Dear Salvation Army, Holiness Of The Heart…

“I have pledged myself until I find the holiness of the heart” -Catherine Booth.

Let us delve once more into the most important aspect of our personal salvation – personal holiness.
We are all equipped for spiritual growth. For some, it might take a lifetime, while others days or years.
We are made for so much more than we are right now. The Holy Spirit isn’t done with us yet. We are a work in progress, an unfinished masterpiece – as we are being transformed into the image of the Might High.

To me, a holiness of the heart begins with self denial.
We must have the fortitude and willingness to want to change from the inside out.
This transformation is dependent upon how reluctant or willing we are to the pleading of the Holy Spirit.
If we are “all in”, and we allow these personal sacrifices to become reality in our every day life, the holiness of the heart becomes all that more attainable. If we say we are “all in”, and yet we resist the proddings of the Holy Spirit as He speaks to our need for surrender in very specific and private spaces, we (sometimes unknowingly) hamper this holiness of the heart. Either we are fully committed to His work in us, or we resist and stunt the potential growth we could have.

Confession Time:
I cannot tell you how often I have resisted His pleadings, for they far outweigh my moments of obedience.
I hope I am not alone in this. I only say this to you so that we might understand how uncommon and unnatural this holiness of the heart can be. I am not saying it is wrong, or something we shouldn’t strive for in our personal relationship to Christ. I am just saying that the longer we resist, the more unnatural it may feel because the old unsurrendered self still takes up residence where the transformed new life should be. I confess that I am still a work in progress. I pray daily that the Lord would do His working within me, and yet this living sacrifice still slides and moves off of the altar. I do long to more like Him in every way. I do cling to the Holy Spirit. I want so desperately to be “all in” every day, every moment, and every second…I am not there yet…but I want to be.

How about you?
How is your Holiness of the heart going?
Are you struggling as well?
You aren’t alone dear Soldier, fight the good fight, do not quit, keep waging this war against sin!
Listen intently to the Holy Spirit.
We too possess this holiness of the heart, yet He is not finished with us yet!

“All there is of me Lord, All there is of me
Time and talents, day by day,
All I bring to thee;
All there is of me, Lord,
All there is of me,
On thine altar here I lay
All there is of me.”

May we delve deeply within our hearts as we listen intently to the Holy Spirit.
May we be Soldiers of this Army hell bent on pulling people back from the flames through His power.
May we be the kinds of Soldiers of God that reflect Christ’s love in every way so that others may see Him too.

Something more for our Army world to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

July 28, 2015 0

Dear Salvation Army, 150 Years!!!

Since its inception, The Salvation Army has been a beacon of hope to those in need.
It is hard to believe that 150 years has gone by since its start. I am proud to be an Officer within its ranks while at the same time I know that we still have room to grow, adapt and improve. Like any form of ministry, time passes, culture and customs evolve, and with it so should the delivery of the same message of Christ.

The Past
I recognize the innovators in our army who were bold and unabashed in their proclamations of faith and salvation for all. We need this fervor today. Sometimes we still need to be civilly disobedient and unafraid of being arrested. We need to be reminded of where we came from and why we are still an army. We STILL have a mission as soldiers of this army.

We STILL fight for those without voices. We STILL ought to be the safe harbor for people to go. We STILL should “do something” for those who find themselves in hopeless situations and cannot find their way out.

The Present
There are many social platforms within which we can fight for those in need.
There are many single mothers and fathers out there struggling to do “right by their kids” and have hardly enough food to put on the table for them. There are countless drug addicts in our communities who need to get clean and who need someone in uniform who cares for them despite their current behaviors. There are so many outliers in our communities, those who have been ostracized, marginalized, brutalized and victimized…they need us! Where ever we look we can find poor souls who need our help. Where ever we look we can find poverty, rejection, dejection, panic, sadness and grief…and we can still help bring relief to the many with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Questions:
Are we still a sanctified Army or is there still further cleansing to be done?
Have we given ourselves entirely to the will of the Father or are we still holding on to remnants and identities?
Are we lacking passion and zeal for His purposes within we as soldiers of this army?
Are we asking for His direction and guidance through these turbulent and often volatile times?

