| ............ | A Word In Due Season MAY 2018 5/1/18 FLOURISHING IN GOD Scripture: Psalms 92:13 "Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God." Trees that are planted and stay planted grow and flourish. The tree itself grows stronger and taller as its roots take hold, make their home in the soil, and spread in every direction. The height of the tree grows in proportion to its root system which gives it the life support, stability, and the security that it needs. If the tree were to be moved around every other season, the instability would hinder its growth and it would never be able to take root nor bear fruit. In this psalm that was written as a Song for the Sabbath Day, the psalmist emphasized that God's people are like trees. We need to be planted in the house of the Lord and we need to stay planted. If we are going to grow properly, we need to be nourished on a regular basis. Therefore, God gives us anointed pastors and ministers who give us balanced nourishment. When we stay under their covering, God honors our faithfulness and causes them to minister to our every need. As we find this place where we belong, we begin to flourish. Not only do our own leaves become green because we are being fed, but the nourishment we receive causes us to also bear fruit for others. In verse twelve, one of the trees that this psalmist compared the righteous to was a palm tree. Some of the characteristics of the palm tree are that it grows from within and has 200 uses. It has deep roots, is always green, and does not grow wild. It is able to sustain seasons of drought without wilting. It also bends gracefully with the winds of the storms and does not break under the pressure. What a wonderful analogy of those who choose to be planted in the house of God. We should never allow the devil to distract us. Instead we should base our choice on God's call and allow Him the privilege of planting us where He wants us to be. Like the palm tree, when we are in the place where we belong and where God wants us to be, we will be able to weather the storms. We will not break under pressure and we will flourish even in the dry spells. +++ 5/2/18 From: Mary Padgett Ministries, Inc. A Word In Due Season HIS WILL - YOUR DESTINY Scripture: Luke 22:42 "Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done." Jesus had taught His own disciples to pray for God's will to be done in their lives. He told them to pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Now as Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane and is facing the horror of the crucifixion, His own will and desires are being challenged and tested. His human side would rather have the cup of suffering pass from Him and He prays desperately three times to this effect. In His struggle, Jesus suffers so much agony and stress that great drops of blood begin to pour from His body. Yet, Jesus humbly yields Himself to the Father and submits Himself to God's will. Even though Jesus was very willing in His spirit to give Himself for the Kingdom of God, it was difficult for His flesh to surrender. Likewise, God's will for us may not always be an easy choice. Many times it is hard to respond because obedience usually means great sacrifice in many areas such as time, energy, and finances. Yet, we know that the rewards of following God's will and obeying His voice always out measures any sacrifices that we may make. When we completely surrender and give ourselves over to God's will, we are acknowledging His claim over our life and we are giving Him license to be in control. In Jesus' case, obedience to God’s will meant the necessity of the cross. In our case, it requires us to take up our cross by separating ourselves from our own desires and giving ourselves to His desires. In Luke 9:22-23, Jesus said that He "would suffer many things ... and be slain." He then told us that if we wanted to follow Him, we would also have to "deny ourselves and take up our cross daily." Yielding to the cross daily is a great challenge, but Jesus said if you lose your life for His sake, you will also save your life. It is only when you are totally yielded to God and His will that He can do great things through you. When Jesus was faced with a decision, His thoughts focused on His mission and His destiny. He did not allow anything to draw Him away from God's plan, for He knew that His life and destiny did not just affect Him, but also the lives of the multitudes. Like Jesus, your life will eternally affect the lives that you are destined to touch. For this reason, you must give yourself to God and pray, "Not my will, but Thine be done." +++ 5/3/18 STAND STILL Scripture: Exodus 14:13 "Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." God led the people of Israel into a hard place and they found themselves encamped between the enemy and the Red Sea. Notice that God was the one who put them in what seemed to be a 'no win' situation. As Pharaoh's army approached, the Israelites had no way of escape. They were in a terrible trap and fear began to grip their hearts. They spoke of surrender and were ready to return to Egypt as slaves rather than face death. They failed to consider that God had led them into this precarious place and that if He had put them there, He surely had a plan of escape. They had no idea that they were hours away from a mighty miracle and that the victory they were about to experience would be talked about for centuries. Books and movies would recount this marvelous story of deliverance of God rolling back the Red Sea for His chosen people. Moses told the people to stand still and watch God work. It is very difficult to stand still in the face of adversity when everything within us cries out for action. Anxiety plagues our soul and fear tells us to run away or give in to the enemy. Doubt and unbelief tell us to hide until the battle is over. Presumption says move out ahead of God and fight the battle yourself so that you can just get it over with. It becomes a matter of fight or flight. God's wisdom, however, tells us to stand still until we get further instructions. When God says go forward, He will make a way where there seems to be no way. He is very creative. In this instance, God did something that He had never done before. He parted the Red Sea, and the Israelites went across on dry land in the midst of this sea. God then used that same sea to destroy their enemies. What a fantastic plan. What God's people thought was evil, He used for good. If you are in a hard place with no way of escape, do not fear. Stand still until you hear from God. His thoughts are much higher than your thoughts and His ways are much higher than your ways. God does have a plan! Ephesians 6:13-17 says to put on the whole amour of God, which is truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and take the Sword of the Spirit or the Word of God, and then stand. Having done all that you can do about the situation, you are to stand and depend upon the sufficiency of God. As you stand still on the edge of your Red Sea, you will discover the certainty of God's unchanging Word. He is able to deliver you and will create a miracle on your behalf. +++ 5/4/18 HEARING AS THE LEARNED Scripture: Isaiah 50:4 "Morning by morning, He awakens my ear to hear as the learned." These words simply mean that God helps our hearts to understand what our ears are hearing. Words in themselves mean nothing to us unless we have understanding about the subject at hand. For example, when someone gives me an in-depth instruction concerning the computer, they may as well be speaking a foreign language. I can hear the words they are saying, but I cannot follow the meaning because I have limited understanding about the subject. I have no foundation to