A week of thoughts on Giving

There is a verse in The Salvation Army Song Book that says… Search your heart and then your pocket; In them both your sure to find Ammunition for the fight we are waging for the right oh there’s power when the purse and heart are both combined.

I just gave a message on giving and Michelle and I have been led to give more. So on the topic of tithing and giving I re-read The following writing by Keith Drury, taken from a blog from 2006 entitled "What Evangelicals Believe About Tithing" - let me know what you think...?

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I’ve been closely watching the laity the last few decades and I think I am ready to describe what evangelicals believe about tithing. Read it and see how much you agree.

To evangelicals… 1. “Tithe means giving not tenth.”
A term has little meaning in itself—it means whatever we decide it means. When we decide “gay” no longer means happy but homosexual then it means homosexual. When we use “worship” to describe music then worship will mean music. Such a thing has happened to “tithe.” While its root meaning may be mathematical, evangelicals now use the term to mea giving, not a tenth. This is why churches now invite members to commit to a “2% tithe, 5% tithe or 10% tithe—the best you can do.” Tithe no longer means tenth. It means “my charitable giving.” And, of course this may also explain why evangelicals give just 2.3 percent of their income on average last year.

To evangelicals… 2. “Tithing is not required by the Bible but it’s a good idea.”
In spite of all the preaching from Malachi and being reminded their “righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees” evangelicals refuse to be convinced the Bible requires tithing. They think it is a good idea. They admire “people who can pull it off.” They’ll even accept it as a goal -- “when we can afford it” but evangelicals are not convinced tithing is a Bible command. To evangelicals the tithing command is like the Sabbath command. They consider Sunday-not-Saturday as the Sabbath and they figure they’ve “kept the Sabbath” if they set aside a portion of the day for rest and worship (about 23%?). Evangelicals accept preaching on tithing “because it is a good plan for financing the church” but not because it is commanded in the New Testament. In tithing the laity follow Chuck Swindoll’s tack—it is a great idea but not supported by the Bible’s command.

So that’s what I think evangelicals think about tithing. At least most of them. Or, at least the average evangelical. Or at least the future evangelical. Don’t believe me? Then here’s my dare—do the math: Take the total income from your local church then multiply that figure by ten. Next divide that result by the number of Christian wage earners in your church. Go ahead and do it—even roughly. What’d you get? Is that final figure the average salary of your people. Is it? Or have you discovered what most pastors discover when they do this—if every Christian (even every member) wage earner in their church tithed a full 10% to the local church it would double the church’s income? For many churches it would triple the income. (For my church—five times!) I’m afraid there are few other issues where the laity and the pastor differ more. Most pastors say: 1) A tithe = 10%; 2) The Bible requires it; 3) It should go to the local church; 4) it is an obligation; and 5) it should be given without concern for being thanked. Those five views are just about opposite of the average evangelical’s view above. Which views are right? So what do you think?

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Live holy, preach Jesus!

Sunday's Sermon - Your worship, your wallet, & whatever

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

For a sermon notes "fill in page" and manuscript - see the full size sermon player at the bottom of this page - next to today's title is a PDF of my preaching notes.

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 http://sermon.net/The_Salvation_Army_Homer

God bless your study!
Live holy, preach Jesus!

Have a blessed Sunday - Entire Sanctification

Hello Soldiers, fellow followers of Jesus, and friends of the Army.

For what ever reason you may miss time at the corps today (or your local church) here is something to consider.

I invite you to meditate on these words written by Charles Wesley in 1742

Oh, for a heart to praise my God,

A heart from sin set free!

A heart that always feels thy blood,

So freely spilt for me!

Thy tender heart is still the same,

And melts at human woe;

Jesus, for thee distressed I am -

I want thy love to know.

Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart;

Come quickly from above;

Write thy new name upon my heart,

Thy new, best name of love!

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 says... May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

Entire Sanctification isn't too difficult to explain is it? I was meeting with one of our young people going through soldiership classes this week and described it this way... entire sanctification is the place where you have set apart everything you have and are to Jesus, so that if He asks you to give away your IPOD, you give it away. If He asks you to change your profession, move, give away all your money, change what you watch on TV (or throw it out), witness to the scary guy on the corner, whatever - you have predetermined that whatever God asks for, you have already set it aside for Him to have.

