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Scripture: I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your care upon Him; for He cares for you."

Isn't it wonderful to know that we have a loving Savior that wants to take the burden of all our problems upon Himself? He wants to do this simply because He loves us and cares for us.

David said in Psalms 142:4, "No man cared for my soul." There was no one to help David but God. At the beginning of this Psalm, David said, "I cried unto the Lord with my voice ... I poured out all my complaints to Him and showed Him all my troubles." David complained to God about everything that going wrong in his life. He laid it all out before the Lord and asked Him to meet every need that he had because David knew that God was the only one that he could depend upon. When David's spirit was overwhelmed, he had assurance that God was concerned and cared for him when no one else did. He cried out to God alone who knew his path and saw all the snares that would try to entangle him. God witnessed David's defeats, disappointments, sins, and failures. Yet He made Himself available to David and David made God his refuge as he sought for deliverance. He put his total trust in the Lord and declared that God would deal bountifully with him.

As you face difficulties in your life, stop and think about God's goodness. God is for you, not against you! He is there when others fail. The Lord knows your every need before you ask and He wants to take care of those needs. Following is a quote by Joyce Meyer that emphasizes these thoughts and expresses God position very plainly.

"GOOD MORNING, THIS IS GOD!
I WILL BE HANDLING ALL YOUR PROBLEMS TODAY.
I WILL NOT NEED YOUR HELP --
SO, HAVE A GOOD DAY.
I LOVE YOU."

Think about these words and choose to follow the words of the Apostle Peter and cast all of your cares upon God for He really does love you. Remind yourself daily that God is ready to handle your problems and He has the answers before you ever call. +++

Copyright © 2006 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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10/03/06
LIFE AND BREATH

Scripture: Job 33:4 "The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty has given me life."

There are two special things about us that we need to understand so that we can enjoy life the way that God intended for us to enjoy it. First, the Spirit of God made us and that makes each one of us special in our own way. We did not evolve from some lower beings, nor were we were created by chance. We were made in God's own image and according to His special design. Our voices are different and we do not act or think the same as anyone else on Earth. We are individuals and this is a marvel of God. God has created millions of people since the Earth began and yet we all look different and each of us can be identified by our personal fingerprints. It is a miracle that God could make a half inch square on our thumb totally different from that of the other millions of people that have lived and not duplicate Himself in the process. God is an awesome Creator and we are His awesome creation.

Most of the times, we do not think in these terms and may even look at ourselves and wish that we were someone else or wish that we could at least be like them. Yet, God's choices are sovereign and we should never question His work. The same people that we admire may be looking at us in the same manner. We can't afford to be envious of each other or complacent about who we are. Red roses are my favorite flower but it would be sad if all the flowers of the field were red roses. Where would the variety be? Can you imagine every floral arrangement being a dozen red roses? God is creative and His work is never boring and that includes you.

The second special thing about us is that the breath of the Almighty gives us life. We were alive within the womb, but the first gift that we received when we exited our mother's womb was breath. God was there at our birth and He, Himself, breathed His breath of life into our being. Without His breath, there is no life. Yet we seldom think about our ability to breathe or give thanks for our breath. We take it for granted and it is only as we experience some sort of episode where we are unable to breathe that we give thought to this awesome gift. As we make our way through today, let us realize that life should be exuberant and exciting. God loves each and everyone of us and we should love ourselves just the way that He created us. We are definitely one of a kind, fingerprints and all. So let us acknowledge and give thanks to our Maker, cherish our life and breath, celebrate who we are, and enjoy every moment of the day. +++

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10/04/06
THE LORD IS

Scripture: Psalms 23:1 "The Lord is my Shepherd."

David had reached a point of great security in his relationship with the Lord. He had come to realize that the Lord was present right then and there to take care of him in any situation. He said, "the Lord is." David did not put the Lord off into the future somewhere and hope that He would come through some way or some how. David trusted the Lord's presence to restore his soul, provide for him, and to lead him to green pastures and beside still waters. Even in the deep sunless valley of the shadow of death, David had no fear of evil, for he knew the Lord was with him right then and he declared to the Lord, "You are with me." The Lord's rod was there to protect David and His staff was there to guide and comfort him. The Lord's presence in David's life was bigger than any problem or personal need that he faced.

Feeling alone in any situation can be overwhelming. We all need someone that we trust and feel that we can lean on when the enemy is trying to conquer our souls and drag us under. Recognizing that the presence of the Lord is with us will sustain us during these times of crises and bring us victoriously through the conflict. Psalms 46:9-10 tells us that "God makes the war to cease ... breaks the bow into pieces, and snaps the spear in two." He is able to make an end to all of the division and conflict in our lives if we allow Him to.  We need only to "Be still and know that He is God."

