The Ballestero Blog

It Always Happens At Church Time

Why do the worst things happen about church time? It keeps some folks from coming, makes others have to leave and disrupts the service. it’s no accident. Read these references and see a pattern.

Israel was required to have a morning and evening sacrifice. That was their custom.

• Num. 28:3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.
• Num. 28:4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;

From Scripture we know that the ordinary services of the sanctuary consisted of the morning and evening sacrifices.  According to general agreement, the morning sacrifice was brought at the “third hour,” corresponding to our 9am. This may explain how on the day of Pentecost such a multitude could so readily “come together,” Seeing it was the third hour, they would all be in the temple.

• The Morning Sacrifice was about 9:00am
• Josephus puts the evening sacrifice down at the ninth hour or 3pm.

Elijah stopped the pagan worship on Mt. Carmel at the time of evening sacrifice.

• 1Kings 18:27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
• 1Kings 18:28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
• 1Kings 18:29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

Goliath came to threaten, challenge and intimidate the people of God, every morning and evening.

• 1Sam. 17:16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

• Goliath came at church time.
• He knew he was being disruptive.
• The Israelites were trying to have church.
• He kept on intimidating them.
• The devil trying to hinder a church service is nothing new.
• It’s an age-old tactic. Every service has it’s own battle.
• Don’t be intimidated, or lose heart.
• Goliath will come, but we’re not ignorant of his methods.
• Keep on singing.
• Keep on praying.
• Keep on shouting.
• Keep on preaching.
• Be encouraged.
• The same God the helped David will help you get the victory!
• Yes Goliath may come, but he will be defeated.

In Jesus Name!

The Cost Of Doing Business

I’m in Sand Springs, Oklahoma today. I fly out in a little bit, from the Tulsa airport to go to Medford, Oregon.

I wanted to travel today with my clothes all washed and clean. I didn’t have any cash on me, so I stopped at the Quick Trip service station. They have an ATM machine. I swiped my card and punched in the amount I wanted. The machine informed me that it was going to charge me $1.50 for the transaction. I had to accept or decline. I accepted. It was the Bank’s “Cost Of Doing Business.”

I went to the Laundromat. A pixie haired great grandma named Maude was the lone employee. Both doors stood open to allow for cooler air to blow through the warm room. Maude said that in the summer, it got very hot in the laundry. She said that she had air conditioning at home, but even when it was 90 degrees in her bedroom, she didn’t turn on the air. She said if she did, it would make the heat uncomfortable for her when she got to work. Not turning on the air conditioning was what Maude was willing to pay to better enjoy her job. For her it was the personal “Cost Of Doing Business.” She did it without being asked.

The ‘Old Town Café’ in Sand Springs served a good breakfast. The locals were friendly; the stale scent of smoke was noticeable. The cashier said I owed $8.50. I left $2.00 on the table for the waitress. It was just the “Cost Of Doing Business.”

I bought some items at the Drug Store. The lady at the counter said, “That’s $1.95 plus tax.” Sales Tax is what you pay to the State of Oklahoma. It’s the “Cost Of Doing Business.”

At the Counter of United Airlines, the Kiosk charged me $60.00 for my two checked bags. That’s besides the cost of the ticket. I paid United Airlines because they said that it’s just the “Cost Of Doing Business.”

At the airport, I had to take off my shoes, my coat, my wallet, and my belt. I pulled out my computer and placed it in a container. I was required to go through a metal detector.  It was an inconvenience. There was an unspoken question of suspicion the TSA has about everyone. I submitted to the personal inspection, it was just the “Cost Of Doing Business.”

I found my seat, and it was not long before I heard “Praise the Lord, Bro. Ballestero! I didn’t recognize the faces of the older husband and wife, but they seemed to know me. She had her long hair fixed very nice and her modest dress represented Pentecost very well. She understood that although Salvation is free, Holiness in conduct and in dress is God’s requirement. It’s the “Cost Of Doing Business.”

I asked them how they were doing and they said, “Wonderful! Thank the Lord!”

They understood too that although Salvation is free, Praise is God’s requirement. It’s the “Cost Of Doing Business.”

The Rich Young Ruler was asked to sell everything he had, give it to the poor and take up the cross and follow Jesus. He went away sorrowful. He wasn’t willing to Sacrifice and pay the “Cost Of Doing Business.”

• Holiness is the “Cost Of Doing Business.”
• Praise and Worship is the “Cost Of Doing Business.”
• Sacrifice is the “Cost Of Doing Business.”

Are You And God Still Doing Business?