Nov17

............	A Word In Due Season Nov 2017 11/1/17 HOPE Scripture: Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Most of the time, our thoughts are focused on obtaining faith and not considering hope. Because hope, by itself, sounds so vague and almost wishful, we forget that it is a very big part of the process of faith. Hope has desire and vision, yet it stands alone as a vision until faith goes into action and adds substance to it. However, this vision of our desire or hope should never be demeaned, for Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." In the end, the vision of our hope rescues us from perishing. This vision of hope is necessary because it guides us along the path to faith's fulfillment. A good example of hope at work is a blueprint for constructing a building. Without a blueprint and a definite goal, the original purpose would perish. The blueprint gives a clear picture of what the building should look like at its final end. As the construction begins, the ultimate goal is to complete the vision that is on the paper. Yet, the building will never be completed by just studying the blueprint. Conscious effort must be made to work towards the goal of taking the project from the vision state to place of reality. So it is also in the spiritual realm. God gives us a hope of prosperity, health, and peace. III John 2 says, "Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." This is just one of many blueprints of what God desires for us. For each blueprint, He gives us the materials to build that vision. God speaks and imparts a confident belief in the truth into our hearts through His Word. Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Just like the construction of a building, the Word comes to us "precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:13). Through this Word, we are gradually transformed by the renewing of our minds. As we look at the blueprint that our hope has defined, our faith begins to consciously builds upon that blueprint until it brings our hope into reality. +++ 11/2/17 FEAR VS. GODLY FEAR Scripture: Psalms 27:1 "... whom shall I fear? ... of whom shall I be afraid?" Fear is a strong emotion and is also a great influence in our lives. Our fears may be justified or just imagined, yet, when we are experiencing fear of any kind, it is very real. A simple symptom in our lives can cause fear even though the symptom may not be an indication of the true facts. Fear will tell us that our children are on the road to failure or that we may face the dreaded layoff that is rumored in the office, but these words may not be true. Fear tells us that we are on the edge of financial ruin because of what our investment records dictate, but it disregards the truth that God is our financial source. We may fear that we have a deadly disease because the pains in our body are speaking so loudly to us that we are unable to consider the voice of God, our Healer. Fear is fear and it comes to us in all stages of life and we will be forced to deal with it. The question that we face is the same as David posed, "Whom shall I fear? Of whom shall I be afraid?" We have a choice, for there are two entirely different kinds of fear that are presented to us. One is a fear that is to be shunned because it gives in to the torments of the devil and the other is a fear that we should embrace because it wraps itself around the awesomeness of a holy God. Unholy fear is provoked by the evil that surrounds us, but reverential fear is cultivated by receiving a revelation of the wonder of God. There is a fear that brings bondage and hinders our good decisions but there is also a fear that brings wisdom and causes us to act in freedom and discretion. There is a fear that is clouded by darkness and there is a fear that illuminates our spirits with eternal light. The fear that is healthy and holy is the reverential fear of the Lord. It is not a tormenting fear, but a fear that causes us to worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness. This fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. It is to be embraced because the more we reverently fear God the more likely we are to obey His commandments. When we obey God, we gain confidence because we know that our hearts are right before Him. This strong confidence creates a place of refuge for us (Proverbs 14:26). It hides us in the presence of the Lord and regenerates our spiritual strength, which gives us boldness to stand in the midst of adversity and false fear. We must always remember that fear has two positions. There is a battle that rages within us and we must personally decide whether we will take flight and run from evil or bow and give reverence to the Lord who is greater than any evil that pursues us. It is fear verses Godly fear and our decision will govern our destiny. +++ 11/3/17 FAITH'S REPUTATION Scripture: Romans 1:8 "... your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world." Paul was looking forward to ministering to the church in Rome and he wrote a letter to them to prepare the way for his visit. He gave thanks to God for them and for their testimony of faith. He told them that their faith was so profound that it had gained its own reputation and was widely known and spoken of throughout the whole world. Everything that we accomplish, whether natural or spiritual, depends upon our faith. In the natural, we plant seeds in faith expecting to reap a harvest. We invest our finances believing that we will gain. We buy in faith and sell in faith believing that every transaction will be profitable. We work hard each week expecting to be compensated by those we serve. We invest in friendships and relationships with faith in our heart that the love we give will be returned to us in some manner. In the spiritual, we pray in faith believing that God, Himself, will hear our words and answer our prayers. We ask in faith because the Lord said that if we ask it would be given to us. We seek in faith because He said that we would find, and we knock in faith because He told us that the doors would open. The world about us watches our every effort and most of the time it is without our knowledge. I recall the year when my husband was dying of cancer. It was a season when my faith was sorely tried, physically, financially, and emotionally. It took every ounce of faith to make it through the long dark valley of the shadow of death. Yet, the Lord was true to His Word every step of the way. He was always near, met every need, and was a present help in the time of trouble. We were a family that lived from payday to payday, yet we made it through several months with no savings and no income. When I had to drive my very sickly husband to the hospital for his radiation treatments in the 100-degree Texas heat in a car with no air conditioner, I asked God to give my husband a cloud. Each day, without fail, for several weeks a cloud came just at the right time to cool down the car for the 25-mile journey to the hospital, then it would disappear until the time for the return journey home. I cannot explain faith's mystery or how we even made it through that year. I only know that God was faithful. When I was the weakest, God revealed His strength. I