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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of January 2010

01/01/10
A NEW THING

Isaiah 43:19 "Behold, I will do a new thing."

God has always been a God of new things. He has never been a hand me down God and He doesn't like to settle into the old or become stagnant in His works. Everything God creates is fresh. Each mountain, river, and ocean is distinctly different, as is all of His other works of nature. He is a master artist and every day He creates a new sunrise and a new sunset that is never to be repeated. God's work is glorious and profound, and like He said in Genesis, "It is always good."

God makes a wonderful promise through Isaiah, the prophet, to do a new thing for His people. He promised to make a way in the wilderness and create streams in the desert places for them. He also promised to give them a path in the mighty waters. He declared that He was their Lord, their Holy One, their Creator, and King. He was all that they needed and all they would ever need. God also promised new things for us. When we receive Jesus into our hearts, we become a new creature with a new covenant and He gives us a new name (Revelations 2:17). He creates within us a new heart and imparts a new Spirit into our lives (Ezekiel 36:26). He instructs us to put on the new man (Ephesians 4:24) and gives us a new commandment and a new song (Psalm 40:3). When He touches our lives with these new things we are totally transformed.

As you face the New Year, believe God to do new things in your life. Remember that He is still your Creator. Regardless of whether you are faced with a wilderness place or a dry barren desert, God has the answer. He will make a way, create a stream, or do whatever is necessary to help you through your dilemma and correct your situation. Trust in Him with all of your heart and don't lean upon your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Don't base today's answer on yesterday's solutions, for God is doing a new thing in your life. +++

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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of January 2010

01/04/10
NEW RESOLUTIONS

Scripture: Psalms 118:24 "This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalms 118 was a jubilant expression of praise and thanksgiving and was a song that was sung by the worshipers as they went up to the Temple. The psalm spoke of the people's deliverance from the things in the past that had caused them distress and also expressed their hopes for the future. The word "day" in this scripture is not confined in any way except to indicate a particular space of time. It can mean either the time between sunrise and sunset or the twenty-four hour period from one sunset to next sunset. It can also mean a week, a year, a decade, or a season. It can even refer to a century or an entire age.

God creates spaces of time in our lives and each one starts with a new beginning. Each day comes with a new sun rise offering light to escape the previous darkness and warmth to create growth on the earth. Every new week gives us a fresh start after an appointed day of rest. Each new season brings change and every new year births new resolutions and hope in our spirits. We start each of these spaces of time with faith that things will be good and that we will accomplish our goals in a better fashion. For me, I start every morning agreeing with God's Word that this is the day or the space of time that the Lord has given to me and that I will rejoice and be glad in it. It doesn't take long, however, for my declaration to be challenged and my hopes dashed to pieces because the day does not always go as I have planned. My week also gets off to a rough start and the month ends too soon without the goals being met. The New Year with its promising resolutions to do better does not even have a chance because the plans that I have made never seem to happen. Everything seems to fall to pieces little by little and I begin to wonder, if God really did create this new day, why is all this chaos happening?

Yet, God's Word is always true for God is not a man that He should lie. If the Word says that He created this day or space of time we can believe it and we can also believe that He will give us strength to rejoice in it. Being children of the Most High God does not exempt us from heartache and trouble but James told us to rejoice when we went through fiery trials. Habakkuk rejoiced in the season when the fig tree did not blossom and there was no fruit on the vine. The Apostle Paul determined that none of the tribulations that He faced would separate Him from God and he instructed us to rejoice in the Lord always. Jesus proceeded towards the crucifixion of the Cross because of the joy that was set before Him. It would benefit our souls to stand with these men of faith and declare that we too will rejoice in the Lord and be glad in the current day regardless of what it brings. Rejoicing provides strength to endure and it is with joy that we are able to draw from the wells of salvation. So, let us recognize this new year as a gift from God and appreciate every day. Lets us determine to rejoice and be glad in it regardless of the circumstances knowing that God made this day or period of time and He knows what surrounds it. +++

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01/05/10
JOY THAT IS FULL

Scripture: I John 1:4 "And these things write we unto you that your joy might be full."

Today we stand on the edge of uncertain days, never knowing what the next news brief will bring. Even though the events are happening far from us, we know that each fiber of news affects all of us in some area. It's as though we sense that we are standing on the edge of eternity. And even though we face the truth of these realities, we shouldn't allow a foreboding spirit to overwhelm us, for God is still in control. He has scheduled our life for this time in history and is well able to take care of us. As we stand facing uncertainties, we are to be encouraged, for we are also standing on the edge of glorious miracles and ministries.

The Apostle John was an eyewitness to the life of Jesus. He had seen Jesus, had heard Him speak, and even had an opportunity to touch His nail scared hands. As John wrote this letter while being inspired by the Holy Spirit, he said that he was sharing with us so that our joy might be full. This letter is an intimate word from the Father God to His children who are in the world. God has always been there for His people and He will be there for eternity. God knew that we would be facing these days, but He did not leave us without light. He gave us Jesus, the Light of the World, and He told us to walk in that Light and fellowship with that Light.

