. I first opened my Christmas Gift of salvation on October 19,1975. After forty years, I am still unwrapping this awesome Gift of God into my life. Initially, I only saw that He had done away with my sins and had accepted me as His Own. As I began delving into God's Word, I discovered there were many more Gifts in the manger than just a Baby.
I witnessed the Baby grow into a Man, through God's Word. Inspection of the Word led to my finding many more aspects of my Gift, within the Man, than I'd first seen. Ephesians 3:8-10 (Amplified) says, "To me, though I am the very least of all the Saints (God's consecrated people), this grace (favor, privilege) was granted and graciously entrusted; To proclaim to the Gentiles the unending (boundless, fathomless, incalculable and exhaustible) riches of Christ (wealth which no human being could have searched out)." Verse 9 goes on, "Also to enlighten all men and make plain to them what is the plan (regarding the Gentiles and providing for the salvation of all men) of the mystery kept hidden through the ages and concealed until now in (the mind of) God Who created all things by Christ Jesus." Verse 10 says, "(The purpose is) that through the Church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere."
In order to fulfill this portion of God's Word through the Church, there must be a revelation, unveiling or unwrapping of Jesus. So, I'm still unwrapping Christmas. Most of the above scripture is to be fulfilled when the Church comes to the realization that the Father truly loves them. Once we unwrap the revelation of God's love for us, then we can walk in faith in that love and not be fearful in things surrounding us.
Most of us have no idea how strong this love truly is. We read John 3:16 and believe we've unwrapped the revelation of that love, but not so. This "perfect love casts out fear," according to 1John 4:18. When we understand this Love (Jesus), our faith in His Love will not keep us from the miracles and a Super-natural walk with God. It's mostly fear that prevents us from laying hands on the sick, because the revelation of His Love is still not full grown, complete and "perfect."
Romans 5:5 tells us that this Gift has already been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We simply haven't understood it to its full potential. As we unveil or unwrap the full Gift and realize that this Love is to reach out from us to those that are sick, lame maimed and lost. Through Him, we will show God's power of Love to all the principalities, rulers of darkness and angel "angels that are fallen" and proclaim that Jesus Is Lord.
This age we have now entered into is the unveiling the depth of God's Love for and through the Church. This is the generation that has the task of reaping the end-time harvest. Jesus says in John 10:37-38 (Amplified), "If I am not doing the works (performing the deeds) of My Father, then do not believe Me, do not adhere to Me, and trust Me and rely on Me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe Me or have faith in Me, (at least) believe the works and have faith in what I do, in order that you may know and understand (clearly) that the Father is in Me, and I Am in the Father (One with Me)."
This may be the last part of the unwrapping of our Gift through Him to be revealed to the world. Even Jesus needed to reveal God by signs and wonders, so that an unbelieving world would believe. If Jesus had to reveal God in such a way as to make them believe, then are we any better equipped to make them believe than He was?
The world needs to "see" a sermon and not simply hear one. We need to look deeper inside this Gift and reveal Him to the world in power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit in us, like Jesus did. It's only knowing God's great Love for and in us, that can expel the fear that prevents us from doing these things. We are afraid that it won't work, so we abstain from it. Being secure in His Love will expel all fear.
Think of the Christmas Gifts we could lame, sick, maimed and lost if we simply do the work of the Father. When we give the Gift of Jesus to the world, let us not hold back, but reveal Him as He is, High and Lifted Up.
Merry Christmas,
Jim
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