November 30, 2011

• A Christmas without santa

  Christmas:Separating the vile from the pure:

  Santa:

  One day a mom asked  what to tell her very young kids about Santa-- she asked on a Face book post to anyone who would answer: My response:

  "Tell them openly, gently ,lovingly to pray for all the kids believing in what is apparently a pagandeity....who but a demon god could be all knowing, omnipresent (on Christmaseve all over the world), and omnipotent (how else would he make it from theArctic to all over the world in one night?). Tell them no fireplacestockings...it implies waiting for this anti christ to come into theirhome...the one drawing attention from Jesus Christ to himself.

  Start now making sure they"come out from among them and touch not the unclean thing"....

   

  Santa’s “divinity”: He sees all; heknows all; he covers the entire world of homes in one night.  Omniscient, omnipresent --- only a god hasthese qualities.

  "Santa Claus Is Comin'To Town"

  You better watch out
  You better not cry
  You better not pout
  I'm telling you why
  Santa Claus is coming to town
  Santa Claus is coming to town
  Santa Claus is coming to town

  He's making a list,
  Checking it twice;
  Gonna find out who's naughty or nice.
  Santa Claus is coming to town
  Santa Claus is coming to town
  Santa Claus is coming to town

  He sees you when you're sleeping
  He knows when you're awake
  He knows if you've been bad or good
  So be good for goodness sake

  With little tin horns and little toy drums
  Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums
  Santa Claus is coming to town
  Santa Claus is coming to town
  Santa Claus is coming to town

  He sees you when you're sleeping
  He knows when you're awake
  He knows if you've been bad or good
  So be good for goodness sake
  Goodness sake

  You better watch out
  You better not cry
  You better not pout
  I'm telling you why
  Santa Claus is coming to town
  Santa Claus is coming to town
  Santa Claus is coming
  Santa Claus is coming
  Santa Claus is coming to town

  (Coming to town)
  Santa's a busy man he has no time to play
  He's got millions of stockings to fill on Christmas day
  (Santa Claus is coming to town)
  (Coming to town)
  (Santa Claus is coming to town)
  (Coming to town)

   

  “St. Nick”: Do not tell the children – in order to justifyacknowledging Santa --

   about the nice guy who truly lived at one timenamed “St. Nick” – he obviously is dead now and not going around being theSanta the kids think about today.  Tosay, “Well, there really was a St. Nick” begs the question, “What does thathave to do with ‘Santa”?

  An article from ask.com about this{I deleted some things irrelevant to the current point rb }:

  Christmas in Greece   Was Santa Greek?By deTraci Regula,About.com Guide    ………………………..Name Gives Clue to Santa's Secret Identity:   But fear not - Santa doesexist..and he's a Greek. His alternative name, St. Nicholas, reflects his trueidentity. From gift-giving to red clothes, Nikolaos of Myra was a model for themodern Santa Claus.       In Asia Minor at the Greco-Roman city ofMyra in about AD 300, a pious young man named Nikolaos was born. He was one ofthe youngest men to ever become a priest, and his devotion and piety wererenowned. So was his practicality. In a time when extra daughters might be soldinto slavery if the family couldn't afford a dowry for them, Nikolaos steppedforward, providing funds to destitute women and men, sometimes to assist intheir marriages, other times to just relieve their crippling poverty. Sometales have him throwing bags of gold down the chimney, a precursor of themodern Santa's travel down the chimney.

  His generosity was bornof an understanding of the potential pain of those he chose to help - Nikolaoswas persecuted and imprisoned for his faith, so his compassion for thepotential loss of freedom for those he helped was a very real and personal one.

  The Later Life of Agios Nikolaos Nikolaos later became a bishop,helping to set up the formative Council of Nicaea which decided many points oforthodox Christian practice. Bishops got to wear dramatic red robes, and someimages of Nikolaos depict him with a flowing white beard, though others showhim clean-shaven.

  Later, he became apatron saint of Russia, which reaches above the arctic circle into traditionalSanta territory. While in the Far North, he may have acquired an associationwith reindeer, as he is known as the patron saint to another arctic animal, thewolf. Or images of him riding on a horse carrying his bishops' crook may havebeen misinterpreted as him riding or being accompanied by an antlered animal.

  St. Nikolaos Around the World:  St. Nikolaos became the DutchSinterklaas, which then evolved into the modern "Santa Claus". Themost renowned depiction of Santa Claus comes from "Twas the Night BeforeChristmas", when all through the house - whoops, sorry - whose originaltitle is "A Visit from St. Nicholas".

