While searching for something else, I cam across this interesting quote:

quote:

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Counsels on Stewardship, page 295, paragraph 2

Chapter Title: Words to the Youth

Satan's suggestions are carried out in many, many things.

Our birthday anniversaries and Christmas and Thanksgiving festivals are too often devoted to selfish gratification, when the mind should be directed to the mercy and loving-kindness of God.

God is displeased that His goodness, His constant care, His unceasing love, are not brought to mind on these anniversary occasions.

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What is the focus of our various celebrations or festivals?

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In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

Yes, in my deep Bible studies I've discovered that holidays, like Christmas, Easter, etc., are really Satan's counterfeit for God's Holy Days. God intended for us to have wonderful celebrations on His Holy Days--times to get extra rest--both physical and spiritual, and times to fellowship with others of God's people, instead of holidays that lead us away from Him.

Which do you celebrate--God's Holy Days or Satan's holidays?

You can even place a wrong focus or emphasis on the 7th day Sabbath.

I don't see one's birthday or wedding anniversary as a holiday of the devil any more than the Sabbath, however, how we observe them is a different story.

If we observe the Sabbath selfishly, we can even make it into a holiday of the devil.

In our church I have the habit of leading out in the singing of these words when singing over somebody's birthday:

Happy Birthday to you.
To Jesus be true.
May God's riches blessings
Abide in you.

The Adventist Home has excellent ideas on how to practically keep the Sabbath, Christmas, etc.

Sabbath should be a time spent in nature with our families. Christmastime should see evergreen trees in our churches decorated with offerings for our church's outreach.

The idea here is that we follow the example of Mary, not Martha and not be concerned with the busyness of the celebration as much as Who we are honoring.

We prepare for Christmas--Do we prepare for Christ?

Matthew 23:24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

Too often we become so enamored of that which is nonessential, we forget those things which are.

If it does not take away from our walk with God, leave it.
If it comes between us and our God, discard it.
In this area, the Christmas season has been a time to reach out to our community.
To ask them what is uppermost in their hearts and minds, and to bring a ray of hope to those that have lost theirs.
Even Sr. White found no problem with the idea of Christmas, but, she did say it should be for the children (of all ages? )and that the 'meaning' of it should be kept upper most in all our minds and hearts.

True, there isn't anything in the bible about celebrating it as a holy day, but there is no prohibition against observing it either.
So, I'll borrow something from Paul, he admonished us not to judge each other over 'days' that are 'kept'.While I know he was speaking about fasting, I take a little license and suggest we can apply it to these holidays.
Just keep in mind the supposed reason for the holiday, keep Jesus first.

Gerry,

As with other "celebrations," you get out of it what you put into it.

I remember an illustration you gave about a minister who passed around an offering plate, it was empty or something... Could you please reproduce it here? I would like to use it for this weekend's church service.

Thanks.

Back in the early days of the settlement of the N.American area, there were itinerate preachers that would ride from town to town and offer their services to the locals.

Many times they would come into a town that had a church and an attending Pastor.
At the invitation of the local ministry, the visitor would preacxh a sermon or two.
It was customary for the local congregation to take up a collection for him.
This particular preacher was rather longwinded, and his sermons were rather tiring.
As the basket was brought around, he threw $.50 (fifty cents) into the offering plate.
After his sermon was over and the congfregation left, he went to the plate to see what he had received.
To his chagrin, all that was in the plate was his 50 cents.
A little boy had seen what had happened and walked up to him and sai, 'Ya know, mister, if you'da put more in, you'da got more out of it'.

Isn't that the truth?
How many times have we attempted to accomplish something, but only put a minimal effort into it?
The results were less than anticipated.
If we would just put a little more into it?

Thank you, Gerry.

I hope people will get a lot out of this illustration when I use it this weekend.

WHAT HOLIDAYS DID SATAN INVENT?

When I was a child my parents were missionaries in Turkey and Lebanon and there I spent the majority of my childhood. Seeing ancient statues of the gods of the heathen in ages past was commonplace to me. I remember seeing statues of Diana, a heathen goddess. I also remember standing in the very amphitheater of the Ephesians where they shouted, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” for two hours in opposition to Paul’s preaching against their idols. I think these statues affected my father also because I was raised hearing sermons about them and how these ancient religions still affect us today. Little did my father know how deeply this would affect me as an adult. What I am about to present is a combination of my father’s sermons and my own study. I think you are going to be as shocked as I was to find out that literally THE BELIEFS OF ANCIENT BABYLON ARE ALIVE AND WELL TODAY. The Bible predicts in Revelation that Babylon will be revived at the end of time. THAT PREDICTION HAS COME TRUE.

