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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of June 2005

06/01/05
HOW LONG WILL YOU MOURN?

Scripture: Isaiah 61:1 & 3 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me ... to appoint unto them that mourn ... to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."

Jesus came to fulfill this prophecy in Isaiah, but it is up to us to receive His finished work. We must make an effort to get out of the ashes, shake off the spirit of heaviness, and praise God in the midst of our hurts. It is a matter of choice and action on our part. When we do our part, God does His part. When He sees us step away from the ashes of our broken dreams, He begins to restore our lives and exchanges the empty past for a beautiful tomorrow. He gives us joy as we look to Him and lay aside our griefs and disappointments. And as we praise Him, He surrounds us with a supernatural garment that displaces the spirit of heaviness that had attached itself to us.

Mourning is not just related to death. It can be brought on by any number of other experiences and failures. The psalmist said that he mourned because of the "oppression of the enemy" (Psalms 42:9). Mourning is a spirit, and it is the work of the enemy. When we allow ourselves to continually mourn over disappointments, we find ourselves in the ashes and overcome by a spirit of heaviness. We are weighed down with the cares of life. In our devastation, hopelessness engulfs us. We can see no beauty and we have no joy.

Ecclesiastes 3:4-6 says, "There is a time to weep ... a time to mourn ... a time to lose." These times bring understanding and insight into our lives, causing us to have compassion for others who may be experiencing the same conflicts. But there comes a time to move out of that state of mourning and allow God to heal our hearts of its hurts and wounds, for there is a time to "laugh ... a time to dance ... and a time to receive."

Samuel mourned because Saul had rebelled against God. God asked him, "How long will you mourn?" (I Samuel 15:35 & 16). God wanted Samuel to forget the past and go on with the future. Paul said it another way in Philippians 3:13-14. He said "forget the past." In other words, quit mourning over what could have been or should have been. You must look to the future and "press towards the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." God wants to bring restoration to you. If you allow Him, God will use every bitter situation that you have encountered to enrich your life and cause "all things to work together for your good" (Romans 8:28). God extends His Spirit of Grace to you. How long will you mourn? Begin this very moment to allow God to supernaturally move you from mourning into a place of beauty, joy, and praise. +++

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06/02/05

THE WAY

Scripture: John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father but by Me."

Jesus is the only way to the Father. He is the truth and there is life through no other. We must lay aside our own ideas and independence and rely totally upon Him in order to reach our eternal destination. On a recent mission trip to the Philippines, we ministered in some remote villages in the mountains. The way was hard and the roads, if you could call them roads, were very rugged. It took hours to go a few miles, and along the way I realized that I had no idea how to get to the place where we were to minister. I didn't know the way and there was no map or directions, and even if I had known the way I could not have driven or maneuvered my way through the paths that we had to take. The roads were narrow and most of the times we were two or three feet from a 2,000-foot or more drop-off with no guardrails for protection. There was water and mud to go through and rocks to travel across. There were a few times when the driver even had to get out of the vehicle and scout the road ahead before proceeding on the journey, and at other times he was forced to pull over closer to the edge to yield to another vehicle.

I had to place all of my faith and trust in this man that I had just recently met, but at no point in the journey did it ever enter my mind to take the wheel or to proceed on my own. Neither did I attempt to direct him from the back seat. I was just thankful that I was not at the wheel. In a very real sense our driver had become my way. He was my truth, for he had knowledge of the mountain roads that I did not have, so I made a decision to rely upon his wisdom and expertise. He also became my life, for he literally held the security of my next breath in his hands. He did an awesome job and gained my highest respect as he brought us safely to our journey's end and without harm.

As we traveled through these remote areas, I thought of these words that Jesus had spoken, for our journey through life is much like my journey to the mountains. Our spiritual future is hidden from our eyes and there is no way to get to our destination by our own means. There is a path set before us, but we can't travel that path without Jesus. He is our way, and our only way. We are lost and undone without His guidance in life. He leads us one step at a time through rugged paths and helps us stay on the narrow passages. He does all that He can to protect us as we travel life's journey and warns us that the way which is broad will lead us into destruction. He knows the path that we take, scouts the roads before us, and encourages us not to fear because He is in control. He is our truth and has knowledge that we don't have, so we must trust His words of wisdom and approach the Father on the basis of His eternal words. He also is our life because His presence dwells within us, quickening our spirits and our mortal bodies. He shares with us His very being, and He alone is able to satisfy our souls. In the words of Mother Teresa, "He is the Life I want to live, the Light I want to reflect, the Way to the Father, the Love I want to express, the Joy I want to share, the Peace I want to sow around me. Jesus is everything to me." +++

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06/03/05

SEED AND BREAD

Scripture: Isaiah 55:10-11 "As the rain and snow comes down from the heavens ... that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes forth out of My mouth; it shall not return to Me void."

God doesn't speak random words, for each word that He speaks is full of power and brings about a life changing result. When He said, "Let there be light," there was light. When He spoke the sun, moon, and stars into existence, they appeared. He hasn't changed in His methods and His words are still creative. He has a unique purpose for each and every word that He speaks to us. His Word is like the rain and snow that comes down from the heavens and waters the earth. It brings life and causes our faith to grow just like the rain causes the things on the earth to grow. Neither the rain nor God's Word ever returns to Him with void written on them. They are both accountable to God and accomplish the work that He designed for them to do.

