A Christmas Gift To A Family In Need…

Beverly took in her granddaughter when she was just a small child. Her granddaughter was an unfortunate victim of drug abuse by her parents. From that point on she called Beverly ‘Mom’, and she has been mom ever since. Fast-forward to the present year, and through more unfortunate circumstances, Beverly’s son suddenly passes away because of numerous health concerns, leaving behind a special needs son. What does Beverly do? Like any loving Grandmother, she take him in and adopts him as her own. This grandmother, who raised her own children, is now raising her grandchildren on a small retired, fixed income. Their small apartment home is barely big enough, but they make do. The main problem that Beverly has is that she only has a small truck that seats two people, and she wasn’t prepared to take in her grandson – who would be? Every morning her grandson takes the bus to school and every evening he arrives home by bus. Whenever they need to go grocery shopping someone always has to stay home because there isn’t enough room in her little truck for three passengers. This little family has grown, and in the midst of their growth, there has been great sadness along the way – the tears of a mother who has lost a son, the deep ache of a son who has lost a father – yet this little family struggles on and doesn’t give up.

The Christmas Gift.
This Christmas, Beverly’s driver’s side door on her little truck – fell off.
It was an old truck, borrowed from another family member.
It did the job, and had been a faithful mode of transportation, that is until the door fell off its hinges. Beverly has been praying for a larger vehicle so that it can fit both of her kids. She has also been praying for a larger place to live…

This Christmas, one of Beverly’s prayers was answered.
An elderly couple came into our social services office looking to gift their car to a family in need. Our social services director and volunteer coordinator immediately thought of Beverly and her kids. A week or so later the couple came to The Salvation Army and presented the vehicle to her. The generous couple wept for joy as did Beverly as the gift was gladly received. Having gone through so much pain in the last year, Beverly and her children received a very special Christmas gift. “I can go to the grocery store and take both of my kids now, this is simply wonderful!” Beverly is more than a little overwhelmed with the kindness of these strangers that are now friends. It is a Christmas present that is gladly offered and tearfully received!

Perhaps, for some, this short tale of an kind of kindness might restore your confidence in humanity in some small way. While we might currently complain about shopping lines and horrendous traffic, we might not recognize the needs of other people we encounter on a daily basis. Needs that are just under the surface, seared by pain and frustrations in life. This story of generosity is amazing…but I believe we are all capable of similar acts if we choose see the needs of those around us.

Something more to Ponder.
Merry Christmas everyone!

December 22, 2017 2

Salvation Army Tragedy, Martyrdom & Faith

http://m.cleveland19.com/story/36981684/crime-spree-murder-victim-was-wearing-salvation-army-uniform

Many have seen the news story (referenced above in the link) about the tragic loss of Salvation Army soldier Jared Plesec. I cannot put to words the deep sadness many have felt because of this seemingly random act of violence. There is so much to say about that, but I want to focus in on Jared. He didn’t know that his life was going to have such an abrupt and violent end. He had no clue that he just so happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time…instead, from all accounts, he felt God’s appointment where ever he went. He faithfully wore his uniform, but that isn’t what has distinguished him and endeared him to many around the world. Anyone can wear a uniform, that doesn’t change hearts and minds. Some have worn the uniform and have lived contrary to the articles of war that are signed upon becoming a soldier. Yet, from what everyone has said of Jared, and what has been shared on social media sites, to Jared the uniform was an extension of his faith in Christ. He was known to call up people who had been missing from the corps. Young people looked up to Jared. He wore his uniform proudly and at the time of his death, he was clutching his bible. This, my friends, was a true soldier of God. I seriously doubt that Jared was perfect, we all have our flaws, but I know the kind of legacy he has left for the ones who knew him.

I mourn for his friends and family, and I mourn with the Cleveland Temple Corps where he soldiered. Jared has been promoted to glory at such a young age and I can’t but help wonder what future impacts he might have had if this tragic act of violence had never happened.

Can we start a campaign to IHQ to posthumously honor Jared with the Order of the Founder Award? I think it rather fitting, don’t you?

2 Things
I don’t wish to whittle this down to simply two things today, and thereby minimize the life of Jared in anyway. He has greatly impacted my life and I never met this young man…but I hope to one day in Eternity.

1) Consistency of Faith
Jared wasn’t just a Christian when he put his uniform on, he was a Christian (from all accounts) in every facet of his life. Can we say the same thing today of ourselves? The uniform doesn’t make us Christ-followers, it is merely another outward evidence of the inward change. What does make us Christ-followers is the daily, even moment by moment commitment to Him regardless of the circumstances around us (good or bad).
How consistent in our faith?

2) Persistence of Faith
Accounts of Jared’s life has left us with the deep impression of his persistent faith towards those around him. He was an encourager and would frequently call those who were absent from the corps. He kept his faith at the forefront of his life anyone to witness. Many of us reading of his life, have witnessed a man persistently seeking after Christ…and I wonder if this can be said of us as well? I ask this question first to myself and all others who wish to do a personal inventory of their lives.

Dear Jared,
I never met you, but over the course of the last few days, I feel like you were (and still are) my brother in Christ! Thank you for your witness to many, many people – both while alive and in the instance of your tragic death. We mourn for what could have been…but we also celebrate your testimony in life, and one day we shall all meet together in Heaven to sing Christ’s praises. Well done, good and faithful servant! We shall one day meet!

