Surviving The Delay
Surviving The Delay
I hate delays. There seems to be very little humor in sitting dead still in traffic waiting for an hour or two. Accidents, Construction, and Gaper’s Delays always happen at a bad time for me, and everyone else for that matter. I keep checking for turn-a-rounds and exit ramps, but without much success.
As a frequent flier, I have sat in a hot plane on the tarmac, away from the gate, during the summertime. With no air conditioning working, the plane soon heated up to over 100 degrees and several passengers panicked in their desperation. I feared that in their claustrophobia the person next to me might try to open the plane’s door and thereby risk prison time. I reasoned with them for many minutes to stay calm. The delay caused desperation. They wept uncontrollably in their panic.
Survivors of natural disasters have been known to perish waiting for help to arrive. Food and water was needed, but didn’t get there soon enough. It was the delay that killed them, not the storm.
Too many stories have been told of sick people dying while waiting for an ambulance. Some have died because the doctor was busy elsewhere. They didn’t survive the delay.
Daniel once prayed an important prayer but no answer came. It may have seemed like it was an eternity for him although it was only about three weeks. Finally, an angel appeared with some news of the behind-the-scenes Spiritual Warfare that had been going on in his behalf. It was the cause of his prayer’s answer being delayed.
Dan. 10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
Dan. 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
The great news is, Daniel Survived The Delay!
Moses spent 40 days on a mountain receiving the Commandments and instructions from Jehovah. The whole nation of Israel threw all of their Judaic customs aside in one month. The made a golden calf. They sacrificed unto Baal. They took off their clothes and while dancing lewdly claimed that it was Baal that had delivered them from Egypt.
They corrupted themselves. In a very short time a whole nation backslid because it took Moses longer to return from the mountain than they had expected. The conduct of Israel is symbolic of the spirit of today.
Ex. 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
Ex. 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
Ex. 32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
Ex. 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Ex. 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
Ex. 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
Ex. 32:7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
Ex. 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Ex. 32:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Since childhood, I have heard many sermons about the coming of the Lord. He hasn’t come yet. Do I still believe? ABSOLUTELY!
My mother never dreamed I would start Kindergarten in 1949. She was sure the Lord would come first.
As a teenager in Muncie, Indiana in 1960, I heard an older boy say that he didn’t believe that Jesus would come for at least another 25 years.
He was right. The problem was however, that because he thought that, he also began to live like Jesus wasn’t coming for another 25 years. He died a tragic death in a backslidden state.
My beloved wife and I originally planned to marry on August 28,1965. But we heard several sermons on the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ, so we moved our wedding date up to the 14th just to beat the Rapture.
That was 46 years ago and Jesus still hasn’t come yet, but I’m still believing and still preaching about His coming.
Because He hasn’t come, many are living a dangerous life. The delay in His coming seems to have given many in this generation an imagined license to sin and play around with the world. Unfortunately, some are fulfilling New Testament prophesy before our eyes.
Matt. 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
Matt. 24:49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
Matt. 24:50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
Matt. 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Evidently because the Lord has delayed His coming, some of His servants are mistreating others and getting drunk on the things of life and not those things of God.
- They just couldn’t survive the delay.
- Jesus is still coming.
- Some appear to still be in church, yet they are no doubt guilty of mistreating others.
- Some have left the Holiness pathways and have gotten drunken on life and worldliness.
- Others have given up altogether.
- They couldn’t survive the delay.
The Good News Is, There Are Many That Still Say, “Even So, Come Quickly Lord Jesus.”
- I still want to live like today could be the day.
- I plan to survive the delay with His help.
How are you holding up? You’re not playing around with the world, this close to His coming are you?
Make Up Your Mind To Survive The Delay, Whatever The Cost.
The Night The Blind Lady Ran The Aisles
The Night The Blind Lady Ran The Aisles
The grandfather’s clock struck 12:30am as the CB radio crackled with static and mundane conversation. A female voice called, “Pastor Ballestero?”
I picked up the microphone and responded. The caller was Mary Swift, a blind lady. With a voice choked with tears Mary said, “I really need God. I want to repent. Tell me how to be saved.”
I was ready for bed and completely caught off guard by her interest in God and her request for guidance. I sat down in my Lazy Boy chair and began to answer her questions.
Mary was someone who I mainly knew from Amateur and CB radio. I had heard her voice for several years. None of her family was in church, nor did they seem interested. Mary’s midnight call was a major event in her family.
