“You’re Reading It Wrong” – 2 Mistakes of Interpreting Scripture

Admit it, at one point or another you have misinterpreted what the Bible has said. Sometimes we do it by accident while other times our intentions are quite clear.

The Bible was written by many different people, but we do believe that the Bible was “God breathed”. That being said, Jesus was the only perfect human to have walked the face of the earth, therefore all other people, including those who wrote the bible, were imperfect. Each writer experienced life through their own filter and each writer faced their own imperfections. This doesn’t mean that all the writers of the Bible were bad people, but rather that each struggled with the realities of life and with their own humanity. Understanding this is important when we read the Bible. Though we know that God is the same today as He was in the past as well as the future – He is being written about through the life experiences of very human (sometimes very earthy) people.

This brings me to my point – be careful how you interpret scripture! Many cults have begun just by taking one single passage in the Bible out of context and applying it to something it was never intended for. If we are true seekers of The Way then we will want to pay extra attention to the ways we apply scripture and its meanings both then and today! There are two mistakes that I would like to highlight today for us here (I know there are more) and I hope it will help you as it has helped me.

2 Mistakes of Interpreting Scripture:

1. Context –
New Christians and even “seasoned” veterans of the Word often do not do the “homework” when reading passages in the bible. The context of what is written is vital to our interpretation of what is being said. I have known people (myself included) who at times have simply opened the Bible and pointed to a passage and thought “this verse was meant for me” without studying the initial context. Of course God can work that way but we should spurred on to really study the deeper meanings and implications of what is being said.

Questions to ask when studying a passages might include:
a. When was this written?
b. Who was this written to?
c. Why was this being written?
d. What did it mean for the people then?

Once we have asked these questions (and possibly more) we can then ask the question – “What does this mean for me today?”
Context is extremely important!

2. Culture –

Culture in the Bible was vastly different from our culture today! This doesn’t mean that the Bible is obsolete or out of date it simply means in order to interpret the Bible correctly we have to understand the culture of biblical times. For instance in Jesus’ day Women were not equal to men nor did they possess many of the rights that men possessed. Jesus was counter-cultural (even revolutionary) in His day to include disciples who were Women.

Secondly this becomes apparently clear through the writings of Paul when He says things like – “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.” 1 Corinthians 14:34 To understand this we need to understand the Apostle Paul a little bit more and also the context of what is being written. Paul addressed numerous issues in the early church including a few women who were causing trouble and creating dissension. The problem becomes worse when many traditional churches take these specific passages of scripture out of context to mean in our day and age Women should act the same when in fact Paul was writing to very specific situations. There is a danger in painting with large brush strokes here because then we begin to lose the detail and meaning of the words written in Scripture.

Culture played a big part in biblical times and it still does today. That doesn’t mean that culture shapes the Word but rather humanity continues to change and alter yet Biblical truths and the words of God are always consistent despite the seemingly inconsistencies of some of the biblical writers. Make sure when we interpret scripture that we attempt to understand not only context but the culture of the time that passages were written.

Wrapping it up:

Be careful not to take liberties with scripture! Don’t pick and choose passages that best suit your needs, but rather read it for what it was intended for. Some are historical narratives, others are prophetical for a specific people and time, while others are meant for instruction of an early church. One truth should always stand out above the rest: God desires a right relationship with us. Throughout the Bible God is always seeking this with those who encounter Him. There is punishment for those who disobey yet a remnant always remains because God never gives up on us. In the finality of things Christ comes into full view and we can see just how far God’s Divine love will go to reach us. The rest of scripture leads us to this place through some very imperfect writers and people – and so are we.

I could write so much more on this topic…but for now I am thankful to the many instructors and teachers that I have had along this journey…and I am still learning.

Just something else to Ponder today

June 18, 2014 2

Devotional Pondering: Death, Lions, Stinky Dark Pits & Prayer.

“Don’t mess with nature.” This phrase is so true. Many people have gone out into nature, whether on the plains of the Serengeti or in the vast expanse of the ocean or else where, without respect for the elements and the wildness of nature and have paid for it. Nature is wild. Nature is fierce. Nature is hungry.

…so are lions.

We all know the story of “Daniel and the Lion’s den’. We’ve heard it in Sunday School or at a Vacation Bible School some where (maybe long ago) in our childhood. I want to re-examine that story today. I’ve been pondering something in my heart, and I feel the Lord has led me to this passage once more.

