I LOVE CELEBRATING

 Life is worth celebrating. All kinds of occasions. Births, baptism, graduation, weddings, anniversaries, and yes birthdays no matter how "young" you are. Today I am celebrating a milestone birthday. I was born in 1953 so do the math. I am not ashamed. Life is a celebration. God has blessed me with sixty beautiful years. And you know what they say "60 is the new 40".

Do you like to celebrate? Parties are fun. Getting together with friends and family and enjoying good food and good times. Gifts are nice too. But did you know what the greatest gift of all is? It was the birth of Jesus Christ. 'God so loved the world that He gave us His only son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but should have eternal life.' (John 3:16)

It is going to be one tremendous celebration for Christians when we arrive in heaven. Also when one sinner repents it says "the angels rejoice". Luke 15:10(NIV) says 'In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

I have been to the funeral of Christians who chose to not make it into a sad affair, but instead to turn it into a celebration of a life well lived. It is really a neat thing to see family and friends gathered to celebrate the life of the believer who has now entered heaven. We down here are left with memories and feel a great loss, but sooner or later all of us are going to die. No matter how much some people want to try to stay here, perhaps try to be frozen like in the movie "Forever Young" we have to face it. Death will come to all of us.

Are you ready to meet Jesus if today were the last day you would spend on earth? On Halloween death is sort of mocked and made light of. Death is real. Hell is real. There are not a bunch of zombies running around trying to spook people. Joking and dressing up may be fun on this day but making sure you know Jesus is vitally important. It is my hope when each of you die your families will be able to celebrate the fact you most assuredly have gone on to meet Jesus and have one gigantic homegoing party!!

PRAYER: Thanks Lord for the promise of heaven and eternal life. Help me to be a witness to those who do not know you and share your love with them. Even as we joke about scaring people on Halloween let us not forget that hell is not a joking matter. It is real and is forever. Help me to take that seriously and help others who do not know you come into a relationship with you Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click link to enjoy a song of Celebration.

http://youtu.be/XV15GBkgJgs

HALLOWEEN: GOOD OR EVIL?

 Is Halloween an innocent children's holiday to celebrate or is it something sinister we need to avoid? Online, in the Bing dictionary, it is defined as follows: 'October 31: the eve of All Saints' Day, originally celebrated by Celtic peoples but now popular with children in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.'

It was interesting studying this topic online and the varying opinions. We all have opinions about what is right or wrong.Some parents see nothing wrong with dressing the little ones up, even like Satan himself, and sending them off in the neighborhood to gather candy. In the United States this is

 Is Halloween an innocent children's holiday to celebrate or is it something sinister we need to avoid? Online, in the Bing dictionary, it is defined as follows: 'October 31: the eve of All Saints' Day, originally celebrated by Celtic peoples but now popular with children in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.'

It was interesting studying this topic online and the varying opinions. We all have opinions about what is right or wrong.Some parents see nothing wrong with dressing the little ones up, even like Satan himself, and sending them off in the neighborhood to gather candy. In the United States this is second most decorated holiday after Christmas. There are haunted houses, cornfield mazes, jack-o-lanterns, and harvest parties. If you want to avoid the evil aspect of this day and simply have fun, you could opt to take the kiddies to the church harvest party. That is what we used to do when our boys were small. They did go out in the neighborhood a couple times.

We do not need to embrace this day entirely but we can use it as a witness too. We are not to judge our Christian brothers and sisters who see nothing wrong with dressing up like a witch to come to greet the trick or treater's. I, for one, cannot glorify a witch but people have to be convicted on their own. Each person has to have conviction before they leave this holiday behind entirely. Here in the small town I live in, there is a church doing an alternative to a haunted house. I have experienced this type of 'alternative' a couple times in the past in places I have lived and actually they are a pretty good witnessing tool for those over the age of 12.

Still this day gets mixed reactions in the Christian community. Is it okay to celebrate or is it not? Yours truly was born on Halloween, no joke. So for me as a child this day was one big party and yes, other children came to my parties in their costumes. It is fun dressing up and having fun and the scary part can be funny too but if it gets too overboard and bordering on the demonic that is where I personally would draw the line.

As parents you are forming your child's character. If you start saying anything goes and have no boundaries then what does that teach them? Psalm 141:4 says "Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies!" Now is Halloween really wicked?

If you want to celebrate something innocently and let your children go to parties dressed up, you can choose to have costumes of heroes and such instead of witches, demons, goblins, ghosts and ghoulish creatures. Some say real life witches have this day as their high holy day but can't we as Christians use this day for good? That is point of the harvest parties.Perhaps what Satan means for evil we could use for good?

So what is a Christian to do? Is this a formerly Christian holiday called 'All Hallowed Eve" or is this when Satanists do their sacrifices and steal black cats and such. First of all evil and Satan are real and are not a joke. There is good and there is evil. We are to let our light shine forth to glorify our father which is in heaven it says in Matthew 5:16. This does not mean to act holier than than or self righteous to others. It is as simple as this. Is what you are doing bringing honor and glory to God? That is always a good question to ask yourself.