Is there any part of your life (possession, pass-time, or personality) you haven't surrendered to God? With God's help you can give Him what He asks for today. Once you do He will bless in ways you can't possibly imagine.

Live life fully-surrendered, completely abandoned to the leading of Christ's Holy Spirit today.

Lord show me anything I am holding on to today that I haven't fully trusted into your hands, that I may willingly surrender back to you. I accept that everything I have and my very life are a gift from you today. Thank you for it. May an overwhelming motive of love drive every decision I make. Your will be done.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Will you follow?

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Captain's meditation on Nehemiah 13:23-24

Here is a thought from my last sermon...

Listen to the setting in Nehemiah’s day.
Nehemiah 13:23-24 Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah.

Here we read Jewish men were making poor choices as it related to women and it was affecting their speech. These men, for the sake of women, were no longer raising their kids by God’s standards, and more than that the children could no longer speak the language of Judah, and now only spoke the language of Ashdod.

Now this isn’t about being bilingual, or speaking another language. The problem was that the lifestyle these children were being raised in was affecting their purity of speech. I don’t mean simply that they were foul mouthed, although a foul mouth is a vile offense to God too, but to make the spiritual application here – the children could no longer speak the language of sound doctrine about God.

The children were raised as many children have been today, where young people no longer call Bible things by Bible names, instead we have corrupted them with cultural relativisms. Instead of calling things sins, they call things alternative lifestyles. Instead of saying Lord and Savior we now mention higher powers, instead of heaven and hell there may be at best a here-after, and instead of moral absolutes of right and wrong we have trained them to speak the “so-called” language of tolerance and political correctness.

Lord help me raise my kids to know that there is only one way to heaven, may I teach them the Deity of Jesus Christ, and words like sin, hell, judgment, holiness, and so on. Enable me to train my children in God's Word and sound doctrine.

What language are your kids learning from you?........

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Good advice on giving even during hard economic times

Studying and thinking about giving, serving, and finances I was reminded of these profound concepts written by Willaim Booth and John Wesley, that might just still apply today. Maybe it's still worth mentioning to rich and poor alike.

"I give one rule for every head of every home, whether rich or poor, and that is - keep your expenditure a little below your income and cut your coat according to your cloth." — William Booth

"Earn all you can, Save all you can, Give all you can" - John Wesley

"Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as you can." - John Wesley

Live holy, preach Jesus!

A question, "Have you no tears for Revival?" By Leonard Ravenhill

Note the high praise to the Salvationists of his time - I pray all who call themselves "salvationists" still have tears today.

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Have We No Tears for Revival? "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." (Ps. 126:5).

This is the divine edict. This is more than preaching with zeal. This is more than scholarly exposition. This is more than delivering sermons of exegetical exactitude and homiletical perfection. Such a man, whether preacher or pew dweller, is appalled at the shrinking authority of the Church in the present drama of cruelty in the world. And he cringes with sorrow that men turn a deaf ear to the Gospel and willingly risk eternal hell in the process.

Under this complex burden, his heart is crushed to tears. The true man of God is heartsick, grieved at the worldliness of the Church, grieved at the blindness of the Church, grieved at the corruption in the Church, grieved at the toleration of sin in the Church, grieved at the prayerlessness in the Church. He is disturbed that the corporate prayer of the Church no longer pulls down the strongholds of the devil. He is embarrassed that the Church folks no longer cry in their despair before a devil-ridden, sin-mad society, "Why could we not cast him out?" (Matt. 17:19).

Many of us have no heart-sickness for the former glory of the Church because we have never known what true revival is. We stagnate in the status quo and sleep easy at night while our generation moves swiftly to the eternal night of hell. Shame, shame on us! Jesus whipped some money changers out of the temple; but before He whipped them, He wept over them. He knew how near their judgment was The Apostle Paul sent a tear-stained letter to the Philippian saints, writing: "I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ" (Phil. 3:18). Notice that he does not say they are enemies of Christ; they are, rather, the enemies of the cross of Christ. They deny or diminish the redemptive values of the cross. There are many like this today.

