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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of May 2005

05/02/05

GEORGE & THE BEANSTALK

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight"

I was in my first grade science class when we had an assignment to watch how plants grow in soil. Each of my classmates and I were given a single lima bean seed, a small measure of dirt, and a 5 oz Styrofoam cup to plant it in.

Eager to get started, I plunged my small bean deep into the dirt so hard I almost punctured the bottom of the cup. Wiping the soil from my hands I noticed some of the other pupils had only placed a small amount of dirt over their seeds. Within a day or so the bean sprouts of the others began to show through the dark brown grit, though my cup was still and unchanging. After a few days, everyone’s miniature garden was blooming right on schedule. The teacher had us each mark our names on the side of the cups and put them side-by-side in the windowsill for more sunlight. As I set my cup of dirt beside the cups of beanstalks, some of the children made taunts about my ‘invisible plant’. "Maybe someone stole your bean" "Are you sure you put a seed in your cup?" and "You’re not just watering a bunch of dirt" were some of the remarks made at my expense. This continued on for about a week or so.

Then one day, without warning, a small sprout emerged from my cup. My heart was overjoyed. In the days that followed I watched as the seed that I had planted weeks before climbed higher and higher towards the sunlight peering in through that classroom window. Maybe it was my own selfishness, but I felt pride that while my classmates’ stalks began to wither, my plant stood tall and strong. I had unknowingly made my stalk strong by placing it at the very bottom of the container. The roots were forced to push through the nutrient rich soil. This made the plant stronger than the others and helped it to survive longer.

The teacher took down the stalks one by one as they began to wither. My stalk stood tall in the classroom window long after the project was officially over. And as a matter of fact I was the only one allowed to carry their plant home. The impression that this small event made upon me still impacts me today. My little bean was hard at work fighting upward through obstacles, though I could not see any visual evidence that anything was happening. If I had given in to the temptation of reaching into the cup to sneak a peak at its development or if I had tried to move the seed closer to the surface, the growth would have been delayed even more, or possibly destroying the plant all together. I believe that God honored my patience by exalting my stalk above the others after their insults had tried to discourage me.

Do not be discouraged if the things that God has planted in you haven’t completely bloomed yet. Even if you can’t see the promise fulfilled in the natural, He is faithful to complete His work in you. Just keep watering your small seed with the water of His Word and one day your stalk will tower high above those of the naysayers and unbelievers. +++

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Through the years, Mary's eldest son, George Padgett, has been involved in dynamic street evangelism, over a decade of ministering in Texas prisons, and producing THE WALK newsletter. He is also the founder of Fire Escape Records & Music. He continues to play 'oldies' music for seniors in local retirement centers, and is the author of many children's books. In his spare time he and his wife, Sabrina, chase their two preschool age children around the house in their home in Houston, Texas.

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05/03/05

A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM

Scripture: Isaiah 53:5 "…But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;"

Recently I attended a CPR class with a business colleague of mine. Part of the training dealt with using a defibrillator machine. This is a device that many people may not know by name, but would recognize from television medical dramas and movies that involve emergency room scenes. Defibrillator machines consist of two paddles that deliver a controlled electric charge to revive a patient suffering from a heart attack. When the voltage is administered, EMS personnel are instructed not to touch the patient or the electrical shock will run through them as well.

My friend in the class, a former EMS worker, told of how he rode in ambulances with a man named Mr. Piper. He mentioned that Mr. Piper hated death so much that he would continue to give CPR to victims even while other EMS members were attempting to shock them back to life. He knew of at least 10-12 times that Mr. Piper had allowed the blinding pain that was shot from the paddles and ran through the patients to run into his own body as he attempted to revive them back to life.

Jesus hates death even more than Mr. Piper. When Jesus gave up His life on the cross at Calvary, he allowed the anguish of millions and millions of sins to coarse through His body for each of us. When the Father turned His face away from His son, He did so that we could be eternally ‘revived’ with Him. The difference being that Jesus took this all upon himself without transmitting the negative effects of our sin back to us. Yet, this was done not just for the ‘Sweet-by-and-by’ but for the here-and-now. In Matthew 11:29-30 Jesus tells of how He has given us a lighter burden to carry because He carries it with us; allowing His sacrifice to revive us each day. +++

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05/04/05

A FATHER'S PROVISION

Scripture: Matthew 6:8 "... for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."

I’m reminded of when my daughter Faith was only a few months old; we shared a morning routine: She would wake up around 8:00 A.M. crying for a bottle and a dry diaper. (Mostly for the bottle, the diaper was just a bonus). Recognizing this pattern, I’d begin warming the milk for her about 7:30. Then I’d go about my way continuing to prepare for my morning until hearing her cries. I would not wake her beforehand, but rather wait for her to alert me that she was up and ready for feeding.