It is only as we follow these instructions that we can truly be full of joy. It is true that we may enjoy the pleasures of sin, but those pleasures will only last for a short season (Hebrews 11:25). Grief, sorrow, and heartache will soon follow because sin brings death and destruction. Sin's cup of pleasure is never full. It is always half empty. It lacks fulfillment and never satisfies. However, when we walk in the Light and Fellowship with the Light, who is Jesus, we begin to discern the differences between pleasures and true joy. As we allow Jesus to show us the things in our lives that make Him sad and seek cleansing from all unrighteousness, He fills our cup. And when He fills our cup, it runs over and we experience "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (I Peter 1:8). +++

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01/06/10
BOUND IN THE BUNDLE OF LIFE

Scripture: I Samuel 25:29 "Yet a man is risen to pursue you, and to seek your soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord your God; and the souls of your enemies, shall He sling out ..."

David and his men had faithfully protected Nabal and all of his possessions for some length of time. Yet Nabal refused to provide food for David's men. This angered David to such a degree that he swore that he would kill Nabal and destroy all that David and his men had protected. When Nabal's wife, Abigail, heard of David's plan she reminded him that his life was wrapped up in the plans of God. She wisely counseled David not to shed innocent blood because of Nabal's evil actions. She told David that if he were to shed innocent blood to avenge his own hurt, it would bring him grief and be a future offense to his own heart, for he would always look back and regret that he had moved out of the will of God in his anger. Up to this time, there had been no evil in David's heart. All of the battles that he had fought and all the blood that he had shed had been for the sake of the Lord and not for his own vengeance.

It was a common practice in those days to put jewelry or coins inside a piece of cloth and bind it at the top for safe keeping. Abigail reminded David that he was like a valuable jewel that God had wrapped up in a bundle. God used Abigail as an instrument to make David aware that the enemy was pursuing and provoking him in order to gain his soul. Nabal's actions had caused David to forget who he was and where he was headed. David's destiny was at stake. He had been chosen by God to be the future King of Israel and was safely hidden and protected in God. David's enemies, however, were victims of God's wrath and were like loose stones that God would sling out to avenge David if David waited on God. David blessed Abigail for her advice and allowed God to fight his battle for him and in doing so he saved his own soul from judgment.

Your battles and your destiny are not the same as David's, yet you face the same enemy who pursues your soul and tries to provoke you to evil. You may walk in love and strive to live in peace with those about you, but many times you are repaid with rejection and abuse. Like the situation with David and Nabal, the devil may work hard to cause you to react in some way to avenge yourself so that he can draw you into temptation and destroy your witness. Satan wants you to fail so that he can fill your heart with grief and cause you to be an offense to your own self and the ministry that God has called you to do. The devil will use others who are like Nabal to do things that will cause you to suddenly forget who you are, where you are headed, and the ultimate purpose of God for your life. He will challenge you to trade one moment of revenge for the future and destiny that God has ordained for you. Always remember that God knows what is happening and allow Him to be in control. When you face a provoking spirit such as David did, stay in peace and allow God to avenge you. You are His special treasure and He is holding you safely in the bundle of His life. +++

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01/07/10
LIBERTY FOR THE BRUISED

Scripture: Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to ... set at liberty those that are bruised."

The word "bruise" has two meanings. A physical bruise is an injury in which the skin is not broken, but the blood vessels underneath are ruptured and are hemorrhaging. The second definition of bruise refers to a psychological injury. The Greek translation of "bruise" in this scripture refers to the second definition. It means the injury of one's feelings, to crush, or to hurt psychologically by pounding into minute fragments. Both of these type of bruises hurt, but most often the second one is most painful.

At some point in your life, you most likely have experienced an emotional injury that has left you feeling totally crushed. Emotional bruising and crushing come through various circumstances such as death, divorce, financial disappointments, or debilitating illness. Adverse circumstances and situations such as these pound and shatter us into minute fragments until we reach the point of hopelessness. Life seems unfair and we are stripped of the desire to go on. Like a physical bruise, our emotions suffer much pain, and long after the injury, this emotional bruising is still visible in our lives. We may try very hard to hide our feelings from others like we try to hide a bad physical bruise, but the tenderness in our hearts, minds, and emotions remain and it can be sensed by others who are close to us.

Bruised emotions are a form of captivity, but there is a release, for Jesus was anointed to set at liberty those who have been injured in this way. Galatians 5:1 says, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Christ has made you free, and don't be entangled again with the yoke of bondage." If you have been bruised emotionally, Jesus came to proclaim liberty to you and to set you free and He wants you to stay free. He opened the door for you to leave your captivity, but you must not allow yourself to be entangled with the yoke of bondage. When you leave your bruised emotions behind, you must not go back to your place of captivity. Obey the scriptures that say, "Think on the things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, of virtue, or of praise" (Philippians 4:8). In other words, refuse to allow your mind to dwell on the things that bruised and crushed you in the past. Don't keep hitting your bruise. Allow yourself to heal and allow God to set you free. He is able to restore you and put you back together again if you give Him all of the pieces. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/08/10
THE OTHER SIDE OF "IF"

Scripture: John 14:14 "If you will ask anything in My Name, I will do it."

