The Gift of Christmas

Romans 6:23
The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

II Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.

It’s Christmas! And no doubt you’ve spent a lot of time selecting exactly the right presents for those you love. God, your Creator, knows and loves you so much that He has given you exactly what you need—a Savior. This is the ultimate gift of all time! To accept this gift you must . . .

Give up trying to make your own way to Heaven. No one is good enough to do that. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

Instead, look to Christ to save you. “He hath made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Find forgiveness and freedom by accepting His death on the cross as payment for your sin. “But God commendeth (showed) His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Take this gift God offers you. It’s free! “For the wages of sin is death (eternal separation from God); but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Accepting God’s gift of salvation means realizing that you can’t save yourself, and putting your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone to forgive your sin and remove the barrier that separates you from God now and eternally. If you’ve never done that, you can talk to God in prayer and tell Him that you want to accept this free gift and become His child. If you would like to know more about accepting Christ as your Savior, please go to www.ccesonline.com/4thingsgodwantsyoutoknow.htm.

Once you have accepted God’s gift of salvation your life will be different. Thoughts, desires and actions begin to change and the process of becoming more like Christ is set in motion. As you develop that sweet intimate relationship with your loving Heavenly Father, this becomes your gift to Him! There are things you can do each day to promote spiritual growth in your life and draw closer to Him, but remember growth is a process!

Grow in your knowledge and understanding of God. Read His Word, The Holy Bible, daily to learn more of Him and to understand what He desires for you. Find a good Bible study group and dig deep into the scriptures to feed your mind and soul.

Invest time daily in prayer with God. Talk to Him as your Friend who longs to be by your side and walk with you through every difficult circumstance. Confess your sins to Him and ask Him to help you in your struggles. Seek His direction in daily decisions. Share your joys and victories with Him as well. Praise and worship Him for His greatness.

Focus on the positive instead of the negative. Make it a point to replace wrong thoughts with something good and positive. Guard your thoughts carefully and consistently. Learn Bible verses, hymns and worship music to think on instead of harboring thoughts that pull you down.

Tell others of your faith, joy and hope. Let them hear and see how Christ has changed your life and brought you joy since you accepted God’s gift of salvation.

Settle in at a strong Bible-believing church where you are motivated to study and grow in your faith. Find areas where you can serve God by serving others, and develop healthy friendships among fellow believers.

Giving and receiving gifts is a wonderful part of Christmas. Enjoy it! But never lose sight of the greatest Gift of all, the Lord Jesus Christ, and His love for you.

Loving Father, this year may I be faithful in sharing the gift of Your love and salvation with others. Thank you that The Gift of Christmas doesn’t fade when the holiday has passed.

By Ann Shorb
©Copyright Ann Shorb, 2006

Get information about working with a Christian counselor from CCES.

Related articles and devotionals:
Christmas in July
Jessica's Christmas List
A Promise for the New Year

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