The story of the human birth of Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) has appealed to the imagination of mankind, even to the most die-hard sceptics, perhaps more than any other event of His life. It is a story, told now for over 2,000 years, that has had permanent effects of the utmost importance on societies everywhere that have heard it told. As I think back across the centuries about the impact of this story, five things immediately strike me:

• 1. It has, until the rise of the wicked crime of abortion in the West in the early latter part of the 20th century, led to the abolition - at least in Europe and its former colonies - of the once common crime of infanticide by teaching that infant life is sacred;

• 2. It has raised the dignity of women and produced in man - at least until the early latter part of the 20th century - the feeling of chivalry toward them, which is a Christian idea and was unknown in the ancient world;

• 3. It has sanctified - made holy - motherhood and family life in a way never previously known - at least until the rise of abortion in the early latter part of the 20th century;

• 4. It has inspired and placed chastity both in men and women in the forefront of Christian values, at least until the rise of feminism and abortion in the early latter part of the 20th century; and

• 5. It has given a new importance to childhood, so that kindness to children and a willingness to conform to the ideal character of childhood, have become marks of a true Christian, at least until the early latter part of the 20th century.

This story told, and retold year after year, has been one of the key foundations of Christian civilisation for nearly two millennia. And even though wickedness has swept across once Christian lands again and again, and for reasons too numerous for us to get into today, the retelling of this story has restored, even if only for a short time, sanity amidst all the chaos. As the telling of the story has diminished in frequency and conviction, even these restraints in the character of Europeans and those of its former colonies, have been progressively dismantled. Infanticide of the unborn - and now even of the newly born, one of the crimes of the 21st century - has reached such a scale that it makes all the child-sacrificing cults of the past pale into insignificance. And as the story has come to have less and less significance in the West and elsewhere, so have the child-murdering satanic cults multiplied and spread like flies. As faith and righteousness have diminished in the world, so too has the frequency of the telling of this incredible story.

With that introduction, shabbat shalom on this very unusual sabbath day which every now and then coincides with the day on which this story is retold around the world, the 25th December in the Roman calendar and 6 January in the Greek. And though this was absolutely not the day on which Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) was born, and even though this was the blasphemous pagan day of the Saturnalia in ancient Rome which an apostate Roman Catholic Church incorprated into the Nativity Story, fusing numerous pagan elements with it that mock Elohim (God) and which we are commanded to have absolutely no part of, the story is at least told, even amongst liberal Christians who don't fully understand what the birth of the Saviour was really all about. This retelling continues to give hope to mankind and keeps a small flame flickering in an ever growing world of coldness, darkness and evil. That much we celebrate even if we repudiate 'Christmas' itself.

Even if you are a liberal or an atheist who denies the incarnation of Elohim (God) as man, or even if you are of an entirely different religion altogether, even if you deny the Virgin Birth and all the miracles proclaimed in the Bible, if this story moves your heart and persuades you to respect life, respect mothers and treasure infants and children, and if husbands and fathers become more protective and loving of their wives and children, then the human birth of Yah'shua (Jesus) is more than justified. It is justified both by its results in holding back the tide of evil that wishes to crush children, demean motherhood and make fathers irresponsible. It is justified because those hearts moved by it will be persuaded to protect infants and children, guard motherhood and promote fatherhood. It is justified because it leads humans to resist the murderous impulses in the hearts of misguided, evil people that would do to their unborn as Herod killed the innocents. It is justified if it leads to active opposition to the measures employed by the faceless state in annexing the mantle of motherhood to itself by putting small children into the care of others who cannot possibly know them as well or care for them as deeply. If this story has been used and adaptated to human needs then that reality alone should make us thankful for it, even though its message contains far, far more.

