| ............ | A Word In Due Season OCT 2018 10/1/18 WAY IN THE WILDERNESS Scripture: Isaiah 43:18-19 "Do not remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth ... I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." You may be wondering how God is going to get you out of your current situation or deliver you from the adversity that is vexing your soul. You may be challenged in your health, finances, or relationships, and anxiety may be attacking you as you face the insecurities of the future. There may be a vast wilderness or a dry barren desert before you. You may find yourself frustrated as you endeavor to work everything out in the same manner as you did in days past, only to discover that the formula is no longer working. There may be questions in your mind of what to do next. God has an answer to every question and a solution for every problem. He says through Isaiah, the prophet, "Do not remember the former things, neither consider the things of old." God is not limited by your knowledge or confined to the routine of the past, so do not dwell on those things. His ways are higher than your ways and His thoughts are higher than your thoughts. God is still the creator and He is doing a new thing. He can make a way where there seems to be no way because nothing is too difficult for Him. The Lord will give you answers that you have never thought of because He will create them. He will make a way in the wilderness and cause streams to spring up in the desert. Never fear the new paths or the new direction that you are feeling in your spirit. If God is speaking to you, He is also going before you to make the crooked way straight and work out every detail to bring about this new thing. It's easy to turn back or give up when the wilderness gets too thick and the desert becomes too dry. But remember David's words in Psalms 37:23, "The steps of a good man are directed and established of the Lord." This includes the easy steps as well as the hard steps. Should God lead you down a rough path, He promises to make a way and will give you the strength to complete the course. He orders your steps and assures you that rivers will spring up within your deserts and your life will bloom in a new fashion. He is a faithful God, a loving Father, and a keeper of His Word. The new road that you are called to travel may not always be easy, but the journey will be worth all of the bumps. +++ 10/2/18 SWORD OF THE SPIRIT Scripture: Ephesians 6:17 "Take ... the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." The battles that rage against us are not carnal in nature, but spiritual and mighty. The encouraging news is that the Lord did not leave us defenseless in our battle against these forces of evil. Instead, He provided us with an entire spiritual armor. This armor of God is designed to cover us from the top of our head to the soles of our feet and includes the shield of faith that will quench all the fiery darts that the devil hurls at us. Last but not least the Lord also gave us the sword of the Spirit, which is defined as the Word of God. The Lord left nothing open to the enemy. All that we are required to do is to put on the armor, lift up the shield of faith, and then use the sword. The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is the only offensive weapon that is mentioned. The rest are defensive. When we encounter a conflict with an individual, we often write it off as a personality issue or difference in opinion. We endeavor to keep the peace at any cost and hope that the problem will dissolve on its own. When we are attacked by one adversity after another, we often think that it is just bad luck. When these circumstances persist, however, we must come to the conclusion that our real enemy is in disguise and that we are not wrestling against flesh and blood. We realize that we are engaged in a spiritual battle and we need the spiritual armor that Paul spoke about in order to be victorious in the matter. When I come up against a snake in the natural, I never use my own hands in an effort to defeat it because I know that I do not have enough physical strength. I have learned that a sharp shovel is my best weapon and that it is well worth the time and effort to stop and get it before I do battle. The same is true in the spiritual realm. We must be prepared before we enter the battle. We cannot depend upon carnal weapons or our own strength because we are not fighting against flesh and blood. We need the sword of the Spirit, for the Word of God always encourages, gives direction, and births faith. In one particular spiritual conflict that I encountered, the Lord spoke these words to my heart, "Don't do battle without your shovel." The enemy always seeks to provoke a reaction in the natural, but we must learn to always wait upon God and respond only in the spirit. The devil wants us to speak nonsense out of our mouths instead of the Word of God because he is not strong enough to resist this powerful weapon that is sharper than a two-edged sword. The Word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, points out our own errors, and gives light to every dark situation. This is the same weapon that Jesus used when the devil sought to tempt Him. Jesus simply said, "It is written" and then quoted a portion of the Word of God. There will always be conflicts as long as we are in this world. When the enemy begins to taunt and provoke you, do not allow yourself to react to the harsh situation. Instead, separate yourself from it and get alone with God before you respond. Make sure that your spiritual armor is in place and that your shield of faith is lifted high. Like my example with the snake, whatever you do, "Don't do battle without your shovel." Or as the Apostle Paul said, before you go into battle, "Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." +++ 10/3/18 REMEMBER WHAT GOD HAS DONE Scripture: Psalms 106:12-13 "They sang His praise. They soon forgot His works." God delivered His people by performing a mighty miracle. He rolled back the waters of the Red Sea and allowed them to pass over on dry ground and then He used those same waters to destroy the Egyptian army that was pursuing them. There was great rejoicing amongst the Israelites for this wonderful victory as they danced, sang, and shouted in triumph over their enemy. In their rejoicing, they praised the Lord and declared that He was their strength, but in a very short time they forgot His wondrous works. God caused the waters of the Red Sea to be gathered together like a wall on their right hand and on their left (Exodus 14:29). How could anyone experience such an awesome miracle of God and then forget it in just a few days? It seems that this would have been a life time memory engraved upon the tablets of their heart. They had all seen it with their own eyes and had rejoiced with great joy, but their memory grew short. Within seventy-two hours, they had forgotten this marvelous work that God had done in their lives. Like the psalmist said, "They sang praise, but soon forgot God's work." Three days after the miracle, they were grumbling and complaining because they had no water in the wilderness. At the very edge of this mighty miracle where God had controlled the waters of the sea, they had the audacity to question God's provision for water to quench their thirst. Verse seven says, "They provoked God at the sea, even at the Red Sea." Did you ever stop to think, that we are much the same way as the Israelites? Of course, we have not seen God roll back the sea or do the mighty miracles that