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Scripture: Proverbs 13:12 "Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life."

Many hopes abide in our heart including the salvation for our loved ones, healing for our bodies, restoration for our relationships, ministry opportunity, financial blessings, and security. We try to stand in faith as we wait for the fulfillment of these needs, but often it becomes very difficult. Just when we think that things are coming together, our hopes are deferred and our dreams are shattered. The answer is postponed and put off to a future time. The benefits of our prayers and confessions are delayed and the disappointment of that delay leaves us heartsick. It challenges our faith like no other temptation, for it seems that we are left with no options. The thoughts of giving up pierce our heart and soul.

Solomon in all of his wisdom understood our plight when he wrote this proverb, but he didn't leave us with "deferred hope." He went on to say that "when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." It is true that many times our hope is delayed and it seems that all is lost. Yet God is still on the throne in Heaven and He is still in control. His will is that we trust Him to take us from the place of deferred hope to the fulfillment of our desires. This happens as we continue in His Word.

Solomon continued to say that those who despised the Word would be destroyed, but those who feared the commandments would be rewarded (verse 13). Even in the most difficult of times, you must not despise God's promise but continue to believe His Word. Joseph's hope was deferred many times as he experienced the pit and the prison. He had ample opportunity to get mad at God and give up, but he didn't allow himself to despise God or the dreams that God had given to him. Joseph held on in faith throughout the many delays and disappointments and God rewarded him for his faithfulness. When his desire came, Joseph became a tree of life for himself, his family, and the nations.

Lamentations 3:26 says, "It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." It's not easy to quietly wait when you are the one who is in the midst of the battle or to continue in hope when you are the one in the fiery furnace. It's not easy when you've been put into a den of hungry lions because you were serving God. And it's not easy to believe when you are sick, sad, broke, and your hope for help has been delayed. But, like Joseph and many other heroes of faith in the scriptures who faced disappointments, you must continue to hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. God is working even in the midst of your darkness and stands somewhere in the shadows. He is hidden even in the storm clouds of your life. The answer to your prayers may be delayed just as Daniel's prayer was delayed twenty-one days. Yet you must not give up or allow yourself to be heart sick. You must take courage, for your deliverance is on the way, and when your answer comes it will be a tree of life for you and also for all of those around you. +++

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Scripture: Hebrews 1:3 "Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power."

Jesus was the exact representation of God on this earth. He was the Word of God who became flesh so that He could dwell among men and become acquainted with our personal feelings and infirmities. He was the brightness of God's glory and the essence of God's character or the expressed image of God's person. His very being was a mirror of God's nature. Jesus only spoke what God told Him to speak and did nothing unless the Father showed Him. He was in complete obedience to the Father's will and even when it went against His own desires and wishes, Jesus yielded Himself totally to the Father and said, "Not My will, but Thine be done."

Jesus followed the Father's plan all the way to the cross and became obedient to death. After Jesus arose from the dead and before He ascended into Heaven, He declared to His disciples that all power had been given to Him in Heaven and in Earth (Matthew 28:18). The writer of Hebrews now declares that Jesus upholds all things by the word of His power or by the power filled words that He speaks. It only takes a few words from the lips of Jesus to create a miracle. When He said, "Peace be still" the raging storm ceased and became calm. Thousands were fed at His word when He blessed the few fish and the loaves of bread. With His word of power, He called Lazarus from the dead, cast demons out of the possessed, and spoke healing to those who were sick. Even the centurion recognized the power of Jesus' words and told Jesus, "Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed" (Matthew 8:8).

God's Word never returns to Him void but always accomplishes what He sends it forth to do. No matter what your situation, Jesus is still in control. He is holding everything in your life together by the word of His power. You have nothing to fear because nothing escapes His notice. He is sitting at the right hand of the Father, but His eyes are upon God's creation. He sees your difficulty, your heartache, and your physical pain. Because Jesus has walked this earth and has experienced the same things that you are experiencing with His own flesh, He understands and He wants to help you. It only takes one power filled word from Him to change your circumstances around. Trust Him as He holds your heart in His hands. The Lord will speak a word in due season and change your darkness into light and your sorrow into joy. Jesus never fails. As your faith reaches out to Him, He will be there to uphold you with the word of His power. +++

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03/05/13
THE LORD WAITS

Scripture: Isaiah 30:18 (Living Bible) "Yet the Lord still waits for you to come to Him, so He can show you His love."

The Lord is a wonderful counselor, yet Israel consulted with everyone except God when they needed help and then they ended up rebelling against Him. They yoked themselves with unbelievers and made a decision to go against the desires of God. Instead of depending upon God to help them in their battle, they went to Egypt to find aid and they put their trust in Pharaoh and his swift horses. Yet, God was still gracious to them and waited for them to return to Him so that He could show them His love.