Romans 14:16 says "Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil." Ephesians 5:16 says "making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."

Pray and ask God what you should do. Happy Harvest Day!! Is this a day a Christian should really celebrate? Just something to think about.

PRAYER: Father help me to know in my heart what to do about celebrating Halloween. Thank you Lord for the gift of children and for those reading this with small ones still or grandchildren they have influence over help them be guided by your word and Holy Spirit in what to do for this normally fun day for children. If I have put too much emphasis on this over God forgive me. Show me how to be a light in my neighborhood as well. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Click on link below for a song of praise.

http://youtu.be/TqJwQQn7Ga0

HALLOWEEN...GOOD OR EVIL? RIGHT OR WRONG?

Every Christian has to be convicted in their own heart about whether to celebrate Halloween with all the spooks, goblins, bloody things,monsters, red devils with pitchforks or go with a kinder gentler version of harvest celebrations which many churches choose to do as an alternative. Halloween can be fun for small children to dress up like fairies, princesses, super heroes and such but should a Christian really being getting 'in to' this holiday? My devotion today is not meant to condemn, point fingers or judge but only to make each person think for themselves whether this day should be celebrated like the world does for those who claim to know Jesus.

First off in Psalm 141:4 it says "Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies". Just because the stores promote celebrating this day and putting up cobwebs and having witches kettles brewing in your front yard should you really toy with this stuff? We are told to be 'in the world' but not 'of the world'. "Do not get so religious on me" you might say. "What is wrong with having a little fun?" someone else might exclaim. Yes you can have fun but do you have to have fun with satanic type things and ghoulish creatures or can you go with more laid back fun for all? The churches have the right ideas with games and 'trunk or treat' as many call it. Some people just think it is fun to be scared out of their wits and can even become a little addicted to it. Halloween is big business in Hollywood too where horror films abound this time of year.

There are places in the Bible where it talks about not to be involved in divination and fortune telling. These areas are sort of borderline a too.I know Christians who read horoscopes. Only God knows your future not a column in the newspaper. Connecting with the dark side or things that could be getting you to be drawn closer to the enemies camp are sort of dangerous. "Oh come on now. That is ridiculous. This is a fun holiday. You are way out of line."  Each person has to have their own conviction on this one .

Proverbs 23:3 says "Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive." Satan comes like an angel of light and in fact it is highly possible he could use this 'innocent holiday' to trip up many in the church who find no harm in going all out and celebrating like the world. But should you? I have heard that sales of decorations for this holiday are second only to Christmas. Amazing. What is the attraction? News reports said over 60% of Americans celebrated this day.

Witchcraft, satanic rituals, evil, death do not sound like what a Christian should really be getting in to. You decide. Many seemingly innocent things are used by Christians which are borderline toying with evil such as Ouija boards, esp games, levitation and innocent slumber party games. We laugh and say no big deal but is it really no big deal?

2 Corinthians 11:14 says "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light" Matthew 4:10 says "Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'  We know we are in a battle between good and evil and in spiritual warfare so to turn Satan into a innocent comical character would probably truly delight him. A person becomes desensitized perhaps to how evil and conniving he really is. Ephesians 6:12 says "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  Colossians 1:13 says about God  "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves."

Cornfield mazes are cool as long as there are not Satanic things running after you. Having a hayride is a nice way to celebrate. Some churches put on Hallelujah nights where they present a drama of sorts and end with an invitation to accept Jesus. And then there are harvest parties mentioned earlier.

Once again if you choose to celebrate with the traditions of the world I am not here condemning you. This is only to make you think and perhaps decide if you should do that next year. John 15:19 says "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." There is a saying I heard once that if you were arrested for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you.When Halloween comes into play that in fact could be a factor. If people came up to your door on October 31 would they be able to tell by your displays that you were a believer or would they not have a clue?

Halloween is not really mentioned in the Bible but good and evil are mentioned. So once again this has to be something the individual has to be convicted in their own hearts what to do and do you celebrate or not. If you do, how do you choose to celebrate? Nothing says you have to participate. It is not a law or anything.

So where is your heart today? Do you desire light more than darkness and do you choose to follow the worlds' ways or follow God's ways? Is this 'just' a fun holiday? Colossians 3:17 says "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

PRAYER: Lord I know Halloween in itself is not mentioned in your word but I do not want my heart to be drawn to evil. I do not want to chance doing anything that would give Satan a foothold in my life. Give me discernment for what to do about this day without being self righteous or condemning of others. Whatever I do I want to do it all unto the Lord. Whatever I do I want to please you so I need to remember to ask is what I am doing pleasing you Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen.


FURTHER READING: Romans 14:1-9