Dear to all,
I would like express to you all with love and truth, sharing what I have been through about Christmas. It is something that I cannot keep quiet or hide my views from you. Through research, I discovered the real fact about Christmas. There were times I wish I hadn’t dug it up because it has caused rifts within my family, relatives and friends. Because I have not kept the tradition, something that has been cherished by many people through the years. With what I have discovered, I haven’t observed Christmas since 1997. I would like to share with you all my testimony to why I have stopped observing it.
I used to love Christmas as I enjoyed the times where families, relatives, and friends gathered together once a year. It is one of main traditions in our Australian society that hold value through our generations and it is the way we all grew up. This tradition was to acknowledge the birth of the Messiah Yahushua (Jesus). Christmas has many memories for all of us, having fun decorating and setting up the Christmas tree, opening gifts, and enjoying foods, and of course get bonuses from work. This was the way I grew up with family, community, and was taught “Jesus” is the reason for this season (Christmas). It was celebrated during the summer season in the South Hemisphere.
The only thing that perplexed me was some of the Christmas songs which did not make sense to me, especially the one called “Jingle Bells”. Why sing this song where there is no snow surrounding our country, singing the song created an odd feeling out of place.
I had always dreamt of experiencing a white Christmas, and it did come true when I had the opportunity to move to Canada in 1989. I was looking forward to feeling the experience of a White Christmas there. Well, it didn’t come out the way I thought it would. Let me share why.
While I was looking forward to having my very first White Christmas, I was boarding with a family in Ontario and I saw how luxurious they decorated their home with colourful lights and fancy wrapping on the gifts. I thought “WOW”. The beauty of the snow covering everything, it was a feeling of a White Christmas. But, I didn’t have peace inside of me. I didn’t know why I felt that way, I thought maybe because I wasn’t with my family.
Then the following second White Christmas I was with the same family, and had more fun than the first one. But I still didn’t have peace inside of me which bothered me, why do I feel this way?
On the third & fourth Christmas, I joined a different family (my future wife’s) for Christmas, and it was more delightful & enjoyable…but still had the same feeling of no peace like the first two. I still couldn’t comprehend this, and it bothered me. I should be able to enjoy it because it represents the birth of “Jesus”.
On the fifth, my wife Kathy & I had our first Christmas in our home where the snow was four feet deep surrounding the house. It was awesome, and her family joined us. Again, while we were celebrating on that day I still didn’t have any peace in myself. This bugged me even more. Still questioning myself, why do I feel convicted (guilt) and what did I do wrong about Christmas??? I knew it was about the birth of “Jesus”, but no peace within myself?
Then on the seventh White Christmas, we were in another home and I brought home a huge pine tree from the forest. It was one of the best trees we ever had, we decorated it with beautiful bright lights! Again, I still had no peace within myself, each time we celebrated Christmas on the 25th. I didn’t like the feeling. I shared with Kathy about it, but I still had no answer! Then a couple of months later, I went to the library and in there I noticed a magazine with the heading, “Is Easter pagan?” I picked it up to read why they would say that. While I was reading, I didn’t realize it was a Jehovah’s Witness (JW) magazine. I tossed it back as I didn’t want to get into it, knowing JW has false teachings.
I thought to myself why not do some research on the origin of Christmas; the idea of the Christmas tree, Santa Claus, wreath, Yule log, mistletoe, etc came from. So, I went to the library to do some research on the subject, to see where all these ideas came from. I began to see where it came from, but it has taken me time to figure out because it has nothing to do with the birth of “Jesus.” How did in the world we get into this stuff (tree, mistletoe, etc)? I wondered about that feeling I went through for the last seven White Christmas’s, and I realized it was the Spirit of Yahuweh (YHWH) speaking to me, and it was convicting me. I shared with Kathy about it, and we came to agree that we wouldn’t do any more of this stuff, but just celebrate the birth of “Jesus” on the 25th. So, on the eighth Christmas, we were prepared to have a birthday party for “Jesus”. We had a birthday cake and birthday decorations set up in the dining room. But, I still felt the same conviction even stronger in me, and it was more uncomfortable, and I felt worse. I was frustrated with this, and said to myself “Next Christmas, we will do nothing at all”
In that following Christmas (1997), we decided not to do anything. For the first time as I sat in the house doing absolutely nothing, there was total peace in my being and NO MORE conviction. I couldn’t comprehend it but knew this was the Spirit of Yahuweh who was speaking to me, to show me that Christmas was not from HIM. The Christmas’s before, His Hand was on me and finally He got my attention on this matter. I had no one in my life that came to me, saying Christmas is pagan, I didn’t even have a computer at that time, no resources, but Spirit of Yahuweh. I couldn’t understand why pastors couldn’t see that Christmas was pagan or maybe they just ignored it. Even I have questioned myself “Am I out of my mind” or listening to the wrong spirit. BUT I knew it was the Spirit of Yahuweh, because I had TOTAL PEACE within me.
