| ............ | A Word In Due Season Sept 2017 9/1/17 HOLD YOUR PEACE Scripture: Exodus 14:14 "The Lord shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." Have you ever moved in faith at God's command and then found yourself in a hard situation? As you sat there in the dilemma, confusion and fear came against your mind, and doubt and unbelief filled your heart. God's people found themselves faced with these same feelings when God led them out of Egypt. God instructed Moses and the Israelites to set up their camp by the Red Sea because He knew that Pharaoh would think that they were trapped between the wilderness and the sea. The irony of this plan was that God was secretly working against the enemy. The sea was to be the way of escape for Moses and the children of Israel and a trap of destruction for the Egyptians. But as the Israelites faced the enemy on one side and the waters on the other, they said, "We would have been better off staying in bondage than to be out here in the wilderness." They had no idea that God was preparing a way of total deliverance for them. God told them, "Don't be afraid, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. Just hold on to your peace." God had a plan. He was going to fight the battle for them and He did not want them to do anything except move forward at His command. Like the Israelites, God does amazing things in our lives and we are excited and full of faith about what He is doing until the first impossible situation comes along. When we find ourselves between the wilderness and the Red Sea we wonder how we got there. We forget that God, Himself, led us there and put us in that situation for a purpose. Our reasoning becomes limited because we are looking at the immediate circumstances and think that we are near failure or possible death. There seems to be nowhere to turn and no way out of the situation. Our anxieties cause us to discount God's wisdom and forget His words, "My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9). Are you standing between the Wilderness and the Red Sea? Are you facing difficulties in your personal life or financial challenges? It is when you stand in these places of uncertainty that you discover the sufficiency of God. When you are overwhelmed by circumstances and there is no solution in the natural, you must realize that you are close to a miracle. As you hold your peace and rest in God's promises, He rolls back the sea and makes a way where there is no way. He comes through right on time, every time. He is a miracle working God who cannot fail, so be at peace. The Lord is always on your side and He will always fight for you. +++ 9/4/17 YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN Scripture: Isaiah 49:4 "Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing, and in vain." Isaiah spoke these words prophetically in reference to the Messiah who was to come. Yet at some point in our lives, most of us have felt this same way, that our labor has been in vain and that we have nothing to show for a life of hard work. It could be in any area of our life. We may be successful financially, but our children may have strayed from the values that we trained them to respect. They may not be serving God and we wonder how this could be when we so diligently labored to keep them in the faith when they were young. Or maybe we labored with all of our strength in the work force only to find that we are not in the financial position that we had hoped to be at this stage in our life. We may have labored in a ministry that fell apart or lost our retirement in the market or in a corporation that failed. As we look at our present circumstances, we may think that all of our labor has been in vain and that every ounce of strength that we have spent has brought us nothing. We cannot allow our thoughts to end in this sad and painful conclusion. Isaiah continued this verse of scripture by declaring, "Yet, my judgment is with the Lord, and my work is with God." The Message Bible quotes his words by saying, "Nevertheless, I'll let God have the last word. I'll let Him pronounce His verdict." Only God, Himself, knows if our labor has been in vain or not. We must trust in God and believe that He will bless our efforts and that our labor will not be counted in vain. When it looks like everything has failed in our life, we must allow God to have the last word on the subject. We need to look at our good works like the farmer looks at his fields. The farmer plants his seed and then sees nothing for weeks. He can see the fields that he labored in and the rows where he planted, but no positive results. For days and weeks the sweat of the farmer's brow and the long hot hours that he spent may appear to have been wasted. There are no outward signs to reinforce his faith and to assure him that his labor and strength had not been in vain. He can't look beneath the soil or examine the results of his tedious labor. He must wait out the season and put his trust in God. We must do the same. If you have felt that you have labored in vain, remember that Jesus understands your heart and then allow this promise from the Apostle Paul to encourage you. Paul said, "My beloved brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (I Corinthians 15:58). +++ 9/5/17 A SIMPLE PRAYER Scripture: Job 22:29-30 (NLT) "If people are in trouble and you say, 'Help them,' God will save them. Even sinners will be rescued: they will be rescued because your hands are pure." God created man in His own image and by His great design and His intentions were that all men should follow Him and honor all of His laws. God planned a future for all of His creation, yet He is a God who gives men a free choice. He allows them to make their own decisions even though their choices may be against His will. Many times we have friends, family, sons, and daughters who go astray. They may even know God's Word and understand the difference in right and wrong, but they have allowed their desires to overpower the truth that is in their heart. And sadly, they have chosen to follow a path into darkness. As much as we love and care for them, we are helpless in trying to rescue them because it can't be done in the natural. They will not listen to any of our persuasions and our words of warning fall to the ground as if they were never spoken. We cry out to God in our distress, saying, "How can this be and where will it end"? We suffer grief over the situation and even wonder if we are at fault in some way. We would do anything to change the circumstances. Yet, we realize that it will take a miracle of God to turn them around and set them on the right path again. Our heart aches for them, for we know they will suffer physically because of the path that they have taken. But more importantly, we want to spare them from the spiritual and eternal consequences of their choices. Our prayers become desperate. We pray, pray, and pray until finally, we have no more words to say and don't know