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Scripture: Luke 12:15 "A man's life does not consist in the abundance of things which he possesses."

These words from Jesus remind us that real life and happiness does not depend upon how much stuff we have. We are human and have needs in the natural, but Jesus said we are not to be "anxious and troubled about these things ... for life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing."

Jesus proceeded to tell the story of a man who had an immoderate desire for wealth. He was greedy and desired to have more and more. He kept gathering grain into his storehouse until he had to build other storehouses just to accommodate his wealth, as he would not share his blessings. He was very secure within himself and measured the wealth of his life by the abundance of his storehouses. When he thought he had fully arrived, he decided to sit back and enjoy life. His words to himself were, "Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry." God had other plans, however. He came on the scene that very night, requiring the man's life, and all that the man had stored up was passed to someone else. In the Message Bible, Eugene Peterson said, "This is what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God."

Jesus was relating to us that a barn full of stuff is not life. You can't define or measure life by the things you have or the things you don't have. Real life is found in Jesus. In John 14:6 Jesus says, "I am life." And the important "stuff of life" is found in our families, children, health, peace, and happiness. Too many times we take our life and health for granted, and forget to count the blessings that God has provided for us. Many folks today would give everything they own to have their health, youth, marriage, and family relations restored. Those paralyzed and diseased would trade all of their possessions to be able to live a normal life. The fact remains that the best things in life cannot be purchased or stored up. A quote from an unknown source encourages us with these words:

"Measure wealth not by the things you have,
But by the things you have for which you would not take money." +++

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Scripture: Genesis 8:22 "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."

From the very beginning of time, God set irrevocable laws into motion. One of those laws is that there would always be seed time and harvest. God has established a season to plant and also a season for us to enjoy the fruits of all of our labors. It is as sure as the night that follows the day or the promise of summer and winter. Another part of that law is that we will reap what we sow. We can't plant a bean seed and hope for a corn crop any more than we can plant an orange seed and expect to produce an apple tree. Seeds are limited to the laws of nature and respond to the commands of God. In the beginning, when God created the Earth and everything in it, He spoke to every plant and told them to bring forth after their own kind, and that law is still in force today. God's eternal word still controls the harvest.

The law of seed time and harvest sounds so simple, but many times we fail to remember that it works just as well in the spiritual realm as it does in the physical realm. The Apostle Paul spoke to the church in Galatia and said, "Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap." The Amplified Bible makes a firmer statement saying, "that and that only is what he will reap." When we think about Paul's words, we must consider more carefully what we sow, for every deed that we do and every word that we speak is going to bring forth a harvest after its own kind. Even the thoughts that we allow ourselves to think will eventually bear some kind of fruit, for every kind action starts with a kind thought and every evil action starts with an evil thought.

Another law of seed time and harvest is that there is a space of time before the seeds begin to produce a harvest. Seeds are placed in the ground and hidden from view and for several weeks it looks as though nothing is happening. And then suddenly, life springs forth from the ground and whatever has been planted will make its way through the soil and expose itself. Sometimes the seeds lay dormant and the crop is slow in coming. Three years ago, I planted some yellow iris seeds in my flowerbed. I was very disappointed the first year because they did not come up. I thought they were totally lost so I just forgot about them. The next year, to my surprise, a few of them came up and bloomed. Finally, the third year, I had a large harvest of yellow irises. It was slow but the promised harvest did come. The same is true with the spiritual seeds that we sow. We may not see immediate results for the good or bad seed that we have sown, but we can be sure that ultimately there will be a harvest. We may even think that we are getting away with sowing bad seed, but when we least expect it, our seed will yield fruit and it will be according to the kind of seed that we have planted. Our good deeds will produce rewards and our sins will surely find us out. Let us keep these thoughts in our minds and remember that every choice is a seed. For that reason, we must be careful to sow only what we want to reap, for a harvest will surely follow our seed time. +++

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05/03/06
WHY?

Scripture: Matthew 27:46 (Amplified) "Jesus cried with a loud voice, My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me - leaving Me helpless, forsaking and failing Me in My time of need?"

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, He spoke these words, quoting Psalm 22:1, which King David had spoken to God. The scripture says that David was a man after God's own heart and Jesus was God's only begotten Son. Yet both of these great men, whom God loved, found themselves in such distressing situations that they felt that God had utterly forsaken and abandoned them. In their hour of need, the One whom they loved and trusted the most had seemingly rejected them. They both found it difficult to understand why God had not come to their rescue. Their question "Why?" searched for some kind of answer about His intentions to deliver them from their painful and perplexing situations.

How many times has this small word come to our mind and even crossed our lips when we faced difficult situations? Why did I have to wreck my car, get a ticket, lose my job, get sick, or lose my mate? Why doesn't God come through for me? Why doesn't He heal me? Why is He waiting so long to deliver me? Why has He abandoned me, leaving me helpless? Why has He forsaken me in the time of my greatest need?

