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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of December 2005

12/01/05
LETTING GO

Scripture: Genesis 13:14-15 "And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot separated from him, Look as far as you can see in every direction, for I am going to give it all to you and your descendants."

When Abraham and Sarah left Egypt, Abraham's nephew, Lot, went with them. But as time progressed Abraham and Lot's herdsmen began to be in strife. Abraham suggested that he and Lot separate from each other in an effort to end the strife and confusion. After Lot separated from him, God spoke to Abraham and showed him the land that was to be his. He also promised Abraham that his seed would be as the dust of the earth, meaning it would be impossible to count his descendants.

Notice that God didn't speak to Abraham until after Lot separated from him. God led Abraham out from the safe and familiar into a new place, and then separated him from his close relationships. This pattern is a very familiar one with God. God separated Moses and sent him to the backside of the desert for forty years before He commissioned him to deliver His people out of Egypt. Joseph was separated from his family and imprisoned in a foreign land for about sixteen years before he was promoted to second in the kingdom. And then we see the apostle Paul alone in the desert for about eight years before God used him to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus and inspired him to write most of the New Testament.

All of us would like to hear from God and receive a new promise and commission from Him like these great men, but ministry comes with a price. Before God brings us to a new level and empowers us for a new service, He first leads us out and separates us to Himself. It is hard to be separated from the things you know and enjoy, but we can't get to the Promised Land without going through the wilderness. When God calls us out, we can't do all the things that our friends do or go to the places they go. God's new plan requires cutting away the old and familiar so that He can bless with the new.

If you have found yourself separated in thought and desire from the things that were familiar and that used to seem comfortable, God is possibly drawing you into a new place of commitment and service for Him. Don't be discouraged if you don't seem to fit into the old ways any more. Just let go and be encouraged as the old things separate from you. God is doing a new thing in your life so that you will be ready for His new plan. His thoughts towards you are good. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God's plan is to prosper you and not to harm you. His greatest plan is to give you a future and a hope, but first you must let go. +++

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12/02/05
THE PROMISE OF A SONG

Scripture: Hosea 2:15 "And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth."

God made a wonderful promise to the people of Israel. Even though Israel had failed God, He gave comforting words saying that He would restore them. He would take the trouble they were going through and would turn that trouble into a door of hope. Salvation would come and they would sing again just as they did in their youth. Like the people of Israel, sometimes the song in our heart gets immersed in our sadness and mourning. Other times it gets covered up by the heaviness of our many problems. When our burdens get too heavy, we tend to stop singing and worshipping because it takes a certain energy to sing and give praise. We may try to make an earnest effort to offer the sacrifice of praise, but it really seems forced. We become like the captive Jews the psalmist spoke of in Psalms 137:2, who were in exile and couldn't sing.

I was in a season of grief and despair when God revealed this scripture to my heart and made it a promise for my future. I had lost the song in my heart because of the heartache, confusion, and abuse that was happening in my life. Things looked bleak and a spirit of hopelessness surrounded me. This dark season only lasted for a couple of years but it seemed like an eternity to my soul. I thought I would never be delivered, much less sing again, but God was faithful to do both.

You may feel that you are in spiritual exile and the adverse circumstances that you are in may cause you to think that you will never sing again, but I am witness to let you know that God is faithful. He knows exactly where you are. You can't escape His knowledge or exhaust His love and mercy. God sees the reasons that the song has left your heart and He understands. He will reach down and lift you up out of the pit of doom and despair. He will speak grace to the mountains that you are facing and will create a straight and even path in the wilderness. He will work on your behalf by calling things that be not as though they were and your song will come again as God begins to reveal Himself to you in a new and fresh way. He will use your valley to show you the grandeur of the mountain. He will take the storm that rages about you and show you His enormous peace. In your lack, God will show you His bountiful provision. He will replace your confusion with clear direction and in your weakness allow you to experience His awesome strength. As God begins to share this fresh revelation of Himself, a new song of praise will be birthed in your heart. Just like Israel, your valley of bitterness will turn into a door of hope and new life will come as God resurrects and restores you. Your spirit will become lighter and your notes will be clearer as God causes you to sing as in the days of your youth. +++

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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of December 2005

12/05/05
FORSAKING ALL

Scripture: Luke 14:27 "Whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."

Jesus gives the world an open and compelling invitation to come to Him for salvation. He excludes no one and says, "Whosoever will, may come." Yet He also tells us that those who want to become His disciples and follow Him must consider the cost, for full commitment to Christ means bearing a daily personal cross for His sake. It means forsaking everything that is important to yourself, submitting your all to Him, and conforming to His teachings. In verse twenty-six, He said that your commitment must be so strong towards Him that you would be willing to give up everything and even put Him before your family. This doesn't justify neglect, malice, or ill will towards your family. It simply means that your devotion to Christ must be the number one priority in your life.

