Archive for the ‘Love’ Category
You’re Doing It Wrong
You’re Doing It Wrong
1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
If In Your Christian Journey, You Did Not Acquire The Love Of God; You Did It All Wrong.
If In Your Life Of Holiness And Righteousness, You Did Not Acquire The Love of God; You Did It All Wrong.
Then on “The Judgment Day” It Won’t Be Funny! Because You Did It All Wrong!
Thank You For Keeping A Smile On My Face For 46 Years!
I’ve been in love with Marcia June Starr Ballestero since November 29,1964. Although it was 17,060 days ago, I remember that day very well. It was the Sunday night after Thanksgiving. That was the day my heart decided there was no one else in the world for me, but her. My heart was right.
I absolutely fell head over heels in love with the girl. I love her ageless beauty. I am forever enamored with the sound of her voice. I could listen to her chatter for hours. She is my favorite singer in the whole world. Her practical wisdom has benefited our marriage too many times to count. Her children call her blessed, her grandchildren adore her, and I can’t imagine my life without her being the center of it. She still makes me beam from ear to ear when she calls me Honey.
I am so very proud to show her off in public. I delight in her company. There’s still not enough hours in the day when we are together. Her loving and tender words continue to melt my heart and turn it into mush. I’m more in love with her today, even after 46 years. Her beauty and charm still turns my head!
Some have heard me call her Sister Honey, and others have heard me call her Sugar Booger. For Forty Six years, I’ve had the great honor of calling her my wife. I still call her Baby.
We said ‘I Do’ on August the 14th 1965. Besides the day I received the gift of the Holy Ghost, marrying her was by far, the greatest day of my life.
That’s 16,802 days of married bliss, or:
- 1,451,692,800 seconds
- 24,194,880 minutes
- 403,248 hours
- 2400 weeks (rounded down)
She has voluntarily made me the King of her world and treated me accordingly. I have made her the Queen of my life. No one is like her. No one comes close. She is altogether lovely. She’s the Best!
She has held my hand, and walked faithfully through life beside me. She has been my constant support and life’s greatest pleasure. She has never complained about the hardships of our life, and ‘made do’ when there wasn’t much money to ‘do’ with. I will always be in her debt.
She sacrificed her health and placed her life on the line to give us five wonderful children that have made us both grateful to God and proud.
Marcia! Thank you for all you have done for me and for our family over the years. Thank you for every sacrifice you made in raising our family and keeping our home. Thank you for never nagging or being critical. Thank you for being so loving! You are amazing indeed!
Martyn & Marcia Ballestero
Thank you too my Darling, for keeping a smile on my face for 46 years! I Love You With All My Heart!
Happy 46th Anniversary!
Marty
Young Person, Is That The Best Deal You Could Make?
Young Person, Is That The Best Deal You Could Make?
- Some People are just awful in Business.
- It’s just not their nature to bargain, barter, or make a good deal.
- They always seem to get cheated.
- They always lose money when they sell things.
- Others easily take advantage of them.
Imagine Then:
- Selling an heirloom at a yard sale for $1.00.
- Being happy to unload a treasure, at a give-a-way price, then get pressured to take $.50 and do.
- Later, you find out the real value and you are ashamed of your own stupidity!
- You realize you acted like you were an Idiot!
- You sold it too cheap!
- You’ll spend your life with that regret.
- You didn’t make the Best Deal You Could Make!
- Did you think you would never find another buyer? (Was it Seller’s Panic?)
- Basically, it looks like you were willing to give it away, or you didn’t care.
- To YOU it had no value, because you placed none upon it.
- Was it because you don’t know the value or worth of your possessions?
- How can you possess something for years and be clueless of its value?
- If you inherited something, you may or may not be sure of its value.
- That’s why you could always get an appraisal, or even a second opinion.
- You take what you have to a knowledgeable party and say:
- Tell me what it’s worth?
- Is this junk or real.
- An Heirloom or Trash?
- Then you believe what they said and never settle for less.
- Treat yourself the same way
What Am I Talking About? The Value Of You!!
- You.
- The Value Of You.
- The Business of You on the Open Market.
- And what worries me is that You may be settling for give-a-way price.
- If so, YOU must not have any respect for yourself.
- Or any hopes you have of ever doing much for God.
- Because you were willing to place an Heirloom in the same basket as the Trash.
- Too blinded by the flesh, to see the value of God’s gift (call) in your life.
I’m Always Amazed At Good Boys And Girls Settling For Spouses With:
- No spirituality.
- No personality.
- No signs of the Holy Ghost.
- No common ground but fleshly desire.
And I Say To Myself. “Was That The Best Deal You Could Make?”
- “Why didn’t you go to your Pastor and get an appraisal?”
- “ And then, believed him?”
- “Why didn’t you go to your Parents and get an appraisal?”
- “And then believed them?”
The Body’s Skin Is Only The Wrapping Of The Present.
- Only an idiot would so fall in love with the wrapping, that they never want to open the gift and see what is on the inside.
- It’s what’s on the inside that is of value.
- Shallow people fall in love with the wrapping and not what’s inside.
You Look In The Mirror, And…
- All you see of yourself is a nose you don’t like.
- Ears that somehow are all wrong to you.
- Zits that you just know will turn off the world.
- A Shape or Build that’s far from pleasing in your eyes.
- So you feel that because you are, for the moment unhappy with the wrapping, you think the inside must not be worth much either.
- So you De-value yourself.
- That’s the first step towards making a bad Business Deal in life.
- Settling for some Carnal Companion for a Marriage Partner.
- Settling for someone who is very wrong for you.
- I ask again, Was That The Best Deal You Could Make?
- I wish I could get you to believe that: “You are someone very special!”
Hey guys, if all you are interested in is a girls dress size, then that may be all you ever get. If you marry just for the wrapping, you might be disappointed with the present. But if you look deeper and marry what’s inside, you’ll not be sorry.
- What makes a person of Value & Worth settle for someone who is shallow and empty? (You are deceived if you think you will help them grow in God. Let them mature and grow in God first and then consider marriage.)
- What makes a person of Value marry some sorry outfit that won’t work and just sits at home plays his Sony Play Station or Xbox 360 all day and night?
- What makes a person of Value marry someone who is half Psycho? Was that the Best Deal they could make? Surely not.
- What makes a person of Value marry someone who would rather do drugs than live for God?
Maybe you’re in a small home missions church and you love God. But there are just not many boys in your church. You get desperate and feel like you are running out of chances to get married, so you grab the first person who smiles at you. Regardless if they are in church or out. Regardless if they are on fire for God or not. Don’t think you will marry them and then fix them or get them saved. The odds are against you.
What makes a person of Value meet some carnal Quail-head at a Conference or Camp, and fall for them. Then marry and leave a Great church to go to some dried up excuse for one. Their soul will not doubt dry up too, just because they thought this is the best they could do.
In my opinion, it’s better to be an old maid wishing you could get married, than to be a married woman wishing you were an old maid. It would be better to be a bachelor on fire for God, than to marry someone who will drag you out of church. Why would anyone want to spend the rest of his or her life saying, “Come on honey, go to church with me tonight. Pleeeeeze?”
God’s plan for your life involves great things for you and for His Kingdom. Don’t go hormonal stupid and mess up what Heaven has in store for you!
Let Me Talk About The Parents For A Minute!
Isaac and Rebecca set helplessly by as their son threw away his future and married women that brought grief to their hearts. Sadly, it still is happening today.
(Gen 26:34) And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
(Gen 26:3V) Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
They were grieved because they knew Esau could have made a better deal and didn’t. But then again, this is the same man who made a bad deal in trading his birthright for a bowl of beans. Some people never seem to catch on.
I just happen to be the proud father of the most beautiful daughter in the world who is just as beautiful on the inside. She is married to a great pastor that makes my heart proud as well. They are a wonderful couple that brings great joy to our family and me.