The narrative is found in Daniel chapter 6. Perhaps you would like to take some time and read it again for yourself.

Here’s the context: Daniel (a prophet and servant of God) is an official in the Persian empire under King Darius. In those days Kings of Persia were considered gods. No one would dare defy an edict of the king, for to do so would mean that they defied the very gods the Persians worshiped.

But…Daniel served God, the only God, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. Despite the tricks of others who had been appointed to serve under the king to trap Daniel, Daniel never wavered or faltered. Daniel chapter six describes what kind of man Daniel was –

“¹⁰Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. ¹¹Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. ¹²So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”

Did you catch that?
Despite outward pressure to conform, Daniel did what he always did – He prayed. He went upstairs, faced Jerusalem and prayed to God.

How Serious Is Prayer to Us?

Daniel, despite a death sentence, continued to talk to his heavenly Father. Our conversations with God ought to be like breathing to us. It is vital. It is imperative. It connects us to the only certain, consistent, true power in the universe. God loves it when we talk to Him. In fact in the very beginning of time scripture records that He would physically come down and walk with Adam and Eve in the evenings…He wants to fellowship with us. Prayer connects us to His fellowship and His love. Prayer is serious business. It ought not be taken lightly. God doesn’t need a lot of “religious jargon” or flowery words to accompany our prayers. They can be simple. They should be honest. They should be sincere. Our prayers to Him are not prayers to a Genie in a bottle, or a litany of wish lists that we want from God. He wants us to share with Him our lives, our concerns – both the large and small concerns…even the lions prowling around us ready to consume us.

What are your Lions?

Daniel was thrown into a dark, smelly pit that contained wild, blood thirsty lions. He was all alone in that frightening situation. All around him, in the inky darkness, prowled a fierce predator of nature. Scripture doesn’t record Daniel screaming for his life. The bible doesn’t record Daniel confessing his regret for defying King Darius’ edict – no! Daniel was thrown into a pit of lions (a death sentence) and despite all odds, he continued to pray to God.

What kind of lions are you facing today in your life? What kind of pressures are you under? Many within our world want Christians to buckle under these pressures, the father of lies Satan himself would love nothing more than for people of God to disobey and turn away from God. The easy path in the midst of our lions is to conform to the world around us. The easy path is to look, dress and act like everyone else around us…to fit in, to party it up, to do whatever pleases us. But if we do, we will be consumed by the lions and we will be lost.

That night, in the blood thirsty lion pit, a miracle happened. God closed the mouths of the lions because a faithful servant of His needed saving.

“My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” -Daniel 6:22-23

Whatever lions you may be facing right now in your life, God says to us – “have faith in Me and have no fear!”
1 Corinthians 16:13 says, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”
Are you facing wild, fierce pressures around you today? Be bold, be strong and stand firm! God will always be with you!

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me today to face my lions. Forgive me when I have wavered and have given into the pressures of the world. Strength and equip me for today and help me to be Your faithful servant despite the prowling lions and looming pressures. I long to be Yours and Yours alone! -Amen.

Something else to ponder today!

June 17, 2014 0

Devotional Thought – “Lord Humble me, and Cleanse me”

“Create in me a clean heart, O God” Psalm 51:10

This is a psalm of David. He wrote these words after his sins were found out and the prophet Nathan had confronted him. When someone else knows about your sin, let alone God, the devastation can be total. David doesn’t try to go “on the record” and defend his actions. He doesn’t move away or run from his mistakes. He confronts his sins. He was a murderer, a liar and an adulterer. He had been caught, found out, and left wanting. Yet, David returned to the only place one can return to when humbled by crippling sin – God. Scripture records this sinner to be “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22) but what made David fulfill this kind of criteria in life? How can we also be men and women after God’s own heart?

Humility

It should be noted that David was identified as such a man before his downfall; but this psalm and his actions following his downfall should also give us a clue into His humble character. David was a shepherd as a young person. He worked a lowly job which, at times, was considered one of the dirtiest and most undesirable jobs. While working as a shepherd he wrote songs of praise to his God. He understood where his joy came from and also his blessings.

