New members of the Kingdom

Tonight we had our second youth group gathering at the Plenty Valley Corps of the Salvation Army. Last week we met a few local youth playing basketball in the car park and invited them along, we ended up playing table tennis, wee, xbox and had a tiring game of basketball to finish with.

Tonight these guys came back and we had a great time just hanging out since the basketball ring had been broken during the week. One of the guys saw the Bible and some Bible activities in a book and we started going through it. Before long the 4 guys started being convicted and wanted to receive forgiveness from God of things that had been doing and been involved with so I explained the things of Jesus to them and they wanted to receive 'salvation'.

We went through the prayer of forgiveness and salvation and these guys were so excited, their faces were beaming with happiness! These guys were only young teens but really sincerely repented and have become truly saved! It was a great moment tonight and all through out the night kept asking things of God and we touched on so much of the Bible and now are going to have a study next Thursday night to make sure they get fed. We gave them New Testaments to read also.

God is so good. The harvest was ready and God pointed them to come to us tonight, what a Good Shepherd. Hallelujah.

If you still don't know the truth and freedom and the true happiness that only Jesus can bring email me at mapleback_simon@hotmail.com or leave me a message and I'll get back to you. Today is the day of salvation, you're not guaranteed tomorrow, so take the opportunity today so you also can be a member of the Kingdom of God.

Bless ya

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Acts 4:12

Transformation

Sunday night marked the first youth meeting of my home Corps for 2009, the first one that I haven't organised and led. My younger brother Sean has had the leadership passed onto him; he's a really capable and talented leader and I'm proud of his humility (slight punt on words!)

The worship was great, my bro had an unsaved work mate playing guitar and a new set up with a few new and upcoming band members. It was great that I could attend and participate in the worship, it's not often I get to do that.

So now my main points. Sean talked about Transformation and went hard without remorse telling us that with the power and love of God, what's stopping you from being transformed?

We had a time of sanctification and repentance followed by a time for healing where a younger girl wanted emotional healing that I was allowed the privilege to participate in. While praying for her, I felt quite a bad pain in my lower back, I had known that a bit over a year ago she was in a car accident that damaged the muscles in her lower back but hadn't heard about it for a while. I asked her about it and the past week it had really been painful and aggravated, so we prayed for healing and God moved and she was relieved from the pain.

I caught up with her tonight, and she's still relieved of the pain, she can still feel some tension but compared to the past week, it is a huge improvement. Praise God!

You know that every 2 seconds someone dies? How many of them have eternal life through knowing the grace of Jesus? Not many, a large majority of them will be held accountable for their disobedience to God; tell as many people today of Jesus' love and forgiveness.

God is so good, come to know Him today

"I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Luke 5:32

Ego

Having trouble with a big head?

When was the last time you came before the Creator of the Universe? I was thinking the other day, we were talking about keeping humble, especially when you are entrusted with a huge task or with a large group of important things, it is easy to either be daunted, but if things go well it's easy to think that it was because of your greatness.

I'm sure it was because of your abilities and capable skills, but make sure it's all placed in proportion. God is the giver of all abilities and skills and some are entrusted with more 'talents', but that comes with great responsibility and accountablility.

Would you be able to be entrusted, like the parable, with 5 talents, or even 8 talents?! That's a huge responsibility, and can be classed as a burden by some leaders I know. Sure it's an honour, but at the same time, a huge expectation is placed upon you.

Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. ...

'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

Matthew 25:14-15, 21

Keep it in perspective, come before your God honestly and openly and you'll see things straight.

Bless ya!

Version 1 or 2?

If you needed a computer program that had a version 1 and a version 2 on offer - which would you choose? If the second version is the updated version and is a total upgrade on the first (which goes without saying!!), which version would you choose - price not being an issue?

I think everyone would go for the second, the newest version, right?

I've been thinking a bit lately about baptism, in both 'versions', water and Spirit and why there is such a big issue around them. I totally understand the baptism of the Spirit, I couldn't live without it, but water - what's the big issue?

We talked about this subject in one of our lectures yesterday so it's sparked a few new thoughts in my head so I'm finally making a big effort and letting it out!

I've been reading parts of the Old Testament in my rations, and I've found in the books of Moses that if something is made 'unclean' it is to be washed with water to be made clean (Leviticus). I was wondering if water baptism evolved from this over many hundreds of years, but that's just a side note...

So, water baptism was carried out by John as a baptism of repentance as a promise salvation that was on it's way. As it says in Luke 3 referring to the prophecy of Isaiah;

"A voice of one calling in the desert,

'Prepare the way for the Lord,

make straight paths for him.

Every valley shall be filled in,

every mountain and hill made low.

The crooked roads shall become straight,

the rough ways smooth.

6And all mankind will see God's salvation."

John was just preparing the way for Jesus, who brings salvation through His blood and then sent the Holy Spirit, the 'upgrade' to water baptism. Once you've called on Jesus to be your Saviour, you will have repented of your sins which separate you from Him and then you receive the Spirit all in one 'version'. [This is also helpful when you find yourself in the desert where there is no water, face to face with Jesus...]

This 'version 2', the baptism of the Holy Spirit, comes with power and all the benefits from the first along with SO much more. Why would you go backward and live off the promise of the second, by living with the first?

Your thoughts?

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;

and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth."

Acts 1:8