| ............ | A Word In Due Season
1st Week of April 2015
04/01/15
THE CROSS OF LOVE
Scripture: Philippians 2:8 "He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
Some two thousand years ago there was a cross placed on a hill called Mount Calvary. There were two other crosses on the hill that day, but only one cross stands out in the portals of time and speaks an everlasting message of hope and redemption. This one cross held a man who had done no wrong. In fact, this man was the only one that has ever lived on this earth who was judged to be without sin. When the people were crying out their desire to crucify this man, Pontius Pilate said, "I find no fault in Him". And God, Himself, had no accusing words against this man. In fact, God declared "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
The community knew the man on the cross as a carpenter and the son of a carpenter whose name was Joseph. This same man, Jesus, was their Rabbi and teacher. He was with them daily in the temple, explaining the scriptures to them. He had healed many of the people who now watched Him as He hung on the cross that day. Their thoughts may have gone back to the time that they saw Him cause the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the lame to walk, or the demonic man to be delivered. This man had multiplied the food to satisfy their hunger and had turned water into wine. He had performed other mighty miracles in their midst when He spoke peace to the storm and calmed the raging seas. He had even brought their dead back to life again. He then freely gave His life on the cross to pay the price for the sins of all mankind, including you and me. This man was called Jesus. He is the Christ, the Messiah, and the precious Son of the Living God.
Why did Jesus set His face to go to Jerusalem knowing that He was destined to be crucified when He could have run the other direction? Why didn't He give in to the cries of people and call ten thousand angels to deliver Him from the pain and suffering as He hung on the cross? The reasons are simple but profound. He chose to endure the cross and its shame because of His great love for us and because of His humble obedience to His Father. He came to do the will of God and make a way for us. He was willing and determined to lay down His life for us and through His sacrifice, our sins were washed away. The ordinances and laws that were against us were blotted out as they were nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). The purpose of this cross, which was stained with His incorruptible blood, was the price of our eternal redemption and gives us entrance into the gates of Heaven. To many, the preaching of the gospel of this cross is foolishness but to those of us who believe and are saved, it is the power of God (I Corinthians 1:18).
This cross should stand tall in our hearts today as we remember what it represents. It was not just the flesh of a man that was nailed to the cross that day, but Jesus' love for us that has no measure. Jesus loves each of us so much that He gave His all so that we could receive His all and live with Him in eternity. We celebrate His work on the cross and His resurrection. +++
04/02/15
I AM
Scripture: Exodus 3:14 "I AM THAT I AM"
God spoke these words to Moses when He sent Moses to deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt. God told Moses that He would be everything that Moses needed Him to be so that he could bring the people out of bondage and into the Promised land. When God said, "I AM," He was saying, "I AM the God of Now." He didn't say, "I used to be," or "I will be" but He used present tense. Whatever you need, "I AM there for you."
Under the new covenant, Jesus told us that He would always be with us and that He would never leave us or forsake us. He is everything that we need in order to be delivered out of the bondage that we are in. He is there to help us be able to receive the promises of God for our life. In the gospel of John, Jesus made some specific "I AM" statements about Himself. May His declarations of who He is be a blessing to you this Easter season. Jesus said:
"I AM the Bread of Life." (John 6:48) - Verse fifty-one says, "I am the
living bread which came down from heaven ... I will give my flesh for the
life of the world." If we receive this bread from heaven, He will satisfy
our spirits and we will never hunger or thirst.
"I AM the Light of the World." (John 8:12) - "He that follows me shall
not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life." I John 1:6-7 tells
us, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we
lie, and do not (walk in) the truth: we are to walk in the Light as He is
in the Light."
"I AM the Door of the Sheep." (John 10:7) - If we enter the kingdom
through Jesus we will be saved. If we try to get in through another door,
we are a thief and a robber.
"I AM the Good Shepherd." (John 10:11) - The Good Shepherd gives His
life for the sheep and they have a personal relationship with each other.
He knows His sheep, and the sheep recognize His voice (verse 27).
"I AM the Resurrection and the Life." (John 11:25) - When we receive
Jesus, we receive resurrection life. We will live eternally and never die.
"I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life." (John 14:6) - There is no way
to enter the presence of God except through Jesus. It is only through His
Name that we can even pray. He is our access to God.
