Monday, October 26, 2009

Can you Serve God and Celebrate Satan's Holy Day? Has the Church been DUPED?


  


People need to seriously pray about, read and consider this message. It is a heartfelt cry against the works of darkness...
I am at a loss to understand why people can say they serve God, Who sent His Son Jesus to die to free us and set us free from darkness and the devil, Who is in an ongoing war with Satan and the powers of hell, on the one hand, and yet celebrate "Halloween" on the other hand. "Christian Halloween parties" are not even possible. This is serious stuff...

Whether you "agree" or not, whether you portend ignorance or not, whether you try to make it cute or not, Halloween is adored by practitioners of both Wicca and Satanism alike. The witches, of both white and black magic, hold the day in high esteem. Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan, said: "Call it black, call it white, call it what you will, it's all evil, and it all gets its power from the source of hell." One cannot deny that Satanism's influence today is strengthened by the observance of Halloween:

"After one's own birthday, the two major Satanic holidays are Walpurgisnacht (May 1st) and Halloween (or All Hallow's Eve)." - The Satanic Bible by Anton Levey page 96, section on Religious Holidays.
But Gods Holy Word, says: 1 Corinthians 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
Do you really think God is going to wink at and overlook the fact that someone who proclaims that Jesus is LORD can actually have parties on Satan's highest holiday? Do you really not believe that Jesus and the devil are at war? Do you really think that acting as if the occult and things of darkness that Jesus died to set us free from are trivial and not important, making light of fellowshipping with such things, focusing on love stories with vampires and creatures of darkness, and having ANYTHING to do with the "unfruitful works of darkness" that you are SUPPOSED to be reproving is going to be okay with the Lord who is at WAR with these things? I guess everyone has a "line", a "boundary". It is interesting to see where "Christians" want to put their own boundary lines in playing around with and trivializing occult and demonic practices verses even when GOD has different boundary lines for His children in dealing with the same things.
It is SOOOO obvious! The apostle Paul said Witchcraft is one of the acts of the sinful nature and those who practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God but have their part in the Lake that burns with Fire. (See Galatians 5:16-21; see also Revelation 22:15).
Any serious study of Biblical demonology will reveal Satan as the power behind false religion, witchcraft, idolatry and the occult. The Word of God makes it clear that these are all to be shunned as dangerous. There were many superstitions and false concepts in ancient Israel about which the Bible is silent. However, occultism, in any form, was punishable by death! Why?
The spiritual power and reality behind idols involves demons. The Bible commands us to shun occult practices. Mediums and spiritists are expressly prohibited. Nowhere are such practices acceptable.
You cannot serve God and Satan. You cannot watch TWILIGHT and occultic movies that make light of vampires and creatures of darkness. Some Churches actually HAVE Halloween Parties!!! There is nothing hidden: some of the atrocities on people's homes promoting death, gore, and destruction would be considered illegal... decapitated heads, demons, skeletons, witches (who now practice openly since they have made so many INROADS into our culture by way of Halloween and other accepted practices). More and more evil and occult laden things are being promoted and no one blinks an eye. Meanwhile laws are being pushed that allow Satanists and witches the "right" to offer child sacrifices and other things going along with their anti-Christ religion.  The devil is having his way, and the church is BLINDED to the WARFARE going on. I don't get it. The fact is that we cannot be deceived: what we sow we will surely reap. You canNOT sow seeds of partaking in the devil's high holiday, whether through ignorance or not, and not reap any repercussions from it. I have had people say to me, "Do you really think it is a SIN to dress up on Halloween or have a Halloween party?" That ALONE scares me because they are looking for a 'do' and 'don't' list rather than relating to the heart of God and what He would say about something. Satan CANNOT TOUCH YOU - He is UNDER YOUR FEET if you have the RIGHTEOUS of Christ. Christ DESTROYED Satan and his works of darkness at the Cross. But YOU can INVITE Satan in -- and you can CHOOSE to serve Satan by celebrating those things that represent him -- those things clearly evidence on "Halloween." If we are to avoid the appearance of evil and not cause our brothers to stumble, why would you participate in Halloween, which is obviously Satan's territory, and to try to make it cute and overlook it? When you choose to "believe a lie" it is the beginning of deception.

