So, do you agree with this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9ohsvJHkbY&sns=em
Do you agree with this? Wednesday, Apr 28 2010
Political 7:11 am
How will YOU die? Tuesday, Apr 27 2010
Biblical history and Biographical and Motivational and New Testament 4:33 pm
How will YOU die?
He was cold! He was way beyond the kind of temporary cold that gives you shivers. The cold he felt was way down in his bones, and had been there for weeks. He wished for the thousandth time for the cloak he left in Troas. Life would be easier when Timothy arrived with the books and parchments.
Six feet away, across his cell was a large rat. They eyed each other with measured tolerance. He had long tired of trying to make the rat leave for good. The rat always came back. It was no longer worth the effort to accost the rat. He and the rat certainly weren’t friends, but they had learned to co-exist.
He reached over and picked up his writing instrument and parchment. The voice inside him told him to write. So he dipped his quill in the borrowed ink, and began.
As he formulated the words that were appearing in his mind, another part of his mind began to go back over the years…..
He smiled as he remembered that day on the road. It seemed like just yesterday. Then there was the time in Arabia. The years began to unfold like a novel, like a slow motion reel.
He drifted back through the years, the cities, the trials, the beatings, and the stonings. Once again he asked himself if he had done all his master had asked of him. He honestly could not see any way it could have turned out differently.
The other part of his mind returned back to the parchment, and he began.
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness….
He finished the final words of his last letter. He was well aware he would never again pen another syllable.
He heard the jingle of keys. Marcus came into view. Marcus was his most recent convert, albeit secretly. He said to Marcus,”It’s okay, I understand.” Tears began a slow roll down Marcus’ cheeks.
He rose, straightened, and started for the door, and noticed the rat seemed to be smirking.
The stairs seemed steeper than he remembered. The light of day was blinding. He had lost count of the days in the underground cell. Slowly he looked around. Spring had arrived, his last spring of his 67 years.
He saw the executioner waiting. How far? Maybe a hundred steps? He started the final one hundred steps of his earthly journey. He drew up at the chopping block.
With one long last look around the Appian Way, and a smile for Marcus tear stained face, he knelt and placed his head on the block. The Roman official placed a check next to his name on the slate and nodded to the ax man.
In one slow movement, while heaven held it’s breath, the ax was raised. It paused for a fraction of a second, then in blinding speed arched downward. His head, severed from his body rolled over the edge of the block and dropped to the ground and rolled twice. Unseeing eyes on mortal earth stared upward.
In the immeasurable moment when head and body were separated, his spirit was free. He was free of the hardships, free of the privation. He was free and approaching the gates.
The gate was also about one hundred steps. He could see the crowds cheering. It was that great cloud of witnesses he had written about in his letter to the Hebrews.
They were all there. Some were from the highlands of Galatia, others from the sea coasts of Macedonia. There were some from Caesars’ household, and some converted rulers of the synagogue.
They were waiting, cheering, and welcoming him home.
And then there was Jesus for the first time.
He never quite remembers those last few steps, he only remembers falling at Jesus feet. And the words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
So Paul, the Christian sage of the ages died.
How will YOU die?
Will you be bitter?
Will you have regrets?
In the prison, Paul called himself “The prisoner of the Lord.” He knew that no mere, mortal Caesar could imprison an apostle without his master’s assent.
Do you see your prison as approved by the master?
How will YOU die?
Thanks for reading today!
The Spider Web Monday, Apr 26 2010
Biographical and Motivational and Uncategorized 11:16 am
The Spider Web.
All of life is like a spider's web!
Reading Brother Ballestero’s blog today brought to my mind a portion of a book by Robert Penn Warren. The title is All the King’s Men. It is considered an American classic, rated the 36th greatest novel of the 20th century.
It is really written about a famous Louisiana politician who became governor of Louisiana and then a United States Senator. He was killed on the steps of the State Capitol in Baton Rouge, at the age of 42. His name was Huey Long.
