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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of February 2010

02/01/10
THIS PEACE

Scripture: Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

As I reflected on this scripture, I had a mental picture of my understanding traveling down a highway. My understanding was anxious as it tried to make sense of the circumstances that engulfed it. It was in turmoil as it faced making decisions and resolving situations. Then suddenly, I turned my heart and thoughts to God and acknowledged Him in all of my ways. When I did this, God began to direct my uncertain path, and His peace overtook me and passed me up. His peace then went before me, making the crooked way straight. Then as my understanding just simply followed God's Spirit of peace, calmness came to my heart and mind.

One of the most precious items that Jesus left us when He went back to Heaven was His peace (John 14:27). It wasn't the same kind of peace that the world had to offer. It was a supernatural peace that transcended and defied reason. His peace is a calm in the midst of the storm, not the absence of the storm. The peace that He held within Him enabled Him to sleep in the midst of a raging storm and His words of "Peace be still" were able to overpower the winds and waves. His peace is not anxious and did not pressure Him into running to Lazarus when news came that he was sick. Instead His peace caused Him to wait on the timing of God. His peace also allowed Him to remain silent in the face of accusations and mockery, for Jesus held His peace and answered not a word. His peace was strong enough that it kept Him from calling the angels to deliver Him when He was on the cross.

God's peace in the lives of others was not the absence of danger itself, but a knowledge that God was in control and that He was able to deliver. His peace prevailed in the lion's den for Daniel and also in the furnace of fire for Shadrach, Meshach, and Obednego. In prison, His peace allowed Peter to sleep peacefully between two soldiers when he was facing certain death. The same peace brought joy to Paul and Silas, allowing them to sing songs in the prison at the midnight hour.

The world only offers peace when everything is secure and going great, but God offers a peace that cannot be comprehended. His peace prevails in the time of storms, life threatening or difficult situations, and even death. If you want to experience this supernatural peace that transcends worldly peace, keep your mind stayed on Jesus and trust in Him (Isaiah 26:3). Then, just slow down and allow the peace of God that passes all understanding to overtake you and go before you. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/02/10
GOD'S CONFIDENCE

Scripture: Job 1:8 "Have you considered My servant Job, there is none like him in the earth?"

When God spoke these words to Satan, He was expressing His full confidence and trust in His servant, Job. God's trust was so strong that He allowed the hedge that was around Job to be lifted, but He also limited Satan's actions against Job. Job went through a lengthy season of loss in every area of his life and his patience was challenged in every way. Yet in the end, Job's steadfast faith prevailed against his hopeless situation. Satan was defeated, God's confidence was justified, and Job received his reward.

Everyone has different issues to face in life. One struggles with finances, another with relationships, some with health, and others with death itself. Hebrew 12:1 tells us that there is a race that is set before each of us. We are not allowed to choose our circumstances or the particular race that we will participate in. Neither can we choose our strengths or weaknesses. God is sovereign and He chooses our battles at His discretion. We must patiently endure the challenge, knowing that God will never put more upon us than we can bear. Whoever you are and whatever you are going through, you can be assured that you were God's choice for that testing. He knows your heart and He has faith in you.

God has good plans for you and His thoughts towards you are much higher than you can imagine, but you must run your race with patience. You must discipline yourself and expect to experience hurdles in your path. You cannot allow yourself to be distracted by the glory that you receive or by the pains that you are forced to endure. As you run your race, you are to lay aside every weight and every sin that seeks to burden you down. Jesus is the author and finisher of your faith and He is to be your great example, as He was able to endure the cross and despise the shame. His goal was to defeat Satan and His vision of victory kept Him from giving in to the temptations and evil devises of the devil. You must consider Jesus and the things that He endured so that you do not become weary and faint in your own mind. Like His thoughts towards Job, God has great confidence in you and He doesn't want you to give up in the middle of the test. Your must run your race with patience until you catch the second wind. In the midst of the race, the Holy Spirit of God will fill you with His power, and you will experience the joy of victory and receive great reward. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/03/10
MYSTERY OF INIQUITY

Scripture: II Thessalonians 2:7 "For the mystery of iniquity does already work."

A mystery is a secret. It's a truth that is closed for the present and can only be opened or comprehended by revelation. There was a mystery going on in Paul's heart and soul that baffled his intelligence. He personified the strife of two natures within himself; the Adamic nature that he was born with and the divine nature, which he received through his spiritual new birth in Christ. He described this struggle in Romans 7:19 as he was moved by the Holy Spirit. He said that he didn't do the good that he wanted to do, but instead he did the evil, which he didn't want to do. In his inner man, he found delight in the law of God but the members of his own body warred against his desire to be obedient to that law.

