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Oct. 28, 2009
Former Wiccan and Self-Proclaimed Witch Explain Why, as Christians, They No Longer Celebrate Halloween. Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? What Every Believer Should Know!
Many Christians embrace and celebrate Halloween either in ignorance of what the holiday truly means or in deliberate rebellion, ignoring Scripture that speaks on the subject or justifying their actions based on feelings. Since many Christians do not see Halloween for what it truly is, I decided to hold a simple Q&A session with two women who have a very unique perspective on this holiday. Both women are now Believers in Jesus, but these women were previously involved in the occult – either as Wiccans or as self-proclaimed witches.
As always, compare all human thoughts and opinions against God’s Word. However, do take into account the unique aspect that these two women bring to this discussion on whether or not Christians should celebrate Halloween.
Q. How did you get involved in Wicca or witchcraft? What was the attraction to it in the first place?
A. After my family left the Mormon Church when I was around ten years old, I continued attending with a friend until I was twelve or so. After stopping, I quickly adopted my parents burgeoning New-Age worldview. My father was heavily involved in rune magic at the time, and it didn’t take long before I was happily dawdling down the road to paganism behind him. **Jennifer**
I was raised in a very nominally Catholic family (though part of the extended family was Jewish)...we went to church periodically, and I went to both Catholic school in early elementary and later Catechism when I started attending public school. Unlike my family, I have always had a strong desire and hunger for spiritual things. My parents and brother found this to be quite a joke, and they teased me over it mercilessly as I grew up. I started to also be disappointed in my faith. I didn't really understand why Jesus died at this point; I was just saying I was a Christian because I thought I was from going to church. Around this same time (mid 80s I think?) the whole televangelist scandals happened, with preachers found to have mistresses and million dollar homes, and that made me cynical. Added to this was the drive by groups to ban or censor music, and it seemed like Christians were always protesting something...and it made me think, "If Christianity is always about being uptight and grouchy about other people having fun, I want nothing to do with it". This was my 15 year old, unsaved mind's reasoning. To this day I guard my involvement in political activities carefully, as I don't want to be a stumbling block to someone else.
At this same time, I had an assignment in an English class. We were reading "The Crucible", which was about the Salem Witch Trials. We were each told to pick one part of the trials, such as "Puritanism" or "Salem" or "Massachusetts colony". I drew my card out of the hat and drew out "Witchcraft". Being a thorough, studious sort of kid, I did some research. I actually went to a Wiccan bookstore that had just opened, and bought a used book on Witchcraft. I had been curious about the bookstore, especially since all of the Christians were protesting it, so this gave me an "excuse" to go there. I became friends with people there, and started to embrace Wicca.
The book I bought and the people I met compared and contrasted the stuffy, boring, uptight, judgmental Christians with the loving, sweet, nature-loving, and tolerant Wiccans, and used that to really suck me in. I need to repeat that though I grew up in a church, I had never heard, understood, or received for myself the saving power of God through the Blood of Christ, and so I was still a "natural man". I was only looking on the outside. After I asked someone at our Parish why Witchcraft is wrong and all she could say was "It's Satan worship and you'll go to hell for it!" or something to that effect...and I knew that the wiccans did not (directly) worship Satan, I thought, "Ok, so Christians really are ignorant, knee jerk reactionists! Sign me up for Wicca!" **Kimberly**
Q. How long did you practice Wicca or witchcraft?
A. I was involved in pagan/magic-working practices from the time I was a young teen until I was saved. I didn’t self-identify as a witch until three to four years before my conversion. So In total I’d been involved with the occult for approximately 13 years. **Jennifer**
From about 1985 until I got saved in August 1990. **Kimberly**
Q.When you were practicing pagan religions, what did you do on Halloween? What was significant or important about Halloween?
A. As a young child it did seem just innocent fun until I started investigating the roots of modern witchcraft for myself as an adult. Even as an occult-involved teen I never gave much thought to the underlying meaning of Halloween and just enjoyed myself. After becoming a practicing Witch as an adult, I recognized Halloween as the high-holy day of the Witches Year. It is referred to as Samhain – Soween – within the Celtic pagan community. It is identified as the time period where the veil between the worlds is thinnest, this time of year is revered as ideal for communication with the dead, heightened ‘spiritual’ awareness, and so forth. Pagans often chortle about the secularization, and even Christianization of pagan holy-days, and Halloween is amongst the most obvious. The fascination with death and spirits that continues to surround Halloween is evidence of this connection (think of the traditional costumes: ghosts, skeletons, witches, demons, murderers, etc.) Here’s an interesting wiki-listing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain that points out how Halloween is directly linked to the practices of Celtic-polytheism (workshop of many gods). **Jennifer**
The only thing that I loved about Halloween is the costumes, because I love costumes. I worked in a theater as a costumes seamstress, so this was my "thing". Before I became a Wiccan, it was just about dressing up and getting candy.
