"HEAR YE THE WORD WHICH THE LORD SPEAKETH UNTO YOU."
(Jeremiah 10:1)
What does the term 'CHRISTMAS' conjure up in your mind and heart, and what do you associate it with?
Is it gifts, trees, 'Santa Claus', family gatherings, arguments, the manger, envy, strife, tinsel, depression, parties, drinking, fighting, gossiping, and, oh yes, Jesus?
Do you 'really' set aside the 25th day of December to fully and completely love and worship The LORD? Or, is it a means to an end, a day off, a holiday, an excuse to 'party' in The Name of Jesus. Obviously, only you can answer your own motives and reasons.
DO YOU CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS ?
Do you celebrate Christmas simply because it's a tradition, or because others expect you to? Again, only you can truly answer this most important question.
If you are remembering the birth of Y'shua (Jesus) on Christmas day, then, shouldn't you worship Jesus; love Jesus; speak of Jesus; sing unto and about Jesus; and bring gifts unto Jesus, rather than, see who can decorate the prettiest 'tree', or receive gifts rather than give gifts, and party, party and more party?
WE CAN LEARN:
We can learn so much from The Commandments that The Almighty GOD gave unto The Children of Israel, as they were warned not to learn the way of the Nations (see: Jeremiah 10:2).
And so, The LORD reminds us today to be careful not to become involved with and participate in the customs and traditions of the world that are pagan, false and idolatrous.
FOR EXAMPLE:
The cutting down of trees and decorating them to 'so-call' honor The LORD (?).
In Jeremiah 10:3-5, we read the following, "For the customs of the people are vain: for it is but a tree which one cutteth out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not, ... neither ... is it in them to do good."
THERE IS NO EVIDENCE:
There is no evidence in The Holy Bible that Christmas is to be celebrated, in fact, The Apostles, the disciples, the first true believers and even for the next three centuries we find absolutely no record anywhere that anyone spoke about or observed what we know today as 'Christmas'.
SO, HOW DID ALL THIS GET STARTED?
Before the birth of The Messiah, Y'shua our LORD, The Romans had a pagan feast called 'saturnalia' that was observed during the early part of winter, what we now call 'December', and its heathen feast and practices fell towards the end of the month.
As a result of Roman Catholicism connecting church and state around the year 313 A.D., the secular and religious became in many instances one issue. It is from this point in history that we begin to witness many pagan and lurid rituals and activities that became lot and parcel of 'so-called' Christianity.
POPE GREGORY THE FIRST:
Pope Gregory The First around 600 A.D., specifically instructed Augustine, the Archbishop of Cantebury, to adapt existing local religious (pagan or otherwise) customs and practices to Christian usage in order to help propagate the faith.
Thus, the state church endeavored to amalgamate, the old with the new, and as a result, a 'strange fire' became evident within Christianity that remains even today as a smell of awfulness in the sight of The Almighty GOD.
Just think, instead of bringing gifts to The LORD like the wise men did long ago, many in selfishness receive, and receive from one another.
HOW ABOUT THE TREE?
How about the tree? Some individuals will traditionally go into deep debt not only to decorate such an idol, but also, all the other things that revolve around the Christmas celebration that brings no honor and glory to The Son of GOD.
Haven't you sensed something in your spirit telling you year after year that your adoration of and involvement with: the tree, Santa (deception) Claus, rudolph, debts, gifts, who outgives who, stories and songs 'about Christmas' that have nothing to do with the advent of Y'shua (Jesus) is wrong? Haven't you sensed something terribly wrong?
DON'T YOU WANT TO DO WHAT OUR LORD DID?
Y'shua (Jesus) celebrated The Feast of Dedication (Chanukkah) as recorded in John 10:22-30, furthermore, Our LORD never celebrated what today is referred to as The merry, merry holiday of x-mas, also known as Christmas.
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ?
Have you ever thought about the name of this holiday -- "Christ - Mass" --, which associates the Christ (the Messiah) with a man-made service that (for all intentions) has no Jewish sentiment, called the Mass? This of course is an invention of a major religious order that has its roots in Judaism, and yet has for these many centuries completely separated itself from anything remotely considered 'Jewish'. In this century, this has been especially true regarding the Vatican's position towards the Land of Israel. Roman Catholicism today does recognize Israel, but the question is...to what extent? It is this religious entity that authored what we know today as Christmas. In a world of complexities and religious misgivings, it's a terrible shame that true believers in Y'shua (Jesus) throughout these many centuries have been drawn into this awful celebration of tinsel and a old bearded man declaring that he has a 'gift' for you.
It is high time to wake up out of this sleep and stupor that has plagued those who profess faith in the Living GOD, The only True Light for this dying world, and His Name is, Y'shua (Jesus) The Son of GOD.
YES, Y'SHUA (JESUS) WAS BORN!
Yes, Y'shua (Jesus) was born in Bethlehem of Judea nearly two-thousand years ago for one and only one purpose and reason, and that is, to become our mediator between GOD and man, and not as some espouse, that Mary, or the Pope, or a rabbi, or a minister can take his place or even intercede before GOD for us. Only Y'shua (Jesus) is Our LORD.
It is only through The Birth, Life, Death, Burial and Resurrection of Our LORD and Saviour Y'shua (Jesus) that anyone can have access into The Kingdom of GOD.
AS A CHILD OF GOD!
As a child of GOD, are you willing to put aside idols? Like the tree, santa, rudolph, debts, traditions, customs, paganistic and heathenistic issues that revolve around Christmas and its commercialism with all of its trappings?
LET US JOIN TOGETHER IN PRAYER.
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in The Name of Thy Beloved Son Y'shua (Jesus), I ask You to forgive me for the lack of understanding and the disrespect that I have shown You in observing 'Christ-mas' the way I have in the past; Now, with Your love, mercy and help, please strengthen me to properly and scripturally worship You in spirit and in truth as I look unto My Saviour, The Messiah of Israel as My LORD, on the 25th day of December and every day of the year, and help me to be a loving and compassionate witness of Your love and grace 'to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile'.
May The LORD Himself help us to stay within the pages of Holy Writ for our counsel and guidance, and may we never accept additions or deletions to The Word of God, no matter how enticing they may be, or how old and beautiful the tradition and custom is.
Shalom (peace) U'vracha (blessings) and Emet (truth) from The Holy One of Israel be yours now and forever. Amen.
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