Does this struggle sound familiar? It is no surprise, for the closer that we get to being in the center of God's will, the harder Satan fights against us. As long as our body is tied to this world there will be an unseen battle raging within us, for we are no different than Jesus, the Apostle Paul, or the other New Testament saints. In all of our lives there lurks an underlying current of evil oppression. It is like an unwanted houseguest or a mouse in the pantry. We don't want it there and we hate to deal with it, but we can't ignore it. Something has to be done to rid it from our presence and we are the ones that must do it with the help of the Holy Spirit.

God allows nothing in your life that He will not use for your good and for the benefit of His great and wonderful cause. Jesus passed this way before you and He understands your struggles as He was also tempted by the devil, yet He remained without sin. However, He knows that, like the Apostle Paul, you don't always do the things that you want to do and that sometimes you do the very things that you do not want to do. Jesus is touched by your feelings of discouragement as you experience disappointment in yourself. He continually prays that your faith will not fail even though Satan desires to sift you as wheat (Luke 22:31).

God is doing great and mighty things and He wants you to be a part of it. As He enlarges your vision and stretches your borders, He wants to impart a revelation that will help you understand this mystery of iniquity so that you can move forward and fulfill His purposes. He desires that your heart be filled with peace concerning the temptations that you face and realize that these challenges are just part of the battle. God is on your side and He wants you to have victory over sin. Temptations will come, but if you submit yourself to God and resist the devil, the devil will have to flee (James 4:7). +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/04/10
MAKE YOUR DAY COUNT

Scripture: Psalms 90:12 "Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom."

These words were spoken by Moses in a prayer that he offered to the Lord. He wanted every day of his life to count. In the previous verses, he stated that man is only given seventy to eighty years to live. Moses realized that regardless of his natural strength, human life is limited here on earth, so he asked the Lord to show him how to number his days so that he could use his days wisely. This should also be our prayer and our goal. We should endeavor to be good stewards over each moment that God has entrusted to us and filter out the things that devour our time. For it is only as we spend our time wisely that we will be able to fulfill the purposes and plans that God has ordained for us.

When you visit those who are near death, most often they do not speak of their great accomplishments and successes. As they see the end on the horizon, they speak of those things that they never got to do or the places they never got to see. Their regrets are their unfulfilled dreams and the ventures never taken. It is sad to think that many songs were never sung, many poems never shared, and many words never written. They were buried deep in the hearts of those who died with a dream but who had never found the time or the courage to step out in faith and follow through with action.

Consider the following words by Marilyn Hickey:

"There are 1,440 opportunities every day to succeed.
That is how many minutes there are in each day.
I find that putting God first in my day
enables me to use my time wisely
and accomplish the goals that I have set.
It is He Who gives me
the wisdom to plan my day,
the intelligence to carry out each task,
and the energy to do it.
And then He gives me the joy
and satisfaction of achievement."

Like Moses, ask the Lord to help you number your days and make each one of the 1,440 minutes count. Strive to finish your course like the Apostle Paul with no regrets or unfulfilled wishes. God has good plans for your life. He can give you wisdom, intelligence, and energy to bring your dreams out of the forgotten past and make them realities of the present and the future. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/05/10
FORGIVENESS WITH GOD

Scripture: Psalms 130:3 "If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

God is a God of mercy and grace. He doesn't follow us around writing down every indiscretion that we commit. Like the psalmist said, "If He counted all of our iniquities, who would be able to stand?" God understands all of our temptations and all of our failures because His Son was tempted in all of the areas that we are tempted in. Yet, Jesus is the only one who remained without sin.

God never condemns us for our transgressions, regardless of how big or how small they are. He patiently waits for us to confess them to Him so that He can forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). He is very faithful in this area. Psalms 103:12 says, "He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west." And verse ten tells us that God doesn't deal with us after our sins, or reward us according to our iniquities. In other words, He doesn't punish us according to the degree of our sins. We never have to fear God in terror of His punishment, for His discipline and punishment is meant for correction and protection. However, we are instructed to give Him reverence and to fear Him as a child respectfully fears their loving father.

God looks beyond our faults and sees our needs. He sees how vulnerable we are and because we were created from the dust, He doesn't expect us to be gods. If God marked or kept record of all of our iniquities and punished us accordingly, no one would be able to stand before Him, for we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. He made provision ahead of time for our failures. He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross so that we could receive forgiveness and cleansing. Since God made this ultimate sacrifice, it stands to reason that His desire and intention is to forgive. God doesn't want to record our sins, He wants to forgive them. His love will cover a multitude of sin, if only we ask. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of February 2010

02/08/10
AGE IS IRRELEVANT

Scripture: Psalms 71:9 "Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength fails."

