Archive for February 2018
So, When Do The Servers Eat?
So, When Do The Servers Eat?
Imagine Being In A Restaurant.
In the restaurant, we eat and enjoy our wonderful meal. We love being pampered and catered to. We are made to completely enjoy the experience… because of the servers. But, when do they ever get to eat? They just stay busy serving.
Imagine Being In Church.
- In church, we enjoy the worship,
- We enjoy the song service,
- We enjoy the talented musicians,
- We enjoy the multimedia,
- We enjoy the songs and scriptures up on the big screen,
- And, we enjoy the clear crisp sound of every amplified voice.
- We are made to completely enjoy the experience… because of the servers.
- But when do they get to eat?
- They are so busy serving us that they don’t stop to eat when everyone else eats.
When Do The Musicians Get To Sing?
- How long do they have to go without worship?
- How long can their spiritual man survive without food?
How About The People In The Sound Booth?
- Do those involved in multimedia ever get a chance to get blessed?
- Are they restricted from raising their hands?
- Are they so techie and committed to media and sound excellence, that there is no room for worship?
- Is it improper for them to say, ‘Amen” while in the sound booth?
What About The Preachers On The Platform?
When Do The Servers In God’s House Get To Eat What Everyone Else Gets To Eat?
- How long can you go without a blessing?
- How long?
- Has anyone noticed that worship from many of our musicians, multimedia/sound techs, and most of the platform is almost non-existent?
Haven’t they heard that worship is everyone’s business?
- Worship is everyone’s duty!
- Worship is everyone’s privilege!
- No one is exempt!
It would almost appear, that those who have chosen to be in the sound booth and stay there without any response to worship, prayer, or to the preaching… are not showing any signs of a spiritual life.
One might think they have more knowledge of technical stuff in their heads than they have knowledge of God in their hearts.
How can you play an instrument unto the Lord, and you feel anything?
How can you as a minister request the saints to really worship the Lord, and yet you don’t set the example?
If David the King, could take off his golden crown and dance before the ark, why can’t we all take off the golden crown that represents our little office, and dance like David?
- Am I being harsh, or unfair? No doubt. (I won’t even defend myself.)
- I am a preacher. When do I get to partake and enjoy a worship service? (I’ve got to eat too!)
- I am a musician. When do I get to lay my guitar down? When do I get to shout? (I’ve got to eat too!)
I am somewhat of a nerd. I’ve installed sound equipment and set up computers in a number of churches and ran their multimedia for them. When do I get to come out of the sound booth and praise the Lord? (I’ve got to eat too!)
- Never let your office or job put you in a position to stop rejoicing in the Lord.
- Never think worship and responding to His presence is beneath you.
- Never stop responding to preaching, no matter where you are seated in the church.
Is it just the carnal people who volunteer run the multimedia? Or do worshippers still exist back there too?
Is it the mindset of musicians to stay so focused on showcasing their talent that… that’s all it is? Or do worshippers still exist up there too?
Is it the attitude of ministry that they are so deep into the Word, that any demonstration is beneath them? Or do worshippers still exist there too?
I have no answers.
I only have one question.
When Do The Servers Eat?
Pastor Lester Has A Problem With Pastor Ballestero
Pastor Lester Has A Problem With Pastor Ballestero
“Pastor Ballestero?” The female voice on the phone asked.
“This is he,” I responded as I settled into the Lazy Boy recliner.
“I’m calling on behalf of Pastor Lester. He would love for you to come to our new FM Radio Station tomorrow night.
“He would like for you to evaluate our new Christian Radio Station’s transmitter. Could you come at 7 pm tomorrow night?
“He will give you a personal tour of our new facilities, and I think he will try to encourage you to come on board as one of our regular broadcasters.”
I laughed. “Tell him that I’ll do my best to be there, thanks.”
That I was into Amateur (Ham) Radio, was no secret. I had even worked as an Electronics Wholesaler but I knew next to nothing about Commercial Broadcasting equipment. Why would I get invited to ‘evaluate’ the new 50,000-watt FM radio station? I couldn’t legally.
