Buying Free Christmas Gifts
Pastor Michael Wise
In 1809 the international scene was in tumoil. Napoleon was sweeping through Austria, blood was flowing freely. Babies were most likely not the priority thoughts in the minds of most. But that same year, there were some births of historical significance: one of England’s finest statesman was born – William Gladstone. Also in England – Charles Darwin, biologist. In Paris – Louis Braille, inventor of Braille. In America – William Travis, commander of the Alamo. Also in America – Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest presidents of the USA.
While the eyes of the world were focused on its problems, history was being shaped in the cradle.
Very few were thinking of babies on that autumn night when Jesus was born. But history was again being shaped in the cradle. Bethlehem’s stable contained the greatest gift of all, the birth of the Savior.
Our world is in turmoil today. War’s natural disasters, social upheaval, as well as another war being waged in the heart of each person today. Where will your focus be – earth’s turmoil, or the battle for your soul? On your personal trials & problems, or on Jesus, your hope and solution?
James wrote that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17
Friends, JESUS is the greatest gift heaven could give to mankind
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
When we receive Jesus and salvation, we also receive 13 other, very special, gifts from God:
- PEACE:
Anxiety, stress, and depression are significant and rising health issues today. Peace is an antidote.
Psalm 29:11 “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
- JOY:
Have you noticed that people seem to be getting meaner, more violent? This world is deficient in joy, but God wants to give it in abundance.
Psalm 97:11 “Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.”
John 15:11 “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”
- GUIDANCE (in Decisions):
Have you ever been faced with an important decision wishing you knew what the best choice would be? God promises His guidance.
Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”
Luke 1:79 “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace”
- PROSPERITY:
No, this is not to be confused with the “prosperity gospel”. Even in Jesus’ day, the pharisees taught that if you were wealthy it was because of God’s blessings
on “your” righteousness, and if you faced trials it was because you were not. Prosperity covers a broad area of life, far beyond wealth.And not all Christians
would find wealth a blessing.
Deuteronomy 29:9 “Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.”
3 John 1:2 “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
- SECURITY:
I’ve read that children have fewer emotional or developmental issues when they have a secure stable home and upbringing. I think thats true for adults too. God
promises to provide that need.
Job 11:18 “And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.”
Psalm 4:8 “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”
- WISDOM: Ecclesiastes 2:26 & Luke 21:15
I’ve met many knowledge people who seemed deficient in wisdom – the ability to apply knowledge to circumstances. Wisdom is another wonderful gift from God.
Ecclesiastes 2:26 “For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy:
Luke 21:15 “For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.”
- FAVOR (WELL REGARDED):
How well do most people fare if they have a poor reputation? A reputation, how you are regarded or the favor in which you viewed is another important gift from
God.
Psalm 5:12 “For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.”
Proverbs 14:9 “among the righteous there is favour”
- NEEDS PROVIDED BY GOD:
Needs and desires are not the same. Yet, there are so many people in this world whose needs – emotionally, physically, spiritually – go unmet. Yet God promises
to provide. But in His wisdom, He realizes our greatest need is salvation and will prioritize His blessings, and circumstances in our life, so we realize and desire
that above all other needs.
Psalm 72:12 “For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
- CHILDREN BLESSED:
God did not force the will /decisions of His children, Adam and Eve. And He will not force the will of your children either. But when your life is surrendered to God,
the blessings He gives you “spill out” onto others including your children. When your life is hid in Christ it is a powerful influence for good on your children.
Psalm 112:2 “The generation of the upright shall be blessed.”
Proverbs 20:7 “The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.”
- REMEMBERED (NEVER FORGOTTEN):
No one likes to be forgotten, Its embarrassing, even humiliating. God will not forget you. Jesus died for you and has you on His mind, always.
Isaiah 49:15-16 “Yet I will not forget you. 16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands”
Hebrews 13:5 “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
- HOPE, EVEN IN DEATH:
Few people want to die. If they do it is because they have given up hope. God gives us hope, a hope beyond death. I don’t know of anyone who “fears” taking a
nap because they know they will wake up. So in death, which Scripture compares to sleep, a “wake up” is coming. There are two resurrections, one for the
righteous (eternal life) and one for the unrepentant (eternal destruction), separated by 1,000 years. When Jesus returns, the righteous dead are given eternal
life, but God wants to give you that hope now, today.
Proverbs 14:32 “the righteous hath hope in his death.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first”
- SURE REWARD:
This world is filled with uncertainty, but God’s reward – eternal life with Him in heaven and a perfect earth remade is certain, it is sure, you can count on it if you
have Christ!
Matthew 5:12 “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven”
Proverbs 11:18 “but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.”
God not only wants to give us gifts, there is a gift He would love to receive from us:
It is the greatest gift we can give Him! And its critical to receive these 13 gifts. He wants:
OUR HEART:
Proverbs 23:26 “My son, give me your heart, And let your eyes observe my ways.”
Psalm 111:1 “Praise the LORD! I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.”
Psalm 51:16-17 “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
Psalm 119:2 “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!”
Mark 12:33 “And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
You may have noticed, perhaps you were even perplexed by the fact that the gifts we have already covered are sometimes presented with a condition – they are
contingent on our obedience. Friend, please don’t fret about that, or, over your heart’s current condition … Whether it’s hard, soiled, tarnished, bruised, or filled with hurt, anger or anguish.
The good news is that you don’t have to fix your heart before you give it to God. You don’t have to be in perfect obedience first. You don’t have to make it pretty before you can give it to him.
Truth be told – you can’t!
Form Genesis to Revelation, the beauty of the New Covenant, is that Jesus wants you to give Him your heart just the way it is so He can replace it with another gift…. a gift only GOD can and He will give it to you if you ask for it and receive it in faith:
- A NEW HEART:
Jeremiah 24:7 “And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.”
Jeremiah 32:39-40 “’then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. 40 ‘And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.”
Ezekiel 36:25-27 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”
A new heart that is clean and equipped and enabled by His grace to overcome sin, as long as you abide in Him.
In December 1903, 2 brothers telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: “We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas.” Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, “How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas.”
He totally missed the big news! After many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their “flying machine” off the ground.
Man had flown!
Please friends… don’t miss out on this news: God has wonderful gifts for you, don’t miss the good news, the big picture. God loves YOU!
He gave His Son to die for you so you could have an abundant life, an obedient life, an eternal life.
Do you want His gifts?
Will you give Him your heart?