Today is my 50th birthday. People wish me happy birthday and this weekend I will be celebrated by the ones I love. Gifts will be received and candles blown out. Games and laughter will ensue and then everyone will go home. It will be a blessed time with people I love and care about deeply. I reflect on this and think how this aligns with how Jesus loves us and how he celebrates us everyday.
When we were born the word says he knows every hair on our heads and that He our creator loves us so much that he gave his only son that we would be saved from the damnation to hell we deserve. He loves us. He loves me. He forgives me. Wrap your mind around that!
He gave us the GIFT of his son; Jesus Christ. There is no better gift than this. This gift is a free gift. One that you only need to confess with your mouth and open your heart to receive. It is FREE.
Yet so many look at this gift like a spoiled child, stomp their feet and throw a fit "It isn't the one I wanted, or I wanted this or that". People want a gift that allows them to enjoy the blessings of that gift without ever giving of themselves. It just does not work that way. You have to be willing to allow him to enter your heart, change your heart and pass that gift on to others through the love of Christ.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
You have heard this verse of scripture but just think about it.
James 2:14-23
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
The book of James is a book of much wisdom and very straightforward thinking. We must receive our gift with grace willing to then give of ourselves. Maybe your gift is monetary, time or using your words.
Proverbs 11:24
The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.
It is great to celebrate birthdays and to give gifts. It is a beautiful thing. Just remember that Proverbs tells us God's thoughts about generosity. Don't be one of those people always with their hands out ready to get free gifts, ready to get from others but never giving to anyone. Their world will be small and they will miss out on the blessing of God.
Your Father loves you so much. He wants you to have the gift of his son. He wants you to be blessed, healed and whole. He wants you to have the Holy Spirit as your helper as you walk through the trials of this life. HE LOVES YOU! Let that shine today through giving of yourself.
Lets Pray: Heavenly Father we come before you today and we thank you for another year of life. We thank you for the gift of your son. We repent of going our own way Lord. We repent of being stingy with the gifts you have given us. We repent for not reading your word daily and for not always letting your light shine through us. Lord we pray as we walk out our journey that your helper would help us to shine your light on this dark world. We pray that the light of Jesus Christ would drive out the darkness and that the enemy's plans would be destroyed. We love you and we pray this in your precious name.! Amen!
Lets Worship:
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