A Word In Due Season
1st Week of September 2011

09/01/11
RECIPE FOR LIFE

Scripture: Proverbs 4:22 (Amplified) "God's words are life to those who find them."

We have all gone to parties and dinners where we have tasted a delicious dish or desert and asked the hostess for the recipe. We collect the recipes and gather all of the ingredients that we will need to make the dishes but often our good intentions fail because of the lack of time. Sad to say, but many times we are like this with God's word. A word comes to us that is in due season, which is like meat to our soul. We get excited about it and want this word to dominate our circumstances and bring us a better life. Yet, even though we eagerly embrace it and often write it down, we usually store it away with all of the other words that we have collected, and it becomes like an unused recipe on the shelf. With time the revelation knowledge begins to fade and we soon forget that all of the ingredients for our deliverance are stored away in a safe place within our hearts.

In this chapter of Proverbs, King Solomon gave us a recipe for life, which he said would bring healing and health to our flesh, and all of the ingredients are at our disposal. He told us to give attention and submit to God's Word. We must begin each day with God, listen to His words, and then meditate on those thoughts throughout the day and even into the night. We are not to let His words depart from our sight, but keep them in the center of our heart, allowing them to speak to us continually. The words that God speaks to us will keep us in good mental and emotional health, which will lead us to good physical health. Solomon said that we should be vigilantly guarding our heart and keeping it clean and pure because out of our heart flows life. He also said that we must follow God's fixed purpose for our lives and consider our paths. We need to decide exactly where we are going and establish our determination to reach that destiny. We must be focused and not allow ourselves to be sidetracked from the peace of God that comes through obedience to His words.

God's words are waiting to be activated within our hearts. Yet, there is another ingredient that we need in our recipe for life, and that is faith. Hebrews 4:2 says that the Word did not prosper because it was not mixed with faith. Faith comes by hearing God's word and simply believes that what He has said is true and that all things are possible with Him. God cannot and does not lie, so what He has spoken will come to pass. Let us determine in our hearts to give attention to God's word and then mix that word with faith so that it may prosper and bring healing and health to our flesh. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
www.widsonline.com
================================================================================= 09/02/11
PECULIAR PEOPLE

Scripture: I Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people ..."

 The Apostle Peter called us a chosen generation and as followers of Jesus, we have become a royal priesthood and a holy nation. Peter also called us a peculiar people, set apart from the world, for we are called out of darkness and into God's marvelous light. The world cannot understand our actions or our motives in various situations. We are an epistle read of all men yet our lives are a mystery to them. They see us love the unlovely and forgive the unforgivable. They take notice of our peace as we go through valleys, witness our courage as we face battles, and marvel at our strength as we endure hardships. They are baffled by the joy of the Lord that sustains us in adversities and they are overwhelmed by the praises that we offer to God even in the midst of our difficulties. A.

W. Tozer wrote:

"The real Christian is an odd human being anyway.
The Christian feels supreme love for one he's never seen.
He talks every day with someone he can't see.
He expects to go to Heaven on the virtue of someone else.
He empties himself in order to be full.
He admits when he's wrong in order to be declared right.
He is strongest when he is the weakest,
Richest when he's poorest,
Happiest when he feels the worst.
He dies so he can live.
He forsakes so he can have.
He gives away so he can keep.
He sees the invisible, hears the inaudible
And knows that which passes all knowledge."

 We are a strange lot, for God has indeed chosen us to be a peculiar people. Let us never change. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================

A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of September 2011

09/05/11
RECIPE FOR LIFE

Scripture: Proverbs 4:22 (Amplified) "God's words are life to those who find them."

We have all gone to parties and dinners where we have tasted a delicious dish or desert and asked the hostess for the recipe. We collect the recipes and gather all of the ingredients that we will need to make the dishes but often our good intentions fail because of the lack of time. Sad to say, but many times we are like this with God's word. A word comes to us that is in due season, which is like meat to our soul. We get excited about it and want this word to dominate our circumstances and bring us a better life. Yet, even though we eagerly embrace it and often write it down, we usually store it away with all of the other words that we have collected, and it becomes like an unused recipe on the shelf. With time the revelation knowledge begins to fade and we soon forget that all of the ingredients for our deliverance are stored away in a safe place within our hearts.

In this chapter of Proverbs, King Solomon gave us a recipe for life, which he said would bring healing and health to our flesh, and all of the ingredients are at our disposal. He told us to give attention and submit to God's Word. We must begin each day with God, listen to His words, and then meditate on those thoughts throughout the day and even into the night. We are not to let His words depart from our sight, but keep them in the center of our heart, allowing them to speak to us continually. The words that God speaks to us will keep us in good mental and emotional health, which will lead us to good physical health. Solomon said that we should be vigilantly guarding our heart and keeping it clean and pure because out of our heart flows life. He also said that we must follow God's fixed purpose for our lives and consider our paths. We need to decide exactly where we are going and establish our determination to reach that destiny. We must be focused and not allow ourselves to be sidetracked from the peace of God that comes through obedience to His words.

