Make Jesus Proud of You: Be Daring, Bold, & Brave!

Make Jesus Proud of You: Be Daring, Bold, & Brave!     Kelly Durant

 

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

 

2. Some people love excitement more than others. There are some people that love adventure, being in somewhat dangerous situations, while others are happy to just stay at home and be inside of their safe space wishing the world would just go away.

 

For example, I know of people, who love to drive their Jeeps on top of the Colorado mountains, almost flipping them over, having their hearts pump wildly for the thrill, and this is rewarding for them. This involves risk, but it is fun for them, and I hope they have insurance!

 

And then I know some people like how my mother use to be that would only go to the grocery store and to church on Sunday and never wanted any excitement at all. The world has all kinds of people. But all of us take decisions ‘to do or not to do’ many things, but when it comes to our faith and Jesus, we must choose ‘to do’ as it’s known, “nothing ventured, nothing gained’ as God expects it of us.

 

3. People will do bolder things when they are with others in a group than when they are alone. I recall when I was young there were people who would not want to do anything, but if a group was going somewhere, they would go too, even if it meant danger.

 

Think about Jesus and the disciples, he only had a group of 12, not of 12,000 like some mega churches, and they later went on their own, going out two by two, and they accomplished great things spreading the gospel. Mark 6:7 And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  Here we frequently only have a dozen of faithful ones!

 

We must never lose our vision of what we are to accomplish in life as Christians, and that is of the saving of the souls of the lost, of bringing love and comfort to the hurting, of obeying Jesus to love God and others as ourselves. 

 

4. Have you thought about it, The Salvation Army was founded on being risky and exciting! Every day the Officers and Soldiers would go out and preach on the smelly muddy street corners and sometimes a few hundred at a time would come forward around a bass drum to cry, repent, and pray to receive Jesus! How glorious that must have been to have witnessed that!

 

But at the same time, many of them got hit with tomatoes and other objects as they brought the good news to others. But did that stop them? No! Even after they knew about Samuel Logan Brengle almost dying from blow from a brick, they continued on, even going around the world to start up new outposts, missions, and Corps. They opened hundreds of new Corps in 40 countries within the first 40 years! Now we are in 130 countries!

 

Samuel Brengle spent about a year and a half in a hospital bed recovering from a skull fracture that some violent demon inspired person did to him with that brick. But his heart was for God, and he wrote several books on holiness, he used his time to learn about God and today we honor him by studying his theological contributions. You cannot stop a man or woman of God, wounded or impaired, they will continue on in the fight for good! Holiness is pure love!

 

5. We have studied the book of Acts in the recent past. What did we learn of Peter, John, and of the other disciples? Many of them went to jail for preaching Jesus! And they were killed! The idol worshipping pagans, and the hypocrite Jews, did not want to hear about the love of Jesus. But did even being jailed stop them from talking about Jesus? No!   

 

Have you ever made Jesus proud of you by going to jail for Him? I got that opportunity a couple of times. Once it was in a small southern town in Rio Grande do Sur, Brazil. Five policemen stopped me with machine guns for passing out salvation flyers at some apartments. One policeman got really mad and was yelling in my face that I was preaching blasphemy and if he could have his way, I whould be locked up and tortured the way the Catholic Church historically use to do it! Imagine, if a Catholic wants to harm or kill you for preaching Jesus, then could Jesus really be their center of their worship? But their church is made up of good and bad people like most all organizations. 

 

He took offense because in the gospel pamphlet it mentioned that God had to turn His back on Jesus a few hours to allow Him to die for our sins. God allowed Jesus to die on the cross to be the ultimate sacrifice for us, but obviously this man did not know theology very well. I am thankful I was set free after being about 6 hours in that tiny facility. I have seen angry red hateful faces many times while out preaching a loving peaceful Jesus! God sees what everyone does. The world is a dangerous place and people are lost, ignorant, and really need Jesus! 

 

6. So when something bad happens, it sometimes scares you, or others nearby, to not want to be risky or carry out the mission of preaching Jesus. My friends, if you can ever learn something in life, learn this, never let anyone intimidate or belittle you for standing up for your faith! Remember, Peter and John had boldness, and God expects us to have boldness and the Holy Spirit power as well!

 

Let’s read on the reaction of the people to Peter and John’s boldness. Acts 4:18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

 

Can you do that? Can you not do anything in life but proclaim the good that Jesus has done in your life? 21 “So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done”. It happened to them and may happen to us as well if we speak up for Jesus!

 

7. Later in this chapter we see they prayed for boldness, and they stood on God’s Word to give them strength. They quoted Psalm 2, one of my favorites, as it affirms the final destiny of the evil people of the world who hate Jesus.

 

 Acts 4:23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.’ Now look up Psalm 2 to hear the rest of it. Vs.3“Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. 5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: (skip down to the final verses) 10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear,  And rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

 

8. So it is clear, we must be wise and stand with Jesus no matter the cost, no matter how the red-faced agitated demons who hate us for proclaiming Jesus’ message yelling insults at us, hit us, or even jail us, we have God’s boldness and Holy Spirit power!  

 

To serve in this Salvation Army Church, when you serve Jesus for real, you need to be thick skinned, you need to be bold! You need to be a Soldier that battles! No one respects a wimp. I was at the International Market one day and the young Hispanic cashier I knew went to a Hispanic church (because I had seen him with other Christians before) and I asked him about his faith. I said, “I recognize you, you are a Christian and you go to church, don’t you?” I was hoping to start a conversation.

 

He said, “Hum” and nodded his head about one inch to indicate yes. I thought within myself, how sad! He has no boldness; he is almost ashamed to admit he is a Christian! Then I had another terrible thought, ‘Could it be some of the people in our Corps Church are the same way?’ Are they also afraid to admit they love Jesus and come to worship here’? Please, let’s be bold and make Jesus proud of us! I try to talk about Jesus with every person I meet when I am out in the city!

 

 9. The decision is yours day by day, hour by hour, will you be bold for Jesus? All day long we will meet people who were like the pagans mentioned in Psalm 2 who want to undo us, or like the hypocrite Pharisees who hate us for standing for Jesus who is righteousness, holiness, and God’s love. The government was on the shoulder of Jesus, (Isaiah 53) and the ones of the top too want your adoration and absolute dedication as they do not like a competitor controlling your spirit!

 

In the Christian faith, you had better get use to adventure, excitement, danger, risk, resistance, and the battle. You are not in a Salvation Army just to look pretty in uniform, you are here ‘to fight for the good’ and to be so full of the Holy Spirit that your glow attracts others to want to get to know the Jesus you talk about!

 

Is Jesus proud of you? Am I and your leaders proud of you? How long has it been since you have come with a testimony to talk about who you shared your faith with? Jesus expects it of you and if you get persecuted, it will motivate you even more as the Holy Spirit will be filling you up. Be sure you live to reach the poor lost souls out there who need the hope of salvation, or you will regret it after death in heaven when you arrive empty handed! 

Matthew 10:32-33

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Let’s pray…

Be 'Awake’, Not ‘Woke’ & Be Aware, Not Asleep!

wake’, Not ‘Woke’ & Be Aware, Not Asleep!                 Kelly Durant 9-24-23

 

Joel 1:5 Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

 

2. How awake are you right now? Pinch the person beside you and see if they react? Oh, they did, so there is proof we all can feel through our physical bodies! But what about our spiritual bodies? Do you feel things in your spirit? When hearing music or looking at art can you get a vibe of what spirit it is from, a good one or a bad one? How much of a new person in Christ are you?

 

I am addressing this issue as I find that many people today are going to asleep spiritually, (and they often label themselves as “woke”) and their insensitivity to God’s laws causes them to be in a dulled stupor, and they do not discern what is good or bad anymore. This is due to ‘inversion’, as ‘woke’ today does not mean ‘awake’ to the truth, but the opposite! Unless a person has repented completely and truly given their entire lives to Jesus, their hearts souls and minds, then they are incapable of knowing Christ and having the mind of Christ, and His mind is very consciously awake!  1 Corinthians 2:16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

 

People today have become dull, asleep, and indifferent and many claim it is chemicals in the water, the air, or the drugs (prescription or illegal). Also, in the pop entertainment messages, there is something terribly mind-controlling and we must wake up to see is that there is a number of things warping people’s perceptions, consciousness, and ability to have common sense and judgement. Our whole system is designed to make people be asleep in the spirit! How is it a majority of the people have lost common sense discernment and they can’t even define if a woman is a woman or not?! How is it that many do not see that being ignorant, or asleep, to the things of God has confusing repercussions and consequences?

 

3. What confusion the world is in today!... But we knew it was coming, but the answer is always found in the Sacred Scriptures. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. We are living in dangerous times, and we have never seen corruption, perversion, and idiocy legitimized and promoted in our face as we have in recent years. Perdition has exponentially augmented this century and when the anti-Christ arrives, most everyone, because they are asleep spiritually, will blindly worship him.

 

Most Christians understand that the ‘falling away’ implies that many ‘so called’ Christians will leave the church and be overcome by the doctrines of devils. This is clearly happening. We see people leaving the faith and it breaks our hearts! It hurts to see people not care about you, and our brothers and sisters, the Bible, or the mission of helping those suffering anymore! What made them fall asleep?  

 

I get upset at the sight that people let their lights go out and their love and hearts grow cold! I have to fight this temptation as well, to not care, to just give up, but I refuse to give up on saving souls because how could I fail Jesus?! Jesus convicts me to stay faithful! Satan tempts everyone with discouragement all the time to try to get you or me to say, ‘the hell with it all!’ We all keep on for the love of God and for the salvation of the lost! If in our lives you and I only win a dozen souls to Jesus, it will be worth it all!

 

4. Reflecting on this matter, on people who get blinded by their desires over God’s will, overcome by the world’s trends, I am reminded of this verse, 1 John 2: 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

 

This verse is key as it mentions the lust of the eyes, you may see a person’s eyes open, but they are often quite shut on the inside, asleep to knowing God’s will and light. Think about it, most people in the entire world today are getting 2 to 8 hours of screen time and their eyes are seeing anything they please, either good things, or seductive, perverse, & immoral things. And just from looking at the wrong things people get addicted and in chains spiritually because they go to sleep not perceiving what has happened to their spirit.

 

Habits are like strings that become ropes and then heavy chains! We all have grown up on entertainment, too much of it, and I see the world like one scene from ‘The Wizard of Oz’. Alice and the travelers were warned to not sleep where the flowers were, which is like our parents and church leaders who warn us and others to not linger in the zones of temptations. But what often happens? The young ones, the weak ones, and the spiritually lazy ones do not take the wise advice and they don’t fight against the toxic environment, and they end up lying down and going to sleep! And then it is when all evil attacks and takes over them! 

 

5. We have often heard about the analogy of the caterpillar that transforms into a butterfly and often we might compare it to a person when they receive Jesus, and they transform totally. This is a good example of what it means to be a new creature! The old ground is left behind, and the new is something that is on a whole different plane of existence. You and I were once a common worm but now we have become something majestic, empowered by the Holy Spirit to live in the dimension of God’s beautiful Spirit world seeing things as Jesus saw them. This is a true awakening, a rebirth!

 

Now I will postulate this, those that turn their back on God and go along with the world’s delusional drunken influences never do the step of going into the cocoon. They just slept instead, and until now have never woken up! To grow in God, you must work at it, you must ask God to reveal to you everything about yourself so you can change all things and die to yourself and start a new life praying and obeying His Word. It is a time-out with God growth phase that is missing in the lives of many! The pastor can’t do it for you either even though each one guides with the Word of God, but each person is responsible for their own awakening change, to want to be remade in God’s image as clay in the hands of the potter. God will do it, but he needs our commitment, obedience, and rebirth.

 

I can tell you my testimony on how I transformed, I moved far away from friends who were prisoners of their own destructive lusts so I would not be tempted to continue with their addictions and habits which the world praises as ‘cool’ or ‘woke’. I started memorizing Bible verses, one a day, and did that for almost 3 years. I also read the Word of God one hour or more daily, and I prayed usually for 15 minutes or more. And then I agreed to do a long service mission work, deciding to leave behind my possessions (idols such as guitars, LP records, & guru spiritual books etc.) And when one arrives in a foreign land as I did (Brazil), and you do not know the language, and your mission is to evangelize and pray with the folks on the street, it will drive you to desperately seek God for help! I literally cried to learn Portuguese so I could be effective for Jesus! 14 years of battles in South America toughened me up and I saw miracles and lives changed by sharing the Word of God! 

 

6. So what is causing people to sleep, spiritually? It is all of man’s creations and Satan’s as well! Some people claim the fluoride in the water hardens the pineal gland in the brain so that your internal spiritual receptor can no longer receive discernments and premonitions as our parents use to be able to. I cannot be an export on that but obviously many physical things ingested are severely hampering our bodies and minds and this affects our reasoning abilities.

 

Others claim that our air is the problem; being sprayed from above with the chemicals of lithium and aluminum for cloud formations, and our brains store up these things, dulling our human brains on a mass scale. And read up on 5G; many observe that this will cook our brains like in a microwave oven! Since Satan is the ‘prince of the air’, we are sure he manipulates these things. Ephesians 2:2

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Many things pollute the body and damage our normal abilities to discern as we should.

 

Since about half of the population takes pills for all kinds of ills, many people think this is a principal factor clouding people’s minds, provoking our societal mental dysfunctionalities; and drunkenness, or getting ‘high’, as well enslaves mega millions! Many are working too many hours, so they are gaining money for the body’s desires, but they are starving their souls. In the end the conclusion is our population in mass is being downgraded so that you or I can be easily manipulated by evil spirits who program the people of the world to reject Jesus, and all things healthy. 

 

7. Comparing God’s “awoken-ness” to the “wokeness’ of the world we observe the educational systems are now indoctrination factories. Also, over and over glamourized by musicians and entertainers with their illuminati hand signs and messages, the deception that immorality, perversions, and excessive materialism is exciting and a requirement for being fulfilled in life.  But wide is the gate that leads to destruction! And those not warned, these of this new generation of folks who often appear as zombies glued to flashing screens, are unaware of how they are enslaved by darkness. Only Jesus can cause a person to see through the programing of these enslaving destructive hooks for what they are and break free. 

 

As fuel to the fire, the majority of the movies, books, and songs created are repeatedly utilized to offend and assault us, the Christians! Wake up and ask, yourself, why do they attack Jesus followers (and no other faiths) so much? Because knowing Jesus is the only way one can become totally free from their deceptive addictive tricks designed to keep you and me enslaved to their illuminati systems so you consume and consume from their evil plate until you destroy your body, mind, and soul. And then Satan gains his total grip! 

 

Forgive this analogy, but a person without Jesus is comparable to a zombie, a lifeless creature that has no purpose and all it does is destroy everything in it’s path! And Satanists actually consume human blood and flesh! How sick the world really is! The line in ‘Amazing Grace’ rings so true, ‘I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see.’ Those in sin never see it as sin, the blind are leading the blind today as never before! Blindness and a deep sleep overtaking so many because Jesus is not getting into their hearts, minds, and souls!

 

8. The Lord commands us to wake up! See the evil everywhere, the hardened hearts and the dull minds! Judges 5:12 Awake, awake, Deborah (women leaders): awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak (men leaders), and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. The leaders of old were told to go and awake their people with songs of the Lord, with the message that the ones captive in the spirit can now become the captors to dominate their enslavers! This is what we need to understand today! 

 

This is our mission, to wake up, and then to wake up others with the knowledge of Jesus! We can see it clearly, Satan has taken over the world in all aspects, in the physical realm with toxic substances, in the mental realm captivating minds to be hooked on the fake worlds of entertainment, false religions, news and politics, and in the Spirit his demons manipulate others to do crimes and evil abominable perverse works of destruction! 

 

The only hope for anyone is Jesus! No “woke” political or philosophical movement will ever be victorious in dominating the evils in the world, only Jesus’ return can do that. Jesus warned us of this: John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. Not just from the synagogues, from all other religious movements as well! Note that atheistic communists have murdered a hundred million people within the last century!

 

9. So how can you or I wake others up to how they are captive and asleep by means of illusions by the devil’s design? How can we help people see the devil is using them to be a part of the problem, a part of the controlled systems, and not a part of the solution? I think the only hope, is the same hope that saved us, and that is Jesus! Like water on the fire! Jesus is the new wine as in Joel 1:5 that wakes us up, and it does not put us to sleep!

 

You and I can only pray that others will receive Jesus for real and become a new creation in God! Salvation in the end is a personal matter, we can share Jesus’ message with others, but it is up to them to act upon it, obey, and do their part. Asking for the Holy Spirit to guide them to grow in faith is also a must! 

 

Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Our part is to share the message of Jesus, pray for the lost souls, and then be there when they need us when they are in the middle of the battle against the demons trying to hold onto them. Millions escape, but some go back. Do your part, wake up someone with God’s Word today! Awaken the woke that all the systems are evil, yet God’s kingdom is beautiful, just, enlightening, and liberating! 

Encourage Others To Be Encouraged! A Study in the Book of Acts

Encourage Others To Be Encouraged! A Study in the Book of Acts  

by Kelly Durant  9-16-23                                 

1-Acts 4:36, Acts 9:31, Acts 11:23-24 , Acts 15:32 Acts 16: Acts 18:27, Acts 20:2, and Acts 28:15.

2-How many of you have heard a quote, ‘It is better a hand on the shoulder, that a hand-swat on the rear?’ It’s so true! We all need encouragement often! Do you not agree? In life everyone needs correction and instruction, but my favorite is way to give it is through encouragement! Encouragement is needed from each of us all the time! It is an act of divine love!

Some of you have a difficult life from abusive people around. Some people are more easily depressed than others. Some people are living in very difficult situations. The reality is we all need someone to lift us up from time to time!

