DISCIPLE

 the following article is from HISTORY.COM SATURNALIA Saturnalia, held in mid-December, is an ancient Roman pagan festival honoring the agricultural god Saturn. Because of when the holiday occurred—near the winter solstice—Saturnalia celebrations are the source of many of the traditions we now associate with Christmas, such as wreaths, candles, feasting and gift-giving. What Is Saturnalia? Saturnalia, the most popular holiday on the ancient Roman calendar, derived from older farming-related rituals of midwinter and the winter solstice, especially the practice of offering gifts or sacrifices to the gods during the winter sowing season. The pagan celebration of Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture and time, began as a single day, but by the late Republic (133-31 B.C.) it had expanded to a weeklong festival beginning December 17. (On the Julian calendar, which the Romans used at the time, the winter solstice fell on December 25.) How the Romans Celebrated Saturnalia During Saturnalia,...

by Martin and Deidre Bobgan | Aug 16, 2022 | "Christian Psychology" , Psychoheresy and Christian Organizations , Psychological Types & Tests In 1979 Bethany House published our first of 26 books: The Psychological Way / The Spiritual Way . At that time, we predicted that psychological theories and therapies, like the proverbial camel’s nose in the tent, would soon fill the entire Church. Indeed, from 1979 until now, psychological theories and therapies have mesmerized the Church, and the churches’ response has been adoption or capitulation. Nearly everywhere one looks in the Church, one will find much evidence of the psychological takeover of the Church’s understanding of the soul and of soul care itself. This psychological understanding of the soul and its care has infiltrated Christian churches, schools, colleges, universities, seminaries, denominations, and mission agencies. Mission Agencies Every missionary cand...

by Donald Norbie - Greeley, CO     The pristine glory of the early church is sullied by the hypocrisy of Ananias. He and his wife plan to make a show of generosity to the Lord, but to secretly withhold part of the sale price of their property. Oh, the bewitching power of Mammon!     In many situations it would have gone undiscovered. Christians would have rejoiced over their generosity and they would have smugly smiled. But the piercing discernment of prophecy flowed in that congregation. Peter confronts Ananias in the moment of truth. With blazing eyes and cutting words Peter says, "You have not lied to men but to God" (Acts 5:4), and Ananias falls dead at Peter's feet.     Awesome, isn't it? God's holiness is proclaimed and man's hypocrisy is laid bare. No wonder fear and reverence gripped the whole assembly. Their God was not a God with whom to trifle.     Today sin may go undiscovered for years in a congregation, or if kno...

Carl Knott   Vegetarianism is popular trend today in many areas of the world. November 1 st has been declared the “universal day of vegetarianism.” Restaurants and food stores now offer meat-free menus, for example, a “veganburger”. One stricter form of it is “veganism”. Moderate vegetarians do not eat red meats, but do eat fish and seafood (pescatarians) or dairy and eggs (lacto-ovo vegetarians). Strict vegans would eat only plant-based products and avoid articles such as cleaning products or clothing derived from animals. Some people follow a semi vegetarian diet — also called a flexitarian diet — which is primarily a plant-based diet but includes meat, dairy, eggs, poultry and fish on occasion or in small quantities.” 1       Vegetarianism is strongly associated with a number of religions that originated in ancient India (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism) that advocate “ahimsa” (nonviolence). For example, Jainism, which abhors violence of all kind...

T he history of the Ethiopians begins in the times following the flood, out of which only eight people survived, Noah and his family. These eight people were the only humans in the entire planet, and all the peoples, nations and ethnic groups on Earth descend from the three sons of Noah and his wife, Shem, Japheth and Ham. All humanity is related, because we have common ancestors in Noah’s family.     The Ethiopians are descendants of Ham, Noah’s youngest son. Genesis 10:6 lists the four sons of Ham, and Cush 1 was his first. Cush, Noah’s grandson, had six sons (vv. 7-8), and the last was Nimrod. The name Cush in Hebrew ( vWK ) means black. 1 Chronicles 1:8-10 repeats the family tree and mentions Cush.      This etymological detail is important, because the word “Ethiopian” in the Old Testament is literally “cushite” in Hebrew. Thus we read in Jeremiah 13:23, “ Can the Ethiopian (literally “cushite”) change his skin, or the leopard his spots?” T...