Several years ago I went to an estate sale of a woman who had died in her late nineties. I was interested in purchasing a piano that her heirs had advertised. When I entered the woman's home, I noticed that it was filled with beautiful oil paintings that she had painted. I wanted to buy one of the paintings but their appraisal value was far beyond my means. As I viewed this awesome art, I was amazed to learn that this woman, who was obviously a talented and brilliant artist, had not started painting until she was 82 years old. Even though she neglected her gift for most of her many years, it was very admirable that in her old age, she gave birth to her hidden gift and left a treasure for others to enjoy. I imagine that when she first started painting at 82 years of age, she may have thought that she would only achieve one painting because of her limitation. Yet because she was not afraid to start something in the limited time that she had left, she was able to leave this world with much beauty and a part of herself.

I heard someone say recently that age is irrelevant and that it doesn't matter how old we are but how much time we have left. If we are sixty years old and God's appointed time for us to die is at the age of ninety-five, we are not old because we still have thirty-five years of life remaining. However, if we are thirty years old and are ordained to die at age thirty-five, we are old because we only have five years left. So, wherever we are in life, we may be considered old or young, not based on our age, but based upon the years that we have left. For that reason, we must live each day as if it were the last but look to the future as if we were going to live many more years.

Throughout the scriptures, God used many people who were advanced in years. Moses was eighty years old and his brother, Aaron, was eighty-three when they began their journey across the wilderness to the Promised Land. Abraham was one hundred and Sarah was ninety when Isaac was born, and Elizabeth conceived John the Baptist in her old age. Caleb was eighty-five when he said, "Give this mountain" (Joshua 14:12). He declared that he was as strong this day as he was in the day that Moses sent him out forty years earlier. Caleb was ready to fight for what belonged to him.

We can be no less aggressive than these courageous souls. When we are eighty-two, it is no time to sit down and give up. It is time to stir the gifts within us whether it be creating beautiful paintings, writing books, composing songs, or using other talents that God has endowed us with. As long as we have breath, we should praise the Lord with the gifts that He has given to us. We must believe that no mountain is too high for us to climb and no ocean is too big for us to cross. God, Himself, will help us accomplish anything that we set our hearts to do. Like the psalmist said, God will not cast us off in our old age nor forsake us when our strength fails. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/09/10
ARISE AND SHINE

Scripture: Isaiah 60:1 "Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you."

God encourages us to rise to a new life. The Amplified Bible reads, "Arise from the depression ... in which circumstances have kept you." We all face disappointments in life, either through circumstances or in our relationships. When we do not deal with those disappointments, we become discouraged. Then as we give in to discouragement, depression follows.

Depression is like being in a dark room. In the natural, if you find yourself in darkness, you must make an effort to get up and turn the light on. When you turn the light on, you do not have to battle with the darkness any more. The light itself dispels the darkness. Likewise, when your inner man is in a dark room of depression, you must do the same thing. God is there with the light of His Word, but you must arise and allow that light to illuminate your spirit and renew your faith. Verse two says that as you arise, "His glory shall be seen upon you." It is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit as He draws you out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light.

King David faced this darkness when his city was burned and his possessions and family were taken captive. If that wasn't hard enough, his own men blamed him for the loss and wanted to stone him. I Samuel 30:4 says that David cried until he couldn't cry any more, but then he began to encourage himself in the Lord his God. He arose and began to allow the light of God to shine in his darkness. As he did, new plans developed. He pursued the enemy and took back what the enemy had stolen. He could have sat there forever in depression and defeat and never regained what belonged to him. The choice was his.

I Peter 5:8 tells us that the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. You are in his path, but you are to give him no place in your heart. You must encourage yourself in the Lord as David did. From the beginning, you must refuse to allow disappointment to lodge in your heart until it turns into discouragement. Learn to trust God's word which says, "All things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose." Arise, shine, and allow God's light to supernaturally dispel the darkness. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/10/10
WITNESSING

Scripture: Acts 1:8 "You shall be witnesses unto Me."

We often make witnessing about Jesus such a big ordeal when in reality it is just talking about Him. It is so easy to tell others about a movie that we've seen and describe the main characters and all of their attributes. We may even quote a few lines that they said and be able to convince our listener that the main character was either good or bad. Witnessing about Jesus and the things of God should come just as easy and natural if we truly know Him. We should be able to talk about Him as a person, and in a simple way tell the facts about His life. God's Word should be so alive to us that we are able to quote our favorite lines that Jesus said or other scriptures pertaining to Him.

Witnesses who take the stand in a court of law are only required to tell the facts they know. They do not have to know and understand everything about the circumstances. They only have to reveal the truth as they know it. In Luke 7:20-22 the disciples of John came to Jesus and asked if He was the Messiah that should come or should they look for another. Jesus replied and said, "Go tell John what things you have seen and heard; how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor." When you give witness of the things that Jesus has done for you, the facts will speak for themselves and your experience will make your words come alive.

