YOUR FAITH - Part Six

by Robert Bailes

"Your Faith Will Direct You!"

It is in the presence of God that we find our refuge and peace in the middle of turmoil!

We often hear this affirmation that is meant to comfort us; from religious leaders in churches; on the Christian radio and TV programs and sometimes even from people we consider to be brothers and sisters in Christ. When I stop and really think about this, I have to ask myself a very simple, yet sincere and meaningful question, "How can I remain in the presence of God while living on this earth with all of the pressures, variables and temptations that we face from moment to moment each day?".

It's an awesome picture when we imagine ourselves there at the throne of God where no problems seem to exist, but in reality we often panic as soon as we hear the thunder and know the storm is coming, so to speak. People alive today aren't the only ones who react this way. I recall reading about the disciples of Jesus reacting in the very same way at times!

How then, does our faith direct us; even in times when we are tempted to make a wrong choice or in the stressful places of our lives when we might over react out of the flesh? I want to go into this a little bit deeper with you, but first, let's look at how our faith and the things that we do tie together in the life of the believer.
Some of us might go so far as to say that our faith in God is something that is totally private and that it isn't anyone else's business, but I want us to look at a passage in the book of James that tells me a something that is a bit contrary to this common belief,

James 2:14-17
14 What doth it profit, my brothers, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, "Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled"; and not giving them those things which are needful to the body; what help is it?
17 Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.

What James is telling us in this passage is that we are going to change the way we act when we have a genuine faith in our God. Why? Because our God tells us in the Word how we ought to act towards others if we are true believers (Ephesians 5:1-6), so we can determine our own standing of our faith in God by examining our day to day actions. This brings us to a realization then, what we practice daily is an indicator of whether or not we are living in the presence of God! Some people may get offended by this statement, but it is true my friend.

God is not the source of evil desires, neglect of those who have needs, our pride and selfishness and the temptations of our flesh. We can rest assured that we aren't dwelling in the presence of God when we are living in these circumstances and attitudes!

Why would we panic when the storm comes? Could it be that the faith that we have said we have in God, may actually have been more in ourselves? Take heed! Beware! There are many popular people alive and on the commercial billboards that will tell us all that we have to trust and believe in ourselves to do anything in life! Again, I say, beware!

Let's look at another passage concerning this warning I give to you,

James 2:19-20
19 You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

When I pray for our country and the many different religious organizations across the globe, my heart is burdened so much for the many who are misled by religious leaders that teach that you ONLY have to say "I believe" and you instantly become a child of God bound for heaven. The thing that is so vital in man's "faith in God" is the understanding of who God is and what God means to us and how we have failed Him miserable in our flesh. Then by this realization; coming to the repentance of sin and receiving a New Life that flows freely to all who accept the infinite mercy and grace of God.

I'm talking about God's grace and mercy that judges us "with the law of liberty" and that "rejoices against judgement"!

James 2:12-13
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoices against judgment.

James wanted those who read his message here to realize that when you receive the mercy of God by the faith that only God gives you, you must have come to the knowledge that you needed mercy, meaning that you have been pardoned and forgiven of the judgement for your sins. Through the knowledge and realization of this, God is able to dwell in us by his Spirit, giving us the law of liberty. We are free indeed! What happens next is a transformation that we find taking place in the life of anyone who accepts God's mercy by faith. The things that you do and the things that you say and the places that you go will change!

You see, being in God's presence is as much about our practice as it is about our faith and believing in God. It's what we practice that others identify with and that confirms that we are assured of our relationship with God.

It is amazing, but it really isn't that hard to understand, when you know about the fruits of the Spirit and what kind of God you serve!(Ephesians 4:22-32)
It's so awesome to know that our pardon and becoming a child of God allows us to be in the presence of our Lord all the time, as He tells us that His Spirit will dwell in us if we accept Him by faith. God's ability to be omnipresent allows you to feel His presence in your storms while people in every other country on the globe are able to feel His presence at the very same time! That is the awesome power of our God! (Ephesians 4:4-7)

Think about this for a moment! How does a pilot land an airplane at a large airport when there are other planes taking off and landing all at the same time? Each pilot must have come to a place in their training and understanding where they have faith in the air traffic controller. They literally put their life in someone else's hands!
Interestingly enough, the person sitting in the air traffic control tower is telling the pilot exactly what to do and where he should be long before the tower ever comes into view of the person flying the plane. How can this kind of trust be possible? The pilot can't see the airport or even the person on the radio who is directing them, but the fact is that the air traffic controller is able to at all times see exactly where the plane is on the radar screen. This is what gives the pilot and most of the people aboard the plane the assurance that they are going to be directed safely to their destination, no matter how stressful or stormy it may seem when they look out the windows and see the surrounding circumstances. They have established a hope in the people who are watching them by radar, believing that they are going to take care of them and bring them safely home. This is much like our faith and trust in God as we follow His direction in our life. (Ephesians 6:23,24)

It is by this true faith in God that Paul was able to claim in his inspired letter to the Philippians, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me!" (Philippians 4:13)

That being said, let's look at something that a genuine faith in God will not direct us towards!

James 1:12-15
12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.

James makes it very clear that we cannot be drawn by God into the trap of the lust of our flesh. When we have a true and genuine faith in the God of our salvation, our lives will not be directed into the acts of the flesh which lead us to death, but rather we will find ourselves desiring the acts of the flesh that lead to an abundant life that is found when we are in the presence of our Lord. Regardless of the circumstances, we will find this peace that passes all understanding when we walk in the light of His Word!

That brings me to the the last place that we are directed by our faith in God. Spending time in the word of God is sweet to the eyes and ears of those who have a true faith in God. Not just a belief; as even the demons believe that there is a God!

If your relationship with God hasn't drawn you to the Word and you haven't been experiencing the guidance and intercession of the Holy Spirit in your life (Romans 8:24-31), I encourage you to search your heart and see if it is possible that you could have believed in God, but the faith that James is talking about, just isn't showing evidence in your actions! Maybe you've been living life chasing after the pleasures of the flesh. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. Your not alone! But we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ! (Romans 3:23,24)(Romans 6:20-23)

You don't have to continue feeling discouraged and go into a panic when the next storm of life comes your way. (Romans 8:35-39)
You can make sure today that you are a child of God and that you have expressed your faith in God through repentance and acceptance of His mercy and grace that pardons you of all you have ever done wrong in your lifetime! It is then that you will experience the direction of your faith by the leading of the Spirit of God that will dwell in you! (Romans 8:13-16)

I find it to be so exciting and exhilarating to know that we have a victorious life when we live by faith without doubt! (Ephesians 2:8-10)

To those who have trusted by faith in God without doubt, remember that James tells us that when we help turn someone back from the error of their ways, we save that person's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins!(James 5:19-20)

So let's demonstrate our faith through our actions in the sharing of this good news of salvation to all who we come in contact with!

