Christmas: Mary’s Song

^{Christmas: Mary’s Song                     Kelly Durant 12-24-23}

^Luke 1:46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷  and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹ for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
⁵⁰ And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
⁵² he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;

53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵ as he spoke to our fathers,
    to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

2. Christmas is all about Jesus, right? Some want it to be all about gifts, Santa, and parties, but the truth is it is about Jesus! We worship Jesus from the time He was born! Now, think about this, Jesus Himself chose His own mother! And what kind of a mother did He want? He wanted one like Mary! Joseph should be respected as well, he stuck with Mary not fully knowing all that was going on! Well, the angel did come to him in his dreams, right? The Manger scene of Jesus with Mary & Joseph is beautiful, and we should focus on them every Christmas and discover new things from God about how this all came about.

Some call her “The Holy Virgin Mary,” and we as Christians honor her as the most humble, willing, servant that was worthy to be Jesus’ vehicle for His arrival on earth; she is the means by which He could come into this world but with purity, through someone worthy and pure. 

There are many traditional prayers made for Mary, but I think some in the Christian faith have it all wrong, we should be focusing in on the song in prayer that she did instead of repeating prayers that men in the past have made to her. After all, if her heart was as the heart of Jesus, shouldn’t we give some attention to her words? We can honor her without worshipping her and look at her as one who was preparing the way for Jesus’ coming.

3. In her prayer she starts out praising the Lord! Do you and I do that enough? God does do great things for us and we must praise His name always! Her spirit rejoiced to know she would be sharing her life with Jesus, raising Him from birth until being a man. She could foresee that all Christians for all generations would look at her as “blessed” recognizing that she was humble and willing, a chosen one by God for her attributes.

She recognized that God was doing a great work in her and she honored God as Holy for that! That should make you and me all reflect deeply and ask; do I accept what God wants to do with me and what He is doing in my life? Do I accept His plans for me with humility, proclaiming Him to be Holy even when I do not understand it all? Even if God’s plans seem to create a conflictive situation for me? Mary recognized it was God’s mercy on her, (which takes humility) and we too must praise God like never before knowing that His mercy is on all of us, through Jesus, and it is forever! And for all who will receive Him! Lord, thank you for your mercy on me!

She also was very pleased that the proud people would be brought down! She knew that Jesus’ life and words and His Kingdom would be established and that He, being the Messiah, would conquer and put in their place all the evil proud rulers on the earth. She knew that He would be strong to overcome all evil powers and make things right. The complete fulfilment of this is still yet to come, as Jesus will return as a warrior with His angels to eliminate all evil doers and separate the wheat from the weeds, the sheep from the goats, and the righteous from the unrighteous. 

 

4. How prophetic Mary knew Jesus would accomplish this: “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.” Knowing how this world is full of so many poor humble and often sad ‘hungry spiritually’ people, she was inspired and rejuvenated with this insight from God, that there would be true justice! Imagine how she witnessed the horrible abuses by the Roman government, abuses which all authorities have done. When Jesus was born the Romans were imposing a tax and everyone had to travel back to their birthplace to pay it! That’s the governments of Satan’s world, always scheming to get richer! Jesus was destined to do many miraculous and amazing things and I am sure she was amazed by Him and His wisdom every day when he was growing up! Imagine how she felt when she would get the news of all the healings and wonderful things He did throughout all Israel! And now, as it has been for over 2,000 years, Jesus still is our only hope for real justice in the world!

 

She knew He would be the expected Messiah, the promised one to come to save Israel, but she had no idea how the future “Israel” would be made up of Christ believers, how God’s people would grow to include mega millions from all nations and tribes…for perpetual generations.  She knew God’s mercy would be on everyone continuing His promise, of salvation, which began with Abraham of which she was a descendant. Recall that Abraham had faith, the exact thing we all need to please God! Do you have real faith in Jesus? Mary definitely had amazing faith, a wholehearted trust, and a love for God that made her soul be glad!  So glad she wrote a prayer in a song!

Christmas, being a day to remember when Jesus came, is beautiful pause in our day-to-day activities! Enjoy it! Share God’s love with family and friends! And share it even with strangers! And if you get touched by the Holy Spirit, write to Jesus a song, or a prayer as Mary did! Have you ever done that? Wrote a song or a prayer down for Jesus? You could, or should, as Jesus touches all of us in a profound joyous way! Honoring Him by all means possible is worshipping Him! Worship Him today, and every day! Be humble like Mary, and the angels, the shepherds, and the kings!