The point is that as her father, I knew of her need even before she did. Her father was already at work preparing provisions before she had even called out. As a matter of fact, I had gone to the store days before and bought formula to satisfy her hunger. Even though I was ready to provide for her, I waited to meet her need until she called for me. My waiting was not to punish her, nor because she was unworthy. My waiting wasn’t because I wanted to try to teach her something about my nature, or to put her in her place. If any of these were my motives, what kind of a father I would be? No, I only waited for her to ask, even if it was by crying out to me, so she could continue to rest.

Things work in much the same way with our Heavenly Father: He knows what we’ll need long before we do. He’s working on our behalf before we wake up and long after we’re asleep. He is simply waiting for us to ask for Him. Our Father has promised to provide for all of our needs; not just those in the financial area, but also healing for our bodies, emotional peace in times of trouble, physical protection from harm, discerning wisdom when making decisions, and many others that can be found in the scriptures. Ask in Jesus' name, the Father is waiting to provide. +++

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05/05/05
A LION, CAR TROUBLE & THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO

Scripture: Romans 8:28 "…And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

The brilliant military leader, Napoleon Bonaparte, suffered a devastating defeat at the battle of Waterloo. Recently I learned that all of the lead bullets that were shot at this pivotal battle were gathered up, melted down, and then poured into a mold of a lion. The statue still stands atop the main memorial, Lion Hill, which overlooks the entire battlefield. For those of you that are history buffs, this spot is where the Prince of Orange was wounded in the battle. I was fascinated by how the people took things intended for their destruction and made a monument of victory out of it.

So many times in this life, the enemy attempts to convince us that mistakes we make are without repair. He tries to cripple our steps to move closer to the Lord by blockading us with past shortcomings. I John 1:9 tells us that "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Even when negative events occur that are beyond our control, Satan attempts to twist them into insurmountable obstacles to hold us back from greatness. The Lord desires to take these things that did not turn out exactly as we planned and make them into a monument of victory in Christ Jesus, to work these things together for our good. Often times this is difficult (if not impossible) to see when we are in the midst of a trial.

I’m reminded of when I was a young boy; my father had a car that was going through one of its many unreliable periods. On one occasion, the starter had gone out. While the car would not start when being totally idle, the ignition would work if the car were rolling at a speed of 10 mph or more. So we found ourselves pushing the car backwards out of the driveway towards a nearby hill in the subdivision. As the station wagon rolled to the lowest point, it built up speed. My dad turned the key, the engine turned over, and we hopped in and drove to our destination. I was struck by the realization that in order for the car to start, we first had to push it through the lowest point in the neighborhood. So when I feel like I am at my lowest point, I try to remember that the Lord is just helping me build up speed to cross over the top of the hill and beyond. +++

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05/06/05
VIRTUOUS WOMAN

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10 & 28 "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies ... Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her."

At this time of year, we think of our mothers in a special way. This is a good thing, for there is no greater reward for a woman than to have her children bless her and her husband praise her. Likewise, there is no greater need or satisfaction than for a child to have a mother who is a blessing or for a husband to have a virtuous wife whom he can trust and truthfully praise. Solomon declared that the value of this type of mother and woman is far above monetary value. She can't be purchased with the simple price of rubies, and her role and influence cannot be passed over as unimportant. She directs the future, as she has an awesome part in "training up her children in the way that they should go, so that they do not depart from the right path" (Proverbs 22:6)

In II Timothy 1:5, we see an example of the importance of mothers and grandmothers who taught and lived their faith in front of their children. Paul taught and mentored Timothy in the things of the Lord, yet, he gave much of the credit for Timothy's faith to Timothy's mother, Lois, and his grandmother, Eunice. Paul said that he remembered Timothy's sincere and unqualified faith, for Timothy had been taught to lean entirely upon God and had displayed an absolute trust and confidence in God's power, wisdom, and goodness. Paul had also seen this same type of simple but profound trust in God in the hearts of Timothy's mother and grandmother, who were women of virtue. It was easy to recognize that their influence had affected Timothy in a big way and that the pure faith that they possessed had been transferred to him in the same degree and measure. Lois and Eunice had been diligent to train Timothy in the things of God and in the way that he should go. The evidence of their faith lingered in the heart of Timothy and the results could definitely be seen.

We should never forget how important women's roles are as mothers, grandmothers, and wives. Those of us who are women should strive to become women of purpose and endeavor to develop the characteristics of a virtuous woman. Proverbs 31:10-31 declares that a virtuous woman has strength, ability, efficiency, wealth, valor, and faith, and is excellent in every way. Her price is far above rubies and she cannot be purchased. Her love, faithfulness, and service to her home and family come free. Her repayment for her many sacrifices come when her children rise up and call her blessed and her husband praises her. +++

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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of May 2005

05/09/05
NO DISPOSABLE PEOPLE

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11 (Living Bible) "Plans for a future and a hope."

