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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of July 2005

07/01/05
BLESSED NATION

Scripture: Psalms 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."

The fifty-six men who signed our Declaration of Independence, which was approved on July 4, 1776, committed an act of treason against the British Crown. As they signed this incredible Declaration, they mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Of those who signed, two became Presidents of the United States, three became Vice Presidents, and several others became either State Governors or U. S. Senators. However, there were many signers who suffered greatly. Four died of wounds from the war and five were imprisoned. Several lost their wives and children as their homes were attacked.

The oldest signer of the Declaration was 70 year old Benjamin Franklin, whose faith was strong in God.  He said:

       "Have we now forgotten this powerful Friend?
        Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?
        I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live,
            the more convincing proofs I see of this truth --
            that God governs in the affairs of men.
        And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice,
            is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?
        We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings,
            that 'except the Lord build the house,
            they labor in vain that build it.'
        I firmly believe this."

Benjamin Franklin was convinced that all was vain unless the Lord was God and Builder of this nation. The freedom we enjoy has been purchased with tears and blood. We have reaped the noble sacrifice of these brave men, and every American life has been touched by the document they signed. Because of their sacrifice, we have experienced a "Blessed nation whose God is the Lord ... And we are STILL one nation, under God. +++

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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of July 2005

07/05/05
FULLNESS OF JOY

Scripture: Psalms 16:11 "You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

For David, there was one place that guaranteed joy and true pleasure, and that was the presence of the Lord. He had many disappointments with relationships in his life. His father, Jesse, left him in the field tending the sheep and overlooked him when Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse's sons to be king. David's brothers talked down to him when he came to the battlefield to deliver food. King Saul, whom he faithfully served, tried to kill him several times. At Ziklag, David's own army talked of stoning him. His wife, Michal, mocked him as he worshiped God, and his son, Absalom, rebelled against him and tried to take his kingdom.

However, when those who were supposed to love and support him failed, David found that he could always trust the Lord. He blessed the Lord who gave him counsel and instructed him in his darkest hours. In verse eight, David said, "Because I always looked to the Lord, I can not be shaken or moved." His confidence and security was in God, and even in the most difficult situations, David found joy in God's presence. We see this in many of the psalms as David prayed or talked to the Lord. At the beginning of the psalm, he would be in distress and grief, but as David communed with God and experienced His presence, joy would come, and praise would spring up within his heart.

In verse nine, David said that when his heart was joyful, even his flesh rested. In the natural, we all have those special friends and family that we like to be around because there is something about their presence that lifts us up. When we are with them, we are full of joy and experience pleasure because they encourage us, comfort us, and make us laugh. We make plans to be with them because we know that their presence will cause us to relax and that relaxation will regenerate our bodies, souls, and spirits. In the same way, the presence of the eternal God infuses us with life and joy when we choose to be in His presence. The Lord is with you right now. Take a few moments throughout the day to consciously acknowledge the presence of God in your life, for Jesus said, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). Speak aloud to Jesus and tell Him that you know that He is there with you. As you do, you will experience the quietness of His presence and He will fill you with joy. +++

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07/06/05

ASKING FOR WISDOM

Scripture: James 3:17 "But the wisdom that is from above is ... easy to be entreated."

To "entreat" means to make an earnest request or petition for something. James said that it is easy to entreat or ask God for wisdom. One reason that it is easy is because we know that we are doing what God wants us to do, for He is the one who told us to ask Him for wisdom. So in asking for wisdom, we are obeying His will and fulfilling His desires. Yet many times we allow the opportunity to pass us by because we just don't think about involving God in our routine or daily problems. We leave the quest for His wisdom for the greater situations that we don't think that we can handle. Like our natural inclination, we don't worry about reading the instructions - until we can't get it together by ourselves.

James 1:5 gives another reason why it's easy to ask or entreat God for wisdom. He said that God doesn't reproach, mock, or make us feel ignorant because we lack understanding. When we seek God concerning a matter or ask Him for direction, He doesn't slap His forehead in gesture and say, "Are you really that stupid?" He is our faithful God and Father and He always meets us at our point of need. He makes asking easy as He only requires that we ask for wisdom with a heart full of faith, believing that He will answer (James 1:6).

In Proverbs 3:15 & 16:16, Solomon tells us that "wisdom is more precious than rubies" and "better than gold." He also said, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom." Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived and he said, "Get wisdom!" The formula is simple. We get wisdom by asking God for it. He is the supplier of the wisdom that comes down from above. His wisdom is "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy" (James 3:17). God's wisdom is there for us and His Spirit is waiting to instruct us in every detail of life. All we must do is ask and we will receive, seek and we will find, knock and it will open to us. +++

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07/07/05

PAIN AND PRESSURE

Scripture: Job 30:26 "But when I looked for good, then evil came to me, and when I waited for light, there came darkness."

