Making Gift-Giving More Purposeful and Christ-Centered

We all love giving and receiving gifts. As long as we don't spend beyond our means, it's a special holiday tradition.

But one thing I'm trying to do at Christmas is give people at least one gift with a spiritual focus.

I've always loved this short, pithy proverb:

"Buy truth, and do not sell it; get wisdom and instruction and understanding." Proverbs 23:23

It encourages me to add some wisdom, instruction, and understanding to my gift list. The possibilities are endless, but here are four suggestions:

1. Bible study materials

A new Bible translation, a good commentary, a new note-taking journal—anything that makes Bible study more purposeful. If one of your friends or family members enjoys drawing, consider buying them a journaling Bible. Creative Bible journaling helps me stay focused and "draw" meaning from Scripture (pun intended 😊). 

2. A date with Jesus

When I wrote about having a "coffee date" with Jesus, many of my readers loved the idea. I give you permission to make a copy of that devotion.* You can then give it with a gift card for a coffee shop where a loved one can sit for several hours doing Bible study with the Lord, away from the daily grind. If applicable, tuck in some money for babysitting as well.

3. A Christian book, biography, or devotional

The more we fill our minds with good Christian content, the more we grow. Missionary biographies are especially faith-building. See A Great Cloud. Solidly biblical devotionals are also great gifts, but please steer clear of the popular Jesus Calling. I hope you'll consider the Bible Love Notes Wisdom for Life Devotional which helps busy people start their day with a one-minute focus on the Lord. 

4. Information about free Christian resources

In holiday conversations, talk about free resources for Bible study such as Bible Hub, Open Bible Info, or YouVersion which offer a variety of Bible study tools. And don't forget to recommend a free subscription to 1-Minute Bible Love Notes to your friends at Christmastime.

The most valuable thing we can do is grow closer to our Lord. So please consider ways you can help your loved ones do that this holiday season!

* If you make a copy of the devotion, please put "Used with permission of Gail Purath, BibleLoveNotes.com" on the copy. Thanks!

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Romans 12 Defies Cultural Philosophies

They'd helped her through several years of difficulty, but one day they treated her inconsiderately, so she permanently cut them off.

They raised him with love and the nurture of the Lord, but when they wouldn't enable his adult irresponsibility, he made sure they didn't get to see their grandchildren.

Because modern philosophies encourage people to embrace bitterness and apply “boundaries revenge,” Christians must remember the life-giving principles in Romans 12.  

 

✔ How do we live in a world where modern psychology supports selfish bitterness? 

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2 

✔ When the world tells us that others should honor us and affirm everything we do, how do we respond? 

“Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.… Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:3,10 

✔ What if someone treats us unfairly? 

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Romans 12:14 

✔ If someone dishes it out, shouldn’t we give it in return? 

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21 

We can respond childishly to difficulties and never learn mature people skills, or we can obey the life-giving principles in Romans 12.  

Our faith is not tested by harmony and approval. It's tested by difficulties, disapproval, and disagreement.

See Avoiding Difficult People Makes Us a Difficult Person and Boundaries: No One Should Make You Feel Guilty...Really?

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Why Celebrate Christmas?

In Deuteronomy 11:18-21 God encouraged the Israelites to remind their children of the wonderful things He had done for them.  Remembering God's benefits is important for adults as well, and holidays are one way we can do it.

It's not important to know the actual day of Christ's birth, but it's critically important to remember how His birth changed the world and how it changed our lives specifically.

Jesus "who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:5-8).

That's a truth worth celebrating. 

So let's use our Christmas celebrations to "tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us—yes, the many good things he has done for [His people], according to his compassion and many kindnesses" (Isaiah 63:7).

I encourage you to do a short study on Deuteronomy 11:18-21 at Bite Size Bible Study. And see 5 Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas. 

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Note: Some Christians choose not to celebrate Christmas. We should respect their choice, not accusing them of legalism. Most Christians do celebrate Christmas, and those who don't should respect our choice, not calling us pagan or ungodly. This kind of name-calling is rebuked in Romans 14, especially Romans 14:5, and Colossians 2:16. 

