| ............ | A Word In Due Season June 2016 DON'T LOSE HEART Scripture: Psalms 34:19 "Many are the afflictions of the righteous ..." Have you ever been in a season where you felt that you were fulfilling this portion of scripture that David wrote? You were trying to live right but you were experiencing many afflictions. Like the scene with Job, while you were learning about one dilemma in your life, another was occurring. You discovered that your righteous living did not exempt you from troubles and it seemed that for the moment, you were facing more conflict and struggle than you were going to be able to bear. Where is the comfort in your situation? David finished this verse by declaring that the Lord would deliver the righteous out of all their afflictions. This is a grand promise that gives hope and will keep you from losing heart in the midst of the raging battle that surrounds you. According to the Apostle Paul, the afflictions you face right now are only for a season and are working for you an eternal glory beyond all measure (II Cor. 4:17-18). Somehow God is going to redeem your situation and use it for His glory. Romans 8:18 says that the things you are suffering at the present can't even be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in you. David wrote this psalm concerning afflictions and deliverance out of a hurting heart and a broken spirit. He had fled from King Saul in an effort to save his own life, but met another conflict when King Achish recognized him. David had to pretend to be insane before King Achish in order to save his own life. David was in the midst of many afflictions, yet he trusted in the Lord, and the Lord delivered him from all of his troubles (I Sam. 10-15). You may also be in the midst of many afflictions yourself, but rejoice. God is still in control of your life and you can be assured that Jesus will never leave you while you are in the midst of your brokenness and trouble. His presence was with Joseph in the prison, Daniel in the lion's den, and the three Hebrew children in the fire. He did not fail them in their desperate hour, and He will not fail you. When you are facing many afflictions and things look their worse, don't lose heart, for God's deliverance will always come through. +++ 6/2/16 LITTLE FAITH Scripture: Matthew 14:31 "Jesus stretched forth His hand, caught Peter, and said to him, "O ye of little faith, why did you doubt?" Peter saw two things that affected his faith. First, he saw Jesus walking on the water in the midst of the storm and this sight produced so much faith in Peter's heart that he asked Jesus to bid him to walk out upon the water, also. While Peter was in the process of walking upon the water towards Jesus, he saw something else. He turned his eyes from Jesus and began to look at the storm and the boisterous winds. This second vision brought fear to Peter's heart and caused his faith to fail. As his faith grew dim, he began to sink into the waters and in the midst of his dilemma, Peter cried out to Jesus. Jesus harkened to his cry, stretched forth His hand, and rescued Peter. At the end of the matter, Jesus asked him plainly, "Why did you doubt?" Peter's great faith had dwindled to little faith because he did not keep his eyes upon Jesus. He was overcome with the circumstances of the moment and allowed them to bring fear to his soul. Instead of shouting a victory shout because he was experiencing a mighty miracle by walking on the water, his voice sounded out cries of fear and terror. His fear and doubt drove away the miracle working power of the Lord. Peter should have realized that when Jesus said, "Come" that the waves and the storms were no longer his own business. The adversity surrounding him belonged to the Lord. Jesus was the Master of the sea, storm, and the water, and He loved Peter. Jesus was not going to allow Peter to drown right there before Him. Our hearts are just like Peter's. We are human and anytime that we begin to measure and value the raging winds of the storm against the powerful winds of the Holy Spirit, it will cause doubt to arise in our soul. When we think that we are separated from Christ because of the dashing waves that are between us and Him, we will experience fear. When our vision of Jesus is lost and all we can see are the flashes of lightning, our hopes will fail. When the thunder is so loud that we cannot hear His voice, our direction will be unclear. When we can only see the dangers and difficulties, we will experience doubt, and like Peter we will begin to sink. You may be wondering where Jesus is in the midst of your current storm and why things are not working. The answer is easy. He is right where you saw Him last, on the other side of the waves that are being driven by the boisterous wind. The Lord is there with you in the midst of the adversity that is attempting to engulf your soul. His hands are stretched towards you and He will keep you safe. So keep your eyes on Jesus and your ears open to His voice. Regardless of what is happening around you, keep walking towards Him in faith and you will reach the goal. +++ 6/3/16 WHAT IS GOD THINKING? Scripture: Genesis 50:20 " ... God meant it for good." These words came from a man who had been rejected and abused by his brothers. Joseph's brothers had stolen the special coat that his father had made for him, thrown him into a pit, and then sold him into slavery. Joseph's response to their abuse was, "You meant your deeds for evil against me, but God meant it for good." Things had been very bad for many years, as Joseph was taken from his homeland, separated from his family, and made to serve in a foreign land because of his brother's jealous actions. Yet Joseph did not hold this evil in his heart. Joseph made the best of his circumstances and excelled in all of his efforts. Even those who had authority over him recognized that the Lord was with Joseph and made everything that he did to prosper. In all of Egypt, Pharaoh said that there was no one so discreet and wise as Joseph. He was so impressed by Joseph that he made him the governor of the land and overseer of the provisions that were stored up for the famine. When Joseph's brothers came to get provisions at his hand, he could have repaid their earlier deeds and displayed unforgiveness. He could have sought revenge and refused to help them or even exercised his authority and had them put in prison. He could have been as ugly and disrespectful to them as they had been to him, but he recognized that God was working a sovereign plan in his life. He declared that God used their evil deeds and caused all of this to happen so that God could use him to be an instrument to save many people. We may sometimes wonder what God is thinking because the circumstances in our lives seem totally out of control, storms are raging, and things are looking bleak. As far as Joseph was concerned, it was about sixteen years before he understood why he had to endure the hardships he faced or what God was doing with his life. God works with us in the same manner. We are not told to understand what is going on, but to simply trust while the Lord takes the things that are intended for evil against us and turns them into good. The Lord trains us in our prisons so that we can be prepared for our palace assignment. Instead of remaining as the abused brother, we can become their hope of survival. Or like Moses, God may prepare us in a palace so that He can use us in the wilderness. He spares us in the lion's den like Daniel so that we can become a victorious witness to the king. He takes us through fires and we come out without burns or even the smell of smoke so that He can show the world that there is a God in Heaven. And like Jesus, God allows us to take up our cross daily so that we might sit with Him in Heavenly places. I encourage you to never be discouraged but to understand that the evil that is coming against you is actually meant for your good for the good of those around you. +++ 6/6/16 GREATER LOVE Scripture: John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." The second commandment that Jesus gave us was to love our neighbor as ourselves. James 2:8 calls this the "royal law of the scriptures." It follows the first and great commandment, which is "to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul, and with all of your mind" (Matthew 22:37). Jesus said that all of the law and prophecies rest in these two commandments. Yet, Jesus speaks again of a "greater love." He says, "Love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12). This love goes beyond loving someone as you would love yourself, and loves to the degree that it is willing to lay down its own life for the one that it loves. This love is a supernatural fruit that is produced by the Spirit of God and abides within us. When we love with this type of love, we show the world that we are disciples of Jesus Christ (John 13:31). I Corinthians chapter thirteen tells us that this love is superior to the gifts. It is greater than being able to speak with the tongues of angels, prophesying, having supernatural knowledge, exercising faith, and doing charitable works. Even martyrdom for our faith cannot be compared to love. For all these things will eventually pass away, but love will remain forever. Without this love, the Apostle Paul said that we are like noisy gongs and clanging cymbals. We are totally useless to God and become as nothing before Him. Greater love follows Jesus' example and lays down its life by being patient and kind. It is never envious nor jealous. It is not boastful or vain and does not display itself in a haughty manner. This kind of love is not conceited, nor arrogant or inflated with pride. It is not self-seeking and does not insist on its own way. It is not rude or resentful and pays no attention to the wrong that it has to suffer. It endures everything without weakening and it never fails. It is willing to love others wherever they are in their life so that they may be brought into God's eternal kingdom. This greater love demands a greater sacrifice. God the Father and Jesus gave us an example of this greater love. Because of Their great love for us, God gave His only begotten Son and Jesus gave His own life. +++ 6/7/16 TOUCHED BY DISOBEDIENCE Scripture: Jonah 1:1 & 3, "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah ... But Jonah rose up to flee ... from the presence of the Lord." Jonah knew that he had definitely received a word from God to minister to the people of Nineveh concerning their wickedness. Yet, Jonah was a Jew and was unwilling to testify to this city of Gentiles. Jonah was even angry that God was going to spare them and their city if they repented, so he totally disregarded God's Word. He did everything that he could to escape his destiny and the responsibility of this great commission that God had placed on his life. He took passage on a ship going in another direction in an effort to thwart God's purposes and to abort God’s plan. Jonah's flight from God's presence and commission caused much trouble for those around him. Everyone on the ship was touched by Jonah's disobedience. God caused a great wind to stir the sea and the mariners became fearful in the midst of the tempest because their lives were in jeopardy. In their peril, they were forced to sacrifice their merchandise and threw it into the sea in order to lighten the weight of the ship. When they discovered that Jonah was the problem, they also cast him into the sea and the waters grew calm again. Jonah, however, did not escape his call to Nineveh. God had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah and he stayed in the whale's belly until he repented. Can you imagine how this poor fish must have suffered? Jonah was inside the whale's belly for three days and the whale could not digest him. Jonah's disobedience had touched the whale's life in an unpleasant way. Jonah definitely had not satisfied the whale's appetite or enhanced the whale's life in any way while being housed in its belly for three days. The whale probably laid at the bottom of the sea and groaned with indigestion or swam around in agony just wishing that he could expel this disobedient servant of the Lord. As we consider Jonah's situation, we have to wonder how much of our own disobedience is affecting the lives of those about us? Whose finances are in jeopardy because they are in the ship with us and what are they going to have to personally abandon to satisfy our situation? Who is suffering mentally or emotionally because we refuse to fulfill God's commission? What kind of fish has God prepared for us until we come to terms with what He has called us to do? And like the situation with the whale, who are we going to keep in misery until we repent? These questions demand our attention, for we must understand that we do not stand alone in any of our actions. Our disobedience touches the lives of everyone that is near us. The actions of parents who are disobedient to God's laws affect their children. Rebellious children affect their parents. Husbands and wives who do not follow God's commandments affect each another. None of us truly want to affect the lives of others in an adverse way. So we must purpose in our own hearts not to take flight from God's presence or reject His Word when He speaks to us. Instead, we must be an instrument in God’s hands and allow our obedience to touch and enhance the lives of those around us. +++ 6/8/16 GOD'S SUPPLY Scripture: II Kings 6:5 "Alas, Master! For it was borrowed." The school of the prophets was over crowded, so the students went down to Jordan to build another school. As they were cutting down the trees for construction, an axe head came off of the handle and fell into the water. The man who was using the axe began to panic because it was borrowed, and he cried out to Elisha, the prophet, for help. Elisha threw a stick into the water, and as he did, the iron axe head rose to the surface and began to swim so that the man could retrieve it. This is an unbelievable story, but God's miracles are always unbelievable. Sometimes we tend to forget that God is concerned about each and every need that we have and that He is still able to do miracles such as this. This story shows that the Lord is even concerned about the things that have been loaned to us, which includes money that we've borrowed to purchase material possessions. He knows that our intent is just like the student prophet that had borrowed the axe. This man had every intention of taking care of the axe and returning it to the lender. However, circumstances worked against him and he found himself in a terrible situation. He obviously could not replace the axe, as he was not prosperous enough to own one in the first place. When he became overwhelmed with the loss, he panicked, but the God of the prophet Elisha was there to perform a miracle and meet his need. You may find yourself in a dilemma such as this where you are over extended in your debts, either by reason of mismanagement or adverse circumstances. Whatever the reason may be, you have a God that is concerned for you and will help you if you call out to Him. God may surprise you in the way that He meets your need, for He is a God of miracles. He is not limited in any way by the natural. God can supernaturally do more than you can ask or think when you put your faith in Him. God is your Father and nothing is too great or too small for Him to take care of. "God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). He is not limited by your riches, your income, or your resources but supplies for your need based upon His riches and His resources. Don't forget that God lives in a place where the gates are made of pearls and the streets are pure gold. If God can make iron to swim in order to meet the need of a man who borrowed an axe, He can and will take care of your needs when you cry out to Him. +++ 6/9/16 GOD IS NOT ASHAMED Scripture: Hebrews 11:16 "For this reason, God is not ashamed to be called their God." God's people, who are listed in this chapter, pleased Him in such a manner that He was not ashamed to be called their God. They pleased God by receiving His promise and being fully persuaded that He had told them the truth. And because they believed God, they obeyed His every command to bring about the fulfillment of the promise. When God spoke to Noah, Noah spent 120 years building an ark on dry ground, even though the earth had never before experienced rain. His faith and act of obedience saved his family and future generations. When God spoke to Abraham, he loaded up his entire family and went out looking for the city that God had promised him. When Abraham started out, he didn't even know where he was going nor did he trouble his mind about the destination. He just obeyed the call and followed God one day at a time. Others were tested in their faith. Among them was Moses, who passed through the Red Sea on dry ground, and Joshua, who saw the walls of Jericho come down with a shout. All these men experienced great things at the hand of God, but the formula remained the same in every situation. They trusted in God, believed His promise, and then acted upon His Word. Noah could have become discouraged any time during the 120 years as people mocked the monstrosity that he was building. He could have chosen to leave the project of the ark unfinished in order to keep his self esteem and pride intact. Abraham could have returned to his homeland when he encountered wars and famine, but he kept looking for that promised city whose builder and maker was God. He traveled from place to place counting himself as a stranger and a pilgrim in the world. Moses and Joshua could have allowed fear to reign in their lives, but both men went forth in faith. All of these men pleased God because they believed Him and chose to act on His Word. If you are walking by faith in uncertain places today, listen for God's voice. His testimony over you will be the same as His words over His other servants. You will hear Him say, "You have pleased me very much. You truly believe that I exist and that I will reward you when you earnestly and diligently seek Me. You have wholly followed after Me and have not allowed discouragement to deter you from My call. You have not turned back to the things of the world when the opportunity presented itself although it would have been much easier. I am pleased because you had faith to obey My voice even though you didn't understand everything. You have continued in faith, while others mocked. I am very pleased because you have judged Me to be faithful to My Word, and I want you to know that I am not ashamed to be called your God." +++ 6/10/16 FERTILE SOIL Scripture: Mark 4:20 (Living Bible) "The good soil represents the hearts of those who truly accept God's message and produce a plentiful harvest for God." Jesus used the natural seed and soil to teach us a very important lesson concerning God's Word and our hearts. As we all know, natural seeds must be planted in good fertile soil for them to be fruitful and bring forth a harvest. Likewise, the truth of God must be planted in a fertile or believing heart before it can accomplish what God intends. God's Word is always good seed but the condition of our heart determines whether we receive it and allow it to produce an increase in our lives. Jesus listed several things that would hinder us from receiving His Word. He said that one of the seeds fell upon ground that was unprepared, which gave the birds an opportunity to snatch it away. He explained that this Word was heard by those who did not understand it, so it did not remain in their hearts. We've all experienced this at some point in our life. We hear a sermon or teaching that is far beyond our understanding. Satan immediately takes this Word from us just like the seeds that were taken from the top of the ground. The second seed fell on stony ground and was received with gladness, but there was no root within the seed itself so it withered in the sun. Jesus said that if we have no root within ourselves, the Word of God will wither in the same fashion when offence, persecution, or affliction come against us. We must have roots of faith within our own hearts for the Word of God to come alive and produce. The Word of God will not profit if it is not mixed with faith (Hebrews 4:2). We cannot depend upon someone else's faith to produce a harvest for us. Many times we get overjoyed when we see someone else act in faith and receive an answer for a special need because of a scripture that took root in their life. Because the word produced for them, we assume that it will work for us. However, God never promised us results when our faith is based on someone else's experience or testimony. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Our faith must be based upon God's Word, which is revealed to us by His Holy Spirit. The third seed was choked out by the thorns. Jesus compared the thorns to the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches. Like the thorns that grow slowly and subtly alongside the seed, there are many cares in this life that will choke out God's Word. None of us intend to get so busy with our lives that we hinder God's Word and His will. Yet before we know it, we are gradually overwhelmed with our natural duties and relationships. If we are not careful, the first thing to be eliminated from our busy schedule is God and everything spiritual. Finally, Jesus spoke about the seed that was planted in good soil. Truth that is planted in good soil takes root downward. It draws its nourishment from the fertile soil and is able to support the plant and bring forth a harvest. God plants the seed of His Word, but the current condition of our heart will determine the future of that seed. The harvest is in our hands. We must ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand and receive God's Word. Then we must protect that Word, be patient, and understand that something is happening in the darkness of our heart that we cannot see. We must not allow adversity to cause the seed to wither or deception to choke it out. We have great potential so we must strive to be good soil and hold out for God's plentiful harvest. +++ 6/13/16 GOD IS WORKING IN YOU Scripture: Philippians 2:13 "For it is God which works in you ..." Do you realize that right in the midst of your current situation, which may be very challenging and distasteful to you, God is at work with you and within you? You may be facing a great mountain of conflict regarding your health, finances, or relationships, but God is right there energizing you so that you can make it