We speak of the patience of Job and when we look at his life, we see that one bad thing happened after another. It was a season of overwhelming problems and trials, and even though Job didn't have anyone on his side to stand with him or to encourage him, he endured the test. It was just him and God in a struggle against evil. Yet from his own words, it seems that he must have thought that the end of his trials would come sooner than it did. How discouraging this must have been for Job when things did not change as he thought and his prayers were seemingly not answered. Yet he never gave up, but continued to trust God with his life even though evil and darkness surrounded him.

Job's life proved the theory that "God will not take you to a place where His grace will not keep you, His power will not use you, and His love is not needed." In his season of testing, Job experienced God's amazing grace and found it to be sufficient in every conflict, which included the death of all of his children, the loss of his possessions, the loss of his honor and self-esteem among his friends and wife, and the loss of his own health. Job also experienced God's power when God delivered him from his trials and restored more than he had lost. And when Job was suffering pain and enduring the pressure of rejection from those around him, he experienced God's intimate love in a fresh and mighty way. As God communed with him personally, Job said, "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see You" (Job 42:5). The light of God's love kept him, and at the end, Job's life speaks of victory that was birthed out of adversity.

Like Job, have you experienced seasons of difficulty that you thought would never come to an end? In the midst of it all, did you look for good, but instead evil repeated itself, and it was just one trial after another? Did you wait for the light, but found that there was only darkness? Did you wonder why your prayers were not being answered? These times can be confusing, for it would seem that there is no hope in sight. That is the reason God shared this story of Job. He wants it to inspire you to continue on regardless of your situation. He wants you to believe that His grace is sufficient to meet all of your needs and that if you trust Him, He will keep you in the midst of your adversity. God wants you to understand that He is still on the throne and that His power will deliver you and He will use your victory to be a witness. As you continue to believe in Him, good will eventually come and His light will drive away your darkest season. Though all men forsake you, you will never be alone or without His love and His love is all that you need to carry you through. +++

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07/08/05

WALKING WITH GOD

Scripture: Genesis 5:22 "Enoch walked with God ..."

This is a simple testimony of a man that pleased God. God was so pleased with Enoch that his name is recorded among the other giants of faith (Hebrews chapter 11). Yet, Enoch didn't spend 120 years building an ark like Noah, offer his son on the altar like Abraham, roll back the Red Sea like Moses, shout the walls down at Jericho like Joshua, or stand faithful in a lion's den like Daniel. In today's world, he didn't write books, hold conferences all over the nation, go to the foreign field, and wasn't a radio personality or the host of an evangelistic television program. Enoch just simple walked with God. One day at a time, one step in front of the other, he remained faithful in that walk for three hundred years.

Sometimes we make Christianity too hard. We substitute works for relationships with God, conference attendance in place of our communion with God, and sacrifice instead of obedience to God. What God really wants is for us to walk with Him, one step at a time. He wants our every moment engulfed in His perfect will for that moment. If He goes to the left, He wants us to go to the left. If he goes to the right, He wants us to follow. If He picks up the pace and begins to run or slows down, He wants us to follow suite. If He stops to rest for a while, He wants us to be there right by His side, sitting next to Him, and resting in His presence. He wants us to be where He is. He doesn't want us to be anxious about the time or fretful over the future, for there are no wasted moments in His presence.

God invites us to walk with Him and to be conscious of His presence, knowing that He is going to direct this day that He has made. Time and again the Lord said that He would be with us always. We just have to acknowledge this awesome fact and be assured that He is with us for every battle and for every celebration. Walking in the natural is healthy, for it strengthens every area of your body and gives you energy. So it is with walking with God. As we walk with Him, we grow stronger and He restores and regenerates our spirits. Today, do not dwell upon what you must do for God, but dwell upon where you must be with God. Simply make a determination to walk with God as Enoch did, one step at a time. You may not become famous in the eyes of the world, but you can be assured that you will become famous in the eyes of the Lord as you walk with Him at His bidding. +++

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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of July 2005

07/11/05
KNOWING HIS CALLING

Scripture: Ephesians 1:18 "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling."

God is working in your life to bring about His plans, and He is working in a far greater way in the spiritual than you can see in the natural. From the moment God created you, He placed within you gifts and abilities so that He could use you to fulfill His desires and accomplish His purposes. Within you lies the potential to be His hands, His feet, His ears, and His voice in the earth. Upon you rests the responsibility to share God's heart with a hurting world. Colossians 1:27 sums it up with these words, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." You are God's hope as you walk through this spiritually dark world carrying His light in your life. You must be careful not to hide that light under a bushel, but let it shine for the entire world to see.

Just as Paul prayed for the church's eyes to be opened so that they could know the hope of God's calling for their life, God wants your eyes opened. He wants you to catch His vision, for without a vision your gifts and callings will never come to fruition. He wants to open your mind and fill it with His knowledge and His wisdom. God wants to unlock your soul and spirit so that He can empower you with His Holy Spirit. He has good plans for your life, but the Holy Spirit can't do it all. You must do your part by submitting to Him and making every effort to stir up the gifts that reside within you. Only then can He resurrect those talents that have lain silently dormant for all these years.

