Wednesday 122524
Don’t let me or my writings influence or scare you in any way, instead, allow me to be used as a vessel to open the Word, just a little bit, and hopefully, together we are going to read and study His Word, and let God teach us what He wants us to hear.
Since the beginning of this study, our vision has been that we are ONLY going to follow what is found in the Holy Bible, that pertains to us, and we realize that it’s ONLY from our own effort that we put into this study, that we’re going to take anything away for our own use.
The verses we are going to study tonight:
Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16; Luke 2:1-20.
It is Christmas and today in the 21st century, most human beings have lost sight of the reason why we give gifts to our loved ones. There are even those that give gifts to co-workers, their mailman, and many more. Sometimes bonuses are given to employees at Christmas time. We have accepted the idea of the gift, but we’ve lost the entire concept behind what the giving of that gift was originally all for.
Tonight, our lesson is on the GIFT we have been given by our Creator, God.
If us human beings were not given this GIFT, there would be no Everlasting Life after we pass away. If we were lucky enough to be born, grow up, get married, have children, our children could also grow up, get married and have children of their own, making us grandchildren. And we’d get older and eventually, one day, we’d die, be buried and that would be that another life gone.
But God gave us a GIFT, by His Grace, that would give each human being the opportunity to have Everlasting Life, the only thing, we have to believe that He could give us such a GIFT.
My favorite, two verses found in the Bible …
Ephesians 2:8-9 ‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s GIFT, so that no one can boast about it…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
I find it amazing that these verses are not the most popular verses found in the Bible. I cannot believe there are so many that call themselves Christians today and they don’t even know about these verses. The only thing I can do is ask WHY doesn’t everyone know about these verses?
There are probably, many reasons why people don’t know about these verses … maybe the most notable has to be because Satan doesn’t want us to know how easy LIFE can be for us human beings. The next reason, the GIFT is free, given to us by God Himself and the churches in our land today don’t understand the word ‘free.’
If it’s FREE, they can’t charge any money for it so, why would they teach us about it; what’s in it for them?
They could preach on Sunday mornings about the Ten Commandments and preach about how we’re supposed to ‘tithe’ every week. These things churches can make a money on … but a GIFT … especially if it’s free … it’s not gonna happen!!!
God chose that His only Son would be given to us, mankind, and this Son would allow Himself to be used as a sacrifice, that would allow us to have Everlasting Life with God, FOREVER.
Believe it or not, this next verse is the most popular verse in the Bible.
John 3:16 ‘…God loved the people in the world so much that he gave his one and only Son to save them. As a result, everyone who believes in the Son will not die. Instead, they will live forever with God…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
Luke 2
vs1 ‘…Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth…’
vs2 ‘…This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria…’
vs3 ‘…And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city…’
vs4 ‘…Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David…’
vs5 ‘…in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was pregnant…’
vs6 ‘…While they were there, the time came for her to give birth…’
vs7 ‘…And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn…’
vs8 ‘…In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night…’
vs9 ‘…And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened…’
vs10 ‘…And so the angel said to them, do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people…’
vs11 ‘…for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord…’
vs12 ‘…And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger…’
vs13 ‘…And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying…’
vs14 ‘…Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased…’
vs15 ‘…When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us…’
vs16 ‘…And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger…’
vs17 ‘…When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child…’
vs18 ‘…And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds…’
vs19 ‘…But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart…’
vs20 ‘…And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
Several years ago, I began watching the television series named ‘the CHOSEN.’ The number one reason why I love the show so much is it visualizes what I know and what I read in the Bible.
I very much enjoyed the entire ‘Christmas’ show. The birth, in that manger, with the animals right there in the background, visually, explains more than any word(s) that could be written on paper to describe the scene.
By seeing the scene, I am in a way, present at the very birth of Jesus. Then when I do read, when I read of this GIFT, that is how I look to Jesus. When I hear of His ministry, I look at this Gift that I’ve been given.
To me, the entire GIFT of Christmas, everything all takes on a new and different meaning for me.
So, for this study, I happened to ask google.com why is Jesus described as a gift.
The gift that God gave was His Son who came to be the Savior of the World. But He came to give His life. Jesus was given as the gift of death in our place, and by that substitution, we live. If we look closely at each gospel, the salvation God gave in Christ is beautifully described through the arrival of Christ.
Throughout the Bible, we can read of the different Spiritual Gifts that God has given us, but these gifts have been given to us to ‘edify’ or to teach one another and others about God.
We have been blessed that we have a God that desired that one day we’d be in His presence rather than a God that just has slaves in front of him doing as he wishes.
It is now, today in the 21st century, as we are celebrating what human traditions have been formed into what we today, celebrate as Christmas, that we are able to step back and actually view what was done for us over 2000 years ago.
Just us having the opportunity today to reflect on what has happened in the past should make us want to enjoy those moments with our God and thank Him for what He has done for us and thank Him for what He has planned for our future.
Too often today, in this fast-paced life that we are all a part of today, we are given the opportunity to slow down and try to comprehend what has been given to us.
To have the ability to scan over centuries in our mind, from that day in a stable where a baby is born, the opportunity to share in image, a thought of the difference in life about clothing, robes in a manger and today it’s Levi’s, Nike’s and flip-flops. Traveling either by foot or on a mule and today it’s in an automobile or flying in a plane, its like night and day.
It seems the only thing our different generations have in common is we were male and females, although today in the 21st century, sometimes that can be a difficult and most times an incorrect assumption.
We have an opportunity today to be more than we were just yesterday. We can do more than what even seems possible.
In this most desirable time of year, enjoy your family and friends. Slow yourself and the fast-track life down a little and take the time to ‘smell the roses.’
Enjoy those around you because tomorrow it may not be the same. Enjoy to the fullest what you have been given today.
Keep your Bibles opened and read the Word that God has allowed for us to have today. There were those days, a hundred years ago when it wasn’t feasible to have the Bible available to you to read on your own.
Download Bible apps onto your smartphones, your tablets and on your computers so you are able to get into the Word at any time throughout your day. Read of the amazing stories that we have been told and promised for in our future.
I love all of you. Look forward to that day when Jesus Himself will teach us each what the full meaning of LOVE really means.
Enjoy this time of Christmas with everyone that you love.
Remember, out there in this great big world that we live in, there are those that need that same feeling of love that so many times, we today take for granted today.
If and when you see these people, a simple ‘hello,’ an easy ‘good morning,’ or in some cases, a ‘be blessed’ could mean more than you’d ever know.
Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen
InHIM. ><)))o>