You Are Here
You Are Here
Have you ever stopped in a new mall and looked at the directory to orient yourself? That is basically what I am intending to do today with some of our current events and the Word of the Lord.
These really are the last days. All we have to do is look around and we see Bible prophecy fulfilled in our newspapers and most of our churches.
There are many more references than I have the time or space to list, but here are few that are worthy of note.
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2 Timothy 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
For the time will come
- Not endure sound doctrine
- Itching Ears
- They only want to hear what they want to hear.
- They will go from preacher to preacher looking for an easy Gospel.
- Their lives will become a ‘fable’ (fiction)
THIS IS NO LONGER PROPHECY, YOU ARE HERE!
2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Last Days
- Perilous Times
- Blasphemers, Unthankful,
- Disobedient to Parents
- Unholy
- Without natural affection
- Can’t keep their word.
- False accusers.
- Lives out of control
- Fierce
- Despisers of those that are living right.
- Traitors
- Unteachable
- Arrogant
- Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.
- Have a form of godliness.
- Denying the power therof.
THIS IS NO LONGER PROPHECY, YOU ARE HERE!
2Pet 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
Last Days
- Scoffers
- Living to please self.
THIS IS NO LONGER PROPHECY, YOU ARE HERE!
Mt 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Mt 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Mt 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Below are some conditions in the world that are current as of March 14, 2011.
Current Armed Conflicts In World Today
“The following table shows where wars and armed conflicts are raging throughout the world in 2010. Find the year that war began and the major warring parties involved by region of conflict, including the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America.” (Quoted from “Infoplease”)
Earth Quakes Per Year
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqarchives/year/eqstats.php
Earthquakes Last 7 Days
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/
Famines In World Today
http://www.mapreport.com/century/subtopics/d/0.html
Pestilence In World Today
http://barrybrumfield.com/prophecy/end_times/pestilence.htm
Mt 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mt 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
THIS IS NO LONGER PROPHECY, YOU ARE HERE!
This Generation shall not pass
Lk 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Lk 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
Lk 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
Lk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Lk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Lk 21:26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
- Fear sights and great signs from heaven.
- Hated of all men for His Name sake.
- Jerusalem compassed with armies.
- Signs in the sun, moon and stars
- Distress of nations with perplexity
- Tsunami – sea and waves roaring
THIS IS NO LONGER PROPHECY, YOU ARE HERE!
Mt 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mt 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mt 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
THIS IS NO LONGER PROPHECY, YOU ARE HERE!
WE WOULD BE CRAZY TO PLAY AROUND WITH GOD NOW.
THESE ARE THE END TIMES.
THIS IS NO LONGER PROPHECY, YOU ARE HERE!
Now For They Good News!!!
Jesus In The Synagogue
Lk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Lk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Lk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Lk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Lk 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
Lk 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Jesus was saying to His generation,
THIS IS NO LONGER PROPHECY, YOU ARE HERE!
Peter Preached On The Day Of Pentecost:
Acts 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
Acts 2:13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Acts 2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
Acts 2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Peter Said, “This Is That” Which Was Prophesied:
He was saying:
THIS IS NO LONGER PROPHECY, YOU ARE HERE!
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Today Is The Day Of Salvation
THIS IS NO LONGER PROPHECY, YOU ARE HERE!
The Out-Pouring of the Holy Ghost is no longer Prophecy. You Are Here!!
Bad Water
Bad Water
Ben laid the shovel down. He was glad to see his neighbor John. He was also glad for a break. He had been digging in this hole for over two days now. It was hot; he was dirty and he was very thirsty.
John gave him a hand to climb up out of the hole. Ben’s wife offered her tired husband a drink of water from her bucket. He sipped from the dipper. It’s coolness was instant refreshment.
“What are you digging the hole for Ben?” John asked.
“I’m digging me another cistern.”
“Another cistern? Sorry to hear that you’re having problems. What went wrong with the other two?”
