Our peace, abiding peace, comes from On High!

Text & image source: Soul Healing Mystics’ Light – Tumblr photography

If we look at the world today, it doesn’t look much brighter than at the time of the first qualified female watchmaker in the Netherlands. The catechisation course teacher who also started a boy scout club for girls and grew up in a family hiding Jews, and ended up with her sister Betsie via the Oranjehotel and camp Vught in the German concentration camp Ravensbrück, was not afraid to send thoughts of peace and hope into the world with her pen..

She who saw misery and healing up close, knew all too well what the value of the inner being was and how we could keep strong by keeping our eyes on the good and the Supreme.

Our peace, abiding peace, comes from On High!

The selfishness of many atheists compromises the world

https://insanitybytes2.wordpress.com/2023/09/25/selfishness-is-unnecessary/?page_id=189385

Systems theory = study of “systems,” also known as, “a cohesive groups of interrelated, interdependent components. >> mindset or a personality trait or compulsion

selfishness > anagrammed into ‘fleshes sins’ and ‘self shiness’, shiness meaning either as in shiny or another version of shyness => Selfishness can be making one’s self shine at the expense of others = unnecessary.

selfishness = how we won’t share our power

selfishness = unrationalisable as mandated by survival + accompanied by anxiety and distress + subset of our inborn competitiveness?

Jesus = really good at dealing with our scarcity mentality and healing what ails us.

Adam and Eve decided they were deprived.

Cain murder his own brother feeling deprived of God’s favour or left out or not number one.

False belief that there just wasn’t enough of God’s goodness for the both of them => Sin

Indulgent living, gluttony, too much good food, too much sugar, too much alcohol, too much comfort, too many drugs, too much government, too much access to medical care…. Simply too much => threat > false mindset of scarcity.

To master desires.

Christianity provides advice for dealing subset of our inborn competitiveness?

In the replies to the article we clearly can see how selfishness has entered in the life of many and how people do not understand that sinning is just another word for doing wrong. The atheists Ark who at other websites also heavily reacts against believers in God does not seem to see that she also can do wrong things. She is convinced she can not sin. This South African atheist writes:

 

I don’t have ‘sins’, which are a religious construct that means any transgression against your god,Yahweh.
And of course, as an atheist, I have no belief in the Canaanite deity you worship. {Selfishness Is Unnecessary?}

In our world, it is possible that this attitude of self-importance that one cannot do wrong is precisely the major problem for our society. The egotism of many makes that they have no eye or feeling for others, and that they do not care how things may go with those others. Christians in particular are a thorn in the side of many atheists, mostly because they are so frustrated that those Christians seem to have something that they cannot have. This is why they tend to go on about it so much, on their websites and react so violently to Christians’ websites, instead of spending their time more meaningfully.

Mrs. Ark even goes so far to say:

the only truth I am interested in is ensuring I empty my bladder. {Selfishness Is Unnecessary?}

This gives an idea of how far some atheist may think in their way of life and what is of their interest.

She is right in telling:

you die, you’re dead. If you’re lucky you might become good compost. {Selfishness Is Unnecessary

But forgets that there is much more to life than just living it unto death comes over a person. The way one lives is the most important. For many atheists it does not seem at all important to consider people around as long as one can build the best for one self. It is that selfishness that is destroying the world. It is by that selfish attitude that we have a global warming, most atheist would deny. That is also why we see so much cruelty against animals. Because of the egoism that prevails in our world with the drive to acquire ever more wealth, the quality of life of others is harmed and fights arise that cost human lives….

Many may feel there is little reason to give thanks this Thanksgiving Holiday

For more than two years, our world is facing a period of distress, where many of us are also challenged by difficulties to do our work and to have contact with others.

Several church groups probably will have the same questions as we receive and have to give reasons for their members to continue in the faith. In many church communities, these days are normally of good cheer, lovely family time and time to thank God.

Several people now wonder if they can rejoice in God no matter their circumstances. For many, it is clear that they are not enjoying a glorious or nice time. Some have lost their job and income, and once more they are facing a new lockdown.

We may not forget it was not always a delightful time for people of God. Can you imagine it must have been when they were used as slaves in Egypt and on top of that they had to cope with several plagues. They, too, lived in a time when not so many wanted to worship the One True God.

Ramses II, like all the pharaohs, claimed to be divine. Because he did not want to let Israel go, Jehovah set the stage for a long struggle between this distrustful ruler with an outsize ego and a prophet with a new understanding of Jehovah and His Power.

The flow of the White Nile is fairly even throughout the year because of consistent equatorial rains. The Blue Nile, on the other hand, originating in the headwaters of the Ethiopian highlands at the time Moses was bargaining with Ramses, got very high and wild by excessively heavy summer rains in Ethiopia. That flow washed powdery, carmine-red soil from the slopes of the hills. Around the Lake Tana region the blood-red torrent picked up bright red algae (known as flagellates) and their bacteria. Since there were no dams at that time, the Nile flowed blood-red all the way to the Mediterranean. It probably reached the delta region in August. Thus, this rare natural event, it is held, set in motion a series of conditions that continued until the following March. Nature seemed to have lost its course, and people got bullied by plagues of the frogs, gnats and mosquitoes.

Further, there were times men of God, like Moses, David, Elijah, and Isaiah had no easy time. With ups and downs in their life, they tried to keep their faith and trusted God, praying to Him for His Help and comfort. Some, like David felt miserable at a certain time, but knew it was better to fall in the hands of God than in the hands of those who think they own the world.

