GOD'S GIFT TO US, AND OUR GIFT TO HIM

 GOD’S GIFT TO US, AND OUR GIFT TO HIM

I asked Jesus what he wanted for his birthday, and I kept getting the same answer: “For you to be happy.” I thought surely I must have made that up. That can’t really be Jesus’ answer, can it? But it totally makes sense since that was God’s original plan for man—to be happily working with Him, expanding a huge, wonderful, beautiful body, soul, and spirit family throughout the whole earth.

 

But after Adam turned against God, and man seemed to get farther and farther away, “It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart” (Gen. 6:6). Man’s thinking became so corrupted that “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). Wow! It’s difficult to imagine people having all evil thoughts, all the time! That means no love for their children or their husbands or wives, no compassion, no mercy for anyone anywhere – yikes!

 

It was so bad that a flood came on the earth, and only Noah and his family survived. Even after the flood, mankind still had sin in his blood. It was passed down through the generations with its proclivity for rebellion against God. This rebellion was inherited from Adam. Man was having a harder time being really happy, because of the sin passed down.

 

So, what about Christmas?  Once Jesus was born, there was one man with uncontaminated, non-rebellious blood. That is a really big deal; no wonder a multitude of angels showed up and were rejoicing! New blood was introduced on earth. Jesus didn’t get his blood from his mother but from God. In the womb, a mother’s blood doesn’t even mix with the baby’s blood. Jesus’ blood was not prone to disobedience, rebellion, pride, or other human failings. The same relationship Adam had with God, in the beginning, was now made available again through Jesus. That gave God peace. When Isaiah prophesied of the coming Messiah, he wrote: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,…The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6).

 

When a person gets born again, they receive that new blood of Jesus too. In fact, everything is made new by the introduction of God’s spirit to live within us. The old sin nature is wiped out, forgiven, and forgotten. Holy Spirit comes to live on the inside, and that changes every single cell of our bodies if we want it to. As the Bible says in 1 Peter 1:23: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

 

Romans 10:9-11 tells us how to be born again, in other words, how to be a spiritual person and not just a flesh and blood person: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from death, then you will be saved. We believe with our hearts, and so we are made right with God. And we declare with our mouths to say that we believe, and so we are saved. As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disappointed’ (International Children’s Bible).

 

God told us in 1 Peter 1:23 that the spirit in us starts as a seed. Just like a baby begins with a seed and has to grow, so will the spirit of Christ in us grow. Spirit needs spiritual food. God needs for us to first believe that the gift He gave us is real. Just believing it, gives a boost to the seed. Then the seed needs to increase in faith and be fed the truth from God’s handbook, the Bible. The living seed God gave us will never die, but if we want, the seed can grow up and immerse with our bodies and souls. Taking the responsibility of growing that seed is our gift to God.

 

Christmas was all about God’s gift to man and our potential gift back to Him. God’s gift of Christ’s incorruptible seed to dwell within us, gives God peace when we accept His gift, and gives us peace as well, knowing that we will be with Him forever.

 

Love, Carolyn

 

LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS

Sherry asked him if the job was starting on the 12th, as scheduled. His face flushed as he tilted his head downward and away from her. He said nothing. Sherry took a deep breath, straightened up her shoulders and confronted him, “It’s not, is it?” He stuttered a bit, “Well… not yet.” There had already been a couple postponements so the tension was thick in the air as her brain ingested those words.

To me it would be like putting a moldy strawberry in my mouth. I’d want to spit it out immediately. But not Sherry. Not one negative word came out of her mouth. She tucked it away and I was amazed.

All of this happened in just a matter of seconds as I stood there mixing my paint, trying to be anonymous. But my mind was going like star bursts, held in breathless wonder at how she was able to keep utterly silent under those circumstances.

Could I do that? Nope, not at this point. I definitely need more practice and help from the Holy Spirit to keep my mouth shut. But, wow, what a goal. Her ability to handle this negative situation so well really impressed me and seeing it in action gave me hope and a vivid illustration I won’t forget.

I’ve always believed that I can learn something from just about everyone, especially everyone in the body of Christ.

We all have our shortcomings, weaknesses and cracks in our souls. Where we lack, there are others who are strong. The Bible calls those who are born again, members of the body of Christ.

We need each other.

The Bible says, “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you” (1 Cor 12:18 and 21).

And Ephesians 5 tells us we are to submit ourselves, one to another. That tells me that we are to look and learn and be observant of those good qualities in other’s lives.

So, Sherry, thanks for your great example. It inspired me and gave me a vivid illustration and model to remember on how to keep my lips locked.

The thing is, Sherry doesn’t even know yet what her actions meant to me (until I send her this).

All the more reason to keep following Jesus the best we can. Because when we do, we inspire others and give them an example to live up to, even when we don’t know it.

Love, Carolyn

Next weekend is a FREE download of WINGS Part 4. It contains great chapters including GENERATIONAL CURSES, GOSSIP AND HEALING, THE PROCESS OF OBEDIENCE, ANGER AND FORGIVENESS and many more. The free offer goes from Thursday July 17^th thru Monday July 21^st.  Enjoy.