The Christmas Gift

The Christmas Gift

Christmas is a time of giving gifts. Don't you enjoy giving gifts to those you love?

 This trend started with GOD Himself giving mankind the best gift of all.

 "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.

John 3:16 

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Precious and expensive gifts are given wrapped.

  GOD'S Very Precious gift was given wrapped in swaddling cloths.

 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:7

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The gifts are given at Christmas time, on Christmas eve or on Christmas day.

Yes, GOD gave His gift at the right time.

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

  Galatians 4:4

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Presents are brought out of the cupboards and either left under the Christmas tree or handed to the individuals.

GOD'S gift was left in a manger where common people could have access to this Very Precious Gift.

 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."

Luke 2:10-12

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Have you received gifts that have fancy wrapping and given with flamboyancy, yet when opened brought disappointment?  

GOD'S gift is like those gifts that didn't appear fancy and you were not even interested to open. When you saw such a gift you despised the gift and the giver in your heart.

He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 

Isaiah 53:3

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To make the best use of any present, you need to receive it, unwrap it, read any given instructions and make good use of it so that you may benefit by its goodness. As you start using the gift according to the instructions, you will know whether it is something useful for you, easy to handle, strong and lasting, bringing a change to your life. That would be simply wonderful!

GOD'S gift is The Saviour. He gives you salvation.

GOD'S gift is Immanuel. He brings GOD'S Very Presence to us.

GOD'S Gift is specific for you and is able to change your life for good not only here and now but for eternity! His gift for you and given to you in love is truly Wonderful!!

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 

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Have you ever experienced the  pain and sadness that comes when a loved one rejects or does not receive with gratitude your gift of love?

Such is the pain in the heart of GOD when His people reject His Most Precious Gift of Love.

 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

John 1:10-11

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The benefit of the gift depends on what the gift is.

What the Son Of GOD offers us is son-ship of GOD. 

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

John 1:12

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Isn't it common courtesy to receive a gift with 'Thanks'?

GOD'S gift for you is still available to you, is accessible to you and is waiting for you. Would you receive this gift with gratitude and enjoy all the blessings He has planned for you in the new year?

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15

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Come and Worship the New Born King!

                                 

  True Worship

True worship is absolute surrender of one's spirit, soul and body to The One Who has all authority over his/her life. Soul comprises of will, intellect and emotion.

True worship is the response of a person when he connects with his Creator God.

True worship originates in the spirit of man which connects with God. Then it proceeds to the soul and body, bringing him to the posture of kneeling, bowing down and prostrating himself before God.

Do I choose to worship my Creator and Redeemer?

If I am wise, I will sincerely and diligently seek Him Who is The Truth, so that I may worship Him.

Matthew 2:1-2

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,

saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."

Matthew 2:11-12 

 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

The wise men probably spent over a year travelling to Bethlehem. The decision they made, to visit the new born King of the Jews was a major one. 

What was the purpose?

 was it simply to worship Him

and to offer gifts to Him?

Worship is not simple. It means offering yourself.

Then they offered gifts which were symbols of their spirit, soul and body.

Was it worth all the time and effort spent on their mission?

Of course not, if their worship was just an act which lasted a few minutes and if they returned all the way back the same way!

That would have been foolishness:

But they were wise men. 

Visiting and worshipping the new born King of the Jews meant everything to them. They knew that their lives would be changed eternally if they worshipped Him!

Yes, they worshipped and 'departed for their own country another way'!!

That is true worship.

Your life will be eternally changed every time you worship in spirit and in truth.

May we so worship JESUS CHRIST this CHRISTMAS. 

Look to JESUS and be saved

 "Who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 
Deuteronomy 8:15
GOD leads us through the wilderness of this our earthly life where the enemy is like a fiery serpent and a prowling lion. He keeps us and protects us as we walk in faith.

 And the people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread." So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live." So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. 
Numbers 21:5-9
When the people sinned by speaking against GOD and His servant Moses, the serpents were released to gain entry to the people to bite them. When we sin we give room for the serpent to harm us. In fact all of us are born in sin, bitten by the serpent, prone to eternal death.

 "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.  "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 
John 3:13-15 
The only way to escape eternal death and inherit eternal life is by looking to the LORD JESUS Who died on the cross for the sin of mankind.

 "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.  "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."  This He said, signifying by what death He would die. 
John 12:31-33

The serpent on the pole points to JESUS on the cross.
What were the reactions of the people who looked at the serpent on the pole?
What are reactions as we look at JESUS on the cross?
Firstly, I see the Consequence and Result Of my Sin that gave room to the Serpent.
Then as I am Convicted of my sin and Repent Of my sin, I see my Saviour and find Salvation!

The very moment JESUS was lifted up and died on the cross, the dynamics in the heavenlies changed.
The activities in the spiritual realm are revealed in the following scripture.
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.  "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."

Revelation 12:7-12 

 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 
Romans 8:33-34

 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Hebrews 7:24-25

The place of the accuser of the brethren before GOD has now been replaced, thankfully, by the Intercessor Who is the risen CHRIST! Praise GOD!! What a victory for mankind!!!

 "Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For IAm God, and there is no other. 
Isaiah 45:22

 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2

GROW IN GRACE

  You therefore, beloved, since you know [this] beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him [be] the glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:17-18

GOD'S grace is GOD'S unmerited favour on man.

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, Romans 5:20

Just because GOD extends sufficient grace to us, covering our sin and revealing His favour to us, it does not mean that we can take advantage of this grace to continue in sin. Having experienced His grace, we need to walk in obedience to GOD, pleasing Him. GOD understands our situations, sees our heart, strengthens us in our weaknesses and graciously forgives our sins. If we wilfully sin and walk in rebellion and stubbornness, we fall from grace, and there will be no more opportunity for us to be saved.

  For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,  but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.  Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on [the testimony of] two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?  For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." Hebrews 10:26-30

Another important sign of growing in grace is being gracious towards others. Once we genuinely experience and receive the grace of GOD, such grace will also flow from us to others.

  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. 
Ephesians 4:31-32

Therefore, to grow in grace, we need to walk in obedience to GOD and extend grace to others.

MONEY and LIFE

 So God created people in his own image; God patterned them after himself; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27 
This is the origin of your life and mine. This life on earth is a gift from GOD.
 And the LORD God formed a man's body from the dust of the ground and breathed into it the breath of life. And the man became a living person.
Genesis 2:7

 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
1 Peter 1:18-19
Eternal life is also a gift from GOD, purchased for us with the precious blood of  JESUS.
 The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.
John 10:10


The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD Almighty.
Haggai 2:8
 For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. 
Psalm 50:10
Everything on earth belongs to GOD including you and I.
But now, O Israel, the LORD who created you says: "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1
 
Then someone called from the crowd, "Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father's estate with me." Jesus replied, "Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?" Then he said, "Beware! Don't be greedy for what you don't have. Real life is not measured by how much we own." 
Luke 12:13-15
What is money?
Man takes the silver and gold that is GOD'S, forms it into money, puts his image on it, and calls it 'Mine'.
 Even as its possessor says to money "You are mine,"   MONEY says to its possessor "You are mine!"
Money has a tendency to possess the one who possesses it. It spells   M-----Y                                  
     ONE
Here, show me the Roman coin used for the tax." When they handed him the coin, he (JESUS) asked, "Whose picture and title are stamped on it?" "Caesar's," they replied. "Well, then," he said, "give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." 
Matthew 22:19-21 
What then does GOD require of us?
He requires our very life. All that we are - Our energy, strength, skills and talents. 
                                                                    - Our time on earth.
                                                                    - Our relationships.
                                                                    - Our material possessions.
All that we are and all that we have, rightfully belong to Him and should be used for His glory and to profit His Kingdom.
 Give to those who ask, and don't turn away from those who want to borrow.
Matthew 5:42


The man replied, "I've obeyed all these commandments since I was a child." "There is still one thing you lack," Jesus said. "Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." But when the man heard this, he became sad because he was very rich. Jesus watched him go and then said to his disciples, "How hard it is for rich people to get into the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!" 
Luke 18:21-25
Money that we have that doesn't rightfully belong to us,
Money that we we are holding on to that should be given away, and
Money that we take that is not meant for us,
will not be a blessing to us but will turn out to be a curse.

And he gave an illustration: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. In fact, his barns were full to overflowing. So he said, `I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store everything. And I'll sit back and say to myself, My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!' "But God said to him, `You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get it all?' "Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."
Luke 12:16-21


Therefore beware of money!!
It has a subtle way of preoccupying your mind and entering your heart!
It can turn your heart away from GOD and spoil your relationships with others.
Do not overestimate money. Know its real value.
Use what you have, wisely and responsibly to glorify GOD and to bless others.

The Godly wife

A Godly wife’s role to her husband can be compared to the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian.

• Helper    

Genesis 2:18

And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.

10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.

11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone?

12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

John 15:26

"But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

• Comforter -Mother - with us

Genesis 24:67

Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

Isaiah 66:13

As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem."

John 14:15-17

"If you love Me, keep My commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--

17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Matthew 1:23

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

As my husband takes on the role of the father for me I need to take on the role of a mother for my husband.

• Guide

Genesis 2:21-24

21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.

22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

23 And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

John 16:13

13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

If I am walking carnally, I can influence my husband negatively by offering him the forbidden fruit or woman like Eve and Sarah respectively.

• Gentle and precious

Proverbs 31:10-12

Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.

11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.

12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.

Ephesians 4:30

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

1 Peter 3:4

4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

The Precious Holy Spirit should always be between my husband and myself.

I should not agree with my husband anytime to test the Spirit of the LORD like Saphira but be sensitive and submitted to Him first.

Acts 5:9

Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."

• Submissive and Respectful

1 Corinthians 14:32-34

And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

34 Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says.

• Loyal and Profitable

John 16:7

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

Proverbs 31:11-12

The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.

12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.

Together, we should be profitable in the Kingdom business.

• Intercessor

1 Samuel 25:40-42

When the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her saying, "David sent us to you, to ask you to become his wife."

41 Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, "Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord."

42 So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, attended by five of her maidens; and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife.

Romans 8:26

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

I should not be an accuser, but an intercessor.

• Bearing fruit

Genesis 24:60-61

And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: "Our sister, may you become The mother of thousands of ten thousands; And may your descendants possess The gates of those who hate them."

61 Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.

I will bear much fruit as I follow the Holy Spirit to my Heavenly Bridegroom.

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.