December 18, 2024 • 19 mins
Can decorating Christmas trees and celebrating Santa Claus impact your spiritual journey? Rick and Lauren invite you to rethink cherished holiday traditions through a biblical lens. By referencing scriptures like Jeremiah 10, we challenge the adoption of customs that might not align with God's call to holiness. We dive into the portrayal of Santa Claus, questioning how this figure, often imbued with divine attributes, can create confusion for children trying to understand the true meaning of Christmas. This episode doesn't shy away from asking tough questions, urging you to closely examine the spiritual implications of these traditions and how they may affect your relationship with Christ.
Living a holy life is not about rule-following—it's about transformation. Together, we explore what it means to truly reflect our new identity in Christ, drawing on key scriptures such as 1 Peter 1:13-16 and 2 Corinthians 5:17. We offer practical steps to embrace holiness by communicating with God, immersing ourselves in His word, and embodying His love. With these insights, we hope to inspire you to thrive amidst uncertainties, finding strength in the faith journey.
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Thank You. I Love You!
SEE YA!
Rick
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Coming up on Renewed Mindsets.
As the Christmas seasonapproaches, many of us find joy
in decorating trees, hangingmistletoe and celebrating the
arrival of Santa Claus.
These traditions have becomedeeply ingrained in our holiday
celebrations.
They're often as viewed asharmless fun, but today we're
(00:22):
going to take a closer look atthese beloved customs and ask
the crucial question what doesGod think about them?
Let's go, boys.
Hey, welcome to RenewedMindsets, where we study the
basics of the faith through thelens of our middle-aged
(00:42):
experiences.
Basics of the faith through thelens of our middle-aged
experiences.
I'm Rick.
Welcome to the show where Ihelp you, gen Xers and
Millennials, navigatespiritually through a world that
looks nothing like we expectedback when cars were square and
mullets were totally awesome.
I am so glad you're here.
Welcome everybody.
Welcome back to another episodeof Renewed Mindsets.
(01:04):
I'm Rick and today, as always,I'm joined by Lauren.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Hi everyone.
We are so thrilled you're herebecause we have a really special
episode for you.
Today.
We're diving deep intosomething a lot of people don't
even think twice about, andthat's Christmas traditions.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
That's right Now.
Some of these traditions mightseem innocent, but when we look
closely we'll see that theymight not align with God's word.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
And a fair warning.
We might stir the pot a littlebit today.
Some of the things we're goingto talk about might be a little
uncomfortable, but it's all inthe spirit of growing closer to
Christ.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
So grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, settle
in and let's get started.
Section one questioning thefamiliar.
So let's start with one of themost iconic symbols of Christmas
the decorated tree.
It's in every shopping mall, inevery living room, in every
(02:05):
Hallmark movie.
But have we ever stopped to askwhy?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Exactly, and most people think of the Christmas
tree as harmless or a festivedecoration, but its origins
might surprise you a little bit.
In fact, there's a passage inthe Bible that seems to describe
something very, very similar,and not in a good way.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Oh, you're probably thinking of Jeremiah 10.
Now that passage warns againstcutting down a tree decorating
with silver and gold andpropping it up.
It's a practice barred frompagan cultures, and God was very
clear.
His people were not to followthose customs.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
And even though some argue that this passage is about
idol worship specifically, itraises one very important
question If we're borrowingtraditions with pagan roots,
even unintentionally, are wereally honoring God?
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Are we.
I hear it.
I hear bubbles getting bursteverywhere, and that's true,
because one of God's mostimportant commands is be holy,
because I am holy.
We find that in Leviticus 1144.
We find it in 1 Peter, 116.
Holiness means being set apart116.
(03:28):
Holiness means being set apart,living by God's standards and
not blending worldly practiceswith our faith.
Now, lauren's going to talkmore about this later in depth.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
It's definitely worth reflecting on that.
How often do we spend moreeffort on picking the perfect
ornaments or lighting the treethan we do reflecting on the
miracle of Christ's birth?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Oh, you just stomping all over it.
So as we think about thesetraditions, let's ask ourselves
are they helping us to live outGod's call to holiness or are
they pulling us further from it?
Section two Santa Claus andmaterialism.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
All right.
So another big topic is goingto be Santa Claus.
