Disciple in the modern world

Prophetic movement

2011-09-06T11:31:00.004+10:00

I was at at conference on the weekend called 'Dwelling in The Spirit' in Melbourne. The conference was amazingly powerful and there was no doubting that God was present. I felt on the first night that God had even sent four angels specifically for our time there, but not sure of their specific role or purpose but God surely had His way.

As we went along, one of our main speakers, Corey went into a ministry time at the end of his sessions and many many people recieved words from God and were encouraged as it usually is when you hear from God.

One of the things I took away from the weekend is that I heard God saying to us, and when I say us I'm speaking to The Salvation Army who it was run by and attended by, we NEED to be a prophetic movement!

It's easy enough to respond to situations but to be one step ahead, or to take leadership over situations it to have a hand up; in terms of the 'evils' of this world, we NEED to be one step ahead to be relevant, or else we will loose influence and be irrelivant. One saying I love is 'prevention is better than a cure'; it pays to be prophetic, and the world we live in needs us to be.

God, His Word and His Salvation is going to be always relevant, more than relevant, a necessity for the world, so how do we bring that necessity to the world around us - by being prophetic - being relevant, two steps ahead of the enemy in whatever form he is counteracting God's work.

What does this look like and how will this happen? How it will look, I'm not completely sure, maybe a bit like the book of Acts but in modern settings, but how, just by listening to the voice of God, loving Him with all of our hearts and minds and acting on His Word when He speaks.

What is the Spirit saying to The Salvation Army today? How are we being that prophetic movement that the world so desparetly needs? Love God and love your neighbour - pray night and day for justice (Luke 18:7-8 http://www.saglobal247.org/)

I just want to leave you with a passage of scripture;

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

2 Peter 1:19

Be relevant (prophetic) to the world that is needing the relevance of God and His salvation.

God

2011-07-01T09:56:00.002+10:00

There is a living God; He has spoken in the Bible. He means what He says and will do all He has promised.

- Hudson Taylor

Short message for today

2011-06-17T18:41:00.004+10:00

"What is impossible with man, is possible with God"

Luke. 18:27

General Linda Bond's first pastoral letter

2011-06-16T11:31:00.001+10:00

June 2011

Pastoral Letter

Dear Salvationists:

As this is my first pastoral letter since I took office as General in April, I want to share a personal word with you and also emphasise what we hold in common.

My upbringing in the New Aberdeen Corps in Nova Scotia, Canada provided me with a clear understanding of the gospel of Jesus. As a child, I was not only aware that I could accept him as my Saviour but was trained to serve him. That service ultimately led me to say yes to the Lord's clear call to be an officer. A variety of appointments over these past 42 years have proven that the Lord opens doors of opportunity and gives great fulfilment and blessing. As Lord and Saviour, he never disappoints. Obeying him, trusting him and living for him are my greatest joys.

No doubt you also have had a personal encounter with the Lord that has changed the course of your life. Every experience is different but what we share in common is that we serve him together in The Salvation Army.

We are blessed with a wonderful heritage and the future is as bright as the promises of God. Yet the present connects both, does it not? We build on the past and chart a course for the future by our faithfulness to his mission in the present. Surely we all desire to be part of a Spirit-filled Army of the 21st century! Much depends on our own response to the Spirit but we can never imagine what God has in store for the Army he raised up. We need to seek him, keep in step with his Spirit and make his mission our priority.

Very soon you will be hearing from your territorial/command leaders about a way in which we can meet together in prayer. Commencing 1 September, we will begin to hold a weekly 30-minute international prayer meeting on Thursdays. Territories and commands have been asked to choose a half hour between 5 and 8 o'clock in the morning and will be urging Salvationists to pray for the Army and our mission priorities. Because we serve in so many different time zones, there is the possibility that for all or most of every Thursday, the Army will be at prayer. I hope you too will be joining us, in groups or individually. There will be information coming soon on the General's website. I will be joining with staff at International Headquarters at 7.30am, London time.

I close this letter with one of my favourite verses of Scripture; Psalm 143:8: 'Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you'. The psalmist whispered this prayer in the midst of adverse circumstances. However, it can be prayed every day, in the best of times and the worst of times. And it will be a prayer that God will always answer. May you delight in his love, be secure in it and share it.

God bless you richly,

Linda Bond
General

Prayer

2011-06-02T19:30:00.006+10:00

Some people pray just to pray and some people pray to know God. -Andrew Murray

Which one are you?

Prayer works!

Is the Son of God praying in me, or am I dictating to Him?....Prayer is not simply getting things from God, that is a most initial form of prayer; prayer is getting into perfect communion with God. If the Son of God is formed in us by regeneration, He will press forward in front of our common sense and change our attitude to the things about which we pray. --Oswald Chambers

Discipleship

2011-04-12T11:22:00.003+10:00

"Discipleship is anything that causes what is believed in the heart to have demonstrable consequences in our daily life"

Eugene Peterson

New Pledge of Allegiance

2011-04-04T16:25:00.004+10:00

Since the Pledge of Allegiance and The Lord's Prayer are not allowed in most public schools anymore because the word 'God' is mentioned..... a kid in Arizona wrote this NEW School prayer:

"New Pledge of Allegiance"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now I sit me down in school

Where praying is against the rule

For this great nation under God

Finds mention of Him very odd.

If scripture now the class recites,

It violates the Bill of Rights.

And anytime my head I bow

Becomes a Federal matter now..

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,

That's no offense; it's a freedom scene..

The law is specific, the law is precise.

Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall

Might offend someone with no faith at all..

In silence alone we must meditate,

God's name is prohibited by the state.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,

And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks...

They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.

To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,

And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.

It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,

We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong..

We can get our condoms and birth controls, Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles...

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed, No word of God must reach this crowd.

It's scary here I must confess,

When chaos reigns the school's a mess.

So, Lord, this silent plea I make:

Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen

End times?

2011-03-25T18:20:00.004+11:00

There is so much going on in the world at the moment, it's almost like the world is ready to end and many people are actually worried it almost is!

In the gospel of Mark, Jesus tells us;

".. you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don't panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won't follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come."

Yes, as many are currently saying, the signs are pointing to it being the end, but as Jesus said, it's only the start and I believe it has been starting for a long time.

We have hope in Jesus, He has given us eternal life which takes away any fear of the end in my heart.

No one knows the date or time the world will end, not even Jesus, so when people tell you the world will end in 2012 or any other time, I wonder how they know, unless they are God.

Find hope in Jesus as I have, I can sleep well knowing that I'm saved here and now thanks to the sacrifice Jesus gave for me. Whether the world ends tonight or in 1,000 years, I'm going to Heaven where there is no fear or pain.

This is only the start, if it truly is the birth pains of 'the end'. Live life everyday like it's your last. Choose to love and live a good life. Life's too short to live in fear or to leave anything till tomorrow (unless you're trying to balance the budget..)

Spread the news of God's love rather than spreading fear of 'end times'.

Be blessed, and live under the wing of God's salvation through the Blood of Jesus!

Patience?

2011-03-23T14:26:00.003+11:00

If God told you on the front end how long you would wait... you'd lose heart... But He doesn't. He just says, "Wait. I keep My word.... In the process of time I'm developing you to be ready."

- F.B.Meyer

Which star are you following?

2011-03-02T17:36:00.004+11:00

I've noticed how often people love to read their stars - are you one of those people?

Have you noticed how much of a pull that they can have on you - when you're turning through the newspaper and find the page with the star signs on it, you can't help but be pulled into it - why is that!?

One thing that annoys me a bit is when Christians have to read them to enjoy the day... well that is if it is a good reading for the day! Why do we as Christians look for positive words and find hope in something someone reads from an interpretation of what they think the positions of the stars in the sky are saying to them?

Why do we listen to the creation rather than going straight to the Creator?

I might tell you a secret - the creation can't tell you anything as accurate as their Creator - God is all knowing and placed the stars in their place, find hope in Him rather than in someones interpretation of God's art. The stars are there for our awe of their Creator - it points us to God and how amazing He is!

I've been led to think that around 2,000 years ago there was a few wise men who also were led by the stars - one in particular actually.

These wise men followed this star and were actually led to a Saviour.

In saying this, I pray that you are also a wise man/woman and follow the correct star and also find your Saviour instead of fuzzy, generalised predicitons that cover everyone who was born during that month that you have been born and find a special, personalised word of hope for you; specifically from God the Father of all creation.

Which are you going to follow today, the stars or singular - a star that leads to your salvation through Jesus.

Hope all is well in your part of the world, and remember to pray for the families affected by the Christchurch earthquakes and current upsets in the Middle East.

Blessings

General's Pastoral Letter - Gratitude (2)

2010-09-30T23:52:00.005+10:00

PASTORAL LETTER TWENTY-ONE

GRATITUDE (2)

Dear Fellow Salvationists,

Once more it is my great honour and privilege to be in touch with you through a Pastoral Letter.

Commissioner Helen Clifton joins me in sending greetings to you just where you are, thanking God for your fidelity to the gospel and for your service in his great Army of Salvation.

I am writing this Letter from my office in our home because recently I have undergone further surgery, this time for a heart bypass procedure. This took place unexpectedly six weeks ago and I thank God that I am making good progress and am able to keep up with all official matters through the kindness of the Chief of the Staff who meets me in our home regularly to discuss key matters of business and policy and also through the great help of my personal staff at International Headquarters.

Commissioner Helen Clifton is taking wonderful care of me but is also facing her own health challenges at this time. So your prayers are very, very precious to us both and to our family.

The theme of this Letter, as with Pastoral Letter 20, is gratitude. It is a theme that can never be exhausted. It is a natural theme for us at this time for we feel indebted to so many for loving support. Many of you have sent messages of prayer and encouragement. These have blessed and helped us so much.

I want to record heartfelt thanks to Almighty God for his unfailing love to us all. You will know of those times when you have experienced the loving closeness of our Heavenly Father. Sometimes he is so near to us that we can almost reach out and touch him. May you each be drawn closer and closer to God in this wonderful way.

We praise and thank God because he is able to save us from our sin and from the overarching rule of self and selfish ambition. Acts 4:12 tells us that there is no other name by which we can be saved. God the Father has given us Jesus, God the Son, to be our only Saviour. Our hearts fill up again with gratitude.

We have still further cause to be glad and grateful to God. He alone can make us holy. He alone can purify us and sanctify us through and through. In the words of the old chorus, not only is he 'able to save', but he is 'able to keep' - to keep us pure and victorious day by day from falling to temptation. Our part is to consecrate ourselves to God without reserve. He then does his part in cleansing us through and through, again and again.

In closing this Letter, I salute you and thank God for you. I commend each of you - just where you live and serve - to the infinite care of the Father, to the safe and loving hands of Jesus, and to the cleansing and enabling power of the Holy Spirit.

Yours in Sacred Service,

Shaw Clifton

General

Joys of Islam Women

2010-09-20T16:18:00.007+10:00

I've been getting quite a few emails and other messages along similar lines of the content of this post which are starting to concern me.

I also received an email last week which contained a video of an Islamic woman getting 'stoned' but was cold blooded murder and everyone present was enjoying it, filming it and being entertained by it! What the people were actually doing, I can't believe humans could do - it was absolutely discraceful!!! The next two nights, every time I closed my eyes to go to sleep the vision of their inhuman acts was all I saw, and a week later, I am still completely scared by what I saw!

Anyway, here is the latest, have a read and feel free to leave your comments;

"20 years from now, I will be in Heaven --bye !!"

This was written by a woman born in Egypt as a Muslim.

This is not hearsay, and it will scare the life out of you.
Make sure you read the paragraph (in red) towards the end.

Joys of Muslim Women

by Nonie Darwish

In the Muslim faith a Muslim man can marry a child as young as 1 year old and have sexual intimacy with this child, and consummating the marriage. The dowry is given to the family in exchange for the woman (who becomes his slave) and for the purchase of the private parts of the woman, to use her as a toy.

Even though a woman is abused she can not obtain a divorce. To prove rape, the woman must have (4) male witnesses. Often after a woman has been raped, she is returned to her family and the family must return the dowry. The family has the right to execute her (an honor killing) to restore the honor of the family. Husbands can beat their wives 'at will' and he does not have to say why he has beaten her.

The husband is permitted to have (4 wives) and a temporary wife for an hour (prostitute) at his discretion.

The Shariah Muslim law controls the private as well as the public life of the woman.

In the West World ( America ) Muslim men are starting to demand Shariah Law so the wife can not obtain a divorce and he can have full and complete control of her. It is amazing and alarming how many of our sisters and daughters attending American Universities are now marrying Muslim men and submitting themselves and their children unsuspectingly to the Shariah law.

By passing this on, enlightened Australian and American women may avoid becoming a slave under Shariah Law. Ripping the West in Two. Author and lecturer Nonie Darwish says the goal of radical Islamists is to impose Shariah law on the world, ripping Western law and liberty in two.

She recently authored the book, Cruel and Usual Punishment: The Terrifying Global Implications of Islamic Law.

Darwish was born in Cairo and spent her childhood in Egypt and Gaza before immigrating to America in 1978, when she was eight years old. Her father died while leading covert attacks on Israel. He was a high-ranking Egyptian military officer stationed with his family in Gaza.

When he died, he was considered a "shahid," a martyr for jihad. His posthumous status earned Nonie and her family an elevated position in Muslim society.

But Darwish developed a skeptical eye at an early age. She questioned her ownMuslim culture and upbringing. She converted to Christianity after hearing a Christian preacher on television.

In her latest book, Darwish warns about creeping sharia law - what it is, what it means, and how it is manifested in Islamic countries.

For the West, she says radical Islamists are working to impose sharia on the world. If that happens, Western civilization will be destroyed. Westerners generally assume all religions encourage a respect for the dignity of each individual. Islamic law (Sharia) teaches that non-Muslims should be subjugated or killed in this world.

Peace and prosperity for one's children is not as important as assuring that Islamic law rules everywhere in the Middle East and eventually in the world.

While Westerners tend to think that all religions encourage some form of the golden rule, Sharia teaches two systems of ethics - one for Muslims and another for non-Muslims. Building on tribal practices of the seventh century, Sharia encourages the side of humanity that wants to take from and subjugate others.

While Westerners tend to think in terms of religious people developing a personal understanding of and relationship with God, Sharia advocates executing people who ask difficult questions that could be interpreted as criticism.

It's hard to imagine, that in this day and age, Islamic scholars agree that those who criticize Islam or choose to stop being Muslim should be executed. Sadly, while talk of an Islamic reformation is common and even assumed by many in the West, such murmurings in the Middle East are silenced through intimidation.

While Westerners are accustomed to an increase in religious tolerance over time, Darwish explains how petro dollars are being used to grow an extremely intolerant form of political Islam in her native Egypt and elsewhere.

(In twenty years there will be enough Muslim voters in australia and the U.S. to elect the President by themselves! Rest assured they will do so ... You can look at how they have taken over several towns in the USA .. Dearborn Mich. is one ... and there are others ...)

I think everyone in the U.S. should be required to read this, but with the ACLU, there is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us sends it on!

It is too bad that so many are disillusioned with life and Christianity to accept Muslims as peaceful ... some may be but they have an army that is willing to shed blood in the name of Islam ... the peaceful support the warriors with their finances and own kind of patriotism to their religion. While America is getting rid of Christianity from all public sites and erasing God from the lives of children the Muslims are planning a great jihad on America.

This is your chance to make a difference ...! Pass it on to your email list or at least those you think will listen.

If the world ever needed Jesus - it is now! Christ is what we really need, the forgiveness and a life of holiness is what is essential for us here and now - it's up to you!

I'll leave you today with the words of Jesus;

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

John 10:10

Law = freedom

2010-08-14T16:50:00.003+10:00

I walked out onto a pedestrian crossing this morning and realised that it was my right to walk out and have the right of way, but still kept my eye on the cars knowing that not everyone totally abides by the law!

I should feel completely confident to walk out onto that crossing and know that I was safe and wasn't going to be run over by a car, but then as I was leaving that shopping centre in my car, I was at an intersection within the carpark indicating to go right and another car just overtook me on my right and went straight not taking any account for anyone else! I'm just glad I didn't go without checking - even from behind me!

