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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of October 2005

10/03/05
TWENTY-FOUR, SEVEN

Scripture: Psalms 121:3 "He that keeps you will not slumber."

There is a new phrase that has been coined recently, which is "24-7." The news media uses this term quite frequently to inform their audiences that they are going to be reporting the news non-stop, twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. According to the psalmist, this is the same timetable that God keeps, for He never sleeps, takes a weekend off, or has vacation time. He is a "24-7" God. He is there all of the time. He never leaves us or forsakes us, but watches over us twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week.

Even though we may not recognize it, God not only watches over us but continually works in our life. Whether in the daylight or dark, He is working in the natural and in the spiritual realm. His plans are much higher than our plans and He is working for us when things seem bad and also when things seem good. He is there 24-7 rearranging our schedules and diverting our paths to keep us from harm. There is nothing too great for Him to handle. In the midst of the darkness, God watched over the Israelites who had marked their door post with the blood of the lamb and disallowed the death angel to take their first born. Later, God worked throughout the night to roll back the Red Sea and prepared a dry path right in the midst of it so that Moses and the Israelites could escape their enemies. God was awake at midnight to shake the prison doors open for Paul and Silas, and He also spent the night with Daniel in the lion's den. God was there in the Garden of Gethsemane when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus. These servants of God couldn't see Him but He was there just the same, and manifested His mighty presence in their midst.

God is awesome and He is with you right now. Things may get rough at times as you live out your "24-7s". The storms may come, the winds may blow, the sky may turn dark, and the night may seem long, but God is neither absent nor asleep. Instead, He is right in the midst of your life and very alert. You must learn to trust in His wisdom and depend upon His hands to help you make it through your personal situations. God will not sit down or rest in the midst of your battles but will impart His strength and empower you with His Spirit so that you can experience victory with every challenge. God never slumbers and will keep you TWENTY-FOUR, SEVEN. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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10/04/05
THE VEIL OF UNFORGIVENESS

Scripture: Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV) "If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

There is no misunderstanding about what Jesus was saying in this scripture, for His words are about as plain as they can get. God's rule is very simple, "Forgive if you want to be forgiven." Considering these words, is it any wonder that sometimes we find it hard to receive forgiveness from God for ourselves? For in the hidden recesses of our hearts, we are harboring unforgiveness. Unforgiveness may have been in our hearts for such a long period of time that we had forgotten that it was there and possibly don't exactly remember what the issue was about. Nevertheless, our sins will not be forgiven if we, ourselves, haven't forgiven.

Maybe you can relate to my experience. In the natural, there have been times that I have packed away an item and then forgotten that I had it. Later, I was shocked when I discovered that item. I have even forgotten about places that I visited or an event that I attended until I looked at old photos. Yet the memory is still there, it's just dormant until something stirs it. When the item is uncovered or the photo is revealed, the memory becomes very fresh in my mind and I say, "Oh, I remember now." Even in arguments, we tend to bring up past events and things that we thought were long forgotten. Unforgiveness in our hearts is like a hidden item or a photo. We think it is not there until something nudges us and we feel the old familiar pain. There was a season that required much forgiveness on my part. With God's help, I was able to forgive the one who transgressed against me. Yet, the enemy still tries to use painful memories to resurrect the past in an effort to overthrow the spirit of forgiveness that is within my heart. This is a common battle for all of us.

We need to understand that forgiveness is a gift that we give to ourselves. We are the ones who benefit when we forgive, for It is the only way that we can approach God. When we go to the altar with unforgiveness in our hearts, we offer an empty sacrifice to the Lord and our prayers are hindered. It is as though a veil is over our hearts and God won't look beneath that veil. When He sees unforgiveness, He turns His head in sadness. Jesus said, "Reconcile yourself with your brother and then bring your sacrifice to the Lord." You, yourself, must remove the veil of unforgiveness. If you want God to listen to you, then you must listen to Him and obey His words. He simply says, "Forgive." You may think that it is impossible, but Jesus would not tell you to do something that was impossible for you to do. Forgiveness is a decision, an act of your will. So, remove the veil of unforgiveness from your heart and you will find that you have removed the veil between you and God's heart. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
================================================================================= 10/05/05
AS YOUR SOUL PROSPERS

Scripture: III John 2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers."

We often think of prosperity in the terms of money and material things, but true prosperity is a far reaching concept that includes success in every area of life. The spirit of prosperity doesn't depend upon what you have or what you don't have. There are many people who are wealthy and have an abundance of material possessions but are lacking prosperity because their lives are empty and unfulfilled. They are never satisfied and many times complain about what they do have. They are always reaching for more in an effort to satisfy their own lust, and as a result have little time to think of the needs of others. Yet there are others who have very little as far as worldly goods are concerned, but possess great prosperity in their hearts. They are happy and satisfied and their greatest fulfillment is to share what they have with someone who needs it more than they do. They feel blessed just to be able to be a blessing, even though it may leave them without.