You may have doubts and fears that God has passed you by and your time is over, but Romans 11:29 tells us that "the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance." God never changes His mind; we just grow complacent and give up. What gift has God endowed to you? What desires has He placed in your heart concerning His kingdom? If there is a desire to do something special for God, then there is a place and a time for it to happen. God will not put something into your heart that He does not equip you to do. Look at the birds. God gave them the ability to fly and a sense of desire to go south in the winter. He would not have stirred them to go south unless there was a south to go to. Yes, it may be frightening for them to leave their safe homes and head for the unknown places that are hundreds of miles away. Yes, they have to work hard and fly long hours to get there and may face storms and dangers along the way. There may be struggles and they may grow weary and become discouraged. But as they fly one mile at a time and face each day as it comes, they eventually complete their journey. Just like the birds, God has created a special purpose for your life and He wants to bring you into that new place, but it will be a process of time. So begin to allow Him to flood your heart with His light so that you can see and know what is the hope of His calling. +++

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07/12/05
REPENTANCE

Scripture: I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

God wants His children to do His will, which is simply obeying what He tells us to do on a daily basis. He is our Shepherd, and all we need to do is walk where He leads us, one step at a time. It is a simple matter of putting our foot into His footprint. There are times, however, in all of our lives that we fail to do God's will either because of compromise, rebellion, or simple neglect. To receive forgiveness when we find ourselves in these places we must call out to our Heavenly Father for help, be quick to repent, and then search for our way back to His perfect will. We must be honest with God and start at the point where we are.

When my oldest son was about three years old, I left him in the yard to play. We lived in a safe neighborhood and the yard was enclosed with a cyclone fence. There was no way he could unlock the gate and get out and I felt that he was very safe. However, I did tell him not to climb the fence. I went into the house for just a few minutes and very shortly I heard him calling from the yard. His cry was loud, but not frightening. I immediately went out and found him hanging on the fence. The hood of his winter jacket was ensnared in the wires at the top of the fence so that he just hung there like a picture on the wall with his back to the fence. He was not hurt or even uncomfortable, but was just stuck in a situation that he couldn't get out of. There was no way that he could deliver himself from this terrible dilemma that he had gotten himself into.

When I asked him, "Did you try to climb the fence?" He said, "No, Mommy. Just get me down." He knew that I still loved him and that I was able to fix the situation for him. I questioned him several times about how he happened to be hanging on the fence and each time he denied that it was his fault. He refused to come to terms with his disobedience and make a full confession. Finally, he realized that he wasn't getting off the fence until he repented and promised never to do it again. I laugh today as I remember this episode and I wonder how many times do we find ourselves in a similar predicament. We fail to obey God and then we find ourselves hanging on a fence. We know that we have stepped out of God's will, and He knows it, too. Yet, we try to deny that we've made a mistake or that we have sinned. We just want God to fix our situation and do it as quickly and easily as possible. It is amazing that even in our sin, God still loves us, His mercy endures forever, and His grace never fails. He is more than ready to redeem us from every situation. Our Father's promise is so simple. He says, "If you want to be forgiven, confess your sins! I will faithfully forgive you, and I will cleanse you from all unrighteousness." In other words, "If you really want down from the fence, repent." +++

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07/13/05

LEARNING TO FISH

Scripture: Matthew 4:19 (Living Bible) "Jesus called out, "Come along with me, and I will show you how to fish for the souls of men."

When Jesus called Andrew, Peter, James, and John to come with Him, He intended to take the knowledge they had concerning fishing and incorporate it with soul winning. As they left their boats and nets and journeyed with Him for the next three years, they witnessed many wonderful things and truly learned how to draw souls into the Kingdom of God. Jesus showed them how to use the proper bait by ministering to the people's physical needs, for His religion was not only spiritual, but also practical. He was constantly thinking about the human needs of those that He ministered to. He turned water into wine, quenching the thirst of the guests at a wedding. To reach the people with the gospel, He baited His hook with the loaves and fish and fed the multitudes. He even cooked fish for His own disciples on the seashore.

Jesus taught His followers to act in love and patience when reeling in the souls of hurting people. He refused to condemn the woman caught in the act of adultery and shifted due blame to her accusers. He showed the same love and compassion to the woman at the well who had had five husbands and was now living with a man that she was not married to. He showed Himself friendly to the sinners and ate with the publicans. He allowed the woman with an issue of blood who was considered to be unclean to touch His garment. Like any good fisherman, Jesus only fished for hungry souls who would receive the gospel. He didn't waste His valuable time fishing for those unresponsive religious leaders who were bound in tradition and law. He recognized their lack of interest for the truth of the gospel and He ignored their laws by doing good and healing the sick on the Sabbath. He declared that He came to do the works of the One who had sent Him and He ministered to those who reached out to Him, whether they were ragged beggars, blind, lame, or demon possessed. No soul was beyond His help and He extended His grace beyond their need. His gentle conviction caused those who heard His message to change their lifestyles, follow Him, and be His disciples.