There is a law that the creator put in place for the universe so we don't have to be in fear for safety and can live in freedom. Sometimes we might be unaware like the guy who overtook me, but then again he might have thought he was above the law and had more right than me, but I'm not sure which one, but he did seem oblivious to what the 'rule' was and just did his own thing.

God did give us His law as a safety net for us to live and enjoy life - if you look at all God has said, He knows His stuff!

Sometimes we do stuff up and that's where Jesus comes into it - He is our forgiveness! If we do break the law and effect other people, Jesus comes to us and shows us how to make things right again and bring back 'shalom' - balance and order to the universe.

God is good, and Jesus is that goodness - taste and see the truth in that and how relevant it is even today in this world where we are so 'self sufficient', but then again, are we really!?

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Galatians 2:21

Litter vs Sin

2010-08-03T22:45:00.004+10:00

Is litter and sin related?

I was at KFC last week and a few little thoughts came to my mind as I was sitting there.

It was quite busy at lunch time and all the workers were busy serving and cooking, and every table was full of rubbish! The workers didn't have the chance to leave the customers to clean the mess of the customers; customers that were fully capable to cleaning up after themselves, but they couldn't be bothered putting in that little bit of effort.

That really annoys me!

I notice some people don't worry about the trouble or inconvenience they can/are causing others, being selfish, for personal benefit which costs another.

Sin is similar, where we often do something to benefit ourselves, which is at the cost of someone else. We leave a mess that someone else has to deal with - that makes God sad!

Think the next time God convicts you that you're doing something that's not quite right how it's hurting or affecting someone else, and look at it through His eyes, repent and fix it up - clean up your mess to enable someone else to live the life Jesus wants them to live, in freedom - freedom from your mess!

Hope this short insight to my lunch time helps you today

Bless ya

Pastoral Letter - Gratitude

2010-07-28T21:25:00.001+10:00

PASTORAL LETTER TWENTY

GRATITUDE

Dear Fellow Salvationists,

I greet you each one in the sacred Name of Jesus. His Name is without equal. Only under his Name can salvation for our souls be found. Let our hearts leap upward with gratitude.

As I write to you, London is going through a mid-summer heat-wave - or at least a heat-wave by London standards! We are grateful for every comfort in this sophisticated western city, yet we remain mindful that not every Salvationist has such things. I thank God for the Army world that shares more and more regularly, more and more effectively, as a global family. We remember constantly our Lord's teaching that we should carry one another's burdens. We are partners in a holy mission and must be watchful of each other's needs.

I hear many prayers in all kinds of places and settings. You also hear them where you are. I am moved by the prayers I hear being offered by my fellow Salvationists. God is helping us to be more and more a prayerful Army. At the heart of prayer is thanksgiving. We come before our Heavenly Father in a spirit of humble gratitude. Philippians 4:6 teaches us to come to God in prayer with a grateful heart. As we pray, we must offer thanks more than offering requests. The Holy Spirit helps us as we pray and in this way we can get the balance right.

'Thank you' is a phrase on every Salvationist's lips, many times each day. We affirm one another in this way and at the same time we honour the God we all adore and obey. When we know how to thank God, we will also know how to thank our fellow believers. Similar courtesy can and should be offered to the unbeliever so that others see the courtesy of Christ in us.

Luke's Gospel (in chapter 17) tells us about the ten lepers healed by Jesus. Only one healed leper went back to Jesus to express gratitude for his healing. One in ten! Only a tenth! Just 10%! It is difficult to understand why the other nine offered no gratitude. It costs very little to say 'thank you'. I am asking God to make us more and more a grateful Army, an Army that constantly gives thanks for every help and blessing.

You will know the Old Testament account of Hannah and her longing for a child (see 1 Samuel 1:9-28). She offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God for her son, Samuel. He became a great man of God.

In 1 Corinthians 15:57 the Apostle Paul declares gratitude to God for spiritual victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. We join Paul in that burst of thanksgiving. Try to read the words for yourself and perhaps say them aloud as you read. You can say 'me' instead of 'us' and in that way make the verse very personal. It is a verse that you could include in your prayers every day. What a great way to begin and end a prayer.

As I end this Pastoral Letter I offer deep gratitude to God for your faithfulness. I thank God foryou! You are my comrade, my sister or my brother in Christ. God bless and keep you in all things.

May you know the Lord's loving touch today.

I commend you to his matchless grace.

Sincerely in him,

Shaw Clifton
General

General's Pastoral Letter - Counting

2010-05-28T22:54:00.001+10:00

PASTORAL LETTER NINETEEN

COUNTING

Dear Fellow Salvationists,

This 19th Pastoral Letter comes to each of you with warmest good wishes and greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ.

As I prepare this letter in an upstairs room in my home in London, England, I look out to see the green and blossoming evidence of late spring. The trees are suddenly abundant in leaf. The sky is lighter and the days grow longer. We discern the hand of God in nature once again and we are filled with gratitude.

Readers in the southern hemisphere are in autumn, waiting for the darker nights and colder temperatures of winter to arrive. The seasons march on with seemingly inexorable pace. We feel our smallness, our creatureliness, and we sense too the overarching mind of the Creator in it all.

Little wonder then that we can burst into song to declare: ‘How great Thou art!’ We offer praise amid the awe. We bring to God our smallness, ready for him to help us rise in Christ to all the fullness of what we can be.

It is God’s plan that each one of us should be all we can be. You matter, you count. Tell yourself out loud: ‘I matter! I count in the eyes of Almighty God!’

Now suddenly my mind is racing off in another direction as I see the word ‘count’ appear in my script. The Bible tells us that even the number of hairs upon our heads has been counted and is known to God in Heaven. This is a powerful reminder of God’s intimate knowledge of us. I find it enormously comforting, but many find the thought menacing. Not everyone wants a Creator God who interacts with us. Instead they seek freedom to wander, licence to please themselves, falsely supposing this to be freedom.

Our God is a counting God. We see this in Jesus who spoke about a flock of sheep numbering 100, but one was lost thus reducing the flock to only 99. The shepherd would not rest until the lost one had been found. That lost one is you. It is also me. We are ‘Sheep Number 100’! How good that we have a God who can count and who searches tirelessly for us when we go missing. This divine attribute is ever before us when we do the sacredly routine work of counting how many folk are in a worship meeting, or how many have used the Mercy Seat, or how many names appear on the soldiers’ roll and other rolls.

If our Creator is by nature a God who counts, then we in turn must expect also to be like him. We can count our blessings, we can count the days he has allotted to us and give thanks for each one of them.

God stands alongside us as we count. He knows how many Army soldiers and junior soldiers there are in the world, and how many there are in your local corps. He knows the number of Army officers in the world and the number of cadets in our training colleges. He loves to see these numbers grow. He knows too that we are at work now in 121 countries of the world. Best of all he knows personally and in detail every individual soldier, junior soldier, officer and cadet. He knows those who are his.

We bask in this knowledge.

Commissioner Helen Clifton joins me in greeting each of you in the precious Name of Jesus.

Please continue to pray for us.

I commend each one of you to the grace of Christ.

Sincerely in him,

Shaw Clifton

General

They shall come from the east, they shall come from the west

2010-04-21T01:02:00.007+10:00

They shall come from the east, they shall come from the west,

And sit down in the Kingdom of God;

Both the rich and the poor, the despised, the distressed,

They'll sit down in the Kingdom of God.

And none will ask what they have been

Provided that their robes are clean;

They shall come from the east, they shall come from the west,

And sit down in the Kingdom of God.

2.
They shall come from the east,
they shall come from the west,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God;
To be met by their Father and welcomed and blessed,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God.
The black, the white, the dark, the fair,
Your color will not matter there;
They shall come from the east,
they shall come from the west,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God.

3.
They shall come from the east,
they shall come from the west,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God;
Out of great tribulation to triumph and rest
They'll sit down in the Kingdom of God.
From every tribe and every race,
All men as brothers shall embrace;
They shall come from the east,
they shall come from the west.
And sit down in the Kingdom of God.

Gowans/Larson

[From The Salvation Army Musical 'Blood of The Lamb']

Oh Lord, do it again - bring the harvest - we want to see revival!!

Please Father!

"People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God."

Luke 13:29

NASA PROVES THE BIBLE IS TRUE

2010-04-16T00:37:00.002+10:00

What do ya think about this;

For all you scientists out there and for all the students who have had
a hard time convincing these people regarding the truth of the Bible -
here's something that illustrates God's awesome creation and shows He is
still in control.

Did you know that NASA's space programmes are busy proving that what has
been called 'myth' in the Bible is true? Mr. Harold Hill, President of
the Curtis engine Company in Baltimore , and a consultant in the space
programmes, relates the following incident:

"One of the most amazing things that God has for us today happened
recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland .
They were checking out the positions of the sun, moon and planets out in
space where they would be 100, and 1000 years from now. We have to know
this as we do not want a satellite to collide with any of these in its orbits.

We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite and
where the planets will be so the whole project will not bog down.

Computer measurements and data were run back and forth over the
centuries when suddenly it came to a halt, displaying a red signal,
which meant that either there was something wrong with the information
fed into it, or with the results as compared to the standards. They
called in the service department to check it out, and the technicians
asked what was wrong.

The scientists had discovered that somewhere in space in elapsed time a
day was missing.. Nobody seemed able to come up with a solution to the
problem.

Finally one of the team, a Christian, said: "You know, when I was still
in Sunday school, they spoke about the sun standing still."

While his colleagues didn't believe him, they did not have an answer
either, so they said: "Show us."

He got a Bible and opened it at the book of Joshua where they found a
pretty ridiculous statement for any one with 'common sense'. There they
read about the Lord saying to Joshua: "Fear them not, I have delivered
them into thy hand; there shall not be a man of them stand before thee."
(Joshua 10:8).

Joshua was concerned because the enemy had surrounded him, and if
darkness fell, they would overpower him. So Joshua asked the Lord to
make the sun stand still! That's right - "And the sun stood still and
the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their
enemies. Is this not written in the book of Ja'-sher? So the sun stood
still in the midst of heaven and hastened not to go down about a whole
day." (Joshua 10:13).

The astronauts and scientists said: "There is the missing day!"

They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and
found it, but it was not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing
back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes - not a whole day.
They read the Bible again and there it was: "about (approximately) a day."
These little words in the Bible were important, but they were still in
trouble, because another 40 minutes were still unaccounted for, and this
could mean trouble 1000 years from now. Forty minutes had to be found
because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits. As the Christian
employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible which
said the sun went backwards. The scientists told him he was out of his
mind, but once again they opened the Book and read these words in 2
Kings. Hezekiah, on his deathbed, was visited by the prophet, Isaiah,
who told him he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for some sign as
proof. Isaiah said: "Shall the sun go forward ten degrees, or go back
ten degrees?"

And Hezekiah answered: "It is a light thing for the shadow to go down
ten degrees; nay, but let the shadow return backwards ten degrees."

And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord, and He brought the shadow
ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz."
(2 Kings 20:9 -11).

Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes! Twenty-three hours and twenty
minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in 2 Kings accounted for the missing
day in the universe!

Isn't this amazing? Our God is rubbing their noses in His Truth!

Forward this to as many people who would think this is equally
astounding.

Pastoral Letter - Unity

2010-04-14T00:11:00.002+10:00

PASTORAL LETTER EIGHTEEN

UNITY

Dear Fellow Salvationists,

This eighteenth Letter comes to you with warmest greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ. You are constantly in my prayers. Prayer unites us before the Throne of Grace. We are bonded in prayer. Please continue to pray for me - for wisdom and for constant guidance from Almighty God.

My wife and I, ably supported by my Private Secretary, Major Richard Gaudion, have recently made visits to the Congo (Brazzaville) Territory and to the USA National Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. What contrasting locations! Yet we met in each place the same spirit of Salvationism and the same ardour for the Gospel that marks the Army in every corner of the globe. These two visits reinforced our awareness of the unity of God's Army.

In Brazzaville I was blessed to enrol 190 new Junior Soldiers, and the next day 185 Senior Soldiers - every child and adult in full uniform. The children and the adults made the same sacred promises and entered into the same holy covenants that are such a strong and unifying factor for Salvationists everywhere. The Territorial Commander, Commissioner Mfon Akpan, invited me to sign personally every single Promise Card and Soldier's Covenant. What a marvellous privilege to see the names appended to these God-blessed commitments. Many thousands attended the meetings to encourage the new Junior and Senior Soldiers.

Endless miles away, just a few weeks later, we encountered the same spirit of Salvationism as we met the officers and employees of National Headquarters in the USA. What a contrast from Brazzaville in terms of affluence, as once more we visited the richest nation on earth. Yet the Army spirit is the same. The goals are the same - the souls and needs of others! The commitment is the same - to serve in the Name of Jesus regardless of self!

How moving it has been, how inspirational, to witness our unity in the Army's global response to the Haiti earthquake and shortly thereafter to the quake in Chile. The instant, godly response has been wonderful, resulting in personnel, money, and equipment from across the globe in answer to the plight of the victims. Again, God is blessing and deepening our unity in Christ and in our callings to be Salvationists in a hurting world.

Unity pleases God. The Scriptures make this clear. In John 17 we read our Lord's passionate prayer that his committed followers would not allow discord to divide them. In Romans 12:5 Paul reminds us that 'in Christ we who are many form one body.' So let us each work for unity, especially in our local corps. A united corps is a growing corps. A united corps is an attractive, and attracting, corps.

Our English language Song Book has words that express our unity in Christ. Song 660 speaks of our hearts being bonded 'in Christian love', of the sharing of 'mutual burdens', and of our being 'joined in heart'. Song 573 offers an eloquent reminder of the role and place of the Mercy Seat in symbolising our oneness. It mentions (verse 3) our being gathered 'around one common Mercy Seat'. We are equal, we are one, we are united in our need of grace as we kneel at the feet of Christ.

Therefore I am praying for strong unity in the Army. I am asking God to deepen still further the bonds that unite us. I am praying that there will be no spirit of strife among us. I am pleading in prayer for unity in every part, and in every place where the Trinitarian flag of God's Army - the yellow, red and blue - flutters in the breeze, whether it be Africa or America, whether it be north or south, east or west.

Thank you for your faithfulness. I thank God for you.

Here today in London, as I write, the sky is overcast, but there glows within our souls the bright sunshine of God's love! May you know and feel that same love today, moment by moment.

I commend you to the grace of Christ.

Sincerely in Him,

Shaw Clifton
General

It's all about love!

2010-03-31T23:45:00.004+11:00

So Easter is upon us for the year 2010!

What's going to be different this year compared to previous years? Is God going to reveal something new to me about the Easter story? Just the thought of another insight to the love that Easter represents would blow me away - this whole story of what Jesus did by dying on the cross and by raising Himself again on the third day is just almost more than what I can comprehend!

God's love for us just blows my mind!

Tonight I was able to go back to the Harry Hunter Corps chapel even though I finished my placement there last week. I love this centre and what God is doing there! The Officers and the other employees there do such a great job.

Salvation is not a thing that happens like it does in the rest of the world - people don't always find themselves in a position of praying the sinners prayer and being classed as 'saved', but so many of the clients are finding Jesus and it is awesome and it's really a gradual, bit by bit salvation. Even tonight in one of the 'clients' prayers he said "God, I wanna invite You back into my life after all these years" - to me, that's a salvation story right there, but it's so hard to put down as a 'statistic' in a place like Harry's!

Testimony after testimony of people graduating, the 'clients' continually say 'I'd like to thank God' or 'you can't do this without God!'

God is doing such amazing things in these guys lives and it's amazing being a part of it and just watching His relationships grow.

I wanted to keep this short - this Easter, just take a few quiet moments alone, picture Jesus on the cross and know that it was supposed to be you - accept that truth and accept the gift of life you have right now - the breath you are taking and all the good things that surround you everyday!

It's all about LOVE!

Bless ya!

"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him."

