5/1/15
IN GOD'S STRENGTH

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

The Amplified Bible says: "I have strength for all things. I am ready for anything. I am equal to anything."

Every change in life brings new levels of responsibility and presents new challenges. Yet, the Apostle Paul was convinced that in all things, Christ would strengthen him. He felt that Christ could make him ready for anything and equal to anything. We can draw strength from Paul's faith filled words. Whatever the case may be, whether it is a new job, a new baby in the home, or a new area of ministry, God is able to give us strength for each and every occasion. Through His life giving power, He miraculously makes us fit

The fifteenth chapter of John tells us that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. As branches, when we abide in Jesus and draw our life from Him, He infuses us with inner strength. When we are filled with His life and energy, we produce fruit. We don't have to be anxious about the fruit or try to force it to happen. It just happens. The life of Christ flowing through us produces strength and causes fruit to come forth.

Philippians 4:13 is always quoted in the sense that Christ will strengthen us in every great and noble thing that comes our way. However, in verse twelve, Paul speaks of not only knowing how to live when things are going good, but also of knowing how to be abased and live humbly when circumstances are poor and meager. He said, "I have learned in any and all circumstances, the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having sufficiency and to spare or going without and being in want." He learned the secret of the sufficiency of God's grace. When Paul was in need, God told him, "My grace is sufficient for you" (II Cor.12:9). God made it clear that He was all that Paul needed and that when Paul was weak, God would be there to perfect his strength.

Just as in Paul's situation, Christ doesn't strengthen us just for the great and mighty challenges in our lives, but also for those times that we face struggle and defeat. Whatever the challenge, good or bad, Christ gives us strength, makes us ready for anything, and also makes us equal to anything. All that we must do is to make sure that we stay attached to the vine, Jesus, because if we abide in Him, His grace will always, always, always be sufficient.

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. 05/05/15 RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY Scripture: Romans 14:17 "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Paul describes the kingdom of God in these few powerful words; righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. These words of definition are terms of extreme excellence. Jesus told us in Luke 17:21 that this "kingdom of God is within us." What an enormous thought that the righteousness, peace, and joy of God is dwelling within us. When we have been born again by God's Spirit, we are a branch that is connected to the vine, Jesus, and the same life of God that flows through Jesus flows through us. Yet, there are times that this flow is hindered because we get out of the will of God and are no longer walking by faith in the paths of His righteousness. When this happens, the peace and joy cease to flow in our lives. David experienced this when he sinned against God. As he prayed for forgiveness, he also felt a need to pray for the joy of God's salvation to be restored in his life (Psalm 51). Jesus warned us that this kingdom of God would suffer violence (Matthew 11:12). We can be sure that the righteousness, peace, and joy, which resides within us will be challenged and that we will suffer adversity because the Word of God says that the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. His purpose is to kill, steal, and destroy the kingdom of God that is within us because he doesn't want our testimony to be one of righteousness, peace, and joy. But God has made us to be overcomers in this life. He has given us the authority to resist the devil and told us that no weapon that has been formed against us can prosper. We are protected through the Name of Jesus, His Word, and His Blood. However, although we are more than conquerors where the devil is concerned, we still have to fight the good fight of faith and maintain God's kingdom in our hearts. Jesus told us to make the kingdom of God a priority in our lives. He said, "Don't worry about what you are going to eat, drink, or wear, but seek first the kingdom of God. As you do, all things that you need will be added to you." We are to seek righteousness, peace, and joy on a daily basis. These things are more important than any material thing that we can gather and store. Righteousness comes by faith and is a work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 3:22). Perfect peace comes to us as our mind is stayed on the Lord (Isaiah 26:3). And fullness of joy comes to us as we dwell in the Lord's presence (Psalm 16:11), singing praises and worshiping Him. God makes life so simple. As we seek His kingdom, He will build our own personal kingdom and all that we need will be added to us. +++ 05/06/15 YOU HEAR ME ALWAYS Scripture: John 11:41-42 "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You hear Me always." Jesus prayed these words as He stood at the tomb where Lazarus had been buried for four days. If ever there needed to be a miracle from God, it seemed that it would be at this moment. Yet, Jesus was not the least bit anxious about the situation, even though He was surrounded by many unbelievers. Instead, Jesus had great confidence when He spoke to the Father. He believed with all of His heart that the Father was listening to His words and that He would respond. He never doubted that Lazarus would be raised from the dead even