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Love as God loves

LANGUAGE OF LOVE BIBLE STUDY

STOP AND LISTEN THE PRAYER HOUSE

LOVE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES SPIRITUAL LIFE

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IN EVERY ISSUE

03 Editorial

19 The Prayer House

21 Book Reviews

22 Book Adverts

04 Called to love

06 The power of love

08 Putting the pieces together MY STORY

11 The language of love BIBLE STUDY

14 A long, hard climb SOCIAL ISSUES

16 Standing on the promises of God MY STORY

COLUMNS

10 House of hope LEADERSHIP

18 Love without boundaries SPIRITUAL LIFE

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Articles on any subject of interest to women in ministry are welcomed by the editor. To send an article, write to revive@salvationarmy.orgSubscription details at:http://sar.my/revsubu (Revive subscription UK) http://sar.my/revsubo (Revive subscription overseas)

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Front cover: Major Ridia Nenewa surrounded by children from House of Hope, Papua New Guinea Photographer: Shairon Paterson Back cover: 1Thessalonians 2:8 (NIVUK)

All Bible quotations throughout this edition of Revive are from the New International Version 2011 unless stated otherwiseTM - The Message, GW - God’s Word, NASB - New American Standard Bible, NKJV - New King James Version, KJV - King James Version, GNB - Good News Bible, NLT - New Living Translation, SASB - The Song Book of The Salvation Army

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A RESOURCE MAgAzInE FOR wOMEn In MInISTRY AnD MISSIOn

Publisher: Commissioner Silvia Cox, World President of Women’s MinistriesEditor: Major Deslea MaxwellEditorial assistance: Paul Mortlock and Kevin SimsDesigner: Berni Georges © André Cox, General of The Salvation Army, 2015Founders of The Salvation Army: William and Catherine BoothPrinted in the UK by Lamport Gilbert Printers Ltd

ThE SaLVaTION aRMYInternational Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4EH United Kingdom

Love asGod loves

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from the editor

Major Deslea Maxwell EDITOR

Love as God loves

May love be the rich soil where their lives take root. May it be the bedrock where their lives are founded so that together with all of Your people they will have the power to understand that the love of the Anointed is infinitely long,

wide, high, and deep, surpassing everything anyone previously experienced. God, may Your fullness flood through their entire beings’ (Ephesians 3:17-19 The Voice).

What comes to mind when you think about God’s love? The dictionary says that love is ‘a strong feeling of affection’

(Concise Oxford Dictionary). If we try to explain the meaning of the word we end up describing how it makes us feel.

Paul, in praying for the Ephesians, wanted them not only to know that love is the rich soil where their lives take root in order to hold them firm when the storms of life hit, but also to understand or comprehend God’s love. It’s more than knowledge – it’s experience. It speaks of relationship – the relationship between the Father and his child.

Recently, I came across a story of a teenage girl telling her mother about a boy she liked. During the conversation her mother asked her to read through 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 and to substitute the boy’s name for the word ‘love’. She did: ‘Sean is patient and kind; Sean does not envy or boast; Sean is not arrogant or rude. Sean does not insist on his own way; Sean is not irritable or resentful; Sean does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.’ She frowned and said to her mother, ‘I saw him pick on another boy in the hallway. I guess that wasn’t being very kind.’ She began to rethink her interest in Sean.

Love like God loves? When I think about the love of God, I am overwhelmed by the fact that this God who is perfect

and holy – could love everyone – even an imperfect and unholy me. But it’s more than just knowing that God loves me – more than head knowledge. It’s about experiencing it for myself – it’s heart knowledge – and then living the love I have experienced in my relations with others.

The contributors to this issue of Revive both know and have experienced the love of God for themselves and share it with us through these pages.

We welcome new columnists for 2016, Major Ridia Nenewa from Papua New Guinea Territory, Major Vanlalnungi Thiak from India Eastern Territory and Commissioner Nancy Roberts who, in retirement, will help us deepen our relationship with God through prayer.

So I encourage you to grab a cup of coffee, a pen and your Bible, and allow God to challenge you through these pages not only to know his love but also to experience it for yourself and then, in turn, to love others with a Godlike love.

‘It’s about experiencing it for myself – it’s heart knowledge – and then LIVING ThE LoVE I hAVE ExPERIENCED in my relations with others’

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loveCalled to

If one had to give a brief summary of the gospel it would probably be as simple as: ‘God loves you!’ People have printed these words on T-shirts and many other things in order to convey this good news. Fundamentally, the good news is that God loves us even though we are not worthy

of his love. his love is the reason for the successions of divine demonstrations recorded in the Bible from the beginning to end, with the ultimate being the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. however, no matter how we try we will never be able to explain this love.

Why does God love us? There is no definitive answer to that question to be found in the Bible, but it tells stories that enable us to discover features of God’s love at work throughout the history of his people, helps us to recognise it in our own lives and teaches us what his love enables us to accomplish – to love as God loves.

The word ‘as’ can mean ‘in the same way’ or ‘because’. To love as God loves we must first understand how God loves, and then this love must be anchored deep in our hearts so it becomes the logical reason why we do what we do.

How does god love?To understand how God loves, we must acknowledge that this kind of love is naturally foreign to us because we do not really understand God’s thoughts and actions (Isaiah 55:8).

Marie-Eve Bösiger-naud

God’s love is nothing like the human love we experience and share with family members, close friends or a spouse. These relationships – no matter how strong – are temporary, whereas God himself says his love is an ‘everlasting love’ (Jeremiah 31:3) or an eternal love. our concept of linear time might lead us to believe that God’s love is like human love extended into eternity, but the difference is much deeper. Eternal suggests indestructible – it has a particular quality of absolute and constant strength.

