GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFTS

By R. J. KREJCIR 

(Condensed)

Into Thy Word Ministries

The first gift we can give God is the willingness to Submit. To submit means to obey, which is a military term meaning to “get in line” under the leadership of those who are more mature. It is the surrender of our lives to God, so that we are in His will. And the mighty hand of God is the loving and caring hand of God. It can be a shelter, deliverance, a testing, or a chastening. God's mighty hand is always His best love for us, so we become our best for His glory (Duet 26:8; Phil 4:13; 1 Pet. 5:5-9)! To grow and to be mature and faithful requires us to be humble. The result is respect, cooperation, unity, community, and the power of His Fruit at work in us.  

The next gift we need to consider is to Resist the devil. This means to beware of the devil and resist him, to be sober and vigilant of Satan’s tactics and influences. This calls for fleeing the devil’s kingdom, his values, and his wisdom, and embrace God’s kingdom, values, and wisdom. This has more to do with moral values than spiritual warfare. When we draw near to God, we undertake His precepts and apply them to life. The devil is not invincible; he is easily thwarted. We put on God’s armor so we can fight his temptations and flee from him; we evade the lusts of our heart and world by running from it, not toward it (Eph. 6:11-18; James. 3:15, 17; 4:4, 7-10; 1 Pet. 5:8-9)! When we seek Him, we find that He has already sought us and will continue to reveal Himself and the depths of His love all of our days on earth as well as throughout eternity. The key to this is our willingness to confess our sin and move toward Him and away from false and deceitful ways.

The next gift is the gift of Purification. Purity means we continue our growth with God so we are in a harmonious relationship with Him (Matt. 5:8; Phil. 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:5; 5:22; James 4:8). Purity, which is also called Holiness, means being set apart for God’s exceptional use in our daily life. It is a call for us to heed and to respond to Him, which is our devotion to Christ in action. It will keep us from being contaminated by the devil, our desires, and/or the ways of the world. Purity results when we draw near to God as in our refinement in Him, developing our personal bond with God through the disciplines of the faith (Ex. 30:19; Isaiah 28:16; Matt. 7:7; James 4: 7-10; Rev. 3:20). The gift is to do our best to understand and learn about Jesus, so we can be more like Him in our character and behavior, and to reflect what He has given us because of our gratitude and love. Thus, we respond by living a life pleasing to Him because we are chosen and precious in Him.  

The next gift on the list is to Humble yourselves. It means we have a correct understanding of whom we are in Christ and how we are to go before God. This does not mean we are to hate ourselves; rather, it means to have a right respect and relationship with God (Prov. 3:5). Our attitude toward God will greatly affect our attitude in our communication and actions. These will be revealed by the motives of our heart. We learn humility by being in His Word, and practicing our dependence on God, by seeking His will, and being in prayer. Our motivation is the realization that we are saved by grace, and kept by His love (1 Kings 8:58; Psalm 25; Mark 1:7; Luke 9:23; 18:9-14; 22:27; Romans 12:3; Eph. 4:1-3; Col. 1:18; Phil. 2:8; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:3-5).

While submission attacks self-promoting, posturing and pride, humility nullifies self-love, and minimizes arrogance and removes pride, which reflects our fallen nature. Remember, God hates pride, and you don’t want to give Him something He hates!

Humility offers solutions to problems that overwhelm us. Christ wants us to seek our comfort in Him, because He cares for us. Receive His care, receive His love, and surrender your doubts, your frustrations, your concerns, and your frailty. Trust God's love in all of your circumstances. Allow Him to be your inward peace and contentment! We are to have an attitude of accepting whatever God provides, and being happy with it. We are not to seek self-gratification or temporary happiness in the shallow things of life.