though his body, which had been in a sealed tomb for four days, had started to decay and was beginning to smell. Jesus knew that God was the creator of all life and that He was not limited by natural circumstances. What were the secrets to Jesus' incredible prayer audience with God? I believe that He followed His own guidelines in prayer, which He gave to His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13. When Jesus prayed, He reverenced God and approached Him as His Father in Heaven. His prayer was also in agreement with God's Kingdom. He took dominion and commanded God's will to be done on Earth as it is was in Heaven. He used the keys of the Kingdom to bind death and loose life. He asked for the current need or daily provision to be met. Lazarus didn't need his financial needs met, healing, or a multitude of other things. He needed to be raised from the dead so Jesus commanded him to come out of the grave and be loosed from his grave clothes. Jesus also came to the Father with a clean heart, for there was never any sin in Him. Sin separates us from the presence of God and prevents God from granting our petitions. Jesus didn't allow Himself to be led into temptation. He only did what the Father spoke to Him to do. He may have wanted to go to Lazarus immediately, but He waited four days for God's perfect timing. Jesus also made sure that God received the glory, for He told Lazarus' sister, Martha, that if she would only believe that she would see the glory of God (Verse 40). Wouldn't you like to be able to say the words that Jesus said to the Father? "I know that You hear Me always." Yet, there are many times, we wonder if God is listening to us because our prayers produce little results. We need to realize that our faith in God and our confidence in prayer will bring about mighty answers. God is waiting to show us His glory. Jesus' words to the Father are powerful and we too need to find that place where we know that God hears us always. It is time for us to ask God if there is anything that is separating us from Him. If there is something keeping God from hearing us then we need to correct it so that we can receive the great and mighty things that He has promised. 05/07/15 CHILDREN ARE A GIFT Scripture: Psalms 127:3 (New Living Translation) "Children are a gift of the Lord." Children come into our lives by the hand of the Lord, for He alone is the one who creates life. Conception and birth are both miracles of God. There are many instances in the scriptures where the barren woman was blessed with children because God intervened in her life. Sarah was one of those women who were barren, but when she was ninety years old, she gave birth to Isaac. Another miracle was Mary, the Mother of Jesus. She conceived at a very young age and gave birth as a virgin. God spoke about Sarah's child, Isaac, and also about Mary's child, Jesus, before they were ever created. He knew these children and had plans for them before He ever formed them in the womb of their mother. In the eyes of God, no child, then or now, comes into being as an accident, for God creates and plans the life of every being. Each child is precious and has a purpose in the kingdom of God. Yet, there may be a time when our children stray away from God's ordained plan for their lives. There is a hope that is given to us by the Word of God when this happens. God's Word tells us that if we train up our children in the way that they should go, when they are old they will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). Sooner or later, they will return. In the meantime, and in the middle of their situation, we need to be there for them. We must love them where they are and accept them unconditionally, just as God, our Father, loved us through our many temptations and failures. We cannot minimize our children's battles that we don't understand nor write off their pain that we have not felt. We must ask God to give us wisdom and help us empathize with them. Empathy doesn't mean that we feel sorry for them. Instead, it means that we experience their pain with them. We feel what they feel and hurt as they hurt. We become so involved with our hearts that we understand their temptations and what they are going through. Jesus did this when He came to Earth to die for us. He emptied Himself of His deity and took on the nature of mortal man so that He could understand what we go through and be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He was tempted in all points that we would be tempted in, yet He remained without sin (Hebrews 4:15). When things begin to get kind of sketchy with your relationship with your child or you know that the path that they are taking is wrong, remember these words that Solomon spoke in the Psalms, "Children are a gift from God." Then, treat them in that manner. When you realize that God created your children and that He loves them just as much as you love them, you will be able to put them into the Lord's hands and confidently trust in Him to take care of them. +++ 05/08/15 LEGACY Scripture: Proverbs 13:22 "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children."" A legacy is a possession that we either receive from our ancestors or that we leave to those whom we love. It is an inheritance that may be valuable or simply cherished because it belonged to someone significant in our lives. Some of these gifts are tangible but the most important legacies that are imparted to us or that we can impart to others are intangible. Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." To some, guidance and correction are common. Yet in reality, they are positive and priceless legacies. We cannot discount their value because they form the individual and set them on the path of life. It is like the old saying goes, "As the twig is bent, so grows the tree." Whatever we want our children to become, we must gently guide them in that direction. Unless my life changes and I become rich and famous, I will have no great riches to pass to my family. Yet, there are things that are important to me that I would hope that my children and grandchildren would receive from my influence upon their lives. If I could, I would pass to them the awareness of the presence of the Lord in their lives that I have experienced in my own life. I would also want them to love God and know the love of God as I do. These are my greatest personal assets and are more important to me than any material possession that I own. My desire is that my children and grandchildren would have the same commitment to God's kingdom purposes that I have. I would like to pass to them my standard of life, which is to do all things with excellence and integrity. These are priceless legacies and some of these values were passed to me from my father, mother, and other spiritual leaders decades ago as they nurtured me in the things of God. I remember the glorious day that I gave my heart to the Lord and received Jesus into my heart. I was about nine years old. Yet, as far back as I can recall, I don't ever remember a time that I didn't know about the Lord. He has been real to me my entire life. What greater legacy could I have received in life from my own mother and father and what greater legacy could I pass on to those that whom I love and cherish? I can only pray that I have instilled this same privilege of faith in my children as well. Our children are building their lives, one brick at a time. We must share our faith in God with them and also give them our wisdom and experiences to use as mortar for their bricks. +++ 05/11/15 FULLY PERSUADED   Scripture:  Romans 4:21  "Being fully persuaded that what He had promised, He was able also to perform."   God promised Abraham many blessings and Abraham was fully persuaded that God would keep His promises.  Abraham remained strong in faith and did not stagger in unbelief even though the promises themselves seemed impossible in the natural.  He had hope when there was no reason to hope and he refused to consider the limitations of his own body.  At the end of the matter, Abraham fathered a child when he was one hundred years old and became the father of many nations.   In another account in Acts 26:28, King Agrippa made the statement that he was almost persuaded to become a Christian.  What a vast difference there is in being "fully persuaded" like Abraham and "almost persuaded" like King Agrippa.  Abraham made a decision to believe God's Word with all of his heart regardless of the circumstances that surrounded him, while King Agrippa, though convinced in his mind, did not allow his heart to believe.  How sad these words are ... "almost."  Have you ever "almost" made an investment or done something and then later found out that you missed the greatest opportunity of your life?  King Agrippa almost made the most important decision of his life.  He almost decided to make Jesus the Lord of his life and almost chose Heaven as his eternal destiny.   The scriptures testify of God's love and the work that Jesus accomplished.  Yet, we often fall short in our belief and find ourselves almost persuaded to believe in what Christ did and what He will do for us.  Because we are almost persuaded that He can and will forgive our sins, we walk around with guilt rather than confessing them and releasing our burdens to the Lord.  We are almost persuaded that by the stripes of Jesus we are healed so we continue in sickness and ill health.  We live in poverty and lack because we are almost persuaded that He will meet all of our needs according to His riches in glory.  We spend many hours in loneliness and sorrow because we are just almost persuaded that He is our comforter and that He is near.  We are too intimidated to witness to others because we are only almost persuaded of His power within us that is able to reach out to those about us.   Let us examine our hearts today and not allow our circumstances to limit our possibilities.  Instead of being almost persuaded, let us become fully persuaded that what God has promised, He is well able to perform. +++ 05/12/15 RESCUED FROM BONDAGE   Scripture:  Deuteronomy 26:7-8  "And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labor and our oppression: And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand ... "   These words are the testimony of Moses concerning the Egyptian bondage that God's people were in.  They had suffered so many things for such a long length of time and Moses described their circumstances as affliction, labor, and oppression.  They worked hard but not for their own benefit.  They suffered much abuse and their lives were a cheap commodity in the hands of the Egyptians.  When God looked upon them and saw all that they were enduring physically, mentally, and emotionally, His heart was touched and He made a way for their deliverance.  God sent Moses to lead them out of Egypt and anointed him to do mighty signs and wonders in their midst.  It was a mighty exodus and God was glorified in the process.  The fame of that miraculous event is still spoken of today.   We face many types of bondage and even though we are not making bricks like the slaves in Egypt, we can identify with Moses' description of affliction, labor, and oppression.  We may suffer the afflictions of addictions or various medical situations.  We may have to endure strenuous labor on a daily basis and yet never have enough to get beyond the realm of financial lack.  We may be plagued with problems in our relationships at home or on the job, which causes us undue oppression.  It may seem that there is one crisis right after another and we can't get ahead in any area of our life.   