Stay Tuned

It’s the end of the year, and that means new beginnings are about to. . .well, begin. So, as is usually the case with things like these, we’re taking a little hiatus and will be back – bigger and better – sometime after the new year. And that’s a promise. Well. . .all accept the bigger and better part.

God bless, and Happy New Year!!

Encouraging Holiday Video, Christmas 2008

The Real Meaning of Christmas by John MacArhur

Encouraging Sunday Video, 12.21.08

A friend of mine gave me the book, Crazy Love, by Francis Chan and it was a tremendous exhortation that I desperately needed. I see the hand of God as He is raising servants in this day for His glory. Pastor Chan is one of those whom God has gifted to speak a specific message to the church in America. His message of avoiding a lukewarm Christian life and being totally wrapped up in love for God is backed by his sacrificial life and the sacrifices to which he calls his church.

The Significance of Hanukkah

John 10:22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 
23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. 

December 21, 2008 marks the start of Hanukkah this year. The Jewish people will be celebrating what many non Jews consider to be their version of Christmas. After all, you’ve got beautiful lights, gift giving, singing, and religious significance. It’s interesting to note, however, that while the holiday known as Christmas doesn’t appear in the Bible, Hanukkah does.

Where? Not the Old Testament, but the New. Hanukkah was instituted between the Testaments, during the time of the Maccabees. So the only time Hanukkah appears in the Bible is found in the Christian part of it, specifically in John 10.

The One about Whom Christmas is about celebrated Hanukkah. John 10:22 says there was a feast of dedication during the winter. This was about the 15th day of December (or 25th day of Chisleu). The word for dedication used here literally means “renewal”, or “re-dedication”. The Hebrew word for rededication is “hanaka”. Interestingly, the Greek word is “anakaino”, which sounds like Hanukkah if you think about it. Anyway, John 10:22 is the only time is appears in the scriptures, and the Lord Christ was involved.

The meaning of Hanukkah is something we all can apply to our lives.

Encouraging Sunday Video, 12.14.08

Although I have argued that the War on Christmas is a distraction from the main battle, I want to make clear that I also think Christmas time is a wonderful time of heightened spiritual interest. A friend referred me to this video, an encouragement to which we can all take heed this holiday Christmas season.

Keeping Christ in Christmas: Another Worldly Distraction

A couple of years ago, I went to K-Mart during the Christmas season to see for myself just how anti-Christian things have become. As I stood back looking at the Christmas trees, I was amazed. I was angry. Every single box that contained a tree that would be used for nothing other than celebrating Christmas was labelled a “holiday tree.”

How dare K-Mart refuse to acknowledge my faith! How dare other secular companies change “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings!” This is all an example of secular society being so. . .so. . .so. . secular! And we Christians must stand up and do something about it. We must “Keep Christ in Christmas!” Right?

well. . .

That’s what I used to think. And that’s what many Christians seem to be devoting their time and energy to this time of year. Just recently I was invited to join a Facebook group called “Keep Christ in Christmas.” On the opposing side, groups like the ACLU somehow seemed concerned with not giving Christ the preeminence during this holiday or any other time. 

It’s obvious there’s a war going on. In particular, some have called this the War on Christmas. At large, we can classify this under the Culture Wars. But as with Proposition 8, I am prone to wonder: is this a battle in which Christians ought to fight? Or is this a worldly distraction? A soldier of Jesus Christ is not to be entangled with the affairs of this world (II Timothy 2:4). I’m afraid that’s exactly what the “Keeping Christ in Christmas” outrage is all about.

Before we choose to exhaust our God-given time and energy to any cause, we must consider if it is worthy. I pray that you would consider the following questions concerning this particular case.

Questions about Keeping Christ in Christmas:

1. Is there any biblical warrant for Christians to demand that society pay homage to Christianity?