A Word In Due Season
1st Week of February 2005

02/01/05
DECISION TO CHANGE

 
Scripture:  Luke 15: 17  "And when he came to himself ..."
 
When the prodigal son reached the very bottom of his circumstances and found himself sitting with the pigs and desiring their food, he came to his senses.  When he came to himself, he saw the results of his own choices and decided that he had been in this mess long enough.  This wakeup call caused him to change his thinking and he made the decision to go back to his father's house where he belonged.  Regardless of the humiliation that he would face and the unrighteous judgment that he would receive from others, he depended upon the mercy and faithfulness of his father and hoped to enjoy the benefits of his forgiveness.  His intentions were to repent, ask for forgiveness, and possibly get a job as a hired servant in his father's house.  This was the best that he hoped for.
 
The ways of the prodigal son are not foreign to us, for we have all failed and come short of the glory of God.  We want to think that we are spiritual enough to be beyond that point, but the truth is that the desires of our heart and the lust of our flesh many times lead us astray, if not for long seasons at least for brief moments.  The prophet Jeremiah said, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and is desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9).  There have been times that I have asked my own self, "Can I get any more confused about the desires of my heart than I am right now?"  My true desire was to walk wisely in the things of the Lord but the foolishness of my heart was pulling the other direction.  Like Paul, there was a war going on in my spirit.  The things I wanted to do I did not do and the things I didn't want to do, I did (Romans 7:19).
 
The Lord searches our hearts and He knows the secrets that lie in every chamber.  We can't hide anything from Him, for His Spirit not only discerns the thoughts but also the intents of our heart.  We may put up a good front but the Holy Spirit knows if our hearts are in the right place or if we are like the prodigal son and are actually sitting in a spiritual pigpen, estranged from our Heavenly Father.  Solomon said, "He that trust in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walks wisely, he shall be delivered" (Proverbs 28:26).  If we want to walk wisely, we cannot allow ourselves to trust in our own hearts or follow after our own desires.  Like the prodigal son, we must come to ourselves and make a decision to find our way back to the Father and ask Him to help us walk down the narrow paths that He has ordained for us.  When He sees us turn from our own ways, He will welcome our submission to Him and celebrate our choice to fulfill His will. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/02/05
WORKED UP OVER NOTHING
 
Scripture:  Luke 10:41 (Message Bible)  "You're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing."
 
Can you imagine Jesus telling you that you are fussing far too much and worked up over nothing?  These are the words that He spoke to Martha when she was disturbed because Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet.  Martha was so busy that she could not embrace the wonder of the moment.  The miracle worker, Jesus, was there in her presence but she had more important things to do than to just stop and sit at His feet.  Instead of listening to the awesome revelations that were proceeding from His lips, she received a kind rebuke.  Jesus let Martha know that she was troubled about too many things in her life and was burdened with responsibilities that she needed to put aside for a season.  She desperately needed to let go of the concerns of life and make Jesus the Lord of her life for a moment.
 
Life is a journey that is meant to be enjoyed, but the tragedy is that we often get so busy that we miss life itself.  Like Martha, our natural obligations take precedence over the things that are eternally important.  Joyce Meyer said that we become a "functional dysfunctional."  We make ourselves into slaves and serve the need to serve.  God never instructed us to be busy about so many things.  He told us to abide in Him and in His words so that our prayers would be answered and our lives would be fruitful and fulfilled.  God never promised rewards to those who were just busy.  He said the fruitful life is the one that brings glory to God (John 15:8).  We must learn the difference between what is good and what is best.  Jesus was never stressed or in a frenzy because He had the wisdom to pull away from everything that surrounded Him so that He could spend time with His Father and also rest His natural body.
 
Take a close look at your daily commitments and be honest in your evaluation of your responses to life.  Are you like Martha?  Are you finding yourself fussing far too much and worked up over nothing?  If you take a moment to consider Mary's approach to life, you will notice that she didn't allow the burdens of life to steal the precious moments that were offered to her.  She let everything go just to sit and rest at the feet of Jesus.  Jesus extends the same invitation to you.  He says, "Come unto me all you that are heavy laden and I will give you rest."  When you come to Jesus and rest in His presence, your attitudes will change because your burdens will become light.  Instead of being worked up about nothing and worn out over everything, you will have peace in your spirit and fresh strength for your body and soul. +++
 

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/03/05
GOD LOOKS FOR FAITH
 
Scripture: Mark 2:5  "When Jesus saw their faith ..."
 
Four men went to great trouble to bring their friend to Jesus.  They had such faith that Jesus was the answer to their friend's need that they literally tore the roof apart to get him there.  When Jesus saw their tenacious faith, He healed their friend.  There were many needs there that day, but Jesus responded to the need that exercised faith.  He saw that by their desperate actions these men believed in Him and had faith in His healing power.
 
When Jesus ministered in His own hometown, however, He was not able to do many mighty works because of the unbelief in the hearts of the people (Matthew 13:58).  The people heard Jesus teach in the synagogue and were astonished at His wisdom.  They also marveled at the mighty works that He did, but they were offended because of His humble estate.  Even after seeing His mighty works, they would not believe because they were too familiar with Him as a person and knew His family.  They said, "Is this not the carpenter's son?"  They just couldn't find it in their hearts to honor Him as the Messiah.  Their unbelief made it impossible for them to receive from His gracious hand.  Likewise, our natural minds are trained to limit God and find reasons not to believe.  Too often, we underestimate God and in so doing, we fail to receive what He has already provided.
  
