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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of December 2010

12/01/10
ENDURANCE

Scripture: II Timothy 2:3 "Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

The Apostle Paul had spoken to young Timothy about faith, courage and faithfulness. Now he addresses the issue of endurance and instructs Timothy to endure hardness just like a good soldier would do. Endurance means to suffer patiently without yielding. It also means withstanding the stress and never giving up. It is continuing and persevering to the very end despite the hardships. Is it any wonder that Paul first spoke to Timothy about faith, courage, and faithfulness? For all three of these traits are needed in order to be able to endure until the end.

Paul was not just expressing mere thoughts and empty words. He was sharing his heart and speaking from his own personal experience, for he had been through many adverse and difficult situations. He was whipped so many times that he lost count. Fives times, he received thirty-nine lashes and three times he was beaten with rods. He was shipwrecked and even spent a whole night and day adrift at sea. He was stoned and faced death again and again. Many times he was without food and water or enough clothing to keep him warm. Paul was fully aware of what it meant to endure the hardness that life and ministry offer. At the time that Paul wrote these words, he was in chains in the prison and many of his friends had deserted him. Yet, Paul endured all of it as a good soldier of Jesus Christ and never allowed anything to separate him from the love of God and God's call on his life.

Soldiers face many hardships and are limited in their choices about their life because they exist in a controlled environment. They are required to follow the orders of their commanding officer regardless of whether or not they understand or agree with the particular orders that are issued. They obediently go where they are sent without regard to their own preference. They dress the way they are told to dress whether it suits their personal taste or not. If they want to survive life, they eat the food that is set before them, disregarding the taste. Their life is under daily scrutiny with little personal privacy. In essence their life does not belong to them, for everything they do is based upon the service that they can do for others.

Life is not always easy and like Paul expressed, sometimes it may even seem that we are like a soldier on the battlefield. We have a fierce enemy who is out to destroy us and there are no grounds in our life that are sacred to him. Like the account with Job, the devil will attack everything that we hold dear. His purpose is to destroy our self esteem, our status in the community, our bonds with others, and our faith in God. The devil is subtle and works every angle so we must be alert and prepared at all times. We must realize that we are not wrestling with flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness. And whatever comes our way, we must never yield our ground or give up. If we want to experience the victory, we must endure the hardness knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God. We must follow God's directions as a good soldier of Jesus Christ and persevere to the end. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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12/02/10
THE PLACE OF REST

Scripture: Hebrews 4:3 "We which believed do enter into rest."

God promised the Israelites a good and prosperous land that flowed with milk and honey. However, He never said that it would come easy or that there would be no battles. By faith, they were to go in and possess the land that was given to them by God. Yet, they never entered the Promised Land. The result of their defeat was not because the battles were too great, but because their faith was too small. They mixed God's word with murmuring, complaining, and unbelief instead of mixing it with faith and obedience.

Faith is not something that you must struggle with or work up in the natural. It comes by supernatural impartation by the Holy Spirit as God speaks to your spirit. Many times you may have to face your own limitations and be real with God. Like the man in Mark 9:24 who requested prayer and deliverance for his demon possessed son, you may have to say, "God, I believe, but please help my unbelief." When you approach God in truth, you will find that He is merciful and full of grace. He will always be faithful to meet you at your point of faith.

All of God's promises to us rest in our faith and obedience. He shows us the concept of faith in a natural seed. You have to let go completely when you plant a seed in the ground, leaving it there to rest for a long and dark season. You can't dig it up and analyze it every day to see if anything is happening. You have to cease from your own efforts, rest, and trust God to finish the work, for only a miracle can regenerate that seed and cause it to grow. Your only responsibility is to plant the seed in faith and wait expectantly for the harvest. Likewise, your true faith, if planted in God, will cease from anxiety and will cause you to enter a place of rest in God. As you wait upon the Lord, the harvest will come. +++

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12/03/10
DEALING WITH INSECURITIES

Scripture: Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

We have challenges every day that cause us to recognize the inadequacies in our own lives, and with each challenge we realize more and more how dependent we are upon God. We come to the sure knowledge that without Him we can do nothing; without Him we will surely fail. We are not alone in our plight, for Moses also faced these same feelings of insecurity and inadequacies and tried five times to excuse himself from God's plan for his life. Yet as Moses questioned God, God met every challenge that was presented and turned Moses' eyes from his own human frailty to God. God's plan for our lives may not be as enormous as the one that He had for Moses. Yet we can use these same principles to help us deal with the insecurities that rise up and seek to hinder God's purpose for our life.

Moses first response was to question who he was. He asked God, "Who am I?" (Exodus 3:11-14).  God answered this question and told Moses that it did not matter who he was but that it was important who God was. God changed Moses' question, "Who am I" into God's declaration, "I AM that I AM" and then He said, "Certainly, I will be with you." In other words He told Moses, "I'm calling you to do this great thing and whatever you will need Me to be 'I AM.'" God speaks to us in the same manner and says, "I will be with you always and I will be all that you need ME to be in every situation."

Moses' second question was, "What shall I say?" (Exodus 3:13). He didn't know the words to say, but God said, "Tell the people that 'I AM' sent you to deliver them." Jesus told us nearly the same thing. He said to go into all of the world, not in your own name, but in the Name and the authority of the Lord Jesus.

