Posts Tagged ‘Backsliders’
The People We Hurt, While God’s Trying To Help Us.
The People We Hurt, While God’s Trying To Help Us.
Many people have run from the will of God. Most of their story endings are not pretty. The running from God is bad enough, but it doesn’t end there. The naïve mindset that thinks, “I’m not hurting anyone but myself,” is dangerous.
Failure to submit to God’s will shows a character defect, which requires immediate attention from the Lord. Remember, the Biblical subjects of Worship, Holiness, Tithe, and Ministry are wrapped up in submission.
Worship is all about submission.
- God, you’re everything, I’m nothing.
- You’re Holy, I’m unholy!
- You’re great and I’m nothing!
Tithing is all about submission.
- The first tenth of my increase belongs to You.
- I put you first in my life.
Holiness is all about submission.
- I dress this way, to please you Lord.
- I act this way, to please you Lord.
- I think this way, to please you Lord.
- I present my body, holy and acceptable unto You, which is my reasonable service.
Ministry is all about submission
- Paul started most of his Epistles with, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ.”
- Peter, James and John did the same.
- Ministry is all about being a servant.
- Servants must be submissive.
Jonah, God’s servant, ran from his Master’s will. He didn’t want to go where Jehovah wanted him to go. He didn’t want to do what he was asked to do. He wasn’t willing to submit.
Most backsliders provide dangerous company. Who wants to be around a backslider while God is trying to work on them? The backslider, or someone running from God, would never knowingly put anyone in harm’s way. It just happens.
While Jonah ran, God sent a custom-made storm to get his attention. God knows how to build you a prayer room! He knows how to let a set of circumstances come together that will bring you to your knees!
In what was probably a state of depression, Jonah slept aboard ship during the storm. Other passengers were throwing their possessions overboard, but Jonah slept on. He was oblivious to the peril he was causing for others.
When someone finally awakened him, he recognized that he was the cause of everyone’s problem. He didn’t know that, until someone woke him up. Realizing that he was the cause of the storm, he requested that the sailors throw him overboard. They did. He would rather die than submit. Jonah’s actions not only threatened his own life, but the life of everyone around him.
Jonah didn’t want to hurt anyone one. He just wasn’t willing to submit. God stopped Jonah’s little charade in one storm. Jonah had to go through an intense attitude adjustment.
Backsliders, and others that run from God, are a danger to their friends and even to their own families. Too many innocent spouses and children have suffered because of the Jonah in their home. Every church family knows Jonah stories. Most of which are tragic enough to frighten every hearer.
Someone needs to awaken these modern-day Jonahs! Awaken them to the heartache and danger they unwittingly bring to those around them Awaken them to the hurt they cause, even to those they love. Lead them back into the will of God. One of the hardest thing in life to do, is to run from God!
Proverbs 13:15 …the way of transgressors is hard.
Jonah? It’s time to quit running from God!
The Case Of the Chubby Calf
The Case Of the Chubby Calf
The farmer looked at the big newborn calf in the stall by its mother. It looked so cute and perfect. The word butterball didn’t come to mind, but it was filled out pretty good already.
It wasn’t the only calf on his small farm. But of this latest and bunch of calves, this one was the biggest. This little calf didn’t have to compete for attention. Neither did it lack for food.
The farmer had plenty of grain and good pasture to feed all his animals. He wasn’t rich, but he lived comfortable enough. Actually, he had some help around the place to make it run smooth. All he had to do was just supervise while the others did all of the work.
But now, that baby calf was something! Anyone could see that! The farmer always checked his stock before retiring at night and also, he looked in on them the first thing in the morning. He noticed it was growing like a weed and putting on the weight.
He took time to check on the calf’s progress each morning and give him an occasional pat. He liked what he saw. The little guy was eating well. His appetite was good and there was plenty of feed. After all, he was the only calf, but he was going to be a big calf.
In a just matter of months the calf really started filling out good. He grew quite big for his age. He got so fat, the farmer often smiled at the chubby little guy’s antics in the field.
As calves, go he didn’t have a care in the world. He ate and frolicked and then ate some more. He was chubbier than any of the other calves.
The farmer knew that a calf that chubby would bring a good price at the market. Buyers would snatch him up fast. The round little calf was the farm’s pride and joy. Neighbors that passed by often commented on the little guy’s weight and size.
The farmer was waiting for just the right time to take him to market. The hired hands around the place all knew that any day now, the farmer was going to ask them to take the chubby little calf to the Sale Barn. It was just a matter of time and they waited for the call.
Then the call came. One morning the farmer animatedly called several of his men to come to him. They quickly responded. Knowing what he wanted before he asked.
“I want you to go get that big chubby calf, and kill it,” he said.
“Kill it?”
“Kill it!”
