Integrity- People of God

The spirit of Christmas is Love and Grace which God has given us in Christ Jesus! God is showing His love, favor, kindness, and goodwill to all humanity, through the life of His SonJesus Christ. 

God’s grace provides us with what we cannot obtain for ourselves. His love and mercy have provided the payment for our sin. His grace gives us forgiveness of sin, which is undeserved, unmerited and unearned, but is a gift from God through faith. We too can express God’s love through kindness, goodwill and generosity toward others who may not deserve it, but we may still give it regardless of their merit. 

God so loved this world that He gave His best, Jesus, to save us even when we were in our worst state. God loved us while we were still lost and an enemy toward God and yet, He expressed His love in the Precious Gift of Christ our Savior. God sacrifices and gives His love even though it may not be received, reciprocated or returned.

 John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. NIV

 Jesus emptied Himself of all His rights as The Prince of all, and He humbled Himself to be born of flesh, in humanity as a childon earth. He was born as the Son of man and restricted Himself to a life in a fallen world, fixed in an appointed time and spacefor the service of others. Jesus came to show the grace, mercy and love God has for all mankind. 

 Luke 2: 10-11 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. NKJ

 God gave us His best gift; Jesus Christ His Son! The angels sang of this joy that has come to all humanity and we, His creation, responded in worship with thanksgiving to God. Wise men sought Jesus, the Savior of the world and brought gifts to honor the Child who was born to be King of kings over all the earth. Wise men are still seeking Jesus and are still giving gifts to honor Jesus as Lord and King. 

These wise men went looking for the Christ though it was at a great cost and with much preparation. They came from a far country to search out where Jesus was born to give great and costly gifts that they had prepared for the One who was worthy of all, Jesus our Lord and King,

These gifts were to show honor to the God in heaven and tomake provision for Mary, Joseph and the Christ Child. We bring honor to God today when we make provision for His children and give to those created in God’s image. When we give to the least of those in humanity, those who are in need on the earth, we are giving to God.

 Proverbs 19:17 When you give to the poor, it is like lending to the LORD, and the LORD will pay you back. GNT

 We should make it our tradition and to teach our children that the true Spirit of Christmas is to give the gift of grace, love and forgiveness to those, who some may feel, are undeserving. Christmas in not about focusing on ourselves and our friends but about being an example of God’s love.  We are to give to those who may not have earned it, but out of God’s love, graceand mercy to us, we give gifts to others. We should show love to honor our Lord and King by giving forgiveness and showing kindness to those who are without strength or income. 

We should be determined to express the love that Christ has shown us, to those around us who lack and are underserved. We should show the world that Christmas is about the greatest gift ever given, Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Therefore, we want to give this good and great gift of our Father’s love, to others. 

 Romans 5:6, 8 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 Jesus walked in the grace of God as a man to fulfill His purpose. We are given and have access to that same power today, through the Holy Spirit. God has given us the ministry of reconciliation and the command to love others as He has loved us. 

It is during the season of Christmas we desire even more to give this gift of grace to others and we make deliberate determinations to express this Spirit of Christmas, through love and grace to those around us. During this time of the year the whole world softens its heart to express kindness and to show compassion to others. How much more should we, who are in the household and family of God, express His Grace to those who are without hope?

 Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. NKJ

 This Christmas let us give the gift of Christ’s grace, love, mercy and forgiveness. In a word of encouragement, in an expression of concern, in the displaying of love to those who may be ill tempered and unlovely but who are in desperate need of God’s love.

 Ephesians 4:7,12 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measures of Christ’s gift… for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, NKJ

 Jesus is our reason for Christmas; He is our gift of grace and the reason we give to those around us. Jesus came and provided what we could not provide for ourselves, forgiveness and hope. 

So let us choose to be the provision that someone may need during this Christmas season. Let us be as the wise men of old and prepare gifts for our Sovereign King to show honor and to worship Him, through the people we encounter during this season.