In life the average person will suffer discouragement over and over. People live with family problems, broken relationships, health issues, financial worries, corruption in their communities, and just random chaos upsetting our daily lives!  

3-But we have the promises of God from the Holy Scriptures that we are always going to come out alright!  As in Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.   And Jesus said,  in John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

These are a few causes of sadness and discouragement.  I personally think what brings about one of the worst discouragements in our lives a feeling of being unloved and unwanted. Sometimes this is due to circumstances out of our control. 

Sometimes our feelings are not real but distorted imaginations.  Often our minds deceive us, and Satan, our enemy, plants horrible thoughts in our heads! One of his favorite tools is discouragement, so you give up and abandon the faith! 

Mother Teresa once stated, “The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved”.  I think everyone would confirm that our most important job in life is to love God and to love others and to encourage others in word and with effective deeds of kindness!

4-And then some people provoke upon their selves their own discouragement.  Sad but true, some people are not very loved because they themselves do not give love. Everyone reaps what they sew, or do not sew, in this life and for eternally.

No matter what your situation is, it is important to refresh our minds at how to obtain encouragement. Repeatedly in the book of Acts we read that the disciples got encouragement. God wants Christians to be full of faith, hope, and love and these all bring encouragement! And also the Holy Spirit is with us for that reason! 

Do you like to encourage others? Do you sew it so you can reap it?

5-Consider this, how would you like to have as your name, Encourager? Acts 4:36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”, in modern English), (Other version: Son of consolation).

Imagine, if someone were to say, the son of encouragement will come to my house to visit, do you want to meet him?  Barnabas was true to his name to console others.  He was one of the first Jewish disciples that was considered to be a saint by the old church.

His name was Joses, but he was led to change his name to Barnabas. Recall as well Saul became Paul, and many Christians changed their names to signify their mission in life! Maybe we should change the names of some of you here! I have known in my lifetime a few ladies with the name Dolores (which means “pains”) that I wish I could have renamed Joy!

If Barnabas had the job of encouraging, and he was one of the most important figures travelling with Paul, then I deduct the message we should learn here is that we must develop more encouragers amongst ourselves!

Where does our encouragement from God come from? Through the Holy Spirit!

6-Acts 9:31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

Here in this Corps, we observe ourselves in this phase as they were, in a time of strength.  We are enjoying a growth phase, but this blessing is only effective if each person here is being sensitive living a pure obedient Christian life which attracts the Holy Spirit! It also attracts others from the world to join us to get relief from their suffering. Jesus stated clearly that the Holy Spirit is the Comforter. 

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

When you share comfort and encouragement you are being a channel for the Holy Spirit to work in you!

7-Acts 11: 22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. 23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.

So now consider this, Barnabas encouraged others with the Holy Spirit, and many people believed on the Lord due to his way of being, by his loving spirit, and for his concern for others. His influence was like a fire that spread and warmed many hearts to do the same! Let’s keep this fire burning!

This brings each of us to a challenge, ask yourself: How many people have you encouraged in your lifetime to be closer to the Lord? Can you name the person that has encouraged you in your past as well?

The word says in Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

8-Let’s continue on in Acts 15:32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.

Here we have an example of 2 more brothers who were very good at encouraging others. And a prophet, or one representing God, is one who encourages through prayer and study of the word, and the results bring strength and power in the spirit!

How encouraging are you? How loving are you? How full of the Holy Spirit are you? When people think of you, do they think you are full of comfort, consolation, and encouragement? Or are others indifferent to you because you are indifferent?

9-Acts 16:40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.

What is the message here? Whenever you have a testimony you must share it to encourage others! Paul and Silas had a big testimony, that God opened the prison doors for them!

These brothers went to a house for a visit, but what about those that are too far away to visit? What can we do?

All of us can encourage friends that are far away by writing to them sharing uplifting words to continue to do good for the Lord! In today’s world we can call them as well! We find more visitation in the next verse, first a letter, then a visit.

10-Acts 18:27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.

Paul, Barnabas and many like Apollos seemed to get around a lot to encourage others. 

Acts 20:2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 

Even when you are in a hard situation you can still be uplifting. Paul was shipwrecked and in a survival situation, but he was always positive.  Look in:

11-Acts 27: 34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. 36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

Notice how Paul encouraged them that nothing bad would happen to them because God was with them in their journey on the ship. Do you do that? Do you tell others things will come out good because God is with you? The people were made very happy by these words! And his encouragement was not a long exhortation but a short one. Encouragement doesn’t have to be a long speech; it can be just a few words as well. We must follow this example and do this more often!

