Happy New Year? 2013
by Kelly Durant 12-30-12
John 13:16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than
his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that
you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
All the time we have been hearing these past days Happy
Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, but how many people are really
happy? Have you ever thought about that? We say that wanting to be happy but with the world as it is, with all of
its problems and violence it is hard to be happy! Some people sort of smile at
these Happy Holidays words, but the reality is a Christmas or a New Year does
not bring many people happiness as they live with or in conditions that do not
permit them much happiness. We live in a broken world!
The “unhappy” things in our lives come from outside circumstances
or they originate from some people reaping their own consequences but the
bottom line is “unhappiness” is the product of sin. God wants us happy: we have a happy God! Jesus gave us a solution
to cure our unhappiness, by serving others. But the “unhappy” things of life do provoke
stress and pain.
Most of you are affected by harsh words or ugly behaviors from
those in your world and this brings each of us discouragement, frustration, anger,
and depression. Can you identify what prevents you from being more “happy”?
These past days we have seen many new people in the Corps, or people out in the
street, but not very many are very happy, don’t you think?
People that live with unpleasant conditions experience
discouragement day after day and we should show mercy on them and give them
support and love: we as Christian Soldiers should be the first ones in the
world to try and bring happiness to others! Happiness comes back to you from doing
acts of love, kind deeds, saying kind words, and encouraging! Jesus expressed
this in these verses in John. New visitors, new people volunteering, people
picking up toys, everyone needs our non-judgmental unconditional love! If we
are not happier than them then what do we offer?
But what takes away from our happiness often is the
unhappiness of others! Unhappy people often make comments that are not from
God, and their words or actions reveal that they have a jealous heart, a bitter
heart, or a revengeful heart. When
families get together over the holidays quite often the discord and ”unhappy”
comments break loose as one is more wealthy than the other, one has more happy
kids or a better relationship than the other. And here is the worst one, hatred
from someone for you simply because they despise how you love and obey God more
than them. This is the jealousy of Cain. This happens with relatives and it
even happens within all church families no matter the denomination!
The unhappy part is we let people get away with taking away
our happiness! You and I need to change that! Adults and children are the same,
they both know how to get under your skin. Like the little kid we saw these
past days in the store that starts screaming for a toy and crying at the top of
his lungs for his mother to buy it and what usually happens? The mother should
say, okay, we are going straight to the bathroom (which implies time out or a
swat for bad behavior) but instead what happens? The mother gives the kid the
toy just to shut him up! And we ask ourselves what is wrong with our society,
why are kids turning into spoiled murderers when they grow up? We need to
expose manipulation, and rude and proud behaviors that have the motive to get
what they want no matter your pain!
We ended the year with Jesus and we need to start the Jesus! Amen?
This world due to greed, bitterness, and all kinds of sin is very messed up and
very broken right now, and like and old building, it is showing many signs of
needing all kinds of repairs putting our lives in danger. We cannot fix the
world and its corrupt politics, we can’t fix the unconverted, or foul mouth bad
behaving proud relative, but we can make ourselves into a light of happiness
and hope by shining more of Jesus through us! Amen? You can choose to be
superior to them spiritually!
Here is a part of Jesus I would like to review that was
present with us even before he was born.
Mary was happy for all the good that Jesus would bring her and the world
and we should examine what that good includes more often.
Luke 1:46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has
been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on
all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things
for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy
extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has
performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in
their inmost thoughts.
52 He has
brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has
filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has
helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham
and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
For several years and for most of my Christian life I have
prescribed goals for the New Year and good things to aspire for God’s work, but
this year I want to prescribe that you simply need more of Jesus! The humility
of Jesus, what Mary’s song proclaims, is what could cure the sins and
“unhappiness” today.