“David said to Gad,

“I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.”” (1Ch 21:13 NIV)

Yes it is even known that we as human beings can come in a time of inevitable distress.

“Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.” (Job 5:7 NIV)

“”Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” (Job 14:1 NIV)

We should know that our life will not always as easy as we would love it to be. Even those who seem to be so strong shall have to face moments of weakness and of difficulties.

“All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.” (Ec 2:23 NIV)

“If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!” (Pr 24:10 NIV)

“You have shown your people desperate times; you have given us wine that makes us stagger.” (Ps 60:3 NIV)

“The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.” (Ps 116:3 NIV)

Today there are lots of people who came to blame God for what is happening to this world today. Job saw likewise but refused to blame God.

“In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” (Job 1:22 NIV)

When looking at our present situations, we should think of all those people who are living under the open air, in hot but also very cold conditions, not having enough food, having babies crying of hunger and pain. How many in our world of plentiful think of those in the poor countries and of those who have to live in places where wars are already such a long time part of their life.
When they would think more about them, they would see how blessed they really are. What if we would consider this Corona plague as once again testing from God?

“2 “If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales! 3 It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—no wonder my words have been impetuous.” (Job 6:2-3 NIV)

“For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver.” (Ps 66:10 NIV)

“All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.” (Ps 73:14 NIV)

An 18th-century Russian icon of the prophet Habakkuk, member of the tribe of Levi, (Iconostasis of Transfiguration Church, Kizhi monastery, Karelia, Russia)

Those men of God complained also at certain moments, but they also found time to thank God for all the good He also had done for them. In ancient times, the professional prophet of the Temple from the 7th century bce (probably between 605–597 bce) Habakkuk at a time when there did not come the necessary blossoms on the trees, no fruit on the vines and the produce of the olive failed, he and the people were in distress because the fields yielded no food.

“17 Though the fig-tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, (Hab 3:17 NIV)

Even when the flock was cut off from the fold, and there was no herd in the stalls, he knew from Who all the good things came forward. Overlooking what was going on, he recognised it all was not so bad as to what others had to endure. Therefore, he was willing to rejoice in the Most High and was willing to exult in the God of his salvation.

18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. (Hab 3:18 NIV)

Also in this period of a pandemia we should look up to the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, the Most Powerful God, Who is our strength and can make our feet light and swift  like the feet of a deer, so that we can tread upon the heights.

Habakuk sang and played cheerful music to the leader with stringed instruments.

19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.” (Hab 3:19 NIV)

Habakkuk had wrestled with his God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, and struggled with the realisation that this Unique and Only One God was going to use the godless Chaldeans to judge his people Judah for their rebellion. Habakkuk’s struggle was ultimately one of wrestling with God.

Today some people also have that feeling, but they should know it has no use to battle with God. One is better to battle with the world, and go in against all that keep claiming one has not to be vaccinated or one has not to protect oneself against the Coronavirus.

What we need more than anything in life today is renewed vision of God and to see things from God’s eye’s point of view. We should accept that He has given man the possibilities to battle this virus, so we should trust those scientists and be thankful that they can be instruments in the hands of God. Likewise, we should be thankful that all the medic staff can be an instrument in the hands of God. Out of respect to them and to the Divine Creator, we should protect ourselves and others, avoiding getting infected.

In the past, more than one man, prophet, king or judge, appointed by God trembled. More than once, those men of God knew for Whom to look and Whom to trust. Even when it took longer than they had hoped, they were willing to wait and to be patient. They found the power to wait on the Highest.

The prophet Isaiah knew what God had already done for His people and what He was still going to do. He also did not have it always easy, but he relied on God.

This Thanksgiving Day let us pray to our God and express our thankfulness for being with us in these difficult times.

“You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall” (Isa 25:4 NIV)

Giving thanks to God helps us do just that.

 

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Preceding

Facing our existence every day

Many opportunities given by God

Time to be strengthened, thankful and to be prepared

Are you doing Thanksgiving

Altitude begins with an attitude of gratitude

The Gift of Giving

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Additional reading

1. What is life? (Our World) = What is life? (Some View on the World)
2. The time of year we remember our many blessings
3. 2016 Thanksgiving and politics (Our world) = 2016 Thanksgiving and politics (Some View on the World)
4. Give your worries to God (Our World) = Give your worries to God (Some View on the World)
5. Life in gratitude opens glory of God (Our world) = Life in gratitude opens glory of God (Some View on the World)
6. Beginning of a festival of lights
7. Hanukkahgiving or Thanksgivvukah
8. Thanksgivukkah and Advent
9. Coming to Thanksgiving day 2020
10. Good time to sort out your friends and contacts
11. Left in the dark or being in the dark seeing light
12. Making sure to be ready and to belong to the escaped ones
13. Fragments from the Book of Job #2: chapters 12-20
14. Fragments from the Book of Job #4: chapters 27-31
15. Ability (part 6) Thought about the ability of God’s Provision Bringing Glory (Our World) =
16. Ability (part 6) Thought about the ability of God’s Provision Bringing Glory
17. The chosen ones to fear or not to fear (Our World) = The chosen ones to fear or not to fear (Some View on the world)
18. Signs of the Last Days
19. In Coronatime thinking about death
20. Today’s thought “When in need of encouragement” (May 18)
21. Today’s Thought “Leaving you an example” (June 12)
22. Today’s thought “Rooted and built up in him” (November 14)
23. Today’s thought “The grace of God … training us” (November 27)
24. Today’s thought “Crying to God” (August 04)
25. If your difficulties are longstanding, try kneeling (Our World) = If your difficulties are longstanding, try kneeling (Some View on the World)
26. God my fence, my hope for the future (Our World) = God my fence, my hope for the future (Some View on the World)
27. Prayers for Rulers
28. Thanks for our fathers
29. Let them thank the Lord for …
30. Thanking God by thinking of people (Our World) = Thanking God by thinking of people
31. Give thanks to יהוה! For He is good, For His kindness is everlasting
32. Bring praise to the Creator
33. Praise and give thanks to God the Most Highest
34. Always rejoicing Praying constantly Giving thanks for everything
35. Praise Jehovah, ​You people

