Sept16

............	A Word In Due Season Sept 2016 9/1/16 IF WE CALL, GOD WILL ANSWER Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you have not known." In the next few verses, God continues to speak through the prophet, Jeremiah, saying, "I will lay upon you health and healing, and I will cure you and reveal to you the abundance of peace, prosperity, security, stability, and truth. I will cause your captivity ... to be reversed, and will rebuild you as you were at the first. I will cleanse you from all the guilt and iniquity because of your sin against Me ... And you shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and a glory before all the nations of the earth ... because of all the good ... that I provide." In this particular passage, the prophet Jeremiah shows us that prayer is a prerequisite to miracles and answers from God. He says, "Call unto Me and I will answer." God's blessings will come to us as we pray to Him. We do not have to call on someone else and or have them get an answer from God for us. We can approach God directly. All that we need to do is humble ourselves before God and voice our petitions to Him. As we do, God will forgive us and heal us. James 4:2 tells us very plainly the reason that we do not receive answers many times is because we do not ask. Even Jesus, the Son of God, spent time in prayer and drew strength from the presence of God. He got up early before day and stayed awake all night communing with the Father. Jesus made His request known unto God and because He prayed, God answered and showed Him great and mighty things. Jesus went about healing various types of diseases and performing all kinds of supernatural wonders. His power was evident but it came through prayer and communion with the Father. When God instructed us to, "call" it was not meant to be an empty word. It was meant to provoke us to action, for God's Words are not mere literature. They are inspired by the Holy Spirit and God has breathed on every Word. His words are alive and powerful and He uses them to set forth principles that will guide us in our daily life. II Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture is given to us by inspiration of God and is profitable." Do you need God to supernaturally reverse situations in your life, to forgive you, to heal you, or to meet your financial need? If so, then take God at His Word today and begin to call out to Him, expecting Him to show you the great and mighty things that you have not known before. For when you call out to God, He has promised to answer. +++ 9/2/16 A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART Scripture: Acts 13:22 "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My Own heart, which shall fulfill all My will." God led the people of Israel out of Egypt and separated them unto Himself. He then raised up the various judges who judged and guided the people for four hundred and fifty years. After that, He appointed King Saul to rule over them. Finally, God removed Saul from leadership and anointed David to be the king of Israel. God never judged any of these chosen or appointed people to have a pure heart towards Him except for David. Yet, David's pure heart for God cannot be defined as one that was without sin or short comings. In fact, when we look at his life we have to wonder how God came to the conclusion that David was a man after His own heart because David made many mistakes. He harbored lust in his heart for Bathsheba and committed moral sin with her. David also arranged for Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, to be killed in battle so that he could hide his own adulterous affair with Uriah's wife. David even tried to deceive Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, when Samuel confronted him and exposed the sin that he had committed against God. After seeing David's pitiful record, we would probably all agree that David did not deserve the recognition of being called "A Man After God's Own Heart." Our eyes would only see David's unwise choices, which were beyond belief. Our limited vision would focus on the dreadful sins that David had committed and their horrifying results. Even after being chosen and anointed to be king over Israel, he still made many bad decisions and suffered many failures. Those things would turn our eyes away from discerning the pure heart that David had towards God and God's kingdom. God's vision is not limited like our vision. He can see that which is not visible to our eyes. He could see into the depths of David's soul and discern his spirit. When God looked at David He saw a man that loved Him with all of his heart. God knew that regardless of David's personal failures that he wanted to obey God and that he was committed to fulfill God's will regardless of the cost. It was true that David fell into nature's trap and allowed lust to rule him for a season. It is also true that he chose the ways of darkness rather than light and self pleasure instead of self sacrifice. Yet God knew that in the midst of it all, He was David's first love. The story of David's life was recorded to encourage us. For all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable ... so that we can be complete and thoroughly furnished unto all good works (II Timothy 3:16-17). When we see how God judged David, we realize that God is looking at our hearts and not just our failures. We can then believe that if God forgave David of his sins and use David as a mighty man in His kingdom, He will also forgive us and use us in spite of our short comings. When we look at David's life, our sins may begin to look small and our failures and mistakes insignificant in comparison to his. We will also come to understand that when we fail, it does not mean that we do not love God, for David sinned and was still declared to be a man after God's own heart. Our failures show us that we are frail in our humanity and that God understands our weaknesses. Yet, this does not mean that we can continue in sin and cheat God's grace. Instead, it means that we do not have to discount our love for God because God's forgiveness is bigger than any of our failures. So let us always love God and always seek to be men and women after God's own heart. +++ 9/5/16 FROM VESSEL TO VESSEL Scripture: Jeremiah 48:11 "He has settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel ... therefore his taste remains in him, and his scent is not changed." This scripture refers to the country of Moab, which had settled down in its prosperity. And because it was not in captivity or facing adversity, it felt no need to trust in God. This season of ease and the lack of challenges that Moab was experiencing had caused the hearts of the people to become stale in their faith. Jeremiah compared its state to that of the process of wine making, declaring that Moab had "settled on its lees." When wine is being made it must be poured from one vessel to another to separate the liquid from the dregs. This process forces the dregs to settle in the bottom of the vessel, which improves the quality of the wine and produces a fresh scent. Wine that is not poured from vessel to vessel acquires the essence of the dregs that have settled at the bottom or "settled on its lees." It becomes stale and bitter. Through