God is a very present help in the time of trouble. Hebrews 13:5 says, "He will never leave you, forsake you, or leave you helpless. He will never leave you without support or let you down."   Your Shepherd cares for you and will never leave you at the mercy of your environment or enemies. He is your refuge and strength in the time of trouble. The knowledge that "He is" and that "He is present" will bring restoration and strength into your life. Acts 3:19 says that the time of refreshing comes from the presence of the Lord. Let your day be filled with this promise, "Jesus said that He would be with you always even unto the end of the world."   What a blessed thought, wherever you are, God is! +++

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10/05/06
ORDER MY STEPS

Scripture: Psalms 119:133 "Order my steps in Thy word."

What a simple but profound request this is. Can you imagine where you would be today if this had been your prayer each day many years ago? What if God had ordered each step that you took according to His word? This would mean that every situation in your life would have been the perfect and ordained will of God. Unfortunately, as we look back on those yesterdays, we can see many times that we strayed from the perfect path that God had placed before us. It looks all too clear now that God was trying to direct our steps. But instead of allowing His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us, we followed our own wills and desires. As a result, some of the paths turned out to be pretty dirty and bumpy. They were surely not through the green pastures and beside the still waters.

Jeremiah 10:23 tells us that it is not in man to determine and to direct his own way. It is not in us to even know what direction to take. Our natural man cannot envision the ultimate purpose and plan that God has for our lives. And although God may show us the large picture of His plan so that we can work towards it, He only leads and guides us one step at a time. Each step we take must be taken in faith for He requires that we trust Him with all of our heart and that we do not lean upon our own understanding. As we acknowledge God in all of our ways, He promises to direct our steps.

Psalms 37:23 says that God busies Himself with every step you take. He is right there watching you take steps through life just like a loving father watches his child walk. God wants to give you direction, but He will not force you. As you step out into life each day, think about your future being set in order by the Lord. Imagine the enormous changes that may happen in your life if you start each day with these eight simple and profound words, "Order my steps in Thy word, O Lord." +++

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10/06/06
THE GOODNESS OF GOD

When we were children we were wise in our own eyes and many times we couldn't understand why we were not allowed to make our own decisions. We tried to do things our own way and often despised the correction that our actions demanded. As time progressed, however, we began to understand and appreciate the protection and the benefits of the discipline that we had received at the hands of those who loved us very much. We saw the wisdom of not being allowed to play in the street where our bodies could have been mangled or our lives lost. We could also appreciate the other benefits that were forced upon us such as good diet and hygiene. And we began to understand that going to school and studying were not a means of punishment but were meant for our own growth and development. As we matured, we came to realize that it was good that we were not left to ourselves.

Paul's statement that the goodness of God leads to repentance is similar to the discipline that we received in our youth. Many times we don't understand the workings of God. Our natural desires pull us one direction which is to enjoy our own lives for a season, while the Holy Spirit strives within us to lead us into the way that is intended to fulfill God's eternal purposes. When we go against the leading of the Holy Spirit a Godly sorrow begins to manifest within our hearts. This Godly sorrow is called conviction and pulls at our heartstrings. It is never to be despised, for God is our loving Father and He is seeking only our good. It is because of His goodness that He deals with us so patiently in this manner in an effort to lead us into His paths of righteousness. It is because of His mercy that He brings us to repentance and diverts us from our own thoughts and plans. Eventually we come to understand that His plan was much higher and far greater than our own plan.

In II Corinthians 7:10, Paul said there are two kinds of sorrow. There is the Godly sorrow, which works repentance and brings salvation, and then there is the worldly sorrow, which brings death. Godly sorrow releases us to experience life and light as we release the things that cause death to our soul and spirit. This Godly sorrow leaves no regrets. Worldly sorrow, however, leads to discouragement, defeat, and death. It condemns and causes you to hate yourself. The Apostle Paul said, "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (I Corinthians 13:11). There is a time to grow up and go on with life. Repentance means to turn from one direction and go in the opposite direction. To experience life, you must release the things that hold you in bondage, whether it be sins of the flesh or the pains of the past. The bondage of sin and the regrets of the past always cause death to your soul and spirit. God is seeking to change your heart, turn you around, and bring you to repentance, not because He is selfish and mean, but because of His infinite goodness and grace. God knows that His love and His light will drive out the darkness as you repent and release it all to Him. +++

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Joshua and Caleb were allowed to enter the Promised Land because they simply trusted God and believed His word of promise. The rest of the Israelites who had came out of Egypt with them wandered around in the wilderness for forty years but failed to enter into God's promise because of their unbelief. God gave them a promise and delivered them from the Egyptian bondage with a mighty hand. He then showed them His power and His provision though miraculous signs and wonders as they traveled through the wilderness. Yet, time and time again, they chose to disbelieve God. They had forty years to get it right, but they murmured against God and continually complained about their circumstances. They were never able to come into a place of total trust and confidence in God, and for that reason, they never received what God intended for them to have.