The next gift is the gift of our Purpose. Christ calls us to a purpose for our life, a reason we were created and made. This means knowing who we are in Christ and what He has done for us, then acting out our relationship and redemption by being obedient to God’s will. It is the pursuit of God so that He becomes the driving force, inspiration, motivation, and reason for all we do in life. Remember, we are called to devote our life, character, virtue, Spiritual Gifts, abilities, and call so the best can be realized in all people and all situations. The meaning of life is not about career, money, or power; it is about relationships and developing character. These are the only real things you can take with you to Heaven. The key is to learn from your life, experiences, and your surroundings (Psalm 57; 138:7-8; Prov.19:21; John 15; Romans 8; Phil. 2:1-18).

God created you as special and unique; He gave you talents and abilities, and brings you opportunities to use them to become more like Him. Purpose will help you see these aspects, His call, and your prospects so you can engage them. Then you will be willing and able to put your faith into action for His glory. The side-effects? A life that is more joyful and content! Yes, there will be ups and downs, but with the Creator on your side, any plans you may have had become insignificant; they would not bring you even close to a life that is meaningful! He calls us to be holy, to be mature, to have character, and to give Him glory. Let us look to His ways and follow His call to give us direction for our new year. Be determined not to follow the evil desires of your sinful nature or the enticements of the world; rather, seek His glory. Let us place Him first in all things and all portions of our lives. With the right attitudes and goals, we can go through life without fear (Joshua 24:15; Matt. 22:37; Acts 20:24).

MORE GIFTS

Be willing to give God the gift of your Repentance. To repent means to completely and utterly turn away from your desires and deeds and toward His love and plan. Repentance was the central pronouncement of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Real, authentic repentance is sincere; we will regret our past behavior and be on guard in future relationships so that a moral and lifestyle change will result. It is God’s desire that we repent of our sins and come to His way. Repentance is not just sorrow or regret for what we have done, or even to change our minds. Rather, it is the changing of all we are, our goals, aspirations, values, and behaviors so that we turn a complete 180 degrees from the way we were. Repentance is a life that has been changed! (Matt. 4:17; Acts 17:30; 24:14; Rom. 2:4; 2 Cor. 7:9-10; 1 Thess. 5:6, 8; 2 Tim. 2:5; 1 Pet. 2:22-24)

Be willing to give God the gift of your Faith. This is the willingness to live out the Christian life we claim we are living. It is the actual implementation of His precepts into our daily life, because these precepts are better than anything we had planned. We must have a life that matches what we say we believe; faith is the quintessential tool to make this happen. This is where we take what we have learned and believe and put it into action in our relationships and opportunities. Our faith and our deeds must not operate independently of each other (Psalm 34:4-6; James 2:18).

Be willing to give God the gift of your Mind, a mind that is focused, to the best of your ability, on His precepts and character. Instead of filling our minds with needless junk, let us fill it up with things that will help us grow in our faith. Instead of a romance novel or a cheap magazine, pick up a good book, a classic, a book to help you grow, and read the ultimate Book, His Word, the Bible. If you are willing to grow closer to God, then fill your mind with things and ideas that are pleasing to Him (Rom. 12:1-3; 1 Cor. 2:16; 1 Peter 2:1-2).

Be willing to give God the gift of your Heart that looks to how Christ lived and desires to have the same compassion for others that He had. See people as His children, as your brothers and sisters, as community and family. Love is the prototypical character we are called to emulate. Let us not be caught up in the ways of the world; rather, be caught up in the Way of Christ (Mark 7:21; 1 Cor. 12; 1 John 3:17-20).

Be willing to give God the gift of your Witness. Real, authentic faith and a focused mind on His precepts equals a real and authentic witness. Be real, be authentic, and be poured out to Him. Have the courage to take your life into the lives of others by showing them the great news of what Jesus has done (Acts 20:24). We have a responsibility to live our lives as His ambassadors of truth with the great commandment (Mark 12:28-31; 2 Cor. 5:20), and see the hope we have to come!  We have the call to fulfill the great commission by making disciples, not just converts and “pew-sitters” (Matt. 28: 18-20)!

© 2005 R. J. Krejcir Into Thy Word Ministries www.intothyword.org