The autumn wind, A chilling breath,
whispers tales of life and death.
Leaves of crimson, gold, and brown,
flutter gently to the ground.

But shadows lengthen, spirits stir,
A night of costumes, A childish blur.
They call it fun, A playful fright,
but darkness gathers in the night.

For masks of monsters, ghouls, and fiends,
distort the truth, it often seems.
A fascination takes its hold,
on innocence, both young and old.

The devil’s cunning, sly and deep,
while children dream and parents sleep.
He offers candy, sweet and bright,
to lure them from the path of light.

He paints a picture, bold and grand,
where evil’s charming, close at hand.
The fear, the darkness, all embraced,
A generation subtly chased.

Away from goodness, truth, and grace,
toward the shadows, time, and space.
Where right and wrong begin to fade,
and hearts are easily swayed.

Resist the lure, the tempting call,
protect your children, one and all.
For in the scriptures, clear and true,
we’re called to shun what’s dark and blue.

From every form of evil flee,
and stand for what is pure and free.
Let love and light your guide remain,
and break the devil’s wicked chain.

Say “No” to darkness, stand your ground,
let truth and righteousness abound.
For in the unseen battle fought,
our children’s souls must be dearly bought.

The Bible whispers, soft and clear,
words for our souls, to hold so dear.
Not just for hymns, or Sunday praise,
but wisdom’s path, through life’s long maze.

Ephesians speaks, A gentle plea,
“Let darkness fall, and let light be!”
Don’t touch the deeds that hide in gloom,
but shine a light, to pierce the tomb.

The world is filled with tempting lies,
that dim the truth before our eyes.
They promise joy, A fleeting bliss,
but leave behind an emptiness.

Like sugar spun, A fragile treat,
they taste so good, then turn bittersweet.
A hollow echo, in your soul,
leaving you broken, incomplete, and whole.

But Truth is bread, A hearty crust,
that nourishes, and builds our trust.
It feeds the mind, with thoughtful seed,
and plants a faith, to meet our need.

It makes us ponder, deep and long,
where right and wrong, together throng.
It asks us questions, hard to face,
and guides us onward, with loving grace.

The intellect, A hungry thing,
needs more than what the world can bring.
It craves the depths, the soaring height,
to find the meaning, clear and bright.

So open up, your heart and mind,
let godly wisdom gently find
A fertile ground, where seeds can grow,
and knowledge blossom, row on row.

For darkness hides, with cunning art,
the very things that tear apart.
It lures us in, with whispered call,
and watches gleefully as we fall.

But light reveals, with honest beam,
the hidden traps, the fading dream.
It shows the paths, where shadows creep,
and keeps our wandering souls from sleep.

Corinthians cries, A warning sound,
“Two masters cannot both be crowned!”
You cannot share, the sacred bread,
and feast on evil, in its stead.

The Lord’s own cup, so pure and bright,
cannot be mixed, with darkest night.
His table holds, A feast divine,
not demons’ lure, that twist and twine.

Choose then, this day, with careful heart,
to play in light, and do your part.
Reject the feast, that stains the soul,
and makes you less, beyond control.

Embrace the Truth, with open eyes,
let love and grace, forever rise.
And find within, A strength so deep,
to walk in light, and safely keep,
your spirit fed, your mind aglow,
with seeds of wisdom, planted well to grow…       

Whether or not Christians should celebrate Halloween can be a very controversial topic. Some Christians celebrate Halloween simply by dressing up in a costume and having fun, seeing it as innocent and harmless. Other Christians are equally convinced that Halloween is a satanic holiday established to worship evil spirits and promote darkness and wickedness.           

  So, who is right? Is it possible for Christians to celebrate Halloween without compromising their faith?
Halloween, no matter how commercialized,   has almost completely pagan origins. As innocent as it may seem to some, it is not something to be taken lightly. Christians tend to have various ways to celebrate or not to celebrate Halloween. For some,    it means having an “alternative” Harvest Party.                

For others, it is staying away from the ghosts, witches, goblins, etc., and wearing innocuous costumes, e.g., little princesses, clowns, cowboys, super-heroes, etc. Some choose not to do anything, electing to lock themselves in the house with the lights off. With our freedom as Christians, we are at liberty to decide how to act.

Scripture does not speak at all about Halloween, but it does give us some principles on which we can make a decision. In Old Testament Israel, witchcraft was a crime punishable by death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27). The New Testament teaching about the occult is clear. Acts 8:9-24, the story of Simon, shows that occultism and Christianity don’t mix.                  

