Archive for the ‘Backsliders’ Category
‘Murder’s Nobodies’
‘Murder’s Nobodies’
The Detective Lieutenant from Homicide stood at the podium in front of the eight photos pinned on the board. The pictures were of unnamed young women that had been brutally murdered.
The handful of Detectives seated in the room hung onto every word as he pointed at the Jane Doe photos of each young woman. The hard-nosed, no-nonsense persona of the old Lieutenant was mostly a front. He appeared to be a little rough around the edges. It went with the territory. Everyone in the room however, understood that his heart was soft. He motives were good. And besides all of that, he really cared about people.
Today, his personal mission was to bring attention to each case before them. That was clearly evident. All eight manila files in front of him had sat in the ‘Open-Unsolved’ Department’s file cabinet for too many years. He couldn’t sleep well at night any more because of them. They were his cases. This was his department. These were cases they all should be concerned about. Not just him. His mind raced ahead as he spoke to his team.
- All the girls were listed as Jane Does.
- No one had reported them missing.
- Maybe they were runaways.
- Maybe they weren’t.
- No one seemed to miss them and several had been dead for more than five years.
- Maybe they’d left in rebellion.
- Maybe the family was glad they were gone.
- They’d somehow slipped through the cracks.
- No splash was made on the news.
- There was no front-page write-up in the paper.
- Why?
“These young women,” the Detective said, “are ‘Murder’s Nobodies.’ They are the victims that don’t count in the minds of those that knew them. No one knows they’re dead. No one has asked about them. No one cared enough to file a missing persons report. No one loved them. No one came looking. No one called.
“Every one of them was somebody’s daughter. Every one of them counted. They don’t deserve to lie in an unmarked grave. They don’t deserve to be forgotten. They all were horrible murdered. They suffered great pain and no one cries for them.”
The old Detective stopped in his speech and looked at the young men and women in front of him. He wanted his words to strike a note in every heart. He wanted everyone in his department to get a hold of what he was saying. He wanted them to get the Big Picture. He wanted them to care enough to do something.
“They’re ‘Murder’s Nobodies’. They weren’t famous enough to be missed. They weren’t rich enough to make the news. They weren’t pretty enough to be asked about. They were just nobodies. They lived an invisible existence in their society. Unseen, unheard of and now, forgotten. I don’t care how long it takes. I’m not willing to let these cases stay in the Open-Unsolved files. We’ve got work to do.”
The group all nodded their heads as one. Their eyes followed the Lieutenant’s eyes and looked again at the pictures on the wall. They saw them as victims who didn’t deserve to have everything taken from them. They saw them as victims who didn’t deserve to die. They saw them as victims who were called ‘Murder’s Nobodies.’ Every community has some. Every church has some as well.
The Devil’s Got A Plan
The Devil’s Got A Plan
2Tim. 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Tim. 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
You Are Aware Of His Plan
2Cor. 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
God’s Got a Better Plan
Rom. 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
________________________________________
The Devil’s Got A Plan To Get You To Backslide!
- 1 Day Plan
- 1 Week Plan
- 1 Month Plan
- 1 Year Plan
- 5 Year Plan
- 10 Year Plan
- 20 Year Plan
- Life Time Plan
He’s Got A Plan To Get You To:
1. Make You Quit Paying Tithes
2. Make You Offended
3. Make You Miss Church
4. Make You Withdraw
5. Fill You With Bitterness
6. Make You Hate Holiness
7. Mess Up Your Marriage
8. Stop Your Worship
9. Make You Immoral
10. Make You Love Money
11. Make You Love Pleasure, MORE…
12. Find You A Sinner Girlfriend…
13. Make You Rebel
14. Make You Move From Your Church
15. Stop Your Prayer Life
___________________________________
What Would It Take To Make You Quit Church?
- To Make You Backslide?
- To Offend You?
- Make You Jealous?
- To Defeat You?
- Make You Sell Your Birthright?
- Make You Throw This Away?
