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Sept. 11, 2001 was a terrible day. It was so unreal. I made a video of all the film of the crashes in to the buildings. It was like a Hollywood movie. It was surreal. Why did it happen? God knows. We do know that God gives everyone a free will. Each one of us can choose good or evil. He allows people to be raped, murdered, robbed and abused. We don’t understand it. Lucifer fell. Judas betrayed Jesus. There are no robots. We all have a choice too - to follow Jesus or not. Sept. 11, was definitely a wake up call for us. We are not all powerful, self sufficient, and invincible. Our false sense of security in the Economy, the stock market, and our fancy buildings, disappeared quickly. We saw that buildings, people, and finances can all be lost in an instant. We’ve also seen good come from it. Some wonderful heroes were discovered and recognized. Many died but so many escaped. So many acts of kindness shown. So many people caring, praying, and giving. Some were saying this was the beginning of the end, that Jesus is coming back soon. This is not necessarily the end and Ben Laden is not necessarily the Anti - Christ. Remember Hitler and the Holocaust, many thought that was the end. Remember Desert Storm and Hussein rebuilding Babylon, many thought that was the end. Remember the Y2K scare. Many people have gone back to church since Sept. 11. Some out of patriotism. Some out of fear. Some seeking God for protection. Some thinking that maybe God is mad at us. Some in fear that Jesus may come any day
Although this may not be the end Matthew 24 says that it is important to be ready. We don’t know the hour or the day. We make sure we are ready in other ways. Extra cash on vacation, Cell phones on a long trip, Spare tire in case of a flat, AAA in case of breakdown, Home owners, Life, Health and Auto Insurance - just in case. Realize there is a deeper issue here than Fire Insurance from Hell. Many of us are not in right relationship with God. Rom. 3:23 says that we all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. Is. 53:6 says that all of us like sheep like have gone astray. You see God made us, and gave us His word to live by. It’s our Owner’s Manual. We choose to do our own thing instead. I had a friend in high school that had a Corvette. He put Automatic Transmission fluid in brake master cylinder. It ruined the brakes. We too have many problems because we don’t do it God’s way. Rom. 6:23 - We all deserve to go to hell, but the free gift of God is eternal life, through Christ Jesus Our Lord. Rom. 10:9, 10 – If we confess with our mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in our heart God raised him from the dead, we’ll be saved. James 5 says our lives are temporary - a mist. Be sure you are ready. And be sure that your life is counting for Jesus - it’s short - a mist. You can be sure about your standing with God and readiness for Jesus’ Second Coming. We make sure we are ready about other things. Let’s be sure we are ready about this. Mike Barres -
Things are constantly changing all around us. Technology is advancing so fast, it is hard to keep up. I remember 8 track tapes, then cassettes, then CD’s, now we have mini disc’s, mp3 and DVD’s. In order to stay competitive in business you have to keep changing to keep up with new trends and technology. Computer technology has become commonplace in many businesses. Many businesses that don’t change, end up going out of business. Even churches need to be willing to try new things. Many churches are now using newer songs, video, and drama. Sometimes we have a harder time reaching the next generation if we get stuck using old methods. One thing that is important to remember however, is that God’s Word never changes. The truth of God’s Word is never old fashioned. Human nature has never changed and God’s standards have never changed. If God said that something was wrong, and a sin in the Bible, it still is. His word in the Bible is timeless. Many times today, God’s word is not popular, because people want to do what they want to. God knows what is best for us and his ways are higher than ours. The Bible is still our owner’s manual. God made us and knows what’s best. So as we see things changing all around us, and we change the way we do things, remember, God’s word never changes. Mike Barres -
3 Lawful or Profitable? Permissible or Beneficial? In the Bible it says that all things are lawful, but not all things are profitable (1 Corinthians 6:12). In James chapter 4:14 it says that our life is like a vapor that is here for a little while and then gone. Do we want to live our lives just doing what we are allowed under God to do? I think it would be better for us to consider doing what is profitable and beneficial. Matthew 6:33 says to Seek First The Kingdom of God. As Christians, wouldn’t it be better to think about doing things that matter to God, rather than us just living a life, pleasing ourselves with things that are _OK_? There is a higher calling than just asking the question, _What can I do and still be a Christian?_ We should be asking, _How can my life count the most for God?_ At the end of our lives we’ll look back and feel good about the things we did to serve God and help others. The rest will look pale and unimportant. So as we go through our day, and we make plans for our future, let’s pray that God will show us how to invest our time, resources and heart in to the things that really matter for Him. Mike Barres -