He did when He delivered the entire nation of Israel. Yet, He has done special things for us that at the time we thought we would remember forever. In the midst of the other believers we have felt triumphant over our enemies. On Sunday, we heard a faith producing message from God's Word, which lifted our spirits. We sang and shouted the victory, but when we returned to our regular weekly schedules, our jubilation diminished quite rapidly. By the third day, the challenges that were before us seemed so much greater than the victory that was behind us. We began to murmur and complain about the politics in the work place, our physical limitations, or the financial difficulties that we were coping with. The Word of promise that we received in worship fades from our memories and unbelief clouds our soul. Like the Israelites, we also go from praise to forgetfulness. We can change this image by deciding to remain victorious even in the midst of challenges. We can remind ourselves that the Lord is with us even though we are walking through the valleys that are filled with the shadows of death and defeat. The Lord has told us that He will never leave us or forsake us. We must recognize and remember that Jesus is there with us when the giants of our life threaten to take us out. We must keep the memories of yesterday's victories alive, for they are our trophies of encouragement for today and they will be our strength for tomorrow's battles. +++ 10/4/18 THE TOUCH OF WATER Scripture: Job 14:8-9 (Living Bible) " ... it may sprout and bud again at the touch of water, like a new seedling." Job speaks of the hope of a tree that has been cut down. He says even though the roots in the earth have grown old and the stump is decayed, the tree still has life. The old roots do not look like much underneath the earth, but the only thing that they need is the touch of water and they will become like a new seedling. The tree that was once destroyed will begin to grow, and then sprout and bud. We see this so often with trees and plants after the spring rains. Job knew too well what it was like to be cut down to nothing. He had lost his possessions and wealth, his health, his sons and his daughters, his position and prestige, and the respect of his wife and friends. He had absolutely nothing left. As Job sat in the ash heap scraping his boils, his friends condemned him rather than comforting him. Yet underneath Job's discouragement and distress, there was life in his spirit and he still had faith in God. His trust remained, and even in the face of death, itself, Job said, "Though God slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15). Job knew that if he could just get a touch of water from the Lord, things would begin to change. There may be forgotten hopes and shattered dreams in your life. You may have given up on a relationship, financial situation, health issues, or the dream of your life. You may have prayed until you cannot pray any longer concerning the matter that you once had such great faith in. Underneath the surface of the pain, you know there is still life in the matter, yet the possibility of resurrecting that vision seems too vague. Job makes the solution simple to understand. All that you need is the touch of water. You may have been cut down and feel totally destroyed but God has been preparing you for this season and He will bring new growth. You have been in a waiting period and God has saved you for such a time as this. God declares that He has good plans for you. Your situation may look like old dead roots, but in reality it is as a new seedling that is waiting to sprout and bud. All that it needs is the touch of water. When you begin to search for that touch of water, God will begin to rain upon you and He will resurrect and perfect those things that concern you. +++ 10/5/18 A SOLID FOUNDATION Scripture: Matthew 7:24 "Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock." Jesus said that there are two foundations that we can build our life upon; that is the shifting sand or the solid rock. Those who build upon the rock are the ones who hear God's Words and then, in faith, act upon those Words. Everyone wants to be able to endure the raging storms of life and remain intact, but unfortunately many times we choose the shifting sand as our foundation. We fail to realize the weakness of our structure until the rains come and we find ourselves in jeopardy. It is easy to get into this situation in all areas of life and build our faith upon the shifting sands. We may look to our jobs or our financial portfolio as our source and security, but this is not a solid foundation. The market can fail and riches can very quickly come to an end. Financial security is only found when we trust in the Lord God, who has promised to supply all of our needs according His riches. He said that He would never forsake the righteous and that their seed would never have to beg for bread. It is also wonderful to know that we have national security, but if that is where our trust is, we are misguided and not resting upon a sure foundation. For total protection, we must abide under the shadow of the Almighty and find shelter under His wings (Psalms 91). God alone must be our fortress, for He is the only one who can keep us safe in all of our ways. Nothing is forever except the foundation of God's love, mercy, and grace. Relationships will fail, but the Lord will stick closer than a brother. Fame, fortune, and honor will cease, but God will always be there. The angel spoke to the church of Laodicea and said, " You say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing (Revelation 3:17)." This church was lukewarm, which meant that it was neither hot, nor cold. They thought that they were doing fine, but according to the angel they were really wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Their foundation was not built upon a solid rock. Instead, it was based upon the material things that they had collected. They were blind to their apparent lack. They did not realize that their material goods had left them wretched and miserable and that the nakedness of their spiritual life was exposed. They were not aware that a raging storm could sweep their security away in a moment's time. The Lord shared these Words with us, not to frighten us, but to impart His truths to us. We must never give ourselves over to the thought that we have need of nothing, for we need God just as much in the good times as we do when things are going bad. We must hear God's Word, build our faith upon Him, and then obey His every command. He is the Rock of our salvation. If we wisely place our trust and confidence in God, our foundation will be sure and our lives will not collapse in the midst of the storms. +++ 10/8/18 CATCH GOD'S VISION Scripture: Isaiah 54:1 & 3 "Sing, O barren, you that did not bear; break forth into singing ... For you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left ..." God has big dreams for you and His dreams are for good and not evil. He has hopes and plans for your future (Jeremiah 29:11). Before you were ever born He formed you into the vessel that He wanted you to be. You are His workmanship and He designed every detail of your being. God gave you a unique personality and endowed with gifts and various talents to enable you to perfect your calling and perform the work that He has ordained for you. No task is too small and no vision too great. Each has its own significance and importance in the eyes of God. God continues His work in you even now, teaching and training you, leading you, and strengthening you for the destiny that is set before you. Yet, you must catch His magnificent vision for your life. You do this by focusing on the things that interest you, for God placed those desires within you by design. He makes no mistakes. Your likes and dislikes are not accidents or coincidental. They are there for specific reasons. As you submit yourself to God, He will cause your gifts and talents to make room for you. Never give up. You are on the brink of a miracle and a breakthrough. Up to now, your life may have been barren as the prophet Isaiah described, but he says, "Sing," and then in verse three he says, "Enlarge your borders." In other words, get mentally and physically ready for a change. Expand yourself because something is happening in the spiritual realm even though you cannot see it in the natural at this time. Soldiers learn their weapons and prepare for battle long before they engage in conflict. So it is with you. Begin to prepare for something special in your life because it may be ready to happen. God does things suddenly, but He looks for those who are willing, obedient, and prepared. Ask God to seal within you a determination to finish the course that He has set before you. Strive to obey Him and do His good pleasure with an eagerness to please Him. Do not be discouraged about past failures. Just sing with faith in your heart, for when God begins to move in your life, you will break forth on the left hand and on the right. His work in and through you will be bigger than you are and more than you could ask or imagine. +++ 10/9/18 POSSESS YOUR SOUL Scripture: Luke 21:19 "In your patience, you possess your soul." Jesus warned His disciples about the hard times that they were destined to face. He spoke of the persecution, imprisonment, and betrayal of family members and friends that they would experience. Jesus told them that they would be brought before kings and rulers for His name's sake, but not to meditate beforehand what their answers were to be. In the most difficult of circumstances, they were to remain patient and rely upon His wisdom and His protection. He promised to fill their mouth and give them words to speak that would be so logical that their adversaries and opponents would not be able to withstand or contradict them. Jesus said, "In your patience, you possess your soul." The soul of man is comprised of his mind, his will, and his emotions. His mind tells him what to think. His will tells him what he wants, and his emotions tell him how he feels. These three functions of his soul determine his actions and responses. Without patience in his soul, he will fall into a trap. His mind will allow his carnal will and nature to be led by his emotions. Everything will be decided by what he wants and what feels good at the moment. He will seek to gratify his fleshly desires regardless of the consequences. A soul that is patient, however, will weigh the situation by God's Word and God's wisdom. Patience will put all things in the balances of godly counsel and then submit to the will of God, disallowing the soul's own desires and emotions to give in to the moment. We often wonder why we must go through so many trials and so much tribulation. Yet James 1:3 states that this is the process that develops patience. It is as we go through difficult seasons that we learn to be patient, and then as our patience grows within us, we begin to possess our soul. Trials and temptations train us how to think rationally with our minds, keep our wills in order, and bring our emotions under control. Each mistake that we make teaches us not to be so hasty the next time. Patience teaches us to wait upon God until we are possessing His thoughts and leaning upon His understanding. When we suffer loss because we have allowed our own desires to override God's will, we see the wisdom in listening to His voice and following Him more closely. When we suffer the guilt and shame of allowing our soul to express it's emotions in outrage, we learn to exercise more patience when the challenge presents itself again. Possessing your soul is a moment-by-moment process and requires that you do not give your soul up or loan it out for any reason. When the enemy tempts you to share your mind, will, and emotions with him, ask God to help you exercise patience so that you are able obey the scriptures and possess your soul. +++ 10/10/18 SHADOWS OF DEATH Scripture: Psalms 23:4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me ... " David faced death many times as he was a man of war with a great reputation in battle. He had been chased by King Saul who hurled javelins at him. David also had to flee from his own son, Absalom, who sought to kill him. Many times David ended up hiding in caves and crying out to God for deliverance as he experienced the darkness of death. Yet in each case, he put his trust in God and came out with a renewed faith that even though he was standing right in the shadow of death itself, he had nothing to fear. The Lord was with him! David's faith brought him to the conclusion that the Lord was right there beside him, guarding him and leading him every step of the way. The knowledge of God's presence with him dispelled every fear and anxiety that he had. We find it easy to walk by faith when all reports are good and we are walking in the light. We are able to boldly speak good confessions, and the songs of victory linger in our hearts. We find it easy to shout "Praise the Lord" and "Hallelujah" and rejoice in the goodness of God. But when the bad reports come and the sun sets, we change our tune. Fear strikes as we sense the darkness and see the shadows closing in on us. It is not so easy to have faith when we are facing an uncertain valley. The darkness of the valley begins to wear us out with mental conflict because we turn our eyes away from Jesus and focus on the shadows. Like a small child left in a dark room, we imagine all sorts of things as the shadows themselves become very real and begin to torment us. There are many kinds of valleys that will challenge you. The shadows of those valleys can be very real and overwhelming. You may face the possibility of physical death or the death of a loved one. It may be the death of a precious relationship when divorce occurs or friendships dissolve. You may even face a situation like David did when his son rebelled and revolted against him. Or possibly your career opportunities and financial security may encounter sudden failure. Death and disappointment in any area brings darkness, and that darkness brings fear. Your only hope in these situations is to focus on the light who is Jesus. He will comfort you with the Word of God and restore your soul as He walks with you through the valley. As God’s light begins to dawn, the shadows disappear, for darkness cannot hide the light. In His light you will discover that the valley is full of green pastures and still waters. You will have no need to be afraid of the shadows because the Lord, Himself, is with you. +++ 10/11/18 VEHICLES OF THE MESSAGE Scripture: Acts 3:12 "Why do you look so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we have made this man to walk?" A lame man sat and begged at the gate called Beautiful. He did this all of his life until one day Peter and John passed by him, and in the Name of Jesus, the power of God was extended through them to heal the man. As the healed man walked, leaped, and praised God, the people were filled with wonder and amazement thinking that Peter and John had healed him. Verse twelve says that when Peter saw the people's response, he asked them, "Why do you marvel at this? Why are you staring at us as though, by our own power or holiness, we've made this man to walk?" Peter realized that it was not his own power or ability, but the power and ability of God that had flowed through him that accomplished the great miracle. He also told the people that the miracle did not occur because of his own holiness. Peter knew that he was only the vehicle for God's power. He did not allow the people to misdirect their worship, but pointed them to God. He receive no glory for what God had done. In verse thirteen Paul explained the reason for this miracle by saying, "God has glorified His Son." God uses whom He pleases, and it is God's message that is important, not the messenger. For the servant of God to take the glory or credit for the miraculous would be like the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem to think that the shouts of "Hosanna" and "Blessed be the King" were for him rather than for the Christ that he was carrying. We must humble ourselves to God and understand that we are merely like the donkey that carried Jesus before the people. We are only a vehicle of the message and nothing more. When we come to this realization in our life that God's works are not by our own power or holiness then God can use us for the miraculous. +++ 10/12/18 PURE RELIGION Scripture: James 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." There is religion and then there is pure religion. James makes a distinction between the two and says that pure religion is undefiled in God's eyes. We are instructed to assemble ourselves together on the Lord's Day, but that does not complete our religion. Pure religion goes beyond simple church attendance on Sunday and then living as you please through the rest of the week. We have been issued Ten Commandments to obey, the principals of the Kingdom to follow, which we call the beatitudes, and the fruits of the Spirit that we must allow God to develop in our lives. These reach into the soul of man and expose our motives for worship and our obedience to God's command. There is an old story about a king who had a beautiful ring. He also had three sons and each son wanted their father's ring. When the king died, he left three rings for his sons with a note that said, "My dear sons, one of these rings is real and the other two are fake. The way that you will know who has the real ring is that the son with the real ring will be kind and generous to all people." Each of the three sons spent the rest of his life being good to others so that he could prove that he was the one who had the real ring that his father had worn. It is the same with religion, for James said the only way to show that your religion is true and undefiled is to live it. Pure religion is measured by the life we live outside the four walls of the church and how we treat people and take care of their needs. James said that if we want to be pure before God in our religion, then we must visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions and keep ourselves unstained by the world. In verse twenty-six, he also told us that even our words need to be controlled. He said, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." We must not allow ourselves to be deceived or cause the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to be worthless. The Lord has put spiritual rings on our fingers that confirm our relationship to Him, the Eternal King. We have a responsibility to show the world that we have the real thing by our kindness and generosity to all people. Jesus said, "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another" (John 13:35). Let us strive to practice this pure and undefiled religion. +++ 10/15/18 SET YOUR AFFECTIONS Scripture: Colossians 3:2 "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Sometimes it is hard to have heavenly attitudes and actions when we live in the natural world. We have so many needs and passions and there are so many things to distract us. However, because we are born again and share in Christ's resurrection, Paul tells us that we are to exhibit a new life before the world. Regardless of the temptations that surround us, we are "to seek those things which are above where Christ is seated." To seek means that we must put forth an effort to find those things that please God and then set our affections on them. It's not just "happenstance." Paul not only told us to set our affections on things above but continued to exhort us to assume personal responsibility for this new life in Christ (Verse 5 and 6). He says, "You mortify your members." In other words, you must put to death any evil desires that would cause you to sin. You must disallow your affections and thoughts to dwell on sensual desires, for they will eventually draw you into sin. You are to "put off all anger, wrath, blasphemy, filthy communication, and lies". It is up to you to guard your emotions and your mouth. You are to "put on the new man" by renewing your mind with the knowledge of Christ and be conformed into His image by the study of His Word. You are then to let God's Word dwell within you so that you can teach and admonish one another in wisdom. You must let the peace of God rule in your heart instead of the strife of this world. Everything that you say or do is to be done in the Name of the Lord Jesus. In all these things you have to make the choice and the effort to set your affections on things above and not on the things of Earth. God does not override your spirit and force you to think about Him or on things concerning Him. Colossians 3:1-2 in The Message Bible says, "So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides ... Don't be absorbed with the things right in front of you ... See things from God's perspective." +++ 10/16/18 GOD'S CHOICE Scripture: Amos 7:15 "And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said to me, Go, prophesy to My people Israel." Amos was a simple herdsman who also took care of the trees and gathered fruit. These were his duties before the Lord called him to be a prophet to Israel. He was actually following his flock and going about his normal duties when the Lord called him. He declared that until the Lord called him, he was not a prophet or even the son of a prophet. His words indicate that the thought of ministry had never entered his mind and that he was just as surprised as everyone else that God had chosen him. There seemed to be nothing special about this man whom God, Himself, decided to call. Yet God saw great potential in Amos. When God called him, He put His own Words in Amos's mouth and caused him to prophecy to a nation and speak out against their social evils and pagan worship. When God wants something special done, He seems to call people who are busy about the duties at hand. He called Elisha when Elisha was plowing a field. Moses was in the desert tending his father-in-law's flock when God spoke to him from the burning bush. Joseph was working hard in the prison. David was in the field keeping sheep. Paul was on the Road to Damascus fervently attempting to serve God by persecuting Christians when God changed his life around, introduced him to Jesus, and put true ministry into his heart. Matthew was collecting taxes and Peter was fishing. Like Amos, all of these men were doing their normal duties when God called them. They may have been tired and dirty as they plowed the fields with the oxen or followed the sheep, but none of them were lazy or slothful. God is awesome in His choices