A
Word In Due Season
1st Week of April 2008
04/01/08
ALL OF YOUR HEART
Scripture: Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart."
There are many examples in the scriptures of people who trusted in God with all
of their heart. Jesus showed the greatest example because He gave His life on
the cross as a ransom for many as He trusted God to raise Him from the dead.
Moses' mother put her trust in God when she placed Moses into basket and then
put the basket on the river. Can you imagine her great concern as a natural
mother when she let go and put her precious son into the hands of God? The three
Hebrew children, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God when they said that
they believed in God to deliver them out of the fiery furnace, but also boldly
declared that if He didn't deliver them that they still would not serve the
king's gods nor worship the golden image which he had set up. Job placed all of
heart's trust in God right in the middle of his trials and tribulations when he
said, "Though God slay me, yet will I trust Him."
In each of these examples, there was a life at stake and if God did not come
through, all would be lost. This is ultimate trust. It is a trust that most of
us have not experienced in our lives because we have not had a situation that
demanded this kind of faith. We have not been put on the river, in fiery
furnace, or crucified on a cross. Yet, God still calls upon us to put this same
kind of trust in Him on a daily basis. We are not to be foolish in our actions
because God expects us to use the wisdom that He has imparted us. Yet, the Lord
doesn't want us to lean upon our own understanding. Instead, He wants us to
acknowledge that He is in control and then allow Him to direct our lives in the
way that He sees fit.
Yielding to someone else's control and even God's control can be very difficult
for most of us. It is like being a passenger in an automobile. We have all had
those moments when we were uncomfortable being the passenger rather than the
driver. We wanted to tell the driver to turn here or turn there, slow down or
speed up, or call their attention to the fact that they ran through a traffic
signal.
There was a saying that was popular for a while that stated, "God is my
co-pilot." That idea sounds good at first glance until you actually think about
its true meaning. If God is just the co-pilot of my life that means that I am in
the driver's seat and I am still in control. I am allowing God to just ride with
me on my journey through life and give me a few suggestions along the way. This
is not a good position to be in, for God never intended to be our co-pilot.
Instead, He wants to be the pilot of our life. The Lord has good plans for us,
but He cannot get us to where He wants us to be if we are in the driver's seat.
If we want to reach our destiny in life, Jesus must be the Lord of our life and
sit on the throne of our heart. A portion of our heart is not enough to satisfy
the Lord. We must yield our entire selves to the Lord and trust Him with all of
our heart. +++
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04/02/08
SECRET PLACE
Scripture: Psalms 91:1-2 "He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my
refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust."
Psalms 91 gives us many promises of protection and deliverance. It tells us not
to fear because God will deliver us from the snares, pestilence, and plagues of
this life. It also speaks of the authority that we have to tread upon the evil
that comes against our lives. This Psalm sounds like a great insurance policy
listing all of the benefits. But just as any insurance company requires you to
sign on the dotted line and pay your premium before you are eligible to receive
the benefits, so it is with the benefits of this Psalm. All of the promises
stated depend upon whether or not you do the things listed in the first two
verses. First, you must dwell in the secret place of the Most High, and second,
you must put your trust in God who is your refuge and fortress.
What is the secret place? Psalms 31:19-20 says that those that fear and trust
the Lord will be hidden in the "secret of His presence." The secret place of the
Most High is simply His presence. When you are in someone's presence, you are in
their shadow and close enough for them to handle any situation that comes
against you. God wants to keep you just as close to Him as you would keep your
own children in the public or places of danger. You make sure they are next to
you or in your shadow so that you can protect them from every danger. Your
children's safety is your main interest and God's concern for you is the same.
Dwelling in a place means that you spend most of your time there. It is a place
where you keep your things and store your treasures. When you dwell in God's
presence, you spend time with Him, eating His word, and communing with Him. As
you dwell in His presence, you begin to complete the terms of this Psalm and you
show God that He is your treasure. You begin to nourish yourself with the
concepts of who God really is. As you come to know and recognize Him as the
self-existent and eternal Jehovah, He becomes your refuge, fortress, and hope in
all danger. As you begin to set your love upon Him and place your total
confidence and trust in Him, verse 14-16 declares that He will complete the
terms of His contract. He will be with you in trouble and He will deliver you.
He will honor you and satisfy you with long life. He will show you His
salvation. These are tremendous benefits. You are His child and He loves you, so
trust Him and take time to find the secret of His presence. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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04/03/08
ABUNDANT LIFE
Scripture: Luke 12:15 "A man's life doesn't consist in
the abundance of the things which he possesses."
