It is a rainy Friday morning as the words appear spontaneously from God's mind. Thanksgiving is over and gone, save the leftovers and upset stomachs tarrying from yesterday's gorging-fest. How many of us truly gave thanks to God Almighty for the superabundant blessings He gave yesterday, and each and every day of the year? We should pray for forgiveness if our minds have been so dulled so to worship the god of our own flesh, rather than lift it all to Him in sacifice of praise. And now, a new day has begun, and it centers more on things of this world rather than things above. Are you going shopping today? Are you going to be pulled into the vaccuum of mindless buying of things that have absolutely no spiritual worth? I assure you, I am NOT condemning the purchase of gift-buying for those you love, or purchasing gifts of kindness that perhaps the Lord leads you to do for His sake. I am speaking of allowing Black Friday to turn YOU black in spirit. I am talking about letting THINGS overwhelm GOD and His Kingdom. The devil delights in making us forget just why our gracious God gives us such superabundance. He wants our eyes off Jesus Christ so that he will win the booty of souls being dragged away from their true purpose. Let me remind you of something. We exist because God created us to SERVE HIM. We live and move and have our being because He wants to bless us, to show His love to us in ways we can see, and touch. There is NOTHING WRONG with shopping. God allows us to go to even extremes sometimes because we do have free will. BUT, we will surely give an account of what was so freely given to us. Mark that down. It will happen. So before you leave your house today to go binging on frivolities like Hokey Pokey Elmo or a gift card that's just going to get thrown in a drawer, please consider what Jesus would think about it. Are you serving Him, or your own covetousness? Food for thought: I just bet that He would be SO pleased if you made your shopping trip a search for lost souls. Look out for the downtrodden, or offer help to someone who might need it. Put some tracts in your pocket and hand them out to the masses. This is a mission field, don't you know, and it is ripe indeed! People need the gift of ETERNAL LIFE MUCH more than trinkets that moth and rust doth corrupt and thieves break in and steal. Treasure in heaven is what we ALL want! Let's share that gift today, and allow our testimony to turn Black Friday white as snow. Can I get an AMEN?! Let's do it!
One of the best things about God is that He is loving and kind. He understands when we have weakness, and even uses it as a strength when we yield to Him and let Him work in us. Another is He gave us free will. We are faced each day with choices to make. Whether good or bad, they either will make us feel great and God will be pleased, or they make us out to be selfish and petty, and the Almighty will not be very happy with our choice. And He will hold us accountable in the end, no matter what. You can count on that. I was puttering around my house, thinking of this coming Christmas season and wondering what it is all about, and the Lord brought to my mind the children. Little folks. The next generation. How parents train them since a year old or even younger to "be good" for Santa. I thought how little kids write a note to Santa telling him what they want for Christmas. And the Lord said in my mind, This is one of the biggest and most successful lies the devil has ever cooked up. Oh, you know Santa, the big jolly guy in a red suit and white beard who has a bunch of flying reindeer (one with a glowing nose, imagine that), and who has this big sack of toys, who flies around the world giving presents to girls and boys, ONLY if they are "good". "Bad" boys and girls get coal in their stockings, oh my my. I can't imagine what they get nowadays. Game Boy Advance or Playstation 2, probably. Well, my friend, Santa hasn't changed. Neither has the world in this regard. News flash: SANTA CLAUS IS OF THE DEVIL. You can even see the similarity in the two names: SANTA=SATAN. The devil made this up this ridiculous, and very successful, I'm afraid, lie for one reason alone. To get our eyes and our children's eyes OFF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who is the REAL Reason for the season! See, I am not ashamed to be a Christian. I am a parent who desires her children to know the TRUTH. And as a Christian parent, I MUST tell my kids that Santa Claus is nothing but a bald-faced LIE conjured up in the depths of HELL. If your house doesn't have a chimney, how does Santa get in? I grew up in a high-rise apartment building. I used to ask my mother, "How does Santa get in all the way up here?" She never did give me an answer. You might tell your kids, it's "MAGIC". How do the reindeer fly? "MAGIC". How does Santa get around the world in one night? "MAGIC". How can he possibly have enough toys for all the children in the world? You know what. Lies lies lies. I used to watch a movie in which the reindeer could fly because they ate "reindeer cornflakes". What nonsensical gibberish! Satan ...abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44). He wants our eyes, ears, minds and hearts on anything and everything EXCEPT the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Now that you've been warned, dear reader, consider the REAL reason Jesus is the Reason for the season. He is God made flesh, born of a virgin to die for our sins on the cross. He is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe! And He loves you with an everlasting love. Think about it. What will you do this Christmas? What will you tell your children? Will you give in to Satan's lies, or let the Truth set you free? Jesus is waiting for you. Let Him in.
There have been many who want to know what I think of the holidays. When such a question arises, I realize it is a test of my faith. I see it as the LORD making sure I know Him, and will obey Him. This is true for every believer. God tests us with trials to refine us, and make us pure. He does not want dross in His precious treasures! I see these as just another day to serve and work for the Lord Jesus. I see it as yet another opportunity to witness, and to worship. For me, it is another day to pray and read my Bible, and to commune with the One Who died for me and saved me from hell. Just because it comes wrapped in fancy bows or is dressed up in some facade does not make any difference to me in the least. I call them, "holy days", NOT BECAUSE of a once a year occasion when people suddenly decide to make up for what they took for granted ANY DAY OF THE YEAR, but because they are indeed HOLY. Sanctified. To me, EVERY DAY is to be in close fellowship with my Lord and Savior. WE CAN GIVE GIFTS AT ANY TIME, FOLKS. WE CAN SHOWER OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WITH LOVE AND CANDY AND WHATEVER TRIVIALITES ANY DAY DURING THE YEAR. God gave us 365 days to show our love and appreciation to Him for His many many blessings. Let's not give the devil any credit. When was the last time YOU thanked God? Amen? I love you.