Dec15

............	A Word In Due Season Dec 2015 12/1/15 RULING YOUR OWN SPIRIT Scripture: Proverbs 25:28 "He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down." When this scripture was written, cities were fortified by walls and gates, which gave the inhabitants privacy and also protected them from the outside world. Watchmen who were placed on the walls decided who came in and who went out of the city. A city that was broken down was a city whose walls and gates had been destroyed by the enemy, leaving it open and vulnerable. This same sort of situation happens in the spiritual realm. When you do not discipline yourself and exercise self-control, Solomon said that you become like a city that is broken down and without walls. Imagine your spirit as a city without a wall around it. When you are in this state, you are vulnerable not only to the temptations of sins, but also the evil attacks of Satan. You become less discerning and watchful because your own addictions, desires, and impulses begin to take charge and rule over you. And you also lose control of what comes in and out of your spirit because your flesh is ruling. How can you take charge and restore your spiritual walls? Galatians 5:24-25 says that you have to "crucify the affections and lusts of the flesh." Paul said if you want to "live in the Spirit, you must walk in the Spirit." Walking is a continual effort, meaning that you rule your spirit, step by step, by submitting to the rule and will of God moment by moment. You allow His fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control, to dictate your life. They become the walls that not only protect you from within, but also protect you from the harm that is without, allowing you to live in health and happiness. If you allow the enemy's fruit, which is hate, grief, anxiety, impatience, doubt, arrogance, and lack of self-control, to rule and control you, you allow yourself to be destroyed from within. When the enemy is able destroy you from within by tearing down your walls and gates of protection, he is then able to attack you from without. He takes advantage of the emotional stress that he has caused in your life and uses it to plague you with physical illnesses. You must rise up, resist him, and disallow him to break down your walls. It takes strength to conquer your passions but God has given you the ability to rule your own spirit by walking in His Spirit. When you reach this place of ruling your own spirit, you will be mightier than one who is able to conquer a city (Proverbs 16:32). +++ 12/2/15 STANDING IN THE GAP Scripture: Ezekiel 22:30 "I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it: but I found none." God seeks to reconcile all men to Himself and is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to eternal life. Therefore, He depends upon those who know Him to pray, intercede, stand in the gap, and make up the hedge for others. God ordains His followers to be a witness to the world. However, Isaiah 59:16 says, "He saw there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor." It takes great commitment to make up the hedge and stand in the gap for others. It means laying down your own life to some degree and making many sacrifices. Moses stood in the gap between God and the people, and at one point, Moses even told God to wipe his own name out of God's book if God destroyed the people. This took a lot of courage on Moses' part, but he knew that God was righteous and merciful. As Moses stood in the breach, he turned God's wrath away and the people were spared (Psalms 106:23). Oswald Smith listed some of the things about the man that God uses. If you want God to use you to make up the breach and you are willing to stand in the gap, consider these challenges. THE MAN GOD USES by Oswald Smith 1) He has but one great purpose in life. 2) He, by God's Grace, has removed every hindrance from his life. 3) He has placed himself absolute at God's disposal. 4) He has learned how to prevail in prayer. 5) He is a student of the Word. 6) He has a vital living message for a lost world. 7) He is a man of faith who expects results. 8) He is anointed by the Holy Spirit. +++ 12/3/15 ASK - SEEK - KNOCK Scripture: Luke 11:9 (Amplified) "So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking, and it shall be given to you; seek and keep on seeking, and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking, and the door shall be opened to you." Life has its moments of uncertainty and we may find ourselves becoming impatient as we wait for the answers to our many questions. Things can move so slowly at times that we feel as if we need to force things to happen. Yet we know that no matter how eager we become for doors to open and things to change, we must wait upon God, for He holds all things in His hands and we cannot rush His timing. Many times the writers of the scriptures confirmed this point by using the phrase, "In the fullness of time." In essence this means that things will only happen on God's schedule and when He sees that we are ready for change. As we wait for the answers to our prayers or for some resolution for the situations in our life that need attention, our only hope is to follow the instructions that Jesus gave. He told us three simple things to do; ask, seek, and knock. Many times we fail to ask God for His help and instead we just worry and wonder about our problems. They consume our minds, but we never call them by name and simply ask God for His help. Other times, when we do ask, we just ask one time instead of pursuing God until the answer comes. We are also to seek diligently for our answer like we would for a lost item until it is found. When I misplace my keys, I search every inch of my dwelling because I know that they are there somewhere. I may even turn my purse inside out in my search, but I never give up until I find the keys because they are a necessary part of my life. The same is true with God's solutions, we can't give up the search. His solutions are there in our midst, we just have to find them. The last thing Jesus told us to do was to knock. We are to stop banging our head against the wall and simply knock on the door. If the door doesn't open immediately, we are to continue knocking until it does. Jesus would not have given us these instructions if He did not want us to use them to get our needs met. He would not have told us to ask, if He didn't intend to answer. He would not have instructed us to seek if He knew that the solutions were not available. He would not have told us to knock if there was nothing behind the door. I encourage you to be persistent like the lady who unashamedly troubled the judge until he granted her the petition that she was requesting (Luke 18:5). Remember that Jesus has compassion and He cares about your questions, your needs, and your lack. So keep on asking, keep on searching, and keep on knocking until your answer comes. +++ 12/4/15 WORRY IS VAIN Scripture: Psalms 127:2 "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for