Your Daily Devotional for December 11, 2007

 

December 11,  2007

 

 

A Season for Receiving

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

 

James 1:17

 

 

A wife told her husband, "Last night I dreamed you gave me two hundred dollars to spend on a Christmas wardrobe. Surely you wouldn't do anything to spoil a dream like that, would you?" "Of course not," he replied. "You may keep the two hundred dollars."

 

Yes, this is the season for giving and receiving, but as this story illustrates, some people are a little stingy in their giving. I want to tell you about a very generous Giver. In fact, He gave to us the greatest gift of all—eternal life. For some people, it is so incredible—so unbelievable—that they have trouble accepting this gift. One man said, "I was brought up to believe that you got what you earned...nothing comes free. The gift of salvation is incredible to a guy like me."

 

John 1:10–12 tells us how Jesus Christ came to earth, how some people rejected Him, but how others received Him as their Saviour. "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." If this is truly a season for receiving, why don't you accept this gift and become a son or daughter of God right now?

 

Maybe you have already received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, but have you received His Word? James 1:21–22 says, "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." God commands us in this passage to not only be hearers, but doers of the Word. Wouldn't receiving God's Word and then obeying it be a great gift to give back to Jesus Christ this Christmas?

 

Friend, once you have accepted Jesus Christ and received His Word, your holidays can truly be a season of rejoicing. Luke 2:13–14 proclaims, "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men." You can rejoice in your newfound hope and discover true fellowship with a loving God. We read in Psalm 33:21, "For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name."

 

Christmas is quickly approaching. You will soon receive many wonderful gifts, but they won't last forever. This Christmas, receive an everlasting gift sent directly from God to you—the gift of eternal life. 'Tis the season...

 

Daily Bible Reading

Hosea 5-8 • Revelation 2

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