Psalms 105:1-5 gives us some instructions about how to witness. The psalmist said in part to give thanks to the Lord and sing. There is a great witness that goes forth when you simply give praise to God and sing songs that honor Him. You are also to remember and make known His deeds among the people and talk of all His wondrous works, giving glory to His Holy Name. Your witnessing is not just a formula that you have been taught in evangelism class. It should never be burdensome but should just generate spontaneously from your heart. Jesus said, "You shall be My witnesses." Your message is a real person and that person is Jesus. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/11/10
IF YOU HAVE BREATH

Scripture:  Psalms 150:6 "Let every thing that has breath praise the Lord."
In this psalm, we are exhorted to praise the Lord for His mighty acts and for His excellent greatness. We are to praise God with trumpets, harps, organs, and stringed instruments. The psalmist then concludes by saying, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." In other words, regardless of your current circumstances, if you still have breath, you are to praise the Lord.

Notice the psalmist doesn't distinguish between those who are full of joy and those who are in mourning. Nor does he say let those in health and wealth praise the Lord. He says let everything that has breath give praise. If you are in trouble, but are still breathing, you are to praise the Lord. If you are bankrupt and don't know how you are going to feed your family or pay the bills, you are still to praise the Lord. If your spouse has left you and your best friend has rejected you, praise should still be in your heart and on your lips for who God is in your life. If you are in the midst of a mighty storm or a raging fire, you are to praise the Lord.

If you have breath within your being, you are to forget your ill fate and adverse circumstances and praise the Lord, for you still have hope because God is able to change your situation and restore all things. Look at some instances in the scriptures where praise prevailed. In Habakkuk 3:17-18, even though the prophet's vines, fields, and cattle were not producing, and things were getting very lean, he still rejoiced in the God of his salvation. His praise did not depend upon what he had but who God was. In II Chronicles 20:21, Jehoshaphat appointed singers to go before the army with praises unto the Lord. As they sang, God caused the opposing army to fight against itself, and Jehoshaphat won the battle. Praise confuses Satan. In Acts 16:25, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God at the midnight hour. They were waiting to be executed, but God opened the doors of the prison by means of a great earthquake and set them free. Praise brings deliverance.

The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong to those whose hearts is perfect towards Him (II Chronicles 16:9). God is continually looking and listening for those who are worshiping Him with their hearts and praising Him with their lips. When you begin to set your love upon God in this manner, Psalm 91:14-15 declares that God will be with you in trouble, He will answer you, He will honor you, and He will deliver you. Praise is a mighty weapon. So if you still have breath, praise the Lord. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/12/10
YOU ARE SO LOVED

Scripture: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

These twenty-five words tell of God's enormous love for us, and in a very simple way they explain the gospel message. The good news of the gospel is that God loved us so much that He came up with a plan to save us from an eternal death. God's love refused to allow us to be held in captivity by the devil, even if it meant the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus. The reason that God made this awesome sacrifice and gave His precious Son to die on the cross was because He "so loved" us. It is difficult for our finite minds to comprehend God's love, for very few of us could give our only son in the place of another.

When the Holy Spirit breathed this scripture into the heart of John, the words that the Spirit used to describe God's abundant love for mankind was "so loved." Yet these two words speak volumes. God's love was so great that it's depth, height, length, and breath could not be measured or explained with words. God just so loved! His love knew no boundaries or limits. It reached to the highest mountains and flowed to the lowest valleys. His love passed all human understanding (Ephesians 3:17). God so loved that He gave that which He loved the most, His only begotten Son.

Any love, divine or natural, that can be measured is indeed little love. If you can put your love in a box, it is not worth much. If you can buy a gift that represents the value of your love, your love is cheap. If you can confine your love to mere words, it is lacking. If you can explain your love with measurements and borders, it is limited. If your love is conditional and controlling, it is not true love. Think about the love in your own heart and then reflect on God's love. Can you measure the love that possesses your heart for your own children? Your family? Your pastor and special friends? It is an impossible task. So it is with God's love. There are no words to explain the love that possesses God's heart when He thinks of you. If you had been the only one in the world, God still would have given His Son in your place because He "so loves" you. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of February 2010

02/15/10
ABOVE ALL, LOVE

Scripture: Colossians 3:14 (NIV) "Above all these virtues put on love."

As followers and disciples of Christ, our lives should be very different from those who do not profess to know or have a personal relationship with the Lord. In everything that we do or say, we should be reflecting the virtues of Christ. Each day before we meet the world that we live in, we should clothe ourselves with His characteristics, which are holiness, humility, kindness, mercy, and forgiveness, and above all of these virtues, the Apostle Paul told us to put on love. Without love we are not fully dressed.