Today I celebrate the 150th Anniversary of this Army…and yet I know that we have much work to be done. I do not wish to downplay all that we HAVE done already, but rather I recognize the work that STILL needs to be done. We can only do so much in our own strength, but when we allow God’s holy presence to take up the fight within our faithfulness, we can do anything…I truly believe this!

To my comrades who are in London today, and have gathered with 18,000 other soldiers for Boundless 2015, I say please spur us onward! Let us run and not grow weary! (Isaiah 40:31) May we be on our knees earnestly praying for the many souls we can reach in His name. May we begin to witness the miracles again for an Army filled with His Holy Spirit…renew us, reignite us, cleanse us, and spur us onward Dear Lord!

To God be the glory!

July 2, 2015 0

“The Exchange”

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” -Proverbs 18:10

I used to run track when I was in high school.
I was a sprinter. I would train with my team every day after school even when it was hard. I would run the 100 meter, 200 meter and the 4×100 meter relay. The relay was where team work would come in. Each runner had their own part to play in the race. Each ran their respective portion…but it would be all for naught if the exchange of the baton was mishandled. Sometimes failure in the exchange came by way of holding on too tightly to the baton as one attempted to pass it on. Sometimes failure in the exchange came by way of holding on too loosely as one attempted to pass it on. That’s why we practiced day after day. We needed to be a synced group. We needed to have a simple, nondramatic hand-off each time in order to even consider winning the race. The relay’s success of failure hinged upon “the exchange”.

Have you ever felt weak?
I imagine we all have from time to time…some of us probably just thought to themselves “I feel weak all the time”. I want to encourage you today. There is strength in knowing the Lord. There is joy in this “knowing” as well. What happens within this fragment of time (when we allow God’s strength to become our strength and when we “know” whose strength it is coursing through us) is an exchange of lordship. The success and failure of the Christian walk sometimes hinges on this pivotal exchange! Within this exchange of lordship, what we are saying is “Lord I abdicate my human authority that is frail and weak and I exchange it for your Lordship in my life!” When we allow this lordship exchange to take place within us, we knock down pride and selfishness and erect a stronger, more firmer foundation found only within complete humility and selflessness.

The Apostle Paul puts it like this – “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10)
Despite Paul’s sufferings, despite his weaknesses, despite everything kind of persecution he faced, he recognized that even in weakness Christ would be strong!

I wonder if any of you are kind of like me. I am stubborn. I am often prideful. I am sometimes insecure. I am quick to repay wrongs done to me in similar reciprocating responses. I am still far from the prize of holiness. BUT… there is something within this confession of mine. I have to recognize that in all of these shortcomings I cannot attain the strength that I need on my own. I require this exchange of authority in my life. I require the Holy Spirit’s presence within me. I cannot afford to run aimlessly, full of myself and on my own. My own efforts will, and frequently have, failed.

Oh that we run to the Lord!
Oh that we allow His presence to transform us.
Oh that we are filled with His strength by emptying our weaknesses out at His feet.
This is where the exchange of lordship begins…and the prize of holiness (the very reflection of Christ) is seen.
May we allow this exchange of lordship to occur within us.
It is a very private matter for most of us. It isn’t something that often happens overnight, but instead His presence begins to urge us to relinquish things. His presence begins to remind us of what could be. His presence prompts us to run to Him and lay down our pride and self-assurances at His feet.

How’s your “Exchange of lordship” going?
Something more to ponder today, to God be the glory!

June 25, 2015 0

Dear Salvation Army, 3 Healthy Habits For Soldiers

“To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…” Ephesians 4:12-13

We as an Army are in the Kingdom building business.
~~Our employer~~…no, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has given us this great commission.
We are more than a church…
we are a movement.
We are more than just another social services agency…
we are a part of the body of Christ committed to reflect His image in the corners of the world that we are called to.

This is a tall order.
We are to be like Christ
…and yet in our own strength we cannot accomplish this calling in our lives.

In our own strength we will fail.
(Trust me, I’ve fallen flat on my face far too many times to count.)
In our own strength we will fall horribly short.
So, with that being said, what sort of attributes do we need in order to make this “reflection of Christ” visible?
What do we need to do in order to be the best soldiers for God?

Today I would like to offer just three healthy habits for Soldiers.
This is not an exhaustive list, nor are these the only healthy habits to commit to, but these will perhaps get us all on the right track if we aren’t already there.

