www.widsonline.com

A Word In Due Season
1st Week of August 2010

08/02/10
MUSTARD SEED FAITH

Scripture: Matthew 17:20 "If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed ... nothing shall be impossible unto you."

Jesus spoke these words to explain the growth that can result from a small beginning. In Mark 4:31, He explained that the mustard seed was the least of all the seeds. Yet, when it took root and began to grow, it became a tree large enough for even the birds of the air to lodge in. Jesus compared the growth of the mustard seed to our faith and said that if we had faith as a grain of a mustard seed, nothing within the scope of God's will would be impossible to us. In fact, when our words come in line with God's words, they become filled with enough power to enable us to speak to the mountains to be removed and they will be cast into the sea.

There is no need for us to remove literal mountains, but there are mountains of adversity that surround all of us. We are to deal with these mountains with mustard seed faith. The mustard seed is not only small, it is pure and unmingled. We don't need to have a lot of faith; we just need pure faith. Pure faith is being persuaded that God's Word is true. Pure faith rests because it has absolute dependence and reliance upon God's Word. It demands full confidence and trust in God's faithfulness to perform His Word. It is a full surrender and obedience to the truth and to the conviction that God will complete the things that we are hoping for. Pure faith is not mixed with doubt. It never struggles, but is a joyful experience.

When you have mustard seed faith, you can release your last handful of meal and your little supply of oil to God and expect Him to see you through the hard days ahead (I Kings 17:16). With mustard seed faith, you can give your five loaves and two fish unreservedly and know that God will turn the little that you have given into a miracle meal to feed over five thousand people (Matthew 14:17-21). Mustard seed faith will cause you to pay your tithes and give offerings with the expectation that God is going to open the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing that you will not have room to receive (Malachi 3:10).

Mustard seed faith never fails. It encourages you to plant in the time of famine and causes you to reap a one hundred fold harvest because of your obedience (Genesis 26:12). It keeps you at peace in the lion's den and keeps you from being burned or having the lingering smell of smoke upon you when you have passed through the fiery furnace. It will keep you untouched as you pass through the Red Seas of your life and will also allow you to walk on the waters in the midst of the storm. Mustard seed faith is all that you need; that is, just a little faith in a great God. As you take your seed of faith and place in God's hands, He will enable you to conquer all of life's circumstances and nothing will be impossible to you. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/03/10
SECRETS OF THE HEART

Scripture: Psalms 44:21 "For He knows the secrets of the heart."

God knows the secrets of our hearts and He understands our daily struggles. He knows that we share the same feelings that the Apostle Paul had. Paul said that the things that he didn't want to do, he did, and the things that he wanted to do, he didn't do. It was a constant battle between Paul's spiritual desires and his carnal nature and fleshly lust. There were times that Paul was frustrated and disappointed in his own self because he just could not get things together. Yet, God graciously used Paul in a mighty way despite his various weaknesses. Paul made several missionary journeys and brought many to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He also wrote about three fourths of the New Testament to encourage and strengthen the saints for centuries to come.

The Apostle Paul was just one man but where would we be today, almost two thousand years later, without his powerful witness? How could we make it without his instructions for daily living and godly righteousness? I am glad that Paul did not allow the devil to condemn him to the point that he felt unworthy to complete God's call on his life. Even though Paul felt that he was the chief of sinners (I Timothy 1:5), he allowed no one to judge him or to hinder God's purposes for his life. He left all criticism in the hands of God and was confident that the Lord who had begun a good work in his life would finish what He had started (Philippians 1:6). Paul allowed God's call on his life to overshadow all of his human weakness and failures.

You may be struggling in your life today with your own desires and temptations of the flesh. The enemy would like for you to believe that you stand alone in your battle, but you must understand that is simply not the case. We all have struggles, for the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. We must be vigilant because he never gives up on trying to deceive us and when we do fall prey to his devices, he is very quick to condemn. I finally had to come to the conclusion that I was not perfect and life was not perfect. There was failure written all over the path that I had taken, yet, God understood my weaknesses and loved me anyway. God knows all of the secrets of our hearts and we must believe that His mercy and grace is greater than the work of the devil. I encourage you to rest in this thought and not to allow your secret weaknesses to keep you from reaching your God ordained destiny. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/04/10

WISDOM

Scripture: Proverbs 2:6 "For the Lord gives wisdom: out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding."

Someone once said, "Worldly wisdom is a futile attempt to know more and more about less and less until one finally learns everything about nothing." This may be true about worldly wisdom, but there is a higher wisdom that God gives. God's divine wisdom, knowledge, and understanding cannot be bought with money or obtained by mere human effort or ability. Instead, it is gained by hearing the words that come from the mouth of the Almighty God who is full of wisdom.

True wisdom begins with having a reverent fear of the Lord. Proverbs 2:1-5 tell us that there are several things we must do to gain wisdom and emphasizes that "if" we do these things, "then" we will understand the fear of the Lord. We must search for wisdom as we would search for a hidden treasure, leaving nothing unturned. We must seek for it as silver, making every effort to obtain it just as we would do to earn a paycheck. This means putting pleasures aside and showing up at God's throne daily to seek His wisdom with diligence and energy. Our voice must cry out to God, expressing our desire for knowledge and insight. As God begins to share His wisdom and understanding, we need to incline our ears and pay close attention. We must receive His words into our hearts and not become like those whom Jesus spoke about who have ears, but do not hear. God's words must also go beyond hearing and receiving. We must apply our hearts to understand and allow God to direct our thoughts and minds so that we can make effective use of the wisdom that He shares with us. Finally, we must hide God's words and wisdom in our heart so that they are there when we need them.