Are all our relationships the same? We know the answer to that question is no! So when we consider Christ’s teaching in John 15:12 which states that we are to ‘love one another as I have loved you’ (NKJV) we must stay in our rightful place – and follow in his steps. We have to acknowledge that this kind of love can only come from God and not from a frail and unsteady human heart where feelings move between love, hatred and indifference. We also need to acknowledge that we are unable to produce this kind of love ourselves, no matter how hard we try. With these words Jesus calls his disciples to be humble because, as human beings, we don’t know how to love.

The love of god is for everyoneJesus turned the tables on the natural way to love and stated clearly: ‘But I tell you, love your enemies’ (Matthew 5:44). In other words, love those who have done nothing to earn your love or could be viewed as unloveable. The love of friends is not God’s love because, while we know how to love our friends, to be told to love our ‘enemies’ is different. We would not view family, friends, work colleagues or people within our corps (church) as our enemies but we all have a tendency to

‘To love as God loves we must first

understand how God loves, and then ThIS

LoVE MuST BE ANChoRED DEEP

in our hearts’

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Lieutenant Marie-Eve Bösiger-NaudCORPS OFFICER

FRAnCE AnD BELgIUM TERRITORY

act towards them in a way that is contrary to God’s love – as outlined by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Truthfully speaking, my enemies are the people I’m jealous of or feel superior to, that I’m not honest with or bully to gain my own comfort. They are people I’m impatient with or don’t trust because I believe they are malicious, and those who suffer from an injustice for which I am (even partially) responsible. When we consider things this way we realise we have a lot more enemies than we first thought. how do we love them?

The measure of god’s love is evident when we know the depth of our forgiveness We don’t produce God’s love, we convey it or pass it on to others.

Luke 7:36-50 records the story of Jesus’ anointing by a sinful woman. Jesus was sharing a meal with Simon the Pharisee when a sinful woman with an alabaster jar of perfume came and stood behind him weeping. Simon was disgusted that she washed his feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair, but Jesus gently showed Simon his lack of love by telling the story of a creditor (God) and two debtors (Simon and the woman). ‘To whom little is forgiven, the same loves little’ (Luke 7:47 NKJV), Jesus said. We must love firstly because God loves us, and secondly because he has forgiven us. The one who feels insignificant or despised can become an example of love by knowing the depth of his or her forgiveness.

A man preparing himself for marriage sought some advice from his Facebook friends: ‘According to you’, he asked, ‘what makes a marriage last?’ Many people answered based on their own experience, but one person said: ‘In order to make a marriage last, you must know how to forgive.’ In other words, it warns that it would not always be an easy ride but love would conquer all. The key to lasting love is forgiveness and the forgiveness Jesus demonstrated on the Cross showed the eternal love of God for everyone.

God’s love is not earned or deserved but it is merciful. And it is with that same mercy and grace that we forgive others. As Christians we are called to love unconditionally – both friends and strangers.

General Evangeline Booth wrote in Love is All: ‘Such enduring love was not only for the martyrs of long ago; nay, it has since that time cheered, strengthened, soothed, and carried thousands upon thousands through tribulations strong and deep, and thousands in adverse circumstances are being borne up by it while I write.’

how can we demonstrate God’s love? Let us follow the advice given by Christ our Master: ●● Pray for those that harm us. If nothing comes to your mind,

pray as Christ did for his enemies: ‘Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do’ (Luke 23:34 NKJV). ●● ‘Bless those that curse you, do good to those that hate you’

(Matthew 5:44 NJKV). We demonstrate God’s love by not reacting unlovingly

to the harm done to us but by doing the good we are inspired to do through prayer. Through prayer the fruit of the holy Spirit will produce God’s love in us. ‘By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another’ (John 13:35 NKJV).

Love ispatient

but the greatest of these

it always...it is not proud

love is kindit does notenvylove does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth

and now these three remain: faith, hope and love

boast

is love

Love never fails

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Have you ever given much thought to God’s unconditional love for you? The Bible tells us that God himself is love. however, God’s love is different from human love for it is not based on feelings or emotions – he doesn’t love us because we are

loveable or because we make him feel good – but because he himself is love. he created us to have a loving relationship with himself, but through sin we were separated from him. But through his selfless love – the death of Jesus Christ who took our punishment on the Cross – he claimed us back to himself.

We come to know this love the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. It is by the grace of God that we are saved and it is also by his grace that we can love others.

God is not selective with his love – he plays no favourites. he loves each one of us equally regardless of the colour of our skin, our background or our beliefs. he just loves us! he makes us complete and helps us to experience the fullness of his love and forgiveness. however, he commands us to love one another as he loves us.

John 15:12-13 says: ‘My command is this: love each other as I have loved you.’ We don’t need to struggle, keeping on asking: ‘how can we love those who disappoint us or hate us?’ We don’t love in our own

strength but through the power of the holy Spirit. Romans 5:5 says: ‘hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the holy Spirit who was given to us’ (NET). The holy Spirit comes not only to cleanse, but also to indwell us and fill our hearts with his love, teaching us to love as God loves.

The power of

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Lieut-Colonel Phyllis MukongaTERRITORIAL HOME LEAgUE SECRETARY

KEnYA EAST TERRITORY

The fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22). Love, like fruit, grows and multiplies according to the soil, rain and climate.

