Feb17

............	A Word In Due Season Feb 2017 2/1/17 SPREADING THE GOSPEL IN THE MIDST OF ADVERSITY Scripture: Philippians 1:12 "I want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel ..." The Apostle Paul was an amazing person. It was as though nothing could discourage him. He allowed nothing to separate him from the love of God, nor did he allow anything to deter him from the call of God on his life. When he found himself in prison, instead of grumbling, complaining, and questioning God, he wrote letters to the churches. Even though he was facing hardships and death itself, he made an effort to encourage the saints and ministers. When Paul wrote to them in the first chapter of Philippians, he did not speak concerning his sad state of affairs or beg them for their sympathy. Instead, Paul told them, "Every time you cross my mind, I thank God for you. I commend you for your faithfulness, and I pray for you with joy in my heart." Paul could rejoice and be content in the place where he found himself because he had an assurance that God was in control of his life. He knew that God was still God whether he, himself, was in prison or living in freedom. Paul also knew that all things were going to work together for good for him because he loved God and was following after God's purpose. He stood in faith as he looked at his circumstances and chose to let his conflict become a blessing to others instead of a source of defeat. He forgot about his reputation and his own personal comfort, and as a result of his selflessness, the prison guards heard the message of Jesus Christ. The confidence of the Christians outside the prison walls was also increased because they saw Paul's all consuming desire to advance the gospel and witnessed his unwavering spirit of fearlessness. Paul teaches us a great life lesson in this chapter. Every hardship in our life presents us with an opportunity of response. In our hour of conflict, we can become discouraged that God has selected us to go through the fiery trial or we can become a witness as we pray for others and rejoice that God is using us to promote their spiritual growth. When adversity comes, we can face it with unwavering faith in the living God, or we can give in to our fears. When afflictions come, we can believe God's Word that says, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous but God delivers them out of them all" (Psalms 34:19), or we can lose faith in God's Word. In the midst of every heart-breaking situation, we can murmur and complain, or we can encourage our brothers by saying what Paul said, "What has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel." In other words, when we face difficult circumstances and adversities, we can either choose to imprison the message and life of Jesus Christ that is within us or we can choose to share Him freely and in so doing advance His kingdom on Earth. +++ 2/2/17 WHO IS JESUS TO YOU? Scripture: Matthew 16:15 "But whom do you say that I am?" What a powerful challenge this question was to the disciples of Jesus, and it remains a powerful challenge to us today, as we must also identify who Jesus is to us personally. Jesus had first asked the disciples what other men thought about Him, but His main interest was their own personal revelation. This knowledge that Jesus is the Son of the Living God comes only as God the Father gives insight. It is a supernatural revelation by the Holy Spirit. When the disciples identified Jesus as the Christ, they were saying that He was the Messiah that the prophets had spoken about. He was the one who would be anointed to preach to the poor, heal the broken hearted, and do many other mighty miracles (Luke 4:18 & Isaiah 61). They were acknowledging that Jesus was not only the Savior, but that He was also their healer and deliverer, and in essence that He came to fulfill all scriptures pertaining to the Messiah. It was upon this personal revelation that Jesus said that He would build His church. Acts 2:21 says, "Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved." There is a saying that sums it up, "Sitting on a pew will not make you a Christian any more than sitting in a garage will make you a car." Jesus is still in the process of building His church. Salvation comes only through a personal encounter with the Savior. And likewise the other things that Jesus came to fulfill as the Messiah only come through the personal realization and acceptance that He is willing and able to do those things. Many trust Him as Lord and Savior, but never release their faith to trust Him for physical healing, emotional restoration, or as the Shepherd that will lead them and meet their material needs. God wants us to live in the total revelation that His Son, Jesus, is the Messiah. He wants us to receive all that Jesus came to provide. He does not want us to ignore the thirty-nine stripes that were laid on His Son's back for our healing or to forget that the chastisement of our peace has been paid for by the crown of thorns He bore. He also wants us to understand that His Son was bruised for our iniquities and that He has redeemed us from the curse of the law. Everything that we need has been paid for by the precious blood of Jesus. Yet, these blessings can only come to us as we receive a personal revelation of who Jesus is and embrace a personal relationship with Him. Our active response to these two things will dictate our answer to Jesus' direct and profound question, "Who do you say that I am?" +++ 2/3/17 THE GOODNESS OF GOD Scripture: Romans 2:4 " ... the goodness of God leads to repentance." When we were children we were wise in our own eyes and many times we could not understand why we were not allowed to make our own decisions. We tried to do things our own way and often despised the correction that our actions demanded. As time progressed, however, we began to understand and appreciate the protection and the benefits of the discipline that we had received at the hands of those who loved us very much. We saw the wisdom of not being allowed to play in the street where our bodies could have been mangled or our lives lost. We could also appreciate the other benefits that were forced upon us such as good diet and hygiene. And we began to understand that going to school and studying were not a means of punishment but were meant for our own growth and development. As we matured, we came to realize that it was good that we were not left to ourselves and our own devises. Paul's statement that the goodness of God leads to repentance is similar to the natural discipline that we received in our youth. Many times we do not understand the workings of God. Our natural desires pull us one direction, which is to enjoy our own lives for a season, while the Holy Spirit strives within us to lead us into the way that is intended so