FRANK J. MATERA
Associate Professor of New Testament
The Catholic University of America
Jesus' words to Mary, "for I have not yet ascended to the Father," are often misinterpreted to mean that Jesus cannot be touched until after his ascension. That Mary has already touched Jesus, and that Jesus will invite Thomas to examine his wounds (20:27), indicate that this cannot be the case. In fact, the phrase is merely a parenthesis intended to introduce the main point: "I am going (anabaino) to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God" (20:17Ä). Once more the present tense is important. Jesus tells Mary that he is returning from whence he came. Thus the sense of the conversation is as follows: "Stop holding on to me. Rather, tell my disciples that I am completing my return to my Father as I promised I would. And once I have returned, I will send the promised Spirit."
During his farewell discourse to his disciples, as reported by John, Jesus describes his death as the hour of his glorification. His death will be not a defeat but a return to the Father so that he can prepare a place for his disciples (14:1-3). Although the disciples will not understand the significance of his death when it occurs, Jesus assures them that it is to their advantage that he return to the Father, for only after he has gone (anabaino) to the Father can he send the Advocate, the Spirit of truth (14:15—31). Jesus' death will be the hour of his glorification (17:1-5), the moment when he reigns as King from the cross.
The message that Jesus now entrusts to Mary is an assurance to the disciples that the Lord is fulfilling his promise to them. He is returning to the Father, and very shortly he will send the promised Spirit upon them.
from Interpretation 43 no 4 O 1989, p 402-406.
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http://www.sheepspeak.com/
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Dr Was (Daily Rations with a Smile)
March 31
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Judges 9-10 and Psalm 49 and 1 Corinthians 16
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Judges 9-10 and Psalm 49 and 1 Corinthians 16
March 31
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line
Judges 8 and Psalm 42 and 1 Corinthians 15
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line
Judges 8 and Psalm 42 and 1 Corinthians 15
Monday, March 29, 2010
2 Kinds of repentance:Repentance must go before faith.By repentance, I mean conviction of sin, producing desires and resolutions of amendment-Wesley
(from an essay by Captain Susan Ramsay)
Wesley speaks of two kinds of repentance in his sermon, Scripture Way of Salvation. First, there is repentance leading to salvation. Second, he speaks of a repentance that follows salvation. Both of these are stirrings of our heart by the Holy Spirit. Repentance that leads to, or perhaps is part of, the faith that leads to salvation is a conviction of the soul’s inadequacy and darkness, and an awareness of its utter and complete need for God as the only true source of goodness and salvation. Christian repentance involves the acknowledgment our need for God’s forgiveness and transforming grace in our desire to be reconciled with Him. Wesley gave the following definition: “Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repentance, I mean conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment.” Repentance which results in faith is defined as this “ ‘conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment…a sincere desire and purpose’ to obey God,…living in obedience to God’s will, when there is opportunity.’
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www.sheepspeak.com
Wesley speaks of two kinds of repentance in his sermon, Scripture Way of Salvation. First, there is repentance leading to salvation. Second, he speaks of a repentance that follows salvation. Both of these are stirrings of our heart by the Holy Spirit. Repentance that leads to, or perhaps is part of, the faith that leads to salvation is a conviction of the soul’s inadequacy and darkness, and an awareness of its utter and complete need for God as the only true source of goodness and salvation. Christian repentance involves the acknowledgment our need for God’s forgiveness and transforming grace in our desire to be reconciled with Him. Wesley gave the following definition: “Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity. By repentance, I mean conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment.” Repentance which results in faith is defined as this “ ‘conviction of sin, producing real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment…a sincere desire and purpose’ to obey God,…living in obedience to God’s will, when there is opportunity.’
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www.sheepspeak.com
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The people are rushing out to meet him and singing, ‘Green is the colour, football is the game’ -no- they are singing – they are shouting “Hosanna!”
from 'John 12:12-19: Green Parade'
Today is Palm Sunday. We are speaking about the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. I actually have a youtube video related to all the excitement as Jesus comes into town. The video is a little old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVpe0sWCQbw
That video was from 2007. When Saskatchewan defeated the BC Lions in the semi-finals and were headed to Toronto to play in the Grey Cup – people were excited. People ran out into the streets and they were shouting and they were honking their horns and they were singing the Rider’s anthem, ‘Green is the colour; football is the game.’ This was really exciting, as it seemed that everyone in Saskatchewan was celebrating: the Roughriders had defeated BC were going to Toronto to play in the Grey Cup. This atmosphere – very similar to the atmosphere last year when we made it to the cup finals –I think it is very much like it was on Palm Sunday 2000 or so years ago.
Here is Jesus – he has just raised someone from the dead; he has just raised Lazarus from the dead and people know about it. He has had a tough season of ministry to this point and has had some very close games – especially against his divisional rivals, the Pharisees – at one point he barely escapes with his life. But recently Jesus has just won this amazing (foreshadowing) victory over death (John 11). You remember that Lazarus was firmly in the grave (4 days) when Jesus raised him from the dead, stealing the victory from the grave, assuring himself a place in the final match between our Lord and Sheol[1] – just like our Roughriders last year won the semi-final victory over the Stampeders and in the year of the youtube clip, 2007, they stole victory from the Lions to set-up a final match with Winnipeg.
2007 was Susan, the girls and my first year in Saskatchewan and it was something else. I have never seen so much community pride in my life. After Saskatchewan defeated BC, everywhere I went it seemed that everything was green. There were Roughrider flags everywhere and even the nurses in the hospital had painted their faces green. Last year, our staff here all dressed in green and Susan even bought me a Roughriders coffee mug. It was in great anticipation that Sarah-Grace and I headed over to Alvin’s this past November to see the final game.
It is this very same anticipation for the crowds when Jesus comes parading into Jerusalem (Cf. Luke 19:28-40; Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11). Look at Verse 9: “a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.” And Verses 17 and 18, “Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him.” And look to at his opponents. Look at what his divisional rivals, the non-Jesus fans have to say, Verse 19: “so the Pharisees said to one another, ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!’”
Jesus is coming to Jerusalem. Something big is about to happen and the crowds know it and they are sporting green – they are waving green palm branches anyway (John 12:12) – as the parade winds itself into the historic capital city of King David. The people are rushing out to meet him and instead of singing, ‘Green is the Colour’ they are singing – they are shouting “Hosanna!” They are shouting, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” They are shouting, “Blessed is the King of Israel!” (Verse 13; cf. Psalm 118:25-26)
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/03/john-1212-19-green-parade.html
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http://www.sheepspeak.com/
Today is Palm Sunday. We are speaking about the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. I actually have a youtube video related to all the excitement as Jesus comes into town. The video is a little old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVpe0sWCQbw
That video was from 2007. When Saskatchewan defeated the BC Lions in the semi-finals and were headed to Toronto to play in the Grey Cup – people were excited. People ran out into the streets and they were shouting and they were honking their horns and they were singing the Rider’s anthem, ‘Green is the colour; football is the game.’ This was really exciting, as it seemed that everyone in Saskatchewan was celebrating: the Roughriders had defeated BC were going to Toronto to play in the Grey Cup. This atmosphere – very similar to the atmosphere last year when we made it to the cup finals –I think it is very much like it was on Palm Sunday 2000 or so years ago.
Here is Jesus – he has just raised someone from the dead; he has just raised Lazarus from the dead and people know about it. He has had a tough season of ministry to this point and has had some very close games – especially against his divisional rivals, the Pharisees – at one point he barely escapes with his life. But recently Jesus has just won this amazing (foreshadowing) victory over death (John 11). You remember that Lazarus was firmly in the grave (4 days) when Jesus raised him from the dead, stealing the victory from the grave, assuring himself a place in the final match between our Lord and Sheol[1] – just like our Roughriders last year won the semi-final victory over the Stampeders and in the year of the youtube clip, 2007, they stole victory from the Lions to set-up a final match with Winnipeg.
2007 was Susan, the girls and my first year in Saskatchewan and it was something else. I have never seen so much community pride in my life. After Saskatchewan defeated BC, everywhere I went it seemed that everything was green. There were Roughrider flags everywhere and even the nurses in the hospital had painted their faces green. Last year, our staff here all dressed in green and Susan even bought me a Roughriders coffee mug. It was in great anticipation that Sarah-Grace and I headed over to Alvin’s this past November to see the final game.
