Archive for the ‘Christian Living’ Category
Whatever Happened to Modesty?
Whatever Happened to Modesty?
On A Pentecostal Minister’s Forum, I found a thread about Modesty from an unexpected source. I went to the link, read the article and wanted to share a couple of it’s comments here.
It’s by Michael Hyatt of Thomas Nelson Publishers. His company is publishing Brittany Spears mother’s book.
He is the Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian publishing company in the world and the seventh largest trade book publishing company in the U.S.
After watching a MTV awards show he asks:
“Where are these girls fathers? Has anyone ever taught them the concept of modesty?”
He then give us his thoughts about modesty.
Here they are: “Four Guidelines for Modesty”:
- If you have trouble getting into it or out of it, it is probably not modest.
- If you have to be careful when you sit down or bend over, it is probably not modest.
- If people look at any part of your body before looking at your face, it is probably not modest.
- If you can see your most private body parts or an outline of those parts under the fabric, it is probably not modest.
If you think these guidelines are helpful, you might want to pass them along to the young women you know. Evidently, not many are getting the message elsewhere.
http://michaelhyatt.com/2008/09/whatever-happened-to-modesty.html
The Star Search In Pentecost
The Star Search Of Pentecost
Today’s Christianity is sadly becoming more and more about personalities than about the Savior. The focus of some seems to be about making money and a name for themselves.
Mr. Bill Breen wrote an impressive article on leadership. Part of which, I wish to share here. In this excerpt Breen explains that the head of the Caterpillar Company never promoted himself, just his company.
The Three Ways of Great Leaders
By Bill Breen
The Leader as Manager: Louis B. Neumiller
“Whereas entrepreneurs are company creators and charismatic leaders are agents of change, managers are value maximizers — they make the most out of 
something that already exists. Such is the case with Louis B. Neumiller, who rose through the ranks of Caterpillar and became its chief executive in 1941. Two months later, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Just as C.W. Post used changing demographics to launch the cereal industry, Neumiller seized on the massive geopolitical event that was World War II to build Caterpillar into a global organization.
Neumiller really didn’t build anything new. By the end of his era, Caterpillar’s product portfolio didn’t look all that radically different. What changed was the corporation’s scale and scope. Neumiller capitalized on the war effort and then the rebuilding effort to transform Caterpillar into a global giant. And like all great managers, he took his identity out of the business — he let his company become a hero instead of himself.”
http://www.fastcompany.com/node/54065/print
••••••••••
Harvard Business School wrote:
“Under Neumiller’s “”home-town-boy”” leadership style, Caterpillar’s revenues grew from over $100 million in 1941 to $827 million in 1963, prospering through World War II and the global post-war boom. Neumiller built the Caterpillar brand into a common worldwide name, developing only the highest quality products, and expanding Caterpillar’s dealer network to include 258 dealers with as many employees as Caterpillar itself.”
http://www.hbs.edu/leadership/database/leaders/louis_b_neumiller.html
•••••••••••••••
† John never allowed himself to be looked at as a hero, although thousands followed his teaching.
He refused to allow his ministry to point arrows towards himself, but rather let his words be arrows pointing towards the Lamb of God.
- John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
† Paul had to deal with hero worship issues in the minds of saints nearly 2,000 years ago. (It’s nothing new.)
- 1Cor. 1:12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
- 1Cor. 1:13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
Paul had to remind the Corinthians that they were wrong in focusing on personalities and not on Christ.
I detest the spirit that seeks to promote itself, and then encourages others to join their self made fan club.
† Even Jesus was careful about how He approached the ministry that was before him.
- Phil. 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
My Father taught me that if you have a gift, it will make room for you, don’t make room for your gift. It still makes sense to me today.
While I thank God for the gifts of music and ministry in these last days, Pentecost doesn’t need to run after stars, superheroes and holy action figures. Are we promoting the Kingdom or ourselves?
This life we’re living is not about us. It’s ALL about Him! We need another revelation of that.
If there is ever a ‘star’ search in our ranks, let it be the same search the 3 wise men had. I know where that search will end.
“It’s OK To Struggle, Let Us Struggle…”
“It’s OK To Struggle, Let Us Struggle…”
I sat the phone down slowly. My eyes were still brimming with tears. What I had just heard was heart wrenching and heart warming at the same time.
