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!