This may be hard to understand, but the way society celebrates Halloween and the way the Wiccans celebrate Halloween are two different things. You could say that it's like the way our materialistic culture has morphed Christmas into a selfish spend-fest where everyone is stressed out and excessively busy, and we as Christians bemoan the fact that the real observance --- the remembrance of God becoming flesh and dwelling among us --- has been lost to society, Wiccans feel the same way about "their" holiday, and frankly, who can blame them.
Wiccans see Halloween as one of the most sacred holidays on their calendar, as it is associated with the rise of the "god", and the going down of the "goddess" (signified by it becoming colder, darker, leaves falling off the trees, shorter days, etc.). Society (originating in England) celebrates it as dressing up in ghoulish (or worse) costumes and begging for candy, with some emphasis on the evil side of it, characteristic of witches riding broomsticks with pointy hats and green skin and other "spooky stuff".
Initially as a Wiccan, I practiced as a solitary Wiccan, as there was not covens open for new members at the time in my area. I did meet with a more experienced Wiccan woman often. I once went to a Halloween celebration as an observer only (they need a specific number for the magical practices inside of the circle). Later I was in a coven, but still only observed the circles.
[On Halloween] I mostly prayed incantations regarding the "rising of the god" and coming of winter, and later was an observer of coven circles. The things that went on there are not printable on a family blog. **Kimberly**
Q. When and how did you come to know the Lord?
A. I have such a hard time sharing my testimony in a short form! Briefly, God began drawing my heart towards His son through nearly every circumstance in my life. He combined my burden of sin with external promptings that pointed me towards Jesus continually. This was a slow process, and after two years of this torturous drawing I told Jesus to take my life, that I didn’t want it anymore, and he could do with it whatever he wished. If you’d like the long version, you can read it here: http://quiverfullfamily.com/2008/05/03/my-testimony/ **Jennifer**
The primarily tenet of Wicca is "As is none harm done, do it". In other words, everything is permissible if you are not hurting anyone else. Of course, no man is an island, and we may think we don't hurt those around us but we can and do hurt them by our sin. In obeying this tenet, I started down a path that eventually lead to a cynical hedonism while in my later years of college, some of this related to a roommate I had who introduced me to some things that I took a liking too. I basically went off the rails with anything and everything. By the time I finished college, I was not even invited to the coven (and didn't care), though I still self-identified with Wicca. I was drunk and high and everything else imaginable.
I will have my testimony actually published on www.Boundless.org on November 9th, but essentially, I took off for Eastern Europe, hitchhiked and traveled, chipped off pieces of the Berlin wall, and partied everywhere I went. I met a girl who was singing in a park, and though we didn't speak a common language well, she drew me pictures and witnessed to me in broken English. I left her, and later found myself stumbling into a Campus Crusade for Christ open air revival in Jan Huss square in downtown Prague, where somehow the Gospel penetrated my heart, and I got saved. **Kimberly**
Q. Why don't you participate in Halloween any longer?
A. So many of our Western ‘holidays’ are secularized/Christianized pagan holy-days. As a one-time pagan who mocked Christians who took part in these adulterated holidays, I can in no way celebrate them with my family. Halloween is only one on a list of holidays that have been co-opted from pagan belief systems: Christmas, Easter, Halloween – they may all be widely accepted, and the former two have had Jesus thrown into the mix, but their origins and symbolism remain largely pagan in nature.
I believe that reading these scriptures and applying them to any area of occult influence, whether it is a pagan holiday, or reading fiction that portrays witches and wizards in a positive light – these passages are broadly applicable for Christian living and remaining separate from pagan practices.
Ephesians 5:8-14 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[a]? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ ‘Therefore come out from them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’" **Jennifer**
There are several reasons. The first one, I don't see the point as to why we should. To me, it originates with a very directly pagan observance.
I find the emphasis on being "afraid" and promoting fear, scary stuff, etc. to be contrary to the fact that we have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Tim 1). Why emphasize death? Christ conquered death and the grave! I also feel that this "fun" exposure to the scary, terror stuff can inoculate young children to violence and evil. It's like how violent films desensitize us to violence.
Safety. It's hard enough to keep an eye on active young children, but put a costume on them, go for a walk in the dark with hundreds of other young kids in similar costumes on the street, in neighborhoods that are more often than not full of sex offenders (check your communities listing).
Is it a good precedent to teach children to essentially "beg" door to door? The Bible says that God's children don't "beg" (Psalm 37:25)...we have a society that is always looking for a handout and while I don't think that this is because of Halloween and trick or treating, I don't like encouraging kids to be beggars.
