| ............ | A Word In Due Season March 2016 3/1/16 THE BREAD OF LIFE Scripture: John 6:35 "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst." This is a beautiful promise for our lives but it demands an act of obedience on our part; that is, we must come to Jesus for spiritual nourishment and water. We may look many directions for fulfillment, but Jesus is the only one who is truly able to satisfy our hunger and quench our thirst because our real needs are not physical or material. They are spiritual. Jesus told us not to take thought about what we were going to eat, drink, or wear, but instead to seek the Kingdom of God first and then all of these things would be added to us (Matthew 6:32-33). A spirit of deception will attempt to lure us into believing otherwise. Yet, even when we have obtained everything that life has to offer, our inner man will cry out within us for something more fulfilling, for only Jesus can satisfy our souls. When the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years, they always had a daily provision of food. It was called manna and it came down from Heaven every morning, except for the double portion that came so that they could rest on the Sabbath. The manna was fresh each day and it sustained their physical lives. It was all they needed for nourishment and strength. We must have food and water each day to function and maintain our lives. Nourishment is necessary and it is something that we pursue with passion. If we fail to eat or drink then our physical bodies will cry out and remind us that something is missing. Even an infant feels the pangs of hunger and thirst even though it does not understand that it cannot live on yesterday's nourishment. So it is with your spirit. There is a spiritual hunger and thirst within you that cannot be denied. Your spirit needs fresh bread and living water from Heaven every day. It cannot live on yesterday's nourishment or past experiences. Jesus spoke of the manna in the wilderness and He then declared that He was the bread which came down from Heaven (John 6:49-51). He is all that you need, but you must come to Him in order to gather this precious manna every day. You must study His Word, pray, worship, and fellowship in His presence. He promises to be there for you every time that you need Him. Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. He will be the bread and water that will nourish and restore your soul. His presence will fill the void and empty places of your heart and His Spirit will settle your mind to know His will. His provision will wipe away every lack and His strength will swallow up your greatest weaknesses. He is your fresh manna and your living water. When you come to Jesus, you can depend upon Him to satisfy your hunger and quench your thirst. +++ 3/2/16 SHOW ME YOUR GLORY Scripture: Exodus 33:18 "And Moses said, I beseech You, show me Your glory." When Moses asked God to allow him to see His glory, God showed Himself to Moses. God did not show Moses the glorious universe that He had created. He did not point to all of the galaxies with its multitude of stars and planets. Nor did God show Moses the beautiful mountains, valleys, rivers, or oceans that He had called into existence with just a few words. God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock and covered him with His hand. Then the Almighty God allowed Moses a brief glimpse of His backside as He passed by. Later, Exodus 34:6-7 tells us that the Lord passed by before Moses and proclaimed, "The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin..." These attributes were the glory of God. Sometimes we do not realize it, but we are right in the midst of God's glory. We may not actually see a supernatural manifestation or a beautiful cloud swirling about us, but we experience His gracious actions toward us. His glory is manifested to us in the way of undeserved mercy, goodness, truth, and forgiveness. We may look for a sighting or something spectacular but instead God surrounds us with His glorious love and holiness. What more could we ask for? God has never hidden me in the cleft of the rock and allowed me the honor of seeing His backside as He passed by like He did with Moses. I have never seen the visible manifestation of God and yet I have experienced the glories of His mercy when I deserved judgment and cruel punishment. God has shown me the glory of His longsuffering as He tenderly dealt with me to change my heart and to redirect my paths when I was going astray. I also have seen the glories of His goodness toward me when He abundantly provided for my needs spiritually, physically, financially, and emotionally. I have witnessed His spirit of truth, which has never failed. God’s glory has never been absent from my life, for even though I could not touch Him or see Him, I have felt and known that His presence was near. I have never heard the audible voice of God but I have experienced the glory of His still small voice speaking a Word in due season to my heart. As we think about these seven simple words that Moses spoke, let us make them a daily profound petition to God for our personal life. Father, God, "I ask You, show me Your glory." +++ 3/3/16 GOD'S WAY IS PERFECT Scripture: Psalms 18:30 (NIV) "As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is flawless." We live in a real world, which is not perfect in any way. At times things seem to be in order and at other times there is great chaos. There are floods, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, and personal problems that come in our direction. Our goal in the midst of this adversity must be to remain peaceful in all situations. We may not understand all that is happening around us, but what we do need to understand is that God is perfect in every way and that He is watching over us. What is happening in our own personal lives at the moment is not just an event but a process. It is a stepping-stone to help us get to the next place that God has ordained for us. God is doing something far greater in our lives than we can ever imagine, for the Lord's ways are much higher than our ways and His thoughts are greater than our thoughts. We may stand, weeping, beside an open grave that has been prepared for our loved one. We may watch as our leaders and heroes fail before us. Our friends and family may reject and abandon us when we need them the most. The truth is that things will not always turn out as we have planned. Yet, as we face the disappointments and the challenges that are set before us, we must remember that God's promises are always flawless. When He speaks, He makes no mistakes and He never fails. There are no idle words that come from His mouth, for each Word and every promise will come to pass just as He has declared. Isaiah 40:8 says, "The grass will wither, the flower will fade, but the Word of the Lord will stand forever." God is steadfast and we must trust Him at all times. We are His children and He has our best interest in His heart. Adversity does not signal that you are off course. When you are walking towards God and you are in His will, you are facing the devil who is walking in the opposite direction. So don't allow yourself to become discouraged by every speed bump in the road that slows you down. Just keep moving in faith. If you are unable to see the path before you because the problems are too great, just take one step at a