"If" is such a small word yet it holds within itself great potential, for much of what happens to us depends upon our response to this tiny word. The word "if" is like the small hinge that allows a big door to open and shut. Our simple response to God's "if" opens up enormous possibilities, for many promises in the scriptures are conditional upon our acts of obedience. God gives us a binding contract in His Word and says, "If you will, then I will." He then waits for our participation in this agreement and when we act in faith upon His word, He watches over it to perform it.

We all need redemption for our souls and God stands on the other side of "if" and declares, "If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved" (Romans 10:9). We grope around in darkness searching for light, and God says, "If you will draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall your light rise in obscurity, and your darkness be as the noonday" (Isaiah 58:10). When we need answers to prayer, God is sitting on the other side of "if' in Heaven waiting for us to call out to Him, for He says, "If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (II Chronicles 7:14). On the other side of "if" the Lord listens for our prayers of agreement and promises that, "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father, which is in Heaven" (Matthew 18:19). We experience weariness in our labor, but God encourages us with the words "If you faint not, you will reap in due season." We desire to be used by God but He says, "If you purge yourself, you will be a vessel of honor and fit for the Master's use" (II Timothy 2:21). We desperately need forgiveness, and He says, "If we confess our sins, He will be faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).

We stand on this side of 'If" with many needs while the Lord is on the other side ready and able to meet those needs. He is waiting for us. If we seek the Lord, we will find Him. If we have faith, we can speak to mountains to be removed. If we serve God, He will honor us. If we love one another, all men shall know that we are His disciples. There is an endless list of what awaits for us on the other side of this challenging word "if." Our help and deliverance comes from God, but we have a large part in the outcome. If we want to see God's word completed in our life, we must focus not only on the potential blessing that God has stored up for us but also meet the requirements that are needed to receive His promise. +++

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

01/11/10
GOD REGARDS PRAYER

Scripture: Psalm 102:17 "God will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer."

Psalms 102 is titled "A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and faints, and pours out his complaint before the Lord." The Message Bible states it another way. It says, "A prayer of one whose life is falling to pieces, and who lets God know just how bad it is." These are extremely long titles, but I suppose that the writer was in such distress that he wanted to make sure that God understood where he was coming from.

The psalmist directed his prayer to God and pleaded for God to listen to him. He said, "Hear my prayer ... Let my cry come before You." He earnestly asked God not to hide His face from him. Have you ever tried to talk to someone who would not look at you? It is apparent that they are not listening when they hide their face from you. The psalmist was experiencing this same feeling in his spirit. He wanted God to face him. He said, "I'm in trouble ... answer me quickly." Then he began to describe his sickness, pain, and frailty. He continued the prayer by discussing his loneliness, rejection, and sorrow. And in verse six, he compared himself to a pelican of the wilderness, an owl of the desert, or a lone sparrow sitting on the housetop. In all of these places he saw himself alone, desolate, and destitute.

In verse nine the psalmist said, "For I have eaten ashes like bread and mingled my drink with tears." He was in a pretty desperate place, but talking with God did something for him. We begin to see him change as he turned his attention towards God. He recognized that God was looking down from His sanctuary in Heaven and beholding the earth. God knew exactly what was happening to him. The psalmist was able to declare that he had found confidence in the sovereignty of an eternal God who never changes. He declared, "But You, O Lord, shall endure for ever" ... "You are the same and Your years have no end" (Vs. 12 & 28).

Like the psalmist, you may feel like your life is falling to pieces. You may see yourself as destitute and be facing what seems like a dim future. You must realize that regardless of how desperate your situation may seem, you have a sovereign God who is not hiding His face from you, nor does He despise your prayers. Be honest with God and tell Him just how bad it is. When you do, God will regard your prayers and give you answers of peace. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/12/10
LEARNING TO BE CONTENT

Scripture: Philippians 4:11 "For I have learned to be content with whatever I have."

It is easy to be content when you have plenty and things are going good, but it is another story to be content when nothing is going right for you and your life is falling apart. The Apostle Paul said that he had learned to be content. Learning is a process that only comes through a mentor, personal study or experience. Paul had experienced many victories as he shared the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, he had also faced many disappointments and suffered times of hardship and lack. But, regardless of the state that he found himself in, Paul had learned the virtue of contentment. He had learned to be content during the times of plenty and he had learned how to be content when he was forced to fast out of necessity.

Many times we confuse contentment with happiness, but they are not the same. Happiness is contingent upon what is happening around you and when things are going good, happiness abounds. But happiness comes to a sudden halt when adversities come and circumstances change. Contentment, on the other hand, is more stable. It is a knowing that God is in control even though your ship is being tossed about in the midst of the storm. Things may not look good, but contentment trusts God. It reports that "It is well with my soul" even though a loved one is passing through the valley of the shadow of death. And when you are facing the worst of situations, contentment allows you to say as Job said, "Though God slay me, yet will I trust Him." Contentment looks to God when weaknesses challenge and says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Verse 13). In battle contentment says, "I will not fear, for God is with me." Contentment never dwells on evil. Instead it declares, "Whatever things are honest, lovely, and of good report, I will think on these things" (Verse 8). Contentment doesn't worry when there is lack but says, "God shall supply all of my needs" (Verse 19).