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Scott E. Strissel,
Captain.

December 6, 2017 5

What Are YOU Waiting For?

“Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.” Acts 9:8-9

We probably know the story.
Saul was a Pharisee, who lived out his religious convictions by punishing members of “The Way”. He was a devout Jew, and was very popular amongst his peers. He did what he thought was right…he did what he perceived to be God’s will. But he was wrong. On his to Damascus, God intervened. His truth was the light that blinded Saul but it also seared his heart. A divine course correction took place, and the person known as Saul died on that road. No, he didn’t die physically, but the road marked out the conclusion of that identity, that mission, that chapter. To many of his devout followers, he would be dead in their eyes for he was set on a new path by God, that of which they could neither follow or believe in.

Those with whom Saul traveled with led this now blind man into the city of Damascus where we waited, and waited, and waited some more. Whole sermons and sermon series’ have been preached on with this story – mostly focused on that road and God’s intervention and even Ananias when he arrives…but what about the waiting period between the two chapters? What happened within the span of those three days? I believe the soul searching that took place with this blind man once named Saul is just as important and has a lot to teach us. This is not necessarily reading between the lines of the text, this is merely speculating, extrapolating and mulling over this human metamorphosis. A blind man named Saul – Christian persecutor and sometimes executor went into Damascus, a transformed man on a mission named Paul exited that city with divine purpose, intent and a new found passion in life.

BUT…
What happened in those 3 days between blindness and commission?
What changes transpired there?
Is there something teachable in this narrative for you and for me?
I believe there is, so please allow me to share this with you now.

“METAMORPHOSIS”
3 Lessons from 3 Days of Blindness

1st Lesson: Sometimes Spiritual Correction Hurts and We Must Do Some Deep Soul Searching
Saul thought he was doing what God wanted him to do.
He was fighting for and defending his faith…but he was, in fact, persecuting Christ. He had passionately taken up his cause with vim and vigor and knew he was in the right…then God turned his whole world upside down. He was confronted with his own failures…he was confronted with his own mistakes, and it must have hurt. Saul spends three days of blindness not eating and drinking. It is a sobering response to the Theophany he had just experienced. Within the words of Jesus, there was a course correction and for three days Saul had to have replayed that scene over and over in his head. He must have prayed and fasted. He must have explored every action that had led him to this place, like a movie playing in his head for three long days.

I find it interesting that 3 days pass.
3 Days that seem like a real death and a real resurrection.
3 days of emotional and philosophical death until God’s messenger arrives to offer new life again. In a very real sense, Saul is in his chrysalis transforming and arriving at a new physical place.

Do we have chapters like this in our lives?
Has there ever been spiritual correction in your life that has hurt?
God doesn’t enjoy hurting us, it is more for our benefit and growth that these corrections take place. There’s an old phrase – “no pain, no gain” and I think it applies here. If we don’t experience some discomfort in life from time to time we might remain stagnant and planted in incorrect spiritual patterns. God doesn’t want us to remain there, He sees in us the potential for something better, greater and far more substantive that what we have settled for now. He wishes to adjust our paths, and help us grow into maturity within our faith. But we have to be willing to accept these corrections which, hurt, but are meant to help us grow…and sometimes set us on a new, more holy path than what we have settled on.

2nd Lesson: There is Growth that Takes Place that Only Happens in Our Waiting on The Lord
Abraham was an old man before God’s promise of being the father to many nations was actually fulfilled, and certainly Abraham tried to speed up the process with his wife’s handmaiden Hagar. But the waiting was necessary.

David was anointed as king and successor to king Saul, but he did not become king right away, he had to endure hurts, the loss of his best friend when he had ran for his life. But he did not stop being faithful to God – he persisted and eventually the waiting produced the crown in God’s appointed time.

Waiting on the Lord can be tiring and frustrating, and we may sometimes question if God will really show up in our lives and our situations, but in those moments of waiting we grow. These times of waiting produces in us perseverance, endurance and fortitude. You might not believe that you can wait on the Lord. You may question your own strength, but rest assured you are not alone – the Holy Spirit is with you giving you the strength that you need. When we wait, we must recognize our finite while we wait for the Infinite to enter our stories. Saul waited for the appointed time. He wasn’t told how long it would be. He wasn’t told who would show up as God’s ambassador…he just simply waited.

Are you waiting right now for God to show up?
Are you growing frustrated with the “waiting game”?
Maybe we will someday declare as David did in Psalm 40:
“I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
²He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
³He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him…”

Maybe we can declare this today!

3rd Lesson: There is a New Chapter in the Future to Embrace, but First We must Embrace the Present.
Have you ever visited a doctor’s office?
I am sure that you have.
Most of the time there are two places that you find yourself waiting. First, you have to wait to be seen by the nurse on duty at the front desk as they take your insurance card and all of your vital information. Sometimes they even take your blood pressure. Then they call your name and the nurse takes you through the waiting room door into a hallway which leads to another, more intimate waiting room. Sometimes the nurse asks you to take off your clothes and put on a gown…and then wait. This is sometimes the longest wait that you may have at the doctor’s office. That uncomfortable time dressed only in a thin paper gown, sitting on an examination table while some elevator music is droning on and on in the background. But we cannot speed up that time. We have to simply wait, even when it’s not comfortable or the most desirable thing to do – we still wait. Finally the doctor in a white coat comes in and then we get down to business and the present can then be moved into the future.

