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Precious Gems

2013/11/12 //
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gems

There are many songs in the Holy Bible — of course, the book of Psalms, but also The Song Of Solomon, Exodus 15, Lamentations, and several others.

Because of the nature of the language used in lyrics, some portions of these songs may have a wider range of possible meanings. When we attempt to choose which meaning is intended, then it is important to limit our selection to that which is consistent with sterling biblical doctrine. A crucial concern is that we need to have a solid scriptural understanding of the topic at hand, in order to properly see the message of a passage or phrase in the biblical songs.

When a person writes in verse, then we can try to discern its meaning based on the beliefs and values of the songwriter. In a similar way, when a song is part of Scripture, thus written by God, the whole Bible is the context.

For example, one might look at the following two verses and think of them as being contradictory, because one verse implies that God is asleep and the other verse says that God never sleeps.

Psalm 7:6 Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me [to] the judgment [that] thou hast commanded.

Psalm 121:4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

To understand this correctly, we must conform our understanding of the meaning to be completely consistent with all of the doctrine taught elsewhere in Scripture. From what we know of the nature of God, based on the vast teachings and examples in the Bible, it is clear that God would really never sleep. So, when the psalmist asks God to “awake,” it is simply a prayer that God would start doing something He is not yet doing, and poetically likening it to waking up. We are not going to quote Psalm 7 and insist that God really does sleep, in contradiction to everything we know about God.

When Jesus explained to His disciples about the prophecies that He fulfilled, the references included the Psalms. When Jesus said, “scripture cannot be broken,” He had just quoted from Psalms. So, yes, the Psalms are all inspired of God, and they are all good doctrine.

The Psalms and songs of the Bible are each a glorious expression of holy doctrine and biblical truth. These verses are not intended by God to be the foundation. Rather, they are ornaments that beautify the structure of doctrine, as they are securely fastened to the solid foundation of the whole counsel of God.

Some people do not find beauty to be of much value; God does. So, this view of our poetic Scriptures does not, in any way, reduce the appraisal of their worth. They are precious gems.

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The Sovereign Will Of God For Your Eternity

2013/09/01 //
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SaviourOfAll

Ephesians 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord [is.]

1 Timothy 4:10 We trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

1 John 2:1-2
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.

1 Timothy 2:3-6
3 … God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Isaiah 53:5-6
5 But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Colossians 1:19-20
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in Earth, or things in Heaven.

Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Matthew 18:14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

  • Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
  • Ezekiel 18:23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
  • Ezekiel 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

Revelation 22:16-17
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and morning star.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

John 3:16-19
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

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Enough Heaven

2013/08/02 //
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MeasuringCup

If the only thing that changed in our lives when we left Earth and went to Heaven is that we were no longer tempted to sin, that alone would be enough.

If only we could see the unveiled glory of God, that alone would be enough.

If only we need no longer dread sickness, pain, or death, that alone would be enough.

Imagine that you never experienced thirst. In that case, you would also never experience the refreshment of your thirst being quenched. One of the reasons we are here on this Earth, is so that we can develop a thirst that can only be relieved in Heaven. Every holy thirst that we have here, will be refreshed in Heaven. Not only will this refreshment be complete, but it will also be satisfied in ways that we cannot now imagine.

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Abortion Legislation

2013/06/30 //
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scales-of-justice-silhouette

If two people disagree on the character of abortion, one believes it is murder, the other believes it is a question of social expediency, then any discussion between these two regarding abortion legislation is pointless. There is one exception, one point that can be discussed in this situation, that will be mentioned in a moment.

There are two levels of this topic that will be addressed in this post.

1) The character of abortion
2) Government policies on abortion

There is a deeper level, that has already been addressed in a previous post.

So, let’s start with the identity of the unborn child. Throughout history, there has been no debate that humans bear humans. Can we all agree that your mother’s progeny is human? If not, you can stop reading, at this point, and go back to reading “Alice in Wonderland.” Even though this has never been questioned, there is even more confidence now that it can be proven in a court of law, with DNA evidence, that a child is human, from the moment of conception.

