Love is…Loving God and Enjoying Him!

Love is…Loving God and Enjoying Him! Are you preparing yourself to love and serve those in need!                             Kelly Durant   2-20-2011
Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul
What is Love?  The dictionary defines love as: a deep and tender feeling of affection for or attachment or devotion to a person or persons. I think we should add to God, or the person of Jesus Christ to this definition. Love is expressed in many ways, even in art.

I am not sure if you have seen this famous painting? The story behind it is back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children. Eighteen! In order merely to keep food on the table for this mob, the father and head of the household, a goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood.

Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of Albrecht Durer the Elder's children had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy of Art.

After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy, either with sales of his artwork or, if necessary, also by laboring in the mines.

They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg.

Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation. Albrecht's etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils were far better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works.

When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht's triumphant homecoming. After a long and memorable meal, punctuated with music and laughter, Albrecht rose from his honored position at the head of the table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His closing words were, "And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will take care of you."

All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table where Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over and over, "No ...no ...no ...no."

Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He glanced down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding his hands close to his right cheek, he said softly, "No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look, look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother ... for me it is too late." For love and gratitude this paining has been famous for more than 450 years. These are the battered hands of the brother who never got to fulfill his dream!
In theology, there are certain doctrines. We learned that at the Westminster Seminary, which the Salvation Army respects, that it was determined in 1647 a principle.  What is the chief end of man? Or rephrased, what is your ultimate purpose while you live on earth?
It is easy to say, we all know it is to love God and our neighbor as our self, but how can we define how we will do this a little better?

Doctrine: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. Romans 11:36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! God made all creation for us to enjoy!
How are you glorifying God do you really enjoy God?...
Glorifying and enjoying God is not limited to the church as the society would have you believe. Some people expect the church, or the preacher, or Captains, to be the ones providing the entertainment and enjoyment. Too many churches are in the entertainment business today!
And the mega churches and mega TV shows of today have become elaborate entertainment systems comparable to any concert of any great performer. Sometimes these events with thousands are good but they are not the foundation for obtaining maturity, serving God, or connecting with others in love.
You personally glorifying God implies a lot more than you getting enjoyment out of a message or music show in a setting where personal friendships, and a real connection of love with another brother or sister is not the situation.
Love for God and others is a devotion you are practicing at home and you then you bring it to the Corps for all of us to share it together! If you come to get inspiration that is selfish and you may get disillusioned, as mature Christians you should come to give the love! Like one couple one time that in a Corp that were being distant and critical. One Sunday they said, we didn’t feel the spirit today. I replied well, a few dozen people told me that they did feel it, a few dozen prayed, so I can only assume it is the spirit not with you because you came predisposed to not feel it!
For me to enjoy and love God is to serve Him and see lives changed! Last Thursday afternoon, Regina, gave a sermon to the people who get food while they were waiting out in the hot sun, and many got convicted and about 100 repeated the sinners prayer with her! I was excited inside! I really get pleasure from seeing other people being touched by the Holy Spirit, don’t you? You know they are feeling God’s love, the best feeling in the world!

Loving God together is like when we give out the food, those of us who give in out feel as much happiness as those that receive. Love is filling a need. Why do 1 million soldiers and 2 more million volunteers choose to serve others through the Salvation Army? Because it is the most fulfilling way to love and enjoy God there is!

And I want to tell you some of you have been missing out on the blessings you could be getting but you are not present when good things were happening!
Have you ever thought about what is on your resume for God? If you are to glorify Him and enjoy Him, how do you do that? What do you study and how intensely? What is your experience? How many hours do you invest telling others about God and his love? Did you mention anything to anyone last week about your love for God? Are you studying God’s word? How many minutes a day?
If I were to ask you, show me what preparation have you done in the past 5 years to help others understand more about God and His love what could you show? Do you really have much to show for how you love and glorify God?
But on your resume of things you are learning for God’s glory some of you could show me few weekends of leadership training. (And I hope many of you go to the one coming up in March) Some could show me your notes from your Bible studies, Others of you could show me a few more proofs, but the reality is some of you are behind in knowing as much as you should on how to love others with the gospel.
What does your Love for God resume look like? I don’t expect you to have all of what I have here, these things I have learned after 3 decades but this could given you be something to think about from my example.

Bible: Read it several dozen times, and many the commentaries.

Sermons: Heard and read many hundreds

Praise: Learned a few hundred songs, in English and Spanish

Theology: SFOT Salvation Army College, (w/Trevecca Nazarene College)

Disaster Services: Certified for Critical Incident Stress Management, and Ministry support, Certified DUI instructor

Evangelism trainer: The SA National Seminar, and 14 years evangelistic experience in South America.

ESOL Teacher, Guitar teacher, private tutor

American Sign Language: ASL, worked in the deaf community teaching the Bible and completed a courses to work with the deaf-blind from the Hellen Keller Institute.