It is this very same anticipation for the crowds when Jesus comes parading into Jerusalem (Cf. Luke 19:28-40; Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11). Look at Verse 9: “a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.” And Verses 17 and 18, “Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him.” And look to at his opponents. Look at what his divisional rivals, the non-Jesus fans have to say, Verse 19: “so the Pharisees said to one another, ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!’”
Jesus is coming to Jerusalem. Something big is about to happen and the crowds know it and they are sporting green – they are waving green palm branches anyway (John 12:12) – as the parade winds itself into the historic capital city of King David. The people are rushing out to meet him and instead of singing, ‘Green is the Colour’ they are singing – they are shouting “Hosanna!” They are shouting, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” They are shouting, “Blessed is the King of Israel!” (Verse 13; cf. Psalm 118:25-26)
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/03/john-1212-19-green-parade.html
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http://www.sheepspeak.com/
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
"Rights without responsibilities are the sub-prime mortgages of the moral world."
- Jonathan Sacks
from his address to the opening of the Eurpopean parliament. www.salvationist.ca April 2010
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www.sheepspeak.com
from his address to the opening of the Eurpopean parliament. www.salvationist.ca April 2010
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www.sheepspeak.com
DR Was (Daily Rations with a Smile)
March 28
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line
Judges 4-5 and Psalm 39 and Psalm 41 and 1 Corinthians 13
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line
Judges 4-5 and Psalm 39 and Psalm 41 and 1 Corinthians 13
March 27
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line
Judges 1-3 and 1 Corinthians 12
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line
Judges 1-3 and 1 Corinthians 12
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
You and I go where we will, and enjoy the fruit of our labours: This is liberty. The Negro does not: This is slavery. - Wesley, re: US Revolution
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"You and I, and the English in general, go where we will, and enjoy the fruit of our labors: This is liberty. The Negro does not: This is slavery. Is not then all this outcry about liberty and slavery mere rant, and playing upon words?" - John Wesley, 'A Calm Address to Our American Colonies' (1775)
read more: http://www.slts.edu/Documents/Article_Wesley_OnAmerica.rtf
"You and I, and the English in general, go where we will, and enjoy the fruit of our labors: This is liberty. The Negro does not: This is slavery. Is not then all this outcry about liberty and slavery mere rant, and playing upon words?" - John Wesley, 'A Calm Address to Our American Colonies' (1775)
read more: http://www.slts.edu/Documents/Article_Wesley_OnAmerica.rtf
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
How are you doing with what God has given you?
Well, how are we doing with what God has given us? We know, of course, that our jobs, our businesses, farms, car, home, family, and all the gifts and talents that we have really all belong to God and we are just managing them until Jesus returns; so, how have we been doing with that?
Are we using them for the Kingdom and God or are we squandering them on ourselves? At anytime, Jesus will come back. At anytime the owner will ask for an account of what we’ve done with his possessions: are we using them for what he wants or are we squandering them on ourselves and on ‘wild living’?
I can think of a time when I was a pre-teen and I was in the living room when my dad was watching some telethon to help the needy kids. He was talking to me about it for a while. Trying to instill the values of helping others – or something like that – and then right when they are asking for money –on purpose – he says, "thanks Mike for all the help you’ve given me working around the yard this summer" ...and he gives me five bucks... while he’s picking up the telephone. He says, "now you can spend this on anything you want"…while he dials…"anything at all…Hello telethon"…and he hands me the phone…immediately, I’m thinking about giving the telethon - $2.50 (or less), but I know what my father is saying that I should do with this money.
Are we doing what our Heavenly Father wants with what He gives us? What are we doing with His money, yes, but also – can you teach? Are you teaching others about Jesus? Are you organised? Are you using administration skills for the Kingdom? Are you are social person? Are you telling people about Jesus and visiting them when they are sick? All of this is included in the first question Jesus is addressing with the parable but he doesn’t stop here.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/luke-161-13-sudden-death-overtime.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
Are we using them for the Kingdom and God or are we squandering them on ourselves? At anytime, Jesus will come back. At anytime the owner will ask for an account of what we’ve done with his possessions: are we using them for what he wants or are we squandering them on ourselves and on ‘wild living’?
I can think of a time when I was a pre-teen and I was in the living room when my dad was watching some telethon to help the needy kids. He was talking to me about it for a while. Trying to instill the values of helping others – or something like that – and then right when they are asking for money –on purpose – he says, "thanks Mike for all the help you’ve given me working around the yard this summer" ...and he gives me five bucks... while he’s picking up the telephone. He says, "now you can spend this on anything you want"…while he dials…"anything at all…Hello telethon"…and he hands me the phone…immediately, I’m thinking about giving the telethon - $2.50 (or less), but I know what my father is saying that I should do with this money.
Are we doing what our Heavenly Father wants with what He gives us? What are we doing with His money, yes, but also – can you teach? Are you teaching others about Jesus? Are you organised? Are you using administration skills for the Kingdom? Are you are social person? Are you telling people about Jesus and visiting them when they are sick? All of this is included in the first question Jesus is addressing with the parable but he doesn’t stop here.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/luke-161-13-sudden-death-overtime.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
A wholly elected senate would rob Parliament of one of its present strengths, namely the presence of genuine experts - Bishop Wright
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And in the meantime constitutional reform has proceeded, in bits and pieces and utterly ad hoc, without anyone appearing to think through the larger issues involved. In last summer’s Lords debate on the constitution, I was the only speaker to refer to Vernon Bogdanor’s new book The New British Constitution. Indeed, the idea that this might be a serious and complex subject requiring careful thought seems to be foreign to many who pronounce on such things as the role of Parliament itself, including the composition of the [senate] House of Lords. To cite Professor Baker again, a wholly elected [senate] House of Lords would not only rob Parliament of one of its present strengths, namely the presence of genuine experts in a wide range of fields, but would throw all the weight for scrutiny on to the newly established Supreme Court, who would have to review legislation retrospectively rather than, as at present with the Lords, prospectively. This has simply not been thought through. There are a thousand potential unintended consequences lurking in this area. I can’t comment on them further tonight; I simply comment, as I have done in the House, that constitutional reform seems to be being done on a wing and a prayer, and that while we on the Bishops’ benches are happy to supply the prayer, we do want to be assured of the quality of the wing.
In case anyone supposes that this is a covert plea for the place of Bishops within the House of Lords, let me make my position clear. I would much rather have a wholly appointed House of Lords from which Bishops were excluded (unless they themselves happened to be appointed, as the Chief Rabbi and the Methodist peer Leslie Griffiths have been appointed), than a 95% elected House in which bishops were still included. Precisely as a bishop concerned for the health of our constitution, I would rather have a second chamber that can do its job without me than one which can’t do its job even with me, if you see what I mean. We have some excellent MPs, but many observers think that to fill another chamber with more of the same, whipped to the will of the government, would be worse than pointless. I am, in other words, much more concerned with the ability of the Lords to scrutinise legislation than I am with the official place of bishops in that house. But that isn’t the point. The point is that our fine-tuned constitution, like a complex ecosystem, cannot simply be tampered with and played about with without considerable risk. If we are to make changes, elected politicians are the very last people who ought to be in charge of that process.
read more: http://campaigndirector.moodia.com/Client/Theos/Files/GodandGovernmentNTWright.pdf
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http://www.sheepspeak.com/
And in the meantime constitutional reform has proceeded, in bits and pieces and utterly ad hoc, without anyone appearing to think through the larger issues involved. In last summer’s Lords debate on the constitution, I was the only speaker to refer to Vernon Bogdanor’s new book The New British Constitution. Indeed, the idea that this might be a serious and complex subject requiring careful thought seems to be foreign to many who pronounce on such things as the role of Parliament itself, including the composition of the [senate] House of Lords. To cite Professor Baker again, a wholly elected [senate] House of Lords would not only rob Parliament of one of its present strengths, namely the presence of genuine experts in a wide range of fields, but would throw all the weight for scrutiny on to the newly established Supreme Court, who would have to review legislation retrospectively rather than, as at present with the Lords, prospectively. This has simply not been thought through. There are a thousand potential unintended consequences lurking in this area. I can’t comment on them further tonight; I simply comment, as I have done in the House, that constitutional reform seems to be being done on a wing and a prayer, and that while we on the Bishops’ benches are happy to supply the prayer, we do want to be assured of the quality of the wing.
