| ............ | A Word In Due Season JULY 2019 7/1/19 OUR WORDS Scripture: Luke 6:45 "For out of the abundance or overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." Luke uses the illustration of a tree to explain a point. He said that good trees produce good fruit and that evil trees produce evil fruit. He then compares this concept to men who have the capacity to either produce good or evil conversation depending upon what is in their heart. In Psalm 19:14 David said, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable." The words of your mouth proceed from the meditations that are in your heart so you must "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it flows life" (Proverbs 4:23). In 'God's Little Devotional Book', it says, "Language is the expression of thought. Every time you speak, your mind is on parade." How true these words are, for once our words are spoken, they are out there for the whole world to hear, whether they are good or whether they are bad. We are then judged by our words and either accepted or rejected because of them. Ecclesiastes 3:7 says, "There is a time to keep silent and a time to speak." It is said that sometimes it's better to keep our mouth shut and let everyone think we are stupid than to openly speak out and remove all of their doubts. James 1:19 declares, "Be swift to hear, and slow to speak." Our words should always render grace and be a word in due season to the world and to the body of Christ. We must understand that words are full of power, and they are able to produce life or death (Proverbs 18:21). Therefore, "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man" (Colossians 4:6). In other words, endeavor to have your heart so filled with God's Word and His wisdom that when you speak, you are His voice and your words are like God's grace on parade. +++ 7/2/19 BOUGHT WITH A PRICE Genesis 23:13-17 (Living Bible) "... Let me pay the full price of the field ... and the cave and the field became his permanent possession by agreement." Abraham was seeking a place to bury his wife, Sarah, and because he was so honored in the land, the men of Heth told him to choose the finest of their sepulchers for her burial. When he chose a field and a cave that belonged to one of the men of Heth, the man offered to give the parcel of ground to Abraham without charge. But Abraham refused the offer, choosing instead to pay the full price for it. He wanted to make his claim to this possession sure and final. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness he offered to give Jesus the kingdoms of this world (Luke chapter 4). Satan's gift appeared to be free. All that Jesus had to do to receive the kingdoms was to bow down and worship Satan. Certainly this offer might have seemed a lot less painful physically, mentally, and emotionally for Jesus than the cross that He was facing. Jesus, however, chose instead to pay the full price to gain His kingdom and purchase our salvation. He chose the ultimate prize and paid the ultimate price. Acts 20:28 tells us that it was with Jesus' own blood that He purchased us. The price of our redemption included suffering, shame, and death on a cruel cross. The devil tries to make claim to our soul, but because of Jesus and the sacrifices that He made, the devil has no rights. When Jesus shed His blood for the price of our sin, He sealed our salvation and we became His permanent possession. We belong to Jesus if we believe in our heart and confess with our mouth that He is Lord and that God has raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). It is wonderful to know that Jesus loved us so much that He would pay such a great price. It is awesome to realize that His entire life was wrapped up in this one purpose. He was made flesh and dwelt among us so that He could pay the debt that we owed. I Corinthians 6:20 declares that we have been "bought with a price." Let us rejoice, for we belong to God and we are His permanent possession. +++ 7/3/19 TRUTH BRINGS FREEDOM Scripture: John 8:32 "You will know the truth and the truth will make you free." The devil desires to hold us in bondage by deception so he works on our minds like he did with Adam and Eve in the garden and also with Jesus in the wilderness. He deceived Adam and Eve by telling them that they would become wise like God if they ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan also attempted to deceive Jesus by offering Him the kingdoms of the world if He would just bow down and worship him. In this same way, the devil tries every tactic to destroy our faith and lure us away from God's truth by telling us that we need to be free. He points out that the grass is greener on the other side and entices us to step over. He makes promises, but never tells us the true consequences of our responses. He tempts us in the areas that we are most vulnerable, trying to destroy our trust in God's laws and boundaries. At some point, the door opens, a grand temptation presents itself, and we have a choice to make, God's way or our way. This story illustrates the problems that we face when we get out from under God's laws and boundaries. A family was crossing the Atlantic on an ocean liner. They took their bird with them and secured him in a cage for a safe voyage where he was sheltered, fed, and cared for. Along the way he was even petted and loved because he was precious to the family. However, the bird desired to be free and wanted to enjoy a more exciting life. He felt that he was capable of exploring the ocean on his own and when the opportunity presented itself, he left his cage. He began to soar away from all that he thought was bondage. He enjoyed his release for a season, but after awhile, he began to experience the consequences of his choice. The winds became stronger the further that he flew from his cage. There was no place to rest, no food, no shelter, and no one to hold and love him. He found himself overcome with fear and anxiety as he tried to figure out how to solve his problems. He discovered that the boundaries of his master were not so bad after all. He made his way back to the ship, his cage, and a very happy family. Like this example, the laws and boundaries of God are not meant to deprive us of any good thing. They are given to us for our benefit and for reasons that we may not understand. God's boundaries separate us from sin and death and give us life (Romans 8:2). When we step out of God's boundaries, we leave His covering and we forfeit our promise of provision, protection, and rest. We step into the area where the law of sin and death rule. Like the bird that left his cage, we too are attack with anxiety and fear and our problems begin to overwhelm us. Yet, even in our darkness, our Heavenly Father never stops loving us and continually waits and watches for our return. We must understand that the world has no true freedom to offer. It is God's truth that sets us free and when the Son makes us free, we are free indeed (John 8:36). +++ 7/4/19 BLESSED NATION Scripture: Psalms 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." The fifty-six men who signed our Declaration of Independence, which was approved on July 4, 1776, committed an act of treason against the British Crown. As they signed this incredible Declaration, they mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Of those who signed, two became Presidents of the United States, three became Vice Presidents, and several others became either State Governors or U. S. Senators. However, there were many signers who suffered greatly. Four died of wounds from the war and five were imprisoned. Several lost their wives and children as their homes were attacked. The oldest signer of the Declaration was 70 year old Benjamin Franklin, whose faith was strong in God. Speaking of God, He said: "Have we now forgotten this powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that 'except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this." Benjamin Franklin was convinced that all was vain unless the Lord was God and Builder of this nation. The freedom we enjoy has been purchased with tears and blood. We have reaped the noble sacrifice of these brave men, and every American life has been touched by the document they signed. Because of their sacrifice, we have experienced a "Blessed nation whose God is the Lord ... And we are STILL one nation, under God. +++ 7/5/19 BEAUTY FOR ASHES Scripture: Isaiah 61:3 "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes." Jesus emptied Himself of His royalty and left His throne in Heaven so that He could come to this Earth to minister to the needs of people and eventually die for them. This was His heartbeat and strongest desire. When He came, He preached good tiding to the meek and He set the captives free. He went about doing good to all people, whether rich or poor. He healed the sick, raised the dead, restored sight to the blind, caused the lame to walk, and did many other mighty miracles. When Jesus went back to His throne in Heaven, He asked the Father to send the Holy Spirit to continue and maintain His work. His Spirit still works in the Earth today, restoring beauty for the ashes of our lives. I went through a very solitary and dreadful season in my life many years ago because of bad decisions on my part. It was a short season, but it seemed like a life time and I thought that it would never end. I felt like all was lost and I could see no way out of my dilemma, but God, in His mercy, rescued me. While I was in this lonely place of despair and discouragement, I learned something about ashes. The place where I was living had the most healthy and radiant roses and their fragrance was indescribable. I wondered how this could be because they were never cared for in any special manner. Later that winter I discovered the secret to their beauty and success. The ashes from the fire place were placed upon the roses throughout their dormant season of winter. God spoke hope into my heart through the roses and let me know that He could take the ashes of any experience and use them to create something beautiful in our lives. Jesus sees your hopes that have been burned up in the fires of life and your colorful dreams that have turned to gray ashes. He knows your pain even better than you do. He sees the spirit of sorrow and mourning that is holding you in bondage and knows the heartache and heaviness that has stripped your spirit of its life. He sees the hopelessness of your situation. Jesus also sees your body that has been ravaged by sickness, disease, and abuse. The Lord understands your despair and discouragement. He searches out every matter and leaves no stone unturned in your life. Whatever the Lord sees, He is faithful to take care of and able to restore its radiance. Jesus speaks good tidings to you that will set you free and restore all that the devil has taken from you, whether it be financial, spiritual, or in your relationships. He is able to exchange every ugly thing from your past and make it into something beautiful. His Spirit will do a supernatural work that cannot be explained. He applies the oil of His joy to your heart so that you can be healed and your soul can be fully restored. The Lord also gives you a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness because He loves you and wants you to be blessed beyond measure. Jesus left you with His Word so that He could build faith in your heart and turn your life around. Your miracle is waiting for you but you must reach out and receive it by faith. You can be sure that when you offer the Lord Jesus the ashes of your life, He will be faithful to give you something beautiful in exchange. +++ 7/8/19 GOD'S EYES Scripture: Proverbs 15:3 "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." When we were children we thought that our parents had eyes in the back of their heads. No matter how hard we tried to hide our transgressions, it seemed that they somehow were able to discover them. It was always such a mystery. And of course, the big question always came to our minds, "How did they find out?" As we grew older, we began to understand that God's Spirit was leading them and allowing them to find out the truth so that they could provide discipline and protection. They were not always looking for the bad, but because it was there, it just showed up. It was a result of a principle in God's Word that states that what is done in secret will be brought to light. God is our heavenly Father and as a parent, He is just as concerned for us as our natural parents are. He is everywhere and is always watching. His eyes are in every place and He never slumbers or sleeps. He knows more about us than we know about ourselves. Our knowledge cannot even begin to compare to His. He even knows exactly how many hairs that we have on our head. Can you top that? He not only sees our actions and words but also knows the intents and motives of our hearts. Our own heart can deceive us but God cannot be deceived. Sometimes we may feel that our prayers are not getting past the ceiling, much less to the throne of God. And we become weary in well doing, feeling that no one is noticing our efforts, especially God. Then when we commit the slightest infraction against His law, we are sure that He notices it. We forget that He is more intent on finding the good in us than the evil. Look at the example of Job. God asked Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who reverently fears God and abstains from and shuns evil because it is wrong (Job 1:8 Amplified)?" Job may not have been aware that God was watching and admiring him. At times, he may have felt that His good deeds were in vain and may have become weary in well doing, but he did not give in or slack off. Even in his worse trials, Job continued to trust God and shun evil. Just as God's eyes were upon Job, His eyes are upon you today and because He is always looking, His eyes are going to behold the good and the evil that is in your life. Therefore, strive to be found as Job was; blameless and upright, one who reverently fears God and abstains from evil because it is wrong. +++ 7/9/19 PRAYING ALWAYS Scripture: Ephesians 6:18 "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit ..." The Apostle Paul instructed the believers to put on the whole armor of God and stand against the strategies of the devil. When he finished listing the various pieces of the spiritual armor, he then exhorted the believer to pray with all manner of prayer. The various pieces of spiritual armor are essential but prayer itself is a powerful secret weapon that is always available to the believer. Prayer is communion with God and it ushers