Who can tell me?

Praise, prayer, and video info...

Hello soldiers, friends, and fellow followers of Jesus Christ,

3 quick updates ...

1. Some asked about how to get the video we watched on Wednesday night - "How great is our God" by Louie Giglio. His video can be purchased at this website for $10.00
http://268store.com/store/product/222/How-Great-Is-Our-God/

2. Praise and prayer... I just wanted to say how much I appreciate one of our young people ( a Jr. Soldier and Sr. Soldier in training) who has regularly been witnessing to her school mates and friend, and even taking some heat for her faith - Praise God! Wednesday night she gave up "soft-ball league" commitments in order to bring a Buddhist friend to church. He has been asking questions about Christianity for a while so keep him in your prayers. We had some time to talk after the movie, and even had some time while driving him home after. Seeds of the faith were planted, may God help them take root and allow this young mans spiritual search to end by finding Jesus as the only way to be saved for eternity.

3. Praise and prayer... Reminder that another soldier was sought out at the grocery store and asked by a non-believer for prayer - the soldier took some time with them and then said the church would be praying - keep this seeker in your prayer that the faithful witness and words of a soldier of Jesus would take root and this lost soul would come to put their faith in Jesus for their eternal salvation from hell to heaven.

God bless all of your effort to faithfully bring up the gospel with everyone you meet in all your daily encounters.

God bless The Salvation Army around the world, and our faithful followers of Jesus everywhere.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

May your heart break and your mouth open.

One tear will often do more to unlock the hardest heart than a bushel full of arguments. — Frederick Booth-Tucker

Let your heart be broken by the thought of those around you spending eternity suffering in Hell, remind yourself that you can play a part in them escaping that fate and finding an abundant life now and eternity in paradise forever.

Catherine Booth in "Aggressive Christianity" said... Men are preoccupied, and it is for us to go and force it upon their attention. Remember, you can do it. There is some one soul that you have more influence with than any other person on earth--some soul or souls. Are you doing all you can for their salvation? Your relatives, friends, and acquaintances are to be rescued. ... ... ... There they are, to be looked at, and talked with, and questioned--people rescued from the depths of sin, degradation, and woe--saved from the worst forms of crime and infamy; and, if He can do that, He can have your genteel friends, if only you will go to them desperately and determinedly. Take them lovingly by the button-hole, and say, `My dear friend, I never spoke to you closely, carefully, and prayerfully about your soul.' Let them see the tears in your eyes; or, if you cannot weep, let them hear the tears in your voice, and let them realize that you feel their danger, and are in distress for them. God will give His Holy Spirit, and they will be saved.

Tell someone you know or meet today that Jesus died and rose again to save a sinner LIKE YOU ARE, tell them they can be saved from sin, sinning, and hell LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN (if that indeed is true) and then invite them to experience that truth for themselves today.

For all who will confess (admit) and repent (turn from their sin to God) from their sins (their failing to live up to the perfect standard of God) and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior (trust in Jesus alone to save you, and give Him alone the right to reign supreme in your life) He will save you from sin and hell, for abundant holy living now and heaven forever.

May our hearts break and open our mouths to share the gospel.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Captains meditation on Numbers 14

Read again Numbers 14 - what an amazing piece of scripture. I was just meditating on the fact again that "the tongue has the power of life and death". What we profess and claim (in Jesus Name) greatly impacts what we receive.

Just some points again as I read through Numbers 14...

1. The people grumbled against God's leaders saying if only we had died in Egypt or the desert, we should choose a leader and return. - How often do we forget all we have been delivered from and we are willing to go back to old ways as opposed to claiming new ground for God.

2. The profession of men who trust God enough to say, "If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them."

3. The Lord's anger at lack of faith, disbelief, and testing God, by refusal to obey Him and take Him at His Word - to do that is to treat God with contempt.

4. The example of godly men standing in the gap for others.

5. God notices men who follow Him with a "different spirit and follows him wholeheartedly".

6. The Israelites were not willing to go when God said "go", but where willing (in their presumption) to attack the enemy after God had spoken "don't".

For prayerful meditation...

• Lord keep my mouth and heart from grumbling against You and your leaders.
• Help me never desire anything that you have delivered me from before.
• Grant me the continual desire to claim to ground your Word says I can surely have.
• Help me daily profess, "If the Lord is please with me, he will lead me into the land and promises He has prepared for me.
• May I never fear any enemy when You are for me.
• Help me to walk by faith and simply take you at your Word.
• Continue to develop me into a man that consistently stands in the gap for others and who has a different spirit that will follow you wholeheartedly.
• May I always go when you say go, but never run into a battle either in presumption (not first seeking your will) or worse - running into a fight when you have said "be still".

Live holy, preach Jesus!

I believe we shall win - By faith do we live like it's true?

Song 820 in The Salvation Army songbook gives us this truth...

1. We're a band that shall conquer the foe,
If we fight in the strength of the King;
With the sword of the Spirit, we know,
We sinners to Jesus shall bring.

Chorus:

I believe we shall win,
If we fight in the strength of the King.
I believe we shall win,
If we fight in the strength of the King.

2. We have conquered in times that are past,
And scattered the foe from the field;
So we'll fight for the King to the last,
And the sword of the Spirit we'll wield.

3. Our foe may be mighty and brave,
And the fighting be hard and severe;
But the King is the mighty to save,
And in conflict he always is near.

4. In the name of the King we will fight,
With our banners unfurled to the breeze;
We will battle for God and the right,
And the kingdom of Satan we'll seize.

5. Ever true to the Army and God,
We will fight in the name of the King;
We shall win with the fire and the blood,
And the world to his feet we shall bring.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Sunday's Sermon - Balaam 3 - under the umbrella of holiness

To listen to 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 of my preaching notes.

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You can also access my sermon player (and countless other preachers) at http://sermon.net/The_Salvation_Army_Homer

God bless your study!
Live holy, preach Jesus!

Salvation Army Songbook # 458

Prayerfully consider these words penned by William Dunn Longstaff (1822-94)

1. Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in him always, and feed on his word;
Make friends of God's children; help those who are weak;
Forgetting in nothing his blessing to seek.

2. Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone;
By looking to Jesus, like him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct his likeness shall see.

3. Take time to be holy, let him be thy guide,
And run not before him whatever betide;
In joy or in sorrow still follow thy Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in his word.

4. Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul;
Each thought and each motive beneath his control;
Thus led by his Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.

Live holy, preach Jesus!