The problem with what makes us continually unhappy, the sin,
and the pride in ourselves or others, is it almost always not noticed by those
that have it! Have you ever had, or do you have, a proud boss or relative, and
you can see how he or she is destroying the unity and effectiveness in the
company or family by the bad way he/she is handling things? All of us always
see the pride and sin in others, but here is the problem, this person usually
thinks everything is just fine! They see no problem! Like the song that says,
“I once was blind but now I see”; These people think they are so good that it
is so unfair that you and others don’t like them and accept their opinions!?
Proverbs 20:6 Most men will proclaim every one his own
goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
Everyone wants to believe each year will be better but the
sad reality is you and other people will not change for the better on their own
without more of Jesus! No matter even if a serious tragedy happens, people who
are not being humble and obeying God still remain the same or even worse and
more bitter!
How many of you recall 2 years ago when my wife was in the
Palmetto Hospital so they could see why her heart had irregular beats? There
was an elderly Cuban lady in the room next door that had a very vulgar mouth.
They did surgery on her and found that she had too much cancer and they would
not be able to save her so they sewed her back up. Did that lady change and
say, oh I want to make it right with God since I only have a few months to
live? No! She kept on being her same old vulgar self, insulting everyone even
more!
This is an example of the typical human being and each of
here you are no exception, it is a fact
you will keep on being how you are now until the day you die unless you decide
to let God’s word break you and re-make you into a more humble obedient servant.
What verse do we repeat over and over in the church? 2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then
will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
This implies that in order to have God’s blessings in this
coming year, in order to have a “Happy New Year”, and in order to be healed
from all your sin, bitternesses, criticisms, and bad behaviors that are noticed
by all (even though you may not see it) you are going to have to go so we
become more like Jesus!
Never assume you are good just because you are a Christian
and come to church, maybe if you ask Jesus about your inner most self He could
reveal to you where you still have sin, maybe some greed, vanity, pride,
jealousy, and self-evident unhappiness. You and I must desperately humble ourselves,
and if not we will just keep on with more of the same behavior or even getting
worse, living one more year of an “unhappy” life!? Get busy helping, serving,
and loving, as Jesus taught!
So you may think well, if the Captains or pastors and others imply
that some here are “unhappy” and possibly prideful then inside you may ask
well, what is the purpose of being a Christian and doing anything here in the Corps
church anyway if we are considered as bad, not making progress? All I want is for you to have more of God’s
goodness and holiness, and there is great hope and happiness in obeying Jesus
more. A lot of progress has been made, and no matter your age, gender, or time
knowing the Lord, you and I all still have room to improve!
The past weeks we read about John the Baptist being born, and
what did he proclaim about the future effect of Jesus?
Luke 3:5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and
hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the
rough ways shall be made smooth;
The Christmas and New Year season always comes as a reminder
that there are many people that expect a lot of gifts from their family, or
church but often they are not willing to be humble and show others the respect
and love and give gifts to others that they deserve. God and His work is like a
bank, you have to invest in it and Him in order to get a return! How is it
stated? Luke1:53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the
rich away empty. How hungry are you for God’s ways?
All of us need to start this New Year by cleaning up the sin
in ourselves so God can use you in a much more glorious way! I see many of you
like a rough piece of stone that could be made into a beautiful statue, but
instead, year after year you are not like as in Luke 3:5 with “the rough made
smooth”.
In my calculation about one in every 2 people are very unhappy
by their own demise and have given up on their self and their situation
thinking there is no hope! Now that is “unhappy” for real! All you and I need is more of Jesus and his
humility, to be willing to do anything at anytime for our Lord for all the good
and happy things you and I aspire will come back to us!
I am happy serving God! It is a fight though! Over time some
people will insult you, mock you, reject you, say you do it for personal
interest and stab you in the back, but I have not let these people take away my
happiness in God yet! Sure, my wife and I suffer at times, yes we even cry over
seeing or experiencing cruelty done to others or ourselves, but because we have
Jesus we have peace! Do you have this supernatural peace and happiness? It is a
choice! Accept it from God! Happy New Year for real! Be humble and God will
exalt you for serving Him!
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