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- Sara Schmidt (January 27, 2010)

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Christmas and Human Weakness

Victor writes this letter to the believers:

Hi all!

I want you to know that while some make Christmas an issue, it being the season, we need to have it from the Lord to know what to say, to whom and what, but let's not get in bondage about it. When it comes right down to it, Christmas is not the issue. Before I became a Christian, celebrating or not celebrating Christmas would have meant nothing to me. But when I received the Spirit, things began to change in all areas, one thing at a time, sometimes several things, and Christmas took its turn.

You see, it's primarily about a relationship with the Lord Jesus, He living His life in and through us. And He doesn't condemn or criticize anyone for darkness or ignorance (did He condemn you?). Having revealed Himself to us, He lives His life by us and brings whom He will to the Light in His time. Patience!

I talked to some of you as to what to respond to others when they wish you a "Merry Christmas." Our community fire chief has created the tradition (perhaps it is not a new idea by any means) of heading door to door with his wife in the fire truck. (I think that is rather clever - no sleigh, but a fire truck, and red like a Santa sleigh, well, maybe yellow, not sure; and instead of Rudolph's red nose, headlights, and instead of bells, a siren). They dress in Santa suits and hand out candy canes, one for each member of the house. Last night I heard the touch of the siren, and Wendy Hilliard came to the door and handed me three canes (which, Christmas or no Christmas, we don't normally eat). I accepted them. She said, "Happy holidays to you and yours," smiled, and was off to the next house. I smiled back, rather hesitantly, I might add, and said, "Thank you."

Wendy is our neighbor; her husband is a volunteer fireman for us, doing the community a service, and they are a regular strawberry customers of Harvest Haven. With these kinds of connections, it makes it harder to take a stand on some issues...if indeed a stand ought to be taken. Sometimes, hopefully not for selfish or earthly benefit, we need to recognize that we can just let some things go. We needn't strive or differ at all times, in all cases.

Was I wrong to thank her and accept the canes? Maybe and maybe not; the Lord will tell. I'd be glad to talk to her and her husband about any of these things should the Lord open the door to do so, not in legalistic posturing and mild contempt, but in kindness and friendship. And if the Lord doesn't provide the circumstances, not a problem. Leave it; it's okay.

Terri, I advised you to go to your family gathering and not worry about it. How did you do? Or is it today?

James, I advised you to go to yours and take it as an opportunity to just be there and share; maybe ask some questions, not in strife or antagonism, but just to make people think about themselves, their lot in life, you, and what they are doing there having a gathering when not willing to talk about the things that are significant to you, whom they insist to get together with and presume to care about.

Eric, I heard that Laurie was upset because she had to prepare the kids herself to go to church for whatever occasion they were having there, likely to do with Christmas. I only got these things secondhand, so don't quote me. Be that as it may, consider that you can help her dress and feed the kids; help send her off to church with them to do what she intends. When they all know that you clearly disagree, and though you do not go yourself and partake, yet if you help them with concern and kindness, I think that will speak volumes more than to hold them in any kind of contempt - mild, subtle, or otherwise. Yes, the Lord has called us to war, yet by peaceful and heavenly means, not by carnal attitudes and measures.

Care about them more than you care about not celebrating Christmas or about not going to Babylonian worship. Do you understand, people? Do you hear me? Yes, Paul and I preach against Christmas and false religion, we speak against many evils and "reprove the works of darkness" (as did the Lord and the prophets and apostles), but there are many ways to do so, and times and persons in different stations of life in the mix, each calling for a different stroke. Love them wherever and whenever possible.

By "love", I don't mean the mush or sentimentality or platitudes, though there are times for sympathy and compassion, for hugs, and an understanding pat on the hand or shoulder, by all means. But don't presume to change them. That is the Lord's job; only He can do it, and if He isn't doing anything at the time, your efforts will only be counterproductive and vexing to them, to the Lord, and to yourselves. Been there, done it, much and many times - bought the t-shirt, burned it.... Do you "hear" me? I would like for you to understand these things sooner than I did, yet it is still all in His time(s).

