| ............ | A Word In Due Season AUG 2018 8/1/18 GOD'S THOUGHTS
Scripture: Psalms 139:17-18 "How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them. If I could count them, they are more in number than the sand."
Imagine that you are on a beach that stretches for miles and miles. You make yourself comfortable and then you begin to count the grains of sand that hold back the vast ocean. One by one, you count each grain until you are finished, and then you go to the next beach and start all over again. You do this until you have counted all of the grains of sand on the Earth. We know this is an impossible task and so it is with taking inventory of God's thoughts towards us. David said "if" he could count God's thoughts towards him, they would be more numerous than the sand. God's thoughts towards us are so precious and they are so many that they reach into eternity.
God begin to think about us before we were ever conceived. We are His special design. When we are being formed in the secret place of our mother's womb, He forms our being into the awesome vessel that He desires. He creates within us special abilities so that we will be able to correspond with His mighty plan and fulfill His purposes. We may look at ourselves and think that we are very little, but the Lord makes no mistakes. Our life has always been in His hands, and He has always been in control. The crown is upon His head and the scepter is in His hands. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. We must acknowledge that He is God and that He made us to be the person that He wanted us to be. When we accept God's sovereign plan for us, we begin to find our place in life and to understand our destined purpose.
You will face challenges through the day and you will be thrown some curves in your life. There will be cold dark valleys to pass through and tough mountains to climb. There will be hot dry deserts and raging rivers to cross. There will be decisions to make and disappointments to deal with. There will also be pain to bear. In these places, you must always take refuge in the knowledge that God is thinking of you and that His thoughts are for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Just as you watch over your own children when they are unaware, your heavenly Father is watching over you. He never slumbers or sleeps and He will never leave you, nor forsake you. His thoughts towards you are more precious than you could ever imagine, and they are more in number than the grains of sand. +++
8/2/18 GOD HONORS OUR EFFORTS Scripture: Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock, and it shall be open to you." God is sitting on His throne in Heaven desiring to accomplish His work in our life. Jesus is sitting there beside Him interceding in prayer for us and the Holy Spirit is hovering around the throne waiting for instructions. Even the angels are waiting to do God's bidding on our behalf and hearken to the voice of His Word (Psalms 103:20). They are all involved in bringing solutions to our problems and helping us in our situations, but everything is on hold because they are waiting for their work orders to come through before they proceed. They are waiting for a heart that is full of faith to draw upon Heaven's resources. They are listening for the words of our prayers and are watching to see if anyone is searching for them. And, they are hoping that someone will knock at their door. All too often we do not involve God in our daily needs even though He is our loving Father and He wants to give us answers and to provide for us. He wants us to search for Him so that we can find Him and experience His awesome presence. He wants to open doors for us that no man can shut and He delights to show us great and mighty things that we have never seen before. He desires to lead us to the green pastures and beside the still waters. God is ready to respond to us but the delay rest in the fact that we need to make an effort in His direction. We need to ask for our provisions if we want God to provide them. We must seek Him with all of our hearts if we ever expect to be drawn into His presence. If we want to see the great and mighty things that are promised, we must call upon Him (Jeremiah 33:3). If we want to be led to the green pastures and still waters, we must follow Him wherever He leads. If we desire God to draw near to us, we must first draw near to Him. Psalms 78:41 says that God's chosen people limited the Holy One of Israel. God wanted to do great and mighty things for them but they never received God's promise because of their own unbelief. It takes faith to ask, faith to seek, and faith to knock. Yet, the scripture says that everyone that asks will receive an answer, will find what they are searching for, and that doors will be open to them (Matthew 7:8). You only have to take one step towards God for Him to begin to move in your direction. He will meet you at your level of faith and take care of all of your needs. He will come to you with His love, comfort, healing, direction, and provision. So, instead of fretting over your needs, make a decision to simply approach God in faith and on His terms. He will honor your efforts and you will receive your answers. +++ 8/3/18 GREAT EXPLOITS Scripture: Daniel 11:32 "But the people who know their God shall be strong and do great exploits." We live in an amazing time, which is moving very fast. Each day there is something unpredictable and spectacular that happens in the world and we are able to witness it through the miracle of modern media. Sometimes, you may wonder, "What is going to happen next?” Although we are not told everything about the future, we do know that this season of history will require much faith on our part so that we can face the challenges that will come our way. God is now and will be our only help in the times to come. Daniel was a man who was thrown into the lion's den because he worshiped God. He prayed and gave thanks to God openly three times a day even though the king had established a royal statute against it. The king had decreed the penalty of death to anyone who was caught praying to any God instead of honoring the king himself. Daniel was left in the lion's den all night long, but came out without any manner of hurt because he believed in his God (Daniel 6:23). We must understand that Daniel's faith in God did not start when he was put into the den with the lions. He had come to know God in a mighty way through His daily prayers and communion with God. He had spent personal time alone with God on a regular basis, which cause him to be strong when adversity came his way. He did not shrink in fear because he had developed a personal trust in God and believed that God could and would deliver him. There is no way for us to prepare for tomorrow in the natural but we can be ready in the spirit. We must listen to the words of Daniel, for he made it clear that there was a distinction between the people who know their God and the people who do not know Him. Daniel declared that the people who knew their God would be strong. God will give us understanding of the times and strength to endure all things if we get to know who He is and what He will do. We must seek to know the Lord and to know the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:10). Then when we turn to God for help in the times of trouble, He will be able do mighty things in our lives because our faith in Him is strong and mature. God cannot be just the storybook God that we read about in the Bible. Instead, we must recognize Him as the one and only sovereign God and allow Him