Shalom my friends and welcome back. I just wanted to share some thoughts with you today. As I sat in my car driving home from work, I was listening to a Christian radio network that I usually enjoy. They are really talking up the term christmas this year and how it is so wrong for people to use the term holiday to replace christmas in the name of political correctness. As far as political correctness, I stand right with them, I am SICK of it as well! Today however the announcer said if it weren't for christmas there would be no holiday. All these people who are so against christmas are just unamerican and disrespecting the work of Christ!
First, I stand amazed how these seminary trained, well studied men and women who speak on these shows are so "uneducated". With almost no study, any person on earth can find out that there was a holiday long before christmas, the celebration of the unconquered sun on December 25th. When "Christ worship" was meshed in with this festival, it would become "christmas."
Second, I do not condemn or judge christmas keepers. I was one myself not so long ago and when I celebrated christmas my intentions were absolutely pure. Now however my Father and soverign elohim has chosen to reveal these traditions of the past to me (he led me to study), so for me to continue to celebrate christmas would bring defilement.
I am good with all of this. I just found myself thinking while driving down the road, normally I am just an oddity to the world, but this time of year it seems I've become an enemy not only of the world but more especially of the church! It just crossed my mind that this is a tough time of year, but so be it. If I have to stand against the entire world and the "organized church" to keep myself holy before my merciful, gracious Father, BRING IT ON!!!!!
Mar 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Yahweh bless you and keep you. Grace and love in the name of Yahushua Messiah.
Your brother and servant,
David
Christmas Withdrawl is an interesting process. The first year that we decided not to do a tree 5 years ago, I began to sweat and panic as the sun was going down on the 24th. I literally snuck out of the house, found a LAME tree, re-purchased the orniments that we had JUST thrown away the week before, and set the whole thing up while the kids (and my wife) were still sleeping. I had breached the "no tree" covenant I had made with my family. I felt like a crack addict desparately groping for my last rock accidentally dropped behind a public toilet. I had hit Christmas bottom. It was very spiritually informative about the power of TRADITION, and how it can overpower our spirits and even our rational minds.
ReplyDeleteI have added myself to follow your blog. You are more than welcome to visit my blog and become a follower also.
ReplyDeleteDavid,
ReplyDeleteI can understand the frustration and anziety of the pagan season. Everybody who I came in contact with wishing me the pagan customary greeting and I felt as if I should run and hide. My family (Parents and extended family) still believes it is alright to celebrate using for a time substitute pure worship for pagan customs. My wife who came to the truth before me yielded the first year under my unwillingness to give the traditions up. It did not make for a peaceful home. Now we can remain at peace and know that we made the best decision to follow The Father. Thank you for sharing.
Shalom,
Steve