In case anyone supposes that this is a covert plea for the place of Bishops within the House of Lords, let me make my position clear. I would much rather have a wholly appointed House of Lords from which Bishops were excluded (unless they themselves happened to be appointed, as the Chief Rabbi and the Methodist peer Leslie Griffiths have been appointed), than a 95% elected House in which bishops were still included. Precisely as a bishop concerned for the health of our constitution, I would rather have a second chamber that can do its job without me than one which can’t do its job even with me, if you see what I mean. We have some excellent MPs, but many observers think that to fill another chamber with more of the same, whipped to the will of the government, would be worse than pointless. I am, in other words, much more concerned with the ability of the Lords to scrutinise legislation than I am with the official place of bishops in that house. But that isn’t the point. The point is that our fine-tuned constitution, like a complex ecosystem, cannot simply be tampered with and played about with without considerable risk. If we are to make changes, elected politicians are the very last people who ought to be in charge of that process.
read more: http://campaigndirector.moodia.com/Client/Theos/Files/GodandGovernmentNTWright.pdf
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http://www.sheepspeak.com/
DR Was (Daily Rations with a Smile)
March 24
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-lineJoshua 18-20 and 1 Corinthians 9
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Sudden Death! (Luke 16:1-13)
I used to listen to junior hockey games every Friday night on the radio as I was doing the dishes, etc.
I remember this one game. I caught the 3rd period. The home team just dominated. It was three or even four nothing coming into the last minute of play. These players had worked really hard, just dominated and they started celebrating the winning of the last game of their season - with one minute left to go. Then the other team scored. Then again; 30 seconds left. Then again; 10 seconds left. It was four nothing less than a minute ago – they were celebrating – now they are up 4-3 with only 5 seconds left and they aren’t so confident – and now there’s a face-off in their own zone. And you know what happens? The away team scores with less than a second left to force sudden-death overtime.
Our team squanders their lead and as a result they face sudden death.
If you’ll turn with me back to Luke Chapter 16, the manager we read about also squanders from his position, and now faces sudden death – or sudden unemployment anyway: he is fired.
read the sermon: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/luke-161-13-sudden-death-overtime.html
read more stuff: http://www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsays_opinion.htm
home: http://www.sheepspeak.com/
I remember this one game. I caught the 3rd period. The home team just dominated. It was three or even four nothing coming into the last minute of play. These players had worked really hard, just dominated and they started celebrating the winning of the last game of their season - with one minute left to go. Then the other team scored. Then again; 30 seconds left. Then again; 10 seconds left. It was four nothing less than a minute ago – they were celebrating – now they are up 4-3 with only 5 seconds left and they aren’t so confident – and now there’s a face-off in their own zone. And you know what happens? The away team scores with less than a second left to force sudden-death overtime.
Our team squanders their lead and as a result they face sudden death.
If you’ll turn with me back to Luke Chapter 16, the manager we read about also squanders from his position, and now faces sudden death – or sudden unemployment anyway: he is fired.
read the sermon: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/luke-161-13-sudden-death-overtime.html
read more stuff: http://www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsays_opinion.htm
home: http://www.sheepspeak.com/
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
A Salvationist in the Protestant Reformation?
The Officer Magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2010
Read the article: http://www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsay_Salvationist_Reformation.pdf
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Nicaragua
General Shaw Clifton has announced that he has approved the official opening of The Salvation Army’s work in Nicaragua
General Shaw Clifton has announced that he has approved the official opening of The Salvation Army’s work in Nicaragua, as of 1 March 2010, making it the 120th country in which the Army is officially at work.
read more:
http://salvationist.ca/2010/03/the-salvation-army-now-at-work-in-120-countries/http://salvationist.ca/2010/03/the-salvation-army-now-at-work-in-120-countries/
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www.sheepspeak.com
General Shaw Clifton has announced that he has approved the official opening of The Salvation Army’s work in Nicaragua, as of 1 March 2010, making it the 120th country in which the Army is officially at work.
read more:
http://salvationist.ca/2010/03/the-salvation-army-now-at-work-in-120-countries/http://salvationist.ca/2010/03/the-salvation-army-now-at-work-in-120-countries/
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www.sheepspeak.com
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Grace and the Fig Tree
Now this passage in Luke is about judgement and look at the parable that Jesus tells in relation to all this these questions that the people are asking, it is interesting, verses 6-9:
“…A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'
" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' ”
This is neat. This is God. Look in the midst of judgement here there is grace. He gives the tree another chance. Look at this…the fruit tree now if it fails to bear fruit it will be cut down and presumably thrown into the fire but he gives it more time to bear fruit. Jesus defeated sin and death between the cross and the empty tomb but even today 2000 years later, while we each still have breath in our bodies, we still have the opportunity to repent and turn to God and be saved.
In 21st Century Canada, Saskatchewan and Swift Current we still have the opportunity to return to the Lord, love God and love our neighbour, so that we will not be cut down (and thrown into the fire, see John 15:1-7). This parable is specifically speaking about the nation of Israel but I think it equally applies to us today. If we deny God and if we do not love our neighbour the gospel of Matthew tells us that even among those of us who do call Jesus Lord, we be left on the outside looking in (Matthew 7:21-22). Matthew records that Jesus tells us that whatever we do not do for the least in our society we do not do for Christ (Matthew 25:40) and if we do not actively serve Christ, he will send us off to eternal punishment we deserve (Matthew 7:22, 25:40).[7] But remember the Good News…
This tree in Jesus’ parable that deserved judgement because it does not bear fruit, it is given grace first. Jesus said of this tree that deserves to be cast into eternal judgement, Jesus says, verse 8, to “'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.” God not only extends this tree one more year of grace but in so doing he does everything He can to bring this tree into bearing fruit. He loves that tree.
This is good news and it is the same with us.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/03/luke-131-9-repent.html
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http://www.sheepspeak.com/
“…A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'
" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' ”
This is neat. This is God. Look in the midst of judgement here there is grace. He gives the tree another chance. Look at this…the fruit tree now if it fails to bear fruit it will be cut down and presumably thrown into the fire but he gives it more time to bear fruit. Jesus defeated sin and death between the cross and the empty tomb but even today 2000 years later, while we each still have breath in our bodies, we still have the opportunity to repent and turn to God and be saved.
In 21st Century Canada, Saskatchewan and Swift Current we still have the opportunity to return to the Lord, love God and love our neighbour, so that we will not be cut down (and thrown into the fire, see John 15:1-7). This parable is specifically speaking about the nation of Israel but I think it equally applies to us today. If we deny God and if we do not love our neighbour the gospel of Matthew tells us that even among those of us who do call Jesus Lord, we be left on the outside looking in (Matthew 7:21-22). Matthew records that Jesus tells us that whatever we do not do for the least in our society we do not do for Christ (Matthew 25:40) and if we do not actively serve Christ, he will send us off to eternal punishment we deserve (Matthew 7:22, 25:40).[7] But remember the Good News…
This tree in Jesus’ parable that deserved judgement because it does not bear fruit, it is given grace first. Jesus said of this tree that deserves to be cast into eternal judgement, Jesus says, verse 8, to “'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.” God not only extends this tree one more year of grace but in so doing he does everything He can to bring this tree into bearing fruit. He loves that tree.
This is good news and it is the same with us.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/03/luke-131-9-repent.html
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http://www.sheepspeak.com/
Commissioner Knaggs: We’re One of Your Neighbours
When The Salvation Army comes to town, we become a part of the community. We join your Rotary or Kiwanis Club and get to know you. We shop at the farmers’ market, watch the high school football game, and stop by the corner coffee shop for a cup of joe on the way to work.
And, just to let you know how serious we are about becoming one of you, we buy a home in your neighborhood for our pastors – called officers – and their families to live in. We want you to know that we’re here to stay. The house is owned and maintained by The Salvation Army, not the officers who live in it. That way our officers can focus on doing the work God called them to do, like caring for inner-city kids, homeless people, or hungry families.
About every four or five years, the officers living in the house will leave to receive a new appointment. Our folks know going in that they’ll be moved every few years in order to match their experience with the needs of the Army and the community they serve. New officers come to take their place and start the process of getting to know you too.
