Re 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

WIFE TO HUSBAND:  Darling!  I have decided to have a big birthday party for you!

HUSBAND:  Wonderful!

WIFE:  On December 25th.

HUSBAND:  That's not my birthday.

WIFE:  I know, I know, but we'll just SAY it's your birthday.

HUSBAND:  That's your ex-boy friend's birthday!

WIFE:  That's okay, I have decided to call it your birthday.

HUSBAND:  No, its not okay.  Why don't you just pick any day that is NOT your ex-boy friend's birthday?  Aren't you interested in what is true?  In what is pleasing to me?  Even enough to find out my real birth date?

WIFE:  Now, now, don't get upset.  I have decided that we'll just SAY it is your birthday.  I've sent out the invitations and everybody is doing it so that makes it okay.

HUSBAND:  It does?

WIFE:  Yes, and you wouldn't want me to change the date and inconvenience anyone.  I have decided it is okay.

HUSBAND:  You've decided.  I would be pleased if you would just take my hand and follow me and spend a few moments with me.

WIFE:  Later, later.  No time now.  I have invited ALL the family.  My Father and Mother and Uncle Bill and Cousin Betty and Ernie and all the kids and grandkids and, Oh, the children will love it!  We'll do it for the children!  They deserve it!

HUSBAND:  For the children.  I see, a day to exalt family...and you call it my birthday.  Makes me think you love family more than me.

WIFE:  Oh, you'll love it, too, I have decided.  And we'll all give gifts to each other.

HUSBAND:  This is supposed to be MY birthday?  Yet you give gifts to others?  Why?

WIFE:  And I'll decorate the house...red ribbons and bows and...

HUSBAND:  Red?  Red is your ex-boyfriend's favorite color!  I like blue and green.  Blue skies, blue seas, green grass, trees, birds...

WIFE:  Oh, I'm putting up a green tree decorated with gold and silver balls and we'll put gifts under it!

HUSBAND:  Like the idolators throughout history....every green tree...  That is idolatry.

WIFE:  And I'll have to buy gifts and do lots of shopping and...

HUSBAND:  ...so the God of Mammon will get his.

WIFE:  It will be worth it!  I'll decorate and bake cookies and fruitcake and...

HUSBAND:  Sounds like you'll be really busy.  Come away my beloved and spend a little time with me...a walk by the river, a...

WIFE:  Later, darling.  I'll be busy, but you'll love it...I've decided.  The hustle, the bustle...oh, yes, and I've decided to have a nice baked ham...

HUSBAND:  Charred swine's flesh!  On what you SAY is my birthday and is not!  Who is in charge here?  Why do you just do YOUR THING and assume that I will put my stamp of approval on it?  If you love me, why do you not DO the things that I say?  Why do you not do things MY WAY?  You don't even KNOW me!  I suppose the next thing you'll do is dress your ex-boyfriend in a red suit and have him drop down the chimney!

WIFE:  Uhhhh...

To love anyone involves finding out what they love and hate, and acting in accordance with that.  You can study the word and find out what God loves and hates and what it means to be righteous...or unrighteous...holy or unclean and decide how to live ALL of your life based thereon. Given that He deserves FIRST PLACE in our lives, why not?

 Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

To take traditions of men and "baptize" them in "Christianity" and then pretend this is okay because you want to believe it...is not Christian and is not TRUE.  It is HUMANISM.  It is an OFFENSE to God!

 Jer 10:1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.  3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

 De 12:2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
 1Ki 14:23 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
 2Ki 16:4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
 2Ki 17:10 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:
 2Ch 28:4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
 Isa 57:5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
 Jer 2:20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.
 Jer 3:6 The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree., and there hath played the harlot.
 Jer 3:13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
 Eze 6:13 Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.
 Eze 20:47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree. in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

The early pilgrims forbade the celebration of Christmas in the new land of America.  In later years the Roman Catholics brought in Christmas along with all their other idolatry, and the pilgrims' standards of holiness were eroded.  Sin is like leaven...yeast in bread.

