Dying From Stress? Praise, Purity, & Jesus is the Cure!

Dying From Stress? Praise, Purity, & Jesus is the Cure!         By  Kelly Durant

Proverbs 17:22

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

2. How many of you know people that when they see or hear about something unpleasant they say that it makes them sick to their stomach? A dead dog is in the middle of the road and your friend says, “Ooo, that makes me sick!” Well, feeling sickened by certain things is a God given reaction to keep you away so you don’t get sick. How perverse and repugnant it would be to want to admire the rotting flesh of anything dead, right? The repugnant germs in the air will sicken you.

It seems everyone is born with a common sense of when something is clean or not. Over time a child becomes aware when his hands are dirty and then on his own he wants to wash them. My grandmother use to always repeat to me, “cleanliness is godliness”! And she was right! The values of being clean make a big difference on our quality of life, which is healthy or unhealthy.

As humans we all have different cleanliness standards and habits, some are of God, but many are not. These habits often influence how close people want to be to us, or not. There are body odors and germs involved with people so often keeping your distance from others is wise. It is interesting to see how just overnight the whole world agreed on a 6 foot away standard! I read they are having a hard time with that in India though, after all some cities just don’t have enough space! These 2 words of ‘social distancing’ has impacted 2-3 billion on the planet. It is sad as we all need hugs! We must encourage with words now! 

3. The Old Testament has a lot to say about these things! For example, God commanded the washing of the hands, there existed purification rites for the worship of God, plus He prohibited what His people should eat or drink. Why? Because today we know of the bacteria and the adverse effects of filthiness.  One major prohibition was to never eat meat with blood in it.

Leviticus 7:26, 27

Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. Think about this, all secret cults and Satanic ones require you drink blood! These filthy condemned perverse blasphemers want you to contaminate your body and bring upon you an early death by an internal viral destruction. And according to these verses, God will cut you off from being in heaven!

And today it has come to light that many of the global elites are drinking human blood for the rush of the adrenaline (adrenochrome). Many other past cultures did this and it was an abomination to God! The point is it really does matter what you put into your body! We all must examine what we allow in our bodies (by indigestion and injection) as it will produce internal, physical, and spiritual consequences.

4. Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. 

When we consider that the world is attacked by all the bacteria and viruses similar to what the Egyptians suffered from, what do we conclude? That too many people are disobeying God and they are now suffering the consequences! (Study how they practiced medicine, it’s very nasty and spell casting originates here) But observe that it is not just dirty health habits that spreads sickness, it is a lack of obedience to God. But if we turn to God and repent the last part of this verse applies,” for I am the Lord that healeth thee.” God heals when we turn to Him!

But the viruses we see today are worse than what the Egyptians faced because these are generated in a lab by evil men. There are people that have patents on the invention of certain corona viruses (amongst other toxins) within the past 5 years, look that up. So what we are facing today is beyond what God allowed on the Egyptians in the past, it is the work of evil people who create a huge Pandora box problem, and then they want to be the same ones to offer us a solution; the solution of one of getting injected with more lab generated concoctions!  

5. So it seems some more extreme measures may be necessary to protect ourselves from getting sick, like that of social distancing, wearing masks and gloves, but have you heard any of the ones of the government, the tech world, or the globalist cabal offer us a solution of getting closer to God? Obviously not! And when a leader suggest prayer, every evil news group shows their true Satanic colors and viciously crowd sourcingly attacks them! 

So the solutions of these blasphemous despots, trying to play God, only bring on everyone more pain, plagues, and problems! Pray for discernment from the Holy Spirit so you are not enticed and deceived by their words. It is perfectly fine to speak up against evil. Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Part of the solution is more cleanliness, but all of our efforts are in vain if God is displeased with the world’s disobedience to Jesus commands which are to worship Him alone forsaking idols, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, which requires that we help those who have nothing. 

