Changing Lives

Reading: Colossians 1; Psalm 117

3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News. 6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace. (Colossians 1:3–6 NLT)

The Good News about God’s unconditional love is going out all over the world! In the darkness and confusion of all the Bad News we hear, don’t forget that every day, people in every nation on earth are telling someone the Good News about reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life through Jesus Christ. And the Good News about the Good News is that the Good News of Jesus Christ changes lives!

Whether the Good News is told by a missionary, by a new convert to faith in Christ, by a radio broadcast, by a person reading the Bible for the first time in their own language, or by reading an email or accessing the simple message on a website, the Good News is changing lives! Everywhere in the world, when people hear and believe the Good News about God’s wonderful grace and his great kindness to sinners, lives are changing!

How easy it is to forget that it’s not our programs or our preaching or our teaching or our skills that really make the difference. It’s the simple Good News of forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, purpose for living, and hope for eternity.

The Good News changes lives!

Prayer:

Father, Please help me and my friends to keep this clear in our minds and hearts; The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Good News that changes lives. We don’t save people! We don’t even “lead them to faith in Christ!” We simply do what we can to get the Good News out to people who need to hear it, and it begins to change lives. It’s hearing, believing, and trusting in your wonderful grace that makes all the difference. Amen.