This is a picture of a loving Father who never gives up on His children. Just as the Lord watched Israel, He sees us as we gather unwise counsel, and He warns us that our hearts are deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:19). The Lord sees us when we join ourselves with those who are not our equal and His heart aches as He watches us being subtly led astray by their words and deeds. God knows that our enemy seeks to devour us, but God is limited by our own attitudes and actions. Yet, in the midst of our rebellion, He continues to leave the door wide open and waits for us to repent and return to Him because He is faithful and He loves us so much.

When we leave God's path and begin to experience the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, He still hears our cries and He answers us. He never leaves us without comfort. In the midst of our hardship and pain, verse twenty tells us that He allows us, with our own eyes, to see Him as a Teacher. Some of the most important lessons of life are learned in the hardest of places. The psalmist said, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray" (Psalms 119:67). The psalmist was saying that affliction brings us back to the feet of our Master. In the most difficult times, we discover that God is there to tell us whether we should go to the left or to the right. We don't have to second-guess the situation. All we have to do is depend upon God for directions. He said that we would hear His Voice behind us saying, "This is the way; walk in it." It is comforting to know that God is on our side; that He is for us, not against us. He is patiently waiting for us to return so that He can show us His love." +++

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03/06/13
GREATER IS HE

Scripture: I John 4:4 "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."

There is not a day that goes by for any of us that we are not challenged in some way by our adversary, the devil. He works in many ways and is very persistent, roaming about twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week seeking whom he may devour. He creates irritating circumstances and brings fear and defeat into our lives. He causes discouragement, heartache, sickness, and pain. His goal is to kill, steal, and destroy. The devil is a master gardener when it comes to planting seeds of doubt and unbelief in the hearts of men. He is very subtle and appears as an angel of light, when in reality he is the shadow of discouragement and death. He is also very cunning, for he knows that if he can cut off our spiritual life support, he can defeat us. So he begins by attacking our faith, which is our link to God and the blessings of Heaven.

Even though we are vulnerable for attack, we must understand that we have nothing to fear because we have a secret weapon against this onslaught of evil that comes against us. Our defense is the Lord, Himself. God is our only hope in the time of adversity, for the battle belongs to Him. The Spirit of God dwells within us and He is greater than the spirit that is in the world. We must simply position ourselves in faith and believe in His Word.

The devil may be bigger than you, but he is not bigger than the God that lives within you. The disease that is attacking your body may be too big for you or your physician to handle, but it is not too big for the Almighty God who made your body and whose Spirit dwells within you. The devil may make your financial situation look hopeless, but the greater One that lives on the inside of you is greater than the spirit of lack, and He will meet your needs according to His riches. God, who is within us, is greater than any evil and negative report. He is larger than any raging storm and stronger than the fiercest enemy.

There is nothing and no one greater than our God. Harbor this secret in your heart so that whenever battles come your way, you can maintain your peace and joy. In the midst of your adversity, seek God and pray that His will be done in every area of your life here on Earth as He has planned it in Heaven. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean upon your own strength. Victory will then spring up within your spirit as you delight in the knowledge that "Greater is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit who is within you than the devil that is in the world. +++

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03/07/13
STILL WATERS

Scripture: Psalms 23:2 (Amplified) "He leads me beside still and restful waters."

Life's journey takes us down many paths and unfortunately not all of them are pleasant. One pathway may present dangers, threatening foes, or diseases, which seek to overwhelm our hearts with fear. Another road may lead us through dark valleys where the shadows of doubt attack our minds with fear and confusion. There may be dark tunnels that we pass through where there is not even a shadow that is visible. There will certainly be days where there is a veil over our future and all we can do is walk towards our destiny in faith. Yet in all of these circumstances, we have an assurance that our loving Shepherd will guide us each step of the way and will always refresh us with the still and restful waters of His Spirit.

We do not have to be anxious about anything when the Lord our Shepherd is leading us. He does not follow behind us, but is always before us. He goes through everything before we even get there so He understands every challenge that will greet us on our journey. He has experienced the pitfalls and the hurdles that are before us and makes sure that there is nothing that we cannot handle. He is always there to help us and give us rest. When we are obedient to follow Him, He will be faithful to lead us to the place where there is refreshing water for our souls. He is our Shepherd and He said that we shall not want.

When things are upside down in your life and you are at the edge of turbulent waters, think about this promise in God's word. You are the sheep of His pasture and you belong to Him. He is concerned about your situation and your problems. He wants to lead you to a better place and deliver you from the worry and torment that you struggle with. The Lord seeks to rid you of every evil foreboding thought because He wants you to enjoy life, but you must choose to allow Him to be the Shepherd of your soul. You must follow Him wherever He leads and trust Him to take care of every detail of your life.

When you have needs, you must tell the Lord very plainly that you need money to pay your debts, that you need healing for your body, that you need courage for your soul, that you need restoration for the personal relationships that you are involved in, and that you need precise direction for your life and future. As you allow the Lord to become the Shepherd that He desires to be in your life, He will meet your needs and lead you beside the still and restful waters. +++

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03/08/13
LEARN OF ME

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Scripture: John 15:2 "Every branch that bears fruit, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit."

