113 | In the Fullness of Time
Using an illustration from a Christmas journey many years back, Wayne Johnston explains what it means when the Apostle Paul writes that Jesus came in the ‘fullness of time.’
All posts filed under: Christmas
Controversy erupts as Roman Catholic priest sets up same-sex Nativity scene
A Roman Catholic activist priest in Italy caused controversy over Christmas by setting up a same-sex nativity scene at his church in Capocastello di Mercogliano, the Christian Post reports. Father Vitaliano Della Sala, who pastors Church of Saints Peter and Paul, removed Joseph, Jesus’ human father, and replaced him with a woman. In the process, he suggested this display not only supported same-sex unions but also represented the surrogacy needed for same-sex couples. Della Sell is well-known for his controversial practices and has been dismissed from a parish in the past and later rehired. Many described his lack of respect for the Christmas story as both blasphemous and provocative and called on the area’s bishop to remove the Nativity scene. Della Sela stated in an interview with Portraits of Faith that one of the goals of his activism is to pressure the Roman Catholic Church from within to move it away from its traditional beliefs. It seems to be working. Della Sela stated in an interview with Reuters that his Nativity scene falls in line …
Sending the Christmas message to North Korea by bottle
Though North Korea’s delusional communist dictator, Kim Jong-un hates Christmas and everything Christian, a group of Christians are determined that the message of Jesus gets to the North Korean nation this Christmas, Fox News writes. With the support of the Washington-based, North Korean Freedom Coalition, hundreds of bottles containing enough rice to feed a family for a week, a $1 US bill, a flash drive, and Bible readings were launched into the Yellow Sea. The prevailing tides and currents will carry the bottles to the North Korean shore. An American dollar can also provide enough food for a North Korean family for a week. The flash drive not only provides an explanation of the real Christmas story but also tells the people that there was a good chance, their ancestors were probably Christians before it fell to the communists. There were so many Christians in North Korea’s capital city, Pyongyang, that it was often called the Holy City. The flash drive also includes North Korean propaganda songs that were adjusted so that they no longer …
St. Francis of Assisi constructed Europe’s first Nativity scene in 1223 AD
Though Nativity scenes are popular today as a way of displaying our faith during the Christmas season, the first one didn’t actually show up in Europe until the 13th century, Abigail Robertson writes in her article for CBN. Museum of the Bible curator Jeffery Kloha explained in his interview with Abigail, that St. Francis of Assisi set up Europe’s first Nativity scene at his church outside Greccio, Italy in 1223 AD. St. Francis had visited Bethlehem and was inspired by the Nativity scene set up at the site, thought to be the birthplace of Christ. The famous monk went all out, and Europe’s first nativity was actually what is described today as a ‘living’ scene. It had real actors, and live animals, as part of its replication of the manger scene. Because, it included hay, the locals traveling to the service often tied up their animals at the Nativity, adding to the realism. The site of Europe’s first Nativity display remains special to this day and is regularly visited by Popes during the Christmas season.
The story behind Handel’s ‘Messiah’
CBN recently had an interesting story on the development of Handel’s Christmas masterpiece, Messiah, composed in 1741 that included the infamous Hallelujah chorus. The words were written by Charles Jennens who had gathered together several scriptures, including many from the Old Testament (about 60% of the composition), that spoke of the coming Messiah. Jennens, a committed Christian, had written it to counter deism that was growing in popularity at that time. Though Deism acknowledges a God who created the universe, it does not believe this God is personally involved in the affairs of humans and certainly did not believe Jesus was divine. When he handed these words to George Frideric Handel, a German composer living in London, Jenner hoped Handel would create a masterpiece that would counter this growing movement. Many believe that the great German composer was in a slump, because opera, which was Handel’s specialty, was becoming less popular. But Mark Martin explains what happened next: “It’s said that Handel never left his house during those three weeks, and a friend who visited …
Does a Lunar Eclipse provide a clue on what year Jesus was born?
