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A Word In Due Season
1st Week of January 2013

01/01/13
PRESENTING YOURSELF TO GOD

Scripture: Romans 12:1 "... present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

I received an email from one of our readers from Kenya, Africa whose name is Pastor Mbogo Zakayo. As he wrote of his desire to serve the Lord, I thought of the Apostle Paul's words, which instructed us to present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. We may not be called to be a martyr and die for the cause of Christ, but we are called to present our fleshly bodies to Him as a living sacrifice. We are to take up our cross daily and live a life that is holy and acceptable to God. According to Paul, this act is a reasonable service, for God has never called us to do anything that we could not do. We are to present ourselves to God with the resolve to live a holy acceptable life before Him each and every day.

As Pastor Mbogo Zakayo expressed his heart's desire to please God, I have captured some of his own words and rearranged them to form the following prayer. These words would be beneficial for all of us to pray as we present ourselves to God on a daily basis.

My Father God, I honor Your Holy Name.
Today, I present my body to You as a living sacrifice.
I pray that my life will be holy and acceptable to You.
I pray for a daily cleansing of my heart so that it may be pure.
I ask that You purify my motives, my desires, my ambitions, and my passions.
I want no spirit of self-seeking, vain glory, or pride to have a place within me.
I want nothing in my life that would displease You, Lord, or cause me to be the least bit unusable for Your service.
I do not want to bring reproach upon the Name of Jesus in any way, for in Him I live and have my being.
Apart from Jesus, I am lost and undone.
He is the very air I breathe and I cannot live without Him.
I do not want to live without Him!
Father, I believe that You will use me in these last days as You have spoken.
I have wept at the awesome knowledge of Your calling, yet, it is not something that I, myself, have desired.
Lord, above everything, I desire that Your will be done and not my own. It is all about You!
The only qualifications that I have are what You have given to me.
My greatest desire is to know You, Lord, more intimately; and to move and flow in Your power for that is what will accomplish Your will.
Lord, help me to respect Your Word and not to be involved in deception.
Help me not to take lightly Your anointing or misuse it in any way.
Lord, I also pray for the entire body of Christ and lift them up to You, that each member will be strong, healthy, and in their proper place so that the body can function and complete the purposes for which it was designed.
We know that Christ is returning for a glorious church.
Let us be counted with those who are without spot or blemish.
Amen. +++

Scripture: Zechariah 4:10 "For who has despised the day of small things?"

We have just completed fourteen years in publishing our devotional, A Word In Due Season. As we reflect on the past, we stand in awe at what the Lord has accomplished through the simple words of this ministry. During these ten years, we have received many testimonies, prayer request, and inquiries concerning scripture and the plan of salvation. Your responses have been a blessing to us. And like the words of the prophet, we can certainly testify that our beginning was truly a day of small things. When we sent our first e-devotional on January 2, 1999, we had a list of six people, which included my son and his wife, my friend and her husband, and my niece and her husband. Within a week, however, these six began to forward the devotionals to others, and within a short amount of time, this ministry grew into an international ministry and opened doors for us on the foreign mission fields. We have no idea how many people are being reached through our daily email devotional, our website, or through the other websites that post our devotionals. We do know from the responses that we have received that we are reaching over forty-five nations around the world.

I wanted to share this with you as an individual because God can use you in the same way. I had never thought about doing an internet devotional, and when my oldest son first suggested it, I completely ignored the prospects. I didn't have a computer and I knew nothing about them, and to be honest, I didn't even know what email was. When we began this ministry, I had to use my younger son's computer and was so intimidated by it that he had to turn it on and off for me. He would allow me to write my message for the day, and then he would send it out and turn the computer off. I can't imagine being that helpless now and it is embarrassing to even admit this to you, but I do it with the purpose of letting you know that God can take the smallest gift that we bring to Him and turn it into a bountiful blessing for His people. The Lord is not limited by our lack. I have truly experienced the words that Paul wrote in I Corinthians 1:26-27 which says that "God does not choose the wise, the mighty, or the noble, but He chooses the foolish and the weak..." God did not call me because I was able, but He enabled me because He called me.

As you start this new year, I encourage you to look for new ways that God can use you. It may get overwhelming as it did for me. A Word In Due Season is all original material unless we acknowledge that it is a quote. After the first ten days, I had written everything that I knew and I thought, "What do I do now?" I had nothing left to say, but God is awesome and has been faithful to give us a word in due season for these fourteen full years.

I want to thank you for allowing us to minister to you and want you to know that your prayers for this ministry have been a blessing. Please allow God to work in your life and do not shrink back from anything that He has asked you to do. If God calls you to do something new and unfamiliar, He will send a mentor your way. Like my example, there will be someone there to turn the computer on and off or do whatever is necessary to help you complete God's call. Your simple obedience is the key to your ministry to others and your ministry towards others will be a ministry to the Lord. Jesus said, "Whatever you do for the least of the brethren, you do for Me." So never despise the day of small things and small beginnings. Be faithful in that which is small and God will make you ruler over much (Luke 19:17). +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/03/13
SEED AND BREAD

Scripture: Isaiah 55:10-11 "As the rain and snow comes down from the heavens ... that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes forth out of My mouth; it shall not return to Me void."

God doesn't speak random words. Each word that He speaks is full of power and brings about a life changing result. When He said, "Let there be light," there was light. When He spoke the sun, moon, and stars into existence, they appeared. God hasn't changed in His methods and His words are still creative. He has a unique purpose for each and every word that He speaks to us. His Word is like the rain and snow that comes down from the heavens and waters the earth. It brings life and causes our faith to grow just like the rain causes the things on the earth to grow. Neither the rain nor God's Word ever returns to Him with void written on them. They are both accountable to God and accomplish the work that He designed for them to do.

When God sends forth His Word, Isaiah said that it produces two effects; seed to the sower and bread to the eater. As we hear the Word of God, those two things should happen in our lives. First, His Word should strengthen, grow, and nourish us within our spirits like natural bread does for our bodies. His Word should sustain us in our daily life by giving us direction, correction, hope, and encouragement. That is the reason it is so important to feed on God's Word daily, for we need continual spiritual nourishment. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Father" (Luke 4:4). God's Word that comes down from Heaven is our spiritual bread and gives spiritual life.