The story begins with Nimrod who built the city of Babel, which evolved into Babylon. Genesis 10:8-10. In brief, a study of the ancient heathen religions reveals that every one of them revolved around three main gods—father, mother, and child. In each culture the names of these three gods were different but the beliefs were essentially the same. Nimrod married Ashtoreth who was also his mother. Nimrod died, and after he died Ashtoreth became pregnant. To conceal her wicked ways, she claimed that Nimrod had gone to the sun when he died and had become the sun god, that this child had been supernaturally conceived by Nimrod and was therefore the son of the sun god. Nimrod, Ashtoreth, and this child, Tammuz, became the first unholy trinity. Tammuz was conceived at Easter (derived from the name Ashtoreth) and born on December 25. Easter and December 25 were two important holidays of the heathen.

At this point, does this story begin to sound a little familiar? You can do the research yourself through history books and encyclopedias. A very good book to read on this subject is Too Long in the Sun. You can obtain this book by going to www.toolong.com on the Internet or by mailing $14.50 to Partakers Publications, P.O. Box 23031, Charlotte, NC 28227. The great thing about this book is that it also promotes the 7th Day Sabbath and approaches it from a new angle that I have never before heard. It's a great book--all of you ought to get and read it!

Tammuz is also mentioned in the Bible. In Ezekiel 8 God is showing Ezekiel the abominations done in the Temple of God. “And He said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here…Then said He unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery. For they say, the Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth. He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord’s house, which was toward the north; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east, AND THEY WORSHIPPED THE SUN toward the east.” Ezekiel 8:9, 12-16. This is the prediction that God’s people will worship Tammuz and the sun—Sunday worship?

Some say this Bible quote was about ancient Israel—not about us today. Ezekiel happens to be part of the same vision in Ezekiel 9. Ellen White puts Ezekiel 9 as being fulfilled at the end time when the sealing occurs. Read all about it in the chapter entitled “The Seal of God” in Testimonies Vol. 5, beginning on p. 207. Since Ezekiel 8 is part of the same vision as Ezekiel 9, and Ezekiel 9 happens at the end time, then perhaps Ezekiel 8 also happens at the end time? Perhaps those who claim to be God’s people are still worshipping Tammuz? December 25 is the birthday of Tammuz, which is now passed off to us as Christmas. By observing this day we are continuing the worship of Tammuz. Have you noticed that with each passing year Christmas seems to be creeping more and more into our churches? It wasn’t always that way. I read a biography of Andreasen, an SDA minister who lived back in the 1930’s, which stated that at that time the majority in the SDA Church did not have a Christmas tree. Now, the majority do. Why the change?

"’Christmas is coming,’ is the note that is sounded throughout our world from east
to west and from north to south. With youth, those of mature age, and even the aged, it is a period of general rejoicing, of great gladness. But what is Christmas, that it should demand so much attention?” The Adventist Home, p. 477.

Another name for Tammuz is Baal (see the footnote in the KJV in Ezekiel 8). Israel apostasized by worshipping Baal and received God’s condemnation and judgments. We are just as guilty as the Israelites; in fact, we are more guilty, because by passing off Baal’s birthday as Jesus’ birthday we have combined light with darkness which is an abomination. “Her priests have violated my LAW, and have profaned mine holy things: THEY HAVE PUT NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOLY AND PROFANE, NEITHER HAVE THEY SHEWED DIFFFERENCE BETWEEN THE UNCLEAN AND THE CLEAN, and h ave hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.” Ezekiel 22:26.

Many Christians believe that celebrating Christmas is a harmless celebration because most have forgotten that it was originally a pagan holiday. How would you feel if someone murdered your son and became your archenemy. Later your family tells you, “From now on, we are going to celebrate your birthday on the birthday of the one who murdered your son.” How would you feel? Yet this is what we are doing to God. God has not forgotten the origin of December 25. By making December 25 the birthday of Jesus we are combing the holy and the profane, the unclean with the clean, which is expressly forbidden in the above quoted text, Ezekiel 22:26.

Where does the word Christmas come from? It comes from two words—the Mass of Christ. The Catholics took the pagan celebration and Christianized it. Many gave up their lives during the Dark Ages simply because they refused to celebrate Mass; yet once a year the majority of Christians now celebrate Christ’s Mass. These changes started with Constantine who took pagan celebrations and brought them right into the Christian church. The names of these pagan holidays were given Christian names. Many pagan customs along with these holidays were brought in--Christmas trees, wreaths, Yule logs, Jack-o-lanterns and much more. Much of what we do on our holidays the pagans also did. Sunday-keeping in opposition to Sabbath-keeping was also brought in at the same time and for the same reasons.

IF WE HAVE MANAGED TO THROW OUT SUNDAY ON THE BASIS THAT IT WAS A BAPTIZED PAGAN HOLIDAY, THEN AREN’T WE HYPOCRITICAL IF WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WHICH IS ALSO A BAPTIZED PAGAN HOLIDAY?