In these busy days that we live in a little more love would sure help the day go better. Everyone is in a hurry and sometimes it seems like task is more important than people. It sure does feel good when someone really loves you and cares about you. In the Bible it talks about love in I John 4:7,8. It says that God is love, and if you know God, you know love. It also says that if you don’t know God you don’t know love. God sure did demonstrate His love by sending His son to die on the cross for us (John 3:16). God’s love is unconditional. He just loves us period_ Wouldn’t it be great if we could be that way to each other. The world’s kind of love is usually _I love you if...._ or _I love you because....._ Sometimes the world’s love is not really love at all but actually lust. As we draw closer to God I think we have a greater capacity to love. It should be one of the most important things to us as Christians, since the Bible says that they will know we are Christians by the love that we have for one another. Let’s remember the two great commands. To love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. If we find ourselves with an unforgiving, angry or bitter heart, let’s pray to the one who can change our hearts to love. Mike Barres -
In Matthew 5:9 it says _Blessed are the peacemakers._ With all the strife and turmoil constantly stirring around us, we really need more _Peacemakers._ Romans 12:18 says, _If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone._ Whether it be in marriage, family, work, school, or church, _peacemaking_ should be an important goal of ours. When it comes to conflict we often have other goals instead . We want to _Put someone in their place_ or _get even._ Instead of peace, we want to prove that we are _right,_ or show someone that we are _in charge._ Many of these attitudes keep problems brewing rather than resolving them. Wouldn’t it be better to extend grace, mercy and forgiveness? Those are things we all want to receive, but are not as quick to give. As Christians let’s be _shock absorbers_ in life by being peacemakers. Isn’t peace more important than getting our way or being right all the time. Jesus was the Prince of Peace. Let’s follow his example. We’ll be glad we did. Mike Barres -
It used to be that people expected life to be painful at times. Farmers, coal miners, factory workers, and the like, knew that life was hard. We used to say, _no one said that life is fair._ Today we avoid pain at all cost. We actually make it a major priority in life to be comfortable and pursue a life of ease. Aren’t we glad that Jesus didn’t try to avoid pain as he was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane? Jesus knew that He was on the brink of experiencing a tremendous amount of pain. He knew that He would be mocked, whipped, and crucified, but he didn’t run from it, He faced it. We should be willing to suffer some too. Romans 8:17 says, _Now if we are children, then we are heirs- heirs with God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory._ When we are faced with decisions I hope that we will ask ourselves if it is something that God wants us to do, or if it is something that is important, rather than asking ourselves if it will be painful. As we remember all those who served their country in war, and those who gave their lives trying to rescue people on September 11, they didn’t ask would it be painful, they just did the right thing. Let’s _Seek first the Kingdom of God,_ and not just try to live a comfortable life. Serving Jesus and seeing His Kingdom work done, and doing the right thing, is much more important than my feelings and my comfort. Mike Barres -
Most people have been hurt by others at some time in their lives. Some are hurt on a regular basis. Matthew 6:14 in the Bible says that if we don’t forgive, that God won’t forgive us. Forgiveness is so important, that God made this strong statement. Unforgiveness can actually cause physical and emotional problems. Unforgiveness can cause ulcers, headaches, high blood pressure and stomach problems. Emotionally we can rehearse the hurt so much that we are tormented by it. God knew this and that’s why He commands us to forgive. Hebrews 12:15 talks about a root of bitterness. Some people are bitter over things that happened many years ago. There are even people who are bitter at someone that has since died. Bitterness will eat at us like a cancer. Jesus was our example when on the cross He said, _Father forgive them, for they know not what they do._ Jesus had never done anything wrong. He forgave those who mocked, beat and crucified Him. I heard a POW say one time that if he didn’t forgive his captors, that after he was released, he’d still be bound by his unforgiveness. Forgiveness is an action and a decision. We don’t have to wait for the feeling. Another thing to remember is that we don’t have to wait to be asked to forgive, we just forgive anyway. Forgive and be free. That’s God’s way. Mike Barres -
