Inspiring Friday a tad late: December 20, 2013

"The enemy surrounds us. Don't let one escape." --
Vance Havner

"There is no cosmetic for beauty like happiness." --
Countess of Blessington

"One person with a belief is equal to a force of
ninety-nine who have only interests." -- John Stuart
Mill

"Believe that life is worth living, and your belief
will help create the fact." -- William James

"A diamond cannot be polished without friction, nor the
man perfected without trials." -- Chinese Proverb

"By starving emotions we become humorless, rigid and
stereotyped; by repressing them we become literal,
reformatory and holier-than-thou; encouraged, they
perfume life; discouraged, they poison it." -- Joseph
Collins

Christmas is about Christ?

 And it shall come to pass in the day of Yahweh's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes and the king's children and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. Zephaniah 1:8

For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. Jeremiah 10:3-5

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Luke 22:19 (the last supper)

You can read the bible from cover to cover and nowhere does it say to observe Yahshua's birth but he does say to remember his death.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after the messiah. Colossians 2:8

Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 2 Thessalonians 2:10

I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. Isaiah 66:4



Facts about Christmas:

 In A.D. 350, Pope Julius I, bishop of Rome, proclaimed December 25 the official celebration date for the birthday of Christ.

 Many European countries believed that spirits, both good and evil, were active during the Twelve Days of Christmas. These spirits eventually evolved into Santa’s elves, especially under the influence of Clement C. Moore’s The Night Before Christmas (1779-1863) illustrated by Thomas Nast (1840-1902).

 Alabama was the first state in the United States to officially recognize Christmas in 1836.

 Christmas wasn’t declared an official holiday in the United States until June 26, 1870.

 Oklahoma was the last U.S. state to declare Christmas a legal holiday, in 1907.

 Ancient peoples, such as the Druids, considered mistletoe sacred because it remains green and bears fruit during the winter when all other plants appear to die. Druids would cut the plant with golden sickles and never let it touch the ground. They thought it had the power to cure infertility and nervous diseases and to ward off evil

 Because they viewed Christmas as a decadent Catholic holiday, the Puritans in America banned all Christmas celebrations from 1659-1681 with a penalty of five shillings for each offense. Some Puritan leaders condemned those who favored Christmas as enemies of the Christian religion

 Christmas has its roots in pagan festivals such as Saturnalia (December 17-December 23), the Kalends (January 1 -5, the precursor to the Twelve Days of Christmas), and Deus Sol Invictus or Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun (December 25). The Christians church heartily disapproved of such celebrations and co-opted the pagans by declaring December 25 as Christ’s day of birth, though there is no evidence Christ was born on that day.

 The Viking god Odin is one precursor to the modern Santa Claus. According to myth, Odin rode his flying horse, Sleipnir (a precursor to Santa’s reindeer), who had eight legs. In the winter, Odin gave out both gifts and punishments, and children would fill their boots or stockings with treats for Sleipnir.

2 Timothy 4:2-4

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

 "For false Messiahs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." Matthew 24:24



^{When you examine where Christmas came from and find out that Constantine, whom was a pagan that mixed up pagan elements with holy elements with the Roman Catholic Church to create a man made holiday that the whole world celebrates. Hollywood celebrates it, commerce celebrates it and makes a lot of money from it,  the White house celebrates it.  Most of the united States celebrates it. Why did the apostle Paul warn us to hang on the the traditions that he had taught? because they were the traditions that Yahweh wanted us to keep to seperate us from Pagan traditions. Also the fact alone that the Catholic church came up with the name Jesus Christ. It was not his name when he walked the earth and it still is not. Also they changed worship of the sun to worship of the son.  Along with the sabbath Yahweh created (Saturday) to the Sunday worship the pagans observed. Please think about what we are really celebrating. I say this in love and grace because I was a partaker of this unfruitful work of darkness.} 

inspiring Friday: December 6, 2013

"People do not lack strength, they lack will." --
Victor Hugo

"You become what you think about [or keep thinking
about]." -- Earl Nightingale

"Every day do something that will inch you closer to a
better tomorrow." -- Doug Firebaugh

