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02/01/08
GOD OF A SECOND CHANCE

Scripture: Isaiah 11:11 "The Lord shall set His hand again the second time."

In context, this scripture refers to the regathering of the Jewish people. Yet, there are examples of this second chance concept working in the lives of some of the most profound men in the scriptures and God also does the same thing for us. He is a wonderful God and remains faithful in the midst of our failures and offers us another chance. He is our Father and is waiting for us with open arms like the father of the prodigal son. It doesn't matter what we have done. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).

Many times God used men who needed a second chance. We see Moses slaying an Egyptian, but God still used Moses to become a great leader that brought deliverance to a multitude of people who were in bondage. Then we see King David in Psalms 51 having to repent of murder, lying, and adultery. But God still had a glorious plan for David's life. As David asked for forgiveness, God purged him, created a new heart within him, and also restored the joy of his salvation. David didn't have to settle for just forgiveness. God restored the entire relationship between them. God is no respecter of persons. He will do the same thing for you.

We see Paul in the book of Acts persecuting and killing the Christians. He thought he was doing God's work, but he was deceived. After he experienced Jesus, he expressed his feelings of unworthiness. He said, "I am the least worthy of all the apostles, and am not deserving to be called an apostle, because I once wronged, pursued, and molested the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am: and His grace bestowed on me is not in vain" (I Cor. 15:9-10). Paul was determined that the grace that God extended to him would not be wasted. Even though Paul had oppressed the church with cruelty and violence, he sought for forgiveness. And even though he felt unworthy, he made a decision that he would fulfill the call of God on his life to be an apostle. We also see Peter denying Christ three times in Mark 14:66-72. Yet, later in the book of Acts, God anointed Peter and he stood before the multitudes and preached about this same Jesus that he had once denied.

Where would we be if these men had not found the forgiveness and grace they needed? Their work would have stopped at the point of their failure. The prodigal son would have never returned to restore joy to his grieving and hurting father. The same forgiveness and grace these men experienced is available to us today. God's heart aches and His Spirit grieves until we return to the point of His grace. God is full of mercy and He desires to restore our lives and our relationship with Him because He is the God of a second chance. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================

Abraham's wife, Sarah, was barren and as she waited, year after year, she finally gave up hope in ever having a child of her own. In desperation Sarah arranged for her maid, Hagar, to bear a child with her husband, Abraham. Things did not work out as Sarah had planned, however, because sin never delivers what it promises. Instead of finding happiness, Sarah found grief and bitterness. She blamed Abraham for her bad decision and she despised Hagar who had conceived and bore a child to Abraham.

Sarah eventually had a son of her own and they named him Isaac, but she still had no peace in her heart. When Hagar's son mocked Isaac, Sarah asked Abraham to send Hagar and her son away into the wilderness. Abraham and Sarah's bad choices brought Hagar much undeserved heartache and pain. Hagar had served them faithfully for many years and had yielded herself to their wishes and demands. Yet, she was treated harshly by those that she had given herself to in obedience. She was used, rejected, abused, despised, suffered reproach, and then sent away to die. She was in a place of no hope, no provision, and no future. No one seemed to care for her or her child, but God saw Hagar in her afflictions and He came to her rescue. He spoke life to her and her son, Ishmael, and pronounced blessings upon their lives and their future posterity. When God came to Hagar's aid, she not only declared, "You are the God who sees Me," but she also said, "Have I truly seen the One who sees me?" Hagar not only realized that God had seen her and her son, but she also got a glimpse of who God was in the process. She saw that He was a God of love and compassion and when she saw God at work in her life, she understood the great plans that He had for her and her son.

We have this assurance that regardless of how desperate our situation may look, God has not forsaken us. He will remain true to His word. As we wait for His answer to come, we can be sure that He will deliver us from all evil. When we have been used and abused, we can't allow bitterness to linger in our hearts. When we have been rejected by loved ones, ignored by the world, and feel like a cast away, we can't give in to the negative emotions of the moment or allow them to dictate our lives. As we look to God as our refuge and help in the time of trouble, He will be our comfort and show us acceptance. In times of adversity we must not only recognize that God sees us, but understand that we have the same opportunity that Hagar had, which is to look beyond our distressing circumstances to see the One who sees us. We only need one small glimpse of God's glory and grace to make it through life's circumstances and that will happen when we search for God with all of our heart. +++

God delivered His people by performing a mighty miracle. He rolled back the waters of the Red Sea and allowed them to pass over on dry ground and then He used those same waters to destroy the Egyptian army that was pursuing them. There was great rejoicing amongst the Israelites for this wonderful victory as they danced, sang, and shouted in triumph over their enemy. In their rejoicing, they praised the Lord and declared that He was their strength, but in a very short time they forgot His wondrous works.