Some people in the Bible were thought to be out of their mind. In Acts 26:24 Paul was accused of being out of his mind and insane by Festus. In First Corinthians 4:10 it says we are _fools for Christ._ The Bible says that the natural man does not understand the things of the Lord, for they are spiritually discerned. Faith, according to Hebrews is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen. To walk in faith we have to go beyond what we can see and touch and even what we can figure out with our minds. We receive salvation by faith. We believe in God, and believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, by faith. We also believe that the Bible is God’s word to us. We read it and live by it. When it comes to salvation, miracles, God meeting your needs, and God changing lives, we have to believe past what we can figure with our minds. We must come to God in simple child like faith. God is not opposed to us using our mind, but He is opposed to our minds limiting our faith. If we are going to step out and serve God to the fullest we’ll have to walk in faith and to some degree, get _out of our minds._ There will be those who don’t understand. That’s ok, and it’s always been that way. Mike Barres -
Feelings and emotions are part of the human make up of any human being. God gave us emotions. We have good feelings and bad feelings. Most of us go after the good feelings and try to stay away from the bad feelings. As Christians we often associate good feelings with being close to God and bad feelings with being away from God. This may not be true. I heard of a train illustration that I like. The locomotive is Facts and God’s Word. The second car in the train is Faith. The caboose is feelings. The train will run with or without the caboose, but you should never try to pull the train with the caboose, (your feelings). Even Elijah after defeating the Prophets of Baal in I Kings 18 was so sad in Chapter 19, that he became suicidal. For most of us our emotions fluctuate up and down. Sometimes tiredness, sickness, stress and conflict can affect our mood and feelings. We shouldn’t panic. We are still human. The good news is that Jesus Christ is the solid rock through it all. He said, _Lo I am with you always._ His word never changes. He is our constant. We can enjoy good feelings, but not be so shallow as to only pursuing good feelings as our life goal. If we avoid bad feelings, we may shy away from things that are tough, but important. We should, _Seek first the Kingdom of God,_ whether it feels good and easy or not. Feelings come and go. They are a part of our humanity. The good news is that we don’t let them throw us, because God is _the same yesterday, today and forever._ Isn’t it good to know that we have an anchor that will hold us, and a solid rock to stand on regardless of how we feel. Mike Barres -
In many churches, the subject of giving is an uncomfortable one. The Bible mentions giving frequently. It talks about tithing, gifts and offerings. I think that we shy away from the subject because some preachers have over done their appeals for money. The Bible says that it is more blessed to give, than to receive. We have all experienced the _joy_ of sacrificial giving. The Bible says that the Lord loves a cheerful giver. God has been so good to us that we should be happy to give back to Him in the work of the ministry. Even those of us who think we have it hard, would feel very blessed if we could see the way that most people live in other parts of the world. Our poor would be considered rich in many places. The Bible says to give and it shall be given unto you, pressed down shaken together and running over. This is a promise in God’s word. In Malachi, it even says that we can test God. It says that if we tithe that he will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that we can’t contain. This is all true, but I don’t want to give, just to get. I enjoy giving because I’m thankful to God and because the Church and the things I’m giving to are worthwhile and a great cause to give to. Our giving in church helps so many people in so many ways. Another way to be cheerful and thankful in our giving, is to think about how God blesses us with it all in the first place. If we sell Real Estate, He made the land. If we are a carpenter, He made the trees that the wood comes from. God made all the plants, animals and even natural resources - that we use to make our money. Even if we use our brain. We didn’t make it. It was a gift from God. If you are real smart, you didn’t have anything to do with it, it was a gift. If you are strong and healthy, that too is a gift from God. You didn’t make your body. We all have so much to be thankful for, that we should give cheerfully and thankfully back to the Lord. Giving back the tithe and offerings to the Lord and the Church is easy when we think of how blessed we are. Thank you Lord. Mike Barres -
