OzThoughts – Wednesday 2nd September 2009

Geoff Bullock’s wonderful song “Power of your love” has been running
through my mind very often recently. While I say recently, it has been in there
for a while and has become a wonderful means of expressing praise and worship.
However, like many songs in the modern repertoire it does not stop with praise
and worship as wonderful as that might be.

It has also a time of confession (the weaknesses I see in me) and salvation
(Will be stripped away by the power of your love). It speaks too off close
communion and the getting up and going out from the time of worship with
strength to do something for Jesus. It speaks of daily renewal.

What a wonderful prayer and meditation this song is.

POWER OF YOUR LOVE

[Listen: Band: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2153.mp3
or
Band: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2671.mp3
or
Piano: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1810.mp3 ]


Lord I come to You
Let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace that
I've found in You
And Lord I've come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love

Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I'll rise up like an eagle
And I will soar with You
Your spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love

Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see You face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me
Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living everyday
In the power of Your love
	 Author: Geoff Bullock

Romans 5:1-11 (The Message)

  1-2By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set
us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God
because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God
and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us.
We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the
wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our
praise.
  3-5There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed
in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience
in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue,
keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as
this, we're never left feeling short changed. Quite the contrary—we can't
round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our
lives through the Holy Spirit!
  6-8Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't,
wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when
we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And
even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can
understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how
someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his
love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were
of no use whatever to him.
  9-11Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the
consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with
God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms
with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just
think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life!
Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no
longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises
to God through Jesus, the Messiah!
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OzThoughts – Tuesday 1st September, 2009

One of the important lessons of Scripture is that God takes time to work his
plans. Consider Abraham, Jacob, Joseph and Moses, then flip through the pages to
David.

There are many other examples of God’s working in his time with the people of
his choice. In the end God’s plan was not only evident but came to fruition.

So often I am impatient to get moving on things. People around me are wanting
action. However, God calls me to trust him and all will be well. I need to wait
patiently for him.

Psalm 37 (The Message)
A David Psalm
  1-2 Don't bother your head with braggarts
or wish you could succeed like the wicked.
    In no time they'll shrivel like grass clippings
       and wilt like cut flowers in the sun.

  3-4 Get insurance with God and do a good deed,
       settle down and stick to your last.
    Keep company with God,
       get in on the best.

  5-6 Open up before God, keep nothing back;
       he'll do whatever needs to be done:
    He'll validate your life in the clear light of day
       and stamp you with approval at high noon.

  7 Quiet down before God,
       be prayerful before him.
    Don't bother with those who climb the ladder,
       who elbow their way to the top.

  8-9 Bridle your anger, trash your wrath,
       cool your pipes—it only makes things worse.
    Before long the crooks will be bankrupt;
       God-investors will soon own the store.


[Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1599.mp3  ]

Simply trusting every day.
Trusting through a stormy way,
Even when my faith is small,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Chorus
Trusting as the moments fly,
Trusting as the days go by,
Trusting him whate'er befall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Brightly doth his Spirit shine
Into this poor heart of mine;
While he leads I need not fall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Singing, if my way be clear,
Praying, if the path be drear,
If in danger, for him call;
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting him while life shall last,
Trusting him till earth be past,
Till within the jasper wall;
Trusting Jesus, that is all.
Author:  Edgar Page Stites (1836-1921)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 754

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OzThoughts – Monday 31st August, 2009


There is a simple chorus we used to sing. “He will break every fetter…and He
will set me (you) free!”

Now if you had asked me, I would have said this was a Salvation Army Chorus. It
might be but I had to look in “Redemption Songs” to find the words. My hunt
for the words began because I was thinking there must be more words and I could
not remember them.

What I found in Redemption Songs (Chorus 28) were two choruses. A second
variation (verse) to the chorus which says:

“He has broken every fetter…And has set me free”.

In simple words there is a reflection and a proclamation that Jesus can do it!
And, not only can he do it but he has done it!

Sin binds one up. It is all controlling. It affects all our relationships. But
Jesus by his death sets us all free from that.

It reminds me of words of a favourite song of mine:

He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood avails for me.
(For reference see below).

PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I thank you for Jesus and his salvation. I pray that as I go
into this week, I will go with you and rejoice in the freedom Jesus gives. Help
me to tell others of the joy there is in Jesus. Amen.

MEDITATION:

Romans 5 (The Message)

18Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all
this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of
it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life!
19One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to
God and put many in the right.
20All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin
didn't, and doesn't, have a chance in competition with the aggressive
forgiveness we call grace. When it's sin versus grace, grace wins hands down.
21All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that's the end of it. Grace,
because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us
into life--a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.

````````````````````````````````````````````````
[Listen:  (Richmond) http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music3/mus_4402.mp3
or (Nativity) : http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music3/mus_4233.mp3 ]

O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer's praise;
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace!

2.
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of thy name.

3.
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
'Tis music in the sinner's ears;
'Tis life and health and peace.

4.
He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood avails for me.
	 Author: Charles Wesley (1707-88)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 64

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OzThoughts - Sunday Hymns and Psalms.  Sunday 30th August 2009

This day belongs to the LORD!
    Let's celebrate
    and be glad today.
(Psalm 118:24 Contemporary English Version)

Heavenly Father,
in you we live and move and have our being.
Guide us by your Holy Spirit,
that in all the cares and occupations of our life
we may not forget you,
but may remember that we always walk in your sight;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Psalm 45: 1-2; 6-9.
  1 My heart bursts its banks, spilling beauty and goodness.
    I pour it out in a poem to the king,
       shaping the river into words:

  2 "You're the handsomest of men;
       every word from your lips is sheer grace,
       and God has blessed you, blessed you so much.
6-7 "Your throne is God's throne,
       ever and always;
    The scepter of your royal rule
       measures right living.
    You love the right
       and hate the wrong.
    And that is why God, your very own God,
       poured fragrant oil on your head,
    Marking you out as king
       from among your dear companions.

  8-9 "Your ozone-drenched garments
       are fragrant with mountain breeze.
    Chamber music—from the throne room—
       makes you want to dance.
    Kings' daughters are maids in your court,
       the Bride glittering with golden jewelry.

The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number:  Song Number: 56
Authors:  Edwards Perronet (1726-92), alt

[Listen: Festival Chorus and Band:
http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music3/mus_4082.mp3
or (better choice):
Piano: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1786.mp3 ]

All hail the power of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown him Lord of all!

2.
Let every kindred, every tribe,
All nations great and small,
To him all majesty ascribe,
And crown him Lord of all!

3.
Ye sinners lost of Adam's race,
Partakers of the fall,
Come and be saved by Jesus' grace,
And crown him Lord of all!

4.
Crown him, ye martyrs of our God
Who from his altar call;
Extol the power of Jesus' blood,
And crown him Lord of all!

5.
O that with yonder sacred throng
We at his feet may fall,
Join in the everlasting song,
And crown him Lord of all!


Psalm 15 (The Message)

  1 GOD, who gets invited to dinner at your place?
    How do we get on your guest list?

  2 "Walk straight,
       act right,
          tell the truth.

  3-4 "Don't hurt your friend,
       don't blame your neighbor;
          despise the despicable.

  5 "Keep your word even when it costs you,
       make an honest living,
          never take a bribe.
    "You'll never get
    blacklisted
    if you live like this."

SongNumber:  298
Authors:  William Booth (1829-1912)

[Listen: Band and Songsters: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_337.mp3
or
Congregation:  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1143.mp3]

O boundless salvation! deep ocean of love,
O fulness of mercy, Christ brought from above.
The whole world redeeming, so rich and so free,
Now flowing for all men, come, roll over me!

2.
My sins they are many, their stains are so deep.
And bitter the tears of remorse that I weep;
But useless is weeping; thou great crimson sea,
Thy waters can cleanse me, come, roll over me I

3.
My tempers are fitful, my passions are strong,
They bind my poor soul and they force me to wrong;
Beneath thy blest billows deliverance I see,
O come, mighty ocean, and roll over me!

4.
Now tossed with temptation, then haunted with fears,
My life has been joyless and useless for years;
I feel something better most surely would be
If once thy pure waters would roll over me.

5.
O ocean of mercy, oft longing I've stood
On the brink of thy wonderful, life-giving flood!
Once more I have reached this soul-cleansing sea,
I will not go back till it rolls over me.

6.
The tide is now flowing, I'm touching the wave,
I hear the loud call of the mighty to save;
My faith's growing bolder, delivered I'll be;
I plunge 'neath the waters, they roll over me.

7.
And now, hallelujah! the rest of my days
Shall gladly be spent in promoting his praise
Who opened his bosom to pour out this sea
Of boundless salvation for you and for me.

.

Prayer:

Eternal God and Father,
by whose power we are created,
and by whose love we are redeemed:
guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
that we may give ourselves in love and service
to one another and to you;
through Jesus Christ our lord. Amen.


Meditation:

Listen: Tune:  Repton: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1143.mp3

SongNumber:  567
123; Rest, 124
Authors:  John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-92)

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind;
In purer lives thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.

2.
In simple trust like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord,
  Let us, like them, without a word
Rise up and follow thee.

3.
O Sabbath rest by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
Where Jesus knelt to share with thee
The silence of eternity,
Interpreted by love!

4.
Drop thy still dews of quietness
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of thy peace.

5.
Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire,
O still small voice of calm!


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OzThoughts – Friday 28th August 2009

[Administration note: There will be no Australian Thoughts at the Weekend or
Sunday Hymns and Psalms this weekend ( 29th and 30th August) as I will be away
from my computer.]

After Isaiah had his lips cleansed by the hot coal carried by the six winged
creatures, God called him to action. God asked “Who will I send as my
messenger?” and immediately Isaiah answered “I will go! Send me!” (Isaiah
6:8).

The evidence of the Bible in so many places is that God forgives us and cleanses
us then calls us to work for him in some way. It is not all dramatic or
spectacular but God does use us all. Some of us it seems are not called to do
very much. Others God requires a lot more of.  It is something we need to work
out with God. God will, I believe, direct us clearly in some way how we are to
live for him. Sometimes, we have our ideas but God has other plans.

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, I pray that you will show me clearly how you would have me
respond to your love and forgiveness. I pray that your Holy Spirit will be
pleased to equip me and use me to day for your Kingdom’s sake. Amen.

MEDITATION:

Psalm 51 (The Message).

  1  Generous in love--God, give grace!
Huge in mercy--wipe out my bad record.
2  Scrub away my guilt,
soak out my sins in your laundry.
3  I know how bad I've been;
my sins are staring me down.

4  You're the One I've violated, and you've seen
it all, seen the full extent of my evil.
You have all the facts before you;
whatever you decide about me is fair.
5  I've been out of step with you for a long time,
in the wrong since before I was born.
6  What you're after is truth from the inside out.
Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.

7  Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean,
scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life.
8  Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
set these once-broken bones to dancing.
9  Don't look too close for blemishes,
give me a clean bill of health.
10  God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
11  Don't throw me out with the trash,
or fail to breathe holiness in me.
12  Bring me back from grey exile,
put a fresh wind in my sails!
13  Give me a job teaching rebels your ways
so the lost can find their way home.
14  Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God,
and I'll sing anthems to your life--giving ways.
15  Unbutton my lips, dear God;
I'll let loose with your praise.

16  Going through the motions doesn't please you,
a flawless performance is nothing to you.
17  I learned God--worship
when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
don't for a moment escape God's notice.

18  Make Zion the place you delight in,
repair Jerusalem's broken-down walls.
19  Then you'll get real worship from us,
acts of worship small and large,
Including all the bulls
they can heave onto your altar!

[Listen: Piano:  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music4/mus_7000.mp3  ]

How can I better serve thee, Lord,
Thou who hast done so much for me?
Faltering and weak my labour has been;
O that my life may tell for thee!

Chorus
Here at the cross in this sacred hour,
Here at the source of reviving power,
Helpless indeed, I come with my need;
Lord, for thy service, fit me I plead.

Dull are my ears to hear thy voice,
Slow are my hands to work for thee,
Loath are my feet to conquer the steeps
That lead me to my Calvary.

Strength for my weakness, Lord, impart;
Sight for my blindness give to me;
Faith for my doubtings, Lord, I would crave,
That I may serve thee worthily.
	 Author:  Bramwell Coles (1887-1960)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number:  488
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OzThoughts – Thursday 27th August 2009

When we look at our relationship with God like Isaiah (Chapter 6) did, we can be
overwhelmed by his holiness and in contrast we can see ourselves as so unworthy
even to approach him. Isaiah found that God had a cleansing process. The
application of hot coals to his unclean lips brought a cleansing process and he
was ready to respond to the Holy God who spoke to him.

John in his letter (1 John 1) speaks in another way about the Holiness of God.
He says simply there is no darkness at all in God.  God is pure light. John then
says that if we walk in the light of God then we have fellowship and the blood
of Jesus, Gods son cleanses us from all sin.  John then says we all have sin ,
if we say we haven’t any sin then we are lying. John says we need to confess
our sinfulness to God then his cleansing blood will be applied to our lives and
we will stand in God’s light.

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, I see your holiness and I find I am so unlike you. I pray that
you will forgive my sinfulness and my failings that I might stand before you and
have fellowship with you today. Amen.


Isaiah 6 (The Message)


1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Master sitting on a throne--high,
exalted!-and the train of his robes filled the Temple.
2Angel-seraphs hovered above him, each with six wings. With two wings they
covered their faces, with two their feet, and with two they flew."
3And they called back and forth one to the other,
Holy, Holy, Holy is GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies.
His bright glory fills the whole earth.
4The foundations trembled at the sound of the angel voices, and then the whole
house filled with smoke.
5I said,
"Doom! It's Doomsday!
I'm as good as dead!
Every word I've ever spoken is tainted--
blasphemous even!
And the people I live with talk the same way,
using words that corrupt and desecrate.
And here I've looked God in the face!
The King! GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies!"
6Then one of the angel-seraphs flew to me. He held a live coal that he had taken
with tongs from the altar.
7He touched my mouth with the coal and said,
"Look. This coal has touched your lips.
Gone your guilt,
your sins wiped out."

1 John 1 (The Message)

Walk in the Light
5This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to
you: God is light, pure light; there's not a trace of darkness in him.
6If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble
around in the dark, we're obviously lying through our teeth--we're not living
what we claim. 7But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we
also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of
Jesus, God's Son, purges all our sin.
8If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like
that is errant nonsense.
9On the other hand, if we admit our sins--make a clean breast of them--he won't
let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of
all wrongdoing. 10If we claim that we've never sinned, we out-and-out contradict
God--make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of
God.


[Listen: Hymn Tune - Lloyd:  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music3/mus_4388.mp3
]

Walk in the light: so shalt thou know
That fellowship of love
His Spirit only can bestow,
Who reigns in light above.

Walk in the light: and thou shalt find
Thy heart made truly his
Who dwells in cloudless light enshrined,
In whom no darkness is.

Walk in the light: and thou shalt own
Thy darkness passed away,
Because that light hath on thee shone
In which is perfect day.

Walk in the light: and e'en the tomb
No fearful shade shall wear:
Glory shall chase away its gloom,
For Christ hath conquered there.

Walk in the light: and thine shall be
A path though thorny, bright;
For God, by grace, shall dwell in thee,
And God himself is light.
	 Author:  Bernard Barton (1784-1849)
The Salvation Army Song book: Song Number: 465

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OzThoughts Tuesday 25th August 2009

Some years ago I had the misfortune of being at a Corps (church) with a man who,
he said, had been commissioned by God to take a blessing to people by playing
the violin. Now, don’t get me wrong I like violins and they make beautiful
music. Well, they can. It depends on the skill of the player.

This man was judged by most as a terrible violin player. He had good intentions
but even the best intentions do not render a good tune. Many tried to discourage
him. I might say a badly tuned violin playing wrong notes is bad enough but when
it is loudly amplified and played in the residential streets, it is quite
something else. He called this noise ‘street evangelism’.

When people tried to discourage him, he took strength in the words of Jesus:

10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all
kinds of evil against you because of me.
12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same
way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  (Matthew 5).

God had commissioned him and no one could stop him. He even shared with us once
in church sharing time that he played his violin to his doctor and told him he
had taught himself to play and the doctor told him “well, you have done a good
job”. I think the implication was that if the doctor approved why should we
discourage him. I don think he understood “irony” in the doctors statement.

The persecution Jesus spoke about was real. It wasn’t amplified violin. As the
early church suffered persecution (Acts 5 to 7) it led to the death of Stephen.
They had crucified Jesus now they were seeking to stop his followers in what
ever way they could.

PRAYER:

My heavenly Father God, I pray for people who suffer persecution today. Across
the world, people are losing their homes, families, jobs and even their freedom
and life itself because of their active faith for you. I pray that you will be
with them and give them courage and strength through your Holy Spirit. Help me
to stand for you, whenever I am called to do so. Amen.

[Listen:  Band: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1600.mp3  ]

I bring to thee my heart to fill;
I feel how weak I am, but still
To thee for help I call.
In joy or grief, to live or die,
For earth or Heaven, this is my cry,
Be thou my all in all.

Chorus
Christ is all, yes, all in all.
My Christ is all in all.

Around me in the world I see
No joy that turns my soul from thee;
Its honours fade and fall;
But with thee, though I mount the cross,
I count it gain to suffer loss,
For thou art all in all.

I've little strength to call my own,
And what I've done, before thy throne
I here confess, is small;
But on thy strength. O God, I lean,
And through the blood that makes me clean,
Thou art my all in all.

No tempest can my courage shake,
My love from thee no pain can take,
No fear my heart appal;
And where I cannot see I'll trust,
For then I know thou surely must
Be still my all in all.
    Authors:  Herbert Howard Booth (1862-1926) (verses), W.H. Williams (chorus)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 489

Psalm 37 (The Message – selected verses).

A David psalm
1Don't bother your head with braggarts
or wish you could succeed like the wicked.
2In no time they'll shrivel like grass clippings
and wilt like cut flowers in the sun.

3Get insurance with GOD and do a good deed,
settle down and stick to your last.
4Keep company with GOD,
get in on the best.

5Open up before GOD, keep nothing back;
he'll do whatever needs to be done:
6He'll validate your life in the clear light of day
and stamp you with approval at high noon.

7Quiet down before GOD,
be prayerful before him.
Don't bother with those who climb the ladder,
who elbow their way to the top.

8Bridle your anger, trash your wrath,
cool your pipes--it only makes things worse.
9Before long the crooks will be bankrupt;
GOD-investors will soon own the store.

10Before you know it, the wicked will have had it;
you'll stare at his once famous place and--nothing!
11Down-to-earth people will move in and take over,
relishing a huge bonanza.

12Bad guys have it in for the good guys,
obsessed with doing them in.
13But GOD isn't losing any sleep; to him
they're a joke with no punch line.

14Bullies brandish their swords,
pull back on their bows with a flourish.
They're out to beat up on the harmless,
or mug that nice man out walking his dog.
15A banana peel lands them flat on their faces--
slapstick figures in a moral circus.

16Less is more and more is less.
One righteous will outclass fifty wicked,
17For the wicked are moral weaklings
but the righteous are GOD-strong.

18GOD keeps track of the decent folk;
what they do won't soon be forgotten.
19In hard times, they'll hold their heads high;
when the shelves are bare, they'll be full.

20God--despisers have had it;
GOD's enemies are finished--
Stripped bare like vineyards at harvest time,
vanished like smoke in thin air.

21Wicked borrows and never returns;
Righteous gives and gives.
22Generous gets it all in the end;
Stingy is cut off at the pass.

23Stalwart walks in step with GOD;
his path blazed by GOD, he's happy.
24If he stumbles, he's not down for long;
GOD has a grip on his hand.

25I once was young, now I'm a graybeard--
not once have I seen an abandoned believer,
or his kids out roaming the streets.
26Every day he's out giving and lending,
his children making him proud.

27Turn your back on evil,
work for the good and don't quit.
28GOD loves this kind of thing,
never turns away from his friends.

Live this way and you've got it made,
but bad eggs will be tossed out.
29The good get planted on good land
and put down healthy roots.
````````
34Wait passionately for GOD,
don't leave the path.
He'll give you your place in the sun
while you watch the wicked lose it.
```````````
37Keep your eye on the healthy soul,
scrutinize the straight life;
There's a future
in strenuous wholeness.
38But the willful will soon be discarded;
insolent souls are on a dead-end street.

39The spacious, free life is from GOD,
it's also protected and safe.
40GOD-strengthened, we're delivered from evil--
when we run to him, he saves us.



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OzThoughts – Wednesday 26th August 2009.


General George Carpenter’s Preface to The Salvation Army Chorus Book published
in November, 1945 is very interesting reading in light of developments in the
music we use in worship today. George Carpenter was the first Australian General
(Eva Burrows was the second) and led the Army through World War 2 and for almost
a year after it ceased, retiring in June 1946.
http://www.sacollectables.com/history_bios/bio_gcarpenter.htm

The General wrote in the Preface:

	 The Salvation Army chorus has long been as much a part of our procedure as the
march along the street. People of every type who attend our meetings expect to
hear the invitation, “Now we’ll sing a chorus. Join in heartily!” It would
be a great loss if the custom declined, for which reason I am delighted to
recommend for careful study and wide use this collection of choruses.

The appropriate refrain, expressing a clearly stated idea, helps us in prayer
and in praise. Encourages our faith, increases our zeal, drives away doubt and
adds to our spiritual vigour. The number of those who have surrendered to Christ
while the believers around them have sung a chorus must run into many thousands.

Our meetings ought, therefore, to be graced often with chorus singing of one
kind or another, and not only those which are for the moment in vogue.

This collection will do much to keep in use choruses which might otherwise be
forgotten. Let us sing them, old and new, to the Glory of God.

Geo. L. Carpenter.
International Headquarters
London
November, 1945.

There is a lot in what the General says in those few words.

I wonder what the General would think of an Army that does not often sing these
choruses and at the same time in many places has given up marching the streets.
I trust he would be pleased with the way God has led us in these days.


PRAYER:

[Listen: Cornet Solo:  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_598.mp3  ]

Teach me how to love Thee
Teach me how to pray,
Teach me how to serve Thee
Better ev’ry day;
Teach me how to serve Thee
Better ev’ry day.
(Chorus 179).

MEDITATION:

Psalm 149 (The Message)

1Hallelujah! Sing to GOD a brand-new song,
praise him in the company of all who love him.
2Let all Israel celebrate their Sovereign Creator,
Zion's children exult in their King.
3Let them praise his name in dance;
strike up the band and make great music!
4And why? Because GOD delights in his people,
festoons plain folk with salvation garlands!

5Let true lovers break out in praise,
sing out from wherever they're sitting,
6Shout the high praises of God,
brandish their swords in the wild sword--dance--
7A portent of vengeance on the God--defying nations,
a signal that punishment's coming,
8Their kings chained and hauled off to jail,
their leaders behind bars for good,
9The judgment on them carried out to the letter
-and all who love God in the seat of honor!

Hallelujah! Al

Psalm 150 (The Message)

1Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship,
praise him under the open skies;
2Praise him for his acts of power,
praise him for his magnificent greatness;
3Praise with a blast on the trumpet,
praise by strumming soft strings;
4Praise him with castanets and dance,
praise him with banjo and flute;
5Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum,
praise him with fiddles and mandolin.
6Let every living, breathing creature praise GOD!

Hallelujah!

```````````````````````````````````````````

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OzThoughts Monday 24th August 2009

Psalm 149 (The Message)

    1  Hallelujah! Sing to GOD a brand-new song,
     praise him in the company of all who love him.
     2  Let all Israel celebrate their Sovereign Creator,
     Zion's children exult in their King.
     3  Let them praise his name in dance;
     strike up the band and make great music!
     4  And why? Because GOD delights in his people,
     festoons plain folk with salvation garlands!

    5  Let true lovers break out in praise,
     sing out from wherever they're sitting,
     6  Shout the high praises of God,
     brandish their swords in the wild sword--dance--
     7  A portent of vengeance on the God--defying nations,
     a signal that punishment's coming,
     8  Their kings chained and hauled off to jail,
     their leaders behind bars for good,
     9  The judgment on them carried out to the letter
     -and all who love God in the seat of honor!
    Hallelujah! Al

   Sing to God a brand new song!   I like the old songs from The Salvation Army
Song Book. There is a depth about them that is wrung out of the experiences of
many of the writers. Many of the writers in these experiences turn to God’s
word and find an imagery there that suits their mood and expresses their
heartfelt pleas for help and praise for a god who cares.

I remember one reader of OzThoughts who when he was a Cadet returned to the home
Corps on leave and expressed his dislike of what he termed “7 – 11
choruses”. Seven words repeated 11 times. I guess we agreed many contemporary
songs are like that.

I am not sure there is a fair comparison, the Song Books songs are the hymns and
songs which have endured over time. Many are the songs our grandparents and our
parents sang. Like them they have been the songs which have touched our life and
are not only songs to sing but songs which have like mileposts or memorial
stones marked the stages of our spiritual life.

The new songs can express our prayers and our praise they can be written by
writers who also are wrestling out their faith. Many of them have still to be
tested by time. Some will endure. Some may be 7- 11 songs. They may last 7 days
or 11 months, others may endure for time.

Why will they endure? Can I suggest it will be because we find them useful in
our worship of God. It will be because a tune or a phrase locks itself into our
mind, our heart and our spiritual journey. It will be because God hears our song
and blesses us with his love.
PRAYER:

Father, I pray that my life, my worship, my offerings of praise will be
acceptable to you. Give me a new song. A song that is new every morning. May I
experience a new depth of your love today. Amen.

