Test of Faith

Galatians 5:13-6:10: Test of Faith

Presented to Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 04 August 2013
by Captain Michael Ramsay

Name that province associated with these items:           

1.      Anne of Green Gables

2.      Blue Nose

3.      Oil / Texas north

4.      Wheat / Watch your dog run away for 3 days

5.      Mosquitoes / Lois Riel

6.      Mountains / Lumber Jacks / Canucks and Lions

7.      The Rock / The Salvation Army

8.      The centre of the universe / Capital

9.      To separate or not to separate / Maple Syrup

10.  Bi-lingual Herring-choker

 

Answers and more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2013/08/galatians-513-610-test-of-faith.html

Complete

Galatians 4:8-11: Vs. Old Jewish Law

Presented to Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 28 July 2013

by Captain Michael Ramsay

I heard this on the radio the other week: A man was nervously walking down the street in New York. A large intimidating man approaches him and asks ‘do you know where Central Park is’

‘No”

“Then I’ll rob you here…”

 A man in his car asked a police/by-law officer, ‘Is it alright if I park here?’

‘No’, the police/by-law officer replies

‘What about all of these other cars?’

‘They didn’t ask…”

In our pericope today we are speaking about the old Jewish Law. And just like Larry here enforces parking and other by-laws in our city, many of which probably didn’t exist 100 years ago, when The Salvation Army came to Swift Current; the Apostle Paul is saying that the old Jewish Law’s time has been fulfilled, it is no longer needed so they shouldn’t be enforcing it anymore. I’m going to read a few old Canadian Laws that have been fulfilled; some of which are still law on paper if not in practice:

Ø      You may not pay for a fifty-cent item with only pennies (Canada).

Ø      Citizens may not publicly remove bandages (Canada).

Ø      It is illegal to kill a sasquatch. (BC)

Ø      A law requires jailers to bring convicted debtors a pint of beer on demand.  (BC)

Ø      Driving on the roads is not allowed. (New Brunswick)

Ø      Bylaw states that no more than 3.5 inches of water is allowed in a bathtub.  (Ont.)

Ø      Businesses must provide rails for tying up horses. (Alta)

Ø      It is illegal to kill a sick person by frightening them. (Alta)

Ø      If you have a water trough in your front yard it must be filled by 5:00 a.m. (Ont.)

Ø      You can't drag a dead horse down Yonge Street in Toronto on a Sunday. (Ont.)

Ø      If you are released from prison, it is required that you are given a handgun with bullets and a horse, so you can ride out of town. (Alta)

A lot of these old laws sound silly to the post-modern person, as they are no longer required because the world has changed significantly since they came into effect. And today, even if it still is ‘on the books’, I wouldn’t want to try giving an Alberta ex-con a loaded handgun outside the prison gates. I can’t see how that would end well for him or for you. And if you have a trough in your yard, I would be very surprised if Larry gives you a ticket for not having it filled with water by 5am.

In the previous chapter, Chapter 3 of Galatians, Paul explains quite nicely this very point as it pertains to the old Jewish Law through the analogies of a student and a child

read more:

http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2013/07/galatians-3-4-vs-old-jewish-law.html

Do I Know You?

Galatians Chapter 2: Do I Know You?

Presented to Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army 14 July 2013, by Captain Michael Ramsay.

Three weeks ago now, when we were in Toronto, the new Chief Secretary of the Canadian Salvation Army told us this story:

There was a man who was new to town. He just got transferred to a new city. The company was having a softball game and he thought that this would be a good time to get to know people in the company and the town. He went up to bat. He missed the first pitch and someone yelled, 'good try Mr. Moore'; he didn’t think that he knew anyone; he looked around; he struck out and someone yelled, 'we're cheering for you Mr. Moore.' Who is calling him? Again and again he goes up to bat, inning after inning and each at bat he is just as bad as the previous one but each time he hears someone yell, 'well done Mr. Moore', 'Doing good Mr. Moore', 'We're cheering for you Mr. Moore.' He is looking around. He can't see anyone he knows - except his wife and son but each time he is up to bat - even though he can't hit anything someone is cheering him on, 'Good game Mr. Moore.'