DISPOSABLE PEOPLE
From the CD GOD REFLECTION

I know that broken hearts are among us

And disappointments wouldn't be hard to find

But you hold the key to your deliverance

By letting God put your failures behind.

God says, "There are no disposable people."

God sees the abuse that's been suffered

He hears the echoes of a silent shame

But there's still forgiveness at the foot of

Calvary when we come to Him in Jesus' name.

Will you hear these words and still walk away

From the mercy and the love He gave?

Oh, don't run from the love He gave.

There's still the chance for you to change your course.

Set your feet on the path of the Lord.

Because God says, "There's no disposable people."

God demonstrates His love to all people, and in these lyrics we get a glimpse of God's attitude towards those who have temporarily lost their way. What a relief it is when someone finally grasps the idea that God is not mad at them. The Lord doesn't feel that anyone has 'gone too far' or 'sinned too much' for Him to reestablish a relationship with them. Even when friends and family have given up on us, and even if they have 'written us off' as three or four time losers, God Almighty says "NO! They are still of value to ME!" He demonstrated this by sending His Son Jesus to take our place. If God thought that we were not worth anything, why would He pay such a high price?

The answer is that God does not throw anyone away. Regrettably, there are many people that have been tricked by this world into believing that they somehow have crossed some point of no return with God and can never get back. So it is up to us as Christians to expose this lie and show that "God says there are no disposable people." My hope is that the lyrics of this song will challenge you to examine how you feel and how God looks at you and begin to realize that His thoughts are good towards you - His children. +++

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05/10/05

TALK IS CHEAP

Scripture: James 1:22 "..but be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only."

There is an amusing story from General Stonewall Jackson's famous valley campaign. Jackson's army found itself on one side of a river when it needed to be on the other side. After telling his engineers to plan and build a bridge so the army could cross, Jackson called his wagon master in to tell him that it was urgent that the wagon train cross the river as soon as possible. The wagon master started gathering all of the logs, rocks, and fence rails that he could find and immediately built a bridge across the river.

Long before daylight, General Jackson was told by his wagon master that all of the wagons and artillery had crossed the river. General Jackson asked where the engineers were and what they were doing. The wagon master's only reply was that they were still in their tent drawing up plans for a bridge.

The old saying comes to mind: "that when all is said and done ... there is more said than done." Just as only talking about a problem or an obstacle does not resolve it, neither does only talking about faith change or resolve a given situation. The Lord expects us to put our faith into action. In James 2:14-26, Jesus warns against those who would simply say, "Go and be blessed," while not supplying the person's present physical need. He asked "What good does that kind of faith accomplish?" People around us should know that we are followers of Christ not just because we tell them we are, but by our consistent demonstration of God's love for others through our actions every day. We must be doers of the word and not hearers only. +++

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05/11/05

VALUE IN DISASTER

Scripture: Joel 2:25 "I will restore the years ..."

Thomas Edison invented the microphone, the phonograph, the incandescent light, the storage battery, talking movies, and more than 1,000 other things. By December 1914, he had worked for ten years on a storage battery. This had greatly strained his finances. On a particular evening, a spontaneous combustion had broken out in the film room. Within minutes all of the packing compounds, celluloid for records and film, and other flammable goods were in flames.

Fire departments from eight surrounding towns arrived, but the heat was so intense and the water pressure was so low that the attempt to douse the flames was futile. Everything was destroyed. Edison was 67 years old when this happened. With all of his assets going up in a whoosh, would his spirit be broken? Although the damage exceeded two million dollars, the buildings were only insured for $238,000 because they were made of concrete and thought to be fireproof.

The inventor's 24-year old son, Charles searched frantically for his father. He finally found him, calmly watching the fire, his face glowing in the reflection, and his white hair blowing in the wind. "My heart ached for him," said Charles. "He was 67 - no longer a young man - and everything was going up in flames. When he saw me, he shouted, 'Charles, where's your mother?' When I told him I didn't know, he said, 'Find her. Bring her here. She will never see anything like this as long as she lives.'"

The next morning, Edison looked at the ruins and said, "There is great value in disaster. All of our mistakes are burned up. Thank God, we can start anew." Three weeks after the fire, Edison managed to deliver the first phonograph. From this story, we can learn that God is able to turn all of our failures into success when we grant Him access into our daily lives. ++

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05/12/05
READY FOR BATTLE

Scripture: Psalms 119:11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you "

My two preschool age children and I engage in daily routine of horseplay. Within seconds of me entering the house from work, their giggles and shrieks fill the entryway. They know that I will chase them around and playfully wrestle them to the ground for a 'tickle battle'. This occurs without fail several times a week. It is a wonderful highpoint of my day.

