Free Gift

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 6:23

One night I was speaking to several hundred men gathered in a skid row mission for an evangelistic meeting. I had been invited to bring the address and as always my heart was deeply stirred when I realized that these men needed the Lord so very much. In the spiritual sense, though, their lot was no worse than the leaders of the city, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and the wages of sin is death whether one is rich or poor, old or young, sick or well. It makes no difference. The wages of sin is death.

In an effort to communicate to these men the love of God and His free gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, I pulled a ten-dollar bill from my pocket and said, “The first person who comes to take this from my hand, can have it as a free gift.” This was my way of illustrating God’s gift of grace. Out of the hundreds of people seated before me, not a single person moved as I extended the bill, repeating several times, “The first one who will come and take this bill from my hand can have it.”

Finally, a middle-aged man, shabbily dressed like the rest, stood timidly to his feet and with an inquiring expression said, “Do you really mean it?” I said, “Sure, come and get it; it is yours.” He almost ran to grasp it and he thanked me. The rest of the crowd began mumbling, as if to say, “Why didn’t I have the faith to go and accept the gift?”

This gave me a marvelous opportunity to emphasize that we do not earn God’s love. He loves us unconditionally – not because of who we are, but because of who He is. God proved His love for us in that while we were all wretched sinners, He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for us and give to all men who will receive Him the gift of eternal life. Oh, what an attractive gift. Who could refuse to accept such a wonderful gift?

Bible Reading: Romans 6:17-22

Today’s Action Point: I will trust the Lord to help me make His offer of this marvelous free gift, the gift of His only begotten Son who is eternal life, so attractive that no one can refuse to accept it.

By: Dr. Bill Bright

Go Ahead, Re-Gift It

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8

I have a few, don’t you? Those Christmas gifts in the back of the closet you will probably re-gift to someone else. They are either not your personal style, or you already have one, or you just think it is useless or ugly. However, someone thought enough of you to gift it. So the fact you didn’t actually pay for it shouldn’t bother you if you re-wrap it and give it away.

The gift of Jesus is like that, and better. He is meant to be re-gifted. We are supposed to give Him away, not hide Him. Someone at some time gave us the Light of Christ. We chose to take it and accept Him as our Savior. Now it is our turn to share that Good News. No, it is not a gift we bought. Christ did that with His own blood on the cross when He died for our sins. But that makes the gift even more precious, not less.

The receiver may take the gift and toss it to the ground, or wait until you are gone to trash it. Or they may tuck it away and not think about it for a while. Perhaps in the quiet hours of the night they sit cross-legged on their bed and slowly undo the wrapping paper to reveal His presence. It is even possible they will rip it open right there in front of you and accept it whole-heartedly. But the results aren’t up to you. Your role is to re-gift Jesus to as many folks as He calls you to do so. He takes care of the rest.

Dearest Lord, we just celebrated that the Magi brought You gifts. Help us to be bold enough to re-gift You to others so they may share in the Joy of Your grace and Mercy. Amen.

By: Julie Cosgrove

Your God-guided Footprints by Barbara Alpert

“The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:23 (NLT)

Have you ever walked the beach and found yourself trying to walk in the footprints of someone else who walked before you? Chances are it felt awkward. Why? Because just like you have unique fingerprints, God fashioned you with a distinct stride through life. Following the path of others or the boardwalks of this world, is not God’s will for your life. In fact, doing so will lead you away from your God-guided path.

God has a road for you to travel; one that leads to the destination He has distinctly prepared for you. Since you walk by faith, you will not know everything along the way. You’ll need to keep asking God for direction, be sensitive to what His Spirit says, and then proceed onward. As you travel this righteous path, you need to trust that the Lord goes before you every step of the way.

Others may misguide you, your flesh may want to take an easier route, and the enemy may lure you into quicksand, but God will never mislead you. He will point out the truthful way, and you are to walk in it. There He will provide for your needs, protect your God-guided footprints, and help you fulfill your destiny. Should you detour, quickly repent and God will guide you back to the right path your feet are to travel.

More to Ponder: Thank God that He has a good path for your feet to travel as He faithfully leads you each step of the way. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you stay on the path of God’s choosing.

Look to Jesus to Comfort You by Max Lucado

Joshua 5:14 says “Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped.” He was a five-star general. Forty-thousand soldiers saluted as he passed. Two-million people looked up to him. Yet in the presence of God, he fell on his face, and worshiped.

We’re never so strong or mighty that we don’t need to worship. Worship-less people have no power greater than themselves to call on. The worship-less heart faces Jericho all alone. Don’t go to your Jericho without first going to your Commander. Let him remind you of his all-encompassing power.