The contentment that Paul had learned left no space in his heart for murmuring or complaining. He declared that God's grace was sufficient and he learned to rejoice and give thanks in all things. He knew that all things were going to work together for good in his life because he loved God and was called according to His purpose. Allow God to work in your heart in this same manner, and like Paul, fix your mind to learn how to be content with whatever you have. As you do, you will find that God will make up the difference. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/13/10
STRENGTHEN THE WEAK

Scripture: Isaiah 35:3 "Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees."

We are instructed to bring cheer to the discouraged and to encourage the fearful of heart to be strong and not to fear. We are to strengthen the weak and feeble ones and tell them that God is coming with vengeance to destroy their enemy and that He will save them. These words of encouragement and our acts of kindness are meant to bring hope and strength to the weakest warrior and give courage to the most fearful heart.

When the enemy came to fight against the Israelites, Moses went to the top of the hill with the same staff in his hands that he had previously used to do mighty miracles. Moses had used the staff to bring several plagues on the Egyptians, to part the Red Sea, and to cause the waters of the sea to swallow up the armies of Pharaoh. He had also used the staff to strike the rock, which brought forth water for the thirsty people. The staff was still working, for the Israelites won the battle as long as Moses was able to hold the rod in the air. But when Moses lowered his hands to rest, the enemy prevailed. When Moses finally became too tired to stand and too weary to hold up the rod any longer, Aaron and Hur came to his rescue. They placed a stone underneath Moses so that he could sit down and then they stood on each side of him and lifted his arms as he continued to hold the rod. Because of this joint venture, the Israelites were able to win the battle.

Aaron and Hur may have thought that Moses could do it all by himself because they had witnessed so many miracles by his hands and Moses may have felt that he had everything under control. Sometimes we are like this. We forget to pray and uphold those whom we think are more spiritual than ourselves because we think that they have it all together. Other times, we think that we are strong enough to stand alone, but the truth is that we all need each other. Even Jesus had His close friends and associates. He had the seventy that He sent out to witness for Him and He had His twelve disciples that stayed near Him as He ministered to the multitudes. Among those twelve, He had Peter, James, and John, the three who were closer to Him and who shared special experiences with Him. Then Jesus had John, the one whom He loved the most. These men ministered to Jesus in special ways while He taught them and made them strong in the faith.

We all need each other. We should never feel that we are beyond helping others or being helped by others, for God never designed man to be alone. He gave us each other so that we could encourage and give strength to one another because life's battles require allies. So let us be humble enough to look to others when we need help and let also look for those that we can help. Let us be ready to strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/14/10
THERE IS A SEASON

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1 "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."

From the very beginning, God set things in order and caused them to function on a timely basis. It is amazing that we can know in advance the exact time the sun will rise and set each day. We can also count on the various seasons to come to pass each year just as they have for thousands of years. God is very dependable and faithful. And just like His plans for this earth and the heavens that cover it, God has a season and purpose for our lives. No matter how we struggle, our seasons will not come to pass until it is in His time.

Lester Summerall said, "The greatest blessing God has promised to you in your life or ministry will always be just beyond your grasp as long as you strive for it. Striving delays the anointing. If you are building your ministry - God isn't! If you are ruling your life - God isn't!"

God's anointing rests on His will and His appointed timing. I heard a story once of a minister who felt the call to a foreign field. He sold everything, packed up what he needed, and moved overseas thinking that God was going to take care of him and his family. After struggling through a very hard year with no open doors, he finally asked God what the problem was because he had felt sure that he had heard from God. God answered him with these words, "I did call you to this mission field, but you came a year early." The minister repented of his hasty action, and from that moment on, in God's appointed time, all things began to fall into place. Doors opened and needs were met.

God's timing is just as important as His calling. Throughout the scriptures, you find phrases like "when the fullness of time was come" which indicates that God always has a perfect season and a perfect time for every purpose. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "That He hath made everything beautiful in His time." Everything works out right and is beautiful when you put your faith in God's timing. When you "wait on" Him and "wait for" Him, you will be ready when He is ready. Circumstances will line up, and He will order every step to bring about His purpose and His plans for your life. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/15/10
UNDERSTANDING GOD'S WORD

Scripture: Proverbs 1:23 "I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you."

Have you ever had difficulty understanding a portion of scripture or felt there was nothing there to capture your interest? However, you later heard someone explain it at great lengths and were amazed with all the details that had passed you by. You may have envied their gift and wondered why you were not able to see the scriptures the way they did. You may have questioned the secret to their profound revelations of God's Word. But the answer is simple. It is the work of the Holy Spirit of God. He is the teacher and He is the one who illuminates or gives light to the scripture, and without Him there is no revelation.

