AWAKE - Be Strong Cont.

Doing the right thing requires strength!

It is so easy to agree with the scriptures concerning relationship and then go right on with our life as usual. That is not only a sign that we are asleep but also that we may be doing the things we do for our mates with the wrong attitude. Let's take a look, while continuing in the third chapter of Colossians, at the attitude that we are to have when we do things for each other.

Colossians 3:22,23 - Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men;

You're probably saying to yourself by now, wait a minute, I'm not a servant! But think about this for a minute; didn't Jesus teach us to serve others? Why wouldn't that apply to our relationships at home too? I bet that was one of the first things that God taught Adam and Eve while they were out walking together in the mornings of that very first week in the Garden of Eden. I bet the temperature was perfect and the sun was just the right distance away that they didn't even break a sweat. They probably enjoyed every minute of every day!

You know what else! I'm not a betting man, but I would be willing to bet that Eve was so pleased with Adam as he served her like he was suppose to as her husband. I would also bet that Adam was just as happy because Eve served him with the right heart attitude also as his wife? This was not only the first marriage on earth, but it was the perfect marriage designed and created by the God of all our universe!

Why then, when men and women attempt to live like that, does something happen that creates friction between us? Well, we have to examine our motives and ask ourselves ,"Am I attempting to serve as unto the Lord or am I serving as unto people?". This can apply to parent/child as well.  As a servant in my home I must become humble and bring peace to my family. How? By reminding myself of the most important part of this passage. Take notice, it starts out with a command and then we learn how to live it out in our relationships successfully.

We are instructed that a servant is to obey their master. From a man's perspective I was thinking, "How would that apply to our relationship with our wife or children?".  But then it kind of sunk in slowly as I finished reading the rest of the passage. Who is my Master, I thought to myself? Who is your Master? Who do you serve in life? Then it hit me! Jesus talks all through the scriptures about how we can only serve one master, right? If you think that I am going to tell you to start calling each other "Master", I'm not. But, just imagine for a minute what a difference it would make if we treated each other as if they were the master and we were their servant?

So it got a little more confusing as I thought about the passage that says, Don't be a person pleaser using the eyes to give favor; BUT in singleness of heart fearing God. I am to do the best I can with sincerity; but fearing God alone because He alone is our only Master and we are to do it as unto Him. Wow! What kind of difference would it make if we would remember that it is God, our only Master, that we are serving every time we stop to do something for our mates, our family and our friends?

I imagine Adam and Eve before the fall of sin, feeling the perfect joy of serving God when they reached out to serve and care for each other. Try it! Serve God as you reach out to care for family and friends, I guarantee that you will experience that perfect joy as well.

One last point from passage that will strengthen our relationships is concerning the heart.

Some people can act so awesome whenever anyone is around to notice, but at home they may exibit a proud and self-centered attitude. That is what we are told not to be like when this passage tells us not to be eyepleasers. Be careful, men and women, husbands and wives, when you take notice of another man or woman that's always serving people in the eye of the public. Not that it is wrong to behave this way, but we should be focused on our own mates and what we can do to serve that special person that God has put into our lives. It is easy to put on an act in public, but your mate will know if you are doing things heartily (with your whole heart) by the way that you act in private! So, beware of this deceitful temptation to become men pleasers as this way of living doesn't follow the teachings of our Lord, our only true Master. We must do ALL that we do for the Lord and our mates will know without a doubt that they are truly appreciated and loved!

Luke 16:13 - No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.(wealth)

"AWAKE" - A Strong Home

Author-Robert Bailes

DETERMINE TO HAVE A STRONG HOME

When it comes to relationships, they're all different in some way or another, but there are certain principles in a relationship that apply to every person alive today. These principles were established by our creator, our God. It is so important to pay attention to them and adhere to what God has laid down for us in order to avoid the consequences that follow when we rebel and choose our own ways, rather than the way our Lord God Almighty planned for us.

When we say that God is love; we must also realize that He is the Master of love and therefore, His divine Word is not going to tell us something that would guide us into a relationship full of hatred, conflicts and abuse. So I tell you once more as we begin to discover and explore the ingredients that make a Strong Home, AWAKE! Pay close attention and get ready to start filling up those half full love tanks! Could it be that your ship has been tossed around in the storms of life and that your love tank is so empty that the engine isn't even running and you are just drifting through life with no direction or purpose? If so, don't abandon ship yet! Hold on tight and let's find out, as we explore God's Word, how you can begin to refuel your relation"ship" and get your engines running full throttle again!

A house is a place, but a home is made of people. A Godly home is a home where people are living their Christian faith each day.

I spent about twelve years of my life, following my college days, building homes of all types. There were houses with only a couple of bedrooms made of average building materials and there were homes that were large enough to house several families made of a nicer grade material. Then there were what we call mansions. These homes took almost a year to build and the materials were ordered special from all over the globe. One couple even went overseas to find a house with the type of chimney they wanted for their home. They then took the mason and showed him their choice so he could build it over here in the United States. Regardless of how much each home owner spent on materials, whether it be thousands or millions of dollars, the cheapest was just as much a house as the most expensive was a house. The more expensive house was a better house because of the quality of the products used, but it did cost allot more than the houses built with the lower quality products. It costs more to have a better house because the quality of the products are better. Many people appear to be working hard on their home life, but they are using the wrong materials.

In Colossians, chapter three,verses fifteen through twenty-one, the Bible says, " And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged."

THREE HOMES WE ALL NEED

Everyone should have three homes. We need to know that we have a heavenly home. If we have asked the Lord to forgive our sin and received Him by faith, we have a heavenly home.

We all need to have a good church home. Please, don't underestimate the power and influence of a good, Bible believing, Bible preaching church. We know that Paul taught us that Jesus is the foundation and the head of the church, but we can't have strong churches without having strong families. Interestingly enough, we can't have strong homes either, without a good church home. They work together hand in hand.

Not only do we need a heavenly home and a good church home, but we need a Godly Christian home. I have seen Satan's hand at work in homes everywhere and it is so important to build our homes of the things that will withstand his attacks. Let's look at how to build a strong home and what it takes to do this!

WHAT DEFINES A CHRISTIAN HOME?

There are many who claim to be Christian and even have a testimony of salvation, but don't have a Christian home. You may be thinking, how can that be? Well, let's look at what makes a Christian home.

Some of you may say,"My husband is a Christian. Doesn't that make my home a Christian home?". Or you may be saying the same about the wife or mother of the home. You might even attend church faithfully, but these things do not make a Christian home.

Let's look at the text in verses twelve through thirteen of chapter three in Colossians and we will discover the vital ingredients of a Christian home. In this passage, seven things are listed for us to have in our homes. Let's consider them carefully: "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering; forbearing one another and forgiving one another..."

After giving us these seven ingredients to apply, the Lord covers them all up with something like a glue that holds all the other ingredients together. This is the bond of Christian love that is the most important ingredient to apply to our homes. We find this in verse fourteen,"And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."

Have you ever come across a home that was built with average materials and during construction of the home something went wrong and the house was never quite finished. You could see that the house was left there through the winter and summer without the final coatings applied. As those average materials that were used to build that home were exposed to the elements of nature, without the proper protection they began to curl and swell and fall apart. It wasn't too long before the walls began to crack inside and the ceilings began to stain from the leaks of an unprotected roof as well.

It is like that house that was built and then left unprotected without the final materials that may have seemed to be insignificant at the time; we also can find the value of protecting our homes. We must protect our home with the ingredient valued above all other ingredients if we want to build a Godly Christian home. What God has valued above all else is LOVE! We must ask ourselves; each and every one of us, "Do I have the love that God has placed so much value on? Is my home strong?". Are the materials (mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, long suffering, forgiveness) that my house is made of, going to be bond together when the difficult seasons of life arrive? Could it be that my house going to begin to curl and fall apart or show stains of leaking because of the lack of the one ingredient that God valued above all the others? We must ask ourselves, "Is my home protected by the covering of Love, which is the bond of perfectness?"

AWAKENING!

PRAISE OUR ALMIGHTY GOD TODAY!
PRAISE HIS NAME ON HIGH!
PRAISE HIM FOR HIS MERCY!

LET US SING, "AWAKE MY SOUL, LET YOUR WILL BE DONE IN ME!"

Romans 13:11
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

"AWAKE" - Introduction

By Robert Bailes

IT IS HIGH TIME TO AWAKE!
As newly married couples join hearts and hands in marriage, there are far too often those who feel they have the privilege of offering their two cents to the couple, even before the wedding reception is over. The traditional quotes and riddles with hidden meanings are passed on by those who have fallen asleep at the helm of their love boat, so to speak.

Most of those couples who have been together for years will tell them that the honeymoon will soon pass and reality will begin to sink in, so get ready! Isn't that a wonderful thought to leave a couple with right after they have married? The reason that this goes on generation after generation is because these couples have fallen asleep at the helm of their love boat.

They no longer feel like they once did because their love boat fuel tanks are empty or running on their last gallon of fuel. When the waves come and rock their boat around, that last little bit of fuel is still there but isn't quite enough to keep the motor from sputtering. The tank is very large and could hold hundreds of gallons of fuel, but that last gallon is swished back and forth past the fuel pump, allowing only enough fuel to barely keep their love boat running in the storm. So they share their experience with the newly weds as a forecast of days ahead in their relationship, almost as though it is normal and to be expected.

The facts are that this type of relationship between a husband and wife is not what God intended and there is a clear and decisive way for couples to avoid falling asleep at the helm and allowing their tanks to run dry. There are clearly defined principles to apply to our lives that will prevent a couple from finding themselves stranded and at the mercy of the storms in their lives. Instead of just hoping for the storms to pass, they will have the fuel and the navigational equipment necessary to move through the storm. When they come out of the storm, they will be on the same course that they were on before the storm and will have also made some progress along the way.

You might be thinking to yourself, "How can I tell if I have fallen asleep at the helm?". Most people, awake or asleep, think that they are doing alright in all of their relationships, but take heed! Paul is talking to believers in the book of Romans when he gives us this warning to "Awake" and this series of messages will show us just how our lives will change when we wake up; at home, at church and in the community around us. I have learned first hand, the things that I will share with you in this series and how applying the principles that Paul teaches us in the thirteenth chapter of Romans will bring a change in your relationships at home, in the community and even in your worship with God.

Romans 13:11
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.


Now it is HIGH TIME! That means that the HOUR is here and the time is NOW. People just roll over and go back to sleep in relationships all to often. I must agree with the apostle Paul when he says, "IT IS HIGH TIME TO AWAKE FROM OUR SLEEP!" Verse twelve says,"The night is far spent", that means it is later than you may think! I want to tell you that it is later in this age than you may think! I believe that Jesus Christ is at the threshold and I believe that the trumpet is about to sound and Jesus Christ is going to come soon and it is only the restraining hand of Almighty God that has kept the floodgates of evil closed as much as they have been. It may be later in your life than you think! You only have so many more days or hours left to serve the Lord Jesus. James 4:14 says,"What is your life but a vapor that appeared for a little with and then vanished away"!

It's later in the day of opportunity than you may think. We have opportunities now that are unparalleled to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus said when he was here on earth in John 9:4, "I must work the works of Him that sent me while it is day, the night cometh when no man can work!" There are allot of things you can do here on this earth, but there's one thing we won't be able to do in heaven and that is to win souls to Christ.

There are several things that I pray that everyone who hears this message will do, that the apostle Paul urges us to do in this passage and the first one is to "WAKE UP"!

God's alarm clock is going off all around us!
A young man asked his pastor one Sunday if there was a good prayer that he could pray whenever he came to the service and his pastor said,"Yes, Now I lay me down to sleep".

It's time that we wake up. So many times we are like Sampson, asleep in the lap of Delilah. When we wake up and go out to shake ourselves, it's without the spirit's power. How do we wake up? Not by hitting the snooze button; we have to wake up and get up! Get busy doing the things that you are purposed to do in your life!

Wake Up! Get Up! Husbands and wives, grab the wheel of your boats and get ready to fuel up and apply the principles we will find in the series of messages I have titled "AWAKE!".

IT'S HIGH TIME TO AWAKE! LET'S GO!

HOW CAN I DESCRIBE MY GOD?

TAKE TIME TO ENJOY THIS VIDEO TODAY ABOUT THE AWESOME GOD WE LOVE & SERVE!

"CLICK HERE TO BEGIN"

AS YOU WAKE UP EACH MORNING, MAY THE PEACE OF GOD DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS!

COMING SOON! A new series of lessons on relationships entitled "AWAKE!".

"Oh Lord, It's Hard To Be Humble"

Your Faith Will Give You Testimony - Continued


By Rob Bailes



John 9:16-18
16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keeps not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
17 They say unto the blind man again, What say thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.

I believe that John made a point in verse sixteen to let us know that there was a division among these people. I can guarantee you that there is going to be some kind of division between the people in a congregation where the leaders are proud and hold strong to their own opinions. Please take notice that I said, "their own opinions"!
Jesus and his disciples had been teaching His followers to not be proud, but rather to humble themselves and love one another. Is it really possible to love someone else while looking down on them with criticism? I find it very hard to feel love and compassion for others when I am the one who is judging them. Let's read where Luke documents the words of Jesus concerning the matter of us judging one another.

Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Chapter sixth of Luke gives so much guidance in this matter of love, compassion and mercy towards others. As a matter of fact, Jesus gave a parable about a blind man leading a blind man in this chapter. That parable was teaching us about being humble and why we shouldn't judge. Isn't it interesting that Jesus used the blind leading the blind man; symbolic of one who is proud and judgmental of others? Someone who is telling others what to do with their life when they themselves ignore the teachings of Jesus is like a man who sees the mote in his brother's eye and offers to pull it out, but he isn't aware that he has a beam in his own eye!

