Dec18

............	A Word In Due Season DEC 2018 12/3/18 WHEN WISDOM CALLS Scripture: Proverbs 8:1 "Does not wisdom call out?" Have you ever had someone follow you around and continually give you instructions and directions? Or have you ever treated someone else in the same manner because of your concern for the decisions they were making? Looking at the situation from the outside perimeter, you could see the error of their ways. As a result you feared the consequences of their choices and what they were going to have to face. Solomon said that this is how the Spirit of Wisdom operates in our lives. He spoke of wisdom as a person who stands in the paths that it knows we will take and also sits by the doors that it knows we must enter. The Spirit of Wisdom waits for us at each crossroad of our life and continually cries out to us because it is full of valuable knowledge and insight that it wants to share with us. Wisdom does not mince words but speaks of that which is right and tells the truth in all matters. Wisdom is discerning and is very persistent in making its voice known in our lives in an effort to keep us from making bad choices. Yet, how many times have we pushed wisdom aside and proceeded to do things our way? We have bought things, gone in debt for things, said things, and done things that we knew were contrary to wisdom. We have pressed through and opened the doors that were meant to be shut. We have closed our ears and knowingly shut off our understanding because our desire was greater than the discipline in our lives. We have turned our eyes away from the Holy Spirit, laid caution aside, and disregarded the warnings of this wonderful counselor, who only had our best interest in mind. Wisdom was with God when He created the heavens and the earth and was also God's daily delight (Proverbs 8:22 & 30). God exercised wisdom in all of His creation and as He finished each project He was able to declare that it was good. Can we say that everything that we have accomplished is good? Many times we limit our personal success by not allowing wisdom to have full reign in our lives. Solomon asked, "Does not wisdom call out?" These are stout words from a very wise man and words that we must give an account for. From this day forward, let us determine that our answer be, "Wisdom called out and I listened and adhered to its instruction." +++ 12/4/18 WHEN WISDOM CALLS Scripture: Proverbs 8:1 "Does not wisdom call out?" Have you ever had someone follow you around and continually give you instructions and directions? Or have you ever treated someone else in the same manner because of your concern for the decisions they were making? Looking at the situation from the outside perimeter, you could see the error of their ways. As a result you feared the consequences of their choices and what they were going to have to face. Solomon said that this is how the Spirit of Wisdom operates in our lives. He spoke of wisdom as a person who stands in the paths that it knows we will take and also sits by the doors that it knows we must enter. The Spirit of Wisdom waits for us at each crossroad of our life and continually cries out to us because it is full of valuable knowledge and insight that it wants to share with us. Wisdom does not mince words but speaks of that which is right and tells the truth in all matters. Wisdom is discerning and is very persistent in making its voice known in our lives in an effort to keep us from making bad choices. Yet, how many times have we pushed wisdom aside and proceeded to do things our way? We have bought things, gone in debt for things, said things, and done things that we knew were contrary to wisdom. We have pressed through and opened the doors that were meant to be shut. We have closed our ears and knowingly shut off our understanding because our desire was greater than the discipline in our lives. We have turned our eyes away from the Holy Spirit, laid caution aside, and disregarded the warnings of this wonderful counselor, who only had our best interest in mind. Wisdom was with God when He created the heavens and the earth and was also God's daily delight (Proverbs 8:22 & 30). God exercised wisdom in all of His creation and as He finished each project He was able to declare that it was good. Can we say that everything that we have accomplished is good? Many times we limit our personal success by not allowing wisdom to have full reign in our lives. Solomon asked, "Does not wisdom call out?" These are stout words from a very wise man and words that we must give an account for. From this day forward, let us determine that our answer be, "Wisdom called out and I listened and adhered to its instruction." +++ 12/5/18 THE LORD'S SIDE Scripture: Exodus 32:26 "Who is on the Lord's side? Moses had been on Mount Sinai for forty days communing with God and receiving the commandments of the Lord. These commandments were written on two tablets of stone and Exodus 31:18 tells us that they were written with the finger of God. God had actually engraved His Words upon the tablets of stone. What an awesome thought, to be able to hold something that precious in your own hands. Yet this glorious experience and wonderful keepsake was soon to be ruined. As Moses came down from the mountain with Joshua at his side, they could hear sounds coming from the camp. Joshua thought it was the sounds of war but Moses knew that it was the sounds of music and laughter. When Moses came into the camp, the first thing that he saw was the golden calf that the people had made for worship. Righteous anger rose within Moses and in a moment of distress and passion he threw the tablets to the ground, breaking them into pieces. Just after this incident, Moses stood and asked the people, "Who is on the Lord's side?" He made it very clear that there was no middle ground. There were no hiding places, no gray areas, and no maybes. It was either yes or no, light or dark, good or evil. They had to decide and they had to step forward and show their commitment. He said, "You are either on the Lord's side or you are not. Those who are on the Lord's side come to me." Joshua later gave the people the same choice when he became their leader. He said, "Choose you this day whom you will serve." As we consider the things that we face today and the critical choices that are before us, we need to think about Moses' question. We must weigh every decision against the principals and character of God, and then do the very best that we can to make the godly choice. II Corinthians 3:3 tells us that