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The Gift....
- Dec 22, 2009 at 8:51 PM
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- Comments (12) Total Views (538) Everyone can see this journal post.
Should we as Christians celebrate Christmas?
As my heart has been searching for truth... not just any "truth" but HIS TRUTH ...about these things ...I just heard my answer from Him today! I feel SO SO excited and amazed at His answer, and the simplicity of it... my heart is overjoyed!!!! I did not expect this answer... because I've purposed to separate myself from and reject anything that looks like "paganism" or "satanism" ...anything counterfeit, including dead "religiosity" or legalism!
Particularly, as coming from a background where pagan and satanic influence has tainted EVERYTHING that was meant to be Godly, I've made this an area of diligent and deliberate seeking the LORD! I want NOTHING to do with anything that would dishonor or displease my One True LORD JESUS CHRIST!
BUT, the LORD has placed in my heart a yearning... which I did not understand, but KNEW it was from Him! I felt a deep desire and yearning (from a pure and clean place in my heart, that is from Him) to somehow reclaim what was stolen from me and my family! I was like one of those poor pauper children standing outside a store window, looking on with wonder and longing... she dreams of going inside for just a closer look! But if she went inside, she would surely be overwhelmed... and if someone were to offer her one little gift, she would not know how to receive it!
I've felt a yearning for that "something" ...for myself and my family! ...yet I did not know what that "something" was! In years past, we have not celebrated in any way... it was all tainted and held no joy or excitement (maybe even a bit of dread)! This year, the LORD began a new thing in my heart, and in my family! It seemed we all began to feel it at the same time... a longing for something more, that "something" that was lost, stolen, taken away.
I nearly cannot even write this without feeling overwhelmed and weeping!! What is that "something" that we've been looking for? The Gift.... He - True JESUS - came so we could go! He came to live so that through His example, we could follow Him! He came to die, so we could live forever! He came and He overcame death, hell, and the grave! He conquered sin for us! HE CAME!!! HE is the Gift we celebrate! Is it okay to celebrate? Some say that we should not celebrate man-made holidays... I agree!! But this is no man-made holiday, for even a star and the angels proclaimed His birth!!
The wise (men) celebrated by giving... to Him! We desire first and foremost to give ourselves to Him! But is it okay to give to others in honor of His coming... I believe so, if we know WHY we give!
Matthew 25:40
40And 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.
It doesn't matter what we give... just that we give as unto HIM! Whatever is in our hands (or heart) to give, let us do so, heartily, as unto the LORD! This is the gift of JOY and THANKSGIVING from Him ...into our hearts, and given to others! GOD's Gift to us ...His Son, JESUS the CHRIST!
We have chosen to decorate our home ...no tree with ornaments (for us, we choose not to) ...but with colors that represent CHRIST to us... red and white (His sacrifice, and our sins as scarlet, being made white as snow) ...green (eternal life, through acceptance of CHRIST) ...gold and purple (His royalty and our adoption as sons and daughters!) ...a nativity scene and a star shining overhead ...candles (we are the light of the world, because we've given ourselves to Him). As a family, we will celebrate not only by giving to one another in gifts and sharing time together, but by giving our hearts anew unto Him!! We will gather around the table and read/hear the story of His birth, and then pray together and receive communion ...in remembrance of HIM!!! : )
Comments:
Listen, I do not want to offend persons who are not of my beliefs, that was NOT my intent at all. And really, I thought that maybe some would not understand where I'm coming from, and that's okay, too.
When I refer to paganism and satanism... I understand completely that they are different. But they celebrate similar holidays ...just in different ways. Those are not Christian holidays... and certainly, the way SOME "celebrate" is NOT GOOD. (I know from experience!!)
I understand that paganism was (in a way) around before Christianity... mainly because CHRIST came a little over 2000 years ago, and that is when we first hear of "Christians." BUT... CHRIST existed before the foundation of the world. (JESUS said, "Before the world was, I AM!") He is the Word made flesh, and the Lamb slain "from the foundation of the world."