Paul said that love is the most important attribute that we should have in our lives because it binds everything together in harmony. All of the other virtues and even faith, itself, are set in motion and work because of love. When love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, it brings God's holiness into our lives. Because of our great love for God, we do not want to do evil against Him, and because we love others we do not want to harm them in any way. Love causes us to perform pure acts of kindness, show mercy, and extend forgiveness. You cannot express love and be unkind or impatience at the same time. Neither can hate and bitterness dwell in the same vessel where there is love. It just will not work, for when there is love, it will rule supreme.

Love goes beyond human comprehension and can't be explained or ignored. You can never admonish others for the love that is in their hearts because love is a commandment from God. He told us to love Him with all of our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves. There were to be no exceptions, not even for our enemies or those who did evil against us. Love was designed by God to make the greatest sacrifices and cover a multitude of sin. We are told to put on love because it is a matter of choice and conscious effort. Love matches everything and is always appropriate and essential in every situation. We are to wear it as our outside garment everywhere we go. The first thing that others should see as we approach them is our covering of love. Jesus said, "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another" (John 13:35). As you look at yourself in the mirror before you start each day, remember to check your spiritual garments and above all make sure that you have put on the spirit of love. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/16/10
KEEP ON ASKING

Scripture: Luke 18:1 (Amplified) "Always pray ... do not turn coward, faint, lose heart and give up."

This scripture deals with a widow who received justice from a judge. The judge gives his account of the situation and explains why he granted her justice. He said that he did not avenge her because he reverenced and feared God. Neither did he grant her petition because he had respect and consideration for her as a person. The judge avenged her because he began to realize that she was not going to give him any peace until she got some answers. Every time he turned around, she was there, and her voice was in his ears. She was bothersome and an intolerable annoyance to him. She was determined in her spirit and was not going to leave without getting an answer.

In verse seven, Jesus said, just like this unjust judge, "Shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?" How many answers do we fail to receive because we quit praying and give up? James 5:16 says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." This speaks of Elijah's earnest prayers concerning rain. His petition was not a "one time" prayer. I Kings 18:42-43 tells us that Elijah cast himself down upon the earth, put his face between his knees, and prayed seven times until he saw that his answer was on the way. Effective prayer continues until there are results. It is like boiling a pot of water. Water must reach 212 degrees before it begins to boil. We can stand there and wait until it reaches 210 degrees and give up each time just before it starts to boil, or we can see the process through.

In Mark 8:22-25, Jesus put His hands on a blind man the second time before the man's vision was restored completely. And Daniel's prayer was heard from the first day that he prayed, but his answer was delayed twenty-one days (Daniel 10:12). Shameless persistent faith holds on until the answer comes. You must never give in to disappointment and discouragement if you want to experience victory. And you must not turn coward and faint. Instead, "Ask and keep on asking, and it shall be given unto you; seek and keep on seeking, and you will find; knock and keep on knocking, and the door shall be opened to you." (Luke 11:9 Amplified). +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/17/10
DOING THE FATHER'S BUSINESS

Scripture: Luke 2:49 "... I must be about My Father's business."

All the words recorded in scripture concerning Jesus depict His mission on Earth, which was to bring eternal life to a dying world and destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8). His whole life was about doing His Father's business. From the very beginning of His life, Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies with His birth in Bethlehem. Then, as a young child, Jesus sat in the midst of the doctors in the temple and declared to His parents that He "must be about His Father's business." He recognized very early in life that He was anointed by God to do a particular work and He remained focused on that agenda.

Jesus had a dream and knew His destiny. He was to fulfill the work that His Father in Heaven had given Him to do here on Earth. So, despite the fact that His call and His mission included the cross and its shame, He endured all that was set before Him with joy, knowing in His heart that He was pleasing His Father (Hebrews 12:2). However, there was opposition along the way. In fact, Jesus lived in a perpetual state of conflict because He was headed towards His dreams. The king tried to destroy Jesus when He was a just a small child. Religious leaders of the day tried to keep Him from proclaiming His message of the Kingdom and healing the oppressed. And Satan, himself, tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Yet, Jesus never strayed from His call or doing His Father's business. When the time came for His work to be completed, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, never flinching from the cross of Calvary (Luke 9:51).

