I cannot believe how much Christ/God is being taken out of everything! Now all this political "correctness" has removed the word Christmas and replaced it with Holiday.

I cannot help but feel angry about it. Not only angry, but sad, and concerned. What is this teaching the youth of this country??

Please join me in prayer that this is not the beginning of a bad epidemic. Amputating God from everything is just asking for trouble.

Hi Brenda, We need to understand to that Satan is the Ruler of this world and that God is sovreign. He has not one thing that goes unnoticed on His world that he created. I fear that this will only get worse as there are more people persecuted for He who died for us. Be reassured that Jesus said these thing have to happen before he can return to reclaim his own. Stay srong, Teach your children in the way that they should go, and do not fear being bold in you actions and words. God is a faithful and just God, and in his perfect and amazing timing he will reap the harvest.

"Thrust your sicle and reap, for the time has come for you to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe. So he who sat on the cloud thrust in His sicle on the earth, and the earth was reaped." Rev 14:15-16

Be encouraged, not discouraged, and use this time to sharpen you faith.
In His Grace

Brenda -

I certainly understand your concern and am in agreement with it. However, I believe that praiseadonia is correct. We should expect things to get further and further away from the truth...especially but not exclusively in the world.

Recently, in our local newspaper two stories were ran, side by side that made me pause and take inventory myself.

The first story described how conservative Christians were outraged by the fact that retailers especially have chosen to use the word "Holiday" instead of "Christmas". While this was of concern, the second story was more troubling.

That story provided a list of all the churches that announced that they had decided not to have services on Christmas day and would be closed!! This to me was much more troubling than the first.

I am sure that the paper was making its point of there go the "Christians" again wanting everyone else to conforn while do as they please. I have to say, it did indeed make its point, LOUDLY.

My hope is that we live our faith daily, where everyone can see it. Helping our neighbors, the needy, and the poor. Learning what real love, agape' love is and exhibiting it in our lives.

Learning, understanding and then actively accepting people where they are and allowing them into our lives. We do not have to condone their lifestyles, but we are called to love them and open our hearts to them right where they are. That is what our example, Jesus Christ did and what He calls us to. He fellowshipped with the unlovely, the undesirable and the outcasts. Are we doing that? Are we comfortable doing that?

But that also means the onus is us to make sure that we are in prayed up, daily praising and worshipping God and staying in the Word, reading, studying, understanding, meditating and memorizing it so that we can be protected ourselves against the wiles of satan. Then we can be springs where living water flows to these people who our lives are touching. Many of these people are thirsty for a drink of truth and life. They see the Holy Spirit that is operating in our lives and notice that we are different. They are searching for life and when we accept them as they are and gently love them along, God always opens a door for them to ask and us to share the saving grace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them.

Brenda, I so much appreciate your heart and want you to know that I am in full agreement and will be praying along you in this situation. I want to encourage you too to continue being the salt and light to the world around you. The Holy Spirit and you make a huge difference in this world, but especially to your sphere of influence and to those who are desparately in need of a loving touch.

Thank you for your post. May God richly bless you and grant you a safe and blessed holiday season.

Howard