WORDS OF WISDOM

Hebrews 11:3
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

YOUR FAITH - Part Five

"Your Faith Will Sustain You"

By Rob Bailes

We have heard many heroic stories of survival on TV and the internet and many times those who survived became well known through books or movies written about their experience. Why does the human species find this to be so fascinating, I wonder? Could it be that we are all looking for something that makes a man, woman or child appear above normal or maybe even seem supernatural?

Back in the days when Jesus was on the earth, there were situations that caused people to feel exactly the same way as we do today when we hear about a miraculous event taking place in someones life. That's right!

The Jews really believed that God spoke to Moses when he received the commandments and they believed that John was the prophet of God, BUT they had a hard time believing when it came to Jesus, saying that he was sent by the Father and that he and God the Father were one.

Some of the Jews saw nothing more than an ordinary man who was born of earthly parents! They didn't believe in the virgin Mary and the birth of the Messiah.

It was not enough that He had healed hundreds or possible thousands of people who had incurable diseases!
Just before the passage we are going to read, Jesus had put mud on the blind man's eyes and told him to go wash it off and when he did his eyes which were blind from birth had been made to see for the very first time! How would someone not see and believe that there was something amazing about this man whose name was Jesus?

I believe you will see as we read this passage, that it has allot to do with them knowing His voice and following only Him. We will see how much difference it will make to know His voice and to know who we follow and who cares for us. Let's read this passage together,

John 10:1-4
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
4 And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

The porter was someone that was put in charge of watching the door to the sheepfold, so that a stranger wouldn't be allowed to intrude while the Shepard was away. Their responsibility was to protect the fold from the thieves and robbers. There was only one door that the shepherd would enter by and the reason that his sheep would even follow him out of this door was because they had been taught to recognize their very own shepherd's voice.
So, by calling them, they knew to follow him and trust him to lead them; not into danger or into a place where they would not be fed, but rather to a place of safety and nourishment. You see, they had grown to trust, not just any shepherd, but their very own shepherd's voice! We see that the shepherd called the sheep and then we see that he also led them in verse three. As he leads them, he also speaks to them so that they will follow his voice in verse four.

Pretty awesome to get to learn a little about sheep farming as we learn about the teachings of Jesus here in the book of John, isn't it?

You might be asking yourself, "What is this going to teach me about my faith sustaining me?" and we are getting to that part right now! Let's look at some more of this passage together,

John 10:5 - And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

When someone who is deceitful comes along and tries to convince us to follow them and to convince us of who and what kind of person they are ; we usually get an uneasy feeling in our hearts and minds if it isn't of the Lord and we begin to feel our conscience telling us to be careful or to beware of this person.
That is exactly what Jesus is teaching us here and I know I have felt this way more than once! It's very important not to ignore this, lest we be led astray by those who would like to deceive or steal us away for some reason of their own desire or wishes. Don't brush this off if it happens, as we see that we will know our shepherd's voice and we will know if it isn't His voice according to verse five. Wouldn't you agree that this is a wonderful way for our Lord to sustain and keep us safe in His fold? Let's read on,

John 10:7-9
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."

Now Jesus tells the Jews that He is the door of the sheep and that the sheep didn't hear the voice of those who were trying so desperately to steal them away! This is when He brings this example to a true to life reality for all of mankind in verse nine! Jesus said,"I am the door(to eternal life); by me if any man enters, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture"! Isn't that what the sheep need? They have the protection of the sheepfold , their trusting shepherd's voice to lead them and pastures that will keep them satisfied when they are hungry!

WOW! I think that's about all I could really ever wish for in this life and our Shepherd has it right there for all who have faith in God!

As you read on in this chapter, Jesus talks about the thief seeking to steel and kill and destroy, but Jesus comes to give life and that they may have it even more abundantly. This alone makes me just want to stop and start praising God for a while! Just think about this for a minute. Others who profess to be the shepherd of the sheep or who may attempt to convince us to place our lives in their hands will not give us life more abundantly, but rather reign with judgement and the condemnation of the laws that have been laid down by men! We must seek the true Shepard at the Door to the sheepfold and listen for His voice alone!

CONDEMNATION IS NOT WHAT OUR SHEPARD WANTS FOR US!

Jesus, as our good shepherd gave his life for the sheep. He isn't as one who is hired to care for the sheep. The hired man will run when the wolf comes and leave the sheep to be caught and scattered! This is what Jesus tells us in verses eleven and twelve! Read this about how much Jesus cares for all of his sheep and let it soak into your mind for a few minutes before going on.

John 10:11,12
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

People who go into a ministry for the wrong reasons, such as for the purpose of making a living, will not be there for the sheep, as only the true shepherd would be, to protect them. Do we know His voice today? Have we been approached by the thief or the wolf in times past? Be careful that you hear His voice and know that it is Jesus, the great Sheppard who calls you!

Jesus goes on to tell the Jews how their trust and faith in Him will sustain them for eternity with life that will never end! But I want to back up to one verse that applies particularly to the rest of the world and that would apply to you and I today. Please don't miss this! It is so important for all who are not Jews and this is what Jesus said to the Jews that day,

John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

You see, even thousands of years ago, Jesus thought about you and I as His sheep and we are in His fold under ONE SHEPHERD! How much does this mean to us? It means eternal life for all men who by their faith in God believe in Jesus, who is the only Door to God the Father!

In coming to the close of part five of my series on "Your Faith"; I want to leave you with these verses in your minds from chapter ten of John. If you don't remember anything else, remember these words spoken by our Great Shepherd!

John 10:15-18
15 As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man take it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Words of Wisdom

Some examples of how your faith will sustain you!

Matthew 16:9-10
9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

Mar 6:37-42
37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? 38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
42 And they did all eat, and were filled.


Mark 8:1-5
1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:
3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?
5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.

YOUR FAITH - Part Four

"Your Faith Is Unconditional"

By Rob Bailes

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

If you put your faith in God, He has a gift of grace for you! No if's, and's or but's about it! Men may try to convince you that you must do other things in order to receive His grace, but the truth is that it only requires faith and that means that you must only believe in Him.


There are also men in this world that will try to tell you that you can't believe in something that you can't see or touch. The thing that you must remember, is that those same men who may say this, actually believe in the unseen and probably don't even realize it!

