Honest Questions…

What if I actually did as Jesus instructed? What would that look like? Would the world be better off because of it? If I actually loved my enemy. If I actually extended grace that extra mile. If I actually opened my heart to the whosoever? What would that look like?

What if I actually got serious about disciplining my thought processes? The way that I think. After all didn’t Jesus say that even if we think about adultery we’ve already committed it in our hearts? What would it look like if I applied the Paul principles in my life? If I pondered on all things true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy…(Philippians 4:8)? What would come of thinking this way? If I got rid of all the junk, filth, malice, hate and envy? If I, like David, asked God instead to create in me a clean heart and to renew that right spirit within me (Ps 51)…how would I be different than I am now?

What if I got serious about holiness? If I actually started listening to those promptings of the Holy Spirit to truly surrender all? If I stopped holding onto to those darker portions of my heart. If I stopped messing around thinking that there’s always time later to mature in this thing called ‘faith’. How would this surrender take over my life? Would I be truly transformed? Would I be more confident? Would I have more assurance of His grace in me? What if His holiness became a priority instead of a temporary, on again off again passing phase? What if I got serious and got disciplined in this faith?

What if I stopped talking all the time in my prayers and actually began to listen? What would I hear Him say? What is He saying right now? Am I afraid of His words? Am I dreading wrath or condemnation? Have I been putting off these listening ears because I would rather ask Him for things instead of do what He wants of me? And why don’t I spend more time studying His Word? Why is it laborious for me to read a single chapter but I can spend hours in front of the TV, with my fiction books and surfing the web? Am I afraid of what He might say to me regarding my other idle activities? Would I be convicted too much? I can justify it all away, I can say ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’ but never really mean the words that I say.

What if I was honest with myself…with Him? What if…what if…what if. Perhaps it’s time to stop asking ‘what ifs’ and starting asking why not now? What am I waiting for? Why am I stalling? What are the reasons? WHY NOT NOW?

-Just a few honest questions.

September 20, 2013 0

Salvation Army Identity Crisis?

I’ve heard it from both sides of the argument. The Salvation Army is a movement not an organization…wait what? Is it an unorganized movement then? Certainly what began as a movement as grown, hasn’t it? We are an entity within the universal Christian church. We, in every aspect of the theological argument have become another denomination, though some within our ranks might spurn that notion. Don’t believe me? Look it up on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations scroll down towards the middle of the list of denominations and you will find The Salvation Army listed under ‘Pietists and Holiness Churches’.

So let’s move on from that identity issue to the two main pivotal perspectives that I would like to look at rather closely.

Argument #1: The Salvation Army has become just another social service institution.

I can certainly see why some within our ranks would argue this point. Within the US, specifically, many programs to those in need are either completely or marginally dependent upon government funding sources. Much of our professional staffing can also be used to lend support of this argument. Also another source that might lend credence to this assumption stems from the adoption of its newest brand in 2005 of ‘Doing the most good‘. If you merely look at the wording, one could make the leap that the identity of the Army is shifting in the face of public perceptions and opinions. Put a new branding on the Army such as ‘Doing the most Good’ and now you can compete with other social service agencies which are in turn competing for the same public/government funding sources. And as we compete, we now how place our services ahead of other agencies because, after all, we do the most good…better than the rest.

Now before you write me some hate mail, let me just clarify; I am merely presenting one of the arguments within this identity crisis. This is not specifically my opinion but it is an opinion or as our Army likes to say, it is a perception. Right or wrong when a brand, even taken out of context, is utilized within a media savvy culture this common perception may or may not prevail. To say that we do not care what the public thinks would certainly be erroneous and untrue. Public support, both financially and physically, are necessary to our success as a ministry to those in need. We need reinforcements as well as the means to make things happen.

This specific argument that we are shifting our identity to become more of a social service agency and are too dependent on governmental funds does have some merit and weight behind it. There is certainly a danger that we may lose our identity of origin if we are not mindful of mission that is…which brings me to the other side of the argument…

Argument #2: The Salvation Army is a Church.