6. Do not be discouraged as you watch blatant lies produced by the media and observe draconian measures done by the military and police in many places worldwide. It is all designed to beat down every person and condition you psychologically to become a submitted little obedient slave turning over all your freedom, money, and soul to the rising elitist globalist cabal. These are the end-times and this is what the anti-Christ kingdom will look like; one that divides and shames people for not being on board with their antichrist propaganda and agenda. Our obedience is to God, not to doctors or politicians who have no real credentials or faith in God. We may be persecuted, but we will not give up to these folks because our soul and investment is with God forever! 

Proverbs 13:5 A righteous man hates lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame. 

Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursues: but the righteous are bold as a lion.   So  many people of late are getting kicked around by what they should do or not do and it is like those who listen to all kinds of false doctrines and cannot make up their minds about anything. Christians, beware! These are days in which you must grow in faith or your faith, like a ship with a hole, will quickly sink! 

James 1: 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

7. It is time for Christians to take a stand and get the message out that we must get back to God to be released from these current ruthless consequences and be able to get back to some type of normal. If those that know to do good, to serve God, and do it not, then we really are doomed! What is the price for sitting on the fence between God’s kingdom and Satan’s? Stress! Internal and external destruction will be the result for indifference and God holds everyone accountable for their actions. We are in stressful times not knowing the future!

I have an opinion observation. What I conclude after a few dozen reports is that stress is releasing the latent viruses and poisons that our body natural houses and many people are getting sick just from their negative thinking and lack of faith in God! When we are happy, trusting in God, these viruses and poisons are dormant, but when we allow ourselves to be afraid from all the discouraging news, then we are shutting down God’s healing. With faith you live and heal, without it you self-destruct.

Remember this, “You are your own worst enemy”, and the enemy in you is the voice of Satan and his demons trying to control you by all his lies. He is the prince of the air, of broadcasting, so do not let yourself get overwhelmed between the your own fearful thoughts, and the fearful messages put out by the news media. The uplifting messages of God to trust and obey is the answer. Stress is a killer as it robs you of joy, peace, and healing. Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones. Don’t worry be happy!

8. It is clear that Christians and those who come to God will be healed of their broken fearful spirit! A healthy spirit makes a healthy body as well. In this quarantine don’t sit around and waste away with your bones, brain, and heart shriveling up getting consumed by your own poisons. Chose God’s side to be healthy! Chose God’s Word to find encouragement above all the fearmongering.

You can also dance and praise God in your living room! Don’t just lie down in fear and make yourself sick thinking you are going to die! That’s playing into the depressing agenda of the population reduction cabal! Get happy, get encouraged! We look at the numbers now and see that this flu is way down on list of what is killing people in mass.  Quote these verses out loud…

Psalm 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Psalm 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.  Psalm 112:7 He (You) shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. Isaiah 12:2. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

9. I use to sing to my kids, “Praise, praise, praise is the victory, praise, praise, praise His name!” I see too many Christians living in fear lately. We can live practical, sterile, precautious, clean, protective, and socially distant but if our spirit inside is troubled, worried, fearful, and drying us up, then all of the above will not keep us safe as expected! Your body releases its own viruses and these come out when under duress and stress, and the only remedy is trust in God and prayer which allows the healing Holy Spirit to work. 

We need God’s Word and strength to get through this! Those that hang on to Him will survive! When draconian laws overrode human rights and our Christian right to worship, is the time for Christians to unite, no matter the denomination, to help one another to be encouraged and resolve how to get their needs met. Do not let your house be your jail, do something good for somebody so you make God and yourself happy!

