the BIG “R’s”..... hmmmm ..... What is going on in us ?

“When Asa heard this message from Azariah the prophet, he took courage and removed all the detestable idols from the land of Judah and Benjamin and in the towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. And he repaired the altar of the Lord, which stood in front of the entry room of the Lord’s Temple.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭15:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As I read this passage of scripture, and specifically this verse the words just about jumped off the page for me...   “And Asa repaired the altar of the Lord”

The thought immediately came to my mind that we need to repair some altars of the Lord in our lives also.

When reading the whole chapter and getting context we also see other actions by Asa... not only did he repair the Lords Altar, but he also removed detestable idols..he took courage ....

I don’t know about you, but that speaks deeply to me today... maybe its the bit about taking courage, or maybe its the bit about getting the Altar of the Lord back in its rightful place in our lives, or maybe its the bit about removing the detestable idols...not 100% sure, maybe its all of it....   what stands out for me are the “R” words...

    Remove & Repair....   =   Repent & Revive....

                       (also some rebelling against the world and its ways)

It occurs to me that in this modern world, 2020... we could also do with some removing and repairing.... some  repenting and reviving... and maybe some rebelling against the ways of this world and its compromise and watering down of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, some of which has creeped into our churches.

Insidious deception that has blind sided so many.

So....what else occurred to me, was do we really know in 2020 what is detestable to the Lord ?                  Have we made up our own rules about this ?

We would all say, most likely, that sin is detestable to the Lord... so then that begs the question..     how do we define sin ?

Sadly a lot of us make up our own rules about that one as well....

one of the best definitions I have heard about sin, is 

“missing the mark or target”

I know there are countless times in my own life where I have missed the mark, most likely you also...  and so that’s why the repentance and rebuilding of the altar in our lives and in our churches is so critical.

Sin is a barrier to our relationship with God... it is an idol that must be removed, it is a thing that God asks us to do.....many of us are slow at this, we find every excuse and reason under the sun for our inaction in this.

We compromise scriptural truth by making it work for us...bending and twisting it so that it fits with a worldly view, that makes us feel good about ourselves, but all the while, I am not sure whether we even think about the fact that our actions and inactions may in fact be detestable to God.

 Do we even care about that anymore ?  Now that’s a tough question isnt it ?

I mean do we really truly care if we are pleasing God or just pleasing ourselves these days ?

I find that statement challenging to myself, you may not...you may be living life way better than me, but it doesn't change the truth, for me at least...

God calls me, and maybe you also to remove and repair.... to repent and revive.

Asa’s life, was most likely not perfect either....

But we still see him remove the detestable idols and repair the altar of the Lord and maybe, just maybe, there is some symbolism for our personal lives and our churches these days. Perhaps this is a metaphor for us also.

Is God pleased with our worship services ? Is He pleased with our prayer life, both personal and corporate ? What about our study of the Bible, is it changing us, or are we changing it ?

I think when we fiddle with the Bible, are changing it so to speak, that this would be most likely detestable to Him. (Just a thought)

And what about those commandments....

Love God with all we have, and all we are....

Love others like we love ourselves...

Go into the world and make disciples ...

Are we in fact hurting God by our inaction and careless handling of these commands ?

Well for me today, I have found that one verse in 2 Chronicles 15(vs8) really challenging and I want the altar of my Lord, in good condition in my own heart and life. I want some things in my life removed, just in case they are offending my God and He finds it detestable in me.

This worship service at Ringwood Corps... when we were CO's there...(pictured above) was one of the best Salvo Traditional ones I have been in..... it isn't about the style of song or music, its about who we are worshipping and why .

Worship on Sunday morning or whenever it is for you...is not about you, the choice of songs  and their style is not about you, the worship is all about Him and us gathering together in unity to exalt HIM, to magnify HIM, to make HIM look good and to listen out for His voice as He speaks our name.

The next time you find yourself critical of a song or style of music, whether its contemporary or traditional.... just ask yourself why you are being critical.... we don’t sing our songs in church to you, we sing them to HIM. And for HIM.  

It’s really important to remember this.

It's about repairing the altar in our hearts, getting ourselves off it, and placing God back on it.  It's about removing things from our lives that may be detestable to HIM.

When its all over, when it is all said and done...

What really matters is that God is glorified and served and honoured by us, however we do that, we just must make sure that’s what we are in fact doing.

#itsallaboutJesus.

Do you remember the thrill ......"That Day"

Yesterday when preaching at Pakenham Salvos I was reminded of the absolute certainty of my calling.

It was a Sunday afternoon I think... the venue was Perth Modern School and I was sitting with Jules, my fairly new wife in those days... (we have been married 39 years this year)

Eva Burrows was the preacher, she was the TC back then.... and I heard God call my name....

I felt like I must have run to the altar that day to say Yes to God for His call upon my life into ministry...  it was a very long time ago, I am thinking around ...

most likely 36 years ago... or close to that.

God changed my life forever that day... and the days leading up to "that day".

