November
26, 2006 am Gifts from the
King Revelation
1:4b-8
By Ronald E.
George Jr. at the
What do you want for Christmas? What do you want from the King of kings? What did you get? If the King is giving the gifts can you just imagine what he could give?
Breakfast at McDonald's .
I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my
college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was
absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the
term was called "Smile." The class was asked to go out and smile at
three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and
always smile at everyone and say hello anyway, so, I thought this would be a
piece of cake, literally. Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband,
youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just
our way of sharing special playtime with our son.
We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden
everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not
move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I
turned to see why they had moved.
As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell, and
there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the
short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue
eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good
day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man
fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man
was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation. I held my
tears as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what
they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they
could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to
buy something. He just wanted to be warm). Then I really felt it - the
compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with
the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me,
judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to
give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the
corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on
the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up
at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you." I leaned over,
began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here
working through me to give you hope."
I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and
son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, "That is why God
gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope. "We
held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace
that we had been given were we able to give.
From
Rev. 1:4 (NIV) John, To the seven
churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and
who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and
from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and
the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from
our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve
his God and Father--to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. 7 Look,
he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced
him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him.
So shall it be! Amen. 8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says
the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
Here are God’s gifts to you. Have you received them? Will you give them this Christmas? These are gifts from the King of kings. These are eternal blessings.
1.
Grace: Receiving
what we don’t deserve. This is
undeserved favor.
2.
Peace: Peace is
the presence of the King in your life. Calm
in the midst of the storm.
3. Security: He will always be there for you. Don’t worry be happy, because the King is here with you.
4. Truth: He is the truth. He spoke and lived the truth so that you and I could know the truth.
5. Hope: He is the first born of the dead. We can make it with him even through death.
6. Justice: He is the ruler of the kings of the earth. He will make all things right in time. We have to trust him and accept his timing and justice.
7. Love: He first loved us while we were still sinners. This is unconditional love.
8. Freedom: He sets us free from the penalty of our sin by dying in our place.
9. Job/Calling: Jesus made us to be priests serving his God and Father. We are his representatives on this earth.
10. Future: Look, because He is coming. Every eye will see him.
What have you done with the gifts He gives? Have you received them? Would you then give them away to all you know? Give the best you have this Christmas. Receive God’s gifts and then give them away.