Happy Holidays

As I embark on the half way point of my "winter break", I want to wish all of you happy holidays! For those of you that I go to church with, you are drumming up a way in your mind to ex-communicate me from the church for saying happy holidays. This year, as in the recent few years, the media, shopping malls, restaurants, local business, and the general public has opted to use the phrase "Happy Holidays" instead of Merry Christmas, universities and other school systems are taking a "Winter Break" from classes instead of Christmas break. This is our time Christians.......stand up for CHRISTmas. When someone says to you "Happy Holidays" quickly return a smile and a "Merry Christmas"...don't back down soldier, this Christmas, make it a point to say merry Christmas, and stay away from the worldly "Happy Holidays."

I am sure you have all gotten some type of forward reminding you to keep Christ in Christmas, or some of you have taken measures to put a sign in your front yard stating to "Keep Christ in Christmas." Evangelicals have used this season to stand up and say "Merry Christmas" when they check out at Walmart. This is a great way to keep Christ in Christmas when everyone around us is trying to kick him out.

But that is not why I am writing tonight. I am not patting anyone on the back saying "great job...put the check on your report card for this year and drop it in the tithe box on your way out." I write to say "What now?"

Now that we have all made it our point when we are out in public to keep Christ in Christmas, it seems that we stop. We put Christ in Christmas when the calendar hits December 1, and take Him out of our conversation once we hit the stores on December 26th hoping to get wrapping paper 50% off. What our world doesn't need is a million evangelical's eager to chant Merry Christmas during the month of December, and ready to hang up our badges after Christmas.

Our world, our co-workers, our classmates, the people ringing up our socks at Walmart.....they are LOST!! They don't need elf Christians. What are elf Christians? Well, you see, Santa has to have someone make his toys at the North Pole. Elves make toys for all of the children, and Santa delivers them. Elves have the perfect job. Elves only work from after Thanksgiving until December 24th. Then, they are done. Elf Christians are the same! They work from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas, and they are off the rest of the time.

When are Christians going to start keeping Christ in their speech all the time? Are Christians clocking out after Christmas? We should not be clocking out. 1 Peter 2:10-12 says

^"10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. ¹²Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

We aren't supposed to only be different around Christmas time by saying Merry Christmas, but we are to always be different. We are to constantly live our lives to glorify God, keeping Christ in not only Christmas, but the whole year round.

Philippians 4:8-9
⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Begin keeping Christ in your thoughts causing your lives to be different. Proclaim the Savior!