What is abundant life? Jesus said that you can't measure the quality of life by
the quantity of your possessions, for an abundant life comes only through a
relationship with Him. In John 10:10, Jesus said that He came that we might have
and enjoy life. To experience this abundant life we have to separate ourselves
from the mindset of the world. Our view often becomes distorted as we view the
lives of the rich and famous. We see their incredible homes and possessions and
hear of their enormous wealth. For those of us who live modest lifestyles, it is
too much to comprehend. Every detail of their life becomes intriguing as we
assume their possessions mirror their happiness. We forget what Jesus said.
Jesus taught that what you have or don't have doesn't define life. The tangible
is not a gage of God's blessings, nor is it a guarantee of an abundant life.
Money and possessions are no substitute for true wealth and prosperity. You
can't accumulate enough money to purchase eternal life and peace for your soul.
It comes to you as a free gift just like the other most precious things on this
earth such as love, family, friendship, health, and happiness. These are the
things that make for an abundant life.
Jesus could turn water into wine and multiply bread and fish. Yet, regardless of
His power, He lived a very simple life and was not caught up with material
things. He had no earthly home or possessions and even had to be laid in a
borrowed tomb for a few days. But He experienced an abundant life because His
life consisted of doing the will of His Father. Peter also did not possess the
wealth of this world, for he spoke to the lame man and said, "Silver and gold
have I none." However, because of the abundant life of God that resided inside
of him, Peter was able to impart healing in the name of Jesus Christ to the man.
Like Peter and like Jesus, your possessions may be meager. You may never have
very much silver and gold, but you have something far more valuable. You have
access to the abundant life that Jesus offers, which is a life that does not
consist of things, but consist of Him and all that He is. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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04/04/08
GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Scripture: Psalms 103:12 "As far as the East is from the West, so far has He
removed our transgressions from us."
David was a man who loved God with all of his heart and wrote these enormous
words concerning forgiveness. He learned about God's forgiveness and
experienced it first hand. In a season of passion, he committed adultery
with Bathsheba, and in his efforts to hide his sin, he caused her husband to
be killed in battle. Yet when he repented before God, he received
forgiveness and restoration.
Notice that David did not say that God would remove our transgressions as
far as the North is from the South, but as far as the East is from the West.
If you were to start out at some point in the United States, such as
California, and travel East, as you circled the globe and came back to your
starting point, you would still be going East. You would never reach the
West. This is not true of traveling North and South. If you travel North,
when you reach the North Pole and start down, you will be traveling South.
When David said that God removes our sins as far as the East is from the
West, he was declaring that there is no end to God's forgiveness. God's
forgiveness is forever and eternal.
Not only is God forgiving, but He is also merciful. He doesn't deal with us
according to our sins, nor does He reward us according to our iniquities
(verse 10). God doesn't give us the punishment we deserve. Isn't that a
relief? He extends His patience and waits for us to repent and is quick to
forgive. In another Psalm David says, "Iniquities and much varied guilt
prevail against me; yet as for our transgressions, You forgive and purge
them away. You make atonement for them and cover them out of Your sight"
(Psalms 65:3). There is not one sin that God is incapable of taking care of
or one stain that He cannot remove. All we have to do is confess them. He
promises to be faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness (I John 1:9). When He forgives, He completes the work and
His act of forgiveness removes our sins as far as the East is from the West.
+++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
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A
Word In Due Season
2nd Week of April 2008
04/07/08
JESUS IS AWARE
Scripture: Mark 6:48 (NLT) "He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing
hard and struggling against the wind and waves."
Jesus told His disciples to get into a boat and go to the other side of the lake
and then He went into the hills to pray alone. Late that night while Jesus was
still on the land, He saw the disciples. Their boat was in the middle of the
lake and they were in much difficulty as they rowed against the wind and waves.
About three o'clock in the morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the water.
When He reach the disciples Jesus spoke to them and said, "Don't be afraid, Take
courage! I am here!"
Jesus saw the disciples when they weren't even aware that He was watching them.
Then, He used the thing that was troubling them, as a tool to get to them. He
walked to them on the same water that they were struggling in. Isn't that just
like God? He takes our problems and somehow makes them seem as nothing. He parts
our Rea Sea and allows us to pass over to the other side and then He uses that
same sea to destroy the enemy that is pursuing us. He tells us to count it all
joy when we enter into trials and tribulations because He is going to cause all
thing to work together for our good. Somehow we are going to come out better at
the end of the ordeal than we were at the beginning. I remember the incident
when my house was flooded with two feet of water. The Lord provided a financial
grant for me and after it was all over with and the repairs were complete, my
house looked better than it did before.
