Armybarmy Blog

August 31, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2JM;WvH;MD)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone? (SLB)
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The Salvation Army follows the Weselyan example for tight accountability in discipling relationships. Here is the TEST FOR SELF-EXAMINATION. The following are questions taken from The Salvation ARMY ORDERS AND REGULATIONS FOR SOLDIERS, 1999 (Chapter 4, section 3). They are useful to ask God daily and your accountability partners weekly:

1. Am I habitually guilty of any known sin? Do I practise or allow myself in any thought, word, or deed which I know to be wrong?

2. Am I so the master of my bodily appetites as to have no condemnation? Do I allow myself in any indulgence that is injurious to my holiness, growth inknowledge, obedience, and usefulness?

3. Are my thoughts and feelings such that I should not be ashamed to hear them published before God?

4. Does the influence of the world cause me to act, feel, or say things that are unlike Christ?

5. Do my tempers cause me to act, or feel or say things that I see afterward are contrary to that love which I ought to bear always to those about me?

6. Am I doing all in my power for the salvation of sinners? Do I feel concern about their danger and pray and work for their salvation as if they were my children?

7. Am I fulfilling the vows I have made to God in my acts of consecration or at the Penitent Form?

8. Is my example in harmony with my profession?

9. Am I conscious of any pride or haughtiness in my manner or bearing?

10. Do I conform to the fashions and customs of this world or do I show that I despise them?

11. Am I in danger of being carried away with worldly desires to be rich or admired?

And here are the 22 questions members of John Wesley’s HOLY CLUB asked themselves each day during their private rations over 200 years ago.

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told me in confidence?
4. Can I be trusted?
5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
7. Did the Bible live in me today?
8. Do I give it time to speak to me every day?
9. Am I enjoying prayer?
10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
13. Do I disobey God in anything?
14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
17. How do I spend my spare time?
18. Am I proud?
19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisee who despised the publican?
20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
22. Is Christ real to me?
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Welcome to international readers. Today's verse (Mark 8:34) explains the conditions of being a disciple of Jesus. We highly recommend that you do. It will cost you everything, but it will be a bargain at that:

И, подозвав народ с учениками Своими, сказал им: кто хочет идти за Мною, отвергнись себя, и возьми крест свой, и следуй за Мною.

於 是 叫 眾 人 和 門 徒 來 ， 對 他 們 說 ： 若 有 人 要 跟 從 我 ， 就 當 捨 己 ， 背 起 他 的 十 字 架 來 跟 從 我 。

ودعا الجمع مع تلاميذه وقال لهم من اراد ان يأتي ورائي فلينكر نفسه ويحمل صليبه ويتبعني.

И повика народа заедно с учениците Си и рече им: Ако иска някой да дойде след Мене, нека се отрече от себе си, и така нека Ме следва.

Lalu Yesus memanggil orang banyak dan murid-murid-Nya dan berkata kepada mereka: "Setiap orang yang mau mengikut Aku, ia harus menyangkal dirinya, memikul salibnya dan mengikut Aku.
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Holy. now.
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Here is a quick comment on a recent obituary (hat tip SA):

'A blow to the guts': "He dared us to call his bluff, and, when we didn't, he made all of us complicit in what he'd done."

'I can't articulate how but it makes me think of tonnes of Christians who don't call the world's bluff: that people really aren't "oh, fine thank you" and are complicit in their tragic deaths too.'

'May God have mercy on us all.'
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Remember the poor.
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6. (from above) Am I doing all in my power for the salvation of sinners? Do I feel concern abouttheir danger and pray and work for their salvation as if they were my children? (God help us)
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the South America West Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 30, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2GSM;JG)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone? (SLB)
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It's been awhile since we've given our boiler plate on Primitive Salvationism. You could google it or search it on our sites but here is the thumbnail version of it. Primitive Salvationism is a term that appears once in the 19teens in something by Minnie Carpenter (I believe) and was picked up by Commissioner Wesley Harris in the 1990s. It quickly got defined as charismatic-flavoured, mission-focussed heroism.

It represents the only proven type of salvationism. It is epitomised by the massive 1878-1888 revival. But it is not about bonnets or bass drums. It's more about holy zeal, aggressive evangelism, and divine love. It avoids trendy controversies (in that it simply lives by the doctrines and doesn't try to twist or debunk or ignore them). It doesn't slavishly imitate other strands of Christianity, settling to simply be what God raised up The Salvation Army to be. It doesn't worship the past but it invites the spirit of ancient Salvationism to live in it. It understand that the Orders and Regulations have not been tried and found wanting but have been 'found' irrelevant not tried - it knows that faithful adherence to the O+R is pretty much guaranteed to garner results in the Salvation War on any front in any culture in any era.
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Be the revolution you want to see.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Some of the armybarmy readers are memorising the weekly verses. The Psalmist hid God's word in his heart that he might not sin against God. There are a lot of great reasons to memorise Scripture. And these are not just random verses (among other things, by the end of this year, those memorising will be know 17 verses that flesh out the Bridge gospel presentation). Here is the new verse for this week (all memory verses are NIV):

"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." Mark 8:34

One of the keys for retention is review. The Navigators, who are verse memory specialists, emphasise this aspect - review, review, review - is their teaching. So remember to block out a weekly review time for older verses. The other key is to actually use the verses in evangelism, discipling, teaching, prayer, and so on.
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Holy. now.
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The twitter experiment continues - you can click on the right to follow.
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If you are looking for a good evangelistic resource site, go no further than thelife.com.
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I heard a great preacher today - praise God. One comment was, "If you shake any Salvationist family tree alcoholics or prostituted persons will fall out." Praise God. He redeems and regenerates. There is a reason to be grateful for a handful of generations of salvo righteousness but there is also lots to be glad (and evangelistic) about for a low number of generations before you hit the alcoholics and prostituted persons. All glory to God.
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Remember the poor.
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I know soldiers who just expect people to get saved. It doesn't happen for them every day. It doesn't happen every time they go out to evangelise or every time they preach. But they EXPECT that the heavenly combination of Holy Spirit prevenient grace and conviction of sin with divine appointments and holy obedience and zeal and clarity and compulsion and compassionate overflow of the Saviour's love will result in sinners repenting of their sins and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and being born again. They expect it.

And I think that is one reason they see people get saved (along with finding sinners, explaining the Gospel, and giving them opportunity to repent and believe) (and along with their determination to live sin-free lives and be filled and directed by Holy Spirit). If you are on a bit of a dry streak in your evangelsing, why not read some faith-building Scripture, pray yourself up (including confessing any sin and asking Holy Spirit to fill you) and then expectantly evangelise, today?
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God is here.
God help us all be humble
God bless the USA Eastern Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 29, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2KR;IS)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone? (SLB)
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AUS Territory press release:

The Salvation Army welcomes today’s announcement from Cadbury Australia of the Fair Trade certification of the Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate bar. As with many other organisations and justice coalitions, The Salvation Army has been committed to standing up for the oppressed, and particularly concerned about the child labour abuses within the cocoa industry.

“This announcement is a major initiative that has the potential for multiple effects in changing industry practice and increasing standards of ethically produced cocoa for the future. We believe everyone has the right to a fair go, including the most marginalised and poverty stricken workers in the world,” said Captain Danielle Strickland, Social Justice Director for The Salvation Army, and Australian Coordinator of the Stop the Traffik movement.

“Our connection with global issues is also a local one – we champion the rights of every person. We believe that this announcement is the first of many. Australian consumers have been heard by industry that they care deeply about injustice and want to be part of an ethical answer in a globally connected world,” she said.

Cadbury was the first mainstream chocolate company to move to using Fair Trade certified cocoa for a key product line. Fair Trade certification ensures that cocoa farmers are paid a fair price for their produce and that exploited child labour is not involved.