There is an interesting article on the Bible Archaeology Society website where several scholars and physicists wrote letters to the editor debating the various issues surrounding the year that Jesus Christ was born. Historically, Christ’s birth was defined by the change of eras from BC to AD. AD referred to the Latin phrase ‘Anno Domini’, which translated means ‘Year of the Lord’ and BC stood for ‘Before Christ’.āThese two terms have since been changed to remove the religious connotation to CE which stands for Common Era and BCE which stands for Before Common Era. When we study the issue of what year Christ was born, it is best answered with well, we are pretty sure the Lord wasn’t born at the turn of the era, from BC to AD.āIn other words, Jesus wasn’t born in the first year of what became known as the AD era. If that is the case, when was Christ born? We know from both Luke 1:5 and Matthew 2:1 that Herod the Great, who was half-Jew, was still alive and …
Life-sized figures of a Nativity scene at a German Christmas market beheaded
According to a report by the German newspaper, Bild, a life-sized Nativity scene that was part of a Christmas market near the town hall in RĆ¼sselsheim, Germany was heavily vandalized sometime in the early morning of Monday, Dec. 17, 2023. The Nativity scene was part of the display of an Evangelical church located at the market. All the figures portraying Joseph, Mary, the three Wise men, and even the donkey were beheaded. Some had their hands broken off, and two of the figures including Joseph had also been knocked over. The manger had also been destroyed. According to the report, the Nativity scene looked like a battlefield and the figure of Jesus in the manger, which was initially reported as missing, was later found beneath the rubble. Police are looking into the vandalism and are treating it as a potential religion-motivated hate crime. This is not the first time, that the nativity scene has been vandalized. It had also been attacked in 2021 and 2022. Before 2021, there had not been a single act of …
77 years ago, CS Lewis warned of a world that no longer believes in right and wrong
An article written nearly 77 years ago by famed Christian apologist, CS Lewis, is causing waves today, Christian Headlines reports. Some describe the article entitled, A Christmas Sermon for Pagans, written in 1946 for Strand Magazine, as prophetic. In his article, Lewis starts off by defining three types of people. But it’s his description of the post-Christians that caught everyone’s attention because it speaks of a group of people who no longer believe in right or wrong. āThere is no objective Right or Wrong: each race or class can invent its own code or āideologyā just as it pleases,ā Lewis wrote. āIf there is no real Wrong and Right, nothing good or bad in itself, none of these ideologies can be better or worse than another,ā he continued. Since post-Christians no longer believe in absolute truth, this leads to all sorts of absurdities, and some argue it describes our 2023 culture. Many look at those today who are refusing to condemn Hamas’ barbaric slaughter of women and children in Israel as an example of those …
110 | The Magi: When God plundered hell
When it comes to the Christmas story, many have wondered who exactly were the Magi, that came to Bethlehem looking for the newborn king of the Jews?
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds responds to Satanic Temple display set up in the state’s capitol building
The Satanic Temple is making headlines in the US with a religious display recently set up in the Iowa State Capitol building, the Christian Post reports. The exhibit, set up alongside Christmas displays and a Nativity scene, features an altar to Baphomet, which is portrayed with a silver goat’s head and a human body with a red cape over its shoulders. Along with this the satanic altar, which is expected to stay up until Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, also provides an overview of the seven tenets of the Satanic Temple. There has been a condemnation of the altar from many quarters, but the US guarantees of freedom of religion and speech in its constitution. I believe Iowa’s Republican Governor, Kim Reynolds, provided the best response to this altar in a statement she released on Tuesday. āLike many Iowans, I find the Satanic Templeās display in the Capitol absolutely objectionable,” Reynolds wrote. “In a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech, and I encourage all those of faith to join me today …
Climate change fanatics now targeting Christmas
Climate change fanatics in Germany have now decided that Christmas is verboten, and are vandalizing Christmas decorations as part of their plot to save the world, Breitbart reports. Members of a group that goes by the name ‘Last Generation’ sprayed orange paint on Christmas trees in seven German cities on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. It was obviously a coordinated attack as the trees were all hit at the same time, 10 AM, This included several trees that were set up as part of Germany’s elaborate Christmas festivities in Berlin’s Potsdam Square. Breitbart notes that last year the same extremist group tried unsuccessfully to hijack a live Christmas program being telecast in the country. Some allege that a German woman was also left brain-dead after ‘Last Generation’ blocked an entrance to a Berlin hospital, preventing an ambulance from quickly getting to the scene of a serious car accident in November 2022.