"He that will not reflect is a ruined man." -- Asian
Proverb

"Ignorance is the single greatest tool of oppression."
-- Unknown Author

"Cast all your cares upon God, for He cares for you."
-- The Bible (1 Peter 5:7)

Inspiring Friday: November 15, 2013

"We have committed the Golden Rule to memory; let us
now commit it to life." -- Edwin Markham

"Beware the barrenness of a busy life." -- Socrates

"A man grows most tired when he is standing still." --
Unknown

"The making of friends who are real friends is the best
token we have of a man's success in life." -- Edward
Hale

"Wise sayings often fall on barren ground, but a kind
word is never wasted." -- Unknown

"Without God there is no virtue because there is no
prompting of the conscience; without God there is a
coarsening of the society; without God democracy will
not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we
are One Nation Under God, then we will be a Nation gone
under." -- Ronald Reagan

Inspiring Friday: November 8, 2013

"I don't want to get to the end of my life and find
that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have
lived the width of it as well." -- Diane Ackerman

"One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will
be a friend better than any possession." -- Sophocles

"Every farmer knows that you can't sow and reap on the
same day. There is a timetable for your harvest that
requires both working and waiting. Patience is a small
price to pay for what you will receive." -- Neil
Eskelin

"Trying times are not the times to stop trying." -- Ray
Owen

"Everything that is done in the world is done by the
hopeful." -- Martin Luther

"There are no hopeless situations--only people who are
hopeless about them." -- Dinah Shore

Why we won't be celebrating Halloween anymore

Joshua 24:15

King James Version (KJV)

 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

-- Ephesians 5:8-13

Times are changing and seem to be spinning into chaos and leaving Yahweh (hebrew name for God) and morals behind. For the past couple of years I felt it was layed on my heart to not celebrate Halloween. Yet, I gave in to my children and those around me and found ways to try to justify it.  I pray for Yahweh to forgive my sins and disobedience. It is a holiday that seems to embrace and celebrate evil. Not only that, but it is in fact a wiccan and satanic holiday. It is easy to find out the purpose and history of this devil's holiday. A holiday for witchcraft to be practiced that most of the USA celebrates. Do I like dressing my kids up? sure, but what is the cost and if I put dressing them up first is it not idolizing them? What is it really teaching my children about obedience to Yahweh and how is is showing we don't follow the world?  A church is doing a festival this Sunday where they won't dress up and I will take my kids to ease out of the evil and darkness. At this time they attend public school so I think I will keep them home that day and do something fun with them that doesnt have to do with the holiday. Yahweh thank you for showing me my disobedience and disregard for your instruction for my and my family's life. Thank you for the wisdom and discernment I have been praying for. I appreciate all you do for my family and I.  We will serve you and though it is getting more challenging in this changing world, we will rely on you for our strength, wisdom and instruction. Thank you for Yashua (Jesus) and his and your sacrifice for our sins. In Yashua's name, Amen!

Romans 12:2

New King James Version (NKJV)

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

1 Thessalonians 5:22: "Abstain from every form of evil."

UPDATE: Yesterday my mother in law invited us to a hayride and trick or treat in her town. I asked if there was going to be scary things and she didn't think that it was going to be scary. I honestly wanted to spend time with her and our family so I agreed.  The trick or treating part was decorated scary and people were dressed in scary attire. I asked for Yahweh to forgive me for not seeking his counsel in this matter, I was very uncomfortable during this portion. I slipped and fell but I am still not going to celebrate on October 31st. I learned a lesson and have repented of this and will pray before all decisions whether big or small.
   

Inspiring Friday: October 4, 2013

"This country will not be a good place for any of us to
live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to
live in." -- Theodore Roosevelt

"How wonderful it is that no one need wait a single
moment before starting to change the world." -- Anne
Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

"If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone
else." -- Booker T. Washington

"Everyone can be great because anyone can serve. You
don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't
have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.
You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated
by love." -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do
everything, but still I can do something; and because I
cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something
that I can do." -- Edmund Everett Hale