time. Continue on the journey that God has set before you and remember that His ways are perfect and His Word is flawless. He will not fail you. +++ 3/4/16 ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANY COST Scripture: Matthew 26:8 "When the disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?" Jesus was sitting down for a meal with his disciples when a woman approached Him carrying an alabaster box that contained very precious ointment. This small box of ointment was worth approximately a year's wages. When she began to pour this precious ointment upon Jesus' head, it caused much turmoil amongst His own disciples. They could not see the purpose of this act and felt that it was very wasteful. They thought that the ointment could have been put to better use if it had been sold and the proceeds given to the poor. Jesus commended the woman's actions, however, by saying, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work upon Me ... She did this for My burial." Can you imagine being able to save up a year's salary? For most of us, it would take many years for us to do that because after we pay our bills and necessities each month, we have very little left over. For me, it would be a great temptation to dip into those funds every time a special need came up. Yet somehow this woman was able to save the ointment for this occasion even though she may not have understood at the time why she was even saving it. She probably never dreamed that God had a special purpose or that He was going to use her gift to honor His Son. It is said, "What we receive too cheaply, we esteem too lightly." To her, Jesus was worth every drop of this expensive ointment, so she did not count the cost as a loss. And while others esteemed her actions as waste, she esteemed her sacrifice as an honor to the Son of God. There was a man from India who came to America in hopes of a better life. His dream came true and after many years he had gained a prosperous and wonderful life. Yet, God called him to give up everything and return to his poverty stricken homeland to minister. After a season of struggling with the desires of his own soul, he obeyed God's command. He made a commitment to God, "Anywhere, Anytime, Any Cost." We must understand that God's purposes are not designed to fit our lives but our lives are meant to fit His purposes. We may not understand the things that are happening in our lives but we can be sure that the things we are going through are producing precious ointment within our souls. We may not have an alabaster box that is filled with precious ointment but we do have a heart and it should be filled with a desire to do God's will. If we give our all to the Lord, every sacrifice that we make will be used in its season for His glory. Others may question our sacrifice and have indignation because they see it is as a waste, but we must remain true to God's purpose and be ready when He is ready. Our commitment should always be "Anywhere, Anytime, Any Cost!" +++ 3/7/16 GRACE TO THE HUMBLE Scripture: I Peter 5:5 "God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble." Two opposing forces that battle against each other in our spirits are pride and humility. Not only do these two forces battle within our own spirits, but they are also acknowledged and dealt with by God. God resists the spirit of pride and He exalts the spirit of humility. Pride is deceived, lifts itself up to the level of God, and declares, 'I did it'; while humility recognizes the truth and says, 'God did it'. Even Jesus declared that He could do nothing of His own self (John 5:30). He could only judge as the Father judged, speak as the Father spoke, and do what the Father showed Him to do. Jesus was able to accomplish the purposes of God because He was meek and humble and He walked in strict obedience to the Father's Word. Like Jesus, if we are going to minister to people and change the world, we are going to have to be concerned about what God thinks is important. He hates pride so much that He does not even want us to look proud. Proverbs 6:16 says that a proud look is an abomination to God. It is listed along with sins such as a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, wicked imaginations, false witness, mischief, and sowing discord. We all want to be humble and appear to others as being humble. We may even be proud that we are so very humble, but humility is not just an act. Humility is a heart attitude that never takes the honor or glory for the work that is done. We may be called and have the anointing of God upon our lives, but God's plan will be hindered if pride stands in the way. We will not experience God's best if we are not adhering to His demands. We must examine our own situations. If we feel that there should be things happening in our lives that are not happening, it's not God's fault. It is ours, for disobedience stops His blessings. God resists the proud and He is not going to bring us up to the next level and give us another assignment until we get our hearts right. We must ask God to deliver us from the spirit of pride and to fill our hearts with humility so that we can receive His grace. +++ 3/8/16 TRUST HIS SOLUTIONS Scripture: James 1:2 "When you fall into various temptations..." James, the writer of this epistle, took it for granted that the followers of Jesus Christ would encounter various trials and temptations. He was aware that challenges would come against their deep desire to walk uprightly. He knew that spiritual falls were inevitable, so he did not say "if" you fall, but rather "when" you fall. Falls are never planned. They just happen suddenly and without warning. You find yourself going down and there's nothing you can do but brace yourself and hope for the best. In verses two through five, James gives instructions as to what to do when we fall into temptation and our faith is being tried. He says, "When you fall, be joyful, be patient, and ask God for wisdom." When you are able to maintain your joy and patience it puts enormous pressure on the devil. As we respond to the situation in joy, we are letting the devil know that we believe that God is still the One on the throne, and that He is in control regardless of what is happening. As we remain patient, allowing God to do a perfect work, we in essence show that we are trusting God's perfect timing. Our faith speaks and says, "Everything is in God's hands." His Word assures us that He will not put more upon us than we are able to bear. We know that if things get too rough, God will make a way of escape. He is the keeper of His eternal Word. However, our enemy, the devil, is roaming about seeking whom he can devour and we are his open prey. He knows our individual weaknesses and uses every means to cause us to stumble and fall. But if we ask God for His guidance and help, He will provide a way out of each temptation and every trial. He is the God of all wisdom and He is still the Almighty Creator. He will create a way where there seems to be none. He can make a way in the wilderness or streams in the desert. Nothing is too hard or impossible with God. He specializes in rivers that seem to be un-crossable. And He overpowers mountains that are too big and dense to be tunneled through. God’s wisdom is so much higher than our wisdom and He can do what no other being or power can do. God is the God of all grace, and He wants to impart Himself and His