Trusting God for a Better Life

Get Up, Get Ready

Rescue the Perishing

"Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep ore' the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save"
                                                         (Fanny Crosby)

Do we really weep ore' the erring one or do we tend to look upon them critically? Many of our soldiers in arms fall and give in to temptation. However, are we to just leave them on the battlefield to die or do we go to their aid, their rescue? Think about it.

Many of our spiritual comrades in arms need us. Many times they will be receptive to our 'Rescue Mission', sometimes not. We must try. We must go to their aid with the goal of restoring them to God's service.

Friend of the Friendless

Throughout our sphere of influence, one may find individuals who suffer loneliness, depression, anxiety, and personal loss. They are hurting. They, often, do not show it on the outside, but they are hurting, and in pain, nonetheless. Many have nowhere to turn, no one to talk to. They desperately need a friend who will listen to them and be of some encouragement.

If we ask God to bring these dear souls our way, He will do it. Then our opportunity begins...that is we now can become a true friend of the friendless. What a profound opportunity it is.

However, if we ask God to do this, we must always be looking for those he sends. To be a friend of the friendless...what a great ministry if we choose to seek it.

Someone needs you, today! Find them.

Birthday Thoughts

Today is my wife' s birthday! While gathering my thoughts, I became acutely aware of how blessed I have been over the 52 years we have been married.

Minister, wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, she has  always been faithful to the responsibilities  God has given her. She excels in each.

Sue has met the challenges of life with a quiet determination that has been an example to all who know her.

Happy Birthday, Hon. I love you!

Wings Art Gallery

I am departing from my thoughts on Christian living for this one post. I would like to introduce you to my photographic art. Click on the link to view my gallery.
www.garylaws.smugmug.com

Is Something Missing in Your Life? by Gary Laws

So, you want to be a Christian, but you are not ready to give up control of your life to a being that you cannot see or touch. You truly believe that you have been doing just fine navigating the challenges of this life and it is hard for you to see how surrendering your will to another will bring you the peace you are seeking.

Often, those who are doing well in life are the most difficult ones to reach out to with this idea that everyone needs to acede to the wishes and desires of the creator.

First, everyone feels, deep in their spirit, a need for something more than this life is giving them. There is this void that has not been filled, a sense that you are incomplete. The Bible teaches that this is the condition of mankind. In it's pages we learn that all have sinned and come short of our creator's expectations of us. This sin has seperated us from a loving and merciful God and everyone needs to have this connection with the Almighty restored.

Second, God wants to bring all of His creation into fellowship with Him. He sent His son, Jesus Christ into this world as a demonstration of His love for all. Christ died for all and took upon Himdelf the sins of the world. This action has made it possible for all of us, regardless of our spiritual state, to be restored.

Third, when we seek and receive His forgiveness, God walks with us in every aspect of life. In a sense, He partners with us to make certain we become all that He wants us to be. In actuality, we are not 'giving up' anything, rather, we are allowing God to give us, as the Bible puts it, the 'abundant life'.

Fourth, we do not need to 'clean up our act' in order to recieve His forgiveness. We can come to Him, just as we are, and be made whole. Our behavior may change, but it will be a welcome change brought on by a desire to please Him.

Fifth, how can we acheive this? The Bible says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1st John 1:9) In other words, we acknowledge to Him that we have broken His laws and He, in return, forgives us and brings us into His fellowship. We are made Christian!

Last, don't be concerned with giving up control of your life. With Christ, you are giving up nothing but you are gaining everything.  The good that you are experiencing in life will increase. Navigating the sometimes challenging circumstances life brings will always be doable because you have a Partner that faces these challenges with you. The 'void' you have been experiencing will be filled and you will be complete. Heaven will be yours and the promise of God to provide for His family in eternity, will be realized. Yes, something may be missing in your life!

Think about it, and as you do, know that you can come to Him right now! He is waiting to hear from you!

Moved!

In January, we moved from Florida to our new home in Stanton, Kentucky. We are looking forward to these days close to our daughter, Cathy, and her family.  My wife, Susan, is doing well. We are attending church at The Salvation Army of Lexington, Kentucky. It is a vibrant fellowship and we have been made to feel most welcome.

They Still Love You!

Today, I am thinking of all those wonderful people who have suffered strokes. Many people fail to fully understand those who are stroke survivors, especially those survivors who have suffered significant brain damage. There is a tendency to shy away from them or, somehow, to think they are mentally challenged, when, in fact, that may not be the case at all.

