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================================================================================= 03/03/06

UNDER HIS WINGS

Scripture: Psalms 91:4 "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under
His wings shall thou trust."

Psalms ninety-one gives us many promises of God's protection. It tells us that if we "dwell in the secret place of the most High that we shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." To be in His shadow means that you are in His presence. Psalms 31:20 speaks of the secret of His presence that hides you. The following story is copied from an unknown source:

    "An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a
    penetrating picture of God's wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone
    National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess
    the inferno's damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in
    ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree.
    Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a
    stick. When he struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their
    dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending
    disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had
    gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic
    smoke would rise. She could have flown to safety but had refused to
    abandon her babies. When the blaze had arrived and the heat had
    scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast.
    Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her
    wings would live."

These tiny chicks experienced the love of their mother. How much more love has our Almighty Father shown us? He loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us so that we would not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). And Jesus loved us so much that He willingly left His throne in Heaven, became flesh, endured the shame of the cross, and sacrificed His life for us. Knowing that you are loved this much should make a difference in your life. All you need to do is trust God and climb underneath the shelter of His wings. He will take care of you. +++

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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of March 2006

03/06/06
NOT BY CHANCE

Scripture: Proverbs 20:24 (NIV) "A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?"

When we truly believe that God directs our steps, we must put away the notion that the life changing events that happen in our lives are mere accidents. There are many variables that could happen as we journey through life but we must recognize that God is directing our lives according to His sovereign plan and nothing is left to chance. It was no accident that we were at the right place at the right time to meet our spouse or to meet that special lifetime friend. It was no accident when God caused someone to witness to us about Jesus or brought someone along our path who would receive our witness of faith. Neither was it an accident that we were placed on our jobs or given the particular positions that we have, for even though we can't see it or understand it, God is continually working His awesome plan in our lives.

Sometimes it is difficult to understand what God is doing because His ways are far beyond our comprehension. We wonder why we lost our job or why we didn't get the promotion that we worked so hard for. Situations do not work out like we planned and it seems that our prayers are not being answered. When these thoughts come and our circumstances get a little confusing, we need to stop and recognize that things would be a lot easier for us if we just trusted God and allowed Him to lead. We must also understand that there will be times that we are not given any choices. Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his own brothers, could do nothing but follow God into the destiny that was planned for him. Joseph had a dream that he would rule, but his dream was challenged and his hopes shattered by the cruel circumstances that surrounded him. Most likely, Joseph did not understand what was happening in his life. Yet God was directing Joseph's steps and used the evil deeds of his brothers to get him to Egypt where He could cause Joseph's dreams to come to pass and use him as an instrument to save a multitude of people.

When God gave Joseph his dreams, He did not show him the pit, the prisons, or that he would have to endure the separation from his father and family. If Joseph had seen the hardships and cruel bondage that he would suffer on the way to his dream, he probably would not have chosen to follow his dream. God only showed Joseph the glorious end so that he could maintain his hope and God gave him no choices, except to exercise wisdom and be discrete in his actions. We must admit that some of the best decisions that we have made were the ones where we given no opportunity to choose and had to take the only option that was presented to us. Like Joseph, we may not understand what is happening until we get to the end of the journey. But when we have finished the course, we will discover that God always gives us the best when we allow Him to do the choosing. Regardless of what is happening, trust God with your life. Do not lean upon your own understanding but acknowledge that God is God and that He knows what He is doing. God gave Solomon great wisdom, so allow his words to settle your mind, "The Almighty, All Knowing God is directing your steps, so how can you possibly understand your own way?" +++

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03/07/06
DRAW NEAR TO GOD

Scripture: James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."

Isn't it amazing that the all-sufficient God who created everything, that has everything, and that can do anything desires our love and affection? He simply wants to be loved by us. Our love, praise, and adoration is the only thing that we truly possess that we can give to Him, for all that we are or ever will be is because of His grace on our lives. All of our material goods, gifts, and talents that we can offer to the Lord came to us by His own hands, but our love and praise that we offer up to Him comes from our heart and is our free will gift to Him.

Even though we may feel like we are a long way from God, but the truth is that He is patiently waiting for us to move towards Him. When we make the slightest effort to move in His direction, He responds and moves towards us. It is like a great love affair that is waiting to happen. His word declares that if we seek Him, we will find Him, for He will make Himself known to us. If we knock, He will open the door and fellowship with us. If we talk to Him, He will listen, and if we ask Him questions, He will answer. God is there, all the while waiting for us to approach Him.

One of our basic needs is to be loved. We think that God has no needs, but when we consider that we were created in His image, we must assume that He also has the need to be loved and cherished. What other reason would He have made this His number one commandment? In Mark 11:30, Jesus told us that the first commandment we are to obey is to "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." God wants to be the main interest in our lives. Jesus said that if the praises that men were giving Him were to be held back, "the stones would immediately cry out" (Luke 19:40). The atmosphere of the earth contains the potential for love and praise to God. Let's not allow a stone to take our rightful place in worshiping Him. Let's draw near to God and love Him with all of our heart. +++

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03/08/06

BE HOLY

Scripture: Ephesians 1:4 " ... be holy and without blame before Him in love."