“We would like to congratulate Cadbury Australia and we look forward to even more justice to come,” said Captain Strickland.
(hat tip Jim Knaggs blog)
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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WIlias Howell has a new post up called HEROES. Now, as I was reading it I decided to plug it here but as I continued I noted that he refers to BE A HERO (I'm just providing full disclosure). Great post. Massive challenge to each of us who call ourselves soldiers. Read it on the blogroll at right.
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Holy. now.
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Brengle Institute started in 1947. This is a ten-day intensive on holiness for officers. In following years some territories started Soldiers Brengle Institutre. IN the 90s we preached at a Youth Brengle Institute in the Prairies. AUS Territory has territorial CHILDREN'S BRENGLE INSTITUTE and YOUTH BRENGLE INSTITUTE to add to the National Brengle Institute, witha National Soldiers Brengle Institute starting in 2010.

Why all these Brengles? Let's get everyone holy. That will transform each territory. Many corps don't have holiness meetings anymore so we'll get people sanctified at Brengle Institutes and send them back to influence their families, corps, and cities.
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Remember the poor.
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January 9, 1885 is the date of Brengle's famous sanctification testimony (loved the urchins, et al). January 9 is SANCTIFICATION DAY in some parts of the world. It should go global and become an international holiday. In any case, it is not too late to start planning your Sanctification Day celebrations on your front.
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Booth-Tucker Institute is in the spiritual line of the Brengle Institute. The former focusses on incarnational refreshing whereas the latter focusses on holiness refreshing. Booth-Tucker was the salvo incarnational specialist. Delegates from many countries around the world gather in one of the worst neighbourhoods in North America for intense prayer, teaching, evangelism, and service while living in a slum hotel. If you are interested in next year's visit thewarcollege.com.
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Hey - I saw a guy introduce someone to Jesus yesterday. It was like God engineered the whole thing. Components? Fearlessness, initiative, presentation of the gospel, opportunity to repent and believe. Result? Someone was born again! Hallelujah. That could happen for you, today, if you aim for it. God help you.
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the USA Central Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 28, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2JA;SM;AD)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone? (SLB)
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MMCCXX is a vision to see new outposts in 2000 cities in 200 countries in 20 years. It keeps expanding. It is still in the addition phase (outposts in different cities and countries are being added to the network) and we look with faith toward the multiplication phase (when these new outposts start sending out leaders to start new outposts). It is not too late to join. MMCCXX is in several countries and lots of cities... (for more, revolution @ mmccxx.net).
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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SALVOS OUT THERE (salvosoutthere.com) is the AUS Territory's latest evangelistic push. It is meant to mobilise and deploy salvos on their local fronts. The site has a lot of resources to help. And you don't have to be in that territory to take it on board!
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Holy. now.
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Life is fleeting. Get sanctified now.
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Did you read up on the Cadbury fair trade extension? Try the JUSTSalvos blog:

http://justsalvosaus.blogspot.com/

(Some readers may wonder about its importance but in some countries this company is huge and synonymous with chocolate).
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Remember the poor.
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I know of a new outpost started bi-vocationally earlier this year by some warriors to which God just keeps adding to their number. The numbers aren't huge yet but it is a normal fortnight in which someone gets saved. They are an example to us. They love people; they make friends with new people regularly; the preach the gospel non-stop. And some are getting saved. Hallelujah. It might be a model for the rest of us to follow, starting today?
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the USA Southern Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephnen Court

August 27, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone? (SLB) That pamphlet to which we referred yesterday is here:

www.armyonitsknees.org/.../To%20Be%20Like%20Jesus.pdf
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A few things to watch for in your perfecting of holiness (inspired from 2 Cor 7:1):
- cultured is not necessarily cleansed. That is, some people guard their speech and vocabulary and manners in their attempts to get holy. They ended up cultured, but that doesn't mean they're cleansed.
- habitual is not necessarily holy. That is, some people put some helpful parameters in their lives, doing their rations at certain times and places regularly, studiously avoiding situations they find tempting, and the like. But habitual lifestyle is not necessarily a holy one.
- domesticated is not necessarily consecrated. That is, sometimes we overlook sins as part of a person's personality when really what is overlooked needs to be repented of or consecrated. As Booth says, our 'consecration must keep pace with God's revelation'. Domesticated is not necessarily consecrated.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Carrying on from above, cleanse the temple. In 2 Cor 6/7 it is the people of God. And it can usefully be applied, also, individually. Purge yourself of anything that defiles or contaminates body or spirit. Puke up your sin.
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Holy. now.
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We celebrate the anti-human trafficking victory yesterday in which Cadbury, in a few countries (Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia), has determined to extend their fair trade commitment in 2010. Another victory for Christian activism - hallelujah. Read here:

http://stopthetraffik.wordpress.com/
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Remember the poor.
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Meanwhile, there are still millions of lives being taken before they are born. We suggest you visit the Genocide Awareness Project, here, for more information:

http://abortionno.org/gap.html
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And, many lives are ending without submission to the Lordship of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. This is the greatest of tragedies, as people effect their eternal destiny without God. May God give you and me a sense of urgency to share the amazing love of Christ and His will for their lives in faithful, bold, and compelling ways to all of them. Let's do what we can so that they can know forgiveness, acceptance, love, peace, reconciliation, purpose, belonging, and eternal life. God help you!
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the USA Western Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 26, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(haC/JK)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone? (Brengle) This question is from The Way of Holiness. armyonitsknees.org reproduces part of it in a holiness tract - To Be Like Jesus. Some think the perspective on holiness is out of date. USA EAST (Office of the Ambassadors for Holiness) and armybarmy blog disagree.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Justice Beaten Backward?
Isaiah 59:11b-18:

We hope for justice, but it evades us. We grope for salvation that is way out of our reach. For our sins are heaped up on Your doorstep, calling through the door to accuse us. We know our sins off by heart:
Rebelling against You,
Denying You, Yahweh;
Turning our backs on You;
Speaking oppression;
Inciting revolt;
Conceiving deceit;
Moaning malice.

Justice is beaten backward. Righteousness is banished to the sidelines. Truth has stumbled in the public square. Equity is outlawed.

Truth is gone and if we renounce iniquity we are targeted.

From Your vantage point, Yahweh, You’re displeased that there was no justice. You’re flabbergasted that there was no champion to intervene on behalf of the oppressed.

So, You, Yourself, stepped in, leading with Your mighty arm to save, stimulated by Your sense of justice.

(Do it again!)

Put on righteousness as Your body armour and don salvation’s helmet. Clothe Yourself in garments of vengeance and wrap Yourself in zeal’s cloak.

Everyone needs to pay for what they do: fury on Your adversaries, just reward on the wicked.
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Holy. now.
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Kathleen Pearce blogs on a recently promoted comrade:

http://salvokat.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/testimony-karen-jayne-jennings/
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Remember the poor.
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Depression and a pastor in the Globe and Mail:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/facts-and-arguments/a-pastor-without-a-congregation/article1262775/ (hat itp John Norton)
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Do you feel the sense of urgency? Yes, Jesus is coming soon. Yes, every time someone sins God is insulted. But people are dying. Will the person sitting next to you on the bus get another opportunity to hear the Gospel? Will your old neighbour? How about the cashier at the grocery store?

We don't know.

