Archive for the ‘Christian Living’ Category

You Are 20% Of Your Father, 80% Of Your Mother

You Are 20% Of Your Father, 80% Of Your Mother

Some years ago, the magazine Western Horseman had an article that caught my eye. It was written about a test done at the School of Veterinarian Medicine in New England.

Their research proved that a colt was 80% of it’s mother, and 20% of it’s father. The Doctor that wrote the article said that if the sire (father) was Secretariat, the famous racehorse, and the mare (mother) was a plow horse, the colt would be 80% plow horse and 20% racehorse.

Secretariat

Dapple Gray Percheron Plow Horse

On a spiritual level, we have the world’s greatest Father. He’s our heavenly Father. The church is our mother.

Gal. 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

That means to me, that although we have a wonderful Father, what we become is 80% determined by the church/mother that raised us.

Have you ever heard a preacher ask, “Where are you from? What church are you out of? Who’s your pastor?” Without even knowing you, the questioner can determine much about you just by knowing who your mother is.

I am dismayed at clueless and shallow people who put their job first. God forbid that they should ever have to transfer, but too often if they do, the job is top priority and then after they move they look for a church. Too often, just any church will do for then as long as it has the magic words or letters on the sign.

If an awesome mother has raised you, I pray you never have to leave home. Good moms are very hard to find. Not just any mother will do.

Life is about much more than money. Let your mother know how much you love her, then stick close and do what she says. Make her proud.

Written by Martyn Ballestero

April 14, 2010 at 8:09 am

Posted in Christian Living, God's House, Personal Growth

Going Rogue

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Going Rogue

New York Times

An Elephant Crackup?

By CHARLES SIEBERT

Published: October 8, 2006

Since the early 1990’s, for example, young male elephants in Pilanesberg National Park and the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve in South Africa have been killing rhinoceroses; this abnormal behavior, according to a 2001 study in the journal Pachyderm, has been reported in ‘‘a number of reserves’’ in the region. In July of last year, officials in Pilanesberg shot three young male elephants who were responsible for the killings of 63 rhinos, as well as attacks on people in safari vehicles. In Addo Elephant National Park, also in South Africa, up to 90 percent of male elephant deaths are now attributable to other male elephants, compared with a rate of 6 percent in more stable elephant communities.

________________________________________

NewScientist

Orphan elephants go on the rampage

20 July 1996 by Eddie Koch
Magazine issue 2039

Johannesburg

LIKE children, young elephants need discipline if they are to grow up as responsible members of society. Wildlife biologists say that orphan bull elephants in South Africa’s Pilanesberg Game Reserve have turned delinquent because they have never been taken in hand by their elders.

Rogue elephants have become a serious problem in Pilanesberg, a small wildlife reserve about 250 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg. Earlier this month, a young bull charged a group of tourists on a photo-safari. The next day the same elephant attacked and killed a professional hunter who had been sent to shoot it. These are not isolated incidents. Two years ago another tourist was attacked, chased out of his battered car, and trampled to death in the reserve.

Humans are not the only victims: in the past three years, 19 white rhinoceroses have been gored to death by elephants in Pilanesberg.

____________________________________

Nearly ten years ago, I heard a Dr. James Dobson commercial on the car radio. He said that his favorite animal was a dog. His second favorite was an elephant.

He said that he was alarmed at the rogue behavior recently displayed in young bull elephants. They seemed to delight in pushing over the white rhinos and even goring them to death. They had even been known to kill one another.

In over 100 years of record keeping in Africa, there had never been recorded incidents of such antisocial behavior.

Mr. Dobson said authorities were very disturbed. After much analysis, they determined the cause.

A number of years ago, attempts were made by the Park Managers to thin the herd population. In so doing, they killed off most of the old males. It is the nature of the old males to keep decorum in the herd. Old males will punish younger males that display bad behavior. It is even common for an old male to banish a younger male from the others for a while until they learn better.

Park officials found that if they brought in an old male into a herd with young wild bulls, they old bull restored calmness to the herd almost immediately.

At this point, Mr. Dobson began to talk about the importance of a father in the home and his influence on his sons. He made a powerful point. I am not sure how his 2-minute “Father’s Day” radio commercial ended, because my minded wandered off to another level before he finished.

Many of us have lived long enough to see rogue behavior among those that are ‘in church’. When I see saints or preachers go wacko, say stupid things, or do stupid things, I become spiritually frightened.

It is endangerment at an alarming level. We expect attacks from others outside the herd, but not from the inside.

I even remember asking about a certain young preacher one time, because his conduct and doctrine caused all my warning lights to blink. I enquired, “Who’s his pastor?” Normally, a pastor would have corrected the problem. But this person recognized no one as his pastor.