He gives His beloved sleep." There are issues in life and many times it seems that things are spinning totally out of control. Our jobs come to an end, our health fails, our finances are depleted, and we unable to resolve problems with our relationships. There are many sorrows that afflict our souls. We find ourselves earnestly making an effort to remain patient in these situations, hoping that relief will come soon and free us from our dilemma. Yet, many times we find ourselves staying up late and pacing the floors in the midnight hours as we search for solutions. King Solomon advised in the scripture above that it was useless for us to allow our problems to bring us to this state because God is able to give us rest in every situation. We are His beloved children and even though we may face times of adversity, the Lord doesn't want us to be held captive by a spirit of worry and stress. When it is time to sleep, He wants us to lay down in peace. There were two birds that were held captive in a cage. One flew around and beat his wings against the bars in an effort to escape, continually crying, "I don't know what to do. I can't get out. I can't get out." He did this daily and all that he accomplished was frustration, bruises, and torn feathers. The other bird sat on his perch and gently chirped and sang his songs. Somehow he had found an inner peace and was able to find joy regardless of his current state. He understood the vanity of beating himself against the bars that surrounded him, and even though the same bars held him captive, the praise in his spirit allowed him to be free. We are always going to face problems and lack, but we have an assurance that God is our source and that He is sovereign. We are not to sit idly by and do nothing but we are to make a decision to trust the Lord in every situation. We must allow Him to give us rest in the midst of our conflict, having the confidence that He is still in control and that no problem is too difficult for Him to solve. We are to pray for deliverance and release, yet understand that every affliction gives us a fresh glimpse of God and His glory. We are to glean from every situation, knowing that in the midst of captivity, God is going to show Himself strong, for He never fails. There is no valley too low nor any hurt too deep that Jesus cannot restore our soul and bring joy to our hearts. He is able to turn every situation around and make it work together for our good. There is no desert so dry that He cannot find us a place of green pastures and still waters to nourish our hungry and thirsty spirits. Even in the valley of the shadow of death, the Lord is with us and never leaves us. His rod and His staff comfort us and His Spirit anoints our head with oil. He prepares a table for us right in the presence of our enemies. When the Lord is on our side, His love covers it all and there is no reason for us to beat our wings against the bars of captivity. We must receive the wisdom of Solomon and understand that when we give our worries and our sorrows to God, He gives us rest. +++ 12/7/15 PURE FOUNTAINS Scripture: James 3:11 "Does a fountain send forth at the same time sweet water and bitter?" James was drawing a parallel between a literal fountain of water and the living water that flows from the soul and spirit of man. He made it clear that just as a fountain of water cannot be sweet and bitter at the same time, neither can the spirit of man be pure when contaminated with the things of the world. Jesus said that out of your inner man would flow rivers of living water. Whatever we put into our spirits is going to flow out of the fountains of our life. If you have ever been to the beach and got a little salt water mixed in with your fresh drinking water, you can understand and appreciate this analogy very well. Just a little salt water ruins the taste and effects of the fresh water and makes it unfit to drink. Did you know that you can add poison to water and it will not be visible? Yet when consumed, it becomes a deadly drink. It only takes just a little poison to have a negative effect. None of us would intentionally poison those about us, yet many times we disburse water from our souls that is not pure and it becomes like poison to those who receive it. James said that blessing and cursing cannot proceed from the same mouth. You cannot bless and praise God and then curse those about you, for they were made in the image of God and God loves them. You cannot lie to one and then tell the truth to another without being a liar. Neither can your heart be in peace and in strife at the same time. You cannot be a fig tree and produce berries or be a vine and produce figs. It does not work that way in nature and it will not work that way in the spirit either. The slightest amount of bitterness within your soul will ruin the sweetness of your witness. We are who we are within ourselves. Proverbs 4: 23 says, "Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Whatever is inside of our hearts is going to flow out. Therefore, we must live in God's grace and minister His grace to those that we come in contact with. We must guard our hearts like we would a precious fountain of water in a dry and barren desert. It is all that we have to sustain ourselves and is the source of our ministry to others. We must not allow anything from within or from without to contaminate our spirits so that we can insure the sweetness of our fountain. If we want to have a pure fountain, we must be filled with God's Spirit and His sweetness so there will be no room for bitterness. +++ 12/8/15 ENCOURAGING YOURSELF Scripture: I Samuel 30:6 "David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." Have you ever been so discouraged that it seemed that you could not cry anymore? You may have felt like your whole world was falling apart around you. Your possessions were gone and you were separated from the ones you loved dearly for one reason or another. No one understood your situation and even your friends had turned away from you. These are the circumstances that David found himself in when he and his men came home to their city, Ziklag. They found the city burned and their wives and children taken captive by the enemy. "Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep" (Verse 4). They had spent all of their tears. Grief had depleted their spirits. Further discouragement came to David when his men blamed him for this disastrous situation and talked of stoning him. David was greatly distressed because of his own grief and because of the many unjust accusations. However, David did not allow himself to stay in this place of discouragement, distress, and grief. He rose above the negative circumstances and began to encourage himself in the Lord. He did not wait for someone else to get him out of the pit of depression. David ministered to himself and reminded himself of the goodness and mercy of the Lord. Then he asked the Lord what to do about his desperate situation. God instructed David to pursue the enemy. He gave David a promise that he would "overtake the enemy and that without fail, recover all." God's promise was true and came to pass just as He said it would. No matter how desperate your situation may be today, God also has a promise of victory for you. When you find yourself in a place of discouragement and realize there is no one else to turn to, encourage yourself in the Lord. When you feel that you do not have enough strength to shed another tear, remember that God specializes in things that seem impossible. He has not changed. So be encouraged. He is still your God and He will deliver you. +++ We invite you to visit us online at www.widsonline.com Contact by email : mpadgettministries@msn.com 12/09/15 LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE Scripture: Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." Laws are rules and principles that are established by authority. We are all subject to the laws of our own country. As long as we are in our own country, the laws of other countries have no legal rights over us and can not control or condemn us. Likewise in the spiritual realm we are subject to the laws of the kingdom that we belong to. In the spiritual realm there are two authorities on this earth that have dominion. One authority is the kingdom of darkness that is controlled by Satan. This kingdom operates under the law of sin and death. The other authority is the kingdom of light that is control by God's Son and operates under the law of life. We belong to one of these kingdoms. We are either under the control of the law of the Spirit of life, or we are under the control of the law of sin and death. It all depends on whether we have been born again by the Spirit into the kingdom of God. If we have been born again, we are delivered from the control of the laws that govern the kingdom of darkness. Colossians 1:13 says, "He (God) has delivered us out from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." Because we are in this kingdom of light we are subject only to the precepts of God's divine will and not the condemnation of the devil. Romans 8:1 says, "There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." We are no longer condemned to death, sin, unrighteousness, enmity against God, or living a life that does not please God. God has made us free from that lifestyle. Instead, we are under the law of life and controlled by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:2-11 tells us several things that the law of life does for us: 1) It liberates us from sin. (Vs. 2) 2) It delivers us from spiritual death. (Vs.2) 3) Righteousness is fulfilled in our life because we walk after the spirit. (Vs.4) 4) Our minds think on spiritual things. (Vs.5) 5) We have peace because we are spiritually minded. (Vs. 6) 6) We please God because we are not in the flesh but in the spirit. (Vs.8-9) 7) Our mortal bodies are quickened and made alive. (Vs. 11) God brought us into the kingdom of light and the laws of His kingdom have made us free from the law of sin and death. Therefore, we should give thanks unto the Father that made us to be partakers of this divine grace. +++ 12/10/15 HIDING GOD'S WORD IN MY HEART Scripture: Psalms 119:11 "Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee." The Word of God is a powerful weapon against the devil. In fact, the Word is referred to as the sword of the Spirit. It provides a great advantage over the enemy that comes against your soul because Satan, who is the father of lies, has no strength against the Spirit of Truth. Satan has no choice but to flee when you resist him with the Word of Godbecause he knows that the sacred Words of God never return void to God. They always accomplish what God sends them forth to do. When God speaks light, darkness flees. When He speaks love, anger melts and hatred fades away. When He speaks joy, mourning is turned into gladness. And when He speaks comfort, loneliness isforgotten. Even the physical storms of life obey God's Words and dissipate when He speaks peace to them. God's words are Spirit and they are Life. They bring hope into every situation and are more precious than silver or gold. His Word has been tried in the furnaces of fire and proven to be faithful in every situation. We know that Jesus took time to hide the Word of God in His heart. From the time that He was a youth He listened and gave heed to the doctors and elders in the temple. Jesus memorized the Word of God and when the devil came to tempt Him, He simply drew from the treasure that was within His heart. With every temptation, Jesus responded with a scripture. God's Word was His confidence in the day of battle and kept Him from sinning against God and jeopardizing His own divine destiny. If Jesus felt that it was important to hide God's Word in His heart and found it to be a tremendous help against the devil, why don't we spend more time and effort in trying to understand and memorize God's Word for ourselves? One reason may be is that the devil tells us that it is impossible and causes it to be an overwhelming mental challenge, when in reality, it is so simple. We don't have to memorize entire books or chapters of the Bible. Instead we can start with one scripture verse a day. If we learned one verse a day, we could memorize 365 scripture verses a year. Isn't that an amazing thought? The challenge of memorizing one scripture a day or 365 scriptures a year is within our reach. I encourage you today to begin by reading one chapter a day from the book of Proverbs. There are thirty-one chapters in the book of Proverbs, which is one for every day of the month. Read the first chapter on the first day and then follow through reading the others chapters until you complete the month. As you read, meditate on one verse that captures your heart. Memorize that verse and hide it within your heart as a precious treasure. Each day, review what you have memorized the day before. Let this process become a habit in your daily life. You will later find that the precious words that you have hidden in your heart have become the words that will keep you from sinning against God in the time of your temptation, battle, or storm. +++ 12/11/15 FAITHFUL IN THE FEW THINGS Scripture: Matthew 25:21 "You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of the Lord." In relating this story, Jesus lets us know that our destiny and joy depend upon our faithfulness to be good stewards over the things that God has set before us. God places within our hearts a dream and endows us with the gifts and talents to fulfill that vision. However, before the vision comes to pass, it is met with many challenging circumstances, and we find ourselves in positions that are far from the dream that is in our heart. Many times our place of service to God seems so small and our area of ministry seems so limited in our own eyes. Like Jabez, we pray for God to enlarge our territories but instead He tries our faith and tests our motives. Throughout scripture, we see men who waited for the promises of God to come in their lives. Meanwhile, they remained faithful in their place of service regardless of how meager it may have seemed to them at the time. They exercised diligence and patience, waiting until God's appointed and appropriate time. Joseph was enslaved and bound in prison before God's dream came to pass in his life. He could have given up, but instead, he worked hard and gained favor with everyone around him (Genesis 39:4). Joseph was faithful in the small things and God made him ruler over much. Elisha was plowing in the field behind twelve oxen when the prophet Elijah cast his mantle upon Elisha and called him into the ministry (I Kings 19:19). Elisha could have become discouraged as he worked daily in the hot sun following behind dirty oxen, but he remained faithful in the place where he was until God called him. David was also found faithful until God promoted him. He cared for a few sheep that were entrusted to him even though he had been anointed by Samuel to be the king of Israel (I Samuel 16:13). And Jesus waited until He was thirty years old before His ministry took shape and form. Just like these great men, God has a time and a place for you. He wants you to continue to walk towards your destiny regardless of how long the journey may seem. You must not allow yourself to become discouraged by your seemingly small and insignificant place. You must remain faithful as you look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith. Continue to plow the fields that He has placed you in and to care for His sheep. At the appointed and appropriate time, the Lord will acknowledge your faithfulness and hard work and will make you ruler over much. +++ 12/14/15 WALKING BY FAITH Scripture: II Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight." Our journey with God goes beyond what we can see with our eyes or imagine with our minds. It is a walk of faith, not of sight; a journey that begins with a simple recognition and belief that God is God and that He is always present with us even though we cannot see Him. As we walk with this unseen God, we begin to develop a trust that understands that He is not only God but that He is also a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 says that when we walk in this kind of faith, it pleases God. Tremendous things have happened when men have walked in faith. Enoch was translated in the spirit and never saw death. Noah built an ark at God's command and saved his family from the flood. Abraham left his country in search of a city made by God and his ninety-year-old wife, Sarah, received strength to conceive and give birth to Isaac. Moses acted on God's Word and saw God roll back the sea and do many other mighty miracles. Testimonies of faith's rewards are endless. Walking is a process. It is not just taking a step and then sitting down. It is taking a step and standing on that one foot until you place your other foot on the ground. Then repeating this same routine until it brings you to the place that you need to be. Sometimes walking is monotonous and tiring. While other times, in the darkness or unknown territories, it can be unsteady and unsure. It is extremely hard if you try to pull back in the midst of the process of going forward because it throws your whole balance off. It is the same with your spiritual walk of faith. Walking by faith is a continual lifestyle, for Romans 1:17 says, "The just shall live by faith." It is a daily process of moving forward one-step at a time. You have one foot firmly on the ground and the other foot in the air unsure of where it is going to land. You just keep following God and going forward. Your faith declares that you believe God and your actions demonstrate that you really do trust the Words that He has spoken to you. Faith is substance to your own soul and functions when there is no visible evidence, for faith itself is the evidence of things unseen (Hebrews 11:1). The depth of your faith depends upon the depth of your knowledge. Faith is conceived and increased as you hear God’s Word. It is then birthed by experience. Experience comes when you go through situations that make a demand on the faith that is in your heart, for faith is action and is dead without works. As you act upon the things that you believe, faith’s goals are accomplished. Learning to walk by faith is not quick or easy. Walking in faith is much like the process that a child goes through when he is learning to walk. In your faith walk you may fall a couple of times. You may also experience a few bruises and setbacks as you endeavor to walk. Yet, as you continue to believe God and walk by faith and not by what you see,your steps will become stronger and more determined. God will then reward your faith and bring His Words to pass in your life. +++ 12/15/15 GOD WILL BE WITH YOUR MOUTH Scripture: Exodus 4:12 "Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to speak." When God called Moses to deliver the children of Israel from bondage, He spoke to Moses from a burning bush. This was quite an event. Yet even with this supernatural call, Moses still had to deal with his own insecurities. He responded to God and said, "Who am I? ... What shall I say? ... The people won't believe me ... I am not eloquent ... Lord, send someone else." He wanted to flee God's mighty call because of the anxiety that was taking hold of his soul. He had no self-confidence that he could fulfill God's plan because of the lack of his own abilities. How many times has God called us to a task and we have responded in like manner? Our insecurities have overshadowed the plan and purposes of God. Like Moses, we feel inadequate and tend to forget that God created us. We assume that our lack is too great and neglect to consider that He is able to add, multiply, and even create when necessary. God is not limited in any fashion. When God chose Moses, He knew that Moses did not know what to say and that even if Moses did have knowledge, his speech was not eloquent. God also knew that Moses’ credibility would be challenged. God made plans ahead of time to do signs and wonders to convince the people that Moses was speaking on His behalf. It certainly did not matter who Moses was or what he could do. It only mattered who God was and what God could do. Throughout the scriptures, God always used the less likely to succeed. He chose a small young man named David to fight a seasoned giant. He chose an old man and woman, Abraham and Sarah, to have a child. He chose Gideon and three hundred men to battle against thousands. When Jesus' disciples were chosen, it was not the priest and Levites who were called. It was the unlearned and common men such as fishermen and tax collectors. God does not choose many wise, mighty, or noble. He chooses the foolish and the weak to convey His message (I Corinthians 1:26-27). When God chose you, He was simply looking for a vessel that would be obedient and would willingly yield to Him. He knew all about your inabilities and shortcomings. They were