Thanksgiving: True Compassion and Gratitude

Thanksgiving: True Compassion and Gratitude           by Kelly Durant 11-19-23

I John 3:16 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.17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but indeed and in truth.3

2. How many of you have ever seen beggars? I mean hungry ones with very sad faces? There are a lot of them in South America and each day I had to have a few pesos ready to give out. If you don’t help you are going to feel very bad thinking about how you did not help someone in need! Right? But you can always observe hundreds that do not care at all and just walk on by!

The first Pilgrim Colonists in 1621 in this country were literally dying of hunger after arriving to this land from England. They arrived in the summer and did not have time to plant for the harvest and they had no provisions for the winter. Immigrants seem to always have a hard time no matter where they move to! Right? 

A Cuban I shared a coffee with one time told me he was so poor when he got to Miami that he would catch pigeons on the beach in order to be able to eat! Sometimes we are unaware of how poor some people around us actually are! Also, never judge, appearances deceive!

3. We can be thankful for Thanksgiving Day because it has shaped Americans as a culture to remember to be grateful to God and to be compassionate! Americans have historically been one of the most generous helping people on earth giving over 500 billion to individuals or charity each year! Half of that goes to churches! This is one reason why Satan has been working so hard to divide and destroy our faith and this country! “Tolerance” the past few years seems to apply for every type of religion and all types of evil but “tolerance” is not offered to Christians the ones helping ministries with billions per year! But Satan controls multi-trillions through his despots!

The Native American Indians, and historically most cultures in the world, have a tradition of celebrating the fall harvests which sustains them through winter. It is a time of sharing and generosity! Even pagan European cultures, apart from Christian ones,  knew there was a God that provided and they had festivals as well. It was Pres. Abraham Lincoln that made Thanksgiving Day an official holiday in 1863 to, as in his words, “remember Almighty God”. But it had been celebrated for over 160 years prior to that! 

4. It is amazing how the Indians showed compassion on these new strange white immigrants. Everyone today should celebrate this act of compassion and gratitude to God and should express gratitude to our remaining noble Natives! Thanksgiving Day should be a day in which we recognize God’s mercy through others and this should prompt us to show compassion on someone less fortunate in our society.

The essence of being a Christian is that we are supposed to live out compassion and gratitude in our every action, and often we do meet others that know and practice it innately because they are spiritual. Most people still have a God consciousness and God sees all. How much more Christians must do it!

The scripture of today, of showing compassion, was in its essence being practiced by a people that at that time were being called ‘savages’. Interesting God’s humor in how He used so called “savages” to save the Christians from hunger by throwing a big party and feast! But that set the stage for how every immigrant should be: compassionate ever since that Thanksgiving day!

5. This nation, founded by Christians, currently still lives with this standard and tradition of compassion and it is established as an example for all generations so that we must keep the tradition going always being compassionate and feeding and caring for others. I would like to suggest that when we show the less fortunate compassion that we not forget that this includes the widows, the homeless, and the immigrants. (the ones the Bible names repeatedly)

But for the cold hearted and compassionless, hear this warning: Proverbs 21:13  Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

These Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe gave an example of how all people can without any discrimination of race and class appreciate one another, love and share, and thank God that He is keeping them alive! The best way to connect is to share a meal with someone!

6. Think about this, God feels deep pain when he spares lives life and then later these same people become proud and greedy and forget Him! In other words, God gets angry and judges severely people who are non-compassionate and unthankful!

Where do we find evidence of this? In the O.T., Moses freed 6 million Jews from the slavery of Egypt and how did these people respond? Did they praise Him every day? No! They complained constantly against God, they built idols to worship any god except the One who had saved them! Their punishment was to wander lost 40 years in the desert and never reach the promised land!

God has a way of judging and destroying the nations that are unthankful to Him! All the world’s super powers of the past, Egypt, Persia (Iran), Greece, and Rome, look at them today! They are still bankrupt, in turmoil, and divided! They have been cursed for several thousand years now because their people became aggressors to steal, enslave, and exploit instead of being people who were loving and giving, compassionate worshipping our true God Jehova!

