Trick or Treat?

2009 The Original Series and The Next Generation

2010 The Flash, Batgirl, Supergirl, and reporters
from the Gotham Globe and Daily Planet

It seems that I run into many differing opinions about this holiday we have called Halloween. Many enjoy the fun of candy and dressing up, others don't want to have anything to do with it because of it's pagan religious roots. I've never personally been into the whole scary thing myself, so I suppose my family is a bit less traditional about how we go about the holiday. I didn't really concern myself all that much about it until I had kids and started having to think about what we were going to do with it. Most major holidays do hold their roots in religious meaning of various kinds. A friend shared this article which I thought a very good one: Halloween for Christians.

Inspired by today's teenage culture, I caught hold of the "Trick or Treat" theme to take the opportunity to go over some common worldviews and conceptions which I didn't want my kids to truly buy into when they got to their teenage years. Part of what we do each year is to hang some pictures on our dining room window. I bought a Halloween themed coloring book, colored a few of the pictures and laminated them so I could reuse them. I have plans to add more to the collection, but below is a picture of what we have so far. Each picture represents a worldview or conception, and then throughout the month we compare those things to truth from the Bible. I found a "Trick or Treat" sign at a party store, and added a picture of Jesus, because how much better "Treat" is there! Check out the notes I've got so far, and if you think of some other good Bible verses or ideas let me know. My kids crack me up when I hear them say, "Mom, let's learn about witches!"




WITCHES: Manipulating others to get what you want

Fly on brooms. Use magic to make things happen the way they want them to happen.
Most things about witches are pretend. The common thing about all witches is they manipulate people, trick, and/or lie to get what they want. Some think they can tell the future. Some people try to use magic and think they are witches, but they are tricked. The bad, fallen angels try to make those people think they can do magic.
God says in the Bible that trying to really be like a witch is wrong. If God says it is wrong, then we can know it is not a way to make us happy. We can trust Him, because He is always truthful.

Jeremiah 14:14
"They are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds."
Ezekiel 21:29
"They see for you false visions, while they divine lies for you--to place you on the necks of the wicked who are slain, whose day has come, in the time of the punishment of the end."
Revelation 21:8
"sorcerers...and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."


VAMPIRES AND
WEREWOLVES: Using power to take what you want

Want to live forever. They have special abilities which they use to take whatever they want.
Not real. People have made up many stories about them. There might be people who have hair all over, but they're not werewolves. They are still people. There are people who do very bad things to get what they want, but vampires are just in stories. Living forever isn't the most important thing. Selfish power hurts people. In the long run it does not make us happy when we hurt others to get what we want. It makes it so others can't trust us and don't like us.

1 John 2:16
"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."


SKELETONS: Trick or Treat?
Scare people.
Not really scary. We all have skeletons. Without our skeleton we wouldn't be able to walk or really do anything. But skeletons can't walk or move or do anything without the rest of us.

Psalm 139:13-14
"For Thou didst form my inward parts;
Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb.
I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Thy works,
And my soul knows it very well."

Job 10:8a; 11b
"Thy hands fashioned and made me altogether,...and knit me together with bones and sinews."


GHOSTS: Communicating with the dead

Some people believe ghosts are real. They think that when people die their spirit stays on earth.
Ghosts are not real. The spirits are really the bad, fallen angels tricking people into thinking ghosts are real to confuse them. God says that when people die their spirits go to another place and are no longer on earth. The only kind of Spirit we should be concerned about communicating with is God.

Luke 16:19-31 Jesus told a story about a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus.
In verses 22-23 He said this:
"Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom [Paradise]; and the rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes..."

2 Corinthians 5:8
"...we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord."


MUMMIES AND FRANKENSTEIN'S
MONSTERS: Power over life and death

Stories about dead leaders coming back to life, or stories about someone creating a person.
People can't cause someone dead to become alive again, or make something and give it life. Only God can create living things. Only God can resurrect the dead.

John 1:3
"All things came into being by [the Word of God], and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being."

Genesis 2:7
"Then the LORD God [the I AM] formed man of the dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."

John 11:25
"Jesus said..., 'I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies'."

Romans 8:11
"But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you."


JESUS

Jesus is real. He gives treats, not tricks. The devil and the other fallen angels are full of schemes and tricks. Jesus loves us. He gives good advice. He is our Savior. He knows what things really make us happy because He knows what we were created for. Also, He made it so that we can go to Heaven! That is a great BIG treat, don't you think!

John 14:6
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through me."

John 8:44
"The devil...he was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies."

James 1:17
"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father..."

1 Peter 5:8
"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Ephesians 6:11
"Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."

Psalm 16:11
"Thou wilt make known to me the path of life;
In Thy presence is fullness of joy;
In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever."




2011 This year we have the essential costumes of superhero, fully equipped with light saber, and of course the girls had to be princesses! When my son chose the somewhat uncommon superhero of Bibleman, I thought, "Oh dear, I have no idea how we're going to pull that one off!" I'm so glad it came together. What makes Bibleman so incredibly fun is that he is the only superhero who actually gets to wear the armor of God!!



