Decisions

We make dozens of decisions every day. Some are important, and some are not. Some are known to others, and some are not. Some may be costly, and some are not. Good decisions which affect others will make you look good to your friends. Bad decisions make you look bad in the eyes of just about everybody. Of all these decisions, which will be remembered clearly by everyone? It isn’t fair, but the good decisions are easily forgotten, but the bad decisions are remembered for ever, or so it seems.

There is another problem with decisions. I think we will all agree that we make good and bad ones on a regular basis, but hopefully there will be a balance and not all one sided. However, you will probably know some folks who consistently make good decisions. They are in the minority, but are looked up to because that’s what makes for integrity. However, on the other hand, we all will know those ones who mostly seem to be making bad decisions, but even more importantly there are those who will suffer directly because of these decisions.

One swallow might not make a summer, but a wrong decision can have a serious and lasting impact on those on the receiving end. In a few weeks, I will be having knee surgery, and I hope the surgeon has a day of good decisions. Just one bad decision in an operating theatre can hold the outcome of life in the balance. But then we do trust the professionals, right? Surgeons, doctors, lawyers, professors get there by making good decisions and maintaining their integrity.

What about us? You and me? Have we made bad decisions? Absolutely we have, and some we would not want to be reminded of because they shame us. In among the many bad ones, there could be one that sticks, and the devil reminds us of it now and again, to keep us away from God. We are too bad. We don’t come up to the grade for a Holy God, and you are right if it was all up to what we did and didn’t do. Thanks to Jesus, our salvation is not earned by default, but it’s the free gift of Grace from a forgiving Saviour. The next time the devil reminds you of your past bad decisions, remind him of God’s grace. He has no answer to that because God is not only forgiving, but patient and His desire is for all to see heaven. There is a catch, because we have to accept the gift because it’s not forced on us. That’s all. It’s down to us to accept or reject! Our choice.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2Peter3:9NIV

Easy Grace?

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians2:8,9NIV

...if you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Romans10:9,10NIV

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. 1John1:8-10NIV

We know that grace is the free and unmerited gift from God which secures our salvation. We equally know that there is nothing we can do to earn that salvation. Our “good works are as filthy rags” it says in Isaiah 64:6. So, our salvation is both free and we can’t earn it. In fact we can’t even put a deposit on it to help out. Yet that same free gift to us, cost the Son of God dear. The cost was His life on the cross, but then we also know that He rose from the grave, defeating death forever, and for us His followers. What great Grace!

Ok, I hear you say, you are saying things we already know. True, but I fear we are falling into a trap which is so easy to do as regular church goers. I fear we may become guilty of accepting this amazing free gift of God’s grace, and then….that’s it. Nothing. No change. No difference in our life or lifestyle. We certainly don’t try to earn our salvation, but neither do we expect, or even allow, God to do a work of change in our lives. So we are effectively no different after salvation than we were before. Is that what our Saviour wants from us? Nothing? I think not.

Our verses talk about confessing our sins, and professing our salvation. You can’t confess or profess if you are still unchanged and holding on to the old ways. Our salvation is then on a ‘shoogly peg’ to use an old Scottish phrase. In fact, our salvation is really in doubt. Make certain you confess and profess, and only then is salvation sure and the heart pure. Any and all good works from this point on are given from a heart of love. Not trying to earn salvation, but because of the certainty of our salvation. Amen and Amen.

Effort or Works?

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8,9NIV

We are so used to quoting these verses while thinking about those good works of charity outside the doors of our church. Things like, running a food bank, visiting the sick, working with the homeless, and there are other good works which a Christian will be involved with. Our good works in the community come from a heart of faith and we know they do not give us salvation. But what about ‘good works’ inside the doors of the church itself?

I would suggest that there could be an expectation or requirement of some good works inside the church too. There are some well known denominations and sects which openly operate on the principle of good works being necessary for salvation, but in a Bible believing evangelical church? Surely not?

