May20

............	A Word In Due Season JUNE 2020 6/1/20 TURN ASIDE AND SEE THE PLAN Scripture: Acts 7:31 "When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came to him." God had a very special plan for Moses' life. God protected him from death when all the male babies of the nation were being killed at their birth. He also kept Moses safe as an infant while he floated down the river in a tiny basket. God allowed Moses to be rescued from the river by Pharaoh's daughter and to be raised in the palace of Pharaoh. This exposed Moses to the protocol of the Egyptian courts, where later he would make pleas for the freedom of God's people. Eventually, Moses was forced to leave the comforts of the palace and the family and friends that he cherished and flee into the desert for safety. During this season it probably did not look like God was doing anything special or that He was even involved in Moses' life. Yet all the while, God was definitely working His divine plan in Moses' life. After Moses left the palace he tended sheep on the back side of the desert for forty long years. This had to be a very humbling and mundane experience for a man who had experienced the excitement and grandeur of the palace. He had been raised as the son of Pharaoh's daughter and his life had been one of prosperity, prestige, and honor. But now his duties were different than they had been in the courts of Pharaoh. Instead of the hustle and bustle of the royal life and overseeing important matters that pertained to Pharaoh's vast kingdom, Moses' days were now spent caring for his father-in-law's sheep in a remote wilderness. He may have wondered if he had missed God's plan for his life as he quietly maintained this daily routine, year after year. Then suddenly one day Moses noticed a flame in a bush and said, "I must now turn aside and see why the bush is not consumed." This one decision and one declaration led Moses into the presence of God. As he drew near, the voice of the Lord spoke to him out of the bush. Moses probably never dreamed that when he took the time to investigate the bush situation that he was going to have a God experience and that his whole life would suddenly change. He could have made excuses; "I'm too busy. I am too tired. I am not interested in this strange phenomenon. I cannot leave my sheep." Instead, Moses’ good choice allowed God to speak to him personally and in this moment of time God commissioned him to deliver His people from the bondage of Egypt. We will not have the exact experience that Moses had or be called to lead a multitude of people out of Egypt. But God will approach us so that we can be a part of His supernatural work in the Earth. Our God experience probably will not be a literal burning bush encounter but a simple nudge for us to do something good for someone in need. When we respond, our act of kindness will be the miracle that they are praying for. Somehow God will cause us to help them find direction and we will be their cloud by day and their fire by night for a season. Our listening ear will be a haven of refuge for their hurting heart. Our words of comfort will be an encouragement of hope in their despair. Our natural provisions will satisfy their hunger. Our presence in their life will point them to the Rock, Christ Jesus, the Living Water, who will quench their thirst. God used every man in the scriptures differently and He has a plan for you. He needs you just as He needed Moses to fulfill a particular assignment on the earth. I encourage you to be very sensitive to the still quiet voice of the Holy Spirit. When He speaks, turn aside and draw near to Him. He will direct you and place you in the path of the needy. When He does, then take notice of what God is showing you and do what He wants you to do. +++ 6/2/20 LETTING GO Scripture: Genesis 13:14-15 (Living Bible) "And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot separated from him, Look as far as you can see in every direction, for I am going to give it all to you and your descendants." When Abraham and Sarah left Egypt, Abraham's nephew, Lot, went with them. But as time progressed strife begin to occur between Abraham and Lot's herdsmen. Abraham suggested that he and Lot separate from each other in an effort to end the strife and confusion. After Lot separated from him, God spoke to Abraham and showed him the land that was to be his. He also promised Abraham that his seed would be as numerous as the dust of the earth, meaning it would be impossible to count his descendants. Notice that God did not speak to Abraham until after Lot separated from him. God led Abraham out from the safe and familiar into a new place, and then separated him from his close relationships. This pattern is a very familiar one with God. God separated Moses and sent him to the backside of the desert for forty years before He commissioned him to deliver His people out of Egypt. Joseph was separated from his family and imprisoned in a foreign land for about sixteen years before he was promoted to second in the kingdom. And the apostle Paul was alone in the desert for about eight years before God used him to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus and to write most of the New Testament. All of us would like to hear from God and receive a new promise and commission from Him like these great men, but ministry comes with a price. Before God brings us to a new level and empowers us for a new service, He first leads us out and separates us to Himself. It is hard to be separated from the things that we know and the people we enjoy, but we cannot get to the Promised Land without going through the wilderness. When God calls us out, we cannot do all the things that our friends do or go to the places they go. God's new plan requires cutting away the old and familiar so that He can bless us with the new. If you have found yourself separated in thought and desire from the things that were familiar and that used to seem comfortable, God is possibly drawing you into a new place of commitment and service for Him. Do not be discouraged if you do not seem to fit into the old ways any more. Just let go and be encouraged as the old things separate from you. God is doing a new thing in your life so that you will be ready for His new plan. His thoughts towards you are good. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God's plan is to prosper you and not to harm you. His greatest plan is to give you a future and a hope, but first you must let go. ++ 6/3/20 THE BLESSED MAN Scripture: Psalms 1:1 (NIV) "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, or stand in the way of the sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful." This psalm gives us the characteristics of the man that is blessed and speaks of his righteous behavior and of his fruitfulness. A blessed man "does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly." In other words, he does not lean upon the world's system, but instead looks to God for wisdom (James 1:5). The blessed man makes Jesus his Wonderful Counselor, for the Spirit of wisdom and understanding rests upon Jesus (Isaiah 9:6). We are blessed when we are able to trust the One who has these attributes and when we allow Him to lead us by His Spirit. As we listen to His still small voice, we will hear Him speak words of wisdom concerning all the matters that we do not understand. Second, the blessed man "does not stand in the way of sinners." He does not visit or hang out in the places where sinners go so that he does not put himself in the position to compromise his convictions in a moment of pressure. George Washington warned us that, "Bad company corrupts good behavior." We often become whom we associate with, so we must turn ourselves away from enticing situations. Third, the man who is blessed "does not sit in the seat of the scornful." David refused to sit with the wicked (Psalms 26:5) and Jeremiah, the prophet, chose to sit alone because the hand of the Lord was upon him. He had rather be by himself than to sit in the assembly of the mockers (Jeremiah 15:17). There are times we must choose to separate ourselves from negative influences if we want to be blessed by God. Notice that the scorner or the mocker was listed with the wicked and sinner. And fourth, the blessed man "delights in the law of the Lord and meditates in God's Word day and night." He continually thinks on the Word, rolling it over and over in his mind and spirit until it speaks God's wisdom to him. One of David's prayers was that the meditations of his heart would be acceptable to God. This should also be our prayer if we desire to fall into the category of the blessed. When the psalmist spoke of the blessed man, he listed four results that would occur in our lives when we meditate upon God's Word and allow it to rule our heart (Psalms 1:3) 1) Stability - "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water." 2) Fruitfulness - "He shall bring forth fruit in his season." 3) Beauty - "His leaf shall not wither." 4) Prosperity - "Whatever he does shall prosper." If you want to be blessed in this manner then stay planted by the rivers of water. Draw your strength from the Lord and do not walk, stand, or sit in places or with people who distort God's Word and draw you away from the Living Water. +++ 6/4/20 DRAW NEAR TO GOD Scripture: James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." It amazing that the all-sufficient God who created everything, who has everything, and who can do anything, desires our love and our affection. He is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, which means He is always present, He is all knowing, and He is all powerful. Still in all of His glory, He wants to be loved by us. Our love, praise, adoration, and trust is the only thing that we truly possess that we can give to God, for all that we are or ever will be is because of His grace upon our lives. All of our material goods, gifts, and talents that we can offer to the Lord came to us by His own hands. But our love, praise, and the trust that we offer up to Him comes from our own heart and is our own free will gift to Him. Even though we may feel like we are a long way from God, the truth is that He is patiently waiting for us to move toward Him. When we make the slightest effort to move in His direction, He responds and moves toward us. It is like a great love affair that is waiting to happen. His Word declares that if we seek God, we will find Him, for He will make Himself known to us. If we knock, He will open the door and fellowship with us. If we talk to Him, He will listen, and if we ask Him questions, He will answer. God is there, all the while waiting for us to approach Him. One of our own basic needs is to be loved. We tend to think that God is so mighty that He has no needs. But we must assume that He has the need to be loved and cherished because He has put that same desire in us and we are created in His image. What other reason would God have made this His number one commandment? In Mark 12:30, Jesus told us that the first commandment that we are to obey is to "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength." God wants to be the main interest in our lives. Jesus said that if the praises of men were to be held back, "the stones would immediately cry out" (Luke 19:40). Even nature and the atmosphere of the earth contain the potential for love and praise to God. Let us not allow a stone to take our rightful place in worshiping the Lord. Let us draw near to God and love Him with all of our heart. As we draw near to the Lord, He will draw near to us. +++ 6/5/20 SERVANT'S HEART Scripture: Philippians 2:7 "... Jesus took on Himself the form of a servant." The Apostle Paul encouraged us to let the same mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus. He then explained what was in the heart and mind of the Lord. Even though Jesus was part of the God Head and equal with God, He laid everything aside and took on the form of a servant. Jesus emptied Himself of His deity and allowed Himself to be made into the likeness of man so that He could experience the limitations of humanity. He humbled Himself in this fashion so that He could meet the requirements that were necessary for Him to be able to redeem mankind by His own death on the cross. Christ was unique as a person and everything that He sacrificed for us, He did by choice. No one forced Him to leave the grandeur