 Ga 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

So, that is Christmas.  Obviously it is good to remember the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ but on what day and in what manner?  To answer this question we need to look again at the Feasts of Israel which are shadow pictures of things to come, the same Feasts which were stolen by the Roman Catholics in the third century when they excluded all things Jewish from the church and adopted pagan high days.  (Christmas is celebrated on the same day the pagan Romans celebrated their satanic high day.)  Today we stand today on the brink of the 7th millenium.  We live in momentous times.   Mt 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. Restoring the faith includes a understanding the Feasts of Israel.  The birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ almost certainly occurred on Tishri 15 which is the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles (several months before Christmas.)  The many prophecies upon which that statement are based are another study altogether and and are not included with these brief notes on Christmas.

 Ro 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.  6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

Following Our Lord Jesus, the One Who is not "the spirit of Christmas" (Santa-Satan), sometimes leads us to painful choices.  Such choices require us to be obedient and to lay down our lives for Him.  We know of two separate instances in which a parent was praying about stopping Christmas celebrations, wanting to please the Lord and also their children, greatly resisting because of the impact on the children, when their children approached them and said, "Daddy[Mommie], God doesn't want us to do Christmas this year."  What a Saviour!  What a great God we serve!

 Mt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Some argue that  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:  17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.  However, those holydays are the Jewish Feasts and are absolutely not pagan festivals which are unholy.

Few Christians accept that the celebration of Christmas is an abomination to the Lord.  It is a minority position in "the church" at this time, however, we also know that the Lord talked about a broad gate leading to destruction and a strait gate leading to eternal life.  At the time he did so, he was talking to people who were following him.  Some have taught that the broad gate are the heathen and the narrow gate are "the church".  We submit that both groups are IN "the church" but that the few there be that find it are the remnant who lay down their lives, hear the Lord, obey him, forsaking all, and they are to become the Bride of Christ.  Many times people heard the Lord speak and didn't understand Him nor follow Him.  There are multitudes like that "in church" today.  Following Christ and being "in Christ" means something different than simply "going to church".  Truly many are destroyed for lack of knowledge.   Ho 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Further, many in "the church" will join the ecumenical (unity) movement leading to the one world church and that whore will persecute the true church which is the remnant.  That movement is currently urging inside and outside of "the church" that we just all love one another...an argument presented by the Anti-Christ in order to silence Truth.

 Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

The phrases, Till we all come in the unity of the faith refers to the true Bride of Christ coming out and being separate from the whore church, and being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ by His Spirit.  The remnant are the only ones who truly have unity in the Spirit.  The remnant know each other by the Spirit when they meet--needing few words, totally commited to Him and to being presented without spot or blemish, wholly acceptable in His sight, a holy people, a holy nation.  The remnant realize the vine we have been grafted into is called Israel, not Christianity.

For every scripture in the Bible, the enemy has a lie or a new version, and he asks, "Hath God said...?"  To stand for the Lord means to affirm, "Yes, God has said and I believe it and will live my life according to the Word of God by the Spirit of God."  There is a clear link between those who hear and those who overcome.  Those who hear but refuse to DO, never OVERCOME.  They are none of his.  Overcoming requires moving in and by His Spirit.

If you're saved and you know it...let your LIFE show it...making a difference!

Additional Links: Gilead.net: The True Origin of Christmas & Other Holidays: http://gilead.net/bible/christmas.htm Here is the table of contents: 1) Important History About Ancient Babylon 2) Who Was Really Born on December 25? 3) Are Christmas Day and Halloween Related to Sun Worship? 4) What About Santa Claus and Christmas Trees? 5) Was Christ Really a Winter Baby? 6) When Was Christ Really Born? 7) How Many Wise Men Visited Christ? 8) What About Celebrating Easter? 9) What Should We Do Now? Flee from Idolatry by R. F. Becker: http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/christm3.htm Birth of Yeshua (Jesus) during Succoth (Feast of Tabernacles): http://www.tckillian.com/greg/birth.html

Re 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

John & Marlys Hardcastle

Rev Dec 4, 1999
Copyright © 1999 by John L & Marlys Hardcastle. Duplication of this material is granted provided 1) you do not alter the text in any manner 2) you retain all the HTML formatting and emphases and 3) you do not attempt to sell it. All other rights reserved.  -- Mailto:john@hardcastle.co.nz

Anne K. Sorknes

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