Do you Perceive (Know) God’s Love?

Do you Perceive (Know) God’s Love?

Enough to Make Others Perceive It Too?

                                                                                                                            By Kelly Durant 

1 John 3:16

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

They say that money can buy a dog, but only love can make his tail wag!

You and I would not be here today if it were not for us knowing (perceiving)God’s love! In order to serve and love God and love each other we must experience it through someone! Love is contagious!

Love, in reality is abstract, it is not an object like a pen that you hold and use. But we see love through actions, we feel it, we understand and experience it and know it through relationships and deeds of kindness! Our relationships with others and with God!

Love is everything! Without love, where would you be right now? Without love there would not exist families, nor friends, nor happiness, nor health, nothing would exist because it was with love God that created everything! And it is love that He wants back from us! God wants us to love Him and others as ourselves above (above!) everything!

It was the pure love of God through Jesus that brought the saving of souls and love heals broken bodies. Humanity has never been the same ever since Jesus gave His love!

It was God’s love that changed my life and I have been looking for a chance to share God’s love with someone everyday ever since then!

  

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

How do we perceive God’s love? How does perceiving that Jesus loved us so much that He died on the cross to erase our sins change us so that we too will love that much too?

In this verse we first study that we must perceive the love of God. How do we perceive? We know the story of what Jesus did, how He humbly came down from heaven to love us, heal us, and then died for us to give us eternal life through his sacrifice.

But how do you take perception or knowledge and allow it to transform your heart into a copy of what it absorbed?

    

How did you or I capture the message of Jesus’ love? You and I know about God’s love because someone loved us enough to invest their interest and passion for Jesus into us! Someone helped you and I understand the importance and significance of the getting our soul saved from self-destruction and hell!

The Greek meaning of love is this: 
 ‎ginw/skw ‎ginosko (ghin-oce'-ko); to "know" (absolutely) - allow, be aware (of), feel, (have) know (-ledge), perceived, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.
Griego: ‎ginw/skw ‎ginosko (ghin-oce'-ko);
conocer (totalmente)-permitir, estar conciente, sentir, tener la percepcion o conocimeinto, estar resuleto, capaz de hablar de algo,  seguridad, comprensión

Someone helped us discover God’s word, the Bible! We perceived it by knowledge, by communication, and by someone’s love, and that transmission (or transfer of information with love) is what caused our light bulb to turn on (the eureka) of how Jesus love is so amazing!

Love is transferred from one person to the next! One time I had a funny experience and I will use it to explain how transfers of inspiration can happen. It is more than just knowledge. 

I had an experience of going into a McDonalds and some people were laughing hysterically at a table. Nobody knew why. Before you knew it others were laughing at them from other tables. Then the cashiers started laughing. Then myself and everyone was laughing and laughing. Every person that walked in looked around like what is going on and started laughing. It was a moment like I had never experienced! Everyone was just overwhelmed with laughter!

Love is like that, it takes affect and everyone notices the good feeling and everyone around you wants to be a part of it! First comes the knowledge of Jesus, then the Holy Spirit confirms in our spirit this is real authentic love! We then practice & share it!

Jesus love should take over your life totally and make you lovingly contagious! It is not just laughter but acts of kindness done in love that make God’s people outstanding, and loving people! Love is serving in disasters, and serving everywhere all the time!

Getting your life back is an act of love from God! And that is what Jesus does for you!

Think about how getting your body rescued by someone, being an act of love, can change your life totally!

Like the people in Haiti right now! Like the girl that was found after 15 days! Imagine you are under thousands of pounds of rubble and one, two, three, four and more days go by and you accept the fact you are going to die but then someone saves you and pulls you out! If you have a new start by someone’s love and care, that’s love at work and what a life change! John 12:24

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

I read once where they did studies on people who had near death experiences. They die on the operating table for a few minutes and they see the light and tunnel and/or an angel. These people almost always change their selfish ways. Their priorities usually shift completely! They value people more, appreciate the good things in life, they become unselfish and sacrificial.

I found a researcher who studied and wrote about this: Kenneth Ring who has identified a consistent set of value and belief changes associated with people who have had a near-death experience. ”Among these changes we find: a greater appreciation for life, higher self-esteem, greater compassion for others, a heightened sense of purpose and self-understanding, desire to learn, elevated spirituality, greater ecological sensitivity and planetary concern, and a feeling of being more intuitive.”