God caused the waters of the Red Sea to be gathered together like a wall on their right hand and on their left (Exodus 4:29). How could anyone experience such an awesome miracle of God and then forget it in just a few days? It seems that this would have been a life time memory engraved upon the tablets of their heart. They had all seen it with their own eyes and rejoice with great joy, but their memory grew short. Within seventy-two hours, they had forgotten this marvelous work that God had done in their lives. Like the psalmist said, "They sang praise, but soon forgot God's work." Three days after the miracle, they were grumbling and complaining because they had no water in the wilderness. At the very edge of this mighty miracle where God had controlled the waters of the sea, they had the audacity to question God's provision for water to quench their thirst. Verse seven says, "They provoked God at the sea, even at the Red Sea."

Did you ever stop to think, that we are much the same way as the Israelites? Of course, we haven't seen God roll back the sea or do the mighty miracles that he did when He delivered the entire nation of Israel. Yet, He has done special things for us that at the time we thought we would remember forever. In the midst of the other believers we have felt triumphant over our enemies. On Sunday, we heard a faith producing message from God's word, which lifted our spirits. We sang and shouted the victory, but when we returned to our regular weekly schedules, our jubilation diminished quite rapidly. By the third day, the challenges that were before us seemed so much greater than the victory that was behind us. We began to murmur and complain about the politics in the work place, our physical limitations, or the financial difficulties that we must cope with. The Word of promise that we received in worship fades from our memories and unbelief clouds our soul. Like the Israelites, we also go from praise to forgetfulness.

We can change this image by deciding to remain victorious even in the midst of challenges. We can remind ourselves that the Lord is with us even though we are walking through the valleys that are filled with the shadows of death and defeat. The Lord will never leave us or forsake us, but we must recognize and remember that He is there when the giants of our life threaten to take us out. We must keep the memories of yesterday's victories alive, for they are our trophies and they will be our strength for tomorrow's battles. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================
02/06/08
STEPS OF A GOOD MAN

Scripture: Psalms 37:23 "The steps of a good man are directed and established of the Lord."

God delights in our way and He busies Himself with every step that we take. Sometimes we get the impression that God just orders our future steps. We fail to realize that He has ordered all of our steps up to this point, and that He is busy working in the present trying to direct us along the way. The Lord makes it His business to be involved with everything that we do. Verse 24 goes on to say, "Though we fall, we shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps our hand in support and upholds us." Thank God for this wonderful promise. We have a heavenly Father that is holding our hand as we walk. He knows that occasionally we are going to stumble and fall so He grasps our hand tightly in His. With His mighty power, He holds us up and supports us so that we are not utterly cast down and unable to get back up.

Proverbs 16:9 declares that "A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure." Very often we plan our day with little thought of God's plan for that day or the season. We are so busy, we just get up and do what needs to be done. We try to direct God instead of resigning ourselves to being led by Him. We pray, "God, bless my plan." instead of "God, make my plan." Jeremiah 10:23 says, "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Jeremiah was acknowledging to God that he knew he could not direct his own steps. He knew that he would make mistakes and pleaded that when God corrected him, it would be in judgment and not in anger.

Proverbs 20:24 says, "Man's steps are ordered by the Lord; how can a man then understand his own ways?" We often do not understand where God is leading us, for He often leads us in a way that is against human wisdom. It is then that we must "Trust in the Lord with all of our heart; and lean not to our own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5-6). God has given all of us natural wisdom and expects us to function in that wisdom and take care of our duties. Yet, He desires that we operate in trust and be spiritually sensitive and submissive to His voice and His Spirit. It is only as we submit ourselves totally to Him that He can establish and direct each of our steps. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================
02/07/08
NO DEAD ENDS

Scripture: II Corinthians 2:12 "When I came ... a door was opened unto me of the Lord."

God never leads His children down a road that comes to a dead end or which has no future. Likewise, He doesn't give us all of the details or blueprints of our life's plan either. He leads us step by step lest we put our trust in the plan instead of Him. He stands around the bend of the road and whispers softly to us. We have to exercise great faith to make the turn when we can't see any tangible evidence of Him and all that we have to trust in is the whisper of His still small voice. Yet, it is as we come to the end of the road and the end of ourselves that God opens a new path before us. Isaiah 42:16 says, "I will lead the blind by a way that they knew not: I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them."

God doesn't open doors in advance. His way of doing things is similar to the automatic doors in the market places. You can stand outside the perimeter of the door's sensor all day and the door will not open. You can watch others come and go as the door opens for them, but the door will never open for you until you get close enough to place your foot on the mat. When the door senses you are there and serious about going in, it will open. Likewise, when God knows that you are serious about going through the door of faith, He will open it for you.

Throughout the scriptures, we see God opening the doors for men as He led them through various situations. For instance, Moses met many seemingly dead-end places, but God was never without a plan. God opened the Red Sea, provided manna, and brought forth water from a rock in order to rescue and provide for Moses and the Israelites. And in Joshua's case, it was only when the soles of the priests' feet stepped into the water that the river Jordan rolled back. God demanded faith on their part before He worked on their behalf. Isaiah 43:19 tells us that "God will do a new thing, something you knew nothing about. He will even make a way in the wilderness." If your mind is telling you that you are facing a dead end, remember that God is still able to open the door. He is not limited. Continue in faith and He will bring light into your darkness, make the crooked way straight, and open the door before you. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================
02/08/08
GARMENT OF PRAISE

Scripture: Isaiah 61:3 "... garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."