Further, with the same DNA evidence, it can also be legally and scientifically proven that the mother and the unborn child are two distinct people. They are not the same person, since their DNA codes are unique. We already knew this also, but some want to claim that the unborn child is the woman’s own body, so they should be allowed to choose for themselves. Does this distinction in DNA happen gradually, as the child matures? No, the DNA code does not change at all, over time. From the moment of conception, the child is not, in any way, part of the mother’s body. You may choose to disagree, and place yourself in error scientifically, legally, philosophically, and biblically.

When does a human begin living? What is the definition of life? We know that life does not progress from partially alive to some point of being completely alive. You were no more alive the month after your birth than you were the month before your birth. You were no more alive the moment after your birth that you were the moment before your birth. The first cell of a new individual life is called the zygote. This cell is formed from the union of two gametes. No amount of protection and nourishment would cause either of these gametes to develop and grow. Yet, when they combine, the DNA is complete. This is the beginning of life, a new child. Stop hiding behind the word “foetus.” What is the definition of that word? A foetus is an unborn baby. Every abortion stops a beating heart.

To survive, a baby is dependent on those who provide protective care and feeding. You would not last long, if you were prevented from getting any food, clothing and shelter. If you take away the protection from harm, and the nourishment, from any person, they will die. Even if that is all abortion did, then it would be the pre-meditated taking of human life, without due process of law. That is the definition of first-degree murder. Maybe you need to be told that the process of abortion is far more brutal than simply allowing the baby to die.

What about the exception mentioned above? What can we discuss further, if we disagree about abortion being murder? There is one question that can be asked of a voter, or politician, who does not believe abortion is murder. What … if … you … are … wrong? Earnestly consider this! Are you so confident?! Are you so brazen, that you are willing to have the blood of innocent children on your hands?! If so, consider this story. The owner of a building has hired a demolition team, and addressed all of the legalities to permit this. When it comes time to ignite the explosives, there is one concern; the team is not sure if there is a child inside the building. Some witnesses are certain there is a child in the building. Imagine …

Complete the following sentence, “It is OK to kill a baby in the womb when …”

Seriously, can you finish the sentence? Can you honestly fill in the blank with a scenario when you would condone the actions of those who snuff out the life of an innocent child? If you can, then you are devoid of conscience and are unfit for holding public office or even voting.

Speaking to politicians, if you are willing to entertain the idea that it is possibly OK for government to allow abortion, we can have only one response, “You’re FIRED!”

Proverbs 24:11-12
11 If thou forbear to deliver [them that are] drawn unto death, and [those that are] ready to be slain;
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider [it?] and he that keepeth thy soul, doth [not] he know [it?] and shall [not] he render to [every] man according to his works?

Proverbs 31:8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

Deuteronomy 27:25 Cursed [be] he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Genesis 9:6 … in the image of God made he man.

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call Heaven and Earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven.

Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.

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Book Review: The Tower Of Babel

2013/06/09 //
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TowerOfBabel

“The Tower of Babel; The Cultural History of Our Ancestors” by Bodie Hodge, published by Master Books.

I will admit my bias up front, I think I would recommend any book published by Master Books.

When browsing the contents of the book, I noticed that there was one appendix, and it was discussing the chronological placement of the book of Job. So, of course, I skipped to that part first! This provided a good deal of helpful information to shape the bibliography for my own research. Thank you Mr. Hodge!

Starting with the pronunciation of the word Babel, as an example, Mr. Hodge points out the powerful effect of distinct languages to place a barrier between people. Then he sketches the common attacks against the Bible regarding this historical account. Demonstrating that these battles are to be engaged as a biblical authority issue, he then addresses these attacks, showing why they are not valid.