To know Jesus love is like having a near death (or death) experience, one that overwhelms you so much it changes everything about the way you think, live, and perceive! With love, you can restart life with nothing, no material goods, but you do not care, because you have love!

    

In space there are bright stars giving off tremendous amounts of light and there are black holes that suck up the all light around them. People are the same, some fuel you with the light of love and some suck you dry taking love but never returning it.

I can tell you about when I was 21 and how God’s love impacted me from a near death experience from drugs. I knew about Christianity, I had grown up going to church until age 14, but when I was 21 I was away from God. I was living a selfish life, I was immature and loved only myself.. Did you read my testimony in the magazine?

I knew about God here (head) but I didn’t (know) perceive God’s love in my heart!

In my life and yours, in the past and present, there are those who impress with their love and light me and those that do not. There is a contrast between Christians who have sincere love and concern, especially for sinners, and between others who do not.  

In I Jn 3:16 we should become like Jesus in that we also learn to give our lives, we lay down our lives, for others in love. It is an effect like a chain reaction when you get saved, all you want to do is save another person doing whatever it takes! Your happiness, love, dedication and peace is so noticeable that everyone asks, what is it you have!

You and I perceive Jesus’ love with passion and sincerity. In my past my missionary friends gave me an example of Jesus love by how they laid down their lives in service to others! Before I never had met those with a  proof of dedication, of laying down their lives for others.

If people can believe that you love them, then they can believe that God loves them!

Do you see how the new people in the church need our love, prayers, passion, us laying down our lives for them so they will perceive God’s love?

You and me, all of us need love! I caught the love and the conviction from God’s word, that I too must to lay down my life for others!  God’s love through others changed me!

Now ask yourself, do I share God’s love with others powerful enough that the people get impressed that I am laying down my life? People say, Right, The Captains, they have to love everybody, that is their duty, that is their job, but ask yourself, am I really kind and concerned for the brothers, those here in the church, for both new and old members? 

Some of you are laying down your lives in love for the brethren and others here in this Corps.  But I know there are still some here, as there will always be everywhere, those who think they do not need to serve certain people. Sometimes silence or indifference or the lack of love from a few in a Church can be like a bad apple, it can spoil the rest of the other new apples getting in the barrel!

If you are like a black hole sun absorbing but not giving love, God will accuse you of not knowing Him and of being a liar.  Jesus laid down His life and He expects the same!

The Word says: 1 John 4:20

20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

What kind of a person are you? One with love that will lay down their lives for others as Jesus did?  No one needs comfortable Christians who do nothing for anyone but their selves, there is already enough of those, we need radically different Christians who are willing to go the extra mile with someone to show someone to show a supernatural love, especially when there’s a need!  God and you know how loving or unloving you are!       

1 John 4:7

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

My prayer is that you will keep on being transformed everyday by His love, and if you have not known much love in your life, today is an opportunity for you to know God’s love just by asking for the transformation by his supernatural Holy Spirit!

Ask God today, am I worthy of your love? Do I love you, God in return as much as you want me to? Do I love the brethren as you commanded me to do in I jn 3:16? Do I love the prostitutes and sick as Jesus did? If you have few actions to back up your words then you are not deceiving yourself! Will you decide to start laying down your life for your brethren today? Love!

Proud Soldiers: Countering the Anti-Soldier Culture

Proud Soldiers: Countering the Anti-Soldier Culture                         Kelly Durant

2 Timothy 2:3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. :4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

2. I grew up in the 1960s and there were several TV shows with Army Soldiers as the main characters. These characters were usually funny, and most every American enjoyed seeing all the funny situations. Have you heard of Gomer Pyle USMC? Mash? How about Hogan’s Heroes? If not, look them up someday, they will make you laugh! These were all Soldiers in typical settings living their daily lives in the barracks. Soldier characters were loved and applauded.

In the 1960s the population of the USA was half that of today, and probably about 1 in every 5 men back then had been in the armed forces either from WW1, WW2, of the Korean War. In that time period every family had someone in it who had served in the Armed Forces.