God help us evangelise effectively today.
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Denmark Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 25, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2ME)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone? (Brengle)
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"A cadet or humble soldier who is full of the Holy Ghost can tell more about the real, deep, spiritual meaning of the Bible than all the doctors of divinity and theological professors in the world who are not baptised with the Holy Ghost" (Brengle, Helps to Holiness).
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Have you read Danielle Strickland's and Matt Kean's blog recently (at right)?
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It's Jesus or hell (so says Catherine Booth). Do you believe it? I do. It affects most of our living to operate under that knowledge.
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Holy. now.
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How good are you? Take the good test: http://www.livingwaters.com

Do you know 'the 4 points'? http://www.the4points.com/

And, that old chestnut, the Four Spiritual Laws:

http://www.campuscrusade.com/fourlawsflash.htm
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"We affirm today that God raise up The Salvation Army and made her a holy vessel. We are no different from the Early Church, and like the Early Church, we are plagued with unholy men and women. We suffer with the human problems of desire for power, pretisge, rank, and personal recognition. We have our own set of trappings which become ends rather than means. But these are demonic people and demonic forces which, while in The Salvation Army and the Church, do not constitute the true Church nor the true Salvation Army." Roger Green, in Heritage of Holiness. p26.
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Remember the poor.
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People want hope and meaning. They want to belong and feel secure. And they need forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus answers these wants and these needs. Is there a better expression of love for a person than to introduce him or her to the answer to their deepest wants and needs? (no) God bless your evangelising today.
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Eastern Europe Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 24, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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Welcome, international readers. Here is a great verse from Jesus (Luke 6:38) that teaches us about generosity and how we cna relate with other people. Try it out:

اعطوا تعطوا. كيلا جيدا ملبدا مهزوزا فائضا يعطون في احضانكم. لانه بنفس الكيل الذي به تكيلون يكال لكم.

「与えなさい，そうすれば与えられるだろう。押し入れ，揺すり入れ，あふれ出るほどに良いはかりで，あなた方に字義，あなた方の懐に。与えられるだろう。あなた方が量るその同じはかりで，あなた方に量り返されるだろう」。

你 們 要 給 人 ， 就 必 有 給 你 們 的 ， 並 且 用 十 足 的 升 斗 ， 連 搖 帶 按 ， 上 尖 下 流 的 倒 在 你 們 懷 裡 ； 因 為 你 們 用 甚 麼 量 器 量 給 人 ， 也 必 用 甚 麼 量 器 量 給 你 們 。

давайте, и дастся вам: мерою доброю, утрясенною, нагнетенною и переполненною отсыплют вам в лоно ваше; ибо, какою мерою мерите, такою же отмерится и вам.

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Luke 6:38 is also the week's memory verse. One of the keys in memorising verses is 'review, review, review'. It might not be too hard to remember one verse but if you have been doing it all year long it might be difficult to remember the verse from the second week of February (for example). It is good to review them a lot. Keep the word hidden in your heart - it helps keep you from sinning (so says a verse many of you have memorised).
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Holy. now.
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Here's the latest from Major David Laeger:
THE HEALER

“For I am the LORD who heals you.” (Exodus 15:26 NKJV)

Standing on the other side of a sea,
over one million refugees stood quietly,
exhausted from their escape from terror.
Safely away from former masters,
they rest for a moment while hearing their leader
sing with his rich, powerful voice,
“I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously!”

After several verses He ends with praise
by looking toward the rule of God over his people:
“The LORD shall reign forever and ever.”

In their new freedom, the refugees learn
that freedom carries with it certain disciplines.
Some of them are bitter to learn.
The refugees set foot across desert land
and soon encountered water – bitter water,
and they complained about the discomfort of freedom.

Then the leader of the refugees threw a tree into the water
and the tree made the bitter discipline sweet.
“Marah” was the name given to the bitter water
before it became sweet.
Such is the Cross of Jesus to us –
bitter things become sweet when the Cross of Jesus is,
as it were, thrown into the circumstance.

Through that trust, the comforting words of God
rise in the heart of the refugee,
a stranger now in a new land – a new circumstance:
“For I am the LORD who heals you.”
And the troubled waters become sweet.

What is your bitterness today?
Nothing equals the bitterness taken for us
by Christ Jesus.
And through His Cross, He took away the bitterness
of all bitterness – yet through His Cross…

What are your drinking in today that sours the
taste of life? It is a test for you in which to find
His sweetness.
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Are the roots of bitterness gone? (Brengle)
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Remember the poor.
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Go for souls and go for the worst. (today is a great time to do it)
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Finland and Estonia Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 23, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2MW;MH;NH)

How's your soul?
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Are the roots of bitterness gone? (Brengle)
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http://web.me.com/craigadams1/Commonplace_Holiness/Blog/Entries/2008/1/27_The_5_Points_of_Arminius.html

(1.) God, by an eternal and immutable decree, ordained in Jesus Christ, his Son, before the foundation of the world, to save in Christ, because of Christ, and through Christ, from out of the human race, which is fallen and subject to sin, those who by the grace of the Holy Spirit believe in the same his Son, and who, by the same grace, persevere unto the, end in that faith and the obedience of faith; but, on the contrary, to leave in sin and subject to wrath those who are not converted and are unbelieving, and to condemn them as aliens from Christ, according to the Gospel, John 3:36.

(2.) To which end Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, died for all and each one, so that he has gained for all, through the death of Christ, reconciliation and remission of sins; on this condition, however, that no one in reality enjoys that remission of sins except the faithful man, and this, too, according to the Gospel, John 3:16, and 1 John 2:2.

(3.) But man has not from himself, or by the power of his free will, saving faith, inasmuch as in the state of defection and sin he cannot think or do of himself any thing good, which is, indeed, really good, such as saving faith is; but it is necessary for him to be born again and renewed by God in Christ through his Holy Spirit, in his mind, affections, or will, and all his faculties, so that he may be able to understand, think, wish, and perform something good, according to that saying of Christ in John 15:5.

(4.) It is this grace of God which begins, promotes, and perfects every thing good, and this to such a degree that even the regenerate man without this preceding or adventitious grace, exciting, consequent, and co-operating, can neither think, wish, or do any thing good, nor even resist any evil temptation: so that all the good works which we can think of are to be attributed to the grace of God in Christ. But as to the manner of the operation of that grace, it is not irresistible, for it is said of many that they resisted the Holy Spirit, in Acts 7:51, and many other places.

(5.) Those who are grafted into Christ by a true faith, and therefore partake of his vivifying Spirit, have abundance of means by which they may fight against Satan, sin, the world, and their own flesh, and obtain the victory, always, however, by the aid of the grace of the Holy Spirit; Jesus Christ assists them by his Spirit in all temptations, and stretches out his hand; and provided they are ready for the contest, and seek his aid, and are not wanting to their duty, he strengthens them to such a degree that they cannot be seduced or snatched from the hands of Christ by any fraud of Satan or violence, according to that saying, John 10:28, " No one shall pluck them out of my hand." But whether these very persons cannot, by their own negligence, desert the commencement of their being in Christ, and embrace again the present world, fall back from the holy doctrine once committed to them, make shipwreck of their conscience, and fall from grace; this must be more fully examined and weighed by the Holy Scripture before men can teach it with full tranquillity of mind and confidence.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Did you read JAC62 yet? How about Michael Ramsay's piece?!
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Holy. now.
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I know we've some armybarmy friends who also patronise The Meeting House (mega church in Canada). Here are some quotes from a recent preach (you can lift from their site - themeetinghouse.ca) on a topic near to salvo hearts:

Just as Jesus overturned the trading tables in the temple, he also overthrows humanity’s habit of devaluing women and girls.
~ Carolyn Custis James The Gospel of Ruth

God originally intended women and men to be co-equal partners in stewarding the earth, without role differentiation, and he has never rescinded that mandate.
~ John Stackhouse, Theologian

HELMER: First and foremost, you are a wife and mother.
NORA: That I don’t believe any more. I believe that first and foremost I am an individual, just as much as you are.
~ Henrik Ibsen A Doll’s House

The women of the Bible were on the edge. They had courage. They took risks. They did the unexpected. They lived daring
lives, and sometimes they made mistakes – big mistakes.
~ Francine Rivers A Lineage of Grace

The Books of Esther and Ruth are not really stories about their respective “heroines.” Rather, they are part of the Bible’s larger
story about God and his dealings with his people, and with the world.
~ Iain M. Duguid Reformed Expository Commentary

The book of Ruth is more than just a good story. It is about the resilience of women when they work in solidarity. ~ Isabel Apawo Phiri Africa Bible Commentary

There is an African proverb that says “When the rain sees dirt on you it does not stop,” meaning that often one problem follows another. This was certainly true for Naomi and Ruth.
~ Isabel Apawo Phiri Africa Bible Commentary

