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Tag: christmas

Advent 2 of Christmas Evangelicalism
Advent

‘Advent of what’ we ask?
a Nativity Scene on the mantle for Advent and our annual Christmas feast?

A COVID Christmas – Shall we take Jesus out of the box includes history of Christmas in the U.S. December 1, 2020 C.E.
“Before what?”

Last time in our ADVENT 1 post from this 2024 Common Era series, we asked:

Can we comprehend a time Before the first Christmas?

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

Genesis 6:11-12 KJV

Command of the LORD & promise of a Covenant

“But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark.. Genesis 6

“I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.” – Genesis 9

READ MORE about God’s covenant with Noah

IMAGINE the historical NOAH preaching to a corrupt church about this ADVENT of the Last Days when JESUS will return to judge creation with fire and fellow sinners sitting right beside you at this year’s Christmas program.

The chosen Before Christ

A PERSONAL interaction between the Creator and Living God of timeless eternity and a created son of Adam and NOAH.

Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who died? and the prophets died; whom dost thou make thyself?’

Jesus said to them,

‘Verily, verily, I say to you, Before Abraham’s coming — I am;’

excerpt from Gospel of John 8: Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)

AFTER this unique time of ABRAHAM Before Christ,
- Judah (and Israel) had yet to be conquered, named, lost, regained and renamed over centuries of the chosen sons of Abraham.
Chosen for Covenant and Curse
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FROM the LAW of Moses 
for the generations of the LORD's chosen; 
administered by Levite priests (sons of Jacob, Isaac and Abraham:
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Additional Blessings of Obedience
- “You must not make idols for yourselves..
- You must keep My Sabbaths
- and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the LORD.
- .. and I will establish My covenant with you.
How are you doing with your obedience:
- youthful christian Swifty?
- Sunday morning NFL evangelist?
- Latte listeners of amplified praise?
Punishments for Disobedience

If, however, you fail to obey Me and to carry out all these commandments, and if you reject My statutes, despise My ordinances, and neglect to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, then this is what I will do to you: … Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one pursues you.

18 And if after all this you will not obey Me, I will proceed to punish you sevenfold for your sins. 19 I will break down your stubborn pride…

And YES,

(You know some of the long history of God’s chosen)

it gets worse from here even BEFORE Christ.

YET could the LORD’s prophesy apply even to US?

Our sin and disobedience continue into these Common Evangelical post-Christian times — (notably by some adopted in Christ Jesus).

The Advent of Defeat

You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them.

Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. “For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the LORD will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly.

Deuteronomy 7:2b-4 NKJV
- But if your heart turns away and you do not listen.. – Deuteronomy 30:17a
- Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” – Joshua 24:22
Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. – 1 Kings 11:11-12 NKJV

King Solomon (the Preacher) & Sin

But King Solomon loved many foreign women.. from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.

.. his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.

א מְלָכִיםא (1 Kings) 11:1-3 excerpt

All this took place a millennium BEFORE the Common Era centered around the very incarnation of JESUS CHRIST.

Failed Kings Before Christ

Saul, as most of us know, failed in disobedience to the Lord’s word through His Prophet Samuel.

Even David was a failed king, but he repented of his sin before the Lord and publically in sight of Israel.

To name just one king of Israel or Judah who did evil in the sight of the Lord, Ahab (and Jezebel) come to mind due to their zeal to destroy God’s Prophet Elijah.

Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him.

Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

1 Kings 16:30,32 NKJV

So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.
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READ the compelling contest for your own clarity of faith.
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And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions?
If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.”

But the people answered him not a word.
1 Kings 18:21

Advent of a Common Era

“How long will you falter between two opinions, twenty-first century C.E. christian?
Roger@TalkofJesus.com

In this traditional Advent season of these last days we anticipate more than simply celebrating Christmas in the year of our Lord (A.D.) 2024.

For the similarities of centuries of evil times Before Christ bring to mind our own disobedience to God’s will.

Our incarnate redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man: And NOW celebrate Him in a manger, though our Savior was sacrificed on a Cross for repentant sinners – sinners who love babies and good gifts, even while we fear DEATH and judgment.

SO what does Advent mean to YOU? And how will YOU evangelize Christ our Lord in these brief days before our ever-popular CHRISTmas celebration?