Following His downfall into sin, his reaction to being caught was not one of indignation but rather humility and grief. He had broken God’s heart, and David pens these words of regret, remorse and was in search of God’s forgiveness. Right relationship with His Salvation was his desire. Sure he had messed up royally (no pun intended), but he longed to recover that which had been tarnished and nearly destroyed. Scripture records David tearing his cloak, putting on sack cloth and pouring ashes on his head. This is a sign of grief and mourning but is also a very humbling picture for us to see of a king.

How humble are we? Do we recognize how in need of a Savior we are daily? We are all far from perfect people. We all struggle with sin and temptation. Do we seek after God with great passion just as David did, or do we merely think about Him on Sundays or special holidays? Our lives were given to us as a gift. Each one of us comes with struggles and concerns, but we don’t have to carry them alone. Connecting with The Father connects us with the Divine and unburdens us, but we must first become humble.

Psalm 51:10-12

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, I confess my sins to you today. Forgive me when I have stumbled along this path. Help me to be who You have called me to be. Restore me, renew me and cleanse me. I long to be a person after Your own heart, show me how I ought to live. Instruct me in Your ways, and walk beside me every moment of every day. -Amen

June 16, 2014 0

Personalizing Homelessness

Can we identify with those who live on the streets? I don’t mean hopeless conversations and pre-judgement calls such as “Well, they’re drunks and if I give them money they will just spent it on more booze…” That isn’t identifying with homelessness, that’s passing judgement on them. Yes, something needs to be done, but casting blame, brow beating and ugly talk will not restore lives.

Just this past week, London’s Mayor Boris Johnson called for the removal of the “ugly, stupid anti-homeless spikes” in a modern upscale neighborhood after many took to social media sites to decry this horrific practice and homeless deterrent. (source: http://rt.com/news/164952-anti-homeless-spikes-remove/)

Although we can see this as a success in “spreading the word”, we shouldn’t just stop here to rest on our laurels, much work still remains to be done.

Personalizing Homelessness – breaking the prejudgements:

Some have argued that these protests against anti-homeless constructions infringe on the rights of the landowners or landlords. Understandably, this is a concern. Certainly those who are good stewards of their property wish to maintain a safe and aesthetically pleasing environment for their tenants, but at what cost?

How are we to care for others while taking care of the properties around us? This is a troubling issue, and both sides of this argument require consideration. Yet many times the campaign of driving homelessness from the streets of our cities is something done quietly. Why would it be done quietly? Some may wonder. The reason is because of fear of public repercussions. There are times when law enforcement officials are encouraged to drive homeless individuals to locations outside of town and drop them off. When this type of practice happens we begin to dehumanize people. What is the value of a life today? Even if that life is smelly, dirty and unhealthy, that person is still human.

Making it personal:

What if that person on the street is your brother or sister? What if that homeless person is a son or daughter? Wouldn’t you want others to treat them fairly? Would you want someone to help them? There are many root causes of homelessness, drugs and alcohol are usually the first things we assume brought them to homelessness, but mental abuse and disabilities are also contributors. These are the least of these in our communities. These are people without voices. What if we made homelessness personal. What if we humanized these poor wretches for a moment. I don’t use that term to make them seem “under” me by any means, but how much of a difference does it make to see them as equals to us? Sure they may be without homes, incomes and families, but are they not still loved by an Almighty God who knows their names and loves them the same as He loves us?

The difference between apathy and mercy:

There’s a vast difference between these two words. One speaks of indifference to others while the other speaks of compassion and love. One is uncaring while the other cares. Which are we? Do we see people living on the streets…actually see them? Is there something that WE can do? I certainly don’t propose that we go and put ourselves in danger…but there is something we can do to avoid apathy in these situations. Care. Find places like The Salvation Army who can go in uniform with many hands to help clothe, feed and show love. Become involved, volunteer in church groups who minister through soup kitchens and other feeding programs. One such program is The Salvation Army’s Bed & Bread club – http://www.usc.salvationarmy.org/usc/www_usc_detroithl.nsf/vw-text-index/9b2226ecdc63d0518025717f007045c7?opendocument

http://salvationarmynorth.org/community-pages/bed-and-bread-club/

Contribute to authentic ministries and missions who actually go and help those living on the streets. Make homelessness personal. Each person who sleeps out there under bridges and in the nooks of buildings are still people. Some of these homeless individuals have family members still looking for them. We can either construct crude spikes on a street or park bench and drive them from our sight, or we can lend a helping hand without prejudging their motives or intentions.