Christmas Controversies: It’s Been Scandalous from the Beginning

Christmas Controversies: It’s Been Scandalous from the Beginning  

By Kelly Durant   12-17-23

                                                                                                                     

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Luke 1:30-33 KJV

 

2. News outlets for several years now have made it known that many U.S. companies have created policies that do not allow greetings or signs with Merry Christmas in them anymore! Have you noticed it is all about Santa and you cannot even find the manger scene anymore! More and more the persecution of baby Jesus persists! How does Satan attack God’s people? Quite often he uses the scandal tactic! Satan and his followers are the ultimate guilty hypocrites seeking always to scandalize all the things of God. Satan empowers demons in humans to create conflicts, commit murders, start wars, spread disease and immorality with the goal to destroy humanity through the lusts of the flesh with pride while accusing others of being guilty of his own crimes! He hates pure and innocent ones like how is represented Jesus’ birth. The people of the world are already in Satan’s pocket, but his target is God’s men and women who are active. And sadly, some fall from temptation due to their pride, adultery, theft, and scandal! Some abandon the purpose for the Christmas tradition as well!  

 

Scandal is a violation of the society’s norms. Today the ruthless media uses a double standard to create scandal. For example, they steal information and then instead of paying for their crime of theft, they defame others with this scandalous information which often turns out to be outright lies. Both parties may be guilty and should be punished but only one attacked and gets condemned and the public condemnation comes with no trial or any proof of truth in the accusations. Satan is the ultimate hypocrite who accuses and condemns others while being totally corrupted himself! But God beat him at his own game by creating scandal for him with something wonderful, something we love and enjoy, Christmas!

 

The Nativity starts with an out of wedlock baby scandal! Who likes babies? Everyone, right? A baby seems to make even the hardest hearts warm and smile. Most people inherently want to give new life a chance in this world. Most everyone when they smile and talk to a baby will get a smile back! How controversial of God to send a baby to rid the world of evil! God controls countless legends of angels but instead of an attack on earth to right the wrongs he sends a baby! God’s attack on evil and Satan begins with innocence and purity in a body weak and dependent on the father and mother for survival. Our lives in Jesus must start there too, in a rebirth of purity of mind, heart, and soul, with a total dependence on God.

 

3. All of the elements in Christmas and in Christians are controversial according to the world’s double standards! Have you ever noticed that? Jesus was a shock to the world and the world has never been the same ever since! Christmas keeps surviving by the efforts of all Christians! 

 

The next controversial Christmas principle, that for many philosophical types is an illogical absurdity, that God could claim to have a Son that is born miraculously from a human, of Mary the virgin. This premise, that God can be the Father of an earth born child, was scandalous when He was born, and it is scandalous still today with many other world religions and is considered heresy by many. People are getting beheaded and killed daily even today for affirming that God had a Son whose name is Jesus, a name above all names! That name, offensive to some yet dear to us who love Him, is Jesus Christ the Lord! His life of miracles and resurrection prove He was God’s son, supernatural, glorious, and worthy of our eternal adoration! 

 

The problem originates from the antiquated Greek agnostic line of thought that erroneously deducts that God is made up of pure good positive spiritual material, but that man and this earth is made up of all bad imperfect negative material so therefore the good and bad can never mix together for there to be a son of God. This is an absurd conclusion since the obvious is we as humans contain a spirit, a piece of the pure God, living in our degenerating material bodies. 

 

No evidence supports this premise yet many hold onto it in current world religions. All things are made up of positives and negatives, and common knowledge taught in science proves that matter in our material world, as in atoms, contain negative charged electrons and positively charged protons. God, however, is not containing Himself within or without the material physical systems of our simple universe operating solely within harmonious duality systems. We observe that His material creation is one huge conglomerate of mixtures, of the light and of the void, yet purity is refined out of the material earthly mixtures as one refines gold. Our spirits must be refined as well.  

 

God’s person is in fact pure holiness but God’s attributes are not paralleled succinctly into to His diverse created worlds. God is above restricting Himself within the world He created because He transcends His own creation of weak and great physical forces and spiritual mysteries. Satan desires that all people reject the fact that it is possible for purity, as in baby Jesus, to have entered into our imperfect world but the scandal remains that it did! Another fact is that because Jesus came, you and I too can become perfected by holy living as Jesus lived full of love, grace, and truth. God’s purity of heaven can exist within this hell of a world within our hearts if we connect with the source, Jesus! Christmas with its pretty lights cause many to imagine how wonderful heaven must be where Jesus is preparing a home for us!

