Salvation of the World

If you were faced with the mission of getting the World saved, how would you do it? If you had the mission to see your family saved, how would you do it? What if your mission was to see your neighbourhood, or country saved, how would you do it?

I ask this question because It puts the mission first. "The main thing, is to make the main thing the main thing!" So often mission is something we do once or twice a week. Mission might be a section of the church like worship, or fellowship. But how often is it the whole thing?

How much of what we do as The Salvation Army is effective evangelism? Where do we see results? Where and how are people being saved? Please let me know because I want to learn from you.

Where are our travelling evangelists? Our Divisional, Territorial and International Evangelists? Where are the healing or prophetic evangelists? What about evangelistic crusades? Where are our evangelism classes? Evangelism schools? Evangelism confrences? When was the last time we as a Territory had Evangelism as a real and not just spoken priority?

Our mission is to see the world saved. Your mission is to lead as many people to Christ as you can. Dont beat yourself up for not evangelising, theres no time for that, instead write a list of all the names of people you know who dont believe in Jesus and get down on your kness and pray, then work out what the best way to get those people saved! One life at a time!

What are people doing Monday during the day or Tuesday night? I wanna do some street evangelism! Let me know if you wanna come!

Power Evangelism

Ive started re-reading a book written by John Wimber called "Power Evangelism." Ive only read the first chapter but already theres bits i really like...

Wimber gets saved, then begins to read the Bible. He then goes to a local church, he sits there and at the end he feels cheated! He says "I anticipated training in spiritual warfare and equipping for advancing the Kingdom of God. I envisioned Christians meeting together, singing, praying, recieving encouragement or exhortation from scripture, then dispersing throughout Orange County, California, to perform dramatic healings, expel demonic spirits, oppose evil authorities. Then, we would return later in the day with our new converts and reports of great miracles, overflowing with joy and worshipping God. It was a vision taken from the book of Acts."

Similar to what Catherine Booth says in "Aggressive Christianity!"

Imagine a church that got together to do just that. Got together to get Empowered bythe Holy Spirit, encouraged by each other, exhorted by Scripture, so that we could go out as an army conqering territory! Imagine going out seeing people healed, restored and freed! Then coming back together to celebrate our God who lives and loves!

Me and some friends do this every now and then, and have been meaning to go out again. If you are interested let me know! I'll post next time I know we're going out. Until then, live in the power and grace of our Lord Jesus, believe in His promises, trust in His power! Heal the sick, drive out demons, preach the good news of Jesus! Love God and love others! Amen!

ANZAC DAY

Well todays ANZAC day. Ive always been a big supporter of war heroes and armies fighting for justice, freedom and democracy etc. And today we say a big thankyou to those gone by who have stood up for our country and for other countries. Lest we forget!

But heres a question we need to think about, what does Jesus teach us?

I have been really challenged about the war issue. I was a supporter of the USA going into Iraq, Afghanistan and of Israel attacking Syria. I thought that those were good ways of trying to solve a problem.

But the more we look at it the more we see that war does not work. For thousands of years countries war, millions of people have died in war. We are fighting evil with evil.

How do Christians fight? How does The Salvation Army fight? How do we solve problems? We fight with the love of God. It is pro-active. Does Jesus tell us to pick up our guns and kill each other or to love and pray for our enemies? To turn the other cheek?

Yes, sometimes countries need to use force. Sometimes counties have had to fight for their freedom. But I am sure that if a country wants to succeed we need to be pro-active lovers of other countries!

Imagine if all the countries at war in our world, spent the money we do on fighting with violence and swapped it for fighting with love what would happen?

Im sure some people will disagree with me, and please comment, but also, look at your Bibles, what does Jesus teach? Does Jesus teach anything about this issue?

Once again, I appreciate all the diggers gone past. I say thank you for what you sacrificed for us. God lead us in your love.

The Reaping

Saturday night I went and watched the movie "The Reaping." Its about an ex-missionary who after some terrible experiences looses her faith and turns to science to explian the un-explainable.

Isnt it interesting how people do that? There was a show on ABC last night and they said that God is used to fill in the gaps that science cant understand yet! They were saying that science is edging closer and closer to filling all the gaps meaning that there will be no need at all for God!

In the movie the plagues from the Exile come back (but in reverse order...) and shows just how scarey it would have been to be in Egypt when it all happend! You can fully understand how God had to harden Pharoahs heart so he wouldnt let the people go.

The Bible is clear as crystal that there is a supernatural world. I have seen and experienced it. So have millions of other people around the world. Im reminded of Jesus words to Thomas, "Blessed are those who believe without seeing!"