that we can fulfill God's eternal purposes. When we go against the leading of the Holy Spirit a Godly sorrow begins to manifest within our hearts. This Godly sorrow is called conviction and pulls at our heartstrings. His spirit of conviction is never to be despised because God is our loving Father and He is seeking only our good. It is because of His goodness that He deals with us so patiently in this manner in an effort to lead us into His paths of righteousness. It is because of God's mercy that He brings us to repentance and diverts us from our own thoughts and plans. Eventually, we come to understand that His plan was much higher and far greater than our own plan. In II Corinthians 7:10, Paul speaks of the two kinds of sorrow. There is the Godly sorrow, which works repentance and brings salvation, and then there is the worldly sorrow, which brings death. Godly sorrow releases us to experience life and light as we release the things that cause death to our soul and spirit. This Godly sorrow leaves no regrets. Worldly sorrow, however, leads to discouragement, defeat, and death. It condemns and causes us to hate ourselves. The Apostle Paul said, "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (I Corinthians 13:11). There is a time to grow up and go on with life. Repentance means to turn from one direction and go in the opposite direction. To experience life, you must release the things that hold you in bondage, whether it be sins of the flesh or the pains of the past. The bondage of sin and the regrets of the past always cause death to your soul and spirit. God is seeking to change your heart, turn you around, and bring you to repentance, not because He is selfish and mean, but because of His infinite goodness and grace. God knows that His amazing love and His awesome light will drive out the darkness as you repent and release it all to Him. +++ 2/6/17 FAITH TO RETURN HOME Scripture: Luke 15:18 "I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee." The prodigal son took his inheritance, separated himself from his father and family, and went to a country far away. After he had wasted everything that he had on a lavish and sinful lifestyle, he found himself wanting and in need. He refused to return to his father's home and provisions, and instead, he chose to secure a job with a citizen of the country. In time, he realized that he was in a place that was lower than his own father's hired servants. As he worked, feeding the swine, he became so hungry that he could have eaten the food that he was feeding to them. His desperation finally brought him to his senses and with a repentant heart he decided to return home. The prodigal son left his father's home saying, "Give me my inheritance," but he returned saying, "Make me your servant." His heart and values had been changed through the misery of his experience. Yet, it took much faith for the son to humble himself and make his way back home. His self worth had been destroyed and in his own mind, there was always the chance that forgiveness and restoration would not be extended to him. And he surely found this to be true concerning his brother's attitude toward him, for there was no forgiveness there. It has been said: "Sin will take you further than you wanted to go, Keep you longer than you wanted to stay, Teach you things that you wished you never learned, And charge you more than you wanted to pay." We may not find ourselves in the exact situation as the prodigal son, but often our choices lead us away from God's best, and in due time, we must face the consequences. When we end up in a dilemma and away from God's blessings, we must remember that redemption only comes through repentance. We must come to the realization that we have missed God and we must be humble enough to acknowledge our faults and failures. We can only return home when we are truly honest with ourselves and with our Heavenly Father. It takes faith to return, but God is full of mercy and grace. When we confess our sins and acknowledge our bad decisions, God is faithful to forgive us and restore our lives. Like the prodigal son, as we draw closer to our Heavenly Father's presence, we will find that He has been waiting patiently and faithfully for our return. +++ 2/7/17 CHOOSING PRIORITIES Scripture: Psalms 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go." Are you busy and going in so many directions that you find yourself unproductive and unfruitful? When we spread ourselves too thin, we are unable to do justice to anything. That's the time we must eliminate things in our life in order to concentrate. We have to prioritize and let unnecessary things go. Good advice says, "Don't Be Everything - Be Something!" To be something, you must concentrate on the gifts and talents that God has given to you. Find the mold that fits your personality and fulfills the passions of your heart and then flow with it. Too many times we feel that we have to rescue every situation and we fail to wait upon God and listen for His instructions. As a result, we end up taking on every responsibility that comes our way and assuming burdens that God did not intend. "Being Everything" is like being a swamp. A swamp goes everywhere, yet it goes nowhere. It has no definite borders and is totally governed by the circumstances surrounding it. It is muddy, shallow, and breeds disease and mosquitoes. It is unproductive and unfruitful in every way. When you are overloaded and overwhelmed with tasks that are set before you, you may use the expression "I'm swamped". God does not want you to be "swamped." Instead, He wants you to flow like a mighty river that produces fresh pure water and breeds good food. He wants you to "Be Something". A river has direction and is going somewhere. It has one main objective and goal, which is to get to the sea. It does not wander to the right or the left, but continues in a steady path. It may become wide or narrow at different points, but it remains steady, reaching out for its destiny. Reaching God's destiny for your life means that you must make a decision to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14). You must persevere by setting priorities and making a determination, like the river, that you will not be distracted. You must follow God's instructions and exercise your faith to complete His plan for your life. As you begin to flow, you will hear God's voice saying, "This is the way, walk in it" (Isaiah 30:21). When you feel swamped, remember, "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace" (I Corinthians 14:33). Allow Him to set your priorities. If you listen to the Lord, He will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go. +++ 2/8/17 STRENGTHENED THROUGH SUFFERING Scripture: I Peter 4:16 "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf." Suffering as a Christian