of Heaven and come to Earth or to forsake His place next to the Father to become a mere man. Jesus willingly laid down His life for us and became a servant to our needs. He gave up His throne in glory even though He would have no place to lay His head on Earth. His first experience after leaving Heaven was His birth in a lowly animal stable because there was no room for Him in the inn. He became poor that we may be rich. He gave His back to be beaten for the healing of our bodies and suffered torments for the deliverance of our minds. In weariness He gave Himself to the multitudes and did not count His service as that of bondage or slavery. Instead, He freely gave Himself and His unselfish servanthood promoted Him, for God highly exalted Jesus. He never sought for a grand reputation but God gave Him a name that is above every name and at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord. The Apostle Paul said that the believer should have the same mind that Christ had and take on the form of a servant like He did. We are to forget the grandeur that life offers and serve in humility as Christ served. We are to lay aside our own reputation and status as we give ourselves to others. It is not always easy. In fact it can be a challenge to serve others in a spirit of love when they have a hateful attitude towards us. Yet Jesus loved us and gave His life for us while we were still sinners. It is hard to remain in joy when we are called to serve those who are full of bitterness, but Jesus showed us an example. Because of the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross and its shame. Jesus knew that His disciples would forsake Him, that Peter would curse and deny Him, and that Judas would betray Him, but He still took on a servant's heart. Jesus knelt before the disciples, washed their feet, and served them the bread and wine, which represented His own body that was about to be broken and His blood that was about to be shed for their sins. God wants us to have a servant's heart towards Him and also towards people. Yet, He would not tell us to do something that we were unable to do so He enables us to do it. First, He helps us understand the heart and mind of Christ by giving us His Word, Christ's example, and the Holy Spirit as our teacher. Then He gives us supernatural strength to help us take on the form or attitude of a servant. After He equips us in these two areas, He sets before us an open door and gives us a choice; to love or be loved, to serve or be served, to help or be helped, and to give or receive. Our choice will always be governed by what is in our heart, and the degree to which we love and serve the Lord is the same degree that we will love and serve others. Let us determine today to have a servant's heart that is willing to love, serve, help, and give. +++ 6/8/20 PURGED TO BEAR MORE FRUIT Scripture: John 15:2 "Every branch that bears fruit, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit." Jesus spoke comforting words concerning the purging and pruning process that happens in your life. When God begins to purge or prune you, it is a sign of two things. First, it is a sign that you are already a fruit-bearing branch because Jesus said, "Every branch that is bearing fruit, He purges it." Second, it is a sign that He is preparing you to "bring forth more fruit." God is not happy with just "fruit." He wants a continual flow of "more fruit." As we watch the gardener prune the shrubs just before Spring we often wonder if the shrubs will be able to return because it seems that they are left hopeless and bare. Yet, the process is all a part of God's plan, for it is only in the pruning that new strength and life can be gained. So it is with your spiritual life. God cuts away and separates you from the things that are unnecessary. Sometimes it is the things that you really enjoy or friendships that you do not want to give up. Yet, the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God leads you to lay those things and relationships aside in order to follow God in a closer walk. Other times you feel the pain of His pruning shears through trials and tribulations that separate you from your own selfish desires. God sees your future and knows the work that He wants to produce in your life. He also knows just how much to cut away so that you can produce more fruit. Verse three says that He convicts and cleanses you through the Word that He speaks to you. Hebrews 4:12 in part says, "The Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword ... and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." His Word goes right to your spirit and heart and prunes away all that would leave you stunted in your growth. You are only left to yourself and not pruned when God does not expect you to bear any more fruit. Sometimes you may see your hopes and dreams fade away as He prunes your life, but "His ways and thoughts are much higher than your ways and thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9). He has a good plan in mind and He wants to enlarge your borders. At the moment, all that you can see is the purging, and all that you can feel is the pain, but God sees a productive season and a fuller life ahead for you. He envisions the fruit that you will bear, so do not be discouraged. Remember that in every pruning experience, you have this assurance that your loving Father is the one who is holding the pruning shears. +++ 06/09/20 MY REDEEMER LIVES Scripture: Job 19:25 "For I know that my Redeemer lives ..." Job faced adversity in every area of his life. He suffered the death of all of his children, endured the loss of all of his possessions, and was plagued with physical pain and mental anguish. In the midst of Job's darkest hours, even his closest friends judged him and his wife sought to discourage him. Job had nothing left to hold on to and no one to turn to, but he had the knowledge that His Redeemer still lived. With this hope, he held on in faith and even though his body was being destroyed, he took comfort in knowing that he would one day see God (Job 19:26). Because of Job's great and unwavering confidence, God blessed him so much that he had more at the end of his life than he did at the beginning. Like Job, trials also come against our lives and storms buffet our ship. Discouragement knocks at our heart's door. The temptation to give up becomes especially inviting when those we love and trust the most judge us because they misunderstand the reasons for our dilemma. Yet it is in these places that we are given the opportunity to experience God in a greater way and come to understand His higher concepts. There are blessings that we cannot receive if we do not endure the losses. Joy is realized at the expense of sorrow just as harvest comes only through hard labor and the sweat of the brow. The blessings of a child come only through self-sacrifice and the pangs of childbirth. There is always an exchange, and out of suffering emerge the greatest gifts and the strongest souls. Scars are seen on those who have fought the battles and endured the trials. You must not dwell on their ill effects, for those scars are also the signs of victory and will deepen your character if you allow them. Instead of suffering defeat and lapsing into bitterness, you must allow God to reveal Himself in the midst of your affliction. Like Job, your pain and suffering will take you beyond the veil of natural knowledge and bring you to a greater revelation of God. When you put your total trust in God, you will be able to say the words that Job said, "Though God slay me, yet I will trust Him. If I never see God perform another miracle, if I never feel His touch again, if He never answers another prayer for me, if all of my friends and loved ones reject me, if my body is wracked with pain, and all of my possessions are gone, I will still trust Him, for I personally know that my Redeemer lives." +++ 6/10/20 NOT BY CHANCE Scripture: Proverbs 20:24 (NIV) "A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?" When we truly believe that God directs our steps, we must put away the notion that the life changing events that happen in our lives are mere accidents. There are many variables that could happen as we journey through life but we must recognize that God is directing our lives according to His sovereign plan and that nothing is left to chance. It was no accident that we were at the right place at the right time to meet our spouse or to meet that special lifetime friend. It was no accident when God caused someone to witness to us about Jesus or brought someone along our path who would receive our witness of faith. Neither was it an accident that we were placed on our jobs or given the particular positions that we have. For even though we cannot see it or understand it, God is continually working His awesome plan in our lives. Sometimes it is difficult to understand what God is doing because His ways are far beyond our comprehension. We wonder why we lost our job or why we did not get the promotion that we worked so hard for. Situations do not work out like we planned and it seems that our prayers are not being answered. When these thoughts come and our circumstances get a little confusing, we need to stop and recognize that things would be a lot easier for us if we just trusted God and allowed Him to lead. We must also understand that there will be times that we are not given any choices. Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his own brothers, could do nothing but follow God into the destiny that was planned for him. Joseph had a dream that he would rule, but his dream was challenged and his hopes shattered by the cruel circumstances that surrounded him. Most likely, Joseph did not understand what was happening in his life. Yet God was in control and directing Joseph's steps. He used the evil deeds of Joseph's brothers to get him to Egypt where God could cause Joseph's dreams to come to pass and use him as an instrument to save a multitude of people. When God gave Joseph his dreams, He did not show him the pit, the prisons, or that he would have to endure the separation from his father and family. If Joseph had seen the hardships and cruel bondage that he would suffer on the way to his dream, he probably would not have chosen to follow or believe his dream. God only showed Joseph the glorious end so that he could maintain his hope. God gave him no choices, except to exercise wisdom and be discrete in his actions. We must admit that some of the best decisions that we have made were the ones where we were given no opportunity to choose and had to take the only option that was presented to us. Like Joseph, we may not understand what is happening until we get to the end of the journey. But when we have finished the course, we will discover that God always gives us the best when we allow Him to do the choosing. Regardless of what is happening, trust God with your life. Do not lean upon your own understanding but acknowledge that God is God and believe that He knows what He is doing. God gave Solomon great wisdom, so allow his words in this proverb to settle your mind, "The Almighty, All Knowing God is directing your steps, so how can you possibly understand your own way?" +++ 6/11/20 THE TONGUE Scripture: James 3:5 "The tongue is a little member, and boast great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindles!" The tongue is very small when it is compared to the rest of the body but even though it is small, it has many important assignments to perform, such as eating, speaking, and praying. Because the tongue is gifted to speak, it can be a very positive or a very destructive instrument. Proverbs 18:21 confirms this saying, "There is life and death in the power of the tongue." The tongue can bring blessings by speaking words of comfort and encouragement or it can bring destruction by speaking words of discouragement, doubt, and unbelief. Whatever the tongue speaks, it influences and sets the tone for the entire body and creates an atmosphere around it. In the natural, we take our tongue for granted and are usually not very conscious about it, but I recently had a lot of trouble with this one member of my body. I had to have some dental work done and the tooth that the dentist put a crown on was left with a very slight uneven spot on it. The dentist has looked at this tooth three times and has attempted to file it down once. The dental