This parallels our own lives, for God has delivered us out of darkness and bondage and He has translated us into the Kingdom of His marvelous light. Yet even though we are in God's Kingdom, most of us are not experiencing the fullness of the things that His Kingdom affords. We suffer lack in many areas of our lives because of our unbelief and do not enter into the rest that He has designed for us. Instead, we wander around in the wilderness and struggle with our circumstances. Darkness, defeat, and discouragement are easy to come by and all that we have to do to experience these things is just exist. But life and light demand faith and we must believe God if we intend to receive His promises and walk victoriously in them.

God has always had good plans for you. You don't belong in the desert. Instead you belong in the Promised Land. As children of the Living God and as joint Heirs with His Son, Jesus Christ, you have been given precious promises. You are not only promised salvation for your soul through the sacrificed life of Jesus on the cross of Calvary, but God has promised to meet all of your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. He has also provided healing by the stripes that were laid upon Jesus' back and has sent the promise of the Holy Spirit to comfort, teach, and guide you. The Lord has promised to perfect all things that concern you and vowed that He will be with you until the end of the world. All of these promises belong to you. Yet as one minister said, "You can't float around on flowery beds of ease. You must take possession of your blessings by faith." Faith is not mental assent, it is birthed in the heart by the Spirit of God. You must feed on God's word and stay in communion with Him until your faith comes alive. Faith is not just about the promise but also about the Promise Giver. As you look to God and call upon His faithfulness, He will dispel your unbelief and you can be assured that the Promise Giver will keep His promise. +++

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10/10/06
WHEN YOU PRAY - BELIEVE

Scripture: Mark 11:24 "What things so ever you desire, when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you shall have them."

What a promise from the word of God. It sounds so simple. When you pray, believe. Yet, how many times do we just say a prayer rather than pray with real faith? Prayer should be a reverent petition to God, not just words uttered aloud. For prayer to be effective, you must reach out in faith and release your request in the spirit. As you do, the answer will come to pass in the natural. Awesome things happen when a simple prayer that is mixed with faith meets God.

Notice Jesus said, "When you pray, believe ... and you shall have." There is a time to believe and that is at the moment you ask. After your encounter with God in prayer, your faith may be tested, but keep holding on. The faith in your heart will work even though doubt is attacking your mind. Just before Jesus told his disciples to have faith when they prayed, He cursed the fig tree that had no fruit. Jesus had faith when He spoke to the tree and it began to wither on the inside. There was no evidence of change on the outside, but when the disciples passed by the next day, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. Jesus used this example to teach the disciples some important principles concerning prayer. He said, "You shall have." In other words, your answer is on the way. Most of the time we can't comprehend that our prayers are in the process of being answered because we can't see God at work. Too often we give up just before the answer comes.

Verse twenty-two says, "Have faith in God." God delights in honoring your faith. When you believe and trust in God, you set a mighty force to work. Like gravity, which is the strongest force in nature that can't be seen, faith is a very strong force in the spirit. Although it can't be seen or explained, FAITH works. So when you pray, believe, and when you truly believe, you shall have. +++

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10/11/06
POTENTIAL FOR SUCCESS

We take pride in our accomplishments so defeat and failure in any area of our lives can become confounding and confusing for us. It can cause us to be frustrated not only in front of our critics but also ashamed in the face of our close friends who are really standing with us. Failure can also be so discouraging and disappointing that we do not want to try again. Yet, failure is a necessary part of life because it is a natural consequence of trying. If we never try, we will never fail, and likewise, we will never fail if we never try. On the other hand, we will never succeed if we do not try, for success demands that we attempt the goal.

Sooner or later everyone who does anything will fail at some point in their lives. It may be with a career, a relationship, or the hopes and dreams of the future. When these failures occur we can allow them to either destroy us or teach us about the frailties of our own abilities. If we work with our failure, it can add strength to our character by allowing us to understand others when they fail and it can also teach us the importance of offering them a second chance. Failure will show us that life is very unpredictable and that the road to tomorrow will have many twist and turns. It will present unexpected challenges, but we must not allow the uncertainty of the path to deter our journey or keep us from reaching our destiny. Regardless of adversity, we must continue to press towards success.

