What is the most special gift you've ever received?   A Marvelous Gift from The Gift of Jesus by Johnny Hunt   Image courtesy of the NIV Bible. The judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift... resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. — Romans 5:16-17 What is the most special gift you’ve ever received? Did you receive it on your birthday, for Christmas, or on another occasion? Through the years I’ve received some amazing gifts, but Jesus is the most marvelous gift ever given. And it is the most needed gift ever given. The apostle Paul taught that by one man — Adam — sin entered the world, and death was pronounced upon all, for in Adam all have sinned. On the other hand, grace entered the world through Jesus, and a forgiven life and eternal life are available to all who believe. Adam brought into the world sin, offense, judgment, condemnation, disobedience, and eternal death. Yet Christ brought grace, justification, righteousness, obedience, and eternal life. Christ’s death saved us from God’s wrath. We now live with hope of eternal life rather than under the curse of death. We rejoice in God who, in His Son, atoned for our sins. Our justification is complete and irrevocable; there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. And Paul confidently wrote that “he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). What a marvelous gift! Prayer Father, thank You for the gift of Jesus. Thank You that because of Him I will one day stand before You cleansed of my sin, welcomed by You, and not condemned. In Jesus’ name, Amen. ~ Dr. Lee Sheppard, Mabel White Baptist Church, Macon, GA Excerpted with permission from The Gift of Jesus by Johnny Hunt. Copyright Thomas Nelson. Forward to a Friend Your Turn Have you given thanks to God for the marvelous gift of Jesus? Express your prayers of thanks in the comments on our blog! God hears them and receives them! Final Hours Devotionals Sale Extended for One More Day Only  Save an extra $2.00 off devotionals until midnight tonight! Plus get FREE U.S. SHIPPING on orders $25 and over. Shop the entire sale... *Ends at 11:59 p.m. CST on 12/21/16. Code valid for select devotionals only.  Not valid for books or devotionals priced $3.99 or under. Not valid with any other coupon offers or discounts.  Exclusions may apply. Free standard shipping for U.S orders only. Special Offer Save 30% off The Gift of Jesus - a devotional for the New Year! Regular: $19.99 Sale: $13.99 Today only with LOVE2017 code: $11.99 The Gift of Jesus is an inspiring devotional focused on the amazing gift of Jesus.  The Gift of Jesus is a thoroughly trustworthy and inspiring devotional focused on the amazing gift of Jesus and what that means in our daily lives. It was created and written by General Editor Johnny Hunt, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention along with 51 Southern Baptist pastors and ministry leaders, including Dr. James Merritt, Dr. Ronnie Floyd, Dr. Steve Dighton, Dr. Don Wilton, Dr. Ted Traylor, and Dr. Michael Cloer. Each daily entry includes Scripture passages, a devotion, and a prayer. Explore such interesting themes as Jesus our Savior; Jesus, our companion for life; abiding in Christ; Jesus, our Rest; the basis of hope; God is with you; and how the Bible changes lives. Shop now and save an extra $2.00 off today only with code LOVE2017   Inspired by today's devotion? Share it with someone!   Devotionals Daily ~ our mission is to help you grow and share your faith. Did you receive this from a friend? Sign up to start receiving the free daily devotions Already a subscriber? Register for other newsletters, like Faith.Full for women or Bible Study of the Week, by clicking here. Copyright © 2016 HarperCollins Christian Publishing, All Rights Reserved. 501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN, 37214 USA Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy Manage Your eMail Preferences or Unsubscribe

What is the most special gift you've ever received?

A Marvelous Gift from The Gift of Jesus by Johnny Hunt

Image courtesy of the NIV Bible. The judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift... resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. — Romans 5:16-17 What is the most special gift you’ve ever received? Did you receive it on your birthday, for Christmas, or on another occasion? Through the years I’ve received some amazing gifts, but Jesus is the most marvelous gift ever given. And it is the most needed gift ever given. The apostle Paul taught that by one man — Adam — sin entered the world, and death was pronounced upon all, for in Adam all have sinned. On the other hand, grace entered the world through Jesus, and a forgiven life and eternal life are available to all who believe. Adam brought into the world sin, offense, judgment, condemnation, disobedience, and eternal death. Yet Christ brought grace, justification, righteousness, obedience, and eternal life. Christ’s death saved us from God’s wrath. We now live with hope of eternal life rather than under the curse of death. We rejoice in God who, in His Son, atoned for our sins. Our justification is complete and irrevocable; there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. And Paul confidently wrote that “he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). What a marvelous gift! Prayer Father, thank You for the gift of Jesus. Thank You that because of Him I will one day stand before You cleansed of my sin, welcomed by You, and not condemned. In Jesus’ name, Amen. ~ Dr. Lee Sheppard, Mabel White Baptist Church, Macon, GA