And of course we can not forget our adorable little tiger cub.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Domestic Mountain Ranges

Tests. They are a part of all this I know. It's the only way we actually get to practice things we learn. I greatly appreciate the knowledge that even on the tests I lose, my mess-ups can still be used to move me more toward righteousness. I love that my son keeps asking me to sing “Seek Ye First” (Matt. 6:33) for his bed time song--"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." It is a good one for helping me keep perspective. I’m excited that I’m beginning to understand the specifics of what it means to seek first His (God’s) righteousness: Studying the character of Christ, whose character is the copy of who I am to follow and diligently pursue. I was thinking to myself earlier this week that I wasn’t really sure what seeking first His kingdom meant. Today was definitely a gift for my being able to think about that. It wasn’t fun, but I do have joy in a better understanding. Pray for me, though… Please! In the beginning of this journey I considered that a big part of what seeking first His kingdom meant was that I should not be seeking after my own little kingdom. I do have to admit that I have difficulty understanding the specifics of how to accomplish this. I much appreciated being reminded that this journey requires the Holy Spirit. (Thank you KathyC!) In my little kingdom, I have a battle that I’ve been waging for years against all the crazy clutter in my house. Instead of shaming thoughts or unruly kids, today my test was a common pressure. Everywhere I turned I would feel another weight from all the stuff that needs to be done around my house. I’m pretty sure God doesn’t promise me a clean house, just like He doesn’t promise that everyone will agree and get along with me, or that everyone will like me, or that this journey is going to be easy. I hope there is some kind of character quality He can conform in me so I can at least have a half way clean house someday…I guess we’ll see. I don’t know if it was the flesh, the world, or the enemy that was the root of my test today, but the fact is I was severely distracted from my quest to pursue Christ’s character by my hurricane ravaged house. My kids were the ones who had to suffer for it. (Though, I suppose I could try to blame them as the cause of it...Nah, not really.) I am still very much feeling the pressure. Please open my eyes LORD that I might be able to see what You would have me do for your kingdom instead of being overwhelmed by my little one. Let me see my home with Your eyes and let me use it for your kingdom. Please bless the work of my hands for Your honor and glory. I’m pretty sure this challenge is going to be a hard one for me. (Originally written June 15, 2010)

In the days following, the LORD brought to mind the passage that says for us to do our work as though we are doing it unto Him. Col. 3:17, 23 "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father...and whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men." A dear friend of mine used a certain term which made me laugh because it was so accurately descriptive of my feelings. The term is "Mt. Washmore" located in the kitchen sink, and now I also refer to the "Himalaundry Mountain Range" which includes "Mt. Never-rest." It is difficult to think of these "mountains" that are always needing my attention as having anything to do with God's kingdom. I just got to read an article that my friend Morna was able to have published in a magazine recently. This is how it starts: “Busyness has become a way of life for too many people, especially women. We are constantly running the daily details of the home, organizing schedules, stretching the budget, straining to make ends meet, trying to be everything to everyone, and sleeping less than we should. We have too much to do with too little time in which to do it. Maybe it's time we all take a deep breath and ask ourselves: WHAT am I so busy with? WHY am I doing it? And for WHOM?” The article didn’t actually answer these questions specifically, but it did make me think about what the answers were. The “for WHOM?” question is the most important: I need to be doing what I’m doing unto the LORD, even if it’s a whole bunch of laundry and dishes. When I am feeling wiped out and scatter brained and overwhelmed with all that needs to be done around me, may I remember Who I work for and let my efforts to please be for Him. Somehow when I'm taking out a load of laundry from the dryer...again, I feel a lot better doing it, when I am understanding that through it God is building in me diligence, perseverance, thankfulness, benevolence, etc. It also helps me to remember that when God called me, He didn't say I had to have it all together. He called me to a process commonly referred to in the Bible called sanctification. Sanctification is the holiness pursuit: set apart for the process of learning and practicing His character in my life. While my efforts need to be for obedience as He points things out to me, He is the one in charge of the process. I am no longer condemned for my failures. I don't have to beat myself up for everything I can't seem to do right. I get to enjoy a purpose in knowing Christ more and more every day.

Woah. In my writing this blog post, anyone reading this gets to be witness of a miracle...I am not kidding. I am actually finding myself thankful for how disorganized and cluttered my house is right now. I cannot say I have ever felt that way. I mean I've felt thankful despite it, but never thankful for it. I almost feel like I have to be crazy, but the only real explanation is the Holy Spirit. This kind of thankfulness I'd define as my seeing an excitement in the purpose of knowing Christ better, through my cluttered house, being more desirable than the excitement I'd have through it just being clean. (Still hoping for some serious progress toward that clean concept though.)

Here is a tribute to one of my favorite words:

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica