"THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING"

Good Evening to All!

I must say, I'm finding it a bit ironic that in just a couple of weeks before we celebrate Christ's birth (even though it is not His literal birthday), that every devotional I have read has been about the crucifixion.

This brings to mind about my previous post on the Ultimate Giver. This just brings out the absolute truth that we CANNOT outgive God. He came down to earth for us, served us by feeding the multitudes and healing the sick, lame and blind, brought deceased people back to life, and most important of all taught multitudes of people about God's love.

As if that wouldn't have been enough, He sacrificed His human flesh and blood so that we could get started on the road to salvation and spend eternity with Him. He is such an awesome God! I know, I just felt some eyebrows go up when I mentioned getting on the "road to salvation". The reason I put it like that is because being saved is a journey. Jesus did the hard part and sacrificed Himself for us. Now the rest is up to us. We must develop a relationship with our Father. We do this by reading His Word, talking to Him and living the way He says we should according to his Word.

There is more to it that abiding by the Ten Commandments. God did not ask us to do anything. He told us or commanded us to do it.

He even came right out and said "if you love me you will keep my commandments". He also said to be able to enter the kingdom of God we must be born of Water and of Spirit. Which means we must be baptized and we must also receive the Holy Spirit within us. Those were not requests they were commands.

He took on all of our sins that we may become blameless in the eyes of God. It took me a long time to realize it, but when God looks at me, He doesn't see the "sinner", He sees what I am becoming. All because He has seen the future. With this in mind, we still have the ability to change the future, because of God giving us free will.

God wants us to love Him and have a relationship with Him because it is our choice. This is where we are different from angels. God "created" angels but he "formed us. He breathed His breath into us. His Word says nothing about how the angels got their breath. He did not give them free will. Their express purpose is to carry out God's wishes no questions asked. Our purpose on the other hand is a little more complex. God gave us free will because He wanted someone to love Him just because they want, not because "that's what they were created to do".

The answers to last night's Bible Challenge "God's Enemies" are as follows:

1. Nod (Genesis 4:16)
2. c) He destroyed their god Dagon and smote the Philistines with emerods, or tumors.
(1 Samuel 5)
3. d) dogs ate it (2 Kings 9:30-37)
4. Haman (Esther 7:10)
5. c) the families of Daniel's accusers (Daniel 6:24)
6. a) fox (Luke 13:32)
7. b) babbler (Acts 17:18)
8. d) Bernice (Acts 25:23)
9. c) he was struck down by an angel o the Lord and was devoured by worms ( Acts 12:21-23)
10. d) they will be banished and punished forever (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)

I hate to cut this short, but I'm so sleepy I can't hold my eyes open, so I think it's time to call it quits and head for bed.

Good night to All and May God Bless!