There are many souls that need to be reached with the gospel and brought into God's Kingdom. Many need to hear that God has forgiven all of their sins and that He doesn't condemn them. They must be told that they can come to Jesus just as they are. Some have physical needs and need to hear about the Great Physician and Healer. Others may just need a Friend to talk to. But everyone needs to be drawn in by a personal touch and shown the love and compassion of Jesus, our wonderful Savior and Lord. Jesus speaks to us today in the same manner as He spoke to His disciples. "Come along with Me and I will show you how to fish for the souls of men, whether in the streets or the marketplaces, in your home town or on the foreign mission field. I will tell you where and when to let down your net, and cause you to bring a multitude into My Kingdom." +++

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07/14/05

REVERSING YOUR CAPTIVITY

Scripture: Job 42:10 "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."

Job was called to go through a very difficult season of testing. God, Himself, spoke to Satan and said, "Have you considered My servant Job? There is none like him in all the earth. Job is perfect and upright and he hates evil" (Job 1:8). Instead of hiding Job, God called Satan's attention to him. God's motive was not to punish Job or cause evil in his life, and He only allowed the hedge that was around Job to be intruded upon because He knew that Job could stand the test. When the hedge was removed, Job lost his possessions, his children, his health, and his self-esteem. Even Job's wife was at variance with him and encouraged him to curse God and die. He finally found himself sitting in ashes, scraping the boils on his body, and thinking that God had done this terrible deed to him.

In the process of Job's distress, his friends came to comfort him. Instead of rendering encouragement, they brought judgments and condemnation. They had all of the answers but no real solutions. They spoke about God, but not words from God. Job patiently listened to the opinions of his friends and made a futile attempt to respond to their accusations. He finally declared, "God knows the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." He kept his faith in the midst of his adverse circumstances and came to know God not from the hearing of the ear, but a seeing and knowing with a spiritual eye (Job 42:5). He experienced God and realized that God was in control of everything even when it didn't appear to be so. Job's perseverance led him down a path to victory. God gave Job the ultimate assignment and told him to pray for his friends who had so harshly judged him. When Job obeyed, the Lord turned his captivity. God set him free, restored his health, and gave him twice as much as he had before.

Jesus also set forth these same mysterious principles in His words, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). There is a miraculous power that works when we pray for those who misjudge us, abuse us, and take advantage of us. When we pray for them, we willingly open up a channel between us and God. As we open our hearts wide towards Heaven, God is able to pour out a blessing upon us through that same open channel. It is like opening the door to let someone out. While the door is open, it allows the fresh air to come in. If you are in a hard place, put it all into God's hands and allow Him to deal with it. Open the channel to Heaven by blessing and praying for those who do not understand you or your situation and allow God to reverse your captivity. +++

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07/15/05

GOD'S WORD TALKS

Scripture: Proverbs 6:22 God's commandments and laws "shall talk with you."

When God's Word talks, it is not an audible sound in the air, but the still small voice of His Spirit speaking to your inner being. It comes from God's word that is written in your heart. How many times have you started to do something questionable and a scripture or a thought from God came to your mind? It brought correction so that you could discern right from wrong and also helped you make the right choice. That was God's Word talking. King Solomon, who wrote this proverb, also said, "Bind the commandments and laws of God upon your heart and tie them around your neck." When you have spiritually tied God's Word about your neck, it is like a yoke that will keep you going in the direction that God wants you to go.

This morning, as I was washing dishes, I started remembering an injustice that had been done to me several months ago. I started having a mock conversation with the person who had treated me unjustly. I said all the things that I never got to say when the situation occurred. I was really telling the person off and they weren't even around to hear it. I finished the dishes and my complaining about the same time. I then turned the page of my kitchen Bible scripture calendar for the day, and God's Word was there to talk to me. The scripture on the calendar for the day was Psalms 39:1, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth."

God is awesome and His Word talked to me. In just a moment of time His Spirit spoke to me through that simple word. In my darkness, God's word became light and He let me know that He didn't want those meditations to consume my heart or those words to be spoken from my mouth. God wasn't pleased with my murmuring and spoke frankly to my spirit suggesting that if necessary, I should put a muzzle on my mouth. God wanted me to start the day in a joyful mood with fresh thanksgivings in my heart and praise upon my lips. His word corrected me and became a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. It restored my joy and gave me beauty for ashes. God can work with us in this manner when our hearts are full of His word. Make an effort to deposit His words into your heart so that He can withdraw it and talk to you personally throughout the day. When His Word talks to you, your life will be changed. +++

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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of July 2005

07/18/05
FAITH TO GET UP AGAIN

Scripture: Proverbs 24:16 "A righteous man falls seven times and rises again ..."

Have you ever looked at your life or your current situation and felt like things weren't turning out like you planned? Your hopes and dreams were falling apart, and on top of all that, you were not getting any younger. Comparable to taking the wrong exit off the freeway, you made one bad mistake, and before you knew it you were going down the wrong road and had no way to turn back. Situations then forced you to make other bad turns. Finally, things got to the point that you didn't even know where you were, much less how to get back to the main road.

