“Keeping Christ Central,” An Author Reflection
Dear Friends,
Christmas this year—more than ever before—seems like an exercise in determination to keep Christ central in the celebration. Believers always battle against the invasion of worldliness everywhere, but this year it seems the fight is really in our faces. Until Jesus appears and takes us out of the world, it's our honor to keep the world's hands off His truth.
1. No room in the inn (Luke 2:7)
Nothing has improved since Jesus was first introduced to the world as God in human flesh. Humanity had no civilized place for the King of kings at His birth, and today, humanity has no room in their hearts for the Savior's life offered to us through His death, burial, and resurrection.
2. Nowhere to lay His head (Matthew 8:20)
Jesus often expressed the transitoriness of His first coming. He wasn't on earth the first time to find a place to settle into the fallen world, but to lead His people out of the world. Today, God's people are tested by the social mob who keeps reminding believers that we don't belong here and we are indeed mere pilgrims in this land where we shouldn't settle in too comfortably.
3. No interest in His life (Luke 23:18, 21)
The world, even His own people, canceled Jesus' life by murdering Him. Today, the world still tries to cancel Christ out of society, especially during Christmas, by canceling His followers and their voice of truth and compassion.
4. No doubt we need Jesus now more than ever (1 Thessalonians 1:10)
The wrath about to come upon this sinful world is real. Jesus' rescue that He offers to all people to receive through faith is no less real. Our hope remains unflinching today in Christ's coming for us soon, just as the early believers celebrated His first coming.
Jesus may not be the focus of many in this mixed-up world, but He remains our life. We can no easier separate Christ from Christmas than we can stop breathing our next breath. May your holiday be Christ-centered and eternity-minded.
See you on the next page!
David Telbat
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NEWS: Congrats to Sarah Rhea, the Grand Prize Winner of our recent BookSweeps Giveaway! She will have the pleasure of reading 49 new Inspirational Fiction & Nonfiction books, including Hidden Humanity by D.I. Telbat!
NEWS-2: We’re jumping into the New Year with another chance for you to win many more books! JAN 2 – 11, 2023, we’re joining the BookSweeps Giveaway of several Books for the Soul: Inspirational fiction & nonfiction books by multiple authors, including FURY in the STORM, by D.I. Telbat! We’ll have the link to the giveaway for you in our next newsletter.
COMING UP: Join us next time (Jan 2, 2023) for David’s new short story, “New Year, New Leg.”
If you missed our last newsletter, you can read it here.
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