Chapter 4 - The King’s Gifts
God is a good gift giver! He is a generous gift giver. He is a kind and loving gift giver. He gives gifts to the Son. He gives gifts to His family. He even gives good gifts to His enemies. His gifts come in all sorts of ways, and at many times. God started giving gifts before the beginning. He continues giving gifts all through the time “under the sun.” His gift giving goes beyond this life and into the time “under the Son” who is the “King.” God gives gifts of life, provision, protection, strength, love, forgiveness, knowledge, wisdom, peace, inheritance, eternal life, and much more. 4.1 - Gifts That Keep On Giving God’s gifts come in many types. Some gifts are temporary. Some are permanent. Some are for everyone. Some are for favored chosen ones. Most of God’s gifts last for long periods of time, like the rainbow. Some last forever, like eternal life. Everyone who has been born under the sun, and dies before the judgment day, can count on that particular gift, the sun, to come up every day of their life. Many of God’s gifts go on year after year, season after season, decade after decade, like food growing, rivers flowing, rain falling, plants, animals, and humans multiplying. The types of God’s gifts are as diverse as the creation itself is diverse, which also a gift from God. If we were to try to thank God for all his gifts to us it might look something like this:
“Thank you, Lord, for life and breath.Thank you, Lord, for daily bread.Thank you, Lord, for water to drink.Thank you, Lord, for clothes to wear.Thank you, Lord, for a place to lay my head at night.Thank you, Lord, for faith, hope, and love.Thank you, Lord, for peace with You.Thank you, Lord, for fresh mercies every morning.Thank you, Lord, for your abundant grace.Thank you, Lord, for your promises.Thank you, Lord, for the beauty and majesty of your creation,and the ability to enjoy it.Thank you, Lord, for so, so much more! More specifically, God’s gifts that have to do with salvation look like this: (From Romans 8:28-31) Before the Foundation of the World● God’s GIFT of Foreknowledge (fore-love) is mercy and love toward His elect, and includes election, adoption, and inheritance.● God’s GIFT of Predestination is a new final destiny, new citizenship in the Kingdom, a new home, country, and city built by God… and a new purpose.
During the Time Under the Sun● God’s GIFT of Calling us with His Gospel includes a new birth, new creation, new faith, repentance, new eyes, new ears, and a new heart.● God’s GIFT of Justification includes cleansing, forgiveness, peace with God, Jesus’ righteousness, hope, and rest.
After the Judgment Day and Jesus’ Second Return● God’s GIFT of Glorification includes eternally dwelling with God, in a resurrection body, …AND deliverance from: tears, pain, suffering, death, sin, hunger, thirst, …AND blessed joy that is full and complete forever. …AND that’s not all… After the Day of the LORD, or the Judgement Day, the saints are promised things like this:
To the one who conquers (overcomes) the world through Christ:1) …I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ Revelation 2:72) …will not be hurt by the second death.’ Revelation 2:113) …I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name … Revelation 2:17 4) …I will give authority over the nations, 27 … 28 And I will give him the morning star. Revelation 2:26-28 5) …will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. Revelation 3:5 6) … I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. Revelation 3:127) …I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:21
How could we neglect such a GREAT SALVATION as this?
How could we be satisfied with just knowing that our sin problem has been fixed. Salvation is so much more!!!
God is our deliverer from sin, and has given us an invitation to be on an epic adventure with Him forever!
4.2 Papa’s Story This is a testimony of how I have been blessed by the gifts of God in my life “under the sun,” and what I can look forward to as a sojourner saint of the Most High.
God is a good gift giver! He is a generous gift giver. He is a kind and loving gift giver. He gives gifts to the Son. He gives gifts to His family. He even gives good gifts to His enemies. His gifts come in all sorts of ways, and at many times. God started giving gifts before the beginning. He continues giving gifts all through the time “under the sun.” His gift giving goes beyond this life and into the time “under the Son” who is the “King.” God gives gifts of life, provision, protection, strength, love, forgiveness, knowledge, wisdom, peace, inheritance, eternal life, and much more. 4.1 - Gifts That Keep On Giving God’s gifts come in many types. Some gifts are temporary. Some are permanent. Some are for everyone. Some are for favored chosen ones. Most of God’s gifts last for long periods of time, like the rainbow. Some last forever, like eternal life. Everyone who has been born under the sun, and dies before the judgment day, can count on that particular gift, the sun, to come up every day of their life. Many of God’s gifts go on year after year, season after season, decade after decade, like food growing, rivers flowing, rain falling, plants, animals, and humans multiplying. The types of God’s gifts are as diverse as the creation itself is diverse, which also a gift from God. If we were to try to thank God for all his gifts to us it might look something like this:
“Thank you, Lord, for life and breath.Thank you, Lord, for daily bread.Thank you, Lord, for water to drink.Thank you, Lord, for clothes to wear.Thank you, Lord, for a place to lay my head at night.Thank you, Lord, for faith, hope, and love.Thank you, Lord, for peace with You.Thank you, Lord, for fresh mercies every morning.Thank you, Lord, for your abundant grace.Thank you, Lord, for your promises.Thank you, Lord, for the beauty and majesty of your creation,and the ability to enjoy it.Thank you, Lord, for so, so much more! More specifically, God’s gifts that have to do with salvation look like this: (From Romans 8:28-31) Before the Foundation of the World● God’s GIFT of Foreknowledge (fore-love) is mercy and love toward His elect, and includes election, adoption, and inheritance.● God’s GIFT of Predestination is a new final destiny, new citizenship in the Kingdom, a new home, country, and city built by God… and a new purpose.
During the Time Under the Sun● God’s GIFT of Calling us with His Gospel includes a new birth, new creation, new faith, repentance, new eyes, new ears, and a new heart.● God’s GIFT of Justification includes cleansing, forgiveness, peace with God, Jesus’ righteousness, hope, and rest.
After the Judgment Day and Jesus’ Second Return● God’s GIFT of Glorification includes eternally dwelling with God, in a resurrection body, …AND deliverance from: tears, pain, suffering, death, sin, hunger, thirst, …AND blessed joy that is full and complete forever. …AND that’s not all… After the Day of the LORD, or the Judgement Day, the saints are promised things like this:
To the one who conquers (overcomes) the world through Christ:1) …I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ Revelation 2:72) …will not be hurt by the second death.’ Revelation 2:113) …I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name … Revelation 2:17 4) …I will give authority over the nations, 27 … 28 And I will give him the morning star. Revelation 2:26-28 5) …will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. Revelation 3:5 6) … I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. Revelation 3:127) …I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:21
How could we neglect such a GREAT SALVATION as this?
How could we be satisfied with just knowing that our sin problem has been fixed. Salvation is so much more!!!
God is our deliverer from sin, and has given us an invitation to be on an epic adventure with Him forever!
4.2 Papa’s Story This is a testimony of how I have been blessed by the gifts of God in my life “under the sun,” and what I can look forward to as a sojourner saint of the Most High.