Bible Address Tonight: God Can Forgive - Can You? Today 7pm Sunday Christadelphians New Lynn 1359 Great North Road New Lynn
Forgiveness – Difficult and Challenging
We all are familiar with the responsibility we have to forgive others and how difficult and challenging this can be.
We can understand what is expected of us and perhaps grasp a little of the concept of the Father’s abundant grace towards us in Christ Jesus and to know our responsibilities of reflecting this grace
towards others.
We are familiar with the teaching of Jesus in the parables of the prodigal son - where the Father welcomed back the lost son in contrast to the attitude of the elder brother- and the unjust steward
who failed to show the same compassion to his fellow servant that had been shown to him.
The logic and rationale of this is clear.
Perhaps there is doubt in our minds and we judge that the other is not truly repentant. Is our human judgement a condition of forgiveness?
So why do we find it so difficult to accept and show grace to others?
Is there something of our nature that can overrule that logic part of our minds which knows the spiritual principles?
Perhaps this is what the Apostle Paul is thinking when he writes:
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.Romans 7:14-15 ESV
He calls it “the flesh”. We could also refer to it as our emotions or feelings. These cannot be switched on or off at will and so often control our decisions and actions.I suppose that is the difference between divine grace which in Christ presents us faultless before the
Father’s throne and human frailty that carries emotional memories which perhaps only prayer and time will heal.
We may be seeking forgiveness from others. It may well be granted and we may expect to be accepted as if the past never happened - but emotions and feelings can’t be just switched off. There may be consequences of our past behaviour which will live with us still.
And those of us who have offered forgiveness may still carry with us the hurt and disappointment of past experience which cannot be forgotten however much we wish we could.
So let’s acknowledge human weakness, offer forgiveness but understand that acceptance will so
often be marred by consequences.
And thank God for his unconditional grace that whilst we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Poll: Should the government levy industries that contribute to financial hardship?
As reported in the Post, there’s a $30 million funding gap in financial mentoring. This has led to services closing and mentors stepping in unpaid just to keep helping people in need 🪙💰🪙
One proposed solution? Small levies on industries that profit from financial hardship — like banks, casinos, and similar companies.
So we want to hear what you think:
Should the government ask these industries to contribute?
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59.7% Yes, supporting people is important!
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26% No, individuals should take responsibility
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14.3% ... It is complicated
Even Australians get it - so why not Kiwis???
“Ten years ago, if a heatwave as intense as last week’s record-breaker had hit the east coast, Australia’s power supply may well have buckled. But this time, the system largely operated as we needed, despite some outages.
On Australia’s main grid last quarter, renewables and energy storage contributed more than 50% of supplied electricity for the first time, while wholesale power prices were more than 40% lower than a year earlier.
[…] shifting demand from gas and coal for power and petrol for cars is likely to deliver significantly lower energy bills for households.
Last quarter, wind generation was up almost 30%, grid solar 15% and grid-scale batteries almost tripled their output. Gas generation fell 27% to its lowest level for a quarter century, while coal fell 4.6% to its lowest quarterly level ever.
Gas has long been the most expensive way to produce power. Gas peaking plants tend to fire up only when supply struggles to meet demand and power prices soar. Less demand for gas has flowed through to lower wholesale prices.”
Full article: www.theguardian.com...
If even Australians see the benefit of solar - then why is NZ actively boycotting solar uptake? The increased line rental for electricity was done to make solar less competitive and prevent cost per kWh to rise even more than it did - and electricity costs are expected to rise even more. Especially as National favours gas - which is the most expensive form of generating electricity. Which in turn will accelerate Climate Change, as if New Zealand didn’t have enough problems with droughts, floods, slips, etc. already.
Poll: Should complete designs be shared with the public, or should the community help shape the designs from the start?
The Post recently shared an opinion piece on the Harbour Crossing and why a more democratic approach might be needed 🚗🚲👟
While most decisions sit within the political arena, many organisations—like NZTA—manage long-term projects that go beyond party lines. Politics can sometimes disrupt progress, and the next Harbour Crossing is a big decision that will affect all Aucklanders.
We’d love your thoughts: Should near-complete, shovel-ready designs be shared with the public, or should the community have a hand in shaping the designs from the start?
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78.8% Community feedback and transparency is needed.
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21.2% No. This would be impossible in practice.
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