You can do a lot of good just by calling friends and checking up on them! Pray for them over the phone! Do things you like to do and hopefully what you like to do will be something that uplifts you and others. Live clean, in body and spirit, and count on God’s blessings and protection! Shun the negative voices, the ones who hype fear and political rhetoric and get close to Jesus and you will be strong, at peace, and even happy! John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

The Resurrection: Jesus Did It! He Will Do It For You

The Resurrection: Jesus Did It! He Will Do It For You                Kelly Durant

Luke 20: 35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”

2. The sensational news of late show many images of dead people! They presume we all have an appetite to see these unpleasant pictures. There are people dropped dead on the sidewalk streets, and dead bodies are lined up in refrigerated trucks stacking up behind hospitals. The statistics according to certain people state that people are dying by the thousands daily everywhere and everyone seems shocked and scared to face this reality of death. It seems so sinister that some people are even obsessed about wanting more news of death. And contrastingly, our faith in Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life, clashes with those who are griped under fear, petrified by the thought of death.  

Why are people fascinated by death? The entire industry of news groups, and the entertainment complex of Hollywood are based on productions involving the killing and murder of people. Some people, like dirty little flies, are attracted to this putrid pile of stupidness cheapening life, as if death is for entertainment. Current evidence concerning human traffickers seems to indicate that certain secret societies love seeing real people die. And why? Because wicked people get excitement when witnessing the death of another! 

Population reduction, be it by eliminating babies at birth, or be it be by terrorism and war, or sickness produced by some random virus, seems to please the perversely inspired demons in high places. They are in evil governments, colleges, businesses, and false religions. The depressing things being taught to our kids in schools is that people are too numerous, that there are too many are useless eaters, therefore death is good, so prepare for mega death and for 33 million to die, as stated by Bill Gates. (Why 33?) They suggest you self-terminate but they don’t! Expose these murderous liars, for what they are please! They are at war against God’s life which includes you and me!

3. Romans 6:23 ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’. So many people live their lives doing evil, causing others to die and they seem to never pay the consequences for their actions. Many people erroneously believe they are above God’s laws, and that they will never face God’s judgment, but sadly they are deceived! All will die in this body, and all disembodied spirits, being a consciousness in a soul, will either live or die in the spirit world as well. 

All of us as humans end up dying, isn’t that reality? So, one of life’s most  valid questions is this, ‘Is there life after death when we are out of this body?’ Where does one’s spirit get displaced to? The life force, that is inside of you and me, is like a software functioning within the hardware of this body, and it will still keep existing, right? Our consciousness, or soul, must continue on somewhere.

But today, Easter Sunday, is for us to talk about life rather than death! To understand something you need to understand its opposite. Do you do that, research the antithesis of something to learn more about the posture or thesis? Death affects us all and is the reality of destiny for anyone passing through this world. I have contemplated on this subject for dozens of hours! None of us really want our life to stop, do we? It is natural to want to live forever as the angels live and never die, but how could this be possible considering we are frail humans?

4. John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Jesus said this to Martha as He resurrected Lazarus, her brother, who had been dead 4 days! Jesus demonstrated that He not only possessed the power to bring his own self back to life, as we celebrate on Easter, but He has the power to resurrect anyone who believes in Him! That being the case, shouldn’t we believe and obey Him?!

There are many things that are beyond science; But we all can agree that resurrection is something supernatural! You either believe that the God of the universe and His Son Jesus can do it or you don't! There are so many unexplained miracles in this world, and anyone with any intelligence should conclude this, that our intelligently designed created world has many symbiotic functioning parts that are far beyond our comprehension. Our 2.8 pound brains will never grasp everything that is outside of its enclosed time and space. To not have faith would make you be like a fish in a fishbowl, ignorant of the immensity of the reality of the worlds that are without you.

We control so little of what goes on in this world teeming with life. Life, comes from God, so with Him as the source of it, we must respect Him, believe in Him, and trust He will fulfill all that He proposes in us. John 1: 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 

5. On Easter all Christians worldwide celebrate Jesus coming out of the tomb! All His disciples lost their lives defending that truth! It happened for real! It was a miraculous fact that Jesus did come back alive, and the testimony of this fact travelled to the ends of the earth through them and through other missionaries and martyrs. (Acts 1:8) The good news is that in Jesus there is life and He gives it to whomever receives Him, and even still does today!

