Jan16

............	A Word In Due Season Jan 2016 1/1/16 KEEP THAT WHICH IS COMMITTED Scripture: I Timothy 6:20 "Keep that which is committed to your trust ..." Another year lies before us and as with everything new and fresh, it begins with excitement. At the beginning of the year, it is easy to commit to change, for there are new calendars to fill in, new journals to start, and new resolutions to make. Even diets are easier to start during this season because we are tired of all the food that we have consumed over the holidays. Yet, as we go through the days and months ahead, we must realize that most of our commitments will be challenged. As we settle into the routine affairs of life, the new will eventually wear off and the fresh season of change will disappear. We will again find ourselves facing the mundane process of daily business. We will face pressures, experience disappointments, and have to overcome the obstacles that appear in our path. This is life. God is very gracious and giving and He commits many things into our hands. He then tells us to keep those things that He has committed to us. He gives us family and friends, finances, professions and ministries, material things, and our own being, but He expects us to guard and protect them. He also gives us intangible things such as the revelation of His Word, spiritual gifts, talents, and time, but makes us the stewards over them. He diligently watches to see what care we give to these things that He has committed to our trust. Throughout His Word, God gives us instructions and examples to show us how we are to manage and handle all of these blessings. They are not to be taken for granted or abused but to be handled with wisdom and discretion. Yet, God doesn't just give us rules and regulations. Instead, He instills His nature within us so that His character can dictate our actions. As we think about the new year and the blessings that have been committed to us, let us be passionate and determined in our resolve to keep them even though many challenges will come our way. Let us not grow weary but hold tightly to the natural and spiritual things that the Lord has so graciously entrusted to us. Let us understand thatGod trusted us enough to make us managers over our own lives and also His work here on Earth. With the Lord's help, let us do the best we can to manage His endowment in a way that pleases Him. +++ 1/4/16 FAVORITE THINGS Scripture: Proverbs 13:7 (Living Bible) "Some rich people are poor, and some poor people have great wealth." King Solomon, who wrote this proverb, was the wisest and richest man who ever lived. People traveled from distant lands just to see his grandeur and to listen to his words of wisdom. Yet, with all the riches that he had gathered in this world, he understood the concept of true wealth. He knew that true wealth was not wrapped up in earthly possessions and riches. He declared that a person could be poor in earthly things and yet have a great storehouse of wealth. True wealth can be yours because you have family, friends, peace, and health. As time has passed, I have come to realize that my favorite things and most prized possessions are not my most expensive things. The things that I treasure the most are the things that revolve around people and have been touched by a special relationship in my life. If you were to visit my home, you would wonder why I have such a hodgepodge of stuff sitting around. It looks like I'm an eclectic collector of sorts because things do not match. I would like for my home to look like a model home where everything is designer perfect, but in reality, I am just a sentimentalist who has saved nearly everything that everyone has ever given to me. The results are that I often display things that are not of my own personal taste. Yet, these are my treasures because they were given to me in a spirit of love and are a reminder that someone loved and cared enough to share their life with me. My most treasured possessions are the hand made items from my children and grand-children. One of these items is the forty-three year old paper angel who lost one of her wings many years ago. It is placed on the top of the Christmas tree each year. Every year when I put the angel on the tree, I remember how proud my four-year-old son was when he presented it to me. Our tree is full of similar decorations and my closets are filled with boxes of other mementos that my children have made throughout the years. Of course another favorite thing is the family photos, which are a reminder of days past. These are the items that fill my life with joy and could never be replaced by any amount of money. I would be devastated if these precious items were destroyed. Also, I could not forget to mention my tear-stained Bible with the underlined and highlighted verses and the side notes with dates scribbled in the margins. These markings all speak of the intimate moments when the Lord spoke something special into my life; a promise, a word of encouragement, and yes, sometimes a correction or a rebuke. As we travel life's journey, let us look at the stuff that is most dear to our heart and remember what King Solomon said, "Some poor people have great wealth." I must confess that I feel that I am one of those. Regardless of your financial state in life, look at your storehouse of blessings and remember that wealth is not defined by expensive earthly possessions. True wealth is not having all that you want. It is being able to enjoy all that you have. +++ 1/5/16 CONFIDENCE THAT HE WILL HEAR Scripture: I John 5:14 "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." This is a simple guarantee to gain an audience with God. Prayers that touch the heart of God are not accidents. If we want God to hear us, we must first listen to Him and then pay close attention to what He says. The Apostle John said that God would listen to the words that we are saying if the petitions that we are presenting to God are lining up with His desires. Prayer that finds answers are not just a bunch of empty words. They are petitions that seek to satisfy God's will for our lives, accomplish the purposes of His kingdom, and are based upon His written covenant. So in order to receive answers to our prayers, we must search the scriptures and find out what God has said about the matter. If we don't, our prayers are idle chatter. Our prayers must become effective. James 5:16 says, "The effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much." Prayers that are effective are in accordance with God's will. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, Jesus told them to address the Father in Heaven, give honor to His Name, and then declare, "Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done." These words concerning God's Kingdom and His will were to be spoken before any petitions were made for daily needs such as bread, forgiveness, direction, and deliverance from evil. There is a confidence that is gained when you know that you are seeking to complete God's will, and this confidence will birth faith within your soul. In turn, that faith will link with Divinity and clothe you with power to receive. One of the first things that I ask when I begin to pray and commune with God is that His Holy Spirit help me pray according to God's will. I remind God that my spirit is willing to do His will, and also confess that my flesh is weak. I tell Him that I need the guidance of His Spirit as I pray so that I may fulfill the scripture above and acquire the confidence that I need in knowing that God is hearing me as I speak. Many times I am amazed at the words that follow after I pray these words as the Holy Spirit guides my thoughts and directs my prayers. I may have started out in the flesh with my own agenda to express my immediate needs, but as I yield to God's Spirit, He opens my heart to understand the true will of the Father. The Spirit of God then prompts me to pray greater things that agree with God's will and His Word. As this communion with Heaven transpires, great confidence comes. I know that my words have reached God's throne, and that if He has heard the prayer that His Spirit has prayed through me, He will answer accordingly. +++ 1/6/16 NEW SHARP THRESHING INSTRUMENT Scripture: Isaiah 41:15 "Behold, I will make you a new and sharp threshing instrument, having teeth: you will thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and make the hills as chaff.". What a promise God gives to His people. God spoke of the dilemma of His people in the previous verse, comparing them to a worm. But He tells them not to fear because even in their low state, He is going to be their helper. Their Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, is going to come to their rescue and make such a change in their lives that they are going to be transformed from a worm into a threshing machine with teeth. God has given this same promise to you. II Timothy 3:16 says that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable to us." God sent His Son not only to save you from your sin and give you eternal life, but also to give you a life that is abundant and free. God does not want you to be in a state of bondage and lack. When He looks down and sees you in your situation, struggling as a worm in the hard places of life, it hurts His heart. As your Redeemer and as your Heavenly Father, He wants to see you rise out of that place that you are in. The Lord desires that you live above and not beneath your circumstances and that you be the head and the not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13). He wants you to prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers (III John 2). The Lord has designed for you to be a king and priest in the earth, for you are the hope of His glory. Your soul prospers by hearing God's Word. As you hear His Word, you gain insight into the heart of God. Your faith grows and you begin to understand what the will of the Lord is for your life. You realize that the Father does not want His sons and daughters to be as the worms of the earth but to walk in the boldness that He has provided through His Name, His Word, and His Blood. He wants you to rise up and use your mouth as a new sharp threshing instrument. He desires to hear His Word coming from your lips in faith. Faith is a force that is released through your prayers and your words. In Mark 11:23-24, Jesus said, "Speak to the mountains to be removed and cast into the sea. If you don't doubt in your heart, but believe those things which you say will come to pass, you will have whatever you say." Think about it. The mountains of sickness, financial lack, and hardships of all kind are at the mercy of your faith filled words because you release God to work for you when you speak His Word. All you have to do is speak in faith. God will transform your mouth into a new sharp threshing instrument through His power and enable you to tear down the works of the enemy. +++ 1/7/16 REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE Scripture: Luke 17:32 "Remember Lot's wife." Jesus warned His disciples as He emphasized the importance of being prepared and ready to leave all. When He spoke these words, He was referring to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, which was a city that God destroyed with fire and brimstone because of its wickedness. Before God destroyed it, He shared His intentions with His faithful servant, Abraham. In turn, Abraham pleaded with God, asking Him not to destroy the righteous with the wicked. Because of Abraham's intercession, God spared Lot and Lot’s wife and two daughters. But when the angels came to deliver Lot and his family, Lot lingered (Genesis 19:16). Yet, God is so merciful and even though Lot hesitated, God remained committed to His covenant. The angels came and physically took Lot and his family out of the city and gave them instructions, "Escape for your life, and don't look back." The angels did all that they could do and took Lot and his family as far as they could. It was now up to Lot and his family to heed the words that were spoken to them. Genesis 19:26 records a very sad ending, "But Lot's wife looked back from behind him: and she became a pillar of salt." Lot's wife had difficulty letting everything go and leaving it all behind. Her heart was still in Sodom and Gomorrah. Instead of fleeing for her life with her husband and daughters, she trailed further and further behind until the effects from the destruction of the city finally reached her. She was incased in salt and became a pillar of bitter remembrance instead of a testimony of deliverance. Like Lot's wife, you may have people, situations, and memories that you need to walk away from. Regardless of the pain and abuse that you may have suffered in the past or the temptation that is now pulling at your soul, God wants you to walk away from all of it. As you leave it behind, God will work His deliverance in your life. He will make a way of escape for you, free you from bondage, and give you a new start. But He can only take you so far. Each hesitating step hinders God's work. As He instructs you to "Escape for your life, and don't look back," you must make the choice not to dwell on the past and all of its hurts or give in to the present schemes of the devil. God has good plans for you, so focus on the future. Become a testimony of the Lord's deliverance rather than a pillar of bitter remembrance. +++ 1/8/16 GOD IS FAITHFUL Scripture: Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know, therefore, that the Lord your God is the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandment to a thousand generations." God is always faithful to keep His Word. When He tells you to do something or go somewhere, He waits for your obedience to carry out His instructions. As you move in that direction, He makes the crooked way straight and opens the path before you. He leads you through green pastures and beside still waters. He provides every need for the journey and anoints you for the mission. He never fails to honor His covenant but He also doesn’t do anything until you step out in faith. Obeying God's voice and following His commands may not always be easy, but it will always be possible. God may not share His master plan with you or accomplish it in the same manner as He did in the past, for God is creative. His ideas are fresh and He is big on doing new things. His ways are past finding out. If God tells you to go to the other side of the lake, His presence will go before you. He may calm the waters so that your ship can cross the lake safely like He did with His disciples or He may roll back the water and allow you to cross on dry ground like He did with Moses and the children of Israel. Then again, He may cause you to walk on the water. You just have to flow with His plan. Arthur Blessitt, the gentleman that walked across this nation and many others carrying a large cross, made this statement about obedience to God. He said: "If God says to do something or go somewhere... I get on a plane. If there is no plane - I get on a train. If there is no train - I get on a bus. If there is no bus - I walk. If I can't walk - I just fall in that direction! In the walk of faith, you will find that God does not act until you move. He doesn't dry up the sea until your feet touch the water. He won't calm the storm unless you are making your way across the lake. And you will never walk on the water in faith if you don't get out of the boat. You must never allow doubt to pollute your faith. Instead, you must act on God's Word. "Whatever He says unto you, do it" (John 2:5). The Lord is God, He is faithful, and He will keep HisWord. +++ 1/11/16 PROMISE OF HIS PRESENCE Scripture: Colossians 1:27 "Christ in you, the hope of glory." In the heart of each and every person there is a void space that only God Himself can fill. It is a dark and empty place where insecurities, loneliness, doubt, and fears reside. We have an awareness of this void but we may not be able to explain it. We just know that there is a searching and a longing that lingers within our souls for something or someone beyond ourselves. This place remains empty until we find God and He moves in. Helen Keller was a woman who was blind and deaf. She had never heard of God and didn't know the name of Jesus. Yet, when her teacher was finally able to communicate to her about God and Jesus Christ, Helen Keller said, "I knew He was there, I just didn't know His name." The Spirit of the Lord was hovering over Helen Keller's heart and making her aware of God's presence. This was similar to the situation that the earth was in when the Spirit of God began to hover over the earth in the first chapter of Genesis. The earth was dark, void, and without form until God spoke and caused light and life to come. God's Spirit hovers over our dark and void spirits in the same manner, drawing us near to the heart of God. At some point we face a moment of accountability for our lives and are forced to make a choice. We either surrender to the Holy Spirit and are persuaded to receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord, or we deny Him. If we receive Him, we are born again and translated out of the kingdom of darkness and into His glorious light (Colossians 1:13). When this new birth occurs, God comes to live inside of us. He totally fills the void place within our being with His presence and for the first time in our lives we feel complete. This is a marvelous mystery that our minds cannot comprehend. Most of us never perceive the depth of the meaning of this wonderful promise; that the almighty God has come to live on the inside of us. If we could only understand the power of God's presence within us, there would be a greater release of His power through us. Boldness and confidence would replace the fears and insecurities in our life. Faith would fill the void where doubt had been. Light would dispel all darkness, and we would become so full of God and His purpose for our life that there would be no room for loneliness and despair. Our focus would be on the presence of Christ within us, who is the hope of God's glory. +++ 1/12/16 CHISELED BY TRIAL Scripture: Proverbs 11:2 (Amplified) "When swelling and pride come, then emptiness and shame come also; but with the humble - those who are lowly, who have been pruned or chiseled by trial and renounced self - there is skillful and Godly Wisdom and soundness." A famous sculptor once said that when he begins to work, he doesn't see a "large mound of nothing." Instead, he envisions a definite form within the material that he is working with. He then chisels away little by little that which is not needed until the desired image manifests itself. Do you remember when you were young and thought that you had the answers to all of life's questions? You had life so completely figured out that you made confident statements about how you would handle your affairs. Your children would be perfect and would never act like other children. You would live at the top of the world and never struggle like your parents. And you would certainly never get out of shape physically. The pride of youth swelled within you because you thought you were in total control of life. However, along the way, things began to change and you discovered that you were not quite as smart as you thought you were. You began to face the same problems with your children, finances, and health as those that you had criticized. When the responsibility became yours, you found that life was not as easy as you had thought. It seemed that you couldn't get ahead because you were facing one trial after another, each bringing you into another place of emptiness or shame. You could feel the blows of the sculptor's chisel as it continually brought you to a lower state. As the chisel cut into your very being, you wondered if God had totally forgotten you. Please know that God has not forgotten you or forsaken you. He is simply in the process of changing you and bringing you to the conclusion that He is smarter than you are and that His ways are higher than your ways. Like the sculptor, the Lord doesn't see a 'large mound of nothing" when He looks at you. He sees His image inside of you and wants that image to be manifested to the world. Thus, God takes the trials that the enemy means for evil and then by special design He uses each one to chisel away the pride and other impurities that are within your heart and soul. Each blow of the chisel causes you to renounce something of self and release that portion to God. As you humble yourself and surrender all that you are ... to become all that He wants you to be, He forms you into the image that He has designed and He fills you with skillful and Godly wisdom. +++ 1/13/16 ON THE EDGE Scripture: Exodus 15:1 "The Lord has triumphed gloriously." When God's people fled from Pharaoh, they found themselves trapped between their enemy and the Red Sea. Their situation was seemingly hopeless and fear consumed their thoughts. They reacted to the circumstances that surrounded them and began to wish that they had never left Egypt but had stayed in the cruel bondage that they had been in. At the moment, serving the Egyptians seemed a lot better to them than facing death in the wilderness. Difficult times bring a reality check. When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, they saw God do amazing things and were excited about their deliverance until this first impossible situation came along. At the edge of the Red Sea, they failed to understand that the same God who had brought them out of Egypt was the one who was going to make a way for them and also keep them from perishing at the hands of Pharaoh and his army. In fact, instead of standing on the edge of destruction, they were standing on the edge of a miracle, for God had a magnificent plan of deliverance in His mind. The Red Sea that frightened and challenged them was going to be the instrument that God would used to destroy their enemy once and for all. If you have been in a place where it seemed that you had a Red Sea on one side and the Egyptians on the other, you can understand the turmoil that went on in the hearts of the Israelites. You know what it was like when your mind and emotions began to reel totally out of control because you had no valid options. You have experienced the sinking feeling of hopelessness when you realized that you couldn't go forward and you certainly couldn't turn back. Yet, impossible situations have a purpose in the heart of God and He uses these places to work His wonders in our lives. God wants to do something awesome in your life that will utterly destroy the things that have plagued you for so long. All He requires from you is that you put your trust in Him and go forward in your commitments. When you do, it becomes the Lord's responsibility to deliver you from the enemy that has held you in bondage. So, instead of viewing the future with fear, realize that you are on the edge of God's miracles. Declare that the Lord reigns in your life and believe that He has a magnificent plan for you. As you trust God and allow Him to work in your life, He will triumph gloriously by making a way for you where there seems to be no way and He will destroy your enemies in the process. +++ 1/14/16 WORRY OR WORSHIP Scripture: Psalms 95:6 "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." There is a battle that rages within us when troubles arise in our life. It's a battle between our flesh and our spirit. The battle demands that we either choose to worry about our problems or worship God right in the midst them. It's a hard place, but our right choice brings great rewards. We see the leper in Matthew 8:2 who had no hope of being healed, yet he worshiped Jesus as he made his request for healing. His worship ushered in the healing he needed, and his leprosy was cleansed and cured. There is another story where it seemed that it was too late for any kind of help, as death was in control. The daughter of a certain ruler had died, but the ruler continued to worship Jesus right in the midst of his daughter's death and she was raised up to live again. Worship is very powerful. Even devils were dispelled when worship prevailed in the hearts of those who came to Jesus for help (Matthew 15:22-28 and Mark 5:2-13). You acknowledge several things when you worship God in the midst of adverse circumstances. First, your worship declares that God is your first love and that He is more important than your immediate needs. Your worship tells God that you trust Him and that you love Him regardless of what happens. Second, as you worship, you do not lean upon your own understanding. Even though you are at the end of your own resources and ability, you recognize God as the One who is more than enough. You see Him bigger than your problem. Finally, your worship announces that you are releasing all of your doubts and fears to God as you humbly submit your situation to Him. As you cast every care uponGod, you make Him the Lord of your life. In the day that Lucifer fell, He attempted to exalt himself. He said, "I will ascend into Heaven, exalt my throne above the stars of God, and be like the most high God" (Isaiah 14:13-14). Lucifer intends for all that is evil to be exalted in your life today. This includes worry. He desires that you choose to walk with him and serve him, so he plants seeds of doubt in your heart and tormenting thoughts in your mind. His goal is to cause you to worry about the enormous situations that he has created for you. He wants you to bow down to him through worry rather than bow down before God in worship and trust. Satan knows that if the fear he attempts to plant in your mind can take root, it will drive out the faith that is in your heart. If fear and doubt prevail in your life, he will then be exalted above your faith in God, and Jesus will no longer be Lord. When you see these patterns working in your life, remember to give God first place by exalting Him above the situation. Instead of worrying, simply show your trust by bowing down and worshipping the Lord your God, your Maker. +++ 1/15/16 BY FAITH Scripture: Hebrews 11:8 "By faith Abraham when he was called to go out ... went out not knowing where he was going." There are two sides of faith. There is believing and then there is taking action on what is believed. Faith is never fully realized until there is action, for "faith without works is dead" (James 2:17). When God wanted to create, He didn't just believe it to happen. Instead, He spoke words in faith and His verbal actions caused the worlds to come into existence. In every instance where Jesus wanted to heal, deliver, or redeem mankind from sin, He took some sort of action. He prayed, He spoke words of deliverance, and even gave up His own life on the cross. Both the Father and the Son's faith were proven by their actions and there were everlasting results. Abraham believed God when God called him to leave his country and kindred and to go to a land that God would show him. It was a land where God was going to bless Abraham and make him a blessing. Yet, Abraham could not just believe. He had to get up and leave. Abraham had no idea where he was going or how long it would take to get there. He also did not know the challenges or battles that would come up along the way, but he faithfully followed God and his faith was counted unto him as righteousness. Like Abraham's life, our own lives will not reach their intended destiny or fulfill their purposes by accident. There must be an action on our part for us to be able to accomplish our visions. We can hold big dreams and enormous visions in our heart, but until we act upon them in obedience, they will remain dormant. Sadly, many times we fail to follow through with actions because we are unsure of the future. Thus our hopes and dreams never come to pass. Look at the important events in your life and you will realize that you had to leave your present place and be somewhere else at a particular time for that event to come into being. You had to accept an invitation to meet that special person who changed your life. You had to go on that certain interview to obtain the job that became your lifetime profession. You had to respond to a call from God to enter the ministry or go to the foreign mission field. You had to reach out in faith to win a soul to Christ or pray a prayer over the sick for them to be healed and delivered. In every case, it was a journey of faith and you had to be at a certain juncture to complete God's will for your life. God is calling you. His call may be a simple request or a life changing demand upon your life. Your faith may be challenged as you stare into an unknown future like Abraham did. You may have no idea where the path will take you but you can rest assured that God will not send you forth without going before you. His Word will speak to you and His Spirit will guide you every step of the way. Trust God and believe to receive Abraham's promise for your own life. Follow God as He leads you out. He will bless you and also cause you to be a blessing in all the Earth. +++ 1/18/16 PLAIN PATHS Scripture: Psalms 27:11 "Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path." One of the greatest privileges of being a child of God is that we can depend upon the Holy Spirit to lead us in our daily lives. David leaned upon this knowledge and cried out to the Lord in several of the Psalms, asking for direction. He pleaded with God to lead him in the way of truth and righteousness, not just for his own benefit but also for the sake of the Lord's Name. He understood that his actions were a reflection upon his Heavenly Father and that they either brought honor or dishonor to His Name. For that reason, David prayed that the Lord would teach him His way and lead him in a plain path. Jeremiah 10:23 said that it is not in the way of man to direct his steps and Isaiah said that the Lord God would lead us in the way that we should go (Isaiah 48:17). Yet, just as hard as we try to follow after God's will and complete His purposes, the enemy seeks to divert us through deception and circumstances. As a result, we often fail to stay on the straight and narrow path. Most of the time, it's not a matter of blatant disobedience or rebellion on our part, but that we just miss the still small voice of God. The consequence is that we fail to be in the right place at the right time. And because we are not in the place where God wants us, we are not able to either be the blessing or receive the blessing that He has designed for us. The devil tries to use these places in our lives to bring confusion and discouragement. He knows that if he can cause us to depart from the leading of God's Spirit by just one degree, we will eventually be way off course. Several years ago, I was to follow my husband across town to an unknown destination using separate vehicles. I knew part of the route, but just as we got to the critical point to change directions, my husband suddenly changed lanes and exited the loop we were on. Just as he changed lanes, an eighteen-wheel truck separated us, and I was forced to continue in the direction that I was going. After the large truck passed, I saw my husband enter the interstate highway. He was now on the third rung of the freeway heading east, while I was on the bottom level heading south. Our paths crossed, but he was several yards above me. My heart wanted to panic as I saw him fade into the distance. Because of my limited knowledge of the freeway system, I had been rerouted by circumstances beyond my control. I knew, however, that I could trust my husband, and I had an assurance that he would stop and wait for me. I knew that he was more concerned for me than I was for myself. God knows that we face these same sort of dilemmas in our spiritual life. He sees our panic and confusion when we realize that we are out of His will because we've been cut off by deception or circumstances. He watches for us to make a deliberate effort to return to Him. Then when we do return, we find Him waiting patiently on the plain path. He is our loving Father who is more concerned about us than we are for ourselves. So, like the psalmist prayed, let us yield ourselves to God and ask Him to teach us His ways and lead us in a plain path. +++ 1/19/16 THE CHALLENGED WORD Scripture: Luke 8:12 ".. then comes the devil, and takes away the Word out of their hearts." Jesus told a parable to His disciples to explain in the natural what happens in the spiritual realm. He used the analogy that the Word of God was like a seed and that our heart was like the soil in which the seed was planted. He said that when the seed is sown, the devil comes immediately and attempts to steal it from our hearts. If our heart is able to absorb the seed the devil then tries to destroy its fruit through other means. He will bring persecutions, the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things to choke out the seed of God's Word. The devil is vehemently against the Word of God because he knows that God's Word is full of power. It will not return to God void, but it will accomplish what He sent it forth to do (Isaiah 55:11). The greatest of saints were challenged in their belief in the Word. Peter had a wonderful revelation that Jesus was the Son of God, which was so great that Jesus told Peter that He would build His church upon this revelation. Later Jesus warned Peter that the devil was going to sift Peter as wheat. The devil was out to destroy Peter's faith. When Peter was challenged, he declared that he didn't know Jesus and even denied that he was one of Jesus' disciples. Joseph was given a Word from God in a dream, but he was also challenged in many ways. The seed that had been planted inside of Joseph's heart had to endure the rejection of his brothers, the pit, the prison, and the temptations of Potiphar's wife. Jesus, Himself, had to protect the Word that God the Father had spoken over Him when He said, "This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased." The devil challenged Jesus face to face in the wilderness in an attempt to steal the precious seed by saying, "If You be the Son of God ...." Jesus declared that it has been given unto us to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is a great opportunity but we decide what kind of harvest that we will receive by what we do with the Word that God sows into our heart. Matthew 13:8 tells us that our potential to produce fruit from the Word ranges from having no fruit, thirty to sixty fold fruit, or one hundred fold fruit. It will not be any easier for us to receive a harvest than it was for Peter, Joseph, and Jesus. Jesus told us that we must take heed how we hear the Word. We must allow the Holy Spirit to break up the hard ground of our heart so that we can receive the good seed. Then we must guard the garden of our heart where the Word has been planted. The devil will definitely challenge us so we must rid our lives of anything that would attempt to choke out God's Word in an effort to destroy our faith. Our harvest will depend upon our faithfulness to protect God’s Word that He has planted within our heart. +++ 1/20/16 WHEN GOD SEES THE BOW Scripture: Genesis 9:13 "I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the Earth." A rainbow exists opposite of the sun as a result of the sunlight shinning through the raindrops or mist in the air. The first rainbow occurred after the flood of Noah's day when God made a promise that He would never again destroy the entire Earth with water. God declared that in the future a rainbow would accompany the clouds. He also said that He would look upon the rainbow and remember this everlasting covenant that He made between Him and every living creature that is upon the earth. Today, a rainbow is still a glorious sight and reminds us of God's covenant with the earth. The rainbow declares that a storm has not only come but that it has passed and that the danger is over. It speaks of beauty and reminds us that we had nothing to fear because the sun was always behind the clouds. The storms of life can be very frightening in the natural and in the spiritual. In the natural, there is wind, darkness, and water to contend with. There is the uncertainty of the duration of the storm, the path that it will take, or the destruction that it will leave behind. A spiritual storm can be just as devastating as that of a natural storm. It can be very intimidating as it separates us from the light and surrounds us with darkness. Every imaginable thing can happen because we have no control in either type of storm. Yet, it is in these great storms of life that we learn courage and develop faith for the future. In the midst of the wind, you discover an assurance in your trust in God that you never knew existed in your soul. When the waters are raging around you, you come to understand His covering over you is complete and that He is all that you need. In the darkness, you find that God’s light is always there. It never disappears or fades away. And then, you have the experience of the glory of the rainbow, the reminder of His everlasting covenant with you. The problem is that many times we continue to focus on the storm that hit our life rather than rejoicing in the things that it taught us. There are many positive results of the storm. It left us with a different kind of beauty. A fresh rainbow with its various rays of color has unexpectedly appeared in our lives. It is something that we can't explain. Yet, it is something that all Earth can rejoice in, for those about us are able to see the change that the storm has made in us. The new colors in our lives could not have been produced without the struggle of the wind, rain, and darkness, for the greater the storm, the more vibrant the colors. The new inner strength in knowing that God has seen us through the storm gives us confidence, for the greater the conflict, the greater the victory. So never be anxious about the impending storm but always remember that God has set a bow in the clouds that surround you. You have nothing to fear because He is watching the storm and He will remember His covenant with you. He will not forsake you. He will deliver you and paint a rainbow in your life that you cannot easily forget. +++ 1/21/16 DOERS OF THE WORD Scripture: James 1:22 "Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." A cartoon showed an elderly couple sitting at a counter in a diner. The gentlemen spoke to his wife and made mention of the older couple who were sitting at the other end of the counter. With a hint of criticism, he told his wife, "That's probably what you and I will look like in about ten years or so." She responded to him saying, "You do realize that's a mirror at the end of the counter, don't you?" The man could not see himself as he really was and truly thought that he was in much better shape than the reflection that was peering back at him. Little did he realize that his age and everything that comes with aging had caught up with him, even his poor eyesight. Many times we are like this gentleman. We do not see ourselves as we really are and we cannot see the spiritual lack that has occurred in our soul because it has come upon us so gradually. We have become lukewarm in our spirits, and as we look at others, our criticisms define our own deficiencies. Even though we faithfully attend church services, read the Word, and listen to good gospel music, James tells us in the scripture above that there is more. He said we must not only hear the Word, we must also be doers of the Word. In verse twenty seven, he expounds on this subject and defines true religion by saying that it is to "visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions, and to keep yourself unspotted from the world." He said that if we are only religious and are not doing the Word or taking care of these matters, we are deceiving ourselves and our religion is vain. James declares that we are like a man who looks at himself in a mirror, but goes away and forgets what he has seen. If the woman in the story above had not corrected her husband, he would have continued his life with a wrong assumption of his current state. He needed someone to point out the error of his thinking. So it is with us. As we look into ourselves, we need God to enlighten the eyes of our understanding and help us to know what areas we need to change. God is very eager to help us, for we are the body of Christ. It is Christ within us that is the hope of God's glory and He wants us to be useful in His kingdom. We are His hands to help, His ears to listen, His eyes to help guide, and we are His shoulder for others to lean upon. As we start each new day with our devotionals and Bible study, let us be reminded that we are to freely share what we have freely received. Then let us ask God to lead us to those who need His help so that we can become not only hearers of His Word but also doers of His Word. +++ 1/22/16 LEAVING THE PAST BEHIND Scripture: Philippians 3:13 "Forget the past ... reach to the future ... press toward the mark." Jean-Pierre de Caussade in 'The Joy of the Saints' said, "To escape the distress caused by regret for the past or fear about the future, this is the rule to follow: Leave the past to the infinite mercy of God, The future to His good providence; Give the present wholly to His love by being faithful to His grace." The Apostle Paul basically said the same thing. He said, "I am going to forget the things that are behind and reach for the things which are before me." As he forgot the past and looked with anticipation to the future, he made every moment of his life count by pressing towards the goal that was set before him. He spent no idle moments and left no stone unturned. When he was in prison, he didn't sit around and wait until he was released to do something for God. He diligently spent his time writing letters to instruct and encourage the saints in the ways of the Lord. Even when he was stoned and left for dead, Paul did not shrink back because of this horrific past event, but fearlessly got back into the arena and fought the good fight of faith. These are such wise words that Paul spoke, for even though we are living in the present, there is not a day that goes by that we do not reflect on the past or wonder about the future. As far as the past is concerned, we all have things that we regret, but there is no way to unscramble eggs or to change our histories. What is done is done and, like the Apostle Paul, we must forget the past and move on with our life. We cannot drag our past into the promise of our future, but must leave our regrets to the infinite mercy of God. The Lord tells us not to worry about our transgressions because He is not adding them up or holding them against us. In God’s heart, our sins are as far as the East is from the West. When we seek His forgiveness, He instantly erases our sins from His thoughts and never judges us harshly even though He, Himself, has never sinned. As God forgives us, we must forgive ourselves. It is interesting