the challenges of life, God works this same process within our spirits. Sometimes we do not understand why good people have to go through bad times. Yet, it is the hard times that teach us how to trust God, and it is the hard times that keep us from becoming like Moab, "settled on our lees," or at ease and undisturbed. It is in the places of no options that our faith is challenged and our hearts learn to believe in God. It is only when we are poured out and emptied that God can fill us with His presence so that He can use us. Through each test and trial, we go through a releasing of our own desires and self. The more difficult the test, the more we release. In reality, we would rather travel the road of least resistance. It is a lot easier to settle on our lees and stay in the blessings or to sit on the pew and receive rather than be poured out on the altar. Often we rebel against being torn away from our desires, but God works with us anyway. He pours us from vessel to vessel and disallows us to settle in our own dregs. He refuses to allow us to become stale. God molds us until we are conformed into His image and then He fills us with His Spirit and causes us to take on His essence. Jesus experienced this same process as He made Himself of no reputation. He emptied Himself of all that He was and allowed God to pour Him out for mankind. He "took the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man: ... He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:7-8 & 5). He poured Himself out for us and challenges us to do the same for Him. His Word says, "Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus." As we yield to the Lord, He does the pouring and takes us from glory to glory with each new experience. As we leave the dregs behind, our lives begin to yield a freshness and a scent that is pleasing to our Maker and not offensive to the world about us. +++ 9/6/16 OPENING OUR HEART'S DOOR Scripture: Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him ..." When we read this scripture, we often think of the picture that we have seen of Jesus standing and knocking at a door that has no doorknob on the outside. The scene represents the door of our heart, which can only be opened from the inside. It leaves the impression that we must open the door if we want Jesus to come into our lives. We often think of this picture just in terms of our initial salvation and fail to realize that Jesus stands at the door of our heart on a daily basis wanting to commune with us on a personal level. This passage of scripture in Revelation was addressing not the lost, but those in the church who had become spiritually lukewarm and arrogant. They said, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." They thought that they had it all together, but the scriptures tell us that God saw them as wretched, poor, blind, and naked. So, He personally stood at their door and tried to get their attention. He wanted to come into their lives and make them into overcomers (verse 21). God told them that He would come in if they would respond to Him in two ways; by hearing His voice, and by opening the door to Him. God makes those same promises to us because He desires to experience an intimate relationship with us. He knocks on our heart's door to summon us to prayer and the study of His Word, but many times we do not respond for various reasons. We may be so far away spiritually that we actually don't hear Him, or we may be too distracted with the cares of this life to respond to His invitation. It may be that we are depending upon others to hear His voice for us. Then again, we may hear the Lord's voice, but feel we are just too busy to answer. The bottom line is that we will never be overcomers in this life if we are not attentive to God's voice or if we refuse to open the door and allow Him into our lives. He makes His invitation very plain. He says, "I am standing at the door of your heart and I am knocking. Do you hear me? Will you open the door? Can we commune with one another?" If you are willing and desire intimacy with the Lord, wait for Him just as you would wait for a special friend that you are expecting to come visit with you. Listen for His voice and respond to the knock at your heart's door. When Jesus knocks, remember that you are the only one who can open the door because the latch is on your side! +++ 9/7/16 NO DISTRACTIONS Scripture: Hebrews 2:9 "But we see Jesus." "When Leonardo da Vinci had painted his immortal 'Last Supper,' he asked a friend for an evaluation. The friend heaped superlatives on the masterpiece, and especially praised the wine cup by the Lord's hand. At that point, Leonardo blotted out the cup. He was to have said, 'Nothing should distract one's attention from the Lord.'" ... From More Stories For The Heart - Author Unknown This story makes me wonder what we see when we look at Jesus? Do we see the glory of His presence, or do we get distracted by the material things that will benefit us if we serve Him? Do we look at Jesus as being our Lord and our first love, or do we envision the honor of our own reputations because we are serving Him? Do we give others more honor and adoration than we do to God's beloved Son? Do we tend to view our spiritual leaders almost equal to our Lord and Savior? It is very easy to get distracted from the real picture and see the cup rather than the Savior. Even Peter fell into this trap when Jesus was transfigured before his eyes. He watched as Jesus' appearance was totally transformed before him. Jesus' clothes began to shine, glistening like the snow, and then Elijah and Moses appeared with Him. Peter got caught up in the moment, and focusing on the spectacular, he suggested that three memorials be built; one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. At that moment of distraction, the three were equal in Peter's eyes. Yet when it came to an end, Jesus was the only one that was remaining, and God's voice spoke with validation, "This is My only begotten Son" (Mark 9:2-8). These words remind us that we are never to build memorials in our spirits that will distract us from the only begotten Son of God. Jesus should always be our main interest, and the One that we focus our attention upon regardless of what else or who else shows up in the scene. Other ministries and the spectacular may try to lure and distract us like the cup at the Lord's hand in the painting. Even our own talents, work, and ministries may turn into masterpieces that are admired by the world. But like Leonardo da Vinci's response, we too must blot out any beauty and glory that seeks to supersede and overshadow the Lord Jesus. We should not allow anything to draw our attention away from Him. Regardless of what is happening around us, whether good or bad, we should declare, "We see Jesus." The lyrics of an old song remind us of this thought; "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of his glory and grace." +++ 9/8/16 GOD ANSWERS PRAYER Scripture: Psalms 143:7 (Message Bible) "Hurry with Your answer, God! I'm nearly at the end of my rope. King David asked the Lord to come speedily to his rescue because his enemies were pursuing him. They were attempting to crush his life into the ground and all of the turmoil that was happening around