God has a remedy for the oppression and depression that you may be facing. He has anointed Jesus to minister to the meek, the brokenhearted, and the captives that are bound in physical and spiritual prisons. Jesus came to comfort all that mourn in Zion , which represents the church. He appoints unto us three things in a great exchange. He takes the ashes and our ruined lives and gives us beauty. He gives us oil or the anointing of joy in our lives in place of mourning, and He also gives us a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Jesus turns everything that has damaged and hurt us into something beautiful. He takes "all things and works them together for good to those that love Him and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Notice that He called 'heaviness' a spirit. There is no force that can battle an evil spirit but the Spirit of the Living God. God's Word tells us exactly what we are to do when this spirit of mourning and heaviness comes against us. God provides the "oil of joy and the garment of praise" for us, but they are like items that are only issued to us. Once they have been appointed, they need to be received and put on. They are like unused clothes in our closet until we apply them to our lives. We must put forth an effort and begin to sing and praise God from a thankful heart. Only then will the Spirit of God drive out the evil that is oppressing us and trying to force us into depression.

Isaiah 51:11 says, "The redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion ; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head; they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." This is a pattern for deliverance. When we begin to sing and rejoice, the anointing of joy begins to flow from God, and the sorrow and mourning that is attempting to plague our lives has to flee. Isaiah 52:1 and 9 says, "Awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments," ... "Break forth into joy, sing together." We must take the initiative to awake and put on this beautiful garment of praise that has been provided for us. We must take heed to God's word. When oppression and depression present themselves, we must exchange them for songs of praise and then watch sorrow and mourning flee away as we break forth into a spirit of joy. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================

Scripture: James 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

There is religion and then there is pure religion. James makes a distinction between the two and tells us that pure religion is undefiled in God's eyes. We are instructed to assemble ourselves together on the Lord's Day, but that does not complete our religion. Pure religion goes beyond simple church attendance on Sunday and then living as you please through the rest of the week. We have been issued Ten Commandments to obey, the principals of the Kingdom to follow, which we call the beatitudes, and the fruits of the Spirit that we must allow God to develop in our lives. These reach into the soul of man and expose our motives for worship and our obedience to God's command.

There is an old story about a king who had a beautiful ring. He also had three sons and each son wanted their father's ring. When the king died, he left three rings for his sons with a note that said, "My dear sons, one of these rings is real and the other two are fake. The way that you will know who has the real ring is that the son with the real ring will be kind and generous to all people." Each of the three sons spent the rest of his life being good to others so that he could prove that he had the real ring. It is the same with religion, for James said the only way to show that your religion is true and undefiled is to live it. Pure religion is measured by the life we live outside the four walls of the church and how we treat people and take care of their needs.

James said that if we want to be pure before God in our religion, then we must visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions and keep ourselves unstained by the world. In verse twenty-six, he also told us that even our words need to be controlled. He said, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." We should not allow ourselves to be deceived or cause the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to be worthless. The Lord has put spiritual rings on our fingers that confirm our relationship to Him, the Eternal King. We have a responsibility to show the world that we have the real thing by our kindness and generosity to all people. Jesus said, "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another" (John 13:35). Let us strive to practice this pure religion. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================
02/12/08
GREATER LOVE

Scripture: John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

The second commandment that Jesus gave us was to love our neighbor as ourselves. James 2:8 calls this the "royal law of the scriptures." It follows the first and great commandment, which is "to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul, and with all of your mind" (Matthew 22:37). Jesus said that all of the law and prophecies rest in these two commandments. Yet, Jesus speaks again of a "greater love." He says, "Love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12). This love goes beyond loving someone as you would love yourself, and loves to the degree that it is willing to lay down its own life for the one that it loves. This love is a supernatural fruit that is produced by the Spirit of God and abides within us. When we love with this type of love, we show the world that we are disciples of Jesus Christ (John 13:31).

I Corinthians chapter thirteen tells us that this love is superior to the gifts. It is greater than being able to speak with the tongues of angels, prophesying, having supernatural knowledge, exercising faith, and doing charitable works. Even martyrdom for our faith cannot be compared to love. For all these things will eventually pass away, but love will remain forever. Without this love, we are like noisy gongs and clanging cymbals. We are totally useless to God and become as nothing before Him.

