| ............ | A Word In Due Season April 2016 4/1/16 GOD'S GIFTS OF POWER, LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND Scripture: II Timothy 1:7 "God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and a sound mind." God is our loving Heavenly Father and He will not give His children anything that is evil or harmful to them in any way. His gifts are only good. He never intended for us to be overburdened, troubled, or fearful in our hearts concerning the matters of life. He doesn't even want us to be concerned about what we are going to wear or eat (Matthew 6:25). Throughout the scriptures God said, "Do not fear" and He assured us that He was with us at all times and that He would take care of us. Jesus also said, "Let not your heart be troubled and neither let it be afraid." He gave us personal responsibility to not allow the devil to torment us with fear. The Apostle Paul referred to fear as a spirit and James 4:7 instructed the believer to resist the devil and that the devil would have to flee. This includes the devil's evil spirit of fear. We do not have to have the power within our own natural being to conquer evil, we just have to use the authority that has been given to us. We were told that we could use the Name of Jesus and the power of His blood. No weapon that has been formed can prosper against those two weapons. We have the right to condemn every tongue, including the voice of fear, that rises against us. We do not have to listen to the devil or his torments, for God did not give us a spirit of fear. God does not give us gifts that are foreign to Himself. Instead He imparts the qualities that are of His own nature, which are love, power, and a sound mind. These three entities represent the God Head. Acts 1:8 says that you will receive Power after the Holy Ghost comes upon you. John 4:24 tells us that God is a Spirit and I John 4:8 says that God is Love. If we have the Spirit of God within us we have the Spirit of Love. And I Corinthians 2:16 says, "We have the Mind of Christ." When we have the mind of Christ, we will definitely have a sound mind. This trinity of power, love, and a sound mind is a mighty force against the devil and his strategies. The devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and one of his greatest weapons is fear. His roar is loud and ferocious and it comes with many threats but a roar has no power within itself, except to bring fear. A roar cannot hurt you. It can only harass and torment. We cannot allow ourselves to be taken in by the spirit of fear, for it will drive us to disappointment, depression, defeat, and even death. We must resist anything that God did not give to us, which includes the spirit of fear and we must rise above the clamor of the world's many voices. God's voice is bigger than the roar of the lion and His power is greater than any force that can come against us. We must turn our hearts toward God and rely on His Holy Spirit to enable us and strengthen us with His gift of power, His gift of love, and His gift of a sound mind. Fear is only a spiritual voice and it will flee in the presence of these powerful forces of God. +++ 4/4/16 SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST Scripture: Romans 1:1 "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle..." The Apostle Paul was called and separated by God to be a minister of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. His ministry to this day is considered to be one of the greatest and we look to him as an example of the highest degree. He went on many missionary journeys, had great revelations, was well educated, and wrote much of the New Testament. God even worked through Paul's life and performed miracles. Yet, Paul did not hold himself, his qualifications, or his position to great personal esteem. Instead, he laid all of it aside and humbly considered himself to be a simple servant of Jesus Christ. Paul voluntarily took the position of a servant or a slave who held no rights before his master. He reserved no portion of his life for himself, but totally submitted himself to the will of Jesus Christ. He was willing to live or die for the cause. It made no difference to him for he was simply here to serve Jesus and others and he was joyful in that state. He went through many trials and tribulations because of his determination to fulfill the call of God that was upon his life, yet he never failed or faltered. The call upon his life to be an apostle caused him to walk as a servant before the Lord and the people. Paul declared himself to be a debtor to all people, whether they be wise or unwise, and his goal was to impart spiritual gifts to them in order to establish them in their faith. He was not ashamed of the gospel and was ready to go anywhere at any time in order to proclaim it. He remained true to God's call upon his life even when he was cast into prison. No walls or bars could stifle his message. He endured to the end and finished his course as a servant and as an apostle. Every call of God starts and finishes with being a servant. There is no "big me" in the ministry. Once you answer the call, you simply serve God and you serve others. You do the work of the ministry and many times become, as it were, a slave. You discover that ministry is no picnic and offers few material rewards. Yet, true ministers will go anywhere and do anything without regard of rewards or for benefits. They just love God and love others and have the same mindset that Paul had. They are first servants. At one point in my life, I became overwhelmed with life and the responsibility of the ministry. As I became tired of the demands and weary of the various duties that needed to be done, I began to say, "Obadiah." It just came out of my spirit. I knew that "Obadiah" was a prophet in the Old Testament and that one of the books of the Bible was named after him, but I had no idea what his name meant or why I was repeating it. For months, I would say his name when I felt burdened, used, and misunderstood. Finally one day, I wondered why I was repeating the name "Obadiah." God prompted me to look in the scriptures and I found that the name Obadiah meant "servant of the Lord." Obadiah was a great prophet, but he was a servant of the Lord, which means that he was also called to be a servant of the people. I encourage you to yield yourself to this ultimate call. As servants to the Lord Jesus Christ and as born again believers, this is who we are supposed to be and this is what we are supposed to do. +++ 4/5/16 SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD Scripture: I Peter 2:2 "... Desire the sincere milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby." A newborn