This argument prevails within our corps’ mission at times. Corps Councils at times get together and bemoan the fact that there is little to no ‘bridging’ going on between corps ministry and the weekly social service office which is always packed with people in need. At the extreme end of this argument are those who are so pious and holy in appearance yet they do little besides complain about the state of things instead of actually doing something about it. Not only is it the job of the corps officer to find and enact engaging and relevant ministry, but it is the primary job of the soldiery of that corps to suggest, lead, engage and do this important work as well! All too often this identity argument that The Salvation Army is first a church is water thin because many corps are seeing a decrease in Sunday attendance. It is not that Officers are not trying, however could it be that some of the programs that we offer need to be revamped or even given the boot? If this identity of Church truly ‘sticks’ then why aren’t we seeing consistent substantial growth in our corps…and I’m not just talking about the bigger corps in large metropolitan areas either, every corps in every city. In my opinion (here’s my take), one of the reasons we are seeing this identity of ‘church’ diminish in the pews is because of our history. By that I mean, if we explore the reasons for our initial explosion as a ‘Movement’ we will find that our founders were willing to try and risk anything to get people saved. Slogans like ‘Go for the worst‘ didn’t come because the early Army was playing it safe. They tried anything and sought to connect with the culture in which they ministered to. Today, we have much to lose if we risk as they once did. Programs are great but I believe sometimes our programs become a crutch and limit what we actually do or risk. Booth would close corps in a heartbeat if they were not growing, today we have too much invested in them to watch them fail or close their doors. In essence we are protecting our investments and often times we are more willing to play it safe and rest on our laurels than do something different.

This identity of ‘The Salvation Army is a church’ insulates us. It protects our accomplishments and we pull back in the risk department.

SO WHAT ARE YOU THEN?

Are we a social service agency or are we a church? The answer is….YES. 😉

What do I mean? If we lose either of these important aspects of our movement as an Army for Christ then we are finished. We might as well pack up and find another mission or ministry to serve under. There is a fine line here. It is a cautionary hazard reminding us not to veer too far in either direction. Church, get out of the slow, protective lane of tradition and heritage. Social Service, pull your hands back from the governmental piggy bank that places severe limits on what you can do in the name of Christ. Don’t become so dependent on money and thereby replace Christ with the worship of funds. We are a mission, an adaptive moving fluid mission for Christ. This is what we ought to be. We must not lose sight of why we are here in the first place. We must not forget that souls need to be both clothed, fed and with the physical and the spiritual. We cannot allow this notion that we are one or the other to divide us. We are One army, to quote our recent international theme. We must continue to serve Christ in such a way that He provides and He blesses instead of seeking for the approval man. Instead of playing it safe and insulating yet another army rich tradition behind polyester uniforms and archaic irrelevant programs, We need to keep moving forward not backward. The danger is when we shift from an organized movement to just an organization we stop moving…we stop striving forward in our relevancy in ministry.

We cannot afford to separate this identity as an Army. To do so, we face a slow, polarizing organizational death. I pray for more risk takers to be added to our ranks. I pray for more missionally minded Officers and Soldiers alike. I pray that we get up out of our pews and start doing something that reach a poor soul and touches the lost for Christ in the process. If we keep Christ as the face of our Army, we will not lose strength, we will ever be in tuned to His Holy Spirit’s prompting and moving for Him. If we ever get to the point that we care more about our Army than we do about Christ and His mission for us then we will have lost this vital and most pivotal identity and risk losing so much more than just our uniform.

September 10, 2013 0

Get Moving…into Spiritual Fitness

There was sweat pouring and pooling on and around the collar of my workout shirt. It hadn’t taken me long to break a sweat. ‘Is that normal?’ I wondered to myself as I continued to pump my legs up and down as I strained towards another invisible incline on the elliptical machine. I stared straight ahead, bored to tears at the lack of scenery in my living room all the while motivational ‘cardio’ music pumped through my earphones. ‘Don’t look down’ I kept saying to myself, ‘don’t look down’. One would imagine I was walking a tightrope a thousand feet in the air if they had heard my mantra. Yet my eye inevitably looked down upon the elliptical machine’s work out clock…I still had plenty of time yet to complete. My work out was far from over. I groaned.

Scolding myself for looking down again, I tuned into the music which pumped out another fast rhythmic beat. I matched the rhythm with my strides on the elliptical. I was determined to make it over the next incline. I gritted my teeth and pushed through the discomfort and the screaming protests of my muscles. The effort would be worth it, I kept telling myself. There was a goal in mind, to lose weight to feel healthier and to live a longer more productive life. I knew that there would be miles and a miles of invisible inclines to go but my goal was worth the sweat and tears. My goal would payoff in the end.

