A Word In Due Season
1st Week of July 2008

07/01/08
WHAT MANNER OF MAN?

Scripture:  Luke 8:25  "What manner of Man is this!  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him."

The disciples were crossing the lake at Jesus' command when they encountered a fierce storm.  In the midst of this situation, they cried out to the Lord and He spoke peace to the storm.  Even though the disciples were expecting Jesus to deliver them, they were still overwhelmed by the miracle that He performed.  For with a few words, He calmed the winds and the waters.  The question then entered their minds, "What manner of Man is this?"  What kind of man can be asleep one minute and then have dominion over the elements of nature the next minute?  What kind of man can speak to the winds or command the waters and bring them into subjection to His will?  What kind of man has authority over the storms of life?  Upon seeing this powerful display, the disciples recognized that they were in the presence of someone who was filled with the supernatural power of God and they worshiped Him.

Spiritual storms in our lives are frightening but they also create spiritual growth.  It is in the storms of life that our prayers become more intense, for we realize that the Lord is our only help.  It is in the midst of the storms that our faith is tried and tested as we are taken beyond our previous level of faith.  We may grow tired and weary as we struggle against the winds of adversity and the waves of uncertainty, but in the end, the struggle of the storm will be the thing that strengthens us.  In the storms of life, we discover that Jesus is never far from our dilemma and is always ready to come to our rescue.  We learn that He is with us in the boat and that He is all that we need.  We come to know that He understands all of the issues that we are dealing with, even our fears and lack of faith.  In the storms we experience His mighty power as His words bring peace to our greatest challenge.

You may have found yourself floundering around on the sea of life because you have not allowed Jesus to be the captain of your soul.  It may seem to you that the Lord is asleep on the boat while you are struggling against your own personal storm.  Like the disciples, you may be asking Jesus, "Do You care that I am about to perish?"  Jesus knows just how much you can bear.  When you are at the end of your faith, He will come and strengthen you.  When you are being sifted like wheat, He will pray for you.  The Lord of your life is never far from your dilemma.  His words of "Peace be still" will work today.  He is able to bring hope into every hopeless situation and peace into every storm.  He can speak one word of healing and drive out all of the sickness in your body.  He can command that life dispel the spirit of death.  He can cause you to prosper by dismissing poverty from your life.  Everything in life and death must submit to His will and obey His words.  Jesus has your answer, but you must call out to Him.  Your voice of prayer will invoke His voice of power and authority and He will come to your rescue.  He will calm your greatest storms and cause every wave of adversity to cease in your life. That is the manner of man that Jesus is. +++

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07/02/08
HOW LONG?

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07/03/08
GRACE TO THE HUMBLE

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07/04/08
BLESSED NATION

Scripture:  Psalms 33:12  "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."

The fifty-six men who signed our Declaration of Independence, which was approved on July 4, 1776, committed an act of treason against the British Crown.  As they signed this incredible Declaration, they mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.  Of those who signed, two became Presidents of the United States, three became Vice Presidents, and several others became either State Governors or U. S. Senators.  However, there were many signers who suffered greatly.  Four died of wounds from the war and five were imprisoned.  Several lost their wives and children as their homes were attacked.

The oldest signer of the Declaration was 70 year old Benjamin Franklin, whose faith was strong in God.  He said:

       "Have we now forgotten this powerful Friend?
        Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?
        I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live,
            the more convincing proofs I see of this truth --
            that God governs in the affairs of men.
        And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice,
            is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?
        We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings,
            that 'except the Lord build the house,
            they labor in vain that build it.'
        I firmly believe this."

Benjamin Franklin was convinced that all was vain unless the Lord was God and Builder of this nation.  The freedom we enjoy has been purchased with tears and blood.  We have reaped the noble sacrifice of these brave men, and every American life has been touched by the document they signed.  Because of their sacrifice, we have experienced a "Blessed nation whose God is the Lord ... And we are STILL one nation, under God. +++

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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of July 2008

07/07/08
DESIRES OF THE HEART

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07/08/08
COME LEARN OF ME

Scripture:  Matthew 11:28-29  "Come unto me  .... Learn of Me."

Jesus gives us two wonderful invitations.  He invites us into His presence by saying, "Come unto Me," and He also invites us to "Learn of Him."  He offers us His personal fellowship and His personal mentorship.  These two invitations that He offers are actually one package, for you can't have one without the other.  You can't really learn who Jesus is without coming to Him and experiencing Him as a person, and you can't come into His presence without learning from Him and about Him. 

When we come to Jesus to learn of Him, He doesn't offer us a second hand education.  He said that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things (John 14:26).  The knowledge that you acquire in His presence is spiritual revelation like it was with Peter when he declared that Jesus was the Son of the Living God.  Peter didn't surmise the person of Jesus through reading about Him in a book or hearing others talk about Him.  He had come unto Jesus and he had learned of Him.  Peter knew in his own heart who Jesus was because he had been with Jesus and had experienced a spiritual transference of wisdom and understanding.  Jesus explained that flesh and blood had not revealed this knowledge to Peter, but that the revelation of Jesus' deity had been supernaturally imparted by the Father in Heaven (Matthew 16:17). 