Ben shook his head. “I don’t know. Either the soil is bad here, or I didn’t get it sealed right or something. The first two cisterns wouldn’t hold water very long. I spent all my time carrying water to them, trying to fill them up.
“Then the next thing I knew, most of the water would seep out and I had to go fill them back up again. It like to wore me out. I finally got tired of messing with the first two cisterns and decided to try it again in another spot. That’s why I’m digging this one. Maybe I’ll get it right this time.
John looked down by the tree line. He mentally measured the distance, trying to understand what would be harder, walking a few more yards to get water from the fountain or digging a bunch of holes in the ground. To John, it was a no brainer.
“It’s not that far to the spring inside the tree line, Ben. You sure could save yourself a lot of work. The spring water there is pure, it’s cold, there’s plenty of it and it’s free.” And it’s just bubbling up out of the ground like a fountain.
“Don’t you go to nagging on me too John! Sarah preaches to me almost every day. She says, you’ve dug a hole, and then you carry water and pour it into the hole and then hope it rains a lot to fill up rest of the hole.
“What water doesn’t seep out becomes a pool for the water bugs to swim in and Sarah said it’s dirty water and she has to skim the film off of top of the water every morning before she can get a drink. She hates the cistern’s water. She says it’s polluted. The woman just likes to nag.
“But you’re right, the spring has good water. I just got tired of walking over there to fetch water several times a day. I want my own water beside my own house. I don’t like being beholden to anyone.”
John looked at his neighbor and his heart sank. He remembered the words of the Prophet Jeremiah as he had stood and prophesied in their village recently.
Jer. 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Ben had stood beside John that day as Jeremiah had preached. He had heard what John had heard, but somehow, Ben couldn’t see the big picture. He couldn’t see past himself. For that matter, Ben couldn’t even see himself in the sermon Jeremiah preached.
Ben was one of those independent souls that liked to do things his own way. He was only interested in what pleased him. He was one of those people who always had to learn the hard way. This exercise was just a case in point.
“Benjamin, do you remember the day we heard Jeremiah in the village?
“Yes.”
“I know it was a long sermon, but he talked about two evils that Israel had committed. The first one was that we had forsaken God. We have left Him who is THE Fountain of Living Waters and the second one was that we had dug our own cisterns. We had tried life on our own. We had dug our own cisterns in life and ignored THE Fountain.
“Then he prophesied that our self-dug cisterns would never hold water. Notice he said ‘cisterns’. He was trying to tell us that no matter how hard we tried on our own, we would never get it perfect. There’s always going to be failed attempts in any life that is away from THE Fountain!
“You and I both know that water don’t get any better than the cold clear water of the fountain that we’ve got here.
“Every time I’ve seen you carry buckets of water from the fountain and then empty them this dirt hole, I think of what the prophet said.
“It’s a lot more work to dig holes and carry water to pour in them than it is to just kneel and drink from the fountain.”
“And if you get too proud to go fetch water to pour in here you’ll have wait awhile for the rain to help you out. You will be a very thirsty man before long.”
“You’re probably right John, but there are several reasons I don’t want to go into, but a big one is, I can’t go and drink at that fountain anymore because of old man Naphtali. I hate what he’s done and how he’s treated me and my family, so I decided I’d dig my own cistern so I won’t have to look at him or drink from the same fountain he does. I think he’s a hypocrite.
“To me, my water is just as good. I got most of it from the fountain. Besides, it’s mine and if I never drink water beside Naphtali at the fountain again, I’ll die a happy man. I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m not hurting anyone and I don’t plan on being hurt again.
“Ben, we’ve been neighbors and friends all of our lives. Our fathers were friends before us. As your friend I’m sorry for your hurts and the pain others have caused you. But before you ever had a problem with Naphtali, you were always doing things your own way. Now you’ve let some rogue person be the reason you won’t drink at the fountain anymore.