Jesus was looking for more than followers. He had many who followed Him because of His supernatural gift of healing. He healed all kinds of diseases, caused the blind to see, opened the ears of the deaf, and made the lame to walk. There were those who sought Him out in order to be delivered from demonic possession and spiritual oppression. Some followed because He fed them fish and bread or turned the water into wine. Others followed Him because they wanted to hear Him speak His great words of wisdom or give them revelations concerning the scriptures. These followers had a personal agenda, but not many wanted to be a true disciple who was ready to bear a cross in order to follow Him.

We must always understand that when we make a commitment to Christ things will start happening in our lives. Commitment to Christ doesn't guarantee a promise that everything will be perfect in our lives. The truth is that there is a cost. This side of commitment looks like a life of contentment, but the other side brings the reality of the challenge. When you surrender you heart and affections to Jesus, you will have great joy, yet He may call you to places that you don't understand. It may be a place of no reputation and may cost you everything that is dear to you. You will be totally fulfilled as you give yourself to Him but you must know that at some point you will also suffer persecution, for II Timothy 3:12 says, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." This did not exclude anyone. Yet as you forsake all and surrender to Christ, you will also reap great rewards. So regardless of the cost, be willing to take up your cross and follow Him, for it is said, "Anything that cost nothing is worth nothing and achieves nothing." +++

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12/06/05
GOD'S VOICE IN DIFFICULT TIMES

Scripture: Isaiah 30:20-21 "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction ... your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it."

No one wants to eat the bread of adversity or drink the waters of affliction. Yet there are seasons in our lives when this seems to be the only diet that is offered to us. Adversity and afflictions come to us for many reasons. It could be due to our spiritual walk, as we may have strayed from God's will and forsaken our covering. The reason could be because of our geographical location, like the natural disasters that are happening all over the world. The adversities and afflictions could possibly be a trial to test our faith so that we can be promoted to a new level. It may also be an attack of evil forces or simply be that we have ignored and neglected the laws of nature and caused our own selves to be physically ill. Nevertheless at some point in our lives, we can be sure that we will have hard circumstances to face or barren places to endure.

The encouraging thing is that the prophet doesn't leave us with just the bread of adversity and the water of affliction. He puts a silver lining behind this dark cloud by giving us an encouraging promise to hold on to when we are in the midst of these challenges, which were designed to either discourage or destroy us. He says that the Lord will speak a word in our ears and let us know what we are to do and which way we are to turn. It is a comfort to know that we are never without instructions when we trust in the Lord. Isaiah said that God will be very specific and tell us whether to go to the left or the right. We have nothing to fear when times are uncertain, for God will make our directions very clear. We just have to be sensitive and listen to His voice.

Many times we wander around in a wilderness of despair and we cannot find help because we will not stop and listen to any of God's instructions. We are tired of the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, but we are too busy struggling to follow God out of our dilemma. Everything may have been lost in the fire or swept away in the flood, but God is still God. He has prepared a new place for us and is guiding us down a new path, but we can't go there if we don't obey His voice. Things simply cannot and will not change until we follow God's instruction. So let us determine to be sensitive and listen to God's voice during these difficult times and trust Him enough to go to the right or left at His command. +++

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12/07/05
SHOW ME YOUR GLORY

Scripture: Exodus 33:18 "And Moses said, I beseech You, show me Your glory."

When Moses asked God to allow him to see His glory, God showed Himself to Moses. God did not show Moses the glorious universe that He had created. He didn't point to all of the galaxies with its multitude of stars and planets. Nor did God show Moses the beautiful mountains, valleys, rivers, or oceans that He had called into existence with just a few words. God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock and covered him with His hand. He then allowed Moses a brief glimpse of His backside as He passed by.

Later, Exodus 34:6-7 tells us that the Lord passed by before Moses and proclaimed, "The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin..." Sometimes we don't realize it, but we are right in the midst of God's glory. We may not actually see a supernatural manifestation or a beautiful cloud swirling about us, but we experience His gracious actions towards us. His glory is manifested to us in the way of undeserved mercy, goodness, truth, and forgiveness. We may look for a sighting or something spectacular but instead God surrounds us with His glorious love and holiness. What more could we ask for?

I have never seen the visible manifestation of God or His glory. He has never hidden me in the cleft of the rock and allowed me the honor of seeing His backside as He passed by. Yet I have experienced the glories of His mercy when I deserved judgment and cruel punishment. He has shown me the glory of His longsuffering as He tenderly dealt with me to change my heart and redirect my paths when I was going astray. I also have seen the glories of His goodness towards me when He abundantly provided for my needs spiritually, physically, and emotionally. I have witnessed His spirit of truth, which has never failed. His glory has never been absent from my life, for even though I could not touch Him or see Him, I have felt and known that His presence was near. I have never heard the audible voice of God but I have experienced the glory of His still small voice speaking to my heart. As we think about these seven simple words that Moses spoke, let us make them a daily petition to God for our personal life, "I ask You, show me Your glory." +++

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12/08/05
EVERY WORD AND DEED

Scripture: Colossians 3:17 (Amplified) "And whatever you do - no matter what it is - in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in dependence upon His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him."