The primary purpose of the book of Ruth is to illustrate how simple, obedient people can be saved by God’s providence and
become part of His larger plan. We’re all a part of something bigger.
~ Tremper Longman The Importance of Obedience

The book of Ruth is the loveliest unexcelled piece of literature on a small scale.
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe German writer and philosopher

A woman’s high calling as God’s image bearer renders her incapable of significance, no matter what has gone wrong in her
life or how much she has lost.
~ Carolyn Custis James The Gospel of Ruth

Sure God created man before woman. But then you always make a rough draft before the final masterpiece.
~ Susan Shackston, Comedian

So God created human beings in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
~ Genesis 1:27 (TNIV) (all from Bruxy Cavey, preacher, with a hat tip to Sean Attard for the find)
----
Remember the poor.
----
Tell someone today how they can experience the forgiveness and freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ that you enjoy!
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the France Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 22, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul? See Noland's alternative site for some great Salvo tattoos: http://slightlyirreverent.blogspot.com/
----
Here's the General's newest pastoral letter:
----
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 family 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 seeking 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
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Germany and Lithuania Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 21, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2JH)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone? (Brengle)
----
Wow - check this news report on an active salvo in the States:
http://northwestern.news21.com/2009/08/20/the-art-of-salvation-kirstens-creative-life-and-christian-call/
(hat tip Kate Shellnutt)
----
From the first prayer update (with permission) from Captain Rachele Lamont:

"I met my friend Pierre randomly one day as we were finishing up our prayer walk throughout the neighbourhood of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. Pierre, in so many ways, represents all those who live in the neighbourhood and what their lives are like. He is Quebecoise meaning that he is as French as French can be. He only speaks a few words in English. He doesn’t work because of his addiction and because of lack of education and experience. He lives in one of the numerous buildings known for the selling of drugs and women. He is single but has a teenage daughter who he sees little of. He is gentle, friendly, and open about his life yet restless, depressed, and feeling that he is without hope and a future. Welcome to Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.

"Welcome to one of the poorest and most densely populated neighbourhoods in Montréal. Welcome to the place where 65% of men and 45% of women have a grade nine or less. Welcome to a neighbourhood where most girls find themselves pregnant before age sixteen and prostitution happens 24/7. Welcome to the place where children are literally abandoned by their parents and where every apartment building has at least two or three drug sellers living there. Welcome to the neighbourhood that we live in and where we are planting a 614."
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Impact through contact. That's the mantra of incarnational warfare. If you want to touch someone you have to be close enough to touch them!
----
Holy. now.
----
The fellowship is in the fight. Bible studies are nice, small groups are fun, cells are important. But nothing compares with fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with your comrades in terms of fellowship.
----
If evangelism is the best expression of love to a sinner (and it is) then discipleship is the best expression of love to a saint.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Belong. Believe. Behave. Etc. (the new missional 'gospel') I don't know about all of that. It's a little complicated. It all sounds a little too formulaic and regimented and possibly even (-tell it not in Gath!-) legalistic! I'd prefer we just preach the gospel to people, compel them to repent and believe, and disciple them. Why not try this simpler approach today?
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Italy Command.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 20. 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2MC;AT)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone? (Brengle)

Have you read JAC62? (and the 61 archived issues; and the 6 1/2 years of blog archives; and PROVERBIAL LEADERSHIP, BE A HERO; REVOLUTION; THE UPRISING; ONE THING; SALVATIONISM 101, 201, and 301?)
----
"We are an army of soldiers of Christ, organised as perfectly as we have been able to accomplish, seeking no church status, avoiding as we would the plague every denominational rut, in order perpetually to reach more and more of those who live outside every church boundary. (George Scott Railton, HEATHEN ENGLAND, 1887, p145)
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
A Salvationist covenants with God through the Army to serve Him as a
soldier until (s)he dies (O&RChXISect5p3). Praise God.
----
Colonel Ian Barr preached the last of the second annual McPherson Series lectures last night. Three cities and four corps - Perth Fortress, Norwood, Marion, and Waverley - hosted the good colonel and the McPherson Series. We're all exhorted to make disciples. God help us. Stay tuned for 2010 McPherson Series details to come.
----
Holy. now.
----
"Nothing worth having is ever got without a fight" (George Scott Railton). Fight for holiness.
----
Have you checked out the whole armybarmy.com site recently. One of my favourite parts is the library. Knock yourself out.
----
"No one remains with us, or is likely to remain, whose sole object in life is not the attainment of the one purpose ever kept before the Army- the rescue from sin and hell of those farthest from God and righteousness. And we only wish to keep such
people together... Let all who wish to be members of a denomination flee from our borders. We only desire to form and to keep up outside every denominational circle a body as large as we can of free-shooters, for the express purpose of assaulting
with spiritual weapons those who, like ourselves, are without a church, but who, unlike us, are still in rebellion against God (George Scott Railton, HEATHEN ENGLAND, 1887, p145). ((some classic quotes in today's post are from SALVATIONSIM 201))

Early salvo church growth philosophy.
----
Remember the poor.
----
"Satan has got Christians to accept what I may call a namby-pamby kid-glove kind of system of presenting the Gospel to people... sort of half-frightened timid way of putting the truth to unconverted people... It seems to me this is utterly antagonistic and repugnant to the spirit of the early saints: 'Go ye and preach the
Gospel to every Creature'.(Catherine Booth, 1891, PAPERS ON AGGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY.p9,10)

Go, ye, in the power of the Holy Spirit, today, and preach the Gospel.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Netherlands and Czech Republic Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 19, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone? (Brengle)
----
Wednesday night - McPherson at Waverley.
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Following up the Glasgow comments from a couple of posts ago (hat tip Ian Barr), Andrew Clark weighs in with this further explanation:

"The full declaration was "Lord, Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of your Word and the praising of Your Name".

"Interestingly, the Glasgow coat of arms still carries the symbols of the four miracles perfomed by the city's 'founding saint', St Kentigern (also called St Mungo).

"It is descibed (and most Glaswegians could tell you this) as:

There's the tree that never grew,
There's the bird that never flew,
There's the fish that never swam,
There's the bell that never rang.

"The Bird in the crest commemorates a wild Robin that St Serf, St Mungo's old
master, tamed. The Robin was accidentally killed by some of St Serf's
disciples who in turn blamed St Mungo. When St Mungo took the dead bird in
his hands and prayed over it, it was restored to life and flew chirping to
its master.

"Legend informs us that the Tree, which is now portrayed in the crest as an
oak, started life as a hazel branch. As a boy in the monastery, St Mungo was
left in charge of the holy fire in the refectory of St Serf's Monastery. He
fell asleep one night and some of the other boys who were envious of his
favoured position, put out the fire. When he woke and found what had
happened, St Mungo broke off some frozen branches from a hazel tree and, by
praying over them, caused them to burst into flames.

"It is thought that the square Bell may have been aquired by St Mungo on a
trip to Rome but there is no definite information as to how he obtained it.
In the 15th Century St Mungo's Bell had become a notable institution in
Glasgow. In 1450, John Stewart, the first Provost of Glasgow, left, as did
many others, an endowment to have the bell tolled throughout the city to
call the citizens to pray for his soul. The bell was still ringing out in
1578, as there is an entry in the City Treasurer's accounts for two
shillings "for one tong to St Mungowis Bell." A replacement was purchased by
the magistrates in 1641 and this bell still exists in the People's Palace on
Glasgow Green.

"The Fish is a salmon, which is always shown with a ring in it's mouth. The
ring was a present from Hydderch Hael, King of Cadzow, to his wife, Queen
Languoreth.

"The Queen had given the ring to her lover, who was one of her Knights. The
King being suspicious, took it from him one night while he slept during a
hunting party and threw it into the River Clyde. When they all returned
home, the King demanded the ring from Queen Languoreth and threatened her
with death if she did not produce it. The Queen asked the Knight to return
it but he, of course, could not. She then confessed to St Mungo what she had
done. He sent one of his monks to fish in the river, instructing him to
bring back the first fish that he caught. When the monk returned with the
fish, St Mungo cut it open and found the ring.

"Scots are still declaring 'Let Glasgow Flourish the preaching of thy Word
and the praising of thy name!' In fact, there is a jolly little song"...
----
Holy. now.
----
It is true. We can be holy, now. Holy Spirit is that powerful! Trust Him.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Souls. Wesley figured we have nothing to do but to save souls. Go for souls!
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Norway, Iceland, Faeroes Territory
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 18, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone? (Brengle)
----
The second annual McPherson Series ends Wednesday night at Waverley Temple in Melbourne. It has run in Perth and Adelaide (two night in Adelaide). Lieut-Colonel Ian Barr is preaching on the second of the AUS mission intentions - make disciples. The meeting is free. It should be a grand time. Make plans, if you live in the division, to catch this great event.
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Have you read JAC62 yet? There is some juicy stuff there.
----
Holy. now.
----
This week's memory verse is John 5:24:
I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. John 5:24
----
Welcome to international readers. This verse is powerful in that Jesus is explaining in a nutshell how to be saved.

我 實 實 在 在 的 告 訴 你 們 ， 那 聽 我 話 、 又 信 差 我 來 者 的 ， 就 有 永 生 ； 不 至 於 定 罪 ， 是 已 經 出 死 入 生 了 。

الحق الحق اقول لكم ان من يسمع كلامي ويؤمن بالذي ارسلني فله حياة ابدية ولا يأتي الى دينونة بل قد انتقل من الموت الى الحياة.

Истинно, истинно говорю вам: слушающий слово Мое и верующий в Пославшего Меня имеет жизнь вечную, и на суд не приходит, но перешел от смерти в жизнь.

Vere, vere, mi diras al vi:Kiu aŭskultas mian vorton, kaj kredas al Tiu, kiu min sendis, tiu havas eternan vivon kaj ne venas en juĝon, sed jam pasis de morto en vivon.

Sa m'ap di nou la a, se vre wi: Yon moun ki koute pawòl mwen, ki mete konfyans nan moun ki voye m' lan, l'ap gen lavi ki p'ap janm fini an. Yo p'ap kondannen li. Li deja soti nan lanmò, li antre nan lavi.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Why not email all of your friends who are not yet Christians and invite them to take the good test? http://www.livingwaters.com
----
God is here.
God help us all be humle.
God bless the Portugal Command.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 17, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
I hope you enjoyed Danielle Strickland's guest blog. You can catch her regularly at her blog (at right) and at JustSalvos blog and website (both at right).
----
Xander Coleman is your salvo stop for updates on the Typhoon in Taiwan. Visit his blog (at right) to inform your intercession.
----
National Brengle Institute ended Thursday. Here is a blog of reflections on it:

http://robertevansreflections.blogspot.com/
----
Captain Robert Evans, Noarlunga, has started blogging. Here's his blog, Leading from the Kings:

http://leadingfromthekings.blogspot.com/
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Glasgow slogan used to be. "Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the word of God." About 50 years ago they simplified to 'Let Glasgow flourish'.

Bloggable.
----
Ah, here's a salvo history summary from Anthony Castle's forthcoming book:

"If it was war they sought, then war they found. The corrupt enlisted gangs to stop them. These soldiers were cursed. Spat on. Beaten. Some were even killed. But they wouldn't stop. They beat drums. The sang. They screamed about God. It was like Kingdom come. After all, the ghetto of London was hell on earth - and saints had come marching in. They were London's village idiots. The slum's freedom fighters. The Church's prophets. A force to be reckoned with."

Stay tuned for the whole powerful book.
----
Holy. now.
----
Salvos love to fight and fight with love.
----
Remember the poor.
----
'Holiness postponed is compromise maintained.' Anthony Castle. 'Be ye holy, but be ye holy, now.' William Booth.
----
We're saved to save - in it to win the world for Jesus. He came to seek and to save the lost. We who are saved were all once lost ourselves. Let's not be complacent in our salvation. Let's look for lost people. There are probably some in the desk next to you, the seat across from you, the room on the other side of the hall or street. Try it, today.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Spain Command.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

Check out the new website by Nightlights in Thailand.
Some great work being done hear offering hope, sustainability and alternative lifestyles in the midst of serious darkness.
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2

NightLight is an international organization committed to addressing the complex issues surrounding trafficking and prostitution by catalyzing individual and community transformation. NightLight’s vision is to offer intervention to sexually exploited women and children, to enable them to discover their dignity, and to provide a program of holistic transformation, empowering them to live and work in their community.

NightLight’s mission is to build relationships and provide hope, intervention, rescue and assistance to women and children exploited in the sex industry by offering alternative employment, vocational opportunities, life-skills training and physical, emotional and spiritual development to women seeking freedom. NightLight builds support networks internationally to intervene and assist women, men and children whose lives are negatively impacted by the sex industry.

In Bangkok, Nightlight operates as a business (NightLight Design, Co. Ltd) and a non-profit (NightLight Foundation). In the United States, NightLight operates as a 501c3 with branches in Los Angeles and Atlanta.

August 15, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----

"If Jesus can fit into your life, then you probably haven't found him." (Tom Freeman)
----
Folowing up the recent post on Brengle v. Coutts, see
http://salvationist.ca/2009/08/understanding-the-difference/ by Raymond (hat tip Nicole Brindle)
----
Can you believe what Anthony Castle is on about in 'Stuff I've been thinking about' in JAC62?

Among other thing, he declares, 'the 20th century is dead.' Does The Army recognise it? Flexibility, 'progenation', and front-line issues are the three keys for us. How does your corps handle it?
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Some suggest 'flexibility' should be replaced by reflexivity. Reflexive structures are dynamic and interacting with surroundings.
----
Holy. now.
----
Castle is also on about 'arts and activism' arguing that it should be the primary front line of mission in the 21st c. Read the article for more details.
----
Have you heard of Nazirite Vow? It's the only salvo screamo band I know.
----
Remember the poor.
----
Street preachers in Adelaide were arrested last week. Some of us might not ever do much to cause any offence with police or anyone else for that matter... (I was part of a discussion about getting pelted at open airs).
----
There is nothing like getting someone saved. If you've been a part of it, you'll know. If not, you'll want to experience it. Why not try it, today.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Sweden Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 14, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2NB;ERF)

How's your soul?
----
Are the roots of bitterness gone? (SLB)
----
Have you read the current JAC yet?
----
Have you read Strickland, Howell, and Ramsay blogs?
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
The second annual McPherson Series (lectures) start in Perth Friday night (Fortress 7pm) and continue in Adelaide Sunday (Norwood 6pm) and Monday (Marion 7pm) and end in Melbourne Wednesday (Waverley 7:30pm). Lieut-Colonel Ian Barr, 22-year ICO faculty member and UKI Territory's Secretary for Programme is the preacher. You'll want to gather ten friends to join you if you live in any of these cities...
----
Holy. now.
----
God is a good God. What God commands, God enables. Otherwise, He's mean-spirited. So, His commands to us to be holy and to be perfect (complete and blameless) are accompanied by His enabling power.

Among other things that means that we CAN be holy and the we MUST be holy. We CAN because He enables and we MUST because He commands.

In a different context we posted on the Korean CS in the 70s who turned around a negative discussion on the problems on that front with a faith-filled, visionary pitch accentuated by 'We can if we will'.

So, as far as holiness is concerned, we can and we must. And, to lift the CS's phrase, we can if we will.

Will you?
----
Remember the poor.
----
And the holiness debate in The Army often turns to Brengle v. Coutts and crisis v process. These are misrepresentations of both the leaders and their teaching. It might be more helpful (and uniting) if we see them in terms of process/ crisis/ process as follows:

Brengle - process - CRISIS - process
Coutts - PROCESS - crisis - PROCESS

This also is crudely expressing their teaching but it helps us understand the general unity of it as well. Don't forget the crisis in your sanctification (Webb calls it a theological necessity for all Wesleyans).
----
Don't forget, either, our simple evangelism formula:

- find some independents (people still living independently from Jesus);
- explain to them the Gospel;
- invite them to respond.

