A Word In Due Season
1st Week of May 2007
05/01/07
FULLNESS OF GOD
Scripture: Ephesians 3:19 "That you might be filled with the fullness of God."
It is an awesome revelation when we come to understand that we are vessels whom
God has chosen to live in. He could have chosen anything on Earth to abide in,
but He chose mankind and made us temples of His Holy Spirit. Yet, we forget
sometimes that the Holy Spirit is living inside of us. We listen to abrasive
music and language that the Holy Spirit would rather not hear, and look at
things that He would rather not see. We are insensitive to His presence as we
do things He would rather not do and take Him places that He prefers not to go.
We can sense His grieving deep inside our being, yet we fail to walk in the
straight and narrow and totally quench His promptings.
The Apostle Paul encouraged us to be filled throughout our being with the
fullness of God. When we are filled to this measure with the presence of God,
there is no room for other things that will quench and grieve His heart. In I
Corinthians 5:6, Paul said, "A little leaven will leaven the whole lump of
dough." He was telling us that if we allow the devil the smallest space in our
heart, he will move in and fill it with every evil thing that he can. The space
we yield to the devil becomes like an empty and unused room in our house, which
little by little, gathers all sorts of junk. Finally, the area becomes so
crammed with clutter that it can't be used. We shut the door, try to ignore it,
and hope to hide it from others.
The Scriptures say that the Holy Spirit uses whom He wills. He knows whether or
not He has filled every room of our heart. Sometimes, He finds that there is
just too much self, and other times He finds unconfessed sin. Luke chapter four
tells us that Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, was led into a season of
temptation in the wilderness and was tested to see if He would give in and
satisfy His own desires. Jesus did not give any space of His heart to the devil
and stayed full of the Holy Ghost and when the season of temptation was
complete, He came forth in the power of the Spirit. His ministry was launched
as His fame spread throughout the region. What would have happened if He had
given the devil just a small portion of His heart?
Christ came to settle down, abide, and make His permanent home in your heart.
He doesn't want a roommate. He wants you for His total possession so that He
can work on the inside of you at His will. When you surrender all to Him, He
will thoroughly fill your being according to His design so that He can carry out
His purposes and do supernatural things in your life. May you grasp the meaning
of Paul's words, "Be filled with the fullness of God. That is, may you
experience His divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with
God Himself!" +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/02/07
MORE THAN CONQUERORS
Scripture: Romans 8:37 "In all these things we are more than conquerors
through Him that loved us."
The Apostle Paul declared that we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus
because of His love for us. Jesus fought a battle that we could not fight
ourselves. When He died on the cross, He went to Hell and took the keys of
death, Hell, and the grave from Satan. He overcame and conquered Satan by His
own blood and manifested His victory by His resurrection. Because of His
victory we are redeemed from the curse of the law, and all that we have to do is
simply reap the reward that He has already won.
Jesus fights our battles because of His great love for us just like we would
fight the battles for those we love. We would never allow others to attack our
children with unkind words or actions. Love causes us to defend them in every
situation and fight for them. Our children become more than conquerors because
of our love. Often when a child faces conflict, you will hear them say, "My
daddy can beat up your daddy!" This is a child who is being more than a
conqueror. He sees his battle won without him engaging in any warfare, as he
plans to reap the benefits of his father's strength.
Paul said that you too could be more than conquerors in the midst of
tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword, and that
nothing would be able to separate you from the love of God, not even death
(Verses 35-39). Death has no power over you. It simply ushers you into God's
presence. Regardless of any situation that you may find yourself in, God's love
remains and His mercy endures forever. He is a faithful God and He is
sovereign. You must remember that He is still on His throne and still in
control of every area of your life. You must see Him as greater than the enemy
and believe His word, which declares that greater is He that is within you than
he that is in the world. God's grace will be sufficient to meet every
challenge. As you look to Him, He will cause you to be an overcomer through the
"blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony" (Revelation 12:11). Be
persuaded that in all things, you are more than a conqueror through Christ who
loves you and gave Himself for you. +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/03/07
HEALING FOR OUR LAND
Scripture: II Chronicles 7:14 "If My people, which are called by My
Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from
their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their
sin, and will heal their land."
Our nation has set aside today as the National Day of Prayer. Each
citizen is encouraged to pray, for we are living in very serious times.
All nations are in the midst of division, danger, and distress. Evil
lurks on every corner and there is heartache around each bend. Each day
has new surprises, yet, God offers hope to all of His people and to
those who are called by His Name. Regardless of who we are or where we
live on the Earth, we must respond to this urgent call from God to pray
for our land.
In the mighty prayer scripture above, God gives us a big "If" and much
rests upon our reactions to His instructions. God gives us the elements
to find forgiveness and healing for our land. These elements are
humility, prayer, a heart that seeks after God, and repentance of sins.
Healing comes in many forms. It can be physical, mental, emotional, or
spiritual. God is not limited in any area, but He is limited if we are
complacent and do nothing.
God said, "If we humble ourselves," "If we pray," "If we seek after
Him," and "If we repent of our sins." God is listening and ready to
answer, but our answer rests upon our own actions. If you are one of
God's people and you are called by His Name, you have a responsibility
to join this mandate of prayer. Determine to be one of those who will
join together in one accord on this special day of prayer so that
healing can come to your nation and your own individual life. +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/04/07
KEEPING YOUR HEART AND MIND
Scripture: Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which passes all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus."