When God sends forth His Word, Isaiah said that it produces two effects; seed to the sower and bread to the eater. As we hear the Word of God, those two things should happen in our lives. First, His Word should strengthen, grow, and nourish us in our spirits like natural bread does for our bodies. His word should sustain us in our daily life, giving direction, correction, hope, and encouragement. That is the reason it is so important to feed on God's Word daily, for we need continual spiritual nourishment. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Father" (Luke 4:4). God's word that comes down from Heaven is our spiritual bread and gives spiritual life.

Second, God's Word should also be seed that we sow, or words that we can share with others to strengthen, encourage, and nourish their spirits in their daily life. Jesus intended for us to pass along God's Word to others as He told us to "Go into all the word and preach the gospel" (Mark 16:15). We are to be a sower of the Word and bring the same direction, correction, hope, and encouragement that we have received from the Word. Each time we hear a good sermon or Bible study or read a book or devotional, we should share those thoughts with someone else along the way who might need a word of encouragement. God rarely speaks audibly to mankind, but He allows you to be the voice of His Word in this earth. With each opportunity that is presented, begin to receive God's Word as your own bread and then sow it as seed into the lives of others. You will be blessed! +++

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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of June 2005

06/06/05
GOD WILL BE WITH YOUR MOUTH

Scripture: Exodus 4:12 "Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to speak."

When God called Moses to deliver the children of Israel from bondage, He spoke to Moses from a burning bush. This was quite an event, yet even with this supernatural call, Moses still had to deal with his own insecurities. He said, "Who am I? ... What shall I say? ... The people won't believe me ... I am not eloquent ... Lord, send someone else." He wanted to flee God's mighty call because of the anxiety that was taking hold of his soul. Because of his lack of abilities, he had no self-confidence that he could fulfill God's plan.

How many times has God called on us and we have responded in like manner? Our insecurities have overshadowed the plan and purposes of God. Like Moses, we feel inadequate and tend to forget that God created us. We assume that our lack is too great for Him to work with and neglect to consider that He is able to add, multiply, and even create when necessary. God is not limited in any fashion. When God chose Moses, He knew that Moses didn't know what to say and that even if Moses did have knowledge, his speech was not eloquent. God also knew that the credibility of Moses would be challenged. He made plans ahead of time to do signs and wonders to convince the people so it certainly didn't matter who Moses was or what he could do. It only mattered who God was and what God could do.

Throughout the scriptures, God always used the less likely to succeed. He chose a small young man to fight a seasoned giant. He chose an old man and woman to have a child. He chose Gideon and three hundred men to battle against thousands. When Jesus' disciples were chosen, it wasn't the priest and Levites who were called. It was unlearned and common men such as fishermen and tax collectors. God doesn't choose many wise, mighty, or noble. He chooses the foolish and the weak to convey His message (I Corinthians 1:26-27). When God chose you, He was simply looking for a vessel that would be obedient and would willingly yield to Him. He knew all about your inabilities and shortcomings, so they were no surprise to Him. So when He calls you, there is no need for you to be concerned, for God is the one who will complete the work that He has called you to do. Just trust Him and rest in His wonderful promise, "Go, and I will be with your mouth and I will teach you what to say." +++

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06/07/05
WHERE'S GOD?

Scripture: Psalms 42:5 "Why be down cast? Why be discouraged and sad? Hope in God?"

God is your heavenly Father and He wants you to feel safe, protected, and loved and to know that because He is in control of every situation in your life, you have nothing to fear. You are to be as a small child in His loving arms. He said that He would never put more upon you than you could bear, and promised you grace and strength for every challenge that life has to offer. You will never have to face hardships and disappointments alone because He said, "I am with you always, even until the end of the world." (Matthew 28:20)

The writer of this psalm was discouraged and sad because of his circumstances. He was exiled in a foreign land and his enemies mocked him continually, saying, "Where is your God?" He longed to return to Jerusalem so that he could worship God in the temple again. He was so thirsty for the presence of God that he compared himself to a deer panting for a water brook. He revealed the depth of his oppression and despair as he spoke of being in tears night and day. There were times that he even questioned God saying, "Why have you forgotten me?" His emotions took him on a roller coaster ride. When he was down, he poured out his soul to the Lord in despair and then when he was up, he remembered the goodness of God and began to praise Him. He spoke of his adverse circumstances, then memories of past victories flooded his mind and he rejoiced and sang in the darkness of his hour. The doubts of his mind challenged the faith in his heart, but immediately his spirit rose within him and he finally came to this conclusion and confession of hope. Speaking to himself, he said, "Don't be discouraged. Don't be upset. Expect God to act! ... He is my help! He is my God!"