It is today what it has always been - a day dedicated to the devil. What Should Our Position as A Christian Be? The most common complaints about anyone taking a stand against Halloween is (#1) - “You’re trying to take all the fun out of little children’s lives,” and (#2) - “You’re trying to make something out of nothing, because we don’t believe in that stuff.” Now listen! Just because you don’t believe in something does not mean that it’s not real. What you choose to believe or not believe does NOT change the FACTS. Facts are facts regardless of what some people choose to believe.

Three hundred years before Jesus was born, a civilization of people called the Celtics lived throughout the British Isles, Scandinavia, and Western Europe. They were a common group, much like many segments of society today, but they were controlled by a secret society of priests and pagans called the Druids. The Druids were satanists who worshipped and served the demonic god of death - Samhain (pronounced Sa-man). These satanic priests literally controlled people’s lives through the mechanism of fear, and much death, disease, and destruction came upon the Celtics as a result of the Druids and their practices. Each year on October 31, the Druids celebrated the eve of the Celtic new year in honor of their pagan god, Samhain. The “Festival of Samhain,” more assuredly called “The Festival of Death,” was officially known, and is still recognized today by all satanists, occultists, and devil worshippers as the eve of the new year for witchcrafts. Anton Lavey, author of “The Satanic Bible” and high priest of The Church of Satan, says there are three important days to satanists: 1) their birthday, 2) April 30, and 3) THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY - HALLOWEEN. Lavey says it is on this night that satanic, occult, and witchcraft powers are at their highest potency level, and any witch or occultist who has been having difficulty with a spell or curse can usually achieve success on October 31st because Satan and his powers are at their best that night. October 31st, Halloween, is the eve of the new year for witchcraft. The World Book Encyclopedia says it is the beginning of all that is “cold, dark, and dead!” When you send your little children out to go “trick-or-treating”, you’re actually telling them to celebrate all that is cold, dark, and dead! Trick-or-Treat The Druid priests would go from house to house demanding all sorts of strange foods for their own consumption and to offer later to “Lord Samhain” at The Festival of Death. If the village people would not give them the foods demanded, they would speak a demonic curse over the home, and history claims that someone in that family would die within the year. Thus you have “trick-or-treat”! The Druids would carry with them a large turnip, which they had hollowed out on the inside and carved a face on the front, to represent the demonic spirit they depended upon for their power and knowledge. This spirit is called “a familiar spirit”. (See Acts 16:16-18) The turnip, lighted by a candle from within, was used as a lantern for the Druids as they went from house to house at night. Now, it was believed by the Druids that their familiar spirit would inhabit these turnips and assist them in carrying out the spells spoken over the homes and lives of those refusing the Druids’ demands. When this practice came to America in the 8th and 19th centuries, turnips weren’t that prominent, but we did have a vegetable native to this country that was soon substituted for the turnips. That’s right - the pumpkin. The name given to the spirit which inhabited the turnip was “Jock,” and upon arriving in America it became “Jack, who lives in the lantern” or “Jack-O Lantern”. As you can clearly see, there is NOTHING Christian about Halloween. 

Just because you don’t visualize Halloween as “really” demonic and as something dangerous to your life, does not keep you or your children from Satan’s intended desire which is to instill FEAR!, DEATH!, and DESTRUCTION! into people’s minds. Think about it. What is Halloween besides fear, horror, ghosts, witches, goblins, and devils? Just because you don’t “worship Satan,” does that give you the right to train your children to serve him one night out of the year in the name of fun? That’s what we do if we allow our families to participate in common Halloween practices. 
The Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) How can we righteously instruct our children in the ways of Halloween when everything about Halloween is of the devil? The Bible says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) It further states, “Perfect love casteth out fear.” (I John 4:18) Does Halloween cause our children to be at peace, or does it cause them to become terribly afraid? Remember going through the “house of horror” at the Halloween carnival at our school or church when we were growing up and the fear that gripped us as we felt and heard all kinds of mysterious things? As adults today, maybe it’s funny, but to a little child it’s terror that causes nightmares and very unpleasant memories when alone or in the darkness of night.

The Bible says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a Believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are temples of the Living God. As God has said, “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate,’ says the Lord, ‘touch no unclean thing and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

Why should Christians not honor Halloween? Because it is paying homage to the devil. It’s the spirit behind Halloween which makes it wrong. “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them”. (Ephesians 5:11) “Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”. (Psalm 139:21-24) “Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” (James 4:17) “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) If we really desire to honor the Lord in our lives and family, then we must teach our children concerning the truth about Halloween, and provide them with an alternative to “trick-or treating”. Don’t just take away the bad, give them something to take it’s place that will honor the Lord instead of honoring the devil.