Think about this for a minute! Everytime a person walks into a room and flips the light switch on, don't they expect the light to come on? Why does the light come on? Do they think about all the wiring and the fixtures or components when they flip the switch? I don't think so!

They simply flip the switch, turn on the oven, push the start button on the microwave or turn on the radio. You may have an understanding of how the power works and how the wiring is installed, etc..., but can you actually see the electricity? If you have ever touched two wires that have it flowing through them, you know how it feels for it to flow through your body and you know that the wires are, as we put it, Alive!

Interesting that we describe the power being on as "alive" and the power being off as "dead", isn't it? You see, we understand what it feels like to have life flowing through us and we relate that to electricity flowing through the wiring. In this same way, we can relate to faith flowing through our minds and spirits which is of God called grace and the power of the Holy Spirit fills us as we walk in this faith and we are able to believe that all things are possible by God's amazing and infinite Power!

It isn't something we can see or touch, but we can see the evidence of God's power by faith, just as you can see the evidence of the electrical current that we refer to as "power", that is flowing through the fixture and producing our desired results, whether it's lighting up an emergency room and running ER equipment all night long or cooking a roast at Thanksgiving for the family or playing music during a special event.

We don't stop and think about the complexity of how power travels all across our globe, but most every country has it available to use! Did you know that the voltage that is fed into a wire, that runs through your house, changes as it flows through the wire?

The voltage, which is a measurement of the power, drops as it travels along the wire because the wire can only carry so much power and the length and size of the wire will effect the amount of power that actually makes it to your fixture. Then the different fixtures also use different amounts of electricity, so each one will need a certain amount of voltage to even run properly!

Most people probably don't know as much about about voltage drop as we know about voltage surges. A harmful voltage drop is when there is any more than a 2% drop in voltage from the time the power enters the house's wiring to the time it gets to your fixture or appliance. This can potentially damage or effect the life of your fixture or appliance. This is a fact and the problem can be solved by installing a larger wire size that's able to carry power more efficiently to the fixture.

Did you know that there were about fifteen different plugs used across the globe according to a study done in 1995. There are grounded and ungrounded plugs used in North America, South America, Japan and many Carribean Islands. The most common plug is the Europlug used in Africa, Middle East Asia and Europe. The Schuko plug is used in Germany, Greece, Hungary, Scandinavia, Portugal, Romania and Spain. Isreal has their very own unique type of plug, as do other countries as well. South Africa and India still use the Old British style plug.

You may be wondering why I have choosen to fill your minds with seemingly useless information as this, but it isn't really useless when you go to these countries and find that your electrical appliances don't work there. What I really want us to realize is this, "The electricity that flows through all of the plugs all over the world is basically the same", but the levels of voltage and the equipment is all different and this makes for a complex world full of potential problems and interuptions in our day!

We have come up with hundreds of thousands of ways to use something that we can't even see, because we have faith that it is there when we need it. If we didn't believe in it, then we wouldn't buy homes full of wiring that is set up to use this source!

So my question to you is, "Why, when we accept Christ and we say that our bodies are His dwelling place, do we not believe that His power is there?". Why should we claim that our bodies are the Temples of God and that His Holy Spirit lives in us and not use the light switch or the A/C or anything else you may wish to use in a temple?

I will be the first to admit, that in my past I have been guilty of claiming this by faith in God and then living as if I have no source of power in my life at all. You see, the power of God is flowing through us and this is why He taught His disciples that they could ask anything in His name and He would do it!

The really GREAT thing about God's power, that is available to all people, is that it doesn't require hundreds of different plugs, fuses and adaptors. It doesn't change from country to country! No matter where we go, the power is the same, but so is the requirement. All that is required is faith in God! It's as simple as really believing that the light, oven or radio is going to come on when we reach for the switch. How much more reliable is our God than the complex electrical system built by men across our globe with it's many conditions?

Our engineers may have invented the most complex systems and constantly are improving them, but they are full of conditions! Length, wire size, power surges, voltage drops, fuse sizes, plug types, grounded or not grounded, power sources, storms, wires cut and the list goes on.

You can depend on the ever flowing, infinite power of God when you pray!

YOUR FAITH IS UNCONDITIONAL, JUST BELIEVE!

As you believe by faith, you will see the evidence of things unseen in your life every day!

Words of Wisdom
Hebrew 13:20-21
20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

FAITH - Part 3

By Rob Bailes

"Your Faith Will Make You Wise"

Romans 10:17 - So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Our faith in God comes from hearing the truth of the gospel through the word of God! We have heard leaders all over the world expressing popular beliefs, opinions and philosophy in recent years, but the Bible says that we will receive the faith that we need by the hearing of the word of God. It appears that Paul is asking himself in the book of Romans,"Has all of the earth heard this message of faith?" and then he answers his own question in the same verse. Let's look at this,

Romans 10:18 - But I say, "Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world".

Into all the earth! Their words went to the ends of the world as they knew it in their day! Every nation had heard the Gospel by way of disciples, apostles, kings and servants. The message had been spread to everyone that lived and they didn't even have Internet or cable television! Isn't that amazing!
God has always made a way to get His word to the people of the earth. We don't have to take it all on ourselves to reach every man. God is at work in the hearts and lives of each person who believes and accepts Him by faith. Knowing this takes a huge burden off of me as a forgiven and compassionate child of God. When I look around, it's easy for me to become overwhelmed with the masses that are following the idols of this world and people of all ages that have bought into the lies of advertising while on their quest to satisfies their inner longing.

One of the best sellers on the music charts even told the world for almost 50 years, "I can't get no satisfaction!" and still people go out in groves searching for satisfaction week after week, month after month, year after year until their lives have literally slipped through their fingers and finding themselves at the end of their life without the satisfaction they had been promised by this world.

The satisfaction that we long for and search for all of our lives is experienced in faith, faith in the living God of our universe and this faith is found in the hearing of the message found in the word of God. Paul was a very educated man who had been in positions in government that required him to make many tough decisions, but the best decision that Paul ever made was the decision to believe and follow the Messiah who had come to save the world and to accept His message by faith!
It was the same man,Paul, that wrote this passage in Romans that had, at one time, persecuted the Christians and their families. The challenges we face today don't even begin to compare to the challenges Christians faced before Paul accepted Christ! Christians were scattered all over the globe, trying to escape this man and his wrath! His name was Saul and God changed it to Paul. His business was to wipe out every Christian alive because he believed man, but God stopped him and he heard the word of God. Paul went from a proud murderer to an humble servant of God overnight! His eyes were opened and he could see the wisdom of the word and the satisfaction filled his heart; that satisfaction that he had longed for every night when he closed his eyes and heard the screams of those he had persecuted.