Do you wonder where God is in your situation right now? He wants you to know that He is in the same place He was when He created you. God is sitting on His throne and is high above the confusion and turmoil that you are facing right now. Although you may feel like you are held captive by circumstances that are beyond your control, remember that God is still God. He is your help! Don't be discouraged if your finances don't take a sudden turnaround the moment you pray and don't be confused when your health doesn't spring forth immediately. Don't allow your emotions to stretch you from high to low because you don't have all the answers. Isaiah 50:10 says, "Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God." When you have no answers, submit to God's deeper work and simply trust in Him. Instead of being cast down or discouraged, be encouraged knowing that God is your Father and He is there in the dark with you. +++

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06/08/05
WHOLE HEARTED OBEDIENCE

Scripture: Romans 6:17 (Living Bible) "Thank God that though you once chose to be slaves of sin, now you have obeyed with all your heart the teaching to which God has committed you."

There is a story of a mischievous young boy who was misbehaving. Several times his mother corrected him and told him to sit down, but he continued to misbehave. Finally in desperation, she put her hand on his head and forced him to sit down and be still. With his mother's strength in control, he had no choice but to obey. After a few minutes of struggling, he told his mother, "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I am standing up on the inside." Rebellion and disobedience were still ruling within his heart.

Many times we are much like this little boy. For one reason or another, we force ourselves to obey God's word, but our hearts are not truly involved in our obedience. We refrain from sin itself only because we do not want to suffer the consequences but continue to hold the evil thoughts in our minds and entertain lust in our hearts. We say we forgive those who have transgressed against us and we do not retaliate against our aggressors in the natural, but we harbor unforgiveness and bitterness in our hearts. We give our tithes and offerings, but do it with a grudging spirit. We don't allow ourselves to commit moral sins, but we give in to a spirit of lust. We look okay on the outside but we choose to be slaves to the corruption within and allow our hearts to be in bondage. Just like the little boy, we are sitting down on the outside, but sin and rebellion are standing tall on the inside.

Paul said that we need to obey the teachings that God has committed to us with our whole hearts. We must acknowledge the omniscience of God and allow Him to search our hearts and change us in any area so that we are both yielded to Him on the inside as well as the outside. I Chronicles 28:9 says, "Acknowledge God, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts." Our obedience should not be just an act to fulfill the law. We must willingly die to sin and habitually live and behave like new creations because of the grace and life of Jesus that abides within us. +++

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06/09/05
PRESS ON

Scripture: Philippians 3:14 "I press toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

The Apostle Paul knew very well what it meant to mess up in life. He was a very religious man who thought that he was serving God, but instead he was working against God. Wherever he went, he was a terror and a literal death sentence to those who professed the Name of Jesus. But one day, on his way to Damascus to capture more Christians, he had a supernatural encounter with Christ and was saved. His life was dramatically changed, and from that moment on he served Jesus unreservedly and openly declared Him to be the Son of God.

Paul never allowed his past to intrude upon his future. He pressed forward to accomplish the destiny that God had planned for him. He didn't dwell on his failures, which by today's standards were horrendous. Nor did he dwell on his past achievements or put his confidence in his own flesh. Philippians 3:5 gives reasons why he could have trusted in himself. He was "of the stock of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin. He was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, and a Pharisee. He was zealous and righteous." However, he laid all these things aside and counted them as loss just to win Christ. He forgot the past so that he could focus totally on getting to know Christ and the results of his choice were amazing. Because of Paul's commitment and dedication, he experienced miracles, wrote nearly three-fourths of the New Testament, and was a mighty witness for God before the common men and the leaders of the nations. At the end of his life, he could boldly say, "I finished my course."

God gives you a glimpse of Paul's life to encourage you in your own walk with the Lord. Your past may not be perfect and glorious and you may have done things that you wish you could erase. Like Paul, you may have ignorantly injured those with whom you came in contact with. You may suffer the results daily as you see the fruits of your foolishness. But the truth remains; you can't turn back the clock and change the past. You can only press towards the future. You must learn to reject the temptation to live in self-condemnation and unfruitfulness. God still has good thoughts for you and a plan for your future (Jeremiah 29:11). You can still finish your course if you begin to focus upon Him. Begin today to press towards the mark of His high calling, and don't allow your past to intrude upon your future. +++

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06/10/05
YOU ARE A VOICE

Scripture: John 1:23 "John said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord."

There are two groups of people:
Those who have something to say.
And those who feel they just have to say something.

John the Baptist was one of those who had something to say. His message was one of great importance. He did not talk of himself but instead used his voice to prepare and make the way straight for Jesus to come. When asked, "Who are you, and what do you say about yourself?" he answered and made it very plain that He was not the Christ but just a voice preparing the way for the coming of the Lord.

John was doing in the spiritual what the custom of the land called for in the natural. It was the custom in the East to send a group of men before a king or prince to physically clear the way for his coming. They took away the stones, cleared out the thorns and bushes, and leveled the ground as much as possible. They would build bridges and find the places in the streams or rivers that were more passable. They did whatever was necessary to make it easier for the king's travel. John was trying to get the hearts of men ready to receive the Messiah.

As you consider the calling of God on your life, you may feel insignificant compared to others. You may think that you can't do much in this battle for the Lord, as you may not have the education or abilities that you think you need. But like John the Baptist, you have a voice that God can use to prepare the way for Him to come into someone else's life. You may be their only bridge to eternity. Your assignment is to simply clear the way by speaking God's Word to those you come into contact with, loving and ministering to their needs, and being the best witness that you can be in your personal life. When you speak for the Lord, you have something important to say, for your words become light and life. You are a voice. God can use your simple witness and testimony to remove the stones and thorns or build a bridge in the lives of others. If you allow Him, the Lord will use you to prepare the way for the Holy Spirit to save, bless, and encourage those about you. +++

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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of June 2005

06/13/05
NEW BOTTLES

Scripture: Mark 2:22 "New wine must be put into new bottles."

