"What Faith Will Do"

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."

YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!

WHEN THE WIND BLOWS

Do the winds of life bring you fear?

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. ~Matthew 14:30

As I was reading the story of Peter walking on the water, I realized something that I had missed for the past fourty-nine years of my life. I had always thought that Peter became afraid because of the waves crashing all around him that night as he climbed out of the boat in responce to Jesus simple request,"Come". As I saw that it was the wind that made Peter afraid, it occurred to me that Jesus had an even bigger lesson for me to learn from this story than ever before. What we can learn from Peter's experience is that we can so easily loose our trust in the Almighty God that we worship and praise when we begin to fear the unknown.

Peter knew not where the boisterous wind came from and he didn't know how it would effect his walk. He was already taking a leap of faith by getting out of the boat! Have you ever gotten out of the boat, so to speak, and found yourself climbing right back in where it is safe and secure only minutes or hours after your feet touched the water. It's not an easy thing to step out into the unknown, unless there is something secure there that we can grab ahold of when we think we're going to fall. Think about this today. Like Peter, we need to be calling out to the Lord in faith with willingness to say,"If it be you, bid me come to you onto the water". It's not easy! But it will amaze you how much your faith will increase when you exercise your trust in your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is there when you feel you are afraid and just as with Peter, He'll immediately catch you if the unknown weakens your faith.

Peter was already afraid of the wind before he ever got out of the boat, I'm sure! As I have continued to step out in the ministry God has called me to do, there are things that I cannot see. I know that they are there and I see the danger if this happens or if that happens. My mind can begin to doubt, even while I am stepping out entirely by faith to do the work that He has called me to do.

We've all experienced fear of the unknown before! You've experienced the boisterous winds even before you stepped a foot out of your boat, your comfort zone.

It could be one of many things that hold us back. I encourage you today to get out of your comfort zone! Get out of your favorite chair; call out and ask the Lord to bid you to come! I can tell you that it won't be long before you'll hear Him calling you to do something you've never done before. It happened to me! I've never been more satisfied and full of joy than when I stepped out of the boat, my comfort zone, to experience a new level of faith; even when the unknown almost blew me away. I called out to the Lord and without a moments hesitation, He reached out and reassured me that he was there in ways that I couldn't have imagined. Of course, the Lord asked me through my conscience,"O you of little faith, why did you doubt?".

In closing, remember that Jesus is there for each and every one of us when we step out by faith; and He will help us when we fear and fall, but that doesn't mean that the storm and the wind will cease!

Let's look at the next two verses to see why I point this out.

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.~Matthew 14:31-32

It wasn't until they were back in the boat! You see, I know that we want the fear and the discomforts to go away as soon as we pray. But the Lord knows what's best for us and what will make us more useful for His service when we make ourselves available to Him.

Are YOU ready to GO? Have you surrendered to the Lord, but have never quite gotten your foot out of the boat?

Maybe you are like me. You've heard His call and you already stepped out of your comfort zone, but you heard those boisterous winds coming your way. Maybe doubt filled your mind, as it did mine, causing you to become afraid.

If so, learn from Peter today and keep calling out to the Lord when you feel this way! But let the Lord take you back to the boat when He is ready!

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. ~ Psalms 46:10

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR!

The coming of God is nearer than you may think!

Jesus told His disciples a parable in chapter twenty-one of Luke that would be a warning to all who are living in the last days of the earth as we know it.

And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh (near) at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. ~ Luke 21:29-31

As we have seen the temperatures soar upward in the southeastern United States this week, the trees have blossomed forth, exciting our senses with the colorful bouquets all around us. Isn't it interesting that Jesus, the Lord of all creation would use such a simple yet profound example as an indicator of a time when we should be watching for His return? Just as those colorful blooms excite our senses; so should the signs of the end times bring us joy as we see the day approaching. Most people avoid this subject in our day and time because most of us have become so involved, with the enjoyments and fulfillment of the things of this world, that we don't want to think about leaving this all behind.