Essentially, I found trick or treating to be like a washed out version of what the real holiday was about for a Wiccan, so I didn't participate in that any more, and I was older anyway by that point. I've not gone trick or treating at all since that time. **Kimberly**
Q. Are there specific experiences that you had as a Wiccan who celebrated Halloween that led to your decisions as why you don't celebrate it any longer?
A. I can’t say that there is any specific experience I can point to, but rather the general understanding of Christianity and the holidays Christians celebrate that I held as a pagan.
Brothers and sisters, know that there are pagans watching you and laughing. That may seem harsh, but it is true – the adopt of pagan holidays into the life of a Christian has in no way strengthened the faith or made it more palatable in the eyes of unbelievers, it has only weakened it, and made it seem derivative. I can so clearly remember explaining to others that Jesus is just another manifestation of the sacrificial Summer-King who dies to ensure the well-being of his people – that this is evident through his portrayal in being born at Winter Solstice (as the sun-god is), dying and rising again at Easter (Eostre) as the green-god, the consort of the goddess does in the Spring as he is planted into the ground and dies only to be born again as the grain crop.
I always knew that the gods I worshipped were the creations of man, false gods, and now that I belong to Him I know the deep, everlasting reality of His life, His truth, His love. It breaks my heart to know that pagans misunderstand Jesus because of tacking him onto pagan celebrations – but that is a post for another day! Even holidays that are still primarily pagan are in no ways appropriate for Christians to celebrate, as it mars their witness to partake in a pagan celebration.
I have to make something clear – I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with candy, or wearing princess dress-up clothes, we do both of those things in our home. However, when we do these things within the context of a pagan celebration, we are in essence behaving like the un-Godly culture that surrounds us. Both in the Old and New Testaments God carefully shepherds His people, asking them to abstain from pagan expressions of faith and celebration. Unfortunately, Christians who partake in Halloween are partaking in a pagan celebration.
I realize that there are many sincere brothers and sisters in the faith that celebrate Halloween out of a sense of family tradition, or culturally normative – I’d like to encourage you to examine the scriptures in light of this celebration, to seek God’s face, and to pray His will be done in your life. I hope you’ll read these words in the spirit they are intended – I have no desire to condemn you and yours as you continue to grow in your walk with the Lord.
Do our actions really matter in relation to Halloween or is it just innocent fun? Yes, unreservedly, yes. As parents we are responsible for planting seeds in the lives of our children. Halloween and its emphasis upon the dark spiritual world may unknowingly plant a seed that later blooms into a fascination with the occult.
As previously mentioned, our Christian witness before pagans is marred due to our involvement with their ‘holy days’
Most importantly, as the above scriptures make clear, God wants us to walk in the light. As His children we should not seek to partake of the works of darkness or to commune with them. All children seek to emulate their father – having been adopted into God’s family, we are no longer children of Satan, and we should no longer walk as such.**Jennifer**
Not really, other than knowing where it originated. What I mean is...not directly. Because of my involvement in [things of the] occult in the past, I avoid things that just "feel" demonic to me. It's hard to say, but my spirit just cringes this time of year. It's like putting a smiling, happy face on the demonic.
I think you'll find this to be true in most of us who were once Wiccans...it goes beyond Halloween, to a greater sensitivity in this realm in general. It's the whole Romans 14 argument about the weaker brother. I am a weaker brother when it comes to anything that has occult overtones because I know the draw that once had on me, and in a moment of weakness it could possibly be a stumbling block again. **Kimberly**
Thank you to Jennifer Bogart and Kimberly Eddy for sharing your hearts on this subject of Halloween. Please take some time to read the below verses and meditate on how these verses relate to celebrating Halloween. Also, remember to be a WITNESS amongst the lost, but also remember that Jesus worked AMONG the heathen, but he did not take up their customs and practices, which is exactly what one is doing in celebrating Halloween. You can be AMONGST the "heathen", without IMITATING them in their pagan rituals.
Romans 1:18, 21, 24, 28 "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness...For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened...Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires...Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done."
Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Leviticus 20:23-24, 26 "You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them...I am the LORD your God, who has set you apart from the nations....You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own."
Proverbs 4:18 "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." We are to be a shining light, a city on a hill. We are to be DIFFERENT!
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God...Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.'"
Jeremiah 10:2 "Learn not the way of the heathen."
For more information on the origins of Halloween, please visit the below links!
Devotional/Sermon/Teaching Ideas
Ideas for Halloween Outreach(suggested only for teens, as the scary costumes can really frighten small children or "create appetites" for Halloween that are not biblical)
History of Halloween
Satanism & Halloween
Christians Celebrating Halloween
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Oct. 20, 2009
Halloween - Pagan to the Core!
Read the article HERE!