Jesus taught His disciples a very simple but profound truth about the dangers of mingling the old with the new. He said, "Don't sew a new piece of garment onto an old piece and don't put new wine into old bottles." His message defined God's principles concerning the separation between the things of the Spirit and the flesh. It spoke of the difference between responding in faith and just being obedient to the law. The new teachings of grace and truth, which came by Jesus Christ, could not be contained in the old laws, which were given by Moses (John 1:17). Neither could the Holy Spirit, which is represented by the new wine, be received into old and unclean vessels. God's Spirit must only be received into to new bottles, for Jesus made His point clear, "The old will always destroy the new."

In all of life's experiences, we face this process whether spiritual or natural. The old must go in order to receive the new. We would never consider the option of installing new carpet over the old or wearing old clothing under our new apparel. Nor can we imagine storing drinks and food in old and unclean containers. Yet, we tend to follow this pattern with our spiritual surroundings and relationships. We refuse to let go of the past and stubbornly store negative memories in our hearts because it's just too hard to let go. We then try to cover these past hurts with our new dreams and fresh visions. We won't get rid of the bitterness that plagues us and keeps us from experiencing love again, but instead we try to pile our new hopes onto the old emotional scars and end up sabotaging our new relationships. Even though we realize these thoughts hold us back and deter our growth, we will not let go because we can't face being hurt again. Distrust and skepticism have corrupted our vessels so we mask positive attitudes to compensate for our lack as we face our world.

All the while, God is working desperately to do a new thing in our lives. He says, "Don't consider the former things or the things of old" (Isaiah 43:18). Your dreams may have failed and your closest relationships may have disappointed you, but to experience love and the joy of life again, you must make yourself vulnerable to hurts. You must put yourself in emotional harm's way and allow yourself to love and trust again even though it's not easy. God has such good hopes and plans for you, but He is limited because your heart is filled with the clutter of the past. He looks at your heart and has second thoughts about putting His new wine into an old bottle. You must first clean the rooms of your heart and pay particular interest to the closets where your hurts are hidden. As you allow the Holy Spirit to shine His light on all that is dark, He will help you pull out those things that hold you back so that you can deal with them and resolve the issues. You can then go on with life and experience the good plans that God has for you. As you forget the past and press towards the future, God will pour out His blessings upon you and it will be as refreshing as new wine in a new bottle. +++

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06/14/05
TRUST IN HIM

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5 & 8 (Amplified) "Lean on, trust and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind, and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. It will be health to your nerves...."

Webster's Dictionary defines trust as "total confidence in the integrity, ability, and good character of another." We hear many faith messages and are taught how to believe and receive the wonderful promises that God has made to us. Faith comes and grows within our hearts by hearing these messages (Hebrews 10:17). You cannot develop faith without hearing the Word of God. Yet there is another area to think about and that is simple trust in the person who made the promise. God made the promise and trust in Him comes by developing total confidence in His integrity, His ability, and His character.

As a youth, when I made weekend plans with my friends I would ask my father's permission. If his answer was yes, it produced faith that when the time came, he would supply the financial need. He knew that I did not have a job or provision. His simple word gave me unquestionable faith. I trusted his integrity, as I knew that he would not lie to me and I had faith and total confidence in his ability to supply the need. The cost of the movie or whatever was an enormous amount to me, but I knew that my dad was well able to provide the funds, and knew that he would not only meet the need but would give me a little extra. He was a good father with a good character and he wanted me to enjoy myself. If he forgot at the end of the week, I would simply remind him of his promise and he always came through without excuses. There were also other areas of trust that I did not exercise conscious faith in. These were my day-to-day needs of food, shelter, clothing, care, and affection. I just always knew these things would be there because he was my father and he was my provider. I leaned upon him with total confidence. We were not rich. In fact we were poor by the world's standards, but my dad worked hard to supply all our needs and I never had to be fret over these matters. I simply cast all of my cares upon him because I knew that he cared for me.

Often we get ourselves into a "nervous frenzy" and are "on edge" concerning situations that we can do nothing about. These anxious moments should be placed into the hands of our Father God. He loves us and wants us to cast all of our cares upon Him, for He cares for us. (I Peter 5:7). He doesn't want us carrying loads that are too heavy for us to bear. Our Father knows what things we need even before we ask (Matthew 6:). We should lay our understanding aside and totally lean upon Him and trust in Him with all of our heart and mind. As we do, it will calm our souls and bring a peace that passes all understanding, and that spirit of peace will be health to our nerves. +++

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06/15/05

BE NOT AFRAID

Scripture: Joshua 1:9 "Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you where ever you go."

It is said that courage is the art of not allowing anyone to know that you are scared to death. Can you imagine how Joshua felt when God chose him to take the place of Moses? After Moses' death, Joshua was chosen to lead the people across the Jordan into the Promised Land. He was to follow in the steps of a man whom God had used for forty years to bring the plagues on Egypt, part the Red Sea, provide daily manna from Heaven, water from the rocks, and generally be responsible for millions of people. Moses had been the people's link to God, and now it was Joshua's turn. What an overwhelming assignment this must have seemed.