in the anointing of His Spirit. It produces revelation of God's Word, keeps you in tune with God's will, brings protection, and helps you to make right decisions. Paul instructed us to pray with all manner of prayer. There are different prayers for the different situations in your life. The prayer of faith will heal sick bodies, move the mountains of adversity in your life, and calm the raging storms. Prayers of deliverance will set you free from your addictions and bondage. Prayers of confession will open the way for the forgiveness of your sins. Prayers of dedication and consecration will define your total submission to God's will as you pray as Jesus prayed, "Not My will, but Thine be done." There are prayers of thanksgiving, worship, and praise that give honor to the Lord for Who He is and for the things that He has done. There are prayers that are prayed in agreement with other believers and also prayers that are prayed in intercession for other believers. There are also prayers that are prayed in the Spirit that will build you up in your faith. There are silent prayers and there are vocal prayers. There are short prayers and there are long prayers. It is said that if you have no prayer in your life, you will have no power. If you have little prayer in your life, you will have little power. And if you have much prayer in your life, you will have much power. That is the reason that Paul said, "Pray always." We are to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17) and we are to pray everywhere (I Timothy 2:8). We are to always pray and not faint (Luke18:1), continuing instant in prayer (Romans 12:12). Prayer is simple but it makes a mighty statement. It demonstrates your dependence upon God and your trust in Him. Prayer is a powerful energy because it moves the heart of God. Begin today to use this mighty secret weapon that God has given to you and pray with all manner of prayer for every need of your life. +++ 7/10/19 LIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING Scripture: Psalms 119:130 "The entrance of Thy Words give light; it gives understanding unto the simple." God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. There is not even the slightest hint of a shadow or variation in Him, for He does not change. His light is not like the pale sunrise that slowly dawns upon the day or the sunset that diminishes in the evening. God’s light never departs or decreases, but instead it remains stable forever. As powerful as light is, it cannot be touched or handled. It is just there and its presence or absence is very evident. When God's Word enters our life, His light illuminates our soul and spirit and brings truth into every situation. Jesus is the Light of the world. The light that comes from His Word corrects, convicts, and comforts. His Word reveals to us that we have a need for eternal salvation and explains that this salvation was made possible through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. When we hear God's Word concerning healing for our bodies, provisions for our needs, or instructions for a life of righteousness, illumination comes and gives us understanding. Sickness and disease may darken our day, but God's Word concerning healing will dispel all of the darkness. Sin can knock on the door of our heart, but it cannot overcome the light of His Word that is hidden within us. The light that comes with God's Word will enable us to discern the evil of the darkness that is attempting to entice us. The psalmist said, "Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee" ( Psalms 119:11). Clouds of adversity may try to hide God's light from our souls for a season, but if God's Word is within our spirits, His light is always there speaking to us of a better future. If there is no entrance of God's Words into your life, there can be no light, no spiritual revelation, and no faith because faith comes only by hearing the Word of God. If there is no light, you will not have clear direction and you will walk alone in the darkness. Without the light of His Word, you will stumble and you will experience injury. You will be disoriented and confused about your surroundings and vulnerable to the spirit of fear. Your body and soul will be in jeopardy. This is the reason that you must study God's Word on a daily basis and listen for His voice. It is only then that your soul can be illuminated and that you can walk in the light with the assurance that you are going in the right direction. We may be simple, but we have this wonderful promise from God. His Word is powerful and if we allow it to enter our hearts, it will change us from within. His Word will not only be a light for our life but will also give us understanding for living. +++ 7/11/19 KINGDOM, POWER, AND GLORY Scripture: Matthew 6:13 "For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." Jesus' disciples wanted Him to teach them how to pray. He answered their request by teaching them what we know as the "Lord's Prayer." This prayer that He gave as an example was simple but covered all of their needs. He told them to start their prayer by acknowledging their established relationship with God, who was their Heavenly Father, and to recognize His authority and honor His Name. He told them to submit to God's will and to seek His kingdom and He instructed them to pray concerning their temptations and deliverance from evil. Jesus told them that forgiveness would come to them only as they forgave others. He also included provisions in this prayer for their needs of daily food. The Lord finished this prayer by ascribing all the kingdom authority, all the power, and all of the glory to God the Father. God has the authority to do all the things that were listed in the Lord's Prayer, and He also has the power and ability to perform them. He is to receive the glory for who He is and for what He does. Fathers want to see the needs and desires of their children taken care of and for them to feel secure and protected by his love. So it is with our Heavenly Father. He finds pride in protecting and causing His own dear children to feel secure and it is His glory when they are well taken care of. Some of our earthly fathers were able to bless us and give us the things that we wanted and no one could stop them from exercising their parental wills. However, many of our fathers were limited in their power by their personal supply and resources. How many times have we said to our own children, "If it were in my power or ability, I would do it for you?" As parents, we had authority, but no power or ability because our resources were too scarce to take care of their immediate need or desire. Unlike our position, our Father God is not limited in His authority, ability, or power. He is able to do exceedingly beyond anything that we can ask or think according to the power that works within us (Ephesians 3:20). God is awesome and He will always be there to meet our needs. Jesus ended His prayer by reminding the disciples that God's kingdom, power, and glory were to be forever. God's kingdom and authority are eternal because He will always occupy the throne. His power and ability has no end because He is able to create, and His glory is eternal because of Who He is. He is Almighty God, our Heavenly Father and we honor His Holy Name. To Him be all the glory and power