From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632. Please follow this site here.

Should You Keep Halloween, Holyween, or All Saints Day?

by Randy Stiver

Source: freeimages.com/dejure

The answer is that you should keep none of the above. But why?
During this last week of October the Vatican hosted a conference of The International Association of Exorcists (IAE) formed in 1990 by a group of Catholic  priests who specialize in exorcising (casting out) demons (fallen angels who are now evil). Reports indicate that Pope Francis praised their work in the battle against the Devil.
The Association itself also advocated replacing Halloween with “Holyween” where Catholic children dress up as saints presumably as a compliment to the existing Roman Church festival on November 1 ^st of All Saints Day—also called All Hallows or Hallowmas.
In the early 1500s Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant Reformation, officially rejected the traditional Catholic doctrine that the faithful go to heaven where they act on behalf of those who pray to them. Saints were and are typically canonized by the Vatican some length of time after their deaths by adding them to the official list. However, Protestantism has generally sanctioned the perpetuation of the holiday we know as Halloween—although it has much more ancient roots in many pagan and later Celtic annual celebrations. The bulk of today’s Halloween symbols devolve from its ancient roots.
Interestingly, Pope Francis and leaders of the IAE denounced the traditional Halloween festival which glorifies Satan, demonic spirits, so-called ghosts and all manner of evil—which prompted the Holyween alternative.
How does a true Bible student make sense of Halloween, Holyween or All Saints Day? What’s true? What isn’t true? And what does God expect of you?
1.  Humans do not have immortal souls. “…The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel:18:4Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die., 20). If souls were immortal, then they couldn’t die. However, since souls (meaning the person) can die, then to live forever in God’s Kingdom they must be given immortality at some future point. “So when…this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’” (1 Corinthians:15:54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.).
2.  True saints are not in heaven, but in the grave until the first resurrection of the dead which occurs at Jesus Christ’s return to earth. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians:4:16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:).
3.  Satan the Devil and his demonic fallen angels do exist and are evil—but we do not glorify them with a celebration or party! Laughing at or celebrating evil is the first step to accepting and embracing it. The true Christian’s reaction to the Devil is “Resist him, steadfast in the faith…” (1 Peter:5:9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.).
4.  True Christians observe God’s Holy Days from the Bible and reject and avoid the pagan-based holidays of the world no matter what religious label of acceptance is attached to them. God’s sanctioned days are cataloged in Leviticus 23 starting with the weekly Sabbath and followed by His annual Festivals or Feasts. The reason that choosing the right days of official worship is that a true follower of Jesus Christ seeks what is true—and true only.  Jesus specifically stated, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him” (John:4:23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.).
If you seek to be a “true worshiper” of God the Father and Jesus Christ, then you choose to directly reject any semblance of Halloween, Holyween, All Saints Day or Hallowmas in your life’s activities and in your worship of God.

---

Blog posts do not undergo review by the doctrinal review team of the United Church of God. This post represents the personal opinion of the author and should not be considered the official stance of the United Church of God. If you have any questions or concerns please direct them to webmaster@ucg.org.

• Vertical Thought Blog
• Youth

• Randy Stiver's blog

Nobody has commented yet. Be the first to kick off the discussion!

Login/Register to post comments

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632. Please follow this site here.

Is Homosexuality Acceptable to God?

The acceptance of homosexuality as an equally valid lifestyle is rapidly growing in Western culture. Yet God tells us that sex was designed for only one relationship—within marriage, exclusively between a man and a woman.