Paul spoke to ordinary Christians at Ephesus and told them to be holy and without blame. These same words are meant for us today, but this instruction seems almost impossible to accomplish. Our carnal mind cannot comprehend the concept that we can be holy. Yet God never gives us an assignment that we can't handle and He confirmed His desire in Leviticus 19:2 saying, "You shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy." God wants His children to be just like Him, and because He spoke these words to us, there must be a way to attain this place of holiness in our lives. But how can we possibly fulfill these words with all of the daily challenges that we face?

The word "be" means to exist, to live, to remain, or to continue. It is not something that happens one time but is a continuation. How can we exist, live, or continue to be holy as God is holy? It is simple, for being holy is like living life. Life happens one breath at a time, one heartbeat followed by the next heartbeat. From the time we are born until the time we die, we are one breath away from death and one heartbeat away from eternity. Yet we say that we are living and that we have life. The same is true with holiness. God tells us to be holy, but regardless of how hard we try, we will always be one thought, one attitude, or one action away from relinquishing our state of holiness. We can only live as God gives us breath to live and we can only be holy as He empowers us to live in holiness and continues to forgive us when we fail. Being holy is a constant and continual journey.

There is a story of a father who tied a bag of candy to the ceiling. His young son desperately tried to reach it, but when he discovered that he could not reach the candy, he began to jump for it. When that failed, he decided to stand on a chair but he was still too short and the candy remained out of his reach. Everything he attempted failed. The son wanted the candy with all of his heart, but regardless of all of his efforts, he finally realized that it was impossible for him to reach the bag at the top of the ceiling and he gave up. When he gave up, his father took him in his arms and lifted him up so that he could grab the bag of candy. What was too difficult for the boy to do alone was so easy with the father's help. God wants us to know that being holy may seem impossible for us, but when He sees our desperate desire and struggle to be holy like Him, He will take us in His loving arms and lift us up so that we can accomplish His will. We must include God in our quest for holiness, for He understands. When things get too hard, we must simply surrender to the Lord, pray, and ask for His help. Like breathing one breathe of air at a time, He will help us to live moment by moment in holiness. +++

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03/09/06

GOD KNOWS WHERE WE ARE

Scripture: Job 23:10 "He knows the way that I take: when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

Job was in quite a dilemma as he sat there in an ash heap, scraping his boils, and speaking these words. His sons, daughters, servants, livestock, and property had been destroyed in one disaster after another. In fact, the word says that while one bad report was being given to him, another disaster was happening. And on top of all of this, the people that Job needed to encourage him the most during this crucial time, his wife and friends, had turned their backs on him in judgment. But "in all of this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly" (Job 1:22). In fact when his whole life began to cave in on him, he fell down and worshipped and blessed the name of the Lord.

Later, we find Job in search of answers. He tells his friend, "I go forward, but God is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; and on the left hand ... but I can't see Him." Then he determines, "God is hiding Himself on my right hand, so that I cannot see Him" (Job 23:8-9). Job had an assurance that even though he couldn't see God, God's eyes were upon him, and God knew exactly where he was. Job felt that at the end of these fiery trials he, himself, would ultimately come out as pure gold.

Job never departed from God's commandments when the bad times came his way. He said, "Though God slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15). What gave Job such confidence? He trusted God, and he trusted God's words. In verse twelve, he said, "I have esteemed the words of God more than my necessary food." He had come to understand that food may have nourished and sustained him, but only God's power could keep him alive and restore his health.

Luke 4:4 says that Jesus answered the devil's temptation in a similar way that Job answered his friends. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." God also expects us to live by EVERY word that He gives to us. We cannot obey, serve, and worship God only in the good and prosperous times; we must continually maintain our own walk before God as Job declared that God would not receive hypocrites (Job 13:16). God knows where we are. Like Job, we may not be able to see Him in the front, back, or to the sides, but we can rest assured that His presence is there hidden from our view while we are being tried, and if we esteem His word more than food and live by His every word, we can be assured that we will come forth as gold. +++

================================================================================= 03/10/06
EXPERIENCING GOD

Scripture: Job 42:5 "I have heard of You only by the hearing of the ear; but now my spiritual eye sees You."

The book of Job wrestles with the question, "Why do good people suffer?" Job was a man who was morally good and highly respected. He was spiritual and even functioned as a priest and offered burnt offerings for his family. Yet, God removed Job's hedge of protection and allowed Satan to come against him for a season. In an effort to destroy him physically and spiritually, Satan repeatedly used the forces of nature, sickness, and people, but Job continued to trust God. Even death, itself, held no threat in Satan's challenge to destroy Job's faith, for Job said, "Though God slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15).

Several months of testing passed as Job continued to place his confidence in God. When his season of testing finally came to an end, Job had experienced a new relationship with the Lord. He now recognized the sovereignty of God and his need to acknowledge it. Before he had been afflicted, his words had only been words without knowledge (Job 38:2). But in the midst of his tests, God spoke to Job directly, asking him simple but profound questions. When God began to commune with him, Job's spiritual eyes were opened, and he realized that God was the creator and was still in control. His knowledge of God changed from a hearing of the ears to a knowing of the heart.