Second, God's Word should also be seed that we sow, or words that we can share with others to strengthen, encourage, and nourish their spirits in their daily life. Jesus intended for us to pass along God's Word to others as He told us to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel" (Mark 16:15). We are to be a sower of the Word and bring the same direction, correction, hope, and encouragement that we have received from the Word. Each time we hear a good sermon or Bible study or read a book or devotional, we should share those thoughts with someone else along the way who might need a word of encouragement. God rarely speaks audibly to mankind, but He allows you to be the voice of His Word in this earth. With each opportunity that is presented, begin to receive God's Word as your own bread and then sow it as seed into the lives of others. You will be blessed! +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/04/13
HALLOWED BE THY NAME

Scripture: Matthew 6:9 "Hallowed be Thy Name."

Hallowed means sacred, holy, and blameless. Jesus taught us that we are to give reverence, honor, and glory to the Name of our Father who is in Heaven. In the Ten Commandments, we are told not to take the Name of the Lord our God in vain. This command not only means not to speak His Name in profanity, but also not to dishonor His Name in the way we live, for God's name is sacred, holy, and blameless.

Names not only identify a person, but also call to mind the character, attitudes, and integrity of that person. For this reason, we try to protect our name. My father was very proud of his name and did not want it to be dishonored. I was taught that everything I did was a reflection on my father and his name. In our community, my father's name was trusted because it was backed up by his character and integrity. Everyone knew that he was a hard working, honest, no-nonsense person, and that he paid his bills. His word was his bond and his name backed up his word. He could borrow money from the bank on his name alone and made deals with just a handshake. I was given the privilege to use my father's name and could charge debts against his name. I was never questioned because I was his child, and I was called by his name. Although I did not personally have any resources, the lender knew that my father would honor and take care of the debt.

This is true in the spiritual realm as well. God gave Jesus a special name that is above every name and Philippians 2:10-11 declares that "at the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow ... and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord". Jesus then told us that we could also use this special name that the Father had given to Him. In John 14:14 He said, "If you shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it."

Listed below are names of God in the Old Testament. These names were established as God met with man and revealed His character to them.

YAHWEH, "I AM THAT I AM" - Exodus 3:14
Jehovah Jireh, "The Lord my Provider" - Gen. 22:14
Jehovah Nissi, "The Lord is my Banner" - Ex. 17:15
Jehovah Shalom, "The Lord is Peace" - Judges 6:24
Jehovah Sabbaoth, "The Lord of Hosts" - I Sam. 1:3
Jehovah Maccaddeshcem , "The Lord my Sanctifier" - Ex. 31:13
Jehovah Raah, "The Lord is my Shepherd" - Ps. 23:1
Jehovah Tsidkenu, "The Lord my Righteousness" - Jerm. 23:6
Jehovah Shammah, "The Lord is there (present)" - Ezk. 48:35
Jehovah Elohim, "The Lord God of Israel" - Jud. 5:3; Is. 17:6
Jehovah Rophe, "The Lord my Healer" - Ex. 15:26

As we think on these names, let us remember that God is all we need. We have no power within ourselves, but we have power in His Name. He is the same God today as He was when He spoke to Moses, "I AM THAT I AM" (Exodus 3:13-14). Whatever we need today, He says, "I AM." I AM the answer to all of your questions. If you need provisions, I AM your Provider. If you need healing, I AM your Healer. If you need victory, I AM your Banner. I AM your peace. I AM your Shepherd and will lead you through the valleys and restore you. I AM your Righteousness. And, I AM the God that is always present. I AM your God. I AM everything that you need Me to be. I AM THAT I AM! HALLOWED BE HIS NAME!!!! +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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A Word In Due Season
2nd Week of January 2013

01/07/13
FEAR NOT

Scripture: Isaiah 41:10 (Amplified) "Fear not; [there is nothing to fear] for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed."

Webster's Dictionary defines dismay as "A sudden or compete loss of courage or confidence; sudden disappointment, anxiety, fright, apprehension, or dread." In this verse God tells us that we must get rid of these kinds of negative emotions. He says, "Don't be looking around for something to be afraid of and don't consider the circumstances that surround you, but consider Who I am." Then He lists who He is in reference to our circumstances.

     1)   "I am your God."
     2)   "I will strengthen you and harden you to difficulties."
     3)   "I will help you."
     4)   "I will hold you up and retain you with My victorious right
            hand of rightness and justice."

Regardless of how bad things look, your problems and circumstances are not your God. God is your God and Jesus is your Lord. God will not only strengthen you so that you can make it through the trial, but He will cause you to become stronger because of it. God is bigger than any problem, and with Him at your side the enemy does not have a chance. You are more than a conqueror when God is on your team. He is holding you up with His right hand and He will not allow you to fall. The prophet continues to say in verse eleven and twelve that "those who strive and contend against you shall be put to shame, confounded, and brought to nothing." And "those who war against you shall be as nothing, as nothing at all." Praise the Name of the Lord.

God is ready to help you in all of the circumstances that are overwhelming to you. But before He can help, you have to change your attitudes and act in faith. You can't allow fear, sudden disappointment, anxiety, and dread to deplete your courage and confidence. For victory to come in your life, you must not be terrified of the enemy. You must let go of your anxieties and grab hold of faith. You must believe that God is God and when He is with you, you have nothing to fear.+++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/08/13
GUARD AGAINST OFFENSE

Scripture: Psalms 119:165 "Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them."

Offenses knock on the door of our hearts daily through misunderstandings, unkind words, and inappropriate actions against us. Offenses not only come from an insensitive world but also from our closest friends and family. We can write off many of the offenses because we do not have a close bond with the offender. Their words and actions are easily excused because they are not included in the circle of our truest and most trusted relationships. But the greater the love that we have for the offender, the greater the offense will be to our spirit. And likewise, the greater someone loves us, the easier it is for us to offend them even though our offensive words and actions may not be intentional.