  His "Name Day"is December 6th, the anniversary of his death, which is still a gift-givingdate in many countries, though most have conformed to the 25th as the date fordistributing presents.

  After Nikolaos' death, he was made a saint, patron of sailors and children, butchersand bakers, and judges, to name just a few. Many Greek beaches and harborsstill have shrines to him. Part of the saint-making process requires attestedmiracles, and he accumulated plenty. While those miracles don't list travelingaround the world in a single night, dropping gifts everywhere, once miraclescan be managed, why should anything be impossible?

  Still A Hardworking Saint:  In the present day, St. Nikolaos theWonderworker of Myra is called upon to preside in spirit over Orthodox meetings seeking to unify the churches.

  May your own winterfestivals, however you celebrate them…………..

  End of article

  Deut 18: 9 When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt notlearn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10 Thereshall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughterto pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or anobserver of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Ora charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.12 For all that do these things are an abominationunto the Lord: and because ofthese abominations the Lord thyGod doth drive them out from before thee. 13 Thou shalt be perfect with theLord thy God. 

   

   

  	Necromancy is communication with the dead. So, if we say that Santa is really St. Nick, who is dead, then when someone writes a “dear santa” letter, they are attempting to communicate with the dead.
  Scroll down

  
  
  

  Encyclopedia  :necromancy :  communicationwith the dead, usually in order to obtain insight into the future or to accomplish some otherwise impossible task. Such activity was current in ancient times among the Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Etruscans; in medieval Europe it came to be associated with black (i.e., harmful, or antisocial) magic and was condemned by the church

  
  Our children MUST be able to STANDFOR TRUTH no matter what kind of opposition they face in the process. We asleaders and parents must do the same.

  
  If our children  start being politicallyincorrect now and take on the spirit of Elijah/John the Baptist , i.e.,preparing hearts for the Lord to take up residence there...then perhaps theywill be rooted enough to STAND for the Lord when faced with sex/drugs, etc. asteens!!!!!
  
  

  . I think it is the job of ALLof us, not just the pastors, to provoke one another to good works, no? Thatfact comes straight from the Bible. Heb 10:24 Andlet us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Notforsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the dayapproaching. 26 For if we sin wilfully afterthat we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no moresacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful lookingfor of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses'law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Ofhow much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hathtrodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant,wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto theSpirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongethunto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge hispeople. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands ofthe living God.

  Moses’ law: Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words,saying, 2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought theeout of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other godsbefore me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto theeany graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heavenabove, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waterunder the earth: 5 Thoushalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third andfourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy untothousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

  Becareful; what you post on your social networking sites!

  People I have warned about santa – people I have pastored in the past or currentlypastor – have  sometimes put pictures upwith themselves and /or families  infront of a fireplace with rows of stockings OR.. even more unthinkable -- WITHA MALL SANTA!!!!! Seldom, if ever, are  these same folks willing  to "defend their faith" in santa,i.e., they refuse to explain exactly why they believe it is ok to tell theirkids he is real or even tell them he is just "pretend" but stillinvolve them in the mall Santa ritual!

   

   I honestly, truly, with an open heart amtrying to figure out how a Christian can justify lying to kids about santa oreven letting santa share ONE MOMENT with the birthday party for our preciousLord! I truly want to know what thoughts come to mind that causes a Christianto be at peace with that.

   

  SomeBiblical heroes who dared to call sin what it is no matter what it cost them:

   

  Look at Gideon: Hewas called forth and singled out by the Lord to first tear down the idol imagesof his  family and country men.!

  Judg 6:15 "ButLord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakestin Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."

  16 The LORD answered, "Iwill be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianitestogether." NIV

  Judg 6:25 That same night the LORD said to him, "Take thesecond bull from your father's herd, the one seven years old. Tear down yourfather's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26 Then build aproper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood ofthe Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burntoffering." 27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD toldhim. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did itat night rather than in the daytime.

  28 In the morning when the men of the town got up, there wasBaal's altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the secondbull sacrificed on the newly built altar! 29 They asked each other, "Whodid this?"

  When they carefully investigated, they were told, "Gideon sonof Joash did it."

  30 The men of the town demanded ofJoash, "Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal'saltar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it."

  31 But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Areyou going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights forhim shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defendhimself when someone breaks down his altar." 32 So that day they calledGideon "Jerub-Baal," saying, "Let Baal contend with him,"because he broke down Baal's altar.

   

  Jeremiah is also anexample of courage to us! He stood alone most all of his life in order to obeyGod, to speak all the words God gave him to speak even if it meant beingpersecuted!

