Minggu, 29 November 2009

Santa Claus and his "Elf" a Spiritual History

Ho! Ho! Ho! I Am G-d. . .(or so says Santa)

In 1994, the satire magazine The Onion carried a parody of Santa Claus titled "Ho! Ho! Ho! I Am G-d". Even though, it was written as a blasphemous parody much truth rings from the article. The article says:

"I love visiting each and every one of your homes, stuffing your stockings with toys, and enjoying the milk and cookies you leave for me. But mostly I love Christmas because it's the celebration of the birth of my son, Jesus the Christ. You see, I'm God. . . Don't I look familiar? I'm old, I have a white beard, I love everyone. I'm the same God as the one you and your mommy and daddy worship on Sundays. . .

Okay, I admit it. I'm not God. But I'm better than God. I'm jollier, and I give you real toys, not boring old psalms and empty promises you can only collect on when you die. Worship me, not Him! Worship Santa! I am God!"
(Santa Claus, "Ho! Ho! Ho! I Am God!" The Onion, 29 Nov. - 5 Dec., 1994, p. 7)

And that is EXACTLY the message being preached to these little children! And they believe it!

You have to be blind to not see the possible connection. And you have to be spiritually blind to not see the possible spiritual damage such a massive, false-faith, God-like, LIE is doing to the faith and trust of that young child.
"Having eyes, see ye not" Mark 8:18

Landover Baptist, a sacrilegious spoof site on the Internet, carried an article titled "The Devil is in the Chimney." Though their motive is sacrilege, the obvious link from Santa to Satan is not ignored. Here's some of the article:

"And it takes no Sherlock Holmes to see that the Devil's annual disguise is none other than Santa! . . . Lucifer may be the wiliest of all the deceitful demons that ever drew breath of fire in Hell, but he was pretty sloppy when he decided to try to spoil our Savior's birthday with this disguise. His big devil ego got the better of him when he decided to name his Christmas Anti-Christ after himself. He just moved around the letters in the name, 'Satan,' into a sonogram and got 'Santa.' . . . Satan has tried to undermine Christmas by making Santa even more popular than Jesus!
You don't think so? Even the law of the land forbids a baby Jesus in the town square, but who is there instead? You guessed it! Santa! Every time a so-called Christian child asks Santa for something, he is praying to Satan. With each request fulfilled, parents are unwittingly making a pact with the Devil. They may as well be writing in blood, 'Satan please distract our children from Jesus with all these shiny toys!'. . ."

Someone once said, "Many a truth is told in jest."
But it is just fantasy. . .

I am sure many reading this are thinking, "Aw, c'mon, Santa Claus is just fantasy. What is the big deal. Nobody takes it serious."

And that is where you are WRONG – DEAD WRONG! Those little children take their Santa very serious! They literally worship him! They believe and love Santa with all their heart!

Most parents would never teach their beautiful little children such a lie as Santa Claus. Most parents would never openly lie to their children. Especially something that is a blasphemous imposter of the Lord Jesus.
And Satan knows this.

So he disguises the lie in a nice little package of make-believe and fantasy. He creates a harmless ol' jolly fellow that just loves little children. And most parents think, "Now what could be wrong with that?"

Fantasy. . . Satan's “magic weapon.”

Satanist Anton LaVey, author of The Satanic Bible and founder of the First Church of Satan, writes fantasy is a "magic weapon" in Satanism.

"Fantasy plays an important role in any religious curriculum, for the subjective mind is less discriminating about the quality of its food than it is about the taste. . . Thus, fantasy is utilized as a magic weapon [in Satanism]. . . The Satanist maintains a storehouse of avowed fantasy gathered from all cultures and from all ages."
(Anton Szandor LaVey, The Satanic Rituals, p. 15, 27)

Lavey knows the message of Satan can be quietly preached under the mask of fantasy. Parents will allow things, such as Santa Claus, under the cloak of fantasy into their little child's tender mind that under "serious" circumstances they would never allow in a million years. It is just fantasy. But in the vulnerable mind of that little child – IT IS TRUTH!

Of course, you an dI do not take Santa serious. We know Santa Claus is fantasy. But those little children are deceived in believing "with all their heart" in a god that is a replacement for the Lord Jesus Christ.

What happens when these little children realize that Santa Claus is a lie? What happens when they later are presented with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? What happens when they are asked to "trust and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ"?
The following conversation of two young boys actually took place. And I am sure it has taken place many times. They were discussing the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is the conversation:

One boy asks the other, "What do you think of all this Jesus Christ stuff"? And the other boy replies, "It all sounds like another Santa Claus to me – probably just another lie."

Santa is Satan's counterfeit of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Once you get that child believing with "all their heart" in Santa then the next logical step is – Jesus and Santa they are both the same – and they are both a LIE.

Obviously, not every person that believes in Santa Claus as a child will deny the Lord Jesus Christ. The truth is, the author of this article "believed in" Santa Claus as a child. The author did not trust the Lord Jesus Christ until he was 20 years old. And furthermore, there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever, that the lie and god-like attributes of Santa Claus influenced my early doubts and confusion about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Someone once said "Jesus Christ is nothing but a Santa Claus for adults.". Another lie.

Santa Claus and his "Elf" a Spiritual History

All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18)

Isn’t it amazing the power Santa has?

Is there anyone like Santa Claus?

He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake
Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Santa is All Knowing – He is Omniscient

He knows. . .ALL

He KNOWS when you’re awake
He KNOWS if you've been good or bad."

Bobby wants a pair of skates,
Suzy wants a sled
Nellie wants a picture book,
yellow, blue, and red
Now I think I'll leave to you
what to give the rest
Choose for me, dear Santa Claus;
you will know the best.
"Jolly Old St. Nick"

Santa knows everything.