through the ordeal. The Lord is your personal friend who is closer than a brother and unlike your friends and family, He will never leave you or forsake you regardless of how hard things may get. God not only creates within you the desire to do His will, but also empowers you with strength and then helps you to follow through until you complete the task and accomplish His purposes. He makes a way where there seems to be no way and with every temptation that seeks to divert you from His will, He makes a way of escape. You never have to depend upon your own strength. God is aware that Satan will try to sift you as wheat just as he did with Peter, so He set Jesus at His right hand to intercede and continually pray for you. God is faithful and He works with you and does all that He can do for you, but verse 12 says that you must cooperate with Him, working with God in reverent fear and awe. One of God's greatest desires is that you come through the battle victorious. He wants your testimony to be that you are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus who loved you and who gave Himself for you. You have a choice to survive or thrive in your circumstance. It is up to you. You can murmur against God and engage in disputes with others or you can yield to God's workings within you. How do you yield to His workings? Paul said, "Do all things without grumbling, fault finding, and complaining against God, or questioning and doubting each other" (Verse 14). This may be hard, but it brings great contentment and eternal rewards. As God works within you and as you allow Him to work with you, you "show yourself blameless, harmless, and sons of God without fault in this wicked generation" (Verse 15-16). As the world sees the results of God's effective work within you, you will "shine as a bright light in their darkness and be able to give forth the Word of Life." +++ 6/14/16 DIVINE SEASONS SCRIPTURE: Ecclesiastes 3:1 "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." All of the seasons in nature are planned and set in motion by God. There is no way for man to shorten the winter because of its cold or stop the summer because of its heat. The beautiful spring with its mild weather and gentle rains cannot be prolonged and the crisp clear pleasant days of the fall cannot be lengthened. The seasons remain in the hands of almighty God. Likewise, the seasons in your personal life are divinely designed by God. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God knows the thoughts and plans that He has for you and it includes a future with hope and a destiny of fruitfulness. Even in your senior years God has a plan for you, for Psalms 92:14 says, "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age." All that you must do is flow in and out of the seasons and remain faithful. There will be seasons like the fall when everything seems to be very clear and crisp within your spirit. You seem to have exact direction and perfect vision. Hope fills your heart as you anticipate the future, but then just when things are falling into place everything seems to fall apart. The clouds of darkness begin to cover up your seeds of hope and everything turns cold. For some length of time, your dreams remain dormant with seemingly no hope of life or fulfillment. Then, just as suddenly as this disappointing and unproductive season appeared, it passes and you are surprised by the singing of the birds. God begins to resurrect all that surrounds you and He restores your hopes and dreams. He overwhelms you by giving life to the dormant seeds that are harbored deep within your heart. His Spirit refreshes your faith like the spring rain that falls upon the earth and He once again begins to accomplish His purposes in your life. Eventually, the summer appears and there is an abundance of fruit that God is able to produce in your life because of your faithfulness to remain steady. God never leaves you or forsakes you in these various seasons of your life. Notice the trees that look so hopeless during the dormant season. Their bark turns an ashen gray and their leaves, which were lush and green, change colors and eventually fall from the tree. The tree is left totally exposed with seemingly no life, no beauty, no purpose, and no hope. The tree has no energy as its sap is drained from its trunk. Yet, the tree never waves its barren limbs at God and questions Him about its current and bleak situation, for it has experienced this place many times. Instead, it takes the nourishment through its roots and patiently waits again for God's appointed season. God never fails, and as the barren tree waits, its strength is renewed and a new season of growth comes. It finds itself again flourishing. Just like the tree, you must always remember that God has designs for your life. The season you are in has been divinely ordained and appointed by your Creator. So never be discouraged, but embrace the season and patiently wait, for its purpose will be revealed. +++ 6/15/16 ALLOWING GOD TO HELP Scripture: Psalms 55:16 "As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me." Along with the rest of the world, I watched the news and saw those who were stranded in their homes during the recent floods. I was amazed because many of the people refused to be rescued. They had been without power or provisions for days and the water that surrounded them was contaminated. Yet their choice was to stay in their dilemma and suffer the consequences. Their decision baffled me, but then I realized that they had been without communication and may not have understood the scope of the devastation that was around them. We were able to see their terrible plight from a totally different perspective, but their vision was very limited so they hung on to false hopes and refused to let go. As I watched these scenes, I wondered how many times we have been in similar situations and have refused the help of God. Like a small child struggling with a project that they are incapable of doing, we wrestle with Almighty God. God pleads for us to let Him help, but we refuse His offer, and say, "No, I think I've got it." We think that we have things under control and that we can hold out. But just like the child who had refused help in the beginning of the matter, we usually come to the conclusion that we cannot do this alone and that our only hope is to allow God to help. I have come to understand that God knows more about us and our situation than we do. I am amazed at the greatness of God. He is our Maker, our Husband, our Lord of Host, our Redeemer, and our Salvation. He is omniscient, while we only know in part. He is aware of every detail and sees things as they really are. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher than our ways. When we are in the midst of our storm contaminated waters, the Lord rushes to us and desperately tries to rescue us from our situations. He knows the dangers and the toxins that surround us. God diligently pulls on our heartstrings, but we just will not let go and allow Him to deliver us. We will not leave the past behind and cast down the imaginations that jeopardize our future. We cannot forgive others and we will not forgive ourselves. Strongholds of bitterness and unforgiveness linger in our hearts and become toxin to our entire being. Let us make this declaration as the psalmist did, "As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me." Let this become our prayer, "God I am calling upon You because I need Your help. What do you want me to walk away from so that You can carry out Your plan and purposes through me? Show me what I should give or what I should do so that Your will can be completed in my life. Lord, I make a commitment to yield myself to You and I trust Your knowledge. I want You to help me so I am calling upon You to rescue me from myself and my own desires." +++ 6/16/16 FORSAKING ALL Scripture: Luke 14:27 "Whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple." Jesus gives the world an open and compelling invitation to come to Him for salvation. He excludes no one and says, "Whosoever will, may come." Yet He also tells us that those who want to become His disciples and follow Him must consider the cost, for full commitment to Christ means bearing a daily personal cross for His sake. It means forsaking everything that is important to yourself, submitting your all to Him, and conforming to His teachings. In verse twenty-six, Jesus said that your commitment must be so strong towards Him that you would be willing to give up everything and even put Him before your family. This does not in any way justify neglect, malice, or ill will towards your family. It simply means that your devotion to Christ must be the number one priority in your life. It also follows that you will be able to love and serve your family in a greater way because of the love of Christ that is within you. Jesus was looking for more than followers. He had many who followed Him because of His supernatural gift of healing. He healed all kinds of diseases, caused the blind to see, opened the ears of the deaf, and made the lame to walk. There were those who sought Him out in order to be delivered from demonic possession and spiritual oppression. Some followed Him because He fed them fish and bread or turned the water into wine. Others followed Jesus because they wanted to hear Him speak His great words of wisdom or share His revelations concerning the scriptures. These followers had a personal agenda, but not many wanted to be a true disciple who was willing to bear a cross in order to follow Him. We must always understand that when we make a commitment to Christ things will start happening in our lives. Commitment to Christ doesn't guarantee a promise that everything will be perfect in our lives. The truth is that there is a cost. This side of commitment looks like a life of contentment, but the other side brings the reality of the challenge. When you surrender you heart and affections to Jesus, you will have great joy, yet He may call you to places that you do not understand. It may be a place of no reputation and may cost you everything that is dear to you. You will be totally fulfilled as you give yourself to Him but you must know that at some point you will also suffer persecution. II Timothy 3:12 says, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." This did not exclude anyone. Yet as you forsake all and surrender to Christ, you will also reap great rewards. So regardless of the cost, be willing to take up your cross and follow Him. It is said, "Anything that cost nothing is worth nothing and achieves nothing." +++ 6/16/17 POWER THAT WORKS WITHIN US Scripture: Ephesians 3:20 "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us." God is waiting to do marvelous things in our lives; things that go beyond our imagination and things that we have never even thought about asking for. Yet, accomplishing these great things depends upon the power of God that works within us because it is possible for us to limit God by our own doubt, unbelief, or lack of action. Psalms 78:40-41 tells us that the children of Israel limited God by turning away from His promises. They saw the mighty works of God day after day. Yet, they grieved and provoked God because they did not trust Him to finish what He started. They continually murmured and complained even though God was faithfully meeting every need that they had. As a born again child of God, we have received His Spirit and it abides within us right now (I John 2:27). His anointing is there to empower us for the task that is set before us. Yet, we need to be aware that He has strengthened us for the challenge, for it is only then that we can fulfill God's plans and purposes for our lives. Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge." We cannot use something if we do not know that we have it and we will never go forward without the knowledge of His power within us. The devil distorts the truth and tries to keep us in the dark because he knows that our lack of knowledge will limit the work of God in our lives. Proverbs 29:18 confirms this by telling us that if we do not have revelation we will perish. Paul showed us how to pray concerning this situation. The Holy Spirit led Paul to pray for the Church at Ephesus that God would grant them a spirit of revelation. Paul prayed that the eyes of their understanding would be opened so they could know their calling and also the exceeding greatness of God's mighty power that was extended to them. When Paul prayed these words, he was praying for the Church, not the sinners. We can pray this same prayer. Sometimes we think that we, as the Church, have arrived and know all there is to know. My experience is that the more I learn about God, the more I realize there is so much more that I do not know and have yet to learn. The revelation of God and His power does not come suddenly. The Word declares that it comes to us line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. We will be forever learning about God and His power from now through eternity, and the more we learn, the more He will be able to work through us. God is able to do exceeding and great things in us but we must be filled with His power. In Jeremiah 33:3, God tells us how to find His hidden power and how to cease from limiting Him. He says, "Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know - things you have never seen before or even considered thinking of." We must not limit God but must allow His power to work within us. As we do, the Lord will be able to do great and mighty things when we ask. +++ 6/19/16 REPENTANCE Scripture: I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." God wants His children to do His will, which is simply obeying what He tells us to do on a daily basis. He is our Shepherd, and all we need to do is walk where He leads us, one step at a time. It is a simple matter of putting our foot into His footprint. There are times, however, in all of our lives that we fail to do God's will either because of compromise, rebellion, or simple neglect. To receive forgiveness when we find ourselves in these places we must call out to our Heavenly Father for help, be quick to repent, and then search for our way back to His perfect will. We must be honest with God and start at the point where we are. When my oldest son was about three years old, I left him in the yard to play. We lived in a safe neighborhood and the yard was enclosed with a cyclone fence. There was no way he could unlock the gate and get out and I felt that he was very safe. However, I did tell him not to climb the fence. I went into the house for just a few minutes and very shortly I heard him calling from the yard. His cry was loud, but not frightening. I immediately went out and found him hanging on the fence. The hood of his winter jacket was ensnared in the wires at the top of the fence so that he just hung there like a picture on the wall with his back to the fence. He was not hurt or even uncomfortable, but was just stuck in a situation that he could not get out of. There was no way that he could