"I AM the True Vine." (John 15:1:1) - Jesus tells us in John 15:5 that
He is the vine and we are the branches. If we want to bear fruit we must
abide in Him for without Him we can do nothing. +++
04/03/15
JESUS’ DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION
Scripture: Matthew 28:5-6 “The angel answered …Fear not: For I know that you seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said.”
Following Obituary Copied: Author Unknown
My note: Please remember that even though Jesus experienced death on the cross, His life did not come to an end. For on the third day, He arose from the grave and now sits at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us. May you realize all that His death, burial, and resurrection made possible for you. And may you be blessed as you celebrate the resurrected life of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior, who offers you eternal life in His presence. +++
04/14/15
OUR REFUGE AT ALL TIMES
Scripture: Psalms 62:8 "Trust in Him at all times; you people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us."
King David wrote this psalm from personal experience, for he had truly found God to be his refuge at all times.God did not show Himself strong every now and then in David's life, but at all times.When trouble presented itself, David went to God and poured out his heart before Him.God never failed to come to David's rescue or deliver him from his enemies.In fact, God not only delivered David, but David declared that the Lord anointed his head with oil in the presence of his enemies.
When David fell into sin, he did not run from God. Instead, he ran to God in repentance. He trusted in God and found refuge in God's mercy, forgiveness, and grace. When David needed counsel, he found refuge in God as a wonderful counselor. Whether he faced material needs, emotional needs, or disappointments with his children and other relationships, David always found refuge in the presence of the Lord.David invites us to pour out our hearts before God as he declares that God is a refuge for all of us.As our refuge, God protects us on all sides. It is like being in a closed room where nothing can harm us.We are surrounded and covered by His very being, and nothing can penetrate the presence of the Almighty God.He will never fail.
David said, "Trust in the Lord at all times." In the times of grief and sorrow, the Lord becomes our refuge of comfort.When we are broken hearted, He is always near. When our health fails, He is our refuge of healing and strength.In the times of financial lack, we know that we can depend upon Him as our refuge of provision.When we are lonely, He surrounds us with His love, and when confusion seeks to torment our soul, He secures us in His peace.When we sin, we can run to the refuge of His forgiveness and cleansing. When we face disappointments, He is a refuge ofencouragement and fresh hope. He is our shelter in the raging storms and He is also the cloud that gives us refugefrom the blazing sun. We are to trust God in every season, for God is our refuge at all times.+++
04/15/15
WHEN YOUR BROOK DRIES UP
Scripture: I Kings 17:7 "And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land."
During a season of drought, God told the prophet Elijah to go hide by the brook called Cherith. While Elijah was there, he drank water from the brook and ate bread and meat that the ravens brought to him every morning and evening. Things seemed to be fine for a season and God provided everything that Elijah needed. But after a while, the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then, God spoke to Elijah and told him to go to a town called Zarephath where God had commissioned a widow to sustain him. Elijah moved in faith on the Word of God and God fulfilled His Word.
It is often very disturbing when we find ourselves in similar circumstances. God gives us a job, a ministry, a friendship, or some other wonderful blessing which seems to be meeting all of our needs. We know that we are in the will of God. We are in the right place at the right time, but suddenly for no reason it seems, God stops raining His anointing and before long, like the brook, our blessing dries up. We are left with a heart full of questions and concerns. We try not to be discouraged, but our future looks bleak. We have no idea what God is doing in our lives and have no apparent options in the natural. Our only hope is to get a definite word of direction from the Lord and to trust that God will give us enough faith to act upon that word.
Although God's ways are higher than our ways, His guidance is often very humbling. When Elijah's brook dried up, God sent him to a widow for help. The mighty prophet of God had to ask a poor widow for her last bit of food, which she had planned to prepare for her son and herself to eat before they died. But Elijah's words challenged her faith and her response brought victory. God sustained her and her son throughout the drought. Elijah's dry brook was no accident. God wanted to send him to be a blessing to this widow and her son. Elijah was her lifeline in this troublesome time.
Likewise, your situation is no accident. God knows exactly where you are and what your circumstances are. When your friends fail you or the anointing on your ministry has lifted, remember that God has new friends and other places of ministry that need you. When your brook dries up and your provisions are spent, come to know that God and God alone is your source. He is not limited by your circumstances. In the midst of your dry season, God's Word will come to you and He will send you to a new place so that you can be the vessel that brings deliverance to others. +++
04/16/15
GOD LOOKS FOR FAITH
Scripture: Mark 2:5 "When Jesus saw their faith ..."