Two of God's greatest wishes is that we prosper and that we be in good health. However, our health, our material prosperity, and our personal success is linked to the prosperity of our soul. Matthew 6:33 confirms this thought by saying, "Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." When you seek God, He blesses your life in a supernatural way. Abraham left everything to follow after God and God blessed him and made him rich. God offered King Solomon anything that he wanted, but Solomon did not ask for riches or fame for himself. Instead he asked for wisdom to lead God's people, and God not only imparted wisdom to Solomon, but gave him wealth and fame beyond measure. Isaac obeyed God and stayed in the land where God had placed him and God made him to prosper in the time of famine. God even caused everything that Joseph did to prosper when he was a slave and serving in the prison. These men prospered because their souls prospered. They followed and sought after God's best and trusted His sovereign plan.

If you desire to experience true prosperity in your life, then allow your soul to prosper. Take time to wait upon God so that you can draw strength from His presence. Study His words and listen to His voice, which will speak words of wisdom to you. Seek to accomplish God's will by obeying His commands and following where He leads. As you totally commit your life to Him and trust in His sovereign plan, your soul will prosper and all that God has ordained for your life will come to pass. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
================================================================================= 10/06/05
IF WE CALL, GOD WILL ANSWER

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you have not known."

In the next few verses, God continues to speak through the prophet, Jeremiah, saying, "I will lay upon you health and healing, and I will cure you and reveal to you the abundance of peace, prosperity, security, stability, and truth. I will cause your captivity ... to be reversed, and will rebuild you as you were at the first. I will cleanse you from all the guilt and iniquity because of your sin against Me ... And you shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and a glory before all the nations of the earth ... because of all the good ... that I provide."

In this particular passage, the prophet Jeremiah shows us that prayer is a prerequisite to miracles and answers from God. He says, "Call unto Me and I will answer." God's blessings will come to us as we pray to Him. We don't have to call on someone else and or have them get an answer from God for us. We can approach God directly. All that we need to do is humble ourselves before God and voice our petitions to Him. As we do, God will forgive us and heal us. James 4:2 tells us very plainly the reason that we don't receive answers many times is because we don't ask. Even Jesus, the Son of God, spent time in prayer and drew strength from the presence of God. He got up early before day and stayed awake all night communing with the Father. Jesus made His request known unto God and because He prayed, God answered and showed Him great and mighty things. He went about healing various types of diseases and performing all kinds of supernatural wonders. His power was evident but it came through prayer and communion with the Father.

When God instructed us to, "call" it wasn't meant to be an empty word. It was meant to provoke us to action, for God's words are not mere literature. They are inspired by the Holy Spirit and God has breathed on every word. His words are alive and powerful and He uses them to set forth principles that will guide us in our daily life. II Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture is given to us by inspiration of God and is profitable." Do you need God to supernaturally reverse situations in your life, to forgive you, heal you, or to meet your financial need? If so, then take God at His word today and begin to call out to Him, expecting Him to show you the great and mighty things that you have not known before. For when you call, He has promised to answer. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
================================================================================= 10/07/05
MY FATHER'S HOUSE

Scripture: John 14:2 "In My Father's house are many mansions ... I go to prepare a place for you."

Before we make plans to go on a special trip and visit a new place, we get maps to show us the way and study brochures to let us know what to expect upon our arrival. Our excitement builds as we study all the information that we have collected. We look at the accommodations, search out the restaurants, and choose the entertainment that appeals to us. We make reservations, get our finances in order, complete our ticket purchases, and pack the proper attire. We try to make sure not to overlook any detail in our preparation and at the appointed time, we begin our journey.

Jesus said that He was going away to prepare a place for us, and that He would return to get us so that we could be with Him. He described this place as a mansion in His Father's house. The Apostle John gave us a description, or visual brochure, of this beautiful Holy City to which we are headed (Revelation 21 and 22). He said that we could expect the city to be glowing with the glory of God and that the light of the city is like jasper (sea green). There are great walls surrounding this city, which are 1,500 miles "four-square" (cubical). These walls are of jasper and have twelve foundations, each garnished with a particular stone. These stones are of jasper, sapphire, emerald, agate, sardius, topaz, and amethyst to name a few. The city has twelve gates that are made of twelve huge pearls and the streets are made of pure gold, which are as transparent as glass.

The Lord God Almighty and Jesus, the Lamb, are the temple of the city. Also there is no need for the moon or the sun, for Jesus Himself is the Light. There is a crystal river of life that flows through this city as it proceeds out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. There is also a tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruit, whose leaves are for healing. There is no sorrow or grief nor anything defiling in this beautiful city. The greatest thing about this awesome Holy City is that we shall be able to see the face of Jesus (Revelation 22:4). Doesn't this eternal Holy City sound exciting?

None of us know when God will call us to make our ultimate journey. Jesus is preparing our mansion, but like any other journey, we must make our own personal preparations. If by chance, you have not made preparations for your final and eternal destination, please let us know. We will be glad to show you how to ensure your reservation. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of October 2005

10/10/05
COVENANT KEEPING GOD

Scripture: Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations."

Moses made this statement about 3500 years ago and things still remain the same. First, the Lord God is still God and His position has not changed. He is still the Creator of Heaven and Earth and the Ruler over all. He is sovereign and has supreme authority over all creation, including the personal affairs of men. Second, God is not only God but He is also a faithful God. There is no changing with God and He is still the same as he was when Moses declared that He was faithful. Numbers 23:19 declares that "God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should repent. If He has spoken it, it will come to pass." And finally, God will keep His covenant with us as He did with Moses.

