Archive for the ‘Overcoming’ Category

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.

When You Recover Yourself.
Righteous man falleth Seven Times.

2. When You Stand Up To The Enemy

Pea Patch
David – Goliath
Devil, I’ve had it with you.
Take Dominion, Plead the Blood
Moses, Refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
When you take a stand for Godliness, Righteousness, (Pay bills)
Take a stand for Godliness at Home: (With children, companion)
When you say to the devil, you can’t have my son! (daughter)

3. When You Surrender To God

When They Say Yes To Him.
Abraham Offering Isaac: (Now I Know You Love Me)
Saul – Damascus
When you turn from your sin, to God.
Put Him First.
No happiness living halfheartedly.
Fall completely in love with Him.

4. When You Forgive

Let go of your bitterness.
Get your sweet spirit back.
Stop counting your injuries.
Release your prejudices and hate.

5. When You Recover What You Lost

David – Gilgal
Dreams, Vision, Burden
Joy, Love,
Prayer life, Worship
Lit a candle and swept the house UNTIL she found it.
Get Victory over Critical and Self-Righteous spirit.
Find your tenderness again.

6. When You Come Home

Onesimus went back to his master.
Prodigal

John Mark – was re-invited by Paul to join him in ministry. (He Become Profitable To Work Of God)

What’s Your Finest Hour?

When You Get Back Up!

When You Take A Stand!

Written by Martyn Ballestero

March 20, 2010 at 3:03 pm

Posted in Christian Living, Overcoming, Recovery

The Progression Of Sin

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The Progression Of Sin

We can’t talk about Holiness without talking about sin. Holiness desires to live a life separate from sin.

Appearance doesn’t matter? Some act like it doesn’t. They’re wrong.
They say they’re “Enlightened?
We had an Old fashioned Pentecostal term for them… they’re Backslid!
Leprosy is a Type of Sin

Watch the progression of sin in these 4 example of Leprosy in Leviticus 13, 14.

These all brought their concerns to the priest.
Today we wait for the preacher to say something.
We figure, if he doesn’t say anything, we must be all right.
They seemed to know, without being told, that something was wrong.
The good news is they wanted it fixed.

1. SKIN

Leviticus 13:1-9 (KJV)
²When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:
³And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

Makeup
Eye shadow
Eye liner
Blush
Cover girl
Tattoos

What what ever happened to Shamefacedness? It’s far to common to see makeup around Pentecostal Churches.

2. HAIR

Leviticus 13:20-25 (KJV)
²⁰And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.
Leviticus 13:30-33 (KJV)
³⁰Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.
³¹And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it be not in sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall seven days:
³²And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin;

Hair Styles
Cut hair on girls
Long hair boys

3. GARMENT (Clothes)

Leviticus 13:47-59 (KJV)
⁴⁷The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;
⁴⁸Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;

Immodest
Slits that should never be
When you try the skirt on and ¾ of your leg comes through the slit, aren’t there alarms that go off in your head or your heart?
(Who are you dressing like that for?
Sleeves – sleeveless and cap sleeves are too common. (I’m old school.)
I know I can be saved dressing like I do, why gamble?
Tight clothes
Revealing and sheer clothes
Israel couldn’t Blush.
God, don’t let us lose our ability to blush!

4. House

Leviticus 14:34-45 (KJV)
³⁴When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession;
³⁵And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house:

What’s in your house that God might consider Leprosy?

TV?
All kinds of Videos?
Improper Music?

Empty the house – Repent
Scrape the walls – Heart searching
Replace Stones and Morter – pray through to a renewal is always in order!

There’s no stopping place for sin. It gets everywhere. The Bible illustrated sin starting in the Skin, showing up in the Hair, displaying itself in how we Dress and then getting in our Home.

Acts 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Written by Martyn Ballestero

March 13, 2010 at 7:48 am

Posted in Christian Living, Holiness, Overcoming, Personal Growth

God Has A Diaper Bag!

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God Has A Diaper Bag!

One of the joys of parenthood is to take your little “precious” out of the house and show them off to family and friends We take them to church as well.

An earthly father is often pretty clueless about how much time, patience and effort goes into getting a baby ready to go out of the house. He often is frustrated that his wife and infant are not ready for church in the same amount of time it took him to shower and shave. But, that might be a story for another blog.

When they get to church, friends are quick to show the baby attention and some even ask if they can “hold it.”