In Hebrews 13:5 he has given you this promise. “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Look to Jesus for comfort. Turn your gaze away from Jericho. You’ve looked at it long enough. Your Jericho may be strong but your Jesus is stronger. Let him be your strength.

When Life Isn’t Fair Katherine Kehler

“The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it” 1Thessolonians 5:24

“I was overlooked for the leadership position again. Someone much less qualified than me was chosen,” she wrote. She was committed and qualified, but overlooked again and again. It was not right. She asked me, “Is this the norm for most Christian ministries? This is not the first time I have encountered this and I have to say it is extremely hurtful.”

Has this happened to you? Well, you and I know how painful it can be. I have been down this road several times and I can tell you it doesn’t get any easier.

But along the way, I have learned some “God” things. If God puts a call or desire in your heart, He will be faithful to do it through you; however, He may want you to expand your horizons in order to bring this dream to fruition.

I am an innovative person. God has put many dreams in my heart and He has helped me to fulfill those dreams. Sometimes it took a lot longer than I thought it would, but He did it. God put a dream in my heart to reach women through the Internet and since then He has faithfully provided the resources, qualified people and finances.

Recently I read the book, Why Not Women? In the last chapter, the author, Lorne Cunningham wrote:
“It is not your job to change everyone’s mind. It is your job to obey and do whatever He is calling you to do. Keep yielded to Him and open the door to others, free in your spirit from any feelings of rejection or bitterness. Obey God and let Him take care of the results. It will eventually become clear to everyone that God has His hand on you.”

Sometimes life doesn’t seem fair. Perhaps God is using this “unfairness” to push you out of the nest (your comfort zone) to show you He has something new and exciting for you to do. Why not ask Him? Ask God to show you other horizons where you can make your dream come true. Be strong and courageous. God will supply your needs.

Lord Jesus, show us where You want us to fulfill the dream You have put in our heart. Help us to be willing to step out of our comfort zone and trust You. In your name I pray. Amen.

God Can Speak into the Chaos of Your Life by Jon Walker

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”Psalms 51:10 (NIV)

God spoke the world into existence, and He spoke you into your mother’s womb. Even now, He can speak into the chaos of your life to bring it shape and form (Psalm 51:10MSG).

This is a Genesis event, where God speaks into the void and the darkness of your life, creating for you a new beginning.

God can create something from nothing; He can take a heart that is broken, impure, or failed and create a heart that is whole, pure, and purposeful. God wants to see you pure, so He takes an active role in creating your new heart and bringing order to the chaos of your life.

Your job is to submit to His sovereignty, humble yourself before Him, and ask for His help.

Lord, speak a Genesis moment into our hearts and into the circumstances of our lives. We acknowledge “everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:30 MSG).

‘Renew in us a steadfast spirit’ (Psalm 51:10), no longer chaotic or moved by events, circumstances, or feelings. Give us lives shaped by you and by your Spirit flowing through us.
Give God your chaos. Let God speak into your life, creating a new beginning, a new hope, and a new energy. Pray, “God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life” (Psalm 51:10 MSG).

Servant Living by Kristi Huseby

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist.  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.” John 13:3-5

Jesus knew who He was. He knew where He had come from and where He was going. This was God, the Creator of the universe, King Eternal, Yahweh, washing the feet of the ones He had created.
For the disciples, this was a “shock and awe” moment! No rabbi or any person of significant status had ever washed another’s feet. It just wasn’t done. The job of foot washing was always relegated to the lowest of the low, the refuse of society.

But Jesus never let society dictate His behavior, He never let it deviate Him from His mission. He had come to serve. Just hours from this moment, Jesus would demonstrate His greatest act of service, His coup d’état: the cross! He overthrew the norms, the status quo, and turned this self-driven, people pleasing society on its head.

After Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He told them, “Since, I your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each others feet.  I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you” (John 13.12-14).

Do what I do. Serve each other.

Having the heart of a servant was a way of living for Jesus and it should be for those of us who are His followers.  It wasn’t one act of service, followed by a myriad of self-driven deeds.  It was a lifestyle of service. Unconditional service. No expectations. Service born from a heart that loves.
Jesus’ greatest act of service, the cross, came from a heart propelled by love. And so should our service derive from a heart of love for those He created.

Unconditional service is never easy. Unconditional service always has a cost, but it is a way of life for those who choose to follow. It marks us as true followers of the One who first demonstrated His love for us!
Lord, we confess in this every-man-for himself world, we have lost sight of this servant way of living.  We have allowed the world and its ways to color our perspective and justify our self-centered choices.  Teach us to have the heart of a servant and to live each day, following the example you set for us.  Amen.