Just as Jesus was praying in the hills that day before He rescued the disciples
on the lake, He is praying and interceding for you and me at the right hand of
the Father in Heaven. He is not only praying, He is watching us continually and
is aware when we are in serious trouble. He knows how tired we are of rowing and
struggling against the winds and waves of this life. He sees our financial
difficulties, our heart aches, our physical fatigue, our troubled relationships,
and our disappointments. It will only take one moment of the Master's time, one
touch from His hands, or one word from His lips to fix our problems. He is
waiting for us to call out to Him. There is nothing too great for the Lord to
handle and there is nothing hidden from His eyes or His heart. Jesus sees
everything, knows everything, and understands everything. In our moments of
distress, He will come to our rescue and speak to us saying, "Don't be afraid,
Take courage!, I am here!" +++
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04/08/08
PRUDENCE
Scripture: Proverbs 12:16 "A prudent man ignores an insult."
Solomon, one of the wisest men who ever lived, wrote this proverb concerning a
prudent man's response to insults. One of the definitions of 'prudent' is "to be
careful with respect to one's own interest and conduct." Solomon stated that it
was not in our best interest to give in to the evil voices of other people. When
we allow ourselves to be provoked by others and we respond to them in anger or
defense, we are allowing the offender to control us and we are also allowing our
anger to dictate our conduct. We play right into the hands of the enemy of our
soul, which allows him to bring us down to his level.
In these situations, we fail to realize that we are wrestling with spirits, not
flesh and blood. In the passion of the moment we fail to use good judgment in
handling the matter and speak foolish words that are generated by our pain.
Sometimes, we go away for a moment and plan a response that becomes harsher than
the words that we've received. We can't seem to turn the other cheek as Jesus
taught us to do because we feel a need to get even.
Yet, King Solomon told us to be prudent and ignore the insult. He held a secret
inside of himself. He knew that if he could exhibit control over himself, then
he was, in a sense, displaying the greatness of his own character. He spoke
again in Proverbs 16:32 and said, "A man that is slow to anger is better than
the mighty, and the man who can rule his own spirit is better than a man who can
take a city." In other words, Solomon said, "You must be in control of your
anger. You must be in control of your spirit." This quiet strength will prove
who is the mightiest. The winner is not the one with the sharpest tongue, but
the one who can control his tongue. What a challenge it is to control this small
member of our body. What a display of wisdom, just to simply ignore harsh words
and accusations. What a victory to be like Jesus when He faced His accusers.
"Jesus gave no answer or reply, not even to a single accusation, so that the
governor marveled greatly" (Matthew 27:12). Prudence is strength. If you want to
be prudent and to stop the evil effects of insults, let silence be your answer.
+++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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04/09/08
WALKING WITH GOD
Scripture: Micah 6:8 (Living Bible) "God has told you what He wants, and this is
all it is: to be fair and just and merciful, and to walk humbly with your God."
God delivered Israel out of Egypt by giving them great leaders such as Moses,
Aaron, and Miriam. God also reversed the curse of Balaam and brought the people
into the Promised Land. He did mighty things for His people so that they might
understand the righteousness of God. Yet, they turned away from God, causing Him
to ask these questions, "Why have you turned away from Me? Don't you remember
what happened and what I did for you?"
Israel proposed to make up for their sins by offering God sacrifices of calves,
rams, and rivers of olive oil. They even offered to sacrifice their oldest
children. However, God did not want their sacrifices. Instead, He simply wanted
their obedience. He had already told them what His desires and demands were. He
wanted them to love Him, fear Him, walk in all His ways, and serve Him with all
of their heart and soul (Deut.10:12). Walking with someone indicates that you
are in agreement with them in your spirit. Amos 3:3 confirms this by stating,
"Can two walk together except they be in agreement?" When you walk with someone,
you go in the same direction they go, and you strive to reach the same
destination and goal they are striving for.
This is God's desire for you that you walk with Him and be in agreement with His
Word. John 14:15 say, "If you love Me, keep my commandments." God does not want
you to offer Him an occasional sacrifice to make up for your spiritual lack, for
you can never regain through sacrifice what you lose through disobedience. God
wants you to be filled with His Spirit and follow after His own heart. He wants
you to love Him with every fiber of your being and make every effort to walk in
continual obedience to His commands. God is speaking tenderly to you today,
"Walk with Me, this is all I want." +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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04/10/08
SIFTED LIKE WHEAT
Scripture: Luke 22:31 "Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as
wheat."
Aren't you glad that this was not the final word? In the next scripture, Jesus
finished His thought by saying, "But I have prayed for you, that your faith will
not fail." Have you ever felt like you were being put through a sifting
process? Even your faith was beginning to falter as you felt yourself losing
control of your own life. Circumstances were causing you to feel just like
grain that is being threshed. In the threshing process, the grain is first
trodden on by animals and broken up. Then it is thrown into to the air with
forks so that the wind can carry away the chaff. When you are tossed about like
the grain, you begin to realize that if God doesn't help you, you will be lost
with the chaff in the whole process.