The church of Rome does not stand as an enemy of Christ; it traces heavily on His holy name. Yet it denies the cross by saying that the Blessed Virgin is co-redemptive. If this is so, why was she not also crucified? The Mormons use the name of Christ, yet they are astray on the atonement. Have we tears for them? Shall we face them without a blush when they accuse us of inertia at the Judgment Seat saying that they were our neighbors and an offense to us, but not a burden because they were lost? The Salvationists can scarcely read their flaming evangelical history without tears. Has the glory of the evangelical revival under Wesley ever gripped the hearts of the Methodists of today? Have they read of the fire-baptized men in Wesley's team? Men like John Nelson, Thomas Walsh, and a host of others whose names are written in the Book of Life; men persecuted and kicked in the streets when they held street meetings? Yet as their blood flowed from their wounds, their tears flowed from their eyes.

Have the Holiness people set a guard at the door of the beauty parlors lest any sister should enter to get her hair curled, while a block away there is a string of prostitutes trying to sell their sin-wracked bodies with none to tell them of eternal love?

Do the Pentecostals look back with shame as they remember when they dwelt across the theological tracks, but with the glory of the Lord in their midst? When they had a normal church life, which meant nights of prayers, followed by signs and wonders, and diverse miracles, and genuine gifts of the Holy Ghost? When they were not clock watchers, and their meetings lasted for hours, saturated with holy power?

Have we no tears for these memories, or shame that our children know nothing of such power? Other denominations had their Glory Days of revival. Think of the mighty visitations to the Presbyterians in Korea. Remember the earth-shaking revival in Shantung. Are those days gone forever? Have we no tears for revival?

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Let these words sink in, and ask yourself when the last time was you cried for someone you knew was lost - and then let your tears drive you to action - tears alone accomplish nothing unless accompanied by prayer and proclamation.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Simple advice on praying... by A.W. Tozer

A.W. Tozer :
"Praying Till We PRAY" Dr. Moody Stuart, a great praying man of a past generation, once drew up a set of rules to guide him in his prayers. Among these rules is this one: "Pray till you pray."

The difference between praying till you quit and praying till you pray is illustrated by the American evangelist John Wesley Lee. He often likened a season of prayer to a church service, and insisted that many of us close the meeting before the service is over. He confessed that once he arose too soon from a prayer session and started down the street to take care of some pressing business. He had only gone a short distance when an inner voice reproached him. "Son," the voice seemed to say, "did you not pronounce the benediction before the meeting was ended?" He understood, and at once hurried back to the place of prayer where he tarried till the burden lifted and the blessing came down.

The habit of breaking off our prayers before we have truly prayed is as common as it is unfortunate. Often the last ten minutes may mean more to us than the first half hour, because we must spend a long time getting into the proper mood to pray effectively. We may need to struggle with our thoughts to draw them in from where they have been scattered through the multitude of distractions that result from the task of living in a disordered world.

Here, as elsewhere in spiritual matters, we must be sure to distinguish the ideal from the real. Ideally we should be living moment-by-moment in a state of such perfect union with God that no special preparation is necessary. But actually there are few who can honestly say that this is their experience.

Candor will compel most of us to admit that we often experience a struggle before we can escape from the emotional alienation and sense of unreality that sometimes settle over us as a sort of prevailing mood. Whatever a dreamy idealism may say, we are forced to deal with things down on the level of practical reality. If when we come to prayer our hearts feel dull and unspiritual, we should not try to argue ourselves out of it. Rather, we should admit it frankly and pray our way through.

Some Christians smile at the thought of "praying through," but something of the same idea is found in the writings of practically every great praying saint from Daniel to the present day.

We cannot afford to stop praying till we have actually prayed.

--Live holy, preach Jesus!

Sunday's Sermon - Good & Bad examples of fatherhood

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

For a sermon notes "fill in page" and manuscript - see the full size sermon player at the bottom of this page - next to today's title is a PDF of my preaching notes.

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 http://sermon.net/The_Salvation_Army_Homer

God bless your study!
Live holy, preach Jesus!

Have a blessed Sunday

Consider these words from The Salvation Army Song book #809

Make the world with music ring - Charles Coller (1863-1935)

1. Make the world with music ring, While with heart and voice we sing
Praises to our God and King, Hallelujah!
Tell with no uncertain sound, To the nations all around,
Of the Saviour we have found, Hallelujah!

Chorus: Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
We shall conquer through the blood Give the glory all to God;
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We shall conquer through the blood, Hallelujah!

2. Through the blood we shall prevail, Though both earth and Hell assail,
God in man can never fail, Hallelujah!
Keep your weapons sharp and bright, Buckle on the armor tight,
Fighting is our great delight, Hallelujah!