The worst part about an offense is not the deed itself. The wound is painful but it is only the beginning of the destructive force that is designed against us. Offense is a spirit that seeks to kill, steal, and destroy relationships. It is a seed that wounds the spirit and if it is not dealt with when it is planted, it will grow into a mighty tree that cannot be easily removed. The fruit of this tree will be bitterness, hate, and unforgiveness. Many friends and family members have been separated for years because of a simple offense, and many times those who have been offended can't even remember what the initial offense was. My own sons still rehearse an offense because one of them ate the cherry that was on top of the other one's birthday cake over thirty years ago when they were children. Of course, it is a big joke now and all is forgiven but the truth remains that the offense has never been forgotten. I stand amazed because bottles filled with cherries have never been able to absorb the fact that one lone cherry disappeared from a birthday cake so many years ago.

I heard an illustration that spoke of an offense as being like a ball that is thrown to us. We have the opportunity to either catch the ball when it is thrown or we can choose to let it pass. If we catch the ball or receive the offense we do violence to our own spirit. The offense will cause us to distrust the offender in the future and we may find ourselves dealing with negative emotions and unable to walk in love towards them. When we receive an offense into our lives, it will motivate us to build a wall of protection around ourselves so that we are not vulnerable to another painful experience. In the midst of it all, we fail to realize that the same wall we create not only shuts out our offender but it also keeps God from entering in. His Word declares that if there is offense in our lives, me must lay our gift at the altar and go reconcile ourselves with our brother and then come offer our gifts to God (Matthew 5:23-24). He says that if we do not forgive others, we cannot be forgiven by Him. This is a high price to pay for harboring an offense in our heart.

Knowing God's Word and operating in His laws will give you a greater strength against the spirit of offense. Refusing the offense is a conscience effort that you must make for the good of yourself and for the good of the other person. The psalmist said that nothing can offend you if you love God's law. So wrap His words around your mind and allow them to guard your heart. Great peace will be your reward. Remember that it is up to you to refuse to catch the ball or resist the spirit of offense when it comes your way. +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/09/13
FINDING LIFE

Scripture: Matthew 16:25 " ... whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it."

Many people search for contentment day after day, but never find it. They are always waiting for something grand to happen in their lives. Their attention is drawn to the material and think that possessions, status, and fame will be the thing that will satisfy their souls. They climb the ladder every day, but never reach the top. They run the race, but never get to the finish line. They travel the road, but never arrive at their destination. They seek diligently, but never find the true treasures. They have life, but they never really live.

Jesus shared with us a special way to experience the fullness of life. He said those who would lose their life for His sake would find it. Jesus also told us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. It is only as we lay aside our own natural desires that we are able to focus on the spiritual. When we begin to view things from the perspective of the cross, we see that our life has a bigger purpose than just for ourselves. As God shows us the true purpose for our life, the revelation motivates and energizes us. Our priorities are no longer swayed by the distractions that surround us. Our integrity is no longer challenged by the temptations that seek to destroy us and enticing detours are no longer able to divert us. Like Paul, we are able to press towards the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). And like Jesus, we are able to endure the cross and run the race with patience because of the prize that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1).

If you really want to live, take Jesus at His words. Trust Him, lay your life at the foot of the cross, and allow God to show you what He has planned for you. He has good plans for you, which include a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). His ways are higher than your ways and His thoughts are higher than your thoughts. The life that God has planned for you is greater than any plan that you could ever come up with. Give your life to God and allow Him to live through you. As you lose yourself in Him and sacrifice the lower life, you will find the higher purpose and gain the greater life. +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/10/13
FROM VESSEL TO VESSEL

Scripture: Jeremiah 48:11 "He has settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel ... therefore his taste remains in him, and his scent is not changed."

This scripture refers to the country of Moab, which had settled down in its prosperity, and because it was not in captivity or facing adversity, it felt no need to trust in God. This season of ease and the lack of challenges that Moab was experiencing had caused the hearts of the people to become stale in their faith. Jeremiah compared its state to the process of wine making, declaring that Moab had "settled on its lees."

When wine is being made it must be poured from one vessel to another to separates the liquid from the dregs. This process forces the dregs to settle in the bottom of the vessel, which improves the quality of the wine and produces a fresh scent. Wine that is not poured from vessel to vessel acquires the essence of the dregs that have settled at the bottom or "settled on its lees." It would be similar to drinking coffee with stale grinds in the bottom of the cup.

Through the challenges of life, God works this same process within our spirits. Sometimes we don't understand why good people have to go through bad times. Yet, it's the hard times that teach us how to trust God, and it's the hard times that keep us from becoming like Moab, "settled on our lees," or at ease and undisturbed. It's in the places of no options that our faith is challenged and our hearts learn to believe in God. It is only when we are poured out and emptied that God can fill us with His presence so that He can use us. Through each test and trial, we go through a releasing of our own desires and self. The more difficult the test, the more we release. In reality, we would rather travel the road of least resistance. It is a lot easier to settle on our lees and stay in the blessings or to sit on the pew and receive rather than be poured out on the altar. Often we rebel against being torn away from our desires, but God works with us anyway. He pours us from vessel to vessel and disallows us to settle in our own dregs. He refuses to allow us to become stale. God molds us until we are conformed into His image and then He fills us with His Spirit and causes us to take on His essence.

Jesus experienced this same process as He made Himself of no reputation. He emptied Himself of all that He was and allowed God to pour Him out for mankind. He "took the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man: ... He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:7-8 & 5). He poured Himself out for us and challenges us to do the same for Him. His Word, "Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus." As we yield to the Lord, He does the pouring and takes us from glory to glory with each new experience. As we leave the dregs behind, our lives begin to yield a freshness and a scent that is pleasing to our Maker and not offensive to the world about us. +++

Scripture: Acts 13:22 "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My Own heart, which shall fulfill all My will."

