Comfort: The Boomerang of the Spirit!            Kelly Durant  Re 4-10—21

 

2 Corinthians 1:4 (K J V) 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 

 

2. How many of you as a child have ever fallen down, off a bicycle, or playing sports and hurt your knee or something so bad you can’t get back up? If your mother, or a good friend is close they might say, aw, wait, I will help you clean up, don’t worry, I will help you! But amongst boys, you might be bleeding to death on a baseball field and they say, be a man, it’s nothing, get up, don’t be a whimp! Now which reaction do you prefer? Comfort of machoism? 

 

In the old days, people would help each other get from the country to the city and a farmer on his horse and wagon picked up a young boy who had a sack of potatoes to sell in the market. The farmer told him to get on the back of the wagon. The boy got on and the farmer saw he kept the bag of potatoes on his lap. He said to him, why don’t you get comfortable and lay down the bag on the wagon. The boy replied that he would keep them in his lap because he thought the man was being nice to allow him to ride, and that was enough kindness. He explained, to have you carry me is enough, if I ask you to carry the bag too, that would be abusive! Ha! But God wants us to lay our burdens down!

 

3. I choose the subject of comfort because I think everyone is feeling the heat of the hard times more than ever. On the AM radio they announced a study that was done on U.S. households and they discovered that 3 out of 4 homes were in such a stressful situation that they were on the brink of disintegration or a nervous collapse! This is either because they have no job, or if they have one, their boss expects them to do the work of 2 people! 

 

You can only live afraid, worried, frustrated, and tired up to a certain point, and then like a branch on a tree, you snap. 

I am concerned that of some of you here in the Corps might be letting your situation in life grind you down too hard! As Christians we must help one another support the everyday burdens as well as the extra heavy ones.

 

4. So does God care about our comfort? Yes! Comfort is mentioned in the Bible 119 times. Listen to just a few of the verses in the New Testament.

2 Corinthians 7:4 

Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

2 Corinthians 7:6

Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

 

2 Corinthians 7:7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.

2 Corinthians 7:13

Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

2 Corinthians 7:12-14 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 7 (Whole Chapter)

2 Corinthians 13:11

Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Ephesians 6:22

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

Philippians 2:1

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

Philippians 2:19

But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.

Colossians 2:2

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

Colossians 4:8

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

1 Thessalonians 2:11

As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,

1 Thessalonians 3:2

And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow labourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

1 Thessalonians 3:7

Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:

1 Thessalonians 4:18

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

1 Thessalonians 5:14

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

2 Thessalonians 2:17

Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

5. Do you get the idea? God sends us comfort! But how? Through the Holy Spirit and others! God uses each of us to comfort one another in all our situations.  So from the study on comfort we must ask ourselves 2 questions:

Do you allow God and others to comfort you and me as we should?

Do you personally seek to serve and comfort others you see are hurting?

 

Let’s look at the first question. Why did I start with the example of the boy and the potato sack? Because all of us quite often have more pride than what we know about! God sees all things, maybe I can see some pride, maybe others can see it too, but often we ourselves do not see it.

 

When someone says, are you going through a difficult time? Can I help you in some way? When someone offers comfort, what do we often do? We often close up like a clam. We reject comfort from others, which is God’s comfort through them sent to you!

 

6. You know God made all the creatures for us to learn from. A clam when it feels something near just closes up tight and lets nothing in! God is not pleased when we do this. People think, I can survive, I am strong, I don’t need anyone! Our enemies from the demonic world convinces us and others with evil thoughts like: I can’t share my burden or problem, people will not understand me, people will make fun of me, people will gossip, people will think I did something wrong and that God is punishing me. And that brother trying to comfort me, who does he think he is pretending to be so spiritual? Evil thoughts come when one is doing God’s work! Jesus fought them off with God’s Word, and we can too! 

 

There are many reasons why you, and someone, may reject accepting comfort, but do you see it how wrong this is? God made us weak, and His strength is perfected in our weakness! But as long as we think we can do things without God and others we will suffer a lot more than what God intends, and that will make you or me old before our time!

 

7. The next question: Do you seek to be used by God to comfort others? 

First, let’s define comfort. It is relational. It involves something disagreeable happening that another person alleviates. It is a state of feeling physically relaxed, it is relief from pain or anxiety, to cheer up someone. How can your presence do that for others? 

You may think, I am not a pastor to know how to comfort someone in pain, but God expects that you comfort them, not thinking on your abilities, but focusing on their need! Here are some ways in which we can comfort others:

 

1.Listen to them when they want to tell you about their problems.

2.Read to them something encouraging from God’s word 

3.Pray for them when they are ready in the conversation to stop talking. 

4.Bring them some food, or something they may need at that time.

 

8. These are just a few ways, but one more extremely important thing about comfort. It is a supernatural force and it comes from the Holy Spirit!

Comfort: It is relational; It involves something disagreeable happening that another person alleviates. It is a state of feeling physically relaxed, it is relief from pain or anxiety, to cheer up someone. How can your presence do that for others? 
Ask for…
Holy Spirit power!

 

John 14:16-18  16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

 

9. So when you minister to someone, you are actually being an instrument of the comfort of the Holy Spirit! And when you have felt that power, you feel like praising God out loud for the warm exciting feeling you have inside. It is giving you words to speak that you do not know from where they came from, giving you the ability to pray beautiful things you never imagined, guiding you to exact words that person needed to hear from God’s word, and you know it is supernatural.

 

Why do you think we are always asking you to participate with us in outreach, visitation, and comforting others? Because you will find God gives back to you in the same measure you are giving! We can never out-give God! Do you need comfort today? Come and accept it from God’s Holy Spirit up here at the mercy seat. 