All the false gods, worshipped by the pagans at that time, (still worshipped!) were nothing but cold stone idols and no one’s prayers ever got answered. None of the pagan worshippers ever resurrected. Well, let’s give them credit for this, they could conjure up a demon to possess them, but that is of absolutely no use but to bring on trouble making you carnal, lustful, deceptive, murderous and insane! 

All the false religions of the ancient days, reflect on the Sumerians and Egyptians, for example, all wanted to make their worshippers believe they could gain eternal life by observing their rituals and submitting to their demonic practices. Would your soul’s purity be as light as a feather on the balance so you are allowed to go to heaven?  The fallen angels, as mentioned in Genesis 6, taught these deceptions in order to own people as slaves. But was there evidence that any of their rituals  ever gave eternal life to their worshippers? Never! It was all lies of Satan to skew the worship away from the true God Jehovah! Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is still the target of attack by these demons because His resurrection and truth exposes the worthlessness of their esoteric (secret) practices! 

6. So God sent His Son Jesus to prove eternal life could be real! John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Life, the word life, implies love, purity, and happiness! By reading about Jesus life we learn that His life was all about revealing God’s love to us! He healed the sick, forgave all sins, fed the multitudes, and even calmed the storms! His love includes making us equal to the angels in heaven, so we would be able to live forever! What a gift that is! You and I can never earn or buy that! The only condition for it is to follow Him and do as He says. John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

Our verses from today from Luke 20 confirm this. 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. Imagine that! No other religion, prophet, government, college, or demon can grant that to you!  This sole power, to give eternal life to you and me, is only in the hands of Jesus! So it’s Him all the way, or it’s nothing!

7. Finally I would like for you to focus on this verse: 38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.” In the end this Easter celebration Sunday is a reminder for us all that Jesus is all about life, the renouncing of death, the acceptance of rebirth, and the belief in resurrection. It is for all of us to possess if we will just repent, believe, and confess it! 

1 Corinthians 15:54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting?

O Hades, where is your victory?” Death for us is just an empty word! We belong to Jesus who eternally lives so we are a part of the body of our eternal living King!

I love celebrating this special day of Easter as I get invigorated, energized, and recharged! It is a day that should be considered to be more important than Christmas! It is a day that you and me get to be reminded that Jesus promised to give us a place in eternally existing alongside all the great ones, Moses, Abraham, and Jesus Himself!

And finally reflect on what was communicated upon Jesus ascension into heaven

Acts 1: 9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

His ascension was real! His resurrection was real! His gift of eternal life is real! And His return is real! Keep on proclaiming this message to everyone! Escape death! Be aware of evil! John 10:10  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they (you and me) may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Holy Week and CV: Jesus was alone (isolated) when He went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. His severe stress caused him to sweat blood! He had to face his future which involved the killing of His body. He understands us when we are stressed and alone. But He was not totally alone being one with His Father, God. Christians this Good Friday and Easter will have a different experience of being alone, but this undesired circumstance may teach us to appreciate many things! We should never fear being alone, Jesus is always there through His Holy Spirit and he will fill your mind with His Word and hope if we will just be still. Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!  KD  

Jesus Last 7 sayings on the cross (by Kdurant)

Jesus Last 7 sayings on the cross

(Prepared by Capt. Kelly Durant, notes from Wikipedia)

Intro: How many of you have smashed a finger with a hammer? Or been in pain so bad you were almost passing out?

Imagine that kind of pain on your entire back, head, hands, feet, entire body! The excruciating pain Jesus went through gives anyone chills just to think about!

What makes me hate Satan and His people so much is knowing that they enjoy torturing the righteous. There are Christians that still get crucified today! It makes you sick to your stomach to even think about it!

Imagine, the most righteous loving person ever, Jesus, the Son of God, and all of Satan’s minions wanted to do was to hurt him to this horrible extreme! Jesus with His suffering and death exposed the evil that exists in all humanity. The demons in people are real! What horrific cruelty! But Jesus wanted to save even those carrying out his execution, but only those that believed, like the thief on the cross beside him who believed, obtained salvation into heaven.