After World War 11 it was exposed how Hitler and others had horrifically killed mega millions of people and everyone was relieved that the USA, England, and Russia won. The Japanese were suicidal demons as well and if either of those demonic powers had succeeded, they would have killed and enslaved the whole planet! It was God’s grace, and the bravery and death of many Soldiers, that saved us from a hellish kingdom of Satan on earth. Soldiers were the heroes!

3. So what happened to the popularity of the Soldier? Why is it today some comfortable rebellious people decide that soldiers and uniforms are not cool, that they represent repression and evil war, that young people should be rude, disrespect, and be belligerent and speak up against them? Good people with common sense know that the killers of killers are the heroes. It is Satanic to mock and reject the ones who prevent warmongering Satanic murderers from having free reign. How absurd to propose that any aggressive attackers should just murder, rape, and pillage innocent ones as they please! Divisive abusive destroyers deserve no pity! Murder and evil has no justification that, ‘Oh they had a bad life’, Oh, that’s their religion, or Oh, that’s their culture’. Stop the sympathy for Satan! Evil is evil and only righteous judgement stops it.

The seeds of disrespect were sewn in the 1960s. The Vietnam era was a time in which 600,000 U.S. men went to war and 300,000 returned injured with 60,000 killed. It was very unpopular because it seemed that battling with small battalions invading villages and caves that the war would never end. The basis of the war was to prevent the spread of communism, but the noble sense of mission got lost once all the suffering of both sides was exposed by the press. It seems the press has always created controversy and brought division, but they get to go home and be comfortable while the rest of the people suffer the consequences of their revealing of secrets.

So what happened in the 1960s? I think we are all still trying to figure that out! Why all the protests? It was sad that the returning soldiers were not treated with the attention they deserved; they needed jobs, medical, mental and spiritual attention but that was scarce. The wave of protests was not for the favor of the hurting soldiers, it was mostly about countering the evil establishment that propagated wars. It was ironic hippie clothes included military shirts with flowery bell bottoms!

4. The system was exposed as corrupt, making certain politicians filthy rich through the sale of arms and young people were infused with the idea they could make a better world with love and peace. These ideas came from the liberal colleges and from music that had the most amazing new sounds, message, and creativity ever heard. The protests were spiritually and morally reinforced by the gathering of people at concerts and, the rebellion to stop the war was so great that Pres. Jimmy Carter had to announce that we were pulling out because it was not winnable; The draft stopped.

After many millions of Vietnamese dead, the communists seemed to be the victors, as the world ended up with a North and South Vietnam, not long after having to accept a North and South Korea. It seemed the world was divided, made up of huge nations with suffering people behind iron curtains, enslaved under dictators, getting paid pennies per hour, getting killed for speaking against the system, while the rest of the world was free from tyranny. ‘Freedom’ was the buzz word for the 60s generation but that freedom always has cost the sacrifice of heroes.

The American Soldier for the longest time represented the good guys, the liberators, the brave sacrificial victorious ones who countered the pure murderous evil empires. Despite the evils in this country, I still believe that it is the U.S. military that keeps at bay the armies of Satan who would impose world dominion if not resisted. Enemies within disagree though, they think our sins of war are worse than others and think that the U.S. Soldier is evil, but statistics prove other Soldiers throughout history are more horrific. Evil ones have killed hundreds of millions! 

5. Today I gave you a very brief history lesson on the role of Soldiers in the world, which is to fight the cruel, murderous, enemy invaders so why do we as Christians identify in the role as Soldiers? How are we fighting? Is it good to appear to fight when all the world seems to be tired of fighting and hating, and a few are convinced we should not fight at all?

You are aware we live in the times of apostasy. There are many church denominations that have been invaded by Satanic doctrines of late and they are, after hundreds of years, rejecting many foundations of the original founding fathers of the faith. Some churches even want to ban songs, songs like, ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ as they feel that a militant display of Christ is incorrect. Is it incorrect? Do we not represent a fight against evil? Jesus was a fighter for God’s values and truth combating boldly against the false doctrine of the religious zealous despots, hypocrites and the self-righteous, and he liberated the demon possessed!

