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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of November 2010

11/01/10
WALK IN THE SPIRIT

Scripture: Galatians 5:25 "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

There is a difference between living in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit. Living in the Spirit means that we have received Jesus as our Savior and have made Him the Lord of our life. We have been born again by the Spirit of God and our bodies have become the temple of His Holy Spirit. We have a relationship with God and His presence now resides within us. This experience happens at a particular point in time. One moment we are living in darkness and the next moment we are translated into the Kingdom of light. It is an immediate transition from spiritual death to eternal life. It is a mystery that a Holy God would choose to reside in a sinful man. Yet, God graciously grants us this invitation and we can only obtain it by faith.

Walking in the Spirit, however, is another matter. In essence, if we have the Spirit of God within us, the Apostle Paul said that the evidence should be manifested in our daily walk. Our walk with the Lord is not just to be an idea in our head or a sentiment in our heart. Instead, it should be our continuous actions or our habitual lifestyle. It is the things that we say and do as we pass through life. Our entire walk should mirror the example of Jesus Christ. Yet, it is possible to have a new birth experience in our Spirit and at the same time walk in the ways of the flesh, for our self-interest will always be at odds with the spiritual because our carnal nature is at enmity against God (Romans 8:7). The Apostle Paul even struggled with this issue and said that he did the things that he didn't want to do and didn't do the things that he wanted to do.

We have hope in this battle of flesh against spirit and spirit against flesh. We do not have to cater to the appetites and impulses of the flesh. We have a choice in the matter and our daily walk can be pleasing to God. The Holy Spirit whom we received when we were born again can empower us to walk in the Spirit so that we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Our responsibility is to yield to the Holy Spirit and follow wherever He leads. He is our witness within us to assure us when we are doing right and will also convict us when we are going in the wrong direction. When we surrender our will to Him and allow Him to have full control, He will take us where we need to be. We will not only have life in the Spirit, but we will be walking in the Spirit. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/02/10
TESTED IN THE STORM

Scripture: Mark 6:48 "... and Jesus would have passed them by."

Jesus told His disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side of the lake. It was such a simple instruction, but while they were in the middle of the lake a great storm arose. Jesus was still on the land and could see that the disciples were in serious trouble. They were rowing as hard as they could while they struggled against the wind and the waves. About three o'clock in the morning, Jesus walked toward them on the water and He would have passed them by if they had not taken notice of Him. His intent was to test their faith.

In their distress, the disciples cried out for help, but at the same time, they were fearful and wondered if they were seeing a ghost. Jesus spoke three things to them, "Don't be afraid." "Take courage!" "I am here!" When He got into their boat the winds immediately stopped. The disciples were amazed at this miracle and His power. Yet just before they had started across the lake, they had witnessed an awesome miracle as Jesus fed the five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. The disciples had even participated in the miracle by distributing the food amongst the people and then afterwards had gathered up the twelve baskets of leftovers. Yet, even after seeing Jesus multiply the food, they still did not recognize His supernatural power and were amazed that He could walk on the water.

There are several things to take note of in this story. First, just as Jesus saw the disciples in serious trouble, He sees your circumstances. He watches you in the midst of the storm as you row and struggle against the winds and waves of adversity. He knows that you are too far from the shore to get natural help and that your only way out is a supernatural miracle. Second, He walks towards you and hopes that you will call out to Him. He wants to help you when you are sinking in a sea of financial problems. He desires to get into the boat with you when your health is failing and to be your comfort when you are suffering grief. He wants to help you solve life's issues and restore your broken relationships. He wants to rescue you from all danger. He comes near to you and waits for you to call out to Him, but James 4:2 says, "You have not, because you ask not."

How many miracles have we missed because we fail to notice that Jesus was passing by? He walked on the water toward us but we were too busy rowing and struggling within ourselves to recognize that we just needed Jesus to get into the boat with us. His very presence would have calmed our storm, but we didn't reach for His help even though He said that He would always be there for us. When we are tested in the storms of life, we need to remember His words "Don't be afraid." "Take courage!" "I am here!" Jesus passes our way all the time, let's be ready to call out to Him. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/03/10
COMMITMENT AND TRUST

Scripture: Psalms 37:5 "Commit your way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass."

Commit means to give something over to another's care or to place something in official confinement or custody. True commitment to God means that you place your entire life and all of it situations in His hands and you do not take them back, for they are in His official custody. You submit your way unto the Lord and you allow Him to deal with all of your circumstances, however He sees fit. You do not grab the reins in fear when it seems that you are getting close to the edge or try to give God instructions. Instead, you let go and allow Him to do a complete work.

Very often, it becomes hard to totally commit our way unto the Lord. We make a mental decision to let God lead and guide us, but very soon we start giving Him directions and suggestions. Like riding in the car when someone else is driving, we are tempted to tell God each turn to make, for we feel a need to be in control. We are anxious to get on with life and move forward. Yet, God sees the big picture and He knows the pitfalls and dangers that lay ahead. In His mercy, He holds us back and keeps us from harm. We try to persuade Him to go to the left or to the right and become frustrated because He doesn't respond. We should be thankful that His infinite wisdom disallows Him to follow our directions or answer all of our prayers.