Recently my four year-old daughter did something out of the ordinary during this playtime. I came in and the sounds their excitement and laughter ensued as I wrestled her brother to the ground to tickle his belly, but she withdrew to a corner. She began to flex her arms and jump up and down making grunting sounds. I asked her what she was doing. Her reply was that she was 'Exercising to make herself stronger to beat me wrestling." I laughed out loud as she continued to grunt and spasm. After a moment she stopped and said ' There! I am stronger now to fight you!' and proceeded to lunge at me. I let her win of course, but absurdity of this display stayed with me.

Maybe it's just human nature, but I suspect the idea of waiting to approach God until a crisis comes is commonplace in our lives. There is a tendency to only commune with him when things are falling apart in our lives and we need to gather strength to fight. And while he welcomes our involvement with Him in the dark times, He desires to be a part of our lives when things are going well too. Often times our enemy, the devil, will bring attack against us without warning. There is not time to prepare and brace ourselves in the Word of God. King David recognized this, and continually meditated on God's Word and in God's presence. When the attacks would come, his response was a trained reflex of worship and faith. He did not have to 'study up' to learn how God felt about a blasphemous Philistine giant. Instead, David ran to the battle with the faith that he had cultivated in his heart for years.

It would be ridiculous to think that one learn how to skydive on their way down after they had jumped from a plane. While it's entirely possible that one may able to open the parachute and figure out how to control their descent, there is too much at risk. No one would consider this a reasonable way to do this. First-time skydivers are required to participate in many hours of instruction before being allowed to even get on a plane. Even after extensive training, many jump in tandem with a more experienced skydiver.

Let us commit to strengthen our hearts in God before the battle.

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05/13/05
GOD'S PERSPECTIVE

Scripture: Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

My wife, Sabrina made a comment once that has stuck with me for a while now. It was about how after a busy day of house cleaning-chores, she sat on the floor to play with our one year-old. While she was at his level she began to notice areas that still needed to be dusted. Now, let me say this before I get in trouble: My wife is a very thorough house-cleaner. The dust and dirt that I am telling about is what one would expect when you have two small children that love to play in a sandbox that is less than 20 feet from your backdoor. The point is that she could not see areas that still needed attention until she got down to my son's eye level.

We face the same challenges in this age of secular humanism. We are told by the media and the world view that the notion of good and bad is relative. A habit that some people have is to compare their righteousness to someone evil. Phrases such as 'I'm not as bad as Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Jeffery Dahmer, or Scott Peterson, etc.' are commonplace in this day. Some make the proclamation of "As long as my good deeds outweigh my bad, God will grant me Heaven instead of Hell."

This is a very dangerous misconception. No matter what we may attempt to do, we can never measure up to the level of God’s righteousness. And that is the standard that we will be judged against. He is perfect in every way and totally without sin. While in our fallen nature, our minds and bodies are predisposed to selfish, anti-God acts. Because of this residual of disobedience at our core level, no one can go to Heaven on their own good behavior. Romans 3:23 states that we’ve all sinned, and none of us are good enough to avoid Hell.

The Father knew this and sent His perfect, sinless Son to overlap our nature and supply each of us with the strength to do God’s will. Instead of focusing on our own good deeds, we should focus on God's perspective: How the sacrifice was made at the cross for our atonement of sin. +++

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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of May2005

05/16/05

FEEBLE MEMBERS ARE NECESSARY

Scripture: I Corinthians 12:22 "Those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary."

Paul encouraged the church, or the body of Christ, telling them that they were one unit and even though there were many members, each one was significant in themselves and also important to the whole body. The body of Christ cannot function without all of its parts working together no more than a human body can function well without all of its members. Each member has need of the other members. God has designed us in this fashion and it pleases Him when we dwell together in unity and become one in purpose as He and Jesus are one. The physical body could not operate if it were only an eye, for how could it hear, speak, or move about. The hand cannot tell the foot that it has no need for it, and neither can the foot make that same declaration to the hand. So it is with God's people. We all need each other. The feeble need the strong and the strong need the feeble.

Paul also called attention to the fact that the least honored members of our physical body are usually the most important and necessary, and so it is with the spiritual body of Christ. Yet, in the physical and spiritual, we tend to esteem the more attractive and visible members more than those that are hidden and unattractive. For instance, in our physical bodies, we take a lot of time and expense to care for our hair, when in reality we could live without a head full of hair, as many do. While we are taking such pains each day with that area of our body, we often neglect those members of our body which are hidden, but are much more important and necessary. We fail to eat the proper food for our stomachs or do exercises that will strengthen our heart and lungs. And yet, we can't live without these unseen and unattractive members of our body, for they are vital to our livelihood. Likewise, in the spiritual realm, the members that we fail to honor are usually the most necessary, such as intercessors who spend hours in prayer or those who quietly take care of the widows and orphans or other needy situations. They require and receive very little attention, but Paul said that it should not be this way, for each member is significant and should be honored.

