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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of January 2007

01/02/07
INCREASE AND BLESSINGS

Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:11 (NIV) "May the Lord, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as He has promised!"

Moses spoke these words over the children of Israel as he encouraged them to go in and possess the land that God had promised to them. God had such good plans for them and wanted to give them a thousand times more than what they had. It was His intent to give them a land that flowed with milk and honey. This Promised Land was theirs for the taking, but they refused to believe His words, and because they limited God through their unbelief, they never entered into His promise. Except for Joshua and Caleb and the younger generation, they all died in the wilderness of defeat.

God still wants His children blessed beyond measure. This doesn't necessarily mean that we will have everything that we want or that we will all be rich and famous, for prosperity and fame doesn't guarantee blessings. Blessings go beyond the material and capture the true riches of life, which is happiness, joy, and peace. Robert Louis Stevenson said:

"The best things are nearest;
    Breath in your nostrils,
    Light in your eyes,
    Flowers at your feet,
    Duties at your hand,
    The path of God just before you."

As you journey through this next year, I pray God's blessings upon you in a new and fresh way. I pray that you will recognize that blessings come from God's hands and also that you will realize that life's greatest blessings are the simple things. True blessings and prosperity have nothing to do with the stuff you can gather around yourself, but are the relationships you establish and life itself. May the Lord increase you a thousand times and bless you as He has promised! May you have a Blessed and Prosperous New Year! +++

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01/03/07
THE LIGHT OF LIFE

Scripture: John 8:12 "I am the light of the world: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

People are attracted to light whether it be the natural light of the sun, moon, and stars or the man made lights of a city at night. At Christmas we enjoy the special lights of the season that celebrate the birth of Jesus and on Independence Day we watch in awe as we experience the lights of the fireworks. We also relax by the flickering lights of the fireplace and light candles to enhance the atmosphere at meals and gatherings. And of course, our daily lives depend upon light. We must have light whether we need it in the fields to grow crops or to be able to function in the workplace. Light creates life, and without light, there is no life.

From the beginning, the presence of Jesus brought light, for when the angels announced His birth, the heavens were filled with light and the glory of God. The wise men were also guided by a radiant light that led them to the Savior. When Jesus came, He came as the Light to a spiritually darkened world, and His Light brought life to men as He revealed God to their souls. People marveled at this light which came from God as He healed the sick and cast out evil spirits. They were amazed when He raised the dead and performed signs and wonders. John 12:36-37 says that Jesus instructed the people to "believe in the light so that they could become children of light." Yet, many who saw the miracles did not believe on Him. They preferred to stay in darkness. What a sad report; many saw, but did not choose to believe.

The most important thing that you will ever do with your life is to believe in Jesus. It is only then that light will come into your soul. When you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and receive Him into your heart, Colossians 1:12-13 says He delivers you out of the kingdom of darkness and brings you into His kingdom, making you partakers of His light. As you come out of darkness and partake of His light, you then also become responsible to be a light to the world. You are to bear witness of the Light, that all men might believe (John 1:8). Bearing witness of the Light means that you walk in fellowship with Him (I John 1:7). You walk in light and truth, leaving the deeds of darkness behind. Jesus said, "I am the Light and if you stay close to me and follow me, you will be able to walk in My light." +++

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01/04/07
RESPONSE TO A HOLY GOD

Scripture: Isaiah 6:5 " ... my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of host."

Isaiah had a vision of the Lord sitting upon His throne. He saw the angels surrounding the throne crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of host: the whole earth is full of His glory." As he witnessed this awesome sight, Isaiah realized his own shortcomings and said, "Woe, is me! For I am undone or ruined because I am a man of unclean lips." The holiness of God forced him to acknowledge and confess his own sin. God then touched Isaiah's life by purging his lips with a hot coal from the altar and sent him forth to minister to the people.

Like Isaiah, we find ourselves lacking when we are confronted with the presence of a Holy God. For Romans 3:10 tells us that no one is righteous, not even one person. When we see God in His majesty and grandeur, we realize that our own righteousness is as filthy rags before Him. We stand in awe as we come to know that even our thoughts are not close to being equal with God. Isaiah 55:9 says, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts." Likewise, our prayers in all their verbal grandeur are not sufficient enough to reach out and obtain all that God wishes to give to us, for we can't imagine His bountiful supply. God tells us to ask largely. Yet, when we think we do, He still declares that He is able to do more than we've asked or even thought about (Ephesians 3:20). Without Him we can do nothing, for our strength is nothing without the working of God's mighty power.

We cannot grasp the graciousness of God or comprehend the multitude of His tender mercies, nor measure His love, which has no boundaries. God and everything about Him far exceeds our finite mind. Just one small glimpse of God's glory shows us that He is limitless and beyond our knowledge. The light of His presence reveals our darkness, and like Isaiah, all we can say is, "Woe, is me! For I am undone or ruined because I am a man of unclean lips." And like the angels who surrounded God's throne, we can only say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory." +++

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01/05/07

LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED

Scripture: John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be trouble, neither let it be afraid."