God has a remedy for frustrating times and days filled with confusion. His word
says that He will give us a peace that goes beyond our understanding and this
peace will keep our mind and emotions stable even in the midst of our troubled
world. Yet, there are things that we must do to achieve this blessed state of
peace. As we look at this chapter in Philippians, we find that Paul gives us
three instructions that will help us to receive and maintain peace in our
personal lives.
First, Paul said, "Rejoice in the Lord always ... then again rejoice" (verse
4). Rejoicing, singing, and praising God, in the midst of difficult situations
releases tension and brings peace to you. As you rejoice in the Lord, faith
builds in your heart, and that faith strengthens your inner man. Many times in
the Psalms, David spoke of being in distress and fearful situations. He
expressed how he was hated and rejected by individual men and surrounded by
nations that were trying to destroy him. He had lost his confidence in men and
leaders. Yet, regardless of the current situation, David declared, "This is the
day the Lord has made we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). He was
determined to praise the Lord in the midst of all of the controversy and
confusion that surrounded him.
Another thing that is vital to peace is prayer. Paul said, "Pray and be careful
about nothing" (verse 6). Paul instructed us not to be anxious about anything,
but to pray, ask God to supply our needs, and be thankful. Jesus also told us
not to take anxious thoughts about our personal needs, but to seek His kingdom
first (Matthew 6:25-34). This doesn't mean that we are not to make plans, for
faith is not the absence of planning for the future. We are just not to
be anxious or over burdened about life, for we have a heavenly Father who is
concerned for us. He is the same heavenly Father who feeds the birds and
clothes the lilies of the field. He has creative resources, so just tell Him
your needs.
Third, Paul said, "Think on the things that are true, honest, just, pure,
lovely, of a good report, virtuous, and worthy of praise" (verse 8). You must
train yourself to think alone these lines and guard your mind by
disallowing negative thoughts to intrude and build strongholds. When you allow
your mind to meditate on a word or a thought, you will eventually receive it
into your spirit. After it is settled in your spirit, you will eventually give
place to it and act upon it. It is like a seed that grows and plants its roots
deep. Negative thoughts must be weeded out immediately before they take hold.
When you keep your mind on God, He will keep you in perfect peace (Isaiah
26:3). So rejoice in the Lord, pray, and think on good things. As you do, you
will have the peace that passes all understanding, and that peace will keep your
mind and your heart in this troubled world. +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of May 2007
05/07/07
GET RID OF THE BOARD
Scripture: Matthew 7:3 "Why worry about the mote or speck in the eye of a
brother when you have a beam or a board in your own?"
As I read this scripture, I was reminded of a time when I was judging
another brother in the church. The matter was so important at the
time, but seems so trivial now that I can't even remember what it was
about. One night I went to bed praying that God would correct this man and
show him his faults. The next morning, my son told me that he had a dream
about me. My son had no idea about the struggle that was going on within my
heart. As he related his dream to me he said that there was a huge pile of
railroad ties stacked in our front yard. I was trying to move them, one by
one, to the back yard so that they couldn't be seen. I didn't want to get
rid of them; I just didn't want anyone else to know that I had them. As I
carried each one to the back yard, I had to go around the corner of the
house. Unfortunately, each time I tried to get though the narrow passage, I
would knock some of the bricks off of the side of the house. I was doing a
lot of damage to my house trying to hide the beams.
Of course, my son had no idea what the dream meant, but I immediately
recognized that it had to do with my attitude towards my brother in Christ.
I was judging him for something that was smaller than the critical spirit
that I was harboring in my own heart and also trying to hide from the
world. As I heard this dream, God immediately spoke this scripture to me.
Jesus said, it's so easy for us to pick out the faults in other's lives and
disregard our own faults. We look for the smallest particle of dust, and
when we find it, we judge, gossip about it, and often sow discord trying to
correct it. We fail to realize that we will be judged with the same
judgment that we judge others. In reality, when we are critical and judge
others, we are destroying ourselves just as I was destroying my own home
when I tried to hide the railroad beams.
We must come to realize that when we harbor a critical spirit, we damage
ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. We knock the bricks of our
life out, one by one. This doesn't mean that we are not to use Godly
discretion and discernment, for we are instructed to know others by their
fruit. But, we are to consider ourselves and understand that our first
mission from God is to get the board out of our own eye so that we can see.
When our hearts are made pure and the negative beams are destroyed, Jesus
will be able to use us to help others with their problems and to show them
how to get rid of the "specks" that are in their lives. As we approach them
with love instead of condemnation, we will truly be able to minister to
them. +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/08/07
THE PLACE OF REST
Scripture: Hebrews 4:3 "We which believed do enter into rest."
God promised the Israelites a good and prosperous land that flowed with milk and
honey. However, He never said that it would come easy or that there would be no
battles. By faith, they were to go in and possess the land that was given to
them by God. Yet, they never entered the Promised Land. The result of their
defeat was not because the battles were too great, but because their faith was
too small. They mixed God's word with murmuring, complaining, and unbelief
instead of mixing it with faith and obedience.
Faith is not something that you must struggle with or work up in the natural. It
comes by supernatural impartation by the Holy Spirit as God speaks to your
spirit. However, many times you may have to face your own limitations and be
real with God. Like the man in Mark 9:24 who requested prayer and deliverance
for his demon possessed son, you may have to say, "God, I believe, but please
help my unbelief." You will find that God is merciful and full of grace. He will
always be faithful to meet you at your point of faith.