Imagine then the service progressing and a friend on the same row is enjoying holding the new baby. Then something happens that distracts and demands immediate attention. The baby has just made a mess. Immediately the child is handed back to the parent that has the diaper bag.

What does mom (or dad) do now? Their ‘pride and joy’ has just made a mess. Stink is in the air (that is why you want to have a diaper pail with a lid at home). Everyone looks to see what is going to happen next. The congregation’s nose hairs are getting glued together by the aroma. All eyes are now on the parent too. How long will they wait before something is done? Where will they take the child?

Parents never say, “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe this child would EVER make a mess! I never dreamed on of my children would ever do something like this. I am so embarrassed. Maybe I should throw this one away and try to make another that won’t do this. I’m mortified.”

When “Junior” makes a mess, the first thing that is reached for is the diaper bag. That bag was packed before they left the house. It was probably packed before the baby was dressed for church and before leaving home. Mama was aware that babies make messes. Sometimes they make lots of messes. Mommies don’t think less of their babies because they make messes. The actually have a ready made plan to provide for such an event.

Mommy takes her bag and the baby back to the area with the changing table. She holds the baby safe on it’s back with one hand while she reaches into the diaper bag to get what she needs. Do you have a clue what all is in one of those things?

There’s:

Diapers (disposable or cloth) LOTS of them
Wet Wipes (make sure they are baby wipes and not just wet wipes. Baby wipes are larger, softer, and gentler on the baby)
Bibs
Bottles and infant formula
Bottled water, to add to bottle
Snacks for baby
Rash Ointment
Nose syringe
Medicine dropper
Nail clipper
Baby Tylenol
Toys rattle
Receiving blanket
Extra set of clothing for baby
Pacifier, if baby uses one
Johnson Baby Powder
Baby Magic Lotion
Anti-bacterial hand cleaner
Cosmetic-type bag stocked with teething aids, extra pacifier and nail clipper
Zip lock bags for many purposes, including storage of dirty diapers if no convenient disposal is possible

All of this is in place BEFORE the baby ever makes a mess.

After the baby has been cleaned up, it is brought back into the service. It now is acceptable in polite company everywhere. It now is clean, looks clean and smells clean. Thanks to Mommy’s Diaper Bag and her foreknowledge of what babies may do.

If we understand that concept, then why is it a struggle for us all to conceive that there is a sin or a sinner that God is not able to take care of?

There is no sin common unto man that He can forgive. Before we were ever born, God had a “Diaper Bag” of sorts. Before we ever made a mess of our life, He was already prepared to clean us back up and restore us anew. Calvary provided for all of that!

I’m happy to tell you that He doesn’t throw those away that make a mess. He just cleans them up and brings them back into the service!

Be thankful and be encouraged!

Written by Martyn Ballestero

February 26, 2010 at 11:39 am

Posted in Christian Living, Overcoming, Personal Growth, Recovery

The Land Of Beginning Again

Getting Bigger Than Your Scars

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Getting Bigger Than Your Scars

Every year in September, I go riding 4-wheelers for a week on the Kentucky and West Virginia border. Sometimes on a ridge we can actually see three states. We always come back and sleep in our house every night. At least one of my sons and several other preachers and their sons go with us. Fifteen to twenty guys is not uncommon.

There are some very respectful and kind men that live in that area who enjoy guiding our trips. They are not really guides in the sense that they charge anything. They just know “them thar hill and hollers.” We do buy their gas and pay for their meals, so that makes them happy. We ride long hours. We ride in all weather.

On a hot day a few years ago, we stopped on a hilltop for a snack break. I was riding 2^nd in line behind the day guide, Rick. Somehow as we were eating our snack, Rick a middle aged Southern Baptist, and myself started talking about burns and injuries.

He volunteered, “You know, Bro. Ballestero, when I was 2 weeks old, my folks kept me in a bassinet. Evidently I had a breathing problem of some kind. We had an old steam type humidifier. My Dad was carrying a pan of boiling water to pour into that humidifier. Somehow he tripped on a throw rug and that pan of boiling water spilt on my leg. Because of that, I received 3^rd degree burns on my right leg from my knee down.”

“Oh No!” I said as my face furrowed and grimaced in sympathetic pain. How Horrible!! After a few seconds pause, I asked a personal question. “Did you have to have any operation?”

“Many!” was his one word response.

I then was curious to know more, so I asked, “Do the scars still come up to your knee?”

“Oh no,” he said, “They only come up to my ankle bone now.”

