Luke 2:9-11 ” And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord “.
As the Christmas rush subsides and we enter that quiet time between New Years and Christmas our minds and hearts are drawn to the New Year that approaches. Perhaps we are thinking about the events we hope will occur this year, or perhaps we are thinking of our New Years resolutions. It’s so easy, though, to rush away from Christmas and straight into New Years, from Christmas trees to the countdown to a “Happy New Year” shout. But, my friends, we cannot let Christmas pass us by, because through the glory of God our Father, we have Christmas gifts from Christ that we can open all year long, each and every day. James 1:17 reminds us that, ” Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning”. We are given gifts each day by our Father of lights and those gifts never change and never grow dim.
So, what are these gifts that we can open each and every day?
Forgiveness, Salvation, Eternal Life Verses to Unwrap:
- Luke 19:10 — For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
- John 10:10 — The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
- John 17:3 — And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.
- John 3:16-18 — 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. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
- 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.
Oh, what a trio of gifts. The wise men may have brought gold, and frankincense, and myrrh, (Matthew 2:11) but God brings us the gifts of forgiveness for our sins, salvation, and life everlasting. What a gift! What a God! He stands at the door knocking on each of our hearts (Revelation 3:20); will you let Him in and accept His gift? Will you say “yes” to the gift of eternal life that God so desperately desires to give you?
Love Verses to Unwrap:
- John 15:9 –As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
- Romans 5:5 — And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
- Romans 5:8 — But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 8:28 –And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
- Romans 8:35-39– Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- John 3:16-18 — 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. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
- John 13:1 — Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.
- Jeremiah 31:3 –The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
God’s love is perfect. Like Him, His love never wavers or changes (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17) and there is nothing that we can do to lose His love. God loved us enough to send His only Son to die on the cross to pay the penalty of our sin and to bring us to Him (John 3:16). Regardless of our response, God still did this. Whether you have accepted Christ as Saviour or not, God still loves you. Now, without a relationship with Christ, you can never have eternal life with God, but even if you were the only person on the earth, Christ would have died for you with the express desire that you come to Him. Will you accept this gift of love? Will you open this present and live each day in the knowledge that you are loved with an “everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3)? Will you admit that you are a sinner in need of a Saviour and that God’s love has paved the way for you? Will you admit that you don’t walk through these days alone, but that God’s love holds you?
Peace Verses to Unwrap:
• Mark 4:39 –And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
• 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.
• John 16:33 — These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
• Romans 5:1 — Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
• Romans 8:6 –For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
• Romans 14:19 –Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
• Philippians 4:7 –And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The gift of peace is the calm assurance in our hearts that regardless of the situation, if we are right with God and following Him, all is well. Christ’s peace comes because we are justified with God through Christ’s blood (Romans 5:1). Christ’s peace is not the peace that the world can give us. The peace of the world is temporary. It is the peace that comes at the end of an argument that lasts only until the next. It is the peace that comes at the end of war, and it only lasts until the next conflict. The peace that the world can give us is only ever temporary, but the peace that comes from Christ lasts forever. Will you accept Christ’s gift of peace this season? Will you say, “It’s your peace that I desire and not the temporary peace of the world”? Will you seek after the peace that comes from God and not from man?
Comfort Verses to Unwrap:
- II Corinthians 1:3-5 — Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
- John 14:1 — Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
- John 14:18 — I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
- John 16:33 — These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
- Psalm 50:15 — And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
- Psalm 91:15 — He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
- Jeremiah 33:3 — Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
How does the old song go? When you down and troubled and you need a helping hand . the song goes on to say that you’ve got a friend who will come when you need him. Well, Jesus Christ is the ultimate friend that will come whenever you need comfort. He promises never to leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5) and that He will come to you if you but call (John 14:18, Psalm 91:15). God’s comfort resides in our hearts all the time through the Holy Spirit, whom He calls the Comforter (John 14:16, John 14:26, John 15:26, John 16:7). With the Holy Spirit in our lives, we have God’s presence deep in our hearts – 24/7. Will you tap into the comfort of the Comforter? Will you ask the Holy Spirit to comfort your heart in a time of need? Will you accept the gift of comfort that Christ is handing to you this season? Will you let go of the pain and hurt and “let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1)?
Mercy and Grace Verses to Unwrap:
- Hebrews 4:16 — Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
- Romans 3:24 — Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
- II Corinthians 8:9 — For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.
- II Corinthians 12:9 –And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
- Ephesians 2:8-9 — For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
- Ephesians 2:4-7 — But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
- Titus 3:5 — Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
- I Peter 1:3 — Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
- I Peter 2:10 — Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
- II John 1:3 — Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
- James 4:6 — But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
We are saved by the grace of God. Though we deserved it not, we are each offered eternal life through the blood of Jesus Christ. This unmerited favor is a gift that Christ bestows upon us lavishly. He gives us grace each and every day in that though we continue to sin, He give us the opportunity to ask for forgiveness and be cleansed (I John 1:9) and then to repent and turn from that sin. It is through His grace that we cannot lose His love; though we hurt Him each and every time we sin against Him. Oh, how merciful is our God. Our God is truly “rich in mercy” (Ephesians 2:4). He loves us enough to walk us through our days, to love us when we do not deserve His love, and to come to us and aid us when we falter. Friends, God’s grace and mercy are available to you each and every day, all of the time. If you know Him, you know that you do not deserve them, but you also know that you cannot live without them. Call upon Him today, and ask for His grace and mercy to be in your life. And when He gives you those gifts, don’t leave them under the tree, but remember to open them and bask in them.
Year Long Gifts from the King
Friends, ” the gifts and calling of God are without repentance ” (Romans 11:29). Each gift laid out here was specifically chosen for each and every one of us from the God of the universe. Unlike Christmas presents that are of this world and come but once a year, God’s gifts and blessings come down to us each and every day and never run out. Remember, ” Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turnin g”(James 1:17). Everything that we have comes from God. There is nothing on this earth that has not come to us through His nail-scarred hands. All He asks is that we receive Him as Saviour and walk towards Him that we might receive all the love in the world. This list of gifts set before you here is anything but exhaustive, but my desire is that it sparks in you a picture of a gift that can be opened again and again. As you come before God’s Word each morning, stop for a minute before you open your Bible. Imagine as you open it that you are untying a Heavenly bow and unwrapping angelic wrapping paper, for the gift of His word and the love and knowledge that it contains leads to the greatest gift ever given, that of Jesus Christ. Keep Christ in Christmas, my friends, and keep the gift of Christ in your hearts all the year through. May God Bless you in this Christmas season and keep your hearts in the New Year.