As a child you may have asked your parents to stay close beside you when you were facing difficult situations such as going to the dentist or to the doctor. Somehow the promise of their presence dispelled your fears. Today, as an adult, you don't have that privilege even though you may often feel the same anxieties about facing the future.  In these times of uncertainty and insecurity, your heart can only reach out to your loving heavenly Father, for He knows the future. He knows all about you and is acquainted with all of your feelings. If you listen closely, you will hear His still quite voice reassuring you with these same words, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

These are such wonderful words from our Master as He tells us two things. First, He has left His peace with us. It is not the natural security of the world system, but His supernatural peace, which passes all understanding and works even in the midst of storms and adversities. Second, His peace is there for us, but we have to partake of it. He tells us to "Let not." This means that if we are going to enjoy the benefits of peace, we have to do our part. "Let not" means we must stop allowing ourselves or permitting ourselves to fear. If Jesus told us not to allow our hearts to be trouble or afraid, He surely left us the power to obey those words and the ability to resist the spirit of fear.

Fear doesn't just cause anxieties about the future, but uses another tactic by coming upon us suddenly with the purpose of catching us off guard. Proverbs 3:25-26 says, "Do not be afraid of sudden fear ... for the Lord shall be our confidence, and shall keep our feet from being taken." In Isaiah 41:10 God gives us the same instructions. He says, "Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God" and then gives us three reasons why we do not have to fear.

    1) God will strengthen us.
    2) God will help us.
    3) God will uphold us with the right hand of His righteousness.

You are to never allow your heart to be overcome with fear, whether you are facing the anxieties of the future or experiencing a sudden attack of the devil. When fear strikes, you need to pause and think on these simple truths. Jesus said that He would never leave you or forsake you and He also promised to strengthen, help, and uphold you through the situation. These words alone should encourage you for today and give you hope for the future. Fear is a spirit. When you resist the devil, he has no choice. He must flee from you (James 4:7). This is God's word. When you submit yourself to God and do your part, God will do His. +++

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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of January 2007

01/08/07
GOD'S PLAN

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

When God formed each of us, He had a specific plan and purpose in mind so He did not give us the same qualities and abilities, but placed in each of us all that we would need to be able to do His will. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts." His thoughts and plans are higher than ours. In fact, the scripture declares that the distance between God's thoughts and our thoughts is as far as heaven is from the earth, for our thoughts are concerned with what is happening right now and God's thoughts are on eternity.

Sometimes we find ourselves in great difficulties and can't understand why, but Romans 8:18 declares that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. We may think that we are in a hopeless place with no way of escape because we are surrounded by darkness and separated from others. Yet, we must remember that regardless of how hopeless our situation may look, God has a plan, and it is for good and not evil, to give us a future and a hope.

Consider the butterfly. God had a future for it, but it had to go through much turmoil before it was released to display God's beauty and glory. It began by spinning itself into a cocoon and may not have realized that the end result of its spinning would be capturing itself in a small dark place for a very long season. It may have been surprised when it found itself separated from others in this quiet place, totally alone with God. This place was also humbling, for there was no beauty in the appearance of the cocoon attached to a branch. It probably wondered what happened to its original dream.

As bad as the outside may have looked to others, the inside was much worse for the caterpillar itself. It was in greater turmoil than anyone could ever imagine as it struggled on its own, in great labor and difficulty. No one could help it get through its ordeal, and no one could set it free but God. Receiving its release meant it had to force its body through a narrow passage. Yet, this was God's provision of glory and beauty for the butterfly. It is through the pressure caused by moving through this narrow passage that nature forces the juices into the vessels of the wings and releases the beauty that God intended. If someone intervened and stop God's process by releasing the butterfly early, it would end up with a huge swollen body and shriveled wings and be forced to crawl through life rather than fly.

God knows where you are and you must believe that He has a glorious end in sight. He wants you to be complete and fully equipped to operate in His plan. He calls you out when He sees that you are ready and not a moment before. He does not want you crawling through life like a shriveled caterpillar but soaring like a beautiful butterfly. God is working His plan in your life, but you must call upon Him and search for Him with all of your heart. As you pass through these dark and narrow places, He prepares you for the time of your release. Trust in the Lord. He does have a future with a hope, and in the fullness of His time, His glory will be revealed in you. +++

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01/09/07
PLEASANT WORDS

Scripture: Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones."

Solomon, a man of great wisdom, wrote this proverb concerning the words of our mouth. He said that words spoken to us not only affect our soul, which is our mind, will, and emotions, but also affect our health. Pleasant words feed and nourish us, but words of strife and bitterness break our spirit and work havoc in our body. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A merry heart does good like a medicine; but a broken spirit dries the bones." We are healthier when we are happy, and we are happier when we hear encouraging words.

We quote the saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." This may be true in the realm of our reputation because our reputation may be able to withstand unfavorable words and accusations. Yet, the truth is that words do affect us, for Solomon said that pleasant words are health to our bones. Sweet words strengthen us and help us to stand emotionally like our healthy bones support us physically. If pleasant words bring good health, we can assume that unpleasant words will bring poor health. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that "There is life and death in the power of the tongue ... and we will eat the fruit of it." Words that come to us either feed us the fruit of life or the fruit of death. You may start your day feeling emotionally and physically great, but after an encounter with an irate individual you may find yourself mentally and emotionally stressed. Continual stress of this type will cause physical distress.

