Archive for the ‘Doctrine’ Category
Don’t Cast Your Pearls Before Swine
Don’t Cast Your Pearls Before Swine
Have you been trying to reason with Holiness haters lately?
Did you get surprised when they actually said, “I hate Holiness”?
Does It surprise you that they tell bold faced lies about you now?
Some of your old friends left the Message and went Charismatic? And now they post negative stuff about you on their Facebook page?
Former Apostolics been trashing you recently and saying horrible things about you and you have been unsure how to handle their hostility?
Here’s your Scripture for today.
Matt. 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Give this Glorious Acts 2:38 Apostolic Message to a person Hungry for God! Give your Treasure of Truth to someone who will love it like you do. Even Jesus thought it was a waste of time to ‘talk’ to some folks.
(Have you ever seen an Apostate come back to Truth? Me either.)
This Gospel is too precious. Don’t waste your time on those that God is through with. They wouldn’t love the Truth. So God gave them something they would love… Delusion.
Mutter Your Way To Success
Mutter Your Way To Success
We are living in a success driven world. Everyone that does not have wad of hundred-dollar bills bulging in pockets or purses might be made to feel like they are less than successful. We look at people with extra money and consider them to be successful.
Sports fans continually hale the successes of their teams. Team owners pay sports figures more money in a half a year, than most of us will make in a lifetime. Thousands revel in the streets when their team wins the Championship or Super Bowl. They glory in the success of their favorite team.
Investors, real estate magnates and scam artists teach classes and sell lessons that supposedly will make you successful too. (For a small fee, of course.)
Politicians spend millions to get our votes so they might be successful in gaining a position of power for themselves and their political party. When they win an election, they consider themselves successful.
There is more to success than sports, finance, or politics. Those subjects are just small potatoes compared to real success. The most important success that anyone can achieve begins with muttering.
What Does Mutter Have To Do With Success?
The words Success and Mutter really don’t seem to go together on Wall Street. It’s not taught in any financial class, but I’m teaching it here.
Mutterers are smiled on by polite society. Sometimes they are made fun of as well. Critics may not take mutterers seriously, nor consider them to ever be successful.
How Does the Mind Of Man Calculate Success?
Our Dictionaries Say:
Success – (noun)
- The accomplishment of an aim or purpose.
- A person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity:
Prosper (verb) [intrans.]
- Succeed in material terms; be financially successful:
- Flourish physically; grow strong and healthy:
Everyone wants to be successful. We dread ever having the term failure attached to our name or any of our endeavors. Those that are financially successful have their names and their faces printed on magazines. Money Magazine may not have your picture on the cover this month, but that’s OK. I will give you the world’s greatest secret of success. Wall Street doesn’t even know about this, but I do.
How Does God Calculate Success?
The word Success is mentioned only one time in the Bible. God’s plan for Israel was for them to enjoy His promises. He designed a strategy whereby they could easily acquire all the bounty of the Promised Land. In the mind of God, there was only one way His children could have success in their quests. That same formula for success still works today.
(KJV) Josh. 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
- This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth.
- But thou shalt meditate therein day and night.
- That thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein.
- Then thou shalt make thy way prosperous.
- And then thou shalt have good success.
(NIV) Josh. 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
NIV Commentary
“Verse 8 is the theme verse of Joshua. The phrase “from your mouth” refers to the custom of muttering while studying or reflecting. “Meditate” (GK H2047) literally means “mutter.” When people continually mutter God’s word to themselves, they are constantly thinking about it. But knowledge of God’s law is not enough; one must also “be careful to do” what it commands. “Everything written in it” must be observed, because obedience to certain parts only is no obedience at all.”
God basic plan for Israel as they ventured into the Promised Land was simple. His design was for them to be prosperous and successful.
- He did not require a hard thing.
- His request was not unreasonable.
Here Then Is God’s Plan For Success.
- Study my Word. Learn it.
- Mediate on it. Think on it. Mutter the verses you’ve learned. Quote them aloud.
- Obey all my Word.
That’s it! One, Two, Three… Guaranteed Prosperity and Success!