      After the game he asks his family, 'Did you hear that person cheering me on?' 'Do you know who it was?'

      'It was me', his son says, 'I wanted to support you and make you feel better.'

      'Why did you call me Mr. Moore instead of dad like usual?'

      ‘I didn't want anyone to know I was related to you. You were terrible.’

‘Thanks, son.’

This is not entirely dissimilar to Cephas (Peter) in Galatians 2, which we read earlier.  We notice that he at first enjoys associating with the Christian Gentiles but then the Christians show up from Jerusalem and it is almost as if he pretends that he isn't related to the Gentile Christians at all. Whereas Peter was eating with the Gentile Christians and relating to them positively in culturally appropriate ways before, now these Christians show up from Jerusalem and everything is different.

Read More:

http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2013/07/galatians-chapter-2-do-i-know-you.html

Does Acts 10, recall the first time that the Gospel is brought to the Gentiles?

Acts 10:1-11:18: It's All In Who You Know

Presented to Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 02 June 2013

By Captain Michael Ramsay

Acts 11:17 : So if God gave them the same gift [of the Spirit and therefore of Salvation] as He gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?

Today's talk is going to be a little bit different than most of our Sunday messages. Today will be more of a teach than a preach and this is for a couple of reasons. 1) There was a question that has come up a few times in people's Bible study as we have been looking through the book as Acts that I tough we should look at and 2) I wasn't planning on preaching today so I decided that I would re-write an academic paper that I had previously written rather than just wing it from the pulpit here.

Acts 10, which we are going to look at today, has been considered a very important chapter because it is understood to be the place where the Good News of Christ is brought to the Gentiles. Peter is recorded as declaring after this encounter with God and the centurion, Cornelius in Acts 10:34ff., “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34-35). Acts 10:1-16 contains the visions the Lord gave to Cornelius and to the Apostle Peter.

In Acts 10:1-8 the reader is introduced to Cornelius and the vision that God gave to him. Cornelius is not only a foreigner but also a commander of the occupying military forces. The Romans were known to tolerate foreign religions and even invoke the names of regional deities before they attacked a city;[1] however, it is quite another thing for Cornelius to be “a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God” (Acts 10:2). This brings us to our first question of the text before us today:

1) Does this pericope, Acts 10, recall the first time that the Gospel (Good News of Christianity) is brought to the Gentiles (who had not already converted to the Israelites religion)?

Read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2013/06/acts-101-1118-its-all-in-who-you-know.html

Salvation Army High Council Appoints Commissioner André Cox as New International Leader

For Immediate Release Toronto, ON August 6, 2013 – The Salvation Army’s highest court appointed Commissioner André Cox as the 20th General for the organization on August 3, 2013. General Cox, a Swiss-British officer was elected by the High Council and sworn in as the new international leader for The Salvation Army. The High Council consisted of 117 senior leaders of The Salvation Army from around the world, making it the largest in the history of the organization. As the new international leader of The Salvation Army, General Cox will lead The Salvation Army in its Mission to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet the needs of suffering humanity. In his role at the organization’s International Headquarters in London, General Cox will be joined by his wife, Commissioner Silvia Cox, who is the World President of Women's Ministries. Together, General and Commissioner Cox will direct the 1.5 million strong world-wide church of The Salvation Army. “This is truly a memorable moment for The Salvation Army world-wide,” said Commissioner Brian Peddle, Territorial Commander for The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda. “General Cox is fulfilling his calling as an officer and servant of God, to guide the ministry of The Salvation Army.” General Cox was born in Harare, Zimbabwe to an English father and Swiss mother, and spent his childhood in Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom. He eventually moved to Switzerland, where he met his wife. From there they entered training to become Salvation Army officers, taking up their first appointments in 1979. The 59-year-old General has vast experience of the international ministry of The Salvation Army. In the early years of his Salvation Army officership, General Cox held appointments in Switzerland and Zimbabwe. More recently, General Cox has served as the Territorial Commander in the Southern Africa Territory, the Finland and Estonia Territory and the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland. In February 2013 he was appointed as Chief of the Staff – second in command of the international Salvation Army. On being announced as The Salvation Army's 20th General, the new international leader told more than 10,000 people from around the world watching via a live webcast that he was thankful to God, but aware of the 'awesome task that has been placed upon our shoulders'. He continued: 'I pray that The Salvation Army will be known for being a force for good in the world ... that The Salvation Army will be a force for positive change and transformation in the communities in which we serve ... [and] that Salvationists will live up to the spiritual values we proclaim.' He was welcomed to International Headquarters on Monday, August 5. About The Salvation Army: The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and more than 120 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, providing shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction. When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community. News releases, articles and updated information can be found at www.SalvationArmy.ca For further information please contact: Captain Les Marshall Territorial Public Relations & Development Secretary The Salvation Army Phone: 416-422-6131 Les_Marshall@can.salvationarmy.org www.SalvationArmy.ca

