Greensy Grumblings

I just posted a geek alert, it will appear below this post, so don't forget to check that out.

Anyway, on with this post.

I suck at being disciplined.
I have already made my new years resolution for the 2006. I just bought on Amazon "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster.
I know Gareth (from Footscray Salvos) loves this book and recommends it to everyone.
I am going to take it to Beach Mission and work hard on building discipline into my spiritual life.

This also comes to the core of who we are as Salvationists.
If we are soldiers in an Army, then discipline is a key tenet of being a soldier.
If we are in a spiritual army, then spiritual disciplines are a key.
How good are we at spiritual discipline as a movement?

I came across something interesting on the net yesterday.
It is 6 resolutions made by William Booth at the age of 20.
Here they are:

1. That I will rise every morning sufficiently early to wash, dress, and have a few minutes, not less than 5, in private prayer.

2. That I will, as much as possible, avoid all that babbling and idle talk in which I have lately so sinfully indulged.

3. That I will endeavor in my conduct and deportment before the world and my fellow servants especially to conduct myself as a humble, meek and zealous follower of Christ, and by serious conversation and warning endeavour to lead them to think of their immortal souls.

4. That I will read no less than four chapters in God's Word every day.

5. That I will strive to live closer to God, and to seek after holiness of heart and leave providential events with God.

6. That I will read over this every day or at least twice a week.

"God help me, enable me to cultivate a spirit of self-denial and to yeild myself a prisoner of love to the redeemer of the world.

I feel my own weakness, and without God's help I shall not keep these resolutions. The Lord have mercy upon my guilty soul."

I was just tinkering around with the settings for my blog.

I found that it has an automatic .xml feed.
I can also set up an rss feed.

If you understand what I just said then keep reading.
If you want me to let you know what the .xml feed link is then just email me.
If you would like me to set up my blog with an RSS feed then email me, or post a comment and I will do that.

Also if you are still reading, did you know Avantgo now supports RSS feeds?
check it out at www.avantgo.com

Hi all,

just a quick link to a web site someone sent to me.

www.unsite.org

it is a salvo resource site. looks good so far.
Ok,
will add more soon.

We have started a mission training program for some of our young people.
We have been looking at the doctrines of the Salvation Army, reading through the Gospel of Mark and trying to work out what it all means in relation to this thing called mission.

Well tonight we are looking at the doctrines relating to Salvation.
What the heck is this thing we call Salvation.
How do we define it? How do we describe it? How do we even know what it means?

Our movement is called the Salvation Army, is that supposed to mean we know what this thing Salvation actually is??

William Booth talked about temporal salvation as well as eternal salvation. Temporal salvation was the idea that we could be saved in this world, we could have a temporal salvation. Drunks could find salvation from alcohol, gamblers could find salvation from the pokies.

how real is temporal salvation in the western world today??

Had an interesting discussion yesterday..

Who do we compare ourselves to?

In our society we are bombarded with images of those who
are wealthy. Our TV gives us images of nice things and
we think "I don't have that, I want it"

How different would our lifestyle be if we compared ourselves
with those below us? If our TVs showed us images of India,
Africa and Asia?

Why do we define the world as rich and poor, developed and
underdeveloped (or politely developing)?

Why not poor and non-poor?
Why not those that don't have and those who hoard?

Heard a story of a Bible Study where someone said,
"Have you ever noticed how Jesus always seems to be spending
time with and talking to the poor? Do we do that?"

Good questions to ask ourselves.

For the next two weeks I will be doing an intensive subject
at Whitley. It is entitled the Micah Mandate and is looking
at a Christian response to Global Poverty.

Anyone who knows me knows that this is an issue close to
my heart.
I will share some different thoughts and reflections over
the course of the next two weeks, but just wanted to share
two quotes with you to get your thoughts:

"Poverty is perhaps the greatest threat to faith in a just
and loving God."

and

"Anyone who knows that God will one day wipe away all tears
will not accept with resignation the tears of those who
suffer and are oppressed now. Anyone who knows that one
day there will be no more disease can and must actively
anticipate the conquest of disease in individuals and society
now. And anyone who believes that the enemy of God and
humans will be vanquished will already oppose him now in
his machinations in family and society. For all of this
has to do with salvation."
- David Bosch, Transforming Mission, p 400

Last night I was writing in my journal. It had been 2 months
since my last entry (I had been using a different journal
for my trip to India).

It was a really great experience to reflect back upon the
last 2 months of my life.
So much has happened, a trip to India, new initiatives at
work, some of the same old issues at work, connecting in
new ways with the community that I live in.

It has been a while since I last blogged too. I have 3
assignments to get finished by next monday. But hopefully
I can get back into the routine of blogging.

Yesterday I got a new keyboard for my Palm (which I am using
at the moment) so now I can blog on the go and upload it
at a later stage.

I promise to blog more often, however I will enter an agreement
with you, those few brave souls who actually look at my
blog. I will blog if you comment. At the bottom of each
post there it says what time this blog was added, next to
that it has '0 comments'.
Please click on the comments link and add a comment. I
hope to dialogue, not so much talk one way. So please talk
to me, not just listen.

Lets see how we both go.
We need to hold each other accountable.