Volcanic Ash Warning for Homer

Hello Soldiers, friends, and family,

Just an update on this morning's volcanic ash from the last erruption. We have closed the thrift store (most likely for the entire day).




As always we will have church to celebrate Palm Sunday - NO MATTER WHAT. Do remember that if you must drive you should cover your vehicles air intake with panty hose, clean your wipers with water and a cloth befor you use them or you will scratch your windshield, and if you must be out in the ash like it is, even with this small amount so far, make sure you wear your mask to keep from inhaling the particles.

For the latest official ash and weather warnings go to this link and make sure to scroll through the entire page as they are sometimes out of order.
http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/volcano.php

Live holy, preach Jesus!

A “non-Salvationists” message on "silly putty & soldiership". 8 minutes

The video link is not posting right, to see the video just follow the link. Sorry for the extra step.
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Teaching/Default.aspx?id=121080

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Did the devil invent my video game?

Just a thought...

I just wasted a bit of time with a simple video game. A simple "breakout" style, bounce the ball with a paddle game. It was free and nothing gross or impure, but a couple thoughts bounced into my mind as I played and I thought how much the devil did some of the same tricks.

1. I wasted too much time on something that was meaningless - don't get me wrong there is a time for "down time" and rest (I think even some mindless activitiy is o.k.), but I did spend too much time when you stop and think there is a battle waging in my town with eternal consequences.

2. The game kept offering changes to catch falling coins (of course you often lost your life "the ball" while off in their pursuit not keeping your eye on the ball). What good is it to gain the whole world chasing after material things and loose your soul?

3. At times the game surprised me with multiple "balls", of course I could clear my screen faster, but the most likely result was that in my trying to juggle too many "balls in the air" I would again loose sight of all of them quickly and again loose my life in the midst of all the busyness.

Perhaps in the midst of "playing the game" I am reminded that I, like many believers, face some of the devils favorite schemes...

*living for Jesus is not a game - let's soldier up and get fighting.
*there are times to rest and refresh, but don't be lazy, or waste time on things unimportant to your Commanders orders.
*don't get caught up in the pursuit of chasing things, in the chasing after falling coins you may loose your very life.
*don't juggle too many things and loose sight of what's really important to your mission - don't get lost in the "busyness" or the "business" - our job is to live holy and preach the saving gospel of Jesus Christ to all creation.

If you have fallen into any of these areas (like I confess I have before) confess, repent and turn from them, and jump back into the fray.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

A letter from General Willaim Booth April 1, 1869

To the Brethren and Sisters Labouring for JESUS - by General William Booth
letter, published in The East London Evangelist , 1 April 1869
in connection with the Dunedin Hall Christian Mission, Edinburgh

BELOVED FRIENDS Though I have not been privileged to see you in the flesh, yet I have heard with great thankfulness from time to time of your work of faith and labour of love: and I rejoice greatly in the abundant blessing granted to your labours, and bless God for every brand plucked from the everlasting through your instrumentality. I earnestly pray that you may be made a hundredfold more useful in the future than you have been in the past. The work in which you are engaged is the most important that can engage the attention or call forth the energies of any being...

Success in soulwinning, like all other work, both human and divine, depends on certain conditions...

If you want to succeed you must be careful to comply with these conditions...

I desire to give a few brief practical hints...And, first and foremost, I commend one qualification which seems to involve all others. That is, the Pentecostal baptism of the Holy Ghost. I would have you settle it in your souls for ever this one great immutable principle in the economy of grace, that spiritual work can only be done by those who possess spiritual power. No matter what else you may lack, or what may be against you, with the Holy Ghost you will succeed; but without the Holy Spirit, no matter what else you may possess, you will utterly and eternally fail.

Many make mistakes here. Aroused by the inward urgings of the Holy Spirit, they endeavour to comply with the call which comes from the word and the necessities of their fellow men; but being destitute of this power, they fail, and instead of going to the Strong for strength, they give up in despair. Again aroused, again they resolve and venture forth, but having no more power than before, they are as impotent as ever. And fail they must, until baptised with power from on high.