"America, it is time to wake up. We cannot continue to disobey God and enjoy peace and freedom and prosperity. If we are true to obey God, God will be true to forgive our sins and to bless us before the world! Start reading your Bible! Learn what it is that your God wants you to know. The God who created you wants you to be their friends! Both the Father and the Son are God (John 1) and have invited us into their family!"
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Sep. 4, 2009
Building a Biblical Worldview
by David Quine via Homeschool Highlights
With great respect for his message and mission we asked homeschool dad, David Quine to address our readers. David Quine is founder of The Cornerstone Curriculum Project and author of some excellent resources designed for use particularly in the family setting. His newest course, Starting Points includes an obliging selection of living books to begin teaching worldview. His three high school courses, World Views of the Western World are masterpieces – classical education entrenched in Christian understanding.
- Editors
It is my passion to teach and encourage parents to build their lives and their children’s lives upon the biblical worldview. It started back in 1972 when my wife Shirley and I were working with Campus Crusade for Christ at a university campus. We realized that most students were ill prepared and inadequately equipped to give a solid biblical explanation for the faith that we have in Jesus Christ. Whether the child was in a Sociology class, a Biology class, or a Geology class, he was being challenged in his Christian faith.
 I went back to school to get a degree in Curriculum Design so that I could learn how to write educational materials to assist parents and teachers in the writing and implementation of a biblical way of looking at the world. We have been involved in homeschooling since 1980 and have ten children between the ages of 10 and 26.
I believe there is no single topic of greater significance than looking at life from the biblical worldview. In the 1960s and 70s, Francis Schaeffer asked this one penetrating question, “How should we then live?” Dr. Schaeffer’s answer is that we should be living according to a biblical worldview, a foundation that is laid upon Christ. I believe that question still resounds today in the 21st century. How should we then live? Are we going to embrace the biblical view, or are we going to embrace the nonbiblical view? Today what we see happening in some segments of Christianity is the fusion and synchronization of the two. We must be careful against that. In Back to Freedom and Dignity, Dr. Schaeffer said that Christians must pay close attention to the course of events. We are going to be called upon to answer questions that we have never considered before. We must be prepared to give an answer. In short, Christians must prepare to take the lead in giving direction to cultural change. If it goes poorly, as well it might in this post-Christian world, then we must be consciously preparing the next generation for the new battles that it will face. We must be consciously working and developing in our children’s lives a foundation that is based only upon the biblical worldview.
THE REST HERE....
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Aug. 25, 2009
Remove Christian children from government schools - The Southern Baptist Debate
Jun. 24, 2009
Wycliffe Bible Translators FREE Curriculum!
May. 22, 2009
FREE Unit Study on Billy Sunday--Heroes of the Faith Series
This is EXCELLENT and best of all, it's FREE from Currclick! Even if it wasn't free right now, I'd be all into this unit study. I can't wait to show it to the kids! ~ Lisa Metzger
Directions on how to get this FREE
- Click on banner below
- Go to the "Quick Find" search box and type in "Billy Sunday"
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Apr. 20, 2009
New Post from Annalise (16) at God's Plan for Families
Apr. 13, 2009
God's Plan for Families - Metzger Kids Post, Ideas for Family Worship, Homeschooling Adopted Children & More
Apr. 7, 2009
The Metzger Children Join the Family Blog - God's Plan for Families!
We are so happy to announce that The Metzger's new family blog, God's Plan for Families, will be featuring articles from FIVE of our EIGHT children in the very near future! We will be adding three new categories, under the title ~ Setting Examples in Their Youth, which is taken from 1 Timothy 4:12 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, and in purity."
High Expectations - Pursuits of a Godly Teen
Annalise is 16 years old and is a beautiful young woman of God! Unlike many of today's teenagers, she doesn't seek to rebel against the authority placed over her by God, but seeks to work alongside those in authority, doing what the Lord would have her to do as a teenager and young adult. She seeks to fulfill, and truly does fulfill, the high expectations set by God, by herself, and by us, her parents. She longs to minister to other teens, showing them how to resist the world's entrapment of rebellion and self-centeredness and how to live a life "worthy of the calling" they have received! We look forward to hearing from Annalise on how teens can live life for God, setting high expectations for themselves using Scripture as a guide!
Blossoming in Grace - The Metzger Girls
Kaitlyn is 9 years old and is a budding young writer who wants to share her thoughts on what God has shown her through Scripture. She also likes to write on what it's like being part of a large homeschooling family. She, like Annalise, is maturing in grace. Both of the oldest Metzger girls - Annalise and Kaitlyn - are looking forward to contributing to the "Blossoming in Grace" section, which will address topics such as, training to be a homemaker, homeschooling, learning to help teach younger siblings, cooking, cleaning, hospitality, babysitting, gardening, modesty, getting along in a large family, Scripture memory and how to embrace your noble calling from God!