Indeed for some people - and I know one or two - the hearing of this story for the first time has captured the imagination of lost souls and begun them on their journey toward salvation. That is one benefit of hearing the Nativity Story retold at this time of year - in December if it's told by the Western Catholic and Protestant Churches, in January if told by the Eastern Orthodox ones. Another benefit is that it typically creates a measure of peace and tolerance between different religious and non-religious communities, at least for a short while. "Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ)," Irenæus said, "came to save all by means of Himself", and in the retelling of this story, even in the midst of pagan compromise, keeps the light burning. The Messiah passed through every age, becoming an infant for infants, a child for children, a youth for youths, and a mature man for mature men, that He might be a perfect Master for all.

The tragedy, though, is that this story is rarely heard outside of a pagan context, and therefore those churches that have compromised with paganism (which is practically all of them), as they do every Christmas, bask in the glow that is kindled by the retelling of this story and the singing of beautiful carols that do the same. But in so doing this, they simultaneously indirectly claim legitimacy for all their other doctrines and practices, and by this means spoil the innocence of the story in the long term and lead men and women everywhere into error and sin through the telling of lies about Santa, Christmas trees, overspending, and so forth. By this means the devil's 'gospel' rides on the back of the true one.

Every year at this pagan season time ministers like myself are called to raise a warning voice against the religious syncretism that has polluted the saving Message of the Besorah (Gospel, Good News) and every year this excites either indifference or wrath because sinners do not want to hear the emet (truth). But it is equally a mistake - a tragic and unnecessary mistake - when over-zealous ministers who do what I do, get so carried away with their denunication of the paganism that they lose sight of the positive effects of the retelling of the Nativity Story at this time of the year, and in so doing lead people to believe that we are against the Story itself. We aren't, and if in our preaching we cause seekers to throw out the baby with the bathwater - to reject the Nativity Story along with all the pagan elements - then we may unknowingly become enemies of the Besorah (Gospel) and so become adversaries - satans - in the work that Yahweh does accomplish at this time of the year.

How then should we, who do not celebrate the Catholic mass called 'Christ-Mass', use the Nativity Story when it is told so often at this time of year?

• 1. First, by using it, as opposrtunity presents itself, as a springboard for teaching the whole, unadulterated Gospel Message, which is one of its functions, by teaching about the miracle of the Incarnation which has never before happened in the history of the world and will never happen again;

• 2. Second, by building bridges with unbelievers who are drawn by the story but who either aren't ready, or remain unwilling, to consider the story's spiritual implications for them; and

• 3. Third, by using the opportunity to seek out the Remnant who, not knowing where else to go, are drawn to the paganised churches where the story is yet told, and by sharing the fullness of the Besorah (Gospel) with them.

Every year I am asked questions by those who do not celebrate Christmas as to how they should respond, in particular, to family, but also to work colleagues and friends, who invite them to join them in their festivities, and to remember that their invitations are usually (though not always) motivated by generosity. I hear all kinds of approaches that are recommended, some harmful and others positive. I think it in large measure depends on how spiritually mature you are. Those who are weak run the risk of being drawn by, and into, the false spirit, mesmerised all the lights and glitter, and cheerfullness and cameraderie, and before they know it, they are partaking in the pagan elements without their even necessarily being aware of it, only then to be left with the embarrassing decision whether to stay put and compromise (for fear of losing face) or to suddenly leave and to thereby offend their hosts and so lose face anyway. So it really depends how weak or strong you are in your convictions. The temptation to compromise with ones convictions to be liked or to fit in is always there, and not just in the matter of this pagan winter solstice festival. The weak absolutely should stay away if they are afraid they are going to be drawn into a false spirit and find themselves sinning, for once you know the truth and choose to disregard it, using any number of possible excuses (we can always find them), we are sinning. So know the truth and know yourself.

