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Author
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Topic: Happy Holidays x Merry Christmas (O'Reilly factor)
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HisGrace
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posted
The discussions on this Board are really awakening the importance of celebrating that great event on Christmas morn' and showing how deeply grateful we should be that God loved us so much that He allowed his Son to come down into this very sinful world, humbled in the form of flesh as a tiny baby, in order to ultimately watch him suffer and die on that vile and cruel cross. We can't even come close to fathoming that love.
It is easy to get caught up in the busyness of this season, but I personally should sit back and take time to reflect on this awesome truly marvelous gift.
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN!! 
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Gramajo320
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posted
We who honor and celebrate Jesus's birth are very happy that we can do so, that we have the freedom to do so, and no one can ruin it or take it away from us no matter what they say! We know it's perfectly fine for us to do so as we honor and celebrate Jesus's birthday and so we continue to do so!
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Gramajo320
Posts: 2385 | From: WA | Registered: May 2005
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becauseHElives
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Member # 87
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posted
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].
No arguement here just speaking the truth in love the best I know how. expoing the works of darkness.
I know those that can not see what I see are blinded by years of tradition,
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
Posts: 4578 | From: Southeast Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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oneyearandcounting
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posted
Are we still arguing about this. Isn't there something better to argue over.
I mean today I argued about whether Jesus was left handed or not.
Would it make all you people who don't do the Christmas thing feel bettr if say all the people who do celebrated it in Oct. or Sept.?
It's a little bit closer to when the actual date is that way they can be happy. And you can be happy because it's not on a Catholic Holiday.
By the way while we are at it I posted something a little bit back on why we do Christmas. But since it is so wrong to celebrate it, and if I don't stop I will burn in the lake of fire I was wondering if one of you could call my wife and give your side of the story to her. Just drop an email and I'll give the phone # or address.
I have prayed and fasted on this issue but I'm glad the answewr I got was from Satan or so it seems.
Sometimes When I read this board I reasd such wonderful things makes me proud to be a Christian. Other times I read such things on this board and it reminds me why I fought against Christianty so hard for so long.
This thread should have died a long time ago yet you people just won't quit arguing. It's kinda sad. I have seen at least two people say "thats it I'm out of here." Sounds real edifying to me.
I guess its good that compared to you all I am the baby in Christ because I'm to ignorant towards the things of God to know that I'm wrong.
Have we learned anything? Nope.
One thing I do know that there was a day when My savior was born. I know that I dont know when it was so I praise every day. But I also know that there is a day when the world says he was born annd I can use that day to spread The good news. If not the days leading up then atleast the day that the whole unsaved side of my family comes to my house and we have a feast. For some reason this day has been the day that the questions are asked. But this year I guess I won't answer them. I'll draw myself away, let them get the answers on their own. Should make God happy don't you think.
I'm gonna put my soap box away now.
God bless you all and I love you. I love you all because our God died for us because he loved us.
God bless
greg
( the baby of the group)
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Acts9:18 And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized.
Posts: 183 | From: winder Ga | Registered: Mar 2005
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becauseHElives
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Member # 87
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posted
Thank you wparr,
but isn't it a shame when some group like the JW's have truth that many fundamentalist don't.
Satan is the God of this world, those that find themselves fitting in should take note.
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
Posts: 4578 | From: Southeast Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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HisGrace
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by becauseHElives:
quote:
honor Jesus's birth
There is no honor in a lie and everything conected with December the 25 concerning Yeshua/Jesus is a lie.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
Are you JW becauseHElives.???
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becauseHElives
Advanced Member
Member # 87
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posted
quote:
honor Jesus's birth
There is no honor in a lie and everything conected with December the 25 concerning Yeshua/Jesus is a lie.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
The Roman catholic Church started the deceiption of December 25th Christmas and the evil continues worse and worse
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
Posts: 4578 | From: Southeast Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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Gramajo320
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posted
Hi Betty,
I give a huge Amen to your postings and I'm in complete agreement with what you say! Christmas is when we celebrate and honor Jesus's birth and we will never allow anyone to ruin it for us or take it away from us by what they say here. God bless you very much, Betty!
With love from your friend,
Joanne
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Gramajo320
Posts: 2385 | From: WA | Registered: May 2005
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Gramajo320
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Member # 4667
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posted
Hi Betty,
I too have signed petitions in order to prevent the Happy Holiday thing from being instituted. I too also say Merry Christmas and will continue to do so! We celebrate Christmas to honor Jesus Christ's birth and we will continue to do so and it is not a sin to honor Jesus Christ! To the ones who do not celebrate Christmas I say so be it but you need to respect the fact that those of us who do celebrate Jesus Christ's birth we do so because we love and honor Jesus which is our right to do!
God bless you very much, Betty!
With love from your friend,
Joanne
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Gramajo320
Posts: 2385 | From: WA | Registered: May 2005
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HisGrace
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posted
Go Tell it on the Mountain ![[clap2]](graemlins/clap2.gif)
Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light.
Refrain
The shepherds feared and trembled,
When lo! above the earth,
Rang out the angels chorus
That hailed the Savior’s birth.
Refrain
Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessèd Christmas morn.
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TEXASGRANDMA
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Member # 847
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posted
because he lives,
Christmas has not always been the devil's and to Christians it is still not. I grew up in a small town where Christmas was all about Jesus.
In my home Christmas is still a celeberation of Jesus' birth. In my Church it is too.
Yes, the devil is using people like you to make it easier for people in the ACLU to remove Christ from Christmas. You my friend are being used by the devil for his cause.
Unless Christians fight we will see Christmas be changed to Happy Holidays. I have signed petitions this year to keep that from happening.
I refuse to say Happy Holidays to the clerks at the store but say Merry Christmas. I refuse to give the ACLU a victory in this.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
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becauseHElives
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Member # 87
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posted
quote:
TEXASGRANDMA
Seriously, as I was washing dishes a few minutes ago, it came to me that for years the devil has attacked Christmas and Easter, in attempt to make them completely secular Holidays. Now, the devil is attacking the holidays by convincing Christians to stop celebrating them and give them over to the secular world. I refuse to just give up and turn Christmas and Easters over to the world.
Seriously, you can’t give something over to Satan and the Secular world that has always been theirs
What you refuse is to see the Truth!
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
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TEXASGRANDMA
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posted
As long as I have breathe in my body, I plan on celeberating Christmas. I refuse to give it over to the devil. During the tribulation I am sure the anti-Christ will remove the all references to Jesus and make the celeberation of Christmas illegal. I refuse to help the anti-Christ on his cause. I honestly believe those Christians who refuse to celeberate Christmas are acting just as callous as the ACLU who want to remove Christ From Christmas, I think it sad that fellow Christians want to remove Christ from Christmas and turn in to Happy Holidays or Santa Day.
