Apr17

............	A Word In Due Season April 2017 4/3/17 THREEFOLD CORD Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:12 "A threefold cord is not quickly broken." When you need a cord or a rope, you match its strength with the required task. A single or double corded rope may be okay for a light chore, but it will certainly break under excessive pressure. A rope made with three cords, however, will afford greater strength and be harder to break. Solomon referred to this threefold cord in reference to relationships and declared that it is never easy for us to stand alone in life's situations. We need each other in order to enhance our strength. He said that two are better than one, and that three offer an even greater strength, which can not be easily or quickly broken. This threefold concept of strength holds true in the spiritual realm as well as it does in natural relationships. We are designed to be part of a threefold spiritual cord. In I Timothy 2:1, the Apostle Paul told Timothy that the believers should pray and make intercession for all men. We must understand that the Lord entrusted us with the responsibility to be part of the process of helping others to get their needs met through prayer. We are given the awesome privilege of approaching the throne of God for them, yet, we do not stand alone in this endeavor. There are two others who stand with us and are continually making intercession for the saints of God. Romans 8:34 tells us that Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, making intercession for us. Jesus is the Mediator between us and God, the Father, and He prays for us while the enemy attempts to sift us as wheat. Also Romans 8:26 says, "The Holy Spirit makes intercession for us." He helps us pray when we do not know how or what to pray. When all that we can do is groan in the spirit, He speaks to the Father on our behalf. How could our strength ever fail with this threefold bond in the spirit? I pray that this knowledge will be a strength to you as you face the challenges ahead. When it seems you are all alone and you do not know what to do, remember there is always someone praying for you. Regardless of the uncertainties and battles that you are facing, you must believe that there is a threefold cord that is working in your favor. God is calling others to stand in the gap for your needs and their prayers will be joined with the intercessions of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. You must also be sensitive to the Spirit because God will call you to this same special place of intercession for others and much of the outcome will depend upon your own prayers. Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, and the believer; the strength of this awesome threefold cord can not easily or quickly be broken. +++ 4/4/17 REST FOR AWHILE Scripture: Mark 6:31 (Amplified) "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place, and rest for awhile." The disciples were so busy that they had no time to rest. In fact, they could not even sit and eat a meal in leisure without being interrupted by the needy crowd of people who continually followed them. The masses drew upon their time and energies and left them totally spent. Finally, Jesus called them away to a solitary place just to rest. Our own lifestyles have become similar to this scenario. We have become exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally because our schedules allow very little time for us to rest and regenerate. Often, if we are not careful and determined, we even fail to make time to pray and study God's Word. Yet, our strength to maintain life's demands and cope with stress depends upon getting physical rest and having fellowship and communion with the Lord. Isaiah 40:29-31 tells us that as we wait upon the Lord and linger in His presence, God will increase our strength, causing it to multiply and making it abound. As we rest in His presence and renew ourselves spiritually, God renews our physical strength and causes us to be able to walk and run without getting weary or faint. Isaiah said even the young men would fall with exhaustion, but those who wait upon the Lord would be like eagles, full of strength, soaring above every situation. Jesus also told us what to do if we become weary, over burdened, and stressed out. He said, "Come to Me, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28-30). Supernatural strength is imparted when we come into the presence of the Lord. He said, "Take My yoke upon you." In other words, "Surrender everything you are to Me. If you will allow Me to pull the load, you will find relief from pressures and be refreshed in your spirit. Get to know Me, for I am very gentle of spirit. If I give you a burden to bear, it will be easy and light, for I will never put more on you than you can bear. Cast all your cares on Me, for I care for you. Come away with Me to a solitary place for a while and rest in My presence. As you become still, you will come to know that I am God (Psalms 46:10) and peace will enter your soul. As My presence surrounds you, you will find refreshing and blessed quietness for I will cause you to rest." +++ 4/5/17 FORGIVENESS WITH GOD Scripture: Psalms 130:3 "If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? God is a God of mercy and grace. He does not follow us around and write down every indiscretion that we commit. Like the psalmist said, "If He counted all of our iniquities, who would be able to stand?" God understands all of our temptations and all of our failures because His Son was tempted in all of the areas that we are tempted with. Yet, Jesus is the only one who remained without sin. God never condemns us for our transgressions, regardless of how big or how small they are. He patiently waits for us to confess them to Him so that He can forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). He is very faithful in this area. Psalms 103:12 says, "He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west." And verse ten tells us that God does not deal with us after our sins, or reward us according to our iniquities. In other words, He does not punish us according to the degree of our sins. We never have to fear God in terror of