Free Gas for Your Think Tank — Short Reflections, Lasting Encouragement

William Booth was the founder of The Salvation Army.  He was a man with a passionate love for God and a deep love for humanity.  He died 100 years ago this year.  What would William Booth say to us today — 100 years later?  Perhaps he would say. . .

“A famous quotation from me repeats the words ‘I’ll fight!’  But what was I fighting for and what are you fighting for?  The purpose of our fight is to take and hold territory — to change neighborhoods and cities by changing individual people through Christ’s salvation!  We are The Salvation Army!  We fight to see souls saved — to see people surrender in obedience and holiness to Jesus Christ and then to become fellow soldiers in the salvation fight.”

“We are not just about doing nice things.  We do good things toward an end.  That goal is the salvation of souls.  We dare not help people live a better or more comfortable life here and neglect to warn them of the danger of missing the hereafter!  Yes, love compels us to help people and to show them kindness, but then true love drives us further — it bids us to boldly declare to people that they can be saved from the bitter pains of self-destruction, bondage to sin, and separation from God!  That we must do!  We simply must!  Eternal life is at stake!”

“It’s time to be red-hot!  Not lukewarm!  So sound the alarm!  Wake up Salvationists to your great and mighty calling to be a soldier, not just in a religious or social service organization, but to be a warrior of the living God, hearing His voice and obeying His orders!  March to His beat!”

“My dear wife Catherine presented the first Salvation Army Flag in 1878 to the Coventry Corps in England so that they could use it as a weapon in the spiritual fight for souls. The Blood & Fire Flag was never intended to be used as an ornamentation or decoration for a corps, but as a battle flag on the streets and in open airs around the world. It is not too late to put this glorious banner to work getting the attention of the world and proclaiming the Blood of Jesus and the fire of the Holy Spirit. It’s not too late to fight for souls! So fight the spiritual fight, my comrades, fight! Walk, pray, and show God’s love as you carry the Flag and the spiritual battle to the streets in your neighborhood!”

“You have a powerful way to share the Gospel that I didn’t have — social media.  Use it like we used open airs in my day.  Proclaim the love of Christ.  Call people to repent and turn away from their sins.  But be careful.  Don’t ‘like’ ungodliness, unholiness, and wickedness.  And don’t read it or watch it!  If Salvationists succumb to and/or support social media sin, how can you be a light?  What weak warriors you will be, swept along in a tide of moral collapse.  Don’t go there, comrades!  Instead, use social media to change the world, but don’t let it change you!”

“Cultivate your courage.  You need it.   But don’t wait for courage to fall upon you.  Get up.  Step out.  Take one bold step — even if you feel afraid.  Make your shoes ‘just do it’ and go do something bold with the love for God and man brimming in your heart!”

“Declare war on sin within yourself.  That’s a battle you must win.  Fiercely fight the enemies of your soul — the desire to please people, focus on pleasure, stubborn self-will, self-justification and pride, ensnaring habits, and the allure of a world gone crazy on stuff and sex.  Fight hard to be like Jesus, every day!  Don’t be a brainwashed imitation of the world and its pleasure stuffed media.  Be a Christ-man or a Christ-woman!”

“Urgency!  The greatest human tragedy is happening every day.  Millions are dying without Christ and His salvation.  Rouse yourself to the urgency of so many of your fellow humans in desperate need of warning and rescue!”