Music: What We Know Today Has Degraded From The Original. Part 7 of a series

Music: A Seven Part Sermon on How What We Know Today Has Degraded From The Original Pt. 7      By Kelly Durant

 

Psalm 149:3 Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. Psalm 150:3

Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp!

Psalm 100:1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

 

2. Sound penetrates deeply into our bodies. There are ‘good vibrations’ and there are bad ones, there is ugly irritating noise, and there is beautiful soothing harmony. For example, imagine right now someone scratching their fingernails on a chalkboard; now consider this, no one ever made a song using that sound! Two seconds of that and you want it to stop!

 

God’s sound creates! John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God and the Word was with God 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. Sound, vibration, and the Word is God’s essence and from Him spawns all creation. Contemplate on all the waves of “the Word” we know, they create light, sound, material matter, and all micro and macro forces and orders are maintained and established by God’s eternal vibrations.

 

Sounds produced by beats (timbrels & drums), wind instruments (trumpets & others), strings (lute, guitar, & harp), and by the amazing human voice in song (may) make harmonious music! A captivating activity! According to the verses in Psalms 100, these noises (noises, LOL!) are made by God and are to be produced by us making praise and joy in reverence to His majesty. 

 

3. Why is music considered to be a part of the ‘sacred sciences? Because of how deeply it affects our spirits, music is spiritual! Music is either positive of God, negative from Satan, or a neutral wave with no effect on our being. What we tune into, and most everyone listens to music, wires our brains to be ‘one’ with the composer. That can be a very good thing or a very bad one!

 

You have heard ‘you are what you eat’, well it is the same with the consumption of music, ‘you are what you tune in to’. If you are praising God all day in song, it is for sure you are giving no time to Satan to come in with evil temptations and thoughts. In today’s world, you can choose amongst a million songs and genres that appeal to your tastes and preferences of instruments and voices and we should tune in to God’s music in moderation.

 

All music should glorify God because if not, it is glorifying some person making a name for themselves. There are too many famous people who love to be praised for their musical productions, and they do not glorify God nor thank Him for their talent as they want to be a ‘rock god’! What a waste, what a disillusion! They live in luxury, debauchery, and then pass away forgotten.

 

4. Have you heard it said that ‘if you will not learn an instrument on earth, how do you expect to play a harp in heaven’? That position is harsh because not everyone has a musical ability. What we do have is a voice that should always praise God for His mercy and goodness to us and to all generations.

 

No matter how your voice sounds, it was created by God to praise Him!  Psalm 100 ‘Make a joyful noise unto the lord’! Psalm 150:6

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

 

God doesn’t care if you sound pleasant or not, he cares about you participating in His joy! When people gather to make music, the atmosphere is charged with joy and good vibrations. When you hear a band of 3 or a band of 30 (like in the Salvation Army bands) you get an uplifting effect. A connection and a unity for everyone in the meeting place! 

 

5. We know that some people get to hear music all day while others only a little. In King David’s time and until the recent past, music was special as you heard it only in gatherings and festivals by live performers. When something is rare, it is valued. Saul got to hear a lot of David’s music, and in heaven I want to hear him play! And you? The music of angels must be overwhelming!

 

1 Samuel 16:23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.

 

I know there are people out there similar to Saul. They are not fully in tune with God’s will, and they often feel down, discouraged, and condemned so music is a great thing for their broken spirit. Church is important as we get to praise and unite in song there. Very few families sit in a circle and sing together anymore. I did with my kids though, and I took them performing in hospitals, orphanages, and rest homes. We can share music even though we are not perfect as most people don’t require perfection.

 

6. Today however, music is often too prevalent being on our car radios, in stores, and playing in people’s earbuds from their iphones. Many people have the radio on for 12 hours a day so they are getting an overload of sound, music, and news chatter. Commercials in particular irritate the psyche! Remember Jesus often went to pray where He was alone in silence. 

 

The negative factor of the world’s worldly music is it can be replayed in the brain at random and it can become a huge distraction and background annoyance, almost like a torture. As in the movie, ‘Ghost’ you do not want to hear, “I Henry the 8^th I am…Henry the 8^th I am, I am…” all day long, over and over! Each one of us must strive to tune in or tune out what penetrates our ears, hearts, and minds. At random music resurfaces from our memories. Notice how powerful a grip music has on the brain! Music often in our memory is playing in the background, and are you aware of the message in the song?

 

Here is God’s standard…Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. I repeated and memorized scripture all day when I was younger to overcome the background music in my head from my childhood and teenage years. Playing guitar as I did, or any instrument, causes music to more engrained in the mind. Musicians are often ‘special’ not tuning into reality and the world around you as most people do!