Moses' third challenge was the fear that he had that people would not believe him (Exodus 4:1). However, God did not leave him with just words alone. In the next verse God asked Moses, "What is in your hands?" He then granted Moses a gift to do signs and miracles with the rod that he held. Jesus has promised the same for us. In the Great Commission, Jesus told us to "Go" and that He would "confirm the Word with signs following" (Mark 16:20).

Moses' fourth area of inadequacy was in his speech. He said, "I am not eloquent, but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue" (Exodus 4:10-12).  God said, "Who made man's mouth? Now therefore go and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you should say." Isn't it a great comfort to know that God Himself will be with our mouths? We don't have to worry about what we are to say for He promised to teach us and give us the words to say in the time that we need them.

Finally Moses pleaded to God and said, "Send someone else" (Exodus 4:13).  God had equipped Moses in the natural for forty years. He allowed him to be trained in Pharaoh's court. Yet, Moses still felt inadequate to speak and he allowed his insecurities to steal his blessing. God's anger was kindled against Moses and He appointed Aaron to be Moses' spokesman, thus the office of the priesthood was passed to Aaron and his sons rather than to Moses and his sons.  How many blessings have we missed because of our insecurities? We fail to consider that God is aware of our lack before He ever calls us to do anything for Him.  When God calls, we should obey and be blessed. We must reject the feelings of insecurity and remember that Christ in us is the hope of God's glory. We should feel secure knowing that with God all things are possible and that He will strengthen us to do whatever He asked us to do. +++

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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of December 2010

12/06/10
PAUSE AND CALMLY THINK ABOUT GOD

Scripture: Psalm 46:6-7 "The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved ... The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." Selah.

Selah at the end of this verse means to pause and think calmly about these words! When the heathen rage, we are to pause and calmly focus on the fact that "the Lord of hosts is with us" and that He is our refuge in the midst of trouble. The Lord is here right now and He is not overwhelmed by the evil threats that are being made against us. Verse nine says that God can "make the wars to cease, break the bow into pieces, snap the spear in two pieces, and burn the chariots with fire." Nothing is impossible with God and no enemy is too great for Him to handle, whether it be physical or spiritual, national or personal. He is almighty God and He reigns forever.

When kingdoms are falling and are removed, we are to pause and calmly remember that "the Lord of hosts is with us" and He is our refuge. Verse one says God is "our very present help in the time of trouble." He doesn't show up late for the battle but is present from the beginning. God is in the midst of our situation and is ready to help us in any kind of trouble. He will not run and hide even though the earth is shaken and the mountains fall into the sea. God is with us in the midst of our problems and He will never be moved. Even in the tumult of war and the devastation that covers the earth, God will sustain and make good His promise to keep those who put their trust in Him.

Throughout this entire psalm, there is a call to remain calm. Verse ten says, "Be still and know that I am God." Even though God has power to sustain you, you must cooperate and allow His peace to keep your heart. You must choose to be still and stop considering all of the possibilities. Stop calculating the solutions and discard your own designs. Recognize that God is God and give Him space to work. God is about to do a great thing in your life and in this earth. Take time to be still and recognize what He is doing. Verse ten continues to say, "God will be exalted among the nations!" This great God who is exalted in the earth is the one who is always present with us and He is our refuge. So when times tend to be confusing and the world seems to be falling apart, just pause and calmly reflect on God's words; He is present and He is our refuge. +++

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12/07/10
WAITING FOR GOD TO MOVE

Scripture: Numbers 9:22 "Whether it was two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried ... the children of Israel ... journeyed not."

God led the people of Israel through the wilderness with a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night. This cloud and fire assured them of God's presence and His protection from the Egyptians. Yet, they never knew how long the cloud was going to rest in one spot or when it was going to move again. They had to be ready to obey God's sign of guidance and move when He moved and stop and wait when He was not moving. This must have been a test to their faith and patience as it is easier to trust God when things seem to be moving and we can see something physical happening.

Today, we live in a very fast paced world. Everything is drive through, fast food, and microwaved. Our time is limited and we don't have moments to waste. We become very anxious if we have to wait on anything, and waiting on God is no exception. Can you imagine Israel's plight? They were on a journey that should have lasted eleven to fourteen days, but they limited God and He kept them waiting on Him. After forty years, this must have become very frustrating.

This is a picture of our own life. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has good thoughts towards us, to give us a future and a hope. However, to reach God's divine purpose and fulfill His perfect plan, we can only move at His command. We must follow as He leads, one step at a time, regardless of whether that means to go forward for a season or to stay completely still until God moves again. In either case, it is often difficult. When God says go, we fear moving into the unknown. And when He says stay, we become anxious and our faith begins to falter because we cannot see anything happening. Today, we do not have a visible cloud to lead us, but we have the witness of the Holy Spirit of God. Faith takes action, but faith often has to wait. If we want to experience God's greatest plan for us, we must move as we sense His presence moving and wait patiently on Him when He tarries. +++

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12/08/10
ALWAYS READY

Scripture: Luke 12:35 "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit ... "

Jesus instructs us to be ready because we never know when the Lord will return or what other opportunities will avail themselves to us. It would be quite a shame to miss the significance of the hour because we were unprepared. As Jesus' followers, we must be dressed and ready for action, clothed in His garments of righteousness and bearing the full armor of God. Our lamps must be full of oil and lit so that we are able to work in the darkness that surrounds the moment.

