Youth Councils in Hoonah

Hello Soldiers, friends, and fellow followers of Jesus,

Just a quick note that I will be leaving Thursday with 3 young people from our Corps for Youth Councils. This year it is being held on the Alaska South East Island of Hoonah. Please pray for traveling mercies as we will drive to Anchorage, spend the night, catch a plane in the morning to Juneau and then Ferry out to Hoonah. Sunday we will have a friend of the Army use their boat to get us back to catch the plane for Anchorage, and then drive home to Homer arriving about 2:00 a.m. so the young people can catch college courses and or jobs.

All in all we are expecting great things, but do covet your prayers for the event (and the travel). I am expecting God to really move in our young people and my prayer is that the Fire of the Holy Spirit would fall on us to sanctify us and empower us for evangelising the world.

Also pray we take advantage of the opportunities to witness throughout the travels and weekend.

Remember us in your prayers this weekend. Also pray for all the corps who will have a slightly different Sunday with C.O.'s, young people, musicians, teachers, etc. visiting Hoonah.

The blog should resume Tuesday Lord willing...

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Send the Fire

A song for your prayerful meditation today - written by our Founder, William Booth.

Songbook song 203 "Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame"

1.Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame, Send the fire!
Thy blood-bought gift today we claim, Send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost,
We want another Pentecost, Send the fire!

2.God of Elijah, hear our cry: Send the fire!
To make us fit to live or die, Send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin,
To bring the light and glory in,
The revolution now begin, Send the fire!

3.'Tis fire we want, for fire we plead, Send the fire!
The fire will meet our every need, Send the fire!
For strength to ever do the right,
For grace to conquer in the fight.
For power to walk the world in white, Send the fire!

4.To make our weak hearts strong and brave, Send the fire!
To live a dying world to save, Send the fire!
O see us on thy altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day,
To crown the offering now we pray, Send the fire!

Live holy, preach Jesus!

The power of positive thinking and affirmations?

I was recently sent a comment (I didn't post it) from someone who found this site by "googling - meditation", of course my posts were meditation on scripture, but this was not. The web site I was directed to was all about "the power of positive thinking and positive affirmations". In short your mindset will determine how you think, it will create a "positive vibe around you" it will bring what you regularly think about to happen.

Here is a quote from that letter, "Track your thoughts and take an active role in what you think... When you come across a negative thought, change it and replace it with a thought that allows you to achieve what you want or makes your life more pleasant. Visualize your success, see yourself living the life you want. ... you are in charge of your life ..."

Why do I mention this at all - Captain Michelle will continue our study in Philippians 4:7-8 this week and talk about our thought life, only it's not just "the power of positive thinking" that allows You to change Your life and get what You want, instead, taking the whole of scripture and the context of Philippians, Paul would say he counts every thought (aside from knowing Jesus) as rubbish, and would give up all things that he might know Christ, and in Him find contentment no matter what his circumstances.

Here are some affirmations and Scriptures I am positive about...
I am positive I have no good thing in me that earns me salvation.
I am positive my righteousness is like filthy rags (let alone the "vileness" of my sin).
I am positive apart from God I can do nothing.
I am positive it is by grace I am saved through faith in Jesus Christ.
I am positive with God all things are possible.
I am positive nothing is impossible with God.
I am positive if God is for me who can be against me.
I am positive all people die someday, and the only way to the Father is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
I am positive there is a place called hell and a place called heaven.
I am positive that the Lord Jesus Christ, has by his suffering and death, made atonement for the whole world, so that whosoever will repent of their sin and live for Him, will be saved.
I am positive God has commanded us to live holy and spread His gospel to the world.
I am positive that God wants no one to perish but all to come to everlasting life.

I am positive - I could go on all day long claiming the promises and affirmations in God's Word, SO what is my point... simply this, I agree we should take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. We must positively proclaim Jesus is Lord and His Word only constitutes the divine rule of Christian faith and practice. SO... Read your Word, claim it's truths, hide it in your heart, and don't just think about it.... DO WHAT IT SAYS!

I'm positive your life will be better than trying to convince yourself you can control your own life just by thinking positive thoughts.

Philippians 4:4-9 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Just passing on a websites & blogs worthy of your time.

