Perfect Gifts!

(James 1:17) “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.”

 I have been confined to light duties and bed rest over the last two weeks due to the common cold, probably flu or some similar virus looking for housing, an unwelcomed guest and yet without any of my consent it forced itself upon me. Just another by-product of sin, something unwanted and yet very real.

Frustration an understatement to so many ailments that sin has scarred us with. I look back in time, and although I may not be affected by old-age, however my body does not function quite like it once did when I was twenty. When I look back on photographs from the past, not my past but my fathers and grandmothers past, I see a time when they were full of life, with a hint of invincibility to their smile and yet they both now sleep. They have move from this life to the next and all they now await is the judgment, God’s judgment! A very real but daunting thought!

My father went earlier than most and did not suffer much up until his two day ordeal before he breathed his last. But my grandmother stayed in an old-age home. A sad state of affairs, although she never ended up in frail care pre say, she was lonely and we as family did our bit and paid her visits on the weekends. Or did we do our tad? I am not convinced! Another trap that sin has captivated us with, self and more of self seems to be the order of the day.

We could go on and on about the scars of sin and all its traps, but I fear I would need more time than God has afforded me in this life to unpack all of its lures and snares. We can however define it up like this; sin is everything God is not! Sin lures us into believing that we will derive some pleasure from what it has to offer. At times it would appear to be beneficial as we derive some pleasure from it, but when stripped down and exposed to the core, it leave us with a void of emptiness. God has none of these qualities, they are foreign to Him, praise His name! Everything about Him is full of substance, of a lasting kind, and His gifts are eternal!

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17)

At times I wondered why God felt the need to send His Son to pay the price for mankind’s sin. Was it that He felt somewhat responsible for creating Adam and the Eve? But we know He is far wiser than that! His wisdom outshines all the wisdom to be found throughout the universe; both the seen and unseen spheres of creation are no match for Him. And yet while we were yet sinners God sent His son to die for us. We were His enemies. Go figure! I pray that we would get just an inclining of God’s perfect plan for our lives; He is brilliant in all that He does, and He is perfect. Perfection needs no alteration, in fact because He is perfect no alteration could possibly be added.

This in itself should teach us that sin is but a treacherous lure to keep us from God.

This struggle is not an isolated case that we alone face on a daily basis. We all struggle in some areas of our lives. Even the Apostles had similar struggles. The Bible is full of warnings against the strength of sins vises (an immoral or wicked habit or characteristic). We must learn to put on the mind of Christ, for we know He is perfect. Although we are reckoned righteous because of what Christ has achieved on our behalf we still battle against our old natures.

Let us highlight some of those warnings…

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:22-27) – Note, if this was not a common concern amongst God’s people, why then would Paul warn us against these traps? The answer is obvious, because they are very real!

“But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” (Colossians 3:8-10)

Our brilliant God and Father knows how to give His children good gifts and all of these instructions are the best of gifts, if followed they will anchor us in His love. It is the lures of sin that looks to beguile the believer, but we are to have no part with their lies. At times we are batted in the wind and in stormy weather but only because we forget to walk by faith. How often have I felt like a bruised reed! Father God from this day forth help us carry this banner of truth close to our bosom; - “let God be true, but every man a liar!” (Romans 3:4) – Note if we remember to lean on this truth it will be good for us as God knows how to give good gifts to His children. When we in child-like faith follow His instruction it will be WELL WITH OUR SOULS.

Signing off

Tyrone