build upon so my ears do not hear as a learned person. I am sure that it must be frustrating to the one who is trying to teach me. This same also is true with hearing the Word of God. God's thoughts and words do not come to us all at one time. They come as precept upon precept, line upon line, and here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:10). Wisdom and understanding increase as we hear God's Word. It is a simple equation; the more we hear, the more we understand. God gives us new and deeper revelation with each reading and study of His Word, for God's thoughts and words are eternal and have no end. It is through consistently hearing the Word of God that faith is birthed in our hearts (Romans 10:17). But faith does not stop there. It grows exceedingly larger within our hearts as we continue to hear the Word (II Thessalonians 1:3). As we move from the milk of the Word to the meat of the Word, we grow even more (Hebrews 5:14). Our spiritual ears become more sensitive because we not only hear the Word, we experience the truth of the Word. When we experience the Word, our senses are exercised and we learn to discern both good and evil. Morning by morning, God said that He would open our ears to hear. I learn new things about the same scriptures every day and I understand more now than I did when I was a child because I can now hear as the learned. Isaiah also said, "The Lord God gives us the tongue of the learned." God wants us to share what we have learned, but that privilege only comes when our ears are able to hear as the learned. The milk of the Word is good, but we must desire the meat of the Word. I encourage you to search for the deeper meaning of God's Word without leaving the simplicity of the gospel. God's Word is not meant to be complicated, but it is a mystery that is waiting to be discovered. Flesh and blood cannot reveal the mystery of God's Word to you. The Holy Spirit, who is your teacher, will guide you into all truth. Read a portion of God's Word everyday and remember that His revelations come as precept upon precept, or little by little. As you consistently study the Word, you will eventually notice that God has awakened your ears to hear as the learned. +++ 5/7/18 ENDURANCE Scripture: II Timothy 2:3 "Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." The Apostle Paul had spoken to young Timothy about faith, courage and faithfulness. Now he addresses the issue of endurance and instructs Timothy to endure hardness just like a good soldier would do. Endurance means to suffer patiently without yielding. It also means withstanding the stress and never giving up. It is continuing and persevering to the very end despite the hardships. Is it any wonder that Paul first spoke to Timothy about faith, courage, and faithfulness? For all three of these traits are needed in order to be able to endure the hardness of the situation until the end. Paul was not just expressing mere thoughts and empty words. He was sharing his heart and speaking from his own personal experience, for he had been through many adverse and difficult situations. He was whipped so many times that he lost count. Fives times, he received thirty-nine lashes and three times he was beaten with rods. He was shipwrecked and even spent a whole night and day adrift at sea. He was stoned and faced death again and again. Many times he was without food and water or enough clothing to keep him warm. Paul was fully aware of what it meant to endure the hardness that life and ministry offer. At the time that Paul wrote these words, he was in chains in the prison and many of his friends had deserted him. Yet, Paul endured all of it as a good soldier of Jesus Christ and never allowed anything to separate him from the love of God and God's call on his life. Soldiers face many hardships and are limited in their choices about their life because they exist in a controlled environment. They are required to follow the orders of their commanding officer regardless of whether or not they understand or agree with the particular orders that are issued. They obediently go where they are sent without regard to their own preference. They dress the way they are told to dress whether it suits their personal taste or not. If they want to survive life, they eat the food that is set before them, disregarding the taste. Their life is under daily scrutiny with little personal privacy. In essence their life does not belong to them, for everything they do is based upon the service that they can do for others. Life is not always easy and like Paul expressed, sometimes it may even seem that we are like a soldier on the battlefield. We have a fierce enemy who is out to destroy us and there are no grounds in our life that are sacred to him. Like the account with Job, the devil will attack everything that we hold dear. His purpose is to destroy our self esteem, our status in the community, our bonds with others, and our faith in God. The devil is subtle and works every angle so we must be alert and prepared at all times. We must realize that we are not wrestling with flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness. And whatever comes our way, we must never yield our ground or give up. If we want to experience the victory, we must endure the hardness knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God. We must follow God's directions as a good soldier of Jesus Christ and persevere to the end. +++ 5/8/18 TAKING YOUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE Scripture: II Corinthians 10:5 "... Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Do you ever wonder what is really going on in your life? It seems as though things are way out of control and it is one battle after another. The truth is that we are in spiritual warfare and we must put on the whole armor of God so that we will be able to wrestle and stand against the enemy. The Apostle Paul told us in II Corinthians 10:3-6 that although we are walking and living in a fleshly body, our battles are not with flesh. He tells us how to combat the enemy that comes against our mind. He says that we must be ready to revenge ourselves by speaking out against anything that opposes what Christ has purchased for us on the cross of Calvary. We must take action in three areas; pull down strongholds in our lives, cast down imaginations in our minds, and take our thoughts captive. Paul gives us a picture of the enemy who has come into our minds. The enemy builds a fortified city and puts up strong walls and towers to protect the territory that he has taken control of. The strongholds that Satan puts in our minds are spiritual and traditional in nature. Our battles may be hereditary such as generational diseases or they may be social such as poverty and popularity. The devil is not playing games with us. Whatever stronghold the devil tries to enforce in our life, they are designed to kill, steal, and destroy. If he is allowed to build a stronghold in our mind, we begin to expect his results. He begins to plant negative thoughts and imaginations inside the strongholds. He brings us to a point that we cannot develop faith for healing, prosperity, or receiving answers for any of our needs because he is in control. In fighting this battle in our mind, Paul told us to deal with these hard, strong, impenetrable fortresses. We are to destroy them by prayer and the authority of God's Word. It takes time to tear down the fortresses that have been built in our minds just like it would if we were to tear down a brick wall, brick by brick. But when the walls come down, the contents within will be exposed so they can be dealt with. It is then that we can deal with the vain imaginations and bring into captivity the thoughts that are disobedient