I think showing your Christian faith as a faithful Soldier for Jesus is an honor! That is what the scripture of today implies. Also, several times the New Testament the brothers are addressed as Soldiers. It is unique that no one adopted uniforms as The Salvation Army did before we did. Philemon 1:2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: No one can deny that it is Biblical to compare the Christian to the Soldier.

6. So what are the characteristics of the Christian Soldier that are distinctly different from the Soldiers of the nations of the world?  We never physically kill anyone but instead we lay down our lives as Jesus did to serve God, to proclaim His righteousness, truth, and salvation.

Read here how we are to be equipped as God’s Soldiers to fight evil:

Ephesians 6: 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Our representation as God’s Soldiers is to fight against evil and to save the souls of the lost, confused people who are entrapped by the world, and enslaved to their own sins reinforced by the demons of hell!

7. Today sadly, there is amongst a few, an anti-authority, anti-police, anti-soldier attitude. But before one joins the sheeple (people who follow the trends of the world without any spiritual discernment or analytic investigative judgment), shouldn’t one question these movements? Is anarchy really going to make a better world? What should Christians defend, isn’t it not the right to proclaim Jesus freely, the right to love and live in peace and prosperity, and the right to stop evil when it is destroying others? Especially when it destroys and enslaves the weak and innocent ones?

The question you should be asking is what is the source of these instigations, of these belligerent rebellious opinions? Paul in Romans makes it clear to submit to the authorities. It seems opinions never stop, but doesn’t the Holy Spirit give us, the Christian Soldier, the wisdom on which battles to fight? Resistance and criticism never stopped a dedicated soldier.

Shouldn’t the Christian be prepared with the Holy Spirit’s discernment to know who is worth hearing out with a legitimate complaint and who is just emotionally sounding off false words in order to bring on in-fighting, discord, and confusion?

Proverbs6:16 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

8. The pattern of Satan is to always, ‘divide and conquer’, so it is Satan that always wants the breakdown of order so that his people, in the midst of the confusion, may come in and dominate with their abominable lies which will lead others into His enslaving destructions.

Satan is too alive and well in our schools, universities, governments, and churches! 

The twisted values of our current world were prophesied over almost 2,000 years ago.

2 Timothy 3 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

As Christian Soldiers, all of this described in these verses, is what we must fight against amongst those in the community and even in our own families. We fight to expose the cruelty and hypocrisy of the selfish, jealous, proud, carnal, aggressive, blasphemous, disobedient, unthankful, unholy, perverted, lying, accusing, emotionally fierce, demons who hate God’s good people. So, with a uniform on or not, we fight against these evils! If the uniform makes one a target, well so be it! In the Salvation Army we wear it to show we are serving Jesus!

There is no question, we are in a war, some think it is cultural, some think it’s generational, but we know it is spiritual, so we must fight as Soldiers or evil is going to win. Soldiers in the world take on extreme disciple and can take apart and put back together their guns in the dark. How I wish all Christians knew the Bible (The Sword) as the Soldier knows his weapon.

9. It may seem like Satan is temporarily winning. His propaganda machine is sewing discord amongst society and the Christian 24/7. As the Christian Soldier population decreases, the Satanic opposition increases. But the Satanic opposition has physical armies with real guns and swords and intend to enslave and kill all the Christians they can! History proves this fact!

We must remain firm and continue to shout out our ‘War Cry’ countering evil by exposing it and replacing it with goodness, purpose, love, and salvation. So can you shame me for wearing a uniform and proclaiming I am a Soldier of Jesus? Never! I chose sides 40 years ago, and each of you must chose the side you will be fighting on everyday! Are you on the side of God with his righteous holy ones, or on the side of the degraded, debauched, betraying, lying political ones who always seek division, dominion, and pride.

All history reveals that fighting physical wars is disastrous and atrocious!  Too many always die, and many take advantage to gain wealth, but in the end war is a necessary evil when the aggressors are hell bent on imposing a Satanic oppressive doctrine and system upon the people enslaving and murdering them. Before a physical war comes, a spiritual war ensues. When too many leave the faith over the dividing concepts of the world, horrible consequences follow. The bigger war is coming. You had better fight in the spiritual war now on Jesus side or your loss will be with the ones who chose the wrong side! Be a proud Soldier of Jesus and He will be proud of you putting honors on you in heaven once the final battle is over!