Parables

Today our Bible Discussion Group commenced a new series entitled "Hiding The Truth", based on parables in the Bible. It was a most interesting and informative hour spent in the Word together that fostered lots of helpful discussion points.

A parable:

• is a word-picture, which uses an image or story to illustrate a truth or lesson
• defines the unknown by using the known
• helps the listener to discover the deeper meaning and underlying truth of the reality being portrayed
• can be a figure of speech or comparison, such as "the kingdom of God...is like a mustard seed" (Luke 13:19)
• is a short story told to bring out a lesson or moral.
• is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning (spiritual truth).

But most insightful of all was the fact that parables are not exclusive to the New Testament gospels. Parables are recorded or referenced in the Old Testament (Judges 9, 2 Samuel 12, Psalm 78, Ezekiel, Proverbs and Hosea) and were a common means of communicating ideas long before the recorded use of parables by Jesus during his period of earthly ministry.

Yes, there is truth in the saying, "You learn something new everyday!"

Salvation Army Now In 115 Countries Worldwide

The Chief of the Staff, Commissioner Robin Dunster, has released the following news:

The Salvation Army has 'opened fire' in the African nations of Namibia and Mali, bringing to 115 the number of countries where it is officially at work.

The Army previously worked in Namibia from 1932 to 1939. Now, 69 years later, the re-establishment of a presence in the country has been warmly welcomed by both the Church and non-governmental organisations. The work is being led by Major Lenah Jwili, a South African national, who arrived on 3 January 2008 and is already networking in the community, witnessing steady growth in the attendance at meetings and contacting key personnel. These contacts have led to the official registration of The Salvation Army in the country. Namibia is part of the Southern Africa Territory, which also oversees Salvation Army work in Lesotho, St Helena, South Africa and Swaziland.

Following an invitation for The Salvation Army to establish a presence in the predominately Muslim nation of Mali, a local response was undertaken under the leadership of André Togo. Mali is the most northerly part of the African continent in which The Salvation Army has a presence.

Brother Togo, a Malian, had no knowledge of The Salvation Army until he had a vision of 'millions of people wearing white uniforms, saying: "People of the nations, repent for we are coming with the Kingdom of the Lord"'. He was certain God was calling him to join these white-uniformed people and his research led him to The Salvation Army. With help from Salvation Army leadership in Nigeria and at International Headquarters, he 'opened fire' in Mali. There has been steady growth in the attendance at meetings and official registration of The Salvation Army in Mali has now been granted to 'labour for the progress of Christianity, to struggle against poverty’.

The Army’s work in the country became official in January 2008 with the appointment of Majors Eugene and Odile Dikalembolovanga from the Democratic Republic of Congo as officers in charge, and Mali is attached to the Nigeria Territory. André and his wife Nana are currently preparing to move to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they will train to be Salvation Army officers.

Prayers for these new initiatives are sought as the response to the challenges found in Namibia and Mali are identified and grasped, enabling an holistic response that reflects the Great Commission given by Jesus (Matthew 28:19, 20) in tangible ways.

Rollercoaster Ride

Well, what a rollercoaster day! I know one thing for sure...I'm glad it's almost over.

Although the personal circumstances and situations were somewhat out of our immediate control, they certainly caused us to take a rollercoaster ride of human emotions and reactions.

Yet undergirding everything was an overriding sense of peace and personal assurance that God, in his mysterious ways, was there to bring a sense of calm and confidence. Our frustrations and despairs were turned into patient endurance and hopeful joy.

The rollercoaster journey of life always turns out better with God in control than when we put self in the driver's seat!

How are you travelling?

Romans 8:26-28 (MSG) ~ "the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves...and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."

Listen

Eccleciastes 3 states that in life there is a 'time for everything'. Recently, I was caused to add an additional thought to Solomon's list ~ "There is a time to listen and a time to be listened to."
The following article makes the reason for this very clear.

When I ask you to listen to me and you start giving advice, you have not done what I asked.
When I ask you to listen to me and you begin to tell me why I should not feel that way, you have trapped my feelings.
When I ask you to listen to me and you feel you have to do something to solve my problem, you have failed me, strange as that may seem.

Listen. All I ask is that you listen. Not talk or do ~ just listen and hear me.