If we believe that God sent Jesus to die for us, that Jesus resurrected and went to prepare a place for us, then we already understand what it means to wait. We aren’t in some doctor’s waiting room or anything but we must acknowledge that Jesus promised to return one day – and so His people anxiously wait for his return

But what about the little things of life?
What about the prayers we utter in the hope that God will answer them?
What happens in the in between time of God encounter and fulfillment?
We wait.
Sometimes we wait and wait.
Saul didn’t eat or drink for 3 days.
This parched, blind man waited for God’s fulfillment.
He didn’t know when it would happen, but it WAS going to happen.
He didn’t know WHO God was sending, but in the present moment he waited.

Many times we might feel stuck in the present while we wait for God.
We might grow frustrated and even weary in our waiting, but let me encourage you today: The present waiting room of your life IS where God meets us.
We might not yet know it yet, but He is already present and with you right here and now. We do not need to pine for the future in a “some day” mindset when we understand that God is sitting with us in our present waiting rooms.

Saul met God, then we he had to wait, then when God’s appointed ambassador arrived the commission was given and a much transformed Paul emerged to do the will of God.

Are you waiting right now for God?
Remember this while you wait:
-Sometimes Spiritual Correction Hurts and We Must Do Some Deep Soul Searching.
-There is Growth that Takes Place that Only Happens in Our Waiting on The Lord.
-There is a New Chapter in the Future to Embrace, but First We must Embrace the Present.

Something more to ponder today.
God Bless you!

October 26, 2017 0

4 Reasons Holiness Is Ineffective In Your Corp

Greetings fellow ponderers, how have you been?
I wanted to write a brief article once again on the topic of holiness in an effort to help us realize that it is viable and necessary even though I wrote an article not long ago entitled: “Why the Holiness Movement is Dead”

I want to clarify.
Although the movement of holiness has been halted in many ways through Church and its emphasis, the need of such a personal holiness is still important AND tangible. We don’t need an organization, movement or church to enforce something that should be intrinsic within all believers: The Holy Spirit working in and through us, ever refining, ever honing and guiding us in the direction of Christ-likeness.

Even though we recognize that no organization, movement or church can dictate or enforce Holiness – it is still necessary for fellow believers to help guide each other along in the faith. Instruction is needed for new believers to help them understand. There is also accountability to all believers to help us all grow and cultivate this spirit of holiness within us. Romans 12:5 says, “So we, though we are a number of persons, are one body in Christ, and are dependent on one another…”

-We need each other to prod this development of holiness within us.

So, without further adieu, let us explore the topic of the day:
4 Reasons Holiness is Ineffective in Your Corps
(and as usually this is just a primer, and there are some that can relate and some who won’t…some who believe there is much more to this conversation, and some who think that this is too much, but here goes anyway...)

1) Holiness isn’t Preached
This is probably an obvious reason why Holiness isn’t effective in your corps, perhaps it’s an obscure concept and never brought up in sermons, let alone the main conversation of a sermon. Friends, we need Holiness preached in our pulpits! Without holiness how are we to grow and mature? What’s the purpose of new believers?

2) Holiness isn’t Taught
Teaching holiness is probably more important than any sermon an officer or local officer is going to preach from the pulpit. Are there bible studies devoted to the conversation of holiness? Do we treat this with importance or is it not even considered? And if it is not considered, then why not? Do we believe that the topic of holiness is too difficult for our people to grasp?

3) Leaders Are Not Living-out Holiness
It is one thing to preach holiness, but it is another to live holiness. We can preach about a certain topic of Christianity until we are blue in the face, but if we do not live it then how will our people see and understand? How can we even presume to preach but not live? Do we not see the hypocrisy in this? But you might say, “well we cannot live it all of the time…it’s just too hard!” I would say, even part of the time is better than none of the time…and then pray in your own life for that other part that is still lagging behind. We need holiness preachers, but before that we need holiness people living it out-loud.

4) Holiness is Considered an Impossibility – So Why Even Try?
Have you heard people say this things like, “Well, I’ve heard about holiness, but it just can’t be done…it’s too complicated and unrealistic.” What do you say to those who have this perspective on holiness? How do we break people from this train of thought? Dare I say that even some officers have this concept, if that is the case what are we to do then? Does the Army hold to the vital importance of Holiness as we do to uniform wear or a soldier’s/Officer’s covenant?

If our corps people view Holiness as an impossibility or vague notion, how do we change that mindset? Let me answer that: practice what we preach and teach and make Holiness a reachable, tangible initiative in the lives of all believers! Make sure you set the record straight for those who deem Holiness impossible. Make sure they understand that Holiness isn’t perfection it is instead the maturing and deepening of our faith as we strive to be like Christ in every way!

Let’s make Holiness effective and vital again in our corps! To God be the glory!

October 17, 2017 1

Walking at Midnight on the path of restlessness.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

I have another confession to make – I am restless…like pit of my stomach-aching restlessness. Some days I can put my finger on it, while other days it is as elusive as an honest thief. I am usually successful at pushing it back down, repacking that box that it lives in and stowing it away in that shadowy corner that I seldom travel to. Still, I know it’s there…and it weighs on me as if an elephant had decided to perch its rotund bottom on my chest.

I wonder if you feel this way sometimes?
Do you have to push it back down as well?
Do you have to re-tape that worn-out box and pretend that dark corner doesn’t even exist? Does it keep you up at night – blinking at the ceiling fan, counting the rotation of its blades as shadows dance off reflections of streetlights lit only for 3rd shift workers and insomniacs out for a stroll? I repress the urge to join them, to open the front door and walk barefooted down the now cooled, uneven sidewalks as I imagine myself trying to avoid the spiny round pods that fall haphazardly from the large gum tree in our front yard. I have stepped on these awful spiky seeds a time or two while walking barefoot down our path and even in the cool darkness of the night thoughts of the surprise pain causes me to recoil my feet from the lower spaces of my bed.

I wonder if David ever felt this way? The pre-murder and adulterous David…the one that tended sheep and slew predators to the flock. I wonder if he ever felt restless in his heart? I am sure he did when, later he was being pursued by jealous King Saul and his men. As David hid from cave to cave and village to village, I imagine him laying down on an uncomfortable uneven floor hoping to rest his weary head. I can picture his deep sadness as he yearned for his best friend Jonathan. Yet David trusted in God…but I would venture a guess that there were moments in which he was restless and he too had to push it back down and re-tape his box.

It is said that there is a season for everything…and yet Jesus told the people of his day not to worry about anything, yet I can’t help but find myself in the season of worry from time to time. Doe that mean that I am not heeding His words? That, despite my best efforts, I am not trusting in Him? Perhaps you have thought this also> I worry, but Jesus said not to, and here I am still worrying.< What do we do with these seasons? How do we find the glimmers and glints of hope in the mess of our minds? Sometimes we do believe the lie. What lie you ask? The lie that Jesus wasn’t really talking to us when He said those things, that it was just for the disciples and people around Him right then and there… The lie that we are broken people beyond fixing, and that the restlessness that we feel in the pits of our stomachs and the weight of our hearts is what we deserve for being fallen, sinful people.

Don’t live there.
Don’t wallow in that muck and believe that damning lie.
The son who turned his back on his father and spent his entire inheritance on partying, prostitutes and comfort found himself feeding muddy, fetid pigs. Day in and day out he was covered in mud and pig excrement. He definitely smelled as bad as they did. He had lost everything – squandered a small fortune on foolish, regrettable things, and the stink of his life went much deeper than clothes and skin. He lived there. He wallowed there. That pen of stench became his home for a period of time, until he came to senses. As Jesus told this story of prodigal son, I imagine some who were listening felt that he was telling their story. The prodigal son came to his senses, got up and devised a plan to return to his father. He formulated a plan in his mind, he believed he would be unwelcome to return as a son, but maybe, just maybe his father would let him return as a servant. Can you imagine that restless journey home; The endless loop of things he would finally say to his father in order to stave off the reprisals and chastisements? As each dusty step led him closer and closer to the home he once knew, thoughts of doubt and fear must have crept in. “Master, just let me work for you.” (For surely he would never be worthy to call him father after what he did).

And when this beaten-by-life man, who had squandered everything and had hit absolute rock-bottom crested that last hill, and his home was in view…he saw someone running towards him. Perhaps it was a servant instructed to chase him off. Perhaps it was a warning not to come any closer…he would have deserved such a welcome. Instead, it wasn’t any of those things…it was his father that he had wished were dead, running to embrace the son he thought he had lost.

Don’t live in the home of restlessness.
Don’t believe the lie of shame and guilt.
Be forgiven, let your Father embrace you and welcome you home…and when you are finally hope, re-tape that box and then throw it away.

The prodigal son is me.
The prodigal son is you.
But once we have been embraced,
once we have witness our Father running to us,
Once we have been forgiven and returned to our home (where we belong)
don’t even entertain the lie or the box any longer.

But sometimes…we still walk at midnight, say hello, I’ll be waving.

Something more to ponder today.

September 29, 2017 0

Dear Salvation Army: Emergency Disaster Services – Touching Lives, Not Networks.

I have been watching and praying for my fellow Officers and Soldiers who have served and are currently serving on Emergency Disaster Services teams in Texas and Florida.
Some of the devastation is heartbreaking as many families have lost everything. Many organizations have been on site since day 1…including The Salvation Army.

Confession:
I have to confess something, I would often get upset when other relief organizations would get all of the press time on television networks. I would grow weary of the lack of reporting of all of the good things my fellow Soldiers, Officers and volunteers of The Salvation Army were doing on the ground. It seemed that there were many media hogs seizing every minute of television and radio time but as soon as the cameras were gone…so were they. On behalf of the movement I faithfully serve, I felt gypped.