All of God's promises to us rest in our faith and obedience. He shows us the
concept of faith in a natural seed. You have to let go completely when you plant
a seed in the ground, leaving it there to rest for a long and dark season. You
can't dig it up and analyze it every day to see if anything is happening. You
have to cease from your own efforts, rest, and trust God to finish the work, for
only a miracle can regenerate that seed and cause it to grow. Your only
responsibility is to plant the seed in faith and wait expectantly for the
harvest. Likewise, true faith, if planted in God, will cease from anxiety and
enter a place of rest in God. +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/09/07
LIVING AN ABUNDANT LIFE
Scripture: John 10:10 "The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy: I come
that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
This scripture paints the picture of the constant conflict of human life. There
are two opposing forces; one good and one evil. Ephesians chapter six tells us
that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the evil forces that
invade our lives. These forces are principalities, powers, rulers of darkness,
and spiritual wickedness in high places. They seek to steal, kill, and
destroy. On the good side, however, Jesus came to Earth to make us more than
conquerors and give us an abundant life. He was manifested as the Son of God
and His mission was to destroy all the works of the evil one (I John 3:8).
God so loved you and I that He gave His only begotten Son so that we might
have life, not just eternal life in Heaven, but also abundant life here on
Earth. The Father watched in horror as they crucified Jesus, but Jesus' death
was the price that was required to purchase our redemption and provide us with
an abundant life. Because of His victorious resurrection, whatever our needs
are for an abundant life, they are available to us.
Jesus taught us to pray for our daily needs to be met. He paid a great price so
that we may come boldly to the throne of God in the time of trouble. Jeremiah
33:3 says, "Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty
things which you know not." The answers to our prayers are not based upon our
sacrifices and our works, nor upon our lack. They are based upon God's promises
of provision and are met as we approach Him and believe for the abundant life
that He has promised. God said, "You call, I will answer." He promised to
answer in a great and mighty way. He said that He would do things that we had
not even thought of, for His ways are so much higher than our ways and His
thoughts are higher than our thoughts. As we live life on a daily basis, we
must continually remember these words that Jesus spoke to us. As we recognize
the evil ploy of the devil and his intent to destroy everything good in our
lives, we must look to Jesus and base our faith on the honesty of God's word so
that we can obtain and live in abundant life. +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/10/07
WAITING FOR GOD TO MOVE
Scripture: Numbers 9:22 "Whether it was two days, or a month, or a year, that
the cloud tarried ... the children of Israel ... journeyed not."
God led the people of Israel through the wilderness with a cloud during the day
and a pillar of fire by night. This cloud and fire assured them of God's
presence and His protection from the Egyptians. Yet, they never knew how long
the cloud was going to rest in one spot or when it was going to move again.
They had to be ready to obey God's sign of guidance and move when He moved and
to stop and wait when He was not moving. This must have been a test to their
faith and patience as it is easier to trust God when things seem to be moving
and we can see something physical happening.
Today, we live in a very fast paced world. Everything is drive through, fast
food, and microwaved. Our time is limited and we don't have moments to waste.
We become very anxious if we have to wait on anything, and waiting on God is no
exception. Can you imagine Israel's plight? They were on a journey that should
have lasted eleven to fourteen days, but they limited God and He kept them
waiting on Him. After forty years, this must have become very frustrating.
This is a picture of our own life. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has good
thoughts towards us, to give us a future and a hope. However, to reach God's
divine purpose and fulfill His perfect plan, we can only move at His command.
We must follow as He leads, one step at a time, regardless of whether that means
to go forward for a season or to stay completely still until God moves again.
In either case, it is often difficult. When God says go, we fear moving into
the unknown. And when He says stay, we become anxious and our faith begins to
falter because we can see nothing happening. Today, we do not have a visible
cloud to lead us, but we have the witness of the Holy Spirit of God. Faith
takes action, but faith often has to wait. If we want to experience God's
greatest plan for us, we must move as we sense His presence moving and wait
patiently on Him when He tarries. +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/11/07
GRACE AND CHARACTER
Scripture: Psalms 94:11-13 (Living Bible) "The Lord is fully aware of
how limited and futile the thoughts of mankind are, so He helps us by
punishing us. This makes us follow His paths ..."
Even though correction and punishment is not something that parents
really enjoy, they know that it is necessary so that they can teach
their children the right paths to follow. Parents want their children
to have the best that life has to offer, so they exercise the discipline
in order to mold their children's character and teach them to be
graceful in life's situations. And, yes, it does hurt the parent more
than it hurts the child.
God looks at us, His children, and regards us in the same manner. He
knows that our minds are limited to the natural realm. Most often,
our spirits are not discerning enough to recognize, nor strong enough to
resist the temptation of the evil one. It grieves the heart of God when
He sees us stray, and it gives Him great pain when He has to punish us.
But as a Father, He corrects and deals out punishment to us because He
loves us. Although His correction and punishment is not pleasant, it is
through these means that He protects us from following after our enemy
whose ultimate goal is to kill, steal, and destroy.
Look at these encouraging words from God that are found in Hebrews
12:5-11 in the Living Bible. "My son, don't be angry when the Lord
punishes you. Don't be discouraged when He has to show you where you
are wrong. For when He punishes you, it proves that He loves you ...
and that you are really His child. Let God train you, for He is doing
what any loving father does for his children. Whoever heard of a son
who was never corrected? If God doesn't punish you when you need it, as
other fathers punish their sons, then it means that you aren't really
God's son at all - that you don't really belong to His family. Since we
respect our fathers here on Earth, though they punish us, should we not
all the more cheerfully submit to God's training so that we can begin to
really live? ... Being punished isn't always enjoyable while it is
happening - it hurts! But afterwards we can see the result, a quiet
growth in grace and character." +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of May 2007
05/14/07
THINGS THAT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE
Scripture: Psalms 40:13 "Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord
make haste to help me!
