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08/01/11
PURE AS SILVER

Scripture: Psalms 12:6 "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times."

Things are no different now than they were when David wrote this psalm. David saw the aggressiveness of the wicked and declared that all of the godly men were vanishing from the earth. The men who were left spoke vain words with flattering lips and a double heart. They spoke proudly saying, "With our tongue we will prevail: our lips are our own: who is Lord over us?" They had no regard for the Lord and felt that they could just say anything at anytime. It is sad to say but this is becoming the mindset of our generation with its offensive language, deceit, perjury, and broken vows. Pure words are beginning to vanish, from the leader to the lowest.

In the sixth verse of this psalm, David contrasts the impure words of the wicked with the pure words of the Lord. David assured us that regardless of what is happening in this earth, we can know that God's Word is true and that He will watch over His Word to perform it. His words are as pure as silver that has passed the test of the fire. There is no dross nor impurities left to weaken what God has spoken, for He speaks no careless words. All that He says is the purest truth. God's Word never fails those who trust in it and have met the terms of the One Who has breathed it. The word of the Lord never returns to Him void. If God has spoken, we can take His Word to the bank ... and He will validate it. He always accomplishes His purpose and confirms His Word with signs and wonders (Mark 16:20).

We can count on God's Word. The problem is, do we really hear His Word? Like Elijah in I Kings 19:11-12, so many times we listen for God to speak His Word, thinking we will hear His voice in a great wind, an earthquake, or a fire. In the clamor of all that is happening, disappointment and frustration set in when His directions seem unclear. Our hearts wonder, "Did God speak or didn't He?" Experience tells me that if I'm not sure that God has spoken - then He hasn't. God usually doesn't speak audibly so that we hear Him with hearing of the ear. In fact, that is a rare experience. He speaks to us through His written word and within our spirits in a still small voice with a sound of gentle quietness. It is a simple impression or a witness within our heart. A moment occurs when our spirit connects with His presence and we know that we know that He has spoken. He makes known His will and reveals His desires to our inner being. When He speaks, it is pure and without dross, like silver that has been purified seven times. It is a sure word that will come to pass. +++

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08/02/11
POSSESS YOUR SOUL

Jesus warned His disciples about the hard times that they were destined to face. He spoke of the persecution, imprisonment, and betrayal of family members and friends that they would experience. He told them that they would be brought before kings and rulers for His name's sake, but not to meditate beforehand what their answers were to be. In the most difficult of circumstances, they were to remain patient and rely upon His wisdom and His protection. He promised to fill their mouth and give them words to speak that would be so logical that their adversaries and opponents would not be able to withstand or contradict them. He said, "In your patience, you possess your soul."

The soul of man is comprised of his mind, his will, and his emotions. His mind tells him what to think. His will tells him what he wants, and his emotions tell him how he feels. These three functions of his soul determine his actions and responses. Without patience in his soul, he will fall into a trap. His mind will allow his carnal will and nature to be led by his emotions. Everything will be decided by what he wants and what feels good at the moment. He will seek to gratify his fleshly desires regardless of the consequences. A soul that is patient, however, will weigh the situation by God's word and God's wisdom. Patience will put all things in the balances of godly counsel and then submit to the will of God, disallowing the soul's own desires and emotions to give in to the moment.

We often wonder why we must go through so many trials and so much tribulation. Yet James 1:3 states that this is the process that develops patience. It is as we go through difficult seasons that we learn to be patient, and then as our patience grows within us, we begin to possess our soul. Trials and temptations train us how to think rationally with our minds, keep our wills in order, and bring our emotions under control. Each mistake that we make teaches us not to be so hasty the next time. Patience teaches us to wait upon God until we are possessing His thoughts and leaning upon His understanding. When we suffer loss because we have allowed our own desires to override God's will, we see the wisdom in listening to His voice and following Him more closely. When we suffer the guilt and shame of allowing our soul to express it's emotions in outrage, we learn to exercise more patience when the challenge presents itself again. Possessing your soul is a moment-by-moment process and requires that you don't give your soul up or loan it out for any reason. When the enemy tempts you to share your mind, will, and emotions with him, ask God to help you exercise patience so that you can possess your soul. +++

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08/03/11
IN THEE DO I TRUST

Scripture: Psalm 71:1 "In Thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion."

There are many voices in these last days that will confuse us if we don't keep our minds upon Jesus. We are already experiencing wars, rumors of wars, famine, violence, and earthquakes that are spoken of in the gospel of Matthew and which precede the End Times. Each day the news media has another bit of frightening information to offer us. Yet, as we hear of these alarming circumstances, we must face them with courage and place our trust in the Lord God Almighty.

God spoke some encouraging words through the prophet Isaiah and told us not to fear. He said, "I have redeemed you and even called you by name." God said that we belong to Him, that we are precious in His sight, and that He loves us. In Isaiah 43:2 (NLT) the Lord made a comforting promise to us. He said, "When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.  When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." God is our Lord and beside Him there is no Savior. In every situation God is able to do a new thing. He is not limited by any circumstance that life has to offer. He can even make a way in the wilderness or a river in the desert, for He is supreme and rules over all.

