gifts and Christmas

Christmas is the time when we all tend to give. We want to fill others with love and even hope. That is why we often sacrifice to make this happen.

Sacrifice is not a new idea for those who choose to obey God. Since the beginning of time the understanding of and the need for sacrifice has been very important. Sacrifice ought to cost something. Be careful not to casually follow or to do things in a way that doesn’t honor God.

2 Samuel 24:24 NASB

However, the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will certainly buy it from you for a price; for I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Give what is from the heart. Our gifts should be costly and from our hearts. That is best seen in why God gave us the best gift of all in His son. Jesus cost the Father everything.

David said he wouldn’t offer anything to God that cost Him nothing. When we honor and esteem God, we will make sure that our gifts to Him are of substance.

Christmas is a special time of the year. We know that gifts are important. We focus on buying and enjoying giving joy to others. I believe as most of you do that the greatest gift of all was Jesus. He remains the best and strongest gift. He is greater than anything and anyone else. Hold Him high. Watch how God brings all this together.

Matthew 7:11 NLT

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

The focus on gifts is not a new one. You would always take a gift to the one your were honoring and visiting, as the wisemen did. May we be the ones offering gifts. May those gifts be in honor and worship of God. May we use gifts to help others see and honor God as well.

This is the Christmas season. May we be found lifting up the one who really matters, honoring the God we follow and love, giving our lives as a sacrifice to serve Him with all we have and are.

Romans 12:1 NLT

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you ...

wash feet, sharing hope

John 13:4-5,14 NLT So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow. He served. He valued and gave value to others. That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet. It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives. Jesus said we should do this. See the verse above. Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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