submission is key

Reading about how to face different kind of attacs from the enemy I learned some puzzling truth hidden in the letter of James in the bible.

Do you know these kind of condemnations when the enemy is trying to condem you for not totally living the way God told you to, condeming you for not taking his call absolutely seriously? Obviously, in this case, we ourselves are not quite sure about the rightness of our path and the enemy takes the opportunity to weaken us even more.

There is the key James is offering:
James 4:7: "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

Agreeing with God about His will, submitting ourselves onto Him will make the enemy flee. Because then he knows that you know that there is nothing left to accuse you with.

I found it to be true. What a surprise!

back to the well

One fact about our German Salvation Army is currently making me cry. It looks like our Salvation Army is not prepared to spiritually nurture both, new converts and our own people.

Both, absolutely spiritually mature people from inside of our ranks, and people fairly new to faith in Jesus, are expressing their need for spiritual nourishment, which helps them to stand firm and to grow. And both at times don't see any other option then leaving our corps for other places to spiritually get fed, or, at least, needing to add the community with other believers to our services in the Salvation Army. And these are people who I can't even blame not to be able to live out of their personal encounters with their God.

And, sadly enough, I myself am heaps more blessed by visiting some other churches and hearing God's word preached. This doesn't mean I'm denouncing my calling to the Salvation Army. But I hunger for spiritual nourishment as I know every other believer does.

And I'm longing to see our Salvation Army being a place again, ready to lead people to Christ, to help them grow and to send them out again.

an irrevocable calling

I believe in the calling of the Salvation Army. And I will continue doing so, since God says in His word that "God's gifts and his call are irrevocable". (Rom. 11:29)

For me this means, that His calling for us as part of His church remains the same regardless of how much we strive or fail to fulfill it; even if this is true of us: "True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful?" (Rom. 3:3)

So, what do I understand as the calling of the Salvation Army? Many tried to define it, William Booth did, several generals did, and this helps us to get it clear for ourselves. Let me define it today with the wording of our Soldier's covenant: "(the) devotion of (my) life to His service for the salvation of the whole world".

Am I willing to give my life for that reason?

And, how can I live it out in my setting, in the setting of our corps?
I believe, God has given us hints to show us the path. Let's follow them!