These two invitations to come and learn were given particularly to those who were weary and carrying heavy burdens.  Yet, invitations are simply that.  No one will force you to come and no one will force you to learn regardless of how tired and weary you may be.  It is up to you to accept the Lord's invitation and make time in your own personal schedule to follow through.  Communion with Jesus offers us an awesome avenue of exchange.  He promises that if we would take time to come into His presence and learn of Him that He would give us rest in our souls in exchange for the things that were making us weary.  He declared that His yoke would be easy and that His burden would be light.  Isaiah 40:31 tells us that if we wait upon the Lord, our strength will be renewed and we will mount up with wings as eagles.  We shall run and not be weary, and we shall walk and not faith.

It is important that you take a few minutes every morning to come into the Lord's presence and learn of Him before you start your day.  As you develop a relationship with Jesus and learn of Him, you will come to understand that you can only do what He tells you to do and say what He tells you to say.  That knowledge will impart incredible strength into your soul because it will release you from false responsibility and free you from stress.  Your decisions will become easier and more accurate because you are leaning upon the Holy Spirit of Wisdom and Truth.  Your path will become clearer because your life will be less cluttered by the things that surround you.  When you sow this seed of time for your day, you will find yourself saying no to a multitude of distractions because you will be focused on God's goals and desires for your life.  His plan and His purpose is the most important agenda for your life so take time to come and learn of Him and allow His strength to carry you through the day. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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07/09/08
YOU HEAR ME ALWAYS

Scripture: John 11:41-42 "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You hear Me always.

Jesus prayed these words as He stood at the tomb where Lazarus had been buried for four days. If ever there needed to be a miracle from God, it seemed that it would be at this moment. Yet, Jesus was not the least bit anxious about the situation, even though He was surrounded by many unbelievers. Instead, He had great confidence when He spoke to the Father. He believed with all of His heart that the Father was listening to His words and that He would respond. He never doubted that Lazarus would be raised from the dead even though his body, which had been in a sealed tomb for four days, had started to decay and was beginning to smell. God is the creator of all life and He is not limited by natural circumstances.

What were the secrets to Jesus' incredible prayer audience with God. I believe that He followed His own guidelines in prayer, which He gave to His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13. When Jesus prayed, He reverenced God and approached Him as His Father in Heaven. His prayer was also in agreement with God's Kingdom. He took dominion and commanded God's will to be done on Earth as it is was in Heaven. He used the keys of the Kingdom to bind death and loose life. He asked for the current need or daily provision to be met. Lazarus didn't need his financial needs met, healing, or a multitude of other things. He needed to be raised from the dead so Jesus commanded him to come out of the grave and be loosed from his grave clothes. Jesus also came to the Father with a clean heart, for there was never any sin in Him. Sin separates us from the presence of God and prevents God from granting our petitions. Jesus didn't allow Himself to be led into temptation. He only did what the Father spoke to Him to do. He may have wanted to go to Lazarus immediately, but He waited four days for God's perfect timing. He also made sure that God received the glory, for He told Lazarus' sister, Martha, that if she would only believe that she would see the glory of God (Verse 40).

Wouldn't you like to be able to say the words that Jesus said to the Father? "I know that You hear Me always." Yet, there are many times, we wonder if God is listening to us because our prayers produce little results. We need to realize that our faith in God and our confidence in prayer will bring about mighty answers. God is waiting to show us His glory. Jesus' words to the Father are powerful and we too need to find that place where we know that God hears us always. It is time for us to ask God if there is anything that is separating us from Him. If there is something keeping God from hearing us then we need to correct it so that we can receive the great and mighty things that He has promised. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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07/10/08
THE CHALLENGED WORD

Scripture: Luke 8:12 ".. then comes the devil, and takes away the Word out of their hearts."

Jesus told a parable to His disciples to explain in the natural what happens in the spiritual realm. He used the analogy that the Word of God was like a seed and that our heart was like the soil in which the seed was planted. He said that when the seed is sown, the devil comes immediately and attempts to steal it from our hearts. If our heart is able to absorb the seed he then tries to destroy its fruit through other means. He will bring persecutions, the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things to choke out the seed of God's Word. He is vehemently against the Word of God because he knows that God's Word is full of power. It will not return to God void, but it will accomplish what He sent it forth to do (Isaiah 55:11).

The greatest of saints were challenged in their belief in the Word. Peter had a wonderful revelation that Jesus was the Son of God and Jesus told Peter that He would build His church upon this revelation. Later Jesus warned Peter that the devil was going to sift Peter as wheat. The devil was out to destroy Peter's faith. When Peter was challenged, he declared that he didn't know Jesus and even denied that he was one of His disciples. Joseph was given a Word from God in a dream, but he was also challenged in many ways. The seed that had been planted inside of Joseph's heart had to endure the rejection of his brothers, the pit, the prison, and the temptations of Potiphar's wife. Jesus, Himself, had to protect the Word that God the Father had spoken over Him when He said, "This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased." The devil challenged Jesus face to face in the wilderness in an attempt to steal the precious seed by saying, "If You be the Son of God ...."

