“UNlearning is the hardest part.” -my hubs, an ordained minister
We’re still learning (unlearning and relearning on repeat lately). But if you’re a brand new newbie to the Father’s appointed times, this might help get you started.
“‘And this day shall become to you a remembrance. And you shall celebrate it as a festival to יהוה throughout your generations – celebrate it as a festival, an everlasting law.” Shemoth (Exodus) 12:14
Spring Feasts:
Passover (Leviticus 23:5) – Pointed to the Messiah as our Passover lamb.
Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6) – Pointed to the Messiah’s sinless life.
First Fruits (Leviticus 23:10) – Pointed to the Messiah’s resurrection.
Weeks or Pentecost (Leviticus 23:16)
Occurs fifty days after the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
It’s not about “easter sunday” or even “resurrection sunday”. Sounds crazy, I know. I KNOW! How can a believer not focus on those?! You see, just like Christmas, our worship of the Father is not to be mingled with pagan worship. As you might have guessed, Easter is more of the same… paganism. Sigh. And upon further investigation, we just might find that He actually arose on Sabbath – a Saturday. Again… Crazy, I know. We won’t hear about that in a Sunday service.
There are a few calendars one can follow, but if you take a peek at the Zadok/Enoch calendar, you’ll find that it always puts Passover on a Tuesday, according to the Dead Sea Scrolls. A friend pointed out to me, looking at “the first day of the week” when Mary went to the tomb, concordances state “sabbaton” which is “one of the sabbaths” (that week had TWO of them – Passover being a high sabbath). Roman translations move that to Sunday (of course they would!). Yet, the Father’s significant days seem to revolve around sabbaths. There is so much beauty and depth to be found in His appointed times.
At the end of the day, most of us can agree that “Good Friday” to “Resurrection Sunday” does not add up to 3 days and 3 nights.
I wanted to leave you with a few resources for a launching pad to get you started in your own research… unlearning, relearning, repeat.
Olive Branch Fellowship:
Passover & Unleavened Bread 101 (This is a bit “meatier” than your typical 101, but some details of this video brought clarity for me, so I’m including it)
If everyone is doing the same thing, it makes me take pause and bring it to Yah and His Word — not the opinions of man and the “matter of conscience” defense. He is pretty clear, if only we have ears to hear.
Scooting closer to Yah is tricky to navigate, even among believers. If you’re in that place, too. I just want to tell you…
You’re not alone.
Enter in through the narrow gate! Because the gate is wide – and the way is broad – that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in through it. Because the gate is narrow and the way is hard pressed which leads to life, and there are few who find it. -Matthew 7:13-14
My husband and I thought for SURE, I’d lose at least half of you with my last post. But instead, I’ve somehow gained new faces (welcome!) and those who disagree have (mostly) stuck with me, responding respectfully. Distanced, but respectful.
I remember hearing rumors of “holiday” ties to paganism years ago from an odd young couple at church, but brushed it aside because… well, that’s not what it means to ME so then surely what the Father said in the “old” testament about His worship didn’t apply. Right? After that awkward chat, we left Sunday service to color/hunt eggs with our children. Oh boy… THAT’S how disconnected I was.
This people draw near to Me with their mouth, and respect Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. ‘But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commands of men.’ Matthew 15:8-9
People have asked, “How did the church get it so wrong in 2020?!”
THIS is how. Frog in the boiling pot. Generations of inherited religion and traditions, compromise after compromise… until we cannot recognize an idol, even when we drag it into our homes and churches, decorate it ourselves, and give it a prime location. This is not me shaming anyone. I was right. there. with. you. If you listened to my Christmas highlight, you get a feel for just how hard this has been.
My people have perished (cut off, destroy, to cause to cease) for lack of knowledge (discernment, understanding, wisdom). Because you have rejected (refuse, despise) knowledge (discernment, understanding, wisdom), I reject you from being priest for Me. Since you have forgotten the Torah (instruction) of your Elohim, I also forget (ignore) your children.” Hosea 4:6
Is the birth of our Savior beautiful and deserving of awe, wonder and thankfulness? ABSOLUTELY!! Praise Him for His wonderful, life-changing, gift! The question remains… Should our worship be mixed with paganism? History is important.
Yah gives CLEAR instructions on NOT mixing His worship with paganism, and if I’m doing the opposite, it’s time to take a long look in the spiritual mirror. Was I serving the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob found in my bible? Or was I getting caught up in the traditions of men?
