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NORTH SHORE FACILITY

We want to announce the purchase of the old “Funland” on the West Approach in Mandeville. This is the latest satellite church plant for Victory Fellowship. We have been conducting services in a rental facility in Convington for 2 ½ years. We are excited about the growth of the church and this great opportunity for expansion.

As I have shared repeatedly, we have no intentions of starting a new church in Mandeville. We view this as part of Victory Fellowship and our vision to have one church in multiple locations.

As the psalmist says in Psalm 133,

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing; life forevermore.

As we continue to flow together in unity with all of our churches we are expecting a great move of the Holy Spirit. We believe unprecedented acts of God are on the horizon.

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PROTESTANT AND PENTECOSTAL

Our world is in a constant state of change, and regretfully many of these secular changes gradually but steadily affect the church. Regretfully we are losing our moorings, our connection to the heritage of our Christian faith.

Over the past fifteen years I have been on a spiritual safari, searching for the reality of God in my life and in His church. This journey inevitably leads me to the past, to the men and women who have gone before us. I find myself drinking from the ancient wells of our fathers. The wells of Augustine, Luther, Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, Matthew Henry and many others keep attracting me and calling me to drink. The more I drink; I am convinced of two things. First, I am a Protestant Christian. The message that birthed Western civilization penned by the Apostle Paul “The just shall live by faith,” and echoed by Martin Luther 15 centuries later is still the foundation of Western Civilization today, the undergirding of His church and the anchor of my soul.

Martin Luther was lost in the snare of human effort and a system of religious works until one day he read those words from Romans 1:17, “The just shall live by faith.” Those words brought freedom to his soul and began the revolution that drug Europe from the shadows of the dark ages. The Protestant Reformation had begun.

As a monk, Luther later wrote, he was tormented by the thoughts of damnation for sins, saying that he “hated this God who punched sinners, if not with silent blasphemies at least with huge murmurings. I was indignant against God. As if it were not enough that miserable sinners, eternally ruined by original sin, should be crushed…through the Law of the Ten Commandments…and so I raged with a savaged and confounded conscience.” He therefore turned to the Bible. The Catholic Church had always taught that grace was active, in the sense that it came into force at the Day of Judgment when the righteous would be separated from the damned. As he read Romans 1, Luther became convinced that the grace of which Paul wrote was passive, hence available to everyone. This led to his conclusion that salvation came not through penance and repentance, nor through the intercession of saints and martyrs or the prayers of the church, but by faith alone. It was an entirely new idea. As Luther re-read Romans 1:16-17, he wrote, I felt myself straightaway born afresh and to have entered through the open gates into paradise.” This led to the further belief that the Bible was the sole authority. In 1517, he nailed his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg University.

Luther also taught us a second great lesson, the priesthood of the Christian believer. In I Peter 2:9 we are called a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.” This teaching birthed a great revolution in the souls of those experiencing this new faith. No longer did they need an earthly mediator; they had a mediator in heaven, the man Christ Jesus. We all have direct access into the holiest of all by the blood of Jesus. We are all priests unto God.
Luther also taught us the importance of the Word of God. He proceeded to translate the Bible into German for the people in his churches. As these new believers began to search the scriptures in their own language everything changed. Today we have access to many great translation, commentaries and word study books. Dig into the word of God; it is food for our soul.

Our Protestant fathers also taught us the importance of the local church. The ministries of the ministers flow out of the local church and become the centerpiece of our Christian lives.

In the revival of 1734-1735 in Northampton, Mass, the local church became the hub of everything. This is where our instruction, our relationships, and even our business found its protection. The local church is critical to our way of life in our western culture.

Ephesians 2:17-22 17And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Secondly, I am a Pentecostal, Protestant Christian. When Jesus left His disciples to return to heaven and told them to wait for the “Promise of the Father” [Acts 1:4]. This is a promise the Father made to Jesus in eternity. Father and Son entered an eternal covenant. If Christ would become a man and sacrifice his life for fallen man all those who believed upon Him would receive the Promise, the awesome baptism in the Holy Spirit. The baptism in the Spirit is the purchase possession obtained by Christ on the cross.