Every word and every deed that we do is supposed to mirror the character of Christ. Yet, we often find ourselves in provoking situations and experience encounters of the wrong kind.  Even though we do our best to remain silent in these situations, we usually react in frustration. We make an effort to defend our position and justify our actions. Our reactions are not done in the name of the Lord, nor in dependence upon His Person, and God surely receives no praise for our actions.

James 3:7-8 tells us that every kind of beast, bird, reptile, and sea animal can be tamed, but the human tongue cannot. Our tongues are unruly, undisciplined, and motivated by our emotions. Too often, we react rather than respond. Solomon, the wisest man of his time, said, "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his own spirit is better than he who takes a city." Solomon also said, "He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls." (Proverbs 16:32 & 25:28) When the walls of our spirit are broken down, any element can intrude and provoke us to wrong words or deeds.

Jesus was our greatest example of someone ruling his own Spirit. He taught and preached with much authority, calmed the storms with a few words, rebuked the "religious" folks, drove the moneychangers out of the temple, and cast demons out of the possessed. Even though some of these things seemed harsh and bold, Jesus never reacted out of His own will and emotions. Scripture records that He only spoke and did the things that the Father showed Him. Even Pilate marveled greatly when Jesus didn't answer the accusations that were made against Him. Our goal is to follow Jesus and resist the temptation to say the wrong thing, at the wrong time, and in the wrong spirit. We were always told to count to ten before reacting. But if we simply follow God's Word and consider the three statements that Paul made in the above scripture, we will be able to rule our spirit and tame our tongues. Considering Paul's statements, ask yourself these three questions when you are confronted with a provoking situation:

    1)   Can I say this word or do this deed in the Name of the Lord?
    2)   Can I depend on the Person and presence of Jesus to back me up in
           this word or deed?
    3)   When I do this word or deed, will it give glory to God the Father
           through Jesus?

Perhaps by the time you finished these questions in your mind, the moment of passion will have passed. Nevertheless remember, that the less you say, the less you have to repent of. +++

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12/09/05
WALKING IN THE ARMOR

Scripture: Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the whole armor."

We have an enemy who rages against us daily. This enemy is not contained in a body of flesh, nor does he have blood flowing through his veins. He is a spiritual enemy and his battle strategies are evil. The Apostle Paul gives us instructions on how to combat this enemy, the devil. One of the main things we must do is recognize who he is. We then must put on the whole armor of God and come against him with spiritual weapons, for "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds" (II Corinthians 10:4).

There are four things that Paul tells us to do in Ephesians 6:10-18:

1) Be strong in the power of the Lord. (vs. 10)
2) Put on the armor of God. (vs. 11)
3) Stand with the armor on. (vs. 13-14)
4) Pray with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. (vs.18)

Paul makes it very plain that our strength and power will come from the Lord, for it will be God's armor, not our own, that will protect us in the evil day. His armor is listed as truth, righteousness, peace, and salvation. When we realize that it is God's armor that we are standing in, it will give us courage to lift up the shield of faith against the devil. When truth prevails in our heart, we understand that we don't have to depend upon our own strength and self-righteousness. All we have to do is stand in God's armor and allow God take care of the battle.

Paul said, "stand, and having done all, stand." This word "stand" in the Greek language means "stand and get ready for the next battle." The devil never quits. Our battles will continue throughout our lifetime but we must remember that God has equipped us for battle. After Paul told us to put on the armor of God and stand, he then instructed us to pray. This means that we are to enter into prayer with God's armor and aggressively come against the enemy with the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God. Our battles will be won in prayer and with the Word of God. As we resist the devil, he will flee from us because he has no choice. He knows the power of God's Word. When the devil sees God's armor coming towards him and hears the Word of God being spoken against him from inside the armor, he thinks that it is God and he will flee. +++

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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of December 2005

12/12/05
JESUS IS THE WORD

Scripture: John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

"Word" in this scripture is another name for Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Messiah, and the Savior of the world. This scripture could have read, "In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God." Verse fourteen tells us that the Word (Jesus) was made flesh and dwelt among us so that we could behold the glory of the only begotten of the Father. Everything about Jesus is glorious, for in Him is life and His life is the light of men. Darkness cannot overcome His light and death cannot swallow up His life that He gives to us.

We always think about an eternal future where time will never end and we all desire and trust that we will spend our eternity in Heaven with Jesus. Much is said about this beautiful place. There is talk about mansions, streets of gold, gates or pearl, and being able to worship God for all eternity. Yet nothing much is said about the eternal past, for we have no information about the beginning of God or the beginning of time. We do know that the Apostle John said that the Word, Jesus, was there in the very beginning. He was with God when God formed the world and He also had a part in our creation, for God said, "Let us make man in our own image." They worked together, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to make each one of us into a special individual design.