Greater love follows Jesus' example and lays down its life by being patient and kind. It is never envious nor jealous. It is not boastful or vain and does not display itself in a haughty manner. This kind of love is not conceited, nor arrogant or inflated with pride. It is not self-seeking and does not insist on its own way. It is not rude or resentful and pays no attention to the wrong it has to suffer. It endures everything without weakening and it never fails. It is willing to love others where they are so that they may be brought into God's eternal kingdom. This greater love demands a greater sacrifice. God the Father and Jesus gave us an example of this greater love. Because of Their great love for us, God gave His only begotten Son and Jesus gave His own life. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================
02/13/08
LOVE FORMS THE CLAY

We are the work of God's hands. We are not being shaped by fate or some invisible force but by a loving Heavenly Father. When God envisioned us, He did not see us as a number among the billions of people that would be created. He saw us as individuals with our own special personality, a creation of His image. When He created us, He focused all of His efforts upon us to make us into the vessel that He needed us to be so that we could fulfill His purposes. Just as the potter is with the clay vessel that he is forming, God holds us firmly and forms us with His own hands. There are not two potters at the potter's wheel. There is only one. From the beginning to the end, God involves Himself with us on a one-on-one basis and if we allow Him, He will become not only our creator but also our closest friend.

All of God's dealings are meant to make us into a vessel that is solid. Like the potter who removes the lumps and particles from the clay, God also works to remove the things from our lives that will weaken our vessel and that are destined to destroy us. We must trust God's sovereignty and His decisions. Our ultimate destiny may be hidden from our view and there may seem to be no immediate purpose for the things that we are going through. We may see our lives as spinning and out of control, but God has a wonderful plan for our life. He is not in a hurry and will take His time with us to insure that we are ready for use. We must focus our eyes upon Him and His righteousness and allow Him to conform us into His image.

In Psalms 17:15 King David said, "I shall be satisfied when I awake with Your likeness." David was a man after God's heart, yet he was not satisfied with his present state. He wanted to be changed into the likeness of God, and we too must be satisfied with no less. The scriptures declare that God is love. God is our Father and we are the clay. We must give ourselves to Him and allow love to form the clay into His likeness. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================
02/14/08
LOVE, A MORE EXCELLENT WAY

Scripture: I Corinthians 12:31 "Covet earnestly the best gifts ... yet I show you a more excellent way."

The Apostle Paul spoke of the gifts of the Spirit that were available to the believer and told us to covet the best of those gifts. He then said that there is something more excellent than any of the gifts and began to talk about love. He told us that love was far more valuable than any gift, including faith and hope. He also told us that if we displayed gifts without love, we would be like noisy gongs or clanging cymbals. We would be useless and unprofitable because faith could only work by love. (Galatians 5:6)

Even in our natural life, gifts that are received from someone who does not really love us hold little or no value. Yet, how precious we hold the most insignificant gift when it comes from someone we love or someone who loves us. My most treasured items are the things that my children presented to me in love. The paper angel, colored with crayons, that is placed at the top of our Christmas tree each year is of little monetary value, yet it is very special because it was presented to me in love about 36 years ago by my little boy, and his love makes this gift special.

God is love. The greatest gift He presented to us was His beloved Son, Jesus, who then gave His life for us because of His great love. If we want to be like Them rather than like a loud gong or cymbal, we need to develop the characteristics of the love that They displayed.  In I Corinthians chapter thirteen, Paul identifies these characteristics of love.

     1) Love is patient.
     2) Love is kind.
     3) Love is never envious nor boils over with jealousy.
     4) Love is not boastful or vain.
     5) Love does not display itself haughtily.
     6) Love is not conceited, arrogant, and inflated with pride.
     7) Love is not rude and does not act unbecomingly.
     8) Love does not insist on its own rights or its own way.
     9) Love is not self-seeking.
   10) Love is not touchy, fretful, or resentful.
   11) Love takes no account of the evil done to it,
              and pays no attention to suffered wrong.
   12) Love does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness.
   13) Love rejoices when right and truth prevail.
   14) Love bears up under anything and everything that comes.
   15) Love is ever ready to believe the best of every person.
   16) Love's hopes are fadeless under all circumstances
             and Love endures everything without weakening.
   17) Love never fails - never fades out,
             becomes obsolete, or comes to an end.+++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================
02/15/08
THE LORD WILL PERFECT

Scripture: Psalms 138:8 "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me."

Even though David was walking in the midst of trouble, he spoke to the Lord and declared, "You will revive me. You will stretch forth Your mighty hand against my enemies." He trusted God to do something about his situation that he, himself, was not able to do. He didn't rely upon His own strength and ability to fix the problem, but relied on the mighty hand of the Lord to fight his battles. He knew that his God was going to help him and that his God would not quit right in the middle of the situation and leave him hanging. He said, "The Lord will perfect His plans and purposes. The Lord will complete His work."

Like David, many times we find ourselves walking in the midst of trouble, and many things come our way to cause us anxiety and frustration. How wonderful it would be to be able to come to a point of total trust, like David, and know that God is going to complete and make perfect all of the things that are pressing in on us. This place of trust is a place where we stop asking God, "Why?" or "When?" We would cease from fighting our own battles and would just give them to God. We would place our life totally in control of the Holy Spirit and trust God to do something supernatural for us. Our emotions would no longer be in control and thus would not be able to hinder God's work. We would disallow offense of any kind to defuse His plan.