Secondly I want to honor the heavenly ministry of Jesus. John prophesied that Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire (Mark 1:8,9). When Jesus ascended into heaven His heavenly ministry as our heavenly High Priest began. This heavenly ministry is the ministry of immersion in the person of the Holy Spirit. We see the first occurrence of this on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). Today His heavenly ministry continues. The modern church, many times, does not recognize or honor Jesus and His heavenly ministry. Many times we want to rewrite the emphasis of church and Christian life. To honor the heavenly ministry of Jesus we must be baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Thirdly, we need supernatural power. Our world is become more dangerous everyday. It is becoming harder and harder for Christians to live a godly life in this dark, wicked world. We need the power of God, the tangible power that comes upon us when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit. To live Holy in this perverse world we need His power.

We also need this power for effective ministry. Jesus told us this in Acts 1:8. He said we would receive power (dunamis-supernatural power) when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. We are dealing with addictions, illnesses, and all kinds of bondages when ministering to this generation. Christian slogans are not good enough, we must have power.

Finally, I am a Pentecostal because of the blessing given to me by the supernatural language of prayer. Speaking in tongues is the doorway to the world of the supernatural.

Paul said we are edified, built up spiritually (1 Corinthians 14:2,4) when we pray in tongues. He said the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses when we pray in the Spirit (Romans 8:26). He taught about our intercessory anointing that sometimes comes when we pray in tongues (Romans 8:27). He also taught about the prophetic nature of praying in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15).

The prayer language is not an after thought, or an unimportant extra. The prayer language is foundational to the supernatural Christian life.

We live in perilous times (II Timothy 3:1). We need to return to the faith of our fathers. We have drifted toward a seeker sensitive, Christian light faith for far to long. We must return to our Protestant and our Pentecostal roots. The future of our families our cities and our nation are on the line. Join with me on my spiritual safari, we are sojourning to the city, the city that has a foundation whose builder and maker is God.

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REJOICE WITH TREMBLING

“This fear is a gracious habit or principle planted by God in the soul, whereby the soul is kept under an holy awe of the eye of God, and from thence is inclined to perform and do what pleaseth him, and to shun and avoid whatsoever he forbids and hates.”

John Flavel – puritan Pastor who lived from 1628-1691 who died in jail, imprisoned for his faith.

In Romans 3:18 Paul quotes Psalm 36:1 saying “There is no fear of God before his eyes.”  We live in a generation that takes the things of God for granted and has no fear of God anywhere to be found.  Obviously, the lost people have no knowledge of God and cannot respect the Lord.  However, the church is in a different situation all together.  The fear of God is also absent from our congregations today.  I think often about the sorry spiritual condition the supposed Body of Christ is in and I have come to some conclusions.  Apparently, we have been willed to sleep with a message about the blessings of God in this life and we have lost our moorings.  Christianity is about more than careers, houses, ministries and everything else than has been the focus of “church” for too long.  The normal message is about success, vision, purpose, church growth, marriage and other topics that pertain to this life.  Where is the preaching about Christ and His Kingdom.  I thought Jesus taught His kingdom is not of this world.

As we reflect on the words of John Flavel, we are reminded of the difference of the church in 1600 to the church of 2000.  Flavel said that the fear of God is planted supernaturally in our soul.  Natural man is afraid of a lot of things, but the fear of God is nowhere to be found.  As we call upon the Lord, and hunger after Him our heart is filled with the fear and majesty of Almighty God.