God's words are waiting to be activated within our hearts. Yet, there is another ingredient that we need in our recipe for life, and that is faith. Hebrews 4:2 says that the Word did not prosper because it was not mixed with faith. Faith comes by hearing God's word and simply believes that what He has said is true and that all things are possible with Him. God cannot and does not lie, so what He has spoken will come to pass. Let us determine in our hearts to give attention to God's word and then mix that word with faith so that it may prosper and bring healing and health to our flesh. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
09/06/11
THE SEARCH FOR WISDOM

Scripture: Proverbs 2:7 (Amplified) "God hides away sound and godly Wisdom and stores it for the righteous - those who are upright and in right standing with Him."

God appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked, "What would you like for me to give to you?" Solomon responded to God and asked for a wise and understanding heart. God granted his request and I Kings 3:12 tells us that there was never anyone so wise as Solomon. Yet with this gift of God upon his life, Solomon still had to apply himself to acquire the wisdom that God had stored up for him. Solomon said, "I gave my heart to seek and search out wisdom concerning all things" (Ecclesiastes 1:13).

The gift of wisdom is no different than any other gift. If you have been given the gift of a musician, you still must study and practice your music. In the same manner, wisdom doesn't come automatically because of age or position and cannot be measured by the number of gray hairs that may have been acquired along the way. It comes by a diligent search and application of the natural and godly laws and reasoning. Proverbs 2:4 tells us that we have to seek for wisdom as though we were seeking for silver, and we have to search for it as though we were searching for gold. Our search for silver and gold causes us to spend many years seeking an education to gain knowledge so that we can obtain lucrative positions in our field of study. Then, for the rest of our lives we schedule our days to seek for the silver we deserve, making our professions our priority. We rise early, come home late, work extra hours, and make tremendous sacrifices to obtain the financial status that we desire.

Solomon said that if we desire godly Wisdom, we are going to have to seek for it in the same manner as we would seek for silver and gold. Our quest for wisdom must become a priority in our lives and will demand sacrifice. In order to obtain wisdom, we must search for it like a prospector panning for gold or an adventurer on a treasure hunt. They separate themselves from the normal to focus on their search and are not satisfied until they lay claim to the expected treasure. Regardless of the hardships they have to endure, they continue to search in faith and hope until their diligence is rewarded. When they finally discover the hidden treasure, they recover every ounce and guard it carefully. Wisdom is a hidden treasure of the Lord, which He has stored up and has given us the capacity to receive. Yet, wisdom only comes to us as we diligently search for it as though it was as precious as silver and gold. When God sees that we place such a high value on His wisdom, He will allow us to find it. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================  
09/07/11
VEHICLES OF THE MESSAGE

Scripture: Acts 3:12 "Why do you look so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we have made this man to walk?"

A lame man sat and begged at the gate called Beautiful. He did this all of his life until one day Peter and John passed by him, and in the Name of Jesus, the power of God was extended through them to heal the man. As the healed man walked, leaped, and praised God, the people were filled with wonder and amazement thinking that Peter and John had healed him. Verse twelve says that when Peter saw the people's response, he asked them, "Why do you marvel at this? Why are you staring at us as though, by our own power or holiness, we've made this man to walk?" Peter realized that it was not his own power or ability, but the power and ability of God that had flowed through him that accomplished the miracle. He also told the people that the miracle did not occur because of his own holiness. Peter knew that he was only the vehicle for God's power. He did not allow the people to misdirect their worship, but pointed them to God. He receive no glory for what God had done. In verse thirteen he explained the reason for this miracle by saying, "God has glorified His Son."

God uses whom He pleases, and it is God's message that is important, not the messenger. For the servant of God to take the glory or credit for the miraculous would be like the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem to think that the shouts of "Hosanna" and "Blessed be the King" were for him rather than for the Christ that he was carrying! We must understand that we are merely like the donkey that carried Jesus before the people. We are only a vehicle of the message and nothing more. When we come to this realization in our life that God's works are not by our own power or holiness then God can use us for the miraculous. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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=================================================================================
09/08/11
GOD'S FORGIVENESS

Scripture:  Psalms 103:12  "As far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."

David was a man who loved God with all of his heart and wrote these enormous words concerning forgiveness.  He learned about God's forgiveness and experienced it first hand.  In a season of passion, David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and in his efforts to hide his sin, he caused her husband to be killed in battle.  Yet when David repented of his terrible sins before God, he received forgiveness and restoration.

Notice that David did not say that God would remove our transgressions as far as the North is from the South, but as far as the East is from the West.  If you were to start out at some point in the United States, such as California, and travel East, as you circled the globe and came back to your starting point, you would still be going East.  As long as you moved forward you would never be going West.  This is not true of traveling North and South.  If you travel North, when you reach the North Pole and start down, you will be traveling South.  When David said that God removes our sins as far as the East is from the West, he was declaring that there is no end to God's forgiveness.  God's forgiveness is forever and eternal.

Not only is God forgiving, but He is also merciful.  He doesn't deal with us according to our sins, nor does He reward us according to our iniquities (verse 10).  God doesn't give us the punishment we deserve.  Isn't that a relief?  He extends His patience and waits for us to repent and is quick to forgive.  In another Psalm David says, "Iniquities and much varied guilt prevail against me; yet as for our transgressions, You forgive and purge them away.  You make atonement for them and cover them out of Your sight" (Psalms 65:3).