Jesus declared that it has been given unto us to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is a great opportunity but we decide what kind of harvest that we will receive by what we do with the Word that God sows into our heart. Matthew 13:8 tells us that our potential to produce fruit from the Word ranges from having no fruit, thirty to sixty fold fruit, or one hundred fold fruit. It will not be any easier for us to receive a harvest than it was for Peter, Joseph, and Jesus. Jesus told us that we must take heed how we hear the Word. We must allow the Holy Spirit to break up the hard ground of our heart so that we can receive the good seed and then we must guard the garden where it has been planted. The devil will definitely challenge us so we must rid our lives of anything that would attempt to choke out God's Word and destroy our faith. Our harvest will depend upon our faithfulness to protect His Word that He has put within our heart. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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07/11/08
PRESSING TOWARDS THE MARK

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14 "Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press towards the mark ..."

Life is a series of choices. In Paul's instance, his sole ambition was to know Jesus and to be conformed to His image. In an effort to achieve this standing, Paul made the personal choice to lay aside all of his credentials and everything that he had done in the past. As Paul took inventory of his life, he noted that he had been circumcised according to the law. He was of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, and a Pharisee. Paul had position and power and even legal authority to persecute the churches. These were the things that made Paul seem important to himself and to others. Yet, when compared to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom he had met supernaturally on the road to Damascus, Paul counted it all as nothing.

Paul had other things that he had laid aside as he pressed towards the mark of the high calling of God for His life. These were the wrong choices that plagued his mind with guilt and sorrow. He had stood by and watched Steven being stoned. The memory of Steven's face as he was being martyred must have flashed into Paul's thoughts many times. There was also the memory of the members of the church that Paul had persecuted with such zeal. How could he forget their cries and the agony on their faces? He had much to forget as he pressed towards God's plan. And even though Paul realized that he had not attained perfection, he was determined to press towards the mark of the calling of God on his life.

What if Paul had not laid aside these things to fulfill God's calling? What if he thought himself too great to bear the cost of becoming an Apostle of Jesus Christ? Why should he sacrifice his credentials and honors to become a minister, who would be beaten, stoned, enslaved, shipwrecked, and suffer hunger and thirst? What if he thought himself too lowly to serve Jesus because he had persecuted the churches? If Paul had never moved beyond the shame and burden of responsibility for his failures, he would have never written nearly three-fourths of the New Testament. Nor would he have ever shared the information that is so vital to the church today. Paul's great achievements for his own life and the instructions, revelations, and spiritual legacy that he gave to the church are the result of his choice to forget what lay behind and to press towards the mark of the high calling of God.

Like Paul, you must continue your walk with the Lord regardless of your own past failures and regrets. You must follow his example and forget those things in your past that try to distract you from completing God's plan and purpose in your life. You must not only move beyond your failures but also choose to let go of the achievements that you are proud of. If you want to reach God's highest goal for your life, you must lay aside everything in order to press towards the mark of the high calling of God for your own life. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of July 2008

07/14/08
FOCUSED AND FIT FOR THE KINGDOM

Luke 9:62 "Jesus said to him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God."

Jesus spoke to a man to come and follow Him. This was a lifetime opportunity but the man requested that he first be released to go and bid his family good bye. Jesus dealt with this natural mindset by telling the man not to look back at his old life. This seems like a harsh instruction but Jesus knew that the man would be returning to relatives who would probably ridicule and scorn his decision. They may even have been unbelievers whose influence could cloud his faith with doubt and instill fear within his heart. They may have tempted him to give up such a ridiculous idea. They may have questioned where his life's support would come from and probably point out that Jesus Himself said that He had no place to lay His own head.

We want God to enlarge our borders, take us to higher levels, and open new doors. Yet, we have a tendency to respond in fear when those things began to occur because they can create challenges. The new territories offer us new problems to solve and an unfamiliar protocol to follow, which requires greater physical and mental strength on our part. It may also require a financial investment or risk. The unknown is all too taxing because our past failures remind us that we could end up in defeat again. So it is often tempting to look at the safety and luxuries that we possess in the present rather than to press towards the future with its risk and rewards.

Yet as we look at the examples that are in the scriptures we realize that the men who were able to achieve their goals and fulfill their callings were determined and focused. Regardless of the obstacles they faced, they never looked back. The Apostle Paul focused on the prize of the high calling of Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). He was beat, stoned, imprisoned, and left for dead, but he allowed nothing to stop him. He continued to press towards the mark. Abraham was called to leave his country and family to go to a land that God would show him (Genesis:1). He had no map to the blessing or written contract from God but he stayed focused on the words that God had spoken, which gave him direction and instilled faith in his heart. Joshua and Caleb didn't look at the size of the giants in the land but focused on the size of the grapes. They were of another spirit and followed God fully (Numbers 14:24) until they reached the Promised Land. Daniel didn't consider the lions that were in the den. He believed that God would deliver him and focused his attention on the angels of the Lord who shut the mouths of the lions (Daniel 6:22). And Jesus focused upon God's will by setting His face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).