forever. Amen. +++ 7/12/19 GIVING YOUR DESTINY BACK TO GOD Scripture: Genesis 22:9 " ... Abraham built an altar ... bound Isaac ... and laid him on the altar on the wood." God made a covenant with Abraham and called him the father of many nations. God told him that his seed would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Abraham waited many years for the promise of God to come to pass. Finally, when Abraham was one hundred years old, Isaac was born. Abraham enjoyed Isaac for a few years but then there was a new turn of events. God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on an altar. The three days journey up the mountain to fulfill God's instructions must have been the hardest days of Abraham's life. He probably reflected on the good times that he and Isaac had shared together. Also, he was most likely very anxious about his present state as the time grew nearer for him to sacrifice Isaac. How was he going to explain this to Isaac and what words would he use to say goodbye? Abraham surely must have been dreading the future without his precious son at his side. Who knows what other thoughts went through the mind of this loving father as the pain of the situation gripped his heart? If you have ever walked through the valley of the shadow of death with a loved one, you may in a small sense know how Abraham might have felt. Sometimes it becomes very difficult to obey God and to do His will, particularly when you do not understand what He is doing. Yet as Abraham's obedience prevailed, God rewarded him and provided another sacrifice. Abraham bound Isaac to the altar and as he lifted up the knife to slay him, the angel of Lord spoke and said , "Do not harm him." Then a lamb was found in the bush for the sacrifice. God is always faithful and trustworthy. God’s original promise did come to pass in Abraham's life and through Isaac, Abraham's seed was blessed. God's will and plans can become very mysterious at times. He speaks a word or plants a vision in our hearts, then as we try to follow that dream, it seems that He changes His mind. Like Abraham's situation, God stops us right in the middle of the process and tells us to give our hopes back to Him. We watch Him as He builds an altar, binds up our dream, and then lays it upon the wood that is on the altar. We may question the Lord in our hearts, "Don't You know that the fire is going to consume the wood and destroy my hopes and dreams?" This is an awesome test and is never easy, but God wants to find out what passion consumes our heart. What is more important? Is it our vision from God or the God of our vision? Our word from God cannot consume our heart and dethrone the God who gave it. If we cannot place our dreams upon the altar and allow God's fire to purge them or possibly consume them, they have become an idol. There are to be no other God's before Him. When we discover that the destiny in our soul has become bigger than God who is within our heart, we must place our dreams and vision in His hands and trust Him to be Lord over it all. +++ 7/15/19 RULING YOUR OWN SPIRIT Scripture: Proverbs 25:28 "He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down." When this scripture was written, cities were fortified by walls and gates, which gave the inhabitants privacy and also protected them from the outside world. Watchmen who were placed on the walls decided who came in and who went out of the city. A city that was broken down was a city whose walls and gates had been destroyed by the enemy, leaving it open and vulnerable. This same sort of situation happens in the spiritual realm. When you do not discipline yourself and exercise self-control, Solomon said that you become like a city that is broken down and without walls. Imagine your spirit as a city without a wall around it. When you are in this state, you are vulnerable not only to the temptations of sins, but also the evil attacks of Satan. You become less discerning and watchful because your own addictions, desires, and impulses begin to take charge and rule over you. And you also lose control of what comes in and out of your spirit because your flesh is ruling. How can you take charge and restore your spiritual walls? Galatians 5:24-25 says that you have to "crucify the affections and lusts of the flesh." Paul said if you want to "live in the Spirit, you must walk in the Spirit." Walking is a continual effort, meaning that you rule your spirit, step by step, by submitting to the rule and will of God moment by moment. You allow His fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control, to dictate your life. They become the walls that not only protect you from within, but also protect you from the harm that is without, allowing you to live in health and happiness. If you allow the enemy's fruit, which is hate, grief, anxiety, impatience, doubt, arrogance, and lack of self-control, to rule and control you, you allow yourself to be destroyed from within. When the enemy is able destroy you from within by tearing down your walls and gates of protection, he is then able to attack you from without. He takes advantage of the emotional stress that he has caused in your life and uses it to plague you with physical illnesses. You must rise up, resist him, and disallow him to break down your walls. It takes strength to conquer your passions but God has given you the ability to rule your own spirit by walking in His Spirit. When you reach this place of ruling your own spirit, you will be mightier than one who is able to conquer a city (Proverbs 16:32). +++ 7/16/19 STANDING IN THE GAP Scripture: Ezekiel 22:30 "I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it: but I found none." God seeks to reconcile all men to Himself and is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to eternal life. Therefore, He depends upon those who know Him to pray, intercede, stand in the gap, and make up the hedge for others. God ordains His followers to be a witness to the world. However, Isaiah 59:16 says, "He saw there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor." It takes great commitment to make up the hedge and stand in the gap for others. It means laying down your own life to some degree and making many sacrifices. Moses stood in the gap between God and the people, and at one point, Moses even told God to wipe his own name out of God's book if God destroyed the people. This took a lot of courage on Moses' part, but he knew that God was righteous and merciful. As Moses stood in the breach, he turned God's wrath away and the people were spared (Psalms 106:23). Oswald Smith listed some of the things about the man that God uses. If you want God to use you to make up the breach and you are willing to stand in the gap, consider these challenges. THE MAN GOD USES by Oswald Smith 1) He has but one great purpose in life. 2) He, by God's Grace, has removed every hindrance from his life. 3) He has placed himself absolute at God's disposal. 4) He has learned how to prevail in prayer. 5) He is a student of the Word. 6) He has a vital living message for a lost world. 7) He is a man of faith who expects results. 