deliver himself from this terrible dilemma that he had gotten himself into. When I asked him, "Did you try to climb the fence?" He said, "No, Mommy. Just get me down." He knew that I still loved him and that I was able to fix the situation for him. I questioned him several times about how he happened to be hanging on the fence and each time he denied that it was his fault. He refused to come to terms with his disobedience and make a full confession. Finally, he realized that he was not getting off the fence until he repented and promised never to do it again. I laugh today as I remember this episode and I wonder how many times do we find ourselves in a similar predicament. We fail to obey God and then we find ourselves hanging on a fence. We know that we have stepped out of God's will, and He knows it, too. Yet, we try to deny that we've made a mistake or that we have sinned. We just want God to fix our situation and do it as quickly and easily as possible. It is amazing that even in our sin, God still loves us, His mercy endures forever, and His grace never fails. He is more than ready to redeem us from every situation. Our Father's promise is so simple. He says, "If you want to be forgiven, confess your sins! I will faithfully forgive you, and I will cleanse you from all unrighteousness." In other words, "If you really want down from the fence, repent." +++ 6/21/16 REVERSING YOUR CAPTIVITY Scripture: Job 42:10 "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." Job was called to go through a very difficult season of testing. God, Himself, spoke to Satan and said, "Have you considered My servant Job? There is none like him in all the earth. Job is perfect and upright and he hates evil" (Job 1:8). Instead of hiding Job, God called Satan's attention to him. God's motive was not to punish Job or cause evil in his life. God only allowed the hedge that was around Job to be intruded upon because He knew that Job could stand the test. When the hedge was removed, Job lost his possessions, his children, his health, and his self-esteem. Even Job's wife was at variance with him and encouraged him to curse God and die. Job finally found himself sitting in ashes and scraping the boils on his body, while thinking that God had done this terrible deed to him. In the process of Job's distress, his friends came to comfort him. Instead of rendering encouragement, they brought judgments and condemnation. They had all of the answers but no real solutions. They spoke about God, but not words from God. Job patiently listened to the opinions of his friends and made a futile attempt to respond to their accusations. Job finally declared, "God knows the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." He kept his faith in the midst of his adverse circumstances and came to know God not from the hearing of the ear, but a seeing and knowing with a spiritual eye (Job 42:5). Job experienced God and realized that God was in control of everything even when it did not appear to be so. Job's perseverance led him down a path to victory. God gave Job the ultimate assignment and told him to pray for his friends who had so harshly judged him. When Job obeyed, the Lord turned his captivity. God set him free, restored his health, and gave him twice as much as he had before. Jesus also set forth these same mysterious principles in His words, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). There is a miraculous power that works when we pray for those who misjudge us, abuse us, and take advantage of us. When we pray for them, we willingly open up a channel between us and God. As we open our hearts wide towards Heaven, God is able to pour out a blessing upon us through that same open channel. It is like opening the door to let someone out. While the door is open, it allows the fresh air to come in. If you are in a hard place, put it all into God's hands and allow Him to deal with it. Open the channel to Heaven by blessing and praying for those who do not understand you or your situation and allow God to reverse your captivity. +++ 6/22/16 MEDITATING ON THE WORD Scripture: Psalms 1:2 "His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law does he meditate day and night." The blessed man is one who does two things concerning God's Word. He delights in God's Word and he continually meditates on it. When one delights in the Word of God, he finds it valuable and he purposely sets about to understand the precepts, meanings, and intents of the words that come from God's heart. The Word brings him pleasure and the fresh insights thrill his soul and bring light and life to his being. Meditate means to murmur, imagine, study, talk, or make plans in the mind. It means to roll a thought over and over in the mind until it becomes smooth and acceptable. When we read or hear a promise of God, it is important to process that thought by rolling it over in our spirit until it begins to speak to us. Light and revelation will come into our spirits, causing life and fruitfulness. God's Word will then take hold of our imaginations and begin to transform our thoughts. We will begin to imagine change and then start making plans in our minds to bring about those changes. And because we are conforming to God's Word and His Will, He causes us to prosper. We tend to do this process all the time in the negative realm. It is called "worry." For instance, we hear a negative report concerning our health or finances and we begin to roll that thought over and over in our minds until it becomes a reality. Our aches and pains or lack of finances begin to speak into our minds until we imagine ourselves sick or bankrupt. We start to murmur, complain, and make plans for the worse to happen. We meditate and roll the negative thoughts over in our minds until they become smooth and acceptable to our spirits. These negative thoughts then begin to take life as we enable them to kill, steal, and destroy our faith. The Word of God never tells us to dwell on the negative. In fact Jesus said, "Don't take any anxious thought about the needs for tomorrow." Do not let worry become a habit. James 4:7 tells us to "resist the devil and he will flee." We must resist the negative thoughts and choose to meditate on the positive Word of God. The Word of God will create fruit in our lives. When we exchange worry by replacing it with the meditation of God's Word, the scriptures tell us that we will become like trees that are planted by the rivers of living water and whatever we do will prosper. +++ 6/23/16 MATTERS TOO GREAT FOR ME Scripture: Psalms 131:1 "Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me." David was a great leader and warrior who conquered tens of thousands. He was a man who worshipped and communed with God. He was also the king over a great nation. And although David had great position and much prestige among the people, he did not allow his heart to become haughty or his eyes to be lifted up in pride. In speaking to the Lord, David expressed his childlike trust. He said, "Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me." David did not have the answers to all of life's questions. He was human and he went through all of the ups and downs, just as we do. There must have been many things that he did not understand, for there were times in his life when things were really rough. David's life was in jeopardy when King Saul desperately tried to kill him after he had served Saul faithfully. David faced defeat when his city was burned and his family was taken captive. He faced discouragement when his own men blamed him for the incident and wanted to stone him. David was betrayed by his son, Absalom, who tried to take his kingdom from him and his wife mocked him when he worshipped God. David had to bear the burden of shame for the sin that he had committed with Bathsheba and the guilt that he suffered for having her husband killed in battle. David also suffered great grief when he lost his young son to death. David certainly had a lot to think about as these things may have tried to plague his mind. Yet he made a decision not to allow things that were too high to occupy his thoughts or overwhelm him. He determined to keep his spirit free by keeping his thoughts on God. He recognized that God knew the beginning and that God knew the end and that was enough for David. Like David, there are many things in our lives that are crying out for answers. Regardless of how long we analyze and rethink the situation, we cannot find the solutions. Questions still remain, "Why do the young die? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do the wicked prosper? Questions that are too high for us only bring confusion. To have peace in our lives, we must come to the same conclusion that David did. We must discover that there are some things that God chooses not to share with us and also determine that we will not exercise our minds in those areas. They belong to our Heavenly Father. We must let it all go and allow it to rest in the hands of an all knowing and all loving God. +++ 6/24/16 EMPTYING OURSELVES Scripture: Philippians 2:5 (Amplified) "Let this same attitude and purpose and humble mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus. Let Him be your example in humility." Jesus gave us the greatest example of humility. Verse six and seven tells us that even though He was one with God and in the form of God, He made Himself of no reputation, but stripped Himself of His deity and all that He was so that He could become like men. John 1:1 &14 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... And the Word was made flesh." Jesus emptied Himself of all that He was and became a servant so that He might live among us and experience all that we would experience. His body of flesh enabled Him to face every area of temptation; that is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (I John 2:16). These temptations helped Him to understand our weakness and to sympathize with our feelings (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus humbled Himself to such a degree of obedience that He even submitted Himself to the death on the cross. Paul instructs us to have the same mindset, attitude, and purpose that Christ had. We are to humble ourselves and follow His example. As we begin to empty ourselves of ourselves, Jesus will fill us with His Spirit and live through us. Emptying ourselves means that we must let go of the bitterness and the pain of past situations and release all things in our lives that are contrary to the Spirit of Christ. This includes the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Then, we are to allow the Lord to fill our empty vessel with the fruits of His Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). We are to keep our minds on Jesus and think on the things that He would think upon. Philippians 4:8 tells us to "think on the things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, virtuous, and of praise." Two things or two beings cannot occupy the same space at the same time. One has to relinquish its rights. The Holy Spirit will not dominate when flesh and self are in control. The following quote sums up the progression of emptying ourselves and allowing God to fill us with His being. "None of God - All of Me Little of God - Most of Me Some of God - Some of Me More of God - Less of Me All of God - None of Me." Author Unknown +++ 6/27/16 GOD'S TIMING FOR THE VISION Scripture: Habakkuk 2:3 "For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it: because it will surely come." Visions that have not come to pass, prophecies that have not been fulfilled, promises that have not come to fruition, prayers that have not been granted, and questions that have not been answered are not always denials from God. In most occasions, the time of their fulfillment is only delayed and awaiting His appointed time. The prophet Habakkuk encouraged us not to become disappointed or discouraged when things did not happen right away but to wait for God and also wait for His appointed time. God will not come early or arrive too late. Neither will He come empty handed. When the time is right, He will fulfill His Word, and like the prophet said, "At the end, His vision will speak and not lie." It seems that it is so hard to wait, especially for God, for we have nothing to look at physically or to hold in our natural hands. The only substance we have is the faith that we hold in hearts, which is not tangible. Though God's Word is very real and clear when it is spoken to us, it often becomes vague when the devil begins to sow doubt in an effort to challenge it. This is especially true when God's Word of promise lingers a while in our spirits before it comes to fruition. John the Baptist faced this dilemma. He preached repentance and also acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah as he declared, "Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world." Yet when he was in prison, his vision was challenged and he sent two of his disciples to inquire of Jesus, "Are you the Christ that should come, or do we look for another?" Doubt was clouding John's mind because he expected his vision of the Christ as a leader to come to pass right away, but God had another plan and a more appropriate time. As difficult as it may be to patiently wait for God, there is something worse than having to wait and that is wishing that we had waited for His appointed time. When we move ahead and do not wait for God, Himself, to bring the vision to pass, it cultivates anxiety because we have to wait for Him to catch up with us. Not only that, but when we step out of God’s timing, we remove ourselves from His place of provision and peace. This reminds me of a missionary who felt a call to go to the mission field. He was so excited about the call that he went immediately without any preparation. The first year was very difficult and in his desperation, he questioned God about his dire circumstances and meager provisions. God responded by saying, "Yes I called you to come, but you came a year too early." The next year, which was God's appointed time, God proved Himself faithful to the missionary in every respect. In every circumstance, we must learn to wait patiently for God and allow His timing to bring His Word to pass. Time is on our side, for as we wait upon God, we will grow stronger. We can be certain that at the end of our wait, God’s appointed time will come and His vision will speak and not lie. +++ 6/28/16 CONTINUE IN MY LOVE Scripture: John 15:9 "Continue in My love." Have you ever experienced a place of strife and division amongst your family members, your children, your friends or close relationships? Did you try to close the gap that exists between them but found yourself lacking in the precise words or counsel that would turn their hearts and restore their fellowship with one another? In the midst of all of the confusion, did you try to keep peace with all involved but you found that your efforts were to no avail? There seemed to be no end to the dispute, the debates, or the rivalry that exists between these precious people that you