I can do for myself. I am not helpless. Maybe discouraged and faltering, but not helpless.
When you do something for me that I can do for myself, you contribute to my fear and weakness.
But when you accept as a simple fact that I do feel what I feel, no matter how irrational, then I can quit trying to convince you and get about the business of understanding what's behind this irrational feeling. And, when that's clear, the answers are obvious and I don't need advice.
Irrational feelings make sense when we understand them.

So please listen and just hear me, and if you want to talk, wait a minute for your turn, and I'll listen to you.

Author unknown

Army Writers & Composers

'A little encouragement goes a long way' was certainly evidenced as Salvationist writers and composers met for an inaugural gathering held at Inala Village this evening. Organized by Major Win Barker (Rtd), it was an opportunity for invited speakers, Commissioner Wesley Harris (author), Major Howard Davies (composer) and Major Laurie Robertson (National Editor-in-chief, WarCry Editor and Literary Secretary), to share some helpful tips and information about authoring and publishing works from their respective areas of expertise.

It was a great opportunity to share with like-minded Christian people and learn more about where The Salvation Army Australia Southern Territory is heading with its current and future goals for publishing and promoting the writing and music composition talents of Salvationists and Christian friends.

I left the evening confident that we certainly have a bright future ahead of us!

"Living Hope" Suicide Bereavement

Dabak and I were privileged to take part in the Melbourne pilot of the Living Hope Suicide Bereavement training course. We found it to be extremely helpful in not only skilling us to work with those bereaved by suicide, but in challenging us to alter our unrealistic and judgmental 'pre-conceived' ideas about this most misunderstood area of personal loss.

The statistics of suicide are mind-blowing, the impact on those left behind is devastating and the opportunities for providing bereavement support are greatly needed. The Salvation Army's commitment to make a difference in this sensitive ministry area is both timely and beneficial.

Yes, I have a dream...that "Hope For Life" centres will be established in local communities throughout our divisions and regions, making it possible for survivors of suicide loss to access postvention support services and make hope connections in their lives.

1 Samuel 2:6 (MSG) ~ "[God] rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope, restoring dignity and respect to their lives..."

God's Hands

We need to seek God’s hand on our lives, and realize that God’s hands are good hands!

This morning as we reflected on Jeremiah's vision (18:1-6), we were encouraged to:

• Desire God’s hands…for they are hands that desire to bless you; they are hands that desire your good for His glory.
• Depend on God’s hands…for they are hands that are determined to guide; they will direct us toward an abundant spiritual blessing in Christ.
• Delight in God’s hands…for there is no safer place to be than in God’s hands; and there is no more exciting place to be than in God’s hands.

A 2nd century Christian, named Irenaues, left behind this challenging piece of prose.

From God’s Hands
It is not you who shape God; it is God that shapes you.
If then you are the work of God, await the hand of the Artist who does all things in due season.
Offer the Potter your heart, soft and tractable, and keep the form in which the Artist has fashioned you.
Let your clay be moist, lest you grow hard and lose the imprint of the Potter’s fingers.

Kaye & John Williamson

My thoughts and prayers were focussed today on Kaye & John Williamson, who departed this morning to take up their first overseas appointments in Jamaica (Carribbean Territory). Leaving family, friends and the comforts of home to serve God in a new culture and a different field of ministry is challenging to say the least. But we know that when we move out of our comfort zone and trust God fully, we move more fully into Christ's grace zone where He always provides for us and rewards us "more than we can ask or imagine".

Learn to trust God fully, and move out of your personal comfort zone into God's grace zone!

Matthew 6:6 (MSG) ~ "Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace."

Heart's Desire

While ministering in Malaysia in 1997 I was privileged to share in personal Christian fellowship with worship leader, Don Moen. Every word he sang and every note he played was an expression of his passionate love for Jesus and his deep desire to lead worshippers into God's gracious and awesome presence.

His genuine Christian witness made a great impression on me, as did his musical compositions. Here is one of Don Moen's worship songs that continues to inspire me whenever I recall it.

I just want to be where You are,
Dwelling daily in Your presence;
I don't want to worship from afar,
Draw me near to where You are.

I want to be where You are, dwelling in Your presence,
Feasting at Your table, surrounded by Your glory;
In Your presence that's where I always want to be,
I just want to be, I just want to be with You.

Is that your desire? I can honestly say, "It's my heart's desire!"

Psalm 27:4 (NIV) ~ "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple."