It got me thinking. Isn’t that the image that we get when the Apostle Paul talked about running and about the prize of eternal life?

Check this out:
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” -1 Corinthians 9:24

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 3:14

Application:
The Apostle Paul, a former persecutor of Christians, humbly and openly admitted that he was not there yet. He hadn’t crested that imaginary incline of faith. He knew that there was still work to be done within his life. He still was lacking and coming up out of breath spiritually. Yet his short comings were not going to deter him from seeking and attaining his goal.

What is your goal? What are you striving to become within God’s kingdom? Are you serious about your pursuit of personal holiness? Are you committed to that seemingly invisible incline of faith? God doesn’t want to leave us (nor will He) at the Altar of our initial sanctification (our salvation story)! His Holy Spirit wants to do a work within us. An amazing work within us! He wants us 100% committed to Him for His purpose and mission! But we have to be willing to move from spiritual infancy to a deeper more lasting spiritual maturity. This move takes place when we get serious about our relationship to Christ. It’s deeply personal and only we can make the decision to move. The Holy Spirit will prompt, prod and even convict us but we are the ones who have to make the conscientious decision to get up and move. There will be sweat and sacrifice, of that we can be sure of. Yet if we make the move, we begin to tap into the very power of the Holy Spirit who can help us and sustain us in this discipline of holiness.

What are your personal goals as a Christ-follower? There is a purpose for each of us as fellow sojourners. God does not want us to settle for mediocrity in our faith. Nor does He want us to become out of shape (spiritually), lazy and without missional purpose. There is so much more He wants of us, but in order to accomplish anything for Him, we have to have the right priorities in place in our lives.

Prioritizing Spiritual Fitness:
These priorities begin with our daily spiritual workout. That spiritual workout consists of our daily even moment by moment conversations with God. How can we train, how can we run in this faith without first being plugged into the very source of our hope and salvation? A daily discipline of feasting on the word of God, coupled with our prayerful conversations with Him will set us in the right direction of forward progress in our personal and spiritual growth. Without these two main components placed as top priority in our lives, we face the possibility of becoming utterly lost in our jumbled world which could be full of empty pursuits. The Holy Spirit can shape us and mold us, if we allow Him to, but it takes effort and willingness on our part. We have to be available and willing to move.

Are you ready to work out? Are you prepared to sweat and strain for the goal of being Christ-like in your life? Then it’s time to get up and move. Don’t ignore the Holy Spirit’s promptings in your life, He wants to complete that work in you…are you willing? Are you ready? Let’s go.

September 9, 2013 2

At the moment of resignation and surrender (Poem)

I want to grasp your hand dear Lord

But my grip is oh so weak

An ebbing strength of childlike hands

dulled senses, calloused and poor.

Yet as fingertips extend to where

They have never touched the heavens

All blood escapes as gravity closes in for a closer look

Kissing the heart strings as I strain

But Lord how feeble I must seem

All the while you, in all your glory

Indescribable in your majesty and might.

Even though I reach and strain

Gritting teeth and labored breath

I am no closer to you than when I started…

It is in a moment of complete resignation

Shoulders slumped, eye lids shut

Bitterness on the tongue pushed back

Swallowed and helplessness in my heart…

It is in this moment of complete and utter

Abandon of self-worth and personal gain

That I feel something.

That I feel a touch.

That I feel a warmth, like never before

As blazing fingertips extend and grasp onto mine

As I pull back in surprise for but a moment

As I recognize that I am in your very presence

Totally lost, powerless and surrendered…

You hold my hands in yours, I can feel your power

I can feel your strength as if it beckons me to

Believe.

Looking up, hesitant, penitent

I find love.

I find joy.

I find peace.

All of my labored aching ceases

I am whole.

I am found.

I am Yours.

September 6, 2013 0

My Life = Christ’s Broken Bread

Think of it. A life completely devoted to the cause of Christ. Not a divided life, where half is devoted to Christ and half is devoted to self…but completely and utterly surrendered to the cause of Christ.

