Christmas Gifts

In keeping with the holiday season, I have designed my post with some seasonal imagery.  Imagine 5 gifts from Jesus our Lord, with our personal name written on the tag of each one.  Let us unwrap each one and receive the blessing with joy! 

These gifts are based on the reading from Dec. 10-16…

1-       The Gift of the Holy Spirit:

II Tim 1:6-7  “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

God gave us this gift- but he gives us part of the responsibility.  We have to fan it into flame.  We know the spirit is moving us when we operate out of power, love and self-discipline.  I can act on my own accord using one of these attributes, but only the Holy Spirit can give me strength for all three together.  When I feel weak in one area, I know to what to ask for. 

2-      The Gift of the Holy Scriptures:

II Tim 3:15  “from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
According to my study bible Jewish boys began their formal training in scripture at age 5, but Timothy had a mother and grandmother who started at infancy- so we can never begin to early!!!   

James 1:19-21  “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. ²¹ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

As a parent I am inspired that God has given me such a powerful tool to speak with my children.  (Some say speak “over”- I say don’t stop there!  Speak with and to and through and over…)
I also love being a part of Good News Club because of the way they honor God’s word and make every effort to implant the scripture within young minds.    
James 1:27  “… keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
I think planting scripture inside of us is one of the best ways to protect ourselves from being corrupted by our culture.  So my next goal is to memorize scripture- something I have never been seriously intentional about thus far.      

3-      Gift of Prayer

Philippians 4:6-7  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Isn’t it amazing that we can talk to Him anytime, anyplace!  I definitely depend on prayer to provide me the peace I need to survive.  Usually I quote this verse until I feel calm.  The end of the verse is so astounding to me- to know that peace will protect my heart and my mind.  Not only will God’s peace heal me when I have been upset, but if I come to him first, His peace will protect both my emotions and my mind from attack.  Why do I wait until I am upset to seek God’s peace? 

4-      Gift of Adoption

Philippians 2:14-16  Do everything without grumbling or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life.

Who am I that I should be called a child of God? 

Here I imagine opening up a family photo book titled, “God’s Children”.  Pages filled with faces would greet me.  I believe that according to John 1:12, anyone who truly believes and accepts Jesus has been given the right to become a child of God.  However, it seems that if we do EVERYTHING without grumbling or arguing, we can be children of God who really shine- set apart from our generation.  We would be children who do a better job of bringing glory to our Father.  But, how do I do EVERYTHING without grumbling or arguing?  I have a talent for both.  My children obviously inherited my “gift”.  And yet, I have to give up my right to argue and grumble- and this is only possible- AS I hold firmly to the word of life.  So we are right back up to the other gifts.

These are gifts every believer knows, but let us make sure we treasure them, not as china shut up in a cabinet, but as unbreakable items- of unspeakable beauty and immeasurable value that we have the privilege to access every day.