Mischief, Evil, Or Love?

            Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies. Psalm 141:4

To celebrate or to not celebrate Halloween is a big deal in the Christian community. Many churches offer alternative celebrations known as 'Trunk or Treat' or 'Harvest Parties'. This time of year Hollywood inundates us with horror films and many Christians go feed their minds on them not giving it a second thought. There are even freestanding Halloween stores. Don't forget haunted houses.  Scaring people seems to be big business. 

           But what do you as a Christian do? Do you go along with the crowd and think it is innocent? Some use it as an opportunity to reach out. Those who like fortune telling    and ghostly spirits like this day. It traditionally is celebrated as a day of evil. Some laugh at this notion thinking it is purely innocent. Ponder and pray about it especially if you are raising little children.

There is evil and there is good. At this time of year it is a touchy subject with many in the faith community. I myself was born on Halloween so it is my birthday party. True it is fun to dress up and be someone else but when we start dressing children as devils, ghouls, zombies, and witches is that the right thing to teach them how to grow in Christ? Our children were in a Christian pre school once who gave the children plastic skull rings on this day. Well I have given you something to think about. 

            PRAYER: May God grant each reader peace in what he or she chooses to do on this day. I choose to not celebrate or glorify evil. I pray Lord for children to be   protected on this day of mischief. In Jesus' name. Amen.

History of Halloween in case you are interested. http://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween

The Month Of Purposeful Fear

 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. Romans 14:4-5

 October is the month of fear. Hollywood cranks out the bloodiest, scariest, fearful movies. Many well meaning brothers and sisters in Christ see going to these movies as a Halloween ritual. Only the Holy Spirit can bring conviction to a person of evil. The whole thing with glorifying witches on broomsticks and ghosts is a bit much for me, and my birthday even falls on Halloween! I know Christians who decorate their homes in the traditional scary decor obviously not convicted of its' inherent evil. I have close friends who love going to slasher movies. Some parents dress their small children like the devil. My job is not to judge. My job is to love and pray and not act self righteous. I am not the Holy Spirit.

 Here are some things to think about though. Satan loves this day. Satan worshippers celebrate on Halloween. Sure it may be fun to go to a costume party but why not dress up in a fun way and not like a demonic creature. There is good and evil in this world and not much good happens on Halloween except maybe if you were born that day.Smile. Many churches use this as an opportunity to witness to the community with 'harvest parties' where good old fashioned fun is the order of the day. Aren't Christians supposed to be 'different' than the world? We don't have to act better than people who don't think all this celebration of evil is okay but simply pray that God touches their heart with the light of Jesus in this area. This factoid from the History Channel "Evolving from the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain, modern Halloween has become less about literal ghosts and ghouls and more about costumes and candy. The Celts used the day to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, and also believed that this transition between the seasons was a bridge to the world of the dead.  Over the millennia the holiday transitioned from a somber pagan ritual to a day of merriment, costumes, parades and sweet treats for children and adults."

 Now you can probably see how this holiday got to be where it is. It is how we as believers choose to observe it that matters.

 PRAYERS: Lord help me not be condemning of my friends and family who maybe celebrate Halloween in a big way. Instead perhaps change their hearts and let them see it maybe isn't all that cool to put gross movie content into their heads. Keep all of us safe and alert during this time of year. Let our light shine for you during a dark holiday. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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