Category: Abundant Life

Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.

If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.

Let’s get started:

Tradition Develops

An old and familiar part of the Christmas story goes like this: Mary and Joseph traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem shortly before the birth of Jesus. The night they arrived in Bethlehem there were no rooms available in the local inns, and so Joseph and Mary had to make a place for themselves in a local stable, where Mary gave birth to Jesus and then laid him in a manger, a feeding trough for the animals.

The picture painted by the above part of the Christmas story is not a pretty one. It paints a cold and selfish picture of the people of Bethlehem. Most people of every age and culture go out of their way to help women in need, but somehow the people of Bethlehem closed their doors to this young woman about to give birth. Is that really the picture of the birth of Christ that the Word of God paints for us? We will see that there is a joyful picture of giving in the Christmas story that has been hidden from the eyes of many Christians, but which shows the true heart of Christmas: giving to others from a joyful heart.

The modern Christian understanding of the birth of Jesus comes largely from extra-biblical works and traditions imported into the Gospels, rather than the biblical record itself. Much misinformation came from a document that was widely circulated in the early centuries of the Christian era. It is referred to by scholars as the Protevangelium of James, and was likely written in the third century A.D. The Protevangelium is the first document scholars are aware of that refers to Jesus being born close to Mary’s arrival in Bethlehem, though it says Jesus was born in a cave before Joseph and Mary even reached Bethlehem. Sadly, in ancient times as well as today, people seem to pay more attention to what people say about the Bible than what the Bible itself says.

We do not know how large a part the Protevangelium played in developing the tradition that Mary gave birth to Jesus the night she and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem. However, we do know that the traditional belief became easier to sustain as the center of Christian culture moved to Europe, where day-to-day life was quite different from life in Palestine.

Getting the Story Straight

The story of the night of Christ’s birth needs to be retaught and relearned in Christian circles, not only because truth matters and what actually happened is important, but because it shows the love and sacrifice that people make to help each other, and the true joy of giving so that others may be blessed. That is a much more redemptive rendition of the Christmas story than townspeople closing their hearts and shutting their doors to a pregnant woman in need.

What we will see as we examine the biblical record from both the Greek text and the culture of the times is that Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem some time before she gave birth and were taken into the home of a local resident, likely a relative who was also of the family of David, in whose home Mary gave birth. Although most English versions have the phrase, “there was no room for them in the inn,” we will see that phrase has been both mistranslated and misinterpreted.

The Christmas Story

So we see that the way the birth of Jesus actually happened is considerably different than what is commonly taught. It is not that Bethlehem was full of cold-hearted townspeople who would not take special care of a young woman about to have her first child.

Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem at least a few days before Mary gave birth, and were taken in by one of the local homes, most likely that of a relative. The host family already had guests in the kataluma, the guest room, so there was no space (topos) for them there. Therefore, the homeowners graciously made room for Joseph and Mary in their own living quarters, treating them like family. When Mary went into labor, the men left their own home to give her privacy, and the women of the household, likely along with the village midwife, came to Mary’s side for help and support. Shortly after Mary gave birth to our Lord and Savior late in the evening (after sunset) or at night, Joseph and the men would have been called back into the house to see the new baby boy, and there would have been much jubilation and revelry, which was always a traditional part of the birth of a baby boy, particularly if it was a first child.

Not too long after Jesus was born, he was wrapped in swaddling clothes, dedicated to God, and placed in a perfect spot, the manger in the family home, which would have been cleaned and made up with fresh straw. No doubt the news soon spread around the village that a baby boy had been born (the music and shouting would have helped that happen), and that both the mother and baby were doing well, but soon there was to be news of a different kind. Shepherds showed up from a nearby field and told the village that a great light had shined around them, that they had seen an army of angels on the hillsides, and that an angel had told them that this baby was no ordinary baby, but the Messiah, the Savior. Their report caused great wonder all over the region, and resulted in glory and praise to God.

Thus the story of the birth of Christ reveals something that demonstrates the true spirit of Christmas: people opening their homes and their hearts, joyfully giving to others in need, and helping where they can.

Read the full article here. (And it’s worth the read!!)

Vodpod videos no longer available.