later found out that my neighbors were watching as I leaned upon the Lord and allowed Him to take me through the valley one day at a time. A neighbor remarked that she drew strength from my example, which helped her get through the same situation the next year. II Corinthians 3:2 says that we are an epistle, known and read of all men. Faith has a reputation, whether it is weak or strong. What is your faith speaking to those in the world around you? +++ 11/6/17 SEARCH ME Scripture: Psalms 139:23-24 (Living Bible) "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts ... Point out anything You find in me that makes You sad." Recently, as I passed my rose garden, I noticed that it had been neglected. The grass had crept into the garden area and weeds had grown at the base of the rose bushes. A wild vine had twined its way throughout the bushes, and the bushes themselves were suffering with dried broken branches. They were desperately struggling against the negative forces that were stealing their water and nourishment. This in turn was deterring their growth and destroying their beauty. Yet, regardless of all the negative distractions, the bushes still had a few roses that were radiant with color and some buds that promised new blooms. The rose bushes were making every effort to keep things going, but they would soon smother and die if left untended. They had no way of helping themselves or protecting and enhancing their hidden beauty. They desperately needed some extra care from their gardener. This scene pictures our lives at times. Little by little, we allow the enemy of our souls to invade our lives. At first, we may not recognize that we have a few problems. We deceive ourselves into thinking that we are okay because our lives seem to be productive and prosperous. We are unable to see the weeds, grass, vines, and broken branches of our lives because we focus on the few roses that are still blooming. We fail to seek the Lord and to ask Him to search our hearts and point out anything in us that makes Him sad. However, if our lives remain untouched by the Master's hand, those things that make Him sad will soon steal our spiritual nourishment. They will destroy the beauty of our testimony before the world just like it was happening with the neglected rose garden. God is the overseer and gardener of our lives. We can never escape His eternal presence. He is omniscient and knows everything about us, including the thoughts of our mind and the words of our lips before they are ever spoken (Psalms 139:2, 4, 7). God not only knows us, He understands us. We are given the awesome opportunity to commune with this wonderful God who loves us more than anyone else ever could. He is the only One who is able to properly tend the garden of our soul. So we must commune with Him and ask Him to remove the grass, weeds, vines, and broken branches from our lives. As we yield ourselves to the Lord, He will search us and His Holy Spirit will convict us and purge us of all of those things that make Him sad. +++ 11/7/17 CAREFUL HEARING Scripture: Mark 4:20 "Hear the Word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit." Mark gives an analogy of seeds that are sown in four different types of soil and compares them to the seed of the Word of God that is sown into the hearts of men. The first seed is sown on hard ground by the wayside and is snatched away and stolen by the enemy. The second seed is sown on stony ground and is unable to take root because of persecution and afflictions. The next seed is sown among the thorns and is choked out by the deceitfulness of riches and the lust of other things. Finally, the fourth seed is sown on good ground and brings forth a plentiful harvest; thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold. Notice that all of the seeds that were sown were good seeds. They all had the capacity to bring forth a harvest, but the condition of the heart made a difference and determined whether the seeds were able to bear fruit. The seed that bore fruit was the one that was planted in a heart that met two conditions. The heart had to hear and understand the Word and then it had to follow through by actually receiving the Word. Mark continued to say, "Be listening, and perceiving, and comprehending ... Be careful what you are hearing. The amount of attention that you give to the truth that you hear will be the same measure that comes back to you" (Mark 4:23-24). Your harvest totally depends upon how much thought and study you give to God's Words. If you are standing on a Word from God, continue to give thought and study to that Word. It may be awhile before you see results, so do not allow offenses of any sort to destroy or steal it from you. Seeds take root downward before they bear fruit upward. You cannot see what is happening under the earth, but the seed is working, growing, and pushing itself upwards. The dirt and darkness of the earth may be overwhelming as they speak doubt and fear to the tiny seed. Even after the seed in your heart takes root and begins to grow, persecutions, afflictions, deceitfulness of riches, and the things of the world may try to choke it out. Therefore, carefully protect the Word and remain patient. Remember that something supernatural is happening in the spirit that you cannot see. Life is being created and growth is taking place in the unseen realm. You will find that as you mix faith with the seed that God has sown in your heart, it will profit and produce fruit (Hebrews 4:2). +++ 11/8/17 WASTED YEARS Scripture: Genesis 11:31 "Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot, and Sarah his daughter-in-law and they set out to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there." It is so easy to catch the vision and set out to accomplish the goal, but completing the journey requires much more effort. It requires courage and determination. So many times we are like Abraham's father, Terah. Halfway through our journey we find a place of compromise and just settle there. Terah settled in Haran and never resumed the journey to Canaan, and he finally died there. After Terah died, God called Abraham, and despite the hardships along the way, Abraham eventually reached the land of Canaan. What dreams have we left undone because of our incomplete obedience? What gifts and talents lay dormant in our lives because of distractions or our lack of confidence? What hopes have we let die because we have faced discouragement? How many times have we allowed the enemy to stop us in our journey towards success on any level, whether it is a grand scheme or a meager project? So often, we get half way to our goal and then settle there. We find ourselves with unfinished songs and poems within our hearts, neglected rendezvous with friends, projects undone, and spiritual commitments unmet. Our good intentions are never fully realized. So much of life is made of wasted years. You may take some wrong turns and settle in wrong places along the way and it may be difficult to find God's good plan for your life. You may have a desire to do something special for God, but find yourself stuck in the land of Haran. Regardless of where you are today on your journey or how hopeless all of your dreams may seem, you must realize that the gifts and the callings of God are without repentance (Romans 11:29). God does not take your gifts back. He wants to help you reach your destiny. He is the God of a second chance and He will make a way where there seems to be no way. God never settles in Haran or gives up on His dreams and His purposes for you. Philippians 1:6 says, "Be confident of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will bring it to completion." He will continue to work with you until Jesus comes back again. He is a faithful God, but you are the one who must make the choice to finish your course. You must face the obstacles and adversities with discipline and you must conquer every challenge with courage. You must put forth effort and endeavor to be completely obedient to God's call. You can start again today by moving out of Haran and heading towards your dreams. When you do, God will redeem your wasted years. +++ 11/9/17 BECAUSE OF YOUR LOVE Scripture: Ephesians 4:2 (Living Bible) "Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love." As believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have inherited a responsibility to walk worthy of the divine calling that is placed on our lives. We cannot and must not act or react in the same manner as those who do not profess Christ as their Lord. Our lives are an open book that is read of all men and we must be careful of what we write on the pages. Our actions must encourage those in the faith and be a witness to those who are searching for the reality of God. Our speech must be tempered and our words must always minister grace to the hearer. All that we do in word or deed must be done to manifest the glory of God, for we are new creations in Christ Jesus. Did you notice that Paul did not tell us to be humble, gentle, and patient to those with faults because they desire it or deserve it? He did not even tell us to do it because of God's love toward those who are at fault. Instead, Paul said we are to act with humility and gentleness because of the love of God that is within us. The love of God within our own heart is to enable us to be patient and make allowances for others to have faults. Then we are to be so filled with love ourselves that the love in our heart is able to flow out and cover their faults and overshadow all of their transgressions. Love is a powerful force because its source is God, for God is love (I John 4:16). When you say that you have love in your heart, you are saying that you have God, Himself, within you. This is an awesome and overwhelming thought. When God is within you and His love is reigning on the throne of your heart, there will be a manifestation of humility, gentleness, and patience in your life. Your behavior will be a credit to God's kingdom because of the love that you show towards those who have faults. +++ 11/10/17 PULLING DOWN STRONGHOLDS Scripture: II Corinthians 10:4-5 "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God." Satan is the enemy of God's people and his main attack is to come against our minds. He knows his battlefield very well and knows that if he can plant just a few thoughts in our mind, then our imagination will begin to reinforce those negative thoughts. The thoughts and imaginations will then unite and become strongholds in our mind. These strongholds cannot be dealt with in the natural; for there is no way that you can physically pick something out of your mind. You must deal with it spiritually and come against it with the Word of God. Adam and Eve fought this same battle when the devil tempted them in the garden. He sowed doubt in their minds by saying, "Did God really say, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?'" They began to look at the fruit that Satan showed them and ultimately fell into his subtle devises. Jesus had the same experience, but He did not fail. Just after God announced that Jesus was His beloved Son, Satan attacked Jesus with the thought, "If you be the Son of God." Jesus immediately responded with the Word of God and refused to dwell on the deceptive thoughts. He cast down the imaginations that came against His mind and disallowed Satan to build any stronghold that would exalt itself against the knowledge of God. Satan attacked Jesus three times with the same thought in the wilderness, but Jesus continued to say, "It is written". Satan comes against all Christians and sometimes we cannot seem to find the victory in our lives. We are tormented, defeated, and cast down because of the devil's deception. We are waiting for a victory that will never come unless we come to understand that it is our own responsibility to guard our thoughts, to rise up, and to use the weapons that God has given us. The Word of God is our weapon, our sword of the Spirit, and is mighty enough to cast out the thoughts of the devil. We do not have to understand how the power of God's Word works just as we are not required to understand how electricity works to enjoy the benefits. We are only required to speak the Word. God is the One who does the work, empowers the Word, and defeats the devil. God declared that His Word would never return to Him with VOID marked on it (Isaiah 55:11). Satan does not have the authority to disqualify the Word of God. When you are challenged by the enemy, find a scripture that pertains to that battle and take your thoughts captive with that Word. Then use that Word to cast down your imaginations and pull down every stronghold. God has provided the weapons. His Word is valid and will stand forever. Follow Jesus' example and simply say, "It is written." Here are just a few scriptures to help you. IT IS WRITTEN: Salvation - "I am saved by grace through faith." (Eph 2:8) Healing - "He heals all my diseases." (Ps. 103:3) Prosperity - "God wants me to prosper." (III John 2) Forgiveness - "If I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9) Protection - "God is my present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1) Rejection - "He has made me accepted in the beloved." (Eph. 1:6) Fear - "God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and a sound mind." (II Timothy 1:7) Depression - "God heals my broken heart." (Psalms 147:3) Persecution - "I am persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed." (II Cor. 4:8,9) Loneliness - "Lo, I (Jesus) am with you always." (Matt. 28:20) +++ 11/13/17 JOY THAT GIVES STRENGTH TO ENDURE Scripture: Hebrews 12:2 "... Because of the joy that was set before Him, Jesus endured the cross." The Apostle Paul spoke of the race that is set before each of us. He then instructed us to gain strength and courage by keeping our eyes upon Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus set a great example for us when He endured the pain of the cross and all of its shame. He could have called ten thousand angels to come to His aid and deliver Him, but He chose not to give up in the middle of His race. Instead, the Lord kept His mind on His ministry to mankind and His eyes upon the goal that was set before Him. The joy of that goal brought Him enduring strength. Most of us have short-term and long-term goals. Yet many times, right in the middle of the race, hopelessness tries to overwhelm us. The race may seem too long