Jesus spoke comforting words to us concerning the purging and pruning process that happens in our lives. When God begins to purge or prune you, it is a sign of two things. First, it is a sign that you are already a fruit-bearing branch because Jesus said, "Every branch that is bearing fruit, He purges it." Second, it is a sign that He is preparing you to "bring forth more fruit." God is not happy with just "fruit," He wants "more fruit." As we watch the gardener prune the shrubs just before Spring we often wonder if the shrubs will be able to return, for it seems they are left hopeless and bare. But it is all a part of God's plan, for it is only in the pruning that new strength and life can be gained.

So it is with your spiritual life. God cuts away and separates you from the things that are unnecessary. Sometimes it's things that you really enjoy or friendships that you don't want to give up. But the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God leads you to lay those things and relationships aside and follow God in a closer walk. Other times you feel the pain of His pruning shears through trials and tribulations that separate you from your own selfish desires. God sees your future and knows the work that He wants to produce in your life. He also knows just how much to cut away so that you can produce more fruit. Verse three says that He convicts and cleanses you through the Word that He speaks to you. Hebrews 4:12 in part says, "The Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword ... and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." His Word goes right to your spirit and heart and prunes away all that would leave you stunted in your growth.

You are only left to yourself and not pruned when God does not expect you to bear any more fruit. Sometimes you may see your hopes and dreams fade away as He prunes your life, but "His ways and thoughts are much higher than your ways and thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9). He has a good plan in mind and He wants to enlarge your borders. At the moment, all that you can see is the purging, and all that you can feel is the pain, but God sees a productive season and a fuller life ahead for you. He envisions the fruit that you will bear, so don't be discouraged. Remember that in every pruning experience, you have this assurance that your loving Father is the one who is holding the pruning shears. +++

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03/12/13
MY REDEEMER LIVES

Scripture: Job 19:25 "For I know that my Redeemer lives ..."

Job faced adversity in every area of his life. He suffered the death of all of his children, endured the loss of all of his possessions, and was plagued with physical pain and mental anguish. In the midst of Job's darkest hours, even his closest friends judged him and his wife sought to discourage him. Job had nothing left to hold on to and no one to turn to, but he had the knowledge that His Redeemer still lived. With this hope, he held on in faith and even though his body was being destroyed, he took comfort in knowing that he would one day see God (Job 19:26). Because of Job's great and unwavering confidence, God blessed him so much that he had more at the end of his life than he did at the beginning.

Like Job, trials also come against our lives and storms buffet our ship. Discouragement knocks at our heart's door and the temptation to give up becomes especially inviting when those we love and trust the most judge us because they misunderstand the reasons for our dilemma. Yet it is in these places that we are given the opportunity to experience God in a greater way and come to understand His higher concepts. There are blessings that we cannot receive if we do not endure the losses. Joy is realized at the expense of sorrow just as harvest comes only through hard labor and the sweat of the brow. The blessings of a child come only through self-sacrifice and the pangs of childbirth. There is always an exchange, and out of suffering emerge the greatest gifts and the strongest souls.

Scars are seen on those who have fought the battles and endured the trials. You must not dwell on their ill effects, for those scars are also the signs of victory and will deepen your character if you allow them. Instead of suffering defeat and lapsing into bitterness, you must allow God to reveal Himself in the midst of your affliction. Like Job, your pain and suffering will take you beyond the veil of natural knowledge and bring you to a greater revelation of God. When you put your total trust in God, you will be able to say the words that Job said, "Though God slay me, yet I will trust Him. If I never see God perform another miracle, if I never feel His touch again, if He never answers another prayer for me, if all of my friends and loved ones reject me, if my body is wracked with pain, and all of my possessions are gone, I will still trust Him for I personally know that my Redeemer lives." +++

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03/13/13
FOLLOW ME

Scripture: Matthew 9:9 "Follow Me."

This is a simple command, but with these two words Jesus gathered His disciples to Him. When Jesus said, "Follow Me", the men who were to become his disciples and closest friends left their boats, their businesses, and their families to fulfill this special call. They had no idea where their obedience would take them on this journey of faith, but their sacrifice demonstrated their trust and their devotion to the One who was calling them.

We hear the same call today, for Jesus said, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24). The Lord's call is not complicated or confusing. In fact, it is a very simple call to follow Him wherever He leads. We are not to linger in the places of nothingness and our lights are not designed to be hidden under a bushel. We have been called to God's kingdom for such a time as this to do great exploits in His Name. He has commissioned us to go into all of the world and preach the gospel to every creature and has promised that He would confirm His Word with signs and wonders. The world is changing drastically and we are facing a season of personal change and challenge that will be greater than anything we have seen in the past. This journey demands faith, but also offers great rewards. We cannot have two masters. We must make a decision that nothing will stand between us and the Lord's words that call us to Him.

