I love the Christmas season! The thought of God loving me enough to send Jesus for me magnetizes my soul with intrigue and delight. The idea of the eternal God and Creator of the universe coming as a baby and being born in a barn because of his love for me shatters all natural reasoning and is profoundly humbling! Yes, these thought-provoking and awe-inspiring images are what drives the spirit of celebration during Christmas!

Would it be a good idea to prepare to celebrate the season? I believe the best possible way someone could prepare to celebrate this Christmas would be to receive without reservation the precious gift of righteousness God has granted to us through Jesus! Yes! This is why he came!

Think about this – God was thoroughly prepared and ready for the very first Christmas! Even before he created the universe, he was preparing to come to give his life for us! Look at this most profound Scripture.

Eph 1:4-5 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

It was love! Yes! God was in love with us before there was such a thing as the earth! He preplanned to come as a baby, be born in a barn, die as a man, and he did it all for you! Because of his intense love for you, he chose to give his life away!

Matthew 1:23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” --which means, “God with us.” (NIV)  

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God! (NIV)

God caused Jesus, who had no sin, to be sin for us. In other words, he became our substitute. He took our place – he took our punishment. Now that Jesus has been sacrificed for our sin, the only thing necessary to receive what God has provided through Jesus is faith! Yes, there is nothing that you or I can do to deserve or earn this favor of God towards us! Therefore, our most significant act of worship and honor towards God is to humbly and wholeheartedly receive all his sacrifice has provided for us!

Since God gave the greatest gift to us, should we not give our very best gift to him? What would that be? The greatest gift you could give to God this season would be to RECEIVE his amazing provision for your righteousness and relationship with him provided through Jesus Christ! Yes! The greatest gift you can give to God is to believe him! The greatest pain God has to endure is the unbelief of those he so desperately wants to bless!

Jesus was ready for Christmas – he gave his life away! This Christmas is your opportunity to give your life to him. Giving your life away means that you choose to trust him alone for your righteousness, value, worth, and eternity! Now is your moment – this is your season! It is time to give God what he so deserves – your complete and total trust! God was ready for Christmas!...

Are You Ready for Christmas?