 

7. Reminded of our upbringing, who grew up with a record player or a tape recorder? As a 4 year kid I was changing out 45 vinyls for hours all day long! Tennessee Ernie Ford and many artists got played so much that I never want to hear them ever again, ha! After all the music industry being exposed like it has this year, I hope every music fan will agree, “We’re not gonna take it, anymore” and reject, despise, and delete from devices all the billionaire producer’s productions who worship Satan, traffic and abuse aspiring young artists, and participate in demonic possession through music. 

 

It has been said that to be a professional at something you need 10,000 hours of experience. You could say I was a professional music listener with my 10,000 hours in by age 12! Today the kids are getting in 10,000 hours of screentime getting programed by the world and by age 12 or earlier and they are like wet cement that has dried hard as a rock molded by the world’s misguided, ungodly messages creating ungodly annoying behavior. 

 

We can be thankful that today there are many hymns we know and cherish, and we know they were for the most part written by men and women of a pure heart serving God. There is a lot of modern praise music as well that is catchy and uplifting. Since the ‘80s, I think it is good that most churches have accepted modern praise, but some do not sing any hymns at all anymore! They are losing some great timeless creations by doing that!

 

8. Let’s look at Christian music deeper taking note that not all of it is good as the singers or composers may be (or became) prideful and corrupted. I read articles that it came to light with some ‘Hillsong’ groups that their worshippers (?) do not even believe in God! It seems in today’s world we must research everything to know from what source it has come, a good one or a bad one.  

 

Music, used as God intended, was made to comfort the soul. Recalling that King David played his harp for King Saul, and it eased his troubled spirit, it would be nice if music today were applied like this! Considering this, you should only select music to listen to that brings you peace, joy, and love!

The interaction of sound waves also are mathematically perfect as seen in sea shells.

 

For a few hundred years certain ‘blue’ flat notes were considered to be of the devil. I personally don’t think we should let the devil own anything! God should and can be praised in all kinds of music. Focus on the words, are they true to the Word of God with good theology? Are they glorifying God? The world’s music, in general, boasts about sinful activities, heartbreak, and tragedy! 

 

9. One of the grandsons of Adam, Jubal, created some of the first musical instruments and compositions about 6,000 years ago! God gave music to us as a gift as we learn that it has been around since the beginning. The group Kiss sings, “God gave Rock ‘n Roll to you” but recall not everyone using God’s name is referring to our Father God of Jesus, “by their fruits, you will know them”! I do pray for this world’s musicians to turn to Jesus, but few have!

 

As we learn in the Psalms, God wants us to praise Him in song! I think everyone should sing when we praise, no matter how you think you sound! It is not about you; it is about God’s exaltation! About how you love Him and want to praise Him!  And those that can keep a beat, will always note that we have tambourines available. That is a beautiful history within the Sal Army!

 

Conclusively music is therapeutic. It is an emotion enhancer. It can also be used to arouse violence! But music correctly used produces a calming effect and it works good on all of us as we are not always joyful, but sometimes sad or disturbed. Observing this power, we understand why music falls within the category of science and is in the spiritual realm making it sacred as well. So, “I’m gonna sing, sing, sing, I’m gonna shout, shout, shout, I’m gonna sing, I’m gonna shout and praise the Lord, For when those gates are opened wide

I’m gonna sit by Jesus’ side, I’m gonna sing, I’m gonna shout, and Praise the Lord!!” And you?

There's too much pain everywhere! Comfort/Consolation: Give It & Take It!

Comfort/Consolation:  Give It & Take It!                    By Kelly Durant 8-10-14 Re 6-9-24

Romans 1:11-12 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

2. How many of you have ever heard the story about the person in the mental hospital that bangs their head on the wall, and they do it off and on all day? The professionals and doctors decided to go in the cell and interview the crazy man, “Why do you bang your head on the wall?” The man looks at them dumbfounded and answered, “Don’t you know? Because it feels so good when I stop!”

Believe it or not, this pattern of seeking pain, then relief, is a reality for many people in this life who live without a connection to the Lord! People live on a treadmill of up and down because they have never known real love, healing, and comfort from God! I have known people who seem to thrive in life, not on encouragement and comfort, but thrive on discouragement and bad news! They seem to be energized running from one crisis to the next just to get attention!

Real life examples: I have dealt with a dozen or more people in my past who from week to week always have a life and death emergency crisis and they’d say “Oh pastor, you don’t know what happened to me now!” That phrase meant I was going to be busy doing something unplanned for. I am not complaining about serving others, this is what I am here for, but my concern is how do we fix this situation that certain people have so many problems non-stop and seem energized living in the crisis mode? They need an extra dosage of comfort and Jesus!

3. All of us confront problems in life, but it is how one handles them that matters! Crisis situations are not the whole problem, how one reacts and handles them determines if matters will calm down or if they will get worse! The reaction of most Christians is to ask for prayer and help from a brother or sister, and this is the way it is supposed to be.  We are supposed to help one another. Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  In other words, don’t abuse, but serve, or be served, and with love.

