My parents gave me a picture several months back. It is a very nice wintry picture of some wolves. It was given freely to me. Not because I deserved it, earned it, or paid for it. They gave sacrificially - since they could have kept it to try to sell it. One problem, though. It was at their house and despite constant reminders I never took it home to make it mine. I finally took it home a few weeks ago.
It reminded me that there are two parts to getting a gift. The giver who gives a gift and a receiver who receives it.
I could tell all my friends about the picture I was given. I could describe it in fine detail, develop rules on how people should behave around it, draw pictures of it, sing songs about it, even talk to my Dad about it. At the end of the day, though, the picture was still at my parents'. How could I say I truly owned the gift if I never actually took hold of it and brought it into my own house? That is the only way I could really say it was mine.
As I considered these things over Christmas, it occurred to me that as important as this is with what is given and received by people in our lives, how much more so with God?
There are many people - and I used to be one of them - that say things like, "Of course I'm forgiven, Jesus died for me". These things are said in recognition of the gift that God has given. And He truly has given this gift to all of us. Jesus spread his arms wide enough on the cross to accept everybody. But this is just one side. The side of the giver. As with my picture, there must also be a receiver.
Receiving does not mean going to church, singing about Jesus, talking about him, writing books about him, reading the Bible, etc. Jesus said that he will tell many people when trying to enter heaven, "Away from me, I never knew you". This upsets some people and they think there is another way. God makes it very clear, though, that there is no other way. When Jesus rose that first Easter day, it was as a gift for us to receive. Now you must choose.
This isn't about religion, rules, Catholicism, Protestantism, Evangelicalism, Judaism, arrogance, a crutch, or anything else. It is a decision between you and God. Will you "Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead"?
Have you ever done these things or are you willing to do them right now?
1. Admit you are a sinner.
2. Believe Jesus died to pay for your sin.
3. Confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
4. Through prayer, receive Jesus Christ into your life as Lord and Savior.
If you get what I am saying and do this, then please send me a note, find a church that teaches the Bible, call 888-NEED-HIM where they would be happy to talk to you, and/or visit their website www.needhim.org.
I hope you had a great Christmas and wonderful New Year's.
It reminded me that there are two parts to getting a gift. The giver who gives a gift and a receiver who receives it.
I could tell all my friends about the picture I was given. I could describe it in fine detail, develop rules on how people should behave around it, draw pictures of it, sing songs about it, even talk to my Dad about it. At the end of the day, though, the picture was still at my parents'. How could I say I truly owned the gift if I never actually took hold of it and brought it into my own house? That is the only way I could really say it was mine.
As I considered these things over Christmas, it occurred to me that as important as this is with what is given and received by people in our lives, how much more so with God?
There are many people - and I used to be one of them - that say things like, "Of course I'm forgiven, Jesus died for me". These things are said in recognition of the gift that God has given. And He truly has given this gift to all of us. Jesus spread his arms wide enough on the cross to accept everybody. But this is just one side. The side of the giver. As with my picture, there must also be a receiver.
Receiving does not mean going to church, singing about Jesus, talking about him, writing books about him, reading the Bible, etc. Jesus said that he will tell many people when trying to enter heaven, "Away from me, I never knew you". This upsets some people and they think there is another way. God makes it very clear, though, that there is no other way. When Jesus rose that first Easter day, it was as a gift for us to receive. Now you must choose.
This isn't about religion, rules, Catholicism, Protestantism, Evangelicalism, Judaism, arrogance, a crutch, or anything else. It is a decision between you and God. Will you "Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead"?
Have you ever done these things or are you willing to do them right now?
1. Admit you are a sinner.
2. Believe Jesus died to pay for your sin.
3. Confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
4. Through prayer, receive Jesus Christ into your life as Lord and Savior.
If you get what I am saying and do this, then please send me a note, find a church that teaches the Bible, call 888-NEED-HIM where they would be happy to talk to you, and/or visit their website www.needhim.org.
I hope you had a great Christmas and wonderful New Year's.
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