Proverbs chapter four promises that wisdom and understanding will preserve, promote, and bring honor to you. Others will notice wisdom in your life because it will be like an ornament of grace and a crown of glory upon you. Wisdom will also be life and health to all of your flesh. This is God's desire for you. So, listen to His words so that you may obtain His wisdom and then all that God's wisdom promises will come to you. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/05/10
TALKING TO GOD

Scripture: Acts 4:24 & 31 "... they lifted up their voice to God ... and when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together ... "

We make prayer very complicated at times, when in reality it is simple communication with someone who loves and cares about our needs and desires. Communion with God is better than talking to our best friend about our problems and heartaches, for God understands and He never judges. Besides that, He always has the right answer to every question. We never have to be fearful about going to Him because He told us that we could come boldly before His throne of grace in the time of our need. Even when we fall down, make a mistake, and sin, God said that He would be faithful and just to forgive us and would cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He is a loving and faithful God, yet many times we fail to exercise our privilege to talk with Him. Instead, we run to everyone else for help when trouble comes and our world is falling apart.

In this scripture setting, the religious leaders, or the Sadducees, were persecuting the church of God because the believers were preaching in the Name of Jesus and teaching about His resurrection. Supernatural power always brings persecution. So in the midst of the persecution, the disciples went to God in prayer and reminded God of who He was. They said, "Lord, You are the God which made Heaven, Earth, the sea, and all that is in them." The disciples believed that God was still in control and that there was nothing too hard for Him. They reminded God of what He had said through David, His servant. "The heathen rage and imagine vain things." This was the same situation the church was in. The religious leaders were raging against them because they were doing great things for God. The disciples asked God to look at their problem and grant them boldness to speak His Word. They not only asked God for boldness to speak, but also to confirm His word with signs and wonders in the Name of Jesus. Their mighty prayer caused the place where they were assembled to be shaken by the power of God, and God granted their request.

God wants you to know that when you pray, you are talking to the same God that the disciples talked to. He is a God of the 'Now.' He wants to help you, comfort you, and meet your needs. If you can just see this truth, it will make you free. It will give you confidence in your spirit to approach God and ask for the help that you need regardless of your situation. God gave you permission to do this and even invited you to do it. In Jeremiah 33:3 He said, "Call unto Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things that you have not known or recognized before." Trust God with all of your problems and lift up your voice to Him. Talk is cheap, but talking to God is priceless, for He listens and He will respond. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/06/10
THINGS THAT IMPRESS GOD

Scripture: Isaiah 58:8 (Living Bible) "If you do these things, God will shed His own glorious light upon you."

The people of God were trying to do all the right things to gain favor with God and to get their own needs met, but they were receiving no results. In verse three, they cried out to God and said, "We have fasted before you. Why aren't you impressed? Why don't you see our sacrifices? Why don't you hear our prayers? We have done much penance, and You haven't even noticed it!"

Have you ever come to this point of frustration with God? You fast and pray for a certain situation, but it seems that nothing changes. God spoke very plainly in this chapter and said that He was not as interested in religious acts and sacrifices as He was in our practical ministry to others. Like a natural father, what really makes our heavenly Father happy is what we do for His children. In verse six, God says, "Consider the type of fast that I have chosen ... I want you to stop oppressing people and treat them fairly. Share your food with the hungry, clothe the naked, and shelter those who are helpless, poor, and destitute by bringing them into your own homes." True ministry in the eyes of God is as follows:

    "Find a Hurt and Heal it.
     Find a Need and Meet it.
     Find a Void and Fill it.
     Find a Problem and Solve it."
                By Rev. John Osteen

This is true religion that is undefiled before God and if you do these things, God said that He would shed His own glorious light upon you.  He will heal you and your righteousness will go before you. When you pray, He will quickly reply and say, "Yes, I am here." In other words, God makes a promise that if you will be there for others, He will be there for you. God's fast is for you to forget about your own needs for a season and think about others. As you minister to others, God will anoint you and grant you the grace to be bigger than you are. And He will also shed His glorious light upon your own needs. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================

A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of August 2010

08/09/10
THE ARMOR AND PRAYER

Scripture: Ephesians 6:11 & 18 "Put on the whole armor of God .... Praying with all prayer and supplication in the spirit."

Paul instructed the people to pray with all kinds of prayer in the spirit. But before he told them to pray, he told them to put on the whole armor of God and he emphasized that we do not wrestle with flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness. He then listed the various pieces of the armor of God that are necessary to fight against these spiritual forces. They are truth, righteousness, gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-17). The first thing that we need to consider is that the armor is the "armor of God." It is not our armor and does not depend upon our own personal abilities. It is supernatural, it comes from God, and it bears witness of His strength.

Every piece of the armor of God is necessary and has a definite purpose. When we wrap ourselves in God's truth, the spirit of deception has no place or authority in our lives. So the devil cannot deceive us into praying for things that are outside of God's will or contrary to His Word. The devil will come against us while we are in prayer and tell us that we have no right to pray because we have sinned or fallen short in our daily walk with the Lord. But when we stand with the breastplate of God's righteousness protecting us, the devil has no room for accusations against us. Our own righteousness, which is as filthy rags, is displaced by the pure righteousness of God. Although our sins be as scarlet, we are made as white as snow because Jesus cleanses us from all sin. This forgiveness allows us to approach God's throne with boldness and without any condemnation. When our feet are shod with God's gospel of peace, we have a peace that passes all understanding. This peace enables us to yield ourselves to God in prayer, unreservedly, because we know that all things are going to work out for our good. As we pray, we can cast all of our cares upon the Lord, knowing that He cares for us.

