new blog at www.hallelujah-hall.blogspot.com

Ive had it for a while... I'm just going to write testimonies and stuff! Its just going to be devoted to testifying about how Great God is and what He is doing! Check it out!

Also dont forget to comment on Beyond Connections

News Flash:

No one cares what I think! hahaha

Im a bit tired of arguing and stuff as fun as I find it sometimes... So no more wholly holy for now.

Im still blogging a bit at Beyond Connections. Please keep checking that every day and commenting! We need your opinion!

And I'll start blogging on Hallelujah-Hall with testimonies etc...

So good bye for now!

Laughing at Jesus

Over the last few days I have heard a whole bunch of peoples opinion on miracles, raising the dead, their place in todays world, and if that should be part of our mission or not. Many people have laughed at suggestions that we should be doing that. Ive been shocked, angered and saddened at some of the views that have been put towards me. People Joking about it at THQ and other Salvationist places. Its a sad expression of where The Salvation Army is at in this Territory.

Firstly, True theology comes from Jesus. Fact: Jesus drove out demons. Fact: Jesus healed the sick. Fact: Jesus raised the dead. Fact: Jesus did miracles!

Secondly, its commanded. Matthew 10:8 "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."

Thirdly, what God commands He enables. Read 1 Corinthians 12. Not happening in your ministry? Ask God why not? Maybe its a lack of Holy Spirit...

Fourthly, These things occur regularly in many Christian churches. And I mean all of them, demons being booted, sick healed, DEAD raised back to life! We havent had someone raised back but the rest has happened... Check out the extreme prophetic link for some of the many...

Fifthly, people have always laughed at people who think raising the dead is possible. Right back from Jesus time, right through until now, people laugh at this suggestion. Read this and ask yourself, who are you in this story...

49While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don't bother the teacher any more."

50Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed."

51When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother. 52Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep."

53They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" 55Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Who are you?
1) The person who points out the facts
2) The person needing the miracle
3) The person encouraging faith
4) Someone laughing at a possibility of a miracle
5) The person raised from the dead
6) Ive probably missed more but you get the picture...

People laughing at the possibility of miracles is nothing new and is a sign of their dependence on themselves and not on the Holy Spirit.

The objection that raising of the dead etc "was for another time" is bullocks. Why one time and not another? Because we have medicine now? They did back then too! We still have diseases that cant be cured by medicine. Whats your point?

Who cares about the facts or what seems probable or inprobable, "Don't be afraid; just believe." Get some faith! Get the Holy Spirit! Lets have a revival. The only thing stopping it is us! God help us all!

hmmm

I've been thinking over the last week or so... What is it we think God wants us to do? What should our mission be?

Heres what I think...

• We should be pursuing holiness, that is not sinning and full of love
• We should be aggressively evangelizing with the intent of the whole world getting saved
• We should be loving everyone with implications for social justice and social welfare
• We should be living incarnationally in poor suburbs
• We should be operating with the gifts of the Spirit (not just gifts that we've learned...)
• We should allow, encourage and empower everyone to participate in our mission
• We should be zealous in all we do
• We should be saturated in Bible study and prayer
  

I believe we need to preach the gospel, drive out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead, help the poor.

I believe that our mission will not succeed if we try to do things on our own without the Spirit of God. And I believe the reason why we have not been accomplishing our mission is because we have not allowed the Spirit of God to do what He wants.

I believe there are many people who will disagree that we can be entirely sanctified, that everyone should accept Christ let alone try to convert them, that we drive out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead, and use/rely on the gifts of the Spirit!

I believe once we find some unity on these things we will see revival!

GOD WITH US

My new tat! It says Immanuel in Hebrew! It means "God with us" and is taken from Isaiah 7:14
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." And then Matthew uses the same message in Chapter 1 when talking about Jesus!

So, just like my tat will always be with me, God will always be with me! Hallelujah! When people ask what it means they are in fact asking me to preach the gospel to them! How Isaiah prophesied about Jesus, the Saviour, 600 years before He was born!

I just re-did the theological survey...

What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists. Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 100% Charismatic/Pentecostal 86% Fundamentalist 75% Emergent/Postmodern 71% Neo orthodox 68% Reformed Evangelical 43% Classical Liberal 43% Modern Liberal 29% Roman Catholic 25%

lots to say...

It may seem like I havent been blogging much lately... But I have I'm over at Youth Speak at the Beyond Connections link until the new year... I'll try to keep this one going, but make sure you read and comment on both Beyond Connections blogs!
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Murali got Warney's record of most wickets taken. This is a very sad day for cricket lovers, and Warney lovers. Murali has a disgusting action that is clearly dodgey. Hes taken 163 wickets against minows Bangladesh and Zinbabwe compared to Warnes 17. Murali has only taken 270 wickets away from home compared to Warney's 362! At the end of the day, we are all going to remember Warney as the best, not Murali. They are both shrowded in controversy, Warne foe his off field stuff, Murali for his on field stuff. Warney is the best, sorry Murali you just don't cut it...
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So you think you can preach was heaps of fun! I even got to sing! They sacrificed tune and pitch for loud and passion... Which is better? Ask someone who was there...lol The preaching was pretty good if you ask me, considering we didn't know what topic we were getting! For more info check out Jo Brookshaw's blog!

I got to preach with the band behind me... Id been wanting to do this for ever and Sunday night I got my wish and out of all the subjects I could have got I got holiness! So I had a bit of fun and was disappointed when I had to stop talking!lol
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I'm really amazed at how many people don't know our holiness beliefs. This is crazy and makes me wonder whats going on at Training College, because ultimately its the Officers who are responsible for teaching holiness. Our holiness beliefs is one of the distinctives that pushes us to revival! Lets preach it, imagine what an Army dead to sin and full of love would look like!

Global Warming

I usually dont get into the global warming debate I am today... Here is one positive to come from global warming...

how i evangelise

How I evangelize…

1) Pray

2) Talk and listen to someone who doesn’t know Jesus yet

3) Ask them about their beliefs… I normally try to find an opening in the conversation so when I ask it doesn’t freak them out

4) I tell them why I am a Jesus follower

5) I tell them the gospel

6) I challenge them to repent and believe

7) I pray with them

I think most people find step 3 hard. I use something they say then use it to lean into something Spiritual…

Here’s some examples that might work…

• Me: “What did you do on the weekend?”

Them: “I went shopping… What did you do?”

Me: “I went to church and hung out with friends, it was great…”

Them: “Oh, ok…”

Me: “Do you ever go to church” OR “Do you believe in God?”

Them: “Not really”

Me: “Why’s that? Boy, could I tell you some stories…”

Then I go from there… It’s so not confrontational and you get to talk about why you believe in God…

• Them: “I watched supernatural the other night…”

Me: “Did you really? What happened?”

Them: “Angels/demons etc”

Me: “I’ve cast demons out of people before…”

OR if that’s not true, “I know people who have cast demons out of people before…”

Then I talk about that and gradually you’ll get to talk about how to be free from demons etc…

• An easy one is when people are down and you just tell them the promises of God,

“Cast your burdens upon Jesus for He cares for you.”

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

“I have come to set the captives free.”

Just tell them how God can help them! Easy as!

In all of the above there is room for jokes, words of knowledge, prophesy, your own personality etc… You just need to be open to talking about Jesus! People who are gifted evangelists will make opportunities, but if we all took our opportunities we’d get a lot more people saved…

Army Spirit

This is from a topic on the beyond connections Wise Words blog... Check it out! Make sure you comment on the YOUTH SPEAK one too!