If you're being tossed about, you should take courage. God knows what's
happening to you right now and what will happen in the future. He knows the
enemy is after your soul, but with every temptation, God has made a way of
escape for you. Jesus told Peter in advance that the enemy was going to try to
sift Peter as wheat. But Jesus also gave him a wonderful promise that He would
pray for Peter during the whole process. Isn't it a relief to know that Jesus
is sitting at the right hand of God and that He is praying and making
intercession for you? (Romans 8:34)
Romans 8:35-39 asks, "Who can separate us from the love of Christ?" There is
nothing and no one who can sift us away from His love. Paul listed seventeen
things that the devil used to try to separate him from the love of God, and
Satan will use the same approach on you: tribulation, distress, persecution,
famine, nakedness, peril, sword, death, life, angels, principalities, powers,
things present, things to come, heights, depth, or other creatures. When these
things come against you and you feel like you are being crushed, beat down,
thrown in the air, and then sifted in the wind like the wheat, don't lose hope.
Jesus is praying for you and He never slumbers or sleeps. If you call to mind
the Lord's amazing love and grace and His prayers of intercession for you, it
will help you endure the sifting process and protect you from Satan's desire.
+++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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04/11/08
PRAYER HAS A VOICE
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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A
Word In Due Season
3rd Week of April 2008
04/14/08
HIDE YOURSELF
Scripture: Isaiah 26:20 "Come, My people, enter into your chamber, and shut
your doors behind you; hide yourself for a little moment ... "
Isaiah spoke about the people of God who were in such turmoil that he
compared them to a woman about to give birth. In their day of trouble, they
went to the Lord and poured out their hearts to Him. Isaiah said they cried
out in pain before God like a woman who is travailing in labor as she gives
birth to a child. God answered their cries of distress and told them to go
into their chambers, shut their doors behind them, and hide themselves for a
little while.
God extends this awesome invitation to us as well. Yet when challenges come,
our natural instinct is to run here and there trying to solve our own
problems. In our confusion, the enemy of our soul moves in and tries to
deceive us into thinking that we have been left alone and that God is too
busy or too far away to help. Satan tries to force us out of our hiding
place and away from the presence of God. His aim is to destroy our faith so
that we become discouraged and lose all hope. He knows that when we give in
to a spirit of hopelessness, we are defeated.
When hopelessness and defeat challenge you, you must follow the prophet
Isaiah's words. You must hide yourself in the secret place of God's
presence, even if it is just for a moment, so that you can listen for His
voice of instruction. Shut the door to every distraction that would cause
you to make a hasty and wrong decision. As you enter God's presence He will
draw you to Himself and hide you under the shelter of His love and keep you
in His peace away from the present danger. As you wait before Him, God will
regenerate you and give you new strength so that you are able to mount up
with wings as the eagles and soar above the current problems that are
challenging you. You are to cast every care upon the Lord and never forget
that He cares for you. Just as He cares for the smallest sparrow, He is
watching over every facet of your life and will take care of your situation.
God is still in control and is in the process of working all things out for
your good. His solution to your situation is for you to enter into His
chamber, shut the door behind you, and continue to keep yourself hidden in
His presence. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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04/15/08
BEYOND YOUR WOUNDS
Scripture: Psalms 109:22 "For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded
within me."
David cried out to God for deliverance and made his petitions very clear. He
declared that his enemies had surrounded him with words of hatred and fought
against him without a cause (Verse 3). He asked God to judge these false
accusers who had lied and spoken deceitfully against him, saying, "Don't
hold Your peace" (Verse 1).
David's heart was seriously wounded within him as he cried out for mercy and
deliverance from the Lord. He was a man that loved God with all of his
heart. He was the king of Israel, a strong leader, and a mighty warrior. Yet
underneath the royal robes and warrior's armor, there was a man with a
sensitive heart. He wasn't exempt from emotional pain because of his
position in life or because of his strength as a leader. He could hurt
within just like any other man and he saw God as his only recourse in this
situation. David opened up his heart before God and allowed God to see his
wounds as he stood before God and confessed his pain and his need.
C. S. Lewis once said, "God whispers to us in our pleasure and shouts to us
in our pain." Many times in our season of pleasure we become relaxed and
distracted. There is no driving force that causes us to fast, pray, and
search for God. When we are in this state, we often miss the still small
voice of God because our hearts are not turned in His direction and our ears
are not tuned to His voice. Yet, when we are hurting in some way or facing a
mountain of adversity, we become more attentive and it seems that God's
voice is much easier to hear. We seek for a solution, we search for an
answer, and we listen for Him to speak. His slightest whisper becomes a
shout within our spirits.