There is a message we must learn from Jesus last 7 sentences as He died on the cross. Imagine, even in such despair, he was teaching us how our attitudes should be!

Please, let’s learn from Him!   

1. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”

Luke 23:34

This first saying of Jesus on the cross is traditionally called "The Word of Forgiveness". It is theologically interpreted as Jesus' prayer for forgiveness for the Roman soldiers who were crucifying him and all others who were involved in his crucifixion.

Reflection: Would you be able to forgive someone who was murdering you? I suspect there were a few dozen Roman soldiers who got saved that day being awestruck that Jesus would forgive them for their violent act against him. We must practice an extreme forgiveness, if we want to be like Jesus.

2. “Today you will be with me in paradise”

Luke 23:43

"And he said to him (the thief on the cross), 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise'."

This saying is traditionally called "The Word of Salvation". According to Luke's Gospel, Jesus was crucified between two thieves, one of whom supports Jesus' innocence and asks him to remember him when he comes into his kingdom. This reading assumes a direct voyage to Heaven. 

Reflection: Would you have the faith to trust that salvation could even be for a condemned person? We must share Jesus gospel with all, even the dying whom the world considers as scum. We must trust in the salvation of the souls of others to be like Jesus.

3. “Woman, behold, thy son! Behold, thy mother”!

John 19:26,27

This statement is traditionally called "The Word of Relationship" and in it Jesus entrusts Mary, his mother, into the care of "the disciples whom Jesus loved".

Mary for sure was in horrific shock to have to ‘behold’ her son dying in such an evil manner, but we can equate this with how Jesus wants us to invite those closest to us to see what salvation cost. All of us hate to see anyone we love suffer, but it is a reality we must face.

Could you entrust to those you love your parents or relatives? The presumption here is that Mary is suffering in her heart as much as Jesus is, and in order to be like Jesus we must be willing to suffer as she did, and be willing to console, as the disciples did.

4. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34

"My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?" See also: Language of Jesus Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani (Ἠλί, Ἠλί, λιμὰ σαβαχθανί)

And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" This is an expression: “A word of abandonment”, an expression of loneliness.

Theologians understand this as cry of one who was truly human and who felt forsaken. Put to death by his foes, very largely deserted by his friends, he may have felt also deserted by God. God and Jesus had agreed, that He would have to figuratively ‘turn his back on Him’ so He could complete the mission of being the sacrificial lamb that takes away the sin of the world.

Reflection: Can you allow God to fulfill His purpose in you, even if it means God allowing you to pass through a painful test? We must endure feelings of loneliness and abandonment if we want to be like Jesus.

5. “I thirst”

John 19:28

This statement is traditionally called "The Word of Distress" Here we observe that Jesus lived in a body just like ours. In the Garden of Gethsemane He lost a lot of blood with his sweat , and had not eaten or drank anything since then. Jesus physically suffered to the extreme, inside and out! Jesus himself was the living water, but during His death he had to face what all flesh faces, that this world will not provide for all our needs or comfort, especially in death. Would you also endure extreme physically suffering to be like Jesus?

6. “It is finished”

John 19:30

"Jesus said, 'It is finished'" (τετέλεσται or "Tetelestai" in Greek).[25]

This statement is traditionally called "The Word of Triumph" and is theologically interpreted as the announcement of the end of the earthly life of Jesus, in anticipation for the Resurrection.

A commentator, Adam Hamilton writes: "These last words are seen as a cry of victory, not of dereliction. Jesus had now completed what he came to do. A plan was fulfilled; a salvation was made possible; a love shown. He had taken our place. He had demonstrated both humanity's brokenness and God's love. He had offered himself fully to God as a sacrifice on behalf of humanity. As he died, it was finished”

7. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit”

Luke 23:46

These same words we find in Psalm 31:5, which is an announcement traditionally called "The Word of Reunion". Theologically this is interpreted as the proclamation of Jesus joining God the Father in Heaven. His spirit left his old body, but in resurrection his spirit regenerated it!

