The History of Christmas

The History of Christmas dates back over 4000 years, and is associated with the early Mesopotamians. Christmas is the most popular holiday of the year in the whole world. About 400 millions people celebrates christmas holiday each year in winter. Many of Christmas traditions and ceremonial aspects were celebrated long time before Christ was born. The history of Christmas is, therefore, way back in centuries.

The Mesopotamians had 12 days of New Year’s festival called the Zagmuk, which was celebrated to help their chief god Marduk in his battle against the monsters of chaos. Each year as winter arrived it was believed that Marduk would do battle with the monster of chaos. However, the real king was spared and a mock king was slain.

The Babylonians and Persians celebrated the similar festival called the Sacaea. Part of the celebration included the exchanging of places, the slaves became masters and masters slaved about as servants.

Much in the same street as Zagmuk and Sacaea, the ancient Greeks had a festival to help their god Kronos in his battle against Zeus and his Titans.

Early Europeans believed in evil spirits, witches, ghosts and trolls. As the Winter Solstice approached, with its long cold nights and short days, many people feared the sun would not return. Special rituals and celebrations were held to welcome back the sun.

In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year.

The Romans were celebrating their god Saturn. The festival was called Saturnia, which began in the middle of December and ended January 1st. The festival was featured boisterous shouts “Jo Saturnalia!”, elaborate masquerades, exchanging gifts, holding special feasts, decking up halls with laurel wreaths and putting up candles on evergreens. This Saturnalia festival has a close similarity with today’s Christmas celebrations and hence the history of Christmas is heavily linked to this ancient Saturnalia.

The Romans decked their halls with garlands of laurel and green trees lit with candles. Again the masters and slaves would exchange places “Jo Saturnalia!” was a fun and festive time for the Romans, but the Christians though it an abomination to honor the pagan god. The early Christians wanted to keep the birthday of their Christ child a solemn and religious holiday not one of cheer and merriment as was the pagan Saturnalia.

But as Christianity spread they were alarmed by the continuing celebration of pagan customs and Saturnalia among their converts. At first the Church forbid this kind of celebration. But it was to no avail. Eventually it was decided that the celebration would be tamed and made into a celebration fit for the Christian Son of God.

Now ever wondered why Christmas is celebrated on December 25 ? Is it the day when Jesus Christ was born ? Well, nobody knows for sure exactly when Christ was born. There had been a lot of dispute over fixing December 25st as Christmas. In the 2nd century A.D, Hippolytus claimed this day as Christ’s birthday. Then January 6 was declared by the Eastern Church as the day of His birth. Finally, in 350 A.D, the Bishop of Rome, Pope Julius I, fixed December 25 as the official day for Christmas. This date, the day of the winter solstice, was wisely chosen with the intention to outweigh the popular pagan Roman holiday of Saturnalia.

Modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, church celebrations, and the display of various decorations—including the Christmas tree, lights, mistletoe, nativity scenes and holly. Santa Claus, also referred to as Father Christmas, is a popular mythological figure often associated with bringing gifts at Christmas. Santa is generally believed to be the result of a syncretization between St. Nicholas of Myra and elements from pagan Nordic and Christian mythology, and his modern appearance is believed to have originated in 19th century media.

Christmas is celebrated throughout the Christian population, but is also celebrated by many non-Christians as a secular, cultural festival. The holiday is widely celebrated around the world.

Jesus Christ is often compared to other prophets and teachers, but He is the most unique person to ever live. Everything from His birth to after His death was miraculous and set Him apart from everyone else. Jesus was born by a virgin — a natural impossibility. Before His mother Mary was married, she was told by an angel she would give birth to the Son of God. When she asked him how this could be, he answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” Just as promised, the virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ, the most incredible person to ever have lived.

Christian Home Based Business - Daily Blessings For Success Scriptures

Here are some blessing scriptures to help all of us to never give up. These scriptures are to lift you up when you are wondering if you were ever meant to be blessed or stuck in the same old rut barely making enough money to make it. Do you believe you are supposed to be blessed? Read these out loud morning and night to increase your faith.

Deu 28:2-8 The blessing of the Lord shall come upon me and overtake me, because I obey the voice of the Lord! I’m blessed in the city, blessed in the field, blessed going in and blessed going out! My children are blessed! My possessions are blessed! The enemy may come at me one way, but he will flee seven ways! God commands the blessing to come upon me - in my storehouse and in everything I set my hand to do!

Deu 6:11 God is giving me houses filled with all kinds of good things I did not provide!