Likewise, the words that we speak can minister emotional well being and lead to health in the lives of others, or they can render stress and death. We need to think about our words. Before speaking, ask yourself if your words are pleasant and sweet. Are they ministering health and life? David asked God to help him in this area. He said in Psalms 19:14, "Let the words of my mouth ... be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer." James said that we could not bless and praise God while we are speaking curses to men, and he asked the question in James 3:11, "Does a fountain send forth from the same opening fresh water and bitter?" Let us take his words to heart and strive to keep our fountains clean and our words pleasant and sweet so that they will minister health and life to others. +++

Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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01/10/07
THE GOOD OLD DAYS

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 7:10 (Living Bible) "Don't long for the 'good old days', for you don't know whether they were any better than these!"

Often we look back on life and may wish that we could return to the "good old days." We remember the times that our children's laughter filled our homes, but now they have homes and families of their own. They may even live in distant cities and we rarely get to see them. Possibly, we recall our own youth and long for the love of our mothers and fathers or loved ones, which are no longer with us. We remember a time of freedom from the tremendous burdens of responsibility of adulthood that we now face. Maybe we think of a more prosperous time or a time of better health than what we are experiencing at this current season of our lives. Whatever the case, time has a way of changing things. And regardless of our desire, there is no way to turn back the hands of time. Life must goes on.

Solomon, in all of his wisdom, instructs us not to long for the former days or to wonder why they seem so much better than today. He said it's not wise for us to look back because we don't know for sure that the former days were better than the day that we are now living in. We are to live this day to the fullest, cherish every moment, and celebrate each experience. We are to recognize that all things may not seem to be good at the moment, but that good can come from all things. This is God's promise to us. Our attitude is what makes the difference. God rewards those who trust Him and who do not murmur and complain.

In Philippians 4:11-12, Paul teaches us this same concept. He tells us to be content in all things. We are to learn how to be abased when we suffer lack and how to abound when we have plenty. We are not to long for the 'good old days' or wish for a better future day. We are to count each day as a blessing and a gift from God. God is using each day and every circumstance in our life to mold us and make us into His special vessels. We must trust Him and not look back or long for the past. God has made today for us and given us breath to experience it. It should be an adventure and we should "rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalms 118:24). +++

Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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01/11/07
KNOWING THE WAY

Scripture: John 14:5 "How can we know the way?"

Thomas asked Jesus this question. Remember Thomas? He is the disciple who based his faith on the visible and tangible. When the other disciples told him that they had seen the Lord after His resurrection, Thomas said, "I'm not going to believe unless I can see and touch the nail prints in His hands and put my hand in His side." Jesus was so patient and understanding as He allowed Thomas to do just that (John 20:25-29). Then Jesus told Thomas, "You believed because you have seen, blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe."

Jesus had already encountered this attitude in Thomas towards faith in the unseen when Jesus explained to the disciples that He was going away to prepare a place for them. Jesus plainly told them, "You know where I'm going, and you know the way." Still Thomas asked, "We don't know where You are going, so how can we know the way?" Thomas wanted to know the place and see the way, just as he did with the nail pierced hands. He wanted something tangible and visible to hold on to. This was Thomas' nature and faith did not come easy for him. He wanted a detailed map, but Jesus told him, "God's presence is where I am going and where I will be."

In verse six, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father but by me." He was saying, "Believe in me. I'm your way into the presence of God. I am the road that will take you there." In other words, the name of the street is called Jesus, and you must enter God's presence by that road. Acts 4:12 says, "There is no other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." God hears us when we come to Him in Jesus' Name. Jesus said, "I am the Truth." There is no other way to come to God except by the words that He has spoken. Then Jesus said, "I am the life. My life's blood I shed for you and my resurrection will enable you to enter the presence of God."

If you have needs today, you must reach out by faith into the unseen and hold on to the things that are not tangible. You are not allowed the comfort of touching the nail-scarred hands or seeing the invisible. Yet, Jesus promised that you will be blessed if you believe in what you cannot see. Faith pleases God and He rewards those who believe in Him. I encourage you to simply trust in Jesus, for He alone is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. +++

Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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01/12/07
THE ANOINTING

Scripture: I John 2:27 "The anointing, which you have received of Him, abides in you."

The anointing of the Holy Spirit is not just a feeling that we experience. Instead, it is a supernatural force that abides within us which can break the yoke of bondage and set the captive free. It is like a mighty rushing river that flows from our inner being (John 7:38-39) and empowers us to do the work of God, which we could not do otherwise. Even Jesus had to depend upon the anointing of the Holy Spirit to complete His work, for He declared that He could do nothing of Himself, but only what the Father showed Him.

When God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit, Jesus went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38). Notice that He went about doing good deeds and delivering those that were oppressed. God is love and He intends for the anointing in our lives to be used to fulfill His desires and complete His purposes. The anointing is never meant to be a show of personal power or to do evil. Consider the event with Jesus' disciples, James and John. They wanted to use the power of God to command fire to come down from Heaven and consume those who did not agree with them (Luke 9:54). Jesus told them that they didn't understand which spirit was operating within them, for the Spirit of God seeks only to minister and give life, not destroy and bring death. Yet, this is what happens when we allow our carnal mind to be in control. We too can easily lend ourselves to the wrong influence just like the disciples who personally walked this earth with Jesus. It seems that they would have been beyond error, but we all have weaknesses within our soul.

