Good Enough for God's Love

Do you ever feel that you are not good enough to be loved by God? Throughout the Bible we are told of God's love for his people. We are given assurance time after time by his guidance and the leadership he sends to save his people from disasters. We have "blessed assurance" that Jesus was born to save us from the sin that condemns us. We are celebrating the birth of the Savior God sent us...Jesus Christ the Lord. His love is stronger than any doubt we may have and we are assured of our adoption into the family of God through his son's sacrifice for us. Instead of doubting, place out hopes in Jesus and strive to be more like him and not focus so much on being like the world around us. Listen for his voice and tune out the conflicting messages from those who choose worldly love and living.

"My loved ones, we have been adopted into God’s family; and we are officially His children now. The full picture of our destiny is not yet clear, but we know this much: when Jesus appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him just as He is. 3 All those who focus their hopes on Him and His coming seek to purify themselves just as He is pure." 1 John 3:2-3
(The Voice)

The Gift of Salvation

Salvation is God's perfect gift to us. It began with Jesus' birth. So we are celebrating salvation this Christmas. Salvation begins like an infant and over time it either grows within us or shrinks until we loose site of what the gift means to us. Who on your gift list either needs help in growing the meaning of their salvation or need to find it completely?

How can we give the gift of salvation?  One way is to live our lives in such a way that we are reflecting a positive Jesus so people will take notice and want what we have. We can invite our non-believing friends to attend Bible Study or church with us. Most importantly, we can pray for our non-believing friends that the Lord will come into their lives. We can ask him to use us to support his will in their lives. It is always God who brings salvation just as it is him who brought us Jesus. Salvation is brought to us through belief in Jesus as our savior. What a very special gift we can give through Christ.

"Here’s the point. God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a world headed toward certain destruction." John 3:17 (The Voice)

"All we must do is to Believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ, and be saved. John 3:16

Giving Comfort

How about another free gift suggestion. We really have a lot to receive and a lot to give. Who do you know who needs to be comforted? Perhaps a friend who has lost a loved one or has become an empty nester or who has just been diagnosed with a serious illness. What about the neighbor who just lost a pet they have had for many years. Have you visited a homeless shelter?

How often do you hear of or experience a situation where you can say, "there but for the grace of God, go I?" Yes it is by His grace that we receive comfort. In John's Gospel we are told that Jesus promised that he had to go away to join his father in heaven so the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, could come to mankind. We are to share this comfort with those who are in need. And of course,  be thankful. When we experience any affliction, think about the following:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.

The Gift of Healing

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Our next Heavenly Christmas gift is also an Easter present. The Jesus whose birth we celebrate this time of year, went back to heaven to live with the Heavenly Father on Easter.. His calling was to be God in human form and, after being hung on a cross, to go back to heaven for the forgiveness of our sins. What diseases and deaths are related to sin? What about sins like anger, jealousy, gluttony, greed, sexual misconduct, etch. What about cancers associated with smoking or murders caused by a moment of rage or jealously? What about diseases caused by over eating or wrong diets? What about car accidents caused by drinking? What about illness associated with environmental factors or those related to worry and emotions? The list goes on and on.

Yet, where do most of us go to be healed? Sure we use doctors and all kinds of medical and non medical practitioners. But when push comes to shove, we are usually on the prayer chain or asking friends to remember us in prayer. The Bible is full of references to healing by Jesus, the Prophets, the Apostles, etc. So we know that we receive healing from Holy Hands and Prayer. What a gift healing is for the patient and family. I'm sure you have a list you are praying God's healing intervention for you or you for them, including our beloved animals who have many of the same illnesses we have. Good health is wished for Christmas and the New Year in cards and greetings. So lets not forget to present the gift of healing prayers and wishes to those on our Christmas lists this year.

"So in life and in death he healed us. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds (stripes) we are healed." Isaiah 53:4-5

The Heavenly Gift of Forgiveness

The 6th Heavenly Gift of Christmas is forgiveness. Jesus was our gift on Christmas Day from God. Can you imagine a love that brought his child into life just so he could later die a horrible death 33 years later so we could be forgiven and live in eternity with the father and son? Now that is unselfish love of the highest degree.

What marvelous gift forgiveness is. It definitely mends fences and heals relationships. It blesses both the giver and receiver. How have you feltwhen you have forgiven someone? Did you feel a sense of relief? Did you feel a surge of love fill your soul? Did you feel you could hold your head up higher? Did you feel cleansed and refreshed? Who can you forgive this Christmas. Perhaps it is yourself.

"Despite all your many offenses, He forgives and releases you.
More than any doctor, He heals your diseases and He reaches deep into the pit to deliver you from death.
He crowns you with unfailing love and compassion like a king." Psalm 103:3-4 (VOICE)

The Gift of Adoption

Imagine that you are an orphan at Christmas. Right, you will get a lot of toys donated from various groups of loving people. But can those toys substitute for a loving mother or father? Imagine your disappointment as orphan after orphan is taken our for adoption and you are left behind. Are your own children like the orphan children...showered with toys and earthly treasures, but lacking in the deeper meaning of life?

Think about  it. We have our imperfect earthly parents who provide for us in so many ways. Hopefully they will provide for us spiritually as well as physically. But we are blessed when we accept the heavenly father as our Lord. We become adopted sons and daughtersfor all eternity, not just our earthly years. We are forgiven of our sins and can live a much more joyous life. Accept your adoption. It is a gift from God. What about your own children. Have you shared them in their adoption? How do you  provide them this gift?

"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,[b] Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children." Romans 13:14-16

The Gift of Hope

"Every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights." James 1:17
Today's Heavenly Gift is one of my favorites. It is the gift of hope. Without hope we would live a very bland, sterile life. In fact I don't think we would be living at all. We would be walking around like zombies, with no direction, no feeling except profound sadness. What a miserable existence that would be. So many Christmas Cards list hope as a Christmas blessing. Wouldn't you agree?
How do we give HOPE as a gift? One way is to be positive. If we think hopeful thoughts, we will be sharing our hope at all time. Encourage others, especially when they are experiencing negative times. Share our hope in the Lord. When we believe in and trust in him, we have hope. We are assured of his Love, compassion and forgiveness. We are assured of life everlasting. Sharing his message of hope brings blessings unmeasurable. Make me a blessing, Lord. Make me a purveyor of hope, hops in you, Lord.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13