These questions are hard and full of reality. We don't always discern God's working or understand His purpose. It is difficult to understand why God doesn't immediately eliminate our painful situation, but it is comforting to know that we have a Savior and Friend who knows exactly where we are and how we feel. Jesus was touched by every pain and anxiety that we will ever face, and He sits on the right hand of God making intercession for us. As our High Priest, He prays for us with feeling because He was in a place where He cried out in His own pain and distress. Hebrews 4:15 and 16 in the Message Bible says, "We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experiencing it all - all but the sin. So let's walk right up to Him and get what He is so ready to give. Take the mercy and the help." Hide these words in your heart and when your time of testing comes, turn your 'WHY' into 'WHO' and look to your High Priest, Jesus. In the final outcome, He will deliver you and give you victory. +++

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God's words are very powerful and His promises are very sure. In a few brief words, He states very plainly His intentions to make a distinction between those who honor Him and those who don't. He says that those who honor Him will be honored by Him. Throughout the scriptures we see this principle at work. When the righteous ruled a nation, the nation prospered and had victory in its battles. But when the wicked ruled a nation, the nation suffered defeat and reproach. Time and time again, this scene repeated itself like a broken record. Those nations that did not honor God failed and those that did honor Him became strong and were lifted up. God always showed Himself to be on the side of those who trusted in Him and He stood beside those who declared Him to be the Lord of their lives.

God and God alone has the ability to elevate and exalt a nation. We are a blessed people because He has chosen to do that for this country. Our foundation was structured in righteousness by godly men. Our pledge of allegiance states, "One Nation Under God" and our coins still inscribe our declaration of faith, "In God We Trust." Many have died on our behalf so that we could live in a nation with religious freedom and hold to these beliefs and truths. Let us remember our heritage and consider our future today as we pray for this great nation. God has been our refuge and strength in the past because we have chosen Him as Lord over America. The future is now before us and God will continue to exalt our nation as we honor Him in righteousness.

This is the National Day of Prayer for the United States of America and the scripture we are using for this devotional is the theme for this special day. This devotional goes to many nations throughout the world and I encourage all of you to pray for your nation as we are praying for our nation on this special day. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of our nationality. Let us remember that God is no respecter of persons and His promise is meant for all people. The Lord is faithful and He will honor you and your nation as you honor Him. +++

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We've heard this Golden Rule since we were children but we may not realize that these words are right in the middle of a sermon that Jesus preached nearly two thousand years ago. Yet, the value of these words still remains. In this great exhortation, Jesus spoke of loving our enemies and doing good to those who hate us. He told us to bless those that curse us and pray for those who use us. If we are struck on the cheek, we are to turn and offer our other cheek to our abuser. Jesus' teaching also declared that if someone decided to take away our coat or material goods, we should allow them to take even more. We are to lend and expect nothing in return. Show mercy in all situations and not be judgmental.

In this teaching, Jesus takes us through several areas of abuse: emotional abuse because our enemies hate us; verbal abuse by those who curse us; physical abuse by those who actually strike us; and abuse by those who would take advantage of us materially. How can we do good to these types of people and why should we obey this command? The answer is found in verse thirty-five, which tells us to love our enemies and our reward will be great. Love is the "How" and God's reward is the "Why."

As God enables us with His supernatural love, we are able to bless, forgive, and pray for those who abuse and do evil against us. We may not like the circumstances or appreciate the actions against us, but we can love because Jesus lives within us. He is the vine and we are the branches. As His life flows through us, we are able to manifest the fruits of the Holy Spirit. His life is full of mercy, love, and forgiveness and His grace extends to all situations. II Corinthians 13:4 & 7 tells us that His "love is patient and kind ... and is able to bear and endure all things." Our Father showed us by example how to love the unlovely. He obeyed His own Golden Rule and sacrificed His Son, by being "kind to the unthankful and to the evil" (Luke 6:35). When we are able to emulate our heavenly Father, Jesus said that we would receive a great reward and be called children of the Highest. Doing good to others is a very small price to pay for such a great reward. +++

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Scripture: Psalms 32:7 (Amplified) "You are a hiding place for me; You Lord, preserve me from trouble: You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance."

David wrote this psalm and he knew what it meant to face adversities and danger. When he was just a lad in the open field tending sheep, he was forced to fight a lion. Another time, he had to fight a bear. Then he went from protecting sheep to protecting men and also the nation of Israel as he came against the giant, Goliath. With just a sling and a few stones he conquered the giant, while others trembled in the presence of this mighty foe. David also had personal battles. He had to flee the presence of King Saul who was determined to kill him. And David had to bear the heartache of the insurrection of his own son, Absalom, who sought to take David's kingdom for himself.