Four men went to great trouble to bring their friend to Jesus. They had such faith that Jesus was the answer to their friend's need that they literally tore the roof of the house apart to get him there. When Jesus saw their tenacious faith, He healed their friend. There were many needs there that day, but Jesus responded to the need that exercised faith. Jesus saw that by their desperate actions these men believed in Him and had faith in His healing power.
When Jesus ministered in His own hometown, however, He was not able to do many mighty works because of the unbelief in the hearts of the people (Matthew 13:58). The people heard Jesus teach in the synagogue and were astonished at His wisdom. They also marveled at the mighty works that He did, but they were offended because of His humble estate. Even after seeing the mighty works of Jesus, they would not believe because they were too familiar with Him as a person and knew His family. They said, "Is this not the carpenter's son?" They just couldn't find it in their hearts to honor Jesus as the Messiah. Their unbelief made it impossible for them to receive from His gracious hand.
Our natural minds are trained to limit God and find reasons not to believe. Too often, we underestimate God and in so doing, we fail to receive what He has already provided. Yet, God is still attracted by faith! He looks for it. II Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the Lord search back and forth across the whole Earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect toward Him, so that He can show His great power in helping them." God longs to show His great power in your situation. He wants to heal you, provide for your needs, and deliver you in times of trouble. He watches to see if there is faith in your heart and if you are desperate to get your needs met.
James 5:17 says, "The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." James referred to Elijah, a man with passions like us, who prayed seven times for rain to come. When his prayer was not answered the first time, he just kept on asking. He knocked and kept on knocking. His perseverance in prayer was like the men who brought their friend to Jesus. Just like these men, Elijah had no intention of giving up. True faith carries the burden until an answer comes and the victory is won. It will not quit and it will not allow adversity or circumstances to hinder it. True faith will tear up a roof if necessary to get to Jesus. Faith is a desperate force that reaches the heart of God and when Jesus sees it, it's impossible for Him not to respond. +++
4/17/15
PECULIAR PEOPLE
Scripture: I Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people ..."
The Apostle Peter called us a chosen generation and as followers of Jesus, we have become a royal priesthood and a holy nation. Peter also called us a peculiar people, set apart from the world, for we are called out of darkness and into God's marvelous light. The world cannot understand our actions or our motives in various situations. We are an epistle read of all men yet our lives are a mystery to them. They see us love the unlovely and forgive the unforgivable. They take notice of our peace as we go through valleys, witness our courage as we face battles, and marvel at our strength as we endure hardships. They are baffled by the joy of the Lord that sustains us in adversities and they are overwhelmed by the praises that we offer to God even in the midst of our difficulties.
A. W. Tozer wrote:
"The real Christian is an odd human being anyway.
The Christian feels supreme love for one he's never seen.
He talks every day with someone he can't see.
He expects to go to Heaven on the virtue of someone else.
He empties himself in order to be full.
He admits when he's wrong in order to be declared right.
He is strongest when he is the weakest,
Richest when he's poorest,
Happiest when he feels the worst.
He dies so he can live.
He forsakes so he can have.
He gives away so he can keep.
He sees the invisible, hears the inaudible
And knows that which passes all knowledge."
We are a strange lot,for God has indeed chosen us to be a peculiar people.
Let us never change.
4/20/15
MAKING PRAYER THE PRIORITY
Scripture: I Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing."
The Apostle Paul was a very busy person. He went on missionary journeys, evangelized the nations, wrote nearly three fourths of the New Testament, and even made tents to supplement his income. Yet, he was never too busy to pray. He made prayer a priority in his life, and because he was aware of the necessity of prayer in his own life, he instructed us to do the same.
Prayer is not just a few words that are spoken to our Father as we ask Him to bless our meals, our day, and our night seasons. It is a continual communion with God where we acknowledge His presence with us and our utter dependence upon Him. God not only waits for the times of prayer that we put things aside, enter our closet places, and bow our knees before Him, He also waits for us to simply speak to Him informally. Paul told us to pray without ceasing. Even though we are busy with the demands of life, we can still stay focused on God and whisper a prayer along the way. As our spirits praise and seek God throughout the busyness of the day, we will hear His still small voice speaking to us in return. This is communion. We not only speak, but we listen. We not only ask for the things that we desire but we hear God's Words in our ears and act with obedience to fulfill His desires.
