eNews | Thur 17th Sept '20
Dear e-News friends and church members,Remember - And Don’t ForgetI recently read in a scientific journal that the human brain has the capacity for at least one million years’ worth of memory, and we are only using a tiny percentage of our capability.God really did intend for us to live forever!Then Elon Musk has recently reported that he has successfully chipped the brain of a live pig called Gertrude. He is pursuing his dream of AI inbuilt to the human body so that we can overcome serious diseases and interface seamlessly with robotic technology.Not that long ago this was the stuff of sci-fi movies.I definitely need help with my memory as I sometimes walk around the house looking for my reading glasses which are then found sitting on the top of my head!!!Yet, with all this advance man cannot resolve the most basic of problems. I’m not talking about finding a vaccine for Covid-19, which will undoubtedly come but of the ever-increasing crises of the human condition.The statistics are sad, more young male suicides than ever, more mental health problems and depression, more domestic abuse, more hungry children, and more displaced people than ever before. And whilst our government fielded proposals this week to keep the most serious criminals behind bars for longer, our prisons are already the fullest they have ever been in the entire history of prisons.We are a wealthy world with an abundance of most things, yet we read yesterday of the jailing of the head of global athletics as he and his son were found guilty of corruption on a massive scale, concealing the huge Russian doping scandal.Talking with Pastors in Beirut this last week, they are working hard in their community doing all that they can to rebuild from recent tragedies whilst knowing that their country is robbed and pillaged by corrupt politicians pursuing personal agendas.Remembering is not the same as forgetting.Forgetting something means it’s fallen out of mind but remembering something means you are making a conscious effort to keep it there.One of the most beautiful thoughts in the Bible is when God says:"For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." - Jeremiah 31:34Quite literally this could read:I have chosen to remember to forget your sins.Such is the grace of God, that He doesn’t hold these things against us, but consciously and purposefully chooses to put our faults and failings out of His thinking. Whilst politicians scramble to improve the human conditions only JESUS can change human nature.There is good news, one church in California has baptised over 1,000 people at the beach over the last few weeks.The church in Iran is exploding in growth, regardless of all that their corrupt government tries to do to stop it.And we continue to see church online thrive not just survive.WE ARE THE CHURCHTHE CHURCH IS OPENTHE CHURCH IS ONLINEThe present challenges of Covid-19 continue, for the moment our brilliant Friendship Houses have been stopped in some areas, but we are at the place where we cannot look back to what was, like Paul said, "forgetting what was behind," but we do REMEMBER,-The faithfulness of our God.-The power of His promises.-The mandate and mission He has given to us.The second shortest verse in the Bible is, "Remember Lot’s wife." Said by Jesus by way of warning to his disciples, she looked back and became a pillar of salt.But Jesus finished that conversation by telling them that the kingdom was within them, so anything was possible.As term starts, we are making special emphasis on our kids, youth, and students over these next few weeks, making sure every last one of them is loved, included, and helped on into God’s plan for their lives.I’m looking forward to sharing this powerful message with you on Sunday:Never-ever-ever give up!If you are allowed, we encourage you to make a Friendship House happen around you, we so missed having one in our house last week.Hopefully, soon we can have them all up and running.We love you guys see Sunday,Andrew