The only example we have in Scripture as to an appropriate response to those who are strong in faith and know exactly where they stand, is to do what Yah'shua (Jesus) did in the one instance He is recorded as witnessing during the Pharisee-invented festival of Hanukkah which is steeped not only in winter-solstice paganism like Christmas, borrowed no doubt from Judah's exposure to Zoroastrianism during the Exile, but has untruths (lies) incorporated into its story-telling (like the alleged miracle of the supernatural multiplication of oil). Yah'shua (Jesus) was there at at least one Hanukkah event but instead of participating in the events and thereby acknowledging their validity or authority as coming from Yahweh (which they don't - Hanukkah is nowhere mandated by Him in the Torah). In the midst of the spectacular Hanukkah lights and processions, He used the occasion (recorded as the "Feast of Dedication" of the Temple in John 10:22) to teach the truth about His being the Light of the World. He did not endorse the festival, as many messianics, eager to be 'Jewish' or 'support Israel' falsely claim, but used it as an opportunity to bear witness of Himself and His mission. The response He got was predictable:

"Again the Judeans picked up stones to stone Him" (John 10:31, NIV).

Over the years I have taught many times that Christmas has its own 'spirit', and I am not here talking about the pure spirit engendered by the telling of the Nativity Story, but a dark spirit that is offended and frequently gets angry when its false traditions are challenged, even if you challenge them gently and patiently. If you're attending a Christmas gathering for any other reason than to share the love of Elohim (God) in pure, unadulterated truth given the opportunity, you're likely there for the wrong reasons. You don't have to be aggressive, nor should you be, but if people know you don't celebrate Christmas, they're going to want to know why, for a whole range of reasons, both friendly and unfriendly, and that is your opportunity to bear witness of the truth, as Yah'shua (Jesus) did at that Hanukkah gathering (which, incidentally was a really spectacular affair that appealed to the eyes). You don't have to say anything unless asked.

The temptation, when under pressure, is to appease so as not to be a 'trouble-maker'. However, if you're attending a Christmas to witness, even in love, you will be perceived by some to be a trouble-maker no matter how kind and respectful you are. The question you then have to ask yourself is whether you want to make trouble, whether you can handle trouble, and indeed whether you should make trouble even if that is farthest thing from your mind. Making trouble for trouble's sake is not the way of the Besorah (Gospel). We are to live in peace with our gentile, unbelieving neighbours, and leave judgment of what they do up to Yahweh. But if they are Christians and absolutely insist they are, then if you attend their Christmas gathering then you have a duty to witness prophetically given the opportunity (Lev.19:17-18; 1 Jn.5:16).

How you do that is entirely up you and the guidance you receive from the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit), even if it is to quietly abstain from any pagan practices they might do like circling the tree, exchanging of gifts, eating unkosher pork (in some countries), drinking alcohol (we are New Covenant Rechabites who abstain from alcohol), having mistletoe put over your head and being expected to indecently kiss someone as the Saturnalia revellers of old were expected to do (though they went much further). If you refuse you will stand out and at best just be embarrassed (and wonder why you're even there) or at worst provoke them, especially if they have drunk too much and let their restraining barriers down and let you know what they really think about your being 'antisocial', etc..

I have been through many such scenarios. Abandoning Christmas was the very first act in my journey toward being Torah-observant and commandment-obedient. More often than not I would find myself at home with my parents where I was under pressure to 'join in the spirit' of the occasion. I would eat with them, briefly socialise with the guests, and then leave. On one of the first of such Christmastime visits to my parents, right after the time my first wife left me in 1988 and some 6-7 years after I had abandoned the practice, I retired to my room and wrote one of the longest and deepest revelations I have ever received in my life called the Cosmic Principle, our 'Grand Unified Doctrine of Creation' consisting of 546 verses. Oh yes, Yahweh used me powerfully that way, even though I was in deep mourning over the loss of my wife and children and was in the midst of the Christmas season where I was under social pressure to join in. I wrote that revelation in one sitting that lasted all day. I was 34 years old.

That experience was to me a miracle, given how deep and profound that revelation is. I did not let the paganism around me distract me from my witness. As a rule I have stayed away from any sort of Christmas involvement with friends or family. As a son visiting my parents in 1988 I felt obligated to honour them without compromising my stance. But by that time the awkwardness and upset had gone by as seven years had passed since having written my first tract announcing why I no longer celebrated the festival which caused such an upset at the time. I had no one to back me up but my wife so we were pretty much alone. The only other folks around who did not celebrate the festival were the Jehovah's Witnesses with whom we had almost nothing in common (and still don't).