wisdom to you. He has your best interest in mind. What a marvelous thought. In the midst of temptation, stop for a moment and in simple faith ask God for His wisdom and then trust His solutions. +++ 3/9/16 BEHAVE VALIANTLY Scripture: I Chronicles 19:13 "Let us behave ourselves valiantly." King David sent Joab to fight against Ammon and Syria. When Joab saw that the battle was set against him, he very quickly divided his army between his brother and himself. He reasoned with his brother to behave valiantly and to work together with him against the enemy. Joab told his brother, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you come help me. And if Ammon is too strong for you, then I will help you." When these two forces joined together, they became stronger and they were able to win the battle and cause their enemies to flee before them. Just as Joab and his brother fought valiantly for each other, you and I need to be allies in the spirit and fight for one another, for none of us are able to stand alone in our battle against the enemy. The devil makes himself strong and "roams about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour" (I Peter 5:8). Our job is to be continually vigilant, watching for his attacks. When we see that the enemy has become too strong for our brothers in Christ, we need to come to their rescue, pray for them, counsel with them, and either supply or find help for them in their time of need. We should also be ready to receive their help when they come to our aid, for we all have the same Father and the same enemy. Paul told us in Galatians 6:1-2 to bear one another's burdens. We have a responsibility to stand and fight for each other, and not work against each other. Even when our Christian brother is taken in a fault, we are to restore him in a spirit of humility and meekness lest we be tempted in the same manner. When we restore our brother, we fulfill the law of Christ, which is to love our brothers as Christ loved the church. However, too often the sad fact remains, we shun and criticize our spiritual brothers when they are under attack and like the lyrics of the song, "we shoot our wounded." In Matthew 18:19, Jesus said, "If two of you agree on earth as touching any thing that you ask, it shall be done for you of my Father which is in Heaven." He promised to be in our midst even if there were just two or three gathered in His Name. What a powerful promise that is. Deuteronomy 32:30 says, "One will chase a thousand, and two will put ten thousand to flight." This scripture declares that our strength and power in the spirit doesn't just double when we get into unity with other believers, but it actually grows to the tenth power. Determine to take God at His Word and then act valiantly. When you see your brother's need run to his side and help rescue him from the enemy. +++ 3/10/16 ESTABLISHED WITH GRACE Scripture: Hebrews 13:9 "Be not carried away with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace." There are many religions and many doctrines that we will hear about while we are traveling the pathway to eternity. Some of them will be good and true, but others will be wrapped up in deceit. God never intended for religion to be difficult, but unfortunately there is a devil that works subtly behind the scenes to corrupt the simplicity that is in Christ (II Corinthians 11:3). The devil successfully beguiled Eve in the Garden of Eden and he works just as hard to get us to believe his lies. The writer of Hebrews warns us not to be carried away or follow after the strange doctrines that the devil creates, for there is no room for error in our convictions. Instead we must understand truth and be established in what we believe. It is amazing that people can read the same scriptures and come up with so many different conclusions. For example when Jesus healed the blind man in John 9:6-11 several things occurred. Jesus spat on the ground, made clay with the spittle, anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and then told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. The man was healed and received his sight, but which of these things, if any, brought about his healing? One religion would say that it was the spit from the mouth of Jesus. While another would declare that healing came from the clay that was mixed with the spittle. Another group would hold to the doctrine that healing came when Jesus, Himself, touched and anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. The last group would declare that it was none of the above, but that healing came from the water that the blind man washed in at the pool of Siloam. At the end, true doctrine might step in and say that this healing was based on faith, obedience, and the sovereign actions of Almighty God. But each group would declare their own doctrine and make an attempt to convince others to believe and follow them. Strange doctrines are in the world today, but we do not have to fear them if our hearts are established in grace. When we know the truth, the truth will set us free. With every word that comes our way, we can measure it with the Word of God and determine its value and its truth. Jesus assured us that as His sheep, we would recognize His voice and we would not follow another. Let us be careful to listen to the Lord's voice and be determined that our heart will be established and not depart from the simplicity of the gospel of Christ Jesus. +++ 3/11/16 HOPE IN GOD! Scripture: Psalms 42:1 "As the deer pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after Thee, O God." Situations brought the psalmist to this desperate place of discouragement and caused him to pant for God like a deer pants for the water. The word pant has a different meaning than just a dry mouth, desire to drink, or simple thirst. It is a loud and rapid breathing process, which is also visible and desperate. Like the writer of this Psalm, have you ever had the following thoughts and questions come to your mind? 1.) God, when will I see you or be able to sense Your presence? - Vs. 2 2.) God, even my tears say, "Where are You?" - Vs. 3 3.) God, why have You forgotten me? - Vs. 9 4.) God, why am I oppressed by the enemy? - Vs. 9 5.) God, even my enemies mock me, and say, "Where is your God?" - Vs. 10 The psalmist so longed for the presence of God that his thirst to find God became audible and visible to those close by. Like a panting deer, he was desperately searching for God's answers and deliverance. The psalmist was thirsting for the living God, for he knew that only God could help him and meet his needs. In his search for God, the psalmist shed many tears, felt rejected and forgotten, and suffered reproach from the mocking enemy. In desperation, he spoke to his own soul and said, "Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why are you disquieted, troubled, and in great commotion within me?" Disquieted means "loud." In other words he was saying, "Emotions, why are you making so much noise on the inside of me?" Does this place seem familiar? Have you felt like you were in a hopeless situation and that everything inside of you was crying out in a loud voice? You felt like a deer running wildly through the forest in search of the water brook. When this happens, I encourage you to slow down and know that God is God. He is still on the throne and He is still in control. Then, address your soul and speak these same