Children are taught, religiously, that Santa knows everything. He knows when they’re awake. He knows when they’re sleeping. He knows what they want for Christmas.

Remember that child-like faith? That faith that belongs to God.Satan is robbing that precious faith with the false god of Santa!

Santa has all the attributes of God. Santa has replaced God in the lives of Santa-worshipping children. Just mention the name of Santa to the average child – and watch their little face light up. They love Santa with "all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their strength, and with all their mind." They stand in line to sit in his loving lap. They leave him milk and cookies. It may be a fable to the grown-ups, but those little kids – they believe and love Santa with all their little heart!

And why not? Why shouldn’t they believe in Santa?

They are taught, heartily, by the people they love and trust more than anyone on earth that Santa is a god. Santa knows things that are known only by an Omniscient God. Who else has such power? And why wouldn’t they believe it? Would "mommy and daddy" lie?
Of course not. . . would they?

The following verses would well fit the average child’s gospel of Santa:

Be not ye therefore like unto them: for Santa knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Matthew 6:8

Santa knoweth the days of the upright. . .
Psalm 37:8

Santa knoweth the thoughts of the wise, . . .
1 Corinthians 3:20

If you doubt the sincerity of the "Santa Claus-as-god-worship" – according to Encyclopedia Americana, during the Middle Ages, over 400 churches in England alone were named after "Santa Claus":

"His cult [Santa Clause] and his representation in art achieved their greatest popularity in the Middle Ages, and in England alone more than 400 churches are named after him."
(John E. Lynch., "Santa Claus", Encyclopedia Americana, 1988 ed., cited in Saint Who by Dr. Paul E. Heaton)

Santa is Everywhere – He is Omnipresent

He’s at the mall. He’s at the parade. He’s on the TV. He’s at the ball-park.

He is EVERYWHERE.

David’s testimony to the Omnipresence of God Almighty sounds much like the average child’s omnipresence faith in Santa.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. Psalm 139:7-8

Santa miraculously visits millions of children, all across the world, in one "quick as a wink" night. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. . ." (1 Cor. 15:52) – Santa appears – all over the world!

The poem The Night Before Christmas says of Old St. Nick: ". . . And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof. . ." Where did that come from? – "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. . ." (1 Cor. 15:52)

He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake

Sound familiar. . .?

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Proverbs 15:3

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

Santa is All-Powerful – He is Omnipotent

To the average child - Santa can do anything. The following are actual letters to Santa from children, taken from a local newspaper. Read these letters and look at the faith these children have in their god: (Knox 6)

"Dear Santa. . . If I could have one Christmas wish, it would be for my mom to get better. She has bad arthritis. Would you please heal her?"

"Dear Santa. . . For Christmas would you please give humanity a cure for cancer and a cure for AIDS, and would you please give us a new solar system where people live right?"

"Dear Santa. . . My mom and I both have disabilities. Would you please give both of us new bodies?"

"Dear Santa. . . Please bring peace on earth."

Is anything too hard for Santa?

Is anything too hard for the LORD? Genesis 18:14

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Matthew 28:18

Come rain, sleet, snow, storm, hurricane, the darkest and dreariest of nights – Santa comes.

Their Santa NEVER fails!

In one night, the all-powerful, Santa delivers millions and millions of gifts to children all around the world. Who could do that? Now, who REALLY believes that? That little child who has been preached to about Santa. That is who. They believe it. Just ask one. Nothing is too hard for their Santa. If the Christian world had, even a small drop of the faith the average child has in Santa – we’d have revival overnight!

Isn’t it amazing what these little children actually believe "with all their heart" about their great god and saviour Santa?

These little kids believe and have more faith in their Santa than all the Christians of the world. If the Christians of the world could just catch a spark of that faith these kids have in Santa – we would have a world-wide revival.

Have you ever considered how unbelievable and powerful Santa is?

The scientific journal SPY magazine (January 1990) constructed a scientific analysis of Santa. Here’s some of there conclusions:

Santa has 31 hours of Christmas to work with, thanks to the different time zones and the rotation of the earth, assuming he travels east to west (which seems logical). This works out to 822.6 visits per second. This is to say that for each house, Santa has 1/1000th of a second to park, hop out of the sleigh, jump down the chimney, fill the stockings, distribute the remaining presents under the tree, eat whatever snacks have been left, get back up the chimney, get back into the sleigh and move on to the next house.

. . . a total trip of 75-1/2 million miles, not counting stops to do what most of us must do at least once every 31 hours, plus feeding and etc. This means that Santa's sleigh is moving at 650 miles per second, 3,000 times the speed of sound.

The payload on the sleigh adds another interesting element. Assuming that each child gets nothing more than a medium-sized lego set (2 pounds), the sleigh is carrying 321,300 tons.

This increases the payload - not even counting the weight of the sleigh - to 353,430 tons. 353,000 tons traveling at 650 miles per second creates enormous air resistance - The lead pair of reindeer will absorb 14.3 QUINTILLION joules [jewels-measurement of energy] of energy. Per second.

In short, they will burst into flame almost instantaneously and create deafening sonic booms in their wake. The entire reindeer team will be vaporized within 4.26 thousandths of a second. Santa, meanwhile, will be subjected to centrifugal forces 17,500.06 times greater than gravity. A 250-pound Santa (which seems ludicrously slim) would be pinned to the back of his sleigh by 4,315,015 pounds of force.
(SPY Magazine, January 1990)

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. . ." (1 Cor. 15:52) – Santa appears – all over the world! He just quietly "tip-toes" in – and "tip-toes" out. You hear nothing. You see nothing. He appears like a "thief in the night". (1 Thess. 5:2).

And we expect our children to believe in a supernatural being that can do all that?