If we stay connected to Christ and possess the fruits of the holy Spirit, we are given all the resources and ability needed to love as God loves.

1 John 4:7-8 says: ‘Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. he who does not love does not know God, for God is love’ (NKJV).

As Christians, in order to love as God loves, we need to learn to sacrifice what we feel is of worth to us, for the glory

of God. Abraham confirmed his faith in God when he stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his only son Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:10-12). hebrews 11:6 reminds us: ‘Without faith it is impossible to please God.’

How do we express god’s love? Love is an extreme emotion that can lead people to do strange things if it is not channelled correctly. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says: ‘Love suffers long and is kind;

love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is

not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things’ (NKJV).

what it takes to live in love

When we begin to truly love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40) we begin to see people as God sees them – we see them as being of great worth. God saw us as worth dying for and in response to that we must try to impact the world we live in with selfless love – in the same way as our loving heavenly Father does to all people.

Love expresses itself in many ways and one of those ways is through compassion. Jesus had compassion, and expressed his compassion by feeding the hungry, comforting the sorrowing, healing the sick and raising the dead. he had compassion for all people.

As a Christian I need to ponder how God expresses his love to me daily as an individual – how he cares for me – even though I so often disappoint him. ‘For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime’ (Psalm 30:5).

When we think about loving as God loves, we must keep in mind that he is a God of forgiveness and we too need to forgive those who hurt or hate us, who anger, ignore or frustrate us. It takes real love to overlook the flaws in our fellow human beings.

When we look around us, we are reminded that we live in a hurting world. People long for a touch from someone who cares. We can be the person who loves as God loves – unconditionally.

God uses what we experience in our lives to work according to his will, and for it to be shared with others. But we need to follow the example of Jesus Christ and allow the holy Spirit to work within our lives to express love, peace, patience, kindness and goodness.

‘When we look around us, we are reminded that WE LIVE IN

A huRTING WoRLD. People long for a touch

from someone who cares’

Putting the pieces togetherTHE PATHwAY OF HOPE PROgRAMME

Sherry is a single mum who was forced into a kind of mobile homelessness because of domestic violence. With nowhere to live and no way

to pay for housing, she and her two children were doing the best they could by living with one relative after another. Because they couldn’t stay in one place for any length of time her eldest son, who is blind and autistic, began having behavioural problems and fell behind in his schoolwork. Feeling that she was at the end of her rope, she walked into The

Salvation Army and asked for help. She had no idea that she was about to start on the pathway of hope.

‘When I first met Sherry I was sure her problems could be overcome, but she didn’t know it,’ said Pamela Church-Pryor, community ministries director at Norridge Citadel, The Salvation Army corps (church) on the outskirts of Chicago, uSA. ‘She couldn’t see the future because she was so mired by her past.’ Pamela invited Sherry to consider enrolling in ‘Pathway of hope’ (Poh), a relational, holistic ministry that seeks

to break the cycle of poverty rather than simply addressing emergency needs. After thinking it over for a few weeks, Sherry agreed to enter the Poh programme. At her first meeting with Pamela she identified some goals, the first of which was to complete a high school equivalency programme so she could find work to support her family.

As she does with every Poh participant, Pamela gave Sherry a Bible and asked her to read the short book of Philippians before the next meeting. ‘I asked her to read Philippians and think

Lesa Davis

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about Paul writing about joy while he was in jail,’ Pamela says. ‘I asked her to at least consider how God could bring joy to her life as well.’

That first meeting ended with prayer. Although Sherry was off to a great

start there were some rough spots along the way. Family members were willing to help with a security deposit so Sherry could get an apartment, but without a job she couldn’t pay the rent. outstanding parking tickets and expired license plates meant she had no transportation in order to look for employment or to travel to and from work even if she found a job. Credit card debt and old bills made it impossible for her to save the money to pay current bills, let alone get ahead. But the biggest obstacle was helping her see that there were solutions to those problems. ‘her problems were real and I understand why she felt overwhelmed,’ Pamela acknowledges. ‘Finally, I asked her if she had ever done a jigsaw puzzle. I told her it’s like when you dump all those pieces out on the table and they don’t make any sense, but then you start to join the pieces, one at a time, until you start to see it all come together. “Pathway of hope” is like that – we will work on

the puzzle together until it is finished.’Pamela also made a promise to

Sherry that others would help. Each week, Pamela provides a list of material needs to be printed in the Norridge Citadel worship bulletin under the simple heading: ‘Can You help?’ Corps members provided everything from dish towels to lamps and furniture, enough to completely furnish several apartments – including the one Sherry would soon be able to move into. ‘A big part of the success of “Pathway of hope” at Norridge is the congregation,’ Pamela says. ‘In addition to contributing in material and financial ways, soldiers (members) are on hand during food pantry hours to pray with those receiving food. They volunteer their time by tutoring and helping people write résumés – they care and there’s no substitute for that.’

As a result, some of the pieces of Sherry’s puzzle came together very quickly. Through the use of official funds, it was almost possible to clear Sherry’s credit history, and a private donor contributed the last hundred dollars to completely clear her debt. She has secured a job at her son’s school, which allows her to work while the children are

‘When I first met Sherry I WAS SuRE hER PRoBLEMSCouLD BE oVERCoME, but she didn’t know it’

in school. Working with a consumer debt counsellor helped her learn to live debt-free. It seemed all the pieces were falling into place.