The world looks for the strong, the successful, and the educated, but God looks for those who will simply devote themselves to Jesus in a radical way and be willing to follow Him to the ends of the Earth. The scriptures declare that those whom Jesus called were unlearned and ignorant. Yet because of their personal relationship with Him, God validated their call and anointed them to do mighty miracles in the midst of the people. God gave them gifts that exceeded their natural abilities and went beyond their expectations. You may wonder what you can do or where you will fit into this great plan of God. You may question just how it will happen, but all He requires from you is your obedience. So when you hear the voice of His Spirit say, "Follow Me," do it without fear or reservation and He will take care of everything else. +++

Scripture: I Samuel 17:29 "Is there not a cause?"

David was taking care of the sheep when his father sent him to take food to his brothers at the battle front. When David got there, he saw the armies of Israel cowering in fear as the Philistine giant, Goliath, mocked them. When David began to ask questions concerning this situation, his brother, Eliab, became enraged. Eliab began to mock and accuse David saying, "Why did you come here? Where did you leave your few sheep? I know the pride and evilness of your heart. You came only to see the battle." David answered his brothers with these simple words, "Is there not a cause?"

David was inspired to meet Goliath's challenge, but before He could pursue the giant in battle, he faced other discouraging voices. King Saul told David that he couldn't possibly go against the giant because David was but a youth and Goliath was a man of war. King Saul further complicated the situation by trying to provide David with unnecessary armor that was too heavy for him to manage. Then Goliath, the giant, scorned David by cursing and threatening to destroy him. David had little support but he proceeded to go into battle despite all of the mockery and words of doubt that were coming against him. He not only went into the battle, but he ran quickly towards the battle to meet the giant. What gave David such courage to run with confidence towards the giant? He had a cause. Goliath was defying the armies of Israel, the purposes of God, and the Name of God. David's great cause was to honor God and to take away the "reproach of Israel".

In our daily lives, we face many Goliaths, and these giants mock and threaten to destroy us. Discouragement and fear attack and try to control us. The armor that the world provides never fits and none of our solutions seem to work. At times, even our own families and leaders will speak discouraging words against us because they do not understand our purpose and our God given cause. The passion in our hearts is beyond their comprehension. Yet, Jesus is always there, standing with us and He knows the heartaches that we face, for His own family rejected him and said that He was mad. However, Jesus understood His mission and knew that God had sent Him into the world with a cause. John 3:8 tells us, "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." Jesus destroyed the works of the devil on the cross of Calvary, and with His own blood, He set us free from the reproach of sin. Now we must fight for the cause of our faith and do battle for others. The enemy will mock us but regardless of the issues that we face or the size of our problems, we have nothing to fear because we are the Lord's main interest and He is our giant fighter. +++

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03/15/13
THE BLESSED MAN

Scripture: Psalms 1:1 (NIV) "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, or stand in the way of the sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful."

This psalm gives us the characteristics of the man that is blessed and speaks of his righteous behavior and of his fruitfulness. A blessed man "does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly." In other words, he doesn't lean upon the world's system, but instead looks to God for wisdom (James 1:5). The blessed man makes Jesus his Wonderful Counselor, for the Spirit of wisdom and understanding rests upon Jesus (Isaiah 9:6). We are blessed when we are able to trust the One who has these attributes and when we allow Him to lead us by His Spirit. As we listen to His still small voice, we will hear Him speak words of wisdom concerning all the matters that we do not understand.

Second, the blessed man "does not stand in the way of sinners." He doesn't visit or hang out in the places where sinners go so that he doesn't put himself in the position to compromise his convictions in a moment of pressure. George Washington warned us that, "Bad company corrupts good behavior." We often become whom we associate with, so we must turn ourselves away from enticing situations.

Third, the man who is blessed "does not sit in the seat of the scornful." David refused to sit with the wicked (Psalms 26:5) and Jeremiah, the prophet, chose to sit alone because the hand of the Lord was upon him. He had rather be by himself than to sit in the assembly of the mockers (Jeremiah 15:17). There are times we must choose to separate ourselves from negative influences if we want to be blessed by God. Notice that the scorner or the mocker was listed with the wicked and sinner.

And fourth, the blessed man "delights in the law of the Lord and meditates in God's Word day and night." He continually thinks on the Word, rolling it over and over in his mind and spirit until it speaks God's wisdom to him. One of David's prayers was that the meditations of his heart would be acceptable to God. This should also be our prayer if we desire to fall into the category of the blessed. When the psalmist spoke of the blessed man, he listed four results that would occur in our lives when we meditate upon God's Word and allow it to rule our heart.

1) Stability - "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water."
2) Fruitfulness - "He shall bring forth fruit in his season."
3) Beauty - "His leaf shall not wither."
4) Prosperity - "Whatever he does shall prosper."