MEDITATION:

(No recording of this song to the traditional tune -Tucker- could be found on
line.
However, Kevin Norbury 's overture Truth takes themes from the traditional
Edwardian and the modern musical settings of 'Thou Christ of burning cleansing
flame, send the fire'  in “Truth Aflame”:
http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_3301.mp3
The SA classic Cornet Solo “Tucker” is also based on this tune:
http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music2/mus_3572.mp3 )

Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire!
Thy blood-bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost,
We want another Pentecost,
Send the fire!

God of Elijah, hear our cry:
Send the fire!
To make us fit to live or die,
Send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin,
To bring the light and glory in,
The revolution now begin,
Send the fire!

'Tis fire we want, for fire we plead,
Send the fire!
The fire will meet our every need,
Send the fire!
For strength to ever do the right,
For grace to conquer in the fight.
For power to walk the world in white,
Send the fire!

To make our weak hearts strong and brave,
Send the fire!
To live a dying world to save,
Send the fire!
O see us on thy altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day,
To crown the offering now we pray,
Send the fire!
Author: William Booth (1829-1912)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 203
``````````````````````````````````````````````````

[Look and Listen (Contemporary version) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgHKKLopKik ]

FROM Website: http://www.christiangoth.com/fire.html
Send  the Fire!

At the end of the last century there was a man who looked upon the moral
and spiritual decay of the world and the church and realized that something
radical needed to happen to bring his world back to God.  His name was
William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army. With this realization
came fervent prayer and through prayer the lyrics to this song.

  "O God of burning,
cleansing flames, Send the Fire.
Your blood-bought gift today we claim.
Send the Fire, to burn up every trace of sin,
  to bring the light and glory in,
the revolution now begin."

As we come to the end of this century these words
have as much meaning as they did when they where first written.  People have
lost their sense of moral urgency and spiritual fervency and only the
fire of God can burn away deception and cause the true light
of Jesus to be seen. ~ Lindell Cooley (Brownsville Revival Worship Leader)


SEND THE FIRE
     O God of burning, cleansing flame, Send the fire
Your blood - bought gift today we claim, Send the fire today
God of Elijah, hear our cry, Send the fire
And make us fit to live or die, send the fire today
To burn up every trace of sin, to bring the light and glory in
The revolution now begins, Send the fire today
It's fire we want, for  fire we plead, Send the fire
The fire will meet our every need, Send the fire today
Give us strength to always do what's right,
And  grace to conquer in the fight
for power to walk this world in white, Send the fire today
Look down and see this waiting host
And send the promised Holy Ghost
We need another Pentecost, Send the fire today
To make our weak hearts strong and brave, Send the fire
To live a dying world to save, Send the fire
Lord, we're here tonight and we're on Your alter, Send the fire
We give our lives to You today, Send the fire
Send the fire today!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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OzThoughts - Sunday Hymns and Psalms.  Sunday 23rd August 2009

This day belongs to the LORD!
    Let's celebrate
    and be glad today.
(Psalm 118:24 Contemporary English Version)

Heavenly Father,
in you we live and move and have our being.
Guide us by your Holy Spirit,
that in all the cares and occupations of our life
we may not forget you,
but may remember that we always walk in your sight;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Psalm 104:24-30 (The Message)

What a wildly wonderful world, GOD!
       You made it all, with Wisdom at your side,
       made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.
    Oh, look—the deep, wide sea,
       brimming with fish past counting,
       sardines and sharks and salmon.
    Ships plow those waters,
       and Leviathan, your pet dragon, romps in them.
    All the creatures look expectantly to you
       to give them their meals on time.
    You come, and they gather around;
       you open your hand and they eat from it.
    If you turned your back,
       they'd die in a minute—
    Take back your Spirit and they die,
       revert to original mud;
    Send out your Spirit and they spring to life—
       the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.



The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number:  Song Number: 203


[Look and Listen:
http://www.salvoaudio.com/video/o_god_of_burning_cleansing_flame.wmv
or
Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music2/mus_3706.mp3
or
Look and Listen:  (different to “Look and Listen” above but same sound track
as “Listen” http://www.salvoaudio.com/video/video_030.WMV ]

Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire!
Thy blood-bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost,
We want another Pentecost,
Send the fire!

2.
God of Elijah, hear our cry:
Send the fire!
To make us fit to live or die,
Send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin,
To bring the light and glory in,
The revolution now begin,
Send the fire!

3.
'Tis fire we want, for fire we plead,
Send the fire!
The fire will meet our every need,
Send the fire!
For strength to ever do the right,
For grace to conquer in the fight.
For power to walk the world in white,
Send the fire!

4.
To make our weak hearts strong and brave,
Send the fire!
To live a dying world to save,
Send the fire!
O see us on thy altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day,
To crown the offering now we pray,
Send the fire!


Psalm 104:31-36 (The Message)
31-32 The glory of GOD—let it last forever!
       Let GOD enjoy his creation!
    He takes one look at earth and triggers an earthquake,
       points a finger at the mountains, and volcanoes erupt.

  33-35 Oh, let me sing to GOD all my life long,
       sing hymns to my God as long as I live!
    Oh, let my song please him;
       I'm so pleased to be singing to GOD.
    But clear the ground of sinners—
       no more godless men and women!
    O my soul, bless GOD!

The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number:  Song Number: 192
Author:  John Gowans

[ Listen:  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/songs/songs_200.mp3 ]


For the mighty moving of thy Spirit
In our hearts and minds from day to day,
For the gentle soothing of thy Spirit,
When our fears had filled us with dismay:

Chorus
We adore thee, heavenly Father,
And we thank thee, heavenly Father,
And we praise thee, heavenly Father,
As we pray.

2.
For the kindly chiding of thy Spirit
When we thought to find an easier way,
For the gracious guiding of thy Spirit,
And the strength we needed to obey:

3.
For the tender stirring of thy Spirit
Who recalled us when we went astray,
The persistent spurring of thy Spirit,
When we hesitated on the way:



Prayer:

Eternal God and Father,
by whose power we are created,
and by whose love we are redeemed:
guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
that we may give ourselves in love and service
to one another and to you;
through Jesus Christ our lord. Amen.


Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1399.mp3

Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me;
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
The Salvation Army Song Book: Chorus Number: 53
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

```````````````````````````````



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Australian Thoughts at the Weekend 22nd and 23rd August 2009.

[ This is a busy weekend for the Gold Coast Temple Band who will be visiting
Grafton about 3.5 hours away in northern New South Wales. The main events will
be a program on Saturday night, a worship meeting on Sunday morning and an
outdoor concert in a tourist park on Sunday afternoon. Therefore this email is a
repeat of one first published in October 2004.  For those interested in Ozzie
rhyming slang our band is “hitting the frog and toad” – the road to
Grafton. ]

Frogs and Toads

Early this morning I read an email about frogs. Since then as I have been
working on chores around the house, I have been thinking about frogs. They are
fascinating creatures.

I think I was about 4 and a half when I encountered my first frog. Yes, my early
childhood was deprived of such wonders. I lived in Melbourne then so some might
think that was normal. It was when I moved to Brisbane and lived at
“Grandpop’s and Grandma’s” for a few months that I discovered frogs. 
Actually it was one frog. It was a big green treefrog which sat on Grandpop’s
front steps each night and caught insects. I never saw it catch any insects but
Grandpop said that was what they were doing.

My mother told me not to touch it or I would get warts. I remember one night
when no one was looking, I picked it up. It was my first experience of loss of
bladder control when frightened. The frog’s bladder, not mine. I was worried
for a while but I never got warts where my hand was wet. I guess I was lucky. I
also got to know the frog’s call it was a deep ‘crow-k’. It crow-ked a lot
when it was raining. Dad told me it was telling other frogs it was happy it was
raining. I wondered if that was the way frogs thanked God for rain.

I started school about a year after we moved to Brisbane. The school year starts
at the end of January, and that is also the wettest time of the year. I learnt
about walking to and from school in the heaviest of tropical downpours. It was
also then that I learnt that the puddles contained tadpoles. Tadpoles, I learnt,
grew legs, lost their tales and became frogs.  We collected them and kept them
in a lot of bottles on the windowsill. It was great to watch them swimming
around. It was much more interesting than what the teacher wrote on the
blackboard.

I learnt another lesson about the same time. That was my father had a very
strict list of “appropriate pets”. It wasn’t a long list. It included
canaries, one dog and chooks (chickens). That was it. Although there was talk of
goldfinches, greenfinches and Gouldian finches from his days long past.  I
tested his list firstly with tadpoles. I had to take them back to where I got
them from. Dad didn’t want the place infested with frogs.  I tested the list
at other times with pigeons, and lizards but they were definitely ‘out’.
Budgerigars joined the list when I was older and finches and parrots when I
could afford to keep them.

Anyway back to frogs. Another frog I learnt to love was a small flat brown one.
It came wrapped in foil. Of, course it was a chocolate frog. I remember my
sister and me getting a chocolate frog each on Saturday night after the Open Air
Meeting. Mum and Dad shared a block of chocolate while we had the chocolate
frogs.

I soon learnt there was a variety of frogs and toads that were native to our
area. They were always good to bring to school for “news” and to add to the
collection on display.  We looked in books to try to see which ones we had but
most of the books we had were English or American. So we just knew that John’s
was the same as the one Kevin brought a few weeks ago.

I don’t know when I discovered my first cane toad. These were big brown warty
toads. Common knowledge said that Australian Toads do not grow as big as they
did. They were at 20cm (8 inches) about twice the size of my Grandpop’s green
tree frog.
Common knowledge also said these cane toads were “badies”. Any living cane
toad had to be sent to toad heaven by the quickest and sometimes cruellest way
possible.

Cane toads love two things. Well, three but the third one comes naturally. The
love insects and they have learnt that insects gathered under lights. So cane
toads like Grandpop’s frog hunted insects wherever there was a light turned
on. The other thing they like is water and even a dish of water, such as the
pet’s dish will attract them. A cane toad will sit by a dish of water and call
for its mates. It has in mind its third love and wants a mate to share the water
where they can leave fertilised eggs.

Cane Toads (Giant American or Marine Toads) were introduced to Queensland in the
mid 1930’s to eat beetles that were a pest for sugar cane farmers. The
beetle’s larvae stopped the cane growing successfully. They soon spread across
Queensland and became a noted pest. A cane toad has poison glands on the back of
its head. Dogs and other domestic pets as well as native animals and birds have
become very sick and died after consuming cane toads. A few birds, including
crows seem to have learnt how to consume a cane toad while avoiding the poison
glands. A crow will flip over a cane toad and consume it from the soft
underbelly thus avoiding the poison glands.

Cane Toads continue to spread and there is a worry that they will reach Kakadu
National Park in the Northern Territory. There seems to be less concern that
they will move much further south than there current range as it seems they
cannot tolerate the colder weather.

There are two concerns today of nature lovers. Many people are breeding native
frogs and toads in pools and ponds around their homes. Groups have been
established in many areas to preserve them and they share methods as well as
frogs and tadpoles. Dad would not be pleased.

On the other hand, other groups have been organised to have cane toad
eradication parties where people with gather at a creek or parkland with ponds
or lakes and armed with torches, gloves and plastic bags will see out the cane
toads. Any toads thy find will be taken home and put to death by freezing. This
is the suggested method which doesn’t have the cruelty of golf clubs, spades,
axes or car wheels.

The story which commenced all these thoughts is worth sharing and I thank Elnora
Lee who shared the story with us through the Salvation Army Group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/salvationarmy3/.

There once was a bunch of tiny frogs,
...who arranged a running competition.

The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower.

A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the
contestants...

The race began...

Honestly...No one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach
the top of the tower.

You heard statements such as:

"Oh, WAY too difficult !!"

"They will NEVER make it to the top!!"

or:

"Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!!"

The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one...Except for those, who in a fresh
tempo, were climbing higher and higher...

The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult!!!   No one will make it!!"

More tiny frogs got tired and gave up...But ONE continued higher and higher and
higher...

This one wouldn't give up!

At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one
tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!

THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog
managed to do it?

A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and
reach the goal?

It turned out...That the winner was DEAF!!!

The wisdom of this story is:

Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic...  
Because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you...the ones
you have in your heart!!!


Always think of the power words have.  Because everything you hear and read will
affect your actions!!!

Therefore:

ALWAYS be...POSITIVE!!!

And above all:

Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you can not fulfil your dreams!!!

