Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Soon it will be Christmas Eve and many millions will anticipate opening their gifts in the morning; but mainly, they are materialistic gifts.
The Bible speaks of "spiritual gifts," and they are the ones that are valuable beyond estimate. To covet such gifts is not being sinful, although it is sinful to "covet" material "gifts" (the last of the Ten Commandments says, "Thou shalt not covet ...").
There was a truth written once by E. J. Waggoner that is so obvious that I marvel that I never thought of it. Many sermons should be preached about it: "The new birth completely supersedes the old. 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ...' He who takes God for the portion of his inheritance [there's your coveting the best gifts!], has a power working in him for righteousness, as much stronger than the power of inherited tendencies to evil, as our heavenly Father is greater than our earthly parents."
Simple, but simply, profoundly true!
Rejoice in your new heavenly Father! He is infinitely more powerful in lifting you above sin than your earthly father was in passing on to you the condemnation he had received from the fallen Adam. In other words, the righteousness you now receive from your new heavenly Father (you have now chosen to believe in Him!), is stronger than your addiction to evil--of any kind.
When the angel sang his chorus over the hills of Bethlehem when Christ was born, that was his message: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10, KJV).
(1) It's good news. (2) It brings "great joy." Not a trace of sadness in it! (3) It's for "all people," a blessing universal. (4) It announces a gift that Christ gives to "all people." Paul explains it in Romans 5: he says five times that it is "a free gift" for the same "all who "sinned," reversing that "condemnation" that the fallen Adam brought on the entire human race (vss. 15-18). Deliverance from all addictions!
The true story of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem is great good news! It will finally be told with "great power" to "lighten the earth with glory," and it will prepare all who believe with all their hearts; it will prepare them for meeting Jesus when He returns (Rev. 14:1-5). That time is now.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 24, 2007.
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