When we are going through difficulties of this sort, we may think that we are standing alone in our situation and that no one understands or really cares.  Yet, we must remember that even though our words may fall on the deaf ears of those around us that God in Heaven still hears every word that we pray.  When our closest friends are blind to our needs, God sees them clearly.  When no one understands how we feel, God sees the pain in our heart and He hurts with us.  He is our loving Father and when we cry out to Him, He hears our voices and it moves Him to do something about our situation.   When we receive prayer requests through this ministry, I am extremely touched by the needs.  I pray over each request and then acknowledge it with a word of encouragement.  I know that I could never lift the heavy burdens, do enough to satisfy the hurts, or say enough to erase the pain.  My words are so inadequate because the Lord Jesus is the only one who is capable of bringing deliverance in people's lives.  Yet, I know that if I am deeply touched by your needs that the Lord is certainly touched when you call out to Him.  He has far more compassion than I do and is not distracted by His own life or needs, as I tend to be.  He is your high priest and He knows every feeling that you will ever have (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus suffered pain, rejection, and was tempted in all points that you will be tempted in so that He could understand your needs.  He knows you better than anyone else does and is waiting for you to call out to Him in your afflictions, labor, and oppression.  When you call out to Him, He will be there to rescue you with His mighty hand. +++ 05/13/15 RECIPE FOR LIFE   Scripture:  Proverbs 4:22 (Amplified)  "God's words are life to those who find them."   We have all gone to parties and dinners where we have tasted a delicious dish or desert and asked the hostess for the recipe.  We collect the recipes and gather all of the ingredients that we will need to make the dishes but often our good intentions fail because of the lack of time.  Sad to say, but many times we are like this with God's Word.  A Word of scripture comes to us that is in due season, which is like meat to our soul.  We get excited about it and want this Word to dominate our circumstances and bring us a better life.  Yet, even though we eagerly embrace it and often write it down, we usually store it away with all of the other words that we have collected, and it becomes like an unused recipe on the shelf.  With time the revelation knowledge begins to fade and we soon forget that all of the ingredients for our deliverance are stored away in a safe place within our hearts.   In this chapter of Proverbs, King Solomon gave us a recipe for life, which he said would bring healing and health to our flesh, and all of the ingredients are at our disposal.  He told us to give attention and submit to God's Word.  We must begin each day with God, listen to His Words, and then meditate on those thoughts throughout the day and even into the night.  We are not to let His Words depart from our sight, but keep them in the center of our heart, allowing them to speak to us continually.  The words that God speaks to us will keep us in good mental and emotional health, which will lead us to good physical health.  Solomon said that we should be vigilantly guarding our heart and keeping it clean and pure because out of our heart flows life.  He also said that we must follow God's fixed purpose for our lives and consider our paths.  We need to decide exactly where we are going and establish our determination to reach that destiny.  We must be focused and not allow ourselves to be sidetracked from the peace of God that comes through obedience to His Words.   God's words are waiting to be activated within our hearts.  Yet, there is another ingredient that we need in our recipe for life, and that is faith.  Hebrews 4:2 says that the Word did not prosper because it was not mixed with faith.  Faith comes by hearing God's word and simply believes that what He has said is true and that all things are possible with Him.  God cannot and does not lie, so what He has spoken will come to pass.  Let us determine in our hearts to give attention to God's word and then mix that word with faith so that it may prosper and bring healing and health to our flesh. +++ 05/14/15 BE SOBER AND VIGILANT   Scripture:  Luke 22:33  "Peter said unto Him, Lord I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."   Peter made a very bold statement to Jesus.  He declared that he was willing to face prison and even death itself because of his relationship with Christ.  This declaration came after Jesus warned Peter that Satan was going to sift Peter as wheat in an effort to destroy his faith.  Shortly after Jesus had spoken these words, Peter's faith and boastful pledge was challenged.  In the midst of fear and confusion, Peter denied that he even knew Jesus.  Later, however, his repentant heart caused him to weep in bitter remembrance of that moment of failure, and the prayer that Jesus made on his behalf prevailed.  Peter's faith did not utterly fail.  He became a great witness for Jesus, the One whom he had earlier denied.   God loves a willing heart, but it takes more than a willing heart to please Him.  This story shows us that the most zealous of all and the strongest of the strong can fall.  Yet, for some reason, we can't see ourselves in this position.  Like Peter, because of our ambition for God, we feel that we could face anything, even prison or death.  Our zeal lends itself to boastfulness and we make fantastic promises to God.  During trials, we place great confidence in our own ability to sustain ourselves.  We never think that we would deny Christ in the midst of pressure as Peter did.  