This one is especially toughbecause, let's be honest, we all
grew up loving the idea ofSanta and I know you did, rick
but where does he fit into aChrist-centered?
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Christmas.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Who ever heard?
Speaker 1 (04:22):
of a skinny Santa.
I'm so sorry.
Santa claus has become almostsynonymous with christmas, but
when we dig a little deeper, werealize that this tradition
carries some concerningspiritual implications yes,
that's exactly right, and santais often portrayed as omniscient
(04:44):
.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when
you're awake.
Does that sound familiar?
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Sounds a little creepy.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Yeah, I agree, and that mirrors attributes that
belong to God alone.
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
God is the only one who is truly omniscient, and
when we attribute thosequalities to Santa, even in a
playful way, we dilute theholiness of God and it can
confuse children about who istruly sovereign.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Plus Santa promotes a works-based system, rewarding
kids based on behavior.
That's the opposite of God'sgrace, which is freely given.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Yeah, and another thing that I just thought of.
You know, we all know thatSanta's not real, right, but we
teach our kids this and thenthey that Santa's not real,
right, but we teach our kidsthis and then they get to a
certain age and we tell them wewere lying.
Yep, but we've also beentelling them about Jesus,
hopefully, and at the same time,what's to make those kids not
just believe that the, thatJesus isn't real?
(05:40):
I mean exactly, you know theparents are the ones that lied
to them.
So I mean I know people are,parents are the ones that lied
to them.
So I mean I know people are outthere rolling their eyes right
now saying, well, they're justextremists.
But we can't forget thatSanta's origins are mixed in
(06:03):
with mythology and even elementsof folklore, that they conflict
with biblical teaching.
God warns us in Deuteronomy 18,10 through 12 to avoid anything
that's connected to sorcery ordivination.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Exactly and honestly Santa his origins, the person
that he comes from.
St Nicholas isn't exactly good.
Well, he's evil.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Right?
Well, we don't worry about thesaints anyway, right?
Speaker 2 (06:25):
And, if we're honest, santa often steals the
spotlight.
Families invest literally somuch time preparing for Santa,
but how much time do they spendhonoring Christ?
Speaker 1 (06:36):
That's a good one.
It's worth stepping back andasking is Santa helping us focus
on Jesus?
Is Santa helping us and ourchildren focus on Jesus or is?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
he a distraction.
That's good, and when we removeSanta, we make more room for
Christ, and that's the realmagic of Christmas, something
real and eternal, somethingthat's going to last forever.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Section three other questionable traditions Okay,
now let's talk about some othertraditions, like mistletoe.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Mistletoe.
Mistletoe has pagan origins.
It was used in fertilityrituals.
So what do we use it for?
We hang it in our house and iftwo people are caught beneath it
they kiss.
I mean, that's pretty much afertility ritual.
Bringing that into our homescan mix worldly practices with
our faith.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Yeah, I never really understood the whole mistletoe
concept myself.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
anyway, Because nobody wanted to kiss you.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
I guess.
So sorry, we can't put that inthere, yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
I can.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
No.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
It's Christmas.
It's a time for joyous laughter.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
I know that's so sad.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
I'm going to get roasted yeah, but you're at home
with your brother and yourparents.
Who the heck you're gonna kiss?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
I'm gonna get roasted bad nobody listens go and let's
not forget excessive feasting,oh yeah, feasting, oh yeah,
feasting.
Gratitude can easily turn intogluttony if we're not careful.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Thanks, lauren, you're welcome.
Thank you, lauren, for callingme fat.
I figured you needed to hearthat Celebrations should honor
God.
Let's ask them or let's askourselves is this helping me
grow in holiness?
Section four redeemingChristmas.
So if we're stepping away fromsome traditions, how can we keep
(08:39):
Christ at the center?
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Be intentional.
A manger scene is a beautifulway to keep the focus on Jesus
and, honestly, that's what meand my family do.
We put up this gorgeous mangerlight straping.
We'll put hay inside the manger.
It's just as beautiful.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Yeah, and you don't have a tree to take down.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Exactly no, mess.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Well, we need to start traditions that include
giving Now that will reflectGod's generosity and bless
others, especially those in need.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
And worshiping is definitely key.
Sing carols that celebrateChrist and read Luke 2 together
as a family, or, in fact, justgo ahead and read the entirety
of Luke while you're at it.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Our churches.
