A Word In
Due Season
1st Week of January 2011
01/03/11
NEW YEARS BLESSING
Scripture: Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you .... "
There are people in many nations who receive A Word In Due Season each day. I thank all of you for your personal responses and for trusting us with your prayer request. I wish that I could offer each of you a gift during this season when people exchange gifts with their friends, but that is nearly impossible. So I am coming to you as always with a Word In Due Season. As we begin a New Year, I am speaking a blessing over your personal life that is found in God's Word. Since I do not have each of your names, I ask you to put your personal name in this blessing each time it says "You." I also encourage you to print this blessing and then put it in several places as a reminder that a blessing has been and will be spoken over you throughout the year. You can put a copy of this blessing in your wallet, on your desk or your mirror, or use it as book mark in your Bible. But wherever you choose to place it, please make sure to speak these words aloud several times a day.
“The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”’ Numbers 6:24-26
When you speak these words, you are speaking God's blessing over your life and God declared that His Word would never return unto Him void. He said that His words would accomplish what He sent them forth to do. God's Word is powerful and His voice is creative. When God spoke in the past, the light appeared and His creations came into existence. Everything happened as a result of His spoken Word. Now the angels hearken to the voice of His Word (Psalms 103:20). They are diligent to listen and when they hear God's Word being spoken, they make haste to fulfill it. You have a part in their assignment and a responsibility for your own destiny. You activate the Word of God by your declaration of it. The Lord loves you and He honors His Word, so speak it continually and His blessings will come upon you and you will find peace.
+++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/04/11
RESPONSE TO A HOLY GOD
Scripture: Isaiah 6:5 " ... my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of host."
Isaiah had a vision of the Lord sitting upon His throne. He saw the angels
surrounding the throne crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of host: the whole
earth is full of His glory." As he witnessed this awesome sight, Isaiah realized
his own shortcomings and said, "Woe, is me! For I am undone or ruined because I
am a man of unclean lips." The holiness of God forced him to acknowledge and
confess his own sin. God then touched Isaiah's life by purging his lips with a
hot coal from the altar and sent him forth to minister to the people.
Like Isaiah, we find ourselves lacking when we are confronted with the presence
of a Holy God. For Romans 3:10 tells us that no one is righteous, not even one
person. When we see God in His majesty and grandeur, we realize that our own
righteousness is as filthy rags before Him. We stand in awe as we come to know
that even our thoughts are not close to being equal with God's thoughts. Isaiah
55:9 says, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His ways higher
than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts." Likewise, our prayers
in all of their verbal grandeur are not sufficient enough to reach out and
obtain all that God wishes to give to us, for we can't imagine His bountiful
supply. God tells us to ask largely. Yet, when we think we do, He still declares
that He is able to do more than we've asked or even thought about (Ephesians
3:20). Without Him we can do nothing, for our strength is nothing without the
working of God's mighty power.
We cannot grasp the graciousness of God or comprehend the multitude of His
tender mercies, nor measure His love, which has no boundaries. God and
everything about Him far exceeds our finite mind. Just one small glimpse of
God's glory shows us that He is limitless and beyond our knowledge. The light of
His presence reveals our darkness. Like Isaiah, all we can say is, "Woe, is me!
For I am undone or ruined because I am a man of unclean lips." And like the
angels who surrounded God's throne, we can only say, "Holy, holy, holy is the
Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory." +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/05/11
PLEASANT WORDS
Scripture: Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul
and health to the bones."
Solomon, a man of great wisdom, wrote this proverb concerning the words of our
mouth. He said that words spoken to us not only affect our soul, which is our
mind, will, and emotions, but also affect our health. Pleasant words feed and
nourish us, but words of strife and bitterness break our spirit and work havoc
in our body. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A merry heart does good like a medicine; but
a broken spirit dries the bones." We are healthier when we are happy, and we are
happier when we hear encouraging words.
Words are important and they do affect us, for Solomon said that pleasant words
are health to our bones. Sweet words strengthen us and help us to stand
emotionally like our healthy bones support us physically. If pleasant words
bring good health, we can assume that unpleasant words will bring poor health.
Proverbs 18:21 tells us that "There is life and death in the power of the tongue
... and we will eat the fruit of it." Words that come to us either feed us the
fruit of life or the fruit of death. You may start your day feeling emotionally
and physically great, but after an encounter with an irate individual you may
find yourself mentally and emotionally stressed. Continual stress of this type
will cause physical distress.
Likewise, the words that we speak can minister emotional well being and lead to
health in the lives of others, or they can render stress and death. We need to
think about our words. Before speaking, ask yourself if your words are pleasant
and sweet. Are they ministering health and life? David asked God to help him in
this area. He said in Psalms 19:14, "Let the words of my mouth ... be acceptable
in Your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer." James said that we could
not bless and praise God while we are speaking curses to men, and he asked the
question in James 3:11, "Does a fountain send forth from the same opening fresh
water and bitter?" Let us take his words to heart and strive to keep our
fountains clean and our words pleasant and sweet so that they will minister
health and life to others. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/06/11
KNOWING THE WAY
Scripture: John 14:5 "How can we know the way?"
Thomas asked Jesus this question. Remember Thomas? He is the disciple who based
his faith on the visible and tangible. When the other disciples told him that
they had seen the Lord after His resurrection, Thomas said, "I'm not going to
believe unless I can see and touch the nail prints in His hands and put my hand
in His side." Jesus was so patient and understanding as He allowed Thomas to do
just that (John 20:25-29). Then Jesus told Thomas, "You believed because you
have seen, blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe."
Jesus had already encountered this attitude in Thomas towards faith in the
unseen when Jesus explained to the disciples that He was going away to prepare a
place for them. Jesus plainly told them, "You know where I'm going, and you know
the way." Still Thomas asked, "We don't know where You are going, so how can we
know the way?" Thomas wanted to know the place and see the way, just as he did
with the nail pierced hands. He wanted something tangible and visible to hold on
to. This was Thomas' nature and faith did not come easy for him. He wanted a
detailed map, but Jesus told him, "God's presence is where I am going and where
I will be."
In verse six, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes
to the Father but by me." He was saying, "Believe in me. I'm your way into the
presence of God. I am the road that will take you there." In other words, the
name of the street is called Jesus, and you must enter God's presence by that
road. Acts 4:12 says, "There is no other Name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved." God hears us when we come to Him in Jesus' Name.
Jesus said, "I am the Truth." There is no other way to come to God except by the
words that He has spoken. Then Jesus said, "I am the life. My life's blood I
shed for you and my resurrection will enable you to enter the presence of God."
If you have needs today, you must reach out by faith into the unseen and hold on
to the things that are not tangible. You are not allowed the comfort of touching
the nail-scarred hands or seeing the invisible. Yet, Jesus promised that you
will be blessed if you believe in what you cannot see. Faith pleases God and He
rewards those who believe in Him. I encourage you to simply trust in Jesus, for
He alone is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/07/11
LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED
Scripture: John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as
the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be trouble, neither let it
be afraid."
As a child you may have asked your parents to stay close beside you when you
were facing difficult situations because somehow the promise of their presence
dispelled your fears. Today, as an adult, you don't have that privilege even
though you may often feel the same anxieties about facing the future. In these
times of uncertainty and insecurity, your heart can only reach out to your
loving heavenly Father, for He knows the future. He knows all about you and is
acquainted with all of your feelings. If you listen closely, you will hear His
still quite voice reassuring you with these same words, "Let not your heart be
troubled, neither let it be afraid."
These are such wonderful words from our Master as He tells us two things. First,
He has left His peace with us. It is not the natural security of the world
system, but His supernatural peace, which passes all understanding and works
even in the midst of storms and adversities. Second, His peace is there for us,
but we have to partake of it. He tells us to "Let not." This means that if we
are going to enjoy the benefits of peace, we have to do our part. "Let not"
means we must stop allowing ourselves or permitting ourselves to fear. If Jesus
told us not to allow our hearts to be trouble or afraid, He surely left us the
power to obey those words and the ability to resist the spirit of fear.
Fear doesn't just cause anxieties about the future, but uses another tactic by
coming upon us suddenly with the purpose of catching us off guard. Proverbs
3:25-26 says, "Do not be afraid of sudden fear ... for the Lord shall be our
confidence, and shall keep our feet from being taken." In Isaiah 41:10 God gives
us the same instructions. He says, "Fear not, for I am with you; do not be
dismayed for I am your God" and then gives us three reasons why we do not have
to fear.
1) God will strengthen us.
2) God will help us.
3) God will uphold us with the right hand of His righteousness.
You are to never allow your heart to be overcome with fear, whether you are
facing the anxieties of the future or experiencing a sudden attack of the devil.
When fear strikes, you need to pause and think on these simple truths. Jesus
said that He would never leave you or forsake you and He also promised to
strengthen, help, and uphold you through the situation. These words alone should
encourage you for today and give you hope for the future. Fear is a spirit. When
you resist the devil, he has no choice. He must flee from you (James 4:7), for
this is God's word. God has left you His peace and when you submit yourself to
God and do your part, God will do His. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
A Word In
Due Season
2nd Week of January 2011
01/10/11
MINISTERS & WITNESSES
Scripture: Acts 26:16 "I have appeared unto you for this purpose, to make you a
minister and a witness."
Paul experienced a tremendous conversion on the road to Damascus. At midday, a
light from heaven shone around Paul. This light was brighter than the sun, and
in the midst of this great light, Jesus spoke to Paul and explained the purpose
of His appearance. The Lord told Paul that He appeared to him so that Paul could
become a minister and a witness. A witness simply tells all the truth that he
knows about a person or situation and God used Paul to do just that. Paul wrote
about three-fourths of the New Testament and preached an uncompromising message
about Jesus.
Paul was not only a witness, but he was also a minister. In I Corinthians 2:4 he
said, "My preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit and of power." Paul witnessed about the love, mercy,
forgiveness, and power of God and also demonstrated it through ministry. As a
minister, Paul assisted and served those whom God sent him to. The word
"minister" translated in the Greek means to be an "under-oarsman." A minister is
one who stays in the boat, tugs at the oar, and brings the vessel through the
rough and stormy sea to a safe harbor. Ministers don't stop with just the verbal
witnessing of what God has done in their lives. They try to assist others
through the storms and difficulties of life. They tug at the oars, continually
praying and encouraging, until they see the person reach a safe harbor.
God depends on us to be His witnesses and His ministers. He uses us to be His
voice, His hands, and His feet in the earth. We do not have to be ordained or
hold an office in the church. God calls us and gives us the opportunity to
simply help our brothers and sisters in the Lord. When one is low in the faith,
God gives us a word in season to lift them up. He allows us to share His love,
peace, and joy through cards, email, telephone calls, prayer, and financial
help. Opportunity is all around us. We just have to be sensitive and obedient to
share. Our words and our life should continually minister grace to those about
us (Ephesians 4:29). We should always be seeking to edify and build up those in
need. Many people who seem strongest on the outside are really the ones hurting
the worst on the inside. As a witness and a minister, our purpose is to love all
people and help them make it to the safe shore. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/11/11
FAITH WAITS
PATIENTLY
Scripture: Psalms 40:1 "I waited patiently for the Lord."
We want God to move in our lives, but we are often unwilling to wait patiently
for Him and His timing. When we make a request we expect to see immediate
results and if this doesn't happen, we begin to move in our own plans. In
Psalms 25:5 (Amplified), David said, "For You only, and altogether, do I wait
expectantly all the day long." He was waiting for only one person, and that was
God. He wasn't going to hurry and he didn't want a substitute. He intended to
wait until God, Himself, showed up, even if it meant waiting all day long. The
scriptures declare that there were several things that occurred when David
waited patiently on the Lord (Psalms 40:1-3).
1) God paid attention to him.
2) God heard his cry and listened to him.
3) God brought him out of a horrible pit of turmoil and
destruction.
4) God brought him out of the miry clay.
5) God set his feet upon a rock.
6) God steadied his steps and established direction in his life.
7) God put a new song of praise in his mouth.
David knew that deliverance came to him because he waited patiently on the
Lord. And he not only experienced deliverance, but also became a testimony to
the people who saw it and heard his new song. Because of his own testimony,
he expected those about him to turn to God with trust and confidence. Like
David, your life is also an open book for the world to read. Your situations
and problems not only affect yourself, but also those who are watching to see if
the God you serve will deliver you. When you pray, God wants you to completely
put the matter in His hands and then rest in His promises. It is then that He
can work out the circumstances in your life for your good and also for the
benefit of those who will be witnesses to it. As God sees you waiting, He will
pay attention to you and listen to your cries. He will deliver you and set your
feet on a solid rock. He will also establish direction in your life and put a
new song of praise in your mouth. You will be blessed if you allow your faith
to wait patiently on God. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/12/11
SOMEONE TO
LISTEN
Scripture: Job 31:35 "Oh that one would hear me! Behold, my desire is that the
Almighty would answer me."
Have you ever sought out a friend to comfort you in your time of trouble and
despair, but found that they were disinterested? Or worst still, they found
fault and judged you while you were already suffering emotional pain or being
tossed about in the storms of confusion. This has happened to most of us at some
time in our life. Instead of finding the comfort we so needed, we were
misunderstood and dealt harsh words that brought more discouragement to our
wounded soul. If you have experienced this, you may have reached a point where
you felt that no one cared.
Job had come to a place where it seemed to him that no one cared for his soul.
He said, "Oh, that one would hear me." He couldn't find one person to listen to
his problems without preconceived judgment in their hearts. None of his friends
wanted to listen, but they all wanted to criticize, judge, and give him
unsolicited advice. Job's attention turned to the Lord, and as he sought the
Lord, he said, "Behold, my desire is that the Almighty would answer me."
Some years ago, I was in a place such as this. Unlike Job, my family and friends
were available for me and encouraged me in every way that they could, but there
was just so much that I could share with them. My heart was wounded beyond
belief and my self-esteem was shattered. Confusion was coming from all sides. My
heart was filled with grief and my spirit was engulfed in hopelessness. I saw no
way out of my dilemma and I truly thought that my days of happiness and ministry
were ended. During this season of despair, I thought if I could just sit down
with Jesus for a while and if He could just hold me in His arms, none of this
would matter. More than anything or anyone on earth, I needed Him. I needed to
hear the Lord's voice whisper in my ear that everything was going to be all
right. Like Job, my desire was that the Almighty would answer me and bring
resolution to my problems. In the end, God did come to my rescue, restored my
life, and also enlarged the borders of ministry.
Trying seasons do come, but you must remember that God is always faithful. He
sees your pain and He understands your heartaches. Job was only being tested
because God believed that Job could pass the test. God will never put more upon
you than you can bear. If you are in a difficult season, you should rejoice
knowing that God's faith in you equals the trial that is set before you. If you
stay steady and remain true to God, you will not vanished in the fires of
adversity, but you will come forth as pure gold and be a vessel that is fit for
the Master's use. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/13/11
LIVING AN
ABUNDANT LIFE
Scripture: John 10:10 "The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy: I come that
they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
This scripture paints the picture of the constant conflict of human life. There
are two opposing forces; one good and the other one evil. Ephesians chapter six
tells us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the evil
forces that invade our lives. These forces are principalities, powers, rulers of
darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places. They seek to steal, kill, and
destroy. On the good side, however, Jesus came to Earth to make us more than
conquerors and give us an abundant life. He was manifested as the Son of God and
His mission was to destroy all the works of the evil one (I John 3:8).
God so loved you and me that He gave His only begotten Son so that we might have
life, not just eternal life in Heaven, but also abundant life here on Earth. The
Father watched in horror as they crucified Jesus, but Jesus' death was the price
that was required to purchase our redemption and provide us with an abundant
life. Because of His sacrifice and victorious resurrection, our needs for an
abundant life are available to us.
Jesus taught us to pray for our daily needs to be met. He paid a great price so
that we may come boldly to the throne of God in the time of trouble. Jeremiah
33:3 says, "Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty
things which you know not." The answers to our prayers are not based upon our
sacrifices and our works, nor upon our lack. They are based upon God's promises
of provision and are met as we approach Him and believe for the abundant life
that He has promised. God said, "You call, I will answer." He promised to answer
in a great and mighty way. He said that He would do things that we had not even
thought of, for His ways are so much higher than our ways and His thoughts are
higher than our thoughts. As we live life on a daily basis, we must continually
remember these words that Jesus spoke to us. As we recognize the evil ploy of
the devil and his intent to destroy everything good in our lives, we must look
to Jesus and base our faith on the honesty of God's word so that we can obtain
and live an abundant life. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
A Word In
Due Season
3rd Week of January 2011
01/17/11
YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN
Scripture: Isaiah 49:4 "Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing, and in vain."
Isaiah spoke these words prophetically, which were the thoughts of the Messiah who was to come. Can you imagine that Jesus had the same thoughts and feelings that you and I have felt? Jesus came to sacrifice His life for the world but many rejected Him and it seemed that He was spending His strength for nothing.
At some point in our lives, most of us have felt this same way, that our labor has been in vain and that we have nothing to show for a life of hard work. It could be in any area of our life. We may be successful financially, but our children might have strayed from the values that we trained them to respect. They may not be serving God and we wonder how this could be when we so diligently labored to keep them in the faith when they were young. Or maybe we labored with all of our strength in the work force only to find that we are not in the financial position that we had hoped to be at this stage in our life. We may have labored in a ministry that fell apart or lost our retirement in the market or a corporation that failed. As we look at our present circumstances, we may think that all of our labor has been in vain and that every ounce of strength that we have spent has brought us nothing.
We cannot allow our thoughts to end in this sad and painful conclusion. Isaiah continued this verse of scripture by declaring, "Yet, my judgment is with the Lord, and my work is with God." The Message Bible quotes his words by saying, "Nevertheless, I'll let God have the last word. I'll let Him pronounce His verdict." Only God, Himself, knows if our labor has been in vain or not. We must trust in Him and believe that He will bless our efforts and that our labor will not be counted in vain. When it looks like everything has failed in our life, we must allow God to have the last word on the subject.
We need to look at our good works like the farmer looks at his fields. The farmer plants his seed and then sees nothing for weeks. He can see the fields that he labored in and the rows where he planted, but no positive results. For days and weeks the sweat of his brow and the long hot hours that he spent may appear to have been wasted. There are no outward signs to reinforce his faith and to assure him that his labor and strength had not been in vain. He can't look beneath the soil or examine the results of his tedious labor. He must wait out the season and put his trust in God. We must do the same. If you have felt that you have labored in vain, remember that Jesus understands your heart and then allow this promise from the Apostle Paul to encourage you. Paul said, "My beloved brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (I Corinthians 15:58). +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/18/11
TAKING
YOUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE
Scripture: II Corinthians 10:5 "... Bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ."
Do you ever wonder what is really going on in your life? It seems as though
things are way out of control and it is one battle after another. The truth is
that we are in spiritual warfare and we must put on the whole armor of God so
that we will be able to wrestle and stand against the enemy. The Apostle Paul
told us in II Corinthians 10:3-6 that although we are walking and living in a
fleshly body, our battles are not with flesh. He tells us how to combat the
enemy that comes against our mind. He says that we must be ready to revenge
ourselves by speaking out against anything that opposes what Christ has
purchased for us on the cross of Calvary. We must take action in three areas;
pull down strongholds in our lives, cast down imaginations in our minds, and
take our thoughts captive.
Paul gives us a picture of the enemy who has come into our minds. The enemy
builds a fortified city and puts up strong walls and towers to protect the
territory that he has taken control of. The strongholds that Satan puts in our
minds are spiritual and traditional in nature. Our battles may be hereditary
such as generational diseases or they may be social such as poverty and
popularity. The devil is not playing games with us. Whatever stronghold the
devil tries to enforce in our life, they are designed to kill, steal, and
destroy. If he is allowed to build a stronghold in our mind, we begin to expect
his results. He begins to plant negative thoughts and imaginations inside the
strongholds. He brings us to a point that we can't develop faith for healing,
prosperity, or receiving answers for any of our needs, for he is in control.