to be the supreme ruler of our hearts. We must know that nothing happens without His knowledge and that He holds our lives in the palm of His hands. We have nothing to worry about, for God is greater than the king's decree of death and He can still shut the mouths of the lions that come against our lives. The Lord has full control. All we must do is to study His Word and get a revelation of who God is and then spend time with Him so that we learn to believe in Him and know that we can trust in Him. As we do, we will become strong and be able to do great things through Him. +++ 8/6/18 Scripture: II Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness." The apostle Paul was a man who had supernatural experiences with God and had received great revelations from God. Yet, Paul did not have things easy. He said that he was given a thorn in the flesh so that he would not be exalted beyond measure because of the revelations that he had received. We are not certain what the thorn was, but time and time again, the devil attacked Paul. Yet, Paul did not allow the devil to have the upper hand. In verse ten he said, "I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong." Paul experienced something greater than the hardship and adversity that was at hand. He experienced the grace of God and came to know and understand that God's grace was sufficient for every circumstance and that God's strength was made perfect in Paul's weakness. Grace is unmerited favor and comes by divine impartation. God places a part of Himself, a portion of His very being, inside of you so that you can endure for a season. It is special and it is supernatural. You may think you cannot endure the present challenge, and like Paul, you may pray three times for the thorn to be removed. Or like Jesus, you may ask three times for the cup of suffering to pass from you. You may later wonder how you ever made it through the impossible ordeal that you were forced to encounter. But also like Paul, you will come to know and understand that God's grace was the element that kept you in your time of need. It was God's grace, a portion of Himself inside of you, which gave you strength in your weakness. It is marvelous to know that God is still in the business of dispensing His grace. His grace gives hope in a hopeless situation, turns our mourning into joy, gives added strength when our labors increase, mercy in our afflictions, faith for our challenges, and peace in a troubled world. His grace is always enough. It is sufficient and is never lacking. God seems to measure His grace out. It is like the manna that fell in the desert ... it is this much grace for this much need. It cannot be gathered and stored up ahead of time. Grace is just there when you need it as you face every hardship and emotional pain. Something special happens as you lean upon God and experience His grace. Somewhere in the midst of your situation you realize God's goodness in allowing you to embrace the pain. As you see yourself changing, you begin to take pleasure in the infirmities, reproaches, necessities, persecutions, and distresses. Like Paul, you will say, "When I am weak, then I am strong. The God of grace and the God of strength is inside of me and that is sufficient for all of my needs." +++ 8/7/18 LED BY THE SPIRIT Scripture: Romans 8:14 " For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Our loving heavenly Father is just like any earthly father and continually deals with us and tries to lead us in the right paths. He is concerned with every aspect of our lives and always has our best interest in mind. His Holy Spirit speaks to our spirits, giving us a sense of direction and reminding us to stay in the bounds of God's commandments. We can rest assured that His continual dealings with us are for our benefit, as He desires to fulfill His promises to us and complete His purposes within us. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you ... to give you a future and a hope in your final outcome." Yet, it is altogether possible to miss the destiny that God has planned for us if we do not follow Him. Psalms 32:8 says, "I, the Lord, will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel or guide you with my eye." This brings to memory my own parents who instructed me and taught me the proper way to act. When I disobeyed, I felt grieved knowing that I had failed their expectations. It took only one glance from them in my direction, and the expression in their eyes would call me to repentance very quickly. I had a choice to either change my behavior or continue in rebellion and reap the consequences. David continued in this psalm to tell us that we are not to be stubborn as horses or mules that have to be forced in the right direction with bits and bridles because they have no understanding. We are given a choice. We can choose to be led by the Holy Spirit and follow God's instructions and gentle reminders or we can be restricted by God as He attempts to keep us on the right path. God feels the same towards us as we feel toward our own children. He takes no pleasure in having to restrict us as though we have no spiritual direction. God's will is that we seek Him and be sensitive to His voice and that we behave as mature sons and daughters. Consider these questions as you endeavor to follow God and be led by His Spirit. 1) Do my thoughts line up with the Word of God? 2) Does the Spirit of God bear witness with my spirit? 3) Will my decision lead me closer to God or away from Him? 4) Am I following after peace? 5) Is God providing for me to go in this direction? 6) Am I listening to God's voice or being influenced by the opinions of others? 7) Has my decision been confirmed by godly counsel? +++ 8/8/18 GOD'S PROMISE OF HELP Scripture: Isaiah 41:13 "Fear not; I will help you." Israel had become feeble and despised by the other nations so God addressed her by saying, "Fear not, you worm!" Israel was God's chosen and called out nation but was being stepped on by those around her as if she were a mere worm of the dust. However, God, in His mercy, is getting ready to change everything about this abusive situation. In the preceding verses, God promises to strengthen and uphold Israel with His own hand of righteousness. He also promises Israel that her enemies will be confounded and become as nothing in her sight. She will be like a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth and all those who strive against her shall perish. She will become like a mean machine that is able to thresh the mountains of adversity and tear the enemy apart. Fear was a mighty enemy for Israel and it is a mighty enemy for us as well. For this reason, God addresses fear many times in the scriptures. Each time that God issued a challenge to one of His servants or manifested Himself, He said, "Fear not." He addresses fear because it is a strong emotion that can paralyze and hold in bondage those who yield themselves to it. The Lord wants us to know that we have nothing to fear because the spiritual realm operates by authority and spirits know their limits. The devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He watches our reaction to the spirit of fear and can only come through the doors that we open. When we boldly resist fear as we would any other temptation, it has to flee. It is not by our might or by our own power, but by the Spirit of the Lord (Zechariah 4:6). Our strength has no influence over fear. It is God's power that accomplishes the work. Fear can be big or fear can be little, but all fear is tormenting. General Patton said, "I learned early in life not to take counsel with my fears." Like General Patton we are to set fear aside from the very onset and refuse to allow it any place in our hearts. We must guard our hearts, for what we allow into our spirits will eventually manifest itself. Job said, "What I have greatly feared has come upon me" (Job 3:25). His fear opened the door for destruction in his life. It is said what you put into the well is what you will draw out. If you receive fear into your heart that is all that you can draw out. When you give place to the devil, you allow him the authority in your life. When you give place to God and His promises, you allow God the authority to rule your being. Like Israel, you may see yourself as a worm before your enemy. You may feel feeble and despised because of the abusive situations that you are in. Fear may be knocking at your door and all may seem lost. Regardless of how hopeless it all may seem, you must turn your thoughts to God and remember that He has chosen you to rule and reign in this life. He has made you an overcomer and He wants to change you and your self-image. The Lord speaks to you as He did to Israel and says, "I will change you from being a worm into a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth and you will tear down the mountains of adversity that are before you. Fear not, for I will help you." +++ 8/9/18 ANOTHER CHANCE Scripture: Genesis 4:25 "God has appointed me another seed." Adam and Eve had two sons named Cain and Abel. Both of these sons gave an offering to the Lord, but the Lord was only pleased with Abel's offering. He totally rejected Cain's offering. Because of the rejection, anger and jealousy raged in the heart of Cain towards his brother, Abel. When the opportunity presented itself, Cain killed Abel. Cain’s deed left a grieving mother but she found comfort when she gave birth to another son. To Eve, the birth of Seth meant restoration of what had been destroyed by a selfish and evil act. Seth's birth brought hope and renewed vision to a very wounded soul. Eve could now look beyond the loss that she had suffered and envision a brighter future. She saw this blessed event as God granting her another opportunity or appointing her another seed. Today is the first day of the rest of our life. We stand on the edge of our future. We have more control than we realize, for our destiny is governed by our choices and actions. There is a seed of hope within each of us that is waiting to come alive. We can either mourn the past and its many disappointments or celebrate the days to come. We can look at life and declare that there's nothing to hope for or we can place our faith in God and declare that He is appointing us another chance. God has promised to restore the years that have been devoured and wasted (Joel 2:25 & Isaiah 58:12). Things are never so bad in our lives that God cannot restore them, for He is God and He is our awesome Creator. Losses are never so great that He cannot redeem. No sickness is so grave that He cannot heal, and even death, itself, cannot resist His resurrection power. The Lord is able to repair anything and everything that is broken in our lives. All we have to do is give Him all of the pieces of our broken lives and shattered dreams and He will perfect those things that concern us. As we patiently wait for Him, God will appoint to us another season, another chance, and a new beginning. +++ COVERED WITH DARKNESS Scripture: Isaiah 50:3 "I clothe the heavens with blackness." A storm hit our area one mid-afternoon and it became pitch black outside. The sky had been clear and the sun had been visible just a few hours earlier, but in a very short amount of time all light was shut out by the impending storm clouds. The only hint of light was the lightening as it flashed across the sky. It was darker than night because at night time, the stars shine and the moon reflects the light of the sun. It was as though a cloak had suddenly been thrown across the earth and had separated the earth from the lights of the heavens. Like Isaiah declared, it seemed that God was clothing the heavens with blackness. When all of this was happening, I had no thought or fear that the darkness that presently surrounded me would prevail forever. I did pray for safety, but I went about my business and occasionally looked outside to view the storm and the darkness. I did not allow the circumstances to affect me because I knew that the storm had an end and that it would eventually run its course. I believed that things would return to normal and had no doubts that the sun would shine again. When the storm finally ended, I had to clear away the limbs that had fallen across my path and then travel down roads that were flooded. Yet, in the end, God protected me and I was safe from all harm. I am sure that somewhere in our area God's covenant of the rainbow was visible. We know a lot about nature and we should seek to know just as much about God. If we truly knew God, we would experience much more peace when we are challenged with the storms of life. I am not talking about the physical storms, but those things that challenge us in areas of our health, wealth, and emotional well-being. If we could just trust our lives to God, we would be still and calm when the thunder rolled, the lightening flashed, and the fierce winds of adversity blew against us. We would not panic or allow circumstances to force us into unwise decisions while we were entrapped in the valley of darkness. If we understood that God controlled the darkness, our confidence in His judgment would save us from a lot of grief concerning our own future. We would remember the storms and the darkness of the past that we had safely made it through and would have hope for our present deliverance. Terror would not be able to prevail in our soul because we would know that the storm that rages so fiercely around us has no power except for that which God allows. God's plan for our lives does not always make sense. Yet, we do know that in the seasons of darkness we discover a deeper devotion within us for the Lord of our life and we develop a greater faith in His might and power. In life’s darkest moments, we come to understand that God is faithful in all things and at all times, and that we live by His promises and not by His explanations. When the water gets too deep, the fire burns too hot, the way becomes too long, and the darkness covers our soul, we know that God's promises are still true. Even though God may not explain the darkness that is hovering over us, we know that we can trust in Him, for He is the light within our soul. +++ 8/13/18 COMFORTING OTHERS Scripture: II Corinthians 1:4 (NIV) "(God) Who comforts us in all of our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." Life is not as simple as it seemed to be a few decades ago. Trials and tribulations are multiplying for most of us and the enemy of our soul is seeking to wear us out with his challenging situations. Problems come and doubts try to overshadow our faith and destroy our trust in God. With everything that is happening in the world today, our security is dwindling and confusion is moving in, attempting to drive away our peace. As personal heartaches and disappointments occur, our joy vanishes. Many times, we cannot understand what is happening and eventually we find ourselves at a loss and overwhelmed with even life itself. Recently, a friend asked me, "Where do you go to give up?" His trust was in the Lord and he was a strong believer in God's Word. He had a high level of faith and was not truly serious about quitting life, but like many of us, the immediate