7. Many Native tribes were peaceful and loving and spiritual, but others were war-like and they would invade and kill those in other tribes. This was the same scenario as in Europe where the white tribes of peaceful people were invaded by Vandals, Vikings, Germanic, and other barbarous war like Caucasian people. Today those past aggressor’s powers have faded away. And why is that?  Because it was prophesized by Jesus in Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.  But there are still not enough meek ones yet! The evidence is there, God humbles or He exalts nations! It’s all in accordance to how much they obey God.

Are we becoming a nation that is more overrun by greedy deceitful aggressors that will scam and rob and even kill old ladies to steal? Are we as a nation losing our protection and blessings from God because too many people have stopped being compassionate people who thank God for their lives? How have Christians have gone wrong to be deceived to follow false doctrines?

8. Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. I propose to you that as many as half of today’s so called Christians are no longer reading and following Biblical principles but rather they are following men and teachings that are filling them with bitternesses and destruction.  Many so called churches are now accepting false ideas and politics and the erroneous liberation theologies. They want justice, but in their own revengeful way and it is painful to see these deceptions at work making people divisive, unfriendly, and isolated. 

We believe that the despairing needs of others is solved by obeying Jesus example, and that is having a heart to God and a hand to man! We help as in I John 3:16!

Yet the modern trend is to believe that social justice, which may or may not include caring for the poor, should be by force and carried out by imposing on the prosperous ones steep penalties, taxes and laws so that it permits the shifting of the wealth to themselves. Covetousness is against God’s law but many break it. This is a sign of the times. What the anti-Christ will do?

9. Daniel 11:24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.

What it amounts to is Satan has always wanted to prove He is as good as God to show compassion. Satan wants to appear compassionate! God’s way is the sacrificial way, the laying down of your life for others, the giving of your time, talent, and treasure to others giving them the gospel of salvation in love due to your gratitude to God.  True Christians willingly share with those in need!

10. Satan’s imitation of compassion is destructive and like the warmongering aggressors. Historically between Russia, China, and the rest, 100 million or more have died under atheist Communism. The lie of all lies is that the government under some despot dictator who says he cares for the poor is going to really care for the poor. He robs from the rich but never really shares it. It never happens! We have not seen a model of true compassion happen yet. We have witnessed Russia, China, Vietnam, N. Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela as they give crumbs to the masses of people while the leaders live in ultra-luxury.

 Jesus exposed Satan in John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

God’s compassion is not bound by a race, religion, or place. Jesus example of the Good Samaritan points this out!  Compassion must be put into practice by those that know God or otherwise the world’s (or Satan’s) idea of compassion becomes a method of oppression and destruction! 

11.The world can be divided into 2 types of people, the Satanic self-righteous condemning greedy destructive and imposing types who want to take from you yet boast they are compassionate, or the sharing spirit–filled caring compassionate and loving type that thanks God for everything and spreads the blessings. Which type are you? 

In the end, you are either practicing compassion from God or you are not! If not, then you are comparable to the soon to disappear war-like selfish people of the past that forcibly took what they coveted to consume and destroy. Only the meek will inherit the earth!

Only Jesus love can change hearts that are hell bent on stealing, invading, killing, and disrespecting other races and cultures! These atrocities still continue on today in the world in our metropolis mega cities, and in all countries everywhere. Let’s practice sharing with all! Let us pray for a return to a thankfulness to God and a practice of real compassion! On Thanksgiving Day we are reminded of it so practice Thanksgivingness today as it is needed more than ever! We must always thank God for He is limitlessly good!

 

Thank God for Life. Forget the World!

Thank God for Life. Forget the World!                         11-12-23       Kelly Durant

 

Ecc. 3:²² So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

 

2. How many of you can remember how it was when you got married? Or had your first child? Or got for the first time a bike or a car? Or got a place to live when you didn’t know where to go, but God opened the door? 

 

There are many good things that have happened to all of us in life and we always need to reflect on them because we can see how God is wonderful to each of us and loves us. God is good to us, all the time! But in order to appreciate good things, we must decide to take on an attitude of praise and simplicity. In this materialistic world where money, lust, & excessive consumption is the god worshipped by the majority, that is a challenge.