Recently I became aware of the expected effort being placed on a congregation to behave in a certain prescribed way during the worship time. More effort should be placed on things like hand clapping, raising hands, swaying, bouncing on the spot, and generally singing with more expression, whether you were comfortable with it or not. All this while the leader is encouraging the folks with words like, “C’mon church” during the song. Granted, this mainly comes from some online mega-churches, but are we slowly in danger of becoming more like this model ourselves? Is the worship time starting to take over from the preaching of the Word? Is this not like the tail wagging the dog??

Grace and Love

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV

There is a theme which occurs constantly through the New Testament, and it is one of Love and Grace. Our verse shows the trinity of the Godhead linked directly with Grace, Love, and Fellowship. In my book that makes this theme pretty important in the mind of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As if to emphasise their importance, the apostle Paul uses them often, so we should not shy away from them either.

I never tire of hearing sermons, or even talking with friends about these real, God driven, passionate thoughts, feelings and emotions. Since we are told directly in 1 John 4:8 that “God IS love”, then the more we love in His Spirit, the more Christlike we become. In fact the verse also says, if we don’t love, then we are not like God. It’s really quite simple. Well I think so anyway.

So, I am disheartened when I hear some folks outside the church play down any or all of these Godlike characteristics. I suppose in a way, I can understand the unchurched and unsaved wanting to play down or discredit the love of God, but not a fellow believer! How can that be possible I hear you ask, and you are echoing my own thinking. Mind you, I am very thankful that I have met very few who fall into that ‘love-less’ (less-loving, not unloving!) mindset and category. But they exist, and the truth is that saddens me.

If we ever needed more proof, John, the apostle of love says it this way: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. 2 John 1:3 NIV

Grace

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. Revelation 22:20,21 NIV

One of the definitions of the word grace literally means 'favour', to bend or stoop in kindness to another ... His grace has been termed 'Unearned kindness'

The concept of grace grips me. It is one of the big things that sets the Christian apart, because God gave us His grace when we didn’t deserve it or earn it. We were given a gift, and all we had to do was accept it! The New Testament is riddled with references to the grace of God, and Paul uses it often to explain one of the great benefits of the character of the God we serve.

The last verse in the Bible makes sure the importance of grace isn’t lost on us. He knew we would need to hold on to this truth down through the centuries. When we accept the free gift of salvation through repentance, we are given the free gift of grace. It’s like a bonus. We get eternal salvation, and a big dollop of grace to boot! Then what? Does it have any use or relevance after we are accepted into the family of God? Yes, a thousand times, yes!

It’s not usually seen every day, and not in the places we expect to see it, or even the people we expect to see it from either. But we are in no doubt that it’s unmistakably God’s grace when we experience it and see it in others. I have seen God’s grace shine through (there is no other way to explain it) in the life of a hurting and grieving child of God. You are not looking for it. In fact you can’t expect it, and the person showing this grace isn’t even aware that they are showing one of the characteristics of a Holy God. To tell them what you see only serves to embarrass them, but it’s true nonetheless.

The apostle John was exiled on the island of Patmos, but was called ‘the beloved one’ and the apostle of love. The encouragement seen and experienced between Christians is noted in no better place than in the heart of grace that shines from a believer’s heart and life. It overflows naturally whether in joy or in sorrow, happiness or sadness, life or death, and is a clear unspoken testimony of a child of God. There could be no better way to finish the canon of Scripture which takes us through the ups and downs of life in the 21st century, than: The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.

Unforgiveness?

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 NIV

This verse is normally used to emphasise the forgiving nature of God, and I am so very thankful that we have a loving God who forgives when we don’t deserve it. That is grace personified in the Lord Jesus. Can I ask you to bear with me as I take a different angle on this verse?