I carefully explained to Mary about the need for repentance, baptism in Jesus Name and the Holy Ghost speaking with other tongues. I knew that many were listening to our on-the-air Home Bible Study. I read several verses from the book of Acts chapters 2, 8, 10 and 19.
Every time Mary responded, I could detect sniffles and hear the tears in her voice. When I finished, it was about 1 am.
Mary asked, “Can I be baptized tonight?”
“You sure can,” I said, “I’ll meet you at the church at 1:30!”
My wife Marcia and I met Mary and her husband John at the side door. I baptized Mary in Jesus Name and she received the Holy Ghost while still in the water.
That was Wednesday night; it was also our Bible Study night. At church, I stood at the pulpit and announced the wonderful news of our new baby ‘sister’ in Christ.
I looked at Mary. With unseeing eyes, she was beaming with joy. Mary was sitting beside one of the most precious older women in the church who immediately had taken the new blind lady under her wing.
When the church heard the news of Mary’s hunger and midnight conversion, they yelled with excitement and began to run the aisles.
Mary, new to Pentecostal worship and demonstration, asked the older woman beside her, “What are they doing?”
“They are running the aisles,” was the reply.
“Why?” Mary wanted to know.
“Because you got the Holy Ghost.”
“I want to run the aisles too.” Mary said, “Here, take my hand and lead me.”
The older sister beside Mary was always responsive in worship, but was not one to run the aisles. Tonight however, she had no choice. She took Mary by the hand, and together they ran several laps around the church.
For years some had depended on excuses to exempt them from running the aisles. Tonight saw a blind Sister Mary running. They knew they didn’t have any excuses now. They all got up and ran with her.
That was the night every body ran the aisles. The blind led them in praise and rejoicing.
That makes me ask the question, “What are we waiting for?”
Why do we hold our praise and demonstration in reserve?
Are we waiting to feel condemnation before we worship too?
Worship is everybody’s business.
There are no excuses not to praise the Lord.
Mary continued to worship every service and never tired of running the aisles assisted by her friend.
When she told me they were moving south, I shed tears. Her husband wanted to buy a farm down in Arkansas and she had little choice in the matter. John has never gotten in church to my knowledge.
Thank you Sister Mary Swift. Your desire to lead in worship lingers heavy on mind after all these years. What an example you were to us all. Bless you!
Worshippers are the ones you miss the most.
“If I Can Just Make It Through Today…”
“If I Can Just Make It Through Today…”
How often have we met someone who was at their wit’s end? Their pain and problems maybe obvious to their family and friends. Yet there is always that unspoken deeper pain that they don’t freely share, that drives that last nail in their coffin.
With much anguish, and often with tear rimmed eyes, we have heard someone make the remark… “If I can just make it through today.”
Every day life and every day people can be overwhelming even on good days. Yet no one can truly know how much heartache their friend or family member feels when their world crashes around them.
We may have sympathy and maybe even empathy for their situation. Most of the time however, we just stand helplessly on the sidelines and watch.
Sometimes we offer words, sometimes we formulate a plan of action to help them, but too many times, we just say we’ll pray. God knows some of our praying for others is sadly without much sincerity or desperation.
Yet, to those who face things that are so overwhelming that they feel hopeless. To those that feel the unbearable pressure of life’s worst problems crushing the very life from them, I have a good word for you today.
Deut. 33:25 …and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.
God WILL give you enough strength for today. Trust Him. Tomorrow? He’ll give you enough strength for tomorrow too. God ALWAYS comes through.
Why Would You Live Your Life Without Benefits?
Why Would You Live Your Life Without Benefits?
Imagine working all your life for a company that gave you a paycheck and nothing else. I mean, nothing else.
- No Vacation,
- No Insurance
- No 401k
- No Sick Days
- No Retirement
- No Continuing Education Courses.
There is not much there to attract a worker of quality. A company that doesn’t care much for it’s employees, is doomed.
No one is thrilled to spend their life working and living without benefits.
Psa. 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
David said that God loaded us down with benefits every day. Has anyone been noticing what God has been doing for you? He doesn’t let you live for him without benefits.
There are no benefits like the ones God gives His children. Why is anyone willing to live without them in their life?