When faith becomes your shield, it quenches the fiery darts of the devil. Every doubt that comes against you is destroyed by your faith in God. Mark 1:24 says, "When you pray, believe." Doubts may come later, but at the time you pray, your faith must reach out and touch the heart of God. Faith is supernatural. It pleases God and receives God's rewards. Paul also said, "Put on the helmet of salvation." When you pray you must allow God's helmet of salvation to cover your mind and control your thoughts. You must focus on God and believe that He will deliver you from every adversity that is coming against you. Then finally, when you pray, you must take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. God's Word is your only offensive weapon. There is no mightier weapon than to speak the Word of God in prayer because it silences the voices of evil. Even Jesus used the Word of God when He stood against the devil.

Prayer does make a difference and definitely changes things. It is a mighty force, and like the force of gravity, we may not be able to explain it, but prayer works. Prayer is simple communication with God. A small word of prayer to the Heavenly Father can move a mighty mountain of difficulty. You can stand, sit, kneel, or run when you pray. You can be alone or in a vast crowd when you communicate with God. Your voice can be loud or your whispers can be soft. It doesn't matter. The important thing is that your spiritual man is adorned with truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and also armed with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Your prayers will then be victorious because the forces of Hell cannot come against the armor of God. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/10/10
PATIENCE OF JOB

Scripture: James 5:11 "You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy."

Job was rich in material blessings and was surrounded by a wonderful family. He was well known and respected in the city and he was also a man that worship God and hated evil. He was a good man and was enjoying his life when bad things began to happen to him. He suddenly lost everything that was dear to him, even his own health. In his trials, he experienced much that could have caused him to lose his patience. Yet because Job endured to the end, he received more than he lost because of God's pity and tender mercy.

Job had a hard path to follow, but we see his statements of positive commitment along the way. When his children and material blessings were taken from him, he didn't give up his faith in God. He recognized that everything that he had received in his life had came from God and acknowledged that it still belonged to God. He said, "Naked came I out of mother's womb, and naked I shall return." He also continued to worship God in the midst of his loss and stated, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). Even when Job felt threaten by death, he maintained his faith in God by saying, "Though God slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15). Job spoke these words to his critical friends, while he was sitting there in an ash heap, scrapping the painful boils that covered his body.

Every believer suffers trials and experiences trouble at some point in their life. Maybe it is not to same extent that Job suffered, but the challenges are there just the same.  Job declared that God would not even allow him to catch his breath, but piled bitterness upon bitterness (Job 9:18 Message Bible). Yet, as hard as this was for Job, his trials were meant to be an example for us. God shows us the trials of Job's life so that we may understand that trials do come to good people and that tragedy can strike even though we are striving to live right. Job's life also shows us that trials do come to an end and that at the end of the matter God's tender mercy will prevail if we trust and believe in Him as Job did.  Still, it is hard to maintain faith when we are being tried, but God will help us if we call out to Him in the midst of it all. If we feel ourselves doubting, we must be honest and ask the Lord to help us with our unbelief. When we are tempted to give up in the midst of adversity, we must trust God to sustain our patience and be encouraged by the thoughts and words of the Apostle James. He said that at the end of our patience we will find that "The Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy." +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/11/10
FEAR VS. GODLY FEAR

Scripture: Psalms 27:1 "... whom shall I fear? ... of whom shall I be afraid?"

Fear is a strong emotion and is also a great influence upon our lives. Our fears may be justified or just imagined, yet, when we are experiencing fear of any kind, it is very real. A simple symptom in our lives can cause fear even though the symptom may not be an indication of the true facts. Fear will tell us that our children are on the road to failure or that we may face the dreaded layoff that is rumored in the office, but these words may not be true. Fear tells us that we are on the edge of financial ruin because of what our investment records dictate, but it disregards the truth that God is our financial source. We may fear that we have a deadly disease because the pains in our body are speaking so loudly to us that we are unable to consider the voice of God, our Healer.

Fear is fear and it comes to us in all stages of life and we will be forced to deal with it. The question that we face is the same as David posed, "Whom shall I fear? Of whom shall I be afraid?" We have a choice, for there are two entirely different kinds of fear that are presented to us. One is a fear that is to be shunned because it gives in to the torments of the devil and the other is a fear that we should embrace because it wraps itself around the awesomeness of a holy God. Unholy fear is provoked by the evil that surrounds us, but reverential fear is cultivated by receiving a revelation of the wonder of God. There is a fear that brings bondage and hinders our good decisions but there is also a fear that brings wisdom and causes us to act in freedom and discretion. There is a fear that is clouded by darkness and there is a fear that illuminates our spirits with eternal light.

The fear that is healthy and holy is the reverential fear of the Lord. It is not a tormenting fear, but a fear that causes us to worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness. This fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. It is to be embraced because the more we reverently fear God the more likely we are to obey His commandments. When we obey God, we gain confidence because we know that our hearts are right before Him. This strong confidence creates a place of refuge for us (Proverbs 14:26). It hides us in the presence of the Lord and regenerates our spiritual strength, which gives us boldness to stand in the midst of adversity and false fear. We must always remember that fear has two positions. There is a battle that rages within us and we must personally decide whether we will take flight and run from evil or bow and give reverence to the Lord who is greater than any evil that pursues us. It is fear verses Godly fear and our decision will govern our destiny. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/12/10
SACRIFICE OF PRAISE

Scripture: Hebrews 13:15 "Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name."

Our praise and thanksgiving becomes a sweet incense to the Lord just like the sacrifices that were placed on the altar in the Old Testament. Many times our praise and thanksgiving is a true sacrifice from our heart because it can be difficult to praise God in the midst of trouble, heartache, and hard times. Yet, the sweet aroma of worship and adoration that we give to God in the times of adversity and pain reaches to His very throne and touches His heart. He notices the scent very quickly and then seeks to discover the one who is giving praise to Him. It is a natural curiosity just like we would have if we heard that someone had said something kind about us. We would want to know immediately what was said and who said it. We may even want it repeated to us several times.