8) He is anointed by the Holy Spirit. +++ 7/17/19 ASK - SEEK - KNOCK Scripture: Luke 11:9 (Amplified) "So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking, and it shall be given to you; seek and keep on seeking, and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking, and the door shall be opened to you." Life has its moments of uncertainty and we may find ourselves becoming impatient as we wait for the answers to our many questions. Things can move so slowly at times that we feel as if we need to force things to happen. Yet we know that no matter how eager we become for doors to open and things to change, we must wait upon God, for He holds all things in His hands and we cannot rush His timing. Many times the writers of the scriptures confirmed this point by using the phrase, "In the fullness of time." In essence this means that things will only happen on God's schedule and when He sees that we are ready for change. As we wait for the answers to our prayers or for some resolution for the situations in our life that need attention, our only hope is to follow the instructions that Jesus gave. He told us three simple things to do; ask, seek, and knock. Many times we fail to ask God for His help and instead we just worry and wonder about our problems. They consume our minds, but we never call them by name and simply ask God for His help. Other times, when we do ask, we just ask one time instead of pursuing God until the answer comes. We are also to seek diligently for our answer like we would for a lost item until it is found. When I misplace my keys, I search every inch of my dwelling because I know that they are there somewhere. I may even turn my purse inside out in my search, but I never give up until I find the keys because they are a necessary part of my life. The same is true with God's solutions, we can't give up the search. His solutions are there in our midst, we just have to find them. The last thing Jesus told us to do was to knock. We are to stop banging our head against the wall and simply knock on the door. If the door doesn't open immediately, we are to continue knocking until it does. Jesus would not have given us these instructions if He did not want us to use them to get our needs met. He would not have told us to ask, if He didn't intend to answer. He would not have instructed us to seek if He knew that the solutions were not available. He would not have told us to knock if there was nothing behind the door. I encourage you to be persistent like the lady who unashamedly troubled the judge until he granted her the petition that she was requesting (Luke 18:5). Remember that Jesus has compassion and He cares about your questions, your needs, and your lack. So keep on asking, keep on searching, and keep on knocking until your answer comes. +++ 7/18/19 WORRY IS VAIN Scripture: Psalms 127:2 "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for He gives His beloved sleep." There are issues in life and many times it seems that things are spinning totally out of control. Our jobs come to an end, our health fails, our finances are depleted, and we unable to resolve problems with our relationships. There are many sorrows that afflict our souls. We find ourselves earnestly making an effort to remain patient in these situations, hoping that relief will come soon and free us from our dilemma. Yet, many times we find ourselves staying up late and pacing the floors in the midnight hours as we search for solutions. King Solomon advised in the scripture above that it was useless for us to allow our problems to bring us to this state because God is able to give us rest in every situation. We are His beloved children and even though we may face times of adversity, the Lord doesn't want us to be held captive by a spirit of worry and stress. When it is time to sleep, He wants us to lay down in peace. There were two birds that were held captive in a cage. One flew around and beat his wings against the bars in an effort to escape, continually crying, "I don't know what to do. I can't get out. I can't get out." He did this daily and all that he accomplished was frustration, bruises, and torn feathers. The other bird sat on his perch and gently chirped and sang his songs. Somehow he had found an inner peace and was able to find joy regardless of his current state. He understood the vanity of beating himself against the bars that surrounded him, and even though the same bars held him captive, the praise in his spirit allowed him to be free. We are always going to face problems and lack, but we have an assurance that God is our source and that He is sovereign. We are not to sit idly by and do nothing but we are to make a decision to trust the Lord in every situation. We must allow Him to give us rest in the midst of our conflict, having the confidence that He is still in control and that no problem is too difficult for Him to solve. We are to pray for deliverance and release, yet understand that every affliction gives us a fresh glimpse of God and His glory. We are to glean from every situation, knowing that in the midst of captivity, God is going to show Himself strong, for He never fails. There is no valley too low nor any hurt too deep that Jesus cannot restore our soul and bring joy to our hearts. He is able to turn every situation around and make it work together for our good. There is no desert so dry that He cannot find us a place of green pastures and still waters to nourish our hungry and thirsty spirits. Even in the valley of the shadow of death, the Lord is with us and never leaves us. His rod and His staff comfort us and His Spirit anoints our head with oil. He prepares a table for us right in the presence of our enemies. When the Lord is on our side, His love covers it all and there is no reason for us to beat our wings against the bars of captivity. We must receive the wisdom of Solomon and understand that when we give our worries and our sorrows to God, He gives us rest. +++ 7/19/19 PURE FOUNTAINS Scripture: James 3:11 "Does a fountain send forth at the same time sweet water and bitter?" James was drawing a parallel between a literal fountain of water and the living water that flows from the soul and spirit of man. He made it clear that just as a fountain of water cannot be sweet and bitter at the same time, neither can the spirit of man be pure when contaminated with the things of the world. Jesus said that out of your inner man would flow rivers of living water. Whatever we put into our spirits is going to flow out of the fountains of our life. If you have ever been to the beach and got a little salt water mixed in with your fresh drinking water, you can understand and appreciate this analogy very well. Just a little salt water ruins the taste and effects of the fresh water and makes it unfit to drink. Did you know that you can add poison to water and it will not be visible? Yet when consumed, it becomes a deadly drink. It only takes just a little poison to have a negative effect. None of us would intentionally poison those about us, yet many times we disburse water from our souls that is not pure and it becomes like poison to those who receive it. James said that blessing and cursing cannot proceed from the same mouth. You cannot bless and praise God and then curse those about you, for they were made in the image of God and God loves them. You cannot lie to one and then tell the truth to another without being a liar. Neither can your heart be in peace and in strife at the same time. You cannot be a fig tree and produce berries