The excuse that well it has pagan roots doesn't cut mustard. The very same people still use calendars and they have pagan roots. I imagine many of things we as Christians do every day of our lives have pagan history.
All they are doing is playing in the devil's hands to convince the world that Christ should not be involved in Christmas.
Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
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becauseHElives
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posted
Amen, wparr
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]:
in respect of an holyday (one of the apponted feast
Paul wasn't talking about Pagan feast
Blind leading the blind is the majority of the so called Church today,
no one wants to stand against the tide of this world
http://www.blueletterbible.org/tmp_dir/words/1/1133460289-263.html
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
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Bat Elohim
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posted
My son and I love celebrating the feast and Holy days. I believe that they are all a reflection of Messiah Yah'shua. I try to use them to teach Jonathon, my son, about Yah'shua and about the Jewish culture.
For Cub Scouts, my son didn't earn the standard "God and Me" religious emblem that most of the boys earned, he earned the "Aleph" emblem that requires the boy to learn some Hebrew, copy scripture in Hebrew and memorize Hebrew prayers along with the normal things they had to do like attend services, memorize scripture, and explain about what certain stories mean. He had to learn a lot about the Jewish culture as well as the Jewish religion to earn this badge and it took him 3 years to do it.
Now that my son is a Boy Scout, he is still allowed to wear his "Aleph" badge. He is the only one in his troop to have one. I'm very proud of him.
I love the Jewish culture and traditions. I love how they reflect Yah'shua in every way, and they(most Jewish people) don't even know it. To me it's a joy to celebrate the feasts and holy days, not a burden.
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Numbers 6:24 May ADONAI bless you and keep you. 25 May ADONAI make his face shine on you and show you his favor. 26 May ADONAI lift up his face toward you and give you peace.
Posts: 704 | From: Louisiana | Registered: Aug 2004
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TEXASGRANDMA
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posted
I admire people who celebrate the Feast. But, I think we must be careful that we do not make Feast Celeberation a part of a requirment for salvation.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]:
also remember Paul caution Peter about going back to the law:
No Return to the Law
11 Now when *Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, "If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, *why do you compel Gentiles to live as *Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
17 "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."
This said, I indeed admire people who honor the feast. I am limited in what I can and cannot do by my husband who is still a baby Christian.
For the moment I am satisfied that he is making such an effort to make Christmas be about Jesus in our house.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
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Bat Elohim
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by wparr:
All you celebrators of Christmass.
Let me ask you
Do you celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles - The feast that is a type and shawdow of the Messiah becoming flesh and dwelling with us?
Do you celebrate Passover (NO NOT EASTER)- The feasts that point to the death and ressurection of YaShua?
How about Pentecost?
How about God's appointed New Year?
What about The Day of Attonement?
If celebrating Dec 25 means so much to you, then why don't you celebrate God's appointed feasts??????????????????????????????????????????
yes! my son and I do. We celebrate all the feasts. The hardest one is getting all the yeast out of the house... i always run across SOMETHING that was hidden.
The fasts are difficult because of my disabilities, so I can't do a complete fast, but I spoke with my rabbi friend and he assures me that Yahweh is well pleased with my efforts.
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Numbers 6:24 May ADONAI bless you and keep you. 25 May ADONAI make his face shine on you and show you his favor. 26 May ADONAI lift up his face toward you and give you peace.
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TEXASGRANDMA
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posted
Greg,
Please tell you wife that I am so sorry for her childhood. I am glad that she has a husband now who loves and suppports her. God bless you both and Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Christmas does indeed bring out the best in many people. Even dads that go that way but have trouble expressing any kind of love to their children are more apt to be loving at Christmas.
Yes, I know kids love gifts, what kid wouldn't?, but kids also love the way Christmas makes mommy and daddy more kind and loving.
In my experience without Christmas their are some people you would not see except at funerals, simply because except for Christmas and funerals they don't know how to like even their own families.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
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TEXASGRANDMA
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posted
"If celebrating Dec 25 means so much to you, then why don't you celebrate God's appointed feasts??????????????????????????????????????????"
Because I am NOT Jewish. duh---------------
Yes, I do celeberate Christmas, Easter, Day of Penetcost. etc. But I am not Jewish. I don't sacrifice animals either.
thank you very much!!!!!!
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
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oneyearandcounting
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posted
Really sucks that I can see both sides to the debate. I personnally think you have to do what is placed in your heart to do by the Lord.
Born again made a good point though Satan does get sloppy. I married into a Christian family but after one or two times of them preaching Christ I said enough no more. WEll evey Christmas My mother in law bought me two books. Always sports books by Christain athletes. You know what happened I knew what I was gettingalways said thank you. And because I like to read I read them.
The good thing about them was they talked about Christ but basically there wasn't any meat at all. In reading them the planted a small seed but nothing major that affected the way I now look at Christianity. When I got saved last year For Christmas we bought all our family and friends Christian type gifts. Mostly DVd's not one person was bold enough to throw them back at us. It's a seed.
I think that as Christains we need to look at the world. Can we use a day like Christmas to our advantage? Yes we can.
I looked at the pagan parts of Christmas, and as the man of the house was gonna say no more Christmas. My wife was angry and I couldn't figure out why. One night she actualy told me. I am going to share it with you right now.
When she was 5 her real father started molesting her. This happened till she was 16 yearsold.Now on Christmas every year he basically was a changed man for a week or so. That became my wifes favorite time of the year. So even now as a 31 year old it is her favorite time of the year.
I asked her why and she said that for that one week or so every yea Satan left her alone. And her family was somewhat normal. In talking to her brothers and sisters they all feel the same way.
This year I will be celebrating Christmas. I will celebrate my Saviors birth and I will celebrate it because it was the only time of the year that my wife got to have a normal childhood.
You know what I think God will understand.
God bless you
greg
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Acts9:18 And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized.
Posts: 183 | From: winder Ga | Registered: Mar 2005
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HisGrace
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posted
Hebrews 8:13
By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.
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HisGrace
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by wparr:
All you celebrators of Christmass.
Let me ask you
Do you celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles - The feast that is a type and shawdow of the Messiah becoming flesh and dwelling with us?
Do you celebrate Passover (NO NOT EASTER)- The feasts that point to the death and ressurection of YaShua?
How about Pentecost?
How about God's appointed New Year?
What about The Day of Attonement?
If celebrating Dec 25 means so much to you, then why don't you celebrate God's appointed feasts??????????????????????????????????????????
NO to all of the above. I live under a New Love Covenant, with my eyes focused on my own personal passover Lamb, who paid for my sins once and for all time at the Cross. I am not bound by those Levitical sacrificial laws anymore.