His punishment, for His discipline and punishment is meant for correction and protection. Yet, we are instructed to give Him reverence and to fear Him as a child respectfully fears their loving father. The grace of God’s forgiveness is never to be taken as our license to freely sin. God looks beyond our faults and sees our needs. He sees how vulnerable we are and because we were created from the dust, He does not expect us to be gods. If God marked or kept record of all of our iniquities and punished us accordingly, no one would be able to stand before Him, for we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. He made provision ahead of time for our failures. God sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross so that we could receive forgiveness and cleansing. Since God made this ultimate sacrifice, it stands to reason that His desire and intention is to forgive. God does not want to record our sins so that He can remember them. He wants to forgive them so that He can forget them. God’s love will cover a multitude of sin, if we only ask. +++ 4/6/17 WITNESSING Scripture: Acts 1:8 "You shall be witnesses unto Me." We often make witnessing about Jesus such a big ordeal when in reality it is just talking about Him. It is so easy to tell others about a movie that we have seen and describe the main characters and all of their attributes. We may even quote a few lines that they said and be able to convince our listener that the main character was either good or bad. Witnessing about Jesus and the things of God should come just as easy and natural if we truly know Him. We should be able to talk about Him as a person, and in a simple way tell the facts about His life. God's Word should be so alive to us that we are able to quote our favorite lines that Jesus said or other scriptures pertaining to Him. Witnesses who take the stand in a court of law are only required to tell the facts they know. They do not have to know and understand everything about the circumstances. They only have to reveal the truth as they know it. In Luke 7:20-22 the disciples of John came to Jesus and asked if He was the Messiah that should come or should they look for another? Jesus replied and said, "Go tell John what things you have seen and heard; how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor." They were to tell only what they had witnessed personally. When you give witness of the things that Jesus has done for you, the facts will speak for themselves and your experience will make your words come alive. Psalms 105:1-5 gives us some instructions about how to witness. The psalmist said in part to give thanks to the Lord and sing. There is a great witness that goes forth when you simply give praise to God and sing songs that honor Him. You are also to remember and make known His deeds among the people and talk of all His wondrous works, giving glory to His Holy Name. Your witnessing is not just a formula that you have been taught in evangelism class. It also should never be burdensome but should generate spontaneously from your heart. Jesus said, "You shall be My witnesses." Your message is a real person and that person is Jesus. +++ 4/7/17 RUN WITH FAITH Scripture: I Samuel 17:48 "David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine." David had no fear when he came against Goliath because his heart was full of faith. He refused Saul's armor and placed his confidence not in a big sword, but in a big God. David knew that the God he served could and would deliver him because this same God had fought David's battles before. David came against the giant in the Name of the Lord and He also came with a purpose and a cause. That cause was to stand against the spirit that was defiling the armies of the Living God. As David began to maximize and magnify God with his words, he minimized and diminished the giant that was challenging him. David did not shrink in the sight of the giant even though Goliath threw out frightening threats and disdaining accusations. Instead, David ran towards the giant and the Philistine army with great courage. We are continually called to face giants in our lives whether they be in our homes or work places. There are situations that even come up with those that we love because the enemy is at work. He is still seeking to defile the people of God and their purposes. The devil makes his mission known with frightening threats and accusations in his effort to reduce us to nothing before the real battle even begins. The secret to our victory is the same as it was for David. We must have a cause within our heart and the Name of the Lord in our breath. We must rely upon what we know about God and His Word and our purposes must line up with His will. We cannot rely upon someone else's armor, for it will be too weighty and unproved. We must come to believe so much in the Name of the Lord and His purpose that it becomes a mighty force and power within us. We cannot shrink back in our despair or hide in our darkness. We must be bold and run towards the enemy that seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. God's Word promises that if we resist the enemy, he must flee. He has no choice! David said that the battle was the Lord's and he relied totally upon that premise. He did not rely on his own strength or ability. He allowed God to work through him with a simple sling and a stone against a mighty giant who held a huge spear and sword and also hid behind a massive shield. Yet, David prevailed without a sword in his own hand. You may feel very inadequate as you come against the giants in your life. God may only provide you with meager weapons as he did with David. Your natural sling and stone may not look like very much as you view the spear, sword, and the shield of the enemy. However, you must not consider what you hold in your hand but what you hold in your heart, for God will honor your faith and your pure motives. Magnify the Lord and diminish the threats coming against you. Then run with faith towards the enemy and God will stand with you as you fight for His cause and in His Name. +++ 4/10/17 SHOW ME MY HEART Scripture: Psalms 139:24 "Point out anything You find in me that makes You sad." David asked God to search him and to point out anything that was displeasing to Him. God's search was not for God's own benefit, for the previous scriptures tell us that God knew everything about David. In fact, He knew more about David than David knew about himself. God's eyes saw David when he was being formed in his mother's womb. God knew every thought that came to David's mind and even knew what he was going to say before he spoke. God also knew where David was every moment because He was there with him. David told God, "If I go up to Heaven, You are there, and if I make my bed in Hell, You are there." It was impossible for David to escape God's presence. God's search of David's heart was for David's own benefit. David needed God to search him and show him his soul. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things ... Who can know it?" Another translation says, "Who can perceive, understand, or be acquainted with his own heart and mind?" Our heart can easily deceive us. Sometimes we look at others and wonder why they do not change. But like us, they do not see themselves as they really are. In their own minds, they have no faults and are self-deceived. It is only through the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit that we can come to see ourselves as God sees us. Hebrews 4:12-13 tells us that the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power. It is sharper than any two-edged sword. It penetrates, dividing the soul and spirit. It goes into the deepest part of our nature and exposes, analyzes, and judges the very thoughts and purposes of our hearts. As it does, everything about us is naked and exposed before the eyes of God. If we want to be intimate with God, we must be truthful with Him and allow Him to be truthful with us. We must open our hearts to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to search every fiber of our soul, allowing God's light to show us the things that we need to change. We must pray these simple words that David prayed, "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Test my thoughts and point out anything You find in me that makes You sad!" +++ 4/11/17 BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT Scripture: Genesis 13:17 "Arise, walk through the land, the length of it and the breadth of it, for I will give it to you." Abraham was given this mighty promise before he left Egypt and started on his journey of faith. God declared that the land belonged to Abraham, but also said that it would not be his until he walked the length and breadth of it. Abraham had to claim every inch of God's promise for himself. So by faith, Abraham packed up everything that he had and began to search for the fulfillment of this word from God. He was seventy-five years when he started on this mission to accomplish his destiny and God's divine purpose for his life. Each of us travel our own individual paths and it is only as we experience those paths that we can understand them. We may skirt around on the outside of financial difficulty but we cannot understand true financial stress and anxieties unless we have walked through the length and breadth of all that financial lack has to offer. We may come close to suffering and physical pain, but pain explained by someone else is no pain at all for us personally. We must suffer the depths of affliction in our own body to comprehend what pain is all about. We cannot understand abuse unless we have been abused and neither can we understand the pain of a broken heart unless we have experienced rejection and abandonment. We are not able to realize the struggles of cruel addictions or the loneliness of being in prison without having experienced the length and breadth of those emotions first hand. We cannot share the sorrow of someone who has lost a loved one to death unless we have walked through that same valley of grief before them. The bottom line is that we cannot own the knowledge of any experience until we have walked the length and breadth of it or as the popular slogan goes, until we have "Been there and done that." When the writer of Hebrew 4:15 said that Jesus was touched with the feelings of our infirmities, he spoke the truth. Jesus climbed every mountain of hardship, walked through every valley of sorrow, and battled every temptation that we will every face. He was a man of sorrow and understands the pains of our heart. Jesus knows how it feels to be rejected and despised by men. He was spit upon, physically beaten, mocked, ridiculed, abandoned, and shamed. He was innocent and without sin but He died a terrible death on the cross. He walked the length and breadth of everything that we will ever experience in this life and through those experiences He learned how to comfort us in our adversities and pains. Because Jesus has been there and done that, He promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. He understands our needs and will be there to help us through each and every conflict of life. We can depend upon Him. +++ 4/12/17 FATHER, GLORIFY YOUR NAME Scripture: John 12:27 & 28 "Now is My soul troubled and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour .... Father, glorify Your Name." Jesus was able to be touched with the feelings of our personal infirmities and weaknesses because He experienced the same struggles in the process of life that we do. His Spirit wrestled against His flesh. When Jesus left His throne in glory to come to Earth to dwell amongst us, He emptied Himself of His deity, and because of this He faced the same temptations that we face. Jesus wanted to do His Father's will and He wanted to fulfill His destiny, which was to redeem the lives of men. He also wanted God, the Father, to be glorified through His life. And yet, He felt His flesh shrink back from the pain that was connected with His destiny. Jesus declared that He wanted to be saved from the hour that was prepared for Him. Jesus told the Father, if there was any way possible, He would like for the cup to pass from Him. Jesus was not blind or naive. He understood the pain and shame that He faced and He simply wanted to take a detour around the hill called Mount Calvary so that He could escape the crucifixion of the cross. Like