 

Remember, God comforts you, not for you to get comfortable and lazy an do nothing. He comforts you so you will with this same comfort, comfort others. Do you want to give comfort? Start right now with those here and keep being ready each day to be ready for God’s service!

Easter: The Proof of the Power of Jesus!

Easter: The Proof of the Power of Jesus        4-4-21 By Kelly Durant

 

Luke 24:5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen!

 

2. We have the lights out. Now close your eyes. I want you to imagine yourself in the grave. You are dead! You died last Friday in April 2^nd, 2021. You have left your body but your spirit is alive. 

 

You realize you are as much alive as you were before, but you have lost the flesh and bone body in the material world. You are on your way through a tunnel where there is light at the other end, and you are realizing you are on your way to meet God and be judged.  

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

 

3.The question burning inside you: Will I have life again as I knew it? (Open eyes now)

 

Recall God spoke the Word and then there was light; light now exists because God spoke it into existence, and before eternal life and heaven did not exists for humanity but now it does through God’s Son Jesus Christ resurrected! Jesus changed the laws of our physical & of the spiritual world to gather resurrected human souls in heaven!

 

4. Resurrection: Luke 24:1-8 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"  8 Then they remembered his words. 

 

In this chapter we are focusing on the prophecy of Jesus’ resurrection. How many of you believe that this God/man came out of the grave as the scripture says? To be a Christian, this is the foundation of what you believe! Notice one of the first things pointed out in verse 7 was a reminder of Jesus prophecy of resurrection! I have always been fascinated by prophecies, and you?

 

I always liked to read up on prophecies such as with Edgar Cayse, Jeanne Dixon, that predicted Pres. Kennedy’s death, and others, like Nostradamus.  

 

There is a prophecy that you will be resurrected on the last day when Jesus returns, do you believe it?  Any person that does not accept that there was a miracle of resurrection cannot claim to be a Christian! It did happen or Jesus would not have had any followers to die for him after His death! No one will die for a fraudster! 

 

5. The Resurrection of Jesus is the main world changing event that separates Him from all the other religions of the world. Buddha did not come out of his grave, nor did Mohamed. Jesus resurrection is the proof His divinity and power from God!

 

It takes faith to believe the resurrection is real but it is more real than time itself.  All other world religions have nothing to offer compared to Jesus, and they lose their authority since they have no power over death nor did they have any prophecies concerning anything of an eternal consequence.

 

6. To contrast the futility of man, Jesus early in His teachings reminded us of our weaknesses, that we really don’t have power over much anything! Matthew 5:36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

 

How many of you have white hair and you want to just pray and make it black again? Well, some of you have been to the beauty salon! Jesus was almost comical here in pointing out how we as humans we are not capable of anything significant! We have no control even of our own bodies, no mind over matter, no telekinesis. No one of us can even prophecy the day we will die nor how! It is very rare a person would predict the date of their own death.

 

Jesus has all the power and all control over all prophecy: all Revelation is His prophecy and not even any angel knows what He knows! Revelation 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

 

7. For Easter there are 3 main points I want us to take note of.

No one had such purity and Holiness as Jesus, so much power and authority over the physical and spiritual world He created, so He is to be feared and to be obeyed and respected! He only deserves having ownership of our souls as all the power, glory, and honor are His forever and ever!

 

Point One: Luke 18:31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled”. Jesus repeated many times that He came to fulfill the ALL prophecies which written about Him by Moses, and all the Prophets. There are over 300 prophecies in the Bible predicted about Jesus, the Messiah, over an almost 2,000 year span before His time and they were fulfilled in Him, Jesus, the Messiah!

 

No other culture, the Chinese, the Hindu Indian, the Greeks or Romans have any texts that come close to matching this. God, through the prophets of His Hebrews, foretold of His coming and without a doubt these provide obvious proof that Jesus is, in fulfilled prophecy, the Son of God. His life, death, and resurrection fulfilled through His mission of redeeming & saving souls for God which are being prepared for heaven.

 

8. Point Two: Luke 24:7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ He told the future of His means of death and He came back on the 3rd day as He said! Here, Jesus did a specific miracle, a highlighted prophecy, something never done before! Resurrection after 3 days is not possible by any human person. This display of the power has never been matched! Especially after how His body was tortured, beaten, and pierced. He proved He was supernatural yet also that He was flesh and bones like the rest of us.

 

The 2 men, or angels, by His tomb immediately reminded the disciples, and women minsters of the prophecy of resurrection! “Why seek you the living amongst the dead?” they asked.

 

Believing in Jesus does not mean you just go to church and try to be a good person. Today, on Easter, it means you are in shock and awe respecting His supernatural prophetic ability, His unexplainable resurrection regenerative life power, and you and as a result you and I must love Him and confess Him to all! We must tell our family and friends what happened, that “He is alive”! as the women and the disciples did!  

 

9. Point Three: Luke 24:47 The prophecy of sins forgiven is preached to all the world! (but Jesus counts on each of us to do it!)

47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

He prophesied about Jerusalem and in the book of Acts we see the fulfillment of Christianity beginning there as He stated. Also recall before his ascension Mark 16:15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.

 

His main emphasis is that it is your and my responsibility to tell others the good news that He is alive and resurrected and that He can forgive your and my sins. But for Him saving you and me from death and hell, means more than you giving Him a “hallelujah” on Sunday, it implies you and I must be found in obedience, serving, loving, and saving others.  His resurrection and gift of eternal life is priceless! How can we ever pay Him back?! We can only give Him our lives to do His will! 

 

10. Easter means believing Jesus is God’s fulfilled prophecy, sharing the good news that sins are forgiven, and then we must praise God because eternal life exists for whosoever will follow. 

