It amazes me that so many people put a lot of emphasis on returning Christmas back to Christ, when most Christians spend more time partying, eating, sleeping, etc. than in devotion to the one, who made it all possible.
I don't write this to come down on anyone, only to remind everyone that this season or the day is nothing special. For the real season or day to celebrate is every day. Don't get caught up in life and forget about the one who gave you life.
As mature Children of God, we should be working hard to show that every day is the celebration of Jesus' Birth, Life and Resurrection, not this season when the message gets muddled up with Satan's distractions.
What do you think would be an acceptable amount of time?
ReplyDeleteIt’s not so much a certain amount of days, but a change of the frame of mind.
ReplyDeleteKeith,
ReplyDeletePlaying a little devil's advocate but also think there needs to be more explanation.
Again, (and I am not arguing) where did you get the 0.005%? Are you saying the world population, world Christian population, US population, or US Christian population?
When you say devotion, do you mean total devotion, as in every minute, action, or thought?
The reason why I am saying these things is because I don't think a scientific poll can show how people feel during this time period as being devoted to Christ or not; almost judgmental.
If someone gives to someone out of their heart...is that focused on Christ or not? I say yes. If you don't expect anything in return, that is Christlike. From my experience that is about half the people I know. If someone goes to homeless shelters and food pantries and give their time/effort to help, is that Christlike? I would say yes, for whatever you did to the least of these you did unto Me. I see that in every city. If it is time spending in prayer, that we don't know. Prayer comes in many forms. Saying "help me God" is a prayer. It doesn't have to be Bless me O Lord, guard, guide and protect me....*9 minutes later**...and help me show love to my brothers and....**10 minutes later*** ...in your name, Amen. We just don't know. If is just about worship, some churches offer three services. If it about sharing Jesus to families, then having a "party" bringing people over could be a step. Jesus ate with the "sinners".
You know my brother, I love you, and I support you to no end! I understand what you are saying and how you feel. But let's be honest. You say it should be all year long, and I agree. But how much each day are we spent giving back to God and losing our faith to culture throughout the year? If it is 0.005% during Christmas then I bet you it is even lower each day of our lives.
I hate it when I see people acting more "Christian" during this time of the year and then hate everybody the rest of the year. But this is a respite for the world and I will take it.
In WWI Germans and French got out of their trenches and had a Christmas party and exchanged gifts. War killed people, very anti-Christian, but for 24 hours they put away their differences and no one died that day. Horrible, but I will take it.
Han Solo said to Luke, May the force be with you, right before he went into battle :). Han didn't believe it but for a moment in time he changed (thought you would like that reference).
My point is, do we really know how Christians feel and how their faith is during this time? We put up a tree, not to honor druids or nature, but because "it looks pretty". We have plants in our home all the time, is that wrong? We don't go to parties, but if we did...we go to other get-togethers during the year, is that wrong? See, what I mean? Just because we do some of these thins does not mean we give in to paganism.
Your argument stems from "we need to do this everyday", from what I get out of it. Then we need to ask ourselves---do we do it everyday?
I have to admit Keith, I don't go by polls really as I often wonder how many people are asked questions in polls - possibly a minute fraction of the population.
ReplyDeleteI can only speak for myself in saying that there is not one day in my life that my thoughts are not more than, I would say, sixty per cent and more on the Lord. It is as if He is with me constantly, a companion that I find I can confide in at all times.
I do agree with what I think you are saying - that at least for one month or more Christmas is commercialized to a degree that the focus would be mainly on buying presents and has very little to do with Jesus, but mostly for the non believers I would say, although as a Christian I find that the Christmas season has altered drastically over the years.
Tim, The poll is from a CBN article that took in consideration what the average Christian centered on Christ, during the Christmas season. It didn't say American, European, or any other. It did mention doing the things out of the kindness of your heart. They did not include charity because they felt that was not a exclusive Christian trait, even atheist are charitable.
ReplyDeleteIt included things like prayer, worship, meditation on the acts of Christ, etc. They concluded that the average Christian spent 3.25 hrs, out of the approximate 720 hrs, from the end of November to December 25th. They did go on to say that the most "Devout Christian" spends approximately 30% of their time with their mind on God.
Now, the flaw, that I saw, was that the 720 hrs included sleeping. Sleeping is something that should not be held against anyone, as it is required and you can't do anything about it.
As for elaborating, within the post, I deliberately keep my post brief. If you ask the average person, they begin to scan, rather than read, a long post. Most in-depth discussions come within the comments. I honestly believe that's where the meat is.
Yes, the actual point, and I hope that it does come across throughout the year, is that we need to stop, dwell and meditate on God, throughout everyday.
When you said,
"I hate it when I see people acting more "Christian" during this time of the year and then hate everybody the rest of the year. But this is a respite for the world and I will take it."
and
"...do we really know how Christians feel and how their faith is during this time?
The point of all my posts is not centered upon everyone else, but only the person that God led to read this post, at this time. My posts are directed to you, the individual reader and me, to be used as a personal gage of where we are in our personal relationship with God. My mission is to reach as many individuals, as I can, on a personal level, to walk with them, along side God, to be used, by God' Holy Spirit, to the fullest extent.
I do mostly agree with
"Your argument stems from "we need to do this everyday", from what I get out of it. Then we need to ask ourselves---do we do it everyday?
If you will allow me to change it slightly.
God's message is to prompt the individual to ask.
Do I Do It Everyday?
As always, great conversation!
Hey Brenda, I totally agree that we should throw most polls out the windows and that we shouldn't give much credence to them. However, in this case, it's a great conversation starter. :-)
ReplyDeleteAs I was just discussing with Tim, there are devout Christians, with more "me time" with God, than the average Christian, within the poll. I haven't extrapolated the amount of personal time spent with God on the mind, but I agree it is more than .005%.
