How do you read yours?

So Cadburys (the maker of cream eggs) are to be swallowed up by the American giant Kraft! Cadbury's cream eggs are a British institution, when I was a boy they appeared in the shops just before Easter, these days they are available from the beginning of January! Personally I don't like Cream eggs they are far too sweet and sickly for my savoury tooth. In recent years Cadburys have used the following advertising slogan in relation to cream eggs – "How do you eat yours" – the suggestion being that everyone eats them and the only question that needs to be asked in relation to them is "how"? Cadburys have even offered prizes to people for the most original methods of consumption.

Some people treat their bibles like a cream egg, they read it 'in season', i.e. they read it at special times of the year and then when they do read it they only read the 'sweet' bits. They avoid anything that might call to 'deeper consecration' or surrender. They ignore those verses that seek to correct a slack and apathetic approach to Christianity. When it comes to the bible the only question that really needs to be asked is "How do you read yours"? Every Christian ought to read the word of God on a daily basis and they ought to read it all not just bits and pieces.

If you've never gone through the whole bible in one year then you ought to do so. There are many good reading plans available on the Internet - 'The One Year Bible Online' is a good place to start. I've been using such a plan now for about 10 years and as a consequence I am more familiar with my bible than I have ever been. This year I decided to have a change.

The Salvation Soldier's Guide is a collection of bible readings for the morning and evening of every day in the year. The selected readings are particularly relevant to Salvationist's. There are 'morning' and 'evening' readings available and a very short reading for midday. Very often the readings are linked together and you will find them an excellent source of inspiration for sermons. The original readings were taken from the King James Version and very few copies of the original 'guide' are still around. This site contains links to the original readings but taken from the New International Version. This particular edition of the 'Guide' was compiled and edited by G S Railton (which for me at least always adds extra spice!)

If you have no bible reading plan I would heartily recommend the 'The Salvation Soldier's Guide' - if you already have a reading plan then the 'guide' is an excellent supplementary source of inspiration.

Grace and peace, A

Jack and others...

Someone called 'Jack' in comments on my previous blog raises concerns about holiness. It is imperative holiness is properly understood so I've decided to make 'Jacks' comments and my responses a new post.

Jack says:

"The main problem I see with the concept of holiness is that the definition of what is 'sin' will differ from person to person... What you believe to be sin and what the person next to you believes is a sin may be quite different, yet you may both consider yourself to be holy. If it is only your own opinion or what you believe has been revealed to you, does it really have any credibility...?"

The bible and the Spirit working in conjunction identify sin. When they identify sin it must be given up. Holiness will look different on other people because of the degree of revelation but if there is doubt then the grey areas have to be given up as well.

We mustn't forget consecration – holiness is all about consecration and the grace which makes it possible. We need to focus on what we surrender to God rather than on the things we give up - if everything I have is given to God then it will be impossible for me to sin (unless I take something back) to sin requires resources (time, money etc) if all of this belongs to God how am I going to sin?

Jack says:

"So do I understand you correctly... in accordance with your holiness manifesto, drinking anything other than water is for you a sin?"

No not at all. Sometimes it will be impossible to only drink water on other occasions – times of legitimate celebration - it might be OK for the water to be turned into wine (metaphorically speaking!) For me the decision to only drink water has more to do with social justice than holiness (although the two are inextricably linked) the promise to drink only water is a reminder that some go thirsty and a reminder to do something about it.

Jack says:

"So you have set your own definitions for sin and holiness, which will no doubt differ from the definitions of others. You mention the bible as helping to identify sin - who decides what keeping the Sabbath holy means? This is why I still cannot see 'holiness' as being anything other than each individual's perception of themselves - you may think you are holy by your definitions, I may disagree with you. So if you think you are 'holy' but others don't, then what's the point?"

A condition of holiness (indeed a condition of salvation) is obedience. If God directs us via conscience, scripture or experience to surrender something which others see as legitimate the issue of obedience is with me not them. If God (to use your illustration of the Sabbath) tells me not to watch football on a Sunday then the command is for me. If others choose to do what God has asked me not to do that doesn't make them sinful nor does it nullify my obedience.

St Francis of Assisi had no possessions, no home and no money. He wore one simple robe and lived on charity. However, if others didn't have the freedom to work and earn money they could not have supplied the 'alms' that Francis depended upon. George Scott Railton was often referred to as a Salvationist Francis of Assisi; however without the wealth of people like Edward Rabbits and Henry Reed the Salvation Army would never have been born. Holiness is about being obedient to what God is telling me and not about worrying about what he is saying to other people. Holiness isn't about comparing me to others it is about allowing the Spirit to create for me my own unique pattern of faith and practice and then living according to it.

My holiness manifesto is what I believe God is demanding of me, if it challenges others to follow suit that's great (as long as the inspiration to follow comes from God). If it doesn't that's fine too.

I can't tell other people what to give up or what to consecrate but what I can do (and will do) is encourage others to give up everything that is sinful and doubtful and consecrate their all to God. What I can and will do is point them to the command to "love the Lord God with all your heart, mind, soul and body." It is then up to them to work out the detail 'with fear and trembling'.

What must one give up? Everything that is sinful and doubtful.

What must one consecrate? Everything they have.

Time, health and talents presenting,
All that I have shall be thine;
Heart mind and will consecrating,
No longer shall they be mine.

Take thou my life, Lord,
In deep submission I pray,
My all to thee dedicating,
Accept my offering today.
Take thou my life, Lord, I pray;
My all to thee dedicating,
Accept my offering today."

Brindley Boon)

Grace and peace, A

Courage brother it is still God's will to save our nation!

It’s 2:27am and I’m in Dartford Salvation Army Hall in the middle of an all night of prayer. The Computer’s been left on and logged onto the internet so that people can send emails, look up quotes, search the bible, play midi files or whatever they feel led to do.

I’ve just stuck pins in a map of the world a pin in Melbourne (prayers for Steve, Danielle and Xander) a pin in Sydney (Prayers for Andrew Stringer and his clan) a pin in Vancouver for Jonathan and Olivia – I’ve prayed for all you guys!

We’ve just prayer walked Dartford High Street, picking our way through the drunks (who all look too young to be out at 1am let alone out drinking.) I knelt down outside a busy pub, on the very spot where 100 years ago this year 3 Salvationists were arrested and sent to prison for preaching the gospel. Together with my friends we reclaimed Dartford for Jesus and spoke out against the strongholds of alcohol, gambling and prostitution which so obviously hold the town. Jesus was with us and we sensed the heavenly hosts twitch with excitement, swords at the ready and eager for battle!

I have such an overwhelming sense tonight that God is so ready to act. Already in Dartford we have felt those big heavy splashes of rain that precede a storm – revival is on its way – I feel it in every spiritual cell of soul.

You know we have some Officers in the UK who think we’re living in the last days, a time when the bible predicts decline and apostasy – so they’ve given up on evangelism! They tell me that we are the church of Laodicea. I disagree – I violently disagree! We are the church of Sardis and God (hallelujah) has not completed his work in us yet!

God can do immeasurably more than all we could ask or even imagine – how? by the power that’s at work in us. I was reading the Soldier’s covenant earlier and the Officer’s covenant – you know if every soldier and every Officer got up tomorrow morning and kept their promises it would transform our Army overnight – in fact I reckon that if only a tenth did that we could conquer the world for Christ within a year.

Friends, we must pray, fast, repent, fight for social justice, become a voice for the silent and make the invisible visible. We must once more make Isaiah 58 our benchmark then we could again rise like the sun and rebuild the broken places.

Comrades – let’s do it!

No more compromise or excuses no more measuring ourselves against each other. Let’s measure ourselves against God’s word and then when we realise how poor we are let’s allow God to make us rich, when we realise how weak we are let’s allow God to make us strong and then let’s conquer the world for Jesus.

The Salvation war still rages, reinforcements are needed, give everything you have , surrender all and do or die for Jesus.

“Courage my brother it is still the will of God to save our nation” (GSR)

A call to arms

Yesterday was St George’s day and the birthday of Shakespeare, so with apologies to the Bard I post my own (somewhat altered) speech from Henry V – may it stir your blood, bones and spirit!

“To the front, Comrades, once more; or bridge the gap twixt here and heaven with dead Salvationists. In God’s kingdom there's nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility:But when the blast of war blows in our ears, then imitate the action of the tiger; stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, dress gentle Jesus in righteous anger… Grit your teeth and stretch the nostril wide, hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit to his full height. On, on, Salvation Soldiers whose heritage is those who once were ‘more than conquerors.

Salvation soldiers that, like so many Booths and Railtons, have in these parts from morn till even fought and sheathed their swords for lack of argument: Dishonour not these pioneers; now attest that those whom you called primitives have led the way.

Be like them now to men of grosser blood, and teach them how to war. And you, good soldier, whose limbs were forged in ‘Blood and fire’, show us here the mettle of your pasture; let us swear that you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not; For there is none of you though once so mean and base, that hath not washed in Jesus’ blood.I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, straining upon the start. The game's afoot: Follow the spirit, and upon this chargeCry 'God for the General, the lost, and Saint George!"

St George of course being Railton!

Love and prayers

A

More modernised Railton...

More from 'Heathen England in modern English - remember this is a report from 130 years go yet it could be a contemporary report looking into the reason why evangelism fails!

"Imagine what would happen if Christians really did care enough to get those outside their churches inside (not just for a week or two once a year but all the time), what would their chances of success be?

Look at the average church, the building, the way the people dress, the way people behave, the way things happen (should I stand or sit?), the language used, the songs sung – one might think the whole thing had been deliberately designed to keep ordinary people out. Even if you could get them to come along once the likelihood of a return visit would be slim indeed.

And then think about the service itself, — to those who have attended all their lives it might be described as beautiful, carefully designed to teach, refresh and encourage those who have developed an appetite for the acquired taste of such heavenly food, yet this same service is probably completely indigestible to non church goers. Outsiders might enjoy the music yet not have the confidence to join in, they might listen to the prayers, but again not join in — maybe not even realise the prayers were being prayed on their behalf. As for the sermon (assuming they could understand it) — because it had been written with believers in mind it would probably fall on deaf ears. The whole experience, despite the kindness shown by the genuine warm welcome and many handshakes, would suggest to the newcomer that this kind of thing was probably for others but not for them.

Let me put a question to those who have organised special evangelical services and outreach programmes where they have invited preachers to come along who are killed in preaching salvation – even if you have succeeded in bringing people in – how many have come back?

The truth is that most ordinary people cannot be encouraged to attend ordinary church services and ordinary places of worship, no matter how sincerely they are invited to do so. This fact is proven by the constant stream of conferences and seminars held throughout the church to address this very situation."

Love and prayers

A

Heathen England today!

I've been updating the language in GSR's 'Heathen England' (An eye witness account of the the birth of TSA was first published in 1877). I'm hoping that the ammended text might be suitable for publication.

It is amazing just how much of what GSR reports is relevant to today - people say that the world has changed but in truth it hasn't. I was walking down Dartford High Street on Market day and the scene would have been one GSR would have recognised. Perhaps the Gin Palaces have been replaced with 'greasy spoon' cafes and amusement arcades but the place is essentially as it was 100 years ago (right down to the modern equivalent of the Pawn Shop!)

Below is a taster from the updated 'Heathen England' taken from the opening of chapter 2.

"WHY AREN’T PEOPLE INTERESTED IN CHRISTIANITY?

Why is it that while so many churches are putting up new buildings, collecting more money, holding more services and social events (including special youth services) and thinking seriously about evangelism that the noticeable gap between Christians and ordinary people is still so great?

Part of the reason is that many Christians won’t admit (or can’t see) that there is a problem. Just stand and watch a large congregation leaving a popular Church on a Sunday evening. Watch the well dressed, comfortable, happy people. Look at their smiles as they say "Good evening" to each other. Their cheerful chatter sounds as happy as the whistling of the birds in the woods. They’ve had a great time — an inspiring sermon, a good crowd, powerful praise, perhaps they’ve even had a prayer meeting with seekers at the Mercy Seat.

Now look at the gang of youngsters who are walking by. Just a quick glance tells you they have had nothing to do with Jesus today. They are as smart as the others; but they are not the slightest bit interested in Christianity. Neither is that man with the cigarette[1] in his mouth, who guides his wife and child through the crowd of ex worshippers. He prefers to take his wife out somewhere else on a Sunday rather than go to church. The big rough men who follow him, angry at the people in their way, show their hatred of both Christians and the church in the way they swear and curse as they push their way through.

The pastor and his congregation, indeed everyone who has been in that church feels no discomfort at the thought of those who stayed outside. The simple truth is that such a thought never even crossed their mind.

[1] The original word here was ‘meerschaum’ which was a soft white mineral used for making pipes or cigarette holders."

love and prayers

A

Spot the difference?

158 years ago yesterday (July 6th) George Scott Railton was born. 46 years ago, yesterday, I was born. I must admit that I like having the same birthday as the founder of primitive Salvationism.

However, sadly, we have little else in common. The main difference between us is that Railton lived out the beliefs that I (at present) merely aspire to.

I had some great cards yesterday, but perhaps the most memorable had the following words on the front – “Don’t count your years. Make your years count.’

Is the world ready for another Railton? Ready or not the world and The Salvation Army both desperately need another Railton.

What if in addition to sharing the same birthday and the same aspirations we could share the same lifestyle?

The intent is there; indeed the intent get’s stronger every day. I pray that as we get closer to taking up our appointment at Dartford God the holy spirit realises the intent in a glorious Pentecostal-powered life that tells for God, rescues the lost, liberates the enslaved – gives everything until – eventually, it ‘falls at its post’.

I pray that God the Holy Spirit gives me not only a portion of Railton’s spirit but that he gives me a ‘double portion’.

In the words of Jean Luc Picard – ‘Make it so number one!’

A