For those of you who couldn't attend the Western Youth Institute you really missed out, but SAYCONNECT is slowly but surely posting videos of the morning and evening teaching and preaching, and even some great testimonies. They are long (because they are entire messages), but where powerfully used by God. SO... give up some wasted time watching TV re-runs or playing another game of solitaire and check them out at here...

http://www.usw.salvationarmy.org/youth/sac.nsf

Here's another site worth checking... need a sure fire way to impact someone who is truly in need, visit SAYCause and make a donation... what "extra nicety" could you go without so that others may simply live and our Salvation Army missionaries in hard places can proclaim the gospel message of Jesus Christ.
http://saycause.com/

another tip.... Salvatoinist James Thompson was blogging at "wholly holly", but has now taken everything up a notch - check out the resources for evangelism, ministries, and blog.

http://www.goforsouls.com/blog/

Last but not least - Missionary Jordan Hess (of Homer) visited our Corps to speak on his next things in Peru - here is a like to his web-sit for those soldiers who were asking for it....

http://gohalo.org/home.html

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Sunday's sermon - Tools for peace - Philippians 4:1-7

To listen to Sunday's sermon now, just click the play arrow here.


For a basic manuscript of this message, download, or sharing options, click the menu button at the right of this square and choose your option.

For past sermons or podcasting options see the full size sermon player at the very bottom of this blog page OR you can always access my sermon player site (and countless other preachers) at http://sermon.net/The_Salvation_Army_Homer

God bless your study!
Live holy, preach Jesus!

An amazing story of simple, faithful, evangelism. Frank Jenner

This is the story of Frank Jenner - "George Street Evangelist"



For a MP3 or written copy go to http://personaltract.com/Downloads.asp

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Captain's meditation on John 6:25-40

This wasn't in my daily rations (my daily scripture reading) but I was led hear while studying other things... so today for the blog - just a quick look at this scripture and my notes to meditate on while I go about my day today...

John 6... After feeding the 5,000 and walking an the water, the crowd shows us for another meal and what Jesus can do for them we read... 25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" 26 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. (What are you working for and working on today - what is "eating up" your time. Are you focused on things that will spoil or will have eternal consequences, like saving souls and striving for holiness, and things that will glorify God). On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." 28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" 29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." (It's not "works" that gets you saved, the work is believing is believing on Jesus alone for our salvation - so I remember it's not really "my faith" that saves me - it is Jesus that saves me - but I claim it and seek Him and call on Him and give my life to Him by faith) 30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? (don't seek God for what He can do for me today, but for who He is - the bread of heaven) 31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. (don't look to men or things by which the blessing comes, but look to God alone who is the giver of every good and perfect gift, everything is from His hand.) 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." 35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (Am I relying only on Jesus to satisfy me) 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (If I have a need today, God has placed everything I need in Jesus, but my requirement is that I must come to Him) 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. (My example is to put the will of God above all things) 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (For those who put their trust in Jesus for their salvation - we have assurance of heaven - I know today that the fate of everyone else, is eternal damnation forever separated from the presence of God in hell. How can I be so selfish and uncaring as to not proclaim to the world that the most expensive gift in the world - salvation purchased by the perfect blood of God's only son for our salvation - is now offered to us freely if we will just accept it by faith, repent of our sins, and now live under His perfect guidance out of gratitude for what He has done for us).

God thank you for your Holy Word today...

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Quote from William Booth...

Today I just have a quote from William Booth and a question from our Wednesday Night study on evangelism (we're working through Mark Cahill's book "One thing you can't do in heaven").

William Booth said (speaking about the call to evangelise)... "Not called!" did you say? 'Not heard the call,' I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father’s house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world.

Mark Cahill's Action Item... This week, either "look Christ in the face" and tell Him you will refuse to obey His call, or commit in your heart to follow Him and bring His good news to the lost. If you choose the latter, know that He will help you every step of the way.

Jesus said, "follow me and I will make you fishers of men".... so if you aren't fishing, you aren't following.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Dinner table talk? Feasting on the Word - Captain's meditation on verses in Timothy

I was just moved to ask what you talk about around your dinner table?

I admit I haven't always done all I could or should have in bringing up my children, but as the chaos of the varying schedule of summer is now gone, and the routine of the school year settles in, make sure you set aside time around the dinner table, and then claim that time for Jesus.

