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A little boy pushed his tiny hand into the Pastor's and said "morning pastor, can I ask you a question?" The Pastor, with his usual warm smile said "Sure Billy, what is it?" "Well" said Billy, "I was wondering what it means to be a Christian"?

"Well Billy" responded the Pastor, "I talk about that every Sunday. I will be explaining it again this morning, but just so you don't have to wait, a Christian is just someone who has given up their sin to the Lord and accepted him as their savior".

Billy looked puzzled for a moment, and asked "so a Christian is someone who shouldn't sin anymore right"? "That's right", acknowledged the Pastor, "and when they don't sin, you can see their joy. They are kind and helpful to others. They stand out in a crowd. They are the kind of people you would like to be around Billy. Do you understand?"

Billy, obviously wrestling with his response, hesitatingly nodded his head and said "uh huh, I think so, but, but, but can you tell me, have I ever seen one?"

While this is a humorous story as most stories about children are, Billy's question brings attention to an alarming trend in Christianity. Today we have so many different ideas floating around about what it means to be a "Christian" that we too are tempted to ask the question "have I ever seen one"? One cannot help but wonder how some who claim to be believers can act like those who do not believe.

Many centuries ago, in a world much smaller than today, it was a crime to be a Christian. In fact, it was a crime just to be accused of being a Christian. It took only an unsubstantiated accusation to bring an end to one's freedom. If a business competitor wanted you out of the picture, all they needed to do was to make an official complaint that they heard you praying to the Christian God and the authorities moved swiftly against you.

For a short period of time under Roman rule, if you were found guilty of such a heinous crime as believing in the Son of God, the person who filed the complaint was awarded your property. One had no recourse. They either admitted their guilt and suffered or denied their guilt and suffered. For evil-minded people, this legislative blunder gave them a new way to cheat and steal. You can imagine how quickly this got out of hand.

Then there was a period in history when almost the opposite was true. The Emperor Constantine, after reportedly seeing the sign of a cross in the sky with the words "In this sign conquer", proclaimed himself to be a Christian. It immediately became socially beneficial to declare one's self a Christian. Never mind that there was no actual conversion or regeneration; it was socially expedient to be labeled a Christian.

Sadly, the same thing can be said about many today who name that blessed name. Certain social advantages have manifested themselves for those who give the appearance that they are religious. This is especially true with celebrities. From the rock star who prays with their group before a performance to the professional athlete who points to heaven after scoring in a gesture aimed at making you think they know God; it is popular to come across as religious. This spiritual mentality has manifested itself at all levels of society and is has ecumenically transcended denominational creeds and beliefs. If you appear "religious" you are accepted by all.

But this religion is not fueled by faith and without faith there can be no true religion. There is no evidence of conversion, no thirst for the Word, and no reverence for the one they claim to know. In fact, there is a total disregard for the holiness of God. These are new age Christians. They do not exercise their faith, they sport it on irreverent t-shirts that say "This blood is for you" or "Jesus gym", which depicts a long-haired Jesus as a weight-lifter.

Let us not forget the ever-popular acronym "WWJD" or "What Would Jesus Do" slogan. Theologically, there is nothing wrong with asking ourselves this question. Indeed, we are encouraged to consider what Jesus would do if confronted with the same circumstances? We should ask ourselves "What would Jesus do? How can I honor my Lord in this thing?"

Pragmatically, if we listen to the new age crowd's answer, it seems that Jesus would do a lot of things that traditional Christians would find questionable, and that are in conflict with Jesus' own words. Somehow, I just cannot envision the Son of God blowing up an abortion clinic. I can't see him blasting out an ungodly heavy metal noise from an electric guitar to "bless" a congregation. And there are a hundred other things I know he would not do that others do "in his name".

The problem is that people unskilled and even unfamiliar with the Word of God are gathering large followings and spewing out their humanistic, erroneous views of God. It is the old "if it feels good, it must be right" mentality. There are little, if any, doctrinal stands, and any mention of traditional Christian values are scorned. The consequences are grave. It gives false hope to a faithless religion.

This rapidly growing shift towards religious zeal without foundational understanding of Bible doctrine is no nuance. It is a major change in philosophy that uses religion to make humanism and pluralism more palatable. Worse yet, many of those strong in traditional faith are starting to think maybe this new brand of faithless religion isn't really that bad after all.

True Christians must be vigilant. Jesus warned there would come a falling away from the faith. He said there would be wolves in sheep's clothing and we are seeing that today. Charles Spurgeon warned of this slippery slope that Christendom was on well over 120 years ago. He said that entertainment would find its way into our churches and eventually people would come to be entertained, not to worship.

The question needs to be asked, "Are we to feed the sheep or entertain goats"?