Do you have any rivers that you think are uncrossable or any
mountains that you cannot tunnel through? If so, you must change
your mindset and come to understand that God specializes in things
that seem impossible and that He can do what no other power can do.
All you have to do is trust God and just let go of everything. You
must allow God to be sovereign in your life. When you yield
yourself to His will, your burdens will vanish and
your darkness will turn to light.
You may be standing at one of these rivers or mountains today with
burdens that seem too heavy for you to carry. It may appear that
there is no way for you to cross the river or go through the
mountain. You may be at a mountain of financial difficulty or lack
with no way to fix the problem because you are at the end of your
natural means and can do nothing else. You may be at a river of
loneliness as you grieve over the loss of a loved one or a
relationship. Or you may be facing a mountain of physical disease
and don't have the energy within yourself to continue the battle
that is raging in your body. There may be a river of confusing
circumstances and you need God's direction to get through them. God
specializes in problems. He can give clear direction and make a way
when there seems to be no way.
David said that he had made the Lord his refuge. He waited
patiently for the Lord, and the Lord heard him. God not only heard
David, but He also put a new song in David's heart. It was a song
of praise unto God. In the midst of David's problems, God gave him
such peace and praise that David said, "Many shall see and fear,
reverently worship, and put their trust and confident reliance in
the Lord." Like David's witness, you too are a testimony and an
open book that is read of all men. They watch you when you face
rivers, encounter mountains, and walk through dark valleys. They
take note of your responses and when you come to the end of your
dilemma, you find that God causes you to be a comfort to them.
At the river's edge God says, "Be patient - wait - stay where you
are. Look to me, love me, and worship me. I'm building a bridge
for you to cross. Don't go to the right or to the left to find a
way to fix the problem yourself. Instead, wait for Me and I will
take you to the other side. The process belongs to Me. Give Me
your problems and the mountains and rivers that you face and I will
give you My solutions. Ask Me your questions and I will give you My
answers. Look to Me and let Me help. I will perfect those things
that concern you. When things seem impossible, I will make haste to
deliver you". +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/15/07
DREAMS WORTH LAUGHING AT
Scripture: Genesis 18:14 "Is there any thing too hard for the Lord?"
God told Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son in their old age
and both of them laughed when they heard the news. If God were telling
the truth, this meant that Abraham would be 100 years old and Sarah
would be 90 when the child was born. This news seemed too good to be
true. God responded to their laughter by saying, "Is there anything too
hard for the Lord?" Their natural situation had become impossible for
them to have children, but "the things which are impossible with men are
possible with God" (Mark10:27). Abraham and Sarah were not dealing
with medical science but with the almighty God who had created all
life. If this miracle working God had made Adam from the dust of the
earth and then created Eve from Adam's rib, surely He could perform a
miracle for them. For nothing is too hard for God.
God also asked Jeremiah the same question that He asked Abraham, "Is
there anything too hard for Me?" Jeremiah declared, "Behold, You have
made the heaven and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm.
There is nothing too hard for You" (Jeremiah 32:17, 27). If we could
just believe like Jeremiah that "nothing is too hard for God" and expect
miracles from Him, we would see great and mighty things happen in our
lives. However, we often look at the promises of God's Word and then
look at our difficult situations and feel that the promises are
impossible for us to obtain.
Big dreams will not come to pass in the natural unless they are envisioned
in the spirit. God desires to plant a dream and a vision in your heart that
is so big, that like Abraham and Sarah's promise, it's worth laughing at.
God wants you to attempt something so great that unless He intervenes, it is
bound to fail. Give God something to work with. Dream a big dream and hold
on to it. Remember that nothing is too hard for God if we believe in Him,
for God deals with impossibilities. +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/16/07
PAUSE AND CALMLY THINK ABOUT GOD
Scripture: Psalm 46:6-7 "The heathen raged, the kingdoms were
moved ... The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our
refuge." Selah.
Selah at the end of this verse means to pause and think calmly about
that! When the heathen rage, we are to pause and calmly focus on
the fact that "the Lord of hosts is with us" and that He is our
refuge in the midst of trouble. The Lord is here right now and
He is not overwhelmed by the evil threats that are being made
against us. Verse nine says that God can "make the wars to cease,
break the bow into pieces, snap the spear in two, and burn the
chariots with fire." Nothing is impossible with God and no enemy is
too great for Him to handle, whether it be physical or spiritual,
national or personal. He is almighty God and He reigns forever.
When kingdoms are falling and are removed, we are to pause and
calmly remember that "the Lord of hosts is with us" and He is our
refuge. Verse one says God is "our very present help in the time of
trouble." He doesn't show up late for the battle but is present
from the beginning. God is in the midst of our situation and is
ready to help us in any kind of trouble. He will not run and hide
even though the earth is shaken and the mountains fall into the
sea. God is with us in the midst of our problems and He will never
be moved. Even in the tumult of war and the devastation that covers
the earth, God will sustain and make good His promise to keep those
who put their trust in Him.