 

4. The next scandal that many cultures have a hard time accepting is that God chose not a noble person but a humble woman, a simple pure person, a virgin, through whom to manifest Himself and fulfill all prophecies through in order to establish a righteous kingdom forever. That’s over 300 prophecies too! God found only her to be willing and worthy enough to become the mother of the future savior of the world. It is obvious that this world is filled with evil, but for God to choose to combat evil with the weapon of a simple, respectful, obedient woman is too humiliating for many men of distinct cultures to accept. In general 9/10ths of the world’s men are macho with little regard for women and what they can do in the things concerning God’s mission.

 

Imagine, Mary was told not to fear over the fact that she would become pregnant by the Holy Ghost and she, contrary to an average person, actually trusted and did not fear! She knew that by trusting God she was risking rejection from her future husband, rejection and maybe a death sentence from her own people for a perceived fornication, or the possibility of living the rest of her life as an outcast in shame. Yet she obeyed and trusted God. How many people have this kind of trust in God today? In her shoes, would you accept a challenge similar to this one and be found worthy for your willingness gaining God’s favor on your life?

 

So the scandal hitting Satan in the face was the fact that a pure, humble person, Mary, honoring God would actually accept anything that God wanted to do in her life. Satan lost this same battle with Job (trying to prove that humans will betray God if subjected to adversities or seemingly unfair requests). Satan is persistent and what he wants is for everyone in the world to believe that it is unfair and unreasonable to accept the controversial things God wants you and I to believe or go through for His high purpose. The truth is many Mary’s do exist in the world, and humble sweet, ‘obedient to God people’ do suffer rejection by the world but God protects them supernaturally as He protected Mary! Take note: Mary did not fear rejection; she preferred God’s will above all! Are you close enough to God to not fear but to trust and accept whatever God wants to do with your life?      

 

5. Here is a detail we must not overlook in the verses of today, what is implied by the part of the verses of today in verse 33? “And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 

 

Certain Jews were familiar with this prophecy and the local ones would also have known that Mary was from the house of David, a bloodline descendant. But the spiritual leaders of the Jews, the ones chosen of the 12 tribes to teach and live exclusively in service to God were the Levites. You had to be born within that family bloodline to grow up to be a leader, teacher, rabbi, or guide. 

 

David was from the tribe of Judah so what do we conclude? The Levites must have been scandalized to discover that God would choose his Messiah from the tribe of Judah and not from their refined hierarchical spiritual ranks.  So Jesus came to establish a kingdom like David’s. Didn’t a form of this kingdom already exist within the Jews? The verses here indicate however that Jesus would reign over all the tribes of Jacob forever. This is in essence inferring a new kingdom that would be established over all people and His kingdom will be forever and ever.

 

6. Referring to a new kingdom presenting itself, scandals occur when the envious controlling people of Satan in this world get threatened by someone hinting that they may suddenly lose their power. Herod was scandalized when he found out through the wise men that a king was born in his region so decided to kill all the babies soon afterward to stop that! What a horrible way to prevent a new king from rising! In the 1980’s they found a mass grave of baby skeletons near Bethlehem in Israel confirming this account of what is recorded in God’s word. 

 

Imagine Roman soldiers pulling the babies from the arms of their mothers and fathers and killing them! The entire region of Bethlehem was scandalized by the fact that their despotic envious leader was killing all their babies over a jealous rant believing the prophecies were true, that a new king was born. But the infant king was protected by God and escaped to Egypt. Imagine Herod, a despotic man with absolute power to kill anyone and yet he was in fear of baby Jesus! 

 

7. So Christmas began with several scandals and true Christians that worship Jesus Christ still draw ire by those who will not accept the celebration of Jesus birth. Sadly, self-righteously, some Christian sects will not honor a remembrance of Jesus’ birth either claiming December the 25^th is a pagan holiday. But we must take away the worship of the devil and direct it to Jesus, no matter the date! It should be 365! When you declared that you had received Jesus Christ in your life and that you would serve Him did some of your friends or family get scandalized by your announcement? Mine did! Most everyone’s does! In high circles you get blacklisted and discriminated against!

 

The message of Jesus birth communicates that one who accepts Him must have a total change of mind, heart, and soul. The mind programed by the world, by Satan’s indoctrinations, refuses to accept the fact that God did send his perfect Son and that He is the savior of humanity in this disastrous world. It goes against our logic to believe in the virgin birth, but faith confirms to us it is miraculously possible. A Jesus believer experiences Jesus, and we know He is real!