is much different than suffering the consequences that result from wrongdoings because it has purpose and brings honor instead of shame. Since Christ suffered for us, we need to have the same mindset and be willing to suffer for His purposes. In verse twelve Peter said, "Beloved, do not be amazed and bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange or unusual were happening to you." Peter was fully aware that at times we would look at our tests and trials and think, "This situation is really strange." Or ask, “Why is this happening to me?” He knew that questions would come to our mind but encouraged us to glorify God in the midst of our adversity. We can glorify God because there are strengths that come through suffering. In our sufferings our weaknesses are revealed to us and a dependence upon God is created within us. Through suffering, God destroys our self-reliance, which is the highest form of pride. God does not even like for us to look proud. In fact Proverbs 6:16-17 list that attribute as one of the things that God hates. God gave us an example with the life of the apostle Paul, who was given a thorn in his flesh to keep him from self-exaltation. Although Paul prayed three times for deliverance, God's response was, "My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul declared that he was glad to glory in his infirmities so that the power of Christ could rest upon him (II Corinthians 12:7-9). For in Paul's weakness and dependence upon God, the glory of God was revealed. Suffering also makes us more useable for God. I Peter 1:7 says, "The trial of your faith is more precious than gold ... tried with fire" Tests and trials purify our hearts like gold that is purified in the fire. Only through trials are the impurities burned away and we become pure vessels fit for the Master's use. Another accomplishment of suffering is that the trials and tests that we go through provide us with experience to encourage others. II Corinthians 1:4 tells us that God comforts and encourages us in every trouble so that we may also be able to comfort and encourage others. Through suffering, we learn to minister, for we can only bring someone out of a valley that we have gone through or rescue them from a storm that we have encountered. When facing trials and tests, do not consider it a strange ordeal, but rather put your trust in God and depend upon Him. His grace is sufficient enough to help you endure the purifying fire. Rejoice to know that you will be strengthened through your sufferings and never be ashamed in your affliction. Rather, give glory to God, knowing that He is qualifying you to minister to others with the same comfort that He is presently extending toward you. +++ 2/9/17 GOD'S PURPOSE Scripture: Romans 8:28 "... called according to His purpose." There is an intriguing story of a soldier who stood at attention at an isolated corner of the Russian palace. When questioned about his purpose for standing there, the soldier could only say that he was following the captain's orders. The captain was summoned, but he too did not know the purpose of this guard. He only knew that regulations required a guard to be at this particular post. Upon investigation, it was discovered that a century earlier, Katherine the Great, who was an Empress from 1762 to 1796, had established that a guard be posted to protect a rose bush that she had planted. One hundred years later, guards were still being posted to keep watch over a barren spot of turf where the rose bush had once been. I share that story because these are desperate times and we must discern the season. Now is not the time to waste on busy works or barren pursuits, for life is too short and time is of the essence. The harvest that remains is too great. We must find out how the Master wants us to fulfill His purpose and then follow through with action. We cannot stay tied to a mission that has ended or continue to operate where there is no anointing. We must realize that God is enlarging our borders and accept the fact that He is moving us on to greater places and higher purposes. Yet, sometimes it is hard to let go and move forwards. Occasionally, it is wise to simply ask ourselves, "Why am I doing this? Is this God's will for me at this crucial hour?" If we find that we are only guarding the turf where roses used to bloom, we need to give our situation some thought and pray for new direction. When we discover that the horse has been dead for several years, it's time to dismount. Jesus is coming for His church soon, but until He comes, we have a purpose to fulfill. There are still souls that are held in the balance. They are waiting for us to obey the great commission that Jesus gave in Mark 16:15, which was to "go into all of the world and preach the gospel." The world to some may be a foreign country and the world to others may be their own country with it's many nationalities. Yet, we are all called and commissioned to be a light to the world and to "preach the gospel to every creature." There is someone who is waiting in the darkness for you to share God's light. God has called you to them. Your light will shine and you will glorify your Father in Heaven when you answer His call, do His will, and fulfill His purpose. +++ 2/10/17 TIMES AND SEASONS Scripture: Daniel 2:21 "He changes the times and the seasons." In the area where I live, which is in Southeast Texas, the change of the seasons is often very confusing. We have a saying; "If you don't like the weather right now, just wait a few hours. It will change." We go from overcast skies to sunshine and from drought to flooding rains. In just three or four hours, the temperature can drop from the mid-seventies to the low forties. We have beautiful days and we have days that are filled with hurricanes and tornadoes. Our seasons follow this same pattern in that they are rarely strictly defined. We may have a couple of days of cool fall weather that requires the use of a furnace. Then the season will revert and in mid November, we must turn on the air conditioner. Without a calendar, this changing back and forth would make it difficult to discern the season. Many times the seasons of our lives are like this. It may seem like a new season is about to come into our lives and we may take faith in that hope. We sense a change and trust that it is for the better. For a short period, our finances improve, relationships strengthen, our health is restored, and all is well with our family. We rejoice in the peace that we feel, as it seems that the springtime of our life is on the horizon. Yet about the time that we become comfortable in this season, circumstances revert and we find ourselves back in a season that is uncomfortable and very discouraging. Our situation is marked by extreme heat and drought or times where it seems the raging storms and floods are going to take us under. Everything about us seems mixed up and out of sync. We must remember that our seasons are held in God's hands. Acts 1:7 says, "It is not for you to know the times or the season, which the Father has put in His own power." He controls the seasons of our life just as He controls the seasons of nature. Everything that happens is in His sovereign design and all the events that take place in our lives are divinely appointed. Ecclesiastes chapter three tells us that there is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to weep and a time to laugh, and a time to get and a time to lose. Each season has a purpose and no man can fully understand its meaning because God is working. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours could ever be. We just have to trust Him. He changes the times and the seasons. In God's perfect timing, all will come to pass as He planned and as He purposed. +++ 2/13/17 LOVE AS JESUS LOVED Scripture: John 15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." Jesus was so possessed with love that He willingly hung on the cross in shame and laid down His life so that you and I could have eternal life. His love manifested His unselfishness towards all mankind and demonstrated His submission and obedience to our Heavenly Father. Because of Jesus' great love, we have been made joint heirs with Him in His kingdom. Now, He desires that we show others the same love that He has shown to us. The love we have for others may not call us to a literal cross like Jesus experienced, but it will call us to a cross of daily self denial (Luke 9:23). When we truly follow the Lord and love as He commanded, we will find ourselves laying down our very own lives. We will choose to set aside our own desires, agendas, and goals in an effort to help and encourage others. This is not something we will just do, but an indication of who we are and who we have become in Christ Jesus. Jesus said that there is no greater love than this, "That a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). As you show the love of God, you make a tremendous difference in the lives of others. Recently, I read that people come into our lives for a Reason, a Season, or for a Lifetime. It is easy for us to understand when people come into our lives for a Season or a Lifetime and we are able to share, grow, and learn with each other in a giving and receiving relationship. However, there are others who come into our lives for a Reason. It is a brief encounter so that their need or our need can be met, and when that need is met, the relationship comes to an end. Sometimes we are left wondering if all the time, energy, and finances that we put into the relationship were worth it. We may have thought that it was going to be a long-term situation, but find that God had other plans or a particular purpose, which was simply to meet a need. We must remember that Jesus met the needs of people many times in similar cases and never felt cheated. He fed the thousands on the hillside, healed the multitudes, and took care of many physical needs. Yet, many of the people that He spent His life for did not remain with Him. There were only 120 on the day of Pentecost waiting for His Spirit to empower them to become His witnesses. Many of the people forgot Him when He was no longer the source of their supply. With Jesus as our example, we should never allow ourselves to be discouraged when God uses us for a Reason. We must be thankful that God has called us for such a time as this to lay down our life for Him in service for others. God works His plans through us and accomplishes His purposes through our lives. He said that we were the hope of His glory in the earth. We are His hands to help, His feet to go, and His lips to speak encouragement to the broken hearted. So remember when you love and give to others, you are an extension of Jesus and who He is. Be blessed with the knowledge that you are obeying one of the Lord’s greatest commandments, which is to love as He loved. +++ 2/14/17 GOD IS LOVE Scripture: I John 4:16 "God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them." Love originates with God. God is love therefore love is God. You cannot separate the two nor have one without the other. We are not talking about a sensual kind of love, but that supreme quality that is manifested by giving one's life for another. Words of love are easy to say and cards expressing love are inexpensive to purchase. God could have just spoken words of love to us through the scriptures, but He didn't. He chose to go much further than that. He manifested His love in action. God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us so that He could set us free from sin's snare and give us eternal life (John 3:16). This is the love of God. It is rich and it is pure, for while we were sinners, Christ died for us. His love can not be earned or bought and is not based on our performance, but comes to us as a free gift and is eternal. I John 4:19 says, "We love God because He first loved us." The next verses tell us that we cannot say that we love God when we hate our brother, for love and hate cannot be mingled in the same vessel. If mingled, they will neutralize one another. God has given us a commandment that if we are going to love Him, we must also love our brothers and sisters. Every act that we do and every word that we speak should be preceded by love. The Apostle Paul said that if love is not working in our life, we are like noisy gongs or clanging cymbals, making a lot of empty noise. Real love has substance and makes sacrifices. The price of God's love was that He allowed His only begotten Son to hang on a cruel cross. When love is in our hearts there is also a price that we must pay. Paul lists the demands and sacrifices that love makes when it is in our lives. I Corinthians 13:4-8 (Amplified Bible) 1) Love endures long and is patient. 2) Love is kind. 3) Love is never envious or boils over with jealousy. 4) Love is not boastful or vainglorious. 5) Love does not display itself haughtily. 6) Love is not conceited - arrogant and inflated with pride. 7) Love is not rude and does not act unbecomingly. 8) Love does not insist on its own rights or its own way. 9) Love is not self-seeking. 10) Love is not touchy, fretful, or resentful. 11) Love takes no account to the evil done unto it, and pays no attention to suffered wrong. 12) Love does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness. 13) Love rejoices when right and truth prevails. 14) Love bears up under anything and everything that comes. 15) Love is ever ready to believe the best of every person. 16) Love's hopes are fadeless under all circumstances and endures everything (without weakening). 