Our children are bombarded by the world all day long (yes at school, not counting TV, Internet, music, and on and on). If you, like me, have your child in public school, please remember you are their primary teacher (if not in math and reading) definitely in The Word. God bless sunday school teachers, clubs programs, youth directors and pastors, but you are responsible to train your children up in the faith, so use your table time.

Make sure you set a time and place to discuss God's Word, Heaven, Hell, and Salvation only available through a relationship with Jesus. Please discuss the things of sin, judgment, deliverance and holiness. Certainly talk about preaching and persecution.

We have done things like memorize scriptures and pick a bible book to read through, a chapter a night after the meal, and discuss what we've read. If you are faithful to systematically go through God's Holy Word, every topic under the sun will come up.

Just so you can glace at our table time from last night, we read from some of our upcoming Sunday School lesson in 2 Timothy 3 & 4 and saw these words....

2 Timothy 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,...

2 Timothy 4:1-3 1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

In just a few quick verses we were reminded and talk with our girls (6 & 10 years old) about being persecuted for faith in Jesus, the only 2 times we need to preach the word (Both in and out of season - all the time), and what it is to have "itching ears".

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Why not feast on God's Word at your dinner table tonight.

PS. To all the young people out there, if your parent's don't bring it up, you can certainly read your bible and bring up what you read at the table too.

1 Timothy 4:12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Getting more of God?

Hello Soldiers, Fellow followers of Jesus, and friends,

Just so you know that not everything I say from the pulpit is perfect???... (as if you thought that). Someone came up to me after service Sunday (the sermon I just posted) and said they didn't think that you could "Get more of God", I think the point being that He is 100% there for you all the time, or maybe they meant you can't just take the pieces of Him you want - FOR THE RECORD, I completely agree. I do however believe that we can open ourselves up to receive more of Him (or more from Him - whichever you find most doctrinally "semantically" correct). I believe that not only can God completely fill us today, and re-fill us tomorrow, but that he can also increase my ability to receive more tomorrow. (Not just fill my cup Lord, but fill me to overflowing today, and then give me a bigger cup tomorrow, that I might know more of You, be more in tune with You, better resemble Your likeness, to better glorify Your Name and move others to do the same).

No matter if you would call it "more" of a relationship with God, or more knowledge to better grasp Him, or if it's that you call it reaching a place where you want "less" of you, my prayer is you just seek a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

I think General Bramwell Tillsley said it this way... "You cannot get more and more of the Holy Spirit. You have all of the Holy Spirit from the very beginning. It's not a case of getting more and more of the Holy Spirit, It's a matter of the Holy Spirit getting more and more of you." AMEN.

So anyway, for the record, as I've prayed before - Dear Heavenly Father, if anything from the pulpit or my lips is perfect, empowering, life changing, working salvation, and God glorifying, then please let everyone know it is from You alone, by Your Holy Spirit, and or from Your Holy Word... and Lord if anything from the pulpit or my lips is ever (heaven forbid) wrong, incomplete, or powerless, may everyone know they were spoken through my inadequate humanness.

I leave you with a scripture and something to pray about...

Here is the Word of God, and how Paul described his desire to know His Savior more...
Philippians 3:10-16 (Amplified Bible) 10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] 11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. 12 Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own. 13 I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward. 15 So let those [of us] who are spiritually mature and full-grown have this mind and hold these convictions; and if in any respect you have a different attitude of mind, God will make that clear to you also. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have already attained and walk and order our lives by that.

Now something to pray about... I'm not saying this to take a jab in anyway, I couldn't mean this in a more genuine honest way... If you want a better pastor - please pray for the one you have. I guarantee you, whether I'm your pastor or not, they covet your prayers just like I do.

God's richest blessings to all you fellow officers, soldiers, local officers, pastors, church members, and lay leaders in every church and movement for the cause of Christ, may we all strive to KNOW HIM AND MAKE HIM KNOWN.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Sunday's Sermon - How you should stand firm in the Lord

To listen to Sunday's sermon now, just click the play arrow here.


For a simple outline of this message, download, or sharing options, click the menu button at the right of this square and choose your option.

For past sermons or podcasting options see the full size sermon player at the very bottom of this blog page OR you can always access my sermon player site (and countless other preachers) at http://sermon.net/The_Salvation_Army_Homer

God bless your study!
Live holy, preach Jesus!

Have a blessed Sunday! Here's another great songbook song & scripture...