- But not just any kind of Success, the verse promised “Good Success.”
- If you are not there already, get on the road to real success today.
Only Mutterers Need Apply!
Preach Me The Gospel
Preach Me The Gospel
Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Ours is a day of dilution of sacred truths. The importance of our basic tenets of faith is being challenged. Compromise is seen in every too many areas. Some sermons are not much more than an exercise in Pop-Psychology. Word preaching is non-existent in too many places. Doctrine is scorned by some and called ‘old school.’
It may be ‘old school’ to the compromiser, but doctrinal preachers, believers and practitioners are still here and doing well.
- They are still living ‘the life.’
- They haven’t caved in to compromise and worldliness.
- They were blessed to have heard some old-time Doctrinal messages on the New Birth. They got it in their heart.
- They heard teaching and preaching about Holiness, Separation from the World, Church Government, and Standards. They loved it.
- They were taught why the New Birth was important.
- They were taught why separation from the world was important.
- They were taught why it is important to live holy.
- They were taught why they should worship.
- They were taught why they should be faithful.
- They were taught why they should honor God with their tithes.
- They were taught why they should honor God with their modest apparel.
- They said Amen to the preacher.
- They believed it.
- They received it.
- They got in the Word and the Word got in them.
Some churches, organizations and fellowships have neglected the Word and turned to gimmicks and programs to distract from the obvious void and lack of a move of God.
The lack of Word preaching is evident by what is seen in the lives of many at conferences, camps and rallies. If preachers ‘get what they preach,’ someone must not be preaching very much.
There will always be a constant need to preach on worship. Please do not stop. I fear however, that our heavy emphasis on worship demonstration promotes the belief that our best services are always runaways.
Thank God for a runaway. But to me there is no measure of the lasting blessings the Word has on our lives. A shout can be forgotten. But the engrafted Word can be hidden in the heart until we die.
It is easy for some to jump up and down and run the aisle. Yet these same folks seem lost and uncomfortable in a deep move of God. Why?
Every pastor has seen folks shout in church, and then heard of them sinning before the night was over. They had the ‘physical exercise’ part down. They just didn’t get much on the inside. No root.
Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Some pastors only want to teach doctrine (or anything that isn’t evangelistic) in ‘closed door settings’. They must be afraid to stand up and preach it to their whole congregation. The shallowness of church membership today is alarming.
Psa. 119:161 …but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
Psa. 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells a story of two houses. One house was built on the rock. The other was built on the sand. All was well until the storm came. Only the house on the rock remained standing.
Without a solid foundation, we too will fall apart when the storms of worldliness come against the church.
2Chr. 15:3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
God give us a season of the teaching priest. Give us a season of loving thy law.
Paul’s Gospel was the New Birth. The Death, Burial and the Resurrection.
Thank God for preachers who just stand up and preach the Word. Thank God for saints who want to hear preaching. Singing doesn’t save us, preaching does.
The Apostle Paul didn’t say to Timothy, “Discern someone’s phone number, their name or medical condition.” He just said to preach the Word.
Carloads will drive miles to hear a preacher call out folks and pray over them. (I can tell you ahead of time what he will say. He will prophesy blessings, healing and prosperity over those he prays for. He will never discern the sinfulness they are living in.)
The same folks that go gaga over that type of ministry get easily bored listening to a ‘Word’ preacher. Some wouldn’t drive across town to hear him.
Take some advice from an old man. If you are a preacher and have a choice between being a feeder or an exhorter, be a feeder. Because a feeder will build a church.
2Tim. 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Don’t stop the worship, but at the same time, preach the Word. Keep preaching about Worship, but let Doctrine showcase your ministry.
Preacher, there are still plenty of saints out there that bring their Bibles to church.
There are still plenty of saints that bring a notebook and pen to Church just waiting.
There are still plenty of saints that will readily say, “Preach Me The Gospel.”
The Mourners At The Old Man’s Funeral
The Mourners At The Old Man’s Funeral
The casket was closed. That alone made everything seem final. There was not even a picture of the deceased anywhere to be seen. He was only still alive in the memories of those that had known him.
