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  Sharing Christ b/c We Don't Celebrate Christmas



I just wanted to give a brief testimony of how God is using the fact that we don't celebrate Christmas as a means to share Christ. Every year many people mostly in the check out lanes at the grocery store ect.. wish us a Merry Christmas and we in turn tell them why we don't celebrate it and of course they always ask "Why?" We explain why and tell them the reason Christ came. It has been a valuable tool to share Christ and I praise God for it!

Also my manager at work gave me a gift card enclosed in a Christmas card to all his associates in our dept. I gave it back, thanked him for the generous thought and explained to him why I can't take the gift. He lit up!!! He couldn't believe what he was hearing. I'm not bragging but it actually breaks my heart to think how so many lost people rarely see a real christian anymore. I just mean someone who stands for their convictions.My mangager's demeaner has changed towards me. He respects me more now and I get more respect from him in this regard than most christians. Amazing! They know we are gaining nothing from it for ourselves obviously so they know their is more to it than just not celebrating it.

Every year now when this day comes around it's harvest time for this family! God has used this occasion to strengthen and equip us,helping us focus our eyes on Him and not on this world. God bless you today! :-)

 2008/12/25 8:08









 Re: Sharing Christ b/c We Don't Celebrate Christmas

Thank you for sharing Rebecca.

Could you elaborate more when you have a chance, on just what words came to you to say to this cashier and your boss.

Our and many others have had the meaning of Christmas turned on it's head, because of this financial situation in this country.
Even those in our family who never thought they'd ever be affectd - especially our long time retired Dad - who worked over 70 yr.s and in this, his is 90th year, has lost all but all that he had worked 2 to 3 jobs for all of his life.
We as a family - have made this our first "no gift" Christmas for his sake and for ours who have found ourselves un-employed in what was once a family of mostly "comfortable living" folks.

I love it personally. I didn't even decorate and yet even at my age, AARP age - I'm loving this difference. I'm seeing Christmas now more as, looking forward to HIS '2nd' Advent and finding myself saying "GLORY" much more.

It's all HIM focused now - and has been a very revelatory experience.
I feel badly that it took my Dad's financial crash to finally get my family to stop the excess gift exchange - but I pray they'll see that Eternity is all that matters because none are saved but me and one niece.

Big family for HIM to draw - and at this late hour - yet I'm praying that this giftless Christmas will open a new door with them.

Thank you for sharing and I look forward to anymore that you can tell of your explanation to these folks.

LORD Bless You. Looking forward to seeing you and all, at HIS 2nd Advent.
Praise GOD !

 2008/12/25 9:10
White_Stone
Member



Joined: 2008/10/25
Posts: 1196
North Central Florida

 Re: A good testimony, worth 1,000's of words

Dear Rebecca,

Thank you for sharing this testimony. I especially appreciate how you make this statement with only a few words. If the cashiers are 'drawn' they will ask for more. They will remember you and the next time they see you maybe they will be eager for more.

Since I plant a garden each year, it is clear to me that the ground must be prepared [b]before the seed is sown[/b].

I remind myself -- sometimes I am the plow, sometimes the planter, sometimes I must hoe the weeds and cultivate the young plants.

Best regards,
white stone

P.S. No mention of your husband suffering ill effects from the work on the hot water line And the job must be holding. Praise the Lord.


_________________
Janice

 2008/12/25 11:01Profile









 Re: Sharing Christ b/c We Don't Celebrate Christmas

Quote:
I'm not bragging but it actually breaks my heart to think how so many lost people rarely see a real christian anymore. I just mean someone who stands for their convictions.My mangager's demeaner has changed towards me. He respects me more now and I get more respect from him in this regard than most christians.



Curious to know...how do you know if he respects you?

 2008/12/25 12:06
fuehrerbe21
Member



Joined: 2008/10/21
Posts: 151
Wisconsin

 Re:

Quote:
it actually breaks my heart to think how so many lost people rarely see a real christian anymore.



Does this imply that Christians who do celebrate Christmas are not "real" Christians?

Don't forget that Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate Christmas either, but I wouldn't say they are Christian at all.


_________________
Ben Fuehrer

 2008/12/25 14:00Profile









 Re:

Quote:

fuehrerbe21 wrote:
Quote:
it actually breaks my heart to think how so many lost people rarely see a real christian anymore.



Does this imply that Christians who do celebrate Christmas are not "real" Christians?

Don't forget that Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate Christmas either, but I wouldn't say they are Christian at all.




Great point fuehrerbe21. I don't think it makes me any less a christian than anyone else. We exchange presents, "santa" comes in the morning and we have a wonderful time.

Personally I think many are way to Pharisaical about certain subjects. We get in such an up roar about holidays, we forget about the 364 days in the year we seem to ignore.




