“The Gift” (How to Keep Christmas Happy) | Sunday Message

Help us share the gospel in 2024! Pastor Greg Laurie points out that we often don’t appreciate the gifts we receive enough—including our God-given gift of salvation. He talks about what this gift brings, and how we should respond. Notes: Matthew 2 The gift that God gave to us. The gift that we give to God. The gift we give to others... The gift that God gave to us. Christians carry this gift in their hearts. It is salvation, the gift of eternal life. “The gift of God which is eternal life through Jesus Christ.” Romans 6:23 The gift God has given us is more valuable than any earthly gift; it’s called justification. Romans 5:1–2 The word justify speaks of the forgiveness of our sins. God takes our sin and forgives and forgets them! “God hurls our sins into the sea where they sink like a stone.” Micah 7:19 “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:34 Do not choose to remember what God has chosen to forget. Justification means, “just as if it never had happened.” Justified means, “to put to one’s account.” Acts 13:38–39 The gift that we give to God. There is nothing we could ever give to God that would equal what He gave us. Read: Matthew 2:9–12 Gold, because Jesus was a King. Frankincense, because Jesus was our high priest. Myrrh, because Jesus came to die for our sin. “In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.” Proverbs 23:5 You are sitting in someone else’s sacrifice. The gift we give to others. The key to having a happy Christmas is not receiving but, rather, giving. A 10-Step Solution for Depression: Step 1: Do something for someone else who has greater needs than you. Step 2: Repeat Step 1 nine more times. 3 John 1:4 The only real happiness you will find is in Christ, not in Christmas but in Christ. “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself because it is not there. There is no such thing.” —C.S. Lewis --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.