Its a pretty long story, so I wont bore you with all the details, but my heart rate quickened, my mind raced....and I remember sweating heavily as I attempted to say Yes to My God that day. 

Do you remember when you first heard God call your name ?  

Did you run to Him or did you run away from Him ?

Did it change your life like it did mine ?  

For me... when that happened,   My habits changed...  my desires changed, my life choices changed, and future planning for my life changed.

I was 6 months out from obtaining my licence to practice as a Customs Agent...and all of that didn't matter anymore to me. 

I just wanted to serve and please God, which affected Julie in a huge way also, as she didn't want to go to Officership at that stage. 

In fact I waited 8 years for Jules to come to that point, and in the meantime I became a Youth Pastor at my church...Perth Fortress.

Amazing times in my life....I have never been the same since then.

Some folks I have met along the way in the past 30 something years of ministry have also run to the Father and their lives were changed as well.  AND of course there have been stacks who have also run away from the Father, and I reckon their lives have also been changed in some pretty significant ways.

There is no mistaking Gods call , when He speaks your name...

butterflies in your belly start a rumbling,  your mind races, fears and doubts creep in, you worry about what those around you will think of you... 

but deep within your being, you know...that a response is required and when you get up out of your seat and stand and "run" to the Father, He awaits you and the most amazing peace floods your spirit and soul when the answer to HIM is Yes Lord Here I am ...you can have my life...it is yours.

That day, is the day that changes you forever.... there will be other days that come along that try to distract you and drag you back to your old way of life, but God holds us and loves us and His love will never let us go.

(well His love has never let me go at least - even when I have stuffed things up pretty badly)

I think it is important to recapture the thrill of that day...to remember what God started in us He will finish in us also...

Christianity and church for many has become a ritual and an obligation or duty and it was never meant to be like that...it is a living vibrant active relationship with God and me (us)  and as such should always be fresh and alive and if we pay our part in that relationship He will certainly do His part in that relationship also.

If you are bored by church..... walking away from God and His people, can I remind you and encourage you  to revisit in your mind that day you first believed and accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Can I suggest that it might be time to revitalize your own commitment to Him while He awaits you, ready to fill you afresh today, right now even.

and if you have never actually Run to the Father before...what a great time to get up out if your seat, and take that first step today...

If you want some help with that Private Message me....I can chat our way through that.

Jesus...what a Saviour.

Jesus ...My redeemer..

Jesus ...my best mate...

Jesus... HOPE OF THE WORLD.

take a listen to this amazing song as you consider these words and get up and run to him...again ....

            ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....... Bless YOU !

                                                He is calling your name.

The General Scheme of things !!!

There are a lot of things that matter to a lot of people in this world.

We all know it, and know it even more the moment we upset someone’s apple cart.

But I wonder if you have thought about what really matters at the very core of your being !?

I got to thinking about this tonight, and I guess, the older I get the more  I think through some of these things at a different level than I have before.

I do turn 60 in a few weeks... I know its impossible to believe right ? I dont look a day over 40... 😳 

Yeah puzzling I know !!!!!!!

Anyway... what are the things that really matter in life ... it’s not the shirt I wear, the footy team I follow, or the job I have, the car I drive or the color of that car, it isn’t about whether I feel like I have been treated unfairly or forgotten...its not about the friends I have or don’t have...  it isnt even really about my family, as precious as they are to me...

No when everything is stripped away in the general scheme of things, all that matters really.,.... is my relationship with God. 

He created me, the Bible says, He knit me together in my mothers womb... and it is He who  I  will one day return to when I die.

So...for me, in trying to keep things real, even if only in my own mind... 

when I consider the events of this new year, and let’s face it, none of us expected 2020 to start the way it has for us all...

bushfires, floods, cyclones, crazy diseases, volcanoes and every other crazy thing going on... I am carried by a hope that when all is said and done,  its all about Jesus.  

My hope is that I will live with Him for eternity....joining my parents and others who have already entered that place.

Today when at the local shopping centre, I noticed people wearing masks, living in fear and panic.... it is normal for people to feel like this, and causes you to consider your own safety.... we must all do what we can do to protect ourselves and others...

But...In the General Scheme of Things..on this earth, I don’t live only for this earth, I have been called by Jesus to live for Jesus and do what I can to help others do that also.

The earth can be a frightening place at times...but Jesus told us to take heart for He has already overcome the world.

Being connected to Him allows me a divine inheritance that can only be provided by Him.

Why anyone wouldn’t choose that I dont know why ...

So, turning 60 soon makes me realize I have around 7 years of active Salvation Army Officership remaining (God willing).... and I want to use those years to make a difference  on the earth for the sake of heaven.

To do my bit to bring influence for Jesus...to help others  find Him in deeper ways...for us all to pray a little more fervently, to live lives of worship and to Praise God with the way we behave .....and in our churches.

It is my desire to live out the rest of my life for Jesus like I have tried to for the past umpteen years.

Just my thoughts on this balmy February night in Melbourne.