God led the people of Israel out of Egypt and separated them unto Himself. He then raised up the various judges who judged and guided the people for four hundred and fifty years. After that, He appointed King Saul to rule over them. Finally, God removed Saul from leadership and anointed David to be the king of Israel. God never judged any of these chosen or appointed people to have a pure heart towards Him except for David. Yet, David's pure heart for God can not be defined as one that was without sin or short comings. In fact when we look at his life, we have to wonder how God came to the conclusion that David was a man after His own heart, for we see that David made many mistakes. He harbored lust in his heart for Bathsheba and committed moral sin with her. David also arranged for Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, to be killed in battle so that he could hide his own adulterous affair with Uriah's wife. David even tried to deceive Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, when Samuel confronted him and exposed the sin that he had committed against God.

After seeing David's pitiful record, we would probably all agree that David did not deserve the recognition of being called "A Man After God's Own Heart." Our eyes would only see David's unwise choices, which were beyond belief. Our limited vision would focus on the dreadful sins that David had committed and their horrifying results. Even after being chosen and anointed to be king over Israel, he still made many bad decisions and suffered many failures. Those things would turn our eyes away from discerning the pure heart that David had towards God and God's kingdom.

God's vision is not limited like our vision. He can see that which is not visible to our eyes. He could see into the depths of David's soul and discern his spirit. When God looked at David He saw a man that loved Him with all of his heart. God knew that regardless of David's personal failures that he wanted to obey God and was committed to fulfill God's will regardless of the cost. It was true that he fell into nature's trap and allowed lust to rule him for a season. It is also true that he chose the ways of darkness rather than light and self pleasure instead of self sacrifice. Yet, God knew that He was David's first love.

The story of David's life was recorded to encourage us. For all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable ... so that we can be complete and thoroughly furnished unto all good works (II Timothy 3:16-17). When we see how God judged David, we realize that God is looking at our hearts and not just our failures. We can then believe that if God forgave David of his sins and use David as a mighty man in His kingdom, He will also forgive us and use us in spite of our short comings. When we look at David's life, our sins begin to look small and our failures and mistakes become insignificant in comparison to his. We also come to understand that when we fail, it doesn't mean that we don't love God, for David sinned and was still declared to be a man after God's own heart. Our failures show us that we are frail in our humanity and that God understands our weaknesses. Yet, this doesn't mean that we can continue in sin and cheat God's grace. Instead it means that we do not have to discard our love for God because God's forgiveness is bigger than any of our failures. So let us always love God and always seek to be men and women after God's own heart. +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
www.widsonline.com
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A Word In Due Season
3rd Week of January 2013

01/14/13
SACRIFICE OF A BROKEN SPIRIT

Scripture: Psalms 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit ..."

David made mention of a broken spirit in his prayer of confession to God. David came to God with great repentance in his heart after the prophet, Nathan, had confronted him about his sin with Bathsheba. David was shamed, riddle with guilt, and broken hearted as he poured out his sorrow for the sins that he had committed. He pleaded earnestly for God's mercy and forgiveness and asked God to cleanse him and restore him with the joy of His salvation. David said, "Take not your Holy Spirit from me." In this state of brokenness, he came to realize that this was the true sacrifice that God desired. David acknowledged that burnt offerings and blood sacrifices that he presented to God meant nothing to God and were of little importance if his own heart was not touched and changed.

David allowed the brokenness of his heart to bring him into a new strength and he discovered a truth as he faced his situation. This truth is that we are never to fear brokenness, for God makes a special promise to those who pass through this dark emotional valley. In this humble state, God gives a special grace and endows a new strength. David said, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit" (Psalms 34:18). He also declared that "the afflictions of the righteous are many, but that God delivers them out of them all." Notice that he said, "them all." God doesn't deliver us out of some of our problems, but He delivers us out of 'them all."

Like David, we can take comfort in these words and even rejoice when we are down, knowing that God has promised to do two things for us. First when our hearts are broken, He promised to be near us. He will be there to comfort us with His awesome presence and strengthen us through His bountiful love. And second, when we are in the midst of afflictions, He will deliver us out of all of them. We can depend upon God in every circumstance, for He will never fail. As we come to the end of ourselves, it will no longer be our strength, but God's strength that will prevail. God is not so much interested in what we can give or how great our sacrifices are. He is simply looking for a broken heart to mend and a contrite spirit to whom He can minister. +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/15/13
TARES AMONG THE WHEAT

Scripture: Matthew 13:25 "But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat."

Jesus told of a man who had sown good seed in his field, but while he and his men were asleep, the enemy came and sowed weeds or thistles throughout his field. The man wasn't aware of the evil deed that had been done against him, but when his wheat began to spring up, the tares or weeds also appeared. The man's servant wanted to remove the tares immediately, but his master declined the suggestion with the warning that if they tried to remove the tares, they might uproot the wheat in the process. He said, "Let both of them grow together until the harvest, then we will gather up the tares and burn them and gather the wheat and store it in the barn."

Jesus explains this parable saying that the tares are the children of the wicked one (Vs. 36-43). While Jesus sowed the good seed in the earth, which produced wheat, the enemy sowed bad seed, which produced the tares. It seems that the fields of God's Kingdom are always the targets of Satan's activity. Satan goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and continually mingles his evil seed amongst the good. His goal is to deceive the very elect if possible. His work is so very subtle that in the beginning both the wheat and the tares look so much alike that it is hard to distinguish them from each other.

Jesus warned us that the devil himself would appear as an angel of light and He referred to many of the religious leaders of His time as being vipers or snakes. Jesus also told us that there would be those who would do mighty works and even cast out devils in His name, but in the end of time, He would declare that He never knew them. All of these manifested themselves as being good. Who could deny an angel of light, religious leaders, or those doing mighty works in the Name of Jesus? Yet these workers of iniquity were actually tares that were growing amongst the wheat.

We must understand that God doesn't take all the wrong influences out of our lives and give us a perfect world to live in. He said that evil would be with us until the end of time. The devil will make his bid for our attention and for our very life. There will always be those around us who professed to be wheat, when in reality they are tares. They may say and do all the right things but they walk in deception. We must ask the Holy Spirit to open our spiritual eyes and help us walk in discernment so that we are not led astray and tossed about by every wind of doctrine. We must be vigilant and learn to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, wheat and tares, by judging and measuring everything with the Word of God. +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/16/13
WINGS AS EAGLES

Scripture: Isaiah 40:31 "They shall mount up with wings as eagles."

