God Is Steadfast and He Is Present
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WAROfficial Publication of The Salvation Army Southern Africa Territory ~ R5.00 ~ 138thCRY Year ~ Issue No 5867 ~ February 2021 Faith eHop Love but the greatest of the s e is love Founder William Booth General Message from the Editor General Brian Peddle Territorial Commander Colonel Daniel Kasuso AND THE GREATEST OF THESE International Headquarters IS LOVE ~ 1 CORINTHIANS 13 101 Queen Victoria Street, Going back many, many eat, the abused child, the teenager threatening suicide, the London EC4P 4GP England years I can clearly remember seven year old boy experiencing mental health Territorial Headquarters running around on the challenges. At a time such as this, especially during these playground with my friends unprecedented times the urgent call for you and I to be 1 119 - 121 Rissik Street, with total excitement at the Corinthians 13:1-10;13 ambassadors of love is more now Johannesburg 2001 upcoming “valentine’s day” than ever. Captain school event singing the We live in a world where love is often compromised from Editor Juanita Wright rhyme “Love is a pain no the materialistic portrayal of love –If you love me prove it Captain Juanita Wright doctor can explain, it tickles by buying me a gift or love being likened to “candy Editorial Office the heart and affects the brain!” Not to mention the store”. picking of the sunflower kind of flower, walking around Love is the greatest gift, and we have a Godly mandate to P.O. Box 1018 whilst removing the petals one at a time saying …He share and show the true meaning of Godly, Agape love to Johannesburg 2000 loves me, He loves me not. others. Reflecting on the theme of this first edition of the War (Agape love is that it extends beyond emotions. It's much more Tel:. (011) 718-6700 Cry for 2021 themed “The greatest of these is love” from than a feeling or sentiment. Agape love is active. It demonstrates 1 Corinthians 13:13. As we read Paul's description of love through actions) - https://www.learnreligions.com/agape- Fax: (011) 718-6790 love-in-the-bible-700675 love, it becomes clear that he is not talking about a warm E-mail: SAFEditorial fuzzy feeling but rather an intentional and conscious I love the way the Message Translation emphasizes “The @saf.salvationarmy.org decision to love others. way of love- 1 Cor 13:1-10;13 I am very relieved and thankful that my silly www.salvationarmy.org.za interpretation of what I as a 9 year old understood love to The Way of Love Design, Print & Distribution be came to an end. What mainly contributed to my new 13 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but found appreciation of love was when I accepted Jesus as don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. Dyman Print, my Lord and Saviour. Jesus loves me! No strings 2 If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries [email protected] attached, no need to earn it or work it out, Jesus loves me! and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says My realization that nothing could separate me from God's to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm Annual Subscription Rates love, was so unreal. Me, a sinner and yet there was nothing. nothing I would ever do that could separate me from Local: R70 3-7 God’s love. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake International: R100 I Corinthians 13 speaks about having the gift of love as to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. the greatest, for without love, what are we? Nothing. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm Subscription to bankrupt without love. We live in a world where love is often compromised from The Financial Secretary Love never gives up. the materialistic portrayal of love –If you love me prove it Love cares more for others than for self. P.O. Box 1018 by buying me a gift or love being likened to “candy Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Johannesburg 2000 store”. Love doesn't strut, Love is the greatest gift, and we have a Godly mandate to Doesn't have a swelled head, Published bi-monthly share and show the true meaning of this love to others, as Doesn't force itself on others, we read in I Corinthians 13. Isn't always “me first,” The Territorial Commander, Colonel Daniel Kasuso Doesn't fly off the handle, FIND OUR FACEBOOK, reminds us that in order to experience new beginnings we Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, TWITTER AND SMS have to let go of the past. New beginnings provide us with Doesn't revel when others grovel, the opportunities to laugh again, forgive again and to love Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, HANDLES: Puts up with anything, again. Trusts God always, Facebook: War Cry Southern We hear from Major A. Shekwa as he encourages us Always looks for the best, Africa about the “Greatest Gift” and how God daily extends His Never looks back, love towards us, all we need to do is to accept it. But keeps going to the end. Twitter: SalvosRSA We also see how the Western Cape Division Disaster 8-10 Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; SMS Line: 42290 reference help volunteer team, alongside the Divisional leadership, praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. Cost R30 no free steps out to share in selfless acts of love by serving & We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about SMS’s apply ministering to the vulnerable in their time of greatest God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. need. 13 Without having to look far, we live in communities where But for right now, until that completeness, we have three MISSION STATEMENT OF love is often compromised and cheapened to the degree things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust THE SALVATION ARMY steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And of “easy love”. Yet we see a world in desperate need of the best of the three is love. agape love…, the homeless man asking for something to The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Subscription - would you like to subscribe to the War Cry? Christian Church. Its message is Fill in the form below. Send your application to the Annual Subscription Rates: based on the Bible. Its ministry is Local: R70; International: R100 motivated by love for God. Its Editor via E-mail or post to the THQ address and mission is to preach the gospel of you will receive your exciting issue bi-monthly. Subscription banking detail: Jesus Christ and to meet human The Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, NAME AND SURNAME: FNB General Maintenance Fund, needs in His name without Acc No 50540087589, Branch Code: 251905 discrimination. Reference: Name, surname and War Cry TELEPHONE NUMBER: E-mail: [email protected] ADDRESS: or P.O. Box 1018, Johannesburg 2000 For more information Graphic page 4 and 10 © www.freepik.com; contact the Editorial Office: 011 718 6700 © FAVPNG; cover: © dreamstime.com E-MAIL: 2 THE WAR CRY Message from the General WELCOME TO 2021 ! I can almost hear the echo resonating around the Hebrews 11:1 says: ‘Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and world: ‘Well, it’s about time! I’m happy to say certain of what do not see.’ This verse, in fact the whole chapter, is a “farewell” to 2020!' testament to God’s impeccable faithfulness to his people. By faith we engage with God – the God of the impossible – as we become a part of his story. From my vantage point, despite the challenges, chaos, uncertainty General These past months have been gruelling and Brian Peddle uncertain for some, filled with unimaginable and much doubt, I still stand and I ‘raise my Ebenezer’. human pain that, at times, was simply overwhelming. My prayers have been constant, I pray for the courage and faith that we find in the story of the Israelites and throughout I have placed my faith in three realities: who, when facing their worst enemy, the Philistines, turned to Samuel and, ultimately, to God; and God acted on their behalf – the enemy was First of all, that I know Jesus Christ died for my sins. I also know that he destroyed. The victory on that occasion was marked by a memorial stone. rose from the grave. And I know he is coming again. In the Scriptures we understand that the stone was named Ebenezer – and it represented the simple truth: ‘so far the Lord has helped us’. So when there were moments that were dark, seemingly dismal, and the way was not clear, I have repeated these words of comfort in my own I am very privileged to lead an international Salvation Army, but let it be heart: the Cross, the tomb, the sky. I have been able to say to myself: God known that I only rest when I acknowledge that our God – a God who is is steadfast and he is present. faithful, a God who acts on our behalf – has the Army in his hands. So far he has helped us, carried us on eagle’s wings, sheltered us under the For as long as I can remember, I have always welcomed the new year – shadow of the Almighty, shielded us by his power and, best of all, assured loving its unwritten pages, anticipating the ‘impossible’ and doing so us we can be more than conquerors.