When my daughter Marisa was still single and living at home, it was not uncommon for young men to travel long distances just to come and see her. Pretty girls are worth seeing. They all hoped for a chance to win her affection. She did a good job filtering out the bad ones. (She got that gift and her good looks from her Mama.)
One time though, I didn’t give my daughter a chance to say no to a potential suitor. As the father, I became the filter and her personal defender.
She was about eighteen when a knock came on our front door one day. I opened the door and was very surprised. I did not know the young man, nor had I seen him before. Neither had I ever heard him mentioned.
It looked like someone had set a bowl on top of his head and mowed around it leaving a black thick thatch of hair on top. He had a pierced lip, nose and an earring. His tongue was pierced too. His clothes looked soiled.
I nodded and said hello.
He gamely smiled and said, “Is Marisa Home.”
I looked him up and down real slow letting the smile leave me face. Then I looked him in the eye and with my no-nonsense voice I said, “Not to you, she’s not.)
The look of shock was still on is face when I closed the door.
Don’t even think about telling me I was rude or impolite. I am a Father. A Father’s job is to protect his family.
You don’t raise a daughter up to the age of eighteen and then throw her away to the first pair of britches that comes by. Neither do you raise up a son and throw him to the first skirt that rustles in his direction. Furthermore, you don’t let them throw themselves away either.
If all they hear from mom and dad is criticism and negativity about themselves, they may not value themselves very much either. You may have just set up your own child to make a bad deal in life.
Be thankful to God if your child is a good son or daughter. Brag on them, encourage them, guide them without nagging or harshness. Love them into making the right choices. Validate their achievements and right choices with praise.
Young Person. God did something special when He made you. Believe it, and never settle for anyone that would keep you from being what God meant you to be. His hand is on your life. Don’t take it off.
Do You Love Your Doctor More Than You Love Your Pastor?
Do You Love Your Doctor More Than You Love Your Pastor?
It seems like people love their doctor more than they love their pastor. There is a great disparity of respect in the hearts of society between the two. This is openly demonstrated in the way their advice is treated.
That was a sentiment shared with me in a recent conversation with my friend, Pastor Jerry Rowley Jr. I have taken great liberties attempting to expound on his comment.
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The role of a doctor is greatly honored by our society. A doctor’s diagnosis and his orders are so respected that state laws support him. In extreme cases some states have been known to incarcerate individuals for their non-compliance to the doctor’s orders.
A pastor is greatly honored as well. The members of the congregation can choose to heed his advice. His words are sometimes received with suspicion or outright rejection. The following fictional scenarios may help describe the difference:
PATIENT 1
The new patient sat anxiously in the examination room while the doctor looked over the file holding all the test results. He made notations every now and then. Without a word, he picked up a thick book and thumbed back to the index. He located the reference he was looking for and made a few notations on the chart.
The doctor then asked a few pertinent questions, and checked the patient’s vital signs. He then turned and began to write several prescriptions.
The doctor folded the top cover back over the chart and in his best bedside manner broke the news to the patient and his spouse.
“As you know, your blood work came back and I didn’t like what I saw. So, that’s why I ordered the MRI. The bad news is, you have a mass that concerns me, it’s still contained, but if it is cancer and left untreated, it will be fatal.”
The patient then willingly goes through several months of chemo treatments. They endure more moments of pain and nausea than they wish to remember. They change their eating habits and strictly adhere to the diet the doctor gave them.
They also go back every week or so to the doctor’s office for checkups. The journey to recovery may be years. They will pay the cost and tolerate every inconvenience just to survive. They brag on their doctor and sing his praises when they go into remission.
The cost of the treatment: It varies, but sometimes runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The weekly office visits aren’t cheap either.
Patient 2
The Holistic Doctor looked at her patient. She told him that the cancer had spread. Her prescription was not written on paper, but she advised her patient to drink nothing but a mixture of carrot and asparagus juice. Eat no solid food, and drink only water and the carrot juice cocktail.