There is not one sin that God is incapable of taking care of or one stain that He cannot remove.  All we have to do is confess them.  He promises to be faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).  When He forgives, He completes the work and His act of forgiveness removes our sins as far as the East is from the West. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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=================================================================================
09/09/11
SHIELDED FROM FEAR

Scripture: Psalms 91:4-5 "His truth shall be your shield ... You shall not be afraid for the terror ..."

This is a mighty promise for us today as we think about our future and remember the horrific events of ten years ago on 9/11 when America was attacked by terrorist. This attack against life didn't just affect our homeland and citizens. It also affected the entire world. It was a day of devastation that changed our lives forever, and our promise to those who lost their own lives or their loved ones is still the same today as it was that day, "We will never forget." The memories of the things that we saw and the sounds that we heard will be forever engrained in our hearts.

September 11, 2001 was a day when evil men sought to bring our nation to its knees in humility before them. Instead, their actions united us as a nation and brought us to our knees in humility before the Almighty God. Students who weren't allowed to pray in schools were suddenly led in prayer by their teachers and principals. Those in our government boldly confessed their convictions without any reservations. People of various faiths forgot their differences and all of the churches came together in unity to seek the face of the Lord. Revival sprang up in the hearts of people and overshadowed the evil that lurked in the hearts of our enemies. Good overcame evil and terror was turned into triumph.

As we face this day of reflection a decade later, let us be thankful for our precious liberty that is still intact. Our flag is still there ... we are still One Nation Under God ... and our God in whom we trust, is still Faithful." He has not changed. In these challenging days, let our faith arise and declare the words of the psalmist, "God's truth shall be our shield and we shall not be afraid of the terror." +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================

A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of September 2011

09/12/11
CONSCIENCE TOWARDS GOD

Scripture: Genesis 2:17 (Living Bible) "God gave man this warning, "You may eat any fruit in the garden except fruit from the Tree of Conscience - for its fruit will open your eyes to make you aware of right and wrong, good and bad."

Our conscience is that part of our inner being that distinguishes between right and wrong, urges us to do the right thing, and then judges us if we fail to follow its prompting. Our conscience can be at different levels depending upon our relationship with God. For instance, the New Testament speaks of a 'good conscience' (I Timothy 1:5), a 'pure conscience' (I Timothy 3:9), a 'seared conscience' (I Timothy 4:2), an 'evil conscience' (Hebrews 10:22), and a 'conscience towards God' (I Peter 2:19).

We are all born with this inner knowing called our conscience. It is like a traffic light that tells us when we need to stop, be cautious, or proceed forward. When we are reborn, our conscience takes on another dimension. It bears witness with the Holy Spirit (Romans 9:1). When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, He told them not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. When they disobeyed, they took upon themselves and all of mankind the responsibility of discerning between good and evil, right and wrong. Like Adam and Eve, we also fail to heed this voice and find ourselves in a real dilemma, for when we disregard our conscience over a period of time, it becomes seared. It is as though our spirits have been branded with a hot iron. We find ourselves no longer sensitive to certain issues or to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is the same principle as drinking a hot drink until there is no more feeling on the tongue. The first experience is painful, but gradually the heat can't even be felt.

How does the conscience get to this state? Nature teaches us that everything that is left to itself comes to destruction. It deteriorates on its own. The garden that is left untended is overgrown with weeds. The child that is never disciplined becomes rough and troublesome. The body that is not forced to exercise and take proper nourishment weakens. Likewise, the conscience, or the inner being, that is not renewed with the Word of God eventually conforms to the world's standards. Romans 12:2 warns us, "Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." We must allow God's word to transform us into His image. As we do, our conscience will be turned towards God and we will follow after that which is good, acceptable, and in the perfect will of God. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
09/13/11
ENDEAVOR TO STAY IN UNITY

Scripture:  John 17:21  "'That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they may be one in Us."

Jesus prayed this simple but profound prayer for us just before His crucifixion.  He prayed that we would be one with Him and the Father just as He and the Father were one.  He also wanted us to be in unity with the other believers.  Five times in this prayer Jesus prayed that we would be in absolute unity and declared that our perfect unity would be a witness to the world.  Our greatest asset is to have the presence of the almighty God in our lives and to be in union with Him.

In Psalms 133, David says, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity."  He then describes two things that happen when we are in unity.  First, unity is like the "precious ointment upon the head".  Unity allows the anointing of God to be manifested in our lives, whereas strife destroys it.  The Holy Spirit is peaceful and gentle like a dove and will not rest where there is contention.  We've experienced those times when we felt God's anointing and presence leading us to do some work in the ministry.  Yet, before we could finish, disagreement and strife broke out and caused us to lose all initiative to complete the assignment.  The anointing was gone because disunity prevailed. 

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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=================================================================================
09/14/11
HOPE IN GOD

Scripture: Psalms 42:11 "Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God."

