God is GREAT!!

What a great past few weeks!

Today I just want to focus on God's provision.

So much has been obvious to me that God is with us, right beside us!

The first week getting to Rwanda, 3 members of our team were delayed and diverted up past Germany, to Sudan and to Ethiopia where they were denied any further passage. There they called the rest of us already waiting for them in Rwanda. We immediately prayed for the path to become opened to them in Jesus' Name... immediately our phone rang and they said they just let them through after hours of closed doors!!! Praise God!!! What a start to our trip.

There were so many more examples of this throughout the next few weeks. Two of us had a word from God that none of us would get sick the whole time we were on mission also and we didn't -until the last day - I had food poisoning - but it was way after even debrief - so God kept His word!!

On the way home, one member of the team was really sick and had a migraine along with a few other things, so we prayed for her and she was healed, including her bad elbow from months ago - all in a moment.

I heard some news about Mike Guglielmucci from Planetshakers also yesterday. He's been very sick for well over a year now, but my brother told me Mike had a vision of a place he thought he might get healed at, and I read on Mike's myspace last night (http://www.myspace.com/mikeguglielmucci) that the healing has started - he left his wheelchair even as God came upon him. God is Great!!!

As I've been home now for just over a day from Africa, I've felt a new era starting for me in my ministries. Healing feels like it's knocking on the door, any one sick??

What a year 2008 is going to be - pray big, and expect God to do great things this year.

Don't have your arms folded, but have them wide open to receive all God wants to give you. Then go out and expand the Kingdom further

Pray for revival...

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."

Matthew 10:8

All over

Well Im typing here in Kigali; Rwanda a few hours before we fly out using a very confusing french keyboard.

Just a quick summary before I have to run; God has been doing amazing things just in the 3 weeks we have been here; but more so in the past 14 years since the horrific genocide.

God has done amazing works of healing here; the people now dont even raise their voice to argue and everything has a positive connotation; for example cars have been named God is good or bars called Bar Happiness. Amazing relatonships and freindships have been made also. The people here are so lovely and friendly. Ill eventually put a few pics of some of the young children; they are gold.

I have many stories to tell; but its taking too long on this keyboard so Ill wait till I arrive back in Australia.

Till I see you or blog for your enjoyment = may God bless you as we have been blessed here in Africa

Stay posted

Simon

To the ends of the earth.... back in February!

The time has come.

My plane flies out at 8:55 tomorrow morning for Rwanda.

Please pray for our team of 9 from Australia.

Some prayer points are;

• That Feet First (our program in the first week of different electives, Children's ministry, Youth ministry and worship/creative arts) will impact any lives and that we will see the 21 youth leaders that attend raised up in their mission and ministry
  
• That our ministry will encourage the people of Rwanda & that we will be able to overcome language barriers.
  
• For our safety and protection, both spiritual and physical.
  
• That the team will be united and would come home as transformed people.

The web page is http://missionteam.salvos.org.au/p18/project18rwanda.php if you'd like to subscribe to email updates etc. I've attatched a draft timetable of our trip for your information also.

Thanks for all your prayers and support and I'll be back blogging with many great stories to tell early February.

Until then, God bless

Simon.

"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

Are we running out of time?

I've been reading this amazing book entitled "23 minutes in Hell" where this guys has found himself in the flesh in Hell.

His experience and detail of Hell was amazingly horrid, but it made me think of the total opposite, about Heaven and it's going to be one amazingly beautiful place!! But I'm not here to blog about Hell today - I want to share with you about what Jesus said....

This guy only spent a short time in that place for Satan and his angels and was rescued by Jesus. I'll share with you some of the dialogue that this guy Bill Wiese had with Jesus, take note...

"My next thought was, 'why did you send me to this awful place?'.

Before I could ask the question, He answered. 'Because many people do not believe that hell truly exists' He told me. 'Even some of My own people do not believe that hell is real.' I was amazed to hear that some Christians do not believe that hell is real. I know many people think that when you die you are annihilated, or some that hell is just a state of mind. That surprises me, because the Bible informs us so thoroughly on the subject. It does not teach that you are simply annihilated. The teachings are very clear that hell is a place of eternal torment. " p33

I find it amazing that Jesus Himself said this! His own people, don't believe in Hell!! If they were His own people, then they would follow His teachings, wouldn't they?

It continues a bit later...

"Finally He said, 'Tell them I am coming very, very soon'. In my spirit I felt an urgency to warn as many people as possible, as time is running out. He sternly said it again: 'TELL THEM I AM COMING VERY, VERY SOON!' Repeating Himself tells me His coming truly is getting very, very close. Time is running out. We must get the truth out to people so they can know that there is a choice to make. Without Jesus as your Saviour, you will not be going to Heaven, and that is absolutely certain." p37-38

Well! What to say after that.

Make a new years resolution to tell as many people about Jesus and His freedom every day!

If you get a chance to read this book by Bill Weise, just to get a glimpse of what could await you if you don't know Jesus as your Saviour, you'll want to know Him!!

We have immortal souls that will live forever in one of two places, choose today where you spend eternity.

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

John 14:6

A call to Officership

I don't think I have long left to live!

Let me explain;

I was thinking yesterday about Officership and how we need to deny ourselves and follow Jesus. We need to die to ourselves and let Jesus live through us.