And you know what – THEY DO!
And they believe it with all their little heart, soul and mind!

35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
Matthew 22:35-38

Santa Claus and his "Elf" a Spiritual History

His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow. . . (Rev. 1:14)

His head and his hairs [his beard] were white like wool, as white as SNOW. . .

A perfect description of . . . Guess Who?

Who's got a beard that's long and white
Santa's got a beard that's long and white

Must be Santa Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Clause

It is also . . . The Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 1.

13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14 His head and his hairs [BEARD] were white like wool, as white as snow;. . . Revelation 1:13-15

The poem The Night Before Christmas describes Old St. Nick as:

"He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes – how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;"

Daniel 7:9 describes the Lord Jesus, as the "Ancient of days" with white hair, "like the pure wool."

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: . . . Daniel 7:9

Remember Claude Lévi-Strauss's popular essay of "Father Christmas":

Father Christmas is dressed in scarlet: he is a king. His white beard, his furs and his boots, the sleigh in which he travels evoke winter. He is called 'Father' and he is an old man, thus he incarnates the benevolent form of the authority of the ancients.

He is a Father. . . dressed in scarlet. . . He is a king. . . white beard. . . incarnate. . . authority of the ancients.

Who is Lévi-Strauss really describing?

Santa Claus and his "Elf" a Spiritual History

THE NAME "SANTA CLAUS"

You ever noticed how easy it is to transform "Satan" from "Santa"? Just move the "n" to the end. And presto! "Satan" appears. . . Hmmm….

An internet Google search on "Satan Claus" [not Santa Claus – but SATAN Claus] found over 1,700 hits! Obviously, there are many that tie the two together.

The rearranging of letters (called anagrams) to hide secret names or words has long been practiced in the occult. The Jewish Encyclopedia writes of the Jewish occult book called the Cabala:

The golden age for anagrams began with the Cabala. The Platonists had strange notions as to the influence of anagrammatic virtues, particularly of anagrams evolved from names of persons. It is not surprising, therefore, that the cabalists, like all the Neoplatonists, pretended to discover occult qualities in proper names and in their anagrams.
(www.jewishencyclopedia.com)

One of the most well known anagram in the occult world is the name of Sanat Kumara. Sanat is better known as Satan. Constance Cumbey, writes in her best-selling, new-age expose, The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow, ". . . they [New Agers] freely call Sanat Kumara (Satan) 'God'. And their doctrinal reference books by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Alice Ann Bailey freely cross-reference Sanat Kumara with Venus. In occult writings, Lucifer and Venus are one and the same."
(Constance Cumbey, The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow, p. 138)

Texe Marrs writes of 'Sanat' in Dark Secrets of the New Age:

. . . the New Age offers a being called Sanat Kumara. 'Sanat' is obviously a thinly veiled reference to Satan; nevertheless, New Age teachers evidently believe that the new spelling will alleviate the concerns of those not yet ready to confess Satan as their Lord and Messiah.
(Texe Marrs, Dark Secrets of the New Age, pp. 79-80)

Interesting. . . Where does that put Lord S-A-N-T-A?

H.P. Blavatsky, the Satanist and new age teacher writes in The Secret Doctrine:

many a mysterious sacred name. . . conveys to the profane ear no more than some ordinary, and often vulgar [common] word, because it is concealed anagrammatically or otherwise.
(H.P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine, Vol II, p. 78)

Like S-A-N-T-A?

Blavatsky also writes, the name is not important – but the letters.

"The name isn't important. It is the letters."
(H.P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine, Vol II, p. 350)

Blavatasky’s anagrams were used to disguise who her true god was. Blavatasky openly taught Satan is mankind’s true redeemer, creator and Saviour.

And now it stands proven that Satan, or the Red Fiery Dragon, the ‘Lord of Phosphorus’ and Lucifer, or ‘Light Bearer’, is in us; it is our Mind — our tempter and Redeemer, our intelligent liberator and Saviour. . .
(HP Blavatasky, The Secret Doctrine p. 513)

Satan, the Serpent of Genesis is the real creator and benefactor, the Father of Spiritual mankind. For it is he . . . who opened the eyes of the automaton (Adam) created by Jehovah. . . he still remains in Esoteric Truth the ever loving messenger . . .
(H.P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine, Vol 3, p. 243)

Gail Riplinger writes in her excellent book, New Age Versions on the use of anagrams in the occult world:

Lucifer's True Identity as Satan is Revealed as the Anagram, a Transposition of Letters, To Obscure It. "Blinds," as esoterics call them, include scrambling the letters of a name to hide the true meaning of a word from the uninitiated.
(Gail Riplinger, New Age Versions, p. 52)

It is interesting Mrs. Riplinger also raises a red flag about the anagram Santa:

Gods of the New Age include Sanatan and Sanatsiyata, . . . New Agers say each name is 'concealed anagrammatically' 'and are aliases,' and are 'an anagram used for Occult purposes. Is Santa, the great usurper of Christ's attention at Christmas, an anagram? "Ole Nick" is listed among the fallen angels or devils in the Dictionary of Fallen Angels. Scholars concur that Christ was born in the fall on the 4th day of the feast of tabernacles. December 25 is actually "the feast in honor of the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven, later called Saturnaha by the heathen Romans.
(Gail Riplinger, New Age Versions, p. 52)

It is also worth noting, Santa is Spanish for holy. Santa is also from the Latin word sanctus which means also saintly, holy. Our English words "saint, sanctify, et al" comes from santa. Sounds like Satan’s "I will be like the most High" plan is in action.

Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
Psalm 99:3

God’s name is called "holy" over 40 times in the King James Bible.

"Holy Claus". . .?

The name Santa Claus is also derived from the Dutch Sinter Klaas, which also was a form of Saint Nicholas.