Who would not like to take advantage of this promise, for the eagle is majestic in flight? It is the king of all the birds and is set apart from all others because of its beauty and dignity. Yet, who of us are willing to make the sufficient sacrifice that will enable us to obtain this grand experience of mounting up with wings as eagles? For, this promise is made only to those who will take the time to wait upon God. Waiting can either be the idea of lingering in God's presence, serving Him in obedience, or being submissive to His perfect timing. Either way, "to wait" demands putting aside all natural desires and instincts and seeking first the kingdom of God and His perfect will.

The condition of the wings is very important to the eagle. For the eagle to be able to mount up and soar through the heavens, it must take the time to prepare its feathers. This is a daily process in which the eagle isolates itself from every distraction and spends at least an hour each day preening its feathers. As the eagle preens its feathers, it passes each one through its beak and exhales air, which cleans and seals the individual hairs of the feathers together. Through this same process, the outer feathers are treated with a chemical that is secreted by the preening gland. This preparation is done at the beginning of each day. Only through the patience of this process can the eagle's feathers be strengthened enough to endure the abuse from the winds and weather and its wings be made sturdy enough to capture its prey.

The eagle doesn't bat its wings as the other birds do. It learns to master the winds through submission. It doesn't lean on its own strength, but gives itself totally to the force of the wind that is under it. And even though the eagle has made every preparation for flight, it never moves in presumption. It waits patiently for the wind because it recognizes that the wind is its power.

Like the eagle, our strength also rests in the power of the winds of the Spirit and our times must be left in God's hands. All we can do is wait in His presence and prepare our wings for the day by examining and spiritually cleansing our lives. As we do, God will seal His strength into our very being and make us ready to endure the challenge of the battles and abuses that are set before us. As we wait upon the Lord, He will make known His purposes and give clear directions. Because we have been strengthened in the Lord's presence, we won't grow weary or faint while batting our wings in fury. Instead, we will catch the winds of the Spirit and mount up with wings as the eagles. +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/17/13
THE WAY

Scripture: John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father but by Me."

Jesus is the only way to the Father. He is the truth and there is life through no other. We must lay aside our own ideas and independence and rely totally upon Him in order to reach our eternal destination. On a mission trip to the Philippines, we ministered in some remote villages in the mountains. The way was hard and the roads, if you could call them roads, were very rugged. It took hours to go a few miles, and along the way I realized that I had no idea how to get to our destination. I didn't know the way and there was no map or directions. Even if I had known the way I could not have driven or maneuvered my way through the paths that we had to take. The roads were narrow and most of the times we were two or three feet from a 2,000-foot or more drop-off with no guardrails for protection. There was water and mud to go through and rocks to travel across. There were a few times when the driver had to get out of the vehicle and scout the road ahead before proceeding on the journey. At other times he was forced to pull over closer to the edge to yield to another vehicle.

I had to place all of my faith and trust in this man that I had just recently met, but at no point in the journey did it ever enter my mind to take the wheel or to proceed on my own. Neither did I attempt to direct him from the back seat. I was just thankful that I was not at the wheel. In a very real sense our driver had become my way. He was my truth, for he had knowledge of the mountain roads that I did not have, so I made a decision to rely upon his wisdom and driving expertise. He also became my life, for he literally held the security of my next breath in his hands. He did an awesome job and gained my highest respect as he brought us safely to our journey's end and without harm.

As we traveled through these remote areas, I thought of these words that Jesus had spoken, for our journey through life is much like my journey to the mountains. Our spiritual future is hidden from our eyes and there is no way to get to our destination by our own means. There is a path set before us, but we can't travel that path without Jesus. He is our way, and our only way. We are lost and undone without His guidance in life. He leads us one step at a time through rugged paths and helps us stay on the narrow passages. He does all that He can to protect us as we travel life's journey and warns us that the way which is broad will lead us into destruction. He knows the path that we take, scouts the roads before us, and encourages us not to fear because He is in control. Jesus is our truth and has knowledge that we don't have, so we must trust His words of wisdom and approach the Father on the basis of His eternal words. He also is our life because His presence dwells within us, quickening our spirits and our mortal bodies. He shares with us His very being, and He alone is able to satisfy our souls.

In the words of Mother Teresa, "He is the Life I want to live, the Light I want to reflect, the Way to the Father, the Love I want to express, the Joy I want to share, the Peace I want to sow around me. Jesus is everything to me." +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/18/13
ENABLED FOR BATTLE

Scripture: II Samuel 22:35 "He teaches my hands to war."

These words were in the midst of a song that King David composed as he praised God for delivering him from all of his enemies. David not only praised God for his deliverance, but he also acknowledged that God had trained him for battle. We prefer the battles in which God instructs us to "Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord" or "Hold your peace and let the Lord fight your battle." God's deliverance is sweet when He takes care of our enemies and we are not required to face the challenge. However, when God supplied us with His armor for battle, He not only gave us defensive weapons for protection, such as a belt of truth, a breastplate of righteousness, a shield of faith, and a helmet of salvation, but He also provided us with a weapon for offensive battle. This mighty weapon is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. With each challenge, God gives us a fresh word and a new revelation by His Spirit. His Word is a two-edged sword, which equips us for battle and sustains us in every adversity.

When David fought the giant, he had to lay aside Saul's heavy armor and take the few things that he knew how to use, which were his sling and a few stones. Saul's armor was a burden to David and would have cost him the battle. So many times our battles are lost because we are trying to use a word that someone else received from the Lord. We must understand that God moves differently in all situations and we must sharpen our own sword with a personal word from the Lord.