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Related

1. When does physical stress become toxic? – Eustress & Distress –
2. What is Distress? A 11-step guide to what distress is and how it can help you manage it.
3. Confused about which way to go?
4. A little less… stress.
5. If God is Real, Why Does He Allow Bad Things to Happen?
6. The Changing Seasons and The Unchangeable God
7. Every day
8. King of the Valley
9. “Have Mercy On Me, O Lord, For I Am Weak” #2368
10. God Is Our Safe Haven, A Place to rest our hearts
11. My Father!
12. Nov 8 May the Truth set us free
13.  November 18 – Fully Sufficient
14. Thanksgiving Boulevard
15. God, Grace, and Gratitude

Facing our existence every day

Every day we are confronted with ourselves again. Every day again we are again confronted not only with ourselves but also with those around us. Everyday we do meet again new challenges, have to affirm again our values.

Attitude / Golden Gun (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This world which challenges us brings us day in day out some new adventures. We can try to tackle them or try to escape those things which we do not want to see. But covering our eyes is not helping us nor getting such things we do not want to see away. Living in this world we should be aware of what is going on in it. We can not stand at the side, not wanting to be involved or just letting everything happen. Those things which we consider wrong demand an action. And we should take action. Though there are several Christians who think we do not need to do any works, because we are saved, we should not let everything pass along like nothing wrong happens. That what is not according to the Law of God, that what cannot be justified demands reaction. We should open our eyes to what happens in the world and should react appropriate.

Having us to react will demand strength and courage. It shall also demand an attitude to be taken. And that attitude should always be in accordance to the attitude our master teacher Jeshua wants his followers to have.

Attitude (EP) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Every day we do have to face our inner self and find the core of our own business, our own being, our own strive, our own goal. Every day again we do have to face how we are wanting to build up our own life and our own future. It is naturally so that in case we do nothing we cannot do something wrong (we think). Not doing anything, letting it all pass, is witnessing of taking an attitude, which is not the right attitude. Rabbi Jeshua and his disciples taught about the essence of taking action and doing things. The master teacher gave several examples how people lost their opportunity to take part of the celebrations, the wedding or the entrance to the Kingdom.

The grace of salvation has been given to the whole mankind, but each individual has to do something with it. When we are willing to receive that marvellous free Gift, we do have to be thankful for it and do something with it. When we just leave in the cupboard, untouched it shall be of no service for us.

It is an Immeasurable Grace bestowed on humanity but lots of people do not see or appreciate the value of it, or take it for granted that now they have received it they do not have to do anything any more. Oh, how are they mistaken.

Each day we are confronted again with many ideas … our mind wandering about. Even a baptised person can have thoughts which are not in accordance with God His Will. Though they may be convinced that they have done away with the old life, that old life simmers slowly and little tinkly lights may be very attractive. More than once in our life bitterness, wrath, and even anger, does want to come along our path. We also can have moments where clamour and evil speaking may be lurking around our own corner. All those things we are asked to put away from us, with all malice. And that requires an action, which is a work to be done.

There are also days that we wake up and feel as if we have a broken heart. Though we may know that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul. Each time we left our mind wandering in the wrong way we do know we can repent, i.e. take an action, making the effort to see that we were wrong and that we do have to ask for pardon. It demands an action to see what we did wrong (i.e. doing a work) and when we know what we have done wrong we have to repent about it (again doing a work).

Painting “Kampen for tilværelsen” (Struggle for existence”) by Christian Krohg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Often because we ourself do have to endure so much pain we want others also to have pain. Often we also want to have many good things others may have and desires others to have some of our bad things. Such desires are often around us to cause pain. We can have feelings which hurt others or can bring them into distress. Yes, we must be aware that we can get up in the morning with allowing to grow in our mind the

“intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse.”

This makes our own self the sick self. The self what needs healing. the healer is always around, but we have to come to him (which demands an action or work).  Without coming to the Saviour Jesus Christ we shall be nothing and will have it so much more difficult in our life. he is the Way to God and he is the one who can guide us through difficult times, putting our hands in the hands of his heavenly Father.

Every day we wake up we should know that God is willing to be close to us and that He is really concerned with what is going on in our heart and mind. Be aware, He knows much more than we allow others to see, hear or feel, what we think or want to do. Even when we do not carry out malicious acts against someone, but carry such thoughts in our mind, God knows it.

You ought not to secretly wish that something bad would happen to any person. Rejoicing in some misfortune that befalls someone else is also evidence of malice. And that is something God detests.

The dispensationalist Plymouth Brother Harry A. Ironside

The Canadian-American Bible teacher, preacher, theologian, pastor, and author Harry A. Ironside said every Christian has an obligation to put away all malice.

“If you do not live up to that, you are not living a real Christian life. This is Christianity lived in the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Gospel Light Society writes

You might feel like the malice in your heart is justified because of what someone did or said to you. But, you must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and bring your feelings under the authority of Christ. You must choose to put on the new man who will not walk in maliciousness, but in a spirit of love and forgiveness toward all. {How Not to Walk, Part 26 (Revive the Family, Revive the Church, Awaken the Nation, O Lord #272)}

Every day we have to face the new life lying in front of us. Having done away with the old life, we should try to do our utmost best to live in accordance to God His Wishes, not following man’s doctrines but following Biblical doctrines.

George Cuff wrote:

There are sins from the former life that simply must be denied,
Things the godless revel in, that a believer must sweep aside.
Immorality of every kind, impurity, lust and greed;
You will be bound to idolatry if scripture you fail to heed.

You must also rid yourselves of anger, malice and rage.
Watch your speech carefully. Do not in profanity engage.
You threw off the sinful man who reveled in foul deeds;
The new man is renewed in mind, empowered by Christ indeed. {How Not to Walk, Part 26 (Revive the Family, Revive the Church, Awaken the Nation, O Lord #272)}

Empowered by Christ Jesus we should find every day the fresh living water, empowering to continue in the right way, trying to finish the race, lying in front of us.

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Preceding articles

Our existence..

You Matter

Running challenge and the City build by the Most High Maker

For mams and dads it is also back to ‘normal’

Benefits of Positive Thinking

What IF you’re only driven by stress?

Failures, mistakes and Initiatives for Excellence and success, Working towards turning a Dream of yours into reality

There can only be hope when there is a will to be and say “I am”

The Goal

Our life depending on faith

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Additional reading

1. Life is like a ten-speed bike.
2. Suffering produces perseverance
3. Your purpose explains what you are doing with your life
4. If we view the whole world through a lens that is bright
5. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands
6. Thought for September 8 Weak but standing strong in the ground swell
7. 30 things to start doing for yourself – #6 is vital.
8. Choices
9. Live …
10. Luck
11. Who are the honest ones?
12. Being prudent – zorgvuldig zijn
13. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
14. Not liking your Christians
15. If there is bitterness in the heart
16. Sow and harvests in the garden of your heart
17. Don’t Envy the World
18. Blindness in the Christian world
19. Blinkered minds
20. Never making mistakes because never doing anything
21. The Immeasurable Grace bestowed on humanity
22. Infinite payment of sin by the son of God
23. As Christ’s slaves doing the Will of God in gratitude
24. Only I can change my life
25. The inspiring divine spark
26. If you think you’re too small to be effective
27. If we, in our prosperity, neglect religious instruction and authority
28. Holiness and expression of worship coming from inside
29. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
30. Grow strong in weakness
31. Being aligned with above
32. Points to remember of philosophy versus spirituality and religion
33. It is a free will choice
34. We have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace
35. Your life the sum total of all your choices
36. Believe and speak and act in ways which show we have life in Christ’s name
37. Behold, My mother and My brothers!
38. Saved through grace not through keeping rituals
39. Without God no purpose, no goal, no hope
40. God’s will is that all sorts of men should be saved
41. A goal is a dream with a plan
42. Looking for a primary cause and a goal that can not offer philosophers existing beliefs
43. Inculturation today calling for a different attitude
44. Coming to the end of the year
45. Dynamic goals must always rise out of authentic needs
46. Being Religious and Spiritual 7 Transcendence to become one
47. Faith antithesis of rationality
48. Faith, storms and actions to be taken
49. A Living Faith #2 State of your faith
50. A Living Faith #10: Our manner of Life #2
51. A Living Faith #12 The Love for Jesus
52. Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal
53. Try driving forward instead of backwards
54. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
55. Discipleship to look at
56. Don’t be the weakest link
57. The Big conversation – Antagonists
58. Reasons why you may not miss the opportunity to go to a Small Church
59. Williamsburg Conference 2015 December 27-31 Joy and Gladness
60. We should use the Bible every day
61. Religious people and painful absence of spring of living water

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Further related

1. Grace
2. Salvation – He [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through it
3. Instantly Healed, Saved and Baptized
4. “Looking For Jesus” – “Dead Works”
5. (Part 2) Can A Christian Lose Their Salvation?
6. A New Life of Righteousness
7. saved to serve
8. Breathe in, out!
9. How Vulnerability Can Bring Us Beyond Ourselves
10. The Power of a Grateful Heart – Weakness Gratitude
11. Afraid Of The Unknown
12. No Retreat, No Surrender!
13. Excerpt from a novel
14. FFfAW: Promises
15. 100 Days of Happiness and 90 Days of Kicking Fear in the Face ….
16. No Complain November
17. The Sandbox Writing Challenge #50 — No fair peeking!
18. Week 6: Opinions-Opinions-…oh No!
19. He Tries
20. If At First You Don’t Succeed
21. What Fills Your Personal Lamp? Personal Gratitude Challenge-day 2
22. “Start the daily practice of not letting the little things bother you! If the little things ruin you, what’s going to happen when the big things come along? Start practicing now for your big challenges in life.”
23. Skirting the hard stuff
24. Message from the Universe: Becoming the person you’ve dreamed about!
25. A Night To Dismember
26. Remembering to Pause
27. First Things First…
28. Easy
29. Quote Notes
30. Are you okay?
31. True Power
32. Bad Reaction
33. Good Grief!
34. Are You Ready?: Part 3
35. When God gives up
36. Daily Verse
37. Sin Makes You Sick
38. A Change In Perspective
39. We Are Dust
40. Daily Bread – Draw Nigh
41. Daily bible passage – 11/3/16
42. A Warning of God Concerning the Ungodly
43. Ezekiel 28-30; John 10
44. My hope is in the Lord
45. Christ’s Blood Shed for All Men
46. I cry for you 
47. For God So Loved The world…
48. Come to Me
49. How Not to Walk, Part 26 (Revive the Family, Revive the Church, Awaken the Nation, O Lord #272)

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Solstice, Saturnalia and Christmas-stress

Today lots of people tend to treat things such as Christmas trees and holiday gift giving as if they’ve been with us forever. While these are old traditions, they were once far more localized. In this world of media everywhere, we tend to forget that customs were once far more specific to the area. Lots of people also have lost the connection of those festivals and have transposed it to their group of people, believers or non-believers in Jesus Christ or in God.

From the Saxon days there was Yule for mid-winter and in the regions of West Europe the autumn storm brought many ideas alive to think about gods who controlled everything in nature. The days becoming darker demanded for and still demand for some more light bringing into it. In the old times to honour the gods it was custom to put all sorts of things in the trees as an offering to the gods. On December the 25th it was the day of the goddess of light. Time was taken to celebrate her.

Traditional Christmas card with holly and mistletoe. Circa 1880s

Druids, Celts, and even the Romans used evergreen branches made into wreaths in winter solstice celebrations. Because so many things lost colour and seemed to have died people looked up for those elements in nature which could be so strong that they stayed green. Pagan symbols as holly and ivy remained green and were taken as a promise of life to return in dead of winter. Holly – prized for its ability to bear fruit in winter and its healing uses – were the blessings people hoped they could have in the house and share with each other. Healing elements were very important to get through Winter.

While the Romans were holding the feast for the god Saturn — which occurred about the time of the winter solstice — they decked the outsides of their houses with holly. At the same time the Christians were quietly celebrating the birth of Christ, and to avoid detection they outwardly followed the custom of their heathen neighbours and decked their houses with holly as well. In this way holly came to be connected with Christmas customs. The plant was also regarded as a symbol of the Resurrection.

The missionaries coming in these regions quickly understood how the pagan traditions were so strong and how people would not like to give them up. This we still see today happening. As Christians should come to know more about traditions and about usages all over the world, plus having the Holy Scriptures to find what they could or could not do, we see that those who call themselves Christian still do not like to give up those pagan traditions and pagan festivals.

The Roman Catholic Church had already given in to Constantine the Great allowing the false teaching of the trinity be part of the Catholic Faith, so it was a further small step to adapt the Western Celtic and Saxon traditions to the Roman Faith. In 336 CE, during the time of this so called  first Christian Roman Emperor for the first time on December 25th “Christmas” was being celebrated.

A very early Christian tradition said that March 25^th was the day when Mary was told she’d give birth to Jesus (called the Annunciation). And nine months later, of course, would be December 25^th. But the Bible doesn’t mention the exact days of that annunciation, nor of the birth of Jesus, though from all the secular writings we do know when the cencus took place, when the falling star appeared and that it was in October that Mary and Joseph went to fulfil their duties. We can take it was in 4BCE on October the 17th that rabbi Jeshua from the tribe of King David was born. For those who would love to celebrate his birthday it is strange that they than not do this around the period Jesus was rally born.

An image from the necropolis under the Vatican in which Jesus = Mithras (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is true that in many cultures we can find a festival of lights, also the Jews have such a festival of lights. Germans and Scandinavians had their yule festival. Celtic legends connected the solstice with Balder, the Scandinavian sun god or Norse god of light, son of the chief god Odin and his wife Frigg, who was struck down by a mistletoe arrow from the blind god Hödur (or Höd). At the pagan festival of Saturnalia, Romans feasted and gave gifts to the poor. Drinking was closely connected with these pagan feasts.

The Babylonian sun-god and god of agriculture and flocks, Tammuz, lover of Ishtar, born on the winter solstice according to legend was also celebrated on December the 25th and by the Roman Catholic Church his symbol was taken as the symbol for Jesus (the sign of Tammuz or the cross), placing Jesus as the bringer of light and god of light.

The leaders of the instituted organisation of clergy who accepted the trinity, agreed to adopted the saturnalia day of the ‘day of birth’ or ‘day of new life’ as a remembrance day of the new life Jesus has given to all mankind. For them it was easier to get more converts by keeping the folks from indulging in the old pagan festivals as part of the pagan culture, now transformed or redressed in a Roman Catholic dressing.

Branches that had thorns became to be the thorns Christ wore on the crucifix (sign of Tammuz) and the berries were stained red by his drops of blood. From the Norse and the Druids, the Mistletoe you may find growing here everywhere and at that time was considered special because of it found growing on the sacred oaks, was featured in several old myths and held to be sacred and associated with fertility, which led to kissing boughs.

Also today at the Christmas markets we can find the gangway where there is the kissing bough custom one holds that a woman who refuses the kiss shall have bad luck, and that those who kiss underneath it shall be having a blessed and fruitful year.

Not all the following years Christmas was part of Christian life. During Cromwell’s rule, Christmas was even banned. Charles II restored the holiday in England. However, the Parliament of Scotland officially abolished the observance of Christmas in 1640, to purge the church “of all superstitious observation of days”, and it was not restored as a public holiday in Scotland until 1958.