418: Have you on the Lord believed
Philip Paul Bliss (1838-76)

1.Have you on the Lord believed? Still there's more to follow;
Of his grace have you received? Still there's more to follow.

More and more, more and more, Always more to follow;
O his matchless, boundless love! Still there's more to follow.

2.Have you felt the Saviour near? Still there's more to follow;
Does his blessed presence cheer? Still there's more to follow.

3.O the grace the Father shows! Still there's more to follow;
Freely he his grace bestows,Still there's more to follow.
--------------

In Philippians, Paul expresses some Holy and Sanctified dissatisfaction in his walk with Jesus... NOT that it was inadequate, quite the contrary Paul said Christ was his very life, and all through the book Paul gives more and more evidence that he rejoices and is content no matter what life brings as long as he knows Christ. Despite all this he had a continual (never satisfied) desire, a hunger, to know Jesus more.

Listen to how it is expressed in the Amplified bible...
Philippians 3:10-16 (Amplified Bible) 10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] 11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. 12 Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own. 13 I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

No matter how close you are to Jesus, there is always more to follow... strain forward, press on, and seek after Him and His will for every area of your life.

Live holy, preach Jesus.

Where are the fearless faithful preachers of the Gospel?

This was posted by billy Creighton - Extracts from a message Steve Lawson preached at a Shepherds Conference….

"The problem with preachers today is no one wants to kill them anymore" – A. Rogers.

Soul winning and the Holy Spirit- a letter from William Booth

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

Just going through some readings that always encourage me and I saw this... it is still every bit as true as when the Founder of God's great Salvation Army wrote it to his troops back in 1869... read it, believe it, seek it, and be blessed.....
---------

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 soul-winning, 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 self-denial, 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!

Praises from Bible Study and scriptures to consider

Hello soldiers, friends, and followers of Jesus,

Just quick praises from last night's bible study and our topic of personal evangelism (and some scriptures to consider).

1. One of our men reported God's obvious change in his life that his friends, family, and boss are noticing that is leading to questions as to WHY and HOW? He also said this week he made a step to move toward verbally sharing his faith at his work-site. GOD IS GOOD - let's pray he shares boldly about Jesus, and all his co-workers find Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 3:15-16 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Is your life posing questions? If so you will have chances to share the verbal message of Jesus. Live holy - preach Jesus!

2. A college studend said that at his college people are always "talking about what they believe" without hesitation, and he realizes that each time that happens, he has an open door to share his belief in Jesus Christ with every bit as much boldness and matter of fact power since his belief is the TRUTH that can save them from hell to heaven.

Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

3. That same young man said he just read through the bible amazed at all the stuff he hadn't seen before that now seems all so clear, true, and simple. Just a reminder that anyone seeking God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, can learn more about the bible than any "theologian" who studies simply for "knowledge". Read your bible and ask God to show you the truth of who He is in a way you can understand.... then do what it says.

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

John 5:39-40 Jesus said You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

in John 20 - John wrote ... 29 Then Jesus told him (Thomas), "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Spend some time in the Word of God today...
Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Just a great quote today...

Today just a great quote by Charles Haddon Spurgeon...

“Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.”

Mark 16:15 He (Jesus) said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

Go be obedient to our Savior and preach the gospel to the world. The world is waiting for you to point them toward Jesus, who alone can save them from their sins and hell, and give them abundant and everlasting life.

BE A MISSIONARY TODAY!

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Sunday's Sermon - I want to know Christ MORE!

To listen to Sunday's sermon now, just click the play arrow here.


For a basic manuscript of this message, download, or sharing options, click the menu button at the right of this square and choose your option.

For past sermons or podcasting options see the full size sermon player at the very bottom of this blog page OR you can always access my sermon player site (and countless other preachers) at http://sermon.net/The_Salvation_Army_Homer

God bless your study!
Live holy, preach Jesus!

A prayer thought for meditation this Sunday

I know I posted this once before, but it is still true today....

John Burton, Jr. (1803-77) writer of songbook #588 "I often say my prayers" penned these words to consider while you pray and seek God's face today...

I often say my prayers; but do I ever pray?
And do the wishes of my heart go with the words I say?

I may as well kneel down and worship gods of stone,
As offer to the living God a prayer of words alone.

For words without the heart the Lord will never hear;
Nor will he to those lips attend whose prayers are not sincere.