This I am convinced, is the one great need of the Church. We want no new truths, agencies, means, or appliances. We only want more of the fire of the Holy Ghost. ...

O what zeal, what selfdenial, what meekness, what boldness, what holiness, what love, would there not be? And with all this, what power for your great work? The whole city would feel it. God's people in every direction would catch the fire, and sinners would fall on every side. Difficulties would vanish, devils be conquered, infidels believe, and the glory of God be displayed...

You do desire to see signs and wonders wrought in the name of Jesus. To see a great awakening among the careless crowds around you....

This baptism then, is your first great need. If you think with me, will you not tarry for it? Offer yourselves to God for the fullness. Lay aside every weight...

Hold on! Though your feelings are barren, your way dark, and your difficulties be multiplied,steadily hang on the word of God.

Expect the baptism every hour; wait if he tarry. 'This kind goeth not forth but by prayer and fasting'; and the Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to his temple.

I have more to say to you, but must wait another opportunity. Yours in the fellowship of the Gospel. WILLIAM BOOTH

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Captain's meditation on Joshua 5, who is on the Lord's side?

If you read Joshua chapter 5:13-15 you will read the story of Joshua just prior to the battle of Jericho. Before the famous march around the city and the victory given by God we read Joshau finding "a man" (actually an angel) with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?" The commander of the LORD's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.

If you have something to face in your life for God, whether it be a holiness issue, a habit, sin, addiction, or an actual physical enemy - the question isn't is God for us or against us, the question is "are we on the Lord's side". Let's make sure before we go off to battle today, that we have met with God, bowinging in humble obedience and reverence, ready to hear the battle strategy from our Lord. It is no little matter that before hearing the word of God for a specific victory, first Joshua was told to approach in a manner of holiness.

Let's make sure in our prayers and planning today, we aren't telling God what we are doing and inviting His blessings on our plans, but rather that we have positioned ourselves for His plans.

As I mentioned in my sermon this past week - my 5 year old (soon to be 6 year old daughter) sang these words in the van on the way to school, and I pray that it is our honest proclamation today…

707 Who is on the Lord's side? Who will

1. Who is on the Lord's side? Who will serve the King? Who will be His helpers other lives to bring? Who will leave the world's side? Who will face the foe? Who is on the Lord's side? Who for Him will go?

By thy grand redemption, By thy grace divine, We are on the Lord's side; Savior, we are thine.

3. Jesus, thou hast bought us, Not with gold or gem, But with thine own life-blood for thy diadem. With thy blessing filling each who comes to thee, Thou hast made us willing, Thou hast made us free.

4. Fierce may be the conflict, Strong may be the foe, But the King's own army none can overthrow. Round His standard ranging, victory is secure, For His truth unchanging Makes the triumph sure.

Master, thou wilt keep us, By thy grace divine. Always on the Lord's side, Savior, always thine.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

ArmyBarmy blog

In case you've never checked it out you can find a link on the left of my blog. Captain Stephen Court and the Salvos (Salvationists in Australia) like many places around the world, are still fired up to win the world for Jesus.

This is a partial re-post from his blog from March 28th...
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We want to win the world for Jesus.

a. That sounds really hard!
To win the world for Jesus takes evangelism and discipleship. But the thing is, it is really hard to get people saved and discipled. And it is deceitfully easier to do other things, like feeding them and clothing them. It is easier to sleep at night when you haven’t seen anyone saved for awhile and that you are not discipling anyone knowing that you have fed a family or clothed a poor beggar. And that isn’t true of individuals only. It goes for denominations, too.

b. It sounds pretty narrow-minded.
To win the world for Jesus suggests that other means aren’t don’t work. And that sounds so judgemental of other religions and other philosophies and other means of seeking God. And yet no other thing works. None of them deals with the cry that births every sincere religion: a. how to connect with God; and, b. how to deal with our problem of sin. Rituals and self-abasement, or a series of works and attempts to earn an audience with God have proved futile for centuries in various religious guises. And every attempt to deal with sin aside from Jesus is equally futile. Jesus is the only name under heaven by which we must be saved.