I expressed this salty opinion to one of my corps members, I was in a cantankerous mood. This corps member is a far wiser person than I will ever be. He had perspective and with calm, sage advice said, “You know, it has never been about how much press time we get…we aren’t there for the applause or public acclaim, we’re there to serve the hurting as best as we can as we rely on the Lord to guide us.” With one fell swoop, he cut me off at the knees – which was a good thing. He brought a great sense of perspective to my heart. There I was, getting so upset in the halls of public opinion while completely forgetting the primary purpose for our ‘Army’ existing in those places of disaster – to faithfully serve others with the love and grace of the Lord – regardless if it was seem through the lenses of some camera.

I was reminded of a passage of scripture, and I don’t use this to get preachy or to sound judgmental, but rather to put some sobering perspective back into my heart and perhaps others who might be struggling with this as well: “….Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.” (Matthew 6:1,2)

-If we serve because we want to be seen, we have gotten it all wrong…
-If we serve because it brings fame to any organization, we have gotten it all wrong…
-If we serve because it makes us look good, we have gotten it all wrong…
…and we will have already received our reward, if so then God help us!

Instead, may our service, especially those unseen by the world around us, bring glory to God! It should never be about our air time or the many external fund raisers on our behalf – The Lord will provide – be faithful in this! Our consistency in serving Him is paramount to all of these things. We are called to offer compassion, care, love, hope…with all of those things, who has time to worry about anything else?

Pray!!
Please pray for the many hands and feet of God currently serving in Texas and in Florida! Continue to pray for this hurricane season…and the upcoming storms. Don’t forget the Emergency Disaster Service personnel in the Western Territory either! Prayer is not a last resort, but a means to continue to bring the needs of many before the Lord continuously!

Something more to Ponder…To God be the glory!!

September 19, 2017 3

Dear Salvation Army, If Baptism isn’t Necessary, are Uniforms?

“So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ…” -Acts 10:48a

Recently I was asked a question by one of our volunteers who had been busily answering phones but found a lull in the rush of the day. The question? “Why doesn’t The Salvation Army baptize?” It’s a good question, one that has been asked many times before. I answered him, in a semi-rehearsed conversation. I told him about our perspective on holiness and on holy living. That these outward ceremonies only represent that which the Holy Spirit has already on on the inward parts of our heart and lives. I went on to explain that baptism isn’t necessary to salvation, but rather a public witness to that life changing event. He countered that it says one must be baptized even in the Great Commission: “¹⁸Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)

I challenged him with a notion of my own: but Peter said, “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.^[a] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…” (1 Peter 3:21)

If water baptism is only a symbol of the salvation that now saves you, doesn’t that mean that it’s all about the Holy Spirit and not the water? Doesn’t that mean that, as I have already mentioned it’s not the water that makes the difference, but rather the work of Him who now resides within us at the moment of initial sanctification when we said “yes” to Christ’s dominion and Lordship of our lives? -When the baptism of the Holy Spirit first encompassed our lives?

We continued to converse about this topic of baptism and its necessity, until this very astute volunteer asked a question I had not thought about. He said; “In order to be a member of some churches, you have to become baptized (at least in his church it was emphasized I later found out). So how does one become a member in The Salvation Army?” I told him about our Soldiership classes and then how new soldiers are given uniforms as another sign of their membership into The Salvation Army, which is also an evidence of a life changing event as a soldier pledges to: “HAVING accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord, and desiring to fulfil my membership of His Church on earth as a soldier of The Salvation Army, I now by God’s grace enter into a sacred covenant…THEREFORE

I will be responsive to the Holy Spirit’s work and obedient to His leading in my life, growing in grace through worship, prayer, service and the reading of the Bible.

I will make the values of the Kingdom of God and not the values of the world the standard for my life.

I will uphold Christian integrity in every area of my life, allowing nothing in thought. word or deed that is unworthy, unclean, untrue, profane, dishonest or immoral.

I will maintain Christian ideals in all my relationships with others: my family and neighbours, my colleagues and fellow Salvationists, those to whom and for whom I am responsible, and the wider community.

I will uphold the sanctity of marriage and of family life.

I will be a faithful steward of my time and gifts, my money and possessions, my body, my mind and my spirit, knowing that I am accountable to God.

I will abstain from alcoholic drink. tobacco, the non-medical use of addictive drugs. gambling, pornography, the occult, and all else that could enslave the body or spirit.

I will be faithful to the purposes for which God raised up The Salvation Army, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, endeavouring to win others to Him, and in His name caring for the needy and the disadvantaged.

I will be actively involved, as l am able, in the life, work, worship and witness of the corps, giving as large a proportion of my income as possible to support its ministries and the worldwide work of the Army.

I will be true to the principles and practices of The Salvation Army, loyal to its leaders, and I will show the spirit of Salvationism whether in times of popularity or persecution.

I now call upon all present to witness that I enter into this covenant and sign these articles of war of my own free will, convinced that the love of Christ, who died and now lives to save me, requires from me this devotion of my life to His service for the salvation of the whole world; and therefore do here declare my full determination, by God’s help, to be a true soldier of The Salvation Army.”

I showed him the general idea of a Soldiership enrollment and pledge/covenant.
He looked at me with a little bit of surprise.
Then his next words really made me think, “But this is similar to what I experienced in my baptism.”
He went online and showed me some of the wording that was used on his day of baptism. The website blink and whisked us to his church’s website and there on the screen was the basic ceremony of baptism:

“Since you have responded by God’s grace
to the call of the gospel to believe and be baptized,
we ask you, before God and his people,
to profess your faith in Jesus Christ.

