December 22, 2006....

Bibles! Bibles! Everywhere! and all anyone has on their mind is... Christmas!

All the highly vaunted, and sentimental and nostalgic feelings... all the tinsel and blinking lights... all the seasonal music and warm, fuzzy... well, you get the picture!

God's Word, in NO WAY, encourages, supports, or commands the observance of "christmas" (hereafter referred to as "xmas", because Christ is NOT in it, never was and never will be!)

xmas is a hodge-podge of customs and symbols taken from ancient pagan and heathenistic celebrations that were directed toward FALSE gods as worship.
Today's 'enlightened' and supposedly 'free' christians, eagerly scoop up these ancient customs with all their attendant paraphanalia, and RE-DIRECT them toward the TRUE GOD,...as worship.

Never stopping to think or even consider, that maybe, just maybe, the TRUE GOD would not WANT this same load of heathen worship practices and customs and symbols, offered to HIM!

These things are what they are!! But WHAT are they?? They are what people offered to false gods... they are the WAY of the heathen! They are the VERY THING GOD COMMANDED HIS PEOPLE NOT TO LEARN!!!! [Jer. 10] Why? Because He knew that they might be easily deceived by satan to CORRUPT their worship, and begin to try to worship the TRUE GOD with the same false worship practices!! God Almighty is BETTER THAN THAT !!! He is also a JEALOUS GOD!!

You men out there!! Hey!!! Think about this scenario: You meet a young lady and fall in love... you BUY a nice ring, and offer it to her as you ask her to MARRY YOU.... SHE SAYS NO!! ... broken hearted, you walk away.. and then one day, you meet another young lady... You fall in love again, and after a while, you ASK HER to marry you, OFFERING the SAME RING to her.... ... but, here's the RUB!!! SHE knows the other girl, and the other girl told her about the beautiful ring you offered... she KNOWS it's the SAME RING!!!! HOW WILL SHE FEEL???????????
Just ask any woman!!

God is a JEALOUS GOD!!! HE doesn't appreciate or WANT second-hand worship!!!!!!
Especially if it was formerly used to WORSHIP FALSE gods!!

He is the GREAT CREATOR GOD, and HE RETAINS the AUTHORITY to SAY HOW, and WHEN, and with what customs HE wants to be worshiped !!! The idea and belief that Christ's death FREES a Christian to worship God in anyway, and on any day that they choose, is a LIE of satan the devil and it misleads and directs millions AWAY FROM contact with the TRUE GOD!! The only thing Christ's death FREES us from, is the penalty, and guilt of sin, once we REPENT of it!

If you want a 'christmas message', this is it!!! xmas is not christian, never was, never will be! No amount of force or coercion will 'put Christ into it'!!

xmas is going to happen, and keep on happening, UNTIL the great God returns and puts a stop to it! And that IS going to happen!! Christ is coming back to put this world under His ruler-ship and He will RULE IT with a 'rod of iron'!!

Those people mentioned in scripture who cry out to God, Lord Lord...

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

...and yet He says to them, depart from me, I never knew you... who are they??? He calls them "ye that work iniquity'!!!! Could they be some who THOUGHT they were worshiping the true God by offering Him the same old stuff that was offered to IDOLS and other false gods??

"iniquity" is LAWLESSNESS!! Most professing christians today believe that the LAW is either done away, or simply not applicable to them! These folks did many wonderful works in His Name... They prophesied in HIS NAME... they even supposedly 'cast out demons' in His Name... and yet, HE says to them, DEPART!! I NEVER KNEW YOU!!! Millions keep "xmas" every year 'in His Name'... and yet... does HE accept it as worship?? Is He Pleased? Is He truly honored by all the effort and fervor expended on the xmas season?

Think about it!

John 3:16... That's how much LOVE He had for you! How much LOVE do you have for HIM??

If you truly want to serve a jealous God, is it wise to make Him jealous?

No offense...
Phil
...and to all a good nite!

The Christmas eve service at my church was so beautiful. It was a candlelight service. It was pure worship. Everything was so inspiring. Those that hate Christmas do not have a clue to what they are missing.

They need a visit from those spirits in the Christmas Carol.

Hello Dennis, and thank you for commenting.
As I speak out on these issues, I often hear from those who feel that I'm making a big mistake. Dennis, I understand how you feel. I used to have those feelings about christmas, and I realize that those who do keep it, are very sincere and staunch believers in it. Please understand, I mean no offense, but I believe the truth is very important. Please, if I may, let me respond to your points...

Dennis says, "The Christmas eve service at my church was so beautiful."

Dennis, the whole season is definitely a beautiful thing to behold. I don't deny that. The lights, and music, and the giving attitude... they are definitely beautiful... but, Dennis... as the old saying goes... "beauty is only skin deep"... when we realize the origins of the various customs, and the facts surrounding the will of God concerning the use of those customs as WORSHIP toward Him, then it becomes plain that the 'ugly goes all the way to the bone'.

Dennis, "It was a candlelight service."

Many churches utilize candles in their worship services... I'm not sure why... It's probably just another 'tradition' that has been passed down to modern times... I am rather certain that God is not that interested in candles, though... have you ever thought about it? "A candlelight service"... just what is that? Is that really a 'service'? Is that serving God in some special way? I wonder....

Dennis, "It was pure worship."

Dennis, I hope you will be patient with me as I consider these things... In this world, there are many differing denominations, and they all say, and think, and feel that their 'worship' is pure...
I'm trying to understand though..."pure worship"? I'm scratching my head and wondering in what way was it 'pure'?, considering all the points I mention in my original message.. ???

Dennis, "Everything was so inspiring."

God almighty has inspired His prophets, and His apostles to preach the true message of the Gospel... but, Dennis, they never mentioned "christmas"... I do think it is an inspired holiday, but I don't think God inspired it.

Dennis, "Those that hate Christmas do not have a clue to what they are missing. They need a visit from those spirits in the Christmas Carol.

I'm often called Scrooge. Many have wanted to sic the 'ghost of xmas past' on me, or worse... too bad folks have all that on their minds instead of taking the time to actually consider and prove the things I offered in my original post... believe me, I DO have a clue what I'm missing.

Dennis please take a few days, and re-read my first post... check out all the other messages I posted here concerning xmas.... There's tons of information available that confirms the fact that God doesn't think it's beautiful, that He doesn't require or enjoy candlelight... that He didn't inspire it, and that He does not consider it as 'worship'...

Dennis, you said, "Praise God for Christmas"... Well, I can't tell you what to Praise Him for, but really... why praise Him for something He had nothing to do with? Just curious.

I hope you will consider it...

May God bless you as you seek to serve Him,

Phil