Everybody would probably agree that this year has brought many turmoil in our lives. From countries being shaken by earthquakes and tsunamis, to cities rattled by protesters, to families devastated by either war, famine, accident, job loss, foreclosures, natural calamities, disease and illness, or the global economic slump.
Not only that, but we also get a dose of agitation from those groups of people who just really love to wage war against Christmas. From the atheists who put up their billboards to mock the Almighty God they so willingly deny, and even to the many christians who are critical about the celebration itself.
There is so much hullabaloo around this particular season, really. From the over-commercialization of it, to the pagan roots of many of the traditions, Christmas has become a fiasco in itself. Many around the world either focus on Santa and his reindeers, or the extravagant and insane holiday shopping and gift-giving.
I understand that today there's a lot of people becoming critical about the Christmas tree and the lights, or the mistletoe and the hollies. Many raise eyebrows at christians celebrating this season in December and many other this and that of the whole Christmas shebang!
What amazes me, though, is that many christians have allowed themselves to become so critically minded about all these Christmas things that they lose focus on what I believe is more important. We raise so many issues that we attempt to slap at people's faces and shove what we perceive is right down other people's throats that we no longer shine forth the good news of Christ's birth and the JOY that His Grace brings!
I honestly don't teach my children the "magic" of Santa nor anything mystical about the Christmas tree in our living room. Nor do we teach them that Christmas is about frantically shopping for presents and having plenty of gifts to open on Christmas Day.
But, we allow them to enjoy the season of remembering the miracle of the birth of our Savior, as well as understand how blessed we are to have the most important gift of eternal life through JESUS CHRIST.
In my own humble opinion, the many things we see and do today should always reflect the love of Christ and that we should seek to bring only HIM all the glory He deserves. It doesn't matter whether others meant the December celebration for evil, or whether they meant it to rob us of God's Truth. GOD will still bring to pass that which is good and that which accomplishes HIS purposes to save souls.
Unless the food on our tables and the decor of our homes are deliberately offered to demons, THEN, I would strongly become very critical about it. BUT if we could only take the Christmas season and make GOD bigger and the center and focus of it all, then whether it be celebrated in December, September, July or August; whether it be celebrated with presents under the tree or not; whether we have abundance to celebrate the day or none at all, the Christmas celebration could and SHOULD be an avenue to show CHRIST's LOVE to a dying, dark and lost world!
I really would prefer we all FOCUS on the NATIVITY rather than the festivity. I'd rather we focus on JESUS' BIRTH rather than focusing on pagan traditions. I'd rather we USE THIS TIME TO GLORIFY GOD by sharing the gospel to the lost, rather than turn unbelievers off by our insensitivity and critical spirits. I'd rather we USE this "IN SEASON" to bring the JOY of the good news of the Savior's birth and the GRACE He freely offers to all who believes, rather than focusing on what others SHOULD be doing and SHOULD NOT be doing.
There are indeed many stark ungodly practices we see around us this Christmas Season and we should be discerning enough to see where our hearts are founded upon as we celebrate the season, but it SHOULD NEVER HINDER A TRUE CHRISTIAN from SHINING Christ's LIGHT, GLORY and TRUTH in the picture! We are planted in an evil and fallen world... may we LET OUR LIGHT SHINE before men, THAT THEY MAY GLORIFY OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN!
We may see heartaches and desperation around us... we may experience difficulties and hopelessness in our lives. We may learn about pagan and unbiblical practices around the Christmas tradition...
Not only that, but we also get a dose of agitation from those groups of people who just really love to wage war against Christmas. From the atheists who put up their billboards to mock the Almighty God they so willingly deny, and even to the many christians who are critical about the celebration itself.
There is so much hullabaloo around this particular season, really. From the over-commercialization of it, to the pagan roots of many of the traditions, Christmas has become a fiasco in itself. Many around the world either focus on Santa and his reindeers, or the extravagant and insane holiday shopping and gift-giving.
I understand that today there's a lot of people becoming critical about the Christmas tree and the lights, or the mistletoe and the hollies. Many raise eyebrows at christians celebrating this season in December and many other this and that of the whole Christmas shebang!
What amazes me, though, is that many christians have allowed themselves to become so critically minded about all these Christmas things that they lose focus on what I believe is more important. We raise so many issues that we attempt to slap at people's faces and shove what we perceive is right down other people's throats that we no longer shine forth the good news of Christ's birth and the JOY that His Grace brings!
I honestly don't teach my children the "magic" of Santa nor anything mystical about the Christmas tree in our living room. Nor do we teach them that Christmas is about frantically shopping for presents and having plenty of gifts to open on Christmas Day.
But, we allow them to enjoy the season of remembering the miracle of the birth of our Savior, as well as understand how blessed we are to have the most important gift of eternal life through JESUS CHRIST.
In my own humble opinion, the many things we see and do today should always reflect the love of Christ and that we should seek to bring only HIM all the glory He deserves. It doesn't matter whether others meant the December celebration for evil, or whether they meant it to rob us of God's Truth. GOD will still bring to pass that which is good and that which accomplishes HIS purposes to save souls.
Unless the food on our tables and the decor of our homes are deliberately offered to demons, THEN, I would strongly become very critical about it. BUT if we could only take the Christmas season and make GOD bigger and the center and focus of it all, then whether it be celebrated in December, September, July or August; whether it be celebrated with presents under the tree or not; whether we have abundance to celebrate the day or none at all, the Christmas celebration could and SHOULD be an avenue to show CHRIST's LOVE to a dying, dark and lost world!
I really would prefer we all FOCUS on the NATIVITY rather than the festivity. I'd rather we focus on JESUS' BIRTH rather than focusing on pagan traditions. I'd rather we USE THIS TIME TO GLORIFY GOD by sharing the gospel to the lost, rather than turn unbelievers off by our insensitivity and critical spirits. I'd rather we USE this "IN SEASON" to bring the JOY of the good news of the Savior's birth and the GRACE He freely offers to all who believes, rather than focusing on what others SHOULD be doing and SHOULD NOT be doing.
There are indeed many stark ungodly practices we see around us this Christmas Season and we should be discerning enough to see where our hearts are founded upon as we celebrate the season, but it SHOULD NEVER HINDER A TRUE CHRISTIAN from SHINING Christ's LIGHT, GLORY and TRUTH in the picture! We are planted in an evil and fallen world... may we LET OUR LIGHT SHINE before men, THAT THEY MAY GLORIFY OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN!
We may see heartaches and desperation around us... we may experience difficulties and hopelessness in our lives. We may learn about pagan and unbiblical practices around the Christmas tradition...
but nevertheless, let me wish you and yours
a BLESSED and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
The SAVIOR and LORD, JESUS CHRIST,
was, is, and always will be
THE REASON FOR CELEBRATING THIS SEASON.
Choose ye this day, then, who you want to serve, focus on, and glorify during this holiday season!
But as for me and my house, I WILL SERVE, FOCUS, and GLORIFY
the LORD JESUS CHRIST alone!"
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