The Salvation Army is a Christian organization built on a military structure. Taking an element that’s common to both, The Salvation Army provides a house and car to the officers in each appointment. Instead of paying our officers a salary comparable to that of their peers, we take care of their housing and transportation costs and give them a modest cash allowance to pay for other essentials.
For example, our leader in Los Angeles and his wife (also an officer) share a compensation package in the amount of $68,000; that’s what we report to the IRS. That amount includes their cash allowance, the costs associated with the cars, and approximately $2K per month for the value of housing, taxes, and upkeep expenses on the home. This helps us keep our costs low so more of your donation can be spent providing programs and services for people who need them.
That’s The Salvation Army’s model around the world. Even in Haiti. We’ve been a stable presence in the small island nation since 1950 and have more than 700 staff members there working at 60 service units. We take part in the life of the neighborhood, so when the catastrophic disaster hit people knew where to go for help. Our roots in Haiti go so deep that we’ve been blessed to distribute almost 5 million meals there so far.
Many people were surprised but comforted to know that we’ve served in Haiti so long, just like we’ve been in your town and the 5,000 others we’re a part of in the U.S.
We know our neighbors and understand their needs because we’re a part of the community too.
This article was taken from: http://www.expectchange.dreamhosters.com/2010/03/11/were-one-of-your-neighbors/
Thank you.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”- Colossians 3:12
http://tcspeak.com/blog/
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www.sheepspeak.com
And, just to let you know how serious we are about becoming one of you, we buy a home in your neighborhood for our pastors – called officers – and their families to live in. We want you to know that we’re here to stay. The house is owned and maintained by The Salvation Army, not the officers who live in it. That way our officers can focus on doing the work God called them to do, like caring for inner-city kids, homeless people, or hungry families.
About every four or five years, the officers living in the house will leave to receive a new appointment. Our folks know going in that they’ll be moved every few years in order to match their experience with the needs of the Army and the community they serve. New officers come to take their place and start the process of getting to know you too.
The Salvation Army is a Christian organization built on a military structure. Taking an element that’s common to both, The Salvation Army provides a house and car to the officers in each appointment. Instead of paying our officers a salary comparable to that of their peers, we take care of their housing and transportation costs and give them a modest cash allowance to pay for other essentials.
For example, our leader in Los Angeles and his wife (also an officer) share a compensation package in the amount of $68,000; that’s what we report to the IRS. That amount includes their cash allowance, the costs associated with the cars, and approximately $2K per month for the value of housing, taxes, and upkeep expenses on the home. This helps us keep our costs low so more of your donation can be spent providing programs and services for people who need them.
That’s The Salvation Army’s model around the world. Even in Haiti. We’ve been a stable presence in the small island nation since 1950 and have more than 700 staff members there working at 60 service units. We take part in the life of the neighborhood, so when the catastrophic disaster hit people knew where to go for help. Our roots in Haiti go so deep that we’ve been blessed to distribute almost 5 million meals there so far.
Many people were surprised but comforted to know that we’ve served in Haiti so long, just like we’ve been in your town and the 5,000 others we’re a part of in the U.S.
We know our neighbors and understand their needs because we’re a part of the community too.
This article was taken from: http://www.expectchange.dreamhosters.com/2010/03/11/were-one-of-your-neighbors/
Thank you.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”- Colossians 3:12
http://tcspeak.com/blog/
---
www.sheepspeak.com
Salvo News from Armybarmy
Salvosphere news:
1. BOSTON COMMON: Salvationist perspectives on holiness, was launched at the isalvos.com meeting featuring interviews with Lieut-Colonel Ian Barr in London and Captain Grant Sandercock-Brown in Sydney. These are two very smart guys who talked about Jesus and holiness and us in an engaging manner. This was deep stuff. You can watch it on demand.
2. TC SPEAK featured Commissioner Knaggs and General Paul Rader in conversation on the Army and the status of the Salvation War. What a privilege to listen in on that conversation. You can do it, on demand, and also catch Captain Rowan Castle and Genevieve Peterson, at isalvos.com (hat tip Grant Whitehead for all the isalvos.com stuff).
3. 120! The Salvation Army invaded country number 120 in Nicaragua this week. Hallelujah! God bless The Salvation Army in Nicaragua.
4. JUSTSalvos online featured a fair trade chocolate taste test, and interview with Fair Trade experts. Watch it at isalvos.com with Captains Danielle Strickland and Genevieve Peterson.
4. Salvo teen in Victoria gets major newspaper coverage for starting a youth change venue event. She has a dramatic salvation testimony from really bad experiences and has started this annual conference to help other teens encounter Jesus. It is based on RAW (Ready and Willing) - a radical youth experience in Vancouver's downtown eastside:
http://www.timescolonist.com/health/Turnaround+teen+warns+peers/2681741/story.html
5. A Salvo teen got suspended for two days from school for standing on a chair in the lunchroom. That's a bit crazy. But this corps cadet was fresh back from youth councils where she was exhorted to stand up and proclaim her faith. So she did - John 14:6 being her verse of choice. She did it at lunch on a chair in contravention of the 'chair-standing' rule. The newspaper report is meant to convince us she is allowed to preach but for her safety she was suspended because of the dangers of standing on a chair. I doubt you'd get two days off school if you'd stood on the chair to sing the University of Kentucky fight song or to read a bit of Shakespeare or to recite a poem. Something's missing in the story. But the salvos' response (including a prayer vigil and the DC basically backing it up that you've got to be ready to pay the price) is interesting:
http://www.whas11.com/news/local/Protest-outside-middle-school-after-student-is-suspended-for-reciting-bible-verse-87812142.html
6. Speaking of teens, one was arrested for the terrible Chrismas Eve murder of the American Salvation Army officer:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/03/16/arrest-christmas-eve-murder-salvation-army-major/?test=latestnews
www.armybarmy.com
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www.sheepspeak.com
1. BOSTON COMMON: Salvationist perspectives on holiness, was launched at the isalvos.com meeting featuring interviews with Lieut-Colonel Ian Barr in London and Captain Grant Sandercock-Brown in Sydney. These are two very smart guys who talked about Jesus and holiness and us in an engaging manner. This was deep stuff. You can watch it on demand.
2. TC SPEAK featured Commissioner Knaggs and General Paul Rader in conversation on the Army and the status of the Salvation War. What a privilege to listen in on that conversation. You can do it, on demand, and also catch Captain Rowan Castle and Genevieve Peterson, at isalvos.com (hat tip Grant Whitehead for all the isalvos.com stuff).
3. 120! The Salvation Army invaded country number 120 in Nicaragua this week. Hallelujah! God bless The Salvation Army in Nicaragua.
4. JUSTSalvos online featured a fair trade chocolate taste test, and interview with Fair Trade experts. Watch it at isalvos.com with Captains Danielle Strickland and Genevieve Peterson.
4. Salvo teen in Victoria gets major newspaper coverage for starting a youth change venue event. She has a dramatic salvation testimony from really bad experiences and has started this annual conference to help other teens encounter Jesus. It is based on RAW (Ready and Willing) - a radical youth experience in Vancouver's downtown eastside:
http://www.timescolonist.com/health/Turnaround+teen+warns+peers/2681741/story.html
5. A Salvo teen got suspended for two days from school for standing on a chair in the lunchroom. That's a bit crazy. But this corps cadet was fresh back from youth councils where she was exhorted to stand up and proclaim her faith. So she did - John 14:6 being her verse of choice. She did it at lunch on a chair in contravention of the 'chair-standing' rule. The newspaper report is meant to convince us she is allowed to preach but for her safety she was suspended because of the dangers of standing on a chair. I doubt you'd get two days off school if you'd stood on the chair to sing the University of Kentucky fight song or to read a bit of Shakespeare or to recite a poem. Something's missing in the story. But the salvos' response (including a prayer vigil and the DC basically backing it up that you've got to be ready to pay the price) is interesting:
http://www.whas11.com/news/local/Protest-outside-middle-school-after-student-is-suspended-for-reciting-bible-verse-87812142.html
6. Speaking of teens, one was arrested for the terrible Chrismas Eve murder of the American Salvation Army officer:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/03/16/arrest-christmas-eve-murder-salvation-army-major/?test=latestnews
www.armybarmy.com
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www.sheepspeak.com
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
The Appeal of Creation
Stepping out into the wilderness is like peeling a banana. You see much of our life has become peels hiding the beauty of the fruit of the Lord’s creation beneath them. Our cities and towns have added ever so many peels, so many layers atop of God’s creation. We have our warm houses, our fancy cars, pavement, telephone poles and wires obscuring the view and in this area we even have quads (ATVs), sleds (snowmobiles) and some pretty fancy farm machinery that makes life easier but also changes the way we’d otherwise work and play.
