... please remember those who do not celebrate the so-called "Christian" holiday -- Christmas -- because of a personal conviction that The Word of YHVH God has developed within their souls & spirits, ...
("Christmas," as many Americans "know it," is actually pagan-based, originally & symbolically; it is celebrated in much of America, the U.S., but it still remains a pagan holiday in the items included in the celebration of it by most who call themselves Americans *and* believers in The Lord Jesus Christ / our Redeemer Yeshua ha Mashiach.)
... and please remember that, though you are so glad you have finished your "Christmas shopping," some of us are still getting over the loss of income, or the lack of regular, sufficient income (to meet meager expenses), and wonder about our futures and whether our children will think we do not value them, because we have "nothing (so to speak)" to give them like what some of their friends will be getting "this year." (on "that" holiday others, around them, celebrate)
This lack of regular, sufficient income-producing work leaves them either with a need to search their hearts / souls to figure out "why," or else they are left to wonder why there seems to be no work that will pay *them* the wages their living expenses require. Or are they faced with wondering where & when they will find paying work, to cover their meager costs of living in America?
... this means (some folks like me and, also) I can no longer, in my foreseeable future, give as I had done, "way back when...." Now, is this a complaint? Am I not willing to choose to have a heart / soul that is content with whatever my Master & Lord has provided for me, at this time & season in my life? Am I just never satisfied? Am I just a taker, rather than a giver? Am I simply a selfish soul? Am I unwilling to see the good, only focusing on what is going wrong, or what YHVH God is *not* doing, that I wish He would do?
What I mean is: Wishing it were not true, I must admit it still hurts in my emotions to read what others share about the gifts they have bought, which I know I cannot buy, even for those I love. I must hope my family members understand that I *do* love them, but will have to demonstrate it without giving them purchased gifts. (but that, too, "shall pass," in time; the emotional part will pass, I mean) I have found that time does not heal *all* wounds; YHVH our Healer *does* heal all wounds!!
YHVH, our Loving Father in Heaven, is able to heal us of frustrations & struggles that are a regular part of life on earth, from negative memories, from regrets from past unwise choices, from ongoing consequences that come from our past mistakes & errors of judgment and from unspiritual or immoral thoughts (or lies) we have thought (or believed) and then followed, which took us down paths we had never intended to "walk down."
It does not hurt in my spirit, because I am free from a former "caught-up-in-it" kind of trap, that others, before me, had not become aware was linked with Babylonian goddess & god worship (false gods, I mean) and with pagan worship & rituals tied to Molech, Chemosh, Tammuz, Ra, Aphrodite ... about "the queen of heaven" and "her son." (and other mythological gods, I'm sure)
HalleluYah!
Am merely asking anyone "who has money (or a regular income)" to be sensitive to those who have lost their jobs, those who are nearly homeless, or are living at the mercy of other believers, but who use library computers to log onto the internet, to check emails (they set up in former days), or those who used to have decent incomes but (not due to the present administration) simply have not been able to find gainful employment, as it used to be called, in America.
Result? We do without. You all can enjoy a time of buying for others, but we must either make any gifts we wish to give or not give any gifts at all. We may (many of us who are living in this "condition") not be able to give our own family members, whom we love very much, gifts similar to the ones we may have given them in the past, ... even for part of Chanukah's days of celebration this year. All we can do is to give food using government "subsidies." (how sad!) And that means we can only give food gifts to those who may actually need a new pair of socks, or a new pair of shoes, or a warm pair of winter gloves (that fit their hands).
It does "hurt" inside. (at least for now) But ... once again, that is because some of us are letting our "flesh," or our "pride" from our old selves, get through again. We know we should not. Our pride and our flesh have actually died (as shared by Rav Shaul, Paul the Apostle, in Romans 6:1-23), ... but it tries to creep back in, to unsettle us, in our minds, from time to time. So, as I am still workin' on guarding against those negative thoughts creeping in to my mind, as I read what others share, online. But I know I should "get over it." You can tell I have not fully succeeded in my battles against that happening. (aagh!)
Other ideas for gifts: ... or ... we must rely on other items we have had in our possession, from earlier times, ... to make them into some gift we would like to give to those in our own families, during Chanukah, or for a birthday in our own family, or to a relative for a special occasion.
