Christmas: Open Your Gift from God

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas: Open Your Gift from God

by Rick Warren

 

By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us

—set us right with him, make us fit for him

—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus.

Romans 5:1

You’re not reading this by accident. No, God knew before you were born that you would be here in this moment.

He planned to get your attention for just a few seconds so he could say this to you:

“I’ve seen every hurt in your life, and I’ve never stopped loving you. You matter to me.

I love you more than you will ever know. I made you to love you, and I’ve been waiting for you to love me back.”

 

God is saying, “I want the rest of your life to be the best of your life. I’m with you, and I’m for you.

I want to save you from your past. I want to save you for the purpose I made you for.

And I want to save you by my grace.

If you’ll let me do that, I will give you peace with me, peace of me, and peace with other people.

But you’ve got to open the door and receive the Christmas gift.”

 

If you gave me a Christmas gift and I never opened it, you would be disappointed.

And it would be a worthless gift because I don’t receive the benefit of a gift I never opened.

 

Jesus Christ is God’s Christmas gift to you.

Yet some of us have gone Christmas after Christmas and never opened the best gift of all – God’s gift of salvation.

Why even celebrate Christmas if you’re not going to open the biggest gift?

It doesn’t make sense to leave unwrapped the gift of your past forgiven, a purpose for living, and a home in heaven.

 

Jesus Christ says to you, “I can replace the frustration in your heart with peace.

I can replace the guilt, resentment, shame, and grudges with forgiveness.

I can replace the worry and anxiety with confidence and faith.

I can replace depression or despair with hope. I can replace emptiness with meaning and purpose.

I can replace confusion with clarity. But I’m not going to break down the door of your heart. You’ve got to invite me in.”

 

God says: “It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from,

if you want me and you are ready to do as I say, the door is open.”

 

It doesn’t matter what your religious background is

– Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, Buddhist, Baptist, Hindu, or no religion.

This is not about religion. God didn’t send Jesus to give you religion.

He sent him so you could have a personal relationship with God. It’s all about relationship.

 

Below is a prayer I prayed years ago when I stepped across the line and became a friend of God’s.

It’s a pretty simple prayer. If these words express the desire in your heart, read them as if you are talking to God.

 

Prayer:

Dear God, I’m scared, but I want to get to know you. I don’t understand it all, but I thank you that you love me.

I thank you that you’re with me even when I didn’t recognize it.

I thank you that you are for me; that you didn’t send Jesus to condemn me but to save me.

 

I admit I never even realized I needed a Savior, but today I want to receive the Christmas gift of your Son.

I ask you to save me from my past, my regrets, my mistakes, my sins, my habits, my hurts, and my hang-ups.

Save me from myself.

 

I ask you to save me for your purpose. I want to know why you put me on this planet.

And I want to fulfill what you made me to do. I want to learn to love you and trust you and have a relationship with you.

 

I need peace with you, God, and I need you to put your peace in my heart.

I need you to take away the stress and fill me with your love.

Help me be a peacemaker, to help others find peace with you and each other. In your name I pray, amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas: Peace with Each Other
by Rick Warren

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.

Matthew 5:9

 

 

Once you make peace with God and have the peace of God in your heart, you’re able to make peace with other people.

God says, “I want you to be a peacemaker. I want you to be a reconciler.” The Bible calls this “the ministry of reconciliation.”

 

As I’ve traveled from country to country over the past few years, I’ve seen the same problem – conflict.

Between husbands and wives, between generations, ethnic groups, religious groups, language groups – between nations.

The greatest need in our world is reconciliation. “Peace on earth, good will toward men.”

 

God says, “Once I have shown you grace, I want you to show it to other people.

Show them the grace I have shown you. Be a peacemaker.”

 

Jesus said it like this. “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

If you really know Christ the Prince of Peace,

you’re going to be a peacemaker, not a troublemaker – at work, at home, or at school.

You’re going to build people up, not tear them down.

You’re going to compliment more than you criticize.

You’re going to love people the way Jesus loves people.

 

Christmas is the perfect time to show grace to other people

because we’re reminded of the grace God has shown us – that he gives us what we need, not what we deserve.

So let me ask you a very frank question: Who do you need to restore a broken relationship with this Christmas?

That’s the spirit of Christmas – “peace on earth, good will toward men.”

 

You say, “I can’t do it.” When families get together at Christmas,

a lot of times it brings back a lot of bad memories and past hurts and things you just haven’t let go of.

You say, “I can’t let go of it. They hurt me too bad. I can’t forgive them.”

 

You’re right. That’s why you need Jesus. You don’t have it in you to let it all go.

That’s why you’re still holding onto it. You need to be filled with the love of Christ and the peace of Christ.

Until that happens, you’re not going to have the ability to let it go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Brings the Peace of God
by Rick Warren

You will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.

His peace will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6

 

 

Once you make peace with God, that’s spiritual peace,

then you get the peace of God in your heart and that’s emotional peace.

 

This is the one you really need for daily living.

The peace of God happens in your heart when you’ve made peace with God.

All of a sudden, the stress in your life goes down. You’re not as angry as you used to be.

Things don’t bother you as much. You’re a lot more patient. You’re filled with a lot more love and peace.

 

Why? Because once you have peace with God, you have the peace of God in your heart.

The Bible says, “Don’t worry about anything. Instead pray about everything” (Philippians 4:6).

You have two choices in life: You can pray or panic, worship or worry. Those are your choices.

Worry has never solved a single one of your problems.

If you prayed as much as you worry, you would have a lot less to worry about! Prayer can change things.

That’s why the Bible says, “Don’t worry. Pray!”

 

“Pray about everything. Tell God what you need. Thank him for all that he’s done.

[And if you do this]

You will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.

His peace will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Means Peace with God
by Rick Warren

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith,

we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

Romans 5:1

 

Do you realize that if you’re trying to live your life without God, you are at war with him?

You are at war with God, and you need a peace treaty.

You need reconciliation because your relationship with God has been broken. 

Jesus Christ came to be that bridge, to be the reconciler between God and man.  

When you trust Jesus, he makes it all go away.

He says, “I’m going to completely wipe out everything you’ve ever done wrong.

You’re completely forgiven. Come on home!”  

The Bible says,

“Now that we have been put right with God through faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:1

 

Have you made peace with God?

If you haven’t, you’d better, because one day you will have to face him.

You need to make peace with God.   

How do you make peace with God?

You don’t do it by promising to be good or by being perfect. You can’t.

The Bible says you make peace by faith – faith in God’s grace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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