frustrations were making a grand toll on his patience and endurance. Sometimes giving up is an enticing remedy, but the Word lets us know that there are purposes for our trials and tribulations. James said that the trying of our faith works or produces patience. It is in the hard places of life that we learn to wait upon God and trust in His promises. It is in the valleys that we come to know that the Lord truly is our Shepherd and that He will keep us safe, restore our soul, and supply our every need. The Apostle Paul made another interesting statement. He said that the things that we have gone through help us to be able to comfort others who are in any kind of trouble. Our experiences, good and bad, help us to relate to others. Our pains create a place within our heart so that we can understand the hurts that others harbor within their souls and our failures enable us to recognize the disappointments that torment their minds. Even Jesus was tempted in all points of life like we are so that He could be touched with the feelings of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus is able to comfort and lead us out of our dark valleys because of His own experience. And it is through the comfort that we receive from Him that our hearts expand enough so that God can use us to draw others out of their valleys of despair. As you see others walking the path of trouble, I encourage you to allow God to minister through you just as He has ministered to you. It is not a complicated task. Just be a strong voice in the silence that surrounds the hurting soul who is listening for a God Word in due season. Be a shoulder to lean upon for those who are going through hard times. Be a helping hand to the weary. Let the light that God shared with you be the sunshine in their darkness. Let the salt that He has placed in your life give spiritual flavor to the hopeless. Share the Bread of Life that you have received with the hungry and the Living Water with the thirsty. Jesus promised that He would never leave you or forsake you, so never turn the hurting away. They need the gift that God has placed within you. Show compassion and simply be a comfort to those who are in any trouble as the Lord has been a comfort to you. +++ 8/14/18 POWER OF FAITH Scripture: I Corinthians 2:5 "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." The Apostle Paul did not preach a message with enticing words of man's wisdom but a message that was a demonstration of the power of God. Paul’s message required faith. Natural wisdom often discourages us by telling us that faith does not work. We must understand that faith is not contrary to reason but exceeds reason. We are not required to explain the proof of God or the Words that He has spoken. We must only believe that God is and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Faith is a gift and a fruit of the Spirit and it does not come simply because of our needs or desires. It is supernatural and Paul said that it comes only by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). In Matthew 9:29 Jesus spoke to two blind men who were seeking healing and said, "According to your faith, be it unto you." These men had been following Jesus and their faith had been stirred as they heard the reports and testimonies of what Jesus was doing throughout the land. Jesus' fame had spread because He had done many mighty miracles, and had even raised a young girl from the dead. Faith in Jesus had come into the blind men's hearts because of what they had heard and Jesus responded to their heart full of faith, not their desperate situation. He was looking for those who would believe in Him. Jesus passed many people who did not receive a miracle because there was no faith in their hearts. In one city, the scriptures declare that He could not do any mighty miracles because of their unbelief. Jesus speaks the same words today, "According to your faith, be it unto you." You can only receive what you believe for and you can only believe for the things that you hear from God, for His Words are spirit and life. What are you trying to believe God to do for you? Your faith will not stand in the wisdom of men, for reasoning will speak out against the foolishness of your faith. You must find your faith building answer in God's Word, for your faith will stand only in the power of God. His Words are creative and full of power. As God speaks into your heart, your faith will rise and that faith will become substance to your hopes. Then according to your faith, it will be done unto you. +++ 8/15/18 STRENGTH IN ADVERSITY Scripture: Proverbs 24:10 "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small." The scriptures teach us that once we are born again, we enter into a major warfare with the enemy, for Satan goes about as a roaring lion seeking to devour us. His intentions are not good towards the children of God who shine as lights upon his darkness and who bring the message of God's peace and hope to a troubled world. John 10:10 says that Satan's purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. The more you try to serve God, the greater Satan's attack, or as one minister says, "New Level - New Devil." Yet, God does not leave His people helpless against this spiritual adversary. Through the Apostle Paul, God instructs us that we are to stand against the devil and having done all to stand. God provides us with spiritual armor and weapons consisting of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God (Ephesians 6:13-18). God then exhorts us to pray at all times with all manner of prayer. The armor protects us and prayer empowers us for the battle. Our battle is not won on the battlefield, but on our knees in our prayer closet. Just before His toughest battle, Jesus spent His time in prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. His disciples could not stay awake and pray with Him. Sleep overtook them and when adversity came, the disciples forsook Jesus and fled. Their faith became weak and their strength fainted. When Jesus had found them sleeping earlier, He warned them, "Watch and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation." But they were too tired to pray. "Their spirits were willing, but their flesh was weak" (Matthew 26:41). Weariness is a great hindrance to prayer, but prayer is the only way to maintain spiritual strength when the day of battle comes. If we find ourselves too weary and too tired to pray, we will find ourselves too weak to fight the enemy. Hebrews 12:3 tells us to look at Jesus, who was able to endure, so that we do not become weary and faint in our minds. Our strength comes from the Lord. And if Jesus found it necessary to spend much time in prayer and communion with the Heavenly Father, shouldn't we? In the day of adversity, we will not faint if our strength is not small and our strength will not be small if we have been empowered by the Lord's presence in prayer. +++ 8/16/18 NO HANDLES? Scripture: Isaiah 45:9 (Amplified) "Woe to him who strives with his Maker! ... Shall the clay say to Him who fashioned it, 'What do You think You are making? ... Your work has no handles?'" We see here an earthen vessel that has been formed in the potter's hand. The potter knew the intended use and exactly what he wanted when he made the vessel. He knew how he would use that particular vessel, so he fashioned it precisely and supplied it with everything that it would need to fulfill its intended purpose. However, the vessel became very unhappy because it saw all the other vessels that were made differently than itself. The vessel was experiencing disappointment