Luke 24:45 says, "Then Jesus opened their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures." If our understanding is not opened, the scriptures remain merely parables and stories to us. Jesus opened the disciple's understanding to the scriptures when He was here on Earth, but He told them that when He went away He would send the Holy Spirit to them. He said, "The Holy Spirit will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance" (John 14:26). It is only as we yield ourselves to be taught by the Holy Spirit that we can understand and comprehend God's word. We yield ourselves by simply praying and asking God to open our understanding as we read His word. The Holy Spirit will speak into our hearts as we invite Him to read along with us.

The Bible was not written to be a great mystery nor meant to lay on the shelf collecting dust. God wants His people to understand what He has said and what He is saying on a daily basis through His written word. Luke 10:21 tells us that He has hidden things from the worldly wise and intellectuals, but will reveal them to those who trust Him as little children do. If you want to see a profound change in your understanding, pray this prayer that Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17-18 as you study God's Word and also ask God to speak to you very plainly.

"I pray to the God of my Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory,
that You would grant unto me a spirit of wisdom and revelation.
I pray that You would grant me insights into mysteries
and secrets by opening up my understanding of the scriptures.
I pray that I might receive a deep and intimate knowledge of You,
And that the eyes of my heart would be flooded with light ..." +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of January 2010

01/18/10
SILENT YEARS

Scripture: Luke 2:51 "And Jesus went down with them, ... and was subject to them."

There are periods of Jesus' life that we know little about, but we do know that during these silent years He was growing and mighty things were happening within Him. God had a plan and purpose for Jesus, and He was being prepared for the destiny that was set before Him. Luke 2:40 declares that as a child, Jesus "grew strong in the spirit, was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him." Then, when He was twelve years old until about the age of thirty, "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52). Although these seasons of Jesus' life were unseen, they were very productive. Jesus knew who He was during these years and knew that He must be about His Father's business. Yet, He humbly submitted Himself to those in authority over Him, waited on the timing of God, and allowed the Holy Spirit to prepare Him for the ministry that was set before Him.

When God lives within us, we have purpose, and yet, there may seasons or even years that we see nothing happening in our lives. We may even experience discouragement because our futures look bleak. We know that things are happening within us even though no one else seems to notice our spiritual growth. These silent years of our lives are like the foundation of a home. There is not very much celebration when the foundation is poured and there is no beauty to behold, for it is just gray cement. Even later, when the house is finished, the foundation is rarely honored or recognized. Instead, everyone comments on the architecture of the home and the beauty of its furnishings and decor. Even the landscape receives more attention than the foundation. Yet, the home would not be able to stand without being established on a firm and solid base.

Waiting on God through our seasons of silence should be a journey of faith, and not of fear and frustration. We must so trust God with our lives, that we are able to submit to Him and allow Him to take the time that He needs to establish a strong foundation within our lives. This foundation may not look so beautiful at the time or seem like anything to celebrate. In fact, our life and ministry may just look like gray cement. Yet, the season of the unseen and silent years are the secret to becoming a great vessel in the hands of God. For later, we will discover that this was the time when the most solid part of our being was formed. When we thought nothing was really happening, God, by His Spirit, was filling us with His wisdom and imparting His grace and favor upon us. Without us even knowing it, He was making us strong in the spirit and preparing us for the future. The silent years are the greatest times of increase so we must not allow impatience to control and manipulate our lives. Instead we must devote ourselves entirely to God and be subject to His will so that He can build within us the ability and strength to become what He wants us to be. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/19/10
THREEFOLD CORD

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:12 "A threefold cord is not quickly broken."

When you need a cord or a rope, you match its strength with the required task. A single or double corded rope may be okay for a light chore, but it will certainly break under excessive pressure. A rope made with three cords, however, will afford greater strength and be harder to break. Solomon referred to this threefold cord in reference to relationships and declared that it is never easy for us to stand alone in life's situations. We need each other in order to enhance our strength. He said that two are better than one, and that three offer an even greater strength, which can not be easily or quickly broken.

This threefold concept of strength holds true in the spiritual realm as well as it does in natural relationships. We are designed to be part of a threefold spiritual cord. In I Timothy 2:1, the Apostle Paul told Timothy that the believers should pray and make intercession for all men. We must understand that the Lord entrusted us with the responsibility to be part of the process of helping others to get their needs met through prayer. We are given the awesome privilege of approaching the throne of God for them, yet, we do not stand alone in this endeavor. There are two others who stand with us and are continually making intercession for the saints of God. Romans 8:34 tells us that Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, making intercession for us. Jesus is the Mediator between us and God, the Father, and He prays while the enemy's tries to sift us as wheat. And Romans 8:26 says, "The Holy Spirit makes intercession for us." He helps us pray when we don't know how or what to pray. When all that we can do is groan in the spirit, He speaks to the Father on our behalf. How could our strength ever fail with this threefold bond in the spirit?