Groundwork for Manhood - The Metzger Boys
Ethan, 8, Trey, 7, and Jake, 4 1/2, are going to be contributing to the "Groundwork for Manhood" section. Topics will include: embracing responsibility, learning to enjoy working hard, preparing to provide for a family, homeschooling, being best friends with your siblings, fishing, camping, chores, training to lead family devotions, being a leader, training for leadership, and enjoying who God created you to be - a MAN of God!
If you or any of your children or teens have any issues or questions they would like to see addressed or answered, please e-mail Lisa with your questions, suggestions or comments. We'd love to see God's Plan for Families grow to be a ministry to the entire family, including children and teens! We are always open to thoughts, suggestions and questions on how to make this useful to your family.
Remember to subscribe to our blog for future updates!
Mark and Lisa Metzger
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Apr. 3, 2009
New Post at God's Plan for Families: God Ordained Independence for our Children - Without Battling for Control
Mar. 29, 2009
God's Plan For Families - Brand New Metzger Family Blog!
Mar. 27, 2009
The Dangers of Children Playing with Romance
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What role does Dad play in his daughter’s life? Michael Farris suggests day-to-day strategies to build character and spiritual strength in your daughter—from infancy to adulthood. His solid, practical advice covers choosing friends, setting spiritual goals, preparing for career choices, and courtship and marriage. Father of six daughters (and four sons!), Farris shares how you can help your daughter realize her God-given potential.
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Program Audio--Click here to Listen Online.
The Dangers of Children Playing with Romance
Volume 88, Program 26
3/23/2009
Kids in love—it’s easy to see it as a simple, picture-perfect state. But there’s another angle we need to notice. Divorce, unwed mothers, abortion—all involve a form of romance gone awry. As Mike Farris shares today on Home School Heartbeat, many of these problems started back in childhood and early adolescence.
Mike Farris:
A federal trial centered around the circumstances that caused a 13-year-old girl to commit suicide after the break-up of a romantic relationship on MySpace. The national response focused on cyber-bullying and harassment—and of course, that needs some attention. But apparently, nobody worries about the potentially dire consequences of 13-year-olds engaging in romantic relationships.
Recent studies have found that teenage pregnancy rates continue to rise in this country. Notably, the highest rates are in traditionally conservative, so-called red states, including the Bible belt. Secular commentators have had a field day discussing the fact that evangelical teens have sex at a younger age and with more partners than non-evangelicals. Researchers focus on sex, but nobody talks about the danger of children playing with romance.
Pro-family conservatives have long preached that young people should practice physical abstinence before marriage. Liberals have labeled such advice as unrealistic. It is unrealistic to expect a teenager who’s been pursuing a romantic relationship since age 12 or so to have only a limited physical relationship for many, many years.
Children in their early teens are simply too young to handle both the physical and the emotional side of a romantic relationship.
I’m Mike Farris.
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Mar. 18, 2009
Our Priestly Responsibility Part 3 - Power Parenting!
1 Samuel 12:23, "God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way."
We cannot underestimate the power of prayer. It is more powerful than anything else we can do for our children. In Exodus 28:29 God instructed that Aaron should bear the names of the children of Israel "upon his heart... for a memorial before the Lord continually."
The memorial is a remembrance. When we bring our children before the Lord we remind Him of them. Of course, God knows them, but He wants us to remind Him of them. There can be no more powerful thing a parent can do that to bring the names of their children before the Lord. Every day you can remind the Lord of your children.
This was such a high priority to God that He made it very tangible and practical. He didn't just say, "I want Aaron to pray for the tribes of Israel when he comes into my presence." Instead, He ordained for their names to be engraved on precious stones on his shoulders and on beautiful jewels over his heart.
I know your children's names are upon your heart, but you may also like to write, engrave or make something tangible that you can take into God's presence when you pray for them each day. I like to lay my hand over my heart as I pray for my children each day, emphasizing the fact that they are upon my heart. I have also written the names of our children and grandchildren on decorated paper and the prayer requests on another paper which I have laminated. Although we pray for them verbally, I like to place this before the Lord as we pray. I may not get to verbally bring every request I have listed before the Lord each day, but at least they are presented before Him.
These are some of the things that Colin and I pray for our children and grandchildren each day...
