The Gift that Keeps on Giving

I LOVE Christmas! Nearly everything about it! Okay, nearly! There are parts I don't, probably the same ones you don't. But just like in the "Charlie Brown Christmas" where the characters try and capture Christmas in a play it starts complicated and then gets simple. Christmas is simple, we make it complicated with expectations and approval and making everything just right!!! It should not be complicated but simple!

I love getting and receiving presents. I love carols and being spontaneous and extravagant. Like tonight. I drove 45 miles one way just to deliver a couple of un-wrapped presents to some dear friends. The presents were not worth much, but it was the whole idea of driving there just to say hi, give them a couple presents and say Merry Christmas.

God gave! Simple! God gave His only Son, His perfect Son! His blameless, Holy Son! Why did He do that? Because He so loved the world! You and Me! I had a poster at one time that I loved. It said this "I asked Jesus how much do you love me, and He reached out His arms out and said "this much" and then He died". A picture was in the background of those words and the picture formed a cross on a hill! Get it?

After we were given and chose the costly and free gift of salvation we were given gifts! Unique gifts. No one can give the gifts we have! No one! Combined with our personality, our natural gifts and our Spiritual gifts you and I are totally unique... and we have MUCH to offer. Do you know what your gifts are? Most believers do not! How sad! May I encourage you to find a tool to find out what they are! You probably know what your personality type is, and what your natural gifts and abilities are. But...do you know what you super-natural gifts are? God gave them to you and the world needs them. Needs them desperately! The body of Christ does not function nearly as well as it should with you either sitting on the sideline or un-aware. This year make it your goal to know them and begin to use them. God gave His greatest Gift and His name is Jesus! Then God gave you and I gifts and we/they are needed! Merry Christmas!