Start small, invest intraditions that honor God.
Christmas doesn't have to looklike the world's version of
Christmas to be meaningful.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Right, and let's make this season about worship,
gratitude and renewal.
That's a Christmas worthcelebrating, for sure.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
It is, and as we get closer to Christmas I think
we're a week away now, if you'relistening to this on the day
that it drops.
Oh yeah, it's coming up.
I thank you so much forlistening and I hope that this
conversation today inspires youto reflect on your Christmas
traditions and ask do thesehonor God?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
And I also want you all to remember that it's not
about perfection, it's aboutputting Christ first.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Yes, thank you for joining us.
We love you.
See ya, bye.
And now a joyous Christmas tale.
A woman takes her 16-year-olddaughter to the doctor.
The doctor says okay, mrs Jones, what's the problem?
(10:34):
The mother says it's mydaughter, darla.
She keeps getting thesecravings, she's putting on
weight and is sick most everymorning.
The doctor gives Darla a goodexamination and then turns to
the mother and says well, Idon't know how to tell you this,
but your Darla is pregnantAbout four months, would be my
guess.
The mother says well, I don'tknow how to tell you this, but
(10:55):
your Darla is pregnant Aboutfour months, would be my guess.
The mother says pregnant, shecan't be.
She's never even been leftalone with a man, have you Darla
?
And Darla says no, mother, I'venever even kissed a man.
The doctor walked over to thewindow and just stares out of it
.
About five minutes pass and themother finally says is there
something wrong out there,doctor?
The doctor replies no, notreally.
(11:17):
It's just that the last timeanything like this happened, a
star appeared in the east andthree wise men came over a hill.
And I'll be John Brown if I'mgoing to miss it this time.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
All right.
So let's talk aboutunderstanding holiness in our
lives.
So many of you have chosen toaccept Christ as your Lord and
Savior, but what comes next Likewhat comes after that?
Is that the end of the journeyor is there more to it?
Can we just continue living aswe did before now, safe from
hell?
Let's explore what the Biblesays 1 Peter 1, 13 through 16.
(12:01):
Prepare your minds for action.
Be self-controlled.
Set your hope fully on thegrace to be given you when Jesus
Christ is revealed.
As obedient children, do notconform to the evil desires you
had when you lived in ignorance.
But just as he who called youis holy, so be holy in all you
do.
For it is written be holybecause I am holy.
(12:22):
What is holiness?
When we think of holiness, somemight imagine like a monk in a
monastery or an elderly personconstantly reading the Bible.
But holiness is simply aboutbeing changed and set apart for
God.
2 Corinthians 5.17.
Therefore, if anyone is inChrist, they are a new creation.
The old has gone, the new ishere.
(12:43):
Being in Christ makes us new,which means our lives should
change after salvation.
There must be a noticeabledifference between our lives and
the world's ways.
Living a holy life.
A holy life is one fullycommitted to God.
God's holiness calls us to beholy too.
There is no in between.
(13:04):
There is no half doingsomething.
You're all in or you're all out.
In John 5, 5, jesus healed acrippled man and later told him
sin no more, lest a worse thingcome unto thee.
In John 8.11, jesus forgave awoman caught in adultery and
(13:24):
told her neither do I condemnthee, go and sin no more.
Both were restored to God andinstructed to live differently
after Applying holiness in ourlives.
Holiness isn't about beingperfect, but it's about being
serious in our commitment to God.
It's following his commands andliving a life pleasing to him.
(13:44):
We should gather for worshipand support each other, but
that's just the start.
We need to take Christ with useverywhere, into our work,
family, friendships, decisionsand even small problems.
A life given over to God mightseem radical, but it leads to
peace, joy and assurance.
It aligns us with God's planfor us as well.
We must reflect God's love tothe world, showing differences
(14:07):
in our behavior, goals anddesires.
Our lives should visiblydemonstrate our faith without
needing lengthy explanations.
Matthew 5.16,.
Let your light shine beforeothers that they may see your
good deeds and glorify yourFather in heaven.
How to live a holy life?
To live a holy life, we need toobey God completely and be
(14:28):
filled with the Holy Spirit.
Living in sin grieves the HolySpirit Accepting Christ as a
choice, and so is living a holylife.
This choice must be made daily.
Remember we belong to Christ.