David caused him to be in a state of deep depression. Because of the darkness that surrounded him, David felt that if God did not come to his aid quickly, he would go down to the pit, which meant that he would just give up and die. David was at the end of his rope and he was desperate. He needed some kind of answer from God and he needed it right away. We have all heard the expression that when we get to the end of the rope, just tie a knot and then hang on. That expression gives the impression that the knot is supposed to be a source of deliverance for us, but hanging on to a knot in mid air for a long season is a very difficult task in itself. We must understand that the knot at the end of the rope is not our salvation, for the truth is that we cannot do it alone. We are only going to be able to hold on for just so long before our own strength begins to fail. It is good to do all that we can do to survive, but if we are going to tie a knot at the end of the rope, we are definitely going to need God to strengthen us physically, mentally, and emotionally so that we can hold on until His supernatural deliverance comes. While David was in his perplexing situation, he told the Lord, "I remember Your glorious miracles that You did in the days past and I reach out for You" (Verse six). God had delivered him many times, so David decided to let go of everything and trust in God. You may be at the end of your rope because of the circumstances that surround you and you may not know whether to let go or hang on, but you do know that things cannot continue as they are. Like David, you need God to hurry, to come speedily to your rescue with His answer, for you recognize that time is running out. I encourage you to speak to God very plainly as David did and tell Him that you are at the end and that you need Him to come through for you one more time. God understands exactly where you are, for He sees your needs and He has answers for you. So set your gaze upon the Lord and stretch forth your arms to Him. Let Him know that you are trusting totally in Him rather than the knot at the end of your rope. As you reach out to the Lord, He will reach out to you. +++ 9/9/16 LEARN OF ME Scripture: Matthew 11:29 "Come unto Me ... learn of Me." Jesus speaks to those of us who are weary and heavy laden and tells us that we do not have to stay in that condition. He tells us that all we need to do is to come to Him and He will show us how to achieve rest in the midst of our labor. This means mental and emotional rest as well as physical rest. The Lord does not want us to be stressed in any area, whether it is in trying to meet our job requirements or doing the work of the ministry. He invites us to take His yoke upon ourselves so that we can enjoy life and find rest for our souls. Jesus said, "Learn of Me." This was a part of His great remedy for our fatigue, our stress, and ridding ourselves of heavy burdens. Jesus is our wonderful counselor, but how could His few words, "Learn of Me," solve our many problems? We must look at the examples of His life and listen to the words that He speaks. Jesus declared that He was meek and lowly. Being meek does not mean to be weak. It means that He kept His emotions intact and disciplined Himself to be gentle. Jesus did not rant and rave about everything that went wrong in His life or allow the petty accusations of the religious leaders to wear on His emotions. He kept His mind focused on His mission and went about doing good and serving others. He also remained lowly or humbly submitted to God the Father. Jesus never tried to prove that He was the Son of God even when He was tempted and challenged by the devil. Jesus simply stood steadfast in the knowledge of who God said that He was and did not put Himself in a bind by acting presumptuously. Instead, He only did what the Father showed Him. That in itself released Him from much pressure and responsibility. Jesus was simply obedient and left the results to Almighty God. Jesus studied the scriptures from an early age so that He could understand the will of God and also be able to come against the strategies of the devil. He was challenged with feeding the multitudes but He never got under the burden that Martha did who found herself anxious about serving her guest. Like Mary, Jesus had chosen the good part and had spent much time sitting in the presence of His Father. When it came time to feed the thousands, Jesus trusted the same God who had provided manna every day for forty years in the wilderness for Moses and the millions of Israelites. Jesus did not get uptight or face defeat when it became necessary to confront the demon possessed man because He had prepared Himself by prayer and fasting long before the incident occurred. Jesus also showed us some natural things that will ease our burdens and renew our strength. He took time to be totally alone so that He could rest physically and regenerate His own spirit, and He encouraged His disciples to do the same. If Jesus needed physical and mental rest, we surely do. We cannot wait until we have time, we must take time to follow His example. Jesus could perform miracles but He did not try to do all the work of the ministry by Himself. Instead, Jesus surrounded Himself with twelve close friends or disciples and allowed them to help Him carry His load. He was never threatened or became jealous when others tried to do what He was doing. Jesus was truly unique. We must become meek and lowly in heart as Jesus was and learn all that we can from Him. As we do, we will be able to escape the weariness and anxiety that living life creates. +++ 9/12/16 SHIELDED FROM FEAR Scripture: Psalms 91:4-5 "His truth shall be your shield ... You shall not be afraid for the terror ..." This is a mighty promise for us today as we think about our future and remember the horrific events that happened fifteen years ago on 9/11 when America was attacked by terrorist. This attack against life did not just affect our homeland and citizens. It also affected the entire world because people from many nations were included in this one attack and have also suffered loss in other attacks that have followed. Yet, this one day of devastation changed our lives forever. And our promise to those who lost their own lives or their loved ones is still the same today as it was that day, "We will never forget." The memories of the things that we saw and the sounds that we heard will be forever engrained in our hearts. September 11, 2001 was a day when evil men sought to bring our nation to its knees in humility before them. Instead, their actions united us as a nation and brought us to our knees in humility before the Almighty God. Students who were not allowed to pray in schools were suddenly led in prayer by their teachers and principals. Those in our government boldly confessed their convictions without any reservations. People of various faiths forgot their differences and all of the churches came together in unity to seek the face of the Lord. Revival sprang up in the hearts of people and overshadowed the evil that lurked in the hearts of our enemies. Good overcame evil and terror was turned into triumph. As we face this season of reflection fifteen years later, let us be thankful for our precious liberty that