Using Bible study to establish the foundation for history, this book proceeds to teach us, all of us, about our ancient ancestry. When you go back in history far enough, we all have the same family tree. Related topics that are included are languages, plate tectonics, legends about the tower and language split, decrease in life span, and more.

The tower of Babel is within the same era as the landing of the ark, so this time frame is the re-starting point of history. From that perspective, this book helps us to comprehend a biblical framework to view and understand all ancient history. Since history is key to understanding our world, I recommend this book as an aid to infuse the Light of Truth into all of your thinking, providing discernment to your studies.

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Learn To Swim While You Sleep

2013/04/08 //
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sleep

If you were a full time student, you could spend all day Monday studying maths, every Tuesday studying history, Wednesday science, Thursday theology, and every Friday you could study art. That would work. It would work even better if you studied a little of each topic each day, even if you spent the same amount of time in total. Why is that? We know about a couple of the reasons, but there are probably more.

It is somewhat like learning to swim. If you knew nothing about swimming, then it is probably feasible to learn in a day or two, if you worked on it full time. That would be very fatiguing. But, if you instead spent a half hour a day, then your muscles would have time to recover from the exertion, and the lessons would be far more enjoyable and effective. Also, your muscle memory would have time to become established and integrated between sessions, especially while you are sleeping. So, this too would increase the effectiveness of the training.

You might have noticed, when studying one topic for hours, that it is refreshing to think about something else for awhile. It is like our brains need a rest from that exercise by using some other “brain muscles” instead.

This post is really about daily Bible reading. Yes, there are a lot of ways to do Bible study and it is great to hear about methods that have been a blessing. We are not discouraging anyone from using their favourite approach, rather, we are simply sharing a key part of ours.

For well over a decade we have been reading the Bible out loud to our family daily, completing the Bible each year. This has been such a blessing. We don’t do this out of guilt or pride, but because we want to know what He has to say. We read it every day because of the above reasons, but mostly because it is cleansing and nourishing to the spirit. We repeat it every year because we want to be reminded. We read the whole Bible because that is what God saw fit to record.

Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Job 36:22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?

It is so disappointing when we hear of anyone discouraging people from reading their Bible through each year. Don’t listen to them! Though, as a family, we employ many other tactics, this is the foundation for all of our other studies, both in the Bible and elsewhere. For any teaching you hear, you will have read the biblical context recently, and can more ably discern if the teaching is valid doctrinally. How else would we know for sure that some false teaching is not at all in the Bible, unless we had read it all ourselves? Study the genuine, in order to recognize a counterfeit.

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Word Studies

2013/03/24 //
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WordStudies

In any communication, it is helpful to establish some common ground among the participants. That is one of the objectives of this blog; to provide some framework to our creed, as a catalyst to draw together friendly project members of like precious faith. At the deepest level, this common ground would include the definitions of the words used and their connotations in the context of the message. Some words have a very broad meaning and several others have very little latitude.

For example, maybe Fred thinks that the word “religion” simply means rituals and traditions. And perhaps Ivan is thinking more along the lines of helping “the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). If Ivan and Fred are not talking about the meaning of the word, but simply use the word, then this would be miscommunication. Whatever one said, the other would “hear” something else.

Our plan is to include some word studies in future blog posts. Not that we want to dictate the meaning of words, as an authority in English lexicology, but just to clarify the nuances of how we are using some key words in relation to this project.

List of word study articles:

Religion

Repentance

Christian

Calling

Holiness

Unity

Dispensations

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The 101 Series

2013/03/09 //
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101series

We got the chemistry videos by Wes Olson, because we were so impressed with the biology ones, and we were not disappointed! These come with our highest recommendation. The whole family can enjoy watching them together. We can’t wait to watch them all over again and we are eagerly looking forward to the next course.

If your innate love of learning has not been extinguished, then you are sure to enjoy these videos greatly. And, if you have lost that desire for discovery, then this program may even help it to re-ignite.

