What is the “Christmas Spirit”…? How ‘old’ are you…? How ‘many’ Christmases have you “Experienced”…? Can you remember the “Excitement & Anticipation” of waiting to open the presents…? You have filled your… “Emotional Bank”… with those “Feelings”… and use them to gage the ‘Christmas Spirit!’ But every Christmas… one hears of “Tragedies” in the news; soldiers being killed on ‘foreign fields’; a child cancer patient… who did not make it to New Years! All these sort of dampen that supposed… ‘Christmas Spirit’.
*** (Mark 7:6-9) But He [Jesus] answered and said to them, Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.
(Mar 7:7) However, they worship Me in vain, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
(Mar 7:8) For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the dippings of pots and cups. And many other such things you do.
(Mar 7:9) And He [Jesus] said to them, Do you do well to set aside the commandment of God, so that you may keep your own tradition?
“Christmas” or ‘X-Mass’ – 101” …Blog.
http://truth459.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-or-x-mass-101-blog.html
These “Christmas Traditions”… that we practice here in America; come from the European roots of our ‘Forefathers’. But of course… they have been refined; by very ‘smart’ marketing experts… to get your money… in exchange for that “Christmas Spirit!” Say it isn’t So…? When was the “Last Time”… you bought and gave a “Christmas Present”… to someone that had a real need in their lives…? How about going and working at a rescue mission or visit the “Elderly” in a nursing home on Christmas…? Or someone you have not spoken to… in over “10-years?”
*** (Acts 20:35) I have shown you all things, that working in this way we ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
*** (James 2:4-7) you have made false distinctions among yourselves and have become judges with evil motives, haven't you?
(Jas 2:5) Listen, my dear brothers! God has chosen the poor in the world to become rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him, has he not?
(Jas 2:6) But you have humiliated the man who is poor. Are not rich people the ones who oppress you and drag you into court?
(Jas 2:7) Are not they the ones who blaspheme the excellent name by which you have been called?
“Slowly ‘but’ Surely”… “Christ and Christmas Celebrations”… are being ‘Removed’ and ‘Secularized!’ Today I just saw a “Susan Boil’s Christmas Video” on You Tube… without any Manger Scene… only ‘Secular’ Christmas Pictures! All references to Christmas… have been removed from the Government Properties… throughout this United States. Only Secular Christmas tokes remain… “Trees, Wreaths and Ornaments!” We are soon becoming like China; where Christmas is the second most celebrated holiday… in that ‘Pagan, Heathen Nation!’
*** (Isaiah 5:20) Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
*** (Hebrews 5:11-14) We have much to say about this, but it is difficult to explain because you have become too lazy to understand.
(Heb 5:12) In fact, though by now you should be teachers, you still need someone to teach you the basic truths of God's word. You have become people who need milk instead of solid food.
(Heb 5:13) For everyone who lives on milk is still a baby and is inexperienced in the message of righteousness.
(Heb 5:14) But solid food is for mature people, whose minds are trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.
*** (Jeremiah 5:30-31) An astounding and horrible thing has happened in the land.
(Jer 5:31) The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and My people love to have it so, = and what will you do = at the end of it?
*** (Ezekiel 44:23) And they shall teach My people to discern between the holy and common, and between the unclean and the clean.
The “American Christmas Traditions”… have evolved; into what we have today! The “European Santa Clause”… had a sidekick that looked like the Devil! ‘It’ or ‘he’; was used to… “Compel Compliance”… to be good and not bad! The “American Santa Clause”… brings you what you want; without ‘any’ stipulations! The Parents… “Buy” their child’s obedience; even if they have been “Bad!” The children ‘expect’ it… and ‘get’ what they want; that is simply called… “Entitlement!” That is how the “Now Adult Children”… have purchased; Houses they Couldn’t Afford… with Borrowed Monies… they could ‘Not’ afford to Repay…!
*** (1Corinthians 14:40) Let = all things = be done = decently = and = in order.
*** (Luke 12:57-58-59) "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?
(Luke 12:58) For example, when you go with your opponent in front of a ruler, do your best to settle with him on the way there. Otherwise, you will be dragged in front of the judge, and the judge will hand you over to an officer, and the officer will throw you into prison.
(Luke 12:59) I tell you, you will never get out of there until you pay back the last penny!"
