The History of "Halloween".

  
      As children get ready to go "Trick-or-Treating" let us
 learn a little about the day "Halloween."  Therefore ,
 we will   take a look at a
 pagan holiday, that changed because of Christianity, and
 thus became a Holy Day that is still observed in some
 Denominations still today!

      Therefore we will look at a ancient pagan ritual, that is still
 practiced today.  It's original name was "Samhain," however
 we know it as "Halloween."

      "Samhain" began at sundown on October 31st and extended
 into the following day.  According to the Celtic pagan religion,
 known as Druidism, the spirits of those who had died roamed
 the earth on "Samhain" evening.  This night was much feared by
 the Celtic people, and they sought to ward off the spirits with
 offerings of food and drink.

      The dark side of this event was the fact that the Celts built
 bonfires, at so called sacred sights, and sometimes preformed
 rituals involving HUMAN and/or Animal Sacrifices, to honor Druid
 gods.  Samhain was abandoned only when the people converted
 to Christianity during the very early middle ages.

      Now during that period of time the Church often incorporated
 modified versions of ancient pagan rituals in order to win
 converts.  For example, Pope Gregory IV successfully replaced
 "Samhain" with All Saints Day, which fell on November 1, thus
 the evening of October 31 became known as All Hallows' Even,
 which was later shortened to Halloween.  All Souls Day, as it is
 known as today, is a Holy Day in the Roman Catholic, and
 Anglican Churches, honoring those who have passed away.

      Some aspects of this ancient pagan tradition thought to be
 incompatible with Christianity, were linked with folk beliefs
 about evil spirits.  In British folklore, small magical fairies
 became associated with Halloween mischief.  The jack-o-lantern,
 originally carved from a turnip, originated in medieval Scotland.
 A small candle would be put into the turnip, that had a scary face
 carved on it.  This was to be lit at night and displayed to scare off
 evil spirits which they feared roamed about that night.

      Between the 15th & 17th Centuries, Europe was seized by a
 hysterical fear of witches, who were thought to ride flying brooms
 and to assume the form of black cats.  Thus the images of witches
 and black cats soon joined other European superstitions as
 symbols of Halloween.

      In the 19th & early 20th Centuries, young people often
 observed Halloween by perpetrating minor acts of vandalism,
 such as overturning sheds or breaking windows.  Beginning in
 the 1930's, Halloween mischief gradually transformed into the
 modern ritual of trick-or-treating, though some still choose to
 perform acts of vandalism on Halloween still today.

      A final note,  is the fact that Halloween is the high
 holy day of the satanic church.  So it still bears a very dark side
 indeed, even today!

      References: ( Encarta Reference Library 2008, and the
      Encyclopedia Britannica 2006. )

The Supreme Worth of God's Word 
2 Timothy 3:16-17

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with God's words. The Holy Spirit oversaw the writing of His message to be sure it was relevant, reliable, and without error.

The Scriptures contain the Lord's complete revelation about His character, kingdom, and plan of salvation. Consider the variety and importance of the topics covered in this timeless book: the creation of our world; the fall of man; the presence and power of sin; the penalty owed for transgression; future judgment; Satan's program; our need for a Savior; His offer of forgiveness; the redemption of mankind; the history of faith; and wisdom for living. Questions about life's meaning, man's purpose, the source of evil, and life after death are also answered.

All sections of the Word are valuable and interconnected. For example, the gospels tell about redemption, while the Old Testament contains prophecies about the Messiah who would come to save us. John 1:29 proclaimed that Jesus was the Lamb of God, who would take away our sins; Leviticus and Numbers help us understand this concept through descriptions of the sacrificial system. The first book of the Bible teaches us that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness (Gen. 15:6). And in the New Testament, we learn that everyone's salvation is by faith alone, and not through works (Eph. 2:8-9).

God gave us the Bible so we might know Him personally, be adopted into His family, and bring glory to His name. Make it your goal to become more familiar with the most important book ever written

TROUBLE TREE

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just
finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an
hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck
refused to start.

While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he
invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front
door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching tips of the
branches with both hands.

When opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His
tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small
children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my
curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen
him do earlier. "Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I
can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure,
troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So
I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home. Then
in the morning I pick them up again."

"Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to
pick 'em up, there ain't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the
night before."

-- Author Unknown

The Name of Jesus 
Matthew 16:13-16

If someone were to ask, "Who is this Jesus?" would you start by describing the manger scene? Or something He said or did?

It's important to know how to answer because this is the most important question one can ask. You see, people talk quite freely about "God" in a general way. They may even talk about cute little cherubs, mighty guardian angels, or supernatural miracles.

However, something different happens if you say "Jesus." The mere mention of His name enflames tempers and causes strife. How can His name cause so much frustration, confusion, and anger when the Lord is filled with such love for all people?

The issue is that the name of Jesus demands a decision. When you move from a generalized idea of "God" to Christ's specific redemptive act of atonement, simple notions of "my god" and "your god" are expelled. Christ's death on our behalf requires a response of "accept" or "reject" from every person. At His name, one has to face the true God in heaven and the Son whom He sent. And that's where people get uncomfortable.

When Jesus asked Peter to describe Him, the apostle immediately replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 6:16). There was no ambiguity or hesitation. Peter knew who Jesus was, and he was not ashamed of his answer.