:-)

 2008/12/25 14:24









 Re:

Thanks for the input. I appreciate and respect your convictions either way. I don't feel free to teach any longer on Sermon Index as a woman--another of my own personal convictions not held by everyone. I enjoy testifying and posting articles, videos ect..but that's all and it's not easy for me because I like to comment sometimes but don't feel it's my place to. I am reading your posts though and appreciate each and every one of you greatly! :-)

(Thanks for the pm's and visiting my blog)

 2008/12/25 14:49
theopenlife
Member



Joined: 2007/1/30
Posts: 926


 Re:

Since RebeccaF is not further articulating her thoughts (though she could have her husband read and approve messages prior to posting them, as Priscilla and Aquila did) I will attempt to suggest what she may have meant by certain statements. Perhaps she will reply with, "yes, that's what I meant," or, "no, I meant something else."

By "a real Christian", I'm sure she did not mean everyone who celebrates Christ's birth on Dec. 25 is not a believer. After all, many people sincerely think that's when he was born, and have no idea what the "Mas" in "Christmas" means.

I suppose she explained to her manager her reasoning for not joining in Christmas, namely because there is no Mass of Christ to be continually offered for sin, again and again. She might have said, "He died once and for all time, and my faith is in His perfect sacrifice for forgiveness."

Obviously every true Christian believes this, but not everyone tells it point-blank to their manager. So, I imagine the manager went away thinking, "wow, she has sincere religious convictions. I don't meet many people with real attachment to that Jesus figure, or to this idea of forgiveness based on faith alone in His death and resurrection." Perhaps he respects her more for having seen her integrity to hold firm with her personal convictions, and this may be shown in his confiding in her or trusting her to other tasks, or simply to a more sober aspect with which he relates to her.

Let's be generous in our estimation of one another.

 2008/12/25 16:34Profile









 Re:

Quote:

theopenlife wrote:
Since RebeccaF is not further articulating her thoughts (though she could have her husband read and approve messages prior to posting them, as Priscilla and Aquila did) I will attempt to suggest what she may have meant by certain statements. Perhaps she will reply with, "yes, that's what I meant," or, "no, I meant something else."

By "a real Christian", I'm sure she did not mean everyone who celebrates Christ's birth on Dec. 25 is not a believer. After all, many people sincerely think that's when he was born, and have no idea what the "Mas" in "Christmas" means.

I suppose she explained to her manager her reasoning for not joining in Christmas, namely because there is no Mass of Christ to be continually offered for sin, again and again. She might have said, "He died once and for all time, and my faith is in His perfect sacrifice for forgiveness."

Obviously every true Christian believes this, but not everyone tells it point-blank to their manager. So, I imagine the manager went away thinking, "wow, she has sincere religious convictions. I don't meet many people with real attachment to that Jesus figure, or to this idea of forgiveness based on faith alone in His death and resurrection." Perhaps he respects her more for having seen her integrity to hold firm with her personal convictions, and this may be shown in his confiding in her or trusting her to other tasks, or simply to a more sober aspect with which he relates to her.

Let's be generous in our estimation of one another.



:-)

 2008/12/25 16:37
theopenlife
Member



Joined: 2007/1/30
Posts: 926


 Re:

*Edited, made longer*

This year I was asked to wear a Merry Christmas button at work. I politely asked to be excused from the obligation, stating that if it said, "Merry Advent," I would wear it happily; but that given the strong Roman Catholic presence in Southern California, I did not wish to communicate and encourage something contrary to my beliefs.

Certainly there are many true believers who have no qualms with the word or celebration of Christmas. After all, many people innocently believe December 25th is when the Lord was born, and have no idea what the "Mas" in "Christmas" means.

My primary reason for objecting to the term is that an estimated one-billion Roman Catholics presently use that title and day to celebrate the supposed Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ. The reality is that there is no Mass of Christ to be continually offered for sin, again and again. Rather, He died once and for all time, and my faith is in His perfect sacrifice for forgiveness.

"We are sanctified [made righteous] through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man [Christ Jesus], after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God."
- Hebrews 10:10-12

Obviously every true Christian believes this, but not everyone tells it plainly to their managers, coworkers, and family. Though this may not be the case, my hope is that my manager went away thinking, "Wow, he has sincere religious convictions. I don't meet many people with real attachment to that Jesus figure, or to the idea of forgiveness based on faith alone in His death and resurrection." Maybe he just feels annoyed.

I would love a button that says,

"December 25th is the day when most people covet gifts and food, but a few remember that God became a man, most likely in the summer. Thank God on that day for your gifts and food, and for Jesus who is the Savior of all who believe on Him."

 2008/12/25 16:41Profile





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