Corps Sport Outing Nov 2010

Corps Sport Outing Nov 2010

Pray in all circumstances

Major Rachel Tickner presents the second of two studies linked to the Annual Appeal

STUDY PASSAGE: JAMES CHAPTERS 3 TO 5

WE want more preachers and teachers, but James says we should not presume to be them (3:1 and 2). Put someone on a pedestal, and it is easy to knock them off. Let someone preach and we can sit and criticise. Let someone teach and we can pick holes in their manner, deportment or knowledge. We need to ask the Lord to guide and support our teachers and preachers and protect them from all evil in order that they may serve him.

Continuing with the theme of the tongue, we learn that it is the little things in life that make a big difference – the bit that turns the animal, the rudder that steers the ship, the tongue that reveals the whole person, that cheers or corrupts others. The tongue with which we can do evil is also the instrument with which we praise God and comfort, inspire and encourage others (3:3–12).

It is easy to envy another his good fortune, but our ambition for the Kingdom may turn to ambition and honour for self or family. James reminds us of two kinds of wisdom (3:13–18). Our wisdom should be the kind that comes from Heaven, which is ‘first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere’ (v17 all quotations from New International Version).

James is so very practical; he reminds us that human nature hardly changes over the centuries. Could he have known how relevant his words were for those quarrels in our church? And he explains with delightful simplicity why ‘ask and receive’ does not always happen – we ask with the wrong motives (4:3).

That can explain so much, but to call us adulterers... (4:4). Well, we are either faithful towards God or – using an Old Testament idea – we are adulterous.

James seems to balance so many ideas: Listening and Doing, Faith and Works and Two Wisdoms. Even if 4:1–12 is entitled Submit Yourselves To God, he is saying it is a choice – the world or God – and that we should therefore submit ourselves to God.

In the UK, doting parents recognise their children as very bright and are proud of them (their teachers may not agree). However, while I was in East Africa, I found that humility is important.

Peace in our office was shattered one day by two little boys causing noisy havoc. Sponsorship forms were brought in describing one lad as a ‘very humble boy’. What joy to see the boy, the description and the love that clouds judgment!

We are not so familiar with humility as a virtue, but the teaching is clear: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’ (4:6) and ‘Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up’ (4:10; see also Proverbs 3:34).

It appears to be our role to be humble, and God’s gift to lift us up. So it follows that we should trust the future to the Lord: ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’ (v15).

Chapter 5 begins with a warning to rich oppressors. Is it a prophecy against our own generation? Verses 1 to 6 are surely applicable to our questionable finance trade and the sweatshops in countries distant from our own. I cannot resist a bargain, and at the time do not always think of children who are not in school or people who work in unhealthy conditions. We are so blessed by those who introduced Fairtrade, enabling us to buy ethically.

The idea of patience in suffering or perseverance is expanded in verses 7 to 12. This concludes with a biblical command not to swear by Heaven or earth but ‘Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No” be no, or you will be condemned’ (v12).

The Book of James concludes with The Prayer of Faith (5:13–20). This is an exhortation to pray in all circumstances – happy or sad, sick or sinful. Our joining in prayer is also encouraged; verse 16 reminds us to confess our sins to each other and pray for each other.

It is difficult to believe that Elijah was human like us (v17) because we know him to be an Old Testament hero, and his prayers were incredible. Maybe it is good to acknowledge before the Lord when he has heard and answered our own prayers.

So we conclude a brief sweep of the very practical letter of James. He says what we need to hear and act upon.

Often when we read Scripture one verse leaps off the page, as the Lord says: ‘This is for you.’ Think on this verse. Write it out. Use calligraphy, WordArt or cross stitch, and let it be an encouragement for you and others who may see it in the following days and months.

• Major Tickner is Child and Family Care Services Officer at THQ

Announcements

1. Soldiership Class
Please see Captain and Brother Tan for more information.

2. Cell Group/Prayer Ministry
Date: 12/11/10 Time: 8pm, Venue: Community Hall
Brothers and Sisters are welcome to send in your prayers request by email, sms, phone call and etc.