what else to do. God understands where we are and His words are always there to comfort and instruct us. This simple prayer that is mentioned in the book of Job is mighty. It simply says, when our loved ones are in trouble, all we need to say is "God, help them." And then, somehow "God will rescue them because of the pureness of our hands." God is faithful and when we seek to serve Him with all of our heart, He is attentive to our words. James 5:16 says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." We can depend upon God to honor His Word. We must continue to stand in the gap for those whom we love. God sees our heart and He is not looking for long prayers with a lot of words. When we can find no other words to say, we can call our loved one's name out to God and pray this simple prayer, "God, Help them!" +++ 9/6/17 REDEEMING THE TIME Scripture: Ephesians 5:16 "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." To redeem means to regain possession of something, to receive something by exchange, or to make up for lost time. Paul encourages us to live each day in such a fashion so that each moment we spend, we exchange it for something that is of value. In the previous verse, he said, "Live purposefully, worthily, and accurately, not as unwise and witless, but as wise, sensible, and intelligent people ... making the most of time" (Ephesians 5:15 Amplified Bible). Each deed that we do should be done as unto the Lord and every word that we speak should minister grace to the hearer, encouraging their hearts and renewing their spirits. Our lives should be salt and light in this world of darkness. Time and opportunity is priceless and once they are spent, they are gone forever. Redemption of these precious commodities must occur as the moment happens. Yet, sadly, we often find that we've missed our opportunity and the precious moment has passed into eternity. We find ourselves saying, "I wish I had said this, or I wish I had done that." We begin to realize that we've spent our time on things that had no lasting purpose or eternal value. We live in a world that is full of hurting people and we encounter them daily. Yet rather than trying to mend their pain, we come up with insignificant answers. Some of the words taken from a song written by Bill and Gloria Gaither say, "When the house is burning to the ground, there's just no time to stand around arranging all the pictures on the wall." The rest of the song mentions spending time writing songs and preaching sermons to answer questions that no one is even asking. In other words, we must stopped wasting our moments. To redeem the situations when we encounter them, necessary actions need to be taken and significant words need to be spoken. God's desire is that we rearrange our priorities, for the time is short and the days are evil. Our main interest should be the needs of others and the condition of their hearts with respect to eternity. We have been given the opportunity to lead others to a hill called Calvary and to show them how to touch the nail-scarred hands of Jesus. We must make the most of time, and buy up each opportunity by sharing the Living Water with the thirsty and the Bread of Life with the hungry. As we do, we will be redeeming the time for eternity by revealing the Redeemer. +++ 9/7/17 FORSAKEN BY OTHERS BUT NEVER ALONE II Timothy 4:16-17 "All men forsook me ... but the Lord stood with me and strengthened me." Knowing and serving God is a one-on-one personal endeavor. It is an individual life of obedience to the Father. Although we may worship with others, our personal relationship with the Lord is never a group effort. Very often it requires standing alone in our convictions and following the Holy Spirit when no one understands. Like the Apostle Paul, many voices may rise against us and our closest friends may forsake us when God begins to deal with us. As we follow God, the reasons for our actions may be questioned and our motives scrutinized. Simply standing in the midst of this adversity will become a test of our faith. Then, as we choose to follow God instead of giving in to the opinions of others, we usually find ourselves rejected and standing alone. This is the price of servanthood and the cost of freedom. Oswald Chambers wrote, "A servant of God must stand so much alone that he never knows he is alone." We must become so accustomed to this place of solitude that we do not think of it as being strange. Like the eagle that soars alone, solitude must become our comfortable place. We must know that God is with us, for He has made a commitment to never forsake us or leave us alone. Paul knew very well how it felt to experience this place when he was beaten, stoned, and imprisoned. Yet, he never allowed these places of solitude to disillusion him or cause him to give up. When all men forsook him, Paul knew that God was standing with him and he found renewed strength in that belief. Even Jesus' disciples abandoned Him in a crucial hour. When Jesus was taken from the Garden of Gethsemane, all of His disciples forsook Him and fled (Mark 14:50). Judas had openly betrayed Him. Yet, it seemed that at least one of the remaining eleven disciples would have chosen to stay by Jesus' side. After all, they were His closest friends. Even those that He had healed or delivered did not come to His rescue and the thousands that He had fed when He multiplied the loaves and fish were nowhere to be found. Instead, Jesus was despised and rejected of all men and forced to stand alone when it came time for Him to fulfill God's plan. Like Jesus, our passion must be fueled by God's will and purposes for our lives regardless of whom it separates us from or where it takes us. We can be sure that when all men forsake us, the Lord will stand with us and strengthen us. We must abandon ourselves to God and take refuge in His presence so that the greatness of His being can be birthed within our souls. +++ 9/8/17 MEDITATION OF THE HEART Scripture: Psalms 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer." Our concerns about righteousness are usually about what we have done or said, but God is interested in much more than that. He considers not only our words and actions but also the meditations of our heart, for it is the thoughts and feelings of our heart that determine who we truly are. Sometimes we respond with the correct words and a seemly right attitude when in reality we are frustrated in having to deal with a person or a matter. We only pretend to be patient, loving, and kind, but the true meditations of our heart are hidden. They are not in agreement with our false actions. Our pretense on the outside looks good to the world but our heart is void of the inward fruit of the Holy Spirit. The truest measure of integrity is explained as doing the right thing when no one is looking. It is obeying the laws of life and also the laws of the heart when there is no one there to judge us. If our hearts are right, it won't matter if we have