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That they will have a real born again experience and come to know God personally. (John 3:3)
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That they will have soft, tender hearts to hear the voice of the Lord and that they will walk humbly before Him. ((Isaiah 57:15; 66:2; 1 Peter 5:5-6)
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That they will love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. (Mark 12:50)
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That God will pour out His Holy Spirit upon them. (Isaiah 44:3-4)
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That they will love the Word of God, love to pray, and love to fellowship with the saints. (1 Peter 2:2; Psalm 55:17; Hebrews 10:25)
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That they will love righteousness and hate evil. (Psalm 97:10; 101:3; Amos 5:15; John 17:15-16; Romans 12:9)
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That they will hate lies and deception and seek after truth. (Psalm 51:6; 119:30; 163; Proverbs 12:22; 13:5; 19:9)
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That they will stand up for truth and never compromise; that they will stand and keep on standing against all opposition. (Ephesians 6:13-14)
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That they will hate the spirit of this world, but instead, bring God's love and salvation to the needy in this world. (John 17:18; Philippians 2:15; 1 John 2:15-17)
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That they will understand true justice and have discernment regarding good and evil, the holy and the profane. (Leviticus 10:10; Isaiah 59:14-15; Jeremiah 15:19; Ezekiel 22:26)
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That they will seek God with all their hearts. (Psalm 27:8; 105:4; 119:2; Proverbs 28:5; Zephaniah 2:3)
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That their whole spirit, soul and body will be kept pure and blameless unto the coming of the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
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That God will give them godly wives and husbands. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
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That they will love and embrace children and establish godly homes. (Psalm 27 and 28: Malachi 2:15)
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That God will keep them from accident, harm, sickness and danger, and all enemy attack. Psalm 91)
We also pray for the coming generations that they will continue to walk in the ways of the Lord.
Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
PRAYER:
"Thank you, Lord, that you have ordained that I am to remind you of our children and grandchildren. Help me to be a faithful remembrancer before your throne. Amen"
AFFIRMATION:
I will not cease to pray for my children.
Many women like to save these devotions. They print them out and keep them in a folder to read over and over again. Some print them out and pin them on the fridge with a magnet to read through the week. If you are printing this devotion and need it to be smaller, highlight and change to a smaller font.
If you know others who would be blessed by these devotions, you are welcome to forward them or let them know they can subscribe by sending a blank email to subscribers-on@aboverubies.org
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Mar. 12, 2009
Celebrate Jesus at Easter! Devotionals with activities for Easter!
This looks really good...we LOVE the Christmas/Advent one (listed below, as well), which we have used for 4 years now! I just ordered one of the Easter one and I know I'll be just as pleased. You can get them used from one penny! How cool is that?!?
Lisa
UPDATE: THE PENNY SPECIAL ENDED, BUT YOU CAN STILL GET THEM FROM $1.97
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Mar. 12, 2009
Resurrection Day Cookies
I got this from the Above Rubies Yahoo Group! These are great ideas!
~ Lisa
To be made the evening before Resurrection Sunday...
Resurrection Day Cookies
To be made the evening before Resurrection Sunday...
1cup whole pecans
1tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
zipper baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible
Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important, don't wait till you're half done
with the recipe!)
Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon
to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was
Beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1tsp vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain
that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read
John 19:28-30.
Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His
life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the
rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus'
followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves
us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are
formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of
those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.
Read Matthew 27:57-60.
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give
each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was
sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven
overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read
John 16:20 and 22.
On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked
surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus'
followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.
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Mar. 3, 2009
Our Priestly Responsibility Part 2 - Power Parenting!
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Exodus 28:29 says, "Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the Lord continually."
The High priest also wore a breastplate made up of the same beautiful colors as the ephod. On the breastplate they attached four rows of precious gem stones which were each set in gold. They had to engrave the name of a tribe of Israel on each of the stones. God reveals how precious each one of the chosen tribes of Israel is to Him by engraving their names on these beautiful jewels. In fact, He calls them His "jewels." Malachi 3:17 says, "And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels." The word "jewels" here means "special treasure."
Each jewel was not the same, but different and distinct from the others, revealing the difference in nature and character of the twelve tribes. Each son had a different personality and a specific destiny ordained by God. As the high priest walked around, the jewels on the breastpiece shone and sparkled with their different colors and hues. It is the same with our children. Each one is different and unique and created by God for a particular destiny. We must not expect them to be the same as each other; each one has their own special glory and beauty.
The breastpiece was made of one piece of material. Although each son of Israel was different, they represented a unified whole. They were one nation. Although each one of our children has different traits and giftings, we are one family. Diversity and unity together. This is God's plan for marriage; the wife and husband have totally different functions but they are to be one. Our body is made up of many members, each fulfilling a difficult function, but it is one body. The church has many members, but is meant to be one body. And so in our families. In all our differences we must keep the unity. We are one family.
There was something else in the breastpiece beside the precious jewels. Exodus 28:30 reads, "And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummin; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the Lord; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually." The Urim and the Thummin are rather a mystery, but the words mean "lights" and "perfections", or an easier way to remember them is "light" and "right".
Through the Urim and Thummim, God, who is the Father of lights and the perfection of all understanding and truth would give counsel to the High Priest regarding the children of Israel. He would show Aaron how to minister justice and judgment, for the breastplate was a "breastplate of judgment."
