Following the Lord’s Lead

Presented to Swift Current Corps 29 May 2011

By Captain Michael Ramsay

Today Julie has spoken to us about the Lord’s calling her into missions. On Thursday Dusty and Laurie were confirmed as candidates for Salvation Army Officership. They are following the Lord’s leading in their life.

God created us all, humankind, and He didn’t ask too much of us for obedience at first – He simply asked us to fill and take care of the earth and then later of course, in Genesis 2:17, He asked us not to eat the fruit off the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – and we know how well that went.

So in Genesis 11 and 12 we are a couple of generations after Adam and Eve and if we haven’t messed things up enough already by eating the fruit and failing to do one of the two things God asked us to do, in Chapter 11 we are making sure that we really mess things up by failing to do the other one: refusing to move, refusing to go when God sends us.

 

read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/genesis-111-9-121-3-following-lords.html

Swift Current Specialling

http://cfot.ca/archives/8271

During Easter weekend, Cadets Kristen Jackson-Dockeray, Chalrimawia, Mary Maybury, and I had the great blessing of travelling to Swift Current.  Upon arrivial, we were immediately welcomed and made to feel at home.  While this weekend was certainly a great opportunity to share in ministry with the Corps in Swift Current, it was also a great time for fun and fellowship.

On Good Friday we attended and participated in the community-wide service in remembrance of the great sacrifice given at Calvary.  The community came together to sing songs of thanksgiving and to offer prayers of praise and hear the Word of God.


On Saturday, the Cadets were able to help with renovations to the youth room at the Corps.  We spent the day sharing with YP leaders and several young people as we worked on the floor and shared in a great time of fellowship.  It was so great to see the youth of the Corps come and invest their time and energies in preparation of a room that would be designated for them.  It was amazing to see the involvement of the youth in Swift Current and their desire for ministry and their passion for Christ and for each other was very evident.
Easter Sunday was a great day of celebrating the resurrection of Christ.  The day began with a Son Rise Service held outside the Corps where we joined together to sing praise to and worship our Risen Lord.  I had the great privilege of sharing a devotional with those who gathered and I spoke about the living hope that we have because of Christ’s resurrection. After this service, the Corps family came together for a breakfast and the time spent together was well enjoyed.  A time of sharing with each other in stories, laughter, and fellowship was certainly a blessing and the people in Swift Current made us feel welcomed and accepted us into their Corps family.

The morning worship service was an exciting time of celebration of our faith.  There was a band for this service which was comprised of youth, their leaders, and Cadets.  The band played for a prelude and the offertory which was a testament of how the youth of the Corps are dedicated to ministry. Cadet Kristen expounded the Word of God and shared with us how “It All Matters”.  She challenged us to live lives worthy of the sacrifice that was made on Calvary and how we should be thankful for the debt that was paid for us.

This weekend in Swift Current was a great time for us, as Cadets, to share with the Corps people and with each other.  We enjoyed every aspect of the weekend from the travel to and from Swift Current and certainly, the time in the city.  We were blessed over and over but none more than by the involvement of the youth in the Corps.

We pray God’s blessing upon the Corps in Swift Current and we will remember this weekend as an enriching ministry opportunity.

Cadet Kim Chan
source: http://cfot.ca/archives/8271

Quiz...

From Mark 13:32-37: Hope for a Happy New Year!  Presented to each the Nipawin and Tisdale Corps 30 November 2008 by Captain Michael Ramsay

What do these dates have in common: 8:00 AM October 19, 1533; April 5, 1534; March 21 and October 22, 1844; Sept. 10, 1979; Dec. 31, 1981; Sept 11 -13, 1988; March 31, 1991; October 20, 1997; December 12, 2012?

A: They are various people’s predictions for the end of world date.

What do these people have in common: Nero, the Pope, Mikhail Gorbachev, Prince Charles, the US President (elect), David Hasselhoff?[1]

A. They were/ are various people’s predictions for the arch-anti-Christ.

Now this next question is a good one. It is a riddle –you’ll have to pay attention. Someone has figured out a way to ‘out’ the beast of Revelation and solve the riddle of ‘666’ – let’s see together of we can solve the riddle and figure out who is the beast of John’s Apocalypse?