David was wounded and was facing a need, but he knew that beyond his wounds
there was an answer and that answer was God, Himself. He made a commitment
to God, saying, "I will give myself to prayer." Like David, you must look
beyond your wounds and needs and go to God in prayer. He has your answers.
Get a glimpse of Him and then allow Him to deliver you and redeem your
situation. +++
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Reserved
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04/16/08
KEEP YOUR MIND ON WHAT GOD SAID
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
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04/17/08
A SHOUT IN HEAVEN
Scripture: Jeremiah 25:30 "The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter His
voice from His holy habitation; He shall mightily roar ... He shall give a
shout."
Our God is not timid and neither is He quiet. With His voice, He makes His
presence known among the inhabitants of the earth. The prophet Jeremiah said
that the Lord roars from on high. Psalms 47:5 says, " God is gone up with a
shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet." And I Thessalonians 4:16 tells
us that when the Lord comes back to the earth again, He will "descend from
Heaven with a shout." Think about it; God goes and He comes with a shout. It
sounds as though we are serving a noisy God, but His shouts are not empty
sounds. They are shouts of victory.
There were words and shouts coming from the lips of God from the very
beginning of creation. The earth and the universe heard the sound of His
mighty voice as He called all things into existence. Every time He speaks,
something always happens because His words change the atmosphere. Things
either come into being or they are changed, for His words are not idle and
never return to Him void. Whatever He speaks will come to pass, for His
words have purpose and are full of power. God not only shouts but He
commanded His people to shout. He told them to march around Jericho and then
shout. When they obeyed His word, the walls came down (Joshua 6:20). The
people also shouted when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the city
(I Samuel 4:5-6) and when the temple foundation was completed (Ezra 3:11).
Life has many challenges and we should go into each one with a shout of
praise, knowing that God is sovereign and is in control of every situation.
Our shouts of praise announce our faith in God. If we sound out words of
defeat, we will feel defeated. If we sound out words of victory, we will
feel victorious. Psalms 5:11 says, "Let all those that put their trust in
You rejoice: Let them ever shout for joy because You defend them." God hears
the shouts of joy and He blesses expectant people
There is a shout in Heaven even today. Can you hear the Lord's shout? It is
a shout of victory and not defeat because Jesus finished His work here on
Earth. He sacrificed His life on the cross of Calvary, defeated the devil,
arose from the dead, ascended into Heaven, and is now sitting on the right
hand of the Father making intercession for us. That is something for us to
shout about. We need to start today with praise on our lips. Regardless of
what surrounds us, our response should be a shout of faith. We must
understand that God doesn't expect us to stand alone in our difficult times.
If we pray and engage Him in our battles, He will give a shout from Heaven
that will shake the forces that are against us. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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04/18/08
WORKING WITH GOD
Scripture: Joshua 5:6 "The Israelites traveled forty years in the
wilderness, until all the warriors who came out of Egypt, perished, not
having listened to the voice of the Lord."
A journey that started out so promising for the Israelites ended in defeat
simply because of unbelief. It should have taken less than two weeks for
God's people to make their way across the desert into the Promised Land, but
instead their journey lasted forty years and they perished along the way.
Throughout the journey they murmured and complained. And even though they
had lived in cruel bondage in Egypt, they continued to look back. They even
voiced their desire to return to the evil they had been delivered from. God
rained down manna from Heaven upon them for forty years and provided water
from a rock to quench their thirst, yet they still longed for the leeks and
garlic that they had left behind. Somehow they imagined that the conditions
of the past had been better than they actually were. Because they could not
give up or resolve the past, they failed to receive God's promise for their
future.
How many journeys do we fail to complete? Our hopes and plans perish in the
middle of our dreams because we give up along the way. Our unbelief
outweighs our faith and we fail to work with God by following His plan to
the end. The desert places get too dry even though God is there providing
water from the Rock, Christ Jesus. The den is too dark and scary even though
we can see that God has shut the mouths of the lions for us. The fire is too
hot even though we can feel the Lord standing with us and shielding us from
the flames. And the storms are too fierce even though we know that we are
secure because He is in the boat with us.
In life's journey we tend to repeat the things that we do not resolve. Like
the Israelites, many times we wander back and forth through the wilderness
of unforgiveness, disappointments, bitterness, and emotional hurts. If the
wounds of the past are not resolved every time that God pours Himself into
us, His goodness will flow out through the open wounds of our heart. We
can't hold it in because we can't believe in ourselves. God loves us and
doesn't want us wandering around in a wilderness of emotional pain for forty
years. He wants to take us from that bondage and bring us into a new and
glorious place that He has prepared for us. To get a grip on the things that
God has planned for us, we must work with Him and move forward in faith,
resolve the old issues, and let go of the past. No matter where we are in
life, there is a new level and a higher place. Let us determine to listen to
God and work with Him so that we do not perish in the wilderness of defeat.