Are you so bold in answering this key question? Spend time today meditating on what Jesus did for you, and ask God for the courage and confidence to proclaim His name to the world

A Life of Becoming 
2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Probably the greatest obstacle to understanding God's purpose for brokenness is this: Most believers think of Christianity as something we do. We pray. We read the Bible. We go to church. We sing hymns. We give money. We do and do--and assume that's the Christian life. It's not.

Authentic Christianity is about becoming rather than doing. The life of faith that God designed involves receiving Jesus into our hearts and allowing Him to change our habits, mindset, beliefs, interests, and concerns so we become more and more like Him.

Realizing this will change our perspective on the heartache we must endure. You see, when we recognize that the Christian life is about Jesus' persistent work of "re-creation" in our lives, then the role of brokenness makes more sense. It's the process God uses to strip us of things that have become, or may one day become, an obstacle to our growth. The Lord also uses this tool to address issues we may have declared "off limits" to Him, such as unhealthy behaviors or relationships that we rationalize.

God doesn't want to be Lord of most of your life; He wants to be Lord of all of your life! So He zeroes in on areas of self-will and self-sufficiency to remove everything within us that relies on "self." He uses brokenness to remove those inclinations so that we can live moment by moment, day by day, in full dependence on Him.

Open your heart, and ask God to reveal any selfish strongholds. Let Him break unhealthy behavior patterns.

Brokenness: The Principle 
John 12:24-25

Brokenness hurts, and most of us would rather live without any seasons of pain. Yet during such times, the Lord often does His greatest work in our lives, reshaping and realigning us for His divine purposes.

Jesus beautifully explains the principle of brokenness in John 12:24-25, where He compares our life to a single grain of wheat. If we hold a kernel in our hands, nothing will happen. If we carefully place it in a jar or on a shelf for safekeeping, it will just sit there indefinitely. In its safety, the grain will essentially be useless.

However, if that kernel is placed in the soil where its protective layer is stripped away, something amazing happens. Before long, a little sprout will emerge from the earth and start to grow into something different, useful, and beautiful. Moreover, that new stalk will produce more grains that can be planted, and the stalks they produce will do the same. It's an amazing cycle of life, wherein a single kernel can lead to countless stalks of wheat. But it has to start with the brokenness of one grain.

Jesus did not just speak this example; He lived it. By sacrificing Himself, He was broken and placed in the ground. From that brokenness came new life for us all. From that one "grain," countless new believers, each with a new life, have sprung forth.

Are you feeling broken today? If so, remember the principle of the broken grain. God has certainly not abandoned you; instead, He may be leading you into a season of radical new growth.

WHAT IS A CAT?
(According to a man)

Cats do what they want.
They rarely listen to you.
They are totally unpredictable.
When you want to play, they want to be alone.
When you want to be alone, they want to play.
They expect you to cater to their every whim.
They are moody.
They leave hair everywhere.
They drive you nuts and cost an arm and a leg.

CONCLUSION: They are tiny women in fur coats.

WHAT IS A DOG?
(According to a woman)

Dogs lie around all day, sprawled on the most comfortable piece of furniture in the house.
They can hear a package of food opening half a block away, but they don't hear you when you are in the same room.
They growl when they are not happy.
When you want to play, they want to play.
When you want to be alone, they want to play.
They are great at begging.
They will love you forever if you rub their tummies.
They leave their toys everywhere.
They do disgusting things with their mouths and then try to give you a kiss.

CONCLUSION: They are little men in fur coats

THREE STRANGERS

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards
sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them.

She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in
and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.

"No", she said. "He's out."

"Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.

"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"

The woman went out and invited the men in.

"We do not go into a House together," they replied.

"Why is that?" she wanted to know.

One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one
of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success and I am
Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of
us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was
overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said, "Since that is the case, let us invite
Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"

His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"

Their daughter-in- law was listening from the other corner of the house. She
jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love?
Our home will then be filled with love!"

"Let us heed our daughter-in- law's advice," said the husband to his wife.
"Go out and invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love?
Please come in and be our guest."

Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up
and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success:

"I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"

The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the
other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He
goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and
Success!!!!! !"

-- Author Unknown

THEY MISSED HIM!

They were looking for A Lion, He came as a Lamb, and they missed him.

They were looking for a Warrior, He came as a Peace maker, and they missed
him.

They were looking for a King, He came as a Servant, and they missed him.

They were looking for Liberation from Rome, He submitted to the Roman cross,
and they missed him.

They were looking for a fit to their mold, He was the mold maker, and they
missed him.

What are you looking for? Lion? Warrior? King? Liberator? What are you
looking for?

They were looking for their temporal needs to be met. He came to meet their
eternal needs, and they missed him.

He came as a Lamb to be sacrificed for your sin. Will you miss him?

He came to make peace between God and man. Will you miss him?

He came to model servanthood for all mankind. Will you miss him?

He came that we might have true Liberty. Will you miss him?

He came to give you eternal life. Will you miss him?

When we submit to the Lamb we will meet the Lion. Join with the Peacemaker
and we will meet the Warrior. Work with the Servant and we will meet the
King. Walk with the Submitted and we will meet the Liberator. Concern
ourselves with the eternal and we will have the temporal.

If Jesus is not fitting into the mold you have, then come to the mold maker
and get His new one. Submit to His plan for your life and you will see the
eternal need met first, then all the other things you have need of will be
taken care of as well.

-- Author Unknown