Review

Seven is the number of perfection; these last words cover God's completion of the circle of creation and we could apply them to our faith walk in Jesus. Jesus said this Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

1.    “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”  (Forgiveness)To know Jesus our first step is to forgive and be forgiven of our sins.

2.     “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Salvation). This statement affirms that once you believe and accept Jesus, no matter the past sins, you will have a place in heaven

3.    “Woman, behold, thy son! Behold, thy mother”! (Relationship) This statement reveals that our loved ones will suffer with us and us with them due to our strong connection to Jesus and the rough path it may take us to.

4.    “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Abandonment) This phrase proves that in life we will not always get God’s attention how we want it when we want it and we must accept the fact He is doing a great work in us beyond what we feel at any moment. 

5.    “I thirst” (Distress) In our life and death we will pass through many stressful events and our physical thirst (pain) must not overshadow our thirst for “righteousness” which Jesus taught us to have. He said we would never thirst again, and in the flesh thirst can never be satisfied, only in the spirit. 

6.    “It is finished” (Triumph) We must keep our eyes on the Lord always as once having passed through all the tests in life, the end there is victory; a completion of all the Lord required of us and obtaining a reward for it. 

7.    “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Reunion) The most wonderful thing in life is when we die we will be united with our Father, with Jesus, and with our fellow believers. The promise of heaven will become very real upon our passing as our spirit will be forever protected and blessed for trusting in Jesus dwelling where He lives.

These words may remind you of a typical prayer that is often taught. ‘I commit myself to you, O God. In my living and in my dying, in the good times and in the bad, whatever I am and have, I place in your hands, O God, for your safekeeping’.

May we be blessed on this Good Friday, on this day of such a painful reminder of what it cost Jesus to bring us salvation. May we always be thankful and share His love to all until the day we die. 

Palm Sunday: Then Jesus Brings On A Purge

Palm Sunday: Then Jesus Brings On A Purge                         Capt. Kelly Durant

Mark 11: 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!”, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” 10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”, “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

2. Today is one of celebration! Jesus gets praised and everyone is happy…but right after that He declares a purge! Palm Sunday represents a time when Christians should be tuned into what Jesus is purging! With all that is happening in the world with the corona virus, I would suggest the Lord is still animate against false religious leaders being rebuked and cast out! The fruitless, the hypocrites, the merchants in all church bodies have got to go. It’s time to separate the wheat from the tare weeds. 

Today is Palm Sunday and it is a special Sunday celebrated by all Christians worldwide! At first glance praising and palms in the road seems all wonderful as most everyone in Jerusalem was praising Jesus. Isn’t that beautiful? In places where church members cannot get palm branches they use other types of branches, or at least they do a special observance of some kind. 

Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem was something outstandingly phenomenal fulfilling prophecy and this is why all Christians everywhere keep this tradition alive. It is a way for all Christians to relive the honoring of Jesus as the King of Kings, as the King of Jerusalem (the New Jerusalem!), and as the promised Messiah from the linage of David. 

Let’s follow the series of events as Mark records it in Chapter 11. There is first the grand arrival into Jerusalem, but then there is fig tree that gets cursed on the way to Bethany because it does not have any fruit? Why a curse after such a huge happy reception? Soon we will see.

3. Jesus takes the initiative in preparing His entry as His instructions to his disciples were that they should bring Him a colt not ridden before. It was not customary for pilgrims to going into Jerusalem riding an animal, they generally completed the trip to the temple on foot. But Jesus always did things differently!  Zech. 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 

Jesus fulfilled all prophetic scripture as He is the eternal King of the Jews and the gentiles, and the people are jubilant. He rode upon a donkey, and humility and purity were represented. Jesus knew the messianic significance of his entry there and later all could see it for what it was. 