I lived in 5 different countries, and learned 3 additional languages.

Do you know why I learned all of these things? Because God put me into situations that I had to learn these things: it was either swim or sink!

I had to let God remake everything about me so I could acquire the ability to have a sincere interest in loving people in order to minister to them because that is what God commanded me to do! I started with a blank paper signed and later God filed it in!
But how can you love people unless you learn about their specific needs, understand their language and culture, and actually do hands on experience serving them? I am asking you…how much do you really know and do?
How much does God expect you to know? The situation is He is always waiting on you, waiting on you to decide to love more, to become more mature and to be more willing to be remade into something useful so he can bless and love you more!
Think of church like a bank, you can only withdraw what you put in! All of us need to put our hearts into doing more with God to show our love for Him.
You could also show up not to work, but just to read in the library or pray in the chapel, or practice music and sing praising God, or dance like Jimmy. Most of you are not taking advantage of the resources that are yours here always.  

God can show you what you need. James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Love for God and others will cause you to work hard at improving your resume knowledge and experience for him, about how to serve others in His creation, about how to love others into His Kingdom! It starts with you, then the connections in the church, then connections with the whole world around us! God will take you far with His love, you just need to be willing to go there.

Thankfulness: Show It To God and Others!

Thankfulness: Show It To God and Others!            11-24-13    Kelly Durant

I Thess.5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

2. When we have our mouth is full of thankfulness to the Lord there is no room left to complain! Thankfulness is an attitude we must choose when we wake up!

There was a man that complained that he didn’t have any shoes, until later that day he met a man on the street with no feet and he was happier than him! We have heard that story… but we really need to meditate on it! Are we thankful?

Thanksgiving Day has morphed into a dinner feast and a time with family and friends, or to visit and serve in the homeless shelter. This is enjoyable, but the original intent was to thank God for the fall harvest and for the stored food to be able to survive the winter! God saved our great-great-grandparents from death!

3. Here is a review of the first story of Thanksgiving in one paragraph…

In 1614 the European Pilgrim immigrants colonizing in this country almost died of hunger but due to the generosity of the Native Americans (Indians) they survived. God touched their hearts to feast, make peace and share food before winter. In gratitude to God for and others for this, this became a habitual fall harvest thankfulness event.

Pres. Abraham Lincoln in 1863 made it an official National Holiday so everyone would get time to share with their families and be thankful for the goodness of God and appreciate others! And I would add, we should be thankful for the example of the Tribes and Pilgrims as this was love without discrimination!

4. In the Bible we have many instances of people who had thankfulness. One was Mary Magdalene, the prostitute that had a near death experience by stoning, and we discover in the Bible that in thankful gratitude she followed our Lord unconditionally and ministered to him.   

Mark 15:40-41

40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs.

She, and others, had great thankfulness! Anyone who follows Jesus and serves others shows an active thankfulness! They are humble servants that are thankful to be alive and have one more day to live knowing that we are not guaranteed tomorrow.

5. And what about the thankful leper?  Lk17: 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

Imagine, leprosy, one of the most horrible diseases on earth and only 1 came back?! How many of you think you know what Jesus felt then? Of course Jesus and you and I have thankfulness for the one, but what a frustration that there were 9 others who did not express their thankfulness! Just like people today!

6. How many of you have done things for others, things that cost you time and money, and then they don’t even take time as much to say thank you!? All that was sacrificed and done in love, and then no gratitude!? It can make you furious!

How many of you have ever sacrificed your time to help someone find a job and then they don’t want it? Or you went to the hospital, or took them food and soon they forget about you? Let’s look at the positive side, Jesus made it known that the average of 1 in 10 being thankful still makes the effort worthwhile, right?

But the sad reality of the world is that there are very few thankful people! Even in the churches there is only an average of about 1 in 10 really that are ever thankful enough to become responsible leaders to do the real work needed to make the church run as a shining light to the community! May God bless the faithful 10%!

7. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Many believers and non-believers are guilty of not obeying this command!

Unthankfulness, or not appreciating the investment of God and others in your life is a sin! Unthankful people always end up complaining, and they without giving to others, seem to always be expecting to reap benefits and rewards that they do not deserve.  Since these types are not happy with anything, we can conclude that maybe God doesn’t feel like giving them anything more! People unthankful to God live under the curse of poverty, material and spiritually!

Complainers have an attitude of ingratitude and they never are satisfied with what they gain in the way of wealth or position; they are self-centered and never reach happiness because happiness only results from having a grateful heart!

The spiritually immature conclude that God, or other people, “owe” them something since they have “less” than others. The typical attitude of the worldly carnally minded types is that society, the government, God, the Salvation Army, the Captains, the pastors, their family or relatives ALL owe them something in life.