GOD (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) looked down through time, and saw and knew what would be needed ...He weighed the cost before He ever made the angels or the earth or man! "For GOD SO LOVED the world that HE GAVE His only Son, that whosoever believeth in HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life!" He came knowing some would reject and ridicule ....but He still came! This IS the Gift we celebrate!!
God did not look down through time and see and knew what would be needed. God is the Creator. He made time. He made man. God, before the foundations of the world were laid, chose to save, die, and rise again. He had already made out His plan before we were ever created. He is God. He doesn't need man to exist. He is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, love, judgement, perfect, eternal, etc. He doesn't even NEED our worship to be God, but that's the way He chose to do it. He doesn't need our prayers or anything from us for that matter. He is God. According to the good pleasure of His will which He has purposed in Himself (Ephesians 1:3-23; 2 ) God chose to do it the way He did to bring honor and glory to His name. Its not about us, its about Him. Whatever you decide to do for your family, is definitely your decision. If you are following Him, He will bless you for it. Its good that you are giving all glory and honor to Him. People tend to forget that on their birthdays (I'm not saying I believe Dec. 25 is Christ's birthday), not everyone gets a present. I realize its suppose to be about giving and not getting, but most people don't focus on this. Its a commercialized, "what-am-I-gonna-get" day nowdays. But some people do give large offerings to the church on this day. So that's good. Some, like you, focus on the Biblical account of this day. So I'm not saying you are wrong. I take everything from the Bible which is what God has said. I look up everything through history also, finding out where it originated. Then I pray about it and go from there on what I know God is showing me. Then I don't ask or defend myself. If I'm asked, I'll tell why I do or don't celebrate something. But I try to always stand for what is right, no matter what the rest of the world is doing. Our main focus should be to glorify God. So if God has given you peace about your decision, then do what you know is right.
Thank you for your comment... but I really don't get your point. You seem to be on the critical side of my journal... but then you come back and pretty much restate everything I said.
From what I can tell, in the New Testament, it says we aren't to judge one another on the holy days they respect or do not respect (Romans ch 14) ...but every day is the LORD's! (Especially if we have ceased from our own works and have entered into His rest.)
It's totally Biblical to give... and there's no reason (Biblically) I can see that we should NOT give in honor of His Gift of coming to this earth as a babe. SURE... we give people gifts on their birthdays... and that is EXACTLY what we are doing when we give to others.
Read it here...
Matthew 25:
34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40And 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.
Luke 6:38
38Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
If the angels, the star, the wise men, and the shepherds could celebrate and proclaim His birth, I believe it is perfectly acceptable that we do so as well. : )
Well I'm happy that you've embraced pagan beliefs even if you can't be honest with yourself about it. Enjoy your solstice celebration.
Lady, you are one messed up person... I'm not celebrating "solstice" ...and how dare you accuse me of such!! I'm merely celebrating JESUS CHRIST ...not even on a specific date. It doesn't matter... do the days belong to satan? NO, they do not! I can celebrate my LORD's coming any day I wish ...EVERY day, if I so choose! You need to take a trip through some of my journals before you accuse me of pagan or satanic worship!
Your words are full of hate and condemnation, as well as self-righteousness... do not spew that here, thank you very much!
And btw... you TOTALLY disregarded the Scripture above! Take another read:
Romans 14
1Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
2For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
3Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
4Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
5One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
7For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
9For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
14I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
16Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
20For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
22Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
It is the True LORD JESUS who has given me instruction ...and I do not have to please you or any man/woman! It is to Him I give account!
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I completely respect your beliefs, thoughts, feelings. They are yours and yours alone and nobody can take that from you. I'm glad you found something for your soul.
I just can not sit back right now without saying, Paganism is very different than Satanism. and many things that are "holy" have pagan backgrounds. It's history,not just made up to make Christians mad.
- Roisin07
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