17) Love never fails - never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end. +++ 2/15/17 ASK AND RECEIVE Scripture: James 4:2 "... You have not because you ask not." I had a dream several weeks ago. In the dream, I was standing with a lady next to a copying machine. I handed her some sheets that I wanted copied. I waited as she ran the sheets through the copier, one by one. When she finished, she kept the originals and gave the copies back to me. I glanced through the copies and noticed that several of the sheets were blank. I was disturbed because I thought each sheet should have been filled with information, so I asked the woman why some of the copies had nothing on them. She told me that the sheets came out blank because there was nothing on the original. She told me that if I wanted something to come back on my copy, I must present something to her on the original. She then proceeded to tell me that these sheets were like my prayers. Some of my prayers were answered, but many of the things I desired and needed had not come back to me because I gave God blank requests. There was nothing for God to respond to. I had floundered around, muttering about my need to myself, but never truly verbalizing my need to God. We limit God when we do not make our request known to Him. We stand next to the copier waiting for our answer, only to receive a blank sheet of paper, which is the exact duplicate of what we originally gave to God. We then wonder why our needs are not met. Jesus made it very plain in Matthew 7:7-8 that He wanted us to actually ask God for help and provision. He said, "Ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone that asks receives, everyone that seeks finds, and everyone that knocks, it will be opened to them." When you ask in accordance with God's will, with an assurance that He has heard you and believing that He will answer you, something new will happen within your spirit. You will start expecting answers to all of your prayers. You will begin to talk to God with the intent of actually receiving an exact duplicate answer to the original request that you had handed to Him. There will be no blank sheets returned to you and no disappointments. Jesus made it very simple. He said, "Ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full" (John 16:24). This is how prayer works - ask and you shall receive. +++ 2/16/17 TRUTH WITH NO FINE PRINT Scripture: II Corinthians 1:20 "For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen." I saw a picture of a decorative flower cart in a mail order magazine. The advertisement pictured it with what looked like several normal sized flowerpots and said that it was 43" in length. I got real excited about this bargain because I had just recently seen one at an antique store, which cost about seven times the amount of the one in the magazine. I assumed that the huge difference in the price was because the flower cart had to be assembled. I figured that even with the shipping cost, I would still save money and have a beautiful cart for my plants on the patio. I thought that I had made an incredible find. To my surprise, however, when the cart was assembled, it turned out to be much smaller than what the picture indicated. I thought there must be a mistake so I looked up the item in the catalogue to make sure that I had not misread the measurements and to verify that I had received the correct item. Sure enough, the magazine read 43" in length, but in very fine print to the side, it said, "with handle". The length of the handle was counted and included as part of the length of the cart. The flowerpots that were displayed on the cart must have been miniature ones. The advertisement was misleading to a degree and I could have sent the cart back, but the cost of the postage was nearly as much as the cart. After the shock and disappointment, I enjoyed a good laugh at myself because it was entirely my fault for not paying attention to the fine print. This incident reminded me of the goodness of God and the integrity of His Word. We do not have to be on guard when God speaks because He is never misleading and His promises are never empty. All of His Words are true. When He told us that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life, that is exactly what He meant. There is no fine print to distort this promise. If you believe on Him and receive Him into your heart as Savior and Lord, you will be saved. His Words are never meant to deceive. When He painted us a picture of Heaven by saying that the streets were of pure gold and the gates were made with huge pearls, He was speaking the truth. He was not trying to lure us into Heaven by showing us an enlarged photo of an actual miniature. God declared His love for us and said that His mercy endures forever, and we can believe it, for He does not hide a lie beneath the mask of truth. Isaiah prophesied that the Lord would be anointed to bring good tidings to the meek, bind up the broken hearted, and preach the gospel to the poor. He would give us beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. The Lord will never repent or back away from these promises. If God has spoken it, it will come to pass, for He is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). All of God's promises are yea and amen. We can always depend upon His Word because there will never be any fine print that is intended to deceive or to nullify His truth. +++ 2/17/17 GO AND POSSESS Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:21 "Behold the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it." The Promised Land was a prosperous place that God wanted His chosen people to have so He set it before them and then told them to go in and possess it. The land belonged to them because of God's promise but it did not come to them as they sat idly by. They had to possess the territory by their own faith and use the skills that God imparted to them. It was necessary for them to sacrifice their homes and leave everything that was familiar. They had to travel through the wilderness, trusting God, one miracle at a time. They received water from a rock and were sustained forty years with daily manna from Heaven. They had no maps or instructions but were led by a fire at night and a cloud during the day. Their experience was a long journey of trust in God, which many did not finish because their faith failed in the process. Those who finally made it through the wilderness were faced with another challenge. They discovered that there were giants in the land, which they had to drive out in order to possess the promise that God had given to them. Times have changed since God led His people out of Egypt, but our lives are no different than theirs because we all have our own individual Egypt or bondages to deal with. Their experiences were recorded for our benefit and the lessons are valuable because we face some of the same