Have You Opened Your Two Gifts From God?

Do you have any gifts from last Christmas which you have never opened?  If so, you can send them to me!  The reality is that you probably don't.  Most of us have such anticipation of opening our gifts; we struggle to even wait until Christmas!  One of my own sons always looked at his gifts in stealth before Christmas and then perfectly put the wrapping paper back on them. Sadly, many of us have two gifts God gave that we have never opened.  These two gifts have been provided for the transformation of our lives and relationships.  Interested in knowing what they are?  According to Romans 5:17, they are abundant grace and righteousness.  "Much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ."  God says if we open these gifts and enjoy them, we will reign in life through our relationship with Jesus.  So, what does this look like in real life? Abundant grace means the limitless life of Jesus Christ is in us.  He is in us to give us the most satisfying intimacy we can ever experience while on this earth.  One of my first staff members was what is often termed as a "complete Jew" because at 16 he received Christ as His personal Messiah.  However, over time, he fell into deep depression and tried everything he knew to free himself from it.  That all changed when he began to understand and live by God's abundant grace so much so that an elder at his church once told me that he was one of the most changed persons he knew.   That's reigning in life! The gift of righteousness means that because we are in Christ, God has made us as righteous as Jesus.  He did this by replacing our former identity of being a sinner with a new identity of being righteous.  Romans 5:19 describes it by contrasting the identity we received from Adam with the one we received from Jesus. "For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous."   As a result, you are always 100% righteous in your spirit.    I met Billy at a pastors' retreat.  Just before I took the stage, he asked me what I was going to speak on, trying to decide whether he wanted to stay.  When I shared a little of my message, he did stay and discovered that though he had lived a very fleshly rebellious life until recently, God still viewed him as righteous instead of a dirty rotten sinner.  Before, he had seen himself as unworthy of marrying a godly Christian girl.  Afterwards, he realized that was a lie.  Why?  Because he opened his gift of righteousness by believing he was 100% righteous.  It wasn't long before our Papa brought him a wonderful Christian girl to be his wife.  He is now a full-time student pastor with a very fruitful ministry. You can also open these gifts today but only through faith.   To open the gift of abundant grace is to depend on Jesus Christ in you, to meet your deep need for intimacy and then to live His life through you.  To open the gift of righteousness is to believe that your identity in Christ makes you as righteous as Him.  Why don't you open these two gifts right now?  Here is a suggested prayer for you to pray today and beyond. "Jesus, I know that I have tried many ways to find intimacy but I realize none of those will ever satisfy me. I choose to believe that You are in me to be my eternal companion, offering me intimacy far beyond what any human could ever give.  Though I may not feel it today, I believe You live in me to love me, to talk with me and listen to me.  I am also convinced that without You I can do nothing in any area of my life.  I ask You to fill me with Your love for me and to live Your life through me today in all that I do, especially in my relationships.  Finally, Jesus, I believe when You gave me the gift of Your righteousness it became my righteousness.  This is my true identity regardless of how often I have failed or succeeded.   I choose to believe that I am righteous regardless of my behavior, circumstances or feelings.  Please remind me often to enjoy these two gifts which You gave me.  Amen"

Believe it! It's the Gospel.

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding

10 Gifts God Gives for Personal Happiness

The mere mention of the song "Happiness is the Truth" by Pharrell Williams should immediately cause you to break out singing this wildly popular hit song.  It's been featured in the movie Despicable Me 2, commercials, singing competitions, news shows, and more.  I also think one of the reasons it was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 list for 10 consecutive weeks was that it touched a desire God placed in every human soul: the desire to be happy.

Yet, you have probably been taught as a Christ-follower that happiness and joy aren't the same.   If you mean happiness based on the "happenings" of life, then that is true.  However, when considered in Biblical context, I'm not sure they are different.  You may have also been taught you are not supposed to focus on being happy but on being holy.  Yet, the more I understand the New Covenant, the more I'm convinced these aren't mutually exclusive.  Why?  In one sense, holiness is simply living life the way God intended.  It would seem then that the more you do that, the happier you will be.  Of course, many have their own ideas of what makes them happy that are far from God's ideas.  Let's see if we can discover together in the story of creation what God originally provided for your happiness.  

