Many things are synonymous with Christmas. We think of hot chocolate and marshmallows, you know? We think of the decorations. We think of Christmas gifts. We think of the sweet treats. We think of fruitcake. I don't know how many people like fruitcake, but... I actually don't mind fruitcake I don't eat it too much because it's got too much sugar way too much sugar but it's I don't mind it every so often a little piece my mom told me one time I think I want to try a piece of fruitcake she said you're going to hate it and I said okay but I still want to try it so I bought a fruitcake and I tried it and I was like I don't mind it it's not too bad but like I said I don't do it too much because it's too much sugar and it packs on the weight But anyway, also something that's synonymous with Christmas is the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. One of my favorite Christmas movies that we watch every single Christmas carol that you can imagine during the course of the Christmas season. But there's also the songs. and one of the songs that is synonymous with Christmas is one song that my dad did not like at all and it was The Twelve Days of Christmas oh he could not stand that song he could not stand that song and the sad part about it was he knew I liked it and he couldn't stand it but he found a thing that you put the little figurines in and it's the 12 days of Christmas. And we put that up every year. Because even though I liked the song, I always thought it was cute. But the interesting thing, when I think about the 12 days of Christmas, I think, what is the 12 days of Christmas really all about? And interestingly enough, in one of my favorite shows, Sliders, the science fiction show, they talk about that, and they say, I think what the 12 days of Christmas is talking about, it's about too many gifts. And I thought about that and I thought, you know what, maybe that's true. It's about, instead of Christmas being about season's greetings, it becomes season's greetings. We get greedy. We want more and more and more. You know? See, Jesus is the real reason for the season. He came to be our perfect gift. Let's read what it says in Isaiah chapter 9 and verse number 6. It says these beautiful words. For unto us a child is born. I love those words. For unto us. Unto mankind. And going a step further. all of mankind. No one is excluded in the gift of God's only begotten Son. No one is excluded. For unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given. The greatest gift ever given to this world was the Son of God. In James chapter 1 and verse 17 it says these words, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. Jesus came from above, came into this world to be our perfect gift. What a blessing. unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders this simple phrase here affirms his lordship and the future world that is coming will be ruled by him the perfect ruler the perfect king the perfect redeemer I love this And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor. Beautiful words. Wonderful Counselor. When I read those words, Wonderful Counselor, I think of a wise king. Someone such like Solomon, you know. Solomon had an amazing gift of wisdom given by God. when we think of Solomon Solomon, you remember the account of Solomon when the two ladies had the one child was killed and they both said this child is mine and Solomon, they brought him to Solomon and Solomon sat there and said hmm, let's think about this now anybody else would have had difficulty figuring it out but Solomon was very smart and he said, you know what since we don't know whose baby this really is since we don't have DNA testing and all this tell you what let's cut the baby in half and give each one of them one half the mother said no no don do that please don do that the other woman said that the woman It kind of makes you wonder about that woman doesn it I mean, she lost her job, so she wants the other mother to lose her job. Doesn't make a lot of sense, does it? But the mother said, no, don't do that, please, just give her to the other one. And Solomon said, ah, that's the real mother. That's the real mother. Solomon was a very, very intelligent and very wise king And Jesus is that wonderful counselor He's going to be that wise king In addition it says, the mighty God I love those words, the mighty God The mighty God represents that He is mighty to save He is mighty to heal He is mighty to bring victory. There is nothing that we have need of that He cannot supply. But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches and glory by Christ Jesus. He's a mighty God. Then He's going to be what? The everlasting Father. I like that. Literally meaning the forever Father. The only one you'll ever need. Hallelujah. And then I love this part. It says, the prince of peace. The prince of peace. Now, I love Hebrew. Okay, I love those Hebrew words, right? So sometimes I like to look those up, right? And the prince of peace in Hebrew is shashalom. Shashalom. That is beautiful. It means the one who removes all peace disturbing factors and secures peace. Hallelujah. So anything that brings about and takes away that peace in your life, He will remove those things if you will let Him. If you will put your trust in Him, He'll remove them. And He will leave you with nothing but peace. Beautiful. Now, this is just the precursor. Now we're hitting the main event of the message today. Okay? Now, as we said, Jesus is the perfect Christmas gift. But beyond Jesus being the perfect Christmas gift, Jesus gave unto us many gifts. So today In the main event of the message We're going to share with you The 12 gifts of Christmas That Jesus gave to us Now if you would like to write these down You can do so If you need these you can message me later today If you would like them We'll send them to you But we will make them available if you would like them later on. But anyway, we're going to start with number one because that's the best place to start is at the beginning. Number one, the first gift that Jesus gave to us is salvation for you and me. In John chapter 3 and verse 16, it says, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus gave to us salvation full and free. The second gift that Jesus gives to us at Christmas and year-round is number two, everlasting life. John 10 and verse 28, it says these words. and I give unto you or unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand no man can take you away from God the only one that can take you away from God is you no man can do that so Jesus gives us everlasting life Number three The third gift that Jesus gives A home in heaven John chapter 14 and verse 2 says In my Father's house are many mansions If it were not so, I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you Beautiful words so Jesus in