Michael Jordan acknowledged his failures in life, but didn't allow his failures to keep him from his potential success. He missed more than 9,000 shots in his career and lost almost three hundred games. He said, "On twenty-six occasions I have been entrusted to the game's winning shot ... and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is precisely why I have succeeded." He recognized that his success came because he refused to be destroyed and defeated by mere failure. He refused to be confounded, but pressed on to victory in the midst of shame. Like Michael Jordan, you must remember that you are not destroyed or defeated regardless of how many times you miss the goal. You only stifle your dreams and limit your potential for success when you, yourself, give up. You must not lend yourself to this mindset or allow yourself to be confounded, but realize that the Lord is for you and not against you. God has given you a potential for success so look to Him for help and keep trying until you obtain the victory. +++

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10/12/06
WHAT IS IN YOUR HAND?

Scripture: Exodus 4:2 "And the Lord said to Moses, What is that in your hand? And he said, A rod."

All that Moses had in his hand was a rod, or a shepherd's staff. It didn't seem like much, but God told Moses that He would use that rod to do signs and wonders. As Moses led God's people out of Egypt, his rod became a serpent and swallowed the serpents of Pharaoh's magicians. His rod also turned the river to blood and brought on the plagues of frogs, lice, locust, thunder, and hail, and then divided the waters of the Red Sea. God used the most insignificant thing in Moses' life to accomplish His will. He used a simple man with a simple rod. All that He asked of Moses was faith and obedience to use what he had in his hand. There was no power in the rod itself, or even in Moses. The signs and wonders came directly from the Almighty God who was manifesting His supernatural power through both of them.

Sometimes we cringe when God asks us to do something for Him. We feel so insignificant and our abilities seem so lacking, especially when we compare them to the abilities of those around us. How could God be calling on us when others are more capable? Like Moses, we think, "What is our strength compared to the challenge that is set before us?" Yet, we must remember that God always equips and empowers those whom He calls.

What small gift has God imparted to you that is unused? Do you have a smile that could turn someone's day around, a loving heart that you could share with the lonely and rejected, or a comforting word for the distressed? God wants to use your simple words of encouragement to minister to those around you. He is anxious for you to pray for the sick, visit those in prison, or minister to the widow, fatherless, and the poor. There are always needs. In comparison, your resources may look like a simple rod, but you must remember that it is not what you have that really matters, but it is what God can do with what you have when you yield it to Him. If God can multiply oil for a widow so that she can pay her debts (II Kings 4:6), and multiply five loaves and two fish to feed 5,000 men plus women and children, He can also take what little you have to offer and multiply it so that it blesses a multitude of people. Little becomes much when God reaches out and touches it. So allow Him to anoint whatever is in your hand. +++

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10/13/06
HEALING FOR THE HEART

Saint Augustine, who lived in 354-430 AD said, "It's one thing to remove the spear, but quite another to heal the wound by long and careful treatment." His statement was not only true concerning physical wounds but also true with regard to wounds that come when the heart has been shattered by the conflicts of life. The spear, or the circumstance that causes our pain, may be quickly removed from our lives, yet the wound that has been inflicted will take much time to fully heal. For when the spear is removed, it leaves a gaping hole within our heart that only God can mend. Memories may linger for a lifetime and will surprise us at the most inopportune moments. Against our will, they will resurface and remind us of the pain that we suffered and the injustice that we were forced to endure. Painful memories are like permanent stains, which cannot be erased, removed, or washed away without the supernatural work of our Comforter, the Holy Spirit.

King David was a mighty warrior and knew the hardships and grief of battle. Yet, his heart had been wounded not by a spear from the enemy, but by a trusted friend. He prayed to God concerning this particular painful and personal experience that he had suffered. He said if an enemy had reproached and taunted him, he might have been able to bear it. Or if he had been hurt by someone who hated him, he would have just gone into hiding. But sadly, David's wounds came from his close companion and familiar friend. He was betrayed by someone with whom he shared a close relationship. They had a sweet fellowship with one another and had even walked together to the house of God (Psalms 55:12-14).

Like David, most of us have sustained near-fatal wounds in the spirit and have felt the pain of the spear as it pierced our heart. We have lost loved ones to death, experienced divorce, or possibly suffered an estranged relationship with a close friend or a precious member of our own family. Through no fault of our own, we have been terribly wounded by those that we have loved and trusted the most. No enemy could have broken our heart like that of our loved one. No worldly acquaintance could have disappointed us more than the betrayal by our spiritual brother or sister with whom we fellowshipped with in the house of the Lord. These wounds to our heart are deeper and far greater than any that enemy could inflict, for it is hard to receive healing when our wounds came by love. Nevertheless, we do have hope. The Lord, Himself, has promise to heal the broken hearted and to bind up the wounds. We must yield ourselves to His process. He will remove the spear and then by long and careful treatment, He will lovingly change the dressing on the wound until our hearts are thoroughly healed. +++

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Scripture: Luke 22:42 "Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but Thine, be done."

