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God is the greatest gift giver
pastor corner

In the holiday season most everyone thinks of God. It is amazing how most change during the holidays.

The spirit of giving to others, helping others and worshipping God are seen everywhere. This type of thinking should be an all year event not just a couple times a year.

God is the greatest gift giver ever known. He gives to man physically and spiritually. Peter wrote, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:3, 4).

The greatest gift ever given was Jesus. Man sinned and God could have destroyed him, but instead God orchestrated man’s redemption. This wonderful story is given in God’s word. More intriguing than any novel, this masterpiece takes one though actual history showing how despite Satan’s many attempts to destroy God’s plan, Jesus was born, fulfilled God’s plan, died for mankind, rose the third day, and ascended back to the Father, leaving His last will and testament for man to follow. It only took a few words to describe the story of the Bible, but it took many years and the blood of the Lamb of God.

This gift of Jesus was given for all.

All who will accept the gift given just as God desires them to do so can be saved. Some say there is nothing one must do to receive this gift, just believe and it is yours. Why is it that those who teach such do not understand that believing by itself is not enough and that believing itself is a work? Notice this passage, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). The reward is promised to those who “diligently seek Him”; this means do something to receive the reward.

God’s word teaches that one is to believe in Jesus as the Son of God, to repent of sins, to confess Jesus before others, to be baptized for the remission of sins and to live lives for God. God has given the gift, but one must accept the gift. Most everyone understands this when it comes to physical gifts and are ready to accept those. The problem when it comes to this spiritual gift man must adhere to God’s commands.

The children of Israel failed to keep God’s commands despite knowing what all God had done for them.

He had brought them out of bondage to a land of “milk and honey”. When they settled the land, God told them as long as they followed Him, they would be blessed, but if they failed they would be taken from the land.

As history tells they failed in following God and were taken off the promised land. Assyria carried away captive the Northern tribes and Babylon carried away the Southern tribes.

God has always carried through with His promises.

Fortunately, God kept His promise to Abraham that through him all nations would be blessed. Because of that promise the tribes could come back to the promise land and continue the journey to the coming of Jesus (Gal. 3).

Man may give great gifts, but God gave the greatest gift Jesus. All need to follow His commands to go to heaven.

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