Then, just a few months into her new life, Sherry made a frantic phone call to Pamela. As they talked, Sherry was crying and absolutely convinced that something terrible was about to happen. Finally, she blurted out that she had no idea how to live without some kind of crisis looming over her. ‘I prayed with her again’ says Pamela, ‘and reminded her that God would help her every step of the way.’

As part of Poh, Pamela and Sherry continue to meet regularly to assess her programme, to set new goals and work towards them. Sherry is always ready for her next Bible ‘homework assignment’ and their prayer time together. And while she would be the first to admit that she doesn’t have it all together yet, she is beginning to feel something new – she calls it hope.

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Major Lesa DavisCORPS OFFICER, nORRIDgE CITADEL

USA CEnTRAL TERRITORY

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leadership

Major Ridia NenewaMAnAgER, HOUSE OF HOPEPAPUA nEw gUInEA TERRITORY

Columnist for 2016

W hen the sunflower opens each day it plays host to a number of insects. The insects are attracted to the flowers and obtain pollen in order to produce honey. I want that the work carried out at house of hope in

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, will be like the sunflower and that through our work help and safety will be provided to those who enter our centre.

At house of hope we not only have people come to us, but we also make visits to the settlements around Port Moresby. In my role as manager I visited a 22-year-old single mother. She was uneducated and felt helpless and hopeless. She had been paralysed for two years, sleeping under the house on just a mat and pillow. Sadly, she didn’t even have a blanket to cover herself when the nights were cold. She had very little in the way of food for herself and her two sons.

The first time I visited her I felt sad as I didn’t have anything to give her. I told her: ‘I have nothing to give you, but I have come to pray with you’. Following the prayer I felt bad all afternoon and had a strong feeling that something needed to be done. on my second visit I was able to take her some clothes, bedding, a pillow and a food parcel. Receiving the goods she looked up and asked: ‘Are you an angel?’ I quickly replied: ‘No! But I am a Christian from The Salvation Army church, and I work at house of hope at Ela Beach.’ She replied: ‘I have been on this bed for two years. No one ever comes to see me. I feel as if I have been struggling through life with no support, no love and no care toward me.’

We made arrangements for another visit, but before our visit something beautiful and wonderful happened in her life – healing took place. one day she asked her father to bring her walking stick. her father said, ‘I carry you because you cannot walk – why do you want your walking stick?’ ‘I can feel something happening in my legs, and I want my walking stick,’ she said. So her father gave her the walking stick and she tried to stand up. her father wanted to help her but she said: ‘No! I need to do this myself.’ She rose off her chair and walked out of the room with the aid of the stick. She couldn’t believe that she had been healed!

When I went back for a third visit I was shocked when arriving at the settlement to be greeted by a crowd of people who asked what I had done to the woman. I told them that all I did was pray with her. I went to see her and she shared with me what had happened and expressed a desire to accept Christ as her personal Saviour. She now attends the programmes provided at house of hope.

I thank God that he used me. And I thank God for the work undertaken by the workers at house of hope. We try daily to be like the sunflower, opening up and blooming just where he has planted us to bring love and support to those who need it in Port Moresby. But I am aware that we can only love our people in a very human way – God’s love is more intimate, unique, unlimited, unconditional and unmeasured. It is deeper than any ocean. And that is what we try to show and tell our people.

Today my friend in the settlement no longer feels helpless and hopeless because now, through the work of Christ in her life, she acknowledges God’s love. She is now happy and provides the love, attention and affection her two sons need. God met her at her point of need.

From far left: Major Ridia Nenewa conducts a home visit with Laho and her family; Laho at home in the settlement

House of Hope

AT Joyland home in Lahore, Pakistan, an eight-year-old girl came up to me and said she had

decided she was quitting school and was going home to be with her mother.

Robecca’s father had died in a road accident and, with her mother struggling to bring up her other three children and doing a little labouring, it was difficult to find the time to visit Robecca. This saddened Robecca. Even as a young girl, Robecca came to realise that, after being at the centre for only 18 months, the gaps between her mother’s visits were increasing. Feeling that she was gradually losing her mother’s love, she decided to choose love and the need for family over her education.

I have been appointed to serve the marginalised, destitute and neglected children, especially the girls in Lahore. often when the girls enter Joyland home they come with feelings of grief and loss of loved ones, usually a parent. They then face the further challenge of separation from their family. It is difficult for the staff, as they are required to console and convince the little ones to stay at the centre and obtain an education. There is one tool that Christ has given to us to use in these situations, and that is love.

Children have the capacity to understand love, affection, care and security. When they begin to trust us and feel comfortable with us, they come to understand that they are protected and cared for and they in turn begin to care for us too. We love them and they love us.

A newborn baby recognises its mother from birth – it understands love, care and protection. We all understand the language of love – a gaze, a gesture, care, attitude and behaviour – and through this we express our love to each other.

As Christians we cannot imagine our lives without the love of God. We love because God has loved us.

Genesis 1:27 says: ‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.’

• If God created us in his image, what are some of the Godlike characteristics that should be evident to everyone?

love The language of

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House of Hope

• Would you say your love for God is the motivating factor for all you do?

Even when I was just a child God made it very clear to me that he wanted me to serve him and so he led me to Salvation Army officership. Ministry is not always easy or smooth and each day has its own challenges.