because some of the other vessels were endowed with more than it had. They either had handles on both sides or at least a handle on one side. Some had a handle on top and some were very special with a spout for pouring. And then others were just as this particular vessel was - a "no handle" vessel. The truth of the matter was that all of the vessels were created very differently to meet a particular need, and all were very necessary. Have you ever compared yourself with others? And in looking at yourself, did you notice the great differences in your physique, inner character, talents and abilities, and strengths and weaknesses? Did you ever question your Creator, God, like the scriptures read in Romans 9:20, "Why have you made me thus?" Or have you wondered why you were different. And like the vessel that Isaiah spoke about, said, "God, I have no handles! What do You think You are making? Look at me God, I'm not like Your other vessels. How can You use me? I have no special gifts or talents. If I just had one small handle - maybe, just maybe - You could use me." You must remember that when God Himself was making you, He was designing you for a unique purpose. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "God knows the thoughts or plans He has for you. They are thoughts and plans for peace and not evil, to give you an expected end." God saw your future when He was forming you, and He knew if you would need handles or not. God never commissions without equipping, and His call does not come void of His power. Do not allow yourself to strive with your Maker. Instead yield yourself completely to His choosing. Trust totally in the Potter. Allow God to use you as His vessel for His purposes and understand that regardless of whether you have handles are not, you are still the work of His hands. +++ 8/17/18 OPEN MY EYES Scripture: II Kings 6:17 "Open his eyes, that he may see." A great army had surrounded the city where the prophet Elisha and his servant were staying. When the servant saw that they were surrounded, He became distressed and sought comfort from Elisha. Elisha told his servant not to fear and declared that there were more for them than against them, but the servant still could not see what the prophet of God saw. Elisha then prayed this simple prayer asking God to open the eyes of the servant. When God opened the servant's eyes and allowed him to see beyond the natural, he saw that the mountains were full of horses and chariots of fire, which were there to protect them. Before my grandchild was born, we experienced a great blessing, for we were allowed to see an amazing video of her while she was still in the womb of her mother. As the doctor scanned the baby with the sonogram, we were able to see many of her features, which included her heart beating and a perfect view of her mouth making definite sucking motions. It was awesome to grasp this wonderful blessing. Modern technology had made it possible for our eyes to see beyond our natural capabilities and allowed us to view a miracle. Yet, if we had not been able to see the child with our own eyes, the fact remained that she was there and full of life. This is a life lesson for us in the spiritual. Too often, it seems that evil surrounds us, and like the situation with Elisha and his servant, our vision is limited. We are only able to see the opposition and we experience fear because we cannot see what is happening in the spirit. However, God is surrounding us with His forces. Without God opening our spiritual eyes, we cannot see a way of escape any more than we could see the baby in the womb without the help of a sonogram. Yet regardless of our limited vision, God is quietly working undercover on our behalf and has a plan and a time to bring all things into fruition. I pray for you today, as the prophet prayed for his servant, that God would open your eyes supernaturally and allow you to see the heavenly forces that are fighting for you in the battles of life. I pray that you will get a glimpse of the blood of Jesus that was shed for your sins so that you could receive eternal life. I pray that you would come to understand the significance of the stripes that were laid upon Jesus' back, for Isaiah says that "by His stripes you are healed." I pray that God's peace that passes all understanding would flood your spirit as you envision the crown of thorns that was placed upon Jesus' brow, for "He took the chastisement of your peace upon Himself" (Isaiah 53:5). And finally, I pray that your spiritual eyes would be opened to know God's heartbeat. I pray that you would be assured that He is surrounding you with His love. I encourage you to pray the same simple prayer that the prophet prayed, "Open my eyes that I may see," so that you may rest in God's promise of provisions and protection. +++ 8/20/18 PERSEVERE IN FAITH Scripture: Hebrews 10:36 (Living Bible) "You need to persevere (or have patience) so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised." You must keep on patiently doing the will of God if you want Him to do all that He has promised to do for you. God's promise is simple. If you persevere and do your part, He will do His part. You must endure to the end. You cannot stop short of the goal that is set before you because the prize will only be awarded to those who cross the finish line. Jesus endured the cross until the end, and then He said, "It is finished." Paul continued serving the Lord through various trials until one day he could say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course." Paul also said, "Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6:9). It is very easy to give up right when you are on the edge of a miracle. Look at the situation with God's people, Israel. God led them out of Egypt with signs and wonders and did mighty miracles in their midst. God protected them and provided for all of their needs, yet they would not persevere in faith. It is amazing that they saw Him do such magnificent things, yet they could not maintain their faith in this miracle working God. And because of their unbelief, they gave up and never received His promise. God could not do His part simply because they did not do their part. Joshua and Caleb, along with the younger generation, were the only ones that entered into the Promised Land. Numbers 14:24 tells us that because Caleb had another spirit and followed the Lord fully, he was able to possess the land. He persevered in faith. At the age of eighty-five, Caleb was still declaring that he was strong enough to possess God's promise. In Joshua 14:12 Caleb said, "Give me this mountain ... I shall be able to drive my enemies out, as the Lord has said." He went to battle, drove out the giants, and conquered his mountain. God waits for you to persevere in faith like Caleb. Regardless of your age or what has happened in your life, the promise that God gave to you is still alive and is still yours. Put your trust in God and He will help you take the mountain and defeat the giants that stand in your way. If you persevere in faith and do your part, God will do His part. +++ 8/21/18 PURPOSE IN ALL THINGS Scripture: Romans 8:28 "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." If you love God and are living for His purposes, then everything that is happening in your life is working together for your good. You may not understand exactly what is happening, but you can be sure that God's Word is true and that it is all going to turn out for the best because He is in control. You can trust God to honor and fulfill this simple word, "all things - work together - for good." All