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December 11, 2024
Before Christmas Evangelicalism Advent 1
Before Christ

Have you ever thought of the meaning of it?

Can we comprehend a time Before the first Christmas?

Before Creation

And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

Genesis (Beginning) 2:5 KJV ..in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

Here witness a time before Adam, before an incarnational Birth of the Christ, yet not Before Jesus the eternal Son of the One Triune God.

Before Re-Creation
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Note that I did not say 'recreation' as we often view these days of the pre-christmas season. 

The Bible points to a renewal of a corrupted creation we noted in the beginning - a creation corrupted by SIN.  
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The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

Genesis 6:11-12 KJV

Have you considered that in the time of Noah and Before Christ

GOD cleansed the earth of all but eight?

ONLY Noah and his wife, along with their three sons and their wives, were chosen to be SAVED from the destruction to come.

The DOOR to salvation on Noah’s ark would not have been open to you. Yet God may have brought you to the Door of Christ Jesus in these last days.

Roger@TalkofJesus.com

Before and After

Before, of course, can mean ‘face to face.’

Then the LORD said to Noah,

“Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.

Genesis 7:1 ESV פָּנִים

We ought not speak of BEFORE without considering the consequent AFTER.

In the context of TIME, and even before time, what comes after or NEXT typically follows before. We speak of consequence or result of what has come before.

Before I was afflicted I went astray:

but now have I kept thy word.

Psalm 119:67 KJV
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And unique events such as the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ still reflect a TIME before AND (except for the end of days) a TIME after. 
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.. the sun stood still, and the moon stayed..

And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

Joshua 10: [12-15 context NKJV]

Before our fathers or families

It’s right there from the beginning:

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Genesis 2:24 NKJV

Do you know this one?

אֲנִי הִנֵּה בְרִיתִי אִתָּךְ וְהָיִיתָ לְאַב הֲמֹון גֹּויִם׃

“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.

“No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.

וְלֹא־יִקָּרֵא עֹוד אֶת־שִׁמְךָ אַבְרָם וְהָיָה שִׁמְךָ אַבְרָהָם כִּי אַב־הֲמֹון גֹּויִם נְתַתִּיךָ׃

בְּרֵאשִׁית (Genesis) 17:14-15 WLC & NKJV

This PERSONAL interaction between the Creator and Living God of timeless eternity and a created son of Adam and Noah wandering through lands of other kings and princes clearly points to a unique time BEFORE CHRIST was born as a Son of Man in a manger in Bethlehem of Judea.

AFTER this unique time Before Christ, Judah (and Israel) had yet to be conquered, named, lost, regained and renamed over centuries of the sons of Abraham.

The chosen Before Christ

For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 7:6 KJV
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But I'm getting ahead of myself. 
We'll take a look at Moses and the Law later in this Advent series, God-willing. - RH)
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Jesus Christ, the grown Son of Man born of Mary and Son of God conceived by the Holy Spirit said this to well-schooled leaders of the Jews.

Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who died? and the prophets died; whom dost thou make thyself?’

..it is my Father who is glorifying me, of whom ye say that He is your God..

Abraham, your father, was glad that he might see my day; and he saw, and did rejoice.’

The Jews, therefore, said unto him, ‘Thou art not yet fifty years old, and Abraham hast thou seen?’

Jesus said to them,

‘Verily, verily, I say to you, Before Abraham’s coming — I am;’

excerpt from Gospel of John 8: Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)

Have you ever thought of JESUS’ testament here in terms of ‘Before Christ?‘

The CHILD of MARY in a manger in Bethlehem of Judea IS the Christ, the Messiah of Israel and Savior of souls! Yet even BEFORE these pivotal historic events in the history of mankind, JESUS IS the Son of God — even as HE IS now and forever..

I am the door, through me if any one may come in, he shall be saved, and he shall come in, and go out, and find pasture.
Gospel of John 10:9 YLT – Invitation of Jesus Christ to any who would follow Him

The Lamb of God in a manger

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December 4, 2024
Thanks Black Friday Cyber-Santa Specials
Black Friday Deals Are Here – Epic Deals. All Week Long
2024 CE Amazon AD

Black Friday to Xmas

I don’t know about you, but once again Thanksgiving seems to be upon us, a prerequisite observance overrun by the rush of DEALS for the Christmas holidays.