At one stage in our officership my husband and I were appointed to a corps that was situated quite a distance from the nearest city. It was in a very small village where the people were poor and burdened with debts. The girls were not educated, the boys were not employed, families were suffering under forced labour and landlords treated some of their workers as slaves. In the village the boys made bricks and the girls made carpets. Both these activities were damaging to their health but they all worked to survive. Even with all these challenges there was a joy within the community: it was because of the corps. The programmes being run for the children, youth and women made them feel alive. They felt welcomed and accepted – the church shared the love of God with its community. We served and cared for them also.

At Christmas the children sang carols and, although the girls were not able to read Scripture, they memorised it and – with guidance – they performed a Christmas drama. As a church and as individuals we shared with the people the love of God. During our time there, we celebrated many events that resulted in making a significant difference in their lives and in ours. Although we faced many difficulties, God protected us with his unending love.

• What do you do to show the love of God to others?

• What does your church do in order to show the love of God to others?

• how does sharing God’s love make you feel?

• Do you believe that a Christian’s love for God is evident in the way they care and serve, speak and act towards others?

In 1 John 4:8 it says: ‘Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.’ When we go where God sends us to serve his people, our attitude, acceptance, and response to them can

leave a lasting impression of God‘s love upon them.

My husband and I commenced our service in The Salvation Army in 1976. We faced many ups and downs, but my husband, who had a very strong relationship with God, always loved others generously. For him, everyone in the church and the community was valuable no matter who they were or what they did. he always showed me a wonderful example of God’s love and I learned through watching his life to love like God loves.

In 2006, after a period of severe illness, he passed away. We had four children who were still studying at the time and we found it difficult to overcome the challenges of losing both a husband and father. During his illness, he supported me through prayer and was my strength. In his last moments, he spoke words of encouragement and assurance to me, telling me that he was going to his heavenly Father.

In Pakistan it is difficult to be a corps officer (minister) without a husband but my trust was in God and he supported me and looked after my children, the corps, our people and me. I endeavoured to serve, love and care just like my husband

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used to. Even today, by the grace of God, I am still serving. Forty years of ministry have passed but the love of God has always been with me, enabling me to love others generously just as my husband did during his ministry.

The love of God is pure and unconditional – it is about accepting, forgiving and caring for others. Loving like God is not always easy because God’s loved is not biased – it is selfless and for all.

to ponder: Do you practise God’s love in your everyday? Pray, asking God to help you overcome anything that might hinder you from loving others as he would.

At the completion of my training as a Salvation Army officer (minister), I was appointed to serve in the same institution where I am presently serving. During my officership the majority of my appointments have been working with children and so I find myself quite sensitive about their issues and needs. I find that through listening to them and

loving them, a close relationship is formed. When that happens there is a stirring within me when I realise that they feel loved and cared for.

Children are no different to adults. We all need to express our love to each other through our actions. To show unbiased love to all is not easy but the holy Spirit teaches us to love others and understand their needs. ‘A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another’ (John 13:34).

God loved us so much that he gave us his son. Jesus Christ loved us so much that he gave us his life. And it is he who commands us to love one another. If we want to be his disciples we need to follow the example of Christ.

Sometimes it’s hard to love those who hurt us. Sometimes we do not want to forgive people who do us wrong. But we are commanded to forgive, and the

indwelling Spirit of God gives us the power we need to love one another. The holy Spirit loves them through us.

‘Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma’ (Ephesians 5:1-2 NASB).

‘And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love’ (1 Corinthians 13:13).

‘Sometimes it’s hARD To LoVE ThoSE Who huRT uS.

Sometimes we do not want to forgive people

who do us wrong’

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Major Ella AshiqADMInISTRATOR, jOYLAnD HOME, LAHORE PAKISTAn TERRITORY

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social issues

T he village of haltu is situated in a remote part of Matupi Section, Myanmar. It takes two hours to get there by motorbike from Matupi City and is located in a jungle setting in the Chin hills.

In the village, as in other remote villages, the people have very little opportunity to make money except from what the jungle can provide. Most young people leave the village in order to obtain work elsewhere.

The assistant corps officer (minister), along with the women’s ministries department, undertakes ministry in the village. Apart from women’s ministry meetings, prayer and Bible studies, the women raise money by making soap and shampoo.

a long,

Christina jeppsson

hard climb

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social issues

Major Christina JeppssonREgIOnAL DIRECTOR OF wOMEn’S MInISTRIES, MYAnMAR, SIngAPORE, MALAYSIA AnD MYAnMAR TERRITORY

In order to sell their products the women, in groups of five or six, leave the village before dawn and walk six hours on rugged terrain to the nearest village and back again before night falls. While away they sell the shampoo and soap for a small profit.

The captain, who has a good sense of humour, says while giggling: ‘You can imagine how I, who grew up in Yangon and who had never been in a jungle before this appointment – and who is a little on the heavy side – accompanies these tiny, strong and never tiring women to the different villages. They could do it in half the time if I wasn’t with them, but they like me to go along, and so I do.’

It is getting harder and harder to sell these kinds of home-made products at the local markets as imported goods and well-known brands pour out all over the country from more-developed neighbours such as India, Thailand and China.

As Myanmar opens up to the outside world, there are a lot of challenges that those who live in villages –far from the big cities – are not prepared for and have

very little possibility of adapting to. The small income the women generate from their business does not provide enough money for them to purchase personal belongings such as clothes, slippers or even food for their families. So the women’s ministries department uses some of the income to invite the villagers to fellowship meals and coffee mornings. Regional headquarters is trying to assist the officer to build up a stock of clothes, oil and rice.

During the rainy season the women decided to meet at the officer’s home to knit, and so regional headquarters supported them by providing knitting yarn and needles. Then, after the rain, when they enter the so-called ‘cold season’ (winter), the women will again climb the hills, not just with soap and shampoo, but with an extended range of goods including cardigans, hats and scarves.

