THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

“I don’t want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and know that I couldn’t be doing this by my own power.” ― Francis Chan, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit.

While there is a lot of discussion about various “spiritual gifts” given to believers through the Holy Spirit, we should not forget that the Holy Spirit Himself is a wonderful gift given to those who believe in Jesus. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit a “gift” who will guide, lead, and empower us.  “He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:6).

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit possesses all the attributes of God. He is the source of spiritual life, power, and gifts, and He works to accomplish God’s purposes in the world.

Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to be with His disciples after His departure. The Holy Spirit is described as the Helper, who will guide them into all truth and comfort them in their troubles. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you”  (John 14:16-17).

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us and through us. He hears, speaks, teaches, and guides us into truth. He reveals Christ to us. We are convicted by Him, born again by Him, led by Him, and filled by Him. The Holy Spirit’s constant presence in our lives means we are never alone; He is always with us. The Holy Spirit invites us to lean on Him and receive from Him. He is telling us to stop trying to be like Jesus on our own and allow Him to empower us to become more like Jesus from the inside out.

Remember, growing your relationship with the Holy Spirit is a lifelong journey. It takes time, effort, and surrender to God’s will. But as you seek Him with a humble and open heart, He will reveal Himself to you in ways that will transform your life and draw you closer to Him.

“People who have, in a sense, asked Him to join them on their life journey, to follow them wherever they feel they should go, rather than following Him as we are commanded. The God of the universe is not something we can just add to our lives and keep on as we did before. The Spirit who raised Christ from the dead is not someone we can just call on when we want a little extra power in our lives. Jesus Christ did not die in order to follow us. He died and rose again so that we could forget everything else and follow Him to the cross, to true Life.” ― Francis Chan, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit“

  Discussion Questions:

  1. What questions do you have about the Holy Spirit? 
  2. How would you describe the Holy Spirit’s practical work in your life?

THE GIFT OF GRACE

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” –  Ephesians 2:8-9.

Giving gifts at Christmas is not mandatory. There are no rules or compulsory laws that mandate that we give and receive gifts from our loved ones. We aren’t entitled to gifts, and we’re not entitled to the gift of righteousness. We deserve to die in our sins, but instead, God has provided a way for all people to become righteous before Him. Christ gave His life freely so that we may escape the penalty of sin. And the Lord didn’t do it all because He had to, but because He wanted to. That is grace.

Grace is defined as “unmerited favor.” You don’t have to do anything to earn it; you receive something you did not earn or deserve. Often, we think something free doesn’t have much value. But in this case, the gift of grace extended to us from God is extremely valuable. The apostle Paul said, “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Although grace is hard to understand, God means for us to have it and experience it. If you are a Christian, you have been gifted the perpetual gift and outpouring of grace because of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!).”

God’s grace is boundless. He offers forgiveness to the rebellious, freedom to sinners, and intimacy with Himself to all who trust Christ as Savior. When we stare at a huge problem or trauma blocking our path, God’s grace is the powerful force that pushes the obstacle out of the way. We aren’t powerful enough to do it, but God is. Accepting God’s grace allows us to put the past behind us.

But grace is more than just erasing the past; it is about writing the future. That’s because when freed from regret, blame, and shame, we can show grace to others in every situation. It’s the ultimate form of “paying it forward.” Only Jesus has already paid our tab.

Grace is about living in a relationship with God. The gifts God gives are about living in a relationship with Him. And that is the greatest gift of grace.

 Discussion Questions:

  1. What amazes you most about grace?
  2. How would the world be different without God’s grace? What are practical ways to let others know about God’s grace?
  3. How is grace best explained through a giver-receiver relationship?

A STORY OF HOPE

“So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the Lord enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!’” – Ruth 4:13-15.

Have you ever felt like the world is crashing around you? Like you can’t go on any further? There will be seasons when a lot is happening around you that make you think nothing will improve. In those times, it is easy to lose hope. The question is, how are we going to respond in those times when hope is fading? The Book of Ruth is a story of how one family handled it. This Old Testament book beautifully illustrates God’s presence and guidance during challenging times. It is the story of a small, unknown family from Bethlehem during a famine. A husband, wife, and two sons on a journey to Moab in search of better circumstances only to encounter suffering and tragedy. In this short book, you will find the theme of the whole Bible…God’s redeeming love.