There is so much tension, anxiety and stress in our world today. Many people turn to drinking and drugs to try to find some peace. These are only artificial, temporary substitutes for the peace God can give. These things also have consequences that will only add to our problems and stress. One of my favorite verses is in the book of Philippians. It says _Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus._ Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Ps. 23 talks about the Lord leading us beside still waters. What a great word picture. Billy Graham has a little booklet entitled, _Steps to Peace with God._ We can also find peace by having a right with relationship with God by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. He loves us and will forgive us of our sins if we only ask. His abiding peace can be with us through the storms of life. One time Jesus was asleep in a boat that was in a storm. That is a great picture of the peace that He can offer us. He is our solid rock and our anchor in the storm. His words are still true today, _Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid._ Mike Barres -
In Psalm 100 it tells us to _Enter his gates with thanksgiving in our hearts._ In I Thessalonians 5:18 it says, _In everything give thanks._ Thankfulness helps us to see life in a brighter light. We often focus on our problems and what we _don’t_ have. If we were to make a list of all we have to be thankful for, life would look a lot better. Referring to the term, thanksgiving, there is actually a message in the name. If we are truly thankful we’ll want to give. Thanks, leads to giving. Matthew 10:8 says, _Freely you have received, freely give._ The woman who brought the alabaster jar of perfume, poured it at Jesus feet and washed His feet with her hair, brought a very valuable gift. It was because she was so thankful for Jesus’ love and forgiveness. In Luke 7:47 it says, _Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little._ We have so much to be thankful for. We have been so blessed. It should make us want to give. My son went with me on a mission trip to Guatemala when he was 8 years old. I had given him some spending money for souvenirs. When he saw the poor children there, and realized how little they had compared to what he had, he walked up to one of the children and gave the child his spending money. If we are thankful for what we have, we should want to help out those who are in need. I think it is a way to give back to the Lord. The Bible says we are _doing it, unto Him._ When we realize that God is the source of all of our income and blessings then it is easy to give with thanks. If we don’t realize that He is the source, we may try to hold on to it, in fear that we’ll lose it. Mike Barres -
When you hear of testimony, often you think of a court of law. When someone gives testimony, they are talking about something they saw and heard. As Christians we should be giving testimony too. In I Pet. 3:15 (KJV) it says, _But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear._ We should be ready and happy to tell others what the Lord has done in our hearts and lives. If someone goes to a new restaurant, and likes it, they’ll tell all their friends. If someone discovers a new diet that works well, they’ll tell all their friends. If someone takes some new vitamins or health food that makes them feel better, they’ll tell all kinds of people about it. The Lord has been so good to us and done so much for us we should be telling others about how He’s changed our lives and helped us. When the Lord does something to help us or meet a need, we should give Him thanks and praise by mentioning it to others. The Lord wasn’t ashamed of us and experienced total public humiliation on the cross for us so we shouldn’t be fearful or ashamed to mention Him to others. Romans 1:16 (KJV) says _ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ._ Matt 10:32 (KJV) says that, _Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father which is in heaven.” There are so many people these days who are frustrated with life. We can testify of how the Lord has helped us and point them to Jesus. Rev. 12:11 (KJV) says _And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death._ Let’s not be afraid of people, or ashamed of our Lord. Let’s share our testimony with others, so they can find the hope and the peace that we have. Mike Barres -
