The Increasing Poverty, What to Do?

The Increasing Poverty, What to Do?                                          By Kelly Durant 

Proverbs 19:1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.Matthew 26:11 “For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always”.

 

2. I believe I have already told you this story about a rich man that decided to help a homeless man. He thought if he cleaned him up, fed him and gave him a chance for a job so his life would turn around. He brought him home, chose some fine clothes for him and said, “Go ahead, take a shower and then come to dinner.” The man came to dinner and ate a big steak and during the meal the rich man noticed that there was still that smell of rank body odor. He asked the man, “You did enjoy the shower, right?” He replied, “Yes.” Then he asked the homeless man, “What did you do with your old clothes?” He then replied, “Oh thank you for the new suit but I thought it would be a pity to throw away my old clothes so I put them on under this new suit!” 

 

Well, this is a perfect illustration of how hard it is to bring about a mental change in the lives of those that are accustomed to living poor! Selfishness and possessiveness is the same with the rich or the poor, of not letting go when needed! I have been reading many articles on poverty lately as it has always concerned me how to help people live a life more in peace, blessed and not so stressed about money and the things in life. Currently there is a 49% or more group of people in the U.S. that get financial aid. For every one person working, one is paying higher taxes to cover for the poverty or welfare of the other one not working! Take note that when 70% of the population went to church in the 70’s, there was a lot fewer people in poverty (less than 12%), so the decline in the material wealth is connected with the decline of the spiritual and mental. I think all of us as Christians want to help others to live more blessed in life, and Christians in general usually ascend to a higher wealth class than others just from living right and helping! 

 

The dynamic of too many poor has created a dangerous resentment in our society, and making it worse poverty is politicized to make people believe that their poverty is a product of a certain political party, or due to racism, sexism, and whatever “ism” you want to label. The blame of poverty seems to never fall back on the person themselves being responsible for their own actions, so what is to blame? According to most research groups the individual carries the largest part of the blame for their own rich or poor condition but it is a hard fact that the governing laws and community conditions do create the stifling box within which the person has to function.  Many laws and taxes are designed to keep the populus poor.  

 

3. So people wonder about Jesus words; what did He mean by this statement… Matthew 26:11 “For ye have the poor always with you; (but me ye have not always)”. Does this imply there will never be a cure the poverty problem?  The poor we still have with us, about 5 billion! But Jesus was not cruelly putting it within a context of a loving God loving to see people in suffering and poverty, but rather He was emphasizing the reign of evil systems and that of personal responsibility. It is a human provoked condition that due to the sin in this world is not going away fast enough. God loves the poor and they have a place in heaven; Jesus described beggar Lazarus having had dogs lick his sores as going on to rest with Father Abraham whereas the rich man who gave him crumbs to eat on earth went on to hell. Luke 16:19-26.

 

The situation has always been this: people, not God, create poverty! Always when we explore issues we must include all other examples, and where do we find another example of Jesus referring to someone destitute and poor? With the prodigal son! What provoked his poverty? He was rich so what caused him to lose it all? One simple answer, sin! All the partying, all the rebellion, all the wastefulness drove him to eating the same food as the pigs! His fault, right? 

 

Some poverty is unavoidable though being provoked by outside conditions and it is not always a result of the direct action of the person: these other impoverishing disasters may include war, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, a terminal sickness, or a corrupt anti-god government or mafia rule exploiting the local people, etc.  

 

4, So, what’s your attitude towards the poor? Do you judge all the poor as guilty sinners unworthy of your attention because they should be responsible and pay for their own sins? Hatred is described in Proverbs 14:20 “The poor is hated even of his own neighbor: but the rich hath many friends”. Many people I have met will never help the poor not because of their race but rather because of their own personal issues of pride. People that grew up around poverty often avoid the poor because the poor remind them of their past of which they are embarrassed! Many people avoid their families when they have money! We all see that!

 

Prosperous arrogant indifferent people will pay a big price for being uncompassionate!  Warn others of this verse… Proverbs 21:13 “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.” All Christians have the mission to help others in their need despite their sins or what opinion exists of the person. We really will never know the whole story of their life and only God is the judge! An unforeseen event could happen to you or to anyone of us one day! So ‘judge not, so you be not judged’, calamity could happen to you.

 

So here are some of the factors identified that are producing poverty covered so far: 

 

A. We are born in a broken world with broken mentalities so poverty continues, 

B. it is brought on by individuals who live in sinful wasteful lifestyles, 

C. It continues not sufficiently alleviated due to the uncompassionate and judgmental people, 

D. It is brought on by major disasters or crisis, 

E. Plus it may be the product of the greed or political agendas of the governing authorities.  

 

5. These are a few of the many factors that could explain why the ever increasing poverty is all around us in every city. So how are we as loving compassionate Christians going to deal with the issues involving poverty?  What can you do as an individual to help another individual who is hurting? Well, first start with our own self and attitude and actions. Proverbs 11:24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. Generous people always seem to have friends as we reap what we sew.

 

Are you sufficiently empathetic to those suffering around you? How do we keep the commandment above all commandments?   Luke 10:27 And he answering said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.” If all people started caring for those around them with a love like this then there would be a revolution and it would solve all the world’s problems, financially and spiritually! It is always more blessed to give than to receive! 

 

6. Let’s deal with each issue one by one. The first issue is the one of a mentality stuck in the rut of poverty, an enslaving attitude of defeat and discouragement that one will never escape out of the underclass. But faith in God is the solution to everything! Jesus brings a change of heart, then a renovation of the mind and attitude. We count on the washing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit to bring about all the needed changes! It is a process to learn to prosper in all ways!

 

People who claim God’s promises get answers! Here is a good one…Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Good success and prosperity comes from obeying God! The mental hurdle to overcome is to believe that God wants you living blessed!

 

7. The next issue, how can we deal with people who become poor due to their lifestyle of sin? What are the consequences provoked by personal irresponsibility? Laziness can sure provoke a lack of funds! Poverty comes to those involved in a life of addiction to drugs or alcohol or gambling. Poverty comes from credit abuse with an addiction to materialism buying what one cannot afford. Sin always involves selfishness which produces wastefulness by not applying the money where it should go. I have known of cases where a person gets an expensive tattoo spending the rent money thinking someone else should pay for it, and some people get plastic surgery just for pride and vanity while disregarding the impending needs of the home and kids! A lot of poverty exists because people have uncontrollable selfish appetites for a sin that consumes away most all of their personal resources leaving nothing for basic needs. 