I have thoroughly studied the pagan claims about Christmas and have written about it here: Christmas Confusion. I've specifically addressed the false claim that Christmas trees are a pagan practice here: 6 Ways to Determine if a Scripture Is Used Correctly.

I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word: Wisdom for Life. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. And find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. 

You can sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

 

 

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Are You Sticking Up for Your Family?

When someone falsely discredits our loved ones, we should be quick to defend them. The same is true for our most important loved ones, the family of God.

The unsaved world is quick to criticize Christians as judgmental, hypocritical, or unloving. But the world's definitions of love, judgment, and hypocrisy are not God's definitions. 

We shouldn't be surprised by unjust criticism because our Lord was called demonic, crazy, and impure (Mark 3:20-35). In John 6 Jesus was criticized and abandoned by the crowds He'd just fed and by those who had previously identified as His disciples.

There are rare examples of unloving people who profess to be Christians, but they aren't the norm. With all of our flaws, the family of God is far more caring, humble, and unselfish than the unsaved world.

However, because the unsaved world is blinded by Satan's lies (2 Corinthians 4:4), people are more apt to criticize Christians than violent Muslim groups or atheistic communist governments.

I've lived all over the U.S. and in two European countries, and the majority of Bible-believing Christians I've met are good people. Not perfect, but far more loving than the non-Christians I've known. So when someone discredits our family, the family of God, let's set them straight.

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See The Remnant, the Unfaithful, and the Lost. Encourage yourself each morning with 8 Statements Christians Should Make Each Day.

The passages below help us understand why Christians should not be surprised by this bigotry.

John 7:5-7: “His own brothers did not believe in him. Therefore Jesus told them, ‘My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.’”

Matthew 10:22: “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

John 15:18-22: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.”

2 Corinthians 4:4: “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

 

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8 Steps to a More Meaningful Christmas

1. Don't overspend. 
"Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6).

2. Have a Gratitude Attitude (Psalm 107:1). 
This will go a long way in dissolving Holiday Blahs.

3. Share with the needy. 
Visit a nursing home, buy gifts for a needy family, or bring a meal to a shut-in. You'll be "lending to the LORD--and he will repay you!" (Proverbs 19:17; Matthew 25:40)

4. Celebrate Christ's birth with someone who is lonely or facing difficulties.
"When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind" (Luke 14:13).

5. Pause and pray often (Philippians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

6. Sing, recite Scripture, rejoice!
"Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" (Ephesians 5:19).

7. Pray for persecuted believers (Hebrews 13:3).
The Christmas season often brings increased persecution.

8. Take a gift or plate of cookies to unsaved neighbors. 
Make "the most of every opportunity" (Colossians 4:5).

If you add some or all of these things to your celebration of Christ's birth, you will find it more fulfilling and meaningful. 

The highlighted words/phrases above are linked to a one-minute devotion or a full-text Scripture. I encourage you to click them!

Check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word: Wisdom for Life. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. Find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. 

You can sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

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Ponder This

Several years ago I wrote about starting a “happiness diary”—not because I was feeling happy, but because I wasn’t. It’s something I need to do from time to time to keep my mind focused on my blessings.  

We can find the bad in good things or the good in bad things. One will draw us away from the peace God offers, and the other will draw us into God’s comforting arms (Philippians 4:8-9).  

This doesn't mean we pretend we don't face challenges. It means we remember God's love in the midst of those challenges. When our struggles overwhelm us, we can remember 1 John 3:1:

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 

Each morning we can remind ourselves of Lamentations 3:22-23: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” 

When we face health problems or aging problems, we can remember 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 

Amen!

 

You might also want to ponder these other passages:

8 Statements Christians Should Make Each Day

10 Good Prayers from Psalms

6 Reasons to Pray Colossians 1:9

Benefits of Praying Philippians 1:9-11

 

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The Freedom of Loving Your Enemies

When the U.S. was fighting in Iraq, 90% of wounded American soldiers survived because of advances in medicine and protective gear (source). 

New technologies were created specifically for war injuries, but those technologies have benefited everyone, not just wounded soldiers, a Romans 8:28 result of war.