The first years are undoubtedly the hardest. Time does, in most cases, heal all wounds, and people do get hurt by your rejecting their beloved traditions in which you once participated and there's frankly little you can do about it no matter how graceful you are. Standing up for emet (truth), and doing so in a kindly way, is a measure of the maturity of your Christian/Messianic character and discipleship. It's a test for you and for others because it forces them to understand why anyone would reject such an otherwise jolly time, when a lot of good is undoubtedly done, and one that's based on an authentic Bible story, though you have to remember that millions the world round do not celebrate the Christian elements embedded in that festival. It's simply a time for wild partying and believers don't do the wild 'party' thing, or shouldn't. Meeting up with loved ones and simply sharing time together is fine, if this is the only time people can actually manage to get together. It's when it gets religious or ugly because others are offended by your stance that we absolutely have to say 'no!'

There are lots of Anglicans, Lutherans and Baptists amongst my relatives and their friends. One Baptist friend of my inlaws wants to talk to me about why I don't celebrate Christmas which I've agreed to do. I am happy to give reasons to anyone who sincerely asks about what I believe in and why. I don't discuss such matters with those who simply want a fight because they don't listen anyway and it's a waste of time. At such times it's best just to let the differences be. So for me this is a time of the year which I use as an opportunity to witness, as I am led by the Ruach (Spirit). I am not a fanatic like some messianics who think they should come out with all guns blazing against Christmas celebrants. The goal is not to destroy but to lovingly lead people into the light of truth - the light of Christ. Indeed, it's sometimes the case that sincere Christians, who are deeply ministered to by the Nativity Story at this time of year and really aren't interested in all the pagan trappings, have more of the Spirit of Messiah about them than some radical messianics who may understand the truth better than their Christian counterparts but fail to actually live by the most important part of the Torah, which is ahavah (love). Many messianics I have encountered give the impression that Christmas celebrants are lepers to be shunned like the plague. Such behaviour has the effect, which no true believer should ever desire, of entrenching Christians in their false traditions instead of gently leading them away from them. Such zealous campaigns then become counter-productive and spiritually harmful.

So there are many things to carefully balance out here at this time of year. I've not been observing Christmas now for 34 years and most people I know just accept that now and either give me a wide berth (because the website I have created utterly and conclusively repudiates the festival), sincerely ask questions because they're seekers, or agree. However, my identity is not in what I don't do but in what I do do. I don't want to be known primarily as the 'anti-Christmas' person, especially when elements of it do represent the truth, like the Nativity Story, and families who don't know any better get together for fellowship to renwew family and fraternal bonds. Obviously we don't want to be seen as 'anti-family' or 'anti-friendship', because we're neither of these things, but we do have to draw our lines, and people have to learn where those lines are drawn and accept them.

I know some insecure messianics who take a sound principle to an extreme (like protecting the chastity of their wives from philanderers) who won't, for example, let other men speak to their wives without permission, an attitude that borders on cultism. We can, if we're not careful, do something similar with other believers celebrating festivals that are false. Why, even messianics observe false festivals (like Hanukkah and Purim) and observe false calendars as we once did in our ignorance! We don't shun them or attack them personally but gently and firmly stick by the truth each year when we bring these subjects up in the hope their consciences will be moved to be more honest about the traditions they believe in.

If this truely is a 'season of good will' as many Christians genuinely try to make it to be, then we should not object, but rather encourage good will to extend the whole year round. Many ceasefires and overtures for peace in conflicts have, and still are (though less frequently now) orchestrated at this time of year that are frequently successful precisely because it is this time of the year, and this because the angelic anouncement is proclaimed to the world where the light of the basic Gospel is yet to be found:

"Glory to Elohim (God) in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14, KJV).