Do you turn to Jesus Christ?
Yes!
Do you intend to be Christ’s faithful disciple,
trusting his promises,
obeying his word,
honoring his church,
and showing his love,
as long as you live?
Yes!”

(*Note: Both of these public statements of faith are good and helpful for the body, I am not criticizing their usefulness)

After showing me this he asked me the all important question, “If The Salvation Army believes that baptism is unnecessary, then isn’t the Uniform that you wear unnecessary too?”

You know in some ways he is right.
The Uniform isn’t of course necessary for Salvation just as water baptism doesn’t save people…but could it become that to us in the Army?
Of course we know that the entirety of this transforming grace is done through the Holy Spirit alone. Each are symbols. Each are ways in which we commemorate and identify ourselves as members of that particular Ecclesia. But, perhaps it begs the question of us today, even to quantify and formulate our own response of the necessity of uniform in The Salvation Army. Do you have an answer or do you merely follow, perhaps even blindly without fully recognizing the symbolism and meaning?

Please do not get me wrong, I am not advocating that we chuck our uniforms away and lose that part of our identity, but what is the reason that we still wear the uniform? Do we wear it for public recognition? Do we wear it to look good? Do we wear it because it’s what we’ve always done? Do we wear it to fit in? -Any of these answers is NOT good enough. We must formulate a personal response and reason. Yes, we are a part of this international movement. Yes, we are identifying ourselves as members of The Salvation Army, but is that a sufficient of an answer?

Let me ask this question and perhaps some will think me a little crazy in asking, has the use if Uniforms and enrollment of soldiers simply taken the place of baptism and even communion as the commonality and qualifications of membership? Have we just exchanged one ceremony for another? Could this eventually lose it’s symbolism and meaning to future generations…or has this already happened and we aren’t prepared to admit it?

Two key observations before I close this open ended pondering today (and please comment and share your answers and questions with us):

1) William and Catherine Booth decided to exclude the use of baptism and communion because these had been abused and lost its meaning and had even become means for salvation and even power of the church. Could this be happening to the Uniforms and the use of such a wardrobe?

2) The Uniform was originally adopted so that poor and rich alike could fit into “church” or the movement of the Army. But as the price of uniforms become more and more expense even with allowances and percentages offered to members, is it necessary? It used to solidify and unify the early Army…but was it meant to last forever? Also has it now become what it should never have become – something that divides new comers and adherents from the “true” soldiers? Instead, of unifying is it undoing what the Booths originally set out to do with the lower East End of London?

Things To Ponder (Tell us what you think?):
Have we not taught the proper use of uniform?
Have we lost the symbolism?
Has the Uniform become a divider instead of something that unifies? Are we overthinking this?
Are we in need of changing the uniforms?
What of Baptism? Is it really similar to the ceremony of soldiership & renewal ceremonies? And have we just exchanged one ceremony for another?

Note: My purpose for such a pondering today is not to discourage you dear Salvation Army, but rather to better identify and have an answer for such questions as I have had this week…now it’s your turn. What do you think?

Something more for the army to ponder today.

*Disclaimer, the thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are solely the thoughts and opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect that of The Salvation Army. Reader discretion is advised.*

September 15, 2017 34

Modern Day Psalm.

It’s been too long.
I have exchanged my prayerful conversations
for worry.
I have traded assurances
for fear…
when I should have stood firm,
instead I found
that my feet were slipping
into the depths of the murky mud.

I have become a husk of a man.
the shell
of what I used to be.
When I stopped looking up…
I began to sink.
When I stopped
trusting in You, O God
I began to lose it all.

Where can I go
Apart from you?
What I think in my mind
You already know it.
What I say with my lips
You understand it
and yet I wandered away
I wandered from You…
Why?
Why did I do that?

Could it be that my heart
was never truly in it?
Could it be that my faith
was an inch deep
but a mile wide?
In my distress…
In my darkest hours…
In my hopeless wanderings…
You heard me.
You not only heard,
but you answered me.
ME.

You answered me
in my circumstances
You answered me
through the voices
of brothers and sisters
You answered me
in the ways that cannot
be perceived by ear or sight…
You have been with me
through all of the storms.
I
was
never,
ever
alone.

You are truly my fortress.
You really are my Solid Rock.
I was not
washed away
because you would
not permit it
You would
not allow
it to encompass
and consume me.
I am alive
today only because
of You.

Look deep into
my heart dear Lord,
Find my love again for you.
Search me,
know me again.
Wash me clean.
Remove the blemishes,
Saturate my entire
existence with you
until there is
no differentiation
no beginning
and no end
to Your image
in me.

September 11, 2017 2

Messy Church – Joseph and His Coat of Many Colors…

Joseph – Messy Church

This time our corps (church) did a messy church on the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors. The major theme was God providing and taking what was meant for evil and turning it into something good. The following stations were used to illustration and reinforce the story as the station leader asked questions and prodded the participants to discuss and think about particular segments of Joseph’s life.