It is evident in Paul's writings that he had faith by the hearing of the word of God! Paul had gained a wisdom that couldn't be found in biographies and philosophy. This wisdom couldn't be found on the porches of Athens or in meetings with the King's counsel. This wisdom that Paul found came only through the word of God. The faith that Paul found gave him the satisfaction that we all have longed for in our lives, even today!

Paul is talking to the Gentiles in chapter eleven and he is telling them that it is because of the Jews lack of repentance that the gospel went out and had spread to their Gentile nations. It was because of the lack of faith in the Jewish nation that the Jewish believers were directed by God to go into all the world, so that the Jews would become jealous of the mercy that the Gentiles had obtained through God and come back to receive their faith in God. The Jews were going to see the wisdom of the rest of the world through their receiving of the word of God by faith. They would long for the mercy, Paul says, that the Gentiles had obtained!

Rom 11:31-34
31 Even so have these(Jews) also now not believed, that through your(Gentiles) mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God hath concluded them all (all nations) in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor?

We can learn so much from the word of God and it is clear that Paul feels just as I do today! I feel that the wisdom and knowledge found in God is beyond anything else that I can get my hands on in this world! So let's treasure what we have found in His word and in communion with God; the wisdom and knowledge that starts with faith in Him.

When we come to realize how great a God we serve, the fear (reverence), forgiving (mercy) and faith (wisdom) will be so incredible that it not only changes us, but others long to know and have what we have! Listen to how Paul described this at the end of chapter eleven of Romans.

Romans 11:36 For of him(God), and through him(God), and to him(God), are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Those are words of wisdom!

It is my prayer that you have this FAITH THAT WILL MAKE YOU WISE!

If you find you don't have the faith I spoke of today, but would like to know that you do; please contact me by phone or email and we will be glad to help you begin this wonderful, satisfying experience in your life today! The experience of God's forgiveness and mercy by faith in Him!

Contact Information
(919)745-1210
robbailes@newnessoflife.org
Click HERE to visit the Home Page of Foundations of Faith Ministries

"FAITH" - Part Two

By Rob Bailes

"Your Faith Will Carry You"

Have you ever had a really great day when everything went better than you had planned? You had your time alone with God and your day was productive from the standpoint of accomplishing your goals; you felt so good that you couldn't help humming or singing a tune in the car on the way home. Then it happened!



Suddenly out of the blue, you get a phone call with bad news or you suddenly realize you've lost something very important; or someone dear to you gets hurt; or someone you care about disappoints you! This is a really good time to do a faith check! It is at this moment that we will usually either panic or stay calm. The faith that you have in Christ will make the difference at a time like this!

The disciples found themselves in just one of those moments in chapter four of Mark when their ship had filled with water in verse thirty-seven.

Mark 4:37
And there arose a great storm of wind,(like a hurricane) and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

I could see in this passage that the ship is now full of water and Jesus was asleep on a pillow in the back part of the ship. The disciples had ran around in a panic before they went and woke Him up from His rest. Jesus had been teaching and healing people all day long and the disciples needed Him to do something to save them. Let's take a look at what they said to Him.

Mark 4:38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, "Master, care thou not that we perish?"

We see in this verse is that they addressed Jesus as their Master, which in the Greek means "teacher". Those guys were afraid that their end was near and they would soon be sucked up by the sea! They needed someone to give them a plan of action; a "master" plan, so to speak.
Yes, I believe that these men were pretty much in a state of panic and they wanted Jesus to either come up with a solution or to at least, panic with them!

They asked Him, "Don't you care that we are going to die?". Their understanding was blurred by the circumstances and they were past the reasoning and understanding that they were on a ship in a storm with the Son of God! The same One who had spent days and weeks teaching them about the power of faith and exercising this faith in many different ways.

Can you imagine a team of men in a large ship and the waves are crashing over the deck and filling the ship up faster than they can bail it out? Imagine the wind tossing their boat in every direction and the rain beating down on them as they bail faster and faster to keep the boat afloat.
They have been battling this storm for maybe an hour or more and they're loosing the battle. The boat is quickly sinking under the added weight of the water on board. They probably could hear the boards of the ship beginning to creak and move under the stress and they felt as though there was no hope for survival.

Finally, in this moment of total despair, I imagine someone shouted out,"Wake up Jesus!".

When we read what happens next, it is very clear to me that they didn't wake Jesus up for the purpose of stopping the storm. They didn't wake Him with the purpose of delivering them from the circumstances either, as they believed that they were going to die. I believe they were really upset that Jesus was sleeping and they were all bailing water and they just couldn't stand to let Jesus rest so peacefully while they were fighting for their lives! They acted as though they felt that the calm, peaceful sleep that Jesus was experiencing was a sign that He didn't care about them. They had forgotten all the lessons that Jesus had taught them about the battles and struggles of life's difficulties and they were acting purely on human instinct!

How many times do we do this very thing when something catches us by surprise? Do we feel we should battle our way through it and wait until we are about to sink before we run to get help from our Lord? Why do we wait? Some people will tell us that we should do all we can and that God expects that from us, but I believe that too many times we wait until our boat is full of water before we will call out in prayer!
What do you think would have happened if the disciples had woke Jesus when the storm began? Would this have been a good sign that their faith in Him was strong? Would Jesus have responded to their faith earlier in the storm? I feel sure He would have and we see this in the next passages that follow. Let's look at the next two verses together,

Mark 4:39,40
39 And He(Jesus) arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, "Peace, be still". And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?"

The same power and authority that we see displayed here when Jesus spoke to the wind and the sea was also available to those pitiful, scared disciples already! Earlier in this passage written by Mark, the disciples were given the power to perform miracles by faith! Jesus had taken them up onto a mountain and ordained them to preach the gospel and to heal the sick and cast out devils! Jesus had told them that they could ask anything if they had faith.(Even moving mountains!) Faith is a powerful thing to have and to understand! We excuse our lack of the power of faith in our lives many times by counting ourselves weak and vulnerable as humans. This isn't what Jesus wants for us as his children and messengers to the rest of the world!

