Christ - mas, why do most celebrate this holiday?

Christmas tree
Family
Presents
Church service for some of you
Food
Santa Claus
Baby Jesus
Movies
Shopping
Lights
Snow

Why celebrate it? A week or two away from school/work, Countless movies and songs made to honor and covering Christmas. It is a big deal in America. But why?

In a country that has millions of different beliefs, why do most people celebrate it?

What dictates a good reason to celebrate it?

Reason behind doing anything is crucial in ones life, doing something without purpose does not make sense and actually is a contradiction to the doing. We eat so that our bodies will live and survive. We go to job or college so we can have a future career or have income to provide for ourselves. Reason is found everywhere in our lives, to ignore or avoid it is to turn away from common sense itself.

Most Christians say Christmas is around to celebrate this person called Jesus. Others say its a good time to spend and celebrate Family. Others is an excuse to celebrate good behavior by convincing their children of an imaginary Santa Claus who will give them presents if their good to them instead of active disobedience. I think another reason could be simply like their presents and may be even celebrating their own desires and passions to satisfy their physical wants.

one guy thought this of the reason(s) for Christmas:

TOP TEN REASONS TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

10. The big corporations need the money.
9. Gives you a good excuse to dress up in a red suit.
8. You like to stay in debt on your credit card.
7. Forget about that diet for the day.
6. The kids (you mean you) dont have enough toys.
5. What better way to spend your holidays than with the in laws.
4. Get to sit up all night waiting for santa.
3. Get to play with your kids toys.
2. You can eat and eat and eat.........
1. Just cant beat that smile on your childrens faces.

http://www.paralumun.com/christmascel.htm

Another guy thought the reason to celebrate Christmas is this:

My reason to celebrate Christmas is for the birth of my own understanding of human life, and for my acceptance that individual human happiness is not only possible, but moral. Christmas can be a time of giving, but it will be a time of giving to people I value on my own terms. It can be a time of thankfulness and appreciation, but it will be a time of thankfulness for people and things I love, and appreciation for what we’ve accomplished as human beings in the past year.

its from this article if your interested:

http://objectivistvoice.com/2010/12/13/celebrate-christmas/

celebration usually is done due to something happening in ones life that they view as precious or deemed worthy to spend time to appreciate and recognize it as valuable for them.

What deems worthy celebrating? Is it the worth of something? Is what it means to me? What about what is true and what is a lie? What lasts and what doesnt? Should the extent of my celebration be pursued due to the true worth of something despite feelings? I think so. Celebration demands something worthy, I argue that the ulimate celebration we have should govern

Lets investigate these reasons for Christmas.

Is Santa Real? Well he was, not the person they speak of now. Saint Nicholas was a Christian a long time ago and was a famous figure in his time.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11063b.htm

The Santa Clause we are familiar with is a distorted and manipulated imaginary creature from a real person used to appease the uses of those who profess its trueness. Despite most people understand it to be, they still confess it being true to their children and as a historical figure.

Now to turn the picture.

This has been done to the person of Jesus. He was a real person (historical accounts: http://www.textexcavation.com/anatestimonium.html) who is many times thought of as numerous different personas by different people (hippy Jesus, gay Jesus, blue-eyed model looking Jesus, dumb Jesus; just watch a show of family guy). It is a tender topic to speak of, I thought it important to bring Jesus up in this light and in comparison to Saint Nicholas. There is a real Jesus, who did existed, this is entirely true and historically documented with many different witnesses and testimonies. Most have altered this picture that Jesus has been shown by the witnessed and accounts. They have been altered simply by what most people think he is and simply to use this picture to their own means, ignoring any kind of truth.

What is the true reason we should celebrate Christmas?

The way we celebrate, shows what we indeed are celebrating (hah, sounds funny). Ask yourself if what you are celebrating is truly worth complete celebration. There are many ways to celebrate one thing through different ways.

