Hey, everyone! :)
I found this on the International website of The Salvation Army:
http://www1.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_sa.nsf/vw-dynamic-arrays/3FE704B605BA796080256F100066ABD4?openDocument
It has so many books by great Salvationists and about The Salvation Army; it's a great tool that candidates and soldiers, even officers, can use to broaden their understanding and compassion for The Salvation Army, it's true roots, it's mission, and it's importance. It will also be great for us to gain compassion for the less-fortunate, the poor, the lost, the abused, the abusers, the criminals, and the many children around the world that suffer daily. Without people as such, there can be no compassion, and without sin, there can be no forgiveness.
While we work to keep people out of sin, we must realize that it is inevitable in mankind, but that we are also here on earth now, to fight against temptation and sin, and to bring our fellow man ever so closer to our God and Savior, who can ultimately save us all, if we only believe in Him, trust in Him, and obey Him faithfully.
Sometimes we may feel completely compelled to get revenge on someone, because we feel that they have done us wrong, they have betrayed us, or perhaps we feel that they don't deserve forgiveness. I know I have felt that way many times, and at times, when I feel like that person and I have turned a new leaf and begun anew, it's as if the branch were once again set afire and burned to the ground. But here's the thing... God can once again sew that seed in you and in your foe, in hopes that you will both nurture it, protect it, and avoid damaging it. It can grow into a huge tree, protecting yourselves and those around you, if you just give it time and let it. It's very trying - we get impatient, we ask too much of it, we forget to forgive anything that doesn't go as planned. Just let it grow, give it SONlight, give it fresh air (HOLY SPIRIT), and give it the water of the Word of God that it needs to grow healthy and strong.
Have you ever felt sorry for the person on the street, holding the sign, in drab clothing, dirty, cold and starving? Have you ever then decided not to give that person anything, because the night before on the news, a man was under arrest for falsifying his needs and therefore stealing money from people for his own benefit? You know you've heard of that before. You know it's passed through your mind before. But how about this? Don't want to give them money? Don't. They say their hungry? Get them a nice, hot soup, perhaps a bag of apples that they can carry around for days and eat when they want. Got an extra coat lying around at home, that you were thinking about throwing out, or giving to Goodwill or the donation box? Give it to the man freezing on the street corner, or soaked in the pouring rain. Yeah, I love my Army, and yes, I've given to the donation truck outside THQ... but then I think about this: the poor man up on the corner - he'll get arrested if they find him in the donation box trying to get some clothing or some shoes. And then they'll end up selling the clothing to someone who doesn't need it as much as he does; don't get me wrong, people in need DO buy from thrift stores... but this man doesn't even have the funds to do that. So take him a blanket, a jacket, a coat, some socks and a pair of shoes. He needs it. Maybe slip a bible verse in the bag for him to find when he sees what's been given to him.
It's not often that words and thoughts like this can flow from my fingers and into the PC... but after beginning to read William Booth's book "Darkest England and the Way Out"... even after literally only 3 paragraphs when I decided to tell everyone about the website... I became inspired to write it, in hopes that someone will feel moved to help their fellow man, and perhaps someone will benefit from the words written here.
LOVE FOR ENEMIES:
5:43 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: 5:44 but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; 5:45 that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. 5:46 For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more `than others?' do not even the Gentiles the same? 5:48 Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
JUDGING OTHERS: 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you. 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye? 7:5 Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.
GIVING TO THE NEEDY: 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 6:2 When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 6:4 that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee. 6:5 And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.
DO NOT WORRY:
6:25 Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? 6:26 Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? 6:27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life? 6:28 And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 6:29 yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 6:30 But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, `shall he' not much more `clothe' you, O ye of little faith? 6:31 Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 6:32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 6:33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 6:34 Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Goodnight and God bless everyone! :) May God protect and provide for you all and your families! :) |
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