Homelessness should be personal to us. We should care about others, and if we can help…we should.

-Just another thought to ponder.

Prayer: Lord help me to see others the way that You seen them. Help me to be an instrument of Your peace. Remove my prejudgments and prejudices. Grant me wisdom and love, fill me with Your mercy, and may my hands become Yours. -Amen.

June 12, 2014 0

How Does Grace Work?

It is more than just saying a prayer at dinner time. It is more than being “gracious” on a sports field after a loss. Grace is something that can be offered to more than just a friend in need. Grace is something that can be profoundly life changing when offered to a complete stranger or even an enemy.

Grace is defined in the spiritual realms as “God’s unmerited favor”. This means that grace or God’s love and forgiveness is offered to those who don’t even deserve it. It’s like going to an execution of a known guilty convict, and just before they “flip the switch” the governor calls to say the guilty convict has been pardoned.

It just doesn’t seem to make sense. Shouldn’t that person pay for their crimes? That person certainly didn’t deserve anything but punishment, and yet grace was provided without merit.

God comes through to us in our wretched state. Jesus was sent to us despite ourselves, despite how undeserved we were. God knew that in our total depravity we were hopelessly lost and doomed to suffer our sinner’s fate…yet He still sent Christ. Jesus took upon Himself the sins of all mankind and they were nailed to the cross with Him. Knowing this brings John 14 into perspective:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. ²My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴You know the way to the place where I am going.”

⁵Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” ⁶Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷If you really know me, you will know^[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Jesus declares to His disciples and to us as well that grace has come into the world. He also reminds us of the way to the Father is through Him alone.

Receiving Grace:

We can receive this grace from God the moment we cry out to Him. We can not only be forgiven from our wretched sins and shame but we can be washed clean from them. God’s grace is like that. It is His desire that no one suffer death because of sin. Jesus has given us the way to receive His grace – declare Him to be God’s one and only Son! Ask Him to forgive your sins, and live this new life through Jesus! http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_crd_ss_EforESpec_ABCs-of-Salvation_pdf.pdf

To keep on “the way” and living within His grace perhaps begin by reading the words of the gospel of John, or another of the gospels. Spend time reading a chapter a day, pray for God to guide you as you read His truths, and ask God for direction. Lastly find a church to call home. Find a church family to get plugged into and to connect with. When you have roots such as these in the Christian faith you will grow!

Giving Grace:

Lastly, I want you consider something. Here it is: forgive those who have wronged you! I know, it’s hard to fathom ever forgiving THAT person, but when we forgive as Christ has forgiven us it not only frees other people but it frees us too. We no longer have to curry these grudges and hurts around with us. We no longer have to be burdened by pains that happened to us. Surrendering these hurts and grudges may be the hardest thing we ever do, but trust me, it is worth it.

God gave us unmerited grace. We didn’t deserve it, and yet it is offered to us. Can we learn to forgive as well? Can we truly learn to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44)? Grace is real, free, and available. Accept it and then offer it to others!

-Just something else to ponder today!

Prayer: Dear Lord help me to accept Your grace today! Guide me in Your truths, I want to serve you and love you with every fiber of my being. Forgive me of my sins. Help me to accept Your grace and in turn forgive those around me. Lord I need to be freed of these burdens. Grant me Your strength and wisdom to love my enemy. Show me practical way in which I can show love and forgiveness today. In Your name I pray all of these things. -Amen.

June 11, 2014 0

Fighting Homelessness The Right Way

I suppose it’s not illegal yet but it should be:
The purposeful construction by various cities to deter homeless individuals from sleeping within or beneath its streets.
This is the first photograph that caught my attention, it’s a bridge underpass:

(http://www.businessinsider.com.au/chinese-using-cement-spikes-to-ward-off-the-homeless-2012-7)
Although some might say that this is China, a country known for its less than stellar human rights track record. That being said, these concrete spikes under a bridge were created to prevent homeless individuals from sleeping there. To some it might seem okay today, but others simply find this intentional prevention to be appalling.