I like to dress up cute too! Have a masquerade party or something -- you don't have to dress yourself or your children up on the day that the Satanic Bible DECLARES to be Satan's BIG DAY!!!! What are we THINKING??

God desires for children of all ages to have fun, but fun at the expense of serving the devil is not fun at all. 
How Did It Get Into The Church? When Constantine became Emperor of Rome, he made a law declaring Christianity (which was Catholicism at this particular time in history) to be the official state religion. Having been recently converted by a tremendous martyr of that time, Constantine was zealous in his new- found faith and demanded as emperor that everyone become a Christian or face the penalty of death. This was the old “throw them to the lions” that the Christians had been facing for years. Well, you can imagine what happened. The church was flooded with pagans. Not converts, but rather pagan people forced to join the Catholic Church or lose their lives for defying the Emperor. As this happened, the priests and especially the Pope faced some serious problems. These people were bringing all their pagan practices and ideas into the church including “The Festival of Samhain”. They wanted - no, demanded - that this festival remain a part of their lives. Since the church was unsuccessful in getting the pagan practices out of the people, it was decided to sanctify some of them. Especially this October 31st ritual called “The Festival of Samhain”. In the 9th century, the Pope declared a new day to be celebrated by the church on November 1st, called All Saint’s Day. This day is in honor of all the martyred saints of the church, and October 31st became the eve of All Saint’s Day. Now, the church contended, the people could still have festival on October 31st because November 1st was a holy day. The Mass said on All Saint’s Day is the “All hallowmas” and over the years the evening before became known as “All Hallow’s Eve - All Hallowed Eve - All Hallow E’en - and finally Halloween. But, the problem was that nothing changed. The people didn’t lay down their pagan rites and worship of devils for this “new eve” established by the church. They didn’t have prayer meetings or worship services to thank Almighty God for the saints already gone. What it was in the beginning, it now still is. Halloween is a day that honors and promotes all that is cold, dark, and dead. When you start making preparations for a “Halloween Party,” you don’t go to the store and purchase pictures of Joan of Arc, the disciples of Jesus, or any other Christian saint. You look for ghosts, witches, black cats, ghouls, etc. Halloween is a day for devils - not saints. What the Pope attempted to do in the AD 800’s backfired, because in making “All hallowmas” holy, Halloween became recognized by the church as a religious holiday, and nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, all Halloween is and ever will be is “The Festival of Samhain,” the Lord of Death. Halloween has no roots in the Church, but is firmly rooted in the occult, witchcraft, and satanism.

The Scriptures inform us that Satan is a real spirit being who is bent on preventing our ever becoming spirit beings (by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior) by using any and every deception he can. Satan's plan includes the widespread dabbling of people into the supernatural powers, including the occult, accompanied by a great revival of spirit-ism.

Recently, especially in the last 30 years, the occult has moved into the mainstream of America - in books (such as Harry Potter which has become the greatest seller in England even outselling the Bible), television (such as the TV series Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, etc. as well as Psychic programs), movies (such as Practical Magic, Bewitched, I married a Witch, Season of the Witch, The Craft, etc, etc), magazines (such as Circle, Sage Woman, New Witch, Pan-Gaia, as well as articles and ads in more general popular magazines), and video games (countless). Universities offer courses on witchcraft and magic - usually the so-called "white" variety or Wicca and grade schools teach spells and occult practices ·yet our children can? pray to the Christian God in schools.
One might complain and say “My kids are just having fun and getting free candy! We are not worshipping evil forces or making God angry.”
A Catholic may even assume they do honor God and saints that day with prayers for the dead. What does God think? Does God say that it is alright to observe the pagan festivals such as Halloween even if we say we are honoring Him? Notice carefully what he said to the Israelites before they entered the promised land:

Deuteronomy 12:29-32 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.· [ Deuteronomy 18:10-14 ]

Doreen Irving, the former ruling witch of Western Europe and the British Isles, and also the mistress of the area's high priest of Satan, who later became a Christian, said: "If Christian parents had any idea of what Halloween really is, they wouldn't even mention the word around their children." [source: Halloween: A Celebration of Devils (David N. Taylor) p5]You might still say “Does it really matter?” “Does God really care about such things?” “They seem so trivial.” Remember that God is a Father who requires our willing obedience. Sin entered the world because of one man’s disobedience to God over something to eat (a treat). [See Genesis 3]

Christians are to be a light to the world and not partake of things that smack of evil. "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." [Ephesians 5:11] We should consider Gods words and lean not to our own understanding.