hygienist has polished it twice. Yet neither of them can see the problem even with magnifying glasses. To make matters worse, I cannot see the problem either. Yet my tongue has discovered that small imperfection on that one tooth and cannot leave it alone. It continually goes to that area in an attempt to expose the problem to the whole body. As long as my tongue is taking care of its own business such as eating and speaking, it is not bothered by the tooth. But when the tongue has an idle moment, it will search out that one tooth and examine the imperfection again and again. This action is an aggravation to my entire body. Like the problem with my natural tongue, James warns the church about this member of their body, which can cause many problems. The tongue can take a small or insignificant matter and make it into something great, for it is often looking to expose the imperfections in others. It is like a small match that ends up burning down the entire forest. It takes only a few words of gossip to destroy a life, a marriage, or a home. The tongue can speak a few words of doubt and unbelief and destroy someone else's faith. It can speak discouragement and drive someone into a pit of bitter despair. Or the tongue can be discreet, speak words of faith, and be an encouragement by ministering grace to the hearer. James said, "Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so" (James 3:10). Let us consider these words and be careful when we speak so that our tongues are used for good purposes and not evil. +++ 6/12/20 WALKING IN THE ARMOR Scripture: Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the whole armor of God." We have an enemy who rages against us daily. This enemy is not contained in a body of flesh, nor does he have blood flowing through his veins. He is a spiritual enemy and his battle strategies are evil. The Apostle Paul gives us instructions on how to combat this enemy, the devil. One of the main things we must do is recognize who he is. We then must put on the whole armor of God and come against him with spiritual weapons because "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds" (II Corinthians 10:4). There are five things that Paul tells us to do in Ephesians 6:10-18: 1) Be strong in the power of the Lord. (vs. 10) 2) Put on the armor of God. (vs. 11) 3) Stand with the armor on. (vs. 13-14) 4) Have your weapon, the Sword of the Spirit or the Word of God. (vs.17) 5) Pray with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. (vs.18) Paul makes it very plain that our strength and power will come from the Lord, for it will be God's armor, not our own, that will protect us in the evil day. God's armor is listed as truth, righteousness, peace, and salvation. When we realize that it is God's armor that we are standing in, it will give us courage to lift up the shield of faith against the devil. When truth prevails in our heart, we understand that we do not have to depend upon our own strength and self-righteousness. All we have to do is stand in God's armor and allow God to take care of the battle. Paul said, "stand, and having done all, stand." This word "stand" in the Greek language means "stand and get ready for the next battle." The devil never quits. Our battles will continue throughout our lifetime but we must remember that God has equipped us for battle. After Paul told us to put on the whole armor of God and stand, he then instructed us to pray. This means that we are to enter into prayer with God's armor and aggressively come against the enemy with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Our battles will be won in prayer and with the Word of God. When the devil sees God's armor of truth, righteousness, peace, and salvation coming toward him, he trembles. When he hears the Word of God being spoken and prayers going up to Heaven against him from inside the armor, he is terrified. When he sees the shield of faith lifted up, he recognizes the power of God, understands his own low estate, and knows that he is defeated. As we resist the devil, he will flee because he has no choice. +++ 6/15/20 HOPE DEFERRED Scripture: Proverbs 13:12 "Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." Many hopes abide in our heart for our loved ones, our relationships, and ourselves. We try to stand in faith as we wait for the fulfillment of these needs, but often it becomes very difficult. Just when we think that things are coming together, our hopes are deferred and our dreams are shattered. The answer is postponed and put off to a future time. The benefits of our prayers and confessions are delayed and the disappointment of that delay leave us heartsick. It challenges our faith like no other temptation, for it seems that we are left with no options. The thoughts of giving up pierce our heart and soul. King Solomon, in all of his wisdom, understood our plight when he wrote this proverb, but he did not leave us with "deferred hope." He went on to say that "when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." It is true that many times our hope is delayed and it seems that all is lost. Yet, God is still on the throne in Heaven and He is still in control. His will is that we trust Him to take us from the place of deferred hope to the fulfillment of our desires. This happens as we continue in His Word. Solomon continued to say that those who despised the Word would be destroyed, but those who feared the commandments would be rewarded (verse 13). Even in the most difficult of times, you must not despise God's promise but continue to believe His Word. Joseph's hope was deferred many times as he experienced the pit and the prison. He had ample opportunity to get mad at God and give up, but he did not allow himself to despise God or give up the dreams that God had given to him. Joseph held on in faith throughout the many delays and disappointments and God rewarded him for his faithfulness. When his desire came, Joseph became a tree of life for himself, his family, and the nations. Lamentations 3:26 says, "It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." It is not easy to quietly wait when you are the one who is in the midst of the battle or to continue in hope when you are the one in the fiery