The issue is many people without the Lord in their lives are weak and obsess over things. There are many TV shows on people’s addictions such as drugs or alcohol, or an addiction to hoarding things which is idolatry and materialism, or to eating, or politicians addicted to power, or to botox, or obsessed with music, exercise, or to anything which actually can become an obsession which is idolitry! People become extreme and crazy to lust and want and get, and to get attention, and why? It is because God’s love and Jesus does not fill their empty hearts, so they get crazy trying to get satisfied with something, or just anything! They crave one more bite, one more drink, one more relationship, one more person helping them as a victim and yet nothing soothes their soul! 

It is like that old frustrating song by the Rolling Stones (a song deemed #1 of the century?!) ‘I Can’t Get No Satisfaction’. When I was about 10 years old, I played that miserable song over and over non-stop for hours and days on a 45 record (making my mother crazy!) and I thought to myself, you mean he is a rich and famous rock star and he is not happy? No satisfaction in life?! Well, it is true, people without God, whether rich or poor, are never content, they are always obsessing, stressing, and creating drama if no drama is coming to them! It is a lifestyle! And a stressful one at that!

4. So if we look at the scripture today, Paul in Romans 1 is expressing that no matter how dark this world is, no matter how many horrible sins are taking place around you (see the rest of the chapter), our comfort is in the encouragement and comfort we can give each other and get from God through the Holy Spirit!  Paul mentions “impart a spiritual gift” and what does that mean? Paul wants to empower every believer against the evil ones, problems, and hardships that attack each one of us as a Christian.  

The gifts of the spirit we have learned are in I Cor. 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

So basically, the Word of God encourages and comforts us, it tells us to seek the Spirit and no matter the problem we face, God will make a way for us to get by without us worrying, obsessing, or becoming crazy!  If we are ignorant on matters, God increases our knowledge, if we doubt the faith or need faith for our needs, God will supply it. When we are sick, God will often heal us and even do miracles! God’s Spirit can help us to discern between the true and false, and even help us to learn languages, or understand people speaking in the Spirit.  These are all Spirit gifts we share, and they are all done within the context of us helping one another by praying and sharing them, practicing them within our community of brothers & sisters.

5. So why do we have such an abundance of craziness, obsessiveness, and drama in the world today? It is in great part because of the lack of (or rejection of) the knowledge of God (which Romans 1 makes clear), but also according to the verses today, we could conclude it is a lack of us comforting one another in hard times as we should be.  Paul says, “that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me”. Let’s look at comfort a bit deeper.

Paul is clearly saying here that it is our faith in Jesus that brings us comfort and we must comfort one another, He wants to give comfort and he wants to receive it. How do you comfort another person? That depends, right? Comfort is a personal thing, you have to be with the person, you must communicate and share the faith together which implies praying, studying, and listening to what that person’s needs are. You may not have the answers to all their needs, but when you pray for them, God will answer somehow, right? The biggest problem is many people do not know how to express what their needs are because their life is comprised of carnal things, and not spiritual things. The people ask for the carnal things, rent or bill money, but the greater need they have is spiritual. People do not see that it is their way of life and habits that are impoverishing them. The wounded person must first be healed, soup, soap, and then salvation!

6. God comforts us to be encouraged and consoled but not for us to get comfortable! In carnal people’s ways (Romans 1 describes quite a few!) there is the selfishness factor of some people that they start wanting all your time and attention, or too much comfort. To the contrary, I think none of us get tired of serving a Christian brother or sister because if they are true, they will always appreciate it, and they serve you back when you need it! I personally have had to learn a balance to spend more time with our leaders, planning and doing, instead of too much of my time with people who are always going to keep having one crisis after another!  If I help a person 5 times, then maybe it’s time that I choose a different person to help them. But what can we do for the poor, old, single ones with no relatives in this country, and no welfare check?

The frustration is one is always trying to win someone to Christ, and you serve them in their crisis, but then they may not even appreciate it! Often people want more and more and are abusive! I have had my kindness interpreted as stupidity a few times! Imagine a person almost homeless, you help them, and then they judge you as a dumb person?! As I mentioned before, my commitment is to serve people with love and this implies doing things not very pleasant at times like going to represent them in the courts, helping pay late bills, visiting them in the hospitals, taking them to apply for jobs, and on and on. The factor is, neither you nor I can afford to get discouraged from dealing with the sufferings brought on by someone’s sin! Sin brings pain and when in pain it’s an emergency! Life is like a battlefield and as Christians we are the only soldiers still well enough to go out and rescue the fallen ones!