( I do happen to have a late December birthday, so am aware that some folks have birthdays close to the end of December, as I do. )
Knowing that others have been able to spend "plenty" to "bless" their own family members does sadden those who do not have any money to buy even several of the $1 items that they have, at times, settled for buying, when they felt they had no other choice. (this seems like a less-than-likely circumstance for an American to go through, to some, but it is truly what many people, in America, have been living faced with, for more than a few years, for some of them) Having lived as one "who had," in the past, it is taking me quite a while to now see that I must be content to be one "who has not."
However, YHVH is teaching me much more compassion & a real & clearer understanding of what "those who do not have what others have," have gone through, ... some for quite a few years. ;o(
We all must learn to show more compassion, & reach out to help meet the needs of others, ... because many of us have more things we "could give" to those who "do not have them," than we realize. ! YHVH has been teaching me that I can give something I really could live without, to someone who would appreciate that item, ... because they could not, otherwise, get to enjoy it. This is one benefit of not having any extra money to spend on gifts, for those who are "not" family, but are in the "family of YHVH." It also leads those of us "who have not (money)" to become more resourceful & begin to produce some gifts our Creator will enable us to make, for someone else, to brighten their day. The need for an income led one, formerly homeless man, to begin a company making chocolate-chip cookies, called Famous Amos brand cookies.
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If others have not been through this type of complete change from their former way they used to live, they will not comprehend what I am sharing.
If anyone reading this has done without regular food for any amount of time, eaten only inferior food from such places as a food pantry, they'll understand. (some of this kind of food is just fine & actually of very high quality, at times! Some of it is like this -- canned food is dead; -- dried foods, such as dried beans, are okay. But after a week or two of eating only those, several times a week, or every evening, one does wish one could get something that is fresh, to eat.) If people go without "decent" food (including fresh, healthy food) for very long, it affects their body systems and their overall health. It affects their thinking and their overall attitudes and interactions with other people. When people figure that their life situation may not change, soon, that is when some people will begin "looking outside" to see if they can glean some wild berries or nuts, or parts of God's bounty of plants, that can be gathered, & cut, & dried, or taken home to cook, to eat.
If anyone has done without their needed healthy foods for a few weeks or months, or for more than a year, that is when they will have a clearer idea about what I speak of. Groups of true believers can look for opportunities to help those in (true) need.
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Please, be sensitive to others, even in America, who are doing without what they used to enjoy doing (giving to others, I mean). However, we must all remember that this is not even close to the intensity of (physical and emotional and mental) suffering that many true believers, across the world, have been going through, for much longer than many of us realize, especially within the 10/40 window. Please! -- remember to pray for those you are aware of, who are suffering due to persecution against believers in / followers of Yahshua The Messiah!
Thoughts: Am thinkin' of goin' offline (from some networks I've been on) for a while, just to avoid reading what some share, by email, on blogs, on social networks ... about ... packing their boxes of gifts (they bought) to mail to others, or sharing that they've finished shopping & are ready to mail their packages, ... or ... whatever wording they choose, ... to share their gladness about the buying they have been enabled to do.
They may be quite happy upon realizing that the rush-to-spend time has ended (though its end only comes "after" the buyer has "sent off, within the U.S. mailing & package-delivery system," the items the buyer bought for others, as part of this season of the winter solstice celebration of the son {whose name is Tammuz} of the queen of heaven {the mother of Tammuz, whose name is known as Ishtar}).
(an added note: ... that "son" is not my Messiah, Whose Name is Yahshua; some spell it Yeshua, as I often do, also) (By the way, this pagan deity is taught about, in the form of Aphrodite, and ... her son, Adonis, is another name for Tammuz; this is just the same pagan god with a different naming system, that another group of pagans used to worship. Each successive civilization seemed to take up the same basic story line, to further perpetuate "the lie" that the enemy of YHVH's children would like them to fall for.)