12-Acts 28:15The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged.

What we learn from this verse is when a Christian brother or sister is close by we should get excited and encouraged we should go visit them as it will bring us up in spirits. If they come near, we should also go to see them!

Sometimes we will get a visit from our leaders; we often get to travel then and this encourages us in the spirit! Encouragement comes from hearing the word through someone who is mature in the spirit. Leaders must travel to inspire others!

13-What has the Book of Acts taught us about encouragement today?

1-Encouragement comes from people who take up the challenge. Ask yourself, am I willing to be a Barnabas to have the ministry of encouragement?

2-Encouragement comes from the Holy Spirit and all we have to do is ask for it. Ask yourself, do I regularly ask for the Holy Spirit to be close to me?

3-The influence of one encourager spreads and causes many others to become encouragers as well.  Ask yourself how many people have I influenced in my life?

4-We must share testimonies and positive words of God’s works to bring encouragement to others. Ask yourself, when have I shared a testimony?

5-Visitation from others brings encouragement. Ask yourself, when was the last time I traveled to get encouragement from someone mature in the faith? Or to give it?

Remember, to love is encouraging, and it is like a cologne, or perfume, and you cannot put some on someone else without getting some on yourself!

Be encouraged and encourage others from this day forward! Prayer…

1- Barnabas: Ministry of encouragement! For you?

2- The Holy Spirit for encouragement! Got it?

3-The influence of encouragement! Have you?

4- Share words of encouragement! Do you?

5-Visitations bring encouragement. Will you?

Old Age and Blessings!

Old Age and Blessings!   Kelly Durant  

Leviticus 19:32

32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.

 

2.There is a quote in English that says: No wise man ever wished to be any younger! There are a lot of benefits to growing old, but I am referring to growing mature in the Lord! And… Like they say, wrinkles should be on the face, not on the heart!

Let’s look up Titus 2:2,3

2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

 

That scripture tells the elderly to be serious, temperate, strong in faith, love and patience. The youth can learn a lot from the more mature.

What is old really? (In different countries people die at different ages).

 

3. It is the job of the young to learn from the aged and experienced and the older ones should be good examples and teachers! That is if they are close to the Lord! You lived all those years and all you know can benefit many people, so all the elders here need to consider they have a job in our Corps church, they should be mentors to the younger. 

 

That is what the Word commands us to do and we need to retain the old mentality of respect for our elders! It is Biblical. Most older people are conservative, that is they have seen and learned through the years that we must conserve Godly ways in our families, and society, because if not, all other roads lead to bitterness, chaos, division, and destruction, or to clarify, the consequences of sin. 

 

Today we have a generation of kids that disrespect the elderly and their parents, and according to the 10 commandments to honor your father and your mother, if a child insulted his parents breaking this commandment, he was to be stoned to death! God is serious about us respecting those that are older, especially parents!

Deuteronomy 21: 18 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them, 19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city. 20 And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; so you shall put away the evil from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear.

 

4. There are many articles about how we age and most of them state how people often get more mellow, more friendly, more happy, and even more productive. KFC was started after Col Sanders retired from the military, in his late 50s. Many people go on to accomplish great things in business, in writing, in service to the community. Old age is a blessing! It can be the most productive years.

 

And let’s look at the way God has acted throughout the Bible history. He called Abraham and Sarah when they were old to raise their son. He called Moses when he was 40 but he was still too young and impulsive. Then God didn’t call him again until he had watched sheep for another 40 years, and he then was ripe enough to go on to free the children of Israel at age 80! 

 

Many of God’s prophets were not used by God until they had become aged men. I think some people at age 40 are still not yet mature. It is not the age of the body that matters as much as the age of the spirit and how much you have learned. “I will be your God throughout your lifetime -- until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you (Isaiah 46:4)

 

5. It is God’s plan that we grow more mature in Him. There are some people that get older and still make the same mistakes over and over though, and that is because they are not seeking God every day. Some people just get older but not wiser.  Let’s look up…Proverbs16:31

31 The hoary (grey) head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

 

In other words, if you are old with grey hair, and you are close to the Lord, living in righteousness, you are wearing a crown of glory! But the older ones must live in the path of righteousness, and that is a purity that comes after years of practicing righteousness.

 

Here, and in other cultures, grey haired people are usually taken to be wise, but wisdom does not always come with grey hair. So why is it that some people hide their age? My mother wore a wig that was the color of her hair when she was 40, so even though when she was 80, she appeared about 60. That is what she chose, but natural is fine too. The heart is what matters!