I picked some roses from my yard and enjoyed their beautiful velvet petals of various colors. I left the room for a while and when I returned, the whole room was full of the fragrance of those roses. It is true that they were born and nurtured among the thorns and there were still thorns attached to their stems. Yet, they did not complain about where they had been or the thorns that remained. They just graced the room with their beauty and filled the atmosphere around them with a wonderful fragrance. I was the only one around so it seemed that their beauty and fragrance was intended just for me to enjoy.

I thought this must be how God feels when we offer up our praise and thanksgiving to Him, for He is the only who can hear our heart. He must turn our direction and look at us when He passes by just as I stopped to admire the roses. He must stop and take in the sweet fragrance when He hears our praise. For sure, God hears us when we cry and He listens when we express our pain because He loves us. He will not turn away from us when we are in hard times, but if our words are putrid because our hearts are filled with anger, our aroma cannot be pleasing to Him. He will turn away just as we would turn away from a foul odor. God is not attracted to us when we are murmuring and complaining or verbalizing our doubt and unbelief. Regardless of the thorns that we have experienced in the past or the thorns that are currently pricking our sides, we are to bless the Lord at all times and His praise is to continually be in our mouths. Psalms 74:21 says, "Let the poor and needy praise Thy Name." Even when we have a lack or need, we must offer up a sacrifice of praise to God. Our praise will manifest our trust in God. Our worship will change the atmosphere and create a wonderful fragrance. That fragrance will cause the Lord to turn our direction and He will then take notice of our needs and reward our trust. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/13/10

THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION POSED

Scripture: Matthew 16:15 "Whom do you say that I am?"

When this question was posed to Peter, he immediately knew the answer. Some thought that Jesus was John the Baptist or Elijah who had come back from the dead. Others believed that Jesus was Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. But Peter knew the truth and Jesus told Peter that this revelation did not come to him by flesh and blood. Instead, the Father in Heaven had revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Before His earthly birth, Jesus sat at the right hand of the Father in Heaven and now sits there again as our intercessor. Jesus was with the Father when the world was framed and man was created. He witnessed Lucifer's rebellion when Lucifer declared that he would be like the most high God and then Jesus watched as God cast Lucifer out of Heaven along with one third of the angels. Jesus Christ was the baby who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger (Luke 2:12). He was the One that the angels herald and the shepherds came to worship. A few years later, He was the Christ child that the wise men who journeyed from the East came to honor. They recognized Him as the King of the Jews and offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. At the age of twelve, Jesus was the young boy who stunned those in the temple with his knowledge and understanding of the scriptures. He was the obedient son who returned home with His earthly mother and father even though He knew that He was called to do the business of His Heavenly Father. At the wedding feast in Canaan, He was the respectful son who changed the water into wine in obedience to His mother even though He declared that He was performing this miracle before His set time.

Jesus was the multiplier of the fish and bread to the hungry thousands who had followed Him into the desert to hear His teaching. He was the healer of the blind, deaf, and diseased and He was the deliverer of those who were oppressed and held in demonic bondage. He was the compassionate Messiah to the woman at the well who was living with a man that was not her husband and the forgiving Lord to the woman who was caught in the sin of adultery. Jesus was life to Lazarus and the others who had died as He miraculously raised them from the dead. He was the miracle worker who taught His disciples about faith. He showed them that it is possible to walk on water and calm the raging seas with just a simple command. He spoke to His disciples of vision. He first told them to go out into the deep waters to fish for their provisions, and then later, He told them to go to the entire world to preach the gospel and be fishers of men. The last thing the Apostle John wrote in his book was these words, "Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written" (John 21:25 - NLT).

We see Jesus in all of these various aspects of His life but we must individually decide who He is to us. Our decision will make an eternal difference in our life, for there is only one way to Heaven's promise and that is in believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, that He sacrificed His life on the cross of Calvary, and that He rose from the dead on the third day. The entire gospel rests upon these truths and the most important question that you will have to answer is the same question that Jesus asked of Peter. "Whom do you say that Jesus is?" +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================

A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of August 2010

08/16/10
WHEN GOD PASSES BY

Scripture: I Kings 19:11 " ... the Lord passed by ..."

Elijah had served the Lord with great zeal but had come to the place where he felt that he was all alone and that he was the only prophet left in Israel. He was in despair and even wanted God to take his life from him (Vs. 4). God told Elijah to go stand on the mountain and that He would speak to him there. God then allowed Elijah to experience a great and strong wind, an earthquake, and a fire. Elijah listened intently for the Lord. Yet, God's voice was not heard in any of these mighty occurrences. When God finally approached Elijah, He came as a still small voice. There was quietness and the sound of a gentle whisper when God spoke to him. After Elijah's long season of discouragement, God commissioned him again for the ministry.

Have you ever felt ignored in life or ministry? The doors have not opened for you and rejection has met you at every corner just to mock you. You can't seem to find direction and have even struggled with your own identity. That old question plagues your mind, "Who am I, and where am I going?" Could it be that you are listening to all of the outside extreme forces such as the great and strong wind, the earthquake, and the fire? While all the time God wants you to ignore the distractions so that He can speak to you in a quiet whisper. He has declared that He has a good plan for your life (Jeremiah 9:11). Your life is not an accident. He ordained your life before you were ever born and placed you in situations so that He could train you for His purposes. He longs to share His plan with you and give you direction for your life so that you can complete that plan. You must be willing to listen to Him.

God is always faithful and understands your weaknesses. He knows when your spirit is broken and realizes that you cannot go any further without His intervention. Like Elijah's desperate moment, God sees you in the valleys of despair and in the depths of hopelessness. Yet, He is never far from you. He walks right into the midst of the storm to rescue you because He loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. He will touch your present life and give you a vision and hope for the future. If you want your life to change so that you can be all that God wants you to be, take note when He passes by and listen very carefully for His gentle whisper. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/17/10
BREAD FOR US

Scripture: Numbers 14:9 "They are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us; fear them not."

