| Author | Message | ||
| Colleentinker |
We went to a Good Friday service at our church last night, and about ten people (or more) were baptized. They each gave their testimony before being "dunked", and it was the most moving experience imaginable. Often when they finished telling their story, and always when they rose out of the water, the people clapped, and when teenagers were baptized, the teens present who sat together in the front would stand and cheer. Today is the day Jesus spent in the tomb. I remember hearing sermons about how Jesus honored the Sabbath by resting on it. That wasn't the point at all. Jesus was dead. Sabbath rest only makes sense when one is alive, rejoicing and resting in a living Lord! On this day the priests went to Pilot quietly and asked for the tomb to be sealed and guarded. They deliberately broke the Sabbath in order to try to prevent Jesus or his body from leaving the tomb. There is no doubt in my mind that they knew what they were doing.They knew who Jesus was, and I believe they had fear that he would rise from death. They had to be desperate to break their ritual Sabbath keeping in such a big way. Imagine what the world was like with Jesus dead. I'm sure that the spiritual oppression was heavy. His disciples and other followers must have been grief-stricken, but they probably also were trying to hang onto hope, since he had told them he would rise again. Many people believe that the enigmatic passage in 1 Peter 3:18-21 describes what Jesus did in eternity during the hours he was dead. Many others do not agree. In either case, we do not know what happened to Jesus' spirit during his death. The only thing we know for sure is that his death took care of the problem of sin. We cannot perceive exactly what sin did in the universe. It is bigger than we are, and it reaches beyond our three (or four) dimensions. The other thing we know for sure is that just as he laid down his life, he took it up again. And if that same Spirit that raised Jesus is living in us, "he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you." (Romans 8:11) His death, which impacted the entire universe, has given us eternity. It has made it possible for us to be forgiven, to live again in oneness with God. Praise Jesus for what he has done for us! Colleen | ||
| Colleentinker |
He is risen! It's Resurrection Sunday, and I am praising Jesus for being alive and for giving us a new life! We went to the early (8:00) service at church this morning, and Gary Inrig talked about the fact that we base our belief and confidence on the empty tomb and the fact that eyewitnesses met, interacted, and were changed by the risen Christ. Those apostles didn't live out their lives in persecution and end in martyrdom for a myth. They knew Jesus, and they died for the truth, not merely a hope. I praise Jesus for the amazing changes I see in the lives of people I know who have accepted his love and forgiveness. I praise God that no detractors are strong enough to undo the saving grace and power and new life that is reality in Jesus. I praise God that he completes the work he begins in us, and I am grateful beyond telling that we can place in his hands those we worry about, those who turn aside from walking fully into the truth about their lives, those who resist growing in grace, those who become cynical or aggressive when confronted with truth. I praise Jesus that he holds us in his hand, and the reality of life with him is greater than Satan's attempts to destroy our confidence. God is good, and I praise Him for the risen Savior! Happy Easter! I pray for us all. Colleen | ||
| Violet |
Yes, Colleen it is a wonderful day to praise God and all He has given us. This Easter Season has been the most meaningful for me. I will be even more ready for it next year. In a way I hate to see it be over this has truly been a liberating time for me. Vi | ||
| Dennis |
Last night at the First Evangelical Free Church, here in Lincoln, Nebraska, my wife and I attended an Easter pageant titled "Witness to the Light." It was a world-class production with a cast of around 100 people, artificial fog, and even a real Shetland pony inside the worship center to carry Jesus during the Palm Sunday scene. This morning, for the Easter services, the rostrum was richly decorated with three settings of lilies surrounded by some colorful plants for a vivid contrast of beauty. Our senior pastor, Mark Brunot, delivered an excellent sermon depicting the Easter story from the Gospel of John. He stated that he also visited the tomb and found it empty. Being new members, this was our first Easter with our new church family. It was all very inspiring and awesome to us. We have approximately 1,000 attendees every Sunday, of which about 300 are formal members. Sylvia and I are most delighted with our new church family. We also enjoy being part of the LIFE TRACK Adult Sunday School class. As the well-known Christian hymn proclaims, "we serve a risen Savior." Happy Easter to all! Yes, indeed, there is life beyond Adventism! In His grip, Dennis J. Fischer | ||
| Sherry2 |