  Jeremiah’s constant job was to declareto Israel what they were doing that was not pleasing God as well as to tellthem how to do right. He was not popular!

  Jer 15: 10 Woe is me, my mother, thatthou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth!I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every oneof them doth curse me.………………………………………….

  15 O LORD, thou knowest: remember me,and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering:know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.16 Thy words werefound, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing ofmine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.17 I sat not inthe assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: forthou hast filled me with indignation.

  18 Why is my pain perpetual, and mywound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto meas a liar, and as waters that fail?

  19Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again,and thou shalt stand before me: and ifthou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth:let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.20 And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and theyshall fight against thee, but they shall not prevailagainst thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith theLORD.21 And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I willredeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.KJV

   

  Long before Robert and I startedpastoring, we received the prophetic word from several different people: Isaiah 58:1 Cry aloud , spare not, lift up thy voice like atrumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob theirsins.

  2 Yet they seek me daily, and delightto know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not theordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they takedelight in approaching to God.KJV

  Our response must be:

  Ps 40:9 I proclaim righteousness in thegreat assembly;I do not seal my lips,

  as you know, O LORD. 10 I do not hideyour righteousness in my heart;

  I speak of your faithfulness andsalvation.I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.NIV

   

  Jeremiah DARED to tell the truth to thepeople about their pagan practices when the people informed him they were notabout to stop burning incense to the queen of heaven:

  The people said:

  Jer 44:17 But we will certainly dowhatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto thequeen of heaven , and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done,we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and inthe streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well,and saw no evil. 18 But since we left off to burn incense to the queen ofheaven , and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things,and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. 19 And when we burnedincense to the queen of heaven , and poured out drink offerings unto her, didwe make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her,without our men?

  20 Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people whichhad given him that answer, saying,

  21 The incense that ye burned in thecities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, yourkings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD rememberthem, and came it not into his mind?

  22 So that the LORD could no longerbear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations whichye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment,and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day. 23 Because ye have burnedincense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed thevoice of the LORD, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in histestimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.KJV

   

  We must all dare to see what needs tobe forsaken by the church and to proclaim it…the goal is to be a pure bride,not one that is afraid to be separate from the world!

  Rev 18:1

  The Fall of Babylon the Great :

  After these things I saw another angelcoming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminatedwith his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying,"Babylonthe great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, aprison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, thekings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants ofthe earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."

  4 And I heard another voice from heavensaying,"Come out of her, my people, lestyou share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins havereached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.

  There are blind deaf and dumb watchmen:

  Isaiah 56: 10 Israel's watchmen are blind,they all lack knowledge;theyare all mute dogs,they cannot bark;they lie around and dream,they love tosleep. 11 They are dogs with mighty appetites;they never have enough.They areshepherds who lack understanding;they all turn to their own way,each seeks hisown gain.

  Paul was just the opposite: Hemaintained a broken heart in the process of warning and teaching the people ofthe Lord:

  Acts 20: 20 And how I keptback nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taughtyou publickly, and from house to house,………………………………………...26 Wherefore I take youto record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.27 For I have notshunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.28 Take heed therefore untoyourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made youoverseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his ownblood.29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enterin among you, not sparing the flock.30 Also of your own selves shall men arise,speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.31 Therefore watch,and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every onenight and day with tears .

   

  The warning in this sermon to avoidall that has to do with Santa is serious and important . To regard him is toobserve a lying vanity!! It is idolatry. It is sin.

  Pastors who say it is harmless aretrying to be a crowd pleaser!!  Thatcomes close to the description of men in v. 3o, i.e., :”to draw away disciplesafter them”. What other motivation would a pastor have to perpetuate a popularlie?

  Ps 31:  5 Intothine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. 6 I have hated them thatregard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord.

  Santa is a LIE.  He is not the one to be trusted to answerrequests for gifts.    Perpetuating a lieis a sin. 

   

  Having a pure Christmas:              

  This sermon, obviously, was moreabout being bold enough to abstain from the wrongfulness of  observing  santa   practices.

  Although Jesus was most certainlyNOT born on 12/25 and never commanded us to celebrate His birth (as we arecommanded in the Lord’s Supper to remember His death), most Christians can findnothing wicked about choosing to celebrate His birth.

  IF we choose to do so, let’s bevigilant about keeping the vile out of the pure joy of singing songs concerningHis birth and once more reading all the Biblical accounts.  When we gather in groups to celebrateChristmas, let’s make sure the Lord Jesus Christ is  the one who gets glory and honor.  

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