A Personal Message

If you have found this area of the Bailgate website, you are very welcome, whoever you are, whether Christian or not, whether you have problems or issues (as we all do) or just want to take a quiet time out from the daily round. This page is just for you.

We all welcome an occasional break from the distractions of the world and our daily routine. Even the weekend, which we could use for some quiet reflection, is largely occupied in busy activity. We have to make a conscious decision to set aside some time to think about spiritual matters, because they are relevant and they are important.

Every one of us has ‘baggage’ which weighs us down. We have all done or said things which have caused hurt to others; we have all had that done to us as well, so we know how it feels. It can turn into a long cycle of ill will and petty revenge, which is destructive. We feel uncomfortable, and this is not how we are meant to be.

What does Christianity have to say about how we stand with this aspect of ourselves? We need to go back to what Jesus said, 2000 years ago, were our main priorities in life: to love God, and also to care about our fellow human beings. If we do these two things properly, we will lead good lives, and daily life will be more comfortable. God knows that we are only human and will frequently fall down on one or more of these priorities, but is willing to forgive us if we are truly sorry and try our best to lead better lives. In the long distant past, people were far less civilised, and cared little for how other people might feel. The Bible shows us, in the Old Testament, how things were always going wrong with the world, how God tried to make covenants or bargains with His people. We were a stubborn lot! Are we all that much different today? A bit more civilised perhaps, but still quite capable of warfare, inhumanity to others, crime, cruelty,…The guidance of God is needed today more than ever.

In a very special way, God has already shown his care for us. He came to Earth, in the form of Jesus Christ, to sow the seeds for a revolutionary new way of life, based around those two priorities mentioned earlier. St John’s Gospel in the New Testament puts it far more eloquently than this web page can ever hope to do. Please take some time to read it, particularly the first three chapters.

God, through His son Jesus, wiped out the wrongs (the sins) that people before that age had done, and more importantly made it possible for us here in the future to have the same special sort of forgiveness which we cannot hope to receive from any other source. But we cannot just say sorry to Him and then go and do the same again without a twinge of conscience. This is our reminder to stay on the right path in life, with His guidance. We need to show that we want to change our outlook on life, to feel comfortable with the world and with God.


Many people find it very hard to switch off their everyday thought processes for long enough to think about spiritual matters. Some of the eastern philosophies and beliefs have complicated methods to aid meditation. Christians have prayer, which does help to focus their mind on God and is a means of communication with Him. Prayer is a way of expressing your worries, anxieties, feelings of guilt: questions and requests to the Someone Out There who wants to help. Millions of people around the world have found that prayer is valuable, and it takes only a few minutes to put yourself in the frame of mind where you can work out what you want to say to Him.

If you feel that you have reached the point where you would like to follow the way Jesus wants us to live, and realise, along with all those millions, that He can and will take on your ‘baggage’ (yes, you can leave it with Him!), then you need to express this in prayer:-

Lord Jesus Christ, I am truly sorry for the wrong things I have said or done or thought, especially towards other people. I realise that they are only human, like me. I know that only You can properly forgive me, and I promise to lead a better life in future. I know that You can help me through life and beyond, and save me from myself and the consequences of sin. I entrust my life and soul to you, now and for ever. Amen.

Jesus left us His helper, the Holy Spirit, to guide us through our life journey. It was the Spirit who miraculously transformed the disciples of Jesus from a group of well meaning but hesitant assistants, to a fully equipped team ready to take God’s message out to the world. The Holy Spirit helps people in many ways, and will guide you on your journey to everlasting life with God, which is the lasting reward for all those who have turned to Him.

The Peace of the Lord be always with you.