Flavel also said that the fear of God causes an inclination in us to do the things that are pleasing to God.  In Hebrews 11:7 the Bible says that Noah was moved with fear to prepare an ark.  Noah was inclined to obey the Lord because of a Godly fear that came upon Him.  This fear produces not only obedience but like David said a delight.  “I delight to do your will oh God.”  Psalm 40:8

Finally, Flavel said that this fear causes us to avoid behavior that is displeasing to the Lord.  Job was described as one who feared God and turned away from evil.  When we come to Christ, and experience the reality of God in our souls, we have this tendency to flee from evil.  Our heart is changed, we are not attracted to the disgusting practices of the world, and we are strangely attracted to Christ.

David spoke of this strange joy in Psalm 2:11.  He said serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.  When the incredible, holy majesty of God comes upon us we are stricken with two things.  We are overwhelmed by His attributes.  We are struck by His holiness, kindness, grace, power, love, justice, sovereignty, and power.  We tremble before this awesome God.  Secondly, we are strangely affected by the joy of heaven.  This supernatural joy fills our souls and overwhelms us.  We begin to rejoice, every part of our being begins to rejoice.  The joy of the Lord becomes ours, our joy is made full.  If you long for happiness, it is available to you.  It is available not in the pleasures of this world, but at the Father’s right hand, pleasures forevermore

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WHY THIS WASTE?

 

Matthew 26:6-13

There is an amazing encounter of two followers of Jesus in this passage of scripture.  Mary is shown at the feet of Jesus pouring out her most precious possession.  She is anointing Jesus with (compare Jn. 12) one pound of spikenard valued at approximately one year’s wage. 30,000 dollars worth of perfume, Judas was offended at what he considered excessive displays of affection and wasteful uses of her resources.  Judas confronted Mary in anger and posed his famous question, “why this waste?”

 

Obviously Mary and Judas had different value systems.  Mary was focused on the spiritual while Judas was hung up on the natural world.  The reason for these different values was found in both of their perceptions of the ministry of Jesus.  Spiritual understanding of Jesus and His kingdom comes only by revelation; obviously Judas could not see the spiritual realities that were obvious to Mary.

 

Mary loved the teachings of Jesus; she loved to hear his word.  “Never a man spoke like this man.” To her, He had the words of life and she lived off of every word.  To Judas, Jesus had just another opinion; His words open to question and discussion.

 

Mary also loved the anointing.  After Jesus was baptized by John a fresh anointing for ministry had come upon Him.  He was known as the anointed one.  Today, His anointing is poured out on all flesh but not all flesh appreciated and value His presence.  Some people would go anywhere or do anything to sit in His presence, while others can never make time for church, because frankly it is just a waste of valuable time.

 

Jesus said that Mary was anointing His body for burial.  Mary had accepted the painful news of Calvary and began to understand the message of the cross for all of us.  She was grateful for the message of redemption, and she was pouring out her love while she could.

 

Judas had no use for the cross. He wanted an earthly kingdom. When he saw that Jesus was not about politics or power, he was offended and his offense led to betrayal.

 

In John 17:12 Jesus called Judas the son of destruction using the Greek word apoleia, the same word used for waste in Matthew 26:8. Jesus was saying that Judas was the one wasting his life, choosing to live for this world rather than the one to come.

 

We have the same conflicts that existed between Mary and Judas in the church today.  It all boils down to spiritual revelation which gives birth to our value system today.  Why this waste?  What are you wasting your life on?  If you seek God and His kingdom first, the people of this world may not understand but you have chosen the best part.

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THE HIDDEN KINGDOM

Parris and I recently went on a trip to the Virgin Islands, it was a gift given to us to celebrate our 30th church anniversary.  We had a great time.

One of our outings in St. Thomas was a snorkeling trip.  We asked around and found one of the favorite places to go.  When we arrived it was just a “normal” beach.  It was a mixture of locals and tourists on the beach, enjoying the sun and warmth just a few feet from the water’s edge.  Lying on the beach, you can be unaware of the “other world” that lies just beneath the ocean’s surface.  This other world has different kind of life forms living a whole different kind of life.  This contrast of “worlds” and the different kind of “lives” reminds me of the contrasts that are all around us everyday.  We live in a natural world with natural people living natural lives.  This natural world is a picture of this carnal man, unaware of the kingdom of God all around us.

