Featured Halloween is near! What will You do?

Our church does not set aside any day to recognize demons and evil spirits.

 

We take time to set aside that day to recognize going out in a fun costume and getting candy.

 

I'll take my daughter trick or treating.

 

When we lived in town thirty years ago, for Halloween we gave out mini-booklets of scripture which the kids loved. We had close friends who owned a Christian book store that we obtained them from.

 

Our church is hosting a family fall festival this year.

 

On Sunday night, our church is having a "Trunk or Treat" activity for the children.

Since I'm nearly 70 YO and never had any children at all, and don't really know what a "Trunk or Treat" is, I probably won't be going.
I'm pretty well handicapped due to the stroke I had 4 years ago, plus it's really hard for me to drive at night.
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I'm not that much into celebrating "holidays" any way, since what the world calls a "holiday" used to, in some way, be considered a "Holy Day"--In fact, that's where we got the word "holiday," personally I don't see how a person can consider so-called "Christian 'Holidays'" like "Christmas" which supposedly is the birthday of Christ. My issues with this so-called "Holiday" are:
1) God's Word never tells us to observe December 25 as Jesus's "birthday." Why spend all the $$$ for something the Bible no where tells us to do so?
2) If Christmas is the birthday of Jesus, shouldn't all our gifts be given to the one whose birthday we're celebrating? I don't recall Mary or Joseph giving their son any presents, nor do I see people today giving the person whose "birthday" it supposedly is any birthday presents.
3) Much of this celebrating of December 25 as Christ's "birthday" is in contradiction to what the Bible tells us about the events surrounding His birth, e.g., the pagan astrologers we call the "wise men" didn't show up at a barn-like structure we falsely call a "manger."

The "mangers" weren't wooden structures built out in the open like we so often see in people's yards, or, even worse, in front of church buildings--many of which claim that they strictly adhere to the truth that's found in God's Word!

Well, if those churches knew much about how sheep were stabled in Christ's day, they'd have cave-like affairs in their yards, not some open-faced barns.

And what about the so-called "'Wise Men' from the east" that we read about in Matthew 2:1 -12? They certainly weren't your ordinary "know-it-all's." Quite to the contrary, as Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D., writes in his massive 1,500+ page The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament in his entry on page 935 the following about the Greek word that our English Bibles translated as "wise men," we read the following:
magos Magi, the name for priests and wise men among the Medes, Persians and Babylonians. Great, powerful men. Magi specialized in the study of astrology and enchantment, and thus were known as enchanters, magicians who specialized in using dangerous drugs as a means to cast enchantments either on themselves or on their wealthy Babylonian or Persian clients.

As astrologers, they were interested in observing the skies in order to draw up horoscopes for these influential clients--some of which were powerful men who possessed satanic powers (Think of the "magicians" in the court of the Egyptian Pharaoh who challenged Moses by duplicating some of the plagues as is recorded in Exodus 8.) that they often employed in the practice of their pagan religions.

Exactly how these magi determined that this "star in the east" (Matt. 2:2b) would lead them to "The King of the Jews" isn't clearly indicated in the Bible, but this particular heavenly body was not a common, ordinary star since it not only led them first to Jerusalem, but then also to Bethlehem, some 6 or more miles from King Herod's court.

Where did this star finally lead them? Not to some barn-like structure, but to a HOUSE, which I've never seen in all the almost 70 years I've been on old terra firma.

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So much for "Christ's Mass." I could write more on what the so-called Santa Claus had to do with the pagan observation of Saternalia, from which we really got the festival that's observed on December 25, but since the OP asked about the satanic observance on the eve of "All Saints' Day," a/k/a Hallowed Evening [as in "Hallowed {"Holy"} be thy name" (Matt. 6:9, Luke 11:2)], or Halloween, let's try to figure out what a born again Christian should do about it.

My resources indicate that at some time in the distant past when the RCC "ruled' Europe and much of the Near East prior to the "Great Schism of the East" in 1054, the RCC had more "saints" to observe than there were days on its liturgical calendar.