 

Jesus came back to life to save you! But He has no other hands but your hands to show others of His love. He has no other feet but yours to go out to share His gospel of peace. He only has your mouth to speak of the good news! You, and I, must tell others of His salvation or we are failing Him!

 

Today let’s remember, death is a reality for every one of us on this earth. According to science and the physical world, the death rate statistically so far has been 100% except for Jesus and a couple of old prophets! You and I will die on one day God has destined, not on a day you or I decide in prophecy.

  

11. Do not forget Romans 1:4,5   And (Jesus) who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.

  

If you have not received Jesus in your heart, mind, and soul then today, right now, is your chance! If you have believed on Jesus but you have not been telling others about Him, telling them of His forgiveness of sins, telling them of His resurrection then now is your chance to do a reset! 

 

Declare Jesus’ power to all! The power to fulfill all prophecy done by the prophets, to allow Himself to be killed and then raise Himself up, and to forgive sins through the spreading of the gospel! Let’s pray…  

Jesus on Palm Sunday: The Triumphful Entry of Jesus Sends a Message

Jesus on Palm Sunday: The Triumphful Entry of Jesus Sends a Message.  Kelly Durant 

Luke 19:29-34

30 "Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it.'"  

32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" 

34 They replied, "The Lord needs it." 

 

2. Today I want you to discover certain attributes that Jesus left us to follow on Palm Sunday. Let me see if you can identify the first one. 

Just think Jesus, at the height of his popularity is being praised as a King and is coming into Jerusalem on a donkey. How did the Romans ride into any city? With horses, aggression, pride and pompous!

 

Jesus is coming into Jerusalem on a donkey today is the equivalent of a man going down the street of a city on a little scooter! Ha! There’s no pride there!

What was his motive for this? To display his gentleness and humility!

Jesus is fulfilling prophecy as we read in 

 

Zech 9:9

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

 

3. When Jesus goes into Jerusalem, what holiday is it?

Take into account that Jesus is going in on the same weekend that the Israelites prepare to remember the Passover. From the time of the plagues of Egypt, the last one was the worst in which the oldest son died of all of the Egyptians. 

 

But do you recall, if the Israelites put the blood of a lamb (And remember Jesus is God’s lamb) on their door frame, the angel of the Lord would Passover and not kill them! If you know the story of Moses leaving Egypt, you know that this plague was so heart-breaking that it resulted in Pharaoh letting the Israelite slaves go free. This Passover liberated them!

 

Did the Israelites want to be liberated in Jesus day? Were they oppressed?

At the time of Jesus in Jerusalem the people were very oppressed by the cruel Romans. Many wise Jews were all expecting their Messiah, or King that would liberate them as Moses had liberated them before. Many of them recognized that Jesus was indeed their long awaited King and Messiah fulfilling prophecy. For sure He would liberate them from the Romans!

 

What we know today is that Jesus is a liberator! But He frees us from greater things than just the political powers. He frees us from our sins which would bring us a second death, or a spiritual death. Judgment and death struck the Egyptians, but life was for the obedient Israelites! Jesus frees us from guilt, and the enslavement of our own greed and humanity and gives us life!

 

What was first? That Jesus showed humility! He now is showing how He is the Lamb which takes away the sins of the world and by doing so liberates us. So, He is a Redeemer and Liberator! What does that provoke next?

 

4. Praise! How was Jesus praised? Luke 19:38-40

38 "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" 

"Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" 

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" 

40 "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." 

 

Here again entering Jerusalem Jesus is fulfilling another prophecy as we read in Palms.. Ps 118:26

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.

From the house of the LORD we bless you.   

 

One week before Jesus is to be crucified He is giving everyone a chance to see that He is honored as the King and Lord of all creation! Every Jew and person in Jerusalem, and even the rocks, had their chance to witness that He indeed is the King of kings and Lord of Lords! On Palm Sunday we honor Him as the Messiah, the Son of God who brings salvation to the whole world!

 

5. What lesson is here by all the shouting? That Jesus’ presence should provoke in you and me a strong reaction so that there is crying out to bless, worship, and praise Him forever!

 

Now the rest of the story that will make you tremble and be afraid because even Jesus sheds tears here over the suffering that is to come.

 

 

Luke 19:41-44

41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and them you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."  

 

This is a prophecy of Jesus that the very city of Jerusalem would be encircled by an army and be destroyed for not accepting that He was the Son of God. Did this happen?

 

6. According to the famous historian Flavious Josephus the Roman army invaded and destroyed Jerusalem in 70AD, just 40 years later, a generation after Jesus. What happened was the Jews had had enough and they kicked out the Romans trying to liberate their own selves. 

 

Well, the Romans don’t just get kicked out of anywhere, they always get revenge and months later they marched all the way from Rome with a large army under General Titus with the sole purpose of taking back the city of Jerusalem. They encircled the city and starved everyone for quite some time, being close to two years but then they entered in and burnt it to the ground! 

 

Looking for gold that had melted into the walls of the temple after the fire, the Roman soldiers afterwards removed stone by stone seeking the gold that was originally on the temple walls.

The Romans then crucified every living person they caught and used all the wood of the forests nearby for crosses and converted Jerusalem into a sight of horror filled with dozens of thousands of crosses with rotting bodies!

Josephus goes on to mention that for miles and miles the stench of the bodies could be smelled!

 

7. What was Jesus final message there? Judgment! If you dare reject Him, you will receive a judgment that is far worse than your imagination!

 

What does this Sunday mean to you? It is special! All of us have good memories of Palm Sunday. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem parallels the message of salvation. It parallels how He presents Himself to all.

 

Contemplate this seriously before God right now.

Jesus first comes into your life gently, with peace, and humility.

 Then He reveals Himself to you that He is the King, the Savior, of all people including you; that He is the lamb that takes away your sin and gives you life.