She then sells the patient an expensive juicing machine. The patient goes home and ingests nothing into his body but water and the prescribed juice for one year. Friends shake their heads at the patient’s willingness to follow through with the strict regimen.
Visits are made to the office to monitor his progress. After a year, the results are in. The patient is cancer free. He testifies openly and brags on the results. The diet worked.
The costs of the doctor’s visits weren’t cheap either. Even though the health insurance wouldn’t pay, he happily refinanced his house to pay for his recovery.
In both scenarios, the patient did whatever was asked of them, and willing paid for their costly treatment. They had no problem doing weekly or monthly follow-up visits. They love their doctors. They are healed.
Church Scene 1
The pastor sits in the office with a crying young man. He tells the pastor what has happened. He is ashamed.
The pastor had great hopes for him. He had shown so much potential. Now there’s much damage and others will be affected.
When the crying ends, the pastor prays with the man and then says, “I’m afraid I’m going to have to take you off the platform and set you down for a while. I want to help you recover yourself”
“How long will I be set down?”
“We’ll see. It depends on how you do. I want to see you in the prayer room before every service. I don’t want you having anything to do with the people we just talked about. I want to see some evidence of your repentance. You can recover. I will be here for you. Call me anytime if you need me or feel yourself getting weak again. I love you.
When the office visit is over, the pastor/saint relationship is over too. Rather than submit to the pastor’s prescription for recovery, and be set down for a while, the man changes churches.
The cost was nothing to the church member. The pastor gave of himself to no avail. The church lost money, a member and quite possibly, a soul.
Church Scene 2
The pastor stood behind the pulpit, his sermon had been impressed upon him in prayer. The Lord stirred his heart to preach against the things of the world that were in the church.
Signs of worldliness had shown itself here and there in the congregation. He preached the essentiality of Acts 2:38. He said when you get this Holy Ghost experience, your life changes. Your friends change. You dress holy. You don’t do the things you used to do. You no longer go to the places you used to go.
The lack of response from the audience loudly stated their reaction to the sermon. A few members looked sideways at their friends and family to catch their reaction. They mostly just looked at the preacher without visible reaction.
After service a few phone calls were made. A private meeting was set up. Then a formal meeting was arranged. The pastor was voted out.
The cost? Whatever it was, the people refused to pay it.
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I am not talking about bad doctors or bad pastors. I am addressing how even good doctors and good pastors sometimes get treated differently.
There are many people alive today because they followed the good doctor’s advice. There are many people spiritually alive today because they followed the advice of their good man of God.
Thank God for every saint that loves his or her pastor enough to obey him.
You follow the advice of those you love.
Jesus said: John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Do You Love Your Doctor More Than You Love Your Pastor?
Surviving Your Nightmare
Surviving Your Nightmare
Sometimes life doesn’t seem fair. Worse than that, events happen that knock your feet out from under you. The pain is like a nightmare that won’t stop. Thank God we have the Holy Ghost, a church, a pastor, a Bible, family and friends to help us through. Job didn’t.
What happened in the book of Job is hard for human minds to fathom. The book starts out with a special meeting. The sons of God came before the Lord. Satan came also.
The Lord asked Satan where he’d been and what he’d been doing, then the next question He asked was, “What do you think about my servant Job?
Unbeknown to Job, he was God’s favorite person in the whole world. Being God’s favorite has the greatest of benefits. God loved him so much He put a hedge around him.
Satan was sure that Job only served God for the financial blessings. God gave Satan permission to find out for sure.
Satan’s First Day Of Trying To Destroy Job.
Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Satan took Job’s most prized possessions in one day.
- His Beloved Children
- His Herds
- His Wealth
- All Gone in One Day
Satan’s Second Day Of Trying To Destroy Job.
Job 2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
Job 2:2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Job 2:3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
Job 2:4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
Job 2:5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 2:6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
Job 2:7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
Job 2:8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
Satan Attacked Job physically. He couldn’t make him curse God by destroying his possessions and his family. He was still reeling from the loss of his children and his financial empire. But Satan wasn’t done. His second attack on Job was physically and emotionally. Physically with the boils, and emotionally with critical ‘friends.’