For some, dare I say most, being Christ’s broken bread sounds great on paper. It even sounds romantic to some degree, but truly living a broken life before God and man is an extremely daunting task indeed.

Galatians 2:20 the Apostle Paul tells us; “I have been Crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and have himself for me.”

There is a very disturbing image for us here. The suffering and death of Christ for the world becomes the very image we too take on as we become Christ’s broken bread to the world around us. It transforms us into what Christ said would happen to His disciples: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26)

Our borrowed time, our pooled financial resources, our hobbies and precious treasures…they mean nothing if they are not subjected to the filter of Christ on the cross. Everything will eventually pass away. Everything will eventually disappear from us. But one thing will remain: God’s love for us, His people.

In return, our duty, our purpose for living ought to transform our thoughts, our passions, our perceptions of the stuff we own…all of it in the spectrum of grace and redemption.

Why do we need to become Christ’s broken bread?

Because there are countless souls in our world who need salvation! There are many lives who are still lost in the darkness of sin and certain death! Without willing servants of Christ giving their all in His services, they will perish! Some might utter the excuses like “the Holy Spirit can save them”, and rightly so but Christ has sent US to be His ambassadors into this world. The Holy Spirit is with us in this venture! Without the willing hands and feet of Christ, who have been broken and humbles before His love and grace, the great commission cannot be fulfilled.

We are called people. Set apart for His holy purpose in this world wrought with sin! People in our own neighborhoods are lost and in need of anyone who is willing to love them and show them this amazing Christ whom we serve! There are countless souls caught up in addictions of all kinds who are in need of the extension of grace that Christ has given to us.

Who will be Christ’s broken bread to them? Will you? Will I? This isn’t some part-time calling. It’s full-time within our occupations and our passions! We are called to be His broken bread to the world, and that starts with our family’s, neighbors, friends and even enemies. It will not be easy! There will be days in which we will utterly fail along the way. Other days when we will be scorned and mocked. Yet this humbled state of servants of Christ brings upon our lives such a richness of mercy, grace and love!

-Just a thought.

“My life must be Christ’s broken bread,

My love his outpoured wine,

A cup o’erfilled, a table spread

beneath his name and sign,

that other souls, refreshed and fed,

may share his life through mine.“

(Albert Orsborn SASB 512)

July 30, 2013 1

My Prayer (A Poem)

Father,

Let my hands, marred and filthy

Be cleansed, purified and true

So that I can reach a world that’s dying

And let them find you.

Spirit,

Let this tongue, course and violent

Touch the coals from your holy fire

So that I might speak of truth

And love might penetrate this liar.

Jesus,

Let my heart, selfish and vain

Beat for the hurting and the lost

So that, with your power and might

Your blood might drown the cost

Holiness,

What my heart should love and fear

Christlikeness, breaking sin’s dark mold

This body, soul and mind brought low

So that I, in Christ, a servant…may be bold.

July 29, 2013 0

Joy & Hope…Retrain the Brain.

Two simple words. Yet all too the often these words fail to connect with humanity. All too often hate and sorrow are life’s constant companion. All too often if joy is captured at all it is but a brief glimpse, a blink of the eye…and then it’s gone.

How can we capture and experience true joy and hope? How can life become so much more potent and alive? It begins with a climb up a sheer rock face. Not a real climb mind you, but a journey within one’s thoughts and attitudes. This climb takes us from where we are to a place above in which we train our minds and prepare our thoughts. Where we change the thought patterns within our lives and attempt to see life around us as we have never seen it before.

This isn’t some new age philosophy here either. We aren’t attempting to reach within ourselves, and recognizing our bad habits within our own thoughts. We face the blatant behaviors and poor choices. We confront the darkness that resides within our minds. This is the place where hatred, selfishness, sadness, and greed reside. Our minds truly are a battle field. We wage a war that is mostly unseen. It may sound mystical but in reality where do our actions come from? -Our thoughts. Where do those choices come from which hurt others, hurt ourselves and lead us into deeper alleys of sadness? -Our thoughts.

What would happen, if we could change this pattern of thinking? What would happen if we could redirect our thinking and what we think on? What would happen is that we could begin to experience joy and hope not just in mere fragments but in every instance.

So how do we do this? How do we capture our thoughts and conquer these dark patterns?