no surprise to Him. So when He calls you, there is no need for you to be concerned, for God is the one who will complete the work that He has called you to do. Just trust Him and rest in His wonderful promise, "Go, and I will be with your mouth and I will teach you what to say." +++ 12/17/15 REVERSING CAPTIVITY Scripture: Zephaniah 3:20 "I will reverse your captivity before your eyes." God's judgments come when we are willingly disobedient and rebellious against His Word. Yet, regardless of our unfaithfulness, God remains faithful. He said that if we would confess our sins, He would forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). God wants us to know today that He loves us, and He wants to deliver us from any bondage that is holding us captive. Zephaniah 3:14-17 says, "Sing, shout, ... rejoice, be in high spirits and glory with all your heart. The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, He has cast down your enemy. The Lord your God is in the midst of you ... He will rejoice over you. He will rest in silent satisfaction. And in His love He will be silent and make no mention of past sins, or even recall them; He will exult over you with singing." Doesn't that sound just like a loving Father? Because of His love, He forgives and forgets all of your sins. Not only does He forgive and forget your sins, He is also silent about them. He does not broadcast your sins to others or keep reminding you of them. He only sings praises concerning you, for you are His joy. If you are a parent, think of how true this concept is. As parents, we never allow others to condemn our children. We may have to correct our children, but we are also the first to defend them. If someone were interviewing us today and asked us to tell them something about our children, we would point out all of the good and wonderful things about them. We would not dwell on their faults or failures and would be very silent concerning our disappointments. We love our children and would sing over them with songs of joy and praises. However, we may act very differently with our neighbor's child. We would find it easier to acknowledge their faults and may not hesitate to point out the things they did wrong. Like a loving parent, God is singing over you today with joy and is not rehearsing all your faults because you are His very own child. God does not want to remember your sins, so He removes them as far as the east is from the west. He then washes you with the blood of Jesus and covers you with His love. God loved you so much that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die for you and anointed Him to set you free. The Lord is in your midst. If you allow Him to minister to you, the love of Jesus and His forgiveness will reverse your captivity. He will rejoice over you and His grace will set you free. +++ 12/18/15 TRUST GOD'S LIGHT Scripture: Psalms 119:105 "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Life is a wonderful journey with God as our guide. He covers the earth with His presence and with each step that we take, He goes before us. He makes the crooked ways straight and gives light to our path. He never sleeps, slumbers, or takes vacations. He is with us and will always be with us even until the end of the world. The Lord's hand is not shortened so that He cannot touch us, His ears are not deaf to our voices, and His eyes are not dim to see the things that surround us. He knows everything about the road that we are taking and He also knows what lies ahead. We want to know what the future holds and desire that our way be flooded with light. Yet, even though God may give us a glimpse into the future, He most often gives us a lamp that only sheds light to our feet and to the next few steps that we are to take. He speaks into our lives and illuminates our spirits through His Word. He leads us down the pathway one step at a time, gently taking us through valleys and strengthening us as we push our way up the mountains. He is there speaking to us when we must cross the rivers or the dry barren deserts. He is in our midst when things are calm and is also there when the storms of life are raging about us. God has a Word for every season of our lives. He carries our burdens, shares our sorrows, and His love and compassions never end. He laughs with us and cries with us. The Lord also celebrates when we celebrate and hurts when we hurt. He meets us at our present moment and gives us encouragement and hope in our journey. A few years ago, I had to make a crucial decision that would affect the rest of my life. It was the hardest decision that I ever faced and it took months for me to come to a final conclusion. I sought the Lord, I followed His Spirit of peace, and I walked in all the light that I had at the time. God's light seemed to be a small circle around me and I could see nothing outside of the circumference of that circle because of the darkness that surrounded me. I had God's answer, but I could not see the end results. It was a very sad time because I did not know what the future held or if I would ever find joy again. After the decision was final and my commitment was made, the enemy began to sow doubt in my mind. He tormented me with thoughts in an effort to draw me back to his plan. Yet, God is always faithful and gives light within our being. As I sought the Lord, He reminded me of the light that He had shown within my heart when I was making my decision. His light had guided me through the darkest hours of my life and His Word had been my lamp. He had spoken to me through His Word and the devil was simply trying to put that light out with doubt and confusion. When I realized what was happening, faith arose within my heart and the peace of God assured me that I was going in the right direction. The circumstances had not changed so I disallowed the breath of Satan to blow out the light. I continued to walk in the light that I had experienced when I sought for God's answer. I set my heart to believe God and trust His Word and promises although I could not see their fulfillment at the time. Years later, I know that I made the right decision. I wonder now how it could have been so hard for me at the time. Yet, I have come to realize that there are dark shadows in every valley of decision. The harder the decision, the darker the shadows. Out of my experience, I want to encourage you to lean upon God as you journey through life. There will be many decisions that you will have to make. In order to make the best choices for your life, you must allow God and His Word to be a lamp to your feet and you must trust in His everlasting light. +++ 12/21/15 THE GIFT OF GOD Scripture: John 4:10 "Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." The Samaritan woman that Jesus spoke these words to had lived a very hard life. Her life style and morals did not measure up to the other women in the city. It seemed that she did not merit their friendship because she came to the well alone and not with the other women. She had been