and too hard and you may feel the urge to give up and let it all go. There might be a financial goal that you have established. You may be desperately trying to work yourself out of debt, yet disappointments come when emergencies delay this plan. There may be goals in your relationships that are diverted by situations that you cannot control. Your ministry goals may be challenged by circumstances and setbacks. Your zeal and endurance may wane with every hurdle that you face. Yet Paul said, "Run to obtain ... and press towards the prize." You should never allow outside distractions to cause you to drop out of the race. You must endure to the end and finish your course. Jesus was able to endure the cross because of His joy, and this is the same ingredient that you will need in your life to find the same enduring strength that He had. Nehemiah 8:10 says, "The joy of the Lord is your strength." To make it to the finish line, you must have joy. Like Jesus, you cannot allow the pain of the moment to steal your joy. If you do, it will also steal your dreams and visions. When you allow the enemy to come in the door, he takes what is in your house. You must protect yourself by not lingering on the non-essential distractions. You must look to the future that God has planned for you and not at place where you are right now. Keep your eyes on Jesus, for He is the only one who can impart true joy into your spirit. The joy of the Lord will shine as a light in your darkness. His joy will comfort you in your grief and disappointments and drive away the confusion of the conflict. Joy will give you great peace in the midst of the storms and strength to endure your personal cross just as it did for Jesus. +++ 11/14/17 WISDOM Scripture: Proverbs 2:6 "For the Lord gives wisdom: out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding." Someone once said, "Worldly wisdom is a futile attempt to know more and more about less and less until one finally learns everything about nothing." This may be true about worldly wisdom, but there is a higher wisdom that God gives. God's divine wisdom, knowledge, and understanding cannot be bought with money or obtained by mere human effort or ability. Instead, it is gained by hearing the words that come from the mouth of the Almighty God who is full of wisdom. True wisdom begins with having a reverent fear of the Lord. Proverbs 2:1-5 tell us that there are several things we must do to gain wisdom and emphasizes that "if" we do these things, "then" we will understand the fear of the Lord. We must search for wisdom as we would search for a hidden treasure, leaving nothing unturned. We must seek for it as silver, making every effort to obtain it just as we would do to earn a paycheck. This means putting pleasures aside and showing up at God's throne daily to seek His wisdom with diligence and energy. Our voice must cry out to God, expressing our desire for knowledge and insight. As God begins to share His wisdom and understanding, we need to incline our ears and pay close attention. We must receive His Words into our hearts and not become like those whom Jesus spoke about in the scriptures who have ears, but do not hear. God's Words must also go beyond hearing and receiving. When we hear and receive His Words, we must then apply our hearts to understand. We must allow God to direct our thoughts and minds so that we can make effective use of the wisdom that He shares with us. Finally, we must hide God's Words and wisdom in our heart so that they are there when we need them. Proverbs chapter four promises that wisdom and understanding will preserve, promote, and bring honor to you. Others will notice wisdom in your life because it will be like an ornament of grace and a crown of glory upon you. Wisdom will also be life and health to all of your flesh. This is God's desire for you. So, listen to His Words so that you may obtain His wisdom and then all that God's wisdom promises will come to you. +++ 11/15/17 THE GOOD OLD DAYS Scripture: Ecclesiastes 7:10 (Living Bible) "Don't long for the 'good old days', for you don't know whether they were any better than these!" Often we look back on life and may wish that we could return to the "good old days." We remember the times that our children's laughter filled our homes, but now they have homes and families of their own. They may even live in distant cities and we rarely get to see them. Possibly, we recall our own youth and long for the love of our mothers and fathers or loved ones, which are no longer with us. We remember a time of freedom from the tremendous burdens of responsibility of adulthood that we now face. Maybe we think of a more prosperous time or a time of better health than what we are experiencing at this current season of our lives. Whatever the case, time has a way of changing things. And regardless of our desire, there is no way to turn back the hands of time. Life goes forward. Solomon, in all of his wisdom, instructs us not to long for the former days or to wonder why they seem so much better than today. He said it is not wise for us to look back because we do not know for sure that the former days were better than the day that we are now living in. We are to live this day to the fullest, cherish every moment, and celebrate each experience. We are to recognize that all things may not seem to be good at the moment, but that good can come from all things. This is God's promise to us. Our attitude of faith is what makes the difference. God rewards those who trust Him and who do not murmur and complain. In Philippians 4:11-12, Paul teaches us this same concept. He tells us to be content in all things. We are to learn how to be abased when we suffer lack and how to abound when we have plenty. We are not to long for the 'good old days' or wish for a better future day. We are to count each day as a blessing and a gift from God. God is using each day and every circumstance in our life to mold us and make us into His special vessels. We must trust Him and not look back or long for the past. God has made today for us and given us breath to experience it. It should be an adventure and we should "rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalms 118:24). +++ 11/16/17 GOD'S TIMING Scripture: Luke 5:5 "At Thy Word I will let down the net." Jesus told His disciples to launch out into the deep water and to let down their nets, and then they would catch a lot of fish. Peter's response was similar to what ours would be in this situation. He said, "Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing." Peter was saying, "But Jesus, you just don't understand the situation." Peter was a fisherman by trade and he knew how to fish. He knew when to fish and he also knew when not to fish. They had just come from the lake and the fish were not biting. He was trying to tell Jesus, the carpenter, that this was not a good time to fish. In essence Peter was saying, "Jesus, you can do carpenter work anytime. The hammer, saws, and nails will always work with the wood, but in the fishing trade you have to have the cooperation of the fish. We have fished all night long and this just is not a good time to fish." Although Peter and his partners were exhausted, they did not ask