we are declared to be the epistles of Christ and that His Words are written, not upon stone but on the tables of our heart. God gives us a witness within our spirit about what is right and what is wrong and we are accountable to Him for the knowledge and wisdom that He shares with us. Sometimes it may not be pleasant and many times it will not be popular, but none-the-less we have a responsibility to choose those things that represent the interest of the Kingdom of God and show forth His righteousness. We cannot serve two masters. We must answer the question that Moses posed to the people for our own selves. Whose side are we on? +++ 12/6/18 BE SOBER AND VIGILANT Scripture: Luke 22:33 "Peter said unto Him, Lord I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death." Peter made a very bold statement to Jesus. He declared that he was willing to face prison and even death itself because of his relationship with Christ. This declaration came after Jesus warned Peter that Satan was going to sift Peter as wheat in an effort to destroy his faith. Shortly after Jesus had spoken these words, Peter's faith and boastful pledge was challenged. In the midst of fear and confusion, Peter denied that he even knew Jesus. Later, however, his repentant heart caused him to weep in bitter remembrance of that moment of failure, and the prayer that Jesus made on his behalf prevailed. Peter's faith did not utterly fail. He became a great witness for Jesus, the One whom he had earlier denied. God loves a willing heart, but it takes more than a willing heart to please Him. This story shows us that the most zealous of all and the strongest of the strong can fall. Yet, for some reason, we cannot see ourselves in this position. Like Peter, because of our ambition for God, we feel that we could face anything, even prison or death. Our zeal lends itself to boastfulness and we make fantastic promises to God. During trials, we place great confidence in our own ability to sustain ourselves. We never think that we would deny Christ in the midst of pressure as Peter did. And we certainly do not think that we would sell Jesus for success or a few pieces of silver as Judas did. Yet, in spite of our good and noble intentions, we often fail. The concept of victory and survival is so easy when adverse circumstances are far away. We are ready for anything that life has to offer when we are on the mountaintop and our confession is bold as we proclaim that we are more than conquerors. The hardship of the trial and the despair of the valley seems a small thing. However, the same Peter who thought that he was invincible to failure came to realize the vulnerability of the followers of Christ when he found himself denying the Lord. The Apostle Paul warned us with these words, "Be sober and vigilant because your adversary, the devil, is going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (I Peter 5:8). Even though we believe that our spirits are ready for prison and death, our flesh is weak. When our faith is being sorely tried, our only hope is to depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit. In the midst of every temptation, we have the assurance that Jesus is praying for us that our faith will not fail. +++ 12/7/18 LEARN TO DO RIGHT Scripture: Isaiah 1:16-17 "Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doing from before My eyes; cease to do evil ... learn to do right." We come into this world with a sin nature that we inherited from Adam and Eve. We do not have to be taught how to do wrong and neither do we have to put a lot of effort into becoming selfish and demanding. It is just our nature and it is also in our nature to be controlled by doubt and fear. Just look at a newborn baby or the actions of an undisciplined child. Their main interest lies in their own needs and desires. They do not hesitate to impose upon others. Their patience is limited and they demand immediate action regardless of how it may affect others. Fear also looms in their hearts until trust is developed. It is all too evident that a carnal nature rules in their spirits. The prophet Isaiah said, "Learn to do right." Just like the small child who must be taught to do right, we must learn at every level to do that which is right. Learning comes by acquiring knowledge through study, experience, or consequence. It is a gradual and continual process of making the appropriate adjustments in our own lives and attitudes. Isaiah said, "Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean." It is our responsibility to recognize the improprieties in our lives and put away the darkness and evil that lurks in our soul. Below are some profound words from Helen Keller, a woman who was without sight or hearing. Because of her physical impairments, she could have let bitterness rule her heart and she could have chosen to live a life of confusion. But instead, she learned to do what was right. She determined to live in peace, to demonstrate love, to keep her motives right, and to trust God with all of her heart. In your effort to learn about life and do what is right, think on the wisdom of her words, allow them to penetrate your heart, and make them a daily goal for your life. "I have four things to learn in life; To think clearly, without hurry or confusion; To love everybody sincerely; To act in everything with the highest of motives; To trust in God unhesitatingly." ... Helen Keller +++ 12/10/18 FULLY PERSUADED Scripture: Romans 4:21 "Being fully persuaded that what He had promised, He was able also to perform." God promised Abraham many blessings and Abraham was fully persuaded that God would keep His promises. Abraham remained strong in faith and did not stagger in unbelief even though the promises themselves seemed impossible in the natural. He had hope when there was no reason to hope and he refused to consider the limitations of his own body. At the end of the matter, Abraham fathered a child when he was one hundred years old and became the father of many nations. In another account in Acts 26:28, King Agrippa made the statement that he was almost persuaded to become a Christian. What a vast difference there is in being "fully persuaded" like Abraham and "almost persuaded" like King Agrippa. Abraham made a decision to believe God's Word with all of his heart regardless of the circumstances that surrounded him, while King Agrippa, though convinced in his mind, did not allow his heart to believe. How sad these words are ... "almost." Have you ever "almost" made an investment or done something and