Jesus had taught His own disciples to pray for God's will to be done in their lives. He told them to pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Now as Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane and is facing the horror of the crucifixion, His own will and desires are being challenged and tested. His human side would rather have the cup of suffering pass from Him and He prays desperately three times to this effect. Jesus suffers so much agony and stress that great drops of blood begins to pour from His body. Yet, He humbly yields Himself to the Father and submits Himself to God's will.

Even though Jesus was very willing in His spirit to give Himself for the Kingdom of God, it was difficult for His flesh to surrender. Likewise, God's will for us may not always be an easy choice. Many times it's hard to respond because obedience usually means great sacrifice in many areas such as time, energy, and finances. Yet, we know that the rewards of following God's will and obeying His voice always out measures any sacrifices that we may make. When we completely surrender and give ourselves over to God's will, we are acknowledging His claim over our life and giving Him license to be in control. In Jesus' case, this meant the necessity of the cross. In our case, it requires taking up our cross, separating ourselves from our desires, and giving ourselves to His desires. In Luke 9:22-23, Jesus said that He "would suffer many things ... and be slain." He then told us that if we wanted to follow Him, we would also have to "deny ourselves and take up our cross daily."

Yielding to the cross daily is a great challenge, but Jesus said if you lose your life for His sake, you will also save your life. It is only when you are totally yielded to God and His will that He can do great things through you. When Jesus was faced with a decision, His thoughts focused on His mission and His destiny. He did not allow anything to draw Him away from God's plan, for He knew that His life and destiny not only affected Himself, but also the lives of the multitudes. Like Jesus, your life will eternally affect the lives you are destined to touch. For this reason, you must give yourself to God and pray, "Not my will, but Thine be done." +++

We often search for a misplaced item, but give up after a few moments because of its insignificance. Yet when it's something important like our keys, we search with intensity. We become desperate in our search for we know that we can't leave until we find them. It is as though our lives depend upon finding the keys and very often we will call upon others to help us in our search. Once, I lost my keys and searched diligently but the keys were not to be found. After much panic and frustration, I decided that I had to leave without them and to my surprise I found that my keys were in the lock on the outside of door.

We can all relate to losing something that is important and feeling the urgency in our spirits to find it. We recall our journey just prior to the loss and track all of the steps that we made. We put everything aside and focus on finding the lost object. We search with all of our heart and soul and we're not satisfied until we find what we are looking for. This is the same way that God wants us to search for Him. He wants us to search with intensity and anticipation in our spirits. He wants us to seek for Him as if we were searching for a lost treasure. We are to search for Him as though our very lives depend upon it. We are not to wait until we are in stress and calamity and our lives actually do depend upon finding Him. We are to seek Him early while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6). And like the keys in the door, "God is not far from every one of us" (Acts 17:27). We just need to search for Him until we find Him.

When you search for God with all of your heart and soul, I Chronicles 28:9 says that He will be found of you or He will allow you to find Him. When He unveils Himself to you, you will be forever changed for you will not only see His acts, but you will experience Him as a person. In His presence, you will get a view of His power and you will sense His strength. When your heart and soul makes contact with the Lord, you will know without a doubt that you have been in the presence of the King, and the moment will be eternally written upon your heart. God wants to minister to you and He desires to be found by you. If you seek Him with all of your heart and with all of your soul, you will find Him. When you do, He will wash your sins away with His blood, touch your pain with His love, and bring light into the darkness that troubles and clouds your soul. +++

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10/18/06
SHAKE IT OFF

Like the snake that attached itself to Paul, there are harmful things that will seek to attach themselves to us. We will have many experiences in our lives and face many disappointments that can poison our souls and spirits if we allow them. The poison may come through abuse, divorce, grief because of the death of a loved one, lost relationships, or unfair financial situations. In our minds, we may think that we have destroyed the things that would harm us. We put the memories in the past, shut the door, and do not visit those rooms. We make every effort to forgive and let go. Yet in the farthest reaches of our being, there lingers a hurt, a grief, and a shame that will not allow us to move beyond that point into a place of absolute and total freedom. It is like a dead snake whose poison is still potent. From time to time, it shoots out its venom of pain and bitterness and disallows our heart to trust others or believe for a better future. In so doing, many times we stifle God's plan for our life.