Satan tries to distract us because he knows that when we focus our attention on him, he can deceive us into foolishly wasting our time. There are so many options that he sets before us. If the devil can steal just one day a week from you for the next year, he will gain about 7-1/2 weeks of your life. That's why Ephesians 5:15-16 tells you not to be foolish but to diligently redeem or buy up the time by using it wisely and making use of every opportunity that comes along. However, this doesn't mean that you are not to rest because rest is ordained of God. He created the night so that you could refresh yourself with sleep and He also established the Sabbath for your rest. God, Himself, even rested from all of His labors.

Time is precious. It is freely given to us from God and cannot be purchased. Once a moment is spent, it cannot be relived. Between yesterday's disappointments and tomorrow's dreams is today's reality. We cannot afford to refuse to go forward because of yesterday's failures, procrastinate about the future, or just sit around in present idleness. We must be busy about our Father's business and work while it is day. Jesus said, "Do not say, there are yet four months until harvest. Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white and ready to harvest." Your destiny in God's kingdom is waiting to be fulfilled so make sure that when your moment comes you are ready. Be dressed for action and keep your lamp lit. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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12/09/10
WORTH THE COST

Scripture: Psalms 143:10 "Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou are my God."

It seems that living for God and seeking to do His will should bring great rewards. Instead, in the natural realm it very often brings enormous challenges and sometimes discouraging results. Consider a few of the saints in the scriptures who found this to be true.

Moses gave up his position and the luxuries of the palace so that he could lead God's people out of the Egyptian bondage. Yet after forty years of wandering around in the wilderness, Moses was not allowed to go into the Promised Land. Jeremiah, the prophet, spent more that sixty years preaching God's message, but he never had a convert. The prophet, Isaiah, was martyred for warning God's people. And Herod had John the Baptist's head cut off because he spoke the truth about Herod's sin. The Apostle Peter offered the gospel to the Gentiles, which should have been considered a good thing, but he was crucified upside down. Daniel was thrown into a den full of lions because he openly prayed to God. Mary the mother of Jesus surely suffered ridicule because she was unwed and pregnant. And Jesus, Himself, Who was gracious, kind, and without any fault suffered at the hands of those for whom He sacrificed His life.

We have no guarantees in life that the good we do will be accepted by those whom we offer it to. We can only hope, and put our trust in God. God calls us to obedience and teaches us how to walk in His will, but His call has a price. Obedience is not cheap and it may cost us more than what we bargained for. We may share our soul with another only to reap a rebuke or give our heart away and receive it back bruised and crushed beyond recognition. We may share our means, only to be scuffed at when we have a need. Or like Moses, we may wander around in the wilderness in an effort to help someone while life's opportunities are passing us by. Never-the-less, we must obey God's will even though it means sacrifice. We must come to terms with the cost and rejoice in knowing that at the end of the matter our rewards come from God and that our immediate suffering can never be compared to the glories of His rewards. +++

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12/10/10
CREATE A BOND

Scripture: John 10:30 "I and My Father are one."

Jesus spoke of the relationship that He had with God the Father. He said that they were "one", meaning that they were in perfect unity with one another and undivided in their natures. You can know someone from afar or know about them through study, but to become "one" requires time and effort, and Jesus made this effort. He did not rest in the relationship that He had with the Father before He came from Heaven to accomplish His mission on Earth. While Jesus was here on Earth, the Word declares that He spent much time alone in communion with the Father. Regardless of how tired or busy He may have been, Jesus still arose a great while before the day began and went to a solitary place to pray. He also didn't worry about the demands of the next day or the negative results that He may experience if He lost His rest and sleep, but continued in prayer throughout the night. Everything that He did was preceded in prayer. Prayer was a priority for His life and the most important part of His agenda. Through communion with the Father, a bond was created and this bond was so strong and so definite that He and the Father were one.

In John 17:21, Jesus desired that we would find this same place of unity that He and the Father shared. He prayed, "Father, just as You are in Me, and I am in You, let them also be one in Us." Prayer is not meant to be just words and petitions for needs. Prayer is meant to be communion where we bond with the one that we are spending time with. This personal time allows us to learn about one another. In this time of communion, God shares Himself with us and we share ourselves with Him. He listens to our hearts and we listen to His heartbeat. He opens our eyes to see His plans and purposes for our lives and then gives us faith to grasp His vision in the spirit. We share our doubts and fears and He dispels them one by one until our hearts become one. We confess our sins and He cleanses us with His forgiveness and draws us back into unity with Him.

God wants us to be one with Him and He is waiting for us to devote ourselves to this cause. We are the ones who must pledge ourselves to find time to commune with Him, and then we must remain loyal to that commitment. There will be many distractions, and if we are not careful the first thing that will be deleted from our busy schedules will be our personal time with the Lord. Martha loved Jesus but was devoted to her duties. Mary, on the Other hand, was devoted to sitting at the feet of Jesus and embracing His presence. Jesus said that Mary had chosen the good part as she sought to become one with Him. Like Mary, the most important thing you can do today is to take time to sit at Jesus' feet. Your effort will create a bond, and the more you share with Him and the more He shares with you the greater the bond will be. +++

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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of December 2010

12/13/10
UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES

Scripture: Luke 24:45 "Then He (Jesus) opened their minds to understand the scriptures."

It is most important when we read or study the scriptures that we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and help us understand what God is saying, for only the Holy Spirit can give us revelation. God's word is spirit and life and can only be understood when the eyes of our understanding are opened supernaturally. Without spiritual revelation we will have "eyes that see not and ears that hear not" as spoken of in Romans 11:8. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to hear with a heart of understanding.

Psalms 119 is entirely focused on the Word of God and the psalmist's desire to understand it. Nearly every verse is directed to God as the psalmist talks very plainly to God about His Word. The psalmist recognized his responsibilities to God's Word, and then made commitments concerning it. His great plea was that he might understand and have insight into the precepts and commandments of God. He totally depended upon God for help. Look at just a few things in Psalms 119 that the psalmist said to God concerning His word.

"Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of Your Law." - Vs.18
"Hide not Your commandments from me." - Vs.19
"Quicken me according to Your Word." - Vs.25
"Teach me Your statutes." - Vs. 26
"Make me to understand the way of Your precepts." - Vs.27
"Strengthen me according to Your Word." - Vs.28
"Give me understanding." - Vs.34
"Incline my heart unto Your testimonies." - Vs.36
"Establish Your Word in me." - Vs.38

If you have a sincere desire to understand God's Word, refer to this psalm when you begin to read and study the scriptures. Read the words of this psalm aloud as a prayer to God like the psalmist did, and ask God to open your understanding of the scriptures. You will see a difference in your study as God's Spirit enlightens you and gives you fresh revelation. +++

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12/14/10
GOD WILL KEEP YOU

Scripture: Joshua 1:7 (NIV) "Be strong and courageous because you will lead these people to inherit the land."

It must have been very overwhelming for Joshua when God began to enlarge his territory and bring him to a new level of responsibility. Can you imagine how he must have felt when God called him to take the place of Moses? He had seen God use Moses to part the Red Sea and had witnessed many other mighty miracles in the life of Moses. Now God was calling Joshua to that same place of leadership. How frightening this new place must have seemed to Joshua, for he would not have Moses to lean upon as his friend or counselor because Moses was dead.

Joshua's grand promotion from God came only with these encouraging words, "Be strong and very courageous." God then gave him instructions and a promise. He told Joshua to mediate on God's words day and night and to obey all that He said. God promised Joshua that if he maintained his courage and obeyed God's laws, his way would be prosperous and successful. Even though God called him, encouraged him, and gave him promises to stand upon, it still must have been very difficult to step into this awesome place of leadership. Moving out of the familiar and into a place of uncertainty always brings fear. However, Joshua realized that his destiny depended upon his decision, and so he chose to follow God. He meditated on God's words and allowed those words to cultivate his faith. He remained strong in the Lord and very courageous and ultimately inherited the land that God had promised.

Like Joshua's situation, the devil also attempts to stop God's plan in your life and his main tool against you is fear and intimidation. He does everything in his power to make you feel insignificant. As your adversary, he tells you that your hopes and dreams of doing anything significant for God are impossible. He also points out your faults and continually reminds you of your failures. He uses your past mistakes in a desperate attempt to keep you from having faith for the future. God, on the other hand, has a plan and a destiny for your life and He wants to fulfill His purposes through you. He imparts His Spirit and endows you with power so that you can inherit His promises and find your destiny. He then speaks the same words to you that He spoke to Joshua, "Don't fear. Be strong and courageous." You must remember that if God calls you to do a work, He will keep you. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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12/15/10
NOW MY EYES SEE YOU

Scripture: Job 42:5 "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see You."

If you are in the midst of a trial, you should be encouraged because you are a candidate for a fresh revelation of God. Look at the account of Job. He was a very prosperous man. In fact, Job 1:3 says that he was the greatest man in all of the East. He was honored amongst the young and the old and even among the nobles and the princes. Job knew God, worshipped God, and offered up sacrifices to God for his own children. He even helped the poor, the fatherless, and the widows. Job was a good man and God was pleased with him. God spoke of Job, saying, "There is none like him in all the earth. He is a perfect and upright man, one that fears God and hates evil" (Job 1:8).

All of Job's fame and fortune came to a sudden end, however, when God lifted the hedge of protection that was about him. God allowed Satan to take Job through a season of great trials and tribulations. Job lost his servants, his material possessions, and all of his children. He was afflicted with boils and sores on his body and looked so pitiful that his friends could not recognize him. Instead of comforting Job, his wife encouraged him to curse God and die, and his closest friends judged him and accused him of sin. He had no one to turn to and no one to lean upon. Finally, in the midst of his conflict, God intervened and revealed Himself to Job. In Job's distress, he came to know God in a way that he could have never known Him if he had remained in prosperity. Job said, "I heard about God, but now I see Him." God then restored to Job twice what he had lost.

We've heard about God and His miracle power, but revelation comes when we experience Him. Conflict and adversity force us to seek God. In the scriptures, we read about Jesus healing the sick, but revelation of Him as The Healer only comes when we see a supernatural healing. We know the Word says that "God will supply all of our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus" but understanding comes when we receive a miracle of provision. It is only when we are heartbroken and alone that God's presence reveals the truth of His word that says, "I will be near those who have a broken heart" (Psalms 34:18). In our darkest hour, He shows Himself to be our greatest light. In our sin, He is our saving grace. In grief, He is our Comforter and in the season of desperation, He is our hope. When we are undecided, He shows us the right path and gives direction. Like Job, we've heard about God and all that He can do, but now we need to see Him and experience Him in a new way. Our prayer should be that we may not only know the Lord by the hearing of the ear, but that the Holy Spirit would open our eyes and reveal Him to us as never before. +++

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12/16/10
STRENGTH FOR THE INNER MAN

Scripture: Ephesians 3:16 "That God would grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man."