If you want to be blessed in this manner then stay planted by the rivers of water. Draw your strength from the Lord and do not walk, stand, or sit in places or with people who distort God's Word and draw you away from the Living Water. +++

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Scripture: Lamentations 3:24 "The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in Him."

Just before the prophet, Jeremiah, spoke these words of hope he was distraught and lamenting over his life. He felt like God was against Him because of the affliction and darkness that was surrounding his life. He declared that there was a hedge placed about him and that none of his prayers were being answered. It seemed to him that God had made his way crooked and desolate. Jeremiah even wondered if God was secretly lying in wait to attack him like a lion or a bear. There was no peace remaining in his life. In his struggle to make it through this season of despair, he said, "My hope is perished" (Vs. 18).

If a great prophet like Jeremiah had these thoughts and emotions, is it any wonder that we too are tempted to walk into the same trap of doubt and unbelief? When things do not go as they should or happen the way that we want them to in our lives, we must remember one point. The same devil who worked against Jeremiah nearly 600 hundred years before Christ was born is the same devil that is working against us. Even though it is a different time, the devil's strategies have not changed. He still twists God's words into lies and attempts to distort our perception of God by making us think that God is against us. Yet all the while, God is for us and is sovereignly working His plan in our lives.

Jeremiah did not stay in his despair for very long, for he changed his perception of God. He began to remember the mercy and the compassions of the Lord that he served. He thought about who God really was and decided to quietly wait for God's salvation and deliverance. Like Jeremiah, there are many uncertainties in our own lives and things can get very discouraging as we struggle through our circumstances and experience hurt in our relationships. It may be hard to understand what God is doing in our lives when we don't even understand what is happening. Yet, the events in our lives do not determine who we are. Our responses make that determination. Our future will not be shaped by our current circumstances but by our perception of God in the midst of those circumstances. In the midst of our challenges, we must learn to keep our perception right and know that there is One in whom we can always trust, and His name is Jesus. He is our portion and He is our hope. When we understand this completely, it will unlock the door to our prisons of discouragement and despair and set us free. +++

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03/19/13
FRIENDS AND BROTHERS

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03/20/13
LET THE WINTER PASS

Scripture: Song of Solomon 2:11-13 "For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of the birds is come ... "

We pass through various seasons in our life and with each one we experience God in a different way. The dormant winter seasons are the hardest to endure, for they often become very confusing. There is little understanding about the cold darkness that surrounds us, for during these winter seasons our talents lay buried and our efforts seem fruitless. It seems there is no hope for a brighter day, and our tears pour like rain and flood our soul. And yet, it is during this time that God is doing His greatest work in our lives. Our hearts become fertile as we diligently seek His will and allow Him to search our hearts, and then as He points out the things in our lives that are displeasing to Him, we repent and He forgives.

Look back at the seasons in your life and you will discover that spiritual growth and depth came to you during your darkest hours. When your feelings were hurt, you learned to react in love and when you were taken advantage of, you learned to forgive instead of retaliate. When facing tribulations, you learned to rejoice in the knowledge that God was in control and that He was developing patience in your life. When finances were low, you learned to have faith in God's provision. In those dark hours when your body was sick, you saw Jesus as your healer. In the lonely moments, you experienced the Lord's very real and awesome eternal presence. In the spiritual valleys, He became the restorer of your soul, and in your time of mourning, He became your great comforter. In every weak endeavor, you discovered His omnipotent strength and when you lacked knowledge and understanding, He was your all-knowing omniscient God.

Every dormant season that you have encountered was necessary to prepare you for God's greater purpose. Yet, the winters that challenge your soul are not destined to be forever. They will pass and God will release you from their embrace. Your tears will cease and the darkness will give way to the brightness of the light. As His light comes, you will realize that your tears actually watered the garden of your heart, causing you to flourish with new growth, to find new direction, and to experience new strength. As you let go of painful disappointments and allow the winter to pass, new life will emerge in your spirit, the flowers will begin to appear and give forth a beautiful fragrance just as they do in nature. They will attract the birds that sing and your heart will again rejoice at their sound. God's love will flow as never before and cleanse your heart, washing away the seeds of bitterness that could have taken over. Therefore never give up when the darkness of winter challenges you, for it will soon pass and you will find that God is always faithful. God will bring the spring and He will enlarge your borders once again. He will also restore the song and the beauty to your life and enhance your ministry with His glory. +++

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03/21/13
DRAW NEAR TO GOD

Scripture: James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."

Isn't it amazing that the all-sufficient God who created everything, who has everything, and who can do anything desires our love and our affection? He is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, which means He is always present, He is all knowing, and He is all powerful. But He still wants to be loved by us. Our love, praise, adoration, and trust is the only thing that we truly possess that we can give to God, for all that we are or ever will be is because of His grace upon our lives. All of our material goods, gifts, and talents that we can offer to the Lord came to us by His own hands, but our love, praise, and the trust that we offer up to Him comes from our own heart and is our own free will gift to Him.