 

I think when a person is young (I speak from my own experience) we want to achieve so many things that are not attainable, nor in God’s plans. Many people often dream to become a famous star, to be rich, and to have a lifestyle that others envy. It seems natural to be ambitious but does the accumulation of things really make us happy? A life without God will always be depressing & empty!

 

3. I recall in Florida where the boating docks are, you could see hundreds of yachts just parked as if they never moved, only a few were coming and going. The reality is many millionaires own big expensive toys that they only get to enjoy maybe once a year if that! That seems absurd and crazy, right? Just rotting away! And then when a hurricane hits, they all get wiped out in an hour!

 

Even the homes of the rich are empty! There is an island off the shores of South Miami where you can see the vacation homes of mega millionaires and past famous ones, like Al Capone. You and I can pay $25 for a 15 minute boat ride to go around the island and see the dozens mansions that have no activity in them. Imagine to own a 100 million dollar home, and you only go there once a year!

 

These are hundred million dollar homes and yet the owners are off in California, or somewhere. I think people must think what I think, what a waste, if they don’t have time to take care of it, why not let others live in it and enjoy it!? How sad to see these beautiful homes getting old from the rain and sun with only 4-5 care takers to enjoy them. This verse comes to mind, Matthew 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.   

   

4. As I have mentioned before, evil powers reign over the earth, Satan’s demons get into the hearts and minds of the rich and not even with all they have are they happy but always want more! From a country where there are mega-rich, and extreme poor are, like in India, we heard these wise words from a leader, Mahatma Gandhi, “The world has enough for every man’s need, but not enough for every man’s greed.”

 

The absolute ambition in life of those serving Satan and not God is not just extreme wealth), but it is power: the quest to have others subjugated to them. (by what we know about 300 families rule our entire world) Satan wants to be worshipped so he operates through any person with the same ambition. He is the enemy of those who worship God! He is a man of wealth and taste, and or of pride & rebellion, and his captivity and punishment in hell (soon) will be forever!

 

The illusion Satan sells is that powerful and rich people have it all! What a lie! When we see the wealthy, politicians, rock and sports stars, and dictators being abusive and acting out so they get attention, because they want fans and followers, our stomachs turn. We see how childlike and desperate they are to gain attention, even negative attention, which feeds their ego. Not even with all of what they have are they satisfied; they want more and more. 

 

5. So how are we going to not be like them but bring our focus onto Jesus? Well, for one we must ask the Lord about ourselves, and how our Spirit is. We must always pray to not love the world. 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.

 

So how do we know what to purge from our lives? Romans13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. 

I think most of you here have done this! If you are Salvationists you have grown in holiness throughout the years!

 

No one here walks in drunkenness, for one, the Salvation Army our Soldier’s Pact prohibits alcohol and drugs! No one here is abusive, & violent (wanton) person doing sexual sins all day in the bedroom chambers, (chambering) and most all the time we are in peace in harmony, are we not? If our passion is to worship Jesus, study His Word, and live for Him then we will not be living “in the flesh”.

 

6. But take note of the word envy, that is a troubling spirit in our world. I think people are quite often unaware of this sin in their lives. Envy over the wealth of others has provoked many wars, for lands, slaves, & plunder. It is envy that causes people to join the ranks of the communists, with the idea they can gain power and riches, not by work and sacrifice, but by violent protests and takeovers. Envy is a terrible sin! It is behind racism, classism, and all the other dividing -isms!

 

Sometimes people are envious even of people in their own church! Sadly, I have seen it. Sometimes people with not too much can get envious of those who have already worked or studied for what they have. Some people listen too much to Satan when he tells them that their brothers or sisters have what they have by unfair means, and they deserve to have what they have just because they want it.

 

People are weak and are tempted to think, ‘Why is it that God did not allow me to be born in a rich & famous family?’ How is it that God has blessed that other person more than me with gifts of the Spirit, intelligence, the ability to lead, play music, or get privileges like to travel? Our enemy is always planting seeds of division and we must resist him. or we can grow a “root of bitterness” against others, our leaders, and even brothers & sisters in the church. 