According to God's word, the anointing of the Holy Spirit is always present within us. The Holy Spirit is there to strengthen and direct us although we may not sense His presence. In the natural, we have muscles that are never used until the need arises. We don't necessarily feel them or notice them, yet they make themselves available and show their strength when they are needed to move, lift, or push a heavy object. The anointing is like a spiritual muscle that is waiting to be used. When a need presents itself, the anointing of the Holy Spirit will rise within us to meet the challenge because He is abiding within us. The anointing will cause us to find the boldness to do or say things that we normally would be too shy to do or too timid to say. We may surprise ourselves at times by praying for someone or witnessing to them because the Holy Spirit suddenly moves within us.

There are many needs around us and we need to become more aware of the anointing that is within us, and like Paul told Timothy, we need to stir up this precious gift. We must be conscious that the anointing that is within us is there for a purpose. We must be ready at God's command to allow His Spirit to flow through us so that we can do good deeds, minister to the oppressed, and complete the Lord's work for His glory. +++

Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of January 2007

01/15/07
JESUS HAS BEEN THERE

Scripture: Hebrews 4:15 "For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to understand and sympathize with our weaknesses ..."

Jesus was with God in the beginning of time, but came to this earth so that He could redeem mankind. When He came to Earth, He came in the likeness of man.   As the Son of man, He embraced all that we would have to experience as human beings. He allowed himself to be acquainted with physical, emotional, and spiritual pain.

Jesus suffered and wept with friends when His own friend, Lazarus, died. He felt the rejection of His own mother and brothers who thought that He was mad. He experienced frustration with the religious hypocrites and He became angry with those that were abusing the temple of God . He suffered disappointment with those who had been part of His ministry team for three years when they all left Him in His time of need.  Judas betrayed Him and Peter, one of His closest friends, cursed and denied their friendship. Jesus wearied Himself with doing the work of the ministry so much that He was able to sleep in the midst of a great storm. He also suffered the abuse of a mocked trial, great physical torture, and endured the pain of the crucifixion.  He then died in shame, feeling totally abandoned by His Father God. Jesus subjected Himself to all of this so that He could know and be touched with our feelings.

He experienced more than we've ever dreamed of experiencing. Even though He was the Son of God, He was also the Son of Man. We tend to think that Jesus had it easier than us because He was God in the flesh.  Yet, Hebrews 5:7 tells us that in the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up very definite and special petitions to God and that His prayers were filled with strong cries and tears. He wanted God to deliver Him from the coming death and asked that the cup pass from Him. The last part of this verse in the Amplified Bible says "He shrank from the horror of separation from the bright presence of the Father." And because of His cries, "He was heard in that He feared." It is hard to imagine these words, "Jesus feared." But we know that He prayed with such anxiety in the garden of Gethsemane that He sweat great drops of blood. He went through this agony for you and for me. He has already been down every path of pain and sorrow that you will ever travel. Jesus knows exactly where you are and He wants you to know that He understands your heartaches. He is touched by your feelings and all that you are experiencing. Just lean upon Him. Jesus understands because He has been there. +++

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01/16/07

MINISTERS & WITNESSES

Scripture: Acts 26:16 "I have appeared unto you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness."

Paul was relating his tremendous conversion that he had experienced on the road to Damascus . At midday, a light from heaven shone around Paul that was brighter than the sun, and in the midst of this great light, Jesus spoke to Paul and explained the purpose of His appearance. He told Paul that He appeared to him so that Paul could become a minister and a witness.  A witness simply tells all the truth that he knows about a person or situation and God used Paul to do just that. Paul wrote about three-fourths of the New Testament and preached an uncompromising message about Jesus.

Paul was not only a witness, but he was also a minister. In I Corinthians 2:4 he said, "My preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." Paul witnessed about the love, mercy, forgiveness, and power of God and also demonstrated it through ministry. As a minister, Paul assisted and served those whom God sent him to.  The word "minister" translated in the Greek means to be an "under-oarsman." A minister is one who stays in the boat, tugs at the oar, and brings the vessel through the rough and stormy sea to a safe harbor. Ministers don't stop with just the verbal witnessing of what God has done in their lives. They try to assist others through the storms and difficulties of life. They tug at the oars, continually praying and encouraging, until they see the person reach a safe harbor.

God depends on us to be His witnesses and His ministers. He uses us to be His voice, His hands, and His feet in the earth. We do not have to be ordained or hold an office in the church.  God calls us and gives us the opportunity to simply help our brothers and sisters in the Lord. When one is low in the faith, God gives us a word in season to lift them up.  He allows us to share His love, peace, and joy through cards, email, telephone calls, prayer, and financial help. Opportunity is all around us. We just have to be sensitive and obedient to share. Our words and our life should continually minister grace to those about us (Ephesians 4:29). We should always be seeking to edify and build up those in need. Many people who seem strongest on the outside are really the ones hurting the worst on the inside. As a witness and a minister, our purpose is to love all people and help them make it to the safe shore. +++

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01/17/07
STRENGTH FOR THE INNER MAN

Scripture: Ephesians 3:16 "That God would grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man."

Paul was in prison when he wrote these words. Yet, he was not concerned with his own problems or his personal discontent. His concern was for the needs of the body of Christ. So he bowed his knee and prayed this prayer for the Church that their inner man may be strengthened or reinforced with might or power and ability. This transition can only come about by the work of the Holy Spirit as He comes to dwell in our innermost being.