Jeremiah 10:2-4 says, “Learn not the ways of the heathen…For 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. They DECK IT WITH SILVER AND WITH GOLD; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.” Sound familiar?

“But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.” Galatians 4:9-10.

This text says that the Galatians are turning back to beggarly elements by observing certain days. What were the Galatians observing before Paul taught them to become Christians? They were keeping pagan holidays—days like Easter and Baal’s birthday, December 25. Remember how the Ephesians cried “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” for two hours because they were upset that Paul was turning people away from this heathen goddess? Remember also that another name for Diana was Astarte from which the word Easter comes? Remember that Astarte conceived Tammuz, another name for Baal, at Easter, and Tammuz was born on December 25? These are some of the pagan holidays that Paul was condemning when he was speaking to the Galatians in this text.

With this in mind, should we as Christians today be observing these holidays?

As I have read from the pen of EGW:

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The wise men have left us an example of what we should do. Jesus should be the object of our adoration, the recipient of our gifts. It is not man, but our Redeemer, that should be honored. To Him we should offer our praise and gifts and treasures; but instead of this, the world sets its treasures flowing in the channel of self-gratification, and to the honor of men. Christmas gifts are bestowed on our children, on our friends and relatives, and few think of what they can do to show their love and gratitude to God for his great love and compassion upon them. {BEcho, December 15, 1892 par. 10}
In celebrating Christmas, fathers, mothers, children, and friends are diverted from the great object to which the custom is attributed. They give their whole attention to the bestowal of gifts upon one another, and their minds are turned away from the contemplation of the Source of all their blessings both spiritual and temporal. In their attention to gifts and honors bestowed upon themselves or their friends, Jesus is unhonored and forgotten. Parents should seek to teach their children to honor Jesus. They should be instructed how He came to the world to bring light, to shine amid the moral darkness of the world. They should be impressed with the fact that "God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." {BEcho, December 15, 1892 par. 11}
Books as Christmas Gifts.--While urging upon all the duty of first bringing their offerings to God, I would not wholly condemn the practice of making Christmas and New Year's gifts to our friends. It is right to bestow upon one another tokens of love and remembrance if we do not in this forget God, our best Friend. We should make our gifts such as will prove a real benefit to the receiver. I would recommend such books as will be an aid in understanding the Word of God, or that will increase our love for its precepts. Provide something to be read during these long winter evenings.{PM 345.4}

There is a large field for missionary labor in caring for homeless orphan children. Shall not the love of Christ constrain my brethren and sisters to use the capital intrusted for the purpose of blessing others, in providing for destitute and homeless children? Shall Christmas and New Year's find you enriching yourselves by accepting gifts that you do not need, or will you tell your friends and relatives that you will regard it as a great favor to yourself if they will bestow their gifts on the Orphans' Home, that needy, homeless little children may thus be cared for, clothed, and fed as God would have them? The blessing of the Lord will surely be bestowed upon all who will deny self, using the means he has lent them in an economical way in providing for themselves, in order that they may provide for those also who are destitute and afflicted. God is testing and proving every soul in this probationary time, that it may be made manifest whether or not his attributes of character are formed within. {MM, November 1, 1894 par. 3}

{RH, December 26, 1882 par. 18} She repeats her injunction to purchase books and articles to improve our relationship with Jesus.

January 29, 1884 Sabbath-School Reunion at Healdsburg, Cal.

At the close of my long journey East, I reached my home in time to spend New Year's eve in Healdsburg. The College hall had been fitted up for a Sabbath-school reunion. Cypress wreaths, autumn leaves, evergreens, and flowers were tastefully arranged; and a large bell of evergreens hung from the arched doorway at the entrance to the room. The tree was well loaded with donations, which were to be used for the benefit of the poor, and to help purchase a bell. Except in a few instances, the names of the donors were not given; but appropriate Bible texts and mottoes were read as the gifts were taken down from the tree. On this occasion nothing was said or done that need burden the conscience of any one. {RH, January 29, 1884 par. 1}
Some have said to me, "Sr. White, what do you think of this? Is it in accordance with our faith?" I answer them, "Is it with my faith." In Healdsburg, San Francisco, and Oakland, there are many things to attract our children; large sums are expended every year on Christmas and New Year's in purchasing gifts for friends. These gifts are not generally satisfactory; for many receive presents that they do not need, when they would be glad to have some other article; some receive the same article from several different persons; and others receive nothing at all. We have tried earnestly to make the holidays as interesting as possible to the youth and children, while changing this order of things. Our object has been to keep them away from scenes of amusement among unbelievers. Instead of following a selfish custom, and giving to those from whom presents will be expected in return, let us make our offerings to the Lord. This plan has proved successful in many of our churches, and it was a success on this occasion, the donations amounting to $138.00. Thus the new year was opened with offerings to the Giver of all our mercies and blessings. {RH, January 29, 1884 par. 2}
I have thought that while we restrain our children from worldly pleasures, that have a tendency to corrupt and mislead, we ought to provide them innocent recreation, to lead them in pleasant paths where there is no danger. No child of God need have a sad or mournful experience. Divine commands, divine promises, show that this is so. Wisdom's ways "are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." Worldly pleasures are infatuating; and for their momentary enjoyment, many sacrifice the friendship of Heaven, with the peace, love, and joy that it affords. But these chosen objects of delight soon become disgusting, unsatisfying. {RH, January 29, 1884 par. 3}

