"Favor In My Father's Sight"

Never Rule Out Our Father's Favor

Has someone mistreated you today? Are you struggling financially? Do you seem to have more trouble than you can handle?
There was a character in the Old Testament that went through one of the most trying times any person could have endured.He lost his family, business, and health all within a years time. He had boils over his entire body and was sure to be in perpetual pain. The thing that stands out to me is that in the middle of that dark time Job said to God, "You have granted me life and favor" (Job 12:10)

What really jumped out to me was that Job had made this statement in chapter ten, but he wasn't delivered, healed and set free until chapter 42! But at the beginning of his darkest moments ever, Job was saying,"God, I don't care what the situation looks like or how badly I feel. You are a good God. your favor is going to turn this situation around."

It's no wonder God restored to Job twice what he had before! You may be in a situation today that looks impossible, but never rule out the favor of God. If you will also maintain an attitude of faith while asking God for favor in his sight, his promise is that He will do whatever he knows is best for your life!

Never give up on believing that God's favor is best and God will give His favor to all who ask!

I invite you to join in as I pray this prayer of faith and ask God for favor today,

My Lord and Savior, I come to you today Father, asking You for favor in your sight for my family, my friends and myself. It is the desire of my heart to lay down my life before you in your sight that you may bless me with your favor;with your preference my Lord. I ask you for the same kind of favor you showed to Noah in the flood; to Ruth when she needed food;and to Joseph in a time of slavery and famine in Egypt. Over and over you have shown your favor in the lives of all who believe in you. I know that you will never leave me or forsake me! You are faithful and I put my trust in you each day Lord. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Truth that transforms us:

2 Corinthians 1:2-4
(2) Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
(3) Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
(4) Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

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"Possibility Thinking"

If You Believe All Things are Possible!

Have you ever had a problem that seemed so big that you just couldn't see any possible way to get through it? Have you ever had your children sick all at once and you needed to work more than ever to make ends meet? Do you have something going on in your life right now that just seems like it will never end and the struggle is always trying to pull you down?

If you are a single parent you probably could say yes to at least one of the above and probably those of you who are not single parents as well! I'm going to be short and to the point since it's a busy work day and we all have things to get done.

There once was a man who had dealt with a problem all of his parenting life. His child was full of evil spirits and would foam and thrash about on the ground; it would throw him in the fire and into the water to try and drown him! Can you imagine what this child must have looked like? Probably covered with scars; maybe long dirty nails on his hands and feet; maybe hair that looked more like an animals than human. Let's read the verse,

Mark 9:22 And often it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

In this verse the father was saying,"Lord, if you can; please feel my pain; please understand; please don't run away from us like everyone else does; please "HELP US" and Jesus response was so awesome! Let's read,


Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believes.

Need I say anything else? Let's look at what happened next.


Mark 9:24 And immediately the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief!

This man was blown away when Jesus told him that "all things are possible". He came to Jesus asking him if He could help and Jesus sent him away that day knowing that all things are possible for those who will just believe in the power of His name.

Do you want something that to happen in your life today that seems impossible? Do you need help with unbelief?

It's ok! Jesus loves for us to come to him with that. He knows we are human and we have times when our faith grows weak due to the overwhelming circumstances.

Believe today and you too will experience the impossible in Your Life! How do I know this? Because ALL things are possible if you only believe!


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"GOT MEMORY?"

Remember Everything I Have Told you!

That sounds impossible doesn't it? Of course it does! We have seen advertisements since I can remember selling us products and systems that will build our ability to remember. There are times in our lives when we just can't seem to remember where we have put anything. That is usually when our lives have become so busy with activity that we just don't have time to stop and get organized. It is in these times that we can find ourselves flustered and even loosing our cool when we are in a hurry. Have you ever found yourself so frustrated that you actually started blaming other people in your mind for taking something that you couldn't find? I'll be the first to admit that!

Well, we find in today's message that there is an answer to this mad cycle that we may get into at times. Not only is there an answer, we are even promised that we have been given a supernatural help in times when we feel overwhelmed and as though our memory has abandoned us. You see, we are promised a Comforter and not only that but this Comforter is also going to remind us of all that we have been taught by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let me show you where we are given this promise by our Lord, but first I need to show you how we are to aquire this help that is promised us!