At the Phya Sar Kan Village Corps (church) plant in Central District, Myanmar, which is a five-hour drive from Yangon, I had the privilege of sitting down and listening to the corps officer speak about her people. She said:

‘This is not what we would say was an isolated village, but it is very poor. The corps members, who number almost 30, belong to the poorest group of people in the area. The Salvation Army holds meetings, children’s, youth and women’s activities as well as school lessons for needy children.’

At the time of my visit, two women who came to the Army through women’s ministries and two girls who came through youth programmes were enrolled as senior soldiers (members). I noticed that many of the adults and children had broken slippers and torn and dirty clothing. The corps officer explained: ‘My people live up in the mountains and during summer they not only have very little food but also very little water, and what they have is used for drinking and not washing themselves or their clothing. They obtain their water during the last weeks of the summer season and store it because they don’t have wells deep enough to draw fresh water and it is too expensive for most families to purchase.’

I came to learn that the situation is worse for the lonely and aged because, unlike the children, there is no support programme for them. But the women do tend to go to the corps hoping for a meal and clothing. The corps officer provides leftovers from her kitchen and clothing such as blouses or longyis (traditional skirts) when she can.

Despite the difficulties, the Lord continues to bless the work of the officers in Myanmar. Not only are people being helped physically but they are also finding salvation. We are grateful to God for his daily provision.

‘As Myanmar opens up to the outside world, there are A LoT oF ChALLENGES that those who live in villages are not prepared for’

Opposite page: girls from the Sunday school at Haltu Corps in traditional dress

Left: one of the soldiers who help prepare and distribute home-made soap and shampoo to remote villages

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my story

T he Salvation Army has been my home since I was born. As I grew in knowledge and understanding under the shelter of the Army, I slowly

began to realise that my biological parents had left me. This became evident to me when the other children at Dehiwela Girls’ home, Sri Lanka, would go home during vacation times. But God provided for me. At the time there were missionaries working at the centre who would take me and another little girl home to their house for the holidays.

Today, as I think about my life in the Army’s care, I recall with fond memories the faces of the many people who supported, loved and cared for me. Through them, God gave me hope and I gained many life experiences. I thank God that, despite my circumstances, I did not feel abandoned because of the loving care and interest shown to me by both Sri Lankan and other Salvation Army officers (ministers) who stood ‘in the gap’ in my life.

As the days and years passed, I was able to understand how much my creator

and living God loved me and cared for me. I came to learn that he was the only one who could direct my life and put me on the correct path. Through the love shown to me by Brigadier Laura Gale, who demonstrated the love of Jesus in her day-to-day living, I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour when I was eight and was soon enrolled as a junior soldier (member). When I was old enough I became a senior soldier.

I worked hard at school and obtained good results. But there was always a void in my life. It was after finishing my schooling that I was able to become actively involved in The Salvation Army’s church work. Looking back to that time, I think spending all my time at the Army was my way of escaping from the pain of rejection. I never allowed myself or my mind to be idle – to think about what I didn’t have. And when I wasn’t in church I used to sing songs that strengthened me, songs like ‘If human hearts are often tender’ (SASB 467). During this time in my life, I offered my talents to God by being a member of Colombo Central Brass Band and church choir – I was

blessed when I was chosen to attend The Salvation Army’s 1990 International Congress. Even today I thank the Lord for that wonderful experience.

I also had stepped into the world of employment. I gained experience by working at the Blind Council and also at a private company where I was able to live out my Christian life before people of many different religions, but I felt truly blessed when I had the privilege of working as an employee at The Salvation Army’s territorial headquarters.

As a young woman, like any other, I had many dreams and wishes of my own. Typically, I wanted to have nice things like some of the other girls, but had to keep reminding myself to be satisfied with what I had.

standing on thepromises of God

‘I think spending all my time at the Army was my way of ESCAPING from

the pain of rejection’

Rohini Hettiarachchi

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my story

quotes

Lieut-Colonel Rohini HettiarachchiTERRITORIAL SECRETARY FOR wOMEn’S MInISTRIES SRI LAnKA TERRITORY

Things began to change. My friendships changed. In my search for answers to life’s challenges, my personal time with the Lord in prayer and reading his Word became very significant and I began to understand and claim his promises. Daily I was growing stronger spiritually. Isaiah 49:15-16 helped me to understand how close my heavenly Father really was to me. It says: ‘Can a

woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me’ (KJV). And hebrews 13:5: ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee’ (KJV). Amid all the struggles and obstacles, I never ceased to communicate with God and bring all my needs to his feet through daily personal prayer.

Listening to a recording of testimonies from two Canadian cadets, God confirmed again his calling upon my life. I felt I was ready to serve the God who had my name engraved on his palm and would always be with me and therefore I had no hesitation in accepting his calling. I left my secular employment and entered the officer training college as a member of the Crusaders for Christ Session.

As an officer, I have been able to serve God in various appointments, taking responsibility over many different challenging tasks. one of the appointments I was given was to be the administrator of the girls’ home (now called child development centre) – the same place where I grew up – for six years. While it was a challenging time, I was able to understand the girls because I had been where they were.

In Gwendoline Taylor’s book William Booth Prophet & General, it says of General William Booth: ‘he might have tried mainly to improve the conditions of the poor, or care for their health, or help criminals. But the aim he had chosen was “to do God’s will in this life.”’

