Halloween

For dad only:

Holiness Costumes

You have seen those Christians the world loves to hate. They dress the part of being one of God’s kids, but they behave like something else. A man may go to the restaurant after church all dressed up and looking holy, but flirt with the waitress or argue with his family at the table. A woman may wear modest clothing and nicely done hair, but her gluttony and gossip make her a horror.

Costume Kids vs. the real thing.

Dad, raise your kids to be genuine. Teach them to love by your example. Just telling them, “Behave!” is training in hypocrisy. We behave out of what we are, not in response to who is watching. Do your kids see the same man at home in you that they see at church?

Often, when I see unwanted attitudes and behavior in my children, I ask myself if they have learned from me. While I might have to curb their behavior, I must also alter mine to set a better example. Parenting works best from the sidewalk, not just the pulpit. We can talk until they fall asleep, but when we walk they mimic every move.

Holiness of heart

More than clothes, hair, television, and alcohol, holiness is about our approach to God. We give up certain things and do certain things not for the world to see, but in response to our Heavenly Father. We love Him, so we do not drink. Because we love Him, we do not go to the movies. We want to attract attention to Him not our bodies, so we dress modestly.

Too many girls grow up wearing skirts and braiding their hair, not knowing why they do. “Because we are different” is not enough; gothics are different. “Because our church says so” will not cut it; cults live by that rule. Our daughters and sons must know the purpose behind what we do. Have a talk with your kids about this. Make sure they understand why they are different from other kids they meet. Knowledge of the principles will empower them with confidence for the practice.

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Read this story with your children:

Glorifying God on Halloween

“I don’t like the pictures they put up in the stores at this time of year,” Rusty said, on the way home.

Dad sighed as they drove by another sign boasting of a horror house. “I wish people didn’t worship evil so much,” he said.

Misty said, “Why don’t we do something for God since they are doing something for the devil?”

Dad nodded. “What do you have in mind, pumpkin?”

As they pulled onto their street, Misty looked at all the houses lined up in a neat row. “I don’t know,” she said at last.

“You know our house is part of the neighborhood the city chose for approved trick-or-treating this year,” Mom said.

“Are we giving out candy?” Misty asked.

“I don’t want all those people coming to our door in their weird costumes,” Rusty said.

Dad laughed. “I don’t know Misty, we had talked it over. We don’t want to be rude to the kids, but we also don’t want to look like we are approving of this event either. It is the devil’s holiday.”

As they pulled up to their house, Misty suggested, “Let’s get candy that is wrapped in Bible verses.”

Mom and Dad smiled.

“Can we?”

Dad said, “You know, we could get some tracts from the church and pass those out.”

Misty’s eyes lit up. “Hey, we could staple the candy to the tracts!”

Mom and Dad looked at each other and nodded. Mom said, “Sounds like we have got a little missionary in the backseat. That sounds like fun.”

*     *     *

The night of Halloween, Misty and Mom were setting up all the candy and tracts by the front door. They had spent the afternoon stapling them together. Rusty came in to help them move the box of goodies.

“You going to help?” Misty asked.

Rusty shrugged.

“Are you scared of meeting all those people?” Misty asked.

“I just don’t want to see people dressed up ugly and gross.”

“That’s not why we are doing it,” Mom said. “We aren’t here to see them; we just want them to see Jesus. We are giving them tracts about the Name of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Soon, the first kids came to the door. There were three kids together with their mom, one looked like a bat, one like a dancer, and the little one like a rabbit.

Misty opened the door.

“Trick-or-treat, give me something good to eat,” they sang out.

Misty smiled big, as she dropped the gospel candy into each bag.

“Thank you,” the three kids sang out. As they turned, their mother also thanked Misty.

“That was fun,” Misty said after she had closed the door. She saw Rusty leaning against the doorway to the kitchen. “You want to help?”

Rusty shrugged. “Maybe.”

Misty knew he loved people too much to stay away long.

A knock came at the door; Misty didn’t notice that Mom had stepped away from their post for a second. She turned around and screamed as she saw a big, hairy monster standing there looking in. Rusty laughed. Mom walked back in, and Misty opened the door.

“Got food?” the monster asked. “I’m hungry.”

Misty could tell it was a teenage boy. He held out his bag. Misty dropped in the gospel candy.

Several more candy beggars came to the door for the next hour. Rusty came over and helped give out candy after a while. Later, Dad came in to see how the project was going.

“One lady said she wants to come with her kids to our church,” Misty told him.

“Great, guys! You are sowing seeds for Jesus.”

“You know,” Rusty said, “they all say ‘trick or treat.’ They think we are just giving out treats, but I think they got tricked.”

Misty laughed. “Yeah, this is a good trick.”

“I’m proud of my family,” Dad said. “You all took a night devoted to evil and turned it into something good. While some people like to glorify the devil, you guys glorified God.”

“How do they glorify the devil?”

“By fear,” Dad said. “The devil lives in fear. If he can terrify people, they give him what he wants. He wants to wreck our lives, and he uses fear to do it. That is why we stay away from haunted houses and anything else that tries to make morbid things into something funny.”

“I get it,” Rusty said, “they give the devil glory by fear. We give God glory by worshipping Him and telling others about Him.”

“Are you glad you helped tonight, Rusty?” Misty asked.

Rusty shrugged. “I guess so. It was still a little weird, but I hope someone comes to church because of it.”

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Now, let’s talk about it:

Why do you think people observe Halloween?

Can you think of other ways to glorify God in spite of an evil celebration like this?

Just because people dress up like ugly creatures or bad TV characters, does that mean they don’t need Jesus?

How can you show God’s love to others who participate in things like Halloween without approving their actions?

Some people decide to have nothing to do with Halloween. Is this good or bad?

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Read God’s Word together:

The Hollow Wean Party

Genesis 21:1-14

And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.

Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.

And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

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Analyze God’s Word:

What were Abraham and Sarah celebrating for Isaac?

His weaning. He was through nursing and was having a “big boy” party.

What did Isaac’s mom notice his step brother doing?

Ishmael was mocking Isaac and tormenting him.

Sometimes we have bullies in our lives, like Isaac did with Ishmael. How does God feel about bullies? What did He tell Abraham to do with Ishmael?

Send him and his mother out of the house.

What does a bully use to control other people?

Fear. He terrorizes others.

If we use fear to motivate anyone, does God get glory or the devil?

What is the difference between fear of the devil and the fear of God?

Role play: You find a little kid that is fun to pick on. Say anything and he gets mad and everyone laughs. Do you think it is right to have fun like this?

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Memorize God’s Word

I Thessalonians 5:22

Abstain from all appearance of evil.