God demonstrated His great love for each of us by sending His only begotten Son to this earth to live a perfect and sinless life. Jesus went obediently to the Cross and shed His blood for our sins. We have all sinned and we all fall short of God's high standards.
Not one of us is good enough to obtain Heaven on our own merit. God made a way for us to be reconciled back to Himself by sending Jesus to die on a cruel Roman Cross for our sins and who ever confesses their sins to Him and receives Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be forgiven based on Jesus finished work on the Cross for them.
When we believers in Jesus Christ that is what we generally think about at Christmas. We think about Jesus coming to earth and all that He did while on the earth. We celebrate Jesus at Christmas because that is what Christmas is all about.
When we look at the world around us and how the world celebrates Christmas we seldom if ever hear about Jesus. We see sales, people buying things, maxing out there credit cards, and decorating. There is something missing in the way the unbelieving world celebrates Christmas and the way Christians celebrate Christmas. Jesus is missing of course from the in believers view of the Christmas Holiday. Without Christ people miss the true meaning of Christmas.
We all give and receive gifts at Christmas time. The greatest gift you could possibly give is to lead someone to Jesus Christ. He is the greatest gift that anyone could ever receive. Jesus will change your life and He will give you a reason and a purpose to live. Our focus changes off of ourselves and material things and onto Christ when we turn our hearts over to Him.
When I think of how generous God has been to me and to other believers I am in awe of who He is and how great He is. He blesses us more abundantly with more than we could ever ask for or think of. The Lord God is so very good to us and He is rich in mercy and grace.
So if God has been so generous toward us should we not be generous as well toward those all around us. If we are truly following Jesus and we say we believe in Him shouldn't we open our hearts in love towards our neighbors and all of those we come in contact with everyday.
2 Corinthians 9:6-15 says,
"6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
9 As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”a
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.
15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"
The Lord has been so generous toward us in many ways. He is our great provider. He always provides for all of our needs no matter what hardship we may find ourselves in. When God blesses us we should share that blessing with others. If the Lord has blessed us financially we should be generous with that and us it to build up His Kingdom.
We should share what the Lord has provided us. God loves a cheerful giver. When we give ourselves and our resources to proclaim the Gospel and help those in need the Lord will indeed be honored and that is always a good thing.
We owe the Lord everything because He has done so much for us by giving us the best gift ever that is found in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus we obtain forgiveness of our sins and eternal life with Him if we are trusting in Him. Even though we die, we will live if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ.
This world needs Jesus Christ. I need Jesus Christ and you do too. Trust Him and go out and be a blessing to others.
I have a prayer request before I close this posting. I was in the middle of writing this blog post when I had to take my mother to the Hospital where she is right now. She is doing a little better now, but I ask that you would pray for her and my brother and myself. I know the Lord will watch over her and all of us. The Lord is truly Awesome and loving even in the most painful heart wrenching moments. God is still God and nothing is to difficult for Him. I will trust Him even when things don't make sense because He holds the future and He is the greatest gift.
Are you trusting Him?
Lord,
I pray for my mother's healing and I pray that You would touch her with Your loving presence.
I ask that You touch all of those who are going through hard times and draw them to You.
Help us to be a blessing to others around us.
In Jesus name we pray,
Amen.
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