I thank and praise God for my present role as I have the opportunity to talk about my Lord with so many women on the island of Sri Lanka, making them aware of and sharing with them the love of God.

Looking back on my life I am thankful to God for The Salvation Army – for growing up under its shelter – and for coming to know the Lord as my personal friend and Saviour. I am grateful that I was taught the Scriptures and that I learned to rest in the truths of God’s Word. Through this, my life has been much easier to understand and manage as I stand on the promises of God.

Far left: Lieut-Colonels Nihal and Rohini Hettiarchchi pictured with their children, Elshika Nathaili, Thashnika Ruth and Thimon Randitha; above: the children from the Child Development Centre; left and below: Rohini as a young band member and baritone player at Colombo Central Corps

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feature

DIVISIOnAL DIRECTOR OF wOMEn’S MInISTRIES CEnTRAL nORTH DIVISIOn, InDIA EASTERn TERRITORY

Major Vanlalnungi Thiak

Columnist for 2016

spiritual life

‘Have you ever stopped to think how God loves you? It sounds quite incredible, and yet it’s true. Nothing on this earth or in the heavens above Is as sure and certain as God’s love.’

John Gowans (SASB 29)

O ne day while talking about God’s blessing upon women’s ministries, Lieut-Colonel Lalkungi, a retired Salvation Army officer, mentioned how she tried to motivate women’s ministries members to serve the Lord among street people.

‘I live in a hilly place where there are steps almost everywhere,’ she said. ‘At one set of stairs I pass on the way to the corps (church), I often see homeless youngsters. Feeling concerned for them I began to wonder what their lives were like. So one day I asked them if I could pray for them – I saw it as a good opportunity to share the love of God.’ The colonel went on to say that they even asked her to share again as many of them didn’t have anyone to explain about God’s love for them. Lieut-Colonel Lalkungi shared the story with league of mercy workers at Chanmari Corps, and they too felt compassion for the young people and others like them who have nowhere to live. Since then, the league of mercy workers and Lieut-Colonel Lalkungi set off every morning to see the street dwellers – to give them food, listen to their stories and build relationships with them.

The colonel continued: ‘one morning we saw a man collapsed on the side of the road. he was weak due to an excessive intake of drugs. he was ragged and shabby and had severe wounds on his legs. Because of the severity of his condition we took him to the hospital. We located his family and talked with him regularly, telling him that God still loves him and is waiting to embrace him and accept him. A few days later, he accepted Jesus as his personal friend and Saviour. Through tears he told the league of mercy secretary: “My dear sister, I now have a peace in my heart and, even if I die, I am confident that I will go to be with the Lord.” What great news! Sadly, the man passed away but because of the care given to him by the league of mercy workers, the family made the decision to ask The Salvation Army to conduct his funeral.’

The service given by league of mercy members flowed out of their love for God.

The love of God is the greatest and deepest love. It has no boundaries – it reaches from the highest heights to the lowest depths. It touches both the rich and the poor, the marginalised, undeserved, vulnerable and excluded. It reaches all people – every nation. The sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ which was shed on the Cross out of love, can change a person into a new creation – they can be transformed!

The Saviour of all mankind, while suffering with pain and agony on the Cross, still pleaded forgiveness, saying: ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’ (Luke 23:34). The love of God embraced and forgave his enemies. oh, what an amazing love!

My dear friends, are we aware of the unloved in our communities? Are we reaching out to them or just passing them by? In 1 John chapter 4 it says: ‘Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. Dear Friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another’ (8-9, 11).

Therefore, let us love one another. Let us love all kinds of people – not only those who love us, but also those who hurt us and even those who feel unwanted or think they don’t deserve to be loved. The practical outpouring of God’s love shown to others in deed and in action is so powerful that with the help of the holy Spirit, a life can be transformed.

Living in love and endeavouring to love like God is what is needed to help turn a life around.

Love without boundaries

Revive 19

Commissioner Nancy Roberts

LIVES In RETIREMEnT In USA CEnTRAL TERRITORY

‘Teach me to stop and listen, Teach me to centre down, Teach me the use of silence, Teach me where peace is found.

Then when it’s time for moving, Grant it that I may bring To every day and moment Peace from a silent spring.’ Ken Medema

M ost Christians seek to feel and sense the closeness of God in their lives, especially during times of prayer. however, the truth

for many is that they find themselves lacking in this experience. They may be faithful in portioning out time to read God’s Word and to pray, reciting familiar prayers each day, yet the sense of God’s presence or his Spirit surrounding them is lost or obscured.

The closeness of God – the sense of him being near – comes in different ways at different times to different people. It is natural to think it should come during quiet times of dedicated prayer, but it may in fact come while we are in the midst of carrying out daily duties. It may come through birdsong, the giggle of a baby, a child’s achievement, a book we are reading, a conversation with a fellow worker or a walk in nature. It may come as we serve those around us or as inspirational thoughts pop into our mind. Such moments help us unite with God. Such moments strengthen and deepen our relationship with him. Prayer

– communication with God – becomes a moment-by-moment experience.

understanding that our own personalities influence us, our praying frees us to be open with God throughout the day. God knows us, understands us and accepts us. he opens his arms and invites us to himself throughout the day. It is in this freedom and trust that we find our lives transformed and made new each day. Life has a freshness about it, life has possibilities and life is lived. It is then God becomes real.