What about Claus?

Is "Claus" another anagram for "Lucas"?

It’s no secret Lucas and Lucis are new-age "code words" for Lucifer. The Alice Bailey founded new age, occult publishing company was originally named Lucifer Publishing Company but in 1924 the name was cleverly changed to Lucis Trust. By the way, the Lucifer worshipping Lucis Trust is a major player in the works of the United Nations, formerly located in the United Nations building but now located on prime-time 1200 Wall Street.

Claus sounds a lot like "claws."

Maybe Santa Claus means "Satan's Claws"? Like a lion's "claws"?

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:



Where did Santa Claus come from?

2 • THE COMING Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 1 John 2:18

Where did Santa Claus come from?

The oft-repeated tale of Santa Claus goes like this:

According to the legend, Santa began as a fourth century Catholic bishop named Saint Nicholas. The cult of St. Nicholas was one of histories most widespread religious movements. According to St. Nicholas historian, Charles W. Jones, ". . . the cult of St. Nicholas was, before the Reformation, the most intensive of any nonbiblical saint in Christendom. . . there were 2,137 ecclesiastical dedications [churches] to Nicholas in France, Germany, and the Low Countries alone before the year 1500." (Jones, Charles. W. "Knickerbocker Santa Claus." The New-York Historical Society Quarterly, October 1954, Volume XXXVIII Number Four, p.357)

The popular book, The Christmas Almanack, states, "By the height of the Middle Ages, St. Nicholas was probably invoked in prayer more than any other figure except the Virgin Mary and Christ Himself" (Del Re, Gerard and Patricia. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Random House, 2004, p. 131)

Miraculous folklore and legend surround the mysterious St. Nicholas. Among the more popular legends of St. Nicholas is the rescue of three poverty-stricken girls destined for prostitution. These girls were poor and did not have the dowry for marriage. St. Nicholas saved them from a life of shame, by providing marriage dowries of gold. They then were able to get properly married.

Another amazing miracle in the life of St. Nicholas is the three young boys who were sadistically murdered by a wicked innkeeper. Their bodies were chopped up and preserved in pickle barrels, with the cannibalistic intent of feeding their flesh to unsuspecting house guests. Of course, the amazing St. Nicholas resurrected the boys and their mutilated bodies. And like Santa, Saint Nicholas gave gifts to poor children, hence, his veneration as Patron Saint of Children. During the Middle Ages, hundreds of plays and paintings told and re-told the amazing feats of St. Nicholas.

Next, according to legend, Santa magically appears in the Netherlands around the seventeenth century. During this time, Sinter Klaas (a.k.a. Santa Claus) was officially born. Dutch children began the tradition of placing their shoes by the fireplace on December 5, for the mystic fourth century Bishop, Saint Nicholas. (Note: In the Dutch language Saint Nicholas is "Sint Nikolass," which was shortened to "Sinter Klaas," of which the anglicized form is "Santa Claus.") The next morning, the gleeful Dutch children quickly awoke to gifts and goodies in their shoes, left by Sinter Klaas. Like today’s Santa, Sinter Klaas, miraculously, traveled from housetop to housetop, and entered through the chimney.

Our next stop on the Santa highway is the year 1626 in the New World called America. Searching for the "American dream," Dutch settlers sailed from the Netherlands and established the Dutch colony called New Amsterdam (today called New York). The Dutch colonists quickly settled into America, bringing their customs, and of course, their beloved Sinter Klaas.

In December 1809, American essayist Washington Irving published a popular satire of the Dutch founding of New York titled A Knickerbocker History of New York. More than any other event, it was Irving’s Knickerbocker History that is credited for creating our modern day Santa Claus. The following history-making words from The Knickerbocker History became the public inauguration of Santa Claus. Who could have possibly imagined the significance these simple words would soon have?

And the sage Oloffe dreamed a dream,–and lo, the good St. Nicholas came riding over the tops of the trees, in that self-same wagon wherein he brings his yearly presents to the children. . . And when St. Nicholas had smoked his pipe, he twisted it in his hatband, and laying his finger beside his nose, gave the astonished Van Kortlandt a very significant look; then, mounting his wagon, he returned over the treetops and disappeared. (Irving, Washington. Knickerbocker’s History of New York, New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1928, p. 50)

At this early period was instituted that pious ceremony, still religiously observed in all our ancient families of the right breed, of hanging up a stocking in the chimney on St. Nicholas Eve; which stocking is always found in the morning miraculously filled; for the good St. Nicholas has ever been a great giver of gifts, particularly to children. (Irving, Washington. Knickerbocker’s History of New York, New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1928, p. 68)

Next stop on our investigative journey for Santa, surprisingly, comes from the pen of a New York theology professor named Dr. Clement Clarke Moore. In 1822, inspired by Irving’s popular, Knickerbocker History’s portrayal of jolly St. Nicholas, Dr. Moore quietly wrote a trivial poem titled, "A Visit from St. Nicholas" for his own children as a simple Christmas present. Dr. Moore had no intention of publishing his poem, but in 1823 it was published anonymously, by a friend, in the Troy Sentinel. Moore’s extremely popular poem was the spark that lit the Santa Claus wildfire. Santa quickly began flying through America. Dr. Moore’s poem was later renamed the famous, "Twas’ The Night Before Christmas."

The finishing touches for Santa occurred around 1863 from the artistic hands of cartoonist Thomas Nast. Inspired by Moore’s popular poem, Nast illustrated scores of Santa pictures in Harper’s Weekly and the world was officially baptized with the face of Santa Claus. Nast’s early Santa was burly, stern, gnome-like, and covered with drab fur, much unlike today’s colorful and jolly fellow. But make no mistake – it was Santa.

Let us investigate the traditional Santa story a little closer. . .