Jesus says, "Thou hypocrite, cast out the beam that is in your eye first and then you'll see clearly to pull the mote out of your brother's eye." Keep this in mind, my friend, when someone begins to point out the faults in your life and you begin to feel defensive. It's easy for us to fall into the same trap of judging others when this happens. We feel that we need to defend ourselves or our family when someone points out faults, even if it is true. Keep the last sentence of Luke 6:37 in mind when this happens! "Forgive and you will be forgiven!" I know that Jesus spoke these words many years ago, so that we would apply them to our lives today and remember not to fall into this trap. Once the judging and criticism starts, it is very hard to stop.

Even in marital relationships, the fault finding and judging can get started and it will continue to fester and escalate until someone humbles themselves and is willing to ask for forgiveness and to forgive their spouse for the things that were said out of pride and defence. Maybe this is happening in your home, even today between you and your spouse or between you and your teenager! If so, go to Luke 6 and let the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ guide you today!

Let's go back to our main passage in John and look at the next thing that happens when the Jews called the blind man's parents,

John 9:19-22
19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then does he now see?
20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
21 But by what means he now sees, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

Isn't that absolutely amazing, my friend? The parents of the blind man acted as though they were ignorant of what had happened to their son. Yet they knew he could now see! They had seen him and knew it was their son! They could now testify that he was blind since birth but now he could see! Why then were they afraid to tell the truth about the one who had healed their son?

Look at verse twenty-two and you will see that what they feared was that they would be put out of the synagogue; AND FOR WHAT REASON? The Jews in their pride had judged Jesus and they agreed together to put any man out of the synagogue (temple) if he confessed that Jesus was "Christ"! Another words, they had their own opinions and didn't accept the truth and would punish anyone who stood up for it! If you have ever found yourself being silenced or getting picked on for speaking the truth found in God's Word, it is likely that you are being judged by those people who have become arogant with pride in their heart rather than love and mercy. Just remember though, that Jesus told us to condemn not and to forgive in Luke 6:37! Don't go on the defence, but rather love, forgive and show mercy to those who judge you. It may sound totally absurd according to the world's rules and according to some of the success or positive speakers of our day, but it is the guidance given us by our true Shepard, Jesus Christ!

There is no religious organization or person that will keep me from declaring that Jesus is Christ! People can judge me; take away my membership; turn their back on me; fire me; ridicule and criticise me; point blame; remind me of my past mistakes; abuse and torture me and even threaten to take my life if I claim Jesus as my Christ, but I cannot DENY MY LORD as CHRIST! Jesus gave His life for me that I may have Life and have it more abundantly!

In John 10:9-11 Jesus says,
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief comes not , but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

I pray that you will always share with others the testimony that Jesus is your Christ and what He has done for you! If you haven't ever come to the place in your life when you have confessed Jesus Christ as your Savior, but you would like to receive Him right now as your personal Savior, God will forgive your past and receive you as His child in the family of God. Don't let your foolish pride keep you from the most wonderful thing that God offers us all; eternal life in Heaven one day and His Spirit to live in you and care for you on this earth. Talk with God right now and tell Him what's on your heart. It's very simple.

Repent of your life of sin in the past; tell Him you want Him to be YOUR Savior from this day forward and believe that Jesus is God's son who was raised from the dead after giving His life on the cross to pay for the sins of our world!

Once you have prayed this prayer and received Christ, I would love to pray for you and send you some helpful information and resources that would help you learn more on your own. Just email me: rbailesnc@yahoo.com or call me at (919)621-9930. I look forward to hearing from you today! God bless you.

"NO DOUBT, IT'S A MIRACLE!"

"Your Faith Gives You Testimony" - Continued

By Rob Bailes

How could someone who truly believes in Jesus find fault with a person who displays living proof that Jesus truly has radically changed their life? Why would anyone question this new believer when they have claimed that Jesus gave them the Truth and New Life?

Let's look at what the people said to the blind man when he came back to town!

John 9:9-11
9. Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

Theologians could write many different lessons about this passage alone. But today, let's apply what has just happened in this passage to our own lives and how we treat someone who has received Christ that has been labeled by the sin in their lives.

I'm not talking about someone who has broken a rule every now and then. Ordinarily, the "law keepers" or the "good guys" are easily accepted into the church and falls right into place among the believers following conversion.

Instead, let's think about the unsaved teen who has been on the church prayer list for years or the unsaved person who has been hooked on drugs or alcohol for years.

Let's think about the unsaved person who has covered their body with tattoos that symbolize the destructive desires of the flesh or the unsaved person who you have seen walking the streets in town late at night selling drugs or even their own body.

Let's think about the unsaved woman who has a reputation for their involvement in the porn scene online or the unsaved husband on your church prayer list who is hooked on Internet porn or gambling.

Let's also think about the unsaved men and women trapped in the cycle of homelessness who ride the bus to your church from the mission downtown. Those people who show the signs of stress and exposure to the elements in their sad faces when they try to smile and say hello as everyone is greeting each other.

Yet you may have turned away quickly to avoid contact with this person who has come seeking what you claim to have already found by the grace of God alone.

You see, my friend, we are all just a day away from any of these situations! The events that take place in our lives before we receive the Spirit of God could easily lead us into a life of destruction; just like all of those above that I just asked you to think about.

If you had lost everything; if you had been abused; if your parents had been hooked on any of the addicting substances; if someone had seduced you; if someone had convinced you try the perverted acts of fornication or adultery; if you had been used by someone who didn't care about you in ways that would effect the way you felt about yourself; if you had been verbally abused by someone that was dear to you. If any of these things had happened to you, you may have very well been in that person's shoes today.

Maybe it has happened to you and you have walked in that person's shoes; maybe you are still struggling to break free of the past. This is exactly what we see when we read this passage about the blind man, because the people who knew about his past really didn't believe it was possible for him to instantly receive his sight.

He had been blind all his life! How could he possibly have such a radical change take place? That is exactly what those who knew him were going to ask.

Isn't that what happens sometimes when someone receives the transforming grace and mercy of God into their lives? Those who remember them the way they were cannot understand how this change is possible, so they ask questions and they keep asking questions, because they have a hard time understanding how Jesus could perform such a dramatic change in someone with such a history of sin and sickness.

Have you ever been at a church meeting when someone leaned over and quietly informed you of the past sin of someone else at the service who had recently been converted to Christ? It is at this moment that we begin to see them as these people saw the blind man; that is with doubt and disbelief. It's our nature and we have a sinful nature that prefers to judge others; to place labels on others, so that we feel better about ourselves.

Jesus Christ told us to love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use us! Jesus tells us that when we believe in him, our life will produce the Fruit of the Spirit described in chapter five of Galatians.

Is your life producing the Spirit's fruit today? Better go and read this chapter if your not sure!

John 9:10-12
10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.

The people who knew him asked him "HOW" his eyes were opened? They didn't ask who, but rather how! They wanted him to explain the supernatural and we often expect the very same thing when we quiz a new believer on "how" they were transformed, even when it is evident that they have become a new person!

The Pharisees questioned miracles, initiating doubt and taking away from the glory of God.

Let's watch ourselves when we see someone who is radically changed by God, that we don't do or say anything that will cause doubt and give glory to our spirits. Just as young children are easily swayed, so are the young believers easily swayed until they become grounded in the Word of God. This is a time to nurture and protect them from the outside influences of satan's attacks.

I love what the blind man said to those who asked him "How?". He courageously gave HIS TESTIMONY! He told his story of exactly what had happened! No, he didn't know "HOW", but he knew "what" Jesus had told him to do and he did it in obedience and faith!

I suggest that we go back and read verse eleven before we move on!

The next thing we see happening is the people began to ask him where they could find Jesus. Let's look at what is said in verses twelve through sixteen of the ninth chapter of John's gospel.

John 9:12-16
12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keeps not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.


They wanted to see for themselves who had done this wonder, but the blind man had no idea where Jesus had gone. So some of the people decided it was time to pass judgement on him since he couldn't produce the evidence they needed to prove his story. Hmm? Does this sound a little familiar? When something amazing happens to someone you know and they share it with you, how do you react? Are you excited or sceptical? Do you trust that it is real or do you start prying with doubtful questions to find a weak point in their story, so you can discredit the ability of a miracle in their life?

I know you don't like me asking all of these provoking questions today, but it is just as true in my life as I write this lesson, as it could be in your life. Let's humble ourselves, as we think back on the times when we have had the opportunity to rejoice over the divine transformation of someone trapped in a life of corruption and perversion; someone who came to receive Christ.

Did you rejoice? How long did your rejoicing last? What did you think about that person the next time you saw them? Did you ever doubt they were truly and miraculously changed by God's Word and His awesome Spirit?

Remember my friend, the fruit of the Spirit is just that!

Not by our power or by the power of our minds, but only by the power of the Holy Spirit can we produce love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, temperance and meekness!

I had planned to conclude this lesson today, but God always seems to give me more than I plan to write, so we will continue this again tomorrow. I had been out of town this past week helping my father who had eye surgery and I apologize for the delay in posting the messages. I plan to continue a daily posting on this devotion site for the glory of God and your blessing!

"Miracle In The Mud"

By Robert Bailes

"Your Faith Gives You Testimony" - Continued

John 9:5" As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
This is where Jesus begins to teach his disciples on that winter day long ago about the light of the world. What we see next is clearly, a real life illustration of the world we live in and the mission that Jesus came to perform so that we, his followers could see the light. The Truth revealed by the glory of his Father!

According to the book of John, as soon as Jesus had said that he was the light of the world, he spat on the ground and took the spit and the dirt and made clay out of it to anoint the eyes of the blind man. Then he told him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam", which interprets to mean "Sent". The next thing that John says is that the man went to where Jesus sent him and washed and came back with sight restored to his eyes.

Jesus spoke the words of Truth that changed the fate of the world for eternity in verse five of John; "I am the light of the world". Those seven words forever gave hope and life to those who had no hope! Those words gave new life to a world living under the condemnation of the laws that man had laid down and used to oppress the one who even imagined that he had been forgiven of his sins.

You see, in that day and time, the people were led by those who were put into authority at the temple, but the leaders weren't leading as God had planned for them to lead his flock. They were condemning people as a form of control by adding other rules and laws to what God had laid down for His children. They had made it impossible to ever come to a place where they could experience the peace of God that comes with forgiveness and God's tender mercy. Isn't that how many people feel, even today? Religious organizations worldwide today often add to the requirements of true worship and relationship with our Lord. They convince people who are new in their spiritual search and growth to feel as though they are going to fail God somehow if they don't live according to there religious rituals and traditions. More importantly to those in authority, is that the people don't speak up to share their experience or testimony, unless the church approves it first.

When the neighbors of that blind man saw him, some of them recognized him and remembered that he used to sit and beg. In verse nine we see that the people were gathering around him because the man who was blind could hear what they were saying about him. Some of them were saying that it was him, while others were saying that it just looks like him, but he spoke up and told them,"I am he". Then they asked him how his eyes were opened and he answered them," A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight". That sounds very accurate according to the verses that preceded this! So what could possibly go wrong now? Why would anyone argue with this man?

Let's stop and compare what has just happened with the events of our day and try to grasp the lesson that Jesus was teaching his disciples and teaching all of his followers, as far as that goes, that read this passage even now.

The first thing that we saw in this real life lesson was Jesus telling the people that he was the light of the world in verse five. Next we see that Jesus would take the dust of the ground and make clay to put on the blind man's eyes. The same dust that God used to make man in the beginning is used to cover the eyes that could not see since birth. We all have been born blind in our sinful state, unable to see the light of God in this world. We receive our sight when we hear the Truth found in the Word of God and believe. The mud represents the revealing of our sins and that we are only human made from dirt. It is this revelation to man that humbles us in the sight of God when we understand that we are made by him and that our bodies are incomplete without His touch. When we admit our sinful state to God, we accept the mud that Jesus placed on the eyes of the blind man that day.

It is then that Jesus tells the blind man to go to the pool of Siloam and wash the mud off of his face. The name of this pool actually means "Sent". Do you think it is just a coincidence that we are "sent" by God into the world to spread the gospel once we receive Christ as our savior? When the man went to the pool, he obeyed the command of Jesus. What do you think would have happened if he had gone to the closest well or fountain to wash? Would he have received his sight and been able to tell his neighbors who had healed him? I doubt that his eyes would have been healed because it is only through Jesus that we can see the light and forgiveness of our sins. We cannot receive forgiveness from the church; from Buddha or any other religious authority! It's only through the Lord who was sent by God to redeem us, that we can be cleansed and forgiven in his ultimate act of love when he laid down His life for us all!

Once we are cleansed of our sins and receive our sight, we can walk without being led astray. We can enjoy the things that God has created and the glory of His Father found in the world all around us and the glory of the Father through His eyes as we see others with His love and compassion flowing through our veins. Our eyes are opened to also see the truths of the Bible through the teaching of the Holy Spirit. The world will never be the same!

The first thing the man did was to go back to his neighborhood as we see in verse eight and nine where his neighbors were trying to figure out if it was him or not and how it could be possible that he was a man made whole again. He didn't waste any time though telling them that he was the man who was blind! This is what happens when your world changes and you can see the light for the first time. You are excited to give testimony of how your life has changed! What happened next was exactly what happens so many times when some one's life is radically changed by the healing hand of God and they are able to see the light for the first time ever! They are humbled; they confess; they're forgiven in God's grace and mercy and receive their sight as children of God! Then they go back into their home or hood, whichever the case, and the people who knew them remember them by the things that they did in the past. They ask each other;"Isn't that the guy that did drugs or was a drunk or was a thief or a convict. I think that's the guy that was hooked on gambling; had three wives; was depressed all the time; was a hooker or into witchcraft all their life?". Just like the blind man's neighbors, we too often remember people by their past.

That's when the people who knew him asked how his eyes were opened and that is exactly what happens, isn't it? When someone suddenly seems on fire for the Lord and they are ready to use their new eye sight to do things that they didn't understand before, the first thing that people want to know is "How did you change? How did you quit your habits? How did you get out of the gangs or the gambling or the depression?". Now stop and think about this and remember the last time you saw someone change like this. How did you react when they simply told you or someone you know, "Jesus forgave me and now I am a new man!"; was it enough to convince you that it was real?

I've seen people at the church listen to newcomers telling about their experience in receiving a new life through Jesus and those people who should have been excited, were all too ready to ask questions that were meant to prove otherwise and to complicate the simple plan of Salvation.
How could someone who truly believes in Jesus try to criticize someone who has living proof that Jesus truly has radically changed their life?

Why would anyone want to question a new believer when they have claimed that it is through Jesus that they have found the way, the truth and the life?
Hold that thought!
We will look further into those questions tomorrow as we find out how Faith Gives You Testimony! Join me then. Selah

"Your Faith Gives You Testimony"

By Rob Bailes

While reading about the blind man who was healed in chapter nine of John, it occurred to me that there was much more of a message in this passage than we see at first. After asking God to reveal to me through His Holy Spirit the message that He meant for the Jews and His disciples on that wintry day. In the very next chapter in verse twenty-two we find that it was time for the feast of the dedication in Jerusalem which was held in the winter. Let's look at the sequence of events that took place on this day as the leaves were falling and Jesus had just left the temple as the Jews were picking up stones to throw at him. That's right! Jesus had just told them that they would be able to avoid death if they would hear and receive his words. Then he told them that Abraham looked forward to his coming. That really baffled the Jews and they said that Abraham couldn't have known Jesus because Jesus wasn't even fifty years old. I take that to mean that Abraham had been dead for fifty years. Then Jesus told them, verily, verily, before Abraham was, I AM. The literal Greek says, "Amen, Amen, lego humen, Prin Abraam ginomai, Ego eimi." Amen here means "Surely, surely!"

Surely, surely, I tell to you, Before Abraham was, I am."

That really played with their heads because the Jews didn't want to receive the truth that Jesus spoke, nor did they believe in him. As a matter of fact, they got so upset at him that they were about to stone him!

Isn't that how just upset people get sometimes when another person tells them something that they disagree with? What do you think caused them to feel this way?

That is what we are going to find out in this study over the next few days. Let's begin with looking at what happens when Jesus walks right through the middle of those people who wanted to stone him.

John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

Jesus made himself hidden in their eyes and walked out right through the middle of the temple and passed through the crowd! This is just the beginning of what Jesus is to teach them and his disciples on that day about their blindness and the amazing sight that only comes from believing in our Lord and Savior Jesus.

At the beginning of chapter nine we see that as Jesus passed by the people who were going to stone him, he saw a man that was blind from the time of his birth. It was also fascinating that the disciples of Jesus were so close to him that they asked Jesus who had sinned, that man or his parents? Before we go any further, remember that Jesus was hidden from the sight of those who wanted to stone him and yet the disciples were able to see him! That is crucial to something we will find as we move through this lesson. The disciples were also able to speak to Jesus even though the others couldn't even see him passing by them. Next we see that Jesus answered the disciples in verse three,
Jesus answered, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."

I want us to think about the blind man, sitting helpless ever since he was born, not able to care for himself or anyone else as far as that goes. I can't help but think about how many times we may see someone who is helpless and who has been for many years and have thought about why they are in the situation that they are in and have not felt pity for them or compassion for their heart and soul. I raise my hand first to admit this terrible mistake of having a judgmental attitude. I have found fault with those who are suffering physically or financially to justify my lack of action in reaching out to help them. It is so easy to look for something from their past to smother that first feeling of compassion that comes from God for others. That first love is pushed aside and the pride and judgement moves in to relieve me from any necessity of taking action and disturbing my well planned day or from reaching into my pocket to give of the things that give me a false sense of security. So I have a choice; do I find fault or do I find a way to do whatever God is telling me to do deep within the core of my being. That first nudge to take a step or to reach out my hand and do something that I know only my Lord would cause me to do in the first place, but I look at the outward appearance and withdraw my hand. It's so sad, but it's so true.

We are much like the Jews and the Pharisees of the days when Jesus walked the earth. We have looked at the crippled, the blind, the terminally ill, the alcoholic and drug addict, the mentally disabled and those who have found themselves without work, income or a place to live and we have found reason in our hearts for their pain and suffering. We found the fault in their life and we said in our hearts, "They are cursed or punished by God, therefore I will just stand clear of that person and let God deal with them!". I regret every time that I have ever done this, but I never regret reaching out to help someone, no matter how they respond or how many times I have to do it!

This is what Jesus was saying to His disciples in verses three and four,
3. Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
4. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

Think about the condition of mankind and how we are all under the condemnation of sin, from the very moment that we are conceived and born into this world. We are the blind man from birth! We have not been able to see what Jesus has done for us; that is, until Jesus comes to us and covers us with the anointing of His power to save us and forgive us of our unrighteousness. You see, my friend, your parent's sin and your past sin will not matter when Jesus offers you the cure to your blindness. It is the repentant heart that causes us to confess with our mouth and call out for the mercy and healing grace of God while believing in His Son, Jesus, that will give anybody the testimony that this young man had to share that day!

Jesus is going to work the works of His Father that sent him to earth! Jesus still comes to each of us today offering us the Light in a world where the night has come. Jesus was speaking of his death when he said the night is approaching, but praise God He brought us His Light and we can carry it within us as we claim what Jesus said in verse five today!

John 9:5 "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

We will continue this message tomorrow and we will learn more about the testimony of faith. But for today, let's embrace the truth that Jesus has opened our eyes to the light and praise him for his loving grace and mercy that never ceases!

If you have joined us today and this is all new to you, let us take you step by step through the Word so that you can see the love, grace and mercy and forgiveness of God. Confess your past and sins today, believe in your heart that God has raised up Jesus from the dead and you will receive Life! You will be saved!

"Remember Me?"

By Robert Bailes


Remembering is a skill. Sure, there are those who have been blessed with a great memory...such as:
Napoleon- who knew thousands of his solders by name. . . or
James Farley- who claimed he knew 50,000 people by their first name. . . or
Charles Schwab- who knew the names of all 8,000 of his employees at Homestead Mill. . . or
Charles W. Eliot- who, during his forty years as president of Harvard, earned a reputation of knowing all the students by name each year.



But these, remember, are exceptions-phenomenal exceptions. As I first stated, however, remembering is a skill, like speaking in public, singing, reading, thinking, or swimming. We improve at a skill by hard work, direct effort applied with a good deal of concentration, mixed with proper know-how. You could safely say that people with remarkable memories developed them because of a driving need or desire.

Many people use the excuse that they just aren't good with names, but the truth is that almost everyone can remember names with some effort. There are three things I have learned that will help us remember some one's name.

The first thing that we should do is to take a few seconds when we first meet someone to hear their name and focus entirely on their greeting without interruption of things going on around us. Upon hearing the name, say it several times or even spell it, not out loud of course, but in your mind. You can even ask of the proper spelling is. . . ? They will realize that you are making an effort to remember and this is important when we make new friends.

The second thing we need to do is to associate their name with something, like a word that rhymes or something that funny that we will remember next time we see that person. For example the name "Pop" could remind us of "cop" and you could envision him in a cop outfit. Another example is "Cody" and picture him singing an "oldie" song from the past.