then later found out that you missed the greatest opportunity of your life? King Agrippa almost made the most important decision of his life. He almost decided to make Jesus the Lord of his life and almost chose Heaven as his eternal destiny. The scriptures testify of God's love and the work that Jesus accomplished. Yet, we often fall short in our belief and find ourselves almost persuaded to believe in what Christ did and what He will do for us. Because we are almost persuaded that He can and will forgive our sins, we walk around with guilt rather than confessing them and releasing our burdens to the Lord. We are almost persuaded that by the stripes of Jesus we are healed so we continue in sickness and ill health. We live in poverty and lack because we are almost persuaded that He will meet all of our needs according to His riches in glory. We spend many hours in loneliness and sorrow because we are just almost persuaded that He is our comforter and that He is near. We are too intimidated to witness to others because we are only almost persuaded of His power within us that is able to reach out to those about us. Let us examine our hearts today and not allow our circumstances to limit our possibilities. Instead of being almost persuaded, let us become fully persuaded that what God has promised, He is well able to perform. +++ 12/11/18 FULLNESS OF JOY Scripture: Psalms 16:11 "You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore." For David, there was one place that guaranteed joy and true pleasure, and that place was in the presence of the Lord. David had many disappointments with relationships in his life. His father, Jesse, left him in the field tending the sheep and overlooked him when Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse's sons to be king. David's brothers talked down to him when he came to the battlefield to deliver food. King Saul, whom David faithfully served, tried to kill him several times. At Ziklag, David's own army talked of stoning him. His wife, Michal, mocked him as he worshiped God, and his son, Absalom, rebelled against him and tried to take his kingdom. However, when those who were supposed to love and support him failed, David found that he could always trust the Lord. He blessed the Lord who gave him counsel and instructed him in his darkest hours. In verse eight, David said, "Because I always looked to the Lord, I can not be shaken or moved." His confidence and security was in God, and even in the most difficult situations, David found joy in God's presence. We see this in many of the psalms as David prayed or talked to the Lord. At the beginning of the psalm, he would be in distress and grief, but as David communed with God and experienced His presence, joy would come, and praise would spring up within his heart. In verse nine, David said that when his heart was joyful, even his flesh rested. In the natural, we all have those special friends and members of our family that we like to be around because there is something about their presence that lifts us up. When we are with them, we are full of joy and experience pleasure because they encourage us, comfort us, and make us laugh. We make plans to be with them because we know that their presence will cause us to relax and that relaxation will regenerate our bodies, souls, and spirits. In the same way, the presence of the eternal God infuses us with life and joy when we choose to be in His presence. The Lord is with you right now. Take a few moments throughout the day to consciously acknowledge the presence of God in your life, for Jesus said, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). Speak aloud to Jesus and tell Him that you know that He is there with you. As you do, you will experience the quietness of His presence and He will fill you with joy. +++ 12/12/18 THORN IN THE FLESH Scripture: II Corinthians 12:7 "There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan." The Apostle Paul suffered many afflictions for the sake of the gospel. He was beaten, stoned, put in prison, and shipwrecked on the open sea. He also endured other perils and God delivered him out all of them except one. There was one thing that Paul could not overcome even though he prayed about it three different times. We are not sure what he suffered but he called it a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan. This weakness in Paul's life caused him much distress and Satan used it to torment Paul. When Paul prayed about this situation, the only answer that he received from God was, "My grace is sufficient for you; for My strength is made perfect in weakness." I recently got a thorn in my foot and it disabled my entire body. I could not walk on that foot. From the moment the thorn entered my life, it was speaking tormenting messages to me in the form of physical pain. All of my thoughts were focused on that tiny thorn and the first thing on my agenda was to get it out of my foot. The thorn was so small that I had to use my reading glasses and a magnifying glass to even see it. When I removed the thorn from my foot, I wondered how something that small in comparison to the size of my entire body could bring me into subjection to it. The thorn was such a little thing, but it had total control of my life and was able to divert me from what I had planned to do by forcing me to give my undivided attention to it. We experience thorns in our lives from time to time, which are not physical. Like Paul's thorn, these thorns are messengers of Satan in our lives. They come against us in various ways and are meant to hinder and disabled us from walking in God's perfect will. They cause us to stumble along in life and disable us from our best performance. They distract us and speak defeat into our lives. They are such small things compared to the vision that God has for us, but they cause such great pain in our lives that we take note of them. These messengers speak harsh words of condemnation, intimidation, and fear. They play on our disappointments, physicals handicaps, addictions, and financial hardships. They may come from without or they may come from within us, but whatever the source, they constantly remind us of our shortcomings and failures. They are little and insignificant but they destroy our vision for a better future. Through the pain they inflict upon our souls, they are able to steal our faith, hope, joy, and peace. All of us must personally deal with the thorns in our own flesh. We must pray for God's deliverance but rest in Him if His answer is, "His grace and His