Not long after they had settled there, the husband died, and Naomi was left alone with two sons in a foreign land. Things seemed to improve when both boys found wives, and the family was growing. Then, tragedy came again. Both boys died, leaving two widows, Orpah and Ruth. In the four short chapters of this story, we see God at work in the lives of Naomi and Ruth. They return to Bethlehem devastated and empty. They are unaware God is watching and engaging them in His eternal plans to redeem the lost world.

A synopsis of Ruth goes like this: Ruth goes to Bethlehem with Naomi. Ruth meets Boaz. Boaz marries Ruth. They have a baby, which restores Naomi’s hope in God. Baby’s name is Obed, grandfather of King David from whose lineage came the Messiah…Jesus. In short, the Book of Ruth is the story of God, who is a “very present help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1). It reveals a God who continues to work for our good and His glory even when we cannot see Him.

So, in this tragic story, we see God’s sovereign hand using the events of life, both good and bad, to bring about His plan. If we are willing and we look closely, we can see the hand of God working through all circumstances to bless His people. Look to Him for comfort and have faith that He is working in your life as He was in Naomi’s, even though she could not see it.

Even during the darkest times, God is working. Like the sun behind the clouds on a rainy day…He is still there…still shining…still giving life. Isaiah 14:24 says, “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath: “It will all happen as I have planned. It will be as I have decided.”

Discussion Questions:

  1. What gives you hope this Christmas?

THE GIFT OF HOPE

“The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity–hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory–because at the Father’s will Jesus became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross.” – J.I. Packer.

It’s been estimated that a person can live four weeks without food; four days without water; and four minutes without air; but they can’t live four seconds without hope. Hope is like having a dream that you believe will come to pass; expecting a promise from God to come to pass. To have hope is to know that things are going to get better no matter how they may look right now.

Christmas season is the season we celebrate the greatest event in history: the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His birth, death, and resurrection transformed the world forever. The birth of Jesus is the gift of hope for all of humanity. Because He lives, we have hope. No matter how dark our circumstances may seem at any given point in time, we know there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that light is Jesus Christ.

Hope in the Biblical sense is synonymous with trust. We have hope because we trust in the Lord, and we know the Lord oversees every aspect of our lives. When our hope is based on trust in God, we don’t just wish for a certain outcome, we expect it. Instead of leaving the things we hope for to chance, we place them at the feet of Christ and trust the outcome to Him. We can trust in Christ because we know he will provide what we need, although not necessarily what we want.

The Bible tells us that “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12).  Hope is given and fulfilled through Jesus. Jesus brought hope with Him for all generations. He is hope fulfilled for previous generations and for us today, He is the hope of the world through His work on the cross.    

Hope was given as a gift from God in Jesus when the Word became flesh. That first Christmas was a declaration of the good news for everyone. It was hope for shepherds and wise men alike. It was the hope that God hadn’t forgotten about the world He made.

In this world, hope remains strong on the list of human needs. It is like a single candle during the night, it gives light for us to continue and find our way out of the darkness.  Hope is a very necessary component of everyday life. We must never give up and never think that our goal is impossible or too hard to attain. Because hope was born in a manger in Bethlehem.

Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”  

Discussion Questions:

  1. Hope seems like a vital component of how we relate to God. Agree or disagree and why?
  2. What can we do this week to find hope amid our struggles?

CELEBRATE JESUS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

  “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” – Matthew 1:21 (NIV)

You have undoubtedly heard a famous line in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol: “I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year.” The mean-spirited Ebenezer Scrooge was in the midst of a transformation after being visited by his former business partner and three ghosts throughout a Christmas Eve night. He is committing to embrace the spirit of Christmas and to live his life with kindness, generosity, and compassion, not just during the holiday season but throughout the year.