Yet, how often do we really react in this manner? This place of trust seems almost impossible. For when conflict occurs, we usually try to prove ourselves right, explain our motives, defend our actions, and get the last word in. The harder we work at the situation, the more frustrated we get and the more fragmented the relationship becomes. We fail to let the peace of God rule in our hearts. We forget that God is still in control and that He is our defense. He will never forsake us, for we are the work of His hands. The Lord is full of mercy and loving kindness and never ceases to be interested in our concerns. We are blessed when we come to this realization and reach the place of absolute surrender, knowing that God is working everything in the universe together for our good. We can be sure that when He brings it all together, it will be perfected by His mighty power. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================

02/18/08
THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Scripture: John 10:14 "I am the Good Shepherd, and I know My sheep, and My sheep know me."

Jesus speaks much about Himself as being the Good Shepherd and His believers as being the sheep of His pasture. He talks about leading His sheep and caring for them in every way possible. He declares that He knows His sheep so personally that He calls them each by name and He is committed to protecting them whatever the cost. He even said that the Good Shepherd would give His own life for His sheep.

These words are comforting to us because in the beginning of this discourse Jesus gave a stern warning about the deception that is in the world. He made it very clear that there is a spirit of evil that will try to show itself as our shepherd. These false shepherds will even try to speak like the true Shepherd speaks by using the Good Shepherd's own words. They can quote scripture just as Satan did when he deceived Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden and when he attempted to deceive Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. That is the reason you must listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd and not just the words that are spoken, for they may be an attempt to deceive. The false shepherds are thieves that are out to steal, kill, and destroy (Vs. 10). They will bind up the sheep so that they cannot go in and out to find pasture because they don't want the sheep to feed on God's truth. They will pretend to love the sheep, but in instead, they are simply hirelings who are there for what the sheep can give back to them. They are only interested in the sheep's wool and flesh and will flee at the first sign of danger.

The Good Shepherd, on the other hand, will lay down His life for the sheep. His sheep will know Him, recognize His voice, and will follow Him. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He came to give to you, not take from you. There will be many voices telling you many things in this life, but don't be confused or deceived. Listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd and ask the Lord to help you hear Him plainly. His voice will always lead you into truth and peace. Be cautious if you hear another voice that you do not know or recognize. If it sounds strange and does not bear witness to the Holy Spirit within you remember that you have the right to flee from it (Vs. 5). Jesus knows His sheep and His sheep know Him. He will never make His voice strange to His sheep. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================
02/19/08
FAITHFULNESS AND TRUTH

The Prophet Isaiah spoke to the Lord and said, "O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will praise Your Name; for You have done wonderful things." He then declared that the Lord's "counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." There have been situations in my life when I have sought for counsel from individuals. At the time, their advice seemed reasonable, so I followed it because they knew more about the subject at hand than I did. Unfortunately, however, there were times that things did not fall into place as they had suggested and their advice turned out to be ill advised.

Just the opposite is true with God's counsel. Even though many times His counsel goes beyond human reason, it always turns out to be faithful and true. What kind of wisdom tells a man to build an ark on dry ground in a time when rain had never fallen upon the earth? Yet, these were Noah's instructions that saved him and his family from the flood. What kind of counselor would tell a man to lead millions of men, women, and children out of the security of Egypt into the uncertainty of the wilderness with no natural provisions? Not only that, who would ever instruct them to cross through the Red Sea? Only God would tell Moses to do such a foolish thing. Who would tell an army to go out singing before their enemy instead of preparing them for battle? Yet Jehoshaphat won the battle by following these simple words of counsel from God. Or what kind of commander would have his army march around a city for seven days and then shout until the walls came down? That was God's counsel to Joshua at Jericho. Who would tell a young shepherd boy to go against a giant with just a few stones? But that was how David won the victory over Goliath. These were the counsels of Almighty God.

Sometimes God tells us to do things that are foolish to our natural minds just like He did the saints of old. He may tell us to share our last portion, do something that seems unwise in the eyes of others, or instruct us to go somewhere that we normally would not go. Yet, God always does things with purpose and His counsels often times confound the wise. We must remember that when the Lord gives us counsel, He will make things work together and cause them to come out for our good. He is able to breathe life into His words of counsel. He will create that which has never been and resurrect the things that we thought were dead, for God is not limited by natural law. His Name, that is above every Name, stands behind His words of counsel. We can be sure that His words of life, which are written with the precious blood of His Son, will forever remain in faithfulness and truth. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com =================================================================================
02/20/08
DARKNESS AND LIGHT

There is a saying, "Don't doubt in the darkness what God shows you in the light." When God speaks to us, the entrance of His word gives light to our soul. It is as though a candle is lit within us and our vision becomes very clear. His promises are easy to believe because when God's words are before us, they lead us on in faith. That light, however, will very quickly be challenged in the process of life. Like the clouds that hide the brightness of the sun, the clouds of doubt and unbelief will hinder our vision and hide the light of His word from our view.