is still intact. Our flag is still there ... we are still One Nation Under God ... and our God in whom we trust, is still Faithful." He has not changed. In these challenging days, let our faith arise and declare the words of the psalmist, "God's truth shall be our shield and we shall not be afraid of the terror." +++ 9/13/16 SONGS IN THE NIGHT Scripture: Job 35:10 "God my Maker, who gives songs in the night." If God is going to give us songs in the night, then it stands to reason that we must have night seasons to face. Regardless of whether these night seasons are literal or spiritual, we can count on God to be there and put a song in our heart. The night that Jesus and His disciples received the Passover meal, they sung a hymn. This occurred shortly before Jesus was to face the agony of the garden, the betrayal, and His crucifixion (Matthew 26:30). How the words and melody of that hymn must have lingered in His soul while He faced the darkness of His destiny. After Paul and Silas were beaten and put into stocks in the prison, they prayed and sang praises at the midnight hour (Acts 16:25). God gave these men a song to sing in the midst of their darkest hours. Many times it is in the darkest hours of men's lives that God gives songs that are everlasting. Haratio Spafford and his wife were grieving over the death of their son when they encountered financial disaster during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. They decided to get away from their problems and sail to England to be in the Dwight L. Moody services. Spafford's wife and four daughters left ahead of him. On their journey across the Atlantic Ocean, their ship collided with another vessel and sank very quickly. His four daughters were lost in the collision. In grief and shock, Spafford boarded the first ship to meet his wife. As he crossed the Atlantic, the ship's captain pointed out the place where the ship had gone down. Psalms 42:8 says, "In the night God's song shall be with me." That night God gave a song to Spafford and he penned these words to a hymn that has been the source of comfort to millions for over a century. "When sorrows like sea-billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, "It Is Well, It Is Well With My Soul." "Though Satan should buffet, tho' trials should come my way, Let this bless assurance control, "It Is Well, It Is Well With My Soul." The psalmist said, "I am so troubled that I cannot speak" but "I call to remembrance my song in the night" (Psalms 77:4 & 6). The psalmist's mind was troubled, but He allowed God to stir a song in his heart. Haratio Spafford may have had these same feelings that dreadful day that he lost his four daughters. He may have been so troubled that he could not speak, yet he allowed God to comfort his heart with a song. God does the same for us. He is with us in the midst of our problems and surrounds us with songs of deliverance (Psalms 32:7). He preserves us during sorrows and shields us from the buffeting of Satan by giving us lyrics and melodies that minister peace, joy, comfort, and encouragement. You must believe that whatever is happening in your life, God will meet you at your point of need. He will surround you with His love and minister songs of deliverance to you. You can then declare as Haratio Spafford said, "It is Well, It is Well With My Soul." +++ 9/14/16 AS YOUR SOUL PROSPERS Scripture: III John 2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." We often think of prosperity in the terms of money and material things, but true prosperity is a far reaching concept that includes success in every area of life. The spirit of prosperity does not depend upon what you have or what you do not have. There are many people who are wealthy and have an abundance of material possessions but are lacking prosperity because their lives are empty and unfulfilled. They are never satisfied and many times complain about what they do have. They are always reaching for more in an effort to satisfy their own lust, and as a result they have little time to think of the needs of others. Yet there are others who have very little as far as worldly goods are concerned, but possess great prosperity in their hearts. They are happy and satisfied and their greatest fulfillment is to share what they have with someone who needs it more than they do. They feel blessed just to be able to be a blessing, even though it may leave them without. Two of God's greatest wishes is that we prosper and that we be in good health. However, our health, our material prosperity, and our personal success is linked to the prosperity of our soul. Matthew 6:33 confirms this thought by saying, "Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." When you seek God, He blesses your life in a supernatural way. Abraham left everything to follow after God and God blessed him and made him rich. God offered King Solomon anything that he wanted, but Solomon did not ask for riches or fame for himself. Instead he asked for wisdom to lead God's people, and God not only imparted wisdom to Solomon, but gave him wealth and fame beyond measure. Isaac obeyed God and stayed in the land where God had placed him and God made him to prosper in the time of famine. God even caused everything that Joseph did to prosper when he was a slave and serving in the prison. These men prospered because their souls prospered. They followed and sought after God's best and trusted His sovereign plan. If you desire to experience true prosperity in your life, then allow your soul to prosper. Take time to wait upon God so that you can draw strength from His presence. Study His Word and listen to His voice, which will speak words of wisdom to you. Seek to accomplish God's will by obeying His commands and following where He leads. Want what God wants. Go where God goes. Do what God tells you to do. As you totally commit your life to Him and trust in His sovereign plan, your soul will prosper and all that God has ordained for your life will come to pass. +++ 9/15/16 FAITH IS THE VICTORY Scripture: I John 5:4 "This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." Faith is not some fancy mental or emotional feeling. It is your response to the power of God's Word, and your own personal statement that declares, "God said it so I believe it." Regardless of what is happening around you, your heart is convinced that everything is going to be okay because you know that God is on your side. Faith causes everything within you to believe that you can trust God. Your whole being makes a firm determination to stand upon His promises regardless of what happens, for you know that He cannot and will not fail. This is the victory that overcomes the world. Doubt and unbelief will rob you of your blessings and your peace of mind. When you begin to see things the way the devil wants you to view them, discouragement and despair will fill your heart. Satan's concepts will render you helpless when you face the storms of life, and his seeds of doubt will flourish within your spirit until you have no hope. You will see the mountain instead of your God who can take you over the mountain. You will see the desert instead of your God who can sustain you in the desert. You will see your needs instead of the One who will meet your needs