Try it out today. It often works! Praise God.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Switzerland/Ausstrai/Hungary Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 13, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
----
The second annual McPherson Lecture Series is on over the next week in Perth (Fortress - Friday night), Adelaide (Sunday and Monday night), and Melbourne (Waverley - Wednesday night), featuring Lieut-Colone Ian Barr (UKI Programme Secretary). It should be great. And it's free.
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
Primitive Salvationism is charismatic-flavoured, mission-focused heroism. It is the only proven successful salvo method. It is responsible for the unprecedented (to that time in history) revival and explosve advance of the salvation war between 1878 and 1888. It is not about bonnets and bass drums. It is about holy zeal, aggressive evangelism, accelerated discipleship, fearless methods, and more...

You'll know that William Booth saw more converts than anyone who had lived up to that point in history. Praise God.

There is nothing stopping us from becoming primitive salvationists today...
----
Holy. now.
----
Covenant and holiness are the two keys to salvationism. I was reminded recently about some of the powerful covenants we make as salvos, based on a preach on being clean in 'thought, word, and deed', from the Junior Soldier pledge. Covenant is a powerful thing. Global embrace of soldiers covenant (Jr. and Sr.) will reverse the fragmentation of the international army and position ourselves to complete the mission to win the world for Jesus.

Are you embracing yours?
----
Here is an interesting take on ecumenism from the vantage point of evangelical Lutherans in America:

http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2009/07/an-ecumenical-moment-for-one
----
Remember the poor.
----
Remember the poor. Wow. Paul's words, received from the apostles in Jerusalem, shout out as a rebuke to us as we carry on comfortable western lives... God help us.
----
Here is 'Not a Victimless Crime'- National Review on the tragic misstake of making prostitution legal in Rhode Island:

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NWQ3MDdhZDBiNTE2Yzk4OWZjM2MwYTE1Mjk0MDRiMmM=

Justsalvos blog (at right) has a great new feature. It has a twitter feed with all kinds of news updates on human trafficking and the like. It will prove a fine reserach resource and news ticker for those interested in justice from a salvo perspective.
----
Have you tried out the4points.com in your evangelising recently? Combined with love and some background, it can help you explain the gospel in a persuasive manner. Maybe some people will get saved today if we all try it.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the UKI Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 12, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2FS)

How's your soul?
----
"It seems to be easier to be god than to love God" (Nouwen).
----
The kingdom of God is at hand.
----
On the roll to the right is the Christian Classics Ethereal Library - fantastic resource.
----
Robert Burns mocks the Calvinist position here:
'Holy Willie's prayer' -
"O God
Who in doing best thysel(f)
Sends one to heaven and ten to hell
All for thy glory."

Colonel Ian Barr follows it up: 'No sparrows falls but your Father pushed it.' (sic)

(to clarify, we don't believe that position - we believe that whosoever will may be saved - hallelujah).
----
Did you read Ian Gillingham in JAC62 yet? How about Ramsay? Castle? There are heaps of great articles in there (at right).
----
Holy. now.
----
"Then let us dwell in Him
Whose dwelling is above
And seek until we know
And love until we love."
C Baird SASB 36.5
----
Commissioner Maxwell - "The biggest loss in life is the loss of awareness of the presence of God." Wow. Too many people don't know what they're missing.
----
Remember the poor.
----
We're always looking for officers. Is God calling you to be doing what you are doing right now? If not, then traing up and offer.
----
You must be born again.

Salvation is not just a prayer of confession and acceptance. It is not intellectual assent to a set of truths. It is not only about what God can do for you. It is a command by the sovereign God for us to repent and believe. We must be born again. Let's keep that in mind while evangelising.
----
God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the India Western Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 11, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2KM;DP;RW;ME;ha2F/J)

How's your soul?
----
JAC47 featured the first JAC 100 - Most influential Salvationists list. It was created from input around the world (mostly developed world, so there is a bias). 197 names were reduced to 100 in several categories. Recently, Lieut-Colonel Ian Barr has suggested some inclusions:
Music: Stephen Cobb (integration).
Preachers: Willie Leed (Lieut-Commissioner; a. hold attention; b. illuminate the word of God).
Evangelists: John Jackson.
Writing: Minnie Carpenter.
Leadership: Gowans.
Innovation: Will Cooper (British Commissioner in the 60s) - providing social meeting points.
Doctrine: Gordon Mitchell (1969 HoD).
Pioneers: Phoebe Sstrong (opened Ireland, 1880; flogged in 1881).
System/Admin: Ray Houghton.
Inspirational Leaders: Phil Wall; Chick Yuill.

There is a lot to discuss there. Dig into JAC47 and compare. And use the exercise to give glory to God, learn some history, and follow Colonel Weearsooriya's example of finding godly examples and emulating them.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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This week's memory verse is John 13:34, 35: A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.
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Check Andrew Clark on CODE BLUE (at right).
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Holy. now.
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You don't have to wait for 40 years to get holy. The old song 'little by little, every day, little be little in every way my Jesus is changing me...' ends with the thoughtless hope, 'someday perfect I will be'.

It's not like that. You can get sanctified today if you repent of every sin, believe with all your heart that God can sanctify you, and consecrate every area of your life to Him.

What God commands, God enables. He commands you to be holy. "Be ye holy. But be ye holy now" (William Booth).
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Remember the poor.
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The Gospel is good news to the poor. Hallelujah.
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The Rod Woodson reference yesterday is here:

Woodson: http://www.nfl.com/videos/baltimore-ravens/09000d5d811c55ae/Rod-Woodson-Hall
-of-Fame-induction-speech
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We've posted on the4points.com and the good test - http://www.livingwaters.com/good/ . Why not try one out today in your evangelising?
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the India South Eastern Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 10, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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Have you ever heard a preach on the sinking axe-head? I did, last night - great stuff. Praise God. (hat tip Major Gavin Watts)
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Have you read JAC62? Try JAC47 if you have. We'll be blogging on JAC47 this week...
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Sports fans might be interested in the youtube of Rod Woodson's Hall of Fame acceptance speech (first two minutes) as he gives a strong testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ (hat tip Jimmy M).
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General Clifton meets the UN Secretary-General (see Knaggs's blog at right).
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Holy. now.
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Colonel Gariepy on book:
"Evelyn Underhill underscores the priority of reading: “Spiritual reading is, or at least can be, second only to prayer as a developer and support of the inner life. In it we have access to all the hoarded supernatural treasure of the race.”

"It’s phenomenal when you think of it – the power that allows one human mind to penetrate another, transcending the barriers of time and space, with but a piece of flattened wood pulp. Authors have been my virtual pastors. They have been shapers of my faith, my personal “cloud of witnesses.” The authors on my bookshelves have shared with me their struggles, their triumphs, their encounters with God. They have been for me not only a source of information, but also of communion.

"I am an eclectic reader, and would not be without my shelves of the classics, biographies, history, and those from outside the strictly religious culture. And perhaps we should have a “return of thanks” for the enduring and lyrical lines of the poets.

"I still follow the practice started early in life -- the reading of a book a week. These days this includes becoming reacquainted with some 'old friends' on my bookshelves.

"Abraham Cowley, writing in the 17th century, speaks for me and all bibliophiles:
Ah, yet, ere I descend to the grave,
May I a small house and a large garden have,
And a few friends, and many books, both true,
Both wise, and both delightful too!

"“Choose you this day whom you will read,” for books will have a powerful influence on your life."
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See Collinson (at right) on Perception and Scalp a Salvo.
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Remember the poor.
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If you died today, would you go to heaven, or hell? If heaven, why should God let you in to heaven? You can't earn your way in. You have to get rid of sins. Jesus' death on the cross is the only way. Why not repent and follow Jesus, today?