 

6. Sometimes, some people may equate old with slow and useless. In my time here with the Salvation Army I have met many older and retired Officers and what I have seen is amazing. They are a sharp productive group of people! I have seen some retire at 65 and keep working another 20 years! And just like some of you here, your memory of Bible stories and of life experiences remains lucid. 

 

I’d say the average life span of a Salvationist Officer right now must be at least 80-90. Even though we live a busy stressful life for the Lord, it is as though the Lord blesses us with length of days for serving Him. Look up

Ps 92:13‑15

13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

15 To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

 

I want to tell you, in our 14 years of ministry in Atlanta we got to know hundreds of people. There are people right now that I know that have lived for the Lord, been active in the church, and lived holy lives and prospered in usefulness throughout many years. On the other hand, some people I have known that have been slow to get close to the Lord, I have seen over time grow increasingly weak or in worse condition than how they use to be! Age will regenerate you and you will feel young when you live for the Lord, or age will kill you, when you are not on the right path spiritually!

 

7. The U.S. is made up of a majority of people of all races that are getting older! It is our job to bring them into fellowship and love! Many of them have solitary lives and they pray every day to keep their health so they can get around to walk to buy food and help others. And we always need to thank our church drivers who pick up these weaker ones here who do not drive due to their age or heath. 

 

We need to thank those who visit the elder in the Community Care ministries too. Remember, the people out in the world, those that have not known righteousness and our loving, life renovating Christian way of life, are not anywhere near as happy as we are in our Christian life in the Corps. We can see the effects of time on earth without God in the people that in the rest homes being not so old, and yet they can be amongst the vulgar grouchy ones. But we must minister to all elderly.

 

One time when Regina was in the hospital, there was an elderly lady beside her that had had an operation to cut out a cancer and she was going to die within a few weeks. Despite that she cussed like a sailor and had no reverence to God; she was old but not pure or righteous in any form or fashion. It was ugly to hear. Sad, right? Righteousness in old age is everything according to scripture! Righteousness is within the same as category as holiness, which we preach, and it induces respect.

 

8. Will you be energetic, in love with the Lord, and with life, and blessed because you planted in His house and won souls to Jesus? We have all met many older people in my time and isn’t it true that we see amazing things happen in the Salvation Army? 

 

Most teachings of service, generosity, and encouragement, all come from the older faithful ones! My question to you who are younger is, how is it going to be for you when you are older with grey hair?

 

Will you be old and bitter about how you don’t have what you wanted out of life? Will you complain how others treated you unfairly, how you should have been richer, or blame how your family held you back!? Age & time is a collection of what was lived day to day and only you answer to God for all things! Daily living in God’s word and in His praises will always be renovating your Spirit even though the outward body is wasting away.  But we as humans with our mistakes and sins and with our own carnal minds, tend to degenerate and discourage, so counter it and live in God’s praises and will from day to day! 

 

9. Here is some reality news…each of you (and me) are dying! So, if we are dying no matter what we do to be healthy, and some of us will pass on to glory before others do, why not live out our glory in Jesus Christ already? Paul said he died daily, and that implied that he, and we, must kill the bad in ourselves that is preventing us from being holy and right with God and only obeying Jesus matters! 

 

2 Corinthians 4:16

Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  Our internal spirit can be renovated! Each one of us is responsible for the effect of what we are feeding into our minds and spirits. 

 

With age we get better or bitter. Like wine that gets more fine, or like vinegar that gets more tart!  Let’s remember our very own William Booth, who started this movement late in life yet he accomplished great things! Let’s respect and pray for those that are elderly here today and let us make plans to grow old gracefully, full of His grace, and His love, and His righteousness, and His wisdom, and His patience, and His faithfulness! Pray for those you know who are elderly today!

 

The REDEEMING LOVE OF GOD. Through our prayers- by Regina Durant

The REDEEMING LOVE OF GOD. Through our prayers…. Regina Durant

1……You Are ROYAL!!….. WE ARE NOT OF THIS KINGDOM WE ARE FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD, WE ARE ROYAL, WE ARE PRISTHOOD AND AMBASSADORS OF GOD. SO WE HAVE TO BELIEVE HIM AND STAY IN DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM, WITH OUR HEAVENLY King, our heavenly father and THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT. 

1 Peter 2:9 

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 

We are not of this world. If we are of God we are of His Kingdom, So therefore we are here to be his and to worship him day and night. If we worship or take more time for other things then we are worshipping not God. SO WHAT IT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US AND ANOTHER ONE?? 

