Merry Christmas

Well, if you didn't want to start a 'Mars Hillish' discussion then you probably should adjust your approach but Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it or don't, and may you all be healthy and safe and with the love of God in your heart.

The pagan Christmas threads are starting a bit late this year.

Disappointing isn't it? Even the legalists are phoning in Christmas this year.

It's a lot of humbug for sure.

The truth is...when times are difficult, the hearts of men will hear solutions that they will give no ear to in times of ease. If you know Jesus, you know the solution. Be on guard for opportunities this Christmas season to be His voice, and hands, and feet.

Merry Christmas! And, this is one of the best times of the year to express our faith to others.

I also try to encourage my professional colleagues in industry to avoid taking Christ out of Christmas. If we are celebrating Christmas in our companies, then we are celebrating the mass of Christ. Otherwise, call your end of year celebrations a "holiday party," not a "Christmas party."

Also, sorry, as much as I love and respect Hannukah too, I'm not watering down my "Merry Christmas" salutations to others with "happy holidays" to be "politically correct." This is a great time to make it clear to my circle of influence where I stand, and I celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ as the greatest gift we have been given in this life.

Like you noted Cameron, these are tough times, and I'm concerned that they will become tougher in the near future. However, people are much more receptive to a relationship with Christ when times are difficult versus times of prosperity.

Let the lights on our Christmas trees and houses be a reminder of the light of Christ shining in and through us as His disciples!

I must say when I say 'Happy Holidays' I'm referring to Christmas and New Years together. That's what it's always meant to me and I've never uttered 'Happy Christmas'😂. Btw I'm very 'anti-woke' lol🙌🎄🥳

The pagan Christmas threads are starting a bit late this year.

The pagan Christmas threads are starting a bit late this year.

The pagan Christmas threads are starting a bit late this year.

[Mat 10:16 KJV] 16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Alas, I was too subtle and I apologize. The reference to Mars Hill was actually about Paul’s brilliant presentation in Athens in response to the idolatry he saw in the city. He had limited success but he faithfully presented the gospel to the pagans he encountered. It has always encouraged me.

[Act 17:16, 22-34 KJV] 16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. ... 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, [Ye] men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by [that] man whom he hath ordained; [whereof] he hath given assurance unto all [men], in that he hath raised him from the dead. 32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this [matter]. 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which [was] Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

encourage all the brethren to use this time of year to bring the Christian message to people who are normally not open to the gospel in any form.