Suicide rates jump at Christmas time. So do rates of domestic violence and depression. The Left loves to blame the “Christian myth of Christmas” for these tragedies, but the real culprit is not the true celebrations of Christmas, but the fake ones. Leaving Christ out of Christmas sets you up for the ultimate letdown.
The real question is, if Christmas is so bad, why don’t they just leave it alone? The answer is that they can’t. ‘Peace on earth and good will toward men’ is hard to let go of. Or is it that Christmas will not let go of them? Anyway, the accusation is bogus.
The real question is, if Christmas is so bad, why don’t they just leave it alone?
Not only is this leftist argument bogus, it is a spectacular hypocrisy. Leftists believe in something called “cultural appropriation.” Just in case you haven’t updated your list of things to be offended by, let me explain. Here is their tedious definition: “Cultural appropriation is the inappropriate or unacknowledged adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from minority cultures.”
Cultural appropriation, then, happens when another culture “borrows” any of these cultural elements, typically without asking permission or crediting the source culture. Appropriation also tends to involve some misuse of cultural elements.
So, what does the Left do? Follow their own guidelines? Of course not. They appropriate Christmas; do not give credit to its source; and go even further, by mocking, blaspheming and even banning the phrase, “Merry Christmas.” And meanwhile, they celebrate Christmas.
Somehow, I cannot bring myself to be angry about this. That is because it carries its own punishment. All of the hype of this time of the year is banal and empty. The victims of “Happy Holidays” are chasing a mirage. They frantically party, trying to drain every last drop out of some nameless and pointless exercise.
All the while, two forces are striving inside of them. The supernatural pull of Christmas and the degrading force of a Christless Christmas that carries all of the decency, promise and emptiness of a perfume commercial.
Somehow, I cannot bring myself to be angry about this. That is because it carries its own punishment.
‘It is a December to remember,’ the announcer blares. But why? Because, they then show you the blindfolded spouse led out of the house to be surprised by a gleaming new car! Now compare that materialistic delight to the ecstasy of Wisemen kneeling before the newborn King of Kings.
Christmas is a collision of opposite emotions. One is fun and the other is joy.
Fun is circumstantially based. Fun happens only when things go right. Apparently, their idea of fun is that you go to the office party for the ‘fun’ of getting drunk and cheating on your spouse. Fun always exacts a terrible toll. And, when reality sets in, fun instantly dissipates.
Joy is from within. It is an artisan well that is not based on circumstances or how things are going. Joy rises to conquer everything that is going on in your life. It is a relentless hope that tells you, no matter what happens, everything will turn out all right.
The maddening crowd is in a frenzy to forget their problems during the holidays. But the artificial message simply deepens their disappointment. They are going through the motions of it being a ‘wonderful time of year,’ but for the life of them, they cannot say why.
The genuine spirit of Christmas, on the other hand, is supernatural. It drives society to stop everything and listen. Even though despots have done all they can to ban it, Christmas keeps imposing itself over the affairs of mankind.
It has forced truces in the middle of wars. It has inspired the most beautiful music ever to fall on human ears.
Christmas is, as Charles Dickens said in A Christmas Carol, “I have always thought of Christmas time as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.”
It has forced truces in the middle of wars. It has inspired the most beautiful music ever to fall on human ears.
You are at the fork in the road, and it is up to you to either choose a force, or a farce. If you choose to worship the counterfeit, be prepared for a giant letdown. Just look at last year. . .
Instead, this year, follow the instructions found in the carol, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. The angels invite you to “join the triumph of the skies.” Join the ultimate triumph with a simple prayer. Ask Christ give you the ultimate gift of eternal life right now.
Lauren Green put it this way: “We might be singing, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,” but the warmth and comfort that we’re seeking through that song is really our heart crying out to God. . .
Merry Christmas Mario and your entire family and ministry. I pray you are walking into 2022 with increased boldness, health, wealth and the manifested glory of God upon you. Amen
Thank you Mario for your wonderful true description of Christmas. I pray that you and your family are blessed more than you can dream or imagine. Merry Christmas l!
Very well written brother. I pray that the world would discover the real joy of Christmas.
And the WISE STILL SEEK JESUS, EMMANUEL, God with us.
Wishing you and your family a joy filled Christmas! God Bless!
As always Mario, thank you for putting to black and white only like you can! Christ “is” the reason for the season.
We wish for you and your loved ones a very blessed and Christ filled Christmas!!
What about people who doesn’t believe in christmas?
Tell them about Jesus!
Dear Mario and the entire Mario Murillo Ministry, BLESS you all and all your families. Our Savior reigns! Let ALL walk into His Glory this blessed and Merriest time of the year as we recall His birth and destiny, to save the World by carrying out the WILL OF HIS FATHER. I have been and continue to pray for the work to be done in Hanford, California. I grew up in the San Joaquin Valley and very close to Hanford. My people are there; God’s people. My brother and I will join you in this great crusade. A revival of God’s Spirit and Glory. I prepare daily by reading and hearing The WORD. I BLESS the LORD and BLESS the work of the Mario Murillo Ministries in the name of Jesus. May
the fruit of the Spirit manifest in great and beautiful ways and in spite of what it looks like in the real be one of the Merriest Christmases of the Spirit ever! Hallelujah!
