CHRISTMAS GIFTS

 CHRISTMAS GIFTS

   Exodus [MKJV] 15:26 And he said, If you will carefully listen to the voice of Jehovah your God, and will do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His commandments, and keep all His Laws, I will put none of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon the Egyptians; for I am Jehovah who heals you.

  John 14:15, 21 If you love Me, keep My commandments. … He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.

  John 15:10-12 If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. I have spoken these things to you so that My joy might remain in you and your joy might be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

  Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

  James 1:12-17 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, because having been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one being tempted say, I am tempted from God. For God is not tempted by evils, and He tempts no one. But each one is tempted by his lusts, being drawn away and seduced by them. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin. And sin, when it is fully formed, brings forth death. Do not err, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning.

  Who is it that doesn’t like to receive gifts? Not I!

  The gifts we cherish the most of all is a tell-all about who and where we really are in this brief life sojourn ours. Jesus made this principle quite clear: “No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate [ μισέω; miseō; mis-eh'-o  From a primary word μῖσος misos (hatred); to detest (especially to persecute); by extension to love less: - hate (-ful). Total KJV occurrences: 42] the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (MKJV Mt.6:24)

  Among God’s numerous perfect gifts are His commandments, all of them. Compliance not fencing us in, bit protecting us. Allowing contrariness to influence us in opposition to His Word is to seriously err from truly lovingly worshipping Him. (Rom.12:1-3)

  This love-life scenario may even include affectionate gift(s) that He alone can and has given us if we are above and beyond cherished material blessings. For example, consider the Ephesians as recorded in Revelation 2:1-5. They, as is so with all of God’s children received gifts of ministry and service. (1Cor.12:1-31) As is so easy for us to do once we begin embracing and enjoying true eternal meaning in life, they slipped into loving ministry more than God.

  Knowing this truth, let us take care not to love His gift(s) more than The Giver. 

EBB4