- Boils
- Critical And Fault Finding Friends
By this time, Job is feeling pain in every part of his body and soul. His own wife pushes him to reject God. She has had it with living for God. Job was not a weak man and would not budge.
He kept trusting God and said, Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.”
Job vowed to maintain his ways. He promised God he would keep on doing what he’s always been doing… serving the Lord.
In the end, God blessed Job with double what he had before, yes and double the number of children too.
There may be days in your walk with God that you feel what you are going through is an attack from Satan. You may be very well right.
I can only imagine how devastating it is to feel the cold icy hands of Satan trying to destroy you in your labor for the Lord. I am sure it is very easy to focus on the pain he has inflicted upon your life. Pain comes in many forms, such as the loss of finances, the loss of health, the loss of friendships, and the loss of life. It is a very personal nightmare to watch him tear down everything you have built.
On top of all the pain that Satan brings, he will talk trash to your mind as well. He will tell you that you are, “Out of the will of God. God hates you. You have sinned in the past and this is God’s judgment upon you. You are not qualified to be in the work of the Lord. Get out now.”
He will push you to resign whatever office or position you have in the Kingdom of God. He will tell you to withdraw and lick your wounds. He will tell you that you are not loved or appreciated either.
Satan plays dirty. He is not a gentleman. He will kick you when you are down. He did it to Job, and Job didn’t even have the Holy Ghost.
I am not sure that Job even knew he was God’s favorite man in the whole world. I don’t think that he even knew God had his picture hanging on heaven’s wall. Job didn’t know he was heaven most prized earthly possession. All Job knew about was the pain. He hurt so bad, that pain was all he could see.
To those of us today who feel the harshness of Satan’s handiwork in our lives, I wish to remind you of these things:
- Don’t believe Satan’s Lies.
- God does not hate you. In fact He loves you dearly.
- If pain and problems mean you are out of the will of God, then the Apostle Paul never was in the will of God.
- Job was God’s favorite and he still went through this and God brought him out victorious.
- God’s loves you. You enjoy a better relationship with Him than just being on in His list of Favorites, You are His Child.
- He will bring you out victorious, just like He did Job.
- God knows what you are going through. He has not forgotten where you are.
- He will bring you out
- He will give you back all that the enemy has taken from you… and more!
You Are God’s Favorite Child, In Spite Of What Satan Does.
God Has A Hedge Built All Around You.
It’s God Who Is In Control Of Your Situation.
Be Faithful Like Job, And He Will Bring You Through Your Nightmare.
You Will Survive, In Jesus Name!
Out Of Context, But Still The Truth
Out Of Context, But Still The Truth
With my Reader’s permission, I am attempting to take a scripture out of context to illustrate a point. Knowing that doing so is dangerous; I will try to be careful. The scripture phrase that caught my attention comes from Psalms ninety-one.
Psa. 91:6… the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
“The Destruction That Wasteth At Noon Day.”
The original meaning of the impending judgment in this verse gets obscured when I think of a secondary application.
The life of a man, I suppose could be loosely classified using three basic stages of life, Youth, Middle Age, and Old Age.
Adults understand that young people can make mistakes. With the maturing process sometimes come tears and maybe even a little heartache. Older folks sometimes look at a young person with problems and tell themselves, “They’ll grow out of it!” Most often, they do. It’s called maturity.
By the time a man is retired, and his hair has fallen out, he is expected to act like he has some sense. As Bill Cosby once quipped, “He’s an old man trying to get into heaven now.”
The middle-aged group, however, is my focus. Society has a term for a guy who ‘acts out’ or does something stupid when he is middle age. They call it a mid-life crisis. Pick up on the word crisis. To me, that crisis can be the ‘destruction that wasteth in the noonday’ of a man’s life.