God never promised you that you wouldn't make mistakes or face disappointing circumstances but He did promise that He would be there to comfort you and deliver you out of all of your afflictions (Psalms 34:19). If you give God all the pieces, He will take your fragmented life and put it back together again for His glory. He says you will not be overthrown by calamity if you are in right standing with Him. But you are the one who has to make the effort to rise up from the fall. The Message Bible says, "The righteous man is not down long." Consider your response to your child when he was learning to walk. You counted those first few unsteady steps as a magnificent feat even though your child fell down after his effort. You never told your friends about your child's fall or failure, but gloated in the fact that he had walked even when it was just a step or two. Each time that he tried again and failed, it was a grand victory because you knew that sooner or later your child would get it together and walk perfectly. You didn't want him to give up and have to be carried around for the rest of his life.

God is your heavenly Father and holds this same view. He created you and knows that you are only common flesh and bone and that you are going to fall as you make an effort to walk through life. In fact, He said the righteous man will fall, and he may even fall seven times, but God doesn't want you to fear, get discouraged, or be overcome with your failures. No matter how many times you trip, He wants you to rise up and try again. Psalms 37:23-24 says, "God delights in our way and He busies Himself with our every step." When you fall, God will always be there to help you get up. Falling is not a failure ... failure is refusing to get up and try again. +++

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07/19/05

FROM WATER TO WINE

Scripture: John 2:9 " ... but the servants which drew the water knew."

Jesus attended a wedding in Cana and during the celebration of the marriage, they ran out of wine. When Jesus' mother approached Him for help, He responded to the need. He instructed the servants to fill the water pots with water and He then turned that same water into wine. When the wine was served at the feast, the ruler of the feast remarked that it was better than the wine that had previously been served. The ruler had no idea that he was drinking a miracle beverage, but the servants who drew the water knew. Whether they could have ever convinced the ruler of the miracle is unsure.

Very often in our lives we experience actual miracles. God heals our body, meets a financial need, restores a relationship, or does something for us that can't be explained. When we try to share our testimony, it falls on deaf ears. For the most part, the world can't receive the miracles of God or comprehend His mighty power. In 1980, I was in an auto accident and my right knee was crushed. Two medical opinions said that I had to have a steel rod put in my leg that would make it impossible for me to ever bend my leg again. There were no other options if I wanted to save my leg. They put me to sleep and took me to surgery, but God intervened and the surgeon was unable to operate. When I came out of recovery, the doctor apologized. He said that he didn't know what happened to him, but that he couldn't cut on my leg. He said that he had never had an experience of this sort before. I responded with praises to God, and told the doctor that I believed that God was going to heal my leg. He said that was impossible and that he was only postponing the operation for a few weeks. However six weeks later when I went to the doctor for an evaluation for the surgery, I was able to walk a little and a few months later, the doctor totally released me. God had healed my leg and I never had to have the surgery. Even though the doctor could not explain what happened, he never acknowledged the miracle. Those around me recognized what God had done, for we had seen something just as miraculous as the water being turned into wine.

The servants at the wedding feast knew that the water couldn't possibly have been changed into wine without a miracle. They drew the water from the well themselves and they served it as instructed. Jesus put them in total charge of the water pots. Can you imagine how this might have challenged their faith? They saw the water go into the pots and had to trust God for wine to come out. They were in a perplexing situation as they could have easily provoked the ruler of the feast, and as servants they could have reaped harsh punishment if their water had remained water. However, their simple act of obedience to the words of Jesus allowed them to experience a miracle and be a part of God's great plan.

Jesus may tell you to do something very simple just as He spoke to the servants at the wedding. Those around you may not understand why you are putting water into the pot when it is wine that you are needing. They won't understand why you are tithing and giving offerings when you are facing financial needs yourself. Neither will they understand why you are standing in faith for a healing when the doctors have given up. You may be unable to share the reasons for your faith or the victories of your deliverance because of their unbelief. Yet, this doesn't disqualify you from experiencing the miraculous works of God. As you respond in obedience to His words, He will change the water of your life into wine. When all is finished, you will be amazed to find that you have been a part of God's great plan. +++

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07/20/05
LET THE WINTER PASS

Scripture: Song of Solomon 2:11-13 "For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of the birds is come ... "

We pass through various seasons in our life and with each one we experience God in a different way. The dormant winter seasons are the hardest to endure, for they often become very confusing. There is little understanding about the cold darkness that surrounds us, for during these winter seasons, our talents lay buried and our efforts seem fruitless. It seems there is no hope for a brighter day, and our tears pour like rain and flood our soul. And yet, it is during this time that God is doing His greatest work in our lives. Our hearts become fertile as we diligently seek His will and allow Him to search our hearts, and then as He points out the things in our lives that are displeasing to Him, we repent and He forgives.