Over 100 military personnel make a commitment to Christ at church Christmas musical
A Baptist Church in Lawton, Oklahoma recently announced that 116 American soldiers made professions for Christ at a recent Christmas program, CBN reports. The First Baptist Church puts on a musical each year entitled “The Journey of Christmas” that draws thousands of people to the show which typically runs multiple nights. The musical which features 30 actors, 50 singers, and a 39-foot Christmas tree tells the story of Michael who plans to go on vacation over Christmas. His failure to make the trip results in him gaining a new perspective on the true meaning of Christmas. Last year, over 4,000 people attended the musical that ran one weekend. The church hopes to see over 5,000 people attend this year’s program, which is scheduled to be performed over two consecutive weekends. Over 700 military personnel from the nearby Fort Sill ArmyĀ base attended this year’s program. Fort Sill Army base has a population of approximately 53,000 military personnel and their families and provides artillery training for several branches of the US military.
43 state legislatures will feature Nativity Scenes again this year
There will be a record number of Nativity Scenes put up at state capitols across America again this Christmas, the Christian Post reports. It will help ensure that people remember the Reason for the Season. According to a new release issued by the Thomas More Society, two non-profits, with the help of local groups, will be setting up nativity scenes on the grounds of 43 state legislatures this year. This matches the record total of 43 set up last year. The Thomas More Society (TMS) is a legal non-profit dedicated to protecting religious freedom across the US. In its news release, TMS added that it is working with the American Nativity Scene committee to ensure that there are no legal challenges to setting up these Nativity scenes. In the past, TMS has gone to court to stop previous bans on government property and today, there is relatively little resistance to setting them up. However, hindrances can express themselves in other ways, such as stalling the approval process. āThe law is clear,” said TMS Executive Vice …
The $100 bill is the new $20 bill: The 1990 ‘Home Alone’ movie exposes the dramatic cost of inflation
Released in 1990, the Christmas classic, Home Alone, starring Macaulay Culkin, tells the story of a young 8-year-old boy who is accidentally left home alone after his family flew off to Europe without him. During the remainder of the comedy, Culkin is left to fight off two inept thieves until his family returns. But there was one scary scene when Culkin took a $20 bill and went to the store to purchase some necessary items, the New York Post reports. This included a loaf of Wonder Bread, a half-gallon container of milk and orange juice, a box of Tide, toilet paper, a mac and cheese frozen dinner, a TV dinner, cling wrap, dryer sheets, and a set of army men. After handing over his $20 bill along with a $1 coupon, the cashier handed back 17 cents in change. Recently, a TikTok user by the name of Geoffrey Lyons decided to see what this same order would cost today. This is where it gets scary. Lyons noted that some items are no longer available today, …
The US Capitol Hill Christmas tree, finally allowed to have religious decorations
According to a news release issued by the Christmas Defense Coalition (CDC), ornaments with a religious theme will finally be allowed on the Christmas Tree put up in the Capitol Hill Building in Washington, DC. Over the past several years, people were allowed to submit ornaments to be displayed on the Christmas tree, but according to the government’s guidelines, “Decorations cannot include religious symbols.” This meant that the decorations displaying the ‘Reason for the Season’ such as Nativity Scenes, the star of Bethlehem, and images of Jesus even as an infant were banned. CDC, which has been actively campaigning over the past several years to have this restriction removed, announced that it is no longer part of the 2023 guidelines for ornament submissions: Click to access 230329_MakeAnOrnament-Flyer.pdf The ‘People’s House,’ as the US Capitol Building is so rightly called, must be a place where all Americans should be afforded the right to come and peacefully celebrate and express their First Amendment Rights, said CDC Director Rev. Patrick Mahoney. “That is why we are thankful the …
Canada: Where the attacks on Christmas continue
I don’t know what is going on in Canada, but the Blacklock’s Reporter provides a brief overview of the government’s latest attack on Christmas: “Christmas is discriminatory, says a Canadian Human Rights Commission report. Observance of Jesusā birth is āan obvious exampleā of religious bias rooted in colonialism, wrote the Commission: ‘No one is free until we are all free.‘” READ (Behind Paywall): Call Christmas Colonial Bias
Are the attacks on Christmas starting already?