number 3 gives us a home in heaven number 4 the 4th gift that Jesus gives healing for all diseases and I want you to understand that there is no disease that Jesus cannot heal no not one in Isaiah 53 And verse 5, it says these words. But he was wounded for our transgressions. And he was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. And with his stripes we are healed Beautiful words So the fourth gift Jesus gives is healing for all diseases Number five. The fifth gift that Jesus gives. Victory over Satan. I love this one. Revelations 12 and verse 11. It says these words. And they overcame him, Satan, by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimonies. And they loved not their lives unto the death. I love those words. They overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimonies. I want you to understand those amazing words. Those two points, Satan cannot beat you. the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony if you speak it in Jesus name and in his blood there ain't nothing Satan can do to you hallelujah he gives us victory over Satan number six halfway there number six Jesus gives to us a new song A new song. Psalm 40 in verse 3. It says these words. And he has put a new song in my mouth. Even praise unto our God. Many shall see it in fear and shall trust in the Lord. There's a new song in my heart since the Savior set me free. Hallelujah. There's a new song in my heart. Tis a heavenly harmony. Hallelujah. See, there's a new song. And that's what Jesus gives to us. Hallelujah. Number seven. The seventh gift that Jesus gives unto us. A peace that passeth all understanding. Hallelujah. Philippians 4.7 says these words. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and mine through Christ Jesus. Note those words there. The peace of God that passeth all understanding will keep our hearts and it comes through Christ Jesus. So Jesus gives us that peace that passeth all understanding. Hallelujah. Number 8 The 8th gift that God That Jesus gives unto us Is a joy unspeakable And full of glory Hallelujah 1 Peter 1 and verse 8 Says these words Whom having not seen ye Love in whom Though now ye see him not Yet believing Ye rejoice with joy unspeakable And full of glory That's the point People cannot understand Why Christians have a joy At the Christmas season Because we hope in Jesus We hope in something that we've never seen And if most people feel That if you can't see it Or can't touch it Then how can you have joy in it? It comes from a joy unspeakable full of glory that comes in something that is hope. Hope is something you can't touch. Hope is something that you can't reach out and grab. Hope is something that you can't literally hand over to somebody. It's not wrapped in a gift like in wrapping and put on with a bow. Hope is something that's inside. and a hope in something that maybe we haven't seen but we know is real brings us a joy unspeakable and full of glory. Hallelujah. That's what Jesus brings to us in the eighth gift of Christmas. On the ninth gift of Christmas this is something that Jesus gives to us. He changes our hearts and helps us have love for all mankind. Hallelujah. Ephesians 5, 1 and 2, it says, Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children, and walk in love as Christ has also loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. We should love others as Christ has loved us. Love even those that are unlovable. How do you do that? It's a God thing. It's a God thing. How do you love someone that hates you? It's a God thing. how did Jesus love the people that were crucifying him it's a God thing and God can change our hearts and give us a heart of love and that what God will do if we willing to just accept it He will give us a heart of love for all mankind Alright, we're coming to the end. Number 10, the 10th gift that God will give us or Jesus will give us is wisdom and understanding. Proverbs chapter 2 and verse 6. Proverbs chapter 2 and verse 6 says these words. For the Lord giveth wisdom out of his mouth, and out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. See, we cannot have wisdom and knowledge in our own strength and in our own minds. We cannot have it. Have you ever tried to read God's word? I mean a hard chapter or a hard verse, and sometimes you read it and you go... You just kind of scratch your head because it's like, I have no clue what I just read. Right? I have no clue what I just read. No clue whatsoever. Sometimes the Bible can be very difficult at times. But God giveth wisdom. Jesus giveth wisdom if we will just learn from Him. He says, come and learn from me. We will be given wisdom and knowledge and understanding if we'll just listen. That's the tenth gift that Jesus will give to us. the 11th gift that Jesus gives to us is a hunger for righteousness a hunger for righteousness we should have a hunger to be righteous people people that are without spot or wrinkle in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 6 it says these words Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousness For they shall be filled If we have a desire to be righteous people God will grant us that That is a gift He will give us If we hunger for righteousness And then the final gift that Jesus gives at least these 12. He gives many more. But these are the 12 that we brought out today. The final one we're talking about today. The 12th gift is a new name. Hallelujah. Revelation 2 and verse 17 says these words. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. to him that overcometh, hallelujah, will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and within the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saith him that receiveth it. There's a new name written down in glory, And it's mine. Oh yes, it's mine. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. These are the gifts that God wants to give to us. These are the gifts that Jesus will give to us. These are not gifts like a partridge in a pear tree. These are not gifts like five golden rings. No, these are heavenly gifts Given by a Messiah To people That receive them Do you want to receive The gifts of God today? Have you received These gifts of God Today? If you haven't, you can All you have to do Is say, Lord, my heart is open Fill me with the gifts That you've given Hallelujah Hallelujah. God is able. He wants to pour these blessings to you. We just got to be willing to accept them. That's all you have to do to receive a gift. Someone comes at Christmas season and says, Here, here's a gift for you. Do you pay for that gift? No. All you do is say, Thank you. and receive it. And God is saying today, Jesus is saying today, here's the 12 gifts. I'm giving them to you. All you gotta do is say, thank you God. I receive them. Amen.
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