strength are sufficient." As simple as that answer sounds, it is true, for God is enough and God is all that we need. Our relationship with Him is more important than any thorn that seeks to intrude into our lives. God alone is necessary. We must trust in Him and lean upon Him, for His grace is greater than any pain that we may have to endure and His strength is greater than our weakness. In God’s time and at His choosing, He will manifest His glory and remove the thorns from our life. +++ 12/13/18 RECIPE FOR LIFE Scripture: Proverbs 4:22 (Amplified) "God's words are life to those who find them." We have all gone to parties and dinners where we have tasted a delicious dish or desert and asked the hostess for the recipe. We collect the recipes and gather all of the ingredients that we will need but often our good intentions fail because of the lack of time. Sad to say, but many times we are like this with God's Word. A Word of scripture comes to us that is in due season, which is like meat to our soul. We get excited about it and want this Word to dominate our circumstances and bring us a better life. Yet, even though we eagerly embrace it and often write it down, we usually store it away with all of the other words that we have collected, and it becomes like an unused recipe on the shelf. With time the revelation knowledge begins to fade and we soon forget that all of the ingredients for our deliverance are stored away in a safe place within our hearts. In this chapter of Proverbs, King Solomon gave us a recipe for life, which he said would bring healing and health to our flesh, and all of the ingredients are at our disposal. He told us to give attention and submit to God's Word. We must begin each day with God, listen to His Words, and then meditate on those thoughts throughout the day and even into the night. We are not to let His Words depart from our sight, but keep them in the center of our heart, allowing them to speak to us continually. The words that God speaks to us will keep us in good mental and emotional health, which will lead us to good physical health. Solomon said that we should be vigilantly guarding our heart and keeping it clean and pure because out of our heart flows life. He also said that we must follow God's fixed purpose for our lives and consider our paths. We need to decide exactly where we are going and establish our determination to reach that destiny. We must be focused and not allow ourselves to be sidetracked from the peace of God that comes through obedience to His Words. God's Words are waiting to be activated within our hearts. Yet, there is another ingredient that we need in our recipe for life, and that is faith. Hebrews 4:2 says that the Word did not prosper because it was not mixed with faith. Faith comes by hearing God's Word and faith simply believes that what He has said is true and that all things are possible with Him. God cannot and does not lie, so what He has spoken will come to pass. Let us determine in our hearts to give attention to God's Word and then mix that Word with faith so that it may prosper and bring healing and health to our flesh. +++ 12/14/18 YET WILL I TRUST IN HIM Scripture: Job 13:15 "Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him." Job wrote these words after many afflictions had come upon him. Before the enemy's attack, Job was a righteous man who lived a good life. He was rich, healthy, and had a happy home and wonderful family. He was secure in all that he had because there was a hedge of protection about him. Without warning, Job’s hedge was removed from him and He lost his possessions, his sons and daughters, his personal health, his position in the community, and also his self esteem. His closest friends condemned him and his wife even turned against him and encouraged him to curse God and die. He had nothing left and yet even as he faced death itself, Job declared that he would continue to trust in God. There were many other noble men and women of God in the scriptures who showed their trust in God as Job did when things looked pretty bleak. Queen Esther went before the king and risked her life to save the Jewish nation. As she fasted and prayed, she put her life in God's hands and said, "If I perish, I perish." Habakkuk faced a time of lack, but even though he could have perished in the famine, he declared, "Yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." His lack of provisions did not dictate his praise to God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced a fiery furnace knowing that God was well able to deliver them. Yet they boldly declared to the king, "If God doesn't deliver us, we still will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up." Their minds were settled and their allegiance was to the true and only God. The Apostle Paul and Silas were in prison, yet they placed their trust in God and that trust brought forth a song within their heart. As they began to sing, God delivered them. This is how God always works. He rewards trusting hearts and brings them deliverance. It is much easier to rejoice and trust in God when things are going good than it is when things are falling apart around us. Yet, like the examples of these men and women, we must come to the place in our lives that we can trust God in every situation, for sincere trust will produce freedom in our spirits. It does not matter if we are facing famine, a fiery furnace, imprisonment, or death itself, we must remember that we still have God and He is all that we need. We cannot compromise one moment or give in to the enemy of our souls. In the midst of turmoil and confusion, we should let our voices ring out with songs of praise and declare our statements of determination: "If I am in God's will and I perish, then I perish. Regardless of the fires that surround me, I will not serve or worship other gods. Even though my provisions are failing and my finances do not look good, I am still going to offer a sacrifice of praise and rejoice in the God of my salvation. And even if God slay me, I will still trust Him." +++ 12/17/18 SEEING JESUS Scripture: John 12:21 "We want to see Jesus." Have you ever wanted to see something in real time but missed it? You were able to hear the accounts from witnesses and find out the results, but it was not the same as seeing it and experiencing it as it happened. The Greeks in Jesus' day had a similar experience. Jesus had come into Jerusalem and His fame was at high level because of the miracles that were happening in His ministry. Many of the