Family members, fellow employees, acquaintances, and friends both old and new were in attendance. Some of them mourned and consoled each another with knowing looks and tear-stained faces. Their great sense of loss was clearly evident as they continually wiped the tears away.
In the same room, others were smiling oblivious to the tearful around them. They hugged each other for joy. They seemed very happy that the old man had finally died. He had been a real source of irritation to them for a long time. They seemed to be sighing with great relief that he was finally out of the way.
Even the preacher actually seemed happy that the old man was dead too. This was unusual. Preachers normally don’t get happy at funerals, but this one did.
The sniffles and the sobs attracted everyone’s attention again. The old man would be sorely missed. For them, it was unthinkable that he was dead.
They had comforted themselves with stories of his exploits. They struggled with their losses. He’d meant something special and important to them. They were greatly irritated by the smiling faces in the room. What was wrong with those other people? How could anyone smile like that at a funeral?
Passion looked at the casket where “the old man” lay and sobbed. His best friend was dead.
Lust wept at the loss of a child.
Habit greatly mourned the slave who had broken free from it’s chains.
Guilt shook with disbelief. They had travelled many miles together.
Heartache was crying and refused to be comforted.
Selfishness and Pleasure wailed for their departed friend and comrade.
Pride hung it’s head in grief. It had evidently failed at keeping him alive.
Satan himself was the chief mourner.
The funeral procession was mixed with tears of sorrow and smiles. It’s sounds were those of weeping and shouts of joy. The two crowds kept separate from each other. Tension was strong between the two camps.
The shouters wanted to make sure “the old man” was buried. They wanted to make sure that some green grass was growing on top of him. The mourners were hoping for a miracle of resurrection.
The preacher made the final pronouncement of burial and the sound of rejoicing was overwhelming loud and raucous. There was so much joy in the camp, that the mourners all made a hasty retreat.
Rom. 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom. 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom. 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Is Your “Old Man” Yet Alive, Or Has He Died Out To Sin?
If He Is Still Alive, You Need To Make Funeral Arrangements Today!
You Can Find Out How To Make Them By Reading Acts 2:38.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
My Grandfather Was An Idiot! My Dad Was Crazy Too!
My Grandfather Was An Idiot! My Dad Was Crazy Too!
“My grandpa was old school. His ways may have worked back in the 60’s, but this is a new day! They won’t work now. Gramps was sincere and I love him, but bless his heart he didn’t do it right. Since he is gone, and now that I’m the pastor, I’ve had to make changes that will reach my generation. Grandpa’s ways just won’t work today. This is a new day!”
That’s what he said. He laughed and openly made fun of his grandfather as he talked to me about the old-time Pentecostal church services ‘back in the day.’
I knew his grandfather. I’d even preached for him. My father knew his grandfather and preached for him too. Yes, he might have done things different according to the grandson’s ‘enlightened’ thinking, but he still had over 700 in Sunday School having church the old-time way.
(You and I aren’t the finally judges of things, I know. But why can’t some people see what is so obvious and apparent to the rest. It’s seems simple when you do the doctrinal math.)
Grandpa’s “Old Time Pentecostal” Type Leadership Was,
- Preaching “Holiness” and naming sin.
- Preaching “Modesty in dress”.
- Preaching “Separation from the world”
- Preaching “Standards”.
- Preaching “The essentially of Acts 2:38 experience.
- Preaching “You must repent!”
- Preaching “You must be baptized in Jesus Name!”
- Preaching “You must be filled with the Holy Ghost speaking with other tongues!”
Because Of What He Preached, Grandpa Had Over 700 In Church Membership.
The Grandson’s “Emergent Church” Type Leadership is,
- No “Standards” preaching.
- No “Holiness” preaching or naming of sin.
- No “Modesty” preaching.
- No “Requirements for Salvation except Believe” Holy Ghost = optional.
With All His ‘Progressiveness’ He Only Has 40 In Membership.
The bulk of the saints scattered when the grandson tore down what the grandfather had built. Yet in the grandson’s blindness, he still thinks his grandpa was an idiot for preaching the old-time Pentecostal ways. And he still thinks his grandfather did it all wrong. Even though most of the saints have left, he still rejects everything that is, and everything that looks Apostolic.