These examples are not just intriguing stories for us to enjoy. They are given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit to encourage us to also keep our focus upon the Lord and His high calling for our lives. The Lord speaks to all of us to come and follow Him. Yet, He wants us to know that when we put our hands to the plough we must never allow ourselves to look back or be distracted by the good or bad that we have left behind. Jesus wasn't giving instructions that He wasn't willing to follow for Himself. He willingly gave up all that He was and put His hand to the plough to complete the Father's will. He stayed focused all the way to Calvary and died on our behalf. His victory is now our strength. Now we must endeavor to remain focused on Him so that we can become fit for the Kingdom of God. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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07/15/08
LIFE, BREATH, AND ALL THINGS

Scripture: Acts 17:25 "He gives to all life, and breath, and all things."

Jesus came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. This doesn't mean that He will make every one of us rich in earthly goods or cause us all to be famous. It also doesn't mean that we will all experience excellent health or exceed in wisdom. Instead, it means that our individual lives have the potential to be fulfilling and that we all have the same opportunity for the joy of the Lord to overflow in our souls. Deuteronomy 30:19 tells us that God sets before us life and death and then He tells us to choose life. Proverbs 18:21 says that death and life are in the power of the tongue so even our words create and destroy life. The outcome of our lives depend upon our own attitudes and the choices that we make.

Our life, our breath, and everything that we have came from God, for He created the world and everything that is in it. Every breath that we take is because He breathes life into us. Every drop of blood that our hearts pumps is because He causes the pressures within the heart and arteries to make it happen. Every step that we take is because He gives us mobility. Everything that our hands grasp is because of the strength that He gives. Every thought that we think is because He has provided us with a brain and a logical mind. Everything that we see is because of the eyes that He has furnished. Every sound that we are able to hear is because He has given us ears and opened our hearing. Every ounce of life that we have and enjoy is because of Him. Our very lives are held in His hands.

God knows all about us. We may be able to hide our thoughts and feelings from the closest people around us but God made us and He knows when we are up and when we are down. He is ever watching and sees us as we are coming in and going out. Nothing is hidden from His view. He uncovers the secrets that are deeply hidden within our hearts so that He can heal them. He communicates with us not just through the things of life but as a friend to a friend. He calls us each by name and deals with us, spirit to spirit. He give us life, breath, and all things. Let us never neglect to love and commune with this One who has created us, for in Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). +++

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07/16/08
NO SIN TOO GREAT

Scripture: Psalms 103:3 (Living Bible) "He forgives all my sins."

God is faithful and He continually surrounds us with His loving kindness and tender mercies. He extends His love and compassion towards us even though we do not deserve it. He knows our shortcomings and there is no sin so great that He will not forgive except that of total blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Whenever and whatever we confess, He promises to forgive and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This is the good news of the gospel because our lives are marred with sin every day. Even the Apostle Paul was engaged in the battle for righteousness. Although he had been converted, he declared that he couldn't make himself do right. He wanted to do good, but he just couldn't. When he tried to do good, he didn't. And when he tried not to do wrong, he did it anyway (Romans 7:19). He counted himself as a total failure as far as his sinful nature was concerned, yet he knew that God's grace was sufficient for him.

We may think that the forgiveness and redemption of our sins and the sins of those about us is hopeless. Yet our sins will never be greater than the blood of Jesus, for His blood is able to wash away every stain and make us whiter than snow. We can look through the scriptures and find forgiveness on every level. After Peter declared the awesome revelation that Jesus was the Messiah, he cursed and even denied that he knew Jesus, but Jesus forgave him and caused him to be a great apostle. The woman at the well was living with a man that she was not married to, but when she encountered the forgiveness of Jesus, she became a witness to the entire city. Another woman was caught in the act of adultery, yet instead of condemning her, Jesus forgave her and rescued her from her accusers. King David found forgiveness not only for his sin of passion and adultery with Bathsheba but also for the premeditated murder of her husband, Uriah. The Apostle Paul did many things contrary to the Name of Jesus, and without mercy he persecuted the church. Yet Jesus met him on the road to Damascus, forgave him, changed his life, and called him to the ministry. Even in Jesus' most difficult hour, He extended forgiveness not only to the thief who hung on the cross beside Him, but also to the multitudes who had crucified Him without cause.

This is the wonderful Savior that we serve. He looks beyond our sins and who we are and continues to be who He is. He is faithful and forgiving and doesn't turn us away when we fail. He looks at us through His eyes of love and remembers that He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. He paid a great price for our forgiveness. He is our Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, and He always forgives all of our sins. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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07/17/08
SHIELD OF FAITH

Scripture: Ephesians 6:16 "Above all taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked."