or be a vine and produce figs. It does not work that way in nature and it will not work that way in the spirit either. The slightest amount of bitterness within your soul will ruin the sweetness of your witness. We are who we are within ourselves. Proverbs 4: 23 says, "Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Whatever is inside of our hearts is going to flow out. Therefore, we must live in God's grace and minister His grace to those that we come in contact with. We must guard our hearts like we would a precious fountain of water in a dry and barren desert. It is all that we have to sustain ourselves and is the source of our ministry to others. We must not allow anything from within or from without to contaminate our spirits so that we can insure the sweetness of our fountain. If we want to have a pure fountain, we must be filled with God's Spirit and His sweetness so there will be no room for bitterness. +++ 7/22/19 THAT WHICH IS NOT Scripture: Proverbs 23:5 "Will you set your eyes upon that which is not?” King Solomon, the richest and wisest man who ever lived, wrote these words concerning riches. In this same verse, he continued to say, "Riches certainly make themselves wings and fly away as an eagle towards heaven." Riches are fleeting and elusive so Solomon advised in verse four, "Labor not to be rich and cease from your own wisdom." Solomon wrote these words several hundred years before Christ was even born, yet they are just as true today some 2700 or 2900 years later as they were when he wrote them. In the past we have seen secure jobs terminated, retirement benefits lost, and market investments diminished. The hopes and futures of many innocent people have been dashed to pieces through no fault of their own. We had set our eyes on the security of our riches and found as Solomon so wisely stated, "they were not." The riches and security of many took wings as King Solomon described and suddenly flew away as an eagle towards heaven. It was devastating and very sad. As we think about Solomon's words and have witnessed the losses that many have experienced, we come to the same conclusion that he did. We must not labor to be rich, for the security of riches "is not." The only riches that are secure are those eternal ones that we have in God, and the only labor that is not in vain is the labor that we extend for Him. The only investments that are secure and will never be lost are those that we invest into His Kingdom, and the only treasures that are secure are the ones that we put into God's hands for Him to hold. God is our only hope and security and without Him, we are left very lacking. We must set our eyes upon God and not upon those things "which are not." We must cease from our own wisdom and acknowledge Him in all of our ways. Solomon also said in Proverbs 3:5-6, we are to trust God with all of our heart and not lean upon our own understanding. As we put our lives into God's hands and diligently trust in His wisdom, He will direct our paths. Even in the times of great loss, when our riches have taken flight, we will have nothing to fear. God will remain our security and our labor will never be in vain. +++ 7/23/19 A SHOUT IN HEAVEN Scripture: Jeremiah 25:30 "The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter His voice from His holy habitation; He shall mightily roar ... He shall give a shout." Our God is not timid and neither is He quiet. With His voice, He makes His presence known among the inhabitants of the earth. The prophet Jeremiah said that the Lord roars from on high. Psalms 47:5 says, " God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet." And I Thessalonians 4:16 tells us that when the Lord comes back to the earth again, He will "descend from Heaven with a shout." Think about it; God goes and He comes with a shout. It sounds as though we are serving a noisy God, but His shouts are not empty sounds. They are shouts of victory. There were words and shouts coming from the lips of God from the very beginning of creation. The earth and the universe heard the sound of His mighty voice as He called all things into existence. Every time God speaks, something happens because His Words change the atmosphere. Things either come into being or they are changed, for His Words are not idle and never return to Him void. Whatever He speaks will come to pass, for His Words have purpose and are full of power. God not only shouts but He commanded His people to shout. He told them to march around Jericho and then shout. When they obeyed His Word, the walls came down (Joshua 6:20). The people shouted when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the city (I Samuel 4:5-6) and they also shouted when the temple foundation was completed (Ezra 3:11). Life has many challenges and we should go into each one with a shout of praise, knowing that God is sovereign and is in control of every situation. Our shouts of praise announce our faith in God. If we sound out words of defeat, we will feel defeated and experience defeat. If we sound out words of victory, we will feel victorious. Psalms 5:11 says, "Let all those that put their trust in You (God) rejoice: Let them ever shout for joy because You defend them." God hears the shouts of joy and He blesses expectant people. There is a shout in Heaven even today. Can you hear the Lord's shout? It is a shout of victory and not defeat because Jesus finished His work here on Earth. He sacrificed His own life on the cross of Calvary, defeated the devil, arose from the dead, ascended into Heaven, and is now sitting on the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. That is something for us to shout about. We need to start today with praise on our lips. Regardless of what surrounds us, our response should be a shout of faith. We must understand that God does not expect us to stand alone in our difficult times. If we pray and engage Him in our battles, He will give a shout from Heaven that will shake the forces that are against us. +++ 7/24/19 SIFTED LIKE WHEAT Scripture: Luke 22:31 "Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat." Aren't you glad that this was not the final word? In the next scripture, Jesus finished His thought by saying, "But I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail." Have you ever felt like you were being put through a sifting process? Even your faith was beginning to falter as you felt yourself losing control of your own life. Circumstances were causing you to feel just like grain that is being threshed. In the threshing process, the grain is first trodden on by animals so that it can be broken up. Then it is thrown into to the air with forks so that the wind can carry away the chaff. When you are trodden on, broken up, and tossed about like the grain, you begin to realize that if God does not help you, you will be lost with the chaff in the whole process. If you are in the process of being tossed about, you should take courage. God knows what is happening to you right now and what will happen in the future. He knows the enemy is after your soul, but with every temptation, God has already made a way of escape for you. Jesus told Peter in advance that the enemy was going to try to sift Peter as wheat. But Jesus also gave Peter a wonderful promise that He would pray for him during the whole process. Isn't it a relief