 

Another sin preventing God’s blessings could be that of living in a lifestyle of a perverted sin that offends God. People may try to justify that their sin that it is legal by man’s law but that does not make it right with God! Also, people who verbally and physically abuse their mates and children invite a curse on their own selves as well.  Living cursed without God’s blessing brings on the consequences of poverty and a punishment. The solution is to reverse everything about one’s life in repentance with a total change to a blessed life by clean living and a holy lifestyle!

 

When thinking of those disobedient and degrading into poverty we are reminded of the Israelites in Egypt. First, Abraham and his family of 11 escaped famine and poverty to the land of prosperity, Egypt. Take note of this interesting factor; to escape poverty from a disaster you may be forced to relocate! Joseph, Abraham’s son thought to be dead, had become a prince and he saved the family and provided for them and they started out rich again. But over time, over several hundreds of years their descendants became poor due to their sin and slavery under the Egyptians until God called Moses to lead them to the rich Promised Land. Rich to poor and back again is the cycle of families and people depending on how they are obeying or disobeying God!  

 

8. Now let’s explore compassion for the poor. Historically around the world, what has been the means of support for a poor, blind, or disabled person? Begging! In most all societies beggars are often able to survive, even though they live poor, by the coins that compassionate people throw in their cups. The more developed Western Christian societies however took it a step further and they created foundations and non-profits to provide a better life for those less fortunate. Proverbs 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. The USA’s people, historically, have been an example of generosity. 

 

The United States has produced the most generous, compassionate, giving people on earth! According to the NCCS Table Wizard, there are currently over 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the United States! That is 335 billion dollars helping others every year! (The sad contrast is our government wastes an estimated 600 billion dollars per year!) Other countries with a population of far fewer compassionate Christians respectively have far fewer organizations serving those suffering. In all South America the orphanages, the blind schools, The Salvation Army, and most charities depend on money from the U.S. or abroad to subsidize their operations! I have been to 100 hundred of these places and I know what they need!

 

So basically compassionate people, being mostly prosperous Christians in the United States, have been the ones to sustain a bulk of all of the help to the poor in the world! But still in the USA there are evil cities that have a record of not being very compassionate in their giving and you can google that and notice that they are the cities with the worst sin issues. Sadly, in general more and more people are becoming less giving and less compassionate as faith declines. Some people think it is the government’s job to provide for the poor but if up to 90% of the money is getting wasted in administration fees, not the cause, why continue? Doesn’t the Government pay billions of dollars in bonuses to their own of their own political party in these jobs in the name of helping the poor? Has any government lately proven to be effective being clean from corruption? No! The tax payers should voice that the non-profits should run all the social services since government waste is at an all-time high! It’s in the $ trillions!  

 

9. Instant poverty takes over after a disaster or any kind! I have seen this dozens of times and served near thousands of homes reduced to rubble after a tornado, flood, or some type of disaster. Imagine your whole life’s work being lost in only 10 minutes or in just a few hours! Then the distressed person has to find a shelter to live in a few weeks and start all over! Also, earthquakes, fires, a theft, and civil unrest will cause all things to be lost. People always wonder about why God let’s things happen in certain places to certain people and we will not know why until we are in heaven. There is always a purpose, but in the meantime shouldn’t we all serve in the Salvation Army (or with somebody) to alleviate the suffering when it happens? 

 

What many of us may forget to factor in are life changing crisis such as a divorce, a death, or a terrible illness as these can also provoke a personal disaster that reduces one to poverty.  The loss of a house mortgage or a job loss always brings about further problems. Many people have gone through personal disasters and these can provoke a lethargic depression and more complications taking one away from normal productive duties reducing income.

 

So in the end, everyone seems to go through some type of trial in life similar to that of Job in the Bible. Trails in this fallen, broken world full of sin are inevitable! God wants us to strengthen our faith and look to Him.  1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:  In the end God wants us healthy, wealthy, and wise! For the righteous, like Job, God does restore what gets lost after the passing of the test!

 

10. And on the last point, this world is filled with devils and many empires of evil oppressing all people in every land! Ecclesiastes 5:8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they. God will one day judge all the oppressors of the poor, who have made their selves powerful and rich from exploiting them!  

 

The systems of today are set up for the rich to get richer and the poor poorer no matter the name of the system “-ism”. This has been happening even more over the past century in all countries. Excessive taxation, fines, extortions, bribes, unfair wages, and oppressions of all kinds plague all government systems! How sad for the ones who get rich as they lose it all when they die!  Luke 18:24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God”! Instead of helping the poor as Jesus wanted this rich young ruler to do, he selfishly hoarded it only to lose it and heaven in the end!

 

There is no point in mentioning all the evil systems in this country as everyone is aware of them, the drug trade, sex trade, the exploitation of labor, pornography, gambling, mafia extortions, and on and on. The government is involved in evil trades as well such as arms sales, targeted taxations, etc, and all of these added together is money equal to trillions! God knows Christians denounce all of these evil practices which shift money away from the poor inducing more poverty and this is why they get persecuted and silenced! Christians are hated for being honest, moral, and bold to speak up! Corrupt unrepentant sinners hate truth and light because it slows or stops their evil agendas!

 

11. So how are we to live in this world? Happiness is an attitude! Just for the fact we are together here means you have connections and a Christian family that love you and will help you when in need! Some poor precious people I have known in Bolivia and elsewhere seem to laugh more and be more happy than the people here in the USA with more money! Many people here have riches by illusion as they don’t really own anything because they owe it all on their credit! These next verses can guide us, to understand we are not poor…

 

Proverbs 11:28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

Proverbs 13:7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches

Proverbs 22:4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.