Paul was in prison when he wrote these words, but he was not concerned with his own problems or his personal discontent. His concern was for the needs of the body of Christ. So he bowed his knee and prayed this prayer for the Church that their inner man may be strengthened or reinforced with might or power and ability. This transition can only come about by the work of the Holy Spirit as He comes to dwell in our innermost being.

Paul also prayed that Christ would actually dwell in our hearts by our faith. When Jesus dwells in our heart, He settles down, abides, and makes His permanent home there. He doesn't enter our life as just an overnight guest. He comes with the intention of staying eternally. And like any natural relationship, the longer we live with Him and the more that we are exposed to His person, the more like Him we become. We gradually begin to take on His attributes and characteristics. His strength becomes our strength, and because He is love, we become rooted and grounded in love.

Love strengthens our inner being and the deeper our roots grow in His love, the more secure we become in Him. Paul prayed that we would have the power to comprehend the breath, length, height, and depth of God's love. He also prayed that we would bond with God and be filled with His being. God's love comes and grows within us as we live with Him and experience Him on a daily basis. You may have had an experience in your life where you just knew that you could live with a particular individual. But as you began to live with that close friend or relative, the experience proved the truth. You were either bonded in love or separated in disharmony depending upon the strength of your love. So it is in your relationship with God. You will only be strengthened in your inner man as you come to know and experience the fullness of the divine Presence of God Himself. As you begin to experience God, He will do far more for you than you could ever ask or think because it will be according to the riches of His glory. +++

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12/17/10
FRET NOT

Scripture: Psalms 37:1 "Fret not yourself because of evil doers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity."

When we were young and another child did something wrong to us, we threatened to retaliate and get revenge. We ran to our parents and told them about the situation and usually their response was similar to David's words, "Don't fret, everything is going to be okay." They would encourage us not to carry out our threats. Even as adults, it's often hard to yield to these wise words and not do unto others as they have done unto us. Yet, this is the teaching throughout the scriptures. Jesus said, "Resist not evil, if someone hits you on the cheek, turn your other cheek to him." Paul also said, "If it be possible, in as much as lies within you, live peaceably with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath." In other words, we are to let wrath have plenty of room, for it's not our job to avenge ourselves. Our Father God makes it His business to fight for us and will avenge us of any wrong that we have suffered.

When David said, "fret not yourself," he was in essence saying that we are the ones who make a choice whether to allow ourselves to fret or not fret. Yet, instead of making a conscious decision not to be disturbed by evil men and their deeds, we keep rethinking the matter and the more we think about it, the bigger the offense gets. After David said, "fret not" he gave further instructions that would help us guide our thoughts in the right direction so that God would be able to deal with our situation. In verses three through eight he said:

1) Trust in the Lord, and do good.
2) Delight yourself in the Lord.
3) Commit your way unto the Lord.
4) Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
5) Cease from anger.

When you are challenged with a fretful situation, think on these special steps. They are very simple but they were written by a man who had faced some of the same and even worse injustices that you are facing. King Saul, whom David served faithfully tried to kill him. David's father neglected to count him among the other brothers when they were presented to the prophet. David's brothers rejected him and spoke disrespectfully to him. His wife mocked him because he worshiped God. Absalom, David's son, rebelled against him and tried to take the kingdom from him. His life was full of evil men who worked against him, yet David never had to avenge himself. He allowed God to avenge him. Like David, if you find yourself in a similar place where it seems that evil is working against you, take courage. If you can simply hold your peace in the midst of the battle, God will fight for you. +++

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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of December 2010

12/20/10
DON'T ABANDON YOUR DESTINY

Scripture: Matthew 1:20 " ... Fear not to take unto thee Mary as thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost."

Mary and Joseph were espoused to be married. 'Espoused' among the Hebrews was the legal part of the marriage, meaning that the legal documents had been completed and signed, and that the marriage date had been set. Even though Mary and Joseph had not come together as man and wife, this legal binding could only be broken by a bill of divorcement. In the midst of the season of their espousal, Joseph learned that Mary was with child. His first thoughts were to put her away privately so as not to expose her to public shame. While he thought upon these things, the angel of the Lord spoke to him. The angel told Joseph not to fear to take Mary as his wife because the child in Mary's womb had been conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Without fully realizing what was happening in his life, Joseph was in the perfect will of God. God had chosen him to be the husband of Mary and to act as the natural father who was to care for the Messiah child, Jesus. For the next few years, Joseph was to protect and provide for the beloved Son of God. Joseph was also destined to be the instrument that God would use to fulfill many of the prophecies of old as he followed the leading of the Lord and obeyed the visitations of the angels. But now because of the purpose of God and the divine conception of the Holy Ghost, Joseph was facing public shame and misunderstanding. In the midst of this conflict, Joseph almost abandoned his destiny by putting Mary away privately, but God faithfully intervened and kept him on course.

