Merry Christmas!
For the next few weeks we are going to do a series of devotional articles talking about some of the gifts God gives to us. Let's get started.
Bible Reading: Ephesians 1:13 & 14
Most people think of Christmas as a time to give and receive gifts. So, this Christmas season, our devotional series is on the many gifts we receive from God. We won’t touch
on all of the gifts that God gives to us because there are so many. Instead, we will mention just a few of them to give us a taste of God’s great love and generosity.
Today, we’ll focus on what I’m calling the “three-in-one” gift.
We all enjoy receiving gifts that have more than one item in the package. We have this “two is better than one” kind of mindset. Probably the best and least sought after gift from God is the “three-in-one” package deal that includes Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and The Holy Bible, God’s written word. Ephesians 1:13 & 14 tie these three together saying, “When you heard the message of truth , the gospel of your salvation [written in the Bible], and when you believed in Him [Jesus], you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glory.”
To receive these three gifts, we need to accept the first, Jesus Christ. We do this by admitting our sin to God, stating our belief that Jesus died on the cross as the punishment for our sin, and declaring our belief that Jesus has risen and is now alive and well preparing a home for us in heaven.
When we receive Jesus Christ, He sends His Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. The Holy Spirit comforts, teaches, and guides us. He does His work, in large part, through God’s written word, the Bible. As we read the Bible, the Holy Spirit opens our eyes and our minds enabling us to understand what we are reading. He then guides us into practical, everyday ways of living what we have learned.
If you haven’t already received God’s “three-in-one” gift, I hope you will accept it now.
If Jesus, His Holy Spirit, and His Holy Word are already a part of your life, I hope you will make them the overarching focus of you life – dead center – right where they belong.
“If you love me [Jesus], keep my commandments [written in the Bible]. I will ask the Father to give you another Helper [the Holy Spirit], to be with you always. He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor recognizes him. But you recognize him, because he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for this very special “three-in-one” gift. It is just what I need. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Kommentare