It is not even the middle of November, and already the attacks on Christmas have started. Fox News reports that an email allegedly sent from the deputy administrator for the city of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin is restricting what Christmas decorations city employees can put up this festive season. According to the email, this is being done so not to offend people. The email particularly restricted the use of religious decorations and the colors red and green. But so not to be the total Grinch that tried to steal Christmas, certain exceptions were allowed for decorations. Fox News explains: With the reminder, the email asks departments to refrain from using “religious decorations” or “those solelyĀ associated with ChristmasĀ (such as red and green colors)” when decorating public spaces within city buildings. Some neutral, inclusive decorations suggested include snowflakes, snow people,Ā festive lighting,Ā greenery and incorporation of colors like blue, green and purple. Fox News adds that several city employees sent a copy of the alleged email from Deputy City Administrator Melissa Cantarero Weiss to Wisconsin Right Now which then released its …
Documentary suggests that the Star of Bethlehem was a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2Ā and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ā (Matthew 2:1-2 NIV) In a new documentary, God of Heaven and Earth, Edify Films’ producer Elliott Wallach makes the case that the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Magi to visit Jesus was a conjunction of two planets, Venus and Jupiter, Christian Headlines reports. According to Wallach, it would have produced the brightest light that anyone living in Judea would have ever seen when it stopped over Bethlehem. Further, if this is true, then that event would have likely occurred on Dec. 25, 2 BC. This means Jesus was probably born a few years earlier. The documentary also looked at the earthquake mentioned in Matthew 27: 51, 54 associated with Christ’s crucifixion. The filmmaker noted that this would put the date of the crucifixion at 32 AD. …
Who was the first person to recognize Jesus as the Jewish Messiah?
Have you ever wondered who was the first person to understand that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah? Well, as Ben Witherington explains in his article for Biblical Archaeology, it probably wasn’t Mary, the Lord’s mother. When the angel told her that she was to bear the Messiah, Luke writes that Mary was perplexed (Luke 1:29) and when the shepherds visited after being told of Christ’s birth, we are told that Mary pondered these events (Luke 2:19). Pondered means she was literally still trying to put things together. In fact, at one point Mary joined with her family when they wanted to put Christ away, thinking He was mad (Mark 3:21, 31). Witherington argues that the first person to understand that Jesus was the Messiah, was most likely Simeon an old man who was told by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he died (Luke 2:26). Moved by the spirit, Simeon was told to go to the temple on the same day, that Mary and Joseph took Christ to the temple to …
How a Christmas Shoebox turned into a marriage proposal 14 years later
When Tyrel Wolfe, 7, sent a Christmas shoebox to an unknown person in the Philippines, he had no idea that 14 years later, he would end up marrying the girl who received it God Reports writes. When he prepared his shoebox in 2000 at church as part of Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child, Tyrel included a photo of him dressed in cowboy gear, and his address. After Joana Marchan received the gift she sent a letter to Tyrel, but it was never delivered. But in 2011, Joana remembered his name and found a person with the same name on Facebook and sent a friend request. It ended up being the same Tyrel, but because he had no idea who she was he refused the request. But a couple of years later, Joana sent another request, but this time Tyrel, who was still in high school, sent a message asking how she knew him. Over the next couple of years, they continued to share messages and found out they were also both Christians. In fact, Joana …
Has the tomb of Mary’s midwife, Salome, been discovered?