When God led His people out of Egypt, He promised to give them a prosperous land, one that flowed with milk and honey. Twelve spies went out to view that land and all of them returned with wonderful fruits confirming that it was just as God had said. Yet in spite of the fact that it was a good and prosperous land, ten of the twelve spies had an evil report saying, "The land that we searched is a land that "eats up" or devours its inhabitants, for the men we saw there were giants." Not only did they waver in their own faith but they also discouraged the hearts of the rest of the congregation.

However, the other two spies, Joshua and Caleb, encouraged the people of God. They said, "Yes, there are giants in the land, but the giants won't eat us - we will eat the giants. Let us go up at once and possess the land." They refused to allow fear to control them or to steal their blessing and decided to conquer the problem and not let the problem conquer them. Many years later, Joshua and Caleb were the only ones of that generation who were allowed to enter the land and possess God's promise.

Every day you have the opportunity to meet adversities and challenges in your life. Your inefficiencies will magnify the negative and make them look like giants that are waiting to eat you up. If you are short, you will see everyone else as being tall. If you are old, you will see everyone else as being younger. Everyone will seem wiser than you. Your perspective on life will either make you weak or cause you to grow stronger and your disappointments will make you bitter or cause you to become better. Your tribulations will bring frustrations or they will work patience and other virtues into your life.

Like Joshua and Caleb, you can't ignore the giants, but you can choose to conquer them. You have the opportunity to see the situation as negative and run in fear or to see it in a positive light. To walk in victory, you must look beyond the challenge and see God's ability. You must remember that you are "more than a conqueror through Him who loves you and gave Himself for you" (Romans 8:37). As you consider how big God is, the size of the giant will diminish and you will realize that the enemy's defenses has departed from him. Each giant that you overcome through God will become bread for you. Your victories will sustain you and will assure you that God is with you. This knowledge will make you stronger to face the next challenge. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/18/10
FATHER OF GLORY

Scripture: Psalm 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork."

You have only to look at a majestic sunset to appreciate the splendor and glory of God. He has to be the greatest artist of all. I once saw one of His masterpieces as it spanned the entire sky. In the east were clouds of pinks and blues that were indescribable. In the west, the sun was setting behind clouds of gold, silver, and purple. This was a magnificent creation, and yet, as great as it was, it was destined never to be duplicated. All of heaven was declaring the glory of God in those brief moments as God revealed Himself in nature. However, to experience this glory, you would have had to seen it personally. I could try to paint a picture with words for you, yet regardless of my detailed description and explanations, your appreciation would be limited because of your lack of experience.

How often do we miss God's glory in nature by not being in the right place at the right time in order to see it? Likewise, how often do we miss God's glory in the spiritual because we are not spiritually discerning? Paul expressed his concern for the church's inability to experience the glory of God because their eyes were not open to God's calling in their life (Ephesians 1:17-18). As Paul prayed for the church, he addressed his prayer to the Father of Glory, the God of the Lord Jesus Christ. His first request was that the church would have a spirit of wisdom and revelation so that the eyes of their understanding would be opened. The Amplified Bible says that he prayed that God would give them "insights into mysteries and secrets by having their eyes of their heart flooded with light."

Paul was calling out to the Father of Glory. A father is one that creates or originates something and then remains responsible for it. God was the Creator and the Father of the glory of the sunset that I witnessed. He was solely responsible for its majestic beauty, and just as He manifests His glory in that sunset, He desires to manifest His glory in your life. What an awesome thought! In Colossians 1:27 Paul says, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." God's hope of being able to declare His glory to this lost and needy generation will only be revealed when His presence and anointing is abiding in you. You are His hope and He wants to manifest Himself in your life. Yet just as the heavens and the earth are not able to produce their own glory, neither can you. You must trust God to paint your life as He sees fit and use the colors that He chooses. As you do, the Spirit of Christ will live big within you and your life will declare God's glory and proclaim His handiwork. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/19/10
GREAT WEALTH

Scripture: I Timothy 6:6 (NLT) “True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.”

We search for wealth every day of our lives. Finances are our present and future consideration. We work and make investments in order to multiply our finances, and we even set up retirement accounts to insure that we have enough wealth to carry us through to the end of our lives. Yet, when the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy he did not tell him that riches were an indication of wealth. Instead, Paul told Timothy that great wealth was found in true godliness with contentment. Godliness and contentment are things that money cannot buy. There are many rich people in the world who would like to be considered godly and would not hesitate to pay a large sum of money just to gain a little contentment in their life. For many, having great riches even becomes tormenting because it can be stolen or lost so very quickly and has no guarantees.

Your desire for wealth should not be condemned because God's highest wish for you is that you prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers (III John 2). Yet, notice that your main interest should be that your soul prospers. God wants to bless you materially so that you can be a blessing to your family and share with others about you. But His greatest priority is that you wrap your desires around the purposes and will of God and learn to be content in all things. Jesus said that you should be seeking the kingdom of God first in your life and then all the things that you desire will be added to you (Matthew 6:33). What a wonderful promise. When you understand the concept of putting God first and honoring Him with all of your substance then He will be able to honor you with wealth. This is great wealth because the blessings of the Lord that come to you will never be accompanied with sorrow.

For many years, I struggled with my finances and could never seem to get ahead. It was a daily battle to make ends meet, but Gods always came through and many times the material provision for my need was no less than a miracle. Through the years, I have continued to trust God and believe His Word and today things are different. I don't have all that I want but I do have all that I need. I have found the place of contentment and don't have to have the best, the newest, or the most stylish. I have inherited true wealth in knowing that God is on the throne of my heart and contentment has come to my soul because I am seeking His kingdom first in my life. I am not rich by the world's standard, but following God's way with contentment has brought great wealth to my heart and soul. I encourage you to seek this same kind of wealth. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/20/10
FAITH AS A SEED

Scripture: Luke 17:6 "The Lord said, If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed ..."