It is no wonder that God gave this commandment to Joshua, "Be of good courage; be not afraid." God could not allow His chosen leader to stand before the people in weakness, fear, discouragement, and dismay, so He told Joshua to resist the feelings that may try to overwhelm him. He was telling Joshua "Be strong whether you feel like it or not!" Joyce Meyer says when God tells you to do something, "Do it afraid!" Feelings have nothing to do with completing the assignment. We can complete our assignments just as Joshua did because of the promise that comes with the commission. Like Joshua's word from the Lord, when God tells you to do something, He is with you wherever He sends you and He will help you do what He told you to do.

The psalmist said, "Be of good courage, and God shall strengthen your heart" (Psalms 27:14 and 31:24). When we choose to be strong in our minds and act courageously, God is able to strengthen our spirit, or the inner man of our hearts. As God strengthens our hearts, then doubt and fear will not be able to manipulate us and discouragement will not be able to control us. We know for sure that God will never leave us, fail us, or forsake us so we must simply trust and obey. When God gives an assignment, He also issues the command, "Do not be afraid" and that command comes with the promise, "For, I am with you." +++

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06/16/05
TRUST IN HIM

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5 & 8 (Amplified) "Lean on, trust and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind, and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. It will be health to your nerves...."

Webster's Dictionary defines trust as "total confidence in the integrity, ability, and good character of another." We hear many faith messages and are taught how to believe and receive the wonderful promises that God has made to us. Faith comes and grows within our hearts by hearing these messages (Hebrews 10:17). You cannot develop faith without hearing the Word of God. Yet there is another area to think about and that is simple trust in the person who made the promise. God made the promise and trust in Him comes by developing total confidence in His integrity, His ability, and His character.

As a youth, when I made weekend plans with my friends I would ask my father's permission. If his answer was yes, it produced faith that when the time came, he would supply the financial need. He knew that I did not have a job or provision. His simple word gave me unquestionable faith. I trusted his integrity, as I knew that he would not lie to me and I had faith and total confidence in his ability to supply the need. The cost of the movie or whatever was an enormous amount to me, but I knew that my dad was well able to provide the funds, and knew that he would not only meet the need but would give me a little extra. He was a good father with a good character and he wanted me to enjoy myself. If he forgot at the end of the week, I would simply remind him of his promise and he always came through without excuses. There were also other areas of trust that I did not exercise conscious faith in. These were my day-to-day needs of food, shelter, clothing, care, and affection. I just always knew these things would be there because he was my father and he was my provider. I leaned upon him with total confidence. We were not rich. In fact we were poor by the world's standards, but my dad worked hard to supply all our needs and I never had to be fret over these matters. I simply cast all of my cares upon him because I knew that he cared for me.

Often we get ourselves into a "nervous frenzy" and are "on edge" concerning situations that we can do nothing about. These anxious moments should be placed into the hands of our Father God. He loves us and wants us to cast all of our cares upon Him, for He cares for us. (I Peter 5:7). He doesn't want us carrying loads that are too heavy for us to bear. Our Father knows what things we need even before we ask (Matthew 6:). We should lay our understanding aside and totally lean upon Him and trust in Him with all of our heart and mind. As we do, it will calm our souls and bring a peace that passes all understanding, and that spirit of peace will be health to our nerves. +++

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06/17/05

FATHER'S DAY

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Fathers, as well as mothers, have an awesome responsibility to train their children in the ways that they should go. They are to continually mold, instruct, prepare, and point their children in the right direction. There will be many challenges, but the Apostle Paul encouraged us, particularly fathers, not to provoke our children to wrath, but to bring them up in the nurture and loving discipline of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Parents must be an example to their children everyday of the year. Following is a poem, which reveals the results of our everyday actions.

CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE

Author Unknown

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.

If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.

If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.

If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.

If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.

If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.

If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,

he learns to find love in the world.

We honor all fathers and encourage them to listen to the wisdom of these words.+++

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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of June 2005

06/20/05
GOD IS NOT ASHAMED

Scripture: Hebrews 11:16 "For this reason, God is not ashamed to be called their God."

God's people, who are listed in this chapter, pleased Him in such a manner that He was not ashamed to be called their God. They pleased God by receiving His promise and being fully persuaded that He had told them the truth. And because they believed God, they obeyed His every command to bring about the fulfillment of the promise. When God spoke to Noah, Noah spent 120 years building an ark on dry ground, even though the earth had never before experienced rain. His faith and act of obedience saved his family and future generations. When God spoke to Abraham, he loaded up his entire family and went out looking for the city that God had promised him. When Abraham started out, he didn't even know where he was going nor did he trouble his mind about the destination. He just obeyed the call and followed God one day at a time. Others were tested in their faith. Among them was Moses, who passed through the Red Sea on dry ground, and Joshua, who saw the walls of Jericho come down. All these men experienced great things at the hand of God, but the formula remained the same in every situation. They trusted God, believed His promise, and then acted upon His word.