The understanding that we have of the general meaning of "cast down" is that our minds, wills, and emotions are in a state of sadness and despair. The psalmist takes it further and speaks of being in turmoil because of circumstances. In his book "A Shepherd Looks at Psalms 23", W. Phillip Keller explained the term "cast down" more precisely. He said, "It is an Old English term for a sheep that is stranded on its back. The sheep creates its own predicament by laying down in a hollow, or depression, in the ground. If the sheep is heavy because of its own weight or the weight of its fleece, the center of the sheep's body will shift and the sheep will turn over onto its back in the depressed ground. Once the sheep is on its back, gravity will keep it there." The sheep has no means to deliver itself. Its only hope is to be rescued by the shepherd.

The psalmist referred to his soul as being "cast down" and disquieted within him. This meant that the things that were going on inside of him were not quiet. Instead, the voices and noises within him were very loud and disturbing. We sometimes find ourselves in this same situation. We're "cast down" or flat on our back and don't understand what is going on. We may not even know how our circumstances progressed to this place of hopelessness or how we slipped into this place of depression. Our minds talk to us and tell us that we need to give up because things are not going to work out. After listening to the negative thoughts of our minds, our emotions get stirred up and we become frustrated and anxious. Like this psalmist, in our tears we may begin to ask, "Where is God? Why is this happening to me? When will He deliver me and what should I do?"

Just like the sheep that is cast down, there is no one that we can depend upon except the Lord our Shepherd. The other sheep may sit there and bleat to us in our distress, giving us counsel. As good as that counsel may be, only the Shepherd's still small voice can drive out the anxiety and fear and bring peace. And as much as others may want to comfort and help us, only Jesus can truly rescue us and turn our life right side up again. Only He can strengthen our legs and help us regain our balance. In John 10:14 Jesus said, "I am the Good Shepherd and I know My sheep." He knows everything about you and your circumstances. Don't allow yourself to fret over the past, be in despair about today, or be frantic about tomorrow. Don't lend yourself to the position to be cast down. Put your hope in the Lord and trust Him to lift you up and deliver you. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
09/15/11
GOD LOOKS FOR FAITH

Scripture: Mark 2:5  "When Jesus saw their faith ..."

Four men went to great trouble to bring their friend to Jesus.  They had such faith that Jesus was the answer to their friend's need that they literally tore the roof apart to get him there.  When Jesus saw their tenacious faith, He healed their friend.  There were many needs there that day, but Jesus responded to the need that exercised faith.  He saw that by their desperate actions these men believed in Him and had faith in His healing power.

When Jesus ministered in His own hometown, however, He was not able to do many mighty works because of the unbelief in the hearts of the people (Matthew 13:58).  The people heard Jesus teach in the synagogue and were astonished at His wisdom.  They also marveled at the mighty works that He did, but they were offended because of His humble estate.  Even after seeing His mighty works, they would not believe because they were too familiar with Him as a person and knew His family.  They said, "Is this not the carpenter's son?"  They just couldn't find it in their hearts to honor Jesus as the Messiah.  Their unbelief made it impossible for them to receive from His gracious hand.

 Our natural minds are trained to limit God and find reasons not to believe.  Too often, we underestimate God and in so doing, we fail to receive what He has already provided.  Yet, God is still attracted by faith!  He looks for it.  II Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the Lord search back and forth across the whole Earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect toward Him, so that He can show His great power in helping them."  God longs to show His great power in your situation.  He wants to heal you, provide for your needs, and deliver you in times of trouble.  He watches to see if there is faith in your heart and if you are desperate to get your needs met.

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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=================================================================================
09/16/11
YET WILL I TRUST IN HIM

Scripture: Job 13:15 "Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him."

Job wrote these words after many afflictions had come upon him. Before the enemy's attack, Job was a righteous man who lived a good life. He was rich, healthy, and had a happy home and wonderful family. He was secure in all that he had because there was a hedge of protection about him. Without warning, this hedge was removed and He lost his possessions, his sons and daughters, his personal health, his position in the community, and also his self esteem. His closest friends condemned him and his wife even turned against him and encouraged him to curse God. He had nothing left and yet even as he faced death itself, Job declared that he would continue to trust in God.

There were many other noble men and women of God in the scriptures who showed their trust in God as Job did when things looked pretty bleak. Queen Esther went before the king and risked her life to save the Jewish nation. As she fasted and prayed, she put her life in God's hands and said, "If I perish, I perish." Habakkuk faced a time of lack, but even though he could have perished in the famine, he declared, "Yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." His lack of provisions did not dictate his praise to God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced a fiery furnace knowing that God was well able to deliver them. Yet they boldly declared to the king, "If God doesn't deliver us, we still will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up." Their minds were settled and their allegiance was to the true and only God. The Apostle Paul and Silas were in prison, yet they placed their trust in God and that trust brought forth a song within their heart. As they began to sing, God delivered them. This is how God always works. He rewards trusting hearts and brings them deliverance.

It is much easier to rejoice and trust in God when things are going good than it is when things are falling apart around us. Yet, like the examples of these men and women, we must come to the place in our lives that we can trust God in every situation, for sincere trust will produce freedom in our spirits. It doesn't matter if we are facing famine, a fiery furnace, imprisonment, or death itself, we must remember that we still have God and He is all that we need. We cannot compromise one moment or give in to the enemy of our souls.

