Category: God’s Grace

Gifting Personality

What is your gift giving personality?  I never thought about that before, until I read an article, recently.  It seems researchers have identified 5 gift giving personalities.  Christmas-Present3

1. Procrastinators.  People  who puts off shopping until the last minute, because they are worried buying the wrong gift.

2. Planners.  People who shops all year long with list in hand and gifts stuffed in the closet.  The danger is that they will forget where they hid the gifts!

3. Practical Givers.  These people usually get their checkbooks, because they believe you can’t go wrong with money.  Or they give a gift they want the recipient to have not necessarily one he/she would like.

4.  Do-Gooders.  These people give to the charity of their choice in recipeint’s name.

5.  Perfect Gift-Givers.  They aim to find something the recipient would like, even if they don’t really like it.  Of course one would have to know the recipient really well to find that perfect gift, or ask them for a list.

I would say I have been a mix of all five.  I definitely procrastinate buying for some people I am not sure what to get.  I have been a planner in the past, especially when my children were little and I had very little shopping time without them.  I am a practical giver, when I know $$ would be appreciated.  I have bought soccer balls and bibles in someone’s name, so I guess that would make me a do-gooder.  I would love to be considered a perfect gift-giver, but I won’t lose sleep if you don’t really like my gift and regift it.  It is the thought that matters…right?

How about you which gift giving personality do you have?  Leave a comment to let us know.

In the next post I will discuss lessons I have learned about giving from the Father of Christmas…

for more about this article go to: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/holiday/story/2011-11-27/gift-giving-personalities

Remember God’s Grace

It has been nearly 30 years since Jesus’ death and resurrection, when Peter writes the letter we know as 1 Peter.  Peter, who had once denied knowing Jesus, had become a faithful witness and knew his time on earth was nearly over.  He wrote to people scattered through Asia Minor who were suffering various trials, possibly from ungodly authority, unreasonable masters, unbelieving husbands or from those who intimidate, insult and slander.

Read the opening of the letter below. Notice what he writes about God’s action toward them (believers).

 1  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who reside as aliens… who are chosen  2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

    3   Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,  5  who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Peter is reminding these believers, who are suffering that God has chosen them, caused them to be born again and protects them.

What does verse 2 tell us about those who are chosen?

    2   according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood…

Do you believe this applies to you?  Can you believe that God the Father had foreknowledge of you and still chose you?  That He chose His Spirit to work in you sanctifying you (setting you apart as special to God)?  Have you considered God’s choose of you includes the expectation that you would obey Jesus, as well as, the offer of forgiveness of sin?

What do we learn in verses 3 and 4 about being born again?

 …God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  4   to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you…

Have you accepted God’s mercy?  Do you have hope…a living hope?  As a member of the family of God you have an inheritance reserved just for you.  Is that enough?

Next, what does verse 5 tell us about God’s protection?

5  who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 God’s power to protect us is at work through our faith?!  Wow!!  Do you really believe God is watching over you protecting you so that you will obtain salvation in the end?

Peter is reminding them of who they are in Christ, God’s great mercy toward them and the promise of eternal reward.  He does not promise them that their difficult circumstances will change immediately or really at all.  He instead is pointing them to God’s eternal love and care.

Take some time to read through these verses, meditate on them, personalize them…  So when difficult times come, you will remember God’s grace and not become discouraged.