The Truth About Santa Claus

We’ve all been subjected to having to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what we want for Christmas and have our picture taken so our parents can send it out to family members all over.

Santa has nothing to do with Christ himself.

Santa Claus was developed over a period of time and originated in Europe. Santa was said to have derived from Patroned Saint Nicholas who gave gifts to remove 3 young women from prostitution. However the name Santa Claus is derived from the Norwegian name Sinter Klaas. Sinter Claus brings gifts to the children, sings songs and has the help of his black slaves, however you won’t see sinter’s helpers called slaves.

To go even further back, the original concept for Santa Claus is from Norse Mythology about an “almighty” god named Odin,who road an eight-legged horse that can leap far distances and was older with a long white beard.

It wasn’t until the concept of santa came to the New World that an artist created their own image based off these European descriptions and later Coco Cola adjusted Santa’s outfit to match their colors that we now have the Santa that we all know.

 The whole basic american concept of Santa Claus had always bothered me to an extent even as a child. I didn't like being passed off to Santa to sit on his lap, after we have constantly told not to talk to strangers let alone go sit on their lap and take pictures or tell him what I want. 

We have to stop embracing these worldly mythical characters.

Holiday Cheer

This time of year everyone is scrambling trying to get the best gift they can get for their loved ones and friends. However unlike the previous years, many people do not have the funds to buy as much as they did in previous years so people are putting themselves in debt or just moping about because they can’t afford to shop.

Do not lose sight to the reason why we celebrate Christmas! This is supposed to be the time that spend with friends and/or family, not to outdo each other on gifts or to spoil your children. Don’t let the fact that you can’t exchange gifts make you lose your joy. Be thankful for your health or your children’s health.

Your children will understand why they didn’t get the latest toy or gadget this year, let them know that it isn’t about getting everything you want and let them know that those items will be around next year. Do some crafting, watch movies or make something in the kitchen that everyone can participate in.

Remember that Jesus wasn’t born on Christmas anyway, so there is no need to feel like you have to embrace Christmas traditions. Unfortunately, people believe that Christmas is Jesus’ birthday, but it’s not scriptural. However we can use it as a time to reflect on the birth/life of our savior Jesus Christ.

Represent

Don’t let others represent you…

The reason I say this is that there are many believers and pastors,preachers,bishops and so on out there that the public get to see and yet they do not represent Christ as they should. There are so called Christian organizations and churches that the masses are exposed to and use them to judge Christians as a whole.

I have noticed that along with the influx of reality shows with Christians on them and the scandals that have been in the public eye, has tarnished the way many people look at Christianity today. There have been believers that backslide because they see other believers partaking in things that aren’t Godly or even saying things that they shouldn’t and open doors for error.

“The Preachers of LA” are a prime example of how believers can be led in error, due to an interview they did on a talk show and asked about a popular hip hop artist whom was very openly demonic and unstable, yet the preachers, except for one, praised the artist and said that the artist is entitled to be “creative” and that they are a musical genius. Not one of them said that the music is not something that believers should listen to or that there is something wrong with the messages the artist puts out and that no one should be listening because it’s demonic and can open doors for demonic activity.

Of course if one of them had said that, they probably would’ve have been heckled, however they would’ve opened up so many minds of the those watching and want to check in the bible if it backs it up, which leads them to actually pick up a bible.

This is not to say that these preachers aren’t any good, or to say that they aren’t saved. I say all this so you know that you have to check things out for yourselves and not let people represent what you are trying to represent if they aren’t sticking to the word of God. 

Pep Talk: Heirs

Galatians 3:29

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁹ And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Genesis 13:2

New King James Version (NKJV)

² Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.

The misconception in the world and even within the body of Christ is that in order to be humble and stay in God’s “good graces” is to be someone who is just make ends meet with maybe a little extra or to be close or in poverty. Those same people often believe that if the people in the church are financially successful that they must have been doing something they shouldn’t have.