However, many times we get so busy that our prayers become only petitions for our immediate needs. Someone made the comment that we treat God like the "Burger King" instead of "The King." We pray, "I'll take - two healings, one forgiveness, and a large order of blessings." We don't even check the bag before we drive off or leave His presence. Later, we find out that we didn't get all of the things that we ordered from God and we wonder what happened. The words of our prayers were there but our connection with God was lost in the busyness of life. We must connect with God to receive from God.
Jesus had great confidence when He spoke to the Father in prayer. He told the Father, "I know that You hear Me always" and Jesus then raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:42). That was a power packed prayer. However, the power was not established in these few words, but through Jesus' continual prayer life and communion with the Father. Scriptures declare that Jesus arose early before dawn to meet God in prayer and He also prayed all night. He stayed in communication with the Father and made no decisions on His own, but did only that which the Father showed Him. Prayer was a priority with Jesus and communion with God was His way of life. Let us seek to follow the Lord's example, and like Paul's instructions, pray without ceasing.
4/21/15
TRUSTING GOD IN THE HARD PLACES
Scripture: Exodus 14:1-2 "The Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to the Israelites to turn back and camp between Migdol and the sea."
This direct word from God seemed to lead the Israelites right into a trap. For when they obeyed God's instructions, they found themselves in a very hard place. They had the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptians at their back. The Israelites had no hope of deliverance, and in their dilemma they forgot the power of the Almighty God in whom they served. When they saw their enemy marching towards them, they became afraid and cried out to Moses saying, "It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."
Sometimes we react in a similar manner. We get very excited about a word from God and we venture out on that word. For a short time, God may do amazing things in our lives but eventually the trials and tests come, and like the Israelites, we find ourselves between the enemy and a sea of difficulty. There seems to be no way out of our situation. When the impossible circumstances present themselves, fear attacks and we begin to complain. Our faith is challenged. We wonder if we really did hear from God and if we are supposed to be in this place. We even think about returning to the safe place although it means bondage of one kind or another.
What the Israelites failed to understand and what we fail to understand is that if God leads us into an impossible situation, He has a plan to get us out. He doesn't lead you so far and then forsake you, for He promised to be with you always and give you a way of escape. It is in the hard places, as you stand between your spiritual enemy and your natural sea of circumstances, that you discover the power of God and come to know the integrity of His Word. All you must do is focus on the sufficiency of God, Himself. Remember that you serve a God that can part the Red Sea. He will then use that same dry ground that you walk through to drown your enemy and set you completely free. When you have a problem that has no solutions and questions that have no answers, you are on the edge of a miracle, for you serve a God that specializes in hard places. Trust Him.
4/22/15
WHEN WISDOM CALLS
Scripture: Proverbs 8:1 "Does not wisdom call out?"
Have you ever had someone follow you around and continually give you instructions and directions? Or have you ever treated someone else in the same manner because of your concern for the decisions they were making? Looking at the situation from the outside perimeter, you could see the error of their ways and feared the consequences of their choices and what they were going to have to face. Solomon said that this is how the spirit of wisdom operates in our lives. He spoke of wisdom as a person who stands in the paths that it knows we will take and also sits by the doors that it knows we must enter. Wisdom waits for us at each crossroad of our life and continually cries out to us, for it is full of valuable knowledge and insight that it wants to share with us.
Wisdom doesn't mince words but speaks of that which is right and tells the truth in all matters. Wisdom is discerning and is very persistent in making its voice known in our lives in an effort to keep us from making bad choices. Yet, how many times have we pushed wisdom aside and proceeded to do things our way. We have bought things, gone in debt for things, said things, and done things that we knew were contrary to wisdom. We have pressed through and opened the doors that were meant to be shut. We have closed our ears and knowingly shut off our understanding because our desire was greater than the discipline in our lives. We have turned our eyes away from the Holy Spirit, laid caution aside, and disregarded the warnings of this wonderful counselor, who only had our best interest in mind.
Wisdom was with God when He created the heavens and the earth and was also God's daily delight (Proverbs 8:22 & 30). God exercised wisdom in all of His creation and as He finished each project He was able to declare that it was good. Can we say that everything that we have accomplished is good? Many times we limit ourselves by not allowing wisdom to have full reign in our lives. Solomon asked, "Does not wisdom call out?" These are stout words from a very wise man and words that we must give an account for. From this day forward, let us determine that our answer be, "Wisdom called out and I listened and adhered to its instruction."
04/23/15
REACHING THE OTHER SIDE
Scripture: Mark 4:35 "Let us go over to the other side of the Lake."