Don't be confused about life and its circumstances, for God has a plan. The Psalmist asked God for deliverance and petitioned Him to be his strong place of habitation and a fortress where he could dwell continually. He said, "Don't let me be put to confusion." Keep this same prayer in your spirit as you see the dark clouds approaching and changes beginning to occur in your nation and in your personal lives, for God is concerned about it all.   He showed His ultimate love by sacrificing His only Son, Jesus. So you can be assured that He is watching over you. Continually dwell in God's presence and make Him your defense. Place all of your trust in Him, for there can be no confusion when God's Spirit fills your heart. +++

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08/04/11
GOD'S WAY

Scripture: John 21:6 "Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and you shall find."

Peter came to a place where he was discouraged by the physical death of Jesus and disappointed that the New Kingdom had not been established. Because things had not turned out as he had hoped, Peter returned to his old life, which was that of being a fisherman. He left the call of Jesus' great commission, which was to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." When he returned to his fishing, however, he found that his prospects left him empty. He fished all night and caught nothing. God was not in Peter's choice. When Jesus questioned Peter, he had to admit his defeat. Jesus asked, "What have you caught?" Peter replied, "Nothing." He confessed his failure and did not try to make excuses or blame the winds, waves, or the fish that were just not biting.

Peter caught nothing and like Peter's fishing experience, we must confess that "without Jesus, we can do nothing" (John 15:5). Success is only reaped as we sow obedience. Our faith is nothing if we are not hearing God's word (Romans 10:17). Nothing substantial can happen in our finances if we are disobedient and rob God of our tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8-11). We tie God's hands by our disobedience and make it impossible for Him to rebuke the devourer or pour out blessings upon us. And like Peter's empty fishing nets, nothing can happen in our relationships with God and others if we do not obey God's command to love and forgive (Matthew 5:43-48). It's all about obedience. Marriage is another issue that requires obedience to God's Word. According to the Word, the husband must love his wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, and the wife must submit herself to her own husband, as unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:25 & 22). Why do our relationships with our children become strained? It's because we disobey God's word and "provoke and discourage our children" (Colossians 3:21). What happens in our ministries if we are not obedient to depend upon the Holy Spirit? Nothing significant, for it is not by our might, nor our power, but by the Spirit of the Lord (Zechariah 4:6).

After Peter admitted his defeat, Jesus instructed him to "Cast the net on the right side." It was the same water, the same boat, the same net, and the same potential for failure. The difference was that Jesus was now in control and obedience to His command always prospers. Jesus' command came with the promise, "You will find." God's Word never returns to Him void, but always accomplishes His purposes. If you desire blessings in your life, don't become discouraged by events. Although your own efforts have brought no solutions, trust God and begin to act on His word. Cast your nets in the direction of His command and start doing things His way, for obedience to God's word is the basis for blessings in every area of your life. When you obey the Lord, He will turn the "nothings" of your life into "somethings". +++

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08/05/11
RESCUED FROM BONDAGE

Scripture: Deuteronomy 26:7-8 "And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labor and our oppression: And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand ... "

These words are the testimony of Moses concerning the Egyptian bondage that God's people were in. They had suffered so many things for such a long length of time and Moses described their circumstances as affliction, labor, and oppression. They worked hard but not for their own benefit. They suffered much abuse and their lives were a cheap commodity in the hands of the Egyptians. When God looked upon them and saw all that they were enduring physically, mentally, and emotionally, His heart was touched and He made a way for their deliverance. God sent Moses to lead them out of Egypt and anointed him to do mighty signs and wonders in their midst. It was a mighty exodus and God was glorified in the process. The fame of that miraculous event is still spoken of today.

We face many types of bondage and even though we are not making bricks like the slaves in Egypt, we can identify with Moses' description of affliction, labor, and oppression. We may suffer the afflictions of addictions or various medical situations. We may have to endure strenuous labor on a daily basis and yet never have enough to get beyond the realm of financial lack. We may be plagued with problems in our relationships at home or on the job, which causes us undue oppression. It may seem that there is one crisis right after another and we can't get ahead in any area of our life. When we are going through difficulties of this sort, we may think that we are standing alone in our situation and that no one understands or really cares. Yet, we must remember that even though our words may fall on the deaf ears of those around us that God in Heaven still hears every word that we pray. When our closest friends are blind to our needs, God sees them clearly. When no one understands how we feel, God sees the pain in our heart and He hurts with us. He is our loving Father and when we cry out to Him, He hears our voices and it moves Him to do something about our situation.

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08/08/11
COME UNTO ME AND REST

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me ... and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

What a great invitation that Jesus gives to us as we labor in today's busy and hectic world. When you become tired of carrying your heavy burdens of any sort, all that you need to do is to go to the Lord. You don't have to struggle with your work, healing, finances, relationships, or even your ministry. When you join yourself to Jesus, your burdens will become lighter, for He will pull all of the weight as you walk along side of Him. His awesome presence will bring rest right in the midst of your labors and His wisdom will cause things to work together in your life.

Speaking very plainly, Jesus gave us an example of how to find rest and that was by taking His yoke upon ourselves. A yoke is a devise that fits around the necks of animals to join them together so that they can work as one unit. The yoke that binds two together forces them to go in the same direction and work at the same pace. The stronger animal pulls the greater weight and determines the course. When one stops, they both must stop. Sometimes, Jesus just wants us to stop and rest. That is the purpose of the Sabbath. God showed us by example to labor six days and then rest on the seventh. Yet, we tend to get confused if we are not constantly busy doing something. Then as we continually work without rest, our burden becomes heavy and overwhelming. We eventually find ourselves forcing every issue and wondering what is wrong, when all that we need is a simple season of rest for our bodies and a time in God's presence to restore our soul.

Jesus said, "Come to Me, take My yoke, and learn of Me." When two are joined together with a yoke for any length of time, they begin to learn the habits and know the desires of the other. So it is with our joining with Jesus. As we wait in His presence, we learn of Him and our strength is renewed. After a while, we know the direction He is leading because we can feel His gentle nudging and can sense the subtle pull of His yoke as He walks beside us. Our burdens get lighter and become easier because we do not try to go our own way or pull in the opposite direction. We begin to understand that Jesus knows what is best for us. He knows what is to the left and what is to the right and will lead us in the right direction. To find the rest that Jesus promised, all we have to do is to come to Him. His Spirit will be our helper and will lighten our load. As we yield to Him, the power of His anointing will accomplish the work that He has designed for our lives. +++

Scripture: Psalms 62:8 "Trust in Him at all times; you people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us."

King David wrote this psalm from personal experience, for he had truly found God to be his refuge at all times. God did not show Himself strong every now and then in David's life, but at all times. When trouble presented itself, David went to God and poured out his heart before Him. God never failed to come to David's rescue or deliver him from his enemies. In fact, God not only delivered David, but David declared that the Lord anointed his head with oil in the presence of his enemies. When David fell into sin, he did not run from God. Instead, he ran to God in repentance. He trusted in God and found refuge in God's mercy, forgiveness, and grace. When David needed counsel, he found refuge in God as a wonderful counselor. Whether he faced material needs, emotional needs, or disappointments with his children and other relationships, David always found refuge in the presence of the Lord.

David invites us to pour out our hearts before God as he declares that God is a refuge for all of us. As our refuge, God protects us on all sides. It is like being in a closed room where nothing can harm us. We are surrounded and covered by His very being, and nothing can penetrate the presence of the Almighty God. He will never fail.

David said, "Trust in the Lord at all times." In the times of grief and sorrow, the Lord becomes our refuge of comfort. When we are broken hearted, He is always near. When our health fails, He is our refuge of healing and strength. In the times of financial lack, we know that we can depend upon Him as our refuge of provision. When we are lonely, He surrounds us with His love, and when confusion seeks to torment our soul, He secures us in His peace. When we sin, we can run to the refuge of His forgiveness and cleansing. When we face disappointments, He is a refuge of encouragement and fresh hope. He is our shelter in the raging storms and He is also the cloud that gives us refuge from the blazing sun. We are to trust God in every season, for God is our refuge at all times. +++

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08/10/11
MAKING PRAYER THE PRIORITY

Scripture: I Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing."

The Apostle Paul was a very busy person. He went on missionary journeys, evangelized the nations, wrote nearly three fourths of the New Testament, and even made tents to supplement his income. Yet, he was never too busy to pray. He made prayer a priority in his life, and because he was aware of the necessity of prayer in his own life, he instructed us to do the same.

Prayer is not just a few words that are spoken to our Father as we ask Him to bless our meals, our day, and our night seasons. It is a continual communion with God where we acknowledge His presence with us and our utter dependence upon Him. God not only waits for us to put things aside, enter our closet places, and bow our knees before Him, but He also waits for us to simply speak to Him informally. Paul told us to pray without ceasing. Even though we are busy with the demands of life, we can still stay focused on God and whisper a prayer along the way. As our spirits praise and seek God throughout the busyness of the day, we will hear His still small voice speaking to us in return. This is communion. We not only speak, but we listen. We not only ask for the things that we desire but we hear God's words in our ears and act with obedience to fulfill His desires. Yet, many times we get so busy that our prayers become only petitions for our immediate needs. Someone made the comment that we treat God like the "Burger King" instead of "The King." We pray, "I'll take - two healings, one forgiveness, and a large order of blessings." We don't even check the bag before we drive off or leave His presence. Later, we find out that we didn't get all of the things that we ordered from God and we wonder what happened. The words of our prayers were there but our connection with God was lost in the busyness of life.

Jesus had great confidence when He spoke to the Father in prayer. He told the Father, "I know that You hear Me always" and Jesus then raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:42). That was a power packed prayer. However, the power was not established in these few words, but through Jesus' continual prayer life and communion with the Father. Scriptures declare that Jesus arose early before dawn to meet God in prayer and also prayed all night. He stayed in communication with the Father and made no decisions on His own, but did only that which the Father showed Him. Prayer was a priority with Jesus and communion with God was His way of life. Let us seek to follow the Lord's example, and like Paul's instructions, pray without ceasing. +++

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08/11/11
ASK FOR YOUR MOUNTAIN

Can you imagine being eighty-five years old and asking God to give you a mountain, which is full of giants that you will have to conquer? This is the place where Caleb was in his life. God had given Moses and the children of Israel a promise, and now forty-five years later, Caleb is claiming his portion of that promise. He said, "I am this day four score and five years old (85 years old). As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me" (Verses 10-11). Caleb was of another spirit and was destined for deliverance because he followed the Lord fully (Numbers 14:24). He believed that what God had promised, God would deliver.

Forty-five years before Caleb made this request, he had tried to encourage God's people to go in and possess the Promised Land, but they had no faith. Instead, they could only see the giants and believe the evil reports. Caleb, however, focused his attention upon God and His words. Even though for forty years Caleb was forced to wander in the wilderness with an unbelieving generation, he did not allow them to discourage him. Caleb said that God, Himself, had kept him alive and that he was just as strong at eighty-five as he had been when he was forty. He wasn't senile or in denial of the circumstances. Caleb told Joshua he knew that the giants were in the land and that the cities were great and fenced in. But, he said, "If the Lord is with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said" (Verse 12). What an amazing testimony of courage and faith.

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08/12/11
PURE RELIGION

Scripture: James 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

There is religion and then there is pure religion. James makes a distinction between the two and says that pure religion is undefiled in God's eyes. We are instructed to assemble ourselves together on the Lord's Day, but that does not complete our religion. Pure religion goes beyond simple church attendance on Sunday and then living as you please through the rest of the week. We have been issued Ten Commandments to obey, the principals of the Kingdom to follow, which we call the beatitudes, and the fruits of the Spirit that we must allow God to develop in our lives. These reach into the soul of man and expose our motives for worship and our obedience to God's command.

There is an old story about a king who had a beautiful ring. He also had three sons and each son wanted their father's ring. When the king died, he left three rings for his sons with a note that said, "My dear sons, one of these rings is real and the other two are fake. The way that you will know who has the real ring is that the son with the real ring will be kind and generous to all people." Each of the three sons spent the rest of his life being good to others so that he could prove that he had the real ring. It is the same with religion, for James said the only way to show that your religion is true and undefiled is to live it. Pure religion is measured by the life we live outside the four walls of the church and how we treat people and take care of their needs.

James said that if we want to be pure before God in our religion, then we must visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions and keep ourselves unstained by the world. In verse twenty-six, he also told us that even our words need to be controlled. He said, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." We must not allow ourselves to be deceived or cause the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to be worthless.

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08/15/11
CONTROLLING OUR SPEECH

Scripture: James 3:2 (Amplified) "For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if any one does not offend in speech - never says the wrong things - he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature."

The tongue is a very small part of our body, yet it is one of the most powerful members. James said that the tongue is like the small rudder on a ship that causes the entire ship to go whichever direction the pilot turns it. When the rudder of the ship is turned just a little too far to the left or to the right, it causes the ship to get totally off course. Our tongue has this same ability as it speaks into our own lives or the lives of others. Our words can be instruments in keeping others on the right course or pushing them in the wrong direction.

Proverbs 18:21 says, "There is life and death in the power of the tongue." Our negative words are able to tear down and minister death. For this reason we are not to vent our frustrations at the expense of someone else's feelings. A small harsh word may seem as nothing at the time, but it becomes a small seed that is sown into the garden of another's heart. This small seed of disapproval is capable of taking root and growing into a mighty tree of rejection, which will create strongholds in the minds of others. However, when we speak positive words, we encourage and minister life. We minister grace to the hearer by planting good seeds that will shape and mold their lives in a positive way.

David was a man after God's own heart and yet he asked God to help him with his words. He prayed, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer" (Psalms 19:14). He understood the power of words and how difficult it was to keep his words pure and pleasing to God.

Since words are so mysteriously powerful, we must think about them before sowing them into the life of another. In as much as possible, we should examine them as we would a seed that we are preparing to plant and determine if they are seeds from the Holy Spirit. Are they ministering love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control? If not, we must submit them to God and ask Him to help us exercise control. As we strive not to offend, we will become the one whom James spoke of, one that is "a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature." +++

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08/16/11
TRUSTING GOD IN THE HARD PLACES

Scripture: Exodus 14:1-2 "The Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to the Israelites to turn back and camp between Migdol and the sea."

This direct word from God seemed to lead the Israelites right into a trap, for when they obeyed God's instructions they found themselves in a very hard place. They had the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptians at their back. The Israelites had no hope of deliverance, and in their dilemma they forgot the power of the Almighty God that they served. When they saw their enemy marching towards them, they became afraid and cried out to Moses saying, "It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."

Sometimes we react in a similar manner. We get very excited about a word from God and we venture out on that word. For a short time, God may do amazing things in our lives but eventually the trials and tests come, and like the Israelites, we find ourselves between the enemy and a sea of difficulty. There seems to be no way out of our situation. When the impossible circumstances present themselves, fear attacks and we begin to complain. Our faith is challenged. We wonder if we really did hear from God and if we are supposed to be in this place. We even think about returning to the safe place although it means bondage of one kind or another.

What the Israelites failed to understand and what we fail to understand is that if God leads us into an impossible situation, He has a plan to get us out. He doesn't lead you so far and then forsake you, for He promised to be with you always. It is in the hard places, as you stand between the enemy and the sea, that you discover the power of God and come to know the integrity of His word. All you must do is focus on the sufficiency of God, Himself. Remember that you serve a God that can part the Red Sea. He will then use that same dry ground that you walk through to drown your enemy and set you completely free. When you have a problem that has no solutions and questions that have no answers, you are on the edge of a miracle, for you serve a God that specializes in hard places. Trust Him. +++

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08/17/11
HIDDEN IN GOD

Psalms 31:20 "You shall hide them in the secret of Your presence ..."

God makes the provision of His presence available for those who fear Him and trust Him. This is a precious promise and true at all times, but we often do not realize it until we face the most difficult seasons of our lives. When we are desperate and find ourselves cut away from all human props and are forced to lean only upon God and God alone, His presence becomes very clear. God takes away our treadmill of existence, our schedules and routines, and our set patterns of thinking. He brings us into a new mysterious place where we are unable to analyze and calculate our efforts and plans. All of our old thoughts fall to the side, and with no human direction, He brings us into a place of total surrender. All we know is that God is with us, leading us, and that we must stay close to Him to survive.

In the hardest of places, God makes His presence known and we discover His sufficiency and greatness. In the dry barren desert, we find that He is The Living Water who will quench our thirst. In our spiritual famine, He is the true Manna and The Bread of Life. In the midst of all of our confusion and darkness, He manifests Himself to us as The Way and The Light. In material need, He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider. In sickness and disease, He is our Healer and River of Life. In danger, the Almighty God covers us with His feathers and hides us under the shadow of His wings. For every need, He is our Fountain of Miracles.

These truths are real, but there are conditions to finding and experiencing God's presence. For God to hide you in His presence, it is necessary for Him to separate you from your distractions and isolate you to Himself. This is a hard season, but when you find that you have nothing to hold on to, He becomes more precious than silver and gold. He becomes your life and all that you will ever need. You come to discover that His very presence is your survival kit. As you search diligently for Him, He allows you to find Him. When you knock, He graciously opens the door and invites you to come in to fellowship with Him. When you draw near to Him, He draws near to you. He surrounds you with His love and closes you into Himself. He is the God of all comfort and He is always near to hide you in the secret place of His presence. +++

I Kings 17:7 "And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land."

During a season of drought, God told the prophet Elijah to go hide by the brook called Cherith. While Elijah was there, he drank water from the brook and ate bread and meat that the ravens brought to him every morning and evening. Things seemed to be fine for a season and God provided everything that Elijah needed. But after a while, the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then, God spoke to Elijah and told him to go to a town called Zarephath where God had commissioned a widow to sustain him. Elijah moved in faith on the word of God and God fulfilled His word.

It is often very disturbing when we find ourselves in similar circumstances. God gives us a job, a ministry, a friendship, or some other wonderful blessing which seems to be meeting all of our needs. We know that we are in the will of God. We are in the right place at the right time, but suddenly for no reason it seems, God stops raining His anointing and before long, like the brook, our blessing dries up. We are left with a heart full of questions and concerns. We try not to be discouraged, but our future looks bleak. We have no idea what God is doing in our lives and have no apparent options in the natural. Our only hope is to get a definite word of direction from the Lord and to trust that God will give us enough faith to act upon that word.

Although God's ways are higher than our ways, His guidance is often very humbling. When Elijah's brook dried up, God sent him to a widow for help. The mighty prophet of God had to ask a poor widow for her last bit of food, which she had planned to prepare for her son and herself to eat before they died. But Elijah's words challenged her faith and her response brought victory. God sustained her and her son throughout the drought. Elijah's dry brook was no accident. God wanted to send him to be a blessing to this widow and her son. Elijah was her lifeline in this troublesome time.

Likewise, your situation is no accident. God knows exactly where you are and what your circumstances are. When your friends fail you or the anointing on your ministry has lifted, remember that God has new friends and other places of ministry that need you. When your brook dries up and your provisions are spent, come to know that God and God alone is your source. He is not limited by your circumstances. In the midst of your dry season, God's word will come to you and He will send you to a new place so that you can be the vessel that brings deliverance to others. +++

Scripture: Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever."

This wonderful verse of the Bible is like meat that is sandwiched between two pieces of bread. As we look at the verses above and below, we find instructions about who to follow in our spiritual walk. On one side, verse seven encourages us to follow those who speak the Word of God. It says:

Remember your leaders in authority who brought you the Word of God.
Observe attentively and consider their manner of living.
Look at the outcome of their well-spent lives.
Look at the convictions of their faith:
They believed God exists.
They believed God is Creator and Ruler of all things.
They believed God is the Provider of eternal salvation through
Christ.
Look at how they allow their entire human personality to lean on God:
They lean in absolute trust.
They have confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness.

On the other side, verse nine warns us against different and strange doctrines. It says :

Don't be carried away by different and varied doctrines.
Don't give in to alien teachings that concern rules and rituals.
Don't be devoted to things that bring no spiritual benefit or profit.

II Corinthians 11:3 tells us not to allow our minds "to be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." The simple truth is that Jesus is the same today as always. The gospel is that He came to save us and give us abundant and eternal life. Salvation comes by faith and cannot be received by works of the flesh. Allow Jesus to be the same Prince of Peace in your life today as He was yesterday when the angels sang, "Peace on Earth, good will to men". Trust Him to be the same tomorrow and let your heart be established by means of the grace that He has provided, for Jesus Christ is the same forever. +++

08/22/11
PERSEVERE IN FAITH

Scripture: Hebrews 10:36 (Living Bible) "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised."

You must keep on patiently doing the will of God if you want Him to do all that He has promised to do for you. His promise is simple. If you persevere and do your part, He will do His part. You must endure to the end. You can't stop short of the goal that is set before you, for the prize will only be awarded to those who cross the finish line. Jesus endured the cross until the end, and then He said, "It is finished." Paul continued serving the Lord through various trials until one day he could say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course."

Paul also said, "Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6:9). It is very easy to give up right when you are on the edge of a miracle. Look at the situation with God's people, Israel. God led them out of Egypt with signs and wonders and did mighty miracles in their midst. God protected them and provided for all of their needs, yet they would not persevere in faith. It is amazing that they saw Him do such magnificent things, yet they could not maintain their faith in this miracle working God. And because of their unbelief, they gave up and never received His promise. God could not do His part simply because they did not do their part.

Joshua and Caleb, along with the younger generation, were the only ones that entered into the Promised Land. Numbers 14:24 tells us that because Caleb had another spirit and followed the Lord fully, he was able to possess the land. He persevered in faith. At the age of eighty-five, Caleb was still declaring that he was strong enough to possess God's promise. In Joshua 14:12 Caleb said, "Give me this mountain ... I shall be able to drive my enemies out, as the Lord has said." He went to battle, drove out the giants, and conquered his mountain.

God waits for you to persevere in faith like Caleb. Regardless of your age or what has happened in your life, the promise that God gave to you is still alive and is still yours. Put your trust in God and He will help you take the mountain and defeat the giants that stand in your way. If you persevere in faith and do your part, God will do His part. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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08/23/11
PERFECT PEACE

Scripture: Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You: because he trusts in You."

Fear presents itself to us suddenly and from many directions. The enemy of our soul seeks to use this tool to draw our focus away from God and His promises and causes us to dwell on our impossible situation. Our enemy is like a wolf that cuts the small lamb away from the flock so that he can devour it. If the devil can cause you to stray from God's word and promises, he can cause doubt and confusion to come into your spirit in any given situation. He will move in and begin to torment you during an illness, telling you that you will never be healed. He will wage a major attack on your mind when financial obligations can't be met. He will tell you that your problems with relationships cannot be solved. He will try to confuse you as you seek to make life-changing decisions. And he will try to discourage the hope that you have in your heart for a better future. He is a thief that comes to take your peace and joy. John 10:10 describes this thief as one that "comes to steal, kill, and destroy."

God, however, has a promise for those who resist the devil and who refuse to focus on his deception. God says, "If you will just keep your mind on Me and what I can do, then you will have perfect peace regardless of the situation." God sees your heart and emotions. When you express fear, you are telling God that you don't think that He is able. So when fear strikes, you must make a decision as to whom you will trust; your heavenly Father or the father of lies? It is a simple choice, but it is your choice. If you choose to focus on God and make Him your source of provision, you will have perfect peace. If you focus on the problem, you will be in turmoil.

Fear opens the door for the thief. God spoke many times throughout the scriptures and said, "Fear not." God has an answer to every question and a solution for every dilemma. He doesn't want you to fear anything at anytime. God wants you to have total confidence in Him. Proverbs 3:5 &8 says, "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not upon your own understanding ... It shall be health to your nerves." If you put your trust in God and keep your mind constantly upon Him, you will close the door to fear, and God will give you perfect peace that passes all understanding. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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08/24/11
PURPOSE IN ALL THINGS

Scripture: Romans 8:28 "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

If you love God and are living for His purposes, then everything that's happening in your life is working together for your good. You may not understand exactly what is happening, but you can be sure that God's word is true and that it is all going to turn out for the best because He is in control. You can trust God to honor and fulfill this simple word, "all things - work together - for good." All things are not good, but they are working together for good. As you come to put your faith in this revelation, peace will come into your heart. You'll realize that everything that affects you also affects God. This knowledge will enhance your faith in the desperate days.

God has a hidden purpose in the things that happen to you. Just like the life of Joseph, God took every negative situation and used it to bring about His ultimate purpose. God used the evil circumstances to change and mold the character of Joseph until he became the vessel that God could use and trust. God repaid Joseph for all the lost years with an abundance of wealth and honor. Joseph's ultimate destiny proved that the journey of hardships that he endured was worth every moment. All things did work together for good in Joseph's life because he did love God and was called according to God's purposes.

God has good thoughts towards your life. You must cease meddling with the Master's plan and trust God. You must lean upon Him rather than upon your own understanding. God's work with your life is like a tapestry. Underneath, the threads have no pattern, but topside, they make a beautiful picture. God causes the dark threads of your life that you do not understand to work together with the other colors to form the picture that He wants to reveal to the world. You are His masterpiece. When His picture is finished, you will find that all things truly worked together in your life for good and in order to fulfill His purpose. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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08/25/11
WHEN WISDOM CALLS

Scripture: Proverbs 8:1 "Does not wisdom call out?"

Have you ever had someone follow you around and continually give you instructions and directions? Or have you ever treated someone else in the same manner because of your concern for the decisions they were making? Looking at the situation from the outside perimeter, you could see the error of their ways and feared the consequences of their choices and what they were going to have to face. Solomon said that this is how the spirit of wisdom operates in our lives. He spoke of wisdom as a person who stands in the paths that it knows we will take and also sits by the doors that it knows we must enter. Wisdom waits for us at each crossroad of our life and continually cries out to us, for it is full of valuable knowledge and insight that it wants to share with us.

Wisdom doesn't mince words but speaks of that which is right and tells the truth in all matters. Wisdom is discerning and is very persistent in making its voice known in our lives in an effort to keep us from making bad choices. Yet, how many times have we pushed wisdom aside and proceeded to do things our way. We have bought things, gone in debt for things, said things, and done things that we knew were contrary to wisdom. We have pressed through and opened the doors that were meant to be shut. We have closed our ears and knowingly shut off our understanding because our desire was greater than the discipline in our lives. We have turned our eyes away from the Holy Spirit, laid caution aside, and disregarded the warnings of this wonderful counselor, who only had our best interest in mind.

Wisdom was with God when He created the heavens and the earth and was also God's daily delight (Verse 22 & 30). God exercised wisdom in all of His creation and as He finished each project He was able to declare that it was good. Can we say that everything that we have accomplished is good? Many times we limit ourselves by not allowing wisdom to have full reign in our lives. Solomon asked, "Does not wisdom call out?" These are stout words from a very wise man and words that we must give an account for. From this day forward, let us determine that our answer be, "Wisdom called out and I listened and adhered to its instruction." +++

God delivered His people by performing a mighty miracle. He rolled back the waters of the Red Sea and allowed them to pass over on dry ground and then He used those same waters to destroy the Egyptian army that was pursuing them. There was great rejoicing amongst the Israelites for this wonderful victory as they danced, sang, and shouted in triumph over their enemy. In their rejoicing, they praised the Lord and declared that He was their strength, but in a very short time they forgot His wondrous works.

God caused the waters of the Red Sea to be gathered together like a wall on their right hand and on their left (Exodus 4:29). How could anyone experience such an awesome miracle of God and then forget it in just a few days? It seems that this would have been a life time memory engraved upon the tablets of their heart. They had all seen it with their own eyes and had rejoiced with great joy, but their memory grew short. Within seventy-two hours, they had forgotten this marvelous work that God had done in their lives. Like the psalmist said, "They sang praise, but soon forgot God's work." Three days after the miracle, they were grumbling and complaining because they had no water in the wilderness. At the very edge of this mighty miracle where God had controlled the waters of the sea, they had the audacity to question God's provision for water to quench their thirst. Verse seven says, "They provoked God at the sea, even at the Red Sea."

Did you ever stop to think, that we are much the same way as the Israelites? Of course, we haven't seen God roll back the sea or do the mighty miracles that he did when He delivered the entire nation of Israel. Yet, He has done special things for us that at the time we thought we would remember forever. In the midst of the other believers we have felt triumphant over our enemies. On Sunday, we heard a faith producing message from God's word, which lifted our spirits. We sang and shouted the victory, but when we returned to our regular weekly schedules, our jubilation diminished quite rapidly. By the third day, the challenges that were before us seemed so much greater than the victory that was behind us. We began to murmur and complain about the politics in the work place, our physical limitations, or the financial difficulties that we were coping with. The Word of promise that we received in worship fades from our memories and unbelief clouds our soul. Like the Israelites, we also go from praise to forgetfulness.

08/29/11
LEARN TO DO RIGHT

Scripture: Isaiah 1:16-17 "Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doing from before My eyes; cease to do evil ... learn to do right."

We come into this world with a sin nature that we inherited from Adam and Eve. We don't have to be taught how to do wrong and neither do we have to put a lot of effort into becoming selfish and demanding. It is just our nature and it's also in our nature to be controlled by doubt and fear. Just look at a newborn baby or the actions of an undisciplined child. Their main interest lies in their own needs and desires. They don't hesitate to impose upon others. Their patience is limited and they demand immediate action regardless of how it may affect others. Fear also looms in their hearts until trust is developed. It's all too evident that a carnal nature rules in their spirits.