( ... please, if you're still with me, here, read on ... )
Time of year has been corrected: My Messiah Yahshua is The only-begotten Son of YHVH (YaHWeH) The Almighty One, The I AM. He "is" The I AM. He was born in early October, or late September, when the weather on the mountainsides outside Bethlehem was not below freezing! He was born ten 4-week months (Americans say 9 months later) after He was conceived during Chanukah, the festival of lights. He is The Light and Life of all those who will believe in Him, as Messiah as The Lamb of YHVH God, Yahshua! He was not born, ... nor could have been, to fulfill the prophecies in The Old Covenant (The Old Testament), the Tanakh, ... during a very cold, winter time of any year! That would have shown that He was not truly of YHVH God! His being conceived during the festival of lights, and then being born at the time of Sukkot (Succoth), the feast of tabernacles, makes sense, though that is not the only reason why anyone should believe it is true. He came, as shared in John 1:14, to "dwell" (the word means "to tabernacle" with us) among us, .... So, His being born during the feast of tabernacles fits into the prophetic calendar of His Father in Heaven, YHVH.
Personal Conviction. -- that is what this is. Please take it for what it is.
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So, please, if you wish to write to me about what I have shared here, please consider what I, or someone I know well, ... or someone I have helped with "free government food" to, with my family (in ministry we help others with, enabled by YHVH God), or someone who is currently unemployed, ... is going through.
With or without having formerly celebrated a holiday time (that now I know to be pagan), at this time of year, ... either way, it does not "build up (edify)" others in Messiah Yahshua (Yeshua) ... for other believers to share about how they have (had the opportunity) to spend enough money on gifts & then on postage costs, ... to buy & mail gift packages to their living-away-from-home family members or their local-area relatives or friends they want to bless, in some way.
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What I have been sharing here is not the result of envy, jealousy, anger, or bitterness, or regret over past mistakes or wrong choices. It is a result of YHVH allowing me to see "more of the other side of life" in America, that so many will not do anything about (who could), to help those who are the "truly" needy. These folks have nothing to give their own children, and many (not myself) do not even have enough decent, healthy food to feed their little ones, whom they love just as much as you love your children. This is simply a situation that, to me, should not be occurring, in "the land of the free & the home of the brave." (my personal belief)
Someone (true believers in YHVH & in Yahshua, His Son) could bring them enough food to keep them going for at least a month, or more! There are some folks who spend money on frivolous, unneeded items or activities & on vain pursuits. Some of these folks cannot (or do not know how to) repair the hole-filled socks or clothing they or their children wear. Someone could help them learn how. Someone could show them how to clean their houses, and get rid of things they no longer use, that may even bring them a bit of money, if sold or traded for something they "do" need.
Someone could show them how to plant seeds, to grow foods they could eat, in the spring. Yes, there are some things that can be planted, at this often-very-cold time of year, in some parts of the USA! Someone could help by trimming their children's hair, so they will not figure they have to pay someone else, for a hair cut they do not have the money to get. Someone could offer to come & clean their clothing, if their washer has broken, or if they have been washing their clothing in their bathtub, because they do not have the money to buy even an old, used one to replace their non-working washer.
Someone could teach them more about spiritual warfare, so they could learn how to take back the ground in their souls that they had given, in previous times, ... to the enemy of their souls, satan (the accuser) and the devil (the deceiver, the liar). By the way, every person on the earth has been affected, at some point in time, by satan (& the devil, who are one & the same), in one way or another. Some have "given ground" in their souls without even realizing it. So, everyone *does* need to learn how to take back the "surrendered ground," so that YHVH's Spirit is able to renew their minds through The Word of YHVH and teach them Truths that will give them spiritual Understand they need, to face their future on earth. (and to use to help others)
Someone could take a copy of Neil T. Anderson's _Steps to Freedom in Christ (Messiah)_, & read through it with them, & explain any topics or issues they have questions about, ... & pray with them through it, until they, themselves, realize the freedom (by experiencing it) Messiah Yahshua has bought for them by shedding His Blood on the Roman execution stake, to pay the penalty they owed for their sins, to YHVH, their Father in Heaven.
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What I share is simply a plea: please be sensitive to those who have no money to buy gifts during this season of the year.
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You are all, of course, quite free to write whatever you wish (as a true believer in Yahshua / Yeshua The Messiah), as you write emails on yahoo groups or to individuals, or as you share something on a social network, or write on your profile page on "facebook."
I am not telling you what to write. I am merely pleading with you, to *please* consider those who can manage to "get online" to try to share with other believers ... but who do *not* have any income except what another very generous believer is helping them with, in order to pay their basic bills.
It hurts our flesh. Our flesh is to die, by our choice of denying it. (personal conviction) I know I need to "get over it." !!