I pray that this knowledge will be a strength to you as you face the challenges ahead. When it seems you are all alone and you don't know what to do, remember there is always someone praying for you. Regardless of the uncertainties and battles that you are facing, you must believe that there is a threefold cord that is working in your favor. God is calling others to stand in the gap for your needs and their prayers will be joined with the intercessions of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. You must also be sensitive to the Spirit because God will call you to this same special place of intercession and much of the outcome will depend upon your prayers. Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, and the believer; the strength of this awesome threefold cord can not easily or quickly be broken. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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01/20/10
SHOW ME MY HEART

Scripture: Psalms 139:24 "Point out anything You find in me that makes You sad."

David asked God to search him and point out anything that was displeasing to Him. God's search was not for God's own benefit, for the previous scriptures tell us that God knew everything about David. In fact, He knew more about David than David knew about himself. God's eyes saw David when he was being formed in his mother's womb. God knew every thought that came to David's mind and even knew what he was going to say before he spoke. God also knew where David was every moment, for He was there with him. David told God, "If I go up to Heaven, You are there, and if I make my bed in Hell, You are there." It was impossible for David to escape God's presence.

God's search of David's heart was for David's own benefit. He needed God to search him and show him his soul. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things ... Who can know it?" Another translation says, "Who can perceive, understand, or be acquainted with his own heart and mind?" Our heart can easily deceive us. Sometimes we look at others and wonder why they don't change. But like us, they don't see themselves as they really are. In their own minds, they have no faults and are self-deceived.

It is only through the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit that we can come to see ourselves as God sees us. Hebrews 4:12-13 tells us that the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power. It is sharper than any two-edged sword. It penetrates, dividing the soul and spirit. It goes into the deepest part of our nature and exposes, analyzes, and judges the very thoughts and purposes of our hearts. As it does, everything about us is naked and exposed before the eyes of God. If we want to be intimate with God, we must be truthful with Him and allow Him to be truthful with us. We must open our hearts to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to search every fiber of our soul, allowing God's light to show us the things that we need to change. We must pray these simple words that David prayed, "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Test my thoughts and point out anything You find in me that makes You sad!" +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/21/10
INTIMACY WITH GOD

Scripture: Psalms 103:7 "He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel."

The children of Israel saw God deliver them from Egypt through various signs and wonders. God parted the waters of the Red Sea for them and they experienced dry ground for their crossing. Then God's mighty hand destroyed Pharaoh's army in those same waters. They heard the thunders of God's voice on the mountain as He spoke with Moses, and they were led through the wilderness with a cloud during the day and a fire at night. They drank water from the rock and every day for forty years they ate fresh manna from Heaven. Yet regardless of all of these mighty acts, the children of Israel were never able to comprehend or understand who God really was. They saw God's acts and experienced His miracles but never knew His ways. They never truly knew the heart of God and therefore they never were able to trust His word nor enter into the place of His promise.

God is pleased when we acknowledge His acts because they demonstrate His power and glorify Him. Yet, He is more pleased when we acknowledge Him as a person and simply believe that "He is" (Hebrews 11:6). God created us in His image and He wants us to appreciate Him as our Father God. For instance, we appreciate the fact that our children think that we are good parents and we are honored when they trust us to provide for them. Yet, our greatest delight is when they simply love us and know us as Mom and Dad. We want them to recognize our character and understand our ways which are governed by our hearts.

Knowing God's ways is a process. The Apostle Paul said that He was determined to know Christ. Yes, he wanted to know the power that flowed from Christ, but more than seeing His acts or signs and wonders, Paul wanted to experience the person of Christ in an intimate way. He said, "That I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Christ, perceiving and recognizing the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly" (Philippians 3:10)." Paul's intimate knowledge of Christ did not come because of a one time experience on the road to Damascus, as great as that experience was. Neither did Moses' intimate knowledge of God come at the burning bush. Both men's knowledge of God and Christ came through an intimate relationship with them. Moses came to understand God and His ways as God talked with Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11). Paul sought this same kind of relationship and through faith he pressed towards Christ. Like Moses and Paul, would you like to know God's ways and not just witness His acts? It is a possibility and it is simple. The way to gain this intimate knowledge of God is to spend intimate time with Him. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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01/22/10
BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT

Scripture: Genesis 13:17 "Arise, walk through the land, the length of it and the breadth of it, for I will give it to you."

Abraham was given this mighty promise before he left Egypt and started on his journey of faith. God declared that the land belonged to Abraham, but also said that it would not be his until he walked the length and breadth of it. Abraham had to claim every inch of God's promise for himself. So by faith, Abraham packed up everything that he had and began to search for the fulfillment of this word from God. He was seventy-five years when he started on this mission to accomplish his destiny and God's divine purpose for his life.

Each of us travel our own individual paths and it is only as we experience those paths that we can understand them. We may skirt around on the outside of financial difficulty but we can't understand true financial stress and anxieties unless we have walked through the length and breadth of all that financial lack has to offer. We may come close to suffering and physical pain, but pain explained by someone else is no pain at all. We must suffer the depths of affliction in our own body to comprehend what pain is all about. We can't understand abuse unless we have been abused and neither can we understand the pain of a broken heart unless we have experienced rejection and abandonment. We are not able to realize the struggles of cruel addictions or the loneliness of being in prison without having experienced the length and breadth of those emotions first hand. We can't share the sorrow of someone who has lost a loved one to death unless we have walked through that same valley of grief before them. The bottom line is that we can not own the knowledge of any experience until we have walked the length and breadth of it or as the popular slogan goes, until we have "Been there and done that."