We can't be against that, can we? even if it's spoken out of turn in the deep mid-winter when the snow lies 'crisp and even' on the ground instead of in the spring - in the lambing season - when the Lamb of Elohim (God) was actually born. Our invitation is simply this: let's do this right, and not (like apostate King Saul) do what we feel is right in contravention of a stern mitzvah (commandment) and warning from the Creator who said:

"Thus saith Yahweh ('the LORD'), learn not the way of the heathen...For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not" (Jer.10:2-4, KJV).

Don't lend credence to, and in effect end up supporting, false practices by taking a liberal position and compromising. You'll gain no respect that way and your witness will be less credible. Practically every Christmas-compromiser I have ever known, who began right, eventually went back to old pagan traditions. That's not being 'set-apart' or qadosh, that's not holiness: you might win friends but the chances are they're already compromising in a string of other areas too. When Yah'shua (Jesus) sat with sinners He did not imitate their lifestyles in order per chance to win them over. That's a fatal mistake so many make. We don't fornicate or commit adultery to gain the confidence of fornicators and adulterers in order to win them over. We don't drink alcohol to win over alcoholics. We separate but reach out in love the way the Saviour did. We go where the Pharisee spirit is if we are spiritually mature and strong to resist it and if we witness and then leave. We don't if we're weak, we never stay to revel.

I realise that not everyone makes a clean break as I did when I was young. If you can't (or won't), then at least get rid of all the pagan elements this Christmas first - throw out the Christmas trees, the mistletoe, the holly and the ivy, the yule logs, the more obvious pagan elements. Don't "make merry" (Rev.11:10, NKJV) with those who murder the nevi'im (prophets). And stop breaking the mitzvah (commandmentI) not to eat pork if that is your country's Christmas tradition - best you don't eat with them if they don't provide an alternative. Then get rid of all the expected gift-exchanging which is what pagans did, and still do, at the apparent misfortunes of Yahweh's servants:

"Now when they (the two witnesses) have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Master (Lord) was crucified. For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate ('make merry' - NKJV) by sending each other gifts (presents), because these two nevi'im (prophets) had tormented those [wicked people] who live on the earth" (Rev.11:7-10, NIV).

Let your gift-giving thereafter be spontaneous at a time when it is not expected because 'everyone else is doing it'. Use the money you save from Christmas the way Yahweh intended, because it was a part of the original tithe, and that is to save up a third of the Tenth for the three annual pilgrim festivals which all true believers are commanded to observe: the Pesach (Passover) Season in which we rememer the Lamb of Elohim's (God's) atoning sacrifice for us on the cross during which time we celebrate the resurrection of Christ at Yom haBikkurim (Day of Firstfruits), Shavu'ot (Weeks, Ekatost, 'Pentecost') when we celebrate the giving of the Torah commandments at Sinai and the writing of the Torah commandments supernaturally on our hearts with the reception of the gift of the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit) at what Christians call 'Pentecost', and finally Sukkot (Tabernacles) when we celebrate the Marriage Feast of the Lamb-, the Second Coming- and the Millennium-to-come and much more! Start the transition, start today if you haven't already started, because these are the feasts of Yahweh that the Remnant observe in spirit and truth.

We are not commanded to observe any festival during the winter season, a reason that the devil celebrates most of his at this time because he is a creature of the darkness, a reason he delights in Christians who observe his pagan Yule traditions and in so doing corrupt the beautiful Nativity Story with its hope of new life each spring. How you transition is between you and Yahweh but once you know the truth, don't delay - don't make excuses. Make a clean break as I did, take the pain of rejection which in any case doesn't usually last for very long, by doing what's right. If you can't faithfully stand alone in the truth then you're not worthy of that truth. We'll be gathering next year on the biblical New Year, 2 April 2022, to celebrate the Birth of Messiah by retelling the Nativity Story and singing songs cleansed of all the paganism. You're very welcome to come and join with us then and so start Yahweh's new calendar year. Two weeks later the first of the spring festivals begins that are jam-packed with messianic truth, for all of them point to Yah'shua (Jesus)! They're the ones we'll be celebrating in the Millennium, as Scripture prophesies, not Christmas or the other festivals invented by men

