit
apostasy against God, you will be overrun by tyrants who follow false gods. The former Christian
countries that fell into apostasy later on have been overrun by Islam. The question is: Is Europe and
America next? Will they learn from history or will they repeat history? People are extremely ignorant
today. Churchgoers are more addicted to iphone and hellevision shows than with actual truth from
the Bible. The kind of preacher that will preach the truth will get run off and accused of being divisive
and hateful. My God says that if you love good you must hate evil. If you cannot hate, then you never
really loved anything. The biblical definition of “hate” is to love less. It does not necessarily imply
wrath or guile. Syria is a mess now with war. Turkey is heading the same way. We cannot bring
peace to Syria by sending in bombs and drones and troops. Consider the nonsense: Why should our
troops risk their lives in an undeclared war on foreign soil, while Syrian refugees systematically
overrun Europe maybe soon the US as so-called “refugees”. Why does Barack Obama arm radical
Muslim rebels in Syria while at the same time he wants to disarm American citizens? How crazy can a
3. There Really Is A Santa Claus!
3
person be when he trusts known criminals with weapons but does not trust law-abiding citizens with
means to defend themselves? Obamunism makes no sense. Believing in Santa might be naive, but
believing in Obama is outright dangerous, destructive, hare-brained and utter idiocy.
If we want peace in Syria, then the people in that region of the world should also consider Nicholas.
They should consider turning back to the faith their forefathers a long time ago forsook. Instead of
Islam overrunning Europe and America, we must see Christian inroads into Syria and faith in Christ
welling up all over the Islamic world. Those countries where once the apostles set up churches need
to turn back to that apostolic faith. What a blessing if once on the road to Damascus Saul saw a light
and turned to Christ. Great is the need for many a Muslim in that area to talk the same road. The
people of Syria and Turkey, where Nicholas is from, and where the early church worked, should just
open up to the love and forgiveness of God and turn form their idols to the living God.