The prophet Isaiah said, "Learn to do right." Just like the small child who must be taught to do right, we must learn at every level to do that which is right. Learning comes by acquiring knowledge through study, experience, or consequence. It is a gradual and continual process of making the appropriate adjustments in our own lives and attitudes. Isaiah said, "Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean." It is our responsibility to recognize the improprieties in our lives and put away the darkness and evil that lurks in our soul.

Below are some profound words from Helen Keller, a woman who was without sight or hearing. Because of her physical impairments, she could have let bitterness rule her heart and chosen to live a life of confusion. But instead, she learned to do what was right. She determined to live in peace, to demonstrate love, to keep her motives right, and to trust God with all of her heart. In your effort to learn about life and do what is right, think on the wisdom of her words, allow them to penetrate your heart, and make them a daily goal for your life.

"I have four things to learn in life;
To think clearly, without hurry or confusion;
To love everybody sincerely;
To act in everything with the highest of motives;
To trust in God unhesitatingly."
... Helen Keller +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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08/30/11
FULLNESS OF JOY

Scripture: Psalms 16:11 "You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

For David, there was one place that guaranteed joy and true pleasure, and that place was the presence of the Lord. David had many disappointments with relationships in his life. His father, Jesse, left him in the field tending the sheep and overlooked him when Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse's sons to be king. David's brothers talked down to him when he came to the battlefield to deliver food. King Saul, whom David faithfully served, tried to kill him several times. At Ziklag, David's own army talked of stoning him. His wife, Michal, mocked him as he worshiped God, and his son, Absalom, rebelled against him and tried to take his kingdom.

However, when those who were supposed to love and support him failed, David found that he could always trust the Lord. He blessed the Lord who gave him counsel and instructed him in his darkest hours. In verse eight, David said, "Because I always looked to the Lord, I can not be shaken or moved." His confidence and security was in God, and even in the most difficult situations, David found joy in God's presence. We see this in many of the psalms as David prayed or talked to the Lord. At the beginning of the psalm, he would be in distress and grief, but as David communed with God and experienced His presence, joy would come, and praise would spring up within his heart.

In verse nine, David said that when his heart was joyful, even his flesh rested. In the natural, we all have those special friends and members of our family that we like to be around because there is something about their presence that lifts us up. When we are with them, we are full of joy and experience pleasure because they encourage us, comfort us, and make us laugh. We make plans to be with them because we know that their presence will cause us to relax and that relaxation will regenerate our bodies, souls, and spirits. In the same way, the presence of the eternal God infuses us with life and joy when we choose to be in His presence.

The Lord is with you right now. Take a few moments throughout the day to consciously acknowledge the presence of God in your life, for Jesus said, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). Speak aloud to Jesus and tell Him that you know that He is there with you. As you do, you will experience the quietness of His presence and He will fill you with joy. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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08/30/11
REACHING THE OTHER SIDE

Scripture: Mark 4:35 "Let us go over to the other side of the Lake."

These instructions seemed very simple to Jesus' disciples at the beginning, as several of them were fishermen who were used to the water and knew quite well how to handle a ship. Besides that, it probably didn't even look like it was going to rain, much less storm when they started out on their obedient journey across the lake. They thought that crossing the lake would be easy and had no idea of the challenge that they were to face. However, they were just about to experience a great teaching from the Master concerning prayer, faith, and the power and authority of His word.

As they journeyed across the lake, their peace soon turned to turmoil and fear gripped their hearts as a great storm formed. The winds began to blow, the waves beat against the ship, and the ship began to fill with water. In desperation they cried out to Jesus who was asleep on the ship. They said, "Master, do you not care that we are about to die?" Jesus arose, rebuked the wind, and spoke to the sea. His words were simple, "Peace, be still." The winds obeyed His words, the waters became still, and there was a great calm!

We have much to learn from this story. When God gives us a promise, there will be a challenge. It may thunder and it may rain. The storm may get fierce and our ship may be tossed about with the waves. It may be a very fearful, painful, and uncomfortable situation. We may even think that we are facing the end and speak as the disciples did, "Master, do you not care that I'm am about to perish? I'm about to go under. There is no way that my ship is going to make it to the other side. I just can't hold on any longer." However, the Lord's words come back to us, "Let us go to the other side." His words, "Let us", show us that He is journeying with us through the rough waters.

Sometimes we may feel that the Lord is asleep, but in reality His presence is always there to deliver. His promises are true regardless of the adversity that we are facing, and He shows us that prayer can be made concerning our troubling circumstances. He also lets us know that our faith will draw answers from God and that in the midst of the waves and wind, we can exercise authority over the forces of evil just like He did. Although we should have enough faith to make it through the storm, He shows us that if our faith is lacking, He will still come through for us just like He did for the disciples. He will arise and rebuke the storm, and speak "Peace" to the situation. When we get to the other side, we will find that our prayer life has been intensified and our faith strengthened. Let these thoughts reign in your heart, "God told you to get into the boat and go to the other side. Yes, you may be facing a great storm, but when Jesus is in the boat with you, you will make it to the other side." +++