In the book there is a young man who becomes his assistant. On several occasions there is a philosophical diatribe on life and it’s long-range effects. On one such occasion the subject is the spider web. The young man’s name is Jack.
Jack is informed that all of life is like a spider web. It stretches out and sometimes appears empty. But just one touch and the entire web reverberates and begins to hum. The spider feels it and out she comes to claim her victim.
It is an excellent analogy. Life is interlaced and every act and deed we do sends the vibrations out through our life and those we touch. None of us are an island to our self.
The sad tragedy of the book illustrates the spider web effect. Jack is told by the man running for governor, Willie Stark, to find something in the life of another man to ruin him. That man is a judge who has been like a father to Jack all his life.
Jack asks what if there is nothing on the Judge? Stark says there is always something! So Jack digs in the Judge’s past until he finds something. When Jack goes to the Judge and presents his evidence that the Judge took a bribe, he thinks it is over and done with.
Little does he know he touched the spider web!
Soon after in the book, Jack is at his mother’s house and the telephone rings. He hears his mother begin to scream. He runs to see why, and she screams at him. Well Jack, you finally did it, didn’t you? You just had to do it didn’t you? She says Judge Irwin just committed suicide!
You just killed you own father Jack!
Jack had never known who his father was. The Judge had always treated him like a son. Jack was stunned! He touched the spider web, it hummed, and the spider came out to claim her victim.
Life is indeed a spider web.
When you touch it, all of life is affected.
Thanks for reading today!
Noblesville Indiana New Church Sunday, Apr 25 2010
Biographical and Church news 6:19 am
New Church in Noblesville Indiana nears completion
Calvary Apostolic Church, pastored by Garry Streeval is nearing completion of their new church. The church has a total of approximately 23,000 square feet. It is on a new location near the growing areas of Noblesville. Noblesville is located in one of the fastest growing counties of the United States.
It has been a dream come true for Pastor and Mrs Streeval, after 35 years in Noblesville.
The Streevals came to Noblesville March 7, 1975 and started having church in a converted garage. Their only member was their young daughter Beth. The last 35 years have seen constant, careful, consistent growth. Today there is a growing thriving congregation in this city just north of Indianapolis.
Dedication of the new church is tentatively set for July 30th.
View of auditorium from the baptistry.
View from the balcony.
Main entrance foyer.
Main entrance, with beautiful chandelier (Pastor Streeval and Rev Garrett)
Basement: fellowship hall.
As I post these pictures I realize they do not do the building justice. My recommendation is to come and celebrate their joy on July 30th, and see the beauty of this church for yourself!
Congratulations Pastor Streeval and congregation!
What are you afraid of? Saturday, Apr 24 2010
Motivational 7:29 pm
SILENCE
- Everything great in history has arisen from silence … even great noise.
- Beethoven and Mozart closed themselves off from the world and inhabited silent rooms for days at a time in order to hear things that no one else could hear – sounds so glorious that they themselves would never hear in the midst of the world, and yet sounds that the world would never know if Beethoven and Mozart had not befriended silence.
- USA Today conducted a survey in which people were asked to name the ten things they feared the most.
- The most feared was death, and then flying.
- After flying … silence – followed closely by public speaking, dogs, snakes, and spiders.
- Why do we fear silence?
- Why do we avoid silence?
Just wondering today?
Are You Surviving or Thriving? Friday, Apr 23 2010
Biblical history and Doctrine and Family and Marriage and Motivational 1:15 pm
Are the tears you shed for your marriage happy tears or sad tears?
Surviving or Thriving?
Somewhere around 3000 years ago a giant named Goliath walked out on the battlefield and challenged the armies of Israel. The gauntlet was thrown down and the challenge was bellowed. The terms of conflict were clear for everyone.
It was winner take all and no survivors!
