Wanted to share this website with everyone. If you haven't heard of it yet it gives you daily discounts for businesses in your area. It's helped me save lots of money.
Click this link for more info:
http://www.groupon.com/r/uu2916012
Daughter of a King, wife, boy mom. Just a sassy southern belle that loves to kiss & tell. Thanks for stopping by.
4/26/11
4/17/11
Holy Spirit Fire
God showed me a forest of large trees representing His righteous men in His body. I was led to pray that the Holy Spirits fire would burn the underbrush beneath them. That the enemy would be burned out so the trees could flourish. And once that fires subsided that the trees would still remain hot and not grow cold. Then I asked that the Lord would shake the ground around them to cause all the soot to fall so they may see clearly what God has for them. Only at that point Lord, let it rain so that they be washed clean and all the dust be settled. Because after all this the ground around the trees will be rich enough for them to bring up healthy seedlings. If you were to take a deeper look into that fertile soil you would see that these huge trees derive their strength from the Rock they're growing on. Jesus Christ.
I did some further research on this prayer given to me and found Psalms 92: 7-15
7 When the wicked spring up like grass,
And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,
It is that they may be destroyed forever.
8 But You, LORD, are on high forevermore.
9 For behold, Your enemies, O LORD,
For behold, Your enemies shall perish;
All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
10 But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox;
I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11 My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies;
My ears hear my desire on the wicked
Who rise up against me.
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,
It is that they may be destroyed forever.
8 But You, LORD, are on high forevermore.
9 For behold, Your enemies, O LORD,
For behold, Your enemies shall perish;
All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
10 But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox;
I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11 My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies;
My ears hear my desire on the wicked
Who rise up against me.
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
4/15/11
Origin of Easter
The origin of Easter, a holiday associated with the observance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is
actually based on an ancient pagan celebration. Christians recognize this day as commemorating the
culminating event of their faith, but like so many other "Christian" holidays, Easter has become
commercialized and mixed with non-christian traditions like the Easter Bunny, Easter parades and
hunting for Easter eggs. How did this happen?
Origin of Easter - Its Pagan Roots
The origin of Easter dates back to ancient times, not long after the global Flood recorded in Genesis
6-9 of the Bible. Nimrod, a grandson of Noah, had turned from following his grandfather's God and
had become a tyrannical ruler. According to the biblical record, as king, Nimrod created Babel,
Ninevah, Asshur, Calla and other cities, all known for lifestyles that promoted unspeakable evil and
perversion. When Nimrod died, his wife, Queen Semiramis, deified him as the Sun-god, or Life Giver.
Later he would become known as Baal, and those who followed the religion Semiramis created in his
name would be called Baal worshippers. They became associated with idolatry, demon worship,
human sacrifice and other practices regarded as evil.
The origin of Easter involves the birth of Semiramis' illegitimate son, Tammuz. Somehow, Semiramis
convinced the people that Tammuz was actually Nimrod reborn. Since people had been looking for
the promised savior since the beginning of mankind (see Genesis 3:15), they were persuaded by
Semiramis to believe that Tammuz was that savior, even that he had been supernaturally conceived.
Before long, in addition to worshipping Tammuz (or Nimrod reborn), the people also worshipped
Semiramis herself as the goddess of fertility. In other cultures, she has been called Ishtar, Ashtur and
yes, Easter.
The origin of Easter goes back to the springtime ritual instituted by Semiramis following the death of
Tammuz, who, according to tradition, was killed by a wild boar. Legend has it that through the power
of his mother's tears, Tammuz was "resurrected" in the form of the new vegetation that appeared on
the earth.
According to the Bible, it was in the city of Babel that the people created a tower in order to defy God.
Up until that time, all the people on the earth spoke one language. The building of the tower led God,
as recorded in Genesis 11:7, to confuse their tongues to keep them from being further unified in their
false beliefs. As the people moved into other lands, many of them took their pagan practices with
them.
Contemporary traditions such as the Easter Bunny and the Easter egg can also be traced back to the
practices established by Semiramis. Because of their prolific nature, rabbits have long been
associated with fertility and its goddess, Ishtar. Ancient Babylonians believed in a fable about an egg
that fell into the Euphrates River from heaven and from which Queen Astarte (another name for Ishtar
or Semiramis) was "hatched."