3 Healthy Habits For Soldiers:

1) Prayer Never Ends!
Make prayer more than a scheduled time in your day.
I’m not saying don’t have scheduled time, but don’t put prayer in some sort of manageable box that you keep those conversations with the Most High in. Don’t leave the conversation. Yes, begin it in the morning, but don’t ever end it. Take the conversations with God with you into every moment of your day. Obviously to be seen talking out loud to yourself might be frowned upon by some who might think you might be losing it…but instead, in your thought patterns, keep your conversations with God going. There shouldn’t be an “on/off” switch with heart talks with God. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us and He is always there, so why not begin to include Him in your every day routines both big and small! Eventually, the inclusion of God in your thoughts and conversations will change the way that you see the world and others around you.

2) Feast Only On That Which Edifies!
You have most likely heard the term “garbage in, garbage out”. This term implies that if you put garbage (rubbish/trash) into your life, gargage (rubbish, trash) will be what you produce in the world as well. If you wish to become healthier in life, you wouldn’t feast on high fatty foods from fast food chains every day now would you? No, instead you would begin a rigorous attempt to eat right and to exercise. The same can be said of the heart and soul. These attributes of the body requires maintenance and they require the right kind of nourishment. If we claim to be a disciple of Christ but we constantly binge on garbage with only a sprinkling of His Word, then we are seriously starving our spiritual life! It should be no surprise when we find ourselves spiritually dry and lacking fortitude, we haven’t been working out and staying in shape by feasting on the right kinds of things!

Listen, if we wish to walk in faith with Christ BUT we haven’t surrendered our old ways of life, then something is terribly wrong. The old must pass away in order for this rich, new life to thrive and grow! We just cannot hold onto both.

From the Word:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
(2 Corinthians 5:17)

“from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” (James 3:11)

Make sure that you are feeding your souls with the right kinds of things! Don’t starve your spirit with junk food and things that will only stunt the potential growth that God has in store for you!

3) Step Up And Out!
When we take prayer seriously and we include God in our daily routines things will change.
When we begin to feast on the edifying fruit of God, things will change…
Stepping up and out will not always be the most comfortable thing you ever do, but it does become a true test of who God has called you to be! It not only benefits other people, but it also improves our skills and abilities in sharing our faith!

The real the tipping point in it all is this:
Do. Not. Keep. It. To. Yourself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Step up.
Lead.
Share.
Proclaim.
Help others along!
In the words of General William Booth – “Do something!“

It is like that old Sunday School song “This Little Light of mine”:
One of the verses goes – “Hide it under a bushel, NO I’m gonna let it shine!!”
When we include God in our daily conversations and we are feasting on the things that edify this new creation within us, we can’t help but proclaim His goodness and love!

Will there be discouraging days? Of course.
Will we ALWAYS feel like proclaiming, and ALWAYS be in the mood to share? No, not always.
Will we be happy all the time? No way!

BUT…
When we invite God’s presence to travel along with us both with the important and the less important things in our lives, we begin to see how much He loves other people around us. This love will propel us forward into service.
We are saved to save!
We are saved to serve!

This is NOT an army of mediocre washouts and wishy-washy salvationists!
NO! We are here to be Christ’s hands and feet!
We are here to proclaim His name in both the good days and the bad days!
We are here to serve the lost, the poor, the widow, the orphan.

If you are reading this today, chances are you long to improve your soldiership as well!
If you are reading this today, you, like me, believe God is calling us to a deeper service and a deeper understanding of the sin-sick world we serve.
We all have room for improvement. We all have room to grow. We can all reflect more of Christ and less of ourselves…but only through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit!

Question:
Do you long to be a healthier Solider for Christ?

Perhaps these three healthy habits can help you on your way to becoming the Soldier Christ has called you to be!

-Something more for this Army to ponder today!
To God be the glory!

April 13, 2015 2

We’re all looking for a minute of God’s time.

We all want that face to face meeting.
We all want to spend just a few moments with Him…to ask Him things.
Perhaps we want to ask Him “why”…
or perhaps we wish for some sort of encouragement and reassurance.
Some people have giant decisions that they have been battling with, decisions far too big to make alone, and they are crying out to God for just a minute of His time.