The written Word and the Word (Jesus), who became flesh, are both eternal living organisms and both speak to our hearts in different ways. The Light of His Word reveals the Life that is in Christ Jesus and the Life of Jesus imparts His Light into our spirits. When we hear or read the written Word, Jesus imparts revelation into our spirit and the written Word confirms the words that we receive when Jesus speaks to our heart by the Spirit. They never contradict each other and we are never left undone about what God is speaking to our hearts. In the past, Moses gave the law, which were commandments that were written in stone. Today the Word of Light and Life is written, not on tablets of stone, but upon our hearts. God's Word becomes a part of us and is the grace and truth that we are to live by. Think about this awesome revelation that the Apostle John shared. Jesus was with God and He is God. Now this same Light and Life dwells within us. +++

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12/13/05
TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT IT

Scripture: John 1:36 "And looking upon Jesus as He walked, John said, Behold the Lamb of God."

When John the Baptist saw Jesus passing by, he had several options in the way that he saw and described who Jesus was. John could have told the people that Jesus was his second cousin. He also could have told them that Jesus was just another local man from the village that they lived in or that He was a carpenter by trade. Instead, John boldly declared that Jesus was the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. John knew the scriptures and recognized that Jesus was the Messiah who was destined to bring life and light to a darkened world. He joined his faith with the shepherds who believed the salutation of the angels and he saw the baby in the manger as the King of Kings. Like the wise men who traveled from afar, He recognized Jesus as the Holy One who would redeem man from the curse of the law. And like Peter, He saw Jesus as the Christ and believed that He was the Son of the Living God.

There are two ways to look at everything that comes into our lives. The scope of our hope and attitude towards life depends upon what we decide to see. Life presents us with many situations and how we view them is our own personal choice. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses gave a list of several choices. He said that we could choose to see life instead of death, light instead of darkness, and blessings instead of curses. We could see the value of being on the Lord's side or see the pleasures that last for a moment on the other side. We could choose to see Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away our sins as John did or see Him as another historical figure or one of the prophets.

The same is true in the other issues of life. We can look at life and see our lack or we can see the things that we have and be thankful for them. We can look at others and choose to see their faults or we can attempt to discern their needs and seek for a way to help them. We can see people that are lonely and give them our unconditional love or we can look at them through judgmental eyes and do nothing about their need. We can look at our past hurts and choose to be bitter or we can be forgiving. All of these choices are ours. When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he was looking for more than a cousin, a man, or a carpenter. He had a greater vision that he wanted fulfilled. Time is short and we must do the same. There are two ways to look at everything so we must adjust our vision and see Jesus and the world in a more productive way, for the way we view things will determine the outcome of our progress in life and the depth of relationships that we will be able to establish and maintain. +++

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12/14/05
TALENTS

Scripture: Matthew 25:15 "He gave to every man according to his own personal ability."

Matthew tells the story of a man who divided several talents between his servants. The servants who received five talents and two talents put them to work and doubled them. But the servant who had received only one talent was fearful and hid his talent in the ground. He didn't have enough faith to put his talent to work even though he knew that his master was able to reap and gather where he had not sown. When the master returned and found that the servant had done nothing with the talent that had been entrusted to him, he took back the servant's talent and gave it to those who had been faithful, diligent, and productive in their efforts.

This story shows us four things. First, God never asks you to do anything that He has not given you the ability to do. He disburses talents according to the ability that is within you. He gives you personal assets and with every gift or endowment, God provides you with the wisdom to know what to do with your gift. Second, if you do what you can to use what you've been given, God will increase it and will also give you a promotion. Third, limited ability does not negate responsibility. God doesn't expect less effort from you because you have little, for any amount can be increased. And finally, God requires faithfulness in spite of the fear that may challenge you. He wants you to step out in faith even when you are afraid. How many battles would have been won if no one was willing to fight because of the fear that was raging in their hearts? Fear comes to all of us, but it is just an emotion. Faith can dispel fear just as light dispels darkness, but faith must be acted upon. Faith is substance and evidence (Hebrews 11:1). Like playing a game of baseball, you have to be willing to strike out if you want to hit a home run. Only when you swing the bat will you make contact with the ball and be able to experience a hit. It is impossible to dream the hit into existence. You must take action, for faith without works is dead.

So it is with your talents and investments. You can dream all you want, but if you're not using your talents or assets, they will not be productive, nor will they multiply. God doesn't stand by to increase your ability or cause you to reap when you have been idle or too fearful to sow. He responds and multiplies your gifts because of your effort and your faith. God makes good investments and expects good returns. He gives you a gift and a dream. It pleases God when you are able to give it back to Him with return. When He sees your faithfulness and your ability, He will give you more and enlarge your borders. +++

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12/15/05
DELIVERANCE

Scripture: Psalms 44:4 "Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances ..."