Origin of Easter - Resurrection Day for Christians
For Christians, the origin of Easter is simply the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ about
2,000 years ago. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus Christ, the true Messiah promised in the 2
Old Testament, was crucified and resurrected at the time of the Jewish Passover. Since that
awesome event took place, those who believe Christ is their Messiah have honored that day and
often celebrated it with the traditional Passover. As the Gospel of Christ spread throughout nonjewish nations, among people who did not have a history of celebrating the Passover, the pagan rites
of Easter gradually became assimilated into what the Christian church called "Resurrection Day."
Compromising the commandments of God with the comfort of the world is as old as the nation of
Israel itself. Actually, American history teaches us that Easter was dismissed as a pagan holiday by
the nation's founding Puritans and did not begin to be widely observed until just after the Civil War.
Those interested in a Christian view of American history and the gradual compromise of America's
Biblical foundations may wish to read books such as The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and
David Manuel.
Easter Origin - A One-time Event
Easter origin, as a Christian holiday, can be found in the pages of scripture itself. Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John, all followers of Jesus, offer their own unique eyewitness accounts of the crucifixion
and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is this culminating event of Christianity that is celebrated on Easter
Sunday every year.
Easter Origin - The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Easter origin actually began as a part of the Jewish Passover, as Christ was crucified and resurrected
during Passover week. Christ is believed by Christians to actually be the Passover Lamb spoken of in
Exodus, for He Himself became the perfect, sinless sacrifice for the sins of all people. Jews who
chose to follow Christ then honored this day in succeeding years during the Passover season, but as
Christianity was spread throughout non-christian nations, the celebration of Easter was gradually
combined with pagan "rites of spring" traditions. Modern celebrations are the result of this
compromise. At the same time, Easter is often the only day that many people attend church and are
introduced to the "Good News" of Jesus Christ.
Easter Origin - Christ Revealed in the Jewish Passover
Easter origin can be traced to the Passover ceremony itself. Christian scholars believe that the Old
Testament is Christ concealed, while the New Testament is Christ revealed. Let's hold the elements
of the Passover up to the light of the life of Christ. By tradition, the lamb to be sacrificed during the
Passover was selected four days before the sacrifice was to be made. Jesus rode into Jerusalem four
days before He was crucified. The lamb was customarily slain at 3 p.m. on Passover. Jesus uttered
the words "it is finished" and died on the cross at 3 p.m. (this is known traditionally as Good Friday,
but many Bible scholars have determined the crucifixion to be on a Wednesday or Thursday). The
festival of Unleavened Bread began at sunset. One of the rituals involved the sacrifice of a grain
offering, representing the first fruits of the harvest. Jesus, according to the Apostle Paul, became the
first fruits of those raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20). During the Passover dinner, three
matzahs are put together. Christians see these matzahs as representative of the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. The middle matzah is broken, as Christ said at the Last Supper, "This is My body, broken
for you." The middle matzah is also striped and pierced, as Jesus was during His crucifixion, and as
was prophesied in Isaiah 53:5, Psalm 22:16 and Zechariah 12:10. This matzah is then wrapped in a
white cloth and hidden, just as Christ was wrapped in linen and laid in the tomb.
Easter Origin - The Biblical Accounts
Easter (also known as Resurrection Day), is the event upon which the entire Christian faith hinges. 3
Paul, once a Jewish leader hostile to Christians, became a convert when he met Jesus on the Road
to Damascus (Acts 9). As an eyewitness of Christ, Paul made it abundantly clear that without the
resurrection, there is no basis for faith in Christ: Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the
dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no
resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain,
and your faith is also vain. (1 Corinthians 15:12-29)
When Christ was born, He fulfilled a number of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah.
By the time of His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, He had fulfilled more than 300 of them.
These numbers alone provide staggering evidence that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah. So it
is with good reason that Christians the world over regard Easter as a very special event. But in the
early days of the church, most Christians were Jewish converts. Because Jesus was crucified and
rose again during the Passover season, their celebration of Christ's resurrection was acknowledged
during that annual observance of the deliverance from bondage in Egypt. Christian Jews (or
Messianic Jews) consider the Passover to be symbolic of the time when Christ set all believers free
from the penalty of sin (through His death on the cross) and death (through His resurrection from the
dead).
Summary and Conclusion
“Easter” is simply one of the names of a woman who mightily deceived the world and whose religion
has caused untold suffering and misery. She was clearly an enemy of Christianity, and her son
Tammuz was an anti-Christ, a false messiah that ultimately deceived millions.
If you are Christian, it is not difficult to discern the bizarre deception and confusion that Satan has
successfully orchestrated. For example, notice the embarrassing irony in these traditions which are
practiced innocently by most people. They are repeated year after year, because they have become
traditional and their origin is unknown to many.