Christmas for many, is a joyous time. We love unwrapping gifts, listening to music, eating food, and watching our traditional family movies and shows. Christmas Day cannot merely be a once-in-a-calendar-year celebration. Christmas is an incredible annual tradition, but every day, we must work to remind ourselves of the reason for the season: the birth of Jesus.

We celebrate Jesus’ birth for deeper reasons than traditions and decorations. We celebrate it because He alone was God in human flesh, sent from Heaven to take away our sins and give us hope for the future. Put another way, Jesus Christ came to bring us back to God. Because of Him, the Bible says, “We have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1).

We need to have an “everyday Christmas” mindset.  That does not mean we must sing Christian carols in June or leave the Christmas tree up year-round. What it does mean is that we maintain a spirit of gratitude and giving during Christmas throughout the rest of the year.

To celebrate Jesus year-round, we must deeply desire to change and become more like Him. That’s our motivation. We celebrate and live for the One who lives in us. We celebrate and live for the One who has set us free. We celebrate and live for the One who has given us new life.

Christmas is a great time to re-evaluate and determine what you’re living for.  It brings a lot of emotions and feelings and it’s natural to stop and ponder it all.  But let’s not go back to business as usual in our spiritual lives once the season ends.

But every day until then, remind yourself of the sacrifice of Christ, what it tells you about your spiritual condition and the glory, power, and authority of your Heavenly Father who loves you and controls your life for his glory and good.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can we celebrate Christmas year-round?
  2. What can you do throughout the year to find ways to remind yourself about the truths of the Christmas story? 

THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

“I don’t want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and know that I couldn’t be doing this by my own power.” ― Francis Chan, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit.

While there is a lot of discussion about various “spiritual gifts” given to believers through the Holy Spirit, we should not forget that the Holy Spirit Himself is a wonderful gift given to those who believe in Jesus. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit a “gift” who will guide, lead, and empower us.  No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, the Holy Spirit and the gift of the Holy Spirit are God’s gift for you. “He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:6).

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit possesses all the attributes of God. He is the source of spiritual life, power, and gifts, and works to accomplish God’s purposes in the world.

Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to be with His disciples and to indwell them after His departure. The Holy Spirit is described as the Helper, who will guide them into all truth and comfort them in their troubles. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you”  (John 14:16-17).

The Holy Spirit’s constant presence in our lives means we are never alone; He is always with us. The Holy Spirit invites us to lean on Him and receive from Him. Growing your relationship with the Holy Spirit is a lifelong journey. It takes time, effort, and surrender to God’s will. But as you seek Him with a humble and open heart, He will reveal Himself to you in ways that will transform your life and draw you closer to Him.

“People who have, in a sense, asked Him to join them on their life journey, to follow them wherever they feel they should go, rather than following Him as we are commanded. The God of the universe is not something we can just add to our lives and keep on as we did before. The Spirit who raised Christ from the dead is not someone we can just call on when we want a little extra power in our lives. Jesus Christ did not die in order to follow us. He died and rose again so that we could forget everything else and follow Him to the cross, to true Life.” ― Francis Chan, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit“

  Discussion Questions:

  1. What questions do you have about the Holy Spirit? 
  2. How would you describe the Holy Spirit’s practical work in your life?

THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” – Philippians 4:4.

Righteousness, which means right standing with God, is not always easy to receive, primarily because we, even as believers, rarely “feel” righteous. Our actions, words, and attitudes seem to be regular roadblocks to receiving righteousness. And while wrong acts, words, and attitudes have consequences, those things do not affect a person’s standing before God. God sees us through the filter of the Blood of Jesus. Once we take our focus off our shortcomings and focus on God, we can receive the “gift” Jesus died to give us by faith.

According to the scriptures, there are two types of righteousness. The first one is my works or works of righteousness. In life, we are used to getting what we earn, which explains everything from our grade point average in school to our paycheck. In this type of righteousness, someone or something else is the problem, and I am the solution to fix that problem. Isaiah 64:6 points out the wrong in that thinking: “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,  and our sins sweep us away like the wind.”