Pause and think about the burden that is upon your heart today. What thoughts plague your mind and cause unrest within your soul? Try to pinpoint the reason for the anxiety and fear that is within your spirit. Then, with all of your heart and soul, commit those things to the Lord. Remember that your understanding is limited by your knowledge and warped by the memories of your past. Come to realize that your knowledge and understanding is meager when compared to the wisdom of the omniscient God. Then begin to lean upon God and trust in His knowledge, integrity, and timing. As He shuts your life up in His hands, ask Him to keep it and not allow you to take it back. When you fully commit to God and allow Him to be in control of your life, He will take care of those things that concern you and bring things to pass according to His plan and purpose. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/04/10
MORE THAN CONQUERORS

Scripture: Romans 8:37 "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."

The Apostle Paul declared that we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus who loves us. Jesus fought a battle that we could not fight for ourselves.  When He died on the cross, He went to Hell and took the keys of death, Hell, and the grave from Satan. Jesus overcame and conquered Satan by His own blood and manifested His victory by His resurrection. Because of His victory we are redeemed from the curse of the law, and all that we have to do is simply reap the reward that He has already won.

Jesus fights our battles because of His great love for us just like we would fight the battles for those we love. We would never allow others to attack our children with unkind words or actions. Love causes us to defend them in every situation and fight for them. Our children become more than conquerors because of our love. Often when a child faces conflict, you will hear them say, "My daddy can beat up your daddy!" This is a child who is being more than a conqueror.  He sees his battle won without him ever engaging in any warfare, as he plans to reap the benefits of his father's strength.

Paul said that you too could be more than conquerors in the midst of tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword, and that nothing would be able to separate you from the love of God, not even death (Verses 35-39). Death has no power over you. It simply ushers you into God's presence. Regardless of any situation that you may find yourself in, God's love remains and His mercy endures forever. He is a faithful God and He is sovereign.  You must remember that He is still on His throne and still in control of every area of your life that you yield to Him. You must see Him as greater than the enemy and believe His word, which declares that greater is He that is within you than he that is in the world. God's grace will be sufficient to meet every challenge. As you look to Him, He will cause you to be an overcomer through the "blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony" (Revelation 12:11). Be persuaded that in all things, you are more than a conqueror through Christ who loves you and gave Himself for you. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/05/10
DISCREET AND WISE

Scripture: Genesis 41:39 "There is none so discreet and wise as you are."

Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, spoke these words about Joseph who was called from the prison to interpret Pharaoh's dreams. This is interesting because we very rarely think of a person in prison as being discreet and wise. But Joseph was discreet and wise because the Spirit of the Lord was upon him and he used everything negative about his prison experience to push himself to success. His tremendous faith in God manifested itself in every trial and test of his life. He held on to God despite the abuse and rejection of his brothers, his own feelings of loneliness in a foreign land, the test with Potiphar's wife, unfair treatment, and being forgotten by his prison friends, the baker and the butler. Instead of allowing adversity to separate him from God, Joseph allowed it to draw him closer to God.

As Joseph submitted himself to God's Spirit, he lived a lifestyle of forgiveness, refusing to fall into bitterness, anger, and resentment. He kept a good attitude and worked hard at whatever came his way. His faithfulness in the small things proved to God that he was a man that could be trusted. Joseph simply fulfilled the will of God one day at a time and his true strength came because he permitted the Spirit of God to dominate his life. He leaned upon God's ability and not his own and was a testimony to those about him.

When Joseph was in Potiphar's house, Potiphar noticed that "the Lord was with Joseph and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper." And even though Joseph was a servant, he found grace and favor in the eyes of the man that he served and Potiphar made him overseer of all that he had (Genesis 39:2-4). Joseph was endowed with a great gift from God. Yet, he didn't act presumptuously when he was called to interpret Pharaoh's dream. Instead, he acknowledged that the interpretation of dreams belonged to God and that the Spirit of the Lord was the one who imparted discretion and wisdom. Pharaoh recognized Joseph's gift and declared, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom the Spirit of the Lord is?" (Genesis 41:38)

Exchange is the process of life. What you put in to it is what you will get out of it. What you sow is what you will reap. Joseph exchanged all the bad that came his direction and allowed God to make it into something good. He refused to give into the negative forces. Instead, Joseph used them as a tool to learn and allowed God to impart to him wisdom and discretion. This principle will also work in your life if you allow the Spirit to work in every situation that presents itself to you. You can be assured that if you love God and are called according to His purpose, all things are going to work together for good. If you sow to the Spirit and stay focused on God during the process, there will be a great exchange and you will reap discretion and wisdom. +++

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

11/08/10
SOURCE OF OUR FAITH

Scripture: Romans 10:17 "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."

Faith is simple, but most of the time we try to make it hard. Faith is simply hearing the Word of God and resting in that word that He speaks to us. A word of faith doesn't have to be a long complicated discourse. It can be just one word. When the Holy Spirit breathes upon that word, faith is conceived in our heart. As we rest and trust in that word, God brings it to pass and accomplishes His purposes. This is why Jesus said, "Be careful what you hear" (Mark 4:24). Faith comes by hearing God, but doubt enters our hearts when we listen to the negative voices of others or look at the adverse circumstances that challenge us.

Look at the example of Peter in Matthew 14:24-34. Peter was in a ship in the middle of the sea in the early morning hours. The wind was contrary and the ship was being tossed by the waves. Suddenly, Jesus appeared, walking on the water. In his excitement, Peter asked Jesus to bid him to come to Him. Peter did not step out of the boat in presumption but waited for the word from his Master. Jesus spoke one word to Peter. He said, "Come." Peter then stepped out of the boat on that one word. For a moment, he forgot the turmoil around him. His entire faith was based on that one word and the person who spoke it. Peter was not walking on the water, but on the word that Jesus spoke. Jesus' word, "Come" was supporting Peter's actions. As Peter began to walk on the water towards Jesus, he turned his eyes to the circumstances around him and when he saw the winds, he became afraid. For a moment, Peter allowed the situation and fear to speak louder than the voice of faith that was in his heart. As fear entered his heart, his faith began to fail and he began to sink. However, Peter never lost confidence in the One who had issued the word. When his faith was challenged by the circumstances, he looked to the source of the word and cried out to Jesus, "Lord, save me."

What is your primary need today? Faith is not an uncertain element. It is based upon a word from God. Like Peter, ask for a specific word that will meet your need, and then rest in that word. The word you receive may be challenged, but remember that faith doesn't struggle. Faith keeps its eyes upon Jesus and allows His word to support it. When the winds of adversity come and circumstances seek to steal, kill, and destroy the word that's in your heart, just cry out to Jesus, "Lord, save me." Even in your doubt and fear, Jesus will be there for you like He was for Peter. He will stretch forth His hand, take you from the winds and the waves, and bring you to safety. The Word of the Lord is the source of your faith. What God has spoken will come to pass and what He begins, He will finish (Hebrews 12:2). +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/09/10
A MERRY HEART

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart does good like a medicine."

Solomon teaches that a merry heart brings health to your body. However, if you allow it, stress, hatred, rage, malice, grief, anxiety, and a host of many other negative emotions can ruin your health. Proverbs 12:25 says, "Heaviness in the heart of man makes his heart stoop." In other words, anxiety of any kind causes depression, which allows negative forces to work in your physical body. However, it is a medical fact that chemicals called endorphins are released in your body when you exercise or laugh. Zig Ziglar says, "Laughter is like internal jogging." When you begin to laugh and be merry, you are telling your physical body that the stressful circumstances you are facing are no big deal. Your laughter will regenerate your body and joy will bring you strength.

Isaiah 12:3 declares that you can "draw from the wells of salvation with joy." In order to draw water from a well in the natural, you must use a bucket. In the spiritual, you have access to the wells of salvation that contain all the benefits that God provides, but the scripture says you must use joy to draw from these wells. Being angry never fixes an adverse and ugly situation, but rejoicing in God, seeking Him, and drawing from His wells of salvation will give insight and the solution to the problem. Grief and sorrow can never bring your loved ones back, but finding a place of joy in the presence of God's Holy Spirit will give you comfort and courage to move forward. Dealing with angry and spiteful people is never pleasant, but by drawing from God's well of salvation you can give a soft answer which will turn away their wrath (Proverbs 15:1). Reacting in positive ways and maintaining positive attitudes will dispel the negative forces in your life that can cause illness and even death. Jesus tells us plainly in the sixth chapter of Matthew not to be anxious about anything, but to seek first His kingdom, which is "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17).

We go to great efforts to maintain our health and make changes in our habits if they are harmful to our natural body. Shouldn't we also make adjustments in our attitudes and take control of our emotions that could cause problems in our health? As we begin to cultivate a sense of righteousness with God, allowing His peace to reign in our life and joy in the Holy Ghost to fill our souls, we will find our health being restored. Remember, laughter does good like a medicine and it has no ill side effects so endeavor to keep a merry heart. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/10/10
KEEPING SECRETS

Scripture: Matthew 6:6 "Your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly."

There are three secrets that the Lord instructs us to keep. We are to give in secret, pray to the Father in secret, and fast in secret. If we keep these three things secret between God and us, God has promised to reward us openly. Jesus said, "Don't do your alms to be seen by men, and also don't remind them of your good deeds." Has anyone ever given you something that was very special to you, but because they continually reminded you of their gift, you finally lost pleasure in it? You may have even wished they had never given you the gift at all. Jesus instructed us not to call attention to ourselves by sounding a trumpet before people about our gift. In fact, He said don't even let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. In other words, don't try to receive glory from men and don't glorify or remind your own self of your good deeds either.

Jesus also told us to "Pray simple prayers to God in secret." Our prayers are not to be long and repetitious. We must realize that God is not only God, but that He is also our Father and we have a relationship with Him, so we must talk to Him in that manner. Even in public prayer, we must remember that we are speaking to God for man's benefit, not speaking to men for God's benefit. Why should we spend time praying if we are only speaking words so that men can hear us? If God is not listening, our words are wasted. Our prayers need to go up before God who is the source of our answers.

Finally, Jesus said, "Do not appear unto men to fast." We are not to go around with a sad countenance wanting others to feel sorry for us just because we are not eating, and we are not to try to gain glory from them because we are righteously fasting. That glory will only last for a brief moment. Why should we waste our nourishment and the enjoyment of food for such a worthless reward as men's recognition?

God said if you do anything for your own glory and recognition, then He cannot and will not reward you. In other words, if you receive glory from men then that will be the only reward you will receive. However, "In as much as possible, if you keep your alms, prayers, and fasting a secret between Him and you alone, then He will reward you openly." What the Lord sees you do in secret, He will reward with gifts and answers that are eternal and heavenly. God told Cornelius, "Your prayers and your alms go up before God as a memorial" (Acts 10:31). If you desire answers and rewards, then determine that your prayers, alms, and fasting will go up as a secret memorial before God and not be just empty words and worthless actions before men. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/11/10
TRUSTING YOUR LIFE TO GOD'S HANDS

Scripture: Psalms 25:1 (Amplified) "Unto You, O Lord, do I bring my life."

Sometimes it seems harder for us to trust in God than it does for us to trust in others. For instance, when we are sick and hurting, we don't find it hard at all to give ourselves completely to a doctor that we barely know. We bring our lives to the doctor in simple trust. We allow him to prescribe medication for us and to do whatever he feels that he needs to do. If necessary, we even allow him to put us to sleep for several hours so that he can perform an operation on our bodies. Because we know so little about the subject, we rely on the doctor's training, education, and skill. We assume that his diagnosis is correct and that what he tells us is the truth. We rarely question his efforts unless he proves himself wrong. Our lives are literally in the physician's hands

When it comes to putting our trust in the Lord, however, it is hard for us to let go and let God have His way. We tend to cringe at the thought of not having total control over our own lives. We sense God's Holy Spirit leading us, but our minds and emotions take us in the opposite direction because we fear disappointment and failure. We don't have the confidence that we need to walk the path of faith that God has set before us. If God prescribes something, we question Him. We also find it difficult to rest while God is working His plan in our lives.

David said the most precious thing he had was his life, but he brought it and placed it in the hands of the Lord. He could trust no other, but was confident that his tender loving God would not disappoint him. David depended upon the Lord to show him the right way to go and trusted God to guide him down the path of truth. He leaned on God's covenant of grace to comfort him when he was lonely and afflicted. God became David's secret companion because David reverently feared and worshiped Him. How great it would be if we would come to this wonderful place of trust that David found and then be able to surrender our lives to God and declare to Him, "Unto You, O Lord, I bring my life." +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/12/10
THOROUGHLY FURNISHED

Scripture: II Timothy 3:17 "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

God's plan for us is that we be perfect and thoroughly furnished spiritually so that our lives can function properly for Him. Perfect, in this sense, means complete and exactly fitted as a joint. We all know the results of what happens with the plumbing when the joints are not fitted properly. It leaks and is unusable. The same is true when a joint in our physical body is not functioning properly. The whole body is disabled with pain. So it is also with our spirits. If we are not spiritually fitted properly we often become like a loose joint to those who come into contact with us.

To be thoroughly furnished means to be equipped to do the work that God has ordained us to do. How many of us really know how to witness salvation to the man on the street? Many times we leave it to the pastor on Sunday morning. It seems the best that we can do is to invite the lost man to church. We also fail to pray for the sick, minister to those in prisons, visit the elderly, or perform other good works. We are like a well built home that is missing necessary furniture or fixtures. We are Christian by name but our works are lacking. God wants us to be thoroughly furnished so that we are equipped to do every good work and meet the needs of those around us.

How can we become perfect, thoroughly furnished, and equipped in our spirits to do good works? We must be versed in the Word of God and have an intimate personal relationship with Him.  Verse sixteen says, "All scripture is given by the inspiration of God". Every scripture was breathed out of the mouth of God, and we are to listen and take heed to every word that He has said. The scriptures are profitable to us in four ways:

    1) For Doctrine - They teach us and give us a solid foundation in
        which to place our faith. We do not follow a "feel good religion,"
        but we live by faith in the words of the Almighty God.
    2) For Reproof - They cause us to know the difference between
        that which is sinful and that which is holy, convicting us of our sins.
    3) For Correction - They restore things to their proper use by
        shedding light on false theories, practices, and error.
    4) For Instruction in Righteousness - They train us to discipline
        ourselves to walk in obedience to God's Word. They show
        us how to live a holy life that is in conformity to His will, thought,
        purpose, and action.

It takes time, effort, and energy to decorate and furnish a home properly. It takes no less to do the same for our spiritual man. We will only become thoroughly furnished as we spend time and exert our energy towards the things of God. We must yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit and allow the inspired Word of God to teach, reprove, correct, and instruct us. As we begin to change through this process, our lives will become well fitted and equipped for every good work. +++

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

11/15/10
AS A LITTLE CHILD

Scripture: Mark 10:15 "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."

My grandson, who is three years old, sat at home and enjoyed life while his mother went out and shopped for groceries. She had done all of the work. She made the grocery list, clipped the coupons, and then went to store and selected the food. She purchased the food with money that she had helped earn, carried the bags to the car, and then carried the bags from the car into the house. She did all of this in the summer heat. There was no effort whatsoever on the part of my grandson while he waited in comfort for her to return. Yet, she said that when she put the bags of food on the table, he began to go through them and asked, "What did we buy at the store for me?"
A simple faith for provisions and self worth had been instilled in my grandson's heart by his loving father and mother. He knew that his parents had always provided for every need so he had no shyness about receiving from their gracious hands. He recognized that what belonged to his parents also belonged to him so he declared his ownership in the blessings of the house. The bounty of the provisions belonged to him even though he was free from all labor and responsibility.

Jesus said that in order for us to receive the kingdom of God, we must come to Christ with the same childlike faith. God is always so faithful and He brings blessings to our table every day. In Psalms 103:1-10, David lists some of those benefits and instructs us not to forget about them. They are ours for the taking. He says that God forgives all of our iniquities and heals all of our diseases. He redeems our life from destruction and crowns us with loving-kindness. His provisions are never stale, for He brings us tender mercies that are new every morning. God satisfies our mouth with good things so that our youth is renewed as the eagles. He executes righteousness and judgment for all who are oppressed. He is slow to anger and does not punish us for our iniquities in the fashion that we deserve.

These are just of few of our Heavenly Father's provisions that are available to His children. The good news is that the Lord has done all of the work and paid the full price. He sacrificed His life so that we could inherit the kingdom of God. He lays the blessings out before us and assures us that what belongs to Him also belongs to us. We must listen to His words and understand that He delights in blessing us but that His blessings will only come to us as we humbly receive them with faith as a little child. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/16/10
WAY TO ESCAPE

Scripture: I Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the temptation He will provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

Temptation is common and normal to the natural man. Regardless of how spiritual we may become, we will always face temptation. Each day situations will come that will make demands upon us and we will have to make a deliberate choice between right and wrong. Sometimes, it's easy because our choices have been established in our spirits long ago and there's no contest. Yet, the things that hold no sway over us may be a great temptation to someone else. And likewise those things that are the greatest temptation for us may seem trivial to those around us. We each have our own lust to face and battles to fight but the scriptures assure us that with each and every temptation, there is a way to escape. We just have to be watching for it and respond to it when it presents itself.

Temptation needs to be dealt with at the very beginning. Mark Twain once said, "It is easier to stay out, than to get out." It is the difference between walking around a mud hole and getting knee deep in one. Once you're in the mud, it's a struggle to get out. The mud seems to fight against you, and you slip and slide each time you try to leave, getting dirtier with each attempt. Many times you end up having to get help, and all those involved in your release are affected by the dirt. So why don't we just stay out of the mud hole of temptation? James 1:14 says, "Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." Our own lust draws and lures us into temptation. We get just a little too close to the mud hole, and before we know it, we've slipped in. It's never our intention to fall into the temptation, but the devil presents himself as an angel of light (II Cor. 11:14) and we are deceived by his brightness.

The temptation that you may face is not significant in itself - your response to the temptation is! James 1:2 says that your response to temptation should be joy, knowing that the trying of faith works patience. When you are tempted, you can rest assured that even though the devil thought that you were a good target, God has great faith in you and He trusts you to find the way of escape. When facing the mud hole, don't linger near it or try to go through it. The mud hole is common to everyone but you must make an immediate and deliberate choice to go around it. When you choose to go around the temptation, you will escape its consequences and also experience joy in the Lord. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/17/10
LITTLE FOXES

Scripture: Song of Solomon 2:15 "Take up the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards of our love, for our vineyards are in blossom."

In this love story, Solomon speaks to the Shulamite girl and says, "Let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely." When two people are in love their primary interest is to be together. They long to see each other and cherish each moment that they have together. They listen intently to every word that is exchanged between them and nothing escapes their notice, for their communion with one another is special. There is a genuine sweetness between them and no other face or voice can fill the longing in the heart of the one that is in love.

Solomon's Song speaks to us today concerning the relationship that we should have with the Lord. It should like two souls that are in love with one another. God loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son for us so that our lives could be redeemed. He desires for us to respond to that love and commune with Him on the basis of His love for us. Yet, we often fail to realize just how much He really desires to hear our voices and to see our faces turned towards Him. He waits for us to seek out His presence, yet like the Shulamite's situation, many times we allow the little foxes to distract us from communing with the Lord, as He desires. We get so busy with the small interruptions and problems of life that we fail to meet with God each day to spend quality time in His presence. When we do find a moment to pray and study God's word, the phone rings or someone comes to the door. It's almost guaranteed that some minor distraction will hinder us from experiencing the awesome presence of the almighty Lord. These are the small foxes that spoil the vine and keep our relationship with the Lord from growing and becoming intimate.

During disasters or the rough seasons of our lives, we somehow find time to pray and we make sure that we are in church drawing support and strength from the other saints. However, God doesn't want us to just run to Him in times of trouble. Instead, He desires that we seek Him daily. He wants to see our face and hear our voice before the troubles and hardships come. He loves us that much and He doesn't want to be without our love towards Him. We must pray and ask God to help us discern the little foxes. Then, as God calls our attention to them, we must submit them to God and ask Him to take away anything that would hinder and spoil our intimate relationship with Him. Like Solomon said, we must take up the little foxes and guard the vineyards of our love. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/18/10
WASTED YEARS

Scripture: Genesis 11:31 "Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot, and Sarah his daughter-in-law and they set out to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there."

It is so easy to catch the vision and set out to accomplish the goal, but completing the journey requires much more effort. It requires courage and determination. So many times we are like Abraham's father, Terah. Halfway through our journey we find a place of compromise and just settle there. Terah settled in Haran and never resumed the journey to Canaan and finally died there. After Terah died, God called Abraham, and despite the hardships along the way, Abraham eventually reached the land of Canaan.

What dreams have we left undone because of our incomplete obedience? What gifts and talents lay dormant in our lives because of distractions or our lack of confidence? What hopes have we let die because we have faced discouragement? How many times have we allowed the enemy to stop us in our journey towards success on any level, whether it is a grand scheme or a meager project? So often, we get half way to our goal and then settle there. We find ourselves with unfinished songs and poems within our hearts, neglected rendezvous with friends, projects undone, and spiritual commitments unmet. Our good intentions are never fully realized.

So much of life is made of wasted years. You may take some wrong turns and settle in wrong places along the way and it may be difficult to find God's good plan for your life. You may have a desire to do something special for God, but find yourself stuck in the land of Haran. Regardless of where you are today on your journey or how hopeless all of your dreams may seem, you must realize that the gifts and the callings of God are without repentance (Romans 11:29). God doesn't take your gifts back. He wants to help you reach your destiny. He is the God of a second chance and He will make a way where there seems to be no way. Philippians 1:6 says, "Be confident of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will bring it to completion." God never settles in Haran or gives up on you. He will continue to work with you until Jesus comes back again. He is a faithful God, but you are the one who must make the choice to finish your course. You must face the obstacles and adversities with discipline and you must conquer every challenge with courage. You must put forth effort and endeavor to be completely obedient to God's call. You can start again today by moving out of Haran and heading towards your dreams. When you do, God will redeem your wasted years. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/19/10
FORGIVE US AS WE FORGIVE

Scripture: Matthew 6:12 "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

Forgiveness is one of God's laws and it works. Jesus told us to ask God the Father for forgiveness but He also said that our forgiveness will only come to us as we forgive others (Mark 11:25-26). Even our gifts are unacceptable before God when unforgiveness is lingering in our hearts. Matthew 5:23-24 tells us that if we go to the altar and remember that our brother has anything against us, then we are to leave our gift at the altar and seek reconciliation with our brother.

Do you ever wonder why there is no anointing on your gift or why your tithes and offerings are not returned to you as the word promised? Could it be because of a matter of unforgiveness in the heart? It is only after we've reconciled with our brother that we can return to the altar and lay our gifts before God. There are times, however, that our brother will not accept our apologies or allow reconciliation. If we have covered every base by confessing to them our wrongdoing against them, offering restitution if necessary, telling them that we are sorry, and asking for their forgiveness, then our responsibility is complete. Reconciliation is left in their court and we are free to continue on with God. After we have done all that we could do, we must not harbor ill feelings, but release them and the situation to Jesus.

In Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus tells of a man whose master had forgiven him of a very large debt. There was another man who owed a small debt to the man who had been forgiven of the large debt. The man who owed the large debt refused to forgive the man with the small debt, and turned him over to the tormentors because he could not pay. The master, who had forgiven the man with the large debt heard about the situation. When the master heard that the man he had forgiven of much would not, in turn, forgive someone who owed little, the master gave him over to the tormentors. The master could not find it in his heart to forgive someone who would not forgive.

As we acknowledge that God has forgiven us many times for so much, we must in turn forgive others for the small offenses against us. This word clearly shows that if we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven and that we, ourselves, will suffer. The unforgiveness in our hearts will open a door, which will allow the tormentors to attack our soul. The tormenting spirits of bitterness, hatred, jealousy, anxiety, and a number of other negative emotions, all of which cause physical diseases, will seek to destroy us. Proverbs 19:11 says that it is the glory of a man to overlook a transgression or an offense. Let us determine to put forgiveness into practice and to remember Jesus' principle of life, which is "forgive and be forgiven". +++

A Word In Due Season
4th Week of November 2010

11/22/10
THINGS VALUED

Scripture: Proverbs 15:6 "In the house of the righteous is much treasure."

I can remember a time in my life when you never saw a penny tossed away on the ground because it actually had significant value. Even though my family didn't have much materially, we never seemed to be poor because we had the same as those around us. It was just after World War II and things were scarce for everyone. When we got a penny for bubble gum, we were thrilled. We would chew the gum during the day then place it on a saucer at night and cover it with a drinking glass. The next day, we were allowed to dip it in sugar to sweeten it up. This was a real treat because sugar was rationed. Can you imagine the joy of a penny stretching so far? When I started school, things were better and we were given nickels to spend and the penny began to lose some of its value. With a nickel you could either buy a nourishing mid-morning snack or in the afternoon get a coke from the new soda machine. Eventually, the cost of cokes went from a nickel to six cents and this caused the worth of the penny to increase because it was again needed.

Today, pennies are almost worthless except for the precious words inscribed on them that remind us, "In God we trust." How many things in our lives have become like the penny? The relationships that we once viewed as valuable and precious are now taken for granted. We have friendships that we are too busy to make time for and family members who suffer neglect because of our busy careers. The jobs that we desperately sought after have turned into mundane labor and brought on extra stress. Our passions for the spouse that we once held dear may have dwindled. As time has passed the values of our hearts have been altered and things once precious are now neglected. We are driven by the need to prosper and succeed and have lost sight of the true treasures of life, which are basically free.

Solomon said there is much treasure in the house of the righteous. We need to think about his statement and allow this season to remind us to look around and focus on the blessings that we have, for there are hidden treasures all about us. We must place value on those things that are more important than the wealth that can be measured in dollars and cents. If we know God and have family, friends, love, health, food, clothing, and freedom, we are indeed blessed and must recognize that within the walls of our own home there is much treasure. We should be thankful for these blessings and reflect on their value, for where our treasure is there is our heart also. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/23/10
GIVE THANKS IN ALL THINGS

Scripture: I Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

There are times in our lives when there seems to be enormous plans that are working against us, and in our innocence, we fail to recognize that it is plans of a shrewd enemy. We assume that we are wrestling against flesh and blood, when in fact we are in a spiritual warfare against the "wiles and strategies of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). God tells us that when we find ourselves in these situations, we are to be joyful and give thanks "in" everything. He did not say give thanks "for" everything, but "in" every situation be thankful to God. James 1:2 says that we are to "count it all joy."

Why are we to be thankful and joyful? James 1:3 says, "the trying of our faith is working patience in our lives." Trials develop character and character produces fruit. According to Romans 5:23, tribulations are not meant to destroy us, but to cause God's glory to come forth in our spirits as His fruit of patience develops. Romans 8:28 tells us that we can "know (not hope so, think so, pray so, but KNOW) that ALL things are working together for good to those that love God, and are called according to His purpose." We look at the example of Joseph as he was rejected by his own brothers and sold into slavery for many years. His situation was certainly not good, but he recognized that his circumstances were in the plan of God. He knew that things in his life would work out for good and he continued to believe that God's purposes would be established in spite of how bleak his present situation seemed. Even though Joseph had to endure much heartache and pain, he was grateful that God had called him to the kingdom at such a critical time. With a thankful heart, he told his brothers, "You thought evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."

If you love God and are called according to His purpose but find yourself in adverse situations, be assured today that He is still working in your life. The devil thinks evil against you and works to that end. Like Joseph, you may not see present evidence, but God is on the other side working all things together for your good and also for His eternal purposes. So in everything give thanks, for this is God's will concerning you. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/24/10
BE THANKFUL

Scripture: Psalms 100:4 " ... Be thankful unto Him, and bless His Name."

In this Psalm of praise, David exhorts us to make a joyful noise to the Lord, to serve Him with gladness, and to come before Him with singing. We are to recognize that the Lord has made us and acknowledge that we are His people. We are to express our thankfulness and bless the Lord, for He is good and His mercy is everlasting. Many times, however, we take our many blessings for granted instead of taking notice and expressing our appreciation to God for all the things that He has done for us. Too often, it takes seeing the sufferings of others or experiencing our own suffering to remind us of how short our thankfulness has fallen.

Martin Luther made a very strong point about our lack of thankfulness when he wrote of "God's Unceasing Kindness." In part he said, "If our heavenly Father were not so liberal in the distribution of His gifts, we would be more thankful to Him." Martin Luther then went on to explain this theory. He said that if God had caused all men to be born with only one leg or foot, and later, at the age of seven, was given the other leg and foot, man would be more thankful. He would appreciate his legs the rest of his life and would never take them for granted. Likewise, if a man were born with one arm and one hand, but given the other arm and hand at the age of twenty, he would appreciate his arms and hands and prize them more highly.

God has bestowed upon us great and bountiful blessings. Yet many times, it is only as we are deprived that we begin to appreciate them. Sometimes it takes the electrical power going out in the midst of a storm to remind us of how much we appreciate having lights. It takes illness to remind us of how precious good health is. It takes the threat of death before we become thankful for each breath that we are allowed to take. Like Luther's story, what if you were born with one leg or arm, blind, or deaf? Would you be more appreciative when you were restored? When was the last time you gave thanks to God that you could walk, talk, see, and hear? Have you thanked the Lord lately for your family, friends, shelter, and food? Don't wait for adversity to remind you of what you have and what you should be thanking God for. Begin right now to acknowledge God's awesome goodness to you personally and praise Him for the daily benefits that He is providing. Be thankful to God and bless His Name! +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/25/10
GIVING HIM THANKS

Scripture: Luke 17:15-16 "And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at Jesus' feet, giving Him thanks."

Ten men who were plagued with leprosy found the time and the energy to seek out Jesus when they needed Him. As Jesus came to their village, they unashamedly cried, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." Jesus instructed them to go and show themselves to the priest, and as they went their way they were healed. However, only one of the ten returned to glorify God and give Him thanks. The one that returned could not thank Jesus enough for the healing that he had received. Yet, his attention went beyond his miraculous healing as he focused on the Healer. He was so grateful to Jesus that he fell down on his face at Jesus' feet in worship and gave Him thanks.

Jesus' response was "Where are the other nine?" They had sought Jesus out, crying for mercy and calling Him Master. They were also healed of leprosy, but once they were healed, they did not return to give Him even a small word of thanks. If they had any gratitude at all, it was silent to the ears of the One who had healed them. Their new found healing called them back to their own lives and self interest. They no longer had time to follow Jesus or allow Him to be the Master of their lives, for they were in a hurry to get on with their own agenda.

Our circumstances may not be perfect, but if we look around us, we will find that we have much to be thankful for. I Thessalonians 5:18 says, " In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." God has done so many things for us and we need to thank Him for everything. Our words of gratitude should be one hundred percent. We shouldn't return and give thanks for just one thing and leave the other nine undone. How sad it would be if Jesus responded to our efforts and said, "What about the other nine things I did for you? Aren't you thankful for them also?" We get so busy during this season that we forget the reason for the season. We forget why we are supposed to be Happy at Thanksgiving and Merry at Christmas. We must be careful and give diligent thought to the true reason for our happiness and joy. It is because of who Jesus is and what He has done for us. Let us be sure to turn away from ourselves, our busy schedules, and celebrations during this season long enough to return to Jesus and give Him a simple word of thanks. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/26/10
THANKSGIVING

Scripture: Psalms 100:4 "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His holy name."

At times we stand outside the gates of God's presence and wonder why we can't feel God or sense His awesome power. We are plagued with our lack of direction and haunted by our unanswered prayers. We question the meaning and purpose of the desperate situations and circumstances that surround us at the moment. We even wonder if things are ever going to change. We feel that if we could just get to God and present ourselves to Him that everything would be all right. We know that if we were in His presence, He would surround us with His love and shed His glorious light on our dimly lit path. We sense His Spirit drawing us, yet we just grope around outside of the gates without a clue of how we once were able to find that wonderful place at the foot of God's throne.

In this verse, the psalmist gives us insight into how to enter the gates that bring us into the presence of God. He says that our initial approach to God requires a heart of thanksgiving and lips full of praise. This is a very important issue with God. We must be thankful and verbalize our gratitude, for this kind of heart attitude opens the gates that lead to the courts of God. Thankfulness is like the hinges on which the gates swing. Without a grateful heart, the hinges will not work and the gate will not open. As a result, we will not be able to enter into the presence of God where our prayers are answered and where we find peace.

Very often, we must offer up sacrifices of thankfulness. It may be hard to thank God in the present situation that you are in, but your words are important to Him. He cherishes your thankfulness and praise. The Lord listens to your every word and as you express your thankfulness to Him, you magnify Him. He is more pleased with your thankfulness and praise than He is with your tangible sacrifices like the animal sacrifices that were made under the old covenant long ago (Psalm 69:30-31). When you voice your thanksgiving, you make God big not only in your own sight, but in the sight of those who hear your words of praise. As you praise and thank Him, God oils the hinges of the gate and it begins to open. His Holy Spirit then ushers you through the gate and into God's presence. +++

A Word In Due Season
5th Week of November 2010

11/29/10
RESPONDING TO GOD

Scripture: Exodus 3:4 "And when the Lord saw that Moses turned aside to see, God call unto him out of the midst of the bush, Moses, Moses..."

Moses was tending his father-in-law's flock on the far side of the desert. As he carried on his normal duties, the Lord appeared to him in the midst of a burning bush, yet the bush was not consumed by the flames that engulfed it. When Moses saw that the bush was on fire, he said, "I will turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned up." Moses made a decision to forfeit his normal duties and schedule so that he could give full attention to what was happening. He laid aside every distraction in order to investigate this phenomenon. When God saw Moses' response, He began to talk with him and even called Moses by his name.

Like Moses' experience, many times God intervenes in our life and tries to draw us close to Him. He may not set a literal bush on fire to get our attention or speak audibly from a flame, but He is there just the same, expending His energy as He makes an effort to communicate with us. He wants to share His sovereign plan, but doesn't speak until He knows that He has our full attention. He waits to see our response and watches to see if we will turn aside and come into His presence. He loves us so much and has so much to say. Yet, even though we sense His tender wooing, we very often neglect it. We allow other things to take precedence like a television program we want to see, a friend we need to visit, or some project we need to finish. Life is too busy and we are too tired to give attention to God as we should.

The most significant encounters with God are those when He chooses to intervene in our lives in an effort to reveal Himself to us in a personal way. He comes to us because He has something to say. For a brief moment, God gives us the opportunity to approach Him and to stand in His presence on Holy ground. All we have to do is respond to His simple wooing, and when we do, His voice shakes the very mountains of our life. Yet, many times we miss this awesome opportunity to commune with the Lord because our hearts postpone His plans. We seek for a more opportune time and make plans to go to our prayer closet when it is more convenient for our schedules. We fail to realize that it's not the power of the closet, but the power of God when He reveals Himself in the closet. For Moses, it was never the bush; it was God in the bush. It wasn't the flames of fire that engulfed the bush, it was God's Holy Spirit burning, yet never consuming. The ground around the bush was not holy in itself. It was sanctified and made holy by God's holy presence. If you want to hear from God, you must not only seek for Him, you must respond to Him on His terms. Turn aside at the Lord's bidding whenever and wherever it may be and allow Him to be God over your life. He will speak when He sees you turn towards Him, and will sanctify and make holy the place and the moment. +++

Copyright © 2010 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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11/30/10
LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

Scripture: Psalms 18:28 (Living Bible) "You have turned on my light! The Lord my God has made my darkness turn to light."

Seasons of darkness come into all of our lives at some point. It may come through grief, disappointment, lack of direction, or any number of other situations. We've all had these times when it seems like we were under a cloud or walking in darkness. We just slowly grope around with no sense of direction, not knowing whether to go to the left or to the right. We stretch forth our arms hoping to feel for something that is familiar, but we end up stumbling over things and often injure ourselves in the process. These times are frustrating and fearful in the natural as well as in our spiritual life, especially if we find ourselves in a new place where everything is unfamiliar.

David was facing a dark season just like this, but God turned David's darkness into light. God came into his darkness and simply turned the light on. The Lord showed David the way out of the situation, delivered him from his enemies, and gave him victory. Your circumstances are no greater than David's. Just as God rescued David, He is able to intervene in the midst of your situation, turn His light on, and give you direction. He is your deliverance and your light, and His light has a way of driving out all darkness. Like natural light, His light provides comfort and shows clear direction.

Darkness does not have the ability to overcome or put out the light. Light is powerful and the difference that one small light or candle can make in a room full of darkness is amazing. One small and seemingly insignificant light, like a flashlight or match, can be the means that will help you get to the main power source that can produce more light for your situation. In your darkest hour, you may only see a small glimmer of light. Perhaps that light is a scripture, a song, a message, or a friend with a good word. It may not seem like much at first, but if you will receive it, that small light will get you to the main power supply. As you reach towards God, He will turn the light on in your situation and drive out all of the darkness and confusion that is in your life. +++