and it is often surprising to see whom He will call. In I Corinthians 1:26-27, the Apostle Paul said that God does not call many wise, mighty, or noble to do His work, but that He chooses the foolish to confound the wise and the weak to confound the mighty. God is simply looking for those who are ready for the harvest and will work hard in His fields. If you aspire to do great things for God, you must start by plowing and planting the field that you are in today or following and caring for the flock that the Lord entrusted you with until He commissions you to do otherwise. When you are found faithful in these small things, God will call and qualify you for greater things. +++ 10/17/18 DEAD SNAKE Scripture: Luke 9:1 "He called His twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils." A few days ago I had one of those mornings that you have every now and then. The electrical power had gone off during a storm the night before, which caused my alarm clock to shut off. When I woke up the next day, I tried to hurry through my morning routine in order to not be late, but then I noticed that there was a snake on my front porch. I ran to the garage to get the shovel so that I could kill it but discovered that the lights had not come back on in the garage. I had to fumble around in the semi darkness and deal with the switches in the fuse box so that I could turn the power back on. I must confess that the fuse box intimidates and frightens me. I dreaded having to deal with it, so I prayed and finally overcame the mental challenge. I turned the lights back on, found the shovel, and went back to battle the snake. But to my surprise, when I started trying to kill it, I discovered that it was already dead. All of my fears were to no avail. I supposed one of the neighborhood stray cats had done the job for me. After all the confusion, panic, and fear was over, I thought about how many times we face these same sorts of challenges in the spirit. The enemy surrounds us with confusion and darkness and then gives us a frightening vision of what he can do to our lives. He boldly threatens unemployment and financial ruin. He gives symptoms of debilitating and life threatening diseases. He tells us that our relationships with those we love are in jeopardy. He emphasizes every one of our weaknesses and assures us that we will never be able to accomplish our goals. He even tries to scare us with the weather and the world news. Fear is his main strategy and all he has to do is make his lies look real. Even a dead or plastic snake can be frightening After I thought on these matters, I recalled our true position in the spiritual realm, for God did not create us to live in fear of the devil. God's Word says that He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. God has given us spiritual power and authority over all devils and there is nothing that can touch our lives unless God allows it. Yet, too often, we panic and run around in confusion and darkness as we try to fight the battles that the devil brings to our door. Just looking at the problems that are before us cause fear in our soul because the devil's threats look so real. We fail to remember that he has already been defeated by the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for us. Jesus said, "It is finished!" He came to give us abundant life and the battle was won on Calvary. His work is complete and available to us today. If we can keep our minds stayed on Jesus when the enemy presents himself, we can have peace in every situation. The victory belongs to us because Jesus has overcome all evil. So let us not give into fear. Instead let us remember who we are in Christ and understand that when we are covered by the blood of Jesus the devil has no power over us. He is just a dead snake. +++ 10/18/18 ENLARGED THROUGH DISTRESS Scripture: Psalms 4:1 "You have enlarged me when I was in distress." Spiritual growth comes as we face times of distress. For instance, it is during times of financial difficulty that we learn to stretch our faith to believe God to meet our needs. As we exercise faith and see the need met, we discover that our faith for the next financial challenge is stronger. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death with a loved one, we gain great insight into the preciousness of every moment that we have with those remaining and we become more personally thankful for our every breath. Likewise, sickness causes us to lean upon God for healing. Each and every trial strengthens our faith, enlarges our soul, and gives depth to our spirit. Distress to our inner man is like the exercises we do for our muscles. Through physical stress our physical muscles are strengthened and likewise through times of distress our inner man is strengthened. In fact, the psalmist ends this psalm by declaring that it was in the time of lack that God caused gladness to come into his heart as he felt God's peace and safety. We find that our great and wonderful times do not shape and form us as do the times of our greatest sorrows and temptations. It is as we pass these tests and make it through trials that we qualify to go to the next level. The story of Joseph is a good example. He was a man that endured much distress in his life but he was enlarged through each and every one of them. He was rejected by his brothers and sold into slavery, but he allowed God to enlarge him during this difficult season. In doing so, he cultivated forgiveness in his heart for his brothers rather than bitterness. He was put into prison, but instead of murmuring and complaining, he worked hard and developed his capabilities until he was able to become overseer of Potiphar's house. He chose to make each grievous situation an opportunity. If Joseph had never been a prisoner of Egypt, he would never have risen to become governor of that land. Like Joseph, God has a plan for you. You may not recognize it as God's plan when you are experiencing it because His ways are not like your ways. His plan may seem hard and grievous to you at the time, but He has a divine purpose that He is seeking to fulfill. He wants to enlarge your heart and infuse iron into your soul like He did with Joseph (Psalm 105:18). God takes you to the edge of the sea and you think that all is lost. However, He has a higher plan than your plan and He parts the sea before you. You find yourself in a storm and your boat is filling with water, but He speaks peace and calms the storm. Like the lad with a few fish and a few loaves of bread, God asks you to give Him what little you have, and you think there is no way that you can make it. He then multiplies the sacrifice you offered to Him, and you end up with an abundance. God's ways are never your ways, nor His thoughts your thoughts. They are much higher. As you face the next distressing situation, remember that God is at work and He is enlarging every area of your life. +++ 10/19/18 THE KING'S CHAMBERS Scripture: Song of Solomon 1:4 "Draw me, we will run after Thee: the King hath brought me into His chambers." Solomon's Song tells us of the plight of the Shulamite woman who spoke to the King about her desire to be close and intimate with him. She said, "Draw me, and I will run after you." Just like the Shulamite, we have a sincere desire to enter the private chambers of the King. Our heart longs to find that intimate place of fellowship with the Lord and seek out His purpose for our lives. However, the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches take precedence over our spiritual desires and we fail to set aside quality