Things that are impossible with man are possible with God. The Lord said, "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could speak to the tree to be plucked up by the root, and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you." He was telling us that nature itself is commanded by God to obey our words of faith. Even the storms are subject to our words. When the disciples were being tossed about on the raging sea, Jesus asked, "Where is your faith?" He asked this because He knew that faith in God had power over the storms. He then spoke the word of peace directly to storm to show us that faith had to be acted upon or expressed verbally to accomplish God's work.

God loves us, and like any loving father, He wants his children to experience success and enjoy victory in every area of life. So it only takes a little faith on our part to get Him involved in our circumstances. When we reach out to the Lord, He meets us at our point of faith and scripture verifies that He will even help us with our unbelief. When He sees that our faith is weak He sends His faith building words to strengthen the little faith that we have.

Faith "as a seed" is an interesting concept. Seeds are the origin of life and produce fruit after their own kind. They are always planted in the darkness of the Earth and regardless of how strong the life is within them, they cannot germinate until they are watered. A seed can be alive but remain dormant for years as long as it is kept dry. A few years ago, there were some seeds that were discovered that had been hidden in the pyramids of Egypt centuries ago. These seeds still had life. They were secure within themselves but they were designed by God to be productive outside of themselves. They needed to be planted and watered for their hopes to be fulfilled. Like a seed, faith is also the origin of things hoped for. Faith comes alive when a Word from God is planted in the darkness of our heart and it is nourished when His Spirit showers it. Yet our faith will remain dormant and there will be no fruit until there is action.

A seed also stands alone in its struggle. No one can actually make it grow, not even the other seeds. It is totally dependant upon the sovereignty of God. The seed roots itself downward into the depths of the soil as it begins to reach for the light that is above. It doesn't stagger to the left or right but continues in a straight path upward towards God. It grows one inch at a time. Faith is the same. It is a personal experience that reaches up with trust towards a faithful God. Faith embraces God's promise one moment at time. For one hundred and twenty years, Noah built the ark, one board at a time. Abraham, the father of many nations, searched for a city whose builder and maker was God, one step at a time. Moses led the people to the Promised Land and believed for manna from Heaven, one day at a time. The Apostle Paul fought the good fight of faith, one season at a time. Jesus endured the agony of the cross, one breath at a time. Seeds do not reach their destiny suddenly and neither does our faith. Faith is a continual exercise in believing the promises that God has given. So let us remember that if we have faith as a seed, we will eventually break through to the light and the fruit of our patience and struggle will be rewarded. +++

A Word In Due Season
4th Week of August 2010

08/23/10
POWER OF THE SPIRIT

Scripture: Luke 4:14 "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit ... "

The battle you face today is not an uncommon battle. It has been faced many times before, but if you can learn to rely on the Word of God, which is the Sword of the Spirit, the victory will be yours. Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Ghost for the expressed purpose of testing the Word of God that was inside of Him. With all three conflicts, He responded with a scripture and three simple words, "It is written." He did not try to reason with the enemy, nor prove Himself right. He relied on the truth of God, and the truth prevailed. The thirteenth verse says that the devil ended his temptation and departed for a season.

You don't have to be super spiritual or smart to confront the devil. All you have to do is "submit yourself to God" then "resist the devil and he will flee" (James 4:7). When you resist the devil with a portion of God's Word, you shine light on his deception, and the truth of God dispels all of his lies. Notice, however, that the devil only left Jesus for a season. The devil doesn't give up easily or stay away for very long. We are in constant warfare with him. Ephesians 6:13 tells us to put on the whole armor of God so that we can stand against the enemy. Then having done all that we can do, stand. The Greek translation of these words is "having done all, stand and get ready for the next battle."

Satan attacks us internally through our minds and emotions and externally through circumstances, relationships, and health. His sole purpose is to undermine God's will for our lives as he comes to "steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10). But Jesus came so that we could have an abundant life. He defeated the devil, returned in the power of the Spirit, and empowered us to do the same. Jesus gave us the keys to the kingdom of Heaven and told us that we could bind on Earth whatever was bound in Heaven and loose on Earth that which was loosed in Heaven. God's Word determines what is bound in Heaven and determines what is loosed in Heaven (Matthew 16:19). If you want to be victorious in your time of testing, make sure you are using the Word of God, for His Word is the only sword that will destroy the enemy. You will only return in the power of the Spirit when you boldly come into a face-to-face conflict with the devil and overcome him with the written Word of God. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/24/10
SEARCH ME

Scripture: Psalms 139:23-24 (Living Bible) "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts ... Point out anything You find in me that makes You sad."

Recently, as I passed my rose garden, I noticed its neglect. The grass had crept into the garden area and weeds had grown at the base of the bushes. A wild vine had twined its way throughout the bushes, and the bushes themselves were suffering with dried broken branches. They were desperately struggling against the negative forces that were stealing their water and nourishment, which in turn was deterring their growth and destroying their beauty. Yet, regardless of all the negative distractions, the bushes still had a few roses that were radiant with color and some buds that promised new blooms. The rose bushes were making every effort to keep things going, but they would soon smother and die if left untended, for they had no way of helping themselves or enhancing their hidden beauty. They desperately needed some extra care from their gardener.

This scene pictures our lives at times. Little by little, we allow the enemy of our souls to invade our lives. At first, we may not recognize that we have a few problems. We deceive ourselves into thinking that we are okay because our lives seem to be productive and prosperous. We are unable to see the weeds, grass, vines, and broken branches of our lives because we focus on the few roses that are still blooming. We fail to seek the Lord and to ask Him to search our hearts and point out anything in us that makes Him sad. However, if our lives remain untouched by the Master's hand, those things that make Him sad will soon steal our spiritual nourishment. They will destroy the beauty of our testimony before the world just like it was happening with the neglected rose garden.