When the writer of Hebrew 4:15 said that Jesus was touched with the feelings of our infirmities, he spoke the truth. Jesus climbed every mountain of hardship, walked through every valley of sorrow, and battled every temptation that we will every face. He was a man of sorrow and understands the pains of our heart. He knows how it feels to be rejected and despised by men. He was spit upon, physically beaten, mocked, ridiculed, abandoned, and shamed. He was innocent and without sin but He died a terrible death on the cross. He walked the length and breadth of everything that we will ever experience in this life and through those experiences He learned how to comfort us in our adversities and pains. Because Jesus has been there and done that, He promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. He understands our needs and will be there to help us through each and every conflict of life. We can depend upon Him. +++

A Word In Due Season
5th Week of January 2010

01/25/10
OBEDIENCE BRINGS THE BLESSING

Scripture: Deuteronomy 28:8 "The Lord shall command the blessing upon you in your storehouses, and in all that you set you hand to do."

None of us really know what will happen in the future or how to prepare for life's uncertainties, but God gives us a promise in this scripture that can sustain us in every circumstance. He sets the guidelines and conditions for either blessings or cursing to come upon our lives. His instructions are very simple and very clear. He told us that if we listen diligently to His voice and observe to do all that He commands, He will bless us. But He also says that if we neglect to listen to Him and refuse to obey His voice, we will be cursed.

How the blessings will transpire and come to us is up to God. We don't have to figure it out, for He has plans that are higher than our plans and He can create a blessing that we've never even thought of. Our only responsibility is to obey His voice and when we do, He will command the blessing. This powerful God who intends to command a blessing upon us is the same God that spoke the worlds into existence. He started with nothing, but look what He ended up with. His command has power and when He speaks, all nature responds whether visible or invisible.

In I Kings, chapter seventeen, we see this principle at work in the life of Elijah. As he acted in unquestioning obedience to God's word, God commanded blessings to come to him. First, God commanded the ravens to bring him food in the mornings and evenings and provided water from the brook. Then, when the brook dried up, God commanded a widow woman to sustain him. These blessings came to Elijah only because he listened to God's voice and obeyed His word. Had Elijah refused to go to the brook or to the widow's home, he would not have experienced God's blessings and provisions for his life. Not only that, he would have also robbed the widow and her son from receiving a blessing as well. We must understand that our obedience always touches the lives of others.

There may come a time when you face an extreme circumstance in your life. Remember that God has already thought it through and He has a plan to match that hour. He not only has a plan, He has the power to command a blessing on the plan and will do just that if you remain under His covering and meet His requirement of obedience to His every word. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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01/26/10
THE WORD TRIED HIM

Scripture: Psalms 105:19 "Until the time that his word came (to pass); the word of the Lord tried him."

When Joseph received a dream from God, it took about sixteen years for that dream to come to pass. In the meantime, God worked to get the physical circumstances just right and also worked changes in the heart of Joseph. There were many challenges that Joseph had to face as he waited on God's purpose and perfect timing to come to pass. Many times he must have experienced the let down of hope and the frustrations of delay. He may have even gotten sick and tired of trying to hold on to his hope, for Proverbs 13:12 tells us that "Hope deferred makes the heart sick."

The disappointment that comes when our hopes are not realized is hard to cope with. Like Joseph's situation, when God reveals His intentions and purposes for our lives, things do not always happen immediately. Our calling demands a season of testing and training where God rids our heart of things that would hinder His anointing and prevent His purpose. During this time, He never allows us to see behind the scenes. He places a veil between the natural, that which we see, and the spiritual, that which He is doing that is unseen, and He forces us to walk by faith. And until the word that we received from God comes to pass, He tries that word. Even Jesus was tempted in the wilderness and was tried in other areas before the words concerning Him came to pass. Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be "a tried stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation" (Isaiah 28:16).

God is the potter and He knows His clay. He is attempting to mold you and make you into the image that He has designed and ordained. You must make a predetermined decision to submit to God and allow Him to sort things out in your heart. The challenges and trials that you will face during this preparation process will develop wisdom and give birth to God's precious anointing. God has good intentions and your best interest at heart but you cannot be used until you have been tried and tested. Adversity will form you and is the basis of your life message. You can only truly know what you have actually experienced. You can only rescue others from the valleys that you have been through. God has given you a word, a hope, and vision to keep you stable as He fits your life into His plan. Trust His faithfulness even while your word of promise from God is being tried. +++

II Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy about two spiritual qualities that Timothy possessed. First, Timothy had acquired a true and solid faith because of the influence of his mother and grandmother. Second, Timothy had received the gifts of God, for Paul, himself, had imparted these special gifts to Timothy when he laid his hands upon him. Paul now exhorted Timothy to stir up those gifts and to exercise his faith in the Lord. God's work needed to be made manifest in his life, for the gifts of God and true faith are useless if they are only held within ones heart and never released for the benefit of others.

