Dartford for Christ - then the world!

So the Bale family are off to Dartford, a small town on the very outskirts of London. Step out of the hall and you step onto the town High Street - I can't think of a better placed bridgehead from which to mount all out war on the enemy. Lots of social need in the area and of course plenty of people hungry for the gospel.

The SA has a great history in the town...

One Sunday in September 1886, two Salvation Army lasses were brought to Dartford to begin a pioneering work in the town. The early days of the Salvation Army in Dartford were characterised by opposition and hard work. Despite initial opposition, the Salvation Army attracted a strong following in Dartford, local drunkards and criminals were converted to Christianity. A brass band was quickly formed to accompany worship and to attract people to open air meetings.

After holding open air meetings in Dartford for more than twenty years, a dispute arose with the local authorities regarding the Salvation Army's use of the Bull Centre (outside the Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel) for their street services. A general ban on outdoor meetings in Dartford was introduced and the police were ordered to ensure that the ban was enforced. The Salvationists ignored the new ruling and continued to hold their street meetings. A number of their members were summoned by the Dartford police for obstruction. Rather than pay the fine imposed by the local Courts, some of the Dartford Salvation Army Corps members elected to go to prison at Maidstone. This incident caused a public outcry.

The imprisoned Salvationists were given a hero's welcome when they were released from prison and returned to Dartford in triumph. Possibly the largest crowd ever to assemble in central Dartford greeted the Salvationists. The dispute was later settled at a formal meeting between the Salvation Army, the local council and the Kent Police.

A local newspaper report from the day reported the incident like this:

In defence of the Salvation Army - wild scenes on the streets of Dartford

There was a massive and fervent response to the arrest of Dartford's Salvationists. A defence committee was formed to co-ordinate the protest campaign. Public meetings of protest attracted large crowds; protest marches were held and banners, slogans and posters appeared all over the town.

Banners declared 'IMPRISONED FOR CONSCIENCE SAKE'; 'DEFEND RELIGIOUS AND PERSONAL LIBERTY' and 'WE DEMAND LIBERTY TO PREACH CHRIST'. 15,000 people gathered at Dartford Station to welcome home the prisoners when released from jail, two of them still wearing their prison uniforms bearing broad arrows.

During the course of the exuberant celebrations the Dartford police were stoned and pelted with rotten fish heads and bad eggs. Hooligans used the occasion to vent their spleen on the local constabulary. Dartford's Superintendent Poole was pelted for four hours. Policemen were stoned to the station. There were violent speeches at the Drill Hall - a torrent of rancorous abuse."

Sadly there is no band at the Corps now and some over-zealous Officer in the past decided to sell all the instruments! However the Corps does still sell 'War Crys' round the pubs and that is something I am looking forward to.

Read the following in my devotions this morning...

"The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

God bless, redeem and sanctify the people of Dartford!

Yours set apart by Christ, for the lost, in the Army!

Take the land!

Tomorrow farewell/marching orders are issued to Officers in the UK and for the first time in 17 years my name will be mentioned in dispatches!

Along with a whole host of other Officers we will receive our appointment.

At our family devotions this morning we read the following scripture from Joshua 1: 3-9

"I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

My understanding is that the ‘law’ for a Christian can be summarised in just two commands –

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

The first command is of course a call to holiness and is for the serious believer the minimum requirement of Christianity.

I believe that if we as a couple are obedient to this command that God will fulfil the promise quoted above from Joshua.

Wherever we go - as long as we are ‘careful to obey’ and are ‘strong and courageous’ - will be the ‘promised land’ and we “will be prosperous and successful.”

This promise is for us and for all Officers.

I can't post a comment to my own blog at the moment - so this is for Graeme and anyone else interested in the myth of cultural relevance.

Graeme says

“...the methods by which the early Army evangelised were very much reliant on cultural relevance. I believe that ignoring this fact actually devalues the work of those early pioneers.”

The early pioneers had no strategy – they were reactive to the Spirit within them. They acted naturally. Apart from ‘The darkest England’ scheme you will find no record of any of the pioneers either together or individually drawing up a strategy. They did what they did because they were so inspired. Take Railton for example - perhaps our greatest pioneer - an effective evangelist in Africa, Turkey, Germany even Japan and China - he had no plan or strategy (true he was an incredible linguist) but apart from that all he had was his poverty, a heart full of love and the courage to preach.

I always think we tend to forget the purpose of that very first spiritual gift given at Pentecost – it was the ability to communicate with people who had a different language – the gift was cross cultural communication.

Graeme continues “We need people who are prepared to seek ways to put across the very real message that the majority of people in this world are going to Hell. What are the ways of doing this in a culturally relevant way? How can we take the modern day cultural icons and redeem them for use by the Kingdom, in the same way as throughout Christian history those who have gone before did? I am strongly committed to the cause of holiness, but the Lord is leading me to ask the questions about the methods we will use into the future in order to communicate and fulfil the divine charge of Matthew 28:19-20.”

I am glad that you are ‘strongly committed to the cause of holiness’ and that you are asking questions about the methods we will use to communicate in the future – both of these points are very encouraging.

But if you look back at the history of revival the leaders did not deliberately set out to hijack the cultural icons of their day - whether it's Edwards, Wesley, Caughey, Finney, Palmer or Booth they had no plan. The simply followed the leade of the Spirit.

I think that true holiness will answer the questions you are asking – holiness gives us all the Spirit’s gifts and collectively they are our armoury in the area of communication.

I believe we’ll find the answer to these questions on our knees just as our forbears did. I am certain from the content and tone of your posts that this is where you often are!

I hope this response doesn’t sound anti-intellectual – I just think it is so important that we don’t let our own creativity get in the way of what God wants us to do – I have seen this happen in the UK.

Eg. Open air meetings - on a Sunday morning at 10 am in front of a double glazed house their pants - but on a Friday night at 10:30 pm in downtown club land (as the drunks and party goers reel onto the streets) they are brilliant - ask Cory Harrison.


Much love and prayers
A

Google earth and strategic warfare prayer!

I have just had a great idea - my two girls were messing around with Google Earth. I'd just looked up someone's contact details to send them an email thanking them for writing a song we used in the holiness meeting this morning. Just for fun I stuck their post code in Google Earth and suddenly found myself (from the comfort of a home in South London UK) staring down at Phil Laeger's neighbourhood in the USA!

I suddenly thought that if we all swapped postcodes we could focus prayer on an area of need thousands of miles away from where we are - we could actually look at the area and get a feel for it (did you know that there's a dusty orange baseball pitch a few blocks from the Laeger residence?)

I think this could be a really powerful strategic weapon - I did a quick search for Vancouver so I could pray for the War College - much to my ignorance I didn't even know it was near the coast!

Anybody want to pray for me then please do my postcode is BR5 2AY we're ten doors up from the house with the blue trampoline - next door to us there's a silver car on the drive.

Let's focus as we pray with a clear image of our target - I think this could be really powerful - send me your postcodes and I'll get you in my sights!

Much love and prayer's

A

The myth of cultural relevance…

The myth of cultural relevance…

Picking up on the debate below by Teakles, Olivia, ‘No 3’ et al.

The following quote is taken from an article I wrote called ‘The past is good’, the whole article is available here. (JAC Issue 45) - It lays to rest the distracting myth of culteral releavance -

“Some argue that our earliest converts were familiar with the teachings of the bible and that society generally accepted the bible as true. Proponents of this theory would argue that if a Salvationist in 1880 confronted a sinner for long enough with the gospel the inevitable result would be repentance. This theory is well passed its sell by date and in desperate need of dismissal. Many of the Army’s earliest converts had experienced no contact with any kind of religious education whatsoever, many of them were unable to read or write and were accurately identified by the Army as belonging to an un-churched underclass. The gospel preached and the methods used in reality were no more culturally relevant to the un-churched masses then as might be the case today. The truth is that the gospel has never been culturally relevant – this was true when Judaic monotheistic Christians tried to convert polytheistic Greeks and Romans in the first century and it remains so today.