1 Peter 1:19
He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
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TEXASGRANDMA
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posted
You don't have to spend a fortune on Christmas decorations. Most of us have gotten ornaments over years of saving. I bought three ornaments this year at 97 each. But most of mine are 10 plus years old. Our lights were old and went out. I got 6 strings of 100 lights for 1.88 each at Wal-mart this year. My tree is articial. It is 6 years and I got it on sale after Christmas at half-price. So yes you can decorate your place cheaply.
Christmas does not have to be about maxing out credit cards. I asked hubby for a jacket. My jacket was bought for $5.00, 20 years ago at a after winter sale at Weiners. Everybody does not ask for gifts that break the bank. I ask my sister for a Christian music DVD.
Christmas is a time to remember the precious gift of Jesus birth. Christmas brings families together. We are going to Houston to see family members we have not see in a year. We will visit the Church I grew up in and we got married in.
I am looking forward to it very much. We leave Saturday morning. Because Christmas is so special, all our family members we get together at one place for a visit.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
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HisGrace
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Instead of fixing our eyes on what Christmas should not be, we should fix our eyes on what Christmas should be. We don't have to buy into what the world dictates to us.
If you don't want the tree, don't buy the tree; if you don't want the lights, don't buy the lights.
Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God in heaven.
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BORN AGAIN
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posted
the whole tradition of Chrstmas, whether accurate or not, provides a magnificent opportunity for evangelism--that's probably why the devil would like to get rid of Christmas as a Jesus issue.
when else can I get away with singing on the street corner that Jesus, the Savior of the world, was born in a manger in Bethlehem?
like, who cares if the holiday is real or not, the devil is rarely so sloppy as he finds himself having to be around Christmas--yea, he can get 'em to "shop till they drop", but unfortunately, those Christians take advantage of the devil's "goodness" to evangelize about that Jesus of Nazareth fellow.
Give me Christmas or give me death!
God bless, ![[Cross]](graemlins/cross.gif) BORN AGAIN
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helpforhomeschoolers
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posted
That may be HisGrace, but you missed mine as well. Jesus is not supposed to be the reason for a season.... HE IS THE REASON WE LIVE.
You want to enjoy your tree, enjoy your tree. But you want to give thanks for the birth of Christ? Give it by telling the world of his death and resurrection for their sins and their souls... tell the world HE lives and we live because HE lives.
Dont make those of us to be the villan because we wont tell the world that we decorate our homes till they look like the Disney Magic Light Parade and go out and spend more money than we have on a host of material things that we do not need and run up charge cards that it will take us till next year to pay and shop till we drop and feast till we pop and we do this in remebrance of HIM.
The world does not buy it. Paul did not do it nor did he or Jesus teach us to do it.
And dont say well some do this but I dont. Christmas is big business.
I thought this was interesting. It is from the US census dept. What is also interesting is the amount of revenue to places like China.. You know China where Christians are persecuted and the church is predominately underground!
CB04-FF.21-2
December 14, 2004 (update)
Photos
The Holiday Season
The holiday season, with its many traditions, family gatherings and general good feeling, will soon be upon us. To commemorate this time of year, the U.S. Census Bureau presents the following holiday-related facts and figures from its data warehouse.
Christmas Trees, Ornaments and Gifts
$521 million
The amount of money the nation’s Christmas tree farmers received from tree sales in 2003. <http://www.ers.usda.gov/>
$158 million
The amount received by Christmas tree farmers in Oregon from tree sales in 2003, making the Beaver State the nation’s Christmas tree leader. North Carolina, Washington and Michigan round out the top four states in tree sales. <http://www.ers.usda.gov/>
$312 million
The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from China between January and July 2004. China was the leading country of origin for such items. Similarly, China was the leading foreign source of artificial Christmas trees shipped to the United States ($40 million worth) during the same period.
<http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>
$30.6 billion
The dollar amount of retail sales by the U.S. toy industry in 2002. Of this, $10.3 billion came from sales of video games. It is believed a hefty percentage of these sales were holiday gifts. <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-04.html>, 2003 edition, Table 1037.
Holiday Names
1
The number of places around the country named “Christmas.” That unincorporated town is Christmas, Fla., which had a population of 1,162 in 2000.
<http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en>
Other places whose names are associated with the holiday season include North Pole, Alaska (population 1,645 in 2003); Santa Claus, Ind. (2,164); Santa Claus, Ga. (238); Noel, Mo. (1,452); and — if you know about reindeer — the village of Rudolph, Wis. (415).
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/001856.html>
$239,945
Value of U.S. imports between January and July 2004 from Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Pacific Ocean, south of Hawaii. Perhaps some of these were “Christmas gifts from Christmas Island.” <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>
Holiday Shopping — The December Rush
The holiday season is critical for retailers. How critical? Well, here are some examples using the most recent Census Bureau data available. Note that the estimates that follow have not been adjusted to account for seasonal or pricing variations.
$31.1 billion
Retail sales by the nation’s department stores (including leased departments) in December 2003. This represented a 48 percent jump from the previous month (when retail sales, many Christmas-related, registered $21.0 billion). No other month-to-month increase in department store sales last year was as large.
Other U.S. retailers with sizable jumps in sales between November and December 2003 were clothing stores (45 percent); jewelry stores (169 percent); book stores (95 percent); sporting goods stores (66 percent); and radio, TV and other electronics stores (59 percent). <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>
$14.4 billion
The value of electronic shopping and mail-order sales in December 2003, easily the greatest amount for any month that year. <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>
$17.5 billion
The value of total retail e-commerce sales for the fourth quarter of 2003. This amount, representing 1.9 percent of total retail sales over the period, exceeded e-commerce sales for all other quarters of the year. <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>
14 percent
The proportion of total 2003 sales for department stores (including leased departments) that took place in December. For jewelry stores, the percentage was 24 percent. <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>
23 percent
The proportion that the nation’s department stores (excluding leased departments) built up their inventories between the end of August and the end of November 2003. Thanks to the holiday hordes, inventories plummeted by 24 percent in the year’s final month. <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>
1.8 million
The number of people employed at department stores in December 2003. This number typically swells during the holiday season, last year rising by 44,600 over November and 159,900 over October. Apparel and accessory stores showed similar seasonal employment gains. <http://www.bls.gov>
Where are Christmas Gifts Made?
179
Number of establishments around the country that primarily manufactured dolls and stuffed toys in 2001; they employed 2,271 people; their total shipments: $296 million. California led the nation with 29 such locations, and New York employed the most, 374. For establishments:
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/000926.html>
For value of industry shipments: <http://www.census.gov/mcd/asm-as1.html>
779
The number of locations that primarily produced games, toys and children’s vehicles in 2001; they employed 21,644 workers and shipped $3.1 billion of goods. California led the nation in the number of these establishments with 117 and Ohio in the number of people they employed, 2,972. For establishments:
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/000926.html>
For value of industry shipments: <http://www.census.gov/mcd/asm-as1.html>
$601 million
The value of U.S. imports of stuffed toys (excluding dolls) from China between January and July 2004. China was the leading country of origin for toys coming into this country, as well as for a number of other popular holiday gifts that were imported. These include electric trains ($40 million over the period); puzzles ($27 million); roller skates ($38 million); sports footwear ($148 million); golf equipment ($29 million); and basketballs ($32 million). Canada was the leading supplier of ice skates ($8 million). <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>
Where Holiday Gifts are Purchased
11,086
The number of electronic shopping and mail-order houses in business in 2001. These businesses, which employed 280,912 workers, are a popular source of holiday gifts. Their sales: $109 bilion, of which 24 percent were attributable to e-commerce. California led the nation in the number of these establishments and their employees, with 1,746 and 30,291, respectively.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/000926.html> and <http://www.census.gov/eos/www/papers/2001/2001estatstables.pdf>
If you’re not sure where to do your shopping, choices of retail establishments abound: In 2001, there were 151,668 clothing and clothing accessories stores; 10,374 department stores; 10,783 hobby, toy and game shops; 33,678 gift, novelty and souvenir shops; 22,468 sporting goods stores; 29,780 jewelry stores; and 11,559 book stores.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/000926.html>
47,104
The number of malls and shopping centers dotting the U.S. landscape as of 2003, a total that had increased by approximately 10,000 since 1990.
<http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-04.html>, 2004-05 edition, Table 1040.
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TEXASGRANDMA
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His Grace,
Please sit down for this honey, but we are on the same page. ![[Kiss]](graemlins/Kiss.gif)
Seriously, as I was washing dishes a few minutes ago, it came to me that for years the devil has attacked Christmas and Easter, in attempt to make them completely secular Holidays. Now, the devil is attacking the holidays by convincing Christians to stop celeberating them and give them over to the secular world. I refuse to just give up and turn Christmas and Easters over to the world.
Right now I am sitting here looking at my tree, I see all the ornaments my children made for me back in elementary. I have the ornament that my mother-in-law gave me back in 1970. (our first Christmas married). My tree is not about worshipping a pagan God but about happy memories. There are many ornaments with Relegious theme on my tree and under my tree sits a manger scene.
My Christmas tree brings me joy and happiness.
I don't apologize for it.
betty
God bless you, dear.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
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HisGrace
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quote:
Originally posted by helpforhomeschoolers:
quote:
Notice that the never is any cafluffel over Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day or Remembrance/Memorial Day,
I dont know what a cafluffel is but the day that they try to tell us that Thanksgiving Day, Valentines's Day or Memorial Day we celebrate them to remember and honor Jesus's birth or Christ's rising, I assure you I shall protest the absence of truth in the statement.
I think you missed my point.
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helpforhomeschoolers
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quote:
Notice that the never is any cafluffel over Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day or Remembrance/Memorial Day,
I dont know what a cafluffel is but the day that they try to tell us that Thanksgiving Day, Valentines's Day or Memorial Day we celebrate them to remember and honor Jesus's birth or Christ's rising, I assure you I shall protest the absence of truth in the statement.
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HisGrace
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quote:
Originally posted by TEXASGRANDMA:
Happy Thanksgiving to those who think it is okay to celebrate Thanksgiving.betty
Notice that the never is any cafluffel over Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day or Remembrance/Memorial Day, because the devil isn't threatened by those days - they are not Christ-centred the same way as Easter and Christmas.
Let's turn our eyes away from the pagans and make Christmas a Christ-centred celebration. It doesn't matter if his birthdate isn't on Dec. 25th. Often we are unable to celebrate the Birthdays of friends and family on the proper day, because of other commitments - as long as we honour them.
Col. 3:3 For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
~~Oh, if only we could hide ourselves in Christ and put him first.
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TEXASGRANDMA
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Usually the person says Happy Holidays as you walk away and they start doing the next person's order, but by saying Merry Christmas back to them instead of Happy Holidays, I am reminding them that Jesus is the reason for the season.
If I attempt to engage them in a long conversation this time of year, I could cost them their job and turn them off God for good.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
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HisGrace
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quote:
Originally posted by becauseHElives:
In 2 Corinthians 4:3 we have a scripture which sheds much light upon our present theme. There we are told, "if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them."
He blinds the minds of unbelievers through hiding the light of the Gospel of Christ, and he does this by substituting his own gospel.
~~This is a perfect example of how the Gospel of the New Birth is hidden by giving it over to the pagans. I claim back the "light of the Gospel of Christ and not allowing him to substitue his own gospel.", In Jesus' precious name. I refuse to let this crafty pagan weapon of the devil to push the most blessed event in mankind into the background.
Let's shout it from the housetops. The enemy has, in his masterful way, directed us to all of this Happy Holidays only stuff. No - it's 'Merry Christmas'!!
Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
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becauseHElives
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Granmajo, where do you find in scrituree Yahweh will be pleased with your participation in pagan holy day Christ-mass that has been CHRISTIANISED by the Great Who!re the Roaman Catholic Church.
Proverbs 14:12 we read, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death." This "way" which ends in" death" is the Devil’s Delusion—the gospel of Satan—a way of salvation by human attainment. It is a way which "seemeth right," that is to say, it is presented in such a plausible way that it appeals to the natural man: it is set forth in such a subtle and attractive manner, that it commends itself to the intelligence of its hearers. By virtue of the fact that it appropriates to itself religious terminology, sometimes appeals to the Bible for its support (whenever this suits its purpose), holds up before men lofty ideals, and is proclaimed by those who have graduated from our theological institutions, countless multitudes are decoyed and deceived by it.
The success of an illegitimate coiner depends largely upon how closely the counterfeit resembles the genuine article. Heresy is not so much the total denial of the truth as a perversion of it. That is why half a lie is always more dangerous than a complete repudiation. Hence when the Father of Lies enters the pulpit it is not his custom to flatly deny the fundamental truths of Christianity, rather does he tacitly acknowledge them, and then proceed to give an erroneous interpretation and a false application. For example: he would not be so foolish as to boldly announce his disbelief in a personal God; he takes His existence for granted and then gives a false description of His character. He announces that God is the spiritual Father of all men, when the Scriptures plainly tell us that we are "the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26), and that "as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God" (John 1:12). Further, he declares that God is far too merciful to ever send any member of the human race to Hell, when God Himself has said, "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the Lake of Fire" (Rev. 20:15). Again; Satan would not be so foolish as to ignore the central figure of human history—the Lord Jesus Christ; on the contrary, his gospel acknowledges Him to be the best man that ever lived. Attention is drawn to His deeds of compassion and works of mercy, the beauty of His character and the sublimity of His teaching. His life is eulogized, but His vicarious Death is ignored, the all-important atoning work of the cross is never mentioned, whilst His triumphant and bodily resurrection from the grave is regarded as one of the credulities of a superstitious age. It is a bloodless gospel, and presents a crossless Christ, who is received not as God manifest in the flesh, but merely as the Ideal Man.
In 2 Corinthians 4:3 we have a scripture which sheds much light upon our present theme. There we are told, "if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them." He blinds the minds of unbelievers through hiding the light of the Gospel of Christ, and he does this by substituting his own gospel. Appropriately is he designated "The Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world" (Rev. 12:9). In merely appealing to "the best that is within man," and in simply exhorting him to "lead a nobler life" there is afforded a general platform upon which those of every shade of opinion can unite and proclaim this common message.
Again we quote Proverbs 14:12—"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." It has been said with considerable truth that the way to Hell is paved with good intentions. There will be many in the Lake of Fire who commended life with good intentions, honest resolutions and exalted ideals—those who were just in their dealings, fair in their transactions and charitable in all their ways; men who prided themselves in their integrity but who sought to justify themselves before God by their own righteousness; men who were moral, merciful and magnanimous, but who never saw themselves as guilty, lost, hell-deserving sinners needing a Saviour. Such is the way which "seemeth right." Such is the way that commends itself to the carnal mind and recommends itself to multitudes of deluded ones today. The Devil’s Delusion is that we can be saved by our own works, and justified by our own deeds; whereas, God tells us in His Word : "By grace are ye saved through faith. ..not of works lest any man should boast." And again, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us."
http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Miscellaneous/another_gospel.htm
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
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Gramajo320
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Hi Betty,
Those of us who celebrate Christmas in honor of Jesus Christ's birthday and who attend church services and Catholic Mass honoring Jesus's birthday know it is perfectly fine for us to do so. God does not condemn us for celebrating His Son's birthday and I know that He is pleased that we do celebrate His Son's birthday and that we do so each year in remembrance of Jesus's birth. So all of us who celebrate Jesus's birth and Christmas will have a very blessed wonderful Merry Christmas and we will sing Happy Birthday to Jesus! God bless you very much each and every day, Betty!
With love from friend,
Joanne
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Gramajo320
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TEXASGRANDMA
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To imply that those who celebrate Christmas are goinig to hell is hurtful to millions of Christians, but, it is also, a lie of the devil. Before I got out of bed this morning, God brought to my mind what hubby and I studied in Bible study last week. Where Paul said to the Jews that were trying to force circumcision on the Christians, that he wish they would be disfigured. Harsh words for sure! I believe Paul would indeed have harsh words for a Christian who are even implying that you are not chosen if you celebrate Christmas.
As far as the other person who made the comment that Christmas mass is making light of Jesus death. I firmly disagree. Catholics have different masses. The one at Christmas is to celebrate Jesus birth and the mass at Easter is to honor His death and celebrate His resurrection. When my son was three years old, he was run over in our own drive way by a young man in a pick up truck. The neighbor children, asked their Priest to have a special Mass for my son. When they told me I was filled with joy at the children’s love for my son. I did not jump to some dumb conclusion that they had a mass to be happy at my son’s accident. Nor do I think God is offended when the Catholic Church has a Mass to celebrate the birth of His son. It is totally ridiculous to think that God or Jesus is offended if we tell anyone Merry Christmas. One of the things that the antic-Christ will do is remove Christ's name from Christmas. As a Christian, I refuse to do so.
Salvation is not earned; it is a gift from our Lord and Savior. Stop this nonsense that cheapens His precious gift by implying that anyone who celebrates the birth of Jesus are going to hell.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
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Gramajo320
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Hi Betty,
I say a huge amen to your posting and I'm in complete agreement with you! God bless you very much always!
With love from your friend,
Joanne
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Gramajo320
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TEXASGRANDMA
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"Yeshua declares "few will be saved"
The Apostle Paul says because they love not the truth Yahweh caused them to believe a lie and be damned"
I don't think celeberating Jesus' birth is going to send anyone to hell. My salvation is in Jesus' blood.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
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TEXASGRANDMA
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Not every business owner is a non-Christian. How about Christians who work at Wal-mart and the mall? If we do not buy anything, our Christian friends could soon be out of a job. I know a good Christian man in my Sunday School class who works at Wal-mart. Just because you are a Christan doesn't mean you don't need a winter coat, under clothing, etc. Not everybody can sew.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
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Tennessee Elijah
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Every day is CHRISTmas for our family!
If American businesses want to offend God and His chidren, that is a risk they are free to take. Since "commercialism" at this time of the year is more important to secular merchants than our Christian traditions, maybe we should put a few more homemade items under our trees? Spending money to make enemies of God richer is not my idea of how to celebrate the birth of Christ.
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DO A WEB SEARCH TO FIND JIGROP
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TEXASGRANDMA
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Okay, you celebrate Jesus' birth your way and I shall celebrate my way.
God bless you,
betty
Happy Thanksgiving to those who think it is okay to celebrate Thanksgiving.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
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becauseHElives
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Hello Betty, I am sorry we disagree but
The only Holy Days are those Yahweh has called Holy.
Yahweh has called the Feast of Israel Holy, separated for all time and eternity unto HIM.
That can not be said of Christmas and Easter and other such holidays
Where is any reference in the Scriptures made to the annual celebration of Christ “Yeshua’s“ birth.
The Scriptures declare HE was from the beginning and HE has no end.
The word Holy means separate, other than, like nothing else
Yahweh says be holy as I am Holy
Yahweh says without holiness no man or woman will see HIM
The Scriptures tell us “there is a way that seems right but the end there of is destruction
Betty, I will believe the Word of Yahweh not PBS or any other sources that that disagrees with the Word.
Yeshua declares "few will be saved"
The Apostle Paul says because they love not the truth Yahweh caused them to believe a lie and be damned
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
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TEXASGRANDMA
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"True believers must give up celebrating the heathen festivals of Christmas, Easter, Ash-Wednesday etc. and begin keeping the Bible feasts listed in Leviticus chapter 23. There really is no other safe alternative."
I disagree. I watched on show on PBS, last night that show video from Countries in Europe and their celebrations of Christmas and how they were filled with the story of Jesus birth. The host talked about how many people in Europe are getting back to the bascis of Christmas. He went to one mall that outlawed Santa Claus making it all about Jesus. Celebrating Christmas in not a sin, what is a sin is taking Jesus our of Christmas.
betty
P.S. Found out from our news paper that Holiday is actually a word for Holy Days. The writer says this will really mess up stores who are trying to take Jesus out of the season.
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
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becauseHElives
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Roman Catholicism plunged the world into the dark ages, and though there has been much light since the Reformation most are still in darkness
If it was not a heathen holiday, the heathen's would have nothing to do with it.
Constitine and Roman Catholicism gave "The Church ????" the tradition of Christmas.
Is Christmas Christian?