Preacher or Saint, every one of us has made it this far because we were willing to hear instruction in righteousness. Always receive it willingly and humbly.

If you have a man of God in your life that will guide the flock in the fear and admonition of the Lord, there is safety in your world.

Behavior unbecoming the people of God cannot be ignored. Doctrines that lead the church back to the world cannot be tolerated. The goring and killing of others with slander and defamation has no place in the Kingdom.

The trashing of standards and the discard of convictions is a sad day. It has God’s full attention. It should have ours as well.

I pray you have a pastor that is willing to TAKE the oversight. To speak up and say, “It’s Not Happening Here!”

May your pastor not be a hireling, but a ‘Father in Israel’. May he bring peace to your corner of the world.

What we need are some more ‘old-time’ Pentecostal pastors that will preach what needs to be preached and are not afraid.

May you always thank God for your pastor, even if the one he corrects is you.

Pray for your man of God!

Written by Martyn Ballestero

April 13, 2010 at 1:54 pm

Posted in Christian Living, God's House, Life, Ministry, Obedience, Personal Growth, Submission, Unity

The Cost Of Doing Business

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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 to check my bitcoin balanced and transferred some to my bank account. After reading Midas Letter Crypto News, I had gotten into buying and selling bitcoins for personal investments. Once I successfully transferred the cryptocurrency to USD currency, I found an ATM machine that they have. 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?

Written by Martyn Ballestero

April 7, 2010 at 12:35 am

Posted in Christian Living, Holiness, Submission, Worship

There’s No Hope For You!

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There’s No Hope For You!

The preacher said, “Don’t ever sin after you have received the Holy Ghost, because the Bible says if you do, ‘there remaineth no more sacrifice for you.’ There’s no more hope for you, if you backslide. You can’t pray back through. You can’t be saved. You’re going to hell!

“Don’t ever say one thing you shouldn’t say, don’t ever do one thing you shouldn’t do, or go one place you shouldn’t go, or think on things you shouldn’t be thinking about! If you do, there is no hope for you” That’s what the guest preacher said at the Friday night Fellowship Meeting in the little country church in Indiana.

We were stunned. All twelve local pastors on the platform sat frozen, wondering what would be said next.

The preacher was sincere. He was preaching with tears running down his face. He had driven 400 miles to preach in this service. Most of us had never even heard of him before.

I looked at the second row. Six young couples from our church listened intently. Knowing some of their personal struggles and natures, I knew they couldn’t make it till Sunday morning without saying something they shouldn’t say, doing something they shouldn’t do, going somewhere they shouldn’t go, or thinking on something they shouldn’t be thinking about. They weren’t bad young couples at all. They were just human.

If they did do something they shouldn’t have, I knew they devil would tell them there is no hope for you, so why bother to go back to church.

Something had to be said. Waiting till Sunday to say it, would be too late if they didn’t come back. Damage control was needed now.

I felt the need to respond. Leaning over to the pastor, I said, “Elder, if you don’t mind, I’d like to take this service when he’s done with it.”

“I wish you would, the older pastor said, “I’m a backslider myself.”

We all stood reverently while our guest finished his sermon. He was crying. A number of the people in the audience cried too. We knew we were all so guilty that maybe none of us would be saved, if his doctrine was right.

When the preacher finished, I stepped to the pulpit and asked every one to raise their hands and pray.

I thanked the brother for coming. I have strong convictions against those that are harsh in the pulpit. But I felt I was fighting for souls.

I said, “This man has preached to us tonight from his heart. He has preached with a burden and a passion. He has preached with great sincerity. The only problem is, our good brother is sincerely wrong.

“Evidently, he doesn’t believe in a Great High Priest, who daily maketh intercession for us.

The Bible is trying to explain to us that if we sin, Jesus is not going to go back to Calvary to die for us again. He died once, and for all.

There is no license to sin, there are no indulgences you can buy, there is no hall pass you can get to do wrong.

“But the Bible does say, ‘If we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous”

“What is an Advocate? It’s a defense attorney! Why would He provide us with a defense attorney, if there’s no hope for us?

“Who daily maketh intercession for us…

“Why would He make intercession for us if there is no hope?”

The church roared with thanksgiving and praise to God for His mercy and His forgiveness. Some wept with relief.

So should you!

I don’t care what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or how long you’ve been gone. Like the Prodigal, you’re still His child. When He sees you headed home, He’ll run to meet you too.

Thank God for His Forgiveness!

Written by Martyn Ballestero

March 30, 2010 at 12:33 am

Posted in Christian Living, God's House, Life, Mercy, Ministry

Your Leaves Will Grow Back!