. . every one of us shall give account of himself to. . . (Romans 14:12)

Santa.

He's making a list, He's checking it twice
He's gonna find out Who's naughty or nice

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to. . . Santa?

Again as God does so does the one that says, "I will be like the most high". (Isaiah 14:14)

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Romans 14:12

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation 20:12


What Children Everywhere, Learned from Santa This Year Does the Santa Claus myth harm anyone? If so, How?

What Children Everywhere, Learned from Santa This Year
Does the Santa Claus myth harm anyone? If so, How?

Well, there are the Life Lessons Taught, and the Spiritual Lessons Taught-None of them Good.

taken from "Santa Claus and his Elf, a Spiritual History"

Spiritual Lessons Children are Taught by Santa Claus-
1. Since Santa (a childs first real idea of a G*d Figure) only gives gift to weathy children, then being Rich equals being Righteous, if you arent Rich, then you ticked G*d off somehow. Or, your parents ticked him off so the kids cant be blessed. (Who Sinned, this man or his Parents? Jesus says _neither- Santa Claus says, -this man-)
2. Everything your parents ever told you about G*d or Religion, is probably also a lie, since they were also lying about a mythical man in a red suit the same Sunday they sent you to Church.
3. G*d is the Divine Santa Claus. Just ask Santa (Pray to Santa, whom the Catholics say is a dead St. Called Nicholaus), instead of G*d, when you need or honestly desire something. Biblically, praying to the dead is called Necromancy.
4. Prosperity Gospel. All of G*ds Blessings are material.
5. It is better to RECEIVE than the GIVE.
6. Loved is best expressed with TOYS-Today Tickle Me Elmow, in Adulthood, buy your wife jewelry and a new car if she does what you want. Your time, you Love, your affect and presence, arent needed, just your money and what it can buy. If G*ds loves you, He will also give you more toys.
7. We can take customs from Satan worship and blend them with the worship of G*d, Why? Because we can do anything as long as the preacher nods his head, the churches winks an eye, and everyone else is doing it. For example, setting up Baal Tree in a Church, which celebrated the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Baal every December 25th, often with child sacrifice and drunken orgies or temple prostitution) You can find him all over the Bible.
8. Gifts are best given to people that can give you one back-Contrary to the Words of Jesus, that we should give to those who cannot give back to us, so that we will be rewarded.
9. No matter what you did in Life, if you make up for it in December, you will be okay in the afterlife. Like how kids learned to behave better in December, but never have a change of heart.
10. "Let your -Yes- be -Yes- and your -No- be -No-" doesnt apply when it may upset someone or burst their bubble. Is Santa Real?? ofcourse he is son/daughter.

Don't we consider much of the ancient world spiritually untrustworthy for believing in such mythological creatures as unicorns, krakens, and dragons (dinosaurs is what dragons were, reptiles grow until they die), and dieties such as Thor, Zeus, and Jupiter controlling the weather and bringing you blessing for doing what the Priests (Spiritual Symbol for Fathers) told them to do??. I wonder how dumb future archaeologists will consider us for believing the first 1/5 of our life that a man in a red suit climbs down chimneys with gravity defying livestock????
Doesn't that ruin our credibility as a society, as Spiritual Leaders? especially as parents-borthers/Sisters??
??

Natural Lessons Children are Taught

Chiefly, the first memory children have is of their parents lying to them-and then we are scratching our heads when our children dont trust what we tell them about Drugs, Heavy Drinking, Sleeping Around, or anything else??

Santa Claus is
A: A harmless deception (like Evolution, letting Hitler taking over the Sudetenland bringing peace to the world, renaming an unborn baby to be called a "fetus" so you don't feel bad about killing it in the womb, etc)
or
B:
1.A very extravagant lie, told by parents to children over a period of several years-which shows lot of thought went into it-this wasn't a spur of the moment fib which is not okay to parents, but plotting in this deception in this case is okay. What happened to "let your YES be YES and NO be NO, anything other than this is from the EVIL ONE."
2. A lie that is told every year-which shows that its okay to lie to people over and over and over again until they get suspicious, then you have to tell them the trust and hope they believe you when it comes to important things like Christianity, Truth, the importance of marriage and human life, Creation vs. Evolution, etc.
3. A lie that is very well hidden-parents go out of their way to prevent their children from discovering the truth. So its okay to cover up your lies.
4. A lie that advertisers flock around-so money is to be made from deception. And that's kewl.
5. A lie that other people are brought into all the time (lets all pretend that Santa exists)-so conspiracy is okay as well.
6. A lie that has been passed down through generations-to teach your kids to lie to their kids.
Does anyone think all this deception may start a child out on the wrong foot???
Actions do speak louder than words, and actions seen are lying, conspiring, and covering up, for years on end until the truth is discovered, and then people who are your role models, try to convince you of the lie again, and also, since you are the role model for younger siblings, don't tell them the truth or you'll be in big trouble. Great example to follow.

Which is better for a child, to tell them, on December 25th (birthday of the sun god-Baal of the Bible people sacrificed their children too)in America people who care about each other show their affection with gifts. And we love you so much we spent all this money and wrapped all these gifts to show you we care (buying our kids and showing them love equals money, which is a different story) but at least admitting it came from the parents. Or tell them that some man that they have never met and don't know will come through a chimney and bring them toys because they didn't raise to much hell that year-if you are good, benevolent strangers send you checks in the mail (a little priming for Joel Osteen and the Prosperity -Gospel-) and taking G*ds Name in Vain by reducing Him to a Divine Santa Claus and nothing more (Like the Pharisees who didnt wish to hear the teachings of Jesus, but only see a miracle-and the crowd who just returned for more Loaves and Fishes). I believe it would be better for a child to know that he is loved than to lie to him all through his formative years.