- Make You Willing to Compromise?
- Stop You Paying Your Tithes?
- Put You At Odds With The Pastor?
- Make You Bitter?
____________________________________
What’s Your Chances Of Recovery?
1. From Not Paying Tithes – Not Good
2. From Being Easily Offended – Rare
- (Harder than walled city)
3. Habitually Missing Church – Not Good
4. From Compromise – Rare
5. From Bitterness – Rare
6. From Hating Holiness – Rare
- (When folks lose the revelation of Holiness, the Godhead is next.)
7. From Marriage Problems – Difficult
8. From No Worship – Difficult
9. From Immorality – Difficult
10. From The Love of Money – Rare
- (Easier for camel to go…eye needle)
11. From the Love of Pleasure – Difficult
12. From Sinner Boyfriend/Girlfriend – Difficult
13. From Rebellion -Rare
- (Miriam/Korah 200)
14. From Rejecting Holiness – Rare
15. From No Prayer Life – Difficult
Now, The Big Question:
CAN You Recover? Absolutely!
2Tim. 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Tim. 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
__________________________________________
What Would It Take?
- To Turn You Around?
- Get You On Fire?
- Pray You Through?
- For You To Get The Victory?
- For You To Get Some Convictions?
- Make You Shout?
- Make You Worship?
- Make You Joyful In Jesus?
- Get A Double Portion?
- Keep You Pure?
- Make You Fall In Love With Jesus?
- Make You Pray?
_________________________________________
People Can Make Amazing Comebacks:
Football: Linemen/Quarterback
- Read the Blitz
- Devil tries to Blitz you. Read the play
- The sin which does so easily beset you. (Your Weakest Area)
- You can survive the Blitz that is being played on your soul.
- You may feel you are behind in the game of life, but it’s not over yet.
- Your fans are praying you make a comeback.
Be The Comeback Kid
Prov. 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again:
Your Only Hope:
- Repent
- Get Fervent For God
There’s No Such Thing As A Hopeless Cause.
- There’s No Such Thing As A Throw A Way Soul.
- You Can Be Saved. You Just Have To Be Willing To Make The Comeback.
How Bad Do You Want To Make It?
- You CAN Defeat The Devils Plan For Your Life!
- Let The Holy Ghost Help You!
Bad Water
Bad Water
Ben laid the shovel down. He was glad to see his neighbor John. He was also glad for a break. He had been digging in this hole for over two days now. It was hot; he was dirty and he was very thirsty.
John gave him a hand to climb up out of the hole. Ben’s wife offered her tired husband a drink of water from her bucket. He sipped from the dipper. It’s coolness was instant refreshment.
“What are you digging the hole for Ben?” John asked.
“I’m digging me another cistern.”
“Another cistern? Sorry to hear that you’re having problems. What went wrong with the other two?”
Ben shook his head. “I don’t know. Either the soil is bad here, or I didn’t get it sealed right or something. The first two cisterns wouldn’t hold water very long. I spent all my time carrying water to them, trying to fill them up.
“Then the next thing I knew, most of the water would seep out and I had to go fill them back up again. It like to wore me out. I finally got tired of messing with the first two cisterns and decided to try it again in another spot. That’s why I’m digging this one. Maybe I’ll get it right this time.
John looked down by the tree line. He mentally measured the distance, trying to understand what would be harder, walking a few more yards to get water from the fountain or digging a bunch of holes in the ground. To John, it was a no brainer.
“It’s not that far to the spring inside the tree line, Ben. You sure could save yourself a lot of work. The spring water there is pure, it’s cold, there’s plenty of it and it’s free.” And it’s just bubbling up out of the ground like a fountain.
“Don’t you go to nagging on me too John! Sarah preaches to me almost every day. She says, you’ve dug a hole, and then you carry water and pour it into the hole and then hope it rains a lot to fill up rest of the hole.