God is still attracted by faith!  He looks for it.  II Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the Lord search back and forth across the whole Earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect toward Him, so that He can show His great power in helping them."  God longs to show His great power in your situation.  He wants to heal you, provide for your needs, and deliver you in times of trouble.  He watches to see if there is faith in your heart and if you are desperate to get your needs met.  James 5:17 says, "The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."  James referred to Elijah, a man with passions like us, who prayed seven times for rain to come.  When his prayer was not answered the first time, he just kept on asking.  He knocked and kept on knocking.  His perseverance in prayer was like the men who brought their friend to Jesus.  Just like these men, Elijah had no intention of giving up.  True faith carries the burden until an answer comes and the victory is won.  It will not quit and it will not allow adversity or circumstances to hinder it.  True faith will tear up a roof if necessary to get to Jesus.  Faith is a force that reaches the heart of God and when Jesus sees it, it's impossible for Him not to respond. +++
 

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/04/05
NO COMPLAINTS
 
Scripture:  Philippians 2:14  "Do all things without complaining or arguing."
 
Does this mean that we are to do everything without complaining and have a right attitude in every situation?  That sounds a bit hard.  Our first thought is that the Apostle Paul, who wrote these words of instructions, probably didn't understand all the hardships that we would have to face.  He must not have known that we would have people on the job, our families, and others in our social life to contend with.  He must not have realized that we would have assignments that we didn't want to do.  The trash would have to be taken out and the lawn kept.  There would be meals to cook and dishes and clothes to wash every day.  Paul should have made allowances for some of these complaints.  Yet we fail to consider that Paul went through much worse tribulation and persecution than we will probably ever experience, and still remained without complaint.
 
These few words, "Do all things without complaining or arguing", lay a lot of responsibility upon us, yet they're not meant to be burdensome.  Instead, they are meant to be for our good, for the apostle Paul spoke these words knowing quite well that God was working in us to do His will and His good pleasure (verse 13).  When God speaks, He wants His believers to simply obey His words, and verse fourteen through fifteen tells us why.  The reason we are to obey without complaining is because our very actions speak of Jesus to a world that Paul described as crooked and perverse.  When we live without murmuring and refuse to engage in disputes, we become blameless and harmless before them and without rebuke.  They can find no legitimate cause in their refusal to hear our message concerning the gospel.
 
One minister suggested that the way to break the habit of murmuring was to write each complaint on paper.  Then, when we saw some our complaints written out, we would realize how trivial our thoughts really are.  Without a doubt, we must work to control our tongue and keep our attitude intact so that our labor is not in vain (Verse 16).  When we do all things with joy, our witness will become as a shining light or like stars in the universe to all those about us as we hold forth the Word of Life. +++ 

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================

A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of February 2005

02/07/05
FORGIVEN

 
Scripture:  Psalms 32:1-2  "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord does not impute iniquity ..."
 
It is very easy to understand why David wrote these words concerning the Lord's forgiveness, for he had failed miserably during his lifetime.  Even though he loved God intimately with all of his heart and had written many beautiful psalms of praise and worship, he still managed to fall into gross sin.  In a moment of uncontrolled passion, he allowed his soul to lust after Bathsheba, and then followed those thoughts into adultery and murder.  Yet when David confessed his sins, he experienced the mercy and gracious forgiveness of a loving God and he realized how blessed he was that God had forgiven him.  David recognized that God did not impute or hold his iniquity against him.  Nor did God remove His Holy Spirit from David.  Instead He covered David's sins, renewed a right spirit within him, and restored the joy of his salvation.
 
This is an encouragement to us all because God's word tells us that we all have sinned.  In fact I John 1:9 says that if we say that we have no sin, we make God a liar.  And we know that God cannot lie.  But even though we do sin and fall short of what God expects from us, we can be thankful that God does not impute our iniquity.  Impute means to "consider, make account of, or think about in a malicious way."  According to David, God doesn't go around keeping account or adding up all of our transgressions.  We would be in serious trouble if He did.  Neither does God think about us and our sins in a malicious way, wondering how He can punish us with disease and suffering.  This is not God's way.  He is not bitter or hateful towards us, but full of love, mercy, and grace, for He is our Father.
 
I shop at a store that issues membership cards and the one I use is tax-free.  When I checked out recently I told the cashier that my items were for personal use and that tax should be charged.  However, the tax did not show up on the receipt.  After ringing the items again, he called a manager who could not figure out what the problem was either.  She took me over to the courtesy booth to see the store manager who finally determined that all of my purchases were food items and were non-taxable.  All this time, I had been concerned because I felt that I needed to pay for something, which in reality, I did not owe.  That's how it is with sin.  When we sin, we feel indebted because of our sense of guilt.  Yet, there is no debt laid to our charge because God doesn't keep a sin and transgression tab on us.  There is no way that we can pay the price for the forgiveness of our sins, for forgiveness doesn't come through mere penitence but was paid for in full by Jesus on the cross of Calvary.  God is the one who forgives because of Jesus' sacrifice.  We are blessed and set free when we understand the meaning of David's words and realize that God really is not imputing or counting up all of our iniquities.  God's forgiveness is available to us through a simple formula.  His word says, "If we confess, God forgives." +++ 