In the next few verses, Paul continued to pray that Christ would actually dwell in our hearts by our faith. When Jesus dwells in our heart, He settles down, abides, and makes His permanent home there. He doesn't enter our life as just an overnight guest. He comes with the intention of staying eternally. And like any natural relationship, the longer we live with Him and the more that we are exposed to His person, the more like Him we become. We gradually begin to take on His attributes and characteristics. His strength becomes our strength, and because He is love, we become rooted and grounded in love.

Love strengthens our inner being and the deeper our roots grow in His love, the more secure we become in Him. Paul prayed that we would have the power to comprehend the breath, length, height, and depth of God's love. He also prayed that we bond with God and be filled with His being. God's love comes and grows within us as we live with Him and experience Him on a daily basis. You may have had an experience in your life where you just knew that you could live with a particular individual. But as you began to live with that close friend or relative, the experience proved the truth. You were either bonded in love or separated in disharmony depending upon the strength of your love. You will only be strengthened in your inner man as you come to know and experience the fullness of the divine Presence of God Himself. As you begin to experience God, He will be able to do far more for you than you could ask or think. +++

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01/18/07
FAITH WAITS PATIENTLY

Scripture: Psalms 40:1 "I waited patiently for the Lord."

We want God to move in our lives, but we are often unwilling to wait patiently for Him and His timing. When we make a request we expect to see immediate results and if this doesn't happen, we begin to move in our own plans. In Psalms 25:5 (Amplified), David said, "For You only, and altogether, do I wait expectantly all the day long." He was waiting for only one person, and that was God. He wasn't going to hurry and he didn't want a substitute. He intended to wait until God, Himself, showed up, even if it meant waiting all day long. The scriptures declare that there were several things that occurred when David waited patiently on the Lord (Psalm 40:1-3).

        1) God paid attention to him.
        2) God heard his cry and listened to him.
        3) God brought him out of a horrible pit of turmoil and
              destruction.
        4) God brought him out of the miry clay.
        5) God set his feet upon a rock.
        6) God steadied his steps and established direction in his life.
        7) God put a new song of praise in his mouth.

David knew that deliverance came to him because he waited patiently on the Lord. And he not only experienced deliverance, but also became a testimony to the people who saw it and heard his new song. Because of his own testimony, he expected those about him to turn to God with trust and confidence. Like David, your life is also an open book for the world to read. Your situations and problems not only affect yourself, but also those who are watching to see if the God you serve will deliver you.  When you pray, God wants you to completely put the matter in His hands and rest in His promises. It is then that He can work out the circumstances in your life for your good and also for the benefit of those who will be witnesses to it. As God sees you waiting, He will pay attention to you and listen to your cries. He will deliver you and set your feet on a solid rock.  He will also establish direction in your life and put a new song of praise in your mouth.  You will be blessed if you allow your faith to wait patiently on God. +++

Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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01/19/07
LET GOD BE GOD

Scripture: Psalms 78:41 "They turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel."

God led His people out of Egypt with a mighty show of power and provided for all of their needs in a supernatural way. He also brought them deliverance through many signs and wonders in the face of their enemy. They saw God provide manna from Heaven and water from the rock and they walked on dry soil when He rolled back the Red Sea . These were just a few of the miracles they witnessed, yet, they still did not believe in God or trust in His salvation. Instead, they provoked God in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert. They wanted to turn back to Egypt and the bondage that it stood for. God had a place of promise for them, but the walk of faith proved too difficult and kept them from His blessings. Their eyes were always upon the opposition instead of their faithful God and this lack of faith and trust limited Him.

God's ways do not always make sense. Many times they are not even reasonable or logical. Just when we think we have God figured out, He does something different. What kind of god would allow a young man, like Joseph, to be taken from his parents and family and be sold into slavery? Who would imagine that an intelligent god would call a small boy like David to fight a huge giant? And who would think it wise to put the helpless baby Moses in a basket and send him down the river? Yet, God had grand destinies planned for each of these lives and He used adverse situations to push these victims into glorious victories.

God also takes us down the paths of faith. His place may not be the place that we've planned. We hear His voice, but our strength is weak. We see the vision, but our faith can't seem to reach that far. We feel God drawing us into a new place, but we can't seem to enter because we fear the unknown. So instead of shooting the arrows of our destiny at God's goal, we try to do our own thing. We shoot our arrow in the direction that we want to go, then try to paint His target around it. We desire to serve God, but we want it within our own safe boundaries. We sing the song, "Where ever He leads I'll go" as long as its not the foreign mission field. We feel safe if we can fit God into our own small box, but our reservations limit God because He will only act at the level that we embrace. If we want God to enlarge our borders, we must embrace new dimensions and not limit the Holy One of Israel. If we want to experience all that God has planned for us, we must allow God to stretch us beyond what we know and allow Him be God all by Himself. +++

Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of January 2007

01/22/07
RUN YOUR RACE WITH PATIENCE

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1 "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us."

The writer of this scripture compares our life to a footrace. In order to run this race successfully, he tells us to lay aside every weight and sin that would hinder us and to keep our eyes on Jesus who completed His race by enduring the cross and the shame. He also tells us to be encouraged by the witnesses that surround us and to run the race that is set before us with patience. We can relate to laying aside the weights, receiving encouragement from those about us, and focusing on the goal. But how do we run with patience? Running in itself suggests an absence of patience as we are trying desperately to reach the intended goal before our opponents.