an audience or not, we will always choose to do the right thing. We will give knowing that we will gain nothing from the receiver of our gift. We will be kind to the unlovely when there is no glory to be received. We will be honest even though no one will ever know the difference. We will do our work with excellence even though no one is watching us. We will be discreet in every respect of life and walk out what we profess to believe. David prayed concerning the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart. He wanted both to be acceptable in the sight of God. David knew that we could have our words right but that the meditations in our heart could be very wrong. He also recognized that God was his Strength and Redeemer so he called out to Him. We must understand as David did that God is very aware of the intents of our hearts. He sees our actions but He also knows our thoughts and meditations. God discerns the evil and is saddened but He rejoices in the goodness that is within us. He desires that we live in truth and manifest the fruit of His Spirit. Like David, before the words of our mouth and the meditations of heart begin to conflict with the heart of God, we can call out to the Lord. God is always near and He is there to help. He will give us strength in our weakness and be our Redeemer in every situation. +++ 9/11/17 CASTING YOUR CARE Scripture: I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your care upon Him; for He cares for you." Isn't it wonderful to know that we have a loving Savior who wants to take the burden of all our problems upon Himself? He wants to do this simply because He loves us and cares for us. David said in Psalms 142:4, "No man cared for my soul." There was no one to help David but God. At the beginning of this Psalm, David said, "I cried unto the Lord with my voice ... I poured out all my complaints to Him and showed Him all my troubles." David complained to God about everything that was going wrong in his life. He laid it all out before the Lord and asked Him to meet every need that he had because David knew that God was the only one that he could depend upon. When David's spirit was overwhelmed, he had assurance that God was concerned and cared for him when no one else did. He cried out to God alone who knew his path and saw all the snares that would try to entangle him. God witnessed David's defeats, disappointments, sins, and failures. Yet He made Himself available to David and David made God his refuge as he sought for deliverance. He put his total trust in the Lord and declared that God would deal bountifully with him. As you face difficulties in your life, stop and think about God's goodness. God is for you, not against you! He is there when others fail. The Lord knows your every need before you ask and He wants to take care of those needs. Following is a quote by Joyce Meyer that emphasizes these thoughts and expresses God's position very plainly. "Good Morning, This Is God! I Will Be Handling All Of Your Problems Today. I Will Not Need Your Help -- So, Have A Good Day. I Love You." Think about these words and choose to follow the words of the Apostle Peter and cast all of your cares upon God for He really does love you. Remind yourself daily that God is ready to handle your problems and that He has the answers before you ever call. +++ 9/12/17 POWER SOURCE Scripture: II Chronicles 20:12 (Amplified) "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." When an army of great magnitude came against God's people, they began to seek the Lord with diligence. They acknowledged their lack because they knew that by themselves, they were no match against their enemy. They told the Lord that they had no might, no strength, and no power, but declared their trust in Him by saying, "Our eyes are upon You." They recognized where their strength would come from and who would give them victory in the battle. As they prayed, God gave them a simple plan, which was to go into the battle praising Him. As they obeyed His Word, He gave them a glorious victory. My grandson is fascinated with buttons and wires. And even though he does not understand electrical power, he knows that the buttons and wires make things work. One evening when he was a little over two years old, he began to rearrange the wires on the backside of my electronic keyboard. He had already tried the on/off switch but could not get the keyboard to work. He worked diligently but had no success because he did not know that the main power switch at the wall outlet was turned off. He finally declared, "It boke," which translates into "It is broken." This was the only conclusion that made sense to him because he could not get the buttons and wires to work. Many times our faith is "broken" in the same fashion. All the wires and buttons are there and we say and do the right things, but nothing works because we do not stop and recognize where our power and strength comes from. We try to work out a sensible solution on our own, when all the time, the power of God's presence and His wisdom is within our reach. James 1:5-6 says, "If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God ... but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering." There is no lack when God's presence and wisdom is with us. In the midst of our trials, we just need to call out to Jesus and repeat the scripture above, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." God’s plan may be as simple as to give praise in the midst of the battle or to stand still and see His salvation. It may be a magnificent plan to confront the enemy. Whatever the solution, we can be sure that when we stop trying to figure out all the buttons and wires and begin to focus our eyes upon Him, our efforts will not be wasted. We must believe that He is the source of our strength and then as we connect directly with Him, He will infuse us with the power that we need to obtain the victory. +++ 9/13/17 GOD HEARS AND SEES Scripture: Psalms 94:9 "He that planted the ear, shall He not hear? He that formed the eye, shall He not see?" The psalmist makes a declaration that he believes that God is hearing and seeing everything that is going on in our lives. He calls out to God to avenge him and to pay back to the wicked what they deserve. He even asked God how long would He allow the evil doers to oppress and triumph over the righteous. The psalmist calls attention to their arrogance and boastful words, for the wicked boldly declare that God does not see nor regard their evil deeds. They mistakenly think that they will get away with their actions and not suffer any consequences. We have either experienced the injustice of the wicked in our own lives, have witnessed it in the lives of our friends and family, or have seen it in the news media. We have also heard the wicked boast about the unpleasant things that they have done. They have even laughed and scorned in the face of their victims. Our heart goes out to those who are being oppressed in