1. Introduction
'What a strange question,' you may exclaim. 'Of course Christmas is Christian: it commemorates the birth of the Saviour of the world - Jesus Christ - the Son of God!'
Stunning as the following facts may appear, it is essential to bring them to your notice.
Christmas is a PAGAN not a Christian festival.
The 25th December was celebrated in ancient days as the birthday of the unconquerable SUN god, (variously know as Tammuz, Mithra, Saturn, Adonis or BAAL) centuries before Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem.
Nowhere in the Bible are believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob required to celebrate Christmas.
The early Christian church did not celebrate Christmas. Instead it celebrated the sacred festivals mentioned in the Bible, in Leviticus chapter 23.
In order to win Gentile converts to the Christian faith, the Roman Church, centuries after the apostolic era, adopted this ancient pagan winter festival of the SUN god and renamed it 'Christmas' mistakenly thinking that it would honour the SON of God.
Scholars have for centuries known these facts. They can be confirmed in any reference library.
This article will first answer the question: When, according to Scripture, was Jesus Christ born? It will then go on to quote various historians who wrote concerning Christmas, then list the scriptural alternatives to Christmas, Easter, All Saints day etc. and the customs associated with them. It will end with a challenging question which all true believers - of whatever faith - must answer.
To begin with let me plainly state that the Scriptures do not give the precise date of the Saviour's birth. However, by close examination of various passages in the Bible we are able to conclude that most certainly he was not born on the 25th December (mid-winter in the northern hemisphere) but at some time in the autumn of the year. Here is how we arrive at that opinion.
2. Scriptural Evidence
The story of the Saviour's birth is well known; but for those who do not have Bibles here it is.
Luke 1: 5: There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6: And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7: And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8: And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
9: According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10: And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11: And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12: And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13: But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14: And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15: For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16: And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17: And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
18: And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19: And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
This passage tells us that the angel Gabriel visited Zacharias during the course of Abia. What is meant by "the course of Abia?"
The "course of Abia" (Abijah in Hebrew) we learn from 1 Chronicles 24:7-10, was the 8th of 24 courses during a 12 month year. Each group of priests (all except the most senior who were on duty more often) officiated in the Temple for two weeks every year. Zacharias' turn of duty came when the 8th group (Abijah's) attended; which was during weeks 15 and 16 after the start of the year.
A year in the sacred calendar begins with the new moon nearest the spring equinox.
Consequently the new year starts in March or very early April. For the purpose of this study we will work with the equinox date of 20th March. Fifteen weeks (105 days) after the 20th March bring us to early July. In other words, in early July the angel Gabriel told Zechariah that his aged wife Elisabeth would conceive and bear a son, whose name was to be John. Six months into Elisabeth's pregnancy, that is in early January, Gabriel informed the virgin Mary that she also was to conceive and bring forth a son, the Son of the Highest - the Messiah! When Mary said that this was not possible as she had never had sexual intercourse with a man, Gabriel told her that the aged Elisabeth, who had been barren for many, many years, was already six months pregnant - another apparent impossibility with man, but not with God. For with God nothing shall be impossible!
Luke 1: 26: And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth; 27: To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28: And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29: And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30: And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31: And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32: He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34: Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35: And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
36: And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37: For with God nothing shall be impossible.
From the above passages we learn, amongst other things, three vital facts:
Elisabeth conceived in early July.
Mary conceived some 6 months after Elisabeth, in early January.
Therefore Jesus was born just over 9 months later; which brings us to an autumn date in late September/early October.
From the above scriptural evidence it is certain that Jesus Christ was not born on the 25th December but in the autumn of the year. Now this is an amazing fact because late September/early October coincides with the Week of Tabernacles, the most sacred week in the sacred calendar. (Leviticus 23:23-44) The Week of Tabernacles is a memorial of Israel's 40 years in the wilderness when the nation lived in 'tabernacles' (booths or tents) and when Jehovah took up residence in a 'tabernacle' which was pitched in the centre of the camp. That is the low-level memorial of Tabernacles. The high-level reality of Tabernacles was when Yeshua the Son of the Highest, the Messiah, GOD INCARNATE, took up residence in a frail human body. In other words, God 'tabernacled' with mankind in the person of His Son - Jesus Christ!
2. Authoritative Quatations
Now that we know that the Saviour was not born on the 25th December but in the autumn of the year, probably during the Week of Tabernacles, let us consider what various historians say about how the 25th December came to be celebrated as the Saviour's birth.
"The festivals of Rome are innumerable; but five of the most important may be singled out for elucidation -viz., Christmas-day, Lady-day, Easter, the nativity of St. John, and the Feast of the Assumption. Each and all of these can be proved to be Babylonian." (The Two Babylons, by Alexander Hyslop, page 91)
"... within the Christian Church no such festival as Christmas was ever heard of till the third century, and that not till the fourth century was far advanced did it gain much observance. How, then, did the Roman Church fix on December 25th as Christmas-day? Why, thus: Long before the fourth century, and long before the Christian era itself, a festival was celebrated among the heathen, at that precise time of the year, in honour of the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven; and it may fairly be presumed that in order to conciliate the heathen, and to swell the number of the nominal adherents of Christianity, the same festival was adopted by the Roman Church, giving it only the name of Christ. This tendency on the part of the Christians to meet Paganism half-way was very early developed ... Upright men strove to stem the tide, but in spite of all their efforts, the apostasy went on, till the Church, with the exception of a small remnant, was submerged under Pagan superstition. That Christmas was originally a Pagan festival, is beyond all doubt. The time of the year, the ceremonies with which it is still celebrated, prove its origin. In Egypt, the son of Isis, the Egyptian title for the queen of heaven, was born at this very time, 'about the time of the winter solstice.'" (Ibid. page 93)
"Even where the sun was the favourite object of worship, as in Babylon itself and elsewhere, at this festival he was worshipped not merely as the orb of day, but as God incarnate. It was an essential principle of the Babylonian system, that the Sun or Baal was the one only God. When, therefore Tammuz was worshipped as God incarnate, that implied also that he was an incarnation of the Sun. In the Hindoo mythology, which is admitted to be essentially Babylonian, this comes out very distinctly. There, Surya, or the Sun, is represented as being incarnate, and born for the purpose of subduing the enemies of the gods, who, without such a birth, could not have been subdued.