This is the same process that God takes us through in the seasons of our own life. Throughout our life, we hear of Him with our ears, but when we are challenged like Job, we come to spiritually see or know God with our heart. We may hear of Jesus, the Son of God, but we only know Him as Savior when the Holy Spirit reveals Him to us and convicts us to receive Him into our heart. Likewise, we only come to know Jesus as the healer when we experience healing or to know Him as the provider when we see Him meet our needs. As we encounter the Lord directly, we become persuaded about who He is, and nothing can separate us from that knowledge. In the midst of our afflictions, we discover that God is not just a theory or a thought or someone that we have heard stories about but He is reality and must be experienced. +++

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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of March 2006

03/13/06
STABLE FEET

Scripture: Habakkuk 3:19 "The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me walk upon my high places."

Habakkuk was in fear when he saw the Chaldeans coming to invade the land. In verse sixteen he said, "My whole inner self trembled and my lips quivered at the sound." There was nothing that he could do to prevent the situation as he waited quietly for the day of trouble and distress to come against his people. Yet in the midst of all this turmoil and the uncertainty about the future, Habakkuk put his trust in God and continued to praise Him. He made a bold declaration that God's strength would help him and his people get through the hard and uncertain times that they were facing. He said, "I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. If the fig tree does not blossom and bring fruit; if the product of the olive fails; if the fields yield no food; if there are no flocks; and if there are no cattle in the stalls, I will still rejoice."   He made a decision ahead of time to praise God regardless of what the future held for him and his people. He was not going to let the circumstances separate him from God. As he depended upon God for strength and help, he held three secrets in his heart that caused him to be able to continue in praise to God in spite of impending danger.

    1) The Lord would be his strength.
    2) God would make his feet to be stable.
    3) God had a personal plan for him and would help him walk in it.

Habakkuk knew that the eternal supernatural God was bigger than any natural circumstance that he would have to face. He also knew that God would sustain him. Even though Habakkuk's own natural resources were failing, he placed his confidence in God, who was his source and strength.

Like Habakkuk, you can also have this same assurance. Regardless of the trouble or distress that you may be facing, you must stop relying on your own strength and lean upon God. As you begin to depend upon God, He will make your feet like the feet of the deer, strong and sure. As you develop your faith by hearing His word, He will give you the ability to climb your mountain of adversity without fear. You must acknowledge God as your source of strength and praise Him regardless of how bad your circumstances look. As you do, He will then lead you to the places that He has prepared for you and enable you to conquer each cliff, one step at a time. The same God who made Habakkuk's feet stable and allowed him to walk in high places is also there for you. +++

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03/14/06

OPENING OUR HEART'S DOOR

Scripture: Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him ..."

When we read this scripture, we often think of the picture that we have seen of Jesus standing and knocking at a door that has no doorknob on the outside. The scene represents the door of our heart, which can only be opened from the inside. It leaves the impression that we must open the door if we want Jesus to come into our lives. We often think of this picture just in terms of our initial salvation and fail to realize that Jesus stands at the door of our heart on a daily basis wanting to commune with us on a personal level.

This section of scripture was addressing not the lost, but those in the church who had become spiritually lukewarm and arrogant. They said, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." They thought that they had it all together, but God saw them as wretched, poor, blind, and naked. So, He personally stood at their door and tried to get their attention. He wanted to come into their lives and make them into overcomers (verse 21). He told them that He would come in if they would respond to Him in two ways; by hearing His voice, and by opening the door.

God makes those same promises to us and He desires to experience an intimate fellowship with us. He knocks on our heart's door to summon us to prayer and the study of His word, but many times we don't respond for various reasons. We may be so far away spiritually that we actually don't hear Him, or we may be too distracted with the cares of this life. It may be that we are depending upon others to hear His voice for us. Then again, we may hear His voice, but feel we are just too busy to answer. The bottom line is that we will never be overcomers in this life if we are not attentive to His voice or if we refuse to open the door and allow Him into our lives. He makes His invitation very plain. He says, "I'm standing at the door of your heart and I'm knocking. Do you hear me? Will you open the door? Can we commune with one another?" If you are willing, wait for Him as you would wait for a special friend that you are expecting to come by. Listen for His voice and respond to the knock at your heart's door. When He knocks, remember the knob is on your side! +++

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03/15/06
MEDITATING ON THE WORD

Scripture: Psalms 1:2 "His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law does he meditate day and night."

The blessed man is one who does two things concerning God's Word. He delights in God's Word and he continually meditates on it. When one delights in the Word of God, he finds it valuable and he purposely sets about to understand the precepts, meanings, and intents of the words that come from God's heart. The Word brings him pleasure and the fresh insights thrill his soul and bring light and life to his being.

Meditate means to murmur, imagine, study, talk, or make plans in the mind. It means to roll a thought over and over in the mind until it becomes smooth and acceptable. When we read or hear a promise of God, it is important to process that thought by rolling it over in our spirit until it begins to speak to us. Light and revelation will come into our spirits, causing life and fruitfulness. His Word will then take hold of our imaginations and begin to transform our thoughts. We begin to imagine change and then start making plans in our minds to bring about those changes. Because we are conforming to God's Word and His Will, He causes us to prosper like a tree that is planted by rivers of water.