So let me end by saying this:

• 1. To all of you who are telling the Nativity Story, affirming its truthfulness, and witnessing of Christ today, may I say, Yahweh bless you!
• 2. To those of you who are inspired by the Nativity Story, believer or unbeliever, who are today promoting good will to all men and peace on earth today, Yahweh bless you!
• 3. But for those of you who are believers and are promoting lies and pagan practices, then you're in trouble because you are promoting religious syncretism and committing offenses against Elohim (God).

This religious syncretism (the mixing or blending together of different religions) is what destroyed ancient Israel and it's what has progressively led the Messianic Community (Church) into deeper and deeper apostacy throughout the ages. We get a sense of this by reading Revelation chapters 2 and 3 about John's seven congregations in Asia Minor in the first century AD. Furthermore, Yahweh says this to those who are contending against the syncretists, to those like ourselves who are exposing the truth about the pagan infiltration of Christianity and Messianism and taking flak for it:

"For I (Yahweh) will contend with him (the apostate syncretist) who contends with you (the truth-teller)" (Is.49:25, NKJV).

And perhaps we should also listen to the warning of Jude (Judah), who was either the apostle Judah (not Judas the traitor) or a brother of Yah'shua (Jesus), who said:

"But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that Yahweh, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe" (Jude 5, NKJV).

The fact that Yahweh has apparently done little or nothing to overturn the false teachers and practitioners at Christmas over two millennia does not mean He has given them His stamp of approval. It simply means that He has shown great forebearance and patience, as He did with those before the Flood and with Israel, pleading with them for generations to repent until finally sending invaders to expell, kill, drown or enslave them for a season. Do not mistake His grace - His undeserved loving kindness - as either weakness on His part or that He no longer takes disobedience seriously any more. Yahweh is an Elohim (God) not only of Grace but of Justice too. Yahweh does not change (Heb.13:8). There is a day of reckoning and this Penultimate Judgment may well be the last chance for many to actually do something about abandoning their false practices and making Teshuvah (repenting). It's an act of grace on His part, a chance to put things right and live lives befitting professing talmidim (disciples).

So what might using 25 December - Christmas day - righteously look like in your particular situation? Do the equivalent of what Yah'shua (Jesus) did at Hanukkah. Uphold the truth, preach the truth and nothing but the truth without compromise, in love and with grace, and give no one any cause to accuse you of joining in with what you have preached against or taught is false. In other words, avoid even the appearance of evil for righteousness' sake (1 Thes.5:22). Love the Christmas-worshippers as you would anyone else, enthusiastically endorse the Nativity Story, but repudiate the pagan practices that surround it. Acknowledge to the pagans that apostate Roman Christians stole their pagan festival (you could even justifiably call it 'cultural appropriation' in this case) and declare that you have returned it to its rightful owner. Why partake of his sin and judgment? We have enough of our own to deal with! Common sense and Scripture should tell you to stay away completely from those who drink heavily and gorge themselves from food (Prov.23:20). Indeed, "don't be jealous of sinners but always honour Yahweh" (Prov.23:17, CEV) but rather "invest in truth and wisdom, discipline and good sense, and don't part with them" (Prov.23:23, CEV).