If you are already saved, you might want to try these 'evangelism explosion' questions (google it for more) with someone today.
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the India Western Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 9, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!

How's your soul?
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"Often when I think of Christ I think of you. Always when I think of you I think of Christ." Lieutenant to Commissioner Samuel Logan Brengle. What a classic testimony! And if God can do it with one person (SLB) in one era (a century ago) he can do it with all of us, now.

Do what? Sanctify us through and through - our whole spirit and soul and body preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But how? Repentance and faith and consecration. Once you repent of everything and consecrate every area of your life, Holy Spirit will neutralise your sinful nature and fill you. And everything changes.

It is not only the privilege of all believers but it is the responsibility of all believers. So, in the words of William Booth, 'be ye holy, but be ye holy, now.'
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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salvsoutthere.com
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The twitter experiment continues (top right). If you are on twitter, feel free to follow us (stephencourt).
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We owe the Lord everything. Are you up on your payments?
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Holy. now.
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Have you read the new JAC yet? It is on the roll at right. There are heaps of solid articles there to stimulate your faith and warfare.
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MMCCXX is a plot to see new outposts in 2000 cities in 200 countries in 20 years. It is a handful of years in already and God is blessing it. Most of these new outposts are started locally (that is, not territorial initiatives) and some of them are bi-vocational (the leaders have jobs on the side to pay for them). Some of them are cell-based, too. One of the keys to date is that they are incarnational. If you are interested in partnering, try revolution @ mmccxx.net.
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Remember the poor.
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When you go to a movie, if it is a great one, you naturally end up telling people you meet over the coming days. You might email your friends, text a buddy, mention it at work, talk about it over lunch, discuss it with the gang at night... And you'll like want to convince them to see it for themselves!

You don't have to take a course to learn how to tell people about the movie, or how you might effectively persuade them to go to it.

You don't have to block in intentional 'movie-persuading' times during which you will psyche yourself up and engage others on this important subject. You just do it. It flows out of your experience. Naturally.

I reckon evangelism might be like that. If Jesus is great to you, He'll overflow conversations naturally as you want others to experience what you have. If that doesn't flow naturally from you, the response is not to 'work up' a (fake)'natural' overflow, but to repent and consecrate and be filled - to experience Jesus intimately - so that He WILL overflow (super)naturally.

(it is also good to intentionally set times to evangelise, to put you in contact with those lacking a persuasive witness).
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the India Eastern Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 8, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2LH;AL;SC)

How's your soul? Are you in the will of God? If not, pause in your reading and ask God to forgive any sins you are harbouring. If there are no sins, then ask Him if there are areas that have not bee consecrated.
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Are the roots of bitterness gone? (SLB)
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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salvosoutthere.com is the AUS Territory's current soul-saving campaign, complete with daily SMSs, podcasts, preaching resources, evangelistic ideas, and more. Check it out.
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Holy. now.
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Really. You can be holy now. If you repent and believe and consecrate you can join the testimony of Paul in Galatians 2:20 and see your natural inclination to act selfishly neutralised (or even obliterated). Holy Spirit will fill you. And then the fruit of the Spirit isn't a list of behaviours you discipline yourself to domesticate and manifest. The fruit GROWS out of you. Check out THE UPRISING: A holy revolution (see your nearest TRADE) for more.
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Remember the poor.
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Likely, some who read this really need to get saved. If you died tonight you would end up in hell because you are living independently from God. Repent and believe, today. And then tell someone else.
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God is here.
GOd help us all be humble.
God bless the India Northern Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 7, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2RL;NU;JS)

How's your soul?
----
Major Alan Harley gives eight principles for Salvationists. The first four come from the reformation (16thC):
Salvation is provided by grace alone;
Salvation is received by faith alone;
Salvation is experienced in Christ alone;
Salvation is taught in Scripture alone.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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And in these four we agree with our evangelical comrades of various stripes. Those are points of unity.
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Holy. now.
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The other four emerge from the 18thC and Wesley:
All people need to be saved;
All people can be saved;
All people saved can know they are saved;
All people who are saved can go on to Christian holiness.
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Remember the poor.
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Hallelujah. These last four do distinguish us from other evangelicals. But they remain truths to savour and spread.
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Harley also said, "Our theology doesn't work unless people get saved... it is designed for a people who experience God." Well, let's make sure our theology works and see some people get saved, today. God help you.
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the India Central Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 6, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(ha2DC/CC)

How's your soul?
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I heard holiness teacher Major Alan Harley refer to sanctification as the second dimension (an alternative to second blessing). May each of you experience Christian life in the second dimension.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Have you read the brand new JAC yet (see right side role)? It is a great issue. Check it out.
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G. Campbell Morgan called pentecostalism, 'satan's last vomit on the earth'. A bit of a mistake. I thnk it was Catherine B who referred to the 'bear of calvinism'. And Brengle said that some salvos were 'bulldogmatic' on particular doctrines (hat tip D Laeger). And Major Harley counselled us to 'let sleeping dogmatics lie.'
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Colonel Ian Barr says that 'authenticity is the new holiness.'
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Holy. now.
----
Authenticity is nice but it is not necessarily holy. Barr isn't making that claim. Let's not settle for less that God's purposes.
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Brengle used to ask people, especially youth), 'are the roots of bitterness gone?' What a great question! The old SA standby - how's your soul? - can be supplemented with 'are the roots of bitterness gone?'
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Remember the poor.
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Follow-up on 'saved to save': The Salvation Army Life-Saving Guards have the motto 'saved to serve' (hat tip Ian Barr). Who knew the guards were so influential as to impact the whole Army?
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Brengle preached holiness and people got saved AND sanctified. Why not try that out today in your evangelising?
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Bangladesh Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 5, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2RC;SW)

How's your soul?
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ONE DAY, the book with 30+ perspectives on Commissioner Jim Knaggs's vision, has excerpts throughout the AUS prayer calendar. Here is the current excerpt, from vision 8 "... that we would have effective ministries to eradicate homelessness, human trafficking, prostitution, and other indecencies currently common in our society."

Captain Danielle Strickland responds: "Infectious holiness - one that is radically based in the gospels - is one that infects the earth. We are called to be light and salt. We are born to be influencers - wolrd changers and shapers."

Then she adds, "What I like about this dream is that it's aggressively kingdom-focussed. God doesn't just want to make a dent in poverty; He wants to eradicate it."
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Welcome international readers. This week's verse explains what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us and how we can benefit from it. Prayerfully apply it to your life, today.

الذي حمل هو نفسه خطايانا في جسده على الخشبة لكي نموت عن الخطايا فنحيا للبر. الذي بجلدته شفيتم.

他 被 掛 在 木 頭 上 ， 親 身 擔 當 了 我 們 的 罪 ， 使 我 們 既 然 在 罪 上 死 ， 就 得 以 在 義 上 活 。 因 他 受 的 鞭 傷 ， 你 們 便 得 了 醫 治 。

Он грехи наши Сам вознес телом Своим на древо, дабы мы, избавившись от грехов, жили для правды: ранами Его вы исцелились.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
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Holy. now.
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The Salvation Army in the USA was found, in one study, to be the second top charity (next to YMCA).
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Remember the poor.
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It is beyond some Christians that God can use THEM to help rescue others from sin and hell. But it is completely true. He can use YOU. I doubt there is any better feeling than to co-labour with God like that. Just confess your sins, ask Holy Spirit to fill you, and then share your gospel experience with someone and invite him/her to respond in repentance and faith.
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Pakistan Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 4, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2GS;HG)

How's your soul?
----
Jesus give thy blood-washed Army
universal liberty;
Keep us fighting , trusting calmly for a world-wide jubilee
Hallelujah!
We shall have the victory.

Thou has bound brave hearts together
clothed us with the Spirit's might
made us warriors forever
sent us in the field to fight.
In the Army
we will serve thee day and night.

'Neath thy Sceptor foes are bending
and thy name makes devils fly
captives' fatters thou are rending
and thy blood doth sin detroy
for thy glory
we will fight until we die.