But China isn’t alone.
Other countries have begun similar anti-homeless campaigns:

This is London – this location created metal spikes that jut up from the concrete in order to stop homeless individuals from sleeping in this nook in the wall. It’s a “posh” neighborhood, in other words not a neighborhood that wants to see any homeless individuals on its immaculate prim and proper streets.

(Source: http://soviet.ie/index.php?/topic/4711-anti-homeless-spikes-installed-in-posh-london-neighborhood-spark-outrage/)

Still there are others:

One wonders if this is the right way to go about the problem of homelessness.
Individuals who are homeless should not be devalued or treated less than human. Some of these concoctions seem to resemble primitive medieval torture devices. Is this really the way we should fight homelessness?

One might argue on the otherside of this conversation that creating less areas for homeless individuals to sleep will drive them to safety in the form of Organizations like The Salvation Army, Christian Missions and other such relief groups. But still the question remains, is this right?

It is one thing to deter homelessness for their safety and security on frigid streets in the winter, it is another thing to pour concrete in the shape of spikes or embed metal where the homeless are known to sleep. Some might say the motives of many are financially driven and the “riff-raff” of homelessness will only bring down their property values…but where will these homeless souls go then? What is being done to actually address personal issues which lead some to sleep on the streets? Mental illness is one of these components. Many who are homeless are struggling with various mental disabilities, and addictions. Not all, but many. The real issues beneath homelessness are the real catalyst problems. Getting to these troubling struggles and attempting to address them could help save lives certainly if cities around the world are beginning to fight homelessness in this way.

No one should have to sleep on the streets. No one should have to fight mental illness alone. Homelessness is an ongoing battle, with many different sides and opposing views. For the Christian living within this world as Christ’s ambassadors we are called to help, we are called to lend aid, and provide love to all which includes the homeless in our streets. What are we doing to fight for those without a voice? How can we improve these conditions? Are we really willing to get out of the pews and the comforts of the church in order to fight for the least of these in our communities?

-Just something to ponder today.

June 9, 2014 0

“Sermon on the Mount” Part 1 (Listening to the Teacher)

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ²and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

He said:

³“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
⁷Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

When Jesus sees us, he makes time for us.

An item in “The Report Card” told of a study done in Colorado in which 3000 high school seniors were asked about their best teachers. From their responses this composite was drawn. The ideal teacher (1) is genuinely concerned and interested in students as individuals; (2) requires students to work; (3) is impartial in dealing with students; and (4) is obviously enthusiastic about teaching.

Today In The Word, Oct, 1989, p. 25.

What do you want Him to teach you?
Are you ready to be taught?
What kinds of barriers prevent you from hearing His teachings?
Are you ready to do what he says?

When Jesus teaches us – we need to come to Him.
1. What does coming to him require from us?
2. Our time?
3. Our obedience?

How we admire the obedience a dog shows to its master! Archibald Rutledge wrote that one day he met a man whose dog had just been killed in a forest fire. Heartbroken, the man explained to Rutledge how it happened. Because he worked out-of-doors, he often took his dog with him. That morning, he left the animal in a clearing and gave him a command to stay and watch his lunch bucket while he went into the forest. His faithful friend understood, for that’s exactly what he did. Then a fire started in the woods, and soon the blaze spread to the spot where the dog had been left. But he didn’t move. He stayed right where he was, in perfect obedience to his master’s word. With tearful eyes, the dog’s owner said, “I always had to be careful what I told him to do, because I knew he would do it.”

Our Daily Bread.

Our Attention?

Our faithfulness?

Are we ready to hear Him today?
1. Or are there distractions along the way?
2. What is He teaching you?
3. We are all guilty of ignoring Him.
4. Holiness begins with our commitment to follow Him.
5. Will you sit at His feet and listen?
6. Do you have a daily devotion time carved out?
7. Are you giving Him your best not the rest?
8. These teachings are so important in this life…may we commit to Him this week..and study what He is telling us!

“Sermon on the Mount” Part 1 (Listening to the Teacher)

June 8, 2014 0

The Salvation Army – Women in Ministry…are we as Progressive as we think?

Please don’t misunderstand my question. I don’t mean to incite a riot or start a fight. It’s a genuine question that continually needs to be re-examined.

If the question was – “Is The Salvation Army more progressive than most churches?” The obvious answer would be “YES”. Absolutely we are progressing more rapidly than most churches, but we aren’t most churches are we? Our mission is slightly different than most churches. We adhere to communities of lost, need, poor, broken and we will use any and all available personnel in the trenches. We are certainly progressive in the utilization of women in ministry.

