We Are Family! Or We Should Be!

We Are Family!                                  Kelly Durant   1-16-17 Re: 12-29-24

 

Ps 68:4-6

4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.

5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land

 

   2. Back in the 70s there was a picture of a young child carrying another child on his back. It looked like the one carrying the child was having a hard time since the other one was so big. Someone asked, “Isn’t he too heavy for you to carry?” And the child responded, “He aint heavy, he is my brother.” (A hit song too, remember?)

 

   Those that are family are never a burden, we do not get rid of them, they eat with us, they laugh with us, they share the deepest things of their heart with us, and they are in a special class that others do not have. We are a part of the family of God and His name is above all family names and we must live with the utmost respect, nobility, and honor.

 

  All true Christians and those who know God promote families and the protection of women and children, today we will reflect on this. Part of the reason for my choice of this subject is because families are under assault! Adult and child trafficking, bad immigration, drugs, awkward adulterous lifestyles,, politics, and many factors are destroying families, all by Satan’s prolific design.

 

   3. It was recognized in the past decades that Latinos and many immigrants had strong family ties and values.  I recall in the 70s people would comment that the Latino immigrants always brought with them a strong family value, and that this was good for the country. Today however, the disease of sin, the filth from Hollywood values, has divided many families and immigrants have almost the same statistics as everyone else in the area of divorce, single motherhood, and criminality when compared to the rest of the population.

 

Notice in the Psalm verses of today, that as always we are prompted to praise God, and to be happy in his presence. And why is that? Because He is… A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, God in his holy habitation cares and is aware of all situations. This means that God is there for you and I who do not have a family nearby. God is especially near to those with circumstances that make it hard for them to survive. My emotions went ecstatic when I read this verse for the first time, and I suddenly felt and knew that God had replaced my earthly father and family in a way far beyond my expectations! The Word of my Father God, the wisdom, the comfort, the salvation, has impacted me beyond what any human can offer! The Bible is transformative!

 

  And one of my favorite verses is this: “God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land”.  Lets’ examine how God does this. This is another verse I absolutely love!

 

   4. Throughout the world, in almost all churches, if you are a brother in Christ, then there is the idea that you have received a new spirit, and new way of life. Therefore, you become a person of trust, and brothers in the faith open their doors to you and you can stay with them as if they were family. If you are a lonely person and solitary, then you could be close to a larger family and this is how we all become one big family in God!

 

Throughout the years Regina and I have stayed with dozens and dozens of Christians while traveling, or arriving in a new country, and most all of them treated us as family, some even lent us their own beds to sleep in! What a great thing to have the same Father God and Jesus Christ, to have a unity of purpose and faith. We too have had dozens upon dozens of people stay in our homes over the years too because this is just how Christian families work. God intended for his created humanity to live in love and harmony, that we would be One under His awesome presence. 

 

Matt 19:29

29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 

With this verse you and I are impressed that the followers of Jesus had to give up their families in the flesh to do a greater work for God traveling and evangelizing, but by doing so they gained a hundred more families in the process!

 

    5. Do you as a Christian right now have a half dozen friends that will take you into their home if you need it? Will you take into your home brothers of the faith? Families are not produced by indifference towards others; they are established by love, patience, and a good heart keeping them together! This is freedom, freedom from the chains of the materialistic world that puts money above relationships and compassion. 

 

Let’s look at the second half of verse 6 in the verses of today in Psalm 68:6 

“but the rebellious dwell in a dry land”. Some people do not have anywhere to stay because of their rebellion against God! No one wants complicated sinful people nearby!

 

What does this imply? Let’s look at family situations. What happens when sin gets in the middle of the fellowship, when one of the brothers or sisters starts living unholy, or speaking ugly things, or hurts another? When one is rebellious and does not support the home, when anger or drugs divide, what happens? Conflicts, fights, animosity, bitterness and worse things happen right? 

 

  Someone usually leaves because they do not wish to tolerate all the problems and abuse. And what happens in the end to those that are rebellious, who do wrong against God and their own kind? They suffer the judgments of God and end up alone and are cursed to live a life as one who lives lost in the desert with no friendship, joy, or happiness. I know many people that no one wants to talk to because they have an angry ungodly character.

 

   6. I have seen people leave families and even the church family due to the abuses they have suffered, because of the sins of another which hurt them. This is sad. Look up Prov 18:19 ‘A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle’.  But like it or not Jesus commands us to forgive all! But not everyone knows how to ask God to help them get through what they consider offensive.

 

  Not just in our church family, but I am sure in your flesh family you have seen abuses and divisions, excommunications, and even divorces. Sin is rebelliousness and it has its effects, it destroys family households and Christian fellowships!

 

  In today’s world we see the disintegration of families so severe that only one in three people actually live in a family in the U.S.! Jesus and His love and forgiveness are the only answer to restore and heal and put people back together!

 

  7. Today Satan is at war against families! Satan wants to destroy people cursing them to live in a dry desert land which is a hell, and then when they die the hell continues in the solitude and despair! Notice how has Satan has unprecedentedly destroyed families in the past millennia? We notice how wars between nations and tribes provokes death! The soldiers, families, and dozens of millions are forced to move yearly and immigrate somewhere due to the harsh conditions of suffering of their own land. Divisions, in-fighting, and hate, and war separates everyone on massive scales.