Remember the 10 lepers that Jesus healed, and only 1 came back to thank Him! The general mission of all of us in life is to preach the gospel and do good matter what and that includes showing God’s love by comforting, healing, and helping! We cannot focus on ourselves and any reward in this life, we just must simply comfort each other however needed whenever needed! 2 Corinthians 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 

7. All of this to get you to think about the following, do you know what the greatest human need is? It is to be loved! Everyone is hungry for love, each one of us wants comfort, we all want connectedness and a feeling of belonging! As Christians we have a lot of work to do to be able to have confidence amongst ourselves to build up trust and feel free to confess our weaknesses and needs to one another. Can we trust that the other person will listen, care, pray, and comfort us? We all need comfort in our pain, and we should be able to get it!

The problem with ‘help’ is the following, those immature in the faith are like little children, they are selfish, they have no consciousness of the needs of others, and they are not aware of their own carnality and abusiveness of what they expect from others. They want to get help and comfort, but they do not give any! They obsess only over their own self! With some you may help them 2 dozen times, but that one day you cannot help them then you suddenly become the bad guy! In the end, our help is for the needy, not the greedy! But we focus on the good ones, some people really do change with love and Jesus, and this is our COMFORT to keep on ministering! The thankful ONES make our day!

Love, which entails comfort should work like this: we as Christians are tapped into God’s system, like a water system that never runs dry, and the Holy Spirit fills us and refills us again so we just keep pouring out on others. Those that are empty and receive God’s love get filled up, and if they allow God’s healing, then they become whole, and instead of remaining broken and leaking out the love given them, they retain it, appreciate it, and then after getting full, they too start overflowing on others as well. This is also a way of observing how holiness works, God’s Spirit of purity fills us up until there is no more emptiness and then we overflow on everyone!

8. Referring to whom to comfort, as a pastor I always try to focus in on the neediest persons in the group, the weakest and most vulnerable, the ones suffering most.  A church should be a place where people arrive for love, comfort, and mercy! The mature are here to guide the immature; the strong are here to help the weak without a judgmental attitude. As believers we have all things common, and we share with each other so that no one is suffering from a dire need. (Acts 2:44,45) It is the job of all Christians to know how everyone is doing spiritually and materially, and everyone should serve to show love, and this brings comfort knowing that all areas are covered in our fellowship! 

Comfort is an expression of love, and it is shown in many ways: it is a human need! Without natural affection babies have been known to die, so what about people?  Ask yourself right now, do I have the confidence to seek advice and comfort with a brother or sister near me? When is the last time you comforted another person who had a problem, something secret no one could know about?  Seriously, how do you serve others if you are not alleviating their distresses? It should be with acts of service and that is love in action! We need to establish closer relationships amongst ourselves, so we have more love and confidence, and God gives us our talents and the Holy Spirit to be used and shared.

All of us should do a better job of listening, understanding, and comforting others!  John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.  This love implies that your whole life is wrapped around others!

9. Do you know of anyone suffering or of anyone who gets into crisis often? Do you know of anyone who obsesses over things because they don’t have the peace of God in their heart, and they are trying to fill a void?  Someone with no satisfaction with anything?  There is a cure!

Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” And this next verse is a promise I have claimed often…

Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you”.  Also, with the Holy Spirit anyone can access the gift of having a comforter or obtain the power needed to get through a trial… John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;”

10. Despite God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit comforting us we still need each other for comfort! We love God but equally as important, we must love our neighbor as ourselves! Comfort may be expressed with encouragement from sharing God’s word, through prayer, through serving or giving or providing in the time of need, through hugging someone who needs it, through loving care and concern, and even just by your presence by being there for them when they need you most! Do you allow yourself to be available? Break down your defensive walls and connect with people on a human level! 

Jesus warned us how it would be in the last days. Matthew 24:12 “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” Ask yourself, am I an indifferent, a self-protecting stagnant water type of Christian? Or do I overflow the Spirit on to others? Do I obsess and worry too much and live in the crisis mode? Or am I one that pours out the love and comfort of the Holy Spirit freely onto others? The formula of God has always been that to receive you must give! People are dying for a lack of love and comfort, so DO SOMETHING! 

Do you know of anyone who really does have a need to be comforted? If you do, then just act! Call them, visit them, spend time with them! Don’t worry about how much Bible you know to share; people are comforted just by knowing you care! You are a living Bible representing the Holy Spirit and Jesus to them! Break your old habits, learn to comfort or you will suffer, and many others will continue to suffer as well! 

Depression… If You Have It, Cheer Up! God Cures It!

Depression… If You Have It, Cheer Up! God Cures It!      By Kelly Durant 4-27-2014 

Re 4-28-24.   1 Samuel 16:22-23

22 Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.