Your Father in Heaven also has plans for you. He has big dreams and envisions you being a big part of those dreams. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, you are to be about His business, for you are the hope of His glory. You are an epistle which will be read of all men and by your works and influence, men will come to know God and will learn to love Him or dislike Him. You have a responsibility to do God's business and do it well. Never lose sight of the dream that God has for you. Ask Him to breathe upon those dreams and ignite you for His service. Like Jesus, you will face opposition. There will be heartache and disappointment along the way but keep your eyes on Jesus and keep focused on the dream. Endure the rough places with joy knowing that you are fulfilling God's plan and doing His business. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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02/18/10
WHEN FEAR COMES

Scripture: Psalms 56:3 "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee."

David experienced much in his life. He had his times of joy, sadness, defeats, and triumphs and he also had times of great fear. This particular psalm came to David during a season of fear. Verse one and two says that he was seeking for God's mercy because, as David put it, men were trying to "swallow him up." They were fighting against him daily and there were many who were oppressing him.

In a state of fear, David had fled from King Saul, who was trying to kill him, and went to Achish, the king of Gath, to find refuge. But the servants of Achish recognized David as being a king also and they began to rehearse the songs that people were singing about David. The lyrics declared that David was mighty in battle and that he had killed tens of thousands of his enemies. As David heard these words being spoken about him, he became very afraid of Achish and what his reaction might be against him. In order to protect himself, David began to pretend that he was insane. As he feigned insanity, he allowed his spittle to fall upon his beard in order to convince king Achish that he was a madman (I Samuel 21:10-15).

David's plan worked and he was delivered from his dilemma. But this charade shows us that no one is exempt from being attacked by fear. Fear comes to the coward and the brave hearted, to the poor and the rich, to the weak and the mighty, and also to the peasants and the kings. In the midst of his fear, however, David decided it didn't matter what was going on around him or inside of him, he was going to trust the Lord. He recognized that God was for him (verse 9) and he declared, "What time I am afraid ... I will trust in You."

There are many oppressive voices that seek to challenge us in today's world. There are physical storms, wars and rumors of war, unstable financial situations, and personal issues to face. Each day brings its own challenges and uncertainties. When fear attacks on any level a tough personal choice has to be made to either give in and give up or trust God right in the midst of the fearful situation. Trust is a definite commitment and demands letting go of all the perplexities that surround us and then leaning totally upon God. Like David's words, our trust declares, "Even though I am afraid ... I trust in You, Lord." +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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02/19/10
POWER AND STRENGTH

Scripture: Isaiah 40:29 "He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might, He increases strength."

This promise of power and increased strength from God is a wonderful scripture to hold on to in times of stress and fatigue. In the verses following, Isaiah tells us that those who were once weak will mount up with wings as the eagles. They will be able to run without growing weary and they will walk without getting faint. Notice that there are three levels where we may find ourselves; soaring as eagles, running, and walking.

It's great when our journey with God takes us to new heights and the winds of His Spirit lift us above the mundane obstacles of daily life. As we soar through life, everything seems so special and it's as though we can reach out and actually embrace the heart of God. There are no obstructions, our vision is clear, and all storms are beneath us. It seems that Heaven is just a breath away. Everything appears beautiful in its own way, and we are at ease as we are carried on the winds of God's wings. When we soar, the mountains do not threaten us for they are our resting place, and the valleys do not frighten us for we are not having to walk through them. We face no shadows or immediate dangers, and one glance in any direction reveals our provisions.

Soaring as eagles is a wonderful place with God, but we all know these seasons do not last forever. There are times that we must come down from the heavenlies, walk through the valleys, climb the mountains, and run the race that God has set before us. Running and walking, however, do not seem to be as grand as the heights that we once experienced, yet God still meets us in these places and gives us added strength to endure. As we run, the journey goes fast and our thoughts are kept busy. There are no wasted efforts or long delays. We have no time for our patience to be tried because our efforts bring quick rewards. But then comes the times that we are only allowed to walk. These are the more difficult places where progress is slow. We know that God is with us, but it seems as though nothing is really happening. Our vision is limited and we have no idea what is just around the bend. The scenery changes very slowly as we can only take one step at a time, and desperation begins to cause our faith to faint.

This is the time to remember the words that Isaiah prophesied to us. He explained just how the power and strength would come to those who are desperate for help. Whether you are young or old, you must understand that failing strength happens to everyone. Isaiah said when you find that you are weak and have no might, wait upon the Lord and He will cause you to grow stronger. When you feel that you can't go on, rest in God's presence, for He will give power to the faint and increase the strength of those who are weary. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of February 2010

02/22/10
CREATED IN HIS IMAGE

Scripture: Genesis 1:26 "God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness."

God created the heavens and the Earth and called light into existence. He made the sun, moon, and planets and placed them in their appropriate positions. He also scattered the stars across the heavens according to His own divine pattern. He created the mighty oceans and formed the seas and then filled them with enormous amounts of water that cannot be measured. He divided the lands, formed the mountains, and dredged out the rivers. He also created all of the animals and brought plant life into existence. Then as a finishing touch, He created man and woman.