Nevertheless, Grandpa Was Right!
†††
A Son’s “Enlightened” Pastoral Style
His father pastored a revival church. A growing church, but he got old and retired. The people wanted his son to be their new pastor.
Today, all evidence the father’s holiness preaching has been removed. What once was a Pentecostal showcase in the area and made true Pentecostals smile, now only makes them shake their head in dismay.
The difference is unbelievable and unacceptable to all of the senior saints. Even ministers that grew up in the church, no longer want to go back even for a visit. They now would never consider taking members from their own congregation over for a visit. The church is so shockingly different; it is even shunned by many liberals.
The choir members look just like the sinners they are singing to. All standards have disappeared.
To top things off, the son dangles a weekly retirement check over his aged father’s head in an effort to keep his dad silent. He cannot afford to ever let his father preach again. It’s a shame to see the old man of God treated with such disrespect.
He believes his dad’s doctrinal preaching of the new birth was unnecessary. He also believes preaching about any kind of dress standard is unnecessary too.
The church is not growing, but the son would rather have the smaller church and be free of standards. So, he is happy because his wife is happy. They are free at last.
Nevertheless, Dad Was Right!
†††
I don’t expect one compromiser or hater of holiness to change because of my post today. But I would like to remind my readers of an old scripture.
It’s A Promise And It’s A Prophecy!
1Cor. 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
There’s coming a day…
No Nutritional Value
No Nutritional Value
The evening camp meeting service was over in Ontario. I stood there talking to three Outfitters and five Hunting Guides. The men were all from Ontario and New Brunswick, Canada. They were talking to me about the moose-hunting story that I had told in my sermon.
After a few minutes, one of the Outfitters said to me, “Brother Ballestero did you know that if you were stranded and had nothing to eat but moose meat, you would eventually starve to death? Even with your stomach full? It has basically, no nutritional value. It’s too lean, besides.”
“No!” I said. “That’s unbelievable! I didn’t know that,”
I stood there in unbelief. Just the thought of having a full stomach and yet not being fed caught me off guard.
While I knew that the old Outfitter was probably not a nutritional expert, there were years worth of practical and sound advice being dispensed here for my benefit. I chose to believe him. That’s what he did for a living. He organized and guided moose hunts. He was a woodsman.
My mind immediately went to the lunch conversation I’d had with Brother Wade Bass. He and I had eaten at the little roadside café in Henrietta, Oklahoma back in July. Because he was fighting cancer, his Doctor had him on a very strict diet. He ordered only a salad for his meal.
“Do you have any ‘Romaine’ lettuce?” He’d asked the waitress.
While she went back to the kitchen to ask, he explained to me that he had to eat a lot of salad on his diet. He said that Iceberg lettuce had basically no nutritional value in it, so that’s why he’d asked for the Romaine.
With these two incidents freeze-framed in my mind, I begin to think about spiritual foods and spiritual diets. Or maybe I should have said, “unspiritual” diets.
How many sit every week in church services and hear sermons, sing songs, and then go home pretty much unchanged? Even though they felt like they were absolutely ‘full’? This type of pill is hard to swallow as a preacher, it is something we need to keep close to our hearts.
Is it possible to get ‘full’ on sermons that don’t say much and never seem to change any lives?
It’s possible, I think, to get full on ‘worship’ services that never touch the heart and are not much more than drum beats accompanied with powerless repetitive phrases.
I pretty much enjoy all kinds of Worship. But if I can’t feel God touching my heart, I know there is no nutritional value involved.
There is a big difference too, between being fed the “finest of the wheat” or having to live on a constant sermon diet of Faith, Blessing and Prosperity.
Am I against those sermon subjects? Not at all! Keep preaching them. We need our faith built and we sure could use some prosperity. But there’s more to the Word than just that. Feed me some ‘doctrine’ and feed me some ‘practical living’ sermons while you’re at it. I need something to feed me, not just fill me.
Thank God if you are blessed to be in a good church where you are not only get full, you get fed!
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 