3. Everlasting arms are round, Walls of fire the saints surround,
Enemies we shall confound, Hallelujah!
Forward with the sword and shield,Victory waits us on the field,
Stand your ground and never yield, Hallelujah!

4. Sing your songs, ye saints of light, Soon we shall escape from night,
Up to glory wing our flight, Hallelujah!
Face to face we then shall see Him who died upon the tree,
Crowned with glory we shall be, Hallelujah!

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Words by Congressman Forbes & Resolution 397

You can also check out the text of proposed resolution 397 Affirming the rich spiritual and religious history of our Nation's founding ...
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hr111-397

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Captains Mark and Michelle are home filled with praise.

Hello Soldiers, fellow followers of Jesus, friends and family,

Just a quick update. We arrived safely home from our marathon of a trip at about 11:45 pm last night, but through all the long trip God was faithful to protect and bless.

We praise God for safe travels, for the opportunity to see corps members from our first Corps (still faithfully serving the Lord), fellow officers from other divisions, Territorial and National leaders (who were genuine and Spirit filled with vision and a Word from God), as well as an auditorium filled with waving flags, brass band, songsters, and voices lifted up in songs of praise and celebration to our Savior. We praise God for new Jr. and Sr. Soldiers as well as accepted candidates for training school (those accepted to enter our Salvation Army Seminary).

We also praise God that we have such a high calling to serve our Lord Jesus Christ in this corner of His mission field called Homer Alaska. Even this morning being available for multiple people in crisis, despair, and hurting - God has called us to simply be available to share His Name, offer prayer, and pass on His resources to touch them in His Name in their time of need.

We are glad to be home and want to say thank you to our Soldiery, Staff, and Friends, who are more than competent to do His work (and also cover our commitments) in our absence. I'm glad that God's work will get done with our without me, ... but I'm so very grateful He allows me a part to play.

Tell someone about Jesus today, their eternity is at stake.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Captains are leaving for the meeting in Washington.

Hello Soldiers, corps members, and friends of The Salvation Army of Homer,

Just a quick reminder that the Captains will be out of town for the united officer meeting in Washington (Tuesday through Thursday night). The originally schedule was to meet the General, but his health has prevented his coming, please keep him in your prayers. We will now be hearing from our National Commander, and we trust that they will be speaking the Word of God.

If you are reading this - Please take a moment right now, and keep these next few days in prayer for travel, meetings, families left behind, for spiritual refreshment, and for opportunities to witness both coming and going.

FYI - I won't blog for several days, but plan (Lord permitting) to start up again on Saturday.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

A praise for a great Sunday

Sorry to report - no audio sermon today due to technical difficulties.

But praise God - He is not deterred by microphones and recorders!

Despite a lower than normal church attendance, God provided the increase at the holiness table.

We had soldiers moved again (young and old) to seek prayer for greater boldness in their evangelism, a first time visitor at the altar seeking prayer, and young people wanting to stay and talk about how they were recently invited to engage in sinful activity - report how they were given strength to not give into temptation - and their resolve to do better next time to stand with greater boldness to not only decline sin for themselves, but speak out against it in the future.

May God honor every seekers desire to better proclaim Him, be a light bearer, and a seed planter for the cause of Christ.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

This is the Lord's day, don't be so busy you miss it.

A blessed Sunday to you all, especially those of you having to miss worship at your Corps (or church) due to work or other obligations (whatever those might be).

Here is a scripture thought for you today from Exodus 5 (feel free to look it up right now). Under God's direction Moses tells Pharaoh to let His people go so they can worship Him.
Pharaoh's response was to tell the slave drivers to no longer supply straw for making bricks, make them collect their own supplies, but to keep the quota the same. Pharaoh's thought was to make the work harder for the men so they would keep working and pay no attention to the "so-called lies" that they would ever be free from slavery, and free to worship God.

There are many reasons you may have missed a time of worship today, or maybe you were at the Corps (or church) and were so busy "doing ministry", or distracted with other things, that you never really encountered God yourself. A great tool of the devil is to increase the work so there is no time for God. Don't fall into the trap!

Take time this day to worship your God, read His word for yourself, spend some time in prayer, seek His face and a new touch of His Spirit. God Himself wants you to take time to worship Him today. Who knows, you might just find that today is the day He will free you from something you're enslaved to.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

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.

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 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!

That's my King! Do you know Him?

Captain's meditation on 1 Thes. 2:2-5

1 Thessalonians 2:2-5 Paul writes... We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.

What should be our motivation to share the gospel even in the midst of strong opposition. You are speaking as a person approved of God and entrusted with His gospel, and He will test your heart.

Someone has said, "we fear man so much because we fear God so little".

A few months back I was talking with a man and turned the conversation to spiritual things. The man simply and plainly stated what he believed about "many ways to heaven" and "all the gods are really the same thing" and "it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe". Since time was short I simply replied plainly in return that I believed what the bible stated, that "Jesus is the only way to heaven to escape hell". Immediately he said (offended), "well I don't think it's our job to shove our religion on anybody else". My response was, "I completely agree - I don't ever want to shove my religion on anybody, but you'd have to admit" I said, "if I believed I knew the only way to escape hell and find heaven, and that I was supposed to love others, and it didn't cost me anything to share it with others, and I didn't do it, you'd think I was the biggest hypocrite in the world". To which he nodded in agreement and admitted, "you're probably right".

Have you noticed that when the topic of spiritual things comes up the world will state plainly, boldly, and to the point, without apology what they believe. Why is it that so many Christians don't state plainly, to the point, and without apology the TRUTH of our Lord's Gospel?

Paul said, "with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.

Of course we don't try to be offense, but it is your God given mandate to preach the gospel to all creation. Don't be afraid someone might be "offended", be more afraid they would spend eternity in hell when you could have told them the truth, and with righteous fear be more concerned that God will test our hearts, and we must not be trying to please men, but God.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Captain's meditation on Ephesians 1:3-4

Ephesians 1:3-4 says... Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Jesus not only saves from sin and hell, but from sinning as well.

We are chosen not only to escape hell and be acceptable to God (by faith in Jesus alone because of the work He did on the cross), but we are to be holy and blameless NOW.

Later in chapter 4 of Ephesians Paul says again to live a life worthy of the calling we have received and then again in chapter 4 (in between more basic rules for holy living while here on earth) we read verse 22-24 ... You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

We have been saved from the power of sin, that we can now say NO to every temptation, and we can daily, moment by moment, choose to please and glorify God.

So again today...
Live holy, preach Jesus!

Captain's meditation on John 3:19-21 - holiness and transparency

John 3:19-21 says... This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

When we as follower of Jesus begin to live lives of holiness, walking in the light of God, our lives must be one of transparency.

I'm not sure who asked the question first (John Wesley or someone else?) but the question is still relevant now, "Have you nothing you desire to keep secret".

As a follower of Jesus, we must live holy and transparent lives, free of hypocrisy, no double standard, nothing but integrity with our actions matching the life and teaching of Jesus and His Holy Word to us.

Have you nothing you desire to keep secret today? If you do have something, confess it, repent of it, and be free of it.

Live holy, preach Jesus!

Make straight the way for the Lord

John the Baptist did no miracles. Elijah performed miracle after miracle. Daniel interpreted dreams for kings and he and his friends impacted an entire nation. Jeremiah and Isaiah were two of Israel's greatest prophetic voices. Jesus built his church through the twelve disciples. But Jesus made a profound declaration about this man who performed no miracles - He is the greatest among all the prophets.

"I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Matt 11:11-12).

John 7:19-23 tells us... Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "

Jesus said among those born of women there was none greater than John the Baptist, WHY? Because he was the one who pointed and directed others directly to Jesus Himself and told others to make straight the way for the Lord.

How can you be declared great by God today - simply make straight the way for the Lord. Make it your goal to point others to Jesus in all you do. Make sure you tell others that Jesus came and is coming again, and to be ready.

Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus today, if not confess (admit it) and repent of your sin (turn away from in and turn to Jesus), and put your faith in Jesus (simply trust in Him alone for your salvation from sin and hell). Once you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then live like it. Study and obey His word, and accept His Spirit, and live a life of holiness unto the Lord. Finally spend your time telling others about Jesus so that they too can be saved from hell for heaven, and from sinful living to abundant holy living.

You want to be great for Jesus today...
Live holy, preach Jesus!

Sunday's Sermon - Balaam 2 - From sorcery to situational ethic to Spirit filled

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Live holy, preach Jesus!