Like Joseph's walk with the Lord, God leads us in our natural paths to fulfill His supernatural purposes. Often we have no idea that God has set before us divine appointments. We just proceed in the natural toward our goals and plans, thinking that we are only pursuing our dreams and visions, when in reality God has caused us to conceive those desires by planting them in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. God then opens and closes doors by His wisdom and leads us unknowingly down His paths that He has designed. Suddenly, the season comes for His perfect plan to be accomplished in our life and great conflicts may accompany it. We may face many challenges, yet we must never give in to fear or abandon the destiny that God has for us. We must continue to hold on to the things that have been conceived in our hearts by the Holy Spirit and allow God to complete His work and His plan. When we allow God to work in our lives, we will stand in wonder as we find ourselves in the right place at the right time, accomplishing something for His kingdom that we never thought possible. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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12/21/10
WONDERFUL COUNSELOR

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given ... and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor ..."

Isaiah 9:6 lists five names that Jesus would be called. One of the names that was given was Counselor. If we ever needed supernatural counsel, it is today, as we function in a fast paced society. From the home to the market place, we are faced with decisions that are new and ever changing. Our world is profoundly different than it was just a few years ago in every area. There are scores of material written to explain how to cope in today's society and efficient professionals that are there to help meet our needs. As good as these people may be, God has a better plan for us. He sent His Son, Jesus, to be our Counselor.

From the beginning, our Counselor, Jesus, told us how we could obtain eternal life and gave us a standard of living. He explained the beatitudes and told us the benefits and blessings that would follow if we would live by them. He not only gave us good advice, but He showed us by example. He lived and died for others. He told us to forgive and then showed us forgiveness when He forgave Peter, His special friend, who denied Him. He also forgave His enemies who crucified Him. He imparted His peace to us so that we would not have to live in turmoil and confusion and sent the Holy Spirit to teach us and guide us into all truth.

Proverbs 3:5-7 tells us to lean upon this Counselor named Jesus. We are to trust Him with all of our hearts and minds and not rely on our own understanding. When we do this, He gives us direction and counsel. James 1:5 (Amplified) says, "If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God Who gives to every one liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding." This same verse in the Message Bible says, "If you don't know what you are doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get His help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believing, without a second thought. People who 'worry their prayers' are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open."

Isaiah said, "Unto us a Child is born and unto us a Son is given." Put your name in the place of the word 'us' in this declaration. Jesus was given for your benefit so ask Him for wisdom. Then trust Him with all of your heart and lean upon Him, for He truly is a wonderful Counselor. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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12/22/10
NO ROOM

Scripture: Luke 2:7 "There was no room for them in the inn."

Joseph and Mary did not just happen to be in Bethlehem at the time that Jesus was born. Instead, it was planned and ordained by God, as He fulfilled the prophecy that was spoken in Micah 5:2, which declared that the Messiah would come from the City of David, Bethlehem of Judea. To make sure that Mary and Joseph were in the right place at the right time to fulfill this prophecy, God caused Caesar Augustus to make a decree that required all of the people to go to their own country to be taxed.

God does not do things randomly. He has purpose for all things and it seems to be very fitting for Joseph and Mary to be found in Bethlehem when it was the time for Jesus to be born because the name Bethlehem means "house of bread." God was making provision for all mankind, for Jesus is the Bread of God (John 6:33). He is also called the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and the Living Bread (John 6:51). Yet when Joseph and Mary arrived at this special place that God had ordained, there was no room for them. Jesus was the King of Kings but instead of being birthed in His own castle, He was born in a borrowed stable where animals were kept. Instead of having a royal bed, His mother gave birth to the Son of God on the ground amongst the animal's straw. Instead of having royal subjects to assist her, Mary and Joseph, alone, took care of the Anointed Christ. Instead of being given royal robes, the Messiah was wrapped in swaddling clothes. And instead of being laid in a beautiful crib, the Savior of the world was laid in a manger where the animals were fed.

It is no wonder that as all mankind neglected the birth of His Son, that God, Himself, showed up to honor Jesus and to celebrate this wonderful event. God created a great star to light up the sky and then He instructed the angels to sing as the glory of God shone all around them. They pronounced, "Peace on Earth and good will towards men" and sang, "Good tidings of great joy." God brought the shepherd's of the field to worship the Christ Child and moved upon the kings and wise men of the East to bring gifts that were fit for this King of King and Lord of Lords.

As we think about this story, we must examine our own lives. Jesus stands at the door of our heart every day and knocks. Will we tell the Lord of Lords that there is no room today because our schedule is full or will we invite Him to come in so that we can commune with Him? Will we give Him the lesser place in our lives or will we treat Him as King and allow Him to be the ruler of our heart? Will we allow other idols to dominate our lives or will we worship and bow before His throne? Will we be reluctant to share our means with Him or will we give the best gifts that we have to offer? These are all personal questions that each of us must answer. The Lord is seeking for an open heart. Do not allow the moment to pass because your heart is so full of the world that you have no room for Him. Instead, give Jesus the best chamber of your heart. +++

Scripture: Luke 2:10 " ... good tiding of great joy, which shall be to all people."

One night the shepherds were going about their normal duties. It probably seemed that it was going to be a typical night as they watched over their sheep in the fields. Little did they realize that they were destined for a divine and supernatural appointment with the angels of the Lord and that centuries later this encounter would be re-enacted time and again as one of the most prominent events in history. Images of angels and lowly shepherds would stand along side the nativity scenes and shepherds pictures would appear on thousands of Christmas cards. It is interesting that the angels did not go to the religious leaders of the synagogue, the Sadducees, or the Pharisees. Neither did they go to the wealthy or the prominent. Instead, God chose to send them to the lowly shepherds whose testimony would be one of the confirmations that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, had been born.

