What will You Do With God's Gift?

For the last two weeks I have preach on the subject of Christmas. I have tried to look at Christmas in several different ways.

Today I want to finish up with the topic of Christmas with a question

I.       What are you going to do with the present God has given you for Christmas?

A.    Ephesians 2:8, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

B.    Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord

C.    Are you going to play with it for a while?

1.     People get saved and they are on fire for God

a)     They read their Bible faithfully

(1)   I know that I started to read the book of Rev.

b)     People start having a great prayer life

(1)   Then something happens

c)     Revelation 2:4, Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

d)     Let me explain this little further

D.    Is God's gift going to be put to the way side like some of the other gifts at Christmas time?

1.     Some gifts we get at Christmas, we use and play with it or use it a lot

2.     Kids do the same thing

3.     Luke 8:11-15,11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience

4.     Which of the 4 are you?

5.     What have you done with the Gift, God has given you?

II.     Now the only way we can please God is through Faith

A.    Hebrews 11:6, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him

B.    Sarah was at one time weak in the faith, but later grew stronger and please God

C.    God forgives and will always give us a second change to do right, that is the wonderful grace of God

D.    So how do we use faith with the gift of God to please Him?

III.    Many people have had faith without ever seeing the Gift

A.    Hebrews 11:1-13,1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. 4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth

B.    So we go back to what I ask at first, what are we going to do with the gift God has given to us and how are we going to use faith to accomplish it

C.    James 2:17-20,17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

D.    You have to take this gift of God and do something with it. Don’t use it for a while and than put it to the way side.

E.     James 1:22, But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Conclusion:

What will you do with the Gift of God this Christmas?

Will you use it for a while and at some time put it to the way side?

Will you use it to its fulness and get every benefit out of it that God has intended for you to have?

God gift is first for us to get saved, than after salvation we can use God's gift to live a victorious life.

We need to use His gift every day 24 7 the rest of our lives

Sunday morning Biker Service 12/29/07