John 14:23-25
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

Do you see what Jesus is saying here? There are a couple of conditions. Many times we hear people in the church today saying that God's love is totally unconditional. They say that you can do anything and God will still be there for you and waiting on you to call out to Him. Is that what Jesus just said in this passage when He was answering the question of how He would manifest himself to those who love Him. Jesus said that He and his Father would come to you who love Him and stay with you. Then the word of His Father is passed on through Jesus that any who do not believe and do not keep His sayings do not love Him. This means that the Lord does not dwell in anyone who does not keep the things that the Lord has told us in His word! Not only that, but that person doesn't even love the Lord if he or she doesn't keep the commandment of God. What is that commandment that God has given us? It is a new commandment that we find if we look back to chapter 13,

John 13:33,34
33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Jesus wasn't literally talking to children here. He was speaking to His students who were grown men of God. The word children in the Greek is teknion, tek-nee-on, which literally mean "an infant". jesus was placing the apostles in their proper place just as we are all learning about the word as young children starting out in school. It wasn't until they had experienced the tests of life and their love for the Lord that they matured and gained wisdom. This word was also used to mean "converts" of the Lord, indicating the beginning of a new life; not meant as an insult to their intelligence or mental maturity levels as some people may have interpreted it.

Jesus was approaching His crucifixcion and He was explaining that He would soon be leaving then but that He wanted the believers to love one another asa He had loved them. We find examples all through the Bible of His love and many times we say things like, "Jesus love was so awesome and He cared so much for us" but are we following His example with others today? Many years have passed on earth since the writings of the Bible were recorded, but the truths are still alive today and there is no time table for God.

The last part of verse thirty-four says, "as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." How did Jesus love His followers and students? He loved them as His very own children as we found in chapter thirteen when he refers to His "converts" as children.

How does it make you feel when you see a child on the commercials who is hungry and homeless? Does it make a difference in your heart? Don't you long to do something to make a difference? If not, the love of God doesn't dwell in you, because we are told here that those who love others just as Jesus loved us will be loved by God the Father and that both Jesus and the Father would live in that person.

Have you kept the words of God? In verse twenty-three of chapter fourteen we find Jesus saying that we will keep His words if we love Him! If you find yourself unsure of whether you can answer "yes", I hope that you will take time and talk with God about this today. It is the most important decision you will ever make! Read this verse agian and search your heart right now.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Once this is settled in our hearts, I have to ask myself, "how I can always remember to always do what the Lord teaches me to do?" and I find my answer to this question right here in chapter fourteen of John.

John 14:26,27
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, who God the Father will send in Jesus name will teach us all things and bring to our memory whatever the Lord has told us. That is absolutely amazing! The Holy Ghost, which we cannot see will supernatural work in our minds to bring to remembrance all that we will need to know. Not only that but Jesus said that we will also be taught by the Holy Spirit. I believe this means today that when we read His word we have been given the promise that the Holy Spirit will teach us as we study. So now we have no more memory issues to worry about, do we? The most powerful memory system available in the world has just been revealed!

Now that we know we will be taught all that we need to know by God and that we will remember it; how should we be feeling right now? Look at the last verse with me again,

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

"My Peace I give to You"

Not the peace that the world may promise! Not the peace that the president may promise! Not the peace that your spouse, best friend or parents may promise; but the peace that only our Lord and Savior Jesus Chrsit can give to us!

That quote used in songs and slogans "Don't Worry, Be Happy!" can take on a whole new meaning in the life of the believer who loves the Lord. Jesus tells us not to let our hearts be troubled, which means literally not to be agitated or upset and then He tells us not to be afraid. The word "afraid" in the Greek is "deiliao", pronounced di-lee-ah-o, and this word literally mean to be timid: afraid. Why would Jesus feel it so important to say to the believers that they should not be upset or afraid? What was Jesus message in a nutshell here today?

