In Season, Out of Season

The doorbell rang so I headed for the front foyer. My grandson was already there to get the door, though, for he was expecting the neighbor to come over. He let his friend in and then scrunching his face up and nodding towards the candelabrum sitting nearby blurted, “What’s that for?” It was the holiday season and I had decked the halls with Christmas decorations and also with a nine-branched menorah associated with the festival of Hanukkah.

Instantly I knew what this ten-going-on-twenty-year older was up to.

It grieved my heart that my own grandson, who was temporarily living with us, despised our beliefs. He had spent other Christmases with us and already knew why I included this special candlestick in my holiday décor. He purposely asked me this question in front of the neighbor boy hoping to catch me off guard. But I was ready*.

“That is a menorah used for the Festival of Light. It is to celebrate Jesus Christ who is The Light of the World.” Before I could finish my sentence, the boys were gone.

Despite his scornful attitude, I will continue to give an answer to his questions in the hope that one day he will remember and believe.

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort
with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2 Timothy 4:2 KJV

We as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are to be ready at any time to speak the Word of Truth. This I am usually prepared for, but please pray for me as I am challenged when it comes to the “longsuffering” part.

*Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you...1 Peter 3:15

Should We Celebrate Christmas?

My husband and I believed we were in God’s will when we moved to a small city further south in the state. Before moving, we had been part of a Messianic home fellowship where we had learned the significance of Jesus Christ, Yahshua Ha Moshiach, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies including the seven feasts of the Lord. We were looking forward to being a part of our new church family, for we had already met some of the brethren before relocating and knew they shared a similar background.

One Sunday in late autumn, the children’s pastor stood up to make an announcement. She invited the children and their parents to become involved in a Christmas program she was planning.

This puzzled me, because in my Messianic fellowship we had been taught that Christmas was of pagan origin and not a holiday instituted by God. We had relinquished many old traditions, including the Christmas tree, for we had learned of its idolatrous roots. Instead, my family embraced the winter feast of Hanukkah, The Festival of Light, and celebrated Jesus fulfilling it as The Light of the World. As she spoke, I went to the Lord in prayer.

“Why are they doing a Christmas program, Lord? Shouldn’t they be celebrating Hanukkah instead?”

His reply was immediate. “Both Hanukkah and Christmas honor Me.”

Like the Grinch who stole Christmas, a warm revelation filled me. What was in our hearts was all our Heavenly Father cared about. It did not matter to the Lord whether I put up a Christmas tree or not. What mattered was why I placed one in my home. Because of my mother’s teaching, to me the evergreen tree was a symbol of eternal life available through our Savior.
This was good news indeed, for I missed the traditions of my childhood. I felt…free!

Now at wintertime my family and I fill the house with decorations, including a brightly lit Christmas tree. We sing Christmas songs and bake Christmas cookies.

Should we celebrate Christmas? Yes! Yes! Emphatically, YES! With our whole being let us celebrate and honor the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

What Does Hanukkah Have to Do With Jesus?

This year Hanukkah began at sunset on December 1. Were you aware that the Lord is mentioned in the New Testament regarding Hanukkah?

It was winter and Jesus was in the Temple in Jerusalem for Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication. John 10:22-23 KJV

This feast is also called ‘The Festival of Light’. It is not one of the seven major festivals as named in the Old Testament; nonetheless, we should be aware of its significance. (For more information on the seven festivals, see my blog posting in September 2010 titled ‘Remember I Love You’.)

Just as Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Feasts of the Lord, He is THE FULFILLMENT OF THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT—HE IS ‘The Light of the World’!



Another wonderful truth about Hanukkah is that it is the time of year when Mary conceived Jesus, Our Savior. Yes, The Light of the World came to earth during The Festival of Light. For greater understanding of how this could be true, follow this link to The Messianic Center's site and read the article 'Dreaming of an Autumnal Christmas': http://www.themessianiccenter.com/2009/10/1/dreaming-of-an-autumnal-christmas

Hanukkah is a special celebration begun many years ago to remember when God’s people were victorious over darkness. Let us celebrate Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light! (I Peter 2:9)


Hallelujah!

Amazing Grace

While in prayer this morning, I was inspired to go to the book shelf to find William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation. The example of the Pilgrims as recorded in this book is very inspiring to me, and with it being our season of Thanksgiving I wanted to read again of them.