The answer was clear…
Though none go with me, still I will follow… no turning back. Be careful not to substitute the opinions of your pastor, friend, or favorite social media influencer with what is clearly spelled out in Yah’s Word. We only need discerning eyes to see… and ears to hear.
Warning: Big, long post ahead. Enter at your own risk. xo
Our first year without *gulp* Christmas. I NEVEREVER in a million years thought I would be saying those words! Ever. Neither would ANYone who really knows me. Sigh… I know. I KNOW! How could a believer NOT celebrate Christmas? This is where I lose half of you, right? Believe me when I say that this topic has been HARD on this mama. I was even tempted NOT to share…
I know what you’re thinking. Oh, she’s one of those Christians. I get it. I’ve been there, too! But before you go down that path, first allow me to introduce myself…
Until Christmas 2021, I was Ms. Christmas: open house each year my husband pastored, entire month of December off of homeschool to soak in ALL things Christmas with our children, new ornaments to commemorate family vacations, Christmas music playlist, decorating multiple trees – and always the last weekend in October, ALL the cheesy Christmas movies, December birthday money spent on Christmas decor, building traditions with our children, Operation Christmas Child boxes, caroling, theatre productions, choir performances, Happy birthday Jesus cakes, multiple nativity sets, family pictures for Christmas cards, Christmas Eve candlelight services, Christmas cookies while looking at Christmas lights…
Do you get the picture??! This is no small thing for me! And to be completely transparent, these past several months have felt like spiritual heart surgery, accompanied with Texas-sized tears and a few sobs.
But when the Father opens your eyes, it’s a whole new perspective! I haven’t yet formed the words to describe the hunger and understanding I’ve found in the Bible this year. (I foundTHIS teachingto be very helpful!) No, I’m not part of a cult or “movement”. Questions I’ve had for many years are simply coming into focus. It’s beautiful… and oh-so-painful and hard! But with biblical understanding, life application becomes clear. It’s time to walk it out in obedience.
While my daughter was preparing for a Bible study, she asked me, “How do you know it’s love? Without hesitation, I responded, “When it’s uncomfortable.”
The answer surprised me, too! But the more I thought about it, the more sense it made! Love requires action, which can take us out of our comfort zones. And I had no idea that I was about to get very uncomfortable. HOWEVER, when tradition is taking priority over what my Father is showing me, tradition has to go.
With clenched fists, holding tight to my well-intentioned traditions, I was reminded that if I’m having so much trouble letting go of my traditions, it has become more about me and a little less about Him. Ouch! The Father has simply reminded me what HE says about paganism and His worship– and that (even though my intentions are good) only HE has the authority to determine how people should worship Him.
I simply wanted you to know (some of) my journey — Not just information in a dry post, where tone and intent get lost in text — and where it can come across as “do as I do or feel shaaaame!” I’ve poured many hours into this. And as we’ve shared with our children, we would not make such a huge change without a LOT of research and conviction.
I’m certainly not asking you to blindly follow. If interested, I would simply invite you to truly research this for yourself Bring it to the Father in prayer. We simply need to be asking more questions. Dig in His Word to understand what He truly has to say about it — minus the opinions of man (especially opinions found in mainstream churches).
This is my personal journey. This is NOT to ruin the season for anyone, but to press into truth, as I’ve done repeatedly in this space. He says truth sets us free. And from what I’m learning so far, HIS appointed times (Lev. 23) are far more beautiful and richer than ANYthing this world has to offer. I’m looking forward to learning more about those! (Quick read to get you started: Biblical Feasts)
“Keep Christ in Christmas,” they say. I’m not called to Christianize Saturnalia. No, He’s calling me not to participate at all. (If you’re on Instagram, please see my Christmas highlight to hear my journey.)
If interested, here are several bullet points and video links to get you started on your own research journey… Much love. xo
Made into a post by request for sharing. I simply encourage you to take it to Yah in prayer and read what He has to say about it.
This was in response to an Instagram post which has received thousands of “likes” on the topic of Halloween (because I’ve shared her content before). Comments were turned off before her post came across my feed — Defending a Christian’s participation, I imagine she received some pushback. However, I’m not here to attack her. If you missed her original post, it’s okay.
In full disclosure, our family participated in “Fall festival, family-friendly alternatives” while our girls were young. File that under “I’d like a do-over, please.”
Before reading, please know that this is simply part of my personal journey/research and I pray it prompts you to further research as well. Tone & intent can get lost in text, but this truly comes from a place of love.