Yet in the Bible we all as believers should be blessed beyond what we could imagine, which includes finances.

If you say you don’t want much, you won’t get it. If you say there’s something wrong with wealth, you won’t get it. So don’t be upset when you see others prosper financially in the church when you are barely getting by.

The Lord has made us heirs of Abraham whom was very rich. What is an heir?

noun

1.    1.

a person legally entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death.

"his eldest son and heir"

synonyms:

successor, next in line, inheritor, beneficiary, legatee

As an heir we have to recognize that we aren’t supposed to be lacking anything and benefiting from what was given to us as believers in Jesus Christ.

Get rid of that small thinking and move on to bigger and greater things!

REALality

You may have noticed how there has been an increase of “Christian” reality shows on various networks. These shows get those who are believers interested, but then quickly turns them off by the stereotypical foolishness that is showcased in every other reality show.

I cannot lie, I have grown up watching reality shows and have enjoyed watching the nonsense that has most people tuning in. The fact that they now have Pastors of LA, Preacher’s Daughters, The Sisterhood, Thicker Than Water, Mary Mary and so on. All of these shows start off as something that is promising and shortly after tuning in, they quickly turn awry.

The fact that most of these television networks are homes to popular secular shows, it pulls in nonbelievers that want to see what goes on in Christian families and that of a Pastor, only to be shown the SAME craziness and lack of Word that goes forth in every other nonbelieving family. It’s sad seeing Christians on television claiming their faith and then cussing out friends or family members the next or engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior.

The other reason I cringed when I see those shows on is the fact that 99% of them are African American. And most of the families interact in stereotypical banter and behavior, showing baby’s mamas, dressing like thugs or wearing skin tight or revealing outfits, getting loud and going off on somebody and so forth. Just as an African American seeing those things played out on television is enough for us to feel like “really? Can’t we move on!”.

Now joining the two: Christians and African Americans looking/edited to look like every other unbeliever and having no word or faith used, for those watching to see how prayer works, how the power of our words work, and so much more.

This more than likely will increase as time goes on, but we can’t let them be the only representation of what a Christian family looks like.

Who's Counting?

Counting all the things that Pastors own has been a past time for many Christians. There has been a stigma developed by the enemy that the people of God are to live like poppers or just having enough.

This is false thinking!

Every one of God’s children are to prosper in Him and to be abundantly supplied and then some to help others and spread the Gospel. Yet too many Christians are hung up when they see their pastors or other pastors with expensive things. Instead you should be first checking their fruit as man/women of God to make sure they are godly and doing the work of the Lord then learn how they prospered!

Not every wealthy Pastor is out to get your money! The Lord NEVER has said that he’s people are live just getting by or just barely getting by or by being poor.

Judging how another Christian spends their money, unless they are not living within their means, is not your business to scrutinize. If they aren't living within their means and you can help, help them but if they are living within their means, judging them isn't going to get you the increase you want or get you out of debt.

In result of that false thinking that you can’t have any wealth is selfish! Someone in the world could be waiting on you to help them, but you are bust concerned about how much money someone has and/or how little you have financially.

You have to understand that you have what you say-so if you say “I can’t get wealth because I’m not a pastor at a mega church” you are going to have exactly that-nothing at all.

You have to declare increase and tithe and give offerings to your local church that you know are following the word of God. This is the only way to insure increase. It’s then when the Lord can trust you with more because you have been diligent over the “little” that you have given BACK to Him. Because you can’t expect someone to give you more money when you have been taking their money bit by bit-the tithe belongs to Him, it is scriptural!

So the next time you see a Pastor cruising down the street and Bentley, don’t be jealous, don’t speak ill of Him/Her, instead thank God for your Bentley, if that is your desire as a tither/giver or thank God for the increase that you want.

False Messiah

Matthew 24:22-30

New International Version (NIV)

²² “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. ²³ At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you ahead of time.