According to the Daily Mail, archaeologists working with Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) claim to have uncovered the tomb of Salome, who is reportedly the midwife who attended to Mary when she gave birth to Christ. Of course, if you are a reader of the Gospels, you are probably thinking where in the New Testament does it mention that Mary had a midwife named Salome? Well, there is none. In fact, the only mention of Mary’s midwife is found in the Gospel of James, an apocryphal book dated to the second or third century. It tells the story of Mary, her childhood, her marriage to Joseph and the birth of Jesus with the assistance of Salome. It is said to have been written by James, the brother of Christ. But adds the stickler, James was the son of Joseph from a previous marriage. Some have even tried to connect this midwife to the Salome mentioned in the Gospels, who was the wife of Zebedee and mother of James and John (Matthew 27:56). She was also listed …
Were the Magi, God’s plunder of hell?
In his record of Jesus’ birth, Matthew reports that magi from the East came to Jerusalem looking for the newborn king, because they had seen His star. Bible versions have translated the Greek word, magos, used in this verse in different ways. Most translate it as ‘wise men’. The Message translates it as scholars. J.B. Philips translates the word as astrologers. The New American Standard Version uses Magi, with this footnote, “A caste of educated men specializing in astronomy, astrology, and natural science.” They were an interesting group and Wikipedia provides this definition of the magi: Magi (/ĖmeÉŖdŹaÉŖ/; singular magus/ĖmeÉŖÉ”És/; from Latinmagus) were priests in Zoroastrianism and the earlier religions of the western Iranians. The earliest known use of the word magi is in the trilingual inscription written by Darius the Great, known as the Behistun Inscription. Old Persian texts, predating the Hellenistic period, refer to a magus as a Zurvanic, and presumably Zoroastrian, priest. Thayer’s Greek dictionary adds that they were also influential advisors to the Kings of Babylon and Persia: 1a) the name …
Town restores nativity scene after complaints
After Bucksport council, a small town in Maine, caved to potential threats from Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) and removed a nativity scene on town property, the citizens expressed their outrage at the decision, Fox News reports. FFRF had demanded that the town install one of its signs beside the nativity scene that spoke of the winter solstice and the Bill of Rights or remove the Nativity scene altogether. Over fears of a potential lawsuit, the town, on advice of legal counsel, decided on the latter course of action and took down the scene. Over a dozen of people showed up at the next council meeting and demanded the nativity scene be restored. One citizen described it as just another form of ‘cancel culture.’ Others demanded the city stand up for Freedom of Speech. “The First Amendment [protects] freedom of religion, not freedom from religion,” town resident, Bob Mercer said. Several cited Supreme Court Cases that stated that governments were allowed to set up religious displays on government-owned property. “It’s time for [the] silent majority …
Human Rights commissioner resigns after allegedly posting her hatred of Christians on social media because of a Christmas tree controversy
Diane Loud, a member of the Human Rights Commission in Dedham, Massachusetts, recently resigned after publicly mocking God and condemning Christians, CBN reports. The problem started when the manager of Endicott Branch Library in Dedham, Lisa Desmond, was told that she would not be allowed to put up a Christmas tree at the library this year. When she asked why, Desmond was told that it had apparently resulted in complaints in previous years. The claim that the annual Christmas tree display had caused offense puzzled Desmond and on December 2, 2022, she commented on Facebook that over the previous 28 years that she had not heard of one complaint about the tree display at the library. According to Faithwire, the resulting pushback caused by Desmond’s comment allegedly resulted in a profanity-laden response from Loud on social media, where she mocked God, calling him a ‘magic sky daddy.’ I hope [you know] the fact that you ā who claim to believe in Christ and Christmas or whatever happy horses— you’re trying to hide behind ā are the …
Have a ‘Merry Winter Closure Period’