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/08/05
DOERS OF THE WORD
 
Scripture:  James 1:22  "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
 
A cartoon showed an elderly couple sitting at a counter in a diner.  The gentlemen spoke to his wife and made mention of the older couple who were sitting at the other end of the counter.  With a hint of criticism, he told his wife, "That's probably what you and I will look like in about ten years or so."  She responded to him saying, "You do realize that's a mirror at the end of the counter, don't you?"  The man could not see himself as he really was and truly thought that he was in much better shape than the reflection that was peering back at him.  Little did he realize that his age and everything that comes with aging had caught up with him, even his poor eyesight.
 
Many times we are like this gentleman.  We don't see ourselves as we really are and can't see the spiritual lack that has occurred in our soul because it has come upon us so gradually.  We have become lukewarm in our spirits, and as we look at others, our criticisms define our own deficiencies.  Even though we faithfully attend church services, read the word, and listen to good gospel music, James tells us there is more.  He said we must not only hear the word, we must also be doers of the word.  In verse twenty seven, he expounds on this subject and defines true religion by saying that it is "to visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions, and to keep yourself unspotted from the world."  He said that if we are only religious and are not doing the word or taking care of these matters, we are deceiving ourselves and our religion is vain.  He says that we are like a man who looks at himself in a mirror, but goes away and forgets what he has seen.
 
If the woman in the story above had not corrected her husband, he would have continued his life with a wrong assumption of his current state.  He needed someone to point out the error of his thinking.  So it is with us.  As we look into ourselves, we need God to enlighten the eyes of our understanding and help us to know what areas we need to change.  God is very eager to help us, for we are the body of Christ.  It is Christ within us that is the hope of His glory and He wants us to be useful in His kingdom.  We are His hands to help, His ears to listen, His eyes to help guide, and we are His shoulder to lean upon.  As we start each new day with our devotionals and Bible study, let us be reminded of this thought and ask God to lead us to those who need His help so that we can become not only hearers of His word but also doers of His word. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/09/05
THE SEARCH FOR WISDOM

Scripture:  Proverbs 2:7  (Amplified)  "God hides away sound and godly Wisdom and stores it for the righteous - those who are upright and in right standing with Him."

God appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked, "What would you like for me to give to you?"  Solomon responded to God and God granted his request.  God gave Solomon the capacity for a wise and understanding heart and I Kings 3:12 tells us that there was never anyone so wise as Solomon.  Yet with this gift of God upon his life, Solomon still had to apply himself to acquire the wisdom that God had stored up for him.  Solomon said, "I gave my heart to seek and search out wisdom concerning all things" (Ecclesiastes 1:13).
 
The gift of wisdom is no different than any other gift.  If you have been given the gift of a musician, you still must study and practice your music.  In the same manner, wisdom doesn't come automatically because of age or position and cannot be measured by the number of gray hairs that may have been acquired along the way.  It comes by a diligent search and application of the natural and godly laws and reasoning.  Proverbs 2:4 tells us that we have to seek for wisdom as though we were seeking for silver, and we have to search for it as though we were searching for gold.  Our search for silver and gold causes us to spend many years seeking an education to gain knowledge so that we can obtain lucrative positions.  Then, for the rest of our lives we schedule our days to seek for the silver we deserve, making our professions our priority.  We rise early, come home late, work extra hours, and make tremendous sacrifices to obtain the financial status we desire.
 
Solomon said that if we desire godly Wisdom, we are going to have to seek for it in the same manner as we would seek for silver and gold.  Our quest for wisdom must become a priority in our lives and will demand sacrifice.  The Message Bible tells us that in order to obtain wisdom, we must search for it like a prospector panning for gold or an adventurer on a treasure hunt.  They separate themselves from the normal to focus on their search and are not satisfied until they lay claim to the expected treasure.  Regardless of the hardships they have to endure, they continue to search in faith and hope until their diligence is rewarded.  When they finally find the hidden treasure, they recover every ounce and guard it carefully.  Wisdom is a hidden treasure of the Lord, which He has stored up and has given us the capacity to receive.  Yet, wisdom only comes to us as we diligently search for it as though it was as precious as silver and gold.  When God sees that we value His wisdom that much, He will allow us to find it. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/10/05

RULING YOUR SPIRIT

Scripture: Proverbs 25:28 "He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down."

When this scripture was written, cities were fortified by walls and gates, which gave the inhabitants privacy and also protected them from the outside world. Watchmen who were placed on the walls decided who came in and who went out of the city. A city that was broken down was a city whose walls and gates had been destroyed by the enemy, leaving it open and vulnerable. This same sort of situation happens in the spiritual realm. When you do not discipline yourself and exercise self-control, Solomon said that you become like a city that is broken down and without walls. Imagine your spirit as a city without a wall around it. When you are in this state, you are vulnerable not only to the temptations of sins, but also the evil attacks of Satan. You become less discerning and watchful because your own addictions, desires, and impulses begin to take charge and rule over you. You become out of control concerning what comes in and out of your spirit because your flesh is ruling.