Living a holy life is aboutconstantly striving to align
ourselves with God's will andreflecting His love to the world
.
Communicating with God.
(14:48):
Second, we need to communicatewith our Lord in prayer, and not
just once or twice a week,every single day, every moment
you get, talk to him.
He wants to be talked to likehe's a friend.
We should praise him, thank him, ask for his help and, most
importantly, listen to him.
Even Jesus found it necessaryto pray, sometimes all night
(15:11):
long, if he needed it.
How much more do we Immersing inGod's word?
Third, we need to be immersedin God's word because it holds
the answers.
It is literally food for thespirit.
It gives us direction, wisdomand understanding.
It's the most direct way Godspeaks to us, showing us the
(15:32):
eternal principles of how tolive a holy life in Christ Jesus
, understanding holiness.
Holiness isn't just a list ofdo's and don'ts.
It's about conforming to thecharacter of God and being
obedient to his will.
It's the natural result ofsalvation through Jesus Christ.
Holiness reflects the characterand behavior of a new creature
(15:53):
in him.
It's the power of the HolySpirit working in a life
submitted to Almighty God.
Holiness is what makes Hischurch the city on a hill that
cannot be hidden.
Are we that church?
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Well, that's all for this week's show.
You know the name of this showspeaks my hope for you.
It's taken from the words ofRomans, chapter 12, verse 2.
Do not be conformed to thisworld, but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind that bytesting, you may discern what is
the will of God, what is goodand acceptable and perfect.
(16:32):
If you enjoyed what you heard,do me a favor, please, and tell
someone you know about it.
Send them a link and a text youknow.
You may even need to downloadit to their phone and show them
what a podcast is.
If it was valuable to you, itwill be to them.
Visit renewedmindsetscom tohear past episodes.
(16:56):
Read the blog and check out thenew merch.
To hear past episodes, read theblog and check out the new
merch.
And, as always, while you'rethere, send me a voicemail by
clicking the button at thebottom right corner of the main
page.
Tell me what you think aboutthis show.
I just might play it on afuture episode.
(17:17):
Until next week, I'm Rick.
I love you.
See ya.
The intro and outro music forthe Renewed Mindsets podcast is
Are you Ready?
(17:37):
By Floodgate From the album Areyou Ready?
By Floodgate From the album Areyou Ready?
Copyright 2002, offbeatMinistries Incorporated
Floodgate can be found on AppleMusic and iTunes Music used with
permission.
Copyright 2002, offbeatMinistries Incorporated
(18:00):
Floodgate can be found on AppleMusic and iTunes Music used with
permission.
But you went over the side ofthe cliff.
Didn't I ever tell you aboutbumbles, bumbles, bounce.
Coming up on Renewed Mindsets.
As the Christmas seasonapproaches, many of us find joy
in decorating trees, hangingmistletoe and celebrating the
arrival of Santa Claus.
These traditions have becomedeeply ingrained in our holiday
celebrations.
They're often as viewed asharmless fun, but today we're
(00:22):
going to take a closer look atthese beloved customs and ask
the crucial question what doesGod think about them?
Let's go, boys.
Hey, welcome to RenewedMindsets, where we study the
basics of the faith through thelens of our middle-aged
(00:42):
experiences.
Basics of the faith through thelens of our middle-aged
experiences.
I'm Rick.
Welcome to the show where Ihelp you, gen Xers and
Millennials, navigatespiritually through a world that
looks nothing like we expectedback when cars were square and
mullets were totally awesome.
I am so glad you're here.
Welcome everybody.
Welcome back to another episodeof Renewed Mindsets.
(01:04):
I'm Rick and today, as always,I'm joined by Lauren.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Hi everyone.
We are so thrilled you're herebecause we have a really special
episode for you.
Today.
We're diving deep intosomething a lot of people don't
even think twice about, andthat's Christmas traditions.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
That's right Now.
Some of these traditions mightseem innocent, but when we look
closely we'll see that theymight not align with God's word.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
And a fair warning.
We might stir the pot a littlebit today.
Some of the things we're goingto talk about might be a little
uncomfortable, but it's all inthe spirit of growing closer to
Christ.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
So grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, settle
in and let's get started.
Section one questioning thefamiliar.
So let's start with one of themost iconic symbols of Christmas
the decorated tree.