furnace. It is not easy when you have been thrown into a den of hungry lions because you were serving God. And it is not easy to believe when you are sick, sad, broke, and your hope for help has been delayed. But, like Joseph and many other heroes of faith in the scriptures who faced disappointments, you must continue to hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. God is working even in the midst of your darkness and He stands somewhere in the shadows. He is hidden, even in the storm clouds of your life. The answer to your prayers may be delayed just as Daniel's prayer was delayed twenty-one days. Yet you must not give up or allow yourself to be heart sick. You must take courage, for your deliverance is on the way, and when your answer comes it will be a tree of life for you and also for all of those around you. +++ 6/16/20 GREATER IS HE Scripture: I John 4:4 "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." There is not a day that goes by for any of us that we are not challenged in some way by our adversary, the devil. He works in many ways and is very persistent, roaming about twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week seeking whom he may devour. He creates irritating circumstances and brings fear and defeat into our lives. He causes discouragement, heartache, sickness, and pain. His goal is to kill, steal, and destroy. The devil is a master gardener when it comes to planting seeds of doubt and unbelief in the hearts of men. He is very subtle and appears as an angel of light, when in reality he is the shadow of discouragement and death. He is also very cunning, for he knows that if he can cut off our spiritual life support, he can defeat us. So he begins by attacking our faith, which is our link to God and the blessings of Heaven. Even though we are vulnerable for attack, we must understand that we have nothing to fear because we have a secret weapon against this onslaught of evil that comes against us. Our defense is the Lord, Himself. God is our only hope in the time of adversity, for the battle belongs to Him. The Spirit of God dwells within us and He is greater than the spirit that is in the world. We must simply position ourselves in faith and believe in His Word. The devil may be bigger than you, but he is not bigger than the God that lives within you. The disease that is attacking your body may be too big for you or your physician to handle, but it is not too big for the Almighty God who made your body and whose Spirit dwells within you. The devil may make your financial situation look hopeless, but the greater One that lives on the inside of you is greater than the spirit of lack, and He will meet your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. God, who is within us, is greater than any evil and negative report that speaks out against us. He is larger than any raging storm and stronger than the fiercest enemy. There is nothing and no one greater than our God. Harbor this secret in your heart so that whenever battles come your way, you can maintain your peace and joy. In the midst of your adversity, seek God and pray that His will be done in every area of your life here on Earth as He has planned it in Heaven. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean upon your own strength. Victory will then spring up within your spirit as you delight in the knowledge that "Greater is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit who is within you than the devil that is in the world. +++ 6/17/20 STILL WATERS Scripture: Psalms 23:2 (Amplified) "He leads me beside still and restful waters." Life's journey takes us down many paths and unfortunately not all of them are pleasant. One pathway may present dangers, threatening foes, or diseases, which seek to overwhelm our hearts with fear. Another road may lead us through dark valleys where the shadows of doubt attack our minds with fear and confusion. There may be dark tunnels that we pass through where there is not even a shadow that is visible. There will be days that a veil is over our future and all we can do is walk towards our destiny in faith. Yet in all of these circumstances, we have an assurance that our loving Shepherd will guide us each step of the way and will always refresh us with the still and restful waters of His Spirit. We do not have to be anxious about anything when the Lord, our Shepherd, is leading us. He goes before us but is also our guard behind us. He goes through everything before we even get there so He understands every challenge that will greet us on our journey. He has experienced the pitfalls and the hurdles that are before us. He makes sure that there is nothing in our way that we cannot handle. He is always present to help us and give us rest. When we are obedient to follow Him, He will be faithful to lead us to the place where there is refreshing water for our souls. He is our Shepherd and He said that we shall never want for any good thing. When things are upside down in your life and you are at the edge of turbulent waters, think about this promise in God’s Word. You are the sheep of His pasture and you belong to Him. He is concerned about your situation and your problems. He wants to lead you to a better place and deliver you from the struggle of worry and torment. The Lord seeks to rid you of every evil foreboding thought because He wants you to enjoy life. Yet, He will not force His way into your life and heart. You must choose to allow Him to be the Shepherd of your soul. As you trust and follow Him wherever He leads, He will take care of every detail of your life. Tell the Lord very plainly that you need money to pay your debts, that you need healing for your body, that you need courage for your soul, that you need restoration for the personal relationships that you are involved in, and that you need precise direction for your life and future. As you allow the Lord to become the Shepherd that He desires to be in your life, He will satisfy your desires, meet your needs, and lead you beside the still and restful waters. +++ 6/18/20 HOPE IN THE LORD Scripture: Lamentations 3:24 "The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in Him." Jeremiah spoke these words of hope after he lamented