Proverbs 30:8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

 

We must face the fact that with all the sin in the world, there will always be poverty! No government or charity money will ever fix it or make wealthier the lifestyle of someone that participates in evil things never getting satisfied!  We all should always be willing to help others in their need! Remember how Jesus touched Zacchaeus? Luke 19:8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. What a revolution that would cause if all rich people did what he did! The 1 %rs who are the politicians and company owners could redistribute trillions to the billions if they got touched by Jesus! Some companies actually do pay fair wages while others are just evil exploiters. However, I know not many rich share in this type of utopian dream so the systems of the rich vs the poor will still reign until Jesus returns!  We have a big job to keep on serving those in poverty and in need in the meantime! The poor we will have with us always!   

 

The last thought, we should never judge any person when they are in a poor condition because that could be one of us one day! God expects all Christians to live holy honest lives being prudent, frugal, and generous to help God’s work and others in need! We are spiritually guided that wealth is so much more than money!  God’s blessings and riches are on the faithful and holy forever in heaven! Claim his promises!  1 Chronicles 29:12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.  Trust God for his supply and no matter if you are in the fat cows era or in the thin cows era, you will always be alright and protected by Him! Ask Jesus in your heart if you haven’t yet, and if something spoke to you, let it change you so you live more blessed!

In The World of No Love: Love!!

In The World of No Love: Love!!                                                Kelly Durant

I Corinthians13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

2. How many of you recall in your growing years falling down playing basketball, soccer, or having some accident and you got really hurt but no one was compassionate enough to come to your rescue? The others yelled at you, “Hey, get up crybaby and keep going!”, but what do you do when the pain is so sever you actually are paralyzed? We are reminded in many ways we live in an unloving, uncaring world full of indifferent people every day! 

After you catch your breath you sit it out for a while and think about how you felt abandoned for a moment, how the game just kept on going without you, of how you really were of no concern to anyone as the game in the midst of the war battle was more important than you or your life and your pain. How do you respond to the “no one cares for me” reality as you experience pain in your life’s events? Humanity exalts ‘the systems’ of their inventions above life, while God loves His living creatures above all and not even a sparrow falls without him knowing! Matt10:29 He even knows how many hairs you have! 

The good news is Jesus cares and you can feel the Holy Spirit inside you when you ask for it! The good thing as well is, our bodies usually do heal and they hurt a week or a few months but then get mended. You put ice on the bruised leg, but what can you put on the heart when it gets hurt? Who around you will take time with you to listen to you to love you authentically giving you hope to heal? 

3. Many pains and cuts leave a scar and you and I are reminded of the pain until death what happened. But what about the scars on the mind and soul? What do minds and hearts look like with scar tissue? We know. We see the behavior of the wounded everywhere! Now focus on yourself, can you identify your past or present pains, disappointments, and moments of abandonment with no love? Many people are blind to them! When was your wake-up call that you live in a world with no love? The worst pain of all in life is the one of realizing that you are not really being loved by someone you counted on! There is the what was done to you factor, but what are you doing?  How much love do you give anyway? You know how reaping works, to get love, you must sew and give love. 

So when was the first time you felt unloved? I bet many of you who are Christian cannot even recall that well because God has healed you of that pain! But I can tell you this by experience, I am sure many of you felt deep hurt after you had loved, sacrificed, and given your max to someone close and then you woke up one day to see that this person(s) did not appreciate and love you back in return. Jesus said, Matthew 10:36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ That is the pain God feels: He gave His Son to die for us and a vast majority of his created humanity are prideful, unthankful, and unresponsive to His great love!

To appreciate love, God made it so that you and I have to experience this unloving world full of no love! God’s love is an oasis in this world’s horrid desert! It was not God’s original plan to have to allow people to learn this painful lesson of being rejected and unloved (as Jesus was), but this is the predicament our past forefathers put us in, and we cannot change the people of the world’s past sinful destructive practices. Only with the love of Jesus can we change our present! What we can change in the world is those around us and our own heart and mind with the Holy Spirit and with Jesus reshaping our thoughts, character, and actions as He heals our pains with love.

4. In the past after a week in Bolivia I was reminded by my sister-in-law something I said when I left back in 1981. I told her after 3 and a half years there I was done with the unreceptive people of Bolivia! But I actually went back to stay another 3 and half more but in La Paz! I was angry and disappointed then that few people would convert to become true Christians instead of being Christians in name only. The only real disciple converts I got from Bolivia was my wife (and kids!)  But there also was my sweet sister-in-law who still brings tears to my eyes when I remember how she tried her best to grow and read the Bible. She did grow spiritually and progressed materially as well but now she tells me she has a broken heart like mine, sad that very few convert to authentically love and serve God. There are a few others in my wife’s family on fire for God though, and I got filled with hope from them! God’s love is alive around the world despite the selfish survival mode people live contributing to this world with ‘no love’.

I identified then, and still do now, to Jesus words, Matthew 11:16 “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.” As a missionary I used to give out gospel tracks in the markets, I use to play guitar and sing songs to the market venders and to people in the jails, hospitals, and orphanages. I loved the smiles on the children’s faces and that was a special time in my life. But deep inside I was heart-broken and frustrated that little love for God was returned, few chose to serve Him, but only a little repentance took place. What stubbornness!  I have often felt like Jerimiah who preached for many years and no one repented!

Many people I met were content to excuse their sinful life of excessive partying, adulterous affairs, binge drinking, coca use, extreme greed and arrogance, and the continual excuse that they did not need to know God any deeper because they believed in their own way or went to church (which was usually only once a year!) So where was the all so powerful dominating church in correcting the unloving destructive ways of these resistant people? Imagine Bolivia: it is as most of the world. It has high poverty, crime, and families divided and destroyed, and no one seems to care?! Where is the love? Where is the disappearing love in this country too? No love means no respect or values, ‘no love’ means hell on earth! 

5. The message I had for Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and have for everywhere I go, is what works, 4: “Love suffers long and is kind,” I can tell you now I have meet too many people who are not kind to their neighbors and their own family members, and this lack of love has created deep scars and pain! It is a global epidemic!

But because I love God, I make myself be kind anyway! I have suffered greatly by the indifference and rudeness of others and only because I love God, pray and read every day, have I been able to remain kind through it all! For one, everyone has to at some point forgive offenses. Jesus taught us to pray that in the Lord’s prayer: to forgive offenses! I can’t say to anyone anymore as I did before serving God, “Hey, You go to hell!” With God’s love I humble myself and control my anger and say, “Hey, how would you like to go to heaven? Do you know Jesus?”