I believe that there were believers who were experiencing doubts and fears and even lacking the boldness to stand up for what they believed. Would this desribe any of us today? Is there anyone you know that isn't doing all that you feel that they couold do with their life? What do you think is holding them back? Is it possible that one of the things that Jesus addressed in the passage we have studied today could be the very thing that they need help with?

What about you? Do you need God's Comforter to become your teacher? Is the Holy Ghost already teaching you as you read the Word of the Lord? How's your memory when it comes to the truth found in the Bible? Are you experiencing the amazing reminder of the words that Jesus spoke to us in His word? I know I have need of this every day of my life! That's what keeps my heart from becoming troubled and keeps my mind from the effects of fear that will take over and cause me to become timid in my actions towards others; even to the point of holding back expressions of love for others.

If you have not found this love and you realize that the Lord Jesus and God the Father have not been accepted to live in you; I ask you to accept the love of Jesus and choose to love Him right now. This is between you and God, but your life will surely be different from this moment forward!

Let's pray together,

Our Father in Heaven, I ask you to forgive me for not putting my trust in you and for trying to do it all myself, that has caused me to stumble and to fall into the temptations of the world over and over. Lord, I want the peace that you can give me today; not peace like the world promises. I do love you Lord Jesus and accept your love into my life today! From this day forward I want your Holy Spirit to teach me your truths and keep reminding me of all that I learn as I go through this journey we call life. Thank you Lord for being my salvation; my rescuer and my refuge! I receive this salvation that you offer to all who love you in Jesus name, Amen.

If you have accepted the love of God today into your life and have become, as Jesus said, a new "convert" and a child of God; I would love to hear from you so that I can pray for you in the days ahead and share some things that will you as you begin your new life. Let me help you with your journey! Email or call.



Contact Rob Bailes by email: dewforyou@ymail.com or call (919)745-1210

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"Healing The Holes"

"Healing the Holes in Your Heart"

Luke 22

The message today has to do with our lives and the things we have been through that have caused us some type of harm or left us hurt in some way and we cannot seem to forget it no matter what! Something that was so degrading or so surprising that it seems as though we will be haunted by the memory of it for the remainder of our lives!

The thing that happens whenever we go through an experience like this is we are left with a hole in our heart that doesn't heal back on it's own. As we go through our lives and experience this over and over we begin to feel as though our life has lost meaning and we can become weak in our spirit. Maybe even feel dead inside as we still go on with our lives totally undetected by those around us!

Let's look at some things that can cause those holes in our heart. It is the equivalent of taking a poker about the size of a finger and sticking right through our heart! Some of you may be thinking about right now, why is it such a big poker for an illustration of our hurt?

The reason I used that is because it doesn't take many of those experiences before we get to the point that we don't feel with our hearts anymore. We may try to imitate others that do or we may try to show feeling to save our relationship but it really isn't possible because there's not enough heart left to feel for anyone else! This is critical for abusers to understand!

There are also smaller pokers that leave smaller holes in between the big holes and we can eventually end up with a heart that is pretty much like a sponge full of thousands of holes. The sponge soaks up everything it touched but it really doesn't serve any other purpose. We can eventually get to the same point in our lives when we continue on leaving the holes unhealed in our hearts!

Let's look at examples of our own experiences that are found right in the last 48 hours of the life of Jesus. That's right! Jesus too had the holes pierced through His heart just as we do. Lets read about the first of these experiences,

Luke 22:2 And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him: for they feared the people.

The religious leaders of that day were really looking for ways to kill Jesus for doing what was right and threatening the rules that they had set up so that they could gain from the positions they held. Have you ever stood up for the truth in an organization or even your church and found that you were the one being attacked in the end. You couldn't help but wonder how you could be so mistreated to the point of being hated by the people you thought you knew so well when suddenly you became a threat to their world just by standing up for the right thing.
Lets look at another,

Luke 22:15 And he said to them, I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.

Jesus knew the suffering that was coming and couldn't do anything to stop it because it had been prophesied and it was the will of His father that He go through this that we may be able to be justified and cleansed of our sins! He knew all would be healed by His act of love on the cross.