that those about us who have failed are the ones who continually hold us accountable for our past. Their memory seems to be short concerning their own failures, but very keen in remembering the past mistakes of others. Our future is in God's hands. As He holds it before us, we must reach for it, believing that He has good plans or a good providence for us. There is nothing to fear, regardless of what we may face because God is with us and He is in control. God’s will for our lives is sovereign and we must be faithful to submit to His plan with our whole heart. As we give the present season to God and press forward towards the mark of His high calling on our lives, the door to our future will open before us and the fear of the unknown and the distress of the past will fade into obscurity. +++ 1/25/16 CUMBERED WITH MUCH SERVING Scripture: Luke 10:40 "Martha was cumbered about much serving." Multitudes followed Jesus and sat for hours and days at His feet in order to be able to hear His counsel and uncommon wisdom. Yet, when Jesus came to Mary and Martha's home, Martha was so cumbered down with the cares of this life that she allowed them to steal her opportunity to enjoy a time of intimate fellowship with the Lord. She was so distracted by the preparations of the food that she had no time for the true Bread of Life. And she was so worried about the beverages that were needed that she couldn't stop and be refreshed by the Living Water. Her troubled heart would not permit her to lay everything aside and rest for a few moments in the presence of Jesus. No one was forcing Martha to serve with such zeal and sacrifice. This was her personal choice. She felt that she had to be busy about "much serving" and she tried to inflict this same spirit of obligation upon her sister, Mary. Martha was so busy that when Jesus spoke to her, He had to call her name twice to get her attention. Jesus said, "Martha, Martha, you are troubled and careful about many things." Jesus then defended Mary, who had chosen to sit at His feet and listen to His words. He spoke to Martha and said, "Mary has chosen the good part, and it will not be taken away from her." Jesus was not concerned about the food preparation, for He had taken care of these matters before. If necessary, He could turn the water into wine and multiply the food to feed thousands. Many times our lives become hectic. And like Martha, our troubled hearts cannot hear from God because we are taking care of too many things and allowing circumstances to dictate our lives. We are often so busy serving the Lord that we cannot find time to worship Him. There is always one more thing to do before we can stop and sit at Jesus' feet. We allow other things to be preeminent in our lives. And in so doing, we rob ourselves from hearing the Lord's voice and experiencing His presence. Intimacy with Jesus does not happen by accident. It is a deliberate choice that we make. Jesus knocks on the door of our heart and waits for us to respond to His invitation. We can either choose the good part, which is to sit and linger in His presence, or we can allow ourselves to be overburdened with much serving or the obligations of life. It is a personal choice. It is simple, If we truly want to hear from Jesus we must decide not to allow the intimate moment of His presence to pass us by. +++ 1/26/16 TRUST IN THE POTTER'S HANDS Scripture: Jeremiah 18:4 "And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: So he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make it." From the very beginning, the potter had an image in his mind of the vessel that he desired to form. He chose a particular piece of clay, but as he began to work with the clay, it was ruined in his hands. Please notice that when the clay became marred or ruined that it was in the hands of the potter. There were several possibilities of why the clay was marred. Air bubbles, hard pieces of unpliable clay, or foreign objects like pebbles may have worked their way to the surface as the potter applied pressure to the clay. As the air bubbles or foreign material came to the surface, the potter had to separate them from the clay, which caused void places to occur in the clay. If these void areas had not been dealt with, they would have weakened and ultimately destroyed the vessel being created. Perhaps the clay refused to yield to the potter's will as it spun around on the wheel. Whatever the case, the marred clay had to be crushed and reworked. Yet, the potter never became discouraged, as he patiently made it into another vessel that seemed good to him. Sometimes we may feel like the crushed clay and wonder, "What's next?" We thought we were on our way to victory and happiness but found that as God worked with us, hard areas of pride and things foreign to His perfect will began to expose themselves in our lives. Our emotions, self esteem, and our very lives are marred by situations and circumstances beyond our control. We find our hopes and dreams failing. Then, as God begins to separate us from things in our lives, void places begin to appear within us and we find that we are not as complete as we thought we were. We may even begin to strive with our Maker and question His work, challenging Him as to why we are not like others. And like the scripture in Isaiah 45:9, we may ask the Lord, "What do You think You are making?" Just like the potter, God knows exactly what He is trying to fashion with your life. In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, "I know the thoughts or plans I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." From the very beginning, God envisions a plan and a purpose for your life, and He works diligently to mold you into that destiny. As He works with you, there may be pressures and personal disappointments, but always remember that you are in the Potter's hands. These are the same hands that were nailed to the cross. And even though you have been marred and crushed, you can trust these nail pierced hands to mold you and make you into the vessel that He desires. +++ 01/27/16 GIVE NO OPPORTUNITY Scripture: I Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour." Just as we are on guard for our safety in the natural, we must be the same in our spiritual welfare. Peter said that we have to be sober-minded or well balanced and temperate. We also must be watching for our adversary and cautious at all times, for the devil is like a fierce hungry lion who is ready to devour his prey. He roams about just looking for opportunities. In the natural, if we received word that a lion or some other danger was lurking in the darkness waiting for a chance to attack, we would take every precaution to protect ourselves. We would lock our doors and be very vigilant if we went out. Yet many times in the spiritual realm, we leave the door to our hearts wide open without regard to dangers that are near. I used to work in an office that had two doors that had access to the street. I was alone there for as long as eight hours of the day so I always locked both of the doors, which had a regular lock and a dead bolt. Once, when it was time to go home I couldn't find my keys. I finally discovered that they were