In chosen to be a Soldier, the orders and regulations for soldiers it speaks about the 'Army Spirit.' A list of "qualities, convictions and principles."

"The Holy Spirit of God will reveal to true Salvationists how they can exhibit that practical, loving and self-denying attitude to the straying, sinning and suffering world for which Christ died, which is the hall mark of the genuine Army Spirit."

It also lists some of the qualities etc...
Strong faith
Infectious joy
Burning compassion
Going for souls and going for the worst
helping hand
soldiers bound for glory

Do you have the "Army Spirit?" Its also very similar to the early church spirit. Its also very close to thr Spirit of Jesus, infact, if you don't have it you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit! Ask Him to fill you right now!

Secondly, I keep getting then losing the gift of Holiness. I have had it for 2 days now Hallelujah! And it has been great, but when I see something of love/grace etc in a movie I tear up... Not to the point of tears rolling down my cheek, but I am filled with an awe of the love, grace and acceptance that Jesus has for me! Thank you for saving and cleansing me Lord!

Not holy? You cant become holy on your own! Ask God to make you holy!

Wednesday

Firstly, there is a BEYOND CONNECTIONS blog site up. Theres two there. Wise Words and Youth Speak. All youth out there, make sure you get on there and comment like crazy! Its your Army so do something about it! Share your ideas, thoughts, and grudges and lets win the world for Jesus!

Secondly, No one will want to miss Sunday night at Macleod Salvos! Its the world premiere of "So you think you can preach!" Great speakers in Pete and Jo Brookshaw, Tish Rowe, Alana Armstrong and ME! Its going to be fantastic, Great music is lined up, great preachers! All you need to do now is bring along all the unsaved people you know and they'll get saved! Hallelujah! Lets get heaven partying all night long with all the new converts!

Thirdly, Jesus Saves! He saves us from all evil. The world for God concept is great. We need to win the world for God. This is both individual and social, souls and justice! Its everything! If everyone knew Jesus imagine how cool it would be! Now, imagine closer to home, your family, your school... Get moving, theres a dieing world to save!

I had the privledge of leading another person to Christ today! Hallelujah!

After several months of seeing souls saved reguarly I am seeing life in a new way. I see conversion in a new way. I see regeneration by the Holy Spirit in a new way.

In Booths day, and in the Bible time, we see people really repenting of their sins. Booth wanted to see tears, he wanted to make sure people were really repenting. People can say they believe but unless they repent their belief doesnt lead anyware.

And thats how I see the Western church these days. We dont preach sin and repentance. Instead we market the gospel to peace, prosperity and happiness! All are truth to a certain degree... But we need repentance before we start seeing real fruit. We see this repentance in heaps of the youth that finally take on their christian parents beliefs, and thats when we see change.

Booth saw massive turnaround conversions because they preached repentance, however, it seems that today, it takes a while to get believers to the point of repentance... What would happen if we all started preaching repentance?

"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" Matthew 1:15

Amazing salvations!

HOT OFF THE PRESS!

Just had a call from one of the Revolution Recruits from Plenty Valley!

He was walking around school and some girl came up to him and said she had a dream with him in it. This was strange because he doesn't really even know this girl. She then told him she had a dream of him praying for her, and that she had seen heaven and hell! She woke up sick. So he preached it to her, prayed with her, she got saved and fell forward onto her face by the Spirit!

Also, one of the guys he led to Christ the other week excitedly came up to him and told him that he himself had led someone else to Christ!

Salvations! Hallelujah! God is good and is working in Plenty Valley!

Connections

Connections was great!

Heres a couple of the issues that were discussed...
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TSA is most trusted organisation in Australia. We are seen as a group of people who don't preach to people and this is apparently a good thing. People like us because we don't preach?

What does that mean?

Does that mean we only help people in Jesus name but don't try to get them saved? You can only respond to the gospel if you hear it. Have we as an Army stopped preaching with words and are hiding behind our good works hoping that people will want to get saved? Heres a headline for you, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Mormons etc all help the poor too. We have more than good works! We have the one and only true living God who created and loves His creation!

What scares me is that the fact that "we are seen as a group of people who do not preach it" is seen as a positive! Who cares if that means people like us, our friendship with them is not going to save them from facing up to the consequences of their sinful lives! Yeah we might win a few like we have been, which is great, but arent our expectations a little higher than a few here and there? Aren't we all about "THE WORLD FOR GOD?" After all, we did sing about it.

People can not get saved without putting their faith in Christ. People cannot learn about or respond to Christ unless they hear about it. Works are good, and it shows a glimpse of Christ, but for them to be saved they need more.

I propose we need to keep up the holy living, the responding to people with justice and compassion, but also preaching the gospel strongly! We should not be ashamed of God, the gospels or the fact that we're trying to get people saved!

Is the Salvation army wanting to keep going down the not preaching path, or do they want an Army of evangelists who are trying to plunder hell and populate heaven? I know what I'm called to do...

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Rudd wins the election. There will be a few pastors around the country who will be scratching their heads and bunkering down in prayer to see why their prophecies of a Howard win did not eventuate. Im waiting for their explanation, did they mis-hear or did the prophecy come with a "if?"
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More connections stuff...

Over 2000 people marched for justice in the name of Jesus! Followed by a rally at Fed Square. Heaps of people stopped and listened to the musicians, and the gospel! Nazarite Vow were awessome and testified that they play because of Jesus! Frankie Wants Out were great as they always are, their committment to helping the Salvos out is fantastic. Mez Coleman has a fantastic voice and dazzled the crowd with her cool groove. Bits and pieces played some MXPX, Relient K, Planetshakers etc with the worlds smallest guitar player!lol Great job everyone!

Alot of people herd the gospel!

Around 3000 people gathered yesterday morning for commissioning and the Holy Spirit definitely showed up!
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Some stuff from connections:

Uniform was made with the intent to emphasize the priesthood of all believers. -Is it these days? Have we instead gone the other way and broaden the gap between officers and soldiers even with different colored eplets?

In 1901 salvos took up.8% of the population now we're o.4%

T. Costello encouraged us not to get too close to telling the public we're a church because of its bad press, heres an easy way to do that, lets call ourselves CORPS...

Alan Harley is a great Holiness teacher, more on him during the week!

Although we live in this world we do not wage war as the world does. But the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world. The weapons we fight with have devine power to demolish strongholds.

We cant win this war on our own. We need divine weaopns that demolish strongholds. Weapons that demolish strongholds of the devil and his demons. Our weaopns are Spiritual, Spiritual gifts from God, used with authority activated by faith.

Even though we live on Earth, we dont fight like everyone else, we fight with the gospel of love and grace.
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Yesterday I had the chance to make up "New Christian' showbags! It was really fun. We're going to give them to new Christians as they get saved. The pack has a Bible, some little toys like bouncy balls that say Jesus Saves, book mark with arnour of God on it, a new Christian daily devotion etc We believe that we need to be expecting people to get saved before they actually will.

Our resources and weapons we are using in TSA at the moment I believe are sub standard. The war is too big to be using the weapons they try to teach us. Thats the problem, we're trying to learn it on our own. Its not Spiritually imparted to us from God. Get baptised in the Holy Ghost and fight with some Spiritual Weapons!
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Also, we went and did some serving yesterday. It was pouring with rain so we went and held umbrellas for people who were leaving the shops. Not many peole accepted our offer, but they all smiled and I was able to tell some a bit about God...

"At least 30 members of a Russian doomsday Orthodox sect, including four children, are continuing to barricade themselves in a dug-out outside a Russian village to await the Apocalypse." I also read that they believe the apocalypse is coming in May.