8. As Christians it is our job to teach others to be thankful! Colossians 3:17

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Listen how God despises complainers who are ungrateful.    1 Cor 10:10

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

God despises the unthankful and ungrateful! This verse refers to how God let 6 million unthankful Hebrews, who were freed from the slavery of Egypt, die in the desert because they were not thankful; they became complainers! Don’t ever let yourself or a friend get an unthankful complainy attitude or their will be consequences!

They complained about Moses, God’s servant, and complained about the food and everything, so God let them all wander 40 years in the desert until all of that older generation died and only the younger ones entered in the Promised Land!

9. Do you know of someone in a desert in their life going in circles? It could be because they will not be thankful to God and others for the good they have!

Serving people who usually are ungrateful is not very rewarding in this life, but wouldn’t you rather have your thanks, praise, and rewards in heaven than here on earth anyway? When people complain and don’t appreciate things and want more they feel dry in their spirit, it’s not your, nor the Corps nor Captain’s fault, it’s their own fault for not being thankful and doing something good for others!

If you and I truly mean it when we say we are thankful to God for all of what He does through the church Corps and others then we should be showing it by giving service back to Him. God desires and needs our gratitude, loyalty, love, time & devotion to Him!

10. Getting a gift does not imply we have an obligation to return thanks but we should obey what is here: Romans 13:8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loves another hath fulfilled the law. We must ask God for discernment to be wise to as much as possible, to always help the needy, not the greedy. Thankfulness is shown by love, and love will do random acts of kindness!

Several times when I have rang the bell and I saw some old men, maybe in their late 70s or 80’s put in a $100 bill and say ‘they support the Salvation Army!’, I always asked why, and many have replied, ‘well you gave me a coffee and a donut when I didn’t have a penny in WWII’.  Giving back is gratefulness! People who survive wars, sickness, and tragedy usually know about gratefulness!

As Christians our first response to someone sharing with us their time, talent, or treasure should be one of thankfulness and we should pay it forward somehow!

There are many more of you I should praise in front of everyone and we will do that over an appreciation meeting sometime soon, but I want people to know I am thankful for each leader here and I appreciate what you do for God’s work!

11. People with grateful hearts just give and serve and they don’t measure what they give, nor do they care about others seeing what they give!

As Christians, most of all we are thankful that our sins are forgiven and that Jesus paid for them on the cross, and we are thankful for the ones who shared with us the gospel in love to convert our hearts! Right? We return the favor by loving and obeying Jesus!

In many cultures culture, if someone saves your life then you must become a volunteer slave of them to serve them until you die.  I am a slave to Jesus in gratitude until I die!  And you?

And for dying on the cross Jesus did not just want us to just say, ‘oh, thank you very much Jesus’, and then keep on living as we please, He wanted us to show our gratitude by changing our lives totally and by obeying His commandments to love God and others and to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), and to “deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow Him!” Christians started Thanksgiving Day so celebrate it appropriately!

Have you been ungrateful or complainy lately? Have you been helped and not properly shown thanks? Do you have enough thankfulness in you to serve God like Mary Magdalene, and do you honor Our Lord like the one healed leper? Holy people are grateful people! Grateful ones get God’s rewards, but ungrateful ones get lost in the desert without the obtaining God’s promises and His blessings!  Choose thankfulness today and live! Celebrate Thanks and giving with God, amen!

St. Francis And William Booth’s Effective Practices

St. Francis And William Booth’s Effective Practices                  by Kelly Durant   11-17-13

Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

2. How many of you like non-conformists? These are people with fresh new ideas, leaders who having experienced the ineffective old established systems and in frustration decided to be strong enough to expose the dysfunctions by doing something about them? What do iconic figures do that leaves an impression so deep it lasts for centuries?  For one, they do not accept the routine broken system that has no inspiration or life in it but instead they create new means and methods. Then they went out to start a new wave of enthusiasm! True revolutionaries of God motivate their followers to win souls to Christ as a means to bring about a positive change in the debauched, corrupted institutions and authorities in the community! 

Jesus took on the status quo! Jesus impact, his life, death, and resurrection put into effect a radical change in society so much so that after a few hundred years Rome’s corruption and false worship of gods collapsed under Christianity. Jesus first message, the Sermon on the Mount, is a radical guide on how to live out God’s values which are diametrically opposite to the values of proud hypocritical abusive average people following the authorities in power.

When you and I love Jesus, I think we also love all the other radical men of God who bring about positive changes as He did, don’t you agree? Jesus is my and your first love, and all of us who have accepted Him will always recall our first impressions of learning His Word and experiencing the internal change of heart and mind and attitude. But despite our internal change, each of us need to see how Jesus love works through the lives of leaders who were effective to better understand how to put into practice what He taught.