When Paul addressed Timothy's fear, He also addressed our issues. God still imparts gifts and faith to His children, yet as believers, we face the same dilemma that Timothy faced. We allow the awesome gifts of God and the faith that is within our hearts to be shrouded by a spirit of fear. We are timid and shy with those that we are trying to minister to and intimidated by those about us who are more experienced in the things of God than we are. Even though God has filled us with His Holy Spirit, many times we are so afraid of personal failure that we will not allow His power to flow through us and manifest itself in our lives. We are afraid of what will happen if the person that we are witnessing to scorns us instead of receiving God's plan for eternal salvation. We wonder, what if my prayers for healing do not work, or worse, what if the person I am praying for dies? We are even afraid to love because love makes us vulnerable to possible rejection and pain. We have given our hearts away before and were only wounded in return. Even our minds become unsound and clouded with confusion because of the fear that overwhelms us. It is any wonder that when fear dominates our lives in this manner that we can't work the works of the One who sent us?

These feelings are very real. Timothy experienced them and Paul understood what Timothy was feeling. Yet even though the spirit of fear is real, it is not from God and we do not have to allow it to reign within our being. We are destined and ordained to be an overcoming people, full of God's power, operating in His love, and exercising good sense and self-control. These things are from God. Let us graciously receive His spirit of power, His spirit of love, and His spirit of a sound mind. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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01/28/10
HOPE AGAINST HOPE

Scripture: Romans 4:18 "Abraham, against hope - believed in hope."

God spoke to Abraham in Genesis 15:5 and told him that his seed would be as the stars of heaven. This seemed an impossible promise in the natural because Abraham was 100 years old and his wife, Sarah, was ninety. Yet Abraham chose to believe God's promise and hoped even though the situation looked hopeless. He refused to limit God to the natural possibilities. Paul, recounting this incident, said that when everything looked hopeless in the natural, Abraham believed anyway; "he hoped against hope."

Abraham refused to consider the frailty of his own body that was a century old or to limit his faith because of what he could not do for himself. Instead, he chose to focus on what God had promised and what God could do. Because Abraham did not waver in unbelief, his faith grew stronger and increased. He waited many years and went through some trying times but God's promises to him eventually were fulfilled. Through it all, he had continued to believe and hope when there was nothing tangible to hold on to.

Many of our life situations find us in this same place, a place of no hope. In the natural, there is no way to fix the problems that we have encountered. There is no medical solution for our healing, restoration of our relationships is out of reach, and our financial circumstances are out of control. There just seems to be no hope. Yet, we are not to consider the negative circumstances or the doubts that plague our minds when they contradict God's word. Instead, it is the time for our faith to arise and take hold of God's word, which makes a provision for every need that we will ever experience. In Romans 15:13, Paul said that God could so fill you with joy and peace by the power of the Holy Spirit that you would overflow or just bubble over with hope. If you want to have the Abraham kind of hope that hopes when there is no hope, look to God. He is your hope and He will never fail you. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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01/29/10
THE ROCK OF REVELATION

Scripture: Matthew 16:18 " ... upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."

Jesus asked Peter a powerful question, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter answered Jesus saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Flesh and blood did not reveal this knowledge to Peter. God the Father opened Peter's heart, enlightened his spiritual eyes, and granted him the revelation that Jesus was His Son, the promised Messiah. This revelation is the foundation for the Church of the Living God and it is the rock that we build our own personal faith upon. Many recognize Jesus as the Christmas babe in the manger or Jesus on the cross. Yet they never come to know Him as Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God or discover that He is the Rock of their salvation.

The revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One of God, opens a whole new spiritual dimension in our lives. This knowledge enlarges the borders of our heart and increases our personal influence on others. Jesus becomes the foundation that we place our faith upon and we find that He is endless, His power is boundless, and His love is without measure. As we continue to look into the chambers of His heart, we see His goodness, His mercy, and His grace. In His presence, we experience His joy and His peace, and in each heartache and pain, we come to know His compassion. The more intimate we become with Jesus, the more we realize that our relationship is not about what we have done or can do for Him, but it is about who He is, what He has done, and what He will do for us in the future. He is the Messiah of our lives.

Often, however, we develop a Messiah syndrome by taking the weight of the world and our problems upon our own shoulders. We allow ourselves to become bound by the enemy of our souls because we do not lean upon the Holy One of God or draw from His mercy and grace. Our attempts to work ourselves and others free create frustration when all we really needed to do was simply call upon Jesus. As our Messiah, Isaiah chapter sixty-one declares that Jesus came to take our burdens and set us free from all bondage. He came to comfort, restore, and rebuild. He does the work in our individual lives by the anointing of the Holy Spirit and when He does it, it is remains eternal. When we recognize that Jesus is our Messiah, the Son of the Living God, the gates of Hell can not prevail against this revelation. +++