 

Human hearts have to get over having pride to understand Christmas. Most people are shocked at how rich wise men and poor shepherds alike contained so much humility that they bowed to worship Jesus even when he was just an infant. To connect with Christmas one’s soul must merge with God’s spirit in obedience to become touched by His innocence and holiness. Mary’s heart was holy, so we get the message that it is imperative we too must submit to God’s will to bring about His plan for a new kingdom. The implication is that God expects that we let our lives get totally interrupted by Jesus’ birth and this creates an internal controversy that all of us must resolve within ourselves. Scandal and all hell breaks loose when you get saved and speak up and worship and serve Jesus!

 

Accepting God’s kingdom means we leave behind our petty dreams of grandeur in order to adopt the kingdom dreams of Jesus, to bring about a new world with new loving people with hearts converted made new, full of joy, and love for God and their neighbor.

 

8. Jesus said that offenses (scandals) would come but he also said in Luke 7:23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. And imagine today some people refrain from even pronouncing the words Merry Christmas because it offends some people! Shame on the ‘offended’ people, they will regret it when they face Jesus for the judgment of their lives.

 

Concerning Christmas and its original message that some deem offensive we can conclude that the people without faith, that people with mental confusion concerning the mechanics of God’s creation, that the people who reject God’s miracles, that the proud jealous people in high places, that the people governed by their own close minded cultures, that the people who believe they run God’s kingdom or Jacob’s house already… all collectively are rejecting Jesus until this very day today! Christmas to them is an offense! Christmas to us who love Jesus, however, is a beautiful wonderful time to celebrate and remember the fulfilment of prophecy that a savior was coming and He did. It is a story of worship, dedication and humility. It is a happy celebration that reminds you and me to be thankful, to be humble, pure, giving, and loving. Christmas is where our salvation began! Culture has jazzed it up with lights and decorations, but each year there is a new chance to tell the wonderful story of Jesus to others!

                 

Is there a controversy happening in your life? Is it from God to use you for something great? This Christmas don’t let the date pass you up without thanking God and appreciating what it meant for God’s love to be expressed through baby Jesus willing to come down in frail human flesh to be one of us. Merry Christmas and may Jesus’ love flood your soul!

Christmas: A time to reflect on the effect Jesus made

Christmas: A time to reflect on the effect Jesus made       Kelly Durant

 

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. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 1 John 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

 

2. How many of you have seen a movie, “Back to the Future”? It was about a young man that went back into time and then goes back into the future, and he saw how it would be if something were changed. 

 

There is one part where something didn’t happen the way it was suppose to in the past, and if Marty McFly, the main character, didn’t get things the way they were supposed to happen while in the past, and in this case it was the getting together of his parents, then the world was going to become a different, horrible, hell of a place. 

 

This scenario caused me, and should provoke us all, to reflect and ask ourselves this question, what would the world be like today if it had not been for the birth of the Son of God on Christmas over 2,000 years ago? God made hundreds of things come together for Jesus birth at the right place and time. It was in God’s design since the beginning! (Genesis 3:15)

 

3. Imagine a world with people who are living as Jesus commanded, as salt and light, who are following Jesus’ love and salvation, how would that world be? We could have the ‘kingdom of God’ on earth! Now, imagine a world without the leadership of God’s righteous people, without God’s people doing good, without missionaries bringing a better standard to the pagan idol worshippers, without the message of eternal life and the forgiveness for sins through Christ. This world would be a worse hell than what it already is! 

 

Without Jesus the world would be a thousand times more full of evil, with more human sacrifices than our current infanticide ones; we would be overcome by violence and war as before the flood ‘as in the days of Noah’. There would gross darkness on the people, being devoid, evil, and ignorant. Starvation and misery would prevail more than what it does today. When the European missionaries went out to reach the world with Jesus travelling by ships, establishing colonies worldwide, it is recorded in the history books that they brought prosperity and peace in many places. 

 

Even in the 1700 and 1800s there was still cannibalism on many islands and places, along with idolatry, human sacrifice, and the slave trades. Where the people had never heard the gospel of Jesus, they lived in constant war with their neighbors. It has been the Christians who helped the world progress out of the dark ages and the ones who founded most all of the prestigious colleges of high learning world-wide. It was the Christians who developed the world scientifically, through Galileo, Pascal, and others. It was the Christians who fought to free those enslaved. The world cannot deny that Jesus’ gospel has brought more peace and development wherever it has been practiced. The problem is it must be practiced to work!