Even still,as people talked, the disciples had heard rumors of how Jesus was from the devil and how Jesus was breaking the laws that had been laid down by the religious leaders, concerning the sabbath day. So we must remember all of that when we see the disciples reaction to the miracles Jesus performed on this day in the storm. Let's read on,

Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, "What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

It's interesting to read in the previous chapters of Mark how the evil spirits all seemed to know and acknowledged that Jesus was the Holy Son of God and we can also read how that the Holy Spirit descended as the Heavens opened up when Jesus was baptised by John. These same men had been with Jesus to see allot of these things take place, but they hadn't understood and recognized in the time of panic that this same Jesus was the Son of God and has the power to do all things with anything or anyone that He so chooses!

Do we still struggle with this today in our society of logic and legalistic thinking? Would Jesus ask us the same thing that He asked the disciples; when we think we are so smart and capable that we try to get through life's difficult circumstances all on our own?
Do we still get surprised when Jesus answers our prayers? Why should we, if we have constant unwavering faith in Him? He doesn't waver from His promises as we go through life's difficult circumstances; our faith is what can change the way that things turn out and it is each person's faith in God that will deliver and restore you in the presence of life's storms.

Jesus was there in the ship the whole time! The sooner that we understand that this holds true in our lives, the sooner we will find our lives filled with the unlimited resource of miracles and blessings of God through our faith in Him. The Faith of the disciples, or should I say, the lack of faith was the the cause of their distress and panic in this storm. It was their decision to take on the storm all by themselves and did you happen to notice in that last passage that nothing was said about the water in the boat?

Jesus stopped the storm, but they still had a boat full of water!

I just can't help but wonder how they dealt with that situation. That's the problem with waiting many times when crisis comes! We still have the repairs and the cleanup to do as a result of waiting to call for help! Use your faith and call out to God early when a sudden crisis hits you! Your FAITH will carry you safely through the storms and calm the waves and wind.

I'd like to close this Part two message on "FAITH" with a final thought and by reading some verses that will help illustrate this for you. "Hang with me, you won't want to miss this!"

Question - How does our faith carry us through the times of difficulty?

We must be careful not to think that we are constantly on a battleground and that we must always be ready to fight off the unseen forces of satan. In sharing my final point, I would like to point out how living our lives battling satan would be very different from what Jesus was teaching the disciples in the time that He was here on the earth.

The disciples may have tried to handle their difficulties all on their own at times, but I believe that they eventually found, as we will also, that it is not for us to wage war against the devil and sin by our own strength, because we will loose the battle every time!

It is by FAITH in God that we WIN our battles and remain victorious over the evil forces and the difficulties of this world.

That is going to mean giving up our ego trips, putting our own weapons away and trusting in the all consuming power of God. That means fear and respect for the Mighty One who is greater than us all and admitting this daily! Let's look at some verses that illustrate man's Faith in God that carried him through circumstances of difficulty!

The following passage tells us about a group of men who reached out to help a paralyzed man who was completely helpless. They didn't decide to pitch in to get him a new hospital bed or take him meals on wheels. They, in faith, took action to change the man's life forever! They believed in the spoken word of the Lord! By faith, they carried him to where Jesus was speaking.
Mark 2:3-5 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy(paralyzed), which was carried by four men and when they could not come near to him because of the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed that the sick of the palsy(paralyzed) lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, "Son, thy sins be forgiven thee".
It is true that our sins are what keep us held captive in our troubles and it is the faith in the Lord that allows us the deliverance from the bondage of sin and doubt. The faith of these men showed on this day and Jesus recognized it within their hearts and in their willingness to come to Him for help. Remember, it's so very important for us to be used of God and live a life of freedom from sins bondage! Why would anyone want to remain bound by sin?

The next passage we'll look at is about a woman who had been experiencing a continuous flow of blood for twelve years and she had been to many doctors trying their remedies and spent all that she had, but on this day she had heard that the Lord Jesus was coming and she knew if she could just touch His robe that she would become healthy and have a normal life again! She had come this day with unwavering faith; faith in the power of the Lord Jesus. She believed it with all of her heart! Imagine the joy that filled her life this day!
Mark 5:25-34 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, "If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole." Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, "Who touched my clothes?" His disciples said unto him, "You see the multitude thronging thee, and you say, "Who touched me?" He looked round about to see her that had done this thing, but the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth and he said unto her, "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague".

There was a woman of Canaan who had heard that Jesus was going to be at the coasts of Tyre and Sidon and she believed that Jesus could perform miracles and that He was the Lord. She also knew that she was not of Israel, like others who followed Jesus. Yet she knew what she believed and she wasn't going get discouraged and give up because of her ethnic origin, as many times this could become a major social and religious barrier in this region of the world. She knew Jesus could help her daughter who was controlled by a devil! She had to go in faith.
Her friends probably warned her that she wasn't going to be able to be helped, as she was not socially accepted by the nation of Israel. She probably had some doubts herself along the journey to where Jesus was, but by the time she had arrived she was so sure of His power that she knew if she could just get a few crumbs from the bread of life, that her daughter would be free again from being possessed by the devil! Let's look at this passage in Matthew and see what happened,
Matthew 15:22-28 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil". But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and besought him, saying, "Send her away; for she cries after us". But he answered and said, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel". Then she came and worshipped him, saying, "Lord, help me". But he answered and said, "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs". She said, "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table". Then Jesus answered and said unto her, "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt", and her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

These men and women who were made whole or who were freed from evil spirits were all changed forever! What I want to point our attention to is the thing that made the difference in the lives of the men who brought the paralyzed man to Jesus, the thing that made the difference in the life of the woman who had spent at least a quarter of her life in pain, sorrow and doctor's offices trying to find an answer and the thing that made the difference in the life of the mother and the daughter who was suffering being controlled by a devil that had plans to destroy her body, mind and soul. The thing that made the difference in the lives of these people and many more throughout the Word of God is that they had come to an understanding; a major realization of the hope that was found only in the Lord Jesus who had come to earth as a man to seek and to save that which was lost.

You see, they had come to understand the fear of the Lord's Power through respect and reverence; they had come to understand the love of the Lord in His power and willingness to forgive people of their sin and this brought each and every on of them next to understand His compassion on all of them as He always recognized their faith and trust in Him as their Savior!

Your FAITH will carry you through the difficulties and bring you amazing deliverance from the circumstances and troubles of this world. You will live above the times of crisis when you trust GOD to carry YOU, by Faith!

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"FAITH" - Part One

By Rob Bailes

"Your Faith Will Change You"
Have you ever had someone warn you of something and you thought to yourself, "I'm not so sure about that", only to find out later that they were right?
It is at the moment that we realize that something is for real and we know without a doubt that what we have heard is true, that faith takes seed in our hearts, our minds and our body! It's at that moment that we also find ourselves moving into action, as the situation becomes more clear.