It's in every shopping mall, inevery living room, in every
(02:05):
Hallmark movie.
But have we ever stopped to askwhy?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Exactly, and most people think of the Christmas
tree as harmless or a festivedecoration, but its origins
might surprise you a little bit.
In fact, there's a passage inthe Bible that seems to describe
something very, very similar,and not in a good way.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Oh, you're probably thinking of Jeremiah 10.
Now that passage warns againstcutting down a tree decorating
with silver and gold andpropping it up.
It's a practice barred frompagan cultures, and God was very
clear.
His people were not to followthose customs.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
And even though some argue that this passage is about
idol worship specifically, itraises one very important
question If we're borrowingtraditions with pagan roots,
even unintentionally, are wereally honoring God?
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Are we.
I hear it.
I hear bubbles getting bursteverywhere, and that's true,
because one of God's mostimportant commands is be holy,
because I am holy.
We find that in Leviticus 1144.
We find it in 1 Peter, 116.
Holiness means being set apart116.
(03:28):
Holiness means being set apart,living by God's standards and
not blending worldly practiceswith our faith.
Now, lauren's going to talkmore about this later in depth.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
It's definitely worth reflecting on that.
How often do we spend moreeffort on picking the perfect
ornaments or lighting the treethan we do reflecting on the
miracle of Christ's birth?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Oh, you just stomping all over it.
So as we think about thesetraditions, let's ask ourselves
are they helping us to live outGod's call to holiness or are
they pulling us further from it?
Section two Santa Claus andmaterialism.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
All right.
So another big topic is goingto be Santa Claus.
This one is especially toughbecause, let's be honest, we all
grew up loving the idea ofSanta and I know you did, rick
but where does he fit into aChrist-centered?
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Christmas.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Who ever heard?
Speaker 1 (04:22):
of a skinny Santa.
I'm so sorry.
Santa claus has become almostsynonymous with christmas, but
when we dig a little deeper, werealize that this tradition
carries some concerningspiritual implications yes,
that's exactly right, and santais often portrayed as omniscient
(04:44):
.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when
you're awake.
Does that sound familiar?
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Sounds a little creepy.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Yeah, I agree, and that mirrors attributes that
belong to God alone.
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
God is the only one who is truly omniscient, and
when we attribute thosequalities to Santa, even in a
playful way, we dilute theholiness of God and it can
confuse children about who istruly sovereign.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Plus Santa promotes a works-based system, rewarding
kids based on behavior.
That's the opposite of God'sgrace, which is freely given.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Yeah, and another thing that I just thought of.
You know, we all know thatSanta's not real, right, but we
teach our kids this and thenthey that Santa's not real,
right, but we teach our kidsthis and then they get to a
certain age and we tell them wewere lying.
Yep, but we've also beentelling them about Jesus,
hopefully, and at the same time,what's to make those kids not
just believe that the, thatJesus isn't real?
(05:40):
I mean exactly, you know theparents are the ones that lied
to them.
So I mean I know people are,parents are the ones that lied
to them.
So I mean I know people are outthere rolling their eyes right
now saying, well, they're justextremists.
But we can't forget thatSanta's origins are mixed in
(06:03):
with mythology and even elementsof folklore, that they conflict
with biblical teaching.
God warns us in Deuteronomy 18,10 through 12 to avoid anything
that's connected to sorcery ordivination.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Exactly and honestly Santa his origins, the person
that he comes from.
St Nicholas isn't exactly good.
Well, he's evil.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Right?
Well, we don't worry about thesaints anyway, right?
Speaker 2 (06:25):
And, if we're honest, santa often steals the
spotlight.
Families invest literally somuch time preparing for Santa,
but how much time do they spendhonoring Christ?
Speaker 1 (06:36):
That's a good one.
It's worth stepping back andasking is Santa helping us focus
on Jesus?
Is Santa helping us and ourchildren focus on Jesus or is?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
he a distraction.
That's good, and when we removeSanta, we make more room for
Christ, and that's the realmagic of Christmas, something
real and eternal, somethingthat's going to last forever.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Section three other questionable traditions Okay,
now let's talk about some othertraditions, like mistletoe.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Mistletoe.
Mistletoe has pagan origins.
It was used in fertilityrituals.
So what do we use it for?
We hang it in our house and iftwo people are caught beneath it
they kiss.