How can you take charge and restore your spiritual walls? Galatians 5:24-25 says that you have to "crucify the affections and lusts of the flesh." Paul said if you want to "live in the Spirit, you must walk in the Spirit." Walking is a continual effort, meaning that you rule your spirit step by step by submitting to the rule of God. You allow His fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control) to dictate your life. They become the walls that not only protect you from within, but also protect you from the harm that is without, allowing you to live in health and happiness.

If you allow the enemy's fruit (hate, grief, anxiety, impatience, doubt, arrogance, and lack of self-control) to rule and control you, you allow yourself to be destroyed from within. When the enemy is able destroy you from within by tearing down your walls and gates of protection, he is then able to attack you from without. He takes advantage of the emotional stress that he has caused in your life and uses it to plague you with physical illnesses. You must rise up, resist him, and disallow him to break down your walls. It takes strength to conquer your passions but God has given you the ability to rule your own spirit by walking in God's Spirit. When you reach this place, you will be mightier than one who is able to conquer a city (Proverbs 16:32). +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/11/05
PERFECT PEACE

Scripture: Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you: because he trusts in You."

Fear presents itself to us suddenly and from many directions. The enemy of our soul seeks to use this tool to draw our focus away from God and His promises and causes us to dwell on our impossible situation. He is like a wolf that cuts the small lamb away from the flock so that he can devour it. If he can cause you to stray from God's word and promises, he can cause doubt and confusion to come into your spirit in any given situation. He will move in and begin to torment you during illnesses, telling you that you will never be healed. He will wage a major attack on your mind when financial situations can't be met. He will tell you that your problems with relationships cannot be solved. He will try to confuse you as you seek to make life-changing decisions. And he will discourage the hope that you have in your heart for a better future. He is a thief that comes to take your peace and joy. John 10:10 describes this thief as one that "comes to steal, kill, and destroy."

God, however, has a promise for those who resist the devil and who refuse to focus on his deception. God says, "If you will just keep your mind on Me and what I can do, then you will have perfect peace regardless of the situation." God sees your heart and emotions. When you express fear, you are telling God that you don't think that He is able. So when fear strikes, you must make a decision, whom you will trust; your heavenly Father or the father of lies? It is a simple choice, but it is your choice. If you choose to focus on God and make Him your source of provision, you will have perfect peace. If you focus on the problem, you will be in turmoil.

Fear opens the door for the thief. God spoke many times throughout the scriptures and said, "Fear not." He has an answer to every question and a solution to every dilemma. He doesn't want you to fear anything at anytime. God wants you to have total confidence in Him. Proverbs 3:5 &8 says, "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not upon your own understanding ... It shall be health to your nerves." If you put your trust in God and keep your mind constantly upon Him, you will close the door to fear, and God will give you perfect peace that passes all understanding. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================

A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of February 2005

02/14/05
GOD IS LOVE

Scripture: I John 4:16 "God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them."

Love originates with God. God is love therefore love is God. You can't separate the two nor have one without the other. We are not talking about a sensual kind of love, but that supreme quality that is manifested by giving one's life for another. Words of love are easy to say and cards expressing love are inexpensive to purchase. God could have just spoken words of love to us through the scriptures, but He didn't. He chose to go much further than that. He manifested His love in action. God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us so that He could set us free from sin's snare and give us eternal life (John 3:16). This is the love of God. It is rich and it is pure, for while we were sinners, Christ died for us. His love can not be earned or bought and is not based on our performance, but comes to us as a free gift and is eternal.

I John 4:19 says, "We love God because He first loved us." The next verses tell us that we can't say that we love God when we hate our brother, for love and hate cannot be mingled in the same vessel. If mingled, they will neutralize one another. God has given us a commandment that if we are going to love Him, we must also love our brothers and sisters. Every act that we do and every word that we speak should be preceded by love. The Apostle Paul said that if love is not working in our life, we are like noisy gongs or clanging cymbals, making a lot of empty noise. Real love has substance and makes sacrifices. The price of God's love was that He allowed His Son to hang on a cruel cross. When love is in our hearts there is also a price that we must pay. Paul lists the demands and sacrifices that love makes in our lives in I Corinthians 13:4-8.

(Amplified Bible)

1) Love endures long and is patient.
2) Love is kind.
3) Love is never envious or boils over with jealousy.
4) Love is not boastful or vainglorious.
5) Love does not display itself haughtily.
6) Love is not conceited - arrogant and inflated with pride.
7) Love is not rude and does not act unbecomingly.
8) Love does not insist on its own rights or its own way.
9) Love is not self-seeking.
10) Love is not touchy, fretful, or resentful.
11) Love takes no account to the evil done unto it,and pays no attention to suffered wrong.
12) Love does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness.
13) Love rejoices when right and truth prevails.
14) Love bears up under anything and everything that comes.
15) Love is ever ready to believe the best of every person.
16) Love's hopes are fadeless under all circumstances and endures everything (without weakening).
17) Love never fails - never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end. +++


Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/15/05
PURE FOUNTAINS
 
Scripture:  James 3:11  "Does a fountain send forth at the same time sweet water and bitter?"
 