How tragic in life that many people usually do not see their own unkindness and sin: that they are not reaping love and kindness from others in this moment in time because they have not sewn love and kindness in the past. Basically the ignorance of not knowing and loving God and being kind is killing their ability to ever obtain love and have peace! 

6. Have you noticed that politicians gain power from the people claiming that the financial divide of rich and poor is over race and the privilege of some (which they will fix of course.. yeah right, they haven’t yet!) These deceptive words are nothing but propaganda to feed the monster of the inner demons of envy and hate. Carnality and anger are opposite the spectrum of love’s values. 

Vs.4:”Love envies not”, who is mature enough to not have envy? The anger between the haves and have nots is very real everywhere. Friends and families divide over who makes more money and who does not. Envy is manifested in political choices with the hope of gaining more from the haves. Some gain for a while, some lose due to poor choices, and this is just life. But to live with envy will kill you! Satan uses human weaknesses to achieve more control and destruction!   

Often when kindness, generosity, and love is shown to a person who is contaminated by this unloving world full of greed and envy one finds that they interpret the gift as indebtedness and dumbness on your part. The factor is, what have you done with your life in the way of being wise, prudent, and blessed by God? Some people refuse to accept that another has gained more than them by merit with God! Envious people are continuous complainers that have not learned the value of loving, of even loving your enemies. How sad and bitter are many. 

7. “Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;”. This part refers to remaining humble even though you may be a loving, blessed by God person. This unloving world is made up of pride and most of the time people parade their good deeds only for shallow praise from others. Self-praise is arrogance, that ‘I am’ so good. 

Love given to a person who does not have a heart like Christ’s can become an ego-centric thing.  Haven’t you always hated it when someone you know met a famous singer or actor and they were treated indifferently and rudely by them when they said, “Hi”? Be careful who you love! Even though many people may love a certain famous singer, politician, or person, this does not mean that they will get love back from them, or that this vain one will give love to anyone!

Also love, 5 “does not behave rudely,” The world is becoming more and more rude, have you noticed? Matt. 24:12 “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold”. It is up to us to keep on showing love despite the increasing lack of love and rudeness everywhere. Fight rudeness with kindness!

8. And finally we have 3 commands, 5,”does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;” Those who love with God’s love should never do anything with self-interest, that is to seek their own gain in something. Love just loves no matter what may come back or what may not come back.

Love ‘is not provoked’ implies that you do not make a big deal out of how offended you are over stupid words or unkind actions. If you have love, you will just let it go, but in some cases you may need to stand up to defend a Godly cause. It basically means you are not a sensitive crybaby making a mountain out a mole hill but have enough maturity to not let your angry emotions take over your actions. There are too many in this world who immediately allow their emotions to govern their actions!  Be controlled by God’s spirit of love instead!

‘Thinking no evil’ implies not seeking revenge on those who have wronged you or not loved you as you expected. We should never desire evil to happen to anyone! To the contrary, however, do not allow yourself to be abused over and over by someone! You must love yourself too, and if someone is harming you so much you are thinking evil like in dreaming of killing them, then you have to repent, give it all to God, and get as far away as possible from that person with ‘no love’!

9. Today I am challenging you to mature in love! When a person gets authentically full of God’s love they will become so loving, so dedicated to others, so kind and forgiving, and so selfless that the only thing they can see their self doing in this life is serving God! 

I feel so sorry for so many people I meet in life! I can tell by their words and by their faces that they have never felt the intense amazing love of God deep inside! The fact is few people repent and give up their sins! Each person decides to accept God’s transforming love or not. God’s love in one’s spirit is best described (my opinion) as a person crazy in love or high on drugs! Remember how the town’s people thought God’s people were a bit too happy and crazy as in Acts 2: 15 “For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.” It was the Holy Spirit giving them the power of love to preach the Good News to all the different races and people.

The first disciples filled the ancient cities that had a ‘no love’ religion, with love. Millions of Salvationist Soldiers and Christians worldwide keep spreading this same overwhelming emotional amazing love throughout the world! You and I have the task of filling the world void of love with love! Love is supernatural and will cause you to live by the I Corinthians 13 values we covered today. Do you feel called to love God more, even to the point to serve Him full time? Love heals scars and pains! Come now and pray! 

The Saints 100 Years Ago, We Need You Again!

The Saints 100 Years Ago, We Need You Again!      Kelly Durant    10-6-19 Re: SS 7-6-25

1 Peter 2:4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,

And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

 

2. You may have heard that the farmer was doing a fund raiser and the chicken, and the pig wanted to help. The chicken piped up, “We can sell a breakfast!” What a good idea all agreed.

The chicken then said, “We can do a ham and eggs breakfast!” There was silence. The pig said, “Well, for you that only requires one day of work, but for me it is a total sacrifice!” How much do you sacrifice for God? 

 

Some of you may have a good imagination, but I want you to try to imagine what it was like 100 years ago when many Corps were founded. What did the first Officer/pastor couple go through? How did they arrive? What conditions existed? What was life like, was it hard or easy? 

 

I can tell you this, they did not arrive to a nice house and a church as we did, they were sent here to open up not just a church and their own living quarters, they also needed to raise funds to create a shelter and social work to serve suffering humanity. What an example of being dedicated to God! They needed a great faith, a will to work hard, and God blessed them.

 

3. Let’s explore three aspects of what was happening back then, what was happening in the world, what was happening in the Salvation Army, and what was happening to these first set of Officers in ‘any city USA’. In all honesty we owe them our deepest respect as they gave of themselves as a total sacrifice for God. What amazing dedication! Where are young people valiant and dedicated as they were today? 

 

How hard life was back then! Most people in the United States lived on small farms, raising pigs and chickens and they had no electricity, few cars existed, and washing clothes, preparing food, and doing daily chores including transporting one’s self around town by foot was laborious and time consuming. Life was rustic almost like living as in the time of Jesus!

 

Just trying to make a living was hard back then and everyone in the family chipped in. Read history, the usual story was that the young sons started working at age 10 or 12 to help support the family. Many went off to fight in the war at age 16 and like my own uncles, they sent most all of their checks home to their mothers so they would have enough food, wood for the fires, and clothing to survive.