still in the lock on the outside of the door. The phone was ringing when I had unlocked the door to come in that morning and in my haste I had shut and locked the door from the inside but had left the keys on the outside. The keys had a large wood carved fish attached to them. They were very visible to anyone who may have wanted to enter, as they dangled in the lock all day long. In reality, when I thought that I was safe, I actually had unknowingly left myself unguarded and subject to the opportunities of harm. Life is like that many times. We shut and lock the doors of our hearts on the inside and are unaware that we have left the keys on the outside. We think that we are totally protected but instead, we are vulnerable to spiritual attack. The Apostle Paul told us not to give any opportunity to the devil (Ephesians 4:27). We must guard our hearts above all things and be established in our faith. We cannot harbor sin, hate, jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness, or anything that is contrary to God's Word because when we do we allow it to dangle as keys on the outside of our hearts. These things give opportunity to the devil and are an open invitation for him to come in. We must remember that the devil is a fierce enemy and we must remain vigilant concerning his strategies. He walks about looking for a chance to devour hearts that are vulnerable. We cannot allow ourselves to be naive or negligent in any area of our lives. We must make sure that when we have shut and locked the doors to our hearts that we are still holding the keys. +++ 1/28/16 GOOD THINGS FROM GOD Scripture: Psalms 84:11 "No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." Responsible fathers and mothers put away intended gifts and postpone special privileges for their children until the appropriate season. So it is with our Heavenly Father. There are blessings available for each and every one of us, but our wise Father withholds them until we are ready to receive them. He is very generous with His gifts but looks for a heart that is pure and one that He can trust to act with integrity. He also searches for a heart that is sensitive to His wishes and has a desire to meet the needs of others. When the Lord finds a heart that mirrors His attributes and one whose greatest desire is to serve Him and to bless His people, He shares Himself with that individual and withholds no good thing. The Lord is our Shepherd, and a good shepherd provides everything that his sheep need. A shepherd does not withhold provisions or leave the sheep unprotected. He is with them always and they have nothing to fear, for he will lay down his own life for his sheep. He is their constant companion and is there daily to lead them to green pastures and beside still waters. He sees to every detail and allows no lack to enter their life. He is sensitive to the their hurts and pains and when they are injured, He treats their wounds and pours oil on their bruises. When the storm threatens or danger presents itself, he calms their spirits with soft words and gently sings over them. This is a picture of our loving Lord who is always there to meet our need more abundantly than we could ask or think. His provisions are never meager to those whom He can trust. He will do all that He can do physically and spiritually to enhance their life for His glory. Yet many times in our struggle for the things that we need, we fail to walk uprightly and our life and focus is found lacking because we have strayed away from the Good Shepherd. We may not be involved in deliberate and outright sin, but we either neglect or leave our first love. God’s Word teaches us to seek first the Kingdom of God, then all things will be added to us. But instead of loving the Lord God with all of our heart and seeking His Kingdom first, we allow other things to crowd out our communion with the Lord. We must look at our lives and become more determined to follow the Lord, our Shepherd, and not allow anything to hinder our relationship with Him. When the Lord sees us following Him and walking in His footsteps, He will not withhold any good thing from us. +++ 01/29/16 THE REST OF FAITH Scripture: Hebrews 4:3 "For we which have believed do enter into rest ..." Where there is faith, there is rest. Faith does not come by sight or the reasoning of the mind, but comes when you hear God's voice and you receive His Words as truth. When God speaks His will into your life, truth comes into your heart and it gives you an assurance that brings rest. Faith brings an end to all anxiety and fear. Even in the midst of adversity, rest will be written with indelible ink within your soul if you have truly believed. Doubts will flee and struggles will cease. Even those around you will marvel as they witness the peace that prevails in your spirit and the rest that surrounds you. The devil will challenge your faith, but when you have heard from God, there will remain a knowing within your spirit that cannot be shaken. Nothing and no one can pry God's Words from your heart or destroy the faith that you have in His promise. His Word is your foundation and your heart is fixed like the men of the scriptures who did great things based on just a Word from God. Noah built an ark and escaped the flood. Moses led millions of people into a desert and leaned upon God for every provision for forty years. David challenged Goliath, the giant, and defeated him with a simple sling and a stone. Abraham left his family and country to search for a city whose builder and maker was God. Sarah received strength to conceive in her old age and gave birth to Isaac. And Isaac sowed seed in the time of famine and reaped a harvest that was a hundred fold. These people of God just believed what God said, obeyed His voice, and then rested in His promise. God never failed. God doesn't want you to be anxious in your faith and to struggle to believe. He wants you to enter into rest and follow the example that He has set. Verse four tells us that "God rested on the seventh day from all His works." In the six days of creation, He spoke everything into existence and created life. God did all that He planned to do, then on the seventh day He entered into rest. He ceased from His labors and believed that the sun, moon, and stars would function just as He commanded them to. He was at peace knowing that the herbs, trees, and every green thing would seed itself and bring forth fruit in obedience to His Word. God had faith that the creatures would multiply and replenish the earth just as He had spoken. He was not anxious about His creation or its future. God left His creation to obey His Words. And then He rested. Faith causes you to act in season. It will make you calm in the midst of a storm, bold as a lion in adversity, strong for battle, and patient when you need to wait. This is the rest of faith. It meets every challenge with a dignity and a peace that possesses your soul. Faith hopes when there is no hope and believes when there is no way possible. And the rest that comes with true faith in God passes all understanding. +++ Copyright © 2016 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com			..............................