Benefits Like:
- Forgiveness
- Healing
- Guidance
- Protection
- Provision
- Comfort
- Defense
- Blessings
- Strength
- Daily Needs Met
- Answered Prayers
- Loving Kindness
There is no future in living for the Devil. He pays no benefits. Everyone loses. His pleasure is known to be very temporary, and afterwards very painful.
Psa. 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
There were so many benefits coming his way that David tried to figure out how to thank the Lord for them. He asked the rhetorical question that we must all answer.
Psa. 116:12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
How do I thank God for His benefits? Just saying thank you doesn’t seem like it is enough.
I Thank Him With My:
- Obedience. Keeping His Commandments
- Submission
- Love
- Separation from the World
- Living A Holy Life Pleasing Unto Him
- Tithe And Offerings
- Praise
- Worship That Is Whole Hearted
What would your life be without the daily blessing and benefits of God? Never stop thanking Him. Never stop looking for ways to let Him know how grateful you are.
Rom. 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
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.
Devil, I Hate What You Do!
Part 1. Devil, I Hate What You Do
1Pet. 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
You Brought Sickness, Devil, I Hate What You Do!
- Cancer
- Strokes
- Diabetes
- Heart Episodes
- Aids
- HIV
- MS
- Depression
- Emotional Disorders
You Create Addictions, Devil, I Hate What You Do!
- Drugs
- Meth
- Crack
- Alcohol
- Nicotine
You Break Up Homes, Devil, I Hate What You Do!
- With Sin
- With Death.
You Bring Condemnation, Devil, I Hate What You Do!
- Guilt
- Shame
You Create Rebellion, Devil, I Hate What You Do!
- Cause Many To Reject Truth
- Cause Millions To Be Lost
You Discouraged Good People, Devil, I Hate What You Do!
- Cause Many To Quit
- Make Some Backslide
- Tell Them They Are Unloved, Unwanted
You’re The Father of Lies, Devil, I Hate What You Do!
Because Of You
- We have Murder
- We have Crime
- We have Skidrow
- We have Jails
- We have Crack Houses
- We have Sin
- We have Violence
- We have Sex Crimes
1. Devil I Hate What You Do To Us.
2. Devil I Hate What You To Our Children
3. Devil I Hate What You Do To Our Parents
4. Devil I Hate What You To Our Friends
5. Devil I Hate What You To Our Churches
- Bring Division
- Divide Friends
- Sow Discord
- Vex The Church
- You Are The Author Of Confusion
The Good News Devil, We Know What To Do About You
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
The Good News Devil, Your Days Are Numbered
Rom. 16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Part 2. Jesus, I Love What You Do.
Eph. 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
1. Jesus, I Love How You Stop Lion’s Mouths
2. Jesus, I Love How You Take Heat Out Of the Fiery Furnace
3. Jesus, I Love How You Calm Stormy Seas
4. Jesus, I Love How You Speak Peace To The Storm
5. Jesus, I Love How You Give Me A WORD
6. Jesus, I Love How You Fight My Battles
7. Jesus, I Love How You Make A Way Where There Seems…
8. Jesus, I Love How You Are Always On Time
9. Jesus, I Love How You Heal My Body
10. Jesus, I Love How You Heal My Wounded Spirit
11. Jesus, I Love How You Deliver
12. Jesus, I Love How You Restore My Soul
13. Jesus, I Love How You Renew Me
14. Jesus, I Love How You Change Me
15. Jesus, I Love How You Encourage Me
16. Jesus, I Love How You Put Marriages Together
17. Jesus, I Love How You Bring Down Jericho’s Walls
18. Jesus, I Love How You Stop Funeral Processions
19. Jesus, I Love How You Give Me Hope
20. Jesus, I Love How You Do The Impossible
21. Jesus, I Love How You Open My Blinded Eyes
22. Jesus, I Love How You Comfort My Heart
23. Jesus, I Love How You Take Away Fear
24. Jesus, I Love How You Washed My Sins Away
25. Jesus, I Love How You Filled Me With The Holy Ghost
Jesus, I Love What You Do. That’s Why I Sing…
1. There’s No God Like Jehovah
2. Our God Is An Awesome God
3. He’s The Great I Am
4. How Great Thou Art
5. He’s An On-time God
6. He Is Able To Deliver Thee
7. He Brought Me Out Of the Miry Clay
8. What A Mighty God We Serve
I Hope You Brought Your Lunch
“I Hope You Brought Your Lunch”
While that comment is normally made in jest, it is made here in great earnest.