I too am weak, as you; Paul is weak; we are all weak. Let's not fool ourselves; we are no better than anyone when it comes down to it. We fail, we stumble, we err, we must all learn; we must all be chastened by the Lord. He loves us and has been very patient with us, has He not? But He also loves those with whom we have to do.

Remember, He also died for them and is every bit as desirous and able to bring them into His fold as He has been and done with you. Be patient, be kind, be understanding, be gentle with them all. Do stand firm in your convictions, make clear what the Lord has shown you - I'm not calling for compromise - I'm calling for something much better, for the sake of all.

You may have some difficulty understanding how it is I can say these things when you see our preaching; it seems we are the opposite. Are we? Maybe we are; I hope not. I want you to know that in Christ, we care for all those people out there, every last one of them...Augie, Peter, Laurie, Dilene, all the children, pastors, priests, strangers, antagonists, name them all - Christ died for them all, and one day, they will all be standing beside us, rejoicing, singing praises to God, with tears and happy faces, thankful that He cared so much that He should suffer a cruel death for them, and thankful for all things.

I have an only son in the flesh, whom I love. He does things I don't agree with in the final sense. But I believe the Lord has given me the wisdom to let him go and experience the things he must for the time. He does not keep the Sabbath as do we, he does a variety of things we know better than to do, yet I know the Lord was sovereign in my life when I was in unbelief, and He didn't draw me to Himself until I was 27, 9 years older than Jonathan is now. God could have done it sooner, but He didn't. I can wish He had, given the terrible things that happened, but so it was, for His purposes and for the right time, which serves to humble me to this very hour. So who am I to think I can (or should) change people any time I please? I can't, and neither can anyone else. He has His timing and way.

Let's give thanks in all these things -that's very important - rejoice in the Lord and give Him thanks for everything, the "good" and the "bad" both - the trials, the challenges, the roadblocks, the defeats, as well as the victories. Father, thank You for these to whom You have granted grace and revealed Yourself. Thank You for their weaknesses and strengths, all of which serve Your purpose. Thank You for them and everything. Amen!

- Victor Hafichuk (December 25, 2009)

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“Why don’t you celebrate Christmas?”

I don’t celebrate Christmas because I believe in Jesus Christ and cannot but be faithful to Him.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it opposes Jesus Christ in spirit and practice.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it is the birthdate of the antiChrist, the great imposter, the false Messiah.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because the world loves it, and anything the world loves, God hates.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it fulfills both the lusts of the flesh and of the spirit, which are at enmity with God.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it brings God’s wrath on all its celebrants.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because I want to live and not die.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because I want Jesus Christ to be glorified.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because gifts are to be for Jesus Christ and not for each other with His exclusion.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because God hates mixture.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it is deceptive and destructive.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because Santa Claus, tinsel, tree ornaments, cards, mistletoe, hoping to receive earthly gifts, merchandising in Christ’s Name, Christmas food, revelry, gluttony, and drunkenness are ungodly and deadly.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it is confusion.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it is a captive spirit that promises fulfillment when it comes, and leaves one empty and disillusioned when it goes.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it has nothing whatsoever to do with the birth of Christ in any way; it only claims to.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because God never asked anyone to do so.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because harlot religion and the world does.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it represents Satan’s chosen man.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because God’s people do not do so.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it shames and discourages the lonely and destitute and glorifies the wealthy.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it insults and grieves God.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it offers an occasion for those who do not obey Jesus Christ to pretend that they do.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because it gives the pagan originators of the celebration an occasion to make the whole world stumble.

I don’t celebrate Christmas because I have known its beautiful, rapturous bondage, and now I know the freedom of deliverance from it, with peace and understanding.

I don’t celebrate Christ’s physical birth without because I have His spiritual birth within.

How wonderful it is that one may celebrate the birth of the Son of God 24/7, in spirit and in truth! Each and every day, those born of Him possess that which no mortal celebrating the best Christmas day can even imagine!

A couple things you could read on this subject: That Devilish Spirit of Christmas and Diabolical Doctrine 17) “Christmas is a holy, God-ordained celebration.”

- Victor Hafichuk (December 14, 2009)

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What Is a Miracle?