Not only this but in our society today we have the imaginary worlds of television, games, the internet, and other entertainment avenues providing a further peel of escape from the realities of God’s creation.
We have social barriers that create peels obscuring God’s creation as well. Our education systems sometimes let us think that we have solved most of the world’s mysteries all on our own. Our political system lets us believe that we have absolute control over our own destiny, that we should actually do as what we see fit in our own eyes (Judges 21:25). We seem to believe that the majority is right the majority of the time. Culturally as we move further and further from God’s creation physically, emotionally, intellectually and practically, we seem to be enticed more and more to believe that old serpent’s lie that as humankind evolves our ‘eyes will be opened, and we will be like God’ (Genesis 3:5). Stepping out into God’s creation is like peeling off the rind, taking off the peel of society and tasting the fruit of the LORD. Without doing this from time to time we can fall into the trap of Romans 1, ignoring and suppressing the obvious truth of God.
Read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/06/appeal-of-creation-genesis-1-romans-1.html
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www.sheepspeak.com
Not only this but in our society today we have the imaginary worlds of television, games, the internet, and other entertainment avenues providing a further peel of escape from the realities of God’s creation.
We have social barriers that create peels obscuring God’s creation as well. Our education systems sometimes let us think that we have solved most of the world’s mysteries all on our own. Our political system lets us believe that we have absolute control over our own destiny, that we should actually do as what we see fit in our own eyes (Judges 21:25). We seem to believe that the majority is right the majority of the time. Culturally as we move further and further from God’s creation physically, emotionally, intellectually and practically, we seem to be enticed more and more to believe that old serpent’s lie that as humankind evolves our ‘eyes will be opened, and we will be like God’ (Genesis 3:5). Stepping out into God’s creation is like peeling off the rind, taking off the peel of society and tasting the fruit of the LORD. Without doing this from time to time we can fall into the trap of Romans 1, ignoring and suppressing the obvious truth of God.
Read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/06/appeal-of-creation-genesis-1-romans-1.html
--
www.sheepspeak.com
DR Was (Daily Rations with a Smile)
March 17
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 32-34 and 1 Corinthians 2
March 16
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 30,31 and Psalm 40 and 1 Corinthians 1
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 32-34 and 1 Corinthians 2
March 16
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 30,31 and Psalm 40 and 1 Corinthians 1
Monday, March 15, 2010
Growing in Grace (from Armybarmy)
From Articles of War, there is a covenantal promise on Growing in Grace...
“I will be responsive to the Holy Spirit’s work and obedient to His leading in my life, growing in grace through worship, prayer, service and the reading of the Bible.”
1. How do you understand the phrase, “growing in grace”?
John Wesley popularised for us the term 'means of grace'. The first half of this declaration seems a little poetic (read 'redundant') but the last half is all about the personal means of grace. Means of grace are entry points that enable us to access God’s grace in our lives. This declaration implicitly outlines a Salvationist means of grace.
2. How do we keep the promise that leads off this declaration?
It is wonderful for us to covenant obedience to the Holy Spirit (“I will be responsive to the Holy Spirit’s work and obedient to His leading”). But in order to fulfill this promise, at the very least, we need to hear Him (how can we be responsive to His leading if we can’t sense how/where He leads?). At the very least it means that we must wield the only offensive weapon - sword of the Spirit (the spoken word of God). That is a gigantic covenant promise for more than a million soldiers. If fulfilled we're looking at more than a million fully-functioning prophetic warriors, responsive and obedient to the Holy Spirit’s work and leading.
3. How is worship a means of grace?
We commit to worship - one of the aims of worship is to grow in grace. What kind of worship warms the heart of God? A lot could be said, but a start might look like this: humble, sin-free, excellent, in combination with a heart for justice and solidarity with the poor.
4. How is prayer a means of grace?
We commit to prayer. A commitment to prayer doesn't mean grace at meals and a little grocery list before bedtime. To commit to prayer is serious stuff. What does it look like? Ask yourself, ‘who is someone I know characterised by a commitment to prayer?’ Then ask yourself what his or her commitment to prayer looks like. That is a start towards an answer.
5. How is service a means of grace?
We commit to service. For many western Salvationists that is a tough one. Many have grown up in the middle class Army that allows us to take much credit in personal social relationships for the great work of The Army even though we have been involved in slim-to-none of it ourselves. Let's determine not to take credit for SA service when we're not doing our share.
6. How is reading the Bible a means of grace?
We commit to reading the Bible. This is not your 'daily bread'. This is something significant and consistent, something that sets direction and maintains an even keel. We have to anchor our Wesleyan Quadrilateral on Scripture, a Scripture to which we must continually give space to speak to us, training, teaching, correcting, rebuking for World Conquest (see 2 Timothy 3:16).
These are Salvationist means of grace. This is how we can position ourselves downstream in the river of God's grace.
follow-up...
Which of the means of grace do you use most consistently and fruitfully?
Which means is an area in which you’d like to invest more? How?
What effects will be experienced when each comrade soldier in your corps or staff member at your Salvo programme embraces this declaration?
www.armybarmy.com
---
www.sheepspeak.com
“I will be responsive to the Holy Spirit’s work and obedient to His leading in my life, growing in grace through worship, prayer, service and the reading of the Bible.”
1. How do you understand the phrase, “growing in grace”?
John Wesley popularised for us the term 'means of grace'. The first half of this declaration seems a little poetic (read 'redundant') but the last half is all about the personal means of grace. Means of grace are entry points that enable us to access God’s grace in our lives. This declaration implicitly outlines a Salvationist means of grace.
2. How do we keep the promise that leads off this declaration?
It is wonderful for us to covenant obedience to the Holy Spirit (“I will be responsive to the Holy Spirit’s work and obedient to His leading”). But in order to fulfill this promise, at the very least, we need to hear Him (how can we be responsive to His leading if we can’t sense how/where He leads?). At the very least it means that we must wield the only offensive weapon - sword of the Spirit (the spoken word of God). That is a gigantic covenant promise for more than a million soldiers. If fulfilled we're looking at more than a million fully-functioning prophetic warriors, responsive and obedient to the Holy Spirit’s work and leading.
3. How is worship a means of grace?
We commit to worship - one of the aims of worship is to grow in grace. What kind of worship warms the heart of God? A lot could be said, but a start might look like this: humble, sin-free, excellent, in combination with a heart for justice and solidarity with the poor.
4. How is prayer a means of grace?
We commit to prayer. A commitment to prayer doesn't mean grace at meals and a little grocery list before bedtime. To commit to prayer is serious stuff. What does it look like? Ask yourself, ‘who is someone I know characterised by a commitment to prayer?’ Then ask yourself what his or her commitment to prayer looks like. That is a start towards an answer.
5. How is service a means of grace?
We commit to service. For many western Salvationists that is a tough one. Many have grown up in the middle class Army that allows us to take much credit in personal social relationships for the great work of The Army even though we have been involved in slim-to-none of it ourselves. Let's determine not to take credit for SA service when we're not doing our share.
6. How is reading the Bible a means of grace?
We commit to reading the Bible. This is not your 'daily bread'. This is something significant and consistent, something that sets direction and maintains an even keel. We have to anchor our Wesleyan Quadrilateral on Scripture, a Scripture to which we must continually give space to speak to us, training, teaching, correcting, rebuking for World Conquest (see 2 Timothy 3:16).
These are Salvationist means of grace. This is how we can position ourselves downstream in the river of God's grace.
follow-up...
Which of the means of grace do you use most consistently and fruitfully?
Which means is an area in which you’d like to invest more? How?
What effects will be experienced when each comrade soldier in your corps or staff member at your Salvo programme embraces this declaration?
www.armybarmy.com
---
www.sheepspeak.com
DR Was (Daily Rations with a Smile)
March 15
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 28-29 and Galatians 6
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Luke 13:1-9: Repent!