Jesus, how many times have our souls been troubled and the question came to our mind, "What shall I say about this distressing situation?" How many times have we faced the decision to either be saved from the hour that was at hand or to allow the Father to be glorified in our time of pain and tribulation. I feel that most of my prayers are not for the Lord to be glorified, but for me to be rescued from my dilemma. I do not like heartache and pain so I tend to cry out to the Lord for His mercy and immediate deliverance. My spirit may be willing to do God's will but my flesh is very weak. Some of God's designs for our lives do not seem to be as peaceful and as perfect as we would desire them to be. But everything that God has set before us is intended for our growth and maturity as we are make our journey towards the goal that is set before us. Jeremiah, the prophet, said that God knows the plans that He has for us and those plans are for good and not evil to give us a future and a hope. We need to submit our lives to that hour that has been prepared for us by the hands of God so that we can complete His eternal purpose. It may not be easy to take up our cross daily and follow Him. He may ask for our last portion, tell us to walk the extra mile, turn our cheek to an abuser, or forgive a trespass that has been committed against us. Yet, even when our soul is troubled with the thoughts of what hardships God's will might bring to our lives, we need to pray as Jesus taught us to pray; that is, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." Instead of requesting, "Save me," we must submit ourselves to God and say, "Father, glorify Your Name in my life." +++ 4/14/17 WHAT MORE COULD JESUS DO? Scripture: Hebrews 4:14 (Living Bible) "Jesus, the Son of God, is our great High Priest who has gone to Heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting Him." Jesus was with the Father in Heaven, but He left His throne in glory to come down to Earth even though He was aware of the cruel destiny that awaited Him. He was the King of Kings, yet He submitted to being born in a lowly stable. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes instead of royal robes, and even though He was the Lord of Lords, He was humbly laid in a manger. His birth brought good tiding of great joy to the hearts of men, yet He, Himself, suffered mental anguish in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus was the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley, and the Bright Morning Star, yet He became uncomely in appearance as cruel men ripped His beard from His face and spat upon him. Instead of being placed on an earthly throne and receiving a royal crown, Jesus was nailed to a rugged cross and a crown of thorns was placed upon His head. Instead of receiving honor, He suffered the shame of the crucifixion. Jesus died for all men, yet He was rejected, scorned, ridiculed, laughed at, and mocked by those same men that He gave His life for. Jesus is the Spirit of Truth, yet men distrusted Him and accused Him of being a liar, a fraud, and a false prophet. His cousin, John the Baptist, doubted and questioned if Jesus was truly the Messiah, and even Jesus' own mother and brothers thought He was mad. Jesus said that He would never leave us or forsake, yet He was forsaken by His own Heavenly Father. He is our Comforter, yet He experienced suffering and sorrow as no other. Jesus is the Bread of Life, but He experienced hunger and Satan tempted Him to turn the stones into bread. He was rich but He became poor for our sakes. He promised to build us a mansion in Heaven when He did not even have a place to lay His own head here on Earth. Jesus is love and loved the unlovely, yet He, Himself, was unloved by many. He is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, yet He was humiliated and slandered. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother, yet His most trusted friends lost faith in Him and forsook Him in His darkest hour. Jesus came to give men eternal life, but men took His life from Him. He is the Lamb of God without blemish, yet He became the sacrificial lamb for our sins. Think about the cross and what Jesus has done for you. Can you imagine that He freely gave all that He had to give in order to gain you for His eternal possession? Jesus experienced every infirmity so that He could understand and be touched by everything that you would ever face. Jesus is the Son of God and your High Priest. He now sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, speaking words to help you. Never stop trusting Him because He loves you so much. Jesus gave His all for you, what more could He do? +++ 4/17/17 YOU ARE SO LOVED Scripture: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." These twenty-five words tell of God's enormous love for us, and in a very simple way they explain the gospel message. The good news of the gospel is that God loved us so much that He came up with a plan to save us from an eternal death. God's love refused to allow us to be held in captivity by the devil, even if it meant the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus. The reason that God made this awesome sacrifice and gave His precious Son to die on the cross was because He "so loved" us. It is difficult for our finite minds to comprehend God's love, for very few of us could give our only son in the place of another. When the Holy Spirit breathed this scripture into the heart of John, the words that the Spirit used to describe God's abundant love for mankind was "so loved." Yet these two words speak volumes. God's love was so great that it's depth, height, length, and breath could not be measured or explained with words. God just so loved! His love knew no boundaries or limits. It reached to the highest mountains and flowed to the lowest valleys. His love passed all human understanding (Ephesians 3:17). God so loved that He gave that which He loved the most, His only begotten Son. Any love, divine or natural, that can be measured is indeed little love. If you can put your love in a box, it is not worth much. If you can buy a gift that represents the value of your love, your love is cheap. If you can confine your love