There was an interesting sight near my home that reminded me of Paul's words. The freeway was under construction and the nearby roads were filled with all sorts of huge construction equipment. As I drove by, one of the pieces that was being used was a crane that reached about sixty or seventy feet into the air. It was probably worth several thousands of dollars and was very impressive. There was a cable that hung down from the crane, and attached to the end of that cable was a simple inexpensive rubber tire. The tire was being used as some sort of buffer with each swing of the cable. The tire looked feeble in itself when compared to all of the other equipment that surrounded it, yet for some reason it was necessary for the crane to accomplish what it was trying to do. I looked in amazement as this insignificant tire worked with the crane as one unit. Though feeble in size, it had found its place of significance.

I would encourage you to mark your place in life as significant and be faithful to fulfill the purposes that God has designed for you. No place is too small in His kingdom, so never demean the gifts that God has given to you. You may esteem yourself as feeble, but your presence may add the final touch that is needed for the whole unit to function. +++

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05/17/05

PURIFIED BY FIRE

Scripture: Proverbs 17:3 "The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts."

Just as silver and gold are purified by fire, so the Lord purifies the hearts of men by fiery trials. Do you ever face seemingly unusual and strange situations? For no reason at all everyone seems to be coming against you, or perhaps you find yourself facing financial problems or unusual attacks in your health. Peter said, "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is come to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you" (I Peter 4:12). These things are not strange. God is taking you through these trials to try your heart and develop your character. So be encouraged, knowing that even in adverse circumstances, God is still in control. The reason God is allowing these fires and tests is because He believes that you are well able to pass them. As you go through these tests, you can be assured that God is sitting on His throne and watching over you constantly. Malachi 3:3 says, "God sits as a refiner and purifier of silver; and He shall purify ... and purge them as gold and silver." He is the refiner, and He knows what the final result should be.

Purifying and purging gold or silver is a long tedious process that turns an unusable ore into precious metal. The ore is heated until all the impurities and dross rise to the top. The refiner then removes these impurities, and once the impurities are taken away, the ore is heated again. As this process is repeated again and again, the refiner sits by the fire watching. He is careful never to leave the ore to itself while it is on the fire. He keeps the fire at the right temperature for the impurities to separate from the gold and silver and never allows the fire to become so hot that it ruins the metal. He sits there constantly maintaining the temperature, watching the melt down, and removing the dross. Time after time, the fire is heated to greater degrees, and the impurities are removed until the refiner is able to get the results that he is attempting to achieve. He is waiting until he can see his own reflection in the liquid metal. When this occurs, the refining process is complete. The gold or silver is pure and fit for use.

So it is with your life. Psalms 66:10 says, "God has proved us and tried us as silver is tried." God allows seemingly strange fiery trails to come your way for the purpose of purifying your heart so that His reflection is revealed in you right in the midst of the fire and test. When this is accomplished, He then deems you to be a pure vessel that is fit for the Master's use. +++

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05/18/05
LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE

Scripture: Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Laws are rules and principles that are established by authority. Because we were born in America and live in America we are subject to the laws of America. The laws of other countries have no legal rights over us, therefore they can not control or condemn us. Likewise in the spiritual realm we are subject to the laws of the kingdom that we belong to. In the spiritual realm there are two authorities on this earth that have dominion. One authority is the kingdom of darkness that is controlled by Satan. This kingdom operates under the law of sin and death. The other authority is the kingdom of light that is control by God's Son and operates under the law of life.

We belong to one of these kingdoms. We are either under the control of the law of the Spirit of life, or we are under the control of the law of sin and death. It all depends on whether we have been born again by the Spirit into the kingdom of God. If we have been born again, we are delivered from the control of the laws that govern the kingdom of darkness. Colossians 1:13 says, "He has delivered us out from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son."