In order to justify keeping the days where the more popular saints would still be observed, e.g., St. Valentine's Day in February or St. Patrick's Day in March, but still keeping the number of "Saints," it was decided that there would be a sort of generic day in which all the "saints" would be observed.

This became "All Saints' Day," and it would be held either on the last day in October or the first day in November.

The eventually the evening before "All Saints' Day" took on a life of its own, similar to the evening of December 24--"Christmas Eve."

Since all of the saints were considered to be "holy," the evening of "All Saints' Day" eventually became known as "Hallowed Evening," or, its contracted form, "Hallow'een."

Not to be outdone, the occultists devised an alternative to this "Hallowed Evening."

They would parade around dressed up in their masked form of "saints" who'd go door-to-door that night scaring the wits out of the common folks and demanding that, if the owner of the house didn't hand over a good portion of newly harvested crops (i.e., to "treat" them), the masked invaders would proceed to do some wickedness to the homeowner's property (i.e., "trick" them). Thus the ultimatum "Trick or Treat" was developed.

By the time of, say, the early 20th century, more and more families were moving off their farms and into the more urbanized cities. However, their custom of Halloween still lingered on as it does today, but with some of its satanic trappings still with us today--the masks being the most popular.

So, should a Christian participate in this holiday? IMHO, I'd say it's up to the individual or family. For me personally I don't....after all, I'm almost 70 YO, handicapped, and have trouble driving at night.

OTOH, the HOA for my townhouse development said that if I want to hand out candy, etc., to my little visitors, I can leave my outdoor lights on.

That's what I do, but I also include a Bible tract or two that's age appropriate that gives them the Bible verses on how to trust Christ as their Savior.

 

I'll do what I do every Halloween: the same thing I do every other day of the year.

 

My church doesn't have anything special planned; just our two regular Saturday late afternoon / evening services.

As for me, since I attend the Sunday evening service, I'll be doing what I do every year...sitting in the dark watching the kids pass by my house.

 

Pretty much the same, a Harvest Fest which usually has many activities and games, as well as a message. Kids make professions of faith every year at this. I should probably volunteer to help, but working with kids is not really something I am motivated to do, and there are others that like to do that sort of ministry, so I'll be at home passing out candy, and watching out for tricks, lol.

Probably the "holiday" that annoys me the most. The Fourth is not so bad now that the neighbor that like to shoot off fireworks which sometimes landed on my roof moved, lol.

Kind of interesting to see what kids dress up as, as many of them dress up as their heroes, so it gives a little perspective as to what is popular with kids.


God bless.

 

My wife won't let me do that...

God bless.

 

My wife wouldn't let me get away with it either. This would be the one and only advantage of being a widower.

 

My kids will most likely dress up as Anna and Elsa and go trick or treating. I'll drink coffee and walk with them for about three hours.

 

Just the usual bonfire in the oakgrove, ring some bells, hang mistletoe and dancing.

 

Their stamina is astounding. I get my cut of course.

 

In my earlier post on this thread, which probably spent more bandwidth describing how we here in America eventually got hooked on this Halloween thing .... Hey, I'm a history major with an MA in history from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN, (I lived in Clarksville, TN,---which is only about 50 or so miles from where I currently live---from 1972 - 1993) so I guess I sometimes get carried away with the history of things rather than what I actually do.

Personally, since I'm handicapped and never have been married in my almost 70 years and, thus have no children or grandchildren, my perspective on things related to holidays like Christmas or Easter or Halloween is probably a little different than that of a lot of you on BB.

Things like these kinds of holidays, as a member of God's Family, I now view as more of a matter of Christian liberty than I once did when I was more of a "Babe in Christ."

IOW, if a person or family or even a local church wants to have some kind of special observance for them, that's okay with me, but OTOH, since these kinds of holidays have, for probably the last 150 years, been so ingrained into our culture, any "Anti - Holiday Crusade" is, to me anyway, pretty much a waste of time.