I am convinced today there is another challenge, on yet another battlefield. Satan struts out on the battlefield of America and throws his challenge. The battle in 2010 is for our homes. Satan attacks with technology, with Hollywood, with busyness and time constraints, and stress.
One of his most effective attacks is on marriages. He has rolled out the big artillery the last few years. He is after the family values in America.
In 2009 there were 2,162,000 marriages in America. The marriage rate was 7.1 per 1000 people. The divorce rate was 3.5 per 1000 people.
In the 1996 presidential election 50% of the electorate said moral values were one of the most important issues. In the 2004 presidential election, that percentage stood at 34 %. In 8 years 16% of support had eroded.
From the 2000 election to the 2004 election, support for gay marriages increased 50% in America.
For the last 30 years moral values have been some of the most important factors in elections.
In 2005, 11 of 17 states amended their state constitutions to prohibit gay unions or gay marriages. Satan is attacking the Biblical ideal of marriage between a man and a woman.
But he does not stop there. Satan also attacks the marriages of Christians.
Some statistics say the divorce rate for conservative Christians is higher than the rate for atheists and agnostics. Others say the opposite. Tom Ellis, Chairman of the Southern Baptist convention’s council on the family says the true fact is 1 in 39,000 marriages, end among conservative Christians. That is 0.00256%.
The question in your marriage is, are you surviving or thriving?
Are you and your spouse meeting each others personal needs?
Here we are in mainstream America where prayer is illegal, and abortion is encouraged.
Where, if you resist the gay marriage deluge, you practice hate speech, and you are homophobic!
Where our kids walk through metal detectors to get on the school ground and are handed condoms.
Does anybody believe me when I scream….the battle is raging?
If anyone is naïve enough to think you can ignore your marriage, and it will thrive on it’s own, by simple church attendance, you are sadly mistaken!
On January 31, 1996, I ended a journey of 9048 days of marriage. Over 25 years. I dated in the church, I married in the church, and was finally divorced in the church. On that January day in 1996, I started a journey that has now stretched to 5,192 days, over 14 years of living alone.
If I could help even one person to not go down that road, it would be worth it all. But even more, what if I could I help those still in the marriage, to make that marriage all God intended it to be?
I was driving down the road with Martyn Ballestero a few weeks ago. We were on main street in Sumner Washington, right in front of McDonalds, in the left turn lane.
God spoke to me. God said “What did the children say of their mother in Proverbs chapter 31?” In my mind I answered, they called her blessed. And God said, “What did her husband do?”. I answered he praised her. God told me to look it up and see what kind of praise the man gave his wife. I did, and Brother Ballestero wrote a wonderful blog on it.
I hope you will click on the link, go to his blog site and read the blog on how to have the best wife in the world!
Thanks for reading today!
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Is Pride Always A Sin? Thursday, Apr 22 2010
Church news 1:27 pm
FPC singers and musicians at the fairgrounds. They took second place 🙂
Is Pride Always A Sin?
Most of us, if not all of us, are aware that pride is a sin and God hates it! I am just wondering today if there is ever a time it is not a sin?
Last week our church sang at the fairground in a gospel singing. There were ten groups chosen from the area to sing and we were one of the ten chosen.
The audience then sent in a text message to vote for who they thought won the event as the best group. Our church group placed second.
I guess I need to repent, because I was very proud of them. That nasty old pride sticking it’s head up!
I was off in Arkansas at another meeting and they went and did a wonderful job representing traditional Pentecostal singing.
Here is the newspaper report….
For many churches, music is a reflection of the way they worship. That holds true for First Pentecostal Church of Puget Sound in Lake Tapps, which sent a 20-member choral and instrumental performance group to The Spring Fair.
“We feel like music is an expression of faith itself,” said Kenneth Bow, the church’s senior pastor. “Music is the medium throughout the ages that God has used to reach people, whether it’s gospel or traditional or contemporary.”