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Your Leaves Will Grow Back!

“Honey, I don’t want to live anymore! I don’t feel like I’m trusting God, taking my heart medicine! I just want to go home and be with my darling!” My Mom confided to me.

My Mother, Content Ballestero had spent her life encouraging and blessing others. As her oldest child and only son, I had never known Mom to be anything but upbeat. One of our phone conversations, a few months after Dad’s passing in 1994, took a downturn. Mom was not sounding like her normal self. It caught me off guard.

I sat in my living room, 2,400 miles away feeling quite helpless. I had never been in this position before. What do I say? How do I respond to her? Sometimes I hated being a preacher, because you’re supposed to know what to say at all times. I don’t feel gifted in that department. I prayed silently that the Lord would give me words to speak to her.

“Mama,” I said, “Let’s talk about these things one at a time, OK?”

She agreed.

“Number 1, Why do you say you are not trusting God when you take your heart medicine? When you needed glasses to help your vision, you went to the Eye Doctor. You wear glasses. Why don’t you feel you’re not trusting God when you’re wearing glasses?

“You went to the Dentist and got false teeth, you didn’t say anything about trusting God, you just did what you had to do.” I reminded her.

“Oh honey, thank you!” She murmured.

“Number 2,” I continued, “If you want to ‘go home’ and be with Daddy, and you feel that God is done with you here, then go out into the backyard, find you the biggest old bucket you can find, and kick that sucker as hard as you can kick it.”

I knew that would shock her. Her response was that she needed that and she chuckled and thanked me again.

“Number 3, the Bible says we’re like trees planted by the river. (Psa. 1:3 “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water…)

“Mom, we’ve lived many years in Indiana, and watched the trees go through the four seasons. The trees bud, green leaves appear, they turn brown in the fall, and then they fall off and the tree becomes bare in the winter.

The Four Seasons Of A Tree

“But just because the leaves fall off, doesn’t mean the squirrels have to move to another tree. Just because the leaves have fallen off doesn’t mean the birds will move their nests to another tree. The birds and the squirrels stay in the same tree. The leaves always grow back. You’re leaves will grow back too, Mom!”

“Do the ladies and girls in the church still come up to you and ask questions, or ask advice or request prayer?

“Yes, almost every service.”

“Do you still get invitations to speak at Ladies Meetings? “

“All the time!”

“Well Mom, you may feel like your leaves are all gone, but the birds haven’t flown off. The squirrels haven’t changed trees. You’re still invited places and you’re still needed. Your leaves will grow back, Mom!”

“Oh son,” She exclaimed, “You are so wise!”

“No Mom, kids are like little piggy banks. When they are little, parents make deposits of information into them. Then sometimes when they get older, they don’t trust their own judgment like they use to. Then they ask their child questions, and what their child does, is let them reach into that piggy bank and make a withdrawal of information. What I’m telling you today, is just stuff that you put into me years ago. Today Mom, you’re just making a little withdrawal”

After she blew her nose, I heard her say, “Thank you son, I love you so much!”

Written by Martyn Ballestero

March 29, 2010 at 1:11 am

Posted in Christian Living, Family, Life, Ministry

Crying For Your Mama

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Crying for Your Mama

One of the most uncomfortable passages in Psalms that I have read in recent years is found in Psalms 35.

David explains that there were some that hated him. More than that, the laid traps for him and even lied and brought trumped up charges against him.

These were the same people that David cared about. Those you love can hurt you the most. When they were sick, he fasted and prayed for them. This was the thanks he got.

David’s defense caught me off guard. He didn’t try to defend him self.

Psa. 35:7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
Psa. 35:11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
Psa. 35:12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
Psa. 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
Psa. 35:14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

David’s response to their injustice was to bow himself down heavily (put his head on the floor) and weep for them in the same manner, and with the same emotion he would have used at his own mother’s funeral.

Imagine, crying unto God for your enemies, like you would cry at the loss of your own mother.

If this is a picture of what my response to my enemy is suppose to be, then help me Jesus.

If I am to mourn for my enemies, like I am crying for my my dead mother, then what is my prayer for my brother or sister in Christ supposed to be like.

I am not sure our prayers are at the level in God they should be.
We are all too selfish, our prayers are all about us.

When Job prayed for his friends, God turned his world around.

What would it take to turn ours around?

Written by Martyn Ballestero

March 28, 2010 at 9:16 am

Posted in Christian Living, Prayer

The Handkerchief Ministry

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The Handkerchief Ministry

Whenever our church had a baby shower, or a special dinner or celebration that involved food, Helen Simon was the lady to see. If anyone ever had a gift of decorating and setting a beautiful table worthy of a Kodak Moment, it was Sis. Helen Simon.