 

4. The world was a horrible mess back then! Satan is always trying to destroy people with mega death with wars, disease, and starvation. He drums up hate and division, greed and a lust for power to the point leaders become obsessed with killing their foes. World War 1 had just ended in November of 1918 and many Corps were opened up soon after that and there were many homeless Soldiers returning needing jobs in the cities and many needing a place to live.  

Soup kitchens were needed to provide a bowl of soup from day to day for them, and for the widows and children. The Spanish flu pandemic had just hit and 500 million died worldwide! Mega death continued around the world as the Bolsheviks took over Russia in their 1917 Communist Revolution. Despite almost every family having lost a relative in the war, there was optimism that everyone had a chance to prosper as new machines, railroad systems, and a faith in God offered hope for a good future. 1 million in the U.S. alone died from being in that world war (& with the Spanish Flu) which was about 1 in every 100 American people! What horrible suffering, right? What dark times only about 100 years ago!

 

The good news is most everyone went to church back then and read their Bibles and prayed at home. I recall my grandmothers thick old Bible with many notes in it. Before many public records were kept in the family Bibles pages on the death, marriage, and births of families! 

 

5. The Salvation Army began in London in 1865, precisely during the ending time of the Civil War in the United States. It did not take long for the popularity of the street preaching, and Army marching bands to prosper and expand into many countries worldwide. In 1878 Eliza Shirley at age 17 started the first work in Philadelphia and in just a few decades the work opened up in many dozens of cities with thousands of new converts nationwide with just a few hundred Officers to start it all up. Imagine arriving with nothing but a suitcase, a uniform, and faith in God! These people were/are the “living stones”, who built “the spiritual house”!

 

One reason the Salvation Army expanded so quickly was due to the persecution in England in the 1880s as Officers became so numerous that many of the drunken sailors and jealous dead established church leaders wanted them gone. Their Biblical preaching of holiness begging the sinner to repent was too much for the sinful crowds who overindulged in the prostitution of 12-year-old girls, unrepentant thievery of all kinds, and massive drunkenness in all the pubs. 

 

The conditions of the world were very violent, abusive, and exploitive and to confront this evil The Salvation Army decried war on it all! These pioneers fought for the truth and for the salvation of souls and we can still observe the world still remains violent, abusive, and exploitive! Each generation has its own mission to do to fight for the healing of the suffering ones. There is always a new breed of weeds growing amongst the wheat and no young person can delay in obeying the call of God to be preaching love, righteousness, and salvation.  John 4:35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!  

 

6. Now, put yourselves in the shoes of the arriving Officers in “anywhere USA” around 100 years ago. These are people on fire for God sent to open a work with no money, no horse and buggy, no home, and no idea of what will happen. Will the people receive them, or will they run them out of town? What faith they had! What obedience and conviction they displayed!

 

Obviously, it went well for them as within a few months churches and good people supported them to open a house where they could live, conduct church services, serve soup to the public, provide a room for a men’s shelter, and even be able to resell donated items. No other churches did social work back then, and it seems they got good support as other churches got convicted, they should be doing what we were doing to feed the multitudes and help the needy as Jesus described it in Matthew 25. Obedience will bring on the blessings of God!  

 

Would you do all these ministries from your rented home? Only in America are we so comfortable to not do them. Around the world many Officers still work as these ones did 100 years ago. They do all ministries from their own homes, even running schools and I can testify this is what I have seen in Jamaica, Mexico, and even in small poor American cities here. 

 

7. We must live with the same conviction as the past Officers had and as others of the faith had as well! For evil to prosper in the world all that is needed is that good people do nothing! If you have a comfortable job, a roof over your head, a car, and food on your table every day, we must remember we are a part of the world’s top 10% of the wealthy. You and I are so blessed we must share the blessings to bless others with the good news of Jesus! The greatest blessing is that Jesus forgave our sins and gave us eternal life, and He gave us a mission to win souls for Him!

 

In Cuba the Officers still ride bicycles, and in most all the world few own their own vehicles. We can observe that despite millions dying of hunger in dozens of countries, I have never seen Officers forsaken with nothing, God supplies! Psalm 37:25 I have been young and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.

 

Jesus sent the disciples out with nothing, and God provided! Matthew 10: 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. 11 “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

 

8. When my wife and I were first married 47 years ago we travelled around the south of Brazil, in Rio Grande Del Sur, as described here, with no money. I had my guitar, and 10 Portuguese songs and Bible verses memorized, and we sang in rest homes, jails, and orphan homes, took pictures, and then requested donations from hotels, restaurants, and banks. God provided! 

 

It was one of the most exciting times of our lives! We prayed with thousands the “sinner’s prayer” and we felt the Holy Spirit’s joy in a manner I think few ever feel! We were living in the clouds! I will compare our experience to this episode where the disciples were so happy the people thought they were drunk. Acts 2: 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day (9 am). 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.

 

There is an unexplained euphoria that happens when you preach Jesus to strangers and Jesus comes into their lives! When a person accepts Jesus and cries out loud with tears asking God for forgiveness, there is an overwhelming happiness that soon takes over and it is the Holy Spirit’s fire! And this is our logo for salvation: Jesus’ blood, and the Holy Spirit’s fire! 

 

9. All a person needs to do is to open their mouth about Jesus and the Lord will fill it with the right words at the right time, and even in another language when necessary! It does not matter the time period, whether a person lived 2,000 years ago, 100 years ago or 100 minutes ago, the Holy Spirit is ready to do a great work through you! Are you letting God use you as He wants to? Probably not as too few put their selves at God’s service not caring about the material comforts, or not worrying about how big a sacrifice they will have to make.  

 

I am sure the first pioneering Officers felt many things! They felt the euphoria of winning souls on the street corners, and they felt the love of others as they shared with them their homes and goods and a way to start up the first Corps. But they also felt the fear of the unknown, and the sadness of getting to know people who had lost loved ones in all the world’s battles and tragedies. 

 

Before it seemed that it was outside enemies that destroyed lives, but today we see an increase in dark forces inside destroying those in our community. We observe lives destroyed by debauchery, by illicit sexual activity, by the addiction of drugs and alcohol, by the poverty augmented by absent fathers, and by the cruelty of exploitations and abuse in the home.

