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called in, called out

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Kat:

Hi Bamabee,

Glad to help. 
Concerning holidays, that is a very personal decision on what is right.  We all have our opinions, but it's up to each famly to decide what's the best way to handle it.

mercy, peace, and love
Kat

Brett:

--- Quote from: Craig on July 12, 2007, 06:20:36 PM ---I have no problem with christmas.  The family gets together, has a good time, exchanges gifts and for the most part put away any differences we might have.  If God wants to pull me away from this then He will, I feel no need to stop on my own.

And so far He has not stopped me.

Craig

--- End quote ---

You are very right, Craig. When I became impatient and want to stop but nothing success. Everything is all God's work and time. God can pull me away from this, but has not pulled me so far. The only thing I know that God indeed pulled me out of 'Christendom' and that is all. Now, what will I do with my family about Christmas? Just 'no worry, be happy' ;D. It is comfortable for me is to letting God take care of all things and His own time just like He did to me from Christendom. :)


Brett 8)

Craig:
Any time these discussions come up I wish everyone would read and study Romans 14. 

There are too many things we do to make ourselves appear pious.  Some celebrate holidays some don't, some observe sabbath others don't, some observe rituals others don't, some go to church others don't, some drink, others don't, etc, etc, etc.  Remember when some of us were in the church, if a pastor said to do this or that, that is what we did?  If you were told to tithe we tithed, don't shop on Sunday we didn't, celebrate a certain day we did, dress a certain way we did.  Now is no different for us, we must watch to not condemn ourselves to the law.

If God takes you out of, or something out of you, I have found, you will not have any struggle with that thing.  If I decide to not celebrate christmas or any other holidays but it is a struggle in my being, then I've probably only put myself under the law of bondage.  If I decide to leave church but have a struggle in my being with this, then I only put myself under that law. 

When God draws you away from something I have found he takes the struggle also.  I am grateful for what God has taken from me and out of me, but I also try to not judge those with their own struggles.  We are all in a race and God trains us in different ways.

Getting back to your question.  If you are drawn out of celebrating christmas and feel at ease and are not second guessing yourself over that decision, then you are where God has led you, if it is the opposite then you may be putting yourself under law.  When God wants me to sit home christmas day, I will.  Right now he has taken the religious meaning of that holiday from me, so I enjoy the time with my family and I celebrate being with them.  I am not celebrating the christian meaning of the day any longer ( I still eat the meat, Rom14)

I guess what I'm trying to say is, do what God is leading you to do, but if you find yourself struggling with something then you are probably, really struggling with the beast within you, only God takes away the struggle.

This is my opinion, and I'm sticking with it... (for now). ;D

Blessing
Craig

UncleBeau:
Christmas for me makes me think of children being taught expectation. Most kids in America know that they can expect presents of some kind on Christmas day. If I know that God does not operate that way, I don't want to operate that way. God suprises me constantly. That's the way I like to show love, with suprises.
When people have a day scheduled to exchange gifts or whatever and you don't participate, I wouldn't think you'd have to unless you say you're going to. It's when people make you feel guilty that they start to show the ways of the world. I experienced the same thing in church. The guilt trips for not "traditionalizing" my thinking into religious overtones of tithing and segregated groups, communion and alter calls....rang those "bells" for me time and time again. I haven't been called to not give gifts on Christmas, because I still do; but it's giving of myself when I'm not expected to that makes me think of why my Savior was born.

your friend,

-Beau

ciy:
I actually stopped doing Christmas before I came to the true truth because of the financial cost and the realization when I asked my family what they had received last Christmas and they could not remember.  Even though they did not want to, after the first year everybody realized how much less stress we had during the season.  It really is remarkable what a burden is lifted from having to shop.

Over the years as I came to the truth, I was convicted of it being the yeast of the Pharisees.  It is so easy to think this is ok.  Believing in Santa Claus is surely ok, but it dawned on me that I was so innudated with Santa as a child that even as an adult I still felt better about Santa than I did about God.  Then I thought of my pleasant thoughts of the easter bunny, the tooth fairy, etc and how all of those pagan characters had worked in my life to distract me from believing in a loving, merciful God.

Those sweet little spirits make me think of when the new kings of Israel would turn back to God but would leave a few idols in their houses like ashera poles and such that over a period of time they would be back worshipping Baal.  It is hard to leave all of the world behind, to sweep your house clean. 

Again this is all about what your heart feels.  Paul talks about this type thing in eating meats and such. I know it is all about the spiritual meanings but Christmas and celebrating days in the physical is something I am weak in and could easily get back with too much of me being in Bablyon. 

Anyway like Elvis said "Oh why can't everyday be like Christmas."
CIY

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