Jesus gives us an example about the man that digs deep and lays his foundation on the rock so that his house will stand when the water beats against the house. Jesus was referring to the man that will listen to what He tells him and then "do" what he has heard. It is through the believing of something that we experience faith and this faith will cause us to act accordingly. Right now, what I want you to concentrate on is what you believe! Take all other thoughts and interruptions and leave them in the next room. I want you to focus your full attention for the next ten minutes on what you believe and look at how it has changed your life. Ready?

It is simple to say we believe in something, but it is different to believe in it so much that we have faith in something. We use the words faith, believe, commit and dedication so casual in our day, that we often miss what it really means, but I find that the parables and experiences of Jesus actually take us to a level of understanding where we receive wisdom and knowledge that we can apply to each of our lives. "Faith Doesn't Doubt!" There seems to be allot of confusion about this simple, yet profound statement today.

I hear people say so casually, "I believe in God,but...this or that" and people say, "I have faith, but I think there's a limit to how far you should go with it!". Another one I have heard is, "I asked God to save me, but I never did do anything really bad".

It is good for us to take time to look into the parables and teachings of Jesus, as this will tell us what we need to build ourselves a solid foundation. Jesus teaches all of us that the first thing we need to do in laying our firm foundation is to believe without a doubt, have faith. Let's all take a few minutes to look at a time when Jesus had been performing miracles and He was invited to the home of a Pharisee to dine. Jesus had accepted the invitation and had been teaching and performing miracles, so I'm sure that there was quite a crowd gathered around this man's house just waiting for Jesus to reappear and continue showing His miraculous power and pouring out His compassion on them. Somehow though, a woman had slipped into the house where Jesus had taken His seat on the couch, which was a Jewish custom. The Jews would eat while laying on their side and their knees bent with their feet behind them.

I can imagine this woman showing herself at the doorway and Jesus motioning for her to come in and join them. Perhaps the Pharisee had gone to check on the food or may have been inviting some of the others that were his friends, as we see later that there were others at this meal. None the less, the woman who is not ever named, enters the room. She has been listening to Jesus teaching and has seen His miracles performed and has come to the realization that this must be who they say He is; the Messiah, sent by God to save His people from their sin. She stands behind Him now, maybe trying to control herself, but it is impossible! The tears are flowing uncontrollably as she stands at His feet! She wipes her eyes and sees that she has soaked His feet with her tears and kneels to wipe the wet dust from His feet with her most adorned apparel, her hair. She continues to cry as she thinks about her past and how many times she has felt the guilt of her sins; avoiding conversation with those who would dare to mention God or anything related to worship. This would normally have only made her feel worse about herself and the life she had chosen to live long ago. Now though, she was sitting at the feet of this One they called the Messiah, the Savior of His people! At His feet, where typically the servants would stay, she began to clean His feet with her hair and her tears. As she washed them she also began to kiss His feet, which was an act of adoration and respect for Jesus. But she didn't just kiss them once, but over and over again in love for her new found Lord! She felt so blessed to be able to show Him her love and belief in Him in such a way as this.

Then she took out the alabaster container of ointment, a bottle of perfume; a perfume that some theologians believe she had used to attract the attention of others and most likely her most treasured possession. Ointment was a very expensive product in this day and was used much like our cologne and deodorant today. You see, the Greek translation for the word that describes her as a sinner means one living in sin or a whore. Now how do we feel about this whole picture? What would we have been thinking if we had been sitting in that room, knowing that she had this reputation?

Wait! Let's bring it up to our day and time! Ok? What if she was a woman who was known as a Playboy centerfold and stripper who had been on public TV and the latest Yahoo News sites all over the world? Now, how does that make us feel? Maybe we can understand a little better about what happens next!

The Pharisee, whose name was Simon, was thinking within himself,"If this man was a prophet, he would have know what kind of woman was touching Him and that she was a sinner (whore)". That's when Jesus shared something with Simon. Jesus asked him,"If one man owed $50 and another man owed $500 and they didn't have anything to pay and the creditor told them that he wasn't going to make them pay. Which one of the men would love him more?". Simon answered and said that he supposed that the one that owed the creditor more money. Then Jesus told him that he had judge right!

Then Jesus told Simon to look at the woman, but Jesus also looked at her according to this passage. Jesus had no problem giving her His attention because he saw her through different eyes; eyes that didn't judge her. Jesus told him, "See thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gave me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gave me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.

In Simon's eyes, he had few sins and so he had little love for the Lord. Do you think that if we believe this about ourselves, it will also have an impact on how much we love our Savior. If Jesus walked into the room right now, how would you honestly react? Would you drop to your knees? Would you just stare at Him in amazement and wait for Him to recognize YOU? Do we think that we are going to be His focus when we get to heaven? Are we really that great in our own eyes? I hear this dangerous doctrine taught all across America today and it is teaching people to love God less, just as we see in the house of the Pharisee with Jesus! "How are we to feel the love that this woman had for Jesus?", you may be ask, just as I did when I first read this passage.

We must look hard and long at what we believe! This passage has brought me to realize two very important things. I took the time to search my heart and see the way that I saw myself and what I believed about my past and what God had done for me. This brought me to a deeper appreciation of what Jesus meant to me as He was the one who forgave us all as He hung on the cross. he forgave us even before this, just as He had forgiven the woman that day so long ago for all of her past sins and lifestyle that had given such a bad name. Let's look at what Jesus says,

Luke 7:48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

But why did Jesus make mention of this? I believe that He was making a point to each of those sitting at the table that day and to each of us reading this lesson today. Jesus knew that the question would come up in their hearts, "Who is this that forgives sins also?". This has become the question of the century by many a Muslim and other religions across the world and many of them deny it! They can't believe that a man named Jesus can pardon the sins of wicked men!

I believe what Jesus says next will clear this up for us all!

Luke 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

It was the sincere belief in God and the message of the Messiah Jesus that cause this woman to change and her faith was made alive and that seed of faith which had been dead began to grow in her heart, her mind and then was evident in her body. She changed the way she felt; she changed the way she thought and she changed the way she loved! She went from doubting, bondage and oppression to having faith, pardoned and peace. Let's take a final look at the word "peace" in the Greek translation used here.

The Greek word is eirēnē
It is pronounced i-rah'-nay
Probably from a primary verb εἴρω eirō (to join); peace (literally or figuratively); by implication prosperity: - one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.
Let's take a few minutes to kneel at Jesus feet and adore Him as we grasp the fact that He has forgiven ALL of our sins! Let's love Him more and more each day!
"Thy faith has saved you; go in peace."