We were all shocked and grieved by the loss of the Columbia space shuttle. It all seems so surreal. These were 7 individuals with families that will miss them very much. Grief is a very real process that we shouldn’t try to ignore. Even in the Bible it says that, “Jesus wept.” John 11:35 KJV. Grief is painful but necessary. Sometimes we as Christians focus on how individuals are in heaven after they die, that is good, and right and true. However the fact that we will miss someone, or that we are frustrated or confused about how they died is normal and shouldn’t be suppressed or ignored. Something else that has been mentioned in regard to this tragedy is that each and every trip through space involves a lot of risk. We are so thankful for all of those who have gone before us and took risks to achieve the things that benefit us in so many ways. I think of how God told Abraham to _Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land I will show thee. _Genesis 12:1 KJV. He stepped out, not even knowing exactly where he was going. Stepping out in faith, into areas of risk, is a part of the American way of life and the life of a Christian. Death is so hard to deal with and so hard to fathom. Jesus said, “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 KJV. Jesus himself laid down His life for us. He died on the cross for our sins, when He had done nothing wrong. The people who came across the water to settle in our country took great risks and had much loss of life. Those who serve us in law enforcement and fire fighting risk their lives on a daily basis. The people who have served in our armed forces have done so with great risk and loss of life. I often think of our missionaries around the world who risk their lives, and sometimes lose them, serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I hope that as we grieve, that we will do so with thankfulness. I also hope that we will keep on taking risks, and continue to be willing to give our lives as we serve one another, our country and our Lord Jesus. Mike Barres -
Many of us can remember a Godly man or woman who really had an impact on our lives. Passing the truth of God's Word from one generation to the next is so important. Someone affected our lives with the truth of God's Word and now it's our turn to pass it on. Read this wonderful story called _The Ripple Effect._ In 1855, a Sunday School teacher, a Mr. Kimball, led a Boston shoe clerk to give his life to Christ. The Clerk, Dwight L. Moody, became an evangelist. In England in 1879, Dwight L. Moody awakened evangelistic zeal in the heart of Fredrick B. Meyer, a pastor of a small church. F.B. Meyer preaching to an American college campus, brought to Christ a student named J. Wilbur Chapman. J. Wilbur Chapman, engaged in YMCA work, employed a former baseball player, Billy Sunday, to do evangelistic work. Billy Sunday held a revival in Charlotte, N.C. A group of local men were so enthusiastic afterward that they planned another evangelistic campaign, bringing in Mordecai Hamm to town to preach. During Mordecai Hamm's revival, a young man named Billy Graham heard the gospel and yielded his life to Christ. Only eternity will reveal the tremendous impact of that one Sunday School teacher, Mr. Kimball, who invested his life in the lives of others. 2 Timothy 2:2 Says, _And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also._ In this passage Paul, was speaking to Timothy. He was telling Timothy to teach the things that he had taught him, to others, who would be able to teach it to others also. There we see four generations of teaching and discipleship. Remember Matthew 28:19,20 says, _Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world._ We can see the wonderful ripple effect that occurs when we teach, disciple and invest in the lives of others. It will bear fruit in the generations to come. What a great way to live our lives. Mike Barres -
It has been said that, _Seven days without prayer, makes one week._ Sometimes you hear someone say, _We've done all we can. The only thing we can do is pray._ Prayer really should be our first resort rather than our last resort. Jesus gave us the Lord's Prayer, as a model prayer and Jesus himself often went off to pray, setting an example for us to do the same. In Matthew 14:23, it says, _And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone._(KJV) If Jesus needed to go off and pray, how much more do we need to? Praying should not be something we do out of duty and routine. Prayer is talking and listening to our loving, all knowing, heavenly Father. The book of James tells us to pray for wisdom when we don't know what to do (James 1:5). In Philippians 4:6,7, prayer is connected with receiving God's peace. In Ephesians 6:18, prayer is a very important part of battling the forces of evil. We are also told to pray for those in Authority over us (I Timothy 2:1,2). Prayer shows our dependence on God, His power and His wisdom. Prayer is powerful and so important. Studies have been done in the medical field showing the power of prayer. They used two groups of people to observe the difference between the group that was being prayed for and the group that wasn't. There was a marked difference in the recovery of those who were being prayed for, and they weren't even told that they were being prayed for. Most hospitals realize the importance of prayer in the healing process for their patients, and welcome pastors and chaplains to be a part of the healing team. It has been said that, _If you are too busy for God, you are too busy._ In the midst of our busyness let's remember how much we need God and need prayer and make a daily practice and our first resort instead of our last. Mike Barres -
