Tuesday, October 16, 2012

HALLOWEEN IS COMING


Halloween is coming and here is some food for thought... A blog I wrote a few years ago in reference to the darkness of Twilight, Harry Potter, etc. 

Love you guys! 
   
     "Tuesday night in staff training (at the taekwondo school) we were talking about how, as individuals, we have the ability to control how much darkness we live in… or not.  It really is our choice. As I've been saying lately, we can either “make good decisions or our bad decisions will make us”. In the course of the conversation, the question was asked, 'so what is darkness?' . We began to dialogue a little bit about what darkness is and eventually the subject of vampires came up. The question was asked, “are vampires associated with darkness or light?” The question was interesting to me because it showed me that people's perception of darkness -vs- light is becoming a lot less clear compared to when I was a kid. The big difference between then and now is that back then, vampires couldn't live in the light... light could actually kill dracula.  Isn't it funny how the story has evolved now to the point where vampires can actually live in the daylight?
      It doesn't surprise me, this evolution, and actually perpetuates the truth that the devil will try to disguise himself in whatever type of clothing that makes the wickedness that he is promoting acceptable, even to intelligent, common sense, educated people like you and me.  II Corinthians 11:13-15 says, "13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.14  No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.15  Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.." 
     I heard a pastor say the other day that you can't be black and white and have a big church.  The first problem with that statement is that "big church" shouldn't be the priority over spiritual growth or knowing God.  Acts 1:8 says, "and you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you"... when we replace the Holy Spirit with gimmicks (coffee shops, wine tasting parties, full-on theater productions, harvest parties, or...  "GREY" activities, as this pastor with the 'big church' insinuates) you might have a big church alright, but you will also have a gimmick-driven Christianity :(  ... ignorant of the knowledge of the Holy Spirit. 
     A perfect example of something that is very wicked/black but has subtly permeated the church (the body of Christ) and become a regular part of societal holiday norms, is the holiday coming up, Halloween. All you have to do is look up 'occult + Halloween' on the internet and you'll find that what Easter is to Christians, Halloween is to the occult. The difference is, Christians celebrate new life in Jesus on Easter, the occult destroys life on Halloween, all over the world, for the sake of perpetuating the worship of the devil and evil and immorality.
     God's ultimate purpose for us is the celebration of new life and growth and achievement. The devil's purpose is the destruction of life and demise and degradation (John 10:10). On Halloween, the Easter of Satan, this is exactly what happens in ways that I'm not even going to attempt to explain or glorify.
   I have already begun to pray against the evil activities of Halloween, and for God's intervention on that night, that He will have victory. As Christians, I hope this year that if we are participating, we have a greater awareness of what we are participating in, and the reality of what I am saying here. Even if you have to go to the web or want to dialogue with me for more information to substantiate what I am saying, the important thing here is that we don't just participate ignorantly.  I hope the question that will be asked is, 'can I really be a part of this, knowing now the reality of what this night represents?'
     And what about the alternative idea? I think there's only one alternative to this. Get together as Christians and pray against the activities of the devil. If we participate in any way, we participate in the darkness of that night. The perfect example of trying to provide an alternative was when we tried to have a Haunted House at our dojang and present it in a positive way. After 2 years it got darker and darker and we had to say 'no way' and stop doing it.   If you create a so called "Harvest Party", have fun break a leg, but please don't tell me you are doing it the same night (Halloween) that we should all be on our knees praying.  Make a new night, a new holiday, on a different date nowhere near the "night of wickedness" we all know as Halloween.
     It's a matter of awareness, it's a matter of growing, and if your awareness has been limited until recently, it's never too late to come to a realization and change and go to battle. If there's anything that I believe exists in life that is more important to be black and white about as a Christian, it is Halloween. If you study it yourself, I think your conclusion will be unanimously 'EXACTLY!' 
   And what about the kids and the perception they develop as they put on a costume and get excited about running out and collecting candy for free? It's amazing how the devil has set it up so most people don't even know what's really going on while they're celebrating the activity of retrieving candy and disguising themselves as something they are not (and isn't that an interesting thought).

And what does it matter that a vampire can live in the day or the night anyway. his uncontrollable quest is to 'suck the lifeblood', either way."

Be not conformed but be transformed, a living and holy sacrifice - Romans 12:1-2
Watch out for the devil's traps - II Timothy 2:26
Avoid false doctrine; be conformed to godliness - I Timothy 6:3-5
"Be wise about what is good, yet innocent about what is evil" - Romans 16:17-20
The truth test - I John 4:1-6, John 14:6

Serving the King so I can know Him better,

Pastor Ron