eNews | Fri 22nd Jan '21

Dear e-News friends and church members,Pushbacks, setbacks, and comebacks.You may have read in The Times or other local newspapers, or maybe some Christian media like Premier Christian news this week, that there was quite a response to last week’s e-news.I wrote on freedom of speech and big tech censorship affecting the churches in these tumultuous times.There was some sceptical sensationalised pushback from one reporter in particular. It was the same reporter who complained to the Usher Hall in Edinburgh last year pretending to be an offended citizen.  This one sole singular complaint managed to dupe the council into an illegal action, which has now ended up in a court case. And the article he wrote which was cut and pasted in other places this week was inaccurate. My response is now posted on our website and I would encourage you to read it.MY RESPONSE TO THE TIMES ARTICLE It’s sometimes important to recognise the power of one voice - for good or bad.But that could be your voice, this reporter uses his voice to sow discord and mischief, but you can use your voice to bring hope, life, light, and healing.Pushback is to be always expected when one stands up for anything that goes against the tide of public opinion, which regrettably is growing darker and more fearful by the day.In fact, if you find yourself going with the popular opinion you should stop and take a fresh look beneath the surface. Just check and see -  use your mind to consider, and ask, what exactly is going on here? How do these things compare and contrast with all the Bible says?If you want to thrive and not just survive, the Bible must be your final authority on all matters.Jesus once told a parable about a farmer sowing seed and looking forward to a great harvest, only to find that as it grew, weeds and thistles grew with it. The farm manager asked shall we weed them out? To which the farmer replied, no not yet, we don’t want to damage the good with the bad.Jesus in interpreting this parable told us that He was the farmer, and that He had sown good seed, which were the sons and daughters of the kingdom - you and me, but Satan was also sowing seed, the sons and daughters of darkness, bringing discord, despair, and death.The parable is an important one in that Jesus also talks of the end of times and a final day of judgement and reckoning, where the wheat and the thistles will be separated.For the moment these two groups are living together in the same field. We must therefore not only with diligence and faithfulness pay attention to the task at hand, but keep one eye on the future, for that day will be unavoidable for every single human being.Remarkably, we were once counted amongst the thistles, but by God’s amazing grace we got a transfer, a spiritual rebirth, a new beginning a fresh start. And all because of the cross and our saviour the Lord Jesus Christ.Guess what? There are very many others about to find that same grace, life, and a new beginning, let’s do all we can to reach them.The pandemic has been a setback for many people, particularly in the hospitality business, and our hearts go out to all those who have lost everything.REQUEST FOR SUPPORT The Bible teaches that when you face a setback get ready for a comeback. And we want to help, support, and pray for anyone that we can. Let’s get behind the comebacks.Lots of help is needed around our foodbank’s and catering projects. We have just been donated a fantastic state of the art industrial kitchen which hopefully will be installed into our Gorbals building in the near future, and so enabling us to do more and feed many.VOLUNTEER Ultimately, we know that it’s not people, not individuals that are the problem, God loves them all, and we pray for this dear reporter.The Bible teaches us that our battle isn’t against flesh and blood, but dark forces that plant deadly ideas and manipulate agenda’s. But I’ve read the end of the book (The Bible) and guess what? WE WIN!Love you guys, can’t wait to share the next instalment of "Thriving" (not surviving) this weekend.Stay safe, stay blessed,Andrew