17 What’s Right With the Church? Sometimes you hear someone say, “I’ll tell you what’s wrong with this church.” It seems like some people get a strange pleasure from saying this and then point out all the ways that they think a church is falling short. Virtually every church has many things that it is doing right. Most churches have wonderful pastors that are serving sacrificially, musicians who volunteer their time, Sunday School teachers who prepare and come early, someone who comes early to open up and volunteers that keep the grounds and clean the church. It is such a blessing to see the faithfulness of people who have attended and served faithfully for years, through the good and the bad. Many people tithe and give offerings from their hard work and finances, support missionaries around the world and usually help with local helps ministries too. Many churches have youth and children’s ministries, men’s and women’s ministries and outreach ministries. Scripture tells us, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (I Thessalonians 5:18 KJV) and mentions, “edification” which is saying things that “build up.” Rather than being fault finding and pointing out all the things wrong with our churches, wouldn’t it be better to point out all the things that are right and good, and to be thankful for them. Most areas have many wonderful churches. We should be thankful for every one. Let’s speak well of our own churches and speak well of someone else’s church. After all, we are all trying to do the same thing and in a way are on the same team. When we get to heaven we’ll all be focused on Jesus and not have any divisions. I know the Lord will be pleased to see us practicing that down here too. Mike Barres
With so many issues facing us these days it sure would be easy to give in to a spirit of fear. We hear about wars and rumors of wars. We hear about the stock market dropping. We hear about plant closings and lay offs. We hear about scandals in corporations, government and law enforcement. If we weren't careful we could feel like the rug is being pulled out from under us. 2Timothy 1:7 says, _For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind._ (KJV). We have God's power and love available to us. It can keep us from being fearful and give us a sound mind. In Hebrews 13:5 it says, _I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee._(KJV) When we were little we knew everything would be alright as long as we were close to our father. We had a feeling he could handle anything that came along. It would calm our fears just to be close to him. Let's draw close to our Heavenly Father in these uncertain times. Remember in Matthew 28:20 it says, _lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen._ (KJV) Isaiah 41:10 says, _Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness._ (KJV) Fear can be paralyzing. It can also make us look for and expect the worst. Let's draw close to God and hold firmly to our faith in God and His promises. God is not limited in his provision for us, by the stock market or the world or national economy. God is not limited in his ability to watch over us and protect us because of possible wars or terrorism. It says in Psalm 27:3, _Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident._ (KJV) God can supply our needs regardless of how many plants close down. Philippians 4:19 says, _But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus._ (KJV) Hebrews 6:19 talks about, _an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast._ (KJV). In this stormy time let's hold on to that sure anchor and not give in to a spirit of fear. Mike Barres