David's conflicts were not always one on one as he also battled against great armies. David was a mighty warrior in battle and conquered thousands, yet he never depended upon his own strength. He always leaned upon God and sought out His direction and guidance. David knew that the Lord would preserve him from trouble and he made God his hiding place and trusted in Him for deliverance. He wrote many songs to this effect, which even today bring comfort and instill hope. Whether David was up or down or fighting against one person or an army of thousands, the Lord's presence was always with him, surrounding him with songs of deliverance.

David was not the only one who was surrounded with songs of deliverance. Songs of deliverance went before the armies of Jehoshaphat in II Chronicle 20. As they sang praises to God, their enemies destroyed themselves. Songs of deliverance surrounded Paul and Silas as they praised God at the midnight hour in the prison. As they worshipped God, the prison was shaken, the doors were opened, and their bonds were loosed. Songs of deliverance will also surround you. In the midst of your adversity, whether it be fear, loneliness, depression, or other challenges, you will hear a sound from heaven in the private chambers of your heart. Allow that melody to arise within you and join with God as He surrounds you with songs of deliverance. Zephaniah 3:17 says, "The Lord your God in the midst of you is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest in His love; He will joy over you with singing." +++

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Scripture: Jonah 1:1 & 3:1 "The word of the Lord came to Jonah" ... "The word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time."

There was much that went on between the two times that the Lord spoke to Jonah. The first time God spoke, He instructed Jonah to arise and go preach against the wickedness of the great city of Nineveh, but instead Jonah got on a ship and fled to Tarshish. In the midst of his rebellious flight, Jonah was thrown off of the ship and swallowed by a whale. He stayed in this terrible dilemma for three days and three nights. While he was in the belly of the fish, he came to terms with his disobedience and remembered God. When he began to cry out to the Lord for deliverance, the Lord spoke to the fish and it vomited Jonah out onto the dry ground. Then, the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time and told him to go preach to Nineveh. After all the distress and suffering that Jonah had endured, God had not changed His mind and His word to Jonah remained the same, "Arise, go to Nineveh and preach."

All of us have probably walked down the trail of disobedience at some point in our lives and discovered that its fruits were not very pleasant. I could tell you about a terrible situation that I got myself into because I was following after my own heart's desires instead of the perfect will of God for my life. Like Jonah, I found myself in the belly of a whale, not physically of course, but spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. It was the darkest and most painful experience that I ever endured. The hopelessness and distress drove me to my knees, for I knew that only God could deliver me. God is very loving and merciful and He understood my frail humanity. He was faithful and patient with me and graciously provided a way of escape.

Every time that God speaks, the devil comes to challenge that word so that he can steal the blessing that God has planned. God's word to us is meant to touch other lives as well as our own. Jonah clearly heard the word of the Lord both times and knew that God wanted to use him to bring deliverance to the people of Nineveh. The first time God spoke, Jonah chose not to obey, but the second time he was convinced that he needed to do God's will regardless of his own personal preference, for he had experienced the results of disobedience and it wasn't very pleasant. When God speaks and we find it difficult to submit, we must remember the example of Jonah. We must make a determination to be attentive to God's voice and be obedient to do His perfect will the very first time that He speaks to us so that He doesn't have to speak to us the second time. +++

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Scripture: Psalms 105:19 "Until the time that his word came (to pass); the word of the Lord tried him.

When Joseph received a dream from God, it took about sixteen years for that dream to come to pass. In the meantime, God worked to get the physical circumstances just right and worked changes in the heart of Joseph. There were many challenges that Joseph had to face as he waited on God's purpose and perfect timing to come to pass. Many times he must have experienced the let down of hope and the frustrations of delay. He may have even gotten sick and tired of trying to hold on to his hope, for Proverbs 13:12 tells us that "Hope deferred makes the heart sick."

The disappointment that comes when our hopes are not realized is hard to cope with. Like Joseph's situation, when God reveals His intentions and purposes for our lives, things do not happen immediately. Our calling demands a season of testing and training where God rids our heart of things that would hinder His anointing and prevent His purpose. During this time, He never allows us to see behind the scenes. He places a veil between the natural, that which we see, and the spiritual, that which He is doing, and He forces us to walk by faith. And until the word that we received from God comes to pass, He tries that word. Even Jesus was tempted in the wilderness and was tried in other areas before the words concerning Him came to pass. Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be "a tried stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation" (Isaiah 28:16)

God is the potter and He knows His clay. He is attempting to mold you and make you into the image that He has designed and ordained. You must make a predetermined decision to submit to God and allow Him to sort things out in your heart. The challenges and trials that you will face during this preparation process will develop wisdom and give birth to His anointing. God has good intentions and your best interest at heart but you cannot be used until you have been tried and tested. Adversity will form you and is the basis of your life message. You can only truly know what you have actually experienced. You can only rescue others from the valleys that you have been through. God has given you a word, a hope, and vision to keep you stable as He fits your life into His plan. Trust His faithfulness even while your word is being tried. +++

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Scripture: II Thessalonians 2:7 "For the mystery of iniquity does already work."

