A Look at 6 Different Countries’ Traditions — From Festivities to Secrecy

(Photo: Reuters/Jason Reed)Actors dressed as Mary and Joseph carrying a baby representing Jesus, lead other actors portraying the Three Wise Men as part of a live human and animal nativity scene in front of the Supreme Court and U.S. Capitol (background) in Washington, December 5, 2012.

Christmas is celebrated by Christians in different ways around the world — some honor the birth of Jesus Christ on different dates; some observe the holiday by featuring giant Christmas trees, markets, and Nativity plays; while others are forced to celebrate in the deep secrecy under the most oppressive regimes.

It remains one of the holiest of days for believers, marking the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, and is a day for faith and family, bringing hope to believers in many corners of the globe where they might not have much cause to celebrate otherwise.

Some traditions, such as the elaborately ornamented Nativity scenes in Italy, go back 800 years, while in other places, like in Russia, Christians have only been able to resume their Christmas celebrations in recent decades after nearly a century of being suppressed.

Here are six countries where Christians mark Christmas in different ways, including the  town of Jesus’ birth:

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Open Heavens 26 December 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Marriage: Helpers

Open Heavens 26 December 2017: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Marriage: Helpers

Topic — Marriage: Helpers — Tuesday 26, December 2017

Memorise: The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. Proverbs 31:11

Read: Proverbs 18:22-24 (KJV)

22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Bible in One Year: Proverbs 28-31, Zachariah 13:7-14:9, Hymn: Sing Hymn 16: God Give Us Christian Homes

MESSAGE:

On the 23rd of this month, the Lord took us to the beginning of His creation to learn that companionship is one major reason why He established the institution of marriage (Genesis 2:18). God does not want adults to be alone. After marriage, some people refuse to stay in the company of their spouse, giving excuse such as not being “compatible” with their spouse. If you knew you were not compatible with your spouse, why did you venture into marriage with him or her in the first place? Sometimes, the untold underlying reason behind this incompatibility is the gap in educational qualifications, social status or financial power of the couple. In such case, God expects that the one in the advantage position in the relationship would assist the other to climb up until the gap is bridged. Your wife is your number-one companion. Some men are always in the company of other women. This is a violation of God’s law on companionship.

Moreover, another reason why God established marriage is to raise a permanent helper for the man and vice versa. The term “help meet” used in Genesis 2:18 refers to adequate and appropriate help. In other words, if you obtain your wife or husband from God, you can be assured that God has given you an appropriate destiny helper. Do you know that the fortunes of some people improve tremendously after marriage? Adam could say he had a helpmate because Eve was the bone of his bone, and the flesh of his flesh (Genesis 2:21-23). If you marry the right woman God has for you, favour will suddenly reside in your home (Proverbs 18:22). She will prevent waste of resources in your home and load you with good throughout your lifetime (Proverbs 31:11). This also applies to a woman who marries the right husband. For this reason, it is very important to go to God for your spouse, like Adam received Eve from God. If you get a spouse from God as His child, it enhances your prospects of making Heaven (1 Kings 21:25). However, if you get your spouse from friends, relations, computerized match-making services, date clubs, or by your own self will, you may be getting a destroyer instead of a helper. When you have the right man as a husband, he will be a crown over you and help you become what God has in store for you. Help is reciprocal. The reason why some people were plunged into ‘hell” from the day their marriage started is because they refused to go to the Creator for Him to help them take that crucial decision that has the potential of determining lives and destinies.

Action Point: To make the right decision on who to marry, go to the Creator of all men for help, and He will surely lead you to the right person for you. He knows all people and the contents of their hearts.

Hymn 16: God Give Us Christian Homes

1. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

2. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyous with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

3. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Your way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

4. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.

iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.


Elon Musk Unveils Photos Of Tesla Roadster Launching On SpaceX Rocket

SpaceXThe SpaceX Falcon Heavy hAS the ability to lift into orbit over 54 metric tons (119,000 lb), a mass equivalent to a 737 jetliner loaded with passengers, crew, luggage and fuel.

SpaceX and Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk shared photos of a Tesla Roadster being prepared for launch on the company’s first Falcon Heavy rocket. Musk shared the photos on his Instagram account providing proof that the “midnight cherry” electric sports car is indeed heading to the final frontier.

“Test flights of new rockets usually contain mass simulators in the form of concrete or steel blocks. That seemed extremely boring,” Musk wrote in the post. “Of course, anything boring is terrible, especially companies, so we decided to send something unusual, something that made us feel.”

Earlier this month, Musk revealed that the Falcon Heavy Rocket will be launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket, which has been under development for years, will be carrying Musk’s midnight cherry Tesla Roadster playing “Space Oddity” which is destined for Mars orbit and will remain there for a billion years – assuming it doesn’t blow up on ascent. The images show the bright red roadster atop a payload adapter, positioned between the two towering halves of the fairing which will be mounted on the Falcon Heavy rocket. This will shield the vehicle during ascent which, hopefully, would put the car on a path to intercept the orbit of Mars. Musk, being the great showman that he is, sparked new excitement for the upcoming launch of the images. Among those impressed included Steve Jurvetson, the venture capitalist who was also…

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Joyce Meyer’s Daily 25 December 2017 Devotional: Be Generous and Cheerful

Joyce Meyer's Daily 25 December 2017 Devotional: Be Generous and Cheerful

Topic: Be Generous and Cheerful [Monday December 25, 2017]

So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble]. Philippians 1:10

As Christians, we should be generous people, giving whatever we can whenever we can.  And that doesn’t just mean money—we can give help, encouragement, time, talents and forgiveness.

This means we can’t let selfishness get in the way. A lot of people are stingy, clinging to what they have and afraid to give it up. Others aren’t stingy in their actions, but they are stingy in their hearts, giving because they feel obligated, not because they really want to. But this isn’t the way God calls us to give.

Second Corinthians 9:7 tells us, God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving].

If you think about it, when we give our lives to God, everything we have is His anyway—it no longer belongs to us. We should be givers, using our resources the way He wants us to.

Give cheerfully today. It pleases God, and those who give cheerfully are happy, fulfilled, and highly effective.

Prayer Starter: God, I make up my mind purpose in my heart right now to be a cheerful giver. Show me how I can generously give to You and the people in my life today.

From Joyce Meyer’s Ministries