The Spirit of the Lord God was upon Jesus to bring good news to the suffering and help to the oppressed. He was anointed to proclaim liberty to those in captivity and the opening of the prisons to those who were bound (Isaiah 61:1). He was sent to comfort the broken hearted and to appoint joy to those who were in mourning. It is through His Name and His Blood that deliverance comes.

Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Only by His power will you have victory over your enemies and those things that attempt to plague your soul. You can never trust in your own strength or depend upon your own sword to save you, for your own meager weapons are no match against the weapons of the evil one. You must depend upon God to command deliverance in your life. As you submit to Him, He will provide you with His weapons, which are spiritual and not carnal. The mighty weapons that come to you through God will enable you to pull down the strongholds and cast down the imaginations in your mind that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. God's weapons will allow you to take every thought that comes into your mind and make it obedient to Christ (II Corinthians 10:4-5).

As long as you have life you will face battles, for Satan goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. He is a liar and his weapon is deception. He tries to be a god and rule as king in your life. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy through sickness and disease, heartache and grief, bondage and financial lack. Yet, regardless of the devil's great effort, the forces of evil cannot prevail against the Spirit of Truth. Your battle belongs to the Lord! He is your Deliverer. You must replace the lies of the devil with the Word of God and trust the Lord, your King. You are His child and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. You belong to God's kingdom and as along as you allow Him to rule over you, He will command deliverance in every area of your life. +++

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12/16/05
CHRISTMAS

Scripture: Luke 2:10 " ... good tiding of great joy, which shall be to all people."

One night the shepherds were going about their normal duties. It probably seemed that it was going to be a typical night as they watched over their sheep in the fields. Little did they realize that they were destined for a divine and supernatural appointment with the angels of the Lord and that centuries later this encounter would be re-enacted time and again as one of the most prominent events in history. Images of angels would stand along side the nativity scenes and their pictures would appear on thousands of Christmas cards. It is interesting that the angels did not go to the religious leaders of the synagogue, the Sadducees, or the Pharisees. Neither did they go to the wealthy or the prominent. Instead, God chose to send them to the lowly shepherds whose testimony would be one of the confirmations that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, had been born.

Can you imagine the surprise it was to the shepherds when the glory of the Lord shone about them and the angels began to speak to them? The shepherds' first reaction was fear, but the angels reassured them that they were bringing good news and these good tidings of great joy were for all people. I recently heard it said that Christmas actually means "Christ for the masses." God never excludes anyone from salvation. His word says that whosoever will, may come. It also declares that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Christ Jesus gave His life on the cross for the masses of the world. He died for the pure and the prostitute, for the rich and the poor, and for the educated and the unlearned. He died for those who habitually obey the laws of the land and for the lawless. He died for the sinner and the saint, for the kind and unkind, the good and the bad, and the beautiful and the unlovely.

Jesus died between two men. One received Him and the other rejected Him. We have the same choice, for He does not force anyone into His kingdom. He gives an invitation but we must respond. We can choose to believe the good tidings of great joy or we can reject them. We can receive the good news of His salvation, healing, peace, and love or we can allow it to pass us by. The good tidings of His mercy, grace, longsuffering, and forgiveness are available to us and will bring us great joy, but if we want it, we have to receive it. God has offered you much in His word so give some serious thought to your life during this special season. Reflect on His good tidings of great joy and be assured that Christ came for the masses, and that includes you. +++

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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of December 2005

11/19/05
A GOD BEYOND MEASURE

Scripture: Isaiah 7:14 "Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."

For many it is difficult to grasp the concept that Mary, the mother of Jesus, could conceive and give birth to a child and still remain a virgin in the process. Yet this Immaculate Conception did occur as the Holy Spirit came upon Mary and the power of the Highest overshadowed her (Luke 1:35). This union with the Holy Spirit that she experienced was a fulfillment of a long awaited prophesy by Isaiah. Her obedience to God and her submission to His plan allowed His word to come to pass in the flesh and enabled Jesus to dwell among us as Emmanuel, God with us.

Mary was chosen by God to fulfill this special purpose, but there was much shame and degradation that came along with this privileged assignment and wonderful experience, for many could not believe that her purity was intact or accept the facts because it went beyond the laws nature. Yet, why is it so difficult to believe that the same God who created man from the dust of the ground could not plant a seed of conception in the womb of a virgin woman? Why is it so hard to believe that the Holy Spirit, who is beyond measure, could not overshadow Mary and impart life as He did when He breathed the breathe of life into the nostrils of Adam, causing him to become a living soul? God is a God beyond measure and nothing is too difficult for Him. All of life is His creation. Even in the natural when a biological seed is planted, it only comes to fruition when God breathes life into it.