A mystery is a secret. It's a truth that is closed for the present and can only be opened or comprehended by revelation. There was a mystery going on in Paul's heart and soul that baffled his intelligence. He personified the strife of two natures within himself; the Adamic nature that he was born with and the divine nature, which he received through his spiritual new birth in Christ. He described this struggle in Romans 7:19 as he was moved by the Holy Spirit. He said that he didn't do the good that he wanted to do, but instead he did the evil, which he didn't want to do. In his inner man, he found delight in the law of God but the members of his own body warred against his desire to be obedient to that law.

Does this struggle sound familiar? It is no surprise, for the closer that we get to being in the center of God's will, the harder Satan fights against us. As long as our body is tied to this world there will be an unseen battle raging within us, for we are no different than Jesus, the Apostle Paul, or the other New Testament saints. In all of our lives there lurks an underlying current of evil oppression. It is like an unwanted houseguest or a mouse in the pantry. We don't want it there and we hate to deal with it, but we can't ignore it. Something has to be done to rid it from our presence and we are the ones that must do it with the help of the Holy Spirit.

God allows nothing in your life that He will not use for your good and for the benefit of His great and wonderful cause. Jesus passed this way before you and He understands your struggles as He was also tempted by the devil, yet He remained without sin. However, He knows that, like the Apostle Paul, you don't always do the things that you want to do and that sometimes you do the very things that you do not want to do. Jesus is touched by your feelings of discouragement as you experience disappointment in yourself. He continually prays that your faith will not fail even though Satan desires to sift you as wheat (Luke 22:31). God is doing great and mighty things and He wants you to be a part of it. As He enlarges your vision and stretches your borders, He wants to impart a revelation that will help you understand this mystery of iniquity so that you can move forward and fulfill His purposes. He desires that your heart be filled with peace concerning the temptations that you face and realize that these challenges are just part of the battle. God is on your side and He wants you to have victory over sin. Temptations will come, but if you submit yourself to God and resist the devil, the devil will have to flee (James 4:7). +++

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05/12/06
VIRTUOUS WOMAN

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

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

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

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

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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of May 2006

I had a dream several weeks ago. In the dream, I was standing with a lady next to a copying machine. I handed her some sheets that I wanted copied. I waited as she ran the sheets through the copier, one by one. When she finished, she kept the originals and gave the copies back to me. I glanced through the copies and noticed that several of the sheets were blank. I was disturbed as I thought each sheet should have been filled, so I asked the woman why some of the copies had nothing on them. She told me that the sheets came out blank because there was nothing on the original. She said if I wanted something to come back on my copy, I must present something to her on the original. She then proceeded to tell me that these sheets were like my prayers. Some of my prayers were answered, but many of the things I desired and needed had not come back to me because I gave God blank requests. There was nothing for God to respond to. I had floundered around, never truly verbalizing my need to God.

We limit God when we do not make our request known to Him. We stand next to the copier waiting for our answer, only to receive a blank sheet of paper, which is the exact duplicate of what we originally gave to God. We then wonder why our needs are not met. Jesus made it very plain in Matthew 7:7-8 that He wanted us to actually ask God for help and provision. He said, "Ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone that asks receives, everyone that seeks finds, and everyone that knocks, it will be opened to them."

When you ask in accordance with God's will and with an assurance that it will be given, something new will happen to you. You will start expecting answers to all of your prayers. You will begin to talk to God with the intent of actually receiving a duplicate answer to the original request that you had handed to Him. There will be no blank sheets returned to you and no disappointments. Jesus said, "Ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full" (John 16:24). This is how prayer works - ask and you shall receive. +++

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05/16/06
APPLE OF GOD'S EYE

Scripture: Psalms 17:8 "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of Thy wings."

The apple of the eye is the pupil, or the darkest part and very center of the eye. It is the most precious part of the eye as it lets the light in and allows the body to see. The eyes are very delicate and demand extreme care and protection, and if lost, the whole body suffers and is left handicapped. David knew the value of his own eyes and the lengths that he would go to in order to protect them, so he prayed and asked God to keep him as safe as God would the very apple of His own eye. The word 'keep' in this text meant to guard, protect, or hide like the eagle hides her young under her wings.

In the natural, God made provisions to protect the human eyes. The eyes have eyelashes, eyebrows, and eyelids that guard against small things like dust, dirt, and smoke. The eyes are also deeply entrenched in the skull with bones around them to protect them from further injury. The arms and hands also act instinctively and spontaneously to guard the eyes if something harmful should come in their direction. The head will turn or duck and even the knees bend to lower the entire body to help the eyes get out of the way of injury. The entire body responds to protect this vital organ and would rather suffer injury itself than to allow the eye to be damaged, for it recognizes that the eyes are precious and irreplaceable.