married five times and was now living with a man that was not her husband. She was an outcast in society. Yet this Jewish man, Jesus, was taking the time to talk with her, even though Jews normally had no dealings with the Samaritans. He was offering this woman the gift of God. This was a new concept as gifts and sacrifices were always given to God, not received from God. Jesus said to the woman, "If you only knew the gift of God." The most precious gift ever given was this gift by God some 2000 years ago. God's gift was not wrapped in beautiful foil paper and topped off with a beautiful bow. Nor was it put in a decorative bag with tissue paper. His gift was simply wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid in a manger, and hidden away in a stable among the smells of the animals. But God's precious gift was one of a kind and was supernatural. His gift was Jesus, who brought eternal life and light to those who would receive Him. Jesus is the living water that He spoke about to the Samaritan woman and He quenches every thirst. John 3:16 tells us more about this wonderful gift and why God gave it. God's gift was His only begotten Son, and His giving was motivated by great love. God loved us so much that He gave that which was most precious to Him. His great gift had great purpose. It was eternal and was given so that we would not perish but have everlasting life. God's gift was made flesh, for only the blood of His Son could redeem mankind from sin. What an enormous gift; an everlasting gift of love, a gift of great sacrifice, and a gift of purpose. Even though God’s gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, its worth exceeds silver and gold. Nothing compares to the treasure that we possess when we come to know and receive His gift. Jesus is our gift of Living Water and when we receive Him, there is no room for thirst in our spirits. It is no wonder that Jesus approached the woman at the well and spoke these words into her life, "If you knew the gift of God." +++ 12/22/15 GOD WITH US Scripture: Matthew 1:23 "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Jesus' Name was called Emmanuel, meaning God is with us. No generation before had this wonderful promise fulfilled, for this was a new and marvelous thing that God was doing. Jesus, the Word, was made flesh, came to Earth, and dwelt among men. He became one of us so that He could be touched with the same feelings that we experience. He wanted to know our joys and understand our sorrows. And when His work on Earth was finished and He returned to Heaven, Jesus promised never to leave us or forsake us. He is still our Emmanuel, and He is "with us always, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20). Many in the world today tend to forget what this wonderful season is all about and attempt to celebrate without Jesus. Attention is turned toward the presents to be given or those to be received, and not focused on the presence of the Eternal King who is the true reason for the season. The celebration of the birth of the Son of God and the fulfilling of the promise of His glorious presence becomes lost amidst the hustle and the bustle of the traffic, the parties, and the last minute shopping. If we are not careful, even our times of devotion and prayer will be pushed aside so that we can meet the demands of our busy holiday schedule. Even now, just a few days from the eve of Christmas, we are looking forward to the rest after the rush. We are pledging to do better and spend more time with God in prayer and Bible study after the holidays are over. The good news is that you do not have to wait until the New Year to find rest and a time to commune with the Lord. You do not even have to wait until you go to a religious service. Wherever you are throughout your busy day, just take a few moments and be still before God. He promised to be right there, so welcome and acknowledge Him. Experience the Lord's awesome presence that surrounds you. Right now, even as you read these words, pause and slowly breathe His Name aloud several times, "Jesus - Emmanuel, God is with us." As you speak His Name, you will sense His presence and peace and rest will enter your soul. +++ 12/23/15 A SOUND OF A BABY'S CRY Scripture: John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." In the beginning, Jesus was with God and He was God, but He came to Earth and took upon Himself human flesh so that He could dwell among us and ultimately become the sacrifice for our sins. Jesus was unique in that He was true deity and also common humanity. Before His birth, there had been four hundred years of silence between the time of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Then suddenly, in the fullness of time, the Son of God was born and the sound of this Baby's cry heralded a new message on Earth. His cry meant that light had come to shatter the forces of darkness and that eternal salvation had come to mortal man. As the silence of those years ended with His cry, many validated that the Messiah had come. The angels declared the good tidings of great joy saying that the Savior, which is Christ the Lord, had been born. They praised God and declared peace on Earth and good will toward men. Years later, John the Baptist said, "Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world." And Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." God the Father also spoke from Heaven and said, "This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Satan, Himself, recognized Jesus as the Messiah and challenged Him by mingling these words of doubt in His ears, "If Thou be the Son of God." Even the soldiers who witnessed His crucifixion at the cross acknowledged who Jesus was by saying, "Surely this was the Son of God." If you have ever had a baby born into your life, you know the vast meaning of hearing their cry for the first time. It means that things will never be the same again in your household, for from their first cry, your life is changed forever. So it was with the Baby Jesus. His cry brought change and hope to all mankind. Today, we look for Him in beautiful cathedrals that are filled with beautiful music and fail to realize that He is everywhere and that He is crying out for us. He wants to intervene in our silence and give meaning to our lives. If we listen for Him, we will hear His cry, and if we look for Him, we will experience the glory of this only begotten Son of God. When we find Jesus, we will understand His grace and truth and we will declare and validate Him as the Messiah of our lives. +++ 12/24/15 GIFTS WORTHY OF A KING Scripture: Matthew 2:11 "They presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." The wise men were experts in the study of the stars and when they saw the special star in the East, they knew that the Messiah had come. They followed the star to Jerusalem. It then went before them and led them to the place where Jesus was. The wise men made this long tedious journey with the intent to worship Jesus because they knew from their