such a manner as this. We may even wonder why God lingers and allows the injustice to happen to the innocent instead of bringing immediate judgment. Yet, we must remember that God has a season for all things. God made the eye. He is not blind, He is merciful. God made the ear. He is not deaf, He is full of grace. He is hearing and seeing everything that is happening, yet He is patient and will wait a long season for the arrogant and wicked to repent of their evil ways. There will come a time, however, that His grace will expire and His mercy will cease. He will then suddenly arise, avenge the righteous, and deal with the wicked. We should not be fearful and frustrated when it seems that evil is prevailing in the world about us. When there is nothing that we can do to remedy the situation, we must place our confidence in God and trust His judgment, for He knows much more about the situation than we do. He understands the hearts of all men and knows their deepest motives. He may be working with their soul and giving them one more chance. We must believe that the God who made the ears and formed the eyes is the One who is in charge. We must keep the spirit of faith alive in our own hearts and put our trust in Him. As we allow God to be the Lord over the situation, He will take care of all the matters that concern us at His chosen time. +++ 9/14/17 CONSIDER NOT - STAGGER NOT Scripture: Romans 4:19 & 20 "Abraham considered not his own body ... and staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief." Long before Abraham had a son, God made a promise to him that he would be the father of many nations. He also told Abraham that his seed would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens. From the very beginning, this promise seemed impossible in the natural because Abraham was very old and his wife, Sarah, was barren. Yet, Abraham chose to believe the promise and he put his faith in God's ability to fulfill His promise. Abraham disregarded his own lack and did not stagger at the promise that God gave to him. One who staggers does not stand and walk straight. Instead, they lean to the left and to the right as they stumble along. Abraham overcame each challenge by refusing to consider the impossibilities and did not stagger to the left or lean to the right. In other words he did not allow himself to be driven or tossed about by unbelief. James 1:6-7 says, "For he that wavers (in faith) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." One year before Isaac was born God changed Abram's name to Abraham, which means father of many nations. In essence God was saying, "It's already finished." God's eternal Word established the fact. God was calling things that be not as though they were and His words were causing Abraham and Sarah's natural bodies to come alive. When Abraham had to tell others his new name was Abraham, he was agreeing with God and declaring the promise that God had made to him. He did not stagger at the fact that he was 100 years old and that Sarah was ninety. He just gave glory to God and continued to hope when there was no reason to hope in the natural. Today, his faith would appear foolish to many, but then true faith usually does. Corrie Ten Boom sums faith up with her words, "Faith Sees the Invisible, Believes the Unbelievable, Receives the Impossible." Scriptures declare that Abraham believed God, hoped in His promise, stayed strong in the faith, and was fully persuaded that God would do what He said He would do. And because Abraham considered not and staggered not, he eventually received the promise of God. We must follow his grand example if we want to receive our promises from God. +++ 9/15/17 REMEMBER YOUR CREATOR Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12:1 "Remember now your Creator ...." In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and spoke light into existence. He hung the sun and the moon in the heavens that He had created and He also put the stars and the galaxies in place. On Earth, He formed every valley and every mountain with His mighty hands. He also dug out the enormous oceans, the beautiful lakes, and the magnificent rivers and filled them all with water. The heavens and the earth that He created are complete and beautiful and He continues to hold all that He created together by the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). When God finished the heavens and the earth, He proceeded to create living beings. Life in any form is awesome, and from the smallest creature of the sea to the mightiest beast of the forest, God created them all. He continues to create by placing within them a miracle, which is the power to be able to multiply and bring forth life after their own kind. God then went to another level of creation and created mankind. The creation of man was different than the previous creations because man was made in God's likeness. You have been created in God's own image and He desires that you manifest His character. God is holy and He wants you to be holy as He is holy. God is love so He created you with the capacity to love as He loves. He also created you to be His temple and to share the attributes of His Spirit. You can possess the supernatural fruits of the Holy Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. You can also be empowered with His supernatural gifts. Your Creator makes all things possible. You have been fearfully and wonderfully made by the personal hands of the Almighty God. God knew you before you were conceived and He knows when you will take your final breath. Your life should not be a disappointment to you because your Creator knew exactly what He wanted you to be when He created you. Now Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived has encouraged you to remember your Creator. Remember the One who designed you and then formed you when you were in your mother's womb. Remember the One who breathed life into you. Remember that the Creator knows his creation and understands you better than anyone else does. God is the Author of your life. He created you for a purpose and He knows the plans that He has for you. He knows where you are today and He is aware of the challenges that you are facing and the victories and disappointments that you are experiencing. He has not left you helpless or hopeless in any situation. The Creator is present to maintain His creation, so remember to include Him in all of your needs because He is ready to rescue you. He is your Mighty God, your Everlasting Father, your Prince of Peace, your Redeemer, your Healer, your Shepherd, your Deliverer, your Comforter, your Helper, your Fortress, your Rock, and your Friend who will stick closer to you than a brother. These are just a few of the names of the One who created you and the One who will love you at all times. So remember Him and above all remember that the Creator cares for you, His special creation. +++ 9/18/17 COMFORTING OTHERS Scripture: II Corinthians 1:3-4 "Blessed be God ... Who