and a comfort to know that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God and that He is praying and making intercession for you? (Romans 8:34) Romans 8:35-39 asks, "Who can separate us from the love of Christ?" There is nothing and no one who can sift and separate you away from God's love. Paul listed seventeen things that the devil used to try to separate him from the love of God, and Satan will use the same approach on you: tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, death, life, angels, principalities, powers, things present, things to come, heights, depth, or other creatures. Do not lose hope when these things come against you and you feel like you are being crushed, beat down, thrown in the air, and then sifted in the wind like the wheat. Jesus is praying for you and He never slumbers or sleeps. If you call to mind the Lord's amazing love and grace and His prayers of intercession for you, it will help you endure the sifting process and protect you from Satan's desire. +++ 7/25/19 BREAK UP THE FALLOW GROUND Scripture: Hosea 10:12 "... break up the fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord ..." Fallow ground is ground that has not been plowed and turned up for some time. Because it has been neglected, it has become hard and crusty. Nothing can grow or flourish in it because of its condition. Seeds cannot be dropped into it because of the soil's hardness. And even if they were forced by some means into the hardened soil, they would not survive because the rains that came to water them could not be absorbed into the soil. The ground itself becomes a monument of hopelessness to others until the keeper of the ground makes a decision to break up the soil and prepare it for a fruitful harvest. Once the decision is made and the process is started, it demands time and involves much labor and effort. It is not an easy job but the fruitful rewards are priceless. The condition of the fallow ground is a parallel to the condition of the spiritual state that we find ourselves in at times. Because we have not diligently sought the Lord, read His Word, and lingered in His presence, our hearts have become hard and cold. The further we fall away, the worse the condition of our hearts become. Eventually, like the hardened soil, we cannot seem to receive anything from God's Word, our prayers cannot get past the ceiling, and we lack the enthusiasm that we once had for anything spiritual in our lives. The lust of the flesh and other things consume our very being. Only thorns are able to survive in the gardens of our hearts because of our hearts' lack of nourishment and we find ourselves in a pitiful state. Oh, but God is good. His Word says, “Break up the fallow ground. It is time to seek the Lord." The Lord leaves the initial effort up to us. We must repent and seek Him. We must turn over the hardened clods of soil in our hearts and expose ourselves to the Lord. We must allow Him to discard the weeds and hard pebbles and deal with anything in our lives that prevent our spiritual growth. As we draw near to Him, He promises to draw near to us. As we allow our hearts to be broken and contrite before Him, God will again minister to us. He will pour out the seeds of His Word and rain His Holy Spirit upon us. He will touch our hearts and cause us once again to flourish in His presence. Others will rejoice because of the bounty of blessings upon our lives that not only touch us, but also reach out to them. So today begin to break up the fallow ground of your heart, for this is the season to receive the good things that God has for you. +++ 7/26/19 ASKING IN LINE WITH HIS WILL Scripture: I John 5:14-15 "This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us ... we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him." When we were young, we knew the hearts and minds of our parents and usually, without a doubt, we knew the things that they would allow in our lives. Even before we asked them for something, we knew whether or not they would grant our request. We had great confidence to come boldly into their presence and ask for something when we knew that it met their approval. However, when we knew that our request would conflict with their approval, we were forced to become a little more creative. We would ask a friend to go with us when we approached our parents with our request. If we received a negative response, we continued our efforts to pressure our parents by trying to make them feel guilty. We would tell them that our friend's parents were responding positively to the same request. We did everything in our power to manipulate our parents into allowing us to have our own way. But our parents always had our best interest in mind and many times felt it unwise to give in to our demands. If we continued to badger them about matters that were beyond their means or desires, they would just quit listening. A former U.S. President once said, "God always answers prayers. Sometimes it's 'Yes'. Sometimes the answer is 'No'. Sometimes it's 'You've got to be kidding'." How many times do our prayers, like our youthful requests, fall into the third category? They sound like a joke. Yet, because of our desperate needs or passionate desires, we presume on God to answer us. We fail to seek His face and refuse to allow our hearts to discern His perfect will in the matter. We follow a prayer formula, but become confused when we do not receive our answer. All the while, God is sitting on His throne and echoing those words, "You've got to be kidding." Like our earthly parents, God is lovingly watching over our lives and setting gracious limitations. He does not always give us what we want, but He always gives us His best. Our disappointment may not see His wisdom working for us, but Isaiah 55:9 says, "God's ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts." As God's children, we need to become so acquainted with Him that we know and understand His will, and then trust Him to give us what He knows to be best. When we reach this place in our walk with God, we will find that our prayers will be in agreement with His eternal plan. When our prayers line up with His will, we can be confident that He will hear us when we talk to Him. He will listen to our petitions and He will answer our prayers. +++ 7/29/19 WRITTEN LOGOS OR REVEALED RHEMA WORD Scripture: Matthew 16:17 "For flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but My Father which is in Heaven." Jesus asked His disciples what men were saying about Him. His disciples responded that some thought that Jesus was either John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets. They did not add any other personal conclusion. Jesus then asked them, "But whom do you say that I am?" He was interested in their personal revelation of His identity and deity. Peter replied, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." It is obvious that Peter had a greater understanding and deeper revelation about Jesus than the other disciples. Yet the other disciples had been with Jesus and had experienced a close communion with Him just as Peter had. Something had made the difference in Peter's recognition that the man they had hung out with for over three years was not just another man who had taught them the scriptures or showed them where to fish. Jesus was not just the local