God's desire is that we shake off the past hurts and disappointments. He wants us to go on with life, unharmed as Paul did, and live life at its fullest. He doesn't want us to handle the memories that are alive with venom, lest it poison and destroy our souls. He doesn't want us to pine away our life in sorry and grief, for He has a better plan. He sent His only begotten son, Jesus, so that we could have an abundant life. God anointed Jesus to give us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3). However, to receive the abundant life that Jesus provides, we must choose to shake off anything that would poison us. We must choose to come out of the ashes, receive His joy, and put on His garment of praise. +++

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10/19/06
GOD'S PURPOSE

I heard this story years ago. "A soldier stood at attention at an isolated corner of the Russian palace. When questioned about his purpose for standing there, the soldier could only say he was following the captain's orders. The captain was summoned and he too did not know the purpose of this guard, but he knew that regulations required him to be there. Upon investigation, it was discovered that a century earlier, Katherine the Great, who was an Empress from 1762 to 1796, had established that guard post to protect a newly planted rose bush that she had planted. One hundred years later, guards were still being posted to keep watch over a barren spot of turf."

These are desperate times and we must discern the season. It's not a time to waste on busy works or barren pursuits, for life is short and time is of the essence. The harvest that remains is too great. We must find out how the Master wants us to fulfill His purpose and then follow through with action. We can't stay tied to a mission that has ended or continue to operate where there is no anointing. We must realize that God is enlarging our borders and accept the fact that He is moving us on to greater places and higher purposes.

Yet, sometimes it is hard to let go and move forwards. Occasionally, it is wise to simply ask ourselves, "Why am I doing this? Is this God's will for me at this crucial hour?" If we find that we are only guarding the turf where roses used to bloom, we need to give our situation some thought and pray for direction. When we discover that the horse has been dead for several years, it's time to dismount. Jesus is coming for His church soon, but until He comes, we have a purpose to fulfill. There are still souls that are held in the balance. They are waiting for us to obey the great commission that Jesus gave in Mark 16:15, which was to "go into all of the world and preach the gospel." The world to some may be a foreign country and the world to others may be their own nation with it's many nationalities. Yet, we are all called and commissioned to be a light to the world and to "preach the gospel to every creature." There is someone who is waiting in the darkness for you to share God's light. Your light will shine and you will glorify your Father in Heaven when you are doing His will and fulfilling His purpose. +++

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10/20/06
CREATED IN HIS IMAGE

God created the heavens and the Earth and called light into existence. He made the sun, moon, and planets and placed them in their appropriate positions. He also scattered the stars across the heavens according to His own divine pattern. He created the mighty oceans and formed the seas and then filled them with enormous amounts of water that cannot be measured. He divided the lands, formed the mountains, and dredged out the rivers. He also created all of the animals and brought plant life into existence. Then as a finishing touch, He created man and woman.

When we began to understand why we were created in God's very own image, it is a very sobering thought. God wanted someone like Himself that He could commune with on a personal basis, and He wanted someone that had the capacity to love and worship Him in spirit and truth, even though all nature cries out with praise to God. He also designed His most special creation to have His own attributes and to show forth His likeness. God created man with the capacity to be holy as He, Himself, is holy (I Peter 1:16). That may seem like a far stretch to most of us, but God created us to be filled with His Spirit so that we could display His image of holiness to a wayward world. We are to be like a healthy tree and manifest the fruits of His Holy Spirit. When others look at us they are to see His image of love, joy, and peace. As His witness, we are to display His image of patience, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. When others encounter our presence, they should experience God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness because Christ is within us. God's image of wisdom that comes down from above is to rest upon us and we are to be His light to a darkened world. We must acknowledge and respect God's work in us and understand our constant responsibility to be His image in the Earth. Everything that God is, He has designed us to be also, for He created us in His own image. +++

Scripture: Proverbs 11:30 (Amplified) "The fruit of the uncompromisingly righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives for God as a fisher of men - he gathers and receives them for eternity."

Life on Earth is a great mystery and is filled with uncertain days and surprising events. Each day presents us with challenges and with each challenge we are faced with the choice to compromise with the world or remain uncompromisingly righteous before God. Regardless of which we choose, our lives make an impact on those about us.

We have a mission. God has destined us to be trees of life and fishers of men. As trees of life in God's garden, we will bear fruit. Whatever grows on the inside of us will spill out into the lives of those around us and will affect them for eternity. Our words and actions either capture human lives for God or drive them away from His kingdom. Proverbs 23:7 says, "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." If the tree of love and peace is growing within our heart, the fruit we bear will be love and peace. If there is joy in our heart, joy will be manifested in our lives. If our heart thinks patience, we will be patient. However, if the tree in our heart is filled with negative thoughts, our actions will be like a tree of death, for out of the abundance of our heart, bad fruit will be produced.