IMHO, I prefer to do what little I can in my neighborhood---which is about a 250 unit "Town House" [The local HOA claims that if they are called "Town House," they can charge a higher amount of money for their monthly HOA dues. Go figure!! :BangHead:]---to at least promote a little sense of Biblical Christianity to the people who are my neighbors---most of whom aren't saved, or, if they are, there're saved they seem to keep their "Christianity" to themselves.

I try my best not to be perceived as nuisance in the neighborhood, so what I've found that works best for me on Halloween is to give out a small amount of candy to whoever shows up at my door---I usually let them come inside because by little front porch is way too small for the children to stand on; besides, it's usually too rainy or stormy or otherwise nasty weather.

I'll make up some small talk with the kids and/or parents just to get to know them a little better and have them feel a little better about "that single shut-in who only goes outside to check his mail" [Which essentially is true.].

Even though I have no children or grandchildren of my own, God's put it in my heart to love children, and be as much involved with those 10-12 YO and younger, when, usually their hearts are still not hardened to "the world, the flesh, and the satanic influences" that's out there in our society today & is getting worse and worse, even to the extent that innocent little boys and girls are getting exposed to things that I'd never even heard of when I was their age.

This is one reason why I was blessed to off-and-on work in the bus ministry, or in AWANA's, or for close to 20 years teach in a Christian day school.

Unfortunately, it had to close some 20 years ago, but I still have some precious memories of those children--one of which is the Pastor of the IFB church that sponsored that same Christian school, another is now the wife of a man who is a graduate of the Louisville Seminary, another is the daughter and coordinator for her father's itinerate evangelistic meetings that some public schools or FCA or prisons or military installations have invited him to present the Gospel, another is a mid-ranking officer son who's father is the 3-star general who's the Commander of the Army's West Point Military Institute and who plans to pursue his military chaplain career, etc.

God really blessed that little Christian school whose student enrollment figures never surpassed 50 - 60 students from K5 - 12th grade.

The church of which I'm a member also sponsors a Christian school--Lighthouse Christian School (LCS) with a total enrollment of about 250-300 in K3 - 12th grade.

Over the past 3-4 years it has consistently ranked no lower than 3d place in the Metro-Nashville Davidson County's ratings for ALL private schools (secular & "Faith-Based").

This year Lighthouse Christian School, is ranked as #1 of all private schools in Metro! :godisgood:

I'm no longer in a daily teaching position, but some of my best friends at Lighthouse Christian Fellowship are the teachers or administrators of LCS.

Having filled their shoes for almost 20 years, I know the attitude of surrendering financially what they've had to do in order to serve "in the trenches" what any one of them could have in the way of probably twice as much more in terms of salary and benefits in any public school system in middle TN.

Yet, year after year, they come back, the biggest majority with Master's Degrees in Education from Middle TN State University or Vanderbilt University or other highly-recognized (but not inexpensive) colleges or universities throughout the US.

Because our Founding Pastor is now the Executive Director of Compassionate Hope Foundation, over the past several years young people from Thailand, Laos, the Philippines, India, South Korea, Germany. etc., have been coming as exchange students--many of whom were saved and now serving back in their native lands.

Sure, Satan hates what LCS/LCF is doing, and he always will, but God's side still wins out in the end.

I'm so glad that I can support LCS, even if it's only through donating books to its small library, or in a few weeks, donating blood to promote the memory of LCS's late Kindergarten principal's scholarship fund for those parents who really want their children in the kind of environment where they're not only given a God-honoring education, but also in a brand-new, "State-of-Art" physical plant that God gave LCS after we experienced massive destruction of our K-3 through K-5 back in 2010--a story of miracle-after-miracle that only God Himself could pull off, and is best left to a different BB thread.

Sorry for getting off track again, but that's just how good God's been to me in supporting the educational ministries of LCS/LCF.

It may be just being a friend to these children in my "Town House" development and giving them age-appropriate Gospel tracts with, in the case of Halloween, a theme of how Jesus can save them, or their parents, etc., but that's what God's called me to do as I try to fulfill what Jesus said in Mark 10:14b, "Let the children come to Me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these." [NLTse]

 

Sorry for your loss, my friend.


God bless.