2. Did you know some people that have been through hard depressing times can often make their selves into some of the funniest people? Not long ago many of the comedians and actors in America were from Jewish backgrounds and entertaining was their way of getting over all the suffering they felt inside.  Laughter is a good medicine, and we all need it! Here’s a joke, but one person here didn’t laugh though.

A man one day didn’t know who loved him better his wife or his dog so he decided he would find out. He thought, well if I lock them up and wait half an hour, I’ll see who missed me the most. So, he put them both in the truck of his car while they were screaming and barking at him but then they both became quiet. He opened the trunk and the wife red faced came out and started screaming and hitting him saying, “Don’t you ever do that again!” And she kept of raging but the man was relieved that the dog came out all happy wagging his tail happy to see him! He concluded his dog loves him more, ha!

“Depressed people can feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, worried, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, hurt, or restless. They may lose interest in activities that once were pleasurable, experience loss of appetite or overeating, have problems concentrating, remembering details, or making decisions, and may contemplate, attempt, or commit suicide. Insomnia, excessive sleeping, fatigue, loss of energy, or aches, pains, or digestive problems may also be present” (the wiki-dictionary definition) The aged and even the young people today live more depressed, according to many research groups, than what they use to in past decades. When a person has a face that is not so happy and smiley, what should you do? You should pray for them & help them!

3. Trying times for people could be mental or physical. Pain in the physical body (20% to 40% of people suffer some type of chronic pain) or pain from a recent tragic event can cause depression.  Everyone in life will suffer a loss of a loved one, or a job loss, or suffer for a time over something but we need God and people intervening if something continues to linger or becomes chronic. 

I think all of us at some time or another are victim to hard times and been discouraged. This is normal and a part of what God wants every human to experience in order to learn to love and appreciate Christ’s suffering and have sympathy on others who suffer as well. Not all days are happy ones in our lives, but when a person seems to always be dry and down, always distant from others, always critical or down in mood, then we should ask ourselves if something deeper is happening inside and as a loving caring Christian try to help. Be careful though with some people it becomes a selfish game, they love the attention but also love their oppressive demon.

Depression should be looked at as a condition that is temporary and curable. People can be made happier by doing exercises, reading books, playing dominoes and socializing. The best cure to regain a lasting happiness is to rejuvenate faith in God and to be active serving others in the community. Just giving someone a handshake can even bring a smile on your face and theirs as well! As a matter of fact, right now, get up and shake someone’s hand right beside you! Do it, it’s okay! Feel the love!

God made us with different personalities, but to some degree each person chooses how they allow their selves to feel. When you and I wake up we can either complain about our lot in life, about how there is no money, or you & I can praise God that we are alive and that you are able to walk, see, and hear, and function normally to get things done! Here is a good verse to claim… 1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it

4. Today we will investigate Saul and David, did you know that both suffered from depression? The factor is they struggled to get over it, but they both had different ways; but only God’s way works. His way up is down, down to self.  When I was a kid and I would put all the toy soldiers in lines to fight, and I would always dream I was the king commanding all the men where to go.  Humans, even children want power and dominion over their worlds. Most people have the wrong idea in life that if they could be rich, and famous, or be a king or queen, then life would be wonderful! But that is only in fairy tales! Comparing yourself with others, coveting, lusting, envying, and all of your uncontrolled sinful appetites will kill you inside and depress you! Fight your carnality and realize that being king or queen is not so great really but a big headache!

What happened to King Saul? He was murderously jealous of David and miserable!  Notice that he was Israel’s first king, he was very tall, handsome, and everyone was his servant.  He should have been the happiest man in Israel with all his wealth, power, and blessings but he was not! His biggest problem was his pride and he was not willing to obey God all the way and the result was he started living depressed and everyone around him suffered. Who wants to be near a king in a bad mood? He might just cut off your head because you looked at him when he was upset over something! 

As we read in the verses of today in I Sam 16 we see that David with his lyre was selected to play for Saul to comfort him in his bad moods. How many of you listen to music? Music can be a great comfort when you are down, and I suggest you listen to positive music from good and/or preferable Christian bands. But not all music is good. It depends on the purpose of the music, if its message is bad or pointless and if the writer or singer lives in debauchery, if so then probably it will depress you even more. David consoled Saul in song because his spirit was pure being a lover of God, whereas Saul had a spirit out of tune with God. Bad humored people like to sponge on the innocent as they are not willing to do the work their selves to be pure and they want a shortcut.

5. So Saul was getting an external temporary daily fix for his depression, music. The bigger problem was that Saul did not choose to fix the deeper problem he had of not loving and obeying God. Many people today live on this same treadmill of masking pain and depression with outside sources. Drugs, sex, and rock and roll seem to be the most powerful stimulants people consume to overcharge their minds and spirits into numbness in order to forget their pain, mistakes, and depression. Only faith and prayer, caring friends, and hard work to change destructive habits can break these chains! 

