1 Thessalonians 1:5 - The Gift

1 Thessalonians 1:5 "For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know that the way we lived among you was further proof of the truth of our message." (NLT)

Sometimes while I was growing up, I'd be thinking about things and suddenly it would hit me how fortunate I was to have been born into the family I was..........with loving parents who strived to give us the values and principles that would aid us in life..........who fed us.........clothed us.........gave us shelter..............who loved us with a love that I can only now understand as a parent myself.

I also remember not taking the time to say thank you for all these good things my parents gave me. I just took it for granted that they knew that I appreciated their sacrifices so that I could have the better things that life had to offer, which included, above all else, a respect and love for God.

I regret that I didn't take more time to say thank you to them for what they did.

Since I've begun to develop a deeper relationship with the Lord, I often think of what all of us received when He sacrificed Himself on the cross over 2,000 years ago.

And I think how fortunate I am to have been born again into the Family of the King through His selfless act. I reflect back on the children of the old covenant and how awestruck they would have felt if they had the same access to Him that I have today.........right into His Presence..............every moment of every day.

And what troubles me to some extent is that I seem to, at times, take this for granted when I should be on my face in thanksgiving before Him.

The Lord's Spirit dwells within us............and with His Spirit is the power over life and death. Yes, my physical body will die one day, but my spirit will move on with His Spirit to a special place He's prepared for me. When I really let that sink in, it sends chills up and down my spine.

I want Him to know I love Him for what He did for me..........for not giving up when I was out wandering around in the world......for loving me in a way that only God can love.

Thank you Jesus for your love..........and always keep before me the magnitude of your gift to me so that I never again take it for granted.

Love in Jesus,

Jim

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"But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired." (1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB)

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

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This devotional was originally posted on CCI-Devo - Daily Group Devotionals on December 2, 2003 in post #418. It was written by Jim Ross, a former United Pentecostal Church member, who attends Christian Challenge International, the sponsor of the devotional group. The devotional is the copyright of Jim Ross and is reprinted on this site by permission.

Page added April 17, 2006

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