It is easy to have faith when the light that surrounds you is bright and your vision is clear. Yet, it is another thing to walk in faith when you are engulfed in total darkness and cannot see a thing. Many times our spiritual vision is hindered by circumstances that intrude upon our lives. We know God's promise is there and that it is real, but we just can't see any evidence of it because a cloud separates us from the truth. In fact, there are times when life's situations may look very frightening to us and our soul will question God about His promises. God said that He would provide, but where is the answer? God said that He would heal, so why am I still sick? God said that He would comfort me, so why do I continue to grieve? Where is my deliverance from the addictions that plague me? When will my children return to the Lord, for God's word said that when they were old they would not depart from His training?

Taking an airline flight illustrates how the clouds of conflicting thoughts can separate us from the light. When we are on the ground on an overcast day, the only thing that we can see are the different shades of darkness in the clouds above because our vision is limited. All that we can feel is the cold and dampness that surrounds us. Once the plane leaves the ground everything changes. The sky opens up to a beautiful brightness and on the other side of the clouds we find that the sun never stopped shinning. It is the same with our personal needs. The provision, the healing, and the answer was always there. It was just beyond the darkness of the clouds. We must always remember that God is not limited by what we can see. That is the reason that we must always believe that even though His light and His word may be hidden for a season, its brightness and truth remains forever on the other side of the clouds. I encourage you to keep believing the Lord in the area of your need, for eventually His word of truth will break through the clouds and fulfill the hope of your vision. +++

When I was a young child, my father liked to tease me and play games with me. Quite often, he would offer me something like a nickel or a dime or possibly a small piece of hard candy. He would show the prize to me and then he would close his hand tight around it. It was up to me to pry his fingers open so that I could retrieve the reward. I would work diligently to open his hand with all of my might, but my strength was never able to match his. He would laugh because I would only be able to get one finger loose at a time. The treat that he was offering to me was safe in his hand until he decided to give it to me.

In the scripture above, Jesus said that no one would be able to pluck His sheep out of His hands. He then declared that His Father is greater than all and that no man would be able to pluck them out of the Father's hand either. Can you grasp this picture? We are protected not only by the hands of Jesus but also by the hands of the Father. It is as though Jesus is holding us as tight as He can in His hands and then He places His own hands in the hands of the Father God and their hold upon us becomes double security, for Jesus and the Father are one (Vs. 30). This does not mean that the Father and the Son are one person, but that they are one in perfect unity in their natures and actions. They work together as a team and the devil has no power over this mighty unity. He is no match against the combined strength of their four hands, four thumbs, and sixteen fingers.

This knowledge should give us great security because we can be assured that the Father and the Son are holding us as tight as they can because of the great price that they both paid for us. God the Father gave His own Son in order to secure our redemption, and then Jesus, the Son, sacrificed His own life on the cross so that we could have eternal life. We have much to rejoice about. For we know beyond a shadow of doubt that regardless of how hard the devil may try, he can never pry us out of the double security of Their hands. +++

then said that Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/22/08
GOD'S GUIDANCE

Scripture: Psalms 27:11 "Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path."

When journeying across the country, we travel many roads and encounter many situations. Some are challenging while others are uneventful. Often, we can see miles down the road and drive with no thought as to what direction we are heading. We are able to relax as we make progress towards our destination. At some point, however, this comfortable place ends and we are forced to make choices. When decisions must be made concerning the correct turns, we begin to search the road map and watch for signs along the way that will insure that we stay on the right course. If necessary, we stop and get directions.

So it is with our lives. We submit ourselves to God and start in the direction that we believe He wants us to go. Things proceed very smoothly for a while and we are quite sure that we are on the right path. It seems that we can see far into the distance and feel confident while we remain on this steady path. But then things begin to change, and we are forced out of our comfort zones and onto side streets that we've never traveled before. We are faced with the unfamiliar and must make decisions concerning new paths that we need to take. These unfamiliar paths can be frightening to us if our trust is not in a Savior who said, "I will never leave you or forsake you."

I remember an incident when I was to follow my brother's car to a house in the country. We exited the main highway, and turned down one country road after another until it seemed that we were just traveling on little trails. I had no choice but to keep following my brother because he had all of the directions. Finally, everything came to a sudden stop and we ended up in someone's driveway at the end of the trail. It was a frightening situation because huge dogs began to bark and jumped at our cars. Yet, my faith remained in my brother, for I knew that he would not forsake me. Finally, we both worked ourselves out of the situation, returned to the main road, and eventually reached our destination safely.

As we listen to the news today with all of its natural disasters and rumors of war, it reminds us that things can change very suddenly in our lives. The road we are on, which seems so clear and steady now, may not be so clear tomorrow. We may come to the end and have to make sudden decisions concerning unfamiliar paths that lie ahead. Yet these are not times to fear, but times to trust. We must remember that God knows where we are and what is happening in our lives. He has all of the directions. All we must do is stay close to Him and follow where He leads. We can be assured that He will teach us His way and make the path plain before us. +++

02/25/08
THE BURDEN OF THE LORD

Scripture: Jeremiah 23:33 "What is the burden of the Lord?"

Jeremiah was called the "weeping prophet" because he was very sensitive and sympathetic by nature. Yet, this meek man was chosen by God to deliver a strong message of judgment against sin. Those who heard his continual message of judgment could not handle his sobering words, so in mockery they posed the question, "What is the burden or heavy word from the Lord today?" Jeremiah was a man who received the burden from the Lord because he spent time with the Lord.