Is Santa Clause the reason for Christmas? Well, this picture of him isnt true, so why celebrate a fantasy, maybe we could celebrate Saint Nicholas, he was a good man, respected, but most people dont look at Christmas in this light, but see this imaginary picture.

Is children the reason for Christmas? Are they worth celebrating, I think so. Maybe not complete celebration. Why? well, spoiling and exalting people is not the best thing to do. Recollect Caesar, Hitler, Cult Leaders; it doesnt turn out well. People thinking of themselves as great and encouraging that thinking can be very dangerous, this could show in the way we love and celebrate kids. I know it sounds wierd, but think about it.

Is corporations getting money the reason for Christmas? Look at the advertisements on TV, some people think so. Most people would not agree this to be the reason, but money is something that people do celebrate which is attached to corporations. Money can be bad to celebrate. Money, although it can provide a lot of things, can cause unending pursuits. May not be reason for Christmas. It should be outstandingly worthy and valuable.

Is our own achievement the reason for Christmas? What can people do, figure out something that has already existed, obtain something, reach a level in the career chain, think about things, create something no human has seen. Pred cool stuff. And it may be a reason to a certain extent, but Christmas? Should we be celebrated ultimately? Are we a huge deal? I dont think so, who is the absolute standard? People arent that big. Just look at the sun and what it could do to us if it were closer to us than it is now. We are little ants compared to the sun, we aren't a big deal. Not even to mention a creator.

Is Jesus the reason to celebration Christmas? I think it is essential. Celebrating anything else absolutely will not suffice, I think I have made it clear. I hope I have. If Jesus is the person his witnesses have confessed through their testimony, then he is the biggest reason to celebrate Christmas. Focus and Target. With God from eternity past til his birth. He is perfect, beautiful, life giving, created us, sin hating, jealous. Son of God, came to earth as a baby boy human to a poor unimportant family in relation with human renown and wealth. Sinless in all he did, compassionate, servant, told people about the eternal God, whom he had known and offered this God to them, they rejected him, his creation, killed him. Their rejection was his purposed victory. Using their evil and hate to destroy evil and hate on the earth through his work. He has provided a way to escape his Fathers anger for this God-ignoring, evil, hating mentality through this cross he died on and rose afterward. He demonstrated his victory and use of his death by raising from the dead. Jesus declares to be the ruler of everything, including you, me, your children, Saint Nicholas, presents, trees, movies, he owns it all baby.

Maybe you celebrate Jesus during Christmas, great. I encourage you to retell yourself who he is to you and how you have been living in light of this Jesus. Our lives are a great lens to see how we see Jesus as a person.

Maybe you dont celebrate Jesus during Christmas, great. I would challenge you to reconsider what you think of this person and would encourage you to investigate those who have witnessed this Jesus (The book written by John who witnessed Jesus is a great start) and consider him.

Prayer, what is the best way to do it?

I was asked this question on the internet and I gave the best response I thought to give, and thought it would be encouraging to post it on here. Here you are.

The way we think or speak prayer, there may not be a best way. I think if I approach this answer by the heart, the rest of your question will be answered. May God use my limited mind to express his will and a portion of his greatness.

I would view prayer as: Communication with God. But its far more than just saying that.

prayer begins by having a mediator.

We cannot go to him on our own.

This is the most essential and critical thing in approaching prayer. Without Jesus being our mediator, we could not approach or even think to speak with God unless we would be completely destroyed by his holiness in light of our immense evil within us (Gen 6:5, Romans 3, Hebrews) . Jesus taking our punishment and giving his righteousness through his blood is the only way we can even approach God (2 Cor 5:21, John 14). When you go to pray today, even that prayer that you speak is washed in the blood of the lamb. Thats how dependent and in need of a savior that we are in. We have to see this when we approach it. Any other approach other than the cross of Jesus paying for my debt will bring about pride and self righteousness.

There is definitely a proper topic that we discuss in our prayer to God, we dont just pray about whatever we desire to pray about and ask for everything that we think is proper to prayer for. I hope that makes sense. What I mean is that I am not going to pray to God and tell him about me pooping in the bathroom. This doesn't mean that we cant talk about small things with him.