Don’t you just wish that you could pull up a chair at a coffee shop,
or sit on your back porch and talk to God about things?
Don’t we all wish we could have THAT face to face?
To have that heart to heart conversation.

I think when we look at the bible and we see disciples and other characters who physically talked with Jesus, we are secretly jealous. We wish we could have that. We wish we could experience that.
We long to have that one on one moment, that eye contact thing that happens between friends.
We all want that theophany when creation meets creator, not just in a deep moment of prayer and meditation, but a real life encounter with God.

In the beginning, when God created Adam and Eve, He would visit them every evening in person. He would fellowship with them. He would talk with them. Obviously that relationship was horribly, irrevocably disrupted by a choice. That relationship was tarnished by a decision to disobey. But despite that rift in relationship, despite that sin, God has made a way for us to repair the damage done. God actually met us more than half way. The Creator could’ve just started over with His creation…but He didn’t. THAT IS HOW MUCH WE MEAN TO HIM!

This whole salvation story.
Jesus.
The Cross.
His Death.
His Resurrection.
His Ascension.
It is all preparation.
It is all about preparing us.
It is all for us.
It is…
building up…
until we finally can see Him face to face.

We may never have that glimpse of God as we sit on a park bench.
We may never wrestle with an Angel.
We may never physically put our hands in His hands and side.
We may never watch Him bring Lazarus back from the dead…

But we do have a minute of God’s time.
He does hear us.
He does speak.
He is evident in those who love and serve Him.
He can be seen in the hearts of the penitent and the righteous…although sometimes they are few and far between.

Prayer:
God, I want to be counted in that number.
Lord, I want to be the very reflection of you.
Show me those things that still need working out in my life.
Forgive me when I have fallen and have not reflected You in anyway, shape, or form.
I don’t want a minute of your time…
I want and eternity of it…but it starts here, it starts now.

Will I listen for your still small voice?
Will I hear you as you speak?
Will I put feet to my faith and live for you?

We all want a minute of God’s time.

April 8, 2015 1

Living within the sacred.

The sacred.
It is not strictly for the holiest of us.
The sacred was kept hidden.
The sacred was closed off to the “public”.
Only those who were cleansed could enter.
Those who did enter the space of the sacred who were not cleansed would die.

God’s holy presence makes a space sacred…nothing else will do.
No amount of gold, incense or prayers can make something devoid of God sacred.

But the sacred moved…
On the day of death.
On the day of the cross.
The day when Jesus died for the sins of the world, the sacred moved.
not far away from Golgotha, the temple stood.
The place where the presence of God resided within the sacred holy of holies.
That dark and mighty day the sacred space moved.
The very presence of God relocated.
He wasn’t evicted…perhaps in a way He was.
He wasn’t changing…God is the same today and yesterday.
But circumstances changed.
The plan of salvation, the day of redemption unfolded before humanity who had not it recognized Him.
The curtain to the sacred tore.
Its space now vacant.
No, God ~~had not~~ would not abandon them,
but the space became bigger.
The sacred expanded.
Satan and Death were conquered.
Beyond our human understanding and our existential vision, something supernaturally remarkable took place.
Messiah had come.
Death was defeated.
New life was possible and available to those came seeking.
The sacred space didn’t move, it became available to everyone.

-Living within the sacred-

Truth:
living here within the sacred takes time.
Not because God’s presence isn’t enough but because many times we are still dealing with stuff.
We are still in need of full surrender.
We have not completely relinquished our old patterns of life to fully embrace this new creation Christ has won for us.
Living within the sacred requires our full devotion to the Risen Lord.
Living within the sacred requires us to embrace our own crosses and to lay down our selfishness only to pick up His image of selflessness.

This is the beginning of Holiness.
The Holy Spirit can, and will, take up residence within a new sacred space – our lives.
He will transform us.
He will begin anew within us…
but living within the sacred demands our allegiance and attention.
Living within the sacred requires us to embrace fully the divine plan of redemption.
We can live here.
We can grow here.
We can be holy…here.
The Holy Spirit will transform us…
the only question is are we willing to live here no matter what the cost or earthly sacrifice?

Something more for us to ponder today.

April 6, 2015 2

Category: Holy Spirit