 

Next Jesus expects for you to worship, praise, and honor Him in every way, by blessing Him with your mouth and heart, by serving with your good deeds, and by loving God and all people!

 

8. But last, for those who dishonor Him, Jesus leaves a message of judgment and destruction! Did Jesus leave our generation a message of judgment and destruction? All of the book of Revelation and several others in the Holy Bible reveal God’s wrath and anger that will come down on the earth’s rebellious people in the end-time. 

 

The sad reality is, all rejecters of Christ will face a judgment, a punishment!

Jerusalem is one proof that God does not go soft on those that reject the sacrifice of Jesus’ life on the cross! God is love, and He loves first, but He wants you to love Him back and there are consequences if you don’t.

 

Are you humble like Jesus? Have you really praised Him as the sincere ones of Jerusalem?  Have you thanked, blessed, and worshipped Him as He deserves for being King of Kings?

 

If there is a little doubt in your heart that you are not up to the standard that God expects then I invite you to come and repent! Imagine the cruel death of everyone in an entire city like that of Jerusalem, totally in rumble and burnt to the ground.

Jesus: Forever Inspiring Love or Controversy

Jesus: Forever Inspiring Love or Controversy      by Kelly Durant     

A study in John 15 concerning His relevant word to us before for His departure.

2. Did you know the Bolivians are descendants of the extraterrestrials? When one Indian meets another they do not greet each other as we do, and ask, “How are you?”, they say, “How’s the earth?” (They actually do ask that but they are referring to the quality of the dirt and farm production in the area of their fellow brother!)

Well, as Christians, we always meet, shake hands or hug and ask each other, “How are you?” but maybe we should do it with the deeper context and ask, “How is your spirit”? How is the quality of your walk with the Lord, your purity, your production for Him? 

Today we will do a study on John 15 as a preparation to Easter. I love this chapter! We should read it, absorb it, live by it, and most of all learn to LOVE by it! I will comment after we read the verses. There are several concepts shared here and it is important we grasp each one.  

3. John 15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” Here Jesus is confirming that He is the only true connection to God, and God is the caretaker, the one who makes his vine to grow by fertilizers and additives (the spirit) and pruning (removing the dead branches, symbolic to letting go of the past and bad influences) The ultimate purpose of our lives is to be producing the maximum fruit for God! His Kingdom is forever, so why waste time with gaining so much material stuff you are going to leave behind one day? 

Sometimes in our lives when we don’t get what we want in life and we may even get upset at God and others. But in our lean times, in our recessed times, we might take it that God might have cut us back and trimmed us. It is clear here that sometimes God will be trimming back the areas of our lives that are making us die, the deadening parts twisted up in dry pride and selfishness. It hurts us but it matures us to accept that God is in control and He shapes us how He needs us to be to serve Him best. Don’t just look at a pain or loss as undesirable, accept the fact that getting some things cut back is necessary, so we produce more and have a life more like He is and less how we want to be. We don’t like changes in our lives, but God permits them all our lives, so let go of the useless!

4. John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoke to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” Have you ever felt dirty after being around certain people? The words, ways, and life of many people just reek of filth! Or have you ever felt dirty inside after doing something you realized was wrong? The purpose of Satan is to tempt whosoever will listen to get dirty by some sin and then He hopes to keep you separated from God after that, dominated by guilt and shame! Don’t let it paralyze you, Jesus cleans us just for the asking! 

The solution to freedom from unclean-ness is so simple it escapes many, even Christians, that all you have to do is get refilled back up with Jesus, absorbing His Words, and everyone must pray and confess anything bothering and then you and I are able to get cleaned up. It is like taking a shower; everyone of us needs to take one daily to be clean! Many people worry about being “holy” for Holy Week with clean new suits and dresses. How vain! The outside is only flesh, what matters is being clean spiritually, and it is Jesus’ words washes us clean!

We can be clean or holy and it is His work in us, and then this makes us apt to be able to remain in Him. Only staying connected to Jesus will allow the sap of his Holy Spirit to flow to the branches keeping you alive. 

5. John 15:5 “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. 

The people that love God and are in Jesus will always have good fruit as a proof of it; they will have converted friends, people who love Jesus as well near them. In another part in the parable of the sewer Jesus mentioned this, Matthew 13:23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” This implies some people over their lifetime will convert this many (100) or this few (30). Think about it, how many are have you converted so far? What is your fruit?

Verse 6 does invoke fear! He is referring to the final judgment when the ones not in Him, those who produced nothing, will be cast into the lake of fire.  These are those who are withered and dried up (spiritually, due to sin). Whose fault is that? Only the one who disconnects and goes their own way without being in Jesus. It is worse for you to have had the truth of Jesus and then you separate yourself. 

6. John 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples”. How many of you have seen people who when they know a spiritual, righteous living leader is in the room, they prefer they pray when it is for a need of some kind? It just seems logical and natural that people know who has the connection and the power with Christ and who doesn’t.

Aren’t you as amazed as I am to hear about answered prayers! We pray, hope, and wait, but never know what God has in mind, and week after week we hear of victories and positive answers. When we prayed for someone and they got healed, we should be very thankful. Answered prayers is a blessing that others of the world do not understand that we have (They would not believe it!) how someone got a job, how someone else was freed from a problem, how if you are pleasing God, He returns the favor in many ways.

Jesus is speaking to all humanity for all time in John 15 but when he says, “so you will be My disciples”, His ultimate goal is that everyone who is in Him will become a disciple, which basically is a person who loves, follows, and spreads the good news of His love, Kingdom, salvation, and eternal life to every creature.