3. Before I became enthusiastic about William Booth ( studied about his life), I was an admirer of historical iconoclasts such as Martin Luther, and St Francis of Assisi. Since Francis is recognized by the Catholic Church it may seem strange that this admiration would come from me being an evangelical, right? But I think all of us should remain open to honor those to whom honor is due regardless of their affiliation. After all, there was no Salvation Army in the 1100’s! Francis was The Salvation Army for those of his day!

The current Pope has his identity in St. Francis and they are calling his influence of modest austerity the Francis Effect. Considering multimillions are influenced by him, it is important to tune into what others are being influenced by.  It is important that every Christian become more educated by what influences are taking place in all groups with power and influence.

In his time period Francis of Assisi was considered an unpopular crazy revolutionary by the Catholic Church and considered a nobody outcast, but when they started losing a lot of followers to him, they had to reconsider his effect. Very soon the church wised up and quickly included him as a saint so that the common people would think good of the church for their acceptance of him because he defended the plight of the poor.   

4. After I studied about the life of St. Francis about 40 years ago, his life’s accomplishments helped me realize how my service in Christianity could be improved with even more self-sacrifice and giving to the poor. The more I learned about him the more I realized that joy and happiness comes from being a real Christian that serves the poorest of the poor and the worst of the worst.

My wife knows we spent many hours and years of our lives on the phone asking for food and clothing donations in South America and then we would go in a taxi and pick them up. For example, a 50 pound bag of something and deliver it to a local orphanage. What motivated us to spend our time on these things? It is because Jesus changed our lives! 

Everyone to keep the change alive and real needs to be active, serving, loving, praying, encouraging, and being a channel for the Lord’s work of love and salvation to flow!

5. Does anyone recall the old movie of the life of Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth by Franco Zeffirelli? The same producer also made a movie that was a hit in Bolivia (and around the world) called, Brother Sun and Sister Moon about the life of St. Francis, did any of you see that movie?

Francis returns wounded and disillusioned from a war and while healing in bed he discovers God’s beauty in nature and the need to serve the suffering people and he decides to dedicate his life in service as a monk. His father, being a wealthy man running a sweat shop of several hundred people who dyed clothing, did not want any part of his spirituality and he had raging fits over his son’s strange dedication to God and not to making money.

The day came that Francis knew he had to leave town and start a work with the poor. His father was cruel to mock him so in front of the town’s people one day he gave away all the clothes of the store of his father (since his father was rich by exploiting the poor) and then he shockingly took off his clothes and returned them to his father and said, here take back what is yours that you lent me. He began his devotion to help the poor and he rebuilt an abandoned church and it quickly filled up with followers much like a homeless shelter today. He was loved by all!

6. Why did he have such an impact? Because he rescued the Church system from totally collapsing! Scandals had plagued the Catholic Church in the 11th Century including despicable sexual activity along with the exploitation of the poor by phony doctrines and indulgences which permitted the clergy leaders to fleece others so they could live shamefully lavish lifestyles.

Compassion and love for the poor was absent so for Francis to give the example of taking from the rich (as he did from his father) and giving to the poor was an example of what would resonate with the people and become a model for Christianity;  one of including the ministries of showing mercy on the poor. Jesus commanded to “do unto others” so, how is it the church neglected it? The first Christians shared as every man had need in Acts 2:44-45

Christian leaders in his day had perverted the religion of Christianity into a corrupt business and they sold so called antique relics and indulgences so you could pay for a prayer for a family member’s soul to get out of hell?  Corruption, power, and politics, were manipulated in order for a person to secure their salvation. The church, not Jesus, determined who was saved?!

These postures led people to distrust the church, and by association, the gospel itself!  In response, Francis began a movement that restored people’s love for the person and message of Jesus. This gave people reason to trust the church again, bringing a revival in Europe which lasted more than 500 years. In an old Time magazine (need to find edition) Francis even ranked 9th on the list of the most important influential people of the last millennia!

7. What do I bring up the past? Because corruption is multiplying today in the church and within all authorities in power! God’s formula is always the same: Christians must live out the example of the life of Jesus Christ in order to bring a reverse change converting others to Him. Take note of these 5 points that were practiced by Francis de Assisi and William Booth which serve as an example to us today. How much do you practice them?

1. Extravagant Love for the Poor

Their followers were renowned for doing something radical to alleviate the suffering of the poor. They were willing to step into their world of suffering and serve and help them. This simple mission silenced the critics. After all, the higher ups did not want to get dirty doing the job of ministering to the derelicts, homeless, and alcoholics.

When it comes to materialistic lifestyles, Christians and non-Christians live about the same these days (in the USA), yet some have become extreme in their wealth. Jesus said in Matthew 8:20 Jesus answered him, “Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lie down and rest. Francis says, “It is faster to get to heaven from a hut than a palace.” Booth and his Salvation Army usually lived right there in the same poor neighborhoods where they ministered, and this system continues in most places in the entire world today! 