According to the prophet Isaiah, our self-righteousness is a filthy rag. But God’s righteousness is not influenced by our acts or deeds. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” This righteousness is not dependent on your right doings but on the truly righteous one, Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:1 says, “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.” Righteousness is a gift that anyone who believes in Jesus has received. It does not depend on our works or the efforts we put into doing things. It is a free gift

So remember that Jesus Christ paid for this rare, one-of-a-kind gift, which was given by your Heavenly Father and delivered by the Holy Spirit. You can’t buy this gift. And there is no other gift available anywhere else that makes one righteous.

So, during this Christmas season, remember that the price of this gift required the death of Jesus so you can spend eternity with Him.

Discussion Questions:

  1. When you hear the word righteousness, what do you think of?
  2. What can we do this Christmas season to thank God for the free gift of righteousness?

JOY TO THE WORLD

“There’s no better time of the year to enjoy the color that enhances our streets. At no other time of the year do the faces of little children glow with such wonder. And there’s nothing like the music of Christmas! They’re playing our songs in grocery stores, elevators, shopping malls, and on every radio station: ‘Joy to the world! The Lord is come.’ They’re talking about our Savior. It’s our message on their lips. Have you noticed? Don’t miss that!” – Chuck Swindoll.

Joy. Everyone wants it. Marketing companies know this all too well. Every commercial promises some joy if you use their product. If you want the joy of sleeping well, then buy our mattress. Want the joy of eating something delicious, then eat at our restaurant. Want the joy of driving a luxury vehicle than purchase our car and so on. Every commercial portrays the image of a joy-filled person. Everyone promises it, but only Jesus is the source of real joy.   

The joy offered by God is different than the one promised at the car dealership or at the restaurant. God is not interested in giving you shallow happiness that melts in the heat of adversity. But He offers you a deep-seated, heart-felt joy that can weather the most difficult storms.

Can you imagine the joy Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds had on that first Christmas morning? The circumstances were not good. Mary and Joseph were far from home, in a strange town without a room where Mary could give birth to the Child. The Bible doesn’t tell us this, but you can see where the joy of Joseph and Mary could have been the most incredible world has ever seen because it came from God and was centered in the birth of the Savior. You, too, can have this joy.

Today, you may be leaking joy; you may feel like you’ve had a joy bypass done and feel discouraged. The good news is joy is findable. It can be obtained.  “…In Your presence is fullness of joy.…” (Psalm 16:11, AMP). The joy we seek, the consistency and persistence, regardless of what is going on in our lives, is found in Jesus. Spend time talking to Him. Spend time in His presence. Thank Him for His mercy, His kindness, and His forgiveness. When you seek Him, you will find Him. And you’ll discover joy.

Joy doesn’t accidentally happen. Joy happens when we make a choice. We choose to trust God. These wise men in Matthew 2:10, “When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!”  They didn’t just have joy. They expressed it. Joy is a choice. When we choose joy, we can have a joyful heart in even the most challenging circumstances.

Find your joy today in God’s presence, and believe that joy is possible.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What deflates joy for you? What joy substitute do you use?
  2. Describe your thoughts and reflections on how the gospel is designed to bring us “great joy.”
  3. What is the difference between the world’s version of joy and the Bible’s version of “great joy”?

THE GIFT OF JOY

“Joy, unspeakable joy
An overflowing well
No tongue can tell
Joy, unspeakable joy
Rises in my soul, never lets me go” –  Joy to the World (Unspeakable Joy) by Chris Tomlin.

There is something that gets no press on the news today: joy. There seems to be little news that makes you smile, let alone be happy. Joy is a scarce commodity today, but it shouldn’t be.  But what is joy? Many people confuse joy with happiness or an intense feeling of excitement. The Bible chooses to emphasize joy over happiness. Joy is deeper and richer than happiness or excitement. Happiness can quickly shift with a person’s mood and circumstances. Joy, on the other hand, does not depend on our feelings toward our situation. 