to Christ. It is not enough for us to be victorious over the strongholds in our minds, we must keep the victory. To do this, we must continue to hold our thoughts in captivity to the Spirit of Christ. As we renew our minds daily in God's Word and fellowship with Him in prayer, truth will prevail and every thought will become obedient to Him. +++ 5/9/18 WAIT PATIENTLY Scripture: Psalms 37:7 "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." This is a simple instruction but sometimes it is difficult to rest and wait patiently for God because it seems that nothing is happening and our prayers are not being answered. Little do we realize that God is working behind the scenes to give us a better answer than what we have asked of Him. God's answer is far greater than anything than we could have asked or imagined (Ephesians 3:20) because His ways are always higher than our ways and His thoughts are always higher than our thoughts. Our worries turn out to be in vain because God always thinks beyond today's hope and answers according to tomorrow's best for us. One day I left work to run a short errand, which should have taken a few minutes, but on my way back to the office I was stopped by a train. The train was proceeding very slowly, but to make matters worse, it stopped on the tracks. I could see that there were four engines pulling the train, but the rest of the train was hidden from my view by some buildings. I wanted to take matters into my hands and squeeze out of the line so that I could take an alternate route over the overpass, but I was prevented by the other cars that blocked my escape. I was only nine blocks from my destination, yet I had no choice but to sit there and wait. At first, I was frustrated and impatient, but then I began to use the time to commune with God, and in just a little while, the train began to move. I still thought that I would have a long wait because in most cases, when four engines are pulling a train, it indicates that it is a very long train. To my surprise, as the train started moving, I could see that the four engines were pulling only five freight cars and my wait was suddenly ended. I was grateful that God had prevented me from leaving the line because the alternate route would have delayed me even more. Like this train incident in my life, there are circumstances that occur in all of our lives that force us to wait. We may feel that we are very close to receiving our answer and even be able to see the end of our journey, but we cannot seem to hurry things along in order to get there. When this happens, all kinds of questions and solutions come to our mind. Yet, we find that we have no choice in the matter. Our only choice is whether we are going to wait patiently or wait in a state of frustration and anxiety. We must learn not to become discouraged when there are delays, for the wait may be shorter than we thought. Like the train, the end may be hidden from our view. We may think that we have a long wait ahead, but in a moment of time God can rearrange all of the circumstances so that we can continue to pursue our agenda. We must also understand that God has a plan and that many times He blocks our way by His divine intervention. His delay is for His purpose and we must trust in the Lord's timing so that we can experience His perfect plan. As we trust in the Lord, we will come to know that the heart that is filled with faith in God can and will rest and wait patiently for Him. +++ 5/10/18 GOD'S TEAM Scripture: Romans 8:31 "If God be for us, who can be against us? Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?" When we were young and played games we always started by dividing into teams. I was usually one of the last ones chosen because I was not very big nor athletic and my abilities in sports were limited. I was no asset whatsoever to the team. In fact, I was usually a hindrance. I can still remember hearing the sighs as one of the team captains was forced to take me onto their team. As adults we are able to move on from these simple games of childhood, but we now experience the more complicated game of life. The first thing to realize in this game of life is that God is on our side and with Him on our team there is no way that we can lose. When God is for us, no one can stand against us. Notice that God does not play a half-hearted game. He puts everything that He has into the game because He is determined to win. God loves us so much that He sacrificed His very best so that He could invest in our lives. Romans 8:32 says, "God gave His Son so that He could freely and graciously give us all things." Sometimes we think that God is just waiting for us to do something wrong so that He can condemn us. The truth is that He is our team captain and He is not against us, He is for us. In the next few verses (Vs. 33-35) Paul asked three thought provoking questions concerning this matter: "Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?" "Who is there to condemn us?" "Who shall ever separate us from the love of Christ?" Paul then gave his answers to these questions: "No one can make charges against us as God Himself has justified us." "Jesus will not condemn us as He died for us." "There is absolutely nothing that can separate us from God's love." Hebrews 13:6 says, "So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper, I will not be seized with alarm - I will not fear or dread or be terrified of what man can do to me." We never have to be anxious about anything that life has to offer when we are on the same team with God. There is no foe that can stand against us, for the Lord makes us more than conquerors. +++ 5/11/18 VIRTUOUS WOMAN Scripture: Proverbs 31:10 & 28 "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies ... Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her." Women and mothers are very special. Each day of their lives is one of sacrifice and giving, and their greatest reward is to know that they have made a difference in the lives of their family, whom they love and cherish. There is no greater reward for a woman than to have her children bless her or her husband praise her. Likewise, there is no greater need or satisfaction than for a child to have a mother who is a blessing to them or for a husband to have a virtuous wife whom he can trust and truthfully praise. Solomon declared that the worth of this type of woman is far above monetary value. She cannot be purchased with the simple price of rubies, and her role and influence cannot be passed over as unimportant. She directs the future as she "trains up her children in the way that they should go, so that they do not depart from the right path" (Proverbs 22:6). In II Timothy 1:5, we see an example of the importance of mothers and grandmothers who taught and lived their faith in front of their children. The great Apostle Paul taught and mentored young Timothy in the things of the Lord, yet, Paul gave much of the credit for Timothy's faith to Timothy's mother, Lois, and his grandmother, Eunice. Paul said that he remembered Timothy's sincere and unqualified faith. He noticed that Timothy had been taught to lean entirely upon God and had displayed an absolute trust and confidence in God's power, wisdom, and goodness. Paul had also seen this same type of simple but profound trust in God in the hearts of Timothy's mother and grandmother, who were women of virtue. It was easy to recognize that their influence had affected Timothy in a big way and that the pure faith which they possessed had been transferred to him in the same degree and measure. Lois and Eunice had been diligent to train Timothy in the things of God and in the way that he should go. The evidence of their faith lingered in the heart of Timothy and the results could definitely be seen. There will be days in our lives that will be uneventful and maybe even seem boring, but we should never forget how important our roles are as mothers, grandmothers, and wives. We have great influence so we should always strive to be virtuous women of purpose. Proverbs 31:10-31 declares that a virtuous woman has strength, ability, efficiency, wealth, valor, faith, and is excellent in every way. Her price is far above rubies and she cannot be purchased. Yet, her love, faithfulness, and service to her home and family come free. We should ask God daily to help us develop these characteristics. We can be assured that when these qualities show forth in each day of our lives, our children will rise up and call us blessed and our husbands will praise us. +++ 5/14/18 PAUSE AND CALMLY THINK ABOUT GOD Scripture: Psalm 46:6-7 "The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved ... The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." Selah. Selah at the end of this verse means to pause and think calmly about these words! When the heathen rage, we are to pause and calmly focus on the fact that "the Lord of hosts is with us" and that He is our refuge in the midst of trouble. The Lord is here right now and He is not overwhelmed by the evil threats that are being made against us. Verse nine that follows says that God can "make the wars to cease, break the bow into pieces, snap the spear in two pieces, and burn the chariots with fire." Nothing is impossible with God and no enemy is too great for Him to handle, whether it be physical or spiritual, national or personal. He is almighty God and He reigns forever. When kingdoms are falling and are removed, we are to pause and calmly remember that "the Lord of hosts is with us" and He is our refuge. Verse one says God is "our very present help in the time of trouble." He does not show up late for the battle but is present from the beginning and remains until the end. God is in the midst of our situation and is ready to help us in any kind of trouble. He will not run and hide even though the earth is shaken and the mountains fall into the sea. God is with us in the midst of our problems and He will never be moved. Even in the tumult of wars that surround us and the devastation that covers the earth, God will sustain and make good His promise to keep those who put their trust in Him. Throughout this entire psalm, there is a call to remain calm. Verse ten says, "Be still and know that I am God." Even though God has power to sustain you, you must cooperate and allow His peace to keep your heart. You must choose to be still and stop considering all of the possibilities. Stop calculating the solutions and discard your own designs. Recognize that God is God and give Him space to work. God is about to do a great thing in your life and in this earth. Take time to be still and recognize what He is doing. Verse ten continues to say, "God will be exalted among the nations!" This great God who is exalted in the earth is the one who is always present with us and He is our refuge. So when times tend to be confusing and the world seems to be falling apart, just pause and calmly reflect on God's words; He is present and He is our refuge. +++ 5/15/18 THE LEAST OF THESE Scripture: Matthew 25:40 "In as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these My brothers, you have done it unto Me." The call to ministry is not primarily a call to be behind a pulpit or in the limelight of a radio or television ministry. Neither is ministry just for a chosen few who have been to seminary and studied how to minister. Jesus taught His disciples about true ministry. He talked to them about feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, and ministering to those in prison. He said, "When you minister to the least of these, you have ministered unto Me." Ministry is designed for the believer and it is about fulfilling the needs of others whether the need is physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual. It is helping people and encouraging them on their journey towards Jesus and eternity. We would walk miles and stand in long lines just to get a brief glimpse of Jesus. If the opportunity presented itself, we would even sit in a tree like Zacchaeus did and wait for Jesus to come so that we could hear Him speak. There would be no sacrifice too great for us to make in order to be able to witness His awesome power. We would do anything and go anywhere in order to see Jesus change water into wine, heal the sick, multiply the bread and fish, calm the storms, and walk on the water. Words cannot explain how thrilled we would be if Jesus asked us to do something for Him or to minister to Him in some special way. Yet according to His own words, Jesus gives us ample opportunity to do just that. He comes to us more often than we realize. Most of the time, we do not recognize Him because He comes in the form of the beggar on the street or the hungry children of the world. He comes to us as the poor who need to be clothed or He sits behind bars as a prisoner who needs to be encouraged by a visit. Jesus is there in many ways but because we are searching for Him to appear in a supernatural way, we miss Him altogether. If you would start each day with a simple prayer such as, "Jesus, show me what I can do for You today", you would be surprised how many needs would present themselves. The Lord would open your eyes to see the hungry, thirsty, and homeless that were about you. You ears would be sensitive to the cries of those who were sick and you would understand the loneliness of those in prison. The Lord would fill your heart with His love and show you how to respond to their simple needs. Jesus would teach you the same element of truth that He shared with those closest to Him. That truth is that the Lord is pleased when you touch the life of those who are neglected, overlooked, and considered to be the least in His kingdom. His message to you would be to "love all people" even those whom you consider to be the very least. For when you love and care for others, it will be as though you were loving and caring for the Lord Himself. +++ 5/16/18 FAITH DEMANDS ACTION Scripture: James 2:17 "Faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone." We are saved by faith and not by works, and yet faith always generates good and productive works. Faith demands corresponding actions and when faith stands alone without any actions to support its beliefs, it is dead. In the previous verses, James gave an example of a brother or sister who were naked and destitute of daily food. He said that if we tell them to go in peace and be warmed and fed, and do nothing about their situation, there is no profit. Our words are dead and have no life. Then, James told us that the same thing is true of our faith. When we just talk about what we believe and wait for something to happen, it profits nothing. There is no fruit unless we act on what we believe. Faith works and faith has works. The blind man's faith caused him to cry out to Jesus for healing. He even cast away his beggar's garment by faith when Jesus called for him to come. He had faith that he would be healed and he got rid of his garment because he believed that he would not have to beg again. The faith of the leprous men caused them to search out Jesus for cleansing. The lame man acted in faith and picked up his bed and walked at Jesus' command. Peter acted on his faith and walked upon the water when Jesus bid him to step out of the boat and come to Him. Zacchaeus was a small man but his faith prompted him to climb up in a tree so that he could see Jesus. The faith that was in the heart of the woman with an issue of blood caused her to push through the crowd of people