“What water doesn’t seep out becomes a pool for the water bugs to swim in and Sarah said it’s dirty water and she has to skim the film off of top of the water every morning before she can get a drink. She hates the cistern’s water. She says it’s polluted. The woman just likes to nag.
“But you’re right, the spring has good water. I just got tired of walking over there to fetch water several times a day. I want my own water beside my own house. I don’t like being beholden to anyone.”
John looked at his neighbor and his heart sank. He remembered the words of the Prophet Jeremiah as he had stood and prophesied in their village recently.
Jer. 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Ben had stood beside John that day as Jeremiah had preached. He had heard what John had heard, but somehow, Ben couldn’t see the big picture. He couldn’t see past himself. For that matter, Ben couldn’t even see himself in the sermon Jeremiah preached.
Ben was one of those independent souls that liked to do things his own way. He was only interested in what pleased him. He was one of those people who always had to learn the hard way. This exercise was just a case in point.
“Benjamin, do you remember the day we heard Jeremiah in the village?
“Yes.”
“I know it was a long sermon, but he talked about two evils that Israel had committed. The first one was that we had forsaken God. We have left Him who is THE Fountain of Living Waters and the second one was that we had dug our own cisterns. We had tried life on our own. We had dug our own cisterns in life and ignored THE Fountain.
“Then he prophesied that our self-dug cisterns would never hold water. Notice he said ‘cisterns’. He was trying to tell us that no matter how hard we tried on our own, we would never get it perfect. There’s always going to be failed attempts in any life that is away from THE Fountain!
“You and I both know that water don’t get any better than the cold clear water of the fountain that we’ve got here.
“Every time I’ve seen you carry buckets of water from the fountain and then empty them this dirt hole, I think of what the prophet said.
“It’s a lot more work to dig holes and carry water to pour in them than it is to just kneel and drink from the fountain.”
“And if you get too proud to go fetch water to pour in here you’ll have wait awhile for the rain to help you out. You will be a very thirsty man before long.”
“You’re probably right John, but there are several reasons I don’t want to go into, but a big one is, I can’t go and drink at that fountain anymore because of old man Naphtali. I hate what he’s done and how he’s treated me and my family, so I decided I’d dig my own cistern so I won’t have to look at him or drink from the same fountain he does. I think he’s a hypocrite.
“To me, my water is just as good. I got most of it from the fountain. Besides, it’s mine and if I never drink water beside Naphtali at the fountain again, I’ll die a happy man. I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m not hurting anyone and I don’t plan on being hurt again.
“Ben, we’ve been neighbors and friends all of our lives. Our fathers were friends before us. As your friend I’m sorry for your hurts and the pain others have caused you. But before you ever had a problem with Naphtali, you were always doing things your own way. Now you’ve let some rogue person be the reason you won’t drink at the fountain anymore.
“We both know that you are working harder trying to distance yourself from the fountain than if you just went ahead and had a drink at the fountain. In your mind, you are still drinking the water from the fountain, but in reality, you first pour the water into the dirt down there in that hole. Then come back and drink it later and tell yourself it’s as good as always. It’s not the same and you know it. Your water is no longer pure.
“Your cisterns will never hold water. Your work will always come to naught digging cisterns. When you get done with all your hard work, at best, all you will ever have is bad water. Everyone sees it but you. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone, except to God.
“Come on man, put down that old shovel down once and for all and quit trying to do things your own way. Come on back and drink with me at the fountain. Don’t worry about Naphtali or anyone else. There’s just no water like fountain water and you know it!”
Old Ben looked at his neighbor and felt no urge to smile. How dare John criticize his hard work, his motives and all of his efforts. That’s not what friends did. Friends were supposed to support you no matter what you did. Friends were supposed to love at all times. This didn’t feel like love.
“I’ll say this as nice as I can John. You’ve spoken your mind. I thank you for your concern. But I would appreciate you never trying to preach to me again. I don’t need it, I don’t want it and I don’t like it.