+++
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Reserved
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A
Word In Due Season
4th Week of April 2008
04/21/08
PRAYER HAS A VOICE
Scripture: Luke 11:2 "And He said unto them, When you pray, say .... "
When Jesus was teaching His disciples to pray, the first thing that He
instructed them to do was to audibly say the words of their prayer to God. God
is omniscient and He know the thoughts of our mind and the meditations of our
hearts. He understands our motives and intentions better than we do. He also
sees our pain and disappointments and listens to the cries of our heart even
though we do not give them sound. Yet, even though the Lord can see what is
going on internally within us, He shares with us a very important principle of
prayer, which is that He wants us to give voice to our prayers.
Jesus told us that our Father God knows what things we have need of before we
ask for them, but He doesn't say that we are not supposed to ask (Matthew 6:8).
In fact, following the statement that God knows what we have need of, Jesus
taught us that we still need to make our needs known and that our request should
be prayers that can be heard. James 4:2 says, "You have not because you ask
not." And then in John 16:24, Jesus said, "Up until now, you have asked nothing
in my Name: ask, and you shall receive so that your joy may be full." Even when
the blind man was crying out to Jesus, Jesus asked him what he wanted. It seemed
that the blind man's need was very evident to everyone near, but Jesus wanted
him to declare his specific request. Asking for a need to be met not only causes
you to acknowledge your need of the Lord's provision, it also allows Him to
determine where your faith is. When Jesus heard the blind man say that he wanted
Jesus to restore his sight, Jesus knew that the blind man believed in Him and
also that he believed that Jesus could do that mighty work. He told the blind
man, "Go your way, your faith has made you whole."
Today, I want you to think about the things that you want God to do for you or
someone else in your life; recent things or things that you have held in your
heart for many years. They may be things that you think you do not deserve or
things that seem too impossible for even God to do. Then I want you to make
those needs known to God and ask Him to grant your requests in the Name of
Jesus. I want you to remind God of the scriptures above and release your faith
in Him to accomplish what He has promised to you. Allow your spoken words to
declare your faith in God and belief in what He can do for you. Remember you
have not because you ask not. Prayer has a voice and you need to speak your
words aloud. As you do, I believe that God will listen and that He will answer
as Jesus said so that your joy may be full and complete. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
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04/22/08
GOD CAN AND GOD WILL
Scripture: Psalms 78:19 "Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?"
God did many signs and wonders in the lives of the people of Israel as He led
them out of Egypt. They saw Him divide the Red Sea and cause the water to stand
in a heap on each side of them as they passed through on dry ground. They
witnessed their deliverance as God used those same waters to destroy their
enemies. God miraculously guided them with a cloud during the day and a fire by
night. He provided water from a rock to quench their thirst and angel's food, or
manna, to eat. Each day He sufficiently met every need that challenged them.
Yet, they forgot God's marvelous works and spoke out against Him saying, "Can
God furnish a table in the wilderness?"
The chosen people of God continually provoked Him as they journeyed in the
wilderness. They grieved, tempted, and limited the Holy One of Israel by their
words and actions. From one miracle to the next, they would forget what God had
done for them. It would seem that their faith would have grown stronger with
each passing miracle. But instead, they questioned God's ability with each new
event, often speaking out against Him and their leader, Moses. They never came
to the place where they really knew God or truly trusted Him. Because of the
cruel bondage that they had suffered for so long, their spirits were full of
anguish and it was difficult for them to believe for anything better (Exodus
6:9).
How many times have we questioned God's ability to take care of our needs? We
think our problem is too great or it has gone on too long. Because of past hurts
and anguish, we just can't seem to come to the place where we can trust God to
furnish a solution. The current turmoil distracts us and we fail to rely upon
God who has always been there and has never failed. We do the same thing the
people of Israel did. We grieve, tempt, and limit the Holy One of Israel. Even
though God has proved Himself in the past and is quite able to meet our present
need, He can't do very many mighty works in our lives because He is limited by
our unbelief (Matthew 13:58). God wants to move mightily in your life and
furnish a table in your wilderness. Trust in Him for every need and instead of
asking the question "Can God?" start believing and declaring, "God can and God
will." +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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04/23/08
GOD'S LOVE
Scripture: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life."
How tremendous this statement is. God loved us so much that He gave His most
treasured possession so that everlasting life could be provided for us. There
are several wonderful facts about God's love. First, His love never fails.