Proverbs 15:3-4 says, "The eyes of God are in every place, keeping watch upon the evil and the good. A gentle tongue with its healing power is a tree of life." Take notice and be aware of all that surrounds you. God has set before you an open book, but you determine the story and you write the words. With the words you say and the deeds you do, you can bring healing power into the lives of others and be a wellspring of life to a hurting world. Your mission may be very simple. God may have designed your life to reach just a few. Like the trees in the forest, which are all not the same, your life may be different than others, but it has purpose and is important. Your words, actions, and love can alter the life and destiny of each soul that you encounter. So be wise and allow your fruit to capture them for eternity. You will experience various seasons and may feel dormant for a period of time. It may seem that God has utterly forgotten you, but keep the faith and wait on God because He is preparing you for the next season of your life. Regardless of what season you are in, refuse to compromise with the world and allow God to use you in that season. Always remember, you contain the potential to be a tree of life and a great purpose in the Kingdom of God. +++

Have you ever read all of the commandments and laws of God that Moses recorded in the scripture? It is overwhelming just to read them and even harder to remember some of them. There are the ten most prominent commandments that most of us know by heart, but there are also all of the dietary and other laws that are attached. And even though we do not literally steal, kill, commit adultery, or transgress any of the Ten Commandments, the commands themselves can be broken simply by our thoughts and desires. For the Lord, Himself, said that if we have lust and sin within our hearts, it is as though we have committed the transgression itself.

The law presents a real challenge but Jesus made keeping the law simple by giving us one law, which was the law of love. He said that all of the commandments hung on two laws, which were to love the Lord our God with all of our heart and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Love is not contrary to the law but it fulfills the law in a unique way. If you love your neighbor as yourself, you will not steal from him or have a need to steal from him. Your love relationship between each other will open the door for you to ask for help in your time of need and that same love will draw upon your neighbor's compassion to help you. If you are walking in love, you are not going to kill someone, for the spirit of murder has no room within your heart when your heart is filled with love. Your love for your neighbor will fulfill the law. If you love God and are seeking to serve Him, you will not commit adultery with your neighbor's spouse. Your love for God will fulfill the law. Your spirit will rise up within you in the same manner as Joseph's did when Potiphar's wife attempted to draw him into adultery. Joseph responded to her seduction by asking the question, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

Love is of God and it operates in righteousness and thinks no evil. It is gentle in its thoughts and follows through with acts of kindness. Love goes out its way not to harm or offend God or anyone in any manner. Romans 13:8 says, "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another." Love is a debt that you owe and it is by no means cheap. God the Father paid an enormous price to extend His love to us by giving His only begotten Son to die in our place and Jesus gave His own life. Love demands a supreme sacrifice, but when you pay the price of love, you fulfill the law. +++

Naaman's wife had a little maid, who had been captured and brought out of Israel. This young maid witnessed to Naaman's wife about the prophet Elisha who was in Israel. She believed and declared that Elisha could heal Naaman's leprosy. When Naaman heard this news, he made his way to Israel to find the prophet, but when Naaman arrived at the door of Elisha's house, Elisha did not even come out to meet Naaman. Instead, Elisha sent a messenger who instructed Naaman to go and wash in the Jordan River seven times. This made Naaman very angry and he went away in a rage, declaring, "I thought Elisha would surely come out to meet me, stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, strike his hand over the place, and recover me of this leprosy." Naaman felt shunned that the prophet did not honor his position as a leader. Besides that, he was told to go and wash in the Jordan River, which was not as clean as the rivers in his own land. Yet, Naaman's servants reasoned with him. They said, "If the prophet had told you to do a hard thing, you would have done it. Why won't you wash and be clean?" Naaman listened and acted on their words and when he dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, he was totally healed and his skin became like that of a little child.

Naaman had it all figured out, but things did not work the way that he expected or even wanted. For his leprosy to be cleansed, he had to obey the words of the prophet, which were very precise. It had to be God's river and God's way, or no way, and he had to dip himself into the river seven times, not six. So it is with the situation in our lives. We go to God with our family issues that need to be resolved, bodies that need to be healed, financial situations that need solutions, and for deliverance from addictions. When we approach the Lord, we have it all figured out and instead of leaning upon the Lord in total trust we dictate the solutions to Him. Like Naaman, we just can't see the reasoning or wisdom in dipping ourselves in a river of dirty water, and we sure don't have the patience to do it seven times. Doubt would set in when the second dip showed no results. Discouragement would come about the fourth time. Depression would then follow the fifth attempt because we saw no change. Defeat would take us out of the challenge after the sixth dip, just before the victory and deliverance came.

