Black Sheep

BSHDFC E-Mag December 2017 | Page 3 Where Do I Go To exchanGe ThIs GIfT? by Marty Edwards Christmas is upon us and we will soon be spending hundreds of dollars on gi s for friends and family. As bikers, we assume shopping for our fellow riders would be simple: tee-shirts, motorcycle gear, leather, chrome…but then what? A toaster? An Australian research firm reported a few years back that Aussies will re-gi , exchange, hide, sell or throw away over one billion dollars in "useless" or "unwanted" Christmas gi s this year! Tell me, just how bad does a Christmas present have to be to get tossed in the trash? Yeah, I know! Some people just are not very good shoppers! One ar cle that I read report their version of "Dumbest Christmas Gi s Ever" which included: • Talking Toilet Paper Dispenser (leave a message for your guests) • Freudian Slippers (slip on your feet and feel your guilt and anxiety melt away) • Camouflage golf balls • Carpet Skates • "Smencils" (Pencils that smell like Christmas; peppermint, cinnamon, pine…) • Mistletoe to Go (Suc on cup s cks to forehead, takes mistletoe with you) • Motorized ice-Cream cone holder (turns the cone for you as you lick it) OK – we get it! Some Christmas gi s are just lame! But some are pre y awesome too, right? Can you remember the best Christmas you ever got as a child? Mine was a plas c model of the Alamo and came with hundreds of good guys, bad guys, horses, canons and wagons! I loved that gi ! Do you know where the idea came from of even giving gi s at Christmas? It came from an Old Testament prophecy: "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlas ng Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) The writer was talking about the gi of a son, God's Son, who would be given as a sacrifice, as a way for our sins to be adequately forgiven. Some mes people make this hard to understand, but it's a simple concept. There is a God and He is holy. Humans are not holy at all. We lie, cheat, steal, hurt, kill….we're definitely on the naughty list. Because we are "sinners" we are separated from God – but God s ll loves us because He created us! God, therefore, gave a gi , His Son, as a perfect, sinless sacrifice to pay (or atone) for our sins. (That's the part where Jesus, God's Son, died on the cross.) You say, "That doesn't make any sense! Why would He do that?" Well, that's what makes it a li le hard to understand. Most of us would not buy an expensive gi and give it to some undeserving jerk – but that's where the song "Amazing Grace" comes in: "Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me…" The gi of Jesus is an AMAZING Christmas gi because I could in NO WAY deserve Him or expect to be forgiven for all of my sins. The good news, however, is that while I don't deserve mercy and forgiveness – I am indeed forgiven! And I am "saved" from having to pay for my own sins because I have accepted this amazing gi . I am not talking about religion. I am not talking about going to church and becoming be er people. I am talking about being an undeserving, self-centered jerk – and then accep ng God's forgiveness by asking Jesus to come into my heart. Why would anyone not accept a gi like that; love, forgiveness, acceptance and eternal life? Where will you go to exchange a gi like Jesus? What will you get in exchange for Jesus? I would not exchange knowing Jesus as my friend and savior for all the money, fame and power in the world! If they put a gun to my head, I would NEVER give up the privilege of knowing Jesus! He is the BEST thing to ever come into my life! You can have the original Christmas gi living in your heart too. Pray a simple pray like this one…mean it with all of your heart…and then take the steps to begin to follow Him as the LORD of your life! Any ques ons? Call or write me at Black Sheep. "Father in Heaven, I am a sinner and I need a Savior. Please forgive me of my sins and wash my heart clean. I surrender my life to you! All that I am and all that I am not I give to you. All that I have is yours. With your help, I will follow you from this day forward. Thank-you Father and for Jesus and for forgiving me. Amen!"

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