In fighting this battle in our mind, Paul told us to deal with these hard,
strong, impenetrable fortresses. We are to destroy them by prayer and the
authority of God's Word. It takes time to tear down the fortresses that have
been built in our minds just like it would if we were to tear down a brick wall,
brick by brick. But when the walls come down, the contents within will be
exposed so they can be dealt with. It is then that we can deal with the vain
imaginations and bring into captivity the thoughts that are disobedient to
Christ. It is not enough for us to be victorious over the strongholds in our
minds, we must keep the victory. To do this, we must continue to hold our
thoughts in captivity to the Spirit of Christ. As we renew our minds daily in
God's Word and fellowship with Him in prayer, truth will prevail and every
thought will become obedient to Him. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/19/11
HUMILITY PRECEDES HONOR
Scripture: I Peter 5:6 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of
God, that He may exalt you in due time."
Humility before God is a simple principle that must come about within your heart
before God's honor will rest upon your life. Humbling yourself means that you
come to an understanding of your low estate without God in your life. Humility
is acknowledging that God is smarter than you are and recognizing that "without
Him you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
I Peter 5:5 says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Look
at the contrast between Jesus and Satan. God highly exalted Jesus and gave Him a
name above every name (Philippians 2:8-9). This honor came about only after
Jesus humbled Himself. In the beginning, Jesus was equal with God, but He
submitted Himself to the will of God, became flesh, and was obedient to the
death of the cross. Even though Jesus wanted that cup of suffering to pass from
Him and prayed three times to that end, He still humbled Himself and submitted
to God's will. Jesus said, "Nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done."
Satan, on the other hand, sought to exalt himself and was brought down to Hell.
Isaiah 14:12-16 gives us the account of his downfall. Five times, Lucifer
declared, "I will." Each declaration was a refusal to submit to God's will and a
statement of his own self-exaltation. He sought to increase himself and to
become equal with God. His final statement was, "I will be like the Most High."
Satan could not be content with God's plan for his life, even though it was a
place of greatness and high position. When Satan was first created, he was a
beautiful and perfect angel, the anointed cherub, that walked and personally
ministered before God, but because of his pride, he lost it all (Ezekiel 28).
We certainly are not on the same level as either one of the above examples, yet
God expects no less from us. In every instance in our life, He wants us to
submit to His perfect will. He is weary of hearing us ask Him to bless our
choices as we try to walk in His permissive will. He desires that we rearrange
our schedules and priorities around His purposes for our life. He wants us to
"trust in Him with all of our heart, and lean not to our own understanding"
(Proverbs 3:5). He longs for us to be content with His plan and to hear us say,
"Not my will, but Your will be done in my life." In due time, as we humble
ourselves in this manner, God promises to exalt us. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/20/11
A SIMPLE PRAYER
Scripture: Job 22:29-30 (NLT) "If people are in trouble and you say, 'Help
them,' God will save them. Even sinners will be rescued: they will be rescued
because your hands are pure."
God created man in His own image and by His great design and His intentions were
that all men should follow Him and honor all of His laws. God planned a future
for all of His creation, yet He is a God who gives men a free choice. He allows
them to make their own decisions even though their choices may be against His
will. Many times we have friends, family, sons, and daughters who go astray.
They may even know God's word and understand the difference in right and wrong,
but they have allowed their desires to overpower the truth that is in their
heart. And sadly, they have chosen to follow a path into darkness.
As much as we love and care for them, we are helpless in trying to rescue them
because it can't be done in the natural. They will not listen to any of our
persuasions and our words of warning fall to the ground as if they were never
spoken. We cry out to God in our distress, saying, "How can this be and where
will it end"? We suffer grief over the situation and even wonder if we are at
fault in some way. We would do anything to change the circumstances. Yet, we
realize that it will take a miracle of God to turn them around and set them on
the right path again. Our heart aches for them, for we know they will suffer
physically because of the path that they have taken, but more importantly, we
want to spare them from the spiritual and eternal consequences of their choices.
Our prayers become desperate. We pray, pray, and pray until finally, we have no
more words to say and don't know what else to do. God understands where we are
and His words are always there to comfort and instruct us. This simple prayer
that is mentioned in the book of Job is mighty. It simply says, when our loved
ones are in trouble, all we need to say is "God, help them." And then, somehow
"God will rescue them because of the pureness of our hands." God is faithful and
when we seek to serve Him with all of our heart, He is attentive to our words.
James 5:16 says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."
We can depend upon God to honor His word. We must continue to stand in the gap
for those we love. God sees our heart and He is not looking for long prayers
with a lot of words. When we can find no other words to say, we can call our
loved one's name out to God and pray this simple prayer, "God, Help them!" +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/21/11
GOD'S PLAN
Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
When God formed each of us, He had a specific plan and purpose in mind so He did
not give us the same qualities and abilities, but placed in each of us all that
we would need to be able to do His will. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "God's ways are
not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts." His thoughts and plans
are higher than ours. In fact, the scriptures declare that the distance
between God's thoughts and our thoughts is as far as heaven is from the earth.
This is because, for the most part, our thoughts are concerned with today's
business and what is happening right now and God's thoughts are on eternity.
Sometimes we find ourselves in great difficulties and can't understand why,
but Romans 8:18 declares that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. We may think that
we are in a hopeless place with no way of escape because we are surrounded by
darkness and separated from others. Yet, we must remember that regardless of
how hopeless our situation may look, God has a plan, and it is for good and not
evil, to give us a future and a hope.
Consider the
butterfly. God had a future for it, but it had to go through much turmoil
before it was released to display God's beauty and glory. It began by spinning
itself into a cocoon and may not have realized that the end result of its
spinning would be capturing itself in a small dark place for a very long
season. It may have been surprised when it found itself separated from others
in this quiet place, totally alone with God. This place was also humbling, for
there was no beauty in the appearance of the cocoon attached to a branch. It
probably wondered what happened to its original dream.
As bad as the outside may have looked to others, the inside was much worse for
the caterpillar itself. It was in greater turmoil than anyone could ever
imagine as it struggled on its own, in great labor and difficulty. No one could
help it get through its ordeal, and no one could set it free but God. Receiving
its release meant it had to force its body through a narrow passage. Yet,
this was God's provision of glory and beauty for the butterfly. It is through
the pressure caused by moving through this narrow passage that nature forces the
juices into the vessels of the wings and releases the beauty that God intended.
If someone intervened and stop God's process by releasing the butterfly early,
it would end up with a huge swollen body and shriveled wings and it would be
forced to crawl through life rather than fly.
God knows where you are and you must believe that He has a glorious end in
sight. He wants you to be complete and fully equipped to operate in His plan.
He calls you out when He sees that you are ready and not a moment before. He
does not want you crawling through life like a shriveled caterpillar but soaring
like a beautiful butterfly. God is working His plan in your life, but you must
call upon Him and search for Him with all of your heart. Remember that as you
pass through the dark and narrow places, He is preparing you for the time of
your release. Trust in the Lord. He does have a future with a hope, and in the
fullness of His time, His glory will be revealed in you. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
A Word In
Due Season
4th Week of January 2011
01/24/11
THE LEAST OF THESE
Scripture: Matthew 25:40 "In as much as you have done it unto one of the least
of these My brothers, you have done it unto Me."
The call to ministry is not primarily a call to be behind a pulpit or in the
limelight of a radio or television ministry. Neither is ministry just for a
chosen few who have been to seminary and studied how to minister. Jesus taught
his disciples about true ministry. He talked to them about feeding the hungry,
clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, and ministering
to those in prison. He said, "When you minister to the least of these, you have
ministered unto Me." Ministry is designed for the believer and it is about
fulfilling the needs of others whether the need is physical, emotional,
financial, or spiritual. It is helping people and encouraging them on their
journey towards Jesus and eternity.
We would walk miles and stand in long lines just to get a brief glimpse of
Jesus. If the opportunity presented itself, we would even sit in a tree like
Zacchaeus did and wait for Jesus to come so that we could hear Him speak. There
would be no sacrifice too great for us to make in order to be able to witness
His awesome power. We would do anything and go anywhere in order to see Him
change water into wine, heal the sick, multiply the bread and fish, calm the
storms, and walk on the water. Words cannot explain how thrilled we would be if
Jesus asked us to do something for Him or to minister to Him in some special
way. Yet according to His own words, Jesus gives us ample opportunity to do just
that. He comes to us more often than we realize. Most of the time, we do not
recognize Him because He comes in the form of the beggar on the street or the
hungry children of the world. He comes to us as the poor who need to be clothed
or He sits behind bars as a prisoner who needs to be encouraged by a visit. He
is there in many ways but because we are searching for Him to appear in a
supernatural way, we miss Him altogether.
If you would start each day with a simple prayer such as, "Jesus, show me what I
can do for You today", you would be surprised how many needs would present
themselves. The Lord would open your eyes to see the hungry, thirsty, and
homeless that were about you. You ears would be sensitive to the cries of those
who were sick and you would understand the loneliness of those in prison. The
Lord would fill your heart with His love and show you how to respond to their
simple needs. He would teach you the same element of truth that He shared with
those closest to Him. That truth is that the Lord is pleased when you touch the
life of those who are neglected, overlooked, and considered to be the least in
His kingdom. His message to you would be to "love all people" even the very
least. For when you love and care for others, it will be as though you were
loving and caring for Him. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/25/11
STAND STILL
Scripture: Exodus 14:13 "Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the
Lord."
God led the people of Israel into a hard place and they found themselves
encamped between the enemy and the Red Sea. Notice that God was the one who put
them in what seemed to be a 'no win' situation. As Pharaoh's army approached,
the Israelites had no way of escape. They were in a terrible trap and fear began
to grip their hearts. They spoke of surrender and were ready to return to Egypt
as slaves rather than face death. They failed to consider that God had led them
into this precarious place and that if He had put them there, He surely had a
plan of escape. They had no idea that they were hours away from a mighty miracle
and what they were about to experience would be talked about for centuries.
Books and movies would recount this marvelous story of deliverance of God
rolling back the Red Sea for His chosen people.
Moses told the people to stand still and watch God work. It is very difficult to
stand still in the face of adversity when everything within us cries out for
action. Anxiety plagues our soul and fear tells us to run away or give in to the
enemy. Doubt and unbelief tell us to hide until the battle is over. Presumption
says move out ahead of God and fight the battle yourself so that you can just
get it over with. It becomes a matter of fight or flight. God's wisdom, however,
tells us to stand still until we get further instructions. When God says go
forward, He will make a way where there seems to be no way. He is very creative.
In this instance, God did something that He had never done before. He parted the
Red Sea, and the Israelites went across on dry land in the midst of this sea.
God then used that same sea to destroy their enemies. What a fantastic plan.
What God's people thought was evil, He used for good.
If you are in a hard place with no way of escape, do not fear. Stand still until
you hear from God. His thoughts are much higher than your thoughts and His ways
are much higher than your ways. God does have a plan! Ephesians 6:13-17 says to
put on the whole amour of God, which is truth, righteousness, peace, faith,
salvation, and the Word of God, and then stand. Having done all that you can do
about the situation, you are to depend upon the sufficiency of God. As you stand
still on the edge of your Red Sea, you will discover the certainty of God's
unchanging word. He is able to deliver you and will create a miracle on your
behalf. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/26/11
REDEEMING THE TIME
Scripture: Ephesians 5:16 "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."
To redeem means to regain possession of something, to receive something by
exchange, or to make up for lost time. Paul encourages us to live each day in
such a fashion so that each moment we spend, we exchange it for something of
value. In the previous verse, he said, "Live purposefully, worthily, and
accurately, not as unwise and witless, but as wise, sensible, and intelligent
people ... making the most of time" (Ephesians 5:15 Amplified Bible).
Each deed that we do should be done as unto the Lord and every word that we
speak should minister grace to the hearer, encouraging their hearts and renewing
their spirits. Our lives should be salt and light in this world of darkness.
Time and opportunity is priceless and once they are spent, they are gone
forever. Redemption of these precious commodities must occur as the moment
happens. Yet, sadly, we often find that we've missed our opportunity and the
precious moment has passed into eternity. We find ourselves saying, "I wish I
had said this, or I wish I had done that." We begin to realize that we've spent
our time on things that had no lasting purpose or eternal value.
We live in a world that is full of hurting people and we encounter them daily.
Yet rather than trying to mend their pain, we come up with insignificant
answers. Some of the words taken from a song written by William and Gloria
Gaither say, "When the house is burning to the ground, there's just no time to
stand around arranging all the pictures on the wall." The rest of the song deals
with spending time writing songs and preaching sermons to answer questions that
no one is even asking. And instead of dealing with people's needs, we dwell on
our differences.
God's desire is that we rearrange our priorities, for the time is short and the
days are evil. Our main interest should be the needs of others and the condition
of their hearts with respect to eternity. We have been given the opportunity to
lead others to a hill called Calvary and to show them how to touch the
nail-scarred hands of Jesus. We must make the most of time, and buy up each
opportunity by sharing the Living Water with the thirsty and the Bread of Life
with the hungry. As we do, we will be redeeming the time for eternity by
revealing the Redeemer. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/27/11
PERSISTENT PRAYER
Scripture: I Kings 18:44 " ... and it came to pass at the seventh time."
When we pray in the name of Jesus and we know that we are praying according to
the will of God, there is only one thing that is lacking, and that is to be
persistent. We must stand in faith and believe that the Lord will bring the
miracle. God looks for the man, woman, or child who will pray in this manner and
not give up. Elijah prayed seven times for the rain to come. He prayed for rain
and then he just kept on praying. He did not allow himself to be distracted by
the negative reports of his servant. He also did not become discouraged when
things looked hopeless because there was no sign of rain. He bowed himself
before the Lord and continued to pray until his answer came. James referred to
Elijah's persistent prayer and said that the fervent prayer of a righteous man
avails much (James 5:16).
Elijah had done mighty things in the name of the Lord but he, himself, was not a
supernatural spiritual giant. James said that Elijah was a man who had the same
passions that we have. He had his ups and downs and his own weaknesses to deal
with. After a major victory over 400 prophets of Baal, Elijah became so
terrified of one woman named Jezebel that he ran from her. Elijah also got
physically tired and had to rest. He got discouraged and wanted to give up and
die (I Kings 19:4). He had to deal with his own prideful thoughts. He declared
that he was the only prophet left that God could use, but God let Elijah know
otherwise. God told Elijah that He still had seven thousand in Israel who had
not bowed their knee to Baal (I Kings 19:18).
Like Elijah, there are many challenges that come our way. Yet, we can't give up
in the midst of fear and discouragement, and even when we are weary, we must
continue to fight life's battles. The greatest weapon that we possess is the
knowledge that our battles are fought and won while we are on our knees in
prayer. Our prayers must be persistent. We may have to pray seven times or more
concerning a single matter, but we must hold on in faith until the answer comes.
When there seems to be no hope, no sign from God, and no rain clouds on the
horizon, we must still believe that God's answer is on the way. His delay
doesn't necessarily mean denial. So my friend, take courage and believe that God
is listening when you pray. Your prayers and the words that you speak into God's
ears today will make a difference in your tomorrow. Your destiny is at stake so
keep praying until the answer comes. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
01/28/11
WHEN GOD REDECORATES
Scripture: Isaiah 43:19 "I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the
desert."