James was drawing a parallel between a literal fountain of water and the living water that flows from the soul and spirit of man, for Jesus said that out of your belly would flow rivers of living water.  James made it clear that just as a fountain of water cannot be sweet and bitter at the same time, neither can the spirit of man be pure when contaminated with the things of the world.  Whatever we put into our spirits is going to flow out of the fountains of our life.  If you have ever been to the beach and got a little salt water mixed in with your fresh drinking water, you can understand and appreciate this analogy very well.  For you know that just a little salt water ruins the taste and effects of the fresh water and makes it unfit to drink.
 
Did you know that you can add poison to water and it will not be visible?  Yet when consumed, it becomes a deadly drink.  It only takes just a little poison to have a negative effect.  None of us would intentionally poison those about us, yet many times we disburse water from our souls that is not pure and it becomes like poison to those that receive it.  James said that blessing and cursing cannot proceed from the same mouth.  You cannot bless and praise God and then curse those about you, for they were made in the image of God and God loves them.  You can't lie to one and then tell the truth to another without being a liar.  Neither can your heart be in peace and in strife at the same time.  You can't be a fig tree and produce berries or be a vine and produce figs.  It doesn't work that way in nature and it won't work that way in the spirit either, for just the slightest amount of bitterness within your soul is going to ruin the sweetness of your witness.
 
We are who we are within.  Proverbs 4: 23 says, "Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."  Whatever is inside of our hearts is going to flow out, so we must live in God's grace and minister His grace to those that we come in contact with.  We must guard our hearts like we would a precious fountain of water in a dry and barren desert, for it is all that we have to sustain ourselves and is the source of our ministry to others.  We must not allow anything from within or from without to contaminate our spirits so that we can insure the sweetness of our fountain.  If we want to have a pure fountain, we must be filled with God's Spirit and His sweetness so there will be no room for bitterness. +++
 

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/16/05
FAITH AND PATIENCE
 
Scripture:  Hebrews 6:12  "Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."
 
God's work at Calvary is complete, unmovable, and eternal.  Our Christian life is based upon our acceptance of this finished work and our own personal faith in the promises of God.  God's promises are sure, for He is not a man that lies with His lips or repents and changes the decisions of His heart.  God's words are facts that have been established from the foundations of time.  They stand steadfast and remain true in all circumstances and at all times.  Whatever God says will come to pass, for His words never return to Him void but accomplish what they were sent forth to do.
 
The only variable in the situation is our faith and our patience towards what God has spoken, for it takes both faith and patience to receive His promises.  We have heard of the patience of Job, but we must remember that Job also had great faith.  He had enough faith to place his life in God's hands and declare, "Though He slay me, I will still trust Him" (Job 13:15).  That is unconditional faith that is not based on God's performance.  Faith doesn't say, "Give me the answer, then I will believe."  Faith says, "I believe and trust God regardless of what happens."  Job had enough patience to make it through the trial that he was selected to endure, for God Himself spoke to Satan and said, "Have you considered my servant Job?"  He brought Job to Satan's attention and then allowed Satan to take Job through an enormous test.  Passing this test was not easy for Job, yet Job's faith and patience survived and he received more at the end of his ordeal than he had at the beginning.      
 
When difficult pressures come our way, we may wonder about the status of God's promises and our own personal faith may tend to waver.  It may seem that life itself is just one painful problem after another.  Like the account with Job, the current trial that we are in may not end before another one begins.  And if we experience disappointments and failures in the midst of these challenges, we may even want to give up, as our faith may not have enough patience to endure the process.  Yet, it is only as we follow the example of Job and the other mighty saints of the scriptures that we will inherit the promises that God has left to us.  We must not be slothful but exhibit the same kind of faith and patience they had.  God has faith in us and we can be confident that He will not allow anything to come against us that is greater than we can bear.  Faith and patience is our banner of victory and as we stand steadfast, we will inherit His promises. +++
 

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/17/05
ENDURING THE PRESSURE
 
II Corinthians 1:8 & 9  " ... pressed out of measure, above strength ... that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God."
 
The Apostle Paul identified his own sufferings with those that Christ suffered and declared that his suffering had a purpose.  He believed that the hardships that had come to him because he preached the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ were not in vain but were meant to encourage other believers.  Even though he had been pressed out of measure and pushed beyond his strength until he despaired even of life itself, he was confident that God would deliver him in all situations.  Instead of trusting in himself, Paul put his trust in God and believed that the things he was experiencing would be a testimony of God's grace, mercy, and comfort.
 
We love to hear music played on a piano but did you know that it takes eleven tons of pressure on the strings of a piano to keep it in tune?  Each of the eighty-eight keys must be dealt with separately and each string must be stretched to its limit until the right tone is sounded.  It takes an expert to accomplish this feat.  In the end, no string can be loose, for just one key that is out of tune can disrupt the melody of the whole song.  If the piano were a living being, it would probably shout out a protest against this painful process, saying that it was too much to endure and that the results really weren't worth it.  Yet, when the piano is perfectly tuned, it makes beautiful music.  I have a piano that has several keys that are out of tune, and when played, the most noticeable notes are those that need to be corrected.  Anyone, even those who do not know music, can determine that the keys are out of tune
 