We can have great confidence in knowing that God is on our side and that He is for us at all times. He is there as a loving Father who believes the best about His children and is never against us in any situation. Even when we are in the wrong, He is working to bring us back to a place of repentance and will show us the way of escape. He is the Good Shepherd who draws us by His Spirit back to the fold. He is the Father of the prodigal who waits patiently to restore His son to his rightful position in life. He is the faithful Friend who sticks closer than a brother when we are in trouble and is our Comforter when sorrow and grief strike at us. He is the Redeemer to the lost and the Great Physician to sick. He is the Provider who supplies for all of our needs according to His riches in glory. He is the Lord of Hosts who fights our battles for us, our Shelter in the storms and our Refuge in the time of trouble. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us, but will be there when all else fails because He is for us.

The revelation of who God is in our life and the knowledge that He is for us should give us peace for every situation that challenges us. Romans 8:31 says, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" If God loved us enough to give His Son for us, He surely loves us enough to keep us safe and to care for us in the threat of danger. He is our confidence for today and our hope for tomorrow. No enemy can stand against the presence of God in our life or suppress His plans for our future. We must lean upon the Lord with all of our understanding and trust His judgment because like the psalmist said, "We know that God is for us and not against us." +++

This is a powerful promise from the Lord our God, but notice what the order of our relationship with Him needs to be. We are to love Him first, and then serve Him. Our love for God should be the catalyst of our service for Him. Yet, there are times that we get the process reversed. We start out loving and our love motivates us to serve, but then serving overtakes our personal relationship with God and our focus becomes distorted. We become like the church at Ephesus, which did good works, had patience, and could not bear that which was evil. Yet, regardless of their wonderful works and righteous deeds, the Lord said that He had something against them. They had left their first love (Revelation 2:4). They were so busy doing things for God that they didn't have time and energy for a relationship with God.

Service should never be a substitute for our intimate communion with God. Love is so simple. When you love someone you long to be in their presence, to hear their voice, to share their interest, and to feel their touch. You are driven to have personal contact with them. When you truly love God, you will feel these same desires and you will find time to fulfill them. You will create a space in your busy life to pray and commune with God. You will read His word and listen intently for His voice. You will push things to the side to be in His presence so that you can feel His tender touch on your life. You will glory in the moments that you share with Him, and then your service for Him will be birthed out of that experience. You will serve Him because you love Him, not in order to fulfill a duty or obligation.

We must examine our lives from time to time and see where we stand on this issue. We must determine if our first love has become our ministry and our good deeds or if it has continued to be God, Himself. If we find that we have drifted away or grown cold because of our busy schedules, we need to simply return to the Lord and find the time to make Him first in our lives. We can renew our commitment to the Lord at any time. We can start today wherever we are. God said that if we draw near to Him, He would draw near to us. He confirms this promise again and says that if we seek Him, we will find Him. When we renew this place in our hearts and choose Him to be our first love, He will shower His blessings upon us and we will find new strength for our souls. +++

10/30/06
WALKING IN GOD'S LIGHT

Scripture: Isaiah 50:11 "Walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that you have kindled ... (and) you shall lay down in sorrow."

God gives us a solemn warning against trying to walk in our own light because our light is incapable of dispelling the darkness of evil. Yet, when we are walking in a dark place, it's very tempting to try to solve our problems ourselves instead of putting our trust in God and allowing Him to shed light on our situation. We become impatient and kindle our own fire to create our own light. We make decisions based on our feelings and often disregard the will of God for our lives. We turn a deaf ear to His voice because God's instructions make no sense at all to our natural mind, as His ways are never like our ways.

Although we know that God's thoughts and plans are higher and far greater than we can comprehend with our finite mind, our darkness still drives us to seek a light of some sort and find deliverance somewhere. Premature deliverance, however, frustrates God's work of grace and diminishes the beauty of the work He is trying to accomplish in our lives. We are like the caterpillar, which must wait for the timing of God. The caterpillar must patiently endure the darkness of the cocoon until its appointed time comes for it to reach for the light. Its premature deliverance will destroy the grandeur of its destiny, and its lack of patience will thwart its intended purpose and disable it from being able to fly in majestic beauty.

Jesus said, "The man that walks in darkness doesn't know where he is going" (John 12:35). A man in darkness just stumbles about, feeling his way around. It's a frightening place, but Jesus said that if we follow Him, we will not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life (John 8:12). In this story, Jesus revealed Himself as The Light to the woman who was found living in the darkness of adultery. As The Light, He did not condemn her but showed her the truth and gave her the light to walk in. He said, "Go and sin no more." His light was designed not only to dispel all the darkness of evil that threatened her but also to give her a new life.

Jesus is the light of life. God intends for us to walk in His light, for only His light can conquer darkness. We must wait for His light to dawn as we do the rising of the sun, for our own light apart from God will only bring sorrow. Be assured that God is sovereign and His timing cannot be hastened. It is better to walk in the darkness with God than to walk alone in our own light. +++