I know theres a few prophets who read this blog... Have you heard the same thing?

Heres a thought... If it was to end in May, and you didnt want people to go to hell, then what would you do?

Why dont we try anyway?

Revolution- by Eleventyseven

I don't mean to cause mass hysteria
It's on its way and its probably gonna bury you
And there's nothing much that you can do
There's nothing good left to immitate
Nobody is left now to mediate
And everybody has still got something to prove

Pre-chorus:
I can't even tell whats right from wrong
Will someone please tell me what's going on

Chorus:
Cause we need more than a revolution
Something deeper than a false solution
To replace what's going wrong
So don't look alarmed when everyone's choking
Suffocated on what they're hoping in
Let's move this along

Don't ask for me to participate
I'm just the wrong kind of candidate
It's pure hypocrisy that makes me, me
God show me past all this ignorance
I can't pretend to be innocent
It takes much more than words to make a stand

Pre-chorus

Chorus

To where we find a passion
And not just fake reactions
In all the words we choose today
'Cause there's no easy answer
When greed becomes a cancer
And now it's eating us away

Nothing in our world is working. Poeple try different things all the time, trying to find, peace, balance, enlightenment... I read an article the other day showing all the trendy religions that the celebreties try out... Jesus is the only way. Lets show people Jesus, He's much better than getting drunk on the weekend, or getting high with the rastas, or sitting in a circle humming, or stretching for an hour, or drinking green tea, or positive thinking... Hes the real deal

Jesus Freak

What will people think
When they hear that Im a jesus freak?
What will people do
When they find thats its true?

Separated, I cut myself clean
From a past that comes back in my darkest of dreams
Been apprehended by a spiritual force
And a grace that replaced all the me Ive divorced

I saw a man with tat on his big fat belly
It wiggled around like marmalade jelly
It took me a while to catch what it said
Cause I had to match the rhythm
Of his belly with my head
Jesus saves is what it raved in a typical tattoo green
He stood on a box in the middle of the city
And claimed he had a dream

(chorus)
What will people think
When they hear that Im a jesus freak
What will people do when they find that its true
I dont really care if they label me a jesus freak
There aint no disguising the truth

Kamikaze, my death is gain
Ive been marked by my maker
A peculiar display
The high and lofty, they see me as weak
Cause I wont live and die for the power they seek

There was a man from the desert with naps in his head
The sand that he walked was also his bed
The words that he spoke made the people assume
There wasnt too much left in the upper room
With skins on his back and hair on his face
They thought he was strange by the locusts he ate
The pharisees tripped when they heard him speak
Until the king took the head of this jesus freak

(repeat chorus 2x)

People say Im strange, does it make me a stranger
That my best friend was born in a manger
People say Im strange, does it make me a stranger
That my best friend was born in a manger

(repeat chorus 2x)

What will people think
[what will people think]
What will people do
[what will people do]
I dont really care
[what else can I say]
There aint no disguising the truth
[jesus is the way]

Jesus Freak by DC Talk... i love the words and the song rocks even though its getting old...
Are you a Jesus freak? Why not? I love Jesus

Hmmmm Im getting a tattoo, what should I get and where on my body? Im thinking something like Jesus saves, and or immanuel, but i also like blood fire... if anyones reading this givce me some suggestions...

Just a quick post for today...

Firstly, the youth did the meeting today and it was great. They have real potential as they did a terrific job leading, singing and preaching! Well done guys! We had 2 sermons, one on the change Jesus makes in our life, and the second one was on spiritual gifts. We had a cool altar call at the end with people responding really well!

Plenty Valley Salvo Salvation Count
Thursday 2
Friday 1
Sunday 1

Sunday also had 4 re-dedications/asking to be born again...
and a bunch of people asked God to fill them with the Holy Spirit

Not a bad weekend hey? How did your corps go?
We need to start doing this more consistently if we want to see the WORLD saved...

Thankyou Jesus for coming to save the world
Sorry for not aggressively evangelising like we should
please give us boldness, purity, power and passion to do it

YOU MUST READ THIS!

Firstly! As a corps we decided to aim to get 20 people saved in the three or so months before the end of they year. We are now down to 4 or 5! Hallelujah! Most of them have been from the youth side of things.

Last night a girl came to band practice. Shes been once before but i know her a bit from different things. She just got out of detox. She told us she had her drug problems but told us all shes over that now. She recommitted her life to God at band practice! It was great!

One of the leading evangelists at church has led 2 people to Christ during his maths class in the past 2 days! Praise the Lord! He started taking his little Bible to school so he could evangelise. Then he also took tracts, now hes moved on to taking his BIG bible to school and is seeing results in maths! hahaha He prayed for a girl today once she was saved and she had a glory fit (God knocked her to the ground) in front of the whole class! When he was asked what he had done to her, he replied "I invited her to the party in heaven!" Classic! Lord let more get saved during maths, p.e, english etc!

All this says that we can all get people saved anywhere anytime! Take your Bible to work, school, the train, wherever. Search for opportunities to tell people about the God who loves them so much!
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Been at Torquay today! Beautiful! Great weather, great friends and not too bad waves! Got a little sunburnt but not too bad! Thanks God for the great weather!
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i love this season!

the truth...?

As I go about my life and meet different people I see that there are so many different beliefs in the world today. The muslims believe an angel visited Mohommed, some believe in re-incarnation, others in buddha or some of the thousands of hindu idols. Still others believe their dead relatives and friends hover over them and watch them all the time. Most people believe in heaven and hell, but only the people they dont like would go to hell, they basically believe anyone can go to heaven if your "good."

Well, sorry to say this but theyre all worng! Islam is satanic, hell is for those who dont believe in Jesus and those who havent repented, our dead relatives arent angels who watch over us, Jesus is the judge who decides who goes to heaven or hell. The world can throw so much "good news" (gospels) our way, do it yourself books, relaxation methods, ancient meditation, positive thinking stuff. But sadly its wrong and leads to eternal death.

Jesus is the only way, He is the truth, and He is the life! (John 14:6) Anything that says He is not has the spirit of the anti-christ in them. (1 John 2:22-23) But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! (Galatians 1:8)

Jesus is coming back!

God is good! How bout this hey?

3We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

5All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

11With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.^[b]

(2 Thes 1:3-12 NIV)

I posted before, I don't want to die, i want to be here when Jesus comes back! How cool would that be! God prepare me! Jesus is coming back! Lets get busy!

Also, how do Christians not accept the idea of hell? Sin is bad, God is holy and just. What more is there to say? Their authority comes purely from reason and their argument will always lose against arguments with authority... Hell is real, lets not let anyone we know go there!

The Salvation Army's reasons for world evangelisation as on the internet site...

World Evangelisation is:

• Enabling every person on earth to hear the gospel in a way they can understand, and have a valid opportunity to become a Christian
  
• An approach to man in his totality and the world in its totality in order to transform, perfect and save them

We are committed to World Evangelisation because:

• We accept that Christ’s Great Commission applies to us
  
• We know how much the salvation made possible by Jesus has transformed us, so we want to share it with others throughout the world
  
• Our activity, however small it may be, makes a contribution to world justice and peace
  
• It helps prepare for the future coming of Jesus. (Mark 13:10)

And also because:

• It is within the traditions of our movement and the church
  
• It stimulates the life of the home church

Salvationist Involvement

Salvationists share in world evangelisation by:

• Regarding themselves as being involved in Christian mission locally, wherever they are
  
• Being involved in mission with their corps/congregation/centre
  
• Supporting the International Self-Denial Fund
  
• Partnership with another part of the world church
  
• Praying for a selected part of the world – through the Prayer Covenanters’ League and in other ways
  
• Considering God’s call to ‘go into all the world’ (Mark 16: 15)

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Also, LivingWaters.com is a great website with teaching and resourcing on evangelism, check it out...