God is the overseer and gardener of our lives. We can never escape His eternal presence. He is omniscient and knows everything about us, even the thoughts of our mind and the words of our lips before they are spoken (Psalms 139:2, 4, 7). God not only knows us, He understands us. We are given the awesome opportunity to commune with this wonderful God who loves us more than anyone else ever could. He is the only One who is able to properly tend the garden of our soul. As we commune with Him, let us ask Him to remove the grass, weeds, vines, and broken branches from our lives. As we yield ourselves to Him, He will search us and His Holy Spirit will convict us and purge us of all of those things that make Him sad. +++

Scripture: Hebrews 12:2 "... Because of the joy that was set before Him, Jesus endured the cross."

The Apostle Paul spoke of the race that is set before each of us and then instructed us to gain strength and courage by keeping our eyes upon Jesus. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith and He set a great example for us when He endured the pain of the cross and all of its shame. Jesus could have called ten thousand angels to come to His aid and deliver Him, but He chose not to give up in the middle of His race. Instead, He kept His mind on His ministry to mankind and His eyes upon the goal that was set before Him. The joy of that goal brought Him enduring strength.

All of us have short-term goals and long-term goals. Yet many times, right in the middle of the race, hopelessness tries to overwhelm us. The race may seem too long and too hard and you may feel the urge to give up and let it all go. There might be a financial goal that you have established. You may be desperately trying to work yourself out of debt, yet disappointments come when emergencies delay this plan. There may be goals in your relationships that are diverted by situations that you cannot control. Your ministry goals may be challenged by circumstances and setbacks. Your zeal and endurance may wane with every hurdle that you face. Yet Paul said, "Run to obtain ... and press towards the prize." You should never allow outside distractions to cause you to drop out of the race. You must finish your course and endure to the end.

Jesus was able to endure the cross because of His joy, and this is the same ingredient that you will need in your life to find the same enduring strength that He had. Nehemiah 8:10 says, "The joy of the Lord is your strength." To make it to the finish line, you must have joy. Like Jesus, you cannot allow the pain of the moment to steal your joy. If you do, it will also steal your dreams and visions. When you allow the enemy to come in the door, he takes what is in your house. You must protect yourself by not lingering on the non-essential distractions. You must look to the future that God has planned for you and not at place where you are right now. Keep your eyes on Jesus, for He is the only one who can impart true joy into your spirit. The joy of the Lord will shine as a light in your darkness. His joy will comfort you in your grief and disappointments and drive away the confusion of the conflict. Joy will give you great peace in the midst of the storms and strength to endure your personal cross just as it did for Jesus. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/26/10
FULLNESS OF GOD

Scripture: Ephesians 3:19 "That you might be filled with the fullness of God."

It is an awesome revelation when we come to understand that we are vessels whom God has chosen to live in. He could have chosen anything on Earth to abide in, but He chose mankind and made us temples of His Holy Spirit. Yet, we forget sometimes that the Holy Spirit is living inside of us. We listen to abrasive music and language that the Holy Spirit would rather not hear, and look at things that He would rather not see. We are insensitive to His presence as we do things He would rather not do and we take Him places that He prefers not to go. We can sense His grieving deep inside our being, yet we fail to walk in the straight and narrow and totally quench His promptings.

The Apostle Paul encouraged us to be filled throughout our being with the fullness of God. When we are filled to this measure with the presence of God, there is no room for other things that will quench His Spirit and grieve His heart. In I Corinthians 5:6, Paul said, "A little leaven will leaven the whole lump of dough." He was telling us that if we allow the devil the smallest space in our heart, he will move in and fill it with every evil thing that he can. The space we yield to the devil becomes like an empty and unused room in our house, which little by little, gathers all sorts of junk. Finally, the area becomes so crammed with clutter that it can't be used. We shut the door, try to ignore it, and hope to hide it from others.

The Scriptures say that the Holy Spirit uses whom He wills. He knows whether or not He has filled every room of our heart. Sometimes, He finds that there is just too much self, and other times He finds unconfessed sin. Luke chapter four tells us that Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, was led into a season of temptation in the wilderness and was tested to see if He would give in and satisfy His own desires. Jesus did not give any space of His heart to the devil and stayed full of the Holy Ghost. And when the season of temptation was complete, He came forth in the power of the Spirit. His ministry was launched as His fame spread throughout the region. What would have happened if He had given the devil just a small portion of His heart?

Christ came to settle down, abide, and make His permanent home in your heart. He doesn't want a roommate. He wants you for His total possession so that He can work on the inside of you at His will. When you surrender your all to Him, He will thoroughly fill your being according to His design so that He can carry out His purposes and do supernatural things in your life. May you grasp the meaning of Paul's words, "Be filled with the fullness of God. That is, may you experience His divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself!" +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/27/10
FORGET AND PRESS ON

Philippians 3:13-14 "... this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark ..."

Paul knew that he was not all that he should be as he endeavored to complete God's calling for his life, but he kept working towards that goal. He never let anything separate him from obeying and following after God's will regardless of how difficult the situation became or how challenging the disappointments. He just kept going forward one step at a time. He declared, "This one thing I do." One of the first things that Paul decided to do was to forget the past. He was not going to allow his past to haunt him or hold him back from completing the race that was set before him. He knew that looking back would only cause him to lose time and possibly make him stumble. Besides that, he knew that the past could not be repeated.