Seems that the whole Santa Claus cover-up ruins the kids and only benefits parents and advertisers. Advertisers make money off the Christmas decorations-which are bought by Christians (regretably)and non-Christians alike. If they just sold nativity scenes then they wouldn't make as much profit. And the parents benefit from having the children think Santa is watching them-since you can't say Jesus, God, or anything of that sort anymore. And the Non-Christian children will be duped into behaving as well.
Maybe the only benefit to the kids is that when they grow up, they can have this imaginary babysitter for their kids in the whole month of December as well???? No wonder Buddhists, Hindu's, and Wiccans all celebrate x-mas too! Aside from it coming from their religions instead of Christianity.

What Does G*d Say- aside from "Let your YES be YES and NO be NO, anything aside from this is from the EVIL ONE"


20But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
(1 Cor 10:20)

1st John 3:4 "Sin is Breaking the Law of G-d, in fact, anyone who Sins Breaks the LAW of G-d"

14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15And what concord hath Christ with Baal? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

(2 Cor 6:14-18)
Deuteronomy 13:1 "Everything I am Commanding you, you are to take care to do. Do not add to it or subtract from it." So, we can’t pick and choose which to keep.
2. Deuteronomy 7:26 "Do not bring something abbhorrent into your house, or you will share in the curse that is on it, instead, you are to detest it completely, loathe it utterly, for it is set apart for destruction". How does G*d feel about praying to dead people, Baal Trees, Santa Elves (which come from an Austrian Demons with Black fur and horns called Krampus), December 25th, which celebrates Baal resurrecting from the Dead, etc. He detests them.
3. Deuteronomy 12:30-31 "Be careful, after they have been destroyed ahead of you, NOT to be trapped into following them, so that you inquire after their gods and ask "How did these nations serves their gods? (with X-mas Trees, Easter Eggs, Maypoles), I want to do the same! You MUST NOT do this TO ADONNAI, Your God. For they have done to their gods all the abominations that Adonnai HATES!. They even burn up their sons and daughters in the fire for. their gods!” So, we CAN NOT Adopt their practices to worship G*d. To G*d this is disgusting. Wasn't Saul in big trouble in 2nd Samuel for trying to offer to God/worship God, with the very things God had said to destroy (Saul offered the gold of the pagans to G*d on the Altar-and we offer their instruments of Satan worship too).
God was upset with Cain for worhipping/remembering God, in the exact opposite way God desired. Vegetable and not animals, with pagan holidays He commanded be destroyed, not adopted, instead of the ones He set forth.
4. Deuteronomy 12:2 "You must DESTROY all the places where the nations you are dispossessing served their gods, whether on high mountains, on hills, or under some leafy tree). BREAK DOWN their altars, smash their standing stones to pieces, burned up their sacred poles and cut down the carved images of their gods. EXTERMINATE their name from that place." Burn the X-mas Tree, dont bring it into your house as an altar.
This answers what we are to do with the Pagan Symbols in our own houses.
Failure to do this has kept Wicca alive and prospering in America . In we are desenstived to things, we'll glady accept them. After a while, we don't even blink. Or we tell our kids, Paganism is okay as long as its not PURELY Satanic, only Half.
5. Deuteronomy 16:21 "You are not to plant any sort of tree as a sacred pole beside the altar of Adonnai your God, that you will make for yourselves. Likewise, do not set up a standing stone, Adonai your GOD HATES such things." Shows how G*d feels about Easter Egg Hunts and Christmas Trees in Churches. Which are all part of Demon worshi´p.
6. 1 Corinthians 10:21 (Whole Chapter)
You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. Paul repeating the same command to the Galatians who were trying toworship G*d using pagan methods and symbols.
Is G*d pleased with Offerings He said He did not Want?? Since its too hard to give up our Traditions, will He mind if we keep them??
7. Malachi 1:13 (Whole Chapter)
“You say, ‘It’s too hard to serve the Lord,’ and you turn up your noses at my commands,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Think of it! Animals that are stolen and crippled and sick are being presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?” asks the Lord. “If we say, “it is to hard to give up our traditions”, and if He was this upset over less than the best in sacrifices, what happens when we try to Honor Him with the symbols of Satan?
8.. Jeremiah 10:2-4Here is what Adonnai says:
"Don't learn the ways of the gentiles (pagan peoples), don't be frightened by astrological signs, even if the gentiles are afraid of them. for the customs of the people are nothing. They cut down a tree in the forest, a craftsman works it with his axe, they DECK IT WITH SILVER AND GOLD. They fix it (upright) with hammer and nails, so that it won't move." Not only the X-mas (Baal Tree) but the Winter Equinox December 25th, is also a Satanic Holy Day-actually the highest holy day on the pagan calendar, marked by Stone Henge.

Matthew 18:6
But whoso shall cause one on these little ones which believe in me to sin, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Matthew 5:17 "He who keeps the Least of the Commands and teaches others to do likewise will be called Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who fails to keep the least of these Commands and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven."

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
(I Kings 18:21)

1Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

2Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

5They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

(Jeremiah 10:1-5)


25The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therin: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.

26Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

(Deuteronomy 7:25-26)


29When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;

30Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

31Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

(Deuteronomy 12:29-31)
What Children Everywhere, Learned from Santa This Year
Does the Santa Claus myth harm anyone? Yes it does. How? Well, there are the Life Lessons Taught, and the Spiritual Lessons Taught-None of them Good. Chiefly, the first memory children have is of their parents lying to them-and then we are scratching our heads when our children dont trust what we tell them about Drugs, Heavy Drinking, Sleeping Around, or anything else??
Life Lessons Children Are Taught_
Santa Claus is and teaches:
1.A very extravagant lie-which shows lot of thought went into it-this wasn't a spur of the moment fib which is not okay to parents, but plotting deception is okay.
2. A lie that is told every year-which shows that its okay to lie to people over and over and over again until they get suspicious.
3. A lie that is very well hidden-parents go out of their way to prevent their children from discovering the truth. So its okay to cover up your lies.
4. A lie that advertisers flock around-so money is to be made from deception. And that's kewl.
5. A lie that other people are brought into all the time (lets all pretend that Santa exists)-so conspiracy is okay as well.
6. A lie that has been passed down through generations-to teach your kids to lie to their kids.
Does anyone think all this deception may start a child out on the wrong foot???
Actions do speak louder than words, and actions seen are lying, conspiring, and covering up, for years on end until the truth is discovered, and then people who are your role models, try to convince you of the lie again, and also, since you are the role model for younger siblings, don't tell them the truth or you'll be in big trouble. Great example to follow.
Which is better for a child, to tell them, on December 25th (birthday of the sun god-Baal of the Bible people sacrificed their children too)in America people who care about each other show their affection with gifts. And we love you so much we spent all this money and wrapped all these gifts to show you we care (buying our kids and showing them love equals money, which is a different story) ubt at least admitting it came from the parents. Or tell them that some man that they have never met and don't know will come through a chimney and bring them toys because they didn't raise to much hell that year-if you are good, benevolent strangers send you checks in the mail (a little priming for Joel Osteen and the Prosperity -Gospel-) and taking G*ds Name in Vain by reducing Him to a Divine Santa Claus and nothing more (Like the Pharisees who didnt wish to hear the teachings of Jesus, but only see a miracle-and the crowd who just returned for more Loaves and Fishes). I believe it would be better for a child to know that he is loved than to lie to him all through his formative years.
Seems that the whole Santa Claus cover-up ruins the kids and only benefits parents and advertisers. Advertisers make money off the Christmas decorations-which are bought by Christians (regretably)and non-Christians alike. If they just sold nativity scenes then they wouldn't make as much profit. And the parents benefit from having the children think Santa is watching them-since you can't say Jesus, God, or anything of that sort anymore. And the Non-Christian children will be duped into behaving as well.
Maybe the only benefit to the kids is that when they grow up, they can have this imaginary babysitter for their kids in the whole month of December as well????
Spiritual Lessons Children are Taught-
1. Since Santa (a childs first real idea of a G*d Figure) only gives gift to weathy children, then being Rich equals being Righteous, if you arent Rich, then you ticked G*d off somehow. Or, your parents ticked him off so the kids cant be blessed. (Who Sinned, this man or his Parents? Jesus says _neither- Santa Claus says, -this man-)
2. Everything your parents ever told you about G*d or Religion, is probably also a lie, since they were also lying about a mythical man in a red suit the same Sunday they sent you to Church.
3. G*d is the Divine Santa Claus. Just ask Santa (Pray to Santa, whom the Catholics say is a dead St. Called Nicholaus), instead of G*d, when you need or honestly desire something. Biblically, praying to the dead is called Necromancy.
4. Prosperity Gospel. All of G*ds Blessings are material.
5. It is better to RECEIVE than the GIVE.
6. Loved is best expressed with TOYS-Today Tickle Me Elmow, in Adulthood, buy your wife jewelry and a new car if she does what you want. Your time, you Love, your affect and presence, arent needed, just your money and what it can buy. If G*ds loves you, He will also give you more toys.
7. We can take customs from Satan worship and blend them with the worship of G*d, Why? Because we can do anything as long as the preacher nods his head, the churches winks an eye, and everyone else is doing it. For example, setting up Baal Tree in a Church, which celebrated the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Baal every December 25th, often with child sacrifice and drunken orgies or temple prostitution) You can find him all over the Bible.
8. Gifts are best given to people that can give you one back-Contrary to the Words of Jesus, that we should give to those who cannot give back to us, so that we will be rewarded.
9. No matter what you did in Life, if you make up for it in December, you will be okay in the afterlife. Like how kids learned to behave better in December, but never have a change of heart.
10. "Let your -Yes- be -Yes- and your -No- be -No-" doesnt apply when it may upset someone or burst their bubble. Is Santa Real?? ofcourse he is son/daughter.