Deu 8:18 God has given me the ability to produce wealth and to establish His covenant on the earth!

Deu 1:11 I thank God for increasing me a thousand times and blessing me as He promised!

Ps 5:12 The favor of God surrounds me like a shield!

Ps 34:9 I respect the Lord and lack nothing!

Ps 112:3 Wealth and reaches are in my house!

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord is on me and it brings me wealth with no sorrow!

Pro 21:21 Because I pursue righteousness and love, I’ve found life, prosperity, and honor!

Matthew 6:33 I seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the things I need and desire shall be added unto me.

Phil 4:19 God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

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HOW GREAT IS GOD'S MERCY?

HOW GREAT IS GOD'S MERCY?

Ps. 103:11, "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him."

First, it is important to understand God's mercy toward us, His beloved people before we can know how we are to treat others. God's mercy is as high as the heaven is above the earth, and it is also from everlasting to everlasting (Ps. 103:17 and Ps. 106:48).

Mercy is all about having the power and position to harm, control, get revenge or abuse someone, but instead you shower them with compassion. This is God's great blessing to all of His people on a daily basis.

He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and omnipresent, and yet He doesn't do to us as our sins deserve. Ps. 103:10, "He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities."

What Should Our Response Be to God's Great Mercy Toward Us?

As God has shown us tremendous mercy; we ought also to show this same mercy to those around us daily. When we do not respond in like manner to being treated unfairly, rudely and negatively; we are giving mercy to those who do not deserve it; just as The Lord does for us.

Mercy is a rare virtue these days because people are under much stress. This makes mercy all that more valuable and effective. Always what is unique and uncommon is of great worth, and people will take notice, and they will understand that you can show mercy because you, as a Christian have received so much mercy from the living God of the universe.

The more mercy we give out; the more mercy we will receive in our own helpless situations. Many times helplessness induces the bully spirit in others. Why? Simply because when a person is helpless; they are vulnerable to the power of others whether good or bad.

The Scriptures depict many helpless people who were crying out to Jesus over and over again, "Lord, have mercy on me." We were in that helpless situation before we accepted the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts. He had mercy on us, and He has given us everything we need to have a powerful, abundant and blessed life.

Now, we in turn can show mercy to those who need it. Many times we are placed in a position to show mercy to someone. How do we respond?

How we respond to helpless people that are in dire need will determine how God will pour out His mercy upon us in the future. Matthew 5:7, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."

The Law of sowing and reaping tells us that what we give out is what we will receive. The more mercy we show to others; the more we will receive from the almighty God.

There are so many small and large ways to show mercy. When in line at a store, do you look behind you to see if there is a person who only has a few items, and you let them in front of you?

Do you pick up items that have been dropped in stores or from people? These are small everyday ways to show mercy.

Larger ways to show mercy are when someone has hurt you; you still treat them exactly the same way, and you do not try to get any revenge or hold a grudge. You overlook their offence, and you don't talk about it to others.

Even larger ways to show mercy are to help someone that is being persecuted. You can stand up for those who are being slandered. You can help someone that is being "gang stalked" (google search term) which is the new term for those who are being terrorized in the most horrible way imaginable in America, Canada and The UK.

There are countless ways to show mercy to people these days, as more and more people are needing mercy from their fellowman. Some people have had to leave their homes, some have been laid off, some have lost everything including their families.

When you show God's mercy to a person; you are revealing God's heart to them. You are giving them a ray of hope that there is a God in heaven, and that God is using you to help them in their time of need.

We all have times of need when we are totally dependent on another's mercy. Store up your treasure of mercy in heaven so that you will be given plenty of mercy when your time of need comes its way.

The bully who uses the helplessness of a person to abuse them; will have a time when he or she needs mercy, but it will not be there for them.

Today, there are neighborhood bullies, workplace bullies and school bullies galore, but people who are merciful are very exceptional and priceless. They are the jewels among the wood, hay and stubble.

They shine forth like diamonds in the radiance of The Son, Jesus Christ, and they point the way to Him each day. They are living testimonies of the mercy of God in their own lives.

Those that are merciful will bear the beautiful fruit that is needed desperately in The Body of Christ today. John 15:2, "Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."

Be merciful, and you will obtain all of the mercy that you need to make it in this life, and to bear much fruit for the Kingdom of God.

Peggy Kannaday has been the Managing Editor for The "Church Growth International" Ministry since 1991. Contact: Fort Mill, SC 803 547-2164, pkannaday@gmail.com