if they could go home and rest a few hours. They just responded to Jesus even though it meant that they would have to clean their nets again when they finished, regardless of whether they caught any fish this time or not. And although the timing seemed against his better judgment as a fisherman, Peter submitted himself to the Lord and said, "Nevertheless at Thy Word I will let down the net." Had they postponed God's timing, they may have missed their miracle altogether. But when they acted upon Jesus' Word, they gathered a multitude of fish so great that their nets began to break and they had to ask the other boats that were surrounding them for help to bring the fish in. Jesus gave Peter and his men a direct Word with a promise. He said, "Let down your nets for a large catch of fish." When Jesus spoke these words, He meant exactly what He said. Peter and his men were to expect a great haul of fish. Like this story, when God tells us to do something, He means what He says and will stand behind each and every word. His word to us will always be productive and effective, and will accomplish His purposes. Yet, the Lord will only fulfill His promise when we submit to Him. We must obey and not lean upon our own understanding, realizing that God's ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. When the Lord speaks, we must act in obedience and not wait until it is more convenient, for His timing is just as important as His calling. +++ 11/17/16 THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD Scripture : Psalms 25:12 (NIV) "Who is the man that fears the Lord? When we speak of the fear of the Lord we are not talking about being afraid of Him as though He were a mean and hateful God, for the Lord is not vicious or abusive in any way. Instead, God is defined as love and all that He does is motivated by the love that is within Him. Even His correction shows His love for us. He corrects us because He hates sin and His chastisement is meant to keep us from further sin. It was because of God's great love that He made the ultimate sacrifice and sent His only begotten Son into the world to die for our sins. He paid a great price for us and that indicates that is He is for us and not against us. God does, however, set righteous standards for us. He wants us to be so full of His Holy Spirit that we emulate Him and His kingdom in the Earth and that we show forth His glory to all mankind. When the Word speaks of the fear of the Lord, it refers to a holy reverence towards the Lord and a respect for the things that He represents. Proverbs 8:13 tells us that the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Then it goes on to list some of the evil things that God hates, such as pride, arrogance, evil behavior, and perverse speech. If we truly fear or reverence and respect God, we too will hate the evil that He hates and we will shun the evil temptations that come against us. We will refuse to allow ourselves to be involved in evil because God's Spirit lives within us and evil is against His holy nature. And if we love God, we will obey His commandments. Psalms 25:12-14 lists several things that belong to you when you choose to fear or reverence the Lord. 1) God will instruct you in the way that has He has chosen for you. 2) You will spend your days in prosperity. 3) Your descendants will inherit the land. 4) The Lord will confide in you and you will know His secrets. 5) The Lord will make His covenant known to you. God is not blind, deaf or naive. He knows the ones who truly fear Him just as an earthly father knows when his own children respect and reverence him. One of the virtues of God is that He is not a man who will lie or deceive. You can depend upon every Word that He has spoken. If God said it, it will come to pass. You can be assured that He is watching for those who fear Him and He will reward them accordingly. +++ 11/20/17 EXPERIENCE Scripture: Genesis 30:27 "I have learned by experience ..." Jacob had served Laban, his father-in-law, for many years and Laban had become prosperous because of the blessings of God that were upon Jacob's life. Jacob did not have to call Laban's attention to this fact because Laban recognized it himself. Laban told Jacob, "I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake." The voice of experience is very powerful. There is a saying; "The man with knowledge is always at the mercy of the man with experience." Unproven knowledge is no match for the voice of experience, for experience speaks with great wisdom and authority. Experience is quick to warn others who have yet to learn what it has learned. Even strangers will listen and heed your words when you speak of your experience. For example, the other day I stopped to get gas for my car, but the particular pump that I chose to use did not work properly. First it would not start, then it pumped slowly, and finally it stopped altogether. I informed the attendant who told me that it had not worked properly all day. While I was using another gas pump, several cars stopped at the broken pump. Even though it was none of my business, I felt compelled to tell each one of them about my experience. I did not try to influence them in any way. They were total strangers to me and could have disregarded my words, but instead, they moved to another pump. They listened to the voice of experience. We have experienced so much of God's kingdom. We have received His eternal grace and mercy on a daily basis. He has healed our bodies and restored our souls. He has provided for our needs and put food on our tables. God has kept us from many dangers and delivered us from evil when we fell into temptation. He has taken our sorrows and given us joy. He has delivered us out of the kingdom of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of light. He has exchanged our confusion and given us peace in its place. We need to speak into the lives of others with enthusiasm and tell them that God has done these things for us. Our voices of experience could be the turning point for those who are going in the wrong direction. Our life experiences could save them from wasting their own lives because the changes that we made in our lives could be the same correction they need. Our experiences of victory over sorrow and grief could bring comfort and hope to those whose hearts are broken. Experience is valuable and is a great teacher. We need to share the treasures of what we have learned with others. +++ 11/21/17 UNANSWERED PRAYER Scripture: Matthew 6:8 "Your heavenly Father knows what things you have need of before you ask." God knows our needs and desires even before we ask, but like all good fathers, He is faithful to give us only what is best for us. In the spring, my son and I fertilized the yard just before the predicted abundant rain was to come. Each day we got just a little rain, but never the good soaking rain that was needed. One afternoon, I came home from the store and unloaded my purchases from the trunk of the car. Several times throughout that afternoon the sky would cloud up and I prayed for the much needed rain, but the rain never came. I was disappointed that it did not rain and also that my prayers were not answered. Later that afternoon, I discovered