Salvation!

1. Check out Sarah M's blog. She had the privilege of leading a friend to Christ yesterday at school! Anyone can do it! Jesus appeared to her friend in the clouds... You'll see what I mean...

2. CFAN had a successful crusade in AGBOR with 886,139 souls saved! Hallelujah!

3. Check out Steve C's blog for the article on the NFL player who's getting his whole team saved... 24 people at last count! hahahahallelujah!

4. Australia will not lose a cricket match this summer. Welcome to the team Jaques and Johnson.

5. An Evangelical Pastor Killed - Associated Press
Pastor Diego Armando Bejarano, 27, was killed recently in the region west of Bogotá. Witnesses say hooded men took Bejarano by force and stabbed him. The motives for the killing are unknown; however, it is common knowledge guerrillas groups view Protestant pastors who encroach on territory under their control as military objectives. In the last 10 years, guerrillas have assassinated 133 pastors, Protestant missionaries and Catholic priests, according to the Evangelical Council of Colombia. Ask God to encourage and minister to the pastor's family and church as they mourn. Pray his testimony draws his attackers and nonbelievers into the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Matthew 5:4

6. Praise God we can win the world for Jesus here in Australia without hardcore persecution. Maybe it would be better if we were being persecuted... That would sort the boys from the men... Or the girls from the women...

7. Pray for the General. Hes got cancer.

8. Lets preach the gospel today!

the world for God

Last night I was watching tv really late and a show came on, it was "Where are the biggest losers now" or something... The basic thing was, you lost weight, its been a while, so have you kept the weight off? What a great idea hey?

So, for you. When did you get saved? Have you stayed saved until now? We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.
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Secondly, we are at war to see the world saved. To win the world for Jesus. Not just your neighborhood, or school, or little community but the world! I haven't seen much resources or training that fits the mission though.

If you aren't getting resourced, trained to win the world for Jesus come to Plenty Valley! We're training end time warriors for the last global harvest that will usher in the second coming of Christ. I want to see the word saved before I die, in fact, I don't want to die, I want to see the world saved and the return of Christ so I don't need to die! Are you with me?

Lets live our lives in a way that will bring about this last global harvest of souls that will usher in the second coming of our King!

God is good!

Tonight was awessome at band practice. We had a great prayer time at the end. Pretty much everyone was knocked over by the Holy Spirit. A couple of people even fell forwards! We had people prophesying, prophecies being confirmed, curses being broken, blessings being declared. A great time to the glory of God! Hallelujah!

Second part of Finney... (still in fairly contemp english... my better version coming soon...)

Sins of Commission

1. Worldliness: What has been the state of you heart to world possessions? Have you looked at hem as your own, meaning you have the right to do with them as you like? If you have write it down. If you have loved property, and tried to get it for the sake of it to satisfy lust or ambition, or a worldly spirit, or to lay it up for your family, you have sinned and must repent!

2. Pride: Vanity is a specific form of pride. How many times have you spent more time, going through more of a hassle to decorate your body to go to church than you have spent preparing your heart and mind for the worship of God? You have gone to the house of God caring more about how you look to mortal men and women than how your soul appears in the sight of the heart searching God! You came to divide the worship of Gods house, to draw off attention of Gods people to look at your petty appearance!

3. Envy: Look at the times when you were envious of those who you thought to be above you in any way. Be honest, and if you have accommodated this spirit of hell, repent deeply before God, or He will never forgive you.

4. Highly critical: Times when you have been bitter, when you have spoken to Christians in a manner totally devoid of charity and love, charity requires you always hope the best, and to put the best slant on any ambiguous behavior.

5. Slander: The times what you have spoken behind peoples backs of the faults, real or made up, of members of the church or others, un necessisarily, or without good reason. This is slander. You don’t have to lie to be guilty of slander, telling the truth with the aim of hurting is slander.

6. Lightheartedness: How often have you gone about as though nothing matters, but you would not dare do in front of God.

7. Lying: Understand what lying is. It is any means of designed deception. If you design to make an impression contrary to the naked truth, you lie. How many lies are told in business, and in social times, by words, looks, and actions in order to make an impression on people contrary to the truth.

8. Robbing God: Times when you have misspent your time, wasted hours, which God gave you to save souls, in vain amusements or foolish conversation, reading novels, watching T.V or doing nothing.

9. Bad Temper: Maybe you have abused friends, family, partners, or other people in any way. Write it down.

10. Hindering others from being useful: Maybe you have weakened their influence by insinuations against them. You have not only robbed God of your own talents, but tied the hands of someone else!

I love prophesy

I love prophesy! I love it how I can be going about my everyday life then all of a sudden something will happen, and out of the blue I'll get a text message from a prophet saying something discerning and encouraging. I love it how I might be stuck on a question and have no idea what to do and seemingly can't hear God then a prophet says "This may sound strange but God says..." Or when life is getting you down a little bit and a prophet says something encouraging. And a really good one, when you're being tempted to do something bad and you get a message reminding you what its all about and it keeps you on track. I love it when I deliver a message and it turns out it actually was from God and not something I just made up! I love knowing I have heard from the Lord God Almighty! I love prophesy!

There are alot of prophets out there. Some good, some bad. Some of truth, some not. Some we listen to, others we don't. But God sends them and we need to listen to them. Please think of the prophets out there who get these weird and wacky words to say to people like you and me, it can be quite scary and risky. But they do it because of the burden God gives them before they give it.

Thank you God for the messages you give us. Thank you to the obedient prophets! Thank you people for listening to the prophets!

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. Romans 12:6

stuff

Firstly, You need to check out www.justsalvos.com! It is awesome!

Secondly, Christmas is coming and I demand that you buy your presents from the gift catalog the salvos have here. It is really really really good! You can buy stuff for people in the developing world. Stuff like mossie nets, rehab, crutches, animals, tools, toys, education, banks, income generating stuff, and even stuff for officers! Prices range from $5 to $1000! Something in everyones price range! Look out for it in ONFIRE. You are oppressing the poor if you don't buy presents from it! Don't waste your money buying people stuff that is crap and they'll forget about and they don't even need, and lets do something positive! Great work whoever put the catalog together, it is FANTASTIC!

Thirdly, me and Sarah were in a car crash last night. God completely protected us. Sarah was driving and we got hit by a car. I looked over to see if she was ok expecting her to be badly injured but somehow no one got hurt, and the cars shouldn't be too bad either. Prayers of thanks, but also, please pray that Sarah can afford all the repairs, insurance etc

Fourthly, the divisional youth event yesterday was good. It got rained out so we took it inside. It was suppose to be full on evangelizing but we can't complain about the rain can we? What impressed me was that there were some guys who were upset that we didn't go street preaching and stuff! I love the culture of us not wanting to be fed all the time but actually want to go out and get people saved! We are a Salvation Army! Hallelujah!

Fifthly, keep you ears to the ground for "So you think you can preach!" Coming soon...

I have started handing out Tracts alot more than I ever had before. I've been very surprised at how effective street evangelism has actually been. I believe the world sells us a message that street evangelism doesn't work in todays culture, but from the results I've seen since "Go For Souls" I can safely say that street evangelism works. People are getting saved because the gospel is being preached! Check out http://www.atstracts.org/ They boast 180 years of changing peoples lives.