John 3:16-18 The Message

Spiritual Discussions

2010-03-08T22:39:00.003+11:00

Tonight we started a Spiritual Discussions group here at Harry Hunter Centre which Scott and I were leading for tonight. It was totally voluntary and 9 guys and girls turned up which was great for a start.

We didn't have anything really planned but knew that many of the guys had questions of God and spirituality floating around in their heads, and some of these questions were disturbing and frustrating them. Scott started off with a reading then opened it up for discussion, and question after question flowed from the 'clients' of Harry's.

What a night of discussion, ranging from what does it mean to let God in, to the big questions about Heaven and Hell, but I was so pumped with these guys thinking about it and asking the big questions!

Every Wednesday night we have chapel here on the sight of the centre and last week I gave a message on us being spiritual beings in a physical world. The culture here is there is no real response opportunity given, but sometimes a few questions will be given to the Officers throughout the week if required, but I opened up the meeting for prayer and a response if anyone wanted to. No one responded, but 3 guys hung around afterwards and stayed in their seats. One of them stayed and spoke to Scott and myself for at least an hour about what God was speaking to him.

Tonight another guy was telling us that he had given up on all the God stuff, but after the message I gave last week, he really wanted to give God another go! Awesome, Hallelujah! Most of the guys here have had hard lives and bad experiences of God through the church, but hearing some of the stories from here, even just tonight was unbelievable! The Spirit was really stirring, and I felt that God really spoke through me tonight, so hopefully some of these guys really start nurturing a relationship with God, and I believe they will, in Jesus Name!

Please just take a moment to pray for all the men and women here at Harry Hunter Centre in Western Australia - there is some amazing work happening and God is really moving. I'm leading and giving the message again this Wednesday night, so please also pray for that night, I feel God is wanting to use this weeks chapel again for His glory.

God, please open up Heaven and pour out Your blessings on this place as you have been doing and change lives for the better, give hope, joy and peace to all of those that are struggling here presently. Thanks God, we love You and serve You.

In Jesus Name we ask!

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

Matthew 21:22

Western Australia - 3 months out-training

2010-03-07T23:28:00.003+11:00

Hi all,

It's been a while since I've blogged, but since last time, I've been sent to Perth for 3 months out-training.

It's a great area that I'm staying in, I'm surrounded by tree's and cows. I'm staying at the Harry Hunter Rehabilitation center which is run by some great Salvation Army Officers, who have great experience and are amazing people who love God and serve those who are here with great respect and dignity.

I haven't had much experience in the social side of The Salvation Army before so I am getting 5 weeks of experience in the social side before having 2 months in the Corps (church) side of the Army. I'm experiencing such an amazing opportunities of ministry and evangelism here and really feel God's hand upon this place and my time here.

I'm praying that my time here gives me a great insight to both the social and Corps side of the Army and hopefully the knowledge I gain here allows me to somehow put the two back together within every appointment of my Officership in the future.

Please pray for my training here and allow God to be glorified in all I do here and many people come to know Him in the work that happens here.

Bless ya

Australia - what a filthy country

2010-02-20T15:35:00.006+11:00

Last week, I was studying a subject about mission work overseas in different cultures and nations.

Many other nations outside Australia and other 'western' cultures contain quite high moral living in comparison to ours. Even though many of the countries are dirty on the outside, ie on the streets, their living on the inside, ie in their hearts, is at a higher level than here. (Yes, this is a generalisation)

There's so much I can say on this, but I'll keep it brief.

I was watching 'Video Hit's' this morning and everything that the video's were selling was filthy!! How do we let our children watch these things, what are we teaching them! Three songs in a row and I had to turn it off.

What we surround ourselves with and spend our time focused on will consume us. Morals are thrown out the window and we do whatever pleases us, even if that is at the expense of another, we are taught YOU are what's important, don't worry about your neighbor.

What do you need to change in your heart that is filthy? Living in a world surrounded by dirt is making me really dirty, how can we give a nation a shower and a good clean!? I think it starts with us as individuals.

Re-evaluate your heart and balance it up. Being clean is such a great feeling. Who has a shower then decides to jump in the mud because it is better? Let's lift our standards for our family's and our children's sake!

No more immorality, no more rapes, no more stealing, no more adultery, no more murders, no more slander, no more selfishness, no more gossip, no more hate...!!

"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial.

1 Corinthians 6:12a

[1 Corinthians 6:11-13]

Prayer

2010-02-08T22:19:00.005+11:00

Prayer is an amazing thing to have as humanity, when you actually get your head around the concept, you realise you can have a conversation with the One who created Earth, the stars, and even you and I. It's quite mind blowing really.

This One who created the Heavens and the Earth is also the one who created the 'natural' laws that the universe was to operate within, the laws that science tell us are in place and that all the formulas that we've come up with define.

Have you ever realised, that at the same time as having laws surrounding us that we have to abide by, we can still persuade God, this Creator of the universe, to change His mind and break natural laws. This is when miracles can occur, such as a person who has developed a tumor is somehow cured and the doctors cannot explain, or someone with a broken leg gets prayed for and it somehow is completely restored without evidence of a break ever occurring to that bone, or how about someone being raised from the dead, even days after the their heart had taken it's last beat.

The God who placed these 'natural' laws in place can also break them as He chooses or is persuaded to do. Pray with perseverance and believe that God loves you and will give you the desires of your heart, not things you may want, but the things you need and especially for things that will glorify Himself. Just as a child brings a petition before their parent, we approach our Heavenly Father in the same way, and He responds as a loving parent does, the perfect parent.

⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

Spirituality - we're incomplete without it!

2010-01-22T17:37:00.006+11:00

If you look at every culture since the beginning of creation, we (humanity) have known there was something bigger than ourselves, a 'higher being' that we have the desire within our spirits to search for. The ancient Egyptians had their gods, the Australian Aboriginals have their spirit gods, the Aztec's, Babylonians, Celtic, Greek, Hindu, Japanese, Roman, etc, etc, etc we all have the in built need for something more, something spiritual to fill the emptiness inside.

I've just spent a month in India, and learning about the Hindu gods and how they seem to have, just like many other religions, a god for nearly every aspect of life from welcoming you into a home, your money, harvests, travelling etc.

While I was in India, there was quite a few times I depended on help from God, protection from danger firstly; there was at least 5 times we were very close to death that we know of, and secondly health, so I didn't get sick or 'complications' from the food and water. If I didn't have faith that God would get me through I would have felt helpless. While I was there, there was deaths on train crashes, I went on these trains, there was deaths due to the cold, I was staying in this area, there were deaths on the roads, one night was so foggy there was around 80 people dead or missing on the exact road we were travelling on and many more examples of similar events; yet in all of this, I felt unbelievably safe like I was wrapped in cotton wool - I felt the presence of God surrounding us and hearing our prayers and others who were praying for us also.

I depended on the help of God during my trip and people all throughout history have searched for the help and guidance from the spiritual world, it's in our DNA to find God, yet I return to a country that really has no spirituality. Australia has so many people that are their own 'gods', they believe they don't need anything else apart from themselves, or so they say.

For a nation to have no spirituality is a nation that is lost. When I try to imagine having no spirituality, I think of zombies with no souls, just a shell going through motions without purpose; wake, eat, work, sleep day in day out.

The more I talk to people that claim they don't need God, the more they realise how pointless their life is. When all the business of their life is gone, when all the distractions, paryting, alcohol and all the other things the world does to try to keep their mind off their internal pain and emptiness and they just sit at the end of the day in the dark by themselves, there is still a gaping emptiness inside that can only be filled by God Himself.

If this describes how you feel, read the Bible, I suggest starting with the New Testament, the books like Mark, Matthew and John and if this doesn't work for you, I'll seriously be surprised. When God created us, He made us so that we were only complete with Him, without Him we are incomplete.

A Godless nation is only fooling itself, a Godless man is lost

Accept Jesus today

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.""

John 8:12

India

2009-12-27T23:34:00.004+11:00

So I'm heading of to India tomorrow afternoon and will be meeting up with a few friends who left a few days ahead of me.

I love travelling, as many of you would know, and I can't help but think of people who have gone into lands like India before me. India has so much history and diversity in religions and other aspects of life in general. Being a part of The Salvation Army, knowing some of the work that happened in India with the likes of the Booth-Tuckers and just to be able to put everything in context will be exciting. So much to see and experience!

Going to towns and villages where Jesus is either unknown or un-acknowledged will be a challenge, being surrounded by idols, cow's of great worth and ultimately opposition in the spiritual should be a great experience especially in the northern regions.

God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it, so to be blessed to be able to see more of that creation is amazing and won't be taken for granted. Prayer support will be appreciated so that God's work will be done and the Kingdom will be experienced and expanded.

Thanks for everyone who is and already prayed for the three of us who are taking this trip. I'll place some pictures up when I return, especially on Facebook if you want to check them out in around 4 weeks.

Please keep praying for us and for God's will to be done in this season.

"I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars."

Isaiah 45:2

Love, how I believe God intended

2009-11-10T22:15:00.002+11:00

Love, how I believe God intended
Taken from – Sex (Part 3): Wilderness – Matt Chandler

Raya is the Hebrew word for companionship, and it’s not just like buddies, but it’s this: that I know you and you know me. It’s not that I just know your pretty stuff, but it’s that I know your junk, ok? That I have seen the wicked parts of you, you have seen the wicked parts of me, and yet still we’ve decided to try to work on this relationship. So, the foundational element of love and sex for the Hebrew mind and their idea of love, was this word, raya, which means that I know you and you know me and I really know you and you really know me. So, raya never occurs on a first date. It never occurs on a second date. Raya can never take place until that first time you watch the person you’re dating or the person you’re married to do something that makes you go, “Oh, no.” ok? And then, in that moment, raya occurs if you say, “I’m going to keep going.” Now, if you go, “I’m done”, then you’re done. But raya is this getting to know each other in such a way that I know you, all of you, and you know me, all of me. And we continue to walk together. And raya leads into ahava.
Ahava is a love of the will. The best way to say ahava is this, “I am not going anywhere.” And that word, that love of the will, it does not carry romantic connotations with it. It carries a very aggressive tone, and it basically is this: Your spouse, your girlfriend, your boyfriend – they want to kill you, and then in that moment when there is such conflict and there is such difficulty, there’s still within you this: “I am not going anywhere.” And so what happens is raya (or me getting to know you and you getting to know me – my good stuff, my bad stuff, your good stuff, your bad stuff) it leads to this moment, or this period of time where, I guess there’s this moment of epiphany? That’s how it was for me where I’m just going, “This is the woman I want to fight with for the rest of my life.” Now, you say that and you go, “I’ve got that. There’s still no sex.” Ok? There’s still no sex yet. There’s all this work (the only people that think that deep relationships aren’t hard work are the people that don’t have them, ok? haha). There’s all this hard work, there’s all this stuff that has to be weighted through, there’s all this baggage. And you’re like, “Why is she so heavy? Oh, baggage.” You’re like, “Why is he so hard to train? Oh, baggage.” Ok? And so you’ve got to walk through all that. You’ve got to sort the dirty laundry. You’ve got to figure out how to wash it. Now, you move from there into ahava and then comes sweet dod, baby!
Dod is not the Hebrew word for sex. It is the Hebrew word for sex when ahava and raya are present. If we have raya and we have ahava, then sex isn’t just two bodies together, it’s two persons. And it’s in there, in that moment that all the intimacy and love that we crave is found. It’s why we are so over-sexed and still so lonely. Cuz, we’ve divorced it, we’ve divorced it from raya and ahava, ok? We’ve exalted sex to be the end all of everything, and sex requires very little work. And so when you’ve divorced it from the real foundational weight and beauty of it, then all you’re left with is technique and trying to work on your technique. So we’ve really become a very lonely, miserable, oversexed people.

I would totally encourage you and urge you to go to iTunes and get The Village’s free podcast. Listen to Sex (Part 1, 2, & 3). I’m telling you, man, this is really weighty, good, varsity stuff that is often never preached from some pulpits. And it’s really too bad, cuz it’s one of the main things that our culture and friends and own selves deal with and struggle with understanding on a large level. Thanks for reading this. Go listen!

[Borrowed from: http://kelseyschneider.blogspot.com/2008/10/raya-ahava-and-dod.html]

Straight off the press - pro-life

2009-11-08T15:51:00.000+11:00

Dear Friends,

Just moments ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a over $1 Trillion Dollar Health Care Reform package. The pro-life amendment to the bill was passed earlier in the night after months of House leaders refusing to allow it to be voted on.

The good news: Leaders realized today that in order to pass this highly controversial bill they had to make sure the bill didn't use government money to fund abortions.

This is a HUGE victory for the pro-life movement. Planned Parenthood is fuming right now!

Thank you for your calls, e-mails, and visits to the Congress.

The bad news: The package still contains troubling pro-rationing provisions in it and is especially concerning to parents of special-needs children, like myself.

Now, on to the Senate where we must make sure any health care reform that passes DOES NOT include abortion and pro-rationing provisions.

Look forward to many more updates from me on this issue.

For Life,
Kristan Hawkins

Well represented

2009-11-04T10:43:00.003+11:00

How is holiness like the crusades?

I suppose in a few ways, but the way I had been thinking of is that the people involved can often mis-represent God.

Doing things in the Name of God can often be bad promotion for the Body of Christ. Zeal is great, but missinformed zeal can be harmful. I know so many that are 'young' in their faith who are so alive in Christ and that is so inspirational, I love being around these people, but they quite often put their foot in it since there is so much to learn about the All Powerful.

There are even a few more mature 'Christians' that I have heard to claim to be 'holy' and therefore claiming to represent accurately the character of God - these people I have often found lacking in the Fruit of the Spirit and often causing hurt in other people's lives.

Does our lives represent God's character?

I know many people who represent the characture of God well, but I've never heard these people claim to be holy or sanctified, but they live out a life that Jesus was and just do it rather than tell everyone how holy they are.

I'd rather be integral in the way I live to accurately represent Christ rather than spray meaningless words of my achievements and my self-righteous perfection - What it all comes down to is how we are seen in God's eyes, I'd rather please Him than impress man.

God is good and wants us to be perfected in His eyes - He want's you to be holy - come to Him and He will perfect you if you allow Him to do a good work in your life

"³I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:3-6

Function

2009-10-20T11:49:00.005+11:00

When something doesn't fulfil it's function, then it's not whole or complete, but broken.

God has told us to be holy, if we are not holy then we are not fulfilling our function as humanity. We need to remember that this is not just an individual thing either, we are to be holy as a community.

Start living a holy life today if you haven't already. It's your destiny :)

"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life."

Romans 6:22

Heaven - Pastoral Letter from the General

2009-10-19T15:28:00.003+11:00

As you are most likely aware, the General of The Salvation Army writes letters to the Army regularly. His latest letter has just been released on the topic of Heaven;

PASTORAL LETTER SIXTEEN

HEAVEN

Dear Fellow Salvationists,

I send warmest greetings in Christ to my fellow believers across the globe and especially to my fellow Salvationists in the 118 lands into which God has led us.

Thank you for your fidelity to the cause of the gospel. We remember you daily in prayer. Thank you for your faithful prayers for me and for Commissioner Helen Clifton. We need these prayers. They sustain us powerfully. I request that you intercede on my behalf for ongoing wisdom in all matters touching the worldwide Army.

We are all on our way to Heaven. The theme of this 16th Pastoral Letter is Heaven.

Recently we were privileged to be with our fellow Salvationists in Zambia and Zimbabwe. In both places we witnessed Salvationists marching past in vast numbers. Each and every marcher offered the Army salute, the right index finger pointed Heavenward. How happy we were to return these salutes! It did not seem to matter that our right arms grew tired as the cohorts of Salvationists paraded, for we were comrades together, bonded deeply by sacred ties, and in exchanging salutes we signalled that we were all on our way to Heaven by the grace of God.

The people of Jesus Christ in the Army are marching to Glory. Salvation Army soldiers are said to be ‘promoted to Glory’ when they take their final breath. We deck our flags with white ribbon for the funeral of a Salvationist, a powerful sign that though we feel keenly the pain of loss we do not wallow in despair for we know about Heaven.