We tend to do this process all the time in the negative realm. It is called "worry." For instance, we hear a negative report concerning our health or finances and we begin to roll that thought over and over in our minds until it becomes a reality. Our aches, pains, and lack of funds begin to speak into our minds until we imagine ourselves sick or bankrupt. We start to murmur, complain, and make plans for the worse to happen. We meditate and roll the negative thoughts over in our minds until they become smooth and acceptable to our spirits. These negative thoughts then begin to take life as we enable them to kill, steal, and destroy our faith. The Word of God never tells us to dwell on the negative. In fact Jesus said, "Don't take any anxious thought about the needs for tomorrow." Don't let worry become a habit. James 4:7 tells us to "resist the devil and he will flee." We must resist the negative and meditate on the positive word of God. When we exchange worry for the meditation of God's word, we become like trees that are planted by the rivers of living water and whatever we do will prosper. +++

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03/16/06
NO GOD - NO POWER

Scripture: John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches ... without me you can do nothing."

Jesus compared Himself to the vine and His followers to branches. The analogy that He was making was that if we want to be able to draw continual strength from Him, we must stay in relationship with Him. To walk in light and maintain life we must abide in Him and allow Him and His words to abide in us. A branch that is separated from the vine or trunk may flourish for a short season, but it will soon dry up and wither away because it is not self-supported. It must stay attached to its source to maintain life. Like the natural branch, God is our life and the source of all of our strength. All the power that we experience comes from God, and God alone. Without Him, we can do nothing.

We must have the same mindset that Peter had in Acts 3:12 when the lame man was healed. Peter recognized that he was simply a vessel of the Holy Spirit. The people tried to attribute the miracle to Peter, but he said, "Don't look on us as though by our own power or holiness that we made this man to walk." Instead, he gave all of the glory to God. God could have chosen anyone, but He chose Peter and allowed a miracle to flow through him because Peter was attached to the vine. He had an intimate relationship with Jesus and drew strength from Him daily. Peter was filled with the Spirit of the Living God and was fully aware that God was the one who was responsible for performing the miracle. He dared not take the glory.

It is so easy for us to forget how insignificant we really are when God immediately answers our prayer or does something supernatural in our lives. When God uses us for something, we may forget for a moment and tend to look at ourselves in grandeur. We become like the woodpecker who pecked continuously at the trunk of a tree. Suddenly, lightening struck the tree and split the tree down the middle. The woodpecker declared, "Wow, I didn't know I had that much power in me!" He failed to realize and acknowledge that the act was wrought by God's power. Zechariah 4:6 explains our ability. It says it is "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of Host." We have no might nor power to call our own. Power is held in the hands of the Almighty God, and without Him, we can do nothing. +++

Copyright © 2006 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com

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03/17/06
GOD REGARDS PRAYER

Scripture: Psalm 102:17 "God will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer."

Psalms 102 is titled "A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and faints, and pours out his complaint before the Lord." The Message Bible states it another way. It says, "A prayer of one whose life is falling to pieces, and who lets God know just how bad it is." These are extremely long titles, but I suppose that the writer was in such distress that he wanted to make sure that God understood where he was coming from.

The psalmist directed his prayer to God and pleaded for God to listen to him. He said, "Hear my prayer ... Let my cry come before You." He earnestly asked God not to hide His face from him. Have you ever tried to talk to someone who would not look at you? It is apparent that they are not listening when they hide their face from you. The psalmist was experiencing this same feeling in his spirit. He wanted God to face him. He said, "I'm in trouble ... answer me quickly." Then he began to describe his sickness, pain, and frailty. He continued the prayer by discussing his loneliness, rejection, and sorrow. And in verse six, he compared himself to a pelican of the wilderness, an owl of the desert, or a lone sparrow sitting on the housetop. In all of these places he saw himself alone, desolate, and destitute.

In verse nine the psalmist said, "For I have eaten ashes like bread and mingled my drink with tears." He was in a pretty desperate place, but talking with God did something for him. We begin to see him change as he turned his attention towards God. He recognized that God was looking down from His sanctuary in Heaven and beholding the earth (Vs. 19). God knew exactly what was happening to him. The psalmist was able to declare that he had found confidence in the sovereignty of an eternal God who never changes. He declared, "But You, O Lord, shall endure for ever" ... "You are the same and Your years have no end" (Vs. 12 & 28).

Like the psalmist, you may feel like your life is falling to pieces. You may see yourself as destitute and be facing what seems like a dim future. You must realize that regardless of how desperate your situation may seem, you have a sovereign God who is not hiding His face from you, nor does He despise your prayers. Be honest with God and tell Him just how bad it is. When you do, God will regard your prayers and give you answers of peace. +++

Copyright © 2006 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com

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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of March 2006

03/20/06
SECRET OF THE LORD

Scripture: Psalms 25:14 "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will show them His covenant."

