Friday, November 30, 2007

The Salvation Army is not changing its name - so let's live up to it!

Alexander the Great, one of the greatest military generals who ever lived, conquered almost the entire known world with his vast army. One night during a campaign, he couldn't sleep and left his tent to walk around the campgrounds. As he was walking he came across a soldier asleep on guard duty - a serious offense. The penalty for falling asleep on guard duty was, in some cases, instant death; the commanding officer sometimes poured kerosene on the sleeping soldier and lit it.
The soldier began to wake up as Alexander the Great approached him. Recognizing who was standing in front of him, the young man feared for his life. "Do you know what the penalty is for falling asleep on guard duty?" Alexander the Great asked the soldier.
"Yes, sir," the soldier responded in a quivering voice.
"Soldier, what's your name?" demanded Alexander the Great.
"Alexander, sir."
Alexander the Great repeated the question: "What is your name?"
"My name is Alexander, sir," the soldier repeated.
A third time and more loudly Alexander the Great asked, "What is your name?"
A third time the soldier meekly said, "My name is Alexander, sir."
Alexander the Great then looked the young soldier straight in the eye. "Soldier," he said with intensity, "either change your name or change your conduct."

We who call ourselves 'Christian' or 'Soldier' have a much greater responsibility!

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Breathe

Come from the four winds
Breathe into me
Make these bones live
Lord this valley is dry
Yet you are here
Make my heart sing

There's a spirit in me
There's a destiny
Filling these dry bones with your life
There's a promise to see
There's a hope longing to
Be echoed in each breathe of life
Breathing you
Come from the four winds
See our great need
Settle in this land
Now the dust gives way
To prophecy
Your army will stand

Open the graves of our exile
We cry out from the valley floor
Oh resurrection life... Oh resurrection life
Come to me

There's a spirit in me
There's a destiny
Filling these dry bones with your life
There's a promise to see
There's a hope longing to
Be echoed in each breathe of life
Breathing you

(Aliki, House Of I AM)

Lets pray for God to breathe his life into The Salvation Army and to bring the dry bones back to life!

Colin.