Burdens only come with familiarity and information. You can never understand someone's burden without being in their presence, listening to their words, and coming to know their needs. You will have no burden for the people whom you’ve never met or whose needs you’ve never heard of. Recently, we've come to share the burden of our nation and to empathize with many people who have suffered losses in the war and other tragedies. As we've been made aware of their losses, our hearts have ached and our spirits have become heavy because of the tremendous burdens upon them. We have witnessed the endless hours and energy of those who have put their own lives in extreme jeopardy for us. They have shed their blood, experienced some area of personal sacrifice, and some have even given their lives.

This is also how it works in God's kingdom. When we go to God in prayer, we take our burdens to Him. We unload all of our problems as the scriptures teach us to do because we know that God cares for us. Yet too often, we do not make this a sharing relationship. In the midst of our petitions and requests for our own needs, we fail to sit silently in God's presence until He makes His desires known to us. Seldom, if ever, do we stop and ask God to share His burdens with us. Our main interest is ourselves, and many times we are far too busy with our own agendas to get a clear vision of God's burden.

If those about us were to ask us the same question that was asked of Jeremiah, "What is the burden of the Lord today," we would have no answers. For God's burden is revealed only as we receive information, and He only shares that information with those who spend time in His presence. True revelation of God's desires will be imparted only as we linger with Him and listen intently to His words. The closer we get to the Lord, the more He will share His heart and the more He will trust us with His concerns. As God shares with us, we will begin to discern His will and the heart of His Spirit. When we receive knowledge of Him and begin to know Him in His fullness we will then understand His burden. When we begin to understand the burden of the Lord, it will demand sacrifice on our part and force us to be selfless and to take action to fulfill His will. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/26/08
GOD'S EYES

Scripture: Proverbs 15:3 "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."

When we were children we thought that our parents had eyes in the back of their heads. No matter how hard we tried to hide our transgressions, it seemed that they somehow were able to discover them. It was always such a mystery. And of course, the big question always came to our minds, "How did they find out?" As we grew older, we began to understand that God's Spirit was leading them and allowing them to find out the truth so that they could provide discipline and protection. They weren't always looking for the bad, but because it was there, it just showed up. It was a principle of God's word that states that what is done in secret will be brought to light.

God is our heavenly Father and as a parent, He is just as concerned for us as our natural parents were. He is everywhere and is always watching. His eyes are in every place and He never slumbers or sleeps. He knows more about us than we know about ourselves. Our knowledge can't even begin to compare to His. He even knows exactly how many hairs we have on our heads. Can you top that? He not only sees our actions and words but also knows the intents and motives of our hearts. God cannot be deceived.

Sometimes we may feel that our prayers are not getting past the ceiling, much less to the throne of God. And we become weary in well doing, feeling that no one is noticing our efforts, especially God. Then when we commit the slightest infraction against His law, we are sure that He notices it. We forget that He is more intent on finding the good in us than the evil. Look at the example of Job. God asked Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who reverently fears God and abstains from and shuns evil because it is wrong (Job 1:8 Amplified)?" Job may not have been aware that God was watching and admiring him. At times, he may have felt that His good deeds were in vain and become weary in well doing, but he did not give in or slack off. Even in his worse trials, Job continued to trust God and shun evil. Just as God's eyes were upon Job, His eyes are upon you today and because He is always looking, His eyes are going to behold the good and the evil that is in your life. Therefore, strive to be found as Job was; blameless and upright, one who reverently fears God and abstains from evil because it is wrong. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/27/08
KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS

Scripture: Matthew 14:30 "But when Peter saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord save me."

The disciples were crossing the lake when their ship was tossed about by contrary winds. While they were in this dilemma, Jesus came walking towards them on the water. At first the disciples were troubled and afraid. They thought that they were seeing the images of ghosts and spirits. But then Jesus identified Himself and told them not to fear. When Peter realized that he was seeing Jesus walk on the water, he rose up in faith and said, "Lord, if it is You, bid me come to You." And Jesus said, "Come." However, the faith that worked for Peter and caused him to have the courage to step out of the boat and walk on the water soon faded in the light of the situation. When Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and began to look at the winds and the waves, his faith failed and he began to sink. In fear, he cried to the Lord for help and Jesus immediately stretched forth His hand, caught Peter, and walked him back to the boat.

This story shows us how easy it is to start out in faith and then have our faith fail along the way. It is a snapshot of us walking on the water and then sinking in that same water. The circumstances have not changed. It is the same water, same winds, and same waves that we started out in. The only thing that has changed is the way we view them. When we started out in faith, our eyes were upon Jesus. We saw Him and were convinced of what He could and would help us do. We weren't looking at the waves and the contrary winds. Our vision was fresh because our eyes were focused upon Jesus, and it was easy to obey because the words that He spoke to us were clear in our spirit.