3. Ladies Fellowship
Date: 20 Nov 2010, Time: 8pm, Venue: Community Hall

4. Christmas Carol Practice & Band Practice
Date: 10 Nov 2010 (Wed), Time: 7:30pm and follow by Band practice at 8:30pm. Venue: Corps. We encourage all to join as away to the share good news through caroling during Christmas season.

5. Corps Administration - Soldiership Records
All soldiers of the Corps, please give a copy of your Article of War, and a copy of your IC (both side) for Corps confidential records.

Prayer Request

1. Pray for the Youth School Holiday Programme from 29 November 2010 until 31 December 2010. Pray for the youth, volunteers, sponsor and resources.

2. Pray for Major Kamala, on furlough back with family.

3. Pray for Christmas caroling practice, brass band, timbrel group and Christmas bells

4. Pray for officer's retreat that will held on 22-25 Nov 2010, at Johor Baharu, followed by Cadet's commissioning.

5. Pray for Christmas Celebration with state government on 19 Dec 2010.

6. Pray for all other ministry that we are planning. Pray for God guidance and leadership to lead us. SAFE, Community Service, Youth & Children Program, Banana Leaf, Cell Group, etc

7. Pray for those who are sick, need financial blessing, etc issues.

Food, glorious food

A Bible study for Harvest by Captain Carol Frederiksen

STUDY PASSAGE: JOHN 6:1–40

A POSTER outside a church caught my eye. The caption read: ‘Hungry? Try Church this Harvest time.’ My thoughts then turned to the words of Jesus in John 6:35: ‘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’ (all quotations from New International Version). What a wonderful invitation in that sentence! It conjures up images of abundance, contentment and satisfaction.

BREAD THAT CAN SATISFY
It is a shameful indictment on our world that vast numbers of the Earth’s population still go hungry every day. We are practically immune to the images of emaciated bodies and hollow, empty eyes that flash before us on television screens or call us to respond from newspaper pages.

And while the Christian might be moved to a compassionate response for the physically hungry, we ignore at our peril the spiritual hunger that also blights our society.

Into this deprivation of body, mind and spirit comes Jesus. He alone can satisfy the spiritual void in our lives. He alone can fill the emptiness. He makes no cheap promise when he claims to be the very ‘bread of life’. As he gives himself, the riches of Heaven are laid before us. Jesus offers joy beyond sorrow, hope beyond disappointment, intimate friendship beyond loneliness and life beyond death. The bread he provides fills not just for a moment, or a day, but satisfies for all eternity. The psalmist experienced this complete provision from God and declared in his testimony, ‘You brought us to a place of abundance’ (66:12).

To ponder
How does Jesus, as the Bread of Life, satisfy all my needs?

BREAD THAT IS SUFFICIENT
What is sufficient for you might not be sufficient for me, and vice versa. So, let us use this word in the sense that Jesus and his followers would have understood it. They knew how God had provided for his people in their wilderness experience. We read in Exodus 16:19 and 20 that the bread, or ‘manna’, that Moses was instructed by God to collect was sufficient only for that one day on which it was gathered. There was always enough manna for their daily needs, but each new day meant another gathering of God’s provision.

So how is the bread that Jesus offers sufficient for all our needs?

We start by recognizing that humanity has an enormous appetite for spiritual matters. Every culture has some form of religion, however loosely it might be defined. People in every age and every place have some object of worship and long for an explanation of their origins and their purpose. People in every culture have asked: ‘Who made all this?’ ‘Why am I here?’ ‘If there is a God, who is he and what is he like?’

Jesus provides answers to all these questions. His reasons for living – why to live, how to live, how to please God, how to live in harmony with God and with others – come in abundance. As we sit at his banqueting table and allow Jesus to nourish and sustain, he reveals his plan for us, gives goals for our lives and provides the power to achieve those goals. He then graciously ensures that we have life beyond this life. As the psalmist puts it, we will ‘dwell in the house of the Lord for ever’ (23:6).

We underline the fact that the offer that Jesus made of himself as the Bread of Life is not stingy or begrudging. He gives enough to everyone, and each person receives an equal portion. As we come to his feast, Jesus has more than enough to fully satisfy our hunger.