Our need is not to make the gospel (nor the Army) culturally relevant but to simply recognise the relevance of the gospel full stop.

The world needs Jesus, sinners need Jesus and it is the responsibility (and ought to be the natural desire) of the Salvationist to go after them. Without judgement, without hell, without heaven the Salvation Army is indeed redundant. We were raised up to be a mission engaged in the active redemption of the lost – quite literally plucking souls from the fires of hell. Take away man’s universal need for salvation, take away the urgency of our evangelism and we become like a hospital without patients or worse - Doctors without a cure.

In order to rediscover this essential our soldiers once again need to become ‘saved to save’. Collectively The Salvation Army needs to become a living corporate testimony to both the need for and the efficacy of Salvation. The truth is that not ‘one’ but millions of souls ‘remain without the light of God’ and God still requires an Army to go and fight for them.

O is not the Christ 'midst the crowd of today
Whose questioning cries do not cease?
And will he not show to the hearts that would know
The things that belong to their peace?
But how shall they hear if the preacher forbear
Or lack in compassionate zeal?
Or how shall hearts move with the Master's own love,
Without his anointing and seal?

In George Scott Railton’s book “Heathen England” printed in 1877, the old warrior expounding the value of open-air evangelism is asked “How many are considered necessary to undertake a procession?” – Railton’s response – ‘One!’"

Yours set apart by Christ, for the lost, in the Army.

PS - Olivia thanks for the prayer cover it is needed and appreciated :-)

A song for revival

I wrote the following yesterday whilst sitting at a pavement cafe in Camden.

The sun was shining and the world was going about its business,. The words will fit many tunes - I had South Shields (TB 444) in mind when I wrote it (I was thinking of BB's classic 'For thy mission make me holy') but you might prefer 'Vacant Chair' (TB 449). Feel free to sing along!

Lord your tired Army slumbers
Battle weary bruised and sore.
Friendly fire has hit our numbers
In the fog of holy war.
Compromise and worldly thinking
In the place of Pentecost
Leaves your Army sadly shrinking
From its call to save the lost.

Lord in mercy send your power
Cleanse our hearts with holy flame
Let your spirit in this hour
Makes us worthy of our name.

In the desert of delusion
Far from love’s refreshing rain.
God himself now asks the question
‘Can my Army live again?’
Only God can see tomorrow
Death and shame or Pentecost?
In your mercy see our sorrow
Send us out to save the lost.

‘Mighty warrior God is with you’
In the strength he has supplied,
With his perfect love within you
Crucify your selfish pride.
Now with no more hesitating
Claim ‘another Pentecost’
For a lonely world is waiting
For his church to save the lost.

Yours set apart, by Christ, for the lost in the Army!

A

Negative prophecy - or message of hope?

My Isaiah word certainly seems to have stirred things up – I say ‘my’ word but I sincerely believe it came from God.

I have had some wonderfully encouraging emails and more importantly news of other prophetic words from around the world all agreeing with this and with each other.

One of the concerns registered by some on the SA IHQ forum (and in comments here) has been the validity of prophecy within the modern church and how we discern what is from God and what is merely personal opinion dressed up as prophecy.

The following definition comes from the wonderful wikipedia.org (the amateur theologian’s best friend!) BTW the links are Wikipedia’s not mine.

“In the Bible prophecy is often referred as one of the fivefold ministries or spiritual gifts that accompany the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The five ministries being; Apostles; Prophets; Evangelists; Teachers and Pastors.(Eph. 4:11) The focus of prophecy is not just future events though, this is only part of the prophetic gifting. Prophets often brought words of comfort, exhortation or general upliftment to the Church. Paul teaches in Corinthians that it is for the benefit of the whole body. It is not meant in Christianity for believers to know the future. But it is important for God to speak to believers as he does through his prophets.”

Far too often prophetic words are see as missives of doom and gloom where as most prophetic words are (if read in context) positive.

If you went to see a Doctor and he told you that you had a particularly invasive form of cancer which threatened to kill you in 6 months you might understandably see that as negative news. However if he went on to tell you that with treatment, diet and exercise you could expect a complete cure his message (in context) would be far from hopeless.

In his first interview as General (almost a year ago to the day) Shaw Clifton said in response to the following question:

Do you have a sense of where that breaking and moulding needs to happen? What strategies do you want to use?”

"It is too early to be specific, but this High Council has mandated the next General to find appropriate, loving ways of asking The Salvation Army some fairly awkward, difficult questions. We are all exercised by the Army’s inability to grow numerically in certain parts of the world. We rejoice that in many places the Army is rapidly expanding. Globally we are bigger than ever before and getting bigger. This High Council has mandated me to ask: If God is withholding numerical growth from parts of the Army, why is that blessing withheld?Rather than discussing strategy, method, ceremony or even identity, I have a deep sense in my heart that God wants us to follow the example of the Old Testament prophets when they sensed God’s blessing was withheld. The prophets went to God’s people asking: Is there sin in the camp? Now that is a very difficult and pointed question. One has to be very tender and sensitive before even raising it but perhaps God is saying, ever so gently and ever so lovingly: I love you, Salvation Army, but would you please look within and see if there is sin in the camp, and if there is anything that causes the blessing to be withheld we must deal with it.Some issues will be personal to individual Salvationists, others will be corporate. I would like to find a way as General of being a catalyst and put that biblical question to Salvationists. We may find that as we draw nearer to him, closer to him in purity and righteousness, the blessings begin to flow where at present they sometimes appear to be withheld.”

Some might see the fact that God is withholding victory and blessing back as negative but take the General’s message in context and it becomes full of hope.

Let me reinforce what I said earlier - There is ‘sin in the camp’ (see Joshua 7 if you don’t know what this means) and this sin is holding back the growth and development of The Salvation Army. This sin (as the General states is both ‘personal’ and ‘corporate’. Failure to deal with it will result in death but earnest and sincere repentance with fasting accompanied by holiness, faith and obedience (prefect love) will result in global revival – what is negative about that?

God bless the Army!

A

Revival and the need for repentnance - this is positive!

An anonymous comment on my blog has asked for something positive - how about the following from the Daddy of Revivals Finney.

WHAT IS REVIVAL?
By Charles Finney

It presupposes that the church is sunk down in a backslidden state, and a revival consists in the return of the Church from her backslidings and the conversion of sinners.

1. The foundations of sin need to be broken up. A revival always includes conviction of sin on the part of the church. Backslidden professors cannot wake up and begin right away in the service of God without deep searchings of heart. The fountains of sin need to be broken up. In a true revival, Christians are always brought under such conviction; they see their sins in such a light that often they find it impossible to maintain a hope of their acceptance with God. It does not always go to that extent, but there are always, in a genuine revival, deep convictions of sin, and often cases of abandoning all hope.

2. Revival is a new beginning of obedience with God. Just as in the case of a converted sinner, the first step is a deep repentance, a breaking down of heart, a getting down into the dust before God, with humility, and a forsaking of sin.

3. Backslidden Christians will be brought to repentance. A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God. Just as in the case of a converted sinner, the first step is a deep repentance, a breaking down of heart, a getting down into the dust before God, with deep humility, and a forsaking of sin.

4. Christians will have their faith renewed. While they are in their Backslidden state they are blind to the state of sinners. Their hearts are hard as marble. The truths of the Bible appear like a dream. They admit it to be all true; their conscience and their judgment assent to it; but their faith does not see it standing out in bold relief, in all the burning realities of eternity. But when they enter into a revival, they no longer see "men as trees, walking," but they see things in that strong light which will renew the love of God in their hearts. This will lead them to labor zealously to bring others to Him. They will feel grieved that others do not love God, when they love Him so much. And they will set themselves feelingly to persuade their neighbors to give Him their hearts. So their love to men will be renewed. They will be filled with a tender and burning love for souls. They will have a longing desire for the salvation of the whole world. They will be in an agony for individuals whom they want to have saved--their friends, relations, enemies. They will not only be urging them to give their hearts to God, but they will carry them to God in the arms of faith, and with strong crying and tears beseech God to have mercy on them, and save their souls from endless burnings.

5. A revival breaks the power of the world and of sin over Christians. It brings them to such vantage ground that they get a fresh impulse towards heaven; they have a new foretaste of heaven, and new desires after union with God; thus the charm of the world is broken, and the power of sin overcome.

6. When the Churches are thus awakened and reformed, the reformation and salvation of sinners will follow. Their hearts will be broken down and changed. Very often the most abandoned profligates are among the subjects. Harlots, and drunkards, and infidels, and all sorts of abandoned characters, are awakened and converted. The worst of human beings are softened and reclaimed, and made to appear as lovely specimens of the beauty of holiness.

7. When a revival can be expected? A revival may be expected when Christians have a spirit of prayer for a revival. That is, when they pray as if their hearts were set upon it. When Christians have the spirit of prayer for a revival. When they go about groaning out their hearts desire. When they have real travail of soul.

I think that this is very positive - my Isaiah 1 posting was not about God destroying the Army it was about the fact that God wants to revive one of his favoured Children - God wants to know if we are up for it? Are we willing to meet the conditions he has set down for revival - he wants to revive us!

Overall the responses I have recieved would seem to suggest that we are willing and that is positive.

It would appear that we really do 'want another pentecost' and it will start when we get on our knees... and on our knees is where many of us are often found - Hallelujah!

Bring it on Lord Jesus bring it on!

Yours praying for and expecting revival!

A

Two Armies?

I recently posted the Isaiah 1 prophecy on the SA International Discussion Forum and have been amazed at the reaction of some Officers.

Whilst there were some very positive comments some were extremely personal, unfounded and from a theological point of view (quite scary!)

Are we actually becoming two Armies?

One committed to pesonal holiness and winning the lost for Jesus and the other only nominally committed to these two aims?

One Officer even suggested that I should be reported to the General, TC and DC for my comments - I hope I am!

Perhaps things are worse than I ever dreamt.

Still - nothing will distract us from our goal in Christ - we remain more than conquerors.

I suppose after the name calling will come the bricks and stones for we certainly wont have revival without persecution.

Yours ready and willling
A

Isaiah 58 to 61 more prophecy for TSA

In a comment on my last blog entry Aaron White responded:

"Isaiah 58 is said to be our founding charter. It might be an appropriate re-founding charter (lots of "If...then's"). I try and pray Isaiah 58 over our local expression and the larger Army everyday, believing there is a remnant of hope."

There are no verses more heavily underscored in my NIV study bible than chapters 58-61 of Isaiah. There is no room in the margins for any further handwritten comment (even though I use a drawing pen with a 0.5mm nib!)

At UK Roots last year I became convinced more than ever that these 4 chapters are central to global revival (led by God's Army - The Salvation Army - this is not denominational pride - if I could find a denomination that had a better chance of starting global revival I'd go and join it!)

These chapters make the following points which are peculiarly relevant to TSA.

Good works is the result of proper biblical faith (not the other way round!).

Loving the unloved doesn’t make me a Christian but being a proper Christian certainly makes me love the unlovable.

Proper prayer and fasting will always be hallmarked by a practical interest in social justice – holy people oppose social evil and support its victims. For example – drinking alcohol and gambling are both social evils which enslave the poor – proper holiness aggressively attacks social evils like these whilst at the same time treating its victims. Like Jesus TSA exists to ‘destroy the works of the devil’ (Isaiah 58:6-7)

Our resources must come from God and not from the state or over controlling benefactors – certainly not from downright evil sources like freemasonry. We should not always be looking to the public to fund our work – ‘God’s work done God’s way never lacks God’s resources’. This applies to physical strength and spiritual direction as much as it applies to money. (Isaiah 58:11)

Revival will include a return to basics, although God is about to do a ‘new thing’ in our midst it will not be that different in sentiment from what he has repeatedly done in the past. As a ‘wineskin’ the Salvation Army still has room to expand it doesn’t need replacing it just needs using properly. This will not mean a return to old ways but it will mean a return to old thinking – it is the sentiment and spirit of the past that we need to rediscover not necessarily the methods – however a return to open-air and other forms of pro-active evangelism will be included. (Isaiah 58:12)

Our witness must be visible as well as verbal – lifestyle will increasingly become a key issue – simplistic living (even where possible the voluntary embracing of poverty) will be integral as will personal integrity and ‘not conforming to the standards’ and values ‘of this world’. (Isaiah 58:13)

Isaiah 59 makes it quite clear that repentance, humility and real faith are essential pre-cursors to global revival. A lack of trust (verse 15), a lack of justice (verse 14) and a lack of aggressive intervention on behalf of the poor and marginalised (verse 16) are issues we need to address in this area. However if we are faithful then the revival will start among those who serve in the western territories (verse 19) but only if we repent (verse 20).

Chapter 60 shows us the revival we are being invited to be a part of will be unequalled in church history and will impact upon nominal Christians, unbelievers and disciples of other faiths – indeed converts from other faiths will become significant players (verse 10). This revival will convert important world leaders and heads of state (verse 16) and the Salvation Army will be in the vanguard. This revival will include a return to proper Arminian doctrine (justification through faith, dependence on God, the possibility of backsliding and purity, a belief in heaven and hell etc.) Central will be the rediscovery in practice of ‘Christian perfection’ (holiness). Holiness will become the norm and not only the experience of a few hardcore devotees (verse 21).

Revival (if we meet the conditions) will happen soon and be all inclusive (verse 22)

Isaiah 61 (especially verses 1-4) remind TSA that our mandate is the same as that which Christ adopted for himself. Our parish is the world (Wesley) our cathedral is the open air (Railton) and our target remains the un-churched (Booth).

The rest of chapter 61 speaks for itself.

Let’s get on our knees, let the remnant start repenting, let’s put our armour on and get on with it.

“Through the world resounding, Let the Gospel soundingSummon all at Jesus' call, His glorious cross surrounding, Sons of God, earth's trifles leaving,be not faithless, but believing;To your conquering Captain cleaving, Forward to the fight!”

Yours set apart by Christ for the lost, in the Army.

A

A prophecy for the Salvation Army from Isaiah 1

Comrades in Christ

Isaiah Chapter 1 - a prophecy for the western territories of the Salvation Army and for individual soldiers within the Salvation Army.

The following came to me today in prayer and I share it in humility – may God bless, redeem, sanctify and use the Salvation Army – Hallelujah!

“The Salvation Army is one of my favoured children. In your youth I gave you a multicoloured coat woven with a weft of marvellous signs and wonders, but over the years you have rebelled against me until you are no longer able to recognise the sound of my voice. It is bad enough when a parent and child refuse to speak but when one fails to recognise the voice of the other the situation has become tragic. I am speaking to you as much as I ever have done but you do not recognise my voice.

I am still calling you in the direction of the disenfranchised and friendless but you cannot hear me.
I will am still calling you to purity of living and holiness but you cannot hear me.
I am still calling you to stand between the oppressed and the oppressor but you cannot hear me.
I am still calling you to the mighty work of soul winning but you cannot hear me.
I am still calling you to poverty, persecution and victory but you cannot hear me.