 

10. Don’t think that just because the Salvation Army fought the good fight of faith in the past that we can ride on our past accomplishments and be comfortable now! Every generation has a new calling to obey God, and every generation has new evils and the evil today of Satanic cults is on the rise! Almost no music or movie is produced anymore without the devil worshipping illuminati symbols being present! Thousands give testimony that the wealthy corrupt elites are involved in Satanic rituals! And when a Satanic human sacrificing slave owning person gets exposed as being connected to all the corrupt leaders of the world, they often suicide him! (as in the recent case of Jeffrey Epstein, and many others) 

 

We should be appalled at how sin is flaunted before our innocent children’s eyes on TV, in parades, and in public libraries! How is it that anyone can google millions of pages of Satanic perverted porn while at the same time these high-tech elites censor the name of Jesus as offensive? Our rights and constitution are being replaced by gate-keeping technocratic supremacies who are spoiled millionaires mocking God and censoring His people!

 

Are our current youth programmed and brainwashed as the youth of Hitler were being conditioned to hate certain people and groups while praising others that only contribute to the divisiveness and hate in society?  Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!  

 

A great judgment is coming! Another cycle of evil is returning soon as history proves but this time it appears Satan is ready to take over everything for world dominion! In the end the Bible is true and all of Revelation will come to pass. For the New World Order to dominate we see the technology is already existent, many dictatorships are in place, and all that is needed is to eliminate the ones who expose it and give it resistance. Jesus’ truth is the resistance! Stand with Him and you will win battles and free souls until your time is up! You are Jesus’ priesthood! Stand with Jesus and gain rewards in heaven for all your sacrifice and labor of building His house! See what it cost our forefathers and show yourself to God to be as dedicated as the past ones were so that you are counted with those honorable faithful few!

When Jesus Left the World

 When Jesus Left the World                                 by Kelly Durant 6-22-25

 

Matthew 28:20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

 

2. Have you seen an advertisement about a web company, a site where you can post things to sell called, ‘Let Go’? You might see a person holding on to some old bowling ball or machine taking up space in the house for years not being used and then it is offered for sale and then someone out of nowhere comes to buy it.

 

This simple commercial represents many things in life. Sometimes we hold onto too tightly to many things but then there comes a time when we have to just ‘let go’ and accept the fact that we no longer can keep holding onto the past. 

 

As humans, we tend to hoard and collect too much stuff. We also as humans have a hard time moving on to see new horizons. Are you familiar with the phrase that says something like this, ‘In order to see new lands you have to be willing to say goodbye to the shore you are leaving’?

 

3. This is a difficult subject. Everyone by now knows we have a new appointment and that we are leaving this Corps and it is not easy at all! It is easier to let go of stuff that it is to let go of people! But always remember that every time God knows what he is doing when a change comes. We love you and will miss you! 

 

Changes are difficult and we are reminded that we are not always in control of everything. Do you recall this verse, Matthew 5:36 ‘Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black’? No matter how hard I concentrate my hair will not change back from grey to brown, so whether we like it or not we cannot stop all that happens to us in this life. We live in a fallen, decaying world and kids grow up, and people pass on to the next life.

 

I think I must have been 2 or 3 years old when I found out that no matter how loud I yelled and cried in the store, if mama wasn’t going to buy ice cream for me there was nothing I could do about. All our lives we discover over and over that some things may go as we want, yet others will not. God has His plans for us, and we have our plans for ourselves, and others have their plans for us, but life can only be lived well by allowing God to guide and take us using us where we need to be. And many times, we do not understand it at all, but we will one day, if not on earth in heaven!

 

4. My wife and I have had to say goodbye to our loved ones and friends too many times in our lives! Remember that even before the Salvation Army we moved around a few dozen times. We do have deep holes of sadness and joy in our heart remembering our friends in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Atlanta, and many places. We would love to have them and you with us all our lives everyday, but it is not possible.

 

What is wonderful though is that from time to time we are able to see a few friends at some camp, but it is not the same, it is hard to catch up on years gone by when you only have a few minutes to chat. Thank God for heaven because there we will be able to spend eternity together and we will finally be able to hear the complete story of everyone’s life, not just parts, and that is fascinating to me. I thank God for your lives and how we know you and that we will spend heaven together.

 

I remember very well the first shepherds or pastors I had in Oklahoma that helped me learn the Bible and prepare me for mission work. I only knew them for about 6 months but when I had to say goodbye to them to go to the mission field. I cried a lot as they prayed over me saying goodbye. I used to never cry but the experience of being loved, and the fact that one has learned to love by someone teaching you God’s word, is invaluable! It is emotional. God’s love takes away our stone hearts and gives us a heart of frail flesh that can feel love and give love!

 

5. So, at age 21 I got my first taste of what it is like to have to say goodbye to your mentors, to my brothers and sisters in Christ. And I said goodbye to my mother! I was afraid, I thought I would not make it, but what I discovered is God will always put good people in your path! In God’s work I have never lacked for friends who loved and cared for me and my family. No matter who you have close to you, you always learn to get along and do the mission God has for you.

 

Do you ever wonder what happens to your friends after you leave a place? There is nothing more satisfying than to hear that one of your friends went on to do good things for God and others. Some of our Corps Cadet kids we met by soccer in Atlanta went on to become Officers! Not everyone has the calling to move around, not everyone can be Officers or missionaries, but we always respect what everyone can do for God. Each person has great value when living governed by love and holiness. We are always made happy remembering our friends that we got to share at least a few years together.

 

Each of God’s children are important to him and God wants you to do great things for Him. Never think that the mission is over just because you have to say goodbye to your Captains or pastors, it only means that your mission is just starting! New is always different, but we adjust and then all becomes well.

 

6. What did Jesus say right before he ascended into heaven? 28:20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. There is nothing more I could add to that!

 

What Jesus is saying, and all of what we can say when we say goodbye is that we hope that our legacy is this, that we taught you to obey God’s Word to do the mission God has for you. And this verse is very meaningful to me because what Jesus saying to you and me is that ‘He is with you and me always, even to the end of the world.’ That means not just until we die, but until the very end of everything! 