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about God’s wonderful message, please visit the Truth or Tradition website. You can also keep track of the ministry through their Facebook page.

Thank you for visiting and God bless.

Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.

If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.

Let’s get started:

Much could be said about the specific origins of different holidays, be they pagan or not, but that information can be found elsewhere.

It is important to note that holidays and celebrations were God’s idea, as evidenced by His directives to the people of Israel in the Old Testament. Special days or weeks that He designated were to be times of celebrating His goodness to them, as well as times designed to help His people remember His deliverance and provision. Therefore, holidays per se are neither good nor bad. It depends on what they are for.

For Christians, as per the Church Epistles, there are no prescribed “holidays.” Every day is to be a special day as we live for the Lord. That is not to say that it is wrong to celebrate the birth of Christ, or his Resurrection. Such remembrances can be very meaningful.

“Christmas” definitely has pagan roots, in that late December was originally the time of the Roman festival honoring the Winter Solstice and the pagan gods they worshipped, primarily the Sun God. It was Constantine who proclaimed it the day to celebrate the birth of Christ, and his motives were probably political, and suspect at best.

Jesus was not born in December, but rather in September, as a study of Scripture shows. We have a two hour video that beautifully lays this out called “The Birth of Christ”, and an article called “Was Jesus born on December 25th or early September?”

Does God care if Christians have a Christmas tree, give gifts, etc.? Not at all, as long as we don’t worship the tree. We can remember Jesus Christ and give thanks for his birth and his life. And we can take advantage of the opportunity to talk to people about our Savior and tell them why he was born.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about God’s wonderful message, please visit the Truth or Tradition website. You can also keep track of the ministry through their Facebook page.

Thank you for visiting and God bless.

Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.

If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.

Let’s get started:

The Sword of the Spirit: the Word of God

The sword of the spirit, the Word of God, is the only offensive weapon the believer has as he wrestles with evil. This is simple, but often forgotten. Sometimes we try to reason with evil so it will change, or be so loving and kind that evil will relent from doing harm, or we simply try to avoid it and not enter the fight. The Devil is real, his nature is evil, and he has enlisted the help of many demons and humans to carry out his evil plans, so the fight is real and cannot be avoided. If we ignore the Word of God we not only disarm ourselves, but we also put ourselves in the position of not being able to effectively help others. [11] No wonder the psalmist says, “I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word” (Ps. 119:16). No wonder Jesus reminded us of the words of Deuteronomy, that people do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4; Deut. 8:3).

It is important to remember that the sword is the “sword of the Spirit.” [12] When we think about it, that makes sense. As humans, can we stand against the Devil in our own strength? No. Are there any earthly weapons that can defeat him? No. The only weapon that is effective against the Enemy is the Word of God. Even with that, we do not defeat him in a permanent way; we simply cut off his attacks and protect ourselves.

In the Greek text, the verb telling us to take the helmet and the sword is in the imperative mood. That means that God is not just stating that we should take these pieces of armor, or asking us if we would like to, He is commanding us to take them and put them on. If we do not put on the helmet and take up and use the sword, we are in effect telling God that we will not enter into His service in our fullest capacity. One important reason why God commands us to take the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, is that if we do not really understand the Word, we can unknowing be used by the Devil against the purposes of God, and hurt other people. For example, the Christians who tortured other Christians during the Inquisition thought they were doing Christ’s work. Although that is an extreme example, the same kind of thing, people working against God when they think they are working for Him, happens on a much smaller scale every day. Christians are called to stand for God, and the sword of the Spirit is an essential part of our armor if we are going to be successful in doing that throughout our lifetime.

God has called us to stand for Him, stand in the evil day, and, “having done all,” to stand. It is not easy, and sometimes seems more of a burden than a blessing, but our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58). Let us each do what it takes to stand for God and His Son as long as we live. They deserve that from us, and we will be blessed for doing it.

Please read the rest of the article here.

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about God’s wonderful message, please visit the Truth or Tradition website. You can also keep track of the ministry through their Facebook page.

Thank you for visiting and God bless.

Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.

If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.

Let’s get started:

Be Strong in the Lord

Because life is difficult, and God wants us to stand year after year, He has given us armor to help us stand in the fight.