Are there still miracles today? What is a miracle? Would you know it if you saw one? Here are some principles about God's supernatural workings on earth today.

What Is a Miracle?

- Sara Schmidt (October 25,2009)

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God’s Promise in His Commandments

I had what I could call precious thoughts last Sabbath as I was running a hose to the barrel and turning the raw water valve on. I thought, “Should I, or shouldn’t I, be doing this today?” (The barrel was low and tends to dry out and leak if not filled, but it could have waited till the next day.) But then I thought, “No, this is nothing to me; in fact, I am enjoying it on this beautiful, peaceful morning. And I don’t have to do it! It is not servile in that I am forced or find displeasure in it. And I am free to do it.”

So I got thinking about the Sabbath again and suddenly realized that almost all of the commandments are not, “I’m telling you what to do, and you better do it!” but, “I’m telling you what shall be. This is what I am doing with you; here’s where I’m going with all this - You shall love the Lord your God. You shall not have other gods. You will not be killing or committing adultery or stealing. This is what I’m doing with you, and this is where you are going and will be.” The Law of God is the “blueprint” or “manifesto,” if you will.

So then, what about the Sabbath? It says not, “You shall...,” but, “Remember that you keep....” Why? Because the purpose of our Creator is to bring us to that fulfillment where, by nature, we want to do the right thing, and we do it, like breathing, as natural as blood coursing through our veins. And that is the rest; that is the Sabbath, and we will remember, and not forget. It is a promise, as are all the commandments.

Commandments! Aren’t those things we are told to do? Yes, but when God says, “Let there be light,” there is light. So when He says, “You shall not steal,” then it will come to pass that you shall not steal, because He has commanded it. He does not command you so much as that He commands the thing itself to come to pass! Isn’t that wonderful? He will do it and is doing it and has done it! I don’t know what to say about the one other commandment (which has no, “You shall or shall not”) that says, “Honor your father and your mother,” except that it is one with promise, and in fact, it is the only one with an explicit promise built right in.

Now see why we can’t win favor with God by keeping the commandments, or why we can’t even keep them? If they are promises, then whose promises are they? If His and not ours, then how can, or even how should, we keep them, when we are not the ones who made them? If He made the promises, then they are up to Him to keep. And why would He make such promises if we already had what He was promising, the keeping of the commandments? But He promises to give or to fulfill that which we do not have, but which is needful, in order that we may have fellowship with Him.

Because God’s commandments are promises, it doesn’t mean we don’t have to try to comply with them. It only means we can’t pretend to fulfill His commandments in our own power, which is to deny His promise, His blood, His Person, and Reality. We are subject to the tutelage of the Law, because we agree with His verdicts and ways, until the time is fulfilled. We know that as we behold His face in righteousness, we will be satisfied when we awake with His likeness.

And when He keeps His Promises, it is the fulfillment of His words:

“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26 MKJV).

(“I will keep My promises to you, all Ten of them, and then you will have the reality of the Fourth!”)

When the Sabbath is finally fulfilled in us, nothing will be servile to us any longer, for that would be an impossibility. We will no longer do our own pleasure, for we will be entirely His, desiring to do only His pleasure. We will have overcome to be one with Him. That is the Sabbath and the rest of God, which the Hebrews writer exhorted, indeed admonished, us to enter into:

Hebrews 4:1-11 MKJV
(1) Therefore, a promise being left to enter into His rest, let us fear lest any of you should seem to come short of it.
(2) For also we have had the gospel preached, as well as them. But the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
(3) For we who have believed do enter into the rest, as He said, "I have sworn in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest"; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
(4) For He spoke in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested the seventh day from all His works."
(5) And in this place again, "They shall not enter into My rest."
(6) Since then it remains that some must enter into it, and since they to whom it was first preached did not enter in because of unbelief,
(7) He again marks out a certain day, saying in David, "Today," (after so long a time). Even as it is said, "Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts."
(8) For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day.
(9) So then there remains a rest to the people of God.
(10) For he who has entered into His rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from His.
(11) Therefore let us labor to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of unbelief.

- Victor Hafichuk (October 2, 2009)

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