 

Jesus is absolutely real! So, when we pray, when we are in danger, when we study God’s Word, it is then we can sense His presence still here. He is still here and alive and His Holy Spirit moves in us. It really doesn’t matter that this world is degrading into hell, Jesus is with us to the very end, and He has the salvation of our souls in His power and all that really matters that He saves and has a heavenly place for us. There is a line in the hymn of “A might fortress is our God” that says, ‘Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also, the body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever!’ These words are powerful!

 

7. One way we experience the love of Jesus is by loving each other. That is Jesus’ legacy.  John 13:35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” It really does change you when you are loved by someone! I have given love, and I have been loved back hundreds of times by so many, no matter the culture. Jesus in us is powerful when we connect by His love!

 

If there is a take away from what we have taught everyone, we pray that it is obedience to Jesus: that you learned how to love, you learned how to be humble, to get hit on the cheek and roll with the punch, and that you learned of your importance to God so you serve Him and others with all your heart in holiness.

 

I was thinking about it, in 2 years if you multiply an approximate 50 times a year you have heard me and my wife preach, it means that you have heard an approximate 100 sermons! And double that with Bible classes! And the number of hours spent together on Weds. and Sundays, and at camps or on visitation implies a few thousand hours of our lives spent with most of you! All of this time, and the experiences through the good and bad times, is an unforgettable treasure we are very thankful for!  

 

8. Here is something to consider, that you and I are never alone, Jesus brought God’s Spirit into the world in His absence, and everyone can receive from Him, and we all share that together. John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

 

I have found it amazing that so many times when you are witnessing to someone, counseling, or praying, it often seems like God puts the words in your mouth. You are amazed thinking, where did that come from? How did I remember all of that to say? Wow, that’s God’s wisdom in me! It comes from the Holy Spirit! So many times, we experience Jesus guiding you and me, agreed? We get guidance direct when pastors are not nearby to rely on, so this is a great advantage.

 

So, no matter who your pastors are, Jesus is there, the Holy Spirit is there, and you are never alone in this Christian life. That is what I always have loved about serving God; you are never alone, someone will be there for you, at least a few.

 

9. Everyone deserves our love and respect, and we have given it and received it! We forgive as Jesus taught, and you do as well. You know as time goes by one usually forgets anything bad about the person, and all you recall is the good, or at least I am that way. How amazing is our God of love, amen?

 

Real friends who love one another as Jesus taught have the supernatural Holy Spirit with them all the time. Real friends never forget the good and remain friends all their lives! If we get to see you again a few months from now, we trust that our love and connection will be as it is today! 

 

Memorize this beautiful promise of Jesus Matthew 28:20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Jesus will return for us all and we all will share heaven together! I can’t wait for the day we are united with Jesus and all our loved ones! 

Men in the World vs Men of God

Men in the World vs Men of God (Fathers?)      Kelly Durant 9-15-13 Re 6-15-25

1. I Tim 5: 17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

2. Have you heard about the woman waiting for the perfect man? She waited and waited and then so much time went by that she just never seemed to find him! (See image of skeleton) Ha!

It is a very complex problem when we want to analyze men being perfect. How can men be perfect in his relationship involving the treatment of the woman, his children, and in relation to the treatment of his fellow man?

The real issue of men being perfect is in them having the character God wants. This is found in spiritual maturity, wisdom, and a connection to God that provokes a passion to treat everyone with respect, loving and guiding them into God’s truth by words and deeds. Men must mature, and maturity means learning to be humble and doing God’s will in everything. Altruistic love is the foundation. 

3. Men maturing into men of valor as God intended contrasts the opposite image to what the pride of the world projects. There is a glory in men being strong; we all like to see strong soldiers. But consider this, the strongest man who ever lived was Samson, and he killed a lion with his bare hands, but look how the ultimate strongman ended up without faithfulness to God! He became a blinded slave over an evil woman who seduced him!

The ultimate question is, what does God want from me and you, or a man in general? All cultures have different ideas of how the perfect man should be. Usually when you say the word “man”, an image of how a man should dress, talk, and act is usually shaped by the expectancies of that culture and by the standard of the women of that society. 

Woman live concerned about what the men do in relationship to them, so they are usually focused on the home and family. Men care for the women, but men usually live very concerned about what other men might do to them and they think more about the society at large preparing their selves for survival, protecting their children, and making a living within their hostile environment.

4. Ever since the murder of Able by Cain men have worried how to protect their selves. They govern the society with police and armies and write laws and carry arms to help protect their selves from their own fellow man, and in particular defend their selves from those of other tribes, gangs, belief systems, or countries. For millennia men have had the tendency to scheme how to conquer and dominate their part of the world and this comes by cruel brute organized force.

I will confess as a man when I go out in the community, I subconsciously put myself on high alert and I focus in on any danger or threat that could be around me either while walking or in the vehicle. It is a natural tendency, right?

The sad reality is men, due to the sin of pride in the world, have failed in their mission to stop all hostility and greed and just love and obey God and enjoy Him! To believe in Jesus and obey Him is the first step! Men were created to love, have a family and be a good dad, not to fight, kill, and the inflict pain. Pain and trauma create the broken hostile, sad world of men today. Why are there so many addicts in the world? Men (and women) are often trying to drown out their pain! Sin, either committed by the individual, or imposed upon a man or woman, causes deep pain but seeking Jesus does heal it and take it away!

5. God created men and women to give and receive love through their families and friends and fellow brothers in the faith. Every person in life gets an interest in knowing God usually because someone who loved God was loving, caring, and helpful to them. Doesn’t it seem that way? Love changed them and they gained hope, faith, and a new happy life. But only the Christian faith expresses correctly the most important concept of God that exists…that God, our Father, is love!

What is the final purpose for man’s existence, anyway? Why am I here on earth we often ask ourselves? Ecclesiastes 12:13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. Jesus said to love God with all your heart mind and soul as well! Men analyze: If God made me in the womb, then He is the Father I must obey. But those who hate, steal, and do violence of course hate God even though they know inherently He exists. The demons fear God and tremble! Hell ultimately is a prison for the rebellious souls who will not stop their destruction.

Imagine how perfect, holy, and righteous a man could be if he would just practice the wisdom of God as in the Bible! The men who truly understand God’s word always want to live to teach and preach it! It becomes their burning passion! 