Secrets are special knowledge that are held within ones own heart or shared in confidence with just a few close friends and trusted confidants. We feel privileged when someone calls us aside and chooses us to be one whom they trust enough to share their private matters and innermost feelings. When a secret is shared, it creates a bond between those who are privy to the information and defines a certain responsibility. It also tests the trustworthiness of the one receiving the secret information, for secrets are never general knowledge but specific and guarded information. Shared secrets even create a certain amount of power and the prestige of inclusion.

We all love to be included in knowing the things that are secret and we pay very close attention when one is being shared with us or one is whispered near us. Someone told me a special way that they witness to others about Jesus. They get into a crowded elevator with another believer and then begin to whisper to each other about the goodness of God and the love of Jesus. When they begin to whisper, the people on the elevator begin to listen, thinking that they are going to hear some "juicy" private information. Instead, they are exposed to mysteries of God and His wonderful plan of salvation. As this captive audience departs the elevator, they are given a gospel tract.

God has many secrets that He wants to share with us. He is a covenant making and a covenant keeping God, but the psalmist said that God would only reveal the secret of His covenant with those who reverently fear Him. God's covenant is precious to Him and He will not cast His pearls before the swine (Matthew 7:6). He desires to take us into His confidence, but covenants require relationship and we can never understand the things of God without personally knowing God. He is ever present in our crowded world and continually whispers His words to us. When the prophet sought to hear the Lord's instruction, it did not come in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but came in a still quite voice (I Kings 19:11-12). Even Jesus did not share God's covenant with everyone, but taught in parables so that the secret things of God would stay hidden from those who were unworthy to receive the revelation. God stands like the witnesses in the crowded elevator and continues to speak the mysteries of His gospel through His word. He whispers out His revelations to those who seek after Him and who truly want to understand His secrets. When He sees that our heart reverently fears Him and that our spiritual ears are attentive to His voice, He shares His secrets with us. +++

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03/21/06

ARROGANCE OR CONFIDENCE

Scripture: Romans 12:3 "For I say ... to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think."

Before the Apostle Paul made this statement, he addressed the church at Rome as being "the called of Jesus Christ, beloved of God, and those called to be saints." He also declared that "their faith was spoken of throughout the whole world" (Romans 1:6-8). These folks were believers who loved God just like you and me and were doing their best to serve the Lord with all of their hearts. Yet, the Apostle Paul felt it necessary to warn them not to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think. Paul knew the enemy well and knew that this would be an easy trap for them to fall into.

This warning is for us today regardless of our calling or the depth of our faith. It is like a spiritual pendulum within our souls that can swing to the far left or all the way to the right. We can either be confident because we know that God is with us and working through us or we can become arrogant in our own self-sufficiency. Often it is a difficult matter for others and for ourselves to discern which direction the pendulum in our life is actually swinging. Sometimes our confidence in God is misread by others because our boldness in the Lord and our faith in His word come across as being arrogant to those who have no spiritual understanding. Then, there are other times when we, ourselves, are self-deceived. We think that we are being confident in the things of the Lord when we are actually being arrogant and presumptions. It comes down to being an issue of our heart. We must ask God to help us make a distinction concerning whether arrogance or confidence is ruling in our heart.

An arrogant spirit has an exaggerated opinion of itself and is overly convinced of its own superiority. It is proud, lofty, and presumptuous. Arrogance stands alone and says, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing" (Revelations 3:17). This scripture continued to tell us that that when we say we have need of nothing, we don't realize that we are actually "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked." This is a pitiful state to be in. The bottom line is that the spirit of arrogance or self-sufficiency doesn't know how little it really has and how much it really needs.

Confidence, on the other hand, doesn't try to stand alone. It declares, "Without God, I can do nothing" (John 15:5). It understands that it is a branch that can only function because it is attached to the vine of life, who is Jesus Christ. Confidence has faith and relies upon that which has been placed within us by God. It is knowing that the Spirit of the Lord within us is greater than the spirit that is in the world. Jesus was the Son of God and had confidence in who He was, yet He never acted in presumption or relied upon His own strength. He only did what the Father showed Him to do and what the Holy Spirit empowered Him to do. Our confidence should reside in our belief that God is with us and our actions should mirror those of Jesus. We should not attempt to do anything unless the Father shows us and the Holy Spirit empowers us. Instead of speaking arrogantly and saying "I have need of nothing", our confidence should declare the words of Philippians 4:13 (Amplified).

" I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me

I am ready for anything and equal to anything

through Him Who infuses inner strength into me,

That is, I am self sufficient in Christ's sufficiency." +++

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03/22/06
PURE WORDS

Scripture: Psalms 12:6 "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times."

God inspired holy men of old to write the scriptures and then breathed upon those words, causing them to become spirit and life for all of those who would receive them. His words are as fresh water to the thirsty and bread to the hungry. Every word of God is full of power and accomplishes what He intends because He diligently watches over His words to perform them. God never speaks careless words, for His words are eternal. His words have been tried in the fire and withstood all the tests. God asks us only to believe Him and trust His integrity.

