h a l l o w e e n

Note: This lengthy introduction will be followed by two short emails with tips on how to evangelize during Halloween. Following those emails is an article on the history of halloween.

This introduction is particularly for the professed Christian reader who "celebrates" Halloween / HELLoween. The one who dresses their ignorant child like a devil, or a werewolf or a fairy witch or a magic-working purple dinosaur named Barney. Do you think this is GOOD in the sight of God? Perhaps you've never stopped to think about God's reaction to horror houses and creep shows and tarot card readers and witches. Perhaps you think Cinderella's fairy godmother is a "good witch". Maybe the "Wizard" of Oz is your favorite movie. Maybe in the old days you watched, "The Ghost and Mrs. (Somebody)". That's necromancy--intercourse with the dead. Necromancer is a Bible word (e.g., Deu 18:11). I used to be very ignorant of all righteousness. When I was of the world, I probably watched more occult than most people. May I counsel you to shake the fuzz out of your head? What we often call "nostalgia" are the remnants of sorceries that have been worked on us. If you claim to know Christ will you stop to consider WHAT GOD THINKS?

Are you angry that these scriptures are before thee? Will you "celebrate" Satan's holiday anyway? If so, your rebellion fits right in with Halloween.

Sorcerers will go to the lake of fire. Do you allow your children to watch occultic "family" movies and videos? Do you let them read such books? You are selling your own child into the hand of the devil.

The rebellious may say, "But we are not practicing witchcraft," -- I wouldn't be so sure of that, but I won't argue with you because THE BIBLE SAYS DO NOT EVEN LEARN THE WAYS OF THE HEATHEN--

The latter part of the above verse speaks to astrology ("astrologer" is a Bible word as are "magician", "stargazers", "monthly prognosticators", etc.). People who claim to the know the Lord (and their children) call 900 numbers, get palms read, etc. They seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto wizards that peep and that mutter (ref Is 8:19) INSTEAD of living righteously and seeking after God. By their fruits ye shall know them.


Dear CHRISTIAN Friends:

This is my yearly reminder to order your tracts for the upcoming Satanic
holiday called Halloween.

Below are my Halloween emails from 1999 and 1998...

Date: 
                         Sep 02 1999 16:45:48 EDT 
From: 
                         jesus_is_lord 
 
Subject: 
                         Halloween 

           Dear Christian Friend:

           Greetings in the name of the ONLY wise God and Saviour Jesus
Christ.

           Halloween is coming up next month. Many Christians do not open
their doors for little children at Halloween but they will go to the
drunkenest part of town and pass out tracts.  Some will even stand in
front of porno shops to witness, yet will not pass out tracts to little
kids.  Many will go to what is basically a church Halloween service but
look down on those that choose to pass out tracts to little kids that
night.

           1997 was the first year I can remember being home for part of
Halloween. I was armed with some Chick tracts and a boxload of the gospel
of John booklets (you can 300 of them for about $48--International Bible
Society). 

           One little girl looked in her bag and exclaimed, "Wow, Chick
tracts!" After that night, I decided whenever possible, I was going to be
home on that night.

           Last year (1998) after coming to our door, a little boy about 5
years old yelled, "Mooooom!  I gotta Bible!" He was running towards his
mom to show her.  I put our name and address on the back of our tracts.  I
believe we  also put the website address on them.  I passed out almost 50
"packets" of gospel material. I didn't include candy but I received no
complaints.  I would come to the door with a smile on my face and say
something like "Hello, little children. Here is something to read about
Jesus.  God bless you."  I would also acknowledge the parents with a
friendly greeting.

           I had just about ALL the lights on in my house cause Jesus is
the Light of the world.  There is no darkness in Him.  I had just about
all the windows open.  Everything was free and open and light. This year,
I plan to switch up the tracts I give out.  Last year was "The Trick",
"This was Your Life" and the gospel of John (I may pass this out again).