Lord, show me what I need, and teach me how to pray;
Nor let me ask thee for thy grace, not feeling what I say.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Set aside 35 minutes today where you will not be Interrupted and play this

This is David Platt at the SBC Pastors Conference 2009

This is more than "fine preaching" it is God's Word.

If you don't have time right now, or aren't willing to do whatever God tells you, skip this message and do something else. If you will listen with bible open, heart open, and a willilng spirit to what God asks of you - buckle up and be ready for the Spirit of God to Speak to your heart.

David Platt: SBC Pastors Conference 2009 from Todd Thomas on Vimeo.

Here is another article with links regarding his thoughts on the Word of God.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/augustweb-only/132-11.0.html

Live holy, preach Jesus!

How I explain Salvation

#1 ADMIT IT… You are a sinner

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

Sin is our failing to perfectly live up to the perfect standard of God. If we all tried to throw a rock to the North-Pole, some of us would get closer than others, but we would all fall short. God sees hate the same as murder, lust as adultery of the heart, if we have lied, God sees us as a liar. No one will get into heaven by being good enough.

There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

#2 The Wages (or penalty) for you sin is death

Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, (Hebrews 9:27)

For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a)

10 out of 10 people will someday die. Everyone will eventually die and stand before a holy God to be judged, and sentenced, to one of two places for eternity. Everyone failing to be perfect (according to God’s standard—not ours) will miss heaven and be sentenced to a place apart from Him to a prison (called hell) where we face a death sentence of dying forever.

#3 THE BAD NEWS is You can’t save yourself

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. (Eph 2:8-9)

The best we have to offer, as hard as we could ever work, doesn’t earn us a place in heaven, we just aren’t good enough. It is like telling a judge who has sentenced you to prison, that although you broke the law, you have done some good things too. A good judge would have to say that although you had done good works, that He as a good judge, must sentence people who broke the law. (We have all broken God’s moral law of the 10 commandments, many times, the bible says each offense would bring us the death sentence.)

#4 THE GOOD NEWS is God made a way to save you through Jesus Christ

God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (1 Peter 3:18)

Imagine you had cancer, but a new procedure would let you transplant healthy cells for cancerous ones. Jesus made a way to take on your cancerous cells that would bring you death (cells called sin) and deposited on your behalf (when you accept Him) His righteousness in their place that will allow you to live forever in heaven, eternal life)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of god’s one and only son. (John 3:16-18)

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36)

If while sentenced to prison, having no way to “bail yourself out”, someone stepped in and paid your fine, the requirements of the law could be satisfied and you could go free. That is what Jesus did at the cross. He paid your fine and took your death sentence, so you could go free, but you must accept His gift, or choose punishment.

#5 How do you accept and claim your free gift of salvation

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23)

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." As the Scripture says, “anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame. (Romans 10:9-11)

To confess and believe in Jesus (to have faith), requires action. How do you accept the gift of God’s salvation? The step of faith God requires is called repentance.

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord (Acts 3:19)

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (2 Cor. 7:10)

If while drowning in the ocean, the coast guard threw you a lifeline, belief alone is not enough. To be saved you must reach out and grab it. Repentance is our choosing to give up our sin, and the right to control of our lives, in order to turn to God and grab the lifeline that can save us.

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

Salvation isn’t for those who know about lifelines, but for those will act in faith, to take hold of it.

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)

The response to a God who made a way to save our lives, is to live for Him, offering Him all we are, not to earn our way to heaven, but to thank him for a gift we could never get on our own (salvation from eternal hell, to eternal life in heaven). God offers us the free gift of salvation, but we have to accept it on his terms

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14;6)

If you realize you need a Savior, if you understand someday you will die and must face a righteous judge and must answer for your every sin against Him. If you realize you will either be sentenced to everlasting suffering, or that you can pass from death to life by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you need to act now.

Jesus says… Here I am! I stand at the door (of your heart) and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Rev. 3:20)

Are you ready to accept Jesus on His terms? If so repent, trust in Him, and live for Him.

Ask God to forgive your every sin (name the ones you know of) and commit to living your life for Him. Thank Jesus for His life, death, and resurrection to save you. Thank Him for saving you from hell for heaven and for now giving you His Holy Spirit and the Bible for daily guidance and instruction.

If you are unsure about where you will spend eternity, or if you have found salvaiton in Jesus Christ, let us know so we can pray with you. 907-235-2609

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Live holy, preach Jesus!