Station 1: Dream Pictures (10 Minutes)
(Need: cotton swabs, card paper, markers, colored film paper.)
Create a dream on paper with the materials at the table.
Talk about: Talk about dreams, how God can speak to people through dreams, and how most of us have a dream for our lives. We might find that as we follow our dream, God has very different plans for us that are even better than our dreams.

Questions:
Do you like to sleep in complete darkness or do you sleep with a night light or lamp?
What kind of dreams do you have?
Do you think that God can still speak to us in our dreams or is it just last night’s pizza?

Scripture – Genesis 37:5-8
⁵Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. ⁶He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: ⁷We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”

⁸His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

Ask: Does it sound like Joseph’s brothers appreciated his dream?
Why do you think they were upset with Joseph?
Do you get along with you family and brother/sister(s)?
Close:
As we finish this station today remember that it is good to dream big dreams in life and that God wants to help you along the way. God also wants to be there with you each step of the way!

Station 2: Big Colored Coat (10 Minutes)
(Need: outline of coat, colored crepe/tissue paper paper, glue)

prepare in advance strips of colored paper for the participants to organize onto their coat. Emphasize the need to make it as beautiful as possible.

Talk About:
Talk about the beautiful coat that Jacob gave to Joseph as a present. Ask everyone what their favorite piece of clothing is at the moment: favorite shoes, shirt, jeans, jacket and why.

Scripture Genesis 37:3 – “Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.”

Questions:
Why did Jacob give Joseph the colorful coat?
Who are the people in your life that love you? Name them.
How can we show love to others like Jacob showed love to his son Joseph?

Station 3 Gift Box Decoration (10 Minutes)
(Need: Small gift boxes, scraps of colorful material or wrapping paper, wrapped candies/chocolates)

Directions: decorate small gift boxes using the colorful materials and wrapping paper. Use a heart or cross design while using the materials as a symbol of love. Select and place a wrapped candy/chocolate inside the decorated box. The idea behind the box is to give the box and the candy away to someone to show how much you care for them.

Talk About:
Talk about presents from friends or members of your family and how you might want to give them a present just because you love them so much.
Ask: What’s the best present you’ve ever been given?
What made it the best present?
Who gave you that present?

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!”
What do you think is the writer meant when he said “this gift”? Who do you think this gift is about? Do you know that God loves you so very much that He sent Jesus to die for your sins? We are going to close our time at this station with a quick word of prayer thanking God for giving us this wonderful gift of Salvation through Jesus. (Pray)

Lastly say, “After Church today, or during this week, pray about who you should give this gift to. Perhaps it will help cheer someone up, or used as a way to help heal a relationship or friendship that you have. Pray about it and then give this little gift to someone who you feel needs it.

Station 4 Thumbprint People (10 Minutes)
(Need: Poster paint in different colors, sheets of paper, markers)

Directions: Make 12 thumbprints with poster paint. When they’re dry, decorate them with markers, drawing eyes, mouths, beards, and clothes to be Joseph and his 11 brothers.

Talk About:
Talk about the way very different people make up a family and how hard it can be to live together when you feel very different from each other. Talk about ways of getting along that you have found helpful.

Read Scripture as participants are decorating: Genesis 37:18-28 ¹⁸When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. ¹⁹“Here comes the dreamer!” they said. ²⁰“Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”

²¹But when Reuben heard of their scheme, he came to Joseph’s rescue. “Let’s not kill him,” he said. ²²“Why should we shed any blood? Let’s just throw him into this empty cistern here in the wilderness. Then he’ll die without our laying a hand on him.” Reuben was secretly planning to rescue Joseph and return him to his father.

²³So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. ²⁴Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. ²⁵Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead down to Egypt.

²⁶Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime.^[^c^] ²⁷Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed. ²⁸So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces^[^d^] of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.

Ask: Why do you think his brothers hated Joseph so much?
What was the name of the brother who stopped the other brothers from killing Joseph?
How do you get along with your siblings? What are some ways that you can make peace when a fight breaks out?

Station 5: False Beards (10 Minutes)
(Need: Scraps of dark brown, black fabric, scissors, dark wool and a darning needle –if needed- and thread)

Using your selection of fabric cut out a triangle big enough to fit on the chin as a beard. Cut a mouth hole so that it comprises a moustache and beard. Using the threat poke a hole on either side of the beard in order to tie it around the back of your head. Wear your beard with pride!

Talk about:
Talk about the “hairy Ishmaelites” who took Joseph off to Egypt and sold him as a slave:
Scripture: Genesis 37:25-28
25 Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead down to Egypt.

26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime. 27 Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed. 28 So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces[d] of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.

Questions:
What do you think it was like for Joseph being sold into slavery?
What do you think those hairy Ishmaelites were like?
Do you think Joseph was afraid to be away from home?
Do you think God was with Joseph even when we was a prisoner and slave?

Celebration: (back to Chapel or Fellowship Room)
Need: Artwork and colorful mosaics, Egypt pics…all decorations and songs link to the activities of the stations.

We sang these songs for the celebration/closing:
Just a closer walk with Thee, Jehovah Jireh.

Say:
Joseph had 11 brothers. Maybe you sometimes quarrel with your brother or sister. Well, Joseph and his brothers often quarreled, partly because Joseph’s brothers were jealous of the beautiful coat that their Dad, Jacob had given to Joseph.