Faith is a word we use a lot. We use it in general terms, like in an obituary. Remembering a person who has passed away it will say a person was of the _Baptist Faith_, or the _Methodist faith._ Sometimes we speak of _faith in God_, and what we mean is that we believe He exists. We also talk about _sharing our faith,_ and by that we mean that we tell others of how we believe in God. In mentioning _saving faith,_ we understand that a person has asked Jesus to forgive his sins, and that he believes that Jesus died on the cross for his sins. All of these uses of the word faith are valid and true. The Bible gives us a definition of faith. It says, _Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen._ Hebrews 11:1 (KJV). Isn't it great to know that we can reach out in faith for things that we currently don't see. All we have, is not all we have. We have faith in God to provide the things that we need, but don't see yet. Sometimes we fret and seem to forget faith. In Hebrews 11:6 it says, _But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him._ (KJV) We must believe past what we can see and trust in God. If we don't, we'll feel helpless and hopeless. He is able. One time Jesus said, referring to being in a boat on a lake, _Let us pass over unto the other side._ Mark 4:35 (KJV). Later they found themselves in the middle of a big storm. They woke Jesus and said to Him, _carest thou not that we perish?_ He arose, rebuked the wind and everything became calm. He said to them, _Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?_ You see, they were with Jesus, they should have trusted in Him. Also, they should have remembered that He said, _Let us pass over to the other side._ Jesus will see us through to the other side. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and not on our problem. We also need faith to step out and do things for Jesus. Many have stepped out in faith to serve Jesus and didn't depend on just what they had or what they saw. Their faith was in an awesome God. Nothing is too difficult for him. With Him all things are possible. Mike Barres
20 Character - The Inside Story Sometimes we hear more about image, than we do character. Image is what we present, and character is who we really are. You can fool some of the people, some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people, all of the time, and you can't fool God any of the time. You see, man typically is more concerned about his outward appearance and God is concerned with the inside, with what is in his heart. It seems to me that we should be willing to look inward and ask God to help us with what is on the inside. In I Corinthians 11:28 it says, _But let a man examine himself._ (KJV) We are saved by the blood of Jesus, and by the grace of God. It says in Ephesians 2:8,9 _For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast._ (KJV) We can be thankful for our salvation and ask God to help us with our Character. When Samuel went to anoint a new King, he went to the sons of Jesse and was especially impressed with how one of them looked, but this is what the Lord told him. _Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart._ I Samuel 16:7 (KJV) Bad character on the inside will eventually come out, be seen, hurt us, and others, and hurt our witness too. One time I heard a man say, _If you want to know who I really am, ask my wife and my kids._ Those close to us really know us. Sometimes the inconsistency between what we present in public and how we really are at home creates a lot of hurt and resentment in our families. The Bible says, _Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new._ II Corinthians 5:17 (KJV). We should keep on growing and learning and maturing and let the Lord change us from the inside out. Then what is on the inside will shine out. It will bring glory to God, health to our families, and credibility to our witness. _Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven._ Matthew 5:16 (KJV) Mike Barres
One of my favorite hymns is _I Surrender All._ It starts off by saying, _All to Jesus, I surrender, all to Him I freely give._ It's a great song to sing, but a hard thing to do. I was talking the other day with a friend about the issue of _surrender._ So many times, we wrestle with God, and hold on to things. He is calling us to surrender. Sometimes we hold on to sin. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:1, _Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us._ (KJV) We have a tendency to hold on to sin, which actually hurts us. If we believe that God is our heavenly Father and really knows what's best for us, we should believe Him when He says that something is sin, and is bad for us. We also should believe, that with His help, we can have victory over specific sin in our lives. We wrestle with surrendering to God's will. His will and plan for our lives, is actually the most exciting and fulfilling place to be. Instead of surrendering to His will, sometimes we hold on to what is familiar and comfortable. Jesus said, _not my will, by thine be done._ Luke 22:42 (KJV). He has awesome, exciting things that He wants us to do, if we'll surrender to His will. It says in Eph 2:10, _For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them._ We can surrender to God's will, when things happen that we don't understand. He is God, and knows everything. We don't. Many people want to accept Jesus as their Savior, but don't make to make Him the Lord of their life. It's one thing to believe that He exists, and to believe that He died on the cross for our sins, and yet another to put Him in charge and let Him be the boss. Surrender to God, can bring us to the place where we can be saved. Surrender can free us from sin that hurts us. Surrender can open the door to a wonderful life of adventure, as we are willing to follow God's will. Surrender can bring us peace when we don't understand His will. Surrender can bring us to the place that we not only have accepted Jesus as Savior, but also are willing to allow Him to be Lord of our lives. Jesus was our wonderful example in every way. If He said, _not my will, but thine be done._ Shouldn't we say that too, mean it from our heart and _Surrender All._ Mike Barres