Can you imagine the surprise it was to the shepherds when the glory of the Lord shone about them and the angels began to speak to them? The shepherds' first reaction was fear, but the angels reassured them that they were bringing good news and these good tidings of great joy were for all people. Christmas actually means "Christ for the masses." God never excludes anyone from salvation. His word says that whosoever will, may come. It also declares that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Christ Jesus gave His life on the cross for the masses of the world. He died for the pure and the prostitute, for the rich and the poor, and for the educated and the unlearned. He died for those who habitually obey the laws of the land and also for the lawless. He died for the saint and the sinner, for the kind and the unkind, the good and the bad, and the beautiful and the unlovely.

Jesus died between two men. One man received Him and the other rejected Him. We have the same choice, for He does not force anyone into His kingdom. He gives us an invitation but we must respond. We can choose to believe the good tidings of great joy or we can reject them. We can receive the good news of His salvation, healing, peace, and love or we can allow it to pass us by. The good tidings of His mercy, grace, longsuffering, and forgiveness are available to us and will bring us great joy, but we must receive them. God has offered you much in His word so give some serious thought to your life during this special season. Reflect on the angel's message of good tidings of great joy and be assured that Christ came for the masses, and that includes you. +++

Scriptures: Luke 2:10 - 11 & 1:31 - 33 "Fear not: I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Thou shalt call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest ... And He shall reign forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end."

"He was born in an obscure village.
He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty.
He then became an itinerant preacher.
He never wrote a book.
He never held an office.
He never had a family or owned a house.
He didn't go to college.
He had no credentials but Himself.
While He was still a young man, the tide of public opinion
turned against Him and His friends ran away.
He went through a trial that was a mockery.
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves.
While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only
piece of property He had on earth, and that was His coat.
When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave.

Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today
He is the central figure of the human race.
All the armies that have ever marched,
All the navies that have ever sailed,
All the parliaments that have ever sat,
And all the kings that have ever reigned have not affected
the life of man on this earth as much as that ..."
ONE SOLITARY LIFE ... Copied - From Unknown Author

May your Christmas be blessed as you celebrate the Birth of this One Solitary Life. +++

A Word In Due Season
5th Week of December 2010

12/27/10
THE LIGHT OF LIFE

Scripture: John 8:12 "I am the light of the world: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

People are attracted to light whether it be the natural light of the sun, moon, and stars or the man made lights of a city at night. At Christmas we enjoy the special lights of the season that celebrate the birth of Jesus and on Independence Day we watch in awe as we experience the lights of the fireworks. On cold nights we relax by the flickering lights of the fireplace and on special occasions we light candles to enhance the atmosphere. And of course, our daily lives depend upon light. We must have light whether we need it in the fields to grow crops or to be able to function in the workplace. Light creates life, and without light, there is no life.

From the beginning, the presence of Jesus brought light, for when the angels announced His birth, the heavens were filled with light and the glory of God. The wise men were also guided by a radiant light that led them to the Savior. When Jesus came, He came as the Light to a spiritually darkened world, and His Light brought life to men as He revealed God to their souls. People marveled at this light which came from God as He healed the sick and cast out evil spirits. They were amazed when He raised the dead and performed signs and wonders. John 12:36-37 says that Jesus instructed the people to "believe in the light so that they could become children of light." Yet, many who saw the miracles did not believe on Him. They preferred to stay in darkness. What a sad report; many saw, but did not choose to believe.

The most important thing that you will ever do with your life is to believe in Jesus. It is only then that light will come into your soul. When you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and receive Him into your heart, Colossians 1:12-13 says He delivers you out of the kingdom of darkness and brings you into His kingdom, making you partakers of His light. As you come out of darkness and partake of His light, you then also become responsible to be a light to the world. You are to bear witness of the Light, that all men might believe (John 1:8). Bearing witness of the Light means that you walk in fellowship with Him (I John 1:7). You walk in light and truth, leaving the deeds of darkness behind. Jesus said, "I am the Light and if you stay close to me and follow me, you will be able to walk in My light." +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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12/28/10
THE ROCK THAT IS HIGHER

Scripture: Psalms 61:2 "Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I."

When David's life was in jeopardy and his heart was overwhelmed he cried out to the Lord for comfort and asked God to lead him to a secure place. He needed a place of protection and a season where his soul could be restored and his spirit could find new strength. David knew exactly where he needed to be in this time of desperation. He looked to the Lord and spoke of Him as being a Rock, a Shelter, a Strong Tower from the enemy, and a Covering (Verse 2-4). David declared his confidence in the character of God and praised Him for His faithfulness, for he had never seen God fail.

There are times in our lives when we have no one to turn to but the Lord. He is our only hope because no one wants to listen to our problems or to be involved in our solutions. It is just us and the Lord. We may suddenly lose our grip on life when we get a bad report from the doctor, have a disturbance in a close relationship, or face a serious financial crisis. Sometimes we can't even figure out how things have escalated to this degree or where we went wrong in the situation. But none-the-less, here we are needing a Rock, a Shelter, a Strong Tower from the enemy, and a Covering that we can run to for help. Like David, we are overwhelmed and desperate to find that place of protection, restoration, and new strength. David's simple prayer; "Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I" should also be our prayer in the time of crisis. Our only hope is found in what Jesus has done for us, for He is our Rock and our fortress. I invite you to pray these words with me, which incorporate the Lord's finished work on Calvary, as detailed in Isaiah 53:3-5.

