GET TOGETHER- THE BEST GIFT IS ETERNAL
Eph 2:8,9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Well I must admit it. I have done only a tad of Christmas shopping so far. Shopping is not one of my favorite things to do. I have from time to time done well when buying for those that I love. And at other times I must admit I have made some bad mistakes in picking out a gift, or gifts that I thought would be a blessing to them.
One year I think that I bought J.J. a case of her favorite bottled honey flavored tea. I thought because she enjoyed that brand that it would make a good Christmas present. Wow! I was big time wrong on that one! Let’s just say that I am still doing some make up calls on that mistake.
If we were all honest, we would all admit that we do enjoy the part of Christmas that is associated with giving and getting gifts. We also know that many of these gifts will be in a yard sale in a few years. I am not sure where my bicycle is that I got as a child. I am not sure where my little football suit is that I got as a child. And most of us probably can’t remember exactly what we got ten years ago.
There are some gifts that I remember giving. I remember in 1980 giving J.J. an engagement ring and a rabbit coat. I am thankful that she still has the engagement ring. I am thankful that the Lord has given us thirty-eight Christmas’s together. Well as far as the rabbit coat goes let me say this. They were really in style in the winter of 1980-81. But where that rabbit coat is today neither of us have any idea.
When Jesus came to earth over two thousand years ago, He came to give a gift to all humanity. It is the gift of salvation. It is the forgiveness of sins. It is the gift of eternal life The Bible tells us in Ro 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” There is only one way that a person can be saved from their sins. That is through repenting and placing our faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ to save us. Ro 5:8-10 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
The Greek term for gift in Ephesians 2:8 is doron, do’-ron. It means a present, or an offering. This is a present that won’t be in the yard sale in a few years. This is a present that will never lose its value. This is a present that is given freely to those who will repent of their sins. And unlike the year that I made the mistake and purchased J.J. a case of her favorite tea it will never be the wrong present. And unlike the rabbit coat in won’t be in style one year and out of style the next.
Have you received this gift? If you have, I pray that you will celebrate His birth and remember the day that you received the precious gift of becoming a forgiven child of God. And that you will glorify Him in every area of your life If you haven’t, I pray that wherever you happen to be reading this that you will pray the following prayer.
Lord Jesus I confess that I am a sinner. I come today to repent of my sins. I come today to put my complete trust in Your precious blood to save me from my sins. I believe that by faith in Your blood is the only way that I can live eternally. I surrender my life to you now.
In Jesus Name
Amen
If you prayed to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today please let me know. I would like to give you some direction on how to live out your commitment to Him.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston
