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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of July 2012

07/02/12
FOCUSED AND FIT FOR THE KINGDOM

Luke 9:62 "Jesus said to him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God."

Jesus spoke to a man to come and follow Him. This was a lifetime opportunity but the man requested that he first be released to go and bid his family good bye. Jesus dealt with this natural mindset by telling the man not to look back at his old life. This seems like a harsh instruction but Jesus knew that the man would be returning to relatives who would probably ridicule and scorn his decision. They may have been unbelievers whose influence could cloud his faith with doubt and instill fear within his heart. They may have tempted him to give up such a ridiculous idea. They may have questioned where his life's support would come from and probably point out that Jesus Himself said that He had no place to lay His own head.

We want God to enlarge our borders, take us to higher levels, and open new doors. Yet, we have a tendency to respond in fear when those things began to occur because they can create challenges. The new territories offer us new problems to solve and an unfamiliar protocol to follow, which requires greater physical and mental strength on our part. It may also require a financial investment or risk. The unknown is all too taxing because our past failures remind us that we could end up in defeat again. So it is often tempting to look at the safety and luxuries that we possess in the present rather than to press towards the future with its risk and rewards.

Yet as we look at the examples that are in the scriptures we realize that the men who were able to achieve their goals and fulfill their callings were determined and focused. Regardless of the obstacles they faced, they never looked back. The Apostle Paul focused on the prize of the high calling of Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). He was beat, stoned, imprisoned, and left for dead, but he allowed nothing to stop him. He continued to press towards the mark. Abraham was called to leave his country and family to go to a land that God would show him (Genesis 12:1). He had no map to the blessing or written contract from God but he stayed focused on the words that God had spoken, which gave him direction and instilled faith in his heart. Joshua and Caleb didn't look at the size of the giants in the land but focused on the size of the grapes. They were of another spirit and followed God fully (Numbers 14:24) until they reached the Promised Land. Daniel didn't consider the lions that were in the den. He believed that God would deliver him and focused his attention on the angels of the Lord who shut the mouths of the lions (Daniel 6:22). And Jesus focused upon God's will by setting His face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).

These examples are not just intriguing stories for us to enjoy. They are given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit to encourage us to also keep our focus upon the Lord and His high calling for our lives. The Lord speaks to all of us to come and follow Him. Yet, He wants us to know that when we put our hands to the plough we must never allow ourselves to look back or be distracted by the good or bad that we have left behind. Jesus wasn't giving instructions that He wasn't willing to follow for Himself. He willingly gave up all that He was and put His hand to the plough to complete the Father's will. He stayed focused all the way to Calvary and died on our behalf. His victory is now our strength. Now we must endeavor to remain focused on Him so that we can become fit for the Kingdom of God. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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07/03/12
WHEN GOD SEES THE BOW

Scripture: Genesis 9:13 "I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the Earth."

A rainbow exists opposite of the sun as a result of the sunlight shinning through the raindrops or mist in the air. The first rainbow occurred after the flood of Noah's day when God made a promise that He would never again destroy the entire Earth with water. God declared that in the future a rainbow would accompany the clouds and that He would look upon it and remember this everlasting covenant that He made between Him and every living creature that is upon the earth. Today, a rainbow is still a glorious sight and reminds us of God's covenant with the earth. The rainbow declares that a storm has not only come but that it has passed and that the danger is over. It speaks of beauty and reminds us that we had nothing to fear because the sun was always behind the clouds.

The storms of life can be very frightening in the natural and in the spiritual. In the natural, there is wind, darkness, and water to contend with. There is the uncertainty of the duration of the storm, the path that it will take, or the destruction that it will leave behind. A spiritual storm can be just as devastating as that of a natural storm. It can be very intimidating as it separates us from the light and surrounds us with darkness. Every imaginable thing can happen because we have no control in either type of storm. Yet, it is in these great storms of life that we learn courage and develop faith for the future. In the midst of the wind, you discover an assurance in your trust in God that you never knew existed in your soul. When the waters are raging around you, you come to understand His covering over you is complete and that He is all that you need. In the darkness, you find that His light is always there. It never disappeared or faded away. And then, you have the experience of the glory of the rainbow, the reminder of His everlasting covenant with you.

The problem is that many times we continue to focus on the storm that hit our life rather than rejoicing in the things that it taught us. There are many positive results of the storm. It left us with a different kind of beauty. A fresh rainbow with its various rays of color has unexpectedly appeared in our lives. It is something that we can't explain. Yet, it is something that all Earth can rejoice in, for those about us are able to see the change that the storm has made in us. The new colors in our lives could not have been produced without the struggle of the wind, rain, and darkness, for the greater the storm, the more vibrant the colors. The new inner strength in knowing that God has seen us through the storm gives us confidence, for the greater the conflict, the greater the victory. So never be anxious about the impending storm but always remember that God has set a bow in the clouds that surround you. You have nothing to fear because He is watching the storm and He will remember His covenant with you. He will not forsake you. He will deliver you and paint a rainbow in your life that you cannot easily forget. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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================================================================================= 07/04/12
BLESSED NATION

Scripture: Psalms 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."

The fifty-six men who signed our Declaration of Independence, which was approved on July 4, 1776, committed an act of treason against the British Crown. As they signed this incredible Declaration, they mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Of those who signed, two became Presidents of the United States, three became Vice Presidents, and several others became either State Governors or U. S. Senators. However, there were many signers who suffered greatly. Four died of wounds from the war and five were imprisoned. Several lost their wives and children as their homes were attacked.

The oldest signer of the Declaration was 70 year old Benjamin Franklin, whose faith was strong in God.  Speaking of God, He said:

       "Have we now forgotten this powerful Friend?
        Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?
        I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live,
            the more convincing proofs I see of this truth --
            that God governs in the affairs of men.
        And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice,
            is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?
        We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings,
            that 'except the Lord build the house,
            they labor in vain that build it.'
        I firmly believe this."

Benjamin Franklin was convinced that all was vain unless the Lord was God and Builder of this nation. The freedom we enjoy has been purchased with tears and blood. We have reaped the noble sacrifice of these brave men, and every American life has been touched by the document they signed. Because of their sacrifice, we have experienced a "Blessed nation whose God is the Lord ... And we are STILL one nation, under God. +++

Scripture: I Peter 2:2 "... Desire the sincere milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby."

A newborn child is a joy to the heart. Yet, as we hold them in our arms and cuddle their small frame, we realize that this special time will only last for a short season. It would be very sad for them to stay in this infant state forever and because we know that they must grow and be strong physically to move on in life, we feed and nourish them. We also educate and share our knowledge with them so that they can function in life. We teach them manners and how to be graceful in situations and with people. This is a process that never ends. I gave my son food and watched him grow but even though he is a man now, he still continues to eat. Regardless of how much he ate when he was a little child, without daily food and nourishment now, his life would soon end. I taught him many skills, yet he still continues to learn. I also taught him how to be graceful in situations and with people, but each new relationship is a learning experience. His growth never ends. Everyday there are new challenges in his life that produce new growth.

Our spiritual life proceeds in the same manner and our Heavenly Father oversees it all. Once we are born again into His family, He sets about to help us grow spiritually. He makes provision for us to grow and to learn His concepts through His Word. The scriptures tell us of at least three areas that we can grow in spiritually. First, our faith can grow exceedingly (II Thess. 1:3). We know that faith is obtained by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Is it any wonder that the Apostle Peter told us to desire the sincere milk of the Word? For the sincere milk of the word will cause us to grow in faith. II Peter 3:18 lists two other areas of growth, saying, "Grow in grace and grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." The more of God's Word we understand, the more we will be able to comprehend His work of grace and the salvation that is in Christ.

We must desire the sincere milk of God's Word and cry out for it like an infant until we receive nourishment. The cries of a new born infant desiring milk can be heard every three hours. We must understand that we can't live on yesterday's nourishment any more than my own son could live today on the milk that he received when he was a baby. We must feed daily and even go beyond the milk to the meat of the Word. Our spirits desperately need God's Word, for it is a matter of spiritual life or death. The greater our knowledge of His sincere Word, the greater our faith will grow. The more we understand Him, the less chance we have of being in error. We must make time to read and meditate on the things that God has written so that we can grow spiritually. +++

Scripture: Jonah 1:1 & 3, "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah ... But Jonah rose up to flee ... from the presence of the Lord."

Jonah knew that he had definitely received a word from God to minister to the people of Nineveh concerning their wickedness. Yet, he was a Jew and was unwilling to testify to this city of Gentiles. Jonah was even angry that God was going to spare them and their city if they repented, so he totally disregarded God's word. He did everything that he could to escape his destiny and the responsibility of this great commission that God had placed on his life. He took passage on a ship going in another direction in an effort to thwart God's purposes and to abort His plan.

Jonah's flight from God's presence and commission caused much trouble for those around him. Everyone on the ship was touched by Jonah's disobedience. God caused a great wind to stir the sea and the mariners became fearful in the midst of the tempest because their lives were in jeopardy. In their peril, they were forced to sacrifice their merchandise and threw it into the sea in order to lighten the weight of the ship. When they discovered that Jonah was the problem, they also cast him into the sea and the waters grew calm again.

Jonah, however, didn't escape his call to Nineveh. God had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah and he stayed in the whale's belly until he repented. Can you imagine how this poor fish must have suffered? Jonah was inside the whale's belly for three days and the whale could not digest him. Jonah's disobedience had touched the whale's life in an unpleasant way. Jonah definitely had not satisfied the whale's appetite or enhanced the whale's life in any way while being housed in its belly for three days. The whale probably laid at the bottom of the sea and groaned with indigestion or swam around in agony just wishing that he could expel this disobedient servant of the Lord.

As we consider Jonah's situation, we have to wonder how much of our own disobedience is affecting the lives of those about us? Whose finances are in jeopardy because they are in the ship with us and what are they going to have to personally abandon to satisfy our situation? Who is suffering mentally or emotionally because we refuse to fulfill God's commission? What kind of fish has God prepared for us until we come to terms with what He has called us to do? And like the situation with the whale, who are we going to keep in misery until we repent?

These questions demand our attention, for we must understand that we do not stand alone in any of our actions. Our disobedience touches the lives of everyone that is near us. The actions of parents who are disobedient to God's laws affect their children. Rebellious children affect their parents. Husbands and wives who do not follow God's commandments affect each another. None of us truly want to affect the lives of others in an adverse way so we must purpose in our own hearts not to take flight from God's presence or reject His word when He speaks to us. Instead, we must be an instrument in His hands and allow our obedience to touch and enhance the lives of those around us. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of July 2012

07/09/12
GRACE FOR GRACE

Scripture: John 1:16 "And of His fullness have we all receive grace for grace."

Grace is defined as the unmerited favor of God and is the basis of our salvation and justification. It is undeserved and can never be earned as it comes only by the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. The Apostle Paul said, "For by grace are you saved through faith ... not of yourselves ... it is a gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Because God is full of grace, He forgives and passes over all of our transgressions.

John 1:14 says, "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." Almost 2,000 years ago our Father God said "No" to His only begotten Son, Jesus, so that He could say "Yes" to us. He sacrificed His Son so that we could have eternal life. Jesus pleaded with God the Father in the garden that the cup of suffering would pass from Him. But the Father denied Jesus' request so that He could redeem all of us from death, Hell, and the grave. God's mercy speaks to us and says, "I forgive you of your sin. You do not have to pay for it." God's grace says, "I will sacrifice my only begotten Son to pay for your sin." God's grace is awesome and overwhelming. Like the words to the song, "I owed a debt I could not pay - He paid a debt He did not owe." Grace took our place on the cross and was crucified.

Scriptures declare that Jesus was full of grace and truth. We still behold the glory of the grace of the Lord as it continues to work daily, bringing about salvation in every area of our lives. "Grace for grace" means that He piles one grace upon another grace. Out of His fullness and abundance He gives us one spiritual blessing after another. His grace in our lives is so amazing. Just when we think God should give up on us, He comes through with forgiveness again, and says, "If you confess your sin, I will be faithful and just to forgive your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness." He says, "I will supply all your needs through Christ Jesus." It's just one unmerited thing after another, grace upon grace.

The Apostle Paul experienced the glory of God's grace for grace in such a manner that he declared, "I take pleasure in infirmities, reproaches, necessities, persecutions, and distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong." God will bestow upon you the same grace that Paul experienced and regardless of the challenges you may face, you will find that God's grace will always be sufficient for every need (II Cor. 12:9-10). +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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07/10/12
GO AND PREACH

Scripture: Mark 16:20 "And they went forth, and preached ever where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following."

Jesus told His disciples to go into all of the world and preach the gospel to every creature, but He did not send them out empty handed. He empowered them with His Holy Spirit and placed in their hands special gifts. All they had to do was go, preach the word, and believe. Jesus made a promise that He would be with them where ever they went and that He would confirm His preached word with signs.

This promise takes the pressure out of our ministry to others, for we know that Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday and that He will be the same in the future. There is no shadow of turning with Him. He didn't send His original disciples out empty handed and He will not send us out empty handed either. He promises that if we will take the first step, He will be with us all of the way. The Lord works with us by anointing us with the power of His Holy Spirit and filling our hands with signs and wonders so that He can fulfill the needs of those around us. He simply said, "Go and preach." He does the rest of the work. If He doesn't do it, it won't happen. We can explain the plan of salvation, but God regenerates the spirit of man. We can talk about deliverance and peace, but God breaks the bondages and sets the soul free. We can tell others about healing and financial provision, but only God can heal and provide. It is all a work of His Holy Spirit.

Jesus told the church to go to the world. He never told the world to go to the church. He depends upon you and me to go and do His work. We must cultivate a spirit of evangelism within our hearts and obey His words. People are precious in God's sight and many of them are in trouble. They are hurting, lost, and need a friend to love them and show them direction. We may think that our gifts are insignificant compared to the world's need, and we may feel that we have no answers. But Jesus can touch them through our hands, be a voice to them through our lips, and listen to their problems through our ears. Christ in us is the hope of His glory in the Earth. All that we need to do is to go and preach His good news. He will work with us confirming His word with signs and wonders. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
=================================================================================
07/11/12
REAPING JOY

Scripture: Psalms 126:5 "Those that sow in tears shall reap in joy."

God's laws do not change, and for every principle that He has established, He has set in motion rewards and consequences. For the law of sowing, He guarantees a harvest. This principle is true in the spiritual as well as the natural realm. You will reap whatever you sow and it will always be of the same kind or manner. In the natural, if you sow corn, you will reap corn and if you sow beans, you will reap beans. It is a fairly simple process and the law works each and every time without fail. You can't sow corn with the hopes of gathering beans. It just won't work that way, for the law has been established by Almighty God who created the corn and the beans and commanded them to bring forth after their own kind. Nature functions by God's word and can not go against His commands.

In the spiritual realm, it is the same. If you sow good, you will reap good and if you sow evil, you will reap evil, but be sure that every seed you sow will produce a harvest of the same kind. Every prayer that you have spoken in faith into the ears of God will receive an answer. For His word says, "Whatever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive" (Matthew 21:22). Every gift that you have given in the Name of the Lord will come back to you, for Jesus said, "Give and it shall be given unto you good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that you give, it shall be measured to you again" (Luke 6:38). Every burden that you carry for someone else will generate spiritual strength in your own life and every tear that you sow will reap a harvest of joy. What mighty promises these are to encourage us to pray and to share with others, and what a comfort and sweet assurance to our hearts to know that when our tears are falling like rain we are sowing seeds for a harvest of joy.

We may think that holding back our tears in our distress and discouragement displays strength. In reality, it takes much more strength and energy to cry. If you have ever grieved over a personal loss or shed tears of sorrow because of the pain in your soul, you know how weak it left you. Tears completely drain your body's strength and leave your soul and spirit spent. Yet there will be a harvest from those tears and you can rest assured that when you have nothing left within, God will begin to use those tears to bring something beautiful into your life. He is a keeper of His promises and watches over His Word to perform it. Just like the flowers that come forth after the spring rains, God creates new life within you, waters it with your tears, and He causes a harvest to spring up within your soul and spirit. You can be sure that the word God has spoken is true and where you have sown tears, you will reap joy. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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07/12/12
HIS WORD IS SPIRIT AND LIFE

Scripture: John 6:63 "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

One of the first things that we do each day is nourish our physical bodies, and then through out the rest of the day we continue to eat and drink to retain our strength and satisfy our hunger and thirst. This is a process that must be maintained on a daily basis if we are going to continue to live in our natural bodies. The same principle applies in the spiritual realm. As spirit beings, we need spiritual food, but we often neglect this very vital area because we fail to get into the Word of God on a regular basis. We rely on the Sunday worship service for all of our spiritual food. As a minister once said, "We give our natural man three hot meals a day, and give our spirit man one cold snack a week." We then wonder why we have no spiritual life or power, for we find ourselves just merely existing spiritually instead of being quickened by God's word.