Like the Immaculate Conception with Mary, there are many things in our day-to-day lives that we do not understand. We must take them by faith because God's ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. How could we not believe that God could heal our bodies that He, Himself, formed from just the dust of the earth? How could we not trust the Lord who created the Earth and designed it to sustain us and provide our personal needs for nourishment? How could we not know that the One who created the entire universe and holds all things together by His word of power is still sovereign today and in control of our lives? How could we not believe that the Lord who filled our hearts with the ability to love and feel emotions will mend our broken spirits and bring restoration to our hearts? How could we not believe that our Heavenly Father who sent His only Son to die for us will forgive us of all our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness?

As you think about the glorious experience that the Virgin Mary had and how wonderful the Lord is, make an effort to yield your own self to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to personally overshadow you during this special season. He is Emmanuel, God with us. When you open your heart to Him, you will find that He is waiting to minister to you. As He breathes upon you, you will experience new life and hope and know that He is a God beyond measure. +++

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12/20/05
FAITH'S RESPONSE

Scripture: Luke 1:45 "Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."

Gabriel, a special angel, was sent by God to speak good tidings to two individuals. As he delivered his message he received two opposite responses to the words that he spoke. One response was filled with faith while the other was clouded with doubt. When Gabriel told the priest, Zechariah, that he would become the father of John the Baptist, Zechariah responded by saying, "How shall I know this?" He wanted solid proof, but by questioning the validity of the message, he questioned the validity of the messenger (verse 18). Zechariah's doubt provoked the angel and Gabriel told him, "You shall be dumb, and not be able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed, because you didn't believe my words."

Gabriel's second visit was to a young virgin named Mary, who was destined to become the mother of Jesus. Questions also arose in Mary's mind. However, her questions were not the result of unbelief, but rather dealt with the information that she might have needed to fulfill the promise. In Luke 1:34 she said, "How shall this be, since I don't know a man?" She was possibly wondering if this great miracle would happen through natural means as she informed the angel that she was a virgin. Gabriel answered her question with these words, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God." When she realized that it would come about supernaturally, she began to rejoice saying, "Be it unto me according to your word." Mary was blessed because she believed.

How often do we hear from God and go through great struggles with the words that He has revealed to us? Like Zechariah, we often ask, "How do I know this promise is true," rather than saying, like Mary, "How shall this be?" When God speaks, He doesn't want us to question His word, but He does want us to ask for His direction to bring about that word. Most of the time there are necessary steps in the natural that must be taken for God's words to come to pass so God wants to reveal His plans to us. For instance, when God speaks to a minister to build a new church, faith arises in the minister's heart. He grasps the vision but physical actions have to be taken on his part for the word of faith to come to pass. Regardless of whether God plans to do a natural or a supernatural work through us, He still desires a faith response to His initial word. In essence, our attitude should be like Mary's, "I believe You, God. How is this going to happen and what do you want me to do so that there will be a performance of those things which you have spoken to me?" +++

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12/21/05
DON'T ABANDON YOUR DESTINY

Scripture: Matthew 1:20 " ... Fear not to take unto thee Mary as thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost."

Mary and Joseph were espoused to be married. 'Espoused' among the Hebrews was the legal part of the marriage, meaning that the legal documents had been completed and signed, and that the marriage date had been set. Even though Mary and Joseph had not come together as man and wife, this legal binding could only be broken by a bill of divorcement. In the midst of the season of their espousal, Joseph learned that Mary was with child. His first thoughts were to put her away privately so as not to expose her to public shame. While he thought upon these things, the angel of the Lord spoke to him. The angel told Joseph not to fear to take Mary as his wife because the child in Mary's womb had been conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Without fully realizing what was happening in his life, Joseph was in the perfect will of God. God had chosen him to be the husband of Mary and to act as the natural father who was to care for the Messiah child, Jesus. For the next few years, Joseph was to protect and provide for the beloved Son of God. He was also destined to be the instrument that God would use to fulfill many of the prophecies of old as he followed the leading of the Lord and obeyed the visitations of the angels. But now because of the purpose of God and the divine conception of the Holy Ghost, Joseph was facing public shame and misunderstanding. In the midst of this conflict, Joseph almost abandoned his destiny by putting Mary away privately, but God faithfully intervened and kept him on course.

Like Joseph's walk with the Lord, God leads us in our natural paths to fulfill His supernatural purposes. Often we have no idea that God has set before us divine appointments. We just proceed in the natural toward our goals and plans, thinking that we are only pursuing our dreams and visions, when in reality God has caused us to conceive those desires by planting them in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. God then opens and closes doors by His wisdom and leads us unknowingly down His paths that He has designed. Suddenly, the season comes for His perfect plan to be accomplished in our life and great conflicts may accompany it. We may face many challenges, yet we must never give in to fear or abandon the destiny that God has for us. We must continue to hold on to the things that have been conceived in our hearts by the Holy Spirit and allow God to complete His work and His plan. As we allow God to work in our lives, we will stand in wonder as we find ourselves in the right place at the right time, accomplishing something for His kingdom that we never thought possible. +++

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12/22/05
A SOUND OF A BABY'S CRY

Scripture: John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

In the beginning, Jesus was with God and He was God, but He came to Earth and took upon Himself human flesh so that He could dwell among us and ultimately become the sacrifice for our sins. Jesus was unique in that He was true deity and also common humanity. Before His birth, there had been four hundred years of silence between the time of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Then suddenly, in the fullness of time, the Son of God was born and the sound of this Baby's cry heralded a new message on Earth. His cry meant that light had come to shatter the forces of darkness and that eternal salvation had come to mortal man.