 

7. So who are the happiest people in life? It is the people who know the Lord, love Him, love others, and live in peace with themselves and with others! Psalm 144:15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. 

 

And what else is needed for happiness? It is gratefulness! Envious, or unthankful people always find a fault in everything! Some people are never happy, and it is because they are focused on their own selfish misery instead of having faith. To live focused on God we have to accept our lot in life, and when we do, we give thanks for everything!

 

I lived 14 years in South America, in some of the poorest places there, and I have seen terrible poverty, people living in cardboard shacks, with no running water. In the orphanages that I went to often, the kids there were almost always very smiley, very happy to sing, dance, play soccer, and just enjoy the moment! 

 

We get blessed when we obey God’s word and focus on others. James 1:27

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, & to keep himself unspotted from the world.

 

8. So can we really “forget about the world’? I would say not totally, we are here in the flesh, we have to eat, sleep, and think, so what does Jesus recommend? John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 

 

In the end Jesus tells us Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. His purpose for us to endure and make it through this life, protected from temptation and evil, for us to know we are loved by Him (as we will never be loved by the world if we love Him!) and to know God has chosen us for His special purpose! That is beyond special! Everyone in the world wants a purpose, and Jesus gives us that, the people of the world in competition devour one another (James 4)!

 

So, thank God we do not have to compete with Satan’s minions on earth! Having Jesus, we do not desire immense wealth, high powers of position, or anything this world has to offer. Satan tempts with that, power & wealth, but our rewards are in heaven and we don’t need it here in this life, so following Jesus makes his offers of no appeal.

 

9. Gratitude to God for life makes a big difference!  I often hear stories of people here going through hard times, but other people out there in the world have really hard times, often doing whatever it takes to make enough money to eat that day! Think of all the displaced people by war, walking with just the shirt on their back. Most of the world’s people live without heat or AC, most of them can never afford a car, and still, many of them marry, have kids, and live pretty happy. 

 

It is an attitude of gratitude that makes us, a true Christian, different from the people of the world. The less we care about the things in the world, the closer to the Lord we will be! Paul says in Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

 

In the end, this world is not our home, we are just a passin’ through! If we stay focused on what the Lord gives us, on how He is wonderful, on how He will give us heaven after this hellish experience on earth, then we will live full and content.  Nothing compares to our Lord and His love, peace, and the joy He sustains us with, amen! And He will keep us in His happy place, heaven, forever!

Appreciation: For God and Others Who Honor God!

 

Appreciation: For God and Others Who Honor God!              1-3-16  Re: 11-5-23 Kelly Durant

John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Proverbs 21:21 He that follows after righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor.

2. Do you want to know about the character of a person? Ask yourself, who do they love and appreciate?  Who do they talk about and spend money or time on? Are they the vain type of person that idolizes mere men or women in high places of power? Ask, who are their favorite performers, movie stars, or rich and famous ones they look up too? Or do they (or you) speak of what God is doing in their lives or in the lives of others having their pleasure in those who inspire by praising their good deeds? Who we honor says everything about we are as a person! 

Basically, to appreciate is to reciprocate! Appreciation is a reaction, something was done for you, and now you seek to return a favor or gesture to reveal your thankfulness. Often you and I cannot return the same value of what was given but to do something reveals an honorable heart. Friends are often those whom we appreciate most but often you or I do not get a chance to thank them appropriately! Appreciation can be shown in different ways, but one must always be a support to the person. This may also include being an imitator or admirer of their goodness. Appreciating a person by sharing with them something of value like a gift is a good thing but simply time spent with someone may reveal that you appreciate their presence and value them as a person. But often people do nothing, and they do not even say, “Thank You!”

It is time for an inventory; it is time to do an assessment, who and what do you appreciate in life? Like the old rock song that repeated over and over, “Who do you love?” we need to ask ourselves does our love for someone translate into showing them a meaningful appreciation?