so that she could touch the hem of Jesus' garment and be healed. Lazarus had to put away the graves clothes and walk out of the tomb when Jesus called him to come forth. Noah acted on faith and built an ark and Moses led millions of people across a desert. These are just a few that put actions to their faith. Our lives are full of opportunities every day to express our faith in the Lord and His Word. I am almost sure that none of us will be called to walk on the water or walk out of a tomb, but our faith will be challenged, none the less. We will have to put actions to our faith and show by our works what we declare to believe. If we believe that God can take care of all of our needs, we will have to stop worrying and cast all of our cares upon Him. If we believe God's Word about giving to Him and others, we will have to share in our own lean times and expect the Lord to honor His promise of a greater return. If we believe that Jesus paid the price for our healing, we cannot give up. We must stand in faith until our answer comes. In every situation that demands faith, we will have to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts and not lean upon our own understanding. Faith's actions are not easy, but they are always evident. If faith is standing alone and does not have works, it is dead. +++ 5/17/18 ASK FOR YOUR MOUNTAIN Scripture: Joshua 14:12 "Give me this mountain." Can you imagine being eighty-five years old and asking God to give you a mountain, which is full of giants that you will have to conquer? This is the place where Caleb was in his life. God had given Moses and the children of Israel a promise, and now forty-five years later, Caleb is claiming his portion of that promise. He said, "I am this day four score and five years old (85 years old). And yet, I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me" (Verses 10-11). Caleb was of another spirit and was destined for deliverance because he followed the Lord fully (Numbers 14:24). He believed that what God had promised, God would deliver. Forty-five years before Caleb made this request, he had tried to encourage God's people to go in and possess the Promised Land, but they had no faith. Instead, they could only see the giants and believe the evil reports. Caleb, however, focused his attention upon God and His Words of promise. Even though for forty years Caleb was forced to wander in the wilderness with an unbelieving generation, he did not allow them to discourage him. Caleb said that God, Himself, had kept him alive and that he was just as strong at eighty-five as he had been when he was forty. He was not senile or in denial of the circumstances. Caleb told Joshua he knew that the giants were in the land and that the cities were great and fenced in. But, he said, "If the Lord is with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said" (Verse 12). What an amazing testimony of courage and faith. This story challenges us to think about our own lives and the things that have been left unfinished. We have mountains that we have not conquered. We have allowed the giants of fear, age, and a multitude of other things to hinder our dreams and visions. Not many of us are eighty-five years old like Caleb and yet we have already given up. Occasionally, there will be a spark or a renewal in our spirits, but too soon we set our hopes aside. The challenge seems too great. We allow the enemy to convince us that it will never happen. We must have a change of heart and allow God to impart within us the same spirit of faith that Caleb had. Regardless of how many years have passed, we must look at the mountain that God promised to us and then boldly ask Him to give us our mountain. +++ 5/18/18 REPENTANCE & OBEDIENCE Scripture: Matthew 21:28-31 Jesus said, "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He came to the first and said, Son, go and work today in the vineyard. And he answered, I will not; but afterward he repented and changed his mind and went. Then the man came to the second son and said the same thing, and he replied, I will go, sir; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of the father? They replied the first one." Doing God's will is simply walking in obedience one step at a time. It is starting at the point where we are when the Lord speaks and following Him wherever He may lead. It is a simple matter of putting our foot into His footprint along the pathway of life. There are times, however, in all of our lives that we fail to do God's will either because of rebellion, compromise, or simple neglect. When we find ourselves in these places we need to call out to the Lord for help, be quick to repent, acknowledge our fault and sin, and search for the perfect will of the Father. When my oldest son was about three years old, he was playing in the yard. We lived in a safe neighborhood and the yard was enclosed with a cyclone fence. There was no way that he could unlock the gate and get out so I felt that he was very safe. I needed to go into the house for just a few minutes so I told him not to climb the fence. A few minutes later, I heard him calling from the yard. His cry was loud, but not frightening. I immediately went out to find him hanging on the fence. The hood of his winter jacket was ensnared in the wires at the top of the fence and he was hanging there like a picture on a wall. He was not hurt or even uncomfortable, just stuck in a situation that he had created. There was no way that he could help himself get out of this dilemma. I asked him if he had climbed the fence against my word and He said, "No, Mommy. Just get me down." He knew that I still loved him and that I was able to fix this situation for him. I asked him this question several times and each time he denied that it was his fault. Finally, he realized that his denial was not helping the situation and that he was not getting off of the fence until he repented and promised never to do it again. I laugh today as I remember this episode and wonder how many times do we find ourselves in a similar predicament. We fail to obey God and then find ourselves hanging on a fence. We are aware that we have stepped out of God's will and that He knows it too. Yet, we try to deny that we have made a mistake or that we have sinned. We just want God to fix the situation for us and get us down from the fence. Like my love for my own son, God's love is still there for us and He wants to fix everything in our lives that concern us. He is well able to get us down from the fence, but He waits for us to repent. He wants us to promise that we will not repeat the wrong action or that we will do those things that we have neglected. Take note of your situation. Are you hanging on the fence of rebellion, disobedience, or indecision? If you are struggling with doing the will of the Father, confess your unfaithfulness to Him. He will forgive and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9.), and He will deliver and set you free to fulfill His will. +++ 5/21/18 GOD'S PLAN Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." When God formed each of us, He had a specific plan and purpose in mind. So He did not give us the same qualities and abilities, but placed within each of us all that we would need to be able to do His divine will. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts." His thoughts and plans are higher than ours. In fact, the scriptures declare that the distance between God's thoughts and our thoughts is as far as heaven is from the earth. This is because, for the most part, our thoughts are concerned with today's business and what is happening right now and God's thoughts are on eternity. Sometimes we find ourselves in great difficulties and cannot understand why, but Romans 8:18 declares that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. We may think that we are in a hopeless place with no way of escape because we are surrounded by darkness and separated from others. Yet, we must remember that regardless of how hopeless our situation may look, God has a plan, and it is for good and not evil, to give us a future and a hope. Consider the butterfly. God had a future for it, but it had to go through much turmoil before it was released to display God's beauty and glory. It began by spinning itself into a cocoon and may not have realized that the end result of its spinning would be capturing itself in a small dark place for a very long season. It may have been surprised when it found itself separated from others in this quiet place, totally alone with God. This place was also humbling, for there was no beauty in the appearance of the cocoon attached to a branch. It probably wondered what happened to its original dream. As bad as the outside may have looked to others, the inside was much worse for the caterpillar itself. It was in greater turmoil than anyone could ever imagine as it struggled on its own, in great labor and difficulty. No one could help it get through its ordeal, and no one could set it free but God. Receiving its release meant it had to force its body through a narrow passage. Yet, this was God's provision of glory and beauty for the butterfly. It is through the pressure caused by moving through this narrow passage that nature forces the juices into the vessels of the wings and releases the beauty that God intended. If someone intervened and stop God's process by releasing the butterfly early, it would end up with a huge swollen body and shriveled wings and it would be forced to crawl through life rather than fly. God knows where you are and He understands your struggles. You must believe that He has a glorious end in sight. He wants you to be complete and fully equipped to operate in His plan. God will call you out when He sees that you are ready and not a moment before. He does not want you crawling through life like a shriveled caterpillar but instead soaring like a beautiful butterfly. God is working His plan in your life, but you must call upon Him and search for Him with all of your heart. Remember that as you pass through the dark and narrow places, He is preparing you for the time of your release. Trust in the Lord. He does have a future with a hope, and in the fullness of His time, His glory will be revealed in you. +++ 5/22/18 MASTER OF THE STORM Scripture: Mark 4:41 "What manner of man is this?" Jesus instructed His disciples to go to the other side of the lake. As they obeyed His words, they found themselves in a terrible dilemma, for there arose a great storm. Winds beat against their ship and the waves began to fill it with water. Fear gripped the disciples' hearts and doubt filled their minds. Yet, somewhere in the midst of all this turmoil and confusion, they remembered that Jesus was sleeping in the back of the boat. When they finally called upon Him, He brought all things back to normal by rebuking the wind and speaking peace to the sea. It took only a few words from the lips of Jesus and suddenly there was a great calm. In the midst of this great storm, the disciples found that they had no reason to fear. Jesus was still in control of the ship, the wind, the seas, and even their hearts. And even though Jesus saw their hearts were filled with fear and unbelief, He still worked a miracle on their behalf. When the storm ceased and the ordeal was finished, the disciples marveled, saying, "What manner of man is this?” They experienced a new depth of reverence for the One who had caused the winds and sea to obey Him. What manner of man is this Jesus whom we serve? If we examine our life closely, we can say that Jesus has never lost control of our lives. He has never sent us to a place where His grace could not keep us. Like the situation with the disciples, if He tells us to go to the other side of the lake, He is well able to help us fulfill that mission regardless of the storms that may come in between. He is the Master of the sea and is never alarmed by the winds, waves, and the rocking of our ship. Jesus sees our doubt and unbelief, but is faithful to extend His mercy and help in the time of our need. Our greatest danger is not the raging sea that surrounds us, but the raging lack of trust within our own spirits. The storms of life will either cause us to shipwreck or they will strengthen our faith. As we face the storms, we must understand what manner of man Jesus is. He loves us and seeks to protect us. There is no storm so great that His presence cannot bring calm into the atmosphere so have faith and trust in Him. Jesus is always at rest within our spirit. He is waiting for us to call upon Him so that He can rescue us from the present danger. +++ 5/23/18 CLEAN GONE FOREVER Scripture: Psalms 77:8 "Is God's mercy clean gone forever?" The psalmist was in a dilemma because he had no answers for his questions and no solutions for his problems. He was so troubled that he couldn't even sleep. As he complained about these problems that were overwhelming him, he finally came to the conclusion that God's mercy was "clean gone forever." Clean means that he could not see the slightest trace of God's mercy in his situation. It was as though God's mercy was totally washed away. He even said, "Does God's promise fail all the time? Has He forgotten His grace?" The Message Bible says it another way, "Just my luck, God went out of business just the moment I needed Him." The psalmist finally changes his tune and says, "This is my infirmity, I am sick, but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember His works of the past. I will meditate and talk of the wonders that He has done. Who is so great a God as our God?" (Vs. 10-13) The psalmist took his focus off of himself and his problems. He then placed his attention upon the Lord God Almighty and thought about all of God's mighty works that He had done in the past. Have you ever driven through a long dark tunnel in which you were not able to see where you had been or where you were going? You could only trust that you would reach the end soon and come out safely. Seasons in our lives sometimes seem like long dark tunnels. Our situations become just like the one that the psalmist described. Lingering sickness and discouraging difficulties suppress our faith until we feel that God's mercy has been totally wiped out, and is "clean gone forever." None of God's promises seem to be working for us, and just when we need Him the most, it seems that He has gone out of the mercy and grace business. My friend, you must never give in to these thoughts of despair. Instead, meditate upon God and His Word in your dark hour, and as you do, you will see a small glimmer of light at the end of the darkness. Your hope will be revived and you will discover that God's grace is sufficient and that His mercy remains and is not 'clean gone forever'. +++ 5/24/18 GATHER THE FRAGMENTS Scripture: John 6:12 "Gather the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost." When Jesus made this request He had just finished feeding over five thousand people. He fed them by blessing and multiplying five loaves of bread and two small fish that His disciples had obtained from a young boy. It seems strange that Jesus would gather up the leftovers after such an awesome experience because surely He could multiply food again if needed. He did not gather the fragments that remained so that He could show that the miracle that He had just performed supplied more than enough, for they ended up with twelve full baskets of leftovers. Nor were the fragments collected in order to keep the grounds and hillside clean. His Words clearly indicated His intentions, "that nothing be lost." God is awesome in His power and He is His own source. Yet we see in this story that even though He can create anything, He wastes nothing. He is not slothful in any sense but is faithful in all things. He always takes care "that nothing be lost." God is watching over you just as Jesus watched over the fragments that remained that day among the people. What may seem insignificant in the eyes of others is important to the heart of God. In Joel 2:25 He says, "I will restore all the years that the locust has eaten." He looks at your life that has been broken just like the bread and the fish and He believes that He can mend you. You may feel that you have no significant purpose, but the Lord says, “I have hope and future plans for you” (Jeremiah 29:11). You see only crumbs, but the Lord sees baskets that are full. You see yourself as having been scattered, but He sees you drawing close to Him. Your life to you seems as nothing but brokenness, but He sees great potential. And, Jesus speaks into your life as He spoke to His disciples. He says, "Gather the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost." So begin today with what little you have and bring those fragments of your life back to God. He loves you. He will take the pieces that you give to Him and bless them. He will restore you to full measure so that nothing will be lost in your life. +++ 5/25/18 FAITH AS A SEED Scripture: Luke 17:6 "The Lord said, If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed ..." Things that are impossible with man are possible with God. The Lord said, "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could speak to the tree to be plucked up by the root, and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you." He was telling us that nature itself is commanded by God to obey our words of faith. Even the storms are subject to our words. When the disciples were being tossed about on the raging sea, Jesus asked, "Where is your faith?" He asked this question because He knew that faith in God had power over the storms. Jesus then spoke the word of peace directly to the storm to show us that faith had to be acted upon or expressed verbally in order to accomplish God's work. God loves us, and like any loving father, He wants his children to experience success and enjoy victory in every area of life. So it only takes a little faith on our part to get Him involved in our circumstances. When we reach out to the Lord, He meets us at our point of faith and scripture verifies that He will even help us with our unbelief. When He sees that our faith is weak He sends His faith building Words to strengthen the little faith that we have. Faith "as a seed" is an interesting concept. Seeds are the origin of life and produce fruit after their own kind. They are always planted in the darkness of the Earth and regardless of how strong the life is within them, they cannot germinate until they are watered. A seed can be alive but remain dormant for years as long as it is kept dry. A few years ago, there were some seeds that were discovered that had been hidden in the pyramids of Egypt centuries ago. These seeds still had life. They were secure within themselves but they were designed by God to be productive outside of themselves. They needed to be planted and watered for their hopes to be fulfilled. Like a seed, faith is also the origin of things hoped for. Faith comes alive when a Word from God is planted in the darkness of our heart and it is nourished when His Spirit showers it. Yet our faith will remain dormant like a dry seed and there will be no fruit until there is action. A seed also stands alone in its struggle. No one can actually make it grow, not even the other seeds. It is totally dependant upon the sovereignty of God. The seed roots itself downward into the depths of the soil as it begins to reach for the light that is above. It does not stagger to the left or right but continues in a straight path upward towards God. It grows one micro-inch at a time. Faith is the same. It is a personal experience that reaches up with trust towards a faithful God. Faith embraces God's promise one moment at time. For one hundred and twenty years, Noah built the ark, one board at a time. Abraham, the father of many nations, searched for a city whose builder and maker was God, one step at a time. Moses led the people to the Promised Land and believed for manna from Heaven, one day at a time. The Apostle Paul fought the good fight of faith, one season at a time. Jesus endured the agony of the cross, one breath at a time. Seeds do not reach their destiny suddenly and neither does our faith. Faith is a continual exercise in believing the promises that God has given. So let us remember that if we have faith as a seed, we will eventually break through to the light and the fruit of our patience and struggle will be rewarded. +++ 5/28/18 GOD'S MEMORIAL DAY Scripture: Exodus 12:14 "And this day shall be unto you for a Memorial." This scripture is in reference to the institution of the Passover, which began when Moses was leading the people out of Egypt. This event was a shadow or an illustration of the redemptive work that Jesus was to accomplish for us on the cross. At this first Passover, Israel was instructed to take a lamb without spot or blemish, kill it, and apply the blood to the doorpost of their homes. God told them that when He saw the blood, He would pass over them and not kill the firstborn of that house. He promised that death would have no dominion over them if they would simply apply the blood of the slain lamb. God grants us a Memorial Day such as this. Jesus is our lamb without spot and blemish. When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Jesus was slain on the cross of Calvary for our sins and because of His sacrifice, we have a promise of eternal life, and death no longer has dominion over us. However, just like the first Passover, God's work is not complete until we personally apply the blood of Jesus to our lives by receiving Jesus as our Savior and Lord. God gave such simple instructions to His people. They only had to take the lamb, kill it, and apply the blood. Yet, many people in Egypt did not respond to these instructions and faced the judgment of their choice. You also have a choice. Eternal salvation is just as simple, for God has made a way for you by sacrificing His own Son, Jesus. Please respond to His great invitation, for the steps to salvation are as simple as ABC. A) Acknowledge your sin, for all have sinned. (Romans 3:23) B) Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 16:31) C) Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved. (Romans 10:9) Today we celebrate Memorial Day in America in honor of those who have given their lives for this country. So when you see the red stripes on our great American flag think about those who have fought and have paid the ultimate price with their blood for your own personal freedom. And also remember the great sacrifice that Jesus made for your eternal freedom and the crimson blood that He shed for the remission of your sins. +++ 5/29/18 GO AND TEACH Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus spoke to them saying, "All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth ... go therefore and teach all nations ... lo, I am with you always..." After Jesus' death and resurrection, He spoke these words to His disciples. His words were few and simple but they encapsulated His vision that all men everywhere would hear the good news of the gospel and that none should perish but that all should receive eternal life. These words also defined the great work that Jesus commissioned His followers