The Bible story of Jesus feeding 5,000 men, besides the women and children, started out very simple. They were all hungry.
- No food was in sight.
- No manna fell on the ground.
- No food was catered in.
- No one knew what to do, except Jesus.
He asked them if anyone had any food. The Disciples made inquiries and discovered that some kid had brought his lunch and some cbd dog treats for his dog. What were the others thinking when they left home that morning?
Just one kid out of the thousands of listeners had brought his lunch.
- It was his lunch that was the very foundation for a miracle.
- It was his lunch that Jesus blessed.
- It was his lunch that fed not only him but also everyone else.
- It was his lunch that was the focal point of the day.
- It was his lunch that blessed the hungry.
- It was his lunch that he carried when no one else carried one.
- It was his lunch that stood out.
- It was his lunch that Jesus called for.
- It was his lunch Jesus held in His hands.
John 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
John 6:10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
John 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
John 6:12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
It is possible to be intimidated by those we worship with at our church. People will sometimes stare and whisper because we are the only ones that brought our lunch.
Unspiritual people make a habit of coming before the Lord with nothing in their hands. According to this passage of Scripture, If all of us come with nothing, we all quite possibly may leave with nothing as well.
Any one of us could be the key to a miracle today in God’s House. Even if all we have is a little homemade, nothing fancy, lunch.
What did you bring today?
I Hope You Brought Your Lunch!
When Men Forgive
When Men Forgive
Matthew 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Matthew 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
My dear uncle was once asked to dismiss a Sunday morning service in prayer. He was momentarily caught off guard. During his prayer, a few of his words got tangled up and didn’t come out right. Someone behind him snickered. It was funny!
He was mortified however, that anyone would find humor in his attempt at prayer. My uncle didn’t come back to church that night. He didn’t come back that week, or that month. He didn’t come back that year. Actually, he didn’t come back for the next 54 years because he was offended.
With great joy I can tell you that as an old man, he walked back down the aisle and prayed back through. He died at 90 years of age, fully in love with Jesus, His church, and it’s people. But he wasted 54 years because he had gotten offended.
How long are you willing to let a war go on? When men forgive, it releases the forgiveness of God upon their lives. It’s not an accident; it’s how God planned it from the beginning.
Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
An old pastor I know kept his prized gaited horses in a large stable. Outside his horse barn was an expensive horse trailer with living quarters and a one-ton pickup truck.
A drugged-up teenager set fire one night to the stables and burnt it down. The horse trailer and truck were destroyed too. Thankfully most of the horses were saved. It was a huge financial loss for the pastor.
The fire took place during a time when there was a 3-day lapse of insurance coverage. The culprit was arrested, tried and found guilty. The prosecutor asked the court for a minimum sentence of 40 years for the teen.
At the sentencing, the pastor stood up in court and asked permission to speak on behalf of the defendant. The judge raised his eyebrows and said; “You understand that the state is prosecuting him on your behalf?”
“Yes, your honor, I understand, and I thank you. But the state has not suffered any loss. I am the only one that has, so if anyone has a right to speak, I think I should.”
The judge nodded his permission.
“Your Honor, I beg you not to sent this young man to prison for 40 years. If you do, he may never get to hear about Acts 2:38, the only message of salvation. No one in prison may ever tell him that he needs to repent of his sins, be baptized in Jesus name and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to be saved.
“Your Honor, this young man may never get to hear that God is able to deliver him from all of his addictions in one night. Don’t send him to prison, put him on probation for at least 3 years, order him to come to my church and sit on the front row every service. Allow me to try to reach him with the love of God.”
With tears welling up in his eyes, the judge brought the gavel down and said, “It is so ordered.”
Two years later, the pastor’s youngest son stood in the same courtroom with the same judge and prosecutor. The son was on trial for possession of drugs again. The prosecutor was asking for a minimum sentence of 25 years.
When the State finally rested it’s case, the defense attorney and the pastor’s son both stood up. The defense attorney never attempted to present a defense. He simply said, “Your Honor, we throw ourselves upon the mercies of this Court.”
The judge looked at the defendant and then at his attorney. He said, “Would you like to settle this today once and for all?”
“Yes your Honor, we would,” was the reply.
At that, the prosecutor got up and walked out of the courtroom. The judge with impassioned tones looked at the pastor’s son and then began.