1. Himself:  When God breathed into Adam, He breathed Himself into him.  His intent in creating each of us has always been to be intimate with us by living inside of us so He could love us and show us how wonderful He is.  He also intended to live through us to reveal Himself to others.   Genesis 2:7 describes this and is similar to Jesus breathing on the disciples in John 20:22. 
2.  Identity:  When God created Adam, Genesis 1:27 says, He created him in his own image.  This means you were created with a God-centered identity.  Though Adam's identity was stolen in Genesis 3, Jesus came to give it back to all who believe in Him.  2 Corinthians 5:17
3. Forgiveness:  After Adam and Even sinned, God came looking for them.  Afterwards, He banished them from the Garden but before He did, He killed animals and covered them with their skins for clothing.  This was the first sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins and was pointing to the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus Christ's death on the cross, which would provide past, present and future forgiveness to all who believe.  Genesis 3:21, Colossians 2:13, Hebrews 10:17-18
4. Companionship:  When God said, "It is not good for man to be alone", He formed a wife for Adam from his rib.  However, this speaks of a truth larger than just marriage. You were made to be in satisfying relationship with a group of people starting with your spouse(unless God has called you to be single).  Married or single, you were made to enjoy human connection on a deep level.  Genesis 2:18-25
5. Children:  God intended for most of us to have children so He could have others to live in and through.  In a fallen world, some have experienced anything but happiness in raising their children.  Yet, God originally intended for them to be a blessing.  Also, even those who don't have children may often enjoy their family or friend's children.  Genesis 1:28; Psalm 127:3
6. Animals: God gave us animals to take care of and to enjoy.  If you've ever owned a dog or cat, you know how special they can be to you.  You also know how much sorrow you feel when they die.  Maybe that is why there will be animals in the new heaven and earth that we are going to inhabit.  Genesis 2:19-20.  Isaiah 11:6-9
7. Creation:  God gave Adam a beautiful earth and breathtaking stars to gaze upon.  Why do you enjoy fall leaves, geological formations, mountains, the ocean, a river, a sunset and the stars?  It's because God gave those to us to enjoy and to see Him reflected in it.  That may be why many people feel close to God when they are in nature.   Genesis 1:1-19
8. Work:  God gave Adam a specific job to do - to cultivate and keep the garden.  Genesis 2:15.  According to Ephesians 2:10, you were uniquely designed by God to do specific jobs which include good works in your time on this earth.  Do you know what you are designed to do?  If not, find out for a very small fee at www.placeministries.org.  It will help you understand why you keep being drawn to certain activities.
9. Food:  God created a smorgasbord of tasty nutritious food.  Adam and Eve were given carte blanche permission from God to eat any of the hundreds of fruit and vegetables in the garden any time they wanted (except for one).  When the majority of the food we eat is a variety of God-made food rather than man-made food, we will typically feel a lot better physically and emotionally.  Genesis 1:29; 2:16-17.
10. Land/Home:  In Genesis 2:8, we are told, "The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed."   The desire to have your own home whether a house, condo, cabin, apartment or tent, is not rooted in the American dream.  It comes from God.  So much so, that the Scriptures speak of God having a home for you in God's house after you die.  John 14:2-3

As you just read about all God gave to provide for your happiness, are you enjoying them?

Here are a few other comments as I conclude.  Did you notice that this is a God-centered happiness instead of a man-centered happiness?  Unless you are enjoying 1 - 3 in light of the New Covenant, the remainder will provide only fleeting happiness.  On the other hand, if 1 - 3 are in place, you can enjoy the others more than you could ever imagine.  You can enjoy God-centered happiness without having all of 4-10 such as children or animals.  The world, your flesh and the devil have the goal of twisting all 10 of these to make you miserable.

Believe it! It's the Gospel!

Live Free In Christ,

Mark Maulding, President and Founder

www.GraceLifeInternational.com All Content Copyright © 2014 Mark Maulding