It's easy to believe God in the good times when He is leading us through green pastures, beside the still waters, anointing us with oil, and restoring our soul. However, when being led through the hard places, like the valley of the shadow of death, it becomes very difficult to trust God's word. When circumstances are unbearable, it's hard to believe at that moment that "all things are working together for good in your life simply because you love God and are called according to His purpose." When your cupboards are bare and there isn't enough money to pay the rent or the utilities, you may begin to wonder about the words, "I shall not want." The devil tempts with these words, "Hath God said? Did God really mean that He would supply all my needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus? Will God really do exceedingly beyond what I think or ask?" In times of testing and temptation, our thoughts may challenge God's words by saying, "Is God going to come through with His plan of escape?"

These questions plague all of us at times regardless of our station in life. The poor man may not be able to buy all the things he needs, but likewise the rich man cannot buy health and life. And too, the luxury of peace and happiness are not for hire. These things come only from God. In every situation, whether good or bad, God's words must prevail in our hearts for us to experience the abundant life. His words remain pure. In the lives of countless men and women throughout the scriptures, His words have been tried like silver is tried in a furnace. They have been tried in the wilderness, dungeons, lion's den, fiery furnaces, and against giants, and have always prevailed. We must learn to treasure their value for they are as pure as silver that has been tried in the furnace seven times. "The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand forever" (Isaiah 40:8). +++

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03/23/06

IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:1 "... the righteous, and the wise, and their works are in the hand of God."

An illustrated cartoon depicted a large hand that was labeled 'God's Hand.' The palm of the hand was facing upward, and a very small man was standing in the center of the palm of God's hand. The man was fearfully and anxiously looking around with a bubbled caption from his lips that read, "Where's God when you really need Him?"

How true this picture is in our own lives. In the midst or our frustration, we often lose sight that God is right there with us. We can't see beyond ourselves because our heart aches and our weaknesses overwhelm us. In our confusion, we stand in the very presence of the Almighty and cry, "Where's God?" We look in every direction, but fail to see Him because our circumstances and problems block our view. Disappointment clouds our vision and darkness has dominion over our souls.

Even though it seems that we have no hope, God has never lost control. He holds us in the palm of His hand, protecting us from all danger and carrying us through every situation. As God watches us squirm in His hand, He must wonder at our anxiety. He has made it very plain in His word that He has every intention of meeting all of our needs. God has reassured us many times that He will not give us a burden that is too heavy to carry and that His grace will never be insufficient. His mercy will endure in every situation and His joy will be our strength. He cares for us as a father cares for his own children. All we have to do is release everything to Him. God's hand is bigger than our life and all of its problems. Regardless of the storms and adversities that we may be facing, we have nothing to fear because He has given us a promise of security. God is holding us in the palm of His hand and Jesus declared that no one could take us out of that special place (John 10:29). +++

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03/24/06

A SHIELD FOR ME

Scripture: Psalms 3:3 "For Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of my head."

As I was driving the other day, I noticed a big spider on the hood of my car. Somehow, it was able to resist the force of the wind and was able to stay there right in front of me. Normally, a spider that close to me would have brought fear to my heart, but in this situation I had no anxiety because of the car's windshield, which was between me and the spider. This thin piece of glass was my protection both physically and mentally. The spider could not harm me and my mind did not torment me. As I watched the spider, this scripture came to my mind and I thought of the many times that the Lord had been a shield for me in life's circumstances. I also realized that there were many others instances in my life where His protection prevailed without me even being aware of it.

Several years ago my oldest son and I had a bread ministry to the poor in one of the neighborhoods on the outskirts of Houston. Every Tuesday night, rain or shine, we loaded up our vehicle with bread and pastries and went from house to house doing street evangelism. One of the elderly women that we visited each week warned us of the shootings that were happening on the streets in the vicinity. She always asked us to pray with her that God would clean up her neighborhood and rid it of evil. But we still remained unaware of the drug problem that plagued the area and it never occurred to us that we were in imminent danger. Just after one of our visits, the police raided the area and arrested eighteen people for drugs and posted their pictures in the local paper. Sometime later when I was ministering in the half way house, one of the girls who was arrested in the raid recognized me. She told me of the dangers that had surrounded us when we were there. The police were suspicious that we were delivering drugs in the bread and the drug dealers thought we were working undercover for the police. This was overwhelming to us because we were just simply trying to obey the mandate of the Lord and be a blessing to the people. In our innocence, God had placed an invisible shield about us and protected us from all harm, physically and mentally.

My son and I prayed every time before starting out on our mission to help the poor and evangelize the lost. We asked the Lord to lead us as we went up and down the dark streets. We had no cell phones or any means of protection but we were always walking behind our Shepherd. The Lord, Himself, was our shield and was between us and every present danger. Because we were obedient to His voice, souls were saved, the hungry were fed, and our prayers, which were joined with the prayers of the elderly woman, were answered. God did clean up her neighborhood.

Just like this incident, we face personal situations everyday where we need the Lord to be a shield for us. We need Him to surround us with His love when others reject us, to surround us with peace where there is confusion in our lives, to fill our hearts with joy when we are overcome with sorrow, to give us courage in the midst of danger, and to lift us up physically when we can't go any further. We must remember that God is always there for us and be encouraged by this psalm that David spoke when he was fleeing from His own son, Absalom, who was trying to kill him. David bravely said, "For Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of my head." +++

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A Word In Due Season
5th Week of March 2006

03/27/06
HELPING HANDS

Scripture: Isaiah 35:3 "Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees."