child is a joy to the heart. Yet, as we hold them in our arms and cuddle their small frame, we realize that this special time will only last for a short season. It would be very sad for them to stay in this infant state forever and because we know that they must grow and be strong physically to move on in life, we feed and nourish them. We also educate and share our knowledge with them so that they can function in life. We teach them manners and how to be graceful in situations and with people. This is a process that never ends. I gave my son food and watched him grow but even though he is a man now, he still continues to eat. Regardless of how much he ate when he was a little child, without daily food and nourishment now, his life would soon end. I taught him many skills, yet he still continues to learn. I also taught him how to be graceful in situations and with people, but each new relationship is a learning experience. His growth never ends. Everyday there are new challenges in his life that produce new growth. Our spiritual life proceeds in the same manner while our Heavenly Father oversees it all. Once we are born again into His family, He sets about to help us grow spiritually. He makes provision for us to grow and to learn His concepts through His Word. The scriptures tell us of at least three areas that we can grow in spiritually. First, our faith can grow exceedingly (II Thess. 1:3). We know that faith is obtained by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Is it any wonder that the Apostle Peter told us to desire the sincere milk of the Word? For the sincere milk of the Word will cause us to grow in faith. II Peter 3:18 lists two other areas of growth, saying, "Grow in grace and grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." The more of God's Word we understand, the more we will be able to comprehend His work of grace and the salvation that is in Christ. We must desire the sincere milk of God's Word and cry out for it like an infant until we receive nourishment. The cries of a new born infant desiring milk can be heard every three hours. We must understand that we cannot live on yesterday's nourishment any more than my own son could live today on the milk that he received when he was a baby. We must feed daily and even go beyond the milk to the meat of the Word. Our spirits desperately need God's Word, for it is a matter of spiritual life or death. The greater our knowledge of His sincere Word, the greater our faith will grow. The more we understand Him, the less chance we have of being in error. We must make time to read and meditate on the things that God has written so that we can grow spiritually. +++ 4/6/16 REST IN HIS PRESENCE Scripture: Exodus 33:14 "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." True peace and rest does not come from your surroundings but from the Holy One who lives within you. In the midst of every kind of adversity and the clamor of the voices of this world, you can always slip away in your spirit to hide in the Lord's awesome presence, for He is always available. He is your Holy Mountain where you can find solitude and He is your Mighty Fortress in the time of trouble. There is no price to be paid for this wonderful privilege except that you must seek Him and yield your being to His Person. Then as you simply acknowledge His Presence, He will quiet all of the thoughts within your mind, dispel all the anxieties in your heart, and give rest to your spirit. Jesus is the Prince of Peace and His presence is supernatural. Yet, He does not bring an end to all the conflict in your life. He simply tells you not to allow your heart to be troubled as He offers you His peace. He says, "My peace I give to you" (John 14:27). It's up to you to receive the peace that He is offering. Friends may try to comfort you, but only Jesus can exchange peace for confusion, hope for despair, security for fear, and fill your heart with love when you have been rejected. Jesus walks on the water to rescue you when you are tossed about by the waves and contrary winds. He is the Shepherd who leads you through the rugged and dangerous paths and protects you from all harm. He is your Light in the darkness and He is the Living Water that causes you to never thirst again. You can have rest because of who Jesus is. He is waiting for you like the loving father who waited for his prodigal son to return to His Presence. Jesus said, "Come unto Me, all you that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent; that is all knowing, all powerful, and always present. True peace will come to you when you understand that God is in control and believe that there is nothing that can happen to you that He can't take care of. Rest in the knowledge of His Presence and you will experience the wonder of His peace. +++ 4/7/16 RELATIONSHIPS CEASE, THE LORD REMAINS Scripture: II Timothy 4:16-17 "No man stood with me, but all men forsook me ... But the Lord stood with me, and strengthen me." Earlier in this chapter, Paul says that he fought a good fight, he finished his course, and he kept the faith. He had a determination not to let anything or anyone deter him from preaching the gospel and fulfilling God's plan for his life. Paul goes on to explain that Demas deserted him and that a coppersmith by the name of Alexander did much evil toward him. Not only that, Paul faced other disappointments. When he had his court hearing, no one defended him. Instead, Paul found himself standing alone but took comfort in his situation, for he knew that the Lord was with him and would strengthen him. There are seasons in life when relationships become strained or cease to be. Those who were with you suddenly turn and leave with no decent explanations. And those who have conflicting opinions stir up confusion and fight against you. For one reason or another, you are abandoned by those whom you loved and trusted and also by those whom you thought loved you. And like Paul, there seems to be no help even though you are endeavoring to serve the Lord. In your darkest hour, you are left alone in the arena of life to manage your disappointments and your discouragement. However, you can always take comfort in knowing that God will always be there for you. Even though others desert you, He will never leave you or forsake you. Each new door will present the opportunity to fail or succeed, to win or lose, to continue or to quit. The actions and opinions of others do not fit into this equation. It remains your choice to fulfill God's will and purposes for your own life. With the Apostle Paul, he fought a good fight, he finished his course, and he kept the faith. Regardless of his hardships and the disappointments of his