Throughout this entire psalm, there is a call to remain calm. Verse
ten says, "Be still and know that I am God." Even though God has
power to sustain you, you must cooperate and allow His peace to keep
your heart. You must choose to be still and stop considering all of
the possibilities. Stop calculating the solutions and discard your
own designs. Recognize that God is God and give Him space to work.
God is about to do a great thing in your life and in this earth.
Take time to be still and recognize what He is doing. Verse ten
continues to say, "God will be exalted among the nations!" This
great God who is exalted in the earth is the one who is always
present with us and He is our refuge. So when times tend to
be confusing and the world seems to be falling apart, just pause and
calmly reflect on God's words; He is present and He is your
refuge. +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/17/07
THE CREATOR
Scripture: Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created ..."
God was very busy in the first chapter of Genesis. With the exception
of five verses in this chapter of thirty-one verses, He is either
planning, making, dividing, creating, speaking things into existence, or
blessing His finished work. He took no rest until His work was
complete. This first verse of this chapter presents us with God and
reveals that He is the Creator. We also learn from the very beginning
that God is constant and we know that everything that He set in order
thousands of years ago still continues to function precisely today.
James 1:17 calls God, "The Father of lights, with whom is no
variableness, neither shadow of turning." God, Himself, declared in
Malachi 3:6, that "He changed not." If God doesn't change, then He is
still Creator today just as He was at the beginning of time. As
Creator, we see Him at work when He rained down manna from heaven for
the people of Israel and caused water to come from the rock. One
minister said that "God hasn't lost the recipe for manna." Regardless
of our current circumstances, what the future holds, or how hard times
may get, we know two things; God is in control and God can create the
things that we need from absolutely nothing.
Verse two tells us that in the beginning, God's Spirit hovered and moved
over the earth that was without form, void, and covered in darkness. The
Holy Spirit was waiting for the voice of God to speak so that He could
move and bring light into darkness and life into a hopeless situation. In
the same manner, the Spirit of God hovers over our lives when we do not know
where to turn or what to do. The Holy Spirit sees our pain and confusion
but waits for God the Father to speak so that He can move in our situations
that are out of order, void, and covered in darkness.
God on the other hand is waiting for us to make our request to Him and speak
words of faith concerning our needs. James 4:2 said, "You have not because
you ask not." Then, again in Mark 11:23, Jesus instructed us to speak to
the mountains in our lives. He said that if we believed what we said, the
mountains would be removed and we would have the things that we say. We
must realize that the power of life and death are in our tongues and
that God will create the fruit of our lips (Isaiah 57:19). God created us
in His image and we are to speak words into the ears of God so that His
Spirit can work in our lives. God will begin to create when our words are
filled with faith and there is no doubt in our hearts. As you read the
scriptures, allow God's Word to come alive in your heart by faith. Speak
them over your circumstances and watch God turn your darkness into light.
+++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/18/07
SUFFICIENT GRACE
Scripture: II Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you: for My
strength is made perfect in weakness."
The apostle Paul was a man who had supernatural experiences with God and had
received great revelations from God. Yet, Paul didn't have things easy. He
said that he was given a thorn in the flesh so that he would not be
exalted beyond measure because of the revelations that he had received. We
are not certain what the thorn was, but time and time again, the devil
attacked Paul. Yet, Paul did not allow the devil to have the upper hand.
In verse ten he said, "I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am
weak, then I am strong." Paul experienced something greater than the
hardship and adversity that was at hand. He experienced the grace of God
and came to know and understand that God's grace was sufficient for every
circumstance and that God's strength was made perfect in Paul's weakness.
Grace is unmerited favor and comes by divine impartation. God places a part
of Himself, a portion of His very being, inside of you so that you can
endure for a season. It is special and it is supernatural. You may think
you can't endure, and like Paul, you may pray three times for the thorn to
be removed. Or like Jesus, you may ask three times for the cup to pass.
You may later wonder how you ever made it through the impossible ordeal that
you were forced to encounter. But also like Paul, you will come to know and
understand that God's grace was the element that kept you in your time of
need. It was God's grace, a portion of Himself inside of you, which gave
you strength in your weakness.
It is marvelous to know that God is still in the business of dispensing His
grace. His grace gives hope in a hopeless situation, turns our mourning
into joy, gives added strength when our labors increase, mercy in our
afflictions, faith for our challenges, and peace in a troubled world. His
grace is always enough and is never lacking. God seems to measure His
grace out. It is like the manna that fell in the desert ... it's this much
grace for this much need. It can't be gathered and stored up ahead of
time. It's just there when you need it as you face every hardship and
emotional pain. Something special happens as you lean on God and experience
His grace. Somewhere in the midst of your situation you realize God's
goodness in allowing you to embrace the pain. As you see yourself changing,
you begin to take pleasure in the infirmities, reproaches, necessities,
persecutions, and distresses. Like Paul, you say, "When I am weak, then I
am strong. The God of grace and the God of strength is inside of me and
that is sufficient for my needs." +++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
A Word In Due Season
4th Week of May 2007
05/21/07
VOICE OF THE CONSCIENCE
Scripture: John 8:9 "... being convicted by their own conscience."
Our conscience is the voice of our spirit and it bears witness with our
decisions (Romans 2:15). It will speak out, either condemning or
approving our thoughts and actions, depending upon our sense of right
and wrong. The old saying, "Let your conscience be your guide" sounds
good, but if you plan to follow your conscience, you must make sure that
it is not seared, desensitized, and defiled. To be a worthy guide, your
conscience must be yielded to the Holy Spirit and trained according to
God's laws and moral standards.