The fact that the people shouted, “Hosanna!” or Hoshana (Hebrew) implies that they knew they were honoring Him as the Lord, as that word of praise was applied for one who would “save”, so they were recognizing His messiahship as the “Savior”! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!

4. After all that praise and excitement Jesus and his disciples were hungry and you would expect be in good spirits, right? But then they came upon a fig tree that made Jesus mad because the tree was barren, and Jesus cursed it! Why? If you take into account the Old Testament you can discover how the fig tree and bearing fruit is symbolic. Jesus spoke clearly about bearing fruit comparing it to spiritual fruit. We as Christians must have fruit good or we will die dry and be cursed. Those connected to Jesus should be as a flourishing vine that produces good fruit… healthy saved souls serving God! 

Jesus was letting the world know that Israel in His day was finished; it was as a dried tree yielding no fruit for God. Go to Jeremiah 8:13 “I will surely consume them,” says the Lord. “No grapes shall be on the vine, Nor figs on the fig tree, And the leaf shall fade; And the things I have given them shall pass away from them.” That is a very clear prophecy! Matthew 21:43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.”

The O.T. prophets used metaphors to illustrate what God was going to do for or against the nation of Israel. Here Jesus does the same; this event has meaning beyond its face value. When Jesus says to the tree in vs. 14 “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”, he basically was affirming that no one would ever get fed spiritually ever again by remaining with spiritually barren Israel. Jesus was the new Israel bearing fruit, and Jews, gentiles, and all nations now were the fruit God accepted through Jesus as the Messiah.

5. The destruction of the fig tree is associated with judgment as we find in Hosea 2:12 “I will ruin her vines and her fig trees, which she said were her pay from her lovers; I will make them a thicket, and wild animals will devour them.” 

John chapter 15, which was a message after the last supper, makes it clear that we as followers of Jesus are not to be fruitless or you are in danger of a fiery judgement. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. Jesus warns there is a purge, a purge for those who have no fruit for God.

I see a contrast here of signals here. For one, Jesus is praised in the streets as never before and Jesus instead of mentioning it or elaborating on it, makes a symbolic point that He wants to be honored not by loud praises, not by coats and palms in the street, but rather by real fruit for God! It reminds me of his words to the Samaritan woman in John 4:23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The ones of Jerusalem were not worshipping Him in truth as one week later the Jerusalem crowds yelled to crucify Him! 

6. Palm Sunday begins a chapter of purging; it all happened within a few days. We just covered how the event of the fig tree was a symbolic miracle event to show God’s purge on the fruitless followers. Now let’s notice, it was right after all that praise going into Jerusalem that Jesus went into the temple of the Jews to purge it of its greediness and worship of money over worship of God. Another purge, right after Palm Sunday!

Jesus was angered that the temple of God, where believers gathered supposedly with the intent to worship, pray and learn from God’s word, had been made into a market where the teachers were seeking filthy lucrative. They were there not to worship God but there for the money!  He took a whip to the money changers and overturned tables and what did He say?  Mark 11:17 “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves. ” 18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.

So this is why here in our Salvation Army we don’t allow people to come in and sell merchandise on Sunday! Some churches sell DVDs and books written by the pastor on Sundays, but we don’t allow any of that. This modern materialistic trend is making merchandize of the people. 2 Peter 2: 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. Some mega churches ask to see your W-2 to be sure you will give 10% of that and your membership is just to finance their luxuries! In John 15 Jesus was speaking to His followers so Christians are forewarned of judgement as well for worshipping money using the name of Jesus! He will say one day to their spirit in the judgement, “I never knew you!”

7. Jesus’ purging out of the Temple is a prophetic sign that religious model, being corrupted, would no longer be needed or relevant. Why? Because in a short time, Jesus was going to die and be resurrected!  Jesus’ sacrifice of atonement is a sacrifice that is effective for all time, past, present, future. Heb 7:27 Who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he (Jesus) did once, when He offered up himself.

