We Must Not Blend

Deuteronomy 16:21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee.
 I'm sure these people think they've done a beautiful thing . . . but God is not pleased. Because of the use of trees in idolatry, God does not want them associated with His worship IN ANY WAY.

 WE MUST NOT BLEND

by Cathy Madden

You flood the hearts of children with bold-faced lies;
You tell them to believe in Santa and reindeer that flies.

You deceive them with the myth of December 25th;
You teach them to trust in someone who doesn’t exist.

It’s a mockery and a counterfeit of God and Christ;
Blatantly idolatrous in our creators sight.

You’re claiming, “But it’s so magical and all in fun!”
But, you haven’t considered the cost of the damage you’ve done.

We are warned, not to worship, the LORD in this way;
You’ve turned aside, from “the way” God commanded, in Moses day.

December 25th is not an appointed feast of the LORD;
It’s a feast appointed by man, packed with lies, which the LORD abhors.

Satan is a liar, and the father of lies;
He deceives the whole world, as an angel of light.

Lying to and deceiving children is a serious offense;
Not gaining entrance to heaven, may be the consequence.

Jesus said, “Take heed, that no man, deceive you”
And, “In remembrance of me, this do.”

He thanked God, broke the bread, his body given for you;
He took the cup, the New Covenant, in his blood, shed for you.

The phrase uttered December 25th, is not about his birth;
In truth, when you utter that phrase, you utter it with mirth.

It wasn’t an adorned tree, they crucified Jesus upon;
His suffering wasn’t “Merry” with gift exchanges at dawn.

Wake up! Come out from among them, so you won’t be condemned;
Flee this cunningly devised fable, with the world, we must not blend.

‘Twas a night in December and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not even my spouse.

Our Bibles were strewn on the shelf without care
Behind the new stereo speakers up there.`
The children were ready to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.

And Mom in her rocker with babe on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out of the east there arose such a clamor,
Like someone was hitting brass pans with a hammer

Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the curtains and threw up the sash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.

A light in the sky like the sun sent a ray
And I knew in a moment this must be THE DAY!

The sight of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus returning now just like He said

And I was complacent with sureness and wealth,
But cried when I saw him in spite of myself.

He opened with purpose the Book in his hand
It had all the names of every saved man.

He spoke not a word as he searched for my name;
When he said, "It's not here," my head hung in shame.

He stared at my tree with the presents beneath
He said "That is pagan, and so is your wreath;

A tribute to Nimrod is this shiny fir tree
Don’t try to bow down and devote it to me!`It isn’t my birthday,
not now in December
And I don’t get presents, but you do - remember?"

" `You celebrate Christmas to honor my name
My followers warned you … You know, it’s a shame-
`That you didn’t listen when they came around…"
He turned to leave quickly and continue his round

I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I ignored them too long and thus sealed my fate.

My minister led me astray now I know,
To the cold jaws of death is the place I will go.
`Jehovah, our Father sent ministers out
With truths and fine knowledge to share on their route.

I stood and I cried as he rode out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been true to him and his light.

In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is soon drawing near.

There's only one path when he comes to call,
I found that Jehovah’s was true after all!

God considers an adorned tree for December 25th in honor of his son, Christ Jesus, to be idolatry. He abhors it.
God provided trees to meet the needs of animals and mankind. They are a source of wood, shade, paper, oxygen, shelter, food, etc… God does not want you honoring or worshipping his son or him with a decorated tree nor all the other trappings of this day. The presents you wrap and place under it does not honor either one of them. For they served idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing. (2 Kings 17:12)

Cutting a tree down for the sole, useless, purpose of decorating it destroys the purpose that God intended for it. When you kneel down to receive presents that the tree or fat man in the red suit did not provide, it is false worship.

Setting up a decorated tree and the other trappings of this day in your home and telling the children to “believe” in lies is an abomination to God. This “day” does not honor or represent the ways of the LORD.

We cannot change what God says nor how he feels about pagan ways of worship because he does not change; he is the same yesterday, today and forever. True believers "must worship God in spirit and in truth"- John 4:24. You can’t do that for December 25th because everything about it is a lie, it is deception and mockery.