Look at some of the battles in the scriptures. God told Gideon and his army to hold their lamps, break the pitchers, blow the trumpets, and shout, "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon" (Judges 7:20). God told Jehosaphat to appoint singers to go before the army and praise the beauty of holiness. As they did, God ambushed the enemy and caused them to fight against themselves (II Chronicles 20:22). God told Joshua to march around the city of Jericho for seven days and then, on the seventh day, to march around the city seven times and shout. It is recorded that when they shouted, the walls came down (Joshua 6:20). When Moses and Israel were trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptians, God told him to raise his staff and divide the sea (Exodus 14:16).

These men's actions were sheer obedience to God's word. What do you imagine would have happened if Gideon had acted on Joshua's word or if Joshua had acted on Gideon's word from God? Most probably the battle would have been lost and the walls would still be standing. Just like these men, God enables you for your own personal battle. He teaches your hands to war not with a method, but with His Word. You don't need a formula; you need to hear what God is saying and obey those instructions. His directions will be specifically designed for your situation. When you listen, you will hear God speak to you personally in a still small voice and His Word will be your Sword of the Spirit. +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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A Word In Due Season
4th Week of January 2013

01/21/13
AMAZING GRACE

Scripture: Ephesians 2:7-8 "The exceeding riches of His grace ... for by grace are you saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is a gift of God."

There are exceeding riches in store for us when we experience the awesome gift of grace. The greatest extension of grace that I have ever received came to me from the heart of God. God loved me so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die for my sins so that I could have eternal life. He did the same for you. The greatest extension of grace on my part has been to share God's grace with someone else and to let them know that God's grace is greater than all of their sins.

Probably the most loved and cherished hymn ever written is "Amazing Grace." It was written by John Newton, who lived from 1727-1807. He wrote these words to express his own personal testimony of God's transforming power in his life. He was a hardened slave trader and an infidel until he met Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is no wonder that he wrote the words, "Amazing grace! ... That saved a wretch like me," for his life had been filled with evil acts against others. Then when he came face to face with God's love, mercy, forgiveness, and grace, he recognized the state that his own soul was in. He felt conviction and comfort in God's grace as he declared that "Grace had taught his heart to fear, and that same grace his fears relieved." The gift of grace and forgiveness is often best appreciated by those who need it the most. God took John Newton, pardoned his sins unconditionally, changed his life, and appointed him to preach the same gospel that he had labored to destroy.

God's grace did not end with John's Newton's salvation experience. He recognized that grace was an ongoing act of God's mercy and love. He said that God's grace had brought him through "many dangers, toils, and snares" and he trusted in God's grace to lead him and be there until the very end. When he was eighty-two years old he said, "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior." Like John Newton, we all need this great Savior, for we cannot pay the price to redeem our own sins. We must depend upon the exceeding riches of God's amazing grace and accept His plan that through grace, we are saved by faith and not of ourselves, for it is a gift of God. +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/22/13
TRUST IN THE LORD

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5 & 8 (Amplified) "Lean on, trust and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind, and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. It will be health to your nerves...."

Webster's Dictionary defines trust as "total confidence in the integrity, ability, and good character of another." We hear many faith messages and are taught how to believe and receive the wonderful promises that God has made to us. Faith comes and grows within our hearts by hearing these messages (Hebrews 10:17). You cannot develop faith without hearing the Word of God. Yet there is another area to think about and that is simple trust in the One who spoke the Word. God made the promise and our trust in Him comes by developing total confidence in His integrity, His ability, and His character.

As a youth, before I made weekend plans with my friends I would ask my father's permission. If his answer was yes, it produced faith that when the time came, he would supply the financial need. He knew that I did not have a job or provision. His simple word gave me unquestionable faith. I trusted his integrity because I knew that he would not lie to me and I had faith and total confidence in his ability to supply the need. The cost of the movie or whatever was an enormous amount to me, but I knew that my dad was well able to provide the funds, and knew that he would not only meet the need but would give me a little extra. He was a good father with a good character and he wanted me to enjoy myself. If he forgot at the end of the week, I would simply remind him of his promise and he always came through without excuses.

There were also other areas of trust in which I did not exercise conscious faith. These were my day-to-day needs of food, shelter, clothing, care, and affection. I just always knew these things would be there because he was my father and he was my provider. I leaned upon him with total confidence. We were not rich. In fact we were poor by the world's standards, but my dad worked hard to supply all of my needs and I never had to fret over these matters. I simply cast all of my cares upon him because I knew that he cared for me.

Often we get ourselves into a "nervous frenzy" and are "on edge" concerning situations that we can do nothing about. These anxious moments should be placed into the hands of our Father God. He loves us and wants us to cast all of our cares upon Him, for He cares for us (I Peter 5:7). He doesn't want us carrying loads that are too heavy for us to bear. Our Father knows the things we need even before we ask (Matthew 6:8). We should lay our understanding aside and totally lean upon the Lord and trust in Him with all of our heart and mind. As we do, it will calm our souls and bring a peace that passes all understanding, and that spirit of peace will be health to our nerves. +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/23/13
GOD WORKS WITHIN YOU

Scripture: Philippians 2:13 "For it is God which works in you, both to will and to do, of His good pleasure."

From the very beginning, God had a plan and a purpose for your individual life. The moment He breathed life into you, He began to sovereignly work to bring that desired plan to fruition. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God's plan is designed for good and not evil. God even sacrificed His most precious possession to give you life, a future, and a hope. His ultimate goal is to make you an expression of your Creator. As He works in you to bring about that future and hope, He works patiently as a potter does with clay and from time to time remakes you over again and again. He works tirelessly, forgiving and cleansing you from your sins and faults. Look at the example of Peter. When Jesus first met Peter, He saw his potential and knew that God wanted to work His will and pleasure in Peter's life. In John 1:42 Jesus said, "You are Simon, ... you shall be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, a stone."

Yet, before Peter reached the state that God intended for him, he faced many failures. Even after Peter received a revelation from God the Father in Heaven that Jesus was the Son of God, Jesus found it necessary to rebuke Peter. Jesus told him, "Get thee behind me, Satan: you are an offense to me" (Matthew 16:23). Can you imagine Jesus saying those words to you? Later, Peter denied Jesus three times, cursing and swearing that he did not even know Him. Peter was also very impulsive, as in the situation when he cut off the ear of the servant of the High Priest. Yet despite all of Peter's faults, God had a future and a hope for him and planned for him to stand one day before thousands of people and preach the message of Jesus Christ. Through this one sermon alone in Acts 2:14-47, thousands repented and were added to the church.