A Believer and worshipper of the one true Creator God should not practice holidays with pagan roots and trappings. If we love God we show it by obeying Him. Reject Halloween and all pagan-originated holidays and practices. The apostle Paul said Witchcraft is one of the acts of the sinful nature and those who practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God but have their part in the Lake that burns with Fire. (See Galatians 5:16-21; see also Revelation 22:15).

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Encyclopedia Britannica says: Halloween, also called All Hallows' Eve or All Hallows' Evening, a holy or hallowed evening observed on October 31, the eve of All Saints' Day. In modern times, it is the occasion for pranks and for children requesting treats or threatening tricks. In ancient Britain and Ireland, the Celtic festival of Samhain eve was observed on October 31, at the end of summer. This date was also the eve of the new year in both Celtic and Anglo-Saxon times and was the occasion for one of the ancient fire festivals when huge bonfires were set on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits. The date was connected with the return of herds from pasture, and laws and land tenures were renewed. The souls of the dead were supposed to revisit their homes on this day, and the autumnal festival acquired sinister significance, with ghosts, witches, hobgoblins, black cats, fairies, and demons of all kinds said to be roaming about. It was the time to placate the supernatural powers controlling the processes of nature. In addition, Halloween was thought to be the most favorable time for divinations concerning marriage, luck, health, and death. It was the only day on which the help of the devil was invoked for such purposes.·

Hate evil-don’t delight in it. God views witchcraft and all other occult activities as evil:

“You shall not permit a sorceress to live.” Ex. 22:18

“Give no regards to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God .” Lev 19:31

“And the person who turns after mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set my face against that person, and cut him off from His people.” Lev 20:6

“....he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.” 2 Chron 33:6

“Now the works of the flesh of evident, which are ......idolatry, sorcery, hatred.... and the like.......that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Gal 5:20

See also 

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Personal Best or Personal Beast?!

I realized quickly when my children were younger that sports and activities have the power to do much DAMAGE or much GOOD depending on your ATTITUDE. When my children began organized sports and even non-competitive hobbies, it was not uncommon for parents to accuse coaches, refs, and umps, and get very upset if their children had calls against them or didn't get asked to start or play certain positions, etc. They openly compared their children with the other children (right in front of them I might add!).

I LOVE sports because of the GOOD it can do for us and our children; however, if you are not careful, it can do JUST AS MUCH DAMAGE AS GOOD.

Here are just a FEW things we teach our children by our attitude concerning sports WE are involved in AND they are involved in:

*Respect for authorities' perceptions, whether we agree or NOT.

*How to accept themselves if they give their best, regardless of whether they are "all stars" or not.

*How to have fun doing a variety of things even if you AREN'T "all star" material in all things!

*How to encourage others to do their best and NOT COMPARE our performance against them to make them feel inferior OR superior (there will ALWAYS be someone BETTER than you and someone WORSE than you – the fun in your performance should NOT be to push it in someone's face that they finished behind you or lift them up because they finished in front of you!)

*How to work as a team.

*How to support people in "healthy competition".

*Play the best you can without making your self image based on performance.

*Have fun working out!

Be careful you don't use sports and activities to COMPARE yourself with another person. It is detrimental to good character and healthy self image to feel that your performance is based on how you exceed your friends' OR to feel that others are measuring their performance on how they compare to you.

“For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” (2Cor 10:12 KJVS)

“Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. (Prov 27:2 KJVS)

“Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.” (Rom 12:9-10 MESSAGE)

“Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” (Rom 14:13 KJVS)

“Let us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another.” (Gal 5:26 AMP)

“That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.” (Gal 5:26 MESSAGE)

Challenge: BE CAREFUL of your attitude while participating in sports and activities YOURSELF or when your children do! Be sure you are feeding attitudes for a healthy self image and having FUN and NOT to "measure yourself" or your children against others!