These instructions seemed very simple to Jesus' disciples at the beginning because several of them were fishermen who were used to the water and knew quite well how to handle a ship. Besides that, it probably didn't even look like it was going to rain, much less storm when they started out on their obedient journey across the lake. They thought that crossing the lake would be easy and had no idea of the challenge that they were to face. However, they were just about to experience a great teaching from the Master concerning prayer, faith, and the power and authority of His Word.
We have much to learn from this story. When God gives us a promise, there will be a challenge. It may thunder and it may rain. The storm may get fierce and our ship may be tossed about with the waves. It may be a very fearful, painful, and uncomfortable situation. We may even think that we are facing the end and speak as the disciples did, "Master, do you not care that I'm am about to perish? I'm about to go under. There is no way that my ship is going to make it to the other side. I just can't hold on any longer." However, the Lord's words come back to us, "Let us go to the other side." His words, "Let us", show us that He is journeying with us through the rough waters.
Wisdom was with God when He created the heavens and the earth and was also God's daily delight (Proverbs 8:22 & 30). God exercised wisdom in all of His creation and as He finished each project He was able to declare that it was good. Can we say that everything that we have accomplished is good? Many times we limit ourselves by not allowing wisdom to have full reign in our lives. Solomon asked, "Does not wisdom call out?" These are stout words from a very wise man and words that we must give an account for. From this day forward, let us determine that our answer be, "Wisdom called out and I listened and adhered to its instruction."
Sometimes we may feel that the Lord is asleep, but in reality His presence is always there to deliver. His promises are true regardless of the adversity that we are facing, and He shows us that prayer can be made concerning our troubling circumstances. He also lets us know that our faith will draw answers from God and that in the midst of the waves and wind, we can exercise authority over the forces of evil just like He did. Although we should have enough faith to make it through the storm, the Lord shows us that if our faith is lacking, He will still come through for us just like He did for the disciples. He will arise and rebuke the storm, and speak "Peace" to the situation. When we get to the other side, we will find that our prayer life has been intensified and our faith strengthened.
Let these thoughts reign in your heart, "God told you to get into the boat and go to the other side. Yes, you may be facing a great storm, but when Jesus is in the boat with you, you will make it to the other side."
04/24/15
YET WILL I TRUST IN HIM
Scripture: Job 13:15 "Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him."
Job wrote these words after many afflictions had come upon him. Before the enemy's attack, Job was a righteous man who lived a good life. He was rich, healthy, and had a happy home and wonderful family. He was secure in all that he had because there was a hedge of protection about him. Without warning, Job’s hedge was removed from him and He lost is possessions, his sons and daughters, his personal health, his position in the community, and also his self esteem. His closest friends condemned him and his wife even turned against him and encouraged him to curse God and die. He had nothing left and yet even as he faced death itself, Job declared that he would continue to trust in God.
There were many other noble men and women of God in the scriptures who showed their trust in God as Job did when things looked pretty bleak. Queen Esther went before the king and risked her life to save the Jewish nation. As she fasted and prayed, she put her life in God's hands and said, "If I perish, I perish." Habakkuk faced a time of lack, but even though he could have perished in the famine, he declared, "Yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." His lack of provisions did not dictate his praise to God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced a fiery furnace knowing that God was well able to deliver them. Yet they boldly declared to the king, "If God doesn't deliver us, we still will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up." Their minds were settled and their allegiance was to the true and only God. The Apostle Paul and Silas were in prison, yet they placed their trust in God and that trust brought forth a song within their heart. As they began to sing, God delivered them. This is how God always works. He rewards trusting hearts and brings them deliverance.
It is much easier to rejoice and trust in God when things are going good than it is when things are falling apart around us. Yet, like the examples of these men and women, we must come to the place in our lives that we can trust God in every situation, for sincere trust will produce freedom in our spirits. It doesn't matter if we are facing famine, a fiery furnace, imprisonment, or death itself, we must remember that we still have God and He is all that we need. We cannot compromise one moment or give in to the enemy of our souls.
In the midst of turmoil and confusion, we should let our voices ring out with songs of praise and declare our statements of determination: "If I am in God's will and I perish, then I perish. Regardless of the fires that surround me, I will not serve or worship other gods. Even though my provisions are failing and my finances don't look good, I am still going to offer a sacrifice of praise and rejoice in the God of my salvation. And even if God slay me, I will still trust Him."