She had been a member of Christ Temple Church for over 50 years. There are some people that would do anything to help the church and their pastor. That was Sis. Simon! She was a pastor’s friend.

Every special event found her involved. She worked long hours so that others could enjoy the occasion. On many such occasions, she brought her own “Old Country Roses” china from home, her own crystal goblets and cloth napkins with matching napkin holders and silverware. She spared no personal expense.

Diabetes was not kind to her. An emergency hospital trip provided the horrible news of the need to amputate her leg. Unthinkable, yet necessary!

Even though she was a senior, she was not happy about spending her remaining days in a wheel chair. But that seemed to be her lot.

Now her mobility was limited. There was no access to the basement fellowship hall. She couldn’t navigate the 2 flights of stairs. Her decorating days seemed over.

Not one to mope around in despair, she looked for something else she could do in the church that would be a blessing. What could she do? It was a process, just getting to church!

Finally one day she got it. She realized what she could do and be a blessing. She sent her husband Victor, down town to an expensive men’s store to buy several dozen of their best handkerchiefs. Then she washed them, and carefully ironed them. She folded them into a nice stack. Before church started she had her husband take them up to the platform and put them in the pulpit.

She said, “I might not be able to do much, but at least I can help my pastor when he preaches. If he ever needs a hanky, I’ll have one there for him. That way, I can help my pastor preach!”

What a Lady! Thank You!

I don’t know where all of the Helen Simons in our Pentecostal churches have gone today.

(They just don’t make them like the use to!)

Every pastor needs a Helen Simon!

Written by Martyn Ballestero

March 27, 2010 at 1:52 am

Posted in Acts Of Service, Christian Living, Love

The Last Thing You Lose Is Your Hearing.

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The Last Thing You Lose Is Your Hearing

Bro. Henry Baskins fell like he’d been shot. The sound of his head hitting the floor was enough to make those nearby sick and alarmed. His fellow workers called 911 and anxiously watched for the ambulance.

Within minutes, my phone rang and informed me that one of the most precious men in the Kingdom of God was in a coma and being taken from the ER to ICU. My heart sank. Bro. Baskins was near retirement age. No one had an answer why he had passed out on the job. He’d had no previous health concerns.

Henry Baskins

He was a church favorite. Even though he drove over 20 miles each way to church, he was always an hour or so early. He had been an usher as long as I could remember. His pockets always contained a bag of candy for the children. That made him a very popular man after church.

Sis. Baskins lived a pampered life. He waited on her had and foot, did the grocery shopping, chauffeured her anywhere she wanted to go. What if he died? What would happen to her? She’d never even driven a car!

After calling the Prayer Chain in our church, I rushed to the Osteopathic Hospital. As I headed for ICU, I noticed family and saints were gathering too. There was a waiting room next to the ICU door.

No one, not even family was allowed to go in and see him yet. I told the folks in the waiting room to pray for Bro. Baskins. They prayed Pentecostal style.

I pushed the call button and announced myself. The nurse buzzed me in. She escorted me to Bro. Baskins’ room. My heart sank when I saw him. There were more tubes connected to him than I’d ever seen. There were tubes down his throat, up his nose, in his chest, his arms, his hands and his leg. It seemed like there were 10 monitors going. The pumping sounds of the machine doing the breathing for him were hard to ignore. He looked hopeless.

Even though he was unconscious, I announced myself to him. I said, “Bro. Baskins, this is Bro. Ballestero and I am here to pray for you.

My prayer was probably only a minute or so. I felt guilty being the only one allowed back in his room. I really didn’t want to leave even though my prayer was over.

My Dad had always said that the last thing we lose is our hearing, naturally and spiritually. I remembered that, and began to talk.

I said, “Bro. Baskins, no one knows what happened at work today. Those close to you said you just fell over and hit your head. You have been in a coma ever since. The ambulance brought you to the Osteopathic Hospital.

“The doctors are trying to find out what the cause of the problem is. They don’t know. No one but me is allowed back here right now. So, don’t worry about your family not coming in, because the nurses are being very protective of you right now.

“Your wife is in the next room. All of her needs are being taken care of. Your children are here. The saints have filled up the ICU waiting room and I have the Prayer Chain praying for you.

“When they start letting family come in here, it will only be once every 4 hours and then, just for a few minutes. Now don’t worry about anything. You just focus on getting well, we’ll keep praying. I love you!”