7. John 15:9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love”. The greatest need of every person born is love! Babies within a few months will die without love! I think some people who get depressed and die young are very sad people who live without love. One of the main reasons I have dedicated my entire life to Jesus, to love Him and preach about Him, is because I have always been shown a great amount of love and kindness by those that love Him

In the Salvation Army in doctrine 9 “We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ”. Basically verse 10 says this same thing! But it refers to getting love and salvation from God the Father (inferred is continuously) by staying connected to Jesus. 

Jesus was, is, and forever will be pure love! If we want love from God (love from people is not eternal) then we must grasp the fact that we can only have it by going through the man of love, Jesus. 

8. John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you”.

Do you see the connection? To have any happiness in life, any joy whatsoever, you have to have Jesus Word in you! What did He just speak about? Love! Now here joy is defined as a consequence of love. Love is directly connected to joy! If we are in Jesus’ love, we will gain a continued joy which is a happiness light years beyond the momentary stimulations of excitement offered by the world. 

Jesus laid down His life for us on the cross, now that is a true friend! Who here has a friend that has saved your life, raise your hand? If you have a story of some friend running in front of a car to push you out of the way so they could die in your place, I want to hear your story! There are a few stories of heroism and of love in this world but not so many really! Jesus died for us and did for us what we could not do for ourselves, and that was to redeem our fallen nature back to restoration with God.  So that motivates me to obey His commands as I have never had a friend like this before!

9. John 15:15 “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you”. Today many people and groups in the world are the ultra-secretive with hidden agendas kind, but not so with Jesus. Our government, and the rich rule over others never revealing an iota of their plans. People hate the 1% rich, the Rothschilds, The Illuminati, the 300 Group, the Bohemian Grove Club, and the world’s most powerful and rich who pull the strings of the politicians changing laws and why are these evil ones hated?

Because these people and their groups in their pride have the idea they know what is best for you! They will choose the laws for you; we the people are only the peons. They create double standards and insulate their selves from the common man so they lord over all. Political powers are all abusive, yet some more murderous than others, but it is in our God given nature to reject lordship and to be subjugated as servants by murderous greedy perverts totally corrupted by pride being full of Satan. 

Also, all the world’s religions (except true Christianity) exercise lordship and oblige submission to their laws and customs (often having no logical sense). Some even literally mean submission! I redundantly reject any idea that God wants me under Him by means of any oppression and slavery! Jesus liberates us, from sin and from oppression and deceivers! Satan’s subjugated oppressed followers are murderously jealous over our freedom in Christ! Jesus is our friend, not our slave master! He is the world’s first wise teacher, and only Son God, and He clarified to His followers that you and I would not be kept in the dark on agendas as some subjugated servant. All of Jesus’ preaching was an invitation to the Kingdom of God and His prophecies reveal the future, so He keeps back nothing from us!    

10. John 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

Have you ever been to party and then the hosts say, “Okay, it’s time to dance, everybody get up!” I never learned to dance, but I always will go along with it because it is asked of me. Can you relate to this type of situation? In this verse of being chosen, basically Jesus is saying that everyone is chosen to do his will by appointment. But don’t you hate to see party poopers rudely rejecting the will of the hosts acting upset when everyone else is doing what’s requested and being happy? What is it that Jesus just did by ordaining or appointing? We just read it, to bring others to Him bearing fruit, and to get us to love each other! It is simple and direct, but many will not obey this even though they were chosen. Both commands actually are somewhat sacrificial to do, both require hardships and humility, both will involve embarrassment and persistence, but His Holy Spirit gives us power to do it and we gain joy when we accept the appointment!

And once again Jesus affirms that if we are in His will, “Whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” Getting prayers answered is the privilege that those who bear fruit get to have! But the fruit must remain, meaning we must disciple others as well, right? And a second time here we are commanded to love one another! God is love! We must love Him and others! People who never love are of Satan!

11. John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 

Look how the world is hating Christians today! Has it ever been so bad? Actually yes! From the beginning the Romans murdered in horrific manners a few million Christians! Christians have been hated and murdered ever since the beginning! Who has murdered Christians throughout history and why? When you think of motives, think of Satan’s pride and jealousy. Christ haters go into a murderous rage when a person will not bow down to them, to their ideology, to their despot self, or submit to their oppressive leader. But Christian will never stop proclaiming that they love Jesus above all things!

Consider the politics of Nero. He set fire to Rome so he could rebuild it with his own architectural plans (a personal agenda) and then he falsely blamed the Christians for doing what he actually did so he could arrest and murder them! His crimes and hypocrisy became exposed along with his extremely cruelty and supposedly entertaining way of killing innocent ones. For people like Nero, for fallen angels, along with countless Satanic others, we comprehend why God is justified in allowing the existence of a burning lake of fire hell for souls of those that deserve it. Revelation 20:14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Who persecutes Christians? Those who do not know God the Father (even though they may claim they do), those who refuse to honor Christ, and the result is they share the same sentiments as the murderous followers of Satan! These horrible abusers have always killed children, raped and tortured women, and done horrific crimes. But Christians will be safe in heaven one day leaving this hell and their eternal hell behind!

12. John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

Isn’t it amazing how some people actually “hate” Jesus? The basis for His rejection seems unjustifiable and illogical. Why reject a healer, a lover, a teacher, a sacrificial man? Jesus is purity, love, and freedom but His power by authority in Word and in deed shines with a scorching light of truth deep into the dark places of the human soul. It is unrepentant people who want to continue deceptions in the dark, who want to keep on benefiting by propagating lies to others, who want to manipulate followers for gain, who are stubborn in their pride and selfishness, are those who fiercely reject allowing Jesus in their lives! 