The structure of these science lessons are built with humour and entertainment, history and biography, trivia and wisdom, all established firmly on a foundation of God’s glory. At times we were laughing out loud, and at other times we were deeply moved. Young and old enjoy every bit of it.

http://www.the101series.com

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More Righteous Than God?

2013/02/23 //
0

FromHeaven

Job 35:2 Thinkest thou this to be right, [that] thou saidst, My righteousness [is] more than God’s?

There are many who object to the Judaeo-Christian world view, due to the accounts in God’s Word when God commands the Israelites to wipe out a nation, for example.

1 Samuel 15:3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

Admittedly, this is a hard criticism to answer. There is no lack of a good answer, yet the same skeptic who condemns the God of the Bible, thinking their righteousness is more than God’s, would also likely reject the foundational tenets of this answer, if they bothered to read it. So, why answer? Because the answer honours God and His Word! Also, because many would be misled, if they only hear the skeptic and not the rebuttal.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

There is a good deal of overlap between this topic and Why Is There Pain And Suffering?, but there is enough difference that it deserves a separate article. Especially since it is also strongly addressed in the book of Job. One difference is that the deaths in the book of Job, for example, were attributed to Satan, not God. In this article we focus on the occasions when God commands, rather than allows, the death of individuals who have committed no capital crime. Please read that other article, so we don’t need to repeat a lot of it here. Thanks!

There are some who attempt to salvage God’s reputation, for ordering the Israelites to wipe out entire nations, by claiming that only the men would be remaining to defend the city. The women and children would have known of the coming attack and would have retreated to safety. Even the men who recognized that their nation deserved to be destroyed would not have stayed to defend it. So, only those responsible for the national rebellion would be wiped out in the battle. Whether or not that is true, this article will not be approaching the topic this way. Among other reasons, what about the flood of Noah’s day? The Bible does not say that God allowed Satan to create a global flood, but that it was the action of God Himself. The Bible is clear that the eight on the ark were the only people to escape destruction. So, the above thesis does not fully answer the challenge anyway.

God’s defence is His glory.

Revelation 14:7 … Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made Heaven, and Earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Daniel 4:34-35
34 … I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom [is] from generation to generation:
35 And all the inhabitants of the Earth [are] reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of Heaven, and [among] the inhabitants of the Earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Job 41:11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay [him? whatsoever is] under the whole heaven is mine.

Colossians 1:16-17
16 For by him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

1 Chronicles 29:11 Thine, O LORD, [is] the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all [that is] in the Heaven and in the Earth [is thine;] thine [is] the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, [are] all things: to whom [be] glory for ever. Amen.

We are all condemned to death.

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 3:17, 19 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: … unto dust shalt thou return.

Romans 5:12, 18
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
18 … as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life.

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Every breath is from God’s grace.

Job 34:12-15
12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
13 Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?
14 If he set his heart upon man, [if] he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from Heaven.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Each breath we take is a gift from God. He does not owe us another one. God’s holiness and righteousness do not depend on our receipt of another moment of life. He need not provide any justification for when, or how, our earthly lives end. Though we can take steps to hasten our demise, there is no guarantee, there is no contract, that our lives will last. However you define “long life,” it still ends.

Job 33:12-13
12 Behold, … God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

The Biblical standard is high, for when mankind is to take a human life, and people get confused and start to misapply these criteria to God. By definition, God is all-knowing and all-powerful. Mankind is not … not even close. Just because we must provide biblical justification any time we take a human life, does not mean that God needs to answer to us. Sometimes God reveals to us the details of how the manner and timing of a person’s death fits into His glorious plan, usually He does not.

God can do some things that we cannot rightly do …

Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

2 Thessalonians 2:1,4
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him, …
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

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We Celebrate Christmas!

2013/02/09 //
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bethlehemstar

This post is not intended to convince you to celebrate Christmas. Nor is it any attempt to justify those who have chosen to observe this holiday. Yes, we have heard the arguments about Christmas having pagan origins, etc., and thus Christians should not participate. Though this post won’t be arguing or explaining why we came to a different conclusion, we are interested in hearing the one best treatise you can offer detailing the biblical reasons for shunning these festivities.