God commanded life into everything that He made. Yet, the creation of man was different. When God created man, He said, "Let Us make man." God the Father called for a divine council with God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, and all were included in the creation of this special being called a man, which was formed from the dust of the Earth. Another thing that was different about man was that he was created in God's own image. None of God's other creation could lay claim to this high honor.

When we began to understand why we were created in God's very own image, it is a very sobering thought. God wanted someone like Himself that He could commune with on a personal basis, and He wanted someone that had the capacity to love and worship Him in spirit and truth, even though all nature cries out with praise to God. He also designed His most special creation to have His own attributes and to show forth His likeness. God created man with the capacity to be holy as He, Himself, is holy (I Peter 1:16). That may seem like a far stretch to most of us, but God created us to be filled with His Spirit so that we could display His image of holiness to a wayward world. We are to be like a healthy tree and manifest the fruits of His Holy Spirit. When others look at us they are to see His image of love, joy, and peace. As His witness, we are to display His image of patience, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. When others encounter our presence, they should experience God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness because Christ is within us. God's image of wisdom that comes down from above is to rest upon us and we are to be His light to a darkened world. We must acknowledge and respect God's work in us and understand our constant responsibility to be His image in the Earth. Everything that God is, He has designed us to be also, for He created us in His own image. +++

Scripture: Matthew 28:20 "... I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

Our greatest comfort and our greatest joy is the assurance of these words from Jesus. Every moment, His followers are promised His personal and empowering presence. This promise is our greatest spiritual asset, and we could ask for no greater treasure. We could depend on no better security. We could reach no higher heights or experience no deeper depths than to know that Jesus is with us. How awesome is the thought that Jesus will never leave or forsake us. He will always be there. Others may leave, but He will remain. He is with us in our laughter and He is with us in our tears. He is with us in our triumphs and He is with us in our tragedies. He is there with us as we experience joy and He is there in our pain. And He is always touched with the things that our hearts are caused to endure.

Jesus made this commitment to be with us to the ends of the world or the end of the age. It doesn't matter if we are at home or in a distant land, His presence surrounds us, fills our lonely hearts, and girds us with strength. We only need to recognize Him and know that He is there. It doesn't matter if we are doing menial tasks or are involved in a major undertaking, He is there to help us in the time of our need. It doesn't matter if we are in peace or engaged in war, for His protecting arms surround us at all times. It doesn't matter if it is Sunday, Monday, or another day of the week, He is there always and His mighty presence fills every moment. In His presence there is a peace that passes all understanding. There is also a trust that cannot be described, an abounding love that fills the heart, and a grace that is sufficient for the soul.

We do not have to dread the road ahead or be anxious about the future, for the Lord's presence will lead us and He will take care of every detail. The power of His presence will always make a way where there seems to be no way. He will go before us and make a way in the wilderness and cause streams in the desert (Isaiah 43:19). His presence will even cause us to bloom in the hard places where we are planted. Isaiah 42:16 says, "He will make the darkness light before us, and the crooked things straight. These things He will do for us, and He will not forsake us." We must hold to the promise that the presence of Jesus will always be with us, for this is the greatest asset that we could ever hope to gain. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
02/24/10
ACCIDENTAL DEEDS

Scripture: Romans 7:19 "For the good that I would do, I do not: but the evil which I would not do, I do."

A few years ago, I was very amused with a statement made by my young granddaughter. Instead of drying her hands on the towel that was next to sink in the bathroom, she hurried to the living room and dried them on the decorative throw, which was on the couch. When her parents corrected her, she said, "I didn't do it, my hands did it." She explained the situation further by saying, "It was an accident. I didn't know that my hands were doing that." She was unconsciously exercising a bad habit, and because she didn't do it deliberately, she didn't feel responsible for what her hands had done. It was as though her hands were a different entity than the rest of her whole being, so it wasn't her fault that they had accidentally dried themselves on the throw blanket instead of the towel.

This incident sounds humorous to us as adults because we know that we can't get away with putting the blame on our hands or other parts of our body when we do something wrong. We understand that the entire body is involved in our actions and that we have to take responsible for our individual members. Yet, there are probably times in God's eyes that we look much like my granddaughter when we try to justify our actions. We have an enemy in our life who tempts us to do wrong. When we find ourselves in financial difficulty, he tells us that it is okay to cheat just a little. He tempts us with lustful thoughts and disguises it as true love. He deceives us into thinking that we can say what we want to say and do what we want to do, and tells us that if it feels good, it must be okay. We speak hurtful words and share rumors, but instead calling it an accident, we try to cover it up by saying, "I really didn't mean to say that." We allow our eyes to linger on offensive scenes and expose our ears to vulgarity, and then dismissed it by declaring, "I couldn't help it, it just flashed across the movie screen."