A covenant is a contract or an agreement between two or more people. It is a giving and receiving relationship between the parties involved and requires a total commitment from both sides. You can't have a covenant with someone you do not know or trust. It just won't work, for covenants are established and developed through relationships. You may have been in a relationship that was based upon what you could and would do for that other person. There was conversation when they wanted to talk, affection on their terms, and all of the serving and giving was on your part. It was all about them and their needs. Your needs and desires were never considered, much less met, for you carried the entire load of the relationship. Things are different when you have a covenant with God. He respects your needs and responds to your desires. You are able to say, "If you need me, God, you can count on me. And God, when I need You, I know that I can count on You." You make yourself accessible and available to each other.

God is faithful to the faithful and He will keep His word with those who will obey His word. God obligates Himself to those who are in a covenant relationship with Him and He watches over His word to perform it. In fact, His eyes continually roam the earth looking for those who love Him and who are diligently seeking to trust His word and obey His commandants. God is not a politician who says things so that He can be voted into your life. Neither is God an actor who portrays himself to be someone that he is not. God is for real and His words are truth. Establish or consider your covenant with God, for it is completely thorough or exhaustive. If you honor and respect God as your Heavenly Father, He will treat you as His son. If you recognize Him as the Lord God your Healer, He will heal you of all your diseases. If you look to Him as your Source of supply, He will meet all of your needs. If you see Him as your Deliverer, He will come to your rescue and deliver you. If you ask Him for forgiveness, He will be faithful to forgive. If you allow Him to be your Comforter, He will be with you always. Men will continue to fail you in your time of need, but God's grace will always be sufficient and His mercy will never cease, for He is a covenant keeping God. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
================================================================================= 10/11/05
GOD'S WAY IS PERFECT

Scripture: Psalms 18:30 (NIV) "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless."

We live in a real world which is not perfect in any way. At times things seem to be in order and at other times there is great chaos. There are floods, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, and personal problems that come in our direction, but our goal is to remain peaceful in all situations. We may not understand all that is happening around us, but what we do need to understand is that God is perfect in every way and that He has everything under control. What is happening in our own personal lives at the moment is not just an event but a process. It is a stepping-stone to help us get to the next place that God has ordained for us. God is doing something far greater in our lives than we can ever imagine, for the Lord's ways are much higher than our ways and His thoughts are greater than our thoughts.

We may stand, weeping, beside an open grave, which has been prepared for our loved one. We may watch as our leaders and heroes fail us. Our friends and family may reject and abandon us when we need them the most. The truth is that things will not always turn out as we have planned. Yet, as we face the disappointments and the challenges that are set before us, we must remember that God's promises are always flawless. When He speaks, He makes no mistakes and He never fails. There are no idle words that come from His mouth, for each word and every promise will come to pass just as He has declared. Isaiah 40:8 says, "The grass will wither, the flower will fade, but the word of the Lord will stand forever."

God is steadfast and we must trust Him at all times. We are His children and He has our best interest in His heart. Adversity does not signal that you are off course, for when you are walking towards God and in His will, you are facing the devil who is walking in the opposite direction. So don't allow yourself to become discouraged by every speed bump in the road that slows you down. Just keep moving in faith. If you are unable to see the path before you because the problems are too great, just take one step at a time. Continue on the journey that God has set before you and remember that His ways are perfect and His word is flawless. He will not fail you. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
================================================================================= 10/12/05
KEPT FROM EVIL

Scripture: John 17:15-16 "I pray that You should not take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

Jesus prayed these words to the Heavenly Father for you and me. He realized that we would face many evils in this wicked world, "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" (I John 2:16). Yet, Jesus didn't pray that we would be rescued and taken out of the world and from all of these things, but that God would protect us while we remained in the world. Jesus continued to ask God to sanctify us through His truth, which meant that He wanted God to keep us separated from the evil that was present in the world and to be set apart for Him and His holy purposes.

There is a saying that a boat is safe when it is in the water, but the boat is not safe when the water is in the boat, for it will sink. The same is true in the spiritual realm. We can be in the world and be safe, but we are not safe when the world makes its way into our hearts. When the things of the world begin to scatter our thoughts and displace the things of God in our lives, our spiritual boat will be in trouble. When we allow lust, pride, and disobedience to rule we will begin to sink. We must guard our hearts and disallow this to happen. We can't let anything and everything into our lives and hearts. We must turn our eyes towards Jesus and be so full of His Spirit and the Word of God that we have no appetite for the things of the world.

Have you ever found yourself in a sinking boat, trying to dip the water out? Often times this is a fruitless effort and help has to come from outside. So it is with our exposure to the evil that is in the world. We must depend upon God to keep us from the evil just as Jesus prayed. And we must pray, ourselves, for Jesus taught us to pray these words, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." There is a constant battle between right and wrong, good and evil, and the spiritual and carnal, but you are safe as long as none of the evil is within you. You will be enticed and tempted by the world, but don't wait until your boat is full of water and about to sink. Agree with Jesus' prayer and trust God to keep you from the world. +++

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

10/13/05
AMAZING GRACE

Scripture: Ephesians 2:7-8 "The exceeding riches of His grace ... for by grace are you saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is a gift of God."