God provides us with great spiritual armor that enables us to stand against all the strategies of the devil. This armor is not just to be displayed on a shelf, but is to be used continually in our battle against the principalities and powers of wickedness. We are to keep this armor on in the good times as well as the bad times, so that we are not taken off guard when evil attempts to surprise us. Every piece of the armor is vital, but when Paul listed them, he said, "Above all, take the shield of faith." Above all, we are to take the shield of faith because it is held in the forefront and helps protect the other pieces of armor. It also protects any area that the armor itself might not cover.

This word "shield" in the Greek in this particular situation is interpreted as "door or gate" or "entrance, which opens and closes." Our faith or shield of faith has the ability to open or close the door to the forces of evil. Doubt, fear, and unbelief will always challenge us and we can either allow these fiery darts to afflict our spirits and soul or we can stand against them in faith. We can stand behind our shield of faith in integrity or open the door and allow the enemy to penetrate and destroy our principles. We can hold to our faith in truth and refuse to discuss the "ifs" and "cans" of God's will and ability or we can let our shield down and be drawn into a damming conversation with the devil who is the father of all lies. When we lift up our shield of faith and determine to stand concerning the things that we believe, the water of God's word will quench the fiery darts that come against us.

In I Kings 22:29-37 there is a story about King Ahab who was in battle against the King of Syria. Verse thirty-four says that King Ahab was killed because a certain man drew a bow at venture, without taking specific aim, and the arrow hit in the area where the king's armor was divided. This was just a small unprotected place in his armor, yet it yielded death to the king. King Ahab probably never thought too much about this insignificant place, but had his shield been lifted up, it would have protected this open area in his armor and saved him from destruction. Like this story, the enemy of our soul goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. All he needs is one small vulnerable place in our spiritual armor that will allow him to cause havoc in our lives. When he finds it, he aims a fiery dart. The results of his efforts are up to us, for the damage of his attack will depend upon whether or not our shield of faith is between us and him. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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07/18/08
THE LORD'S MERCY

Scripture: Genesis 19:16 (Living Bible) "When Lot hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safely outside the city, for the Lord was merciful."

Two angels came to rescue Lot and his family from the destruction that was about to occur to Sodom and Gomorrah. The angels said, "Flee for your lives ... and don't look back." Even though the angels warned Lot to leave quickly so that he would escape the judgment that was to come, Lot hesitated. Fleeing the city meant that he would have to leave behind his home and everything that he had acquired, including his friends and two son-in-laws. Lot's hesitation almost cost him his life, but God's angels intervened because the Lord was merciful.

Can you look back on your life today and see the many times that God intervened, saving you from heartache and destruction? Maybe God kept you from marrying the wrong person or stopped you when you were thinking of ending your marriage, which today is a blessing. Possibly, He intervened when you were about to go in debt, overextending yourself financially. Did you ever look back on a car or house deal that you had prayed and asked God for and then thanked Him that He did not answer your prayer because you found a better deal somewhere else? God is so merciful to us. Even though we can't see it at the time, He always has our best interest in mind and will always give us the best when we allow Him to do the choosing.

God desperately tries to lead us by His Holy Spirit so that He can bless us and rescue us from hurtful situations, but like Lot, we often hesitate. We don't want to let go of where we are and walk into the future with nothing but childlike faith in God. We continually look back to old relationships that have failed and refuse to let go of our past hurts. We bitterly hang on to the hurtful memories so that we can't truly forgive. We dwell on the negative reports of the doctors, which hinder God's word of healing. Yet, the Lord continues to be merciful to us.

Lamentations 3:21-23 says, "Yet there is one ray of hope: His compassion never ends. It is the Lord's mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is His faithfulness; His loving kindness begins afresh each day." We can thank the Lord that when we hesitate to do His will or trust His word, we still have a ray of hope. God's faithful compassion and mercies never end, and He will take necessary steps to keep us from complete destruction. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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A Word In Due Season
4h Week of July 2008

07/21/08
PLAIN PATHS

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

One of the greatest privileges of being a child of God is that we can depend upon the Holy Spirit to lead us in our daily lives. David leaned upon this knowledge and cried out to the Lord in several of the Psalms, asking for direction. He pleaded with God to lead him in the way of truth and righteousness, not just for his own benefit but also for the sake of the Lord's Name. He understood that his actions were a reflection upon his Heavenly Father and that they either brought honor or dishonor to His Name. For that reason, he prayed that the Lord would teach him His way and lead him in a plain path.

Jeremiah 10:23 said that it is not in the way of man to direct his steps and Isaiah said that the Lord God would lead us in the way that we should go (Isaiah 48:17). Yet, just as hard as we try to follow after God's will and complete His purposes, the enemy seeks to divert us through deception and circumstances. As a result, we often fail to stay on the straight and narrow path. Most of the time, it's not a matter of blatant disobedience or rebellion on our part, but that we just miss the still small voice of God. The consequence is that we fail to be in the right place at the right time. And because we are not in the place where God wants us, we are not able to either be the blessing or receive the blessing that He has designed for us.