Of late, I’ve heard way too many stories of such destruction. I understand that all of us go through hormonal changes before we die. It’s no secret. We know about it. We all know about it even before it happens. Even with all the warning signs, some men (occasionally a woman, but mostly men) surrender to their primal urges. They no longer think of family, church or God. All they can focus on is their own desire. They selfishly trade all their family’s future peace and joy for what they imagine is the ultimate pleasure. The forbidden.
Why do some Spirit filled men ignore all the warnings and throw moral caution to the wind. I know some that made it through their youth and remained pure. Then, they messed up when they got older. That’s pure stupidity. Right when you have the most to lose, you throw it away for a fling.
Look again at the faithful bride you were once were head over heals in love with. The one God gave you. You can’t afford to let her walk away! And your children! Man, are you crazy? How do you face your babies when they know you’ve just destroyed their home? What’s going to happen to them? You’ve just brought your own house down on top of yourself. It’s not worth it… ever!
Esau threw away a birthright for just one meal. Heb. 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Don’t do anything stupid. Keep your flesh under subjection. It’s possible or God would not have required it. It’s what normal people do. It’s certainly what Spirit-filled people do. Die out to your carnal lusts. The Apostle Paul told us he did. He said he died daily. If Paul had too, we don’t have an excuse.
Every one has to keep their flesh under subjection and in control. Quit thinking that you are an exception. You’re not. Everyone’s flesh is weak. We all need God’s help. We also need to purpose in our own hearts to be faithful.
I can’t make you be faithful to your wife, sir. Ma’am, I can’t make you be faithful to your husband either. I sure can’t make you love each other. Actually, no one can make you do anything. The price you will pay for your personal pleasure will be greater than you could ever imagine. It will end in disillusion and shame.
There are three scripture verses encouraging men to love their wives.
- The first one explains that she should be loved with all your heart.
- The second scripture admonishes the husband to let go of the past problems in the relationship, and in spite of those hurts, love her!
- The third one commands husbands to love their wife like they love themselves. If you don’t love your wife, then you don’t even love yourself.
Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Col. 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
Eph. 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Purpose in your heart to protect yourself and protect your family from the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
Be the man your wife needs you to be.
Be the man your children believe you to be.
Be the man God has called you to be.
Be a Man!
The Best Thing I Can Do For You Is To Love You.
The Best Thing I Can Do For You Is To Love You.
Some people are easier to love than others. Occasionally we encounter those that are critical, abrasive and even harsh. It doesn’t feel good. They seem to resist any and all expressions of kindness and goodwill. Their spirit is such that it is tempting to put a great distance between them and us.
It is easy to love those that love us back. There is warmth and comfort in friendships like that. The two-way street of Friendship is an easy road to travel. We feel wanted and even needed among loving friends and family.
Many of our letters, text messages, emails and phone calls to friends and family end with the “I Love You” salutation. Most of us find that easy to say. Yet we would never dream of saying that to some people.
There are those that we meet and they take an immediate dislike for us. Maybe they are just having a bad day and we just happened to cross their paths. I don’t know.
Others seem to focus their sights on us on purpose and take great exceptions to everything we do or say. It feels like we will always be wrong as far as they are concerned.
Do not fall into the trap of fighting them back, or God forbid, hating them. Bitterness consumes everyone one that allows it access.
It does not feel good to be hated, rejected or criticized. None of us want to be mistreated, persecuted or despitefully used. It’s painful to have our good name attacked or our ideology trashed. That makes our carnal nature want to rise to the defense. Then the war begins.
Too many of us spend our life doing battle with our enemies. How long do we let a war go on? The story of the Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s family feud maybe legendary, but it does not need to be repeated.
May we make up our minds to love one another. May we truly love those in our home and in our church. But God’s will is for our love to extend past those walls and reach into the lives of our enemies. May we love those that refuse to love us.
Jesus told us that there is no special reward in loving those that love us back. But He did require that we love those that were our enemies. He asked us to love them that refused to love us back.
He told us that if we wish to be called His child, we were required:
- To Love Our Enemies.
- To Bless Our Enemies.
- To Do Good Things For Them.
- To Pray For Them.