time just for the Lord, our King. Our "spirit is so willing, but our flesh is so weak" (Matthew 26:41)." We want to be like Mary and choose the good part, but instead we are like Martha and we allow ourselves to be overburdened with the duties of life. Jesus came and lived in a body of flesh so that He could be touched with the same weaknesses that you and I encounter. We see Him sleeping in the boat and drawing away from the crowds when His energies were spent. Yet, He continually arose a great while before the day to spend time with the Father and often spent the entire night in prayer. We also see Jesus as a young child in the temple learning about His Father's business rather than playing with the other children. His personal desires always came second to the will of the Father. Jesus made His communion with His Father the priority of His life. Our desire is to have this same spiritual discipline that Jesus had. Yet the hunger and thirst is not always there to cause us to follow after that desire. God is the answer to this dilemma. We must ask God to draw us supernaturally to Him. When He begins to draw us, we will want to run after Him. His presence will energize us and cause us to have a supernatural desire to study His Word and commune with Him. The hunger and thirst in our spirit will cause us to seek for Him because nothing else will be able to fill that void. It will be like a natural hunger and thirst that forces us out of our comfort zone to find and prepare food and drink for our bodies. If you desire to discipline yourself in this area, pray this simple prayer as often as you think of it, "Lord, draw me supernaturally to You so that I will run after You. Bring me into Your chambers." Then write yourself some reminders and place them where they cannot be missed. Rest in the fact that God will begin this supernatural work on the inside of you and trust Him to change your focus. You will return to your first love, the Lord Jesus. And He will become your passion and priority as He creates an unquenchable desire within you to be in His presence and to hear His voice. Then when God supernaturally draws you into the chambers of His presence, you will never be the same. +++ 10/22/18 PROGRESSIVE REVELATION Scripture: Isaiah 30:21 "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it, when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left." I took my son and daughter-in-law to the airport and as we approached the terminal, my daughter-in-law began to give me instructions. She said, "Follow the Terminal signs, get in the middle lane, stay to the left, and proceed towards the tickets - passenger level." It was comforting to know that someone in the car knew exactly how to get to the right place. My only responsibility was to be obedient and follow the directions one step at a time as they were spoken and needed. If I had been told that I needed to stay in the left lane too soon, I would have been in the wrong lane at the wrong time and would have ended up exiting the airport from the opposite direction that I came. The instructions that I received were very simple and progressive. They were also very timely. I could not proceed to the second step until I had completed the first step without making an error. This is a picture of our walk with the Lord. Too many times we get frustrated because God has not shown us the entire map of His plan for our lives. Maybe He has put a dream or vision in our heart, but fulfilling it seems like a great mystery. It is as though we can see it on the other side of the canyon, but it seems there is no bridge to get us there. Reaching our destiny is progressive and can only be completed as we proceed one step at a time. Each level will have its own tests, trials, and training that will strengthen us for the next level. Once, when I was in a dilemma and seeking God for directions about what to do, the Lord shocked me with His answer, "You have not completed my first instructions yet." This was a revelation. All the while, I thought that I was waiting on God but in reality He was waiting on me to obey Him. Moses and the children of Israel were instructed to follow the cloud by day and the fire by night. These were such simple instructions. Their only hope of provision and protection and reaching the Promised Land was to trust God and follow His guidance. The same God that led the Israelites through the wilderness one step at a time also told Isaiah that he would be led in the same manner. Isaiah was told that he would hear a voice in his ears that would tell him when to turn to the left or when to turn to the right. God said His directions would be simple, precise, and accurate. Just like Moses and Isaiah, we know that we can depend upon God's voice. In John 10:4-5 Jesus said, "My sheep follow me, for they know my voice, and a stranger they will not follow." Reaching your destination depends on you hearing, recognizing, and following the Lord's voice. His voice will be gentle and quiet and His instructions will be as simple as, "This is the way, walk in it." +++ 10/23/18 CONTROLLING OUR SPEECH Scripture: James 3:2 (Amplified) "For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if any one does not offend in speech - never says the wrong things - he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature." The tongue is a very small part of our body, yet it is one of the most powerful members. James said that the tongue is like the small rudder on a ship that causes the entire ship to go whichever direction the pilot turns it. When the rudder of the ship is turned just a little too far to the left or to the right, it causes the ship to get totally off course. Our tongue has this same ability as it speaks into our own lives or the lives of others. Our words can be instruments in keeping others on the right course or pushing them in the wrong direction. Proverbs 18:21 says, "There is life and death in the power of the tongue." Our negative words are able to tear down and minister death. For this reason we are not to vent our frustrations at the expense of someone else's feelings. A small harsh word may seem as nothing at the time, but it becomes a small seed that is sown into the garden of another person's heart. This small seed of disapproval is capable of taking root and growing into a mighty tree of rejection, which will create strongholds in the mind of the one who received it. However, when we speak positive words, we encourage and minister life. We minister grace to the hearer by planting good seeds that will comfort their spirit and also shape and mold their lives in a positive way. David was a man after God's own heart and yet he asked God to help him with his words. He prayed, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer" (Psalms 19:14). He understood the power of words and how difficult it was to keep his words pure and pleasing to God. Since words are so mysteriously powerful, we must think about them before sowing them into the life of another. In as much as possible, we should examine them as we would a seed that we are preparing to plant and determine if they are seeds from the Holy Spirit. Are they ministering love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control? If not, we must submit them to God and ask Him to help us exercise control over the words of our mouth. As we strive not to offend, we will become the one whom James spoke of, one that is "a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature." +++ 10/24/18 THE SEARCH FOR WISDOM Scripture: Proverbs 2:7 (Amplified) "God hides