3. Let’s start with priorities, how do you show appreciation to Jesus for His love to you by dying on the cross to give you eternal life? The verse of today are Jesus words, He gives us eternal life and the blessed assurance that no “man” can ever take it away. Eternal life? How amazing! How incredible! Jesus had appreciation for His followers so much so that He granted them (from the present and the future) life after this life in a perfect utopian heavenly world!

How can you or I ever thank Jesus enough for saving our soul? Eternal life in heaven is something that no amount of money can buy and there is no way to earn it! Eternal life has been the obsession of all cultures since mankind’s inception and is the basis for all religions, disciplines, and sacrifices throughout time. Before Jesus, the Pagans, the Hindus, the Egyptians and all humanity have sought ways to gain eternal life and earn position by purification and respect by following Godly standards (laws) which would carry over in the next life. But mankind’s attempts at being worthy and clean are never enough to produce a purified soul acceptable enough for a Holy God who is the embodiment of pure holiness and love. Jesus came because even God’s law could not save everyone God wanted to save, which is all humanity! Jesus changed the dynamics!

So how do you and I show appreciation for eternal life? Are you taking it serious how much God loves you? What can you give back to God? I wrote a song inspired by the words of others about 30 years ago and here is a part of it just for a quick reflection:

The gift of God, is eternal life, but it cost Jesus His, to give it to you, 

And it will probably cost you yours, to live it too

 

You are no fool to give a life you cannot keep

To gain a love you’ll never lose

 

4. For the gift of eternal life people will do anything! Some religions teach you must earn it by being selfless, sacrificial, ritualistic, and generous to their church, or even live separated from society. Some religions also teach that you must kill others who are unfaithful to God (what they think God wants as described by false prophets) so people will also even commit murder and violence. Until when will this time of horrible radicalism dominate mindsets submitting people to a misrepresented idea of god?! The only way to conquer is with Jesus! Violence and the murder of the unfaithful brings no justice to any God or to anyone. It is the system of satan and only serves to satisfy man’s lust for power, wealth by robbery, and sexual domination and it is the total opposite of what we know our God of mercy, compassion, and love to be!

 

Imagine such a perverted way of thinking that in order to please God, to show God appreciation and in order to gain eternal life with rewards you should murder another human being who does not agree with your god as defined by so called prophets?! John 16:2 (b): “Yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service”. Appreciation and how it should be expressed has always been misguided by those carnal and dead towards God. God sent Jesus as the ultimate example of how we are to live and love. God Jehovah is the only one who taught us how to love through Jesus granting obedient ones eternal life and God will honor them with crowns and rewards in heaven.

 

5. What I can witness is this, once Jesus really touches your spirit, you will be changed, you will understand that your life is not yours anymore and that you owe Him everything! To show Jesus appreciation, I chose as a young man to give up everything to follow Him. I gave up all my possessions, I gave up comfort for poverty in poor nations for 14 years, and I still am giving up all my years in service to Him, I can never pay Jesus back so all I can do is to show Him I love Him by obeying and following Him! Appreciation for Jesus requires being His disciple full of love for everyone, appreciating every soul you meet as a potential future follower of Him!

 

We know how we all should appreciate God by living for Him worshipping Him, but who should we appreciate in this life? Should not appreciation be shown to those who do the most for God and Jesus? Think about who you know here in the Corps church, about who are obeying the Lord, “serving another in love” as commanded.

 

Each person according to their talents do what they can for the Lord and sometimes amongst ourselves we are unaware of what the other is doing for God or the Corps because not everyone is here all the time to be informed about who does what. In general, you and I should try to not judge who to appreciate more than the other, but instead just take an attitude to appreciate and love everyone that we know are here for God! It is God that keeps a record of words and deeds. 

 

6. Many times others do many good things for the Corps church that you may not be aware of and often these are things you could not do yourself. For example, some people have a talent to raise several hundred dollars every time they go out ringing the bell for the red kettle and others do not. Some others of you can repair broken doors and locks; others can decorate amazingly while others know how to cook and provide great meals for a hundred people. Each person has value, and to appreciate that try switching the tasks and ask the decorators to repair the sound system!? We all must show honor and respect to one another! All have value!