8. 2. Peacemaking

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

William Booth preached an all-inclusive love that brought in peace between the rich and the poor, between the haves and the have-nots and between ideologies.  It seems ironic but declaring war on sin and marching into battle to free souls from hell brings the results of peace and well-being to the every person in the community. It is the Holy Spirit’s work in the hearts of men and where God’s presence is, peace multiplies.

Francis taught non-violence. He traveled to Egypt hoping to forge a truce between the Christian Crusaders and the Muslims. Francis refused to bear arms and it was a condition for obtaining membership in his Order. If peace is taught and expected, then peace results are the outcome.

You and I do want the gospel heard in a culture that is increasingly cynical towards it, so we must always approach others in peace.  We must make peacemaking a priority at home and practice it with everyone we come in contact with.

9. 3. Love for Creation

I am not sure if you can imagine the smelly muddy streets of East London in the 1800’s but practically the entire city was a depressing hell hole! Many of our U.S. cities have become like this as well. It was a time where drunken sailors, prostitutes, and Jack-the-Ripper types roamed the tunnels and streets day and night. This is why Booth suggested that his followers move to farm colonies where the countryside could refresh them. In other words, those that love God, want time with his beautiful creation in nature!

We hear many wild stories about Francis personal interactions while out in nature. He would preach to the birds, and he befriended wolves. Whether these stories are true or not is immaterial, they reveal that he had a fame for having love for animals and all creation.

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Being God’s child, we all should love and respect His nature and do our part to not be cruel, wasteful, or destructive because taking care of God’s earth is a part of our heritage.

10. 4. Contemplative Prayers

A person’s prayers can be spoken out loud, but prayers also are frequently internal, and not always vocal. Prayer should include not just a speaking to our Lord, but also a time of listening, of meditating, of taking a moment of silence to let God come through. In the ancient time, this silence was known as contemplative praying. Francis rekindled this practice.

Booth listened to God for all decisions or he would not have succeeded as he did in establishing such a huge work in such a short time! I have read how he did a daily devotions, and then he prayed, listened to God and then acted.

Francis promoted contemplation. This practice of meditative silence allows God to speak to your spirit. Consider these Psalms which teach us to meditate or contemplate.

Psalm 1:2

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalm 63:6

When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

Psalm 77:12

I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

Psalm 119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

11. 5. The Rebuilding Of God’s Church

When William Booth brought the homeless and drunks into the stale church of his day, the comfortable folks did not want them there.  So God inspired him to start anew church, to rebuild a compassionate church, to start a new revolution of taking the gospel to the streets. His first churches were made by converting the very same pub drinking places used for debauchery into places of worship.  How is that for taking back the enemies territory!

St Francis of Assisi’s ministry began when he heard Jesus say to him, “Francis, rebuild my church, don’t you see it’s in disrepair?”  This message agrees with Jesus gospel which continues on today. Too many churches in our world are uncaring, self-serving, rich and comfortable. People need to see an example of a new type of people in Christ that are “others” serving!

We are living in a time when our culture is facing many of the same challenges St Francis and William Booth faced in their eras, one of acute decadence in the church and society. To prevent our own spiritual decline, it is time we must start doing the time proven practices of the ones before us of helping the poor, being peacemakers, loving creation, meditating on God in prayer time, and to start the rebuilding of church the way God wants it by being others serving! Church, or “ecclesia” in the Greek means nothing more than the “called out people”, and they must be ones who are loving God and others in words and deeds effectively.  

12. Francis, Booth, and countless others truly inspire us to sacrifice more, to love more, and most of all to preach Jesus more! Contemplate on this powerful prayer…

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

Where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console,

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.

The Current Friendship Crisis In the World

The Current Friendship Crisis                                   11-10-13             by Capt. Kelly Durant

Proverbs 17:17

A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 18:24

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

2. Here is verse that can change your life… John 15:13 (GNT)The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them.

This attribute has caused men in battle to jump on a grenade in order to give their lives to stop the killing of all of their friends close by! Tomorrow we honor our vets, and we must recognize the honor they deserve! Many soldiers and people throughout history have sacrificed their lives so that others would not be hurt or killed. This is absolute love! A true friend is one who loves all the way and he will do anything, even die for you! Would you do that?

In the past decades I have noticed that a majority of people in society do not have many friends. This is a crisis in my opinion! In others words when you get a flat and need a ride while stuck on the side of the highway, who are you going to call? A large majority of people don’t have family nearby anymore either, so who will help?  Sometimes we as pastors are the only ones others call on for help and this should not be, you must cultivate friendships!  In this nation, and worldwide, there is a crisis of people not having a friend when they need one!