people that were following Him were there with Him when He had raised Lazarus from the dead. As this news spread, the people responded and ushered Jesus into the city in great triumph. It was a grand and glorious day for the people and for Jesus. There were some Greeks among the people who had come into the city to worship at the feast. When they heard the reports concerning Jesus, they expressed their desire to see Him for themselves. We read about the miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead and coming out of the tomb and we often even speak about it, but I am sure that it is not the same as being there when it happened. This miracle would never leave our minds if we had witnessed the event first hand, and the impact of the moment would change our lives forever. Seeing Jesus in any capacity sets a new paradigm for our lives, for the vision of the Christ gives new strength and imparts faith. When Simeon saw the baby Jesus in the temple, he recognized Him as the promised Messiah, and Simeon declared that he was now ready to die and depart in peace, for his own eyes had seen the Lord's salvation. When Anna, the prophetess, beheld the baby, she spoke boldly declaring that Jesus was the redemption that was come to Jerusalem. The Wise Men traveled a long way to get a glimpse of Jesus, and when they came into His presence, they presented Him with priceless gifts and worshipped Him. Peter stepped out of the boat when He saw Jesus walking on the water. Each visual encounter with Jesus was awesome and produced a response. During this wonderful and glorious season, we should not dwell on the temporal tinsel and gifts that Christmas offers. We need to look beyond that and ask God to give us a new vision of the eternal Christ of Christmas. We must desire to experience the same power as those who witnessed His miracles first hand. We must recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah and the redemption for our own personal lives. We must see Him so clearly that we are ready to step out of the boat of mediocrity and follow His lead should He bid us to walk on the water. Like Simeon, we must be so persuaded by His presence that we are ready to depart this life at His slightest bidding. Let us declare that "We want to see Jesus" for ourselves and then follow that desire with a whole heart. If we truly want to see Jesus, God will open our spiritual eyes and reveal Him to us. +++ 12/18/18 THE PERFECT GIFT Scripture: James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." We all like to receive gifts, but there is only one perfect gift that is available to us. Our Father in Heaven knew exactly what we needed so He sent us a gift of light and eternal life. His gift was called Jesus Christ, who was God's only begotten Son. Jesus Christ is not just another philosophy of life, He is Life itself. Nor is He a reflection of the light, He is the Light. He is the good and perfect gift that came down from the Father of lights and John 1:4 says that He is the Light of all men. Jesus never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. There is no variation in His values or commands, for they have remained the same throughout all of the ages. He does not change like a shadow that increases and decreases throughout the day. If we want to know what He will do for us to today all we have to do is read the accounts of His life in the scriptures and see the things that He did when He was here on the Earth in His flesh. Even though Jesus went back to Heaven, He sent the presence of the Holy Spirit back to Earth to be our Helper and to continue His work in our lives. He still loves and forgives those in the deepest of sin. He is still concerned for those who need a meal to eat. He still has compassion for the diseased and mercy for the demon possessed. He continues to be touched by every feeling that we have and still cries when we cry. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother and He will never let us down. He is absolute truth and what He did in the past, He will do today. When we think about our lives today, we may wonder who we can trust and what we can believe, for we realize that life gives us no guarantees. We know that at some point our friends and family may fail us and that we cannot rest in the security of our circumstances or trust in our positions. Yet there is security that can be found and it is in the One who never changes. We can be assured that Jesus will be there in every situation and cause all things to work together for our good. In every situation, we must keep our eyes on Him and those things that are eternal. We must make Jesus our hope of security and let go of everything in our life that is temporal. As we hold on to the eternal, His life and His light will become our hope. +++ 12/19/18 HIS NAME IS AS OINTMENT Scripture: The Song of Solomon 1:3 "Thy Name is as ointment poured forth." When the angel Gabriel visited Mary and announced to her that she was going to have a son, he also told her what to name Him. Gabriel said, "You shall call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest" (Luke 1:31-32). The name Jesus means, "the Lord is salvation." Names are very important because they not only identify people, but they speak of the character of that person. We attach many things to a name. When you hear the name of someone you know, most often you can describe their character, where they live, work, go to church, and how they conduct their business. Their name will either bring good thoughts into your mind, which will be like sweet perfume, or their name will remind you of unpleasant memories of the past. Subconsciously, we listen for our own name. Even though we may be engaged in a separate conversation, we will usually hear our own name when it is mentioned in a noisy and crowded room. So it is with God. He is listening for the Name of Jesus to be spoken here on Earth. Jesus' Name is as a sweet ointment poured forth before God and it calls Him to attention. God's ears perk and He begins to listen when we speak the Name of Jesus in prayer. When God named Jesus before His birth, He attached many benefits to that Name. Philippians 2:9-10 says, "His Name is above every name: that at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow." Speaking the Name of Jesus calls His presence into an assembly (Matthew 18:20). It also brings healing (James 5:14); salvation (John 1:12); deliverance (Mark 16:17); answers to prayers (John 14:13-14); the promise of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26); and