Jesus was being abused by His accusers in a way that we would see as horrific, and yet they were forgiven even though they didn’t ask for it. Why? I suggest it is because they “did not know what they were doing”. That’s the part that caught my attention, making me feel better and yet worse about our sins. Jesus forgave BECAUSE they didn’t know the significance of what they were doing. I suggest it follows that we cannot and indeed will not be forgiven if we DO KNOW we are doing wrong, and sin anyway.

Susanna Wesley, the praying mother of John and Charles defined sin this way: “Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself.”

You and I must be very careful in our actions and behaviour because once we KNOW what we are doing is wrong, we may NOT BE FORGIVEN because we have known the truth of the gospel and turned our back on it. That is good news for the many who have never heard the gospel, but it is not good news for those of us who have heard and rejected it. It’s one thing for the Wesleys to believe this, but Jesus says the same thing in His own words, so we must be very careful when we recognise the truth of the gospel…..

Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 ESV

Those Annoying People

‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’ Matthew 22:36-40 NIV

The greatest commandment given by Jesus can be summed up neatly in the paraphrased words, “Love God, Love Others” but that is easier said than done, and we all know that truth. This begs the question: Who are those ‘other neighbours’? It is easy to love those who love us back. You could even say it is easy to love those we don’t even know, like the starving and abused of the world.

It is another matter entirely to love those who hate you. In our modern social media age we can become the subject of deliberate hate mail, and since we are told to love others by Jesus, we must comply. This can be made easier because the people who hate us, are unknown to us too! These haters are sitting behind a keyboard, so we are let off the hook again. We don’t have to prove our love then, do we?

Ah, but what about the really tough ones? Like that coworker or friend we know so well, and they always rub you up the wrong way and have an opinion which is always right, on everything? They will contradict you and always seem to know everything better that you, and not only that, they will quote chapter and verse for anything and everything straight out of the Bible and the top of their head. They can be confrontational, unreasonable, and irritating. Get the picture? What is the commandment, straight from our Lord, Master, and Saviour? Yes, love them.

I suggest that this last type of ‘others’ is the toughest category to love, even more than your worst enemy, and the reason is obvious. They are always right there in front of you to be confronted and challenged, so cannot be ignored. Love and grace are inextricably linked, and seen best in the life of Jesus, so in these and every case, we must show grace, that same love and grace of God which transcends any negative action of the irritating, unlovely and unloving.

That's Grace

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18-19 NIV

The Word of God, speaks directly to us just when we need it. The Bible is called “The Word of God” for good reason. It speaks straight into our heart and life without cutting corners, and this is such an occasion.

It’s not a case of ‘if we stumble’, but ‘when’. The worst kinds of stumbles are those little ones that surprise us and come out of the blue, at least that’s the way it is for me. It is possible that few, if any, will have been noticed but that’s not the point is it? We could kick ourselves by entertaining those thoughts, or saying those little words that offended. Especially a little one or someone young in the faith or searching for the truth.

God’s grace is there for us all in the big mistakes of life, and those little ones too, but first we need to ask, and then to know that they are pardoned, and I love this part, “He will….hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”. Indeed, as the verse starts, “who is a God like you?” Thank you, Lord.

Our 'Way'

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12

We usually use this verse to show clearly that the path we take to live our lives, even with good intentions, may not be best for us or others looking on. It is also used as a verse to show the way of salvation from the way we think is right, to the way that God knows is right. I also think it can be used in another, more down to earth and meaningful way. In fact, it’s the word ‘way’ that catches my attention.

According to the dictionary, as well as meaning a path, or road, the word can also mean a method, style, or manner we adopt. Someone close to me once explained, after saying some harsh, ill thought through comments, “It’s just the way I am. It’s the way I was made, so you’ll just have to accept me like this”. Really? I don’t think so. That’s the problem we are sometimes faced with. We can expect and accept it from the unchurched and unsaved, but what if it comes from a Christian brother or sister as sometimes can be our experience?