The third thing to do is to use their name in the conversation while talking to them. Use it as many times as possible, maybe even introducing them to other friends close by or family members. This let's them know also that you have allowed a niche to be planted in your memory of their name. To all of us humans, that's pretty important.

God also knows that names were so important that He recorded hundreds of them in the inspired Word of God. There were many names that were even changed by God Himself, such as Saul to Paul, Jacob to Israel, Simon to Peter and what about the angels firm command, "You shall call his name Jesus!".

When the eternal books are open, earthly names will be read. Look at chapters twenty and twenty-one of Revelations with me,

Revelations 20:15
And if anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelations 21:27
And anything common and he who makes an abomination and a lie shall by no means enter into it, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

When we are taken by our Lord into heaven, new names will be given to each one. See what Revelations 2 says in verse seventeen.

He who has an ear,let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give a white stone and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knows except him who receives it.

If the Lord thinks enough of our names to actually record each one in His records, shouldn't we take the effort to remember the names of those we meet along life's journey? Of course, that means that we must consider each person we meet of enough importance to remember them! It is not enough to just speak to people in passing and never take a genuine interest in them as a person. Learn a few things of importance about that man or woman and pray for their needs! You'll never forget them and they will always remember that you cared enough to ask.

YOUR FAITH - Conclusion of Part Eight

"Your Faith Will Make You Family"

By Rob Bailes

When we stopped yesterday, I left us with the following passage and the question, "Who receives favour from God?". Did you take some time to think about this question? Try this, jot down what you believe the answer is and then look at it again after you read the conclusion today of this message. See if it makes any difference in how you see the favour of God towards the men and women.

1Peter 5:5b - ......for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.

Who receives this favour from God? The humble and lowly spirited person will receive this blessing. It is the lifestyle that God wants us to adopt when we become a part of His family, as we come to realize that it is a life that will glorify our original Father in Heaven. We were designed and born uniquely as one of His creation, so He always has been there waiting to bless us; each and every one. Finally we see in verse six that we will, as His children, be exalted at an appointed time that God will choose for all who are a part of His family.

1Peter 5:7-9
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

First Peter tells us what to do with the cares (Greek meaning - distractions) of this world. Throw them on God because He is concerned with all that you deal with in your life!


How simple that sounds, but do we do that? Why would we try to keep our cares and distractions and deal with them by own strength, knowing that we can cast them on God? Could it be that we are thinking that we can and will do it on our own? Would that also be connected somehow to our self esteem, ego and pride in ourselves?


What do the great success speakers of our world teach us in books and seminars about our self esteem and our egos? I could probably list twenty titles right off the top of my head that have to do with making it on your own and success. Is it really all about that? Is that what God wants and how will He react if we base our lives on the idea that we can do anything?

When we feel that we may have missed God's blessings in an area of our life, maybe it would be good to see how we are handling the distractions and cares of this world. We see the depiction of satan as a roaring lion that's pacing all around as our adversary or opponent, looking for someone to devour. In the Greek, the word devour means "to drink down or gulp entire".


I have dog that has one of the biggest mouths that I have ever seen on a dog. He's a boxer and he has mighty jaws of steel. When I drop a treat into his mouth there is no stopping him! He opens that mouth and with one mighty gulp, he swallows anything that will fit down his throat! No matter how good and tasty it is, he doesn't stop to look at it or chew and enjoy the flavor. I thought about this when I saw the Greek translation of the word "devour". Without even stopping for one second to appreciate the life of a person, the devil will take them swiftly and destroy them in the clutches of his jaws. In this case, the form of destruction is the pride we have when we are faced with our cares and the distractions taking us away from what God has for us.


If we react according to our flesh and without humility and love, we will also find ourselves taken by surprise as our pride rises up to the occasion! We must remain humble in order to avoid this trap that the devil uses to devour us!

How can we remain humble and prepared for the attack by our opponent, the devil? Let's look again at verses eight and nine.

1Peter 5:8-9
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

The word sober literally means to avoid wine and to be discreet, so we should not allow ourselves to become vulnerable to the devil by opening ourselves up to his attack. Don't play with the devil's toys and you won't find yourself in situations that you will regret. It may be someone else hurting you as a part of his plan, but could it be prevented by not taking the lures of the flesh?

Be vigilant or awake so that we are not spiritually drifting along without spending time in the Word of God and praying. When we are spiritually asleep, we get bored and become what Jesus called "lukewarm". This is like bottled water left in the car. It is the temperature of the environment and is sickening when we first put it into our mouths. Jesus said that people who are just going through the motions are like this lukewarm water and He wants to spew them out of His mouth. That's why the new lifestyle that we adopt as the Sons of God is a lifestyle that finds us sober(discreet) and vigilant(awake) so that we are busy about the will of God in our lives.

Finally we should realize that the man who remains sober and vigilant in this new family of God, also ought to resist stedfast in the faith. He must stand strong and unmovable in his convictions, knowing that the very same hardships, pains and trials are also experienced by the brothers and sisters of Christ throughout the entire world.

Remember! It is staying stedfast, having unmovable faith(convictions) that makes us one with Christ in the family of God and carries us through those times that we feel we cannot handle! Remain humbled and avoid having a proud heart to enjoy the favour of God. The faith God gave you will always make you whole!

1Peter 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

WORDS OF WISDOM

1Peter 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

1Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

YOUR FAITH - Part Eight

"Your Faith Will Make You Family"

By Robert Bailes

Have you ever been talking to someone and found out that you were related somehow? You might have very well said at that moment,
"Hey! That makes us family!".

What takes place in the next few minutes following this revelation seems to be nothing less than a supernatural act of God! All of a sudden, as you reflect back on memories from the past about certain family members, you begin to feel a trust in each other in a way that you wouldn't trust just anybody. You may even start to feel as though you have known each other all your lives. There is a sense of camaraderie and strength in knowing that your blood and DNA trace back to a common person who had your family name. Although, some relatives, who we usually won't even mention, can cause us to run and hide when we are reminded of our relation to them! Hmm? They're all a part of our heritage, good and bad, of course.

I was reading a verse one day from the book of 1John and I suddenly felt that sense of strength and camaraderie come over me, as I realized that I have a relative that was on this earth and who overcame every trouble or distraction while living in this world. When I read this passage, it became clear that having this relative gave me a royal heritage and reminded me to live this life that I have, serving his Father in Heaven. But there are allot of others who are also related that carry with them the same royalty as I do. Let's look at this passage together,

1John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.

You see, experiencing the benefits of being born into God's family gives us the adoption that literally makes us a child of God living in victory that will overcome the world!

We can see in this passage what it is that we receive when we are born into God's family. What it is, is that we will receive something that makes us victorious over the attacks and deceit of the world. What the child of God receives is their FAITH!

Just take a moment and think about how powerful it is to be able to overcome anything this world tosses at us! Then think about how you typically feel when the irritations and trials begin to take place in your life. Do you feel as if you are able to overcome them as we see in this passage or do you feel more like you are overwhelmed by them?