studies that He was the King of the Jews. They not only came to worship Jesus with their hearts but to present to Him their gifts and treasures. They brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ Child. These gifts not only provided financial substance for the family but also had special symbolic meanings. The gold represented Jesus' deity, for He was the Son of God. The frankincense, which was used as incense because of its perfumed aroma, represented His purity. Finally, the myrrh, which was used for embalming purposes, foretold of Jesus' death. We have the opportunity to offer these same gifts to the Lord. We may not have actual gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but we can offer what these precious gifts represented. First, our faith that has been tried in the fires of life and has come out as pure gold can declare Jesus' deity in our lives. Peter said that the trial of our faith is more precious than gold and it will give honor and glory to the Lord at His appearing (I Peter 1:7). Our faith sets Jesus upon the throne of our heart and signifies that we believe in Him and have made Him the Lord and Savior of our life. Second, Timothy told us to be an example of the believer in purity (I Timothy 4:12). We are an epistle read of all men. We must not allow impurities to weaken the rivers of living water in our life or disqualify our witness. Our life should be as sweet incense before the Lord and a pure example of love to a hurting world. The third gift was symbolic of death. This is no easy chore, for the Apostle Paul said, "I die daily" (I Corinthians 15:31). If we want to follow Jesus, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross every moment of every day (Luke 9:23). We must continually crucify our flesh and mortify the deeds of our bodies (Romans 8:13). We cannot allow our selfish natures to live if we want Christ to live and reign within us as Lord over all. As you have given gifts to your friends and families this Christmas season, remember that you need to put something special under the tree of Calvary for the One who gave His life for you. Jesus is not looking for your gold, frankincense, and myrrh. His desire is to receive gifts that come from your heart. First, He wants to know that your faith in Him is as pure as gold. Second, He takes much pleasure when a heart is so pure that it becomes as a sweet aroma of incense to Him. Finally, He is honored by a life that is so committed to Him that it has crucified its own desires in order to please Him. These are the gifts that are worthy for us to offer to Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. +++ 12/25/15 ONE SOLITARY LIFE Scriptures: Luke 2:10 - 11 & 1:31 - 33 "Fear not: I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Thou shall call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest ... And He shall reign forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end." "He was born in an obscure village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. He then became an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn't go to college. He had no credentials but Himself. While He was still a young man, the tide of public opinion turned against Him and His friends ran away. He went through a trial that was a mockery. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth, and that was His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave. Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today He is the central figure of the human race. All the armies that have ever marched, All the navies that have ever sailed, All the parliaments that have ever sat, And all the kings that have ever reigned have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that ..." ONE SOLITARY LIFE ... Copied - From Unknown Author May your Christmas be blessed as you celebrate the Birth of this One Solitary Life. +++ 12/28/15 HIS NAME IS AS OINTMENT Scripture: The Song of Solomon 1:3 "Thy Name is as ointment poured forth." When the angel Gabriel visited Mary and announced to her that she was going to have a son, he also told her what to name Him. Gabriel said, "You shall call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest" (Luke 1:31-32). The name Jesus means, "the Lord is salvation." Names are very important because they not only identify people, but they speak of the character of that person. We attach many things to a name. When you hear the name of someone you know, most often you can describe their character, where they live, work, go to church, and how they conduct their business. Their name will either bring good thoughts into your mind, which will be like sweet perfume, or their name will remind you of unpleasant memories of the past. Subconsciously, we listen for our own name. Even though we may be engaged in a separate conversation, we will usually hear our own name when it is mentioned in a noisy and crowded room. So it is with God. He is listening for the Name of Jesus to be spoken here on Earth. Jesus' Name is as a sweet ointment poured forth before God and it calls Him to attention. God's ears perk and He begins to listen when we speak the Name of Jesus in prayer. When God named Jesus before His birth, He attached many benefits to that Name. Philippians 2:9-10 says, "His Name is above every name: that at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow." Speaking the Name of Jesus calls His presence into an assembly (Matthew 18:20). It also brings healing (James 5:14); salvation (John 1:12); deliverance (Mark 16:17); answers to prayers (John 14:13-14); the promise of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26); and even signs and wonders (Acts 4:30). Jesus' Name cannot be hidden just as a perfume cannot be covered up. Often, children will get into their mother's perfume or their father's cologne, and not realizing that a small amount is sufficient, they will use a great deal. When confronted, they may try to deny it, but the odor of that sweet fragrance speaks for itself. So it is with the Name of Jesus. When tense moments come into your life today, remember that, just like perfume, the fragrance of His Name cannot be hidden. Just speak the Name of Jesus in prayer. It will be a sweet fragrance that is poured out before God and you will have His full attention. +++ 12/29/15 MASTERPIECE Scripture: Philippians 1:6 (Amplified) "He who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ - right up to the time of His return - developing that good work and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you." God is not finished with us yet. Right up to the day that Jesus returns, God will still be working to complete us. It's amazing that in just one day He created man in His own image and then with one breath caused life to come into his being. Yet, God loves to perfect things so He will spend the entire lifespan of that one man developing him into the nature of God Himself. Our lives are in the hands of the Master Artist and He is painting a grand masterpiece. From the