even signs and wonders (Acts 4:30). Jesus' Name cannot be hidden just as a perfume cannot be covered up. Often, children will get into their mother's perfume or their father's cologne, and not realizing that a small amount is sufficient, they will use a great deal. When confronted, they may try to deny it, but the odor of that sweet fragrance speaks for itself. So it is with the Name of Jesus. When tense moments come into your life today, remember that, just like perfume, the fragrance of His Name cannot be hidden. Just speak the Name of Jesus in prayer. It will be a sweet fragrance that is poured out before God and you will have His full attention. +++ 12/20/18 THE GIFT OF GOD Scripture: John 4:10 "Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." The Samaritan woman that Jesus spoke these words to had lived a very hard life. Her life style and morals did not measure up to the other women in the city. It seemed that she did not merit their friendship because she came to the well alone and not with the other women. She had been married five times and was now living with a man that was not her husband. She was an outcast in society. Yet this Jewish man, Jesus, was taking the time to talk with her, even though Jews normally had no dealings with the Samaritans. He was offering this woman the gift of God. This was a new concept as gifts and sacrifices were always given to God, not received from God. Jesus said to the woman, "If you only knew the gift of God." The most precious gift ever given was this gift by God some 2000 years ago. God's gift was not wrapped in beautiful foil paper and topped off with a beautiful bow. Nor was it put in a decorative bag with tissue paper. His gift was simply wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid in a manger, and hidden away in a stable among the smells of the animals. But God's precious gift was one of a kind and was supernatural. His gift was Jesus, who brought eternal life and light to those who would receive Him. Jesus is the living water that He spoke about to the Samaritan woman and He quenches every thirst. John 3:16 tells us more about this wonderful gift and why God gave it. God's gift was His only begotten Son, and His giving was motivated by great love. God loved us so much that He gave that which was most precious to Him. His great gift had great purpose. It was eternal and was given so that we would not perish but have everlasting life. God's gift was made flesh, for only the blood of His Son could redeem mankind from sin. What an enormous gift; an everlasting gift of love, a gift of great sacrifice, and a gift of purpose. Even though God’s gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, its worth exceeds silver and gold. Nothing compares to the treasure that we possess when we come to know and receive His gift. Jesus is our gift of Living Water and when we receive Him, there is no room for thirst in our spirits. It is no wonder that Jesus approached the woman at the well and spoke these words into her life, "If you knew the gift of God." +++ 12/21/18 GOD WITH US Scripture: Matthew 1:23 "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Jesus' Name was called Emmanuel, meaning God is with us. No generation before had this wonderful promise fulfilled, for this was a new and marvelous thing that God was doing. Jesus, the Word, was made flesh, came to Earth, and dwelt among men. He became one of us so that He could be touched with the same feelings that we experience. He wanted to know our joys and understand our sorrows. And when His work on Earth was finished and He returned to Heaven, Jesus promised never to leave us or forsake us. He is still our Emmanuel, and He is "with us always, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20). Many in the world today tend to forget what this wonderful season is all about and attempt to celebrate without Jesus. Attention is turned toward the presents to be given or those to be received, and not focused on the presence of the Eternal King who is the true reason for the season. The celebration of the birth of the Son of God and the fulfilling of the promise of His glorious presence becomes lost amidst the hustle and the bustle of the traffic, the parties, and the last minute shopping. If we are not careful, even our times of devotion and prayer will be pushed aside so that we can meet the demands of our busy holiday schedule. Even now, just a few days from the eve of Christmas, we are looking forward to the rest after the rush. We are pledging to do better and spend more time with God in prayer and Bible study after the holidays are over. The good news is that you do not have to wait until the New Year to find rest and a time to commune with the Lord. You do not even have to wait until you go to a religious service. Wherever you are throughout your busy day, just take a few moments and be still before God. He promised to be right there, so welcome and acknowledge Him. Experience the Lord's awesome presence that surrounds you. Right now, even as you read these words, pause and slowly breathe His Name aloud several times, "Jesus - Emmanuel, God is with us." As you speak His Name, you will sense His presence and peace and rest will enter your soul. +++ 12/24/18 A SOUND OF A BABY'S CRY Scripture: John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." In the beginning, Jesus was with God and He was God, but He came to Earth and took upon Himself human flesh. He chose to do this so that He could dwell among us and ultimately become the sacrifice for our sins. Jesus was unique in that He was true deity and also common humanity. Before His birth, there had been four hundred years of silence between the time of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Then suddenly, in the fullness of time, the Son of God was born and the sound of this Baby's cry heralded a new message on Earth. His cry meant that light had come to shatter the forces of darkness and that eternal salvation had come to mortal man. As the silence of those years ended with His cry, many validated that the Messiah had come. The angels declared the good tidings of great joy saying that the Savior, which is Christ the Lord, had been born. They praised God and declared peace on Earth and good will toward men. Years later, John the Baptist said, "Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world." And Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." God the Father also spoke from Heaven and said, "This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Satan, Himself, recognized