God is a Loving God, He is the Alpha and the Omega and He won’t force us to love Him and seeking for his presence, He longs to be with us. He made us because He loved us. He is the source of our hope and He is our peace, and our Rock in the time of trouble, He wants his creation to love him and adores Him because He loves us first. Do you love Him, do you get excited when you think about Him, do you get encouraged by the miracle of life we have everyday? 

 TO GET UP IN THE MORNING AND LOVE HIM UP?? 

Sample (Wife or Engage people) 

2__Bible examples: 

 Jesus pray,  through all Bible History has been very notorious prayer to our God. And many verses on it. 

James 5:16 

Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

Psalms 65:2 

O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. 

 

Mat. 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. 

Pr. 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked [is] an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright [is] his delight. 

Nehemiah 1:11 

O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer. 

Acts 12:5 

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 

Psalms 90:1 

A Prayer of Moses the man of God. LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 

Nehemiah 1:6 

Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. Confession and humility of Nehemiah!!Psalms 72:20 

Kings-2 20:5    

Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. 

 

Luke 2:37 

And she [was] a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served [God] with fastings and prayers night and day. 

Fasting and Prayer!! 

Psalms 109:4 

For my love they are my adversaries: but I [give myself unto] prayer. 

 

Pr. 15:29  The LORD [is] far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. 

 

Romans 1:9 

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 

Psalms 66:19 

[But] verily God hath heard [me]; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.HE ANSWERS~~~ 

 

3….… MARK 5:21-43 ….. Believing is the key… 

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed 

THE GIRL ABOVE HAD A FATHER PLEEING FOR HER, AND THis WOMEN BELOW had NO ONE WANTING HER, SHE DIDN’T EVEN HAVE A FATHER TO PLEA FOR HER, SHE DIDN’T HAVE ANY HOPE ANYMORE. But HERE SHE WAS SO FULL OF HOPE AND DETERMINATION TO BECOME FREE OF THE OPPRESION AND SHE WAS INMIDIATLY HEALED. SHE HAD SO MUCH FAITH THAT ALL SHE WANTED WAS TO TOUCH HIM, HOW MANY OF US, HAVE THIS FAITH….??? 

 Jesus even called her daughter!! ~~ THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER___   

²⁵Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, ²⁶and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. ²⁷When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. ²⁸For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” 

²⁹Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the ^[f]affliction. ³⁰And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” 

³¹But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude touching You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 

³²And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. ³³But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. ³⁴And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” 

³⁵While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 

³⁶As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” ³⁷And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. ³⁸Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw ^[g]a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. ³⁹When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.” 

⁴⁰And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. ⁴¹Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” ⁴²Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. ⁴³But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat. 

^{#.... Mark 6: 56}Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.  Wow… today we are broken searching for God to be healed and  our faith it’s Inspired by his Love for us.  Look around us so many people in fear, in sickness, in sadness. But we as Christians need to vcome to Him so he can heal us and restoures us from the world of hopelessness to a world of hope healing and salvation!!! 

 

…..Don’t you want to have this KIND of  faith??? DO NOT FEAR BUT BELIEVE! 

To touch Him and to be heal, that even Jesus was amazed of her faith?? 

How  awesome is  to have a Father who cares for us when no one even knows we are there.  

The woman who suffered 12 years of bleeding and Jesus Healing only by touching Him, 

How many of us, will love to touched His garment.? 

 How many of us wants to be touched by THE LOVING FATHER THAT FIGHTS FOR US? EVEN WHEN NO OTHER CARES. 

HOW MANY OF US LIVES IN THIS LOVE THAT IS WILLING TO GO INTO THE WORLD AND GIVE HIS PURE TRUE LOVE TO THE WORLD THAT IS AFRAID OF DYING AND ARE AFRAID OF touching or EVEN BEEN TOUCH Like our times of covid 

4…..… The Love of the cross that never gives up and redeems forever. 

^{Colossians 3:8}But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 

⁹Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 

¹⁰And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 

¹¹Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. 

¹²Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. 

¹³Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 

¹⁴And above all these things put on LOVE, which is the bond of perfectness. 

¹⁵And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 

¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 

¹⁷And 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. 

  Amen!! Thank you Lord for touching me. Thank you Lord for saving me, 

Thank you Lord for calling me daughter!!!  

thank you Lord for healing me and giving me Hope in this world where is no hope. Help me to love  you and Others as you love us and to be like you Jesus, Amen!! 

 

So what will you do, keep on been a lukewarm Christian or a Miracle believer and worker Christian!!!