and who will give abundantly beyond what you ask or think. Instead of your faith overcoming the world, the world will overcome your faith and erase any chance of victory. Faith, however, will change your atmosphere and alter the results. It will cause you to look at things with a totally different perspective, as you see your problems as God sees them. You will not see yourself as a grasshopper in the eyes of the giant, but will see yourself as one who is able to take down the giant and possess the promises of God. I recently heard someone say, "A shark in the ocean is dangerous and a lion in the forest is equally dangerous." But listen to the rest of the words, "But a shark in the forest is not dangerous, and a lion in the ocean is not dangerous." Both the shark and lion were potentially dangerous, but were rendered helpless when their environment and atmosphere were changed. God is awesome and He is able to change your atmosphere and render the strategies and works of the devil helpless in your situations. God changed the atmosphere for the Hebrew children in the furnace of fire and also for Daniel in the lion's den. He will do the same for you in your situations when you exhibit faith in Him and His Words. The Lord will surround your sharks with the forest and cast your lions into the ocean. All you have to do is look beyond the natural, get a glimpse of God, and allow your faith to be the victory that overcomes the world. +++ 9/16/16 LIGHT TRESPASS Scripture: II Corinthians 4:6 "... the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the mind of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them." In many of the cities and even in some of the rural areas there are so many lights that the stars in the heavens are hidden. Although you can usually see the moon, you must travel several miles to find a place that is dark enough to give you a clear view of the stars. Many times these true and supernatural lights of God's creation are impossible to be seen because they are dimmed by the artificial lights of man's making. The technical term for this problem is called "light trespass." God's handiwork and true beauty are overshadowed by the progress of time. This overabundance of artificial illumination trespasses upon the territories of God’s heaven and hides the awesome glory of His perfect lights. Yet regardless of this interference, God's wonders are still there in the heavens and His glory has not declined in the least. If you can get past the artificial, you will find that the moon is still glowing and the stars are still shinning. Every light that God created from the foundations of the world is still illuminated by His power. They are still functioning according to His plan and purposes even though their awesome beauty is challenged and endangered by the trespass of foreign light that dims their view. In the spiritual realm we face a similar situation. The god of this world attempts to blind our eyes so that we cannot see the true light of the glorious gospel of Christ. Satan, himself, appears as an angel of light and treads upon God's territory as he trespasses in the hearts of men. He shines his light as brightly as he can in an effort to outshine the beauty of the True Light that gives life to man. Satan's artificial light conflicts with the real and the supernatural as he offers things that appeal to the carnal man. In an effort to dim the eternal glories of the true riches that are in Christ Jesus, he offers temporal moments of pleasures. He dims our vision of the Kingdom of God by enticing us to exchange it for the kingdoms of this present world. He offers immediate satisfaction and entices us not to wait for God's best. Satan is a master of deceit and shows us the forbidden fruit of his wisdom so that we will not believe and receive the light of God's wisdom, which comes down from above. Satan entices our hearts to be so overcrowded with the things of this world that we forget the light of God's Word, which is designed to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. He tempts us to get involved in doing good things so that we do not have time to follow after God's perfect will for our lives. The Light of the Lord Jesus shines brightly, but we must not allow anything to obscure our view of Him; not our fame or fortune, fulfillment of our own desires, or the brightness of any temptation that the devil offers to us. Neither can we allow our failures and disappointments to overshadow the light of God's mercy, grace, and faithfulness to forgive. We cannot allow our minds to be blinded by the god of this world, who seeks to trespass against the light of the glorious gospel of Christ. Instead we must make every effort to find God's light at all cost. We must turn our eyes towards Jesus, who is the image of the true and living God, and focus upon the light of His love, His joy, and His peace. +++ 9/19/16 STABLE FEET Scripture: Habakkuk 3:19 "The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me walk upon my high places." Habakkuk was in fear when he saw the Chaldeans coming to invade the land. He said, "My whole inner self (or everything within me) trembled and my lips quivered at the sound." There was nothing that he could do to prevent the situation as he waited quietly for the day of trouble and distress to come against his people. Yet in the midst of all this turmoil and the uncertainty about the future, Habakkuk put his trust in God and continued to praise Him. He made a bold declaration that God's strength would help him and his people get through the hard and uncertain times that they were facing. He said, "I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. If the fig tree does not blossom and bring fruit; if the product of the olive fails; if the fields yield no food; if there are no flocks; and if there are no cattle in the stalls, I will still rejoice." He made a decision ahead of time to praise God regardless of what the future held for him and his people. He was determined not to let the circumstances separate him from God. As he depended upon God for strength and help, he held three secrets in his heart that caused him to be able to continue in praise to God in spite of impending danger. 1) The Lord would be his strength. 2) God would make his feet to be stable. 