There are exceeding riches when we experience the awesome act of grace. The greatest extension of grace that I have ever received came to me from the heart of God. God loved me so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die for my sins so that I could have eternal life. He did the same for you. The greatest extension of grace on my part has been to share God's grace with someone else and to let them know that God's grace is greater than all of their sins.

Probably the most loved and cherished hymn ever written is "Amazing Grace." It was written by John Newton, who lived from 1727-1807. He wrote these words to express his own personal testimony of God's transforming power in his life. He was a hardened slave trader and an infidel until he met Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is no wonder that he wrote the words, "Amazing grace! ... That saved a wretch like me" for his life had been filled with evil acts against others. When he came face to face with God's love, mercy, forgiveness, and grace, he recognized the state that his own soul was in. He felt conviction and comfort in God's grace as he declared that "Grace had taught his heart to fear, and that same grace his fears relieved." The gift of grace and forgiveness is often best appreciated by those who need it the most. For God took John Newton, pardoned his sins unconditionally, changed his life, and appointed him to preach the same gospel that he had labored to destroy.

God's grace did not end with John's Newton's salvation experience. He recognized that grace was an ongoing act of God's mercy and love. He said that God's grace had brought him through "many dangers, toils, and snares" and he trusted in God's grace to lead him and be there until the very end. When he was eighty-two years old he said, "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior." Like John Newton, we all need this great Savior, for we cannot pay the price to redeem our own sins. We must depend upon the exceeding riches of God's amazing grace and accept His plan that through grace, we are saved by faith and not of ourselves, for it is a gift of God. +++

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

A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of October 2005

10/17/05
LITTLE FAITH

Scripture: Matthew 14:31 "Jesus stretched forth His hand, caught Peter, and said to him, "O ye of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Peter saw two things that affected his faith. First, he saw Jesus walking on the water in the midst of the storm and this sight produced so much faith in Peter's heart that he asked Jesus to bid him to walk out upon the water, also. While Peter was in the process of walking upon the water towards Jesus, he saw something else. He turned his eyes from Jesus and began to look at the storm and the boisterous winds. This second vision brought fear to his heart and caused his faith to fail. As his faith grew dim, he began to sink into the waters and in the midst of his dilemma, Peter cried out to Jesus. Jesus harkened to his cry, stretched forth His hand, and rescued Peter. At the end of the matter, Jesus asked him plainly, "Why did you doubt?"

Peter's great faith had dwindled to little faith because he didn't keep his eyes upon Jesus. He was overcome with the circumstances of the moment and allowed them to bring fear to his soul. Instead of shouting a victory shout because he was experiencing a mighty miracle by walking on the water, his voice sounded out cries of fear and terror. His fear and doubt drove away the miracle working power of the Lord. Peter should have realized that when Jesus said, "Come" that the waves and the storms were no longer his own business. They belonged to the Lord. Jesus was the Master of the sea, storm, and the water, and He loved Peter and wasn't going to allow him to drown right there before Him.

Our hearts are just like Peter's. We are human and anytime that we begin to measure and value the raging winds of the storm against the powerful winds of the Holy Spirit, it will cause doubt to arise in our soul. When we think that we are separated from Christ because of the dashing waves that are between us and Him, we will experience fear. When our vision of Jesus is lost and all we can see are the flashes of lighting, our hopes will fail. When the thunder is so loud that we can't hear His voice, our direction will be unclear. When we can only see the dangers and difficulties, we will experience doubt, and like Peter we will begin to sink. You may be wondering where Jesus is in the midst of your current storm and why things are not working. The answer is easy. He is right where you saw Him last, on the other side of the waves that are being driven by the boisterous wind. He is there with you in the midst of the adversity that is attempting to engulf your soul. His hands are stretched towards you and He will keep you safe. So keep your eyes on Jesus and your ears open to His voice. Regardless of what is happening around you, keep walking towards Him in faith. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
================================================================================= 10/18/05
FREE INDEED

Scripture: John 8:36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."

Free indeed means that your freedom is without a doubt. It is an unquestionable fact or a certain reality. When you are free, you are not held in bonds and you are not required to give allegiance or serve that which you do not support. When Jesus spoke these words, He wanted us to understand that we have freedom through Him and that we are no longer bound to sin or the devices of the devil. In verse thirty-four, Jesus had stated that if you commit sin, you are a servant to that sin. It holds you in bondage. But when Jesus makes you free, you are free indeed. His sacrifice on the cross did not accomplish a partial work but brought total freedom and redemption. We are free in the spirit the moment that we are saved, yet most often there is a process before there is a manifestation of our freedom.

Today, I found a moth that was trapped in my kitchen. It desperately wanted freedom and to return to its own environment outdoors. At this point, I was lord over the moth and held in my hands the power to do whatever I wanted to do with it. I could trap it and keep it enslaved, or even kill it, but my desire was not to harm it. I wanted the moth to be as free just as it wanted to be free. Rescuing it, however, was a different process. I finally captured it in a plastic cup and covered the cup with a paper towel. I did all I could do to protect it during the process of bringing it to its freedom. Unfortunately, the moth did not have knowledge of the plan or understand what was happening to it. It only knew that its world had suddenly become dark and that it was sensing unknown motion. So it began to fight furiously for its freedom and beat its fragile wings against the cup. I spoke comforting words to it in the midst of its frantic moment as I took it to the door to release it. It was only a few moments, but I am sure that it must have seemed like an eternity to the poor captive. Maybe when it was released, it understood that I meant no harm and that I only wanted to give it the freedom that it desired and to help it be able to complete its destiny.