Pray for each other here! You never know but some spouses give their mates hell over coming to church or doing good for others! Many divorces have happened because one mate accepts Jesus and the other one does not. But one thing is clear, once a person learns about Jesus they at that moment then have a choice, to recognize their sin and repent, or reject Him and the Father and the hate Him without a cause.

13. John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

How do Christians keep having superhuman strength to overcome in the world? Because Jesus left with us the Holy Spirit! It is an unexplainable force that gives Christians the ability to remain faithful to Jesus, to be able to love the unlovely people and bear fruit for God, to endure persecutions and even death. 

You and I have the conviction of Jesus being real and true as our spirit connects with His spirit! He is not controversy to us and hated, Jesus instead is love and power! He created you and I to stay with Him forever, and if we can make it through the tests and trials of life with Jesus’ help, He has reserved for us a mansion in heaven (But that is in John 14, which is a whole additional study!) Do you need power in these trying times? Let’s pray for the “helper”, the Holy Spirit to empower you.

Position Statements of TSA. Do you know them and the Biblical views?

The Salvation Army’s Position Statements. Do you know them and the Biblical views?   

by Kelly Durant

2 Timothy 2:15 

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.     https://www.salvationarmy.org/isjc/ips

 

2. How many of you get asked questions about your faith? Usually people ask questions like this, How do you feel about abortion? To start with, the question of how I feel about something puts the answer within a relative box, in other words how I feel and how you feel may both be valid or invalid, so how you or I feel is not the correct answer. There is a standard from God.

 

The real answer, not one based on opinions, emotions, or peer pressured replies is, what is the truth concerning this matter, or any other matter for that matter?  What is truth? Truth, according to the world’s definition is something universally consistently true and modern teachers would have you believe it is relative as well, that your truth may be as valid as my truth but that is not how it works. Most of the time things are black and white but people want to see gray so they can justify their own way instead of God’s way. Only Jesus is the truth!

 

For example, does the sun shine in the mornings? It does, no matter where you wake up on the earth. So you can see there is only one standard for physical events, and conclusively there is only one truth concerning moral, or often denoted religious rules as well, so why do people want to put truth into a feeling, or a relative perspective? It is for the purpose of the manipulation of feelings with scenarios that never or rarely exist so this conflictive person wanting black to be white and white black may contradict the Word of God in the Bible.

 

3. To be a Christian you must adhere to the Bible as absolute truth, if you do not, if you have a pick and choose faith, then you must evaluate that you are spiritually bankrupt and not a real Christian! You may be lacking in being connected to the Holy Spirit which brings you into all truth. John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. Have you ever prayed and asked for the Holy Spirit in your life?

 

In general most people agree with the 10 commandments. For example, “Thou shall not kill” is a good example of how most everyone will agree that you do not want a person to kill you, or your mother, father, son, or daughter and just get away with it!  Laws exist so that the punishment for breaking them will bring consequences so peace and order are maintained. 

 

In the Old Testament it was an eye for and eye, so if you kill a life, your punishment would be to be put to death as well. And since a baby has a heartbeat after 2 weeks of inception,  technically all abortionists, and abortion participants are murderers. 1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. A murderer does not have eternal life, that is the law of God, but if a person had murdered and repented and totally changed, as in the case of Saul to Paul, then Jesus grace and forgiveness will apply. The huge factor is, ‘Is an act being done in ignorance?’ Or is it being done knowing by the law, the consciousness, and the mind that it is wrong? Willful unrepented rebellion against God’s law, Jesus grace, and a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will take a person to hell! Their spirit will be tormented and troubled now and then they die remaining in the torment. How sad not everyone does a U-turn to get back to God and live in holiness and love for forgiveness and eternal life! Only people who have done this have clear judgment, wisdom, and understanding. 

 

4. So the principles and positions Christians adhere to are all covered in the Bible. In ages past people would sacrifice their babies to Satanic pagan idols (Moloch, Baal, etc.) to be burned in the fire. That was human sacrifice, a rite condemned by Judeo Christian influenced societies but Satanist today still do human sacrifice! Also, today, aborted baby parts are sold for huge profits to bio labs. It is obvious we must remain firm against abortion because it is murder.

 

We are against alcohol and drugs because it causes people to destroy their bodies and it breaks up families as the addicted person may become demon possessed to feed their appetite for more. Many will sell their home, car, and their own bodies to get another buzz or high. 

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. The Salvation Army rehab centers in all the major cities are full of people who have lost everything due to their uncontrollable desire to get high. What a torturous slavery!

 

And speaking of addictions, we are also against gambling. It is amazing that people will gamble away their 2 week salaries in a few hours and even turn over their homes, cars, and anything with the expectancy to win something by chance. Never start, you may have a weakness for gambling and not know it! The Salvation Army’s largest homeless shelter is in Las Vegas where hundreds show up daily after having lost everything in that cruel gambling sin city!

 

5. Another horrible addiction is pornography. It also has provoked divorces, caused salaries to be wasted on images of people breaking the law and opened the door for extreme abuse and human trafficking. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” or “Thou shalt not covet your neighbor’s wife” makes it clear that God is not pleased when people lust for “strange flesh” because it breaks down the union a married couple should maintain. Single people also often destroy their ability to relate to others in a civil undebauched way. It degenerates the mind into a desire for more and more perversion leading up to ritual Satanic child abuse. Jesus breaks chains though!

 

Another is human trafficking: it is modern day slavery! We also denounce this evil as no person should ever be the owner of another person! Those that control others in order to exploit their bodies for money usually do so by intimidation and blackmail,  getting them addicted to drugs, inflicting pain, or/and by fear which threatens violence will be done to them or their families if their greedy expectations are not met. Avoid abusers, pimps, drug dealers and those bound for hell at all costs! Never tattoo yourself with a their icons and nets as they are cruel overlords! 