Sacred Privilege

A prayerful encounter with a nursing home resident this morning caused me to be reminded that those anointed and appointed by God for Christian service have both the sacred obligation and wonderful privilege of coming confidently before the Most High on behalf of others.

In his book, Prayer: Finding the heart's true home, Richard Foster states that "by means of intercessory prayer God extends to each of us a personalized, hand-engraved invitation to become intimately involved in labouring for the well-being of others." (pg. 214)

We can each make a difference if we act personally on the sacred privilege of Intercessory Prayer.

Matthew 6:14 (MSG) ~ "In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do."

"Service Above Self"

When Frank Collins spoke at the 1911 Portland convention, I doubt he had any idea that a phrase he used on that occasion ~ Service, Not Self ~ would go on to become the well-recognized motto of Rotary Interational. At the Rotary convention in 1950 "Service Above Self" was adopted as the worldwide motto that continues to live on and identify the very spirit of Rotarian service today.

On Saturday morning I was privileged to work with my dedicated community services team and collate 750 'welcome packs' that will be provided to Box Hill Hospital's Upton House facility.

The opportunity for fellowship was valuable, but the knowledge that our team effort is going to benefit others as we seek to be of service to the local community is an even greater reward.

Click on the image at right to read the interesting story.

Well, they say a picture tells a thousand words...so take a look at these and let your mind write it's own essay!

Be The Blessing!

One of the 'missing gems' from the current edition of our Salvation Army songbook is 'Make Me A Blessing'.
These are the words that we concluded our worship time with this morning.

Out in the highways and byways of life, many are the weary and sad;
Carry the sunshine where darkness is rife, making the sorrowing glad.

Make me a blessing, make me a blessing;
Out of my life may Jesus shine.
Make me a blessing, O Saviour I pray.
Make me a blessing to someone today.

Tell the sweet story of Christ and His love; tell of His pow'r to forgive;
Others will trust Him if only you prove true every moment you live.

Give as 'twas given to you in your need; love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed; unto your mission be true.

I have no doubt that God calls us to live out our faith in such a way that we 'speak life and hope' into the broken lives of those who experience personal devastation, hopelessness and despair.

Will you allow God to enable you to 'be that blessing'?

Psalm 111:10 (MSG) ~ "The good life begins in the fear of God — Do that and you'll know the blessing of God. His Hallelujah lasts forever!"

Speaking Life And Hope

Confronting...soul-wrenching... spirit-inspiring...that's how I'd sum up the OASIS documentary aired tonight on ABC focussing on the prevalence of youth homelessness and addictions in Australia. I was moved to tears and, honestly speaking, need some more time to really process all that we saw and heard discussed.

But without a doubt, this was clear and plain ~ Captains Paul and Robbin Moulds, and the volunteer staff at the OASIS centre, are legends in their field and their consistent and caring influence in the lives of Sydney's youth is both compassionately Christlike and personally empowering in enabling young people to seek a change for the better.

A comment made in the documentary is still ringing in my ears and forces me to question: "If we don't speak life and hope into the lives of 'needy' others, who will?" It's a question that is not only relevant to youth facing homelessness and drug addictions; it is relevant to all people in all aspects of our society who are broken-hearted and in despair because of their individual experience of a range of personal, social, cultural and spiritual injustices.

The challenge here is to be 'salt and light' right where God has placed you, speaking life and hope into the lives of those you come into contact with everyday.

Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV) ~ "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."

"Verse Of The Day" Has The Final Word!

Following yesterday's comment, I noted today's Verse of the Day from Hebrews 1:3 certainly has the right of reply as the final Word on the topic.

"By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful words!
After he finished the sacrifice for sins, the Son took his honored place high in the heavens right alongside God, far higher than any angel in rank and rule."

(The Message)

Amen! Amen! Amen!

Spiritual Mythbuster

I was listening to a recording of one of our retired officers who was invited to preach recently on the topic "Maintaining a healthy spirit, soul and body", and was thrilled to be reminded of the distinction between our spirit (that which communicates spiritually with God) and soul (our mind, intellect, will and emotions). But the greatest lesson I learned was that "satan is not the opposite of God". Too often Christians live with the mythical mindset that satan (meaning 'adversary' or enemy of God) is as powerful as God. The arch enemy of God is not an evil opposite or 'reflection' of God!

Consider the enemy's limitations . . .