“I hate everything about you. You are despicable. You are without any social redeeming value. You are a blight on this community. You are an embarrassment to the church your father pastor’s and you are a shame to him as well.
“If I had my way, I’d put you in prison for the rest of your life, throw the key away and sleep good every night. DO YOU HEAR ME?” He shouted!
“Yes you Honor,” said the son with tears streaming down his face.
“Two years ago, another young man stood in this courtroom and was found guilty. Your father begged for mercy for him, even though he didn’t deserve mercy. Because of that I am going to give you mercy.” He paused for effect.
“That will be $50.00, and don’t you ever come back to my court again!” The sound of the gavel concluded the trial.
The old pastor and his son stopped by the church on their way home from court. The backslidden son prayed back through to a renewing of the Holy Ghost. Today, he is an Assistant Pastor!
It pays to forgive!
Matthew 18:23-35 tells a story of a King who checked his records and found that a certain servant owed him a large sum of money. (Approximately $3 billion dollars at today’s values.)
When the servant could not pay the King back, he was sentenced to prison and all his possessions to be sold. He begged for mercy, and forgiveness was granted. The debt completely wiped out.
The forgiven servant walked away from his own session of mercy and soon found a man who owed him the modern equivalent of $15.00 dollars. He grabbed the man around the neck and ordered him to pay. When he couldn’t, he had him thrown into the debtor’s prison.
The King heard about this and called the servant before him again. In anger, the king took back the forgiveness of the debt. He does to the servant, exactly what the servant had done to his fellow-man. He threw him into prison until he could repay the debt.
This story explains to us that King Jesus has forgiven us a debt of sin that we could never repay. Yet we get enraged over the $15 dollars someone ‘owes’ us, and we won’t forgive them of that small debt.
You may think your problem with a brother or a sister is a major injustice to your world. Your bitterness will overwhelm you to the point that you are eaten up with your hurt and have no peace in your spirit.
What was done to you may be a mountain so big you can’t get over it. But according to this parable, in heaven’s estimations it’s just a $15 dollar problem. Don’t die bitter and unforgiving. Forgive your brother fully and completely, just like Jesus forgave you of your sins. You do not want Him to take back his forgiveness of your sins, just because you wouldn’t forgive your brother.
Matthew 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Hell would like nothing better than to see God’s people destroyed because of unforgiveness. Some folks say they’ve buried the hatchet. They may have, but they must have forgotten to bury the handle too.
Deer hunters know that a sure way to get a trophy deer is to use camouflage. Give the deer what it wants, by putting out bait. It won’t be long then before the deer is hung on the wall. The hunter then brags on his trophy for the rest of his life.
Even non-hunters understand the principle. Why can’t we see that is also how Satan kills us with bitterness? He camouflages a situation, puts out the bait. He then shoots us down, and hangs our hide on his wall. He will brag on what he did to us forever.
Being offended is a choice. We choose to be offended. We can also choose not to be offended. Now, go forgive your brother. Don’t let Satan brag on you.
Learning To Live Without God.
Learning To Live Without God.
Living without God in our life would be, without argument, the hardest thing anyone could ever do! It would not just be hard, it would be terrifying, it would be heartbreaking, and it would be filled with pain… so much pain.
To those who are accustomed to the blessings of the Lord’s daily presence, His absence would leave a void too great for words.
I cannot imagine trying to live even one day without the Lord in my life. Every time I finish reading the Bible, those that were foolhardy enough to try, still amaze me.
Day One without God… I wonder what that felt like? Did Day Two or Three get any easier? Imagine living the rest of your life without God’s approval or blessing. Imagine Him turning His head when you pray.
Saul
Saul was the King who at first was so humble and small in his own eyes, but later crossed an invisible line and walked on the side of arrogance until he died. He crossed over into the spiritual realm of service unto God that belonged to the ministry, and God immediately rejected him. God lifted His blessing, approval and support. God even refused to ever speak to him again.
His fatal mistake happened early in his reign. Saul’s 40 years on the throne was spent without God’s help. The prophet Samuel no longer prayed for him or prophesied to him. He had to learn to live without God.
- He ignored the office of the man of God in his life.
- He thought his kingdom authority gave him spiritual authority.
- He made that mistake only once.
- Repentance was not an option.
Day one without God… I wonder what it felt like?
Esau
When Esau showed his disdain for the Birthright and sold it for a bowl of pottage, he angered God. The Lord called him a profane man because he saw no value in that which included the covenant blessings of Jehovah.
