Growing In Faith
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Posted: January 7, 2023
Author: Kerry Lytle 2 Corinthians 9:15, New International Version "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" |
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Throughout life, we receive many different kinds of gifts. Some are very useful, others are novelty and interesting, and some meet our current needs. But there is a gift that is above all gifts and that is the gift that God has given to us. His love for us is so great that He gave Himself on the cross and took on our sins to set us free so that we could be redeemed back to Him. His gift of life never ends: it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Not only did Jesus cleanse us from all sin, but He became the Lord over our lives so that we can come to Him for literally anything and everything in life. 1 Peter 3:12 tells us that He hears the prayers of the righteous, and we are righteous because Christ has poured His righteousness over us. There is nothing between us and God now, and because of this gift of salvation, we belong to God and we can call Him Abba Father.
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! —Psalm 68:19, this scripture says daily, every day! What a great gift!
So, instead of abandoning us or retaliating against us, He offers us a gift, the best gift that has ever been given: His Son, crucified and raised to life again. And He promises He will reign over us in an eternal kingdom that is far better than any of us could ever ask for or imagine. Can any earthly gift beat that?
The grace of God can be described in two words: "free gift". Everything about the grace of God is simply "the gift that keeps on giving". Grace is always giving in every circumstance, it's a gift that never stops!
To understand the grace of God you have to understand that life is all a gift. Health is a gift, a promotion is a gift, a loved one finding his way home is a gift, life is a gift. In James 1:17, it says "every good gift" and every "perfect gift". Sickness isn’t included as a gift from God, a car accident isn’t a gift, although walking away without a scratch is a gift. Losing your job isn’t a gift, unless very soon after you get a better job with better pay and better opportunities, that’s a gift.
What's really great is that the Father doesn’t change, He's always good and His gifts are always perfect, that’s good news. The scripture says that God is not like a "shifting shadow". I love that because a shadow is constantly changing second by second minute by minute day by day. His love for us is a gift that never shifts like a shadow. His provision for us is a gift that never shifts like a shadow.
Since Jesus is full of grace and truth, then Jesus is a gift. Our relationship with Him is a gift. His friendship with us is a gift. He is the ultimate gift that keeps on giving. That's great news to me. It's nearly too good to be true news. So enjoy a life of gifts, God's grace that just keeps giving and giving and giving every day!
Jesus never leaves us; He steadfastly watches over us. God gave us the gift of salvation and this gift cost Jesus His life, but God has given us the gift because He loves us, and it’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Not only did Jesus cleanse us from all sin, but He became the Lord over our lives so that we can come to Him for literally anything and everything in life. 1 Peter 3:12 tells us that He hears the prayers of the righteous, and we are righteous because Christ has poured His righteousness over us. There is nothing between us and God now, and because of this gift of salvation, we belong to God and we can call Him Abba Father.
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! —Psalm 68:19, this scripture says daily, every day! What a great gift!
So, instead of abandoning us or retaliating against us, He offers us a gift, the best gift that has ever been given: His Son, crucified and raised to life again. And He promises He will reign over us in an eternal kingdom that is far better than any of us could ever ask for or imagine. Can any earthly gift beat that?
The grace of God can be described in two words: "free gift". Everything about the grace of God is simply "the gift that keeps on giving". Grace is always giving in every circumstance, it's a gift that never stops!
To understand the grace of God you have to understand that life is all a gift. Health is a gift, a promotion is a gift, a loved one finding his way home is a gift, life is a gift. In James 1:17, it says "every good gift" and every "perfect gift". Sickness isn’t included as a gift from God, a car accident isn’t a gift, although walking away without a scratch is a gift. Losing your job isn’t a gift, unless very soon after you get a better job with better pay and better opportunities, that’s a gift.
What's really great is that the Father doesn’t change, He's always good and His gifts are always perfect, that’s good news. The scripture says that God is not like a "shifting shadow". I love that because a shadow is constantly changing second by second minute by minute day by day. His love for us is a gift that never shifts like a shadow. His provision for us is a gift that never shifts like a shadow.
Since Jesus is full of grace and truth, then Jesus is a gift. Our relationship with Him is a gift. His friendship with us is a gift. He is the ultimate gift that keeps on giving. That's great news to me. It's nearly too good to be true news. So enjoy a life of gifts, God's grace that just keeps giving and giving and giving every day!
Jesus never leaves us; He steadfastly watches over us. God gave us the gift of salvation and this gift cost Jesus His life, but God has given us the gift because He loves us, and it’s the gift that keeps on giving!