The Urim and Thummim were a type that looked to the future. We no longer need the Urim and Thummim to give us direction and counsel, as the high priest needed. As we wait upon the Lord, the Holy Spirit who now indwells, us will teach us and give us answers for the challenges of parenting our children. In the Gospel of John we read, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost... he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance...He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment... He will guide you into all truth."(John 14:26: 16:8-11, 13)
No wonder we need to bring our children before the Lord in prayer. We need His guidance desperately. God commanded Aaron to "bear the names of the children of Israel... upon his heart, when he goes in unto the holy place." (Exodus 28:29). We must not only carry the names of children upon our shoulders but also upon our heart. If they are on our heart, we will want to pray for them. We express our greatest love for our children when we pray for them. It is proof that they are in our hearts when we intercede for them.
Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
PRAYER:
"Lord, I need your wisdom and guidance as I parent my children. I thank you that you are my Counselor and I look to you for your understanding and help. Amen."
AFFIRMATION:
I show my love to my children by praying for them.
Many women like to save these devotions. They print them out and keep them in a folder to read over and over again. Some print them out and pin them on the fridge with a magnet to read through the week. If you are printing this devotion and need it to be smaller, highlight and change to a smaller font.
If you know others who would be blessed by these devotions, you are welcome to forward them or let them know they can subscribe by sending a blank email to subscribers-on@aboverubies.org
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Feb. 19, 2009
Our Priestly Responsibility Part 1 - Power Parenting!
| I shared a little of the following in an article printed in Above Rubies # 74 entitled, Power Parenting! What is the Secret? However, I would like to share with you some further thoughts I have been meditating upon lately.
Exodus 28:12, "So Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial."
I love the typology of the Priesthood and how everything in the tabernacle in the wilderness relates to us today. The tabernacle followed a heavenly pattern but also shows us a pattern for our lives today. God commanded that the High Priest's clothing was to be for glory and for beauty. I want to tell you about two aspects of his beautiful garments.
Firstly the ephod, which was a garment skillfully embroidered with gold thread and blue, purple and scarlet yarn. It was joined with two shoulder-pieces in which were fastened two onyx stones. God told them to engrave the names of the children of Israel on the stones, six on one and six on the other, in order of their birth. These stones were not the onyx stone we know today. The word in the Hebrew means "to shine with the luster of fire." It was obviously an exquisite shining jewel. Even more than that, they were to be set in gold. This reveals the preciousness of the sons of Israel to God. They were His chosen people, the apple of His eye. This is how we should see our children.
Exodus 28:12 says, "And you shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. So Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial."
The names of the tribes of Israel were not graven on these precious stones for an ornament, but to be carried on the priests' shoulders into the presence of the Lord. The high priest bore the responsibility of the people's spiritual life. It is on the shoulders that we carry burdens and weights. In the same way, the father (the priest of every home), along with the mother, carry the burden of their children upon their shoulders in prayer. It is a burden that we must not forsake. If we as parents do not carry this burden for our children, who will?
Not only do the shoulders speak of carrying a burden, but they speak of governing responsibility. Speaking of Jesus and His final victory as king of the world, Isaiah 9:6-7 says, "The government shall be upon his shoulder... of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end... and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever."
It is our governmental responsibility as parents to bring our children before the Lord in prayer. God gives us authority as parents. We are not to take this lightly. One of the ways we show our governing responsibility is to intercede for them. It is in the place of prayer that we learn to parent with true justice. God chose Abraham because he knew that he would "command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." (Genesis 18:17-19)
We are to raise our children with justice and judgment. We cannot do this with our own wisdom. Our wisdom tends to humanism and tolerance. God's wisdom moves in the balance of justice and mercy. Only God can teach us the balance. For the sake of our parenting and the sake of our children we cannot afford to lay down our parental task of daily bringing our children before the Lord upon our shoulders.
Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
PRAYER:
"Lord, please help me to take my children upon my shoulders and daily bear my responsibility in prayer. Amen."
AFFIRMATION:
My shoulders will become strong as I carry my children in prayer before the Lord.
Many women like to save these devotions. They print them out and keep them in a folder to read over and over again. Some print them out and pin them on the fridge with a magnet to read through the week. If you are printing this devotion and need it to be smaller, highlight and change to a smaller font.
If you know others who would be blessed by these devotions, you are welcome to forward them or let them know they can subscribe by sending a blank email to subscribers-on@aboverubies.org
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Jan. 26, 2009
U.N. Treaty Might Weaken Families
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Washington Times Op-ed
by J. Michael Smith
HSLDA President
One of the issues American families could face this year is the ramifications from a treaty called the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
You may ask, "How could a treaty directly affect internal decision-making by American families?" We generally think of treaties as agreements affecting international relations between countries. The U.N., however, has initiated treaties that not only affect international relations, but also the domestic relations of member nations as well. These treaties, sometimes called "conventions," require member nations that ratify the treaty to implement the requirements as binding law or rules.