"ALL SHOOK UP"

By Rob Bailes

Ever been all shook up?

Sometimes things happen in our lives without warning and we find ourselves all shook up and reacting purely on instinct. That's when others see what we really are made of and how we really think. If you ever wanted to know what someone was really like, watch them in a moment of crisis or panic. It's not because they are not thinking clearly that they act the way they do either! It's who they really are and who they are really and truly are coming to the surface. I'm sure we all could do some things that would surprise each other as well.

There's a passage recorded by the apostle Luke where Jesus is talking about this and how our decisions cause us to react differently. But first of all, Jesus asks a question,

Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Let's take a look at the Greek word for "Lord".
The Greek word is kurios
It is pronounced koo'-ree-os
From κῦρος kuros (supremacy); supreme in authority, that is, (as noun) controller; by implication Mr. (as a respectful title): - God, Lord, master, Sir.

Translated into literal Greek meaning, couldn't we say that Jesus was saying in this passage, "Why do you call me supreme in authority? Why do you say I'm your controller? Why do you address me with respect as your Lord? Yet, you don't do the things I have told you to do!"

Then Jesus tells the Pharisees something that most likely was a bit uncomfortable for them to take! As a matter of fact, it might be a bit hard for some of us to read this even today, thousands of years later!

Luke 6:47-49
47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Many of those Pharisees may have just scratched their heads and went home from the meeting that day, just as many of have done on Saturday or Sunday after our church services. It could be because the truth of God's Word isn't being taught, BUT it could also be because of the decision some of us have made to walk out of the church and just do as we please!

" I hear you Pastor" or "I hear you Sunday School teacher", "but I know what I'm doing and everything is just fine!" "Just look at my life and all that I have been blessed with!"

You can act as if God is in control and call out to Him in public prayer as though you have a tight relationship with God, but when you leave and go your own way and do as you please, regardless of the Lord's teachings, you are like a man who has built his house (his life) on the soil and the troubles of life will take all that you have built and wash it away!

What does it say about the way that the house falls when the flood comes and beats on the house of this man? It says that it immediately fell and the ruins of that house were great. That doesn't mean that it was wonderful! It means it was totalled!

You know how we describe a car that cannot be driven after an accident? Totally useless for anyone once the collision has happened? It is totalled! All of the damage and loss that someone sustains when they have built on the soil could have been prevented! If they had listened and truly meant it when they called out to the Lord. They would have built their foundaiton for life on the solid rock. They would have stood firm in their life!

I am still learning about this practice. "What practice?", you may ask.

When I call the Lord my supreme controller and He speaks to me through the Word or a message; to go and do what I have been instructed by my Lord to do without changing it around or trying to figure out a way to justify adding to it something that I want.

To do it His way, not my way!

Maybe you find this a bit offensive because you've been doing just fine all by yourself without God's involvement, other than when it's time to go to church. My friend, you will see a time come when God will allow the troubles to come and test your foundation. It will hold firm or it will wash out!

I hope that you have chosen to do the right thing. Next time you call out,"Oh Lord...", take a look in your heart and see if it reflects the teachings of the Word of God. The Lord wants what's best for you! The Lord loves you!

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PATIENCE UNDER PRESSURE

By Rob Bailes



But I don't have the strength to be patient!

I have heard this and I might as well admit it, this thought has gone through my mind quite a few times. The act of being patient is often considered as an option. One that we feel as though we have the freedom not to choose when people get in our way or do something that slows down our ability to get things done.



I have heard many people talk about patience and I've read many stories about how we get upset when the traffic light is stuck or the person in front of us takes too long or maybe even when a spoiled child is getting on your nerves and the parents seem to ignore it completely. It does seem as though there are many occurrences and differences that can bring us to the point of losing our cool. But these stories really seem to fade into the background when we see what some people go through in places where they are lacking food, shelter and medicine. These petty issues that deal with achievement and self satisfaction become so insignificant, as they become blurred in the photo of life, when the focus zooms in on the problems that these people face in their lives.

Yet, there is another situation that we will find, even in the focus of the lives of these people who are in such need. It is found in our homes, our work place, our marketplaces and churches. I have observed this in the ego and actions of people from all walks of life in recent days and it has caused me to become even more aware; yes, more aware of my very own ego, actions and attitude.

The situation that my mind's focus has zoomed in on, is the way that we react when someone else intentionally does something to inflict physical pain or discomfort; causes inconvenience or maybe embarrasses you; slanders your name and deceitfully uses you. I would be wrong to leave out the mistreatment by the prejudice people all around us as well. This isn't just something I have seen expressed by or against one race. I have seen it in every race in this time that we live! I can see the hate and anger in the eyes of each race clinging ever so tightly to the pain, suffering and embarrassment inflicted upon their ancestors. These feelings surface at a time when people feel the pressures of this life building within themselves.

Today, many of these pressures are dealt with in doctor's offices, pharmacies, by psychiatrists, massage, health spas and day spas, nail and tanning salons, late night comedy, pep pills, valium, tranquilizers, alcohol and all types of vacation packages. The list could go on to cover this entire page.

The amazing thing is that we always seem to find ourselves right back where we started. The memories are still there! The pain hasn't gone away! The hate, anger and racial feelings are still raging beneath the surface, just waiting for someone to push the button and then, "BAM!!!". We let it go with a flurry of words or threats; maybe even a shove or punch. Sometimes people are killed or seriously wounded in the explosion of hatred and anger. What would have happened if everyone exercised patience instead of losing control and lashing out?

I am guilty. There have been times when I have put up a boundary and in my mind, dared someone to cross it, or else! Yes, as hard as I have tried to maintain my cool in times of pressure, I have to admit that I have failed!

I'm a really laid back kind of person too, so you know it really shocked those who were there to witness it! Being in a top level management position for a large corporation didn't help me either!

There were some who avoided me whenever they saw me coming after this outburst. You probably would have done the same though, if someone had come into your office and covered everything with concrete dust, crust and wet concrete slurry from where they had cut a hole in the wall of my office. They were even standing on paperwork and drawings laying on top of my desk! How could anyone.....no, I'll not go any further with this story, but you got the picture?

The fact is that I blew it! I lost my reputation, but more importantly, I lost my testimony. There were some men who had waited for this day, so they could remind me of it for months to come and the fact that I had lost control and acted like the devil for just a few minutes of my life. Yes, satan knew I had blown it, but God knew too; God knew it would be a lesson that I wouldn't ever forget!