Pastor Bow, who has been at First Pentecostal since 1999, said the majority of his church’s musicians have been performing together all that time. They practice for 45 minutes every Sunday and seem to have a smaller learning curve because they’re so familiar with each other, he said.
The First Pentecostal group features saxophones, clarinets, trumpets, keyboards, guitars and percussion to complement its singers. They offered a diverse selection of three songs at The Spring Fair, ranging from a cover of “Say So” by contemporary Christian group Free Chapel to a medley by Ron Kenoly, a widely-known evangelist who specializes in soul and rhythm and blues.
First Pentecostal is a traditional Pentecostal church that uses “exuberant worship” as its focal point, meaning heartfelt music, raised hands and outstretched voices are part of the typical service.
“It’s a vocal expression rather than a meditative environment,” the pastor explained. “The Pentecostal service is going to be an out-loud expression of your feelings. It’s more of an expressive faith than a reflective faith.”
I hope there are times you can be proud of something and not sin! 🙂
Thanks for reading today!
Do Your Emotions Rule Your Life? Wednesday, Apr 21 2010
Motivational 1:37 pm
Is the storm coming or going?
The tides advance, the tides recede. Winter goes and summer comes. Summer wanes and the cold increases. The sun rises, the sun sets. The moon is full, the moon is black. The birds arrive, the birds depart. Flowers bloom, flowers fade. Seeds are sewn, harvests are reaped. All nature is a circle of moods and I am part of nature and so, like the tides, my mood will rise; my mood will fall.
Today I will be master of my emotions.
It is one of nature’s tricks, little understood, that each day I awaken with moods that have changed from yesterday. Yesterday’s joy will become today’s sadness; yet today’s sadness will grow into tomorrow’s joy, from exultation to depression, from happiness to melancholy. Like the flowers, today’s full bloom of joy will fade and wither into despondency. Today’s sadness carry the seed of tomorrow’s joy.
Today I will be master of my emotions.
And how will I master these emotions? Unless my mood is right the day will be a failure. Trees and plants depend on the weather to flourish, but I make my own weather. If I bring rain and gloom and darkness and pessimism to my people, then they will react with rain and gloom and darkness and pessimism. If I bring joy and enthusiasm and brightness and laughter they will react with joy and enthusiasm and brightness and laughter and my weather will produce a harvest.
Today I will be master of my emotions.
And how will I master my emotions so that every day is a happy day and a productive one? I will learn the secret of the ages: Weak is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions; strong is he who forces his actions to control his thoughts. Each day I will follow this plan before I am captured by the forces of sadness, self-pity and failure – –
If I feel depressed I will sing.
If I feel ill I will double my labor.
If I feel fear I will plunge ahead.
If I feel inferior I will wear new garments.
If I feel uncertain I will raise my voice.
If I feel poverty I will think of wealth to come.
If I feel incompetent I will remember past successes.
If I feel insignificant I will remember my goals.
Today I will be master of my emotions.
Henceforth, I will know that only those with inferior ability can always be at their best. There will be days when I must constantly struggle against forces which would tear me down. Those such as despair and sadness are simple to recognize but there are others which approach with a smile and a hand of friendship and they can also destroy me. Against them too, I must never relinquish control – –
If I become overconfident I will recall my failures.
If I overindulge I will think of past hungers.
If I feel complacency I will remember my competition.
If I enjoy moments of greatness I will remember moments of shame.
If I feel all-powerful I will try to stop the wind.
If I attain great wealth I will remember one unfed mouth.
If I become overly proud I will remember a moment of weakness.
If I feel my skill is unmatched I will look at the stars.
Today I will be master of my emotions.
And with this new knowledge I will also understand and recognize the moods of him on whom I call. I will make allowances for his anger and irritation of today for he knows not the secret of controlling his mind. I can withstand his arrows and insults for now I know that tomorrow he will change and be a joy to approach.
No longer will I judge a man on one meeting. This day he will not buy gold chariots for a penny, yet tomorrow he would exchange his home for a tree.