If you have ever gone through the experience of waiting for the time when you knew the suffering would begin; knowing that the attack would come again; knowing that the abuse would come; knowing that the betrayal of a close friend would happen again; knowing that you would be made fun of; knowing that the one you trusted would use you again; knowing that all your kindness and love was taken for granted; knowing the one you had devoted your life to was making plans to leave you one day; knowing and waiting for that time of suffering was as painful if not worse than the suffering itself. It left a hole in your heart for sure. A small hole every time a threat was made, every time an insult was thrown at you by your teenager, every time your spouse made you feel like a failure, every time your need for love was rejected by someone that you loved with all your heart, every time your coworker went behind your back and caused problems for you at work.

Do any of these problems sound familiar to you? These are the hurts that we experience prior to the actual attacks! These are the small holes in our hearts, but the small holes will cause us allot of damage over the course of our lives and practically kill you if they never heal! Jesus certainly had these experiences leading up to the time of His crucifixion.

Have you ever been out right betrayed by someone you trusted and you confided in? Has the one you trusted turned around and revealed you to those who wanted to see you demoted from that job you had worked so hard for or even to your spouse to try and hurt your relationship. That is so hard to deal with and the holes are very deep when this happens to us! Jesus had this experience too in the garden when he was sold by one of His followers! His follower even used a gesture of love to betray him with! Does that sound familiar to any of you?

Luke 22:47-48

47 And while he was yet speaking, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near to Jesus to kiss him.
48 But Jesus said to him, Judas, Do you betray the Son of man with a kiss?

Then we have the attacks that cause us critical damage and leave large holes in our hearts. Have you ever experienced being rejected for taking a stand by someone that you really counted close. Maybe even your choice friend who you had spent so much time with and built a very close relationship with? Jesus also experienced this as we read the following verses,

Luke 22:54 Then they took him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed at a distance.

Peter wasted no time looking out for his well being by moving back into the shadows so he wasn't noticed! Have you ever had someone close treat you this way before? It was shocking wasn't it?

Luke 22:61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, Before the cock shall crow, thou wilt deny me thrice.
Luke 22:62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

Jesus had told Peter to be strong for the rest of the disciples just a day before and to resist the temptation of the devil. Jesus cared so much for Peter yet he was betrayed by him when the going got tough. Peter was afraid of the possibility of having to suffer the same punishment as Jesus if he stood up and told the people what he believed in, who he loved and even more importantly that Jesus was Innocent of the charges. He hadn't stood up for his closest of friends! That kind of treatment leaves holes in our heart of great size and are very hard to heal on their own!

Have you ever experienced physical injury at the hand of a relative, friend or enemy?

How well did you deal with it?

Maybe your parent was abusive and called you names or mocked you to make you feel bad.

Maybe you had someone attack you in an abusive relationship and really hurt you in a effort to try to control who you talk to or made friends with.

Maybe you were attacked physically as a teen and hurt by someone you thought was a decent person and found that there was no way of escape as they overpowered you and didn't seem to care how much you cried!

They just wouldn't stop until you gave up the fight for your dignity and own protection. They had to be the one in control of everything! Even your mind had to be conquered by filling it with fear! Have you felt the pain of this kind of hurt and the huge holes that are left when the attack is over? The holes that seem to be impossible to heal even after many years! Jesus also felt this pain. Let's read,

Luke 22:63-67

63 And the men that held Jesus, mocked him, and smote him.
64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?
65 And many other things blasphemously they spoke against him.
66 And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people, and the chief priests, and the scribes came together, and led him into their council,
67 Saying, Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said to them, If I tell you, ye will not believe.

In this passage Jesus was mocked, hit on, blindfolded and struck in the face over and over as they each told Him to tell them the name of the person who had hit Him. He could have named them and their entire family if He wanted to but He chose to endure the pain and continue with the end in mind!

They continued into the night making fun of His claim to be the Son of man and being sent by God! He was asked if He was the Christ but Jesus knew that they wouldn't believe and told them so. How painful it must have been knowing that it was for these people He would die and it was because of Gods love for these very people that Jesus would give His life!

I know from my own experiences that the troubles of this world and the attacks by those we care about can leave holes and scars that seem to never heal! I know that it doesn't take much to remind us of that pain as the wounds are still festered and sensitive if the holes are not healed!