beginning, God envisioned His work of art. He may start your life with bright and beautiful colors, but as He paints, He must use dark colors for contrast and shadows to affect the mood. These are the hard times and the sad places that touch each of our lives when death, disappointment, and misunderstandings occur. It's the desperate times that we don't understand when our heart breaks and our tears flow. Yet, these dark places are the ones that give depth to our soul and meaning to the entire picture of our lives. There are also discouraging times in our life when it seems that nothing is happening. There is no progress being made and no obvious promotion. We may even go through a spiritual desert. But like any good artist who covers the canvas for a season, God is allowing His masterpiece to rest and dry before going on to the next phase. He does this so that the colors do not run together and distort the image that He is tying to acquire. If we are not careful during these times when our patience is being tested, we will grab the brush ourselves, spill the paint, and make a mess that only God can clean up. Yet, even though we become impatient and make a mess with our life, we can still trust God. He began this good work in us and He will always be faithful to forgive us. Our interference may delay His work, but He will continue to work with us and He will complete us. Hebrews 12:2 says, "He is the Author and Finisher of your faith." Whatever God has started in you, He will finish. He is going to work on you right up until the time Jesus returns. So don't take His brush from Him. He has "good thoughts and plans to give you hope in your final outcome" (Jeremiah 29:11). Submit to the Master as He works with you and allow Him to complete His masterpiece. +++ 12/30/15 DEEPER REVELATION OF JESUS Scripture: Ephesians 1:17 "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him ... " These words were a portion of the prayer that the Apostle Paul prayed for the saints at the church in Ephesus. You would think that the saints in the church where Paul had visited personally would have had a deeper revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ. But knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus in a personal way are two different matters. When you truly know Jesus, your heart is flooded with light and you experience the riches of His glory. This is the depth of knowledge that Paul had of Jesus and he desired the same for the church. He didn't want them to just have a small glimpse of Jesus. Instead, he wanted them to have an intimate relationship with Jesus and know Him in the fullness of His power. Like the saints at the church in Ephesus, there are many today whose vision of Jesus is limited. He is only seen twice a year during the special holidays. During the Christmas season, Jesus is seen as the baby in the manger. Then at Easter, He is seen as the suffering Savior on the cross and the celebrated risen Lord. The rest of the year, Jesus may be overlooked. After attending church on a holiday, a lady once asked why the church only used Christmas poinsettias or Easter lilies in their floral arrangements at the altar. Her limited knowledge revealed that she only visited the church twice a year. How sad. God has better plans for you. He never intended for your concept of Jesus to be just the babe in the manger or suffering man on the cross. Jesus is to be your constant companion for He said, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). He is "Emmanuel, God is with you" (Matthew 1:23). Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. When you face a dark valley, He is your Shepherd that walks beside you. He will lead you, protect you, and comfort you in the midst of the shadows. In the darkness, Jesus is your Bright and Morning Star. In the dry dusty desert, He is your Living Water. In hunger, He is your Bread of Life. In the storms of life, He is the still small Voice that speaks peace to your spirit and it is His presence that calms your soul. He is your Friend who is closer than your brother. And Jesus is so much more. Come to know Him. Pray the same words that Paul prayed; that God would open your eyes and give you a deeper revelation of Jesus Christ. +++ 12/31/15 FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END Scripture: Deuteronomy 11:12 "The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon the land, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year." Just as God gave a promise to His people that He would care for the land that He had given them, to watch over it and to water it with rain from heaven, He makes promises to us concerning our lives. This wonderful God that we serve promises to finish the things that He starts in our lives. This is the nature of His character, for He is the "Author and Finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Revelation 22:13 also tells us that He is the "Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." He commits Himself to be there from the start to the finish. Paul told us that he, himself, was confident of this very thing, that He who had begun a good work in us would perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Right up to the time that Jesus returns, we can be sure that God will never give up on us. Instead, He will continue working on us and developing perfection in us (Philippians 1:6). This is quite contrary to our habits. As the old year ends and a new one begins, we make our New Year's resolutions. We are bound and determined to make changes in our lives and we are very excited about the new turn that we are going to take. We plan to discipline ourselves in various ways such as exercise, diet, devotionals, or spending more time with the family. But soon into the new year, our plans start falling apart. We can't seem to get it together or to finish what we so adamantly started. What is our answer? I Peter 5:7 says, "Cast your cares upon Jesus for He cares for you." Just as God cared for His people and their land in the past, He also cares for you. He wants you to succeed in your every effort that is noble in His eyes. He wants you to prosper and be in good health. He knows that exercise, diet, and relationships are important. The Lord truly cares for every aspect of your personal life and He wants to help you keep your resolutions. Psalms 37:5 says, "Commit your ways unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass." As you think about those things that you want to change in the New Year, commit them to God and ask Him to help you. Release the struggle and allow Him to take the care of it upon Himself, for He really does care for you. As you lean upon Him, He will impart His strength and virtue into your life. You will not only be able to begin, but you will also be able to finish those things that you committed to do from the very beginning of the year to the end of the year. +++ Copyright © 2015 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com			..............................