           Below is the 1998 letter about Halloween (with just a few
changes).  Dear Friends, may we all pray for the little children this
Halloween and for every tract and Bible given out that night too.


*********************************************************************

           Dear Friends:

             It's almost time for Halloween, the time when Satan is
glorified through a night when human beings pay homage to devils, witches,
monsters, goblins, fairy princesses, etc.  Halloween is evil.  That night
there'll be plenty of horror movies on hell-i-vision and haunted houses.
Plenty of fake blood on masks and plenty of depraved young people actually
sucking each others blood in vampirism.  Some of them are actually getting
vampire crowns permanently placed on their teeth. 
           Unsurprisingly, the Catholic religion made this Druid paganism
popular. People will be getting killed and sacrificed to Satan this night.
Some kids will be drugged by the candy.  Others will have their little
mouths cut open by razor blades.  See the article at:
           http://www.chick.com/seasonal/halloweenarticle.asp

           Since I've been married, we've been working with young people
and have missed Halloween practically every year--but last year (1997) was
different. I wasn't going out until 8 pm.  I had some Chick tracts called
"The Trick" (this is my favorite Halloween tract) and I had some gospel of
Johns.

           When the kids came to the door I greeted them and their parents
very kindly and gave the children one of each item.  I blessed them and
sent them on their way.  If you'd like to read the tract, go here:
           http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0011/0011_1.htm

           These kids are coming right to our door.  Instead of cutting
the lights out and acting like we don't hear their little knocks, why not
open the door to a human being that needs the gospel and is openly asking
you for something?  I prayed to Jesus after reading a Chick tract when I
was about 7 years old.  Nobody in my family was saved but reading that
little book impressed on my spirit that Jesus Christ is the Lord and that
I needed to get right before the Judgment Day.  I saw that same tract when
I was 25 years old and I have been walking with Jesus ever since.  An
unknown soulwinner gave me the gospel through a Chick tract and now I am a
soulwinner doing the same thing. Jesus is the Lord.  Please share the
gospel with a little kid.

           Order your tracts now.  No telling who might get saved and what
mighty things they'll do for the Lord Jesus Christ.  God speed as you
pursue, and serve, the ONLY wise God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

             For Jesus' sake,
             tracy
             -- 
             http://www.jesus-is-lord.com
             I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them,
             Thus saith the Lord GOD.

And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be 
afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee,
and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be
dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
             Ezekiel 2:4, 6

Where Did Halloween Come From?
What is Halloween really all about?
Have you ever asked yourself, "Who in the world ever thought of the idea of walking around in weird costumes, trick or treating, and/or putting a carved-out pumpkin in your window?"

werewolf

You will agree with me that Halloween is really one of the strangest days of the year, is it not? Perhaps you wonder how the celebration of such a day ever got started. In this pamphlet I would like to answer this question for you!

Where and when did Halloween customs originate?

The many customs we have today in relation to Halloween have their origins in the religious practices of the Romans and the Druids, therefore dating back many centuries. The Romans worshiped various gods and on October 31, a special feast was held in honor of Pomona, goddess of the fruit trees. Later, the Druids, an ancient order of Celtic priests in Britain, made this feast an even more extensive celebration by also honoring Samhain, lord of the dead. This was normally done on November 1 and it was therefore decided to conveniently honor both Pomona and Samhain on October 31 and November 1.

These Druids believed that on the night before November 1 (October 31) Samhain called together wicked souls or spirits which had been condemned to live in the bodies of animals during the year which had just transpired. Since they were afraid of these spirits, they chose October 31 as a day to sacrifice to their gods, hoping they would protect them. They really believed that on this day they were surrounded by strange spirits, ghosts, witches, fairies, and elves, who came out to hurt them. In addition to this, they also believed that cats were holy animals, as they considered them to represent people who lived formerly, and as punishment for evil deeds were reincarnated as a cat. All this explains why witches, ghosts, and cats are a part of Halloween today.

The custom of trick-or-treating and the use of "jack-o'-lanterns" comes from Ireland. Hundreds of years ago, Irish farmers went from house to house, begging for food, in the name of their ancient gods, to be used at the village Halloween celebration. They would promise good luck to those who gave them good, and made threats to those who refused to give. They simply told the people, "You treat me, or else I will trick you!"

The apparently harmless lightened pumpkin face or "jack-o'-lantern" actually is an old Irish symbol of damned soul. A man named Jack was supposed to be able unable to enter heaven due to his miserliness, and unable to enter hell because he had played practice jokes on the devil. As a result, he was condemned to wander over the earth with his lantern until judgment day (i.e., the end of the world). The Irish were so afraid that they would receive an identical plight, that they began to hollow out pumpkins and place lighted candles inside to scare away evil spirits from their home.

screamingmask

When did the modern Halloween celebration begin?

During the Middle Ages (about 600 years ago), the Roman Catholic Church at that time, decided to make the change-over from pagan religion to Christianity a bit easier, and therefore allowed the new converts to maintain some of their pagan feasts. It was agreed, however, that from now on they would be celebrated as "Christian" feasts. So instead of praying to their heathen gods, they would now pray to, and remember the deaths of saints. For this reason the church decided to call November 1 the "Day of All Saints," and the mass to be celebrated on that day "Alhallowmass." In consequence of this, the evening prior to this day was named, "All Hallowed Evening" which subsequently was abbreviated as "Halloween." In spite of this effort to make October 31 a "holy evening," all the old customs continued to be practiced, and made this evening anything BUT a holy evening!

Halloween today.

You would have to agree with me that also today Halloween is most definently not a holy evening!! This annual event is far from the harmless, innocent tradition it is promoted to be. Many dread this "holy" evening as they think what could happen to them, their property, and/or their children! Consistent with its historical roots, this evening is charecterized by fear, and frequently arouses dormant fears in many. The fear generated by this event is symbolic of the fear which plagues so many in our moden, morally bankrupt world. It is a gripping fear for an unknown and very threatening future, a fear caused by a gnawing inner emptiness.

An alternative for October 31.

For many in this land, this day stands for the very opposite of fear!! On this day in 1517, a German monk and professor of theology, Dr. Martin Luther, courageously published the simple, straightforward truth of the Bible. God's Word, which he has rediscovered after a long and intense spiritual struggle. God used the truth of his own Word to give Luther the inner peace he had so desperately longed for. The Bible pointed him the way to God Himself, and when he found God through Jesus Christ, he found this peace which passes all understanding! He himself stated that it was as if he entered Paradise itself.

As a result of his courageous act on October 31, 1517, the Bible came into the hands of the common people again, and many, who as he, were deeply troubled by sin and it's consequences, found peace with God as well!

It was God himself, Who used Martin Luther to bring His message of deliverance into the hands and hearts of sinners, in order to bring them back to Himself, and give then TRUE peace!! It is therefore with deep gratitude to God that we wish commemorate October 31, as it reminds us of God's gracious and mighty deeds nearly five centuries ago.

It is the Word of God, and its precious truth, rediscover by Martin Luther, which still gives true peace to many today. In the Bible ALONE will you find the ONLY answer to the deep yearning of your heart. ONLY when God becomes your God through Jesus Christ, you will find rest at last and you will answer to the true purpose of human existence, namely, to honor, serve, and enjoy our Creator!!

Is the God of heaven and earth YOUR God? If not, seek Him TODAY, while He still may be found!!

God, manifested in Jesus Christ, invited you Himself in His Word. Turn to the gospel of Matthew and read chapter 11:28,

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest!"

Those who insist on seeking inner peace without being reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, will have to endure eternal misery without God. God does not desire the eternal misery of man and therefore He also extends this invitation in Ezekiel 33:11,

"As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked (i.e. Sinner) but that the wicked turn from his way and live! Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways: for why will ye die?"