Julbocken, by John Bauer (1912)

From the 4th to the 19th century the tradition of the Northern people their celebration for their chief god and the father of Thor, (Thunor, or Thonar), Balder, and Tiw, Woden or Wotan became more and more also liked by the people from Holland and Belgium and the man with a long white beard who rode a horse through the heavens one evening each Autumn became their Sint Niklaas (Sinterklaas) or Sint Nicholas  (saint Nicholas) and in the Anglo Saxon countries Father Christmas or Santa Claus/Sancta Claus.

1881 illustration by Thomas Nast who, along with Clement Clarke Moore’s poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas”, helped to create the modern image of Santa Claus

From the 20th century onward that Father Christmas started gaining more popularity and the presents became more and more the focus of the people for that season were the darkness seemed to have darkened their Christian sight. Lots of Christians enjoyed decorating the ‘Christmas tree‘ and telling their children the Saint from Spain had brought presents for all those who had behaved well the previous year. Later in the month it was the Santa who once more brought presents in the house.

History illustrates the awesome outworking of initial events from when the Divine Creator has declared

Zephaniah 1:17-18 The Scriptures 1998+  (17)  “And I shall bring distress on men, and they shall walk like blind men – because they have sinned against יהוה  {Jehovah}, and their blood shall be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.”  (18)  Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of יהוה  {Jehovah}. And by the fire of His jealousy all the earth shall be consumed, for He makes a sudden end of all those who dwell in the earth.

This comes from the Christadelphian bible reading for December 15 when we started reading this short and somewhat overlooked prophecy of Zephaniah. He would have been one of the prophets Peter referred to, as we read the final chapter of his second letter of the same day-reading, he told them they should remember

2 Peter 3:2 The Scriptures 1998+  (2)  the words previously spoken by the set-apart prophets, and of the command of the Master and Saviour, spoken by your emissaries,

Today we may find lots of people who have stress about the coming days when they have to present nice meals and many presents and have to fulfil many family visits and social obligations. Their eyes are closed for the real issue in life. Not a Santa shall bring salvation and he from the North has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus Christ. When we look at the many Christmas markets we even do not see much what reminds us of the Saviour who was sent by God to this earth.

Ages ago holy prophets told about the eyes of people which would become blinded. Today we

“should remember their predictions”

Folk tale depiction of Father Christmas riding on a goat. Perhaps an evolved version of the Swedish Tomte. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We also should remember that they also warned for the time that scoffers were going to come and would lead people following their own sinful desires. About the promised one who was born, lived for a very short time here on earth, died, was resurrected from the dead and showed that he was not a spirit, but the one brought back alive by his heavenly Father, that master teacher is not remembered much these days and many do not think about his return or even do not believe in it.

Yes many laugh at us and say,

“Where is the promise of his coming?”

Many children have to promise their parents that they will be good next year. Then they also will get some present. But not many children learn about that man who died for our sins. Not many take time in this ‘Time of the year’ to read the Bible and to meditate on what God and his son Jesus had to say.

Today lots of people are concentrating on their self and do see all those refugees coming in our regions as a possible threat to what they can enjoy. Many are afraid they shall have to share with those poor people who travelled thousands of miles to find their luck in our Western world where money seems to flow like moulted butter.

Many people do not see what is really going on and how those set apart men of God had warned for certain situations we can see today. Also Jesus told about the signs of those days we have today. That time Jesus spoke about, may be much closer than many think. Many are blinded by the money this world is offering. Lots of people think everything can be said with presents and with the value of money. The real value for life they often do not see. Capitalism has put sand in their eyes.

The ways of godless thinking and living will be seen for all the foolishness they are; and we must never forget, there are only 2 ways: the broad way and the narrow way. Those on the narrow way are

2 Peter 3:12-15 The Scriptures 1998+  (12)  looking for and hastening the coming of the day of Elohim, through which the heavens shall be destroyed, being set on fire, and the elements melt with intense heat!  (13)  But according to His promise we wait for a renewed heavens and a renewed earth in which righteousness dwells.  (14)  So then, beloved ones, looking forward to this, do your utmost to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,  (15)  and reckon the patience of our Master as deliverance, as also our beloved brother Sha’ul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him,

“waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace” (verses 13,14).

Included in what they (we) are waiting for, is what Job perceived and that we read today. He declared,

“I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!” (19:25-27).

He believed in resurrection!

That final comment is most thought provoking. Our hearts will be in danger of fainting within us for multiple reasons, when God “bring(s) distress” – the experience will be awesome for believers! But how imminent then will be the time when they will “see God” through seeing his Son, marvelling in anticipation of the ultimate time when

“God himself will be with them as their God … for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3,4).

Let us anticipate in faith the things that “our eyes shall behold” to carry us through the coming time of “distress”.

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Additional reading

1. Holidays, holy days and traditions
2. Christmas customs – Are They Christian?
3. Christmas, Saturnalia and the birth of Jesus
4. Irminsul, dies natalis solis invicti, birthday of light, Christmas and Saturnalia
5. Focus on outward appearances
6. Jesus begotten Son of God #1 Christmas and Christians
7. Christmas in Ancient Rome (AKA Saturnalia)
8. Christmas trees
9. Actions to be a reflection of openness of heart
10. With child and righteousness greater than the law
11. Objects around the birth and death of Jesus
12. Politics and power first priority #3 Elevation of Mary and the Holy Spirit
13. The imaginational war against Christmas
14. Autumn traditions for 2014 – 1: Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet
15. Manna from Sint Nicholas
16. Traditionalists Vow to Fight Charges of Racism in Netherlands
17. Ignorance of Today’s Youth (and Adults)
18. Sancta Claus is not God
19. Brits believe Santa present at Jesus’ birth, new poll reveals
20. Wishing lanterns and Christmas

