The Gift

As long as I can remember I was always told that our slavation was a gift from God. I still do, but I also see alot more than I used to. I pray that as you read what God had laid on my heart that you will look into the mirror of truth and see that even though salvation is free, it demands our acceptance.
Paul writes in Romans 13:14 "Rather, clothe youselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh." He also writes in Galatians 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ." Then in Ephesians 4:24 he says And to put in the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." These aresome pretty powerful and deep words! They give us an extrodinary glimpse of the free gift in which God desires to give each and every one of us.
Let me explain what a gift really is, and what it really is not. Over the years I have been given alot of gifts. You may relate to what I am about to write and then again you might not be bale to. If you were given a pictire for your home that was truly 'gawdy' and it wsa from a dear friend, would you hang it for everyone to see? How about those ties men get a Christmas and for birthdays that are so wild you would not dare wear them in public. Would you boldy tie is around your neck so that all can see it? You might have even been given something that is so precious that you decide not wear it in public because of the fear of having it stolen, or having it draw unwanted attention to yourself. The were all 'free' gifts were they not?
God has desired for us to receive a free gift too, and that is Christ. Paul writes in Col. 3:9-10 "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge on the image of Christ." In verse 12 he states "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." You see, we have to 'Put on' Christ each and everyday. We must 'Put on' the aromor (Eph. 6:10) so that we can live Holy and righteous lives daily, allowing people to see Christ is us. Putting on Christ does not mean we put on our Christian T-Shirts, but clothing ourselves with Christ. This is how we truly receive the gift from God, Christ in us.
Today more than ever before we see the multitudes of proclaiming Christians begin defeated daily by the world. We see them tangled up in worldy lusts amd passions instead of Christ. We see them clothed with sin, and secularism, instead of Christ. How can this be? Becausee they choose to recieve the gift that the world offers instead of the gift God desires for them receive daily, Christ in us.
What gift have we received? If we find oureselves looking into the mirror of truth this mornign and admit that we are clothing ourselves withthe world instead of Christ, then this is a blessed day. We can truly recieve the gift God desires for us to have by clothing ourselves with the gift of Christ. Repent, turn from that old self with its old clothing and put on Christ. Then the world will see holiness, righteousness, compassion, kindness, gentleness emitting from us. Put on Christ this day, and forevermore~