Just as David was kept as the apple of God's eye, so are you. You are a valuable part of God's body and kingdom, and just as you would protect your own eyes from harm, God is there to protect and guard you. If someone were to hit you in the eye, you wouldn't try to hit them back with your eye. Your eye is not designed to fight for itself so the other parts of your body, like the arms and hands, would take up the eye's defense. In the spiritual realm, God is your defense. God's word says that vengeance belongs to the Lord (Psalms 94:1). Zechariah 2:8 says, "For he that touches you touches the apple of God's eye." In other words, when others come against you, they are touching a very sensitive part of God and He will respond. Verse nine says that "God will shake His hand against those who touch you." When others come against you, you can't fight your own battles, but God can fight for you. Your part is to simply shut your spiritual eyelids to the offense, leave things in God's hands, and pray for those who come against you. You are the apple of God's eyes so rest in Him and allow Him to hide you under the shadow of His wings. +++

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05/17/06
MAKE YOUR DAY COUNT

Scripture: Psalms 90:12 "Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom."

These words were spoken by Moses in a prayer that he offered to the Lord. He wanted every day of his life to count. In the previous verses, he stated that man is only given seventy to eighty years to live. Moses realized that regardless of a natural strength, human life is limited here on earth, so he asked the Lord to show him how to number his days so that he could use his days wisely. This should also be our prayer and our goal. We should endeavor to be good stewards over each moment that God has entrusted to us and filter out the things that devour our time. For it is only as we spend our time wisely that we will be able to fulfill the purposes and plans that God has ordained for us.

When you visit those who are near death, most often they do not speak of their great accomplishments and successes. As they see the end on the horizon, they speak of those things that they never got to do or the places they never got to see. Their regrets are their unfulfilled dreams and the ventures never taken. It is sad to think that many songs were never sung, many poems never shared, and many words never written. They were buried deep in the hearts of those who died with a dream but who had never found the time or the courage to step out in faith and follow through with action.

Consider the following words by Marilyn Hickey:

   "There are 1,440 opportunities every day to succeed.
    That is how many minutes there are in each day.
     I find that putting God first in my day
        enables me to use my time wisely
        and accomplish the goals that I have set.
     It is He Who gives me
        the wisdom to plan my day,
        the intelligence to carry out each task,
        and the energy to do it.
    And then He gives me the joy
        and satisfaction of achievement."

Like Moses, ask the Lord to help you number your days and make each one of the 1,440 minutes count. Strive to finish your course like the Apostle Paul with no regrets or unfulfilled wishes. God has good plans for your life. He can give you wisdom, intelligence, and energy to bring your dreams out of the forgotten past and make them realities of the present and the future. +++

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

Nathan, the prophet, had exposed and brought to light the sin that David had committed in his relationship with Bethsheba. As David owned up to his personal failure and his sin against God, he began to plead for God's mercy, forgiveness, and cleansing and asked God to do something new in his life. He wanted God to create within him something that wasn't there. David needed a clean heart and a right spirit and recognized that without God, he could not change.

This is an awesome revelation! It declares that God is still creator and shows us that we too cannot truly change without the work of the Holy Spirit. We may cover our faults over with pretense for a season, but unless God changes our heart and renews our spirit, our sin nature remains within us and will eventually manifest outwardly. This truth not only applies to the temptations of sin that knock at our heart's door but also to our daily spiritual lack. We may feel the tugging of God's presence in our lives but struggle with the simple things that He calls us to do. This is the reason that we need God to create within our being something that will effect a change.

David's prayer gives us great insight and shows us that we too can pray and ask God to meet any lack that we may have in our lives. God can and will create within us whatever it is that we need if we cry out to Him. You may have lost the passion that you once had for spiritual things. You can ask God to create within you a passion to pursue Him. You can ask Him to create a fresh desire and hunger for His word and a thirst for His Spirit. You will be amazed as He begins to work in those areas. If you find that you no longer worship as you once did in the past or find it difficult to be thankful, ask God to create within you a spirit of thanksgiving, adoration, praise, and worship for Him. He will begin to work on those areas, for He loves to be worshiped. If your actions are not as they should be, ask Him to create the fruits of His Spirit within your heart. He longs for you to manifest His fruits. If you feel spiritually lethargic, ask Him to ignite a fire within you and cause you to burn with His glory, for you are the hope of His glory in this Earth. Whatever the need, God desires to make the change within you, but He is never forceful. As He did with David, He will wait for you to yield your heart and submit your spirit to Him. When you do, He will create and He will renew. +++

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Scripture: Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

In this verse and the verses following, Jesus speaks to us about being focused. He talks to us about our heart's attitude concerning material things, our spiritual vision, and our service. He exhorts us to lay up heavenly treasures rather than earthly ones. He tells us to keep our vision single so that our whole life is filled with light, and then concludes by telling us that there can be only one master in our lives. He makes it very clear that our hearts, vision, and service will revolve around only the things we count as treasures in our lives.