“We both know that you are working harder trying to distance yourself from the fountain than if you just went ahead and had a drink at the fountain. In your mind, you are still drinking the water from the fountain, but in reality, you first pour the water into the dirt down there in that hole. Then come back and drink it later and tell yourself it’s as good as always. It’s not the same and you know it. Your water is no longer pure.
“Your cisterns will never hold water. Your work will always come to naught digging cisterns. When you get done with all your hard work, at best, all you will ever have is bad water. Everyone sees it but you. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone, except to God.
“Come on man, put down that old shovel down once and for all and quit trying to do things your own way. Come on back and drink with me at the fountain. Don’t worry about Naphtali or anyone else. There’s just no water like fountain water and you know it!”
Old Ben looked at his neighbor and felt no urge to smile. How dare John criticize his hard work, his motives and all of his efforts. That’s not what friends did. Friends were supposed to support you no matter what you did. Friends were supposed to love at all times. This didn’t feel like love.
“I’ll say this as nice as I can John. You’ve spoken your mind. I thank you for your concern. But I would appreciate you never trying to preach to me again. I don’t need it, I don’t want it and I don’t like it.
“If all you have is criticism of me, then it might be better if you just stay quiet, stay away and leave me alone. Let me do things my own way. I’ve never been happier than I am now. I’m freer now than I’ve ever been. Your preaching just angers me. I’ll never go back to your beloved fountain.”
John nodded, shook Ben’s hand, then turned and walked away.
Honey, I Shrunk The Bible!
Honey, I Shrunk The Bible
The Bible is a story of submission. Although the word ‘submit’ and it’s variations occur less than 20 times, the point is still very well made.
If the whole Bible was shrunk or reduced to one word, it would be submission.
Obedience is about submission…
- God, You’re right and I’m wrong.
- God, You’re Word is right and I yield to You.
Worship is about submission…
- God, You’re everything and I’m nothing.
- God, You’re holy and I’m unholy.
- God, You’re strong and I’m weak.
- God, You’re wise and I’m unwise.
- God, You’re high and I’m low.
- God, You’re good and I’m evil.
Tithing is about submission…
- God, You’ve blessed me, I honor you with my finances.
- God, You’ve given to me, so that I might give back to you.
Holiness is about submission…
- God, You’re holy and ask me to be holy.
- God, You’re clean and ask me to be clean.
- God, You’re pure and ask me to be pure.
- God, You’re righteous and ask me to be righteous.
The Will of God is about submission…
- God, You’re ways are above my ways.
- God, You’re thoughts are higher than my thoughts.
- God, You’re right and I’m not.
- God, You’re right and I won’t do anything until you tell me.
- God, Your will and not mine.
Trust is about submission…
- God, You’re faithful and ask me to depend on you.
- God, You’re working for me even when I can’t see You and ask me to believe.
- God, You’re going to come through for me.
Leaning on the Lord is about submission…
- God, You’re the answer to my problems. I can’t solve them.
- God, You’re the one holding me up. I can’t stand by myself.
Repentance is about submission…
- God, You’re holy and I’m a sinner. Forgive me.
- God, You’re perfect and I have failed. I’m sorry.
Baptism is about submission…
- God, You’re the only one that can wash away my sins.
- God, Your name is the only name that washes away my sin. Wash me.
Receiving the Holy Ghost is about submission…
- God, You’re the one I wish to take control of my spirit and my tongue.
- God, You’re the one I want more than anyone in the world.
- God, You’re the only one that can change my life, I open the door of my heart.
Do you have a problem with submission? I pray not. You don’t want God to have a problem with you.
God Likes It Loud
God Likes It Loud
Job 36:29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
Psa 33:3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
Psa 66:1 Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
Psa 81:1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
Psa 95:1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Psa 95:2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
Psa 98:4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
Psa. 150:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
Psa. 150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Psa. 150:3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
Psa. 150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Psa. 150:5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Psa. 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
God likes it loud
He’s Messed Up! He’s Damaged Goods!
He’s Messed Up! He’s Damaged Goods!
When those words are spoken, the mental picture that is conjured up repulses my mind.
