Comments on: What’s the Big Deal About Christmas

By: Eddy Carter-Smith

Eddy Carter-Smith — Sun, 15 Nov 2015 06:34:35 +0000

I have done away with all, related to any commercial presentation of anything that is a mask of the Holy days,including sundays secular church.
I have removed the very language that acknowledges these from my speak and vocabulary.
This was not easy as I am married to a British girls who's parents are traditionalist. I grew up in a Pentecostal home and Christmas never featured at all -but I think that was more because we where 7 children and my dad was a tradesman.(Always just enough) Easter was always a massive coming together of believers all over the region to hear gospel speekers for three days 3 times a day and breaking of bread-
With the advent of access to the world wide web and Google,it has been a wonderful journey of personal biblical study. Very early I always knew that The Lords will was, that if I seeked after truth ,I will find it and that once this has happened it needs to be applied and freedom comes as a result.
The journey has been nothing-less than WAR. I went through all the christian justifications from unrepentant folk who wished to help me compromise.
For the most part od my married life 29 years now, my wife and family have been the biggest obstacle and most ferocious critic's. The Lord constantly reminded me that the enemy is always those closest to me.
My children readily accepted my reasons and have seen through the secular plot, my wife eventually ceased with much fighting .
To cut a long story short -I adopted the word as my shield and declared to my children that I am not her to be a popular friend I am to be a Father and take responsibility for their understanding whilst they where under my protection.- They submitted to this as other areas of my once rebellious life was also been subjected to The Holy Spirits discipline, this they saw and witnessed and so it was with my wife to whom I declared I shall be a Husband who will take responsibility for all and any action right or wrong .
My wife suffered for decades with migraines that would bed her for 2/3 days and need a home call from the doctor to administer very strong painkillers. On a day like this when an attack occurred -I felt the move in my heart to exercise my spiritual leadership by laying my hands on my wife and anointing here with oil whilst asking The Lord to heal her. My wife was delivered within minutes never to suffer again. This event was the almighty God's way of establishing me as Father and Husband in my home and my whole family came to hear this testimony. I have since never suffered a sever attack again on my leadership, when rebellion showed up in my 3 children and sickness manifested as a result,The Spirit of God moved me to do the same each time .Laying hands on them anointing them with oil and calling on the Lord through the name of Jesus to heal them and God has shown His Glory by healing them immediately. They never forget that moment in time but when they do I am quick to call it to memory for them, they know that a supernatural event occurred.
Now when I come to a truth about a matter and I declare the apostasy they are more apt to take note.
The enemy has not stopped his onslaught he has merely changed tactics and uses other means to get at me and my family.
For this reason I will repent daily so that the Lord will protect me from evil.
Oh that though shall bless me Oh Lord…..Jaybez.
It is just a little leaven that leavens the whole loaf.

By: Unknown

Unknown — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 14:28:14 +0000

Besides all the reasons God tells us not to partake in this pagan holiday, its a great opportunity to witness to people. Often Christians will try to justify celebrating it by taking out things such as the tree or other traditions however on the outside nonbelievers just see you as still celebrating the holiday. But if we completely stop with all traditions and not celebrate, I believe it leaves more opportunity for people to stop and wonder or ask why as Christians we don't celebrate Christmas. Therefore allowing us to speak truth!

Jessica P.

By: Randy & Kathy Furman

Randy & Kathy Furman — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 14:23:31 +0000

The following is a condensed version of my walk away from Christmas:

In 1986 my first husband was a new Christian. We had a bible study in our home and the leader talked about the pagan roots of Christmas. We both saw it immediately and chose to stop celebrating the holiday. At the time, we had two young children, ages 3 and 5. Relatives thought that we were terrible for depriving them of the joys of the holiday. Even before this, we had never taught them the myth of Santa Claus. A cousin made the comment that it was so sad that they didn't have a chance to experience the excitement of Santa Claus. She said it was the most wonderful memory that she had of the holiday. (Then she went on to share how devastated she was when she found out there was no Santa).

Unfortunately, the ban on Christmas only lasted for two years. The third year we received a large check from Ken's parents. He called them to ask if it was a Christmas gift or just a gift. His mom said that it was meant for Christmas. Ken pondered it for a day. He was remembering what he said when he first accepted the truth about the holiday. "If you send just one card, you might as well do the whole thing." He cashed the check and we started doing Christmas again. I went along with it because in my heart I still loved the holiday. I tried to focus everything on Christ and His birth, convincing myself that it was okay as long as I was putting "Christ back into Christmas."

That worked for several years, but the Holy Spirit began prompting me to look more deeply into the significance of what I was doing. The last Christmas we celebrated was in 2001. Ken died in February of 2002.