love so dearly. Things so small had become so large in their minds that they could not hear your bids for tranquility or respond to your voice of reason. You wish that you could fix it all but peace and harmony had been totally deleted from their agendas and a spirit of animosity prevailed. You wonder how did they ever get to this place of disharmony and you question, "Why can't everyone just simply get along with each other, even if it is just for a few hours at a holiday meal or function?" Your heart breaks because of the misunderstandings that exist between them because you can see the big picture that love hopes for, that peace longs for, and that joy desires. These types of situations do not just happen in our lives. God gave us many examples through out the scriptures. There was brother against brother, son against father, friend against friend, and missionary against missionary. Cain killed his brother, Able, because Able offered a better sacrifice to the Lord. Abraham and Lot, who were uncle and nephew, had to separate themselves from each other because of the disputes with their herdsmen concerning the land. Joseph's brothers rejected him and sold him into slavery. Jacob fled from his father-in-law, Laban, who had cheated him in his wages. Absalom attempted to kill his own father, King David, in an effort to steal David's kingdom from him. The Apostle Paul had a dispute with Barnabas over his choice to take Mark with them on a missionary journey. The contention became so great that Paul and Barnabas had to separate from each other in ministry for a season (Acts 13:37-40). Judas followed Jesus but then sold Him for twenty pieces of silver and betrayed Him with a kiss. This show us that we are all vulnerable and that no relationship is exempted from attack. As in the above stories, the pains of the individuals who are in our lives affects everyone in our circle. We stand there in disbelief. The situations are so petty and it is hard to know how to handle it because we cannot control everyone's actions. We must lean on the Lord. Jesus told us to simply continue in His love. We must love all people, at all times, in every situation. The Lord never promised that we would understand everyone. But He did tell us to love everyone and to continue in love just as He continues in love for us. God's love for us endures forever and is without interruption. We must understand that we will never live in a perfect world of peace and tranquility, but by God's grace we can guard our own hearts and live in a place called love. +++ 6/29/16 BE NOT AFRAID Scripture: Joshua 1:9 "Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you where ever you go." It is said that courage is the art of not allowing anyone to know that you are scared to death. Can you imagine how Joshua felt when God chose him to take the place of Moses? After Moses' death, Joshua was chosen to lead the people across the Jordan into the Promised Land. He was to follow in the steps of a man whom God had used for forty years to bring the plagues on Egypt, to part the Red Sea, to provide daily manna from Heaven and water from the rocks, and to generally be responsible for millions of people. Moses had been the people's link to God, and now it was Joshua's turn. What an overwhelming assignment this must have seemed. It is no wonder that God gave this commandment to Joshua, "Be of good courage; be not afraid." God could not allow His chosen leader to stand before the people in weakness, fear, discouragement, and dismay. So He told Joshua to resist the feelings that may try to overwhelm him. He was telling Joshua, "Be strong whether you feel like it or not!" A minister said when God tells you to do something, "Do it afraid!" Feelings have nothing to do with completing the assignment. We can complete our assignments just as Joshua did because of the promise that comes with the commission. Like Joshua's word from the Lord, when God tells you to do something, He is with you wherever He sends you and He will help you do what He told you to do. The psalmist said, "Be of good courage, and God shall strengthen your heart" (Psalms 27:14 and 31:24). When we choose to be strong in our minds and act courageously, God is able to strengthen our spirit, or the inner man of our hearts. As God strengthens our hearts doubt and fear will not be able to manipulate us and discouragement will not be able to control us. We know for sure that regardless of what comes against us, God will never leave us, fail us, or forsake us. So we must simply trust and obey. When God gives an assignment, He also issues the command, "Do not be afraid" and that command comes with the promise, "For, I am with you." +++ 6/30/16 THE RIGHT MIXTURE Scripture: Hebrews 4:2 " ... the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith." As a child, I remember mixing ingredients together in order to make a paste that we could use for glue. There were only two ingredients needed for this paste, which were flour and water. Later, I learned that you could mix just a few other things with the flour and water, such as sugar, baking powder, butter, and eggs, and end up with something special and totally different, like a cake. The ingredients used determined the results and just a few additions and variations resulted in either paste or something sweet to eat. As the ingredients in the natural realm determine what we end up with, so it is in the spiritual realm. There are certain spiritual ingredients that become very powerful when they are mixed together. The writer of Hebrews declared that faith had to be mixed with the Word of God for the Word to be profitable in our lives. We may have a great knowledge of the written Word of God, yet in our hearts we may doubt His power to perform it. This kind of knowledge has little profit. The faith that we add to our knowledge of God's Word is what makes a difference in what we receive and what happens in our lives. Yet faith can only be acquired by hearing the Word of God. It is an awesome mixture. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God and then the Word of God works according to the faith that is within us. In other words, God's Word produces faith, and faith activates God's Word and causes it to come to pass. It works hand in hand. Other things can alter this recipe of life and either enhance it or hinder its strength. We may have a portion of faith but have mingled it with doubt and fear, and then wonder why we are not receiving the promises of His Word. We may have received God's Word, but allowed the persecutions and the cares of this life to choke out the seeds and destroy our faith. If we had only mixed a little joy with the Word and our faith, we could have endured to the end, for joy imparts strength into our spirits. Jesus was able to endure the cross because of the joy that was set before Him. We must remember too, that faith works by love. You cannot use God's Word in faith for hateful reasons, for it is not designed to be used as a weapon of revenge. True faith in God's Word makes no demands on the sovereignty of God. Like in the case of Job, true faith says, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." We must decide what we want to achieve when we hear God's Word, paste or something substantial. The choice is ours. Are we going to settle for just a passing word or do we want to receive God's Word as an eternal and powerful Word of faith? +++ Copyright © 2016 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com |
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