I observe that a few of you have a few friends, but a few more of you have only one or none though so let’s explore the dynamics of friendship. You need friends!  Proverbs 18:24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. The first prerequisite to having friends is that you yourself must initiate it, cultivate it, promote it, and it means that you must be friendly!

3. Friends usually are people that you enjoy hanging out with, people with the same common interests, people with similar backgrounds, quite often they are around the same age as you, and from the same race and country as yourself; these are common things but a friend can be anyone really! Look how diverse the disciples of Jesus were! But what more makes you and I be a friend to each other? It is in the sharing of our pains, burdens, and also blessings with others. 

When you are young, and start hanging with young friends you learn about life. You see life’s situations, you may see divorced parents, you observe one has a father always drunk, and you discover new things about people’s feelings, pains, and passions. Most young people are idealistic and accepting of one another despite differences, but what happens as we age?

As we age we are like cement. (Castillo who works with cement can relate to this, ha!) When we are young the fresh cement is soft and drying and people come by and leave their handprints and writing in it and then it dries hard, never to be changed. We all have seen sidewalks like this. So after certain experiences, what happens to us? Most people get bitter and protective and stop having friends! They dry hard and as a stone cold rock, keep others out! They become a rock and an island to their selves. Only you can fix not having friends.

4. I will define how I see what friends are. They are a people that are loyal and they are there when you need them and they sacrifice their time or material goods for you when needed. A friend is emotionally close to you so there is a connection that grows over time. And finally, a friend is a person you trust and have no fear of them harming you either by stealing, or speaking damaging words behind your back, and they never betray you.

To begin with, the values, or glue that causes people to stick together are inherently Christian. To make this clearer, do you see that basically only a Christian can have the values needed to maintain a friend relationship: The values of love, forgiveness, the serving one another foundation.  But be careful, you need to discern just how Christian the person is!

Jesus says in John 15:14 You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. What was Jesus greatest commandment? To love God above all things and love your neighbor as yourself!

Only love can motivate a person to sincerely connect to others, and be loyal and trustworthy to them. Only Jesus transforms the character you and I have to remake us into friendly people and we learn to kill our pride and selfishness so we have noble sacrificial hearts.

5. Let’s examine the quality of loyalty, or as some would define it as faithfulness.

God has always modeled to us His loyalty, and in particular we capture this through the forgiving loving and sacrificial actions of Jesus Christ.

Psalm 119:90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides.

Here is also another thing involving faithfulness, we must forgive the offenses of our friends.     2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

Within loyalty we conclude there is the attribute of sacrifice as well. Soldiers from all countries if captured by the enemy will always remain loyal and never share any damaging info about their country.  This means that even under torture, they sacrifice their lives. This sacrificial loyal quality we also know about took place within the first Christian matters in Rome.

Loyal until death is a faithful quality still happening in the world today with over 157,000 Christians being killed every year for their faith! They are being killed by extremists and the news media will not divulge these horrific acts! There are 2,400 media outlets in the U.S. controlled by only 6 corporations and they are not loyal to Christian values! To know truth, don’t trust the mainstream media that has an agenda diametrically opposed to Christ but rather search in Christian sources and alternative conservative ones.

6. Let’s examine the quality of connection, or as some would define it as an emotional attachment. What defines what this is better than “love”? Love is a the strongest emotion that exists and God even commands that we love Him (back, since He first loved us).

Matt 22: 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 

For me it is easy to get emotionally attached to people just because I do my best to love them! You can love everyone if you wake up a ask God to give you His power through the Holy Spirit. You can even look at the person on the street and feel a great love for them, even the one that has a dead face, being a beggar, prostitute, or drunk and feel in your heart sympathy that their pain and hurt with them for the lack of the knowledge of Jesus they have that has led them to such a sad desperate point in their lives.

In every person you can find reason to feel for them for all the suffering they have had, either in their childhood, or adult life. This is why we must as a Corps, and amongst our friends always have time just to talk, to share, to get to know, so we can sympathize and empathize with their lives. Technology has done us the favor of helping us connect more through Facebook, Tweeter, and email, but quite often people communicate the wrong things, the wrong emotions, and these damage the good emotions and connections that had already been set up.

7. Let’s examine the quality of trust, or as some would define it as an honoring of who you are.  Trust is when a person knows all about your secrets, your pain, your weaknesses, and they love and esteem, and honor you anyway! They also would never be unfair to you so others could have information to ridicule or humiliate you with.

Trust is what everyone wants and needs, but sadly, amongst friends and family, this gets violated! Today sadly hardly anyone trusts anyone!  And considering the violation of trust the current governments, false churches, and corrupt corporations and workplaces have modeled, there is good reason to mistrust all authorities and relationships!