In this passage, the prophet instructed us to bring cheer to the discouraged and to encourage the fearful of heart to be strong and not to fear, for God would save them. He said to strengthen the weak and feeble ones and tell them that God is coming with vengeance to destroy their enemy. These words of encouragement and our acts of kindness are meant to bring hope and strength to the weakest warrior and give courage to the most fearful heart.

When the Amalekites came to fight against the Israelites, Moses went to the top of the hill with the staff in his hands that he had previously used to do mighty miracles. God had told him to use the staff to bring several plagues on the Egyptians, to part the Red Sea, to cause the waters of the sea to swallow up the armies of the Pharaoh, and to strike the rock, which brought forth water for the thirsty people. The staff was still working, for the Israelites won the battle as long as Moses was able to hold the rod in the air, but when he had to lower his hands to rest, the Amalekites prevailed. When Moses finally became too tired to stand and too weary to hold up the rod any longer, Aaron and Hur came to the rescue. They placed a stone underneath Moses so that he could sit down and then stood on each side of him and lifted his arms as he continued to hold the rod. Because of this joint venture, the Israelites were able to win the battle.

Aaron and Hur may have thought that Moses could do it all by himself because they had witnessed so many miracles by his hands and Moses may have felt that he had everything under control. Sometimes, we forget to pray and uphold those whom we think are more spiritual than ourselves because we think that they have it all together. Other times, we think that we are strong enough to stand alone, but the truth is that we all need each other. Even Jesus had His close friends and associates. He had the seventy that He sent out to witness for Him and His twelve disciples that stayed near Him as He ministered to the multitudes. Among those twelve, He had Peter, James, and John, the three who were closer to Him and who shared special experiences with Him. Then Jesus had John, the one whom He loved the most. These men ministered to Jesus in special ways even while He was teaching them and making them strong in the faith.

We should never be beyond helping or being helped, for God never designed man to be alone. He gave us each other so that we could encourage and give strength to one another, for our life's battles require allies. Let us be humble enough to look to others when we need help and to look for those that we can help. +++

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03/28/06
EXTREME DEMANDS

Scripture: I Kings 17:13 "Make me a cake first ... and bring it to me."

The prophet Elijah made a hard request to a widow in the time of famine. When he first saw her, she was out gathering up a few sticks so that she could make a fire in order to cook the last meal for her and her son. Elijah asked her to give him a little water to drink. This was the same prophet who had brought the famine into existence by prophesying that no rain would come for years. He declared that rain would only come according to his word, so in essence, he could end the famine at any time by his words. Instead of ending the famine, he made an extreme demand upon the widow, and while she was going to get his water, he asked her to also bring him a cake of bread. The widow only had a handful of meal and a little oil left in her provisions, but she obeyed his word and believed the promise that he made to her. He told her that her barrel of meal and cruse of oil would not fail until the day that the Lord sent rain upon the earth.

God often makes extreme demands upon us, but He never asks us to give that which we do not have and every request that He makes brings a blessing back to us. He exchanges the sacrifices that we make for the provisions that we need. Like the prophet, He says, "Make me a cake first and bring it to me, then I will sustain you throughout your particular famine." God tells us to forgive everyone for everything that they have done against us. This is for the benefit of our own soul as well as theirs, for it is only in forgiving that we can receive forgiveness ourselves. When we feel that no one cares for us and that there is a famine of love within our lives, He tells us to start showing our love and to include the unlovely, for as we love, love will be bestowed upon us. He tells us to give Him our past and all of its pain so that He can give us a future and a hope. Like the widow, He asks us to give when it seems that we have so little and His demands may seem extreme and selfish. Yet, in time, we come to understand that God's ways are overwhelmingly simple and that it is only as we give that we will receive.

You may be in extreme circumstances today in some area of your life and God may be telling you to give your all to Him. He may be saying forgive when it is not easy, love the unlovely, give me the pieces of your broken heart, or give what little you have materially to someone who needs it more than you do. God's purpose in asking you to give is not to take from you but to get you to a place where He can bless you more abundantly than you could ever imagine. He wants to exchange the small amount of meal and oil that you have in your hands for the bountiful blessing that He holds in His hands. So trust Him and give Him a chance to prove Himself. He will come through for you. +++

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03/29/06
YOUR CHOICES

Scripture: Joshua 24:15 "Choose you this day whom you will serve."

This day with all of its uncertainties belongs to you. It is like a tapestry that is being woven with threads, some provided by you and others by a sovereign God. And although God is in total control, much of the pattern will be determined by your choices. The choices you make today will affect your future health, future wealth, and future relationship with God and man. Exercise today and you will be strong for tomorrow. Be a junk-food couch potato today and you will be weak tomorrow. Work hard and make the right investments today and you will be financially secure tomorrow. Be wasteful with your time and money and you will face future lack in both areas. Build strong relationships with friends and family today and they will sustain you through the difficult tomorrows of your life. Choose to serve God today and He will be there for you tomorrow and throughout eternity.