6. Reviewing the verses of today, a man highly honored by a double portion in God’s view is one who teaches His Word. And any man can teach his own children! I Tim 5: 17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. Here is the example; the ideal man is esteemed by God and others when he learns the Holy Scriptures so well, that he practices them becoming responsible in his home; also, in church he becomes qualified to teach as well.

What God wants from a man, which is his love, service, and obedience transfers into living a life of teaching & preaching, and what about loving your neighbor as yourself? Who is your neighbor closest to you? Usually, your wife and family, right? How a man treats his wife and family reveals everything about his character! 

7. Expounding more on a women’s definition of a perfect man she might describe him as one that is faithful with no other loves, (no adultery!) one that is faithful to provide and protect for her and the kids, who does not lie, kill, abuse, and loves her always, caring to listening to her intimate concerns and communications.

Do not these desires remind you of something? They sound a lot like the list of things included in the 10 commandments, right? 

The Mosaic laws set up a good control and in most parts of the world, most of these basic commands are applied in some form because it is true justice and righteousness to punishment those that offend God and harm others. The Law may guide and teach so to deter man’s natural born abusive nature, but only love can transform him into a self-controlled exemplary model for others.

8. Christians in the church, or the body of believers, are compared to being the bride of Christ. In the real world men must submit to other men in their jobs, schools, & etc., Women submit to men as well, but the ultimate submission of everyone must always be to Jesus & God’s will. Submission brings on freedom and protection and in our case with Jesus, eternal life as well! 

Romans 7:4  Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 

Men were created to live in relationships. God desires a deep connection with each one of us. God also desires that we have a connection with one another and that being one with love. This brings health, happiness and progress. 

9. Sadly, a majority of men in the world today are deceived and not being real “men” submitted to God and loving as we have covered so far. The defamation of the character of men in the West (USA) has been happening for decades. It is a Satanic ploy to disintegrate respect one for one another and crumble our society. The media and the dark higher powers promote the feminization of men, the mocking of men’s roles as fathers and authority figures, and music & sports influences the debauchery of men by having them copy the narcissistic arrogant violent stars. The lack of good men role models is devastating communities indiscriminately! Good leaders always come under attack just as Jesus exposed.

Men, nor women, are upholding God’s standard and enforcing laws and responsibilities in society demanding the standards that maintain families, happiness, and peace, so the end product is broken dreams, frustration and violence and perverse sins. What ever happened to good, involved fathers?    

10. Another male problem are the undesirable customs of ancient man still influencing modern man today. In 80% of the world with the Arabs, Israelis, Native Americans, Hindus, Asians (past and current), the men are expected to principally be spiritual teachers in the home and community, and they are expected to fight and defend, hunt, or do commerce. The women are expected to work hard but usually in the home. This sort of resembles many cultures, even some macho Latino cultures as well, don’t you think? 

Some people are happy with this ancient way of life but not many. It seems like a good life for man, but often the women hate it. Willing service and servitude are distinct things. The oppression of men, women, and children today is at an all time high! Look at Africa and the world, look at most governments. Mafias, gangs, slave labor, the sex trade, and abuse of all kinds are on the rise and being ignored, how sad! 

In the West (USA), today, it is expected that the men help with the duties of the home in order to share the daily workload. This is love manifested in deeds of service and this is a noble thing to be respected. This shift of men helping at home occurred in part because the women started work in professional jobs and they did not have the time to serve in the home as their grandmothers use to. In today’s modern world, men must also learn professions but also how to be handymen at home because to call a painter, tech man, or plumber over to your house can cost you in a day what you earn in a week or a month! 

11. Let’s go back further and look at the position of men for millennia. Men in most cultures in history have not really ever had the chance to be in the role of being a good father, provider, and lover. Why is that?

The reality is that most men throughout recorded history have been at war defending and building their cities, or fighting to acquire more land and all of their energy is consumed with just basic survival. The training to fight, and the fabrication of war weapons, or the actual engagement in conflict is what most men have been forced into ever since the beginning of time. In the end men have suffered greatly under other men who never learned to submit to God and love!

Consider how it was to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem for Nehemiah. 4:17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.  All of what we enjoy today was defended and built by the blood, sweat, and tears of the ones before us and we should always honor them!

12. All of the former so called “great” world domineering societies, the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans had within their own practices the suppression of other men being slaves, women, and children. Socrates stated “I thank god that I was born Greek & not Barbarian, free man & not slave, man & not woman, but above all, I was born in the age of Socrates”. This arrogant attitude was due to their worship of false cruel Gods. 

Only 500 years ago with the Renaissance, which was the product of the Church Reformation under Martin Luther who translated the Bible, was a new light shed and only then did respect and esteem open up for men, women, and families. The Bible clarifies how we are to love God and our neighbor and keep his commandments, but evil men cannot be successful to oppress, deceive, and dominate other men who learn these values of God. God’s word liberates our souls with wisdom and with Jesus and we are appalled by injustices and we are moved to do something about them.

13. So where do we stand today with men and fathers in our corrupt societies of the world today? Most men today have never been taught to, “Fear God and keep his commandments… the duty of all mankind”. Men today have lost their role as loving true fathers, defenders, and providers. Men today still have an innate desire to conquer and govern, but the problem is when they obtain a high position without a fear of God, they rapidly fall into corruption keeping the cycle of oppression and destruction alive. Laziness and idle time is becoming the enemy of many souls of men as well due to the manipulation of our societies.

Today, men, I challenge you, will you be thankful with the freedom to love and serve God? Also, will you love and serve your families and help in the community? The world history of mankind is dark, cruel, and bloody, and it can only change when we, as illuminated Christians who know the “duty of man”, take a stand in wisdom against our own pride and then take a stand in the home supporting our children, and in the community fighting against the injustices of man to man and against women and children.  

Instead of Socrates statement, we as men of God could state, “I thank God that I was born to be in Christ & not continue as a Barbarian, a free man & not a slave to sin anymore; born a man, but a woman I will love as equal to my own self; but above all, I am glad that I was born in the age of Christianity”! The world is suffering because too few men teach God’s wisdom! Souls are being lost because people have not accepted Jesus love because no one shared it! Be ready at all times as honorable men to teach and preach the word of God to your families and friends!  Be a good father, as you father in heaven is to you!