Always think:

God and I can do this !

```````````````````````````````


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OzThoughts – Friday 21st August 2009.

There are times when friends are valued. I often speak to people who are without
family, yet have valued friends who share the way with them. I remember one man
who told me how he had no family but had some great friends he met to play golf
with twice a week. He went on to share about others in his life he counted as
friends. Some had started as business relationships but now he counted them as
friends. His life sounded pretty good to me.

On the other hand I have met people with family yet through hurts, bumps and
lasting bruises they have deliberately moved apart. It is great when there are
times or reconciliation and the lost years are regretted but soon forgotten in
the overwhelming joy of the new union.

Paul knew the value of friends. Throughout the Acts of the Apostles and
particularly in his Letters to the Churches which make up a great part of the
New Testament, we see the friends one after another, and group by group. He has
no recorded family but he has many brothers and sisters in Christ and a
spiritual son in young Timothy. Paul’s relationships, at times, were not
without difficulty, but he accepted as brothers and sisters those who were in
Christ and witnessed Christ was in them.

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, I thank you for this great world wide family I belong to
through your son, Jesus. I pray for each one. Father, you know some are carrying
heavy burdens,. Others are weighed down with grief. I pray that your Holy Spirit
will be a comfort to each and bring us together in love through Jesus. Amen.

MEDITATION:

A friend of Jesus! O what bliss
That one, so vile as I,
Should ever have a friend like this
To lead me to the sky

Chorus
Friendship with Jesus, fellowship divine,
O what blessed sweet communion,
Jesus is a friend of mine!

A friend when other friendships cease,
A friend when others fail,
A friend who gives me joy and peace,
A friend who will prevail.

A friend when sickness lays me low,
A friend when death draws near,
A friend as through the vale I go,
A friend to help and cheer.

A friend when life’s short race is o'er,
A friend when earth is past,
A friend to meet on Heaven's shore,
A friend when home at last.
	 Author:  Joseph C. Ludgate (d 1947)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 709

Philemon 1 (The Message)

1I, Paul, am a prisoner for the sake of Christ, here with my brother Timothy. I
write this letter to you, Philemon, my good friend and companion in this work—
2also to our sister Apphia, to Archippus, a real trooper, and to the church that
meets in your house.
3God's best to you! Christ's blessings on you!
4Every time your name comes up in my prayers, I say, "Oh, thank you, God!
5" I keep hearing of the love and faith you have for the Master Jesus, which
brims over to other Christians.
6And I keep praying that this faith we hold in common keeps showing up in the
good things we do, and that people recognize Christ in all of it.
7Friend, you have no idea how good your love makes me feel, doubly so when I see
your hospitality to fellow believers.

To Call the Slave Your Friend
8In line with all this I have a favor to ask of you. As Christ's ambassador and
now a prisoner for him, I wouldn't hesitate to command this if I thought it
necessary,
9but I'd rather make it a personal request.
10While here in jail, I've fathered a child, so to speak. And here he is,
hand-carrying this letter--Onesimus!
11He was useless to you before; now he's useful to both of us. 12I'm sending him
back to you, but it feels like I'm cutting off my right arm in doing so.
13I wanted in the worst way to keep him here as your stand-in to help out while
I'm in jail for the Message.
14But I didn't want to do anything behind your back, make you do a good deed
that you hadn't willingly agreed to.
15Maybe it's all for the best that you lost him for a while. You're getting him
back now for good—
16and no mere slave this time, but a true Christian brother! That's what he was
to me--he'll be even more than that to you.
17So if you still consider me a comrade-in-arms, welcome him back as you would
me. 18If he damaged anything or owes you anything, chalk it up to my account.
19This is my personal signature--Paul-and I stand behind it. (I don't need to
remind you, do I, that you owe your very life to me?)
20Do me this big favor, friend. You'll be doing it for Christ, but it will also
do my heart good.
21I know you well enough to know you will. You'll probably go far beyond what
I've written.
22And by the way, get a room ready for me. Because of your prayers, I fully
expect to be your guest again.
23Epaphras, my cellmate in the cause of Christ, says hello. 24Also my coworkers
Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke. 25All the best to you from the Master, Jesus
Christ!

```````````````````````````````


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OzThoughts –Thursday 20th August, 2009

For a long time the hymn “My Jesus, I love Thee” has been a favourite of
mine. I particularly enjoy it sung to the tune “Flow gently Sweet Afton”.

The hymn writer has got it right in that our love for Jesus is a response to
Jesus’ love for us:

I love thee because thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow,
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now. (Verse 2).

How important are the words “tis now”?  The writer marks the point that his
love for Jesus is very current. These two simple words locate his passion right
here in the present time. It is not a historical love, although its roots as
indicated in verse 2 go way back.

It is a love with a hope. The writer expresses that hope in words of commitment.
I notice that commitment is not only for this life but for eternity. Our hope is
an eternal hope that is matched with eternal commitment.

However, that eternal commitment is current. At each stage the commitment is
matched with the words “tis now”.

Who was the hymn writer? William Ralph Featherstone was just a 16 year old. It
seems he was a new convert who expressed his new found love in these words. We
don’t know much more about him. He was a Canadian Wesleyan Methodist and we
know the names of his parents. Other than that little is known except he died
aged only 27.

[Listen: Band:  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2110.mp3
or
Songsters (Tune: Flow Gently, Sweet Afton):
http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1001.mp3 ]

My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine,
For thee all the pleasures of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art thou,
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I love thee because thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow,
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I will love thee in life, I will love thee in death,
And praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath;
And say, when the death-dew lies cold on my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

In mansions of Glory and endless delight,
I'll ever adore thee and dwell in thy sight;
I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
Author: William Ralph Featherstone (1846-73)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 357

Romans 5:1-11 (The Message)
  1-2   By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for
us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with
God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to
God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to
us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the
wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our
praise.
  3-5   There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're
hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate
patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of
virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such
as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't
round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our
lives through the Holy Spirit!
  6-8   Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't,
wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when
we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And
even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can
understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how
someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his
love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were
of no use whatever to him.
  9-11  Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death,
the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds
with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly
terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best,
just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection
life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we
are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our
praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!

```````````````````````````````



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OzThoughts - Wednesday 19th August 2009.


 	 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the
right to become children of God—
13children born not of natural descent,[3] nor of human decision or a husband's
will, but born of God. (John 1: 12,13. New International Version).

Or as The Message has it:

But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what
he said, He made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves.
13These are the God-begotten, not blood-begotten, not flesh-begotten, not
sex-begotten. (John 1:12,13. The Message).

There is a wonder in all this. In the Old Testament times, the Children of
Israel knew they were the chosen of God and they looked forward to His promise. 
They traced their special relationship back to their forefathers, who had
entered into a Covenant with God. They knew God as the God of Abraham, of Isaac
and of Jacob. They came to understand that this was the God who spoke to Moses
and through Moses enabled them to be freed from slavery and move through the
wilderness towards the land he had promised them.

So the story of the Old Testament continues of a struggle by God’s people to
stay faithful to Him and to reap the benefits of this special relationship when
it was going well and punishment when it went bad.

The writer to the Hebrews understands the new way of God. It is good to read the
whole book to understand the new and living way better. However, the Hebrews
begins:

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times
and in various ways,
2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir
of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
3The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his
being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided
purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven”
(Hebrews 1: 1-3 NIV).

That’s the wonder of it all. God has given us his Son Jesus and through Jesus
we are children of God. What a wonderful relationship that is.

PRAYER:
Thank you again, Father God for Jesus! I thank you for our wonderful new
relationship through Him. It seems I am a Prince in your Household. Father,
thanks again for all the good things you give to me. Help me to share all this
with others, through Jesus. Amen.

MEDITATION:

[Listen: Piano (Anne Walker) : http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_245.mp3

My Father is rich in houses and lands,
He holdeth the wealth of the world in his hands;
Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold,
His coffers are full, he has riches untold.

Chorus
I'm the child of a King;
I'm the child of a King;
With Jesus my Saviour,
I'm the child of a King!

My Father's own Son, the Saviour of men,
Once wandered on earth as the poorest of them,
But now he is reigning for ever on high
And will give me a home in Heaven by and by.

I once was an outcast, a stranger on earth.
A sinner by choice, and an alien by birth;
But I've been adopted, my name's written down
An heir to a mansion, a robe and a crown.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care'?
They're building a palace for me over there;
Though exiled from home, yet still I may sing:
All glory to God, I'm the child of a King.
	 Author: Harriet Eugenia Peck Buell (1834-1910)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number:  354

1 John 3 (The Message)

1What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it--we're
called children of God! That's who we really are. But that's also why the world
doesn't recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or
what he's up to.
2But friends, that's exactly who we are: children of God. And that's only the
beginning. Who knows how we'll end up! What we know is that when Christ is
openly revealed, we'll see him--and in seeing him, become like him.
3All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity
of Jesus' life as a model for our own.
4All who indulge in a sinful life are dangerously lawless, for sin is a major
disruption of God's order.
5Surely you know that Christ showed up in order to get rid of sin. There is no
sin in him, and sin is not part of his program.
6No one who lives deeply in Christ makes a practice of sin. None of those who do
practice sin have taken a good look at Christ. They've got him all backwards.
7So, my dear children, don't let anyone divert you from the truth. It's the
person who acts right who is right, just as we see it lived out in our righteous
Messiah.
8Those who make a practice of sin are straight from the Devil, the pioneer in
the practice of sin. The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil's
ways.
9People conceived and brought into life by God don't make a practice of sin. How
could they? God's seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It's not
in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin.
10Here's how you tell the difference between God's children and the Devil's
children: The one who won't practice righteous ways isn't from God, nor is the
one who won't love brother or sister. A simple test.

```````````````````````````````



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OzThoughts – Tuesday 18th August 2009.

What does God want of us?  We can see a great crowd of examples of God’s
interaction with people in the Bible. God had individual missions for many. Some
he had tests he put them to first.

Abraham was a good example. In such a long life we do not see many incidents and
his story in Genesis is certainly not a biography. We do see the key points of
his interaction with God. One of these surely is god commanding him to take his
son, Isaac and offer him as a burnt sacrifice on an altar (Genesis 22). The
passing of the test and God providing a ram for sacrifice comes as a challenge
to us to explore our commitment to God.

Jesus challenged many to look at their relationship. I think of the rich young
man who came. Jesus told him to sort out his priorities. He need to sell the
things he trusteed in and give the money to the poor then come and follow him
(Mark 10.22). I think of Nicodemus, a leader of the community, Jesus told him he
must begin again (be born again) with a new faith in God that was conceived by
God not man (John 3). To the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well, Jesus told her
that there was more to life than the daily ritual of drawing water and seeking a
fulfilment in human relationships and cultural spiritual comforts. Jesus told
her to worship in spirit and in truth and she did ! (John 4).

PRAYER:

Heavenly father, may I know that I am in a right and truthful relationship with
you. Help me to see today more clearly the path you would have me walk with you.
Amen.

MEDITATION:

Come, Holy Spirit, thou guest of the soul,
Make thine abode in me;
Bring in the calm thy sweet presence bestows,
Let me thy temple be.
Come to my heart today,
Come to my heart today,
Rekindle the glow and the glory bestow,
Come to my heart today.

2.
Come, Holy Spirit, companion divine,
Walk with me in life's way;
By thy rich fellowship confidence give,
Walk thou with me today.
Walk thou with me today,
Walk thou with me today,
Rekindle the glow and the glory bestow,
Walk thou with me today.

3.
Come, Holy Spirit, thy guidance we crave;
Speak out thy will we pray;
We would be sensitive to thy control;
Speak to our hearts today.
Speak to our hearts today,
Speak to our hearts today,
Rekindle the glow and the glory bestow,
Speak to our hearts today.
	 Author: Albert E. Mingay
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 209

Hebrews 12 (The Message – Selected verses)

1Do you see what this means--all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these
veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start
running--and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.

2Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study
how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed--that
exhilarating finish in and with God--he could put up with anything along the
way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right
alongside God.
  3When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again,
item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot
adrenaline into your souls!
4In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to
say nothing of what Jesus went through--all that bloodshed!
5So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents
treat children, and that God regards you as his children?

My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline,
but don't be crushed by it either.
6It's the child he loves that he disciplines;
the child he embraces, he also corrects.

7God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as
dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training,
`````````````````````````````````
12So don't sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet!
13Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no
one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for
it!
14Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you'll never get
so much as a glimpse of God.
15Make sure no one gets left out of God's generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for
weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole
garden in no time. 16Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God's
lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite.
17You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God's
blessing--but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.


An Unshakable Kingdom
18Unlike your ancestors, you didn't come to Mount Sinai--all that volcanic blaze
and earthshaking rumble-- 19to hear God speak. The earsplitting words and
soul-shaking message terrified them and they begged him to stop.
`````````````````````````````````````
22No, that's not your experience at all. You've come to Mount Zion, the city
where the living God resides. The invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of
festive angels 23and Christian citizens. It is the city where God is Judge, with
judgments that make us just.
24You've come to Jesus, who presents us with a new covenant, a fresh charter
from God. He is the Mediator of this covenant. The murder of Jesus, unlike
Abel's--a homicide that cried out for vengeance--became a proclamation of grace.
25So don't turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly
warnings didn't get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on
heavenly warnings?
26His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time--he's told
us this quite plainly--he'll also rock the heavens: "One last shaking, from top
to bottom, stem to stern."
27The phrase "one last shaking" means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of
all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand
clear and uncluttered.
28Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful
we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before
God. For God is not an indifferent bystander.
29He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't
quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is Fire!