It is interesting that for me, this was indeed more meaningful then ever before for Easter. Christmas I have never had a problem enjoying and centering on Christ, but frankly when it came to Easter, I didn't have anything to do with it for a few years because of it's "pagan roots"....I especially enjoyed telling my sunday church friends how pagan it was. :) My hubby didn't have a problem with easter eggs, but not under my roof. We have neighbors who are Wiccans so I felt I must set the example and not celebrate Easter since I knew they did in the pagan sense of it. For a season when Jon and I first married, I'd do Easter egg hunt for fun with my hubby, and then later I just wouldn't allow it at all. But Christ was not that central for me...and yes, as someone mentioned, as SDA's we didn't understand the cross as well (for most)....the IJ confuses the finality of the cross by a ton. So anyhow, I eased up alot last year, and this year it was just such a shock how richly Christ is worshiped in all these services in the "nominal" Christian churches. Never heard of Maundy Thursday till this year. That was a beautiful service. I went to a Good Friday service as well, where they addressed each of Christ's last sentences He spoke (7 total). And Saturday my husband and I went with the kids to the local zoo for a full blown Easter Egg hunt with hundreds of other children. Loads of fun! Never done anything like that since I was a kid (before we were ever even in a church). Sat. afternoon we went to the theatre for a special event. Local churches had worked together to rent the theatre from 1-3:30 and have a Paid In Full day to bring people to Christ. They showed the Jesus childrens video in one theatre with puppets and singing, another theatre had a drama for the adults, and then there was a theatre with special events for the youth. Entry was ofcourse free. How cool is that! So we took the kids to that. Got a free Jesus children's video which my daughter loves. I cannot say that Easter itself went well. Things sort-of fell apart that day, but anyhow. It is such a blessing though to find this new walk with Him. Learning to live in Grace, Sherry Reinbold Thanks for all your testimonies above. Really neat. | ||
| Colleentinker |
Sherry, I'm sorry your Easter fell apart, but I'm really glad you had such a rich Passion week. You know that song, "I Will Never Be the Same Again"? It's so true. Nothing--not even the things we thought we knew and observed--is the same when we've met Jesus. Praising God for Grace, Colleen | ||
| Matthew |
Easter[ishtar,astarte]is an ancient festival of profound paganism.The festival of the fertility god or mother goddes.Practiced in Babylon,ninevah[ninus]and all other pagan lands including Rome[saturnia]were it was most recently revamped before entering the USA and most PROTESTANT CHURCHES for that matter.The name Easter Sunday is the most defiling name you could ever incorperate with the Passover of Christ.Easter is the pagan goddes[venus,diana,isis,astarte,etc]Sunday is the day of the Sun or better put sungod.And this is just a simple deciphering of the name of Easter sunday let alone what lurks behind the name.Easter and Lent are thousands of years old,lent was a fast of forty days to the sungod which took place three days after the equinox.Human sacrafice took place on the equinox,and still does by the likes of Druids,and high degree Freemasons among many other more demonic societies.Easter on the other hand is the equinox,of pagan origin,eggs[which symbolize fertillity among other things]were painted and held as a symbol of mystery, Babylonian mystery that is.Hot cross buns as well as the easter bunny are just as pagan in there origin.This is the system of mystery which came from Babylon.Therefore we find the responsible party involved in this mixing of Christ and satan[which you cannot serve both]being Rome and to be more specific the roman catholic church.Furthermore anyone who has read the Revelation of Jesus Christ writtin by John through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT can see" Mystery Babylon the great"is the Vatican and the system it enforces,Rome is the city of seven hills or mountains which Revelations explains as being the seat of the apostate church Rev.17:9.Furthermore Rome was originally called the city of Saturn or Saturnia.Do you see that they changed the Bible Sabbath and now call it Saturday[as is to say SATURNS DAY]and even worse Dec.25 is the birthday of Saturn.On this day his wife which was also his mother and sister left presents under a tree after his death?Just for your info Saturn as been proved to be Nimrod who just happens to be the first king of Babylon and him and his wife Astarte are the founders of the Babylonian Mysteries.Did you know years before CHRIST was born Dec.25 was celebrated as the festival of Saturnia.Saturn being Nimrod and the head of the chaldean mysteries which, come from Babylon, and the god Rome was named after[Satunia]so many years ago contains the Apocalyptic number in caldee mathmatics which is 666.There is many writings that document this,the most notible is The Two Babylons by Hislop.He understood this over a hundred years ago why can't we.Pride would be my answer,because it takes a man to admit he was wrong and fooled by the devil.Besides how many so called Christians do you know who after doing something that they thought was okay because everyone else in the Church ia doing it would stand up and correct themselves as well as all the so called elders of the Church who have been following the traditions of man and satan even as apposed to the Comandments and will of YHVH thru YESHUA THE CHRIST.Many are called but few are chosen.Easter is evil,always has been.The crucifixion and ressurection of CHRIST JESUS is are salvation do not practice the mysteries which dam the soul along side the love that saves it. | ||
