www.widsonline.com

A Word In Due Season
1st Week of May 2010

05/03/10
WASTING TIME

Scripture: Luke 10:42 "But one thing is needful and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Luke tells the story of two sisters, Martha and Mary. Martha was like many of us in that she wanted everything to be perfect because Jesus was visiting in her home. I'm sure that if Jesus were to come to our home in person, our excitement would cause us to act the same way that she acted. We would want everything to be perfect. We might even neglect our personal prayer time and Bible study just to get ready for Jesus, the crowds of people, and the news media. Our time would be spent cleaning, cooking, and shopping for the right clothes to wear for the occasion. Our focus would be on the "visit", not the "visitor"

The scripture says that Martha was "cumbered about with much serving, full of care, and troubled about many things." Cumbered means "distracted with care, overdosed with everything, and dragging a cumbersome burden." This joyous occasion had become quiet a burden to Martha. She was not only cumbered down with all of the responsibility and work, but she had taken the burden of trying to control everyone else and involve them in her needs. She even tried to manipulate Jesus with her self-pity by saying, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to serve alone." Martha may have become jealous of Mary's spiritual interest and felt that Mary was just wasting time. She wanted Jesus to tell Mary to help her.

John 11:5 records that Jesus loved Martha just as much as He loved Mary. However, He did not respond to Martha's self-pity, control, and manipulation. He spoke three things to Martha concerning Mary and He speaks these same things to us today. First, He said, "There is one thing needful." That one thing is to sit at Jesus' feet and be still. There is a time that we must let everything go so that we can focus on developing a relationship with Jesus by being in His presence and hearing His word. Second, Jesus said, "Mary has chosen that needful and good thing." Mary chose to rise above the criticism and control of others so that she could sit at Jesus' feet. People may not always understand when you put Jesus first in your life. So when you decide to choose the needful thing, you must set aside the world's opinions. Finally, Jesus said, "It shall not be taken away from her." Because Mary didn't allow herself to be distracted with the natural duties, Jesus didn't allow her blessing to be taken from her. There is always something eternal gained when we close ourselves in with Jesus, and whatever we experience in His presence cannot be taken from us.

We will always have to take care of the natural duties because we can't be so "heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good." Yet, we can't become so busy in the natural that we have no time for the Lord. If we are too busy to spend time with the Lord, then we are too busy. When the Lord decides to pay us a visit, we must put aside our own agendas and choose that needful thing for the moment. We must stop and give attention to Him and simply be in His presence. The writer, Jamie Buckingham, said, "There's nothing more important than wasting time with God!" +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/04/10
TREES OF LIFE

Scripture: Proverbs 11:30 (Amplified) "The fruit of the uncompromisingly righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives for God as a fisher of men - he gathers and receives them for eternity."

Life on Earth is a great mystery and is filled with uncertain days and surprising events. Each day presents us with challenges and with each challenge we are faced with the choice to compromise with the world or remain uncompromisingly righteous before God. Regardless of which we choose, our lives make an impact on those about us.

We have a mission. God has destined us to be trees of life and fishers of men. As trees of life in God's garden, we will bear fruit and whatever grows on the inside of us will spill out into the lives of those around us. We will affect them for eternity. Our words and actions either captures human lives for God or drives them away from His kingdom. Proverbs 23:7 says, "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." If the tree of love and peace is growing within our heart, the fruit we bear will be love and peace. If there is joy in our heart, joy will be manifested in our lives. If our heart thinks patience, we will be patient. However, if the tree in our heart is filled with negative thoughts, our actions will be like a tree of death, for out of the abundance of our heart, bad fruit will be produced.

Proverbs 15:3-4 says, "The eyes of God are in every place, keeping watch upon the evil and the good. A gentle tongue with its healing power is a tree of life." Take notice and be aware of all that surrounds you. God has set before you an open book, but you determine the story and you write the words. With the words you say and the deeds you do, you can bring healing power into the lives of others and be a wellspring of life to a hurting world. Your mission may be very simple. God may have designed your life to reach just a few. Like the trees in the forest, which are all not the same, your life may be different than others, but it has purpose and is important. Your words, actions, and love can alter the life and destiny of each soul that you encounter. So be wise and allow your fruit to capture them for eternity. You will experience various seasons and may feel dormant for a period of time. It may seem that God has utterly forgotten you, but keep the faith and wait on God because He is preparing you for the next season of your life. Regardless of what season you are in, refuse to compromise with the world and allow God to use you in that season. Always remember, you contain the potential to be a tree of life and a great purpose in the Kingdom of God. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/05/10
GOD IS FOR ME

Scripture: Psalms 56:9 "This I know; God is for me."

The psalmist who wrote these words also made a plea to God for help for he had been taken captive by the enemy. He felt as though he was being swallowed up because of their oppression. Yet, even in this place of danger and despair, he declared that his trust was in the Lord. He said, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in You" (Verse 3). He felt certain that when he cried out to the Lord that his enemies would turn back in retreat, for he had come to this conclusion, "God is for me."

We can have great confidence in knowing that God is on our side and that He is for us at all times. He is there as a loving Father who believes the best about His children and is never against us in any situation. Even when we are in the wrong, He is working to bring us back to a place of repentance and will show us the way of escape. He is the Good Shepherd who draws us by His Spirit back to the fold. He is the Father of the prodigal who waits patiently to restore His son to his rightful position in life. He is the faithful Friend who sticks closer than a brother when we are in trouble and is our Comforter when sorrow and grief strike at us. He is the Redeemer to the lost and the Great Physician to sick. He is the Provider who supplies for all of our needs according to His riches in glory. He is the Lord of Hosts who fights our battles for us, our Shelter in the storms and our Refuge in the time of trouble. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us, but will be there when all else fails because He is for us.

The revelation of who God is in our life and the knowledge that He is for us should give us peace for every situation that challenges us. Romans 8:31 says, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" If God loved us enough to give His Son for us, He surely loves us enough to keep us safe and to care for us in the threat of danger. He is our confidence for today and our hope for tomorrow. No enemy can stand against the presence of God in our life or suppress His plans for our future. We must lean upon the Lord with all of our understanding and trust His judgment because like the psalmist said, "We know that God is for us and not against us." +++

Scripture: Nahum 1:7 "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him."

Today has been set aside as the National Day of Prayer. The title of this devotional is the theme for this special day and the scripture is the foundation for our prayers. A Word In Due Season goes to many nations throughout the world and I encourage all of you to pray for your nation as we are praying for our nation on this special day. We also need to pray for each other because we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of our nationality. Our world works together and although we are of many different cultures, we are still one in God's family and in His Kingdom. Let us remember that God is no respecter of persons and that His promises are meant for all people. The Lord is faithful and He will honor you and your nation as you honor Him in prayer.

In the scripture above, the prophet Nahum made three declarations:

1.) The Lord is good.

2.) The Lord is a stronghold in the day of trouble.

3.) The Lord knows those who trust in Him.

All three of these declarations are a great encouragement as we face today's many challenges. There are floods, earthquakes, wars, and other disasters occurring in all nations. The whole earth is in turmoil. With every thing that is happening, we would have to agree that today is a day of trouble for many. However, it is comforting to know that even though everything around us is not good, the Lord is always good. God's character is good and His reputation is just. We never have to wonder if the Lord is going to do the right thing, for He is faithful in His righteousness. It is also wonderful to have the assurance that we have a safe place in the day of trouble, for the Lord is our stronghold and we are perfectly safe in His presence. We do not have to depend upon our own abilities or strength, for God is there to protect us from harm. We have nothing to fear because He will lead us through the valleys of the shadow of death. And finally, we can rest in the fact that God knows that we have invested our security in Him. The Lord knows our heart and He knows in whom we have placed our trust. He sees that our faith is in Him and in Him alone. God is a loving Father and He will not allow our trust and faith to be disappointed. He has called us to His Kingdom for such a time as this. Let us join together and give ourselves to prayer, for the Lord is our only hope and prayer is our only answer. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/07/10
VIRTUOUS WOMAN

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10 & 28 "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies ... Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her."

Women and mothers are very special. Each day of their lives is one of sacrifice and giving, and their greatest reward is to know that they have made a difference in the lives of their family, whom they love and cherish. There is no greater reward for a woman than to have her children bless her or her husband praise her. Likewise, there is no greater need or satisfaction than for a child to have a mother who is a blessing to them or for a husband to have a virtuous wife whom he can trust and truthfully praise. Solomon declared that the worth of this type of woman is far above monetary value. She can't be purchased with the simple price of rubies, and her role and influence cannot be passed over as unimportant. She directs the future as she "trains up her children in the way that they should go, so that they do not depart from the right path" (Proverbs 22:6)

In II Timothy 1:5, we see an example of the importance of mothers and grandmothers who taught and lived their faith in front of their children. The great Apostle Paul taught and mentored young Timothy in the things of the Lord, yet, Paul gave much of the credit for Timothy's faith to Timothy's mother, Lois, and his grandmother, Eunice.  Paul said that he remembered Timothy's sincere and unqualified faith. He noticed that Timothy had been taught to lean entirely upon God and had displayed an absolute trust and confidence in God's power, wisdom, and goodness. Paul had also seen this same type of simple but profound trust in God in the hearts of Timothy's mother and grandmother, who were women of virtue. It was easy to recognize that their influence had affected Timothy in a big way and that the pure faith which they possessed had been transferred to him in the same degree and measure. Lois and Eunice had been diligent to train Timothy in the things of God and in the way that he should go. The evidence of their faith lingered in the heart of Timothy and the results could definitely be seen.

There will be days in our lives that will be uneventful and maybe even seem boring, but we should never forget how important our roles are as mothers, grandmothers, and wives.  We have great influence so we should always strive to be virtuous women of purpose. Proverbs 31:10-31 declares that a virtuous woman has strength, ability, efficiency, wealth, valor, faith, and is excellent in every way. Her price is far above rubies and she cannot be purchased. Yet, her love, faithfulness, and service to her home and family come free. We should ask God daily to help us develop these characteristics. We can be assured that when these qualities show forth in each day of our lives, our children will rise up and call us blessed and our husbands will praise us. +++

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

A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of May 2010

05/10/10
THE LORD IS

Scripture: Psalms 23:1 "The Lord is my Shepherd."

David had reached a point of great security in his personal relationship with the Lord. He had come to realize that the Lord was present right then and there to take care of him in any situation. He said, "the Lord is." David did not put the Lord off into the future somewhere and hope that He would come through some way or somehow. David trusted the Lord's presence to restore his soul, provide for him, and to lead him to green pastures and beside still waters. Even in the deep sunless valley of the shadow of death, David had no fear of evil, for he knew the Lord was with him right then and he declared to the Lord, "You are with me." The Lord's rod was there to protect David and His staff was there to guide and comfort David. The Lord's presence in David's life was bigger than any problem or personal need that he faced.

Feeling alone in any situation can be overwhelming. We all need someone that we trust and feel that we can lean upon when the enemy is trying to conquer our souls and drag us under. Recognizing that the presence of the Lord is with us will sustain us during these times of crises and bring us victoriously through the conflict. Psalms 46:9-10 tells us that "God makes the war to cease ... breaks the bow into pieces, and snaps the spear in two." He is able to make an end to all of the division and conflict in our lives if we allow Him to. We need only to "Be still and know that He is God."

God is a very present help in the time of trouble. Hebrews 13:5 says, "He will never leave you, forsake you, or leave you helpless. He will never leave you without support or let you down." Your Shepherd cares for you and will never leave you at the mercy of your environment or enemies. He is your refuge and strength in the time of trouble. The knowledge that "He is" and that "He is present" will bring restoration and strength into your life. Acts 3:19 says that the time of refreshing comes from the presence of the Lord. Let your day be filled with this promise, "Jesus said that He would be with you always even unto the end of the world." What a blessed thought, wherever you are, God is! +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/11/10
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN

Scripture: Matthew 6:9 "Our Father, Which art in heaven."

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He revealed to them that God was their Father and then went on to declare that God the Father was in Heaven. This statement was not made to establish God's address or whereabouts, for we know that He is omnipresent.  He is everywhere, all the time. These words were meant to establish His authority, which exceeds the boundaries of this earth. When Jesus said that God was in Heaven, He was in reality stating that God is still on the throne and that He is still in control of every situation. He was informing the disciples that God was not limited or confined to the laws of the world in which they lived.

Our earthly fathers have property and homes and they are considered to be the head of that home. They have the right to exert authority over their home, for this is their kingdom and their word is law in their personal domain.  As we grow and mature as sons and daughters in that home, our fathers share their possessions. They give us the keys to their kingdoms, whether that kingdom is meager or grandiose. And with this gesture comes the authority to use the keys and also the responsibility to honor the trust that has been extended. Likewise, as children of our heavenly Father, we have been given the keys to His kingdom. In Matthew 16:16-19, Jesus told His disciples that He would build His church upon the revelation that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God and that those who receive that revelation would be given the keys to the kingdom of God.

When we pray, we should realize that we are talking to someone in Heaven. We are actually opening the doors of Heaven with the keys that Jesus has given to us and we are gaining access to all of the resources of God's kingdom. Like earthly keys, the spiritual keys that are given to us are efficient tools and they work regardless of how we feel.  Keys never depend upon the emotions of the one holding the key. They just work and exercise their ability to open and close. When Jesus gave us the keys, He said that whatever we loose on Earth is loosed in Heaven, and whatever we bind on Earth is bound in Heaven. However, having the keys and using the keys are two different matters. We can find ourselves standing outside the kingdom all day long, crying and yelling about our problems, or we can simply use the keys that have been given to us. With these keys we can go into the very presence of the Living God, Our Heavenly Father, and obtain all that we need. +++

Scripture: Deuteronomy 11:13-14 "Love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, ... I will give you the rain on your land in due season ... so that you may gather in your corn, wine, and oil."

This is a powerful promise from the Lord our God, but notice what the order of our relationship with Him needs to be. We are to love Him first, and then serve Him. Our love for God should be the catalyst of our service for Him. Yet, there are times that we get the process reversed. We start out loving and our love motivates us to serve, but then serving overtakes our personal relationship with God and our focus becomes distorted. We become like the church at Ephesus, which did good works, had patience, and could not bear that which was evil. Yet, regardless of their wonderful works and righteous deeds, the Lord said that He had something against them. They had left their first love (Revelation 2:4). They were so busy doing things for God that they didn't have time and energy for a relationship with God.

Service should never be a substitute for our intimate communion with God. Love is so simple. When you love someone you long to be in their presence, to hear their voice, to share their interest, and to feel their touch. You are driven to have personal contact with them. When you truly love God, you will feel these same desires and you will find time to fulfill them. You will create a space in your busy life to pray and commune with God. You will read His word and listen intently for His voice. You will push things to the side to be in His presence so that you can feel His tender touch on your life. You will glory in the moments that you share with Him, and then your service for Him will be birthed out of that experience. You will serve Him because you love Him, not in order to fulfill a duty or obligation.

We must examine our lives from time to time and see where we stand on this issue. We must determine if our first love has become our ministry and our good deeds or if our first love has continued to be for God, Himself. If we find that we have drifted away or grown cold because of our busy schedules, we need to simply return to the Lord and find the time to make Him first in our lives. We can renew our commitment to the Lord at any time. We can start today wherever we are. God said that if we draw near to Him, He would draw near to us. He confirms this promise again and says that if we seek Him, we will find Him. When we renew this place in our hearts and choose Him to be our first love, He will shower His blessings upon us and we will find new strength for our souls. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/13/10
GOOD IS ON ITS WAY

Scripture: Luke 4:13-14 "And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from Jesus for a season. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and there went out a fame of Him through all the regions round about."

The devil's plan was to cause Jesus to fail when he tempted Him in the wilderness. He sought to kill, steal and destroy Jesus and the purposes of God for His life, but the devil's plan did not work. Jesus came out of the temptations stronger and more determined to do God's will. He chose to suffer for the sins of men rather than to receive the earthly glory that was being offered to Him. After successfully resisting the temptations, Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. He began to teach in the synagogues and was glorified of all. The anointing was so strong upon Him that His fame spread throughout all of the regions.

Jesus went through a very negative experience before He entered in and received God's best. He had to pass some very hard tests, but in the midst of the temptations, He did not lose hope, become critical, or get depressed. He just kept standing in faith and quoting the Word of God. Notice that when the temptations were finished, the devil departed from Jesus for a season. The devil was only allowed a short time to do his work, and then he had to leave.

When negative things begin to happen in your life, you must be assured that something good is on its way. Tests are not meant so much for God's benefit so that He will know how strong you are. He knows you better than you know yourself. Tests are meant for you. Each test completed and passed brings you up to a new level and reveals to you your own strengths and weaknesses. When Jesus came out of His temptations, He knew that He was the Son of God, for Satan continually challenged Him in that area with the words, "If You be the Son of God." Jesus hung on to His true identity and did not let go. When the tests were ended, the knowledge and security that Jesus received in the midst of the tests caused Him to come out in the power of the Spirit.

Like Jesus, you too must establish in your heart your true identity and purpose and not allow the devil to misrepresent you or manipulate you in any way. You may have to go through some very negative experiences before you receive God's best. Yet, you must remember that temptations will only last for a season and that good is on its way. The choices that you make in the midst of the temptation will determine the level of trust that God will have in you. Like Jesus, you can choose to either give in to temptation or come out in the power of the Spirit. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/14/10
GOD'S WAY

Scripture: II Kings 5:10 "Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman, saying, "Go and wash in Jordan seven times."

Naaman was the captain of the army of the king of Syria and was declared to be a mighty man of valor in battle. He was also a very powerful man and had great favor with the king because he had brought deliverance to Syria. Because of his mighty accomplishments, he was honored and esteemed before the people in the kingdom, but Naaman had a very serious problem. He was a leper.

Naaman's wife had a little maid, who had been captured and brought out of Israel. This young maid witnessed to Naaman's wife about the prophet Elisha who was in Israel. She believed and declared that Elisha could heal Naaman's leprosy. When Naaman heard this news, he made his way to Israel to find the prophet, but when Naaman arrived at the door of Elisha's house, Elisha did not even come out to meet him. Instead, Elisha sent a messenger who instructed Naaman to go and wash in the Jordan River seven times. This made Naaman very angry and he went away in a rage, declaring, "I thought Elisha would surely come out to meet me, stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, strike his hand over the place, and recover me of this leprosy." Naaman felt shunned that the prophet did not honor his position as a leader. Besides that, he was told to go and wash in the Jordan River, which was not as clean as the rivers in his own land. Yet, Naaman's servants reasoned with him. They said, "If the prophet had told you to do a hard thing, you would have done it. Why won't you wash and be clean?" Naaman listened and acted on their words and when he dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, he was totally healed and his skin became like that of a little child.

Naaman had it all figured out, but things did not work the way that he expected or even wanted. In order for his leprosy to be cleansed, he had to obey the words of the prophet, which were very precise. It had to be God's river and God's way, or no way, and he had to dip himself into the river seven times, not six. So it is with the situation in our lives. We go to God with our family issues that need to be resolved, bodies that need to be healed, financial situations that need solutions, and for deliverance from addictions. When we approach the Lord, we have it all figured out and instead of leaning upon the Lord in total trust we dictate the solutions to Him. Like Naaman, we just can't see the reasoning or wisdom in dipping ourselves in a river of dirty water, and we sure don't have the patience to do it seven times. Doubt would set in when the second dip showed no results. Discouragement would come about the fourth time. Depression would then follow the fifth attempt because we saw no change. Defeat would take us out of the challenge after the sixth dip, just before the victory and deliverance came.

God is so big that we could never put Him a box. He has an answer to every question and a solution for every problem. All we must do is go to Him in humility and allow Him to work His personalized plan in our lives. Regardless of how simple and foolish it may seem, we must submit to His way and follow His instructions until our deliverance comes. +++

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

A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of May 2010

05/17/10
GOD VALUES YOU

Scripture: Matthew 6:26 (NIV) "Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

I stood at the edge of the seawall near the beach one day and held up a piece of bread in my hand. There was not a single bird in sight, but within a few seconds they began to flock around me. I was amazed when I realized that these birds were able to find the unexpected provisions that were being offered to them. I wondered at the event, as they were too far away to smell the bread in the midst of the ocean breeze and were not close enough to see it. Yet, God had led them to their provisions. To me, this was a natural occurrence, but for the birds it may have seemed a miracle. This incident was not the norm for them as they usually found their food along the beaches or in the ocean itself. In reality, this was God fulfilling His promise, for He said that He would always provide for them, and on this particular day He chose to surprise them with something different.

God's provisions for us are no less natural and no less miraculous than that of the birds. Everything that we have or will ever have comes from His gracious hand, and like the birds of the air God causes us to reap where we have not sown. When we put our trust in the Lord and seek His kingdom first, He promises that all that we need will be added to us. We are not to be anxious or worried about anything for He said that we are much more valuable than the birds. When we consider this fact, we have to conclude that God is watching over us continually and knows our every need. Most of the time He will use the earth and our natural faculties to meet our needs, but we must not put God in a box and forget that He is the creator. Often He will cause our blessings to come to us in uncertain and unfamiliar ways to let us know that He is God and that He is not limited by our usual circumstances. He is full of surprises and can do new things!

In Psalms 50:11 God says, "I know all the birds of the mountains." He doesn't just know some of them; He declared that He knows all of them. Even a small sparrow doesn't fall to the ground without His knowledge (Matthew 10:27). If God knows all the birds, He also knows you and cares for you. As you face today, seek God's kingdom in all that you do and rest in His promise of provision. His provisions will always reflect His glory, for His Word says that He will meet all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). He will cause someone to stand on the seawall of your life, if necessary, to manifest His power and to give you something new and fresh. God desires to feed you and clothe you in radiant colors as He does the birds because He values you and delights when you are able to soar in the beauty that He has ordained for you. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/18/10
CHOOSING YOUR BATTLES

Scripture: Proverbs 26:17 "He that passes by and meddles with strife that does not belong to him, is like one that takes a dog by the ears."

King Solomon spoke very wisely concerning the business of battles. He warned us about getting involved in situations that do not belong to us and described these actions as meddling. For sure, there are many challenges in life and battles will come to the best of us, but Solomon said that if we are not careful in our choices, we will end up being like someone who grabs a dog by the ears. In other words, when we meddle in the wrong battles, they will bite back. Solomon's words reminded me of a small and fierce dog that our family used to have. He would have never harmed those to whom he belonged but I pity the stranger who would have tried to grab him by the ears. Even if they had been trying to help him, their good intentions would have been misunderstood and unappreciated.

So it is with life. Choosing the battles that we should get involved in is a difficult matter, for our actions can be misunderstood and unappreciated. So when conflicts present themselves, whether it is our battle or someone else's or whether it is a huge conflict or small skirmish, our first strategy should be to go to God for counsel. God is awesome and His knowledge and ways are much higher than ours. He showed us His wisdom and His mighty power in the battles that were fought in the scriptures. David was a small shepherd boy, but he went to battle against Goliath, the giant warrior. He chose this battle because Goliath was mocking God and defying the armies of Israel. When David's own brothers questioned him about his choice to fight, David answered them with the words, "Is there not a cause?" (I Samuel 17:29). David not only chose to defend the cause of God, but ran towards the battle that was set before him and killed the giant.

Yet, there were other times when God specifically instructed men not to go against their enemy in battle. When the enemy came against Jehoshaphat, he sought the Lord, and the Lord told him that he didn't need to fight the battle, for the battle belonged to the Lord. God told Jehoshaphat to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. The Lord had a unique plan and instructed him to send worshippers into the battle instead of warriors. When the people began to sing and to praise the Lord, God sent an ambush against the enemy and they destroyed themselves (II Chronicles 20:22).

There are battles that we are destined to fight and many times we are called to fight them alone. Like David's situation, the cause may be greater than our own small world, but we can be assured that if God sends us into the battle, He will be our shield and defense. There will be other challenges that we are to simply praise our way through as God fights for us. God may say, "Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord" or "pursue the enemy and take back your territory." Our battles may be conflicts in relationships, financial hardships, problems with our children, health issues, or spiritual matters. Regardless of the challenge, the battle belongs to the Lord, for the Apostle Paul said that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces. We must understand that the devil is not an easy foe to recon with, but God in His mercy has provided us with His own armor and spiritual weapons. God didn't tell David, who was known for his wonderful praise and worship, to go out singing before the giant and neither did He tell Jehoshaphat to go against the enemy with a few stones and a sling. Like these mighty warriors, our battles will be won while we are on our knees in prayer. So let us get God involved when we are choosing our battles and make a determination that we will not meddle or grab just any dog by the ears." +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/19/10
CORNERSTONE

Scripture: Mark 12:10 "The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner."

Jesus spoke of Himself. He was chosen by the God the Father to be the Spiritual head of the church, but He was rejected by the rulers who were attempting to build a religious organization. Scriptures declare that Jesus came to His own but His own did not receive Him. Yet even though Jesus was rejected and despised by men, He never gave up on God's plan and purpose for His life. Instead, He continued to do God's will and work the works of the One who had sent Him. He was destined to be the chief cornerstone of the church, which was built by the Spirit of God and He continues to hold all things together by the power of His word. It is hard to imagine, but if the presence and power of that One Stone, Jesus Christ, were to be removed, the church would dissolve and all nature would collapse.

When Jesus came to this earth, He did go to the pious religious leaders who mistakenly thought that they had it all together and took for granted that their building was intact. Instead, Jesus chose to go to those who recognized that they needed Him as their own personal Lord and Savior. Jesus searched for those who would serve Him diligently and love Him with all of their hearts. He came to the sinners who needed a Savior to cleanse them from their sins, to the sick who needed a healer to heal them of their diseases, to those in bondage who needed to be delivered, and even to the dead who needed to be resurrected. He also came for the broken hearted and those who were suffering grief. He allowed them to experience His grace by giving them beauty for their ashes and exchanging their sadness with a spirit of joy. He was never rejected by those who realized that they had a need and He never rejected anyone who was willing to receive Him as their solution.

Jesus presents Himself to us even today. He wants us to wrap our lives around Him so that He becomes the chief cornerstone of our lives. Every stone of our life has importance, but Jesus desires to be the most prominent part of our personal witness. When others look at us from a personal standpoint or as the corporate Church of the Living God, He wants them to see and know that we are connected together with Him. We must let the world know that we are one building, one church, one family, and one body in Christ. We acknowledge Jesus as our chief cornerstone and we declare that we will never reject Him. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/20/10
BE STILL AND KNOW

Scripture: Psalms 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."