Even though we may feel like we are a long way from God, the truth is that He is patiently waiting for us to move towards Him. When we make the slightest effort to move in His direction, He responds and moves towards us. It is like a great love affair that is waiting to happen. His Word declares that if we seek God, we will find Him, for He will make Himself known to us. If we knock, He will open the door and fellowship with us. If we talk to Him, He will listen, and if we ask Him questions, He will answer. God is there, all the while waiting for us to approach Him.

One of our own basic needs is to be loved. We tend to think that God is so mighty that He has no needs. But we must assume that He has the need to be loved and cherished because He has put that same desire in us and we are created in His image. What other reason would He have made this His number one commandment? In Mark 11:30, Jesus told us that the first commandment that we are to obey is to "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength." God wants to be the main interest in our lives. Jesus said that if the praises of men were to be held back, "the stones would immediately cry out" (Luke 19:40). Even nature and the atmosphere of the earth contain the potential for love and praise to God. Let's not allow a stone to take our rightful place in worshiping the Lord. Let's draw near to God and love Him with all of our heart. +++

Have you ever tried to clean a room, closet, or garage but found that your determination to do so was met with conflict by your own desires and actions? Your efforts were met with struggle, as you found it hard to get rid of the old junk. You looked at your broken items, declared that you still intended to fix them, and dreamed of having the time to master this feat. Even though you had items that were taking valuable space and that you had not used in years, you were afraid to throw them away because you thought that you might need them again later. You didn't want to get rid of the clothes in your closet that were too small because you had hopes of getting back down to that size again. By the time you had finished your cleaning project, you ended up only discarding a few items and straightening the rest of the clutter. You failed to consider that everything left will continue to irritate you and will eventually have to be dealt with again.

Like our physical spaces, we have spaces within our hearts that desperately need to be cleaned out. I had some hurtful things in the past that I found hard to give up. My mind continually wanted to dwell on these disturbing thoughts that only revived the terrible pain. One day when I began to recall the events and talk about the bitter pain of those days, my son said, "Mom, don't go to that room." When he said those words, I began to realize that I had a spiritual room within my soul where I was harboring all the evil memories from the days gone by. Most of the time, I would visit this room alone, but sometimes I would invite a close friend or one of my children to look inside my heart as I expressed my hurt.

The therapy did help and their words were a comfort, but my heart stayed cluttered. My soul was in total disarray, for I was surrounded by mental darkness and confusion because I could not understand why I had allowed myself to get into such a terrible situation. As I began to look into this chamber within my heart, I saw that there was a spirit of bitterness on one shelf because I felt that part of my life had been stolen from me. On another shelf there was pain because I had been deceived by someone who I thought cared for me, and for that reason, I now found it hard to trust others. There was a space that was full of hopelessness because I could not let go of the past and move towards the future. All of the other feelings such as self-pity, anger, and shame were also crammed into this space that should have been storing the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Just like the clutter in my physical closet, all of this spiritual baggage and junk was my stuff and I had to deal with it personally. No one could let go of the past for me or resist the spirit of anger or self-pity that was inside of me. I had to repent and seek God's forgiveness. I had to forgive those who had wronged me and also forgive myself for being deceived and making bad choices. I had to learn to consciously let go and cast down all of the painful memories of the past. I realized that if I wanted total deliverance, I couldn't just shut the door to the room, I needed to clean it thoroughly and then replace every negative thought with God's Word or something that was good and peaceable. Memories still remain, but I do not allow them to surround me with pain. I choose instead to learn from them and I look to the future with hope and trust God to restore the years that were stolen from me. I have forgiven those who deceived me and am learning to trust others. I disallow myself to store up spiritual clutter. This is a continuing process in my life, for things are still being revealed to me.

I encourage you today to allow God to shine His light upon your heart and show you the things that you are harboring within your spirit that are contrary to His will and then begin to work towards removing them. If the weight is too heavy, the Lord will help you lift it. If it is too high, He will help you reach it. If it is too difficult to bear, He will carry it for you. If it is too hard for you to let go, then allow Him to take it from you. Allow the winds of His Holy Spirit to sweep through your spirit and let His precious blood wash you clean. Begin to cast down all of the imaginations that keep you from walking in freedom and towards the destiny that God has ordained for you. The Lord is eager to help you get rid of the weights that hinder you from being able to run the race that He has set before you. The Lord is waiting for you to ask Him to help you clean your spiritual closet. Make a commitment to work with Him and enjoy your new day of beginnings. +++

Scripture: John 12:27 & 28 "Now is My soul troubled and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour .... Father, glorify Your Name."

Jesus was able to be touched with the feelings of our personal infirmities and weaknesses because He experienced the same struggles in the process of life that we do. His Spirit wrestled against His flesh. When Jesus left His throne in glory to come to Earth to dwell amongst us, He emptied Himself of His deity, and because of this He faced the same temptations that we face. Jesus wanted to do His Father's will and He wanted to fulfill His destiny, which was to redeem the lives of men. He also wanted God to be glorified through His life. And yet, He felt His flesh shrink back from the pain that was connected with His destiny. Jesus declared that He wanted to be saved from the hour that was prepared for Him. He told the Father, if there was any way possible, He would like for the cup to pass from Him.