positive words that the psalmist spoke to himself when he was in a state of desperation. Tell yourself to hope in God - Vs. 5 Praise Him for the help of His countenance or that His face is turned toward you - Vs. 5 Remember who God is and recall your past victories - Vs. 6 Trust God to command His loving kindness toward you - Vs. 8 Sing songs and pray in the night - Vs. 8 Confess that God is your rock - Vs. 9 Praise Him for He is your God - Vs. 11 As you allow your soul to pant after God, He will manifest Himself to you and quench your thirst. +++ 3/14/16 WORD IN DUE SEASON Scriptures: Proverbs 15:23 "A man has joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!" It would be wonderful to always be able to say the right words in the right season to encourage someone in their daily walk. It is like planting a seed in fertile soil. However, you cannot share words from God if you have not heard from God any more than you can plant a seed that you do not have. You may speak words, but they will be empty and without power unless they are anointed by God. A cartoon once showed two ladies gossiping at a water fountain at work. Finally, after much discussion, one of the ladies said, "Well, I guess I need to go back to work. I've already told you more than I know." How many times do we find ourselves telling other people more than we really know about a subject? Isaiah says, "The Lord God has given me the tongue of the disciples and of those who are taught, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. He wakens me morning by morning, He wakens my ear to hear as disciples - as those who are taught" (Isaiah 50:4). This prophetic scripture reveals that God the Father awakened Jesus' ear so that He could hear, yet Jesus still had the responsibility to discipline Himself to listen to the voice of the Father. Even at a very early age, Jesus began to discipline Himself to hear from God. He sat in the temple with the teachers and doctors. He listened and asked questions of them, and all those that heard Jesus were astonished at His understanding and answers (Luke 2:46-47). Jesus could have been outside playing with the other boys, but instead He disciplined Himself to hear the Word. And because of Jesus' diligent study of the scriptures and His continual communion with the Father, He was able to speak into the lives of men with authority and with wisdom. His Words were always in season and brought forth fruit. He also showed us how to take time to listen and hear from God in the following scriptures: Mark 1:35 "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." Matthew 14:23 "And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening came, He was there alone." Luke 6:12 "And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." Let us follow Jesus example and diligently set our hearts to seek God in a greater way so that we too may minister words in due season to those who are weary. +++ 3/15/16 GRACE FOR GRACE Scripture: John 1:16 "And of His fullness have we all receive grace for grace." Grace is defined as the unmerited favor of God and is the basis of our salvation and justification. It is undeserved and can never be earned because it comes only by the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. The Apostle Paul said, "For by grace are you saved through faith ... not of yourselves ... it is a gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Because God is full of grace, He forgives and passes over all of our transgressions. John 1:14 says, "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." Almost 2,000 years ago our Father God said "No" to His only begotten Son, Jesus, so that He could say "Yes" to us. He sacrificed His Son so that we could have eternal life. Jesus pleaded with God the Father in the garden that the cup of suffering would pass from Him. But the Father denied Jesus' request so that He could redeem all of us from death, Hell, and the grave. God's mercy speaks to us and says, "I forgive you of your sin. You do not have to pay for it." God's grace says, "I will sacrifice my only begotten Son to pay for your sin." God's grace is awesome and overwhelming. Like the words to the song, "I owed a debt I could not pay - He paid a debt He did not owe." Grace took our place on the cross and was crucified. Scriptures declare that Jesus was full of grace and truth. We still behold the glory of the grace of the Lord as it continues to work daily, bringing about salvation in every area of our lives. "Grace for grace" means that He piles one grace upon another grace. Out of His fullness and abundance He gives us one spiritual blessing after another. His grace in our lives is so amazing. Just when we think God should give up on us, He comes through with forgiveness again, and says, "If you confess your sin, I will be faithful and just to forgive your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness." He says, "I will supply all your needs through Christ Jesus." It's just one unmerited thing after another, grace upon grace. The Apostle Paul experienced the glory of God's grace for grace in such a manner that he declared, "I take pleasure in infirmities, reproaches, necessities, persecutions, and distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong." God will bestow upon you the same grace that Paul experienced and regardless of the challenges you may face, you will find that God's grace will always be sufficient for every need (II Cor. 12:9-10). +++ 3/16/16 CHEERFUL GIVER Scripture: II Corinthians 9:7 "... God loves a cheerful giver." God loves a cheerful giver. But God never intended for us to give to Him because He was in need. He has no lack whatsoever because He created everything and owns everything. There is nothing existing that He cannot duplicate and there is no new thing that He cannot create. If He needs a stream in the desert, He simply carves out a place with His own hands and it is there. If He needs a dry pathway through the sea, He rolls back the water with the wind of His breath. If He needs the mountain to be moved, just one word from His lips will cause it to come to pass. If God wants to provide a meal for several thousand people, He blesses a small portion of fish and a few loaves of bread and causes it to multiply. He can also change the water into wine. He can plant a seed of life into the barren womb of an older woman or even a young virgin woman and create life where there was no hope. He can also give life back to the dead, sight to the blind, and cause the deaf to hear. He can make the withered hand stretch forth like new and cause the lame to walk. He can create, multiply, restore, and resurrect. He is almighty God and He is unlimited and unstoppable. God is not desperate for our help, but knows that we desperately need His help. He knows the seed that we sow will produce a greater harvest for us in return. Yet, the process of the harvest will not begin until the seed is planted. In the natural or spiritual, a seed that is never sown will never produce. Our mere intentions to plant or to give will never reap a harvest. God is our Father and He wants us to have more in life than we need but He will only multiply what we sow. Verse six says, "He who sows sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which sows bountifully shall reap bountifully." God allows us to be in control of our seed, but the harvest remains in His hands and