- No one treasures damaged goods.
- No one puts damaged goods on display as a thing of beauty.
- No one collects damaged goods as a hobby.
- No one specifically goes shopping for damaged goods.
- Damaged goods are almost always discarded and thrown away.
- Their valuable is next to nothing.
- The only future for damaged goods are in places like, Salvage Yards, Thrift Stores, City Dumps or maybe even a Yard Sale.
Granted, when I shop for new merchandise or articles of clothing, I never buy ‘seconds’ or ‘imperfects’ off the rack. I also ignore the container with the dent or major scratch sitting on the shelf. I look only for the perfect product.
And there, my Gentle Reader, is how we humans assign damaged goods to its inevitable doom.
Yet the Pastor part of me will never die. The part that always hopes against hope for a soul. That never wants to stop reaching for someone who has made the mistake of his or her life. If peradventure God will grant them repentance.
- What do we do with people when they become damaged goods?
- Do we finish them off?
- Do we keep them at arm’s length?
- Do we discount and destroy all the good they have accomplished?
- Do we cut them off and never call them again?
We only want to use the scriptures about The Potter’s marred and broken vessel when it concerns and benefits us.
I’ve seen too many fail that were never seen again, but I’ve lived long enough to see some exceptions.
There is no such thing as a throw away soul!
It is possible that we are ‘done’ with some folks before God is.
We all have met too many that seem to delight, and get pleasure, in telling the news of other’s moral failures. Why?
Why would anyone delight in passing news like that along?
Whether the news is about a saint or a preacher, I don’t wish to receive it even if there are two or three witnesses. I don’t want it to be true.
- People that enjoy hearing such things normally have bigger problems of their own.
- My mind is repulsed by the news.
- My gut sickens when I hear that someone I know has made a horrible mess of their life.
- When you heard the news, what did you do?
- Were you happy?
- Did you feel inward joy that a conservative brother messed up?
- Did you drop to your knees and pray? If not, why not?
- Did you weep tears for them? If not, why not?
- David did. He wept for his enemy like he would have at his own Mother’s funeral. Psa. 35:14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
- If it was your enemy did you rejoice?
- If you did, I fear you’ve invited the displeasure of God upon yourself.
My Father warned me, when I was a young preacher, to never play Prosecuting Attorney or Private Investigator in the Kingdom of God.
I wish to add a third warning. Never be the Newspaper Publisher either.
Gal. 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Let me tell you a short and unknown Bible Story.
Israel had been held in captivity for 70 years. When they returned to their beloved city of Jerusalem, their hearts were crushed with despair. The walls had been broken down and most of the city burned. They had to rebuild the walls immediately. Nehemiah’s burden led the workers.
The enemies and critics of Israel watched and spouted their negative opinions.
Neh. 4:2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
All that was left for Israel to rebuild the glorious walls of Jerusalem were heaps of burnt stones. They dug in the rubbish looking for damaged goods that they could restore.
Even the enemy recognized their dilemma and the futility of the idea. Yet that is exactly what happened.
Workmen picked up the stones one by one. They no doubt did their best to wipe away the stains of fire and dirt. Maybe they even washed them. I don’t know. One by one they cleansed each stone and then applied new mortar and placed them into the wall. The wall of Jerusalem was repaired using damaged stones from rubbish piles.
Neh. 4:7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
Neh. 6:15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
Neh. 12:43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.
When they finished rebuilding the walls, a God ‘thing’ happened. God made them all get so happy that the noise of their joy was heard a long ways away.
The walls of Jerusalem that still stand today, were rebuilt with damaged goods. Burnt stones from the rubbish heaps now fit perfectly in place in the wall. It looks beautiful.
When you look at the walls today and take pictures of its grandeur, do you ever stop and think, “That wall was built with damaged goods”?
I didn’t think so.
Of that then do you think the Body of Christ is made up today? If you’re honest, you will have to say that God knows how to use, He knows where to put, and He knows how to restore damaged goods.