Presented to the community of Swift Current at the Lenten Lunch on March 11, 2010 and the Swift Current Corps on March 14, 2010 by Captain Michael Ramsay
My wife, Captain Susan Ramsay, preached on this pericope (passage) last Sunday at The Salvation Army and I think it is a very interesting passage in that it addresses both questions of eschatology (the ‘end times’) and theodicy (God is good even when bad things happen). She began her sermon quoting this story by the famous homilitician, the Reverend Tom Long:
In the little Georgia country church of my childhood, there was a story the older folks loved to tell again and again, laughing over it and savoring it and embellishing it. The tale involved a certain Sunday night in October 1938. Evening prayer services were in full swing when a man named Sam, a member of the congregation who lived down the road from the church, charged into the prayer meeting trembling with fear and excitement. Finally gaining the breath to speak, he shouted, "Martians are attacking the earth in spaceships! Some of ‘em have already landed in New Jersey!" The preacher halted in mid-sentence; the congregation stared at Sam blankly. "I s-s-swear," he stammered, now a little unsure of his footing. "I h-h-heard it on the radio."
What Sam had heard, of course, was Orson Welles’s now infamous Mercury Theatre radio production of ‘War of the Worlds’, but no one in the congregation was aware of that at the moment. For all they knew, the world outside was coming to a flaming end. The little flock looked apprehensively at the preacher, but he was mute and indecisive, never having had a sermon disrupted by interplanetary invasion. Finally one of the oldest members of the congregation, a red-clay farmer of modest education, stood up, gripped the pew in front of him with his large, callused hands, and said, "I ‘speck what Sam says ain’t completely true, but if it is true, we’re in the right place here in church. Let’s go on with the meetin’." And so they did.
Spaceships landing in New Jersey? Signs of the end of the world? The old farmer sized it all up, measured it against his rough-hewn view of providence, and decided it was better to be in church praising God than running around the cow pasture shooting buckshot into the night sky[1]
How true. What should we think, what should we do when things are happening in our world today that don’t necessarily make a lot of sense to us? In our scripture passage here people are asking Jesus about significant things going on all around them and they have some questions about what they should do in response – Luke 13:1-5
My wife, Captain Susan Ramsay, preached on this pericope (passage) last Sunday at The Salvation Army and I think it is a very interesting passage in that it addresses both questions of eschatology (the ‘end times’) and theodicy (God is good even when bad things happen). She began her sermon quoting this story by the famous homilitician, the Reverend Tom Long:
In the little Georgia country church of my childhood, there was a story the older folks loved to tell again and again, laughing over it and savoring it and embellishing it. The tale involved a certain Sunday night in October 1938. Evening prayer services were in full swing when a man named Sam, a member of the congregation who lived down the road from the church, charged into the prayer meeting trembling with fear and excitement. Finally gaining the breath to speak, he shouted, "Martians are attacking the earth in spaceships! Some of ‘em have already landed in New Jersey!" The preacher halted in mid-sentence; the congregation stared at Sam blankly. "I s-s-swear," he stammered, now a little unsure of his footing. "I h-h-heard it on the radio."
What Sam had heard, of course, was Orson Welles’s now infamous Mercury Theatre radio production of ‘War of the Worlds’, but no one in the congregation was aware of that at the moment. For all they knew, the world outside was coming to a flaming end. The little flock looked apprehensively at the preacher, but he was mute and indecisive, never having had a sermon disrupted by interplanetary invasion. Finally one of the oldest members of the congregation, a red-clay farmer of modest education, stood up, gripped the pew in front of him with his large, callused hands, and said, "I ‘speck what Sam says ain’t completely true, but if it is true, we’re in the right place here in church. Let’s go on with the meetin’." And so they did.
Spaceships landing in New Jersey? Signs of the end of the world? The old farmer sized it all up, measured it against his rough-hewn view of providence, and decided it was better to be in church praising God than running around the cow pasture shooting buckshot into the night sky[1]
How true. What should we think, what should we do when things are happening in our world today that don’t necessarily make a lot of sense to us? In our scripture passage here people are asking Jesus about significant things going on all around them and they have some questions about what they should do in response – Luke 13:1-5
Dr Was (Daily Rations with a Smile)
March 13
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 22-23 and Galatians 4
March 12
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 19-21 and Galatians 3
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 19-21 and Galatians 3
Tigger's favourite verse:
'by his stripes we are healed'
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Booth's gospels
"...I had two gospels of deliverance to preach - one for each world, or rather, one gospel which applied alike to both. I saw that when the Bible said, 'He that believeth shall be saved,' it meant not only saved from the miseries of the future world, but from the miseries of this also. That it came with the promise of salvation here and now; from hell and sin and vice and crime and idleness and extravagance, and consequently very largely from poverty and disease, and the majority of kindred foes."
William Booth, "Salvation for Both Worlds," All the World (January 1889), p2.
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www.sheepspeak.com
William Booth, "Salvation for Both Worlds," All the World (January 1889), p2.
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www.sheepspeak.com
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The King
James V, the King of Scotland used to go around the country dressed like everyone else: a common person. That is because he wanted to meet the everyday people of the country not just the rich and powerful. He wanted to see how the normal people lived.
One day he was dressed in very old clothes and was going by a place known as Cramond Brig, when he is attacked by robbers who don't know who he is. There is a fierce struggle and he is nearly overcome when, at just the right moment, a poor farm worker - Jock Howieson - hears the commotion comes to the disguised king's aid.
Now Jock, the poor labourer, who works on this portion of the King's land, known as Cramond Brig, now Jock unawares takes the undercover king home and gives him a dinner of broth and Jock - as the king is recouping – naturally asks the man who he is.
The King responds, 'Ach, I'm a good man of Edinburgh.'
'And where do you live in that city and where do you work?'
'Well,' says James, 'I live at the palace and I work there too.'
'The palace, is it? I'd like to see the palace; if I could see the King, I'd tell him a thing or two…'
'About what?' asks the man.
'I'd tell him that I should own this land that I am on. I work it every day and he never comes here & gets his hands dirty working this land'
'You're right enough', says the man. You come tomorrow to the palace at Holy Rood and I'll show you around. Come at two.'
So the next day at two o'clock, Jock Howieson, is washed, dressed and at the palace to meet his new friend at the back door. The good man, whom Jock had saved the day before, shows him around the kitchen, the dining room, the bedrooms – the whole place. Then, at last, the two of them come to the great rooms of the State.
'Do you want to see the King?' the man asks Jock.
'Oh yes indeed', says Jock, 'I do. I do want to see the King.'
So they enter the great hall and as they come in, men bow and ladies curtsey. It is really quite a thing to see.
So Jock whispers to his friend, 'How will I know who the king is?'
'He's the only one who keeps his hat on'
Jock says, 'But… there's only us two with our ...hats…on....' and Jock immediately takes off his hat as he realises that James is indeed the King of Scotland.
And so it is with us today. Jesus is King. He is walking around with each of us showing us his domain here on earth and just waiting for us to take off our hats as we realise that indeed Jesus is the one to come and he has arrived (and he's coming back too, soon!)
If there are any of us here today who have not taken off our hats and lain them before the Lord, I invite you to do just that – acknowledge, in prayer and action, the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord.
One day he was dressed in very old clothes and was going by a place known as Cramond Brig, when he is attacked by robbers who don't know who he is. There is a fierce struggle and he is nearly overcome when, at just the right moment, a poor farm worker - Jock Howieson - hears the commotion comes to the disguised king's aid.
Now Jock, the poor labourer, who works on this portion of the King's land, known as Cramond Brig, now Jock unawares takes the undercover king home and gives him a dinner of broth and Jock - as the king is recouping – naturally asks the man who he is.
The King responds, 'Ach, I'm a good man of Edinburgh.'
'And where do you live in that city and where do you work?'
'Well,' says James, 'I live at the palace and I work there too.'
'The palace, is it? I'd like to see the palace; if I could see the King, I'd tell him a thing or two…'
'About what?' asks the man.
'I'd tell him that I should own this land that I am on. I work it every day and he never comes here & gets his hands dirty working this land'
'You're right enough', says the man. You come tomorrow to the palace at Holy Rood and I'll show you around. Come at two.'
