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Slow Down and Breathe
Christmas, my favorite time of year. Sometimes, I get bogged down with all the preparations. I forget to slow down, breathe, and remember to get the right perspective. I love giving. Christmas is about giving. I want to find the best gifts.
The very first Christmas we were given, the most wonderful perfect gift. A gift we don’t deserve, one we can’t earn. Love is why we give. Love is why God sent us His very special gift, Jesus.
Adam & Eve
In the garden with Adam and Eve, when God created the world, perfect with no bad in it. They had a perfect life and relationship with God. Sin entered, they made wrong choices and disobeyed God.
It destroyed their relationship with God and they were cast out of the garden. There was no perfect way to get close to God. It was impossible to have a genuine relationship with him. This remained true until God sent His perfect gift of Jesus to earth, to be born. God sent His son Jesus because He loves and wants a relationship with us. God always had a plan for Jesus, even then because he knew we would sin.
Prophesy
The Bible tells of men who foretold the birth of Christ hundreds of years before it happened. There are hundreds of prophesies in the Bible telling of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. These have all come true. Because God is faithful to his promises. If God made promises that never came true, then people would question if God himself were true. He proves time after time He is faithful to His Word. Speaking through the prophets in detail about the birth of Jesus and then it happening proves God keeps his promises. God has proven His faithfulness. In the same way, He is faithful to His promises concerning us.
Matthew 1:18 shows Jesus has come as the Messiah. It tells of the virgin birth of Jesus. God bypassed sinful man so Jesus would be the perfect one born of a virgin. One born of God to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He was to be born in Bethlehem.
Sometimes, I stop, take a deep breath, and remember Jesus is the reason for Christmas. I put all of the busy things aside. Then I concentrate on who He is. How He came into this world to pay our penalty for us, because He loves us so much. Then I regain my perspective of what Christmas is really about.
Matthew 2:1-9. The baby who changed the world. (We even mark time on our calendars after him BC, before Christ and AD Anno Domini. This is Latin for In the Year of Our Lord.. The birth of Jesus completely changed the world. He was definitely no ordinary child.
In the Bible Luke tells of Jesus’ birth. How God stepped into our world, wrapped himself with humanity to live among us and die for us. He left the glory of heaven, His throne, for us. Our greatest, most wonderful Christmas gift ever!
I’m reminded Christmas tradition must never overshadow what He has done for us. The lights, and Christmas cheer, are not what it’s all about. I love it, but I must not let it overshadow truth.
Jesus Came for Us
Matthew 1:21 Mary shall bring forth a son and you shall call his name Jesus and he shall save his people from their sins. It’s about Jesus coming into our world to save us. We are all sinners and we all need a Savior because we can’t save ourselves.
If we were all perfect, we could reach heaven on our own. Then, there would have been no need for Jesus to come. We aren’t perfect.
Jesus said in Luke 19:10 I have come to seek and to save that which was lost. He’s talking about all of us. Without him, we are lost. No matter how put together we think we are. Or how messed up we think our life is we are all lost without Jesus. We need a Savior.
The Good News
Romans 10:13 Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. This is the answer. We can be saved and know Jesus personally. Heaven is not about the good deeds we have done. It’s also not about, our good deeds outweighing all the bad. Doing good deeds will not get us into heaven. That’s not God. Many people mistakenly think this, as long as my good deeds outweigh my bad, I’m good. Do you really think you will stand before God one day and say you’re a pretty good person? Will you claim this because you’ve done more good than bad? That’s not what the Bible says.
God’s Grace Through Jesus
Heaven is about God’s grace extending to us through Jesus. Our faith is expressed to Him when we accept Him. God’s grace says humans are terminally ill, we have a disease and are all dying of sin. We need a Savior because we have a bad heart, and we can’t fix it by doing good. We fix it only with Jesus.
God’s grace says I know and I love you. I sent a Savior for you. He was born in a dirty stable, lived a sinless life, and died on a rugged cross. He took the penalty for your sin, though He committed none. He rose from the grave on the third day, conquering death. Jesus did this for you! For me. He took the penalty intended for you on the cross and died for you. He suffered for you. God’s wrath for you is appeased if you accept what Jesus has done for you.
When you exercise your faith and tell him you accept his gift and believe what he said is true. God extends His grace to you. When you express to Him you accept his gift and believe. That’s faith. It’s that simple
Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
If this is what you want and believe, tell him. I believe and accept what you did for me, I’m a sinner, please forgive me. I want you as my Savior. I leave my old life and accept you Jesus. Then you are saved. You can know Him personally and at death spend eternity in heaven with Him. It doesn’t mean you will never again sin, but it means you have a loving, forgiving Savior. He died for your sins. All of them, past, present and future.
Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What a perfect gift he has given us on the first Christmas so many years ago. Salvation is a gift, we can’t earn it and we don’t deserve it. God gives it to us through His son Jesus.
We give gifts at Christmas. It’s a wonderful reminder of the ultimate gift-giver, God
. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God is the ultimate gift giver and Christmas is about how He gave to all.
Shepherds and Wisemen Those Who Sought Jesus From the Beginning
The shepherds lived in nearby fields poor and uneducated. They had nothing to bring when they came, but they came quickly when they heard from the angel.
The wisemen came from a distant land, were wealthy and educated, they brought expensive gifts.
Two totally different groups, but they both wanted to know Jesus. This is true today. Jesus appeals to the poor and the rich. To those who feel near and are ready to decide to follow Him. To those who feel Jesus is distant and need help to find him.
Helen Keller’s Story
I leave you with this inspiring story of Helen Keller. She was blind and deaf. Helen was an advocate for those with disabilities until she died in 1968.
The first person to graduate college with honors who was blind and deaf. She learned to speak and to read and write. When she was 11, she met Rev Phillips Brooks in 1891. He shared this story of Jesus with her.
He wrote the song O Little Town of Bethlehem and the 3rd verse explains the joy of salvation. This joy came to a child that could neither see nor hear but recognized the presence of God. When Rev Brooks shared salvation with her and her translator, Ann Sullivan, they both accepted Jesus.
Helen said this to him after. “I’ve always known there is a God, but until now I never knew His name. In my darkness and isolation I knew I was not alone. Now I know His name is Jesus. and He came into the world to save us from our sins”.
If someone who can neither see nor hear knows this, I wonder what stops those who can do both. Some are nearby and so close to deciding to follow Him. Some may feel distant, maybe have followed Him once, but have drifted away and are now a distance from him. Won’t you decide to accept God’s greatest Christmas gift ever? Get to know Him for the first time or come back to Him.
Author: Debbie Silvey, December 23, 2024
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2 responses to “The Most Perfect Gift Ever Given”
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This is a great tribute to God’s gift of faith and sincere love. And the truths we are always needing to know through the Bible!! I often feel lost until I read and hear the truths and guidance of God. I am saved through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I was baptized as an adult on
8-21-2016. Diane Hamm, my sil, motivated me to be baptized again. I often thank her; it was an important step to feel closer to Jesus Christ.
It was interesting and a blessing for Helen K. and her teacher, Ann S., in 1891 to have met Rev. Phillips Brooks and be saved. This meeting enlightened them to know and accept Jesus as their Savior.-
Thank you so much for your beautiful comments and sharing your story. I hope to have a lot of people share so we can all get to know and interact with each other. I want to make this a place we can inspire and encourage each other. A place we can help each other through the tough times in life.
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Join our online encouragement community. Similar to FB with real time chat https://debbiesilvey.com/community/u/debbie
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