We may acknowledge – spiritually speaking – that some people are filled more quickly and more easily than others, but God graciously takes that into account. Read John 6:35 again: the invitation is given, the words of life are uttered. Jesus fulfils the eternal promise to ‘taste and see that the Lord is good’ (Psalm 34:8).

To ponder
How do I make sure that I have enough of the Bread of Life for each day?

A PRAYER FOR HARVEST
Every time we eat a meal, remind us of your presence. Every time we drink, remind us of your blessings. Every time we see a need, give us the sense of sharing. Every time we enjoy your creation, fill us with thanks and praise. Amen.

• Captain Frederiksen is the corps officer at Ipswich Bramford Road

Reflections on Kingdom ambition

by Commissioner John Matear, Territorial Commander (UK)

IN our recent Highlands and Islands visits my wife and I found ourselves involved in many conversations with community leaders, as well as fellow travellers. Frequently the question asked was: ‘How is The Salvation Army doing these days?’ With time to talk, whether at a council reception, ecumenical event or airport departure lounge, the question needed more of an answer than: ‘Fine, thank you very much.’

I heard myself saying that The Salvation Army was not immune from the Western European picture of declining church membership but that globally the Army is bigger than it has ever been, and here in the UK we are, I believe, engaging with more people than we have done previously through increasing ‘open door’ community activities. Yet I confess to a degree of sadness at this response, for I believe God’s will for the Church is that we grow in order to increasingly reflect his glory and his purposes for creation. I affirm it is this that motivates and underpins our focus on Kingdom ambition.

I thank God for the opportunities and resources available to us. I rejoice when I hear of ‘hot spots’ of growth and mission effectiveness. I am truly grateful that we have people of vision and daring who are taking initiatives. I also salute faithful, enduring and resilient service given across the territory. In recognising that there is no ‘magic bullet’ to reverse decadal membership trends, the strategic importance of identifying new planting opportunities and resourcing them with wisdom is understood and encouraged.

Like many of you, I have also been around long enough to have witnessed trends within the Church that, with hindsight, proved to be short-lived. I rejoice that through the creativity and diversity of the Holy Spirit we have incredibly wide scope for mission engagement and evangelistic endeavour. One of the privileges of territorial leadership is that we witness corps and centres engaged in culturally and community relevant activities across the territory, motivated by a desire to faithfully reach out in God’s name.

It is as true now as it ever has been that we are not restricted in what we might do to reach people with the gospel. If it works, it’s Army – the pragmatic approach! Of course, as in every denomination, we work within the strength of structure, the wisdom of lessons learnt and the parameters of organisation and practice.

My conviction, born out of experience, is that we are united in our desire to see God’s Kingdom grow through the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army. Together with you, I rejoice that it is Christ who leads us and the Holy Spirit who continues to equip and inspire. Convinced that the gospel is the message the world needs, our mission objective is to ‘be disciples who make disciples’. I rejoice to read of increases when the Lord adds to our number those who are being saved, but I have to tell you I am hungry for more. Before the Lord in prayer I ask for wisdom to see where there may need to be a redirection of resources and, in particular, I pray for the envisioning and effective mobilisation of our greatest resource – our people.

We are a Salvation Army with a missionary calling. The world is needing us and Christ is leading us to make contact with people. By this I don’t just mean those who come through our doors, but those who, day by day, come into contact with Salvationists in work and social networks. Our mission is to our world, be it home, school, office or factory. We don’t need to be anywhere else to bring a word of hope and grace, to live a life of holiness and demonstrate God’s love. The truth is that the salt and light of discipleship is attractive and magnetic as well as countercultural.

I am convinced that God will honour such witness and mission focus when it is wholly embraced. Our mission relates primarily to life outside the Church while our equipping and resourcing for the mission is done within the fellowship as we meet and share the word of God that builds us up. Crucial to our understanding is that we will lose our sense of mission if we focus on secondary issues or become self-serving. The mission is undermined and soul-saving efforts are impoverished when time and effort are drained and deflected because of internal issues, moral lapses or the pursuit of personal agendas.

We have a mission to make disciples by connecting with people in their world, which is our world too.

Join me in praying: ‘Lord, enlarge our vision, forgive our complacency and fire us with Kingdom ambition to faithfully play our part in working for your Kingdom to come and your will to be done. Amen.’