The once covenanted warriors of my Salvation Army have become desensitised to my voice.

Like the early church you were born with a rush of Pentecostal fire and your early years were accompanied by salvation war and revival. You were persecuted because you made serious inroads into the devil’s territory and the narrow way that led to heaven was crowded with your converts. You found again the pearl of holiness and sold all that you had to possess it.

Now you have become a

“Sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! You have forsaken the LORD; you have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned your backs on him.” (Verse 4)

I have seen your suffering and I beg you to stop your wilful self-harm.

“Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted…” (Verses 5-7)

Your Corps are closing, your seats are empty, your halls are falling into disrepair and you have no money to rebuild them. Other denominations are trying to use the weapons I crafted for you – they are trying – but they are not you and their armour is ill-fitting and clumsy, they have not read the manual, they have not been properly drilled, your methods – the tactics designed for you are alien to them.

“Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.” (Verse 7)

Yet in spite of this breakdown in our relationship, in spite of your rebellion and your self-harm and poverty you continue with your religious ordinances. You march to deserted streets and preach to nobody. You feed the slave and clothe him but fail to break his chains. You polish your holiness tables but deny the possibility of purity. You hold music festivals that are nothing but concerts with an ‘amen’ at the end. You parade your good works like phylacteries ensuring that the world - along with your right hand - knows exactly what your left hand is doing. This offends me, I find it detestable, it is worse than the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah - I never asked for this.

“Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your evil assemblies.” (Verse 13)

You are praying and even fasting but I have blocked my ears – Salvation Army I am not listening to you.

“When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen.”

Go and wash yourself, your hands are stained with blood for the road to hell is now crowded with the shuffling hopelessness of those I raised you up to save and their blood is on your hands – you think it is enough to feed them and clothe them and wash them but it is not enough. There is no greater contradiction than yours for your arrogant self obsession slaps a man on the back with a hearty ‘God bless you’ and then turns away as he falls into the fiery fissures of hell.

“Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.” (Verse 16-18)

Once you depended on me, you bought where you had no money, you attacked where you had no chance of victory and you opened fire on a wing and a prayer. Once heaven rang with the sound of your volleys and the angels wept at the audaciousness of your evangelism but now you have prostituted yourself. Now you have taken what is Caesar’s and failed to give me what is mine. You have taken Babylon’s money and bedded the heathen philanthropist. You have sacrificed your right to pray and preach for the chance to buy a building. Once you shouted ‘no compromise’ but now you are all compromise.

“See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her— but now murderers!” (Verse 21)

What is my judgement to be? How will I treat you? What is my response to your individual and corporate sin?

“Come let us reason together…”

I am looking and waiting for you. Like the prodigal I can see you now feeding on the scraps of this unclean world. It is in this mess, that you have created, that you must come to your senses. Dear Salvation Army come back to me for I have a robe and a ring and a fattened calf all waiting for you. It is time to come home!

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Verses 18-20)

I have left for myself a remnant and if they will humble themselves and identify themselves in repentance and sorrow then I will unblock my ears and clear my eyes and let the ‘revolution now begin’.

The cost is repentance.
The cost is a full renunciation of the values and standards of this world.
The cost is a new and brave exposure to total dependence upon me.
The cost is a full consecration of all you have and are to me (all I have ever asked is that you love me with all your heart, soul, body and mind – I am a jealous God and will not share your love with another!)

“I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities. I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counsellors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City." Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness.”

The future of the Salvation Army will be settled in the next 10 years – it is a clear choice – repent and live or rebel and die.”

God bless you all,
Yours set apart by Christ for the lost, in the Army.

A

Holiness seeker's paradise

I have just come across the most fantastic website.

Here you can find literally thousands of online audio sermons from speakers like Tozer, Ravenill, Chambers, Spurgeon et al. There's even some sermons from the late great Keith Green!

You can also find videos (including some early William Booth stuff).

There are text sermons and photographs as well.

The real gold however is the audio sermons - they are all free to download and they come in mp3 format - whether your marching round the walls of Jericho or doing the ironing - whatever - download thse sermons and plug into our glorious holiness heritage.

http://www.sermonindex.net/

Be inspired, be challenged, be convinced and be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect!

Hallelujah!

Yours set apart for God

A

Holiness, holiness everywhere!

In my devotions this morning I read the following passage from Proverbs 2:1-11

“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright; he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you."

I have read these verses before but this morning I saw them in a new light. These verses are talking about holiness. When we think about holiness we (quite rightly) tend to focus on love, faith and obedience rather than knowledge and discretion.

However, look at the following two phrases:

• "Store up my commands within you turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding”
• “He holds victory in store for the upright; he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”

These verses are referring to the benefits of personal holiness.

I have never come across these verses being used by any of the great holiness teachers as proof texts for the blessing of Christian perfection but that is exactly what they are.

When we “look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure” then holiness jumps out of almost every page of God’s word – Hallelujah!

Repent and surrender - there's no other way!

I have been rereading Murray's classic 'Absolute Surrender' and thought the following quote was so applicable to TSA.

"Let us bow before God in humility, and in that humility confess before Him the state of the whole Church. No words can tell the sad state of the Church of Christ on earth. I wish I had words to speak what I sometimes feel about it. just think of the Christians around you. I do not speak of nominal Christians, or of professing Christians, but I speak of hundreds and thousands of honest, earnest Christians who are not living a life in the power of God or to His glory. So little power, so little devotion or consecration to God, so little perception of the truth that a Christian is a man utterly surrendered to God's will! Oh, we want to confess the sins of God's people around us, and to humble ourselves. We are members of that sickly body, and the sickliness of the body will hinder us, and break us down, unless we come to God, and in confession separate ourselves from partnership with worldliness, with coldness toward each other, unless we give up ourselves to be entirely and wholly for God."

Love and prayers

A

God save us from managers and theorists!

A colleague sent me the following amusing story recently:

Once upon a time, a man in a hot air balloon realised that he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted. "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am." The woman below replied. "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 50 and 51 degrees north latitude and between 114 and 115 degrees west longitude."

"You must be an Management Consultant," said the balloonist. "I am," replied the woman. "How did you know?" "Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I've no idea how to make use of your information. The fact is, I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip." The woman below responded, "You must be in management."

"I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?" "Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is, you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, you've managed to make it my fault!!"

The Salvation Army doesn't need Managers or Management Concultants it needs red hot Missionaries, it needs holy covenanted warriors who get their authority and power straight from God. Let's go back to annointed leaders and dump the secular concept of management.

Love and prayers

A

2007 and revival!

2007…

February 8th 2007 receive marching orders.

May 20th 2007 I will be reinstated at St Mary Cray Corps in the presence of God, family and friends – as a Salvation Army Officer!

July 25th We will move to our new appointment.

August 4th Welcome Sunday

August 5th 2007 and onwards… start the revival!

God bless The Salvation Army

Hallelujah!

2007 and revival!

“The force of The Salvation Army is ‘not its military discipline, nor its organization or its social service, not the absolute character of its doctrine, not the abilities of its super­ior officers, not the eloquence of its apologists, nor the skill of its ad­vertising - it is a joyful acceptance of a life in poverty, giving all to the benefit of the lost’.” (Blanche Peyron)

“That deliver­ance from every thought of self ­interest and from every particle of fear as to what men can do, which fits people to pass through dark and hard periods unmoved and un-scared, is for everyone who will seek it.” (George Scott Railton)

I came across these two quotes upon re-reading Bernard Watson’s excellent and inspiring biography of GSR “Soldier Saint”.

I am going to take these two challenges into 2007 and urge you to do the same.

2007 is the year in which I will take up my sword as an Officer again in The Salvation Army and I am eager for the fight but only on God’s terms.