away sound and godly Wisdom and stores it for the righteous - those who are upright and in right standing with Him." God appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked, "What would you like for me to give to you?" Solomon responded to God and asked for a wise and understanding heart. God granted his request and I Kings 3:12 tells us that there was never anyone so wise as Solomon. Yet with this gift of God upon his life, Solomon still had to apply himself to acquire the wisdom that God had stored up for him. Solomon said, "I gave my heart to seek and search out wisdom concerning all things" (Ecclesiastes 1:13). The gift of wisdom is no different than any other gift. If you have been given the gift of a musician, you still must study and practice your music. In the same manner, wisdom does not come automatically because of age or position and cannot be measured by the number of gray hairs that may have been acquired along the way. It comes by a diligent search and application of the natural and godly laws and reasoning. Proverbs 2:4 tells us that we have to seek for wisdom as though we were seeking for silver, and we have to search for it as though we were searching for gold. Our search for silver and gold causes us to spend many years seeking an education to gain knowledge so that we can obtain lucrative positions in our field of study. Then, for the rest of our lives we schedule our days to seek for the silver we deserve, making our professions our priority. We rise early, come home late, work extra hours, and make tremendous sacrifices to obtain the financial status that we desire. Solomon said that if we desire godly wisdom, we are going to have to seek for it in the same manner as we would seek for silver and gold. Our quest for wisdom must become a priority in our lives and will demand sacrifice. In order to obtain wisdom, we must search for it like a prospector panning for gold or an adventurer on a treasure hunt. They separate themselves from the normal to focus on their search and are not satisfied until they lay claim to the expected treasure. Regardless of the hardships they have to endure, they continue to search in faith and hope until their diligence is rewarded. When they finally discover the hidden treasure, they recover every ounce and guard it carefully. Wisdom is a hidden treasure of the Lord, which He has stored up and has given us the capacity to receive. Yet, wisdom only comes to us as we diligently search for it as though it was as precious as silver and gold. When God sees that we place such a high value on His wisdom, He will allow us to find it. +++ 10/25/18 PURE AS SILVER Scripture: Psalms 12:6 "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." Things are no different now than they were when David wrote this psalm. David saw the aggressiveness of the wicked and declared that all of the godly men were vanishing from the earth. The men who were left spoke vain words with flattering lips and a double heart. They spoke proudly saying, "With our tongue we will prevail: our lips are our own: who is Lord over us?" They had no regard for the Lord and felt that they could just say any thing at any time. It is sad to say but this is becoming the mindset of our generation with its offensive language, deceit, perjury, and broken vows. Pure words are beginning to vanish, from the leaders to the lowest. In the sixth verse of this psalm, David contrasts the impure words of the wicked with the pure words of the Lord. David assured us that regardless of what is happening in this earth, we can know that God's Word is true and that He will watch over His Word to perform it. His words are as pure as silver that has passed the test of the fire. There is no dross nor impurities left to weaken what God has spoken, for He speaks no careless words. All that He says is the purest truth. God's Word never fails those who trust in it and have met the terms of the One Who has breathed it. The Word of the Lord never returns to Him void. If God has spoken, we can take His Word to the bank ... and He will validate it. He always accomplishes His purpose and confirms His Word with signs and wonders (Mark 16:20). We can count on God's Word. The problem is, do we really hear His Word? Like Elijah in I Kings 19:11-12, so many times we listen for God to speak His Word, thinking we will hear His voice in a great wind, an earthquake, or a fire. In the clamor of all that is happening, disappointment and frustration set in when His directions seem unclear. Our hearts wonder, "Did God speak or didn't He?" Experience tells me that if I'm not sure that God has spoken - then He hasn't. God usually does not speak audibly so that we hear Him with hearing of the ear. In fact, that is a rare experience. He speaks to us through His written Word and within our spirits in a still small voice with a sound of gentle quietness. It is a simple impression or a witness within our heart. A moment occurs when our spirit connects with His presence and we know that we know that He has spoken. He makes known His will and reveals His desires to our inner being. When God speaks, it is pure and without dross, like silver that has been purified seven times. It is a sure Word that will come to pass. +++ 10/26/18 PECULIAR PEOPLE Scripture: I Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people ..." The Apostle Peter called us a chosen generation and as followers of Jesus, we have become a royal priesthood and a holy nation. Peter also called us a peculiar people, set apart from the world, for we are called out of darkness and into God's marvelous light. The world cannot understand our actions or our motives in various situations. We are an epistle read of all men yet our lives are a mystery to them. They see us love the unlovely and forgive the unforgivable. They take notice of our peace as we go through valleys, witness our courage as we face battles, and marvel at our strength as we endure hardships. They are baffled by the joy of the Lord that sustains us in adversities and they are overwhelmed by the praises that we offer to God even in the midst of our difficulties. A. W. Tozer wrote: "The real Christian is an odd human being anyway. The Christian feels supreme love for one he's never seen. He talks every day with someone he can't see. He expects to go to Heaven on the virtue of someone else. He empties himself in order to be full. He admits when he's wrong in order to be declared right. He is strongest when he is the weakest, Richest when he's poorest, Happiest when he feels the worst. He dies so he can live. He forsakes so he can have. He gives away so he can keep. He sees the invisible, hears the inaudible And knows that which passes all knowledge." We are a strange lot, for God has indeed chosen us to be a peculiar people. Let us never change. +++ 10/29/18 THE ACCUSER Scripture: Revelation 12:10 "For the accuser of our brothers is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." The enemy of our soul works overtime in the department of accusations. He is at our heart's door continually reminding of us of our present sins and past failures regardless of how little or how great they may be. He leaves nothing undone because he knows the negative effect that his words of condemnation will have upon us. He does not speak with truth and the thoughts that he plants in our minds become mental hurdles that we have to overcome. His reminders become heavy weights and burdens as we attempt to run the race that God has set before us. Several times in my life, I have had a recurring