Ephesians 6:13-17 (ESV)
(13) Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
(14) Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
(15) and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
(16) In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
(17) and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

Before we go into the specifics of the armor, we need to make a couple important observations. First, the armor of God mentioned in verses 13-17 is so intriguing, and so intrinsically powerful, that it is easy to forget that this section of Scripture opens with the exhortation to be strong in the Lord.

Ephesians 6:10 (author’s translation)
Finally, be strong in the Lord, that is, in his mighty strength. [4]

The Christian must be, and remain, strong in the Lord. In him we have the strength we need to stand and withstand. The armor we put on is not our armor, it is God’s armor. Furthermore, we are not strong in ourselves because we have the armor. If we forget that, and begin to trust in our strength, then the Evil One will quickly discover how to defeat us. The “armor” section of Scripture starts with us being strong in the Lord, and that is where we must stay.

Another thing we need to remember is that the armor not only allows us to stand day after day in “this present evil age” (Gal. 1:4), but it specifically enables us to stand in any given evil day (cp. Eph. 6:13). [5] Every one of us has good days and bad days. There are days when no fiery darts from the Evil One seem to hit us, and there are days when we seem to be hit with arrow after arrow, problem after problem.

Too many Christians act as if the armor of God was there to protect us during the days when we have no trouble, or only mild trouble. During those times we withstand evil well, and do a good job of acting like a Christian should act. However, when the Adversary (or adversity) really hits us hard, we are not as diligent to act as we should. For example, many people who pride themselves in not using profanity or letting their anger get out of control in their day-to-day lives, will then excuse themselves and allow their anger to get out of control. Or, a person who never gets drunk at home might excuse himself and get drunk. The point is that the Word says that the armor is so we can stand in the “evil” day, not the “regular” days. Christians should be known for being our best when things are the worst. Unfortunately, that is something that many of us have to become much better at.

Another thing we must keep in mind is that “…we do not wrestle against flesh and blood….” A major point of comparison between wrestling and Christian life is that the wrestlers did not kill their opponents. The games went on place after place and year after year, and although today’s match might be over, another would come next week, or next month. The contest never ended, and such is the case with Christians. We cannot beat the Devil once and for all and then have peace in our lives. Rather, we wrestle against evil and ungodliness day after day, week after week, throughout our lives. This can get discouraging, and it is why we must grasp the fact that God does not ask us to “win” the contest, because we cannot kill the Devil. We are told to “stand.”

Please read the rest of the article here.

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about God’s wonderful message, please visit the Truth or Tradition website. You can also keep track of the ministry through their Facebook page.

Thank you for visiting and God bless.

Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.

If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.

Let’s get started:

Standing for the Lord year after year might be the most difficult thing that a Christian can do. The annals of history are full of Christians who shone brilliantly for a short while and then faded away. The world is a cruel place, and it often happens that people are hurt to the point that they no longer have any desire to obey God in a meaningful way. That is one reason why the words of Ephesians 6, which focus on standing, are so powerful. In the short section of Scripture below, note that the word “stand” (Greek: histemi) and “withstand,” which comes from the same root word, occurs four times in four verses.

Ephesians 6:10-14a (ESV)
(10) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
(11) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
(12) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
(13) Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
(14a) Stand therefore….

God wants us to stand day after day throughout our lives. Nevertheless, many people stand for the Lord for awhile, then fall away. Why is standing year after year so difficult? There are many reasons, of which we will examine only a few. One reason is that many people do not take the time to build a clear picture of the Hope in their mind. That Hope is anchor of the soul (Heb. 6:19), and a clear understanding of it helps keep us anchored to God in day-to-day life. There is no need to be unclear about what God has in store for you in the future, because there is much about it in Scripture, and it is there because God wants us to know the love He has for us.

Another reason people do not keep standing for God is that they do not mentally prepare themselves for the long and difficult fight with evil. Somehow many of us think that life should be, or will be, easier than it actually is. Life is hard and cruel, and difficulties come from unexpected places.