Scripture is clear that when we accept Christ, we are changed from the inside out. Yes, we can occasionally step out of line and need forgiveness, but what if a friend’s ‘way’ can be naturally harsh, abrasive, and off putting? Perhaps on more than the odd occasion? However, it is equally important that I also must remember to be careful not to fall into the sin of seeing the speck, and ignore the plank in our own eye. God does not leave us as he found us. The apostle Paul made it clear in when he said with confidence:

For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Romans 6:14,15 NIV

Legalism?

I didn’t realise it at the time, but apparently I am branded as a legalist (usually spoken with a hiss!) because I grew up in an apparently legalistic church. It was my church. The place where I found my faith and I saw obedience to the law of Scripture as a benefit to my Spiritual welfare, and a good thing for growth. I learned the importance of salvation, the reality of hell, and the assurance of heaven. I also learned the difference between good and evil, right and wrong. If it was seen by some as being legalistic, I didn’t, and was ok with it, and even appreciated and embraced it for what it was.

The Ten Commandments are a legalistic list and we are ok with that. The New Testament also has its share of things taught by Jesus and the apostles which are clearly right and wrong, good and evil. These can all be viewed as faith’s requirements, after all when we come to Jesus just as we are, our Saviour in His wisdom does not leave us in that same sinful condition. We are changed from the inside, and that affects our whole life. Some of those changes could be considered by some as legalistic, but I see them as good, to be desired, and perhaps even natural.

Nowadays, any form of legalism in church is frowned upon, and actively discouraged as being old fashioned and plain wrong. As a result, there is a generation of church folks, who rest on grace to the extent that it can give a green light to a behaviour which is less than Godly, and verging on immoral. We don’t like anyone telling us what to do I suppose. After all, we are not under law (the rules) but under grace (above the law) we argue. Perhaps we need to take a closer look at the verses which could be used to soften our attitude to sin or immorality even at some small level. To put it another way, if our nation didn’t have laws and rules, we would have anarchy and be out of control. We need rules, laws, and yes some legalism in our churches too, or we get out of control. Can I suggest one of the reasons the Church is in decline today is that we want to decide for ourselves the laws of God we want to actively obey? Then the laws of Scripture take a poor second place.

I suggest there are two camps in the legalism debate. Either you believe that in order to be saved you must FIRST obey the rules. Or in response to God’s saving grace you THEN become happy to obey and fall into step with God’s will, rules and laws. The answer to that question says a lot about the kind of Christian you are, and the opinions you form of others. Which camp do you fall into? Or to ask it another way, which camp do others think YOU fall into?? Paul saw this problem in the early church, and addressed it head on:

Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God’s grace. So what should we do? Should we sin because we are under grace and not under law? Certainly not! Romans 6:14,15

The Coin

Every coin has two sides, and Jesus recognised this when he taught his disciples the full message of His Father’s love and judgement. Each is a side of the same coin, and just as no coin has only one side, love and judgement go together and are needed to complete the whole truth.

In the past, some evangelical preachers were seen solely as ‘hell fire’ messengers as if that was the only message of the gospel. I think we have moved on from that, but perhaps we have replaced it with something just as incomplete. The message that Jesus loves everyone, irrespective of their actions, and if we just love the sinner fully and completely, that will be enough to see them enter the gates of heaven. I think we need to be careful that we don’t preach or teach a ‘one sided’ Gospel.

Scripture is full of warnings to sinners of remaining in their sins, and not turning from their sinful ways. The words are old fashioned, but they remain necessary. Words and phrases like, ‘confession of sin’, ‘repentance’, ‘born again’, and ‘saved’. Again, we need to be careful to preach and speak the whole counsel of God.

Teaching the message of love, without pointing out the consequences and dangers of remaining in sin, is incomplete, and only part of the full Gospel of Jesus Christ. God accepts us in His love just as we are, warts and all, but that same love doesn’t allow Him to leave us the way he found us! Now that is amazing grace. Paul puts it this way:

Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Romans 6:14-16 NLT

But...