All of us have treasures of some sort that we are concerned about. When we were kids, our minds and hearts weren't the least bit concerned about the security of the banks or the stock market. Our treasure was wrapped up in a few coins in a piggy bank in our room, but we guarded that small bank because it was our personal treasure. As we matured, however, our treasures began to change and our hearts became concerned about the global economy. For some of us, our career became our prize and priority. For others, our children remained our most treasured possessions. We were there for every school program and band concert, not because we wanted to be there for the performance, but because our personal treasure was involved. We counted it a joy and a privilege because we were supporting our personal treasure.

Regardless of what we count as most dear in our lives, whether money, position, or relationships, our hearts will lean in the direction of that treasure, for where our treasure is, there will be our heart also. Jesus said that whenever He is the true treasure of our life, our hearts and minds will be stayed on Him and there will be no other gods in our lives. Our vision and attention will become single and nothing will be allowed to interfere, as our heart follows after our treasure. We will joyfully dedicate all that we are and everything that we have to Him to fulfill His will and complete His purpose. This is the simple truth that Jesus wanted us to understand; that our heart will remain with our treasure. He exhorted us to choose God as the utmost treasure of our hearts. Then as we seek Him and His kingdom before anything else, the lesser treasures will be added to us. +++

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Scripture: James 4:14 "For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time, then vanishes away."

I saw a minister illustrate this scripture by taking a can of air freshener and spraying just a very small wisp of the compressed air into a large auditorium. When the air was released from the can, it appeared for a moment and then vanished quickly. The Apostle James measures our life in the same manner to help us understand how short our life is and how precious our moments really are. In light of this revelation, we need to be more attentive to our life and learn to take advantage of each and every special moment that comes our way.

In Ecclesiastes, King Solomon said that to everything there is a season and a purpose. He said there is a time to laugh, dance, be healed, build, love, and embrace the ones we love. Yet, these crucial moments that God presents to us must be recognized and seized in the spirit. Very often, however, we allow ourselves to become so stressed that we can't take a moment to laugh, much less take a little time out to dance. We can't find a few spare moments to refresh ourselves in the spirit so that God can build us up in our faith. And if we are not careful, we will even get too busy to embrace those that we love, pay attention to their needs, and enjoy their presence. We will fail to recognize the precious moments that are being offered to us until it is too late. In this fast paced life, it is crucial for us to just waste some time enjoying the fellowship of our family, our friends, and even life itself. We must slow down long enough to smell the roses, watch a sunrise or sunset, hold a baby in our arms, and quietly rest in God's presence. When we take these moments, they will create a memory that will last a lifetime. Following is a prayer that I encourage you to pray if you need help in this area.

Lord, help me to take a moment in the midst of the storms of my life to acknowledge that You are God and that You are sovereign and in control. Help me to recognize that You can speak peace into my life and calm all of the adverse circumstances that are challenging me right now. Help me to take a moment from the busyness and stress of my life to rest in Your presence so that You can renew my strength. When I fall into sin, help me take a moment to confess my sins so that You can forgive me, cleanse me from all unrighteousness, and restore the joy of my salvation. When my body is infiltrated by disease and racked with pain, help me take a moment to remember Your word that says, "By the stripes of Jesus, I am healed." Help me take a moment away from my financial pressures to acknowledge Your promise that You will meet my needs according to Your riches in Christ Jesus. When I am grieved in the spirit, help me take a moment to know that You are surrounding me with songs of deliverance and that You will give me beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness When things seem hopeless, help me take a moment and remember that all things are working together for good and to praise You for Your love and mercy that endures forever. Lord, remind me to take a moment to appreciate my sight, my hearing, my mental faculties, and my physical mobility. Last but not least, help me to remember that my life is as a vapor, and that I should cherish every moment that You create for me, seize it with anticipation, and not allow that moment to pass. +++

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05/23/06
FIGHTING DISCOURAGEMENT

Scripture: Psalm 27:14 "Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart."

What would you do if you were walking along and fell into a dark pit? Would you stay there, or would you struggle and work to get out? Would you allow discouragement to overcome you, or would you attempt to conquer it? Disappointment comes when things don't work out like we've planned and we see our hopes and dreams begin to fade into non-existence. When we do not deal with those disappointments, they eventually build strongholds in our spirit and turn into discouragement. When we are in this frame of mind, each step leads downwards until we fall into utter hopelessness. In all of these phases, we can choose to drown in this sea of disappointment, discouragement, and hopelessness, or use all the ability that God gave us to get out.

