“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, And in Him Amen, to the glory of God” (2 Cor 1:20; NKJV). Through Christs death and resurrection, He paid the price for our sins, sins that caused us to die spiritually and separated us from God, jesus won forgiveness for us for all of our sin’s past, present and future (Rom 6:23; John 1:6-7; Eph 2:1; Col 1:14). As we believe in Jesus and ask Him into our lives as Lord and Saviour (Rom 10:9-10), we are born again spiritually (saved) and come back into fellowship with God (John 14:23). The Greek word for salvation (soterion) encompasses forgiveness, deliverance from all of the effects of sin, healing, prosperity, preservation, happiness and general well-being, or in other words, an abundant life as God lives (John 10:10b). God no longer sees us as sinners but as His children with right standing with Him (1 John 3:1). The apostle Paul gave us a glimpse of the depth of God’s unconditional love for us, he wrote: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor 2:9, NKJV). God provides all of our needs from: “His glorious riches” (Phil 4:19; NLT), in other words by His standard not ours and He uses His power to give us all things we need for life and godly living (2 Peter 1: 2-4). He will never leave or forsake us (Hebr 13:5b). As we enter 2025, let’s reflect on God’s goodness but also remember that as we focus on God and make His ways our priority, we open His hands to be able to bless us (Mall 6:33).

Pic: Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada.

I grew up going to church, a choir boy and priests assistant but my life was never truly changed by all of this. At university I gave up going to church. When I got my PhD, I worked for 2 years in the USA. Invited to attend a church, Jean and I met a Methodist pastor. There was something about this man, a love of God, knowledge of the word, love of people and a genuine desire for us to know Jesus as he did. This started me on my journey to believe in Jesus and ask Him into my life as Lord and Saviour (Rom 10:9-10). We all need to ask ourselves, “Do our lives impact people for Jesus, as our Methodist friend did us? Do people look at us and desire what we have as Christians?” How should people see us as Christians? The early church saw thousands of new Christians added to their numbers (Acts 2:41; 47b). What did people see in the lives of these early Christians? These Christians told others about Jesus, they emphasized prayer, the teaching of the apostles (God’s Word), communion, praising God and a unity and spiritual fellowship with God and each other (Acts 2:41-47). Caring for one another was a cardinal virtue of the early church (Acts 4:32-35). The apostle John exhorted us not to love the things of the world around us but to do God’s will (1 John 2:15-17). The apostle Paul wrote a wonderful description of Christian character; we are to be holy, merciful, kind, compassionate, humble gentle, patient, forgiving and people at peace in God’s unconditional love (Col 3:12-15). Let’s shine for God in 2025!