 

   And what about those that would have experienced the joys of having a family had it not been for abortion? What about those who would have fallen in love and made a family had it not been for someone convincing them that they were not cool and that to be accepted by the Hollywood crowd that they needed to have a relationship that goes against nature? Feminism and many other recent movements exist for the sole purpose of contaminating others with bitterness and hate so that people learn to reject the love of God and separate themselves from those that would love and support them. Political correctness is self-sabotaging!

 

   And now, what about families that were united and happy until politics obsessed the minds of a few to the point they preferred to part ways with their brothers and sisters? Satan’s pride and bitterness is alive today through politics and religion and very few want to just ‘let things go’ when they have a different idea or a misinformed view of other people and events. I am tired of the demonization of others with fake news, no one is perfect except Jesus, and only God will judge guilty souls. But you and I should refuse to take part in throwing more gasoline on the fire. Even Paul rebuked others for identifying with men, not men who were political leaders, but spiritual leaders.  1 Corinthians 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

 

  8. The message of Jesus, and of this church is; we are family! The message of Jesus to all who receive Him is… I am family with you and I lay down my life for you! Despite our sins, despite the sins of others, God’s word promises us that we can still have a spiritual family, even if your own reject you!   John 1:11

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

So, if you have kin who love to fight, divide, attack, and impose what they believe on you and others, just let them be. The rebellious live in a dry land and you should not follow them out to their dry places of misery! We are heaven bound!

 

  You as a Christian have the job to forgive, heal and restore all who you can into God’s family! But not all will! A horse can be brought to the water but that does not mean he will drink! And it’s so strange when you think about how we as Christians can be close to those who are very different from ourselves in race and customs and it is all because we have the same faith in Jesus. What more does the word say about families? How should you behave?  1 Tim 5:8

8 If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 

 

Keeping a family alive requires maintaining support, love, and care. In families there exists a required sense of responsibility, but if we are unfaithful to others in our own family of the faith, how can God bless us? 

 

  9. In heaven we will all be one big happy family, and there… there will no longer be any more economic, race, and sin issues! No more need to remember a Dr. Martin Luther King Day so we get reminded to respect those different from us more than what we currently do. We will be dancing in the streets as one big family! Let’s live now on earth full of love for all as it is in heaven!

 

Do feel like you are in dry land spiritually? Do you know someone who is in a dry land in your family or church? Maybe it is because you have not opened the door of your heart and home to make them feel at home! But if you have and they have not wanted it, you did your part. Just pray for them, that’s what we do! Just live holy, loving, inclusive, and heavenly minded!

 

God never blesses selfishness; no one can expect others to take them in as family if they are not willing to take in others themselves! To make families and to be a church which is one family, we must seek to love with God’s love and receive all! Pray to have a spirit of family today! The family of God is our real family, amen? 

Jesus: Like Him I’ll Be!

Jesus: Like Him I’ll Be!                              9-25-22 Re: 12-1-24     Kelly Durant

 

1 Corinthians 2:16  For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

 

2. Back in the hippie times, if a man had long hair and a beard and was somewhat handsome, friends would usually gaze a moment and then comment, “Look, he looks like Jesus!” Some people with a beard and long hair may remind us of the paintings we have seen of Jesus, but exactly how this olive skinned Jewish man actually looked physically, we will never know, artists can only speculate. 

 

But we can know Him spiritually! Jesus left us with so many teachings that it takes a lifetime to discover all the depths implicated by Him. 1 Corinthians 2:16 

For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

 

You or I can ‘know’ Jesus, but how? Only by His teachings! Are there not in the world too many doctrines and churches, too many books and personal opinions, and too many immoral bad examples to the point that most of us just want to give up? Never give up! Each of us is special and loved by Him and He will show you what your mission is, what your calling in life is, and where you need to go.

 

3. Also, learn this: You learn best when you teach a subject! Jesus’ teachings should be spread and never be limited! Never did Jesus say only have my teachings confined to people going to church! It was the contrary, he sent His disciples out to preach the gospel to every creature! Mark 16:15 

 

Many people form the idea that Jesus is someone only the preacher should mention, and that is occasionally, that He was a good and holy man that we should ‘try’ to be like Him. Jesus told you and me to… Luke 14:23

Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. That implies everyone!

 

After Jesus did healings, He would say, go and show yourself in the temple so others could see the miracle; after Jesus would forgive people of their sins like the Samaritan woman at the well, He would inspire to the point that all that person could do was talk about Him to everyone! If Jesus has touched you, you will not be able to shut up about it! Acts 4:13 It will overflow, and people will know you experienced something very real and life changing! We must tell it! It is your story and mine that is authentic, and people see the love of God in us and want it.

 

4. And speaking of telling your story, there are so many people today that have experienced miracles! How many times have you heard, “The doctor gave me 3 months to live but Jesus healed me!”? The miracles have not stopped!