relationships, Paul did not quit. And his battle scars won him a crown of righteousness. God also has a crown for you. Trust in Him when all others forsake you. He will stand with you and give you strength to endure the present and He will empower you for the task that is set before you. +++ 4/8/16 FAITH HAS ACTION Scripture: James 2:18 "I will show you my faith by my works." A quote from God's Little Devotional Book says, "He who wants milk should not sit on a stool in the middle of the pasture expecting the cow to back up to him." We could say the same thing about the finished work of faith. It is not just a thought in the mind or a dream in the heart. Faith is substance and acts in obedience to God's Word. It does not sit and wait for the thing hoped for to come to it. The farmer who wants milk takes action. And the man who wants to see his vision from God come to pass must also take action. Our action is the demonstration of our faith. However, action without God's instruction is presumption. Romans 10:17 tells us that "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." True faith hears a Word from God, believes it, and then acts as if God spoke the truth. At the same time that faith is acting, it is also resting in a faithful God. Faith never struggles. Look at some of the actions and results of the actions that took place when God spoke and caused faith to come alive in the hearts of men: Noah built an ark and saved his household. Abraham journeyed throughout the land and claimed it as an inheritance for his descendants. Moses stretched forth his rod and parted the Red Sea, delivering Israel from the hands of the Egyptians. The widow of Zarephat baked a cake for the prophet Elijah, and her provisions were sustained throughout the famine. Peter launched out into the deep water at Jesus' command, and took in so many fish that his boat began to sink. The young lad sacrificed his five loaves and two fish to Jesus and then saw a multitude of 5000 fed and a twelve basket return. The servants at the wedding of Cana filled pots with water and Jesus turned the water into wine. What if Noah had not built the ark or Moses had not lifted his rod in obedience to God's Word? And what if Abraham had been too fearful to leave his homeland? Or what if Peter had refused to go back out into the water after he had fished all night and caught nothing? What would have happened to the multitude if the young boy had not sacrificed his lunch? Without obedient action, none of these would have received the manifestation of God's promise. Faith requires action. So when God speaks and whatever He says unto you, you must do it if you want to see the promised results (John 2:5). +++ 4/11/16 BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU HEAR Scripture: Mark 4:23-24 Jesus said, "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear ... And be careful what you are hearing." Our ears are very important in the natural as well as the spiritual realm. Natural ears are organs of hearing and balance. When your natural inner ears are affected, your whole body is disturbed and out of balance. Nothing seems quite right around you and you may even stagger around as though you are drunk. Like the natural, your spiritual ears are not only organs of hearing but also of balance. What you hear with your spiritual ears establishes your faith, affects your balance, and determines your walk with the Lord. Depending upon what you take in with your spiritual ears, you will either walk in faith and boldness or stagger around in wavering doubt and unbelief. Jesus taught us to be very careful of what we listen to because the things we hear will establish our faith. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word." Whether positive or negative, you will begin to believe what you hear and you will trust those things that you give your attention to. If you choose to listen to negative words and believe the negative thoughts of your circumstances, others, and your own mind, you will develop negative faith, which is doubt. You will find yourself out of balance and in a state of discouragement. Your faith will be tossed to and fro like the waves of the seas. When your faith is challenged, you will stagger as a drunken man, totally out of balance. James 1:7-8 says the double minded man is unstable in all of his ways and he will not be able to receive anything from the Lord. On the other hand, if you choose to listen to God's Word and meditate on it day and night, Psalms 1:2-3 says you will be like a tree that is planted by the water and everything that you do will prosper. Your walk will be established because God's Word will cause faith to come alive in your heart. When you take heed to what you are hearing, you will be like Abraham. He did not stagger in unbelief at the promises of God because he refused to consider the age of his own body or the deadness of Sarah's womb (Romans 4:19-20). Abraham believed what God had told him and his faith allowed him to take action to bring that Word to a place of victory. Like Abraham's choice, hearing and listening is an act of your own will and a personal decision on your part. What you choose to hear will become a part of your being and will cause you to grow in either a negative or a positive direction. So take heed to what you decide to hear because it will determine your future. +++ 4/12/16 YOU ARE A VOICE Scripture: John 1:23 "John said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord." There are two groups of people: Those who have something to say. And those who feel they just have to say something. John the Baptist was one of those who had something to say. His message was one of great importance. He did not talk of himself but instead used his voice to prepare and make the way straight for Jesus to come. When John was asked, "Who are you, and what do you say about yourself?" he answered and made it very plain that he was not the Christ but just a voice preparing the way for the coming of the Lord. John was doing in the spiritual what the custom of the land called for in the natural. It was the custom in the East to send a group of men before a king or prince to physically clear the way for his coming. They took away the stones, cleared out the thorns and bushes, and leveled the ground as much as possible. They would build bridges and find the places in the streams or rivers that were more passable. They did whatever was necessary to make it easier for the king's travel. John was doing the same. He was trying to get the hearts of men ready to receive the Messiah. As you consider the calling of God on your life, you may feel insignificant compared to others. You may think that you