We will find out tomorrow what it takes for those holes to heal and what Jesus taught us in his final hours about healing!

Let's pray,

Our Father and Savior, we come to you with an open heart today! I long for the healing that will give us freedom from the hurt and the memories of the attacks on my life and all who are here today searching for the healing too. I ask you Lord for a divine message tomorrow that will make clear to all just exactly how you were able to heal those holes pierced through your heart by the ones you cared so much for! I pray for us to come to you with our minds open to your spirits leading and for the Holy Spirit to fill us with the love of our Father as we prepare to reach the place in our lives when we cam turn loose of the past and live fully for you in the future! Each day being a new day to live for you Lord, I ask for your guidance and for the doors to open before me Lord as I seek your guidance in my life because I have learned that it is better to trust in you than to put my confidence in men. Thank you Lord for all your blessings and for the air that I breath! In Jesus name, amen.

Contact Rob Bailes by email: dewforyou@ymail.com or call (919)745-1210

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Parentless Children & Husbandless Wives"

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Let's look at the Greek definitions for words used in this verse;

Pure (katharos, pronounced kath-ar-os')
Of uncertain affinity; clean (literally or figuratively): - clean, clear, pure.

religion (thrēskeia, pronounced thrace-ki'-ah)
From a derivative of G2357; ceremonial observance: - religion, worshipping.

undefiled (amiantos, pronounced am-ee'-an-tos)
From G1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of G3392; unsoiled, that is, (figuratively) pure: - undefiled.


before (para, pronounced par-ah')
A primary preposition; properly near, that is, (with genitive case) from beside (literally or figuratively), (with dative case) at (or in) the vicinity of (objectively or subjectively), (with accusative case) to the proximity with (local [especially beyond or opposed to] or causal [on account of]). In compounds it retains the same variety of application: - above, against, among, at, before, by, contrary to, X friend, from, + give [such things as they], + that [she] had, X his, in, more than, nigh unto, (out) of, past, save, side . . . by, in the sight of, than, [there-] fore, with. In compounds it retains the same variety of application.


To visit (episkeptomai, pronounced ep-ee-skep'-tom-ahee)
Middle voice from G1909 and the base of G4649; to inspect, that is, (by implication) to select; by extension to go to see, relieve: - look out, visit.


the fatherless (orphanos, pronounced or-fan-os')
Of uncertain affinity; bereaved (“orphan”), that is, parentless: - comfortless, fatherless.


widows (chēra, pronounced khay'-rah)
Feminine of a presumed derivation apparently from the base of G5490 through the idea of deficiency; a widow (as lacking a husband), literally or figuratively: - widow.


affliction (thlipsis, pronounced thlip'-sis)
From G2346; pressure (literally or figuratively): - afflicted, (-tion), anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble.


to keep (tēreō, pronounced tay-reh'-o)
From τηρός teros (a watch; perhaps akin to G2334); to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from G5442, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from G2892, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), that is, to note (a prophecy; figuratively to fulfil a command); by implication to detain (in custody; figuratively to maintain); by extension to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively to keep unmarried): - hold fast, keep (-er), (ob-, pre-, re) serve, watch.


unspotted (aspilos, pronounced as'-pee-los)
From G1 (as a negative particle) and G4695; unblemished (physically or morally): - without spot, unspotted.


from (apo, pronounced apo')
A primary particle; “off”, that is, away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literally or figuratively): - (X here-) after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for (-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-) on (-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.


world (kosmos, pronounced kos'-mos)
Probably from the base of G2865; orderly arrangement, that is, decoration; by implication the world (in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively [morally]): - adorning, world.

So let's look again at this verse in James 1:27,
Pure worshipping and unsoiled before God and the Father is the man or woman who goes to see and relieve the children who are bereaved because they have parents missing in their life and the women lacking a husband during the time of their anguish and tribulation; and also to maintain themself physically or morally unblemished from the world and its inhabitants.

How pure is our worship to God and the Father?

Do we need to make changes in our lives that we would be unsoiled before God?


Contact Rob Bailes by email: dewforyou@ymail.com or call (919)745-1210

*Send a request if you want to receive messages by email.
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