Notice the scripture says to not only run the race with patience but to run the race that is set before us. We must realize that we all have individual races and we are not competing against each other, but against our adversary, the devil. We may not have to face the same obstacles and hurdles as someone else. We may not have to believe for God to roll back the sea, calm the storm, rescue us from the lion's den, or deliver us from a fiery furnace or the belly of the whale. In more specific terms, we may not even have to face cancer, divorce, or severe financial problems as others have, but we all have to face situations where we must allow patience to be perfected in our lives. When we face tribulations, we learn to abide in Jesus. As we begin to trust in Him, the Spirit of the Lord begins to grow and develop the precious fruit of patience in our lives (Romans 5:3).

In Luke 21:19, Jesus said, "In patience, you will possess your souls." Possessing your soul means that you remain in control, and even in the most intense situations, you determine the attitudes of your heart and mind, the strength of your will, and the display of your emotions. You do not allow the enemy to distract you from the race that is set before you and you refuse to compare your race with the race of another lest you become weary. Instead, you keep your eyes on Jesus who completed His race. As you consider His sacrifice, you begin to understand God's will and purposes for your own life. When you focus on these goals that are set before you, you will inherit the promise (Hebrews 6:12). The race belongs to you when you rest in faith and exercise patience. The secret is to take one step at a time, one breath at a time, and one hurdle at a time and allow Jesus to do the rest. +++

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01/23/07
GOD'S WONDROUS WORKS

Scripture: Psalms 26:7 "That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Thy wondrous works."

God's creation goes far beyond anything that we ourselves could have ever imagined to create. In fact, our minds can only comprehend a portion of His awesome works, and words are inadequate to tell of His marvelous wonders. There are no words to describe the majestic mountains whose heights surpass the clouds or explain the beauty of the lush green valleys. Who can tell of the dry barren deserts and wilderness places that are unique and wondrous in their own way, or speak of the vast oceans and enormous lakes? There are also tall trees and small intricate flowers to consider. There is the beauty of the heavens, which goes far beyond what our eyes can behold, and there is also the sunrise and sunsets that no artist could duplicate on canvas. God was truly very imaginative when He created this earth and this was just the beginning of His wondrous works.

After God finished creating the heavens and the earth, He created man and filled his being with wonders that surpass the wonders of nature that surround him. These works of God are awesome and precious to us on a personal and daily basis. God has graciously given us sight, which allows us to behold His wondrous works and enables us to move about unhindered in the earth. He has given us ears so that we may hear voices, music, and the awesome sounds of nature. He has equipped our nostrils with the sense of smell, which not only enhances life but also serves to protect us when there are the hidden dangers of fire. We have been given the wonderful sense of taste for our pleasure so that we can enjoy all the various foods and drinks that God has created. God made our vocal cords so that we could speak, sing, and communicate with one another. We enjoy the sense of touch and also the ability to feel emotions such as love, joy, and passion. God has also given us a spirit so that we might experience the privilege of communicating directly with Him, for God is spirit. God is awesome and these works are truly wondrous. Yet, we seldom think of them unless they are threatened by disease or injury.

Let us join with the psalmist who desired to publish the wondrous works of God with a voice of thanksgiving. Let us consider all the works of God's hands; the beauty of the mountains, valleys, oceans, lakes, trees, flowers, and all that He has set before us. And then let us speak of these wondrous works to God, to ourselves, and to others with a voice of thanksgiving. God has been so gracious to give us such beauty and wonder to behold and He deserves the glory and praise for all that He has done. +++

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01/24/07
SUFFERING FOR A SEASON

Scripture: I Peter 5:10 "But the God of all grace, Who has called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered awhile, make you perfect, established, strengthen, and settle you."

Our Heavenly Father is the God of all grace. There is nothing too big for Him to handle and no situation that outweighs His measure of grace. There is no mountain too high, no valley too low, and no river too deep that will cause His grace to fail. God's grace is and always will be sufficient for every need. However, grace is only needed when there is a lack. The scripture above tells us that God has called us unto His eternal glory, but His glory will only come to us as we pass through the process of suffering.

We all want to experience God's glory but we do not relish the thought of suffering to get there. Like a piece of clay that must suffer through the process of being shaped into something useful, it is through suffering that God is able to mold us into the vessels that He wants us to be. Peter said that the God of all grace deals with us until we are perfect or mature and complete in every way. God doesn't leave the clay unfinished. He completes our beings through fiery trials and adverse situations. He also uses our seasons of suffering to establish us or make us resolute and steadfast in our direction, for when we suffer through various situations, we come out vowing never to be in those places again. Through suffering, we are also strengthened in power as our thoughts toward God are confirmed in spiritual knowledge. Seasons of suffering also settle our hearts and make sure our foundation.