The acceptance of homosexuality as an equally valid lifestyle is rapidly growing in Western culture. Yet God tells us that sex was designed for only one relationship—within marriage, exclusively between a man and a woman. Because homosexual activity, premarital sex and adultery are all outside of marriage, all are violations of God's instructions. These things are all sins, and those who commit these sins must repent of them.
The Bible condemns homosexual practices in several places such as Genesis:19:1-25 [1] And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
[2] And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
[3] And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
[4] But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
[5] And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
[6] And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
[7] And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
[8] Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
[9] And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
[10] But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
[11] And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
[12] And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:
[13] For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
[14] And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
[15] And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
[16] And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
[17] And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
[18] And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my LORD:
[19] Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
[20] Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
[21] And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
[22] Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
[23] The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
[24] Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
[25] And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground., Leviticus:18:22Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. and 20:13, and Judges:19:1-25 [1] And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.
[2] And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months.
[3] And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
[4] And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.
[5] And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.
[6] And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.
[7] And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.
[8] And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.
[9] And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
[10] But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.
[11] And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
[12] And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.
[13] And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
[14] And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.
[15] And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.
[16] And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.
[17] And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
[18] And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man that receiveth me to house.
[19] Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.
[20] And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
[21] So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
[22] Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.
[23] And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.
[24] Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.
[25] But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.. These scriptures refer to homosexual acts as something that should not be done and as evil in the eyes of God.
In the New Testament, Romans:1:24-27 [24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
[25] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
[26] For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
[27] And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet., 1 Corinthians:6:9-11 [9] Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
[10] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
[11] And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. and 1 Timothy:1:9-10 [9] Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
[10] For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; refer to homosexuality in the same way. The passage in Romans includes a specific prohibition of both male and female homosexual involvement. The Bible nowhere makes positive or approving statements about homosexuality. The only two options affirmed for adult Christians are heterosexual marriage or abstinence.
The vast majority of academic and biblical scholars agree that the Bible prohibits homosexual activities. Nearly all of today's translations of the Bible are also in agreement that God prohibits homosexual practice.
Contesting God's instructions, some homosexuals argue that God made them the way they are and that He therefore must approve of homosexuality. Such reasoning is inherently flawed for several reasons.
First, God made all of us with free moral agency; we choose what we will think, believe and do. We are not robots incapable of making our own choices or governing our own behavior. Second, one's environment has been proven to have a great impact on a person's developing sexuality. Moreover, studies of identical twins where one twin is homosexual and the other isn't prove that homosexuality isn't governed by genetic makeup. These factors show that homosexuals are made, not born.
Third, regardless of any conditions that may predispose a person to homosexuality, we are all expected to make moral decisions regardless of our circumstances. When we determine to follow God's instructions, we must live up to all His standards. God doesn't permit us to rewrite His rules simply because we are naturally inclined to premarital sex, adultery, homosexuality or any other sin.
And speaking of the way we human beings are made, the Bible reveals that we all (regardless of our sexual orientation) have a predisposition to sin. We have minds that from childhood are set against God and His ways (Jeremiah:17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?). As a result, we all sin (Romans:3:23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;). The challenge for each of us in responding to God is to repent of our sins—to change our lives, with His help, in conforming to His standards (Romans:12:1-2 [1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
[2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.). When we commit our lives to God, we can change our lives.
It's encouraging to understand that there is clear biblical evidence that God can change the life of a person involved in homosexual behavior. In 1 Corinthians 6, the apostle Paul is addressing men and women in the church at Corinth. He lists many forms of behavior—including homosexual acts—that will keep a person from being in God's Kingdom (verses 9-10). Then Paul makes this statement: "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (verse 11, New International Version).
Paul apparently knew former homosexuals in the church at Corinth. So the message that homosexuality can be changed is not new. Homosexuals have been experiencing change since the Bible was written. God's Word takes the approach of hating the sin but loving the sinner (compare John:3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.).
What is the responsibility of one who wants to be a Christian but struggles with a deeply ingrained attraction to members of his or her own sex? The Scriptures say that person is obligated to control his sexual desires in the same way that heterosexual single adults must exercise self-control. In other words, he or she must refrain from giving in to his or her lusts.
The Bible instructs us to repent and come out of sin. Homosexual practices, like any other sin, need to be repented of and overcome. A practicing homosexual would do so by acknowledging that homosexuality is wrong and by ceasing to live a homosexual lifestyle or place himself in a situation where he or she might be tempted to engage in such behavior.
Recognizing that sin begins in the mind (James:1:13-15 [13] Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
[14] But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
[15] Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.), a person struggling with this or other sexual sins must strive to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians:10:5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;, NIV). Such an individual can be a true Christian even though he or she may be engaged in a lifelong struggle to resist returning to homosexual practices.
It is also important to understand the difference between homosexual orientation and homosexual lust and behavior. The orientation is not a sin but the lust and behavior is. While there are many people in our society today who reject God's instruction on this subject, there are many others with homosexual orientations who are coming out of this lifestyle to live in accordance with God's instruction.
As resources for those wishing to overcome homosexuality and obey God, we recommend reading Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality by Dr. Joseph Nicolosi and Breaking Free Journal (breakingfree.ucg.org), a publication dedicated to helping Christians struggling with homosexuality, addictions and other dysfunctional behaviors.
A book entitled Love Won Out by John and Anne Paulk can also be encouraging. It is the true story of how, with God's help, two people were able to leave homosexuality and find each other. For those seeking help in leaving the homosexual lifestyle, several organizations can be contacted:
Exodus International