Looking at how and why people start going to church will give us some insight on why many fall away from God during tough times. Many Christians started going to church when they were children, simply because their parents made them go. Sunday School teachers work hard to make the experience fun and entertaining so the children will like it. Most children do not learn that the Christian life is not about what is fun or what makes us happy, but rather about giving and service. God created us for a purpose, and fruitful Christian living requires making sacrifices for Him. As children grow up and are faced with the distracting “pleasures” of life, church becomes less “fun,” and by college age, a huge number of children who were raised to go to church no longer do. They naturally, but incorrectly, think in terms of what church can do for them, not what they could do for God as a member of a church.

People who give their life to Christ when they are adults often have the same problem the children do. Most of them start going to church with a friend because they like the fellowship, or because they feel a spiritual or psychological need, or they are searching for something in their life and think God may help. In most cases, it seems people start going to church because of what God can do for them. That is natural, and it is fine. God is the Great Healer, and the ministry of Christ to heal the brokenhearted, set captives free, and bring Good News to those in need is a vital part of what happens in church.

However, it is important that Christians be taught why God delivers His people. Christians need to know that they were created for a purpose, saved for a purpose, and healed for a purpose, and that purpose is to serve God. If we understand that service will require a lot from us, we will be much more able to stand in tough times, when we do not get a good feeling from serving God. As the psychiatrist Scott Peck has pointed out, when we realize that life is difficult, it immediately becomes less difficult, because we are mentally prepared for the difficulty.

Please read the rest of the article here.

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about God’s wonderful message, please visit the Truth or Tradition website. You can also keep track of the ministry through their Facebook page.

Thank you for visiting and God bless.

Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.

If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.

Let’s get started:

The Bible is a book of literature, and thus it contains many types of writing. To understand it we must be aware that it includes history, i.e., literal narratives of actual events. It is also filled with figures of speech that are used precisely by the Author, including allegories, vivid metaphors, and idioms that make the text come alive. We also find prophetic admonitions and predictions, poetry with artistic language, and letters (epistles). Scripture employs a full spectrum of literary devices, and we must understand them in order to ascertain the meaning intended by the Author. It is also vital that the reader know the context in which the words are framed, and that includes a clear understanding of “to whom” the material is written, and the culture in which it is presented. (emphasis added)

Despite the fact that Scripture was originally written in languages other than our own (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic), most of what it says is clear and easy to understand. If the Word of God is what it claims to be, we must be very careful in our quest to find the Author’s message. Every language is governed by rules of grammar, and even a proper translation of the words themselves does not guarantee that we will fully grasp His intent. Good hermeneutics (Scripture interpretation) demands a scope of the whole Bible and a broad background in its languages, cultures, and history. It is one thing to read Shakespeare or Chaucer and suggest their intentions, but quite another when a person attempts to speak for God Almighty.

The diversity of doctrines present in Christianity today has resulted in a multiplicity of denominations, and is nothing short of a black eye on our Faith. How is it that we can come to such a variety of beliefs, each claiming to have the “truth” about what the Bible says? One of the problems we find in the Church today is the same one Jesus found in Judaism. He warned his followers to beware of those who promoted the traditions of men at the expense of the Word of God.

Mark 7:13
Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

If the Bible is truly the Word of God, men can “nullify” it only in the sense that the traditions they substitute for it prohibit people from hearing the true Word. (emphasis added) God, being God, will cause His Word to accomplish its intended purpose for those who hear it and believe it, and that is why it is so important for those who teach it to do so accurately.

Isaiah 55:11
so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Men can nullify the Word of God in their own lives by choosing to reject it, or to replace it with theories, philosophies, or religious practices of their own making. We must also be aware that there will always be those who use Scripture for self-serving purposes. (emphasis added)

The confusion surrounding the Bible, its meaning and purpose, often leads many to reject it with the mistaken belief that we cannot determine the Author’s intent. Many Christians make the mistake of attempting to prove that God exists by proving that the Bible is true. We must understand that the Word of God was never intended for the “unbeliever,” the person who rejects God and His Word. Each of us views the world through a set of beliefs, or presuppositions.

Read the rest of the article here.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

(If this video will not play for you, you can find the original file on this page).

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about God’s wonderful message, please visit the Truth or Tradition website. You can also keep track of the ministry through their Facebook page.

Thank you for visiting and God bless.