“If all you have is criticism of me, then it might be better if you just stay quiet, stay away and leave me alone. Let me do things my own way. I’ve never been happier than I am now. I’m freer now than I’ve ever been. Your preaching just angers me. I’ll never go back to your beloved fountain.”
John nodded, shook Ben’s hand, then turned and walked away.
Do You Know What Drowning Looks Like?
Do You Know What Drowning Looks Like?
The Monthly Feature from the Medical News TODAY
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/196538.php
If you and your family are planning to spend some of this summer by the sea, by the pool, or perhaps even a river or lake, perhaps you should ask yourself, would you be able to spot someone in trouble in the water, in time to save their life: do you really know what drowning looks like?
Mario Vittone, a writer on maritime safety, tells a story about a former life guard, now a boat captain, who spotted a potentially fatal incident from fifty feet away. The captain jumped off his own boat, and sprinted toward a family swimming between the beach and their anchored boat: he sped past the astonished parents, to save their nine-year old daughter, who had been quietly drowning not ten feet behind her father.
Vittone, whose articles have appeared in many magazines, including Reader’s Digest, said he was not surprised when he heard this story: he knows a thing or two about drowning, having served nineteen years in the US Navy and Coast Guard, and his strongest message is “Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning”.
Furthermore, says the CDC, many parents have watched their child drown without realizing what was happening. They did not know what the captain who saved the little girl in Vittone’s story was trained to notice and her parents were blissfully unaware of: the signs of Instinctive Drowning Response, a term coined by Dr Francesco A. Pia, a water safety expert.
Vittone and Pia wrote about the Instinctive Drowning Response, in the Fall 06 issue of On Scene, the journal of the US Coast Guard Search and Rescue. Pia says it is what people do to avoid suffocating in water: they don’t splash much, they don’t wave, and they don’t yell or call out. Quite different to what many of us might expect.
†††
When reading this today, all the alarms in my soul went off. How many do we know that have drowned spiritually in front of our eyes and we didn’t see the signs of their unspoken struggles?
I’m not talking about those whose overt actions and speech give away their desire for the world. It’s those that we know whose struggle for survival is inward and their pride keeps them from admitting they need help.
Pastors, evangelists, youth leaders, Sunday school teachers, parents and concerned saints have ALL experienced the horror of losing someone dear to them. Some of us were oblivious to the spiritual drowning.
God help us all to be more aware of the needs of our sisters and brothers.
We Sold Our Name And Our Recipe
We Sold Our Name And Our Recipe
My beautiful wife, Marcia and I sat in a famous 100-year-old restaurant tonight. This local icon in Marshall, Michigan is where I officially proposed to my beloved 45 years ago. Once again we looked around the room hoping to walk down ‘sentimental lane’. Everything pretty much looked the same. That brought a sigh of relief to our memories. We smiled as we gazed at the table where we had sat that night in 1965.
I might add that the Win Schuler’s Restaurant we were at received the Gold Plate Award in 1971 from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, the greatest distinction the industry has to offer.
In 1960 the old English inn’s owner was inducted into the American Restaurant Hall of Fame.
Their cheese and hard crackers are served at every table before the drink order is taken. Marcia and I munched and made small talk while we glanced at the menu.
The table beside us held two retired couples. They were complaining among themselves that the cheese spread didn’t taste the same as it did when they had come there years ago.
“That’s true,” the teenage waiter said. “It’s a different recipe.”
“A different recipe?” the old man repeated in disbelief. “Why in the world would you change? Your recipe was wonderful. We came just because of that.”
“We had to change,” the waiter continued. “Sold our recipe to Craft Foods. We also sold our name too. We no longer can use the name ‘Win’ Schuler. If you see that name in the store, it belongs to Craft Foods. We made up a new recipe using different ingredients, and now we only use the name Schuler.
“Personally,” he said, “I’ve never tasted the old cheese spread. I’ve only tasted this one and I happen to like it.”
“Well, I’ve tasted the old, and it was better than this the old guy said as he shook his white hair. Hmm, sold your recipe and your name! Why would you sell a recipe that’s worked for a hundred years? God have mercy!”