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Further reading

1. Winter Solstice and Yule
2. Yule is upon us!
3. Dickens’ Christmas Story as an Intertexteme in Leskov’s Yule Short Story
4. Winter Solstice 2015: Shortest Day Of The Year Celebrated As Pagan Yule
5. Commercialmas
6. Yule 2015 #15 performing magic
7. Yule 2015#16
8. A radiant vision of splendour
9. Yule prep
10. Yule Wreath and Garland
11. 13 Trolls
12. War Against Christmas?
13. Holiday King of the Hill
14. SGC Admin: From our inbox to you from: Patti Wigington: Paganism/Wicca Expert
15. Yule – Wicca subject of the week
16. Happy Yule 2015
17. How to bring some real Christmas spirits into your Yule-tide
18. 10 Ways to Celebrate Yule
19. Santa Claus, Krampus,The Wild Hunt and Me.
20. Vigil
21. Use Yule Bells For Positive Energy
22. Irish Christmas
23. Christmas, the Weridest Holiday of the Year; Part one
24. Holly Tree
25. Holly, Plant of Saturn and Mars
26. Symbol of Yule: Holly Mistletoe and Bayberry Candles
27. Memories of Yuletide
28. A Little history on the holly tree
29. Let It Be Done Unto Me
30. Annunciation
31. Annunciation: a reflection for Advent
32. This Annunciation
33. The Annunciation, according to Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich
34. Tuesday 15th December
35. Wednesday Writings – Annunciation
36. Mary’s Heart
37. Angels & Advent: In His Shadow – a sermon podcast
38. And the virgin’s name was Mary
39. Angels of Advent: Encountering the Annunciation
40. Somersaults /Wednesday, December 9, 2015
41. Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin
42. Mary and a “Yes” to God’s Request
43. Joseph’s Pregnant Advent
44. The Overshadowing of Mary –Pentecost
45. Christmas
46. Saturnalia
47. From Sukkot to Saturnalia: The Attack on Christmas in Sixteenth-Century..
48. Togas, Laurels, Chariots and Some Roast Lambs’ Testicles
49. Countdown to Christmas 17: Saturnalia
50. Saturnalia Is a Fleadh by Another Name. Just Don’t Tell Jerry Buttimer
51. By Jove! It’s Christmas: Did the First Christian Roman Emperor Appropriate..
52. War On Christmas Memes: Saturnalia
53. War On Christmas Memes: The Yule Tree
54. Christmas: it’s all about money, not messiahs.
55. Geranium Lake Properties, Saturn and Sol
56. Advent Calendar Day 15: Christmas: The Perfect Excuse For A Fight? by Lucy Brazier
57. Pig Washing 1, “Christmas”
58. Christmas is Pagan!
59. Christmas — Who gives a rip HOW we came up with the date we use?!?
60. Christmas is Tammuz’s Birthday?

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Related articles

• Santa preparing sleigh for ride through Nipomo
• Which Christian sect is the only true Christian church?
• 25 Orthodox rabbis issued a statement on Christianity
• Objects around the birth and death of Jesus
• Updating the Roman Catholic Church…
• Why Are Catholics Unable To Admit That, Yes, They Do Pray To Mary?

How do you start your day?

Each morning when the sun rises we should be happy when we can still sea the sun coming up and hear the birds sing.

Whatever we might have to do, we can look at it in the positive or in the negative way. Best we do take the day, like it comes and make the best out of it, wishing it shall attribute something extra to our life. We never know when our life shall end, so we better take every new day as a gift, able to add again something extra to our life and giving us once more the chance to make something of it.

.

To remember:

Facing the responsibilities of the day ahead = challenge.

Negative thoughts make us feel tired, sick and often stressed-out before we even start our day.

What do you think about when you wake up in the morning?  Are you worrying about something, stressing about all the things you don’t want to do, thinking about how awful the day is going to be?

Greet the day with a rousing, “Hello world.  What an awesome day this is going to be!”

Try to bring some sunshine into your life with positive words.

Keep focusing on positive thoughts, and it will start to make an impact on your mood.

Fill up your brain with positive power, and you will feel more energetic.

Do not wait to develop a new habit, so practice your affirmations daily over and over again until you begin to feel positive.

When you are getting up, dare to say to yourself, your happy and enjoying life. Dare to face yourself and the work you have to accomplish that day.

Do know You can do it.

Don’t compare yourself to others.

Put something on in which you feel at your ease and can be yourself.

Believe in yourself and belief someone believes in you.

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Related articles

• Is negative thinking sabotaging your happiness? (womensagenda.com.au)
  Although we all encounter a host of neutral situations on any given day, we don’t all look at them in the same way.For instance, if a friend calls to cancel an appointment because she’s not feeling well, or someone you’re chatting to stifles a yawn in the middle of the story you’re telling, you could interpret it in two very different ways, depending on your frame of mind.
  +

  “Brooders stubbornly hold onto their habits, almost as if they believe that ultimately they will be able to change themselves by concentrating on their own deficiencies.”

  One way we can work toward unlearning this negative habit is to make a conscious effort to choose a more optimistic view of things whenever there are several ways to interpret a situation or scenario.

  In order to be more present, rather than constantly worrying about what could happen or what another person’s actions might mean, Hertel also recommends working on the development of attentional control through mindfulness meditation.