Because we are in this kingdom of light we are subject only to the precepts of God's divine will and not the condemnation of the devil. Romans 8:1 says, "There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." We are no longer condemned to death, sin, unrighteousness, enmity against God, or living a life that does not please God. He has made us free from that lifestyle. Instead, we are under the law of life and controlled by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:2-11 tells us several things that the law of life does for us:

1) It liberates us from sin. (Vs. 2)
2) It delivers us from spiritual death. (Vs.2)
3) Righteousness is fulfilled in our life because we
walk after the spirit. (Vs.4)
4) Our minds think on spiritual things. (Vs.5)
5) We have peace because we are spiritually minded. (Vs. 6)
6) We please God because we are not in the flesh
but in the spirit. (Vs.8-9)
7) Our mortal bodies are quickened and made alive. (Vs. 11)

God brought us into the kingdom of light and the laws of His kingdom have made us free from the law of sin and death. Therefore, we should give thanks unto the Father that made us to be partakers of this divine grace. +++

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05/19/05

HIS WORD IS SPIRIT AND LIFE

Scripture: John 6:63 "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

One of the first things that we do each day is nourish our physical bodies, and then through out the rest of the day we continue to eat and drink to retain our strength and satisfy our hunger and thirst. This is a process that must be maintained on a daily basis if we are going to continue to live in our natural bodies. The same principle applies in the spiritual realm. As spirit beings, we need spiritual food, but we often neglect this very vital area because we fail to get into the Word of God on a regular basis. We rely on the Sunday worship service for all of our spiritual food. As a minister once said, "We give our natural man three hot meals a day, and give our spirit man one cold snack a week." We then wonder why we have no spiritual life, for we find ourselves just merely existing spiritually instead of being quickened by God's word.

We see the importance of being quickened by God's Word when we reflect on the way Jesus responded to Satan's temptation in the wilderness. Jesus did not try to prove who He was or stand on His own power, but instead He allowed the Holy Spirit to quicken the written word of God that was inside of Him. He met every challenge with the words, "It is written." These were Spirit filled words because they had come from the mouth of God and the devil could not argue with them. Jesus had nourished Himself daily on God's Word. Even from an early age He was in the temple studying the scriptures and asking questions. As He took in spiritual food it produced life in His spirit and that life was there for Him when He needed it.

We eat natural food for today's strength that causes us to grow and also sustains us for tomorrow. So it is with the spiritual food. We receive it for today's strength, but it will also be there for us when the enemy tries to attack, tempt, or deceive. Yet, like any natural diet, our spiritual diet must also be balanced. God didn't give us a boring diet but gave us a variety of types of writings to choose from such as history, prophecy, wisdom, and the gospels. These scriptures will cover every need that we will ever face. Matthew 4:4 says, "Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." However, the word of God must be taken in and digested into our spirit like natural food before it will bring life. II Timothy 2:15 tells us that we must study the word of God for ourselves so that we are not ashamed because we are able to rightly divide the word of truth. When we study God's word, it gives the Spirit opportunity to speak truths into our lives and causes the word of God to come alive within us, and that life will give us the strength that we need to face every challenge of the enemy. +++

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05/20/05

THE REST OF FAITH

Scripture: Hebrews 4:3 "For we which have believed do enter into rest ..."

Where there is faith, there is rest. Faith does not come by sight or the reasoning of the mind, but comes when you hear God's voice and you receive His words as truth. When He speaks His will into your life, truth comes into your heart and it gives you an assurance that brings rest. Faith causes an end to all anxiety and fear. Even in the midst of adversity, rest will be written with indelible ink within your soul if you have truly believed. Doubts will flee and struggles will cease. Even those around you will marvel as they witness the peace that prevails in your spirit and the rest that surrounds you.

The devil will challenge your faith, but when you've heard from God, there will remain a knowing within your spirit that cannot be shaken. Nothing and no one can pry God's words from your heart or destroy the faith that you have in His promise. His Word is your foundation and your heart is fixed like the men of the scriptures who did great things based on just a word from God. Noah built an ark and escaped the flood. Moses led millions of people into a desert and leaned upon God for every provision. David challenged Goliath, the giant, and defeated him with a simple sling and a stone. Abraham left his family and country to search for a city whose builder and maker was God. Sarah received strength to conceive in her old age and gave birth to Isaac. And Isaac sowed seed in the time of famine and reaped a harvest that was a hundred fold. These people of God just believed what God said, obeyed His voice, and then rested in His promise. God never failed.

God doesn't want you to be anxious in your faith and to struggle to believe. He wants you to enter into rest and follow the example that He has set. Verse four tells us that "God rested on the seventh day from all His works." In the six days of creation, He spoke everything into existence and created life. God did all that He planed to do, then on the seventh day He entered into rest. He ceased from His labors and believed that the sun, moon, and stars would function just as He commanded them to. He was at peace knowing that the herbs, trees, and every green thing would seed itself and bring forth fruit in obedience to His word. He had faith that the creatures would multiply and replenish the earth just as He had spoken. He was not anxious about His creation or its future. He left His creation to obey His words. And then He rested.