Our lives are similar.  God works with us very patiently in an effort to tune our lives so that we are able to make the right sounds in His kingdom.  It takes much faith to submit to God's tuning process, for many times it is an unpleasant ordeal as He takes us through things that are quite painful.  He allows pressures that we don't understand and that we think are unbearable, and just like the piano tuner, He works on us one string at a time.  He tightens our situations, stretches us to our very limits, and then listens carefully to the tones that are coming forth from our lives.  He doesn't want anything to be out of tune.  When He strikes a key, He wants us to be in harmony with His will and His purposes.  He has designed us to be an instrument of excellence in His kingdom.  There are others about us who are also listening and taking notice of the melodies of our lives.  They can discern when our lives are out of tune and they respond to the harsh notes they hear.  They also rejoice with the beautiful notes that come forth when our lives are submitted to God.  If we want to be an instrument that sounds forth Heaven's melodies, we cannot trust in ourselves but must trust in God.  We must submit ourselves to Him and allow Him to finely tune us and remember that the things in our lives that bring pressure in the natural will be the same things that will shape our lives and give beauty in the spiritual. +++
 

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/18/05
DIVINE SEASONS
 
SCRIPTURE:  Ecclesiastes 3:1  "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."
 
All of the seasons in nature are planned and set in motion by God.  There is no way for man to shorten the winter because of its cold or stop the summer because of its heat.  The beautiful spring with its mild weather and gentle rains cannot be prolonged and the crisp clear pleasant days of the fall cannot be lengthened.  The seasons remain in the hands of almighty God.  Likewise, the seasons in your personal life are divinely designed by God and cannot be altered.  Jeremiah 29:11 says that God knows the thoughts and plans that He has for you and it includes a future with hope and a destiny of fruitfulness.  Even in your senior years God has a plan for you.  Psalms 92:14 says, "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age."  All you must do is to flow in and out of the seasons and remain faithful.
 
There will be seasons like the fall when everything seems to be very clear and crisp in your spirit.  You seem to have exact direction and perfect vision and hope fills your heart as you anticipate the future.  Then, just when things are falling into place, coldness and the clouds of darkness begin to cover your seeds of hope.  For some length of time, your dreams remain dormant with seemingly no hope of life or fulfillment.  Then, just as suddenly as this disappointing and unproductive season came, it too passes and the singing of the birds come.  God begins to resurrect all that surrounds you and He restores your hopes and dreams.  He overwhelms you by giving life to the dormant seeds that you have harbored in your heart.  His Spirit refreshes your faith like the spring rain that falls upon the earth and He once again begins to accomplish His purposes in your life.  Eventually, the summer appears and there is an abundance of fruit that God is able to produce in your life because of your faithfulness to remain steady.
 
God never leaves you or forsakes you in these various seasons of your life.  Notice the trees that look so hopeless during the dormant season.  Their bark turns an ashen gray and their leaves, which were lush and green, change colors and fall.  The tree is left totally exposed with seemingly no life, no beauty, no purpose, and no hope.  It has no energy as its sap is drained, but the tree never waves its barren limbs at God and questions Him about its current and bleak situation, for it has experienced this place many times.  So, it takes the nourishment through its roots and patiently waits again for God's appointed season.  God never fails, and as the barren tree waits, its strength is renewed and a new season of growth comes.  It finds itself again flourishing.  Just like the tree, you must always remember that God has designs for your life.  The season you are in has been divinely ordained and appointed by Him.  Never be discouraged, but embrace it and patiently wait, for its purpose will be revealed. +++ 

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================

A Word In Due Season
4th Week of February 2005

02/21/05
SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE WEARY

Scripture:  Exodus 17:12  "Moses hands were weary ... and Aaron and Hur held up his hands."
 
While Joshua and the army of Israel fought against the armies of Amalek, Moses stood at the top of the hill with the rod of God in His hand.  Aaron and Hur stood by his side and as the battle raged, Moses lifted the rod that was in his hands.  When he lifted the rod up, the armies of Israel prevailed in battle, but when he lowered his hands, the Amalekites prevailed.  After a length of time, Moses finally became weary and could no longer hold the rod up.  Israel was destined for defeat, but Aaron and Hur got a stone for Moses to sit upon and they stood on each side of him and held his hands up.  Because of their effort and support, Joshua defeated Amalek and his army.
 
God calls each of us to act in the same way towards our brothers and sisters in Christ.  When we see that they are in a battle with the enemy, we need to stand by their side and support them.  We don't have to engage ourselves in their actual battle but we can intercede in prayer, give encouraging words, send a card of comfort, cook a meal, or do something to let them know that we care.  It may also be that we need to restore them in love if they have been overcome in sin.  In Galatians 6:2, Paul tells us to bear or carry one another's burdens.  It's in sharing each other's troubles and problems that we fulfill the command of the Lord.
 
There are all kinds of battles that rage against believers and there are needs that surround us every day.  All that we have to do is open our eyes and see them or allow our ears to be attentive to their cries.  Yet, we often walk in denial and try to ignore the obvious, because acknowledgement requires some sort of personal response and self-sacrifice.  Yet, meeting another person's need could be the one thing that brings victory in our own lives.  Job's captivity turned when he prayed for his friends who had judged him harshly.  And Isaiah 58:7-9 says that when we take care of the needs of others, our own light will break forth and health will come to our own bodies.  It's as we sow blessings that we reap and as we give that we receive.  Luke 6:38 says that whatever we share, it will be given back to us in a good measure, pressed down, and shaken together.  So when you discern that your brother or sister is weary in their battle, be the one to hold them up.  Your one soft word or your one kind deed may be the very thing that gives them the strength and help that they need to overcome and defeat their enemy. +++


Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/22/05
LEARN TO DO RIGHT
 
Scripture:  Isaiah 1:16-17  "Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doing from before My eyes; cease to do evil ... learn to do right."
 