I do not believe we will never see revival until we learn the hard lessons of real Salvationist holiness… sacrifice, self crucifixion, poverty and passion for the lost!

Have a blessed Christmas an a soul winning New Year!

Yours set apart by Christ, for the lost, in the Army

A

Church or Pub?

Where can you have the most fun - Church or the pub? What’s most entertaining - Church or the pub? Where do you find most of the lost – Church or the pub? Where would you feel most welcome – Church or the pub?

Today I tried a social experiment.

This morning I represented the Army at a local Methodist Church Toy Service and this afternoon I went to a local pub to watch Chelsea against Arsenal. (I am not a fan of either team so the experiment was not tinted with any kind of compromise!)

Both the church and the pub were full. I estimate that there were about 200 in the church and about 150 in the pub.

The church service was entertaining but apart from being told that the genealogy of Jesus was very, very long I heard nothing of any substance. I knew the songs and enjoyed singing them (however, if I had been a non-believer this fringe benefit would have been missing.)

The Pub was full of smoke (yuk!) and stank of sweat and beer but it was so much more fun. The humour was of the highest standard, everyone was welcoming (at the church only the vicar and one other person spoke to me!). In the pub I was even offered a drink by a complete stranger.

Taking away the fact that I have a relationship with Christ, and trying to compare the two experiences objectively - as a neutral, the pub was far more fun, more welcoming and altogether a more pleasant experience.

At least one group was lost and in danger of damnation but which one?

One would assume that the church goers were ‘saved’ and the working men in the pub were ‘lost’. One thing was absolutely certain the two communities were entirely removed from each other. The church never came into contact with the pub and the pub never came into contact with the church.

As I looked around at the group in the pub I though of Railton’s words in Heathen England.

“But to live, and walk, and talk, and work amongst these people every day; to know little children in petticoats who have learned to curse, swear, and fight not street arabs the children of well paid artisans; to see the little ones going to the public house for father's beer, and, sipping it on the way home, so to acquire the taste for death to all that is good and true; to know young men who are fast becoming drunkards and gamblers, and young women who laugh at the sound of shameless songs, and joke in language that would be shocking even from men; to know men and women who constantly visit the public house together or apart, who scarcely ever pass a Saturday and Sunday over without at least partial intoxication, who lavish money in tawdry fineries, and never have a pound in hand when out of work or sick; to know old men and women, tottering on the brink of the grave, who pour forth their feeble indignation in the foulest language, who laugh and joke at the drunkenness and vice of their sons and daughters, and lodgers and neighbours, if they do not actively promote it, who have drink and tobacco brought to them down to their latest hour by dutiful children, as a tender tribute to their paternal worth and valuable training; to know thousands of people who, though they may not be remarkable in any of these particulars, are joined to these people by the common fraternity by utter separation from everything connected with God, and by the common practice of ridiculing anyone who is not so separated; to live and move all the day long amongst these children of hell is it not enough to make anybody who wishes to get to heaven anxious to do anything and everything that can be done to snatch them from ruin?”

Even GSR recognised that the environment in which the ‘lost’ lived was full of songs, laughing and joking – it was - in short entertaining.

We cannot compete with the pub nor should we try. Café church in my opinion is a complete waste of time, we cannot be come culturally relevant – because the gospel is not part of the culture we seek to work within nor relevant to those who have adopted that culture.

What we need to do is ‘snipe’ one or two trophies of grace – like Railton did in New York – we need to grab a Jimmy Kemp in order to set revival in motion.

How?

Maybe we should try full on confrontation it’s always worked before :-)

A

Away with the manger!

Away with the manger!
A trough for a crib
With dung for a carpet
And straw for a bib.
The cobwebs and rafters
Looked down where he lay
His cradle cap
Halo caressed by the hay

The cattle 'helloing'
Are sniffing his straw
And laying fresh carpet
All over the floor.
I love thee Lord Jesus
Especially small,
A baby can't crucify
Challenge or call.

Get from me boy Jesus
Get far, far away,
Pull down the stable
And burn all the hay!
For all the dear children
In thy tender care
Wont let you grow up
While the stable is there.

Have a real Christmas!

A

Winning the war through prayer

I came home yesterday distressed (not depressed) I was also a little frustrated.

I wanted to ensure that the electricians turned up this morning and that Ryan would be there to let them in. I wanted to stand by and intervene if they came to blows! I wanted to make sure that the rewiring actually got completed.

I could do none of these things - so I prayed!

I prayed warfare prayer, I bound up, I set free, I silenced and I rebuked and I did it almost constantly. In other words I wrestled in order to 'tread all the powers of darkness down' Ultimately I handed everything over to God 'absolutely persuaded that he would keep that which I've committed...'

Today the electricians turned up, Ryan stayed calm and the rewiring began.

When I heard I praised God for the wonderful gifts that he has given us, gifts that enable us to continue fighting even when we physically can't get to the front. The gift of prayer and praise and the gift of authority.

Thank you Jesus

A

The marginalised are people too!

Ryan’s rewiring didn’t go according to plan.
Unfortunately the electricians needed access to the loft and the loft was full of stuff.

I say ‘stuff’ some would probably call it clutter or even rubbish.

Ryan doesn’t have very much and he is therefore loathe to get rid of anything. He keeps everything and that includes things that most people would throw away empty cans, packaging, pen tops (with no pens) newspaper cuttings, magazines – everything! He is also very protective of his own independence so wasn’t that willing for me to help. In the end he did allow me to do some cleaning up. Although reluctant for me to help did want me to stay, as long as I was there he could talk to me rather than the voices in his head.

Among the 'stuff'' was a photo of Ryan with his Mum taken in 1996 when Ryan was 20. It was Christmas dinner and his Mum and the house they were in looked pretty.

It took most of the day but eventually the loft was cleared. The electricians are coming back tomorrow – I pray that everything goes well.

Have you ever noticed how clever people who write books on mission and stand up at conventions telling us how to reach the lost use words and phrases like “marginalised’, ‘disenfranchised’ or ‘people on the very edge of society’ . Such descriptions drip of the tongue with the ease of a well known scripture verse or hymn. They talk about friendship being the new evangelism and they use clever acrostics to deliver their newly published paperback plan for redemption.

The ‘marginalised’ are hard work; they have mental health problems (especially paranoia), addictions, debt, bad friends, estranged partners, emotional baggage and worst of all very little hope. Of course they can and do get saved (Hallelujah!) and as we rediscover the true spirit and sentiment of Salvationism more will (Hallelujah again!) But let us never, ever talk about them as if they are mere pawns in our game to check mate the Salvation Army into being what we think it ought to be.

The marginalised are people, God’s children, Jesus died for them and we are often their only hope.

Yours set apart by Christ, for the lost in the Army.

A

Coffee and all things doubtful…

Back in May, at Roots UK, I made a decision to drink nothing but water as long as there were some people in the world who went thirsty. I later repeated this commitment in an article in JAC. I also underlined it in a ‘holiness manifesto’ published on my website.

I must confess (much to my shame) that I have not kept this commitment. I love coffee – especially good coffee. I can think of no better way to start the day than a cup of rich black Columbian Americano. I don’t have to buy the stuff it is offered to me all day every day for free! The first thing my boss does in the morning is make a large cafetiere of strong black coffee.

Now some people might tell me that I am stupid to beat myself up over this, they would point out that there are more important things in the world to get passionate about – if I did anything wrong then it was making such a reckless and unecessary decision in the first place.

However, holiness – as originally taught by the Army - requires me to give up not just what is sinful but also “everything that seems doubtful, for the Bible shows such to be sinful.”

Coffee is a big doubt for me for the following reasons.

• Caffeine is an addictive drug, affecting 90% of all users, which alters the brain's natural state, and stimulates it in a manner similar to the amphetamines cocaine and heroin. My body is the temple of God and I want it to be as pure as possible.
• Coffee – especially the Starbucks type - is very expensive. Farmers, many of them indigenous peoples, grow most of the world's coffee beans on plots of less than 10 acres. The prices they receive are often less than the cost of growing and harvesting the coffee, which pushes them into an endless cycle of poverty and debt. Coffee is also grown on large plantations worked by landless day workers including many children in extremely poor working conditions.
• Finney was opposed to coffee and tea - “It is well known, or ought to be, that tea and coffee have no nutriment in them. They are mere stimulants. They go through the system without being digested. The milk and sugar you put in them are nourishing. And so they would be just as much so if you mixed them with rum, and made milk punch. But the tea and the coffee afford no nourishment. And yet I dare say, that a majority of the families in this city give more in a year for their tea and coffee, than they do to save the world from hell.” (Lectures to professing Christians.)

I am familiar with Paul’s advice to the Corinthians “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink…” But in spite of this the doubts will not go away.

The result of all this is a delay in the confirming blessing of God the Holy Spirit who will not accept an incomplete sacrifice. I have also found that spiritual growth is impeded whilst this issue remains unresolved.

I fear I must surrender coffee or surrender holiness.

Now that would be incredible wouldn’t it - missing out on heaven, holiness and greater evangelical effectiveness all for the sake of a cup of black coffee.

Dear friend I must nail caffeine to the cross or retreat.

What about you? Do you have doubts about anything? Is there any pastime or expense in your life that you are not thoroughly comfortable with? Then crucify it and move on!

Yours (almost completely) set apart for God

A

Cathy come home...again and again and again!

CATHY COME HOME was a ground-breaking television drama featured in the controversial BBC ‘Play for today’ slot on a Wednesday evening.

The play (first shown in 1961) highlighted the terrible plight faced by young homeless families 40 years ago in the UK. It also drew attention to the irresponsible and dishonest practices of slum landlords operating at the time and the complete disregard and contempt shown to homeless people by the bulk of ‘respectable’ society. Things have improved but the plight of the single homeless (or near-homeless) remains bleak.

Ryan has been coming to the Army at St Mary Cray for about three years. He has a drink and drug problem and is a regular guest of her majesty. The last time he came out of prison he was given a bungalow by the local housing association – it has taken us 4 months to get the gas and electricity connected! He has been largely ignored by those who ought to be helping him. On Tuesday an electrician is coming around to rewire his 3-room bungalow so we can get a meter installed. Without our help and persistence I think he would have been ignored.

Is it any surprise these people find it hard to kick their habits and settle down? Is it any wonder that they re-offend and go to prison ‘in and out, in and out’?

Ryan came to the Mercy Seat about four weeks ago and asked God to ‘forgive him and change him’ God will honour that prayer but in the meantime it seems that every organised body he comes into contact with (apart from TSA) conspires against any effort he makes to improve himself.

Please pray for Ryan (that’s not his real name but God will know who you mean.)

May we who call ourselves Salvationists love God and make known his love through our living.

Amen.

A

The Army's under threat...

Why do people get so hung up on holiness?

Until we negotiate this ‘stumbling block’ called holiness we will not progress as individuals and we will not progress as an Army.

People argue that the eradication of the sinful nature cannot take place because they do not see evidence of it in others or in themselves. They are happy with Christ being able to keep the flesh and the devil at bay on a daily basis but cannot accept his ability to slay it once and for all.

It reminds me of a tutor I had at the Training College who said that the demonically possessed in the gospels were suffering from what we would call epilepsy! I couldn’t understand then why it was easier to accept that Jesus could heal epilepsy than to accept that he could cast out demons?

Doctrine Book, Chapter 10, Section 1, subsection 3

“Entire sanctification is complete deliverance from sin, and the devotion of the whole being, with all its gifts and capacities, to the love and will of God.”

What is so difficult with this definition?

Doctrine Book, Chapter 10, Section 1, subsection 3 paragraph C (iii)

"An entirely sanctified person is without sin— ‘freed from sin’ (Romans vi. 7). He is delivered from all sin; his disposition is entirely purified; inward sin is done away with or destroyed. ‘Being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life’ (Romans vi.
22).”

Doctrine Book, Chapter 10, Section 5, paragraph A, B and E

“Entire sanctification is not Absolute Perfection or the perfection which belongs to God only, and which can never be increased or diminished… It is not Adamic perfection (sometimes called’ sinless perfection’)… Such perfection is impossible to us, for the Fall has rendered us imperfect both in mind and body…It is not freedom from temptation. Jesus, although ‘without sin,’ was sorely tempted, and our First Parents were tempted when holy. The more advanced a man becomes in the life of holiness, the more likely it is that Satan will attack him. Entire Sanctification does not bring freedom from temptation, but victory over it.”

Doctrine Book, Chapter 10, Section 2, subsection 1

“We believe that God’s people may be delivered from all sin and enabled to do god’s will continually in this life. Many people do not agree with this, but maintain that they must go on sinning and repenting until death, although all admit that they must be made holy before they can enter Heaven.”

Holiness really is very, very easy.

The reason that holiness is rare in Christians is because Christians are rarely prepared to meet the conditions.

I am sometimes accused of arrogance, being bigoted, claiming to have a monopoly on the truth – difficult to debate with etc. It is true that I could probably do with a bit more tact when promoting religion, however I believe that Mrs Booth’s methods for promoting salvation should be ours for promoting holiness – because without it the Army is a dead duck!

“Oh! people say, you must be very careful, very judicious. You must not thrust religion down people's throats. Then, I say, you will never get it down. What! Am I to wait till an unconverted, godless man wants to be saved before I try to save him? He will never want to be saved till the death-rattle is in his throat. What! Am I to let my unconverted friends and acquaintances drift down quietly to damnation, and never tell them about their souls, until they say, 'If you please, I want you to preach to me'? Is this anything like the spirit of early Christianity? No. Verily we must make them look--tear the bandages off, open their eyes, make them bear it, and if they run away from you in one place, meet them in another, and let them have no peace until they submit to God and get their souls saved. This is what Christianity ought to be doing in this land, and there are plenty of Christians to do it. Why, we might give the world such a time of it that they would get saved in very self-defence, if we were only up and doing, and determined that they should have no peace in their sins.”

Yours set apart by Christ, for the lost, in the Army!

A

Real Persecution in a PC world

The following article is taken from 'Christian Today'. Far from political correctness gone mad I believe it is the onslaught of a new form of persecution which many Christians have been predicting for some time.

How long before legislation force The Salkvation Army to commission practicising homosexual Officers? Are we prepared to go to prison for what we belive in?

"Christian Unions across Britain are seeking legal advice after four university campus branches were banned from official lists of societies or denied access to university facilities and privileges.

Now Christian Unions at Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt and Birmingham universities are seeking legal advice in the face of accusations that they are excluding non-Christians, promoting homophobia and discriminating against those of transgender sexuality.

The 150-strong Christian Union in Birmingham was suspended this year after refusing to alter its constitution to allow non-Christians to address meetings and to amend its literature to include references to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and those of transgender sexuality.

Edinburgh University has banned an event run by the Christian Union called PURE which promotes a traditional biblical view of personal and sexual relationships. The university defended the ban, saying that PURE was in breach of its equality and diversity policy because PURE claims that any sexual activity outside heterosexual marriage is not God-ordained.

The pressure came principally from the Gay and Lesbian Society at Edinburgh University and follows the university’s decision last year to ban copies of the Bible in its halls of residence after protests from the students’ union. The Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship criticised the decision to ban PURE, saying, “This incident is an attack on freedom of speech in an institution where an open exchange of views and a search after truth should be strongly upheld. “In this instance the Christian Union is being denied freedom of expression because what they say and believe is uncomfortable for some groups in the university.”