comforted us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort that we ourselves are comforted by God." Paul declares that God comforts us in all of our tribulations so that we may be able to comfort others who are in trouble. Hardships are not fun, but they work together for good in our lives to bring us to a better understanding of the situations that others are facing. We cannot give others hope for the mountaintop if we have not successfully made it through the shadows in the valley. We cannot direct someone through a tunnel of depression if we have not experienced the darkness of a wounded spirit ourselves. Nor can we mend those with a broken heart if we have never experienced disappointment. We could never understand the anxieties of those who are facing financial lack if we have no understanding in that area. And how could we ever be touched with the physical suffering and pain of others if our own infirmities had not birthed compassion in our soul? Comforting others is a ministry in itself, for out of the greatest pain comes the sweetest songs of assurance. The hard places in our past show us how to bring deliverance to the wounded. The emotional trials that we have faced allow us to be able to be touched by their feelings. And because we have cried, we know how to wipe away their tears. Because we have faced desert places and then experienced God in fresh new ways, we can assure those passing through dry hard places that God will also prepare a stream in their desert. Because we have gone through grief and sorrow, we can assure them that their season of joy will come again. Because we have been weary ourselves and have carried heavy burdens, we know how to encourage and lift the heavy load of those who are overwhelmed with suffering. And because we have found it necessary at times to lean on the prayers of others, we are able to give ourselves easily to intercession when prayer is needed. The hurting never run to those who have never suffered. And likewise, those who need counsel and a word in due season never seek out those who have no experience. Yet, we should not seek to suffer, but know that we are not above our Master. Jesus suffered and was touched by the feelings that we would experience and was tempted in all of the temptations that He knew we would face (Hebrews 4:15). He gave Himself to pain so that He could become a valid comforter through the Holy Spirit. So, even though suffering is hard for us, it brings with it an education that is of greater benefit than earning a degree. Suffering creates a dwelling place in our heart for the compassion of God and it develops a skillfulness that enables us to minister according to the will of God. At the end, we are able to agree with the Apostle Paul and say, "Blessed be God ... Who has comforted me in all my tribulations so that I may be able to comfort others who are in any trouble." +++ 9/19/17 MUZZLING OUR MOUTH Scripture: Psalms 39:1 "I will keep my mouth with a bridle." King David made a commitment to take heed of his actions and his words so that he would not sin against God. He also spoke to God about his awkward situation. While the wicked were there in the room before him, he tried to act dumb, hold his peace, and just remain quiet. But the longer he did this, the worse things got and finally sorrow began to stir inside of him. David said, "My heart was hot within me, and while I was musing, the fire burned." In other words he was saying, "The more I thought about it, the more it just burned me up!" Have you ever been there, and said that? David finally reached the point that he responded and said, "Then I spoke up with my tongue." The Message Bible says it a little plainer: "The longer I kept silent the worse it got -- my insides got hotter and hotter, My thoughts boiled over; and I spilled my guts." We often allow the actions and words of others to disturb us in this fashion until we reach the boiling point. In front of God and everybody, at the worst time, we just spill our guts. God's Word says that if we can control our tongue, we can control our whole body. James 3:2 (Amplified) states, "For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if any one does not offend in speech -- never says the wrong things -- he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb (or bridle) his entire nature." If we want to control our whole body and curb our entire nature, there are three things that we must consciously do: 1) We must stop musing about the situation in an adverse way. 2) We must disallow our emotions to burn within us. 3) We must keep our mouth shut until God tells us how to respond or as David said, "Keep our heart with a bridle." +++ 9/20/17 WHY AND WHERE? Scripture: Judges 6:13 "If the Lord is with us ..." An angel of the Lord came to visit Gideon when he was hiding from a fierce enemy. The angel declared that Gideon was a mighty man of valor and told Gideon not to fear because the Lord was with him. Gideon asked the angel these two questions, "If the Lord is with us, why is all of this happening to us? And if the Lord is with us, where are all of His miracles?" Have these two questions ever crossed your mind as you faced life's challenges? We know the scriptures declare that Jesus is a miracle worker and that He is the same today as He was yesterday. He does not change and we believe that He can still heal, provide, and deliver. We also know that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. Psalms twenty-three tells us that the Lord is our Shepherd and that we shall not want for any good thing. He will cause us to lie down in green pastures and will lead us beside still waters. He will even restore our soul and anoint our head with oil in the presence of our enemies. He will calm the raging seas and speak peace to all of our storms. We have nothing to fear because Jesus is our keeper. These truths fill our heart, yet when things are not working out the way they should for us, the same questions that Gideon asked come to our mind. "If the Lord is with me, why is this happening? If He is my provider, why don't I have enough money to pay my bills? If the Lord is leading me beside still waters, why do I have all of this turmoil going on in my life? If the Lord is with me, where are all of His miracles? If Jesus is my healer, why is my body wracked with pain or why did my love one die instead of being healed?" We can all agree that life does offer some discouraging moments. Fear does attack and hardships do come. Grief and sorrow happen to the best of us and things do not always work out as we had hoped or planned. There are times when we cannot feel God's presence even though He is very near. There are days of darkness as well as days of light and there are seasons of sadness as well as times of great joy. To be sure there are times of confusion and even though we do not always have the answers to all of life's questions, we must trust God and believe His Word. In the midst of Gideon's