Every time I went to see him, I prayed, and then I chattered. I told him of the news in the church. I talked about his family. Reassured him of his wife’s comfort. Every day for about 3 weeks I visited his room.

One Friday, he woke up. They checked him over and checked him out. When I heard the news that he was home and walking around. I rejoiced! This was awesome news.

Sunday morning when I stepped into the auditorium, there was Bro. Baskins standing at his usual ushering post. He hugged my neck and tears came into his eyes.

“Bro. Ballestero, when you came into my room and prayed for me and talked to me, I heard every word you said. Thank you, Thank you!” He said.

He could still hear! Unbelievable! Even when he was in such bad shape!

Dad’s words again echoed through my memory. “The last thing you lose is your hearing, naturally and spiritually.”

42 times the Bible says, “He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.”

Can you still hear?

Written by Martyn Ballestero

March 26, 2010 at 5:23 pm

Posted in Christian Living

Policemen

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Policemen

Some Policemen sit at a desk all day.

Some Policemen drive cars..

Some Policemen ride motorcycles.

Some Policemen are traffic cops.

Some Policemen work in crime labs.

Some Policemen are Detectives.

Some Policemen are Patrolmen.

Some Policemen work Homicide.

Some Policemen direct traffic.

Some Policemen escort funerals.

Some Policemen work security at the Airport.

Some Policemen patrol our National Borders.

Some Policemen monitor gang activity.

Some Policemen catch spies.

Some Policemen monitor terrorists.

Some Policemen wear blue.

Some Policemen wear tan.

Some Policemen wear plain clothes.

Some Policemen are military.

Some Policemen are with the IRS.

Some Policemen are with the ATF.

Some Policemen are with the DEA.

Some Policemen are with the Border Patrol.

Some Policemen are with Highway Patrol.

Some Policemen are with the Fish and Game Department.

Some Policemen are with the Forestry Division.

Some Policemen are with the Secret Service.

Some Policemen are with a S.W.A.T. team.

Some Policemen patrol school crossings.

Some Policemen are forensics specialists.

Some Policemen inspect parking meters.

Some Policemen are Sheriffs.

Some Policemen are Mounties.

Some Policemen are Rangers.

Some Policemen are Marshalls.

Some Policemen are Troopers.

Some Policemen are Deputies.

Some Policemen are Agents.

Some Policemen are Chiefs.

Some Policemen are Investigators.

Some Policemen are Inspectors.

Some Policemen hold press conferences.

Some Policemen work in the basement.

Some Policemen have local authority.

Some Policemen have regional authority.

Some Policemen have national authority.

Some Policemen have unlimited authority.

The thing they have in common is they all took The Oath to preserve and protect. They are all Policemen with different duties and work in different departments.

We do not show disrespect to, or dishonor a Policeman, because he performs different duties than some other Policemen we know. If we have an emergency, we are always relieved when we see the badge, regardless of his department or rank.

Now, Lets Talk About Your Pastor, Your Man Of God.

What badge does he have to wear to be a Pastor?
What badge does he have to wear to make you happy with him?
It is unwise and unfair to want him to wear every hat, badge, or uniform in the ministry.
Let him do what God called him to do.
Let him be what God called him to be.
We have been given a 5-fold ministry.
He’s a part of that.
All preachers are different.
Their deliveries are different.
Some are teachers.
Some are apostles.
Some are pastors.
Some are prophets
Some are evangelists.
Some preach long sermons.
Some preach short sermons.
Some preach doctrine.
Some preach faith.
Some preach evangelistic.
Some preach practical living.
He doesn’t even have to preach fast to be anointed.
He doesn’t have to have a “National” ministry to be called of God.
He may not be known outside his local area, but he’s still God’s man.
Give you Pastor the respect and honor God requires.
After all, he’s a Policeman of sorts in that he watches for your soul.
In that day, he will even have to talk to God about you.

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.

May your Pastor always be your favorite preacher, no matter how much you enjoy hearing others!

Written by Martyn Ballestero

March 23, 2010 at 10:59 pm

Posted in Christian Living, Ministry, Respect

Your Finest Hour

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Your Finest Hour

Illustrations: What is your finest hour? What is your one defining moment?

England’s – (Winston Churchill’s Speech)
America’s – Patrick Henry – Give me liberty.
What you do under pressure, and against ALL odds.
9-11 – Firemen, Policemen.

It’s not always what you do out of your Strengths that counts.
It’s not always what you do out of your Successes that counts.
But what you do when your back is to the wall.
When you are looking Failure square in the face.

1. When You Get Back Up!

It’s not your victories and successes that are so awesome, it’s your recovery from failure.

2 Tim 2:25-26 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

(2 Tim 2:26) And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.