They field hands looked glanced quickly at each other. This was totally unexpected. A prize calf like that would bring good money. Their boss was a good businessman, and they didn’t need the fresh meat. Why kill it?
Then the farmer explained, with the biggest grin on his face they had ever seen!
Luke 15:23 … bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
Luke 15:24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
So likewise, the Heavenly Father always freely gives His best for you, His children.
He never withholds His choicest bounty from you.
You mean more to Him than anything else He has.
Hey Backslider…
Hey Backslider…
You’re not that far from home! You know, like the Prodigal Son story in the Bible? Remember when he hit bottom, lost everything, got hungry and wanted to eat pig food? Well the good news is, he came to himself. Just like you. Remember…
You’re Not That Far From Home When: When you start getting hungry.
You’re Not That Far From Home When: When your pride gets out of the way.
You’re Not That Far From Home When: When your thoughts turn towards home.
You’re Not That Far From Home When: When you come to yourself.
You’re Not That Far From Home When: When you get up.
You’re Not That Far From Home When: When you start coming home.
You’re Not That Far From Home When: When the Father is watching for you.
You’re Not That Far From Home When: When the Father runs to meet you.
You’re Not That Far From Home When: When you humble yourself.
You’re Not That Far From Home When: When you say you’re sorry.
You’re Not That Far From Home When: When you wrap your arms around each other.
See, I told you that you’re not that far from home. Oh, and did you know your Father’s been looking for you too? Your place is sitting empty at the table. We all can’t wait to see you!
Come On Home!
‘Murder’s Nobodies’
‘Murder’s Nobodies’
The Detective Lieutenant from Homicide stood at the podium in front of the eight photos pinned on the board. The pictures were of unnamed young women that had been brutally murdered.
The handful of Detectives seated in the room hung onto every word as he pointed at the Jane Doe photos of each young woman. The hard-nosed, no-nonsense persona of the old Lieutenant was mostly a front. He appeared to be a little rough around the edges. It went with the territory. Everyone in the room however, understood that his heart was soft. He motives were good. And besides all of that, he really cared about people.
Today, his personal mission was to bring attention to each case before them. That was clearly evident. All eight manila files in front of him had sat in the ‘Open-Unsolved’ Department’s file cabinet for too many years. He couldn’t sleep well at night any more because of them. They were his cases. This was his department. These were cases they all should be concerned about. Not just him. His mind raced ahead as he spoke to his team.
- All the girls were listed as Jane Does.
- No one had reported them missing.
- Maybe they were runaways.
- Maybe they weren’t.
- No one seemed to miss them and several had been dead for more than five years.
- Maybe they’d left in rebellion.
- Maybe the family was glad they were gone.
- They’d somehow slipped through the cracks.
- No splash was made on the news.
- There was no front-page write-up in the paper.
- Why?
“These young women,” the Detective said, “are ‘Murder’s Nobodies.’ They are the victims that don’t count in the minds of those that knew them. No one knows they’re dead. No one has asked about them. No one cared enough to file a missing persons report. No one loved them. No one came looking. No one called.
“Every one of them was somebody’s daughter. Every one of them counted. They don’t deserve to lie in an unmarked grave. They don’t deserve to be forgotten. They all were horrible murdered. They suffered great pain and no one cries for them.”
The old Detective stopped in his speech and looked at the young men and women in front of him. He wanted his words to strike a note in every heart. He wanted everyone in his department to get a hold of what he was saying. He wanted them to get the Big Picture. He wanted them to care enough to do something.
“They’re ‘Murder’s Nobodies’. They weren’t famous enough to be missed. They weren’t rich enough to make the news. They weren’t pretty enough to be asked about. They were just nobodies. They lived an invisible existence in their society. Unseen, unheard of and now, forgotten. I don’t care how long it takes. I’m not willing to let these cases stay in the Open-Unsolved files. We’ve got work to do.”
The group all nodded their heads as one. Their eyes followed the Lieutenant’s eyes and looked again at the pictures on the wall. They saw them as victims who didn’t deserve to have everything taken from them. They saw them as victims who didn’t deserve to die. They saw them as victims who were called ‘Murder’s Nobodies.’ Every community has some. Every church has some as well.
Apostolic Expository Series
Christy Ballestero (My Beautiful DIL)
http://marciaballestero.com/
Pastor Anthony & Kim Ballestero, New Destiny Worship Center, Clearwater, FL (My Son)
Pastor Bryan & Christy Ballestero, Temple Of Pentecost, Raleigh, NC (My Son)
James Groce Blog – "Toward The Mark"
Kenneth Bow Blog
Kingdom Speak Podcast
Philip Harrelson – "The Barnabas Blog"
Verbal Bean Ministries
Holy Ghost Radio
The Ballestero Blog 