²⁶ “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ²⁸ Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

²⁹ “Immediately after the distress of those days

“‘the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
    and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’^[a]

³⁰ “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth^[b] will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.^[c]

As the time winds down to the return of Jesus Christ, there will be much more deceit and manipulation that will be delivered to believers by Satan in order to get them to backslide. As many of you may have noticed, former Christians have fallen prey to new age thinking. New age thinking incorporates a mixture of different types of religious practices and beliefs including a sprinkling of Christianity all thrown together. When you combine different schools of thought/beliefs it makes it easier for you to be fooled by almost anything. So when a false messiah appears, your thought WILL be “that’s Him!”.

We as believers have to be aware of the fact that there WILL be many false prophets and false christs. We can not afford to be swindled into believing them.

You will know by the Spirit when anything not of God is presented. If you have the infilling of the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, it makes you so much stronger to defend yourself from the wiles of the devil.

Don’t be shocked when the day comes that someone will declare themselves to be the son of God.

The only way to not be deceived is to know God’s word and be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit. 

Falling Away

2 Thessalonians 2:1-15

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Great Apostasy

2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, ² not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ^[a] had come. ³ Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin^[b] is revealed, the son of perdition, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God^[c] in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He^[d] who now restrains will do so until He^[e] is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹ And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, ¹² that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Stand Fast

¹³ But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,¹⁴ to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.¹⁵ Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

Many believers would agree that we are currently seeing a “great falling away” in the churches. People are leaving because they have fallen back in to sins, they are leaving because of they don’t like what the pastor has said, they are leaving because they were offended by something another church member has said and the list continues…

The saddest thing about the falling away is that they because easy targets for further attack by the enemy. There is no bigger door for demonic activity than of one that was open by offense and backsliding.

We all have to be prepared for offenses that may come, we can not take things personally and whenever anyone says something to you or about you realize that it’s a spirit operating in through them and it’s not the person that is to blame. However you may have to separate from that person or group of people if they continue to do you wrong or do others wrong.

It is also easy to fall into the role of the offender; it’s easy to become an offender-offenders are the ones who have been offended and allowed their flesh to act out and cause an offense to another. We have to train ourselves to be more sensitive to the spirit and push back the flesh.

Do not be discouraged when you see the people you know leave the church, do not be drawn by them. Be led of the Spirit and not of your friends and family, everyone has to work out their own soul salvation in the end, just because you followed someone who is saved means that you’ll be okay no matter where you go. The people who remain in the church may think that those who left just left to be at another church, this is not true for those who chose to leave and wasn’t led to leave, they are opening up an opportunity for them to go through a testing period.

On Track

Proverbs 16:1-7

King James Version (KJV)

16 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

² All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.

³ Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.

⁴ The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

⁵ Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

⁶ By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

⁷ When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Getting on track with God is how you ensure a good life. It’s not always easy, it takes practice sometimes it takes years of practice, however when you get it that’s when the flood gates open up and blessings rain down on you. What better reward is there than the reward from our King?

I by no means am perfect or even close to being so, but with that being said I try to get better and gain more knowledge of the word and how the word works. There is no short cut to get to the “other side” other than cutting everything “cold turkey” and stop using idle words and so on. I haven’t met a man on this earth to have done just that. So for the rest of us it’s a process of being molded into what we need to be in order to live a good life and be instruments of God to help others.

There are both believers and non believers that think just because they have money and a decent job that they have the good life, not knowing that there is soo much more in life that they are missing out on whether it’s eternal salvation for the non believers or an abundant life with peace and joy for those who do believe.

Just like in my previous post about tithing-your words have a profound effect on what happens in your life. Your thoughts likewise are a contributing factor. If your thoughts and words are against you getting in line with God’s word-it will take that much longer for you to get on track, naturally. The enemy loves it when you speak against the things you want because he knows he can  act on what you say and pull back further away from your purpose.

Tithing

Hebrews 7:1-8

New International Version (NIV)

Melchizedek the Priest

7 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, ² and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”³ Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

⁴ Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! ⁵ Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. ⁶ This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. ⁷ And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. ⁸ In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.

