The Meaning of Life
Years ago I remember seeing a film with this title as I was a fan of comedy, after all only a comedian would suggest that they know the meaning of life.
It was in the days when I rarely read a Bible, but I was a person who had suffered a fair deal of trauma and felt that all my suffering would bring me some merit or favour or ultimate forgiveness before God.
I do believe, though I did not know it, that God did love me but the first thing I needed to know was that I needed to be ashamed of things that I had done and humble myself before God.
It would have been possible to continue in the path of pity for myself but in order to really change, and that I did - not through my own efforts - but by looking upwards.
"Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth:
For I am God, and there is none else. "
Isaiah chapter 45 verse 22
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he hath shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
Titus chapter 3 verses 5 and 6
Only when I quote the great words of Scripture do I feel that I am on a solid footing explaining the ways of God in salvation to "whosoever will".
Salvation is open to all.
At that early point in my experience of reading the Bible I loved to read John's Gospel more than the others because I needed to know that God loved me personally, and it might be fair to say that this is a great emphasis in John's Gospel.
Many would agree that in John's Gospel chapter 13 and verse 23 he speaks of himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved.
We are not suggesting that there was favouritism with the Saviour but it might be said that certain delicate souls may need reassurance of love more than others and John may well have been one.
So whatever you are lacking it can be supplied by God through the riches in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke's Gospel chapter 23 verse 33 contains the words.
"Calvary, there they crucified Him"
It was in the days when I rarely read a Bible, but I was a person who had suffered a fair deal of trauma and felt that all my suffering would bring me some merit or favour or ultimate forgiveness before God.
I do believe, though I did not know it, that God did love me but the first thing I needed to know was that I needed to be ashamed of things that I had done and humble myself before God.
It would have been possible to continue in the path of pity for myself but in order to really change, and that I did - not through my own efforts - but by looking upwards.
"Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth:
For I am God, and there is none else. "
Isaiah chapter 45 verse 22
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he hath shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
Titus chapter 3 verses 5 and 6
Only when I quote the great words of Scripture do I feel that I am on a solid footing explaining the ways of God in salvation to "whosoever will".
Salvation is open to all.
At that early point in my experience of reading the Bible I loved to read John's Gospel more than the others because I needed to know that God loved me personally, and it might be fair to say that this is a great emphasis in John's Gospel.
Many would agree that in John's Gospel chapter 13 and verse 23 he speaks of himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved.
We are not suggesting that there was favouritism with the Saviour but it might be said that certain delicate souls may need reassurance of love more than others and John may well have been one.
So whatever you are lacking it can be supplied by God through the riches in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke's Gospel chapter 23 verse 33 contains the words.
"Calvary, there they crucified Him"