• On the day commemorating Christ's resurrection, Americans roll decorated eggs on the White
House lawn and pretend the Easter rabbit hid them. The same ritual is practiced at some
Christian churches.
• “In Lancashire [England] on Easter eve boys and men have been in the habit of touring the
towns and villages as 'Pace-eggers' begging for eggs before performing the 'Pace-Egging' or
Pasch (i.e., Easter) play.”
• In Greece each person in a group bangs his red EASTER EGG [not knowing that it is symbol
of the Goddess] against the eggs of all the others present in turn, saying 'Christ is risen,' and
receives the reply 'He is risen indeed.'"
The seductive symbols of ancient ungodly religions inspired by Satan have been incorporated into
people's everyday lives, even to this day - continuing to obscure the truth of God .
One might wonder if there is a better way for Christians to celebrate Jesus Christ's resurrection, the
most important of all Christian holy days. In retrospect, it seems obvious that it would have been a
better witness to the world if Christians had not attempted to “Christianize” pagan celebrations -
adopting the name “Easter” (Ishtar/Semiramis) in remembrance of Christ. Jesus has been obscured
by painted eggs and bunnies. Attention has been shifted away from spiritual truth and toward 4
materialism (clothing, products and candies with the wrong symbolism). Stores merchandise the
name of Easter (not “Resurrection Sunday”) and sell goods that have nothing to do with Christ's death
and resurrection. Christians naively use symbols and practices that unknowingly perpetuate ancient
anti-Christ traditions - symbolic customs followed by the same religious cults that inspired the
destruction of great numbers of Christians and Jews. Is the Devil laughing at us?
Many church bodies recognize the problem and make every effort to keep the focus of Resurrection
Sunday totally on Jesus Christ and the Good News that He brought.
It is better as the church to take a stand against non-Christian practices and vocabulary. In our church
let’s refer to Easter week as the Passover and Resurrection Sunday. It’s not wrong to celebrate what
Jesus and God did for us if we do it without the pagan beliefs, symbolism, practices, and vocabulary.
Let’s keep what is Holy, Holy!
actually based on an ancient pagan celebration. Christians recognize this day as commemorating the
culminating event of their faith, but like so many other "Christian" holidays, Easter has become
commercialized and mixed with non-christian traditions like the Easter Bunny, Easter parades and
hunting for Easter eggs. How did this happen?
Origin of Easter - Its Pagan Roots
The origin of Easter dates back to ancient times, not long after the global Flood recorded in Genesis
6-9 of the Bible. Nimrod, a grandson of Noah, had turned from following his grandfather's God and
had become a tyrannical ruler. According to the biblical record, as king, Nimrod created Babel,
Ninevah, Asshur, Calla and other cities, all known for lifestyles that promoted unspeakable evil and
perversion. When Nimrod died, his wife, Queen Semiramis, deified him as the Sun-god, or Life Giver.
Later he would become known as Baal, and those who followed the religion Semiramis created in his
name would be called Baal worshippers. They became associated with idolatry, demon worship,
human sacrifice and other practices regarded as evil.
The origin of Easter involves the birth of Semiramis' illegitimate son, Tammuz. Somehow, Semiramis
convinced the people that Tammuz was actually Nimrod reborn. Since people had been looking for
the promised savior since the beginning of mankind (see Genesis 3:15), they were persuaded by
Semiramis to believe that Tammuz was that savior, even that he had been supernaturally conceived.
Before long, in addition to worshipping Tammuz (or Nimrod reborn), the people also worshipped
Semiramis herself as the goddess of fertility. In other cultures, she has been called Ishtar, Ashtur and
yes, Easter.
The origin of Easter goes back to the springtime ritual instituted by Semiramis following the death of
Tammuz, who, according to tradition, was killed by a wild boar. Legend has it that through the power
of his mother's tears, Tammuz was "resurrected" in the form of the new vegetation that appeared on
the earth.
According to the Bible, it was in the city of Babel that the people created a tower in order to defy God.
Up until that time, all the people on the earth spoke one language. The building of the tower led God,
as recorded in Genesis 11:7, to confuse their tongues to keep them from being further unified in their
false beliefs. As the people moved into other lands, many of them took their pagan practices with
them.