But…

if the question asked – “Is The Salvation Army as progressive as we can be?” I would have to say “no”.
Certainly we are absolutely heading in the right direction. Certainly we have made great strides in the egalitarian department (wait we don’t have that department yet at THQ?…sorry I couldn’t help myself).

But…

When it comes to leadership and the selection of leaders how progressive are we then?

One can make the argument that our last General was a Woman – and I couldn’t argue with that. One can also make the argument that more female leaders are being appointed to key leadership roles. However, there are still appointments that occur that make me scratch my head. Don’t take this the wrong way but sometimes gifts are seen in one of the married couple but the other partner in the marriage is appointed to some odd appointment or a place that they lack any gifting.

Perhaps it’s not always inequality in the sexes, perhaps its because of specific giftings that are seen in one of the married couples…let me just be frank here – not every female officer wants to be appointed to the women’s ministries department, or the community cares department or another department that didn’t exist until recently. As I say this it should also be noted that the same can be said of male officers who are appointed because of the giftings of their spouse. We as an Army are getting better at this but we still have quite a ways to go as well.

Breaking Old Molds

Old excuse: “This is the way we’ve always done it“
This excuse isn’t exclusive to corps deeply entrenched in traditions but is also evident in certain leadership models. Others would say it another way – “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”…but sometimes what that means is if it appears nothing is broken…sometimes we don’t see the fractures that have appeared over maintaining the “status quo”. Sometimes we gloss over these cracks with fresh enamel of “Salute and go”.

Officers are still people!
They have hurts, aspirations, ideas, gifts and abilities. Sometimes these gifts and abilities compliment the marriage team, and other times it is best to allow them to serve in separate appointments. Every person regardless of their marital status is unique and can operate in many different appointments. Their voice should matter in appointment decisions. I recognize that more than ever Officers are being listened to. I’m also not a fool in to thinking that Army politics “never” plays a part in some decisions that are made. But if The Army is truly interested in stopping the attrition rate in its Officership core then intently listening to its officers should be at the top of the list.

Humbly Serve!

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8).
We are, without a doubt, saved to save (and yes saved to serve)! Humility doesn’t mean that we don’t discuss our gifts. Humility doesn’t mean that we don’t sometimes disagree with decisions made. Humility doesn’t mean that we are “happy” all the time. But it does mean that where THE LORD leads we will go. That’s why it is imperative that both leadership, department officers, corps officers and other officers appointed else where serve the Lord first, seek His face, pray earnestly, do what He says, and from that right relationship – lead in whatever capacity is appointed to us.

Thoughts and Questions:
How progressive should we be when it comes appointments and gender?
Are we there yet?
What are the indicators that will be present when we have accomplished true egalitarian ministries?
Does “pigeon-holing” in the appointment process still take place today?
How can we change this? (Can this be changed?)

Here’s my purpose for writing this today.
Not to cause trouble…that’s not my intention at all. Not to ruffle feathers – sorry if I did.
Not to sound militant or rebellious – I will serve as the Lord leads me.
But…
Jesus had female disciples in a very male dominated world. He was progressive in ministry and egalitarian in his choice of followers. Shouldn’t we be as well? We have made great strides thus far in our Army…let’s not stop now!

-Just something else to ponder today.

June 6, 2014 2

If You Can’t Stand The Heat…No, Seriously Stand it For Just a Bit Longer…

“…so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ…” 1 Peter 1:7

God corrects us. It may be painful. It may sting a little…but it is always worthwhile. I recall being corrected and disciplined as a child. It wasn’t something I ever looked forward to, nor was it something I would want to do again, yet it provided me direction and it refined me as a human being.

When we accept Salvation for what it is – God’s grace imparted to us by Jesus Christ, we begin this transformational refinement. Initial sanctification (what we know of to be accepting Jesus at the moment of Salvation) isn’t the end of our spiritual journey, it is only the beginning. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” At the first infant steps of our salvation we are shucking off our old sinful selves. For some that transformation occurs quickly while others this gradual refinement of the old to the new takes a little longer. The Holy Spirit does the prodding in us…the pleading, the yearning for us to recognize the unsurrendered bits and the road to complete submission. The “new life” is not easy, nor is the transformational process. Yet, through correction, conviction and purification by fire we can become cleansed and washed clean from our old lives.