The problem with this, living life as a partier, or as a ‘publican’ as they were called in Jesus’ day, is that you have to keep repeating the cycle day after day to keep yourself in a continued state of distraction and that causes the mind, body and soul to deteriorate worse. The fear of publicans and sinners is the one of facing reality, of facing a dead silence of alone time with God, but the reality of our inadequacy is exactly what God wants us to face! Jesus was fun and the life of the party when with friends, but his joy was authentic showing others that they could be happier with a new life of obedience closer to God instead of by heavy stimulation. Satan wants to rob your body and soul.

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Repentance is important to God for you to be happy but few people really ask for forgiveness. King Saul would never let go and repent telling God he was sorry for his pride and let God pick up his broken world and put it back together. He was too proud. Saul condemned himself to a sad life because he would not rest in God’s southing light obeying and loving Him.  There are many rich and poor unrepentant sinners of today living sad broken lives. Only by letting God take the wheel can anyone ever get on the right road! Those of you that know my personal testimony know I know this personally!

I love this case, Luke 19:8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” When a person is truly sorry, thy make it right with God and the ones they have wronged! Zacchaeus got over his guilt, loneliness, and depression with Jesus touch! God’s love invokes action to do something!

6.  Now let’s look at David. Saul tried to kill him for years; now that is depressing! Saul was obsessed with looking for David to kill him chasing him all over the country with his men. It was in dark caves in depressed moments when many of David’s Psalms were written. 

David was for the most part obedient and happy but a few times in his life he did some horrible things that cost him some dark days and punishment. On one occasion he lamented for months over the sin of adultery and God forgave him but let his son die as a punishment. Many unpleasant things that happen in life have a reason and God wants us to learn from them to be humble and be broken and be remade in His image. 

Here is another bad moment for David.  He was trying to find a city to hide in and fear got the best of him as he thought King Achish there was going to kill him. I Samuel 21: 12 Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them, pretended madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? 15 Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

7. What this event with David proves is that any one of us when in a very dangerous and frightening situation might go crazy! Others may even see you as crazy when you are under extreme duress but what we learn later is that David got past this. David’s terrible dark moments were temporary because he sought God to be his comfort and salvation. The beautiful Psalms are a proof of the love he had for God and how much he trusted in Him to save him in all situations! They comfort all of us! Psalm 62:2 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.

Over time stuff (or life) happens! We all have fears! Any person can lose everything overnight! The question is, are you and I working with God or against Him in all of life’s situations?  On another note, research proves that depression can be genetic and run in families, that some depression can be solved by prescription meds for control, or that some depression happens from our brains aging and not having the chemicals and bubbliness of a child anymore. 

But with all this said, I am making a point that much of depression is determined by whether or not you are at peace with God or not! You may fear or be in bad circumstances, but God will take it away! Faith and trust in His Word is the answer.

8. It is amazing how some people, even ones with great physical limitations and handicaps can find ways to be happy, useful, and normal. However, it is sad that many so called normal people with many resources and opportunities available from God and in their community seem to live life frustrated and down. It all has to do with the vision and faith you have: to be used by God all the way being happy and fulfilled, or to just get by in life by doing things, “your way”.

There were two hobos talking in a back alley of a big city in the cold one night (they should have gone to the Salvation Army shelter, ha!) and the one said to the other, “I don’t care what anyone says, I did life my way! I did it my way!” The other thinks a minute and then says, “Well, if I could do it all over, I would prefer to do it Frank Sinatra’s way!” Ha! Well, the right answer is we want to do it Jesus’ way! No matter the conditions, Jesus comforts and provides and life abundant comes from him.

Some people older in life get depressed because they feel like no one really cares about them. They conclude that when they leave this world it will not matter, and their life would have been without any significance. This sobering feeling provokes some older people (some young too) to be appreciative and become very active in the lives of their families. Also, anyone can leave a footprint of being useful in a volunteer group in their community. All counselors advise helping others as a way to get out of depression! That is God’s formula, ‘to love God and others’ staying busy for Him!

9. As people we may suffer for a time due to our own created circumstances, from being disobedient to God, or just by being a victim of earth’s imperfect conditions.  But as Christians we are consoled, Psalm 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

Every person who reads the Bible, whether they have read it in its entirety or not, know they must read the Psalms for comfort of spirit. Millions of people for millennia have been comforted by the Psalms! David got his own spirit comforted by God and he was able to comfort others, in song, in poem, and in words. His comfort came even after months of depression, even after years of escaping death from King Saul’s army living in dark caves in the mountains of Israel.

Never allow yourself to be like Saul, a proud unrepentant angry jealous persecutor of the righteous. He never got his heart right with God, he just kept on making more and more mistakes until one day he lost a major battle and that depressed him so much he fell on his sword and took his own life! Live and die in victory, not depressed in shame!