That happened today.
Let me tell you what else is happening today.
Some preachers, some churches and some fellowships have sold their name and their recipe hoping to get a crowd. All of this is done in the name of ‘Revival.’
They sold their recipe for worship, for holiness, and for doctrine. They’ve also sold their name, Apostolic Pentecostal. The greatest loss was when they sold the Name of Jesus in Baptism.
A generation is living today that never tasted the old time Apostolic recipe. They have only tasted this new one that is not like the original. Old timers can tell you, that it does not taste the same. It’s not.
History repeats itself.
In the book of Ezra, it was the same problem. Solomon’s Temple had been destroyed and a new one was built in its place. The young people had never seen the 1st Temple. They rejoiced.
The Elders had seen the 1st and the 2nd. They wept because it wasn’t the same anymore.
Ezra 3:11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
Ezra 3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
Ezra 3:13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
Whatever road you may walk down, Gentle Reader, purpose in your heart to never sell your Name or your Recipe.
The Fail Factor
The Fail Factor
Prov. 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Even good people make mistakes!
It’s Not About Falling Down – It’s About Getting Back Up
- We all need help; we just need it in different areas.
- We’ve all had failures, some small, some not so small.
- We ALL can come from a “setback” to a “comeback”.
DEF. Webster: What Is Failure?
- The condition of not achieving the desired end or ends.
- Being found insufficient.
- Falling short.
Two Things Will Happen When You Fail.
- Recover, Draw Closer To God
- Feel Hopeless And Give Up.
- Think you can’t live it,
- Think you can’t be saved.
- Give up!
- Quit
- Run from God
Prodigal Son
Luke 15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
Luke 15:14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
Luke 15:15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
Luke 15:16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
Luke 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
Luke 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
Luke 15:19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
Luke 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Five Facts About Failure:
No One Is Exempt – We All Make Mistakes
Failure Warns Me There Are Things I Need To Change
- Thoughts
- Habits
- Friends (Ye did run well, WHO did hinder you)
- Actions
- Activities
- Job
- Church Attendance
- Personal Devotions
Failure Can Help Me Find God.
Failure Most Likely Removed Most Of My Pride,
- Arrogance.
- Need To Humbly Seek His Face.
Failure Reminds Me That My Own Flesh Is my Biggest Enemy
I Recognize My Weakness
- Anger
- Lusts
Failure Is Not The Final Chapter
Missionary on the field today – Backslid 14 times as a young person!
Don’t Plan for Failure, Plan For Recovery!
Why Do People Fail?
- A Conditional Commitment To Jesus Christ?
- A Limited Obedience To God’s Word?
- A Careless Attitude Toward Temptation?
- A Failure To Put First Things First?
- (Maybe a combination of reasons.)
The Phases Of Failure
The Reaction Phase
- Shock – I can’t believe it.
- Denial – Won’t admit blame.
- Blame – Adam/Eve
- Withdrawal – Hide in bushes
- Fear – Of more failure
- Anger – Mad at self, at own weakness.
- Shame – I can’t face anyone, I let everybody down.
- Depression – I’m hopeless, I’ll never amount to anything
- Despair – No use! Guess I’ll just give up!
The Response Phase Is Crucial…
What Are You Going To Do?
The Flight Response
- Don’t run from God.
- If God had given up on you, He wouldn’t bother reaching for you or dealing with your heart. He wouldn’t waste a sermon on you.
The Repentance Response
Don’t Ever Give Up.
Luke 15:
The Shepherd (The Good Shepherd) Sought until he found the lost sheep. God hasn’t given up on you.
Woman With 10 Pieces Of Silver: (The Church) Lit a candle and swept until she found the coin. Thank God the Church doesn’t give up on you.
Prodigal Son didn’t give up on himself. He came to himself and came back home.
God Knows About Human Failure.
God knows we will fail. “He knoweth our frame.”
He’s ready to forgive.
He sees beyond our failure.