that I had left the trunk of my car open. Thank God that He did not answer my prayer right away, for if He had allowed it to rain, the trunk of my car would have been flooded. God says in Isaiah 55:8-9, "My thoughts are not like your thoughts, neither are your ways like my ways. But My ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Our thoughts and ways are as far apart from God's thoughts and ways as the heavens are from the earth. We are here on Earth surrounded by our immediate circumstances. We can only see what is just ahead of us or on each side of us as we try to find our way in this spiritual maze. God, however, sits in Heaven looking down upon us and our situations. He hears our prayers but sees the entire picture and knows what is best for us. He gently tries to lead us by His Spirit to help us get through the maze and obtain the victory, but we often go to the left or right and run into the walls. We then pray for the walls to come down, and sometimes even rebuke them in Jesus' Name. Yet, in reality they are the best things for us at that time because God has put them there for a reason. God wants us to pray and present our needs to Him, but He also wants us to trust Him to do what is best for us. He does not want us to be anxious over the situation. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us not to lean upon our own understanding but to acknowledge God in all of our ways. If we do this, God will direct our paths. The answers to our prayers depend upon two things when we are submitted to God. 1) God's power and His love. His power gives Him the ability to give us anything that we ask for, but His wonderful love restrains Him. 2) God's wisdom and His holiness. He knows our desires, but His wisdom will only grant us answers that are in line with His righteousness and His will. +++ 11/22/17 ALWAYS FOR ALL THINGS Scripture: Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God..." This is the season that we set aside to give thanks and even celebrate a special day of Thanksgivings. Yet, for many of us the meaning of this special day is lost in the celebrations of the day itself. We become so busy cooking, visiting, and eating, that we forget what the day is all about and neglect to truly give thanks in our hearts for all that God has done for us. We may offer a special prayer because of the occasion, but our thoughts are on the feast set before us and our focus is on our fellowship with friends and family. However, Thanksgiving should be a continual celebration of our gratefulness to God. The Apostle Paul encouraged us to give thanks always for all things. While we recognize and give thanks to God when He does something special in our lives, there are many things that are more wonderful to us than the occasional extra blessings that we celebrate. We tend to get excited when a financial windfall comes our way but forget the blessings that we experience everyday in our lives. We take our eyes for granted and fail to give thanks for our sight. We give little thought to our ears or praise God regularly that we can hear, listen to music, or enjoy the sound of a child's voice. We never consider that even our mouths are a bountiful gift from God. Our tongues and lips equip us to communicate with each other and our teeth make it possible for us to eat food that is set before us. Even our legs that carry us places and the strength in our body is a gift from God. These are daily blessing that we enjoy, yet rarely are these wonderful blessings present in our daily list of things to be thankful for simply because we take them for granted. As we think about God's awesome blessings to us, we realize that we cannot attribute any of these blessings to our own success, for who can cause the eye to see or the ear to hear? Who can make the lame to walk or the dumb to speak? Who can infuse strength into our bodies and cause them to function properly? These things come to us because of the graciousness of God our Father and our gratitude should be directed to Him. We must never be so wrapped up in our blessings that we forget the One who blesses us or look at our gifts and forget the One who is the Giver of all things because our blessings come from the hand of God. Let us meditate on these things and be truly thankful to Him, for He has dealt bountiful with us. As long as we have air to breathe and lungs to breathe it, let us remember to be grateful and give thanks to God our Father, Always for All things! +++ 11/23/17 THE DIFFERENCE ONE LIFE CAN MAKE Scripture: I John 3:16 (NIV) "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." In the portals of time, God sets ordinary men in special places for special times, and takes their natural lives and uses them in supernatural ways to bring about His plans and purposes. In the early 1600's, 102 Pilgrims left England and set out for the New World with the hopes of finding religious freedom and a better way of life. After a dangerous and treacherous 65-day voyage across the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower, the passengers arrived in what is now known in America as the state of Massachusetts. It was a desolate location and the winter proved very difficult and devastating. Many died because of the lack of food and inadequate housing. By the spring of that same year, nearly half of the original group had passed away. It was a painful and discouraging season, yet those who remained relied upon God for help and trusted in Him with all of their hearts. Their faith and beliefs are evident in the laws that govern our country even today. William Bradford, one of the original leaders and governor of the Plymouth Colony for more than thirty years, wrote of these brave and determined people. He said, "But these things did not dismay them (though they did sometimes trouble them) for their desires were set on the ways of God, and to enjoy His ordinances; but they rested on His providence, and knew Whom they had believed." These people of great faith knew in Whom they believed and dedicated their futures to Him. They looked to God for their source of strength. Yet, it is interesting how God helped these struggling Pilgrims to make it through this incredibly difficult time. He sent one man named Squanto, a Native American Indian, to teach them how to plant corn, where to fish, and how to trap animals. His simple instructions sustained them. William Bradford declared that "Squanto was a special instrument sent of God for their good and beyond their expectations." We never hear much about this simple man with his simple knowledge, but Squanto laid down his own life and agenda to teach others how to live and survive, and in doing so, he saved a nation. As we look at Squanto's life, it helps us to realize that we all have gifts that God can use. Our ordinary talents may not seem too important to us in the light of someone else's glamorous gift, but it may be the one thing that our neighbor needs for his survival. Like Squanto's gift, it may be as simple as knowing how to plant corn, catch fish, or trap animals. Or it may be a kind word, a silent prayer, or a good deed that we can do that will be the instrument that God uses to make a difference in the lives of those about us. God