Do you have a sense of being on a mission in your life? Proverbs 29:18 says, _Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he._ (KJV). Many people have a feeling that life just doesn't have any meaning. We feel like we get up and go to work everyday, come home tired, pay the bills and all for what? Without a sense of vision and mission in our lives, life seems futile. It is so important to be sure that we have accepted Jesus as our Savior. However, some Christians, who know they are saved, may be just holding on until they get to heaven. It says in 1Peter 2:9, 10, _But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light_ (KJV) So each of us is chosen, and are a part of a _royal priesthood_ to serve Jesus. Matthew 6:10 says, _Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven._ (KJV) God has awesome, exciting things that He wants us to do, if we'll surrender to His will. It says in Eph 2:10, _For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them._ (KJV) You see God has plans for our lives. Like we just saw in the previous verse, He has _Good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them._ God has things He wants us to do and has planned for us to do. If we can see the bigger picture, and see God's Kingdom and His purposes and how we fit in to that, life really takes on a whole new meaning. Recently I heard a radio preacher say, _If we lay down our burdens, and pick up what burdens God, looking back, our burdens look much smaller._ Think of it like a carpenter who hits his thumb with a hammer. If he keeps working and focuses on his work, he probably will not notice the pain so much. If he just sat there and concentrated on his pain, it would hurt a lot more. When we focus on how we can serve God and see the bigger picture, life takes on a new meaning and we don't get bogged down as much with our problems, because we have greater things to focus on. It's an awesome feeling to be on a mission for God and realizing that my life counts, as I serve Him and are concerned about the things of the Kingdom of God. What a wonderful privilege to know that God is using me and that I'm making a difference. What a joy to discover the abundant life that God has for me. John 10:10 says, _The thief cometh 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._ (KJV) Mike Barres
It's always so much fun to see babies. If you are in a store or at church and someone has a baby you'll see a crowd gathered around them. There is just something special about seeing that miraculous new life. It lifts everyone spirits just to be around it. We know that a baby is also a lot of responsibility and a lot of work but still, what a wonderful, joyful, miracle. It is the same way in the life of a church when someone is Born Again. John 3:3-6 _Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit._ (KJV) In a family, having new babies adds a wonderful new excitement. It is exciting to see the wonderful new baby and to know that the family is being carried on to the next generation. It is the same way in our church family. New converts add a fresh new excitement and perspective to our worship. Just like a new baby is a lot of work, sometimes a new Christian needs some help too. Leaving their old ways, they have some challenges and may need our help. It may be some extra work, but it sure is worth it. When we see a new convert come to Christ, we want to be sure to come along side of them and help them any way we can. I think that if we don't, it's like leaving a baby to try to fend for itself. They'll struggle without our help. It should be the desire for all of our churches to see new birth. Without it our churches can get stale. After all, it was the mandate of our Lord Jesus Christ to _Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature._ Mark 16:15 (KJV) In the book of Acts, they were seeing so many people saved that it said, _Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved._ Act 2:47 (KJV) Sometimes we think it is the Pastor's job to get people saved. It is for sure, but it is also the responsibility of all of us. One time I heard someone say, _Shepherds don't reproduce sheep, sheep do._ I'm sure the Lord wants all of us to be doing His work in trying to reach others with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, in a spiritual sense, have you or your church had any babies lately?
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