No longer would there be a need for the animals to be sold at expensive prices and sacrifices be made in their Synagogue temples anymore, because Jesus was going to be the sacrifice for all nations forever! And believing on Jesus, praying, worshipping, and studying is something anyone should have cost free! Many people come to our Corps with no money and always our doors are open to anyone, and those who know me, know that I treat those who cannot support with us money still get the same respect and love as those who do!

This purging act has another meaning as well. It is to remind us how God is a jealous God and we are to gather to worship only Him with no other interests! Through Jesus reactive actions we get a confirmation that God violently hates people who are in a temple for any reason other than to pray, worship, and study. Making money is what most everyone does 6 days a week, so to continue to desire profit on the 7^th day instead of a time out with God is an offense to Him breaking the law to keep the Sabbath holy. We are not legalistic, but God had reason for all his commands.  

8. So the initial evidence, the first event of Jesus going into Jerusalem at first appears to be the highlight of His ministry. He is finally recognized as the promised savior and messiah fulfilling prophecy being a descendant of King David. You would think that going there to get honored with palms and coats was all the picture you needed to see. The disciples were not focused on this: Mark 10:33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles.

There are two events of Jesus that are those of judgement and purification. Jesus multiplied fish and bread, He could have just caused figs to grow instantly on the tree but He didn’t. He wanted those who knew the words of the prophets to bear witness to the fact that God will totally dry up a fruitless tree. The tree is symbolic of a nation, or even of an individual life. The disciples were astonished at how quickly the unfruitful tree shriveled up. Jesus will purge or even curse those who do nothing for God!

9. Now the next purge; Jesus let explode His Godly wrath against those who were starving others spiritually using the temples of God for their monetary personal gain. In a final display of disgust Jesus overthrows the money changers. The temple teachers were useless being, “Blind leaders of the blind” (Matt 15:14) They sought wealth from the people that they were exploiting everyone in the name of God not practicing the love of God.   

Briefly before Jesus crucifixion he said this to the hypocrites: Matt 22: 15 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves”. Jesus hates hypocrites who rob God of souls!

So on Palm Sunday here is what we understand: 1) that Jesus is the Son of God, the savior of the world that takes away all sin and praise and total submission is due Him; 2) that Jesus will not tolerate and will purge and judge those who produce no good fruit for God, 3) that Jesus gets violently angry to purge out those who exploit worshippers for their own material gain profaning the intended purpose of worship.

10. In conclusion, we know now that many of the praises heralding Jesus were hypocritical as they cried out to, “Crucify Him” a week later. This type of hypocrisy is hard to deal with as the false worshippers sing praises while in church and then they will curse the person who will not let them quickly turn out of the church parking lot! Ask yourself, am I a hypocrite in my worship of Jesus? Do I praise Him always no matter the circumstances, good or bad? Do I praise Him with a clean and honest heart? Praise is not just a “hallelujah’ or a ‘Hosanna’, praise to Jesus is a lifestyle of love and service to God and others! These times prove God is still purging  all.

We can observe today that many churches and religions do not have Godly fruits, but rather they are a collection of thorns with rude and arrogant personalities. Today God is doing a purging to see who is true and who is false. Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Matt.7:20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Each individual must bear fruit but that only comes only if they are infused with the sap (the Holy Spirit) from the true vine, Jesus Christ. Ask yourself, am I sweet good fruit, loving God or am I like a thorn and a dried up tree? Speak up, shine your light, what are your good works?

Never forget, Jesus violently hated the hypocrisy of those whose God was not our  true God of love, but rather money. Are you angry with the false hypocrites and thieves?  You should be! There are many out there today! This law of only 10 people in a church is purging the followers, are people true, or are they false? I suppose many will not return! Palm Sunday was immediately followed by a purge for being fruitless and greedy! Ask God examine our hearts and to purge us so you and I can worship Him in spirit and in truth, bearing fruit for Him in our lives,  clean of hypocrisy, loving Him above any other thing. Let’s pray…