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."
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
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. "
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. "
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
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!
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!
Monday, June 14, 2010
"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!
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!
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