I was in wonder at how the healthy ones served those who were close to death:

...There was but six or seven sound persons who to their great commendations, be it spoken, spared no pains night nor day, but with abundance of toil and hazard of their own health, fetched them wood, made them fires, dressed them meat, made their beds, washed their loathsome clothes, clothed and unclothed them. In a word, did all the homely and necessary offices for them which dainty and queasy stomachs cannot endure to hear named; and all this willingly and cheerfully, without any gruding in the least, showing herein their true love unto their friends and brethren; a rare example and worthy to be remembered. (p. 77)

A footnote on page 132 mentions that the Pilgrims never had a regular fall Thanksgiving Day. However, a law written on November 1, 1636, allowed the Governor and Assistants "to command solemn days of humiliation by fasting, etc., and also for thanksgiving as occasion shall be offered."

One of these particularly solemn days is recorded in a section entitled "More Semi-Starvation".
It records their pains to put in a great crop of corn only to see it wither in drought:

Yet at length it began to languish sore, and some of the drier grounds were parched like withered hay, part whereof was never recovered. Upon which they set apart a solemn day of humiliation, to seek the Lord by humble and fervent prayer, in this great distress. And He was pleased to give them a gracious and speedy answer...It came without either wind or thunder or any violence, and by degrees in that abundance as that the earth was thoroughly wet and soaked...which did so apparently revive and quicken the decayed corn and other fruits, as was wonderful to see, and made the Indians astonished to behold.

And afterwards the Lord sent them such seasonable showers, with interchange of fair warm weather as, through His blessing, caused a fruitful and liberal harvest, to their no small comfort and rejoicing. For which mercy, in time convenient, they also set apart a day of thanksgiving. (pp. 131-132)


Oh God! How amazing is Your grace! That You heard the humble prayers of our forefathers and sent the rain. Without You we are nothing!

I Confess

The other day I was confessing to the Lord a list of things I was worried about including family members who have been unemployed for over a year. I received a holy tongue lashing as a result.

“Why would He do that?” you might ask. In this blog I have shared several accounts of God’s goodness to me (which is only the tip of the iceberg), but I must confess that I succumb to worry, doubt, and fear from time to time. This is, of course, NOT pleasing to the Almighty (see Romans 8:5-9).

I do not want to be like those of the children of Israel who saw miracle after miracle yet did not enter their promised land due to UNBELIEF (see Hebrews 3). Fortunately, Christ Jesus our Lord understands our weakness—“For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we [are] dust.” Psalm 103:14 KJV
While in the secret place, He exhorted me to rise above my mortal frame and doubt no more.

When I first confessed Christ as my Lord, I saw God do amazing things to provide for us. We needed an additional $200 to pay our rent one month. My husband Tom and I prayed and believed God would provide. We received a check for $200 for taxes I had supposedly over-paid the year before!?! Another time we found a bag of groceries in front of our apartment door, yet only our Heavenly Father knew our need.

QUESTION: Is there anybody else out there who feels as though they had more faith when they were first born again than they do now?

In Mark 9:23 KJV Jesus said to the father of the boy tormented with a spirit, “If thou canst believe, all things [are] possible to him that believeth.” Let us—like the father of this child—cry out, “Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief!”

This reminds me of when I was sitting in an auditorium listening to a physically-handicapped man of God teach on 2 Corinthians 9:8 KJV - And God [is] able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all [things], may abound to every good work.

The voice of the Lord came to me giving me a personal teaching within a teaching—“I am your sufficiency in your identity as well, Daughter.”

At this time in my life I doubted (ugh! there’s that word again) who I was in Christ. I had stepped out in what He had called me to do only to be bashed down by brethren. His words melted away my unbelief.

If it feels as though this post is a writing assignment via the Holy Spirit, perhaps it is. I find that I remember things if I write them down, so what better way to retain God’s promises than to highlight them here.

HE IS our sufficiency in~

PROVIDING OUR FOOD~ I have been young, and [now] am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Psalm 37:25 KJV

PROVIDING OUR CLOTHING~ And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Luke 12:22 and 31 KJV

PROVIDING EVERYTHING!~ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 KJV

Thank you Heavenly Father for being My Sufficiency no matter what the circumstances look like!



P.S. Readers, I seriously would like to hear from you about the above question:)