Christian Unions elsewhere are also coming under increasing attack. Christian students are threatening to take Exeter University and students’ guild to court over human rights breaches after the university temporarily suspended the Christian Union from the official list of student societies on campus. The Exeter Christian Union – which has a 50-year history at the university - has also had its Student Union bank account frozen and has been banned from free use of students’ guild premises or advertising within guild facilities.

Exeter University’s student guild claims the Christian Union constitution and activities do not conform to its Equal Opportunities Policies, which have only recently been introduced. Exeter Christian Union told the university Thursday that it would take legal action after 14 days if it was not fully re-instated as a student society by the guild with full rights and was allowed to call itself the Christian union. "

Ouch!

Holiness in the Pentecostal church

I love the Pentecostal church, it was a Pentecostal minister who prayed for me when I was baptised in the spirit – indeed one could argue that the Army is at its heart Pentecostal – but there is something lacking in the contemporary charismatic movement that concerns me and that is the lack of practical personal holiness.

Then I came across this great quote from Donald Gee*

"This Pentecostal movement is something which God has started at high speed, but the faster we go the greater the need of holiness. The more power we have, the more we need to have every obstacle cleared out of the way. That which cannot be noticed in an old dead church can wreck a revival in a Pentecostal church. May God give us holiness with our Pentecost, for we surely need it. No revival can continue with the blessing of God upon it that does not have a high standard of holiness."

As Matthew 7 verse 21-23 reminds us…

“Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”

If the Christian is to make real progress then sin must be eradicated, not just its eternal consequences but the daily bondage of habitual sin. The whole person, body, soul and mind must be cleaned and kept blameless. Pentecostal power without purity will fizzle out – we have witnessed this within the last decade. ‘Refreshings’ which promised revival have come and gone without making the impact we had hoped for.


Yours set apart

A

*Donald Gee (1891-1966) was an English, Pentecostal theologian. Considered by many to be the father of modern British Pentecostalism he took part in the first international, Pentecostal conference in Stockholm in 1939.

Holiness and the Ted Haggard Syndrome...

I have no stones to throw at Ted Haggard. I have been the prodigal caught up in the midst of my own public scandal (see my testimony). Ted will have to suffer the consequences of his actions (as we all have to) and the damage inflicted on him, his family and his church by the enemy will be significant and lasting.

I came across the following excellent article by Gordon McDonald - entitled "When Leaders Implode." Its worth a look.

We need holiness, oh how much we need holiness. We need to rediscover it in the Army and we need to educate our brothers and sisters in the church. Proper holiness takes away the desire to sin and makes us 'more than conquerors'.

Holiness happens when we give up sin and surrender all to God and then in faithful obedience wait for Him to bless and eradicate within us the desire to sin. It doesn't take away temptation but it makes temptation redundant - if God has all I am then I do not have the resources available that will enable me to sin.

The charismatics might have power and gifts but without holiness the believer remains vulnerable. If you do not have the blessing of holiness don't take another step until you get it - especially if you are in a position of leadership or have an apparently annointed holiness.

Without holiness we are all scandals waiting to happen.

As usual - Wesley has a song for it!

Not all the powers of hell can fright
A soul that walks with Christ in light,
He walks and cannot fall;
Clearly he sees, and wins his way,
Shining unto the perfect day,
And more than conquers all.

Ten thousand snares my path beset;
Yet will I, Lord, the work complete
Which thou to me hast given;
Regardless of the pains I feel,
Close by the gates of death and hell,
I urge my way to heaven.

Still will I strive, and labour still,
With humble zeal to do thy will,
And trust in thy defence:
My soul into thy hands I give;
And, if he can obtain thy leave,
Let Satan pluck me thence!

Yours faithfully obeying, safe in holiness, loving the lost.

A

Prayers Please...

This is my youngest daughter Bethany (8 years old).

Beth suffers from hypopituitarism and Septo-Optic Dysplasia. She has no sight in her left eye (but brilliant sight in her right eye - Hallelujah!)

She has no pituitary gland and has to have all of her hormones either by injection or tablet. She is a tough cookie and copes very well.

However, common childhood illnesses can be very serious for Bethany (as she cannot regulate - among other things - her blood sugar) and when this happens shee needs to have her medication administered intraveneously. This means a stay in hospital.

Beth was admitted to hospital on Sunday night with tonsillitis.

Her condition only occurs in 1 in 12 million people and so when she is in hospital she is often the recipient of visits from medical students.

Yesterday she boldly told one, who asked her what she wanted to do when she grew up, - "I want to be a Salvation Army Officer and an Endocrine Specialist Nurse."

"Ah" said the medical student "you know the best place to go and train for that don't you?"

"Of course" said Bethany "The Training College!"

Hallelujah!

Love and prayers

Andrew!

Lost poems (3)*

In the light of recent events in the US it seemed sensible to post the following poem - a warning against hypocrisy...

Spy Hatcher

There he stands, black gowned and scaley red.
With whipping cane and mortar boarded head.
His yellowed dribbled teeth with spittle rusted.
His calloused cloven hooves all fester dusted.
His agents wander wild within our reach.
We listen wrapt and wonder when they preach.
They plant his traps and bait his hooks,
And slimey "sir" puts ticks in all their books.
They imitate our diction and our guise
And falsify a sparkle in their eyes.
They spread their doctrines of dissent
With fierce fanatical intent.
We fear and duck the enemies big guns
That hardly hit and injure twos and ones.
Yet disregard this vile column in our ranks
Who sabotage our planes and stall our tanks.
He hatches spies like me and you
- Corruption cloaked in navy blue.

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." (Galatians 6:1-3)

Yours thoroughly set apart by Christ, for the lost, in the Army


A

*I recently found an old Amstrad PCW 9512 disc in a box; the disc was simply labelled poems. I found a company in Cornwall who converted the contents of the disc to Word documents I discovered a whole load of poems I had written and lost. Most of these poems were written either just after my conversion (some possibly before).

How to stop sinning!

There will inevitably come a time in the life of any serious believer when the demand of entire sanctification will cling to the mind, refusing to leave until the soul either surrenders or retreats.

For Jesus this struggle was ultimately settled in Gethsemane and centred on the complete surrender of his free will in exchange for total obedience to God.

1 John 2:6 says:

‘Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did’

This verse makes it quite clear that the challenge that beset Christ will eventually come our way for we cannot crucify self without first passing through Gethsemane. The minimum requirement of proper biblical Christianity is entire sanctification. Such a transaction can be summed up in the simple yet profound prayer:

‘Thy will not mine be done.’

Jesus referred to this transaction as the greatest commandment:

“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind. This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38)

It is only when the greatest commandment is fulfilled in the life of a believer that they become truly effective and fruitful. It is when many Christians participate in the act of entire sanctification that we experience revival:

• holiness was at the heart of Pentecost,
• holiness was at the heart of ‘The Great Awakening’,
• holiness was at the heart of the Methodist revival in 18th century England,
• holiness was at the heart of the American revival in the mid 19th century,
• holiness was at the heart of the birth of The Salvation Army (and the global revival its foundation spawned)
• holiness will be at the heart of any future revival!

Personal holiness is conditional and requires a contribution from both man and God. What are the conditions which must I meet that would allow God to establish holiness in my life?

Conviction:

The only people who can possibly hope to complete this transaction are those who are convinced that holiness is both a requirement and a possibility. It may take time for a believer to become convinced that holiness is plausible – it took Wesley 10 years! Once a Christian finds they are being badgered by thoughts about holiness they should seek to close the deal as quickly as possible.