produces according to His law of the harvest. Sow little, reap little. Sow much, reap much. Sow nothing and when it is multiplied, it remains nothing. God shares all that He has with us cheerfully and He wants us to give back to Him and others in the same manner. We are instructed not to give grudgingly or out of necessity. God doesn't need the money or the item that we are giving but He wants us to give because it is a picture of our love for Him, our honor to Him, and our trust in Him. Everything that we have or will ever have came because of God's great love and provision for us. He is the source of our supply and we should follow His example of sharing. We should give cheerfully whenever we give because of our gratitude for the Lord's blessings to us and our intimate feelings for Him. +++ 3/17/16 HOW LONG WILL YOU MOURN? Scripture: Isaiah 61:1 & 3 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me ... to appoint unto them that mourn ... to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." Jesus came to fulfill this prophecy in Isaiah, but it is up to us to receive His finished work. We must make an effort to get out of the ashes, shake off the spirit of heaviness that is upon us, and praise God in the midst of our hurts. It is a matter of choice and action on our part. When we do our part, God does His part. When He sees us step away from the ashes of our broken dreams, He begins to restore our lives and exchanges the empty past for a beautiful tomorrow. He gives us joy as we look to Him and as we lay aside our grief and disappointments. And as we praise Him, He surrounds us with a supernatural garment that displaces the spirit of heaviness that had attached itself to us. Mourning is not just related to death. It can be brought on by any number of other experiences and failures. The psalmist said that he mourned because of the "oppression of the enemy" (Psalms 42:9). Mourning is a spirit, and it is the work of the enemy. When we allow ourselves to continually mourn over disappointments, we find ourselves in the ashes and overcome by a spirit of heaviness. We are weighed down with the cares of life. In our devastation, hopelessness engulfs us. We can see no beauty and we have no joy. Ecclesiastes 3:4-6 says, "There is a time to weep ... a time to mourn ... a time to lose." These times bring understanding and insight into our lives, causing us to have compassion for others who may be experiencing the same conflicts. But there comes a time to move out of that state of mourning and allow God to heal our hearts of its hurts and wounds, for there is also a time to "laugh ... a time to dance ... and a time to receive." Samuel mourned because Saul had rebelled against God. God asked Samuel, "How long will you mourn?" (I Samuel 15:35 & 16). God wanted Samuel to forget the past and go on with the future. Paul said it another way in Philippians 3:13-14. He said, "Forget the past." In other words, quit mourning over what could have been or should have been. You must look to the future and "press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." God wants to bring restoration to you. If you allow Him, God will use every bitter situation that you have encountered to enrich your life and cause "all things to work together for your good" (Romans 8:28). God extends His Spirit of Grace to you. How long will you mourn? Begin this very moment to allow God to supernaturally move you from mourning into a place of beauty, joy, and praise. +++ 3/18/16 ONE ANOTHER Scripture: Romans 12:5 "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members of one another." Just before the Apostle Paul made this statement that the believers of Christ are all members of His body, He told us to present ourselves as a living sacrifice unto God, which is our reasonable service. He also said that we are not to be conformed to the world's way of thinking. Instead, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind through the Word of God. The world's view is to be more concerned about yourself than others, but a believer of Christ should consider others before themselves. Believers should also endeavor to function in unity, one with another. Like a body with different parts we possess different gifts and ministries, but we are still members of one body and should encourage and exhort one another daily so that the body of Christ can be strong in the Earth. It is evident that the Lord wanted us to care for one another because He inspired holy men of God to write scriptures to instruct us in the ways that we were to treat one another. It is quite amazing but the Lord uses us to touch others for Him and to do what is in His heart. Following is a partial list that defines the expectations of the Lord and tells us how we are to treat one another: 1) We are not to oppress 'one another' or take advantage of 'one another' (Lev. 25:17). 2) We are to love 'one another' as Jesus loved us (John 13:34). 3) We are to be kindly affectionate 'one to another', and in honor to prefer 'one another' (Rom. 12:10). 4) We are not to judge 'one another' (Rom. 14:13). 5) We are to serve 'one another' in love (Gal. 5:13). 6) We are not to destroy or devour 'one another' (Gal. 5:15). 7) We are not to provoke 'one another' to envy (Gal. 5:26). 8) We are to forbear or be patient to 'one another' in love (Eph. 4:2). 9) We are to forgive 'one another' as God forgave us (Eph. 4:32). 10) We are to teach and instruct 'one another' (Col. 3:16). 11) We are to comfort 'one another' with the Word of God (I Thess. 4:18). 12) We are to edify or build up 'one another' (I Thess. 5:11). 13) We are to exhort 'one another' daily (Heb. 3:13). 14) We are to consider 'one another' and to provoke 'one another' to love and good works (Heb. 10:24). 15) We are to submit ourselves 'one to another' (Eph. 5:24). 16) We are not to lie to 'one another' (Col. 3:9). 17) We are to pray for 'one another' (James 5:16). 18) We are to show hospitality 'one to another' (I Peter 4:9) . 19) We are to minister 'one to another' (I Peter 4:10). This is not an exhaustive list, but God's intentions are very plain. It is apparent that He wanted us to love and minister to one another just as our own body cares for its many members. When a part of our personal body has a need or is in pain, the entire body rushes to its rescue regardless of whether it is a large member or a small member. Our body comforts and cares for itself. One hand is there for the other hand. Its members work one with another until the body is healed and functioning well. I encourage you to consider the scriptures above and allow them to renew your mind and transform your thinking. Let them guide you as you minister to others. Remember that you are not only a part of the Body of Christ but also members one of another. +++ 3/21/16 FAITH IN LIFE AND DEATH SITUATIONS Scripture: Job 13:15 "Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him." The devil sought to dislodge Job from his faith by destroying his possessions, killing his children, destroying the respect that his wife had for him, afflicting his body with disease, and separating him from the bonds that he had with his friends. Yet, Job remained strong and faithful in all of his sufferings and did not charge God foolishly. He placed his life in the hands of God and determined to trust in Him even if it meant death to his physical body. This showed Job's great faith in the