Now, during the earlier years after we stopped doing Christmas, it was very difficult due to those who have been close to us, they become suspicious, and upset with us. Thinking we got involved with another religion(cult), rejecting the birth of “Jesus” or backsliding from the church. No, it wasn’t these things that caused or influenced me to stop doing Christmas. We didn’t even know anyone that didn’t keep the traditions of Christmas, except a couple of friends who knew something was wrong with Christmas but keep doing it anyway. There were times, we doubted the path we were on because we were alone on not doing Christmas.
It doesn’t mean we have rejected the birth of our Messiah. We have always acknowledged Yahushua (Jesus) was born just over 2000 years ago as it is written in the TaNaK and Messianic Scripture (Bible). The question is, was He born on the 25th of December? How do we know that? And did our Creator ever instructed us to observe Christmas? These are the questions I searched to find out the truth. In 2000, Yahuweh answered my prayer, as He brought a couple that did travelling ministry on the road across Canada and USA. They visited our home because they saw our sign “House of Prayer” that was established on our front lawn of our home. At first, we were not sure about them because they were bringing up “Jewish” conversation and perspective. They gave us a pile of different articles/teaching to read and I flipped through to see what it all was about. One of the articles captured my attention with a title “The Real Christmas?” It answered a lot of questions as it explained the deep details of where its origin & why it was pagan, and with Hebrew perspectives of the scriptures. It confirmed what we went through, knowing we are not alone on this, and that there are others who were finding the same truth.
Because of this article, it gave us confidence that we are on the right path. We also learned more truth about our Messiah, when He was born. The truth is found in the scriptures, and it is there, but we missed it. With the mixture of religions and traditions it has kept us at bay of not seeing the truth of His Word.
Yahushua (Jesus) was not born on Dec 25th. He was born during the Fall festivals of YHWH (Sept/Oct). The Christmas that many celebrate nowadays is the same as the old Roman festivals called Saturnalia, way before Yahushua was born. This practice / tradition can be traced back to the time of Nimrod, the founder of Babel. It is based on worship of the sun god. The Christmas/Saturalia season is when they focus on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and celebrate the birth of the sun. How was “Jesus” placed in this festival? Who is the Sun god they refer to? Have we ever asked ourselves what is the purposes of the Christmas tree and the decorations on it, and how does it relate to the birth of “Jesus”?
I would encourage you to research for yourselves too to find out the whole origin of Christmas/Saturnalia. Just make sure your mouth doesn’t hit the floor.
Since and up to now, we have stopped celebrating Christmas as a family for 20 years.
I would love to share with you more details about the history of how and where Christmas came from. BUT, it is our (including you) responsibility to learn and see the truth. But, many will not want to see the truth because they fear change or rejection from the world.
I once was blind, and now I see because Yahushua came to open my eyes to see.
He came to set me free. I pray that it will be the same for you.
With love & shalom,
John
Hear the word which Yahuweh speaks to you, house of Israel!
Yahuweh says, “Don’t learn the way of the nations, and don’t be dismayed at the signs of the sky; for the nations are dismayed at them.
For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the ax.
They deck it with silver and with gold. They fasten it with nails and with hammers, so that it can’t move.
They are like a palm tree, of turned work, and don’t speak. They must be carried, because they can’t move. Don’t be afraid of them; for they can’t do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”
There is no one like you, Yahuweh. You are great, and your name is great in might.
Jeremiah 10: 1-6
Expressive Hands 