carpenter’s son. He was in reality the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus told Peter that this revelation did not come to him by flesh and blood but by the Father in Heaven. The written Word of God is truly awesome. It came to us through many writers who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Yet it all comes together in unity and it all speaks about Jesus. No other words, written or spoken, can bring faith, healing, strength, hope, direction, and comfort like God's Word. This is because when the Spirit of God breathes upon the Word, it becomes a living organism. Jesus said, "The Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). And because God's Words are Spirit, they cannot be revealed to us by flesh and blood. It is true that God will use natural teachers. But like Peter's revelation of Jesus, the Father, Himself, must supernaturally open up the eyes of our understanding. We can read a scripture a thousand times, and then one day, it will just seem to come alive and this supernatural revelation and understanding will illuminate our very being. This is the difference between the Logos Word, which is the written Word of God, and the Rhema Word, which is the revealed Word. Most of us can discern that this is a special season in history and many of us believe that God has called us to His kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). The Word has declared that those who know their God will be strong and do exploits (Daniel 11:32). God is Spirit and we were created in His image. God has mysteries that He wants to make known, but He will only speak to us as He did to Peter, that is Spirit to spirit. To fulfill His mighty promises for our lives, each one of us will need to have a personal revelation from God because flesh and blood can not reveal the things of the Spirit. Likewise, flesh and blood cannot receive the things of the Spirit. So let us ask God to give us supernatural revelation, which will cause His written Word to come alive as a Spirit revealed Word within our hearts. +++ 7/30/19 ENCOURAGING YOURSELF Scripture: I Samuel 30:6 "David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." Have you ever been so discouraged that it seemed that you could not cry anymore? You may have felt like your whole world was falling apart around you. Your possessions were gone and you were separated from the ones you loved dearly for one reason or another. No one understood your situation and even your friends had turned away from you. These are the circumstances that David found himself in when he and his men came home to their city, Ziklag. They found the city burned and their wives and children taken captive by the enemy. "Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep" (Verse 4). They had spent all of their tears. Grief had depleted their spirits. Further discouragement came to David when his men blamed him for this disastrous situation and talked of stoning him. David was greatly distressed because of his own grief and because of the many unjust accusations. However, David did not allow himself to stay in this place of discouragement, distress, and grief. He rose above the negative circumstances and began to encourage himself in the Lord. He did not wait for someone else to get him out of the pit of depression. David ministered to himself and reminded himself of the goodness and mercy of the Lord. Then he asked the Lord what to do about his desperate situation. God instructed David to pursue the enemy. He gave David a promise that he would "overtake the enemy and that without fail, recover all." God's promise was true and came to pass just as He said it would. No matter how desperate your situation may be today, God also has a promise of victory for you. When you find yourself in a place of discouragement and realize there is no one else to turn to, encourage yourself in the Lord. When you feel that you do not have enough strength to shed another tear, remember that God specializes in things that seem impossible. He has not changed. So be encouraged. He is still your God and He will deliver you. +++ 7/31/19 WALKING BY FAITH Scripture: II Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight." Our journey with God goes beyond what we can see with our eyes or imagine with our minds. It is a walk of faith, not of sight; a journey that begins with a simple recognition and belief that God is God and that He is always present with us even though we cannot see Him. As we walk with this unseen God, we begin to develop a trust that understands that He is not only God but that He is also a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 says that when we walk in this kind of faith, it pleases God. Tremendous things have happened when men have walked in faith. Enoch was translated in the spirit and never saw death. Noah built an ark at God's command and saved his family from the flood. Abraham left his country in search of a city made by God and his ninety-year-old wife, Sarah, received strength to conceive and give birth to Isaac. Moses acted on God's Word and saw God roll back the sea and do many other mighty miracles. Testimonies of faith's rewards are endless. Walking is a process. It is not just taking a step and then sitting down. It is taking a step and standing on that one foot until you place your other foot on the ground. Then repeating this same routine until it brings you to the place that you need to be. Sometimes walking is monotonous and tiring. While other times, in the darkness or unknown territories, it can be unsteady and unsure. It is extremely hard if you try to pull back in the midst of the process of going forward because it throws your whole balance off. It is the same with your spiritual walk of faith. Walking by faith is a continual lifestyle, for Romans 1:17 says, "The just shall live by faith." It is a daily process of moving forward one-step at a time. You have one foot firmly on the ground and the other foot in the air unsure of where it is going to land. You just keep following God and going forward. Your faith declares that you believe God and your actions demonstrate that you really do trust the Words that He has spoken to you. Faith is substance to your own soul and functions when there is no visible evidence, for faith itself is the evidence of things unseen (Hebrews 11:1). The depth of your faith depends upon the depth of your knowledge. Faith is conceived and increased as you hear God’s Word. It is then birthed by experience. Experience comes when you go through situations that make a demand on the faith that is in your heart, for faith is action and is dead without works. As you act upon the things that you believe, faith’s goals are accomplished. Learning to walk by faith is not quick or easy. Walking in faith is much like the process that a child goes through when he is learning to walk. In your faith walk you may fall a couple of times. You may also experience a few bruises and setbacks as you endeavor to walk. Yet, as you continue to believe God and walk by faith and not by what you see,your steps will become stronger and more determined. God will then reward your faith and bring His Words to pass in your life. +++ Copyright © 2019 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com |
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