Today I will be master of my emotions.
I will recognize and identify the mystery of moods in all mankind, and in me. From this moment I am prepared to control whatever personality awakes in me each day. I will master my moods.
I will become master of myself and my emotions.
Thanks for reading today
So, How Desperate Are You? Tuesday, Apr 20 2010
Family and Motivational 12:32 pm
So, How Desperate Are You?
Every last one of us have those certain relatives that are our least favorite. I know a guy who has this aunt and her husband who top his list of least favorite relatives.
He tells me his reasons are myriad. He says she dominated him growing up and bossed him to no end. While talking to him one day he told me the craziest story I have heard in years.
This aunt of my friend and her husband were church goers, and after several years were pretty convinced that God had special assignments for them. Well, their pastor did not share their opinion when he was informed of their intentions.
Well, naturally, when the pastor could not hear from God, (in their opinion), it was time to launch out on their own and pursue their divine calling.
So no one was surprised when they decided to open their own church, and do things the way God was instructing them. After all they were unique, and the Man of God in their life was not tuned in to the right spiritual frequency.
So they opened shop quite sure the multitudes would flock their way. They certainly had known all the answers in their church when they attended there, and now was the moment to put their revelations into action!
Well, something seemed a little wrong after several weeks when they could not get any one to attend their services they were holding in their living room. It must be the community! Or maybe people just were not aware of the incredible opportunity being presented at their small community of about 12,000.
Whatever the reason, they were convinced they needed “Exposure.” So they were “Led of the Lord” to have an old-fashioned brush arbor meeting right alongside the highway into town.
Out came the tools. Ax, saw, hammer, chainsaw all made their appearance as these missionaries to suburban America started in like a colony of beavers! Rough-hewn benches with no backs were fashioned. Man were they fired up. Just wait till the passing cars saw this, why there would be a traffic jam on highway 17!
Excitement and faith filled the air their first night as she broke out the accordion. He had his best striped overalls on, with the bible under his arm. They were ready for the deluge of sinners that were sure to come running to the altar!
Well, the first night was a bust! No one stopped. Faith diminished a bit, but hey, God was just testing them! They would show their metal, ain’t no quitters in this church!
The second night was the same. Then the third. The first week brought not a single person to their brush arbor revival. Hundreds of cars were whizzing by and could see them plainly out there with the striped overalls and the accordion.
Okay God, what is the problem they inquired? It was then my friend told me the most hilarious revival story I have heard! This spiritually “gifted” man and woman became convinced the only thing standing between them and the deluge of sinners waiting to come ,was a few people in the crowd.
So, how to do that? They thought, they prayed, they fasted. Finally God showed them the answer (Yeah right!) They were led by God to go and buy some blow up dolls (life size), to put out on the benches so the crowds would be relaxed to come on in!
After much prayer the husband announced the only place he knew that had such life sized dolls was the pornography place over on the state line! Assuring his wife he had nothing but the purest of motives, and was making a tremendous sacrifice, he set out to get some “Saint bait”, or “Sinner bait”, depending on your point of view.
It did seem to her he was gone a long time to just buy some inflatable dolls. He did eventually return though. Sure enough, he had purchased five life sized female dolls.
These particular models did not come with clothes so they set about to “Pentecostalize” them. After several hours of huffing and puffing, blowing and wrestling with these dolls, they were ready!
Whew! Just in time for church too! Then more disappointment struck. The stupid dolls would not stay upright. The slightest breeze toppled them every which way. Their clothes kept getting all twisted up. They tied the dolls, they taped the dolls, they weighted them down.
Church started a little late that night, with the pastor and his wife sweaty and frustrated, but hope still ruled the night. Song after song, no visitors! Finally a stirring message wasted on airheads and no visitors.
There were tears that night, but they were the tears of the pastor and his wife!
My friend said the last he heard they still did not have anyone in their church, but they became convinced they were being persecuted for the name of Jesus!
