I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Wednesday, the 4th of October, 2023, and this is your friend Angus Buchan with a thought for today.

We start in the New Testament in the Book of Philemon 1:14-15. Paul says: 

"But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntarily."

We serve Jesus not because we have to but because we want to. In the Israeli army, they have to do their national service in the forces, and I have been told that they volunteer before they are even called up, not just the young men, the young women too, because they have such a love for their country. As much as you desire your loved one to come to Jesus, you cannot force them to come. It just does not work, does it? No, we have to pray that they will come to Christ voluntarily. I have a horse and you know him well, his name is Snowy. I can take Snowy to the water, but I can't make Snowy drink. 

If we look at the Gospel of Matthew 9:9, we will see that the Lord called Matthew, the tax collector, to follow Him, but He called him freely and Matthew followed Him freely. 

"As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him." 

Immediately, he left his money on that table and walked away because he found life. He found Jesus. I don't know if you remember that beautiful old song, its very old but its very beautiful. Freely you have received, freely give. Why don't you sing this song with me?

God forgave my sin in Jesus' name
I've been born again in Jesus' name
And in Jesus' name I come to you
To share His love as He told me to
He said, "Freely, freely you have received
Freely, freely give
Go in My Name, and because you believe
Others will know that I live"

God bless you and have a wonderful day. Go and tell somebody that Jesus loves them,
Goodbye.