A violation of your trust is the same as a violation of your right as a person, which is a disrespecting of who you are personally, which ultimately is an action of abuse against you. When people get abused they feel pain and to stop it they make their selves cold.

Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

8. Don’t confuse what all these values within friendships and family imply, as many have in today’s world. The law of God and certain laws of man surpass the concepts many people evaluate. We are friends but if, for example, if a good friend were to come to my home seeking refuge from the law because he did a hit-n-run while intoxicated, my duty, no matter the love, loyalty and trust, would be to call the authorities, right?  If not I am an accomplice aiding and abetting a fugitive. A friend is a friend only if they are not putting you in danger!

In the hood language of today a friend is one who does not “snitch” on you but I interpret that this is a quality of a person that is your enemy! If you have a so-called friend that commits illegal and immoral actions and then they want you to show your trust by not snitching on them, you need to recognize they are not your friend at all! I despise people who say they hate snitches! Exposure is honesty and the only way for truth to dominate over evil.

All organized crime, the mafias, business men, governments, anti-Christ religious, all of them operate with the expectancy that their friends will never expose their illegal and immoral activities.  Never misplace your trust in this kind of traitor as you may become the next “patsy” or fall guy for their cover-ups! Read books, read the news, people are killed all the time for trying to expose corruption or for not covering for their so called friends!

9.  A final thought for you about friendships.  How do you understand this verse by Jesus?

Luke 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles.

Jesus wants you and I to be friends with those of the world, not just friends with those of your faith! I see it in churches so often when the pastors or the leaders have friends with those outside the church people immediately get suspicious, jealous, and uncomfortable. Their first thought is, oh no their time will go to these other people and not towards my interests.

Here is the issue: It is the pastors (Captains) job to be friendly and to be a socialite like Jesus was and to hang out with the publicans and sinners seeking to love them into the kingdom of God!

In all workplaces and families there are people that are going to drink, swear, and not think like you, but if you always exclude yourself from them (and I understand why you want to since most of them are proud and ugly) but separating yourself too much means you will never be showing them enough acceptance so that they will listen to you about Jesus.

Jesus when he traveled did not always have friends of his faith, he stayed with Nicodemus and other people of the world who received him into habitations. To obey Jesus you must make friends with those outside your Christian world and I do my best to do this!

10. The truth is this, Jesus is your best friend, but you also need friends on the earth as well!

John 15:15

No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known unto you.

This verse implies that a friend, spends time with his fellow companions, he reveals to them truths and secrets, he transmits teaching and information along that will bring them blessings and life, even eternal life! Do you do that after this example of Jesus? 

I want to challenge you here today. Some of you have looked at each other for years and never really talked in a deep conversation. I want to challenge you with making the people here more your friends! Several of you have already, but when is the last time you had lunch with someone you do not know so well here? Or even paid them a friendly visit? And others outside your world of current friends, are you trying to win them to the Lord by being friendly?

And if you have ever done anything, or said anything that has violated the trust of a person here, today is the day to make it right. Go and ask them forgiveness! Ask God to change your heart so you get ideas how you can be a better friend to those around you, in the church, within your family, and within your community! You can be proud that in The Salvation Army dozens of thousands give their lives for others daily! Prayer…  

Character Qualities...What are yours?

The Greek word for character is charakter. It is translated in Scripture as the “express image.” According to The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament, the word “originally denoted an engraver or engraving tool. Later it meant the impression itself, ususally something engraven, cut in, or stamped, a character, letter, mark, [or] sign. This impression with its particular features was considered as the exact representation of the object whose image it bore.” In Hebrews 1:3, Christ is referred to as the “express image” of God; He fully expressed the character of God through His life.

One of God’s primary goals for believers is to transform them into the image of His Son so that they may be a reflection of the character of Christ. We can take comfort in this purpose when we experience difficulties because “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Operational Definitions of 49 Character Qualities

Alertness vs. Unawareness

Being aware of that which is taking place around me so I can have the right response to it (Mark 14:38)

Attentiveness vs. Unconcern

Showing the worth of a person by giving undivided attention to his words and emotions (Hebrews 2:1)

Availability vs. Self-centeredness

Making my own schedule and priorities secondary to the wishes of those I am serving (Philippians 2:20–21)

Boldness vs. Fearfulness

Confidence that what I have to say or do is true and right and just in the sight of God (Acts 4:29)

Cautiousness vs. Rashness

Knowing how important right timing is in accomplishing right actions (Proverbs 19:2)

Compassion vs. Indifference

Investing whatever is necessary to heal the hurts of others (I John 3:17)

Contentment vs. Covetousness

Realizing that God has provided everything I need for my present happiness (I Timothy 6:8)

Creativity vs. Underachievement

Approaching a need, a task, an idea from a new perspective (Romans 12:2)