Does God ever use damaged goods again? Just ask Him.
What Is It Like To Be Real?
What Is It Like To Be Real?
That was a story my friend, Pastor Kenneth Bow told me about recently. He said that many years ago he had read the story and was taken by its power. It’s truths are still powerful today.
Bro. Bow is one of those friends that always helps me go to a higher level in God and in life. I will always be indebted to him for his insightful guidance and personal encouragement. He is a Gift of God in my life.
Since he related the story to me, I wouldn’t stop looking until I found it.
The following, is part of the story that takes place in a child’s nursery. The Velveteen Rabbit that is stuffed with sawdust is talking to the old Skin Horse.The Rabbit wanted to know what it would be like to be real.
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/williams/rabbit/rabbit.html
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For a long time he lived in the toy cupboard or on the nursery floor, and no one thought very much about him. He was naturally shy, and being only made of velveteen, some of the more expensive toys quite snubbed him. The mechanical toys were very superior, and looked down upon every one else; they were full of modern ideas, and pretended they were real. The model boat, who had lived through two seasons and lost most of his paint, caught the tone from them and never missed an opportunity of referring to his rigging in technical terms. The Rabbit could not claim to be a model of anything, for he didn’t know that real rabbits existed; he thought they were all stuffed with sawdust like himself, and he understood that sawdust was quite out-of-date and should never be mentioned in modern circles. Even Timothy, the jointed wooden lion, who was made by the disabled soldiers, and should have had broader views, put on airs and pretended he was connected with Government. Between them all the poor little Rabbit was made to feel himself very insignificant and commonplace, and the only person who was kind to him at all was the Skin Horse.
The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.
“What is REAL?” asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?”
“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”
“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.
“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”
“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”
“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
“I suppose you are real?” said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive. But the Skin Horse only smiled.
The Skin Horse Tells His Story
“The Boy’s Uncle made me Real,” he said. “That was a great many years ago; but once you are Real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always.”
Pompous Pentecostals
Pompous Pentecostals
(May the Lord be praised that we Pentecostal Apostolics have been given the honor of hearing and receiving the Gospel truth of Acts 2:38. It is a privilege to live separated from the world. I have no desire to change from this holiness lifestyle.)
In spite of our God-given heritage, too many of us are plagued with a self-righteous, and holier than thou spirit. It severely hinders the work of God.
1. Pompous Pentecostals Are Hurting The Church. They are hurting our church growth. They are hurting our spiritual growth. Saints and sinners alike observe them with disdain.
Pompous Pentecostals won’t speak to other Pentecostals in the Mall or on the street. You see them coming toward you in the mall and you nod. They don’t even nod back. They act like you are invisible. Why?
I have had warmer responses from Baptists and Methodists. Even strangers, that by all appearances have never been in a Holiness church, will readily respond to a friendly ‘Hello’ or a ‘Howdy’. Why can’t we Pentecostals be friendlier? Are we saying to the world, and even to other Pentecostals, “I’m too holy to talk to you?” Whatever happened to ‘love thy neighbor as thyself’?
2. Pompous Pentecostals Will Disfellowship One With Reckless Abandon. I’m not talking about disfellowshipping a person or a church because of immorality or doctrine that is contrary to Acts 2:38. I’m talking about precious people have been disfellowshipped for doing things that fall into the category of ‘doctrines of men’.
Here is a short list of things I’ve seen some disfellowshipped over by pastors and saints.
Wearing the color red- Wearing shoes with heels out
- Wearing shoes with toes out.
- Women’s hair not in a hair net.
- Because of no seams in women’s nylons.
- Women shaving their legs.
- Playing Old Maid.
The list is endless. Pompous Pentecostals are inconsistent. Pharisees always seemed to incur the rebukes of Jesus. He was more angry with them than the sinners.
My point is this. What if we Pompous Pentecostals disfellowship someone who God is still in fellowship with? Why are we so quick to cut people off?