to do. His followers were to go into all the world and teach the gospel to all nations. They were to win the lost, heal the sick, and help those in need. They were to complete the work that Jesus had begun, and according to His Words in John 14:12, they were to do even greater works than He had done. Such a simple command, "Go and teach." Jesus called His disciples to be a part of His dream. Yet His dream was so big that it demanded great power and authority. So with this command, Jesus also issued the authority and gave the promise of His power that would be needed to complete the mission. Jesus gave them His Word, or the gospel, His Name, and the promise of His presence. In this account in Mark's gospel, Jesus said, "I am with you always." His presence alone is power, and when His presence is with you, it releases authority in you, and great and marvelous things happen. When the disciples followed His command, "Go and teach," they witnessed the fulfillment of these words. Mark 16:20 declares that as they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord worked with them and confirmed His Word with signs. Jesus, who was life, gave up His life so that He could offer eternal life to a dying world. His purpose and His vision has not changed and His Word remains the same. He says, "Go, teach, and I will be with you." Then He waits to hear us respond with, "Jesus, I will do anything to be a part of Your dream. I will go. I will teach. I will fulfill Your commission. My life is in Your hands." We may never reach the foreign soil, but we can send one who will go, and we can reach the people of the many nations who are on our own soil. We may not find opportunity to teach the multitudes, but we all have someone within our own circle that needs help. We all have a world and each one is different. It does not matter if we are a student, a mother, a businessman, member of the church staff, or one who is incarcerated in prison. We can all share the good news that Jesus loves and Jesus cares. As we go and touch those about us with His light and life, Jesus fulfills His promise. He works with us and confirms His Word. +++ 5/30/18 EVEN WHEN THINGS SEEM HOPELESS Scripture: Lamentations 3:26 "It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." A friend sent me a humorous email recently with several pictures of animals that were caught in precarious situations. One of the pictures was of a mule that was in quite a predicament. The mule was harnessed to the front of a two-wheeled cart, which was loaded down with heavy goods. The weight on the cart must have been unevenly distributed because the rear of the cart was touching the ground and the front of the cart, with the mule, was in the air. The caption over the picture read, "Even when things seem hopeless." This situation was certainly hopeless, for there was no way the mule could help himself, much less pull the heavy burden that had been assigned to him. He just hung there in hopeless despair waiting for his master to unload part of the weight. Have you ever been in a place of hopeless despair like the mule in this scene? It seems that your burdens are too heavy, your storm is too great, your grief is too painful, or your situation is too bleak. There just does not seem to be any relief in sight. Jesus never intended for you to suffer through life in this manner. In fact, He came to give you an abundant life. Jesus said that His yoke would be easy and His burden would be light. He also said that He would not put more upon you than you could bear. Yet, many times we become overburdened by our own design. We take burdens that are not ours to bear and engage in battles that are not ours to fight. We put too much on our cart physically, mentally, and emotionally. In the midst of it all, our strength begins to fail and our faith is challenged beyond measure. Then, like the mule, we are stopped in our tracks and held in suspension by these heavy loads. We may look just as ridiculous to the Lord when we try to carry our own burdens as the mule looked when he was lifted into the air by the weight of his burdens. Jesus must look at us and wonder why we don't unload our cart and cast every care upon Him. He cares for us and He wants us to cease from our struggles, let go of the conflicts that surround us, and begin to rest in His presence. He wants us to wait for His salvation, for only the Master of our soul can deal with our situations and deliver us. As we yield ourselves to Him, He will take our burdens one-by-one. Things may look bad at the present. Yet even when things seem hopeless, it is time for us "to both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." +++ 5/31/18 NARROW PATH Scripture: Matthew 7:14 "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way, which leads to life." Our family recently spent a few days at the beach. To get from our living accommodations to the beach area we had to use a footbridge to cross over the sand dunes. Over time the sand dunes had turned into grassy knolls and were really not very inviting. Yet, some people must have been drawn to them because signs were posted on both sides of the bridge. One sign simply said, "Walk on the bridge and stay off of the sand dunes." The other sign said, "Do not walk on the sand dunes. They are a natural habitat for sea turtles, crabs, spiders, rats, and rattlesnakes." The first sign was a simple instruction, which contained no reasons or warnings why we should stay off of the dunes, but the second sign really caught our attention. It listed the serious hazards and consequences of not staying on the bridge. Disturbing the habitat would be not only destructive to the life that lived there, but was also a possible life threatening danger to the intruder. In our lives, we too are given instructions and told not to go to the left or to the right. We are told to stay on the narrow bridge of life, so to speak, and not to allow ourselves to enter into the temptations of sin. The command is simple, "Thou shalt not", but the consequences may not be listed there with the command. Like the hazards of the sand dunes, unless we study God's Word thoroughly, we may not understand the results of straying outside the borders that God has set for us. Yet, disobedience to God's commands is a matter of life and death. We must pay close attention to God's Words, commands, and His gentle voice because He is trying to keep us away from real and present danger. He may say a simple, "Do not sin" or "Stay on the bridge" but we should trust Him. All of His Words should get our full attention regardless of how simple they may sound. The prime signpost in our lives is Jesus Christ and in order to have a complete and blessed life, we cannot allow ourselves to stray from His laws. We must acknowledge Him in all of our ways and follow the leading of His Holy Spirit. We need to continually ask for His direction before we lose our way on the journey through life. If we rely upon the Lord, He will open the doors that we should go through and close those that we should not enter. If we yield to the Lord's sovereign will, He will be a solid foundation for us and will open our eyes to the evils that lurk outside of His boundaries. He will be the bridge that will keep us from the unknown dangers and snares that are between us and our destiny. The Lord's signs are simple. He tells us that there is set before us the blessing or the curse and life or death. We need to listen and obey as He warns of the consequences of the broad way that leads to destruction and then heed His encouragement to choose the narrow path that leads to life. +++ Copyright © 2018 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com |
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