Lift up valleys, cast down mountains
make all evil natures goood
wash the world in Calvary's fountain
send a great salvation flood
all the nations
we shall win with fire and blood
(Pearson, SASB593).
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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Colonel Ian Barr is preaching in the 2009 McPherson Series in Perth, Adelaide, and Melbourne this month. Those living in those cities will want to take ten friends to hear.
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Holy. now.
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This week's memory verse is 1 Peter 2:24 - He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.
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Hallelujah.
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Remember the poor.
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Jesus is strong to deliver. He can deliver your friends, workmates, neighbours, tram-mates, and others from sin. And He can use YOU to help do it. Why not let Him use you, today?
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Sri Lanka Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 3, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2G/LM;hb2JB;JW;MC;CC)

How's your soul?
----
William Booth instructed Salvationists, “Make haste and let the Blessed Spirit, who wants to sanctify you wholly, cast out the enemies of your soul!”

Oh, and William Booth is under-rated.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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The classic SASB song (436) Whiter Than Snow features the prayer, ”Break down every idol, cast out every foe.”
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Holy. now.
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Commissioner Frederick Booth-Tucker testified:

“Being convinced that this was God’s will, even my sanctification, I was enabled to break off all the devil’s bonds and rejoice in full salvation.”
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Commissioner Samuel Logan Brengle testified,

"For weeks I walked in agony of mental and spiritual suffering that is hard to describe, if not impossible... Then I saw that these must be the devil, and instantly it was as though an octopus loosened his long arms from around my mind and flew away."
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Remember the poor.
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“There is a notion abroad of a sort of make-believe religion as though God would count us righteous and deal with us as if we were righteous while He leaves us in our unrighteousness” (Catherine Booth).

“Christ Jesus came to save us from our sins, not in them” (Catherine Booth).

Apparently Brengle preached holiness all the time with the intention that people get saved AND sanctified. Why not try that, today, in your evangelising?
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God is here.
God help us al be humble.
God bless the Australia Eastern Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 2, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2NS;hsd2sec)

How's your soul?
----
Have you read the brand new JAC62 yet? See it, top right.
----
JUSTSalvos has a brand new website up, here:
http://www.justsalvos.com/
You'll want to see how you can participate, what great ideas you can take and apply, and how you can support.
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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AJ Jacobs spent a year to write the book, THE YEAR OF LIVING BIBLICALLY: One man's humble quest to follow the Bible as literally as possible. He wasn't able to keep all the commands (instead of stoning a [self-confessed] adulterer, he just threw pebbles at him; etc.). And he didn't get saved as a result. He came away with three new commandments:

Thou shalt not stereotype. (Basically, he discovered that evangelicals are not monolithic)

Thou shalt be grateful. (mom, the flag, apple pie...)

Thou shalt pick and choose. (pick the teachings you want and leave the rest)

The last one offends an who consider the Bible to be the Word of God. And we salvationists believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God and that they only constitute the divine rule of Christian faith and practice.

It's an intriguing experience, though. What might it look like if everyone endeavoured to live holy for a year? And that means going beyond obedience to rules all the way through to neutralisation of the sinful nature and filling by the Holy Spirit. We'd have an epidemic of holiness (because it is contagious). And holiness is the solution to every problem?

Who will write that book?
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Holy. now.

Glory to God. He is the sanctifying God. SLB was not alone. There are many witnesses. You can be one, too.
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From a quick SA history: "Classes and Wards were formed and clustered geographically into Stations."

I infer from this, if true, that the ward is the basis of The Army - not the corps, and that the corps is merely a cluster of wards. That is significant. so I asked a number of salvo historians. Here are their responses:

(a published veteran) - difficult to substantiate;

(a published veteran) - deferred to the writer.

(a senior leader) - I recall as a cadet being blown away by _________ musing that as a direct theological descendant of John Wesley, wasn't it curious that The Salvation Army did not have as part of it's ecclesiological DNA small group accountability? I think his question may be more accurate than the sentence (quotation).

Certainly some of the very early Army 'preaching stations' were massive affairs - several thousand in attendance. Maybe more like a mega church, even though it would appear to have been a short-lived season. (Probably because the day-to-day discipleship aspect was missing)

(salvo thought leader) - Although we have this romantic notion that the 'building' or 'hall' was not an important part of our early establishment in reality they were. Even Railton with his passion for mobile mission (not wanting to get tied down by property purchase) was always on the look out for suitable buildings. Most stations began with the acquisition of a building of some sort where indoor meetings could be held. Even in the very early days open-air meetings nearly always led to an indoor meeting elsewhere. Wards were spawned by Stations (later Corps) and where they were successful they became outposts (with a building) and then Corps .

TSA (historically) has never been a house church - if meetings were held in homes they were called 'cottage meetings' and one of the objects of the soldiers who attended was to find a permanent hall for worship - even if it meant knocking the living room and dining room into one! Where a hall could not be found the fellowship was not even given the status of 'outpost' but was called a 'society'.
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There you go. That said, the War System WAS Wesleyan by inspiration, and JAC (see archives) published the 1914 Orders and Regulations for Wards some years ago. The latter two respondents making fairly convincing arguments. The perspective of the veterans, though, must be respected.

Bottom line? No decision.
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Remember the poor.
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Who needs to get saved, today? If it is you, then, please, repent of your sins and trust Jesus. Then, as last week's memory verse instructs, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

If not you? Who else? Why not tell those people the gospel, laced with testimony and injected with love?
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless the Australia Southern Territory.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court

August 1, 2009.
Greetings in Jesus' name, friends.
He is risen!
(hb2MK)

How's your soul?
----
JAC62 is out! GO TO JAC (top right) and read the whole thing. Here is the table of contents:

August - September 2009
Issue # 62

Editorial Introduction
Captain Stephen Court

The Love and The Hidden Treasure
Ian Gillingham

Individual v. Corporate Holiness
Major Geoff Webb

Numbers 6:1-21: Covenant and Old Testament Salvationists?
Captain Michael Ramsay

New Exodus
Cory Harrison

Who Cares?
Captain Stephen Court

The Art of Gentle Revolution
Major Daryl Crowden

Fighting Mac
Commissioner Wesley Harris

Stuff I've been thinking about...
Anthony Castle

His Uttermost
Major David Laeger

Demonised Salvos?
Captain Stephen Court

Then who wouldn't be a Soldier?
Commissioner Wesley Harris
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The kingdom of God is at hand.
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If you have time right now for only one article, read Castle's 'Stuff I've been thinking about...' It will get you thinking...
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Holy. now.
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C.T. Studd, famous British cricketer who gave away his fortune and served as a missionary in China, India and Africa, said: "If Jesus Christ be God, and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him." (hat tip H Gariepy)
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salvosoutthere.com is now operational. You can watch Commissioner Knaggs on a couple of clips. The campaign can be used anywhere in the world. So you don't have to be in AUS Territory to benefit from the vision and planning of this campaign. You can sign up for free daily SMSs, get downloads, podcasts, resources for the six Sunday meetings of the five week campaign and much more. Check it out.

We'd be interested in hearing of corps and divisions and territories outside of AUS Territory that are using the campaign. You can fire us a note at revolution @ mmccxx.net.
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Remember the poor.
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McPherson Series, started last year to celebrate 125 years of training in AUS Territory, continues this month with Lieut-Colonel Ian Barr preaching in Perth, Adelaide, and Melbourne. If you live in any of those cities, you'll want to book your evening and take ten friends. Colonel Barr, a Scotsman, is currently the Secretary for Programme in UKI Territory. He follows last year's guests, Wilma Gallet and Commissioner Stuart Mungate (TC DR Congo Territory).
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There seems to be a prejudice in some places against evangelists. Certainly the devil stirs it up within the Church. Don't be dissuaded from doing the work of an evangelist. Ask God to help you to do it today.
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God is here.
God help us all be humble.
God bless The Hong Kong/Macau Salvos.
Much grace,
sec
posted by Stephen Court