Contemporary traditions such as the Easter Bunny and the Easter egg can also be traced back to the
practices established by Semiramis. Because of their prolific nature, rabbits have long been
associated with fertility and its goddess, Ishtar. Ancient Babylonians believed in a fable about an egg
that fell into the Euphrates River from heaven and from which Queen Astarte (another name for Ishtar
or Semiramis) was "hatched."
Origin of Easter - Resurrection Day for Christians
For Christians, the origin of Easter is simply the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ about
2,000 years ago. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus Christ, the true Messiah promised in the 2
Old Testament, was crucified and resurrected at the time of the Jewish Passover. Since that
awesome event took place, those who believe Christ is their Messiah have honored that day and
often celebrated it with the traditional Passover. As the Gospel of Christ spread throughout nonjewish nations, among people who did not have a history of celebrating the Passover, the pagan rites
of Easter gradually became assimilated into what the Christian church called "Resurrection Day."
Compromising the commandments of God with the comfort of the world is as old as the nation of
Israel itself. Actually, American history teaches us that Easter was dismissed as a pagan holiday by
the nation's founding Puritans and did not begin to be widely observed until just after the Civil War.
Those interested in a Christian view of American history and the gradual compromise of America's
Biblical foundations may wish to read books such as The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and
David Manuel.
Easter Origin - A One-time Event
Easter origin, as a Christian holiday, can be found in the pages of scripture itself. Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John, all followers of Jesus, offer their own unique eyewitness accounts of the crucifixion
and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is this culminating event of Christianity that is celebrated on Easter
Sunday every year.
Easter Origin - The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Easter origin actually began as a part of the Jewish Passover, as Christ was crucified and resurrected
during Passover week. Christ is believed by Christians to actually be the Passover Lamb spoken of in
Exodus, for He Himself became the perfect, sinless sacrifice for the sins of all people. Jews who
chose to follow Christ then honored this day in succeeding years during the Passover season, but as
Christianity was spread throughout non-christian nations, the celebration of Easter was gradually
combined with pagan "rites of spring" traditions. Modern celebrations are the result of this
compromise. At the same time, Easter is often the only day that many people attend church and are
introduced to the "Good News" of Jesus Christ.
Easter Origin - Christ Revealed in the Jewish Passover
Easter origin can be traced to the Passover ceremony itself. Christian scholars believe that the Old
Testament is Christ concealed, while the New Testament is Christ revealed. Let's hold the elements
of the Passover up to the light of the life of Christ. By tradition, the lamb to be sacrificed during the
Passover was selected four days before the sacrifice was to be made. Jesus rode into Jerusalem four
days before He was crucified. The lamb was customarily slain at 3 p.m. on Passover. Jesus uttered
the words "it is finished" and died on the cross at 3 p.m. (this is known traditionally as Good Friday,
but many Bible scholars have determined the crucifixion to be on a Wednesday or Thursday). The
festival of Unleavened Bread began at sunset. One of the rituals involved the sacrifice of a grain
offering, representing the first fruits of the harvest. Jesus, according to the Apostle Paul, became the
first fruits of those raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20). During the Passover dinner, three
matzahs are put together. Christians see these matzahs as representative of the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. The middle matzah is broken, as Christ said at the Last Supper, "This is My body, broken
for you." The middle matzah is also striped and pierced, as Jesus was during His crucifixion, and as
was prophesied in Isaiah 53:5, Psalm 22:16 and Zechariah 12:10. This matzah is then wrapped in a
white cloth and hidden, just as Christ was wrapped in linen and laid in the tomb.
Easter Origin - The Biblical Accounts
Easter (also known as Resurrection Day), is the event upon which the entire Christian faith hinges. 3
Paul, once a Jewish leader hostile to Christians, became a convert when he met Jesus on the Road
to Damascus (Acts 9). As an eyewitness of Christ, Paul made it abundantly clear that without the
resurrection, there is no basis for faith in Christ: Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the
dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no
resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain,
and your faith is also vain. (1 Corinthians 15:12-29)
When Christ was born, He fulfilled a number of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah.
By the time of His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, He had fulfilled more than 300 of them.
These numbers alone provide staggering evidence that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah. So it
is with good reason that Christians the world over regard Easter as a very special event. But in the
early days of the church, most Christians were Jewish converts. Because Jesus was crucified and
rose again during the Passover season, their celebration of Christ's resurrection was acknowledged
during that annual observance of the deliverance from bondage in Egypt. Christian Jews (or
Messianic Jews) consider the Passover to be symbolic of the time when Christ set all believers free
from the penalty of sin (through His death on the cross) and death (through His resurrection from the
dead).