We come into this world with a sin nature that we have inherited from Adam and Eve.  We don't have to be taught how to do wrong and neither do we have to put a lot of effort into becoming selfish and demanding.  It's also in our nature to be controlled by doubt and fear.  Just look at a newborn baby or the actions of an undisciplined child.  Their main interest lies in their own needs and desires.  They don't hesitate to impose upon others.  Their patience is limited and they demand immediate action regardless of how it may affect others.  Fear also looms in their hearts until trust is developed.  It's all too evident that a carnal nature rules in their spirits.
 
The prophet Isaiah said, "Learn to do right."  Just like the small child who must be taught to do right, we must learn at every level to do that which is right.  Learning comes by acquiring knowledge through study, experience, or consequence.  It is a gradual and continual process of making the appropriate adjustments in our own lives and attitudes.  Isaiah said, "Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean."  It is our responsibility to recognize the improprieties in our lives and put away the darkness and evil that lurks in our soul.
 
Below are some profound words from Helen Keller, a woman who was without sight or hearing.  Because of her physical impairments, she could have let bitterness rule her heart and chosen to live a life of confusion.  But she learned to do what was right.  She determined to live in peace, to demonstrate love, to keep her motives right, and to trust God with all of her heart.  In your effort to learn about life and do what is right, think on the wisdom of her words, allow them to penetrate your heart, and make them a daily goal for your life.   
 
    "I have four things to learn in life;
        To think clearly, without hurry or confusion;
        To love everybody sincerely;
        To act in everything with the highest of motives;
        To trust in God unhesitatingly."
         ... Helen Keller 
 


Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/23/05
TRUST GOD'S LIGHT

Scripture: Psalms 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Life is a wonderful journey with God as our guide. He covers the earth with His presence and each step that we take, He goes before us. He makes the crooked ways straight and gives light to our path. He never sleeps, slumbers, or takes vacations. He is with us and will always be with us until the end of the world. His hand is not shortened so that He cannot touch us, His ears are not deaf to our voices, and His eyes are not dim to see the things that surround us. He knows everything about the road that we are taking and He also knows what lies ahead.

We want to know what the future holds and desire that our way be flooded with light. Yet, even though God may give us a glimpse into the future, He most often gives us a lamp that only sheds light to our feet and to the next few steps that we are to take. He speaks into our lives and illuminates our spirits through His word. He leads us down the pathway one step at a time, gently taking us through valleys and strengthening us as we push our way up the mountains. He is there speaking to us when we must cross the rivers or the dry barren deserts. He is in our midst when things are calm and also when the storms of life are raging about us. He has a word for every season of our lives. He carries our burdens, shares our sorrows, and His love and compassions never end. He laughs with us and cries with us. He also celebrates when we celebrate and hurts when we hurt. He meets us at our present moment and gives us encouragement and hope in our journey.

A few years ago, I had to make a crucial decision that would affect the rest of my life. It was the hardest decision that I ever faced and it took months for me to come to a final conclusion. I sought the Lord, I followed His Spirit of peace, and I walked in all the light that I had at the time. God's light seemed to be a small circle around me and I could see nothing outside of the circumference of that circle because of the darkness that surrounded me. I had God's answer, but I could not see the end results. It was a very sad time as I did not know what the future held or if I would ever find joy again. After the decision was final and my commitment was made, the enemy began to sow doubt in my mind. He tormented me with thoughts in an effort to draw me back to his plan. Yet, God is always faithful and gives light within our being. As I sought the Lord, He reminded me of the light that He had shown within my heart when I was making my decision. His light had guided me through the darkest hours of my life and His word had been my lamp. He had spoken to me through His word and the devil was simply trying to put that light out with doubt and confusion. When I realized what was happening, faith arose within my heart and the peace of God assured me that I was going in the right direction. The circumstances had not changed so I disallowed the breath of Satan to blow out the light. I continued to walk in the light that I had experienced when I sought for God's answer. I set my heart to believe God and trust His word and promises although I could not see their fulfillment at the time. Years later, I know that I made the right decision and I wonder now how it could have been so hard at the time. Yet, I come to realize that there are dark shadows in every valley of decision. The harder the decision, the darker the shadows. Out of my experience, I want to encourage you to lean upon God on your journey through life. There will be many decisions and to make the best choices, you must allow God and His word to be a lamp to your feet and then trust in His light. +++


Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/24/05
SUBMISSION TO GOD
 
Scripture:  James 4:6-7  "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  Submit yourselves therefore to God."
 
We know God's character and are confident that He wants the best for us, but many times it is hard to let go and totally submit our lives to Him because of our pride.  It is in our nature to assert our privileges, claim our rights, and be in control.  Yet, when we do these things outside of God's bidding, we dishonor His sovereignty and leave ourselves vulnerable and unprotected, for disobedience removes us from the covering of God's protecting grace.  We are like a train that leaves the tracks in an effort to find freedom.  Yet, when it leaves the confines of the tracks, it finds itself not liberated, just derailed.
 