What was the catch? Was that just a ploy to get me to move our church radio broadcast to their new FM station? Probably.
At 7 pm sharp, I walked up to the front office and announced myself to the receptionist.
“Pastor Lester is expecting you,” she said as she welcomed me and shook my hand.
I heard my name announced over the intercom and almost immediately I was shaking hands with Pastor Lester.
We walked down the hall towards the transmitter room and he placed his arm around my neck like we were old friends. Actually, we’d never met. I only knew of him because I’d heard him on the radio from time to time over the last several years. He pastored the large Charismatic church in our town.
“I just got back last week from Africa.” He began. “I saw over 100,000 get the Holy Spirit in one service in my Crusade!”
“That is amazing!” I blurted out! How do you get 100,000 people to get the Holy Ghost in one service?”
“Aw, that’s easy… I just stretched my hands toward the crowd, and said in Jesus Name, receive the Holy Ghost!”
“And they did?”
“They sure did. Not only that, but we had over 50,000 confirmed miracles the same day.”
I replied, “How did you get 50,000 people healed in one day?”
“Why, I just stretched my hands toward the people and prayed… be healed in Jesus Name!”
“And they were healed?”
“Yes, they were. But I also cast out over 1,000 demons the same day as well.”
I stopped walking. “How did you cast out 1,000 demons in one day?”
“I just pointed my hands toward those who were bound and said, in Jesus name, come out of them!”
“And they came out?”
“Yes, they did.” He said.
I looked puzzled at him, then I said, “I’m starting to see a pattern here. I notice that when you prayed for the Holy Ghost to be poured out, or when you prayed for healing, or even when you prayed for demons to be cast out, you said ‘In Jesus Name’ every time. Why is that?”
“Why, Bro. Ballestero, Pastor Lester said in his most condescending tone of voice, the Bible says that ‘Whatsoever we do in word or deed, do all in the Name of Jesus’.”
He smiled.
I smiled.
I put my arm around his shoulder, positioning his head so we could lock eyes.
“Then why don’t you get baptized in Jesus Name?” I asked.
Pastor Lester took his arm off from around my neck, shook his head, and walked back to his office without a goodbye.
Hmm, I never did get to see that new 50,000-watt transmitter!
Can You Pass The Hurt Test?
“Offences Will Come…”
Luke 17:1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come:
- So, what do you do when they come?
- How do you respond? Be careful.
- Your soul may be at stake!
Meet David…
Dave sat on the bar stool, drinking with some buddies from work. His head was feeling a little light. He drank enough beers to loosen up his tongue, and he began to talk. “If it wasn’t for me, they wouldn’t have a decent church building.
“I mowed the grass every week without ever being paid. I replaced all the broken window panes with money out of my own pocket. I never asked to be reimbursed. I hauled off all the trash, free of charge. I was the self-appointed janitor and maintenance man of the church. I did it for years, willingly and without pay.
“Every evening I would stop by the church when I got off work to see if I needed to fix anything. I’ve kept the church building repaired and I’ve kept it clean for years. No one has ever paid me a dime to do anything. Why, even last summer, instead of taking my family on a vacation, I used the money to buy shingles and I roofed the church by myself. I paid for every dime of it too!
“Then two weeks ago, they had a business meeting. They needed to choose another Trustee. My name never even came up. After all I’ve done, no one seemed to appreciate it enough to mention my name.
“What’s a man got to do to get recognized or be a Trustee over there? It must be politics or something. That’s why I’ve quit going to that church.”
Dave backslid because he couldn’t pass the Hurt Test!
Meet Lynn…
Lynn wrote the Pastor a check to purchase 20 beautiful white folding tables and 160 matching folding chairs for the church fellowship hall.
It brought Lynn much joy to be able to buy these. God had blessed her and she wanted to give something back. The pastor had recognized her gift from the pulpit and the congregation clapped their approval. Lynn smiled.