A tract is something that is pointed, keeps peoples attention and has a clear gospel message. I now see the value of the War Cry however I believe it is not as pointed as what it could be. So, I have plans to make a monthly newsletter type tract to hand out with testimonies etc all aimed at getting people saved (not just talking through things)...
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On another note, I want to thank God because I have such a great job! We went to luna Park last night for Youth group and I had such a great time with the youth. Its great having people love you so much as they grab you and force you to go on rides with them. It makes you feel so wanted and so special.

Which leads me to this point. Do you go to church to be fed? I use to, but now I go to serve and I find that i am being fed by the people I am ministering to. So, a challenge, if you're worried about not being fed, start serving! Start up some evangelsim stuff, or go help out at a soup kitchen. Most importantly, find a community where you can minister, its about a lifestyle of mission not a day, or job of mission...

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more! 1 Corinthians 9:19

sins of omission

Me and Charles Finney are beginning to translate some of his work into modern english... And maybe even youth language... This is modern English mostly, but I'm working on making it even more relevant... Have a read, you're suppose to write down all your sins so you can repent of them... Its from a chapter entitled "How to promote a revival."

Sins of Omission

1. Un-thankfulness: Think of all the times that God has done something for you, answered a prayer, granted a favor and you have not said thank you! Write down all these times, then go over them 3 or 4 times and see the amazing amount of times that God has never been praised.

2. Lack of love to God: Think how terrible and alarmed you would be if you found out your wife, husband, children, and friends did not love you as much anymore. If you saw them absorbing all their time, hearts and thoughts in some one else. Perhaps you would die of a just jealousy! Now, God says He is a jealous God! And haven’t you given your heart to other things and people, acted the adulterer and offended God?

3. Neglect of the Bible: Write down all the times, perhaps it was days, weeks, months, or even longer when reading the Bible was not a priority, or enjoying.

4. Unbelief: These are the times when you have called the God of truth a liar by your unbelief in His promises and declarations.

5. Neglect of prayer: Times when you did not set aside a time to pray in your own devotions, praying with your family, prayer meetings, or have prayed in a way that would have upset and angered God more than if you had just not prayed at all.

6. Neglect of means of grace: When you have come up with excuses not to go to church and share with believers, when you have neglected spiritual exercises.

7. Lack of love for the souls of friends and family: Have a look around and see all your friends and family, and how little compassion you have had for them. You have stood by and seen them heading straight for hell, and it seems as though you do not care. How many days has there been when you have not prayed for their salvation, or at least had an eager desire to see them saved?

8. Lack of care for the pre-believers: Measure how much you want to see them saved by how much you sacrifice for them, how much do you give to give them the gospel? Does your lifestyle change, even to inconvenience you so that some may be saved? Do you daily pray for them in your devotions? Do you attend the monthly prayer meeting? Do you put aside something to give to God to use for their salvation? If you are not doing these things, and if your souls does not ache for the poor unbelievers, why are you such a hypocrite to pretend to be a Christian? Your profession of faith is an insult to Jesus Christ!

9. Not kept family duties: As you have lived with your family, how have you prayed, what example have you given them by the way you live your life? What direct efforts do you regularly do for their spiritual good? What have you neglected?

10. Neglect to watch your own life: Times when you have completely forgot to watch your own behavior, and have been caught off guard, and have sinned in front of the world, in front of the church, and in front of God.

11. Neglect to watch over your brothers and sisters in Christ: How often have you broken your covenant that you would watch over them in the Lord. Would you watch your wife or child going in to the fire of hell and keep nice and quiet? No way! Of course you wouldn’t! What do you think of yourself, to pretend to love Christians, while you see them disgracing themselves and say nothing to them?

12. Neglect of self denial: The are so many Christians who are willing to do anything for religion as long as it doesn’t include self sacrifice. They only give of their surplus wealth, and perhaps that poor woman who puts in $1 at the monthly prayer meeting has sacrificed more than they have in giving thousands!

who do you worship?

I was talking to some one the other day and they were saying that the devil wants us all to go to hell. And I thought, why does he want us to go to hell? It didn’t make sense. Some people say that the devil is the king in hell. But my Bible tells me otherwise. My Bible says that hell is the place God created to punish the devil and his demons. (Matthew 25) So why does the devil want us to go to hell?

The devil used to be an angel. But he wanted to take Gods place, he wanted to be God. (Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28) This turned into a fight in heaven and the devil and a third of the angels were kicked out. (Revelation 12) Then we see Jesus talking about how He saw the devil fall from heaven. (The Rev 12 passage is just like most of the book of revelation, no one can agree what it actually means... But from the other passages and others like Jude I think we can at least believe the minimum of what I have written down...)

So, I believe the devil is not so much worried about where we spend eternity, but who we are worshiping. The devil sees it this way, every person who does not worship God is worshiping him by default, we are completing the devils plans and mission if we decide to not to follow God. We are agreeing with the devil to disobey God and live for ourselves.

Who are you following? Who are you worshiping when you watch that dirty movie or pass on that nasty bit of gossip? Who are you worshiping when swear and curse other people? Or when you get angry and judgmental? Who are you worshiping when you put your own needs above others? Who are you worshiping when you simply choose to do nothing when something is required of you? As Matthew 25 says, if we do the wrong thing we will go to the place of everlasting punishment, the place prepared for demons!

But don't fear! Jesus doe not want you to go to hell! He has come to save you! Stop worshiping the devil, start worshiping Jesus and you will be saved!

Acts 2:21
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

The Spiritual War

We’re going through a pretty good time at Plenty Valley. A couple of ago we made a goal to get 20 people saved by the end of the year. With 2 months to go we are down to only needing 5 or 6 more to achieve that goal! Hallelujah! Yes, that means 14 or 15 people saved in 2 months! Pretty good going hey?

Yesterday was the first official day of Revolution Recruits! Very exciting! They all signed a promise saying that they believe in Jesus, and that they’re going to pray and read their bible every day, and try to show the love of God at all times… It is a bit wishy washy but that’s because that’s what the trainings about, getting them to a point where they are not wishy washy.

We also went out and handed out stuff like light bulbs and water bottles with appropriate bible messages on them. Steve is an anointed evangelist. He had the privilege of leading another person to Christ! Hallelujah!

The thing is, every time in my ministry at P.V when we’re going really good, or approaching good times, something goes wrong. We’ve had mums pull their kids out of stuff for all sorts of reasons during my time here… Because we’re small, when a few youth go then it’s like we need to start all over again.

And so today I ask for prayer, that as we advance the Kingdom of God in Plenty Valley, that God will protect and shield the youth and that they will be given a time to grow as warriors so that as they do move on, the gospel message will move with them… Thanks

Spiritual Warfare

Firstly, I had that vision of hell but my mate Steve from church had an even crazier one on the weekend which included smells and stuff! Infact, he smelt something that was yuck and didnt know what it was. Then today he smelt in class... The smell of burning hair which is also the same smell as sulfur... Thank you Jesus that i don't need to burn in hell! You can check out his blog here. It's his first blog so we'll see if he keeps it up...

Secondly, did Strike tonight at Macleod with Simon M. It was great. The topic was Spiritual warfare. A huge topic for a small amount of time. We could have done heaps more but we fitted in some cool stuff. We were able to change some beliefs shaped by TV, and told them about the Bibles version! We then prayed for the gift of discernment.

The way we tackled the topic was to basically say angels and demons are real. Angels out number demons 2:1, God has authority (Matthew 28), He gave it to us (luke 10:19), then how to be protected, (Ephesians 6) and how to get set free from them! Thank you Jesus for our salvation!

