Thank you, I appreciate you bringing scripture to the table, rather than opinion.
If we are honest with ourselves in saying that we have a heart for God, would we do something that he tells us not to do? If he tells us not to worship Him the way the pagans do, and then we go ahead and do that, is our heart honestly pure for Him? To you it might not seem like a big deal, but if our Heavenly Father says it's a big deal to Him, maybe we should care more about what He says than what we think. Just a thought.
I know people will do whatever they want to do anyways, but that's kind of my point. Maybe we need to be more concerned about what the Father thinks on these issues instead of what you or I think.
yeah
humans are such fickle and deceptive little creatures...they don't even know their own hearts!
how about David? the Bible says that David had a heart after God...but just mention Bathsheba and everybody gets quiet
I celebrate Christmas...I love the family time and all that goes with it
we had what my family referred to as the great Santa purge years ago...well, I call it that anyway...my mother one day, during the Christmas season, says that while she was praying, God said to her if you say Christmas is about Me, then why do you have that fat man in a red suit in your house..
so she 'purged' the joint...while my dad was at work and my brother and I were getting an education...in grade school at the time...the one that got me ticked off, was the Santa with the light in it she destroyed...cause it had been my dad's and was very old
so, I don't remember Santa and I think she had a point...but probably not everyone's point...
I think if someone thinks it's wrong to put up a tree and give gifts...whatever...for them it would be wrong if they go against their conscience...I don't think it is wrong...and I have spent many hours over the years, sitting in the living room, playing Christmas songs...thinking of God...of His gifts to us all and mostly of His Son...and that night so many years ago when the angels appeared to the shepherds
I don't talk about my spiritual experiences...hardly ever except in person, but I think it is ok to share this one...one night, driving home from some courses I was taking, I was on a long and very dark stretch of highway...it was the Christmas season
I began to hear what sounded like many voices singing and then I 'saw' thousands upon thousands of angels singing...I did not see them literally...but in my mind's eye...but it was so real and not my imagination and I could hear the singing
now I always kind of thought that only a few angels appeared to the shepherds...now, I know the sky was filled with them
and I looked up the passage in scripture where it describes what happened and my eyes were opened to what I had seen in my 'vision' but what I had not understood when reading the passage even though I had read it many times
listen:
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
do you see it?
Merry Christmas!