James 1:16-18 tells us that our God is continually sending down good and perfect gifts that He wants us to express in our lives. These gifts are revealed to us from God as the “Father of Lights” whom there is no shadow of turning! He is unchangable! God is always wanting to work “in you” so He can work “through you” to accomplish His plan for man on the earth. He reveals Himself through these “gifts” that go into the heart to change us into His “workmanship” expressed by these gifts. These gifts are attributes and qualities of God the Father. You can identify them as His Love, His Wisdom, His Peace, and His Compassion.
His Love gives us the ability to fulfill the law, and His Wisdom gives us the ability to make wise decisions in life. Wise decisions are those that go beyond logic and reason, and even go deeper than our emotions. His Peace gives us the ability to stay calm and collected when it seems as though everyone else is falling apart. His Compassion is to respond to others with the compelling desire to meet their need. Jesus expressed all of these attributes in His earthly life and ministry. God knows when we need revelation in these areas and His is constantly developing the new you by reflecting who He is.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says that when we are “in Christ” old things pass away and all things become new. James gives us an example of how this “new you” is a work in progress by God our Father. Instead of wearing the bracelet that says, “what would Jesus do,” we can actually begin to “do” them!
Be blessed,
RB
Last Updated: September 27th, 2007 |