So, if you think your possessed, or know someone who is, take them to the Macleod folk who will deal with it! They have authority from God, faith to back it up, the armor of God on, and now know what to do! I can just see it now, the demons having an emergency meeting tomorrow morning as all the kids wake up! hahaha Glory to God!

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8

Hell

During "Go For Souls" we were challenged to ask God to show us hell. We were told that one of the reasons why we don't evangelise as we should is because hell isn't real enough. I think thats a good point. Imagine if we actually applied that to the people we love, our friends, family, neighbours etc! Man, would we be busy!

Anyway, i had a vision of hell at the conference, here it is...

I saw the gates to hell and behind it were people aglow. they were glowing because it was so hot. And, they were all weird looking like they'd been melted. And as i stood at the gate into hell i saw hands reaching out, trying to escape. But, sadly, they couldnt. The other thing about it was that there was no sound. no screaming, because there tongues were so parched.

i was talking to someone who knew someone who worked with William booth. when he was asked why Booth was such an effective evangelist he paused then said, "Because he had such a strong belief in hell." Wow.

i don't know about you, but I don't want anyone to go to hell. And as Catherine Booth said, "Its Jesus or Hell!" Or as Jesus said when talking about Himself, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son"

freinds dont let friends burn in hell.

Soldiers

What was your Soldiership training like? What did you learn? Did you learn anything? Was it mostly the doctrines? Mostly the therefores? A bit of both? Was it memorable? Was it rushed? Was it hard? Did it teach you anything practical? Did you learn about how serious a covenant really is? Did you learn how to win the world for Jesus?

From what I have seen and read Soldiership training these days is pretty soft. When I say Soldiership I mean Junior and Senior! Theres no edge to it. Its not hard core. Its almost....boring. It certainly doesn't resemble anything that is going to actually win the world for Jesus. (My opinion, you can disagree...) What I mean is, we have a massive vision, "Win the world for Jesus." But our training doesn't look like it can achieve that goal!

So, I'm working on a solution. I'm not saying its perfect, or the best...yet.lol But the training I'm doing for my youth is practical. How to get people saved, how to do exorcisms, how to heal the sick, how to get holy and stay holy! In fact, the training will be so hard core that I'm even going to learn as I teach it. We're doing 1 worship, 1 Bible study and 1 outreach every week as their training, thats serving and saving on alternate weeks, although, most of the time we can do both at the same time. Then to be sworn in as a Soldier, you need to have started up your own initiative to get people served and saved!

I'm interested, what did your Soldiership training teach you?

Meagan

Tonight Meagan came to thursday night like she has been for a while. She says that,

"Life was just too much, too much hard work to live. Too many people making it worse, and people trying to make it better but actually making it worse. People were trying to help me, but without knowing it they were pushing me towards sinning. Tonight I prayed that God will come into my life and help me, so that I dont live my life on sand but on the rock! Now I feel different! I feel like I dont need to make up for all the bad things I've done wrong because Gods forgiven what Ive done wrong! He's helped me choose what path I want to take to getting my path on track and making me happier! He's helped me not be my worst nightmare! Im now looking forward to having fun, and being able to smile without doing the wrong thing!"

What a testimony hey??? Pray for her as she starts her walk with God! Another one for the Kingdom! Hallelujah!

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Mathew 7:25

Why Muslims follow Jesus...

I read a fantastic article today called "Why Muslims follow Jesus." I have a heart for Muslims as I lived in Bangladesh but check out the article! Heres a few of the points I got from it:

the number of new Christians each year outstrips the number of new Muslims...Muslims are increasing in sub-Saharan Africa and among African Americans by conversion, but elsewhere the growth is mostly by birth or immigration. The major growth for Protestants, especially evangelicals and Pentecostals, has been by conversion.

Reasons why Muslims are converting to Christianity:

1) Seeing a lived faith

• the power of God in answered prayers and healing.

• deliverance from demonic power as another reason they were attracted to Jesus.

• dissatisfaction with the type of Islam they had experienced.

• As with Paul and Cornelius in Acts, visions and dreams played a role in the conversion of many. More than one in four respondents, 27 percent, noted dreams and visions before their decision for Christ, 40 percent at the time of conversion, and 45 percent afterward.

2) The message is the medium

• The gospel message, especially its assurance of salvation and forgiveness, is also a significant attraction to Muslims.

• the spiritual truth in the Bible.

• Bible's teaching about the love of God

• love expressed through the life and teachings of Jesus.

Its amazing, Salvo theology goes so well with that. Incarnational living and loving, signs and wonders and holiness! Simon, you know what I'm thinking...lol

Revolution Recruits

We at Plenty Valley have turned our attention to discipling this term. Not an easy thing for me to do being such a lover of trying to get people saved! So, we're doing Soldiership Training, now called Revolution Recruits as our discipleship tool. It's not going to be all sitting down and listening to a boring guy like babble on, but each week these recruits fore the revolution will attend a worship, outreach and Bible study activity!

The outreach is going to be a mix of slum brigade type stuff, helping people in our neighbourhood with acts of kindness and service, mixed with street preaching, prophetic evangelism and "Pray For Souls." (P4S is a monthly prayer meeting we're having to pray for souls)

Everyones welcome as we at Plenty Valley are recruiting revolutionaries for the revolution, but what we really need is people to help disciple. If you are an active soldier, can evangelise, mentor, serve and disciple well, then we need you to help disciple this next generation of revoltuionaries!

I'll keep you posted as these Revolution Recruits storm the forts of darkness!

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations" Matthew 28:19

Sacrifice

Ive heard a couple of people talk about sacrifice today, especially in regards to Officership.

For a while my grandparents didn't even get paid as Officers. They would go collecting at Pubs and the like just to survive. They survived on peoples good will, my Nana recalls a lady who use to feed them and every now and then would even give her a steak! For a time, my grandparents like many others didn't even get paid as Officers. Thats what I call sacrifice.

When we were in Bangladesh we met some new officers. They told us a story of how they were living in there hut in the village, they had nothing. Literally nothing, and a thief came in during the night. "Give me your valuables" the thief demanded, they replied, "The most valuable thing we have is Jesus..." They then preached to this man who I believe later converted. All these two Officers had was Jesus! Now, thats what I call sacrifice.

As an Officers kid I can reassure everyone that we never went without. Yes, sometimes it was tight and we had to miss out on things, but we are called to sacrifice! It has taught me that Jesus is the most valuable thing we can have.

And who is the ultimate teacher on sacrifice? Jesus. The Holy Creator God tortured, killed and mocked for us, sinners. Why did He do it? Love. Why do we sacrifice? Love.

I often wonder if we didn't get paid as Officers would we would grow more as people like the thief in the night would see that the most valuable thing we have is Jesus... What do you think?

Check out Pete and Jo Brookshaws blogs and see how you can support cadets (soon to be officers) overseas with their inventive initiative, TACO. (Train A Cadet Overseas)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1

Prayers for October 2007
From The Voice of the Martyrs

NIGERIA Christians Killed by Muslims; Hundreds Displaced in Kano, Nigeria – VOM Sources

On September 28, angry Muslims killed 10 Christians and set churches, homes and businesses on fire in Tudun Wada, in Nigeria's Northern state of Kano. According to The Voice of the Martyrs' contacts in Nigeria, "At 9 a.m., Muslims began the attacks, setting fire to homes and churches. They attacked and killed any Christian they came across." More than 50 people were injured, while more than 500 members of the minority Christian population were displaced. VOM contacts added, "Muslim attackers burnt down all eight churches existing in the community, homes and businesses in the area."