People are often wary of churches where there is supernatural occurences, Im wary of churches where there are none!

Dont wait for the inevitable time when you will see God to believe in His power, start believing today and see your world change before your eyes!

Immediate Results

i wanna talk about this quote by George Scott Railton from "Heathen England" (GSR in black, me in red)

1. The Army succeeds by aiming at immediate results. Who does this theses days? Who literally goes about evangelising aiming for people to be saved after 1 chat to you? Who preaches on a Sunday aiming for immediate results?We have always aimed at immediate and definite results, believing that the Gospel of Christ, properly preached in the demonstration of the Spirit, and with power, ought to prove, must prove, visibly as well as in the heart, its divine efficiency. Does this mean we're doing it wrong?What, indeed, can be the use of preaching, unless it secures some immediate result? Theres our answer! Especially must this question arise when the audience largely consists of those who are little disposed even to listen to the Gospel; who have never come under its sound before, and never may again. Wow! Do we even preach to those people anymore? Maybe thats one of our problems...

This is what Im waiting for. This is what I wanna have faith for. I can not wait for the time when we aim for immediate results! Im going to do a test and you need to hold me accountable to this. I want to preach the word in power, and aim for immediate results! Im scared. Excited but scared...

I cant do this on my own. No, otherwise it will just be my words! I need the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit needs to convict! The Holy Spirit needs to heal! The Holy Spirit needs to give words of knowledge! The Holy Spirit needs to give prophetic words! Hmmmm seems like the Holy Spirit will be doing more than me... How exciting! Lord prepare me!

Holiness

Last night went to the Greensborough Holiness meeting! It was great, really enjoyed it, especially Ray Rays preaching. I mean Major Raymond Fingers preaching...

He obviously spoke on holiness, spoke about humpty dumpty sitting on a wall, who hada great fall, and all the kings horses etc couldnt put Him back together again... Spoke of Jesus and prevenient grace (God working on us before conversion), spoke a bit about doctrine 5

"We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocency, but by their disobedience, they lost their purity and happiness, and that in consequence of their fall, all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God. "

This bit stuck out to me: We're all sinners even before we sin! What we do comes out of the heart. The sin we do comes out of the sinful heart... The love we do comes out of a loving heart... Interesting

we're all in need of a Saviour!
Thank you Jesus!

and a quote i found on anthony castles blog by Major Geoff Webb ""Holiness is not the inability to sin, but the ability to not sin."

Worship

Last night I went to our church's worship band practice and it was AMAZING! We were all so free and the worship was fun, not forced, and naturally flowed from our love for God! It was so good to be able to praise Jesus and not feel unconfortable about what other people might think! Im sure God loved it as the words and dancing sprang up from our hearts! God is moving in Plenty Valley! Hallelujah!

Also, I was surfing the net the other day and came across a REALLY good website. Its the Tooth & Nail Records Myspace.

Now, I love music thats a bit more grungey than pop, or your run of the mill worship band. (Im not saying theres anything wrong with them tho!) but I prefer a bit heavier stuff. Rock, Ska, Punk and even a little bit of Metal. Tooth and Nail records sign up Christian bands of the type of music I love!

Bands include, Thousand Foot Krutch, MXPX, OC Supertones, Relient K, Underoath, Anberlin AND HEAPS AND HEAPS MORE. Check out there site, cruise to their bands sites and listen to some of their music!

As long as it glorifies God, worships Him, I dont care what you listen to or sing. God looks at the heart not the style! Praise God we can worship Him freely in whatever music we like!

Sing to the LORD a new song;

sing to the LORD, all the earth.

Psalm 96:1

*when checking out the music i found it easiest to check out the different bands myspaces to have a listen...

Holiness

Firstly, check out the new CFAN website! Heaps of good teaching, pictures, videos, and pics! Look at their beliefs! Great to see HOLINESS in there! Only one i didnt like is the tongues...

This taken from Xanders blog:

Often Christians will scoff at the doctrine of holiness saying that it is impossible to have the sinful nature neutralized.To that, General William Booth replied:

If they (the scoffers) confess that, after some two or three disjointed, misapprehended texts of Scripture, they rely upon the fact that this unholy, inconsistant, Spirit-grieving life is the common confessed experience of Christians, and therefore nothing better is possible to me, i reject their authority. I won't accept the backsliding experience of any number of people as the standard of religious attainment for me. It is not what men are, but what God wants them to be; not what they actually possess and enjoy of purity and peace and power, but what Christ, the blessed Christ, with his agony and Blood bought for them; what the Father freely offers, and what the pleading, long-suffering Holy Spirit waits to bestow...If my lot is cast in Laodicea, am i to teach that it is the right and accptable thing before God and men not to be enthusiastic, not to be be eaten up with the zeal of God's house, not to be burning hot, but to be miserably, contemptibly lukewarm in His service?