Then there is the kingdom of God, the world of the Holy Spirit.  This is the world opened to us by the forgiveness of sins made available to us by the blood Jesus shed at Calvary.  Through this forgiveness, we are brought to God and become aware of this other life available to us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We began to see the parallels of the kingdom of God all around us, as Parris and I entered into the ocean that day and began our snorkeling experience.

First, we saw creatures living in a different substance.  In the natural world we live and are sustained in this “ocean” of oxygen.  We live and breathe it and are totally dependent on it.  In the undersea world, the creatures live in a different substance: they live in water and somehow get their life support through this other substance.  This is just like the kingdom of God.  When we are born again, we begin to live in this new atmosphere.  It is the atmosphere of heaven.  This atmosphere is a different substance.  This substance is the love of God.  This love is alive and is actually a person.  This person is the wonderful third person of the godhead, the wonderful Holy Spirit. It is in Him we live, breathe, rejoice and have our existence.  We are sustained and totally dependent on Him for our life.

As we continued our underwater journey, we began to see some amazing creatures.  We saw a family of squids, all moving in formation, flowing in the life of rhythm of the ocean.  We saw large schools of hundreds of fish with beautiful colors all flowing together with the current and flow of the ocean.   Everything seemed to flow in beautiful harmony.  When we are awakened to the kingdom of God, we begin to perceive a different rhythm, a different melody, a different source of life.  As we yield, our life begins to flow with God.  God Himself is like the ocean, too big to comprehend, full of life and purpose.  As we yield to Him, we find ourselves flowing with God to fulfill His plans for our life.

At one point in our journey we came around a piece of coral and a strong current was flowing against us.  We tried our hardest to swim against it but we became so exhausted and had to turn back.  We wanted to see what was on the other side, but the “ocean” had other plans.  Maybe you are trying to move against the flow of God.  Sometimes it is better to turn back and flow with His current that to try to launch out in human effort.  Exhaustion and frustration are always the result of fighting against the plan of God.

The unseen world of the Holy Spirit is a very real place.  It is actually the very atmosphere that we will live in for eternity with the Lord.  Today, we catch glimpses and tastes of this world that is breaking in on us.  As the return of Christ draws nearer, His kingdom will increase all around us.  Now is the time to launch out into the deep.  There is an unseen world of God all around us. Dive into this new adventure.  He has awesome plan for you.

 Pastor Frank Bailey

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ANCHOR OF THE SOUL

 

In Hebrews 6:19 Paul refers to Jesus as the “anchor of the soul.”  He is describing something that holds us secure in the most difficult times and circumstances.  He is writing to Christians in the midst of persecution, telling them there is an anchor for their soul to hold them in those difficult times.  This anchor of the soul is Jesus, our heavenly High Priest.  He is seated before the Father representing mankind and calling us into a fellowship of intimacy.  It is that fellowship with the Lord that is our “anchor of hope” that lives behind the veil.

                Many of us in southeast Louisiana and the entire gulf coast found this anchor of hope as faithful during our recent experience with Katrina, Rita, etc.  We found Jesus as more than enough to satisfy and sustain us in the most difficult of times.  Paul spoke of this when he referred to “those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Heb. 6:12).  The greatest promise of all is the manifest presence of God which has become our treasure, our portion and more than enough for us in all things.

I believe 9-11 and hurricane Katrina were signs to us of the coming difficult times in our world.  There are political, economic, and weather storms brewing and will possibly increase over the months and years to come.  We must prepare ourselves spiritually for these times. 

In the past, Christians have responded in a natural way to anticipated times of tribulation.  As we draw near to Him, we become steadfast and secure, unashamed of the gospel; we then can provide a refuge and hope for others to and come to find shelter from the storms of life. 