How are we going to explain that in the Judgment? God forbid that we should go to heaven together with those that we disfellowshipped.
3. Pompous Pentecostals Are The Only Ones That Are Right. They are the last defenders of truth in their minds. Everyone else is wrong. If they are not in our fellowship circle, they are lost.
Two things will be our downfall… Worldliness and Fanaticism.
Eccl. 7:16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Eccl. 7:17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
There are good Holiness minded Apostolic people who are scorned, shunned and discounted because they are not considered exactly like those that we are comfortable around.
4. Pompous Pentecostals Have Need Of Nothing.
Rev. 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Rev. 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev. 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Rev. 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Pompous folks won’t receive preaching that involves correction or instruction. They feel no need for improvement.
A fine young couple moved to the assembly I pastored from a church 2,500 miles away. I knew his former pastor preached against wearing watches.
The couple had been at our church for several weeks. One Bible Study night I singled out our new brother who was sitting on the front row. I welcomed him and told him what a blessing he was to the whole church.
“I notice that you do not wear a watch.” I said .
He shook his head no.
“I honor and respect that carefulness in you. Never lose your carefulness before the Lord.
We have some that wear watches in this church. I appreciate the wearers using them for timepieces and not for ornamentation. The best watches are Plantwear.
“But I don’t want you to go out and buy a watch and hurt your conscience because everyone here has one. I don’t want you wearing one just because we allow them here. Do you understand?”
He nodded.
“On the other hand, if you don’t wear one and we do, then I don’t want you to sit there and feel holier than the rest of the church and the pastor because you don’t and we do.
Because once you feel holier than the pastor, he can no longer help you or teach you. You in your own mind are holier than him and the church.
“If that spirit ever gets ahold of you then I am ordering you to go out and buy two watches and wear one on each wrist until you get over that spirit.
He nodded. He bought a watch.
5. Pompous Pentecostals Get Caught Up In Secondary Boycotts. You are my friend’s enemy, so you are then my enemy, because I love my friend. I don’t know what you did, but my friend leaves you alone, so I will too. There has to be something wrong with you if you and my friend are not close friends.
6. Pompous Pentecostals Show Their Prejudices. God doesn’t have a White Church, a Black Church, a Hispanic Church or an Asian Church. He just has a Church. How can we say we love God and hate our brother enough not to want to worship in the same building with him?
I was at a church were several dozen people boycotted the Sunday services because the pastor had personally canvassed and bused in several bus loads of people from the ‘projects’ the week before.
They wanted no one from the ‘low income’ housing development to attend their upscale church. The boycotting of the weekend services by all the ‘rich’ people was to get the pastor’s attention and make him ignore ‘those low class people’
Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. What would it be like in a world where love was felt and people were treated with kindness regardless of income or race?
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Definition – Online Dictionary and Thesaurus
Pompous
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: arrogant, egotistic
Synonyms: affected, arrogant, bloated, boastful, bombastic, conceited, flatulent, flaunting, flowery, haughty, high and mighty, high-flown, highfaluting, important, inflated, magisterial, narcissistic, ostentatious, overbearing, overblown, pontifical, portentous, presumptuous, pretentious, puffed up, puffy, rhetorical, self-centered, self-important, selfish, self-important, showy, snobbish, stuck-up, supercilious, uppity, vain,
Antonym: (the opposite meaning) = modest
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The opposite of being a Pompous Pentecostal, is being a Modest Pentecostal.
May we all remember the timeless lesson Jesus gave about the Pharisee and the Publican. The Pharisee was proud that he was not like ‘other’ men and bragged on his own ‘godliness.’ The Publican was ashamed and with much inward pain smote his chest and asked for God’s mercy. “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. ” Luke 18:14
I Flunked His Test Of Fellowship
I Flunked His Test Of Fellowship
“Pastor Ballestero?” The female voice on the phone asked.
“This is he.” I responded as I settled into the Lazy Boy recliner.
“I’m calling on behalf of Pastor Lester. He would love for you to come to our new FM Radio Station tomorrow night.