1. Seek Guidance:

Understand that we have been created by God and that His fellowship with us can and will change and transform us. This isn’t some sort of dogma we chant or words we use to line up the masses all straight and uniform in organized religion either. This is a very personal and intimate relationship that God desires from each of us. When He sent His one and only Son to die for our sins He made a way for that relationship to be restored once and for all. So when we confess our dark patterns to Him and accept His Son, Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives we are accepting a better path.

This relationship offers guidance to a better way of living too. Do you know that followers of Jesus were once called ‘followers of The Way’? This is truth for us today. Because Jesus offers us a better way to live. One that frees us from the bondages of sin and those dark patterns of thinking.

His guidance is available to us and is truly the only way by which we can truly conquer the unhealthy and dark patterns of thinking. We begin this climb by asking for God’s guidance through prayer and supplication. But don’t stop with just your words speaking repetitions and utterances…listen.

2. Listening:

Part of the conversation with anyone and even God is not only talking but listening. This is where instruction and guidance can begin. We need to prostrate ourselves before God and be available to listen…simply listen. How else are we to hear from God if we do all of the talking? Psalm 46:10 says “Be still and know that I am God…” Be still…we are to stop and listen, to be still and hear. Listening takes patience, silence from distractions and tuning into what God is saying to us. This act is truly an act of personal worship in a very intimate setting. It’s not some mystical mumbo jumbo that we do. You may not audibly hear God speak to you, but within our hearts resides his voice…within our soul He longs to permanently take up reside. He will speak to us in moments of silence and in moments of deep devotion. But all too often we are so distracted by the world around us that we hardly tune in to hear what he would say to us.

3. Meditate:

Not in some Eastern philosophy sense, but rather meditate on the very words of God. By that I mean read His words written for us in the Bible. Study it. Read the red letters of Jesus in the synoptic gospels. Read what Paul instructs the early churches to do. Understand what James has to say about the tongue in His book. Study the Bible, don’t approach it as some task or arduous homework assignment either. Do it out of love and devotion to God and the longing to live a healthier, holier life-style.

4. Discipline yourself:

Not by flogging yourself or punishing the flesh, by any means…but by being disciplined in your daily routines and attitudes. Be serious about wanting this joy and hope in your life. When we seek His guidance and listen to His voice we begin to find peace and understanding. We begin to want to spend more time with Him. For some five minutes in prayer is very difficult, but if we discipline ourselves in regards to prayer we will slowly begin to find five minutes isn’t nearly enough time to talk with God.

2 Corinthians 10:5b says, “…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” We we can make this climb out of our dark patterns of thought through God’s help, we will begin to understand this verse. We can truly experience pure joy and hope because we have, through the power of the Holy Spirit, taken captive of every thought. And we are in turn thinking within the realms of Joy and Hope.

Does this seem far fetched to you? I hope it doesn’t because God does not want us to reside any longer in the darkness of our minds, but He wants us to surrender every nook and cranny of our body, soul and mind to Him. When we are or have done so little by little we can begin to experience this joy and hope in every moment of our lives.

July 12, 2013 1

Sermon Podcast: “Living for God” by Captain Scott Strissel

New Sermon Podcast is up follow it here: http://scottstrissel.podomatic.com/entry/2013-06-23T11_08_34-07_00

1 Peter 4:7-11 (NIV)
⁷The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. ⁸Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Sermon Transcript:

Living For God

How to live consistently as a Christian:

1) Be Clear__ Minded__ (v7)

Clear minded implies that we can’t be of two minds about our faith in Jesus…it’s either all in or nothing! Peter is reminding us that our commitment to God is complete not just a portion but everything…body soul and mind.

Do you have doubts? Do you struggle with worry? Are you fearful that you aren’t good enough for this cause of Christ? Wrong…don’t let second guessing hold you back either! The mind can be a battle ground that Satan likes to prowl, but if we allow him access he will give you doubt, give you uncertainty of your mission and cause you to doubt you were even called in the first place!

2)Be Self-Controlled (7b)

Secondly in order to live for God you have to be disciplined. That’s what self-control means. How do you control what you put into this body of Christ? How do you maintain your devotion life with God? How do you continue to live for Him and be clear-minded? You have to exercise self-control and be disciplined. Our lives can be chaotic at times, we may get so busy that we forget to pray or read His word and that’s when we can starve our spirit. Did you know that our spirits require sustenance? How else can we continue to live for God if we’re not reading what He has said to us? How else can we continue to live for God if we aren’t feasting on his promises and finding peace with His still small voice? Why are we to be disciplined?