3) God had a personal plan for him and would help him walk in it. Habakkuk knew that the eternal supernatural God that he served was bigger than any natural circumstance that he would have to face. Even though Habakkuk's own natural resources were failing, he knew that God would sustain him so he placed his confidence in the God who was his source and strength. Like Habakkuk, you can also have this same assurance. Regardless of the trouble or distress that you may be facing, you must stop relying on your own strength and lean upon God. As you begin to depend upon God, He will make your feet like the feet of the deer, strong and sure. As you develop your faith by hearing His Word, He will give you the ability to climb your mountain of adversity without fear. You must acknowledge God as your source of strength and praise Him regardless of how bad your circumstances look. As you do, He will then lead you to the places that He has prepared for you and enable you to conquer each cliff, one step at a time. Be assured that the same God who made Habakkuk's feet stable and allowed him to walk in high places is also the same God that is there for you. +++ 9/20/16 SINCERE LOVE Scripture: Romans 12:9 "Let your love be sincere." When I took Latin as my foreign language in high school, I learned the true meaning of the word sincere. When the word sincere was originally created, it meant "without wax." The word came into being because many of the vendors at that time came to the marketplace with the intentions of deceiving their buyers. They often hid pockets of heavy wax within the center of their precious metals in order to increase the weight and increase the value. They overlaid the waxed-filled items with the precious metals and even though it looked good on the outside, the inside was fake. The buyer had to be cautious and able to determine if the wares they were receiving were truly sincere or if they were actually full of wax. Today, we sign letters with the words "Sincerely" in an effort to convey that our words are true and that our affections are genuine. Many of us have entered into contracts and relationships that looked good on the outside, but instead turned out to be "full of wax." These words may even define our own lives if we seek to deceive, so the Apostle Paul encouraged us not to allow this to happen. He said, "Let your love be sincere" or let your love be pure and without wax and deception. We cannot allow hypocrisy in our lives, for the Lord told us to love as He loved. We know that His love was sincere and certainly without wax, for He showed His love by sacrificing His own life on the cross. He loved unconditionally and also loved all creation. He did not pick and choose those whom He would die for, but gave His life for all men whether they were lovely or unlovely. We too must love in the same manner. The Message Bible translates this verse, "Love from the center of who you are." If you are born again, the Spirit of God lives within you and He is love. God, Himself, is harbored in the very center of your being and all that you need to do is to allow Him to manifest Himself in your life. When you do, genuine love will flow out of you to a world that is full of hurting people. The unlovely will cross you path each and every day, but you will not have to pretend that you love them or overlay the judgmental and hateful feelings that you have with a mere cloak of love. Instead, you will see them through God's eyes and you will sincerely love them the way that He loves them. When you submit to God and allow Him to warm your being with His presence, the wax of insincerity will melt away and the Lord will fill those void places with His sincere love. +++ 9/21/16 GOD'S WONDROUS WORKS Scripture: Psalms 26:7 "That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Thy wondrous works." God's creation goes far beyond anything that we ourselves could have ever imagined to create. In fact, our minds can only comprehend a portion of His awesome works, and our most precise words are inadequate to tell of His marvelous wonders. There are no words to describe the majestic mountains whose heights surpass the clouds or explain the beauty of the lush green valleys. Who can tell of the dry barren deserts and wilderness places that are unique and wondrous in their own way, or speak of the vast oceans and enormous lakes? There are also tall trees and small intricate flowers to consider. There is the beauty of the heavens, which goes far beyond what our eyes can behold, and there is also the sunrise and sunsets that no artist could ever duplicate on canvas. God was truly very imaginative when He created this earth and this was just the beginning of His wondrous works. After God finished creating the heavens and the earth, He created man and filled his being with wonders that surpass the wonders of nature that surrounds him. These works of God are awesome and precious to us on a personal and daily basis. God has graciously given us sight, which allows us to behold His wondrous works and enables us to move about unhindered in the earth. He has given us ears so that we may hear voices, music, and the awesome sounds of nature. He has equipped our nostrils with the sense of smell, which not only enhances life but also serves to protect us when there are the hidden dangers such as fire. We have been given the wonderful sense of taste for our pleasure so that we can enjoy all the various foods and drinks that God has created. God made our vocal cords so that we could speak, sing, and communicate with one another. We enjoy the sense of touch and also the ability to feel emotions such as love, joy, and passion. God has also given us a spirit so that we might experience the privilege of communicating directly with Him, for God is spirit. God is awesome and His works are truly wondrous. Yet, many times we neglect to acknowledge them. It is time for us to make a change in this matter. Let us join with the psalmist who desired to publish the wondrous works of God with a voice of thanksgiving. Let us consider all the works of God's hands; the beauty of the mountains, valleys, oceans, lakes, trees, flowers, and all that He has set before us. And then let us speak of these wondrous works to God, to ourselves, and to others with a voice of thanksgiving. God has been so gracious to give us such beauty and wonder to behold and He deserves the glory and praise for all that He has done. +++ 9/22/16 BETWEEN THE WATERS Scripture: Exodus 14:29 "The children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left." The children of Israel had no way to escape their enemy. The Red Sea was in front of them and the Egyptians were pursuing from behind. It seemed that the Israelites were at the end, but God took the natural and turned it into a supernatural miracle of deliverance for them. He used two natural elements, the wind and the water, to create a way to deliver His people and at same time destroy their enemy. God is God. He could have just transported the Israelites across the Red Sea in the Spirit like He did with Philip after he had witnessed to the Eunuch in the desert (Acts 8:39). Instead, God chose to have the Israelites walk right through the middle of the sea. This journey on the dry ground was a miracle in itself because the sea floor should have remained wet and muddy long after the waters were rolled back, but God caused the ground to be dry and stable enough for millions of people to cross. Even though God provided dry ground for them to walk upon, their supernatural walk was between two walls of water that could have possibly come surging in on them at any given moment. This had to be an awesome sight and yet a frightening moment in their lives as they gathered their young children and elderly parents and walked with them between the walls of water. Can you imagine the faith that it took to obey God's command and walk this supernatural walk? Our walk of faith many times is like this, for we can see that God is making a way for us. In the midst of our adverse circumstances, He tells us to go forward and He gives us dry ground to walk upon. We rejoice because it is an awesome miracle. Yet as we begin to make our journey in obedience to His words of direction, we see adversity