It may not have seemed all that important to Esau when he sat at the table, but God never forgave him. Esau even tried to repent, but God wouldn’t let him. He cried, but God turned his back on him forever. He had to learn to live without God.
- He let his hunger of things of the moment override his hunger for the things of God.
- He treated the Word (of God’s covenant) lightly.
- He traded the eternal for the temporary.
- Repentance was not an option for him.
Day one without God… I wonder what it felt like?
Ichabod
Even the name still scares us. The Ark of the Lord was stupidly and unlawfully carried into battle and lost. A birthing mother heard the news and named her newborn son Ichabod, meaning ‘the glory has departed.”
The Ark was gone and stayed gone a long while. No wonder David danced wildly and with great joy when he saw the ark finally coming to it’s proper home. What was it like for a nation, knowing that the Ark was missing? It seems like all of the congregation would think about that every time they went to the tabernacle to sacrifice. The Mercy Seat was missing. They had to learn what it was like to live without God.
Day one without God… I wonder what it felt like?
The 400 Years
When Malachi laid his head down to rest for the last time, it was all over for Israel. They loved picking up the ways of the heathen. They incorporated the heathen’s ways into their worship. The freely married them as well.
Israel seemed to delight itself in dressing like the rest of the world and ignoring the pleadings of all the prophets. God had sent them prophet after prophet, but nothing changed. So God got tired of wasting His breath and His men. God quit. For 400 years God never spoke to Israel. His mercy and patience wore thin.
How many years went by before someone said, “I can’t remember when I last heard a prophet”? Generations passed without one correction from God. They had turned their back on Him; He turned His back on them.
- No preacher in their life.
- No direction or correction from God must have brought peace to their deluded minds.
- Did it ever dawn on them that they were living with less of an experience with God than before?
By the end of the first year without God… I wonder how much further they had slipped?
You Think God Can’t Get Serious?
You Think The God Of Love And Mercy Will Let You Do Whatever You Want?
Is The Only Scripture You Want To Hear Quoted Is ‘God Is Love”?
The following scriptures are just a few of the passages that shows the other side of God.
“If You Love Sin, God Won’t Listen To Your Prayers.”
Psa. 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
“If You Kill Your Neighbor With Your Words, God Will Hate You And Your Prayers!”
Is. 1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
Is. 1:15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
Is. 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
“God Won’t Listen To Their Prayers!”
Is. 59:1 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
Is. 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Is. 59:3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
“If You Mistreat Your Wife And Disrespect Her, God Won’t Hear Your Prayers.”
1Pet. 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
“Don’t Even Pray For Them!”
Jer. 7:16 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.
“Don’t Pray For Them, I’m Done!”
Jer. 14:11 Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.
Jer. 14:12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
“I Don’t Want Your Worship!”
Amos 5:23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.
Life Today!
Many church members have turned their backs on God of late. They have rejected the essentiality of Repentance, Baptism in Jesus Name and the infilling of the Holy Ghost evidenced by the speaking with other tongues. They make fun of Holiness and those that are living separated from the world. They attach names of mockery to those that carefully follow Biblical principles of Holiness. They call them “Ultra Cons” and other names of derision. They make fun of Godly women and their long dresses and long hair. There is a falling away.
Sadly, quite a few former Apostolic Pentecostals now live like they have never been inside of a Holiness church. Their dress, their lifestyle, their language, and their social activities show no evidence of Godliness or God mindedness. Their Facebook pages do not identify them as Apostolic. God Is not pleased.
They have explained away, rationalized and cut off any scripture or preacher that speaks against their ‘enlightened’ freedoms. In their delusion, they feel God will accept them as they are, because they don’t plan to change. They want God to change His word so that it will adapt to them.
They continue to go through the motions of having church kind of like Israel did in the Old Testament after God quit talking to them. God doesn’t approve.
Sadly, many that once were submissive to God’s Word have now turned aside to follow after their own lusts.
Does God keep dealing with them? I can’t answer that. I do know that the ones I have seen leave, have no desire to return. I do not know of anyone that has left this truth for an “easier” way, that has ever recovered, come back and God gave them another chance.
It seems to me that they have no choice but to live without God. Live without Him now, and live without Him later.
Backslider? What was Day One like? Are you still trying to live without God? It won’t get any better! The way of the transgressor is hard. I don’t know if repentance is an option.
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 