He would like for you to evaluate our new Christian Radio Station’s transmitter. Could you come at 7pm tomorrow night?
“He will give you a personal tour of our new facilities, and I think he will try to encourage you to come on board as on of our regular broadcasters.”
I laughed. “Tell him that I’ll do my best to be there, thanks.”
I was into Amateur (Ham) Radio; I had even worked as an Electronics Wholesaler but I knew next to nothing about Commercial Broadcasting equipment. Why would I get invited to ‘evaluate’ the new 50,000-watt FM radio station? I couldn’t.
What was the catch? Was that just a ploy to get me to move our church broadcast to their new station? Probably.
At 7pm sharp I walked up to the front office and announced myself to the receptionist.
“Pastor Lester is expecting you,” she said as she welcomed me and shook my hand.
I heard my name announced over the intercom and almost immediately I was shaking hands with Pastor Lester.
We walked down the hall towards the transmitter room and he placed his arm around my neck like we were old friends. Actually we’d never met. I only knew of him because I heard him on the radio almost every day for several years and he pastored a large Charismatic church in the area.
“I just got back last week from Africa.” He began. I saw over 100,000 get the Holy Spirit in one service in my Crusade!”
“That is amazing!” I blurted out! How do you get 100,000 people to get the Holy Ghost in one service?”
“Aw, that’s easy. I just stretched my hands toward the crowd, and said in Jesus Name, receive the Holy Ghost!”
“And they did?”
“They sure did. Not only that, but we had over 50,000 confirmed miracles the same day.”
I replied, “How did you get 50,000 people healed in one day? How do you do that?”
“Why, I just stretched my hands toward the people and prayed, be healed in Jesus Name!”
“And they were healed?”
“Yes they were. But I also cast out over 1,000 demons in one day as well.”
I stopped walking. “How did you cast out 1,000 demons in one day?”
“I just pointed my hands toward those that were bound and said, in Jesus name, come out of them!”
“And they came out?”
“Yes they did.” He said.
“I’m starting to see a pattern here. I notice that when you prayed for the Holy Ghost to be poured out, or when you prayed for healing, or even when you prayed for demons to be cast out, you said ‘In Jesus Name’ every time. Why is that?”
“Why, Bro. Ballestero, Pastor Lester said in his most condescending tone of voice, the Bible says that ‘Whatsoever we do in word or deed, do all in the Name of Jesus’.”
He smiled.
I smiled.
“Then why don’t you get baptized in Jesus Name?” I asked.
Pastor Lester took his arm off from around my neck and walked back to his office without a goodbye.
I never did get to see that new 50,000-watt transmitter.
Two Ways To Remove Your Past
There Are Two Ways To Remove Your Past, Man’s Way And God’s Way.
The laws of man have provided a way for the guilty to get their past sealed or expunged. I was in the Federal Building in Tacoma today and saw a very nice pamphlet that described to the general public how to expunge their criminal record.
Reading that made me look further. Online I found a great website that describes the process in detail for the residents of Washington. I am glad that this is available for those that wish to turn their lives around.
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Expungement of Criminal Records in Washington State -7 Steps to Clearing Your Record
You don’t have to be stuck with a criminal conviction on your record. Your Washington State criminal conviction can be expunged if you meet the criteria. And after your conviction is expunged, Washington State law permits you to state you have not been convicted for employment purposes.
Expungement is an often misunderstood term and process. In Washington State expungement of a criminal record or criminal conviction is accomplished by Vacating the Criminal Conviction. The terms Expungement and Vacating are largely interchangeable, the difference being that Vacating is the legal term.
Expungement of a criminal record by vacating the conviction does not destroy or seal the file. However, it is possible to destroy, or expunge, an arrest record if the eligibility requirements are met. When an arrest record is expunged, the booking photos and fingerprints are destroyed and removed from the police record.
In Washington State, the expungement process differs between felony and misdemeanor convictions. The following 7 steps are an overview of what is involved.