goodness and the sovereignty of God. It is one thing to have faith for life, but it is quite another to have faith for death. It is easy to have faith when you are walking on the water, but it becomes difficult to maintain that same faith when you begin to sink. It is not so hard to worship God and stand for the things you believe in until you are faced with the fiery furnace for expressing those beliefs. It is easy to say prayers in public, but it would be frightening if you knew the consequences of saying those prayers was a lion's den. It is not so difficult to believe that your ship can make it to the other side of the lake until a raging storm begins to toss you about in the midst of your voyage. We have to admit that the threat of death is a great challenge to our faith. Yet, I believe that when this one foe is conquered, we are brought to a higher level. Like Job, we must come to understand that we can trust the One who created our bodies and that death has no sting for the child of God. If our Heavenly Father wants to take us home with Him, we must have faith to submit to His bidding, and say "Though He slay me, I will trust in Him." The furnace we face may be heated seven times hotter, but we must trust the One who kindles the fire and realize that except for the final episode of our lives, it is not intended to consume us, but to refine us so that we can come forth as pure gold. Neither are the raging storms meant to destroy us, but to show us that the Lord is the Master of the Sea. Our lives may have many hardships, tangles. and tears, but if we use our mouths to pray and worship, God will close the mouths of the lions and keep us safe when we are in their midst. Each of our Earthly challenges are meant to show us Heaven's provisions and bring us to a place of faith so that we can have victory in the midst of life situations and in the midst of even death itself. +++ 3/22/16 THE GOD OF RESURRECTION Scripture: John 11:15 (NIV) Jesus said, "I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe." Martha and Mary sent for Jesus to come minister healing to their brother, Lazarus. Instead of immediately running to the rescue, Jesus stayed where He was for another two days. Even when the evil tidings came to Him that Lazarus had died, He did not panic. In fact, it seemed that He was pleased about the whole situation. Jesus told His disciples, "I'm glad for your sakes that I was not there," meaning not there in time to keep Lazarus from dieing. He had a greater plan. By the time that Jesus finally arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days. The people that surrounded the situation began their reasonings. Some believed that because Jesus had the power to heal the blind, He could have prevented Lazarus's death if He had been there. Mary's words were in agreement. She said, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." Now that Lazarus was dead, they felt that there was no hope. It seemed their faith could only take them just so far. However, God had far greater plans than they could ever imagine. He was not limited by disease or death. Neither was He limited by time. He was just as able to work right then, at that moment, as He would have been four days earlier. His intention was to demonstrate His power in a greater way by raising Lazarus from the grave instead of raising Him from the sick bed. Verse four tells us that the whole purpose of this situation was to reveal the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified. This story touches our lives today because it is so easy to lose faith when God doesn't fulfill our expectations or meet our needs according to our timing. You may even questioned God, "Why weren't You here when I needed You?" You may feel that it's too late to remedy your situation and you may possibly lapse into a spirit of hopelessness. God knows all about your doubts and fears. You must remember that though He tarries for a few days, He is never late. He is always on time. You may not know God’s plan, but you can be assured that He has a plan. Like Jesus spoke to His disciples, God is glad for your sakes that He is not there to immediately remedy every situation so that you might learn to believe in Him. He wants to take you from one level of faith to another and from glory to glory. Nothing is too hard for the Lord. When Jesus comes on the scene, He will bring life to those things that have become dead in your life. He will fix your circumstances and resurrect your life from the shambles. He will cause your dreams and visions to come alive. He will bring new life into your relationships where you thought there was no hope. Isaiah 61:3 says that He will give you beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Believe in Him and you will see that He is not only the God of healing and restoration, but He is also the God of resurrection. +++ 3/23/16 RESURRECTION LIFE Scripture: John 12:24 "Except a corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone: but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit." Jesus spoke of the necessity of His death before there could be resurrection life. He compared His life and death to the same process that a grain of wheat goes through before it can produce new life and fruit. No seed can be placed in a protected environment, kept from decay and death, and be fruitful. Jesus said that if the seed does not die, it will abide alone, for fruitfulness comes only as the seed lays aside its life and gives itself to total darkness. God's work on the natural seed is a mystery. The death of a seed will cause it to multiply and bring forth. It becomes not only nourishment for those who eat of its fruit, but it also creates other seeds that will repeat the same process. It's amazing to plant one kernel of corn that is the size of the end of your small finger, then watch it grow into a seven-foot stalk in just a short time. The stalk will then produce about eight ears of corn, and each ear will have hundreds of kernels. How can one small seed do all that work in such a short time? We cannot understand how the earth, air, water, and sun all work together to bring about this wondrous miracle, but we believe it because we see the results. This phenomenon takes place because God's power and life are working inside the seed. So it is with the work of Christ, His death, and resurrection. We do not understand the reason why His death brings us life, but we believe because we see the results. And because we have had an experience with Him, we become as another seed and also have the power of the life of Christ living on the inside of us. However, before we can produce life and fruit, we must be removed from a protected environment so that we can experience the death of the things that are within us, such as self and the world. We must take on the new life of the Spirit of Christ and surrender ourselves to the Spirit of God, allowing Him to work in us just as the earth, air, water, and sun worked on the natural seed. We must abide alone with God and allow Him to direct our entire life, for it is only then that we will be productive and God will be glorified in our lives. Like the hope of the small and seemingly insignificant seed, we must have faith for our future. We must not allow ourselves to become discouraged as we envision the death and decay that is happening in our lives at the moment. For, God is creating