things. We make it through some ordeal using all the faith that we have and then at the end, we discover there is still one more giant to conquer. We learn that we have to trust God on a daily basis because every promise that He gives comes to us with a challenge. His Word to us, "Go and possess," is a call to battle and a charge to conquer. His promises are true but it is our responsibility to possess the new territories. It is exciting when God shows us something new that is beyond ourselves and when He gives us permission to go in and possess it. We rejoice when we see that He is enlarging our borders, moving us to higher levels, and taking us to places that we've never been. We are very ready to move forward with God's new plan, but then reality shows up. We begin to understand the commitment that must be made on our part and the scope of our own personal responsibility that comes with the promotion. Suddenly, the glorious new place becomes an overwhelming challenge to our natural mind. Success on any level is never handed out on a silver platter. It is gained through sacrifice, determination, and labor. God's promises only come to fruition when we take action to possess that which He offers. God gives us a mountain but He expects us to climb it. He gives us a vision and a hope, but our actions of faith bring the promised blessing into being. Victory will not come easy or without sacrifice but we have an assurance that God will be faithful to His Word and will be with us every step of the way. What has the Lord spoken to you? If He has filled your heart with a vision or given you a word of promise, He wants you to have it and He gives you permission to go after it. So define the new territory that God has promised you and prepare your heart to go in and possess it. +++ 2/20/17 WHEN GOD BLESSES Scripture: John 6:9 "There is a lad here, which has five barley loaves, and two small fish: but what are they among so many?" Jesus gave His disciple, Phillip, an impossible task. He asked Phillip where they could buy enough bread to feed the multitude that was following them. Verse six says that Jesus asked this question to prove Phillip, for Jesus, Himself, knew what He was going to do. Jesus had a solution before He ever presented the problem. I'm sure Phillip must have panicked as he explained to Jesus that they did not have enough money to buy food for the 5,000 that needed to be fed. Another disciple, Andrew, spoke up and said that there was a lad there who had five loaves of bread and two fish. This was the only resource available and Andrew recognized that it was nothing in comparison to the need. He asked, "What are they among so many?" We often face similar situations in our own lives where our needs are greater than our resources, whether it is in the material, physical, or spiritual realm. We receive our pay at the end of the workweek but cannot seem to stretch it to meet all of our needs. Our duties and responsibilities call upon us but our energies are not quite sufficient to meet the extra demands. God calls us to serve Him in a special way and our abilities are lacking. We look at the challenge before us and it appears to be an impossible task. It is like trying to feed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. We ask as Andrew asked, "What good is the little that I have when the need is so great?" This same story is also related in Mark 6:38-44 and gives further insight into what Jesus did concerning the need. First, He organized the people and instructed them to sit in companies of fifty. Jesus then took the five loaves and two fish and looked up to Heaven. He did not look to the natural, but to God the Father, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. He had confidence that if God could create bread and fish, He could certainly multiply it. After Jesus focused His thoughts upon God, He blessed the bread. When He blessed the bread and fish He was asking God to do something supernatural. When all was finished, the 5,000 were fed and there were twelve baskets of fish and bread left over. This example should speak faith into our hearts when our resources and energies are lacking. First, we must put things in order the best that we can and then look to Heaven for our solutions. Regardless of how little we have to offer, we must ask for God's blessings to be upon it because He is our source and He still knows how to multiply. When God blesses, He turns our lack into abundance, our weakness into strength, and our emotional distress into joy. He gives us beauty for the ashes of our lives and expels the darkness around us with His light. He meets all of our material needs according to His riches in glory and He empowers us with His anointing, which drives away our spiritual lack. This is just the beginning of what happens when God blesses. +++ 2/21/17 KNOWING THE TRUTH II Timothy 3:7 "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." The Apostle Paul writes to Timothy, his son in the faith, and cautions him about the world around him. In the previous six verses, Paul tells him that perilous times would come and he then gave Timothy a list of things that would be happening in the last days. Paul said that men would be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affections, trucebreakers, false accusers, uncontrolled, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, and that there would be silly women laden with sins seeking to lead them astray. Paul also said that a form of godliness would abound, but declared that the power of God would be denied. The Apostle Paul wrote these words in 63 AD, which was about 30 years after Christ was crucified. But you would think that he was describing our problemed society today, for we witness these characteristics every day as we watch the television, hear the news, or observe public behavior. It is very evident that there are many who are truly "ever learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth." There has never been a time when the gospel was more accessible or proclaimed through so many mediums. And yet, many who hear the Word never change their lives. Satan deceives them from recognizing their true needs and their self-satisfying lust blinds them from being able to understand the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus, Himself, used graphic illustrations in His teachings and made everything He taught come alive. Yet even in His day, many could not understand or receive His simple teachings because their minds were closed to the truth. The scriptures are given by inspiration of God and are designed to teach us good doctrine and instruct us in the ways of righteousness. They are also there to reprove and correct us (II Timothy 3:16). Our shortcomings may not be in the list that Paul gave to Timothy, but we must acknowledge that