If you feel overwhelmed, could you have forgotten the victory found in becoming a child of God or maybe your faith has been clouded by the shadows of doubt that satan casts over all who gives ear to his lies. See, satan loves to gain control of our lives through our minds. If satan can produce doubt, fear and anger beginning in our minds, he also gains control of how we live our life and this effects all who are around us. Men effect their wives; wives effect their husbands; parents effect their children; children effect their friends and on it goes. This is the setting on fire the act of nature that we read about in James 3:6. Our actions never go out without some kind of effect on the world round us.

We all make that decision each day of our lives. We either live our life overcoming the world or overwhelmed by the world. Which one best describes how you are living your life today? Why is this so? Think about your answer for a few minutes and take it very seriously, my friend. It could literally change your life for the better or worse!

Not only do we become Sons of God when we receive our faith that overcomes this world; we also take on a whole different lifestyle. If we resist the new life that God gives us as His children, we could find ourselves trying to deal with the hardships of life all on our own. Take a look at the kind of change in lifestyle that our God tells us we will experience as one of His children.

1Peter 5:4-6
6 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away.
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

This passage refers to our God as the chief Shepard of His sheep, we who are His children will receive this crown that Peter speaks of in verse six that will never corrode. Think about that for a second! A crown of glory that will last forever; a gift from God in whom we put our faith and trust! That's exciting news for all who live by His Word. What do you think this crown of glory is for? It is the glory of God being shared with all who are in His family when we reunite with Him one day in Heaven.

That newly adopted lifestyle that I was referring to is described in the verses five and six. Peter goes on to say that we should submit ourselves in respect to those who are older and more experienced. We should all be subject to each other and our lives should portray an attitude of willingness to lower ourselves in humility. But, why should we have to be so humble?
I used to think about this and wonder why my parents always told me,"It's better to be humble than it is to be proud". They were repeating the words of Peter in this passage, but why? I did not know.

Looking at verse five, we see that God resists the proud. This literally means in the Greek that God "arranges Himself against" that proud person. Then we see that God gives grace to the humble. When I looked at the Greek for the word "grace" used in this passage, I found that in the literal translation, it sounds like the very thing every person hopes and wishes they could attain in their lives. The word grace in this verse is "charis" in the Greek; pronounced khar-ece.
The Greek word charis means graciousness; gratifying; especially the divine influence upon the heart and it's reflection in the life; including gratitude: acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, joy liberality, pleasure, thank.

1Peter 5:5b - ......for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.

So, who receives this favour from God?

Join me tomorrow for the conclusion of "Your Faith Will Make You Family"!

"A Firm Foundation"

By Sharon Bailes

At times when we are in the market for a new home, we search for the right one to fit our budget. We also shop around for the one with the amount of square footage we need to compensate for the size of our family. Even the one that may have the pool in the back yard. Wow, this would be so awesome to be able to step out side onto the beach that some of us find so hard to reach into our back pockets to be able to afford. There are so many decisions and considerations to focus on. Where do we begin? Yet, what if my child accidentally falls into the pool when unattended?

Do we choose the house that's made of stone, wood and brick to keep up with the fashion of the day? Do we choose the one that has the double car garage to keep our vehicles in when the bad weather comes? So many things to consider in this major decision of our life.

Yet we all have a house that we possess and all are responsible as to how we maintain, as well as keep up the appearance of this house we possess. This house, being our own earthly bodies. There are so many people today in this world. God has created each one. Some have been bought with a price and this house [our life] after being bought with such riches and honor of our Savior Jesus Christ's blood that was shed at Calvary can never be bought, nor depreciate as some houses do today.

There may come a time when this earthly vessel we all posses, will come up against storms, and these storms if not careful, can beat upon our life and tend to wash us away from the firm foundation in which we are built upon. Such storms when undetected, will demolish the very ground on which it stands. Many lives have been drawn away from floods, even a mighty wind that has come along, and with no warning. We find ourselves searching for a way back to our place of security. Unable to see from the debris, these storms draw us away into a direction that look as a safe dwelling place. These places sometimes are not where we tend to want to be in life, yet we look for shelter or a place to hide.

Any foundation that has been disturbed by elements of this world will tend to wash away if it isn't stable enough to stand against the storms of life. We can be grounded in God, the creator of this universe that will withstand any storm and valley that we find our self in.

Some of us at one time have found our self on unsteady ground and our foundations have began to crumble around us. We have felt as if our hearts would never mend. Looking for a safe dwelling place, yet not able to grasp ahold of the anchor that appears to be drifting away into the storms of this life, We pull even harder onto the anchor. We try with all of our might to grab ahold and pull our self up from the waters that have kept rising. Each time, we began to go even further down into the storm. Our mind and thoughts have been so overwhelmed with the destruction happening around us, we lose focus of the life line being handed out to us in this sea of destruction. The Heavenly Father is this anchor. He can take ahold and lift our life out from the sinking sand we find our life going through and place us unto a stable foundation, especially designed by His Almighty hands. There is no such of a firm foundation that exist outside of our Father's hands that will be able to overcome the storms of this life. Regardless of any thing that may sound off to warn us in this world of the destruction coming, it will not be able to stop the destruction when it hits.

No matter the appearance of our earthly vessels, the home we are, no greater home will ever be able to measure up to the home we can posses with our Lord God. There are people that are looking for something in life that is missing in their life, and it's up to us to reach out and share the love and peace they can have in the Savior. We have all been given a gift, so why not use it to glorify our Lord? We have been given a life of grace and mercy, so let's reach out with the grace we have been given and help those right at the doors of our life. Let's invite them in out of the storms of this life, into the foundation we have in our Savior. We will begin to see their foundations stand as they turn to the true Master Builder that will never fall. Regardless of the storms they may encounter, they can know they will be forever in the arms of One who will always stand with them against any wilds the storms of life may present their way.

If we are all honest, we have been in the same boat some are in now. We feel we were on an unsinkable ship and nothing could be better. Then the storms came our way. Had it not been for our Father's love and hand that lifted us up out of a sea that was raging around us, we would had been forever lost in the storms of this life. Gods amazing love is forever true! His grace and mercy is extended out to us all. We have a job to do! We are to reach out to the one that is running and searching for a way of escape and turn their life to someone who will light the path of their life leading them into a life with a steady foundation. A place where they can find a home that will last for all eternity with a firm foundation in Jesus Christ our Lord.

HAGGAI 2:3-9
3."Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? And how do ye see it now?Is it not in your eyes as comparison of it as nothing?
4.Yet now be strong, O Zebbal, saith the Lord, be strong, O Joshua son of Josebech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord and work; for I am with you, saith the Lord of host:
5.According to the word that I covenanth with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
6. For thus saith the Lord of host: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
7.And I will shake all the nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of host.
8.The silver is mine, saith the Lord of host.
9.The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former", saith the Lord of host: "and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of host. "

HAGGAI 2:19
19."Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as the vine and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree hath not brought forth; from this day will I bless you."

YOUR FAITH - Part Seven

"Your Faith Will Show Evidence!"