Since taking office as the General in April 2006 my father, Major Albert Clifton, has been promoted to Glory and so too have Commissioner Helen’s parents, my father-in-law Bandmaster Donald Ashman and my mother-in-law Betty Ashman. We know our parents are safe in Heaven. How do we know? The answer to that question is simple: Jesus has told us so. Just turn in your Bible to John 14. See there the rock-solid promises of Jesus about the life to come.

The Lord Jesus Christ offers deep and lasting assurance. He knows the natural fears and uncertainties of the human heart when the end of life is contemplated. That is why he offers special words of emphasis and comfort: ‘… if it were not so, I would have told you.’

He has made ready. All things are planned and prepared. He has told us all we can take in for now. There remains only the need to trust him for our loved ones and one day for ourselves. He is trustworthy.

In Romans 6:4 we are taught that ‘just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.’ Paul goes on to say in verse 5 that we ‘will certainly also be united with him (Christ) in his resurrection.’ This is another reliable promise from God.

So let us each live in a way that testifies to our sure hope of Heaven.

As I pen these few words, I see in my imagination the Army saints who have gone on before us to Heaven. I picture them gathered from time to time and leaning over the battlements of Heaven as the Lord affords them a glimpse of what the Army is doing today. They are cheering us on!

I thank God for each of you as we travel to Glory together. Until the Lord calls us Home let us journey with a real consciousness of Heaven as our final destination. Our journey thus has profound meaning and purpose.

I commit you each to the perfect love of Christ.

Yours in Jesus,

Shaw Clifton
General

Holiness, the best thing since..

2009-10-13T16:10:00.004+11:00

Holiness is a big part of the movement of The Salvation Army, in fact our foundations are set on it!

Many people we have been talking to, many have been with The Army for many years and have said that we haven't had teaching on holiness for ages. Well now it's making it's come back.

This years session at Training College for 2009-2010 are called the "Ambassadors of Holiness" and I am one of them. We have had much teaching on holiness this year and even in my private life I have been searching this out since I haven't had 'teaching' as such in the past, but it is the best thing even before sliced bread!!

Holiness has been taught in The Salvation Army since it's beginings, but in more recent days we haven't used the term 'holiness' as much as previously, we may have used words such as 'Christ likeness' or blameless or even in all teachings of putting sin behind us and becoming blameless before God.

One quote we use around the College a heap is 'holiness is the solution to every problem' and I think it just might be the case.

Be holy.. cos God told you to!! I know we don't like taking orders, even from God, but it's something that when tasted, you will want more, just like a juicy peach in summer with the juice running down your chin.. ok, enough dreaming of summer.

Holiness, it's the way of the past and IS the way of the future - eternal future!!

"Who among the gods is like you, O LORD ? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?"

Exodus 15:11

The Future

2009-10-08T23:19:00.005+11:00

Today field changes came out for Officers of The Salvation Army. This is where appointments can be changed and the unseen future for the coming year becomes clearer, well apart from the second year Cadets, they still don't know, but much speculation is happening :)

There was some talk even of the first year Cadet's placement for next year at the end of tea. I had some ideas in my head that I'd love to experience during this time, while still in training and was hoping to have some say in it, but it appears that is not the case this time round.

Very frustrated, I decided to run it out and sprinted around the Zoo at the back of the College and came back and had a long(ish) shower. As I was getting out, my ipod changed to the song that I haven't heard for a while now - "I'm in His hands" [Phil Laeger version] - God makes me laugh hard sometimes!!

After a day of letting a few things get the better of me, God gave me a good wake up slap and reminded me gently; what am I worried about.. I'm in His hands!!!! I trust God with my future, sometimes I struggle with this, but after tonight, I'm still feeling slightly unsettled, but I have His assurance going into tomorrow that He'll be with me and walking beside me all the way.

"I"m in His hands, I'm in His hands

Whate'ver the future holds, I'm in His hands

The days I cannot see, have all been planned for me

His way is best you see, I'm in His hands"

Words by Stanley E. Ditmer

Protection

2009-10-07T19:11:00.004+11:00

Just a quick thought;

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he
delivers them.
-- Psalm 34:7

God loves you and wants to take you under His wings like a mother hen.. strange mental picture in ways, but a good analogy.

Bless ya, hope the week is going well

Salvation

2009-09-03T15:36:00.003+10:00

I've been thinking a bit recently about the true depth of salvation. We've looked into it a bit in an online study of Luke and it goes much deeper than what we generally just look at it to mean.

We traditionally in the 'church' we narrowly think of salvation in terms of eternal life, but back in Jesus day, we see Jesus saving people from all kinds of things. Things such as loss of sight, being outcast, sickness, demonic opression or possession and forgivness of sins to name a few.

Jesus came to give us life, and life to the full, not just for eternity but for here and now also. Is there anything you need saving from today? Jesus is good to help - try Him and see. He loves to the point of dying so He can live with you forever.

If you need saving from something like drugs, obsession, impure thoughts, gambling, depression, etc - take it to Jesus now, ask Him to help you and save you from it. Leave me a message or email me at mapleback_simon@hotmail.com if you are wanting this salvation and having trouble claiming it!

Live victoriously and free, in Jesus Name!

Bless ya

"God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don't have to rely on the world's guesses and opinions. We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we're passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way."

1 Corinthians 2:10b

Letter from the General - Family

2009-08-21T23:54:00.000+10:00

Pastoral Letter Fifteen

Family

Dear Fellow Salvationists,

You are lifted to the Throne of Grace in prayer daily. Prayer is a recurring miracle that gives us direct access to our Maker and which bonds together those who trust in Jesus as their Saviour.

In my last Pastoral Letter (Letter Fourteen) I requested your prayers for the International Conference of Leaders. Now I record my deepest thanks to you for supporting this historic gathering in prayerful intercession. In the days leading up to the conference I received many written assurances of prayers and more have reached me since the gathering ended, making intercession for the ongoing impact of the deliberations. Those present certainly experienced a deep sense of being held and sustained by the prayers of many around the globe. We had a wonderful sense of unity right from the very beginning of our time together. Please note the ‘Spiritual Statement to the Army’ that has recently been issued on behalf of all who attended the conference. It is my hope that this Statement will be met with a tender and sensitive response by all who read and ponder it.

The Lord granted the International Conference of Leaders a true sense of being members together of the family of God.

The theme of this Pastoral Letter is Family.

Family is God’s idea. He has planned the created world in such a way that we thrive best when family life is strong, protected and promoted by those in government. Serious social research shows that children do best, for example in health and in education, when they are raised by two parents, one male and one female, who through marriage are publicly committed to one another for life.

Marriage and family are inevitably interlinked. Alternative models of family life can be found on every hand these days, some arising out of marital breakdown, others the result of a deliberate choice to bring a child into the world out of wedlock. Statistical evidence tells us that these children face an uphill struggle to do well compared with children born within the sacred bond of traditional marriage.

When family life is strong, a nation is strong. Stable families are a pre-requisite of a stable social order. Secure family life results in lower crime rates, in fewer people serving time in prison, and in improved mental and emotional health. Family lies at the very heart of a stable social order.

In turn, stable family life delivers for most of us reliable love and personal security. The reliable love of parents, experienced by the child, opens up that child to experiencing and knowing the ultimate reliable love – that of the Creator. Recently we celebrated the birth of our fifth grandchild, Amos Paul Clifton. We are thankful that he will be raised in a secure fam ily setting, giving him the best possible start in life and an opportunity to know and sense from his earliest days parental love modelled on the love of God.

Closely interwoven with strong family life are key areas of social policy that all governments should promote and protect. We need to pray for political leaders to be raised up who will have respect for life, who will work for decent housing for all, who will promote family-friendly practices in the workplace, and who will favour families and marriage in the shaping of taxation and other fiscal policies.

Families are the bedrock of our society, the setting within which we discover the essential human qualities of love, commitment, compassion and generosity.

Let us pray therefore that every family will be modelled on God’s creation plan. Let us pray that Christian families will know daily the grace of God as the key ingredient in living and growing together. We can also pray that those see king to undermine family life will be frustrated. We can pray that marriages will flourish and succeed even in the face of much modern pressure to the contrary.

We must pray too for much divine grace to attend those who presently find their marriages and their family life under strain. May they come through the storms stronger and more deeply committed to each precious relationship.

Finally, let us give thanks for the family of the Body of Christ, the family of believers within which we can also know reliable love and spiritual intimacy.

I commit you, yet again, to the perfect love of Christ.

Yours in Jesus,

Shaw Clifton
General

Holiness potential..

2009-08-16T19:48:00.004+10:00

"If Holiness is possible anywhere for anyone at any time, it is possible anywhere for everyone at ALL times"

General Bramwall Booth

Red hot and Committed??

2009-07-05T17:26:00.003+10:00

I was reading some of Catherine Booth's book 'Practical Religion' the other day and found an interesting paragraph I'd like to share with you. The passage is found within the chapter entitled 'Hot Saints'.

Catherine wrote;

"WHY does God like people to be hot in His service? For the same reason that we like people to be hot in ours. We have no confidence in half-and-half, fase and-loose friends; milk-warm adherents who in times of danger wait to see which way the wind blows before they commit themselves to our views or interests; sevants who will serve us while at the same time they can serve themselves but the moment our interests and theirs appear to clash will leave us to our fate. We may use the half-hearted as far as they serve our purpose, but we have no confidence in them, no heart-fellowship with them, no joy over them. We would rather they were hot or cold out-and-out friends or foes." p109

Have you ever heard the saying, 'treat others how you would like them to treat you', how would God, then in return, treat those outlined above? Does God see you as trustworthy? Have you earnt God's trust?

I want to be red hot and consistant so on that day when I meet Him face to face He will smile at me! [Can you imagine that day you stand before Jesus and not being able to look Him in the eyes.. your heart just sinks knowing what's in store for you - your choices this very minute shapes that moment]

Decide today whether you are fully committed or fully not - THER IS NO IN-BETWEEN!

Saved or doomed! In or out! For God or against Him, headed for Heaven or headed for Hell - totally your choice, but you already knew that!

Know where you stand, and don't waver!

'I would thou wert cold or hot'

Revelation 3:15

Power of an Officer

2009-06-30T23:42:00.001+10:00

"When Officers show lack of power for aggressive work, I am convinced that their hearts are not deeply moved over the condition of sinners; and if the heart of an Officer is not moved over the condition of sinners, surely his convictions bind him but loosely to the great Christian doctrines which form the very soul of The Salvation Army."

From Mrs. Bramwell Booth's book titled 'Powers of Salvation Army Officers' p51

Is your heart moved by the condition of sinners? Yes! We need you!

Let's not give God anything less than our best.

The General's letter on Leaders

2009-06-22T16:10:00.000+10:00

PASTORAL LETTER FOURTEEN

LEADERS

Dear Fellow Salvationists,

This Pastoral Letter comes to you with my warmest greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ and with my prayers for each of you. The Lord is using the Army in wonderful ways. We seek to be faithful to the divine impulse to go out into the world representing Jesus Christ to all we meet. My constant prayer for you is that God will use you, just as he uses all who are faithful to him regardless of their denominational affiliation. My Fellow Salvationists, you are key players in a mighty Christian host of believers scattered across the globe. I hold you all before the Lord in prayer as I write to you. God has a part for you to play in his great plan of salvation.

The theme of this letter is Leadership.

There is a deep and true sense in which all Christians are leaders. Often we use the word 'leader' to mean a person in high position or with authority over others. This is a legitimate use of the word, but for now let me suggest that we can use it with a wider, more inclusive, meaning.

You are a leader just where God has placed you. You can influence other lives, leading people to consider the things of Christ. You can lead others into the realisation there is more to life than selfishness or the pursuit of pleasure. You can be the sanctified leader when someone suggests that you engage with them in some doubtful activity. You can lead when others do not sense someone's hurt, or another’s need. You can take the lead when others stand by idly or are in confusion as to the way forward in a time of crisis.

To be a leader like this does not require a special rank or position, or any kind of formal authorisation. Each believer in Jesus is called to be a leader like this. All Christians are called to be leaders.

The very fact that we are known to be in the Army can sometimes make other people have expectations of us that mean we will often need to show initiative and leadership more than others. Our uniforms can result in expectations like this. There is a deep sense in which the wearing of Salvation Army uniform says to others that the wearer is ready to take responsibility in the unexpected moment, to take the lead in the unlikely situation.

In fact, there is a sense in which we are an Army of leaders. We each have a leadership function to carry out. Let us not minimise this or shrink from it out of shyness or fear. The Lord who calls us is able to accomplish through us everything he wills and wishes. The Holy Spirit is our guide and our helper.

Without diminishing in any way this 'leadership' role of all believers, let me also mention those who hold heavy leadership burdens in the Army because of their rank or appointment as officers. On Tuesday, 7 July 2009 London will host a gathering of the Army's most senior officers. An International Conference of Leaders like this takes place every few years. I seek your prayers for those who will gather with me. They are spiritual leaders like you, in the deep sense I have tried to outline above, but they are also leaders in the organisational sense in terms of the senior responsibilities they carry within the Army.

We shall number about 140 and will be together for seven days. Let me mention the two most important things we will do in that week: we will pray together, especially for you and your fellow Salvationists, and we will study the Scriptures together, waiting upon God for his divine direction and impulse.

We will also take a warm-hearted but hard-headed look at the state of the world, at the readiness of the Army in 118 countries to engage with the modern world, and at the need to see far into the future to discern God's way forward for his Salvation Army.

Please, please pray about this gathering. Let me give you the dates again: 7 – 13 July 2009. Perhaps you can enter these dates into your prayer diary or into your devotional schedule so that you can influence the deliberations through prayer. That would be wonderful! Perhaps you could covenant with the Lord to hold a particular participant, perhaps your own leader, before the Lord each day of the conference. What a difference you could make in that way!

God bless you in your own local leadership, both in your community and in your corps. Every soldier is a leader for God and the gospel. I pray that you will be used to lead others into faith in Jesus as their Saviour. I pray that you will be used to lead others eventually to their eternal reward when we shall see Jesus in Heaven. What a day that will be!

I commend you to the perfect love of Christ.

I pray for you daily.

Sincerely in Jesus,

Shaw Clifton
General

Sanctification

2009-05-29T10:16:00.004+10:00

For Spiritual Formation here at the Training College we have to give a presentation on someone who has influenced us spiritually over the years, I chose Samuel Logan Brengle, the great holiness teacher of the Salvation Army.

As I've been reading over his books and biographies, God gave me an insight to what Samuel teaches about. God told me that I've been born to be sanctified, I've been called by His will for His glory, and a critical part of achieving all these things is to be totally blameless before Him.

Brengle writes in the introduction to his book 'Helps to Holiness', "He satisfied me- I weigh my words - He satisfied me! He satisfied me".

Have you ever had that experience of being totally satisfied?? As I've been reading God has been showing me and sanctifying me, it is totally amazing, right now as I type, I am satisfied. Even though I know I haven't been sanctified through and through, God has given me something to work towards, and sooner rather than later, I'm going to live totally within God's will for my life and live a totally sanctified life - He requires it of us, and therefore it is possible!

Hallelujah - God is good, all the time!!

"This is the will of God, even your sanctification... For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness"

1 Thessalonians 4:3,7

TONIGHT - Famous Last Words

2009-05-20T00:17:00.003+10:00

----

"The Still Point of the Turning World"

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

We're experimenting with a three-camera live-edit online broadcast of this popular Salvo series - Famous Last Words, and we're inviting you to join us.

The event is live Wednesday 20 May 7:30pm - Melbourne time (that is 2pm in Kabul; noon in Antananarivo, Madagascar; 9:30am in England, 5:30am NYC, 3:30am in San Salvador; and 2:30am Vancouver).

It features noted Salvo holiness teacher Colonel Lyell Rader preaching as if it was his opportunity and Salvo worship leader Cadet Nathan Rowe on worship. You don't HAVE to watch it live but you can! Thanks. Tell all your friends and networks.