Like the moth in this story, God wants us to complete our destiny. He wants us free of sin and the snares of the past, which we have made ourselves servant to. In our hearts we agree with God's will and want to be free to do what He has called us to do. We can see the light and hear God calling, but we just can't seem to get there, for there are too many barriers. So we just pray and then suddenly one day God answers our prayers, and He begins to deal with our situation. When He captures us, it seems frightening, for darkness surrounds us and we can feel the motion of His Spirit taking us to the unknown. We begin to beat ourselves against the sides of the cup that He is holding in His own hands because we don't know what He is doing. We don't know what is happening, but we do know that we have no control. All we can grasp in the natural realm is that an unseen force is holding us in bondage. All the while, God is speaking words of comfort to our hearts. He may possibly try to share His plans and the purpose for our confinement as He desperately attempts to get us to the door where He can set us free. We will face this same process many times in life because we will fall into many snares. Our spirit is willing but our flesh is so weak. Yet, in all of our dilemmas, God will faithfully come to our rescue but we must understand that freedom always comes with a price. We must let go and allow God to have His way before we can be free. +++

Scripture: Romans 12:1 "... present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

I recently received an email from one of our readers from Kenya, Africa whose name is Pastor Mbogo Zakayo. As he wrote of his desire to serve the Lord, I thought of the Apostle Paul's words, which instructed us to present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. We may not be called to be a martyr and die for the cause of Christ, but we are called to present our fleshly bodies to Him as a living sacrifice. We are to take up our cross daily and live a life that is holy and acceptable to God. According to Paul, this act is a reasonable service, for God has never called us to do anything that we could not do. We are to present ourselves to God with the resolve to live a holy acceptable life before Him each and every day.

As Pastor Mbogo Zakayo expressed his heart's desire to please God, I have captured some of his own words and rearranged them to form the following prayer. These words would be beneficial for all of us to pray as we present ourselves to God on a daily basis.

My Father God, I honor Your Holy Name.
Today, I present my body to You as a living sacrifice.
I pray that my life will be holy and acceptable to You.
I pray for a daily cleansing of my heart so that it may be pure.
I ask that You purify my motives, my desires, my ambitions, and my passions.
I want no spirit of self-seeking, vain glory, or pride to have a place within me.
I want nothing in my life that would displease You, Lord, or cause me to be the least bit unusable for Your service.
I do not want to bring reproach upon the Name of Jesus in any way, for in Him I live and have my being.
Apart from Jesus, I am lost and undone.
He is the very air I breathe and I cannot live without Him.
I do not want to live without Him!

Father, I believe that You will use me in these last days as You have spoken.
I have wept at the awesome knowledge of Your calling, yet, it is not something that I, myself, have desired.
Lord, above everything, I desire that Your will be doneand not my own. It is all about You!
The only qualifications that I have are what You have given to me.
My greatest desire is to know You, Lord, more intimately; and to move and flow in Your power for that is what will accomplish Your will.
Lord, help me to respect Your word and not to be involved in deception.
Help me not to take lightly Your anointing or misuse it in any way.

Lord, I also pray for the entire body of Christ and lift them up to You, that each member will be strong, healthy, and in their proper place so that the body can function and complete the purposes for which it was designed.
We know that Christ is returning for a glorious church.
Let us be counted with those who are without spot or blemish.

Amen. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
================================================================================= 10/20/05
GOD SAID ... AND IT WAS SO

Scripture: Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26 "And God said let there be..."

In these scriptures, every time that God said, "Let there be," there followed an awesome act of creation. God said, "Let there be light" and there was light. He said, "Let the waters gather together and let there be dry ground" and it was so. God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass and herbs" and it happened just as He commanded. Every time He spoke, His words framed, fashioned, and put into order the entire world. His words were as powerful as they were simple. He called things from the unseen realm to the visible and from the spiritual to the natural.  God's Words were never void of power, but always accomplished what He sent them forth to do, for He is a God of faith and when He speaks He breathes upon His Words and gives them life.

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible for us to please God. He wants us to understand, exercise, and move in faith just like He did. We were created in His image and He has given us the capacity for faith, but we must develop it. Faith is not an emotion, but a God imparted gift that comes with knowledge of God's Word. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the Word of God." In other words faith comes into our hearts when we hear what God is speaking to us, but we can only hear God speaking as we hear His Word.

Faith is believing that God told the truth, then simply acting upon that truth.  Don't worry about trying to have faith or trying to get faith.  Just read the scriptures and find out what God has said about your situation. Your faith must line up with God's Will, and God's Will is His Word. Regardless of what things look like in the natural, begin to act and talk like God told you the truth. Rest in His eternal promises, for there is nothing impossible with God. Ask in faith for your needs to be met according to His will. His will is that none should perish, but that all should receive eternal life through Jesus Christ, His Son. His highest wish is that you prosper and be in health. He wants His people happy and blessed. Find the answer that you need in God's word then believe in your heart that as God breathes upon that particular word and says, "Let there be," that it will be so. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
================================================================================= 10/21/05
IN THE IMAGE OF THE CREATOR

Scripture: Genesis 5:1 & 3 "When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God ... When Adam was 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness."