"It was no mere astronomical festival, then, that the Pagans celebrated at the winter solstice. That festival at Rome was called the feast of Saturn, and the mode in which it was celebrated there, showed whence it had been derived. The feast as regulated by Caligula, lasted five days; loose reins were given to drunkenness and revelry, slaves had temporary emancipation and used all manner of freedoms with their masters. This was precisely the way in which, according to Berosus, the drunken festival of the month Thebeth, answering to our December, in other words , the festival of Bacchus, was celebrated in Babylon... The Christmas tree, now so common among us, was equally common in pagan Rome and pagan Egypt. In Egypt that tree was the palm-tree; in Rome it was the fir; the palm tree denoting the pagan Messiah, as Baal-Tamar, the fir referring to him as Baal-Berith." (Ibid. 96-97)
"Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church ... the first evidence of the feast is from Egypt." (Catholic Encyclopaedia 1911 edition)
"Christmas customs are an evolution from times that long antedated the Christmas period - a descent from seasonal, pagan, religious and national practices, hedged about with legend and tradition... In the beginning many of the earth's inhabitants were sun worshippers because the course of their lives depended on its yearly round in the heavens, and feasts were held at its return from distant wanderings. In the south of Europe, in Egypt and Persia the sun-gods were worshipped with elaborate ceremonies at the season of the winter solstice, as a fitting time to pay tribute to the god of plenty, while in Rome the Saturnalia reigned for a week...The exact day and year of Christ's birth have never been satisfactorily settled, but when the fathers of the church in A.D. 340 chose the day of the winter solstice which was firmly fixed in the minds of the people and which was their most important festival." (Encylopaedia Britannica article Christmas page 642)
"In a famous letter to Augustine, Pope Gregory directs the great missionary to accommodate the ceremonies of the Christian worship as much as possible to those of the heathen, that the people might not be startled at the change, and in particular the Pope advised Augustine to allow converts to kill and eat at the Christmas festival a great number of oxen to the glory of God, as they had formerly done to the Devil." (The Story of Christmas by Michael Harrison, page 28)
"It is nevertheless almost certain that the 25th of December cannot be the nativity of the Saviour, for it is then the height of the rainy season in Judaea, and shepherds could hardly be watching their flocks by night in the plains ... Not casually or arbitrarily was the festival of the nativity celebrated on the 25th of December. One of the principal causes that co-operated in fixing this period was that almost all the heathen nations regarded the winter solstice as the turning point of the year - the beginning of the renewed life and activity of the powers of nature, and of the gods who were merely the symbolic personifications of these. In more northern countries this fact must have made itself peculiarly palpable - hence the Celts and Germans, from the oldest times, celebrated the season with the greatest festivities. At the winter solstice the Norsemen held their great Yule-feast in commemoration of the fiery sun-wheel, and believed that during the twelve nights from the 25th December to the 6th January they could trace the personal movements and interferences on earth of their great deities, Odin, Beretha, etc. Many of the beliefs and usages of the old Germans, and also of the Romans, relating to this period, passed over from heathenism to Christianity, and have partly survived to the present day." (Chambers Encyclopaedia 1908 Edition Vol.111 page 222, article Christmas)
"There is no authoritative tradition as to the day or month of Christ's birth ... The winter solstice was regarded as the birthday of the sun and at Rome a pagan festival of the nativity of 'sol invictus' was introduced by the Emperor Aurelian on 25th December 274. The church, unable to stamp out this popular festival, spiritualised it as the feast of the Nativity of the Sun of Righteousness. When Christianity spread northwards it encountered a similar pagan festival also held at the winter solstice - the great Yule feast of the Norsemen. Once again Christmas absorbed heathen customs. From the various sources came the Yule log, the Christmas tree introduced into England from Germany and first mentioned in 1789." (Chambers Encyclopaedia 1970, page 538, article Christmas)
Pause a while and consider the stunning truths you have just read. Here are famous scholars and historians revealing amazing facts:
That each year on the 25th December the pagans held a festival in honour of the SUN god.
And that centuries after the Saviour's birth in Bethlehem this selfsame festival of the SUN god was adopted by the Christian Church, given the name Christmas and thereafter celebrated as the birthday of the SON OF GOD!
These are truly eye-opening facts. Remember them.
4. Bible Festivals, What Are They?
Christmas is not merely a Pagan festival, its adoption into the ecclesiastical calendar along with several other heathen observances (Easter, Ash Wednesday, Halloween etc.) has almost blinded the church to the sacred Sabbaths of Yahweh mentioned in the Bible: sacred days the whole Christian church is commanded to keep. What are these sacred times? They are:
The Passover: This service commemorates the death of Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb of God, who gave his life to purchase our salvation.
The Feasts of Unleavened Bread which commemorate Israel's hurried departure from Egypt when they lived on unleavened bread. Unleavened Bread also foreshadows the time when the Almighty will totally rid His household - the Church - of the leaven of sin, hypocrisy and false doctrine.
Pentecost: This festival commemorates the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit: not just the event that happened on the day of Pentecost in apostolic times (Acts 2), but also when the Most High will pour out His Spirit on His people in these last days, after we have been cleansed of every vestige of sin.
Trumpets: This feast still awaits even partial fulfilment. It foreshadows the time when cleansed, Spirit-filled believers will proclaim the final warnings to mankind; warnings which will be preached when the terrifying events described in the book of Revelation are in progress.
The Day of Atonement: This day of fasting prefigures a time of judgement and atonement when the church will finally be brought into the very presence of the Almighty and be at-one with Him.
The Feast of Tabernacles: This festival commemorates Israel's 40 year stay in the wilderness in temporary dwellings (booths/tents). Tabernacles also commemorates the incarnation, when the Almighty God took up residence in the human body of His Son Yeshua!
The Last Great Day: This feast prefigures eternity; when through the ages to come the ransomed will live with Yahweh the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and His Son Yeshua - our Redeemer!
Yes, these are the sacred Sabbaths of the Almighty God, which we are now proclaiming to you.
Leviticus 23: 1: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2: Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
These are the only sacred festivals in the Bible which believers are commanded to observe.
5. What Now?
If you have read thus far, you will no doubt be wondering, How does this information affect me? Believe me, I sympathise with you if you are now in a dilemma. Many years ago I was in just such a situation. If all this about Christmas is correct, then how must I react? To ignore truth is obviously not a safe policy to follow: especially when it concerns the choice between Baal worship on the one hand and obedience to the commandments of God on the other. Perhaps you should do what I did when I first learned the truth about Christmas: Go to the library and check it all out. Read as many encyclopaedias, dictionaries and other reference works to see if all this is true. Also read Stewarton Bible School's booklets on the Feast days of the God of Israel and The Sacred Calendar of the God of Israel. And, when you have really studied the matter, make your choice to:
Go along with the pagan festival of Christmas.
Or obey the Almighty's commandments.
There really is no other option.
6. What About My Family?
Many sincere folks will nervously ask: What about my family, my children, my friends? How can I possibly stop keeping Christmas; it's a family day for us and the children and grand-children all expect presents; they'll all think I've gone crazy! Well let me tell you that it was exactly the same for me and my family. I have 4 children and now 8 grand-children. Did they suffer? Do the children feel deprived. Did they understand? I can tell you that the children are the least problem. They'll understand faster than you think. Besides you no longer need to tell them all those lies about Santa Claus visiting millions of homes each Christmas with presents for good little boys and girls. Just tell them the truth: that Xmas is not a festival the Almighty wants Christians to keep and that they will get their presents on His Feasts or on their own birthdays. Incidentally, the patriarchs of old remembered their birthdays: that's how all of them knew how old they were.