04/27/15
HEALING FOR OUR LAND
Scripture: II Chronicles 7:14 "If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
We are living in very serious times. It seems that every nation is in the midst of division, danger, distress, and turmoil. Evil lurks on every corner and there is heartache around each bend. Each day has new unpleasant surprises. Droughts, storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, political unrest, national financial upheaval, violent protest, and wars or rumors of war. Yet in midst of all this distress, God offers hope to His people and to those who are called by His Name. Regardless of who we are or where we live on this Earth, we must respond to this urgent call from God to pray for our land.
In the mighty prayer scripture above, God gives us a big "If" and much of our deliverance rests upon our reactions to His instructions. God gives us the elements to find forgiveness and healing for our land. These elements include personal humility, prayer, a heart that seeks after God, and our repentance of sins. Healing comes in many forms. It can be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. God is not limited in any area, but He is limited by our complacent attitude and lack of faith and action.
God said, "If we humble ourselves," "If we pray," "If we seek after Him," and "If we repent of our sins," then He will respond. It is that simple. God is listening and ready to answer, but our answer depends upon our own actions. God challenges His own people and declares that our deliverance rests upon our own shoulders. If you are one of God's people and if you are called by His Name, you have a responsibility to join this mandate of prayer. Determine to be one of those who will join together in one accord and pray so that healing can come to all nations and to your own individual life.
04/28/15
DON'T GET WEARY
Scripture: Galatians 6:9 "Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Weariness and discouragement are two of Satan's strongest devises. He may not succeed in tempting you to do something evil, but he knows that if he can discourage you long enough, he will wear you out and that will cause you to give up. If you give up, then you will fail to reap what God has ordained for you. Daniel 7:25 says, "The devil shall speak great words against the most High and shall wear out the saints of the most High."
Because you are a child of the most High, Satan's goal is to wear you out by speaking great words contrary to what God has spoken to you. It's the same method that he used on Adam and Eve. He comes to you with discouraging thoughts and words that plant questions in your mind, "Hath God said?" He tried the same thing on Jesus, questioning Him, "If you be the Son of God..." The devil continued tempting Jesus until he saw that he couldn't wear Jesus out. He then left Jesus for a season. Satan doesn't give up easily. His plan was to come back at a more opportune time.
The devil uses the same strategy on us. However, Paul told us to put on the whole armor of God and stand against the wiles or strategies of the devil. This word 'stand' in this instance means to stand and get ready for the next battle. Our conflict with Satan will not be over until Jesus returns and takes us home.
Jeremiah 12:5 says, "If you have run with footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with the horses?" In other words, if you can't make it when things are easy, how do you expect to make it when things get really rough? Life is not always going to be easy. With every assignment that God appoints to you, there comes a challenge. You can either faint and give up or finish the course. The choice is yours, but if you intend to reap God's rewards you must complete the season. You must run the last step if you expect to finish the race.
04/29/15
FULLNESS OF JOY
Scripture: Psalms 16:11 "You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
For David, there was one place that guaranteed joy and true pleasure, and that place was the presence of the Lord. David had many disappointments with relationships in his life. His father, Jesse, left him in the field tending the sheep and overlooked him when Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse's sons to be king. David's brothers talked down to him when he came to the battlefield to deliver food. King Saul, whom David faithfully served, tried to kill him several times. At Ziklag, David's own army talked of stoning him. His wife, Michal, mocked him as he worshiped God, and his son, Absalom, rebelled against him and tried to take his kingdom.
However, when those who were supposed to love and support him failed, David found that he could always trust the Lord. He blessed the Lord who gave him counsel and instructed him in his darkest hours. In verse eight, David said, "Because I always looked to the Lord, I can not be shaken or moved." His confidence and security was in God, and even in the most difficult situations, David found joy in God's presence. We see this in many of the psalms as David prayed or talked to the Lord. At the beginning of the psalm, he would be in distress and grief, but as David communed with God and experienced His presence, joy would come, and praise would spring up within his heart.
In verse nine, David said that when his heart was joyful, even his flesh rested. In the natural, we all have those special friends and members of our family that we like to be around because there is something about their presence that lifts us up. When we are with them, we are full of joy and experience pleasure because they encourage us, comfort us, and make us laugh. We make plans to be with them because we know that their presence will cause us to relax and that relaxation will regenerate our bodies, souls, and spirits. In the same way, the presence of the eternal God infuses us with life and joy when we choose to be in His presence.