On Nov. 20, 1989, the U.N. adopted the CRC and submitted it for ratification to the member nations. It has been ratified by 193 nations—the United States is one of the few countries that has not ratified it.
The ratification process requires a two-thirds vote by the U.S. Senate. On Feb. 16, 1995, Madeleine Albright, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., signed the CRC on behalf of the United States. The CRC, however, has never been sent to the Senate for ratification because there is insufficient support to pass it.
Due to the recent election, however, there are rumblings from Capitol Hill that there will be an effort to seek ratification of the CRC during the next congressional cycle. Hillary Rodham Clinton is a strong supporter of the treaty, and as secretary of state, would have direct control over the submission of treaties to the Senate.
Why should passage of the CRC be of concern? It likely would have a negative impact on domestic law and practice in the United States. Article VI of our Constitution makes treaties—and remember, conventions are viewed as treaties—"the supreme law of the land." The CRC would be treated as superior to laws in every state regarding the parent-child relationship. This would include issues regarding education, health care, family discipline, the child's role in family decision-making, and a host of other subjects.
Article 43 of the CRC establishes an international committee on the rights of the child to examine compliance by member nations. This committee, which sits in Geneva, has final authority concerning interpretation of the language contained in the CRC.
Two central principles of the CRC clearly are contrary to current U.S. laws related to parent-child relationships. The CRC provides that in all matters relating to children, whether private or public, or in courts, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration. Additionally, nations should ensure that children are capable of expressing their views freely in all matters affecting them, giving due weight to the age and maturity of the child.
This is contrary to traditional American law, which provides that absent proof of harm, courts and social workers simply do not have the authority to intervene in parent-child relationships and decision-making. The importance of this tradition and practice is that the government may not substitute its judgment for that of the parent until there is proof of harm to the child sufficient to justify governmental intervention. It is clear that in two very important areas of the parent-child relationship, religion and education, there will be potential for tremendous conflict.
The international committee in Geneva, in reviewing the laws of practice of countries that have ratified the CRC, has expressed its concern that parents could homeschool without the view of the child being considered; that parents could remove their children from sex-education classes without the view of the child being considered; that parents were legally permitted to use corporal punishment; and that children didn't have access to reproductive health information without parental knowledge.
The bottom line is the CRC would drastically weaken the United States' sovereignty over family life, which would have a substantial impact on every American family. For more information on the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, visit www.parentalrights.org/learn.
Michael Smith is the president of the Home School Legal Defense Association. He may be contacted at (540)338-5600; or send email to media@hslda.org.
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Jan. 11, 2009
Shouldn't We Let Our Kids be Kids? Aren't We Expecting Too Much of Them?
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A lot of people look at larger families wonder why they have their "older" kids help out so much with chores and responsibilities. A lot of times we may hear the phrase, “Just let kids be kids”. Some might also think that the older children in a large family are taking on parental roles, rather than enjoying their childhood. While I think that kids can be taken advantage of in this way (in extreme cases, mind you), I think that this is a very dangerous mindset that many parents have adopted.
Unfortunately, today's society teaches us that life should be easy, kids should be kids, that we should take the easy way out in life, but in all reality I can't find where it says any of that in Scripture. In fact, Scripture says that LEADERS and SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE will work hard! Using the below Scriptures when teaching children about chores and hard work will mold their spirits now and train them for their futures! This is why we believe that children should regularly contribute to household maintenance and learn how to take care of younger children and babies. Who doesn't want to prepare their children for life and to be godly leaders anyway?
*Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed. Proverbs 12:24
*He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. Proverbs 12:11
*All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23
*Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:22-24
I believe that the modern development of adolescence stems from parents wanting to make life easy and carefree for their children. See this article. Yes, they should be kids. But I have never found children in the Bible to have been without responsibilities. This is a recent trend. Adolescence (and the attitude which accompanies that terminology) are all quite new and modern and does not exist in MANY areas of the world. If you look at most children who are appreciated enough in their homes to have responsibilities and have learned to pitch in and help their family, they are well-rounded young adults, ready to be leaders at fairly young ages. So, the Bible is true in the above verses! I believe children should learn to help out and take care of small children and babies. They should not be disciplining or parenting - that is the parents' God-given responsibility - but they should be contributing and learning life skills!
Lisa Metzger
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Dec. 2, 2008
Psalm 1 and the Education of Your Children
"If Psalm 1 is to be believed, we must not allow our children to stand, sit or walk with those who deny biblical truth and morality. Instead, we must place them in situations that will aid them in meditating on the law of the Lord 'day and night.' Surely this involves how and where they are to be educated."
Psalm 1
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
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