Holy Is His Name

"He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name." (Luke 1:49)

We must never forget that when we celebrate Christmas - Christ and His birth - we are celebrating the God of heaven and earth.

Some may not submit to His lordship, but that don't change the fact that the Father has given His Son. Jesus is Lord whether recognized or not, and He longs to be Lord of your life. He is holy and wants us to be wholly His!

Today is the Ordination and Commissioning service of the Ambassadors Of Holiness session in Melbourne. They each have submitted to the lordship of Christ and have personally chosen to serve their holy God in full time ministry as Salvation Army Officers. Today we meet together to formally recognize that they are "blessed to be a blessing", having given Christ central place in their lives.

The Good News is that our Holy God reaches out to us longing to personally bless us abundantly. He wants us to give Christ His rightful place in our lives, so we can be fully blessed. As Christ's followers, we can all be worthy Ambassadors of God's Holiness.

Immanuel - God with us

"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)

The Christmas season is eagerly anticipated by some and completely loathed by others. And while it is a time to celebrate hope and joy, many find Christmas a time of increased loneliness and isolation despite the seasonal "hustle and bustle".

Christmas is God's reminder that we are not alone. Immanuel - GOD with us! For God revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus a reconciling love that rescues us from separation and isolation. We are not alone; God has come down from Heaven personally to tell us He loves us!

This Christmas season you can be personally assured that Jesus Christ is here. He is here to give hope, forgive sins, bring joy, impart faith and heal spiritual wounds. All you need is to welcome Christ into your life. Accept God's personal gift of love, joy, peace and hope - and know His Presence with you...every step of the way!

TRANSIENT - A Timely Reminder!

It's happened yet again! I have no work space to call my own.

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining! I'm merely reflecting upon my personal circumstances and praising God for the opportunity to move around and minister freely. Ministry without walls is indeed a blessing! A wise chaplain colleague once advised me to always remember that chaplaincy at its best and most effective is Incarnational in nature. Being 'the visible presence of the invisible Christ' - on the front lines!

In this day and age of information technology, it is too easy to stake claim to a desk and computer and find that we are, more often than not, connecting with others 'virtually', instead of virtually connecting with others. Think about it! I much prefer the personal approach when it comes to building relationships and ministry style. So, the experience of finding one's self as a transient desk dweller is not negative. In fact, it's a personal challenge to "keep the main thing the main thing"!

Then again, it's also a timely reminder! Jesus came to earth to carry out His divine mission and ministry of reconciliation 'without walls'. As God's Ambassador He moved about freely and made an impact as He encountered people right where they were, and in just the way they needed. Jesus was a missional nomad with a intimately personal ministry!

Commissioner George Scott Railton was inspired by this theme - and indeed the words of Jesus, "Foxes have holes and birds have nests; but the Son of Man has no where to lay down his head and rest" - when he wrote these words:

1.
No home on earth have I,
No nation owns my soul,
My dwelling place is the Most High,
I'm under his control.
O'er all the earth alike,
My Father's grand domain,
Each land and sea with him alike
O'er all he yet shall reign.

2.
No place on earth I own,
No field, no house be mine;
Myself, my all I still disown,
My God, let all be thine.
Into thy gracious hands
My life is ever placed;
To die fulfilling thy commands,
I march with bounding haste.

3.
With thee, my God, is home;
With thee is endless joy;
With thee in ceaseless rest I roam;
With thee, can death destroy?
With thee, the east, the west,
The north, the south are one;
The battle's front I love the best,
And yet: thy will be done.


George Scott Railton (1849-1913)

Here Is Love

Today is the first Sunday in Advent. Even though we didn't focus on it particularly during worship at Camberwell this morning, we did focus on Advent-related themes - GRACE and LOVE. Concluding a 10-week preaching series entitled "Ten Faces Of Grace", Major Brian Pratt (CO) addressed ways in which we, as Christians, can live out grace everyday.

I was deeply challenged by the words of our final song. Inspired words, written by William Rees, that I have never encountered before. Words that reminded me of the central focus of Advent - "God moving into our neighborhood" (as Eugene Petersen so succinctly phrases it!)

HERE IS LOVE [words: William Rees]

Here is love vast as the ocean, loving kindness as the flood.
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom, shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease His praise to sing?
He can never be forgotten, throughout heaven's eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God's mercy flowed a vast and gracious tide.
GRACE AND LOVE, like mighty rivers, poured incessant from above,
And HEAVEN'S PEACE AND PERFECT JUSTICE KISSED A GUILTY WORLD IN LOVE.

Through Jesus Christ, God indeed moved into our neighborhood with a personal measure of His grace, love, peace and joy for us all.

JOHN 1:14 ~ "So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son." (NLT)

MSS UK Tour (Cradley Heath, North Shields, Southwick)

Here's the next update...a link to the official MSS UK blog site!

http://mssuk2010.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/cradley-heath-north-shields-southwick-primary-school/

Time is precious, so thought that I'd be resourceful in preference to being creative. Just arrived in Bonnie Scotland, awaiting the commencement of our ceilidh.

MSS - UK Tour (Felixstowe - Peterborough)

On Thursday 16 September, I departed Melbourne with the Melbourne Staff Songsters (MSS) for their UK Tour. An (un)eventful departure to London via Hong Kong saw us arrive at sunny Heathrow some 23 hours later - ready, but not quite refreshed, for our first weekend in Felixstowe.

The group was warmly received and made to feel at home from the moment we arrived. Our billets were fantastic, which made the experience so much more enjoyable. The MSS sang at an Open Air in the mall, attended a Civic Reception hosted by the Mayor and then enjoyed giving an evening concert with a difference! Sundays worship services were a memorable time to connect both with God and the local corps folk.

Moving onto Norwich, we enjoyed sightseeing the town prior to sharing lunch at the local corps. We then gave a mini concert to senior citizens featuring some Australian folk songs, such as "Waltzing Matilda" and "Tie me kangaroo down". Boarding the coach again, we then made our way to Sheringham, where we setup for our evening concert at St Peter's Church. The opportunity to wander around hid delightful seaside town was appreciated, as was the fresh fish and chip dinner provided by one of the local Salvationist fish shop owners. As was our routine, the Saturday night concert was given to a packed audience - though this occasion was made more memorable by the collapsing keyboard and one very persistent pianist!

The next day we journeyed to Peterborough, a place that had literally bathed our visit in prayer! I had the opportunity to meet with the Msyor and local councillors at a reception before the evening's concert, and thoroughly enjoyed staying at the Bright household following. Though too short, our stay was most memorable in every way.

Stayed tuned for the next update...

The Reward Of Ministry

Everyday ministry doesn't often "bear fruit" right before our eyes. The time and energy we invest in the lives of others hoping, praying and working toward their betterment is, more often than not, a matter of "sow now, reap later". How much more blessed we are, then, to be able to see the change and transformation take place as we journey together with others!

Over the past 10 weeks, I've been privileged to share the personal "Positive Lifestyle" journey with a guy who has committed himself wholeheartedly to work toward intentional change for his own betterment. It's been an exciting and challenging time! It's been a time of self discovery and searching for better outcomes! It's been a time of encouragement and learning! But most of all, it's been a fruitful and rewarding time of ministry!

I'm pleased to share the good news: my friend has completed the PLP course, transformed his thoughts and actions for his own personal betterment and - perhaps most fruitful of all - has now commenced employment. His past was not so bright, but now his future is!

Life transformation brings hope, healing and wholeness. Life transformation in Jesus brings eternal reward!

Galatians 6:15b (NLT) ~ "What counts is that we have been transformed into a new creation."