Topic: The Good News of God’s Love [RICK WARREN Devotional 16 December 2022]

Topic: The Good News of God’s Love [RICK WARREN Devotional 16 December 2022]

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The Good News of God’s Love

BY RICK WARREN — DECEMBER 15, 2022
FROM BEHOLD! THE BEST NEWS EVER

“There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human, and he gave himself to rescue all of us.”

1 Timothy 2:5 (CEV)

Christmas is all about Good News. But it’s not the good news of special gifts. It’s not the good news of a big meal. It’s not even the good news of spending time with friends and family.

Christmas is about the Good News of God’s love.

The Bible says that every single person is lost without God. Without God, you’re directionless. Your potential eternal impact upon the world is unrealized. You’re without real joy. Your eternity in heaven isn’t secure.

But the Good News about Christmas is that God sent Jesus to seek and save the lost. The Bible says, “There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human, and he gave himself to rescue all of us” (1 Timothy 2:5 CEV).

If you’ve ever spent time in church, you’ve likely heard the word “salvation” many times. But you may not know what the Bible means when it uses that word. The word salvation is like a diamond. You can look at it from many different angles. Here are just a few:

Jesus came to rescue you. You can’t solve all your problems on your own. Without Jesus you’re trapped in the expectations of others. You’re trapped in living for the approval of your peers. You’re trapped in addictions. You might try to change over and over again, but you don’t have the needed power to escape. Jesus came to give you that power.
Jesus came to recover you. You long to recover parts of your life that have been lost. Without Christ, you long to recover your strength, your confidence, your reputation, your innocence, and your relationship with God. But only Jesus can recover those things.
Jesus came to reconnect you. Many people think that God will scold them if they come back to him. But God isn’t mad at you. He’s mad about you. Jesus came to Earth on the first Christmas to reconcile you to God—to give you harmony with him again.

Jesus came to Earth to give you the gift of himself. Too many people celebrate his birthday on Christmas without accepting his free gift of salvation. The gift goes unwrapped year after year after year. Don’t make that same mistake in your life. You were made by God and for God. Until you understand that, life will never make sense.

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This Christmas, open up the most important present you’ve been given: a new relationship with God through Jesus.

Talk It Over

Jesus came to rescue, recover, and reconnect you. Which one of those facets of salvation has been the most important in your relationship with God? Why?
How can you “unwrap” God’s gift of Jesus this Christmas? In what ways can you tell others about this gift?
What can you do to truly celebrate Jesus’ birthday?

Are you ready to start a new relationship with God through Jesus? If you’re ready to do that today, pray this prayer:

“Dear God, I hear you knocking at the door of my heart, and I want to open it up to you. I confess that I have sinned and that I need your forgiveness and mercy. Thank you for loving me so much that you sent Jesus to die for my sins, so that I can be forgiven.

“Jesus, you promised that anyone who believes in you will not perish but have everlasting life and eternity with you in heaven. I believe in you and accept you as my Lord and Savior. I want to allow you into all the rooms of my heart and to spend the rest of my life serving you. Amen.”

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