to mere words, it is lacking. If you can explain your love with measurements and borders, it is limited. If your love is conditional and controlling, it is not true love. Think about the love in your own heart and then reflect on God's love. Can you measure the love that possesses your heart for your own children? Your wife or husband? Your family? Your pastor and special friends? It is an impossible task. So it is with God's love. There are no words to explain the love that possesses God's heart when He thinks of you. If you had been the only one in the world, God still would have given His Son in your place because He "so loves" you. +++ 4/18/17 ARISE AND SHINE Scripture: Isaiah 60:1 "Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you." God encourages us to rise to a new life. The Amplified Bible reads, "Arise from the depression ... in which circumstances have kept you." We all face disappointments in life, either through circumstances that happen or in our relationships. When we do not deal with those disappointments, we become discouraged. Then as we give in to discouragement, depression follows. Depression is like being in a dark room. In the natural, if you find yourself in darkness, you must make an effort to get up and turn the light on. When you turn the light on, you do not have to battle with the darkness any more. The light itself dispels the darkness. Likewise, when your inner man is in a dark room of depression, you must do the same thing. God is there with the light of His Word, but you must arise and allow that light to illuminate your spirit and renew your faith. Verse two says that as you arise, "His glory shall be seen upon you." It is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit as He draws you out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light. King David faced this darkness when his city was burned and his possessions and family were taken captive. If that wasn't hard enough, his own men blamed him for the loss and wanted to stone him. I Samuel 30:4 says that David cried until he could not cry any more, but then he began to encourage himself in the Lord his God. He arose and began to allow the light of God to shine in his darkness. As he did, new plans developed. He pursued the enemy and took back what the enemy had stolen. He could have sat there forever in depression and defeat and never regained what belonged to him. The choice was his. I Peter 5:8 tells us that the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. You are in his path, but you are to give him no place in your heart. You must encourage yourself in the Lord as David did. From the beginning, you must refuse to allow disappointment to lodge in your heart until it turns into discouragement. Learn to trust God's Word which says, "All things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose." Arise, shine, and allow God's light to supernaturally dispel the darkness that surrounds you. +++ 4/19/17 WHEN FEAR COMES Scripture: Psalms 56:3 "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee." David experienced much in his life. He had his times of joy, sadness, defeats, and triumphs and he also had times of great fear. This particular psalm came to David during a season of fear. Verse one and two says that he was seeking for God's mercy because, as David put it, men were trying to "swallow him up." They were fighting against him daily and there were many who were oppressing him. In a state of fear, David had fled from King Saul, who was trying to kill him, and he went to Achish, the king of Gath, to find refuge. But the servants of Achish recognized David as also being a king and they began to rehearse the songs that people were singing about David. The lyrics declared that David was mighty in battle and that he had killed tens of thousands of his enemies. As David heard these words being spoken about him, he became very afraid of Achish and what his reaction might be against him. In order to protect himself, David began to pretend that he was insane. As he feigned insanity, he acted strange and even allowed his spittle to fall upon his beard in order to convince king Achish that he was a madman (I Samuel 21:10-15). David's plan worked and he was delivered from his dilemma. But this charade shows us that no one is exempt from being attacked by fear. Fear comes to the coward and to the brave hearted, to the poor and the rich, to the weak and the mighty, and also to the peasants and the kings. In the midst of his fear, however, David decided it did not matter what was going on around him or inside of him, he was going to trust the Lord. He recognized that God was for him (verse 9) and he declared, "What time I am afraid ... I will trust in You." There are many oppressive voices that seek to challenge us in today's world. There are physical storms, wars and rumors of war, unstable financial situations, and personal issues to face. Each day brings its own challenges and uncertainties. When fear attacks on any level a tough personal choice has to be made to either give in and give up or trust God right in the midst of the fearful situation. Trust is a definite commitment and demands letting go of all the perplexities that surround us and then leaning totally upon God. Like David's words, our trust declares, "Even though I am afraid ... I trust in You, Lord." +++ 4/20/17 EL SHADDAI Scripture: Genesis 17:1 "I am Almighty God." The Lord appeared unto Abraham when he was ninety-nine years old and identified Himself as the Almighty God, which in the Hebrew is El Shaddai. El Shaddai was derived from a related word that means mountain or overpowering one, but it is also interpreted as the "God that is more than enough." When God spoke to Abraham, He told Abraham that he was going to be the father of many nations. Abraham and Sarah by natural laws were obviously too old to have children and they laughed at this news. Yet, God declared that He was El Shaddai in their lives. He could do what they could not do. Abraham and Sarah did not need the laws of nature working for them because they had the Almighty God who is more than enough. We see all through the scripture that God was truly always more than enough. For forty