Like everyone else in the world, we deserved to suffer God’s anger just because of the way we were. But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.) Ephesians 2:3-5 (ERV)

As a parent, hearing the words “but Dad” sent a shiver down my spine because I never knew what was coming next. It would usually have something to do with not liking what they were asked or expected to do. Human nature comes to the fore, and we show our displeasure with that single word “but”. The word is basically a very negative expression isn’t it?

I love the “but God” verses in the Bible, and this is just one of many. It simply means “in spite of”. In our case we are “like everyone else in the world, and deserve God’s anger”. But in spite of that, and because we “have been saved by God’s grace” He gave us new life! What a great God!

The question that often comes to me is this: Since this salvation is so freely available to all, why do more people not take God at His word and accept His gift? We must be a very headstrong and stubborn people to refuse God’s free grace. I can’t think of any other reason, can you?

Grace and Comfort

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8,9

If you have been in and around church for any length of time, you will have heard this verse preached on. I love the very thought of the grace of God that cared for me, and saved me, for no reason other than He loved me. It wasn’t up to me to be ‘good enough’, or to do and say the right churchy things. And all because God didn’t want any pompous human boasting.

We accept God’s grace so readily, and maybe because we didn’t have to do anything to get it. But are we as good at showing some of that same grace to others? I’m not sure we are. There are some interesting verses in 2nd Corinthians which show us the way we should act to others in sharing some of God’s same provision of love, grace, and comfort. At its root, we are told that the reason God comforts us (gives us grace) is to let us use that same comfort and pass it on to others. After all, if God is good enough to include us in His grace, should we not be as free in our giving of the same grace (comfort) He has given us?

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3,4

Holiness

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Romans 12:17,18

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:14,15

There is a part of holiness that seems to be missed, or perhaps ignored, and that’s the part we play in the process of spiritual growth. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, and the writer to Hebrews (who may also be Paul) makes it very clear that we have a responsibility to respect and be at peace with all men. He also makes clear that it might not be easy. Why else would he say, “Make every effort”? The goal is holiness, and reminds us that “without holiness no one will see the Lord”. That was a very serious charge for the first century faithful, and no less of a charge today.

We like to get our own way, and come out on top in everything, even matters of faith, but we are warned against it. We also like the easy way, which takes least effort, but also has least reward. But the downside is that we might fall short of the gift of grace God has for us, causing bitterness and no sincere believer wants that!

Holiness is a process of growth, but since we have a responsibility of our own to fulfil, we would be wise to make a firm decision to start. Otherwise, how does anyone know we are sincere? These verses remind me of my obligation as a Christian to live peacefully with men, and as much as possible not become bitter. Anything less is not a good example or witness for Person whose Name I bear.

It is summed up nicely in the words of the Psalmist: “How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1

Love

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:7,8

In the words of the old song, “Love is a many splendored thing”, and how true even today. Love takes many forms, from the deep love of a mother to her new born baby, to the mature love of the old doting couple in the twilight of their years, and all the love we enjoy in between.

Do you remember your first date? Your first kiss? When you proposed? When you were overwhelmed by the feelings of love for your children? These are as nothing compared to the love shown to us by God. We are reminded that, “Anyone who does not love does not know God.” How sad to think that there are many who have never loved, or been able to love, and yet take the name of Christ.

But look at the credentials that God shows when the verse continues, “God is love”. Not almost, or nearly, not even mostly, but God IS love. Nothing less and nothing short of full love for all His creation. Faced with a love like that, our human love pales in comparison, so how can we turn our backs on the intensity of God’s unconditional Love? And yet we can do just that, so why not determine to live a live worthy of the love He shows us, and as the verse says, “ let us love one another, for love is from God”? Then there would be fewer problems in our churches and communities.

The Gift of Grace

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8,9 ESV.