The devil tries to use these places in our lives to bring confusion and discouragement. He knows that if he can cause us to depart from the leading of God's Spirit by just one degree, we will eventually be way off course. Several years ago, I was to follow my husband across town to an unknown destination using separate vehicles. I knew part of the route, but just as we got to the critical point to change directions, my husband suddenly changed lanes and exited the loop we were on. Just as he changed lanes, an eighteen-wheeler separated us, and I was forced to continue in the direction I was going. After the eighteen-wheeler passed, I saw my husband enter the interstate highway. He was now on the third rung of the freeway heading east, while I was on the bottom heading south. Our paths crossed, but he was several yards above me. My heart wanted to panic as I saw him fade into the distance. Because of my limited knowledge of the freeway system, I had been rerouted by circumstances beyond my control. I knew, however, that I could trust my husband, and I had an assurance that he would stop and wait for me. I knew that he was more concerned for me than I was for myself.

God knows that we face these same sort of dilemmas in our spiritual life. He sees our panic and confusion when we realize that we are out of His will because we've been cut off by deception or circumstances. He watches for us to make a deliberate effort to return to Him. Then when we do return, we find Him waiting patiently on the plain path. He is our loving Father who is more concerned about us than we are for ourselves. So, like the psalmist prayed, let us also ask God to teach us His ways and lead us in a plain path. +++

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07/22/08
VEHICLES OF THE MESSAGE

Scripture: Acts 3:12 "Why do you look so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we have made this man to walk?"

A lame man sat and begged at the gate called Beautiful. He did this all of his life until one day Peter and John passed by him, and in the Name of Jesus, power was extended through them to heal the man. As the healed man walked, leaped, and praised God, the people were filled with wonder and amazement thinking that Peter and John had healed him. Verse twelve says that when Peter saw the people's response, he asked them, "Why do you marvel at this? Why are you staring at us as though, by our own power or holiness, we've made this man to walk?"

Peter realized that it was not his own power or ability, but the power and ability of God that had flowed through him that accomplished the miracle. He also told the people that the miracle did not occur because of his own holiness. Peter knew that he was only the vehicle for God's power. He did not allow the people to misdirect their worship, but pointed them to God. He receive no glory for what God had done. In verse thirteen he explained the reason for this miracle by saying, "God has glorified His Son."

God uses whom He pleases, and it is God's message that is important, not the messenger. For the servant of God to take the glory or credit for the miraculous would be like the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem to think that the shouts of "Hosanna" and "Blessed be the King" were for him rather than for the Christ that he was carrying! We must understand that we are merely like the donkey that carried Jesus before the people. When we come to this realization in our life that God's works are not by our own power or holiness then God can use us for the miraculous. +++

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07/23/08
UNTROUBLED HEART IN A TROUBLED WORLD

Scripture: John 14:1 (NIV) "Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me."

We are very acquainted with living in a troubled world, for it seems that the news reports get worse everyday. Even in our own nation there is division and strife, but trouble is not reserved for the national level, for many times our personal lives are also troubled. Even though we do not desire it, there are problems in our private homes, our financial situations, and misunderstandings in our personal relationships. Jesus foresaw this time in history concerning the world and also the disturbing seasons of our own individual lives. Yet even in these times of unrest, He told us not to allow our heart to be troubled. He said, "Trust in God and trust in Me." He must have felt that it was important to get this one thought across because He repeated His words in verse twenty-seven. He desperately wanted us to understand that we could have an untroubled heart in the midst of a troubled world.

How do we go about having an untroubled heart? The first thing we must do is to recognize the presence of the Lord in our life. He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. He plans to bring us through every situation and be with us until the very end. You can't be in God's presence without experiencing peace, and you can't have peace without His presence. The two are bonded together as His very being drives away fear and anxiety. Another thing we can do to obtain and maintain peace is to start consulting God about everything that we do. Wisdom that comes down from above is peaceable (James 3:17). When we allow the Lord to direct us in our decisions, we find peace because we know that we are following after His will and His wisdom will bring us the very best. Finally, we must be a worshipper of God regardless of our current situation or our future outcome. Whatever happens in our life, we should be grateful and trust God with all of our heart and not lean upon our own understanding. We must leave all things in His hands, knowing that He is sovereign and that all things are going to work together for our good. Many times we are so troubled and consumed by what we don't have that we can't appreciate and live in peace with what we do have.

When Jesus said, "Do not let your heart be troubled," He put the responsibility of guarding our heart upon our own shoulders. God has provided peace, but obtaining it is an individual choice. We personally decide if we are going to put our trust in God in every situation or if we are going to allow our heart to become overburdened, troubled, and fearful. We have a choice concerning our reactions to the things that we hear and observe about us. When we really stop and think about it, how can anything go wrong in our lives if we have our Father God and the Lord Jesus Christ on our side? I encourage you to make a decision to trust both of Them, which will enable you to live an untroubled life in a troubled world. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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07/24/08
PARTAKERS OF HIS DIVINE NATURE

Scripture: II Peter 1:3-4 "His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him ... that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature."