10. Today is the day to ask Jesus in your life.  I will confess I have had moments down and depressed too! No one escapes the trials and pains that this life offers, but how you react to these tribulations is what makes all the difference in the world! Listen to praise music, start singing and shouting, reading God’s word and praying, and start looking for the humor and funny things in life’s awkward situations!

Take control and fight your own demons that lie to you about the past, present, and future!  Start reading the Bible (reading the Psalms in particular) and get out of the house and start doing nice and helpful things for others! Repent of your mistakes and make a plan of restitution to right the wrongs you’ve done! 

Count your blessings and there will be no time left for complaints! Ask God to take away your pride and realize that God forgives your weaknesses, fear, and craziness. In the end, God loves you and wants you happy! Psalm 40:2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. Psalm 144:15 Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the Lord! Amen! Prayer… 

 

 

Comfort: From God and Others (Through life's hell)

Comfort: From God and Others (Through Earth’s Hell)   by Kelly Durant   

 

II Cor. 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God

 

2. The love of God within its multifaceted qualities surrounds anyone who seeks it with a comforting protection: a consoling or comfort in action that alleviates one’s pain. Today what makes the people of the world sick, paranoid, and psychotic is the knowledge that instead of other human beings being loving and looking out for them, there are people in this condemned world full of Satanic narcissistic despots that would kill you in an instant over your choice of religion, political views, or social economic status! The murderous demons out there have always been too numerous! 

 

There was an old Roberto Carlos song that said, “I wish we were civilized like the animals”? Do you recall that song from the 70s? Our world is scientifically and technically advancing in intelligence yet still the vast majority of people are remaining barbaric in their human behavior and relations! Here is an animal story of a bird to illustrate a point on how humans should love and protect one another.

 

Maybe you have heard this story about the firemen that after putting the fire out on a house that burned down they noticed there was a dead bird that had built a nest in the attic. It was all black a charred and disfigured. Then as the firemen looked around the rubble they heard a little chirp. It turns out the bird was a mother and she had given her life covering her chicks from the fire and they came out from under her dead body alive running to fly away.

 

What a powerful illustration of love and comfort! As Jesus said, John 15:12 “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” Notice here that Jesus did not say family, he said friends. Those that love Jesus share a bond together that is a love and friendship bond more than what any of us could even have with a family member (unless they are your friend in Jesus as well)!

 

3. How many people have died and are dying today as martyrs protecting their Christian friends from being discovered and killed? It makes me sick every time I pray for those in other countries to be reminded that there is a modern day holocaust happening and that dozens of thousands of Christians are being killed every year! Why isn’t anyone is speaking up!? Let’s start a campaign, start a mantra, “Stop the killing of Christians!” Who is going to Africa and the Middle East to comfort the abandoned and broken survivors of these modern day holocausts? Who is freeing the child slaves? As Christians we all need a whole lot more solidarity and much louder voice of outcry to battle against the enemies of God who are murdering and enslaving good men, women, and children today!

 

When the police locally arrest a murderer there is consolation in the community that this person cannot kill another innocent one, right? But today around the globe hundreds die by the hour! When will governments ever see the wisdom of practicing God’s law which is a life for a life? Murderers can only be stopped by their execution or by being in chains until they die. If not stopped, demon possessed murderers murder out of control until dead! If someone would have had the chance to kill Hitler before he attained power, I think no one today would argue that it would not have been morally ethical to take his life in order to prevent the murder of millions of others! 

 

Recently there was a 70 year memorial observance for the Jews that died in the Auschwitz gas chambers. How little news attention it got! How it sickens me that for days on end the news channels will talk about a deflated football yet when it comes to exposing that dozens of millions were murdered just 70 years ago in a World War few highlight its importance! Millions of Christians and priests died as well! If the youth today do not learn from our recent horrible history, then God forbid that it should be repeated again soon by another Satanically inspired murderous dictator! The world offers us hell and more hell, while Jesus offers us love, peace, and the comfort of the healing of our wounds from these atrocities and all suffering! On His return He will stop those who are evil and divide the sheep from the goats! Here is consolation, 1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

 

4. So, what is comfort? The people in the world without Jesus cannot give it nor do they understand that it is needed! I think most of us have at some time or another received comfort or consolation from someone close to us. They listened to us and helped us, but the sad reality is the people of this world offer us no, that is zero, comfort in our pain! Here is an example of this.

 

One time my wife when she was going to go on a flight, trusted in another flight attendant and told her how our son had been taken to jail and that life was really hard for us at the moment. She just wanted a sympathetic ear. The flight attendant saw her tears and probably said, oh, sorry for you. A few weeks later she was on the same plane again with the same flight attendant and preparing the plane she overheard her while preparing the trays telling another one on the crew, stay away from Regina, when she talks to you she will start crying!