things are not good, but they are working together for good. As you come to put your faith in this revelation, peace will come into your heart. You will realize that everything that affects you also affects God. This knowledge will enhance your faith in the desperate days that you experience. God has a hidden purpose in the things that happen to you. Just like the life of Joseph, God took every negative situation and used it to bring about His ultimate purpose. God used the evil circumstances to change and mold the character of Joseph until he became the vessel that God could use and trust. God repaid Joseph for all the lost years with an abundance of wealth and honor. Joseph's ultimate destiny proved that the journey of hardships that he endured was worth every moment. All things did work together for good in Joseph's life because he did love God and was called according to God's purposes. God has good thoughts towards your life. You must cease meddling with the Master's plan and trust God. You must lean upon Him rather than upon your own understanding. God's work with your life is like a tapestry. Underneath, the threads have no pattern, but topside, they make a beautiful picture. God causes the dark threads of your life that you do not understand to work together with the other colors to form the picture that He wants to reveal to the world. You are God's masterpiece. When God’s picture is finished, you will find that all things truly worked together in your life for good and were needed in order to fulfill His purpose. +++ 8/22/18 SOFT AND PLIABLE Scripture: Psalms 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." We often think this scripture means that God is going to give us anything that we want if we just simply show Him a little bit of interest first. We probably appear to the Lord as small children when we approach Him in this manner. I can remember doing this with my own father in my childhood. I would be real sweet to him and try to gain his favor before I asked him for something, but He could always figure out my schemes and see through my childish manipulations. Before I even had a chance to make my request known to him, he would ask, "Why are you being so nice to me and what do you want?" My hand that was seeking for provision was more evident and truthful than my heart that was full of love for him. God is certainly wiser than our earthly fathers and He can discern the thoughts that are hidden deep within our hearts. He knows when we are truly delighting ourselves in Him and when we are attempting to manipulate Him by our praise and adoration. In Mark 7:6 Jesus said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." The Lord sees each chamber of our heart and knows our thoughts better than we do, and sometimes He does not answer our prayers so that He can give us the true desires of our heart. I have asked God for many things that I did not receive. And I confess that I am very grateful that He has not answered all of my prayers, not just the prayers of my youth, but also those of my more mature spiritual years. I have learned that even after walking many decades with the Lord, I am still not equal to His wisdom. In the Hebrew, the word "delight" in this scripture means "soft and pliable." If we substitute those words for delight, it would read, "Make yourself soft and pliable in the hands of the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." We are simply clay in the Potter's hands and must allow Him to mold and make us into the vessel that He has planned for us to be. God always gives us the best when we allow Him to do the choosing. We must find out what God’s will is for our lives and then delight or make ourselves soft and pliable in His hands so that we can complete His will. When we wrap our hearts and souls around God's purposes then the desires of our heart will truly be met. Instead of getting what we wanted, we will find that we want and are delighted with what He has given to us. +++ 8/23/18 MOVE FORWARD IN FAITH Scripture: II Kings 7:3 "... Why sit we here until we die?" Four leprous men were living outside the gates of the city because this was what the law of the land required. As they began to commune with each other, they asked themselves, “Why sit we here until we die?" They came to the conclusion that they needed to make a change in their life or else they were going to die. Their options were few. Verse four tells us that if they went into the city, they would die because of the great famine in the land. Yet, they would also die if they remained where they were. They decided to do something bold, which was to approach their enemies, the Syrians. They felt that they had nothing to lose. If their enemy ended up killing them they would be no worse off than they were at the present moment. These men had little hope of survival and had just about given up on life. Little did they know that God was working on their behalf. As they began to move forward towards their enemy's camp, God caused the Syrians to hear a great noise of chariots and horses. The Syrians fled from their camp in fear. In their haste they left everything behind, and when the lepers arrived on the scene, they found food, drink, clothing, and gold. Their bounty was more than enough to meet their own need so they took the news back to the city and shared their good fortune with a starving and needy people. Decisions of faith are not always easy and they very rarely make sense. Yet, faith will always move you forward. It will take you to places that you have never been and provide peace in every circumstance. Like the situation with the leprous men, many times things look hopeless because there are no reasonable options. You just have to go forward and believe that when you get there God will make a way where there seems to be no way and will provide for every need. Make no mistake; God is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is well able to do far more than you could ever ask or think. When God gets ready to bless you, He may do it in an unexpected way like He did with the lepers. You must simply trust Him to make a way in the wilderness and believe that He will drive your enemies out before you. With God all things are possible. It is better to move forward in faith than to sit in doubt and die. If you do not give up in despair, you will find yourself standing on the other side of victory. +++ 8/24/18 AFFLICTION INSTEAD OF PLEASURE Scripture: Hebrews 11:25 "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season" This scripture speaks of Moses and the choice that he made for his own life. When Moses was born, his mother hid him for three months from Pharaoh and when he was too big to hide, she put him in a basket and placed the basket on the river. His mother was trying to hide him because Pharaoh had commanded that all of the male Hebrew children be put to death. Yet, God had a very special plan for Moses and it was not death. God’s sovereignty caused Pharaoh's daughter to find Moses and when she saw the baby Moses, she had compassion upon him. She drew him out of the water and brought him into Pharaoh's palace and raised him there as her own son until he was grown. When Moses was old enough to make his own choices in life, he did something that probably confused a lot of people. He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He may have loved her as a mother but the call of God on His life was a stronger commitment. He chose to sacrifice his place of honor amongst the people in Pharaoh's court and he walked away from the wealth and pleasures that could have been