We see the importance of being quickened by God's Word when we reflect on the way Jesus responded to Satan's temptation in the wilderness. Jesus did not try to prove who He was or stand on His own power, but instead He allowed the Holy Spirit to quicken the written word of God that was inside of Him. He met every challenge with the words, "It is written." These were Spirit filled words because they had come from the mouth of God and the devil could not argue with them. Jesus had nourished Himself daily on God's Word. Even from an early age He was in the temple studying the scriptures and asking questions. As He took in spiritual food it produced life in His spirit and that life was there for Him when He needed it.

We eat natural food for today's strength that causes us to grow and also sustains us for tomorrow. So it is with the spiritual food. We receive it for today's strength, but it will also be there for us when the enemy tries to attack, tempt, or deceive. Yet, like any natural diet, our spiritual diet must also be balanced. God didn't give us a boring diet but gave us a variety of types of writings to choose from such as history, prophecy, wisdom, songs and poetry, and the gospels. These scriptures will cover every need that we will ever face. Matthew 4:4 says, "Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." However, the word of God must be taken in and digested into our spirit like natural food before it will bring life. II Timothy 2:15 tells us that we must study the word of God for ourselves so that we will not be ashamed because we are able to rightly divide the word of truth. When we study God's word, it gives the Spirit opportunity to speak truths into our lives and causes the word of God to come alive within us. And that life of His Word will give us the strength that we need to face every challenge of the enemy. +++

Scripture: Genesis 22:9 " ... Abraham built an altar ... bound Isaac ... and laid him on the altar on the wood."

God made a covenant with Abraham and called him the father or many nations. God told him that his seed would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Abraham waited many years for the promise of God to come to pass. Finally, when Abraham was one hundred years old, Isaac was born. Abraham enjoyed Isaac for a few years but then there was a new turn of events. God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on an altar. The three days journey up the mountain to fulfill God's instructions must have been the hardest days of Abraham's life. He probably reflected on the good times that he and Isaac had shared together and was most likely very anxious about his present state as the time grew nearer for him to sacrifice Isaac. How was he going to explain this to Isaac and what words would he use to say goodbye? And surely he must have been dreading the future without his precious son at his side.

Who knows what other thoughts went through the mind of this loving father as the pain of the situation gripped his heart? If you have ever walked through the valley of the shadow of death with a loved one, you may in a small sense know how Abraham might have felt. Sometimes it becomes very difficult to obey God and to do His will, particularly when you don't understand what He is doing. Yet as Abraham's obedience prevailed, God rewarded him and provided another sacrifice. Abraham bound Isaac to the altar and as he lifted up the knife to slay him, the angel of Lord spoke and said , "Do not harm him." Then a lamb was found in the brush. God is always faithful and trustworthy. His original promise did come to pass in Abraham's life. Through Isaac, Abraham's seed was blessed.

God's will can become very mysterious at times. He speaks a word or plants a vision in our hearts, then as we try to follow that dream, it seems that He changes His mind. Like Abraham's situation, God stops us right in the middle of the process and tells us to give our hopes back to Him. We watch Him as He builds an altar, binds up our dream, and then lays it upon the wood that is on the altar. We may question Him in our hearts, "Don't You know that the fire is going to consume the wood." This is an awesome test and is never easy, but God wants to find out what passion consumes our heart. What is more important? Is it our vision from God or the God of our vision?

Our word from God cannot consume our heart and dethrone the God who gave it. If we cannot place our dream upon on the altar and allow God's fire to consume it, it has become an idol. There are to be no other God's before Him. When we discover that our destiny has become bigger than God, we must place it in His hands and trust Him to be Lord. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of July 2012

07/16/12
TAKING YOUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE

Scripture: II Corinthians 10:4-5 "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal or human, but they are mighty through God to the ... pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, ... and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

We are in warfare. It is not a war of the flesh, but one of the spirit. Satan is our adversary and his battlefield is our mind. He starts by planting a simple thought in our minds such as a fear, a doubt, or a desire. He knows that if he can infiltrate our mind in some negative way, he can set up a stronghold of deception and hold us captive with those thoughts. He doesn't come to us as a devil in a red suit, long tail, and horns, but appears as an angel of light (II Cor. 11:14). And just like the fruit in the Garden of Eden, he presents us with a thought that seems reasonable, desirable, and wise. He is very patient and he works his plan subtly. He diligently strives to keep us from knowing the real truth, for he knows that the real truth will set us free (John 8:32).

A stronghold is defined as an area that is dominated or occupied by a special group and fortified like a castle or permanent military outpost. Satan enters our minds through our thought process, so we must guard our minds and not allow his thoughts to linger long enough to become a stronghold. Instead, we should allow our faith to rise and dispel any evil or negative thoughts. If we neglect this detail, the devil will take a permanent position like an unwanted houseguest that will not leave. From that vantage point, he fragments and distorts every thought so that he can enforce his thoughts upon us and manipulate our minds. Once his stronghold has been established, Satan then begins to play on our imaginations. These imaginations have the power to form a mental picture or concept that is unreal and not based on an adequate foundation of truth. We begin to imagine all sorts of horrible outcomes concerning the situation that we are in. The more we allow the devil to lead us into his trap, the more control he gains over our lives.

God has made a way of escape for us and supplied us with the weapons and authority to fight this warfare. He has given us His Name, His Word, and power through His blood to battle this evil enemy. He tells us to attack the fortress of the enemy and instructs us to disallow him to keep residence in our minds. We are to cast down the imaginations and take control over every thought, bringing it to the obedience of Christ. In other words, we are to wrap every thought in chains and drag them to the feet of Jesus and replace those thoughts with the Word of God. If the enemy brings thoughts that cause turmoil and confusion, we are to take those thoughts captive and make them obey the words of Jesus.