And we certainly do not think that we would sell Jesus for success or a few pieces of silver as Judas did.  Yet, in spite of our good and noble intentions, we often fail.   The concept of victory and survival is so easy when adverse circumstances are far away.  We are ready for anything that life has to offer when we are on the mountaintop and our confession is bold as we proclaim that we are more than conquerors.  The hardship of the trial and the despair of the valley seems a small thing.  However, the same Peter who thought that he was invincible to failure came to realize the vulnerability of the followers of Christ when he found himself denying the Lord.   The Apostle Paul warned us with these words, "Be sober and vigilant because your adversary, the devil, is going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (I Peter 5:8).  Even though we believe that our spirits are ready for prison and death, our flesh is weak.  When our faith is being sorely tried, our only hope is to depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit.  In the midst of every temptation, we have the assurance that Jesus is praying for us that our faith will not fail. +++ 05/15/15 LEARN TO DO RIGHT   Scripture:  Isaiah 1:16-17  "Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doing from before My eyes; cease to do evil ... learn to do right."   We come into this world with a sin nature that we inherited from Adam and Eve.  We don't have to be taught how to do wrong and neither do we have to put a lot of effort into becoming selfish and demanding.  It is just our nature and it's also in our nature to be controlled by doubt and fear.  Just look at a newborn baby or the actions of an undisciplined child.  Their main interest lies in their own needs and desires.  They don't hesitate to impose upon others.  Their patience is limited and they demand immediate action regardless of how it may affect others.  Fear also looms in their hearts until trust is developed.  It's all too evident that a carnal nature rules in their spirits.   The prophet Isaiah said, "Learn to do right."  Just like the small child who must be taught to do right, we must learn at every level to do that which is right.  Learning comes by acquiring knowledge through study, experience, or consequence.  It is a gradual and continual process of making the appropriate adjustments in our own lives and attitudes.  Isaiah said, "Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean."  It is our responsibility to recognize the improprieties in our lives and put away the darkness and evil that lurks in our soul.   Below are some profound words from Helen Keller, a woman who was without sight or hearing.  Because of her physical impairments, she could have let bitterness rule her heart and she could have chosen to live a life of confusion.  But instead, she learned to do what was right.  She determined to live in peace, to demonstrate love, to keep her motives right, and to trust God with all of her heart.  In your effort to learn about life and do what is right, think on the wisdom of her words, allow them to penetrate your heart, and make them a daily goal for your life.         "I have four things to learn in life;         To think clearly, without hurry or confusion;         To love everybody sincerely;         To act in everything with the highest of motives;         To trust in God unhesitatingly."                 ... Helen Keller       +++ 05/19/15 DELIVERANCE FROM ALL TROUBLE   Scripture:  Psalms 34:6  "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles."   When David wrote this psalm of thanksgiving, he had just gone through a very tough situation.  Saul was trying to take David's life so David fled in fear to seek refuge in the Philistine territory.  Yet, in this place of refuge, the servants of King Achish recognized David and he soon realized that he was in another place of jeopardy.  His new fears forced him to change his behavior, and he acted like a madman in an effort to save his own life.  King David scratched on the doors of the gate and let his spittle flow down his beard.  Putting on an act such as this must have been very hard for a man who was a mighty warrior and had slain thousands in battle.  However, this humiliating act convinced King Achish that this man was indeed mad.  King Achish did not recognize David and allowed him to leave.  It's no wonder that David wrote, "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him from all his troubles" for these words came straight from his heart.   David gave thanks to the Lord and also called upon God's people to join him in praise for his mighty deliverance.  He said, "I will bless the Lord at all times:  His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all of my fears.  O, taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in Him."   Like David, you have a great God and Father who wants to help you and is right now listening for you to make your needs known to Him.  He watches you and sees the frustration and the confusion of your situation.  He sympathizes as you struggle, trying to work out your solutions.  And He wants you to know that He is well able to help you.  He says, "Seek Me and I will deliver you from your fears."  All you have to do is trust Him, and if you do, you will see that He is good and that His mercy endures forever.  Even in your most difficult situation the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you, for He is near to those who are of a broken spirit and a contrite heart.    Paul gives us simple advice.  He says, "Don't worry about anything.  Instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for His answers" (Philippians 4:6).  David said, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but God delivers them out of them all."  