 

4. Jesus was the best gift this world has ever received from God! But let’s look at what attributes were necessary in order for there to be the desired effect by God. First, there had to be a willingness to give on His part. God loved the world and gave us Jesus and He too gave of his own self. He renounced heaven, a place of pure perfection and love and peace in order to come here on earth to give Himself to live a life in frail human flesh. He knew His life was going to end torturous but victorious being a sacrifice on the cross, dying in a horrible manner to redeem whosoever would receive Him! Realize this, Jesus’ resurrection means that He can give anyone anywhere the gift of eternal life if you and I, or anyone, chooses to belong to Him! There is no gift that could be better, ever!

 

The first thing that Christmas should do is convict us to give, to give our lives in obedience to Jesus! He gave the example, he was born in a humble little manger, and came not to be rich and spoiled, nor powerful as the kings of earth are, but he came to serve and to give his life for the souls of us all! 

 

There are many people though that live by the contrary. They believe that Christmas is a time to receive and to get, not to give, forgetting the whole picture of Jesus’ life. We must give to be blessed!

 

5. I recall that as a child I got picky and demanding about what I wanted my mother to give me for Christmas and that was being spoiled and wrong, but it happens often with all kids and adults. Since I had no father in the home, my mother always tried to make it up by giving me many toys. 

 

The toys were fun but only for a few days before the reality of life would return. All that I had received did not bring me a lasting happiness, only a temporary one. It was later in my life that I learned the joy of giving after I dedicated my life to the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

If you want a lasting happiness…then give! It is more blessed to give than to receive! One more time, Jesus said, it is more blessed to give than to receive! We need to teach ourselves and our children to give to others, so we don’t just think about ourselves at Christmas time. 

 

6. Give your life in service to God, give your time, your money, your will, everything; and if you do, then you will be following the words and example of Jesus correctly and you will be celebrating what Christmas should really be all about! 

 

The problem is that many people get so materialistic and worried about gifts and the Christmas party and the food that they forget who the party is for and how He wants those at His party to be behaving. Imagine that, Jesus is being left out of His own party in many homes! 

 

Another attribute is that we must announce the coming of Jesus, ahead of time. That is what the tradition of the ‘Advent’ is for. John the Baptist’s mother, Elizabeth, recognized Jesus before He was born. The message prepared was that Jesus would bring us peace, hope, and salvation and for all the world. What did God have all the angels announce to the humble poor shepherds when Jesus was born? They all declared, “Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth and good will to men (all humanity)”. If God’s angels praised Him, how much more we must praise Him and give glory to Him!

 

God showed His love and favor to all of us in all the world for all people and for all time. He gave us a new hope, a new life, a life of peace, an internal peace that gives us strength.  He gave us good will, and God gave His example of healing goodness. Without Jesus we would not have learned how real goodness, righteousness, and love was to be practiced! We would also not know that we could have eternal life in heaven either. 

 

7. The effect or reaction God wants by Jesus coming is that we honor Him as the angels did, knowing that the way we honor him is by sharing the story of His life obeying His words sharing salvation! We must give our lives as Jesus gave His. 1 John 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. This verse is a follow up to John 3:16 which should be the effect Jesus has on us. How has Jesus affected you? Has His effect on you made you do something to make the world a better place? Have you shared His gift of salvation and love?

 

History proves that we as humans usually behave as brute beasts, full of jealousy for power, full of hate, adulteries, selfishness, and even murders, but when we pause to remember the birth of Jesus at Christmas, we are giving ourselves and everyone in the world a chance to see hope and love: that there is an example of a pure life much better than what we ourselves could ever be. We accept Jesus at Christmas and accept that we must change our lives in order to be like Him! Those that have done this, those that have allowed Jesus to take effect in their heart, mind, and soul, they are the world changers! 

 

Jesus caused prostitutes, drunken partiers, greedy tax collectors, and religious hypocrites to repent and live a holy life! What a powerful effect! For over 2,000 years now His story from start to finish combined with His God-breathed Words of teachings have changed millions of lives for the better! The effect is peace with God and freedom from the desire to sin! I know about this because I am one of those whose life turned around completely! What an effect Jesus made on me to leave behind sex, drugs, rock ‘n roll, and new age religions! 

 

Please share Jesus, in your giving and receiving, share His story, and share your story of the effect Jesus has made on your life this Christmas!

Thanksgiving: True Compassion and Gratitude

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

I John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but indeed and in truth.3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Thank God for Life. Forget the World!

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

   

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

 

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

 

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

 

5. So how are we going to not be like them but bring our focus onto Jesus? Well, for one we must ask the Lord about ourselves, and how our Spirit is. We must always pray to not love the world. 1 John 2: 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

Appreciation: For God and Others Who Honor God!

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

You are no fool to give a life you cannot keep

To gain a love you’ll never lose

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

                                                                                                             

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

 

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

 

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