| ............ | A Word In Due Season July 2016 7/1/16 PRAYER PULLS AT THE HEART OF GOD Scripture: Psalms 145:18 "The Lord is near to all them that call upon Him ..." These words were written by King David who knew what it meant to experience the presence of the Lord in a personal way. When he was just a young shepherd boy, David called out to God to protect him and his sheep and God gave him courage to fight against the lion and the bear. As a young man, David called out to God, and God delivered him from the hand of King Saul who was trying to kill him. David called out to God when he challenged Goliath, and the hand of God guided the stone that killed the giant. He cried out to God when he grieved over the death of his infant son, and God comforted him. David cried out to God in his sin with Bathsheba, and he found forgiveness. David called out to God in battle, and saw God conquer the enemy. David also called out to God when his own son tried to take his kingdom from him, and God reached down and rescued David. Every time that David called out to God, he found that God was near. God never failed him. David learned early in life that all he had to do was cry out to God and that God would hear his cry and save him. God was there for David in the quiet times and in the raging battles. He could feel God's presence when he sang songs of praise and worship and also when his voice was shouting a battle cry. God was there when David played on the harp or when he held the battle weapon in his hands because David's thoughts were directed towards God. Whatever David needed, he knew that he could depend upon God. Your prayers pull at the heart of God and they invite His presence into your life. When you call out to God, you open the door for Him to come in. It doesn't matter what you need, He wants to give you your desires as well as to meet your needs. Regardless of whether your battle is big or small, God will be there for you. He draws near when He hears your voice calling out to Him. The Lord rushes to your aid when He hears your petitions and He listens intently when His Name is spoken from your lips. Your words reach into God's heart and stir Him to rescue you from your dilemma. You can be assured that He will draw near to you if you draw near to Him and He will answer you if you call upon Him. +++ 7/4/16 BLESSED NATION Scripture: Psalms 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." The fifty-six men who signed our Declaration of Independence, which was approved on July 4, 1776, committed an act of treason against the British Crown. As they signed this incredible Declaration, they mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Of those who signed, two became Presidents of the United States, three became Vice Presidents, and several others became either State Governors or U. S. Senators. However, there were many signers who suffered greatly. Four died of wounds from the war and five were imprisoned. Several lost their wives and children as their homes were attacked. The oldest signer of the Declaration was 70 year old Benjamin Franklin, whose faith was strong in God. Speaking of God, He said: "Have we now forgotten this powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that 'except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this." Benjamin Franklin was convinced that all was vain unless the Lord was God and Builder of this nation. The freedom we enjoy has been purchased with tears and blood. We have reaped the noble sacrifice of these brave men, and every American life has been touched by the document they signed. Because of their sacrifice, we have experienced a "Blessed nation whose God is the Lord ... And we are STILL one nation, under God. +++ 7/5/16 MADE INTO ANOTHER VESSEL Scripture: Jeremiah 18:4 "... He made it again into another vessel ..." God led Jeremiah to the potter's house to encourage Jeremiah and to show him a very important life lesson. God wanted to show him that things do not always work out as planned and that sometimes you just have to start over. He allowed Jeremiah to witness the great patience of the potter and his attentiveness to every detail of the vessel that he was working with. Jeremiah saw the potter diligently work with the clay in an effort to create a particular vessel, only to destroy it. This did not mean that the clay itself was useless but that it needed special attention by its maker. The potter did not try to patch the vessel or paint over the cracks and flaws. Instead, he took time to work with the clay and made it into another vessel that was without imperfections. Like the vessel on the wheel of the potter, God puts us on the wheel of life. From the very beginning of our lives, He has a plan to mold us into the vessel that can be used for His particular purpose. Yet many times we do not stay in the center of His wheel, but instead we venture to the left or to the right. We make great promises to the Lord but fail to keep them. We develop unhealthy relationships, dwell on bitter memories, and allow both to hold us in bondage. We leave unspiritual doors open to the enemy of our lives and we visit addictions. Eventually the temptations become so strong that we go through those doors. This variance keeps us from becoming the vessel that God has designed us to be. God's intentions for our lives are thwarted. Yet, He is never discouraged but continues to work with us and eventually makes us into another vessel. You may have situations in your life that cannot be altered or corrected. The sins of your past may haunt you and you may think that there is no hope for your destiny to be fulfilled because of your past experiences. You must remember that God's love has no end and surpasses our understanding. He has faith in us even though we feel that we are miserable failures. He looks at us with hope in His heart and has a vision of a vessel that is without imperfections. God speaks life and light into our spirits and is determined to personally work out all of the defects in our lives. As clay in His hands, we must trust the Potter. It is time to let go of evil condemnation and take hold of the Lord's conviction. We must make Jesus the Lord of our life, obey His laws, live in His covenant, and allow Him to make us over again into another vessel. Only as we find victory over the past will we be able to have hope for the future. +++ 7/6/16 BEING A SILENT VOICE Scripture: Psalms 19:3 (Living Bible) "Without a sound or word, silent in the skies, their message reaches out to all the world." The psalmist says that the heavens have no language, yet they speak of the grandeur of God. The sun, moon, stars, and the galaxies are a marvelous display of His craftsmanship. They have no speech and they have no words, yet they are able to declare God's glory. Day and night, they keep speaking about God who created them and placed them in His heavens. Without any kind of sound, their message reaches out to the entire world. As we see their awesome beauty and marvel at their faithfulness to fulfill God's purposes for us on this earth, we experience the greatness of our God. This same God who has touched Earth with such beauty is also able to make you lovely. With His Spirit, He gives you a new birth. When He recreates you, He washes you in His own blood and you become crystal pure like streams of running water. He gives you His Word that causes you to be stable like the mountains that are unmovable. And He imparts to you joy in your salvation, which makes you strong, sure, and enduring. God calls you a tree of righteousness for His Name's sake (Isaiah 61:3). And He plans good things for your life, as you become His witness and His hope on this earth. Like the Earth with its beauty and the grandeur of the universe, you too can declare the greatness of our awesome God. In Colossians 1:27 Paul declared, "Christ in you, the hope of glory," and Jesus said, "You are the light of the world." Just as the lights of the universe shine and speak of God, you are to "let your light shine before men that they may see your good works". Without speaking any words, you function as an epistle that is read of all men (II Corinthians 3:2). The world watches your daily actions and your responses to adverse circumstances. They study your faith. As they do, they either see the frailty of mankind in your life or the majesty of your Maker. Even in your silence, the message of your life and faith reaches out to the entire world. So choose to shine as a light to those in darkness and without hope. As you shine, you will glorify your Father, which is in Heaven. +++ 7/7/16 ACCEPTANCE Scripture: Ephesians 1:6 "He has made us accepted in the beloved." Jesus is not only the Savior of the sinner, but He is also the Healer of the brokenhearted, the bruised, and the cast down. He brings freedom for all who are caught in Satan's designs and grants victory to those who are held captive in Satan's snares. Regardless of your faults and failures, Jesus still loves you and accepts you just as you are. Scriptures declare that He is no respecter of persons, for He has no favorites and treats everyone the same way. Wherever you are today in life's walk, Jesus is waiting to save you, heal your rejected spirit, and restore your joy and purpose. Acceptance is one of the most basic needs that people have so Jesus has included all people in His invitation into the Kingdom. Rejection is a very lonely and heart breaking experience but Jesus understands your feelings of rejection and has compassion for you because He experienced rejection. Isaiah 53:3 tells us that He was despised, rejected, and forsaken by men. The majority of men could not see His worth, nor did they esteem or accept Him as the Messiah sent by God. In fact, they turned their faces from Him. Yet, regardless of men's refusal to accept Jesus, His life and purpose remained in the hands of God and He ultimately fulfilled that purpose, which was personally designed for Him. Satan formed a weapon against Jesus, but it did not prosper. Jesus was the stone that was rejected and thrown aside, but through His death, burial, and resurrection, He established the Church and became its Chief Cornerstone. Jesus' goal is to make you a part of His building and fit you into His kingdom (Ephesians 2:21-22). He accepts you just as you are and desires that you be a habitation for the Spirit of the Lord. He remains the Chief Cornerstone of this building and He holds it together by His power. You may think that you are different from the other stones and rejection may have tried to move in and disillusion your spirit, but do not be discouraged, your hope is in the Lord. God knows exactly what He is doing with you and He is fitting you and all of your experiences into His perfect plan. Each stone is important to God and you must believe that there is no weapon that is formed against you that can prosper. Remember that Jesus has been where you are and He understands your deep pain and lack of self-esteem. Allow the Lord to release you from the spirit of rejection so that He can restore your joy and purpose. Believe His Word for you truly are accepted in the beloved. +++ 7/8/16 TAKING YOUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE Scripture: II Corinthians 10:4-5 "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal or human, but they are mighty through God to the ... pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, ... and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." We are in warfare. It is not a war of the flesh, but one of the spirit. Satan is our adversary and his battlefield is our mind. He starts by planting a simple thought in our minds such as a fear, a doubt, or a desire. He knows that if he can infiltrate our mind in some negative way, he can set up a stronghold of deception and hold us captive with those thoughts. He does not come to us as a devil in a red suit, long tail, and horns, but appears as an angel of light (II Cor. 11:14). And just like the fruit in the Garden of Eden, he presents us with a thought that seems reasonable, desirable, and wise. He is very patient and he works his plan subtly. He diligently strives to keep us from knowing the real truth, for he knows that the real truth will set us free (John 8:32). A stronghold is defined as an area that is dominated or occupied by a special group and fortified like a castle or permanent military outpost. Satan enters our minds through our thought process, so we must guard our minds and not allow his thoughts to linger long enough to become a stronghold. Instead, we should allow our faith to rise and dispel any evil or negative thoughts. If we neglect this detail, the devil will take a permanent position like an unwanted houseguest that will not leave. From that vantage point, he fragments and distorts every thought so that he can enforce his thoughts upon us and manipulate our minds. Once his stronghold has been established, Satan then begins to play on our imaginations. These imaginations have the power to form a mental picture or concept that is unreal and not based upon an adequate foundation of truth. We begin to imagine all sorts of horrible outcomes concerning the situation that we are in. The more we allow the devil to lead us into his trap, the more control he gains over our lives. God has made a way of escape for us and supplied us with the weapons and authority to fight this warfare. He has given us His Name, His Word, and power through His blood to battle this evil enemy. He tells us to attack the fortress of the enemy and instructs us to disallow him to keep residence in our minds. We are to cast down the imaginations and take control over every thought, bringing it to the obedience of Christ. In other words, we are to wrap every thought in chains and drag them to the feet of Jesus and replace those thoughts with the Word of God. If the enemy brings thoughts that cause turmoil and confusion, we are to take those thoughts captive and make them obey the Words of Jesus. Jesus said, "Don't let your heart be troubled or anxious." The Word of God is sharper than a two edged sword and there is a scripture that is able to meet every challenge that seeks to bring us into captivity. Our weapons are mighty through God. He gave us the divine power to demolish the strongholds, imaginations, and thoughts of the devil by taking every thought and making it fit into the structure that Jesus created by His Words. If it does not fit, we are to tear it down and take it captive. We must not expect Jesus to do it for us, for He told us to do it! +++ 7/11/16 PAIN AND PRESSURE Scripture: Job 30:26 "But when I looked for good, then evil came to me, and when I waited for light, there came darkness." We speak of the patience of Job and when we look at his life, we see that one bad thing happened after another. It was a season of overwhelming problems and trials, and even though Job did not have anyone on his side to stand with him or to encourage him, he endured the test. It was just him and God in a struggle against evil. Yet from Job's own words, it seems that he must have thought that the end of his trials would come sooner than it did. How discouraging this must have been for Job when things did not change as he thought and his prayers were seemingly not answered. Yet he never gave up, but continued to trust God with his life even though evil and darkness surrounded him. Job's life proved the theory that "God will not take you to a place where His grace will not keep you, His power will not use you, and His love is not needed." In his season of testing, Job experienced God's amazing grace and found it to be sufficient in every conflict. This included the death of all of Job's children, the loss of his possessions, the loss of his honor and self-esteem among his friends and wife, and the loss of his own health. Job also experienced God's power when God delivered him from his trials and then restored more to him than he had lost. And when Job was suffering pain and enduring the pressure of rejection from those around him, he experienced God's intimate love in a fresh and mighty way. As God communed with him personally, Job spoke to God and said, "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see You" (Job 42:5). The light of God's love kept him, and at the end, Job's life speaks of an enormous victory that was birthed out of great adversity. Like Job, have you experienced seasons of difficulty that you thought would never come to an end? In the midst of it all, did you look for good, but instead evil repeated itself, and it was just one trial after another? Did you wait for the light, but found that there was only darkness? Did you wonder why your prayers were not being answered? These times can be confusing, for it would seem that there is no hope in sight. That is the reason God shared this story of Job with us. He wants these words to inspire you to continue on regardless of your situation. God wants you to believe that His grace is sufficient to meet all of your needs and that if you trust Him, He will keep you in the midst of your adversity. God wants you to understand that He is still on the throne and that His power will deliver you and He will use your victory to be a witness to others. As you continue to believe in Him, good will eventually come and God's light will drive away your darkest season. Though all men forsake you, you will never be alone or without God's love and His love is all that you will need to carry you through. +++ 7/12/16 FROM WATER TO WINE Scripture: John 2:9 " ... but the servants which drew the water knew." Jesus attended a wedding in Cana and during the celebration, they ran out of wine. When Jesus' mother, Mary, approached Him for help, Jesus responded to the need. He instructed the servants to fill the water pots with water and He then turned that same water into wine. When the wine was served at the feast, the ruler of the feast remarked that it was better than the wine that had previously been served. The ruler had no idea that he was drinking a miracle beverage, but the servants who drew the water knew. Whether they could have ever convinced the ruler of the miracle is unsure. Very often in our lives we experience actual miracles. God heals our body, meets a financial need, restores a relationship, or does something for us that cannot be explained. When we try to share our testimony, it falls on deaf ears. For the most part, the world cannot receive the miracles of God or comprehend His mighty power. In 1980, I was in an auto accident and my right knee was crushed. Two medical opinions said that I had to have a steel rod put in my leg that would make it impossible for me to ever bend my leg again. There were no other options if I wanted to save my leg. They put me to sleep and took me to surgery, but God intervened and the surgeon was unable to operate. When I came out of recovery, the doctor apologized. He said that he did not know what happened to him, but that he could not cut on my leg. He was embarrassed and said that he had never had an experience of this sort before. I responded with praises to God and told the doctor that I believed that God was going to heal my leg. He said that was impossible and that he was only postponing the operation for a few weeks. However six weeks later when I went to the doctor for an evaluation for the surgery, I was able to walk a little and a few months later, the doctor totally released me. God had healed my leg and I never had to have the surgery. That was in 1980. Even though the doctor could not explain what happened, he never acknowledged the miracle. Those around me recognized what God had done, for we had seen a miracle just like those who had witnessed the water being turned into wine. The servants at the wedding feast knew that the water could not possibly have been changed into wine without a miracle. They drew the water from the well themselves and they served it as instructed. Jesus put them in total charge of the water pots. Can you imagine how this might have challenged their faith? They saw the water go into the pots and had to trust God for wine to come out. They were in a perplexing situation because they could have easily provoked the ruler of the feast, and as servants they could have reaped harsh punishment if the water in their vessels had remained water. However, their simple act of obedience to the words of Jesus allowed them to experience a miracle and be a part of God's great plan. Jesus may tell you to do something very simple just as He spoke to the servants at the wedding. Those around you may not understand why you are putting water into the pot when it is wine that you are needing. They will not understand why you are tithing and giving offerings when you are facing financial needs yourself. Neither will they understand why you are standing in faith for a healing when the doctors have given up. You may be unable to share the reasons for your faith or the victories of your deliverance because of their unbelief. Yet, this does not disqualify you from experiencing the miraculous works of God. As you respond in obedience to His words, He will change the water of your life into wine. When all is finished, you will be amazed to find that you have been a part of God's great plan. +++ 7/13/16 LEARNING TO FISH Scripture: Matthew 4:19 (Living Bible) "Jesus called out, "Come along with me, and I will show you how to fish for the souls of men." When Jesus called Andrew, Peter, James, and John to come with Him, He intended to take the knowledge they had concerning fishing and incorporate it with soul winning. As they left their boats and nets and journeyed with Him for the next three years, they witnessed many wonderful things and truly learned how to draw souls into the Kingdom of God. Jesus showed them how to use the proper bait by ministering to the people's physical needs, for His religion was not only spiritual, but also practical. He was constantly thinking about the human needs of those that He ministered to. He turned water into wine, quenching the thirst of the guests at a wedding. To reach the people with the gospel, He baited His hook with the loaves and fish and fed the multitudes. Jesus even cooked fish for His own disciples on the seashore. Jesus taught His followers to act in love and patience when reeling in the souls of hurting people. He refused to condemn the woman caught in the act of adultery and shifted due blame to her accusers. He showed the same love and compassion to the woman at the well who had had five husbands and was now living with a man that she was not married to. He showed Himself friendly to the sinners and ate with the publicans. He allowed the woman who had an issue of blood and was considered to be unclean to touch His garment. Like any good fisherman, Jesus only fished for hungry souls who would receive the gospel. He did not waste His valuable time fishing for those unresponsive religious leaders who were bound in tradition and law. He recognized their lack of interest for the truth of the gospel and He ignored their laws by doing good and healing the sick on the Sabbath. Jesus declared that He came to earth to do the works of the One who had sent Him and He ministered to those who reached out to Him, whether they were ragged beggars, blind, lame, or demon possessed. No soul was beyond Jesus’ help and He extended His grace beyond their need. His gentle conviction caused those who heard His message to change their lifestyles, follow Him, and be His disciples. There are many souls that need to be reached with the gospel and brought into God's Kingdom. Many need to hear that God has forgiven all of their sins and that He does not condemn them. They must be told that they can come to Jesus just as they are. Some have physical needs and need to hear about the Great Physician and Healer. Others may just need a Friend to talk to. But everyone needs to be drawn in by a personal touch and shown the love and compassion of Jesus, our wonderful Savior and Lord. Jesus speaks to us today in the same manner that He spoke to His disciples. He says, "Come along with Me and I will show you how to fish for the souls of men. Whether in the streets or the marketplaces, in your home town or on the foreign mission field, I will tell you where and when to let down your net, and cause you to bring a multitude into My Kingdom." +++ 7/14/16 JUST PASSING THROUGH Scripture: Psalms 84:6 "Who, passing through the Valley of Baca, make it a well." Baca means a place of weeping, crises, misery, and pain. God never promised that you would be exempted from valleys or your places of Baca. He did say, however, that He would be with you always, even in the midst of your crises, misery, and pain. God is there to give you victory right in the middle of your adverse situations, but you must do your part. As you are passing through the Valley of Baca, you must decide to make this place of weeping into a well of life. With God's help, your tears can become a place of refreshing for your soul instead of a place of bitterness. God will not waste one moment of your grief and pain. If you will give it all to Him, He will draw from the well that you create with your tears and wash your eyes, cleanse your heart, and refresh your spirit. If you allow your Baca to become a well, you will go from strength to greater strength (Psalms 84:7). You can also take solace in the fact that the Valley of Baca is designed to be a temporary place. You are only passing through this time of weeping and despair, so in order to just pass through, you cannot sit down and give up. You must continue to take one step at a time to conquer the valley. It may seem like the valley is too deep and the way is too hard. But remember, you have a promise from God that He will never put more upon you than you are able to bear. When things become too difficult for you, God will make a way of escape. In Psalms 23:4, David spoke of walking "through the valley of shadow of death." He said that he would not fear because he knew that the Lord was with him. This blessed assurance will also see you through your valley and bring you to a place of victory over your circumstances and inner conflicts. Andréa Crouch wrote a song with these lyrics: "I've had many tears and sorrows. I've had questions for tomorrow. There have been times that I didn't know right from wrong. But in every situation God gave perfect consolation that my trials come to only make me strong. And through it all ... I've learned to trust in Jesus. I've learned to trust in God. Through it all, I've learned to depend upon His Word." What a mighty declaration these words make. So when you find yourself in the Valley of Baca, remember that valleys are very fertile. Glean all that you can from your valley and embrace its strength. As you are pass through Baca - let your tears create a well that will refresh you. +++ 7/15/16 MIGHTY PRAYER Scripture: Acts 4:31 "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together." The Sanhedrin counsel had just forbidden the disciples to preach about the resurrection of Jesus. The disciples responded by coming together to pray concerning this dilemma and when they had finished praying the place was physically shaken. That was a mighty prayer. Not many of us have ever had this kind of prayer experience. What brought such power into the room when they prayed? The answer is simple. They had the right perspective and purpose for their prayers as we can see in the following verses. 1) They were in agreement with each other concerning the situation. They all prayed the same very plain and specific prayer. (Vs. 24) 2) They made themselves aware that they were talking to God. They said, "You are God," and then they submitted to His control and power. (Vs. 24) 3) They reminded themselves and God of what He had done in the past. They acknowledged Him as Creator and believed that as Creator, He controlled everything and could do mighty things for them. (Vs.24) 4) They asked God to look at their problem. They said, "Now, Lord, Behold the threats of the enemy." (Vs. 29) 5) They prayed for boldness to speak the Word of God. They did not pray for their own deliverance from persecution, but only that the Word of God go forth and be confirmed with signs and wonders. (Vs. 29) 6) They asked God to stretch forth His hand to heal and do signs and wonders in the Name of Jesus. (Vs. 30) Their main concern was that they would have a powerful witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and that His Name be exalted in their lives. These are valuable principles of prayer that we need to remember if we want to experience God in a powerful way in our own personal prayer life. Verse thirty-three confirms that God did answer their prayer. Prayer makes a difference. It brings God's presence into our lives and when He comes, He comes with answers and deliverance. +++ 7/19/16 UNDERSTANDING TEMPTATIONS Scripture: I John 2:16 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world." When we come to understand that temptation itself is not a sin, we enter a place of victory. Even Jesus Himself was tempted of the devil and faced the same challenges that you and I will face, but He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Matthew 4:1-11 tells of the temptations that Jesus faced in the wilderness and His victory that He had through the Word of God. Lust of the Flesh - After Jesus had fasted forty days and was hungry, the devil tempted Him to turn the stones into bread. Jesus answered with the Word of God, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Father." Lust of the Eyes - The devil took Jesus to a high mountain and offered Him all of the kingdoms of the world if He would just bow down and worship him. Jesus answered with the Word, "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." Pride of Life - The devil tempted Jesus to throw Himself from the pinnacle of the temple to prove that He was the Son of God. The devil told Him that it was written in the scripture that the angels would take care of Him if He were truly the Son of God. Jesus answered, "It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Certainly, we will not be tempted to turn stones into bread, jump from the top of the church building, or have an actual encounter with the devil in which he offers us all of the kingdoms of the world, but we will face temptations and they will come to us in these same areas. There will be the lust of the flesh for material gain or self-gratification; lust of the eyes for positions of rulership or control in this world; and the pride of life that will entice us to become renowned or to prove our own personal importance. Because Jesus faced these same temptations as a man in the flesh, not as God, He knows how we feel. He understands how hard life can get and is aware of our weaknesses. He is touched by our feeling of inadequacy and knows that sometimes we will pass the test, and sometimes we will fail. With His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus has made provision for us to find mercy and grace to get through these situations. He sits as our great high priest on His throne of grace in Heaven and intercedes continually for you and for me. We are not to be ashamed or fearful because of the temptations that challenge us, but we are to boldly come to Him for help in our time of need and to understand that whatever our situation is, He has been there before us. +++ 7/20/16 AN OPEN DOOR Scripture: Revelation 3:8 "I have set before you an open door." God does not give us everything that we want, but He gives us all that we need to complete our journey in life. He sets before us an open door and tells us that He will go before us and make a way where there seems to be no way. He will clear a path through the wilderness and also make the crooked ways straight. His Word will be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path so that we do not have to walk around in darkness. He will make our feet stable like the hinds feet and set us upon the high places that He has ordained for us. He will lead us beside still waters and in paths of righteousness. He will be with us each step of the way, even on the other side of the door. All we have to do is go through the door. Doors, however, can be very frightening and intimidating because we never know what is on the other side. When a door opens before us, it requires a new level of faith and trust on our part, for the door could lead to a room full of light or a place of total darkness. The other side of the door could offer joy unspeakable or grief and sadness. We could discover new relationships or we could find ourselves all alone. There could be prosperity or lack waiting on the other side. The door may lead to the mountaintop or to the lowest valley. Who knows what is on the other side? Small doors can open into wide places and large doors can lead to narrow passages. We will never know what awaits us until we take that step of faith and go through the open door that God has set before us. God wants us to open our hearts to all of the possibilities of life, but He will not force us to go through any door. He opens the door and then we must choose to experience all that He has for us or to shrink back in fear and miss out on His bountiful blessings. Yet there is no reason to fear when we are under His leadership, for where God leads there will be protection and where He guides, He will provide. When God is leading us by His Holy Spirit, we can be sure that it is a promising door and that He wants us to follow Him in faith. He does not withhold any good thing from us but He allows us to make our own personal decision. An open door is a simple choice, but it requires that we leave the familiar behind and go forward into the unknown. Behind the door is the future and it holds many adventures and mysteries. As we go through, we must surrender to God's assignment for us and set our expectations upon Him. He has set before us an open door and we need to trust Him enough to take advantage of that opportunity. +++ 7/21/16 SPIRITUAL FIREWALLS Scripture: Proverbs 10:12 "Love covers all sins." Firewalls are built between the units in apartments and commercial buildings so that if a fire breaks out in one unit, it can be contained. This is a sensible solution and is intended to keep the fire from spreading and doing greater damage. Unknowingly, we build walls of this sort within our own hearts in an effort to keep ourselves from being hurt from without. It starts with one wall but grows with every disappointment that we face. When we are hurt in a relationship, we build a wall and vow that we will never give in to love again. When those whom we esteem and honor in ministry fail before our eyes, we build another wall and disallow ourselves to trust leadership. When friends turn against us, another wall goes up to protect us from future rejection. If we loan money out and it does not return, we put our guard up so that we are not taken advantage of the next time. Even with spiritual things, we lose faith and build walls. We feel that we cannot trust God anymore because our prayers were seemingly not answered, our healing did not come, and restoration did not happen. Each time we are disillusioned and build a wall to shut out our disappointments, we move further away from being able to trust others and having faith for our own situations. It eventually becomes impossible for anyone to penetrate the firewalls that we have created. But worse still, these walls create a place of captivity for our own souls. The devil uses this tool to build a wedge between us and the joys of life. The walls dictate our boundaries and control our lives because we are limited by our own thoughts. We become unable to move beyond the confines of the strongholds that we have allowed our own minds to create. I Peter 4:8 says the same thing that Solomon said. "Love covers a multitude of sin." Love disregards the hurts and pains that are experienced and refuses to protect itself by building firewalls. Love follows God's example and continues to love and forgive in spite of all the failures it witnesses in those that it loves. God never builds a wall to shut us out of His heart. Even though we may fail Him, reject Him, or take advantage of His blessings, the Lord keeps the way clear between us and allows us to approach Him so that we may find His forgiveness and gain His favor. God's love never fails, and we cannot allow our love to fail either. We must tear down the firewalls that our hearts have built and allow ourselves to be vulnerable to love and to be loved. Just as God's love covers all of our sins, we must allow our love to cover one another's transgressions. +++ 7/22/16 TRIUMPH OVER TRAGEDY Scripture: II Corinthians 2:14 "But thanks be to God, Who always causes us to triumph in Christ." For a short season of time, I worked with a master craftsman who restored antiques. I was amazed as I watched him take an old tragic piece of furniture and turn it into a triumph of beauty. To me, it seemed like it should have been put on the trash heap long ago, but he was able to look beyond the marred and broken piece and see great potential. He was in his mid-eighties and would often refer to his own age and the disabilities that age had brought. Yet even with his many years, he considered each moment of his own life a blessing and he was a sweet fragrance to all that he met. He told me that everything had value, we just needed to look for it. He never hurried but worked very patiently for a few minutes every day on each piece. It was as though he had a personal relationship with the wood and knew just how far to take it in each session. He began by stripping the old wood and then gradually worked with the warped places until they were back in alignment. When he glued parts together, he allowed them to set for several days to insure their strength. I was concerned for those pieces, but learned that the glue composition caused them to be stronger than the original wood. When he felt that the wood was ready and its strength was restored, he would carefully sand the piece. He only finished with the stain when he knew that he had done all that he could do with the wood, and even then, he waited until the humidity level was absolutely perfect according to his gage. Many times I brought him the piece that I was working on with the hopes of going to the next step, but most of the time he would look at it carefully, shake his head, and then tell me to start over. I was not able to see the flaws until he pointed them out because I was a novice. However, he was a master who had been in the restoration business for fifty years. He had learned early on that each step must be completed perfectly if the piece is to be restored to its original beauty and strength. God is much the same as He works with us to turn our tragedies into a triumphs. We may look at our battered and abused life and think that we are beyond help and that we are ready for the junk heap like the old antique. We may feel that too much time has passed and we have made too many mistakes to be useful to anyone. We may also look at the broken and bruised lives of others and think that there is no hope of restoration for them, much less beauty. We must remember the words of my friend, "Everything has value and we must look for it." God sees value in you and He wants to turn every tragedy of your life, whether past or present, into a triumph for His glory. You may have tried to fix your life by yourself and failed because there were too many broken pieces and too much heartache and pain from the past. But Jesus is the Master and He can take your life and make you stronger than you were at the beginning. He is able to put your life back together again if you give Him all of the pieces, but you must be patient and allow Him to work at His own pace. The process may seem slow and the season may be long, but remember that God is in control. Regardless of how tragic your circumstances may be, you can be sure that all things are going to work together for good if you love God and are called according to His purposes. As you allow God's Spirit to work in your life, He will restore not only your strength, but also your beauty and will bring triumph out of tragedy. +++ 7/25/16 PLANTED BY THE WATERS Scripture: Jeremiah 17:8 ".... as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreads her roots by the river." A tree that is planted near the rivers of water does not suffer during the time of heat or dry up in the seasons of drought. It is well watered and flourishes all year long. Its leaves remain green throughout each season because its roots have spread themselves out underneath the surface of the earth and have found the source of nourishment that the tree needs. A tree that is green and flourishing in this fashion is a joy and a source of nourishment to all, for it never ceases to bear fruit or to be a shield for those who are experiencing the heat of the sun. The prophet Jeremiah compared the man who trusted and hoped in the Lord to a tree that is planted by the waters. Trees are firmly planted and have no intentions of moving about. They are satisfied because their roots have found water. Likewise, there are two things that are important for a person who desires to flourish in life. These are their spiritual location and their root systems. Psalms 92:13 says that those who are planted in the house of the Lord will flourish. Your faith must be stable and your hope and trust in the Lord must be unwavering. Your heart must be fixed on the faithfulness of God's promises. If your spiritual roots are receiving this nourishment you can be assured that you will be blessed. You can be living in the middle of a spiritual desert or going through a very dry season, and your spirit will remain well watered. Your life will continue to be fruitful because your roots are deep. Others will be amazed at the strength you will display in the times of trouble because they cannot see your roots. You can be weathering confusion and frustration but still remain calm because your roots have discovered the waters of peace. You can hope in a hopeless situation because you have stayed close to Jesus who is the Water of Life. You have soaked up God's Word and dwelt in His presence before the need ever presented itself. You did not wait until you saw your leaves turning yellow or felt your branches drying out. No tree can stand alone or maintain itself without an efficient root system. Jeremiah said the tree itself spreads its roots in an effort to find the water. It is up to you to establish a spiritual root system that will sustain and support you in the seasons of distress and discouragement. When you have allowed the Holy Spirit to develop a depth within your spirit, you will be able to withstand the dry seasons, the heat, and even the times of persecutions. You may bend a little but you will not blow over with every storm. You will not break in the seasons of adversity or wither in the heat. Like Job, you will be able to withstand every test. You will not fall apart each time there is a conflict because you are not trusting in your own fortunes, family, health, or friendships. Your trust is in the Lord God Almighty. You will flourish because God alone is the Living Water from which you are drawing your strength. +++ 7/26/16 SEEING WHAT GOD SEES Scripture: Psalms 119:18 "Open Thou my eyes ..." I often think that it would be great if God opened my eyes and allowed me to see all that He is able to see. That is, to see life as it really is and to know the future and all that lies ahead. Yet, I know in reality that ability would be too enormous for the finite mind to comprehend and would bring a responsibility that would be too great to bear. In God's divine wisdom, He secretly keeps many things hidden until we are prepared for them. He has a way of directing our vision and allowing us to see only what He wants us to see. I had an experience that illustrates this point in the natural. I learned that two can travel the same road but experience things so differently. On a mission trip to the Philippines, we traveled up a mountain and went through a place called the Lion's Head. Two people were sitting in the front seat and had an open view of the road ahead. I sat on the left side in the back of the vehicle and two other people sat next to me on the right side. Out of my window, I could see a small sign that read 'Lion's Head,' which had a small picture of a lion painted on it. Everyone in the vehicle was talking about the Lion's Head, while I was thinking, "What is the big deal? It's just a small picture of a lion." Little did I know that they were seeing something entirely different on the right side of the road. After we traveled up the mountain and looked back on the scene, they directed my attention to the Lion's Head several miles below. I was awestruck as I saw a huge lion's head that had been carved out of the stone and painted. I had been a few feet from the Lion's Head, but had missed the entire scene simply because my eyes were focused in the wrong direction. I took counsel from this life lesson and asked God to direct my spiritual vision, for I want to see as He sees. Like the Lion's Head incident, we can always look back on our life and see very clearly with reality the results of the decisions that we have made. I have decided that I do not want to go the way of my flesh and miss God's best for my life. Like King David, I want the Lord to point out anything that He finds in me that makes Him sad (Psalms 139:23 Living Bible). I want God to show me the right path and keep me from self-destruction because I know that He sees the entire picture, while my vision is limited and I can only see what is near. I am determined to take a closer look at myself when those about me seek to counsel me with words that I may not want to hear. They see things differently and I must keep in mind that I may be looking in the wrong direction and away from wisdom. God may have shown them a glimpse of what lies ahead so that they are more able to counsel and comfort me along the way. Last but surely not least, I will pray the words that David prayed, "Lord, open my eyes that I may see." +++ 7/27/16 FEEBLE MEMBERS ARE NECESSARY Scripture: I Corinthians 12:22 "Those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary." The body of Christ is one unit and even though there are many members, each one is significant in themselves and important to the whole body. The body of Christ cannot function without all of its parts working together no more than a human body can function well without all of its members. Each member has need of the other members. God has designed us in this fashion and it pleases Him when we dwell together in unity and become one in purpose as He and Jesus are one. The physical body could not operate if it were only an eye, for how could it hear, speak, or move about. The hand cannot tell the foot that it has no need for it, and neither can the foot make that same declaration to the hand. So it is with God's people. We all need each other. The feeble need the strong and the strong need the feeble. In the natural the least honored members of our physical body are usually the most important and necessary, and so it is with the spiritual body of Christ. Yet, in the physical and spiritual, we tend to esteem the more attractive and visible members more than those that are hidden and unattractive. For instance, in our physical bodies, we take a lot of time and expense to care for our hair, when in reality we could live without a head full of hair. While we are taking such pains each day with our hair, we often neglect those members of our body which are hidden, but are much more important and necessary. We fail to eat the proper food or do exercises that will strengthen our heart, lungs, and bones. And yet, we cannot live without these unseen and unattractive members of our body, for they are vital to our livelihood. Likewise, in the spiritual realm, the members that we fail to honor are usually the most necessary, such as intercessors who spend hours in prayer or those who quietly take care of the widows and orphans or other needy situations. They require and receive very little attention. The Apostle Paul said that it should not be this way, for each member is significant and should be honored. There was an interesting sight near my home that reminded me of Paul's words. The freeway was under construction and the nearby roads were filled with all sorts of huge construction equipment. One of the pieces that was being used was a crane that reached about sixty or seventy feet into the air. It was probably worth several thousands of dollars and was very impressive. There was a cable that hung down from the crane, and attached to the end of that cable was a simple inexpensive rubber tire. The tire was being used as some sort of buffer with each swing of the cable. The tire looked feeble in itself when compared to all of the other equipment that surrounded it, yet for some reason it was necessary for the crane to accomplish what it was trying to do. I looked in amazement as this insignificant tire worked with the crane as one unit. Though feeble in size and value, it had found its place of significance. I would encourage you to mark your place in life as significant and be faithful to fulfill the purposes that God has designed for you. No place is too small in His great kingdom, so never demean the gifts that God has given to you. You may esteem yourself as feeble, but your presence, like the tire, may add the final touch that is needed for the whole unit to function. +++ 7/28/16 KEPT FROM EVIL Scripture: John 17:15-16 "I pray that You should not take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." Jesus prayed these words to the Heavenly Father for you and me. He realized that we would face many evils in this wicked world, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world" (I John 2:16). Yet, Jesus did not pray that we would be taken out of the world and rescued from all of these things, but that God would protect us while we remained in the world. Jesus continued to ask God to sanctify us through His truth, which meant that He wanted God to keep us separated from the evil that was present in the world and to be set apart for Him and His holy purposes. There is a saying that a boat is safe when it is in the water, but the boat is not safe when the water is in the boat, for it will sink. The same is true in the spiritual realm. We can be in the world and be safe, but we are not safe when the world makes its way into our hearts. When the things of the world begin to scatter our thoughts and displace the things of God in our lives, our spiritual boat will be in trouble. When we allow lust, pride, and disobedience to rule we will begin to sink. We must guard our hearts and disallow this to happen. We cannot let anything and everything into our lives and hearts. We must turn our eyes towards Jesus and be so full of His Spirit and the Word of God that we have no appetite for the things of the world. Have you ever found yourself in a sinking boat, trying to dip the water out? Often times this is a fruitless effort and help has to come from someone outside of our situation if we are to be rescued. So it is with our exposure to the evil that is in the world. We must depend upon God to keep us from the evil just as Jesus prayed to that effect for us. And we must pray, ourselves, for Jesus taught us to pray these words, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." There is a constant battle between right and wrong, good and evil, and the spiritual and carnal. But you will be safe as long as none of the evil is allowed to take residence within you. You will be enticed and tempted by the world, but you must not wait until your boat is full of water and about to sink before you take action. Instead, take authority over the situation and agree with Jesus' prayer for you, asking God to keep you from the evil that is in the world. +++ 7/29/16 CONTENTS OF YOUR HEART Scripture: Proverbs 23:7 "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." King Solomon was a man to whom God imparted great wisdom. He wrote this proverb declaring that we are the essence of the contents that are within our heart. It is a matter of fact that whatever is in our hearts, whether good or bad, will eventually come to the surface and be revealed by the words that we speak. Jesus confirmed this in Luke 6:45 when He said, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Not only will the thoughts of our heart be revealed with words, but those words will create an atmosphere around us. It is a circle of events. Our heart thinks, our mouth speaks, and then our lives become what we have spoken. It is not a mind over matter thing. It is a principle of God's Word, for His Word says that there is life and death in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). So we must be careful what we think and be cautious of the words that we speak, for that is what we will become. James said that our tongue is like the rudder of a ship that controls and steers the vessel. Consider your course of direction. Where are your words taking you; towards the hazardous rocky shores or to the smooth deep waters? Are you constantly confessing defeat because your heart has no hope of victory? Do the past hurts and distrusts that are within your heart cause you to speak words that bring strife and division, which hinder your relationships? Is your heart always filled with dissatisfaction and complaints? God became very tired of hearing the Israelites mummer and complain. He finally told them that He would bring to pass the words that they had spoken in His ear and He held true to His decision. Of out the abundance of their heart, their mouth had spoken evil judgment upon themselves and eventually they died in the wilderness. David, on the other hand, confessed victory before his battles and declared that God was with him. Even when he faced Goliath, the giant, his heart was overwhelmed with faith and his mouth was filled with positive words. As David ran towards Goliath with a sling and a few stones, he declared from the abundance of his heart, "This day God will deliver you into my hands" (I Samuel 17:46). The contents of David's heart harbored a mighty cause for right and he became what his heart believed, a conqueror over the giant and evil. What are the contents of your heart? If your words are negative, the contents of your heart are defeat. If your words share no light with others, your spirit is filled with darkness. If you can share no words of joy, your own heart is harboring grief and sorrow. If your words gender strife and division, you have no peace or contentment within yourself. If your tongue spews forth words of judgment and attempts to destroy the accomplishments of others, it is because your heart is full of envy and jealousy. Your heart is dissatisfied because its own dreams have been shattered. Examine your ways and your words and if they are lacking, then examine your thoughts. God wants His presence and His purposes to be the contents of your heart. If you are thinking anything less than victory, you need to ask God to help you change your thinking. David prayed, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer (Psalms 19:14). If you are considering settling for anything less than God's best for your life, you need to rearrange and upgrade your expectations, for God declared that He has a good plan for you (Jeremiah 29:11). If fear and doubt are looming large within your heart, you need to cast those thoughts aside and look to God with faith. Isaiah 26:3 says, "God will keep you in perfect peace when your mind is fixed upon Him." Look to God for help. If you study and listen to His Words, He will exchange the contents of your heart and fill it with His thoughts. Then as you yield to Him, He will create a right spirit within you and you will bring glory to Him, for as you think in your heart so shall you be. +++ Copyright © 2016 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com |
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