We start on the 6th of December and finish on the 6th of January.

Quite a few years ago, we found that we did not have enough time in one day to fit all of the activities of our Christmas celebration. As many families have done, we eventually decided to expand to include the 24th as well as the 25th. We also moved the stockings back to the 6th of December, which is St. Nicolas Day. Later we slid the schedule around and, instead of the 24th, we started including the 6th of January, which is Epiphany. As a result of the reduced stress, Christmas Day is much more enjoyable.

Mind you, these adjustments were evolving over the span of 20 years of marriage, so here is how the season has been playing out each of the recent five years, or so.

We save our Christmas music, both singing and listening, for the Christmas season, so it is more special. Between Thanksgiving and St. Nicolas day we limit ourselves to one album per day, then it is exclusively Christmas music until Epiphany.

Actually, the first Sunday of advent is always before the 6th of December so, you could say, that is the beginning of our celebration. Though we have no special feast, etc., just the candle lighting and oral reading of some Scripture passages relating to the coming of Christ. We have four red candles surrounding a central white candle, all wreathed about with evergreen sprigs. In typical fashion, we successively light additional candles during each of the four Sundays preceding Christmas. While the candles are burning, we read aloud the verses regarding our Lord Jesus coming, both in the past and in the future. Once the reading is done, sometimes we snuff them, and other times we have let the candles burn for awhile.

Present day Turkey is the region where St. Nicolas of Myra lived. We don’t grudge (much) calling him a saint because, for all we know, he was a true Christian. Some traditions have twisted the meaning of the word saint, but we are using the biblical sense. It was Nic’s instruction to keep his giving a secret, not to be revealed until after his death. So, it was not until the 6th of December, 346 AD (or was it 343?), that many found out the identity of their benefactor. Instead of telling our children lies, we teach them about the history and legend of St. Nicolas and the lessons we can take to heart about the giving focus of Christmas.

Not that we have any expertise, we aim to have a Turkish feast. The gifts in the stockings roughly follow the theme of the gifts of St. Nic, i.e., wooden toys, clothing, food, and money. We draw names so that each person is assigned another member of the home, without general knowledge of who is assigned to whom. Between St. Nicolas Day and Epiphany we each try to think of ways to secretly do nice things for our assigned person. In honour of the day, we make an extra donation to one or more charitable causes that honour Christ.

In preparation for Christmas Day, we make or buy gifts and cards to give to our family and friends. Giving is a way of showing our love. For God so loved the world that He gave. Love, through giving, is the focus of the Christmas season. God’s Gift is the pinnacle, the shining star, the perfect example. Just as we are reminded of the gift of His Son’s death during communion, to help us remember it every day, so we are reminded of the gift of His Son’s life during this season.

We also decorate with a tree, lights, ornaments, garlands, tinsel, and cards, as they arrive. Do we need to mention that we don’t worship the tree?

During the days leading up to the 25th, Joseph and Mary, represented by cloth figurines, make their way to Bethlehem, represented by a cloth stable. The children have fun finding Joseph and Mary in different places in the house each day, along their journey.

On Christmas Day, we read the Christmas story from Luke and we go to church. This is the day that we open gifts that have been given to us from friends and family outside our immediate household. The feast is a somewhat typical American Christmas dinner.

Between the 25th and the 6th, we find the wise men travelling to Jesus’ house in Bethlehem. Said home is on the floor under the star, which is at the top of our tree.

Epiphany, the 6th of January, is the celebration of when magi from the East came and fell down and worshipped the Christ Child. Wise men still seek Him. For Epiphany we read the Christmas story from Matthew, which is the one that includes the wise men. We have Persian food for our feast. This is the day that we give the gifts to each other, within our household.

Our Christmas celebration even somewhat invades our Resurrection Sunday celebration, when we display a cross, made from the trunk of our Christmas tree.

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