The good news about Jesus Christ is that He is a gift from God the Father to be received by anyone and everyone who chooses to do so.  This gift is freely offered to us.  Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 

He further describes how this transaction takes place in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”  God initiated the transaction by providing His Son as the Savior.  We receive the gift by faith.  This can be done by praying to God. 

Here is a suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for loving me so much by giving your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins.  I am unworthy and confess my need for forgiveness.  I believe Jesus Christ rose from the dead to be a living Savior, and I receive him by inviting him to come into my life and take control.  Make me the person you want me to be.  Amen.” 

When you receive Jesus Christ there is a wonderful promise in John 1:12, “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”  Or, as the KJV puts it, “the right to be called children of God.”  You, as it were, are born into the family of God. 

In 1 John 5:11-13 it reads, “This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 

What a gift!  Have you received it?