First up, INSANE is going to be insane! Its a bug youth get together at the beginning of next year! Its going to be huge. If you want to donate money or help out somehow talk to 2love at THQ. But what we all should do is start praying for it! We want to see heaps of youth get saved! PRAY IT UP!




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Read this in my devotions today... It made me think because I am sure there have been times I have fallen into a couple of these categories, and it confirms my thoughts that we as the church should be a bit stricter and not so afraid of expelling the immoral brothers...

"I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.

But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked man from among you." 1 Cor 5

I've been in corps where the people in charge know there is dodgy stuff going on but they turn a blind eye because its 'none of their business...' I wonder what my life and the lives of others would look like if we were expelled for being consistently immoral... I wonder how many Officers, pastors, leaders etc have been obedient to this passage in recent times.

Also, its wise to read Matthew 18:15-17, 2 cor 2:5-8, 2 Thess 3:14-15, Titus 3:10

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About the so called art that is really porn. I just heard a politician on the news saying that he doesn't think that police should be raiding art galleries. My response is this, "Artists shouldn't be taking photos of nude 12-13 yr old girls."

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!

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?