By Rob Bailes

When I was in my late 20's I was taking a class so that I would be able to move up to a Paramedic position with a local volunteer rescue squad. I liked being able to help others through this service and had been taking the classes to get to a full time position with the County. One of the requirements of becoming a Paramedic was that we must spend so many hours as a volunteer in the emergency room to get a better understanding of what the procedures and prodicals are in the ER. Working as a volunteer in the ER is not something that we looked forward to, but it had to be done or else you couldn't become certified.

It was about seven o'clock when we were informed that someone was on the way with a code blue. It was a man in his late fifties and had suffered a heart attack. The rescue squad was performing CPR on him when they brought him into the ER and they took him into a room where they continued until the doctor came, at which time they tried shocking him twice with no change. They verified that he had been laying in the shower when he was found and that he had no pulse. Then the doctor asked how long the had been performing CPR and they verified 20 plus minutes. They the doctor looked into the man's eyes and saw that his eyes had begun to change. When a person dies and their spirit leaves the body, the eyes actually begin to glaze over and there is a certain look that comes over them. The signs of life are all we have to go by when we finally declare someone void of life. You know when someone is dead when they no longer have a pulse, when they no longer respond to our voice or touch, when their body is motionless, when their eyes do not respond to light and when their lungs no longer struggled to take another breath. It was at that moment of death that all of the evidence of life vanished in an instant! The spirit was no longer present showing the evidence of life.

Just as this man had been so alive and full of all of these things that are signs of life, we too have signs in our life to prove that our faith is real and alive. You see, it is spelled out for us all in the gospel of James that we will know when our faith is alive! James compares the body without the spirit to our faith without the works or deeds that prove it is alive and exists within our hearts.

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Let me ask you an obvious question, but don't laugh; think about this for a minute. How would you know if your husband or wife were alive? How would you be able to tell if a newborn baby was alive and healthy? How can we tell if our child is alive when they lay sleeping? Aren't there signs that give us the comfort that they are alive and well?

It is the same when our Heavenly Father looks down on us as His adopted children in the family of God. He sees our signs of life! The life that gives him a peace of knowing we are alive in Him through our Faith. It is our faith that causes us to live a life that is glorifying to Him.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Christ is the hope that lies within all who believe in Him and who accept His grace and mercy so freely given, that allows our lost state of sin to be covered with His purity and blessings. When faith is alive in you and I; just as the answers to my questions seemed so obvious; the evidence will also be obvious to all who see us and they will know that our lives shine forth with that hope that they long to find as well. Take a moment and search your heart and your life for the signs of faith alive in you.

This is a time for us to not only focus on our heart; but also on our actions and deeds to see if we would be declared dead or alive in our faith in Christ.

If you find yourself without the evidence of faith alive, I urge you to take the time today to accept your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into your life and to repent to Him for whatever is holding you back from the blessings of faith alive in you! He will freely forgive without conditions, without hesitation, with open arms! God loves us and gave His on begotten Son that we might have life and not just life, but to have life even more abundantly!

John 10:7-11
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep."

Our world will be a totally different place, if we all would be able to say, like Paul in 1Corinthians 15:10, "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. "

Who's Following Who?

By Rob Bailes

I'm sure we all remember at least once in our lives as a child playing the game "Follow The Leader". No matter where the leader went, we had to follow. I also remember having to do whatever the leader did and sometimes it was pretty ridiculous!

As we get older we don't really follow one person around all day trying to act like they do, but we do meet people who come our way that we may pattern our lives after. Some may be at home or work. Some of them may be on tv or touring the country performing before large audiences. Think about the people that you choose to be like. Think about it and realize that you are actually a follower. They have been leading you whether they meant to or not! Now look back over your shoulder and take notice of who may be acting like you and watching every step you take.

It could be your son or daughter. It might be your friend or maybe even your boss at work! You never know who is going to be watching you and wanting to pattern their life after yours. Somehow you have impressed them and they have found that something about you has made a lasting impact on their lives. Maybe it was when you reach out to help someone else and they were watching. Maybe it was when you were whistling when you should have been complaining. It could have been the time that you offered them something to eat when they forgot their lunch. It's the small things that can impact lives even more than the great things we may accomplish in life.

Paul tells the Corinthians that they are followers of his example, as he also is a follower of Christ. Paul had many followers but he had chosen to follow Christ in order to lead these people in the right direction. I would love to be able to say this about my life! The only way that Paul could do this was to stay close to and study the one that he followed, Jesus Christ.

Who are we following today? Who is following you? You may not know what you did to impress this person, but I can assure you that they are watching you now!

Paul also also said that he built his life on a firm and strong foundation in Jesus Christ, take heed, be careful what you build upon this foundation! Why? Because you are not just shaping your life for eternity or on this earth, You are shaping all who follow you too!

"WHO'S YOUR DADDY?"

By Rob Bailes

Who's Your Daddy?

I'm sharing this story with you today to encourage all of you to take time to share the truth with the children in your life. You never know what influence you may be having on them.
A seminary professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg, TN.. One morning, they were eating breakfast at a little restaurant, hoping to enjoy a quiet, family meal. While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting with the guests.

The professor leaned over and whispered to his wife, 'I hope he doesn't come over here.' But sure enough, the man did come over to their table.

'Where are you folks from?' he asked in a friendly voice.

'Oklahoma ,' they answered.

'Great to have you here in Tennessee,' the stranger said.

'What do you do for a living?'

'I teach at a seminary,' he replied.

'Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I've got a really great story for you.' And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with the couple.

The professor groaned and thought to himself, 'Great .. Just what I need ...another preacher story!'

The man started, 'See that mountain over there? (pointing out the restaurant window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because every place he went, he was always asked the same question, 'Hey boy, Who's your daddy?' Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would ask the same question, 'Who's your daddy?'

He would hide at recess and lunchtime from other students. He would avoid going into stores because that question hurt him so bad. 'When he was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. He would always go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, 'Who's your daddy?'

But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast that he got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher,
not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, 'Son, who's your daddy?'

The whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in the church looking at him Now everyone would finally know the answer to the question, ' Who's your daddy?'

'This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and using discernment that only the Holy Spiritcould give, said the following to that scared little boy.. 'Wait a minute! I know who you are! I see the family resemblance now, You are a child of God.'

With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said, 'Boy, you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.'

'With that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out the door a changed person. He was never the same again. Whenever anybody asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd just tell them , 'I'm a Child of God.''

The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said, 'Isn't that a great story?'

The professor responded that it really was a great story!

As the man turned to leave, he said, 'You know, if that new preacher hadn't told me that I was one of God's children, I probably never would have amounted to anything!' And he walked away.
The seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the waitress over and asked her, 'Do you know who that man was -- the one who just left that was sitting at our table?'

The waitress grinned and said, 'Of course. Everybody here knows him. That's Ben Hooper He's governor of Tennessee !'

Someone in your life today needs a reminder that they're one of God's children!

Mark 10:14,15,16
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

YOU'RE ONE OF GOD'S CHILDREN!!!

HAVE A GREAT DAY!