I had been talking on the phone to my oldest son Anthony and his beautiful new bride Kim. She was the former Kimberly Elrod of Piqua, OH. Her father Richard Elrod pastored there. Anthony and Kim had just gotten off their honeymoon just a few days prior.
My son had been asked to be the Youth Pastor in Jackson, MS at Bro. Tommy Craft’s church. The church had secured housing for them. It was a nice apartment that was furnished with a stove and a washer and dryer.
I knew that their small U-Haul truck did not contain much more than a bed, and a dinning room set she had purchased at a yard sale. Not much else besides personal articles and clothing. They were just starting out in life. Both had graduated from JCM only a few weeks earlier.
It dawned on me that there was no mention about a refrigerator in the house, I asked them about it on the phone. When they told me they didn’t have one, I felt desperate for them.
I had saved up about $350.00, so I volunteered to help out. I said to them, “Look, I have some money put back, and I will send you $350.00 to buy one. You still have the U-Haul, and maybe you can find a used one in the Classifieds and use the truck to haul it.”
That’s when the sweet feminine voice of my new daughter in law piped up. She said, “No dad, don’t do that. We’re OK. Let us struggle. It’s OK to struggle!”
Emotion overwhelmed me. I cried silently. I had already fallen in love with her beauty and her talents. But I was unprepared for how beautiful her heart was. I immediately fell hopelessly in love with her sweet spirit and would then have freely given her half of my kingdom… if I’d had one.
“Well, you call me if you need me and I’ll be glad to do what I can to help!” I added.
(I couldn’t believe that there was still people like this in the world.) She was serious. She didn’t want me to intervene. They would make it, she said. Somehow they did.
The struggles in life of those you love is not easy to watch. You would love to bail everyone out of whatever mess they are in. Even when you know you can’t, you still want to.
The problem however is not always fixed if you do. When you look at nature it’s a clearer, although harsher picture.
Remember your journey to the farm when you were a kid? One of the highlights was watching baby
chicks hatch. The 6 hour procedure is excruciating to observe. You see their little head hanging out. The look wet, helpless and tired. The heat lamp is keeping them warm. The shell is cracked. They’re exhausted and have to stop and rest for long periods which makes you want to help them.
If you try to help the baby chick, at best it may live 2 days. More than likely it will die sooner. I hate to say how I know that. The success of the chick’s survival is not the help, but the struggle.
Just because we are struggling in life, doesn’t mean God hates us, that we are out of His will or that our support system of loved ones has let us down.
Struggle is necessary to survival. (You’re still here aren’t you? Then don’t give up or give in.) It’s OK to struggle. The Father knows where you’re at. He’s watching. You’re going to make it!
The Pot Bellied Church
The Pot Bellied Church
Let the record show that I’ve got a pot belly. My 226 lbs today is 98 lbs more than it was when I started evangelizing full-time in 1963. My flat tummy disappeared years ago. I don’t like it; I wish it were a one-day fix. It’s not. I no longer button my suit coats.
- How does a man get a pot belly?
- What happens to him?
- How does he cope?
He’s not proud of the fact that the flatness of his stomach was replaced with a bulge that prevents him from buttoning his suit coat. He does not wish to get any bigger but he refuses to alter his detrimental eating habits. He also refuses to admit the growth of his girth.
What he did was just pull his pants up as far as was comfortable. His comfort zone now was no longer where it used to be. It was at the bottom of his pot belly.
He no longer could see his belt buckle without bending over. He had to continually keep pulling his pants up and finally realized why suspenders were invented. He might have gained weight, but he still wore the same size pants. Things were just moved to a lower level.
The line that was higher up, had to be moved lower. It got lowered one day at a time. It no longer looks like it did. It would take a major change to get it back to where it used to be. It’s not a one-day fix.
This is what happens when the diet of the church gorges itself on worldliness.
- The line gets lowered.
- Compromise begins.
To keep things from getting alarming low, additional help is required. Suspenders become necessary. They try to find attractive suspenders that get compliments so that the lowered line is ignored. Lowered lines are quickly seen.
Most with weight issues and lowered lines have also been known to express concerns about back problems as well. Being overweight causes back pain.
Back pain is caused from backbone problems.