Matt. 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Matt. 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Matt. 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Matt. 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
- Feed Him If He’s hungry
- Give Him Water If He’s Thirsty
Rom. 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
- Do we meet the requirements of sonship listed of Matthew 5:43-46?
- Do we qualify as a child of the Father?
- I pray we all do!
The Best Thing I Can Do For You Is To Love You.
The Best Thing I Can Do For Myself Is To Love You.
By The Way, I Love You!
She’s A Lady!
She’s A Lady!
(From an old man’s point of view, with help from the two Beautiful Ladies in my life; my wife Marcia Starr Ballestero and my daughter Marisa Hartzell.)
MJB
÷÷÷
Marcia June Starr Ballestero
If you are a Lady, it is no accident. A lot of caring people got involved in the training process.
- A Lady is not born a Lady; she’s made into one.
- Someone had to help her.
- Her parents, her family, or someone close, participated in her education.
- If she is a Lady, it’s not an accident.
- A Lady conducts herself as a Lady.
- She expects to be treated like a Lady and she won’t settle for less.
- There are some things a Lady always does and some things a Lady would never do.
For Example:
1. A Lady Is Never Loud
- She uses her ‘inside’ voice when speaking.
- A Lady does everything to keep from being known as a loud mouth.
- She doesn’t scream and yell unless it’s absolutely necessary.
- She doesn’t rant and rave to get her way.
- She always strives to keep her composure and show calmness.
2. A Lady Watches Her Language
- She doesn’t use swear words.
- She lives so that if someone did swear around her, they would apologize.
- She doesn’t tell off color jokes.
- She avoids being around those that do.
3. A Lady Is Private About Her Personal Life
- She does not cheapen her life or others by passing along private information.
- She would never ask anyone else about their private life.
4. She Would Include The Pastor (And God) In Her Courtship
- She would ask the Pastor’s opinion of the guy she’s interested in.
- She would ask him if he would approve of you two ‘seeing each other.’
- She would invite him to pray with you about him.
- A relationship with a wrong person may destroy her.
- Someone worth marrying is most often found worshipping or around an altar, not hanging around the foyer.
- She would break up with him if her Pastor advised her to and be thankful that he was watching for her soul.
- She would be very worried if her friends didn’t like him.
- She would be very worried if her parents didn’t like him.
- She would honor her parent’s wishes and requests.
5. A Lady Always Tries To Be On Time
- There will always be occasions when things run late. She tries to make that the exception.
- A Lady has much more personal preparation than a man. That’s a given. She doesn’t abuse the privilege.
6. A Lady Pays Attention To Her Personal Hygiene
- She takes a shower or bath faithfully.
- She finds a deodorant that works for her.
- She brushes her teeth and uses mouthwash if necessary.
- She Keeps a supply of Q-tips .
- She knows Cologne can be smelled from afar and that it can be overwhelming. She is uses it with moderation.
- She knows that it’s not a substitute for soap.
- She shampoos her hair and keeps her scalp free of sweat and dandruff.
- She knows that just the word ‘Lady’ conjures up a picture of cleanliness and beauty in a man’s mind.
7. She Is Careful About Her Nose
- She excuses herself to blow her nose.
- She leaves the table to do it if possible.
- She turns her back to the table guests if she can’t leave to take care of her business and then places handkerchief in her purse or out of sight.
- She is aware that a wet nose is only tolerated on dogs.
- She keeps her finger out of her nose in public.
8. A Lady Pays Attention To Her Clothes
- She keeps her shoes polished.
- She cleans and trims her fingernails.
- She dresses with class.
- She does not wear revealing and formfitting clothes.
- She does not show cleavage.
- She does not dress so as to leave nothing to the imagination.
- She wears dresses that cover her knees even when sitting.
- She knows that she will not attract a Godly Husband by dressing like the world.
- She knows that if she doesn’t dress like the ‘world’ she won’t attract as many undesirables.
9. A Lady Is Gracious
- She says thank you when doors are opened for her.
- She says thank you when he pulls the chair out for you at the table.