Noah could have become discouraged any time during the 120 years as people mocked the monstrosity that he was building and could have chosen to leave the project of the ark unfinished in order to keep his self esteem and pride intact. Abraham could have returned to his homeland when he encountered wars and famine, but he kept looking for that promised city whose builder and maker was God. He traveled from place to place counting himself as a stranger and a pilgrim in the world. Moses and Joshua could have allowed fear to reign in their lives, but both men went forth in faith. All of these men pleased God because they believed Him and chose to act on His word.

If you are walking by faith in uncertain places today, listen for God's voice. His testimony over you will be the same as His words over His other servants. You will hear Him say, "You have pleased me very much. You truly believe that I exist and that I will reward you when you earnestly and diligently seek Me. You have wholly followed after Me and have not allowed discouragement to deter you from My call. You have not turned back to the things of the world when the opportunity presented itself although it would have been much easier. I am pleased because you had faith to obey My voice even though you didn't understand everything. You have continued in faith, while others mocked. I am very pleased because you have judged Me to be faithful to My word, and I want you to know that I am not ashamed to be called your God." +++

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06/21/05

HIS WITNESSES

Scripture: Acts 1:8 "You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me ..."

Many times we become burdened with a false sense of responsibility concerning situations and problems in the lives of those around us. As we see their hurts and pains, we become deeply involved in their crisis. In the midst of their stress and adversity, we experience a "Messiah Syndrome," forgetting that we are but frail humans ourselves. Because we want to help them so much, we forget that we are not their savior and that their deliverance is not held in our hands. We try to act as god in their life rather than merely interceding in prayer and being the witness that we are called to be. Eventually after much anxiety and wasted effort on our part, we come to this startling realization:

I did not suffer shame - therefore, I can not deliver.

I did not bear the stripes on my back - therefore, I can not heal.

I did not sweat drops of blood - therefore, I can not relieve anxiety.

I did not wear a crown of thorns on my brow -

therefore, I can not give peace.

I did not die on a cross - therefore, I can not redeem.

I did not rise from the dead - I am not God.

Jesus was the one who suffered these pains for humanity and He is the Messiah who is anointed by God. Only He can set the captive free, for all power is held in His hands. He understands their needs better than we do and is touched by their feelings and weaknesses. He loves them and is just as concerned for them as we are and He is waiting to help.

As the Lord's witness, our purpose is to simply point those who are hurting to Him. We must put them in His awesome hands and trust Him for their deliverance. Hebrews 4:14-15 says, "Jesus, the Son of God, is our great High Priest who has gone to Heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting Him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses since He had the same temptations we do, although He never once gave way to them and sinned. So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive His mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need." +++

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06/22/05
SIMPLE TRUST

Scripture: Psalms 9:10 "They that know Your Name will trust in You, for You Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You."

I recently watched my 18-month-old grandson jump from the side of a swimming pool into the arms of his father. My grandson had sensed the danger of the water and had shown much fear of even being in the water. As he looked at the situation, you could discern a little anxiety as he made his leap. Yet at the bidding of his father's words and outstretched arms, he jumped courageously in the direction of the big pool of water that he had cautiously tried to avoid. The only thing that stood between him and the same water that he had been fearful of was the presence of his father. He had found security knowing that his father would protect him from any danger the water presented. His actions manifested his total confidence and trust in his father. He had a pure heart of faith that his 'DaDa' would not bid him to come and then forsake him in the midst of his obedience.

Our relationship with our Heavenly Father is no different. God attempts to mature us spiritually and to stretch our faith by bidding us to leap into His everlasting arms with total faith. We may look at the situation with great fear and trembling, for we have not experienced the news paths or places that are set before us. Our vision of the future may be clouded, and many factors unknown or dim. The waters may look deep and the circumstances may be over our heads and overwhelming to our minds. Besides that, we can't actually see God or His outstretched arms. We can only hear His still small voice saying, "Come." As we hear His call, we realize that He alone is the only thing that is between us and the present danger that exists or the failures that could occur. As we step out, we know that He is our only hope and that without Him, we can do nothing.

Trust doesn't come easy or quick. It is earned and can only be built upon relationship. My son had worked with my grandson 18 months, one step at a time, developing an unwavering trust within his heart, and this simple trust was a witness to me. I thought about how our trust in our Father God must also be a tremendous witness to the world as we act upon His promises and trust in His Name. We believe that the Lord will be there when we jump towards the water that is over our heads because we have felt the security of His arms many times in the past. We trust Him in the midst of the raging storms because we have seen Him speak peace into situations that were beyond our control. We expect Him to deliver us from our enemies because He has come to our defense in the past, and we know that His Name is above all other names. We look to Him to meet all of our needs according to His promises, and because He has never failed us, we have a pure heart of faith. We know that He will not forsake us but will be there with open arms when we need Him. +++

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06/23/05

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU HEAR

Scripture: Mark 4:23-24 Jesus said, "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear ... And be careful what you are hearing."

Our ears are very important in the natural as well as the spiritual realm. Natural ears are organs of hearing and balance. When your natural inner ears are affected, your whole body is disturbed and out of balance. Nothing seems quite right around you and you may even stagger around as though you are drunk. Like the natural, your spiritual ears are not only organs of hearing but also of balance. What you hear with your spiritual ears establishes your faith, affects your balance, and determines your walk with the Lord. You will either walk in faith and boldness or stagger around in wavering doubt and unbelief.