Given that 666 is the number of the Beast, First we must break that number down into its component parts in such away that when we add them back together, they will total 666.

I’ll give you this part: 100. 5. 5. 50. 500 .1 .5
Let’s do the math to prove we are right: so we have 100 + 5 =105 + 5 = 110 + 50 = 160+500=660+5+1= 666

So then mathematically proving as we did that these are the component parts of the number of the beast, we will need to translate them into Roman numerals as that was what they wrote with back then: So, does anyone know the symbol for:


100 = C
5 = V
5 = V
50 = L
500 = D
1 = I
5 = V

CV VL DIV

Now if we expand this using new web-based lettering for reassembling fragmented texts, we get the following:

CVT PVRPL DINSVR

Accounting for the fact that Roman lettering had no U and used a V instead and adding the missing vowels, we find out from this the one that the number points to as the beast…it is…

A CUTE PURPLE DINOSAUR; and we all know who the cute purple dinosaur who is leading children astray… Barney the dinosaur! “I love you; you love me!’

read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/11/mark-1332-37-hope-for-happy-new-year.html

Jesus is watching you

From a message presented to Swift Current Corps, 15 May 2011

By Captain Michael Ramsay

   

 Late one night, a burglar breaks into a house that he thinks is empty. He tiptoes through the living room but suddenly freezes in his tracks when he hears a voice say: "Jesus is watching you!"

When it becomes quiet again, the burglar creeps forward. And again the voice says, "Jesus is watching you".

The burglar stops dead in his tracks. He is frightened. Frantically, he looks all around. In a dark corner, he spots a… birdcage and in the cage is… a parrot.

Gathering his senses, he asks the parrot: "Was it you all this time who said ‘Jesus is watching me?’"

"Yes", said the parrot.

The burglar breathes a sigh of relief, then gaining some confidence he asks the parrot: "What's your name?"

"Clarence," says the bird.

"That's a dumb name for a parrot," sneers the now confident burglar. "What kind of a silly person would name a bird, 'Clarence?"

The parrot replies, "The same person who would call his attack dog ‘Jesus’… Jesus is watching you."

Parrots are good imitators and our verse today is exhorting us to be good imitators, it says, 3 John 11: “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God”

read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/3-john-11-anyone-who-does-what-is-good.html
.

http://www.sheepspeak.com/

Mother's Day, Love and Obey

My mom had her first Mother’s Day in the hospital, I was born a couple of days prior and in those days, apparently you were left in the hospital for a few days after giving birth rather than these days in maternity where they have the quick, ‘catch and release policy’ as it has been called.

The birth of your first child and grandchild is important. I remember when Rebecca was born, my folks were quickly in the hospital to see us and Susan’s parents stayed with us for a while afterwards and when Sarah-Grace was born my folks were kind enough to come and look after Rebecca while Susan was in the hospital with baby Sarah-Grace. That was when we lived in the same city as they did. Just this past year when Heather was born my folks came again for a couple of weeks planning to help out after the baby’s birth but apparently Heather and the doctor disagreed as to what her due date actually was and she arrived quite a few days late so my parents just got to introduce themselves to Heather before they had to return home.

Mother’s Day is an appropriate time to remember some of these important events around giving birth. My mom always tells the story about how important it was to my dad that I was born. It was so important that my dad actually made time to come down to the hospital and see me arrive, even though on that very same evening there was… a Stanley Cup play-off game on. And it wasn’t just any play-off game, it was the final series when I was born and no I wasn’t born in July. The finals actually used to be in early May.

Now for Mother’s Day, today, I thought we would look at 2 John.

read more from 'Love and Obey': http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/05/2-john-1-13-love-and-obey.html

Election Night.

Being born and raised on the west coast of Canada, I can remember watching the election returns on election night and it is always exciting but I can never remember a time when the election wasn't over before the polls were even closed on Vancouver Island. The Prime Minister's party had always already won the election before we even finished voting out west. He had already defeated his foe. This is the same with Christ. Even though we each have until the last polls close (until we breathe our last breath) to cast our vote, Christ has already won the election. The only question we have is whether we want to join Him in His victory party or not. The election results were counted on the cross and announced at the empty tomb. Christ has won the victory.