It’s your child’s birthday, and you buy a gift, wrap it lovingly, and hide it so that it can’t be found before the big day. After the family dinner, the cake is presented, the candles blown out, and now there is the giving of the gift. “Have you been good this year?” you ask. “Did you do everything you were told by mum and dad?” followed quickly by “Have you had good school grades?” If you have done all these things, we can give you a gift now. What a strange set of circumstances to unfold at a birthday party. What parent would do such a thing to their child?

I love the idea of God’s Grace. It’s free for the asking from a full heart. It has nothing to do with how much I deserve it, or have worked for it. I can’t brag about it, and I am saved through it. Going back to the child at the birthday party, the gift does not become anything to the child until it is given, and accepted. So it is with God’s Grace. It doesn’t become ours until we accept the gift that is offered freely. All we have to do is take it. None of us wants the justice we deserve, but we all do need mercy, and Grace is that perfect gift. It’s yours and mine for the taking, so why not accept it?

Conclusions

It is very important when doing a calculation in Mathematics or Science to arrive at the conclusion of any piece of work or equation, only after you have taken the time to calculate your way from the first line to the conclusion. That is normally the way things are done, and no student would be marked ‘up’ for jumping from the first line straight to the end. In fact it would be considered foolish because invariably the student would reach the wrong answer.

Why then, do we (and I include myself in this) persist in seeing a statement from a friend which may offend because of its source, and jumping to the most obvious, but perhaps wrong conclusion? In the past I have been caught out on social media when I shared something, but didn’t take care to notice where it came from. Fortunately, I have a loving family who saw it, and immediately told me what I had done and it was quickly removed. Of course it was an honest mistake, but my real concern was this: What would my family and friends think of me when they saw the abbreviations at the top of the post, and knew that they stood for a swearing phrase and against all that a Christian would stand for? As a Christian, it horrifies me that I might do the same thing again, and as a result I tend to look more carefully where a shared post comes from.

Normally, and in the vast majority of cases, there is nothing to offend or make me cringe when I read shared items. However, I am left with a dilemma when I see something from a Christian friend which is not in keeping with their faith or witness, and is obviously an oversight. Should I draw it to the person’s attention, or hope that someone else does? Or maybe leave well alone and try not to let it trouble me? In my own conclusion, I need to afford the same forgiving grace to others, that was afforded to me through Jesus.

What Does It Take?

There were times in my young life, when I questioned the benefits of being raised in a Christian home. Oh, I loved my parents, and know they were saintly in life and example, but what was I missing? Were those forbidden fruits tastier than the Christian life I had readily adopted? My pals seemed to be ok the way they were, and they weren’t off the rails by any stretch of the imagination. I was at that formative time of life. I was in my teens, so what was I really saved from? What does it take to know?

Fast forward a few decades, and I have a wholly different perspective on life. Being a dad and a granda has made me see my life in a different way. My daughter reminded me recently that God is already in our future, but we don’t know it until we get there. Recently, I found myself listening to the heart of one of my wider family as they unfolded some of their troubles. God is working in their own lives, but the problems encountered by their own family made me oh so very thankful for the things I was saved from. You see, I don’t know what I was saved from, and that’s the great thing that I can see now. I didn’t always feel this way, but God was gracious in granting me salvation at an early age. I believe I was saved from, well, a lot!

Now when I pray for others with problems I never had to face myself, I find myself twice blessed. I am blessed to have known God’s grace early in my life, and I am also blessed that I can pray with thankfulness that God can indeed save the souls of people from one extreme of life to the other. God is able, and He can make Himself known to us in simple faith. However, there is a catch. Isn’t there always? The catch is that we have to ask Him for His gift of salvation. Easy, isn’t it? Not really, because the biggest blockage we will face is accepting that we really do need a Saviour, and it doesn’t matter if we are young or old(er).