Jesus taught us to be very careful of what we listen to because the things we hear will establish our faith. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word." Whether positive or negative, you will begin to believe what you hear and you will trust those things that you give attention to. If you choose to listen to negative words and believe the negative thoughts of your circumstances, others, and your own mind, you will develop negative faith. You will find yourself out of balance and in a state of discouragement. Your faith will be tossed to and fro like the waves of the seas. When your faith is challenged, you will stagger as a drunken man, totally out of balance. James 1:7-8 says the double minded man is unstable in all of his ways and he will not be able to receive anything from the Lord.

On the other hand, if you choose to listen to God's word and meditate on it day and night, Psalms 1:2-3 says you will be like a tree that is planted by the water and everything you do will prosper. Your walk will be established because God's word will cause faith to come alive in your heart. When you take heed to what you are hearing, you will be like Abraham. He did not stagger in unbelief at the promises of God because he refused to consider the age of his own body or the deadness of Sarah's womb (Romans 4:19-20). Abraham believed what God had told him and his faith allowed him to take action to bring that word to a place of victory. Like Abraham's choice, hearing and listening is an act of your own will and a personal decision on your part. What you choose to hear will become a part of your being and will cause you to grow in either a negative or a positive direction. So take heed to what you decide to hear because it will determine your future. +++

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06/24/05

WAIT FOR THE ANSWER

Scripture: Isaiah 52:12 "For you shall not go out with haste, nor by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward."

The prophet Isaiah spoke to the people and told them not to be so hasty in trying to leave the situation they were in, but to wait on God to go before them. These words also speak to us today, for many times we either want to run ahead of God or take flight and run away from the things that are plaguing our hearts and souls. Because we have been conditioned by our fast paced society, we find it hard to slow down and wait for answers and directions from God. Many times our own hasty decisions and actions cause our downfall and defeat. In the end, we find ourselves admitting that in the depths of our soul, we could sense that God was dealing with us and we are forced to acknowledge that we had refused to patiently wait.

I heard a reputable and trustworthy minister on the radio tell a story, which he said was true. He had read about an incident that was so bizarre that he, himself, confessed that it was hard to believe even though it came through reliable sources. In fact, he said that he had to read the article twice to make sure the facts were correct. The news article declared that a military plane was going so fast that it actually passed up the ammunition that it had fired and ended up shooting itself.

Have you ever felt like this has happened to you? In your haste to achieve answers to your situation or find your direction in life, you acted too quickly and the end result brought confusion and defeat rather than joy and victory. Like the plane, you were going so fast in your attempt to solve your problems by your own means that you ended up spiritually shooting yourself. You sought God for direction, but instead of waiting for Him to show you the way, you followed your own plan and missed the path that He had ordained for you. You prayed for healing but did not wait on His healing to come, and ended up spending money on medical bills that gave no answers. You asked God for provision for your material needs, but before His answer came, you borrowed. You sought God concerning the questions in your heart, but was too busy to wait for His answers. Your life is in God's hands and you must determine to slow down and wait on Him. Life is difficult as it is and you can't afford to be an enemy to yourself. You must allow God time to go before you if you want Him to clear the way and lead you down the right path. When you wait upon God and refuse to act in haste, He will be your reward. +++

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A Word In Due Season
5th Week of June 2005

06/27/05
SONGS OF DELIVERANCE

Scripture: II Chronicles 20:22 "When they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments" against the enemy.

The enemies of Israel came to do battle against Jehoshaphat and the people of God. As Jehoshaphat prayed and sought God, God told him not to fear or worry about the battle because the battle belonged to the Lord. God then gave Jehoshaphat unique instructions on how to fight the battle and told him to appoint singers to go out before the army and praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice. When they obeyed and began their praise, God began to do battle. He caused their praise to confuse the enemy and the enemy began to fight against themselves, ultimately destroying one another. The Amplified Bible says, "The Lord set ambushments ... and the enemy was self slaughtered."

Praise and worship is a unique weapon. Paul and Silas were delivered from the jail when they sang praises to God at the midnight hour (Acts 16:25-26). And when David played music, evil spirits departed from King Saul. Power is also manifested when we minister to God and worship before Him with music. In Psalms 32:7 David told the Lord:

        "Thou art my hiding place;
         Thou shalt preserve me from trouble;
         Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance."

Just as God surrounded David, He will also surround you with songs of deliverance. In the midst of your adversity, if you listen intently, you will hear God's still small voice suggesting a song to your spirit. That song will hide you in times of trouble and will keep you in perfect peace. It will birth a boldness within you and instill a sense of victory within your spirit. Psalms 149:6 says, "Let the high praises of God be in your mouth and a two-edged sword in your hand." The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). The next verses in this psalm declare that praise and the two-edged sword will cause honor to come to the saints because they will execute vengeance and judgment, bring punishment, and bind kings. The battle belongs to the Lord. When you use His unique weapons, which are His word and songs of praise, He surrounds you with deliverance. He fights your battles, sets ambushments against your enemies, and causes you to be more than a conqueror. +++

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06/28/05
GOD'S SUPPLY

Scripture: II Kings 6:5 "Alas, Master! For it was borrowed."