So the next day at two o'clock, Jock Howieson, is washed, dressed and at the palace to meet his new friend at the back door. The good man, whom Jock had saved the day before, shows him around the kitchen, the dining room, the bedrooms – the whole place. Then, at last, the two of them come to the great rooms of the State.
'Do you want to see the King?' the man asks Jock.
'Oh yes indeed', says Jock, 'I do. I do want to see the King.'
So they enter the great hall and as they come in, men bow and ladies curtsey. It is really quite a thing to see.
So Jock whispers to his friend, 'How will I know who the king is?'
'He's the only one who keeps his hat on'
Jock says, 'But… there's only us two with our ...hats…on....' and Jock immediately takes off his hat as he realises that James is indeed the King of Scotland.
And so it is with us today. Jesus is King. He is walking around with each of us showing us his domain here on earth and just waiting for us to take off our hats as we realise that indeed Jesus is the one to come and he has arrived (and he's coming back too, soon!)
If there are any of us here today who have not taken off our hats and lain them before the Lord, I invite you to do just that – acknowledge, in prayer and action, the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Matthew 25: 31-46: I just want to be a sheep
Some in our text here, Matthew 25:31-46, are surprised when the judgement comes like a thief in the night without warning; scriptures assures us that no one knows the time or the hour of the eternal ‘big one.’
When the eschatological ‘big one’ hits, each of Matthew’s sheep and goats in turn will face the judge, their judge – our judge. We’ll face him as he passes his judgement and sentence upon us…and there are more surprises.
God tells the goats (verse 42 and 43) “I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'” You can almost hear the quiet pause before the goats deferentially, sincerely reply (verse 44) “…Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?” The goats are surprised. They should not be because, as others in this courtroom scene could tell them, the importance of provision for the poor and marginalized is a very common theme in the Bible. Deuteronomy 15:9 tells us that when you give food to the poor, then God counts it as though you had given it to him. And Proverbs 19:17 states "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord and will be paid in full." And now they, those that did not lend, are getting paid back in full and this should not be a surprise to the goats but it is.
When we are swept up from our world today and placed in front of our judge, there are many who may be surprised like the goats and like Matthew says earlier in his gospel in Matthew 7:21-22, “not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21-22 Records that not everyone who calls Jesus Lord will be saved. They plead. Many will list the things that they do that they think are good, the Lord replies 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”
This brings us – I believe – quite nicely (or maybe not so nicely) to our topic for today: local missions. How do we live out our lives as sanctified sheep where God has placed us, in our local community?
Today I have the privilege and the honour of sharing with you how God is using various people in local ministries at The Salvation Army in Swift Current here and some of you may even be pleasantly surprised at how many members of this congregation our serving our Lord, in local missions. There are many in this room here who serve the Lord in many ways just like as is recorded in Matthew 25:34-36, and so “…the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. (25:34-36)” These are the sheep. Let’s look at this through the lens of Swift Current for a moment...
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/03/matthew-25-31-46-i-just-want-to-be.html
---
more sermons:
www.sheepspeak.com/sermons.htm
more articles:
www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsays_opinion.htm
home:
http://www.sheepspeak.com/
When the eschatological ‘big one’ hits, each of Matthew’s sheep and goats in turn will face the judge, their judge – our judge. We’ll face him as he passes his judgement and sentence upon us…and there are more surprises.
God tells the goats (verse 42 and 43) “I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'” You can almost hear the quiet pause before the goats deferentially, sincerely reply (verse 44) “…Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?” The goats are surprised. They should not be because, as others in this courtroom scene could tell them, the importance of provision for the poor and marginalized is a very common theme in the Bible. Deuteronomy 15:9 tells us that when you give food to the poor, then God counts it as though you had given it to him. And Proverbs 19:17 states "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord and will be paid in full." And now they, those that did not lend, are getting paid back in full and this should not be a surprise to the goats but it is.
When we are swept up from our world today and placed in front of our judge, there are many who may be surprised like the goats and like Matthew says earlier in his gospel in Matthew 7:21-22, “not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21-22 Records that not everyone who calls Jesus Lord will be saved. They plead. Many will list the things that they do that they think are good, the Lord replies 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”
This brings us – I believe – quite nicely (or maybe not so nicely) to our topic for today: local missions. How do we live out our lives as sanctified sheep where God has placed us, in our local community?
Today I have the privilege and the honour of sharing with you how God is using various people in local ministries at The Salvation Army in Swift Current here and some of you may even be pleasantly surprised at how many members of this congregation our serving our Lord, in local missions. There are many in this room here who serve the Lord in many ways just like as is recorded in Matthew 25:34-36, and so “…the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. (25:34-36)” These are the sheep. Let’s look at this through the lens of Swift Current for a moment...
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/03/matthew-25-31-46-i-just-want-to-be.html
---
more sermons:
www.sheepspeak.com/sermons.htm
more articles:
www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsays_opinion.htm
home:
http://www.sheepspeak.com/
DR Was (Daily Rations with a Smile)
March 10th
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 13-15 and Galatians 1
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 13-15 and Galatians 1
The Lamb breaks the 3rd Seal.
March 9th
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 10-12 and Mark 16
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 10-12 and Mark 16
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Sunday's Sermon: Matthew 25
read this sermon: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/03/matthew-25-31-46-i-just-want-to-be.html ---
read more sermons: http://sheepspeak.com/sermons.htm
read more articles: http://sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsays_opinion.htm
go home: www.sheepspeak.com
Dr Was (Daily Rations with a Smile)
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
March 8th
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 7-9 and Mark 15
March 8th
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 7-9 and Mark 15
Dr Was (Daily Rations with a Smile)
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
March 7th
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 5-6 and Psalm 43 and Mark 14
"repent and sin no more..."
March 7th
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Deuteronomy 5-6 and Psalm 43 and Mark 14
"repent and sin no more..."
Thursday, March 04, 2010
The Salvation Army in Chile
Winnipeg, MB March 2, 2010 – Following a devastating 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile during the early hours of Saturday morning (February 27) Salvation Army emergency services were immediately mobilized to provide support and comfort.
Chief Secretary for The Salvation Army in South America West, Lieut-Colonel F. Bradford Bailey says that the immediate response is to provide food, water, first aid kits, emergency packets, blankets, candles and other urgently required supplies. A recently arrived Salvation Army mobile canteen is one of the key relief vehicles.
The earthquake epicenter was approximately 90 miles (150 kilometres) north west of the city of Concepción in Southern Chile. Lieut-Colonel Bailey says that this is approximately 350 miles (600 kilometres) from the capital of Santiago, ‘nevertheless, the quake was of a 7.0 magnitude in the Santiago metropolitan region’. He adds that people have flocked to the streets ‘as numerous aftershocks continue to pummel’ the country, severely affecting older buildings in the more historical areas of the larger cities.
Water, gas and electricity has been cut off in affected areas and will stay disconnected until relevant emergency crews can assess the damage and prioritize immediate needs.
The colonel said “that in the early hours after the quake it has been extremely difficult to communicate with Salvation Army centres throughout the country as all phone lines (mobile and land) have been disrupted, however, preliminary reports are reassuring.”
The Salvation Army has been working in Chile since 1909 and had over 1000 personnel already on the ground when its emergency services were immediately mobilized to provide support and comfort. Reports are that all our personnel are fine, but a lot of our properties were damaged.
Concepcion is one of the hardest hit areas and tents have been set up to house 60 displaced families on the patio of a nearby Salvation Army church. The Salvation Army is also carrying out relief work in the city of Os Valparaiso, on the west coast of Chile.
The Salvation Army will provide assistance and ongoing relief both now and long term.
Donations in support of the relief effort in Chile can be made by visiting www.SalvationArmy.ca, by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY or at your nearest Salvation Army facility. Please specify that your donation is for the Chile Earthquake Relief Fund.
Chief Secretary for The Salvation Army in South America West, Lieut-Colonel F. Bradford Bailey says that the immediate response is to provide food, water, first aid kits, emergency packets, blankets, candles and other urgently required supplies. A recently arrived Salvation Army mobile canteen is one of the key relief vehicles.
The earthquake epicenter was approximately 90 miles (150 kilometres) north west of the city of Concepción in Southern Chile. Lieut-Colonel Bailey says that this is approximately 350 miles (600 kilometres) from the capital of Santiago, ‘nevertheless, the quake was of a 7.0 magnitude in the Santiago metropolitan region’. He adds that people have flocked to the streets ‘as numerous aftershocks continue to pummel’ the country, severely affecting older buildings in the more historical areas of the larger cities.
