Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

November 13
Thursday


CREEPING
CHRISTMAS?

READ:
Galatians 4:1-7
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Thanks be to God for
His indescribable gift!
__2 Corinthians 9:15
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I love Christmas. The celebration of the birth of Christ and the beauty and wonder of the season make it "the most wonderful time of the year" for me. In recent years, however, the season has been accompanied by a growing irritation. Every year "Christmas stuff" comes out earlier and earlier__creeping all the way back to early fall.

Christmas used to be limited to December, but now we find radio stations playing Christmas music in early November. Stores start advertising Christmas specials in October, and Christmas candy appears in late September. If we're not careful, this growing deluge can numb us__even sour us to what should be a season of gratitude and awe.

When that irritation begins to rise in my spirit, I try to do one thing: Remember. I remind myself what Christmas means, who Jesus is, and why He came. I remember the love and grace of a forgiving God who sent us rescue in the Person of His Son. I remember that the salvation Christ came to provide is both the gift and the Giver all wrapped up in one.

Jesus is our life all year long, and He is the greatest wonder. "O come, let us adore Him!" __Bill Crowder

``````````````````Living God, I thank You for the unspeakable gift```````````````````
`````````````````of Your Son. Draw my heart to Your own, that my``````````````````
````````````````worship to and gratitude for Your Son will never be``````````````````
``````````````diminished by the distractions of the world around me.`````````````````
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Jesus is our life throughout the year.

********************************Today's Bible Reading __ Galatians 4:1-7********************************

1 Now I say that the heir,
as long as he is a child,
does not differ at all from a
slave, though he is master
of all, 2 but is under
guardians and stewards
until the time appointed by
the father. 3 Even so we,
when we were children,
were in bondage under the
elements of the world. 4 But
when the fullness of the
time had come, God sent
forth His Son, born of a
woman, born under the law,

5 to redeem those who were
under the law, that we
might receive the adoption
as sons. 6 And because you
are sons, God has sent forth
the Spirit of His Son into
your hearts, crying out,
"Abba, Father!" 7 Therefore
you're no longer a slave
but a son, and if a son,
then an heir of God through
Christ.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

In today's passage, Paul explains that our salvation is the work of
our triune God. First, "God sent forth His Son" (v.4). Second, Jesus
came to accomplish our redemption__setting us free from the
bondage of the law__and to secure our adoption, making us sons of
God and enabling us to enjoy the full privileges as God's children
(v.5). Third, God gave us the Holy Spirit__"the Spirit__" the Spirit of His Son,"
who endears and enables us to cry out "Abba, Father! (v.6). The
work all three persons of the Holy Trinity did to secure our salvation
is also explained by Paul in Ephesians 1:3-14 and by Peter in 1 Peter
1:2. Jesus spoke of this as well (John 14:16-18,23-26; 15:26).