Birthday Presents Every Day

It may not be your birthday today, but God loves to give gifts any day. When Jesus rose from the dead, God started the gift-giving. We’ve reached the main prophetic verses in Psalm 68—about the ascension of Jesus and the gifts that followed.

Psalm 68:18  Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them	The New Testament, amplifies this verse: Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. What are the gifts Jesus gave when he ascended?  Joh 14:16-17  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;  (17)  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. The Holy Spirit did not come to live inside Christians until Jesus died and rose again and sent the Comforter. That is a gift we receive today when we trust Jesus as Savior. He sends the Comforter to live in us. What an awesome gift.
(19)  Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.	But there are more gifts available every single day. Ps. 103 lists the benefits we receive from Him. He forgives our iniquities, heals diseases, redeems us from destruction, crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies… We arise each day to the gift of sunshine and fresh blessings. Let’s be grateful people.
(20)  He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.	Our greatest gift is the gift of salvation. It’s good not only for today, but for eternity. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Eph 2:8  This gift wouldn’t be available except for the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus—to those who receive it, including the rebellious who turn and trust Christ’s sacrifice for them.

So, it’s not your birthday. But it could be. “He who is born once dies twice. He who is born twice dies once.”  You must be born again. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3  In that same chapter is the awesome verse nearly everyone has seen. John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That word believe does not mean mental agreement. It means to transfer your trust from whatever you’re trusting to Jesus Christ only for salvation, because He bought your salvation on the cross. You can’t buy it yourself. You have to trust that He did it, and receive it as a gift that you don’t pay for. Can you do that?