Reunions - It's nice to meet up again

I love reunions. At the time of writing this blog I was off to a reunion. Thankfully we all saw each other in the summer when we ran a youth camp together but often reunions mean coming together again after long times of separation.

Not seeing someone can be heart wrenching and difficult!

In the Bible we are told about lots of reunions. The lost son, also called the prodigal son, is welcomed home after a disasterous time away from home. Sin and hurt were the result of a wrong decision he had made. However the Father welcomed the lost son back with open arms when he returned acknowledging that he had been wrong. This story is in the Gospel of Luke chapter 15.

God is like this with us.

We went our own way.
We sinned.
We did our own thing.
We got hurt.
We cannot get it back together without Him.
We need to admit that we are wrong.

When we come he receives us. Why - because the Lord Jesus has taken the punishment for us by dying for our sins. God can forgive us on this basis.

Why not confess your sin and ask God to forgive you - HE WILL.

One minute can change everything?

 

A lot can change in a minute. We all know the cliches about a week being a long time (in politics), and a lot can happen in a day, but the truth is that life can change completely in less than a minute. 

For instance, if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, something can happen that you never envisaged and suddenly, everything changes. I’ll never forget when eleven-year-old Rhys Jones from my home city of Liverpool was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He lived in a respectable home in a decent area of the city. His mum worked in our local Tesco Store. He was just an ordinary boy enjoying life, loving his football and playing out, as boys do. But on that sad day, he died in the crossfire between two rival gangs. For the Jones family on the 22nd of August 2007, everything changed in a moment. His life was ended, his parents and family were devastated, and his blood was on the hands of the young man who pulled the trigger and those who were involved in providing the weapon. 

I apologise if the recall of this tragic incident drags up painful memories for any who read this. I cannot express my sympathy enough for your loss and the lifelong grief that results from it. I’m not writing to try to explain why such horrible things happen - apart from the obvious fact that people are capable of doing evil things and good and that they will be held responsible for what they have done on the future day of judgment. I am writing to remind you of how life can change irrevocably in a moment. 

So, what are the lessons we need to learn and what difference can they make in our lives? There are many!

Enjoy the moment!

Value and cherish your relationships!

Don’t take people for granted!

Make the most of the time you have!

Things are not that important; people are!

Tell people you care and appreciate them while you can!

Try to live without regrets!

As much as it depends on you, live at peace with others!

Forgive and forget!

Through the Bible in 66 Days - Ephesians

 

When Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus, he wasn’t writing to strangers. He knew these people. He had preached to them, wept with them, prayed with them, and watched God save them. Their story begins in the book of Acts, continues through Ephesians, is strengthened in 1 & 2 Timothy, and is warned again in Revelation.

And through it all, one message shines:

Salvation is God’s plan, God’s work, and God’s gift — not ours.

1. How the Gospel First Reached Ephesus (Acts 18–20)

Ephesus was a city full of idols, magic, immorality, and spiritual darkness. But God had a plan for them before the world began (Ephesians 1:4).

In Acts, we read:

• Paul preached the Gospel boldly.

• Many believed in the Lord Jesus.

• People burned their magic books.

• The whole city was shaken by the message of Christ.

This is what the Gospel does — it rescues, changes, and transforms.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.”

— Acts 16:31

Not “behave better.”

Not “try harder.”

Not “keep the rules.”

Just believe.

Through the Bible in 66 Days - Galatians

 

If you’ve ever wondered what Christianity is really about — rules or rescue, effort or grace — the book of Galatians answers it plainly. Paul writes like a man on fire because the very heart of the Gospel was under attack. Some were teaching that you needed Jesus plus good works, Jesus plus the law, Jesus plus human effort to be saved.

Paul says absolutely not.

The Gospel is Christ alone, grace alone, faith alone — or it is not the Gospel at all.

1. The Problem: People Adding to the Gospel

Some teachers had slipped into the churches of Galatia, saying:

“You need to keep the Jewish law to be saved.”

“You need to do certain works to stay saved.”

“You need to earn God’s acceptance.”

Paul responds with the force of a man defending the cross:

“If righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” — Galatians 2:21

In other words, if you could save yourself by being good, Jesus didn’t need to die.