They despised the LORDS statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them. (2 Kings 17:15)

All worshipers of images are put to shame who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!
(Psalm 97:7)

1 Sam 12:21 Do not turn to follow after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.

Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord.(2 Kings 23:24)

IDOLATRY WILL BE CUT OFF…
“And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land." (Zechariah 13:2)

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. (1 John 5:21) 

The “spirit” of December 25th is the “spirit of uncleanness” and we are not instructed by God to practice such a thing.

by Susan Weeks 

Some of us have been spreading the word about the thoroughly pagan origins of Christmas, and the good reasons why Christians shouldn't celebrate it. I understand many Christians have not yet heard these reasons . . . but some have and it is them that I am addressing.

There is an argument that is repeatedly put forth. It goes something like this: I'm celebrating Christmas for the glory of God . . . I'm celebrating Jesus' birth (even though it wasn't Dec. 25th) . . . I'm not doing anything wrong . . . God knows my heart . . . He understands.

Let me share six verses of Scripture, because there is a lesson here--for those who have 'eyes to see' and 'ears to hear'.....
 
' . . . but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.' (Genesis 4:2-8)

There is a whole sermon here, but let me make just a few points. 

This was before the time of Moses, before the Law was established. Abel and Cain lived before the law, as Abraham did, under (the) grace (of God). It was already established that God would send a Savior. It also seems evident that God had established the practice of animal sacrifices for those who followed Him.

Cain was a farmer. I am a gardener. I can understand how Cain loved what he did, and was proud of what he produced. When he gave God an offering from what he had grown, he probably gave Him his best. He may have even done it with a heart full of genuine love for God. But He didn't obey God--God required a blood sacrifice.

Despite his good intentions, Cain disobeyed. He did what he thought best, rather than what God wanted. He probably believed that the ends justified the means. . . that when God saw what a wonderful offering he had prepared for Him, He would be quite impressed.

Notice Cain's reaction, when God did not accept his offering: he became irate. He did not repent. He did not return again with the proper offering. He became irate, and he sulked. Resentment took root in his heart. Resentment towards God, and resentment towards Abel, who WAS obedient and obtained God's favor. Even when God tried to correct his attitude, he persisted in his rebellion--yes, rebellion.

As God warned him, sin was lying at the door. For all appearances, it was only a short while later that what was brewing in Cain's unrepentant heart led him to kill his brother. If someone would have stopped him, while he was on his way to make his offering to God, and would have prophesied to him that his plan wasn't going to work out so well . . . and that he would end up killing his brother because of it . . . would he have shook his head at them in disbelief? He was riding high that day, full of pride and expectation that God would be persuaded to see things his way.

But God stepped on his toes. When he had given his sacrifice, He knew it was not what God wanted. Yet, I believe he was so proud of himself that he believed that God would like what he gave Him even better than what He asked for. When God didn't accept it, his pride would not allow him to repent. Instead, he became angry.

It worries me when I see this kind of a response, from people who say they are Christians. Many of them, when they are presented with the truth about Christmas, act just as Cain did. They seem to have a similar way of thinking. They believe that they can decide HOW they will obey God, and God will accept what they do because He will see that their heart is good. (That is a WHOLE other topic . . . ) They may be right, but I REALLY BELIEVE they are sadly mistaken.

Hear what Samuel told Saul, after he didn't quite do as God had commanded him:
'And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to OBEY [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams.
For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry.
Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king.' (1 Samuel 15:22-23)

Wow, pretty harsh huh?

God often uses another (Christian) to give a warning. When someone gives us a warning, we should prayerfully consider it!
'Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; . . . if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity . . . ' (Ezekiel 3:17,19)

For those who refuse to CONSIDER changing their ways about the celebration of Christmas . . . Christmas is no longer the issue. Such an attitude reveals a far greater issue . . . and this is what God sees when He looks into that heart: rebellion and stubbornness. Translated: witchcraft, iniquity and idolatry. (I Sam. 15:23)
(Are you still sure you want God to judge you by your heart, on this issue?)

Am I saying that no one should celebrate Christmas? I am saying that everyone should learn the roots of Christmas and then submit themselves to God to do HIS will--that means, surrender it to Him in prayer, having a willingness to do whatever He directs you to do.