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````



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OzThoughts - Monday 17th AUGUST 2009

  So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked
out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be
even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offence. Forgive
as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else
you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without
it.

Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each
other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate
thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house.
Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good
common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your
lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus,
thanking God the Father every step of the way. (Colossians 3:12-17 - The
Message)
There is a real challenge for most of us in these words. It is linked very
strongly with the theme that was on the lips of our early leaders and expressed
in one word “others”.
As we start this new week, if each sentence was a line in a tick sheet, could we
tick off each line a s complete or would it be a work in progress?
Listen: Piano (The Old Rustic Bridge) Anne Walker (with vocal soloist Jacquie
Proctor):  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_243.mp3
or
Soloist: Mandy Williams http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_256.mp3 ]

The Saviour of men came to seek and to save
The souls who were lost to the good;
His Spirit was moved for the world which he loved
With the boundless compassion of God.
And still there are fields where the laborers are few,
And still there are souls without bread,
And still eyes that weep where the darkness is deep,
And still straying sheep to be led.

Chorus
Except I am moved with compassion,
How dwelleth thy Spirit in me?
In word and in deed
Burning love is my need;
I know I can find this in thee.

O is not the Christ 'midst the crowd of today
Whose questioning cries do not cease?
And will he not show to the hearts that would know
The things that belong to their peace?
But how shall they hear if the preacher forbear
Or lack in compassionate zeal?
Or how shall hearts move with the Master's own love,
Without his anointing and seal?

It is not with might to establish the right,
Nor yet with the wise to give rest;
The mind cannot show what the heart longs to know
Nor comfort a people distressed.
O Saviour of men, touch my spirit again,
And grant that thy servant may be
Intense every day, as I labor and pray,
Both instant and constant for thee.
Author:  Albert Orsborn (1886-1967)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 527

~~~~~~~~~
[Look and Listen:  Glen Campbell Try A Little Kindness Live 2002 With the South
Dakota Symphony : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX7NNMKBPsw  ]

  If you see your brother standing by the road
With a heavy load from the seeds he's sowed
And if you see your sister falling by the way
Just stop and stay you're going the wrong way

You got to try a little kindness
Yes show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness
Then you'll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets

Don't walk around the down and out
Lend a helping hand instead of doubt
And the kindness that you show every day
Will help someone along their way

You got to try a little kindness
Yes show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness
Then you'll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets

You got to try a little kindness
Yes show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness
Then you'll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets

Artist/Band: Campbell Glen
Lyrics for Song: Try a Little Kindness
  Album: Very Best of Glen Campbell


```````````````````````````````



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OzThoughts - Sunday Hymns and Psalms.  Sunday 16th August 2009

This day belongs to the LORD!
    Let's celebrate
    and be glad today.
(Psalm 118:24 Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 1 (The Message)

  1How well God must like you— you don't hang out at Sin Saloon,
You don't slink along Dead-End Road,
    you don't go to Smart-Mouth College.

  2-3 Instead you thrill to GOD's Word,
       you chew on Scripture day and night.
    You're a tree replanted in Eden,
       bearing fresh fruit every month,
    Never dropping a leaf,
       always in blossom.

  4-5 You're not at all like the wicked,
       who are mere windblown dust—
    Without defense in court,
       unfit company for innocent people.

  6 GOD charts the road you take.
    The road they take is Skid Row.

The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number:  Song Number: 656
	 Authors:  Will J. Brand (1889-1977)

[Listen:  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1595.mp3

Note: The band music (St Catherine) concludes with the tune of the chorus:
“Yes, Jesus loves me: The Bible tells me so”.

Set forth within the sacred word
The path of life is plainly shown;
The ways of God its lines record,
For every soul of man made known.
The truth, of all our hopes the ground,
Is here within its pages found.

God's ample grace for fallen man,
His care for our eternal good,
The depth of his salvation plan,
The doctrine of atoning blood,
The Scriptures' living words express
And point the way to holiness.

But how shall we that truth declare,
Thy grace, thy love, thy beauty show?
Only as we thy nature wear
Shall men that nature truly know;
And as we walk with thee abroad
They shall perceive the mind of God.

So teach us, Lord, to use each power
As we the doctrine shall adorn,
That truth and grace shall spring to flower
In lives renewed and souls reborn;
As we to all the world unfold
The glory of the faith we hold.



Psalm 24 (The Message)
A David Psalm
  1-2 GOD claims Earth and everything in it,
  GOD claims World and all who live on it.
    He built it on Ocean foundations,
       laid it out on River girders.

  3-4 Who can climb Mount GOD?
       Who can scale the holy north-face?
    Only the clean-handed,
       only the pure-hearted;
    Men who won't cheat,
       women who won't seduce.

  5-6 GOD is at their side;
       with GOD's help they make it.
    This, Jacob, is what happens
       to God-seekers, God-questers.

  7 Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
    Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
       King-Glory is ready to enter.

  8 Who is this King-Glory?
       GOD, armed
       and battle-ready.

  9 Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
    Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
       King-Glory is ready to enter.

  10 Who is this King-Glory?
       GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies:
       he is King-Glory.

The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number:  Song Number: 529
Authors:  Arch R. Wiggins (1893-1976)

[ Listen: Male Voice:  (Tune: Finlandia -
http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1594.mp3

Band  (Tune Finlandia ) :  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_592.mp3 ]

Thou art the way, none other dare I follow;
Thou art the truth, and thou hast made me free;
Thou art the life, the hope of my tomorrow;
Thou art the Christ who died for me.
This is my creed, that 'mid earth's sin and sorrow,
My life may guide men unto thee.

2.
Hold thou my feet, let there be no returning
Along the path which thou hast bid me tread;
Train thou my mind, I would be ever learning
The better way thy fame to spread;
Keep thou my heart ablaze with holy burning
That love for souls may ne'er be dead.

3.
I would bring peace to lives now torn asunder,
Ease aching hearts with words that soothe and heal;
I would bring peace when, breaking like the thunder,
Men rise in war, and hatred feel.
Peacemaker, Lord! Now I am stirred to wonder;
O take me, and my calling seal!

Prayer:

  May God, who puts all things together,
       makes all things whole,
    Who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus,
       the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant,
    Who led Jesus, our Great Shepherd,
       up and alive from the dead,
    Now put you together, provide you
       with everything you need to please him,
    Make us into what gives him most pleasure,
       by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah.
    All glory to Jesus forever and always!
       Oh, yes, yes, yes. (Hebrews 13:20-21 The Message)



Listen for enjoyment and inspiration : Band and Songsters:
“How great Thou art !”
http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_321.mp3
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````


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Australian Thoughts at the Weekend 15th and 16th August 2009

Lost and Found

Most of my school holidays were spent riding along side my father in his truck.
Dad had his own business and he delivered parcels and other small items to
various places around the city of Brisbane. I enjoyed the mornings when we would
go from place to place picking up the morning’s deliveries. At each place
there was a brief chat with the people there and a quick look around the various
places. We would repeat it all again each afternoon.

The variety of goods was huge. It was a very diverse range of goods that ended
up in the back of the truck. There were parts for cars, trucks and machinery.
There were items made of various plastics, from kitchen sinks to plastic wallets
and folders. There would be framed pictures and empty frames and various cartons
of food products and other well wrapped items. The variety over the years
included popcorn, furniture, tobacco curing equipment, chainsaws, petrol and
diesel engines. When Perspex was popular in the late 1950s we had every perspex
item imaginable from sunvisors for cars to shelving and toilet seats.

The places we went to were just as varied. We delivered to rail stations and
rail sheds, the airport and many truck depots and bus terminals. Shops,
factories and houses were also on the list. As we went from place to place there
were people and many other interesting things to be seen. I really enjoyed
learning about the city and its life.

One of the lessons I have never forgotten was map reading. There must have been
times when dad could tell I was not too excited about what was happening and he
could tell I was getting bored. It was then I learnt something I have never
forgotten. It could not have been very long after I began to read that dad
introduced me to the “Refidex”. I soon learnt as every Brisbanite knows that
a Refidex is the book of maps of the city. It is the street directory. In other
places in Australia it is the UBD or Gregory’s or Melway but in Brisbane it is
the Refidex.

Dad showed me to read it in a practical way. He would tell me the name of the
next street we were going to and by using the index I would find the page and
cross reference and then locate the street we wanted. The ritual was then that I
would tell dad the name of the two streets before it on the same side of the
road. I, of course, would tell him whether it was on the right or left side. Dad
would then tell me to watch for the streets I had told him and let him know when
we were passing them and then to get ready to turn.

Map reading has been a very useful skill. Since about 1966 all my work has
involved a lot of driving, not only in the city I grew up in but in many other
cities and towns. It enabled me to find my way quickly to strange places, as
long as I had the Refidex or other street directory in the car.

However, my map reading skills may be becoming obsolete. It was a novelty when I
rode in a car a few years ago that had an electronic system that after the
destination was set told you street by street and turn by turn how to get there.
On one occasion, when the driver took a different route to the instruction, he
was told when he was able to do a U turn. When he ignored this the voice then
readjusted and began to give correct instructions from where the car now was.  
Of course, many cars now have them as standard or additional driver installed
equipment.

A visiting friend from New Zealand told us just this week what a help the device
in their hire car was when driving around the Gold Coast. It did give one wrong
instructions but they had studied the map and so knew it was wrong. When they
parked their car in the holiday unit car park, for security reasons they took
the device with them into the unit. As they walked up the stairs to their unit
suddenly device activated and told them to turn left in 200 metres. Very
helpful!

If I think there has been change in my life time, there is a much bigger change
if I look back through the pages of the Bible. I see Abraham being told where to
go. Moses is told to lead God’s people from Egypt to the Promised Land and God
leads them with a cloud by day and a sky fire at night. To others the place
where God wanted them was much more apparent.

Much later, David could reflect on God being his Shepherd. We can gather from
the Biblical story of David’s life that there was a little more to it than the
familiar:

   The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2   He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still
waters.
3   He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his
name's sake.
4   Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23
King James Version).

David was not always a saint. If God was his Shepherd, then there was not only a
need for the gentle comforting rod but I am sure a touch up or two with the rod
got the sheep David back on track. God was not always a “sheep whisperer”
with his “still small voice”.

I am reminded too of the words of Jesus when he spoke to the Disciples about
their future of making more disciples for him “I'll be with you as you do
this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age." (Matthew 28.20
The Message)

[Listen: Male Voice: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1076.mp3  ]

He leadeth me! O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate'er I do, where'er I be,
Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.

Chorus
He leadeth me, he leadeth me!
By his own hand he leadeth me;
His faithful follower I will be,
For by his hand he leadeth me.

2.
Sometimes 'mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden's bowers bloom,
By waters still, o'er troubled sea,
Still 'tis his hand that leadeth me.

3.
Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
Nor ever murmur or repine,
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since 'tis my God that leadeth me.

4.
And when my task on earth is done,
When by thy grace the victory's won,
E'en death's cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.
	 Authors:  Joseph Henry Gilmore (1834-1918)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 725

The Book of revelation gives a wonderful vision of the last days when God leads
the victorious who have come through great suffering:

9I looked again. I saw a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone was there--all
nations and tribes, all races and languages. And they were standing, dressed in
white robes and waving palm branches, standing before the Throne and the Lamb
10and heartily singing:

Salvation to our God on his Throne!
Salvation to the Lamb!

11All who were standing around the Throne--Angels, Elders, Animals--fell on
their faces before the Throne and worshiped God,
12singing:

Oh, Yes!

The blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving,
The honor and power and strength,
To our God forever and ever and ever!

Oh, Yes!