Perhaps they have difficulty speaking or they speak in a fashion others were never accustomed to hearing before. For many of their family and friends this is uncomfortable. They see their family member in a different light, perhaps.

This is especially true for teenagers and other youth who might be a bit embarrassed by their loved ones speech, demeanor, or actions.

One thing I would share with everyone....they are still the Dad, Mom, Grand mom and Grandpa you always knew! They may seem different on the outside, but, on the inside, they are still the same loving person you have always known. Make a special effort to let them know that you still love them and care about them.

Don't feed the loneliness they may feel by shying away from them. Remember, they still love YOU!

The 'Jericho Workshop' Concludes

The Jericho Workshop was conducted in Vero Beach, Florida on October 1-5. Hosted by The Salvation Army of Vero Beach, the workshop covered a full range of Biblical studies that foc

used on Joshua and the people of Israel at the battle of Jericho.

Central to the weeks teaching was the importance of God's people following the plan, which was given by God, and the strict requirement of obedience to God's instruction.

 

The workshop series consisted of four evening meetings with great singing and special music preliminary to each meeting. Sunday morning worship was the 5th and final session.

I am grateful to Majors Sam and Veronica Van Denberg, Corps Officers (pastors) at The Salvation Army, Dave May, Bandmaster, Major Linda Yeck of Minneapolis for providing special music. The Vero Beach Salvation Army Band was on duty each evening.  They featured a special composition of "Joshua Fit' the Battle of Jericho', which was written especially for these special meetings by David May. I trust that God touched the hearts of all those attending and that they will have found the workshop worthwhile.

Participants who attended three of the five sessions were awarded Certificates of Completion.

were awarded certificates of completion

 

Salvation Army Commando's ???

Yesterday, while 'surfing' the Web, I came across a headline which read, "Salvation Army sending Commandos to Nigeria in Search of Missing Girls!" I thought to myself that this illustrates some of the crazy stuff you can find on the internet!

Then I started mulling the thought over. As part of the Christian Church, would it be too far fetched to think of The Salvation Army sending elite fighting forces into troubled parts of the world for Jesus? After all, that is what aggressive evangelism is about, isn't it?

Now, to be clear, Salvation Army forces are 'Soldiers without Swords' who preach love and peace and, most importantly, deliverance from sin! If we had such an elite force, they would not be seeking to destroy God's creation....they would be seeking to save it!!!!

Of course, we DO have them! We call them soldiers and officers! Tens of thousands of them in 120 countries around the world. This is their mission....to save the lost!

Well, whether we call them soldiers, officers or, as the web article called them...commando's, be sure they are there fighting the forces of evil. They fight, not with hash-tags or military weapons, but with the Word of God!

Commando's...maybe not such a bad idea!

"Come, join our Army, to battle we go,
Jesus will help us to conquer the foe;
Fighting for right and opposing the wrong,
The Salvation Army is marching along.

Chorus
Marching along, marching along,
The Salvation Army is marching along;
Soldiers of Jesus, be valiant and strong;
The Salvation Army is marching along.

Come, join our Army, the foe must be driven;
To Jesus, our captain, the world shall be given;
Foes may surround us, we'll press through the throng;
The Salvation Army is marching along.

Come, join our Army, the foe we defy,
True to our colors, we'll fight till we die;
Saved from all sin is our war cry and song;
The Salvation Army is marching along.

Come, join our Army, and do not delay,
The time for enlisting is passing away;
Fierce is the battle, but victory will come;
The Salvation Army is marching along."

Not Today!

Since retiring, I have learned that it is still necessary, from time to time, to say "Not Today!" to yourself! Well, what do I mean by that? Sometimes we get so busy with commitments we make, that we work ourselves to exhaustion! As a caregiver, I have learned that care-giving is but one responsibility I face. In addition to this very special 'work', you still have to keep up with the housework, shopping, cooking, laundry and so much more. Then there are the outside commitments...perhaps work, volunteering, church and so many more activities.

I always want to be faithful to the responsibilities I have, however, there are times I get out of bed in the morning and have to say, "Not Today!" Today I will rest, recuperate, set many responsibilities aside and just take care of my physical and emotional health. Then, also, I have learned that it is OK to do this!

The problem is you can rarely plan for these occasions of rest. You need them when you need them! They just come, sometimes at the most inopportune times. Whenever they do come, know that it is OK to just 'shut down' and, as a friend recently said, take a "mental health day".

This is especially important to caregivers. You must take care to insure your help to others for years ahead.
Don't be afraid to say, "Not today", whenever it is necessary. That way you will be around much longer to fulfill all of your commitments!