The topic of the preach is "The Still Point of the Turning World."

http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/sstv/

See previous post for more info

Blessings!

Famous Last Words

2009-05-15T18:46:00.002+10:00

Wednesday 20th of May 2009 is the next

"Famous Last Words"

at The Salvation Army's Training College in Melbourne starting at 7:30pm

Tell everyone you know about it, it's going to be huge!

Lt. Colonel Lyell Radar will be giving his 'famous last words' and will be the first time we will be broadcasting world wide with multi cameras and can be watched at

http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/sstv/

just in case you can't make it to 303 Royal Parade, Parkville, Melbourne

Hope to see you there, it's going to be a night to remember

Greatest Action Story Ever Told

2009-05-11T01:09:00.003+10:00

Absolute classic!

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Saved or un-saved?

2009-04-24T16:22:00.003+10:00

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

(Article 5 - Salvation Army doctrines)

Every man is regarded now as a sinner in need of salvation. Romans 3:23 says "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God". Since Adam and Eve disobeyed God (Genesis 3), man was destined to be separated from God. Disobedience to God separates us from Him, eternally not just here while we live on Earth.

Sin is more than the breaking of particular commands; it is inward opposition to the will of God. In so doing the sinner separates himself from God, the source of all true life [Handbook of Doctrine pg85 section VI]

If we haven't gone to God for forgiveness for this wrong we've done against Him, we will be punished by eternal separation from God, eternal damnation. If you want to be saved from this I'll explain how;

Everything has to be paid for, old school you had to bring something of great worth, so back before my day, that mostly was in the form of the best from your flock, ie, the best lamb without imperfections and sacrificed it in your place, otherwise you would pay by death - your life - eternal death.

Now this has been made redundant by one human sacrifice, one for all

"We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has, by His suffering and death, made an atonement for the whole world, so that whosoever may be saved"

(Article 6 - Salvation Army Doctrine)

It is God's will that all should be saved (1 Tim. 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 John 4:14) All men need the gospel and have a right to hear it.

It is my duty to take it to you!

All you have to do, is realise you have separated yourself from God, ask Him for forgiveness through His Son's sacrifice of dying in your place, and change your ways. God has made it that easy!

Once you've realised this rebellion from God, admit it to yourself, ask God for forgiveness from it, know you need to change your lifestyle and make the improvements based on God's Guidelines to Living a Full Life (better know as the Bible) and you will then be SAVED!

We use the term saved in a broad term, it means salvation from a range of things like sin itself, eternal punishment (Hell), spiritual oppression, and other things that sin or rebellion causes.

If you know you need to change some things in your life but not sure where to start, leave me a comment or email me at mapleback_simon@hotmail.com. Even if you have just changed your way and lined your life up with God, also please let me know.

Bless ya

"For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

Romans 10:10

New members of the Kingdom

2009-03-26T23:40:00.004+11:00

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

2009-03-23T23:54:00.005+11:00

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

2009-03-18T16:35:00.005+11:00

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?

2009-03-11T09:47:00.004+11:00

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

College update

2009-02-16T15:40:00.002+11:00

College.

Busy.

Rosters.

Cleaning.

Uniform.

Prayers.

Class.

Laughing.

This is some of the things that have stood out so far from our first few weeks. It's been an awesome experience, been loving every second of it.

We started last week with official classes on a two week intensive on Worship and preaching which is great, and on the same day we started being deployed out to Wittlesea to assist with the fire relief teams. A team would be sent out every afternoon and night which got as late as 4am some mornings, but as of this evening will be changed to a 5-11 'shift' so our classes will be effected as little as possible, so we don't fall asleep basically.

Still no wireless, hence the lack of blogging, but I thought I'd better quickly blog today to let the world know college is going really well and that I'm alive, very alive actually!! God is great!

If you're a Salvationist and have felt God call you to serve Him in this way, don't be a Jonah and run, but run towards Him, there's no better place to be.

We started our Corps placements yesterday also, I'm placed at Plenty Valley, what a start, a very vibrant attendance and a great atmosphere, a place where God is doing great things and has great plans for, I'm excited to be a part of it.

I better stop it there, got much reading to do and an essay to work on, and no real time to do it presently. I have an hour till a rushed tea before I head out to Wittlesea at 5, so if I improve my time management skills I may place a dint the work.

Bless you all - please feel free to leave a comment to let me know you're out there, it can be a very insular place here at the college

College - We've arrived!

2009-01-22T18:27:00.003+11:00

Today, nearly all of the Ambassadors of Holiness have arrived into the Australia Southern Territory Training College in Melbourne, Australia.

There are many tired faces, not too much emotion presently, just a friendly 'hi' here and there without the jumping around sorta excitement of teenage high school days, but still a sense of sincerity and respect.

Due to this transition, the next few days will most likely be without much blogging as Internet and orientation is all still to be sorted out in the not to distant future.

Check this space soon for more updates of the Ambassadors, training college, and things about the Kingdom of God.

Bless ya

"The LORD is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.
Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous:

"The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"

Psalm 118:14-15

Saviour of the World

2009-01-21T19:17:00.003+11:00

Human Trafficking & Teenage Rape

2009-01-19T14:36:00.006+11:00

I've just been watching a movie on Human Trafficking, the largest growing crime in the world and it just makes so much anger burn up inside me. Last week just over 600 young people from around Australia and New Zealand gathered together in Melbourne for a huge youth event called 'Insane'.

A part of Insane was a huge silent protest in Federation Square against this vile crime where around the number of around a jumbo jet full of mostly of women and children go 'missing' everyday and are sold into sexual slavery. There are way too many stories I've heard from individuals that have been involved in this and it really breaks my heart.

We keep telling ourselves that this only happens in far away lands and that it's doesn't really effect us so why do anything?! I want to change the focus slightly to right here on our shores of Australia, slightly different from sexual trafficking, but still sexual victims.

I've been having a few girls coming to me regularly now for months with stories and experiences of young teenage girls mostly getting drugged and raped here in Australia from every corner of the continent and they really develop a sense of self hate and depression. As these girls talk to me, it makes my heart break and I just wish I could really do something to stop this. The part that makes me the most angry is that nearly 100% of these go unnoticed and unpunished. One example I know of is a 26 year old raping a 15 year old girl who was drunk!!! How can we allow this to happen!

I've been told I'm too protective of our young girls, but I want to be a father one day, and this scares the hell out of me when my daughter will become a teenager. Is it culture we need to change or teachings that our children get from tv shows and songs.

We need to start doing something now, something needs to change now!

One life at a time

Break my heart for what breaks Yours God! I promise to do all I can in my power God so just give me access and Your anointing

"He [the wicked man] lies in wait like a lion in cover;

he lies in wait to catch the helpless;

he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. "

Psalm 10:9

Insane.. and more change

2009-01-10T19:59:00.003+11:00

Insane starts tomorrow!

I had my last day of employment yesterday!

I'm now in no mans land - in transition of one life into another life

So, anyway, since insane is starting tomorrow - 168 hours of youth madness I'm pretty sure I won't get a chance to blog for a few days. Please be praying for all of these youth in attendance from around our Territory - that is Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, that their lives will be changed and that they will have the time of their lives under the safety of our Sovereign God.

I have to note here, just going back to my last day of work, how God blesses you for just being obedient. The guys at work are just great, going to miss them so much, but since I'm pretty much just moving around the corner, almost literally, I really hope to catch up with them here and there throughout the coming months.

My work mates wrote some great things in my farewell card, but by far the highlight was a poster they put together with pictures of them all and little in jokes and some really nice wishes and blessings. If God didn't call me elsewhere, I don't think I would have been leaving there just yet.

One more request before I sign off, please be praying for all the cadets of the 'Ambassadors of Holiness' session as we prepare to enter into our new life in a couple of weeks time, many of us are now feeling strain and some feeling burdened. God will give us victorious spirits, but it would be great to know that we have a great army backing us up as we go into battle.

Blessings

With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

Psalm 60:12

Change

2009-01-05T19:00:00.004+11:00

Wow, 2009 has finally arrived!

So much is changing and I think I'm just not thinking about it all yet, so I'm coping.

This is my final week of work, my last day is on Friday before I move straight into this Salvation Army week called 'Insane' where youth from all over our Territory come to Melbourne for a week of activities and fun. I still have no idea what's going on, haven't heard a thing even though I've registered as a leader!! Wonder if I am?!

Packing is still a project that I'm thinking of but not doing a lot of!

I finished up at my home Corps last Sunday and had the best farewell ever, with many friends attending, nice words said and a few favourite songs requested. Everyone back for a bbq and a great game of cricket in the local park.

So, in summary, I've left my church which I've been a part of and built up for 27 years, packing to move out of home after 27 years in the same place with my family which I am very close to, quit my job which I really enjoy after working there for a bit over 4 years, going back to study all in the same building as where I'll be living and I get claustrophobic sometimes, living in a close community with a whole heap of different people with different aspects on things and backgrounds who are all leaders in their own rights and have generally strong personalities. I think I'm actually looking forward to this even though I haven't really got myself to think about it yet

I'm an Ambassador of Holiness, that's a higher calling than worrying about moving location, or the conditions of living, or income, or work, people etc. God is sovereign and always will be.

Come on world, you're yet to find the truth if you're not a disciple of Jesus!

I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me

John 13:20

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

2008-12-26T00:16:00.001+11:00

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Worlds biggest worship service

2008-12-23T00:38:00.004+11:00

Tonight the world comes together for the largest worship service of the year!

Calling all Christians; the night of the 24 of December gather with your family and friends to worship the baby that changed the world - the Son of God - the Saviour of the World, Jesus.

I love watching Carols by Candlelight every year seeing millions of people singing praise to Jesus at the Melbourne Myer Music bowl, but also knowing millions more are sitting in their living rooms at home singing praise to Jesus also!

Let's take this opportunity to worship Jesus for all the world to see, and make it obvious that the worlds we're singing actually are meaningful and not just for the sake of singing -

"Joy to the world the Lord is come

let Earth receive her King

Let every heart prepare Him room"

Money

2008-12-19T21:48:00.001+11:00

PASTORAL LETTER ELEVEN

MONEY

Dear Fellow Salvationists,

This Pastoral Letter comes to you close to the time when Christians everywhere are rejoicing in the birth of the Saviour.

With my wife, Commissioner Helen Clifton, I send you warmest good wishes and Christmas greetings. May the miracle of the coming of Jesus into the world fill us all with new wonder and new love as we go on witnessing to, and serving, others in his sacred name.

It may seem strange to use the title 'Money' for a Christmas Pastoral Letter. Let me explain. Our news bulletins and newspapers are filled these days with reports of a global financial crisis.

We hear about the worldwide 'credit crunch', caused by lenders failing to be self-restrained when lending to over-keen borrowers who could not afford the repayments. We hear about governments, who often refuse to spend a few millions on good causes or human need, suddenly being able to spend billions to prop up failing financial institutions and large businesses.

For most of us it is all baffling, but also deeply disturbing. Ordinary people are losing their jobs, and some are in danger of losing their homes. Despite this, we do not hear of many financial or political leaders accepting personal blame or apologising or offering to withdraw from public life because their economic policies have led to global recession and hardship for countless millions of people. Of course, it would take very great personal honour to shoulder the responsibility in this gracious way.

When Jesus entered the world he had nothing. His parents were not rich. His father, Joseph, worked with his hands, with wood and nails. When Jesus died he still had nothing. He was not at all interested in materialism, and yet he was immensely wealthy for he knew the meaning of true wealth. He told us that it is incredibly hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and he held up, as a shining example for us, the widow who gave all she had, a tiny coin, for the work of God.

During the recent presidential elections in the United States of America, both candidates were interviewed by Pastor Rick Warren and were asked to 'Define rich'. Despite offering sincere responses, neither really got it right, completely missing the point that true and lasting riches have nothing whatsoever to do with cash. Neither mentioned that the Lord Jesus Christ has told us to store up riches in Heaven where moth and rust do not corrupt and where thieves do not break in and steal. There is no 'credit crisis' there!

This Christmas, let us not go deeper into personal debt. Let us be restrained in our spending. Let us remember that in the 117 countries where the Army has been called to serve most people are poor and that there is absolutely nothing glamorous or sentimental about poverty.

This Christmas, let us remember that we follow in the steps of a matchless Saviour who came into and who left the world penniless.

This Christmas, as we anticipate an upsurge in the number of those seeking and needing the Army's help, let us remember that even a cup of cold water given in his name is given as unto him, and that we are going to have many, many more opportunities to share Christ with others as they turn to faith, abandoning the false god of material security.

This Christmas, let us rediscover true riches: forgiveness in Christ, a sanctified life in the power of the Holy Spirit, obedience to the will of God, and our days spent in living for others.

You remain always in my prayers.

May 2009 be filled with blessings from God for you and all whom you love. May you be fruitful for the Kingdom of God.

I commit you to the perfect love of Christ.

God bless you.

Shaw Clifton

General

Sceptic's guide to God

2008-12-06T13:48:00.003+11:00

The other day I got mail as I usually do from Koorong book stores. In the package was a small pamphlet with few quotes from a book called "Sceptic's guide to God" and so I thought I'd share those couple of quotes with you;

"If you believe the information content in living systems to be the result of chance, then you believe that a tornado can go though a junk yard and assemble a Jumbo Jet!" Prof Hoyle

&

"The goal of Heaven is worthy of greater advanced planning than we would give to any other journey - yet some people spend more time preparing for a trip to Disney World" Randy Alcorn

I thought I'd just share those thoughts with you today.

How is your preparation going for eternity - leave me a comment firstly if you love Jesus, but secondly if you want to know more bout God if you don't already. Will be the best decision you will ever make to follow Jesus!

Bless ya!

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Matthew 6:20

On Fire!

2008-11-29T01:31:00.003+11:00

This is a new thing 4 me, blogging from my mobile phone!

Today marks the start of Commissioning 2008 which is being called On Fire. I have a few great mates preparing 2 b sent out 2 their 1st appointments tomorrow & I know have been waiting 4 this day a long time!! Bless u guys.

From 3pm today there will actually b a segment on blogging which I'll a part of the panel so come along 4 a time of discussion, not like what we have here on the actual blogs! Lol

Its going 2 b a great time this weekend, so come along 2 the John Batman theatre 4 some great fellowship, discussions & worship.

Cost of following Jesus

2008-11-27T12:05:00.002+11:00

18When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.

19Then a teacher of the law came to him and said,

"Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

20Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

21Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

22But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Mathew 8:18-22

Go for souls, and Generation final - my weekend

2008-11-25T17:40:00.004+11:00

We'll haven't blogged for a few days and so much to blog about!!

Starting with the weekend - 'Go for Souls' went off as I knew it would, there was so much spiritual stuff around it trying to get us sick or unable to attend. James and I lost our voices - strange - our weapons, and a few others got sick in the lead up also.

Anyway, we pushed through had some amazing worship times, even being a part of the band I really found myself in the Throne room of God! Was awesome!

Outreach on the Saturday was fun, my group of kicked out of the shopping center, the group on the trains were threatened with bottles and rocks and the other guys, I don't' know, they probably just went well! lol

All up I heard 13 souls were saved and became a part of the Kingdom of Heaven - I pray God will reveal Himself to many more that were engaged with also that came so close.

Sunday night, I had my final Generation meeting at Glenroy so I had my 'Famous Last Words' sorta approach to the night. Was a sad event but I'll survive ;)

After the meeting, we had some prayer for healing in a friend, but God had other plans for the first steps to holiness and had some deliverance from a demonic stronghold instead - the rest to come later still, but God is awesome and always wins the battle.

Commissioning this weekend - also looking forward to that, and also my friend and session mate, Kathleen is flying in tomorrow for the weekend, so should be awesome to have quite a few of our future session mates at the same place at the same time before college.

Blessings to you all

I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

1 Corinthians 9:23

Overcomers

2008-11-20T10:02:00.003+11:00

The other night I was at a practice for an upcoming event and there was a whole heap of spiritual warfare around the place. God showed me what was going on and so I started praying against it.