Summary and Conclusion
“Easter” is simply one of the names of a woman who mightily deceived the world and whose religion
has caused untold suffering and misery. She was clearly an enemy of Christianity, and her son
Tammuz was an anti-Christ, a false messiah that ultimately deceived millions.
If you are Christian, it is not difficult to discern the bizarre deception and confusion that Satan has
successfully orchestrated. For example, notice the embarrassing irony in these traditions which are
practiced innocently by most people. They are repeated year after year, because they have become
traditional and their origin is unknown to many.
• On the day commemorating Christ's resurrection, Americans roll decorated eggs on the White
House lawn and pretend the Easter rabbit hid them. The same ritual is practiced at some
Christian churches.
• “In Lancashire [England] on Easter eve boys and men have been in the habit of touring the
towns and villages as 'Pace-eggers' begging for eggs before performing the 'Pace-Egging' or
Pasch (i.e., Easter) play.”
• In Greece each person in a group bangs his red EASTER EGG [not knowing that it is symbol
of the Goddess] against the eggs of all the others present in turn, saying 'Christ is risen,' and
receives the reply 'He is risen indeed.'"
The seductive symbols of ancient ungodly religions inspired by Satan have been incorporated into
people's everyday lives, even to this day - continuing to obscure the truth of God .
One might wonder if there is a better way for Christians to celebrate Jesus Christ's resurrection, the
most important of all Christian holy days. In retrospect, it seems obvious that it would have been a
better witness to the world if Christians had not attempted to “Christianize” pagan celebrations -
adopting the name “Easter” (Ishtar/Semiramis) in remembrance of Christ. Jesus has been obscured
by painted eggs and bunnies. Attention has been shifted away from spiritual truth and toward 4
materialism (clothing, products and candies with the wrong symbolism). Stores merchandise the
name of Easter (not “Resurrection Sunday”) and sell goods that have nothing to do with Christ's death
and resurrection. Christians naively use symbols and practices that unknowingly perpetuate ancient
anti-Christ traditions - symbolic customs followed by the same religious cults that inspired the
destruction of great numbers of Christians and Jews. Is the Devil laughing at us?
Many church bodies recognize the problem and make every effort to keep the focus of Resurrection
Sunday totally on Jesus Christ and the Good News that He brought.
It is better as the church to take a stand against non-Christian practices and vocabulary. In our church
let’s refer to Easter week as the Passover and Resurrection Sunday. It’s not wrong to celebrate what
Jesus and God did for us if we do it without the pagan beliefs, symbolism, practices, and vocabulary.
Let’s keep what is Holy, Holy!
4/1/11
The speech I gave at my sisters wedding.
My name is Shelly, and for those of you who don’t know me I am Kim’s older sister. I feel so honored to be a part of Derek and Kim’s special day, so I’ll try not to mess it up too bad. Tonight I want to give the perfect speech that shows exactly how I feel on their wedding day. However, I realize that some emotions are simply impossible to put into words. Right now I feel like laughing and crying all at the same time.
My little sister is all grown up and she’s getting married! It seems like just the other day that we were in our back yard fighting over the rope swing at our little brothers’ birthday party. I can still hear her high pitched screams as I violently shook the rope trying to fling her tiny body from it so that I could have a turn and take the spotlight from her.
Well sis, no one in the entire world could take the spotlight from you tonight. You are absolutely beautiful- inside and out.
Derek you’re a lucky man! And I’m so glad that you are marrying my sister. I know that you will truly cherish her and treat her well. I am so happy that I can call you my brother. Welcome to our family, and good luck, because you’re going to need it.
So Kim, I know that you and Derek have been together longer than Matt and I, but as your Maid of Honor I feel it’s my responsibility to give you some good marriage advice. So here it goes…
As my sister, you’re bound to be clever, so you'll always have the last word in every disagreement. However, if you are VERY clever, you won't use it.
Derek, when all else fails remember these magic words..."You're right dear."
Because a happy wife, makes for a happy life!
To the both of you, a good sense of humor and short memories are required for a happy marriage! And luckily, between the two of you, the short part is more than covered.
On a more serious note… whenever you are wrong, admit it. Whenever you are right, be quiet.
Take each day and cherish your time together. Love one another and take the time to talk to one another.
Put God first, your love and your family second, and your job and hobbies third.
(Raise your glass)
Derek and Kim, may your love be like the wind, strong enough to move the clouds, soft enough to never hurt, but always never ending. So here's to love, laughter, and happily ever after.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)