I mean, that's pretty much afertility ritual.
Bringing that into our homescan mix worldly practices with
our faith.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Yeah, I never really understood the whole mistletoe
concept myself.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
anyway, Because nobody wanted to kiss you.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
I guess.
So sorry, we can't put that inthere, yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
I can.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
No.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
It's Christmas.
It's a time for joyous laughter.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
I know that's so sad.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
I'm going to get roasted yeah, but you're at home
with your brother and yourparents.
Who the heck you're gonna kiss?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
I'm gonna get roasted bad nobody listens go and let's
not forget excessive feasting,oh yeah, feasting, oh yeah,
feasting.
Gratitude can easily turn intogluttony if we're not careful.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Thanks, lauren, you're welcome.
Thank you, lauren, for callingme fat.
I figured you needed to hearthat Celebrations should honor
God.
Let's ask them or let's askourselves is this helping me
grow in holiness?
Section four redeemingChristmas.
So if we're stepping away fromsome traditions, how can we keep
(08:39):
Christ at the center?
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Be intentional.
A manger scene is a beautifulway to keep the focus on Jesus
and, honestly, that's what meand my family do.
We put up this gorgeous mangerlight straping.
We'll put hay inside the manger.
It's just as beautiful.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Yeah, and you don't have a tree to take down.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Exactly no, mess.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Well, we need to start traditions that include
giving Now that will reflectGod's generosity and bless
others, especially those in need.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
And worshiping is definitely key.
Sing carols that celebrateChrist and read Luke 2 together
as a family, or, in fact, justgo ahead and read the entirety
of Luke while you're at it.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Our churches.
Start small, invest intraditions that honor God.
Christmas doesn't have to looklike the world's version of
Christmas to be meaningful.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Right, and let's make this season about worship,
gratitude and renewal.
That's a Christmas worthcelebrating, for sure.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
It is, and as we get closer to Christmas I think
we're a week away now, if you'relistening to this on the day
that it drops.
Oh yeah, it's coming up.
I thank you so much forlistening and I hope that this
conversation today inspires youto reflect on your Christmas
traditions and ask do thesehonor God?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
And I also want you all to remember that it's not
about perfection, it's aboutputting Christ first.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Yes, thank you for joining us.
We love you.
See ya, bye.
And now a joyous Christmas tale.
A woman takes her 16-year-olddaughter to the doctor.
The doctor says okay, mrs Jones, what's the problem?
(10:34):
The mother says it's mydaughter, darla.
She keeps getting thesecravings, she's putting on
weight and is sick most everymorning.
The doctor gives Darla a goodexamination and then turns to
the mother and says well, Idon't know how to tell you this,
but your Darla is pregnantAbout four months, would be my
guess.
The mother says well, I don'tknow how to tell you this, but
(10:55):
your Darla is pregnant Aboutfour months, would be my guess.
The mother says pregnant, shecan't be.
She's never even been leftalone with a man, have you Darla
?
And Darla says no, mother, I'venever even kissed a man.
The doctor walked over to thewindow and just stares out of it
.
About five minutes pass and themother finally says is there
something wrong out there,doctor?
The doctor replies no, notreally.
(11:17):
It's just that the last timeanything like this happened, a
star appeared in the east andthree wise men came over a hill.
And I'll be John Brown if I'mgoing to miss it this time.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
All right.
So let's talk aboutunderstanding holiness in our
lives.
So many of you have chosen toaccept Christ as your Lord and
Savior, but what comes next Likewhat comes after that?
Is that the end of the journeyor is there more to it?
Can we just continue living aswe did before now, safe from
hell?
Let's explore what the Biblesays 1 Peter 1, 13 through 16.
(12:01):
Prepare your minds for action.
Be self-controlled.
Set your hope fully on thegrace to be given you when Jesus
Christ is revealed.
As obedient children, do notconform to the evil desires you
had when you lived in ignorance.
But just as he who called youis holy, so be holy in all you
do.
For it is written be holybecause I am holy.
(12:22):
What is holiness?
When we think of holiness, somemight imagine like a monk in a
monastery or an elderly personconstantly reading the Bible.
But holiness is simply aboutbeing changed and set apart for
God.
2 Corinthians 5.17.
Therefore, if anyone is inChrist, they are a new creation.