Adam was created in the likeness of God and clothed in His glory, but Adam rebelled against God's word and partook of the forbidden fruit in the garden. When he committed this act against God, the image of his innocence was destroyed and his nakedness was exposed. From that point on, all men would be created in the likeness of Adam with a sinful nature and would have to strive to take on the character of God, their Creator. Romans 5:19 says, "For by one man's (Adam) disobedience, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus) shall many be made righteous." It was because of Adam's sin that we inherited the nature to sin, which makes it very easy to do wrong and very hard to do right. Even Paul said, "The things I want to do, I do not, and the things I don't want to do, I do" (Romans 7:19).

Adam's sin brought us into condemnation and set our souls upon lust and self-fulfillment, but Jesus died on the cross for us so that we could be cleansed from sin. His sacrifice and His blood brought us into justification. He places within us His very nature, and it is only through Him that we can walk in righteousness and live in the image of our Creator. Yet, living in the image and the likeness of our creator instead of the image of Adam is a daily process that requires a conscious effort on our part. We have to "put off the old self" that is corrupted by our desires and we have to form new attitudes so that we can "put on the new self" that is created to be like God (Ephesians 4:22-24). When we are born again, our new man waits to be instructed through the word, for it cannot change on its own. We can only change as our minds are renewed in the knowledge of our Creator.

Even nature itself teaches us that things left to themselves will not prosper. They must be maintained on a daily basis. A house that is left to itself without maintenance will soon deteriorate. A yard or garden that is not kept will become overrun with weeds and vines in just a short time. Children who are not cared for will become dysfunctional and if not corrected, they will become undisciplined. Friendships and marriages that are not nurtured will soon grow apart. So it is in the spiritual realm. II Peter 1:4 says that God gave us "great and precious promises that we might be partakers of the divine nature." Yet, to partake of His divine nature, we must maintain ourselves spiritually. As we yield ourselves to the gentle molding hands of the Creator through prayer, communion with Him, and study of His word, changes will take place in our lives and we will be transformed into His image. +++

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

A Word In Due Season
4th Week of October 2005

10/24/05
ENDURING TEMPTATIONS

Scripture: James 1:12 "Blessed is the man that endures temptation."

James, who was the brother of Jesus Christ and also the pastor of the church at Jerusalem, wrote these words and both of these positions probably gave him much insight into the struggles of everyday routine life. He knew that all men would be tempted and that temptations would be a daily challenge even for faithful believers. He also realized that there were great rewards for those who were able to endure the temptations that came their way. Endure means to carry on despite the hardships and to suffer patiently without yielding. Endurance is the power to withstand in the midst of the conflict and continue in existence. When you give up or give in to temptations, that part of you dies or loses its strength. When you yield to temptation, you bring an end to your purity, you damage your witness, you destroy your character, you relinquish and diminish your spiritual authority and power, and you give up your rewards. That is quite a price to pay for just a few moments of pleasure that the devil offers.

We must understand that temptations do not come from God, for James said in verse thirteen that God, Himself, cannot be tempted with evil and that neither does He tempt us with evil. Yet, God will allow tests to come to our lives, but His tests are trials of our faith and never involve a temptation to do evil. His tests are not choices between right and wrong, but choices between faith and doubt and are meant to determine the degree of our faith. For He wants to know where our heart is before He moves us to another level of responsibility or enlarges our borders of ministry. On the other hand, temptations come to us from Satan, our own flesh, and the things in the world. Temptation is evil from its very source and is never easy to endure because we are only tempted in the areas where we are most vulnerable and where we are most likely to be drawn away by our own personal lust. It would be useless for the devil to tempt me with drugs or alcohol because I do not have a problem in those areas. He finds the thing that will entice us to do wrong so that we lose our rewards in Heaven and our victory in life.

Our failure to avoid temptations affects every area of our life and also those about us. When Jesus was tempted of the devil, His kingdom and our eternal salvation were tied up in His righteous decision to endure the temptation. Our souls hung in the balance and could have been lost forever if He had failed or given in to the devil's devices. You can be sure that temptations will come your way, but there are some valuable secrets in overcoming them. First, the temptation that Jesus endured in the wilderness showed us that there is an end to temptation and that it can only last for a season. "When the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from Jesus for a season" (Luke 4:13). Second, God will never give you a greater temptation than you can handle. He will always give you a way to escape. Third, you are not alone, for temptations are common to all men (I Corinthians 10:13). If you hold these truths in your heart in the midst of temptation, you will have an advantage over the tempter. These truths will infuse you with strength to endure and if you don't give in for a moment, you will be blessed. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
================================================================================= 10/25/05
SONGS IN THE NIGHT

Scripture: Job 35:10 "God my Maker, who gives songs in the night."