Aren’t you THANKFUL for this holiday season immediately following Halloween?

Innumerable lights blinding in darkness and gift buying lasting forever and ever…

Black Friday HOLIDAY Deals Drive-thru

I have previously mentioned this hustle and bustle of black Friday having overtaken the archaic imagery of worshiping pilgrims. Yet each year’s commercial focus on a relatively minor Jewish holiday and formerly insignificant Christian observance grows more and more into a worship of our prosperity (for which we give thanks).
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You might even see NEW deals for this Black Friday if you click on these old links.
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A Puritan Thanksgiving in colonial America
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from which our Thanksgiving traditions supposedly celebrate
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Perhaps our 17th century Puritan forefathers who celebrated this uniquely American Thanksgiving holiday weren’t far from the truth of this holiday season.

Puritans forbade Christmas, considering it too pagan. Governor Bradford actually threatened New Englanders with work, jail or fines if they were caught observing Christmas.
Christianity.com

THANKS to BLACK FRIDAY & Cyber Monday this holiday provides little rest and even less thanks.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com

Thanks giving?

Set aside your devices and distractions for a moment as you gather together with family and you will see much bounty, a recurring theme for America.

Who will you thank?
- Your host and hostess? Sure.
- Or maybe family who have made this gathering possible? Perhaps.
- Yet the thanks giving of those faithful to the Lord is always to God.
No book better expresses our worship, our praises, and singing with joy to the LORD than Psalms, which is the hymnal of Jewish and Christian worship.

Psalm 136

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

[136:1 הֹודוּ לַיהוָה כִּי־טֹוב כִּי לְעֹולָם חַסְדֹּֽו׃]

²⁵Who giveth food to all flesh:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

²⁶O give thanks unto the God of heaven:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

King James Version (KJV)

This is giving thanks as the Pilgrims of America’s founding would have given to God – not only on this holiday, but also in other worship.

Thanks is often a theme of worship, therefore thanking God is the first fruits of harvest for believers of all faiths who landed in this new world.

Yet we have forgotten the lessons of the Lord — He who has preserved us for bounty and blessings of a new land.

Are we so unlike those who worshiped the Lord before, yet then neglected to thank their Provider?

Let the people of AMERICA, bless GOD

Psalm 95

Worship

¹Come, let us shout joyfully to the Lord,
shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation!

²Let us enter his presence with thanksgiving;
let us shout triumphantly to him in song.
Psalm 95 CSB

a Consumer WARNING for a Common Era Black Friday

Hear this caution from the Psalm, that we might not give our thanks lightly, forgetting the worship of Almighty God our Creator.

6 Come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
the sheep under his care.

The Psalmist then reminds worshipers of those who had previously turned from the Lord.

Warning

Today, if you hear his voice:
8 Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the wilderness
9 where your fathers tested me;
they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
Psalm 95, referring to exodus 17:17

Wilderness of the Negev

Meribah מְרִיבָה means testing and is the place where the Hebrews escaping Egypt tested the Lord, rather than giving thanks to the Lord.

And Massah מַסָּה means quarreling, the politics of an ungrateful saved people in the wilderness.
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Sound familiar?
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The Lord saved many who had fled to the New World from persecution and death in the seventeenth century.

The Pilgrims and others gave God thanks for this.

Yet the Psalmist reminds worshipers of a blessed people:

Do not harden your hearts.

Those escaping to a new land had far to go and much to learn of community, lessons about authority and of thankfulness.

Because of their testing and quarreling, the promise of the Lord would not be fulfilled in their generation.

Therefore let us heed these cautions of the Psalmist in our attitude of thanks to the Lord.

Even today, in these Common Era seasons of Black Fridays,

If you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.

10 For forty years I was disgusted with that generation;
I said,

“They are a people whose hearts go astray;
they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest.”

Do you thank the Lord this day?

OR

are BLACK FRIDAY and every other Common Era christmas consumer shopping day

gourging our mortal flesh in the delicacies of death without the Manna of our Redeemer and Lord?
November 28, 2024