Natural love relationships with family and friends often fail at some point and
time, but God's love is eternal. Jeremiah 31:3 says, "I have loved you with an
everlasting love." The Apostle Paul listed seventeen things that were unable to
separate him from God's love: "tribulation, distress, persecution, famine,
nakedness, peril, sword, death, life, angels, principalities, powers, things
present, things to come, height, depth, nor any other creature" (Romans 8:35,
38, 39).
Second, God's love is not influenced by who we are. Deuteronomy 7:6-8 tells us
that God did not choose Israel because they were a large nation, for in reality
they were the smallest. He chose them to be a special people because He loved
them and wanted to establish His covenant with them. He chooses us in the same
fashion. He looks at us as individuals, but it doesn't really matter who we are,
it matters who God is. Third, God's love is also free. In Hosea 14:4, God says,
"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely." We cannot earn God's
love, for we have nothing to offer to God that would be able to merit the
sacrificial gift of His Son's life. We must come to God just as we are. Fourth,
His love is not just for a select few, but is offered free to whosoever will
believe in Him. This includes the rich and famous and also the poor and the
needy.
Finally, Ephesians 3:19 says, "The love of Christ passes understanding." Our
natural minds simply cannot comprehend how God could give His own Son to die in
our place. Nor can we understand why Christ, Himself, would suffer the shame of
the cross so that He could redeem us, for none of this makes sense. This
information goes beyond our human understanding. Yet, God showed us His love by
His sacrifice. We do not deserve God's awesome love, which is eternal and free.
Neither are we required to understand it or figure out how it how it works. All
we must do is believe in Him and receive His love sacrifice, then we will not
perish but have everlasting life. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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04/24/08
HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER
Scripture: Psalms 136:1 "O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His
mercy endures forever."
Twenty-five verses follow this first one, each ending with the same refrain,
"His mercy endures forever." The psalmist was making a very strong point that
God's mercy, love, and kindness never ends. He speaks of the God of all gods,
who by His own wisdom made the heavens and the earth. God then created the sun
to rule the day, and the moon and stars to rule the night. Yet, this same God
who has done such great wonders and mighty works still extends His mercy and
compassion to mankind. The psalmist said, "God remembers us in our low estate"
(verse 23).
This psalm makes mention of the mighty deliverance of Israel from Pharaoh and
the bondage of Egypt. Verse twenty-four declares that we also have been redeemed
from our enemies because of God's great mercy. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "Great
is Thy faithfulness ... God's compassion never fails and His mercies are new
every morning." This means each and every morning, our gracious God has a new
batch of mercies prepared that He is ready to extend to us because He knows that
we will need them to make it through the day.
This scripture continues to say that it is only because of the Lord's mercies
and unfailing compassion that we are not consumed. On days that you feel that
you have utterly failed the test, your speech has not ministered grace to the
hearer, and your own transgressions have exceeded those who have transgressed
against you, remember God's mercy still endures forever. His mercy doesn't stop
with your failure and He is not waiting there to consume you with His wrath. He
has already extended His mercy to you. All you must do is receive it and give
Him thanks. Repeat the refrain, "God's mercy endures forever," twenty-six times
like the psalmist did and let the reality of these words minister to you. As you
cope with the challenges of your day, you will discover that you really do have
a good and faithful God whose mercies endure forever. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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04/25/08
PLEASING GOD
Scripture: Hebrews 11:5 "Enoch had this testimony, that He pleased God."
There are not many words in the scriptures concerning this man, Enoch, but I
think all of us would love to have his wonderful testimony and know that we
pleased God like he did. What are the secrets to pleasing God? Verse six answers
that question. It says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." It goes
on to say that we must believe that "God is" and that "He is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek Him."
As we look at Enoch, we find these attributes. He had a strong conviction that
"God is." He was in God's presence on a daily basis, and when you are in the
presence of someone on that scale, you know they exist. Genesis 5:24 says that
Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." One of the Hebrew
meanings of this word 'walked' is "to be conversant." God and Enoch had
conversation with each other as they walked. When you walk with someone, you
talk with them and they talk with you. You see the same things they do and you
experience the same things they experience as you walk together down the same
path. You walk at the same pace and breath the same air. Because Enoch walked
with God, He understood the character of God and was personally concerned for
God's interest. And because he knew God as He is, Enoch developed a concern for
holiness and an indignation against unrighteousness. In faith, he boldly
prophesied against those who were speaking out against God. Jude 14 and 15
records the prophecy that Enoch gave concerning the ungodly, their ungodly
deeds, and their ungodly speeches.