In the ‘80s we were warned of economic collapse and were told to move to the country and store up our canned goods.  We were told similar things as we approached Y2K.  I think we need spiritual preparations rather than natural.

When difficult times come, Christians should be at their best.  In these times of darkness, our light shines brighter.  We are to be lights in the midst of a dark generation.

Our preparation is nothing new.  We must consider Jesus, the apostle and High Priest of our confession.  We must look again to His heavenly ministry. 

As our heavenly minister, He has opened heaven for us.  We must draw near to Him.  We must draw near to His presence by the blood of Jesus.  We must access this new and living way to live our lives. 

On the news side, we are open for business at Mary’s Song.  Mary’s Song is our Christian rehab for women.  It is connected to Teen Challenge and is serving for an intake program for Teen Challenge of Louisiana.  Please pray for our workers and the ladies in this program.  This is truly a front line ministry.  Our facility is beautiful but in need of all the furnishings.  Call our office if you want to help. 

Blessings to you!

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INTO THE DEEP

 

The Lord told Peter to launch out into the deep and let down his nets for a catch.  This was an unusual command to a fisherman, especially coming from a preacher.  What did this carpenter, turned preacher know about fishing anyway?  Peter found himself listening and obeying anyway.  There was something strangely irresistible in His voice.  The next thing Peter knew, his nets began to rip, and then 1 boat, then 2 boats began to be swamped.  Peter had never seen such a catch of fish.  In all his years on this lake nothing like this had ever been heard of.  Something new was happening.  Peter’s world could never be the same.

 

In 1999, the Lord told us at Victory to launch out into the deep and let down our nets.  The deep was revival and the net was Beyond the Grave.  When Beyond the Grave first started we had no great expectations.  Ten years later we have seen about 60,000 individuals make decisions for Christ.  These results were unexpected and unplanned.  They were a supernatural, unprecedented act of God.

 

The Lord is speaking to us again, “Launch out into the deep, let down your nets for a catch.”  This time it seems as if He is speaking this word to all of us.  Launch out in prayer.  Launch out in new depths in studying His word.  Launch out into the realms of His anointing.  This challenge is going out to all who have ears to hear His voice. 

 

He also is saying, let down your nets for a catch.  Could it be that He will use you?  He loves to take untrained and unqualified vessels to display His glory.  You are a candidate for a boat sinking harvest.  What can you do?  Pass out some tracts.  Start a home group. Get involved in prison ministry.  Work with the children or maybe the youth.  Just do something.  2009 can be a pivotal year.  As we launch out into the depths of God and let down our nets of discipleship and evangelism anything can happen.  All things are possible with God. 

 

Just like Peter, standing on the shore listening to the words of Jesus, he had no idea the adventure he was about to begin.  The same may be true for us.  Listen to His voice, I think Jesus is about to step onto your boat. 

                                        .

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UNPRECEDENTED ACTS OF GOD

Recently the Lord spoke a word to Parris through our friend Dick Mills.  He called her to check out Isaiah 48:6, 7.  He told her that 2009 she would experience things she had never experienced before.  In 365 days, everything would be different.  When you look up this verse in the ESV Study Bible, you see some interesting reflections.  It described unprecedented acts of God on the horizon, unprecedented so we do not treat His acts “dismissively”.  In Isaiah 43:18, 19 the ESV Study Bible describes a series of exodus like deliverances.

 

Recently we had one of those famous flooding thunder storms on a Saturday night.  The kind of rain that dumps 5 inches in one hour in certain spots.  The weather forecasters call this kind of a phenomenon the “training” effect.  The thunder storm cells begin to line up one behind another like the cars in a train.  I believe this is a picture of the “new thing” and the “unprecedented acts of God” the Lord is speaking to us about.  I believe that the Lord is lining up His train of unprecedented signs and wonders. 