We have taken… the “American Heritage of Christmas”… and allowed it to “Degenerate”… to a Secular Christmas… where “Booze” has become ‘Christmas Cheer’… instead of the “Fruit of the Spirit!” Many of the younger children; do not know the Christmas Story found in the Gospel of Luke…! Say it isn’t so…? When I was in Public School we… “All”… heard the Christmas Story and knew what it meant… even though ‘most’ were only Cultural Christians. At least there was some “Religious Piety” to Christmas… instead of the “Victoria Secret” models; clad in under ware and Santa Hats… on TV for our “Young Men”…to develop an “Appetite” for!
*** (Luke 2:1-to-20) Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be registered.
(Luke 2:2) This was the first registration taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
(Luke 2:3) So all the people went to their hometowns to be registered.
(Luke 2:4) Joseph, too, went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was a descendant of the household and family of David.
(Luke 2:5) He went there to be registered with Mary, who had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant.
(Luke 2:6) While they were there, the time came for her to have her baby,
(Luke 2:7) and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was not any room for them in the inn.
(Luke 2:8) In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, watching their flock during the night.
(Luke 2:9) An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
(Luke 2:10) Then the angel said to them, "Stop being afraid! Listen! I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.
(Luke 2:11) Today your Savior, Christ the Lord, was born in the city of David.
(Luke 2:12) And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger."
(Luke 2:13) Suddenly a multitude of the Heavenly Army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
(Luke 2:14) "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!"
(Luke 2:15) When the angels had left them and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see what has taken place that the Lord has told us about."
(Luke 2:16) So they went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in the manger.
(Luke 2:17) When they saw this, they repeated what they had been told about this child.
(Luke 2:18) All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them,
(Luke 2:19) but Mary continued to treasure in her heart all these things and to ponder them.
(Luke 2:20) Then the shepherds returned to their flock, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
Why did “Christ JESUS”… come to Earth? Why do we have the Bible…? Was it so that we could celebrate “His Birthday”…? Neither the Early Jerusalem Church or any other Christian Church… celebrated the Birth of Christ! It is a “Religious Cultural Thing!”… say it isn’t So…? Simply check “History”… and then “Check the Scriptures!” Perhaps that lifetime of those… “Christmas Emotions”… could have been applied elsewhere…?
*** (Acts 17:11) These people were more receptive than those in Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive the message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if those things were so.
*** (Ephesians 5:9) For the fruit of the Spirit = consists of every form of = goodness, righteousness, and “Truth”.
*** (1Thessalonians 5:21) Prove all things, hold fast to the good.
About now… you and many others have been confronted with; “IS what we do for Christ… in His Holy Word; or is it just some part of our Culture…? Why did… “Christ Jesus”… really ‘Come?’
*** (John 12:24-29) Truly, truly, I [Jesus] say to you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit.
(Joh 12:25) He who loves his life shall lose it. And he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.
(Joh 12:26) If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there also My servant shall be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
(Joh 12:27) And My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour? But for this cause I came to this hour.
(Joh 12:28) Father, glorify Your name! Then there came a voice from the heaven saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.
(Joh 12:29) Then the crowd who stood by and heard said that it thundered. Others said, An angel spoke to Him.
*** (John 10:15-18) Even as the Father knows Me [Jesus], I also know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep.
(Joh 10:16) And I have other sheep who are not of this fold. I must also lead those, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one Shepherd.
(Joh 10:17) Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I might take it again.
(Joh 10:18) No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down from Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it again. I have received this commandment from My Father.
*** (Zechariah 12:10) And I will pour on the house of David, and on the people of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of prayers. And they shall look on Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be bitter over Him, as the bitterness over the first-born.
*** (Mark 16:6) And he said to them, Do not be frightened. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen, He is not here. Behold the place where they laid Him.
*** (Acts 1:9-11) And saying these things, as they watched, He was taken up. And a cloud received Him out of their sight.
(Act 1:10) And while they were looking intently into the heaven, He having gone, even behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them,
(Acts 1:11) who also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into the heaven? This same Jesus who is taken up from you into Heaven, will come in the way you have seen Him going into Heaven.
Thanks, In Christ, Roger / Jeremiah 20:9.
Email: atruth459@yahoo.com
Ende…!