The tables and chairs were ordered and everyone at the church was excited. These were well made and expensive.
Just before they arrived, Lynn had to be out-of-town for three weeks. When she returned and stopped by the church, she didn’t like where the tables and chairs had been stacked. She especially didn’t like how they had been stacked. Her gift to the church was being treated with carelessness, she thought.
These tables and chairs were not cheap, and if the people of this church didn’t appreciate her sacrifice enough to treat it any better than this, then she just could go to another church.
Lynn moved on because she couldn’t pass the Hurt Test!
The Hurt Test, Part 1 – Insults
The Syrophenician woman stood in front of Jesus. She was breaking custom and protocol and she knew it. The Jews had nothing to do with the likes of her. But she had an emergency. Her daughter had an unclean spirit. Her desperation drove her to see this Jesus everyone talked about.
She crumbled and fell at His feet when she came near. With great urgency she begged Him to heal her daughter.
Jesus looked down upon the woman and said, “It is not proper to give the children’s portion to dogs.”
On other days, if a Jew talked to her like that, she might have had a little something to say back. Today was different. Her daughter’s very life was at stake. There was no one else to turn to. She refused to get upset. She chose not to be offended for being called a dog.
She simply said, “Of a truth Lord, but even the dogs get crumbs that fall from the children’s table.”
Jesus marveled at her and instructed her to go home, telling her that her request had been answered. She went home and found her miracle waiting for her there.
The Syrophenician woman easily passed the Hurt Test. She chose not to be offended because of insults and got her miracle!
The Hurt Test, Part 2 – Rejection
King David was a man after God’s own heart. As the King in Israel, he could build anything he wanted. When David told God that he was planning to build Him a house to worship in, God said, “No.”
God told David that he was a bloody man and that building Him a house of worship wouldn’t be appropriate. The Lord said, “I want your son Solomon to build it for me. Solomon hadn’t even thought of building a Temple. He had exhibited neither burden nor passion to do so up to that point. The desire had originally been only David’s.
Rather than pout or get offended because God had rejected his offer, David helped his son, by supplying him with most of the materials needed to build the Temple. If he couldn’t build the Temple, then he was going to help someone else build it.
David easily passed The Hurt Test. He chose not to be offended by God’s rejection of his service, and His choosing another.
Extra Credit Test Questions
- If someone else is asked to sing a special. Can you still worship with them and help them sing?
- If someone else is asked to preach. Can you still say amen and help them preach?
- If someone else is asked to lead. Can you joyfully follow?
The Hurt Test, Part 3 – Loss
Job had everything any man could want. He had a relationship with God. He had a wife and wonderful children. He owned vast herds of cattle, camels and sheep. He was no doubt the wealthiest man in the world.
Then the dark day of disaster dawned upon him. In a matter of hours, he lost his children, his herds and all of his wealth.
The second attack upon him was his health. Boils covered his body. He scratched them with shards of broken pottery.
His friends were sure that he had sinned and this was the judgment of God. His wife suggested he curse God and die.
Job told his wife that she was talking like one of the foolish women. He said that if God lets me die, I am going to die trusting Him. I am going to keep on living for Him like I always have.
Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
Job passed The Hurt Test. He chose not to be offended at God because he had lost everything. In the end, God blessed him with double wealth and more children!
Extra Credit Test Questions
- When you lost your job, house, or car, did you also lose your praise too?
- When you were voted out of office or removed from a leadership role, did you show a bad attitude?
The Hurt Test – The Apostle Paul’s Summary
2 Corinthians 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
2 Corinthians 11:25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2 Corinthians 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
2 Corinthians 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Even with a permanent “thorn in his side,” Paul passed The Hurt Test! He ignored his problems and encouraged everyone around him to “Rejoice evermore.” He said it again in the same breath, “Rejoice!” He even had Silas rejoice with him in prison and the Lord delivered them and all the prisoners, too.
Need Help Getting Help Passing The Hurt Test?
