"No Returns, Please" 12-26-06

Good morning, Lord Jesus. With a thankful heart, I receive the gift of the grace of Your presence abiding in me and I abide in You. ... "Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. For yet 'in a little while, the One who is coming will come and not delay; but My righteous one will live by faith. My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back.' But we are not among those who shrink back and are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved" (Hebrews 10:35-39). On the day after Christmas, the stores will be filled with people taking back their gifts. They may have expressed joy in the moment of unwrapping the gift, but down inside they did not really ever receive it. They may have appreciated the thought of the giver, but took no thought for the gift. So the gift is returned -- once accepted, but no longer received. But all Christmas gifts speak of the one true Gift. As God the Father, You humbled Yourself as God the Son, to be conceived in human flesh by God the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). You gave to us the greatest Gift we could ever receive, longing we would embrace Your Gift of Grace with the joy of children on Christmas morning. "He came to what was His own, and His own people did not accept Him. But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God" (John 1:11-12). Father, thank You for Your Gift of Your Son through Your Spirit. I receive Your grace to embrace Your Gift -- to never return it, never spurn it, never try to earn it -- but simply to receive it with child-like faith and Christmas morning joy. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe, please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Ministering the Healing Love of God ... Preparing the Way of the Lord." 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 www.messiah-ministries.org Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.injesus.com