| Shortwave |
Sorry to tell you this but.... I AM a "High Degree" Mason and we DON'T sacrifice anyone any time any where!!! You poor soul. Shortwave | ||
| Windmotion |
Matthew, I sense you are very angry about something and I'm not sure what it is. I suspect by your message that you are a seventh-day Adventist. If so, and you are seeking to know the truth, then you have come to the right place!! The New Testament stresses that the motive behind and act is the most important thing. Even eating food offered to idols is permitted in the New Testament as long as the person isn't affected by it. (see all of I Cor. 8 but esp. verse 4 "So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one." Also Romans 14, specifically verse 14 "As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.") Where in the Bible does it say Christians cannot have holy days on the same day pagans have holy days? Where in the Bible does it say if a Christian worships on a pagan holy day, he is actually worshipping that pagan idol even though he intends to worship Jesus? --Hannah | ||
| Bob |
Matthew: You obviously are an avid student of history and the Bible. But what I am most interested in about you is how you found Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, and what the Holy Spirit is doing in your life currently. Please share that with us! | ||
| Colleentinker |
Speaking of Masons, I found a site a few weeks ago which in some ways reminds me of FAF in its purpose of helping people sort through truth and error. Check it out! Ex Masons for Jesus Colleen | ||
| Loneviking |
Matthew, If I might add, you might want to fellowship with the Jehovahs' Witnesses as they hold the same ideas that you do. Most of here on this forum probably won't agree with your position and I personally don't think there's any problem celebrating Christmas/Easter and all points in between. If you are a former SDA though, really looking for fellowship then you've come to the right place. Whatever the reason---welcome! | ||
| Matthew |
Shortwave I do not want to offend you,but it seems you offend yourself and the very God who created you.Why would you want to be a Mason in the first place?let alone claim to be what you think is a "high degree",It is most likely you are a 3rd degree.Because in the lower degrees they lead you to believe that there is only 3 degrees when in fact that is not the case at all.It is possible that you could be a 32 degree which is still not the Masons which I speak of,or only of.The 33rd degree is where the evil lurks, and even that degree is split into two the one which is blind to the others existance.Besides I have yet to comprehind what a "high degree"mason is doing on a Christian fellowship site on the internet.Dont you have some kind of meeting with the leaders of the council of foreign relations,along with the policy committy of the builderbergs and the heads of the vatican about the next stage of your new world order?I GUESS NOT.Windmotion I am angry that people who claim to be the body of Christ are so unlearned in the scripture,but are the very first to back an opinion or veiw which they should reserch for themselves,before speaking,and even worse accepting someone elses statements on the matter before finding out on their own.We all have grace covering us why take it in vain by chosing to celebrate pagan festivals?Is it not hard enough to keep the commadments of God without adding the traditions of men to your list?I dont doubt that you who celebrate Christmas do it in goodness.But there is something you are missing if you have a tree with gifts under it and the incorperation of santa claus.This is symbolizm.The tree is symbolizm of Nimrod and the gifts under it the celebration of his birth.Santa is just pathetic.Not to mention the day you chose to do it on is not your choice at all.Dec.25.We all know Christ was by no means born on such a day.So why follow the masses?Have you not read "Many are called,few are chosen".Would you also follow the masses to hell?I think not if you know any better,and that is the key.Better and knowing it.The knowledge of what is better,what is of God thru Christ Jesus.Not celebrating the birthday of anyone for birthdays are of pagan and of babylonian origin.Babylon is the head of the beast.The head of the Babylonian Mysteries is Nimrod.The represenitive of Nimrod[saturn] is now the pope,which is head of the apostate church that has Mystery Babylon The Great,The Mother Of Harlots And The Abominations Of The Earth,written on its forehead.Can you see it ?I am no SDA or Jehovah wittness or any other denomination for that matter,I am a child of God and act accordingly.Love is all that matters and is the very will of Christ,to love one another as you would love yourself.Keeping a Sabbath or Holyday or not keeping one will not dam the soul,but if you love Christ leave symbolism and tradition alone,and do only what he ask of you in His word.For man is full of sin as are his philosophies and doctrine and traditions,in Christ there is no sin.Only love.So love one another,this doesnt take a Christmas tree,and diner to do or a Easter Sunday,none of which is even profitable in your walk with God.Only your love for the Father and the love for his son Christ,will save you ,your love is what is pleasing to him.Your love for Him and his children.If you love Him follow Him and not man and what they do on certain days.If you want to please Him and be blessed keep His commandments not mans traditions,but most of all LOVE... | ||
