eNews | Fri 14th August '20
Here’s a good question, when is enough NOT enough?The answer is when it’s just enough!Just enough is not enough because it might put food on your table but not on the table for others.Just enough is not enough because it might get you healed but not enough room to pray for the healing of others.Just enough is not enough because it might get you a friend but not enough to include others in that friendship circle.Just enough is not enough because it might get you to heaven-but what about bringing others with you?I am so glad that God is never the God of just enough, He is always the God of more than enough.Jesus fed 5000 and there were 12 baskets full of food leftover.Jesus turned the water into wine at a wedding banquet, He didn’t just bring a bottle to that party, He brought more than 900 bottles!The Bible repeats very many times the words, ‘abundance’, ‘more than’, ‘overflow’, ‘lavish’.This is the vocabulary of the grace of God.Under the law, everything was exact and measured.The law living life didn’t know largesse or generosity, it only knew how to keep exact accounts, precise amounts, tally’s, totals, lists of wrongs done and favours owed. It’s competitive and critical, judgemental and judicial. The exact opposite of the famous love chapter of 1 Corinthians 13. Take a moment and read that chapter reminding yourself of what a grace walk looks like. This is what a ‘more than enough’ life looks like.God has never called us to live ‘just enough’ lives. When praying for your own provision, pray also for others. When buying something for yourself get into the habit of buying something for others, let’s keep our foodbanks full.This is why our Friendship Houses are so important. We are sharing, including, loving and caring. We are enjoying, bringing and thriving. That’s the language of grace, that’s the language of heaven.We have so enjoyed seeing the photos come in from the very many Friendship Houses that met last weekend, and for the comments that have come back. Some of those comments require action on my part as we prepare the Church Online programme, some of the comments require that we learn some things fast, to make the Friendship House experience even more enjoyable.“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”Matthew 5:48 MSGAs we have said so often, we will not just survive this next chapter, we will thrive in this chapter.Let’s get all those friendship houses up and running, look out for the lonely, elderly, new Christian, single parents and others who just thrive on real supportive friendship.As we help others thrive-we will be thriving right alongside them.Keep sending in your photos and feedbackWe love you guys,Andrew