Why? so that you can Pray!(v7)

We some- times doubt prayer…and its effectiveness. We sometimes doubt that prayer is really THAT vital. Have you ever had someone tell you that they would pray for you? Have you ever felt the effects of people gathered together to pray for you? Sometimes we treat prayer as if it is a secondary after thought. We pray to get ourselves out of trouble…we pray when times get difficult, but do we actually treat prayer as a primary weapon?

Do you consider prayer to be a primary weapon? IF you haven’t before I would like for you to consider the potency and power of prayer! Prayer is vital but it shouldn’t just be used as a reactive weapon…you know what I mean by reactive don’t you? Prayer shouldn’t be something we just do when something bad happens to us…or happens to someone else. Prayer ought to be a proactive discipline we should strive to hone in our own life. Instead of prayer being a reactive thing that we do, we should instead pray over every area of our lives… “Lord thank you for my family, how blessed I am that you have given me this group of dysfunctional people…” Ok maybe not quite like that…but you get what I’m saying? Pray for people and reflect on the blessings that God has given you! When we arm ourselves with proactive prayer…do you know what takes place? We have placed everything already at God’s feet! We essentially are saying the Lord’s prayer when we do this in that we’re stating in our actions “Lord, thy will be done…in all of my life!” Living for God implies that our conversations with God are not just reactionary prayers of petition…but we are arming ourselves with His might and His power. This type of prayer life creates too in us a disciplined lifestyle. We begin to expect His responses, we begin to converse with Him as freely as if we were talking to a good friend. We begin to find His hand in our lives and through the things that we experience. He guides us into a deeper relationship with Him which is holiness.

3) Love_______Deeply_ because it brings

Forgiveness and Acceptance_(v8)

3rdly in order to live a godly life we ought to love deeply. When we love deeply and without any kind of hidden agenda or selfish motives we begin to experience Agapa love. Agappa love is godly love. Love that permeates who God is…that’s the kind of love that sent Jesus to the cross for us. That’s the kind of love that doesn’t want us to remain in a state of sinfulness but wants a right relationship with us. Godly love is something that far too few possess. When we fulfill that first command to Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” What we are saying is I no longer put the needs of myself first. I no longer wish to be God in my life…but I am giving God his rightful place in all things. And in the same breath I am then saying I will also love others as I love myself.

How can this be? People are tough to love aren’t they? Especially if those neighbors are seemingly unloveable people. Yet we are called to love them as we love ourself. DO YOU?

If we get this love of God right…the rest falls into place. If we can worship our Lord with all of our hearts instead of just a portion, then we can do this other thing regarding loving our neighbors.

When we love deeply as this scripture passage says we begin to focus less on the transgressions of our neighbors and instead focus more on the grace and love of God who first loved us in our awful state.

This passage says love covers over a multitude of sins…let me ask you…has someone sinned against you? Has someone wronged you so painfully? Has someone hurt you to the point that you can seem to find it in your heart to forgive them? Let God help you…You can’t possibly do this on your own. You aren’t supposed to. But when we love as God first loved us this paves the way for healing. This paves the way for forgiveness and reconciliation. It won’t be easy, but His grace is enough! His power can do the impossible! Do you believe that?

4) Use the Gifts God_ has given you!

(V.11)

“Living for God” 1Peter 4:7-11

June 23, 2013 0

A Holiness for 1

Holiness is often something Christians view as the Everest of the spiritual realm. It is formidable, the price is steep, and many turn back within its clefts and craggy cliffs. Why is this misnomer on holiness so prevalent? Corps members whom I’ve spoken with tell me that holiness is impossible or just too hard…I am shocked when I hear them tell me this. Commonly I will ask them why they think that holiness is impossible, and usually there will be those who respond by saying because to be holy you have to be perfect. But is that correct? Holiness is perfection? I would have to say a resounding ‘no’! We are still sinners saved by grace, and ultimate perfection or total sanctification will only take place when we finally come face to face with Christ in Eternity. But though we are still imperfect, the Holy Spirit is making us perfectly into the image of Christ if we allow Him to do so.

