by Gloria Reed of Hal Lindsey Oracle

Would He be pleased with the progress made on His behalf in keeping Christmas alive and well with each victory gained in overcoming the ACLU and the Christmas Grinches?

As I finished my purchase at a Wal-Mart store the cashier associate smilingly said to me, “Merry Christmas.” I was shocked by this since I had read all the news articles on Wal-Mart’s choice of greeting (Happy Holidays) this Christmas season. I replied to her, “Thank you for saying that and Merry Christmas to you too.”

She commented further, “Well, that is the reason we have this shopping season. If it weren’t for Christmas there would be no reason to doing all this.” I agreed with her.

Without Christmas there would be no reason to be out spending a fortune on gifts for everyone from grandma to the family dog. Stores would not have a year end rush to getting rich or breaking even or whatever excuse they have for making more money to keep going another year.

I left the store pleased that the efforts by Christians and friends of Christians were beginning to pay off. People were no longer afraid to stand up and say “Merry Christmas.”

At a different store I was again shocked and surprised to see a group of employees parading around the store singing Christmas carols. Yup, that’s right. Christmas carols. Right out there in front of all the customers shopping for CHRISTMAS.

Those employees didn’t seem to have a problem singing about Christmas and neither did the customers shopping that night. It was something magic, something good. They sang a variety of Christmas songs...secular and religious as well. No one seemed to mind and no one protested.

There’s nothing wrong with the endless singing of “Jingle Bells” or “White Christmas” or the many other secular Christmas songs. Christian songs are important too, and need to be part of the public Christmas.

After all, all the Christian carols are centuries old - Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, O Come, All Ye Faithful, O Holy Night. This was good to hear in a public place.

I smiled inside. I smiled outside as I thought of all the people all over America who took a stand for Jesus Christ and His Holy Day and fought against the politically correct crowd. I thank God many believers are not silent anymore. We can’t let those against Jesus Christ take away our right to worship Him just because it may be offensive to someone else. We have to stop being ridiculous in our thinking that we don’t want to offend this one or that one.

The whole reason for Christmas is “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Of course, that is also the very reason why so many are against Christmas as well. Without Christ there is no Christmas.

It matters not the actual date of His birth whether it was December or some other time of the year. What matters is He came. He was born. For without His birth there is no death and no resurrection and therefore no salvation. But the very reason that He was born is what makes the world hate Christmas. So I am rejoicing this year that believers all over America are standing up and shouting out for Christmas.