In the midst of turmoil and confusion, we should let our voices ring out with songs of praise and declare our statements of determination: "If I am in God's will and I perish, then I perish. Regardless of the fires that surround me, I will not serve or worship other gods. Even though my provisions are failing and my finances don't look good, I am still going to offer a sacrifice of praise and rejoice in the God of my salvation. And even if God slay me, I will still trust Him." +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================

A Word In Due Season
4th Week of September 2011

09/19/11
YOU HEAR ME ALWAYS

Scripture: John 11:41-42 "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You hear Me always."

Jesus prayed these words as He stood at the tomb where Lazarus had been buried for four days. If ever there needed to be a miracle from God, it seemed that it would be at this moment. Yet, Jesus was not the least bit anxious about the situation, even though He was surrounded by many unbelievers. Instead, He had great confidence when He spoke to the Father. He believed with all of His heart that the Father was listening to His words and that He would respond. He never doubted that Lazarus would be raised from the dead even though his body, which had been in a sealed tomb for four days, had started to decay and was beginning to smell. God is the creator of all life and He is not limited by natural circumstances.

What were the secrets to Jesus' incredible prayer audience with God? I believe that He followed His own guidelines in prayer, which He gave to His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13. When Jesus prayed, He reverenced God and approached Him as His Father in Heaven. His prayer was also in agreement with God's Kingdom. He took dominion and commanded God's will to be done on Earth as it is was in Heaven. He used the keys of the Kingdom to bind death and loose life. He asked for the current need or daily provision to be met. Lazarus didn't need his financial needs met, healing, or a multitude of other things. He needed to be raised from the dead so Jesus commanded him to come out of the grave and be loosed from his grave clothes. Jesus also came to the Father with a clean heart, for there was never any sin in Him. Sin separates us from the presence of God and prevents God from granting our petitions. Jesus didn't allow Himself to be led into temptation. He only did what the Father spoke to Him to do. He may have wanted to go to Lazarus immediately, but He waited four days for God's perfect timing. He also made sure that God received the glory, for He told Lazarus' sister, Martha, that if she would only believe that she would see the glory of God (Verse 40).

Wouldn't you like to be able to say the words that Jesus said to the Father? "I know that You hear Me always." Yet, there are many times, we wonder if God is listening to us because our prayers produce little results. We need to realize that our faith in God and our confidence in prayer will bring about mighty answers. God is waiting to show us His glory. Jesus' words to the Father are powerful and we too need to find that place where we know that God hears us always. It is time for us to ask God if there is anything that is separating us from Him. If there is something keeping God from hearing us then we need to correct it so that we can receive the great and mighty things that He has promised. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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=================================================================================
09/20/11
SEPARATED FROM DARKNESS

Scripture:  Genesis 1:3-4  "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.  And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness."

This scripture declares that in the beginning God did three things; God said, God saw, and God divided.  When God spoke light into existence, it traveled at 186,000 miles per second in an effort to reach the earth and to obey God's command.  When God saw the light, He was pleased, and said that it was good.  He then divided and separated the light from the darkness.  He did not allow the two to mingle together and form one shade of gray.  I John 1:5 says, "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all."

When God created you, He created you to be in the likeness of His image, and your image should manifest the light that He is.  When you were reborn into His likeness, He said, "Let there be light."  And in that moment, possibly at 186,000 miles per second, like the speed of natural light, His Light illuminated you and gave life to your soul.  In that instant, His Spirit transformed you as He gently called you "out of darkness and into His marvelous light" (I Peter 2:9).  God's light on the inside of you is a glorious miracle.  He doesn't allow your soul to mingle with the darkness of the world or become a shade of gray.  So when you are filled with His Light, you feel uncomfortable in the midst of spiritual darkness and those who entertain themselves in the deeds of darkness feel uncomfortable in or around your light.  They recognize the separation because the Light of God that is within you becomes a witness to their darkness and a conviction to their soul.  And because darkness can't overcome light or put it out, they separate from you.  Don't be discouraged or feel rejected, for this is God's work.  His light separates you from the world.

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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=================================================================================
09/21/11
SOUND OF A TRUMPET

Scripture:  Psalms 47:5  "God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet."

In the scriptures the trumpet was not used just as an instrument to create beautiful music.  It was also used for various things depending upon the sound that it made.  With one sound, the trumpet summoned people to worship and with another sound, it gathered dignitaries together.  There was also a distinctive sound to call the troops to battle and a different one to announce peace.  The trumpet made a jubilant sound for victory and a mournful sound to announce death and defeat.  The sounds were clear and their signals were recognized by all.  Many times there was a shout that accompanied the sound of the trumpet, as in the case when the walls of Jericho came down.

My oldest son played the trumpet when he was in high school.  We not only listened to him practice at home but took advantage of every opportunity to hear him play in the school concerts.  His dad and I sat in the outside stadium at the local football games in the heat, cold, and inclement weather so that we could see him march with the band and hear him play the trumpet. There were other trumpet players in the band but we were attentive to one whom we loved and who shared our name.   We were proud of our son's skill and accomplishments and his sound was our greatest interest.  If you had been sitting in the crowd with us your attention, no doubt, would have been on the sound coming from your own son or daughter.

Just as we took interest in our son, God is watching us as we march through life because we are His children and we share His Name.  We do not sound a literal trumpet as we pass though life, but the sound of our voices are as instruments in the ears of God and He listens very attentively for our voice.  He said, "Call unto Me and I will show you great and mighty things that you have not known."  He hears our words of faith and honors them and calls things into being because of the words that we speak.  He gives attention to our petitions and listens to our prayers when we come to Him in Jesus' Name.  And the Lord always gives audience to our words and the melodies that come from our lips when we praise and worship Him.

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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09/22/11
CELEBRATION OF HIS GLORY

II Samuel 6:12 & 14 "David went and brought up the Ark of God ... into the city of David with gladness ... And David danced before the Lord with all his might."

King David had no inhibitions when it came to worshipping the Lord, for he was a man after God's own heart. David did drastic things when the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the presence of God, came into his city. He humbled himself, took off his royal garments, and danced before the Lord and the people with all of his might. When David's wife, Michal, saw him leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart. She mocked and shamed him because he had uncovered himself before the people. David responded by saying, "God chose me, appointed me, and I will play before the Lord." God did not take Michal's criticism and judgment lightly. Verse twenty-three says that until the day of Michal's death she had no child.

We live in a new day and a different time. We are stepping into the Kingdom's finest hour and God is preparing us to go to the next level. There is a subtle rumble in the spirit and we are about to experience God's awesome power in a way that we have never seen it before. Just as the Ark of the Covenant was brought into David's city long ago, God is making His presence known in the earth today. Those who recognize His presence rejoice with gladness and their celebrations arrest the heart of God, for He takes pleasure in the praises of His people. Our praise announces our faith that His presence in our midst and declares that our emphasis is upon Him and Him alone.

I recently heard it said that, "We are the only containers whose contents are bigger than we are." Think about it. An all powerful, all knowing, ever present great and mighty God lives within us. His great and glorious presence causes us to resound with joy and celebration, for our limited finite being cannot hold Him in. We must humble ourselves and be as free and uninhibited as David was in his worship. David was so happy that he could not contain himself. We too must learn to lay aside our traditions and the things that would hinder us from worshipping God in Spirit and in truth. God has chosen us and appointed us for such a time as this. We must not make excuses or be intimidated. God is showing us His glory so let us continue to celebrate before Him. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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09/23/11
CMYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM

Scripture: Matthew 13:11 "It is given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven."

Would you like to understand the mysteries of God's kingdom? Jesus said that they are waiting to be revealed to you. His secrets are like any other mystery in that the more truth you discover, the more truth you will be able to understand. The more wisdom you obtain, the greater capacity for wisdom you create within your own heart. It would be great if God opened our hearts and minds and just filled us up with His Word, but the Lord will not cast His pearls before the swine because He doesn't want His words to be trampled upon. The revelation of His Word will only come to those who truly cherish and respect it. The Lord requires that we search for Him with all of our hearts and look for the clues that solve the mystery of who He is. Likewise, His rewards come to us only as we seek to understand how we can experience the benefits of His kingdom. As He sees a heart that longs for Him and for His mysteries to be reveal, He shares "precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:10).

When Jesus spoke of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, He spoke in parables. He compared the natural seed to His Word and the Earth to our heart. He warned of the various situations that would try to put the seed or His Word to death before it could produced fruit in our lives. He said that our hearts can be so hard that the Word cannot enter. The soil of our heart must be cultivated by the Holy Spirit in order for the seed to enter and understanding to come. Then He spoke about the lack of a root system to sustain the revelation of the Word. The seed can not just rest, it must expand itself, develop roots, and search out ways to gain nourishment. Jesus also said that the thorns or the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches would cause the Word to be unfruitful in our lives. Jesus made it clear in this parable that when the Word of God is sown in our hearts, it immediately creates a spiritual battle because Satan is waiting in the wings to destroy the Word. He attempted to do this with Jesus. When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended upon Him. God then spoke and said, "This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Immediately after this validation of who Jesus was, Jesus was driven into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (Mathew 3:1-17, 4:1). The devil challenged the Word in every area, but he was not successful because the heart of Jesus could not be tempted. Jesus had received God's Word in His heart and nothing could destroy it.

Jesus said that it is given to you to know the mysteries of His Kingdom. Jesus made this privilege a very personal matter. This is a wonderful promise, but effort must be made on your part. You must be willing to search His Word so that you can recognize and receive His knowledge. You must protect the seeds of revelation that are sown in the direction of your own heart. The seed that you receive on the mountain top of joy will be tested in the valley of despair. The song that God gives you in the morning will be challenged by the cares of the world throughout the day. The devil will seek to dispel every seed of faith that you receive from the Word. Doubt and fear will challenge you and the winds of adversity will try to extinguish the light that God has imparted to you. Like any mystery, one clue does not solve the puzzle. A mystery is built on many hidden messages. That is the reason that you must personally do battle and hold on to the revelation that comes with the seed so that God can add to it. As you continually protect and meditate on the small seed that God has sown in your heart, He will pour out treasures from Heaven and open up His other mysteries to you. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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A Word In Due Season
5th Week of September 2011

09/26/11
UNTROUBLED HEART IN A TROUBLED WORLD

Scripture: John 14:1 (NIV) "Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me."

We are very acquainted with living in a troubled world, for it seems that the news reports get worse everyday. Even in our own nation there is division and strife, but trouble is not reserved for the national level, for many times our personal lives are also troubled. Even though we do not desire it, there are problems in our private homes, our financial situations, and misunderstandings in our personal relationships. Jesus foresaw this time in history concerning the world and also the disturbing seasons of our own individual lives. Yet even in these times of unrest, He told us not to allow our heart to be troubled. He said, "Trust in God and trust in Me." He must have felt that it was important to get this one thought across because He repeated His words in verse twenty-seven. He desperately wanted us to understand that we could have an untroubled heart in the midst of a troubled world.

How do we go about having an untroubled heart? The first thing we must do is to recognize the presence of the Lord in our life. He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. He plans to bring us through every situation and be with us until the very end. You can't be in God's presence without experiencing peace, and you can't have peace without His presence. The two are bonded together as His very being drives away fear and anxiety.

Another thing that we can do to obtain and maintain peace is to start consulting God about everything that we do. Wisdom that comes down from above is peaceable (James 3:17). When we allow the Lord to direct us in our decisions, we find peace because we know that we are following after His will and His wisdom will bring us the very best. Finally, we must be a worshipper of God regardless of our current situation or our future outcome. Whatever happens in our life, we should be grateful and trust God with all of our heart and not lean upon our own understanding. We must leave all things in His hands, knowing that He is sovereign and that all things are going to work together for our good. Many times we are so troubled and consumed by what we don't have that we can't appreciate and live in peace with what we do have.

When Jesus said, "Do not let your heart be troubled," He put the responsibility of guarding our heart upon our own shoulders. God has provided peace, but obtaining it is an individual choice. We personally decide if we are going to put our trust in God in every situation or if we are going to allow our heart to become overburdened, troubled, and fearful. We have a choice concerning our reactions to the things that we hear and observe about us. When we really stop and think about it, how can anything go wrong in our lives if we have our Father God and the Lord Jesus Christ on our side? I encourage you to make a decision to trust both of Them, which will enable you to live an untroubled life in a troubled world. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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09/27/11
PERCEIVING THE NEW

Scripture: Isaiah 43:19 (NIV) "I am doing a new thing! ... Do you not perceive it?"

God is creative and He is very much into doing new things. He has fresh ideas every day. His sunrises are never the same and He never duplicates a sunset. Each sunrise and each sunset has its own beauty and glory. Every wave that breaks in the ocean and every cloud that forms in the sky is different. The rainbows that grace the heavens may look similar, but each one is actually an original masterpiece of God. And every time that God forms life inside of a womb, He creates for that special being a new set of fingerprints and voice inflections that are different than anyone else's. Even the hair on the head of His new creation is so unique that with careful study it can be distinguished from all others.

God has created each one of us in His own image and He wants us to conform to His mindset, which is reaching for the new each day of our life. He wants our lives to be purposeful and profitable. He told us not to think about the former things or consider the things of old and He also spoke favorably about our future. He said that He knew the thoughts and plans that He had for us and that they were for good and not evil (Jeremiah 29:11). His heart longs to bless us with more. Yet, we are so comfortable where we are that we often become confused when God begins to do new things and move our lives in a new direction. The old is just a part of our life and we feel a certain security when surrounded by the familiar. We may secretly long for the new, but shrink back when it presents itself because we are not sure what the change will bring. You may be wondering why your desires and interests are beginning to change.

You may have noticed that your hopes and dreams have taken on a different image. There may be an awareness that new relationships are forming and a sense of new adventure has capture your interest. You can sense that you are going in a different direction and have wondered what it all means. There may be no physical event connected to the new thing that is happening, but you realize that something very significant is taking place in your spirit. You have no words to explain what you are experiencing but God is enlarging your borders and giving you new territories.

The prophet asked, "Do you not know it?" Can you see that things are different? Can you perceive that God is moving? Examine your life and evaluate your position. Acknowledge the fresh wind that is blowing upon you and cooperate with God. Trust everything to Him and follow His lead. He will take you places that you have never been and show you things that you have never seen. If you allow Him, He will complete the new thing that He has started in your life. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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09/28/11
YOUR FRUIT IN YOUR SEASON

Scripture:  Psalms 1:3  "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season."

The first verses of this psalm explain the process and conditions of blessings and spiritual fruit.  They declare that you can't expect blessings or fruit in your life if you walk with the ungodly, stand in the place where sinners congregate, or sit with those who are scornful.  Exposing yourself to these conditions will cause you to wither and dry up within.  It is like planting a perfectly good plant in the dry and barren desert, where it's total surroundings produce death.  All of us have experienced these places of entrapment at some point in our life, and before we could flee the situation, the circumstances and the people involved seemed to draw our very life from us.  There was nothing edifying or encouraging in their scornful words or misconduct, and in most instances, we were shamed by their actions.   

The psalmist said that those who meditate upon God's words will bring forth "his fruit in his season."  He stated it as a matter of fact.  God has planned for every life to bring forth fruit and has ordained its particular season.  Yet if you want to produce the fruit that the Lord has ordained for your life, there are conditions that must be met.  You must delight yourself in His law and meditate upon His words day and night.  This means 24-7, you are to think on God' words; in light and in darkness; in good times and in bad times; when you are rich and when you are poor; when you have energy and when you are weak; when you have friends that surround and support you and when you are all alone; when you are encouraged and when you are discouraged; when you are in health and when infirmity is attacking your body; when you are experiencing victory and when you are facing defeat; and when everyone loves you and when everyone rejects you.

Delighting yourself in God's word and meditating upon what He has said is the only environment that will keep you fresh and green because this continual nourishment from His word gives you life.  His word keeps you on track in the good times and strengthens and encourages you in the bad times.  When you meditate upon what He has said, God establishes your spirit in His concepts and thoughts.  When He establishes you, you become like a tree that is planted by the rivers of water.  You can't be moved from your zone and you will never wither or shrink in adversity.  Your roots run deep and because you are strong within, you are able to stand in the seasons of draught and famine and still bring forth fruit. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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09/29/11
SPIRIT OF TRUTH

Scripture:  Numbers 23:19  "God is not a man that He should lie."

God speaks only truth into our lives because He is the Spirit of Truth.  He doesn't repent or turn back on the words that He has spoken, for He cannot lie.  He fulfills every promise and stands by His covenant.  James 1:17 says "There is no variation or shadow of turning with God."  He is a constant God, setting the days, seasons, and years into motion, and then keeping it all on tract and in order.  He has a lot to take care of, yet He is never too busy to be concerned with our personal affairs.  His word tells us that "All things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).  If He can keep the whole world and universe in line, we can trust Him to cause our lives to also come together.

When His Holy Spirit inspired the words, "All things work together for good," those words were meant to lead us into God's truth.  God meant just what He said, even though during times of rough and endless battles, we may have our doubts.  God knew that there would be seasons that our faith would be challenged so He gave us many scriptures to dispel those doubts and to let us know that regardless of how things look on the outside, God is working a greater work on the inside of the whole situation.  All things are going to work out for good because He is going to take the lemons of our life and make them into lemonade.  The situation may be bitter in the process, but God will cause sweetness to come out of it, just like the incident at the wedding in Cana of Galilee when He turned the water into wine.

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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09/29/11
RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH

Scripture: II Timothy 2:15 "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth."

We have access to the heart of God through the scriptures, but we can only understand what He is saying by rightly dividing or properly interpreting His words. God sent the Holy Spirit to be our primary teacher. He is the One who opens our understanding and without His help, we would miss the true meaning of God's Word.

I had an experience with my grandson who misinterpreted my written words. Although he can read block printing very well, he has not yet learned to read cursive handwriting. We were to meet his mother at a fast food restaurant. While we were waiting, he was playing in the child's area and I was drinking tea and writing some notes on a paper napkin. His mother arrived and I left the table momentarily to join her at the service counter to place our food order. When my grandson came back to the table where I had been sitting he saw the writing on the paper napkin, but because he could not read the words he imagined that I had left him a note telling him that I left the restaurant without him. Fear gripped his innocent heart and he panicked. He cleaned the table as he had been taught to do, threw my glass of tea and my notes into the trash and then ran out of the room. As he rushed into the adjoining room, he discovered that we were only a few feet away from him.

My grandson is a precious treasure to me. He should have known from experience that I would never leave him or forsake him and that I would always be there to protect him. I would give my life for his sake if necessary. Yet, because his knowledge was limited and he could not rightly divide the words that I had written, he allowed fear to take over and dictate his actions. If he had simply stopped to think about my past love and care for him, he would have never reacted in that manner. Like my grandson, sometimes we read the Word of God and draw the wrong conclusions because our knowledge of God's Word is limited and we do not have a full understanding about God's nature.

We see God's strict laws but fail to put them in perspective to His bountiful grace. His Words says that where sin abounds, His grace does much more abound. God's grace is sufficient for every lack and yet God's bountiful grace does not give us a license to sin or allow us to neglect the laws of God. There must be balance. We know that God is a God of judgment, but He is also a God of love and His love covers a multitude of sin. Yet even though our sins are covered by His love, our choices demand consequences. God's mercy and forgiveness does not exclude or prevent our suffering for the deeds that we have committed, for His Word declares that what we sow, we shall also reap. God wants us to prosper but in truth it is the blessings of the Lord that make us rich and do not cause sorrow. God wants us in health, but our actions negate His desires when we disregard the laws of life and nutrition. We know that salvation is free and that we cannot gain eternal life through our works, but the fact remains that good works follow salvation. If you have been saved by His love and grace, you are going to follow His example and do good.

All scripture has been given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit so we need Him to open our understanding. It is imperative for us to study God's Word and allow the truth to be revealed to us by His Spirit, for flesh and blood can not give us Heaven's revelation. When we include the Holy Spirit in our study, He breathes upon the words of God and brings them to life. He also gives us light and makes known the true meaning of God's words. We then are able to rightly divide the Word of Truth and this creates a spiritual balance in our lives that promotes the approval of God. +++

Copyright © 2011 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved    
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