Jesus stood and read from Isaiah 61 in the Synagogue. He sat down, looked at them all and said, “This day is the scripture fulfilled in your hearing.”
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isaiah 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Besides bringing salvation and healing, the other ministry of our Lord is to heal all hurts and bind up the broken-hearted. He can help you pass The Hurt Test.
*Notice: All Students Failing To Pass The Hurt Test Will Be Required To Retake The Exam.
*Remember, The Teacher Will Remain Silent During The Testing!
She’s A Woman In Love!
She’s A Woman In Love!
Everyone can tell she’s in love, because of how she acts around him.
They also can tell she’s in love by how she acts when she’s by herself.
Even strangers can look at her, when she’s with him, and see that she’s in love.
Her every thought is consumed with thinking about him and them.
She is affectionate with her words to him.
She is affectionate with him.
She constantly does little things for him so he will know she was thinking about him.
She always makes herself available to be with him.
She constantly stays in touch and quickly responds when he communicates with her.
She never ignores him.
She never stops telling him that she loves him.
She brings him gifts.
She looks lovingly at every picture she has of him.
She reads and rereads his every letter to her, looking for some possible hidden sweetness.
She dresses to please him and imagines his reaction of approval to her outfit.
She smiles all the time.
She’s never been happier.
She is happier than anyone has ever seen her.
She is always willing to go wherever he suggests.
She can’t wait for his call.
She knows her response will always be yes.
She feels secure in his love and trusts his every word.
She believes he will always do the right thing for her and protect her.
She sings love songs just for him.
She is quick to cry and say she’s sorry when she feels she has done something to displease him.
She writes love poems to him.
She feels her heart melt when he comes close to her.
She looks at no one else.
She thinks of no one else.
She talks of no one else.
She knows her heart is fixed on him and refuses to let anything change that.
She lets him plan her life.
She loves going to his house.
She chooses to love his family too.
She tells all her friends about him.
She brags on him to everyone who will listen.
She is not ashamed of him.
She is proud to be called his.
She can’t wait until they get married.
She dreams and plans for that day.
She counts the days.
She’s a woman in love!
If This Is A Picture Of A Woman In Love, Then Read On…
Because the Acts 2:38 church is the bride of Christ… then isn’t this how His bride-to-be should act?
Shouldn’t His Bride Act Like A Woman In Love?
Everyone can tell she’s in love, because of how she acts around Him.
They also can tell she’s in love by how she acts when she’s by herself.
Even strangers can look at her, when she’s with Him, and see that she’s in love.
Her every thought is consumed with thinking about Him and them.
She is affectionate with her words to Him.
She is affectionate with Him.
She constantly does little things for Him so He will know she was thinking about Him.
She always makes herself available to be with Him.
She constantly stays in touch and quickly responds when He communicates with her.
She never ignores Him.
She never stops telling Him that she loves Him.
She brings Him gifts.
She looks lovingly at every picture she has of Him.
She reads and rereads His every letter to her, looking for some possible hidden sweetness.
She dresses to please Him and imagines His reaction of approval to her outfit.
She smiles all the time.
She’s never been happier.
She is happier than anyone has ever seen her.
She is always willing to go wherever He suggests.
She can’t wait for His call.
She knows her response will always be yes.
She feels secure in His love and trusts His every word.
She believes He will always do the right thing for her and protect her.
She sings love songs just for Him.
She is quick to cry and say she’s sorry when she feels she has done something to displease Him.
She writes love poems to Him.
She feels her heart melt when He comes close to her.
She looks at no one else.
She thinks of no one else.
She talks of no one else.
She knows her heart is fixed on Him and refuses to let anything change that.
She lets Him plan her life.
She loves going to His House.
She chooses to love His family too.
She tells all her friends about Him.
She brags on Him to everyone who will listen.
She is not ashamed of Him.
She is proud to be called His.
She can’t wait until they get married.
She dreams and plans for that day.
She counts the days.
She’s a woman in love!
As a Holy Ghost filled, Pentecostal Apostolic, can the world see that you are really in love with Jesus?