cannot do much in this battle for the Lord because you may not have the education or abilities that you think you need. But like John the Baptist, you have a voice that God can use to prepare the way for Him to come into someone else's life. You may be their only bridge to eternity. Your assignment is to simply clear the way by speaking God's Word in love to those that you come into contact with. Then ministering to their needs and being the best witness that you can be in your personal life. When you speak for the Lord, you have something important to say, for your words become light and life. You are a voice. God can use your simple witness and testimony to remove the stones and thorns or build a bridge in the lives of others. If you allow Him, the Lord will use you to prepare the way for the Holy Spirit to save, bless, and encourage those about you. +++ 4/13/16 MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE Scripture: Psalms 98:4 "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise." Seven times in the Psalms we are exhorted to "Make A Joyful Noise" unto the Lord, and four of those Psalms began with these same words. It seems that God is trying to get a message to us and is not being shy about the fact that He wants us to express our love and appreciation to Him in an exuberant way. Joyful in the original text means, "shout or make a triumphal proclamation with a thundering voice." Loud shouts and sounds seem to be okay for open air ball games, but for many of us it almost seems too wild for the quiet worship services that we are accustomed to. Yet, the psalmist encouraged us to praise God in this manner and even said that our expressions should be accompanied with loud instruments such as the trumpets, coronets, and drums. By definition, noise is sound that is loud, disagreeable, and unwanted. It is also described as commotion or random disturbance that obscures or reduces clarity. We have all heard the noise that children make, which in most cases fits the definition of noise very well. However, when my two young grandchildren were visiting me, one sat down at the piano and began to bang and the other one picked up an old out of tune banjo and began to play with it. As they both were making noise with their particular instruments, they also began to sing individual songs. Nothing was flowing together and there was no real beauty about the noise they were making. Their music would have been deemed a pitiful sounding concert by anyone else's standards. However, the joyful noise they were making was a joy to my ears and beautiful music to my heart because my granddaughter told me that they were singing just for me. Their special intent had suddenly caused the noise to be very precious music to me. As I thought about my reaction to my granddaughter and grandson's expression of love, I realized that God our Father is much the same, for when we praise the Lord, He doesn't hear as the world hears. The world may hear the noise of missed notes and ill timing, but God hears as a Father who is listening to His child. God's ear is turned towards our hearts and He hears a melody of love. Skill and perfection are not as important to Him as a joyful noise that is filled with the content of thanksgiving, praise, and adoration. Deep is calling unto deep and He is listening for the praise that comes from deep within our soul. We must never be afraid to express ourselves to the Lord, for we are precious in His sight. Let us remember that the most perfect praise that we can offer to God is a joyful noise that comes from our heart. +++ 4/14/16 MIGHTY MAN OF VALOR Scripture: Judges 6:12 "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor." Gideon was so afraid of his enemies, the Midianites, that he hid himself behind the winepress. He was there sifting his wheat in secret behind the winepress rather than in the open field. Yet regardless of his apparent fear, God saw Gideon's inner strength and knew what he could become. God saw Gideon as a man of valor and envisioned him to be brave, courageous, and full of worth. Even though God, Himself, spoke positive words to Gideon, Gideon still could not believe that he was capable of fulfilling God's call on his life. He asked God to confirm His words through various signs and fleeces. Sometimes we are like Gideon. God calls upon us to do something that really stretches our faith and goes beyond our natural abilities. We cannot imagine that God wants to use us in a certain capacity when there are others who are more capable. As we look at ourselves in the natural, we fail to see what God sees because we are looking at our past and our present, while God is seeing our potential and our future. We see our failures and insufficiencies, but God looks at the gifts and callings that are lying dormant within our lives. He knows the strengths that are within us, for He planted them within us long ago so that He could call them forth at the right season. When God calls upon us, we often exhibit the same attitude and answer Him in the same tone as Gideon did in verse thirteen. Gideon said to God, "If the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where are all His miracles?" In other words, Gideon was saying, "Lord, I haven't seen you work in my life yet. If I am such a mighty man and have so much valor, why haven't I noticed it before now?" He wasn't even sure that it was God speaking to him. In verse seventeen he said, "Show me a sign that You are the one that is talking with me." Yet God saw Gideon's heart and very patiently and faithfully answered all of his questions and strengthened his faith by meeting his request. God is doing mighty things in your life right now and preparing you for the season that He has for you. He has a good plan and has placed you in His kingdom for such a time as this. You may not be conscious of this fact, but He is implanting His Word and His vision on the inside of you. In the time of your greatest fear and most hopeless situation, God's Words of strength will speak to your heart. When you least expect it, He will call you forth and proclaim you as a mighty person of valor, for He is not looking at who you were or even who you are right now. He is looking at your potential and who you can be in the future. He is with you. Do not be afraid, for as you yield to Him, He will give you courage to complete His will. +++ 4/15/16 COVENANT KEEPING GOD Scripture: Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations." Moses made this statement about 3500 years ago and things still remain the same. First, the Lord God is still God and His position has not changed. He is still the Creator of Heaven and Earth and the Ruler over all. He is