Holiness first and foremost is submitting to the will of God in every aspect of our lives. We say to the Lord, “Not my will but Yours, and you can have all there is of me.” Does this imply that we automatically become perfect? Absolutely not. We still struggle, we still ought to pray “Lord lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil…” Because the fact of the matter is we will still face temptation in this life. Holiness isn’t about automatically living in perfection, but rather about walking in the footsteps of Jesus and allowing His Holy Spirit to transform you into the image of Christ in this life. We reject the old sinful self, as well embrace the new creation which is Christ in us.

Another aspect of holiness that I feel we often get wrong is this notion that it’s a corporate holiness. Meaning that holiness is first done as a body of Christ. I think we get this backwards. We have to first be transformed and sanctified individually before we are holy in corporate fellowship. General Shaw Clifton once put it this way in reference to Samuel Logan Brengle: “His (SLB) constant emphasis was upon personal holiness. Now we hear much today about institutional holiness but I cannot help thinking sometimes that this misses the point. There can be no institutional holiness without your personal holiness and mine. Only then can institutional holiness flow through an organization.” (Select Writings, Clifton. pg.181)

So what does this holiness for one look like?

Like Daniel of old, do we have a prayer closet? A place where we daily kneel before our Lord and pray and fellowship with Him? These moments of solitary fellowship are vital to our personal holiness. Do we allow Him the first fruits of our time, our talent and our treasure? Is He included in everything that we do or do we often leave Him at home with our devotions or bible by the night stand? I believe Brother Lawrence had it right as well, and let me take his ideology one step further. We practice the presence of God in every moment of every day…is it possible? Yes. Difficult? Of course! But transforming holiness in our personal lives ought to be moment by moment within our day and not just during our devotions in the morning or evening. Our fellowship with God on a moment by moment basis draws us closer to Him and to His very will for our lives.

These are sacred things should not to be trifled with or taken lightly. If we, as His people, are truly serious about living holy lives and embracing this theology of holiness then, as difficult as it is, we ought to practice living within His presence on a moment by moment basis. This is a holiness for one! We invite Him into our thoughts, every corner of them. The Holy Spirit will bring conviction when areas yet to be surrendered are brought into His light. He will also provide affirmation to us when we are growing and on the right path.

When this intimate setting for one is preserved in us and our lives are His, then and only then will can we begin to look at the corporate body of Christ through the lens of holiness.

June 14, 2013 0

Sad News: General Bond to Retire.

Today shock waves reverberated around The Salvation Army world when the news of the sudden retirement of its General, Linda Bond was announced. Many expressed sadness and confusion along with many, many questions.

(The Official News Link: http://news.salvationarmy.org.uk/announcement-retirement-general-linda-bond )

I believe as an Army we should refrain from idle speculation and avoid the winds of gossip and instead lift up our leadership and General Bond in prayer. If we are truly One Army, then we ought to come together as one Army and bathe this sudden transition in prayer. Though many hearts are burdened and saddened with questions, may our mission and our purpose never waver! We are an Army of Holiness and if we are truly sanctified people then we have placed our trust fully on God in the midst of often turbulent news.

I, personally was honored to hear General Linda Bond preach the word of Christ, and I felt His Holy Spirit fall upon His people. I was challenged and blessed by her ministry, and though I am but a lowly corps officer I felt God’s empowering words flow through her messages.

General Linda Bond has left a lasting impact on this Army, though her leadership was cut a year short, I am confident in the One who appointed her through the Army leadership located around the world. I also pray for whatever lies ahead for General Bond as she heads into retirement, knowing that the Lord is truly not finished with her yet.

May God continue to Bless The Salvation Army, it’s ministry and mission around the world…and may we ever be diligent in proclaiming Christ in everything we do!

God Bless you General Bond, and we will continue to lift you up in our prayers as you move into retirement!

***Update: please read a follow-up to this article on this blog regarding the High Council and dates of initial proceedings: https://scottstrissel.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/electing-a-new-general-of-the-salvation-army/

A CALL TO A MONTH OF PRAYER: https://scottstrissel.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/general-election-an-officers-perspective-and-a-call-to-a-month-of-prayer/

June 13, 2013 12

Tag: Holiness