Woody's Words

LIVING THE KINGDOM LIFESTYLE Part 3 A LETTER FROM PETER - 4:12-16 Suffering for Being a Christian 12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. 15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!  (1 Peter 4:12-16) We need to keep in mind that these are not Jewish people, used to being persecuted, taken into slavery and discriminated against, to whom Pe...

Session 6 - A priceless lifestyle By David Woodbury Sometimes, as Christians, we find it difficult to sort out the priorities of our spiritual journey. In everyday life, we find competing distractions and we have to prioritise many things. The same is true in our spiritual journey. As we seek to be diligent about this we often find that many facets vie for our attention. Combine these with the challenges of everyday living and we may well find ourselves with a dilemma that can drain both our human and spiritual resources. In pursuing the kingdom lifestyle we find help in a predetermined  priority as outlined by Jesus in his teaching in Matthew 6:33; But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. [1] The priority of the kingdom lifestyle Jesus was well aware that life will always contain challenges and that citizenship in the kingdom of God would need an unambiguous focus. Living a kingdom life does not shield ...

Introductory  Notes - Keys to the Kingdom Over the next few weeks a new personal/group study series, entitled Keys to the kingdom, will be posted.  It can be used as a personal devotional experience or as a group study activity and comprises a six session discipleship course. As a group activity it is specifically designed so that it requires a minimum of preparation from the leader/presenter. A leader’s notes sheet will give a leader a comprehensive direction and is backed up by PDF documents for participants that simply needs to be printed out, double sided landscape on A4 paper. Click on or paste the following link to view a Youtube promotional video: https://youtu.be/JZRlDPnC8wM On each of the posts you will find links to: YouTube video clip. leaders notes full text for each lesson including personal worksheets group participants worksheet questions PowerPoint display (The PowerPo...

LIVING THE KINGDOM LIFESTYLE part 2 A LETTER FROM PETER - 1 Peter 4:4-11 4 Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you. 5 But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead. 6 That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead—so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit. (1 Peter 4:4-6 - NLT) Peter is aware of the tall poppy syndrome that will rear its ugly head once those with this new Christian community start to evidence the changed life. Former friends will probably have great delight in reminding us of our more irresponsible and sinful behaviour. What we need to keep firmly focussed on is our citizenship and status now, as a citizen of the new holy nation with a new standing with God, and new values and a c...

LIVING THE KINGDOM LIFESTYLE Part 3 A LETTER FROM PETER - 4:12-16 Suffering for Being a Christian 12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. 15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!  (1 Peter 4:12-16 - NLT) We need to keep in mind that these are not Jewish people to whom Peter is writing, used to being persecuted, taken into slavery and d...

LIVING THE KINGDOM LIFESTYLE Part 1 A LETTER FROM PETER -  4:1-3 Living for God So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. 2 You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. 3 You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. (1 Peter 4:1-3 - NLT) Peter has developed his blueprint for the new Christian community and in 2:9-10 he has outlined God’s exciting and grand plan for His new, holy nation. Peter has gone on to flesh out behaviour norms for the citizens of this holy nation and what the kingdom lifestyle will look like. He has looked at domestic, fellowship and external relationships...

IS THE SALVATION ARMY FACING AN IDENTITY CRISIS? By David Woodbury General Brian Peddle There has been quite some discussion on the place of soldiership in the contemporary Salvation Army. However, it may well be that the discussion is a symptom of a deeper malaise. On the subject of soldiership Colonel Laurie Robertson spoke with General Brian Peddle during his visit to Australia: ”there has been a view expressed in our Other’s magazine by someone: Let’s lower it to just being a Christian.”   The General’s reply was in the least, highly definitive: “I’m not on that page, I’d lift it, I’d make it something quite significant for our young people. Young people who want to identify with something worth living for, or even dying for; it’s a cause, it’s a calling. If God’s calling me to that, don’t dumb it down,” The reference was to an article by Captain Peter Hobbs in Others , July 2018. I would want to affirm Peter for his enthusiasm, commitment, and...

DEFENDING OUR FAITH A LETTER FROM PETER Chapter 3 – part 4 Suffering for Doing Good 13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 17 Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! ( 1 Peter  3:13-17 – NLT) Eager to do good Peter zeroes in on one of the primary targets of the kingdom lifestyle, the desire to do good. There are times when we do the right thing because it is the right thing...