We also agree that, even though the poll centers on this holiday season, the Remnant immediately feels that it should expand to center on our daily devotion, throughout the year. That is why I wrote the post, in the way I did.
You said, "...as a Christian I find that the Christmas season has altered drastically over the years."
But isn't that the way, Satan works. He started out by making Christmas all about Christ. Then, slowly and methodically began to add in worldy things, to the point that it's now a pagan celebration in Christ name. He's changed the whole thing to center on him, as we discussed, in your blog.
Even though the individual may feel that they spend a lot of time devoted to God, shouldn't the Remnant's response be....
I WANT MORE
As always, great discussion!
Hi Keith,
ReplyDeleteregarding your 'I WANT MORE' I would say that once we begin to learn God's ways through the teaching of the Holy Spirit - who would not want more? As far as I am concerned - there is truly nothing in this world as desirable as knowing God more.
As you know - I love discussions.
We are in total agreement.
DeleteKeith,
ReplyDeleteYou said,
He started out by making Christmas all about Christ. Then, slowly and methodically began to add in worldy things, to the point that it's now a pagan celebration in Christ name.
when reading the history on much of the traditions it seems that the pagan practices already existed and Christ was put in to it so it was already Worldly. Christmas was all about sun worship and fertility the Catholic Church (satans lead) put Christ into. So it's alway been a pagan celebration in Christs name.
Hey Brandon, If you look at the history of the celebration of Christ's birth, then you have to start at the beginning. Sukkot started off as celebrating the Lord's divine protection by tabernacling with us.
ReplyDeleteThen, it became clear, upon the birth of Christ, that not only was it a partial fulfillment, but a forshadowing of two separate future events. The first century church celebrated the Sukkot as the birth of Christ, the first real 'Christmas'.
Then, about 300AD, Emperor Constantine began what turns out to be the beginnings of the Catholic church, by killing off 10's to 100's of thousands of Jews and Messianic Christians, in order to introduce pagan rituals and move the date of Christ's birth from the 15th of Tishrei to December 25, without any objections. At that time, Christ was presented as the center of the celebration, the center of the Mass, ergo, Christ Mass, which was shortened to Christmas. However, it has degraded into what it is today.
Thanks for bringing up that aspect of the conversation.
So the point still stands the pagan traditions have always been there Christs birth just got put into it.
ReplyDeleteI was not aware of Christs birth being celebrated during sukkot though I will look into it.
ReplyDeleteBrandon, it looks like you are saying that Christ was introduced into paganism while Keith is saying that paganism was introduced into the birth of Christ. Since both have roots long before the Catholics corrupted it, does it really matter?
ReplyDeleteoops, I hit publish before I was finished. Since the celebration of Christ's birth was pure, paganism is what did the corruption. It doesn't matter which one was introduced into the other.
ReplyDeleteBrandon and Chris, I agree with you both. Both paganism and the Feast of Sukkot have long roots. I think we all agree that the Feasts are indeed the pure line of God's way, while paganism is the corruption, that now exists, within the Church's celebration of Christmas. Whether paganism was introduced into the Feast or The Feast was fused with paganism, paganism is the problem.
ReplyDeleteKeith
ReplyDeleteIf Yeshua was born on sukkot shouldn't Joseph have been in Jerusalem observing sukkot?
I was more so meaning that the date and the practices observed during the celebration of Christmas are more pagan so if there was a celebration of the birth of Christ I did not know if it's history but have never read that it was celebrated on December 25th or that they practiced pagan traditions in honor of that time.
ReplyDeleteI was just looking at all the comments regarding the celebration of Jesus' birth. I am sure we all agree that Jesus' birth should be celebrated on every day of the year.
ReplyDeleteKeith, I just read your post again and realized that what I have just said in my last comment is what you said in your post. I am in total agreement with you.
ReplyDeleteHi Brenda, I just hope that everyone would come to that realization.
ReplyDeleteI hope so too, we can only encourage one another through what we share on our blogs. Each has to work out their own salvation. I only know that in my own life learning God's ways and overcoming what is wrong to Him is the most important thing.
ReplyDeleteHi Keith,
ReplyDeleteJESUS is not only the Reason for the Season, He is the Reason for every day of our life.
Well said my friend :-)
Hi Paul, Praise God! It's good that we can agree on something.
ReplyDeleteA new entry to the Blog.
ReplyDeleteAre You Part Of The 90 Plus Being Manipulated?
I was catching up on these comments and I notice that no one answered Brandon's question, which is good one.
ReplyDeleteIf Yeshua was born on sukkot shouldn't Joseph have been in Jerusalem observing sukkot?
Hey William, I did answer Brandon, but not within the comment section. You're correct. I should have written the answer for all to see. If you look in the Torah, specifically Deut 16 and Exodus 23 which states God’s Law concerning the Feast. Is requiring a pilgrimage to Jerusalem part of it? No, it says that God would choose the place of every male.
ReplyDeleteThe high priest change the law to require the pilgrimage. God didn’t.
Did he choose a particular place for Joseph and his family? Yes and it was in Bethlehem.
So, to answer the question, no, it wasn't required of him. He was required to be in the place chose. Therefore, Joseph fulfilled the requirements of the law and the beautiful thing that there is no doubt that a God chose the place
One last thing to think about....inside what kind of structure was Y’shua born?
Isn't it amazing that Joseph inadvertently spent the night of his son's birth in a tabernacle that fulfilled the requirements of the law. Funny how the Spirit always works it out.