“He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat; He is sifting out the souls of men before His Judgement Seat; Oh be swift my soul to answer Him, be jubilant my feet, our God is marching on.” This seldom sung verse is perhaps more relevant to our nations now than ever before. May your insight and courage be imparted to the ecclesia throughout the earth and may the knowledge of His Glory cover the earth in our generation, even as the waters cover the seas.
James from Jo’burg
Prayers that everyone will encounter Jesus, the “reason for the season” during this time of year. May we experience His presence, the greatest gift.
God Bless you Mario as you bring the hope of the gospel to the nations.
Thank you Mario for this insightful truth and need for a Christmas celebrated around our Saviours birth and the real reason for the season!!
Merry Christmas to You, Mechelle and family!! 🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️🎄
So well articulated Mario… Thank you. I especially resonated with your explanation of joy versus fun [and I would interchange happines with fun]
I pray for a portion of your anointing to be able to lead people to Jesus.
Wonderful and very true blog Mario! Thank you!
Merry Christmas Mario to you and your family! We all celebrate the reason for the season! Joy To The World, the Lord ha Come!
Dear Mario,
Thank you for your boldness in the Holy Spirit to speak the Truth and to obey despite possible consequences! Blessings, my friend 💜
Mario, Merry Christmas to you and yours and may 2022 be prosperous IN THE NUMBER OF SOULS BROUGHT TO CHRIST! May your bounty of souls overflow all expectations and defy numbering! We pray for ears to hear the mighty trumpet blast and Jesus’ soon return to rule and reign as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!
Thank you Mario for your passion in sharing God’s gospel of peace in your God’s spirit given amazing way! You have been truly blessed with a great gift of God that this world really needs during these troubled times we are living in. Thank God that God’s light and glory shines the brightest in the darkness, and that until things are so shaken up that there is no way for man to fix it, he will do what he knows best. He will make a way when there seems to be no way so that many will see that he is in control and the only true God! His harvest WILL be a greater one! Many are hungry for God and need to be guided to him. That’s where people like you come in. Thank you and may God continue to bless you and yours. 🙏🏻😇
CHRISTMAS IS ONE OF THE TIMES WHEN THE LORD JESUS IS TALKED ABOUT MORE THEN OTHER DAYS IS A TIME WHEN WE COME TOGETHER TO ENJOY EACH OTHER AND SIND PRAISES TO OUR BELOVED SAVIOR
Merry Christmas and a very blessed New Year! Thank you for your thought and action provoking messages.
Merry Christmas Mario and to your family, too. You hit the nail on the head every time.
Since no one, I mean no one, says
Merry Christmas to me outside when walking or inside stores or anywhere! I always make sure to say it to them, some say nothing but I have gotten a lot of people to actually say Merry Christmas and not Happy Holidays back to me. This is spreading my joy for Christ at Christmas time. Also, be helpful where you can and then say Merry Christmas. People, like you said Mario, are not looking at Christ as the reason for the season.
So everyone, spread your joy for the season by telling everyone you pass or see, Merry Christmas!! It will help your spirit a lot.
God bless you Mario and your gospel, too.
My cousin Ricky just sent me this prayer request for her daughter (my niece) “Rylee”
She wrote me the following
(Hey, my kiddo is 25 weeks pregnant. She just had to have a cerclage 2 weeks ago. She is on her way to the ER. She may be leaking amniotic fluid. Can u pray for her and the baby?)
Any prayers would be appreciated.
Thank you
Good news!!!
No amnio fluid she is all Gooooood!!!
In the past she lost a baby that’s why this was urgent.
Thank you for praying 🙏
Amen and amen – Merry Christmas Mario and to all the Church Family
Merry Christmas Mario! Thank you, for your insight and understanding, we are blessed!
Spiritual Food for Thought…
Jesus said, “I only do what I see my father do.”. And, 1John 4:17 says, “As Jesus Christ is so are we in this world.”
Jesus NOR his Disciples celebrated Christmas and neither did the early church in the Book of Acts our guide.
Trying to Christianize the Christmas Pagan worship is like trying to Christianize Nimrod and the Tower of Babel by saying,” Oh, Nimrod was just trying to get closer to God.”
Christmas is NOT OF GOD….Period!
Spiritual Food for Thought…
Jesus said, “I only do what I see my father do.”. And, 1John 4:17 says, “As Jesus Christ is so are we in this world.”
Jesus NOR his Disciples celebrated Christmas and neither did the early church in the Book of Acts our guide.
Trying to Christianize the Christmas Pagan worship is like trying to Christianize Nimrod and the Tower of Babel by saying,” Oh, Nimrod was just trying to get closer to God.”
Christmas is NOT OF GOD….Period!