Randy and I married in September of that year. He had stopped celebrating Christmas many years before that. When we married he said there will be no Christmas in the house. And I was happy to agree. The problem was with the two youngest children who were still at home. They were 12 and 15 at the time and very unhappy that I had remarried. They saw Randy as the one who not only took their dad's place but also as the one who took away Christmas. The good thing was that the two older children remembered the years with no Christmas and could share that with their brother and sister.

It was a challenge, but we made it through. Life is so much easier without the burden of this holiday. We are totally removed from the frantic pace. We are blessed with peace and a greater understanding of what the Father was trying to teach the Israelites when He told them not to be a part of the idolatrous worship of the nations around them.

I wrote a three part blog to help explain to relatives and friends our reasons for not celebrating the Christmas holiday and all that it involves. It may help to answer some questions for people who are still seeking to hear the Father's voice in this matter. http://desertwaterfalls.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-contradictions-of-christmas-part-1.html

Kathy Furman

By: Joseph Herrin

Joseph Herrin — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 03:53:38 +0000

I am posting this for a sister in Christ.
—
Thank you for truly opening up my eyes.

I have not been celebrating Christmas (or so I thought!) for the past three years and December 25 shares no great significance to me any longer. I have been 'weaned' off the holiday but it wasn't easy as it truly can be an addiction. Actually, it was easier for me than my husband who had to have 'his lights' up in the windows that first year. The tree was up, thanks to him (usually my job!), but there were no gifts under it. The holiday feast was no more and that was a big tradition in our family. However, that first non-Christmas came and went but it was a bit difficult for him.

It got easier all around the following Christmases. My husband no longer needed the lights in the windows and a tree. We have both acclimated to the new 'normal' for Christmas.

Up until reading your latest article, I thought I was doing right. But that Satan, the old devil that he is, can be a very subtle deceiver and manipulator. I truly did not realize that even though I thought I was no longer 'celebrating' Christmas, I continued to send money to the grandkids! It didn't really hit me until now. I was still allowing the evil one to have his way unbeknownst to my conscious mind!

Well, I will be getting an email ready to alert my son and daughter-in-law that there will no longer be any gifts from grandma and grandpa under their tree this year. I will explain to them the 'why' and hope they can understand and respect my decision.

In reality, I do not need a holiday to show my love to my family. My love for them far exceeds anything that money can buy. I am sure that many other readers will be tackling this same issue as well. It is far easier to deny oneself than to deny the ones you love, especially the young children. But we must remember that Yahweh is our first and greatest love and cannot be denied.

Linda Frazzetto

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 02:16:39 +0000

The Christmas tree was my idol for many years and hiding Easter eggs was a favorite family activity. I am so thankful to the Lord for showing me my sin of idolatry. It has been a process and my husband still won't let me throw away the artificial c.tree, even though I have not put it up for 2 years. I confess I compromised and purchased the little trees in pots just to keep the family happy. Again this season, will be a continual cleaning of my spiritual house and I pray my family will have their spiritual eyes opened to know and obey what is honoring and pleasing to our gracious Heavenly Father.

By: ByWaterAndBlood

ByWaterAndBlood — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 22:09:01 +0000

This year will be the first year I completely remove myself from the celebration of Christmas. From what I understand, every moment of every day is a celebration of Yahweh and the *risen* Yahshua Christ who gave us the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, our ONLY good. I have tried to adopt the the aphorism "When in doubt, don't!" in order to know I am right with God at all times. It is not worth risking my place in Christ to participate in questionable acts of celebration or to appease those I love.

Furthermore, I am coming to find that just removing myself from holiday celebrations is not enough. Being yolked to non-believers and those who are not truly following Christ is too much of an influence on my behavior at times. It is much more difficult to be separate without first removing myself from what which I am trying to be separate from. I find I need alone time with God and His word more and more in order to be able to go into the world with the full armor of God. This has forced me to look at every aspect of my life, including my job, family life, entertainment, food, habits, everything. I'm finding that the Spirit will convict me of wrongdoing through what seems to be my conscience, for lack of a better term. If I don't act to remedy my wrongdoings I am cut off from progressing and open myself up to backsliding. Each time I move forward with resolving a conviction of the Spirit I feel a stronger sense of faith. Also I find that my perspective changes on what suffering is. The transformation that comes as a result of the faith given to me makes it easier to accept the sufferings I had to endure as well as look forward to the next step I must take. Suffering becomes an opportunity for spiritual progress.

I am thankful that I have not married or had any children because this fact has allowed me to take on this charge with zeal and commitment without a lot of the heavy, worldly weights that most people I know have placed on themselves. Had I married, had children, bought a house and 2 cars and committed to a 6-figure job, I would've had a MUCH harder time with this path.

"And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that nurse a child in those days!"
Matthew 24:19

"But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction."
1 Corinthians 7