Submission means yielding.  If you have the right of way but see a big truck coming your direction, it is not the time to stand in the way and demand your rights.  You simply need to make an adjustment.  God's call to submission not only includes yielding ourselves to Him and His will as individuals, but also submission in other areas of our lives as well.  When we submit our lives in accordance with His word, we are in effect submitting to God.  Scriptures teach that we are called to submit one to another.  Children are to submit themselves to their parents and the young to their elders.  Wives are to submit themselves to their own husbands.  And we, as the church, are instructed to submit to the ordinances of men and to those who are in authority and have rule over us.  When we do not follow God's plan of submission, we find ourselves derailed spiritually.     
 
Submission to God's will, principles, and righteousness are an essential part of our walk with Him.  He wants us to move through life with an inward assurance that He is in control of every aspect of our life.  Like the derailed train, we cannot move away form God's sovereign design for our lives.  We must have an undivided heart towards Him, trusting that we are held securely in His hands.  We are to exercise patience and be in peace, knowing that whatever He has committed to us, we can place right back into His hands and ask for His help and direction.  We are never without His help, for He knows that we are but dust and that we need His wisdom that comes down from above.  We must ask for God's wisdom, trust His plan, and be thankful for all that He allows, knowing that whatever happens in our lives has eternal purposes in His mind.  He is our gracious Heavenly Father and we should ask Him to deal with anything in our lives that is contrary to His purposes.  As we humbly submit to His perfect will and timing, we can rest assured that there is nothing that affects us that doesn't also affect Him and that His grace will cover it all. +++
 


Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================
02/25/05
GO AND PREACH
 
Scripture:  Mark 16:20  "And they went forth, and preached ever where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following."
 
Jesus told His disciples to go into all of the world and preach the gospel to every creature, but He did not send them out empty handed.  He empowered them with His Holy Spirit and placed in their hands special gifts.  All they had to do was go, preach the word, and believe.  He made a promise that He would be with them where ever they went and that He would confirm His preached word with signs.
 
This promise takes the pressure out of our ministry to others, for we know that Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday and that He will be the same in the future.  There is no shadow of turning with Him.  He didn't send His original disciples out empty handed and He will not send us out empty handed either.  He promises that if we will take the first step, He will be with us all of the way.  He works with us by anointing us with the power of His Holy Spirit and filling our hands with signs and wonders so that He can fulfill the needs of those around us.  He simply said, "Go and preach."  He does the rest of the work.  If He doesn't do it, it won't happen.  We can explain the plan of salvation, but God regenerates the spirit of man.  We can talk about deliverance and peace, but God breaks the bondages and sets the soul free.  We can tell others about healing and financial provision, but only God can heal and provide.  It is all a work of His Holy Spirit.
 
Jesus told the church to go to the world.  He never told the world to go to the church.  He depends upon you and me to go and do His work.  We must cultivate a spirit of evangelism within our hearts and obey His words.  People are precious in His sight and many of them are in trouble.  They are hurting, lost, and need a friend to love them and show them direction.  We may think that our gifts are insignificant compared to the world's need, and we may feel that we have no answers.  But Jesus can touch them through our hands, be a voice to them through our lips, and listen to their problems through our ears.  We are the hope of His glory in the Earth.  All that we need to do is to go and preach His good news.  He will work with us confirming His word with signs and wonders. +++
 


Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================

A Word In Due Season
5th Week of February 2005

02/28/05
THAT WHICH IS NOT

Scripture:  Proverbs 23:5  "Will you set your eyes upon that which is not?
 
King Solomon, the richest and wisest man who ever lived, wrote these words concerning riches.  In this same verse, he continued to say, "Riches certainly make themselves wings and fly away as an eagle towards heaven."  Riches are fleeting and elusive so Solomon advised in verse four, "Labor not to be rich and cease from your own wisdom."   
 
These words are just as true today as they were the day that Solomon wrote them about 700 to 950 years before Christ was born.  For in very recent days, we have seen secure jobs terminated, retirement benefits lost, and market investments diminished.  The hopes and futures of many innocent people have been dashed to pieces through no fault of their own.  We had set our eyes on the security of our riches and found as Solomon so wisely stated, "they were not."  The riches and security of many took wings and suddenly flew way as an eagle towards heaven.  It was devastating and very sad.
 
As we think about Solomon's words and have witnessed the losses that many have experienced, we come to the same conclusion that he did.  We must not labor to be rich, for the security of riches "is not."  The only riches that are secure are those eternal ones that we have in God, and the only labor that is not in vain is the labor that we extend for Him.  The only investments that will never be lost are those that we invest into His Kingdom, and the only treasures that are secure are the ones that we put into God's hands for Him to hold.  God is our only hope and security and without Him, we are left very lacking.  We must set our eyes upon God and not upon those things "which are not."  We must cease from our own wisdom and acknowledge Him in all of our ways.  Solomon also said in Proverbs 3:5-6, we are to trust God with all of our heart and not lean upon our own understanding.  As we put our lives into God's hands and diligently trust in His wisdom, He will direct our paths.  Even in the times of great loss, when our riches have taken flight, we will have nothing to fear.  God will remain our security and our labor will never be in vain. +++


Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved   
www.widsonline.com

=================================================================================