 

In general, in the church some people are like the kings who brought gifts to Jesus, compared to those who tithe and give generously, while others, especially in our Salvation Army church, are more like the poor shepherds who were without goods and simply brought Jesus their dedication, honor, and worship. 

 

Someone asked me, what did the shepherds give Jesus? (Assuming they gave Him a sheep) The Bible does not record that they gave Jesus a sheep, but they did run to admire and worship him! Maybe they did give Him a sheep, I don’t know, but the important part is they gave Jesus their heart, praise, and worship! They walked a few miles to get to see Him! A surrendering of the will is what anyone can give and is what God wants! We should not expect people to give what they may or may not be able to give but we must do our part.

 

7. Do you want to know what has been a hard lesson for me in life? It is to appreciate broken-ness and to just work with broken people! Right now, many of our members & volunteers have bodily injuries and cannot lift more than 10 pounds, some volunteers in our past have even been homeless folks, some of them are not very strong but do I reject them? No! I appreciate them! At least they are serving God in some manner as best they can around here. Some Christians are too good and too proud to work with a Motley Crew but not me because I know Jesus disciples were a mess, and I know I am still a work in progress! 

 

In this life our Corps church will never be perfect with perfect people altruistically loving and sacrificing for each other to the level Jesus expects. I perceive sometimes that some folks are not happy with certain others, and we are not so happy with those who don’t show appreciation to the Corps church. 

 

Like it or not, people always are measuring who does what and they comment about it so try to examine yourself well in what you do for God. But also remember none of you are ever seeing the whole picture of all that goes on behind the scenes. Some people with rough edges that may appear undesirable are actually doing God’s work and going out and visiting the sick and helping the helpless while others stay back and clean, serve food, decorate and repair and even provide a gift for someone in need without call attention to it.

 

8. Concerning the things of God, you and I should concern ourselves with our own selves first, so ask yourself, do I actually give enough to God as He wants to my Corps, family and friends? Do I do all of what God expects of me? Do I show the appropriate amount of appreciation to God and others? Do I, as in the Proverb of today, concern myself to be full of “righteousness and mercy” which invokes life and honor?

 

The reality is everyone should take conviction to be more appreciative to Jesus, to their brothers and sisters, and to their Corps church which should shine like a light in the community with evidence of the love a God present in each person. In order to please God we must appreciate every act of kindness, appreciate every visitor, and appreciate and love each other!

 

There are different types of appreciation. You may appreciate a person who feeds you once, but what about someone who over a course of more than a decade has fed you hundreds of times? Now that is where a deeper appreciation takes place! It is obvious some of the people of this Corps have provided service, food, and acts of kindness for the people of this Corps and for those of the community a few hundred times. Now that is truly worthy to be admired and appreciated on a deeper level! Each one of us will reap what we sew!

 

9. As human beings and animals of habit we often take for granted the good that others do for us through the church or on their own and sadly we later only take notice of it once it is gone! It is sad reality that ‘you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone’? We should all wake up and notice all the good that each person does, whether they be a driver who picks up people on Sundays, or whether they be a cook in the kitchen, or a Bible teacher who brings clarity to God’s word. 

                                                                                                             

But just how missed will you be when gone? We lost several people the last years and we all can go with the Lord at any time! Are you someone who did things for God and others, or someone who expected others to do for you? Will they say of you that you were you a faithful servant, faithful in the little things so the Lord appoints you worthy to be in charge of the more glorious bigger things in His Kingdom? 

 

My grandmother use to say some people would not do things neither for love or money, and it is true people are motivated or not motivated to do things as it affects their personal gain but with God things works to the contrary. You are expected to love, give, and serve expecting nothing in return! But the reality is, however, that by being obedient to Jesus, sacrificial, and generous you gain things that money can’t buy such as honor, respect, righteousness, and love! And most importantly, Jesus will grant you eternal life and rewards in heaven!

 

Jesus wants your appreciation shown to Him on a higher more dedicated level so let’s ask God to forgive our past failures and ask Him to give us a love and appreciation for Him so deep that it will sustain you and me to do greater things for Him, for our brothers and sisters, the Salvation Army Corps, and for all others out there in the community!