I wasn't sure if I would ever preach a Christmas sermon again as I have already said so much about it in the past, but I feel we need to be reminded of old truths in a fresh and contemporary way, and to make a useful summary that we can present to our friends. Thank you, if you are still a Christmas observer and are joining with us today to learn what we do and why, and for listening patiently. We love Christ but not the 'Mass' part attached to it. I'll happily sit with you and read and discuss the miracle of the Incarnation, the Virgin Birth and the Nativity Story with you today and rejoice in its eternal message but I won't acknowledge that today, 25 December, is the Saviour's birth when it wasn't, but rather the birth of the antichrist Nimrod, one of the many fulfilments of prophecy that in the end-time Satan, through His agents on earth, would "speak against the Most High and oppress his qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones) and try to change the set times and the laws" (Dan.7:25, NIV), and I won't follow any of the pagan practices of erecting and decorating trees, exchanging gifts, eating pork, making merry, squandering money on presents for humans instead of for Christ, burning yule logs, kissing under mistletoe, and blasphemously honouring a counterfeit Christ dressed in red called 'Santa' with his cruel demon helper called Krampus who terrorises children either. There I unhestitatingly and uncompromisingly draw a thick, black line and I will not cross over it. I will leave a link to our Christmas website so that you can learn more about all these abominations and know why Messianic Evangelicals do what we do.

It doesn't end with Roman Christmas either, which the whole world loves and which will become one of, if not the, unifying day of the Antichrist's One World Religion: for Afro-Americans have their own pagan Kwanzaa festival, created in the 20th century by a Marxist professor and Black Panther leader with a criminal record who claimed Yah'shua (Jesus) was a psychotic - starting tomorrow, and the servants of the aristocrats have their day-off on Boxing Day. Then the Scots, and those of Scots descent, celebrate their pagan Hogmany the day before the the whole world celebrates Caesar's pagan Day of Janus on 1st January (from which we get the name January named in that demon's honour), the two-faced god, or New Year's Day. And finally the Eastern Orthodox Churches have their own 'Christmas' on 6 January. And so it goes on, festival after pagan festival, and nearly all of them celebrated in the Name of Christ thanks to Roman Christianity's compromises and religious syncretism that Protstantism has uncritically inherited little changed too.

If that isn't changing Yahweh's "set-times (Aram. zemam, Heb. moed) and laws", the moedim or divine appointments being His set-times, then I don't know what else possibly could be, because the "set times" are, always have been, and always will be, the weekly sabbaths (which isn't on Roman 'Sundays' or 'Saturdays'), monthly new moons, the 7+1 annual festivals and the Sabbatical and Jubillee years every 7 and 50 years, respectively. Orthodox Christiany and Messianic Judaism have absolutely changed, modified or cancelled every single one of these 12 Divine Appointments, chief of which is Christmas at the winter solstice. And that is why we don't 'do' Christmas but do honour Christ on His true birthday in the spring. So far from ignoring or dismissing the Nativity Story, we strip it of its distorting pagan accretions and retell it in purity and according to the correct timekeeping of the true biblical Creation Calendar and not the ones invented by Julius Casear (the Julian Calendar), the Popes (the Gregorian Calendar) and the Rabbis (the Rabbinical Jewish Calendar).

So that's it, my friends. Our presence in a false system gives credibility to that system which is why we are commanded to get out of every false system as best we can so as not to compromise with it. Now you know us better and hopefully, through returning to His divine moedim (appointments), you can come to know the Creator better too. May He who jealously guards His flock, our Heavenly Father, and Father of our Master (Lord) Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) (Rom.15:6), even Yahweh-Elohim, the Elohim (God) of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, bless you all in your search for all truth and in your response to it with a changed life pleasing to Elohim (God). Peace (shalom). Amen.

Further Reading

[1] The Christmas website
[2] The Messiah's Birthday website
[3] The Moedim of Yahweh website
[4] The Creation Calendar website
[5] The Pagan Infiltration of Christianity website

Comments from Readers

[1] "It's a really good article. Keep the good, leave the bad..." (JS, Germany, 22 December 2021)
[2] "Very well done!" (SW, Germany, 24 December 2021)
[3] "Wonderful guidance" (MW, USA, 1 January 2022)
[4] "It's wonderful to me that my heart and mind have been changed to just how you described so well. The days so many look forward to and celebrate mean nothing to me. Yah's ways are everything" (KA, USA, 2 January 2022)