Many times, however, when we start our journey towards God's promise, we encounter difficulties. We find that staying in faith is not always easy and that walking on the water can be a real challenge. It just takes a few winds of adversity to discourage us, and some strong waves to cause us to fear. The devil does all that he can to divert our attention so that he can eliminate our faith. His goal is to kill, steal, and destroy. The difficulties and distractions that he brings usually cause us to take our eyes off Jesus and His word. When we begin to focus on the immediate adversities, we begin to experience failure. Notice that Peter did not sink. He only began to sink. When He cried out to the Lord, the Lord saved him. Wherever you are in your walk of faith, remember that all is not lost. Like Peter, you can call out to the Lord at any time for help. He understands your lack and is willing and able to come to your rescue. If you call out to the Lord, He will stretch forth His hand and lift you up. You must not dwell upon the raging waves or the activity around you. You must stay focused on the Author and Finisher of your faith. As long as you keep your eyes on Jesus, you will walk on the water and experience the supernatural. ++++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/28/08
RESTORATION

Scripture: Psalms 23:3 "He restoreth my soul."

Each day we make an effort to restore our physical bodies. We refresh or re-do ourselves so that we feel better and are more presentable to the outside world. Yet, our bodies are not the only part of us that needs refreshing. God does the same with our soul. As we encounter life and its disappointments, our soul becomes tattered and worn. We may feel like the psalmist did when he wrote Psalms 42. He was cast down, oppressed, and harboring many questions concerning his plight. Even his own tears mocked him. But in his spirit, he knew the solutions to his own problems. He knew the One who could restore his soul.

David declared this restorer and shepherd of his soul to be the Lord. David was a man that loved God, and he was a man that was loved by God. I Samuel 13:14 describes David as a man after God's own heart. He had a special relationship with God, yet David went through many places where he faced frustrations in his soul. His soul continually needed to be renewed and restored by God. As a young man, David was forgotten by his own father when Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse's sons to be king. Later, David experienced shame for his own sin with Bath-Sheba and felt guilt for his part in the murder of her husband. He suffered the consequences of that sin with the death of his own son whom he had with Bath-Sheba. As a parent, David faced the rebellion of another son, Absalom, and had to deal with Absalom's efforts to take his kingdom. David's wife, Michal mocked him as he worshipped God. King Saul, whom he served so faithfully, sought to kill him. As a leader, David's men spoke of stoning him after their city, Ziklag, was burned and plundered, and their families were taken captive (I Samuel 30:4). David was in such despair that he cried until he had no more power to weep. It seemed that he was always facing a dilemma or controversy.

The rejection, shame, guilt, betrayal, and mockery that David experienced would destroy the peace and joy in anyone's heart. His emotions must have soared as these hurts were inflicted by those whom he loved. Yet, David encouraged himself in the Lord and continually praised and worshiped God. Even in adverse situations, David looked to God for restoration. He knew whom he could trust and in whom his hopes lie. You may be facing something just as challenging in your life right now. You may be looking into the face of disappointment or danger. When you look at your situation, remember David and his responses to adversity. Refuse to allow the enemy of your soul to defeat you or get you down. Begin to encourage yourself in the Lord and praise and worship Him. As you do, God will lead you from the valley to the mountain top and restore your soul. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/29/08
CONSIDER THE LILIES

Scripture: Matthew 6:28 "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin."

God doesn't condemn us for making necessary preparations for the future, but He does tell us not to be overly concerned, worried, or unsettled in our minds. In verse twenty-five, Jesus says, "Take no thought about tomorrow." Taking a thought means choosing to receive doubt into your mind that causes you to be anxious and fretful. Jesus said, "Consider the lilies of the field and learn how they grow." They have three things going for them:

They have a FATHER that knows what they need - (vs. 32).
They have FAITH - (Vs. 30).
They have hope for the FUTURE - they trust God to take care of tomorrow - (Vs. 34).

Again, Jesus said, "God's lilies do not toil or spin." Toil means to work hard until you are fatigued, labor until you are weary, or reduce your strength through pain and trouble. Verse twenty-seven in the Message Bible reads, "Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch?" You can't make yourself grow one inch regardless of how much thought you give to the matter. Your growth is in God's hands. So it is with your future provisions. Worrying about your finances will not bring them in. You must depend upon God.

Notice the word says, "God clothes the lilies." It's impossible for humans to clothe the lilies and give them beauty. The most beautiful silk flowers that man can make can't compare to the majesty of the lilies that God clothes. Neither do the lilies themselves work at becoming beautiful. They simply draw their strength from the soil, sun, air, and rain. God alone gives them life and creates their beauty. You can toil and fret about the future until you are weary and without strength, but that is not God's will for you. In this same story, in the gospel of Luke 12:29, Jesus said, "Don't be doubtful - tossed up and down between hope and fear" (Amplified). God's will is that you stop fretting about material things and begin to "seek His kingdom first." Then, as you seek His kingdom, all the things that you have need of will be added to you (Verse 31). You are to put God first, and let everything else take second place as you search for Him. Don't worry over your future, but consider the lilies of the field. If your Father cares enough to take care of them, He will certainly take care of you. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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