God is not interested in our great intellectual knowledge. Nor is He interested in our personal agendas and great achievements. He desires a personal relationship with us, and His main interest is that we know Him and realize that He is God. When we come to understand that God is God, we realize that He is in control of every situation in our life. He is God over the big things and God over the small things. He is God in the good times and God in the bad times. He is God when things are easy and God when things are hard. He is God on the mountains of joy and He is God in the valleys of the shadow of death.

When we come to recognize that God is sovereign, we begin to grasp the meaning of Romans 8:28. No matter what happens to us, if we love God and are called according to His purpose, all things, good or bad, are going to work together for our good. We then stop focusing on the immediate adverse circumstances and begin to see that there is a much bigger picture for our life. We come to know that God's grand destiny for our life is much more than we can comprehend with our finite mind. We concentrate on the enlarged territories that we believe God has for us and pray to that effect, knowing that His thoughts towards us are for good and not evil and that He will give us a future and a hope.

Your future may seem uncertain at this point, but you have an assurance that God has brought you to His kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). God has placed you in this life at this particular time to fulfill His particular purpose. God doesn't measure you by someone else's ability and opportunity but by that which He individually affords to you. You must surrender your all to Him by placing your life totally in His hands. When the enemy comes in like a flood, you can be assured that God is still God and that He will raise up a banner against the forces of darkness. God is in charge and He is about to do a great thing in your life. Get away from the turmoil and quiet yourself from all anxiety. Take time to be still and listen to His still quite voice and know that God is God and He always will be God. +++

Scripture: Psalms 3:3 "For Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of my head."

As I was driving the other day, I noticed a big spider on the hood of my car. Somehow, it was able to resist the force of the wind and to stay there right in front of me. Normally, a spider that close to me would have brought fear to my heart, but in this situation I had no anxiety because the car's windshield was between me and the spider. This thin piece of glass was my protection, for the spider could not harm me physically, nor could it torment me mentally. As I watched the spider, this scripture came to my mind and I thought of the many times that the Lord had been a shield for me in life's circumstances. I also realized that there were many others instances in my life where His protection prevailed without me even being aware of it.

Several years ago my oldest son and I had a bread ministry to the poor in one of the neighborhoods on the outskirts of Houston. Every Tuesday night, rain or shine, we loaded up our vehicle with bread and pastries and went from house to house doing street evangelism. One of the elderly women that we visited each week warned us of the shootings that were happening on the streets in the vicinity. She always asked us to pray with her that God would clean up her neighborhood and rid it of evil. But we still remained unaware of the drug problem that plagued the area and it never occurred to us that we were in imminent danger. Just after one of our visits, the police raided the area and arrested eighteen people for drugs and posted their pictures in the local paper. Sometime later when I was ministering in the half way house, one of the girls who was arrested in the raid recognized me. She told me of the dangers that had surrounded us when we were there. The police were suspicious that we were delivering drugs in the bread and the drug dealers thought we were working undercover for the police. This was overwhelming to us because we were just simply trying to obey the mandate of the Lord and be a blessing to the people. In our innocence, God had placed an invisible shield about us and protected us from all harm, physically and mentally.

My son and I prayed every time before starting out on our mission to help the poor and evangelize the lost. We asked the Lord to lead us as we went up and down the dark streets. We had no cell phones or any means of protection but we were always walking behind our Shepherd. The Lord, Himself, was our shield and was between us and every present danger. Because we were obedient to His voice, souls were saved, the hungry were fed, and our prayers, which were joined with the prayers of the elderly woman, were answered. God did clean up her neighborhood.

Just like this incident, we face personal situations everyday where we need the Lord to be a shield for us. We need Him to surround us with His love when others reject us, to surround us with peace when there is confusion in our lives, to fill our hearts with joy when we are overcome with sorrow, to give us courage in the midst of danger, and to lift us up physically when we can't go any further. We must remember that God is always there for us and be encouraged by this psalm that David spoke when he was fleeing from His own son, Absalom, who was trying to kill him. David bravely said, "For Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of my head." +++

A Word In Due Season
4th Week of May 2010

05/24/10
SEEING THE PROMISE

Scripture: Genesis 13:14-15 "Lift up your eyes and look ... all the land which you see I will give to you ..."

God gave a promise to Abraham, but there were conditions that came with the promise. Abraham had to make an effort to see what God was showing him. God said, "Open your eyes. All that you see, I will give to you." Getting a vision of God's promise is a vital part of our faith because if we are unable to envision the promises of God, we will never be able to receive them. Proverbs 29:18 says that our faith will perish without a revelation or vision of God's plan and purpose for our lives. Even Jesus had to first see God's plan. Jesus said, "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do" (John 5:19). Abraham caught the vision and followed through in faith as he walked the length and breadth of the land, his heart continually searching for the promise of God. He stayed focused, kept his vision, and received God's promise.

There were others in the scripture, however, that did not keep a vision of faith. Ten of the twelve spies that Moses sent to search out the land lost out on God's promise because their eyes were on the circumstances rather than God and His word. They had enough vision to leave Egypt, but their faith faltered along the way when their vision became distorted by the obstacles in their path. The ten saw the giants instead of the giant grapes, and their heart fixed on the problem rather than the promise. They saw themselves as grasshoppers that would be eaten up by the enemy, and they envisioned the enemy seeing them in the same way. However, two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, saw things in a totally different way. Instead of seeing the enemy eating them up, Joshua and Celeb said, "The enemy will be bread for us." They were of another spirit and their vision was based on faith in God and God's word to them.