The old has gone, the new ishere.
(12:43):
Being in Christ makes us new,which means our lives should
change after salvation.
There must be a noticeabledifference between our lives and
the world's ways.
Living a holy life.
A holy life is one fullycommitted to God.
God's holiness calls us to beholy too.
There is no in between.
(13:04):
There is no half doingsomething.
You're all in or you're all out.
In John 5, 5, jesus healed acrippled man and later told him
sin no more, lest a worse thingcome unto thee.
In John 8.11, jesus forgave awoman caught in adultery and
(13:24):
told her neither do I condemnthee, go and sin no more.
Both were restored to God andinstructed to live differently
after Applying holiness in ourlives.
Holiness isn't about beingperfect, but it's about being
serious in our commitment to God.
It's following his commands andliving a life pleasing to him.
(13:44):
We should gather for worshipand support each other, but
that's just the start.
We need to take Christ with useverywhere, into our work,
family, friendships, decisionsand even small problems.
A life given over to God mightseem radical, but it leads to
peace, joy and assurance.
It aligns us with God's planfor us as well.
We must reflect God's love tothe world, showing differences
(14:07):
in our behavior, goals anddesires.
Our lives should visiblydemonstrate our faith without
needing lengthy explanations.
Matthew 5.16,.
Let your light shine beforeothers that they may see your
good deeds and glorify yourFather in heaven.
How to live a holy life?
To live a holy life, we need toobey God completely and be
(14:28):
filled with the Holy Spirit.
Living in sin grieves the HolySpirit Accepting Christ as a
choice, and so is living a holylife.
This choice must be made daily.
Remember we belong to Christ.
Living a holy life is aboutconstantly striving to align
ourselves with God's will andreflecting His love to the world
.
Communicating with God.
(14:48):
Second, we need to communicatewith our Lord in prayer, and not
just once or twice a week,every single day, every moment
you get, talk to him.
He wants to be talked to likehe's a friend.
We should praise him, thank him, ask for his help and, most
importantly, listen to him.
Even Jesus found it necessaryto pray, sometimes all night
(15:11):
long, if he needed it.
How much more do we Immersing inGod's word?
Third, we need to be immersedin God's word because it holds
the answers.
It is literally food for thespirit.
It gives us direction, wisdomand understanding.
It's the most direct way Godspeaks to us, showing us the
(15:32):
eternal principles of how tolive a holy life in Christ Jesus
, understanding holiness.
Holiness isn't just a list ofdo's and don'ts.
It's about conforming to thecharacter of God and being
obedient to his will.
It's the natural result ofsalvation through Jesus Christ.
Holiness reflects the characterand behavior of a new creature
(15:53):
in him.
It's the power of the HolySpirit working in a life
submitted to Almighty God.
Holiness is what makes Hischurch the city on a hill that
cannot be hidden.
Are we that church?
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Well, that's all for this week's show.
You know the name of this showspeaks my hope for you.
It's taken from the words ofRomans, chapter 12, verse 2.
Do not be conformed to thisworld, but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind that bytesting, you may discern what is
the will of God, what is goodand acceptable and perfect.
(16:32):
If you enjoyed what you heard,do me a favor, please, and tell
someone you know about it.
Send them a link and a text youknow.
You may even need to downloadit to their phone and show them
what a podcast is.
If it was valuable to you, itwill be to them.
Visit renewedmindsetscom tohear past episodes.
(16:56):
Read the blog and check out thenew merch.
To hear past episodes, read theblog and check out the new
merch.
And, as always, while you'rethere, send me a voicemail by
clicking the button at thebottom right corner of the main
page.
Tell me what you think aboutthis show.
I just might play it on afuture episode.
(17:17):
Until next week, I'm Rick.
I love you.
See ya.
The intro and outro music forthe Renewed Mindsets podcast is
Are you Ready?
(17:37):
By Floodgate From the album Areyou Ready?
By Floodgate From the album Areyou Ready?
Copyright 2002, offbeatMinistries Incorporated
Floodgate can be found on AppleMusic and iTunes Music used with
permission.
Copyright 2002, offbeatMinistries Incorporated
(18:00):
Floodgate can be found on AppleMusic and iTunes Music used with
permission.
But you went over the side ofthe cliff.
Didn't I ever tell you aboutbumbles, bumbles, bounce.
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