Jesus wasn't blind or naive. He understood the pain and shame that He faced and He simply wanted to take a detour around the hill called Mount Calvary so that He could escape the crucifixion of the cross. Like Jesus, how many times have our souls been troubled and the question came to our mind, "What shall I say about this distressing situation?" How many times have we faced the decision to be saved from the hour that was at hand or to allow the Father to be glorified in our time of pain and tribulation. I feel that most of my prayers are not for the Lord to be glorified, but for me to be rescued from my dilemma. I don't like heartache and pain so I tend to cry out to the Lord for immediate deliverance. My spirit may be willing to do God's will but my flesh is very weak.

Some of God's designs for our lives do not seem to be as peaceful and as perfect as we would desire them to be. But everything that God has set before us is intended for our growth and maturity as we are make our journey towards the goal that is set before us. Jeremiah, the prophet, said that God knows the plans that He has for us and those plans are for good and not evil to give us a future and a hope. We need to submit our lives to that hour that has been prepared for us by the hands of God so that we can complete His eternal purpose. It may not be easy to take up our cross daily and follow Him. He may ask for our last portion, tell us to walk the extra mile, turn our cheek to an abuser, forgive a trespass that's been committed against us, or send us to a foreign mission field. Yet, even when our soul is troubled with the thoughts of what hardships God's will might bring to our lives, we need to pray as Jesus taught us to pray; that is "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." Instead of requesting, "Save me," we must submit ourselves to God and say, "Father, glorify Your Name in my life." +++

Scripture: Job 23:10 "He knows the way that I take: when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

Job was in quite a dilemma as he sat there in an ash heap, scraping his boils, and speaking these words. His sons, daughters, servants, livestock, and property had been destroyed in one disaster after another. In fact, the Word says that while one bad report was being given to him, another disaster was happening. And on top of all of this, the people that Job needed to encourage him the most during this crucial time, his wife and friends, had turned their backs on him in judgment. But "in all of this, Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly" (Job 1:22). In fact when his whole life began to cave in on him, he fell down and worshipped and blessed the Name of the Lord.

Later, we find Job in search of answers. He tells his friend, "I go forward, but God is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; and on the left hand ... but I can't see Him." Then he determines, "God is hiding Himself on my right hand, so that I cannot see Him" (Job 23:8-9). Job had an assurance that even though he couldn't see God, God's eyes were upon him, and God knew exactly where he was. Job felt that at the end of these fiery trials he, himself, would ultimately come out as pure gold.

Job never departed from God's commandments when the bad times came his way. He said, "Though God slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15). What gave Job such confidence? He trusted God, and he trusted God's words. In verse twelve, he said, "I have esteemed the words of God more than my necessary food." Job had come to understand that although natural food may nourish and sustain him, only God's Word of power could keep him alive and restore his health.

Luke 4:4 says that Jesus answered the devil's temptation in a similar way that Job answered his friends. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God." God also expects us to live by EVERY word that He gives to us. We cannot obey, serve, and worship God only in the good and prosperous times; we must continually maintain our own walk before God as Job declared that God would not receive hypocrites (Job 13:16). God knows where we are. Like Job, we may not be able to see the Lord in the front of us, in the back, or to the sides, but we can rest assured that His presence is there hidden from our view while we are being tried. If we esteem His Word more than food and live by His every Word, we can be assured that we will come forth as gold. +++

Copyright © 2013 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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03/27/13
THY WILL BE DONE

Scripture: Matthew 6:10 "... Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."

Jesus struggled in the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion. Three times He asked the Father to let this cup pass from Him. However, He always finished His prayer by saying, "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." (Matt. 26:39-44) Jesus was determined to finish the work and to complete His purpose on Earth. In Hebrews 10:9, Jesus declared, "I come to do Your will, O God." He faithfully taught his disciples to pray and submit their own wills to God in the same manner and showed them by example what full surrender meant. He never said that the Father's will would be easy. He just said to submit to it.

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts." Jesus saw the agony of the cross, but God saw eternal redemption for the world. Like Jesus in the garden, our thoughts and wills are concerned with our present situation here on Earth. It's as though we're in a maze. We are walled in on every side and can only see what is just ahead. God, however, is looking from a higher plane and sees our entire 'mazed' situation. He knows which direction we should take to reach our desired destination, for His knowledge is greater than ours. Proverbs 3:5-6 speaks of yielding our wills to God by leaning upon Him, and not relying upon our own insight and understanding. "We are to trust in the Lord with all of our heart. In all of our ways, we are to know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain our paths."