Faith causes you to act in season. It will make you calm in the midst of a storm, bold as a lion in adversity, strong for battle, and patient when you need to wait. This is the rest of faith. It meets every challenge with a dignity and a peace that possesses your soul. It hopes when there is no hope, for it is a faith that passes all understanding. +++

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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of May 2005

05/23/05
CHISELED BY TRIAL

Scripture: Proverbs 11:2 (Amplified) "When swelling and pride come, then emptiness and shame come also; but with the humble - those who are lowly, who have been pruned or chiseled by trial and renounced self - is skillful and Godly Wisdom and soundness."

A famous sculptor once said that when he begins to work, he doesn't see a "large mound of nothing." Instead, he envisions a definite form within the material that he is working with. He then chisels away little by little that which is not needed until the desired image manifests itself.

Do you remember when you were young and had the answers to all of life's questions? You had life so completely figured out that you made confident statements about how you would handle your affairs. Your children would be perfect and would never act like other children. You would live at the top of the world and never struggle like your parents. And you would certainly never get out of shape physically. The pride of youth swelled within you because you thought you were in total control of life.

However, along the way, things began to change and you discovered that you were not quite as smart as you thought you were. You began to face the same problems with your children, finances, and health as those that you had criticized. When the responsibility became yours, you found that life was not as easy as you had thought. It seemed that you couldn't get ahead because you were facing one trial after another, each bringing you into another place of emptiness or shame. You could feel the blows of the sculptor's chisel as it continually brought you to a lower state. As the chisel cut into your very being, you wondered if God had totally forgotten you.

Please know that God has not forgotten you or forsaken you. He is simply in the process of changing you and bringing you to the conclusion that He is smarter than you are and that His ways are higher than your ways. Like the sculptor, He doesn't see a 'large mound of nothing" when He looks at you. He sees His image inside of you and wants that image to be manifested to the world. Thus, He takes the trials the enemy means for evil and then by special design He uses each one to chisel away the pride and other impurities that are within your heart and soul. Each blow of the chisel causes you to renounce something of self and release that portion to God. As you humble yourself and surrender all that you are ... to become all that He wants you to be, He fills you with skillful and Godly wisdom. +++

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05/24/05

WILLING SPIRIT - WEAK FLESH

Scripture: Matthew 26:41 "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Jesus spoke these words to His disciples after He found them sleeping when they were supposed to be watching and praying. These were not condemning words but understanding words, for Jesus Himself had just encountered a spiritual battle within Himself. His spirit had experienced the rebellion of His flesh. Jesus was willing to submit to the Father's will, but His flesh rose up in weakness. It fought hard against the coming torture of the crucifixion and separation from the Father. Look at His words from the Amplified Bible as He struggled through this conflict:

-   "He said, 'My soul is very sad and deeply grieved, so that I am almost
    dying of sorrow.'" (Matthew 26:38)
-   "He prayed, 'Father, let this cup pass away from Me' ... He went

away and prayed for the third time, using the same words."

(Matthew 26:39 & 44)
- "He began to be struck with terror and amazement and was deeply

troubled and depressed." (Mark 14:33)
- "Being in agony of mind, He prayed the more earnestly and

    intently." (Luke 22:44)
-   "His sweat became great drops of blood dropping down upon the
     ground." (Luke 22:44)

Sometimes life becomes very difficult and we question in our mind if we can make it. Yet, with all that comes against us, I doubt seriously that any one of us have faced the agony that Jesus faced. He endured so much in the garden as He prayed that His sweat became great drops of blood. Can you imagine that? The purpose of His distress and sorrow was so that He could become acquainted with our emotions and be touched with the feelings of our infirmities. His experiences qualified Him to become our High Priest and enabled Him to make intercessions for us continually before the Father. If your battle gets tough and you find yourself in deep depression and overwhelmed with grief and sorrow, remember that Jesus had the same struggles. He can help you. Lean upon Him, for He knows your spirit is willing and He understands the struggles of your weak flesh. +++

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05/25/05

UNDERSTANDING TEMPTATIONS

Scripture: I John 2:16 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world."

When we come to understand that temptation itself is not a sin, we enter a place of victory. Even Jesus Himself was tempted of the devil and faced the same challenges that you and I will face, yet He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Matthew 4:1-11 tells of the temptations that Jesus faced in the wilderness.

Lust of the Flesh - After Jesus had fasted forty days and was hungry, the devil tempted Him to turn the stones into bread. Jesus answered with the word of God, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Father."

Lust of the Eyes - The devil took Jesus to a high mountain and offered Him all of the kingdoms of the world if He would just bow down and worship him. Jesus answered with the word, "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve."

Pride of Life - The devil tempted Jesus to throw Himself from the pinnacle of the temple to prove that He was the Son of God. The devil told Him that it was written in the scripture that the angels would take care of Him if He were truly the Son of God. Jesus answered, "It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."