P.O. Box 540119

Orlando, FL 32854

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632. Please follow this site here.

Canadian Terrorist Attack

0 comments

Recent terror attacks in Canada provide a spiritual lesson for all of us.

Media Download Options [ Download Media: right-click on link ]
filesVideo
MP4 VideoVideo
MP4 Video - Low QualityAudio
MP3 Audio - Canadian Terrorist Attack

[Darris McNeely] Canada is reeling right now as a result of two terrorist attacks that have taken the life of at least one policeman and unsettled what is normally a very peaceful and calm country and nation. And as a result of their participation in the war against ISIS in the country of Iraq in the Middle East, now terrorism has come to Canada, and they're wondering what's next. To deal with something like this in a country like Canada – certainly America's had its share, and other western nations – is unsettling and disturbing. It creates fear and it creates panic – which is exactly what terrorists want to have accomplished in western nations when they perpetrate random acts, such as what happened in Canada this week when a gunman stormed the parliament building and was finally shot down by the sergeant in arms there, and another officer was killed when he was run over by a car.
These are tragic situations. Bigger ones have happened, killing more people in other countries, and there's lessons as we look at what is taking place here. I look at this always from a standpoint of not just the political, geopolitics of the moment, but also from a spiritual perspective. Because if you look at terrorism as striking fear and panic within otherwise normal and peaceful western nations, especially like Canada, and creating mistrust of even other parts of the population, and all the media hype that goes along with it, you realize that the terrorists' goal is to break down the fabric of society and to rip it apart by whatever means they can do. And when they succeed in that to, again, whatever degree, their ends begin to be met. And so there's a lesson there. There's a lesson for you and I spiritually as we view and observe all of this.
We deal with a spiritual form of terror when it comes to the resistance against us as Christians in dealing with this world, overcoming our own human nature, overcoming the pulls of this world and living godly in this age. We have that responsibility before us. And our enemy is seeking to snatch away the calm, the confidence, the courage that we might have to deal with the challenges that we have. So we deal with our own form of spiritual terrorism. And I think that is something that we always need to remember as we look at these larger incidents that take place in the news today.
In Luke:8:12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved., there is the parable of the sower and the seed, and Christ's explanation of the seed being the gospel of the kingdom that is sown within people's lives and minds. He shows that one of the primary activities that takes place after that seed is sown is the effort to snatch away the seeds of truth, the seeds of the gospel of the kingdom, and commitment and dedication from a person's life. It says that what happens is, "The devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts that they should not believe and be saved." That's Luke:8:12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.. Satan comes on the scene to snatch away the seed of hope, of truth, of courage, and to replace it with fear and panic, spiritually speaking, in this age. We fight a war on a spiritual level against a spiritual terrorist every single day. And I think that's one of the great lessons that we must have. We have to stand up, and we have to be courageous, and we have to deal with that, just as the political leaders have to be courageous and show how their own peoples, as in Canada – how to go forward, how to deal with tragic accidents and acts of terror that take place like this. They have to show that in order for the people, the country, the nation to continue going forward. We have to do the same in our own personal life as we meet the resistance that is there with us.
That's BT Daily . Join us next time.