The Lord is with you right now. Take a few moments throughout the day to consciously acknowledge the presence of God in your life, for Jesus said, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). Speak aloud to Jesus and tell Him that you know that He is there with you. As you do, you will experience the quietness of His presence and He will fill you with joy.
04/30/15
THE LORD'S SIDE
Scripture: Exodus 32:26 "Who is on the Lord's side?
Moses had been on Mount Sinai for forty days communing with God and receiving the commandments of the Lord. These commandments were written on two tablets of stone and Exodus 31:18 tells us that they were written with the finger of God. God had actually engraved His Words upon the tablets of stone. What an awesome thought, to be able to hold something that precious in your own hands. Yet this glorious experience and wonderful keepsake was soon to be ruined. As Moses came down from the mountain with Joshua at his side, they could hear sounds coming from the camp. Joshua thought it was the sounds of war but Moses knew that it was the sounds of music and laughter. When Moses came into the camp, the first thing that he saw was the golden calf that the people had made for worship. Righteous anger rose within Moses and in a moment of distress and passion he threw the tablets to the ground, breaking them into pieces.
Just after this incident, Moses stood and asked the people, "Who is on the Lord's side?" He made it very clear that there was no middle ground. There were no hiding places, no gray areas, and no maybes. It was either yes or no, light or dark, good or evil. They had to decide and they had to step forward and show their commitment. He said, "You are either on the Lord's side or you are not. Those who are on the Lord's side come to me." Joshua later gave the people the same choice when he became their leader. He said, "Choose you this day whom you will serve."
As we consider the things that we face today and the critical choices that are before us, we need to think about Moses' question. We must weigh every decision against the principals and character of God, and then do the very best that we can to make the godly choice. II Corinthians 3:3 tells us that we are declared to be the epistles of Christ and that His Words are written, not upon stone but on the tables of our heart. God gives us a witness within our spirit about what is right and what is wrong and we are accountable to Him for the knowledge and wisdom that He shares with us. Sometimes it may not be pleasant and many times it will not be popular, but none-the-less we have a responsibility to choose those things that represent the interest of the Kingdom of God and show forth His righteousness. We cannot serve two masters. We must answer the question that Moses posed to the people for our own selves. Whose side are we on?
05/04/15
GOD OF A SECOND CHANCE
Scripture: Isaiah 11:11 "The Lord shall set His hand again the second time."
In context, this scripture refers to the regathering of the Jewish people. Yet, there are examples of this second chance concept working in the lives of some of the most profound men in the scriptures and God also does the same thing for us. He is a wonderful God and remains faithful in the midst of our failures and offers us another chance. He is our Father and is waiting for us with open arms like the father of the prodigal son. It doesn't matter what we have done, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).
Many times God used men who needed a second chance. We see Moses slaying an Egyptian, but God still used Moses to become a great leader that brought deliverance to a multitude of people who were in bondage. Then we see King David in Psalms 51 repenting of murder, lying, and adultery, but God still had a glorious plan for David's life. As David asked for forgiveness, God purged him, created a new heart within him, and also restored the joy of his salvation. David didn't have to settle for just forgiveness. God restored the entire relationship between them. God is no respecter of persons. He will do the same thing for you.
We see Paul in the book of Acts persecuting and killing the Christians. He thought he was doing God's work, but he was deceived. After he experienced Jesus, he expressed his feelings of unworthiness. He said, "I am the least worthy of all the apostles, and am not deserving to be called an apostle, because I once wronged, pursued, and molested the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am: and His grace bestowed on me is not in vain" (I Cor. 15:9-10). Paul was determined that the grace that God extended to him would not be wasted. Even though Paul had oppressed the church with cruelty and violence, he sought for forgiveness. And even though he felt unworthy, he made a decision that he would fulfill the call of God on his life to be an apostle. We also see Peter denying Christ three times in Mark 14:66-72. Yet, later in the book of Acts, God anointed Peter as he stood before the multitudes and preached about this same Jesus that he had once denied. As he preached, thousands were added to the church that day
Where would we be if these men had not found the forgiveness and grace they needed? Their work would have stopped at the point of their failure. The prodigal son would have never returned to restore joy to his grieving and hurting father. The same forgiveness and grace these men experienced is available to us today. God's heart aches and His Spirit grieves until we return to the point of His grace. God is full of mercy and He desires to restore our lives and our relationship with Him because He is the God of a second chance. Copyright © 2015 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved
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