If God is going to give us songs in the night, then it stands to reason that we must have night seasons to face. Regardless of whether these night seasons are literal or spiritual, we can count on God to be there and put a song in our heart.  The night that Jesus and His disciples received the Passover meal, they sung a hymn. This occurred shortly before Jesus was to face the agony of the garden, the betrayal, and His crucifixion (Matthew 26:30). How the words and melody of that hymn must have lingered in His soul while He faced the darkness of His destiny. After Paul and Silas were beaten and put into stocks in the prison, they prayed and sang praises at the midnight hour (Acts 16:25). God gave these men a song to sing in the midst of their darkest hours.

Many times it is in the darkest hours of men's lives that God gives songs that are everlasting. Haratio Spafford and his wife were grieving over the death of their son when they encountered financial disaster during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. They decided to get away from their problems and sail to England to be in the Dwight L. Moody services. Spafford's wife and four daughters left ahead of him. On their journey across the Atlantic Ocean, their ship collided with another vessel and sank very quickly and his four daughters were lost. In grief and shock, Spafford boarded the first ship to meet his wife. As he crossed the Atlantic, the ship's captain pointed out the place that the ship had gone down. Psalms 42:8 says, "In the night God's song shall be with me." That night God gave a song to Spafford and he penned these words to a hymn that has been the source of comfort to millions for over a century.

    "When sorrows like sea-billows roll; Whatever my lot,
    Thou hast taught me to say, "It Is Well, It Is Well With My Soul."
    "Though Satan should buffet, tho' trials should come my way,
    Let this bless assurance control, "It Is Well, It Is Well With My Soul."

The psalmist said, "I am so troubled that I cannot speak" but "I call to remembrance my song in the night" (Psalms 77:4 & 6). The psalmist's mind was troubled, but He allowed God to stir a song in his heart. Haratio Spafford may have had these same feelings that dreadful day that he lost his four daughters. He may have been so troubled that he could not speak, yet he allowed God to comfort his heart with a song. God does the same for us.  He is with us in the midst of our problems and surrounds us with songs of deliverance (Psalms 32:7).  He preserves us during sorrows and shields us from the buffeting of Satan by giving us lyrics and melodies that minister peace, joy, comfort, and encouragement. You must believe that whatever is happening in your life, God will meet you at your point of need. He will surround you with His love and minister songs of deliverance to you. You can then say as Haratio Spafford said, "It Is Well With My Soul." +++

10/26/05
BECAUSE OF THE ANOINTING

Scripture: Isaiah 10:27 " ... the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing."

A yoke was a harness that hung about the neck and shoulders of animals in order to join them together so that they could work in unity. In Isaiah's time, it was also worn by men to help them carry their heavy loads. In either case, a yoke was a symbol of bondage. Many of God's people today are in yokes of bondage. The yoke may not be seen with the naked eye but the heavy burdens are there just the same. There are bondages of grief, sorrow, unforgiveness, financial situations, addictions, health problems, and disappointments of every kind. People are continually searching for solutions to rid themselves of these burdens, but the prophet declared that only the anointing of the Lord would destroy these yokes and bring freedom into the lives of the believers.

The anointing is not given by God so that man can experience goose bumps or a good feeling, but comes so that we might be a strong witness (Acts 1:8). The anointing is given for a purpose, is full of great power, and has action. Jesus declared that the anointing upon Him caused Him to be able to preach good tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to open the prisons to those that were bound. The anointing also brought comfort and appointed beauty for ashes, exchanged joy for mourning, and brought praise to those plagued by a spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61). All the miracles and the many healings that Jesus performed were because of the anointing of God upon His life (Acts 10:38).

The meaning of "anoint" is to rub with oil or impart through the idea of contact. We all know that when we are touched with oil, it spreads to everything we touch. So it is with the anointing of God. When we are touched with His anointing, it spreads to all those we touch. God anointed Jesus because Jesus communed and fellowship with Him. And because of Jesus' contact with the Heavenly Father, He had confidence that God would work through Him. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He boldly declared, "Father, I thank You that You heard Me. And I know that You hear Me always" (John 11:41-42). Like Jesus, we have a mandate from God to minister to a hurting world, but we can only give to them what we have received. We have to be touched with the oil of the Holy Spirit to be able to spread the oil. That touch will only come to us when we are in close contact with our Heavenly Father as Jesus was. As we commune and wait upon God as Jesus did, God will pour out His Spirit upon us and fill us with His power. This is His anointing and it will destroy the yoke that is upon us and also empower us to undo the burdens in the lives of others. +++

Copyright © 2005 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
================================================================================= 10/27/05
MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR

Scripture: Judges 6:12 "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor."

Gideon was so afraid of his enemies, the Midianites, that he hid himself behind the winepress so that he could sift his wheat in secret. Yet regardless of his apparent fear, God saw Gideon's inner strength and knew what he could become. God saw Gideon as a man of valor and envisioned him to be brave, courageous, and full of worth.  Even though God, Himself, spoke positive words to Gideon, Gideon still couldn't believe that he was capable of fulfilling God's call on his life. He asked God to confirm His words through various signs and fleeces.