Water, gas and electricity has been cut off in affected areas and will stay disconnected until relevant emergency crews can assess the damage and prioritize immediate needs.
The colonel said “that in the early hours after the quake it has been extremely difficult to communicate with Salvation Army centres throughout the country as all phone lines (mobile and land) have been disrupted, however, preliminary reports are reassuring.”
The Salvation Army has been working in Chile since 1909 and had over 1000 personnel already on the ground when its emergency services were immediately mobilized to provide support and comfort. Reports are that all our personnel are fine, but a lot of our properties were damaged.
Concepcion is one of the hardest hit areas and tents have been set up to house 60 displaced families on the patio of a nearby Salvation Army church. The Salvation Army is also carrying out relief work in the city of Os Valparaiso, on the west coast of Chile.
The Salvation Army will provide assistance and ongoing relief both now and long term.
Donations in support of the relief effort in Chile can be made by visiting www.SalvationArmy.ca, by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY or at your nearest Salvation Army facility. Please specify that your donation is for the Chile Earthquake Relief Fund.
DR Was (Daily Rations with a Smile)
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
March 3rd
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Numbers 34-36 and Mark 11
March 3rd
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Numbers 34-36 and Mark 11
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Dr Was: Daily Rations with a Smile
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
March 3rd
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Numbers 32-33 and Mark 10
March 3rd
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line:
Numbers 32-33 and Mark 10
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Luke 9:28-36: Don’t Miss the Bus!
Now about vehicles and transportation and men at camp I want to share another story with you. We men, as you know, can be fairly organized and very task-orientated and when I was in teacher-training many years ago we learned that while women are generally more skilled at the creative side of things men have a much higher aptitude for math and all that side of things. So here is a math question for you. If you start off with 1 driver and 5 other men from Maple Creek and you add 1 Officer and 4 other men from Swift Current, how many men do you have? (11).
Good. Now if you subtract 1 Alvin and plan to add 1 David (David is Captain Ed’s son and we’re going to add him as we drive through Saskatoon at a later time) how many men should you have on your bus as you leave men’s camp? (10) Do you think we could get that right? With nine men on the bus doing a head count we came up with anywhere from 6– 11 people present and we were quite content with that until someone eventually asked, ‘where’s Tim?’ Sure enough as soon as we pulled out of the camp, down came Tim to where the bus was supposed to be and we were already gone - leaving Tim standing at the path wondering what had happened and why we had left without him.
Now to be fair to all of us in the bus who did leave Tim behind, we did come back as soon as we realized our error. And when we were doing our head counts, just as we were pulling out without Tim, I did ask anyone who wasn’t there before we left to raise their hand and speak up now or we’d leave them behind and Tim – Tim didn’t speak up to let us know that we’d left him behind.
We did get Tim and were joking with him most of the way back – all the way through Saskatoon anyway, through Delisle. We were joking as we were talking about how we could be so ‘out of it’ that someone could be left behind when all of a sudden, Ed pulled the bus over to the side of the highway: “we forgot David”, he said. In all our excitement in mocking ourselves for forgetting Tim, we completely forgot to pick up Ed’s son, David, in Saskatoon. To make a much longer story short, we called Alvin and Betty who were in Saskatoon and they kindly picked up David and brought him to Swift Current where they rendezvoused with Ed and then they continued on home.
In Luke’s account of the Transfiguration, Peter, James and John are surprised by a head count. They find Jesus with some unexpected friends that they don’t necessarily know what to do with: Moses (through whom humanity was given the Law) and Elijah, one of the first among the prophets (cf. Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:25-27, 44-46). It says that Peter offered to put up a booth or a tent for Jesus and the extra people but it says in verse 33, that in making that offer – he really didn’t know what he was talking about. Peter would have fit in quite well on our bus trip.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/02/luke-9-dont-miss-bus.html
---
other articles: http://www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsays_opinion.htm
more sermons: http://www.sheepspeak.com/sermons.htm
home: www.sheepspeak.com
Good. Now if you subtract 1 Alvin and plan to add 1 David (David is Captain Ed’s son and we’re going to add him as we drive through Saskatoon at a later time) how many men should you have on your bus as you leave men’s camp? (10) Do you think we could get that right? With nine men on the bus doing a head count we came up with anywhere from 6– 11 people present and we were quite content with that until someone eventually asked, ‘where’s Tim?’ Sure enough as soon as we pulled out of the camp, down came Tim to where the bus was supposed to be and we were already gone - leaving Tim standing at the path wondering what had happened and why we had left without him.
Now to be fair to all of us in the bus who did leave Tim behind, we did come back as soon as we realized our error. And when we were doing our head counts, just as we were pulling out without Tim, I did ask anyone who wasn’t there before we left to raise their hand and speak up now or we’d leave them behind and Tim – Tim didn’t speak up to let us know that we’d left him behind.
We did get Tim and were joking with him most of the way back – all the way through Saskatoon anyway, through Delisle. We were joking as we were talking about how we could be so ‘out of it’ that someone could be left behind when all of a sudden, Ed pulled the bus over to the side of the highway: “we forgot David”, he said. In all our excitement in mocking ourselves for forgetting Tim, we completely forgot to pick up Ed’s son, David, in Saskatoon. To make a much longer story short, we called Alvin and Betty who were in Saskatoon and they kindly picked up David and brought him to Swift Current where they rendezvoused with Ed and then they continued on home.
In Luke’s account of the Transfiguration, Peter, James and John are surprised by a head count. They find Jesus with some unexpected friends that they don’t necessarily know what to do with: Moses (through whom humanity was given the Law) and Elijah, one of the first among the prophets (cf. Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:25-27, 44-46). It says that Peter offered to put up a booth or a tent for Jesus and the extra people but it says in verse 33, that in making that offer – he really didn’t know what he was talking about. Peter would have fit in quite well on our bus trip.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/02/luke-9-dont-miss-bus.html
---
other articles: http://www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsays_opinion.htm
more sermons: http://www.sheepspeak.com/sermons.htm
home: www.sheepspeak.com
Salvation Army Response to Chile Earthquake: Update 2
Following Chile’s devastating earthquake on February 27, the immediate need is still food, water and medicine.
The Salvation Army has been working in Chile since 1909 and its emergency services were immediately mobilized to provide support and comfort. Salvation Army personnel are fine, but a lot of Salvation Army properties were damaged.
Concepcion is one of the hardest hit areas and tents have been set up to house 60 displaced families on the patio of a nearby Salvation Army church. The Salvation Army is also carrying out relief work in the city of Os Valparaiso, on the west coast of Chile.
The Salvation Army will provide financial assistance and ongoing relief in the medium and long term.
Donations in support of the relief effort in Chile can be made by visiting www.SalvationArmy.ca, by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY or at you nearest Salvation Army facility. Please specify that your donation is for the Chile Earthquake Relief Fund.
read more: http://www.salvationarmy.ca/2010/03/02/salvation-army-response-to-chile-earthquake-update-2/
The Salvation Army has been working in Chile since 1909 and its emergency services were immediately mobilized to provide support and comfort. Salvation Army personnel are fine, but a lot of Salvation Army properties were damaged.
Concepcion is one of the hardest hit areas and tents have been set up to house 60 displaced families on the patio of a nearby Salvation Army church. The Salvation Army is also carrying out relief work in the city of Os Valparaiso, on the west coast of Chile.
The Salvation Army will provide financial assistance and ongoing relief in the medium and long term.
Donations in support of the relief effort in Chile can be made by visiting www.SalvationArmy.ca, by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY or at you nearest Salvation Army facility. Please specify that your donation is for the Chile Earthquake Relief Fund.
read more: http://www.salvationarmy.ca/2010/03/02/salvation-army-response-to-chile-earthquake-update-2/
DR Was (Daily Rations with a Smile)
Bible and comics on-line @ http://drwas.blogspot.com/
March 2nd
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line: Numbers 27-28 and Mark 8
If he had looked back as well...
There would have been a 'LOT' of salt.
March 2nd
Click the Scriptures to read them on-line: Numbers 27-28 and Mark 8
If he had looked back as well...
There would have been a 'LOT' of salt.
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