The challenge for the modern Salvo
I get to thinking, from time to time, that these days are challenging for the modern Salvo.
Are they any more challenging than other days or what our historical forefathers of TSA experienced ? probably not ... but certainly the times that we live in and minister in are more complicated than then, in many ways.
take the drama of homosexuality, and Gay Marriage and the can of worms it is to even start speaking about whether it is right or wrong, especially in the church.
what about political correctness ?
and trying to get people into church and the debate that arises about even that....
whether we are meant to be a church or an Army ? can we be both ?
and let's not get started about worship style, or generational worship, what songs we sing, or dont, whether it be traditional or contemporary... in the church / Army... !!!
******************************************************************************
Sometimes its just all too hard, and sometimes I feel we get caught up in semantics and rules and regulations and what things look like, rather than what they really actually "are" . even that statement will cause someone, somewhere to disagree... lol
I believe that we all need to determine what is right for us, and what is biblical and what isnt, and what was the intent of Christ for His church ( TSA is a part of that - it had better be, the church, the Bride, is the only thing going through into heaven at the end of it all )
When you feel confused by the politics and culture and gradual wasting away of society and Christian values, you are going to have to know, deep down in your heart, what it is you believe. And you will need to hold onto it and live for it somehow.
Everything will be up for grabs one day and everything, every Christlike virtue, challenged and debated and deserted. ( the book of Revelation kind of tells us what will one day be coming to this earths journey)
There are however some absolutes, well...in my mind there are.
( I have heaps of these, cant mention them all )
The modern day Salvo needs to know, deeply know, that we are not living in the shadow of our glory days, but rather we are living in the days of our Vision Reality, and living out our mission, and the fact that our very best days still lay ahead of us, not behind us.
If our best days are behind us, we are in serious trouble.
Our best days are days that have been planned for us by God Himself.
Thousands will be saved and added to our number, lives will be healed, set free, right before our very eyes. Many will be released from bondage and deception and chains will fall off peoples lives, shackels off their eyes and ear plugs from their ears, will be removed as God moves through His people in TSA.
These wont be easy days, but they will be our best.
We will be at our truest, and best........... but not if we make our meetings about something that they are not.
Our meetings, our worship, and everything that happens on Sundays and every other day as well, are about Jesus, and His love and His people..... and nothing else.
It's when we make it about something other than Jesus, that's when we get it all muddled up and confused, and we start arguing over the insignificant things, which by the way... will not go through to heaven.
So, I want to challenge, remind, encourage you and bless you into our divine calling and inheritance and heritage. God is with us. He will do in us, what we cant do alone.
He will use us.
He will bless us.
He will grow us.
He will heal us.
He will restore and revive us.
He will renew us and release us.
He will be revealed in us and through us.
He will do it !!!!
all we have to do is keep focussed on Jesus.
Bless His Holy Name.
(and if you think that TSA has lost its relevance, or meaning or hope or purpose or potential ?
think again,
JESUS IS HERE !!!!
HE IS OUR LEADER !!!!
we haven't even started to do what He has mapped out for us to do and be )
Are they any more challenging than other days or what our historical forefathers of TSA experienced ? probably not ... but certainly the times that we live in and minister in are more complicated than then, in many ways.
take the drama of homosexuality, and Gay Marriage and the can of worms it is to even start speaking about whether it is right or wrong, especially in the church.
what about political correctness ?
and trying to get people into church and the debate that arises about even that....
whether we are meant to be a church or an Army ? can we be both ?
and let's not get started about worship style, or generational worship, what songs we sing, or dont, whether it be traditional or contemporary... in the church / Army... !!!
******************************************************************************
Sometimes its just all too hard, and sometimes I feel we get caught up in semantics and rules and regulations and what things look like, rather than what they really actually "are" . even that statement will cause someone, somewhere to disagree... lol
I believe that we all need to determine what is right for us, and what is biblical and what isnt, and what was the intent of Christ for His church ( TSA is a part of that - it had better be, the church, the Bride, is the only thing going through into heaven at the end of it all )
When you feel confused by the politics and culture and gradual wasting away of society and Christian values, you are going to have to know, deep down in your heart, what it is you believe. And you will need to hold onto it and live for it somehow.
Everything will be up for grabs one day and everything, every Christlike virtue, challenged and debated and deserted. ( the book of Revelation kind of tells us what will one day be coming to this earths journey)
There are however some absolutes, well...in my mind there are.
( I have heaps of these, cant mention them all )
- God loves us. Nothing can stop that.
- Jesus will return one day.
- He is still sovereign, and He desires to "power up" - TSA.
- It was He who raised the Salvation Army, we still belong to Him, we are still about His business, and its not just giving a cup of cold water or a bowl of soup, its very much still about getting people saved and added to the Kingdom of heaven.
- It's not about how we worship, its about who we worship.
- God isnt finished with TSA yet. He isnt finsihed with me yet. ( or you for that matter)
- Our best days are still ahead of us at the Army.
The modern day Salvo needs to know, deeply know, that we are not living in the shadow of our glory days, but rather we are living in the days of our Vision Reality, and living out our mission, and the fact that our very best days still lay ahead of us, not behind us.
If our best days are behind us, we are in serious trouble.
Our best days are days that have been planned for us by God Himself.
Thousands will be saved and added to our number, lives will be healed, set free, right before our very eyes. Many will be released from bondage and deception and chains will fall off peoples lives, shackels off their eyes and ear plugs from their ears, will be removed as God moves through His people in TSA.
These wont be easy days, but they will be our best.
We will be at our truest, and best........... but not if we make our meetings about something that they are not.
Our meetings, our worship, and everything that happens on Sundays and every other day as well, are about Jesus, and His love and His people..... and nothing else.
It's when we make it about something other than Jesus, that's when we get it all muddled up and confused, and we start arguing over the insignificant things, which by the way... will not go through to heaven.
So, I want to challenge, remind, encourage you and bless you into our divine calling and inheritance and heritage. God is with us. He will do in us, what we cant do alone.
He will use us.
He will bless us.
He will grow us.
He will heal us.
He will restore and revive us.
He will renew us and release us.
He will be revealed in us and through us.
He will do it !!!!
all we have to do is keep focussed on Jesus.
Bless His Holy Name.
(and if you think that TSA has lost its relevance, or meaning or hope or purpose or potential ?
think again,
JESUS IS HERE !!!!
HE IS OUR LEADER !!!!
we haven't even started to do what He has mapped out for us to do and be )
Bring it on Gary - No, bring it on JESUS, through Gary and all of us!!
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