The divine power that is mentioned in this scripture is the Greek word "Dudamus" and it means the power to reproduce itself. When Jesus comes into our life, He gives us the opportunity to partake of His divine nature. He promises to share His very being with us and gives us everything that pertains to life and godliness so that His nature can be revealed in us.

Peter tells us how this wonderful transformation takes place. When we make a diligent effort to know Jesus in a personal way, His divine power begins to reproduce within us and we are changed from the inside out. As His power works on the inside of us, we begin to act like He acts, talk like He talks, and think like He thinks. His very nature becomes our nature. Verse eight tells us that as these qualities of Christ become ours, they keep us from being barren and unfruitful. Barren and unfruitful means being unable to produce and without fruit, which is a disappointment to all. We see many born again believers in this state who have the nature of God inside of them, but are unfruitful in their character and works. They have faith in God but do not partake of His divine nature or allow Him to transform their lives into His image.

Fruitfulness comes about by diligent effort like a muscle that is developed through exercise. It takes personal sacrifice, but as you yield to Christ, His divine power begins to reproduce His divine nature. Peter explained how this divine nature comes about. Faith is just the beginning of your walk with the Lord. It is your basic foundation, but to partake of Christ's nature you must add virtue to your faith. Virtue is general moral excellence and right action. Peter then says, add knowledge to your virtue and temperance to your knowledge. Temperance is moderation and self-restraint in your conduct and expression. You are then to add patience, a willingness to wait and endure without complaining. To your patience, you must add godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness. Charity, which is love of God and love of humanity, must also be added. If you are diligent in these areas and allow Christ's divine power to work within you, you will not only be partakers but also examples of His divine nature. +++


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07/25/08
GOD'S COMPASSION

Scripture: Lamentations 3:21-22 (NIV) "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail."

Jeremiah, the prophet, was very distraught concerning the circumstances that surrounded him. He was in such a bad state of mind that his perception of God changed and he began to think that God was against him on every side. He put the blame on God and expressed his despair and fear, saying, "God has hedged me about so that I cannot get out" (Verse 7). It is recorded that the Assyrians would wall up their prisoners so that they had no way of escape and would allow them to die in this state. Jeremiah's thoughts caused him to experience this kind of pain and anxiety. He envisioned himself as being trapped within walls that were unmovable. He could not help himself and had come to the point that he felt that there was no help or deliverance coming from God either. In his distress, he declared, "My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord" (Verse 18).

Jeremiah had allowed his mind to be shaped by the events around him and he gave in to his emotions. Yet in the midst of his inner struggle and outward turmoil, he remembered God, and when he began to think about God's mercy and compassion, hope returned to his heart. As he looked at his situation from a different perspective, he saw with a clearer vision the reality of what was really happening. He came to the conclusion that he would not be consumed in his problems because he knew that God's great love and compassion never fails.

I suppose that most of us have been in a place similar to Jeremiah's where it seemed that we were surrounded by four walls that were closing in on us. There were financial difficulties on one side, failing health on the other, problems with relationships on the third side, and finally unpleasant situations on the job to deal with. As the stress mounted, our strength failed and our hopes began to perish. Maybe you have even been like the Apostle Paul and have had more than four conflicts going on in your life at the same time. Paul declared that he had no rest because he was troubled on every side (II Corinthians 7:5). Yet, he did not allow himself to be distressed or in despair, but continued in faith. We must have this same resolve that we are not going to be consumed or overwhelmed in the conflict. Instead, we are going to remember who God is in our lives and believe in His great love and compassion for us that never fails. +++

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A Word In Due Season
5th Week of July 2008

07/28/08
WHEN GOD SEES THE BOW

Scripture: Genesis 9:13 "I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the Earth."

A rainbow exists opposite of the sun as a result of the sunlight shinning through the raindrops or mist. The first rainbow occurred after the flood of Noah's day when God made a promise that He would never again destroy the entire Earth with water. God declared that in the future a rainbow would accompany the clouds and that He would look upon it and remember this everlasting covenant that He made between Him and every living creature that is upon the earth. Today, a rainbow is still a glorious sight and reminds us of God's covenant with the earth. The rainbow declares that a storm has not only come but that it has passed and that the danger is over. It speaks of beauty and reminds us that we had nothing to fear because the sun was always behind the clouds.

The storms of life can be very frightening in the natural and in the spiritual. In the natural, there is wind, darkness, and water to contend with. There is the uncertainty of the duration of the storm, the path that it will take, or the destruction that it will leave behind. A spiritual storm can be just as devastating as that of a natural storm. It can be very intimidating as it separates us from the light and surrounds us with darkness. Every imaginable thing can happen because we have no control in either type of storm. Yet, it is in these great storms of life that we learn courage and develop faith for the future. In the midst of the wind, you discover an assurance in your trust in God that you never knew existed in your soul. When the waters are raging around you, you come to understand His covering over you is complete and that He is all that you need. In the darkness, you find that His light is always there. It never disappeared or faded away. And then, you have the experience of the glory of the rainbow, the reminder of His everlasting covenant with you.