we all have areas in our lives where God is dealing with us. We hear a word that pricks our heart, but we tend to push it away because we do not want to be accountable to its truth. Like Paul's statement, we learn about the truth but we never come to know the truth because we do not allow ourselves to experience the truth. It is one thing to learn that we are to live a holy life but it is quite another to understand that truth by submitting our entire being to God and actually living a holy life before Him. There is a difference in learning about thankfulness and being truly thankful. We can learn about the spirit of arrogance but that does not impart a spirit of humility into our lives. We have to work at making a change. The Holy Spirit will teach us daily and guide us into the truth, but we must give heed to His leading. If we want to change we must make a determination that as we hear the truth, we will discipline ourselves to obey God's Words of wisdom. If we do not obey them, we will find ourselves fulfilling the words of Paul, "ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth." +++ 2/22/17 PURE WORDS Scripture: Psalms 12:6 "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." God inspired holy men of old to write the scriptures and then breathed upon those words, causing them to become spirit and life for all of those who would receive them. His Words are as fresh water to the thirsty and bread to the hungry. Every Word of God is full of power and accomplishes what He intends because He diligently watches over His Words to perform them. God never speaks careless words, for His Words are eternal. His Words have been tried in the fire and withstood all the tests. God asks us only to believe Him and trust His integrity. It is easy to believe God in the good times when He is leading us through green pastures, beside the still waters, anointing us with oil, setting a bountiful table before us, and restoring our soul. However, when being led through the hard places, like the valley of the shadow of death, it becomes very difficult to trust God's Word. When circumstances are unbearable, it's hard to believe at that moment that "all things are working together for good in our lives simply because we love God and are called according to His purpose." When your cupboards are bare and there isn't enough money to pay the rent or the utilities, you may begin to wonder about the words, "I shall not want." The devil tempts with these words, "Hath God said? Did God really mean that He would supply all my needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus? Will God really do exceedingly beyond what I think or ask?" In times of testing and temptation, our thoughts may challenge God's Words by saying, "Is God going to come through with His plan of escape?" These questions plague all of us at times regardless of our station in life. The poor man may not be able to buy all the things he needs, but likewise the rich man cannot buy health and life. And too, the luxury of peace and happiness are not for hire. These things come only from God. In every situation, whether good or bad, God's Words must prevail in our hearts for us to experience the abundant life. His Words remain pure. In the lives of countless men and women throughout the scriptures, His Words have been tried like silver is tried in a furnace. God’s Words have been tried in the wilderness, dungeons, lion's den, fiery furnaces, and against giants, and have always prevailed. We must learn to treasure their value for they are as pure as silver that has been tried in the furnace seven times. "The grass withers, the flower fades: but the Word of our God shall stand forever" (Isaiah 40:8). +++ 2/23/17 HOPE AGAINST HOPE Scripture: Romans 4:18 "Abraham, against hope - believed in hope." God spoke to Abraham in Genesis 15:5 and told him that his seed would be as the stars of heaven. This seemed an impossible promise in the natural because Abraham was 100 years old and his wife, Sarah, was ninety. Yet Abraham chose to believe God's promise and hoped even though the situation looked hopeless. He refused to limit God to the natural possibilities. Paul, recounting this incident, said that when everything looked hopeless in the natural, Abraham believed anyway; "he hoped against hope." Abraham refused to consider the frailty of his own body that was a century old or to limit his faith because of what he could not do for himself. Instead, he chose to focus on what God had promised and what God could do. Because Abraham did not waver in unbelief, his faith grew stronger and increased. He waited many years and went through some trying times but God's promises to him eventually were fulfilled. Through it all, he had continued to believe and hope when there was nothing tangible to hold on to. Many of our life situations find us in this same place, a place of no hope. In the natural, there is no way to fix the problems that we have encountered. There is no medical solution for our healing, the restoration of our relationships is out of reach, and our financial circumstances are out of control. There just seems to be no possible hope. Yet, we are not to consider the negative circumstances or the doubts that plague our minds when they contradict God's Word. Instead, it is the time for our faith to arise and take hold of God's Word, which makes a provision for every need that we will ever experience. In Romans 15:13, Paul said that God could so fill you with joy and peace by the power of His Holy Spirit that you would overflow or just bubble over with hope. If you want to have the Abraham kind of hope that hopes when there is no hope, look to God. He is your hope and He will never fail you. +++ 2/24/17 HIS SPIRIT WILL RAISE A BANNER Scripture: Isaiah 59:19 "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." This is a rich promise for those who are in a place of struggle with the enemy. It declares that regardless of how hard the enemy attacks, God is going to be there to raise up a standard, or banner, to let the enemy know that God is on the side of His people. It is like the flag of a country that is raised in a place of battle when its forces have conquered and taken command of the territory. When the Lord lifts up a flag in the spirit, the enemy has to recognize that God has conquered and is in control. The devil has to give up his ground and bow to the presence of the Almighty God. Several years ago, I faced floodwaters that were coming towards my home. As I prayed about the situation, God gave me this scripture, that when the flood came in, He would raise up a standard against the enemy. I became very excited because for some reason, I thought that I was not going to experience the flood. However, two feet of water entered my home and brought much destruction. In the aftermath of