Just an observation ...

I was looking through the local newspaper the other day (which for those who don't live where I live ... it doesn't take too long!) Anyway, I noticed all of the announcements for the upcoming "holiday" on October 31. I found it quite interesting the "wording" of our "Christian" versions of the day. It is as though we do not want to be considered heretical if we refer to October 31 as ... dare I say it ... Halloween. (inserting pause as you gasp in horror)

PAUSE

There ... are you back with me. You see, what intrigued me was this ... perhaps for the first time I recognized the irony of what WE do all the time ... "we" being "Christians." We chastize, criticize, demoralize, demonize, and ultimate polarize any and all who would take Christmas or Easter and illegitamize their names with things like "Winter Festival" or "Spring Holiday." We rail against corporations who would dare threaten their employees to say "Happy Holiday's" instead of "Merry Christmas." But yet, we, not wanting to appear in any form Satanic will legitimatize our own "Halloween" celebrations with a term like ... "Fall Festival."

It's just an observation ... but don't we sometimes get so caught up in the semantics that we miss the opportunity? Don't we sometimes miss the "forest through the trees?" Go ahead, call it a "fall festival" if it makes you feel better ... but for me, I'll still wish you a "Happy Halloween."

Oh ... and just in case you're wondering ... YES ... I will wish you a "Merry CHRISTmas" even if you offer me a "Happy Holidays." And hopefully, somewhere along the way ... I'll earn the opportunity through my relationship with you to share The One to whom we all owe our life to ... The One Who I call "Lord and Savior." For it is only through His Grace and Mercy that I write ...

Comparitively Speaking ...

I attended a memorial for a friend's grandmother yesterday. It was an "interesting" service. The deceased was a member of a particular "religious group." I had many conversations with other members of that group in the past, but never really understood their teachings ... until yesterday. I patiently listened as the "Elder" shared memories and then a sermon that "the departed wanted us to hear." I was intrigued at how often he mentioned that this was "her faith." I wondered about his. I'm sure he is passionate about what he believes, but he only referred to what "she believed" through the message. Beyond that, he made reference to Scriptures that aren't in most Bibles and the ones that he did use, he pulled from context in many different ways. I suppose the part that got me the most though was this ... his reference to Jehovah God and Jesus ... being under Him ... in other words ... being much less than God Himself.

I wondered what he would do with passages like those in Isaiah which reference a coming Messiah ... calling Him "Immanuel" - meaning "GOD with us." Or what about John Gospel which opens, "the Word WAS GOD and the Word WAS WITH God." I know that this particular group has a passion for their message - they are on my street often - but being passionate about an incorrect message is still wrong.

I must wonder - however - why we who call ourselves "Christian" - who have the LIVING WORD of God ... sharper than any double-edged sword ... proven over the course of time ... continually living in our lives ... pointing us toward the ONLY hope for this world ... why aren't we as passionate with THE TRUTH as those are who do not know the truth? We are told ... "the truth shall set you free." If that is the case, shouldn't we be sharing that truth?




On a totally different topic ... I share this link for you ... it links to Sherwood Pictures Next Movie ... they are the ones who did "Facing the Giants" and "Fireproof"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiXF88hjmLg