It was fairly strong stuff, but I know God is bigger and His power is limitless so I prayed through it with God on my side and had a few others praying outside on the land and we broke through and claimed the land back for God.

I got a bit sick the next couple of days due to it but God still has the victory and if you are in Melbourne this weekend you might want to come to Go for Souls conference at Plenty Valley Salvation Army from Friday night till Saturday night cos God is going to turn up and bless the conference. We need passion to save the lost, to come along to learn how to reach out and go for souls!!

Check it out @ http://goforsouls.blogspot.com/

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

Luke 10:19

Prayer - Noosa Youth

2008-11-12T21:14:00.003+11:00

On the weekend I was invited up to the youth camp of the Noosa Corps in Queensland to do a bit of teaching on prayer

What a privilege to talk about prayer - talking to our creator.

Firstly, I got to preach with no shoes on, that was cool!

Secondly, talked about our relationship with God and the power of prayer and what actually happens in the spiritual realm - we really have no idea of all that actually happens. During the second session, I got us to think back to the worship time we just had and we all remember hearing more people than were actually there - there was only around 25 of us, but we all remember hearing a huge army worshipping God!! Were we surrounded by angels? Over the weekend, our eyes were opened to many new things. (have a look at 2 Kings 6:15-18)

During the last session we had some practical teaching on prayer and we had been praying for the Holy Spirit to be free to do His work and for the guys to actually experience God. Many of the youngsters had never really experienced God in a tangible way, and by the end of this last session all the kids were prophesying over each other - hearing accurate messages and visions from God while praying for each other!!! How awesome is God!! It knocked my socks off (yeah I know I didn't have shoes on, but metaphorically speaking [Jordan!! lol])

It didn't just stop there, that night, Sunday night, we went back to Noosa for their youth meeting - Undefeated - also very cool. This night was also, unplanned, was on being undefeated through prayer. This meeting went for 3 hours, we ended up breaking up into groups for more prayer (couldn't get enough) and more ministry was seen, prophecies, salvation, deliverance etc. One of the guys said at the end, 'What we learned this afternoon was exactly what we needed for tonight'. God is good, He knows exactly what we need and when - God's timing is perfect.

I think we all had one of the best weekends of our lives. They are some of the best guys/girls I have ever met, love them so much and am surprisingly missing them a heap too.

For the next 30 days (28 now) we also committed to praying for revival in Noosa, so you might like to join us in that!! Bring it on God - they're ready for You

"'Father,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come.

Give us each day our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

And lead us not into temptation."

Luke 11:2-4

TACO Trivia

2008-11-07T00:41:00.002+11:00

I'm about to head up to Brisbane for the weekend for a youth camp with Noosa Corps, so if you have a second, could you just pray for us that God will really turn up and change lives!!

There you just had a second - hope you prayed!! ;)

I want to mention that I've just added a link on the side bar under 'other sites of interest' a link to TACO Trivia - please check it out. We need to be supporting people overseas, especially the ones who are being obedient to God's call on their lives and in turn impacting the world.

Check it out and see what you can do to help those less fortunate than us in this way.

Praise God, He deserves all our praise!

"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said:

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."

Mark 8:34-35

Abortion or 'choice'

2008-11-05T13:43:00.002+11:00

For you created my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from You

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
Your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in Your book

before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:13-16

General's Pastoral Letter - Number Ten - Kindness

2008-11-05T00:14:00.002+11:00

PASTORAL LETTER TEN

KINDNESS

Dear Fellow-Salvationists,

Greetings in the name of Jesus!

The Army is filled with kind people. I meet them in person everywhere I go. I receive a steady stream of letters and cards from them. Kindness is a wonderful thing. It blesses the recipient in simple but profound ways, and it pleases the Lord who smiles upon the kindness of the giver.

So this Pastoral Letter is a small but heartfelt celebration of kindness and of kind Salvation Army folk right around the world.

God is closely interested in kindness. We know this because the Bible tells us that kindness is a fruit that grows when the Holy Spirit implants it into our personalities. Galatians 5:22, 23 lists nine fruits of the Spirit, with kindness named as the fifth in this list. It comes in the middle of the list, as though it is the hinge on which the other eight balance.

However, even though kindness is central to the list, it cannot outshine the fruit of love which is mentioned first before all the other fruits. Love (the love shown to us by Christ and gifted to us by him) is the fertile soil from which all the other fruits grow. In 1 Corinthians 13:4 we read that love is kind. Love and kindness are inextricably linked in the teaching of the Scriptures. One Christian writer, the great Dr Sangster, has said that Christian kindness is 'love in its smaller manifestations'.

Pause to think of the small but effective acts of kindness that have come your way recently. Think of the people who have performed these actions and take time to thank God for each person, perhaps adding a prayer that you also will receive the grace to go on being a kind person too.

Kindness is not about indulging other folk and giving them all they want. Rather it is an attitude that leads to practical actions that meet another's needs. It is often a hidden thing, done in secret and not f or self-glorification. God sees it all and that is sufficient.

The Bible is full of statements about the kindness found in the heart of God. Let me list some of the references and encourage you to look them up for yourself: Luke 6:35 ('he is kind'); Nehemiah 9:17, Joel 2:13, and Jonah 4:2 (all King James Version: 'slow to anger, and of great kindness'); Psalm 117:2 (KJV: 'merciful kindness'). This divine kindness is seen at its fullest in the nature and character of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was full of love and this often expressed itself in acts and words of kindness. The same happens when we too are filled more and more with the love of Jesus.Because God is kind, the Bible exhorts us also to be kind. Romans 12:10 speaks about being devoted to one another and about brotherly love. Ephesians 4:32 tells us to be 'kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as in Christ God forgave you.' Actions and words of forgiveness a re a very great kindness. In his letter to the Colossian Christians (3:12) Paul reminds them that they are 'God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved' and therefore they should 'clothe' themselves with kindness. This image of being dressed all over in kindness is a very powerful one. Paul here also links kindness with its close cousins - compassion, humility, gentleness and patience. I know many Salvationists, and those beyond our ranks too, who exemplify these qualities. They are foundational to the holy life and result from the blessing of a clean heart.

Finally, we note that in 2 Peter 1:7 the Bible sees a close intimacy between godliness, kindness and love. True godliness results in kindness, and this draws upon divine love for its very survival as an attribute in our redeemed personalities.

Because of all this I rejoice and celebrate with each of you God's pouring out upon us of a measure of the Holy Spirit fruit of kindness. May this blossom, bud and grow into ripe and mature fruit in each of our lives.

I thank God for you all, keeping you daily in my prayers, as does Commissioner Helen Clifton. Thank you for the kindness of your hearts and the kindness of your actions day by day. Let the whole Army flow over and over with holy, Christlike kindness.

I commit you to the perfect love of Christ.

Shaw CliftonGeneral

Islamic Leaders son finds Jesus

2008-11-03T16:21:00.003+11:00

The son of a very influential Islamic leader has found Jesus and has left Islam. He has run to the USA for his safety and is trying to point the rest of Islam including his family to the truth about Jesus.

The son has been very vocal on telling those who are still followers of Islam the truth about God and their wrong teachings. Jesus is the way to eternal life, without Jesus hell will be your destination.

You might like to read about it further;

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080804/top-hamas-leader-s-son-converts-to-christianity.htm

God is good, if you search for the truth, He will not hide it from you! Hallelujah.

We can lead people to Jesus, but only He can save them!!

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Luke 19:10

It's Jesus or Hell - your choice

Halloween

2008-10-31T14:48:00.004+11:00

Happy Halloween for all those who it actually matters too!

What a day, if your a demon, you'd probably love it, the one day of the year people actually celebrate evil and probably the day of the year when most people pick up a demon of their own for a small cost - spiritual freedom.

Jesus came to give us spiritual freedom - forget about things like Halloween which gives focus to the darkness and worship the light - the creator of all things - Jesus

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 8:12

Those of us who walk in His victory have the upper hand over darkness and find Satan under our feet. Be victorious on this Halloween night - cover yourself in the Armour of Salvation (Ephesians 6:10-20) and also the Blood of Jesus and you will be able to stand no matter what comes your way.

Hallelujah

Healing Part 2

2008-10-29T15:32:00.005+11:00

So we've had a good discussion on the previous post.

Recently I heard someone preach about how great it was that Jesus gave sight to the blind, made the lame to walk, etc, etc, BUT they're all dead now - what use was the miracles??

As discussed below, it's more about what goes with the miracles, not the actual miracle themselves. The best sort of healing ministry I've been a part of is the emotional healing - that is the stuff that I live for. There have been a few people that God has brought healing to in this way recently in my life- these are amazing stories - the deepest, most personal and the most powerful.

So, if there's nothing that will change in the persons life for the better with the miracle, then I'm sure God will not allow it to happen, it will just be a clanging sound - it happens, people hear it but that's it. There has to be some deep change behind the miracle - I thought about the story of the lepers that Jesus cleansed - only one came back to thank Jesus - he experienced a change in his life - what do you think it was??

I think in my previous comments I explained myself badly - faith has a large part in healing, for example in Matthew 9:29 it says;

Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you";

and also in Matthew 15:28;

Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

and so on.

It's not the miracles we should focus on, but the power of God and the change He makes in our lives.

More for you to think about - Your thoughts?

Healing

2008-10-28T13:17:00.006+11:00

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Luke 9:1-2

We know God can heal everything and anything, I've seen it many times, after all He created the universe, but when does God choose not to heal?

If someone brought an injury upon themself, for example, if they broke their hand or foot or anything else for that matter, would God allow it to be healed miraculously?

Someone else I know that has the gift of healing said to me the other day, that sometimes Satan can throw a spanner into the works too with the gift of healing - so I was after a few thoughts on this.

So can I get some readers thoughts. What are a few times and examples of when God has healed someone or hasn't healed someone and what wisdom or insight have you had?

Four Minutes

2008-10-24T08:44:00.004+11:00

Was listening to Madonna's and Justin Timberlake's song the other day on the radio and a few things jumped out at me.

The first thing is how cool would it be if all disciples of Jesus joined in together for a global four minutes to save the world campaign - synchronise watches and go carry out the great commission. I know we should be doing this all the time anyway, but how bout a one off 4 minute hit on the world, all women, children and men evangelise at the same time, wonder what would happen?

The other thing was a couple of lines;

"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions"

How many people have good intentions but never actually do something about them. Many people thing they're a good person, will help save the environment or sponsor a child someday or will repent of their wrong doings at a later date - good intentions will never give you an 'out of Hell free pass' - today is the day of salvation - don't wait till tomorrow - call on Jesus today, right now actually!!

Another line is;

"But if I die tonight, at least I can say I did what I wanted to do"

If you look at a time line of all eternity which our immortal souls will live for, find your life span on that timeline - tell me is it really worth it, doing what you want to do or do what you should do.. eternity is a long time - weigh it up!

So find Jesus' plan for your life today, good intentions will never get you anywhere, and doing what you want to do is selfish, there's a bigger world out there, a bigger Kingdom out there that you are invited to be a part of.

Take the opportunity today; wanna know more email me or comment me - don't miss out on the ride of your life - life the life you were born to live - find out how - ask your Creator!!

Bless ya

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Romans 10:12-13

I'm in His hands

2008-10-09T23:33:00.004+11:00

732 SASB

1. I shall not fear though darkened clouds may gather round me;

The God I serve is one who cares and understands.

Although the storms I face would threaten to confound me,

Of this I am assured:

I'm in his hands.

Chorus

I'm in his hands,

I'm in his hands;

Whate'er the future holds

I'm in his hands,

The days I cannot see

Have all been planned for me;

His way is best, you see;

I'm in his hands.

2.What though I cannot know the way that lies before me?

I still can trust and freely follow his commands;

My faith is firm since it is he that watches o'er me;

Of this I'm confident:

I'm in his hands.

3.In days gone by my Lord has always proved sufficient,

When I have yielded to the law of love's demands;

Why should I doubt that he would evermore be present

To make his will my own?

I'm in his hands!

Stanley E. Ditmer

Resurrection

2008-10-05T00:07:00.003+10:00

From Wednesday to Friday this last week I attended ACC at Box Hill, Melbourne. ACC is Aggressive Christianity Conference based on Catherine Booths book.

The last night, Friday night, Russell Rook talked to us and gave us a powerful message from Luke 24 on learning to raise the dead - a title that captured me from the start.

When we meet the disciples after the Crucifixion, we find them hiding in fear and without hope since Jesus, who they had been following and learning everything from for the past 3 years is now gone. They felt they were under threat from the rest of the Jews and were living in fear of their lives.

Then Jesus comes on the scene, just appears from no where and says 'Peace'. That's nice! This means everything to these guys, from living in fear of their lives to knowing they're standing in the presence of the One who gives life!! No need to fear anymore, if the Jews or anyone else does kill them for preaching the good news - IT'S NOT THE END - the resurrection is the final word - Jesus is the Alpha and OMEGA - the beginning and the END - He has the final say!

From here on, the disciples took the gospel FEARLESSLY to the ends of the earth. No need to fear death or what any man could do to them, the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

We don't believe the story ends with death - it ends with resurrection!

Hallelujah

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,"

Philippians 3:10

Extremists - again

2008-09-25T22:57:00.007+10:00

After my previous post, my brother told me that he had just been reading some speeches for his studies on Martin Luther King Jr and how they had been along similar lines to what I blogged and have been thinking about.

I thought I'd just add a few of his quotes in, firstly because they are along similar lines to my previous blog, and also because they are inspirational.

"Was not Jesus an extremist in love - 'Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you.' Was not Amos an extremist for justice - 'Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an mighty stream.' Was not Paul an extremist for the gospel of Jesus Christ - 'I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.' Was not Martin Luther an extremist - 'Here I stand; I can do none other so help me God.' Was not John Bunyan an extremist - 'I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience.' Was not Abraham Lincoln an extremist - 'This nation cannot survive half slave and half free'. Was not Thomas Jefferson and extremist - 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.' So the question is not whether we will be extremist but what kind of extremist will we be . Will be extremist for the preservation for hate or will be extremists for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice - or will we be extremists for the cause of justice?"

What a spokes person! There are so many other brilliant quotes here from Martin Luther King Jr, but I may break it up into smaller, bite size blogs.

I'm about to go into a technological blackout until late Monday. This weekend a few of us are involved in the International Weekend of Prayer and Fasting for Victims of Sexual Trafficking so one of the things I will be fasting is technology. You may also like to join us in prayer and fasting as a starting point to fight against this evil so please do this weekend.

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners"
Isaiah 61:1

'Extremists'

2008-09-22T22:20:00.005+10:00

Here in Australia, we seem to have what I seem to call, the 'Tall Poppy Syndrome".

When someone either stands out or does something significant and makes some sort of impact, where other cultures would most likely congratulate them, possibly give them a medal or an acknowledgement, we here in Oz rip them down instead.

Good huh! I'm sure I'm to blame also.

Within the Salvation Army, I heard someone the other day give someone else the title as an 'extremist'. This person who received this title is someone who does amazing work and stands unwavering for what he believes and is making a huge impact on the world. He has also received an unbelievable amount of opposition from people he fights alongside, who you would think would be supporting him, since they are on the 'same side'.

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. (Mark 3:24)

How can the Salvation Army go forward if we do not support the people in the battle alongside us. If we turn on each other - the enemy has already one.

We mostly hear the term 'extremist' in this present days talking about the 'Muslim extremists' or some other people who are doing things that are shaking the planet in negative ways. I'll tell you now, soon a day is coming when you will be wanting more of these extremists within the Salvation Army! The extremists that we have now that we are tearing down will be the ones you will be counting on, they will be the people that you will be hiding behind when all the extremists go head to head - and I believe our 'extremist/s' that we have within the Salvation Army will make us proud in this situation even if it happened today.

We need to be in the business of producing and training 'extremists' for Jesus, people/soldiers/nutcases that really, truly have a relationship with the Saviour of every soul in the universe and will stand for what they believe no matter if they are standing in a pub/club getting pressured into drinking poison or kneeling with a gun to their head being told to deny the only truth that really matters.