When I am suffering the rejection of others,
Lead me to the Rock who was despised for me.
When my soul is overwhelmed with emotional grief,
Lead me to the Rock who has carried my sorrows.
When I have transgressed God's commandments,
Lead me to the Rock who was wounded for my transgressions.
When I have committed sin,
Lead me to the Rock who was bruised for my iniquities.
When I am anxious, oppressed, and afflicted,
Lead to the Rock who was chastised for my peace.
When my body is threaten with disease and racked with pain,
Lead me to the Rock, by whose stripes I am healed.
When I am overwhelmed with life,
Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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12/29/10
GOD VALUES YOU

Scripture: Luke 12:7 "But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: You are of more value than many sparrows.

Throughout the scriptures God has endeavored to let you know just how much He loves you. God loves you so much that He gave His only begotten Son so that He might gain you as one of His own dear children. He longs for you to rest in the security of that love and to understand that if you had been the only person on Earth, He still would have made this awesome sacrifice.

As your Heavenly Father, His presence surrounds you and there is nothing that can get to you unless it first passes through His loving heart. You are such a precious treasure to the Lord that He keeps an inventory of the very hairs of your head. Each one is numbered and each time you lose one, He takes notice and records the incident. Therefore, you are not to fear, for God is in control of your every situation and is on top of every circumstance. You must leave distrust behind and proceed in faith, believing the words that Jesus spoke. He said that God takes notice of each sparrow that falls to the ground (Matthew 10:29).

Flight takes faith and to leave the comfort of the nest takes courage. Like the sparrows, God is watching your every move and His love is there to sustain you and carry you to the place that you need to be. Remember that you are of more value to Him than many sparrows. This knowledge of God will give you a new meaning to the desperate seasons that you may face. There may be mountains of joy and valleys of loneliness, days without the sun and nights without the moon, but your trust in God must remain absolute. He is sovereign, He is concerned, and He is in control. Nothing will happen to you that He does not notice, for you are of value to Him and the very hairs of your head are numbered. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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12/30/10
FOLLOWING GOD'S PLAN

Scripture: Proverbs 16:9 "A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure."

We can't envision the destiny that God has planned for us or compare our plans with the Lord's plan for our life because His plans are much higher than ours. His plan is as far away as the heavens are from the earth. We know the Word tells us that He wants to give us a future and a hope, but that future is often hidden from our eyes. Yet, this ignorance concerning our destiny doesn't mean that we don't have one. God is continually working behind the scenes in our life and He will reveal His plan to us at the appropriate time if we stay in unity with Him. His strategy to fulfill His plan is very simple. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27). To fulfill God's plan, all we need to do is to hear His voice and then follow where He leads. We don't have to know the plan from A to Z. All we need to do is just take one step at a time, and each step of obedience will give light to the next.

The shepherd knows so much more than the sheep. He may be forced to lead his flock from the open green pastures and cool waters to a safer place because he knows that a storm is coming or impending danger is near. Even though the sheep are being led away from the water and provision, they never question their shepherd; they just follow with a trusting heart. They hear his voice and they follow. Like the shepherd, many times God leaves us no choices and just orchestrates our life as He did Joseph's. God's sovereign hand was leading Joseph from the pit to the prison, and from the prison to the palace. At the time, it probably didn't seem like a very good plan to Joseph because the end was very obscure. All he could do in the midst of his adversity was hold on to his dream. Joseph had his own thoughts about how his dream would come to pass but his plan, which included his family bowing before him, was all about self-ego. God, however, had a greater plan and sovereignly directed Joseph's steps in order to bring deliverance to a multitude of people.

Do you sense a divine dissatisfaction in your spirit concerning your destiny and God's plan for your life? Possibly, you are not satisfied with where you are now and know that there is a greater call on your life. You must surrender the plans you are making in your own mind, and yield to God. Everything may seem obscure right now and nothing may make sense. But if you will take one day at a time, listen to God's voice, and follow Him, He will cause you to be in the right place at the right time and bring you into contact with the right people. The Lord will direct your steps and make each one sure. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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12/31/10
INCREASE AND BLESSINGS

Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:11 (NIV) "May the Lord, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as He has promised!"

Moses spoke these words over the children of Israel as he encouraged them to go in and possess the land that God had promised to them. God had such good plans for them and wanted to give them a thousand times more than what they had. It was His intent to give them a land that flowed with milk and honey. This Promised Land was theirs for the taking, but they refused to believe His words, and because they limited God through their unbelief, they never entered into His promise. Except for Joshua and Caleb and the younger generation, they all died in the wilderness of defeat.

God still wants His children blessed beyond measure. This doesn't necessarily mean that we will have everything that we want or that we will all be rich and famous, for prosperity and fame doesn't guarantee blessings. Blessings go beyond the material and capture the true riches of life, which is happiness, joy, and peace. Robert Louis Stevenson said:

"The best things are nearest;
Breath in your nostrils,
Light in your eyes,
Flowers at your feet,
Duties at your hand,
The path of God just before you."

As you journey through this next year, I pray God's blessings upon you in a new and fresh way. I pray that you will recognize that blessings come from God's hands and that you will realize that life's greatest blessings are the simple things. True blessings and prosperity have nothing to do with the stuff that you can gather around yourself. Instead, true blessings is life, itself, and the relationships that you are able to establish. May the Lord increase you a thousand times and bless you as He has promised! May you have a Blessed and Prosperous New Year! +++