c. It sounds sort of arrogant.
To win the world for Jesus indicates that other things aren’t worthy. Surely there are other fantastic things to which to devote your lives. You could invest yourself in feeding hungry people. Or you could throw away your life in ending human trafficking. Or you could fight to save all of the AIDS orphans. Or you could try to find homes for homeless people. Or you could … The list goes on ad infinitum. The point is, these are all important things to do. Hungry people need food. Traffic victims need freedom. Orphans need parenting. Homeless people need homes. But if any or all of these alternatives become more important than winning the world for Jesus then the result is more than likely to be well-fed, rescued and freed, adopted and parented, and bedded people populating hell. On the other hand, if you throw your life away to win the world for Jesus then a bunch of people will get saved and go to heaven, and a bunch more people will be on the receiving end of God’s mercy as you and those converts feed and free and adopt and construct, both as a supernatural overflow of God’s love in your lives and as a means to win the world for Jesus.

d. It sounds to much.
To win the world for Jesus seems condemnatory of anything less. Some would aim for authentic Christian community. Others pine for the ‘good old days’, an era that almost inevitably has grown better by the year. And more than a few look for modest success. But who sets these as life purposes? Authentic Christian community is a means, not an end. The good old days are meant to spur us on to love and good deeds, not stall us in mission. Modest success puts limits on God by aiming subjectively at relative comparison, rather than global mandate. Don’t confuse means for ends. Don’t misuse the lessons of the past. Don’t settle for the world’s perspective on success. Win the world for Jesus.
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After hearing the good news of Jesus and the commands He has has given us as His followers, it sounds like our Savior deserves nothing less.

I don't recall which of the Booth's said it, but I read once the phrase, "let's win the whole world for Jesus, there is no reason He shouldn't have it"!

Live holy, Preach Jesus!

Sunday's Sermon - Father, into your hands I commit my spirit

To listen to this past Sunday's sermon now, just click the play arrow here for audio or download options.


For sermon notes see the full size sermon player at the bottom of this page - next to today's title is a PDF for notes. Today's notes have a fill in section and then a full manuscript outline of my study for today's sermon.

For past sermons or podcasting see the full size sermon player at the very bottom of this blog page. Choose a message by title OR click the podcasting icon at the bottom of the sermon player.

You can also access my sermon player (and countless other preachers) at Sermon.net

God bless your study!

Live holy, preach Jesus!

10 Excuses Not to Attend Church

—InHis.com humor archive; submitted by Mike Herman, Glen Ellyn, Illinois

If you took the excuses people use for not going to church and applied them to other important areas of life, you'd realize how inconsistent we can be in our logic. For example:

10 Reasons Not to Wash
1. I was forced to as a child.
2. People who make soap are only after your money.
3. I wash on special occasions like Christmas and Easter.
4. People who wash are hypocrites—they think they are cleaner than everyone else.
5. There are so many different kinds of soap, I can't decide which one is best.
6. I used to wash. It got boring though, so I stopped.
7. None of my friends wash.
8. The bathroom is never warm enough in the winter or cool enough in the summer.
9. I'll start washing when I get older and dirtier.
10. I can't spare the time.

In all seriousness, going to church and religion will not get you saved, but once saved why wouldn't you want to coporately worship with others who are part of the Body of Christ that He has set up on this earth.

If your corps (or church) is not all it should be, or is missing a program or group you'd prefer, offer to help get it going.

Remember that you shouldn't go just to "get blessed", simply go to "bless God" and see how your expereince changes.

Whether you make it to a corps, a church, a cell group, or otherwise, spend some time with God today. Jesus, and Jesus alone, saves from sin and hell, for heaven and holiness.

Live holy, preach Jesus!