God is working in you right now to make you an expression of Himself just as He worked in Peter's life. He doesn't expect you to be perfect, just pliable in His hands. Seasons of discouragement may come as He works with you, but whatever the enemy causes in your life for evil, God means it for good. "All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). Remember Jesus' words to Peter, "You shall be." Your future is inside of you right now! Surrender to God and allow Him to complete His will and His pleasure in you. +++

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is..."

Faith is not the past, for it doesn't take faith to believe in the things that God has already done in your life. Those things are history. The memory of what God has done and what He has accomplished, however, may encourage your faith and give you something to build upon when He speaks a new and fresh word to you. Again, faith is not the future, for that is expectation and hope. The writer of Hebrews said, "Faith is now!" It's not passive, it's active.

Faith is your present tense response to God's personal words to you. It is the substance and evidence of what you believe to be true but can't see. Yet, faith is not without valid support. It is based upon what you know in your spirit, not on what you don't know. There can be no faith without the voice of God's Word because faith comes by hearing the Word of God. If you proceed without a word from God, it is presumption and you will find yourself in a dilemma. However, when you hear God's voice, you know that He will perform what He has spoken. His word is truth and He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of your faith.

When God speaks, it creates a crisis in your life. A choice is set before you and you must decide to believe or not believe what God has spoken. Your response reveals what you truly believe about God, for faith is based on your relationship with Him, not just a concept. Faith's object is a person. Your personal relationship with your Heavenly Father will determine if you believe that He will meet all of your needs according to His riches in glory. Your relationship with the Him will give you strength in the midst of your adversities because you know that according to His Word, He will deliver you out of every affliction. Because you have a close relationship with the Father and know that He is near, you will not fear death nor be swallowed up in sorrow and defeat. Your relationship with the Lord will cause you to believe His words and the faith that is born from that trust will bring about the fulfillment of the things hoped for. So when God speaks, choose to believe Him. Remember that faith is not yesterday or tomorrow. Faith is now ... and the evidence of your faith pleases God. +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/25/13
STABLE FEET

Scripture: Habakkuk 3:19 "The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me walk upon my high places."

Habakkuk was in fear when he saw the Chaldeans coming to invade the land. He said, "My whole inner self (or everything within me) trembled and my lips quivered at the sound." There was nothing that he could do to prevent the situation as he waited quietly for the day of trouble and distress to come against his people. Yet in the midst of all this turmoil and the uncertainty about the future, Habakkuk put his trust in God and continued to praise Him. He made a bold declaration that God's strength would help him and his people get through the hard and uncertain times that they were facing. He said, "I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. If the fig tree does not blossom and bring fruit; if the product of the olive fails; if the fields yield no food; if there are no flocks; and if there are no cattle in the stalls, I will still rejoice."   He made a decision ahead of time to praise God regardless of what the future held for him and his people. He was determined not to let the circumstances separate him from God. As he depended upon God for strength and help, he held three secrets in his heart that caused him to be able to continue in praise to God in spite of impending danger.

    1) The Lord would be his strength.
    2) God would make his feet to be stable.
    3) God had a personal plan for him and would help him walk in it.

Habakkuk knew that the eternal supernatural God that he served was bigger than any natural circumstance that he would have to face. Even though Habakkuk's own natural resources were failing, he knew that God would sustain him and he placed his confidence in the God who was his source and strength.

Like Habakkuk, you can also have this same assurance. Regardless of the trouble or distress that you may be facing, you must stop relying on your own strength and lean upon God. As you begin to depend upon God, He will make your feet like the feet of the deer, strong and sure. As you develop your faith by hearing His Word, He will give you the ability to climb your mountain of adversity without fear. You must acknowledge God as your source of strength and praise Him regardless of how bad your circumstances look. As you do, He will then lead you to the places that He has prepared for you and enable you to conquer each cliff, one step at a time. Be assured that the same God who made Habakkuk's feet stable and allowed him to walk in high places is also the same God that is there for you. +++

A Word In Due Season
5th Week of January 2013

01/28/13
SIMPLE TRUST

Scripture: Psalms 9:10 "They that know Your Name will trust in You, for You Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You."

I watched as my 18-month-old grandson jumped from the side of a swimming pool into the arms of his father. My grandson had sensed the danger of the water and had shown much fear of even being in the water. As he looked at the situation, you could discern a little anxiety as he made his leap. Yet at the bidding of his father's words and outstretched arms, he jumped courageously in the direction of the big pool of water that he had cautiously tried to avoid. The only thing that stood between him and the same water that he had been fearful of was the presence of his father. He had found security knowing that his father would protect him from any danger the water presented. His actions manifested his total confidence and trust in his father. He had a pure heart of faith that his father would not bid him to come and then forsake him in the midst of his obedience.

Our relationship with our Heavenly Father is no different. God attempts to mature us spiritually and to stretch our faith by bidding us to leap into His everlasting arms with total faith. We may look at the situation with great fear and trembling, for we have not experienced the news paths or places that are set before us. Our vision of the future may be clouded and dim, and many factors unknown. The waters may look deep and the circumstances may be over our heads and overwhelming to our minds. Besides that, we can't actually see God or His outstretched arms. We can only hear His still small voice saying, "Come." As we hear God's call, we realize that He alone is the only thing that is between us and the present danger that exists or the failures that could occur. As we step out in faith, we know that He is our only hope and that without Him, we can do nothing.

Trust doesn't come easy or quick. It is earned and can only be built upon relationship. My son had worked with my grandson for 18 months, one step at a time, in developing this unwavering trust within his innocent heart. And this simple trust was a mighty witness to me. I thought about how our trust in our Father God must also be a tremendous witness to the world as we act upon His promises and trust in His Name. We believe that the Lord will be there when we jump towards the deep waters because we have felt the security of His arms many times in the past. We trust Him in the midst of the raging storms because we have seen Him speak peace into situations that were beyond our control. We expect the Lord to deliver us from our enemies because He has come to our defense in the past, and we know that His Name is above all other names. We look to our Father God to meet all of our needs according to His promises, and because He has never failed us, we have a pure heart of faith. We know that He will not forsake us but will be there with open arms when we need Him. +++

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you have not known."