So friend, how desperate are you for revival….:)
For the record, I am not that desperate!
Thanks for reading today!
P. S. This is a true story!
Do You Have A Controlling Pastor? Monday, Apr 19 2010
Family and Motivational 3:12 pm
Do you have a controlling pastor?
Max walked up to Pastor Sunday night after service, and asked “ Hey Pastor, would you have time to pop up to the university one day this week and have coffee with me?”
Pastor concealed his surprise and smiled, and said, “Max I’d be glad to. What day”
So it was a Tuesday as Pastor walked on campus, wondering what this was all about.
He spotted Max sitting at a table in the student center and was greeted by a genuine smile of welcome.
Max asked Pastor if he had ever been on campus before and Pastor admitted he hadn’t.
“So Max, what is this all about” asked Pastor? Max sobered up and began to explain.
“Well sir, you know two weeks ago when you talked to me about that situation God spoke to you about?” Pastor was nodding slowly now. Max continued, “Well I feel like I was gone, falling and on my way to being lost when God talked to you. Honestly Elder, I do not ever want to even get close to the edge again.”
“I thought I had everything concealed and no one would ever know I was starting to see that unsaved girl. It never went very far, but we did hang out together and even met and went to Sonic once. We sat in the car and began to kiss. I knew it was wrong. I have been born and raised in the church and I have been taught never to date anyone outside the church, but I messed up.”
“It started slow. We were in an English class together. I saw her in the library and stopped to chat. I sat down not knowing the path I started down that day. Honestly Pastor, I never intended for it to go anywhere, or end up like it did. Somehow I got more and more involved with her, and then that day at the Sonic: when we kissed for a long time.”
“I was pretty shocked when you came up to me that Sunday and told me God had talked to you about me. Then when you began to tell me exactly what I had done and that God had revealed it to you, well that was, uh, well, to be honest I was dumbfounded!”
“So I asked you here today because I have decided to take some steps to make sure it never happens again”. Max slid a piece of paper across the table to his pastor. “That sir is all my information and passwords. I want you to monitor every email, every text message, every phone call I make until you feel I can be trusted not to fall into this trap again.”
It had been many years since the seasoned Man of God had been this bamboozled! He was speechless. He looked down at the paper on the desk. Listed were Max’s email address with his password. Next were his cell phone number, the carrier, and the password to log on and check his calls and texts.
Pastor said, “Max are you sure about this? “ Max slowly nodded his head and replied, “Looking back I now realize that I had already backslid even though I still never missed a service. I was already in freefall Elder and you and Jesus reached over the edge of the cliff and snatched me back to safety. Pastor, I never want to get anywhere near that close to going to hell again as long as I live.”
“Pastor I would also like you to walk the campus here with me today. I would like to show you where my classes are and invite you to stop by any time and see me when I change classes or when I am on this campus.”
Pastor felt a tear begin it’s decent down his cheek as he looked into the eyes of the young man he had pastored for the last 22 years. “Max, I just have one more question.” Max looked up, “Sure Pastor, anything.”
The Man of God chose his words carefully. “Max, what about your father? He is a good man, and a member of our church for many years. However, we both know he feels like I control our people and their lives. Won’t he see this as me controlling you by monitoring your emails and texts?”
Max smiled. “Yep, I am pretty sure he will.” Pastor said, “So how will we handle that?”
Max answered, “Maybe he needs to learn the difference between control and accountability. This might be the best opportunity for my dad to stop trying to protect his son from what he misidentifies as control.”
Max continued, “Pastor I asked you here today. I willingly gave you my information, and I ask you to hold me accountable so I do not end up lost.”
As the pastor slowly walked back to his car on a beautiful spring day, it seemed the sun was shining like it hadn’t in many, many years.
Max had learned a lesson no university could teach, a valuable life lesson.
Holding someone accountable is not controlling them, it is protecting them.
Thanks for reading today.
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