years, He provided manna for the children of Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness. They had plenty for each day's provision and did not have to scrimp and save. In fact, there was manna left over each day that they were instructed not to save. When Jesus fed the 5,000, everyone must have had plenty to eat because there were twelve baskets of fish and bread left over. When He fed the 4,000 men, plus women and children, there were seven baskets left over. His provisions surpassed the needs and were always more than enough. Many times we limit the Holy One of Israel. Our minds are too small to allow our hearts to have faith to receive God's wonderful and miraculous blessings. Yet, He is able to do exceedingly beyond anything that we could ask or think, and provides for us according to His riches, not according to our own resources. We must stop looking at and worrying over our situations and start looking at God and believing that He can do the impossible for us. The Lord can stretch our funds and multiply our means. You may not choose to believe it, but I have personally seen God multiply soup as I poured it from one container to another in order to share it with those in need. When I finished pouring the soup, there were two full containers and everyone had plenty to eat. That was El Shaddai, the God who is Almighty, at work nearly forty years ago, and He has not changed. He is still the same today. His simple blessings can overpower the laws of nature and bring miracles into existence. When circumstances challenge our faith, we just need to trust in God and believe that He is still El Shaddai, the God that is more than enough. +++ 4/21/17 THE OTHER SIDE OF "IF" Scripture: John 14:14 "If you will ask anything in My Name, I will do it." "If" is such a small word yet it holds within itself great potential, for much of what happens to us depends upon our response to this tiny word. The word "if" is like the small hinge that allows a big door to open and shut. Our simple response to God's "if" opens up enormous possibilities, for many promises in the scriptures are conditional upon our acts of obedience. God gives us a binding contract in His Word and says, "If you will, then I will." He then waits for our participation in this agreement and when we act in faith upon His Word, He watches over it to perform it. We all need redemption for our souls and God stands on the other side of "if" and declares, "If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved" (Romans 10:9). We grope around in darkness searching for light, and God says, "If you will draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall your light rise in obscurity, and your darkness be as the noonday" (Isaiah 58:10). When we need answers to prayer, God is sitting on the other side of "if' in Heaven waiting for us to call out to Him. He says, "If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (II Chronicles 7:14). On the other side of "if" the Lord listens for our prayers of agreement and promises that, "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father, which is in Heaven" (Matthew 18:19). We experience weariness in our labor, but God encourages us with the words "If you faint not, you will reap in due season." We desire to be used by God but He says, "If you purge yourself, you will be a vessel of honor and fit for the Master's use" (II Timothy 2:21). We desperately need forgiveness, and He says, "If we confess our sins, He will be faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). We stand on this side of 'If" with many needs while the Lord is on the other side ready and able to meet those needs. He is waiting for us. If we seek the Lord, we will find Him. If we have faith, we can speak to mountains to be removed. If we serve God, He will honor us. If we love one another, all men shall know that we are His disciples. There is an endless list of what awaits for us on the other side of this challenging word "if." Our help and deliverance comes from God, but we have a large part in the outcome. If we want to see God's Word completed in our life, we must focus not only on the potential blessing that God has stored up for us but also meet the requirements that are needed to receive His promise. +++ 4/24/17 OUR FATHER Scriptures: Luke 11:1 "Lord, teach us to pray." When Jesus had finished praying, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray." The disciples knew that Jesus always got results when He talked with the Father and they wanted to know His secret. It was customary in that day and time for famous rabbis to compose special prayers, but the disciples were not interested in a prayer to recite. Instead, they wanted Jesus to teach them how to pray or how to communicate with God in a personal way like He did. They had witnessed mighty answers to the prayers that Jesus prayed and had come to the conclusion that their words alone had no purpose unless they reached the ears and heart of God. As Jesus began this model prayer, which we know as The Lord's Prayer, His first two words were "Our Father." There is a lot of weight that is attached to those first two words. First, the word "our" meant that Jesus was including us with Him. Although Jesus was the only begotten Son of the Father, He wanted us to understand that we have the same relationship to the Father as He does. God is creator of all mankind. Yet, He is only Father to those who have received Jesus as Savior and Lord because His Son's eternal blood flows through their veins. Because of this sacred relationship, Romans 8:17 says that we are "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ." This means that we possess the same rights and privileges that Jesus has and can approach God as our personal Father. Second, Jesus said that we are to address the Almighty God as "Father." By doing this, Jesus established that God is a real person, and like our earthly father, our Heavenly Father has real feelings and He loves us. He cares for us and desires to provide for all of our needs. Like most parents, He watches over us constantly, but He never slumbers nor sleeps. He is there all the time. He experiences joy when we are fulfilling His plan and doing those