You have read and heard about the rages people go into when little things slow us down and we do feel some guilt over this, but the deliberate attacks against us are not often spoken of when we look into the practice of being patient.
It was Daniel that first caused me to take a second look at the way we should act under pressure. It says nowhere that Daniel resisted or even argued with the King or his council when he was condemned to be fed to the lions. The King had hoped that Daniel's God would protect him from the lions! As a matter of fact, Daniel had such a high reputation with the King that the King even stayed up all night without eating and prayed for Daniel!
You see, the King had been tricked by his own council, but he had faith in the God of Daniel that night because of Daniel's testimony. Daniel had a chance the night he was condemned; a chance to prove God right or to blow it by resisting and flying into a rage before the King. Daniel made the choice to prove God right! The next morning as the King went back to the lion's den, he called out to Daniel and asked him if his God had spared him. That's the King's hope and trust that had developed over time in the God of Daniel and in prayer on his knees all night long. The King had been watching Daniel and he knew that his faith in his God was real, that Daniel prayed to the true God of all the world.

Daniel answered the King, "The angels have closed the mouths of the lions" and the King demanded that he be turned loose and that the men who accused him to be thrown into the lion's den. I wish I had shone such patience and had kept my testimony that day, because it didn't take long for others to approach me and ask if it was true, "Did you really yell at those guys and run them out of the building?". All I could do was admit it and say that I was sorry, but it was too late. "How can I keep this from happening again?", I had asked myself over and over. It isn't something that we do on our own, as I found myself more and more aware of my feelings and those around me, the more I searched for an answer so I too could react as Daniel did that night long ago.

As I began to read the passages of the New Testament, I found many times the mention of pain and suffering, but it was accompanied by praise and worship. I thought, "How can this be possible?" I'm just a human being with flesh and blood flowing thru my veins! The more I read though, I found that the apostles had such a close relationship with God that they knew when they were mistreated or falsely accused that it would be because of thier love for God. You know that satan really hates that! They had such closeness and so much communion with God that they had realized that the world and it's egos and attitudes would soon enough find them and intentionally hurt them. You see, it is with this realization that they were prepared when those times came and someone pushed their buttons! Let's take a quick look at a couple of verses, written in the book of Galatians, by Paul,

Galatians 5:22,23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

The fruit of the Spirit is what we produce when our tree is ready to bear fruit. Our tree represents our person and our spirit and it is through proper spiritual growth that a tree is prepared to produce good fruit. We all know that the fruit doesn't just come out over night or even in the first few years of a tree's growth.

Do you think that there is a reason for this example being used by Paul in this teaching about the fruit of the Spirit? You see, the Spirit refers us to the Spirit of God and it is our choice to live our lives each day, not by our power and understanding, but by the power and understanding of the Spirit of God and then we will walk in the Spirit! We will not walk in the flesh, in the ego, in the attitude, in the pain and suffering our ancestors, in the raging hatred of those who have wronged us!

But rather, in love, joy, peace, longsuffering(patience), gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

It is your choice, but as you read these final words written by Paul, I pray that you will allow them sink into your heart and mind and take seed.

Let a new growth begin!

I pray that the "fruit of the Spirit" will grow in your minds, your hearts, your lives!

Galatians 5:24-26
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.(Having matured spiritually beyond our fleshly pride)
25 If we live in the Spirit(Believe), let us also walk in the Spirit. (Actions)
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory(ego), provoking one another (with an attitude), envying one another.(Being selfish minded)

Let's take one last look at what Luke wrote about those who would intentionally wrong you!

Luke 6:35-37
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

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"The Deep End"

By Rob Bailes


But I Can't Touch!


A couple of years ago, as my youngest daughter and I were getting ready to go swimming, just as we have many times before, we made sure we had everything we needed before heading to the Pullen Aquatic Center. She even thought of the things she needed to wash with after swimming. We guys just use whatever is available or do a quick rinse on the way to the lockers. We had been swimming for a while when Cass wanted to go down to the deep end where the diving boards were. The diving boards being closed for the day allowed us to just swim around at that end of the pool. I have to say that this pool is huge and you can swim quite a ways before you get to a lane rope or the other side of the pool.

At first she didn't want to actually get in and swim as it was 14 feet deep but she gradually ease herself into the deep blue water. She had dove off the diving boards many times but this time it seemed like unfamiliar territory for some reason. When she first got into the water and let go of the side she said, "Eww, it feels like something could swim up under me and bite my foot or leg."
I told her to put on her goggles and look into the water and see how clear it was but she decided she just wasn't ready to actually look at the deep water she was wading in. She might get scared and get out. Gradually we swam out into the middle of this deep area and were doing quite well. She seemed to be really enjoying herself and swimming allot better than I had remembered her swimming in the past. I was even feeling a bit proud of her courage and strength that had developed so quickly.
Then without any notice whatsoever, she got a frightened look on her face and began frantically swimming towards me! It was more of a dog paddle which really slowed her down in reaching her destination. I knew how tired I already was from our swim but I wasn't about to move away from her! I knew I couldn't possibly touch the bottom so I just whispered a prayer and said,"God I really need your strength to get us to the side of this pool."

As she got closer her panic increase and she said in a quick but convincing voice, "Help!" It was then that I saw her little chin going into the water and realized she was really loosing this fight mentally that she could make it. Something had happened in her little mind that caused her to feel a lack of security, enough so that she had lost her confidence in the years of swimming she had experienced before and the strength of her athletic body. Well, she made it and by the strength of God, I made it to the edge of the pool also. Wow! I also believe that those supplements definitely helped as well that I take each day.

Isn't it just like us sometimes to panic when we get into unfamiliar territory? We may have been there for a while but suddenly we get into a panic and satan begins to fill our minds with doubt and fear and the next thing we know, we are struggling just to get back home to our safe place or to a friend as fast as we can that makes us feel safe and protected.

I want to share a couple of verses written by David when he was being chased down by the kings men to be killed. They were waiting outside his door to catch him when he came out, but he had ran to the safety of his home and began crying out to the Lord for help!
Let's use this passage today to remind us of where our help comes from and do as David did when he found himself surrounded; like I did when my girl was swimming to me in the deep, deep, deep waters; like she did when she began to panic and feel she wouldn't make it back to her fathers arms crying, "HELP!" Let's trust in our Lord and make Him our refuge of strength! Let's call out to Him,"Help!" Let's pray often!

Psalms 59:16,17
16 But I will sing of thy power; yes, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 To thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy.

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