13Just then one of the Elders addressed me: "Who are these dressed in white
robes, and where did they come from?"
14Taken aback, I said, "O Sir, I have no idea--but you must know."
Then he told me, "These are those who come from the great tribulation, and
they've washed their robes, scrubbed them clean in the blood of the Lamb.
15That's why they're standing before God's Throne. They serve him day and night
in his Temple. The One on the Throne will pitch his tent there for them:
16no more hunger, no more thirst, no more scorching heat.
17The Lamb on the Throne will shepherd them, will lead them to spring waters of
Life. And God will wipe every last tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7 (The
Message).

```````````````````````````````



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OzThoughts Friday 14th August 2009.

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Right in the middle of the story of Philip in Acts Chapter 8 is the story of
Simon the Sorcerer.  We are told that Simon was very popular and was known as
the “Great Power”.  Now it seems that Simon continued to practice sorcery
although he became a Baptised Christian. I notice that Luke as he writes Acts
does not comment on this.

However, Luke tells us that when Peter and John come from Jerusalem to
investigate this successful Samaritan crusade, they began to pray and teach
about the Holy Spirit and many people responded to their ministry.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem received the report that Samaria had accepted
God's Message, they sent Peter and John down
15 to pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
16 Up to this point they had only been baptized in the name of the Master Jesus;
the Holy Spirit hadn't yet fallen on them.
17 Then the apostles laid their hands on them and they did receive the Holy
Spirit. (Acts 8 The Message)

Now Simon was a keen observer of the success and methods of Peter and John. He
noted, Luke tells us, that the Holy Spirit was given with the laying on of
hands. He approached Peter and asked that they sell him the secret of their
success.

18 When Simon saw that the apostles by merely laying on hands conferred the
Spirit, he pulled out his money, excited,
19 and said, "Sell me your secret! Show me how you did that! How much do you
want? Name your price (Acts 8 The Message)

Peter did not miss Simon for his misguided intent in his reply and Simon seeks
to be saved from the wrath his actions caused.

20 Peter said, "To hell with your money! And you along with it. Why, that's
unthinkable--trying to buy God's gift!
21 You'll never be part of what God is doing by striking bargains and offering
bribes.
22 Change your ways--and now! Ask the Master to forgive you for trying to use
God to make money.
23 I can see this is an old habit with you; you reek with money-lust."
24  "Oh!" said Simon, "pray for me! Pray to the Master that nothing like that
will                                      ever happen to me!"   (Acts 8 The
Message)


PRAYER:
Father, forgive me if I ever try to duplicate success of another person’s
spiritual ministry by turning to the methods and strategies of men. Help me
always to seek the Holy Spirit’s action in me and through my actions for the
sake of your Kingdom. Amen.

Kneeling before thee, Lord, I am praying,
Claiming a closer communion with thee,
Longing to sever from selfish ambition;
Break thou each fetter and set my soul free.

Chorus
Into thy hands, Lord, take me and mould me,
E'en as the potter handles the clay;
Make me a vessel fit for thy service;
Cleanse me and fill me, and use me today.

Fruitless has been the way of my choosing;
Now I am leaving the future with thee;
Treading the pathway of joyful obedience,
Lord, see me ready thy servant to be.

Not in my own strength can I accomplish
An thou art planning for me, day by day;
Owning the limit of human endeavor,
Humbly I seek, Lord, the grace to obey.
Author:  Jessie Mountain (1895-1981)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 501

```````````````````````````````



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OzThoughts Thursday 13th August 2009

I recently was reflecting on the life of a friend. Her childhood was deprived
and one which suffered because of the depravity of her relatives and friends. As
she grew older her life just became filled with more abuse.  People abused her
and she abused herself with her lifestyle.

She reached an even lower point in life and it was during this stage she
experienced Christian love and care and she became a committed Christian.
Eventually she came to the point where I met her as a uniformed Salvationist,
married to a Salvationist and raising her daughter with all the loving care and
Christian teaching she was deprived of.

Her favourite verse is a favourite of mine. It is the second verse of the
twelfth chapter of Romans:

2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's
will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (New International Version)


2 Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without
even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the
inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it.
Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of
immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in
you. (The Message)


For me, it was always a warning not to get involved with things which belonged
to the world. It was a command to hang onto the Christian things which I had
been taught from my earliest days and to turn my back on the rest of life which
was against the ways God had allowed me to enjoy.

For my friend whose life had taken a dramatic change when she met Christ, it
meant looking back at her former lifestyle, including friends and family who
still enjoyed their old ways. It meant she would turn away from their
friendship, if their ways were against God’s ways. She could not enjoy their
company as they continued to enjoy the sins and pleasures of the world.

God had lifted her to a higher life and she was enjoying life on that level.

PRAYER:

Lord, lift me up and let me stand
By faith on Heaven's tableland:
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
	 The Salvation Army Song Book: Chorus: 80

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OzThoughts Wednesday 12th August 2009.

I work in a hospital which has 575 beds and naturally a large amount of
employees, volunteers, and third parties such as pathology, pharmacy, and x-ray
providers who also have a large number of employees. Of course, there are
doctors and student doctors and student nurses to add into the mix. Then you can
probably imagine the number of relatives and friends who come through the doors
at any time of the day.

To say that I have trouble with remembering names is probably understating the
truth. To pass off the difficulty, I sometimes say “I thought I had a good
memory for names but then I found out I did not know many people”.

I hav sometimes been deeply moved as I have listened to the song “He knows my
name”. What a beautiful song that is. It gives me great assurance as I am sure
I have said previously.

Ephesians Chapter 4 tells me that God not only knows my name but he has given me
a gift for ministry and additionally wants me to be “perfected” in ministry
by those he has also gifted for particular ministries. I can learn from others.
As I do so I can try to remember their name.

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, I pray that as I stand in your presence you will continue to
equip me for the service to which you have called me. Amen.

Meditation:

Ephesians 4:  11b-13. (The Message).
He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher
12  to train Christians in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body,
the church,
13  until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient
and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed
within and without, fully alive like Christ.

[Look and Listen:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXsiWoyjw60  ]

I have a maker
He formed my heart
Before even time began
My life was in his hand

Chorus
He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And hears me when I call

I have a Father
He calls me his own
He'll never leave me
No matter where I go

Chorus
He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And hears me when I call
	 Words and Music by Tommy Walker

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OzThoughts – Tuesday 11th August, 2009

Many years ago, when I was a Cadet in the Salvation Army Training College
(Sydney, Australia Eastern) I had the privilege of sharing with a Cadet from an
Asian Country. I learnt from him and no doubt he learnt much from the experience
as he was a good leader amongst his people until he was Promoted to Glory.

He must have wondered at us Ozzies, as our ways were very different to his ways.
One of the early lessons, he learnt was that when he peeled fruit that the
peelings were placed on his plate not thrown on the dining room floor. There was
no one to clean up his orange skin.

Another lesson, he had to learn and I know this was very hard for him was that
he had to take his turn on rosters. We were all rostered for washing plates and
cutlery after each meal. There was a dish washing machine to use but a number of
items needed to be hand washed and dried using a tea towel. Our Cadet friend had
to be encouraged to enter the wash up room but he still stood back when given a
tea towel. It was noticed he had tears in his eyes. When asked why his comment
was “I am a holy man dedicated top my Lord Jesus. I am to do holy works not
women’s works”.

Our friend did learn the value of service and before long he realised that while
holiness separated him from “the world” it did not stop him from being
involved in the necessary things of daily life. (When I used this illustration
in a devotional at band practice, I suggested that bandsmen tell their wives
they are “holy men” and only do that which is holy, and not women’s work).

  3-6  Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything,
that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the
supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into
a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron.
When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?"
  7 Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be
clear enough to you later."
  8 Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet—ever!"
    Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing."
  9 "Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!"
John 13:3-9 (The Message)

True happiness is love expressed in service,
True holiness, compassion deep and strong;
In giving of my best I find contentment,
And so forget how hard the way and long.
The Salvation Army Song Book: Chorus Section: 208

How can I better serve thee, Lord,
Thou who hast done so much for me?
Faltering and weak my labour has been;
O that my life may tell for thee!

Chorus
Here at the cross in this sacred hour,
Here at the source of reviving power,
Helpless indeed, I come with my need;
Lord, for thy service, fit me I plead.

Dull are my ears to hear thy voice,
Slow are my hands to work for thee,
Loath are my feet to conquer the steeps
That lead me to my Calvary.