Backbone problems are common among those that let down under pressure and give in to the spirit of the age.
P.S. The photos are not of me.
Divine Comfort
Divine Comfort
2Cor. 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
It is peace to our spirits to know that our Heavenly Father specializes in comforting. It seems that none of us can make it through life without needing Divine comfort.
In but a moment, your world can change, disaster hit, or calamity fall. None of us are exempt from crisis, whether physical, spiritual, emotional or even financial. When that happens all of us need someone to lean on. He’s always there!
•••••••••••••••••••
(Red Foley made a song famous that brought comfort to many in his generation.)
“Someone To Care”
When the world seems cold and your friends seem few
There is someone who cares for you
When you’ve tears in your eyes your heart bleeds inside
There is someone who cares for you
Someone to care someone to share
All your troubles like no other can do
He’ll come down from the sky and brush the tears from your eyes
You’re his child and he cares for you
When your disappointments come and you feel so blue
There is someone who cares for you
When you need a friend a friend to the end
There is someone who cares for you
••••••••••••••••••••••
Solomon sat down one day and began to recount that in life there are times and seasons we all must face. He described that there was a time and a season for everything. Toward the last of his discourse he makes a simple statement whose truth may escape the unobservant…
Eccl. 3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew;
Imagine if you will, a small boy playing in the yard and in a moment full of life he tears his pants. Regardless of what they cost or who gave them to him, the damage is done. He doesn’t know how to fix the problem but he goes to bed knowing that his mother said she could mend his little trousers.
When he has gone to sleep, and all the children are in bed for the night, the mother sits in her chair and sews. What took little Johnny but a moment to tear, takes his mother much longer to mend. The mending always seems to take longer than the rending.
Don’t be impatient. Your God knows how to mend the torn areas of your heart and life. Go on to sleep. The God of all comfort is at work. Your heart is in Good hands! Trust Him!
God’s Algebra Test
God’s Algebra Test
I went to 26 schools growing up. It is still very evident that my education lacks much in the way of continuity. Daddy was an Evangelist for 25 years and a Pastor for 25 as well. Quite often he had to stop in his travels and rent a house so us kids could go to school. I got a late start. I turned 7 in Kindergarten. Somehow I was able to get out of the 12th grade mid-term at 17.
Arithmetic was a very easy subject for me and I always aced a Basic Math test. In 1958 we moved from Yakima, Washington to southern California. My Yakima Math teacher recommended me for Algebra. I got a late start and missed the basics. I somehow couldn’t wrap my mind around the concept of things like X and Y. I had no problem with numbers. But in my mind, letters had no place in a Math test. I saw that I was in trouble and couldn’t seemingly catch up, so I transferred out of Algebra class into Radio and Electronics Shop.
At about 40 years of age I said to myself, “Algebra is the only thing in life you’ve let beat you. Don’t let it.” So I went to the bookstore and bought an Algebra Textbook and a Workbook. I worked my way through and completed the exercises and tests. I cannot say that I’ve ever used Algebra in everyday life since, and that was 26 years ago.
But I have used it in preaching!
In preaching?
Absolutely!
The Algebra book has helped me preach many times.
What would ‘frost my cake’ sometimes during my 30 years of pastoring was when some dear soul would request that the church pray that they would be able to find the will of God for their life.
Yet these same people would somehow seem to be clueless about the will of God for their lives that was written down in black and white. They enjoyed the attention they received by making their mystical prayer request.
I couldn’t believe that some folks would actually ignore the will of God as written in His Word and yet attempt to seek the ‘unknown’ and the ‘as of yet, unrevealed’ will of God.
That’s when the Algebra lessons came in handy. I preached some Algebra lessons in a sermon or two.
One of the first things a student discovers in Algebra, (to put it in basic terminology) is that to find the ‘unknown,’ we have to use the ‘known.’
In other words, if we are serious about finding the illusive and unknown will of God for our lives, how can we be taken serious if we blatantly ignore the will of God that is written in His word?
Some don’t want to be faithful to church, so they ignore Heb 10:25 and still say they are seeking the will of God.
- Heb. 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Some don’t want to pay tithes, so they ignore Mal 3:10 and still say they are seeking the will of God.
- Mal. 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Some have a problem with holiness, so they ignore Rom 12:1 and still say they are seeking the will of God.