Failure:
- Made us pray.
- Made us humble.
- Made us try harder.
- Made us cautious.
- Made us thankful for His Mercy.
- Made us appreciate the power of the Blood.
- Drew us closer to the cross.
I Pray That None Of My Readers Ever Fail.
But if you do sin, you have an Advocate (A Defense Attorney)
1John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
If There Was No Hope. Why Would We Be Given A Defense Attorney?
Rom. 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Why Would Jesus Make Intercession For Us If There Is No Hope?
THERE IS HOPE!!
Like the story of the prodigal son and his father, you’re not that far from home when:
- When you start getting hungry
- When your pride gets out of the way
- When your thoughts turn towards home
- When you come to yourself
- When you get up
- When you start coming home
- When the Father is watching for you
- When the Father runs to meet you
- When you humble yourself
- When you say you’re sorry
- When you wrap your arms around each other
You’re not that far from home. Come on home! Your failure is not what’s important now. What is important is that you’re heading home!
The Blood Stained Church
The Blood Stained Church
Bob had backslid many times. He’d been in and out of the little Home Missions Church so many times that he’d lost track. He thought it had been maybe 13 or 14 times. He was ashamed. Why couldn’t he live for God? Maybe he just was one of those that God couldn’t help. Or maybe God had finally given up on him because of his many failures and weaknesses.
It had been nearly two years since he’d been back to church. The devil really wanted him to believe that there was no more hope for him. Bob was easily convinced. There was no point in even going back and trying anymore. He’d done that over dozen times without success. Besides, no one believed in him anymore. Bob was though with church and through with God, because he just knew God was through with him.
Bob was a good worker and men at the plant respected him for his abilities. His personality gained him many friends as well.
One day at work Bob got a chemical on his hand that left a bad stain. He tried to wash it off and even used hand cleaner. All his attempts to remove the stain were unsuccessful.
He was so embarrassed that night when he had to wear a suit to go to a fancy restaurant, that he kept his hand in his pocket so no one would see the stain.
The next day at work, Bob got too close to a machine and it sliced his hand deeply. Blood gushed everywhere.
“Call 911,” several people shouted. “Bob’s hurt bad!”
“Naw, don’t call 911, just take me to Med-Point.” Said Bob as he tried to wrap a shop rag around his hand and apply pressure to stop the gushing of blood.
“How bad is it?” Some one asked?
Bob took the shop rag off and wiped away the blood to see home deep the cut was. When he looked at the cut and then at his hands, he saw that the stain was gone. He immediately started to cry. The blood had washed away the stain.
His legs gave way and he fell to his knees. With tears running down his cheeks, Bob raised his hands in the air. The blood was still pumping profusely.
The men looked at Bob in amazement as they heard him speaking words they couldn’t understand.
“Call 911, Bob’s really hurt. We’ve never seen Bob cry!”
The men were concerned. Very concerned.
“Don’t call 911”, Bob said, “I’ll be alright! “
“Well if you’re alright, then why are you crying?”
Bob stopped long enough to say nineteen words that forever changed his life and restored his soul.
“Because I see for the first time in my life that the Blood of Jesus washes away my sins!”
When God Takes His Children To Six Flags
When God Takes His Children To Six Flags
To Six Flags? Absolutely!
While I understand that most of us old geezers have never gone, nor may ever go, Six Flags represents to many Americans a place of fun and entertainment.
Imagine the excitement around the house as children chatter about the proposed trip. They can hardly sleep the night before. They are pumped. They talk almost non-stop and their voices can be heard in the next room.
The names of fun rides are often repeated. Someone remembers being told, “Don’t forget to go to the Majestic Pavilion or whatever it’s called. It’s the best thing out there! Or what ever you do, go on the King’s Castle boat ride.
We have all heard stories of people waiting in line for more than an hour just to get on one ride. They all act like it was worth it and would do it again.
It almost seems sacrilegious to our ‘sanctified’ minds to suggest that the good Lord would ever take His children to Six Flags.