In other words, in every situation, whether big or small, cry out to God because He is listening.  He will solve all of your problems and deliver you out of all of your troubles. 05/20/15 THORN IN THE FLESH   Scripture:  II Corinthians 12:7  "There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan."   The Apostle Paul suffered many afflictions for the sake of the gospel.  He was beaten, stoned, put in prison, and shipwrecked on the open sea.  He also endured other perils and God delivered him out all of them except one.  There was one thing that Paul could not overcome even though he prayed about it three different times.  We are not sure what he suffered but he called it a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan.  This weakness in Paul's life caused him much distress and Satan used it to torment Paul.  When Paul prayed about this situation, the only answer that he received from God was, "My grace is sufficient for you; for My strength is made perfect in weakness."   I recently got a thorn in my foot and it disabled my entire body.  I could not walk on that foot.  From the moment the thorn entered my life, it was speaking tormenting messages to me in the form of physical pain.  All of my thoughts were focused on that tiny thorn and the first thing on my agenda was to get it out of my foot.  The thorn was so small that I had to use my reading glasses and a magnifying glass to even see it.  When I removed the thorn from my foot, I wondered how something that small in comparison to the size of my entire body could bring me into subjection to it.  The thorn was such a little thing, but it had total control of my life and was able to divert me from what I had planned to do by forcing me to give my undivided attention to it.   We experience thorns in our lives from time to time, which are not physical.  Like Paul's thorn, these thorns are messengers of Satan in our lives.  They come against us in various ways and are meant to hinder and disabled us from walking in God's perfect will.  They cause us to stumble along in life and disable us from our best performance.  They distract us and speak defeat into our lives.  They are such small things compared to the vision that God has for us, but they cause such great pain in our lives that we take note of them.  These messengers speak harsh words of condemnation, intimidation, and fear.  They play on our disappointments, physicals handicaps, addictions, and financial hardships.  They may come from without or they may come from within us, but whatever the source, they constantly remind us of our shortcomings and failures.  They are little and insignificant but they destroy our vision for a better future.  Through the pain they inflict upon our souls, they are able to steal our faith, hope, joy, and peace.   All of us must personally deal with the thorns in our own flesh.  We must pray for God's deliverance but rest in Him if His answer is, "His grace and His strength are sufficient."  As simple as that answer sounds, it is true, for God is enough and God is all that we need.  Our relationship with Him is more important than any thorn that seeks to intrude into our lives.  God alone is necessary.  We must trust in Him and lean upon Him, for His grace is greater than any pain that we may have to endure and His strength is greater than our weakness.  In God’s time and at His choosing, He will manifest His glory and remove the thorns from our life. +++ 05/21/15 CONSCIENCE TOWARDS GOD Scripture:  Genesis 2:17 (Living Bible)  "God gave man this warning, "You may eat any fruit in the garden except fruit from the Tree of Conscience - for its fruit will open your eyes to make you aware of right and wrong, good and bad." Our conscience is that part of our inner being that distinguishes between right and wrong, urges us to do the right thing, and then judges us if we fail to follow its prompting.  Our conscience can be at different levels depending upon our relationship with God.  For instance, the New Testament speaks of a 'good conscience' (I Timothy 1:5), a 'pure conscience' (I Timothy 3:9), a 'seared conscience' (I Timothy 4:2), an 'evil conscience' (Hebrews 10:22), and a 'conscience towards God' (I Peter 2:19). We are all born with this inner knowing called our conscience.  It is like a traffic light that tells us when we need to stop, be cautious, or proceed forward.  When we are reborn, our conscience takes on another dimension.  It bears witness with the Holy Spirit (Romans 9:1).  When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, He told them not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  When they disobeyed, they took upon themselves and all of mankind the responsibility of discerning between good and evil, right and wrong.  Like Adam and Eve, we also fail to heed this voice and find ourselves in a real dilemma, for when we disregard our conscience over a period of time, it becomes seared.  It is as though our spirits have been branded with a hot iron.  We find ourselves no longer sensitive to certain issues or to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  It is the same principle as drinking a hot drink until there is no more feeling on the tongue.  The first experience is painful, but gradually the heat can't even be felt. How does the conscience get to this state?  Nature teaches us that everything that is left to itself comes to destruction.  It deteriorates on its own.  The garden that is left untended is overgrown with weeds.  The child that is never disciplined becomes rough and troublesome.  The body that is not forced to exercise and take proper nourishment weakens.  Likewise, the conscience, or the inner being, that is not renewed with the Word of God eventually conforms to the world's standards.  