sovereign and has supreme authority over all creation, including the personal affairs of men. Second, God is not only God but He is also a faithful God. There is no changing with God. God is still the same as he was when Moses declared that He was faithful. And finally, God will keep His covenant with us as He did with Moses. Numbers 23:19 declares that "God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should repent. If He has spoken it, it will come to pass." A covenant is a contract or an agreement between two or more people. It is a giving and receiving relationship between the parties involved and requires a total commitment from both sides. You cannot have a covenant with someone you do not know and trust. It just will not work, for covenants are established and developed through and upon relationships. You may have been in a relationship that was based upon what you could and would do for that other person. There was conversation when they wanted to talk, affection on their terms, but all of the serving and giving was on your part. It was all about them and their needs. Your needs and desires were never considered, much less met, for you carried the entire load of the relationship. Things are different when you have a covenant with God. He respects your needs and responds to your desires. You are able to say, "If you need me, God, you can count on me. And God, when I need You, I know that I can count on You." You and the Lord make yourself accessible and available to each other. God is faithful to the faithful and He will keep His Word with those who will obey His Word. God obligates Himself to those who are in a covenant relationship with Him and He watches over His Word to perform it. In fact, His eyes continually roam the earth looking for those who love Him and who are diligently seeking to trust His Word and obey His commandants. God is not a politician who says things so that He can be voted into your life. Neither is God an actor who portrays himself to be someone that he is not. God is for real and His Word is truth. Establish or consider your covenant with God to determine if it is completely thorough or exhaustive. If you honor and respect God as your Heavenly Father, He will treat you as His son. If you recognize Him as the Lord God your Healer, He will heal you of all your diseases. If you look to Him as your Source of supply, He will meet all of your needs. If you see God as your Deliverer, He will come to your rescue and deliver you. If you ask Him for forgiveness, He will be faithful to forgive. If you allow Him to be your Comforter, He will be with you always. Men will continue to fail you in your time of need, but God's grace will always be sufficient. His mercy will never cease, for He is a covenant keeping God. +++ 4/18/16 HIS WORD IS SPIRIT AND LIFE Scripture: John 6:63 "The Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." One of the first things that we do each day is nourish our physical bodies, and then through out the rest of the day we continue to eat and drink to retain our strength and satisfy our hunger and thirst. This is a process that must be maintained on a daily basis if we are going to continue to live in our natural bodies. The same principle applies in the spiritual realm. As spirit beings, we need spiritual food, but we often neglect this very vital area because we fail to get into the Word of God on a regular basis. We rely on the Sunday worship service for all of our spiritual food. As a minister once said, "We give our natural man three hot meals a day, and give our spirit man one cold snack a week." We then wonder why we have no spiritual life or power, for we find ourselves just merely existing spiritually instead of being quickened by God's Word. We see the importance of being quickened by God's Word when we reflect on the way Jesus responded to Satan's temptation in the wilderness. Jesus did not try to prove who He was or stand on His own power, but instead He allowed the Holy Spirit to quicken the written Word of God that was inside of Him. He met every challenge with the words, "It is written." These were Spirit filled words because they had come from the mouth of God and the devil could not argue with them. Jesus had nourished Himself daily on God's Word. Even from an early age He was in the temple studying the scriptures and asking questions. As He took in spiritual food it produced life in His spirit and that life was there for Him when He needed it. We eat natural food for today's strength that causes us to grow and also sustains us for tomorrow. So it is with the spiritual food. We receive it for today's strength, but it will also be there for us when the enemy tries to attack, tempt, or deceive. Yet, like any natural diet, our spiritual diet must also be balanced. God did not give us a boring diet but gave us a variety of types of writings to choose from such as history, prophecy, wisdom, songs and poetry, and the gospels. These scriptures will cover every need that we will ever face. Matthew 4:4 says, "Man does not live by bread alone but by every Word that comes from the mouth of God." However, the Word of God must be taken in and digested into our spirit like natural food before it will bring life. II Timothy 2:15 tells us that we must study the Word of God for ourselves so that we will not be ashamed because we are able to rightly divide the Word of truth. When we study God's Word, it gives the Spirit opportunity to speak truths into our lives and cause those Words to come alive within us. And that life of His Word will give us the strength that we need to be able to face every challenge of the enemy. +++ 4/19/16 WHOLE HEARTED OBEDIENCE Scripture: Romans 6:17 (Living Bible) "Thank God that though you once chose to be slaves of sin, now you have obeyed with all your heart the teaching to which God has committed you." There is a story of a mischievous young boy who was misbehaving. Several times his mother corrected him and told him to sit down, but he continued to misbehave. Finally in desperation, she put her hand on his head and forced him to sit down and be still. With his mother's strength in control, he had no choice but to obey. After a few minutes of struggling, he told his mother, "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I am standing up on the inside." Rebellion and disobedience were still ruling within his heart. Many times we are much like this little boy. For one reason or another, we force ourselves to obey God's Word, but our hearts are not truly involved in our obedience. We refrain from sin itself only because we do not want to suffer the consequences but we continue to hold the evil thoughts in our minds and