Joy can be found if you know where to look.  We can find real and complete joy only in God. Scriptures direct us to find joy in our hope in God. For example, Psalm 16:11 says, “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.”  Philippians 4: 4-5 instructs us to rejoice in the Lord: “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.  In John 15:11, Jesus tells us, “ I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”  

Our relationship with Jesus is our greatest joy. He gives us complete joy, which we cannot find apart from Him. His joy is a gift that we can choose to accept and pursue no matter where we are in life or our situation. This Christmas, ask God to help you find joy in your inadequacy, failures, busyness, tiredness, loneliness, pain, anxiety, and unwantedness.

To have such joy, there’s something we have to do first. We have to trust God first, and then God fills us with His joy. It’s a gift from Him to have joy. But we have to trust despite our circumstances. Romans 15:13 says, “ I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him…. “

God wants you to experience absolute joy. A joy that can’t be captured in words. An overflowing joy that fills you to the brim and makes you want to start singing the chorus of Handel’s Messiah suddenly.

This month, we celebrate the source of our joy. Jesus came that we may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10). These words were spoken long before Christmas tree wish lists and mounds of presents. His promise of a full life had nothing to do with things, programs, or even lofty dreams. Don’t miss out on absolute joy this Christmas, either. Jesus is our salvation, our hope, our peace. This is where joy flows freely in and out of our lives. This is where Christmas comes to life.

 Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the difference between the world’s version of joy and the Bible’s version of “great joy”?
  2. Describe your thoughts and reflections on how the gospel is designed to bring us “great joy.” How do we go about having this great joy?

PAUSE TO REFLECT ON THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS

“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people.” – Titus 2:11.

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. The stores are all decorated, Christmas carols play in the background and the streets are decorated with lights and displays. Drive through neighborhoods and see houses decked out in lights and all the trimmings. There is that wonderful smell of candles, cookies, cakes, and Christmas dishes. The children especially love this time of year, and with good reason: mounds of presents sit under the tree just waiting to be opened. The anticipation and excitement grow with each passing day for children and adults.

The presents will hopefully remind us of the greatest gift that God gave us all that first Christmas, His Son: “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David” (Luke 2:11).  Christmas should fill us with wonder and amazement.

God loves to give gifts. His gifts are not contingent on our circumstances. God gives freely out of the overflow of his heart. Christmas reminds us of this extravagant love. Jesus, God’s gift to us all, is the greatest expression of love, hope, joy, and peace. Jesus came in the most vulnerable way possible: as a baby, born in a manger, in a humble stable. This is shocking. It disarms our sensibilities and should speak volumes to us about Him. He is not angry , distant, or disengaged. He came near with tenderness and profound humility to share in our humanity.

Many people are experiencing messy lives this Christmas season. But if you study the first Christmas, you would conclude that it is a little messy as well. It was far from perfect. The Christmas story has heroes and villains, hopes and hardship, promises and pain, much like many of our stories.  Jesus didn’t come to a Thomas Kinkade Painting. Jesus was born in the most humble circumstances imaginable, and all His life, He lived like most people around Him – only poorer. He came to mud, straw, poverty, and oppression. Think of it:  His home had been heaven, surrounded by all the glory and power that were rightfully His as God’s only Son. But He willingly left all that behind and came down to share our lives on this earth – and even our temptations. The circumstances gave Jesus’ birth a significant humility. This King of kings and Lord of lords would be born in a stable,

Yet, wise men still followed a star of wonder: something they couldn’t fully understand, that led them to an unfamiliar place to meet Someone who would be called “Wonderful” (Isaiah 9:6). Like them, we need to be led again into the wonders of the season — to be awe-inspired anew at the mystery of what God did for each of us in sending His Son, Jesus, gift-wrapped as a baby, to be our Savior.

The real joy and wonder of Christmas, the true beauty of the Christmas message, is not just hearing about the angels appearing to the shepherds; it’s not even hearing the angelic choirs singing praises to God; it’s not even hearing the angel’s announcement There is born for you this day…a Savior, who is Christ the Lord; instead, the true beauty and wonder of Christmas is when we guard and ponder the gift, the surprise of God that first Christmas—that our Savior was born.

Discussion Questions:

  1. This devotional talks about the sense of wonder that comes with Christmas. How do you personally experience and express awe and admiration during this time of year? What can you do to evoke a sense of wonder for you?