Decisiveness vs. Double-mindedness

The ability to finalize difficult decisions based on the will and ways of God (James 1:5)

Deference vs. Rudeness

Limiting my freedom in order not offend the tastes of those whom God has called me to serve (Romans 14:21)

Dependability vs. Inconsistency

Fulfilling what I consented to do even if it means unexpected sacrifice (Psalm 15:4)

Determination vs. Faintheartedness

Purposing to accomplish God’s goals in God’s time regardless of the opposition (II Timothy 4:7–8)

Diligence vs. Slothfulness

Visualizing each task as a special assignment from the Lord and using all my energies to accomplish it (Colossians 3:23)

Discernment vs. Judgment

The God-given ability to understand why things happen (I Samuel 16:7)

Discretion vs. Simplemindedness

The ability to avoid words, actions, and attitudes which could result in undesirable consequences (Proverbs 22:3)

Endurance vs. Giving up

The inward strength to withstand stress to accomplish God’s best (Galatians 6:9)

Enthusiasm vs. Apathy

Expressing with my soul the joy of my spirit (I Thessalonians 5:16,19)

Faith vs. Presumption

Visualizing what God intends to do in a given situation and acting in harmony with it (Hebrews 11:1)

Flexibility vs. Resistance

Not setting my affections on ideas or plans which could be changed by God or others (Colossians 3:2)

Forgiveness vs. Rejection

Clearing the record of those who have wronged me and allowing God to love them through me (Ephesians 4:32)

Generosity vs. Stinginess

Realizing that all I have belongs to God and using it for His purposes (II Corinthians 9:6)

Gentleness vs. Harshness

Showing personal care and concern in meeting the need of others (I Thessalonians 2:7)

Gratefulness vs. Unthankfulness

Making known to God and others in what ways they have benefited my life (I Corinthians 4:7)

Hospitality vs. Loneliness

Cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those whom God brings into my life (Hebrews 13:2)

Humility vs. Pride

Recognizing that it is actually God and others who are responsible for the achievements in my life (James 4:6)

Initiative vs. Unresponsiveness

Recognizing and doing what needs to be done before I am asked to do it (Romans 12:21)

Joyfulness vs. Self-pity

The spontaneous enthusiasm of my spirit when my soul is in fellowship with the Lord (Psalm 16:11)

Justice vs. Fairness

Personal responsibility to God’s unchanging laws (Micah 6:8)

Love vs. Selfishness

Giving to others’ basic needs without having as my motive personal reward (I Corinthians 13:3)

Loyalty vs. Unfaithfulness

Using difficult times to demonstrate my commitment to God and to those whom He has called me to serve (John 15:13)

Meekness vs. Anger

Yielding my personal rights and expectations to God (Psalm 62:5)

Obedience vs. Willfulness

Freedom to be creative under the protection of divinely appointed authority (II Corinthians 10:5)

Orderliness vs. Disorganization

Preparing myself and my surroundings so I will achieve the greatest efficiency (I Corinthians 14:40)

Patience vs. Restlessness

Accepting a difficult situation from God without giving Him a deadline to remove it (Romans 5:3–4)

Persuasiveness vs. Contentiousness

Guiding vital truths around another’s mental roadblocks (II Timothy 2:24)

Punctuality vs. Tardiness

Showing high esteem for other people and their time (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Resourcefulness vs. Wastefulness

Wise use of that which others would normally overlook or discard (Luke 16:10)

Responsibility vs. Unreliability

Knowing and doing what both God and others are expecting from me (Romans 14:12)

Reverence vs. Disrespect

Awareness of how God is working through the people and events in my life to produce the character of Christ in me (Proverbs 23:17–18)

Security vs. Anxiety

Structuring my life around that which is eternal and cannot be destroyed or taken away (John 6:27)

Self-Control vs. Self-indulgence

Instant obedience to the initial promptings of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:24–25)

Sensitivity vs. Callousness

Exercising my senses so I can perceive the true spirit and emotions of those around me (Romans 12:15)

Sincerity vs. Hypocrisy

Eagerness to do what is right with transparent motives (I Peter 1:22)

Thoroughness vs. Incompleteness

Knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected (Proverbs 18:15)

Thriftiness vs. Extravagance

Not letting myself or others spend that which is not necessary (Luke 16:11)

Tolerance vs. Prejudice

Acceptance of others as unique expressions of specific character qualities in varying degrees of maturity (Philippians 2:2)

Truthfulness vs. Deception

Earning future trust by accurately reporting past facts (Ephesians 4:25)

Virtue vs. Impurity

The moral excellence and purity of spirit that radiate from my life as I obey God’s Word (II Peter 1:3)

Wisdom vs. Natural Inclinations

Seeing and responding to life’s situations from God’s frame of reference (Proverbs 9:10)