on the right and on the left like the walls of water that stood in heaps as the Israelites passed through the middle of the sea. It is no less frightening for us than it was for them, for it is a new and strange thing. Thoughts of doubt and fear attack our minds and tell us that it is just a matter of time before everything crashes in upon us. We fail to consider that God is in control and that He has a plan and a reason for the walls of water. He plans to use those walls of water to destroy our enemies forever, just as He did with the Israelites. God has never promised that our walk would be easy, for life itself will always demand faith and trust on our part. When God leads, He will cause the ground to be dry beneath our feet, one step at a time. Our steps forward will demand faith as we walk between the walls of water to receive our deliverance and to experience our destiny. +++ 9/23/16 TURN ASIDE AND SEE THE PLAN Scripture: Acts:7:31 "When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came to him." God had a very special plan for Moses' life. God protected him from death when all the male babies of the nation were being killed at their birth. He also kept Moses safe as an infant while he floated down the river in a tiny basket. God allowed Moses to be rescued from the river by Pharaoh's daughter and to be raised in the palace of Pharaoh. This exposed Moses to the protocol of the Egyptian courts, where later he would make pleas for the freedom of God's people. Eventually, Moses was forced to leave the comforts of the palace and the family and friends that he cherished and flee into the desert for safety. During this season it probably did not look like God was doing anything special or that He was even involved in Moses' life. Yet all the while, God was definitely working His divine plan in Moses' life. After Moses left the palace he tended sheep on the back side of the desert for forty long years. This had to be a very humbling and mundane experience for a man who had experienced the excitement and grandeur of the palace. He had been raised as the son of Pharaoh's daughter and his life had been one of prosperity, prestige, and honor. But now his duties were different than they had been in the courts of Pharaoh. Instead of the hustle and bustle of the royal life and overseeing important matters that pertained to Pharaoh's vast kingdom, Moses' days were now spent caring for his father-in-law's sheep in a remote wilderness. He may have wondered if he had missed God's plan for his life as he quietly maintained this daily routine year after year. Then suddenly one day Moses noticed a flame in a bush and said, "I must now turn aside and see why the bush is not consumed." This one decision and one declaration led Moses into the presence of God. As he drew near, the voice of the Lord spoke to him out of the bush. Moses probably never dreamed that when he took the time to investigate the bush situation that he was going to have a God experience and that his whole life would suddenly change. He could have made excuses; "I'm too busy. I am too tired. I am not interested in this strange phenomenon. I cannot leave my sheep." Instead, Moses’ good choice allowed God to speak to him personally and in this moment of time God commissioned him to deliver His people from the bondage of Egypt. We will not have the exact experience that Moses had or be called to lead a multitude of people out of Egypt. But God will approach us so that we can be a part of His supernatural work in the Earth. Our God experience probably will not be a literal burning bush encounter but a simple nudge for us to do something good for someone in need. When we respond, our act of kindness will be the miracle that they are praying for. Somehow God will cause us to help them find direction and we will be their cloud by day and their fire by night for a season. Our listening ear will be a haven of refuge for their hurting heart. Our words of comfort will be an encouragement of hope in their despair. Our natural provisions will satisfy their hunger. Our presence in their life will point them to the Rock, Christ Jesus, the Living Water, who will quench their thirst. God used every man in the scriptures differently and He has a plan for you. He needs you just as He needed Moses to fulfill a particular assignment on the earth. I encourage you to be very sensitive to the still quiet voice of the Holy Spirit. When He speaks, turn aside and draw near to Him. He will direct you and place you in the path of the needy. When He does, then take notice of what God is showing you and do what He wants you to do. +++ 9/26/16 MAKE A CLEAR SOUND Scripture: I Corinthians 14:8 "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? The ancient Hebrews used an instrument that was called a shofar, which was a trumpet that was made from a ram's horn. It was used to sound an alarm, to summon the people together, and was also used in other various rituals. It dictated to the people what their response should be, for it made certain and clear sound with a specific purpose in mind, which was to call the people to war, celebration, or worship. It is still used today by the Jewish people at their New Year's celebration of Rosh Hashanah and their most holy day of Yon Kippur. The shofar was put under much pressure before it became the instrument that could be used in such a manner. It had to be cut from the ram and the inside of it had to be totally gutted and made clean. It then had to be boiled until it was soft and pliable and put under fire so that it could be shaped. After this process was complete, the shofar had to be sanded until it became smooth. Only after this enduring process was it ready to fulfill its purpose and its destiny, which was to make a clarion call to battle, celebration, or worship. The Apostle Paul encouraged us to be like a trumpet that gives forth a certain sound. We all want to fulfill that call and purpose, but not many of us want to go through the process of becoming the instrument that God can work through, for it is much like the process of refining the shofar. Our souls must be cut away from everything that would hinder our freedom in Christ and we must allow ourselves to be totally cleaned within by God's Holy Spirit. This is not an easy process because God offends our minds in order to test our hearts. Often we do not understand His works of righteousness, for there is much pain that is involved to affect His purposes in our lives. God allows us to experience the fire so that we will become soft and pliable enough to be shaped in His hands. Then just about the time that we think He is finished and we feel that we are ready, He begins the sanding process. We must remember that God is not trying to be cruel to us. He just wants to make sure that our words and lives are making a clear and certain sound to those about us. He said that we were the hope of His glory and His kingdom depends upon our witness and testimony. We are epistles read of all men and we are not to be confusing to those about us. Our lives are to be sure and our sound is to be certain, whether it is a call to battle, celebration, or worship. +++ 9/27/16 IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:1 "... the righteous, and the