There has been much debate as to whether or not we should be tithing today.

The ones that debate against tithing typically have never tithed or haven’t done it correctly.

Anyone who has tithed consistently, speaks life over their seed and gives that 1/10^th of their income as they should, they would not argue against tithing.

As a tither myself, I have seen favor, savings and financial returns. As soon as I heard about tithing and saw the scripture I took it as truth and started tithing from where I was at financially, in the beginning the tenth (tithe) of what I would have was only $2. Despite my tithe being small in amount it was still a tithe and I was faithful to give exactly 10% of my earnings and because of it I was protected from having to come out of pocket for unexpected things that I didn’t have the means to pay for.

As time went on I had favor with the ability to earn more, therefore my tithe was more and I realized that my blessings/favor was building up because I continued to tithe along with my increase. This strengthened my faith in the financial aspect. However along with that you have to make sure to not speak death to things-such as “I know my car is going to break down sooner or later” or “I can’t get out of debt” or “I can’t afford anything,I’m always broke”.

Your words can easily defeat your tithe-meaning you have given according to the word of God but your words that contradict what you really want will prevent God from blessing you in any aspect but since we’re talking about finances, it will block financial protection.

All I can say is to try it! When it comes to having to give out money we all get so bent out of shape, even when it comes to the church. We have to understand that the tithe is not our money anyway-that 10% is what is His because without Him we wouldn’t even have a means of getting money-or even being alive!

Try Him! Prove to yourself that God is true to His word and that it doesn’t die out or get left behind.

Doubt Door

James 1:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

I know I have spoken about this scripture before in regards to not doubting, however it bears repeating, doubt is a constant battle that will be with us until we join the Lord in Heaven.

Doubt is that ‘little’ voice or thought in the back of your mind saying “well, what if it doesn’t happen”, “what if it doesn’t happen IN TIME” and so on.

I believe doubt is the main gateway for depression. Doubt comes to unlock a “door” in your spirit and allows the spirit of heaviness to come in and manifest through you in different ways: helplessness to hopelessness to depression to suicidal thoughts which lead to suicidal tendencies which leads to suicide. There may be some other doors in the list, but those are the main ones.

I’m not speaking as an outsider in this situation, I’m speaking from experience with depression and the spirit of heaviness.

Circumstances affect the way you view the future and causes doubt that things will turn out better because of the way things look in the present. The future becomes impossible to think of because all you can see is what in front of you right now. The future is so unclear that when someone tries to cheer you up by saying tomorrow is a new day, it makes you angry because you don’t see it that way.

Depression manifests in many different ways-some people can go on with their daily lives and have no one even suspect it because they seem normal and happy-smiling to strangers. Some are like how I was, were we hated to make eye contact with anyone because you knew that they would see what a loser you are and struggle to communicate exactly how they feel to others because they know that others will judge them and tell them to stop being sad and try to smile.

Never assume that someone isn’t depressed because they don’t mope around, where black clothing, listen to rock music and cut themselves. It comes in many forms,but all through one door- Doubt.

To be continued….

Temptations/Sins

James 1:12–18

Loving God Under Trials

^12 kBlessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive ^lthe crown of life ^mwhich the Lord has promised to those who love Him. ¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, ⁿwhen desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, ^obrings forth death.

¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. ^17 pEvery good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, ^qwith whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. ^18 rOf His own will He brought us forth by the ^sword of truth, ^tthat we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

When people say that they struggle with “demons” or “vices” that they wish they didn’t have and yet expect God to just take them away, it goes against scripture. Some have said “if I wasn’t supposed to be doing this then remove it from me”. There may be some out there that say God caused them to be tempted.