Christians believe the attack resulted when Muslim students at a government secondary school in the area claimed a Christian student drew a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad on the wall of the school's mosque. VOM contacts reported, "No Christian student would do this, since the school has nearly 2,000 students and only seven are Christian.... [also] the mosque is usually busy with Muslims praying around the clock during the (Muslim) Ramadan fasting season; therefore, no Christian student would have any way of getting close to the wall of the mosque to make such sketches on the wall." Pray for the families of those killed. Pray the Holy Spirit will be their greatest comforter. Ask God to encourage and provide for believers in this area. Psalm 119:105, Proverbs 3:5, 6

Sign up and pray! http://www.persecution.com/

New Blog

My really cool, Jesus loving girl friend has started blogging again... check her blog out at www.livingthebestforgod.blogspot.com.

Also, when I read the Bible Spiritual gifts seem to be things we didn't have before we were baptised in the Holy Spirit, then once baptised in the Holy Spirit they are opend up to us... Sarah can testify that even though she was a born again Christian until she was baptised in the Holy Spirit she didn't have any "Spiritual Gifts" as such. But once baptised in the Holy Spirit she now has gifts like visions etc... Have you been baptised in the Holy Spirit? Do you have Spiritual Gifts or just skills you have had since birth or since you started learning them? Ask the Holy Spirit to fall upon you right now and open up "Spiritual Gifts" to you!

Eccentric Ezekiel

Ive been reading the book of Ezekiel, I love it. There is only one way to describe Ezekiel, he was a crazy crazy man. In todays world we would think he was some weird cult leader!

Ezekiel was a Priest and a prophet, which is kind of rare, which means not only did He work in the temple but He told people what God was saying. From what Ive briefly read it all starts when he has a vision of God, in what I can only describe as a spaceship! I kid you not! Imagine telling people you saw a spaceship and God spoke to you! People would think you were crazy! Thats what Ezekiel was like! (read Ezekiel 1 for a glimpse of the space ship!lol)

He was one of those weird guys that says stuff like, "God told me that..." Even worse he would tell people stuff they didn't want to hear! God had told him that he had to tell people what their sins were because if they didn't and they died then their blood would be on his hands! Imagine being told you need to tell your whole school how their sinning otherwise Gods going to hold you responsible?!? He must have been crazy going around telling people all their sins, I'm guessing he didn't have many friends...

Also, as hes telling people stuff he demonstrates it in all sorts of weird and offensive ways. One of those ways is by lying on his side for 390 days then turning over to the other side and doing the same thing just to prove a point! And to make things worse, he had his food there and God was telling him to cook while he was lying there, so Ezekiel needed a fire to cook. Because he wasn't allowed to move the only thing he was allowed to burn was his own poo!!!! So Ezekiel compromised with God and they decided he wouldn't use his own poo, but he'd use cow poo! YUCK!Imagine if you were doing that? What would people in church think? What would your Corps officer think? I can just see it now, We get the message but thats just too much, don't make too much of a scene, your scaring the people in the church, they think your crazy!" Hahaha

Isn't Ezekiel a bit of a glimpse of how us Christians are seen like sometimes? He sometimes has unpopular beliefs, he tells people they need to repent, he does weird things, he says he hears and sees God, he must have offended and freaked out so many people! But he had good reason to, God told him to! Maybe you know someone who's like this, maybe you need stop judging them, maybe you need to encourage them, maybe thats what God is calling you to. Today, be encouraged that even though God asks us to do things that are weird and wacky, that you are not alone, and that God will reward you! Are you a Jesus freak like Ezeek the geek?

Ezekiel 3:16-19
16 At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me: 17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for ^[a] his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.

Anonymous part 3

Ive had quite a few emails and comments left about the whole "Anonymous" thing so I think I will keep this strand going for a little longer. Im not sure how much I will be able to comment back and forth because Im going to the beach for a few days R&R...

Firstly, lets look at the Scripture I have used...

I wrote, "a light on hill cannot be hidden. (therefore if your hiding something maybe its dark...) If you are scared to comment maybe you are wrong!" Thats taken from Matthew 5. In this passage Jesus is saying that "You" referring to the people listening (thats us) are like a light on a hill if we follow Jesus. Heres the whole thing...

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Mat 5:14-16)

If anonymous is a follower of Jesus, (which he/she always says they are...) then we're not suppose to put it under a bowl to be hidden. Thats stupid. In fact, not only is it stupid to hide, but Jesus tells us to shine behind all men! Why? So that people may see your good deeds and praise Jesus! Which, is exactly the point Im making, if you have something worthwhile saying, something of light, then don't put it under a bowl, that is, let us see your life so we can praise God. If you are in the light and you hide the light (which is what anon does... although, more reguarly than not its not light but dark...) then that is a slap in the face of Jesus and a direct act of disobedience.

I wrote, "If you are scared to comment maybe you are wrong!" Well heres something to mull over, "18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18 What is that talking about, basically if you are made perfect in love then you have nothjing to fear, but not only that love drives that fear away. Don't be fooled people, fear is from the devil. (Not talking about fear of the Lord, which is a different type of fear which Im not going into...) What does fear have to do with? Punishment? If you write a comment and your scared of it then it must have to do with some sort of punishment. Why would you be punished for tlaking in the light? Are you afraid of other people?

I said, ""Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Which is not my words but a direct quote of Jesus in Matthew 10:28! And as I looked back it this morning its made even better sense, "So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." A far cry from "Im anon so people dont get me!" (lots of emails about that one...) I din't say it, Jesus did and its exactly what we're talking about. If you are an exception to this then it must be from the dark... But hey, I have been wrong before, try and prove me wrong!

Isn't it amazing that the Bible is filled with things about if you follow Jesus you will be persecuted yet we want to be anonymous because we dont want to pay the price. Imagine if Jesus kept anonymous so He wouldnt pay the price! hahaha what a joke!

And the last scripture. I put that in because whenever the conversation starts between me and "anonymous" they start crying that theyve been attacked. I work from the Bible, history, tradition, experience and reason. But sadly so many "anonymous" is from reason alone. Of course Im going to have a stronger arguement, I have so much more authority! Not my authority, but the Bible as authorative, and history, reason, tradition etc to back it up.

If I just left this conversation go I would be saying that you are all scoffers. But Im trying to reason with you and show my point because I believe that some of you will take it on. Most of what I have said, I believe is from God through the words of Jesus. I do not see any evidence at all in the Bible that we should be scared of one thing or the other, rather I see that God has told us to be a light, a light which you don't put under a bowl...

What do you guys think of the scripture I have used? And please, don't go silly, Im away and wont be able to delete your comments for a few days...lol

"Anonymous" (2nd edition...)

If you are one of the people that comments as "Anony mous" maybe have a think about what you are hiding, and before you comment get your life in such a way that you don't care if people know it's you for a light on hill cannot be hidden. (therefore if your hiding something maybe its dark...) If you are scared to comment maybe you are wrong! "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28) There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)

Thats all I'm going to say to anonymous, and to all you bloggers that get annoying anonymous comments, and all you pastors that get stupid anonymous letters, heres a passage from Proverbs I read on Kelvin Merrett's new blog, "If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you'll get slapped in the face; confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins.So don't waste your time on a scoffer; all you'll get for your pains is abuse.But if you correct those who care about life, that's different—they'll love you for it!Save your breath for the wise—they'll be wiser for it; tell good people what you know—they'll profit from it.Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God, insight into life from knowing a Holy God.It's through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens, and the years of your life ripen.Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life; mock life and life will mock you." Proverbs 9:7-12

Who are you voting for?