wise, and their works are in the hand of God." An illustrated cartoon depicted a large hand that was labeled 'God's Hand.' The palm of the hand was facing upward, and a very small man was standing in the center of the palm of God's hand. The man was fearfully and anxiously looking around for help. There was a bubbled caption coming from his lips that read, "Where's God when you really need Him?" How true this picture is in our own lives. In the midst of our frustration, we often lose sight that God is right there with us. We cannot see beyond ourselves because our heart aches and our weaknesses and distress overwhelm us. In our confusion, we stand in the very presence of the Almighty and cry, "Where is God?" We look in every direction, but fail to see God because our circumstances and problems are blocking our view. Disappointment clouds our vision and darkness has dominion over our souls. Even though it seems that we have no hope, we need to know that God has never lost control. He holds us in the palm of His hand, protecting us from all danger and carrying us through every situation. As God watches us squirm in His hand, He must wonder at our anxiety. He has made it very plain in His Word that He has every intention of meeting all of our needs. God has reassured us many times that He will not give us a burden that is too heavy to carry and that His grace will never be insufficient. His mercy will endure in every situation and His joy will be our strength. God cares for us as a father who cares for his own children. All we have to do is release everything to Him. God's hand is bigger than our life and all of its problems. Regardless of the storms and adversities that we may be facing, we have nothing to fear because the Lord has given us a promise of security. God is holding us in the palm of His hand and Jesus declared that no one could take us out of that special place (John 10:29). +++ 9/28/16 LABORERS OF THE HARVEST Scripture: Proverbs 20:4 (Living Bible) "If you won't plow in the cold, you won't eat at the harvest." Fruit and grain for our livelihood does not spring forth from the ground without effort. There is much work and faith that goes into bringing about a harvest. The ground has to be plowed and the seed has to be planted at the right season, for nature does not allow for procrastination. God's spiritual kingdom is also like this. Luke 10:2 says, "God is the Lord of the harvest" and tells us that we are to pray that He would send laborers into His harvest. Both the laborers and the harvest are symbols of the minister and the work that the minister is called to do. Yet, many times when we are called as laborers into the harvest to witness or minister, we fail to follow God's leading because we are distracted. Like the natural farmer, we see the hazards of the cold. We may feel that we are not spiritually prepared enough to witness, or think that the person that we are to witness to is not ready. Perhaps we feel there are other matters that we must take care of first, so we fail to plow the field and plant the seed. Therefore, the promise is lost because of procrastination and the work is left undone because of distractions. In Luke 9:62, Jesus tells us that we are to put our hand to the plow, and not look back. The Living Bible says, "Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God." We are not to allow any distractions to keep us from God's appointed time or His assignment. When He speaks to us or shows us a need, God is letting us know that the season is right and that His Holy Spirit has already begun a work. If we fail to move at God's biding and in His season, we will fail to see the many blessings that God had prepared for those lives that He had intended to reach through us. Has God placed it on your heart to do a good deed, say a kind word, or meet a special need? Has He called you into His fields to witness to someone about salvation? Do you have good intentions, but do not follow through because of the distractions of life? Like a natural harvest, God's Kingdom does not allow for procrastination, either. If God is speaking to you, He is working on the other end to prepare the harvest. As the Lord of the harvest, He waits for you to put your hand to the plow and sow the seeds that He has provided. The Lord depends upon you, His laborer. You are the hope of His glory in the Earth. If you do not work God's fields, bless others, or reach out to the lost, there will be no harvest. +++ 9/29/16 LETTING GO Scripture: Genesis 13:14-15 "And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot separated from him, Look as far as you can see in every direction, for I am going to give it all to you and your descendants." When Abraham and Sarah left Egypt, Abraham's nephew, Lot, went with them. But as time progressed strife begin to occur between Abraham and Lot's herdsmen. Abraham suggested that he and Lot separate from each other in an effort to end the strife and confusion. After Lot separated from him, God spoke to Abraham and showed him the land that was to be his. He also promised Abraham that his seed would be as numerous as the dust of the earth, meaning it would be impossible to count his descendants. Notice that God did not speak to Abraham until after Lot separated from him. God led Abraham out from the safe and familiar into a new place, and then separated him from his close relationships. This pattern is a very familiar one with God. God separated Moses and sent him to the backside of the desert for forty years before He commissioned him to deliver His people out of Egypt. Joseph was separated from his family and imprisoned in a foreign land for about sixteen years before he was promoted to second in the kingdom. And the apostle Paul was alone in the desert for about eight years before God used him to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus and to write most of the New Testament. All of us would like to hear from God and receive a new promise and commission from Him like these great men, but ministry comes with a price. Before God brings us to a new level and empowers us for a new service, He first leads us out and separates us to Himself. It is hard to be separated from the things that we know and the people we enjoy, but we cannot get to the Promised Land without going through the wilderness. When God calls us out, we cannot do all the things that our friends do or go to the places they go. God's new plan requires cutting away the old and familiar so that He can bless us with the new. If you have found yourself separated in thought and desire from the things that were familiar and that used to seem comfortable, God is possibly drawing you into a new place of commitment and service for Him. Do not be discouraged if you do not seem to fit into the old ways any more. Just let go and be encouraged as the old things separate from you. God is doing a new thing in your life so that you will be ready for His new plan. His thoughts towards you are good. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God's plan is to prosper you and not to harm you. His greatest plan is to give you a future and a hope, but first you must let go. +++ Copyright © 2016 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com			..............................