Jesus as the Messiah and challenged Him by mingling these words of doubt in His ears, "If Thou be the Son of God." Even the soldiers who witnessed His crucifixion at the cross acknowledged who Jesus was by saying, "Surely this was the Son of God." If you have ever had a baby born into your life, you know the vast meaning of hearing their cry for the first time. It means that things will never be the same again in your household, for from their first cry, your life is changed forever. So it was with the Baby Jesus. His cry brought change and hope to all mankind. Today, we look for Him in beautiful cathedrals that are filled with beautiful music and fail to realize that He is everywhere and that He is crying out for us. He wants to intervene in our silence and give meaning to our lives. If we listen for Him, we will hear His cry, and if we look for Him, we will experience the glory of this only begotten Son of God. When we find Jesus, we will understand His grace and truth and we will declare and validate Him as the Messiah of our lives. +++ 12/25/18 ONE SOLITARY LIFE Scriptures: Luke 2:10 - 11 & 1:31 - 33 "Fear not: I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord… Thou shall call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest ... And He shall reign forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end." "He was born in an obscure village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. He then became an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn't go to college. He had no credentials but Himself. While He was still a young man, the tide of public opinion turned against Him and His friends ran away. He went through a trial that was a mockery. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth, and that was His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave. Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today He is the central figure of the human race. All the armies that have ever marched, All the navies that have ever sailed, All the parliaments that have ever sat, And all the kings that have ever reigned have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that ..." ONE SOLITARY LIFE ... Copied - From Unknown Author May you be blessed as you celebrate the Birth of this One Solitary Life. +++ 12/26/18 GIFTS WORTHY OF A KING Scripture: Matthew 2:11 "They presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." The wise men were experts in the study of the stars and when they saw the special star in the East, they knew that the Messiah had come. They followed the star to Jerusalem. It then went before them and led them to the place where Jesus was abiding. The wise men made this long tedious journey with the intent to worship Jesus because they knew from their studies that He was the King of the Jews. They not only came to worship Jesus with their hearts but to present to Him their gifts and treasures. They brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ Child. These gifts not only provided financial substance for the family but also had special symbolic meanings. The gold represented Jesus' deity, for He was the Son of God. The frankincense, which was used as incense because of its perfumed aroma, represented His purity. Finally, the myrrh, which was used for embalming purposes, foretold of Jesus' death. We have the opportunity to offer these same gifts to the Lord. We may not have actual gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but we can offer what these precious gifts represented. First, our faith that has been tried in the fires of life and has come out as pure gold can declare Jesus' deity in our lives. Peter said that the trial of our faith is more precious than gold and it will give honor and glory to the Lord at His appearing (I Peter 1:7). Our faith sets Jesus upon the throne of our heart and signifies that we believe in Him and have made Him the Lord and Savior of our life. Second, Timothy told us to be an example of the believer in purity (I Timothy 4:12). We are an epistle read of all men. We must not allow impurities to weaken the rivers of living water in our life or disqualify our witness. Our life should be as sweet incense before the Lord and a pure example of love to a hurting world. The third gift was symbolic of death. This is no easy chore, for the Apostle Paul said, "I die daily" (I Corinthians 15:31). If we want to follow Jesus, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross every moment of every day (Luke 9:23). We must continually crucify our flesh and mortify the deeds of our bodies (Romans 8:13). We cannot allow our selfish natures to live if we want Christ to live and reign within us as Lord over all. As you have given gifts to your friends and families this Christmas season, remember that you need to put something special under the tree of Calvary for the One who gave His life for you. Jesus is not looking for your gold, frankincense, and myrrh. His desire is to receive gifts that come from your heart. First, He wants to know that your faith in Him is as pure as gold. Second, He takes much pleasure when a heart is so pure that it becomes as a sweet aroma of incense to Him. Finally, He is honored by a life that is so committed to Him that it has crucified its own desires in order to please Him. These are the gifts that are worthy for us to offer to Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. +++ WONDERFUL COUNSELOR Scripture: Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given ... and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor ..." Isaiah 9:6 lists five names that Jesus would be called. One of the names that was given was Counselor. If we ever needed supernatural counsel, it is today, as we function in a fast paced society. From the home to the market place, we are faced with decisions that are new and ever changing. Our world is profoundly different than it was just a few years ago in every area. There are scores of material written to explain how to cope in today's society and efficient professionals that are there to help meet our needs. As good as these people may be, God has a better plan for us. He sent His Son, Jesus, to be our Counselor. From the beginning, our Counselor, Jesus, told us how we could obtain eternal life and gave us a standard of living. He explained the beatitudes and told us the benefits and blessings that would follow if we would live by them. He not only gave us good advice, but He showed us by example. He lived and died for others. He told us to