Prayer has many dimensions and many styles. We must not allow anyone to set out or teach ‘this is the right, correct or only way to pray – this is how you do it’. We must be willing to sort through and try different styles of meeting with God and choose what best fits us – what best fits our personality. Extroverts and introverts will find different ways to listen to God according to their personalities.

While most people would say I am an extrovert (I do like activity much more than sitting still), I have found that when it comes to quiet prayer I

‘Teach me to stop and listen.’ Stopping was the problem – stopping to be able to listen and listening so as to hear. I needed to turn off the Christian music and shut out all noises if I was to concentrate on listening to God.

‘Be still, and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46:10).

usually, as I sit quietly, all the duties, concerns and burdens filling my heart and mind come quickly to the surface. What do I do with them if I am to listen? For me, I see myself placing them in the hands of Jesus. Placing them into his care, trusting he can handle them all. Picturing this action taking place helps to clear my mind so I can listen to and hear God.

There is a time for sharing and a time for speaking, but listening brings us closer to the feet and the heart of Jesus.

need to spend more time just quieting myself down. It is a process to still my active mind. Moving from thinking and making requests to simply listening takes conscious effort and time.

A number of years ago I was introduced to this song:

HOUSEprayerTH

E

‘They all joined together constantly in prayer’ (Acts 1:14)

LISTENstop and

Revive 19

20 Revive

Major Heather PoxonInTERnATIOnAL PROjECTS OFFICER

InTERnATIOnAL HEADQUARTERS

H ush now… listen! (A thought from the window seat of a roaring aeroplane slicing through the silent sky.)

‘Be still, and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46:10). ‘Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak’ (James 1:19). ‘When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise’ (Proverbs 10:19, NIV 1984). ‘The wind howls, but the mountain remains still’ (Japanese proverb).

If you happen to be on a plane with a long flight ahead of you, do you strike up a conversation with your neighbour, seeing it perhaps as an opportunity to introduce them to Jesus? There was once a time when I would feel guilty if I didn’t.

We seem to be living in an age where silences must be filled – as if silence and stillness have no place.

has our world sold out to how we sound and how popular we are? If so, have we missed out on the importance of nurturing who we are when no one is around?

What was it Jesus said? Something about the meek being blessed (Matthew 5:5). Why did he sometimes forbid people from talking about him and his works? Why did he keep his own silent counsel when challenged to defend himself before Pilate? Why did God choose a stuttering Moses to become arguably the most famous leader of biblical history when he would probably have preferred the obscurity and solitude of shepherding? or Gideon, who seems to have been scared even of his own shadow? Was it perhaps their abhorrence of self-promotion that qualified them? Can we make a case for their shying away from the limelight being just what God was looking for?

Today it seems we need to sell ourselves and work on being slick communicators, exuding confidence because the slick and the ultra-confident are the people who win the prizes and

get the jobs. Even within the Church this can sometimes appear to be a creeping, prevailing philosophy, owing more to the world of busyness than it does to notions of servanthood. As another proverb says: ‘The squeaky wheel gets the grease.’

Should we endeavour to be somewhat more cautious about following the confident (noisy) sales pitch? Is there adequate space left for us to be modestly confident in our own intuition, or have the popular voices crowded this out?

Let us be quietly confident in our God. There is no need for more.

Let us balance our words with a silence of which we are not afraid; a quietness that yields power and timely effectiveness.

Jesus often withdrew from the crowds and busyness of life. Maybe we should too. Recalibration is important.

‘Has our world SoLD ouT to how we sound and how popular we are?’

Beauty in the

silence silence

Revive 21

review

As a past shepherd of sheep (and now shepherd of people) I think that Debi Bell has captured the heart and meaning of the 23rd Psalm with her own life experience and research insights. Her writing has reminded me that the Lord truly is my Shepherd and I need not want. This is a book I would gladly have beside my bed and read each day, and keep me thinking in ways that would stop me from straying too far from the good Shepherd.

To some the very idea of holiness conjures up a vision of dullness and death, but by striking the right balance, the experience of holiness is one of liveliness and life abundant. In this work, Anita Caldwell, a former guest writer for Words of Life, expresses her joy in attempting to live the life and to teach the truths of holy living that can be found in Scripture and experienced personally.

Using her experience of life and ministry not only in her native United States, but also in Haiti, Russia, Moldova, Georgia and now as corps officer at Waco, Texas, Anita expresses the joy which belongs to living a life of holiness. Her work will prove a blessing, especially to new Christians, but also to any who wonder what is really meant by this concept of holiness. This book will be a boon to individuals, as well as to groups who will find much to discuss within its pages.

The Lord is my Shepherd – ThINk! by Debi Bell

holiness Alive by Anita Caldwell

www.amazon.comAlso available as an ebook at the above address

www.amazon.co.ukAlso available as an ebook at the above address

Major Ralph HargestDIVISIOnAL YOUTH SECRETARY nEw zEALAnD, FIjI AnD TOngA TERRITORY

Beauty in the

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release

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The Salvation Army Year Book 2016 details statistics, addresses, telephone numbers and information relating to programmes run by The Salvation Army worldwide. IT cONTAINS●● Global reports and photos from the 127 countries in which the

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I Thê-sa-lô-ni-ca 2:8, Vietnamese Bible: Easy-to-Read Version (BPT)

Vì quá yêu mến anh chị em nên chúng tôi vui mừng san sẻ không những

Tin Mừng của Thượng Đế mà còn san sẻ chính mình chúng tôi nữa.

Anh chị em đã trở nên thân thiết với chúng tôi.

‘Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.’

I Thessalonians 2:8 (NIVUK)