This year, having lived with a less-than-what-I-believe-YHVH-wants to bless us with, ... I am having to choose, by will, to thank & praise His Name, YHVH, The I AM, ... instead of seeing Him enable me to give anything (they'd like) ... to some of my family members or to relatives who "do" believe it is right & good to buy (and then send them) gifts.
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This is a bit hard to explain (in words only).
Am hopin' that somethin' I have written here might lead someone else, who is a true believer, to search The Word, to find where it was commanded, that all who have put their trust in Yahshua (Yeshua) The Son of YHVH (YaHWeH) God, ... to remember His Birth, to celebrate it.
YHVH is The God of Yisrael, He is The Almighty, The I AM, The Ancient of Days, El Shaddai, Who is El Elyon.
Yahshua (Yeshua) commanded His followers (many American believers call them the Disciples or the Apostles, and they include Paul, or Rav Shaul, as the 12th one who was chosen, by YHVH, to replace to Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Yahshua and truly never had a part in Him, as Yahshua had said) to remember & commemoriate the Passover (Pesach) meal with the cup of wine (slightly fermented grape juice) and the bread (an unleavened cake used during Pesach, or Passover) He has used to share with them what these would represent, to them, after He died on the Roman execution stake, to redeem them all, and all others (Hebrew believers) who would believe on His Name. (Yahshua knew this also included the Gentiles, who would believe on His Name; it was prophesied, more than once, in the Hebrew writings of the prophets, and it was written about even by king David in the Psalms).
In other words, Yahshua told us to commemorate and remember His Death. This bought our eternal Life! We are also to rejoice in and commemorate His Resurrection from the dead, because this sets our Savior / Redeemer completely apart from the ones others, of what they call their "religions," claim they believe in, for their so-called future life in their so-called Heaven, or paradise, or ... where they think they will "go to," after they die.
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We naturally would want to celebrate the fact that our Messiah was born as a man on earth!
But ... He wants us to focus on celebrating the feasts He celebrated, while on earth, and especially celebrate the story of the time when He died, to buy our new Life in Messiah Yahshua, and then was resurrected, after 3 days & nights in "the heart of the earth," to being seen alive on earth by other 500 brethren (on one day, at one appearance), believers in His Name, along with others who listened to His Voice and talked with Him, before He ascended back into Heaven, from the Mount of Olives!
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And ... He wants us to live for His Name (Yahshua), above all, not for times in the year when we think we must (or may choose to) go into debt (some do), or spend more than we have on hand (... or to wish we "could" do that) ... in order to just try to do what others are expecting us to do, or (worse) to keep a tradition we have been taught honors The Son of YHVH God, though I doubt it does (personal conviction).
Please ... Let's keep in mind the real reason that (Americans, at least) "set aside" this time of year to honor The One Who was pierced, and Who gave His Life a ransom for many, who would believe in His Name, for the redemption of their souls ... is this: they "intend" to show Him they are quite thankful (more than words could express, of course) that He chose, freely, to humble Himself, come to be born on earth, to live as a man (though quite poor & homeless, after He began His earthly ministry) Who would live on earth, and then show the ones who observed Him, during His lifetime on earth, how YHVH has commanded all who believe in His Name "how to live" for YHVH in Righteousness, sincerity and Truth.
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As we study more & more about Him, The One Whose Name is above every other name in all the universe, we continue to learn more.
... I am still learning ....
And, by the way, I do very much appreciate the wonderful Grace you all, my friends, have extended to me.
Sometimes I share things which I realize some will consider quite controversial. I do not overlook the Grace you all extend to me, as I share these things. You could tell me what you think about my sharing some of these "news items." But you choose not to. (or else are too busy to read them all) I know YHVH God will (and does) reward those (of you) who walk in Righteousness! in Meekness! in Humility! and in agape Love!
John 15 and I John 1 through 5 especially share more about what He wants us to know about abiding in Him, walking with Him! Continue to store His Word in your mind / heart! He will use it to do the good He wants to do in you... and He will also use it (The Word, which is alive) to open the eyes of those who now dwell in darkness, ... so they, too, can "see The Light!" ... as YHVH has opened your eyes to see His Truth more clearly.
He does not want that any would perish, but that all would come to the knowledge of The Truth, in His Son, Yahshua! -- see II Peter 3:9
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