Bring a bright coat or robe out of a box

Also, Joseph had dreams they didn’t like. For example, he dreamed the sun and moon and 11 stars were bowing down to him. His brothers thought he was showing off. So the brothers plotted to kill Joseph. They threw him down a dry well, but then instead of killing him, they decided to sell him into slavery when a caravan of slavers traveled by. To cover up their crime, they killed an animal and poured its blood onto Joseph’s beautiful colored coat and told their father Jacob that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.

Bring out a small knife from the box…
In Egypt, Joseph was sold as a slave and, although he was very hardworking, he was thrown in jail for something he didn’t do. While he was in prison, he told some prisoners what their dreams meant, and later he told the Pharaoh what his dreams meant: that the harvest would fail and there was going to be a famine, so Egypt would have to stock up on food.

Bring a small loaf of bread out of the box…

The famine came to the whole area – and Egypt was the only place with food, thanks to Joseph. Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy food, but they didn’t recognize joseph. What would Joseph do? Should he get his revenge on them for being so mean all those years ago?

No! He told them who he was and forgave them. “Even though you meant to harm me, God made it all turn out well so that everyone would be saved, “ he said. So they brought Jacob their father, to Egypt and God reunited them all.

Bring a picture of a smiling face out of the box…or a family photo…

God can take things that go wrong and mend them and turn them to good. He wants to bring us together as his Christian family. Think of someone you’ve quarreled with recently. Let’s say sorry to God and ask him to help us forgive them and to make up.

Closing Prayer:
Lord, thank you that we are one big family of your people throughout the world and throughout history. Help us to live as one family, loving each other through thick and thin. Amen.

Benediction:
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
*Hold out your hands expecting a present.*

And the love of God
*Put your hands on your heart*

And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
*Hold hands*

Be with us all now and forever. Amen!
*Raise hands together on the word ‘Amen’*

Adapted from the book: Messy Church: Fresh ideas for building a Christ-centered Community.

September 4, 2017 0

Eclipsed by the Son

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

This coming Monday there will be a much anticipated global event – the solar eclipse of 2017. The last time a solar eclipse of this magnitude occurred was 1918…we’re talking a coast to coast (United States that is) total eclipse of the sun. (cue the song – total eclipse of the heart…) Many cities, like mine, have sold out of glasses. My son stood in line for three hours today in order to buy a couple of pairs, there were people in lawn chairs. It’s simply astounding.

Isaiah, standing in line for solar eclipse glasses

People are excited.
Schools are giving parents the option to keep their children home this Monday so families can watch the eclipse together.
There are of course the doomsdayers out there who are calling for the end of the world, or an alien invasion…there’s always a few crackpots out there.

I don’t know about you, but I am in awe of God’s creation.
He spoke our world into existence.
He formed us out of clay and dirt.
God breathed life into our lungs…and here we are attempting to take in the majesty of God’s amazing artistry. The Universe is vast, and yet in the tremendously immense expanse, God comes down to our level and wishes to fellowship with us. He loves His creation, despite our fallen nature and sin that permeates us on a molecular level. His love extends to us all the way to a cross with His only Son dying in our place.
This.
Is.
What.
Love.
Looks.
Like!

Jesus, God’s Son – faced death on a cross so that we could be made worthy of standing in the very presence of God once more; for the purpose of fellowship and restoration! Salvation is found in Christ alone!

Then this Jewish zealot, by the name of Saul perceived the Christ-followers to be blasphemous and heretical, so he sought to cleanse the Hebrew world of them. He began to seek them out and bring them to his perceived understanding of godly justice. He looked on with approval when Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was stoned to death. He pressed onward, in the hopes of exposing them all in his righteous religious cleansing campaign… but God had other plans for Saul.

On his way to Damascus, Christ showed up in all of His glory – pouring so much light into the eyes of this zealot that it seared him blind. Saul was then confronted by Christ himself. He was forced to answer the question of why he had been persecuting God’s Son – the Messiah. Only later, when the scales had fallen from his eyes and he began a new mission – to preach Christ to the world, did he truly begin to live. He had been eclipsed you see (pun intended). Paul – had been eclipsed by the Son and he would never be the same again. From that point on he had one purpose, one mission, one life and that life was Christ’s alone! He would pour out himself upon others as a fragrant offering to God. He would invest himself in the lives of new believers…even from a prison cell hundreds of miles away.

He declare in Galatians 2:20 “For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Paul was eclipsed by the Son of God, and his life became a vessel that enabled the world to be changed!!

How about us?
Has the Son Eclipsed our lives? This is what Holiness looks like – us dying to our old sinful selves and living for Christ alone – through the amazing power of the Holy Spirit!!

Let me ask you, have YOU allowed Him access to the very fiber of your existence, or are you holding back a portion just for yourself? Can you make this bold claim as Paul once did, “I have been crucified WITH Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me.”

A total solar eclipse may only arrive once every 90 years or so, but on a daily basis – Christ comes to us and longs to shine His mercy and love in and through us. How is your relationship with Him today? Has your light gone out? Are you in need of more of His grace? Call out to Him, He is never far from you. Begin to live for Him again and be willing to be eclipsed by the Son so that others might find Him!

Something more to ponder today!

August 18, 2017 0

Category: Faith Ponderings