You may wonder why God is so slow in turning your situation around. The previous scriptures tell you what you should do during your season of suffering. First, you must "humble yourself under the mighty hand of God" (VS. 6). By demoting yourself, you allow God to rule and have dominion over you. As you completely yield yourself to Him, He is able to finish His work within you. Second, you are to "cast all of your cares upon Him" (Vs. 7). He knows that you are in a tough place, but as you learn to let Him take all of your anxieties, worries, and concerns, it releases you from the power of the evil one. You must also "be sober and vigilant" (Vs. 8). Watching for the snares of the devil will keep you well-balanced and temperate. Caution must be exercised at all times because the devil will try to use your suffering situation to destroy your faith. Finally, you must recognize that "the same afflictions are happening with your brothers throughout the world" (Vs.9). You are not alone and suffering should not to be considered something strange for those in the Kingdom of God . You have an adversary that is going about as a roaming lion seeking whom he may devour. He is a desperate foe, but you can take refuge in the knowledge that God is the God of all grace, favor, and blessing. He has called you into His eternal glory and He is in control. He has designed your destiny and made sure that your suffering will only be for a season. +++

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01/25/07
SOMEONE TO LISTEN

Scripture: Job 31:35 "Oh that one would hear me! Behold, my desire is that the Almighty would answer me."

Have you ever sought out a friend to comfort you in your time of trouble and despair, but found that they were disinterested? Or worst still, they found fault and judged you while you were already suffering emotional pain or being tossed about in the storms of confusion. This has happened to most of us at some time in our life. Instead of finding the comfort we so needed, we were misunderstood and dealt harsh words that brought more discouragement to our wounded soul. If you have experienced this, you may have reached a point that you felt that no one cared.

Job had come to a place that it seemed to him that no one cared for his soul. He said, "Oh, that one would hear me." He couldn't find one person to listen to his problems without preconceived judgment in their hearts. None of his friends wanted to listen, but they all wanted to criticize, judge, and give him unsolicited advice. Job's attention turned to the Lord, and as he sought the Lord, he said, "Behold, my desire is that the Almighty would answer me."

Some years ago, I was in a place such as this. Unlike Job, my family and friends were available for me and encouraged me in every way that they could, but there was just so much that I could share with them. My heart was wounded beyond belief and my self-esteem was shattered. Confusion was coming from all sides. My heart was filled with grief and my spirit was engulfed in hopelessness. I saw no way out of my dilemma and I truly thought that my days of happiness and ministry were ended. During this season of despair, I thought if I could just sit down with Jesus for a while and if He could just hold me in His arms, none of this would matter. More than anything or anyone on earth, I needed Him. I needed to hear the Lord's voice whisper in my ear that everything was going to be all right. Like Job, my desire was that the Almighty would answer me and bring resolution to my problems. In the end, God did come to my rescue, restored my life, and also enlarged the borders of ministry.

Trying seasons do come, but you must remember that God is always faithful. He sees your pain and He understands your heartaches. Job was only being tested because God believed that Job could pass the test. God will never put more upon you than you can bear. If you are in a difficult season, you should rejoice knowing that God's faith in you equals the trial that is set before you. If you stay steady and remain true to God, you will not vanished in the fires of adversity, but you will come forth as pure gold and be a vessel that is fit for the Master's use. +++

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01/26/07
WORTH THE COST

Scripture: Psalms 143:10 "Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou are my God."

It seems that living for God and seeking to do His will should bring great rewards. Instead, in the natural realm it very often brings enormous challenges and sometimes discouraging results. Consider a few of the saints in the scriptures who found this to be true.

Moses gave up his position and the luxuries of the palace so that he could lead God's people out of the Egyptian bondage. Yet after forty years of wandering around in the wilderness, Moses was not allowed to go into the Promised Land. Jeremiah, the prophet, spent more that sixty years preaching God's message, but he never had a convert. Tradition states that the prophet, Isaiah, was martyred by being sawed in two for warning God's people and Herod had John the Baptist's head cut off because he spoke the truth about Herod's sin. The Apostle Peter offered the gospel to the Gentiles, which should have been considered a good thing, but he was crucified upside down. Daniel was thrown into a den full of lions because he openly prayed to God. Mary the mother of Jesus surely suffered ridicule because she was unwed and pregnant. And Jesus, Himself, Who was gracious, kind, and without any fault suffered at the hands of those for whom He sacrificed His life.

We have no guarantees in life that the good we do will be accepted by those whom we offer it to. We can only hope, and put our trust in God. God calls us to obedience and teaches us how to walk in His will, but His call has a price. Obedience is not cheap and it may cost us more than we bargained for. We may share our soul with another only to reap a rebuke or give our heart away and receive it back bruised and crushed beyond recognition. We may share our means, only to be scuffed at when we have a need. Or like Moses, we may wander around in the wilderness in an effort to help someone while life's opportunities are passing us by. Never the less, we must obey God's will even though it means sacrifice. We must come to terms with the cost and rejoice in knowing that at the end of the matter our rewards come from God and that our immediate suffering can never be compared to the glories of His rewards. +++

A Word In Due Season
5th Week of January 2007

01/29/07
CAREFUL HEARING

Scripture: Mark 4:20 "Hear the Word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit."

Mark gives an analogy of seeds that are sown in four different types of soil and compares them to the seed of the Word of God that is sown into the hearts of men. The first seed is sown by the wayside and is snatched away and stolen by the enemy. The second seed is sown on stony ground and is unable to take root because of persecution and afflictions. The next seed is choked out by the deceitfulness of riches and lust of other things. Finally, the fourth seed is sown on good ground and brings forth a plentiful harvest; thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.