In the next few verses, God continues to speak through the prophet, Jeremiah, saying, "I will lay upon you health and healing, and I will cure you and reveal to you the abundance of peace, prosperity, security, stability, and truth. I will cause your captivity ... to be reversed, and will rebuild you as you were at the first. I will cleanse you from all the guilt and iniquity because of your sin against Me ... And you shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and a glory before all the nations of the earth ... because of all the good ... that I provide."

In this particular passage, the prophet Jeremiah shows us that prayer is a prerequisite to miracles and answers from God. He says, "Call unto Me and I will answer." God's blessings will come to us as we pray to Him. We don't have to call on someone else and or have them get an answer from God for us. We can approach God directly. All that we need to do is humble ourselves before God and voice our petitions to Him. As we do, God will forgive us and heal us. James 4:2 tells us very plainly the reason that we don't receive answers many times is because we don't ask. Even Jesus, the Son of God, spent time in prayer and drew strength from the presence of God. He got up early before day and stayed awake all night communing with the Father. Jesus made His request known unto God and because He prayed, God answered and showed Him great and mighty things. Jesus went about healing various types of diseases and performing all kinds of supernatural wonders. His power was evident but it came through prayer and communion with the Father.

When God instructed us to, "call" it wasn't meant to be an empty word. It was meant to provoke us to action, for God's words are not mere literature. They are inspired by the Holy Spirit and God has breathed on every word. His words are alive and powerful and He uses them to set forth principles that will guide us in our daily life. II Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture is given to us by inspiration of God and is profitable." Do you need God to supernaturally reverse situations in your life, to forgive you, heal you, or to meet your financial need? If so, then take God at His word today and begin to call out to Him, expecting Him to show you the great and mighty things that you have not known before. For when you call, He has promised to answer. +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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01/30/13
OPENING OUR HEART'S DOOR

Scripture: Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him ..."

When we read this scripture, we often think of the picture that we have seen of Jesus standing and knocking at a door that has no doorknob on the outside. The scene represents the door of our heart, which can only be opened from the inside. It leaves the impression that we must open the door if we want Jesus to come into our lives. We often think of this picture just in terms of our initial salvation and fail to realize that Jesus stands at the door of our heart on a daily basis wanting to commune with us on a personal level.

This section of scripture in Revelation was addressing not the lost, but those in the church who had become spiritually lukewarm and arrogant. They said, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." They thought that they had it all together, but the scriptures tell us that God saw them as wretched, poor, blind, and naked. So, He personally stood at their door and tried to get their attention. He wanted to come into their lives and make them into overcomers (verse 21). God told them that He would come in if they would respond to Him in two ways; by hearing His voice, and by opening the door to Him.

God makes those same promises to us because He desires to experience an intimate relationship with us. He knocks on our heart's door to summon us to prayer and the study of His Word, but many times we don't respond for various reasons. We may be so far away spiritually that we actually don't hear Him, or we may be too distracted with the cares of this life to respond to His invitation. It may be that we are depending upon others to hear His voice for us. Then again, we may hear the Lord's voice, but feel we are just too busy to answer.

The bottom line is that we will never be overcomers in this life if we are not attentive to God's voice or if we refuse to open the door and allow Him into our lives. He makes His invitation very plain. He says, "I'm standing at the door of your heart and I'm knocking. Do you hear me? Will you open the door? Can we commune with one another?" If you are willing and desire intimacy with the Lord, wait for Him just as you would wait for a special friend that you are expecting to come visit with you. Listen for His voice and respond to the knock at your heart's door. When Jesus knocks, remember that you are the only one who can open the door because the latch is on your side! +++

Scripture: Hebrews 2:9 "But we see Jesus."

    "When Leonardo da Vinci had painted his immortal 'Last Supper,' he
     asked a friend for an evaluation. The friend heaped superlatives on
     the masterpiece, and especially praised the wine cup by the Lord's
     hand. At that point, Leonardo blotted out the cup. He was to have
     said, 'Nothing should distract one's attention from the Lord.'"
     ... From More Stories For The Heart - Author Unknown

This story makes me wonder what we see when we look at Jesus? Do we see the glory of His presence, or do we get distracted by the material things that will benefit us if we serve Him? Do we look at Jesus as being our Lord and our first love, or do we envision the honor of our own reputations because we are serving Him? Do we give others more honor and adoration than we do to God's beloved Son? Do we tend to view our spiritual leaders almost equal to our Lord and Savior?

It is very easy to get distracted from the real picture and see the cup rather than the Savior. Even Peter fell into this trap when Jesus was transfigured before his eyes. He watched as Jesus' appearance was totally transformed before him. Jesus' clothes began to shine, glistening like the snow, and then Elijah and Moses appeared with Him. Peter got caught up in the moment, and focusing on the spectacular, he suggested that three memorials be built; one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. At that moment of distraction, the three were equal in Peter's eyes. Yet when it came to an end, Jesus was the only one that was remaining, and God's voice spoke with validation, "This is My only begotten Son" (Mark 9:2-8).

These words remind us that we are never to build memorials in our spirits that will distract us from the only begotten Son of God. Jesus should always be our main interest, and the One that we focus our attention upon regardless of what else or who else shows up in the scene. Other ministries and the spectacular may try to lure and distract us like the cup at the Lord's hand in the painting. Even our own talents, work, and ministries may turn into masterpieces that are admired by the world. But like Leonardo da Vinci's response, we too must blot out any beauty and glory that seeks to supersede and overshadow the Lord Jesus. We should not allow anything to draw our attention away from Him. Regardless of what is happening around us, whether good or bad, we should declare, "We see Jesus." The lyrics of an old song remind us of this thought;

    "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face
     And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
     In the light of his glory and grace." +++