Strength for my weakness, Lord, impart;
Sight for my blindness give to me;
Faith for my doubtings, Lord, I would crave,
That I may serve thee worthily.
Author:  Bramwell Coles (1887-1960)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 488

```````````````````````````````


Thank you for your prayers and support for OzThoughts Internet Ministry.

If you invite friends to subscribe they do it by sending an email (without a
message) to :
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You can also receive OzThoughts from the following group which you are welcome
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SALVATIONARMY3 was born in August 2004 because it was felt that there was a need
for a place on the Internet where Salvationists and Christian Friends could come
together and talk about things concerning The Salvation Army, their Faith, and
all that is involved within it.

We are now the largest and most active Salvation Army Group on the Internet with
over 870 members.

We wanted a place where we could discuss how we can be better people in this
world because of …
• Our belief and trust in God the Father.
• Our love for Jesus and all that He means to us day by day.
• Our experience of The Holy Spirit in our everyday lives.

As the founder of SALVATIONARMY3 wrote when we first came into being ...“It is
my Prayer that this group stays a Holy place, where JESUS is the Focus of every
Conversation, and "OTHERS" is the reason we meet.
I Love JESUS and THE SALVATION ARMY and want a great place to meet others who
feel the same”...

If you feel you would like to be part of a vibrant and active Salvation Army
group, please come in and join us. A welcome awaits you.

This is an unofficial website and does not necessarily reflect the position of
"The Salvation Army"



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OzThoughts – Monday 10th August 2009

Do you ever find yourself singing or thinking of a song or chorus that you have
not thought of for years? This morning I found myself singing the song
“Fellowship with Thee” and particularly the prayer “Give me constantly to
know, fellowship with thee.”

As I thought about the song, I remembered back 40 years when we had a Corps
Officer who often used this song on Sunday Mornings. We in fact had talked
together about the song a number of times.

One Sunday morning to illustrate the point about God choosing suitable people
for his ministry, he drew on his country experience and talked about how a
farmer makes choices in selectively breeding chickens. I remember sharing a
moment with him later that day when I suggested the song was a great choice to
follow the illustration. I pointed out to him it did say “Earthly things are
paltry show (poultry shows)”.

How can we be choice for God?  Albert Orsborn gives us the answer as it appears
to him in this particular song.  It is a prayer that we need to pray often, even
if we do not sing it.

Spirit of eternal love
Guide me, or I blindly rove;
Set my heart on things above,
Draw me after thee.
Earthly things are paltry show,
Phantom charms, they come and go;
Give me constantly to know
Fellowship with thee.

Chorus
Fellowship with thee,
Fellowship with thee,
Give me constantly to know
Fellowship with thee.

Come, O Spirit, take control
Where the fires of passion roll;
Let the yearnings of my soul
Center all in thee.
Call into thy fold of peace
Thoughts that seek forbidden ways;
Calm and order all my days,
Hide my life in thee.

Thus supported, even I,
Knowing thee forever nigh,
Shall attain that deepest joy,
Living unto thee.
No distracting thoughts within,
No surviving hidden sin,
Thus shall Heaven indeed begin
Here and now in me.
Author: Albert Orsborn (1886-1967)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 630



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OzThoughts - Sunday Hymns and Psalms.  Sunday 9th August, 2009


This is GOD's work.
       We rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it!
    This is the very day God acted—
       let's celebrate and be festive!
    Salvation now, GOD. Salvation now!
       Oh yes, GOD—a free and full life!
(Psalm 118:24 The Message)

Psalm 130 (The Message)

  1-2 Help, GOD—the bottom has fallen out of my life!
Master, hear my cry for help!
    Listen hard! Open your ears!
       Listen to my cries for mercy.

  3-4 If you, GOD, kept records on wrongdoings,
       who would stand a chance?
    As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit,
       and that's why you're worshiped.

  5-6 I pray to GOD—my life a prayer—
       and wait for what he'll say and do.
    My life's on the line before God, my Lord,
       waiting and watching till morning,
       waiting and watching till morning.

  7-8 O Israel, wait and watch for GOD—
       with GOD's arrival comes love,
       with GOD's arrival comes generous redemption.
    No doubt about it—he'll redeem Israel,
       buy back Israel from captivity to sin.


The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 20
Authors:  James Montgomery (1771-1854)

[Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2972.mp3 ]

Stand up and bless the Lord,
Ye people of his choice;
Stand up and bless the Lord your God
With heart and soul and voice.

Chorus
Praise ye the Lord, hallelujah!

2.
Though high above all praise,
Above all blessing high,
Who would not fear his holy name,
And laud and magnify?

3.
O for the living flame
From his own altar brought,
To touch our lips, our minds inspire,
And wing to Heaven our thought!

4.
God is our strength and song,
And his salvation ours;
Then be his love in Christ proclaimed
With all our ransomed powers.

5.
Stand up and bless the Lord,
The Lord your God adore;
Stand up and bless his glorious name
Henceforth for evermore.

Psalm 34:1-8 (The Message)

  1 I bless GOD every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise.

  2 I live and breathe GOD;
    if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy:

  3 Join me in spreading the news;
    together let's get the word out.

  4 GOD met me more than halfway,
    he freed me from my anxious fears.

  5 Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
    Never hide your feelings from him.

  6 When I was desperate, I called out,
    and GOD got me out of a tight spot.

  7 GOD's angel sets up a circle
    of protection around us while we pray.

  8 Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
          how good GOD is.
    Blessed are you who run to him.

The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 310
Authors:  Fanny Crosby (1820-1915)

[Listen: Band and Songsters: 
http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music3/mus_4438.mp3
or
Listen: Philip Smith Trumpet, Dudley Bright Trombone: 
http://salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1558.mp3
or
Band:  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2960.mp3 ]

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

Chorus
This is my story, this is my song.
Praising my Saviour all the day long.

2.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

3.
Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I, in my Saviour, am happy and blest.
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with his goodness, lost in his love.



Prayer:

Eternal God and Father, by whose power we are created and by whose love we are
redeemed: guide and strengthen us by your Spirit, that we may give ourselves to
your service, and live this day in love to one another and to you; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so
that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then
we'll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in
a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus! Amen.   (Romans 15:
5,6  The Message).

Meditation:  Chelmsford Songsters: Bound for Canaan’s Shore:
http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2420.mp3

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If you invite friends to subscribe they do it by sending an email (without a
message) to :
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their junk box for the reply if it does not seem to come).


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You can also receive OzThoughts from the following group which you are welcome
to join:

SalvationArmy3:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/salvationarmy3/

SALVATIONARMY3 was born in August 2004 because it was felt that there was a need
for a place on the Internet where Salvationists and Christian Friends could come
together and talk about things concerning The Salvation Army, their Faith, and
all that is involved within it.

We are now the largest and most active Salvation Army Group on the Internet with
over 870 members.

We wanted a place where we could discuss how we can be better people in this
world because of …
• Our belief and trust in God the Father.
• Our love for Jesus and all that He means to us day by day.
• Our experience of The Holy Spirit in our everyday lives.

As the founder of SALVATIONARMY3 wrote when we first came into being ...“It is
my Prayer that this group stays a Holy place, where JESUS is the Focus of every
Conversation, and "OTHERS" is the reason we meet.
I Love JESUS and THE SALVATION ARMY and want a great place to meet others who
feel the same”...

If you feel you would like to be part of a vibrant and active Salvation Army
group, please come in and join us. A welcome awaits you.

This is an unofficial website and does not necessarily reflect the position of
"The Salvation Army"



Subscribe:  OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-subscribe@...

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Thank you for your prayers and support for OzThoughts Internet Ministry.

If you invite friends to subscribe they do it by sending an email (without a
message) to :
OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-subscribe@...  (Tell them to check
their junk box for the reply if it does not seem to come).


`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
You can also receive OzThoughts from the following group which you are welcome
to join:

SalvationArmy3:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/salvationarmy3/

SALVATIONARMY3 was born in August 2004 because it was felt that there was a need
for a place on the Internet where Salvationists and Christian Friends could come
together and talk about things concerning The Salvation Army, their Faith, and
all that is involved within it.

We are now the largest and most active Salvation Army Group on the Internet with
over 870 members.

We wanted a place where we could discuss how we can be better people in this
world because of …
• Our belief and trust in God the Father.
• Our love for Jesus and all that He means to us day by day.
• Our experience of The Holy Spirit in our everyday lives.

As the founder of SALVATIONARMY3 wrote when we first came into being ...“It is
my Prayer that this group stays a Holy place, where JESUS is the Focus of every
Conversation, and "OTHERS" is the reason we meet.
I Love JESUS and THE SALVATION ARMY and want a great place to meet others who
feel the same”...

If you feel you would like to be part of a vibrant and active Salvation Army
group, please come in and join us. A welcome awaits you.

This is an unofficial website and does not necessarily reflect the position of
"The Salvation Army"



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Australian Thoughts at the Weekend 8th and 9th August 2009.

The Unknown

In the city of Brisbane there is an unusual monument. Actually it is the
inscription and reason for the monument which is unusual. When I first saw it I
was driving in peak hour traffic just a few kilometres from my office. Again red
traffic lights had caused me to stop. It is a one way traffic part of North Quay
just before the traffic turns onto the bit of road called the Riverside
Expressway. As I looked out my window there was a great boulder standing on end
with a plaque on it.

I read the words “the Glory of God” and in big print “UNKNOWN PIONEERS”
before the lights turned green and I moved off. I have noted one day I must go
back and read the whole plaque. Maybe I will be lucky enough for a red light so
I can read more of this plaque standing 6 feet (about 2 metres) from the traffic
on an island surrounded by heavy traffic under a huge riverside native fig tree.

The unknown and known pioneers of our land have often been in my mind. I think
about the first white man, John Oxley, who landed on the river bank just metres
from this memorial and those who later settled right in this area to begin what
is now the City of Brisbane. Oxley explored the length of the Brisbane River. He
and his men explored it by rowing in a whaler against the tide and the flowing
current. That rowing in the unaccustomed heat in heavy English clothing must
have been a very wearying chore.

I think of other pioneers with axe and hand saw cleared the land. I think of the
men and women who with hand tools broke and turned the virgin soil trying to
render it to a condition where it would accept the seeds they planted. They knew
the seasons were reversed but I guess they had to guess how hot it would get and
how cold the winter would be. They must have wondered at times when would it
rain and when the tropical rains came they must have wondered when it would
stop. Maybe typical of the knowledge of the pioneer farmers was that when they
planted rice the first crop failed. Why? It was because they had planed
“dead” kitchen rice instead of seed rice.
It was the unknown tackling the great unknown. But overall they succeeded and
the Brisbane region has a population rapidly growing towards 2 million.

This week I was doing some reading about the Salvation Army’s first
Commissioner. George Scott Railton. I was reminded that in Bernard Watson’s
“Soldier Saint: George Scott Railton, William Booth's first Lieutenant”
there is in I think the first paragraphs that the idea of the “UNKNOWN
SOLDIER” buried in Westminster Abbey in 1920 as a memorial to all the unknown
soldiers, sailors and airmen of World War 1 came from one of Railton’s sons,
the Reverend David Railton in 1916.
[http://www.homeofheroes.com/gravesites/unknowns/foreign_greatbritain.html  ]
(This website is well worth reading).

I was interested to read on one website that there are many memorial tombs
bearing the inscription “UNKNOWN SOLDIER” in many lands.  The site rather
optimistically said that will not happen in future wars because with DNA
identification techniques, all will be identified.  Optimistic, I think so when
many of the soldiers of war are illiterate children and people and it is
estimated by Red Cross that 90% of the victims of war are civilian
non-combatants.

Another Saint by the name of Paul, known by some as Saul, was in Athens and he
discovered a monument to the “UNKNOWN GOD.”  Paul was so sad to see the city
full of idols. No, not Olympic athletes worshipped on the sacred altar of sport
but various altars and monuments to various deities and powers. Paul saw this
monument to an “UNKNOWN GOD” as an opportunity to share that once we might
have been ignorant of god but in these days he had revealed himself through
Jesus, who came to earth lived among us, died and rose again (Acts 17 16-34).

[Listen:  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music2/mus_3888.mp3  ]

I know thee who thou art,
And what thy healing name;
For when my fainting heart
The burden nigh o'ercame,
I saw thy footprints on my road
Where lately passed the Son of God.

Thy name is joined with mine
By every human tie,
And my new name is thine,
A child of God am I;
And never more alone, since thou
Art on the road beside me now.

Beside thee as I walk,
I will delight in thee
In sweet communion talk
Of all thou art to me;
The beauty of thy face behold
And know thy mercies manifold.

Let nothing draw me back
Or turn my heart from thee,
But by the Calvary track
Bring me at last to see
The courts of God, that city fair,
And find my name is written there.
	 Author: Albert Orsborn (1886-1967)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 59

Athens
16The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he
got--all those idols! The city was a junkyard of idols.
17He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting
place. And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who
happened along.
18He got to know some of the Epicurean and Stoic intellectuals pretty well
through these conversations. Some of them dismissed him with sarcasm: "What an
airhead!" But others, listening to him go on about Jesus and the resurrection,
were intrigued: "That's a new slant on the gods. Tell us more."
19These people got together and asked him to make a public presentation over at
the Areopagus, where things were a little quieter. They said, "This is a new one
on us. We've never heard anything quite like it. Where did you come up with this
anyway? 20Explain it so we can understand."
21Downtown Athens was a great place for gossip. There were always people hanging
around, natives and tourists alike, waiting for the latest tidbit on most
anything.
22So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for
them. "It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously.
23When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I
came across. And then I found one inscribed, TO THE GOD NOBODY KNOWS. I'm here
to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you're
dealing with.
24"The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land,
doesn't live in custom-made shrines
25or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of
himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him.
26Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth
hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living
27so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually
find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near.
28We live and move in him, can't get away from him! One of your poets said it
well: "We're the God-created.'
29Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn't make a lot of sense to think we
could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?
30"God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better--but that time is past.
The unknown is now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change.
31He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set
right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by
raising him from the dead."
32At the phrase "raising him from the dead," the listeners split: Some laughed
at him and walked off making jokes; others said, "Let's do this again. We want
to hear more." 33But that was it for the day, and Paul left. 34There were still
others, it turned out, who were convinced then and there, and stuck with
Paul--among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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OzThoughts Friday 7th August 2009

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Thanks to those who are sharing OzThoughts with their family and friends.

`````````````````````````````````````````````

How do you react to the last few verses of the story of the day of Pentecost as
it is recorded in Acts chapter 2?

38  Peter said, "Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in
the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit. 39  The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to
all who are far away--whomever, in fact, our Master God invites."
     40  He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, "Get
out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!"
41 That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were
signed up.
42 They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together,
the common meal, and the prayers.
43 Everyone around was in awe--all those wonders and signs done through the
apostles!
44 And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in
common.
45 They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each
person's need was met.
46 They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals
at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God.
People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added
those who were saved. (The Message Version).

Do you see it as a challenge?
Do you belong to a church like that?
Would you be comfortable there?
Has the Holy Spirit challenged You about your “church style” ?

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, I pray that I might see how you would have me worship,
fellowship and minister in your name. As we approach yet another weekend guide
me in your ways. Help me to have a mind and spirit open to you. Amen.

MEDITATION:

[Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music3/mus_4959.mp3 ]

Let me love thee, thou art claiming
Every feeling of my soul;
Let that love, in power prevailing,
Render thee my life, my all.
For life's burdens they are easy,
And life's sorrows lose their sting,
If they're carried, Lord, to please thee.
If their pain thy smile should win.

  [Chorus- ( not needed for Tune: Blaenwern)
Let me love thee, Saviour,
Take my heart forever;
Nothing but thy favour
My soul can satisfy. ]

Let me love thee, come revealing
All thy love has done for me.
Help my heart, so unbelieving,
By the sight of Calvary.
Let me see thy love, despising
All the shame my sin has brought,
By thy torments realizing
What a price my pardon bought.