1. The Required Time Period has Passed Since the Case Completed.
The first eligibility requirement to expunge your conviction in Washington State is passage of the required time period. For a misdemeanor, the time period begins to run on the date the case is Closed. For a felony conviction, the time period begins to run on the date a document called a Certificate of Discharge is filed with the court. In both instances, a case is Closed or a Certificate of Discharge is filed after all the sentence conditions are completed as required.
2. The Conviction is Eligible for Expungement.
Certain convictions, and classifications of convictions, are not eligible for Expungement in Washington State. Generally, class A felonies (the most serious), sex crimes, and violent crimes cannot be expunged in Washington State. Among misdemeanors, Washington State does not permit a DUI conviction to be expunged.
3. You Meet the Clean Behavior Requirement.
Two situations will make your conviction ineligible for expungement. For a misdemeanor, if you were convicted of another crime on a later date then you would not be eligible to have the misdemeanor expunged. For example, if you were convicted of a misdemeanor in 1995, and another crime in 1997, then the 1995 crime would not be eligible to be expunged. For a felony, if you were convicted of another crime after the date the Certificate of Discharge was filed then you cannot expunge the felony.
4. Special Rule for Misdemeanors.
Washington State has an interesting rule that applies only to misdemeanor convictions. To expunge a misdemeanor, you cannot have had any other conviction expunged (vacated). What this means is if a person has a felony conviction and a misdemeanor conviction, and the person expunged the felony conviction first, then the misdemeanor could no longer be expunged. However, if the misdemeanor was expunged first, and if the misdemeanor conviction occurred before the felony conviction, then the felony could still be expunged.
5. Preparation.
An expungement, or vacation of a criminal conviction, requires a judge to sign a court Order. The court process is begun by filing a Motion to Vacate Conviction with the court. Prior to filing the Motion, you should get copies of the Docket and the Judgment & Sentence from the court clerk. You should also obtain a criminal history report, called a WATCH Report, from the Washington State Patrol website.
6. Your Day In Court.
Most Washington State courts require a hearing to Expunge, or Vacate, a criminal conviction. Most courts do not require you to attend if you have a lawyer appearing at the hearing on your behalf. If the preparation has been done properly, then the hearing should go very smoothly and the judge will sign the Court Order Vacating your criminal conviction.
7. Your Criminal Record is Cleared.
The court clerk processes the Order and sends a certified copy to the Washington State Patrol, which removes the conviction from the public database. The FBI record is updated based on the Washington State record. And, if the Order was prepared correctly, a copy will also be sent to the police department that handled the case and your record will also be cleared in their file. Your conviction has now been expunged (vacated), and your criminal record is cleared.
As you can see, you don’t have to be stuck with a criminal conviction on your record. It is not difficult to expunge a conviction in Washington State if you meet the straightforward criteria. In most cases, these 7 steps take only a few weeks to complete.
Copyright ©2008 Douglas Stratemeyer. All Rights reserved.
Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/criminal-articles/expungement-of-criminal-records-in-washington-state-7-steps-to-clearing-your-record-588959.html#ixzz1EM5KIxdu
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He can do it in one day. Once you have repented of your sins and been baptized in Jesus name according to Acts 2:38.
Your Sins Are Then:
1. Covered By His Blood.
Rom. 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
2. Forgiven Immediately
Col. 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
3. Blotted Out
Col. 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
4. Removed
Psa. 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
5. He Forgives All Sins.
Mark 3:28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
Matt. 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men:
6. Your Sins Will Be Washed Away In Baptism In Jesus Name.
Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
7. If You Sin, He Will Even Be Your Defense Attorney.
1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
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We All Are Invited To Take Advantage Of This Immediately.
Heb. 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb. 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb. 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Do It Today!
Sinner! Backslider! I don’t care what you’ve done, where you’ve gone or how low you have fallen, God’s Mercy is available for you today. He’s waiting for you to make that move. Get your sins forgiven and washed away now.
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 