As the twenty-fifth day of December is observed to commemorate the birth of Christ, as the children have been instructed by precept and example that this was indeed a day of gladness and rejoicing, you will find it a difficult matter to pass over this period without giving it some attention. It can be made to serve a very good purpose. The youth should be treated very carefully. They should not be left on Christmas to find their own amusement in vanity and pleasure-seeking, in amusements which will be detrimental to their spirituality. Parents can control this matter by turning the minds and the offerings of their children to God and his cause and the salvation of souls. The desire for amusement, instead of being quenched and arbitrarily ruled down, should be controlled and directed by painstaking effort upon the part of the parents. Their desire to make gifts may be turned into pure and holy channels, and made to result in good to our fellow-men by supplying the treasury in the great, grand work for which Christ came into our world. Self-denial and self-sacrifice marked his course of action. Let it mark ours who profess to love Jesus; because in him is centered our hope of eternal life. {RH, December 9, 1884 par. 5}

Christmas is coming. May you all have wisdom to make it a precious season. Let the older church members unite, heart and soul, with their children in this innocent amusement and recreation, in devising ways and means to show true respect to Jesus by bringing to him gifts and offerings. Let every one remember the claims of God. His cause cannot go forward without your aid. Let the gifts you have usually bestowed upon one another be placed in the Lord's treasury. I present before you, my brethren and sisters, an object, the European mission. In every church let your smaller offerings be placed upon your Christmas tree. Let the precious emblem, "ever green," suggest the holy work of God and his beneficence to us; and the loving heart-work will be to save other souls who are in darkness. Let your works be in accordance with your faith. I heard Eld. Butler read a touching letter a few days since from Eld. Whitney, of Europe. The good work is going forward there, but it ought to have been done six years ago. Let not this work be hindered. Let it advance. If all, both old and young, will forego giving presents to one another, and forego the selfish outlay of means in these coming holidays, there would be in heaven a most precious record of self-denial for Christ's sake. {RH, December 9, 1884 par. 9}

On Christmas let the members of every church assemble, with offerings from willing hands and hearts,--the fruits of love and gratitude to God. Let all exert their influence and ability to make these gatherings attractive and interesting. See how much means you can gather to advance the work of the Lord. Let those who have heretofore planned for self, begin now to plan for the cause of God. On similar occasions in the past, you have taxed your inventive powers to prepare something that would surprise and gratify your friends. Be as earnest and persevering in rendering to God that which is his due. Let the children learn the blessedness of giving, by bringing their little gifts to add to the offerings of their parents. {RH, December 15, 1885 par. 5}

I see no objection to placing even in our churches a Christmas or New Year tree bearing fruit in gifts and offerings for the cause of God. We may thus take advantage of the occasion to turn the customary gifts of the season into the right channel. And such a holiday celebration is a useful lesson to our children, teaching them to bestow their gifts in a manner to honor their Redeemer. But when we devote our means and labor to feasting ourselves, we fail to render to God that honor which is his due. {ST, January 4, 1883 par. 7}

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As you can see, she had no problem with Christmas perse, just in the manner in which it is habitually observed.
Can't say the same for birthdays and anniversies, though:

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I have resolved from this time to make Christ first and last and best in everything. I will not sanction feasts made to celebrate birthday or marriage anniversaries, but will bend all my energies to lift up Jesus among the people. I will seek to impress upon the minds of my brethren and sisters the great necessity of preparation of heart, by confession and humiliation, to be accepted of God and acknowledged as his dear children. My heart has ached as I have seen men honored, while Jesus was neglected and almost forgotten,--liberal gifts for earthly friends, but poor and meager offerings for him to whom we owe our all. {ST, January 4, 1883 par. 8}

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[note] She did not condemn them, just that she, personally, had determined to not do it.
There is no injunctioin for or against the observence of holidays, but, there are many admonitions against putting worldly pleasure against heavenly duty.
To do as many have on these holidays, must sadden our Heavenly Father greatly.
Better to not observe than to put a rift between us and God.
However, if we were to do as EGW suggests, we would be keeping the Spirit of the occaison (play on words) in that we would be serving Him in a special way.

[ March 13, 2002: Message edited by: Gerry Buck ]