Look back at the seasons in your life and you will discover that spiritual growth and depth came to you during your darkest hours. When your feelings were hurt, you learned to react in love and when you were taken advantage of, you learned to forgive instead of retaliate. When facing tribulations, you learned to rejoice in the knowledge that God was in control and that He was developing patience in your life. When finances were low, you learned to have faith in God's provision. In those dark hours when your body was sick, you saw Jesus as your healer. In the lonely moments, you experienced the Lord's very real and awesome eternal presence. In the spiritual valleys, He became the restorer of your soul, and in your time of mourning, He became your great comforter. In every weak endeavor, you discovered His omnipotent strength and when you lacked knowledge and understanding, He was your all-knowing omniscient God.

Every dormant season that you have encountered was necessary to prepare you for God's greater purpose. Yet, the winters that challenge your soul are not destined to be forever. They will pass and God will release you from their embrace. Your tears will cease and the darkness will give way to the brightness of the light. As His light comes, you will realize that your tears actually watered the garden of your heart and caused you to flourish with new growth, new direction, and new strength. As you let go of painful disappointments and allow the winter to pass, new life will emerge in your spirit, the flowers will begin to appear and give forth a beautiful fragrance just as they do in nature. They will attract the birds that sing and your heart will again rejoice at their sound. God's love will flow as never before and cleanse your heart, washing away the seeds of bitterness that could have taken over. Never give up when the darkness of winter challenges you, for it will soon pass and you will find that God is faithful. God will bring the spring and He will enlarge your borders once again, restoring the song and the beauty to your life and ministry. +++

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07/21/05

HEALING FOR THE HURTING

Scripture: Acts 3:8 "Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God."

Every day a lame man sat at the gate of the temple and begged from the people who were going in. Acts 4:20 declares that he had been lame for over forty years and he probably had lost hope of ever being normal. When Peter and John passed by the gate, the lame man asked them for alms. He may have experienced some disappointment when Peter said, "I don't have any silver and gold." But then Peter followed with, "But such as I have, I will give to you. In the Name of Jesus of Nazareth rise up and walk." Peter imparted something far greater than a few coins, for he spoke a miracle of healing into the lame man's life. When God touched him, the lame man left his past behind. He jumped to his feet, entered the temple, and began to praise God. His miracle gave him a new lease on life and he was no longer the same. No longer would he have to rely on others to transport him. No longer would he have to depend upon his family for needed support, and no longer would he be forced to beg. In a moment's time, with just a few words spoken in the mighty Name of Jesus, he was set free physically and emotionally. Even though there were those who questioned and condemned him, there was no shame in his praise and rejoicing. For the first time in his life, he could walk and that was all that mattered to him.

Just as God delivered this man from his crippling disease, He longs to deliver those who are broken in spirit and crippled within. He sees the wounds of your heart and He knows the secrets that you keep hidden deep within your spirit. God doesn't want to deal out a few coins or a quick fix for your need. He wants to totally deliver you and restore the years and everything else that the devil has taken from you. If you will allow Him, God will deal gently with your hurts and heal every wound of your heart, but like the lame man, you must be willing to let go of the past. When the lame man was set free, he didn't complain about the previous forty years that were wasted. Neither did he dwell on the pain that he had suffered or the shame that he endured as a beggar. He simply rejoiced in his newfound liberty and faced the future with a hope that he never had before.

Each day that you wake up, God gives you a new lease on life and an opportunity for hope that you never had before. With every breath, He gives you another chance for life and success, happiness and joy, mercy and grace. God anointed Jesus to heal the broken hearted and to set the captive free. He encourages you to arise and leave the past behind so that you can be healed. +++

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07/22/05

GOD IS WORKING IN YOU

Scripture: Philippians 2:13 "For it is God which works in you ..."

Do you realize that right in the midst of your current situation, which may be very challenging and distasteful to you, God is at work with you and within you? You may be facing a great mountain of conflict regarding your health, finances, or relationships, but God is right there energizing you so that you can make it through the ordeal. He is your personal friend who is closer than a brother and unlike your friends and family, He will never leave you or forsake you regardless of how hard things may get.

God not only creates within you the desire to do His will, but also empowers you with strength and then helps you to follow through until you complete the task and accomplish His purposes. He makes a way where there seems to be no way and with every temptation that seeks to divert you from His will, He makes a way of escape. You never have to depend upon your own strength. God is aware that Satan will try to sift you as wheat just as he did Peter, so God has set Jesus at His right hand to intercede and continually pray for you. God is faithful and He works with you and does all that He can do, but verse 12 says that you must cooperate with Him, working with God in reverent fear and awe.