The Lord cannot tempt you! Only your desires can tempt you, you can’t be tempted if you didn’t already have a desire to partake in whatever it is. That would be like ‘tempting’ a millionaire with five dollars…there is no point because they already have that and then some so it isn’t a desire. However if you used to like to smoke cigarettes and you have stopped for 3 months and then one day someone lights one up next to you and then that person asks you if you would like one, and you say yes….that’s on you! Not on God. As long as those desires are there, there will be temptation in those areas.

Temptations always lead to sin-now were aren’t talking about being “tempted” to eat a slice of cake even though you’re on a diet-temptations are those things that if you do it you have already set yourself up for a sinful course, like stealing a dollar from a tip jar leads to stealing twenty dollars to possibly stealing a cd from a store and so on. There is progression that takes place, it’s up to you to nip it in the bud after you have fallen into the temptation and repent of it and make a conscious effort to not do it again. It may take time to do, but STILL do it!

Friends

1 Peter 4:4-6

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴ In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. ⁵ They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶ For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Like most Christians, you will HAVE to lose some friends-this isn’t a “I can’t be your friend anymore because I’m a Christian now” type of situation.

The losing of friends:

They stop hanging out with you or staying in contact with you

They start to act funny around you

They get upset if you decline to do something that you would have done prior

They get upset if you bring up anything Christian related

AND/OR

You realize that you are being delayed in life by being connected with them

Old behaviors by them are no longer acceptable in your eyes

You can see the foul spirits operating in them and don’t those spirits to come on you

            (in this case you have to separate yourself and pray for them)

You are going to have to expect those who knew the old you to have something to say to you or about you now that you are saved and have changed. Change is inevitable so don’t say that you won’t change as a person because you will. Just know that it will happen and that if it happens to be a close friend be prepared to let them go or at least leave them at a distance. If you try to hold onto these relationships all you are going to do is sabotage your new walk and possible hinder them from being able to find their own.

To be continued….

Suffering for Christ

1 Peter 4

New King James Version (NKJV)

4 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us^[a] in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ² that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

Our separation from those things that we enjoyed doing, but were sinful, causes suffering because it’s a depriving of your flesh of what it thinks it needs to be satisfied. Trust me if you haven’t been separated from something you like or makes you feel good then you can’t understand the struggle of leading a ‘pure’ Christian life.

There is NO such thing as a perfect Christian in these times, however we strive for the best. Just because you can’t partake in all the things that you liked prior to becoming saved doesn’t mean that you live the rest of your life miserable or failing at every turn. The whole purpose of becoming saved is that you become a new creation and can go to heaven to be with Jesus, the perks of being saved FAR SURPASSES those fleeting moments of excitement in things/activities in the world. I rather give up listening to certain type of music,watching certain types of movies, not have premarital sex and so on in order to enjoy the many frequent blessings, healings, miracles, meeting the right kind of people, have peace, have joy, get to use my once hidden gifts, help others, tap into the supernatural, be forewarned of things to come, speak to God, hear from the Holy Spirit, have prayers answered, bind demons, spend ETERNITY in heaven and much more!

Now if you ask me, suffering-not even physically suffering- but suffering from not doing what you used to do is sooo much more worth it when you way what you gain in return.

Proverbs 15:22

Proverbs 15:22

New International Version (NIV)

²² Plans fail for lack of counsel,
    but with many advisers they succeed.

In a world where you have to keep things to yourself for the fear of someone stealing your joy or your idea. However in the body of Christ we are to share and seek counsel from one another and not just keep things bottled up unless the Lord tells us to keep something in until a certain time.

We are to seek counsel if we heard a word from God about doing something or moving somewhere. We can’t just act instantly on a word we get and rush into things, get anxious to jump on things right away.

But also be wise in who you seek counsel from, you seek counsel from those who you trust and are in the church. Not your neighbor who is an atheist or the coworker who is a Buddhist. The unsaved cannot give sound advice as to how to act on a word from God.

Because some people act so quickly on a prophetic word that they receive they end up getting off course and out of God’s will. You have to have confirmation and to get that is through counsel with other believers and through prayer.