As the silence of those years ended with His cry, many validated that the Messiah had come. The angels declared the good tidings of great joy saying that the Savior, which is Christ the Lord, had been born. They praised God and declared peace on Earth and good will toward men. Years later, John the Baptist said, "Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world." And Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." God the Father also spoke from Heaven and said, "This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Satan, Himself, recognized Jesus as the Messiah and challenged Him by mingling these words of doubt in His ears, "If Thou be the Son of God." Even the soldiers at the cross acknowledged who Jesus was by saying, "Surely this was the Son of God."

If you have ever had a baby born into your life, you know the vast meaning of hearing their cry for the first time. It means that things will never be the same again in your household, for from their first cry, your life is changed forever. So it was with the Baby Jesus. His cry brought change and hope to all mankind. Today, we look for Him in beautiful cathedrals that are filled with beautiful music and fail to realize that He is everywhere and that He is crying out for us. He wants to intervene in our silence and give meaning to our lives. If we listen for Him, we will hear His cry, and if we look for Him, we will experience the glory of this only begotten Son of God and also understand His grace and truth. +++

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12/23/05
ONE SOLITARY LIFE

Scriptures: Luke 2:10 - 11 & 1:31 - 33 "Fear not: I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Thou shalt call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest ... And He shall reign forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end."

He was born in an obscure village.
He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty.
He then became an itinerant preacher.
He never wrote a book. He never held an office.
He never had a family or owned a house.
He didn't go to college. He had no credentials but Himself.
While He was still a young man, the tide of public opinion turned against Him and His friends ran away.
He went through a trial that was a mockery.
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves.
While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth, and that was His coat.
When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave.

Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today
He is the central figure of the human race.
All the armies that have ever marched,
All the navies that have ever sailed,
All the parliaments that have ever sat,
And all the kings that have ever reigned have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that ...
ONE SOLITARY LIFE ...

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May your Christmas be blessed as you celebrate the Birth of this One Solitary Life.

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A Word In Due Season
5th Week of December 2005

12/27/05
HIS NAME

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

These prophetic words were about Jesus, the Messiah, who was to come and be the Sovereign Lord of all mankind. Isaiah saw that Jesus' character would encompass several categories and that His name would be called accordingly. He would be Wonderful, meaning that from the very beginning, His life would be surrounded by wonders. Jesus would be supernaturally conceived of a virgin and live a sinless life on this earth. He would perform signs and wonders in His ministry; heal the sick, restore sight to the blind, and cause the deaf to hear. He would also make the lame to walk and would have the power to cast out evil spirits. He would speak life into the dead and He, Himself, would experience resurrection. His entire life would be a total wonder.

Jesus was also destined to be a supernatural Counselor and would bring words of eternal life to the multitudes. His words would be filled with wisdom and authority, as He would only speak the words that the Father gave Him to speak. Even the doctors in the temple were astonished at Jesus' understanding and the answers He provided for them when He was just twelve years old. As the mighty God, the Spirit of the Lord would be upon Him anointing Him to do the work that He was sent to do. The enemy would not be able to prevail against Jesus, as He would conquer evil and take the keys of death, Hell, and the grave from Satan. Jesus would show Himself as the everlasting Father, loving and caring for the needs of the people. And He would be the Prince of Peace who would rule in the hearts of men, bringing them out of their tormenting bondage.

Jesus is a wonderful person who has been given a Name above every name. He is all that you need, whether it is a mighty God to perform a miracle for you or just a friend or Counselor to talk with. He said that He would never leave you or forsake you, and He is there to care for you and meet your daily needs like a loving friend or Father. Jesus will guide you through the storms, comfort you, and give you light when things begin to overwhelm you. He will take every burden from your heart and bear it upon His own shoulders. He is your Prince of Peace, your Everlasting Father, your Counselor, your Mighty God, and He will show Himself as Wonderful in every aspect of your life. +++

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12/28/05
DEEPER REVELATION OF JESUS

Scripture: Ephesians 1:17 "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him ... "

These words were a portion of the prayer that Paul prayed for the saints at the church in Ephesus. You would think that the saints in the church where Paul had visited personally would have had a deeper revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ. But knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus in a personal way are two different matters. When you truly know Jesus, your heart is flooded with light and you experience the riches of His glory. This is the depth of knowledge that Paul had of Jesus and he desired the same for the church. He didn't want them to just have a small glimpse of Jesus. Instead, he wanted them to have an intimate relationship with Jesus and know Him in the fullness of His power.

