Acquiring God's Gifts
God’s master plan for these days is love, and He is ever present to help us live out His plan. In the devotional, God’s Master plan for Today, each week presents gifts from God that aid us in loving as He loves.
Think about this: heaven held onto a massive secret for ages, but now God has finally shared it with us. If the enemy had known what was coming, there is no way he would have let the Savior be crucified (1 Corinthians 2:1-8). He was totally blind to what God was doing, and his move actually paved the way for the cross—the biggest win in history! Jesus rose from the grave and opened the door to eternal life, but the story didn't stop there. He then sent the Holy Spirit to actually live inside of us. That is the real mystery: Christ in you! It is His big plan for our lives right now.
It is literally the devil's worst nightmare. Before, he only had to face Jesus one-on-one. But now? He sees Christ everywhere he turns. He is in that guy over there, in this woman right here, and even in every kid who has His Spirit. God's love is hitting the enemy from every single direction.
We can rest easy knowing God’s plan is foolproof, and it is all powered by Christ’s Spirit living in us. As you dive into this devotional, you will feel that same heavenly support that walked with Jesus all the way to the cross. His love beat the odds back then, and through His Spirit in us, He is still winning those battles today.
So, grab a notebook and your favorite pen, and start looking for those special gifts God has for you. Use your journal to keep track of all the amazing things He is doing while you grow closer to your heavenly Father.
The secret to accessing the gifts of God:
· The gifts come only from God.
· The gifts are granted through the Holy Spirit, who is Christ in us.
· Gifts are not earned or deserved.
· Gifts come into our hearts as revelation—just like salvation came.
Use this index to aid in your journey to acquire the gifts of God
The Gift of Belonging to God
Pets have a way of filling our hearts with love. We own them, but that does not change how we feel toward each other. We love their personality and their little habits and quirks. In return, they love us. The greeting with tails wagging, or climbing into our lap purring, all the expressions of joy and welcome reflect their love. They become so much a part of our lives we can't imagine being without them.
Like we own our pets, we as human beings belong to God because He created us (John 17:9-10). And as our ownership of our pets does not define this relationship, so too, God’s ownership of us is not the point. Whenever God exercises love and protection over humanity, He is as one who owns and protects one’s own children.
In His last hours, Jesus reflected on His friendships as He prayed to His Father, “Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, (John 17:6).” To Jesus, we are the precious children of His Father entrusted to Him as a prize which He treasures.
Sit quietly with your heavenly Father. Remember that He made you. He designed you to be exactly who you are. Your Father knows you intimately, and loves you completely.
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God's ownership of you, and His resulting love and care for you. Ask Him to energize your heart to received the gift of belonging to God, and depths that gift imparts to you. Write it down.
The Gift of Childhood
In essence, the plot to kill Jesus was Satan’s plan to steal God’s children (John 10:7-10). Surprisingly, he discovered that killing Jesus did not destroy our heavenly Father’s love for us, but rather established more sons and daughters than the stars in the heavens.
To the world, the death of Jesus appeared to be the end of God’s plans, but His Son’s resurrection removed the barrier that separated us from our heavenly Father. As prodigals, we return home, broken, and hungry, and full of shame, but our heavenly Father rejoices. He runs to us. Instead of lecturing, He drapes His own robe over our shame and places the family ring on our finger. According to Paul, when Jesus rose from the dead, He was no longer the “only begotten Son,” but the “first born of many brethren” (Romans 8:28-31).
As mature sons and daughters, we reflect His nature, His love for all people. The power of His Spirit transforms us so that what exists in the spiritual world becomes visible in the natural world, and we realize we are the children of the Highest (Luke 6:27-36).
God rejoices, exclaiming, For these my sons and daughters were dead, and are alive again; they were lost, and are found.
Stand before your heavenly Father like a child, looking up to Him like children look up to adults for approval. Let your heart yearn to know He loves you as His child. Ask Him. Ask Him to reveal to you His Fatherly love, and what it means to be His child.
Write it down, so you will never forget.
The Gift of Commission
God the Father chose the church to be His Son’s bride (Ephesians 5:25-27). The priests and prophets worked throughout history, bringing the bride and groom closer together. They kept her when her false lovers seduced her. They attended to her when rejected by them. Then, one night, in an upper room, over a hundred of Jesus Christ’s disciples gathered per His instruction. Suddenly, a sound came from heaven blowing as a mighty wind, and tongues of fire sat upon each one of them. The Holy Spirit filled them, and as a result, they spoke utterances they did not understand (Acts 1:4-13). God the Father had chosen a friend to secure a bride for His Son.
Find your place in the commissioned work—Who may act as the Father’s friend to secure the bride of Christ? The apostles? Maybe the pastors? Perhaps the ones who are out there in His mission fields? Yes, to all of them, but not just to them. You only need to believe. Mark said that as the believers, that is ordinary men and women who believe; as they ministered, the Lord worked with them, “confirming the word with signs following” (Mark 16:15-20). As such, you cannot disqualify yourself for a lack of education, the amount of ministry you do, or any other work. Standing on our commission to prepare the bride, we testify in Jesus Christ’s Name. We explain and demonstrate who He is and what He has done for us, until we bring His church, His beautiful bride, together as one body (Hosea 2:16-20).
Search within your heart for the testimony God has given you. What has Jesus done for you? How has the Holy Spirit energized your life for an overcoming victory? Has your relationship with your Heavenly Father healed the broken places in you? Develop your testimony so you can share it with others, encouraging them to take their place in the Church.
Key Themes
Divine Grace
Receive the unconditional love that forms the cornerstone of saving humanity.
Spiritual Gifts
Embrace the unique divine empowerments designed to guide your daily walk.
Reflective Study
Engage in deep journaling to anchor your heart in timeless scriptural truths.
Reader Reflections
“Acquiring God's Gifts completely transformed my quiet time. The beautifully paced journaling prompts opened up a fresh, intimate space to receive His love.”
Elizabeth Brandon — Faith Journaler
“A profound literary companion that connects scripture with deep reading comfort. Mary’s reflections are a continuous light for where we stand today.”
Thomas H. Clarke — Spiritual Reviewer
Acquiring God's Gifts
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