Gary Kurz

Today the fastest growing religion in the World is Islam..spreading through the Sword of intellect and Wisdom . www.islamicweb.com in islam before we believe we have to get the Evidence of the religion to be committed without any doubt and to live contently. Muslims don`t look islam as a normal religion, but as a whole system of Life, which gives all answers about this life and hereafter. many people don`t think how they came to this life and what is waiting them after death. they just do not want to think about their death although they must meet it....... The followers of other religions have no decisive proof for their belief, therefore they believe in their religions emotionally or through imitation. Some of them think that you just have to have faith without clear proof. However when it comes to normal things in life people apply a lot of thought such as buying a car, house, choosing a University course or which bank to join, so how can it be that when it comes to the most important questions about life; which define the purpose of our lives that we should just have 'faith' without being convinced absolutely. It is therefore vital for a Muslim to believe in the existence of Allah (swt) without any doubt whatsoever and to believe in the Prophethood of Muhammad (saw) and that the Qur'an is the final revelation sent by Allah (swt) to humanity. Islam is unlike all the other religions as it has a decisive proof that convinces the mind. Islam is the fastest growing <b>...</b>

Frances Noble spoke for Googlers in Santa Monica on February 1, 2011. She spoke about her book "Blanket of Stars: Homeless Women in Santa Monica." She was accompanied by her son Ian Noble, the book's photographer.

Let's face it.  For those of us who want to send Christian Christmas cards, there seems to be less choice than ever before. The card stores at the mall offer holiday greetings covered with glittering ornaments, Santa and lots of holly.  Yet it's getting harder to find a good selection of religious Christmas cards in local shops.  What can you do if you want a unique card to express your belief in the true meaning of Christmas?  Here are seven creative ideas to help your share your Christian faith this Christmas season.

1. Shop online.  Don't limit yourself to brick and mortar stores that stock only the most popular holiday designs and themes in order to boost profits.  Search the internet and you'll find it is filled with many niche' markets that offer specialized items.  There are online stores that sell exclusively Christian products, including Christmas cards, as well as traditional holiday card websites that offer a wide selection of religious Christmas cards.

2. Enclose a bookmark.  You can still choose a standard Christmas card with a beautiful green wreath on the cover, but slip a bookmark inside with a Christian message.  You can find these in Christian book stores and online.  There are even websites that will create inexpensive custom bookmarks for you.  These can be personalized with your favorite Bible verse or even a family photo.

3. Mail a magnet.  There are many companies that make personalized thin, flat, easy to mail magnets of all sizes.  They will add your message, Bible verse and sometimes even a photo.  You can send these to everyone on your Christmas card list and it will still be on their refrigerator long after the holiday is gone.

4. Send photo Christmas cards.  There are photo card companies on the internet that feature religious photo Christmas cards.  They incorporate a Christian message and design with your photo and personalization.  If you don't find a business that specifically makes Christian photo Christmas cards, then locate one that will let you include a slightly longer personalization.  This way you can add your favorite Bible verse and Christian message.  Let everyone on your holiday list see the joy of the Lord in your family's faces.  People tend to hold on to photo Christmas cards long after they've discarded the traditional paper greetings.  So, your message will remain. 

5. Make it yourself.  If you haven't found just the right Christmas card for your family, it's easy to make your own card.  First pick a large colorful background using scrapbook paper, wrapping paper or even construction paper.  Cut out photos of your family, your children's drawings or pictures from magazines or other sources. On a paper that compliments your background color, write or use your printer to print your message.  Arrange all of your elements on the background and when you're happy with their placement, use a glue stick to keep them there.  Then to mass-produce them, you have two choices.  You can scan the finished product and then print it on your home printer.  Or you can use your digital camera and take a photo of it and upload it to a website that will print it for you.  This can be a fun holiday project for the whole family.

6. Include your testimony.  Whether you send traditional holiday cards or religious Christmas cards, you can include a printed account of how God has touched your life.  It doesn't have to be your whole life story to have impact.  In fact, you can simply share an example of how God answered a prayer for you this past year.  Many people send Christmas newsletters heralding their family's annual accomplishments.  Instead, consider letting others know what the Lord has accomplished.  You never know whose life it might touch.

7. Pray for each person, as you seal their envelope. Instead of dreaming of wintery weather with each Christmas card you write, lift up that person to the care of the Lord and ask His blessing in their life.  The person who receives your Christmas card may have no idea you prayed for them as you were writing it, but it is a meaningful way to put your beliefs into action.

So, don't limit your choice to the handful of religious Christmas cards that you find in your local store, when there are many creative ways to express your faith during the holidays.  This year, make your Christian Christmas card a unique, personal message from your heart that proclaims the true reason for the season.

Linda Kling