I Timothy 4:2 speaks of those who have had their "conscience seared with
a hot iron." When something has been seared or cauterized, there is no
feeling. A seared conscience doesn't happen suddenly, but is the result
of a gradual process like the effects that occur to your tongue when you
drink very hot coffee. The first time you drink it, your tongue is
burned because of the extreme heat, and it loses some of its feeling.
The second time you feel even less of a burn. As this process
continues, eventually you don't feel the heat at all when you drink the
hot liquid. Without your realization, your tongue has become totally
desensitized to the heat.
This same situation happens within our spirit when we disregard the
voice of our conscience. The first time we rebel against God's Word and
Spirit, we feel much guilt and shame and cry out for mercy and
forgiveness. The second time, we feel less remorse. When the next
opportunity comes, if we haven't totally repented and surrendered our
lives and hearts to follow after God, we will allow ourselves to fall
back and give into the same temptation. Ephesians 4:18-19 tells us that
our moral understanding becomes darkened and our reasoning
becomes clouded. This happens because of ignorance and willful
blindness due to the hardness of our heart and the insensitiveness of
our moral nature. In our spiritual apathy, our spirit has been seared,
and we have become callous and past feeling. None of us want to get to
this place, but it happens gradually, one step at a time. As we think
about this word, we must make a daily and deliberate decision not to
engage in any actions that would sear our conscience. We must walk in
truth and keep ourselves tender before God so that we will be sensitive
to Him and be able to respond to the conviction of His Holy Spirit in
all things.
+++
Copyright
© 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/22/07
WAY IN THE WILDERNESS
Scripture: Isaiah 43:18-19 "Do not remember the former things; neither
consider the things of old. Behold I am doing a new thing; now
it springs forth ... I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers
in the desert."
You may be wondering how God is going to get you out of your current
situation or the adversity that is vexing your soul. You may be
challenged in your health, finances, or relationships, and anxiety may
be attacking you as you face the insecurities of the future. There may
be a vast wilderness or a dry barren desert before you. You may find
yourself frustrated as you endeavor to work everything out in the same
manner as you did in days past, only to discover that the formula is no
longer working. There may be questions in your mind of what to do next.
God has an answer to every question and a solution for every problem.
He says through Isaiah, the prophet, "Don't remember the former things,
neither consider the things of old." God is not limited by your
knowledge or confined to the routine of the past, so don't dwell on
those things. His ways are higher than your ways and His thoughts are
higher than your thoughts. He is still the creator and He is doing a
new thing. He can make a way where there seems to be no way, for
nothing is too difficult for Him. He will give you answers that you
have never thought of because He will create them. He will make a way
in the wilderness and cause streams to spring up in the desert. Never
fear the new paths or the new direction that you are feeling in your
spirit. If God is speaking to you, He is also going before you to make
the crooked way straight and work out every detail to bring about this
new thing.
It's easy to turn back or give up when the wilderness gets too thick and
the desert becomes too dry. But remember David's words in Psalms 37:23,
"The steps of a good man are directed and established of the
Lord." This includes the easy steps as well as the hard steps. Should
God lead you down a rough path, He promises to make a way and will give
you the strength to complete the course. He orders your steps
and assures you that rivers will spring up within your deserts and your
life will bloom in a new fashion. He is a faithful God, a loving
Father, and a keeper of His word. The road you are called to travel may
not always be easy, but the journey will be worth all of the bumps. +++
Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/23/07
HUMILITY PRECEDES HONOR
Scripture: I Peter 5:6 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty
hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time."
Humility before God is a simple principle that must come about within your
heart before God's honor will rest upon your life. Humbling yourself means
that you come to an understanding of your low estate without God in your
life. Humility is acknowledging that God is smarter than you are and
recognizing that "without Him you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
I Peter 5:5 says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Look at the contrast between Jesus and Satan. God highly exalted Jesus and
gave Him a name above every name (Philippians 2:8-9). This honor came about
only after Jesus humbled Himself. In the beginning, Jesus was equal with
God, but He submitted Himself to the will of God, became flesh, and was
obedient to the death of the cross. Even though Jesus wanted that cup of
suffering to pass from Him and prayed three times to that end, He still
humbled Himself and submitted to God's will. Jesus said, "Nevertheless, not
My will but Thine be done."
Satan, on the other hand, sought to exalt himself and was brought down to
Hell. Isaiah 14:12-16 gives us the account of his downfall. Five
times, Lucifer declared, "I will." Each declaration was a refusal to submit
to God's will and a statement of his own self-exaltation. He sought to
increase himself and become equal with God. His final statement was, "I
will be like the Most High." He could not be content with God's plan for
his life, even though it was a place of greatness and high position. When
he was first created, he was a beautiful and perfect angel, the anointed
cherub, that walked and personally ministered before God, but because of his
pride, he lost it all (Ezekiel 28).
We certainly are not on the same level as either one of the above examples,
yet God expects no less from us. In every instance in our life, He wants us
to submit to His perfect will. He is weary of hearing us ask Him to bless
our choices as we try to walk in His permissive will. He desires that
we rearrange our schedules and priorities around His purposes for our life.
He wants us to "trust in Him with all of our heart, and lean not to our own
understanding" (Proverbs 3:5). He longs for us to be content with His plan
and to hear us say, "Not my will, but Your will be done in my life." In due
time, as we humble ourselves in this manner, God promises to exalt us. +++
Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/24/07
ACCEPTABLE WORDS
Scripture: Psalms 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the
meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my
Strength, and my Redeemer."