We need a Salvation Army extremist leading the battle training up future extremists - the battle is stirring - I want to be ready - I want to be on the winning side (that's why I'm with Jesus!) - I want to be fighting next to a legion of extremists - I want a session of extremists that will not compromise.

Maybe we are entering into this era as we speak (or as you read)... will you stand up and join us?

We need you! Which side are you fighting on?

"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.

Revelation 22:12-14

The General's health update

2008-09-17T22:41:00.005+10:00

Just some other news also if you havn't heard - sounds like the General is going well. According to a good source - his son - sound's like he's basically back to normal and has resumed international travel.

Keep praying for the General of the Salvation Army as God has asked us to pray for our leaders.

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus....”

1 Timothy 2:1-6

Spiritual Attacks

2008-09-17T18:25:00.003+10:00

Has it just been me, or have the spiritual attacks been stepping up?

The past few weeks, God has really been looking after me with attacks coming from all angles, even from close friends being used by the enemy. Close friends effecting other friendships that mean a lot to me, attacks at work - big attacks, attacks within teams at church, all over the place.

God continually reminds me to repent daily, wash myself in His blood, and protect myself with the armor of Salvation - this is a daily thing, not just a thing when you get attacked or every few months when ever you feel you need to get yourself right with God - DAILY! It's a great feeling, first thing in the morning getting right with God - it always, OK, mostly gets me in a right place before God to face the day.

Today I was a bit down, mostly because I've been cut off from a friend presently, but I couldn't get into a right place spiritually. A few weeks ago, I actually forced myself to ask God for something that felt selfish, the gift of tongues - and received it! This is the best spiritual gift for strengthening yourself with God - I love it! Today this gift helped me and strenghten me - God is great!

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms

Ephesians 6:11-12

Freedom

2008-08-27T01:11:00.003+10:00

I've been a bit slack blogging lately, slightly busy, but mostly slack I suppose.

Anyway, the weekend in Brisbane at the Unlimited conference was awesome!! Such great worship and the speakers were amazing, God's presence was felt. The highlight would have been the final session where Unlimited youth joined the 'older' guys in Unlimited and a representative from each group apologised to the other for things we may have done or held against the other to heal hurts and to bind generations together - there was not a dry eye in the house!!! Powerful and God honouring!

Tonight, we had our youth Bible study and what a night we had there too. We spoke about taming the tongue and was based on James 3.

We ended just talking about different stuff over supper and one of our African friends started telling us about some dreams she's been having that have been alarming her, so we prayed over her and did some demon kicking - it's been a while for me but she has started clearing some of these African spirits/curses, more powerful stuff. God is good!!

Freedom in the Name of Jesus, its amazing how powerful that Name is. As we covered her in the Blood of Jesus, things changed, she shook and peace came over her in a huge sigh.

Freedom, if you don't have it, ask for it now in Jesus Name, do you need healing - physically/mentally/emotionally - ask for it now in Jesus Name!! Try it, it won't let you down.

"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

John 14:13-14

God is good

2008-08-20T20:18:00.005+10:00

What a great few weeks it's been, God is good!!

I've been reading heaps more of God's word, I have to admit my motivation was more in competition to some teenage girls who were reading more than I was - I was very embarrassed! I've been trying to read at least 5 chapters a night and it's been awesome - God's word really brings life!!

My devotional reading the other night was great too - I'll share some of it with you;

"Many people who are called miss the call because they are dull of hearing. There is something in the call, 'Many are called, but few are chosen' (Matt 22:14) And how will the choice be made? The choice is always your choice first. You will find that the gifts are your choice first. You will find that salvation is your choice. God has made it all, but you have to choose. God wants you to make an inward call, to be in a great intercessory condition of imploring the Holy One to prepare you for that wonderful spiritual body."

"If you want to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the grace and in the grace of God, get hungry enough to be fed; get thirsty enough to cry out; be broken enough that you do not want anything in the world unless He comes Himself"

I'm heading upto Brisbane for the weekend for the Unlimited Conference if anyone is up that way, will be a great weekend. I'm meeting up with most of my team I went to Rwanda with there. I've finally finished editing the DVD set of our documentary from Rwanda also, if anyone is interested in watching it, feel free to contact me - it's turned out really well actually.

Pray for next years college session world wide - the Ambassadors of Holiness! Don't forget to pray for the General, Officers and present Cadets also!!

"And they were all amazed at the greatness of God."

Luke 9:43

Accepted!

2008-08-13T17:50:00.006+10:00

I've officially been accepted as an Ambassador of Holiness for 2009.

For those who don't follow Army jargon, that means I've been accepted for training as an Officer (minister) within the Salvation Army.

Thanks for everyone who has supported and prayed for me over this journey. Please continue to pray for the session of Ambassadors, it will be so rewarding, but very challenging at the same time!!

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Luke 9:23

D-Day

2008-08-12T10:53:00.005+10:00

Tomorrow is my D Day - the Territorial Board for Candidates. Last time for my Divisional board I didn't request prayer, but this time I am - not for the decision as such, but everything else surrounding it!

Since the Divisional board until now, there has been much spiritual warfare and the enemy causing much confusion in the camp presently which is causing some chaos - confusion not in ministry and calling, but in general life 'stuff', so if I can request prayer, please pray about everything surrounding the Ambassadors of Holiness session from now on, it's going to be an amazing session and hence a lot of opposition and attack from the enemy.

Thanks for everyone's support so far and it would be great if it could continue over the coming weeks for the rest of the session in their travels on the road to college also.

I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.

Galatians 5:10

Good relationships

2008-08-06T01:08:00.003+10:00

Sunday night I gave this message at the youth meeting at Macleod Salvation Army.

The night was captured on video and has been youtube-d, so I've put them below so you can watch the message yourself.

This is an important topic that isn't covered much, and needs to be. It hit some of the youth quite hard. Feel free to watch and pass on for your youth to see also.

[The video had to be broken into 3 parts for youtube acceptance (length of video)]

General's Pastoral Letter - Number Nine - Salvation

2008-08-05T01:23:00.002+10:00

PASTORAL LETTER NINE

SALVATION

Warm Salvationist greetings from London!

The theme of this ninth Pastoral Letter is that of salvation, a theme so basic and central to the whole gospel, and therefore a theme that goes right to the heart of Salvationism and of what it means to be a Salvationist in today's world.

I find myself often seeking to grasp afresh all that God has done for me in his plan of salvation. I ask myself if I have truly plumbed the depths of it all, if I have fully understood. Sometimes God's actions, in gifting to us a Saviour, seem so astounding that they take on an appearance of impossibility. Even the great hymn writers felt the need to express this, such as Charles Wesley:

'And can it be that I should gain

An interest in the Saviour's blood?'

Wesley goes on in that same verse to press home similar questions:

'Died he for me...

how can it be...?'

I can identify so strongly with Wesley's words. Can you?

How is it possible that Almighty God has looked upon us with deep compassion, with mercy so powerful that he sent Jesus? How is it possible that Jesus, so pure and divine, became a mere man for my sake and for yours? How is it possible that he suffered death for me and you (Hebrews 2:9)? How is it possible that he rose from the grave to defeat death for ever and to guarantee for us eternal life through faith in him?

Even the great apostle, Paul, recognised the outrageous nature of Christian belief. He described his message - our message still today - as 'foolishness' (1 Corinthians 1:21), and as a 'stumbling block' (1:23). He knew that according to mere human logic the claims of Christ make no sense at all, but that God's 'foolishness' is 'wiser than man's wisdom' and that the 'weakness' of God is 'stronger than man's strength' (1:25).

So by mortal standards salvation makes no sense at all. Yet it was all God's idea, God's amazing initiative, all because he is pure love and will not let us go without a fight. We end up lost in wonder, love and praise! What a miracle! What wonderful, wonderful love!

All this is one outstanding reason why I am in the Army, with its marvellous name: The Salvation Army, a name given by God to our sanctified forebears and signalling the most important events, the most miraculous truths, and the most astounding claims the world has ever witnessed. Yet we must never allow our name, and its frequent use or its close familiarity, to soften or blur for us the keen cutting edge of the deep spiritual meaning of the word, salvation. It is a word denoting the very nature of the heart of the Creator.

Therefore you and I, as Salvationists, are called of God to live saved lives. We are intended by him, as are all believers, to show to the world what a saved life looks like, to make - by his grace within us - a daily reality o f the effects of salvation. Am I living like that? Are you living like that?

Because he has set us free from the shackles of sin we have become servants of divine and righteous planning (Romans 6:18). Let us serve well.

There is of course one thing that above all else can prevent us from serving well and that is sin. I am thinking now of personal sin. Being saved is no guarantee of freedom from temptation or of exemption from falling. That is why it is so vitally important for a believer to press onward into the blessing of a clean heart and a hatred of all sin whatever form it takes, large or small.

Also the Army, as an organisation for Christ, must be on guard against sin creeping in. Sometimes it seems there is sin in the camp (Hebrews 13:11-14) - such as back-biting, horrible gossip, self-seeking, boasting, dishonesty with money, unholy ambition, lack of Christlike love. When this happens we become weak and ineffective for the gospel. We see decline. Instead we want the Lord to walk among us because he finds us to be a saved and holy people, beneficiaries and exemplars of his salvation, so that his matchless, divine protection remains with us and we can be abundantly fruitful for him (Deuteronomy 23:14).

Fellow Salvationists, I am on my knees with you to pray for his constant presence, asking that the Father's plan of salvation will not be in vain in my life or in the Army.

You are all constantly in my prayers, and again I commit you to the perfect love of Christ.

Shaw Clifton General

http://www1.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_ihq_general.nsf/vw-local/pastoral-letters

Jesus has authority

2008-07-31T15:35:00.004+10:00

VERSE:

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority,and not as their teachers of the law.

Matthew 7:28-29

THOUGHT:
Unlike the teachers of his day, Jesus didn't have to shore uphis teaching with obscure quotes from past teachers. Jesus, theWord of God, spoke the very words of God. He did and said what the Father willed. His life and his words had ring of authenticity and an awareness of power that extend through the ages and beckon us to His truth. This Jesus, our Teacher and Lord, is different. His words are powerful. His teachings are true. So his will must be our passion!

The Trinity

2008-07-26T17:13:00.005+10:00

The past few days, I've had a few discussions based around the Trinity.

My brother was having a discussion with some guys at his college and some people have the view that you should come and follow their 'god' because it is simple and easy to understand. It's easier to follow their 'gods' teaching and you don't have to put a lot of effort in to follow him/it/she.

My God is not simple, I agree, do I want Him to be - no. My God created the universe, that's not simple! My God loves everyone - that's not simple. My God paid the price for everyone's entry into Heaven - that's not easy either, but He did it all.

Many people cannot understand the concept of the Trinity, it's not simple! At the same time I don't want to follow a god that is simple because of 2 main reasons, 1- either it's the easy way to follow something or 2 -that he's man made.

The God that I follow is bigger than I will ever comprehend while I am on this earth - that's why I follow the God that didn't just sit on some throne in Heaven and look at us from a distance, but actually sent a part of Himself down, placed Himself in our shoes (or sandals) and walked our walk and learnt how it actually is to live the life He gave us - then loved us so much paid our way to be able to live with Him once the 'test' or our life is over.

This life is for us to decide what we will do with our eternity - what's your decision? Make it now or you will have it decided for you and you may not like it.

"But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."

Jude 1:20-22

Role models, are you proud of yourself?

2008-07-19T16:15:00.002+10:00

You reap what you sow

Do what you say. Integrity, speaks louder than words

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows."

Galatians 6:7

Sounds of Hell - WARNING - DISTURBING!

2008-07-19T01:36:00.005+10:00

I found this video on you tube the other day.

I know many readers won't believe it and will say it's a hoax, but whether or not it is - we know Hell exists and even if it is a hoax, thinking it could be even similar or as simple as something we could make up, it's freaky. It will be worse than something we could ever imagine with a human brain!!

WARNING - This video might be disturbing to many viewers

Are you saved - Ask Jesus today to save you - it's free! The choice is yours.

"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Acts 2:21

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

John 14:6

Board

2008-07-14T23:11:00.003+10:00

For those readers that are within the Salvation Army, I have my meeting with the Divisional Board on Friday for college acceptance.

I would usually ask for some prayer support, but I don't think I need earthly support on this one, God has called, I respond and that's that - this is where I'm supposed to be and it's by Divine appointment this day is occurring.

In saying that, if you'd like to pray for God's will to be done for Friday - please do!! :) Please BE praying for the College and all the Cadets and the Candidates too - there are many struggles occurring in many of our lives, so support on that field is always appreciated.

The Salvation Army needs Soldiers and we also need Officers.

" Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!""

Isaiah 6:8

Catch the Fire update

2008-07-10T19:22:00.004+10:00

For all of those reading looking for updates from Catch the Fire Ministries, here is the latest update today from the revival meetings over in Hallam;

DAY 29 - Revival Fire continues to fall in Melbourne- As local motels fill up

Dear Family and Friends in Christ,

God is indeed glorified night after night as the Fire of the Holy Ghost continues to fall in Melbourne’s Eastern suburbs. People from interstate and country Victoria are coming in the kinds of numbers that mean local motels are being filled with guests visiting the Hallam Revival meetings. This report has meant our Catch The Fire office has needed to direct people to the local caravan park instead. This is exciting news!

So many people are desperate to receive the goodness and power of our amazing God that they travel from as far away as Darwin, Northern Territory to receive all God has for them, and to take the Fire back to their own area. We are so blessed to see so many people including pastors from Sydney (NSW), Adelaide (SA), Darwin (NT), Parks (NSW), Bendigo (VIC), Geelong (VIC), Bellaraine Peninsula (VIC) and many other places who’ve come to drink from God’s refreshing River of life, flowing directly from His Throne room!

Pastors continue to flow in night after night with their families, many of them being mightily impacted by the Holy Spirit as Pastor Danny prays and releases specific words from the mind and heart of God regarding their church or ministries.

It is reality church to see almost every night many encouraged and built up, as God releases words through the gift of prophecy and/or word of knowledge, with many responding as Pastor Danny calls them out of the crowd. This of course expresses the Father’s Love to His children and to hear your name called out, and to know it is from God, builds such faith in His precious sons and daughters.

People soak in a worship filled atmosphere for hours, causing their hearts to be fully prepared to receive their miracle, as our Bridegroom God meets with His beloved Bride. This can manifest beautifully by dancing, weeping, laughing, laying in quiet reflection or rejoicing in abandonment, as this new found freedom and Kingdom reality takes them to blessing the Lord with thanksgiving.

Many born again Christians have testified, “We have been in church for years, but this is the first time we have found complete freedom to worship the Lord.” These ones dear to God’s heart are at the altar every night until they ‘glow’ with His radiant joy and mighty presence!

Many continue to get healed, delivered and set free by the power of God. What’s most exciting is people are beginning to share their faith with others in workplaces, not troubled by external expressions; they are boldly speaking the gospel message and are praying for their friends. The Kingdom is advancing! The King is being honored and the work of the Kingdom is being established.

A teacher from a public school testified, “Following impartation prayer, I became much bolder and felt empowered under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, so that in the next 2 weeks I led 20-25 teenagers (from my school) to the Lord. If we are ready, God will use us... many more are seeing God’s power and knowing His presence and being drawn to the cross of Jesus.”

Another man testified, “By attending the meetings often I have received so much of God’s Fire inside me, that I laid hands on a Hindu man, who was paralyzed down one side due to a stroke. He experienced God’s goodness and was healed instantly! This man’s wife was a Muslim. God showed her who He is, compassionate and slow to anger, loving and kind and willing to meet their needs. This brought both to their knees in surrender to Jesus, as they began their journey to make Jesus Lord and Savior of their lives.”

The Lord of the Harvest has desired to grow His Bride and spiritual impartation has been strong the last few nights, to enable the works of God through supernatural healings, signs, and wonders to be released through the Body of Christ. We are now hearing these testimonies and giving all glory to the Lord!