Is it possible to stop keeping Christmas? Yes it is: tens of thousands of Christians the world over have already done so. What's more they are now keeping the Festivals of the God of Israel. Believe me, and I can speak from experience, their children and grandchildren are in no way deprived.
Summary
According to the Scriptures Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah was born in the autumn of the year; probably during the Week of Tabernacles. This extremely important Biblical festival commemorates and foreshadows two important events:
Israel's 40 year wanderings in the wilderness when the nation lived in temporary dwellings (booths/tents)
And the incarnation! when the Almighty God took up residence in the person of Yeshua the Messiah - the SON OF THE LIVING GOD!
The early apostolic Church did not celebrate Christmas. You may read the New Testament again and again and you will find this to be the case.
Only after several centuries did the Roman Church begin to celebrate Christmas: which was - and still is - a pagan festival commemorated in honour of the SUN god, variously known as Tammuz, Mithra, Saturn, Adonis and BAAL! In order to win converts to the Christian faith the Catholic Church adopted this pagan festival, renamed it Christmas and now celebrates it in honour of the SON of GOD! Alas! the whole Christian world, with the exception of a few believers, has followed suit. But Christmas is still a pagan festival through and through. Its change of name from Saturnalia, the birthday of the Sun god, to Christ's Mass has not altered its true character one iota: and the evil spirit behind its celebrations still produces the deception, debt, drunkenness, misrule and licentiousness that characterised the pagan revelries of bygone days.
The sacred festivals listed in the Bible (Leviticus chapter 23) are for Jewish as well as Gentile believers in the God of Israel. These divine festivals constitute the Signature (Sign) of Yahweh the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
True believers must give up celebrating the heathen festivals of Christmas, Easter, Ash-Wednesday etc. and begin keeping the Bible feasts listed in Leviticus chapter 23. There really is no other safe alternative.
I'll end this article with a prayer that the Holy Spirit will grant you the humility,
understanding and courage you will need in order to brake with paganism and take your stand for the Truth of the Almighty God as revealed in His Word.
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
Posts: 4578 | From: Southeast Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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Carmela
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Christmas has become a very Pagan related holiday. In fact, most of the holidays that we celebrate have Pagan things in them. I know people that won't even put up a Christmas tree because he says the tree has become an object of worship. I didn't agree with him at first, but I realized that more and more these days Christmas is about receiving gifts (not for everyone but most people are greedy during this time), Santa Clause, songs, and on and on. I was told that the small town I live in use to have a big manger scene outside and someone complained so now they don't put it out any more. The bible warned us that this would happen and we can start by teaching our children the way to go but the bible says that "every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" so I look forward to that day. However, there will be many darker days ahead for Christians as we are warned in the book of Revelation.
Bunnies and eggs were suppose to be a sign of new birth/beginnings. The same with the flowers that are starting to spring up. See, every winter flowers are hidden for a while and reproduction usually slows down in animals but in the spring it all comes to life again. I guess some people use that as a symbol of the new life of Jesus when He was gone for a while, then alive again.
My husband is from Scotland and he said they roll the eggs down a hill on Easter as a sign of the tomb being rolled away or something like that. However, I bet many people don't teach their kids why they do it anymore. They just do it because it's tradition.
If you look at the bible, you see that Jesus addressed this issue many times. Look at the Pharisees. They were always watching Jesus and telling Him He and His disciples broke the law. Jesus responded with this:
Mark 7:5-9
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
(KJV)
All holidays have become just a tradition to most people these days. Even a lot of Christians celebrate the holidays and think nothing of it.
This scripture is talking about how the people were following the commandments, but they weren't doing it because they loved God. They were doing it because it had become a tradition. Jesus came to break that tradition though.
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TEXASGRANDMA
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BrazilianMomm
I think you got me mixed up with someone else cause I have no idea what you mean. I buy Christmas gifts for my children of things that they need. Last year my daughter and son-in-law's Tv Table was broken and we got them one for them together. I usually get my mom perfume.
betty
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Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
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yahsway
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The celebration of Christmas means different things to different people. Look up Christmas in Wikipedia. There you will find out why it is both a secular as well as religous Holiday.
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Study
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quote:
Originally posted by BrazilianMommy:
TexasGrandma - About buying christmas related items I do not understand what you meant. Do you mean cards and stuff? We do not have anything with Santa Claus, every card , everything I have is about the birth of Jesus. See, I have small children and you must pay attention to everything you do, so there is no confusion.
BrazilianMommy, I believe I made the first part of this statement. What I mean is buying such item as bibles, Christian books and Gospel CD’s, and gift cards ECT. When you go to a Christian book store they have many items for kids all Christ related, games, work books and puzzles just to name a few. At least the one’s I visit carry these items.
If you want to make an impact, you have to lower the profits of the large department stores. If they can’t recognize our Lord Jesus Christ birth. Why should they profit off his birth?
God Bless
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http://www.biblenotebooks.com
The book no Christian should be without!
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BrazilianMommy
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About the Easter I do as you do. There are no eggs or bunnies in my house. My kids know that it is the that Jesus came back to life. You are right. The bunnies and eggs bother me a little bit. In Brazil it is called Pascoa. I need to find out the origin of this name. Easter came from Ishtar etc...You guys know all of that.
TexasGrandma - About buying christmas related items I do not understand what you meant. Do you mean cards and stuff? We do not have anything with Santa Claus, every card , everything I have is about the birth of Jesus. See, I have small children and you must pay attention to everything you do, so there is no confusion.
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Jesus loves you
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Study
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Last year I made a vow with myself. This year I will only buy Christian related items as gifts. I think this is great for me and you are welcome to jump on the wagon.
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http://www.biblenotebooks.com
The book no Christian should be without!
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oneyearandcounting
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I am not mad, really. I saw it coming. But give me a break.If you do not want to use merry christmas use nothing at all, no decoration, nothing. Just pretend it is June. Wonder what they will do with Easter quote:
Does it really matter what they do with Easter. They have already made the holiday very Pagen. What exactly does a bunny have to do with Jesus?
I think the question should be what are we Chrsitians going to do with Easter. If we want the holiday to change it is up to us to do it. The secular world has already taken the Savior out of it.
That is why my family calls it Ressurection Day.
No eggs no bunnies no special baskets no bonnets. just us and the ressurected Lord.
May the blood of the Lamb cover you continually
greg
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Acts9:18 And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized.
Posts: 183 | From: winder Ga | Registered: Mar 2005
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