Profiles in Leadership - Vero Beach, Florida

Over the past 6 years of writing ‘Soldiers Without Swords’,  my travels have taken me to Arizona, Minnesota, New York, Missouri, Florida and a host of other places while visiting a variety of churches along the way. It is always inspiring to see how others approach the task of ministry and how they apply the varied principles of leadership to their communities, churches, and administration of church affairs. I have written about many of these experiences.

Major Sam Van Denberg

Today I am focusing upon one congregation where all of the elements of leadership seem to have come together, forming a fellowship of believers that are fully integrated into the spiritual and social ministry of the church.

I am in Vero Beach, Florida. It is the community where I now live. I am worshipping at The Salvation Army whose pastors are Majors Sam and Veronica Van Denberg.

Under the Van Denbergs’ leadership, The Salvation Army provides a variety community services. This, of course, can be said of all Salvation Army centers across the United States. However, if one looks close enough, you begin to realize that there is something special about this place and this church! But, first, let me say something about the community.

Vero Beach, Florida, like many coastal cities, is a ‘destination’ community. Tourists flock here from around the world to enjoy the pristine beaches and upscale amenities. There is great wealth here and one quickly arrives at this conclusion as you pass the many multi-million dollar homes that line Route A1A, along the Atlantic Ocean.

Yet, there is another side to Vero Beach…a side that tourists do not see, unless they venture into the western and southwestern neighborhoods of this seaside town. You will not find any millionaires living on these streets! The upscale shops have disappeared and Armani and Saks are nowhere to be found! This is where you will find The Salvation Army! These ‘Soldiers without Swords’ quietly minister in neighborhoods that are crime ridden and drug infested. They are neighborhoods that the city’s elite would just as soon pretend are nonexistent. This is where the Van Denberg’s serve and spend most of their time and energy. It is to the residents of this side of ‘Vero’ that they focus their attention and resources.

Under these local leaders, The Salvation Army provides food, clothing and shelter to people who have nowhere else to turn. With little fanfare, they go about this work with a quiet humility that is the hallmark of their service to God! Yes, that’s right…their service to God! The Salvation Army, you see, is a church and a world wide ministry whose mission is to “preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need without discrimination”!

Now, what makes this Vero Beach ministry special is that the Van Denberg’s are not alone in what they do! Many of their church members are intimately involved in making this all happen. They are called ‘soldiers’ and, if you ask them, they are fighting the battle of sin and human need on all fronts!

Working alongside other community volunteers, soldiers serve
hundreds of meals each week to the poor in Vero Beach!

The first person members of the community are greeted by is soldier Barbara!

Soldier Elaine is the Corps Christian Education Director.

Corps worship services feature many different styles of music
performed by many musicians who attend weekly.

First, the soldiers are involved at every level of church service and that includes, perhaps most importantly, the Sunday Worship Services. If you are looking for a church where ‘Ecclesiastical George’ is doing it all you won’t find it here. The members have leadership in every part of the service, from leading the hymns to greeting visitors and from reading Scripture to doing the Call to Worship and calling the congregation to prayer. In fact, the only time of the service where you will hear from the Major (Pastor) is when it is time to preach! The members, ‘soldiers’ as they are called, take responsibility for all facets of the worship time and that also includes, of course, providing the music offered by a brass band, a praise and worship team and special musical offerings also. Even the church youth are involved… with dance ministries and other forms of creative worship.

Major Veronica Van Denberg

As if this is not enough, these soldiers are also involved during the week as The Salvation Army reaches out to those most in need. You will find them on the office staff providing much needed administrative and social service support. You will see them feeding hundreds of meals, each week, from the canteen (mobile feeding kitchen) which ventures into the toughest neighborhoods in the city. You will find them praying with the brokenhearted who, when they come to The Salvation Army, usually have nowhere else to go.

To build a team like this takes a special kind of leadership. It is a leadership that recognizes one cannot do it all alone. It is also a leadership which inspires the church and its members to do more than just attend church on Sunday. It is a leadership that ‘leads from the front’ yet allows its people to do their work unfettered by unreasonable rules and restrictions!

We salute Majors Sam and Veronica Van Denberg for their exceptional service with The Salvation Army! To be sure, a ‘Profile in Leadership’!

NOTE:

Gary Laws is the writer of two Christian service blogs, “Soldiers without Swords” and “By His Stripes”. He is the author of two books, ‘Glory Stories’ and ‘That God May Use Me’. He is also the Director of ‘Evangelical Media Ministries’, an internet ministry founded in 2008.

That God May Use Me Video Seminar- (Salvationist) Excerpted