You have a choice today to choose whom you will serve. You can choose to serve the God of love, joy, and peace, or you can give yourself to the enemy by allowing the irritations and vexations of others to intrude into your life and steal the fruits of God's Spirit from the garden of your heart. You must be sober and vigilantly watching for the enemy of your soul for he will entice you to choose to serve hate, bitterness, and sadness. Through your choices, the god of this world will cause you to be impatient, rude, and unfaithful, and at the end of your choices you will find yourself in confusion and out of control.

Your destiny starts with one small choice and builds with each choice that follows. The devil gives you reasonable excuses for your choices and behavior. II Corinthians 11:14 says, "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." He makes everything look right, but eventually there are consequences for every choice, whether good or bad. You have a choice to live behind the sham of pretense or allow God to show you a reflection of your true self and reveal to you whom you really love and are serving. With each choice you make, you choose to serve the true and living God or the god of this world. This is the day that the Lord has made. It is a day of salvation and deliverance, so rejoice and be glad in it. Be wise in your choices because you are the maker of your fate. +++

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03/30/06
MYSTERY OF PRAYER

Scripture: James 5:16 "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

Prayer is a real mystery to our carnal mind, for how can we as human beings talk to the Maker of the universe and the Creator of every living thing? How can God hear each of us praying at the same time, especially with our prayers coming from the four corners of the earth? How can He keep all of our requests separated and be able to answer them accordingly? Yet with so many needs and so many voices crying out to Him, God still opens the door to His throne room and gives all of us an invitation to come boldly to His throne of grace in time of need.

Prayer is the most powerful influence in the spiritual realm, for when we pray, our prayers touch three worlds, Heaven, Hell, and the Earth. Our prayers pull at the heart of God in Heaven and cause Him to work on our behalf. God uses our prayers to bind evil and destroy the works of Hell. Our prayers also bring blessings to us and those whom we are praying for here on Earth. Prayer is not limited by time and allows us to deal with our past, our present, and our future. We can ask forgiveness for things that we have done in the past or ask for help for the present situation that we or someone else is in. We can also ask for the guidance, direction, and protection that we need for the future path that lays before us.

In the scripture above, James lists two things needed for prayers to be effective. The prayer has to be fervent and the one praying must be righteous. In the same verse, before James spoke of the fervent prayer of the righteous man, he instructed us to confess our faults one to another. It is a simple spiritual progression. Confession brings forgiveness and forgiveness creates righteousness or right standing with God. God has given you an awesome invitation and is waiting for you to come into His presence. Don't allow the moment to pass. If it is sin that stands between you and God's throne, confess your sins and He will cleanse you from all unrighteousness. If you feel that your prayers are not getting past the ceiling, earnestly ask God to anoint you and help you to pray according to His will. When you have a heart that is fervent and in right standing with God, tremendous power is made available to you. When you align yourself with God's will and embrace His dreams, He stops to listen to your prayers and you will receive wonderful results. +++

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03/31/06
JESUS, OUR GIANT FIGHTER

Scripture: I Samuel 17:29 "Is there not a cause?"

David's father sent him to take food to his brothers at the battle front. When David got there, he saw the armies of Israel cowering in fear as the Philistine giant, Goliath, mocked them. When David began to ask questions concerning this situation, his brother, Eliab, became enraged. Eliab began to mock and accuse David saying, "Why did you come here? Where did you leave your few sheep? I know the pride and evilness of your heart. You came only to see the battle." David answered his brothers with these simple words, "Is there not a cause?"

David was inspired to meet Goliath's challenge, but before He could pursue the giant in battle, he faced other discouraging voices. King Saul told David that he couldn't possibly go against the giant because David was but a youth and Goliath was a man of war. He further complicated the situation by trying to provide David with unnecessary armor. Then Goliath, the giant, scorned David by cursing and threatening to destroy him. David had little support but he proceeded to go into battle despite all of the mockery and words of doubt that were coming against him. He not only went into the battle, but he ran quickly towards the battle to meet the giant. What gave David such courage to run with confidence towards the giant? He had a cause. Goliath was defying the armies of Israel, the purposes of God, and the Name of God. David's great cause was to honor God and to take away the "reproach of Israel".

In our daily lives, we face many Goliaths, and these giants mock and threaten to destroy us. Discouragement and fear attack and try to control us. The armor that the world provides never fits and none of our solutions seem to work. At times, even our own families and leaders will speak discouraging words against us because they do not understand our purpose and our God given cause. The passion in our hearts is beyond their comprehension. Yet, Jesus is always there, standing with us and He knows the heartaches that we face, for His own family rejected him and said that He was mad. However, Jesus understood His mission and knew that God had sent Him into the world with a cause. John 3:8 tells us, "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." Jesus destroyed the works of the devil on the cross of Calvary, and with His own blood, He set us free from the reproach of sin. Now we must fight for the cause of our faith and do battle for others. The enemy will mock us but regardless of the issues that we face or the size of our problems, we have nothing to fear because we are the Lord's main interest and He is our giant fighter. +++

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