fearful situation, the Lord promised him peace and life (Verse 23). But God also told him to go into battle against the enemy and tear down their idols of worship. Gideon still had fear in his soul when he chose to believe and receive the Word of the Lord. In the midst of the fear that was in his heart and in the face of the challenge that was before him, Gideon built an altar and called it Jehovah-Shalom, which means the God of peace. He stopped everything that he was doing and worshiped the Lord. He laid his fear and insecurities at the feet of the God of peace. This is our answer. Build an altar of worship to the Lord in our hearts. We do not have to know why adversity is challenging our life or where our deliverance is at the moment. All that we must do is lay our fears and insecurities on the altar of Jehovah-Shalom, our God of peace, for He is good and He is faithful all of the time. He has a good plan for our lives and we have nothing to fear. We should never question, "If the Lord is with us", but instead we are to believe His Words and confess in faith, "The Lord is with us!" +++ 9/21/17 PROMISE GIVER Scripture: Hebrews 4:19 "So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." Joshua and Caleb were allowed to enter the Promised Land because they simply trusted God and believed His Word of promise. The rest of the Israelites who had come out of Egypt with them wandered around in the wilderness for forty years but failed to enter into God's promise because of their unbelief. God gave them a promise and delivered them from the Egyptian bondage with a mighty hand. He then showed them His power and His provision through miraculous signs and wonders as they traveled through the wilderness. Yet, time and time again, they chose to disbelieve God. They had forty years to get it right, but they murmured against God and continually complained about their circumstances. They were never able to come into a place of total trust and confidence in God, and for that reason, they never received what God intended for them to have. This parallels our own lives, for God has delivered us out of darkness and bondage and He has translated us into the Kingdom of His marvelous light. Yet even though we are in God's Kingdom, most of us are not experiencing the fullness of the things that His Kingdom affords. We suffer lack in many areas of our lives because of our unbelief and do not enter into the rest that God has designed for us. Instead, we wander around in the wilderness and struggle with our circumstances. Darkness, defeat, and discouragement are easy to come by and all that we have to do to experience these things is just exist. But life and light demand faith. We must believe God if we intend to receive His promises and walk victoriously in them. God has always had good plans for you. You do not belong in the desert of despair and lack. Instead you belong in the Promised Land of blessings. As children of the Living God and as joint Heirs with His Son, Jesus Christ, you have been given precious promises. You are not only promised salvation for your soul through the sacrificed life of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, but God has promised to meet all of your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. He has also provided healing by the stripes that were laid upon Jesus' back and He has sent the promise of the Holy Spirit to comfort, teach, and guide you. The Lord has promised to perfect all things that concern you and vowed that He will be with you until the end of the world. All of these promises belong to you but you must take possession of your blessings by faith. Faith is not mental assent. Instead, it is substance that is birthed in your heart by the Spirit of God. You must feed on God's Word and stay in communion with Him until your faith comes alive. Faith is not just about the promise; it is about the Promise Giver. As you look to God and call upon His faithfulness, He will dispel your unbelief and you can be assured that the Promise Giver will keep His promise. +++ 9/22/17 BRUISED REED Scripture: Matthew 12:20 "A bruised reed shall He not break." Life is not always easy! Even a life lived with Christ at your side can have its ups and downs. All sorts of trouble can happen, which could get the best of you. Temptation may surround you and try to pull you in. Or defeat may discourage you until you want to give up. Everything negative will hit at one time until you feel that you are ready to break. But God looks down at your battered life and makes a promise. He says, "Even though you are bruised, I will not break you ...Trust me. I still have a good plan and purpose for your life. I will take the bad in your life and turn it around for your good." God never gives up. He is the eternal potter and "you are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:10). The Lord will take the broken pieces of your life and make it over again into a vessel that He can use. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God knows the thoughts He has for you. They are good thoughts of hope for your final outcome. He has a great exchange in mind for you. He desires to bring you from the state of a dry, bruised, and breakable reed that is shaken with every wind of doctrine into a strong and healthy tree that cannot be moved. Jeremiah 17:5-6 tells us that "the man who trusts and depends upon man, and allows his heart to depart from God will be like a shrub in the desert." Dry shrubs in the desert have no roots, no fruit, and no purpose. Because their roots are shallow and not secured, they are pulled from the ground and carried by the wind. They are easily bruised and broken. However, Jeremiah continues to say, "The man that trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is in the Lord will be like a tree planted by the waters" (Verses 7-8). He will thirst after God and will spread his roots looking for water. Because this man is nourished by the water of the Word, he will be able to stand in the time of extreme heat and drought. It will not matter to him what is happening above the ground as his life is sustained by deep roots. If things get rough, his roots dig just a little deeper. The deeper his roots go and the wider they spread, the taller he becomes. Like a tree, he is committed and he is a manifestation of the blessings of God. Because of God's grace, his leaves remain green and never wither. He gives no visible signs to the world around him that he is facing difficulty. He does not faint in the day of adversity, but weathers the great winds and storms. He may experience bruises, but he does not break. The fruits of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control are evident in his life and are a testimony to those around him. If you have been bruised in life by loved ones or adverse circumstances, you must learn to trust again. As you put your faith in God and yield to His Spirit, He promises not to break you. He wants you to be secure in