Jesus said, "Don't let your heart be troubled or anxious." The Word of God is sharper than a two edged sword and there is a scripture that is able to meet every challenge that seeks to bring us into captivity. Our weapons are mighty through God. He gave us the divine power to demolish the strongholds, imaginations, and thoughts of the devil by taking every thought and making it fit into the structure that Jesus created by His words. If it doesn't fit, we are to tear it down and take it captive. We must not expect Jesus to do it for us, for He told us to do it! +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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07/17/12
FAITH AND PATIENCE

Scripture: Hebrews 6:12 "Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

God's work at Calvary is complete, unmovable, and eternal. Our Christian life is based upon our acceptance of this finished work and our own personal faith in the promises of God. God's promises are sure, for He is not a man that lies with His lips or repents and changes the decisions of His heart. God's words are facts that have been established from the foundations of time. They stand steadfast and remain true in all circumstances and at all times. Whatever God says will come to pass, for His words never return to Him void but accomplish what they were sent forth to do.

The only variable in the situation is our faith and our patience towards what God has spoken, for it takes both faith and patience to receive His promises We have heard of the patience of Job, but we must remember that Job also had great faith. He had enough faith to place his life in God's hands and declare, "Though He slay me, I will still trust Him" (Job 13:15). That is unconditional faith that is not based on God's performance. Faith doesn't say, "Give me the answer, then I will believe." Faith says, "I believe and trust God regardless of what happens." Job had enough patience to make it through the trial that he was selected to endure, for God Himself spoke to Satan and said, "Have you considered my servant Job?" He brought Job to Satan's attention and then allowed Satan to take Job through an enormous test. Passing this test was not easy for Job, yet Job's faith and patience survived and he received more at the end of his ordeal than he had at the beginning.

When difficult pressures come our way, we may wonder about the status of God's promises and our own personal faith may tend to waver. It may seem that life itself is just one painful problem after another. Like the account with Job, the current trial that we are in may not end before another one begins. And if we experience disappointments and failures in the midst of these challenges, we may even want to give up because our faith may not have enough patience to endure the process. Yet, it is only as we follow the example of Job and the other mighty saints of the scriptures that we will inherit the promises that God has left to us. We must not be slothful but exhibit the same kind of faith and patience they had. God has faith in us and we can be confident that He will not allow anything to come against us that is greater than we can bear. Faith and patience is our banner of victory and as we stand steadfast, we will inherit God's promises. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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07/18/12
GOOD THINGS FROM GOD

Scripture: Psalms 84:11 "No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly."

Responsible fathers and mothers put away intended gifts and postpone special privileges for their children until the appropriate season. So it is with our Heavenly Father. There are blessings available for each and every one of us, but our wise Father withholds them until we are ready to receive them. He is very generous with His gifts but looks for a heart that is pure and one that He can trust to act with integrity. He also searches for a heart that is sensitive to His wishes and has a desire to meet the needs of others. When the Lord finds a heart that mirrors His attributes and one whose greatest desire is to serve Him and to bless His people, He shares Himself with that individual and withholds no good thing.

The Lord is our Shepherd, and a good shepherd provides everything that his sheep need. A shepherd does not withhold provisions or leave the sheep unprotected. He is with them always and they have nothing to fear, for he will lay down his own life for his sheep. He is their constant companion and is there daily to lead them to green pastures and beside still waters. He sees to every detail and allows no lack to enter their life. He is sensitive to the their hurts and pains and when they are injured, He treats their wounds and pours oil on their bruises. When the storm threatens or danger presents itself, he calms their spirits with soft words and gently sings over them.

This is a picture of our loving Lord who is always there to meet our need more abundantly than we could ask or think. His provisions are never meager to those whom He can trust and He will do all that He can do physically and spiritually to enhance their life for His glory. Yet many times in our struggle for the things that we need, we fail to walk uprightly and our life and focus is found lacking because we have strayed away from the Good Shepherd. We may not be involved in deliberate and outright sin, but we either neglect or leave our first love. Instead of loving the Lord God with all of our heart and seeking His Kingdom first, we allow other things to crowd out our communion with the Lord. We must look at our lives and become more determined to follow the Lord, our Shepherd, and not allow anything to hinder our relationship with Him. When He sees us following Him and walking in His footsteps, He will not withhold any good thing from us. +++

Scripture: Isaiah 30:20-21 "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction ... your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it."

No one wants to eat the bread of adversity or drink the waters of affliction. Yet there are seasons in our lives when this seems to be the only diet that is offered to us. Adversity and afflictions come to us for many reasons. It could be due to our spiritual walk, as we may have strayed from God's will and forsaken His covering. Another reason could be because of our geographical location, like the natural disasters that are happening all over the world. The adversities and afflictions could possibly be a trial to test our faith so that we can be promoted to a new level. It may also be an attack of evil forces or simply be that we have ignored and neglected the laws of nature and caused our own selves to be physically ill. Nevertheless at some point in our lives, we can be sure that we will have hard circumstances to face or barren places to endure.

The encouraging thing is that the prophet doesn't leave us with just the bread of adversity and the water of affliction. He puts a silver lining behind this dark cloud by giving us an encouraging promise to hold on to when we are in the midst of these challenges, which were designed to either discourage or destroy us. He says that the Lord will speak a word in our ears and let us know what we are to do and which way we are to turn. It is a comfort to know that we are never without instructions when we trust in the Lord. Isaiah said that God will be very specific and tell us whether to go to the left or the right. We have nothing to fear when times are uncertain, for God will make our directions very clear. We just have to be sensitive and listen to His voice.

Many times we wander around in a wilderness of despair and we cannot find help because we will not stop and listen to any of God's instructions. We are tired of the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, but we are too busy struggling to follow God out of our dilemma. Everything may have been lost in the fire or swept away in the flood, but God is still God. He has prepared a new place for us and is guiding us down a new path, but we can't go there if we don't obey His voice. Things simply cannot and will not change until we follow God's instruction. So let us determine to be sensitive and listen to God's voice during these difficult times and trust Him enough to go to the right or left at His command. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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07/20/12
FERTILE SOIL

Scripture: Mark 4:20 (Living Bible) "The good soil represents the hearts of those who truly accept God's message and produce a plentiful harvest for God."

Jesus used the natural seed and soil to teach us a very important lesson concerning God's Word and our hearts. As we all know, natural seeds must be planted in good fertile soil for them to be fruitful and bring forth a harvest. Likewise, the truth of God must be planted in a fertile or believing heart before it can accomplish what God intends.

God's Word is always good seed but the condition of our heart determines whether we receive it and allow it to produce an increase in our lives. Jesus listed several things that would hinder us from receiving His word.  He said that one of the seeds fell upon ground that was unprepared, which gave the birds an opportunity to snatch it away. He explained that this word was heard by those who did not understand it, so it did not remain in their hearts. We've all experienced this at some point in our life. We hear a sermon or teaching that is far beyond our understanding. Satan immediately takes this word from us just like the seeds that were taken from the top of the ground.

The second seed fell on stony ground and was received with gladness, but there was no root within the seed itself so it withered in the sun. Jesus said that if we have no root within ourselves, the Word of God will wither in the same fashion when offence, persecution, or affliction come against us. We must have roots of faith within our own hearts for the Word of God to come alive and produce.  The Word of God will not profit if it is not mixed with faith (Hebrews 4:2). We can't depend upon someone else's faith to produce a harvest for us. Many times we get overjoyed when we see someone else act in faith and receive an answer for a special need because of a scripture that took root in their life. Because the word produced for them, we assume that it will work for us. However, God never promised us results when our faith is based on someone else's experience or testimony.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Our faith must be based upon God's Word, which is revealed to us by His Holy Spirit.

The third seed was choked out by the thorns. Jesus compared the thorns to the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches. Like the thorns that grow slowly and subtly alongside the seed, there are many cares in this life that will choke out God's Word. None of us intend to get so busy with our lives that we hinder God's Word and His will. Yet before we know it, we are gradually overwhelmed with our natural duties and relationships. If we are not careful, the first thing to be eliminated from our busy schedule is God and everything spiritual.

Finally, Jesus spoke about the seed that was planted in good soil.  Truth that is planted in good soil takes root downward.  It draws its nourishment from the fertile soil and is able to support the plant and bring forth a harvest.  God plants the seed of His Word, but the current condition of our heart will determine the future of that seed. The harvest is in our hands. We must ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand and receive God's Word. Then we must protect that word, be patient, and understand that something is happening in the darkness of our heart that we cannot see. We must not allow adversity to cause the seed to wither or deception to choke it out. We have great potential so we must strive to be good soil and hold out for God's plentiful harvest. +++

A Word In Due Season
4th Week of July 2012

07/23/12
THE BREAD OF LIFE

Scripture: John 6:35 "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst."

This is a beautiful promise for our lives but it demands an act of obedience on our part; that is, we must come to Jesus for spiritual nourishment and water. We may look many directions for fulfillment, but Jesus is the only one who is truly able to satisfy our hunger and quench our thirst because our real needs are not physical or material. They are spiritual. Jesus told us not to take thought about what we were going to eat, drink, or wear, but instead to seek the Kingdom of God first and then all of these things would be added to us (Matthew 6:32-33). A spirit of deception will attempt to lure us into believing otherwise, but even when we have obtained everything that life has to offer, our inner man will cry out within us for something more fulfilling, for only Jesus can satisfy our souls.

When the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years, they always had a daily provision of food. It was called manna and it came down from Heaven every morning, except for the double portion that came so that they could rest on the Sabbath. The manna was fresh each day and it sustained their physical lives. It was all they needed for nourishment and strength. We must have food and water each day to function and maintain our lives. Nourishment is necessary and it is something that we pursue with passion. If we mentally forget to eat or drink then our physical bodies will cry out and remind us that something is missing. Even an infant feels the pangs of hunger and thirst and cannot live on yesterday's nourishment.

So it is with your spirit. There is a spiritual hunger and thirst within you that cannot be denied. Your spirit needs fresh bread and living water from Heaven every day. It cannot live on yesterday's nourishment or past experiences. Jesus spoke of the manna in the wilderness and He then declared that He was the bread which came down from Heaven (John 6:49-51). He is all that you need, but you must come to Him in order to gather this precious manna every day. You must study His word, pray, worship, and fellowship in His presence. He promises to be there for you every time that you need Him. Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. He will be the bread and water that will nourish and restore your soul. His presence will fill the void and empty places of your heart and His Spirit will settle your mind to know His will. His provision will wipe away every lack and His strength will swallow up your greatest weaknesses. He is your fresh manna and your living water. When you come to Jesus, you can depend upon Him to satisfy your hunger and quench your thirst. +++

Scripture: II Corinthians 9:7 "... God loves a cheerful giver."

God loves a cheerful giver. But God never intended for us to give to Him because He was in need. He has no lack whatsoever because He created everything and owns everything. There is nothing existing that He cannot duplicate and there is no new thing that He can't create. If He needs a stream in the desert, He simply carves out a place with His own hands and it is there. If He needs a dry pathway through the sea, He rolls back the water with the wind of His breath. If He needs the mountain to be moved, just one word from His lips will cause it to come to pass. If God wants to provide a meal for several thousand people, He blesses a small portion of fish and a few loaves of bread and causes it to multiply. He can also change the water into wine. He can plant a seed of life into the barren womb of an older woman or even a young virgin woman and create life where there was no hope. He can also give life back to the dead, sight to the blind, and cause the deaf to hear. He can make the withered hand stretch forth like new and cause the lame to walk. He can create, multiply, restore, and resurrect. He is almighty God and He is unlimited and unstoppable.

God is not desperate for our help, but knows that we desperately need His help. He knows the seed that we sow will produce a greater harvest for us in return. Yet, the process of the harvest will not begin until the seed is planted. In the natural or spiritual, a seed that is never sown will never produce. Our mere intentions to plant or to give will never reap a harvest. God is our Father and He wants us to have more in life than we need but He will only multiply what we sow. Verse six says, "He who sows sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which sows bountifully shall reap bountifully." God allows us to be in control of our seed, but the harvest remains in His hands and produces according to His law of the harvest. Sow little, reap little. Sow much, reap much. Sow nothing and when it is multiplied, it remains nothing.

God shares all that He has with us cheerfully and He wants us to give back to Him and others in the same manner. We are instructed not to give grudgingly or out of necessity. God doesn't need the money or the item that we are giving but He wants us to give because it is a picture of our love for Him, our honor to Him, and our trust in Him. Everything that we have or will ever have came because of God's great love and provision for us. He is the source of our supply and we should follow His example of sharing. We should give cheerfully whenever we give because of our gratitude for the Lord's blessings to us and our intimate feelings for Him. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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07/25/12
REVERSING CAPTIVITY

Scripture: Zephaniah 3:20 "I will reverse your captivity before your eyes."

God's judgments come when we are willingly disobedient and rebellious against His word. Yet, regardless of our unfaithfulness, God remains faithful. He said that if we would confess our sins, He would forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). God wants us to know today that He loves us, and He wants to deliver us from any bondage that is holding us captive. Zephaniah 3:14-17 says, "Sing, shout, ... rejoice, be in high spirits and glory with all your heart.  The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, He has cast down your enemy. The Lord your God is in the midst of you ... He will rejoice over you. He will rest in silent satisfaction. And in His love He will be silent and make no mention of past sins, or even recall them; He will exult over you with singing."

Doesn't that sound just like a loving Father? Because of His love, He forgives and forgets all of your sins. Not only does He forgive and forget your sins, He is also silent about them.  He doesn't broadcast them to others or keep reminding you of them. He only sings praises concerning you, for you are His joy.  If you are a parent, think of how true this concept is.  As parents, we never allow others to condemn our children. We may have to correct our children, but we are also the first to defend them. If someone were interviewing us today and asked us to tell them something about our children, we would point out all of the good and wonderful things about them. We would not dwell on their faults or failures and would be very silent concerning our disappointments. We love our children and would sing over them with songs of joy and praises. However, we may act very differently with our neighbor's child. We would find it easier to acknowledge their faults and wouldn't hesitate to point out the things they did wrong.

Like a loving parent, God is singing over you today with joy and is not rehearsing all your faults because you are His very own child. God doesn't want to remember your sins, so He removes them as far as the east is from the west, and then washes you with the blood of Jesus and covers you with His love.  God loved you so much that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die for you and anointed Him to set you free. The Lord is in your midst. If you allow Him, the love of Jesus and His forgiveness will reverse your captivity. He will rejoice over you and His grace will set you free. +++

Scripture: Mark 4:23-24 Jesus said, "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear ... And be careful what you are hearing."

Our ears are very important in the natural as well as the spiritual realm. Natural ears are organs of hearing and balance. When your natural inner ears are affected, your whole body is disturbed and out of balance. Nothing seems quite right around you and you may even stagger around as though you are drunk. Like the natural, your spiritual ears are not only organs of hearing but also of balance. What you hear with your spiritual ears establishes your faith, affects your balance, and determines your walk with the Lord. You will either walk in faith and boldness or stagger around in wavering doubt and unbelief.

Jesus taught us to be very careful of what we listen to because the things we hear will establish our faith. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word." Whether positive or negative, you will begin to believe what you hear and you will trust those things that you give attention to. If you choose to listen to negative words and believe the negative thoughts of your circumstances, others, and your own mind, you will develop negative faith, which is doubt. You will find yourself out of balance and in a state of discouragement. Your faith will be tossed to and fro like the waves of the seas. When your faith is challenged, you will stagger as a drunken man, totally out of balance. James 1:7-8 says the double minded man is unstable in all of his ways and he will not be able to receive anything from the Lord.

On the other hand, if you choose to listen to God's Word and meditate on it day and night, Psalms 1:2-3 says you will be like a tree that is planted by the water and everything that you do will prosper. Your walk will be established because God's word will cause faith to come alive in your heart. When you take heed to what you are hearing, you will be like Abraham. He did not stagger in unbelief at the promises of God because he refused to consider the age of his own body or the deadness of Sarah's womb (Romans 4:19-20). Abraham believed what God had told him and his faith allowed him to take action to bring that word to a place of victory. Like Abraham's choice, hearing and listening is an act of your own will and a personal decision on your part. What you choose to hear will become a part of your being and will cause you to grow in either a negative or a positive direction. So take heed to what you decide to hear because it will determine your future. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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07/27/12
WHERE'S GOD?

Scripture: Psalms 42:5 "Why be down cast? Why be discouraged and sad? Hope in God?"

God is your heavenly Father and He wants you to feel safe, protected, and loved. He wants you to know that you have nothing to fear because He is in control of every situation in your life. You are to be as a small child in His loving arms. He said that He would never put more upon you than you could bear, and promised you grace and strength for every challenge that life has to offer. You will never have to face hardships and disappointments alone because He said, "I am with you always, even until the end of the world." (Matthew 28:20)

The writer of this psalm was discouraged and sad because of his circumstances. He was exiled in a foreign land and his enemies mocked him continually, saying, "Where is your God?" He longed to return to Jerusalem so that he could worship God in the temple again. He was so thirsty for the presence of God that he compared himself to a deer panting for a water brook. He revealed the depth of his oppression and despair as he spoke of being in tears night and day. There were times that he even questioned God saying, "Why have you forgotten me?" His emotions took him on a roller coaster ride. When he was down, he poured out his soul to the Lord in despair and then when he was up, he remembered the goodness of God and began to praise Him. He spoke of his adverse circumstances, then memories of past victories flooded his mind and he rejoiced and sang in the darkness of his hour. The doubts of his mind challenged the faith in his heart, but immediately his spirit rose within him and he finally came to this conclusion and confession of hope. Speaking to himself, he said, "Don't be discouraged. Don't be upset. Expect God to act! ... He is my help! He is my God!"

Do you wonder where God is in your situation right now? He wants you to know that He is in the same place He was when He created you. God is sitting on His throne and is high above the confusion and turmoil that you are facing right now. Although you may feel like you are held captive by circumstances that are beyond your control, remember that God is still God. He is your help! Don't be discouraged if your finances don't take a sudden turnaround the moment you pray and don't be confused when your health doesn't spring forth immediately. Don't allow your emotions to stretch you from high to low because you don't have all the answers. Isaiah 50:10 says, "Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God." When you have no answers, submit to God's deeper work and simply trust in Him. Instead of being cast down or discouraged, be encouraged knowing that God is your Father and He is there in the dark with you. +++

A Word In Due Season
5th Week of July 2012

07/30/12
TRUST HIS SOLUTIONS

Scripture: James 1:2 "When you fall into various temptations..."

James, the writer of this epistle, took it for granted that the followers of Jesus Christ would encounter various trials and temptations. He was aware that challenges would come against their deep desire to walk uprightly. He knew that spiritual falls were inevitable, so he did not say "if" you fall, but rather "when" you fall. Falls are never planned. They just happen suddenly and without warning. You find yourself going down, but there's nothing you can do but brace yourself and hope for the best.

In verses two through five, James gives instructions as to what to do when we fall into temptation and our faith is being tried. He says, "When you fall, be joyful, be patient, and ask God for wisdom." When you are able to maintain your joy and patience it puts enormous pressure on the devil. As we respond to the situation in joy, we are letting the devil know that we believe that God is still the One on the throne, and that He is in control regardless of what is happening. As we remain patient, allowing God to do a perfect work, we in essence show that we are trusting God's perfect timing. Our faith speaks and says, "Everything is in God's hands." His Word assures us that He will not put more upon us than we are able to bear. We know that if things get too rough, God will make a way of escape. He is the keeper of His word.

However, our enemy, the devil, is roaming about seeking whom he can devour and we are his open prey. He knows our individual weaknesses and uses every means to cause us to stumble and fall. But if we ask God for His guidance and help, He will provide a way out of every temptation and trial. He is the God of all wisdom and He is still the Almighty Creator. He will create a way where there seems to be none. He can make a way in the wilderness or streams in the desert. Nothing is too hard or impossible with God. He specializes in rivers that seem to be uncrossable and mountains that can't be tunneled through. His wisdom is so much higher than our wisdom and He can do what no other power can do. He is the God of all grace, and He wants to impart Himself and His wisdom to you. He has your best interest in mind. In the midst of temptation, stop for a moment and in simple faith ask God for His wisdom and then trust His solutions. +++

Copyright © 2012 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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07/31/12
RENEWING THE INNER MAN

Scripture: II Corinthians 4:16 (Amplified) "Though our outer man is progressively decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being progressively renewed day after day."

The Apostle Paul reminded us that our outer man, which is our physical body, is progressively decaying and wasting away. We don't like to think about those words, but the older we get, the more we come to understand that our bodies are not capable of lasting forever. Even though we may go to great lengths to maintain them and try to extend their lives, we know that we can't stop the aging process. From the moment we exit the womb, we are headed towards death, and like Paul said, our natural bodies will progressively get older and weaker.

Our spiritual man, as believers, is just the opposite. Paul said that our spiritual man is progressively renewed day by day. From the time that we experience the new birth, our inner man is headed towards eternal life. And much like our outward bodies that have to be cared for, our spiritual inner man has to be nourished and exercised. If it is neglected, we will experience leanness within our souls, just as a physical body becomes malnourished when it is without food and care.

The nourishing and strengthening of our inner man is a work of the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit can only work with the materials that we give to Him. In the natural, when you are trying to strengthen your body, you eat proper food and drink plenty of water, exercise, and get sufficient rest. You don't work on just a couple of your muscles and let the others go, you work your entire body so that your strength is not warped and out of balance. The entire body has to be fit for you to be in good health and to be able to function properly.

In the spiritual realm, the same process must occur for your spirit man to be renewed. You must eat of the bread of life daily, feasting on God's Word. Without applying yourself to the diligent study of the Word, the Holy Spirit is unable to teach you or transform you into the image of God's dear Son. Just like natural food, you can't live off of someone else's nourishment. You must take God's nourishment in for yourself and drink of the living water, refreshing yourself from the wells of salvation. You must build up your own self on your most Holy faith by praying in the Spirit (Jude 20). And you must always stay within the boundaries that God has set so that His love can reach and bless you (Jude 21). These are just a few of things that will start you on the road to a renewal in your spirit. As you do these things, God will reveal other things for you to do, and in a short time you will find that your inner self is being progressively renewed day by day. +++