The Ballestero Blog

Uncle Milo And The Gold Mine

In the 1940’s my Uncle Milo and his brother Bill bought a California Gold Mine. I cannot tell you how excited they were to own a real gold mine. They were thrilled even more when gold nuggets were found scattered on the ground in one of the shafts.

Bill Smith, Milo Smith

The temporary rush of finding gold was the thrill that made them work even more feverishly. Most of the gold was found in an area littered with small pools of water. The constant dripping and seepage of water from the roof of the cave made panning and searching for gold an uncomfortable task. Nevertheless, the gold was on the ground and that’s all that mattered.

As a relief from the water dripping overhead, Uncle Milo and his brother wore rain coats. They  looked funny and laughed at each other because they didn’t look like gold miners with their yellow rain coats on. It wasn’t the easiest thing to wear either.

After months of searching, panning, and digging, they finally admitted there was no more gold to be found in their mine. They took off their rain coats, and pocketed a modest but nice amount of cash. The next thing they did was put the mine up for sale after owning it for only a few months. An unsuspecting buyer was soon found, and the mine ownership switched hands.

The new mine owner walked through the mine to have a look at what he’d purchased. When he got to the area where the water was dripping steadily from above into the pools below, he shined his flash up on the ceiling to see where the water was coming from.

What he saw changed his life and made him fabulously wealthy. He had found the ‘mother lode’ just by looking up!

Uncle Milo settled for thousands and later died a pauper. The new owner died a millionaire.  Milo could have died wealthy if he’d just looked up.

What are you robbing yourself of by not looking up?

Uncle Milo Smith

How To Have The Best Wife In The World!

It’s true! It’s easy! It works!

Before I can explain how and you gentlemen are allowed to know the secret and get all excited, I have to talk to you about God first. That’s exactly right. I have to talk about God and You. Listen up.

There are seven basic Hebrew words that describe how we are to worship and praise the Lord. Below is a part of a handout from one of my sermons.

The Seven Words Of Praise

1. BARAK Judg 5:2  Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

2. HALAL 2Chrn. 5:13-14; It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD;

3.  ZAMAR Psa. 21:13; Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.

4.  TEHILLAH Psa. 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

5.  YADAH Psa. 7:17  I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

6.  SHABACH Psa. 117:1  O Praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

7.  TOWDAH Psa 50:23  Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.

The second one listed here is the one we want to really need to understand better. It’s the Hebrew word Halal.

HALAL - haw-lal’; to shine; hence

1. to make a show, (let every one know)
2. to be (clamorously) foolish; (enjoy with enthusiasm)
3. to rave;  (to go on and on with excited appreciation)
4. to boast, (brag in public)
5. celebrate, (honor every achievement)
6. foolishly glory, (go overboard in expressing praise)
7. sing, (to express your emotion as deeply as possible, sing His praises.)
8. praise, (to say every nice thing you can)
9. rage,  (to be wild about)

• When joined with abbreviated form of God’s name “Yahweh” = Hallelujah. That’s where the word Hallelujah comes from.

(Saying Hallelujah is like saying 10,000 praises to Jehovah)

Something special happened to Israel when they began to Halal!

2 Chr 5:13  It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;

2 Chr 5:14  So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

• God wants Exuberant, Joyful and Clamorous Praise!

• Halal touches the heart of God so deeply that in the midst of praise… the Glory Cloud fills the place and all the priests are overwhelmed by the response.

If we want the Glory Cloud to enter our church services. Then we must never forget to importance of Halal praise. Not dead church. Not quiet church. Not reserved worship. Not “still waters run deep” kind of singing. But Exuberant, Joyful and Clamorous Praise!

OK! So what does all this Bible Study have to do with having The Best Wife In The World? Why, Everything!!

I Know This Is Lengthy, But At Least Notice The Bold Words!

Prov. 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Prov. 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

Prov. 31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

Prov. 31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

Prov. 31:14 She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

Prov. 31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

Prov. 31:16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

Prov. 31:17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

Prov. 31:18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

Prov. 31:19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

Prov. 31:20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

Prov. 31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

Prov. 31:22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

Prov. 31:23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

Prov. 31:24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

Prov. 31:25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

Prov. 31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Prov. 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Prov. 31:28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Prov. 31:29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

Prov. 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

• This woman was amazing!
• She is the one held up to all Christian women as THE role model.
• Some men may read about her and marvel. They may even feel cheated.

We often quote the phrase, ‘Her children shall call her blessed.’ That really is wonderful.

But What Every Man Should Focus On Is Verse 28!

• Her husband praiseth her! (Progressive verb ending, eth, meaning he keeps on praising her.)

• The word praiseth, here is… you guessed it, Halal.

(I will always be indebted to my friend, Bro. Kenneth Bow, in his research he discovered the Hebrew verb Halal in Proverbs 31 and shared that with me.)

• How Did The ‘Proverbs 31’ Wife Become So Awesome?

• Was She Some Rarity That Only Happens Once Every 1,000 Years? I Don’t Believe So.

• Could It Be That The Constant Praising (Halal) Of Her Husband Brought Out The Best In Her? I Believe It Did!

• He Invested His Best Praise (Halal) In Her And She Gave Him Her Best!

HALAL - haw-lal’; to shine; hence

1. to make a show, (let every one know)
2. to be (clamorously) foolish; (enjoy with enthusiasm)
3. to rave; (to go on and on with excited appreciation)
4. to boast, (brag in public)
5. celebrate, (honor every achievement)
6. foolishly glory, (go overboard in expressing praise)
7. sing, (to express your emotion as deeply as possible, sing Her praises.)
8. praise, (to say every nice thing you can)
9. rage, (to be wild about)

If you think God’s response of filling the house with his Glory so that the men couldn’t stand because their Halal was great, then sir you just wait till the ‘glory of your wife’ fills your house when you Halal her!

Do it! Do all 9 of them! You’ll never be sorry! It’s never too late to start!

Put some Halal in your marriage and you will have The Best Wife In The World. I promise!