Halloween is a high holy day for Satanists, witches, and other occult members. To it’s very origin, Halloween is evil. Satan has made it very easy to ignore those things. You can glorify God by NOT celebrating Halloween. -ex witch
Are we conforming the Word to our lives OR… our lives to the Word? For discernment’s sake, we must look at this without emotions attached to years of tradition.
While the Bible doesn’t specifically mention “Halloween” –> it has a lot to say about Yah and how He regards evil, paganism, and idols.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 1 Corinthians 10:21 Abstain from all appearance of evil.1 Thessalonians 5:22 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. Ephesians 5:11 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter. Isaiah 5:20
The world: Look, Christians celebrate Halloween, too.
Christians: But what we do is different.
The WORD: “come out from among them and be separate” – 2 Cor. 6:17
Christians: Our version is innocent.
The WORD: Satan appears as an angel of light.
How will the world know we are set apart? While Yeshua walked with sinners, He didn’t partake in their actions. He does not call us to lose our holiness. We will never influence the world by trying to imitate it. If we are the light of the world, a lamp on a stand, a city on a hill, we are not “down the hill” with the world.
There seems to be some confusion about Paul…
How is Paul made “all things to all men” (1 Corinthians 9:22)?
He is saying that although he is “in-lawed” (ennomos) to Christ, he can preach the Gospel in a way that the lawless Gentiles can understand. Paul did not say, I become as the world to win the world. To imply that Paul was willing to flirt with sin in order to reach the sinful, is a total misrepresentation of what this passage means.
Is everything permissible?
The term “Christian Liberty” is oftentimes abused and used in “buffet style” Christianity. Paul answers questions about consuming meat sacrificed to idols – not with a new teaching on idolatry but by urging the Corinthians to consider how their actions will cause others to stumble.
I recommend reading chapters 8-10 togetherfor context
But if someone says to you, “This is food from a sacrifice,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. 1 Cor. 10:28.
I have not come across one former Satanist who recommends Christian participation in Halloween. It begs the question… Why?? History is important…
Costumes: to protect yourself from spirits of the dead “Trick or treat“: offering for the spirits (Did you know that witches curse the halloween candy?) Jack-o’-lantern: An icon dedicated to human sacrifice — candles were made from the fat of sacrificed children, set in a gourd, as a “blessing”. (human sacrifice is STILL happening today) Decor: Skeletons, gore, etc. …all who hate me love death – Proverbs 8:36 Bobbing for apples: Nov 1st, was a day to honor the goddess Pomona, the goddess of fruit, trees and fertility. Her symbol? The apple.
“Origins don’t matter…” What would happen if we walked into the Old Testament temple with that ideology?
If Yahweh didn’t mean what He said about incorporating pagan customs and witchcraft into His worship, it doesn’t make any difference. But if He did, it makes ALL the difference.
“The children are just having fun.” Our enemy has a history of going after children, watering down the severity of sin, making them easier to manipulate (to further compromise the next generation).
“It’s a chance to meet my community.” If this is a concern, what are we doing other days throughout the year to connect with community? Are we creating a “stumbling block” for others, giving our approval by appearance, instead of remaining “set apart” on this particular day?
“But our church has a Fall Festival.” Do we celebrate any other season like we do fall? Have we ever stopped to consider why?
“It’s a celebration of that which the devil loves and God hates.”
-ex mystic witch – 16 yrs (teacher, lead instructor, warlock) “Brother Matthew” @2cor2_1
You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place. You shall not worship the Lord your God with such things. Deut. 12:2-4
When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you. Deut. 18:9-15
Would He allow the tiniest shrine of Baphomet in our house or does He leave it up to us as a matter of conscience?
Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Ephesians 6:10-13
Further study: Jeremiah 27:9, Ephesians 5: 15-16, John 3:19-20, Deuteronomy 12:29-31, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 John 2:6, Proverbs 6:27, Romans 13:12, Titus 1:15
“Then you should throw out Christmas and Easter as well.”
Using other “holidays” to defend Halloween is a weak argument.
With years of family traditions, untangling the web of deceit around mainstream holidays can be a painful process. Sigh… But I’m pretty sure Yah doesn’t appreciate much of what has crept into the lives of believers.
I’m learning that Christmas simply has evil roots with shinier lights. Those who scream “put Christ back in Christmas” haven’t understood that He was never in it to begin with… But there are other appointed times Yah does ask us to meet with Him (See Exodus 20 for Sabbath and Leviticus 23 for feasts). The question is, which ones are we elevating?
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what it means to me, it matters what it means to God.