When we think of changing things or redecorating, our plans are not nearly as
grand as those of God. His thoughts are much higher than our thoughts and His
vision is much greater than ours. Most of us would never think that it would be
possible to make a path through the wilderness or believe that a stream could be
made to flow in the midst of the desert. We just don't think on those terms
because of our limited resources. Our thoughts are limited to our own personal
abilities, but God's wisdom, knowledge, and ability is infinite. He is not
limited in any way because He is the Creator and He controls all of the
resources that are needed to accomplish His desires. When God gets through
redecorating the Earth, the wilderness and desert do not function or look the
same as they did in the past, for God prospers everything that He touches and
gives it all purpose. The wilderness becomes a convenient pathway and the desert
becomes a profitable place of refreshing water, growth, and vegetation.
Like the natural wilderness and desert, there are seasons in our lives when we
experience barren and dry places. We may have had big dreams, a huge desire to
accomplish something particular, and a determination to finish our goals. But
then life happens and all is disrupted. None of the plans that we made have come
to pass and discouragement has begun to settle in. It is during this season that
the Lord is very near to the hurting soul. In the wilderness of discouragement,
the Lord speaks and says, "I am your way." And in the dry and barren seasons,
the Lord encourages us with His word and lets us know that He will never forsake
us. He is going to cause a stream to spring forth out of the desert of our soul.
This is His grand promise to us and it is imperative during this time that we
trust His Word, His integrity, and His faithfulness, for God is about to change
things.
When God begins to change things in our lives, He does everything new. He causes
things to be just the opposite of what they were before He got involved. It is
as though He is redecorating our lives. He takes out the old and brings in the
new at his discretion. He turns our darkness into light and paints our life with
new colors. He turns our mourning into joy and gladness and gives us a garment
of praise for the spirit of heaviness. He restores our soul and gives us beauty
for the ashes of our life. With the stripes that He received on His back, we no
longer have to endure sickness and disease, for He provides healing for our
bodies. With the crown of thorns that pierced His brow, we no longer have to
remain in torment and confusion, for He offers us peace of mind. He gave up
everything and suffered all so that we could live in abundance. Everything that
He sacrificed was so that streams could flow in the deserts of our life and so
that He could make a plain pathway when we passed through the wilderness. He
makes all things new and is a God of provision for every area of our life.
The Holy Spirit is hovering over you right now just as He did in the beginning
of time when God turned the emptiness and void into a beautiful world with just
His words and His voice. God wants to do a new thing in your life and is working
to remove the old empty places so that He can restore and make all things new.
Where you can only see the wilderness of your situation, God has a vision for a
glorious pathway. And where you can only see the dry barren desert, He has plans
for a spring that will flow through the center of your life that will refresh
and restore your spirit. Keep in mind that God is unlimited and makes all things
beautiful in His time. So give all of your concerns to the Lord and allow Him to
change and redecorate your life as only He knows how to do. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
A Word In
Due Season
5th Week of January 2011
01/31/11
RUN YOUR RACE WITH PATIENCE
Scripture: Hebrews 12:1 "Let us run with patience the race that is set before
us."
The scriptures compare our life to a footrace. In order to run this race
successfully, we must lay aside every weight and sin that would hinder us. And
more importantly, we are to keep our eyes on Jesus who completed His race by
enduring the cross and the shame. We are to be encouraged by the witnesses that
surround us and to run the race that is set before us with patience. We can
relate to laying aside the weights, receiving encouragement from those about us,
and focusing on the goal. But how do we run with patience? Running in itself
suggests an absence of patience as we are trying desperately to reach the
intended goal before our opponents.
Notice the scripture says to not only run the race with patience but to run the
race that is set before us. We must realize that we all have individual races
and we are not competing against each other, but against our adversary, the
devil. We may not have to face the same obstacles and hurdles as someone else.
We may not have to believe for God to roll back the sea, calm the storm, rescue
us from the lion's den, or deliver us from a fiery furnace or the belly of the
whale. In more specific terms, we may not even have to face cancer, divorce, or
severe financial problems as others have, but we all have to face situations
where we must allow patience to be perfected in our lives. When we face
tribulations, we learn to abide in Jesus. As we begin to trust in Him, the
Spirit of the Lord begins to grow and develop the precious fruit of patience in
our lives (Romans 5:3).
In Luke 21:19, Jesus said, "In patience, you will possess your souls."
Possessing your soul means that you remain in control, and even in the most
intense situations, you determine the attitudes of your heart and mind, the
strength of your will, and the display of your emotions. When you possess your
soul with patience, you do not allow the enemy to distract you from the race
that is set before you and you refuse to compare your race with the race of
another lest you become weary. Instead, you keep your eyes on Jesus who
completed His race. As you consider His sacrifice, you begin to understand God's
will and purposes for your own life. When you focus on these goals that are set
before you, you will inherit the promise (Hebrews 6:12). The race belongs to you
when you rest in faith and exercise patience. The secret is to take one step at
a time, one breath at a time, and one hurdle at a time and allow Jesus to do the
rest. +++
Copyright © 2011 Mary
Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================