 

In other words her cold hearted attitude towards another was, I do not care for your tears, I do not care for your pain, I only care that you make me feel uncomfortable! How selfish people in this cruel world are! How true the statement is, “If you cry you, will cry alone, but if you laugh, the world will laugh with you”!

 

5. Back to the scripture of today… What is the response God expects of us when we encounter a person in pain? We are to comfort them! How do we do that? First of all we must love them as we love ourselves! For example, if someone says I am sad because my son is suffering, then what you and I should do is imagine our own son or daughter suffering in order to empathize and lend a sincere listening ear and practice compassion. You have to accept the fact that your planned activities and priorities just got reshuffled when you are needed.

 

Always you will need to listen, and you may need to hug them, and you may need to read them some encouraging scriptures and promises of God and pray for them. Your comfort should include acts of service so you may need to serve them somehow taking them somewhere, or cooking them something, and you may need to be there for them a few dozen times! Comfort has many ways of being expressed but the fact remains comforting consolation is a product of love and is an action that does something positive to alleviate the pain!

 

6.  So what are the tribulations as mentioned in II Cor 1:4? The tribulations back in the time of the Corinthians for sure included being persecuted by harassment and being made fun of for preaching Jesus Christ. Tribulations take on many forms, but the obvious is that whatever form it takes on that it produces in the one affected a spiritual, physical, and mental anguish. Paul the apostle went to jail, was beaten many times, and suffered greatly for Jesus. He still came out strong!

 

Sufferings in this life are inevitable! I have never met a person yet that has had a perfect life! Everyone has to deal with pain but often we forget that is that way for everyone. Sometimes people are so jealous of others who have fame and money, but if they had to live in their shoes they would not really want their lives. Many people of wealth and position often deal with a child with autism or a problem. They may also be dealing with the embarrassment of a father, mother, or brother who is bankrupting the family due to selfishness or addictions. So if all the envious dreamers could be exposed to the real world of pain and suffering of others that is always masked and hidden from the public, then they would for sure change their mind immediately about the so called good life of fame and fortune!

 

The truth is many people never receive comfort in their pain because they are too proud to expose their weaknesses and hurts to someone in order to allow that person to comfort them. As Christians we must build up trust with others so that when a person gets up the courage to express how much they hurt or how sad they feel, then they must have full confidence in you that you will listen and understand and console them with God’s love! The front mercy seat here (prayer area) is where comfort is found when anyone wants it.   

 

7.  Never minimize another person’s pain! A person grieving over their cousin with cancer may be in as in as much pain as a person who is actually getting an amputation! I hate pain, but God has allowed it to work in our lives, so we just have to accept that reality of life: that pain changes us and it accomplishes what God desires in our growth if we will let it. It is tragic though when people fail the tests of tribulations of life. We feel it differently in different intensities but must not let our pain become a selfish obsession. Those without faith usually do not know how to deal with the pain of life and that is where you and I should step in. We listen, we serve, and we share God’s promises on consolation from the Bible.

 

I recall seeing a documentary on suicide, and it exposed how some people got affected so terribly over something that they took their own lives. There was a case of a strip tease lady that was in a car wreck and in the crash her face got cut on the broken windshield glass but it was stitched back together. She was going to be fine but she was going to have a noticeably big scar on her face. Then a worse tragedy happened, after she saw herself in the mirror she went out and took her own life! She told a friend that she had to end her life because she would never be able to have a way to make a living ever again! How sad a lesson and how wrong her assessment! Her overwhelming emotions were too much and sadly no Christian friend was close that could talk to her first. We must be ready to comfort ANYONE!

 

Try to be sensitive to notice when another, even a person you may not like, is going through a serious crisis, an accident, or a suffering of some kind, because a life just might be saved if you or someone will just reach out and talk to the person comforting them in their pain! It is sad how many people in this cruel world are helpless and abandoned when they are suffering! We need to step up to the plate!

 

8.  Don’t think you need all the answers, just be there for your friend in need! Here is an example from the Book of Job of what his friends did when they saw him in extreme pain. We all know Job lost everything, his family, wealth, and health. Empathy or love is all you need: you may not even be able to have words!

Job 2: 11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

 

Always ask for the Holy Spirit to be present in all situations. Jesus said he would not leave us comfortless. John 15:26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” God covers us with truth from His realm!

 

The world knows enough hell, let’s show the people in it more heaven! Come now and pray if you are in pain. Know that the Holy Spirit will be with you! Come now and pray for comfort, for the power of God to be present to comfort, and may God use you to comfort another person you may know that is in pain. We are comforted so we can comfort others! Be moved with compassion on suffering humanity today! Your neighbor or your friend needs you!