Christ has already been resurrected and he is coming back to celebrate his victory and when the eternal polls close we will be resurrected too; we will all be raised (cf. Doctrine 11) and at that point some of us will be raised to eternal salvation and some of us – those who reject the opportunity – will be outside where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (cf. Matthew 8:12, 22:13). But it is our choice. The victory has already been won. We have all already been invited to the victory party.

Salvation is there for any of us who want it and this is important: there is the resurrection, there is the judgement at the end of the day and any of us who call on the name of the Lord at anytime before our polls close here can be saved! Jesus died and rose again so that whosoever may, will be saved!

Christ is our salvation. We should remember this as we cast our votes very soon (in our temporal elections) that there really is no other name by which we may truly be saved. Christ is the leader who deserves our full support. He is both liberal in His love and conservative in His steadfastness. He is neither a small 'd' democrat nor a small 'r' republican. He is a capital 'M' Monarchist – He is a King and He is the Son of the King. Unlike all the others who are trying to get us to turn to them for our salvation, He has actually run the race and won the election already. We are just waiting for the polls to close, so if you haven't done so already then go out and vote for Christ today: there is no other name by which we may be saved. The Lord raises up mere earthly governments and He topples them but when the eternal polls close and he does come back, make sure that He has your vote so that we will all be a part of His victory party at the resurrection of the just.

Our salvation comes from Christ alone.

read more from JAC 57's  'Vote For Jesus': http://www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsay_JAC.htm#Vote%20for%20Jesus

More from JAC 57 : http://www.armybarmy.com/pdf/JAC_Issue_057.pdf

Latest Issue of JAC (#72) http://www.armybarmy.com/jac.html

Election Time. Make your choice....

---

From Journal of Aggressive Christianity, Issue 57, October 2008 – November 2008 (pp. 27-39) 

Vote for Jesus: a look at 1 Corinthians 15:1-34

by Captain Michael Ramsay

http://www.sheepspeak.com/ 

In Canada we have an election coming up again – the third in four years. All the 'experts' admit without a doubt that this one will be... a 'waste of taxpayer money'. Even our Prime Minister, who wants the election, admits that it won't change the working dynamics of parliament but it's a contest; a game like any other and the competitors want to win it.

I have gotten to know a number of politicians around here lately and as I was listening to one speech from a recently elected MLA, it reminded me of 1 Corinthians 15:20ff. Here is a paraphrase of that passage as if by a contemporary provincial politician:

"Our party's leader has indeed been raised high. He is first of a new breed of Premier. You see devastation came to this province from the previous government but the resurrection of the economy comes through our new government. For as with the old leader all of us were as good as dead, so with our new leader all will be made alive.

But each in his own turn: first the Premier, then his party members and supporters, then, by the time of the next election, the whole province that belongs to him. Then the time will come for the next election when, of course, his majority will be so big that it is like he will be handing over the province of Saskatchewan to God himself.

For our leader will by that time have destroyed all dominion, authority, power of the former regime: indeed there will be no more problems in this province at all. And we'll re-elect our leader, our government, and our party again and again, for he will reign forever in order to put all our troubles and crush all our enemies under his feet..."

It is amazing how political speeches have started to sound like scripture or sermons these days. The more I listen to political speeches and the more I watch the news, the more I realise that the world really is crying out for a messiah. The USA – which is also in the midst of an election campaign - every 4 years parades out at least one possible new messiah. Look at how people talk about Obama (particularly before McCain announced his running mate); there is no mention of his past failures, only an almost messianic hope for a bright new future as if he is the One.

For all its strengths, this is one of the main downfalls of western democracies. Every election people are mistakenly looking to parties, politicians, ideologies, platitudes, and other such nonsense to solve our problems - as if that is where our salvation comes from.

read more:  http://www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsay_JAC.htm#Vote%20for%20Jesus

most recent JAC:  http://www.armybarmy.com/jac.html

Resurrection Sunday and more (April 22-30)

1 Samuel 27 and Psalm 141 and 1 Chronicles 9 and Matthew 10

(Miriam and Aaron)

more on-line comics and rations - http://drwas.blogspot.com/search/label/April%2016-30







Good Friday: Luke 23: Who do you say He is?