Love it! God grant it to your army!

The Fear of God

Ive been reading through Matthew and Exodus in my devotion time, and I have come across a few passages that have really made me think...

I was reading Exodus 21 and there are various sins that required the death penalty. I kept reading and more and more crimes resulted in the offender being put to death. I saw this and thought "thats a bit rough isnt it?" Surely the punishment is too harsh.

Then I continued thinking, earlier in Exodus 20:20 God says, "Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin." So these terrible punishments are to deter us from sinning.

Furthermore, I also started thinking that Im too light on sin. Sin is bad. The apostle Paul says in Romans that "the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ." That is what this Exodus passage was saying too, the wages of sin is death.

I continued thinking, in Exodus 19 God told the Israleites that if they beyed God they would be for Him a "Kingdom of priests and a holy nation." This is why the sinner couldnt be simply excluded or allowed to live in sinful rebellion. If Israelites were disobeying God they had to be gotten rid of so it didnt tarnish the rest of the Israelites. This reminds us of the sin of Achan in Joshua 7:10-26. So death was the way to have a "holy people."

Isnt it amazing that although sin came into the whole world through one man Adam which brought death, that through one mans death, Jesus Christs death, He paid the price for the whole world? Now, we can be a holy people, the wages of sin have been paid by God as He hung upon the cross.

God is good! Sin is bad. Hate sin. Get rid of it. Live in resurrection power today! Get convicted of your sin, repent, give your WHOLE life to Jesus and live in faith!

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. Romans 5:18

long time no blog!

Firstly, HAPPY EASTER! He is risen! Sorry i havent blogged, been very busy!!!

Secondly, Plenty Valley is going fantastic! Ive been running a school holiday program the past 2 tuesdays and wednesdays. I only had a few days to prepare but it went really well. I had 22 kids there today which is great! Looking to build on them all... A quick story, one girl ws saying how her friend was 'Spiritual' so i kept probing. Her friend had seen a clairvoyant and was told she saw spirits. So I started speaking to her. As I did this a bunch of other kids gathered around. I sat down on the grass and the all followed, I then told them the story of the Gadarene demoniac. They all listened intently. It was great. They then told me theyd love to hava kids church! Amazing hey?

Thirdly, Easter camp was great! I chipped my tooth on friday (pictures coming soon...) but on the Saturday we invaded Mt Evelyn and no one could possibly have left there without knowing we were there and why we were there! We had people chalking the Easter message on the sidewalk, teams of people cleaning steps, parks, streets etc, video crews interviewing, people giving out easter eggs and my group, The Evangelists! We were all loving God and loving people!

Fourthly, Harold on Neighbours has been seeing a clairvoyant, perhaps his Corps Officer should hava chat to him about it! Also, on NOVA they were talking about their clairvoyant coming in too... Signs of a people made to worship God searching for truth but falling short of the glory of God! Lets bring them to the way, the truth, and the life, Jesus Christ!

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Purpose Driven Church Confrence

On Friday I got to go to the "Purpose Driven Church Confrence" down in Geelong. I was a bit apprehensive at first (didnt know whatthey were going to say) but it turned out to be exceptionally good!

The basic gist was that God has given His church a purpose and if we follow His purposes a) we'll be healthy and b) we'll grow...

They had some great points on how to grow a church/evangelism...
1) Know what you are fishing for
2) Learn to think like a fish
3) Go where the fish are
4) Find the fish that are hungry
5) Use more than 1 hook
6) Fish for the kind of fish you caqn best catch

I like that thinking, it validated alot of thoughts Ive had lately...

Alos spoke about small groups etc. I was leaning quite heavily towards house churches with a prayer or celebration service before the onfrence but thats all changed now... sort of...

Purposes of the church:
1) Worship
2) Evangelism
3) Fellowship
4) Discipleship
5) Ministry

So small groups will work really well for some of those, and corporate works well for others...

Preached last night. Think it went well... Pray something of what was said sunk in and that the Holy Ghost continues to convict...

Holiday program starts tomorrow! Busy busy busy, especially with Easter camp coming up! Im helping organise an evangelism thing on camp, and Im doing the early morning knee drill! So Ive got lots to do.

Gods timing keeps amazing me, Ive been re-reading the old testament and i just so happend to be up to the Passover passage! We've got a passover meal at church tomorrow... timely.... God is good

and when He sees the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, the LORD will passover the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. Exodus 12:23

"this cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you" Luke 22:20

Hallelujah. Pray the blood.