Let me love thee, I am gladdest
When I'm loving thee the best;
For in sunshine or in sadness
I can find in thee my rest.
Love will soften every sorrow,
Love will lighten every care,
Love unquestioning will follow,
Love will triumph, love will dare.
Authors:  Herbert Howard Booth (1862-1926)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 503

````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

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OzThoughts Thursday 6th August 2009

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Thanks to those who are sharing OzThoughts with their family and friends.


Early on most clear, almost still mornings I watch a number of hot air balloons
each with a basket full of tourists move silently across the sky. Silently that
is until the pilot gives a blast of gas fed flame to keep it up where he wants
it.

At other times, I see helicopters and light planes taking tourists above the
coast, city and tree covered mountains to experience the sensations of flight
and discover the views from above. In contrast with these small craft are the
big commercial planes which carry hundreds of tourists and other travellers to
and from distant cities and sometimes other lands.

Many of us have sat glued to the television and watched the Space Shuttle glide
into a safe landing after a trip into the mysteries of space travel.  It is
great to see the safe landing and I am sure many prayers for a safe return and
then prayers of thanksgiving are offered each time.

Do you remember when 40 years ago we sat and watched the first steps of man on
the moon? If you missed it then, you have probably seen the celebratory re-runs
in the past month.

We live in a wonderful natural world and God has allowed us the expert knowledge
to build craft that can take us above the earth on excursions of discovery.

I am mindful of the Psalm that was read after man landed on the moon:

A David psalm
    1  GOD, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name.

    2  Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
     toddlers shout the songs
     That drown out enemy talk,
     and silence atheist babble.

    3  I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
     your handmade sky-jewelry,
     Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
     4  Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
     Why do you bother with us?
     Why take a second look our way?

    5  Yet we've so narrowly missed being gods,
     bright with Eden's dawn light.
     6  You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
     repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
     7  Made us lords of sheep and cattle,
     even animals out in the wild,
     8  Birds flying and fish swimming,
     whales singing in the ocean deeps.

    9  GOD, brilliant Lord,
     your name echoes around the world.

  `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
[Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_307.mp3 ]

All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing
Alleluia, alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam:
Chorus
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
Ye clouds that sail in heaven along,
O praise him, alleluia!
Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice:

Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
Make music for thy Lord to hear,
Alleluia, alleluia!
Thou fire so masterful and bright,
That givest man both warmth and light:

Dear mother earth, who day by day
Unfoldest blessings on our way,
O praise him, alleluia!
The flowers and fruits that in thee grow,
Let them his glory also show:

Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship him in humbleness,
O praise him, alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One:
Authors: Francis of Assisi (1182-1226),
	 Translator: William Henry Draper (1855-1933)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 2
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Thank you for your prayers and support for OzThoughts Internet Ministry.

If you invite friends to subscribe they do it by sending an email (without a
message) to :
OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-subscribe@...  (Tell them to check
their junk box for the reply if it does not seem to come).


`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
You can also receive OzThoughts from the following group which you are welcome
to join:

SalvationArmy3:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/salvationarmy3/

SALVATIONARMY3 was born in August 2004 because it was felt that there was a need
for a place on the Internet where Salvationists and Christian Friends could come
together and talk about things concerning The Salvation Army, their Faith, and
all that is involved within it.

We are now the largest and most active Salvation Army Group on the Internet with
over 870 members.

We wanted a place where we could discuss how we can be better people in this
world because of …
• Our belief and trust in God the Father.
• Our love for Jesus and all that He means to us day by day.
• Our experience of The Holy Spirit in our everyday lives.

As the founder of SALVATIONARMY3 wrote when we first came into being ...“It is
my Prayer that this group stays a Holy place, where JESUS is the Focus of every
Conversation, and "OTHERS" is the reason we meet.
I Love JESUS and THE SALVATION ARMY and want a great place to meet others who
feel the same”...

If you feel you would like to be part of a vibrant and active Salvation Army
group, please come in and join us. A welcome awaits you.

This is an unofficial website and does not necessarily reflect the position of
"The Salvation Army"



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OzThoughts
Writer (Only):  OzThoughts@...





      
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OzThoughts – Wednesday 5th August 2009


Salvation Army Brigadier Josef Korbel was in prison. He knew all the suffering
of the cold winter days and the even colder winter nights and the shortage of
food. His crime?  He was a witness for Jesus in a communist country. That was
enough for him to go to prison.

Brigadier Josef Korbel was arrested in September 1949 by Communist agents in his
home in Czechoslovakia. Taken away from his wife and three young children, he
was imprisoned for more than a decade because of his "dangerous... religious
influence." His crime? He was the leader of a Salvation Army youth band that
played Christian hymns and witnessed for Jesus Christ to people who passed by.

In spite of his suffering for Jesus, Korbel continued to love and witness for
him.  He hoped his wife and family were safe. He hoped they were warm. He hoped
they had enough food. He prayed that God, the Heavenly Father would care for
them.

In prison Korbel knew he must continue to live for Jesus. He knew he must share
Jesus with his fellow prisoners. He had so little to share. It is so long since
I first read his story in a borrowed copy of his book “In Mine Enemy’s
Camp”.  I remember he determined to share his meagre portion of bread with his
fellow prisoners. His daily ration was no where near enough but when he received
it, he thanked God for it. He thanked God for his daily bread and remembered
Jesus taking the bread and in breaking it saying “This is my body.”

Korbel took his daily bread and broke it. He slowly ate his half. He then hid
the other half in his clothing until he met another prisoner and giving the
portion of bread to him, knew he was sharing Jesus the Christ.

He was accused of getting an extra share, of taking more than he ought. In spite
of these accusations, he knew God the Holy Spirit was with him as he shared
Christ.

If we had a crust of bread would be share a few crumbs? Or would we in love,
share Christ?

PRAYER:

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for Jesus who reminds me when I take and eat bread
at breakfast, lunch or dinner on ordinary days that Jesus gave his body to be
broken for me. I pray that I might be as generous in my living and giving for
others as Jesus was for me. Help me not to give crumbs but to give ‘bread’
to sustain others in Christ’s name. Amen.

MEDITATION:

Listen: Meditation On A Theme By Spohr (Eric Ball) :
http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_953.mp3 ]

My life must be Christ's broken bread,
My love his outpoured wine,
A cup o'erfilled, a table spread
Beneath his name and sign.
That other souls, refreshed and fed,
May share his life through mine.

My all is in the Master's hands
For him to bless and break;
Beyond the brook his winepress stands
And thence my way I take,
Resolved the whole of love's demands
To give, for his dear sake.

Lord, let me share that grace of thine
Wherewith thou didst sustain
The burden of the fruitful vine,
The gift of buried grain.
Who dies with thee, O Word divine,
Shall rise and live again.
	 Author:  Albert Orsborn (1886-1967)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 512

Luke 22 (The Message – selected verses)

The Passover Meal

7The Day of Unleavened Bread came, the day the Passover lamb was butchered.

14When it was time, he sat down, all the apostles with him,
15and said, "You've no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this
Passover meal with you before I enter my time of suffering.
16It's the last one I'll eat until we all eat it together in the kingdom of
God."
17Taking the cup, he blessed it, then said, "Take this and pass it among you.
18As for me, I'll not drink wine again until the kingdom of God arrives."
19Taking bread, he blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is
my body, given for you. Eat it in my memory."
20He did the same with the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new
covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you.

````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Thank you for your prayers and support for OzThoughts Internet Ministry.

If you invite friends to subscribe they do it by sending an email (without a
message) to:
OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-subscribe@...  (Tell them to check
their junk box for the reply if it does not seem to come).


`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
You can also receive OzThoughts from the following group which you are welcome
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OzThoughts –Tuesday 4th August, 2009

The view to the west from the front of our house is across the roofs of other
houses to hills which are covered with a forest of trees. The highest of these
hills is easily identified by the television tower as Mount Tamborine. Mount
Tamborine is a very low mountain in the scale of world mountains but it has for
many years provided an escape from the heat of the summer and given an
opportunity for many people to enjoy a relatively cold but still a winter
without snow. Many tourist shops and accommodation houses dot the mountain to
assist people who come to enjoy the natural beauty of the rain forest and
mountain streams. (http://www.tamborinemtncc.org.au/).


I am reminded when I look to the hills of the words of the Psalmist. He warns us
not only to enjoy the hills but to look beyond them:

  1-2  I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
    No, my strength comes from God,
       who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

  3-4   He won't let you stumble,
       your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
    Not on your life! Israel's
       Guardian will never doze or sleep.

  5-6 God's your Guardian,
       right at your side to protect you—
    Shielding you from sunstroke,
       sheltering you from moonstroke.

  7-8 God guards you from every evil,
       he guards your very life.
    He guards you when you leave and when you return,
       he guards you now, he guards you always.
Psalm 121 The Message)


Lieutenant Colonel Ernest Rance looked out on the Ochills in Scotland and
without doubt remembered the words of the Psalmist. He wrote a beautiful song
which embraces the thoughts of the Psalmist and something of his own meditation.
The Colonel said the melody line of this song follows the line of the meeting
between hill and sky. He says he traced the line of the top of the mountains on
a music stave (5 lines) and then endeavoured to capture a Scotish musical sound.

The mountains like so much else can point to God but we need to look beyond them
for the real experience of God.

[Listen : Songsters:
http://www.regalzonophone.com/audio/SPS015%20-%2002%20-%20To%20The%20Hills.mp3
or
Songstrers and Band:
http://www.regalzonophone.com/audio/BAB3503%20-%2011%20-%20To%20the%20Hills.mp3
or
Band arrangement:  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music3/mus_4880.mp3
or
Band: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music2/mus_3505.mp3 ]

To the hills I lift my eyes,
The distant hills before me;
Hills that rise to reach the skies,
And spread their glory o'er me.
Planted by omnipotent hand,
By divine appointment they stand,
To the hills I lift my eyes,
The beckoning hills before me.

Eyes may scan the dizzy height,
And human feet stand on it;
Only faith, in mystic flight,
Can see the realms beyond it.
Steeper than the mountains of time,
Higher than the loftiest climb,
O'er the hills I lift my eyes;
From thence my help is coming.

To the hills I'll turn again,
Away from earthly slumber,
There to gain the topmost plain;
May naught my way encumber.
On the highest summit I'll stand,
There to view the long-promised land;
Though my eyes look to the skies,
I lift my heart to Heaven.
Author: Ernest Rance
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 766

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Thank you for your prayers and support for OzThoughts Internet Ministry.

If you invite friends to subscribe they do it by sending an email (without a
message) to :
OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-subscribe@...  (Tell them to check
their junk box for the reply if it does not seem to come).


`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
You can also receive OzThoughts from the following group which you are welcome
to join:

SalvationArmy3:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/salvationarmy3/

SALVATIONARMY3 was born in August 2004 because it was felt that there was a need
for a place on the Internet where Salvationists and Christian Friends could come
together and talk about things concerning The Salvation Army, their Faith, and
all that is involved within it.

We are now the largest and most active Salvation Army Group on the Internet with
over 870 members.

We wanted a place where we could discuss how we can be better people in this
world because of …
• Our belief and trust in God the Father.
• Our love for Jesus and all that He means to us day by day.
• Our experience of The Holy Spirit in our everyday lives.

As the founder of SALVATIONARMY3 wrote when we first came into being ...“It is
my Prayer that this group stays a Holy place, where JESUS is the Focus of every
Conversation, and "OTHERS" is the reason we meet.
I Love JESUS and THE SALVATION ARMY and want a great place to meet others who
feel the same”...

If you feel you would like to be part of a vibrant and active Salvation Army
group, please come in and join us. A welcome awaits you.

This is an unofficial website and does not necessarily reflect the position of
"The Salvation Army"



Subscribe:  OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-subscribe@...

Unsubscribe:  OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-unsubscribe@...

OzThoughts
Writer (Only):  OzThoughts@...








      
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OzThoughts –Monday 3rd August 2009.

I was reading somewhere the other day how someone’s mum kept chooks (chickens)
when they were kids. She described how her mother killed the chooks and prepared
them for the kitchen. Although it was pretty awful preliminaries she said she
sure enjoyed the meals of chicken that were the end result.

I was reminded that our meat comes so easily from the butcher shop or the
supermarket. So often it comes all prepared and all we have to do is heat and
eat. Other times it is already cooked and designed to be eaten cold.

As I thought about this I began to think about the sacrifices of the Old
Testament times.  From the earliest times, animals were taken slaughtered and
placed on an altar as an offering to God. Even when in the time of Moses, the
Laws were refined of how and when and even where this must be done, the result
was still like a combination slaughter yard, butcher shop and church.

Today, our churches are rather special and sterile in comparison. However God
who gave his Son Jesus as a sacrifice for us, still demands our worship. Our
worship is a complete giving of self to him. The movie “Passion Of Christ”
has shown for the first time for many people something of the horror of
Christ’s death for us.

Micah thinks about the fact that his “worship” must not be so much pleasing
to him as pleasing and acceptable to God. What does God want from me when I
worship?

Micah asks the same questions and has an answer:
6How can I stand up before GOD
and show proper respect to the high God?
Should I bring an armload of offerings
topped off with yearling calves?
7Would GOD be impressed with thousands of rams,
with buckets and barrels of olive oil?
Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child,
my precious baby, to cancel my sin?
[JC]
8But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what GOD is looking for in men and women.
It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don't take yourself too seriously--
take God seriously.

9Attention! GOD calls out to the city!
If you know what's good for you, you'll listen.
So listen, all of you!
This is serious business. (Micah 6 The Message).

PRAYER:

Father, help me to understand how to come to you in worship. I pray that your
Holy Spirit will show your way to me that I may live in worship constantly each
day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

MEDITATION:
Micah 6 (New International Version)

6 With what shall I come before the LORD
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

[Listen:  Band:  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2622.mp3
or
Songsters:  http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2390.mp3

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of thy love;
Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from thee.

Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is thine own,
It shall be thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At thy feet its treasure-store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for thee.


	 Author: Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-79)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 525

````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

Thank you for your prayers and support for OzThoughts Internet Ministry.

If you invite friends to subscribe they do it by sending an email (without a
message) to :
OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-subscribe@...  (Tell them to check
their junk box for the reply if it does not seem to come).


`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
You can also receive OzThoughts from the following group which you are welcome
to join:

SalvationArmy3:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/salvationarmy3/

SALVATIONARMY3 was born in August 2004 because it was felt that there was a need
for a place on the Internet where Salvationists and Christian Friends could come
together and talk about things concerning The Salvation Army, their Faith, and
all that is involved within it.

We are now the largest and most active Salvation Army Group on the Internet with
over 870 members.

We wanted a place where we could discuss how we can be better people in this
world because of …
• Our belief and trust in God the Father.
• Our love for Jesus and all that He means to us day by day.
• Our experience of The Holy Spirit in our everyday lives.

As the founder of SALVATIONARMY3 wrote when we first came into being ...“It is
my Prayer that this group stays a Holy place, where JESUS is the Focus of every
Conversation, and "OTHERS" is the reason we meet.
I Love JESUS and THE SALVATION ARMY and want a great place to meet others who
feel the same”...

If you feel you would like to be part of a vibrant and active Salvation Army
group, please come in and join us. A welcome awaits you.

This is an unofficial website and does not necessarily reflect the position of
"The Salvation Army"



Subscribe:  OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-subscribe@...

Unsubscribe:  OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-unsubscribe@...

OzThoughts
Writer (Only):  OzThoughts@...








      
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Show me how: http://au.mobile.yahoo.com/mail