One of the lessons in my own life is this. Actions have consequences, and although God can and will help us deal with each one, He doesn’t take them away. They have been of our own making and we have to face them head on, but as I listened to this wise, faithful and praying Mum talk about her daughter’s sad consequences of bad decisions made, I was reminded yet again of God’s faithfulness. This troubled girl has the benefit of a praying Mum on her side, who will not let go of God’s promises as she intercedes on her daughter’s behalf who is also now beginning to realise that her Mum is the best friend and support she will ever have, and to cap it off, her Mum also knows she is not alone, as there are many other Christians who will pray for them in their time of urgent  and immediate need. My question is simple: Will you join with me and please pray for Joanne and her young child? You may never know or see the answer to your prayers this side of eternity, so thank you and God Bless your faithfulness.

The Greatest Gift

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:15-17 NKJV

It becomes clearer as time passes, and you get older. Probably the result of hard lessons learned in our earlier, younger, and busier life. When you are older, and have the luxury of being able to look back, things can become very clear. One of the definitions of ‘redeem’ is to ‘compensate for faults’, and we know a lot about that. How many times have we messed up, and we need to put it right, but we can’t because it is impossible to wind the clock back and relive the moment? That can bring us to our knees, if not literally, at least in our heart. Some of the saddest two words we will ever hear or utter are, ‘if only’, and none of us are exempt from situations that took us there.

However, there is another definition of the word redeem. It looks similar, but check closely. It also means, ‘to DO something that compensates for poor past performance or behaviour’. So in some cases we really do have the chance to give one of the greatest gifts we can. We can compensate. Not make the past poor actions go away, but at least make them a little less hurtful and harmful. Now that prospect should bring us to our knees literally, because this time is precious, and should not be squandered yet again. It should be grasped with both hands, because as the old song says, ‘you only hurt the ones you love’.

So, to your spouse or children or friends you have hurt by bad decisions, take a moment to redeem the lost time if you ever get the chance. No guarantees that it will make everything right, but if you do not, those bad decisions will always remain bad memories, and with no human redemption, but let’s not leave it on that note.

Isn’t it great that God treats us differently, because He always treats us in Grace. So although we deserve nothing from God, we get the greatest gift any father can give His child, and it doesn’t get any better than this verse in Romans 6:23: ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’. Yes, this really is the greatest gift!

BST

It’s that time of the year again, where the clocks go back an hour, and you get that extra time in bed, to give you the long lie in you deserve. No excuses for being late for church then, or even missing it! It feels good to go round the house putting the clocks back that hour on Saturday night, after all who is going to stay up to 2am to do it? It’s one of the few good signs of winter approaching. (For our UK readers you should turn your clocks back at 2am on Sunday 28 Oct, and our US and Canadian readers a week later.)

Wouldn’t it be good to be able to turn time back for longer than an hour though? How about turning the clock back so that we can reclaim our youth, or maybe lost health and strength? How about going back to a time when we found our life’s love and reliving the moment you tied the knot and got married? We could go back to the birth of our children, and their first steps, their first birthday or Christmas! If only, if only... there are so many good times we could return to, if only we could turn the clocks back.

However many good times we could go back to, there are those times we would want to change. Those decisions we need to put right. The angry word to our best friend. A great personal wrong we need to rectify. To go back to be in a place we have regretted we missed, at a time we were needed. Unfortunately, we cannot go back to put great sins right, and the consequences of our past sins will always be with us, but I have great news! We might be able to remember them with regret, but if we have asked God to forgive our past sins, He has forgotten them already. As quick as that!

I was reminded of the following by a dear friend recently: The past is the past, and we can’t change it. The future is unknown, but we have the gift of ‘now’. That is why it is called ‘the present’, so let us all make good use of the time we have right now, and make it count for our tomorrows, and let our gracious God deal with forgetting about our past. After we have repented and asked for forgiveness, that’s His job, and He does it well. So let’s take our responsibility seriously for our ‘present’ as a gift from God, and not abuse His love, grace or forgiveness.

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Cor 6:2 NKJV