Enoch also had confidence that God would do the things that He promised. He
believed that God was a "rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Enoch was
very consistent, for Genesis 5:22 says, "Enoch walked with God after he begat
Methuselah three hundred years." He was diligent in his walk with God for three
centuries. I'm sure he must have faced difficulties and discouragement during
that time. There may have been days that he did not want to walk with God. But
he kept his faith because he knew that "God is" and that "He is a rewarder of
those who diligently seek Him." Consistence received its reward and one day God
translated him. I heard a minister tell this story on a human level. He said
that every day that Enoch walked with God he went further and further. One day
God and Enoch were out walking, and God told Enoch, "We are closer to My house
than yours. Come home with Me."
As we walk with the Lord, we must strive to have these same attributes in our
life that Enoch had so that we can obtain the testimony that we please the Lord.
We must have the simple faith that believes that "God is" and that "God rewards"
as we diligently seek Him. Then, one glorious day while we are walking and
talking with the Lord, He will speak to us and say, "We are closer to My house
than yours, come home with Me. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
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A
Word In Due Season
5th Week of April 2008
04/28/08
CELEBRATION OF HIS GLORY
II Samuel 6:12 & 14 "David went and brought up the Ark of God ... into the city
of David with gladness ... And David danced before the Lord with all his might."
King David had no inhibitions when it came to worshipping the Lord, for he was a
man after God's own heart. When the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the
presence of God, came into his city, David did drastic things. He humbled
himself, took off his royal garments, and danced before the Lord and the people
with all of his might. When David's wife, Michal, saw him leaping and dancing
before the Lord, she despised him in her heart. She mocked and shamed him
because he had uncovered himself before the people. David responded by saying,
"God chose me, appointed me, and I will play before the Lord." God did not take
Michal's criticism and judgment lightly. Verse twenty-three says that until the
day of Michal's death she had no child.
We live in a new day and a different time. We are stepping into the Kingdom's
finest hour and God is preparing us to go to the next level. There is a subtle
rumble in the spirit and we are about to experience God's awesome power in a way
that we have never seen it before. Just as the Ark of the Covenant was brought
into David's city long ago, God is making His presence known in the earth today.
Those that recognize His presence rejoice with gladness and their celebrations
arrest the heart of God, for He takes pleasure in the praises of His people. Our
praise announces our faith that His presence in our midst and declares that our
emphasis is upon Him and Him alone.
I recently heard it said that, "We are the only containers whose contents are
bigger than we are." Think about it. An all powerful, all knowing, ever present
great and mighty God lives within us. His great and glorious presence causes us
to resound with joy and celebration, for our limited finite being cannot hold
Him in. We must humble ourselves and be as free and uninhibited as David was in
his worship. David was so happy that he could not contain himself. We too must
learn to lay aside our traditions and the things that would hinder us from
worshipping God in Spirit and in truth. God has chosen us and appointed us for
such a time as this. We must not make excuses or be intimidated. God is showing
us His glory so let us continue to celebrate before Him. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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04/29/08
THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:11 "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to
the strong."
Solomon, a man of great wisdom, recognized that the anointing of God was the
element that made the difference in the accomplishments of man. Solomon had been
granted wisdom in response to God's offer to give him anything that he wanted.
Because Solomon did not choose to satisfy his own lust, God not only granted him
the wisdom he requested so that he could rule the people but also allowed him to
have wealth and honor. All of these gifts were the work of God's Spirit. Solomon
couldn't create a spirit of wisdom within himself simply by educating himself
and gaining information. It took an impartation of God's spirit of wisdom coming
down from above (James 3:17).
Zechariah, the prophet, also recognized the power of God when he spoke God's
word, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts."
Often we feel that we are not swift enough for the race, not strong enough for
the battle, and not wise, educated, or skilled enough to do what God has called
us to do. Yet, according to the words of this wise man, our strength is of
little importance to God because God is not dependent upon our might or power.
His Spirit is quite capable of enabling and empowering us to handle the job.
God used Peter and John to minister healing to the lame man at the gate of the
temple. The rulers of the people and the elders of Israel marveled, as they
perceived that Peter and John were unlearned and ignorant men. But Acts 4:13
said, "They took knowledge that Peter and John had been with Jesus." Peter and
John acknowledged that the miracle was not because of their own might and power.
They said, "Why do you look so earnestly at us as though by our own power or
holiness we had made this man to walk?" They knew it was the power of the Lord.
I Corinthians 1:26-27 says, "God does not choose many wise, mighty, or noble
men. But He chooses the foolish to confound the wise, and the weak to confound
the mighty." God's ways are certainly not like our ways for we would choose
strength and ability. However, God's strength is made perfect in our weakness
and when we spend time with Him, His presence makes up for our deficiencies. As
we lean upon Him we find that His word is true that the race is not to the
swift, nor the battle to the strong. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
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04/29/08
HELP WHEN THINGS LOOK HOPELESS
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
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