But He does! He’s a good Father who enjoys seeing His children enjoy their life living with Him.
Remind yourself of the Biblical use of words like Flag, Banner, Ensign, and Standard. They can be used interchangeably in the Word of God, and often are in most translations.
Let me tell you about a different kind of Six Flags. The ones mentioned in the Bible.
1. A Flag Called” Love”
Song 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
- God wants His children to be found standing under the Banner that says, Love. Here is found not only God’s love, but the love of the brotherhood as well.
- There’s The Banqueting House too. Start the trip by being fed at God’s All You Can Eat Buffet. He serves up giant helpings of Love for those that are emotionally starved, insecure or need reassurance. Step right up, the door’s open.
2. A Flag Just For The “Outcasts”
Is. 11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth
- The eye of God is ever looking to gather His own back to Himself. He looks in every part of the world searching for those that are outcasts. (overthrown, tottering, cast down, thrust out, driven out and away from Him.)
- The Father always makes a way to come home.
- All you have to do is look in this direction, If you can see this flag, it’s God’s Welcome Home sign. It’s His invitation to all those who are weary, to come home.
3. The Flag Called Truth
Psa. 60:4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.
- This Flag must be displayed. (Unfurled) God want the world to see this.
- All who gather here are not ashamed.
- Truth is on display under this flag. Keep it unfurled. Keep it on display.
- To them that fear the Lord this is a wonderful place to gather.
4. The Flag Of Defense
Is. 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
- The Father’s children live with great peace and assurance here. They have His promise that if things get bad in their life, that if they just come to this flag, that everything is going to be alright. There is safety here.
5. The Banner Of Rest
Is. 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Is. 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
- The Father adopted other children (Gentiles)
- His Gentile children all want to come here.
- It’s a place of Revelation.
- Here He opens the blinded eyes.
- It’s a place of Rest (Holy Ghost infilling.)
- There’s nothing like this Holy Ghost experience.
6. The Banner Called Worship
Psa. 20:5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfill all thy petitions.
- The Flag is the one the Father lets His children raise up. It’s A Banner of Praise. It’s a Flag of Worship.
- Of all places to stop by, don’t miss this one. You haven’t had a complete Holy Ghost experience until you’ve stood under the Worship Banner.
- “Rejoice, and again I say, Rejoice!”
Have you gone with your Father to Six Flags lately?
How To Become A Friend Of God
How To Become A Friend Of God
We have a tendency to judge everything from our personal vantage point and life experiences. It possibly colors our perception even of Biblical characters.
If we were to judge some Old Testament heroes by the current accepted behavior of our society, their humanity would scream with imperfection.
Abraham is a perfect example. He is called the Father of the Faithful. His name is hollowed.
Yet by today’s standards he was guilty of:
- Lying about Sara his wife. He claimed she was his sister.
- Creating havoc in his home and the promise of God by fathering a child with Hagar.
- Rejecting and banishing Hagar – (Spousal abandonment?)
- Abandoning Ishamel his son.
- Neglecting his own child.
I’m sure other things could be found to make more dark marks on his name.
Do you know when his relationship with God changed?
- James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
- James 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
- James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
In spite of all his imperfections, Abraham was called a friend of God AFTER he built an altar.
You want to be called a friend of God?
I don’t care about how your life story reads, I promise, you can become a friend of God too. It starts with one easy step.
Build an altar!
Apostolic Expository Series
Christy Ballestero (My Beautiful DIL)
http://marciaballestero.com/
Pastor Anthony & Kim Ballestero, New Destiny Worship Center, Clearwater, FL (My Son)
Pastor Bryan & Christy Ballestero, Temple Of Pentecost, Raleigh, NC (My Son)
James Groce Blog – "Toward The Mark"
Kenneth Bow Blog
Kingdom Speak Podcast
Philip Harrelson – "The Barnabas Blog"
Verbal Bean Ministries
Holy Ghost Radio
The Ballestero Blog 