From Decorations to Declarations
Many people today are being pressured to take Jesus Christ out of Christmas. To be politically correct and (so as to not hurt the feelings of those who do not wish to acknowledge the only begotten Son of God), some businesses have instructed their employees to say, “Happy Holidays,” instead of “Merry Christmas.” With subtlety we are being asked to gradually compromise our proclamations of praise about our God and Savior. So far, we still have the freedom to decorate a tree and exhibit religious icons; but we must remember that it is the words that have the power. No matter what may come, we must not candy coat our faith with veiled references to God; rather, we must begin to declare His mighty works in all the earth.
Psa 40:5-10 (KJV) “(5) Many, O LORD my God, [are] thy wonderful works [which] thou hast done, and thy thoughts [which are] to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: [if] I would declare and speak [of them], they are more than can be numbered. (6) Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. (7) Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book [it is] written of me, (8) I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law [is] within my heart. (9) I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. (10) I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy loving kindness and thy truth from the great congregation.”
How can Christians be expected to proclaim and declare the awesomeness of God to the world if we cannot even show forth His praise in the midst of the congregation of fellow believers? Do we see what is happening to our lives? Do we understand why we are on the earth FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS? Just as in the Biblical story of Esther, even now decrees are being made by God’s enemies in an attempt to destroy the witness and the testimonies of His people. We must not just give in, we must be overcomers!
Rev 12:11 (KJV) “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
If there be any resolution for this New Year and this new decade, it should be that we will not refrain our lips from proclaiming the reign of THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY in the earth and in our lives. We will not continue to grow weak and lifeless, but rather be willing to stand against the wiles of the devil, letting the light of Christ shine through us brighter than ever before. We should take heed in this day; for as the scripture says, the enemy will not be content with just stealing our testimony - he comes to kill and destroy.
Joh 10:10 (KJV) “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.”
-Kurt Thurston
January Newsletter 2010 | Blessed Are The Dead