Sometimes we're like Gideon. God calls upon us to do something that really stretches our faith and goes beyond our natural abilities. We can't imagine that God wants to use us in a certain capacity when there are others who are more capable. As we look at ourselves in the natural, we fail to see what God sees, for we are looking at our past and our present, while God is seeing our potential and our future. We see our failures and insufficiencies, but God looks at the gifts and callings that are lying dormant within our lives. He knows the strengths that are within us, for He planted them within us long ago so that He could call them forth at the right season. When God calls upon us, we often exhibit the same attitude and answer Him in the same tone as Gideon did in verse thirteen. Gideon said to God, "If the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where are all His miracles?" In other words, Gideon was saying, "Lord, I haven't seen you work in my life yet. If I am such a mighty man and have so much valor, why haven't I noticed it before now?" He wasn't even sure that it was God speaking to him. In verse seventeen he said, "Show me a sign that You are the one that is talking with me." Yet God saw Gideon's heart and very patiently and faithfully answered all of his questions and strengthened his faith by meeting his request.

God is doing mighty things in your life right now and preparing you for the season that He has for you. He has a good plan and has placed you in His kingdom for such a time as this.  You may not be conscious of this fact, but He is implanting His word and His vision on the inside of you. In the time of your greatest fear and most hopeless situation, God's words of strength will speak to your heart. When you least expect it, He will call you forth and proclaim you as a mighty person of valor, for He is not looking at who you were or even who you are right now. He is looking at your potential and who you can be in the future. He is with you so do not be afraid. As you yield to Him, He will give you courage to complete His will. +++

Scripture: Exodus 14:29 "The children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left."

The children of Israel had no way to escape. The Red Sea was in front of them and the Egyptians were pursuing from behind. It seemed that the Israelites were at the end, but God took the natural and turned it into a supernatural miracle of deliverance for them. He used two natural elements, the wind and the water, to create a way to deliver them and at same time destroy their enemy. God is God and He could have just transported the Israelites across the Red Sea in the Spirit like He did with Philip after he had witnessed to the Eunuch in the desert (Acts 8:39). Instead, God chose to have the Israelites walk right through the middle of the sea.

This journey on the dry ground was a miracle in itself because the sea floor should have remained wet and muddy long after the waters were rolled back, but God caused the ground to be dry and stable enough for millions of people to cross. Even though God provided dry ground for them to walk upon, their supernatural walk was between two walls of water that could have possibly come surging in on them at any given time. This had to be an awesome vision and yet a frightening moment in their lives as they gathered their young children and elderly parents and walked with them between the walls of water. Can you imagine the faith that it took to obey God's command and walk this supernatural walk?

Our walk of faith many times is like this, for we can see that God is making a way for us. In the midst of our adverse circumstances, He tells us to go forward and He gives us dry ground to walk upon. We rejoice because it is an awesome miracle. Yet as we begin to make our journey in obedience to His words of direction, we see adversity on the right and on the left like the walls of water that stood in heaps as the Israelites passed through the middle of the sea. It is no less frightening for us than it was for them, for it is a new and strange thing. Thoughts of doubt and fear attack our minds and tell us that it is just a matter of time before everything crashes in upon us. We fail to consider that God is in control and that He has a plan and a reason for the walls of water. He plans to use those walls of water to destroy our enemies forever, just as He did with the Israelites. God has never promised that our walk would be easy, for it will always demand faith and trust on our part. When God leads, He will cause the ground to be dry beneath our feet, but our walk will demand faith as we walk between the walls of water to deliverance and our destiny. +++

A Word In Due Season
5th Week of October 2005

10/31/05
CREATE IN ME

Scripture: Psalms 51:10 "Create in me, a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."

King David was a man that loved God with all of his heart and continually worshipped Him. However, he was human and fell victim to the devices of the devil. He never quit loving God but the lust that he had in his heart for Bathsheba displaced his allegiance and commitment to God. For a short season, this spirit of lust enticed David to commit adultery, and in a moment of weakness, he sinned grievously against God. This act then drove David into deception and conspiracy as he purposely planned to have a man murdered so that he could keep his own sin hidden.

When the prophet Samuel confronted David about his sin, David's heart broke and he began to repent before God. He pleaded for forgiveness and cleansing as he acknowledged his transgression against men and his sin against God. But David's prayer did not end there. He not only asked for forgiveness, he asked God to do a new thing in his heart. David didn't want God to work with his old corrupt heart and just rearrange his priorities. He wanted a brand new fresh start. He wanted the One who had created and formed his heart in the first place to create or to bring into being a clean heart within him. David also wanted his spirit renewed and the joy of God's salvation restored in his life.

Have you ever tried to fix something that was too old to deal with? We recently cleaned the inside of our garage and was intending to keep an old handmade shelf where we stored cans of paint so that we could save a few dollars. From the front the shelf looked fairly good, but when we looked at the back of it, we discovered that the bottom shelf was actually an old hollow door that was buckled in and ready to collapse. It could no longer handle the weight of all the cans of paint and it was apparent that we had to start all over and create a new shelf if we wanted things to looked and function better. Our hearts are very similar, for we harbor sin or we keep old memories and obtrusive clutter in our hearts by holding on to the things that have offended us and by rallying around all the pain of the past. We have no idea how hollow those chambers of our heart are or how damaging it will be when they collapse under the pressure of the moment. This is a season that we need to allow God to examine every area of our heart and get rid of anything in our life that does not fit well into His Kingdom. I encourage you to pray the simple fifteen words that David prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Then expect God to answer, for He wants to do a new thing. +++