Through obedience to the Lord, Pastor Danny lays hands on those who come to the altar and anoints them with oil and prays for them individually. This happens most nights, resulting in many taking in mighty impartation from our gracious God.

Having “walked through death” experiences twice (should have been killed) and known persecution for Christ in both Australia and overseas, Pastor Danny understands what it is like to walk through fiery turbulence and still see many miracles, signs and wonders follow his ministry. His one desire has been, “Lord let the people ‘catch the Fire, take the Fire and set a Fire’ for Jesus!

We all desire to see this nation of Australia catch the Fire, revive, and encounter Jesus as the Body of Christ is market place effective, and the end-time harvest is reaped for the Kingdom of Heaven!

Bring your family, friends, neighbors, pastors, leaders, and members of your church to the Healing Revival continuing week nights on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 7.30pm with Saturday at 6.30pm. Check our website tomorrow (11.07.08) www.catchthefire.com.au for new update with recent photos, including the leaflet for printing & distribution. The venue is Christian Community Church, 30 Star Crescent, in Hallam.

Blessings,

Dianne Johnson
Catch the Fire Ministries
PO Box 7427
Dandenong VIC 3175 Australia
Tel (613) 9794 8211
Fax (613) 9794 9311
www.catchthefire.com.au

Chocolate companies break promise

2008-07-07T23:37:00.002+10:00

On July 1st, people all across our town will be going out of their way to buy more chocolate—a chocoholic’s dream, but it will be fairly-traded chocolate. This is the best way and the only way to eat your chocolate slave free.

July 1st is a very important day around the world.

It’s the day when the chocolate industry promised to make sure that no children were being used as slaves on cocoa farms.

It’s the day when we could eat a bar of our favourite chocolate such as a Mars, Kit Kat or Dairy Milk knowing that no child has been used in the harvesting of the cocoa beans that went to make the chocolate we love to eat.

Sadly there will be no celebrations on July 1st.

Industry has failed to keep its original promises.

Today, children as young as 12 are still being used as slaves on cocoa plantations. Here are the words of one child after being rescued from a farm. “I will tell you how I lost my arm. I tried to escape, but I could not. They caught me and tied me to a papaya tree and they beat me and broke my arm. I used to dream horrible dreams that they were beating me and about many other things: the hard work, my family …I still have these dreams today”.

Although the majority of farmers would not treat children in this way, there are some who do, and there are an estimated 12,000 children trafficked onto cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast into a life of slavery.

In our community, thousands of people are buying chocolate without knowing that these children are suffering for our sweet tooth to make fat profits for an industry that hasn’t delivered on its promises.

In 2001 they said they would certify that farms were slave free. Now they are saying that they are gathering data on some of the areas where cocoa is harvested.

This is not what they promised.

This is not good enough after 7 years of waiting for the freedom, safety and protection of these children.

We have to choose which chocolate bar to buy, at little cost to us when our chocolate is costing some children their lives.

We have to choose which chocolate bar to buy, little cost to us when our chocolate is costing some children their lives.

Promotion

2008-07-04T00:26:00.003+10:00

When I finally become an Officer of the Salvation Army, I'm sure I'll receive a few 'promotions'.

Firstly commissioned as a Lieutenant, then after a few years 'promoted' to Captain, possibly eventually a 'promotion' to Major and so on. Who knows where I'll end up; rank and continent.

Who cares really!

The main thing is - I don't want to even think about retirement until I'm 'promoted' to glory! There's too much work still to be done for the Kingdom. The Bible never talks about retirement, but the great men and women of God keep going until they're called Home, let's join their ranks!

'The last enemy to be destroyed is death.'

1 Corinthians 15:26

What are we doing?

2008-07-01T22:40:00.004+10:00

There is quite a lot of discussion happening on the Salvo blogs lately. There was one comment on Marney Turners blog by an 'anon' which said;

"Do you see church as something passive, that you go to observe? or something in which you participate?

Is Christianity something you do or are?

Where is "the church" Mon thru Sat?

If baptism is by water can it not be by the Living Water and by the Holy Spirit?

Can a uniform not be a statement of commitment?

Can items of clothing be a constant reminder to the person wearing them of meeting a certain standard of behaviour?

As a friend of mine once said "I wont put a "fish" on my car because then I'd have to drive like a Christian" "

Some good questions to think about. Sure the 'church' has deviated from it's purpose many times, and still in many ways today, but is it really the church or people within the church? Yes, the people within the church are the church, but then I suppose then it can go into questioning whether the 'denomination' if it is correct or not, but that's another topic all together.

There are way too many people that call themselves 'Christians' but don't even know what God requires of them. Who would become a part of, or assosiate themselves with something they have no idea about, like becoming a lion tamer or a Free Mason for example without knowing what they actually do or what it actually means.

Christianity has much to answer for, or is it really people in the church that have much to answer for!? Back before the reformation of the church, the Catholic church became an entity that was all about controlling people in the name of 'God' which really was nothing like what God requires from His people - my God is a God of justice - that means people are liberated spiritually and even physically, not so you can do what you want sinfully, but so you are free from oppression and any form of slavery, etc.

I like the part of the above statement about a uniform being a statement of commitment. Many 'Soldiers' of the Salvation Army these days don't do more than observe 'church' and it just is a passive thing - uniform to them is something they just wear to just be a part of the 'club' and not for anything outside of the four walls of the church where it's true purpose lies; its funny that these people are slowly just wearing casual civilian clothes to worship, even footy club clothing I've noticed rather than their uniform.

Why did Salvationists wear uniform in the first place - because they wanted to show they were apart of the fight, were committed and wanted to be associated with this Army God had raised up, not just for it's Soldiers to club meetings to make themselves feel good and pat each other on the back saying 'you're doing a good job' but actually get out there save the dying and clothe the naked and snatch people out of the clutches of damnation on many levels.

What happened to that?? We lost the vision of eternal damnation. I'm sure forgot to study the Word and therefore the requirements of Salvation, became comfortable thinking that sitting in 'church' occasionally would give them a free pass into 'heaven'. I've had a few small envisions of hell and that 'encourages' me strongly to actually partake in our calling to save the lost! If you've lost your passion or your enthusiasm, read the Word more, pray more, ask God for a renewed passion for the lost, and even a vision of hell yourself - but as a warning - be ready for what you ask!!!

Arise Soldiers - enough is enough! - are you giving reason for God's enemies to blaspheme His Holy Name?? If so, stop calling yourself a Christian and associating yourself with God - you are doing the most damage to the Kingdom of God.

"I can't stand your religious meetings.

I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.

I want nothing to do with your religion projects,

your pretentious slogans and goals.

I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes,

your public relations and image making.

I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.

When was the last time you sang to me?

Do you know what I want?

I want justice—oceans of it.

I want fairness—rivers of it.

That's what I want. That's all I want. "

Amos 5:21-24

Focus determines your reality

2008-06-30T00:24:00.001+10:00

I had a good conversation a couple of days ago now with a good friend about how leprosy colonies still exist today and it changed my view on the verse where Jesus says to "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons". Previously I wasn't aware of many people still in the world that had leprosy, so I wasn't sure how relevant that part of the verse was, but God keeps reminding me His word is eternal.

We got onto the healing topic that seems to keep coming up around the Salvationist circles a lot lately. I'm guilty of focusing on God's healing power more than His saving power and my good friend, a respected leader of the Army, was saying to us that the best healing God gives is the healing of hearts! How good is that! I love it. He also went onto say that if we could hear God on the healing topic is that He might say, you wouldn't worry so much about my signs and wonders if you really knew what was coming!

My Spiritual giftings are in healing, discernment etc, more the 'supernatural' gifts - everyone seems to focus on whats around them the most.

So it got me thinking about what's our primary focus as Salvationist in the Salvation Army - well we know we're not a metaphor, so I guess it's salvation!! We focus primarily on peoples souls! We want them to see, as we see, the love of God.

Then what? Secondly, then is it the physical, which to me, it looks like in the past few decades the Army has put into first place. (This covers both the feeding and clothing etc and also the healing topic). Even today I heard some Officers were unhappy with a good friend of mine, who is a leading Officer of the Army, because he is "too focused on social justice and evangelism" and here I'd like to state IS the basis of the Salvation Army - how ironic!!!

So, in my personal opinion, the Army in the past few decades, started loosing it's vision, started taking it's eyes off 'the ball', and now we're trying to get back on the of the purpose of the movement, why God raised us specifically - there will be much opposition, especially from within, from the 'not-so-right' teachings of the mediocre army, and we're seeing this opposition already! (God have your way with Your Army in Jesus Name)

Here comes some healing again I think - many people have been badly hurt from this 'army' when we started diverting from our 'mission'. Since we 'represent' God, we may have to have some healing first so these hurt by the 'organisation' can see God clearly again, not the blurred vision they see of God through the Army.

So I suppose what I'm saying in summary is, put God's saving power first - He ultimately wants us to spend eternity in His Kingdom, then worry about their physical self as a close second(!?) What's your thoughts?

If focus determines your reality - what is the reality of the Salvation Army at present? Thanks to Commissioner Knaggs for his vision - its very timely!!

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

I'm no longer a Salvo

2008-06-23T22:11:00.013+10:00

I've realised there are becoming more and more people that are calling themselves 'Salvo's'.

Many people that attend The Salvation Army once a year for Christmas or Easter or a dedication etc are calling themselves 'Salvo's', people that work in Salvo's stores or Employment Plus, or even people that just have family members who are connected with the Salvation Army in some form, or possibly just be fed by the soup van's are now saying they are Salvo's.

The name 'Salvo' is getting watered down so much and is loosing it's power and it's true intended purpose, so I am no longer a 'Salvo'!

These people are watering down what the Salvation Army is all about - so I don't want to be associated with an organisation that is becoming a club that is no more than a name that has a good reputation that makes me look good in return.

I now am going to start calling myself a SALVATIONIST! Why - because I am signed up, paid up, committed and actually in the fight. I'm not happy just even attending 'church' on Sunday, but without exception, or excuse, will obey God's plan for my life - everyday of my life, whether a public holiday, RDO or my birthday. Enough is enough of people who talk it up and in reality do nothing - I will not talk up myself or my actions, but only talk up the awesomeness of God and Jesus alone.

I am a soldier, a prayer warrior, of the Army of my God.

The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer.

The Holy Bible is my code of conduct.

Faith, Prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare.

I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, and tested by fire.

I am a volunteer in this Army, and I am enlisted for eternity.

I will either retire in this army at the Rapture or die in this Army;

but I will not get out, sell out, be talked out.

I am faithful, capable, and dependable.

If my God needs me, I am there.

I am a soldier, a prayer warrior. I am not a baby.

I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed up, pumped up, picked up, or pepped up.

I am a soldier, a prayer warrior.

No one else has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, entice me or lure me.

I am a soldier, a prayer warrior, I am not a wimp.

I am in place, saluting my King, obeying His orders, praising His Name and building His Kingdom!

I am a soldier, a prayer warrior.

No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards, candy, or give me handouts.

I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for, or catered to.

I am committed.

I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around.

I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside.

I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit.

When Jesus called me into His Army, I had nothing

If I end up with nothing I will still come out ahead,

For I am more than a conqueror.

The devil cannot defeat me. People cannot disillusion me.

Weather cannot weary me. Sickness cannot stop me.

Battles cannot beat me. Money cannot buy me.

And Hell cannot handle me

I AM A SOLDIER

Even death cannot destroy me.

For when my Commander calls me from this battlefield

He will promote me to glory and there I will rejoice in His presence.

I am a soldier in God's Army and I'm marching claiming victory.

I will not give up, not turn around.

Here I stand.... a soldier!

(author unknown)

Are you signed up and fully committed? Why not - would you prefer to watch TV or sleep in??

"Give up you small ambitions and come, change the world!"

Mark 8:34-35

Catch the Fire!

2008-06-20T22:41:00.007+10:00

Went to Catch the Fire's meeting on Thursday night with James.

If you haven't heard - God has arrived in Melbourne! Yes God is omnipresent (He is everywhere!), but His blessings are raining down more than I've ever seen before here in Melboune.

How awesome is God! Just standing there, God's presence was so strong. As I stood there worshipping God, the Spirit just fell upon us and the feeling of love that came over me was so powerful. I almost fell like I couldn't stand in His presence, I found myself bowing on the ground just soaking up God's presence.

Opportunities arose where anyone could go forward to receive prayer, it was like everyone just wanted to go down to be prayed for, why wouldn't you?! There was a time for breaking addictions and healing etc. These guys at Catch the Fire, just worship God and are continually in prayer with Him, and God is there as a result of there devotion to Him. Pastor Danny (now known as the controversial Pastor! lol) spoke with such authority through the Spirit with words of prophecy and also with healing. [Please remember - Jesus is the healer - no one here claims to heal themselves, but only through the authority of Jesus]

There was a huge crowd wanting to receive healing from God, it started with a deaf mans ears opened, then continued with what started out as a simple pain in a shoulder turned into deliverance of 8 demons, then a lady in a wheel chair who previously couldn't walk due to cancer walking around the hall, to a lady released from depression, to a 14 year old girl less than a meter away from me healed from deafness since birth in her left ear (and limited hearing in her right ear). God can do all things. Hallelujah!!

Revival is on it's way to Melbourne. I don't really like the world revival since in the past it has been waved around loosely by people every time something good happened, but when God's revival comes it will be world wide! Praise God!! The ocean is coming, not just a trickle or river, but an ocean.

Pastor Danny realised that there was a significant amount of deaf ears opened and so he prayed about it and God responded that it is representational of His people not listening to His word but now God is opening their ears - the deaf to hear.

In the 'cousin revival' that's occuring in Florida there have been more progressions, it started off big, now is exploding, people are not even staying dead!! As many of you know, I've been praying that I'll see the dead raised here in Melbourne by the end of this year so God can be glorified and for all those need proof that God is sovereign will be without doubt - now God is doing His 'thing' here in Melbourne, so I think I know what is coming.... (Matt 10:8 fulfilment!! Bring it on God!!)

Check out the reports at http://catchthefire.com.au/blog/ for daily reports. If you're anywhere near Melbourne, you need to drop in every night except for Wednesday nights - weeknights @ 7:30 and weekends at 6:30 - 30 Star Crescent Hallam

Are you ready for God?

Disciple in the modern world

Prophetic movement

God

Short message for today

General Linda Bond's first pastoral letter

Prayer

Discipleship

New Pledge of Allegiance

End times?

Patience?

Which star are you following?

General's Pastoral Letter - Gratitude (2)

Joys of Islam Women

John 10:10

Law = freedom

Litter vs Sin

Pastoral Letter - Gratitude

General's Pastoral Letter - Counting

They shall come from the east, they shall come from the west

Luke 13:29

NASA PROVES THE BIBLE IS TRUE

Pastoral Letter - Unity

It's all about love!

Spiritual Discussions

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

Matthew 21:22

Western Australia - 3 months out-training

Australia - what a filthy country

Prayer

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

Spirituality - we're incomplete without it!

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.""

John 8:12

India

Love, how I believe God intended

Straight off the press - pro-life

Well represented

Function

Heaven - Pastoral Letter from the General

Holiness, the best thing since..

The Future

Protection

Salvation

Letter from the General - Family

Holiness potential..

Red hot and Committed??

Power of an Officer

The General's letter on Leaders

Sanctification

TONIGHT - Famous Last Words

Famous Last Words

Greatest Action Story Ever Told

Saved or un-saved?

New members of the Kingdom

Transformation

Ego

Version 1 or 2?

College update

College - We've arrived!

Saviour of the World

Human Trafficking & Teenage Rape

Insane.. and more change

Change

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Worlds biggest worship service

Money

Sceptic's guide to God

On Fire!

Cost of following Jesus

Go for souls, and Generation final - my weekend

Overcomers

Prayer - Noosa Youth

TACO Trivia

Abortion or 'choice'

General's Pastoral Letter - Number Ten - Kindness

Islamic Leaders son finds Jesus

Halloween

Healing Part 2

Healing

⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.