God's greatest desire is that you come through the battle victorious. He wants your testimony to be that you are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus who loved you and who gave Himself for you. You have a choice to survive or thrive in your circumstance. It's up to you. You can murmur against God and engage in disputes with others or you can yield to God's workings within you. How do you yield to His workings? Paul said, "Do all things without grumbling, fault finding, and complaining against God, or questioning and doubting each other" (Verse 14). This may be hard, but it brings great contentment and eternal rewards. As God works within you and as you allow Him to work with you, you "show yourself blameless, harmless, and sons of God without fault in this wicked generation" (Verse 15-16). As the world sees the results of God's effective work within you, you will "shine as a bright light in their darkness and be able to give forth the Word of Life." +++

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A Word In Due Season
5th Week of July 2005

07/25/05
REST IN HIS PRESENCE

Scripture: Exodus 33:14 "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

True peace and rest does not come from your surroundings but from the Holy One who lives within you. In the midst of every kind of adversity and the clamor of the voices of this world, you can always slip away in your spirit to hide in the Lord's awesome presence, for He is always available. He is your Holy Mountain where you can find solitude and He is your Mighty Fortress in the time of trouble. There is no price to be paid for this wonderful privilege except that you must seek Him and yield your being to His Person. Then as you simply acknowledge His Presence, He will quiet all of the thoughts within your mind, dispel all the anxieties in your heart, and give rest to your spirit.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace and His presence is supernatural. Yet, He doesn't bring an end to all the conflict in your life. He simply tells you not to allow your heart to be troubled as He offers you His peace. He says, "My peace I give to you" (John 14:27). It's up to you to receive the peace that He is offering. Friends may try to comfort you, but only Jesus can exchange peace for confusion, hope for despair, security for fear, and fill your heart with love when you have been rejected. Jesus walks on the water to rescue you when you are tossed about by the waves and contrary winds. He is the Shepherd who leads you through the rugged and dangerous paths and protects you from all harm. He is your Light in the darkness and He is the Living Water so that you never have to thirst again. You can have rest because of who He is.

He is waiting for you like the loving father who waited for his prodigal son to return to His Presence. Jesus said, "Come unto Me, all you that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. True peace will come to you when you understand that God is in control and believe that there is nothing that can happen to you that He can't take care of. Rest in the knowledge of His Presence and you will experience the wonder of His peace. +++

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07/26/05

THAT WHICH COST ME NOTHING

Scripture: II Samuel 24:24 "Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God which cost me nothing."

King David worshipped God, and the scriptures describe him as a man after God's own heart. Even though he loved God, there were still times that he failed God. Yet, he was always quick to repent of his transgressions. In these scriptures, David grieved the Lord and brought judgment upon Israel by taking a census and numbering the people, and this act caused a great plague to come upon them. David cried out to the Lord and took full responsibility for his actions. He confessed to God that he was the one that had sinned, and he asked God to spare the people. He told God, "What have these people done? Let your hand be against me and my father's house."

When God heard his cry, He instructed David to build an altar in the land that belonged to Ornan the Jebusite. Ornan was very willing to let David come and set up an altar on his land. In fact, he offered to give the land, the oxen, the instruments, and the wheat that were needed for the sacrifice. Ornan was as anxious as anyone to stop the plague, but David refused his offer, for David knew the heart of God and knew that God required something of him personally. He told Ornan, "Give me the land for the full price." David did not want any discounts, for there was no place in his heart to offer God something that cost him nothing.

Many times in our life we are asked to make a sacrifice. It seems that whatever we have the least of at the time is what God wants. For instance, it is at the time when our finances are lowest that He challenges us to give a little extra. When our energies are spent, He calls us to go minister to someone in need. When we are at the end of our patience, He allows another challenge which may be the one that is capable of breaking us down. And when we are facing a full day ahead and need our rest, He wakes us in the middle of the night to intercede in prayer for His people. He says if someone hits you on the cheek, turn the other cheek, and if they take away your coat, give them your cloak, also. God always calls on us to give something that has value.

King David refused to give an offering to God that cost him nothing because he loved Him. And Jesus, another king, gave a gift that cost Him everything. Philippians 2:7-8 says, "He took on the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Think about these two sacrifices and their examples to us. God wants a special sacrifice from us. Paul tells us to "present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is our reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). It may cost us something to present ourselves to God and to walk in obedience to Him, but He deserves no less than our best. He deserves from us that which cost us something. +++

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07/27/05
ENDEAVOR TO STAY IN UNITY

Scripture: John 17:21 "'That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they may be one in us."

Jesus prayed this simple but profound prayer for us just before His crucifixion. He prayed that we would be one with Him and the Father just as He and the Father were one. He also wanted us to be in unity with the other believers. Five times in this prayer Jesus prayed that we would be in absolute unity and declared that our perfect unity would be a witness to the world. Our greatest asset is to have the presence of the almighty God in our lives and to be in union with Him.

In Psalms 133, David says, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity." He then describes two things that happen when we are in unity. First, unity is like the "precious ointment upon the head". Unity allows the anointing of God to be manifested in our lives, whereas strife destroys it. The Holy Spirit is peaceful and gentle like a dove and will not rest in contention. We've experienced those times when we felt God's anointing and presence leading us to do some work in the ministry. Yet, before we could finish, disagreement and strife broke out and caused us to lose all initiative to complete the assignment. The anointing was gone because disunity prevailed.