SC (Swift Current) Open Air Centennial Preach by SC (Stephen Court)

Swift Current Centennial links

From the Prairie Post:

http://www.prairiepost.com/component/k2/item/4306-salvation-army-celebrating-100-years-in-swift-current.html

From the Prairie Division:

http://www.salvationarmy.ca/prairie/2013/05/swift-current-salvation-army-will-celebrate-100-years/

From Swift Current Online

http://www.swiftcurrentonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22108%3Asalvation-army-celebrates-100-years&Itemid=408

From Sheepspeak.com

http://www.sheepspeak.com/Swift_Current_Centennial_Program2013.pdf

Swift Current Salvation Army Centennial Dinner

Saturday, June 8^th at 5:30

At the Salvation Army Corps

Reserve your tickets today.

We only have room for 150 and tickets are selling fast.

There is a musical performance by The Saskatoon Temple Band. If you have never heard a Salvation Army brass band before, you are in for a real treat. Almost one hundred years ago it wouldn’t have been an uncommon event to see the Salvation Army Band marching down the streets of our community here.

There is a musical performance by Larry Jaster. Larry, a local celebrity, is an accomplished musician specializing in gospel music, who has performed in many locations over many years. He has also been a regular feature around the Swift Current Army here for many years.

The Guest Speaker is Major Stephen Court. He and his wife, Major Danielle Strickland, founded The Salvation Army's 614 Urban Ministries on Vancouver's notorious downtown east side. They started the War College (an evangelism training college) in that same neighbourhood. Major Court was principal of a Salvation Army Training College (seminary) in Australia. He has authored more than a dozen books and he and Danielle are currently serving in Edmonton Alberta.

Suggested donation $13

Please RSVP to 306.778.0515 or reception@swiftcurrentarmy.com

More information: www.sheepspeak.com

Praise the Lord for 100+ Years in Swift Current

Please join us at our events.

 

June 7^th

• 6pm Registration at The Salvation Army Corps
• Guest Book for signing
• Old Fashion Timbrels routine by the youth
• Tours of ministry unit
• Games for children
• Musical performance by Larry Jaster

June 8^th

• 10am Pancake breakfast with musical entertainment

• 2pm Open Air
• Parade to Memorial Park
• Saskatoon Temple Band performance
• Major Stephen Court (Edmonton) Speaking
• Activities for the children

• 5:30pm Dinner at the Salvation Army
• Greeting from local and Salvation Army dignitaries
• Major Stephen Court speaking
• Musical performances by the Saskatoon Temple Band & Larry Jaster

June 9^th

• 10:30am Centennial Army Meeting (church service)
• Traditional Salvation Army Celebrations
• Major Stephen Court preaching
• Musical worship led by the Saskatoon Temple Band & Larry Jaster
• Cake and coffee afterwards