Presented to the Community Good Friday Service in Nipawin
at the Apostolic Church, April 10, 2009 By Captain Michael Ramsay
.
I remember many years ago when I was starting University. I was a janitor; I worked nights for a big janitorial company in Victoria. They have buildings all over the city and I worked for this company since before I went to university so when I did go back to school, they were kind enough to work around my schedule.

They made me a ‘floater’: now a floater is a very important position because we are given the keys and alarm codes to banks and other important businesses all over the city and our shifts often end late at night or early in the morning. Now break-ins aren’t uncommon in the city so one doesn’t want just anybody walking around some of these buildings in the middle of the night.

I remember one night. I’m on ‘floater’ duty. I have four buildings to clean. The first two buildings take me twice as long to clean as they should so when I get to my third building, it is well passed midnight and I have never been in this building before and I can’t find the light switch anywhere. As a result, I am late turning off the alarm and the thing goes off: it is loud. So while it is still ringing and the place is still dark I bang my leg as I trip over a desk running to turn it off. I turn it off and then the phone rings (the alarm company always calls to see why an alarm is going off to make sure it is a false alarm) so I’m off and running again and this time it is in the other direction -still in the dark - to find the phone before I miss the call and the alarm company phones the police. I get to the phone just in time but not before banging my leg again as I crash into another desk in the pitch black and yelling quite loudly.

I finally get this alarm mess sorted out on the phone but by now my leg that I have bashed twice is killing me as I am limping around the whole building still looking for the light switch in the pitch black. I am very lost in a maze of cubicles and I really can’t see anything and I am not feeling too happy at all when I hear something.

I hear something. I hear something growl…. I hear something growl and bark loudly! This is not good. So what do I do?

read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/04/luke-23-who-do-you-say-he-is.html


  

Resurrection Sunday: Luke 24:1-12: Why do you look for the living among the dead?

Presented to Swift Current Corps Easter Sunday, 04 April 2010
By Captain Michael Ramsay
.
Now I must admit that when I was a kid I used to be quite good at hide-and-seek and I still have a great way to not get caught – Rebecca and Sarah-Grace, cover your ears – you see, when I am hiding and they are looking for me, I keep my eyes open and watch to see where they are or listen to discover where they are looking and as soon as they have looked in a particular spot, I will move from where I am to that spot where they just were, knowing that they won’t look there again. This works really well with a house with an upstairs and a downstairs because as soon as the kids come upstairs, one can make a beeline straight for the downstairs.

Hide and seek: Did you ever play hide and seek? There is one thing that you notice playing ‘hide and seek’ with mostly little kids – younger than my two – but sometimes with older ones as well. It is really quite neat. Most of them when they are hiding, they close their eyes. So when you call out, ‘1-2-3, I see you’ – you will sometimes hear – ‘no you don’t! …I have my eyes closed’ or ‘1-2-3, I see you’ - ‘you can’t; I’m invisible still…I still have my eyes closed.’ This is not totally unrelated from our text today, as people are here wondering why they can’t see Jesus.

In our pericope today the disciples and the women are convinced that they know where Jesus is and what is happening. They look in the spot where they know he went, the tomb for the dead, but Jesus has moved. He is back in the land of the living. And so the angels ask, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” 

read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/04/luke-241-12-why-do-you-look-for-living.html

The Credit Card of Justice and Righteousness (Psalm 72)

Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps 01 July 2007
by Captain Michael Ramsay

I love Canada Day – (or Dominion Day as we used to call it) – I always have. I love the picnics and all the fun things to do. Every year we used to have a big picnic and fireworks in Beacon Hill Park in Victoria where I grew up. It is a perfect chance to see everyone – so I’m really looking forward to our picnic today in the park – this should be great.

But you know what else I love, I also love the quizzes that come out around this time – I know, who loves quizzes but, hey, I used to be a teacher– lets see how you do…

Who is our head of State?
What is our national animal?
What are our two national sports?
Who was the first PM of Canada?
When did Saskatchewan join confederation?
Upon what passage of scripture was Canada founded?

Answers and the rest of the preach: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/psalm-72-credit-card-of-justice-and.html