has called each of us to follow the example of Christ and lay down our lives for others. All we need to do is to dedicate the little that we have to the Lord and allow Him to turn it into an instrument of blessing. We will find that our little can be multiplied into much when it is put it into God's hands and we will also discover the amazing difference our one life can make in the lives of others. +++ 11/24/17 HIDDEN IN GOD Psalms 31:20 "You shall hide them in the secret of Your presence ..." God makes the provision of His presence available for those who fear Him and trust Him. This is a precious promise and true at all times, but we often do not realize it until we face the most difficult seasons of our lives. When we are desperate and find ourselves separated from all human props and are forced to lean only upon God and God alone, His presence becomes very clear. God takes away our treadmill of existence, our schedules and routines, and our set patterns of thinking. He brings us into a new mysterious place where we are unable to analyze and calculate our efforts and plans. All of our old thoughts fall to the side, and with no human direction, He brings us into a place of total surrender. All we know is that God is with us, leading us, and that we must stay close to Him to survive. In the hardest of places, God makes His presence known and we discover His sufficiency and greatness. In the dry barren desert, we find that He is The Living Water who will quench our thirst. In our spiritual famine, He is the true Manna and The Bread of Life. In the midst of all of our confusion and darkness, He manifests Himself to us as The Way and The Light. In material need, He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider. In sickness and disease, He is our Healer and River of Life. In danger, the Almighty God covers us with His feathers and hides us under the shadow of His wings. For every need, He is our Fountain of Miracles. These truths are real, but there are conditions to finding and experiencing God's presence. For God to hide you in His presence, it is necessary for Him to separate you from your distractions and isolate you to Himself. This is a hard season, but when you find that you have nothing to hold on to, He becomes more precious than silver and gold. He becomes your life and all that you will ever need. You come to discover that His very presence is your survival kit. As you search diligently for God, He allows you to find Him. When you knock, He graciously opens the door and invites you to come in to fellowship with Him. When you draw near to the Lord, He draws near to you. This is His promise. He surrounds you with His love and draws you closer into Himself. He is the God of all comfort and He is always near to hide you in the secret place of His presence. +++ 11/27/17 CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST Scripture: Romans 12:3 "For I say ... to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think." The Apostle Paul addressed the church at Rome and told them that they were "the called of Jesus Christ, the beloved of God, and those called to be saints." He also declared that "their faith was spoken of throughout the whole world" (Romans 1:6-8). These folks were believers who loved God just like you and me and were doing their best to serve the Lord with all of their hearts. Yet, the Apostle Paul felt it necessary to warn them not to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think. He knew the enemy well and knew that this would be an easy trap for them to fall into. This warning is for us today regardless of our calling or the depth of our faith. It is like a spiritual pendulum within our souls that can swing to the right or all the way to the far left. We can either be confident because we know that God is with us and working through us or we can become dependent upon our own self-sufficiency. Often it is a difficult matter for us to discern which direction the pendulum in our life is actually swinging. Sometimes our confidence in God is misread by others because our boldness in the Lord and our faith in His Word comes across as being arrogant to those who lack spiritual understanding. Then, there are other times when we are self-deceived. We think that we are being confident in the things of the Lord when we are actually being confident in our own selves and presumptuous. It is an issue of our heart and we must ask God to help us make a distinction concerning which spirit we are allowing to rule. An arrogant spirit has an exaggerated opinion of itself and is overly convinced of its own superiority. It is proud, lofty, and presumptuous. It stands alone and says, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing" (Revelations 3:17). This scripture continued to tell us that when we say that we have need of nothing, we do not realize that we are actually "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked." This is a pitiful state to be in. The bottom line is that the spirit of self-sufficiency does not know how little it really has and how much it really needs. Confidence, on the other hand, does not try to stand alone. It declares, "Without God, I can do nothing" (John 15:5). Confidence understands that it is a branch that can only function because it is attached to the vine of life, who is Jesus Christ. Confidence has faith and relies upon that which has been placed within us by God. It is knowing that the Spirit of the Lord within us is greater than the spirit that is in the world. Jesus was the Son of God and had confidence in who He was, yet He never acted in presumption or relied upon His own strength. He only did what the Father showed Him to do and what the Holy Spirit empowered Him to do. Our confidence should reside in our belief that God is with us and our actions should mirror those of Jesus. We should not attempt to do anything unless the Father shows us and the Holy Spirit empowers us. Instead of saying "I have need of nothing", our confidence should declare the words of Philippians 4:13 (Amplified). " I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me, That is, I am self sufficient in Christ's sufficiency." +++ 11/28/17 TRUSTING GOD IN TIMES OF TROUBLE Scripture: Psalms 121:1 "I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from whence comes my help." The psalmist speaks of the blessings and help that come from God when we place our trust in Him. He says that God will keep us stable in all situations, whether by day or night, for the same God that led Israel out of Egypt with the cloud by day and the fire by night is also watching over us. This almighty God who is the maker of the heavens and the earth never slumbers or sleeps. He constantly watches to guard us from the enemy and to preserve our body and soul wherever we are and wherever we go. In times of trouble, there is a special hill that we can look to for all of the help that we need. It is the hill called Mt. Calvary where Jesus suffered and died for you and me. When we have grief and pain, we can look to that hill because it was there that Jesus carried our sorrows. "He was stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." Isaiah 52:14 says, "His appearance was so marred" that He could hardly be recognized. Jesus was also a man who was despised and rejected by other men and He was also acquainted with much grief (Isaiah 53:3-4). We can also look to this hill called Mt. Calvary for our spiritual cleansing and salvation because it was there on the cross that "Jesus was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities." As we look to this hill we can find peace and well being, because as Jesus bore the crown of thorns upon His brow, the "chastisement of our peace was laid upon Him." Through the anguish that Jesus suffered, He provided us with a glorious peace that passes all understanding. When we have physical ailments, we can look to Him for our healing, for on the way to Mt. Calvary, He was beaten and scourged. And scripture tells us that because of the thirty-nine stripes that Jesus bore in His own flesh, we are healed. This hill is also a special place of refuge when we are facing great difficulties and unstable situations. On this hill "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by being made a curse for us" (Gal. 3:13). Obey the instructions of the psalmist and lift up your spiritual eyes and look. You will not only see the hill called Mt. Calvary, but you will see Jesus, the Son of the Living God, who is your help and your only hope. For with His own life, Jesus has paid the entire debt that you owed. +++ 11/28/17 A TRAIL CALLED ISHMAEL Scripture: Genesis 17:18 "And Abraham said unto God, Oh that Ishmael might live before Thee." In Genesis, God made a promise to Abraham that his seed would be as the stars of the heavens and that he would become the father of many nations. Abraham believed God, but as time passed he grew impatient. He allowed himself to be persuaded by his wife, Sarah, to take action that would bring the prophecy to pass in the natural. Instead of waiting for God to fulfill His promise, Abraham took Sarah's maid, Hagar, and together they had a son whom they named Ishmael. God's word eventually came to pass as He had promised and Abraham had another son with his wife Sarah. They named this son Isaac. Isaac was the fulfillment of God's promise. Yet, Abraham's interference with God's plan and timing brought heartache and despair to all concerned. Ishmael's name meant wild man and he became a source of conflict to Isaac (Genesis 16:12). The descendants of Ishmael (the Arabs) still plague the world today. How many times has God spoken a word to us, but in our haste to receive the promise, we have acted as Abraham did? We have not waited on God, but have chosen to go down a trail called "Ishmael" in an effort to make the word come to pass in the natural. It is a trail that leads only to heartache and confusion. The mistakes that we make in life set up circumstances that plague us for many years. In our struggle we cry out to God to make our bad choices work out for the good. We plead for prosperity in spite of our financial mismanagement and ask that our transgressions be overlooked. We also try to keep our private dreams alive, which are designed to satisfy our own personal desires and lusts. Like Abraham, we cry out to God and say, "Oh, that our plan or our Ishmael may live before You." Eventually we acknowledge the error of our choices. The consequences may seem irreversible, but God is merciful and He is a God of another chance. The Lord is able to restore all that has been stolen from us. When we repent of our own doing and submit our lives to Him, He looks beyond our faults and begins to work on our behalf. He is like any loving father whose heart is touched by their children's needs. He is a God of miracles and nothing is too hard for Him. He can "restore the years that the locust has eaten and the cankerworm has devoured" (Joel 2:25). When you return to God's original plan, He will cause the latter years of your life to be greater and more productive than the former. Wait on God and do not be hasty. Trust in Him with all of your heart and agree with His plan. Do not seek that your Ishmael may live, but that God's will be done in your life, here on Earth as it is has been planned in Heaven. Then and only then will you experience God's greatest destiny for your life. +++ 12/1/17 GIFTS AND CALLING Scripture: Exodus 31:1-4 (NRS) "The Lord spoke to Moses: See, I have called by name Bezaleel ... to devise artistic designs ..." We recognize the name of Moses, a man who was chosen by God for a special work, which was to bring God's people out of their bondage in Egypt. This exodus and mighty deliverance was a journey that lasted forty years and everyday they experienced miracles, wonders and supernatural provisions. Yet, most of us would not recognize the name of Bezaleel who traveled with Moses and this entourage of millions of people. Because Bezaleel's name only appears a few times in the scriptures, we may think that he was insignificant, but the truth is that he was also chosen and called by God to do a special work. God not only called him but also filled him with His Spirit and gave him great wisdom, ability, and skill to construct the Tabernacle and everything that it contained. Bezaleel even made the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 37:1). We hear much about the Ark of the Covenant, but little if any about this man who actually made it. God was so particular with the design for the Tabernacle and the things within it that He called Bezaleel by name to make sure that he would be the one to devise the artistic designs. God chose him and then validated his call and assignment to Moses. Can you imagine how Bezaleel must have felt as he left Egypt and wandered around the wilderness? He may have thought that his artistic gift would never be used again. Yet, God had a wonderful plan for him and used him to create beautiful things to be used in worship even in the midst of the wilderness experience. God commissions all of us for particular works and it is not our place to second-guess His choices. We may think that His gifts and calling only include the spiritual things like preaching, teaching the Bible, or being a missionary. Yet we see in this scripture that God also anoints artists for His purposes because God loves art and beauty. In fact, God paints every sunrise and sunset, which are new and fresh each day. He also creates the magnificent colors of the rainbow and the glorious silver lining behind the clouds. Even the beauty and wonders of the moon and stars at night are credited to His awesome artistic handiwork. God has gifts and callings available in every category of life and He can use the least of us for His glorious purposes for He is the artist of our souls. We need to prepare ourselves and be willing and obedient to answer when He calls. We must not allow our current circumstances or our lack to dictate our God ordained destiny. We must understand that God is in control and that His gifts and callings are without repentance (Romans 11:29). At some point, even in the desert wilderness or place of hopelessness, God will validate our gifts before others and He will call us out by name to do the work that He has designed for us to do. +++ Copyright © 2017 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com			..............................