The school of the prophets was over crowded, so the students went down to Jordan to build another school. As they were cutting down the trees for construction, an axe head came off of the handle and fell into the water. The man who was using the axe began to panic, as it was borrowed, and he cried out to Elisha, the prophet, for help. Elisha threw a stick into the water, and as he did, the iron axe head rose to the surface and began to swim so that the man could retrieve it. This is an unbelievable story, but God's miracles are always unbelievable.

Sometimes we tend to forget that God is concerned about each and every need that we have and that He is still able to do miracles such as this. This story shows that He is even concerned about the things that have been loaned to us, which includes money that we've borrowed to purchase things like cars and houses. He knows that our intent is just like the student prophet that borrowed the axe. This man had every intention of taking care of the axe and returning it to the lender. However, circumstances worked against him and he found himself in a terrible situation. He obviously could not replace the axe, as he was not prosperous enough to own one in the first place. When he became overwhelmed with the loss, he panicked, but the God of the prophet Elisha was there to perform a miracle and meet his need.

You may find yourself in a dilemma such as this where you are over extended in your debts, either by reason of mismanagement or adverse circumstances. Whatever the reason may be, you have a God that is concerned for you and will help you if you call out to Him. God may surprise you in the way that He meets your need, for He is a God of miracles. He is not limited in any way by the natural. God can supernaturally do more than you can ask or think when you put your faith in Him.

God is your Father and nothing is too great or too small for Him to take care of. "God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). He is not limited by your riches, your income, or your resources but supplies for your need based upon His riches and His resources. Don't forget that God lives in a place where the gates are made of pearls and the streets are pure gold. If God can make iron to swim in order to meet the need of a man who borrowed an axe, He can and will take care of your needs when you cry out to Him. +++

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06/29/05
GOOD THINGS FROM GOD

Scripture: Psalms 84:11 "No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly."

Just as responsible fathers and mothers put away intended gifts and postpone special privileges for their children, so does our Heavenly Father. There are blessings available for each and every one of us, but our wise Father withholds them until we are ready to receive them. He is very generous with His gifts but looks for a heart that is pure and one that He can trust to act with integrity. He also searches for a heart that is sensitive to His wishes and has a desire to meet the needs of others. When the Lord finds a heart that mirrors His attributes and one whose greatest desire is to serve Him and to bless His people, He shares Himself with that individual and withholds no good thing.

The Lord is our Shepherd, and a good shepherd provides everything that his sheep need. A shepherd does not withhold provisions or leave the sheep unprotected. He is with them always and they have nothing to fear, for he will lay down his own life for his sheep. He is their constant companion and is there daily to lead them to green pastures and beside still waters. He sees to every detail and allows no lack to enter their life. He is sensitive to the their hurts and pains and when they are injured, He treats their wounds and pours oil on their bruises. When the storm threatens or danger presents itself, he calms their spirits with soft words and gently sings over them.

This is a picture of our loving Lord who is always there to meet our need more abundantly than we could ask or think. His provisions are never meager to those whom He can trust and He will do all that He can do physically and spiritually to enhance their life for His glory. Yet many times in our struggle for the things that we need, we fail to walk uprightly and our life and focus is found lacking because we have strayed away from the Good Shepherd. We may not be involved in deliberate and outright sin, but we either neglect or leave our first love. Instead of loving the Lord God with all of our heart and seeking His Kingdom first, we allow other things to crowd out our communion with the Lord. We must look at our lives and become more determined to follow the Lord, our Shepherd, and not allow anything to hinder our relationship with Him. When He sees us following Him and walking in His footsteps, He will not withhold any good thing.+++

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06/30/05
NOW FAITH

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is..."

Faith is not the past, for it doesn't take faith to believe in the things that God has already done in your life. Those things are history. The memory of what God has done and what He has accomplished, however, may encourage your faith and give you something to build upon when He speaks a new and fresh word to you. Again, faith is not the future, for that is expectation and hope. The writer of Hebrews said, "Faith is now!" It's not passive, it's active.

Faith is your present tense response to God's personal words to you. It is the substance and evidence of what you believe to be true but can't see. Yet, faith is not without valid support. It is based upon what you know in your spirit, not on what you don't know. There can be no faith without the voice of God's word because faith comes by hearing the word of God. If you proceed without a word from God, it is presumption and you will find yourself in a dilemma. However, when you hear God's voice, you know that He will perform what He has spoken. His word is truth and He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of your faith.

When God speaks, it creates a crisis in your life. A choice is set before you and you must decide to believe or not believe what God has spoken. Your response reveals what you truly believe about God, for faith is based on your relationship with Him, not just a concept. Faith's object is a person. Your personal relationship with your Heavenly Father will determine if you believe that He will meet all of your needs according to His riches in glory. Your relationship with the Him will give you strength in the midst of your adversities because you know that according to His word, He will deliver you out of every affliction. Because you have a close relationship with the Father and know that He is near, you will not fear death nor be swallowed up in sorrow and defeat. Your relationship with Him will cause you to believe His words and the faith that is born from that trust will bring about the fulfillment of the things hoped for. When God speaks, choose to believe Him. Faith is now ... and the evidence of your faith pleases God. +++

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