• He is not self-existent. He is created.
• He is not sovereign.
  satan rules a domain of demons, but he does not rule beyond the bound of that confinement of rule which God has given him.
  satan never has cast off the government of God, since the rebellion totally failed. He has been exiled to the earth and the domain around it (Ephesians 2:2).
  satan’s chain stretches just so far and God allows him to go that far and no further. He operates completely within the sphere of God’s allowance (e.g. Job 1:12; 2:6; Luke 22:31-32).
  God even uses satan to His own ends (2 Corinthians 12:7).
• He is not omnipotent (all-powerful). He is powerful, yes, but not all powerful (1 John 4:4; Revelation 12:8; 20:2).
• He is not omniscient (all-knowing).
  satan is a 'fallen' angel and angels don’t know everything (1 Peter 1:11-12).
  There is no indication in Scripture that satan can read our thoughts. But he’s pretty good at predicting our behavior, because he’s an expert on human nature.
• He is not omnipresent (everywhere at the same time). He’s fast, but not omnipresent.
  Being a creature who dwells on earth, satan cannot be in more than one place at a time. Job 1:7 makes it clear that satan roams here and there. He was thrown to earth in a war with Michael and other angels and "lost his place in heaven" (Revelation 12:8). If satan can "lose his place," then he is not in every place.
  But satan is the head of a network of subordinate devils who make his influence felt all over the earth (Matthew 12:24).

So let's not live a moment longer by the myth that satan is somehow the opposite of God. He is not, and never will be, an 'equal opposite' of God ~ "Christ is all, yes, all in all".

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NIV) ~ "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."

Overseas Personnel

WORLD MISSION FELLOWSHIP MEETING

It was a real privilege to welcome home Majors Ross and Agnes Hailes (left) from service in Canada, and Majors Anne and John Farquharson (right) from short-term service in Zambia. Both officer couples are in Australia enjoying a period of furlough before heading back overseas.

The stories of ministry and service in their various countries were very different, but the common thread was their strong commitment to meeting the social and spiritual needs of their respective local communities by impacting the lives of others with God's gospel in action.

Mark 16:15 (MSG) ~ "Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God's good news to one and all."

A Matter Of Perspective

I've been reflecting recently on the different perspectives people take in their approach to life, and I've come to the point where I'm personally grateful that I live each day with a "Christian Faith" perspective. My faith provides me with a personal assurance of love and confident hope that I couldn't possibly ever achieve in my own strength and by my own design.

In place of the temporary, I gain the eternal.
In place of working to earn favour, I receive freely the unmerited favour of God.
In place of fear and uncertainty, I know the assurance of a peaceful and certain outcome.

God's perspective is always best and we can never go wrong if we live in His love and grace.

Fear keeps us limping in the dark

Grace keeps us walking in the light.

Barbara Johnson

("Mama get the hammer! There's a fly on Papa's head!", p.172)

"THE OASIS" Documentary

THIS COMING THURSDAY 10 APRIL...8.30PM...ABC1

The Greatest Of These

Faith is the evidence of things now not seen

Hope gives the victory where defeat may have been

Love brought my Saviour down my soul to redeem

And the greatest of these is LOVE.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (MSG) ~ "But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love."

Mighty Wind

The storm force winds around Victoria and beyond today caused widespread chaos. Moments before I was to officiate a resident funeral, we found ourselves in a blackout situation. The lack of power meant that I had to use my "open air voice" and relocate the organist to the piano. Fortunately, both of us were adaptable to the circumstances! On exiting, we discovered that a huge tree had come crashing down behind the chapel, narrowly missing one of the attendees' parked car and the chapel toilet block.

Amidst the chaos, I recalled my training college days when our training principal, Lieut-Colonel Lucille Turfrey, gave a memorable series on the Holy Spirit. She spoke on the Hebrew word for Spirit, ruach (meaning "breath, air, wind"), commenting that the "wind of God" comes to us with fullness of life-changing power through His gentle, consistent pleading.

Edwin Hatch's words are worthy of our prayerful consideration.

Breathe on me, breath of God, fill me with life anew,

That I may love what Thou dost love, and do what Thou wouldst do.

Breathe on me, breath of God, until my heart is pure,

Until with Thee I will one will, to do and to endure.

Breathe on me, breath of God, blend all my soul with Thine,

Until this earthly part of me glows with Thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, breath of God, so shall I never die,

But live with Thee the perfect life of Thine eternity.