Like the saints at the church in Ephesus, there are many today whose vision of Jesus is limited. He is only seen twice a year during the special holidays. During the Christmas season, Jesus is seen as the baby in the manger. Then at Easter, He is seen as the suffering Savior on the cross and the celebrated risen Lord. The rest of the year, Jesus may be overlooked. After attending church on a holiday, a lady once asked why the church only used Christmas poinsettias or Easter lilies in their floral arrangements at the altar. Her limited knowledge revealed that she only visited the church twice a year. How sad.

God has better plans for you. He never intended for your concept of Jesus to be just the babe in the manger or suffering man on the cross. Jesus is to be your constant companion for He said, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). He is "Emmanuel, God is with you" (Matthew 1:23). Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. When you face a dark valley, He is your Shepherd that walks beside you. He will lead you, protect you, and comfort you in the midst of the shadows. In the darkness, Jesus is your Bright and Morning Star. In the dry dusty desert, He is your Living Water. In hunger, He is your Bread of Life. In the storms of life, He is the still small Voice that speaks peace to your spirit and it is His presence that calms your soul. He is your Friend who is closer than your brother. And Jesus is so much more. Come to know Him. Pray the same words that Paul prayed; that God would open your eyes and give you a deeper revelation of Jesus Christ. +++

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12/29/05
THE PERFECT GIFT

Scripture: James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

We all like to receive gifts, but there is only one perfect gift that is available to us. Our Father in Heaven knew exactly what we needed so He sent us a gift of light and eternal life. His gift was called Jesus Christ, who was God's only begotten Son. Jesus Christ is not just another philosophy of life, He is Life itself. Nor is He a reflection of the light, He is the Light. John 1:4 tells us that He is the good and perfect gift that came down from the Father of lights and is the Light of all men.

Jesus never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. There is no variation in His values or commands, for they have remained the same throughout all of the ages. He doesn't change like a shadow that increases and decreases throughout the day. If we want to know what He will do for us to today all we have to do is read the accounts of His life in the scriptures and see the things that He did when He was here on the Earth in His flesh. Even though He went back to Heaven, He sent the presence of the Holy Spirit back to Earth to be our Helper and to continue His work in our lives. He still loves and forgives those in the deepest of sin. He is still concerned for those who need a meal to eat. He still has compassion for the diseased and mercy for the demon possessed. He continues to be touched by every feeling that we have and still cries when we cry. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother and He will never let us down. He is absolute truth and what He did in the past, He will do today.

When we think about our lives today, we may wonder who we can trust and what we can believe, for we realize that life gives us no guarantees. We know that at some point our friends and family may fail us and that we can't rest in the security of our circumstances or trust in our positions. Yet there is security that can be found and it is in the One who never changes. We can be assured that Jesus will be there in every situation and cause all things to work together for our good. In every situation, we must keep our eyes on Him and those things that are eternal. We must make Jesus our hope of security and let go of everything in our life that is temporal. As we hold on to the eternal, His life and His light will become our hope. +++

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12/30/05
FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END

Scripture: Deuteronomy 11:12 "The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon the land, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year."

Just as God gave a promise to His people that He would care for the land that He had given them, to watch over it and to water it with rain from heaven, He makes promises to us concerning our life. This wonderful God that we serve promises to finish the things that He starts in our lives. This is the nature of His character, for He is the "author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Revelation 22:13 also tells us that He is the "Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." He commits Himself to be there from the start to the finish. Paul told us that he, himself, was confident of this very thing, that He who had begun a good work in us would perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Right up to the time that Jesus returns, we can be sure that God will never give up and will continue working on us and developing perfection in us (Philippians 1:6).

This is quite contrary to our habits. As the old year ends and a new one begins, we make our New Year's resolutions. We are bound and determined to make changes in our lives. And as we plan, we are very excited about the new turn that we are going to take. We plan to discipline ourselves in various ways such as exercise, diet, devotionals, or spending more time with the family. But soon into the new year, our plans start falling apart. We can't seem to get it together or to finish what we so adamantly started. What is our answer?

I Peter 5:7 says, "Cast your cares upon Jesus for He cares for you." Just as God cared for His people and their land in the past, He also cares for you. He wants you to succeed in your every effort that is noble in His eyes. He wants you to prosper and be in good health. He knows that exercise, diet, and relationships are important. The Lord truly cares for every aspect of your personal life and He wants to help you keep your resolutions. Psalms 37:5 says, "Commit your ways unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass." As you think about those things that you want to change in the New Year, commit them to God and ask Him to help you. Release the struggle and allow Him to take the care of it upon Himself, for He really does care for you. As you lean upon Him, He will impart His strength and virtue into your life. You will not only be able to begin, but you will also be able to finish those things that you committed to do from the very beginning of the year to the end of the year. +++

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