Unity

What a joy it is to observe your Corps (Church) folk enjoying each other’s company. At Morwell we have had some recent activities that have allowed our folk to relax and be free themselves, and with each other.

This is a major spiritual principle, that our adversary wants to destroy, and will use any means possible. So it is vital to encourage unity as a supreme example of God’s love, as expressed in the life of the believer.

Are you fed-up with a suburban isolationism? Come to the country and enjoy living in unity with people.




Psalms 133 (NIV)
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

How sad!

What a sad situation when people do not have a good word to say. If we live self-serving lives, even though outwardly observed as caring for others, our self-serving core will rise to the surface and become visible even by the frailest of persons. The self-serving person may feel that their life and ways are acceptable, as others will be guarded, suspicious, and even fearful of their motives, and actions.

King Jehoram, killed off all respect that people could have had for him, and he died alone.

How sad!


2 Chron. 21:20 (Msg.)
He was thirty-two years old when he became king and reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. There were no tears shed when he died—it was good riddance!—and they buried him in the City of David, but not in the royal cemetery.

Blessings!!!

I recall with fondness, a group of people that were going through The Salvation Army’s Bridge Programme for Drug and Alcohol affected lives. It was my task at that time, to look after the teaching side of the Programme, along with the support of the Assistant Manager. We both enjoyed the challenge and the people we were working with, in the residential programme. I learnt an enormous amount about people, and the way they cope in different situations. To add to this, I later went through an accelerated period of spiritual growth, where many things just fitted together, in my dealings with people. It was truly an exciting time. In reading thus far you may feel that this exciting time was blissful, and trouble free. Let me tell you that, the burdens of ministry were very heavy, the ache for people was almost unbearable, the lack of financial resources was crushing, but the blessings were enormous.


Ephesians 1:3 (NIV)
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.

Family

On the 29th Dec 2008, Darryl Leon Smart concluded his earthly life, as we measure time. Darryl was my cousin, and we shared a ‘Thanks Giving Service’ for his life prior to committing his body to the grave on Monday 12th Jan. This was also a great time to share with family and friends. As an Officer there have been many Years spent in the Lord’s service far away from home and family without contact. So it is good to gather with the family where possible. It would have been better still if Gwyn had been able to come with me, but it was not possible for this visit.

The news yesterday, Darryl’s Father, Gordon Leslie Smart concluded his earthly life, the day after his son’s burial. It must have been good for all the family to spend time with their Father the day before he died. A visitation opportunity that I did not have with either of my parents, prior to their Promotion to Glory.

I am now awaiting news of the next family gathering.




Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV)
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

New Cart!

People often put all their hopes in a ‘new year’, or even do a geographical to a new place. New does not always bring the required answers that people want. There is a saying that says, ‘wherever I go, there I am’. In other words a physical change will not change the person without a deeper, inner transformation.

People thought that it would be a good idea to return the ‘Ark of God’ to its rightful place by carrying it on a new cart. This proved to be a foolish, and disastrous, as the regulation for the arks transportation by carrying on wooden poles was ignored.

It is possible to have a new success, by new obedience to old decrees.



2 Samuel 6:3 (NIV)
They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart

New Teaching!

A man’s life may be under the control of evil forces. The effects can be physical, however they are always spiritual, and the evil forces will always cast the person to the ground wether it be physically or spiritually. To cast down is after-all the devils main work, robbing individuals of their worth, and bringing dis-ease to their being.

Jesus came to give us life in abundance, and a restoration of well-being that our adversaries have sought to keep from us. This new work that Jesus does is evident throughout the scriptures as He ministers to people.




Mark 1:27-28 (NIV)

The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

New Spirit!

People in our Corps were a-buzz today, which was a follow on from the New Years Day Breakfast at the Quarters. A deep sense of joy, and celebration was evident, in our morning Worship service, as was their freedom being visibly displayed. Freedom in the lives of our people is an ever-growing development under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. People were spending time with each other, and valuable conversations were taking place throughout the morning. For this on-going new freedom, we continually give praise to God!




Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV)
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

New!

New! New! New! New!

That’s a good idea for the start of 2009. A New Year!

Millions have deprived themselves of sleep, consumed too much alcohol, and kissed as many strangers as they could find. Thus we commence a new year with old traditions.

The Sovereign Lord desires the return of his people to the place where they are supposed to be. This will bring about a personal, and a community transformation that will shake the foundations of life structures. A new structure will be built into each person, and thus into the community as well.

Meditate on the following Scripture, noting the ‘new spirit’ and it’s response.


Ezekiel 11:18-21 (NIV)
"They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD."