26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
34 Women[f] should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.[g]
36 Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38 But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.[h]
39 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
One of my favourite prayer choruses is ‘Prayer gently lifts me’ and the words to this simple chorus are displayed in the video
13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Not so long ago The Salvation Army released music of the same title of today’s blog to which they put the words of a well known hymn.
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Herbert Howard Booth was the fifth of William and Catherine Booth‘s eight children. Born in 1862, he was in his mid-teens when the Christian Mission started by his parents in the East End of London was transformed into the Salvation Army. Herbert, like his siblings, was thrown into the thick of the battles which raged around the new movement. At the age of 22, after two turbulent years helping his older sister Kate set up operations in France, he was put in charge of cadet officer training in England.
Song Writing
Herbert wrote many songs that are sung by Salvationists around the world. He was a gifted musician, a key skill in an organisation so immersed in music. He also organised large spectaculars, such as the annual anniversary celebration at the Crystal Palace in London, where attendances at times reached 70,000 and Salvation Army massed bands and songster brigades (choirs) performed under Herbert’s baton. Ever looking for new ways to communicate with audiences, he pioneered the use of the magic lantern by the Salvation Army in England.
Officer Service
After becoming ill in 1886, Herbert Booth was sent on a long sea voyage to recuperate. He visited Australia and saw first hand the innovations that the Army were making under James Barker. He forged a sentimental link with the country and while resting in a mining town in Western Australia found a gold nugget that he had made into a ring for his future wife Cornelie Schoch, a Dutch Salvationist.
When only 26 Herbert took command of all Army operations in the British Isles. However, in 1892 conflict with his bureaucratic older brother Bramwell, his superior as the Chief of the Staff, led to his departure from England once again. For four years, Herbert, with the personal title of ‘Commandant’, lead the Salvation Army in Canada. Then in 1896, at the age of 34, he was appointed to take over the Australasian Territory. It proved a good move on two counts. It placed him several thousand more miles from Bramwell and on his arrival he found a flourishing Limelight Department operating under Joe Perry. Unlike his predecessor Thomas Coombs, Herbert involved himself personally in the Department’s activities. However, Herbert continued to suffer severe health problems. Letters from his father refer to Herbert’s “terrible depressions”, and his periods of intense, almost feverish activity were invariably followed by slumps in health and spirit.
Herbert confirmed his enthusiasm for the magic lantern by quickly authorising a major expansion of personnel and equipment for the Limelight Department. More importantly, moving pictures, a new invention, was astonishing Melbourne at this time and Herbert immediately instructed Joe Perry to buy the equipment and build the facilities to get the Department into this new medium. By late 1897, the first “actualities” were made, and by May the following year, Australia’s first fictional narrative film was produced.
By late 1898, Herbert, together with Perry, had put together Social Salvation, a two and a half hour multimedia presentation, which used films, slides and music to depict the social work of the Army in Australasia. He updated and presented this production throughout the remainder of his command here. Cornelie also became an enthusiast and often travelled around Australia presenting her own lectures, including “The Slums Of The Great Cities”, illustrated with hand coloured slides made at the Salvation Army studios.
Relationship Breakdown
In February 1899, General William Booth made his third visit to Australia. Herbert, whose relations with Bramwell had gone from bad to worse, hoped that some close contact with his father might help heal his rift with London. It didn’t. The old man had total confidence in Bramwell and left Herbert and Cornelie “utterly dispirited and broken-hearted.” To help shake off the depression, Herbert threw himself into a period of frenetic activity. Seventy projects were launched to celebrate his father’s seventieth birthday. One of these was the building of a new large officer training garrison at Victoria Parade, East Melbourne. To enlist trainees, Herbert produced a recruiting show that featured stories of early christian martyrs. Soldiers of the Cross, written and directed by Herbert, with Joe Perry as cinematographer, premiered at the Melbourne Town Hall on 13 September, 1900.
Early in 1901, the strain on Herbert from his deteriorating relations with his father and Bramwell became intolerable. At first he decided he needed a complete break from high command, but while resting in a Salvation Army property on the Collie River in Western Australia, he decided to leave the organisation. He was not the first Booth to resign and so he knew this would mean ostracism from the family. Nevertheless, he decided to go, but wanted to take Soldiers of the Cross with him. Negotiations with Bramwell were drawn out, but in the end, it was agreed that payment would be the transfer to the Salvation Army of the copyright to all the songs he had written during his early years with the Salvation Army. Herbert and Cornelie sailed for San Francisco, and a new life, in August 1902.
44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among[a] themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
The Bible has several references on the subject of Forgiveness. One of them being the above and I suppose one of the most common ones.
As humans for some of us the act of forgiveness is not easy, we can indeed find it very hard to forgive someone how has done wrong by us or upset us in some way.
Jesus speaks of a woman washing his feet with her tears and hair, he also mentions that she anointed his feet with ointment and because of this her sins were forgiven .
Let us learn to be as forgiving as humanly possible throughout the whole year. Forgiveness is not a something that comes easy to some people, these people need to find that inner strength from the Lord.
God forgive me for my many sins Ease my troubled mind place of peace within Guide my feet so I can walk with Thee And if I hurt someone along the way God please forgive me If my hands can help a small child’s pain then let it be And if my eyes can find a trouble heart then let them see Guide my lips to say the words to help all those who fear Let me show the lost and lonely that God’s love is near God forgive me if I go astray If things I do go wrong if I loose my way I know I’ll find you in the darkest night I’ll feel your love and I’ll see your guiding light So if I go astray if I should loose my way In every prayer I’ll say God please forgive me
1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.
Written by Dean Goffin it depicts William Holman Hunts scene of Jesus stand outside a door with a handle and he wishes to enter. The door in the picture which is believed in St Paul Cathedral in London represents the door to your heart,
For the director of music. To the tune of ‘The Death of the Son’. A psalm of David.
1 I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
3 My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you. 4 For you have upheld my right and my cause, sitting enthroned as the righteous judge. 5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever. 6 Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies, you have uprooted their cities; even the memory of them has perished.
7 The Lord reigns for ever; he has established his throne for judgment. 8 He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. 9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done. 12 For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.
13 Lord, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, 14 that I may declare your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion, and there rejoice in your salvation.
15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. 16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.[c] 17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God. 18 But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.
19 Arise, Lord, do not let mortals triumph; let the nations be judged in your presence. 20 Strike them with terror, Lord; let the nations know they are only mortal.
Christian Devotions, Health and General issues of the day 