 

People who live abused, exploited, or addicted are often suicidal and we are against suicide as well! It is not a solution but only brings on more pain to those around them, being family or friends. I have brought up suicide as a topic before and people become very emotionally affected. But remember there is always hope in God and there are testimonies of millions finding Jesus and gaining a new opportunity to live blessed and free from destructive the voices of oppression. Physical, mental, or spiritual abuse can be overcome with Jesus power. Assisted suicide, or euthanasia, is also deemed by us to be wrong as it is God who numbers a person’s days of their life and it should never be our decision usurping God’s authority. 

 

6. And The Salvation Army decries injustices carried out by abusive authoritative powers. This makes us unpopular in certain dark places, but so be it. Have you ever seen the movie ‘Papillion’? It was of the escape of a prisoner from the a penal colony Devil’s Island in French Guiana. That island in the Caribbean off the coast of the north of South America was a horrific place of abuse and the Salvation Army denounced its atrocities and got ‘Devil’s Island shut down in 1960. http://sahpa.blogspot.com/2011/07/devils-island-by-harry-hayes-salvation.html

 

We declare we are nonpartisan and this means we do not endorse any particular party or power in any country. Why? Because Psalm 14: 3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Dictators, presidents, and powers change hands often and to be associated with the deeds of one of these powers is counter-productive to spreading the good news of the kingdom of God. Our kingdom is not of this world, so what benefit would there be for us invest in this world’s unthankful, backstabbing political game of thrones?

 

We are against corruption of any kind as it creates great disparities between the rich and the poor. We are for peacemaking where division of ideals and political views exist. Getting people to make peace will invoke great forgiveness on the part of some but God wants for all love, stability, and blessings. Matthew 5:9  Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 

 

7. Considering the Salvation Army serves in 130 countries, we have had to take positions against certain cultural practices which involve ignorance, a waste of resources, or outright demonic rendering. Ancestral worship is to be condemned. Spellcasting, witchcraft, white or black magic, Santeria, or any ritual practice is to be rebuked in the name of Jesus Christ and overcome by fasting and prayer. Days of the dead and all evil celebrations are unwelcome.

 

We honor our day to worship God, which is the Sabbath.  The Sabbath was ordained by God at creation and set aside as a holy day for Him.(Genesis 2:2-3) Christians worship on Sundays (our Son Day), and a day of rest prevents abuse from abusive employers. All Christians should always insist on having rest, worship, and fellowship on a reserved day. 

 

As Christians we also support protecting the environment. God created the earth for us to take care of and now that the food supply, water streams, and air are so contaminated, we must conclude that money minded humans, no matter the race or country, are guilty and are not very worthy stewards of God’s earth! We believe in helping to recycle and clean up where we can and not be wasteful, at home or in our community. Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 

8. We must always care for the homeless and desperate ones so we care for refugees and displaced people. In the U.S. and abroad we attend to almost every major natural disaster. In certain countries a lot of our social services work is with refugees, so those who had to move away need attention and basic needs. Usually it is not their fault they were displaced from their homeland because they wanted it. It is often due to escaping a murderous military coop or a change of political or religious leaders, or an environmental/economic disaster. To survive, all must move at times and those that move usually leave everything behind.

 

Attending to refugees from another race, creed, or country may often provoke conditions for discrimination and racism. We condemn these and even in our Salvation Army mission statement we affirm that we attend to all, “without discrimination”. This implies not to be rude or inattentive to a person due to their gender, age, race, religion, personal sexuality, or for any reason. We are commanded to be ‘good Samaritans’ and racism is not tolerated. I saw a long time employee in Miami get fired because he spoke to several others about how evil the Jews were. There is evil no matter the race but to single one out is against the law in this country. Currently many Christians are being murdered and displaced in Africa and Asian countries. These refugees being from Iran, Sudan, and a dozen countries need your prayers! 

 

Historically, and presently certain races, religions, and different people groups pose acceptance challenges but those familiar with their Bibles know how Paul addressed the strengths and weaknesses of the Romans, Greeks, Jews, and pagans. We must apply wisdom in dealing with others different from us remembering always we are to “love our neighbor as our self”.

 

9. Finally, for the record we do not accept or endorse sin, but we must attend to those in the world with multiple sins with the hope we will (and we do) win some to the Lord. But those that say they are brothers or sisters and practice sin are fooling their selves. Today, in our end-time apostacy, in too many churches,  sins such as fornication, idolatry of praise worshippers and preachers, and the extortion of church givers for the leaders lavish lifestyles, is accepted. Woe is to them as today many churches resemble the 7 churches in Revelation!

 

1 Corinthians 6: 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

 

Let’s look at these condemned practices again but finish it with how we are to be.

Galatians 5: 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Our goal is to study the Word of God, to be led by the Spirit of our loving God and to never be guilty of failing to honor Him in all we do, say, think, believe, and live out from day to day! Amen.

 

Jesus Will Return: How ready Are You to Battle Until the End?

Jesus Will Return: How ready Are You to Battle Until the End?    By Kelly Durant

Matthew 24:41-43 New King James Version (NKJV). 2-21-21

 

41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

 

2. What if someone told you, “Hey, you need to train your body to be strong for a serious event that will happen to you!” Would you prepare? Let’s assume you keep have a recurring dream that you feel is from the Lord that you crash with a group of cars on the highway and then suddenly you need to be the hero lifting a 220 pound body out of a car turned upside down. 

 

What should you do about it? If you were smart and you believe in communications from God, from the spirit, you would start lifting weights to get strong because there exists a real probability it will happen and only if you are strong enough would you be ready! There is no doubt, an evil storm is coming to attack all Christians, the demons are getting empowered, and are you prepared to battle them?