- She says thank you when a Gentleman assists her with her coat. (On or off.)
- She says thank you when a Gentleman gives up his chair for her.
- She says thank you when a Gentleman picks up something she dropped.
10. A Lady Has Dining Manners
- She always chews with her mouth closed.
- She doesn’t talk with her mouth full.
- She takes modest sized bites
- She avoids ordering food with garlic if she is going to spend time with ‘him’.
- She never uses her finger to shove food onto her fork. She may use a knife or bread.
- She doesn’t place her elbows on the table.
- She places her napkin in her lap and not in her collar.
- She does not eat as if she were condemned.
- She knows a Gentleman is grossed out immediately by a Lady’s bad table manners.
- She does not burp, pass gas or spit in public.
11. A Lady Is Careful With Her Dating Conversation:
- She never mentions former boyfriends.
- She asks him questions about himself. (Maybe he’ll catch on and ask her.)
- She doesn’t yap on and on about herself.
- She will open up and talk if she cares about him.
- She doesn’t get too serious too quick.
12. A Lady Makes The Wedding Plans: (When you arrive at that decision.)
- She knows a Wedding is the ultimate social event in a woman’s life.
- She knows a Lady should have all the free reign she needs in it’s planning.
- She knows that He should follow her lead and if He does, He won’t be sorry.
13. A Lady Doesn’t Want To Sound Like A Control Freak To Him.
- She doesn’t try to change the music he’s listening to, even if it’s not what she likes.
- She knows there will be time to play hers.
- She doesn’t try to ‘change’ him as soon as he becomes hers either.
14. A Lady Keeps Her Ego In Check
- She never acts like the world revolves around her.
- She never pouts or throws a fit to get her way.
- She keeps her emotions in check in public.
- She will not participate in a ‘Cat Fight’.
15. A Lady Does Not Pursue The Man
- A Lady does not openly pursue the man
- She waits for him to make the initial call.
- She waits for the man to come to her.
- She does not cheapen herself to get his attention.
- She will not throw herself at a man.
16. A Lady Allows The Man To Pay
- She expects Gentleman pays for all the expenses.
- She also understands that just because he bought her a hamburger, it doesn’t mean she OWES him anything!
17. A Lady Has Phone Manners
- She takes time to speak to his parents or siblings when they answer the phone if she has to call.
- She will never just blurt just out, “Is _____ There?”
- She knows taking time to talk to the Mother or Father will go a long way in helping her future with the family.
- She will not spend her time texting other people when she is with Him.
- She will focus on who she is with.
- She shows those she is with how important they are to her by not texting or calling other people at the table.
- She wouldn’t think of texting in church.
- She would never be part of sending or receiving inappropriate photos and texts.
- She knows that if a guy is willing to send her an inappropriate photo or text, she has just been warned as to his lack of morals, consecration and his intentions.
18. The Lady Knows When And Where To Draw The Line
- She draws the line.
- She demands respect of her purity and honor.
- She would never make improper advances or say suggestive things.
- She would never allow herself to be touched in an inappropriate manner or place.
- She would never think of having to ‘Prove Her Love”
- She would respect his parents, her parents and their pastor’s guidelines for courtship.
- She means ‘NO’, when she says ‘NO”.
- She understands that after she says goodnight, if she has to repent before she goes to bed, then something is wrong with her relationship.
20. A Lady Doesn’t Stay Out All Night?
- She always honors her parent’s and the pastor’s curfew.
- She knows that she should be home before midnight even if there is no curfew. Just to protect her good name.
- She will protect herself and protect him, by not spending a lot of time alone together.
- She will inform her parents about where she plans to go and what she plans to do.
- She will make sure her parents have her cell number and invite them to call her if the need arises.
- She knows the Bible already said that flesh is weak. It is weak. She will not knowingly put herself or him in a position to be tempted. There is no guy worth going to hell over.
21. A Lady Will Never Let The Romance Die After Marriage.
- She will keep the courtship alive until her last breath.
- A Lady will always be loved.
‘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.
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 