| Shortwave |
Matthew, I am a SR. Warden in Blue Lodge. A 32nd degree in Scotish Rite. A 14th degree in Knights Templar. The only degree that I have NOT received is the 33rd...that is an honorary degree only. I work very closely with many "White Hats" (33rd)in Scotish Rite. I assure you there is no "evil" ritual in that degree. I'm happy to let you in on anything concerning Masonic ritual OTHER than the "signs" and modes of recognition, and that ONLY so they cannot be used falsely. I'm sorry to hear you spouting the usual stuff about the "New World Order", I too believe that it exists. You discredit yourself and all freedom loving patriots when you espouse things you know so little about. The Masonic community is for the most part just a group of men meeting to have a nice dinner and conduct the business of the Lodge such as paying the bills and giving some money to one youth group or another. I am probably going to leave Masonry in the near future... not because of any "evil" that I have found, but because it takes so much time away from things I feel are more important. (Colleen: I spoke with Duane at Ex-Masons and he is being very helpful, as are a number of his contacts.) Matthew, from one who is on the "inside" you simply seem foolish and ignorant when you rant about an organiztion you know so little about. "Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt!" The folks at this site are gentle people on a quest to see Jesus in all his wonderful love, friendship and power....they know him as a Savior and anchor. Please be careful here. I too am searching and trying to overcome things that I can't even describe. Ask questions, debate if you must. Use the knowlege here. Show yourself to be a good listener and take everything you hear wrapped in Love and Understanding. Do NOT try to provoke as it makes you look the fool. Whew!!!! I'm getting kinda long winded here...seems some of you are rubbing off on me! ;) My battle is FAR from over but at least I have a place to "stop and refresh myself" AWFJ, Shortwave | ||
| Jtree |
Matthew I have just one question for you... Which commandments do you keep? | ||
| Jtree |
Matthew I have another question for you.. Do you honestly keep the commandment found in Exodus 16:29? | ||
| In_his_service |
I for one wish I had been raised with a tradition of Easter, instead of ignoring it (as an Adventist) and even worse, looking down on it because it is a "PAGAN" holiday. This is not only the most beautiful tradition of the Christian church, if you will study Church history, you will find that the early church held Resurection Sunday to be the basis of their entire worship and belief. Once a year to be called to the foot of the cross and look up at that most horrible of sights, then experience the true joy of the ressurection is a joy that I can only wish my brothers still in the SDA movement could experience. Call it Easter or any other name you may choose, but to deny the Body of this experience is foolish. By the way Matthew, I too am a Mason. There isn't anything offered by the fraternity that I have not witnessed. I have been the head of my lodge four seperate years. I can assure you that your reading of all the "knowledgeable" material on the organization will not begin to tell you the truth of what it is. I have met many wonderful, believing, CHRISTIAN, friends in lodge. Neither they nor I have any problem identifying with Jesus, witnessing about Jesus, or praying in the name of Jesus, both inside or outside of lodge functions. No one need leave his Christianity at the door, and no Christian needs to fear a Masonic brother in Christ, any more than a Mason fears a good Christian brother in Christ. But keep reading your books based on fear, and be afraid of the "new World" folks and the mysterious black copters full of UN/CIA types that look down on us all from the sky. For me, I will trust my Lord to take care of everything, and in His time, bring it to it's rightful conclusion. Jesus loves you! <>< | ||
| Shortwave |
Finally... a voice of reason! Glad to see another Friend of Hiram. I believe that You and I should do a question and answer here for these folks. Do us ALL some good. Let me know what you think, shortwave | ||
| In_his_service |
One thing I have learned is that people who wish to believe falsehood and live in fear will always continue to do so. They have a way of never being to concerned with small things like facts. | ||
| Colleentinker |
I really enjoy both of your contributions, Shortwave and In His Service. This forum, however, is not a forum for discussing Masonry. Discussions about Masonry are beyond the scope of this forum. Praise God that he has chosen us, and he is changing us and "growing" us. And praise God that in this time of national trauma and shock, we can KNOW that He is with us! Colleen |