On the weekend Jason Golden told us that his boss Pastor Danny Nahlia had a chance to meet the Prime Minister not long ago. During this time the PM was told to repent, which apparently he did. Perhaps evidence of this is in his new view on the Aborigines... Pastor Danny has also now prophesied that John Howard will win the election! A very bold prophesy considering what the opinion polls are saying!

As voting time comes closer I wonder who to vote for. Let me explain...

1) Which politician to vote for. Do I vote for the one who has a Christian value/moral system, or the guy with more of a Christian view on the marginalized?

I am simplifying a few things but here we go. Also, this is not all there is to these guys, this isn't deep, just something thats been on my mind...

John Howard opposes same sex marriages, opposes abortion, has good economy, good record, and stands up for what he believes in. He allows for freedom of speech. But his laws concerning the poor and marginalized seriously need some work. He says he is a Christian, he repents, prays etc

Kevin Rudd seems to be great for the working class. He seems to care about the average people, and the lower income people. The social type stuff. But he is in favor of abortion, same sex marriage, and religious vilification laws that prohibit intense debate between religions.

"On SBS News Friday 28 September, Mr Rudd was asked the following question - “Mr Rudd, do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?" Mr Rudd’s answer - "Well, I'm a - I'm a, a person who attends church regularly."

2) Which leads me to, who am I voting for. Not which politician but in this election who do I want to be better of? Do I vote for me? Or for the struggling family down the road who get racially abused because they are Africans? Surely both are valid... And at the same time we are to love our neighbor as our self. I think the Christian thing to do is to vote for others...

And just one more question to add while I'm thinking about it. Throughout history whenever there is persecution of the Christians the gospel spreads. If we get religious vilification laws that would persecute Christians would the gospel grow, therefore meaning should we welcome religious persecution???

I know there are gaps in what I have said, pick them out. But tell me who (for you or others) are you voting for? And did I make any sense?

GO FOR SOULS

Hallelujah!

I'm on my way out the door for church but thought you'd like to know:

10 Salvations (9 during outreach!!!)
2 Testified to being healed (1 physical the other emotional)
2 Sanctifications during outreach (I think a couple more last night...)
Heaps of seeds sewn
Amazing worship! Like real hard core letting it rip screaming out to God worship! There were so many times we all just stood there wanting to keep going coz it was so good!
Great preaching, Xander, Jason Golden and Rowan, with electives by the above and Steve Court
And heaps of other stuff

Great weekend, more on it soon!

GO FOR SOULS!

“Go For Souls” starts tomorrow!!!!!
Evening rallies are free!
Get as many people there as you can!
Lets see heaps of people get saved!
Don’t chicken out! What would have happened if Jesus chickend out before He went to the cross?
Jesus commands you to evangelise!
Whats stopping you?
Lets change whatever it is!
Come to Go For Souls evangelism conference!

PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON! MYSPACE AND BLOG IT ALL YOU CAN! SMS YOUR FRIENDS!

Check out the details at www.goforsouls.blogspot.com copy the poster on there and pass it on to everyone!

Thanks guys!

Catch the Fire

I visited "Catch the Fire Ministries" today and had a great time. They are a para-church team who are trying to unite Australian Christians in prayer to win Australia for Jesus. All the people I met today are on fire for God and firey evangelists! A couple of things stood out to me.

The guy I was visiting, Jason, has a Salvation Army flag on his wall! And there was our Territories 24/7 prayer information being flashed all around the office! Someone had found it on the internet and was showing everyone! (thats even before i got there...)
The people there are all different ages! They have young and old evangelists, and when I say old they were like 70 years old plus and still preaching it! hahaha
The stories they shared were amazing! People getting saved left, right and center! Stories of people leading people to Christ on the way to the bank, in the line at the bank, walking to work, and even sitting in the car at the traffic lights talking to the guy in the car next to him!

The underlying theme of everything they do is "Win the world for Jesus!" and it shows, all the staff want to see people saved, they all work for it, pray for it, and then God blesses them and they see it! Hallelujah!

Jason is a great evangelist and has lots to teach us all. He will be speaking at "Go For Souls" Evangelism conference on Saturday morning! You should all come and be challenged! the night sessions are free, the whole thing is only $10, and if you cant pay that I'll give you a job and you can come anyway. There is no excuse for not coming. This is what God calls us to. It is a command to evangelise! What is your response? I cant? I dont know how to? I dont know what to say? Well, if thats so, come to the conference! Skip work, family etc, get there! Our dieing world needs you!

Introverted Evangelism (part 1,part 2 @ Go for Souls)

I am a bit of an extrovert. So when I do evangelism the first thing I can say to someone I have never met before, or even someone I know could be, "Do you believe in Jesus?" I am confident to say that. I am confident to ask questions, probe, challenge etc all on the spot. I see people saved quite reguarly, Hallelujah! But I often feel sorry for introverts.

I am sorry for introverts because they seem to think that evangelism is for extroverts. I feel sorry for them because they think that they need to be like me to be a good evangelist. When really thats crap. God calls us all to be evangelists, we are all parts of a body, we all have different personalities, so we will evangelise in our own way. The problem is that introverts see extroverted evangelists then shy away from evangelism because they think thats how you should do it.

But! Introverts have a lot of qualities I dont have. Look at this:
Extrovert: “act-think-act."
Introvert: “think-act-think.”

Introverts focus on deeper relationships, whilst extroverts can scan a room of people to talk to. Introverts can be great evangelists, they just need to make evangelsim a priority, get passionate about evangelism, and use the personality that God has given them. It will require patience and prayer, but God will make a way.

Check out this link, it will help you out alot!
http://www.onmission.com/site/c.cnKHIPNuEoG/b.2270961/k.7B4F/Evangelism_for_Introverts.htm

Church

Just a thought,

The Army grows when we have outposts and new ventures. When we dont have them we seem to go backwards and actually decline in numbers. What comes first the new plant or a healthy corps that produces people to start the plant??? It doesnt matter. But what does matter id that we need to plant more corps, outposts etc...

If we do this we need them to be fruitful. What works is the first question I ask. We seem to have a few lines of thought here.
1) Attractional church- where we have a big meeting and try to attract people to us, and more specifically to our meetings
2) Integrated- where we try to integrate social work stuff to the corps that is sort of attractional
3)Incarnational- Where we live in a community, work intensively with the people we live near

I dont think Attractional works in the Salvos. Why? Because we're too small, our leaders are spread too thin, and our quality can be beaten very easy.

I havent seen the integrated approach work very well. Why? Because corps are piggy backed by the social stuff and pick up on the spiritual, and the people see right through it and arent cared for or brought into the community.

Incarnational works on a small scale, but when trying to make it grow can be hard. But places like Vancouver 614 has worked if over 150 people in just 54 years in their corps last time I heard.

Incarnational is Biblical (John 1) it is hard work (you cant lie about whether you love people or not, people see straight through it) it is also multiplication based (not addition based, so not just adding 1 person every now and then, its getting new people who start new cells etc..) But it can often missed out on joining together as a large group, but a weekly prayer meeting will sort that out easy!

The question I am often faced with is how did the salvos in the early days disciple their people so fast? How can we do that today?

Anyways, I think incarnational is the way to go, I don't see any other way working, whilst I see places like 614 in Melbourne, Vancouver, and Cho's church growing fast in a cell based incarnational way! What do you think?

The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood. John 1:14 (MSG)