Proverbs 16:9 tells us that a man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure. According to Jeremiah 10:23 a man cannot direct his own steps. You must determine each day to yield to the Father's will for your life even though the path ahead may not be clear or look easy. You may have some crosses to bear in the process or be faced with a few Gardens of Gethsemane.  As you make your plans on this earth, you should always submit them to God in Heaven and trust Him to direct your steps so that you can finish your course.  As you submit yourself to the Lord, you will fulfill His purpose for your life, and His Will will be done on Earth as it has been planned in Heaven. +++

Scripture: I John 3:8 "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil."

Jesus came to the earth with a definite purpose to fulfill, and that purpose was to undo and destroy the works of the devil. As the Son of the Living God, Jesus had one thought on His mind when He was here on Earth and that was His journey to the cross. He came to fulfill the prophecies of old that spoke of the agony and shame that He would suffer to redeem men from their sins. Yet there was joy within His heart as He traveled the road to His destiny. The Apostle Paul declared that Jesus was able to endure the cross because of the joy that was set before Him. The joy that He experienced was not the cross itself but the accomplishments of the cross, for Jesus knew that His sacrifice was going to set men eternally free from Satan's captivity.

Jesus won the battle against the forces of evil through His death on the cross and because of His victory, the Heavenly Father held nothing back from Him. After Jesus' resurrection, He declared, "All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in Earth" (Matthew 28:18). Jesus then released that same power to those who would go and preach His gospel in His Name. He did not leave us on the earth with empty hands and nothing to do. Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He created purpose for our lives, spoke words of vision into our souls, and breathed His Holy Spirit into us. Jesus gave us power to be His witnesses and promised that He would be there in our midst and also confirm His Word with signs and wonders. He totally equipped us to do the work that He did so that we could also destroy the works of the devil.

We are not called to the cross of Calvary like Jesus, but God has created us with purpose. You must come to know that what is happening in your personal life is very important to Him. The Lord is in your midst, making an effort to use you right where you are. Your purpose may not seem very great to you as you take care of your grandchildren in the later years of your life or care for a handicapped or elderly person. You may be suffering 'burn out' or feel stuck in a mundane position with no promotion on the horizon, but you must search for the purpose of the season. It is awesome when you discover the reason why you are who you are and realize that God has placed you where you are for a purpose. It brings light to the darkest season and causes your life to come alive with revelation. Knowing your purpose will change your life and getting a glimpse of your destiny will help you be able to chart your actions so that you can stay on course. Your thoughts, attitudes, goals, and priorities will become what He desires. When you believe that God is using you where you are, you will begin to schedule His plans into your life with joy and you will find that He will be your partner in the labor. When you are yoked to the Lord, He will help you accomplish His divine plan for His eternal purpose. +++

Scripture: Hebrews 4:14 (Living Bible) "Jesus, the Son of God, is our great High Priest who has gone to Heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting Him."

Jesus was with the Father in Heaven, but He left His throne in glory to come down to Earth even though He was aware of the cruel destiny that awaited Him. He was the King of Kings, yet He submitted to being born in a lowly stable. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes instead of royal robes, and even though He was the Lord of Lords, He was humbly laid in a manger. His birth brought good tiding of great joy to the hearts of men, yet He, Himself, suffered mental anguish in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus was the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley, and the Bright Morning Star, yet He became uncomely in appearance as cruel men ripped His beard from His face and spat upon him. Instead of being placed on an earthly throne and receiving a royal crown, Jesus was nailed to a rugged cross and a crown of thorns was placed upon His head. Instead of receiving honor, He suffered the shame of the crucifixion. Jesus died for all men, yet He was rejected, scorned, ridiculed, laughed at, and mocked by those same men that He gave His life for.

Jesus is the Spirit of Truth, yet men distrusted Him and accused Him of being a liar, a fraud, and a false prophet. His cousin, John the Baptist, doubted and questioned if Jesus was truly the Messiah, and even Jesus' own mother and brothers thought He was mad. Jesus said that He would never leave us or forsake, yet He was forsaken by His own Heavenly Father. He is our Comforter, yet He experienced suffering and sorrow as no other. He is the Bread of Life, but He experienced hunger and Satan tempted Him to turn the stones into bread. He was rich but He became poor for our sakes. He promised to build us a mansion in Heaven when He didn't even have a place to lay His head here on Earth. Jesus is love and loved the unlovely, yet He, Himself, was unloved by many. He is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, yet He was humiliated and slandered. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother, yet His most trusted friends lost faith in Him and forsook Him in His darkest hour. Jesus came to give men eternal life, but men took His life from Him. He is the Lamb of God without blemish, yet He became the sacrificial lamb for our sins.

Think about the cross and what Jesus has done for you. Can you imagine that He freely gave all that He had to give in order to gain you for His eternal possession? Jesus experienced every infirmity so that He could understand and be touched by everything that you would ever face. Jesus is the Son of God and your High Priest. He now sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, speaking words to help you. Never stop trusting Him because He loves you so much. Jesus gave His all for you, what more could He do? +++