entertain lust in our hearts. We say we forgive those who have transgressed against us and we do not retaliate against our aggressors in the natural, but we harbor unforgiveness and bitterness in our hearts. We give our tithes and offerings, but do it with a grudging spirit. We do not allow ourselves to commit immoral sins, but we give in to a spirit of lust. We look okay on the outside but we choose to be slaves to the corruption that is within and we allow our hearts to be in bondage. Just like the little boy, we are sitting down on the outside, but sin and rebellion are standing tall on the inside. Paul said that we need to obey the teachings that God has committed to us with our whole hearts. We must acknowledge the omniscience of God and allow Him to search our hearts and change us in any area so that we are both yielded to Him on the inside as well as the outside. I Chronicles 28:9 says, "Acknowledge God, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts." Our obedience should not be just an act to fulfill the law. We must willingly die to sin and habitually live and behave like new creations because of the grace and life of Jesus that abides within us. +++ 4/20/16 THAT WHICH COST ME NOTHING Scripture: II Samuel 24:24 "Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God which cost me nothing." The scriptures describe King David as a man after God's own heart. But even though David worshipped and loved God, there were still times that he failed God. Yet, he was always quick to repent of his transgressions. David had grieved the Lord and brought judgment upon Israel by taking a census and numbering the people, and this act caused a great plague to come upon them. David cried out to the Lord and took full responsibility for his actions. He confessed to God that he was the one that had sinned, and he asked God to spare the people. He told God, "What have these people done? Let your hand be against me and my father's house." When God heard his cry, He instructed David to build an altar in the land that belonged to Ornan the Jebusite. Ornan was very willing to let David come and set up an altar on his land. In fact, Oman offered to give the land, the oxen, the instruments, and the wheat that were needed for the sacrifice. Ornan was as anxious as anyone to stop the plague, but David refused his offer because David knew the heart of God and knew that God required something of him personally. He told Ornan, "Give me the land for the full price." David did not want any discounts, for there was no place in his heart to offer God something that cost him nothing. Many times in our life we are asked to make a sacrifice. It seems that whatever we have the least of at the time is what God wants. For instance, it is at the time when our finances are lowest that He challenges us to give a little extra. When our energies are spent, He calls us to go minister to someone in need. When we are at the end of our patience, He allows another challenge which may be the one that is capable of breaking us down. And when we are facing a full day ahead and need our rest, He wakes us in the middle of the night to intercede in prayer for His people. He says if someone hits you on the cheek, turn the other cheek, and if they take away your coat, give them your cloak, also. God always calls on us to give something that has personal value to us. King David refused to give an offering to God that cost him nothing because he loved Him. And Jesus, another king, gave a gift that cost Him everything. Philippians 2:7-8 says, "He (Jesus) took on the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Think about these two sacrifices and their examples to us. God wants a special sacrifice from us. Paul tells us to "present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is our reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). It may cost us something to present ourselves to God and to walk in obedience to Him, but He deserves no less than our best. Like David's sacrifice, God deserves from us that which cost us something. +++ 4/22/16 LOOKING UNTO JESUS Scripture: Hebrews 12:2 "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith ..." It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words because images linger in your mind. Just think about a great painting such as the Mona Lisa or the Lord's Supper. When you think about these works of art, you can recall their clear image in your mind. Yet think about a wonderful sermon that you heard just a few hours ago. How many of the words do you remember? Unless diligent effort is made to memorize written or spoken words, they are easily forgotten. You may retain the thought, but many, if not most, of the words will escape your memory. God knew the importance of the visual senses, so throughout the scriptures He allowed men to see things so they could hold His promise in their hearts until His work was completed. These images were their fortress against the hardships they were compelled to face in their journey of faith. With Abraham, it was a sky full of stars representing his future descendants that could not be numbered. For Joseph, it was a dream showing forth his future honor and authority. For Moses, it was a burning bush and for the wise men who sought for the Messiah, it was the star of Bethlehem. Paul saw a blinding vision of the Son of God on the road to Damascus. Like Jesus, all of these men were able to endure their particular crosses because of their visions and the joy that was set before them. Their hearts held a vision of the final outcome, which enabled them to press forward until they reached their goal and captured their prize. Like these men of old, God wants "your heart flooded with light so that you can see the future that He has called you to share" (Ephesians 1:18 NIV). Without a vision of the plan that the Lord has ordained for you, your purpose may perish. However, with a clear vision of the future there will be hope in the midst of discouragement, and this hope will create a strength that will help you endure the struggles and hardships of the present moment. There must be a clear picture in your mind of the Lamb of God and what He has accomplished for you. Jesus became flesh and dwelt among men so that we could behold His glory and understand His completed work on the cross. You must see the blood that He shed for you as He paid the price to redeem you from your sin. You must get a glimpse of the stripes that were laid on His back for your healing and see the crown of thorns that was shoved into His brow so that your mind could be free. You must behold Him as your risen Savior, the One that death could not hold, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, who now sits at the right hand of the Father. You must realize that Jesus is always praying and interceding for you and recognize that He is your friend who is closer to you than a brother. You must see Him at your side at all times, for He said that He would never leave you or forsake you. Keep your eyes on Jesus, for He is the author and finisher of your faith, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. With these visions of Jesus in your heart and mind, you will walk in victory. +++ 4/25/16 HEALING FOR THE HURTING Scripture: Acts 3:8 "Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God." A lame man sat at the gate of the temple every day and begged from the people who were going in. Acts 4:20 declares that he had been lame for over forty years. He had probably lost hope of ever being normal. One day when Peter and John passed by the gate, the lame man asked them for alms. He may have experienced some disappointment when Peter said, "I don't have any silver and gold." But then Peter followed with, "But such as I have, I will give to you. In the Name of Jesus of Nazareth rise up and walk." Peter imparted something far greater than a few coins, for he spoke a miracle of healing into the lame man's life. When God touched the lame man, he left his past behind. He jumped to his feet, entered the temple, and began to praise God. His miracle gave him a new lease on life and he was no longer the same. No longer would he have to rely on others to transport him. No longer would he have to depend upon his family for needed support, and no longer would he be forced to beg. In a moment's time, with just a few words spoken in the mighty Name of Jesus, the lame man was set free physically and emotionally. Even though there were those who questioned and condemned him, there was no shame in his praise and rejoicing. For the first time in his life, he could walk and that was all that mattered to him. Just as God delivered this man from his crippling disease, He longs to deliver those who are broken in spirit and crippled within. He sees the wounds of your heart and He knows the secrets that you keep hidden deep within your spirit. God does not want to deal out a few coins or do a quick fix for your need. He wants to totally deliver you and restore the years and everything else that the devil has taken from you. If you will allow Him, God will deal gently with your hurts and heal every wound of your heart, but like the lame man, you must be willing to let go of the past. When the lame man was set free, he did not complain about the previous forty years that were wasted. Neither did he dwell on the pain that he had suffered or the shame that he endured as a beggar. He simply rejoiced in his newfound liberty and faced the future with a hope that he never had before. Each day that you wake up, God gives you a new lease on life and an opportunity for hope that you never had before. With every breath, He gives you another chance for life and success, happiness and joy, mercy and grace. God anointed Jesus to heal the broken hearted and to set the captive free. This includes you. So arise and leave the past behind so that you can be healed. +++ 4/26/16 FORGIVE - COMFORT - LOVE Scripture: (Living Bible) II Corinthians 2:7-8 "Now it is time to forgive him and comfort him ... Please show him that you love him very much." These scriptures concern a man in the church who had transgressed God's laws in a grievous way. He had caused the Apostle Paul and the church a lot of pain and they had punished him in an effort to correct him. Paul now says that the guilty man had been punished enough and that it was time for restoration to begin. Paul tells the church to offer forgiveness, comfort, and love to the one who had sinned. He says, "Otherwise he may become so bitter and discouraged that he won't be able to recover." It is often difficult to reinstate someone in our affections after they have hurt us and caused us pain, especially those who are in the household of faith. We feel that they should have known better in the first place. But if God is willing to forgive and restore them, shouldn't we? However, there are too many times when we hold on to our personal grudges and feel that it is our duty to pour on the guilt and shame. We want to make sure that the punishment exceeds the wrong deed, and we can't seem to bring ourselves to a place of forgiveness, much less be able to offer them comfort and love. Paul says that unforgiveness is a trick of the devil and tells us not to be ignorant of his devises (verse 11). Satan knows that if you refuse to forgive, you give him an advantage in your own life. You not only hold the guilty person in bondage, disallowing him to recover, but you also put yourself into bondage. Mark 11:26 says, "If you don't forgive, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings." When you fail to forgive others you forfeit your own forgiveness from God. And Matthew 5:23-24 says that if you and your brother have grievances, God will not receive your offering until you go to your brother and find reconciliation. It is only then that you can return and offer your gift to God because He demands forgiveness and love. Sin and inappropriate behavior require confrontation and discipline, but repentance deserves restoration. When repentance occurs, don't continue to pour on guilt - instead pour on love. Galatians 6:1-2 (Amplified) says, "If any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual - who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit - should set him right and restore and reinstate him ... less you be tempted also. We are to bear one another's burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ." We are to forgive as the Lord forgave, comfort as He comforted, and love as He loved. +++ 4/27/16 PREDETERMINE NOT TO SIN Scripture: Genesis 39:9 "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" Joseph had been sold into slavery by his brothers, and as he served Potiphar, he gained great favor. His master, Potiphar, noticed that the Lord was with Joseph and that the Lord caused everything that Joseph did to prosper. So Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his entire house and everything that he had. Potiphar held nothing back from Joseph except his own wife. Joseph was a handsome young man and Potiphar's wife began to entice him to sleep with her, but Joseph blatantly refused. There was no discussion about the matter, for his heart was predetermined not to sin against God. How often do we slip into a place of sin because we have not made a predetermined decision not to take that path? It is amazing, but when you draw a line of demarcation in