memory of an incident that happened when I was a child. I was walking home from school and I took a strawberry from the garden that was near the road. It was not a sudden thing. My actions were premeditated. I had to go out of my way and walk around the block slowly so that everyone else would be gone and not see me when I came back to take the strawberry. Taking the strawberry sounds so much better than stealing it. That memory became a stronghold in my mind because I had never dealt with my deed. That was many decades ago and it still grieved my spirit. It is true that I have done many other things that are far worst since then, but I have always been quick to confess my sins and find forgiveness in the eyes of the Lord. When I have confessed my sins, God has always been faithful to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. He washes me whiter than snow and I am never plagued with guilt. I did not know this truth when I was a young child. I now realize that I was having this recurring memory because, in all of these years, I had never confessed this sin, nor asked forgiveness for it. When I realize this, I confess my sin to God and He washed the guilt from my soul. The devil was always there to remind me because he knew that my transgression was not covered by the blood of Jesus. He still had an open door to accuse me and to make me feel guilty. You may ask, "Does God hold us that tight to the law?" I would say, "No". We would all be in big trouble if He did. But I do believe that the Lord saved this particular incident in my mind so that it could be used as an example for this season to let you know that God wants all of us free from the evil spirit of condemnation. He wants us to know that we can be released from the devil's accusations by simply asking forgiveness for our sins. If you have a recurring memory that brings condemnation, simply confess it to the Lord. Call the sin out by name, ask for forgiveness, and then allow God to wash away the stain with the precious blood of Jesus. You will be amazed at the sweet release that you will feel in your spirit when you get God involved in forgiving your transgressions. Remember that the devil is the one who seeks to keep you in bondage but God is faithful to deliver. God's Word declares that the accuser has been cast down and that you can overcome him and his accusations "By the blood of the Lamb and by the word of your testimony" (Revelation 12:11). +++ 10/30/18 UNDERSTANDING GOD'S LOVING KINDNESS Scripture: Psalms 107:43 "Whoever is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord." Is it possible to understand the loving kindness of the Lord? David said that we could if we would simply observe the things that happen to God's people. In this psalm, David presented four pictures of deliverance. He told of travelers who were guided out of their distress (vs. 4-9), prisoners who were released from prison (10-16), sick who were restored to health (vs. 17-22), and sailors who were saved from a storm (vs. 23-32). David said that if we are wise, we can get a revelation of God's love and kindness by looking at the way He dealt with His people in the past. In the four stories in this psalm, there was a problem, a prayer, and God's provision. Each time the people failed God or got into trouble, the scripture says, "Then they cried out to the Lord." When they cried out to God, His heart was touched by their trust and faith in Him and He responded to their cry. Like any father, God was moved by the tears of His children and had compassion for their pain. He possessed tremendous love and kindness towards them and manifested His feelings by being quick to forgive and to deliver them from their situations. Many times we feel that we have failed God and fallen short of His desire for our lives. Like those in this psalm, we find ourselves wandering in the wilderness of confusion, in the dungeons of despair, sick in our body, or tossed to and fro in the storms of life. We finally come to our "wit's end" as spoken of in verse twenty-seven. We are not sure what to do or where to turn. We have no solutions and our hopes begin to fail. Because of our distress, we tend to lose sight of the never-ending love and kindness of the Lord. We come to a point that we need a new and fresh revelation of the nature of God. If we consider this psalm, we can better understand God's nature. God is love and His nature is kindness. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His mercies never come to an end. The scriptures declare that they are new every morning. Regardless of our failures towards God, He is still full of love and kindness. If we desire to be wise, we need only to "Cry out to the Lord" in our distress, for He is ready to forgive and anxious to deliver. +++ 10/31/18 GOD LOOKS FOR FAITH Scripture: Mark 2:5 "When Jesus saw their faith ..." Four men went to great trouble to bring their friend to Jesus. They had such faith that Jesus was the answer to their friend's need that they literally tore the roof of the house apart to get him there. When Jesus saw their tenacious faith, He healed their friend. There were many needs there that day, but Jesus responded to the need that exercised faith. Jesus saw that by their desperate actions these men believed in Him and had faith in His healing power. When Jesus ministered in His own hometown, however, He was not able to do many mighty works because of the unbelief in the hearts of the people (Matthew 13:58). The people heard Jesus teach in the synagogue and were astonished at His wisdom. They also marveled at the mighty works that He did, but they were offended because of His humble estate. Even after seeing the mighty works of Jesus, they would not believe because they were too familiar with Him as a person and knew His family. They said, "Is this not the carpenter's son?" They just could not find it in their hearts to honor Jesus as the Messiah. Their unbelief made it impossible for them to receive from His gracious hand. Our natural minds are trained to limit God and find reasons not to believe. Too often, we underestimate God and in so doing, we fail to receive what He has already provided. Yet, God is still attracted by faith! He looks for it. II Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the Lord search back and forth across the whole Earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect toward Him, so that He can show His great power in helping them." God longs to show His great power in your situation. He wants to heal you, provide for your needs, and deliver you in times of trouble. He watches to see if there is faith in your heart and if you are desperate to get your needs met. James 5:17 says, "The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." James referred to Elijah, a man with passions like us, who prayed seven times for rain to come. When his prayer was not answered the first time, he just kept on asking. He knocked and kept on knocking. His perseverance in prayer was like the men who brought their friend to Jesus. Just like these men, Elijah had no intention of giving up. True faith carries the burden until an answer comes and the victory is won. It will not quit and it will not allow adversity or circumstances to hinder it. True faith will tear up a roof if necessary to get to Jesus. Faith is a desperate force that reaches the heart of God and when Jesus sees it, it's impossible for Him not to respond. +++ Copyright © 2018 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com |
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