his. Verse twenty-four says that he made this choice by faith. He left the easy life and walked into the darkness and hardships of the unknown. He willingly put aside his comfortable life and the luxuries that he was accustomed to. He forgot his fame amongst Pharaoh's servants and went to live on the backside of the desert where no one knew him. He chose to live in a tent rather than in Pharaoh's beautiful palace. He tended his father-in-law's flock in the field instead of being in charge of more important duties or commanding a host of men. Moses stayed in this humble position for forty years. It was in this setting that God spoke to Moses from a burning bush and commissioned him to bring the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt and into the Promised Land. God planned to use Moses long before he was ever born and God ordered his steps and protected him from all harm. When Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, he probably never dreamed of the fame that he would receive or that people would still be talking about him almost 4000 years later. Yet, he chose the path that God had ordained for him. His choice not only affected him but also a multitude of people, for his personal sacrifice brought millions of people into blessings and freedom. Our lives are full of choices. Some of them are easy because they promise joy and happiness, but others are difficult. They call for true commitment and sacrifice without speaking of reward. It may not be on the same scale as Moses' sacrifice because none of us will have to give up our palace, our easy life, or our multitude of servants. Our sacrifice may be to simply share our meager means with someone who has less, go the extra mile when we are weary, or allow others to take the best of the lot. Yet, the choice still demands something from us and like Moses' decision, it will take faith on our part. We must remember that God never asks for anything that He does not intend to repay. We will never know the rewards of what could have been unless we make the right choice. To experienced God's best, we must be willing to choose the affliction instead of the pleasures of sin that last for only a short season. +++ 8/27/18 HE KNOWS YOUR NEEDS Scripture: Matthew 6:8 (Living Bible) "Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him." Do you remember some of the prayers that you prayed in the past concerning things that you thought you needed or just had to have? You later rejoiced and thanked God that those particular prayers were not answered. How many hardships have we brought upon ourselves by taking less than God's best or acting outside of His perfect timing? God is full of wisdom and much smarter than you and I will ever be. He loves us enough to protect us from ourselves, and yet we struggle and sometimes get depressed when we do not get the things that we want. God encourages us not to fret about those desires that go unmet. We are instructed to trust the Lord with all of our heart and told not to lean upon our own understanding, for He is an omniscient God. He is all knowing and He knows exactly what we need. Just as a wise earthly father rations sweets or caffeine to their children, God refuses to give us the things that He deems harmful to our body, soul, and spirit. God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. He will provide everything that we need. God says in Isaiah 65:24, "I will answer them before they even call to Me. While they are still talking to Me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers." God's thoughts toward you are good, and His plans far exceed anything that you could ask or think. He is like a loving father and mother who are expecting a child. The child is unaware of any of its needs at present, and in reality could do with a lot less than the provisions that are in the making. But the loving father and mother rearrange their whole life and sacrifice their time and space to make room for the child to come. Months before the baby is born, they begin to decorate the nursery and acquire items for the baby. They are taking care of the needs before the baby even knows that the needs exist or before it knows how to ask. If we can be so loving toward our own children, how much more can God, who is love, be loving towards us? Jesus said, "Don't be anxious about your needs; not even about what you going to eat or what you are going to wear." God knows your situation. Trust Him. You are His child. He loves you and He knows exactly what your needs are and is making provisions before you even ask. +++ 8/28/18 KEEP YOUR FLAVOR Scripture: Mark 9:50 (Living Bible) "Good salt is worthless if it loses its saltiness; it can't season anything. So don't lose your flavor." As believers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been commissioned to spread the gospel and reconcile others to Him. Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth and a light to the world. This is an awesome responsibility. As His witnesses, we must make sure that the salt in our lives always has flavor and that the light of His presence within us never grows dim. Our witness must remain true and minister grace to all of the lives that we touch. Jesus warned us about salt that had lost its flavor, saying that it was worthless and would accomplish nothing. When the salt in our lives has lost its flavor it cannot be hidden because others will recognize our lack. When they hear our words and see our actions they will easily discern our state. Salt enhances, but if our life has no flavor, what good is it? If we continually murmur, complain, and criticize instead of speaking a word in due season to the weary, what have we accomplished with our words? If sadness and depression prevail in our hearts, how can we show forth the spirit of joy? If hate, bitterness, and prejudice govern our actions, how can others see the love of God in our lives? If we allow confusion and turmoil to dominate us, can we really touch others with the spirit of peace? If we are filled with anxiety and dominated by fear and doubt, how can we teach faith? If there is no kindness, meekness, and patience manifested in our lives, can we say that the salt in our lives has flavor? Our lives are but a vapor and we cannot waste our precious moments on pretense. We cannot pretend that our salt has flavor because others will discern our deception. If our salt has flavor it will be evident, for it will enhance the lives of others. Our lives will entice them to come to Jesus by gently drawing them into His circle. His Holy Spirit working through us will bind up the broken hearted and give beauty for ashes. He will cause us to be able to comfort those who mourn and minister to the meek and lowly. He will work through us to drive away evil and set the captive free. The season has come that we have an opportunity to be a blessing to all mankind. Let us start by making sure that the salt in our life has flavor so that our witness will enhance the lives of others. +++ 8/29/18 THE WONDER OF TODAY Scripture: Psalms 118:24 "This is the day which the Lord has made ..." The great healing evangelist, Kathryn Kuhlman, said, "We don't live on yesterday's glories, nor tomorrow's hopes - But on today's experience." Her words are simple but they stir our hearts with new revelation. Too often we miss the joys of today because we are weighed down by the memories of yesterday or we are too busy looking for a brighter tomorrow. We say, "I will be happy when ..." and we fill in the blank, but as soon as that particular need or desire is met, we insert something else in the blank