With regret, I believe that many who are clinging to the things of this world for their joy and satisfaction in life, may not have to leave it behind after all. Jesus tells us to be watching for His coming to redeem us, rather than living in fear of the things that will be happening on the earth. His power in heaven is now being shaken, according to verse twenty-six. Go back and read chapter twenty-one of Luke and you will see the signs described by Jesus when the kingdom of God is getting near.

As this month passes and the blooms begin to fall from the trees, we will see the new growth begin to take place and the branches once again come to life with the greenery of it's foliage. The trees that appeared to be dead in their wintry state, will now give testimony to the world of it's true life hidden within it's core throughout the hard cold days of winter. We too will see these signs that Jesus spoke of begin to change as His kingdom draws nearer. The earlier blooms will fall and the leaves will spring forth and we will naturally know in ourselves that summer is very near. Well, in the last verse of this passage, Jesus says, "So likewise you, when you see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh (near) at hand."

Isn't it rather interesting that we become so accustom to warning signs and sounds that we sometimes don't even notice them. We'll react to the warning signs automatically most of the time, but sometimes we don't and that's when accidents happen. Will we be ready when Jesus comes to reunite with all who believe in Him? Will we be watching for Him like he tells us in this chapter? You may be thinking,"How can I know that I should really be looking for the Lord's return in my lifetime?". We'll look at this in the next post and you'll see why it's so important today!

If you'd like to go ahead and get a jump on the answer to this question, go and read verses thirty-two through thirty-six of chapter twenty-one of Luke. Selah.

www.Focusontheheart.org

"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HAPPENING?"

Why are Scientist studying the moon, the sun and the stars?

In my world that seems secure and so far away from those places where natural disasters have occured or even stands a possibility of this type of disaster like we have recently witnessed in Japan, I sit and enjoy my coffee this Sunday morning while reading a passage from the Word. But strangely enough, the references lead me to a passage about a troublesome time when men will fear.
A word that we prefer to avoid? Yes, and rightfully so! Isn't it the Christian's belief that we are to live a joyful life and put our trust in God as we teach our children to do the same? We do not want to focus on anything that could bring us stress and sadness today. After all, Americans spend millions of dollars each year to have someone tell them how to rid their life of this very thing!

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. ~ Luke 21:25-26

As I read this passage, I realized that most of this passage is describing to the disciples what is going to happen "in the future". I realized this because the verse prior to this says, "... and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."

Jesus was telling his disciples of these times so that they would document it for the viewing of all those generations to come as well. But wait! Let's look at the beginning of this passage again, "And there shall be signs....". In verse 25 we see that Jesus begins by telling us that Jerusalem will fall and be taken captive to every nation. As we well know, this hasn't taken place, so how would this apply to us? A sign is something that we see before we reach our destination, right?

I was living in a town in North Carolina during a scheduled period of time while running a project there. I'll save the town face by not mentioning the name of this place. While there, I found that the people who had put up the signs had not bothered to think about the experience of those who needed the signs to guide them. A number of times I found myself passing the exit or ramp that I needed to be on because the sign wasn't visible until it was too late! I had to plan ahead when I went somewhere new in that town to be sure I could get there on time. I also knew that I couldn't depend on the signs if I wanted to get to where I was going!

I want to assure you that Jesus didn't mean that those signs would procede the disaster to come to Jerusalem either! The signs that Jesus told us about in this passage will precede this attack on Jerusalem, but it also will precede a much greater and much more important event!

As I read the news this morning, I came across this statement in an article on Yahoo News, "People all over the world have the ability to almost immediately see the disaster on the ground," said Verchick. "And that actually produces psychological and social changes in people and communities all over the world."

This is a time of fear and a time when men and women across the globe can see the disater within seconds! I agree that the changes are being felt all across our globe due to the technology of our time, but look at the relation to what has happened in Japan and what our passage says in the book of Luke, "...the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."

REMEMBER! These are the words of the Son of Man, our Messiah, our Savior who came to save the world from our sins! He has given us the signs to watch for ahead of time! Jesus told us what is going to happen before Jerusalem falls to the hand of all nations! But the most important thing that I saw in this passage was what Jesus said would happen next! Look with me at verse twenty-seven;

"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." ~ Luke 21:27

Dear reader, I want you to always remember this verse, because when these signs are obvious (they are) and they have past, it will be a glorious day for those who are ready for the greatest event of all time! But for those of you who are reading this passage today who have not had a true relationship with God, it will be one of the most heartbreaking moments of your entire life!