Conviction may come in several ways, scripture, the example of others, the history of revival, the lives of the saints etc. Holiness is not possible without conviction. When conviction comes a believer must take advantage as soon as possible, to delay would simply compound the sin we are being encouraged to do away with.

Renunciation.

In Matthew 7: 21-23 we read

“"Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”

In 1 John 1:15-17 we read

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires will pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever’

In 1 John 2:3-6 we read

“We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”

It is abundantly clear from the bible that giving up sin and freedom from a constant desire to sin is a basic requirement of Christianity. Holiness must start with a willingness to comprehensively identify and renounce sin. Holiness cannot and will not progress beyond conviction without us making a thorough inventory of those things in our lives that are both sinful and doubtful followed by the giving up of everything identified.

To fulfil this condition thoroughly will require prayerful attention to detail and a willingness to eradicate even the smallest compromise. Many things once considered sinful by the church have now been relegated to doubtful – for example worldliness. It is only in the last few decades that worldliness has become acceptable in Christian circles. Materialistic consumers will never possess holiness!

This is the area where we are most likely to fail - our inability (or refusal) to recognise and eradicate even the small compromises that have all too often become part and parcel of our lives. It is always unwise to give examples (for failure to list all things doubtful can generate a false sense of security) nevertheless we should consider surrendering anything that is either non essential to, or a distraction from, our mission (with the exception of those things which are obviously moral such as devoting proper time and resources to our civil, legal and domestic responsibilities)

Be assured that if even the slightest compromise remains un-renounced holiness will not happen. Whilst we may be prepared to rationalise and justify compromise, the spirit of God will hold back until the issue - however small - is resolved.

We must pray the prayer of the psalmist in Psalm 139:23-24

“Search me O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting”

We must continue to pray this prayer until we can confidently repeat the prayer of David in Psalm 17:3

“Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.”

Consecration

The third condition of holiness after conviction and renunciation is consecration.

In Romans 12 we read

“Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as iving sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his pleasing and perfect will.”

In Romans 6:22 we read

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”

In Romans 8:12 we read

“Therefore, brothers we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.”

In Matthew 13:44-46 we read

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."

It is crystal clear that the bible requires the entire surrender of our whole being to God. Our ‘whole being’ comprises our time, money, influence, leisure, ambitions, personality— literally everything that we have and are. Again whilst it is dangerous to give illustrations (lest something is left out) we should carefully and prayerfully consider how we spend our time and money:

• What kinds of things make us passionate?
• What kinds of thing make us excited?
• What is our number one interest in life?
• What commands most of our attention prayer or television, sport or bible study?
• How much time do we spend on our personal appearance before going to the Army, compared to how much time we spend on preparing ourselves spiritually?

As Paul tells the Corinthians:

"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others… So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” (Corinthians 10: 23-33)

In our eagerness to surrender all we must remember that ‘rest’ is a commandment. I am absolutely certain that God made rest a commandment because he knew that our response to Christ would drive us on to extreme commitment. Sabbath rest is essential and placed by God before murder, adultery and theft in his list of commandments. ‘Rest’ is a command that was not cancelled out by Christ's death, it is a command for our benefit, and a command that we disobey at our absolute peril! The Command to rest is explicit in both the Old and New Testaments. To disobey this command would be ‘to disobey a known law of God’ and that as Wesley would be quick to point out is sin!

A quote from Railton to at least keep the idea of rest in a Salvationist context!

“But our soldiers must take holiday sometimes perforce; and then they look to the Army to provide them with such holy entertainment as their souls delight in. Services all day long, or, at any rate, during the afternoon, open-air de­monstrations, camp-meetings, expeditions to other stations, or to mission some new neighbourhood, watch nights, all nights of prayer, are some of the entertainments to which Army people treat themselves upon extraordinary occasions.” (Heathen England Chapter 8)

Absolute surrender is not extreme or unreasonable but it is the minimum requirement made by God upon those who dare to call themselves Christian.

Obedient Faith

The final condition of holiness is obedient faith. If I “'Love the Lord my God with all my heart and with all my soul and with my entire mind' then my devotion will be proven by the way I obey the second greatest commandment which is to 'Love my neighbour as myself.'

Whilst renunciation might be complicated obedience is relatively simple, for all the commandments are summed up in these two.

Sometimes people get concerned with that element of holiness which delivers the recipient from the chains of habitual sin but faithful obedience and the righteousness it brings are the logical result of renunciation and consecration. Sin requires resources – if all of my resources are ‘set apart’ exclusively for God’s use then I do not have any resources with which to sin. In addition if my renunciation and consecration is motivated by love then I will have no desire to sin. My only desire will be to please God. Add to this the immeasurable grace of God and the unlimited power of God and the transforming nature of the new covenant and it is the thought of disobedience that seems farfetched.

How do I please God?

In John 15:16-17 Jesus says:

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.”

When Jesus reinstated Peter he only had one issue to settle:

“Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." (John 21:16)

Paul tells the Romans:

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)

He also reminds the Corinthians that even spectacular and apparently anointed Christian service without love is nothing.

Love is the hallmark of Christianity:

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

James says:

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:14-17)

When Kate Booth was asked the secret of her power she answered:

"First, it is love; second, love; third, love. And if you ask me how to get it, I answer first, by sacrifice; second, by sacrifice; third, by sacrifice."

One would be hard pressed to find a more concise definition of holiness.

It should be remembered, as the old doctrine book says, that “Consecration, although a condition of sanctification, must not be mistaken for sanctification itself. Consecration is an act done by man before God sanctifies him; sanctification is a work done by God within man after man has done his part.”

This is true of all these conditions:

• they originate with God,
• are made possible by God,
• are encouraged by God,
• are empowered by God,
• are realised by God,
• are maintained by God.

In Summary

• Holiness is both possible and essential (‘without holiness none shall see the Lord!)
• Holiness makes Christians fruitful and effective
• Holiness leads to revival
• Holiness is conditional upon Conviction
• Holiness is conditional upon renunciation of all that is sinful and doubtful
• Holiness is conditional upon consecration (absolute surrender)
• Holiness is conditional upon obedient faith
• Holiness is the work of God not man
• Holiness brings about complete and instant deliverance from sin (Holy people do not sin)
• A holy life is exemplified by a love for God expresses in practical love for others

Finally, if the above conditions are met then holiness can and should be instant. If you are reading this because you have been beset with thoughts about holiness then now is the time to make the sacrifice and claim the blessing. Why be continually pestered by the hampering annoyance of habitual sin when you can be free? Why waste another moment on pretend Christianity? Why not go for the real thing now? At the end of the day what may seem to be the ultimate commitment is simply the first step along that little found narrow way that leads to heaven. Don’t delay do it now!

"O thou God of every nation,
We now for thy blessing call;
Fit us for full consecration,
Let the fire from Heaven fall.
Bless our Army! Bless our Army!
With thy power baptize us all.

Fill us with thy Holy Spirit;
Make our soldiers white as snow;
Save the world through Jesus' merit,
Satan's kingdom overthrow.
Bless our Army! Bless our Army!
Send us where we ought to go.

Give us all more holy living,
Fill us with abundant power;
Give the Army more thanksgiving,
Greater victories every hour.
Bless our Army! Bless our Army!
Be our rock, our shield, our tower.

Bless our General, bless our leaders,
Bless our officers as well.
Bless our converts, bless our soldiers;
Speed the war 'gainst sin and Hell.
Bless our Army! Bless our Army!
We will all thy goodness tell.

If you would like to discuss holiness in more depth or even better would like to be led into the blessing then please email me at abale@ntlworld.com and by God’s grace you will discover the most liberating and empowering experience that God has to offer his children – Hallelujah!

Yours thoroughly set apart by Christ, for the lost, in the Army

A