 

The Lord began His church at Pentecost with signs that had never been seen before.  There were tongues of fire on the disciple’s heads.  There was a rushing, mighty wind.  There was a strange manifestation never seen before that time, speaking in strange mysterious languages.  If I know anything about the Lord or His ways, I think He has saved His best for last.  He has not run out of miracles, His supply is not depleted or diminished.  His supernatural train is coming for a visit, it may be this year.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS

Just as Augustine said “Our hearts are restless, until they find their rest in you”.  Mankind is in a constant state of restlessness. He is worried about the crime and violence, as the crime rates soar through the roof. He is worried about the economy as the stock market has fallen 40% in 2008 in the U. S. 

 

Man is worried about terrorism as threats of nuclear and biological threats become more likely everyday. He is worried about health as it seems to be harder and harder to take care of yourselves in this rapid pace we are all caught up in.

 

Restlessness, anxiousness, loneliness, unhealthy ambition, they all seem to steal away our peace and our enjoyment of life.

 

Hungry Heart

 

Restless heart you struggle so

Searching for repose

Looking for that place of rest

That rest man seldom knows

 

Lonely heart-your grieving so

When will the sadness end

You get back up- to face the world

To just fall back again

 

Anxious Heart- You worry so

Your trust seems far away

Who can you trust when things go wrong

Who will you trust today

 

Ambitious heart- it never ends

Will there ever be a time

When you can stop this torrid rush

And place your hand in mine

 

Hungry heart has found its food

To still this longing soul

To satisfy the heart of man

To make the sinner whole

 

In Bethlehem the house of bread

Not far from Calvary

I gave my life for you my son

That you could feast on me

 

As you take off some time for Christmas ask the Lord to give you a hungry heart.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, they will be satisfied.  Jesus said he was the true bread from heaven. If we would feast on Him we would never hunger, we would have a satisfied heart.

 

I will never forget my first Christmas as a Christian. Parris and I were newly married. We had nothing. We lived in a rented travel trailer, we had no money for gifts, but we had Jesus in our lives. Our restless days had ended; we had begun our feast, our great Christmas feast. I worked at the chicken ranch, we had a “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree, we were 2,000 miles from home, but it was the greatest Christmas ever. 

 

And in this mountain

The LORD of hosts will make for all people
A feast of choice pieces,
A feast of wines on the lees,
Of fat things full of marrow,

 Of well-refined wines on the lees.

Isaiah 25:6

 

This year come to the Christmas banquet—the banquet of the Lord.  You will be satisfied and your heart will be restless no more.

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REFLECTIONS ON THIS RECENT PRESIDENTAL ELECTION

America has elected Barack Obama as its new president.  The most obvious result is that our country has elected its first African-American President.  This could prove to be a great encouragement to African Americans of future generations, that in America your dreams can come true.

 

The other reality is that we have elected a president with controversial and unscriptural views on many areas.  Of course, Pres. Elect Obama is a strong supporter of abortion rights.  He has even supported the right to have an abortion in the third trimester of a pregnancy.  This is obviously against the clear teachings of the Bible.  Secondly, Pres. Elect Obama has a very unbiblical view when it comes to sex between members of the same gender.  This is clearly against the direct teaching of the scripture.  He even wants to include children’s books which are promoting a homosexual lifestyle into our public elementary schools curriculum.

 

We are presently observing the secularization of our society.  Our culture and laws have been framed by the word of God.  Our country is the great result of the protestant reformation.  At the present rate, we will be the same as Europe in the next generation, a godless, secular society.

 

Our hope is in the plans of God.  I believe we are nearing a great move of the spirit, probably the greatest move of our generation.  When we see the events unfold in our world we should rejoice, our redemption is drawing near.  Luke 21:28

 

We should pray for our new president.  He has been placed in office by the hand of God.  Daniel 2:21 The Lord will orchestrate His plans through our new president.  God will be glorified—He always is. 

 

Pastor Frank