GIFTS FROM GOD, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER
I would love to share this thought from the Word with you—something my dear friend and co-worker in Christ, Elsabé Cronjé, sent to me all the way from distant Australia, where she and her husband, my very good friend Neels, live.
Now that it’s Christmas time and we are wrapping gifts for the little ones, I am reminded of the incredible Gifts our Heavenly FATHER has given us. As I reflect on each of them, I realize anew that I can never thank Him enough in this life!
GOD HAS GIVEN US:
1. HIS LOVE
📖 Romans 5:8 – But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
📖 1 John 4:9-10 – God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
2. JESUS CHRIST – HIS ONE AND ONLY SON – Our only Savior from death and hell
📖 John 3:16 – For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
📖 Isaiah 9:6 – For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
📖 Luke 2:10–14 –
But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
3. HIS GRACE
📖 Ephesians 2:7–8 – So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
📖 Ephesians 1:7 – He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
📖 Romans 5:15 – But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.
📖 Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
4. HIS FORGIVENESS
(See Romans 5:15 again above.)
5. HIS SALVATION
📖 Ephesians 2:8 – God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
6. JUSTIFICATION (Being declared not guilty)
📖 Romans 5:9 – And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.
📖 Romans 5:18 – Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.
📖 1 Corinthians 1:30 – God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.
📖 2 Corinthians 5:21 – For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
📖 Romans 4:25 – He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
📖 Romans 8:33 – Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.
7. RIGHTEOUSNESS
📖 Romans 5:19 – Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
📖 Romans 3:26 – …and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
📖 Romans 5:1 – Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
8. RECONCILIATION
📖 2 Corinthians 5:19 – For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.
9. HIS HOLY SPIRIT
📖 Romans 5:5 – And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
📖 1 John 4:13 – And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.
📖 2 Corinthians 1:22 – And he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.
📖 John 14:16–17 – And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.
He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
10. HIS WORD
📖 Romans 15:4 – Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
📖 Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
📖 2 Timothy 3:16–17 – All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.
It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
11. HIS PEACE
📖 John 14:27 – I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
📖 Philippians 4:7 – Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
12. ETERNAL LIFE!
(See Romans 5:15 and Romans 6:23 above.)
📖 Revelation 21:3–5 –
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”
Now we live lives of gratitude toward our Heavenly FATHER for His amazing, life-giving Gifts of Light and Salvation!
Without them, we would be lost forever. We give our hearts and lives completely to JESUS, who endured the Cross for our salvation. He is the only Door to the FATHER:
📖 John 14:6 – Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
Now we look forward to the perfect Glory, Joy, and Peace with our LORD:
📖 Jude 1:24–25 –
Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.
All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.
May this be a truly blessed and joyful Christmastime for each of you.
Warm greetings,
Sakkie