It's time for Gifts! With excitement and anticipation, gifts are carefully selected, wrapped, and hidden away until the special day. These caring and thoughtful expressions of love remind us that God has provided the best gift ever given! His gift is one we all need, but could never afford. The Bible tells us that “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). The Gift Promised As soon as our first parents (Adam and Eve) sinned, the Lord God gave them the first promise of a coming Deliverer (Genesis 3:15). As the years passed, the words concerning the coming Savior became clearer. He was pictured to Israel as a Lamb without blemish—the Sacrifice to cancel guilt and deliver from Satan’s power. Through the prophets, God clearly foretold how the Redeemer would arrive: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). He also indicated where He would appear: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be Ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). In Luke 2:1-20, we read of these Scriptures being fulfilled on the night when shepherds watched their flocks in the fields, and saw the glory of the Lord in the skies. The angel appeared and exclaimed in their attentive ears: “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.” Thus was… The Gift Given “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” (1 John 4:9). Man’s sin brought death. God’s grace brought salvation to all who believe in His Son. At Calvary, Jesus “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity” (Titus 2:14). Having been raised from the dead, He is now crowned with glory and honor at the Father’s right hand. Through the revelation of the word of God, and by the power of the Spirit of God, He is now offered to all—to YOU—as the best gift. No other gift is more needed—“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Would you like to have Him as your Savior and Redeemer, and possess Him as the joy and delight of your soul? You can, but first He must be… The Gift Accepted A gift offered to you does not become yours until you receive it. So it is with salvation. Faith is the empty hand that reaches out to receive God’s gift of life. It is the personal acceptance of His offer. It is believing in your heart that Christ’s suffering and death were for your sins, that His resurrection from the dead was to remove your guilt (Romans 4:25). It is making the best gift yours! Millions have already received this gift and been made eternally grateful for the blessing it has brought. Eternal life, the forgiveness of sins, peace with God, and much more are all wrapped up in this invaluable gift of God’s beloved Son. Will you accept Him now? Take Him by faith as your very own Savior, and you will find Him to be the best gift you have ever received. —D.T.J. “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 2:8,9).
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