REDEEMING THE TIME... for CHRIST JESUS our LORD !.
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ALL HALLOWS' EVE is coming at the end of this month. Known as “halloween” to most of us, it has become a demon’s gleeful celebration the night before the Church remembered all the martyrs and confessors in Christian history.
[Confessors, by the way, are those who were imprisoned and usually tortured in some way and/or had their goods plundered for NOT DENYING the Name of CHRIST JESUS before men. The only difference between the martyrs and confessors is that the confessors did not die (immediately) from their tortures.
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Many of them were sent home… barely alive… and died at home from their wounds for the name of CHRIST, a few years afterwards, never recovering sufficiently. Some made it through, like Brother Yun, but carried the scars, and some, the handicap of being crippled or blind or some such life-limiting handicap the rest of their natural lives.]
In the process of time, the Church began to remember these saints, these martyrs and confessors on November 1 every year. It was a day for those Christians who remained to give thanks, think soberly upon life, and re-affirm their steadfastness to STAND for CHRIST in this wicked world.
The old English name for saints was hallows… those who were hallowed. Thus, the reprobate world who loves to mock the Kingdom of GOD made a spite-filled, demonic “holy-day” [ i.e., holiday] to commemorate their dishonorable ones and their deeds of tormenting and torturing those WHO WOULD NOT DENY CHRIST.
In the demonic commemoration, uncomfortable tricks and pranks were pulled on others by people in costumes, imitating demonic pranksters… unless the victims paid off the pranksters with a treat; hence the phrase: “trick or treat!”
As children, most of us enjoyed dressing up in foolish costumes. We enjoyed getting candy from relatives and friends. We enjoyed hollering “trikkertreet”… not knowing what we were alluding to… and most of us would not have even thought of pulling a serious prank on our friends or neighbors, with or without a treat.
.In the process of time, the Church began to remember these saints, these martyrs and confessors on November 1 every year. It was a day for those Christians who remained to give thanks, think soberly upon life, and re-affirm their steadfastness to STAND for CHRIST in this wicked world.
The old English name for saints was hallows… those who were hallowed. Thus, the reprobate world who loves to mock the Kingdom of GOD made a spite-filled, demonic “holy-day” [ i.e., holiday] to commemorate their dishonorable ones and their deeds of tormenting and torturing those WHO WOULD NOT DENY CHRIST.
In the demonic commemoration, uncomfortable tricks and pranks were pulled on others by people in costumes, imitating demonic pranksters… unless the victims paid off the pranksters with a treat; hence the phrase: “trick or treat!”
As children, most of us enjoyed dressing up in foolish costumes. We enjoyed getting candy from relatives and friends. We enjoyed hollering “trikkertreet”… not knowing what we were alluding to… and most of us would not have even thought of pulling a serious prank on our friends or neighbors, with or without a treat.
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If you see a church group having a halloween party for the children, avoid it. It simply teaches the youngsters to disrespect the real hallowed ones, the true saints, who laid down their lives for The LORD JESUS CHRIST. That church is not spiritually-minded but thinking on things of this world, how the "church" can entertain the youngsters instead of converting them to SERIOUS CHRISTIANITY.
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If you belong to a church or group which simply "must" do something for the young people over halloween, then why not FOCUS on stories, movies, books, and activities--- including serious discussions led by spiritually-minded Christian adults-- about the CHRISTIAN MARTYRS through the ages? Let there be a focus on martyrdom and NOT denying CHRIST. Lead the young people in the various ways of going to the cross NOW... turning the other cheek NOW... not denying CHRIST NOW, in the face of their peers who are not at church. This will redeem the time and be better for them than silly parties and pranks and masks.
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Of course, the adults must set the example first.
Yes, ALL HALLOWS’ DAY (All Saints’ Day) is coming, as well as the eve before it. As Christians… and especially, those of us who have children or work with them in some way… let’s be prepared to paint the Blood of the Passover Lamb over the lintels and doorposts of our house. Let’s remain inside, under the covering of the Holy Blood of The LORD JESUS CHRIST, that we may be found to be well-pleasing unto HIM+.
Going one step further.....
let’s consecrate BOTH the eve before and the next day as a holy day unto Our LORD with some kind of fasting, some kind of reading about the apostles and ancient (and modern) Christians who loved not their lives unto the death. Read these accounts to your children. Read Hebrews chapter 11. Offer up some special prayers …NOT TO THE SAINTS… but rather, for ourselves unto CHRIST JESUS the LORD, that we may learn never, never to deny CHRIST before men, not even in little ways.
Let’s remember the blood of the martyrs and confessors is indeed the seed of the church. Let’s pray that we may be accounted worthy, also.
Let’s remember the blood of the martyrs and confessors is indeed the seed of the church. Let’s pray that we may be accounted worthy, also.