Second, David says that when there is unity "the Lord commands the blessing." When we are in unity with God and other believers, God commands blessings in our lives. We have experienced this with our own children. It's a whole lot easier to do things for them when they are in unity with their brothers and sisters or their friends that are visiting. In fact, very often we will refuse to reward them when they are in strife with one another. Unity is pleasant and has its rewards. It's comforting to know that Jesus prayed for us concerning this matter. However, we need to support His prayers with our cooperation, endeavoring to do our part in the natural. We may have to overlook some things in love, bite our tongues at times, go the second mile, and possibly turn our other cheek, but our unity will be a witness to the world. It may not always be easy, but it will be worth the effort when we experience God's supernatural anointing and blessings in our lives. +++

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07/28/05
EMPTYING OURSELVES

Scripture: Philippians 2:5 (Amplified) "Let this same attitude and purpose and humble mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus. Let Him be your example in humility."

Jesus gave us the greatest example of humility. Verse six and seven tells us that even though He was one with God and in the form of God, He made Himself of no reputation, but stripped Himself of His deity and all that He was so that He could become like men. John 1:1 &14 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... And the Word was made flesh." Jesus emptied Himself of all that He was and became a servant so that He might live among us and experience all that we would experience. His body of flesh enabled Him to face every area of temptation; that is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (I John 2:16). These temptations helped Him to understand our weakness and to sympathize with our feelings (Hebrews 4:15). He humbled Himself to such a degree of obedience that He even submitted Himself to the death on the cross.

Paul instructs us to have the same mindset, attitude, and purpose that Christ had. We are to humble ourselves and follow His example. As we begin to empty ourselves of ourselves, Jesus will fill us and live through us. Emptying ourselves means that we must let go of the bitterness and pain of past situations and release all things in our lives that are contrary to the Spirit of Christ. Then, we are to allow Him to fill our empty vessel with the fruits of His Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). We are to keep our minds on Jesus and think on the things that He would think upon. Philippians 4:8 tells us to "think on the things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, virtuous, and of praise."

Two things or two beings cannot occupy the same space at the same time. One has to relinquish its rights. The Holy Spirit will not dominate when self is in control. The following quote sums up the progression of emptying ourselves and allowing God to fill us.

       "None of God - All of Me
        Little of God - Most of Me
        Some of God - Some of Me
        More of God - Less of Me
        All of God - None of Me."

Author Unknown +++

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07/29/05
LIGHT TRESPASS

Scripture: II Corinthians 4:6 "... the god of this world has blinded the mind of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

In many of the cities and even in some of the remote rural areas there are so many lights that the stars in the heavens are hidden. Although you can usually see the moon, you must travel several miles to find a place that is dark enough to give you an open and clear view of the stars. Many times these true and supernatural lights of God's creation are impossible to be seen, for they are dimmed by the artificial lights of man's making. The technical term for this problem is called "light trespass." God's handiwork and true beauty are overshadowed by the progress of time as this overabundance of artificial illumination trespasses upon the territories of His heavens and the awesome glory of His perfect lights. Yet regardless of this interference, God's wonders are still there in the heavens and His glory has not declined in the least. If you can get past the artificial, you will find that the moon is still glowing and the stars are still shinning. Every light that God created from the foundations of the world is still illuminated by His power and they are still functioning according to His plan and purposes even though their awesome beauty is challenged and endangered by the trespass of foreign light that dims their view.

In the spiritual realm we face a similar situation. The god of this world attempts to blind our eyes so that we cannot see the true light of the glorious gospel of Christ. Satan, himself, appears as an angel of light and treads upon God's territory as he trespasses in the hearts of men. He shines his light as brightly as he can in an effort to outshine the beauty of the True Light that gives life to man. His artificial light conflicts with the real and the supernatural as he offers things that appeal to the carnal man. In an effort to dim the eternal glories of the true riches that are in Christ Jesus, he offers temporal moments of pleasures. He dims our vision of the Kingdom of God by enticing us to exchange it for the kingdoms of this present world. He offers immediate satisfaction and entices us not to wait for God's best. Satan is a master of deceit and shows us the forbidden fruit of his wisdom so that we will not believe and receive the light of God's wisdom, which comes down from above. He entices our hearts to be so over crowded with the things of this world that we forget the light of God's word, which is designed to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. He tempts us to get involved in doing good things so that we are not following God's perfect will for our lives.

The Light of the Lord Jesus shines brightly, but we must not allow anything to obscure our view of Him; not our fame or fortune, fulfillment of our own desires, or the brightness of any temptation that the devil offers to us. Neither can we allow our failures and disappointments to overshadow the light of God's mercy, grace, and faithfulness to forgive. We cannot allow our minds to be blinded by the god of this world, who seeks to trespass against the light of the glorious gospel of Christ. Instead we must make every effort to find God's light at all cost. We must turn our eyes towards Jesus, who is the image of the true and living God, and focus upon the light of His love, His joy, and His peace. +++

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