In any race, once you start, you are on your way and regardless of how bad your initial start is you can't go back to the starting line. Paul's start was not so good although he had many good qualities. His resume for a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ and a writer of the gospel was not very impressive for he had persecuted the church. Even after his conversion on the road to Damascus, these past memories were still there to haunt him. How many times did the scene of Stephen being stoned flash into his memory? How many times did grief and remorse attack his spirit for the other dreadful things that he was responsible for? Yet, Paul said, "I forget those things that be behind."

Second, Paul reached forth for the things that were before him. He put the past behind him so he could experience new things in Christ. He caught hold of the vision that God had for his life and he continued in his race, making each step count. It takes little effort to start the race when your strength is fresh or to run across the finish line, but it takes great effort to make the strenuous mundane steps that are in between. Putting one foot in front of the other can become boring and discouraging, especially when everyone else seems to be passing you and there are no shortcuts in view.

A friend of mine told this story. She was in a hurry to get to a certain destination. As it happened, a truck pulling a boat got in front of her on a two lane - no passing zone - street. Things were moving too slowly for her so after a while, she decided to take another route so that she could get ahead of the situation. She turned and went down several streets as fast as she could and then finally got back to the main road. As she sat at the stop sign waiting to turn onto the main road again, she had to wait for the truck with the boat to pass. Despite all of her efforts, she found herself behind the truck and boat again. Sometimes our anxieties try to hurry God along in His plan. Yet, when we try to take shortcuts, we find ourselves no further down the road because God has ordered our steps and He is testing our patience as He works His plan.

The third thing Paul did was to press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. There are two things to keep in your sight as you run the race. One is the mark, which is the final destination, the goal, or the finish line. The other is the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. If you want to live in God's will one hundred percent of the time, just pursue it fifteen minutes at a time. Each step committed to Him will eventually get you there. Philippians 1:6 (Amplified) says, "He who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ - right up to the time of His return - developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you." So regardless of your situation, remember that God is able to bring about His original plans and complete His purposes in your life if you simply forget the past, reach forth for the vision of the future, and press towards that goal. +++

A Word In Due Season
5th Week of August 2010

08/30/10
THE POWER OF TWO

Scripture: Deuteronomy 32:30 "How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight?"

God ordained a strength and a power to be manifested when two people join together in unity. This stands true for husbands and wives, parents and children, friends, warriors, and even nations. Ecclesiastes 4:9 tells us that "Two are better than one; because they have a better reward for their labor." Two can lift a larger load and carry a heavier burden when they join their strength together. Just think about how difficult it is to move a piece of furniture by yourself and how much easier it is when someone helps share the load. Also when there are problems to be solved, the old saying stands true that "Two heads are better than one." And Solomon told us that two are better than one because if one falls, the other can lift the fallen partner up. And if they become cold, they can give warmth to each other.

Unity ushers in the presence of the Lord, for Jesus has promised that when two come together in His Name that He would be there in their midst. Unity brings answers to prayers, for Jesus also said that if two will agree as touching anything on earth that it will be done of the Father which is in Heaven (Matthew 18:19-20). Jesus divided His own twelve disciples and sent them out in twos and later sent another seventy followers out, two by two. Unity produced supernatural power, for both of these groups preformed great miracles and witnessed deliverances amongst the people. Multiplication also happens when there is unity. When God created Adam, it was good, but Adam could not multiply in the earth as a single unit because multiplication can only come when there are two. One multiplied against any number remains the same. The whole does not increase. Adam needed a mate so God created Eve. God blessed Adam and Eve, told them to multiply, and gave them dominion in the Earth. Their union brought dominion and multiplication.

Is it any wonder that Satan hates for men to be in unity with each other? Is it a mystery why he wants to destroy marriages, separate parents from their children, break up friendships, or cause confusion in relationships? He works against unity in any form because he knows that it will deplete his strength and ability. He is fearful of the dominion that will result when men join together in one accord so he sows discord. He creates misunderstanding and offense. He plants seeds of distrust so as to divide. He rejoices in broken relationships. He has even tried to annul the unity in the church of the Living God, but his goal was not accomplished. Regardless of our differences or denominations, we have remained One Body in Christ. Let us determine today to be discerning of the enemy's tactics. His intentions are never good. He roams about as roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. His purpose is steal, kill, and destroy.

Over and over we have seen in the scriptures that there is a power of two, for where there is unity, there is dominion, power, progress, added strength, and multiplication. For that reason, we must protect of all of our relationships. We must count them as sacred gifts and make every effort to keep them intact. In Moses' writing, he told us that if one can chase a thousand, then two can put ten thousand to flight. Let us join together in the power of two so that we can put ten thousand enemies to flight. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
08/31/10
HOPE

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Most of the time, our thoughts are focused on obtaining faith. We forget that hope is a very big part of the process of faith because hope by itself sounds so vague and almost wishful. Although hope has desire, it stands alone as a vision until faith goes into action and adds substance to it. However, this vision of our desire or hope should never be demeaned, for Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish."
This vision of hope is necessary because it guides us along the path to faith's fulfillment. A good example of hope at work is a blueprint for constructing a building. Without a blueprint and a definite goal, the original purpose would perish. The blueprint gives a clear picture of what the building should look like at its final end. As the construction begins, the ultimate goal is to complete the vision that is on the paper. However, the building will never be completed by just studying the blueprint. Conscious effort must be made to work towards the goal of taking the project from the vision state to reality.

So it is also in the spiritual realm. God gives us a hope of prosperity, health, and peace. III John 2 says, "Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." This is just one of many blueprints of what God desires for us. For each blueprint, He gives us the materials to build that vision. He speaks faith, a confident belief in the truth, into our hearts through His Word. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Just like the construction of a building, the word comes to us "precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:13). Through this word, we are gradually transformed by the renewing of our minds. As we look at the blueprint that our hope has defined, our faith begins to consciously build upon that blueprint until it brings our hope into reality. +++