Certainly, we will not be tempted to turn stones into bread, jump from the top of the church house, or have an actual encounter with the devil in which he offers us all of the kingdoms of the world, but we will face temptations and they will come to us in these same areas. There will be the lust of the flesh for material gain or self-gratification; lust of the eyes for positions of rulership or control in this world; and the pride of life that will entice us to become renowned or to prove our own personal importance. Because Jesus faced these same temptations as a man in the flesh, not as God, He knows how we feel. He understands how hard life can get and is aware of our weaknesses and is also touched by our feeling of inadequacy. He knows that sometimes we will pass the test, and sometimes we fail. With His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus has made provision for us to find mercy and grace to get through these situations. He sits as our great high priest on His throne of grace in Heaven and intercedes continually for you and for me. We are not to be ashamed or fearful because of the temptations that challenge us but we are to boldly come to Him for help in our time of need, and to understand that whatever our situation is, He has been there before us. +++

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05/26/05

SEEING WHAT GOD SEES

Scripture: Psalms 119:18 "Open Thou my eyes ..."

I often think that it would be great if God opened my eyes and allowed me to see all that He is able to see, to see life as it really is and to know the future and all that lies ahead. Yet, I know in reality that ability would be too enormous for the finite mind to comprehend and bring a responsibility that would be too great to bear. In God's divine wisdom, He secretly keeps many things hidden until we are prepared for them. He has a way of directing our vision and allowing us to see only what He wants us to see.

I had an experience recently that illustrates this point in the natural. I found that two can travel the same road and experience the same scenery but see things so differently. On a recent mission trip to the Philippines, we traveled up a mountain and went through a place called the Lion's Head. I was sitting on the left side of the vehicle, two people were in the front seat, and two were on the right side of the van. Out of my window, I could see a small sign that read 'Lion's Head,' which had a small picture of a lion painted on it. Everyone in the vehicle was talking about the Lion's Head, while I was thinking, "What is the big deal? It's just a picture of a lion." Little did I know that they were seeing something entirely different on the right side of the road. After we traveled up the mountain and looked back on the scene, they directed my attention to the Lion's Head several miles below. I was awestruck as I saw a huge lion's head that had been carved out of the stone and painted. I had been a few feet from the Lion's Head, but had missed the entire scene simply because my eyes were focused in the wrong direction.

I took counsel from this life lesson and asked God to direct my spiritual vision, for I want to see as He sees. Like the Lion's Head incident, we can always look back on our life and see very clearly with reality the results of the decisions that we have made. I have decided that I do not want to go the way of my flesh and miss God's best for my life. Like King David, I want the Lord to point out anything that He finds in me that makes Him sad (Psalms 139:23 Living Bible). I want God to show me the right path and keep me from self-destruction because I know that He sees the entire picture, while my vision is limited and I can only see what is near. I determined to take a closer look at myself when those about me seek to counsel me with words that I may not want to hear, for I must keep in mind that I may be looking in the wrong direction and away from wisdom. God may have shown them a glimpse of what lies ahead so that they are better able to counsel and comfort me along the way. Last but surely not least, I will pray the words that David prayed, "Lord, open my eyes that I may see." +++

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05/27/05
GOD'S MEMORIAL DAY

Scripture: Exodus 12:14 "And this day shall be unto you for a Memorial."

This scripture is in reference to the institution of the Passover, which began when Moses was leading the people out of Egypt. This event was a shadow or an illustration of the redemptive work that Jesus was to accomplish for us on the cross. At this first Passover, Israel was instructed to take a lamb without spot or blemish, kill it, and apply the blood to the doorpost of their homes. God told them that when He saw the blood, He would pass over them and not kill the firstborn of that house. He promised that death would have no dominion over them if they would simply apply the blood of the slain lamb.

God grants us a Memorial Day such as this. Jesus is our lamb without spot and blemish. When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Jesus was slain on the cross of Calvary for our sins and because of His sacrifice, we have a promise of eternal life, and death no longer has dominion over us.  However, just like the first Passover, God's work is not complete until we personally apply the blood of Jesus to our lives by receiving Jesus as our Savior and Lord. God gave such simple instructions to His people. They were to just take the lamb, kill it, and apply the blood. Yet, many people in Egypt did not respond to these instructions. Eternal salvation is just as simple, for God has made a way by sacrificing His Son. Yet many fail to respond to His great invitation even though the steps to salvation are as simple as ABC.

    A) Acknowledge your sin, for all have sinned. (Romans 3:23)
    B) Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 16:31)
    C) Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your
          heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be
          saved. (Romans 10:9)

If you have an opportunity this Memorial Day, share this thought with someone. When you see the red stripes on our great American flag, think about those who have given their life serving this nation ... And also remember the great sacrifice that Jesus made for your sins and the crimson blood that He shed for you. +++

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A Word In Due Season
5th Week of May 2005

05/31/05
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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