• Why You Should Fake a Smile: How Your Emotions Affect Your Student’s Learning (opencolleges.edu.au)
  Stress causes changes in the hippocampus region that result in lack of neuron cell growth, along with cell death. This can happen as early as the fetal stage of development depending on the stress level the pregnant mother is under, along with outside influences of substance abuse. The pathology of children growing up in extremely stressful environments is affected early in their lives.The limbic system can shut down or go full steam ahead depending on outside factors. If a student feels happy, the limbic system, which involves intuition, math, logic, time, memory, and other learning processes will open up and be ready to receive. If the student is sad or stressed, the limbic system shuts down and the learning stops with it.
  +

  Shaking off negative emotions is difficult, especially for those that are more sensitive than others. Devastating news can be difficult to process, let alone smile through for your students, but you must try to persevere for the children. While some ideas may seem silly or trivial to remove yourself from the stress, it can work to help get you through the day.

  1. Do not forget to eat. It may be the last thing on your mind, your stomach might be protesting the idea, but you need to fuel your body. Lack of nutrients causes the body to shut down, which in turn will cause more stress, negative emotions, and anger.
  2. Take deep breaths, no seriously, try it. Breathing in deeply causes your body to relax by triggering anti-stress hormones in the body. Sit up straight; breathe in deeply for a few minutes before entering the classroom.
  3. Write down one or two positive things in your life on a piece of paper, and tape it to your desk. Refer to it during the day when you are feeling blue.
  4. Think positively. Pushing negative thoughts out of your head will relax the limbic system’s pathological need to shut down. Make it a game; anytime a negative thought comes into your head, throw a positive one right back at it.
• Study Reveals Link Between Suicide and Sunshine, Study (scienceworldreport.com)
  The effect of sunshine on suicides has been known since the early 1800s. In the latest study, the researchers found that lower rates of suicide are strongly linked with daily exposure to sunshine in the prior 14-60 days.According to the researchers, sunlight interacts with serotonin systems in the brain and strongly influences the serotonin-related behavior such as mood and impulsiveness. It is this behavior that plays a major role in affecting suicidal thoughts.
• A Busy Mom?s Guide to Less-Stressful Life (ltdcommodities.com)
  Nothing beats the feeling of waking up to the silence of early morning. This is the best part of the day to work on tasks that demand focus and crucial decision making skills. Remember that majority of successful people have the habit of waking up early. They always make sure that they are up right before anyone else in the house does.
  +
  If you feel like you do not have enough motivation to do something important, then stop looking for motivations. Just do things in a small yet progressive manner. This way, you will find yourself progressing from one task to another even if you do not feel like doing it. Our micro-actions will serve as the best antidote for procrastination. It keeps us moving despite lacking the motivation to do so. Remember that as a parent you do not need to have motivation in everything that you do. It may seem sad but there are indeed times when you need to do things because you need to and find motivation in the thought that you are actually making things happen little by little.
• Researchers explore postpartum depression now and earlier eras (ocregister.com)
  In addition to typical depressive symptoms, postpartum depression may include feeling numb or disconnected from the baby; having scary or negative thoughts, including fear of harming the baby; and feeling guilty about not being a good mother, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Three Affirmations or A Stress- Less Day (livingenergyworks.com)
  For affirmations to work it is necessary to be fully present in the moment and connect deeply with feeling rather than staying in the intellect and wishing for change.
• 20 Common Habits Successful People Consciously Reject (lifehack.org)
• How to Feel Pretty (wikihow.com)
  Every morning, when you wake up, go to the bathroom mirror, smile at yourself and say aloud “I am awesome” and “I am happy.” The more you say it the more you will convince your brain that it is true.
• Guest Post: Breaking The Low Mood Cycle (captainawkward.com)
  We can spend weeks or months or years in a poor mood, which doesn’t seem quite bad enough for us to call it a mental health problem, or a reason to seek professional help. It’s a funny thing – we don’t really trust our moods as valid emotional states – and really, something as transient and odd as a “mood” doesn’t seem like something that can be treated or cured.But remember how terrible you feel when you’re in a Low Mood? If we’re creative people, we may explain away the apparent drought in our creativity by saying “I’m just not in the mood to write/paint/draw,” while secretly panicking because what if we’ve lost our creativity? If we’re performative people – people who work in food service, retail, performance art, or another field where you need to project happiness and serenity to do your job – then expressing a Happy Mood when you’re in a Low Mood can feel like operating the most exhausting puppet show ever. It’s really hard to “just do you” when you just don’t feel like it.
• Add an Extra Hour to Your Day (forwardthinking.ashford.edu)
  A busy schedule prevents many people from going back to college or starting a new project. A lack of free time not only keeps you from achieving your goals, it can also cause stress and diminish your quality of life.But consider: no matter who we are, rich or poor, we all have the same 24 hours in a day. How you budget your 24 hours can be the difference between success and failure.

imconfident

Are you a morning person or do you have to drag yourself out of bed in the morning?  Mornings are tough for many of us because we just don’t want to face the responsibilities of the day ahead.   Negative thoughts are already floating around in our heads and it makes us feel tired, sick and often stressed-out before we even start our day.

What do you think about when you wake up in the morning?  Are you worrying about something, stressing about all the things you don’t want to do, thinking about how awful the day is going to be?

Before your feet even hit the floor, your negative thinking has already ruined your day and left you feeling tired and miserable.

Try saying some positive affirmations first things in the morning.  When you wake up, greet the day with a rousing, “Hello world.  What an awesome day this is going to be!” …

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