There is a story about two mice that fell into a bucket of milk. One swam and fought for a while but then became discouraged, gave up, and drowned. The other mouse just kept dog paddling, fighting, and praying all night long. When he got tired he would float for a while, then he would take courage and work at getting out again. Although nothing positive seemed to be happening, he refused to give up and never allowed discouragement and self-pity to overtake him. He kept doing what he could. Finally, his churning turned the milk around him into a block of butter underneath him. When the milk turned to butter, he was able climb out and was free. He was amazed at how God had created a deliverance for him.

God has a creative plan of deliverance for you, too. Psalms 30:5 says, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." There is an old saying that "It's always darkest just before dawn". So when you find yourself in the dark pits of discouragement, just keeping doing all that you can do, trust in the Lord, and be of good courage. His deliverance and joy is on its way. +++

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05/24/06
DOING THE FATHER'S BUSINESS

All the words recorded in scripture concerning Jesus depict His mission on Earth, which was to bring eternal life to a dying world and destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8). His whole life was about doing His Father's business. From the very beginning of His life, Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies with His birth in Bethlehem. Then, as a young child, Jesus sat in the midst of the doctors in the temple and declared to His parents that He "must be about His Father's business." He recognized very early in life that He was anointed by God to do a particular work and He remained focused on that agenda.

Jesus had a dream and knew His destiny. He was to fulfill the work that His Father in Heaven had given Him to do here on Earth. So, despite the fact that His call and His mission included the cross and its shame, He endured all that was set before Him with joy, knowing in His heart that He was pleasing His Father (Hebrews 12:2). However, there was opposition along the way. In fact, Jesus lived in a perpetual state of conflict because He was headed towards His dreams. The king tried to destroy Jesus when He was a just a small child. Religious leaders of the day tried to keep Him from proclaiming His message of the Kingdom and healing the oppressed. And Satan, himself, tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Yet, Jesus never strayed from His call or doing His Father's business. When the time came for His work to be completed, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, never flinching from the cross of Calvary (Luke 9:51).

Your Father in Heaven also has plans for you. He has big dreams and envisions you being a big part of those dreams. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, you are to be about His business, for you are the hope of His glory. You are an epistle which will be read of all men and by your works and influence, men will come to know God and will learn to love Him or dislike Him. You have a responsibility to do God's business and do it well. Never lose sight of the dream that God has for you. Ask Him to breathe upon those dreams and ignite you for His service. Like Jesus, you will face opposition. There will be heartache and disappointment along the way but keep your eyes on Jesus and keep focused on the dream. Endure the rough places with joy knowing that you are fulfilling God's plan and doing His business. +++

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05/25/06
REGARDLESS OF YOUR FAULTS

Scripture: John 4:26 (Amplified) "Jesus said unto her, "I Who am speaking with you am He."

In this scripture setting, Jesus reveals Himself to the woman at the well. This woman had been married five times and was now living with a man that was not her husband. Many of us would have passed her by as a hopeless case. We would have judged her with our own self righteous standards and wondered if she were even deserving of God's amazing grace because it seemed that she could never get her life right. She had failed so many times that it would seem useless to us to put our trust in her one more time. We would write her off as a loss and fail to consider that areas of our life were actually in just as much disarray in the eyes of our holy God as her life was to us.

It is interesting to watch Jesus as He ministered to the people because His thoughts and actions are so contrary to religious thinking. He passed up the clergy and made His way to meet with the publicans and sinners and to minister to the demon possessed. He also invited the tax collectors and dishonest men into His closest circle of associates. He even spoke kind words of forgiveness to the prostitutes. Now Jesus, who was a Jew, was speaking to this Samaritan woman who was living in open sin. Time and time again, she had sought for love in the wrong people, but Jesus was able to look beyond her faults and see her need. When Jesus revealed to her that He knew of her marital status, she recognized that He was a prophet and she began to expose her inner most desires. Her need was to love and be loved. She wanted to love and worship God and she wanted to do it right. She questioned Jesus about the proper place to worship God, on the mountain or in Jerusalem.

Isn't the love of God wonderful? Jesus was weary from His journey, but He sat on the well and waited for this woman to come draw water. She didn't come to the well with the other women but came alone because of her moral lifestyle and she probably was not accepted in the formal places of worship either. Yet, her heart was crying out for God and she was watching and waiting for the Messiah to come. Jesus sought this woman out and met her at her point of need. He reached out to her with kindness and forgiveness and told her that those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Like this woman at the well, Jesus is never beyond your reach. Regardless of where you are right now or your mistakes in life, Jesus wants to meet you at your point of need. He knows where you are and He places Himself in the center of your territory. When your heart begins to worship Him, He will find you and make Himself known and available to you. He will minister to you personally, one on one, and give you Living Water to quench your thirsty soul. +++

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05/26/06
IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE

Scripture: Psalms 138:7-8 "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, ... the Lord will perfect that which concerns me."