Notice that all of the seeds that were sown were good seeds. They all had the capacity to bring forth a harvest, but the condition of the heart made a difference and determined whether the seeds were able to bear fruit. The seed that bore fruit was the one that was planted in a heart that met two conditions. The heart had to hear and understand the word and then it had to follow through by actually receiving the word. Mark continued to say, "Be listening, and perceiving, and comprehending ... Be careful what you are hearing. The amount of attention that you give to the truth that you hear will be the same measure that comes back to you" (Mark 4:23-24). Your harvest totally depends upon how much thought and study you give to God's words.

If you are standing on a Word from God, continue to give thought and study to that word. It may be awhile before you see results, so do not allow offenses of any sort to destroy or steal it from you. Seeds take root downward before they bear fruit upward. You can't see what is happening under the earth, but the seed is working, growing, and pushing itself upwards. The dirt and darkness of the earth may be overwhelming as it speaks doubt and fear to the tiny seed. Even after the seed takes root and begins to grow, persecutions, afflictions, deceitfulness of riches, and the world may try to choke it out. Therefore, carefully protect the word and remain patient. Remember that something is happening in the spirit that you cannot see. Life is being created and growth is taking place in the unseen realm. You will find that as you mix faith with the seed that God has sown in your heart, it will profit and produce fruit (Hebrews 4:2). +++

Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================
01/30/07
TRANSFORMED INTO THE SAME IMAGE

Scripture: II Corinthians 3:18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

When Moses was in God's presence on the mountain, his face began to shine with the glory of God. Paul said that we should have this same experience in a spiritual sense. As we behold the glory of the Lord, we should be transformed by the Holy Spirit into the very image of Christ. It is a metamorphic process such as that of the caterpillar turning into a butterfly and it comes as we understand the character of Jesus through the word of God. The clearer we see Him, the more we are able to discern our own spiritual deficiencies and understand the changes that we need to make. It's like looking into a mirror in the natural to correct the way we look. We don't want anyone to see us in the morning until we've made some drastic changes. Some of us really start out looking like caterpillars, but by the time we are finished, we look like colorful butterflies. This is a constant process that must be repeated daily.

Paul said the same thing about our spiritual man. He used the term "beholding" to show that our process of spiritual transformation is continual. Yet, just seeing the image of Christ through the Word does not change us. Transformation comes when we obey the Word of God and allow it to renew our minds (Romans 12:2). James 1:23-24 says, "If any man listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his own natural face in a mirror; for he thoughtfully observes himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like." When we get away from God and His word, we forget the real picture of ourselves and how bad we appear spiritually.

In the natural, we can't see ourselves until we look into the mirror. One day I walked along the beach with a friend. I looked okay when I left, but when we returned to the beach house, my other friends began to laugh. As I looked into the mirror I could see why. Before the walk, I had sprayed my hair heavily with hair spray to keep it in place, not realizing how the humidity would affect it. The wind had blown my hair and the damp air had caused it to stick out all over my head like horns and it was a sight to behold. Even though my friends pointed and laughed, it took a mirror to reveal to me the changes that I needed to make. God's Word is our spiritual mirror and a constant reminder of the characteristics and qualities of Christ. If we are earnest with God we will look into His word and act upon what we see. As we behold His glory, we will allow Him to make the necessary changes in our lives so that we may, by His Spirit, take on the image of Christ. +++

Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================
01/31/07
PEACE IN THE STORM

Scripture: Mark 4:40 "Why are you fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"

Jesus told His disciples to go to the other side of the lake. However, He did not tell them about the storms that they would encounter while trying to get to the other side. Have you ever followed the leading of the Holy Spirit and found yourself in a seemingly bad situation? You know that you are in the will of God, yet you find yourself in a great storm, your boat is filling up with water, your life is in jeopardy, and although you know Jesus is there with you, it seems that He is asleep.

These times become very frustrating because we can't understand what is happening or why God doesn't intervene immediately and take care of the whole situation. We allow our emotions to take control and we react to our situations like the disciples did. They asked Jesus, "Do you not care ...?" Their very words showed their feelings of rejection. Have you ever felt that God didn't even care about you or your situation? You see Him answering other people's prayers and working on their behalf, but He is strangely silent concerning you. There seems to be no answers or help for you as you stand alone in your dilemma. In Psalm 42:3 the psalmist said, "My tears have been my meal day and night, while they continually say unto me, 'Where is your God?'" Even his tears were questioning his circumstances.

The disciples were feeling the same way about Jesus. They were afraid that He was going to let them perish in the storm. They forgot that His words to them were, "Let us go to the other side." His intention was to get to the other side of the lake safely. The storm in the middle of the lake was just a test of their faith. The disciples, however, allowed their emotions and feeling of rejection and fear to destroy their faith. In Luke's account of this story, Jesus says, "Where is your faith?" He asks us the same question. Does our faith lay in God, or in what our emotions dictate to us?

Jesus did two things in this circumstance. He rebuked the wind, then spoke to the sea and said, "Peace be still." He showed us by example that when the storms of life come against us, we are to rebuke the spirit that is the root cause of the situation, and then speak peace to the physical circumstances. We are to place our faith in God and continue in His will despite the contrary winds and adversities that come against our life. We must believe that if the Lord told us to go, He will make a way for us to get there. It is very easy to trust God when the sun is shinning, but real faith causes you to have peace even in the midst of the raging storm. +++