Romans 12:2 warns us, "Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."  We must allow God's Word to transform us into His image.  As we do, our conscience will be turned towards God and we will follow after that which is good, acceptable, and in the perfect will of God. +++ 05/22/15 MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM   Scripture: Matthew 13:11  "It is given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven." Would you like to understand the mysteries of God's kingdom?  Jesus said that they are waiting to be revealed to you.  His secrets are like any other mystery in that the more truth you discover, the more truth you will be able to understand.  The more wisdom you obtain, the greater capacity for wisdom you create within your own heart.  It would be great if God opened our hearts and minds and just filled us up with His Word, but He doesn’t.  He will not cast His pearls before the swine because He doesn't want His Words to be trampled upon.  The revelation of His Word will only come to those who truly cherish and respect it.  The Lord requires that we search for Him with all of our hearts and look for the clues that solve the mystery of who He is.  Likewise, His rewards come to us only as we seek to understand how we can experience the benefits of His kingdom.  As He sees a heart that longs for Him and for His mysteries to be reveal, He shares "precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:10).   When Jesus spoke of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, He spoke in parables.  He compared the natural seed to His Word and the Earth to our heart.  He warned of the various situations that would try to put the seed or His Word to death before it could produced fruit in our lives.  He said that our hearts can be so hard that the Word cannot enter.  The soil of our heart must be cultivated by the Holy Spirit in order for the seed to enter and understanding to come.  Then He spoke about the lack of a root system to sustain the revelation of the Word.  The seed can not just rest, it must expand itself, develop roots, and search out ways to gain nourishment.  Jesus also said that the thorns or the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches would cause the Word to be unfruitful in our lives.   Jesus made it clear in this parable that when the Word of God is sown in our hearts, it immediately creates a spiritual battle because Satan is waiting in the wings to destroy the Word.  He attempted to do this with Jesus.  When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended upon Him.  God then spoke and said, "This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."  Immediately after this validation of who Jesus was, Jesus was driven into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (Mathew 3:1-17, 4:1).  The devil challenged the Word in every area, but he was not successful because the heart of Jesus could not be tempted.  Jesus had received God's Word in His heart and nothing could destroy it.   Jesus said that it is given to you to know the mysteries of His Kingdom.  Jesus made this privilege a very personal matter.  This is a wonderful promise, but effort must be made on your part.  You must be willing to search His Word so that you can recognize and receive His knowledge.  You must protect the seeds of revelation that are sown in the direction of your own heart.  The seed that you receive on the mountain top of joy will be tested in the valley of despair.  The song that God gives you in the morning will be challenged by the cares of the world throughout the day.  The devil will seek to dispel every seed of faith that you receive from the Word.  Doubt and fear will challenge you and the winds of adversity will try to extinguish the light that God has imparted to you.   Like any mystery, one clue does not solve the puzzle.  A mystery is built on many hidden messages.  That is the reason that you must personally do battle and hold on to the revelation that comes with the seed so that God can add to it.  As you continually protect and meditate on the small seed that God has sown in your heart, He will pour out treasures from Heaven and open up His other mysteries to you. +++ 05/25/15 GOD'S MEMORIAL DAY Scripture:  Exodus 12:14  "And this day shall be unto you for a Memorial." This scripture is in reference to the institution of the Passover, which began when Moses was leading the people out of Egypt.  This event was a shadow or an illustration of the redemptive work that Jesus was to accomplish for us on the cross.  At this first Passover, Israel was instructed to take a lamb without spot or blemish, kill it, and apply the blood to the doorpost of their homes.  God told them that when He saw the blood, He would pass over them and not kill the firstborn of that house.  He promised that death would have no dominion over them if they would simply apply the blood of the slain lamb. God grants us a Memorial Day such as this.  Jesus is our lamb without spot and blemish.  When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).  Jesus was slain on the cross of Calvary for our sins and because of His sacrifice, we have a promise of eternal life, and death no longer has dominion over us.  However, just like the first Passover, God's work is not complete until we personally apply the blood of Jesus to our lives by receiving Jesus as our Savior and Lord.  God gave such simple instructions to His people.  They only had to take the lamb, kill it, and apply the blood.  Yet, many people in Egypt did not respond to these instructions and faced the judgment of their choice.   You also have a choice.  Eternal salvation is just as simple, for God has made a way for you by sacrificing His own Son.  Please respond to His great invitation, for the steps to salvation are as simple as ABC.     