Do you have concerns today for which you have no solutions? Are you right in the middle of a troubled situation and it seems that you are being tossed about in a terrible storm? David was in a dilemma such as this, but he was able to retain his confidence in God. Right in the midst of his turmoil, David declared that God would revive him and raise him up. He trusted God to stretch out His mighty hand, fight for him, and make everything perfect. David knew that God cared for him so he humbled himself before God and cast all of his cares upon Him.

The midst of trouble is a crucial place, but it is the place where God manifests His strength and power. It is a place where Jesus steps up and calms everything with one command, "Peace be still." Like David, Jesus' disciples found themselves in the midst of trouble when their ship encountered a storm. What were the disciples' thoughts when the storm first began? Jesus didn't seem to care at all. He rested as the storm began to approach, and then slept soundly as the storm grew worse. Jesus wasn't trying to help them maintain the ship in the natural or deal with it in the spiritual. While the prince of the air was trying to destroy the ship, the Prince of Peace slept peacefully. Fearful and frustrated, His disciples asked, "Don't you even care that we are about to perish?"

Fear and frustration may cause you to feel the same way as the disciples. It may seem that God is not showing any concern at all about your circumstances as they progressively get worse, but He is concerned about every situation. The Lord promises to perfect everything that concerns you and He is able to take everything that is happening in your life and make it work together for good. There is not one concern that you may have that is too big for Him to handle for He is able to fix every problem in more ways than you could ever dream of. He has ways and solutions that are higher than your ways and His thoughts are higher than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). Before you even ask, He has the answer to your problem. When life demands that you walk through trouble, will you cast your cares on the Lord and trust Him to make perfect those things that concern you? +++

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A Word In Due Season
5th Week of May 2006

05/29/06
GOD'S MEMORIAL DAY

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

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

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

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

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

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In a state of fear, David had fled from King Saul, who was trying to kill him, and went to Achish, the king of Gath, to find refuge. But the servants of Achish recognized David as being a king also and they began to rehearse the songs that people were singing about David. The lyrics declared that David was mighty in battle and that he had killed tens of thousands. As David heard these words being spoken about him, he became very afraid of Achish and what his reaction might be against him. In order to protect himself, David began to pretend that he was insane. As he feigned insanity, he allowed his spittle to fall upon his beard and convinced king Achish that he was a madman (I Samuel 21:10-15).

David was delivered from his dilemma, but this charade shows us that no one is exempt from being attacked by fear. Fear comes to the coward and the brave hearted, to the poor and the rich, to the weak and the mighty, and also to the peasants and the kings. In the midst of his fear, however, David decided it didn't matter what was going on around him or inside of him, he was going to trust the Lord. He recognized that God was for him (verse 9) and he declared, "What time I am afraid ... I will trust in You." Like David, there are many oppressive voices that seek to challenge us in today's world. There are physical storms, wars and rumors of war, unstable financial situations, and personal issues to face. Each day brings its own challenges and uncertainties. When fear attacks on any level a choice has to be made to either give in and give up or trust God right in the midst of the fearful situation. Trust is a definite commitment and demands letting go of all the perplexities that surround us and then leaning totally upon God. Like David, trust declares, "Even though I am afraid ... I trust in You, Lord." +++

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Scripture: Deuteronomy 28:8 "The Lord shall command the blessing upon you in your storehouses, and in all that you set you hand to do."

None of us really know what will happen in the future or how to prepare for life's uncertainties, but God gives us a promise in this scripture that can sustain us in every circumstance. He sets the guidelines and conditions for either blessings or cursings to come upon our lives. He told us that if we listen diligently to His voice and observe to do all that He commands, He will bless us. But He also says that if we neglect to listen to Him and refuse to obey His voice, we will be cursed. His instructions are very simple and very clear.

How the blessings will transpire and come to us is up to God. We don't have to figure it out, for He has plans that are higher than our plans and He can create a blessing that we've never even thought of. Our only responsibility is to obey His voice and when we do, He will command the blessing. This powerful God who intends to command a blessing on us is the same God that spoke the worlds into existence. He started with nothing, but look what He ended up with. His command has power and when He speaks, all nature responds whether visible or invisible.

In I Kings, chapter seventeen, we see this principle at work in the life of Elijah. As he acted in unquestioning obedience to God's word, God commanded blessings to come to him. First, God commanded the ravens to bring him food in the mornings and evenings and provided water from the brook. Then, when the brook dried up, God commanded a widow woman to sustain him. These blessings came to Elijah only because he listened to God's voice and obeyed His word. Had Elijah refused to go to the brook or to the widow's home, he would not have experienced God's blessings and provisions for his life. Not only that, he would have also robbed the widow and her son from receiving a blessing as well. Our obedience always touches the lives of others.

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