- Rom. 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Some won’t submit to their pastor or obey what he preaches, so they ignore Heb 13:17 and still say they are seeking the will of God.
- Heb. 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
Some won’t forgive and seem to want to hold grudges, so they ignore Mark 6:14-15 and still say they are seeking the will of God.
- Matt. 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
- Matt. 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
I guess you get the picture by now. It’s not really a joke or meant to be taken lightly.
- James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Keep on praying and seeking the will of God in your life. Just don’t ignore the will of God as it is written in His Word.
Maybe, just maybe, if you are obedient and faithful in what you have been taught, then God may show you more. Don’t expect more if your obedience is less.
Oh, by the way… If you really want to know what the will of God is for your life, go ask your pastor. Don’t you TELL him, let him TELL you.
- That’s what all the God fearing Kings did in the Old Testament.
- That’s what you should do too.
Arrested For Flatulence
Arrested For Flatulence
“Pull over right here,” my brother-in-law, Pastor Nathan Yandris, said in a tone demanding immediate response. I swerved the truck, pulling into the first available parking place. I could see no apparent reason for the hasty stop.
I only saw one person on the sidewalk. He looked like a bum. He wore a backpack, and his clothes were not freshly laundered. His hat kept most of the sun off of his face.
“He used to go to my church. When I first met him, he lived under a bridge and was homeless. I taught him a home Bible Study, and he got the Holy Ghost. He did great for a while, and then about 3 months ago he wanted to take the bus and go to New York and get his mom in church. He was only going to be gone a couple of weeks. This is the first I’ve seen of him since.”
With that, Bro. Yandris piled out of the pickup and walked up to the man. They greeted each other warmly. I watched through the windshield as they talked. I saw the man shaking his head, and moving his arms explaining something of great importance. It took him quite a while. I lost interest in watching their conversation, and focused my attention elsewhere.
About 15 minutes later, Bro. Yandris gave the man some money, got back in the truck and said, ‘Let’s go!” I backed out and he waved as I drove off.
“I found out where he’s been for the last 3 months. He’s been in jail!”
“Really?” I said.
“Yes, he said that he was on his way to New York, but the bus driver called ahead and they pulled him off the bus and arrested him in Joplin, MO.”
When I asked him what they had arrested him for, he said, “Flatulence.”
“They can arrest you for flatulence?” I asked in disbelief.
“Evidently. He said laughing. The 1st offence was bad enough. They took him to court and he was standing in front of the judge being sentenced when he did it again. He said he couldn’t help himself.
“When the judge realized what had just happened in his court room, he covered his face and shook his head in disbelief. He then sentenced him to 90 days in jail for contempt of court.
“He never did make it to New York.”
*******************************
The religious leaders and critics were criticizing the followers of Jesus because they pulled corn from the field and ate it on the Sabbath day. Jesus announced to them that the words they spoke would defile them more.
Jesus reminded his hearers, it wasn’t what went into a man that was the problem, but that which came out of him.
- Mark 7:18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;
- Mark 7:19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
- Mark 7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
- Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
- Mark 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
- Mark 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
The words we speak and the things we do can get us in trouble with God. The spirit we manifest, is noticed by the Heavenly Judge as well.
- Psa. 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Don’t live so that the Judge of all the earth holds you in contempt of court.
You Can’t Catch Me
You Can’t Catch Me
I watched and laughed at my young grandson Cade as he ran around the living room telling his older brother, “You can’t catch me, you can’t catch me!” It was a laughable childish game.
What is there that is so exhilarating about the feeling of running and not being able to be caught?
Remember the story of The Gingerbread Man?
- I ran away from the little old lady
- I ran away from the little old man
- I ran away from the horse and the cow
- And I can run away from you I can, I can!
The “You Can’t Catch Me” feeling makes you feel superior to the one chasing you.
Bro. Ike Terry of Bakersfield, CA was talking to an older woman who didn’t want to be pastored. She said, “It takes a good dog to run this rabbit.” She was on the run and didn’t want to be caught.
I once read about a famous thief that played dominoes with the cops at the Police station every afternoon with the very men that were looking for him.
- This mindset requires
- You feel you are untouchable
- Uncatchable
- Above the law
- But he got caught
Eccl. 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
Jonah – ran, but God caught him.
