A confession and a call to arms

I have been outside of covenanted ministry for nearly 17 years. Last May I received a letter from my Divisional Commander informing me that my application to return to Officership had been accepted and it was presumed that I would take up an appointment in July 2007.

This news followed a number of ‘words’ and ‘messages’ from various sources indicating that God wanted to do something significant with what was left of my useful life! Especially in relation to The Salvation Army.

I completely underestimated the intensity of demonic backlash that was about to come my way as a result of this news. Indeed with a naïve arrogance I hadn’t anticipated any kind of demonic response whatsoever.

I have just read David Wilkerson’s ‘Hungry for more of Jesus’ (available for about £3 from Amazon). I read it hot on the heels of Finney’s ‘Systematic Theology’ and the two men say very much the same thing (though Wilkerson is a lot easier to digest!)

Wilkerson, however, adds a section on ‘sifting’ where he talks about those occasions when the devil asks God if he can ‘sift us like wheat’ as he did with Peter.

When I received the news of my reacceptance I published a holiness manifesto (see bloodandfire.org.uk) which pledged me to a simple lifestyle. At the same time I wrote an article for JAC that sought to promote the manifesto to others. On reflection I do not think this manifesto was legalism or an attempt at salvation by works. I believed then and I still believe that it was an honest response to a clear direction from God.

On the Armybarmy.com blog I recently read that “blogs have become the place to expose intimate and sensitive thoughts…” well here goes…

I need to confess – and I can’t think of a better medium by which to do it – about the compromise and deliberate disobedience that has been in my life as a result of being ‘sifted’ and at the same time being too arrogant and proud to recognise what was going on. Since that declaration my life has moved from fudge to further fudge and my lifestyle has been anything but simple. The odd thing is that I cannot recall a period in my life when I have been the recipient of so much revelation and knowledge yet my willingness to obey has been derisory!

In short the devil has walloped me and I have sat there and taken it. I have allowed myself to become his punch bag. The gulf between what I know God wants, what I preach and what I do has grown as a result.

Jesus knew that Peter would betray him when he gave him the keys of the kingdom. Jesus also knew that Peter would come back stronger and fitter as a result of having the stuffing (pride) knocked out of him. John Wesley described Fletcher of Madeley as the holiest man he ever knew yet Fletcher claimed that he lost the blessing of holiness three times. David was considered Israel’s greatest king - to such an extent that ‘son of David’ is a Messianic title - yet David fell away.

I believe more than ever that God wants me to ‘talk the talk’ but I also know that more than that he needs me to ‘walk the walk’, I have also discovered (at my cost) that it seems like the entire armies of hell are assembled in an attempt to prevent both from happening.

Wilkerson has shown me that I have been in danger of serious back sliding but he has also grabbed my hand and pulled me back from the brink.

Carol Young quoted the following on her blog today ‘"Jesus can't save someone he can't command." One thing is absolutely certain Jesus cannot entirely sanctify someone who refuses to obey.

Now enough of this self centred deprecatory rambling and on with the fight.

Take this as a confession, an apology and a re-consecration of my all, in deep humility, to the cause of Christ and the lost. Also take it as a call to arms and a warning – the devil is on the prowl and after anyone who poses a serious threat and adopts a careless attitude to warfare.

The holiness debate will never be won with words it can only be won by example.

Just as the ‘Greeks have a word for it’ so Wesley always has a song!

Leave no unguarded place,
No weakness of the soul;
Take every virtue, every grace,
And fortify the whole.

To keep your armour bright
Attend with constant care,
Still walking in your captain's sight
And watching unto prayer.

That, having all things done,
And all your conflicts past,
Ye may o'ercome through Christ alone,
And stand complete at last.

Love and prayers
Andrew

The unforgiving minutes...

I have just downloaded my Blog and converted it to a Word Document.

Since February I have amassed an amazing 103 A4 pages of musings!

Goodness knows how much of cyberspace has been occupied by the likes of Steve C and Gordon C!

103 pages is alomost a book - I've been trying to finish a book on holiness for 6 years!

It reminded me of some wise words from the pen of Kipling...

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

How often we are held hostage by the 'unforgiving minute' when all the time the keys to our cell are hanging on the wall behind us!

In a life that is entirely consecrated there should be no 'unforgiving minutes'

God forgive me for wasting what is probably the most valuable resource I have - time!

Are we up for it?

I have just finished reading Finney’s ‘Systematic Theology’. It is the literary equivalent of an arduous triathlon across inhospitable conditions. Finney is an acquired taste but for those that persevere a definite delicacy.

The book is challenging partly because it was written in 1851 and the language is archaic, it is (as its name suggests) theology and it is also academic (Finney was a lawyer).

However, the message it contains is so relevant to the contemporary church and especially to The Salvation Army. The protestant free church has because of its absolute fear of ‘salvation by works’ relegated obedience to the lowliest of positions in the pecking order of Christian characteristics. It is (in my opinion) this very reason that we are currently facing such struggles.

In summary this is what Finney has to say:

• Sin is the result of misplaced free will and not the result of any kind of intrinsic of inherited evil nature.
• Righteousness is ‘disinterested benevolence’ i.e. an intelligent decision to love God and love our neighbour for the sole benefit of God and our neighbour rather than for any personal satisfaction or gain.
• Sin is selfishness (the opposite of ‘disinterested benevolence’)
• Some apparent acts of kindness may actually be selfish and therefore sinful rather than righteous (‘even though I surrender my body to be burned… but have not love...’ etc)
• Holiness (righteousness) is the minimum requirement God makes upon his children and can only ever be complete (for Finney there is no such thing as Christianity by degrees)
• Holiness is the outcome of a deliberate consecration of all our faculties to the glory of God and the betterment of the universe. Though impacted by physical constitution, emotions, circumstances (etc) holiness is not subject to nor caused by any of these things but is always the result of a deliberate wilful and intelligent dedication.
• Entire consecration is subject to revelation and knowledge – the more I get to know God the more he will demand and the more I will be required to give, however consecration will always be instant and complete based upon the knowledge and revelation I currently have.
• If I offer God partial obedience then the part of my life I fail to surrender exists as a result of disobedience, disobedience is sin and an active sinner cannot be saved because Salvation is conditional upon both repentance and obedience (‘continuance in a sate of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith…) Logically therefore Salvation is dependant upon total consecration.
• Present sinlessness is both possible and obligatory as anything else suggests disobedience and a lack of repentance.
• All of this is made possible by grace which is delivered by the Holy Spirit through faith. True faith always bears the hallmark of obedience (“If you love me you will obey my commandments and I will send another, a comforter…”)

This is the briefest and shallowest of summaries of Finney’s ‘Systematic Theology’ but it does contain in essence the heart of Finney’s understanding of the gospel.

At the conclusion of the book Finney makes the following statement:

“But before I close my remarks upon this subject, I must not fail to state what I regard as the present duty of Christians. It is to hold their will in a state of consecration to God, and to lay hold on the promises for the blessing promised in such passages as 1 Thess. v. 23, 24:--"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." This is present duty. Let them wait on the Lord in faith, for that cleansing of the whole being which they need, to confirm, strengthen, settle them. All they can do, and all that God requires them to do, is to obey him from moment to moment, and to lay hold of him for the blessing of which we have been speaking; and to be assured, that God will bring forth the answer in the best time and in the best manner. If you believe, the anointing that abideth will surely be secured in due time.”

Dear friends I ask you - Is this what has been missing from our gospel? Is this what we desperately need to rediscover and preach? Is the absence of constant and entire obedience in the lives of Officers and Soldiers the ‘sin in the camp’ that we hear so much about today?

This book (I believe) has been to me what ‘A plain account of Christian Perfection’ was to Wesley. I feel that it has handed down a nugget that was nearly lost forever. The nugget needs to be shaped and polished and exhibited to the world so that everyone can be cleansed, challenged and inspired by its beauty.

When will we learn that we are not unsuccessful because we wear the wrong clothes, sing the wrong songs, play the wrong instruments, call each other by the wrong names or print the wrong publications? Our problem is not that we are not culturally relevant (look at our history and you will see that we never were! How was GSR standing on a street corner preaching to a drunken, illiterate costermonger – who had never heard of Christ – ever culturally relevant?) Our problem is not to be found in the fabric of our organisation, it is not infrastructure or style but is much more fundamental and personal than that.

Our problem is SIN and our sin is a refusal to give God what we know he requires and to even suggest (in spite of that knowledge) that the requirement is unrealistic and unobtainable. The Salvation Army is a band of covenanted warriors who have surrendered everything they have to the glory of God and the salvation of the world – anything less than that is a lie and to defend any lesser definition is sinful.

There is only one way forward – renunciation of everything that we know to be sinful, renunciation of everything that is considered to be doubtful, consecration of everything to God, and then (in faith) to go on our way and ‘sin no more.”

I wonder are we really up for this? The salvation of The Salvation Army hangs on our answer.

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

AJB

Back in the saddle!

I have not blogged for 25 days 6 hours and 45 minutes! I am now back in the saddle - watch this space!

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

Railton's Rest

Off to Margate for a two week break. When he wasn't travelling the world for Jesus this was where Railton rested. Margate was his local Corps and this was where he had his family home. Decided to read Finney's Systematic Theology while I'm here.

Had a phone call from'M' this morning - she has been living with us for 4 months but she is now back home in Tobago with her new baby.

Obviously no Blogs for two weeks.

Toshers!

I was recently putting together a Power Point presentation for a talk on the history of waste disposal (oh the joy of secular employment!)

I was preparing a slide on 'toshers' and 'scavengers'.

Both of these occupations existed in 18th and 19th Century Britain.

"Toshers" worked in the sewers, a dangerous and smelly way to make a living, but lucrative as they found coins, bits of metal, ropes and bones and sometimes jewellery. "Mud-larks" scavenged on the river banks, and made a comparatively poor living. "Scavengers" used to dig through midden heaps (piles of decaying refuse - including sewage - at the end of a street) to find things to sell.

I was looking for suitable pictures that would illustrate these three archaic occupations - thinking that the best I could secure would be some Victorian engravings - when up popped all three occupations alive and well in the developing world.

Wouldn't it be great if the 2 billion or so nominal Christians on the planet were 'moved by compassion' and decided to do something for the 'widows and orphans' (not forgetting the hungry and oppressed) in this world.

"Unless I am moved with compassion
How dwelleth they spirit in me?
In word and in deed burning love is my need,
I know I can find this in thee."

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

Sing a new song unto the Lord?

I received a copy of ‘The Red Book Sessions” by “The Singing Company” yesterday. You can get your own copy here. It is an excellent CD and I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to it – I have to say that as a middle-aged Englishman some of the voices are a required taste but once the ear becomes acclimatised the end result is inspiring.

I have had concerns for some time know about the quality of some of our contemporary worships lyrics. A few years ago (round about the time that the Berlin wall collapsed and the Cold War ended) the Army’s exclusive use of the official song book in worship ended. Now when you visit a Corps you cannot assume that the ‘song book’ is the automatic first choice of the congregation (in some Corps it is not used at all.)

This is not just a shame it is a tragedy. Whilst I enjoy singing contemporary worship songs, especially songs like “The power of your love”, “All I once held dear” and “Refiner’s Fire” the available repertoire has a big hole in it which could be plugged by the use of the ‘song book’.

Generally speaking, most modern Christian songs could be accurately categorised as “Praise and Worship” – nothing wrong with that, indeed the arrival of some of these songs has been a timely reminder to The Salvation Army of the need to worship. However, contemporary worship songs are short on sentiments like; consecration, commitment, personal holiness, sacrificial living, obedience, evangelical urgency, intercession – indeed many modern worship songs enable the singer to spend a few minutes away with angels, before the throne, without having to consider the quality of their own life in terms of practical Christianity at all.

The Salvation Army has rich (maybe even unique) heritage among the churches for producing songs that challenge and inspire the singer. A good example and one of my personal favourites would be Walker’s classic (SASB 482)

"Too long at ease in Zion
I've been content to dwell,
While multitudes are dying
And sinking into Hell.
I can no more be careless,
And say there's naught to do,
The fields are white to harvest
And labourers are few.”

Incidentally I don’t know if Walker was a Salvationist but the important thing is that his sentiments have been preserved in our song book. Now I am told by people (better qualified than me) that this song is no longer culturally relevant and is incomprehensible to younger generations. That may well be true but the sentiment remains valid and is absent in the vast majority of modern worship songs.

Another example (used by “The Singing Company”) would be Robert Johnson’s (SASB 696)

“See the brazen hosts of Hell,
Their art and power employing,
More than human tongue can tell,
The blood-bought souls destroying.
Hark! from ruin's ghastly road
Victims groan beneath their load;
Forward, O ye sons of God,
And dare or die for Jesus.”

I recently had a conversation with one of the organisers of Roots UK and asked him why we rarely sing a Salvation Army song at Roots (there is almost an unwritten policy at Roots UK that the official songbook is not used!). The answer I received was fairly predictable and mirrored the opinion voiced above that such songs are largely incomprehensible to young people and those outside our ranks. Incidentally when I questioned the inclusion of the song “Be thou my vision” surprise was registered at the fact that the song had originally been written in the 8th Century (and only translated into ‘modern’ English in 1905)

I suppose the solution is to write new songs which contain the sentiments of active commitment, practical holiness, love for the lost, the struggle for social justice, urgency etc but dressed up in contemporary words. We need modern Salvation Army songs that remind the church of their need for consecration and holiness in much the same way they reminded us of our need to worship.

If anyone is interested I could write the lyrics but sadly I am to musical composition what GSR is to nominal Christianity – if any budding musicians would like to help then email me at abale@ntlworld.com and we’ll see what we can do.

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

You will obey!

I have been reading Andrew Murray’s "Power for your life" – it is a challenging and practical book on the church’s essential need for a Pentecostal baptism of the Holy Spirit, Murray says

“The most essential element of the true Church after Pentecost is a membership baptised with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Every heart was filled with the experience of the presence of the glorified Lord. Every tongue and life witnessed to the wonderful work God had done in raising Jesus to glory and then filling his disciples with that glory. The baptism of power is not just for preachers, but for every individual member of Christ’s body. This will draw the attention of the world and compel confession to the power of Jesus.” (Andrew Murray: Power for your life, chapter 6)

Murray also stresses the importance of obedience as a condition which must be met prior to any such baptism. This has been particularly relevant for me. Having been brought up in a free church protestant tradition ‘obedience’ was always seen as something of a dirty word. Faith has always been pushed to the fore with obedience being forced to sit in the back where he can be monitored with the suspicion he deserves. I have always puzzled over this – of course faith is important, it is essential but what is the hallmark of faith? How do we know that faith is real and not just some token intellectual acknowledgement of Christ’s lordship? True faith will always deliver obedience and obedience will qualify us to receive Pentecostal power.

“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. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. (James 2:14-18)

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:15-17)

God has taught me (not just through this book) that obedience is essential, obedience is the key that unlocks his power and blessings, if we want ‘another Pentecost’ then we will get it when we show some determined ‘obedient faith’.

Without obedience God can give us nothing, as Christians, faith in Christ is the fuel of our obedience, faith comes by hearing and doing. I think we’ve done quite a lot of hearing (although it might be better described as navel-contemplating) perhaps it is time to ‘do’

As the old song says…

“If you want boldness, take part in the fight;
If you want purity, walk in the light;
If you want liberty, shout and be free;
Enjoying a full salvation.”

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

A

Young's analytical discourse on deceiving hearts...

Carol Young has set my mind working overtime…

I am committed to seeing proper personal holiness re-established in The lives of ordinary Salvationists and I accept Railton’s definition of holiness:

“I conclude that to be holy is simply to be given up to God, and that man cannot become holy in any other way than by giving himself up, and not only wishing to become, but becoming wholly the Lord’s.” (GSR Christian Mission Magazine May 1873)

Carol raises an important point about the heart’s ability to deceive, and says…

"I am delving into "heart matters" at the moment which you can read about on my blog. The Bible tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things. With that in mind I am sure that we can kid ourselves quite easily about the level of our devotion and even really mean it when we say that we give our all. We just don't expect God to take us that seriously or realise how precious something is to us until we are at the point of letting it go. We can then wriggle out of turning our words into action quite easily by comparing ourselves with others."