something within us that we cannot see. We must rejoice in the darkness as we embrace the vision and the glory of the future. As we yield ourselves to God, He will bring resurrection life. +++ 3/24/16 STRENGTH IN QUIETNESS Scripture: Mark 15:5 "But Jesus answered nothing; so that Pilate marveled." The tongue is a small member of our body, but it controls the course of our life like the rudder that controls the direction of a ship (James 3:4-5). It takes much strength and discipline to control the tongue and remain silent in the midst of accusing voices. Yet we see Jesus as He did just that. The chief priest, elders, scribes, and the whole council delivered Jesus to Pilate for interrogation. There were many false things witnessed against Him, but Jesus did not try to defend Himself. Rather, He responded in the power of quietness and stillness. Jesus could have called the angels to the scene or demonstrated some sort of miracle in the midst of His accusers to prove His identity, but He just stood there silently, and Pilate marveled at His response. Jesus' quiet response came because He was confident in who He was. He knew He was the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Jesus lived in this confidence and demonstrated it in His quietness. There was no need on His part to prove to anyone that He was the King of the Jews. He allowed His Heavenly Father to validate His identity. On three different occasions God said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Why can't we be like Jesus and exercise this same self control? Instead, we try to have the last word to prove a point or defend our stand. We somehow feel that if we stay in the verbal ring the longest, we are the victors in the confrontation or debate. We try to prove who we are and what we know rather than depending upon God's validation. Isaiah 30:15 says, "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength." Confidence in the God we serve allows His power to quietly work within us. His gentle strength within us becomes a mystery to our enemies. Like Pilate's response to Jesus, those about us will marvel at our quietness and our strength. When we give a soft answer, it will turn away their wrath and conquer the evil that is set against us. They will be amazed at our forgiveness towards them, which will set them free. And they will be overwhelmed by the love of God that flows through our lives, and through it, they will be drawn to our Savior. +++ 3/25/16 ETERNAL GIFTS OF LOVE Scripture: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." You cannot imagine how much love God has for you. I John 4:10 says, "Not that we loved Him, but that He loved us; and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins." God's love was so enormous that He gave His Son. How many of us would give our sons or daughters to die in the place of someone else? To be honest, I don't know for sure that I could give up my son to die for you. Even though I may love you very deeply, I would probably choose my son's life over yours. As humans, our capacity to love is limited, but God's capacity is so great that He was able to give His only begotten Son. God not only gave His Son in death for us, but He also watched Him as He was beaten, crowned with thorns, and hung on Calvary's cross in shame. How many times do you think that God the Father may have wanted to change His mind and do something about the situation? Yet, God's great love caused Him to allow His Son to suffer in agony for you and for me. Jesus Himself could have called the angels to deliver Him. God the Father or Jesus could have stopped the process at any time, but our souls hung in the balance and depended upon Their sacrifice. As Jesus became sin for us, God turned His face away from Him. Then came the agonizing cry of His Son, "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" Jesus' cry must have been like a dagger in the heart of His Father, as His Father watched the cruel suffering of His Son. Have you ever watched someone special to you suffer in death? Have you faced those times where you had to turn your face away from their struggle with pain? You could do nothing about their situation, but God had a choice in the matter and still chose the ultimate sacrifice. There are two eternal gifts of love that have been given to us. First, God gave His only begotten Son, and second, Jesus gave His own life. If we could ever comprehend these two eternal gifts of love, we would be able to trust the One who gave His Son for us and trust the One who gave His life for us. Revelation 1:5 says, "He loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood." God gave His Son, what more could He give? Jesus gave His own life, what more could He give? +++ 3/28/17 MEASURE OF CHRIST Scripture: Ephesians 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." The Apostle Paul exhorts us to come up to the measure of the fullness of Christ and he also gives us some words to guide us in the direction to achieve this state. He says come together in the unity of faith, gain knowledge about the Son of God, and become perfect, meaning mature. Three simple words; unity, knowledge, and maturity. Without these attributes, our lives will fall short of the measure of the fullness of Christ. There is a story about a town that had a factory with a whistle, which blew three times a day to let the workers know that it was time to start work, time for the noon break, and time to quit. The factory confirmed their time periodically by calling the local phone company. One day the power went out in the entire city. Once the power was restored, the clock that governed the whistle at the factory needed to be reset. The factory supervisor called the phone company because it had always had the correct time in the past. This turned out to be a fruitless effort, for the factory supervisor discovered that the phone company had always set their clocks by the whistle at the factory. Both the factory and the phone company had been using each other to set their clocks and possibly neither one of them had been correct for a long time. This is what happens in our lives. Rather than measuring ourselves with Jesus, we measure ourselves against the standards of someone else, and instead of coming up to the fullness of Christ, we fall short. Our whistles are sounding but they are incorrect. We are like the blind leading the blind or the deaf trying to hear for the deaf. There is no vision and the sounds we hear are unclear. There is no faith because we have set our hearts by those who are full of doubt and unbelief. There is no joy and peace because those we mingle with are frustrated and confused. Like Psalms chapter one declares, we have walked with those who have given us ungodly counsel, and we have become ungodly. We have stood in the way of sinners and became sinful, and we have sat with the scornful and learned to be scornful. Our values have become corrupted and we don't even know it because we are measuring ourselves according to the standards of those around us. We must come to understand that the only precise measurement is the Lord, Himself. We must examine our lives and determine to live not by the world's standards but by the character of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of the Almighty God. We will only come into the fullness of Christ by finding the unity of faith, the knowledge of Jesus, and