Jesus who has come to give you "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." When you find your place in Him, you will no longer be a dry shrub in the desert blown about by the wind, but you will be a "tree of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified" (Isaiah 61:3). +++ 9/25/17 BREAD FOR US Scripture: Numbers 14:9 "They are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us; fear them not." When God led His people out of Egypt, He promised to give them a prosperous land, one that flowed with milk and honey. Twelve spies went out to view that land and all of them returned with wonderful fruits confirming that it was just as God had said. Yet in spite of the fact that it was a good and prosperous land, ten of the twelve spies had an evil report. They said, "The land that we searched is a land that "eats up" or devours its inhabitants, for the men we saw there were giants." Not only did they waver in their own faith but they also discouraged the hearts of the rest of the congregation. However, the other two spies, Joshua and Caleb, encouraged the people of God. They said, "Yes, there are giants in the land, but the giants won't eat us - we will eat the giants. Let us go up at once and possess the land." They refused to allow fear to control them or to steal their blessing and decided to conquer the problem and not let the problem conquer them. Many years later, Joshua and Caleb were the only ones of that generation who were allowed to enter the land and possess God's promise. Every day you have the opportunity to meet adversities and challenges in your life. Your inefficiencies will magnify the negative and make them look like giants that are waiting to eat you up. If you are short, you will see everyone else as being tall. If you are old, you will see everyone else as being younger. Everyone will seem wiser than you. Your perspective on life will either make you weak or cause you to grow stronger and your disappointments will make you bitter or cause you to become better. Your tribulations will bring frustrations or they will work patience and other virtues into your life. Like Joshua and Caleb, you cannot ignore the giants, but you can choose to conquer them. You have the opportunity to see the situation as negative and run in fear or to see it in a positive light. To walk in victory, you must look beyond the challenge and see God's ability. You must remember that you are "more than a conqueror through Him who loves you and gave Himself for you" (Romans 8:37). As you consider how big God is, the size of the giant will diminish and you will realize that the enemy's defenses has departed from him. Each giant that you overcome through God will become bread for you. Each battle will make you wiser. Your victories will sustain you and will assure you that God is with you. This knowledge will make you stronger to face the next challenge. +++ 9/26/17 BOLD AS A LION Scripture: Proverbs 28:1 "The wicked flee when no man pursues: but the righteous are bold as a lion." Did you ever notice how anxious you become when you know that you have done something wrong and you are in fear that you may get caught? I remember one of those experiences. I had a job that required me to go to the courthouses in seven different precincts of the county, and each time I went there would be numerous police cars in the parking lot. I parked my car right next to theirs without any reservations and even backed into the parking space for easy departure. I boldly displayed my front windshield because I thought that I was in right standing with the law. Little did I know that the inspection sticker on my car had expired five months earlier. One Saturday, as I sat in my car waiting to meet some friends at a restaurant, I noticed that the sticker had expired. When I realized that I was out of the confines of the law, my boldness turned to guilt, and the guilt opened the door to fear. I could not get the car inspected until after the weekend, so from that moment on, I was like the wicked man who fled when no one pursued. I envisioned the police pulling me over and giving me a ticket so I would make unnecessary detours in order to get to my destination. My whole attitude and actions changed because I knew that I was operating against the laws of the land. All through the scriptures, we see righteous men who stood boldly in adverse situations. Moses confronted Pharaoh and Esther persuaded the King against wicked Haman. Paul witnessed to the people in spite of the difficulties and persecutions that challenged him and Jesus confronted the religious leaders. There were many others righteous men who did not flinch or run in the heat of the battle. However, there were others who did flee and hide from God because of their unrighteousness. Adam and Eve hid in the garden when they had eaten the forbidden fruit and Cain hid after he had killed his brother, Abel. Just like my experience, there is something about the element of spiritual failure and sin in our lives that causes us to want to run and hide from God. Our boldness is dispelled by guilt and fear, and we feel that God is pursuing us so that He can punish us. Yet, God's true desire is not to punish us, but to extend His forgiveness. Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us that the Lord knows how we feel because He was tempted in the same manner as we are when He was here on Earth. He experienced temptation so that He could free us from sin. God is waiting for our simple confession and when we own up to our sins, He is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). The choice is ours. We can allow ourselves to be pursued by guilt and fear or to become bold as lions through repentance. Let us make the right choice. +++ 9/27/17 PATIENCE OF JOB Scripture: James 5:11 "You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." Job was rich in material blessings and was surrounded by a wonderful family. He was well known and respected in the city and he was also a man that worshiped God and hated evil. He was a good man who was enjoying his life when bad things began to happen to him. He suddenly lost everything that was dear to him, even his own health. In his trials, he experienced much that could have caused him to lose his patience. Yet because Job endured to the end, he received more than he lost because of God's pity and tender mercy. Job had a hard path to follow, but we see his statements of positive commitment along the way. When his children and material blessings were taken from him, he did not give up his faith in God. He recognized that everything that he had received in his life had came from God and acknowledged that it still belonged to God. He said, "Naked came I out of mother's womb, and naked I shall return." He also continued to worship God in the midst of his loss and stated, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). Even when Job felt threaten by death, he maintained his faith in God by saying, "Though God slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15). Job spoke these words to his critical friends, while he was sitting there in an ash heap, scrapping the painful boils that covered his body. Every believer suffers trials and experiences trouble at some point in their life. Maybe it is not to the same extent that Job suffered, but the challenges are there just the same. Job declared that God would not even allow him to catch his breath, but piled bitterness upon bitterness (Job 9:18 Message Bible). Yet, as hard as this was for Job, his trials were meant to be an example for us. God shows us the trials of Job's life so that we may understand that trials do come to good people and that tragedy can strike even though we are striving to live right. Job's life also shows us that trials do come to an end and that at the end of the matter God's tender mercy will prevail if we trust and believe in Him as Job did. Still, it is hard to maintain faith when we are being tried, but God will help us if we call out to Him in the midst of it all. If we feel ourselves doubting, we must be honest and ask the Lord to help us with our unbelief. When we are tempted to give up in the midst of adversity, we must trust God to sustain our patience and be encouraged by the thoughts and words of the Apostle James. He said that at the end of our patience we will find that "The Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy." +++ 9/28/17 LABORERS TOGETHER Scripture: I Corinthians 3:9 "For we are laborers together with God." The Apostle Paul was a very important man to the kingdom of God and had many reasons to promote himself above others. Philippians 3:5 and 6 declares that there was no fault in him in regards to the law. He was circumcised on the eighth day, and he was of the race of Israel and of the tribe of Benjamin. He was of the party of Pharisees and observed all of the laws. He was so zealous for God that he persecuted the church with a good conscious. In verse four, Paul said if anyone had reason to rely on themselves, he had more. Even though Paul had all these things going for him, he put them aside. He forgot his prestige and counted his personal abilities as loss. Throughout his ministry Paul never sought to exalt himself above others, but became a servant to the very church that he once persecuted. He became a laborer with those who were trying to spread the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He knew that he could not do the work of the ministry alone and neither could they. Paul spoke against those who manifested envy, strife, and division by trying to exalt him above Appolos, who was another minister of the Lord Jesus. Paul explained that he had planted, Appolos had watered, but God was the one who gave the increase. Paul and Appolos were ministering for the same cause and Paul realized that both of them were nothing without the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. In the twelfth chapter of I Corinthians, Paul said that we are all part of the body of Christ and that every member has an important role. In Ephesians 2:21, He also likened the members of the church to a building that is fitly framed together. He emphasized that no part of the body or the building is more significant than the other. He also showed us by example that we are not to envy someone else, feel intimidated by our low degree, or exalt ourselves. We are God's workmanship and He sets the terms, placing us where He wants us to be. We are accountable to fulfill that responsibility. We need to work together. Like the Paul and Appolos scenario, if you plant the seed, I need to water, and vice versa. We are not to strive one against the other, as there is no place for division in the Kingdom of God. Jesus is one Lord over us all and He will bring the increase as we labor together with Him. +++ 9/29/17 SOW QUIETNESS - REAP STRENGTH Scripture: Isaiah 30:15 "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength." Regardless of whether we are homemakers or business executives, our schedules often become hectic and hurried. Deadlines have to be reached and appointments met. There is so much to do with so little time to get it all done and before we know it, we are stretched to the limit and stressed out. The answer to this daily dilemma is found in God's Word. It is the simple spiritual law of quietness before God. Like the law of gravity, I cannot explain it, but I know that quietness before God works. As we take a few moments to get quiet in the presence of the Lord, He supplies us with a grace that gives us strength to meet every challenge. Isaiah 40:30-31 declares that even "The young will faint and be weary, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." Waiting on the Lord enables you to draw strength from Him so that you can complete your course without weariness or fainting. Being quiet and putting your confidence in God is a discipline that shows your submission to the sovereignty of God and His will. As you wait and are still before God, He directs your paths and makes the crooked ways straight. Things will then fall into place without stress and struggle. Even though Jesus had only three years to complete His ministry assignment on earth, He took time to rest. In Mark 6:3, He told the disciples "Come apart into a desert place, and rest for awhile." It is said that if we don't "come apart and rest" we will "come apart." Jesus knew the importance of taking time to wait before God. In Luke 6:12, He prayed all night and in Mark 1:35, He arose a great while before day, went into a solitary place, and prayed. He knew His strength came from the anointing and confidence that He gained while He was in the quietness of God's presence. Reflect on the concepts of this prayer and allow your soul to be quiet and slow down. Authorship of this prayer is unknown. "Slow me down, Lord! Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind. Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time. Give me, midst the confusion of the day, the calmness of the everlasting hills. Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of the singing streams that live in my memory. Help me to know the magical, restoring power of sleep. Teach me the art of taking minute vacations..... of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to pat a dog, or to read a few lines from a good book. Remind me each day of the fable of the hare and the tortoise that I may know that the race is not always to the swift; that there is more to life than increasing its speed. Let me look upward into the branches of the towering oak and know that it grew great and strong because it grew slowly and well. Slow me down, Lord, and inspire me to send my roots deep into the soil of life's enduring values that I may grow toward the stars of my great destiny. In Jesus' Name. Amen" +++ Copyright © 2017 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com |
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