 

I have seen a person get healed from weak knees and get x-rays to prove they no longer needed an operation to stop the swelling after a prayer! I have seen the miracle of Jesus stopping a car from crashing into us! I have seen people stop using addictive drugs after a prayer and stay on the right path healed afterwards. Miracles do happen and we need to recognize it is Jesus doing them... today!

 

And they happen for all to glorify God! Luke 18:42 Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. When God does something for you, share the good news, please!

 

5. We can know Jesus’ love by observing the contrast of those who despise Him. Matthew 11:6 “And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” It is a given, there is a vast majority of people out there that are evil and get offended by Jesus because they do not want to be reminded of their unrepentant ugly, destructive sins! 

 

The fact that Jesus exposed(s) hypocrites, the fact that His presence brings awareness, the fact that He and His teachings are absolute truth is too much for some people!  Liars, lazy ones, and deceivers hate Him for exposing their schemes and this is what makes Jesus so repulsive to them along with the average carnal corrupt individual that conforms to the perverted ways of the world. 

 

I have been attacked many times over telling others about Jesus and do you know why ‘those people’ never won me over to their side? Because I could feel, see, and hear the hate they had for me just because I talked about Jesus! My logical reasoning mind kicks in these situations and asks, why would I leave the teachings of Jesus who inspires me to do good for others, to love God and others, in exchange for the cognitive dissident non-reasoning and uninspiring rhetoric they defend? I prefer the beautiful spirit world over their ugly flesh world any day!

 

6. How do we know the name of Jesus is powerful? Because in society He is rarely mentioned except when used as a curse word in some Hollywood movies! The most loving amazing Son of God is still rejected by the evil ones in power. Before they accused that Jesus had a demon when it was themselves having the demons!

 

The subject of Jesus has been quarantined by our evil societies to not be discussed in the public arena. Jesus cannot be brought up in the classrooms, in the community city halls, and not in the bar-b-ques of our local civic clubs as it is a topic deemed ‘uncomfortable’ or ‘offensive’ by some. Matthew 18:7

Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

 

Who, and I ask unrhetorically who, is defining our freedom of speech?! We have freedom of religion and speech, at least we do have by Constitutional law! I am offended by the politically correct demons trying to silence you and me when the spirit moves on us to talk about Jesus. If a few elites controlling our society, the education, the tech world and the media, who sooner or later are revealed to be extortioners, pedophiles, and filthy corrupters wanting to shut you up, why would you let them have the final say? Are we not offended by them!?

 

7. To know Jesus we must be born again and become as a child! John 3:3-8, 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” When you or I were a child going to Sunday School classes we ‘got it’, we saw with a fresh mind that Jesus is real, you could hear his loving words and feel in your spirit that He was (is) the powerful Son of God. 

 

Jesus told us to have the faith of a little child! Matthew 18:3 And said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. To know Him means to become simple, simple in just believing because logic and science cannot explain everything!

 

We can reason and understand a lot but always at some point we will hit a wall of doubt. It is then when we must just simply trust that God knows best that He, like a good Father will protect and guide us through obstacles that are bigger than what we are able to handle. Patience, faith, & trust, will we ever learn them? 

 

8. Your average Christian without the Holy Spirit is unprepared to battle with demonic people who hate Jesus. Jesus must be in you, in your mind, in your deepest convictions, to be real to you in order to give you power. You only can be strong in Him if you are daily reading His word, praying, and seeking to put into practice the example He left us.  1 Corinthians 2:16  For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

 

The people of the world have no excuse, God can be seen in all the details of His creation. (see Romans 1) Around 300 Old Testament prophecies describe the events in the life of Jesus! There is no doubt that factual evidence abounds to prove Jesus lived, died, and started a revolution to the point that the underground church became above ground 300 years after his resurrection.

 

Despite having 1,700 years of the Catholic Church, and 500 years of the Protestant Church, atheism, materialism, and Satanic religions thrive because the average Christian is not shining their light and fighting for good as they were commanded to by Jesus! Darkness cannot stand the light! Just bring Jesus into the conversation and see what happens! There will be praise and inspiration, or there will be attacks! 

 

 9. All of us can know Jesus in a profound way and there is no excuse. Let’s review:

We can know how to be like Jesus by knowing His teachings.

We can know Jesus by how he has touched and changed our own life.

We know that Jesus’ name is powerful, or He would not be prohibited publicly.

We can know Jesus’ love by contrasting how others that hate Him treat us.

We can know Jesus having the mind and faith of a child.

 

And finally, I will end with the verse we started with, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” The ultimate followers of Jesus have done what He says here. It requires giving your all to Him, materially and spiritually for all your life! I did that to be a missionary, I did that to serve Jesus as a Salvation Army Officer, and millions have done it to serve Jesus throughout history! Millions have even been martyrs! What have you really given to Jesus? To gain the full joy He offers, He must be in control of your life! Those that give Him all never regret it!

 

God supplies our needs and gives us the desires of our hearts! But too few are willing to just give it all up for Him! I cannot imagine living life without Jesus being everything! The question is how much of Him do you want? All the way, or just a little bit? Jesus wanted all of you, mind, body & soul, service, worship & love!