During the war, I visited a military hospital, and an Army nurse who was stationed in Iraq told me he frequently saw American medical teams treating injured Iraqi soldiers. 

I thought that was incredible—healing enemies who minutes earlier had tried to kill them. What an amazing example of Luke 6:27-36: 

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.… Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”  

This puts our own mistreatment in perspective and gives us the courage to do the same with our personal enemies.

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.… Do not repay anyone evil for evil.… Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath.… On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:14-21

I think you'll enjoy the true story in Deadly Revenge and the wisdom from Psalm 143 in 6 Ways to Fight Our Enemies.

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For Example...

When we're struggling, it's good to remember that we're surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses" who've gone before us in our race of faith. Their lives are examples, helping us stay focused on Christ (Hebrews 12:1-3). 

We have scriptural examples, like Joseph, Paul, and Tabitha,* but we also have examples here and now.

My friend Ginny is a full-time caregiver to her elderly mom and disabled husband. She doesn't deny her challenges. But you can’t talk to her for long before she tells you how blessed she is. (See When Hardship Is a Privilege.)

I have a friend whose childhood was marred by sexual abuse, but she’s a positive, prayer-focused woman who loves talking about things of God.

In the early 2000s, I met Father Placid who had been imprisoned in a Russian gulag for his faith. His joyful smile and kindness lit up every room he entered. (See He Developed a Curriculum of Survival.)

My friend Linda is widowed and she deals with persistent health problems, but she joyfully shares Christ with telemarketers, waitresses, friends, and neighbors…everyone she meets! 

My friend Cathy and her husband Glen have been missionaries in Suriname for over forty years, living without luxuries like air conditioning in the jungle heat. But they are grateful for their opportunities to share Christ.

Please consider the godly examples in your life, and if you don't have any, I encourage you to read some good Christian biographies.

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* Here are some one-minute glimpses that will encourage your faith:

Joseph: Keep on Keeping On

Paul: Paul's Boast

Tabitha: Don't Be Jealous of Other People's Gifts

And these are illustrations of the kinds of examples we can have in our lives:

What Could He Have Done That He Didn't Do?

Secret Joy

Going Forth: Jonathan Goforth

 

 

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"Bitter" Is a Bad Name

In hardship, we can change our name ... or we can change our perspective.

Let me explain:

In the book of Ruth, Naomi's family moved to Moab, a pagan land, because of famine in Israel. Afterward her husband and two married sons died.

Because God was blessing Israel with good crops, the widow Naomi returned to her homeland where friends and relatives welcomed her.

Her daughter-in-law Ruth vowed to never leave Naomi and to worship the True and Living God instead of the pagan gods of Moab.

Naomi's loss was great, but she was back among God's people where food was plentiful, she had a devoted, God-fearing daughter-in-law, and she had God's comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

However, Naomi told everyone to call her "Mara" (bitter) because "the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty." (Ruth 1:20-21)

... empty ...

In the midst of trials, we often ignore God's loving hand of help and provision. But when this happens, we need to change our perspective, not our name. 

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I encourage you to do the Bite Size Bible Study on this devotion. It asks 3 questions we all should answer when we are going through hardship. If you're married, I also encourage you to read this devotion about Naomi and Ruth: Was Naomi a Good Mom-in-Law?

I also encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. And find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first 4 devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" on Lifeway or Amazon. In addition, you can buy the book in Kindle format on Amazon and as an ebook on other sites.

 

I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

Don't Overlook Philippians 4:9

When I face difficulties I can end up feeling anxious and negative. I need to regain my focus.  

Philippians 4:8-9 is a great passage, but we typically focus on verse 8:

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” 

But verse 9 is also important:

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” 

Paul (and other godly Bible characters) are meant to be examples for us. They had feelings, emotions, and fears like the rest of us. But they persevered and served God faithfully. They remind us, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).  

When we're facing difficulties, let's learn from the examples of godly biblical men and women. They did it and we can do it too!

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See Even Paul Despaired and Paul's Boast. And did you know that we can even learn from bad examples? See Cain Provides a Good Bad Example.

 

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