Spiritual vision can be enhanced or distorted just like natural vision. When spiritual vision is distorted we tend to draw negative conclusions about situations. We neglect to see the positive. For instance, when shown a white piece of paper with a small black dot in the center, we choose to either see the small black dot or all the white that surrounds it. When asked what we see, we usually describe only the small dark spot. As we focus our attention upon it, the larger and darker it becomes and we fail to see all of the white. Likewise in the area of our faith, the light fades away when we face financial difficulties, family crises, or negative reports concerning our health. The darkness draws our attention away from the light and we begin to forget about the promises of God. It is at this point that we must correct our spiritual vision. God says, "Lift up your eyes ... all you see, I will give to you." Don't look at the small darkness that has intruded into your life. Open your eyes and find the scripture that fits your need and focus upon that word. As you do, it will draw your attention to the light and faith will come into your heart as you allow the word of God to adjust your spiritual vision. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/25/10
FORGIVENESS AND FAITH

Scripture: Matthew 6:34 (NRV) "Today's trouble is enough for today."

    "I laid down my worries and looked at them.
     Part of them, I noticed, belonged to the past
     and another part to the future." - Corrie ten Boom

Take a look at what you are truly concerned about right now. Many of us are experiencing Corrie ten Boom's words. We are living in the present day but are allowing the guilt of the past and the fears of the future to haunt us. We have become mentally indebted and we can't seem to let go. It is said that guilt is the interest paid for past mistakes - and worry is the interest paid for the future. In the natural, you may have experienced a debt situation where the interest, penalty, and late charges that were added were quite a bit more than the original debt. If you examine your entire situation, you may find that the interest you are paying for your worries, in terms of stress, is adding up to be more than the actual debt. Debt, whether it be natural or mental, can be costly and stressful.

We must trust God concerning the failures of our past. When we live in guilt and fear, we are actually questioning God in His forgiveness and His ability to fulfill the promises that He has made to us. He wants to forgive us and is waiting to hear our confession. All that we have to do is simply confess our sins and God will faithfully forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).  Forgiveness for the past comes by confession. This means we must confess our sins to God, calling them by their name. He doesn't want a general prayer that vaguely confesses, "If I have sinned, forgive me." God wants us to take responsibility and own-up to our sins and failures, naming them one by one. When we do this, He has promised to cleanse us, erase the debt, and remove all guilt and shame.

God also wants us to know that we can trust Him for the future. He will provide for us and fulfill all of the promises that He has made to us. Mathew 6:28 says, "Don't even take thought for the food, water, and clothes that you will need. Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things." If you just trust Him, He will provide daily food for you just like He does for the birds because you are more valuable to Him than they are. You are His special creation and He has even numbered the hairs on your head.  Jesus said, "Just look at the beautiful lilies of the field. They don't toil, spin, or worry." They just look toward the heavens and draw their strength from God's daily provision of rain and sun. Because of their simple trust, God clothes them in a glory that exceeds the glory of King Solomon. Like the lilies and the birds, God will also take care of you and clothe you in the same splendor. Jesus said it so plainly. "You have enough to worry about for today.  So forget the past and all of its failures and trust Me for your future." +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
05/26/10
FIGHTING DISCOURAGEMENT

Scripture: Psalm 27:14 "Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart."

What would you do if you were walking along and fell into a dark pit? Would you stay there, or would you struggle and work to get out? Would you allow discouragement to overcome you, or would you attempt to conquer it? You must understand that your tomorrow is decided by the choices that you make today.

Disappointment comes when things don't work out like we've planned and we see our hopes and dreams begin to fade into non-existence. When we do not deal with those disappointments, they eventually build strongholds in our spirit and turn into discouragement. When we are in this frame of mind, each step leads downwards until we fall into utter hopelessness. In all of these phases, we can choose to drown in this sea of disappointment, discouragement, and hopelessness, or use all of the ability that God gave us to get out.

There is a story about two mice that fell into a bucket of milk. One swam and fought for a while but then became discouraged, gave up, and drowned. The other mouse just kept dog paddling, fighting, and praying all night long. When he got tired he would float for a while, then he would take courage and work at getting out again. Although nothing positive seemed to be happening, he refused to give up and never allowed discouragement and self-pity to overtake him. He kept doing what he could. Finally, his churning turned the milk that was around him into a block of butter underneath him. When the milk turned to butter, he was able climb out and was free. He was amazed at how God had created a deliverance for him.

God has a creative plan of deliverance for you, too. Psalms 30:5 says, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." There is an old saying that "It's always darkest just before dawn". So when you find yourself in the dark pits of discouragement, just keeping doing all that you can do. Wait upon the Lord and He will strengthen your heart. Trust in the Lord and be of good courage, for His deliverance and joy is on its way . +++

Scripture: John 12:26 "If any man serve Me, let him follow Me."

Jesus makes it plain in these words that if we are going to serve Him, we must follow Him. It is a simple choice and we can't have it both ways. We can't live the way of the world while we have the mark of His cross upon our lives any more than we can serve two masters. When we are truly devoted to the Lord's call, we will follow Him wherever He leads and do whatever He asks. We will put to death our hopes in order to follow His will and crucify our own desires so that He can fulfill His purposes in our lives. We will allow our lives to die as a seed in the ground so that His fruit can come forth (Verse 24).