“How can that be?” I wondered out loud.

“When you’re a new born baby, from your foot to your knee, is only this far,” he said, as he measured the approximate distance with this hands.

Rick then took off his right tennis shoe and then pulled off his sock too. Sure enough, there was a faint scar and discoloration from his toe on up one side of his foot to his anklebone. I looked with fascination.

“How come it only comes up to your anklebone now, when it used to come up to your knee?” I asked.

“Bro. Ballestero, he said kindly, (but I felt like the biggest goober in the world) Scars don’t grow. I got bigger than my scar!”

It was as if the Holy Ghost spoke a truth to my spirit. Scars don’t grow. It’s normal to get bigger than your scars. If we never get bigger than our scars, maybe it’s a sign we’re not growing.

Written by Martyn Ballestero

February 21, 2010 at 7:17 am

Posted in Christian Living, Grief, Life, Overcoming, Personal Growth, Recovery

“A Torment That Seemed Worse Than Hell Could Ever Be”

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The quiet young mother of two, Mary Gally, looked anxiously out the front door of her Kentucky home. The school bus was bringing her twin girls home. She couldn’t wait to see them. They were seven (7) years old and as pretty as two little girls could be. They were her pride and joy.

The bus stopped across the street. It’s lights flashed red and yellow warnings. The door opened and out bounced the girls. They walked in front of the bus crossing the street. A drunk driver ignored all warnings and sped past the bus killing both of them while their mother watched in horror.

It was a torment to her mind and to her heart that seemed worse than hell could ever be. For days she lived in numbness. She burnt candles for them at church. It seemed that the solace she desperately needed, she couldn’t find. Her Catholic upbringing provided no answers, solutions or comfort. She was totally empty.

She prayed the rosary, she went to the confessional, and nothing helped. She closed the shades on the windows of her heart and it seemed impossible to comfort her.

The pictures of the horrible scene replayed in her mind several times a day. They wouldn’t stop. They wouldn’t go away. How many times does a mother have to watch her babies die?

Mary began to find temporary comfort in the bottle. It wasn’t a solution. She knew that. It only helped for a few hours a day. Drinking seemed to lessen the pain. Her dependency grew.

A year or so slipped by and Mary slid deeper and deeper into her despair. Someone invited her to Life Tabernacle in Hopkinsville, KY. Mary prayed and in her desperation reached out to the Lord and He filled her with the Holy Ghost.

Mary came alive. Oh yes, there is still a quietness about her that lingers still, but her heart came alive. She enjoyed church. She grew in the Lord and in His Word. After the pastor felt that she was established and grounded in the truth, she was invited to teach a Sunday School class. She accepted.

She always sat on the 1^st or 2^nd row during regular church services. It seemed like she couldn’t wait for altar call. She willingly prayed with others. God had given her a gift of praying people through to the Holy Ghost. No one has ever seen anyone like her. In one week she personally prayed 25 through in her church. She did it with such easy grace and effectiveness. At every altar service Mary could be found praying with seekers.

After teaching for a while, Sis. Mary asked that if an opening ever came, she would like to teach the seven (7) year old’s Sunday School Class. They’re seemed to be a healing in that thought for her.

The 7 year olds got a new teacher. Sis. Mary was in the fulfillment of her dream. She now was surrounded by children the same age hers were. The kids loved her. The class grew. She helped it grow. She specialized in turning the conclusion of each Sunday School class session into an invitation to seek for the Holy Ghost.

A couple of years ago, Sis. Mary Gally prayed seventy (70) seven (7) year olds through to the Holy Ghost in her Sunday School class, in one year!

She had taken her pain, and turned it around using it for the glory of God, the furtherance of His Kingdom.

Knowing her personally, I stood with pride and let tears run down my cheek at the General Conference of the UPCI. I watched her being honored. This incredible woman of God was presented the “Sunday School Teacher Of The Year Award!” She had prayed more children through to the Holy Ghost in her class in one year than any teacher on record!

Epilogue:

Today, Sis. Mary Gally and her husband have two wonderful children, a daughter and a son, both grown. Her daughter is very active in the church. Her son is now the Associate Pastor with Bishop Adams in Hopkinsville, and he also is the Conquerors President for the State of Kentucky.

Don’t die till you meet Sis. Mary Gally! You’ll love her too!

Written by Martyn Ballestero

February 16, 2010 at 11:21 pm

Posted in Christian Living, Faith, Grief, Overcoming, Recovery