How many times have we wanted to take back our words after we had
spoken them? The moment they left
our mouth we knew that we had said the wrong thing at the wrong
time. David also identified with this problem so he prayed and
asked God to help him with his thoughts and his words. He wanted
his words and meditations to be acceptable in the sight of God.
However, David did not leave all the work and responsibility to
God. He made a decision to do his part. In Psalms 17:3 he said, "I
am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress." Then in Psalm 39:1
he said, "I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my
tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle." In other words He was
saying, "Whatever I have to do to keep my mouth shut I will do it,
even if I have to put a muzzle over it."
God knew that we would have problems with our tongue so He provided
a gate (our teeth) and a door (our mouth) to help us guard our
words. Sometimes, however, we are not wise enough to use either one
of these, and "out of the abundance of whatever is in our heart our
mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34). If we want our words and meditations
to be acceptable to God, we must work at it. Solomon said, "You
have to teach your mouth and add learning to your lips" (Proverbs
16:23). He also said that if you keep your mouth and tongue, you
would keep you soul from trouble (Proverbs 21:23). This is so true,
for just a few words are capable of stirring up a lot of trouble.
Our words have power and we must be very careful how we use them.
Scriptures declare that David was a man after God's own heart, yet
he found it necessary to ask God to help him with his words and the
meditations of his heart. He drew from the One that was his
strength and his Redeemer, and we must do the same. We must ask God
to help us with our thoughts and our words, for when God intervenes,
our mouth will become a well of life and minister grace to those
around us. +++
Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/25/07
LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
Scripture: Psalms 18:28 (Living Bible) "You have turned on my light!
The Lord my God has made my darkness turn to light."
Seasons of darkness come into all of our lives at some point. It may
come through grief, disappointment, lack of direction, or any number of
other situations. We've all had these times when it seems like we were
under a cloud or walking in darkness. We just slowly grope around with
no sense of direction, not knowing whether to go to the left or to the
right. We stretch forth our arms hoping to feel for something that is
familiar, but we end up stumbling over things and often injure ourselves
in the process. These times are frustrating and fearful in the natural
as well as in our spiritual life, especially if we find ourselves in a
new place where everything is unfamiliar.
David was facing a dark season just like this, but God turned David's
darkness into light. God came into his darkness and simply turned the
light on. The Lord showed David the way out of the situation, delivered
him from his enemies, and gave him victory. Your circumstances are no
greater than David's. Just as God rescued David, He is able to
intervene in the midst of your situation, turn His light on, and give
you direction. He is your deliverance and your light, and His light has
a way of driving out all darkness. Like natural light, His light
provides comfort and shows clear direction.
Darkness does not have the ability to overcome or put out the light.
Light is powerful and the difference that one small light or candle can
make in a room full of darkness is amazing. One small and seemingly
insignificant light, like a flashlight or match, can be the means that
will help you get to the main power source that can produce more light
for your situation. In your darkest hour, you may only see a small
glimmer of light. Perhaps that light is a scripture, a song, a message,
or a friend with a good word. It may not seem like much at first, but
if you will receive it, that small light will get you to the main power
supply. As you reach towards God, He will turn the light on in your
situation and drive out all of the darkness and confusion that is in
your life. +++
Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
A Word In Due Season
5th Week of May 2007
05/28/07
BREAD FOR US
Scripture: Numbers 14:9 "They are bread for us: their defense is departed from
them, and the Lord is with us; fear them not."
When God led His people out of Egypt, He promised to give them a prosperous
land, one that flowed with milk and honey. Twelve spies went out to view that
land and all of them returned with wonderful fruits confirming that it was just
as God had said. Yet in spite of the fact that it was a good and prosperous
land, ten of the twelve spies had an evil report saying, "The land that we
searched is a land that "eats up" or devours its inhabitants, for the men we saw
there were giants." Not only did they waver in their own faith but they also
discouraged the hearts of the rest of the congregation.
However, the other two spies, Joshua and Caleb, encouraged the people of God.
They said, "Yes, there are giants in the land, but the giants won't eat us - we
will eat the giants. Let us go up at once and possess the land." They refused
to allow fear to control them or to steal their blessing and decided to conquer
the problem and not let the problem conquer them. Many years later, Joshua and
Caleb were the only ones of that generation that entered the land and possessed
God's promise.
Every day you have the opportunity to meet adversities and challenges in your
life. Your inefficiencies will magnify the negative and make them look like
giants that are waiting to eat you up. If you are short, you will see everyone
as being tall. If you are old, you will see everyone as younger. And if your
are bald, all you will see are heads that are full of hair. Your perspective on
life will either make you weak or cause you to grow stronger and your
disappointments will make you bitter or cause you to become better. Your
tribulations will bring frustrations or they will work patience and other
virtues into your life. Like Joshua and Caleb, you can't ignore the giants, but
you can choose to conquer them. You have the opportunity to see the situation
as negative and run in fear or to see it in a positive light. To walk in
victory, you must look beyond the challenge and see God's ability. You must
remember that you are "more than a conqueror through Him who loves you and gave
Himself for you" (Romans 8:37). As you consider how big God is, the size of the
giant will diminish and you will realize that the enemy's defenses has departed
from him. Each giant that you overcome through God will become bread for you.