Don't we consider much of the ancient world spiritually untrustworthy for believing in such mythological creatures as unicorns, krakens, and dragons (dinosaurs is what dragons were, reptiles grow until they die), and dieties such as Thor, Zeus, and Jupiter controlling the weather and bringing you blessing for doing what the Priests (Spiritual Symbol for Fathers) told them to do??. I wonder how dumb future archaeologists will consider us for believing the first 1/5 of our life that a man in a red suit climbs down chimneys with gravity defying livestock????
Doesn't that ruin our credibility as a society, especially as parents-borthers/Sisters????
What Does G*d Say- aside from "Let your YES be YES and NO be NO, anything aside from this is from the EVIL ONE"
Deuteronomy 13:1 "Everything I am Commanding you, you are to take care to do. Do not add to it or subtract from it." So, we can’t pick and choose which to keep.
2. Deuteronomy 7:26 "Do not bring something abbhorrent into your house, or you will share in the curse that is on it, instead, you are to detest it completely, loathe it utterly, for it is set apart for destruction". How does G*d feel about praying to dead people, Baal Trees, Santa Elves (which come from an Austrian Demons with Black fur and horns called Krampus), December 25th, which celebrates Baal resurrecting from the Dead, etc. he detests them.
3. Deuteronomy 12:30-31 "Be careful, after they have been destroyed ahead of you, NOT to be trapped into following them, so that you inquire after their gods and ask "How did these nations serves their gods? (with X-mas Trees, Easter Eggs, Maypoles), I want to do the same! You MUST NOT do this TO ADONNAI, Your God. For they have done to their gods all the abominations that Adonnai HATES!. They even burn up their sons and daughters in the fire for. their gods!” So, we CAN NOT Adopt their practices to worship G*d. To G*d this is disgusting. Wasn't Saul in big trouble in 2nd Samuel for trying to offer to God/worship God, with the very things God had said to destroy (Saul offered the gold of the pagans to G*d on the Altar-and we offer their instruments of Satan worship too).
God was upset with Cain for worhipping/remembering God, in the exact opposite way God desired. Vegetable and not animals, with pagan holidays He commanded be destroyed, not adopted, instead of the ones He set forth.
4. Deuteronomy 12:2 "You must DESTROY all the places where the nations you are dispossessing served their gods, whether on high mountains, on hills, or under some leafy tree). BREAK DOWN their altars, smash their standing stones to pieces, burned up their sacred poles and cut down the carved images of their gods. EXTERMINATE their name from that place." Burn the X-mas Tree, dont bring it into your house as an altar.
This answers what we are to do with the Pagan Symbols in our own houses.
Failure to do this has kept Wicca alive and prospering in America . In we are desenstived to things, we'll glady accept them. After a while, we don't even blink. Or we tell our kids, Paganism is okay as long as its not PURELY Satanic, only Half.
5. Deuteronomy 16:21 "You are not to plant any sort of tree as a sacred pole beside the altar of Adonnai your God, that you will make for yourselves. Likewise, do not set up a standing stone, Adonai your GOD HATES such things." Shows how G*d feels about Easter Egg Hunts and Christmas Trees in Churches. Which are all part of Demon worshi´p.
6. 1 Corinthians 10:21 (Whole Chapter)
You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. Paul repeating the same command to the Galatians who were trying toworship G*d using pagan methods and symbols.
Is G*d pleased with Offerings He said He did not Want?? Since its too hard to give up our Traditions, will He mind if we keep them??
7. Malachi 1:13 (Whole Chapter)
“You say, ‘It’s too hard to serve the Lord,’ and you turn up your noses at my commands,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Think of it! Animals that are stolen and crippled and sick are being presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?” asks the Lord. “If we say, “it is to hard to give up our traditions”, and if He was this upset over less than the best in sacrifices, what happens when we try to Honor Him with the symbols of Satan?
8.. Jeremiah 10:2-4Here is what Adonnai says:
"Don't learn the ways of the gentiles (pagan peoples), don't be frightened by astrological signs, even if the gentiles are afraid of them. for the customs of the people are nothing. They cut down a tree in the forest, a craftsman works it with his axe, they DECK IT WITH SILVER AND GOLD. They fix it (upright) with hammer and nails, so that it won't move." Not only the X-mas (Baal Tree) but the Winter Equinox December 25th, is also a Satanic Holy Day-actually the highest holy day on the pagan calendar, marked by Stone Henge.

Matthew 18:6
But whoso shall cause one on these little ones which believe in me to sin, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Matthew 5:17 "He who keeps the Least of the Commands and teaches others to do likewise will be called Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who fails to keep the least of these Commands and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven."

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
(I Kings 18:21)

20But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
(1 Cor 10:20)

1st John 3:4 "Sin is Breaking the Law of G-d, in fact, anyone who Sins Breaks the LAW of G-d"

14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

(2 Cor 6:14-18)


1Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

2Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

5They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

(Jeremiah 10:1-5)


25The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therin: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.

26Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

(Deuteronomy 7:25-26)


29When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;

30Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

31Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

(Deuteronomy 12:29-31)

As HE is, so are you ! BELIEVE IT, BREATHE IT, LIVE IT, ACCOMPLISH IT ! PRAISE GOD ALMIGHTY !!!

Romans 5 (Amplified Bible)

THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.

Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.

And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

While we were yet in weakness [powerless to help ourselves], at the fitting time Christ died for (in behalf of) the ungodly.

Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a noble and lovable and generous benefactor someone might even dare to die.

But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.

Therefore, since we are now justified (acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ's blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin's dominion) through His [resurrection] life.

Not only so, but we also rejoice and exultingly glory in God [in His love and perfection] through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received and enjoy [our] reconciliation.(A)

Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, [no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned.

[To be sure] sin was in the world before ever the Law was given, but sin is not charged to men's account where there is no law [to transgress].

Yet death held sway from Adam to Moses [the Lawgiver], even over those who did not themselves transgress [a positive command] as Adam did. Adam was a type (prefigure) of the One Who was to come [in reverse, the former destructive, the Latter saving].

But God's free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass [His grace is out of all proportion to the fall of man]. For if many died through one man's falling away (his lapse, his offense), much more profusely did God's grace and the free gift [that comes] through the undeserved favor of the one Man Jesus Christ abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many.

Nor is the free gift at all to be compared to the effect of that one [man's] sin. For the sentence [following the trespass] of one [man] brought condemnation, whereas the free gift [following] many transgressions brings justification (an act of righteousness).

For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

Well then, as one man's trespass [one man's false step and falling away led] to condemnation for all men, so one Man's act of righteousness [leads] to acquittal and right standing with God and life for all men.

For just as by one man's disobedience (failing to hear, heedlessness, and carelessness) the many were constituted sinners, so by one Man's obedience the many will be constituted righteous (made acceptable to God, brought into right standing with Him).

But then Law came in, [only] to expand and increase the trespass [making it more apparent and exciting opposition]. But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God's unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded,

So that, [just] as sin has reigned in death, [so] grace (His unearned and undeserved favor) might reign also through righteousness (right standing with God) which issues in eternal life through Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) our Lord.


More Than Conquerors
Romans 8:28-39

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[j] who[k] have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

36As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."[l] 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[m] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.



Never forget Romans 8:1-4

1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in sinful man,[d] 4in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.