The problem is that many times we continue to focus on the storm that hit our life rather than rejoicing in the things that it taught us. There are many positive results of the storm. It left us with a different kind of beauty. A fresh rainbow with its various rays of color has unexpectedly appeared in our lives. It is something that we can't explain. Yet, it is something that all Earth can rejoice in, for those about us are able to see the change that the storm has made in us. The new colors in our lives could not have been produced without the struggle of the wind, rain, and darkness, for the greater the storm, the more vibrant the colors. The new inner strength in knowing that God has seen us through the storm gives us confidence, for the greater the conflict, the greater the victory. So never be anxious about the impending storm but always remember that God has set a bow in the clouds that surround you. You have nothing to fear because He is watching the storm and He will remember His covenant with you. He will not forsake you. He will deliver you and paint a rainbow in your life that you cannot easily forget. +++

Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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07/29/08
IDOLS OF THE HEART

Scripture: Matthew 19:21-22 "Jesus said, ... sell what you have and give to the poor ... But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions."

A rich man desired to become a follower of Jesus and thought himself to be a good candidate because he had kept all the commandments of God all of his life. Yet Jesus told the rich man that he lacked one thing and instructed him to sell everything that he had and give it to the poor. The rich man's truest desires were exposed when he was unable to give up his riches in exchange for God's kingdom. His wealth and material possessions had become the god of his life and were ruling his heart. His refusal to surrender his riches prevented him from completing God's will and left him sorrowful in heart.

When we think of idols, we usually think of images of heathen worship. But as Jesus showed us in this story, there are other things that can rule our hearts. Idols are very easy to form. Job security, children, relationships, fame, fortune, and even ministry can become idols in our life. God is not against His people having these things, but He doesn't want those things to dictate our lives. He wants to be the King of our life and to rule all the kingdoms of our heart.

God's ways are never like our ways. Throughout scripture, we see the principle of eternal exchange. Jesus emptied Himself and became a servant so that He could become Lord. He refused the kingdoms that Satan offered Him in order to gain the Kingdom of God. Likewise, we must give up something to receive what God has for us. We have to forsake all to follow Him. If we want to be great, we have to humble ourselves and become the least. We have to lose our life so that we may find it. We must bury seeds in the ground to obtain a harvest in the field. We must love our enemies in order to accomplish our revenge. We must give what we have so that we may receive what we need. All of our selfish motives and desires must be dethroned before God can truly accomplish His purposes in our lives. We can never receive what God has intended for us until we let go of the treasures that hold our hearts. When the idols of our heart are surrendered, we will not be sorrowful because we will gain the Kingdom of God, which is a far greater rate of exchange. +++

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07/30/08
SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD

Scripture: I Peter 2:2 "... Desire the sincere milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby."

A newborn child is a joy to the heart. Yet as we hold them in our arms and cuddle their small frame, we realize that this special time will only last for a short season. Yet, it would be very sad for them to stay in this infant state forever and because we know that they must grow and be strong physically to move on in life, we feed them. We also educate and share our knowledge with them so that they can function in life. We teach them manners and how to be graceful in situations and with people. This is a process that never ends. I gave my son food and watched him grow but even though he is a man now, he still continues to eat. Regardless of how much he ate when he was little, without daily food and nourishment now, his life would soon end. I taught him many skills, yet he still continues to learn. I also taught him how to be graceful in situations and with people, but each new relationship is a learning experience. His growth never ends. Everyday there are new challenges in his life that produce new growth.

Our spiritual life proceeds in the same manner and our Heavenly Father oversees it all. Once we are born again into His family, He sets about to help us grow spiritually. He makes provision for us to grow and to learn His concepts through His Word. The scriptures tell us of at least three areas that we can grow in spiritually. First, our faith can grow exceedingly (II Thess. 1:3). We know that faith is obtained by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Is it any wonder that the Apostle Peter told us to desire the sincere milk of the Word? For the sincere milk of the word will cause us to grow in faith. II Peter 3:18 lists two other areas of growth, saying, "Grow in grace and grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." The more of God's Word we understand, the more we will be able to comprehend His work of grace and the salvation that is in Christ.

We must desire the sincere milk of God's Word and cry out for it like an infant until we receive nourishment. The cries of a new born infant desiring milk can be heard every three hours. We must understand that we can't live on yesterday's nourishment any more than my own son could live today on the milk that he received when he was a baby. We must feed daily and even go beyond the milk to the meat of the Word. Our spirits desperately need God's Word, for it is a matter of spiritual life or death. The greater our knowledge of His sincere Word, the greater our faith will grow. The more we understand Him, the less chance we have of being in error. We must make time to read and meditate on the things that God has written so that we can grow spiritually. +++

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07/31/08
HIS OWN WORDS

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