your spirit concerning certain matters, the devil doesn't even tempt you in those areas. He knows that you have set certain boundaries and limits and that you are clearly separated from engaging in those activities. He knows that you have decided that you are not going to steal, kill, commit adultery, lie, cheat, or give into addictions so he doesn't place these temptations in front of you. Instead he tries to find another area where you may be weak and vulnerable. We always have canned drinks in the refrigerator, but seldom have bottled drinks. The other day my oldest son left a bottle of Coke in the refrigerator so that he could drink it later. I pointed it out to my younger son and told him that it belonged to his older brother and instructed him not to drink it. Upon hearing these instructions, he promptly declared, "Well don't blame me if I accidentally drink it." I was amused because I wondered how could he drink it accidentally when he was plainly told that it belonged to someone else and was asked not to drink it. By the way, he is no child. He is over thirty years old. Yet, this is how it is when we allow ourselves to sin. Even though we are mature in the Lord, we think that because the temptation is there, it is not our fault if we give in. Adam and Eve may have felt like saying, "Well don't blame us if we accidentally eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Yet the availability to sin does not dispel the responsibility that we have for our own actions. In times of temptation, we need to remember Joseph and understand that the only way to win the battle of temptation is to make a predetermined decision in our heart not to sin. We must realize that we are not just doing something wrong but that we are acting against God. Then we must bring ourselves to our senses by asking the question that Joseph asked, "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" +++ 4/28/16 PAUSE AND THINK ON HIS WORD Scripture: Psalms 68:19 "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits; even the God of our salvation. Selah." The word "Selah" at the end of this verse of scripture is used seventy-one times in the Psalms. It means to "pause, and calmly think about that." In other words, when we read God's Word we should stop and think about what He is saying to us as an individual, for these words are personal messages from our personal God. Many times we forget that these are the very same words that God breathed into the hearts of the men who recorded them and that the truth of these words has lived for centuries. They have proven themselves to be true. Each and every Word of God is a powerful living organism that will create life within us when we allow it to rule our hearts. We must not allow God's Words to become routine. Instead, we must pause and take time to reflect upon them and realize that His Words are spirit and life. In Mark chapter four, Jesus compared the Word of God to a tiny seed and explained that the heart of man was like the soil. Seeds have life within themselves, but Jesus said that the growth of the seed depended upon the condition of the heart. He said, "Take heed how you hear." You must read the scriptures with the intent to hear God's still small voice. In the words of the psalmist you must "Selah" or pause and calmly think on God's Word. Each time you read God's Word, meditate on it. Roll His Words around in your heart until revelation comes and the Word begins to take root and grow. The tiny seed of His Word will eventually become like a tree in your life. As you hear God’s Word, faith will arise in your heart. Psalms 1:2-3 says that as you meditate on His Word day and night, you will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water. Your leaves will not wither, you will bring forth fruit, and all that you do will prosper. II Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable ..." God inspired each and every scripture and intends that you profit from them. When you listen to what God is saying through the scriptures, you should expect to find the answers that you need for your current situation. You should also come to understand what His will is for your life. God is your salvation and He wants to load you up daily with His blessings. He wants you to search His Word for your answers and then pause and calmly think about what He is saying to you personally. Selah! +++ 4/29/16 TRUE WORSHIP Scripture: John 4:23 "True worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth." Worship was originally spelled "worthship" and means to acknowledge the worth of the one being worshipped. Worshipping God has to do with who God the Father is and not just acknowledging and praising Him for what He has done or is doing for us. Knowledge is the mother of devotion. Those who are empty of the Word of God cannot worship God in truth because true worship can only come as the revelation of the character of God has been birthed within your spirit. In other words, you cannot love and worship someone you do not know. Faith is also required in true worship, for you must believe that God's presence is there to receive your worship. We praise God for His awesome works but worship far surpasses the material and physical realm and reaches far into the spirit. Worship recognizes the character of God and understands that God is spirit and because He is spirit, He can only be truly worshiped with the spirit. The rocks are able to cry out in praise to God (Luke 19:40) and the sun, moon, and stars of light are commanded to praise God (Psalms 148:3). Even the morning stars sing together (Job 38:7). Yet, none of these awesome creations of God can worship Him in spirit because God has not breathed His spirit of life into them. Worship is an experience that takes place in the heart. Worship happens when the whole being is yielded to God and the love that is within our heart bows down in reverence to the holiness of God. It is an inward expression of our recognition of God's glory and grace. John 4:23 continues to tell us that God is seeking for those who would worship Him in spirit and truth. He is actively watching and waiting. The Lord is looking for a bride who loves Him and knows how to pleasure Him with true worship. He does not want lip service. He wants a heart that is full of true worship. He looks beyond the loud shouts of praise to find the quiet spirit of love that is on its knees in beautiful and reverential worship. If you dedicate yourself to be one of those who will worship God in spirit and in truth, you will find Him and He will find you. +++ Copyright © 2016 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com |
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