the storm, I questioned God about His Word to me. He then reminded me that He never said that the enemy or flood would not come in, but that when it did come in, He would raise up a standard. I had misinterpreted His Word to me. The Lord did fulfill His Word to me and He did raise up a standard against the enemy. At the end of the ordeal, I came out better because of the help that He provided for me. The restoration of my home was better than what my home had been originally. The Lord took away the old and replaced it with the new. It is easy to misinterpret what is involved in the Christian walk and think that because we have given our life to God, we are exempt from all trouble and strife. In reality, the battle gets worse because we are now working against the devil and not with him. As we face daily battles with the enemy, his main objective is to kill, steal, and destroy. He deceives us into thinking that he has conquered us and tries to convince us that we are in his power and control. He places doubts in our minds and tells us that there is no way out of our situations. But thank God that when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord raises up a banner. God lets the enemy know that He is in control by raising a flag that declares, "This far and no further." God raises a banner in the midst of all of our temptations and calls it "A Way of Escape" (I Corinthians 10:13). He warns us that in the world we will face tribulations, but He tells us to be of good cheer and raises up a banner with the words "I Have Overcome the World" (John 16:33). In Psalms 34:19, He tells us that the righteous will suffer many afflictions, but God raises up a standard in front of the enemy that says "The Lord Delivers." Even in the valley of the shadows of death, His Spirit raises a banner and promises "No Fear of Evil" (Psalm 23:4). God never promised there would be no problems, but He did promise solutions! God is there for you so trust in Him to raise up a banner in your situation. +++ 2/27/17 TREASURES OF THE HEART Scripture: Luke 6:45 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good." Jesus compares your heart to a treasure chest and says the contents of your heart will depend upon what you put into it. You make the choice of the types of treasure that you store in your heart. You can fill your treasure chest with the trash of the world or the treasures of God’s kingdom. The decision is yours, but consequences will follow your choices and actions. The only thing that can be withdrawn is what you have deposited, whether good or evil. For Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth will speak." If you deposit pennies in a coin bank, you cannot expect those pennies to turn into quarters. What goes in is what will come out. So it is in the spiritual. If you have been filling your treasure chest with God's Words of faith and promise, then positive words of faith and hope will flow out of your mouth "ministering grace to the hearer" (Ephesians 4:29). On the other hand, if you have been taking in the vain language that the world offers, then negative, vain, and corrupt communication will dominate your speech. The treasures of your heart cannot be hidden for very long, for eventually, your mouth will speak and expose your thoughts to the world, whether they are good or evil. To store good treasures in your heart, you must first find good treasures. You must expose yourself to the Word of God by listening to good teaching, preaching, and through personal Bible study. Proverbs 2:1-4 instructs you to receive God's Words, hide them in your heart, incline your ear to them, search to understand them, and cry out for them. It continues to say that you must search for the wisdom of God's Words as though you were searching for silver or hidden treasure. You are not slack concerning your material treasures as you make your paycheck a daily priority. Your spiritual treasures demand no less attention. Just as a conscious and diligent effort must be made to search for natural treasures, so it is with the spiritual. If you desire to fill up your treasure chest with God's Words you must search for them as you would for silver or gold. You will only be able to draw good treasures from your heart in proportion to the good deposits that you have made. +++ 2/28/17 SONGS OF DELIVERANCE Scripture: Psalms 32:7 (Amplified) "You are a hiding place for me; You Lord, preserve me from trouble: You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance." David wrote this psalm and he knew what it meant to face adversities and danger. When he was just a lad in the open field tending sheep, he was forced to fight a lion. Another time, he had to fight a bear. Then, David went from protecting sheep to protecting men and also the nation of Israel when he came against the giant, Goliath. With just a sling and a few stones he conquered the giant, while others trembled in the presence of this mighty foe. David also had personal battles. He had to flee the presence of King Saul who was determined to kill him. And David had to bear the heartache of the insurrection of his own son, Absalom, who sought to take David's kingdom for himself. David's conflicts were not always one on one as he also battled against great armies. David was a mighty warrior in battle and conquered thousands, yet he never depended upon his own strength. He always leaned upon God and sought out His direction and guidance. David knew that the Lord would preserve him from trouble and he made God his hiding place and trusted in Him for deliverance. He wrote many songs to this effect, which even today bring comfort and instill hope. Whether David was up or down or fighting against one person or an army of thousands, the Lord's presence was always with him, surrounding him with songs of deliverance. David was not the only one who was surrounded with songs of deliverance. Songs of deliverance went before the armies of Jehoshaphat in II Chronicle 20. As they sang praises to God, their enemies destroyed themselves. Songs of deliverance surrounded Paul and Silas as they praised God at the midnight hour in the prison. As they worshipped God, the prison was shaken, the doors were opened, and their bonds were loosed. Songs of deliverance will also surround you. In the midst of your adversity, whether it be fear, loneliness, depression, or other challenges, you will hear a sound from heaven in the private chambers of your heart. Allow that melody to arise within you and join with God as He surrounds you with songs of deliverance. Zephaniah 3:17 says, "The Lord your God in the midst of you is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest in His love; He will joy over you with singing." +++ Copyright © 2017 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com			..............................