things that please Him. He also grieves over us when we stray down the wrong path, and like the father of the prodigal son, He patiently waits for our return. As our Father, He wants us to love Him and fellowship with Him on a regular basis, not just run to Him every time that we have a problem. God cherishes our honor and adoration for Him. The greatest honor that we can bestow upon God the Father is to believe His words and trust in Him. God has identified Himself by many names throughout the scriptures, but Jesus shared the name that is dearest to God's heart, which is Father. Other religions do not have a personal relationship with their god, nor do they call their god "father." So, recognize your position as God's child when you pray. Your love and tender thoughts as His child will be precious to Him. +++ 4/25/17 LEARNING TO BE CONTENT Scripture: Philippians 4:11 "For I have learned to be content with whatever I have." It is easy to be content when you have plenty and things are going good, but it is another story to be content when nothing is going right for you and your life is falling apart. The Apostle Paul said that he had learned to be content. Learning is a process that only comes through a mentor, personal study, or experience. Paul had experienced many victories as he shared the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, he had also faced many disappointments and suffered times of hardship and lack. Regardless of the state that he found himself in, Paul had learned the virtue of contentment. He had learned to be content during the times of plenty and he had learned how to be content when he was forced to fast out of necessity. Many times we confuse contentment with happiness, but they are not the same. Happiness is contingent upon what is happening around you and when things are going good, happiness abounds. But happiness comes to a sudden halt when adversities come and circumstances change. Contentment, on the other hand, is more stable. It is a knowing that God is in control even though your ship is being tossed about in the midst of the storm. Things may not look good, but contentment has full confidence and trust in God. Contentment reports that "It is well with my soul" even though a loved one is passing through the valley of the shadow of death. And when you are facing the worst of situations, contentment allows you to say as Job said, "Though God slay me, yet will I trust Him." Contentment looks to God when weaknesses challenge and says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Verse 13). In battle contentment says, "I will not fear, for God is with me." Contentment never dwells on evil. Instead it declares, "Whatever things are honest, lovely, and of good report, I will think on these things" (Verse 8). Contentment does not worry when there is lack but says, "God shall supply all of my needs" (Verse 19). The contentment that Paul had learned left no space in his heart for murmuring or complaining. He declared that God's grace was sufficient and he learned to rejoice and give thanks in all things. He knew that all things were going to work together for good in his life because he loved God and was called according to His purpose. Allow God to work in your heart in this same manner, and like Paul, fix your mind to learn how to be content with whatever you have. As you do, you will find that God will make up the difference. +++ 4/26/17 UNDERSTANDING GOD'S WORD Scripture: Proverbs 1:23 "I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you." Have you ever had difficulty understanding a portion of scripture or felt there was nothing there to capture your interest? However later, you heard someone explain it at great lengths and were amazed with all the details that had passed you by. Their explanations were so rich with information and yet so simple to understand. You may have envied their gift and wondered why you were not able to see the scriptures the way they did. You may have questioned the secret to their profound revelations of God's Word. The answer is simple. It is the work of the Holy Spirit of God. He is the teacher and He is the one who illuminates or gives light to the scripture, and without Him there is no revelation. Luke 24:45 says, "Then Jesus opened their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures." If our understanding is not opened, the scriptures remain merely parables and stories to us. Jesus opened the disciple's understanding to the scriptures when He was here on Earth, but He told them that when He went away He would send the Holy Spirit to them. He said, "The Holy Spirit will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance" (John 14:26). It is only as we yield ourselves to be taught by the Holy Spirit that we can understand and comprehend God's Word. We yield ourselves by simply praying and asking God to open our understanding as we read His Word. The Holy Spirit will speak into our hearts as we invite Him to read along with us. The Bible was not written to be a great mystery nor meant to lay on the shelf collecting dust. God wants His people to understand what He has said and what He is saying on a daily basis through His written Word. Luke 10:21 tells us that God has hidden things from the worldly wise and intellectuals, but will reveal them to those who trust Him with the same simple trust that children have. If you want to see a profound change in your understanding, pray this prayer that Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17-18 as you study God's Word and also ask God to speak to you very plainly. "I pray to the God of my Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, that You would grant unto me a spirit of wisdom and revelation. I pray that You would grant me insights into mysteries and secrets by opening up my understanding of the scriptures. I pray that I might receive a deep and intimate knowledge of You, And that the eyes of my heart would be flooded with light ..." +++ 4/27/17 BOUND IN THE BUNDLE OF LIFE Scripture: I Samuel 25:29 "Yet a man is risen to pursue you, and to seek your soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord your God; and the souls of your enemies, shall He sling out ..." David and his men had faithfully protected Nabal and all of his possessions for some length of time. Yet, Nabal refused to provide food for David's men. This angered David to such a degree that he swore that he would kill Nabal and destroy all of his possessions that David and his men had protected. When Nabal's wife, Abigail, heard of David's plan she reminded him that his life was wrapped up in the plans of God. She wisely counseled David not to shed innocent blood because of Nabal's evil actions. She told David that if he were to shed innocent blood to avenge his own hurt, it would bring him grief and be a future offense to his own heart. She told him that he would always look back and regret that because of his own anger, he had moved out of the will of God. Up to this time, there had been no evil in David's heart. All of the battles that David had fought and all the blood that he had shed had been done so for the sake of the Lord and not for his own personal vengeance. It was a common practice in those days to put jewelry or coins inside a piece of cloth and bind it at the top for safe keeping. Abigail reminded David that he was like a valuable jewel that God had wrapped up in a bundle. God used Abigail as an instrument to make David aware that the enemy was pursuing and provoking him in order to gain his soul. Nabal's actions had caused David to forget who he was and where he was headed. David's destiny was at stake. He had been chosen by God to be the future King of Israel and was safely hidden and protected in God. He was bound in the bundle of life. David's enemies, however, were victims of God's wrath and were like loose stones that God would sling out to avenge David if David waited on God. David blessed Abigail for her advice and allowed God to fight his battle for him and in doing so he saved his own soul from judgment. Your battles and your destiny are not the same as David's, yet you face the same enemy who pursues your soul and tries to provoke you to evil. You may walk in love and strive to live in peace with those about you, but many times you are repaid with rejection and abuse. Like the situation with David and Nabal, the devil may work hard to cause you to react in some way to avenge yourself so that he can draw you into temptation and destroy your witness. Satan wants you to fail so that he can fill your heart with grief and cause you to be an offense to your own self and the ministry that God has called you to do. The devil will use others who are like Nabal to do things that will cause you to suddenly forget who you are, where you are headed, and the ultimate purpose of God for your life. The devil will challenge you to trade one moment of revenge for the future and destiny that God has ordained for you. Always remember that God knows what is happening and allow Him to be in control. When you face a provoking spirit such as David did, stay in peace and allow God to avenge you. You are the Lord God's special treasure and He is holding you safely in the bundle of His life. +++ 4/28/17 CHARACTER Scripture: Luke 6:44 "Every tree is known by its own fruit." From the very beginning of time, God established a law of nature by commanding the trees to regenerate and bring forth after their own kind. This same principle works in the spiritual realm as well. Jesus, speaking of men's lives, declared that a good tree would bring forth good fruit and that a corrupt tree would bring forth bad fruit. He said that every tree would be known by its own fruit and that fruit would be produced by what was within the inner being. We are never known by someone else's fruit simply because we know them or associate with them. Jesus said that a good man, out of the good treasure of his own heart, will bring forth good and an evil man will bring forth evil. Goodness and evil cannot be hidden within our soul. It will eventually bear fruit and manifest itself outwardly. When our family drove through the state of Florida several years ago, we saw hundreds of small trees in the distance. At first, we could not determine what these small trees were because they did not look like any of the trees from our region. This sight was new to us but as we got closer we began to see the fruit on the trees and were able to determine that we were looking at groves of orange trees. It was a beautiful sight, but the trees were only known to us because we saw the fruit that they produced. This is what Jesus was explaining to us, for the same is true with our own lives. Jesus did not say that we would know the fruit by looking at the tree, but instead that we would know the tree by looking at the fruit that it produced. The fruit is the determining factor that names the tree. It is a simple deduction. If there are apples, it is an apple tree. If there are figs, it is a fig tree. Our reputation is based upon what others see us do and the words they hear us say. It is a public evaluation of the fruit that is produced from within us. Our character is the moral qualities within us that distinguish who we are from others and those attributes are the source of the fruit that we produce. We determine how our inner character is formed and our character determines what kind of outward fruit we manifest. If we steal something when no one is looking and we do not get caught, our reputation might not be ruined but we are still a thief. If we lie and no one discovers our indiscretion, the opinion that others have of us may stay in tact, but we are still a liar within our own heart. Character is the hidden chambers of the heart that no one else can see. It is who we are in the dark and it is how we act when no one is looking. Character is a heart thing and determines our walk so we must continually guard ourselves, for out of our hearts come the issues of life. We are who we are within so we must be careful and determined not to trade the components of our integrity, for in so doing, it will jeopardize our Christian witness. We must remember the words of Jesus. The tree within us, which is our character, will be exposed and will be known by its own fruit. +++ Copyright © 2017 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com			..............................