Paul was a great apostle and wrote most of the New Testament. Yet, we can see from his own words that he struggled with daily challenges just like us. Like Paul, we do things that we don't want to do and we don't do the things that we want to do. We may not issue a disclaimer for our misconduct by calling it an accident like my granddaughter did, and we may not even be aware that our actions are displeasing to God because our conscious may have become seared. So we need God's help. David prayed and asked God to point out anything in him that made God sad. We must do the same. We must allow God to show us our secret sins and then acknowledge that our actions, whether good or bad, are not mere accidents. We need God to remind us not to do the things that we're not supposed to do and then help us do the things that we should do. God is loving and faithful, and He will help us if we ask. +++

Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:7 & 8 "You have dwelt long enough in this mountain ... go and possess the land."

God had made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and to their children after them that He would give them the Promised Land. Moses now speaks to the people and commands them to go forward and possess the land that God had promised their fathers before them. In verse twenty-one, Moses also tells the people of Israel to do this without fear or discouragement.

Israel was given a tremendous promise of a special land, but the possession of that promise came only by facing the giants and engaging in battles. It's very easy for us to get excited about a promise that we receive from God, but it is another thing to put forth the effort to possess that same promise. Too often, we view the promise from afar and never walk towards the vision that God has placed in our hearts. The giants of doubt and unbelief challenge our hopes and dreams and tempt us to give up. In the midst of the battle, we must remember that God never makes a promise that He can't keep. When He leads, He goes before us and no foe can stand in His way. His presence clears the way before us, making the crooked paths straight and the rough ways smooth.

God has set before you open doors in an attempt to enlarge your borders and He speaks to you as He did with Moses, "You have dwelt long enough in this mountain. Go possess the land." Adversity may come as you move forward, but if you allow it, it will strengthen you. Conflicts transform the meek into mighty warriors, fires purify, water purges, and stones polish. It is a known fact that hard times make us strong, and valleys rather than mountains cause us to grow. Your shattered hopes and disappointments will cause you to shift your focus to God and God alone. Your experiences will give you insight and discernment and God will use all of your brokenness to minister to you and equip you to be able to minister to others. The peace and joy that you win in battle will become more precious than the peace which has known no conflict. God desires that you move into your destiny and speaks, "Don't fear or be discouraged. Go and possess the promise." +++

Scripture: Psalms 147:3 " ... Jesus binds up their wounds."

Saint Augustine, who lived in 354-430 AD said, "It's one thing to remove the spear, but quite another to heal the wound by long and careful treatment." His statement was not only true concerning physical wounds but also true with regard to wounds that come when the heart has been shattered by the conflicts of life. The spear, or the circumstance that causes our pain, may be quickly removed from our lives, yet the wound that has been inflicted will take much time to fully heal. For when the spear is removed, it leaves a gaping hole within our heart that only God can mend. Memories may linger for a lifetime and will surprise us at the most inopportune moments. Against our will, they will resurface and remind us of the pain that we suffered and the injustice that we were forced to endure. Painful memories are like permanent stains, which cannot be erased, removed, or washed away without the supernatural work of our Comforter, the Holy Spirit.

King David was a mighty warrior and knew the hardships and grief of battle. Yet, his heart had been wounded not by a spear from the enemy, but by a trusted friend. He prayed to God concerning this particular painful and personal experience that he had suffered. He said if an enemy had reproached and taunted him, he might have been able to bear it. Or if he had been hurt by someone who hated him, he would have just gone into hiding. But sadly, David's wounds came from his close companion and familiar friend. He was betrayed by someone with whom he shared a close relationship. They had a sweet fellowship with one another and had even walked together to the house of God (Psalms 55:12-14).

Like David, most of us have sustained near-fatal wounds in the spirit and have felt the pain of the spear as it pierced our heart. We have lost loved ones to death, experienced divorce, or possibly suffered an estranged relationship with a close friend or a precious member of our own family. Through no fault of our own, we have been terribly wounded by those that we have loved and trusted the most. No enemy could have broken our heart like that of our loved one. No worldly acquaintance could have disappointed us more than the betrayal by our spiritual brother or sister with whom we fellowshipped with in the house of the Lord. These wounds to our heart are deeper and far greater than those that an enemy could inflict, for it is harder to receive healing when our wounds came by those we love. Nevertheless, we do have hope. The Lord, Himself, has promise to heal the broken hearted and to bind up the wounds. We must yield ourselves to His process. Jesus will remove the spear and then by long and careful treatment, He will lovingly bind up or dress our wounds until our hearts are thoroughly healed. +++