It is certainly difficult to place the ‘consecration’ bit of ‘entire consecration’ into a contemporary setting. What does it mean to surrender all in the 21st century? These are old questions and the debate has rattled on for years. However, there are some pointers we should heed, for example take ‘worldliness’ - in 2000 years of Christianity worldliness was always seen as something that should be avoided but in the last 50 years it has dropped off the radar completely! Was the church wrong? Is morality determined by the attitude of society rather than by the bible?

I recently read the following in Isaiah 1:16-17

“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. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.”

This verse (for me) settles the crisis/process debate once and for all. I can’t stop doing something by degrees – fulfilment of the command ‘stop’ must include actual cessation! Neither can I ‘learn’ instantly. Stopping should be instant (crisis) and learning should be gradual (process). There is so much biblical support for this view one could write a book on it!

The ‘sin’ that Israel was guilty of was largely two-fold, idolatry and a lack of concern for the marginalized – the prophets are full of this stuff.

The problem we have is that our definition (or maybe I should say appreciation) of holiness has been largely shaped around our moral history rather than God’s power . Herbert B. puts it very well – “All the memories of deed gone by, rise within me and thy power deny”. As a result of our inability to be good and because we see no one else being good we think that goodness (this side of the Jordan) is something we should strive for rather than expect to achieve.

Carol is right to mention the unreliable nature of the heart and that is why holiness depends upon God fulfilling his promise in Ezekiel (11:19-20)

“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”

However, as with most biblical promises there are conditions attached and in the preceding verses we read…

“And you will know that I am the LORD, for you have not followed my decrees or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you." (verse 12)

“They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols.” (verse 18)

We are in a catch 22 situation! In order to obey we need a new heart, in order to get a new heart we have to repent, repentance means a practical commitment to obedience… but we will always struggle to obey from out of an old heart. Where do we go from here – I would suggest Romans 8!

• God’s not going to condemn us for trying (verse 1)
• If we fail along the way Jesus has carried the can for us (verses 3-4) ).
• We must yield to the Spirit (verses 9-17).
• We must faithfully obey (the whole chapter!)

With the comfort of knowing that we are allowed to ‘learn to do good’ and with the awareness that we must immediately stop ‘doing wrong’ let’s (in faith) dump everything we know is wrong and consecrate everything that is left as and when we are prompted – once we ask God to define ‘all’ it’s amazing how quickly he starts to demand - in fact in some cases the whole ‘process’ can take place in a moment.

This is an important debate and coming to the proper conclusions will determine how quickly we are allowed to enjoy the revival which we are all so eagerly waiting for!

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

Saviour while my heart is tender...

Saturday night - Commissioning - Wembley Conference Centre (no air conditioning!) - hot - humid - late...

I notice that my nephew, who's Mum and Dad split up last year, is getting into the prayer meeting (he's twelve)... I ask him if he'd like to go to the cross and pray? I'm not sure which comes first the enthusiastic yes, the tears or the enormous look of relief on his face.

We go and pray, I pray for him as I would pray for an adult, I lay hands on him and sense God's power moving down my arm, through my fingers and into his young frame. The tears flow, the spirit flows and Danny verbalises his own prayer - God hears and responds.

Later in the evening he says to my wife "when I was at the Mercy Seat I felt the power of God come down and claim me" Hallelujah!

The same night, my youngest daughter Bethany asks to go to the cross and pray I take her by the hand and as we walk down the steps she looks up at me and says "I know what I want to do with the rest of my life - I want to be an Officer" - she is 8 in September!

Then this morning I read Gordon's blog and discover that God was moving in the hearts of other children too.

Then on my way to work my IPOD delivers the following song...

Saviour, while my heart is tender,
I would yield that heart to thee;
All my powers to thee surrender,
Thine and only thine to be.
Take me now, Lord Jesus, take me,
Let my youthful heart be thine;
Thy devoted servant make me,
Fill my soul with love divine.

Send me, Lord, where thou wilt send me,
Only do thou guide my way;
May thy grace through life attend me,
Gladly then shall I obey.
Let me do thy will, or bear it,
I would know no will but thine;
Shouldst thou take my life, or spare it,
I that life to thee resign.

May this solemn consecration
Never once forgotten be;
Let it know no alteration,
Registered, confirmed by thee.
Thine I am, O Lord, forever,
To thy service set apart;
Suffer me to leave thee never,
Seal thine image on my heart.

The tears flow again... this time they're mine.

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

Andrew

Do we really mean it

I have just returned from the UK Commissioning – an uplifting, challenging and inspiring weekend. There were many moments of real anointing (not just high emotion but genuine invasions of the soul by God the Holy Spirit!). The preaching in particular (from Cmmrs John and Betty Matear and Lt-Colonel Vic Poke) was perceptive, incisive and showed real evidence of discernment, passion and courage.

However… there were two moments during the weekend when I felt a divine frown – maybe even a bit of a glower from on high.

The first was the declaration of faith made by the Captains to be, I am sure everyone meant what they said and I have no reason to doubt their wholehearted acceptance of the doctrines – yet if you dip into any of the many SA discussion forums that are around or hang out at an Officer’s fellowship it will not before long before you hear Officer’s openly challenging – even dismissing – some of the doctrines. In particular doctrines 1, 5, 9, 10 and 11 seem to be considered optional by many of those who bear the red felt on their shoulders.

The second came when the congregation sang:

All my days and all my hours,
All my will and all my powers,
All the passion of my soul,
Not a fragment but the whole
Shall be thine, dear Lord,
Shall be thine, dear Lord.

The use of words like ‘all’ and ‘whole’ make this a real Railtonian commitment to all-out, no-holds barred, life or death warfare. This is not an itsy-bitsy, namby-pamby, limp-wristed, half hearted wink in the direction of consecration – this is hardcore holiness.

I wonder how many who sang the chorus genuinely meant it? If the truth were known then the passion, time and powers of the average Salvationist is shared out between TV, sport, materialism, leisure, and personal ambition (etc. etc.) with what’s left being tossed in the direction of nominal Christianity. The bulk of us are like the Jews of Hosea’s day (8:2-4):

“Israel cries out to me, 'O our God, we acknowledge you!' But Israel has rejected what is good.”
Whilst moved and pumped up and enthusiastic and left chomping at the bit by the two days these two occasions made me smart . Do we honestly think that God is going to honour such blatant hypocrisy? What must he think when he hears our words and at the same time sees where our priorities lie.

Maybe we should have sung the following instead:

“Too long at ease in Zion
I've been content to dwell,
While multitudes are dying
And sinking into Hell.I
can no more be careless,
And say there's naught to do,
The fields are white to harvest
And labourers are few.”

I remain set apart by the grace of Jesus for God in the Army for life!

Andrew

Confession...

Yesterday I lost my temper with my 10 year-old daughter. I don't mean that I got angry I mean that I lost my temper.

It was all to do with 'missing' homework (and needless to say it wasn't the first time we had this conversation). It all started reasonably enough but within minutes slipped into an undignified shouting match. Basically, she had lost her homework but blamed her Mother for the loss - "I left it on the desk a week ago and Mum has moved it! She has lost my homework!"

I was ashamed at the way I behaved - I didn't hit her, I didn't swear, I wasn't rude and I didn't let the sun go down on my wrath - but I was so angry (too angry!).

It was a painful reminder that holiness is still not complete in my life - I need more prayer, more surrender and more faith.

Even now 24 hours later I still feel mortified about how angry I became.

I am one of the calmest most patient men you could ever meet - nothing ruffles me, I simply take it all in my stride - but when I blow I make up for all those years of calmness. Just because a sinful tendency sleeps in the depths of our heart like a sting ray that doesn't make us righteous.

Holy Christians should never lose control and I did - I wasn't completely out of control (I knew when to stop) but my anger climbed to a pitch which is quite unacceptable.

God has forgiven me, my daughter has forgiven me (and apologised for being the spark that lit the touch paper) and eventually... I will forgive myself.

In the meantime - "Give me a holy life spotless and true!"

Love and prayers

Andrew

I took my children to see the latest Dreamworks animated adventure ‘Over the hedge’ on Saturday. At one point a racoon is introducing a group of forest animals to the delights of urban living – he takes them on a tour of food.

“They always got food with them. We eat to live - these guys live to eat! Let me how you what I'm talking about! The human mouth is called a 'piehole', the human being is called a 'couch potato'. That is a device to summon food (points to a telephone). That is one of the many voices of food (Pizza restaurant responds). That is the portal for the passing of food (front door). That is one of the many food transportation vehicles (Pizza delivery moped). Humans bring the food, take the food, ship the food, they drive food, they wear the food!

That gets the food hot! (Points to microwave) That keeps the food cold! (Points to fridge) That, I'm not sure what that is (points to whipped cream in a spray can) . Well, what do you know? Food! That is the altar where they worship food! (Shows a family saying ‘grace’) That's what they eat when they've eaten too much food! (Shows a glass of Alka-Seltzer) that gets rid of the guilt so they can eat more food (points to an exercise bike)! Food! Food! Food! Food! foooood! So, you think they have enough? Well, they don't. For humans, enough is never enough! and what do they do with the stuff they don't eat? They put it in gleaming silver cans, just for us! Dig in!”

I think it speaks for itself and needs no further comment but for those who need a bit of a nudge try the following from Isaiah 58:6-10

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. "

Yours set apart for Jesus

A

Some people think it's all over... it is now!

When England were inevitably knocked out of the World Cup on penalties I felt a surprising yet enormous sense of relief.

Once an ardent soccer fan, (like all Londoners I have followed Manchester United since I was six). I had more or less lost interest in football. On the one hand it seemed like a waste of my time and on the other hand there were issues surrounding the game that made me feel better off away from it.

When the World Cup arrived my interest was temporarily resurrected – but there was a distinct difference about the way I felt. There was a deep sense of discomfort within me as I began to familiarise myself with the ins and outs of England’s chances.

I wasn’t comfortable with the knowledge that English football fans (among those from other countries) would be serviced by upwards of 40,000 trafficked prostituted women. I wasn’t comfortable with the thought of replica squad shirts and footballs being manufactured in Asian sweat shops by child slaves. I wasn’t comfortable with yet one more display of decadence and self-indulgent materialism, by the west, in a world of hunger, poverty and social injustice.

Yet I allowed myself to be sucked in and I watched the games. The discomfort never left me and I felt nagged throughout the three weeks to turn of the TV and go and do something useful. I suppose (for me) it was a sin – to clearly hear the voice of God calling something into question and to ignore that voice – I am not saying that watching football is sinful but that my association with the World Cup was a serious compromise. Hence my relief when it was all over.

I came to the conclusion a long time ago that if God is going to do with my life what he wants to do then he needs everything – every minute, every penny, and every influence. Without wishing to liken my self to William Booth and Christmas I shall definitely never spend another June like this!

I think I seem to remember reading the following somewhere…

Called by God to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as an officer of The Salvation Army, I bind myself to him in this solemn covenant:

• to love and serve him supremely all my days,
• to live to win souls and make their salvation the first purpose of my life,
• to care for the poor, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, love the unlovable, and befriend those who have no friends,
• to maintain the doctrines and principles of The Salvation Army and,
• by God’s grace, to prove myself a worthy officer.

May God forgive me for compromise and help me to willingly, moment by moment surrender my all. Passion is a rare and valuable commodity these days and I pray that I never pour it out on the ‘high place’ of football again.

A

The golden age of Salvationism...

Grant Sandercock-Brown has written an interesting article published at The Rubicon in which he accuses some of trying to revive old methods to salvage the Army of today.

• James Pedlar Says "many salvos give more weight to the founders than they do to scripture."
  
• Russel Rook says "Grant’s forward-thinking salvationism has to be the way to go."
  
• Matt Clifton says "the idea of a ‘golden age’ is not without legitimacy."
  
• Carol Young says "Blocked old wells need re-opening and made accessible to a new generation if they contain life giving water."
  

I say - this argument will be settled once and for all when revival comes kicking and screaming into the labour ward that is primitive Salvationism. It's definitely not about bums on seat but it most definitely is about bums in heaven!

I do not see the post-modernist approach which is so popular with some within our movement winning souls on a scale acceptable to God or comparable with Pentecost or the 'golden age' of Salvationism.

Join the debate here.

Yours under Christ and irrepressibly over the devil
Andrew

Come unto me all those who are weary...

Too busy to blog.

M's baby has arrived and she is beautiful - Hallelujah! She weighed in at 9 lb 15 oz and 5 days later is an amazing 10 lb 8 oz!

It is an absolute privilege to have M and Alicia sharing our home at this time. We thank God that we are found in his service.

Things are currently quite mad in the Bale household - Tracey is away for 2 weeks at 'Summer School' (part of her Officer training), Bethany (our 7 year-old) has tonsillitis, our hall is undergoing building works and we have a new baby in the house - life is hectic, we are frazzled but deeply honoured to be in the midst of his will for our lives.

God is so good bless his holy name!

Love and prayers Andrew

Come join our Army!

"You must do it. With the light that is now broken in upon your mind and the call that is now sounding in your ears, and the beckoning hands that are now before your eyes, you have no alternative. To go down among the perishing crowds is your duty. Your happiness from now on will consist in sharing their misery, your ease in sharing their pain, your crown in helping them to bear their cross, and your heaven in going into the very jaws of hell to rescue them."

Great quote from the founder.... and while your in the mood check out this link for some great vintage film of SA open-airs (circa 1904) as well as the 1904 congress, William Booth's motorcade evangelism and the old General's funeral procession plus some audio files of the old boy preaching!

You'll also find a heap of useful SA links here :-)

Very inspiring!!!

Yours under Christ and irrepressibly over the devil

Andrew

A Four-fold Franciscan Blessing

A Four-fold Franciscan Blessing

"May God bless you with a restless discomfort about easy answers,half-truths and superficial relationships, so that you may seek truthboldly and love deep within your heart.
May God bless you with holy anger at injustice, oppression, andexploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for justice,freedom, and peace among all people.

May God bless you with the gift of tears to shed with those who sufferfrom pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that theycherish, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them andtransform their pain into joy.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you reallyCAN make a difference in this world, so that you are able, with God’sgrace, to do what others claim cannot be done.

And the blessing of God the Supreme Majesty and our Creator, JesusChrist the Incarnate Word who is our brother and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Guide, be with you and remain with you, this day and forevermore. AMEN."

Riighteous discontent and vision.

“Vision always needs an element of righteous discontent with the present situation. Conviction, corporate and personal repentance may be part of this.” (Bryn Hughes)

I am certain that such prayer is at the very genesis of revival. A group of us in the UK have been meeting regularly in recent months to repent both individually and corporately and I know that others around the world are doing likewise. Let us turn our "righteous discontent with the present situation" into prayer, fasting , repentance, vision and revival - Hallelujah!

(Picked up this quote yesterday at a Leadership Development Day - if you ever get the chance to go and hear this man speak it will be a good investment of your time.)

Yours under Christ and irrepressibly over the devil!

Andrew

No compromise

Last Saturday God confirmed a 'word' that has been hammering at my heart for months, this message consisted of just two words:-

NO COMPROMISE!

The word comes on the back of two portions of scripture both of which have also been ‘pestering’ my soul for quite some time.

The first is from Ephesians 4:17-32

"So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

The second is from 1 John 2:15-17

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 pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”

The phrase ‘No Compromise’ was also the name of a Keith Green album which featured the following lyrics:

“Make my life a prayer to you
I wanna do what you want me to
No empty words and no white lies
No token prayers no compromise.”

It was also used as the title of Keith Green’s biography (well worth reading! – you can get it here.)

Everyone is talking about revival, incarnational living, effective ministry and holiness yet I have been reminded once more that we can have none of this while there is compromise in our lives – we must in true Salvationist tradition surrender everything - including what is ‘sinful’ and what is ‘doubtful’ and then 'continue' in 'obedient faith’. We must have a holiness that doesn't just treat the symptoms of sin but one that removes the desire to sin completely.

I sense that even in the lives of the great warriors among us there is some compromise. The evidence and consequence of compromise is pride, lust, greed, complacency, arrogance, self-reliance, worldliness, selfish ambition and mission failure - if these things are in our lives then we must fast, repent and consecrate ourselves afresh – anything else is compromise.

As a wise old man once said to me – we can’t bind up the demons that control the geographical areas where we live until we bind up the ones that control us. The devil doesn’t feast on big portions all he needs is a few crumbs of compromise, all he needs is a foothold, just a little tiny sin is all it takes to numb Christ within us, stifle hope and make us ineffective.

Compromise leads to hell – ‘no compromise’ leads to heaven.

Yours under Christ and irrepressibly over the devil!

Andrew