You and I do not know how to pray, this truth will humble us if we really believe it. Most people think they know how to pray the best or think that their great that they pray the best or most passionate or cover the best topics. This is an improper approach which is a form of self-worship. (reading matthew 6 is a good thing that describes this)

If you can recall Jesus's parable of the tax collector who prayed and the pharisee who prayed, you would see the distinction. Our hearts tend to move toward the way the Pharisee prays, where he praises himself before God because of how put together he is and spiritual he is compared to other people. Our approach to God should be of the tax collector, who says in brokenness "Have mercy on me, a sinner". Time and time again, this should be our heart, because we are vile in our flesh and are in need of a savior.

Prayer begins with humility. (Isaiah 66:1-2, Isaiah 6) Humility begins from us seeing God as his greatness and his perfectness and preciousness, to then in comparison see our smallness and unworthiness and filthiness.

We see his love and grace in our small and his greatness, because of the gospel. Again, you dont approach prayer with complete sadness, although there should be a healthy sadness over our sin. But there is this fear or divine awe that we cannot simple make up for myself. It must be founded in the gospel. (Ephesians 2, Titus 3, 2 Corinthians 5, John 17, John 14, Lev 17:11, Psalm 53)

As a Christian, God is definitely a friend of ours, but cannot be considered like a human friend we have. He is the King of the Universe and has called all men to turn from their tendency to sin and turn to God their life, confidence, and death in most instances (Luke 9:23-24, Matthew 28:18-20)

Good passages to look in about prayer

1 Peter 5:6-7
Philippians 4
Titus 3
Isaiah 6
Isaiah 66:1-2
John 17
Psalm 16
a lot of the psalms are prayers

Jesus gives us a sweet prayer, this is not a prayer to simply quote, but shows the topics that would be great to cover in a prayer. Matthew 6

I could break apart The matthew 6 prayer, to show what Jesus was praying about to help you see what are some good things to think through and pray through when you communicate with God?

Does that help?

I hope that these answers wont intimidate you whatsoever, but will aid you in thinking how big God is and how small we are in light of him. And God can change our views of himself. This is what God has been doing in me for the this past semester, is showing me a greater picture of how big he is and how I ought to fear and revere him and not approach him lightly. We can approach him because of Jesus, and our viewing of Jesus on the cross in prayer is super helpful in how we engage prayer.

Wonderful Light, A poem to Jesus

I dont make poems often, But one day God pushed me to make one for him.

Wonderful light

watching the reflection from its strong and revealing gaze
spreading beyond every thing it touches and enlightening its contents
when I look directly into this light, no words can describe such brightness,
my eyes are unable to process such a bright and mysterious light

Wonderful light

When this light disappears, the brightness goes away
like the aura of a campfire being put out
my heart goes to despair
the things that were bright are now unseen
the place where I was walking is no where to be found
how can I see or where do I go?
why does the coldness come so near?
when the light and its brightness flee?

Wonderful light

Oh come once again great light, come oh so quickly to me
for I cannot live without you
like my heart beats for my body
oh how your light is the warmth and life to my soul
My joy is complete, my lying eyes are defeated at last
when I gaze into the glories of your light


Wonderful light

Oh you have come once again
such grace and mercy to come to me
I have not done anything to deserve such light
that the warmth of your rays might cover me
What can I do to express my love for such a light as this?
Can such a distant and strong light be something I could give?
without it I have nothing to give for I could not see a thing

Wonderful light

I will tell of your light
when others have not seen and other have been distraught
Those in the caves I will tell of this light
when they see it, oh what joy will fill my day
for this light has been my life and my way
let me tell once again of this light

Wonderful light

What is your name?
Who can you be?
Are you simply a light in the sky? Or a brightness unknown?
Of course you are not
you are my Light, my great and merciful Master
Jesus Christ this is he, the one that I have described with many phrases
Oh come to this light or even better come to this King
That his light might shine and bring life to everything