Merry Christmas y’all!
For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
We give gifts at Christmas. The person we have purchased or made a gift for has to receive the gift and then open the gift or it is of no effect. The same is true with the gift of Christ given to us by God. God sent His son to earth to live, to die and to rise again. All this was done so that we would have our penalty for sin paid, and to have the grasp of sin and darkness broken in our lives. God has created us with a free will. We can choose to accept or reject the gift of Christ. The gift can never be opened or it can be opened and redemption comes along with many other gifts that God promises to those who believe and receive:
Love, joy, peace, grace and mercy to name a few. These gifts come and are unexplainable but only come once the gift of salvation is received and opened, so to speak.
The angels declared in Luke 2 to the shepherds the good news of great joy for all people – a savior. This would bring the gift of life (spiritual) through Jesus. No longer dead in our sins but made alive through Him. Old things are past away, behold all things become new by the power of Holy Spirit. The light He shines into our lives exposes the darkness and it has to flee. By the power of Holy Spirit, He then brings to us JOY and PEACE that the world can’t give us.
HE GAVE. Our part is to believe and receive. A GIFT so unexplainable and so powerful that will turn our lives right side up! Receive the gift today! Call on Him name.