Maybe it is jut me, but our schools of higher learning seem to be getting dumber every day. According to an article in the Daily Mail, the University of Brighton, based in Brighton England, recently sent out a nine-page memo to its staff telling them what words they can and cannot use. It was referred to as an inclusive language document. Top of the list was their instruction not to say Christmas this season, because it is too ‘Christian-centric, instead, they were told to use the phrase ‘Winter closure period.’ So instead of saying Merry Christmas, the staff are apparently urged to say have a “Merry Winter Closure Period”. Brighton insists this is just guidance for its employees, as it hasn’t officially banned the word Christmas on its campuses Well, I have news for the University of Brighton, Christmas is a Christian celebration, and unless it’s also planning to change the name of Ramadam because it is too Muslim-centric, then this is just another example of anti-Christian bigotry and exclusion. READ: Brighton University urges staff …
Joseph beheaded in a violent attack on a church’s nativity scene
The nativity scene at a church in Ipswich, England has been vandalized just four days after it had been set up at the 13th century All Saints Church. The display was torn apart with the life-size figurines scattered around the site. Many of the figurines were damaged and will require a significant amount of repair to make them suitable for display. The model of Joseph had also been decapitated. “Why would someone have so much hatred and desire to ruin and destroy something that is not their property, and something that is there to express someone’s belief?,” The Rev Danny Morrison who serves as the church’s vicar told the Daily Mail. “What state might their life be like if they find pleasure in doing this? I am trying to make sense which I really can’t.” The church has been putting up the Nativity scene for the past five years. It has a message beneath it that reads, “Jesus came to save us all.” Unfortunately, the nativity was also vandalized several times in 2018, the first …
The real Saint Nicholas
While our modern Santa Claus has taken on god-like qualities in our modern culture, the story of jolly ole Saint Nick finds its roots in a real man, Saint Nicholas, who served as the Bishop of Myra located in modern Turkey. The city of Myra, located on the Mediterranean, is briefly mentioned in Acts 27:5, as Paul, now a prisoner, was being transported to Rome by a centurion According to ancient tradition, Nicholas (270 AD – Dec 6, 343 AD) was born in the city of Patara, also located on the Mediterranean Sea. It was a city, that the Apostle Paul visited while on his journey to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1-2). Nicholas came from a very wealthy Christian family and for the first half of his life, he lived during some of the most horrific times of Roman persecution, under the emperor Diocletian (284 – 305). During this period, Roman soldiers were going door to door searching for copies of scripture. It was this persecution that spurred the early believers to canonize the Bible, as they …
Tim Allen says his new Santa series will emphasize a religious aspect of Christmas
In a recent interview with The Wrap, Hollywood actor Tim Allen, 69, who will be starring in Disney Plus’s The Santa Clauses, says the six-part series will be focusing on the religious aspects of Christmas. Allen stated the original script was emphasizing otherworldly things such as ghosts and goblins, but after Allen’s insistence has since decided it will focus on the real St. Nicholas, who was the historic figure on which modern Santa Claus is based. “I said no, this is Christ-mas. It’s Christ-mas. It literally is a religious holiday,” Allen said in the interview. “We don’t have to blow trumpets, but I do want you to acknowledge it. That’s what this is about. If you want to get into Santa Claus, you’re gonna have to go back to history, and it’s all about religion.” That part of the story will not be developed until the final two shows of the series. St Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra (270 AD to 340 AD), who became famous for the miracles attributed to his prayers and …
Ukrainians urged to celebrate Christmas on Dec 25
We are living in interesting times, and it may even impact when members of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine celebrate Christmas, Premier Christian News reports. During a church synod held in October, the leaders of Ukraine’s Orthodox Church encouraged its members to celebrate Christmas on December 25 this year, instead of January 7th as it has traditionally done. The group has approximately 7,000 churches in Ukraine. For centuries, Ukraine’s orthodox church was under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Church. However, in 2019 it broke free from the Russian Orthodox Church due largely to Russia’s seizure of Crimea in 2014. The differences between the two groups have only grown since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier this year. In September, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, likened Russia’s invasion to a Holy War and said any Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine would be absolved of their sin. In an interview with Premier Christian News, Christian historian Martyn Whittock explained the decision to move the celebration of Christ’s birth to Dec 25: “Orthodox believers …
Have researchers discovered the tomb of St. Nicholas?