forgive and then showed us forgiveness when He forgave Peter, His special friend, who denied Him. He also forgave His enemies who crucified Him. He imparted His peace to us so that we would not have to live in turmoil and confusion and sent the Holy Spirit to teach us and guide us into all truth. Proverbs 3:5-7 tells us to lean upon this Counselor named Jesus. We are to trust Him with all of our hearts and minds and not rely on our own understanding. When we do this, He gives us direction and counsel. James 1:5 (Amplified) says, "If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God Who gives to every one liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding." This same verse in the Message Bible says, "If you don't know what you are doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get His help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believing, without a second thought. People who 'worry their prayers' are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open." Isaiah said, "Unto us a Child is born and unto us a Son is given." Put your name in the place of the word 'us' in this declaration. Jesus was given for your benefit so ask Him for wisdom. Then trust Him with all of your heart and lean upon Him, for He truly is a wonderful Counselor. +++ 12/28/18 DEEPER REVELATION OF JESUS Scripture: Ephesians 1:17 "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him ... " These words were a portion of the prayer that the Apostle Paul prayed for the saints at the church in Ephesus. You would think that the saints in the church where Paul had visited personally would have had a deeper revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ. But knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus in a personal way are two different matters. When you truly know Jesus, your heart is flooded with light and you experience the riches of His glory. This is the depth of knowledge that Paul had of Jesus and he desired the same for the church. He did not want them to just have a small glimpse of Jesus. Instead, he wanted them to have an intimate relationship with Jesus and know Him in the fullness of His power. Like the saints at the church in Ephesus, there are many today whose vision of Jesus is limited. He is only seen twice a year during the special holidays. During the Christmas season, Jesus is seen as the baby in the manger. Then at Easter, He is seen as the suffering Savior on the cross and the celebrated risen Lord. The rest of the year, Jesus may be overlooked. After attending church on a holiday, a lady once asked why the church only used Christmas poinsettias or Easter lilies in their floral arrangements at the altar. Her limited knowledge revealed that she only visited the church twice a year. How sad. God has better plans for you. He never intended for your concept of Jesus to be just the babe in the manger or suffering man on the cross. Jesus is to be your constant companion for He said, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). He is "Emmanuel, God is with you" (Matthew 1:23). Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. When you face a dark valley, He is your Shepherd that walks beside you. He will lead you, protect you, and comfort you in the midst of the shadows. In the darkness, Jesus is your Bright and Morning Star. In the dry dusty desert, He is your Living Water. In hunger, He is your Bread of Life. In the storms of life, He is the still small Voice that speaks peace to your spirit and it is His presence that calms your soul. He is your Friend who is closer than your brother. And Jesus is so much more. Come to know Him. Pray the same words that Paul prayed; that God would open your eyes and give you a deeper revelation of Jesus Christ. +++ 12/31/18 FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END Scripture: Deuteronomy 11:12 "The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon the land, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year." God gave a promise to His people that He would care for the land that He had given them; that is He would watch over it and water it with rain from heaven. He makes a similar promise to us concerning our lives. This wonderful God that we serve promises to finish the things that He starts in our lives. This is the nature of His character, for He is the "Author and Finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Revelation 22:13 also tells us that He is the "Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." He commits Himself to be there from the start to the finish. Paul told us that he, himself, was confident of this very thing, that He who had begun a good work in us would perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Right up to the time that Jesus returns, we can be sure that God will never give up on us. Instead, He will continue working on us and developing perfection in us (Philippians 1:6). This is quite contrary to our habits. As the old year ends and a new one begins, we make our New Year's resolutions. We are bound and determined to make changes in our lives and we are very excited about the new turn that we are going to take. We plan to discipline ourselves in various ways such as exercise, diet, devotionals, or spending more time with the family. But soon into the new year, our plans start falling apart. We cannot seem to get it together or to finish what we so adamantly started. What is our answer? I Peter 5:7 says, "Cast your cares upon Jesus for He cares for you." Just as God cared for His people and their land in the past, He also cares for you. He wants you to succeed in your every effort that is noble in His eyes. He wants you to prosper and be in good health. He knows that exercise, diet, and relationships are important. The Lord truly cares for every aspect of your personal life and He wants to help you keep your resolutions. Psalms 37:5 says, "Commit your ways unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass." As you think about those things that you want to change in the New Year, commit them to God and ask Him to help you. Release the struggle and allow Him to take the care of it upon Himself, for He really does care for you. As you lean upon Him, He will impart His strength and virtue into your life. You will not only be able to begin, but you will also be able to finish those things that you committed to do from the very beginning of the year to the end of the year. +++ Copyright © 2018 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com			..............................