A)  Acknowledge your sin, for all have sinned.  (Romans 3:23)     B)  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.  (Acts 16:31)     C)  Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your           heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be           saved.  (Romans 10:9) Today we celebrate Memorial Day in American in honor of those who have given their lives for this country.  So when you see the red stripes on our great American flag think about those who have fought and have paid the ultimate price for your own personal freedom.  And also remember the great sacrifice that Jesus made for your eternal freedom and the crimson blood that He shed for the remission of your sins. +++ 05/26/15 EXPECT TO BE RESCUED Scripture:  Psalms 27:13-14  (Living Bible)  "I am expecting the Lord to rescue me again, ...  Don't be impatient.  Wait on the Lord, and He will come and save you!  Be brave, stout hearted, and courageous.  Yes, wait and He will help you." We see many instances in God's Word where God delivered those who waited upon Him and trusted in Him.  Our circumstances may look bleak at times, but they probably do not measure up to a fiery furnace or a lion's den.  Our giants may look big but are usually not as fierce as David's Goliath.  And consider Moses' mother who had to put her infant son to float in a simple basket on the river.  All she could do was patiently wait and trust in God's goodness because her only hope in saving her son was to release him to God. The psalmist said he was expecting God to rescue him again.  This was neither the first time, nor the last time, that he would trust God for deliverance.  We often think that if we can just make it through the current ordeal and challenge that we are facing, things will get better and we can live happily ever after.  But like the psalmist, we usually find that something else follows that takes even greater faith.  In Ephesians chapter six, Paul said, "Put on the whole armor of God and having done all, stand."  The word 'stand' translates into "stand and get ready for the next battle."  Life is not easy and never will be, for we have a vicious enemy who roams about looking for those whom he can destroy.  Yet, for every challenge there is a victory that can be had if we trust in the Lord for deliverance. The psalmist said, "I'm expecting the Lord to rescue me again, so I'm just going to wait until He comes."  Waiting takes patience and courage.  When a natural disaster strikes, such as a flood, you often see people stranded in their homes waiting for someone to come and rescue them.  They never give up hope because they know that there are those who are aware of their situation and who care about what happens to them.  Like the psalmist waiting on God, whatever your circumstance, don't give up on God.  Expect to be rescued!  God is coming to your aid and will save you.  The first three verses of this Psalm in the Living Bible say, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; He protects me from danger - whom shall I fear?  When evil men come to destroy me, they will stumble and fall.  Though a mighty army marches against me, my heart will not fear!  I am confident that God will save me." +++ 05/27/15 DEDICATED TO GOD'S WILL   Scripture:  John 6:38  "For I came down from Heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him that sent Me."   Can you imagine choosing to leave Heaven so that you could come to Earth?  Yet, Jesus made this choice so that He might fulfill the will and purposes of God.  Jesus left His awesome home in Heaven and totally surrendered Himself to the cross so that He could redeem mankind.  He stated very plainly that He did not come to do His own will but that He was yielding Himself to His Father's will.  He laid down His life, emptied Himself of who He was, and allowed God to direct His life.   I recently read that to make an inner contact with others, you must "look them in the eye and point your heart towards their heart."  This is also true in our contact with God.  Although we cannot see Him physically, our spiritual eyes must be turned towards Him and our hearts must be in tuned with His heart.  True connection with God will only be experienced when we make a conscious effort to look into His eyes and to seek to know His deepest desires.  Only as we yield ourselves to Him can He write the chapters of our lives and fulfill His own will and purpose that He has destined for us.  Doing God's Will is not always so easy.  For some who want to go, He says, "Stay" and for those who want to stay, He says, "Go".  Sometimes it becomes tedious to stay in the field where you have been placed.  It may be difficult to bloom where you have been planted and hard to brighten the corner where you are.  The old clichés sound good, but as far as you are concerned, they don't seem to fit because you can't see any progress.   I recently planted a luscious green plant in the sun.  It looked beautiful for a few days in its new spot, but soon withered because it was created for the shade.  Some of us are made for the blazing experiences of the sun while others can only endure the shade.  Only God knows what is best for our lives and He simply wants us to move when the cloud moves and stay when the cloud stays.  Yet, how often do we strive with our Maker?  We are like the grass that refuses to grow in the yard and yet seeks out a place in the flowerbed.  Remember that God knows us much better than we know ourselves and He knows exactly where we fit.  We must lay our plans at His feet and allow Him to direct our lives.  Only as we dedicate ourselves to God's will, will we truly flourish and find our destined place in His kingdom. +++ Copyright 2015 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved © www.widsonline.com