"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." (2 Cor. 9:15, KJV)
All scripture from King James Version
Christmas Gifts
(Gifts that we have received because of Christ)
“TODAY I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT gifts that Jesus offers us as we celebrate his birth this Christmas ... GIFTS THAT ARE UNDER YOUR TREE TODAY... PLACED THERE BY A FATHER WHO KNOWS AND LOVES YOU... A FATHER WHO KNOWS JUST WHAT YOU NEED...”
The
Gift of Forgiveness Rom 4:7 “Blessed are they
whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” Isaiah
43:25 “I—even, am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake;
And I will not remember your sins.”
Jesus provided forgiveness of sin. When you repent and confess your sin Jesus is faithful and just to forgive you and cleans you from all unrighteousness.
I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
We did nothing to merit this
gift. It was given freely from a loving Father’s heart. There is another part
of the gift of forgiveness, I am talking
about our forgiveness of others... "bear with one another, and forgiving
one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave
you, so you also must do." -- Colossians 3:13 Forgiveness is a gift -- it’s really a 2 way gift; for through forgiveness we both free the
offending party we can forgive because Christ forgave us...
The Gift of Salvation— Matt 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou
shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” "For by grace you have been saved
through faith, and this is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God" (Ephesians
2:8).
In Luke 2, the angels told the shepherds;
"today in the town of David a savior has been born to you, he is Christ
the lord...”
Man has a problem, the gift of Jesus; first now, this gift, is a gift that many are afraid to open, many therefore pick up this box, they even begin to untie the bow -- then they stop -- they shake it, put it down...and walk away in order to do what they want to do -- to live a "me first" life. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)
The
Gift of Justification-
Rom 5:16 “And the gift is not like that which came through the one who
sinned. For the judgment which came from
one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many
offenses resulted in justification.”
The Gift of Righteousness- Rom 5:17 “For if by one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”
The Gift of Eternal Life- John 3:15-16 “That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
When we step out in faith and claim Jesus as Savior and Lord, we don’t have to wonder where we will spend eternity. When we die and reach heaven’s gates, no one will pull our records for judgment. The mark of Christ will be visible upon us. His righteousness will cover us and therefore the gates of heaven will be wide open for us.
The Gift of Peace- John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Luke 2:13-14 “And suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!”
FOR YOU SEE, THE PEACE JESUS BRINGS IS NOT -- THE ABSENCE OF CONFLICT AND TROUBLE... RATHER IT IS A STATE OF MIND -- A STATE OF TRUST WHILE IN THE MIDST OF CONFLICT AND TROUBLE...
The Gift of Peace with God Romans 5:1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (v. 1) We are no longer God’s enemy. “
God has declared Himself to be at war with every human being because of man’s sinful rebellion against Him and His laws.
The Gift of Mercy Psalm 103:10-12 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. God does not treat us as our sins deserve, or repay us according to our iniquities. We will experience His unmerited mercy throughout our entire life.
The Gift of Wisdom Prov 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Man may have knowledge, but true wisdom comes from God. He enables us to see from His perspective.
Want more wisdom? “Ask of God.”
The Gift of the Holy Spirit—"Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).
The Holy Spirit lives in us to guide us into all truth.