It will assure you that God is with you and it will make you stronger to face
the next challenge. +++
Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/29/07
HOPE
Scripture: Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the substance
of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Most of the time, our thoughts are focused on obtaining faith. We forget
that hope is a very big part of the process of faith because hope sounds so
vague and almost wishful. Although hope has desire, it stands alone as a
vision until faith goes into action and adds substance to it. This vision
of our desire or hope should never be demeaned, for Proverbs 29:18 says,
"Where there is no vision, the people perish."
This vision of hope is
necessary because it guides us along the path to faith's fulfillment. A
good example of hope at work is a blueprint for constructing a building.
Without a blueprint and a definite goal, the original purpose would perish.
The blueprint gives a clear picture of what the building should look like at
its final end. As the construction begins, the ultimate goal is to complete
the vision that is on the paper. However, the building will never be
completed by just studying the blueprint. Conscious effort must be made to
work towards the goal of taking the project from the vision state to
reality.
So it is also in the spiritual realm. God gives us a hope of prosperity,
health, and peace. III John 2 says, "Beloved, I wish above all things that
you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." This is just
one of many blueprints of what God desires for us. For each blueprint, He
gives us the materials to build that vision. He speaks faith, a confident
belief in the truth, into our hearts through His word. Romans 10:17 says,
"Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Just like the
construction of a building, the word comes to us "precept upon precept; line
upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:13). Through this
word, we are gradually transformed by the renewing of our minds. As we look
at the blueprint that our hope has defined, our faith begins to consciously
build upon that blueprint until it brings our hope into reality. +++
Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/30/07
GREAT WEALTH
Scripture: I Timothy 6:6 (NLT) "True godliness with
contentment is itself great wealth."
We search for wealth every day of our lives. Finances are our
present and future consideration. We work and make
investments in order to multiply our finances, and we even set up
retirement accounts to insure that we have enough wealth to carry us
through to the end of our lives. Yet, when the Apostle Paul wrote to
Timothy he did not tell him that riches were an indication of wealth.
Instead, Paul told Timothy that great wealth was found in true
godliness with contentment. Godliness and contentment are things
that money cannot buy. There are many rich people in the world
who would like to be considered godly and would not hesitate to pay a
large sum of money just to gain a little contentment in their life.
For many, having great riches even becomes tormenting because it
can be stolen or lost so very quickly and has no guarantees.
Your desire for wealth should not be condemned because God's
highest wish for you is that you prosper and be in health even as your
soul prospers (III John 2). Yet, notice that your main interest should
be that your soul prospers. God wants to bless you materially
so that you can be a blessing to your family and to those about you, for
wealth is meant to be shared. But His greatest priority is
that you wrap your desires around the purposes and will of God and
learn to be content in all things. Jesus said that you should
be seeking the kingdom of God first in your life and then all the
things that you desire will be added to you (Matthew 6:33). What a
wonderful promise. When you understand the concept of putting
God first and honoring Him with all of your substance then He
will be able to honor you with wealth. This is great wealth
because the blessings of the Lord that come to you will never be
accompanied with sorrow.
For many years, I struggled with my finances and could never seem to get ahead.
It was a daily battle to make ends meet, but Gods always came through and
many times the material provision for my need was no less than a miracle.
Through the years, I have continued to trust God and believe His word
and today things are different. I don't have all that I want but I
do have all that I need. I have found the place of contentment and don't
have to have the best, the newest, or the most stylist. I have
inherited true wealth in knowing that God is on the throne of my
heart and contentment has come to my soul because I am seeking His
kingdom first in my life. I am not rich by the world's standard, but
following God's way with contentment has brought great wealth to
my heart and soul. +++
Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/30/07
WHEN GOD PASSES BY
Scripture: I Kings 19:11 " ... the Lord passed by ..."
Elijah had served the Lord with great zeal but had come to the place where he
felt that he was all alone and that he was the only prophet left in Israel.
He was in despair and even wanted God to take his life from him (Vs. 4).
God told Elijah to go stand on the mountain and that He would speak
to him there. God then allowed Elijah to experience a great and
strong wind, an earthquake, and a fire. Elijah listened intently.
Yet, God's voice was not heard in any of these mighty occurrences. When
God finally approached Elijah, He came as a still small voice.
There was quietness and the sound of a gentle whisper when God spoke to
him. After Elijah's long season of discouragement, God commissioned him
again for ministry.
Have you ever felt ignored in life or ministry? Doors have not
opened for you and rejection has met you at every corner just to mock you.
You can't seem to find direction and even struggle with your own
identity. That old question plagues your mind, "Who am I, and where
am I going?" Could it be that you are listening to all of the
outside extreme forces such as the great and strong wind, the earthquake,
and the fire when all the time God wants you to ignore the distractions so
that He can speak to you in quiet whisper. He has declared that He has a
good plan for your life (Jeremiah 9:11). Your life is not an accident.
He ordained your life before you were ever born and placed you in
situations so that He could train you for His purposes. He longs to
share His plan with you and give you direction for your life so that you
can complete that plan. You must be willing to listen to Him.
God is always faithful and understands your weaknesses. He
knows when your spirit is broken and realizes that you cannot go any
further without His intervention. Like Elijah's desperate moment, God
sees you in the valleys of despair and in the depths of hopelessness.
Yet, He is never far from you. He walks right into the midst of the
storm to rescue you because He loves you and has a wonderful plan for your
life. He will touch your present life and give you a vision
and hope for the future. If you want your life to change so that you can
be all that God wants you to be, take note when He passes by and listen for
His gentle whisper. +++
Copyright © 2007 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================