space. Our hearts are never complete because we are searching for something that cannot satisfy our souls. True joy comes as God ministers to us. We must learn to appreciate the wonders of each new day that God so graciously gives to us. Very often we take our lives for granted. We fail to consider that each breath that we take and each moment that we have is given to us because of God's loving kindness, mercy, and grace. We tend to waste the day that God made for us because we do not treasure or understand its value. We just try to make it through the individual hours. At the end of the day we have lost something that we cannot redeem, which is not just a block of time but also a portion of our life. Each day should teach us something new and we should grow in the light of that day. We should exchange each day for something of value such as giving and receiving love and experiencing joy. As we live each day, our prayer should be that our very presence will make a difference as we pass through the lives of others. This is the day the Lord has made and we should seek Him with all of our hearts and expect to find Him in a unique way. We should listen for His voice and expect His Words to pierce our hearts. As we reach out to the Lord, we should expect to feel His presence. We must not dwell in the mundane and the predictable. Instead, we should engage ourselves in new activities and adventures, for they will create a fresh awareness of life. We are never assured of tomorrow's sunrise so let us hold to the convictions that this is the day that God has made for us. This day is new and it is exciting. This day will never return so let us live it with intense passion and make it amazing. +++ 8/30/18 YOU ARE GOD'S BUILDING Scripture: I Corinthians 3:9 "... you are God's building." The church, which is the people of God, is like a magnificent building. I Peter 2:4-5 says that Jesus Christ, the Living Stone, is the foundation of the building. Then, we as individuals, are the lively stones that God uses for the existing structure. God is the Master Builder and He works with each of us to form and fit us together just like a mason works with stones and bricks. He studies each stone and carefully sets it into the wall where it will fit precisely together with the other stones so that there are no gaps or overlaps. Each stone is valuable to the builder, regardless of its size or shape. In fact, the various shapes and sizes enhance the beauty of the final product. God has placed within each of us different talents and abilities so that we complement each other and make up for any lack or differences. Each and every individual is important and serves his unique purpose, enhancing the beauty of God's building. If the mason finished his building and discovered that one stone was missing in the construction, he would consider his building a disaster. Not only would the beauty of the building be ruined, but the security of the structure would also be in danger. Just like the stonemason, God does not want any gaps in His building. He wants each individual member of His building to be fitly joined together, working in unity, and fulfilling His will and purpose. In the previous verses, Paul corrected the church for the division they were having concerning Appollos and himself. Paul made it very plain that both he and Appollos were servants of the Lord and co-workers together with Him. One was not greater than the other. There is no room for jealousy in God' building. Paul also emphasized that God would be the one who would prosper the work. Like Paul and Appollos, we are called to fulfill the purposes of God according to the abilities that He has placed within us. Regardless of what we are chosen to do, we must endeavor to leave no gaps in God's spiritual building. God may choose us to plant or to water. It makes no difference what our unique part may be because God will be the one who will bring the increase. We need to rest in this assurance that we are all necessary and important to God, for we all are part of God's building. +++ 8/31/18 STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY Scripture: I Kings 19:7 "... the journey is too great for you." God created us and gave us common sense so that we could take care of ourselves. Yet many times, we fail to do this. We neglect ourselves and do not get the proper nourishment and rest that we need. After extending our energies to the breaking point, the journey becomes too great for us. We become discouraged mentally and often collapse physically and then find ourselves wanting to give up. Even professional counselors tell us that our problems will look totally different and diminish in our minds when we exercise, rest, and get proper nourishment. In I Kings, chapter eighteen, Elijah stood from morning to noon watching the prophets of Baal as they tried to call down fire from heaven. Then from noon to the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah prepared an altar for God. He built the altar, put wood upon it, and cut the sacrificial bull into pieces to place upon the altar. He dug a trench around the altar and had twelve barrels of water poured upon it. He then called down fire from heaven, which consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and all of the water. After this, he participated in killing the 450 prophets of Baal that had challenged God. A short time later, Elijah knelt down on his knees and prayed seven times until the promise of rain came. When the clouds began to form, he ran seventeen miles from Mt. Carmel to Jezreel and even outran Ahab's chariot. All of these things depleted his energy and strength. At the end of all of this, Jezebel threatened Elijah's life and he went a day's journey into the wilderness to escape. I Kings 19:4 records that Elijah finally became so worn out that he told God, "I've had enough; Take away my life." In his natural state Elijah thought that he was finished but God recognized the real problem. Rather than taking Elijah's life, God responded to his prayer by allowing him a season to regenerate. God also sent angels to nourish Elijah with food and water and they confirmed God's declaration and said, "The journey is too great for you." Elijah was tired and ready to quit, but God was not through with him. God was planning to send him forth to do another great work but Elijah needed rest and nourishment for the journey that was set before him. Many times in life's battles we reach this point and feel that God must be finished with us. It seems that our greatest work is behind us and our exhaustion tells us that we cannot go any further. There is just no strength left in our weary bodies, and like Elijah, we just want to quit. My friend, do not give up, for God is not finished with you yet. Daniel 7:25 tells us that Satan's work is to "defy the Most High God and wear down the saints." When you become weary your own battle may seem as severe as Elijah's or even Job's. You may have lost your property, health, friends, and children. Your spouse may even be against you. Your job may be demanding all of your energies. Your strength may be gone and it may seem that you have nothing left to give, but remember that Satan is simply trying to wear you down. You must resist him and find rest in God, for without God's help, the journey will indeed be too great for you. However, as you allow God to minister to you both spiritually and physically, you will find strength for your journey. +++ Copyright © 2018 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com |
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