We have to say that there is a release, a freedom, to rejoice during this ending of each year once we stop resisting the truth of the birth of Yeshua and stop allowing the enemy to sow his confusion and division.  The truth of the Lord’s birth is not pagan, even though people, including Christians (even believers!!) have paganized it or join in it.  We Jewish people have done some similar things with the holy days and times of God, as well, yet we tend to overlook those these days for some reason.  And in the sovereign providence of the one true God, this is the season, and Yeshua/Jesus is the reason!  The whole world acknowledges this ending of a year and beginning of a new one through Him who was, who died, and who lives forevermore:  2013 begins eight days from the birth of the Child born, and the Son given.  (It is interesting that God did not see fit that a new ‘global’ year would begin sometime in September or October.)  He has left Himself a witness in every place in all manner of ways!

Once again, Randi and I, along with some other friends, will go to Bethlehem this Sunday for the Christmas service in an evangelical Palestinian church.  We have been doing so since 2003, during the second intifada.  It is our way of trying to show that in Jesus we have peace, even though our peoples are at war with one another.  If we can not demonstrate the truth of God’s reconciliation through faith in the gospel, then we really have no message for the world.