I've been getting tired of living in this world, not giving up everything in my life to Jesus. I go to work, have to answer to my earthly boss, do earthly things and I feel trapped, but worse, I feel like Jesus is in handcuffs in my life.

Yesterday I was seeing things ideally again, and I saw everyone who enters into Officership is no longer themselves, but a Jesus clone. Once we enter College, we start dying and Jesus starts living and by the time we leave college (if not earlier) Jesus is all that exists. Ideally this should happen for every Soldier of the Salvation Army - but is essential for full time ministry - ie, Officership.

The song "it's no longer I that liveth, but Christ that liveth in me" won't leave my head!

Then last night, my devotional that I read spelt it out so well what I had been thinking all day, so I'll include it since it says it better than I could....

With the clothing upon of the Spirit, human depravity is covered, and everything that contrary to the mind of God is destroyed. God must have bodies for Himself, perfectly prepared by the Holy Spirit, for the day of the Lord. "For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from Heaven" (2 Corinth 5:2)

The Spirit has to breathe into us a new occupancy, a new order. The Holy Spirit came to give the vision of a life in which Jesus is perfected. It is Christ "who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace" (2 Tim. 1:9)

We who are saved have been called with a holy calling, called to be saints - to be pure, holy, and Godlike; to be sons with power. It is a long time now since it was settled and death was abolished. Death has no more power. This was made know through the Gospel, which brought in immortality. Mortality is a hindrance. Sin has no more dominion over you. You reign in Christ, and you make rightful use of His finished work. Don't grown and travail for a week.

"Awake, you who sleep" (Eph 5:14); put on light, and open your eyes. "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God" (Col 3:1).

Stir yourselves up!! Where are you? I am risen with Christ, planted in Him. It was a beautiful planting. I am seated with Him. God gives me the credit, and I believe Him. Why should I doubt?

Dare to believe until the life of Jesus is implanted within your soul. "The righteous will hold to his way" (Job 17:9). God has reserved him who is godly for Himself (Ps. 4:3). Therefore, lift up your heads.

(Smith Wigglesworth)

Are you unhappy with the dull, boring, incomplete, morbid life that you are living? Jesus has called you to more - believe it - He wants you holy and sanctified - He wants you to be a vessel wholly available for His perfect purpose for your life - invite Him in and give Him your all!

What are you doing with your life, with the talents He has given to you??

Have you said 'yes' to Officership -if 'no' WHY NOT????? Give into the wrestling that you're doing with God in your soul, just let it go.

Pray about it now - seriously - "give up your SMALL ambitions for your own life and come change the world"!!!! Mark 8:34-35

Part 2 - Christmas Carols, does the world know what it's singing?

On this eve of the celebration of the birth of the Saviour of the world, I'd like to point out some more lines of some of the carols we love so much!

Away in a manger

V3 Be near me Lord Jesus I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever and love me I pray

Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care

And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there

If someone says to you they don't know how to pray - there's one they'll know right there!!

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

V3 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!"

I love the words of Charles Wesley such great truths from the Gospel that used to teach the illiterate members of society through songs - I pray that continues this year to the spiritually illiterate members of society!

Another favourite of mine this year for it's words;

O Little Town of Bethlehem

v1b Yet in thy dark streets shineth

The everlasting light

The hopes and dreams of all the years

Are met in Thee tonight

v3b But in this world of sin

Where meek souls will receive Him still

The dear Christ enters in.

v4 O Holy Child of Bethlehem,

Descend o us we pray

Cast out our sin and enter in

What a great selection of words found in this carol also!! Such gems that go mostly un-noticed.

Take note of these words and others in the songs we sing in this years 'Birthday' celebration and point them out to everyone that will listen!!

Have a great and safe Christmas and have a great New Year if you don't visit again 'till then!

God bless!

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord"

Luke 2:11

Christmas Carols, does the world know what it's singing?

Watching the carols on TV, I wonder if people take any notice of the words they actually sing.

I thought over the next few day, I'd type out some of the great words and truths we sing about in these songs about the most significant birthday in all of Earths history.

I'll start with some lines from my favourite carol - Joy to the world

V1. Joy to the world! The Lord has come

Let Earth receive her King,

Let every heart prepare Him room

& Heaven and nature sing

Joy!! I wonder where our joy is sometimes, especially in worship services!! Bring it back.

Let earth receive her King - how many people sing this at Christmas time but still don't realise we're singing about Jesus!! Heaven and nature sing - It reminds me of the verse - if we don't sing praises to Jesus, the rocks will!!! (Luke 19:40)

V2. Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns,

Let men their songs employ

While fields and floods, rocks hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy

V3. He rules the world with truth and grace

and makes the nations prove

the glory of His righteousness

And wonders of His love

He rules the world - Hallelujah!! Even if men don't recognise it - He does! Did you notice it just didn't stop there - He rules with truth and grace - top that!! But wait, there's more.... and makes the nations prove the glory of His righteousness - good stuff. And wonders of His love - what an amazing truth there, reminds me a bit like Song 52 in the Salvation Army Song Book, the Wonders of His grace!

Think about all the words in the Carols we sing this Christmas season, don't worry about the meaningless carols like Jingle Bells or Rudolf, but the weighty ones that tell the great truths about our Lord AND Saviour - JESUS!!

Praise Him and worship him with JOY this Christmas - He deserves it!

Back with more soon....

"and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn"

Luke 2:7