According to a Turkish news site, Demirƶren News Agency, researchers may have discovered the tomb of St. Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra while excavating the ruins of a third and fourth century church in Demure, Turkey, Breitbart reports. St. Nicholas, as his name suggests, is the man who inspired our modern Santa Claus. He was the Bishop of Myra prior to his death on December 6, 343 AD. The tomb is probably empty as the bones of St Nicholas were apparently transported to Bari, Italy in 1087 AD, and are now on display at the Basilica di San Nicola. Other bone fragments may have also ended up San NicolĆ² al Lido in Venice. Nevertheless, researchers believe the newly discovered basilica may still contain other relics associated with the infamous Bishop. Though little is known about St. Nickolas’ life, historical documents reveal that 250 years after his death people were making pilgrimages to his tomb in Bari revealing his growing fame. So how did his life pave the way for our modern Santa Claus? Breitbart provides …
Cofounder of South African Satanic Church turns to Christ after experiencing God’s love
One of the co-founders of the South African Satanic Church (SASC), Riaan Swiegelaar, has renounced his involvement in Satanism and become a Christian, CBN reports. Swiegelaar made the announcement in a video posted on Facebook on July 4, 2022, after several people asked why he had left Satanism. Swiegelaar said: “I’m doing this live video because many, more than 100 people, on WhatsApp and almost 200 on Facebook, are sending me messages wanting to know why did I leave the South African Satanic Church as well as why did I turn my back on Satanism.” Swiegelaar, who was involved in Christian ministry decades earlier, had left the ministry, become an atheist and later found himself drawn to Satanism. In his video, which has been viewed over 212,000 times, Swiegelaar explained what happened: “I got involved with Satanism because at the time it resonated with me, being very broken and sad without realizing it. I think the reason a lot of people resonate with Satanism is they come from a very broken place. I have met …
The COVID facts vs the COVID hysteria
With the pandemic starting to wind down, maybe people will have a chance to take a rational look at what really happened over the last two years during the COVID outbreak.
The story behind Handel’s ‘Messiah’
In 2019, CBN wrote a story about George Frideric Handel’s composition, “Messiah” often performed at Christmas.
Hundreds lift their cellphones, signifying they received Christ during church’s Christmas programs
There were shocking responses to invitations to receive Christ during Champion Forest Baptist Church’s Christmas services this year. The Baptist Press reports that for five days, Dec 8 – Dec 12, 2021, the Houston church held its Christmas program, with one nightly from Wednesday through Friday and two on Saturday and also Sunday. It’s estimated that 30,000 people attended services during the five-day event. At the end of each program, the church’s senior pastor, Jarrett Stephens, gave a Gospel presentation, after which he invited those who believed in Jesus for their salvation to turn on their cell phones’ flashlight in the darkened auditorium. Everyone, including the congregation, was stunned by the responses as dozens of people held their cellphones high in the air at the end of each service, flooding the auditorium with light. Photographs taken over the five-day event revealed that 1,114 people had made a decision to believe in Jesus. Calling the response unprecedented, Stephens told the Baptist Press: āGod is moving, and to Him be the glory. It is all about Him. …
Comparing the deaths of North Korea’s Kim Jong-il & King Herod
North Korea’s delusional, communist dictator, Kim Jong-un, has ordered citizens not to laugh or drink alcohol for 11 days to mourn the death of Jong-un’s equally delusional father, Kim Jong-il, who was president of North Korea from 1994 to 2011. Radio Free Asia reports that this period of mourning is intended to mark the tenth anniversary of Kim Jong-il’s death, who died of a heart attack on Dec. 17, 2011, at the age of 69. One North Korean told Radio Free Asia: “During the mourning period, we must not drink alcohol, laugh or engage in leisure activities.“ “In the past many people who were caught drinking or being intoxicated during the mourning period were arrested and treated as ideological criminals. They were taken away and never seen again. “Even if your family member dies during the mourning period, you are not allowed to cry out loud and the body must be taken out after it’s over. People cannot even celebrate their own birthdays if they fall within the mourning period.’” READ: North Koreans forced to …
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