 

Every Christian, no matter the time period, has had to go through horrible persecutions, and it really does appear like we are in the end times as Christians are being disenfranchised, mocked, and killed so how can you get ready spiritually? You can be ready only by preparing yourself to be spiritually strong! 

 

3. When things get tough, the tough get going! Never forget, all Christians are to be Soldiers fighting a war, defending yourself from evil. 2 Timothy 2:3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

 

The rules are to obey Jesus commands! On a scale of one to 10, where are you with Jesus? Are you weak and a 1 or 2? You only tolerate the church, the Corps, and the Captains, so you can enjoy the fellowship or some benefit? Are you a 5? Half the time you complain about how things are not like you like them and half the time you are content? Or are you a 8 or a 10? You really look forward to learning about the Bible and finding a way to serve others and you know having faith is the most important thig in your life? 

 

I always pray for each of you, that your spiritual eyes will be open. Life is so much more than pleasing your own spoiled self like many lukewarm Christians do and as people of the world do today.  1 John 2: 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

 

4. I think all of us want to be more prepared for Jesus to come, to be more spiritual, but spirituality it itself is not the end goal of a Christian. The ultimate goal of a Christian must be to have a relationship with Jesus to the point you live a holy life! The goal is to be connected with Jesus so deep that He makes your mind spark with joy when you hear His Word. His Word and Holy Spirit will awaken indescribable emotions which will spark a passion that makes you just want to go out and love and do good to everyone! And warn them of the coming judgement! And do something for those who are suffering! 

 

Remember you and I have suffered ourselves in times past and it was to prepare us making us ‘better’ not ‘bitter’! How many of you have ever had a supernatural experience from a dream, a flash of a vision, or some strange circumstance in which you could perceive you were being guided by a supernatural force to get out of danger? Most everyone has! Through the good and bad Jesus prepares us!

 

You like me have probably had a near death experience in traffic and afterwards you felt like God somehow made the car brake faster than normal, or in a milli-second you turned away and only God could have saved the moment! God does have a purpose in your life, and in mine, but we must be tuned into Him to not be a deserter, or a Christian that is AWOL (Away without official leave).

 

5. If we were to travel around the world and look at every culture throughout time you and I could discover that people have always been seeking a unique spiritual experience; as humans we often want affirmation that God really is there, and He really is! The protection, the unexpected good things, all point to a God who loves us, and He wants us to love Him back!

It is a part of our spiritual nature to want to experience the unexplainable. We are emotional beings and we want to feel something to affirm that we are taken into account by God Himself. You have to be careful today as imitations, and the new age false religions or the false Christian churches, are selling fake hopes and promises filling the ears of the weak Christians with lies so they can possess them. 

 

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 

 

6. Satan will deceive your soul if you are not preparing to battle all the lies he will put in your head. He will tempt you to go to a different wealthy church where the people ‘have more fun’ without asking you to volunteer and help the poor. 

 

I have seen it over and over, the ones that leave our compassionate Salvation Army church are not humble loving souls but usually ones that are inflated with pride. These are ones who want to be recognized as extra special and get extra special privileges and be the pastors pet, but that is a pride evil that deceives souls so you and I must pray for each other and for our own selves or we are not preparing to be strong for the return of Jesus. 

 

If a person is not here, or in any church, for Jesus then they are going to get lost over time, and sadly they will move into a fellowship where the people will praise them according to their own ideas of selfish egotistical ‘I’m more spiritual than you’ standards. We need to warn the weak Christians here and everywhere that if they get deceived by the devil and lose their way, it will not end well for them. Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

 

7. If you are a blood and fire Christian, then you are saved and also baptized with the Holy Spirit fire that Jesus left for His followers and this fills your hunger for the spiritual like nothing else can! I have meet hundreds of people who have gotten ‘God bumps” (like goose bumps) just from hearing the Word, or hearing a testimony of a miracle, and being more than a feeling, the Holy Spirit literally changes (our) people’s lives! Has your life been transformed like this so that you are focused solely on Jesus and not yourself?

 

When I was a teenager I made huge mistakes in my life getting into the sins of the world. If you love music and Hollywood, Satan will tempt you to imitate those lost souls! I have seen myself and other weak Christians consume drugs, and join in with people that inflate your pride. Some get back to Jesus, but others don’t! 

 

A principle danger for Christians today is the new fake Christianity, which promises to fill your inordinate egotistical dreams. It is a temptation to be pridefully recognized for being more spiritual, or more inclusive of the unrepentant sinful folks who are there to cause dissentions. But it is all Satan’s illusion to inflate one’s pride! Satan is getting vast numbers to compromise, to leave church or to submit to some hypocritical church leader instead of the gospel Jesus taught. A little leaven of the prideful self-righteous Pharisees inflates the whole bread! Beware of politics too!

 

8. You are going to have to prepare your spirit to have enough spiritual strength for that future moment when trials come. This comes from daily prayer, the study of God’s Word, by having a rewired brain controlled by the Holy Spirit, and also with a Soldier’s mindset that you resist temptation and evil in your life. 

 

If Satan tempted Jesus, how much more is he going to tempt you to move on and fail God?! You must get ready as evil will attack you personally! You might even get tempted this month to leave the church, but those who sincerely love Jesus will remain faithful this month and for the rest of their lives until He returns.

 

Will you confess today that you have been weak and that you desperately need more of Jesus to help you to endure until the end? Not everyone will make it, only the faithful ones who hear Jesus words and obeys them. James 1:12 

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Revelation 2:10 (b) Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

 

Get ready! God could take you home when you least expect it as stated in Matthew 24! Never be as the foolish person going through the chores of life who was not vigilant and ready! Prepare now for tomorrow, He’s coming soon!