- Jonah 1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
- He also paid the fare. (I will cost you to run from God.)
Achan – hid his sin but God caught him
Prodigal – turned himself back in
Backslider? What if the Father doesn’t chase you?
- The fun quickly goes away
David – covered it but God caught him. (Thou art the man!)
- The Hounds of Heaven chase you
- Be sure your sins will find you out.
- You sin will catch you. In time, in conscience, In Eternity
- Why are you running from God?
- Why are you running from His will?
- How long will you play childish games
God desires to use you in His kingdom, but your mindset of childish games, keeps you from seeing this and surrendering.
Can you recognize the signs you are running from God?
Can you recognize the signs you are running from the will of God?
From the time that my middle child, Martyn II was little, whenever he knew he was about to be corrected, he would run to me and throw his arms around me. There were a few time I wished he would have run away from me. Then I could have gotten upset and spanked him. But when a child is holding on to you and saying they are sorry and that they love you, you just can’t spank them.
If you are one of those that runs FROM God, turn around and run TO Him, wrap your arms around Him. He’ll be a loving Father. I know!
Love, Sin And Jelly Beans
Love, Sin And Jelly Beans
‘They fell in love.” We have heard similar phrases all of our life. It sounds romantic, and the Lord knows that’s appealing. We all know it’s wonderful to be in love. So technically, I understand what we mean by that statement. But I propose that we don’t really FALL in love.
You don’t fall in or out of love according to Biblical terminology. The Bible says you “set” your affections.
Col. 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
David said, “My heart is fixed.” He chose how his heart would feel and respond.
David Dancing Before The Ark
Evidently we have more control over our heart, our thoughts and our actions than we realized. Besides being a requirement for salvation, the Holy Ghost helps us in our daily living. It is much needed and such a blessing. But before the Holy Ghost was poured out, Jesus often said this phrase to those he had healed… “Go and sin no more.” John 5:14, 8:11
It sounds to me that sinning or not sinning is a choice. Even before the Upper Room experience, Jesus knew men were able to choose to quit sinning.
We choose, then:
- To be in love with God and live for Him.
- To quit sinning.
You are in control. There is no one else to blame. You choose. It’s not hard.
P.S. (I was just kidding about the Jelly Beans.)
The Jesus Peter Didn’t Know
The Jesus Peter Didn’t Know
Over 25 years ago I preached a sermon on the last night of a church conference. The response was not positive. The audience remained quiet. I never preached it again. No compliments were given. I filed it away. I guess they wanted to shout and my subject was a disappointment.
I read my text: Matt. 26:74 ‘Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.’
The proposal of my sermon was that in a sense, Peter was telling the truth. He really didn’t know the Jesus they were talking about.
The Jesus He Knew:
- Preformed Miracles
- Walked on water
- Healed the sick
- Raised the dead
- Turned water into wine
- Opened blinded eyes
- Forgave sins
- Fed 5,000 with a few loaves and fishes
He Didn’t Know The Jesus Of:
- Rejection
- Pain
- Sorrow
- Disapproval
- Heartache
- Tears
- Confusion
- Depression
- Trials
- Tests
Some Today Only Know The Jesus Of:
- Shouting
- Blessing
- Prosperity
- Healing
- Joy
- Victory
- Running the aisles
- New cars
- Better houses
- Raises on the job
- Lots of friends
They Don’t Know The Jesus Of:
- Tears
- Unsolved problems
- Sickness
- Sorrow
- Dark trials
- Correction
- Denying self
- Decreasing so that He may increase
- Suffering (They do not know him in the fellowship of His suffering.)
- No money
- Overwhelming bills
- Getting laid off
- Loneliness
Like Peter, you don’t know Jesus, if all you do is:
- Hate your brother
- Criticize your pastor
- Rebel against Biblical requirements
- Refuse to submit to His Word and His authority
1John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
1John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Oh, And While We Are On The Subject…
- If you believe that Jesus was the just Mary’s little boy…
- That He was the blessed Second Person in the Godhead…
- Then you really do not know Him!
(What None Of Us Ever Want To Hear Him Say Is, Depart From Me Ye Worker Of Iniquity, I Never Knew You)
- Matt. 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
- Matt. 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
- Matt. 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matt. 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Do you know Him? Really know Him?
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 