Gifts

If you were with us on Sunday, you were challenged to think about all of the things that "The Father of Heavenly Lights" has given to you. The verse we looked at was James 1:17, which says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Now if you've made your list of the gifts that God has given you, that's great. I'm glad you have. Keep going back to that list and remind yourself of the blessings of God in the midst of the trials you may be facing.

But today, by way of continued challenge, I want to point out another portion of this verse that we did not have time to discuss yesterday...and that is God's IMMUTABILITY. This $47 word simply means that God doesn't change. Who He was in Genesis 1:1 is who He is in Revelation 22:21 and who He continues to be today. The character of God is consistent throughout history. He doesn't change the way He feels on a whim, or on a dare. He is God...and He always will be.

Now the way God deals with His people is not constant. How He dealt with the Israelites is not how He deals with the Church. How he responded and used Paul will be different than the way He responded and used Peter. There is individuality in the midst of how God deals with people, but the character of God (who He is and His character) is completely unchanged for generation to generation.

Why is this so important? Because God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). This verse tells us that He's not like the "shifting shadows" that change with the direction of the light or the movement of the object that is casting the shadow. God is pure light and there is no darkness at all in Him (1 John 1:5). And so when it comes to the gifts that God gives, we can be assured that He will not change His mind about us. His love for us is just as strong today as the day we accepted His offer of salvation and eternal life.

So if you haven't made your list yet, get to it today. You'll be astounded and just how much His love shows in those things He has given to you!

Please feel free to comment below or ask a question. And we'll see you Sunday!