These two simple words from the lips of Jesus, "Follow Me" offer us a wonderful life in His presence. When we choose Christ, we choose a personal relationship with Him. When we follow Him, we go where He goes and we see what He sees. We bond together with Him through our mutual experiences, whether good or bad. From the time that we accept His call and then throughout eternity, we have an assurance that we will be guided by the One who has more wisdom and knowledge than we do. He becomes our Shepherd and we take on the identity of His sheep. We recognize His voice and do not follow another. We are aware that there is something very special about belonging to Him. The world doesn't understand our relationship, but we know Him and we know that He knows us.

It is apparent that in your heart you truly want to serve the Lord or you would not be spending time right now reading this message and following after the things of God. Yet, we all encounter distractions and things that attempt to lead us away from following the Shepherd. There are trials, victories, heartbreaks, and even fears as we journey through life with Jesus. But, with every event along our path, we learn more about Him. When Jesus says, "Follow Me," He calls us to be dependent upon Him and to allow Him to be in control of our lives. He continually calls us to new levels and desires for us to serve Him. Our call is not just a place of destination. Instead, it is a journey that we experience. The Lord goes before us and leads us each step of the way. Our obedience in following Him gives us the opportunity to trust Him in a new way and to show our devotion to His call. If we want to serve Him, we must allow Him to be the Lord of our life and follow Him. +++

Scripture: Genesis 32:26 "But Jacob replied, I will not let you go until you bless me."

Jacob was a man who aggressively pursued the blessings of God for his life. His heart's desire was to obtain the sacred birthright of the first-born and the blessings that came with it. Even in his mother's womb, he struggled with Esau, his twin brother. And at birth, Jacob caught hold of Esau's heel in an effort to pull him back from the destiny set before him (Genesis 25:22-26). Finally, years later, at a moment when his brother was weak and faint from the lack of nourishment, Jacob obtained the birthright by purchasing it from Esau with a bowl of beans. Then by deception, he also stole Esau's blessing from their father, Isaac. Jacob was desperate and determined to be blessed.

Because of Jacob's deception with his father and brother, he was forced to leave his home, but many years later he returned as a prosperous man. As Jacob approached his homeland, the news came to him that his brother, Esau, was coming with 400 men. Thinking the worst was about to happen, Jacob sent his wives, children, and all those with him to the other side of the river. Jacob remained there alone through the night, greatly afraid and distressed. In the midst of the darkness, the Lord began to deal with him, and Jacob wrestled with the Lord. He refused to let go, declaring, "I will not let you go until you bless me." Genesis 32:27 says that as they wrestled, the Lord asked him, "What is your name?" The Lord forced Jacob to own up to who he really was; a 'heel catcher', a deceiver, and a trickster. When Jacob was able to acknowledge who he was by name and nature, God was able to change him. The Lord changed his name from Jacob, or deceiver, to Israel, a prince. As a prince, Jacob now had power with God and with men. He had prevailed with God and obtained the blessing as he came face to face with the Lord. The birthright that Jacob so diligently sought for passed through him to his descendants and his name was listed in the lineage of the Messiah. He obtained the promised covenant, and throughout the scriptures references are made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, instead of Abraham, Isaac, and Esau.

The blessings you seek from God come with no less determination and persistence than what Jacob experienced. If you want anything from God you have to pursue Him with your whole heart. You cannot have knowledge of His word without diligently studying it or listening to good teachers and ministers. You cannot prevail in prayer without separating yourself from those around you and seeking God. Jacob was left alone and He experienced God face to face. And Jesus, Himself, always sought for a solitary place to pray. Likewise, it is in the secret place that you will see the face of God. And like Jacob, it will be when you come to terms with who you really are that God can change you into the person He wants you to be. Your blessing comes through prayer and communion and by His Word transforming your heart, and not by any other means. Deception won't get you there. You must prevail in prayer to become a prince with God and to seal the divine destiny that He has for you. +++

A Word In Due Season
5th Week of May 2010

05/31/10
LOOK FOR ME

Scripture: Psalms 119:176 "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant."

We've all had those times when we've planned to meet someone in a large crowd and wanted to make sure that we made the connection. We designated a particular time and place to meet, explained what we would be wearing, and then said, "Be looking for me." If the appointed time for the rendezvous passed, desperation set in, and we began to think that there was a misunderstanding in our communications. We could only hope that the one we were attempting to meet was searching for us with as much effort as we were searching for them.

The psalmist in this scripture found himself in the same dilemma. He had somehow wandered away and was telling the Lord of his desperate situation. In the preceding verses, he asked the Lord to hear his cry and listen to his supplication. He said, "Let Your hand help me." Sheep have no sense of direction and are used to being led about. It is their nature to depend upon the shepherd to find them. The psalmist reminded the Lord that even though he had strayed away from the narrow path, he still remembered the commandments and precepts of God. He knew that God would honor His Word and he depended upon the Good Shepherd to seek for him as if he were a lost sheep.

Like the psalmist, the Lord is our shepherd and we are the sheep of His pasture. We need the Lord Jesus desperately in our lives so that we can maintain an honorable walk and keep our feet from straying. We must make it a practice to face every day with a determination to discern His will and to be in His Word, seeking His direction. Like the psalmist, our prayer should be, "Lord, look for me. Help me to be in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. If I go astray, seek me and bring me back." Are you aware that God's search for you is just as diligent as your search for Him? Jesus is your Good Shepherd. He will leave the ninety-nine sheep that are safe and search for you when you have lost your way. As He looks for you, He will call you by name, for He knows each one of His sheep personally. In John 10:27, He said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27). When your path seems to be shrouded in darkness and your way seems obscure, listen for the Shepherd's voice. He is like any loving father whose child is lost, and He is desperately seeking for you and calling your name. +++