The account of Elymas the sorcerer in Acts 13:6-11 reveals that sorcery is violently opposed to Christianity. Paul called Elymas a child of the devil, an enemy of righteousness and a perverter of the ways of God. In Acts 16, at Philippi, a fortune-telling girl lost her demon powers when the evil spirit was cast out by Paul. The interesting matter here is that Paul refused to allow even good statements to come from a demon-influenced person. Acts 19 shows new converts who have abruptly broken with their former occultism by confessing, showing their evil deeds, bringing their magic paraphernalia, and burning it before everyone (Acts 19:19).
So, should a Christian celebrate Halloween?                       

Is there anything evil about a Christian dressing up as a princess or cowboy and going around the block asking for candy? No, there is not. Are there things about Halloween that are anti-Christian and should be avoided? Absolutely! If parents are going to allow their children to participate in Halloween, they should make sure to keep them from getting involved in the darker aspects of the day. If Christians are going to take part in Halloween, their attitude, dress, and most importantly, their behavior should still reflect a redeemed life (Philippians 1:27). There are many churches that hold “harvest festivals” and incorporate costumes, but in a godly environment. There are many Christians who hand out tracts that share the Gospel along with the Halloween candy. The decision is ultimately ours to make. But as with all things, we are to incorporate the principles of Romans 14. We can’t allow our own convictions about a holiday to cause division in the body of Christ, nor can we use our freedom to cause others to stumble in their faith.             

We are to do all things as to the Lord.. .[Halloween (Samhain) is a Pagan Holiday]…The Biblical scriptures state the following stern warnings:1 Corinthians: 21 “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of the demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.” 1 Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from every form of evil.” Isaiah 5:20  “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 “But test everything, hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” Ephesians 5:11 “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but expose them.” Ephesians 4:27 “And give no opportunity to the devil.” 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober minded, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Ephesians 5:15-16 “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best of the time because the days are evil.” Titus 1:15 “To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but their mind and their consciences are defiled.” Romans 13:12 “The night is fargone, the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” John 3:19 “And there is the judgement, the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest their works should be exposed.” Luke 10:19-20 “Behold,          

I have given you authority to tread on serpents and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven…Whatever the history and origins of Halloween, Halloween is celebrated in many different ways by all sorts of people around the world. Traditionally, it was known as All Hallows’ Eve, when the dead were remembered. Over time, it became cultural. For Americans, it has become extremely commercialized. We begin to see Halloween decorations in the stores several months in advance. Unfortunately, the emphasis on this commercialized holiday has shifted from innocent costumes to a much more evil and pointed attraction to all things hideous and pagan. Satan has undoubtedly made this commercialized holiday into something that has subtly focused on the ugly and demonic.

What are the origins of Halloween? Many believe the festival of Samhain to have been the beginning of the Celtic year. At Samhain, farmers brought livestock in from summer pastures and people gathered to build shelters for winter. The festival also had religious significance, and people burned fruits, vegetables, grain, and possibly animals as offerings to the gods. In ancient Celtic stories, Samhain was a magical time of transition when important battles were fought and fairies cast spells. It was a time when the barriers between the natural world and the supernatural were broken. The Celts believed that the dead could walk among the living at this time. During Samhain, the living could visit with the dead, who they believed held secrets of the future. Scholars believe that Halloween’s association with ghosts, food, and fortune telling began with these pagan customs more than 2,000 years ago.

Many of the customs of the pagan Celts survived even after the people became “Christianized.” In the 800s A.D., the church established All Saints’ Day on November 1. About two hundred years later, it added All Souls’ Day on November 2. This day was set aside for people to pray for friends and family who had died. People made many of the old pagan customs part of this Christian holy day. Some people put out food for their ancestors, or left a lantern burning in the window so that ghosts could find their way home for the night. Through the years, various regions of Europe developed their own Halloween customs. In Wales, for example, each person put a white stone near the Halloween fire at night and then checked in the morning to see whether the stone was still there. If it was, the person would live another year.

In the United States, the origins of Halloween start with the early settlers. When early American settlers came from England, many of them brought various beliefs about ghosts and witches with them. In the 1800s, many immigrants from Ireland and Scotland arrived in the United States and introduced their Halloween traditions. Other groups added their own cultural influences to Halloween customs. German immigrants brought a vivid witchcraft lore, and Haitian and African peoples brought their native voodoo beliefs about black cats, fire, and witchcraft. 🎯