Thought for the day – Saturday 23rd May 2020
Tomorrow is 24th May – When Methodists traditionally remember the day John Wesley felt his heart “strangely warmed”. This experience prompted John and his brother, Charles, to develop the ideas and theology of Methodism – the ideas of holiness and of the possibility of salvation for all by the grace of the Father and through faith in Jesus.
All people need to be saved
Ephesians 2: 1 – 4 Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in. the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God’s anger like everyone else.
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ form the dead.
It sounds so harsh – “We were born with an evil nature… ” Is it really true that everyone is fundamentally evil? I’ve been asked this question many times by many people and, uncomfortable though it is, the answer is yes. Romans 5:12 supports the claim that “…everyone sinned.” We are cursed with a tendency to do and say things that are not in the will of God. This is why we need to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour because, if we let him, he takes those sins upon himself and deals with them
A lot of us have been spring cleaning recently, turning out old cupboards, drawers, sheds and garages. It can be so hard making the decision to get rid of clutter we truly don’t need but what a relief when it is all done. Many I know are saying how they’ve wanted to do it for years and are so pleased. We need Jesus to come into our lives to get rid of the “stuff” which gets between us and God – to get rid of sin.
All people need to be saved, is the first of the four “Alls” which John Wesley came up with after Aldersgate when things really started to make sense to him. Each “all” leads to the other. This is possibly the most difficult of them. None of us like to be thought evil – and there are degrees of evil certainly – but it is something everyone has to face up to so they can bring it to our loving Father and ask forgiveness in the name of Jesus.
So “All people need to be saved”. But let’s leave on a positive note – the next “All” is “All people CAN be saved.” and that is for another day!
PRAYER:
We ask your forgiveness, loving Father, for all the times we haven’t listened to you; for all the times we’ve done what we want even when we’ve known it’s not really been what you wanted. We’re sorry when we’ve blocked the path to you because of our own thoughtlessness and selfishness. Jesus has promised when we ask forgiveness in his name, you will forgive. We claim that promise, and the great hope it brings, now. We ask that, through your Holy Spirit you will prompt and guide us clearly in the future and we pray for the desire and yearning to listen more closely to your will.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.