There is pain at the altar of submission. There is heartache and grief as we allow the prodding of the Holy Spirit to take root within us and allow Him to burn our old decay away. The refinement of gold and other precious metals is hot work. The solid must be melted down to its basic elements within the fire. As the solid becomes liquid metal, piping hot and volcanic, the impurities begin to become visible. Before these metals were melted down, the impurities were hidden and buried somewhere deep within…but now as the flame alters its state, these impurities can no longer be hidden. These impurities are plain as day, floating on top of the hot metal ore. The one who has melted down the ore will then gently skim the surface of the precious metal and remove the impurities.

So too the Holy Spirit longs to this work within us. It is hot work. It may burn a little. We may groan under the heat of the flame, but what a difference it will make!

Questions:

Where are you right now on your spiritual journey?
Is the Holy Spirit trying to refine you?
Are you allowing Him access to you completely? Or are you holding back?
The old cannot be skimmed from your life if you aren’t willing to stand the heat of His Holy Fire.
You are meant for so much more. You are meant to be refined and cleansed. You are God’s precious possession!
He wants you all to Himself, but that cannot happen unless you are willing to be refined, and to do so requires your complete surrender.

Stand the heat for just a little bit longer. Let His flames consume you.
Our purification within His holy fire will be ongoing, and we may have to surrender time and time again but what a peace it is to discover that we aren’t on this path alone.

There is real peace in our surrender.
There is real joy in His Holy fire.
May His loving arms be on us ever
and complete submission – never tire.

-Just a something more to ponder.

June 5, 2014 1

The Salvation Army – Are we enabling through Social Programs?

This is an open question that begs your response.
Don’t kill the messenger here, It’s something that I’ve not only seen, I have heard said as well.
Are we working to address underlying needs of those we love and serve or are we just addressing the basic needs of “the moment”?
All too often it is far easier to “meet human needs in His name without discrimination” right now based on what they need…but it’s much harder to ask the difficult questions, to pry back the hurt in order to discover underlying causalities.

NOT A STEREOTYPE
I recognize that not every Salvation Army does take the “easy” route in services. Some take great pains to work with those in need and to help discover and address the real issues. I am certainly no unopposed to handing out a food box or securing temporary housing for a displaced family but without addressing the real causes are we slowly hurting those we serve more than helping?

Enabling is okay for time, but providing solutions, real tangible answers to their problems…isn’t that what Booth was all about? If you have a problem with drink – stop drinking. If you need a safe environment to work – here’s a job. General Booth said to his son Bramwell “do something!”

WHAT ARE WE DOING?

Perhaps the question shouldn’t be “what are we doing” but rather “what can we do better?”
How can we get to the bottom of life issues, help to heal – feed both the body and the soul and help a person back onto their feet?
I understand some may never get back on their feet…some may have experienced the worst kind of life imaginable and they will need our support for the rest of their lives…but not all are like this. Can we help them and then send them to become helpers as well? Can we break from the “status quo” and become revolutionary again?

This revolution may look very different in other countries, but what about your country? What is YOUR Army doing to pick people back up, to help heal the hurting, to mend the shattered? Can we avoid enabling within our social programs? We must recognize that we are called to so much more than just social programs…but spiritual hope and salvation ~~as well~~ first.

I would like to hear your thoughts on this.
What is being done?
What can we do differently?
Are we impacting the world as we once did?
Do we risk enabling souls instead of healing souls through the power of the Holy Spirit?

-Something for our Army to ponder today.

May we ever be daring to continue to “go for souls and go for the worst!”

June 3, 2014 6

“You’re Reading It Wrong” – 2 Mistakes of Interpreting Scripture

Devotional Pondering: Death, Lions, Stinky Dark Pits & Prayer.

Devotional Thought – “Lord Humble me, and Cleanse me”

Personalizing Homelessness

How Does Grace Work?

Fighting Homelessness The Right Way

“Sermon on the Mount” Part 1 (Listening to the Teacher)

The Salvation Army – Women in Ministry…are we as Progressive as we think?

If You Can’t Stand The Heat…No, Seriously Stand it For Just a Bit Longer…

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