We cannot deny that we see the signs that Jesus declares to his disciples! So, I ask you, "What should we do?". Jesus tells the believers what to do in Luke 21:28; "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh ( or near)."

If you aren't sure that you are ready, look at the signs again that Jesus tells us we will see; then look around the world at the news broadcasts! Right now, today I can say, "It's not too late!". Call on Jesus today, before you make that wrong turn and end up on a path that leads to a place you didn't plan to go!

It's high time to repent, believe and follow the words of the Savior

who gave Himself for your freedom from sin and bondage!

"YOUR FAITH WILL CARRY YOU" - CONTINUED. . . Part 3

Posted on March 9, 2011 @ focusontheheart.org
For the "hope for the heart" page

Remember, it's so very important for us to be used of God and live a life, free from sin's 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 she spent all that she had, but on this day she had heard that the Lord Jesus was coming and she knew if she could only 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!

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". ~ Mark 5:25-34

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 often times this could be 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 likely had battled with those thoughts as she made 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 true Bread of Life, that her daughter would be free from being possessed by demons! Let's look at this passage in Matthew and see what happened,

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. ~ Matthew 15:22-28

Men and women who were made whole or who were freed from evil spirits were all changed forever! What I'd like for us all to focus on now, is what made the difference in the lives of the men who brought the paralyzed man to Jesus, what 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 what made the difference in the life of the mother and the daughter who suffered from control of a demon that had planned to destroy her body, mind and soul.
The thing that made the difference in the lives of these people and others throughout the Word of God, is that these men and women 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 all 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 grace and willingness to forgive people of their sin. That realization was what brought each and every one of them to the understanding of His compassion on them all, as He always recognized their faith and trust in Him as their Savior!

Your FAITH in GOD will carry you through the difficulties and bring you amazing deliverance from the circumstances and troubles of this world.

You will be able to live above the times of crisis and sorrow, when you trust GOD to CARRY YOU as Your Faith will also make You Complete in Christ Jesus!

Many are facing disasters and troubes beyond their imagination internationally today , but my friend, I assure you, "Christ is there for You!"

Let's learn from and take comfort in the words written and passed down to us by David the psalmist.

"Cast your (troubles) burden on the Lord and He will (keep) sustain you! He will not allow the (to live & do right) righteous to be (weak) moved!" ~ Psalm 55:22

Also the words of Isaiah the prophet will give comfort, strength and guidance for you in this time when things may seem so hopeless! You can rely on this prophecy of hope!

Have you not known? Have you not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?

There is no searching of his understanding.
He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength.

Even the youth will faint and be weary, and the young men will utterly fall:

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as eagles;

they shall run, and not be weary;

and they shall walk, and not faint.

~ Isaiah 40:28-31 ~

YOUR FAITH WILL CARRY YOU - PART 2

Posted on March 3, 2011 @ focusontheheart.org
On the "Hope for the Heart" page

Faith is a powerful thing to have and to understand!

We excuse our lack of the power of faith in our lives so 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 were talking, the disciples had heard rumors of how Jesus was really from the devil and how Jesus had been 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,

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

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 anyonethat 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 His disciples; as we think we are so smart and capable that we attempt to get through most of life's most difficult moments entirely on our own?
Do we often feel surprised when Jesus answers our prayers? Why should we, if we truly have constant unwavering faith in Him? He never wavers from His promises as we go through life's difficult circumstances; our faith is what will change the way that things turn out and it is each person's faith in God that will deliver and restore them 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 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 His disciples during the time that He was here walking amoung men 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 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 we will have fear and respect for the Almighty 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.

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". ~ Mark 2:3-5

It is true that our sins are what keep us held captive in our troubles and it is our 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 andlive a life of freedom from sin's bondage! I ask you,"Why would anyone choose to remain bound by sin?" TO BE CONTINUED. . . .