experiencing the maturity that is in Him. +++ 3/29/16 ASKING FOR WISDOM Scripture: James 3:17 "But the wisdom that is from above is ... easy to be entreated." To "entreat" means to make an earnest request or petition for something. James said that it is easy to make an earnest request to God for wisdom. One reason that it is easy is because we know that we are doing what God wants us to do, for He is the one who told us to ask Him for wisdom. So in asking for wisdom, we are obeying His will and fulfilling His desires. Yet many times we allow the opportunity to pass us by because we just do not think about involving God in our routine or daily problems. We leave the quest for His wisdom for the greater situations that we do not think that we can handle on our own. Like our natural inclination when we are trying to install or put something together, we do not worry about reading the instructions; that is until we need help because we cannot get it together by our own knowledge. James 1:5 gives another reason why it is easy to ask or entreat God for wisdom. He said that God does not reproach, mock, or make us feel ignorant because we lack understanding. When we seek God concerning a matter or ask Him for direction, He does not slap His forehead in gesture and say, "Are you really that stupid?" He is our faithful God and Father and He always meets us at our point of need. He makes asking easy because He only requires that we ask for wisdom with a heart full of faith, believing that He will answer (James 1:6). In Proverbs 3:15 & 16:16, Solomon tells us that "Wisdom is more precious than rubies" and "better than gold." He also said, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom." Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived and he said, "Get wisdom!" The formula is simple. We get wisdom by asking God for it. When we ask, His Holy Spirit teaches us. He is the source and the supplier of the wisdom that comes down from above. His wisdom is "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy" (James 3:17). God's wisdom is there for us and His Spirit is waiting to instruct us in every detail of life. All we must do is ask and we will receive, seek and we will find, knock and it will open to us. +++ 3/30/16 CREATE IN ME Scripture: Psalms 51:10 "Create in me, a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." King David was a man that loved God with all of his heart and continually worshipped Him. However, David was also human and fell victim to the devices of the devil. He never quit loving God but the lust that he had in his heart for Bathsheba displaced his allegiance and commitment to God. For a short season, this spirit of lust enticed David to commit adultery, and in a moment of weakness, he sinned grievously against God. This act then drove David into deception and conspiracy as he purposely planned to have Bathsheba's husband murdered so that he could keep his own sin hidden. When the prophet Samuel confronted David about his sin, David's heart broke and he began to repent before God. He pleaded for forgiveness and cleansing as he acknowledged his transgression against men and his sin against God. But David's prayer did not end there. He not only asked for forgiveness, he asked God to do a new thing in his heart. David did not want God to work with his old corrupt heart and just rearrange his priorities. He wanted a brand new fresh start. David wanted the One who had created and formed his heart in the first place to create or to bring into being a clean heart within him. David also wanted his spirit renewed and the joy of God's salvation restored in his life. Have you ever tried to fix something that was too old to deal with? We recently cleaned the inside of our garage and intended to keep an old handmade shelf that we had used for years to store can of paint. From the front the shelf looked fairly good, but when we looked at the back of it, we discovered that the bottom shelf was actually an old hollow door that was buckled in and ready to collapse. It could no longer handle the weight of the paint. It was apparent that we had to start all over and create a new shelf if we wanted things to look and function better. Our hearts are very similar. We harbor sin and keep old memories and obtrusive clutter in our hearts by holding on to the things that have offended us and also by rallying around the pain of the past. We have no idea how hollow those chambers of our heart are or how damaging it will be when they collapse under the pressure of the moment. We need to allow God to examine every area of our heart and get rid of anything in our life that does not fit well into His Kingdom of love, joy, and peace. I encourage you to pray with me the simple fifteen words that David prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." As you pray this simple prayer, expect God to answer, for He wants to do a new thing within you. +++ 3/31/16 GOD SAID ... AND IT WAS SO Scripture: Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26 "And God said let there be..." In these scriptures, every time that God said, "Let there be," there followed an awesome act of creation. God said, "Let there be light" and there was light. He said, "Let the waters gather together and let there be dry ground" and it was so. God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass and herbs" and it happened just as He commanded. Every time God spoke, His words framed, fashioned, and put into order the entire world. His words were as powerful as they were simple. He called things from the unseen realm to the visible and from the spiritual to the natural. God's Words were never void of power. They always accomplished what He sent them forth to do because He is a God of faith and when He speaks He breathes upon His Words and gives them life. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible for us to please God. He wants us to understand, exercise, and move in faith just like He did. We were created in His image and He has given us the capacity for faith, but we must develop it. Faith is not an emotion, but a God imparted gift that comes with the knowledge of God's Word. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the Word of God." In other words faith comes into our hearts when we hear what God is speaking to us, but we can only hear God speaking as we hear His Word. Faith is believing that God told the truth, then simply acting upon that truth. Don't worry about trying to have faith or trying to get faith. Just read the scriptures and find out what God has said about your situation. Your faith must line up with God's Will, and God's Will is expressed in His Word. Regardless of what things look like in the natural, begin to act and talk like God told you the truth. Rest in His eternal promises, for there is nothing impossible with God. Ask in faith for your needs to be met according to God's will. His will is that none should perish, but that all should receive eternal life through Jesus Christ, His Son (John 3:16). His highest wish is that you prosper and be in health (III John 1:2). He wants His people happy and blessed. Find the answer that you need in God's Word then believe in your heart that as God breathes upon that particular Word and says, "Let there be," that it will be so. +++ Copyright © 2016 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com |
.............................. | ||