{"product_id":"the-gift-that-everyone-needs","title":"The Gift That Everyone Needs","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMy Mother was easy to shop for. Her favorite color was purple and she loved hummingbirds. Whether it was for her birthday, Christmas, or “just because,” if a gift was purple or hummingbird-themed, it was perfect!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGift giving can sometimes be challenging. There are many things to consider when choosing a gift. What does the recipient like? want? need? Is this gift the right size? color? style? And there is no guarantee the gift won’t be returned, exchanged, or worse yet—“re-gifted.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBut there is one gift that everyone needs, whether they realize it or not. Let’s look at what the Bible says about this gift:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis Gift was Given with a Particular Motive—Love.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNot every gift is “a gift of love.” When someone gives us something we may feel obligated to give them something to “even the score,” so to speak. We may sometimes give a gift in order to get something in return—but that’s not really a gift, it’s a bribe.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe gift everyone needs was given in love by God, as it says in John 3:16:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis Gift was Given in a Particular Way—The Virgin Birth.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGod’s Son, Jesus Christ, left Heaven’s Glory and was born into the Human Race, but He was unique. As He walked, talked, taught, and healed during His earthly life and ministry, Jesus was perfect—sinless. He didn’t just choose not to sin, He was incapable of sinning. He was Immanuel, \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“God with us,”\u003c\/i\u003e as Isaiah 7:14 foretold:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis Gift was Given in a Particular Place—Bethlehem.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe account of Jesus’ birth in Chapter 2 of Luke’s Gospel mentions Caesar Augustus’ decree that there be a “census,” or “poll tax” throughout the Roman Empire. The money collected in this taxation was for the Emperor’s personal use. Therefore, this tax was collected whenever the Emperor’s “bank account” got low—usually once every 12 to 14 years. This tax required people to return to their ancestral villages. Since both Mary and Joseph were descendants of King David, they had to return to Bethlehem, the “city of David.” to pay the tax. Jesus’ birth in that Bethlehem stable was not accidental. It fulfilled yet another Old Testament prophecy, Micah 5:2:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis Gift was Given for a Particular Reason—Salvation.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, John—Jesus taught with authority and astonished His hearers. He also healed all kinds of sickness and disease. But Jesus did not come to be an itinerant teacher or miracle worker. Ultimately, as Luke 19:10 tells us, Jesus came:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“To seek and to save that which was lost.”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe “Sin Stain” is deep in every Son of Adam and Daughter of Eve. Nothing we do can change that. Even the sacrifices required by the Old Testament Law of Moses couldn’t cleanse or save anyone. The blood of those sacrifices only covered the people’s sins and pointed ahead symbolically to the One, True, Sacrifice for Sin—Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. As John the Baptist, Jesus’ “forerunner,” or “announcer,” said in John 1:29:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSuppose I sent my Mother a crystal hummingbird paperweight for Christmas many years ago and she sent it back to me unopened. Did she accept the gift? No, she refused it. Suppose, after her death, I found the un-opened package in the back of her closet. Did she actually possess the gift? No, she rejected it, even though it had been sent with love.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFriend, don’t refuse or reject God’s gift of His Son Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 says of Jesus:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Neither is there Salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAdmit your sin. Humbly and sincerely ask Jesus to save you and He will.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBlessings to you! \u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e– Daniel E. 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