Tag Archives: John 3:16

Gifts

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Gifts

Gifts (Photo credit: Guudmorning!)

Why do we give gifts?  For birthdays?  Just because?  Anniversaries?  Christmas?

I recently really struggled with what to give my awesome husband for his birthday.  This is a really big deal for me because gifting is my primary love language.  I really wanted to give him a new truck or motorcycle but I don’t have the money for that.  I did tell him that’s what I wanted to give him just to make him smile…He was delighted with a motorcycle print shirt, a soft eagle print sport shirt, and a hand tooled leather belt (He had worn out his favorite one.)

John 3:16-17  God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.  God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.

I have received many incredible gifts over the years.  Special things designed just for me.  Yet, none so special as the gift of eternal life.  A gift that will be mine simply because I believe without question that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God.  I believe that He personally saved me and would have even if I were the only person on earth.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the incredible, undeserved gift of my Lord, Jesus Christ.  Keep me always aware of Your presence.  Grant me the peace that comes with knowing who You are and Whose I am.   Make it so!

Personally His

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 As humans we tend to be groupies.  Everything is more acceptable in a group.  Conformity is part of the human condition.  Our thoughts begin to change when we come to the realization that we are personally acceptable and accountable to God.  We worship in groups but often find it difficult to worship alone.  We pray in groups but may experience some anxiety when asked to be the leading voice.  We believe that Jesus died for us as a group of sinners but find it difficult to believe that we sin personally.  I believe if I were the only person on earth Jesus would have still died for just me.

When we read John 3:16-17 we group ourselves as part of the world (and we are).  Look at John 3:18.  The ‘voice’ changes and becomes more personal, saying  ‘whoever…’  At this point it becomes a very personal choice.  Either I believe and reap the blessings of personal belief or I deny and am condemned.

David, a man after God’s own heart, had more than a bit to say in his writings about a personal relationship with God. Look at Psalm 40:1-3. 

I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry.     David had it figured out.  He knew the Lord personally and with that knew He would answer.   Verses 2 and 3 tell us what God did for him.  The end of verse 3 gives us reason to rejoice.  David knew he wasn’t the only one but many more individual believers would see that God insures our safety personally.  The Message says this so well.  More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.

Oh, how He loves you and me!

Heavenly Father, give us the desire and courage to abandon ourselves personally to You.  Help us know and understand Your personal love for each of us.  Let us go and tell others they can have the same thing.  Send Your blessing on us.  I lift this prayer in the Precious Name of Jesus.  Make it so!