about how distraught he was over his life. He felt like God was against Him because of the affliction and darkness that surrounded him. He declared that there was a hedge placed about him and that none of his prayers were being answered. It seemed to him that God had made his way crooked and desolate. Jeremiah even wondered if God was secretly lying in wait like a lion or a bear to attack him. There was no peace remaining in his life. In his struggle to make it through this season of despair, he said, "My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord" (Vs. 18). If a great prophet like Jeremiah had these thoughts and emotions, is it any wonder that we too are tempted to walk into the same trap of doubt and unbelief, despair and discouragement? When things do not go as they should or happen the way that we want them to in our lives, we must remember one point. The same devil who worked against Jeremiah nearly six hundred years before Christ was born is the same devil that is working against us. Even though it is a different time, the devil's strategies have not changed. He still twists God's Words into lies and attempts to distort our perception of God by making us think that God is against us. Yet all the while, God is for us and is sovereignly working His plan in our lives. Jeremiah did not stay in his despair for very long, for he changed his perception of God. He began to remember the mercy and the compassions of the Lord that he served. He thought about who God really was and decided to quietly wait for God's salvation and deliverance. Like Jeremiah, there are many uncertainties in our own lives and things can get very discouraging as we struggle through our circumstances and experience hurt in our relationships. It may be hard to understand what God is doing in our lives when we do not even understand what is happening. With these uncertain times, our strength may fail and it may seem hard to hold on to our hope. Yet, the events in our lives do not determine who we are. Our responses make that determination. Our future will not be shaped by our current circumstances. It will be shaped by our perception of who God is and what He can do in the midst of our adverse circumstances. In the difficult seasons, we must learn to keep our perception right. We know that there is One in whom we can always trust, and His name is Jesus. The Lord is our portion and He is our hope. When we understand this completely, it will unlock the door to our prisons of discouragement and despair and set us free. +++ 6/19/20 GROWING IN FAVOR WITH GOD AND MAN Scripture: Luke 2:52 "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." Jesus grew in three areas of His life; in the physical, in wisdom, and in favor with God and man. Understanding how to grow in our physical stature is easy. We simply eat the right foods, exercise, and take care of our bodies. Once we have grown to a certain height and weight, and developed our muscle tone, we then must continue to maintain our bodies to keep them healthy. It is a daily process that lasts as long as we are in an earthly vessel. This is an easy concept to understand in the natural because even though we cannot see the process of growth, we do see the physical results. We go from one size to the next without realizing it and it is all the result of consistent action. Growing in wisdom and favor is basically the same sort of process as growing in the natural. It comes by feeding on God's Word daily and exercising ourselves to understand it. It is gaining insights concerning God's nature by communing with Him. Jesus was the Son of God, yet He was not endowed with wisdom and favor from the time of His birth. The scriptures declare that He increased and grew gradually in these areas. At an early age, He was busy about His heavenly Father's business as He studied God's Word and questioned the priests in the temple. Luke 19:47 tells us that as an adult, Jesus was in the temple daily. His major interest was the search for God and His wisdom. As He received revelation and gained wisdom, He grew in favor with God. As He gained favor with God, He gained favor with man. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that the starting point of wisdom is the reverential fear of the Lord. This wisdom does not happen by a mechanical formula or by a process of book knowledge. Knowledge can be acquired through study, but wisdom is only received as it is imparted by the Holy Spirit. It comes as a result of a personal relationship with God. There are many unlearned people who are quite wise because they spend time with the Lord, and likewise there are many educated scholars who lack wisdom. Wisdom speaks to us in Proverbs 8:33-34 (Living Bible) and says, "Listen to my counsel - oh don't refuse it - and be wise. Happy is the man who is so anxious to be with me (wisdom) that he watches for me daily at my gates, or waits for me outside my home!" In this proverb, King Solomon gives us a picture of the man who desires wisdom. He anxiously waits for wisdom as a person who waits to get a glimpse of someone coming out of their gate or home. The man who truly desires wisdom seeks for it on a daily basis and determinably waits at lengths for it. The person who sets his mind to this pattern will eventually increase in wisdom. As he increases in wisdom, favor with God and man will follow. If you are desiring to have favor with God and man in your life, think on these words of Solomon and remember that it is a consistent growth process. There must be a diligent search for the wisdom of God. As you gain the wisdom of God, it will usher in God's favor. His favor on your life will then create favor for you with men. +++ 6/22/20 THY WILL BE DONE Scripture: Matthew 6:10 "... Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven." Jesus had an enormous struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion. Three times He asked the Father to let this cup pass from Him. However, He always finished His prayer by saying, "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39). Jesus was determined to finish the work and to complete His purpose on Earth. In Hebrews 10:9, Jesus declared, "I come to do Your will, O God." He faithfully taught his Disciples to pray and submit their own wills to God in the same manner and then showed them by example what full surrender meant. He never said that the Father's will would be easy. He just said to submit to it. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts." Jesus saw the agony of the cross, but God saw eternal redemption for the world. Like Jesus in the garden, our thoughts and wills are concerned with our present situation here on Earth. It is as though we are in a maze. We are walled in on every side and can only see what is just ahead. God, however, is looking from a higher place and sees our entire 'maze' situation. He knows which direction we should take to reach our desired destination, for His knowledge is greater than ours. Proverbs 3:5-6 speaks of yielding our wills to God by leaning upon Him, and not relying upon our own insight and understanding. "We are to trust in the Lord with all of our heart. In all of our ways, we are to know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain our paths." Proverbs 16:9 tells us that a man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure. According to Jeremiah 10:23 a man cannot direct his own steps. You must determine each day to yield yourself to the Father's will even though the path ahead of you may not be clear or look easy. You may have some crosses to bear in the process or be faced with a few Gardens of Gethsemane. As you make your plans on this Earth, you should always submit them to God in Heaven. Then, take the higher path that He has planned for you. When you put your trust in the Lord, He will direct your steps so that you can finish your course. As you yield yourself to the Lord, you will fulfill His purpose for your life, and His Will will be done on Earth as it has been planned in Heaven. +++ 6/23/20 LABORERS OF THE HARVEST Scripture: Proverbs 20:4 (Living Bible) "If you won't plow in the cold, you won't eat at the harvest." Wisdom tells us and life shows us that a slothful man will never receive a harvest. Fruit and grain for our livelihood does not spring forth from the ground without effort. There is much work and faith that goes into bringing about a harvest. The ground has to be plowed and the seed has to be planted at the right season, for nature does not allow for procrastination. God's spiritual kingdom is also like this. Luke 10:2 says, "God is the Lord of the harvest" and tells us that we are to pray that He would send laborers into His harvest. Both the laborers and the harvest are symbols of the minister and the work that the minister is called to do. Yet, many times when we are called as laborers into the harvest to witness or minister, we fail to follow God's leading because we are distracted. Like the natural farmer, we see the hazards of the cold or want to spare ourselves of the dreadful heat. We may feel that we are not spiritually prepared enough to witness, or think that the person that we are to witness to is not ready. Perhaps we feel there are other matters that we must take care of first, so we fail to plow the field and plant the seed. Therefore, the promise is lost because of procrastination and the work is left undone because of distractions. In Luke 9:62, Jesus tells us that we are to put our hand to the plow, and not look back. The Living Bible says, "Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God." We are not to allow any distractions to keep us from God's appointed time or His assignment. When He speaks to us or shows us a need, God is letting us know that the season is right and that His Holy Spirit has already begun a work. If we fail to move at God's biding and in His season, we will fail to see the many blessings that God had prepared for those lives that He had intended to reach through us. Has God placed it on your heart to do a good deed, say a kind word, or meet a special need? Has He called you into His fields to witness to someone about salvation? Do you have good intentions, but do not follow through because of the distractions of life? Like a natural harvest, God's Kingdom does not allow for procrastination, either. If God is speaking to you, He is working on the other end to prepare the harvest. As the Lord of the harvest, He waits for you to put your hand to the plow and sow the seeds that He has provided. The Lord depends upon you, His laborer. You are the hope of His glory in the Earth. If you do not work God's fields, bless others, or reach out to the lost, there will be no harvest. +++ 6/24/20 ENABLED FOR BATTLE Scripture: II Samuel 22:35 "He teaches my hands to war." These words were in the midst of a song that King David composed as he praised God for delivering him from all of his enemies. David not only praised God for his deliverance, but he also acknowledged that God had trained him for battle. We prefer the battles in which God instructs us to "Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord" or "Hold your peace and let the Lord fight your battle." God's deliverance is sweet when He takes care of our enemies by Himself and we are not required to face the challenge. However, when God supplied us with His armor for battle, He not only gave us defensive weapons for protection, such as a belt of truth, a breastplate of righteousness, a shield of faith, and a helmet of salvation, but He also provided us with a weapon for offensive battle. This mighty weapon is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. With each challenge, God gives us a fresh word and a new revelation by His Spirit. His Word is a two-edged sword, which equips us for battle and sustains us in every adversity. When David fought the giant, he had to lay aside Saul's heavy armor and take the few things that he knew how to use, which were his sling and a few stones. Saul's armor was a burden to David and would have cost him the battle. So many times our battles are lost because we are trying to use a Word that someone else received from the Lord. We must understand that God moves differently in all situations and we must sharpen our own sword with a personal Word from the Lord. Look at some of the battles in the scriptures. God told Gideon and his army to hold their lamps, break the pitchers, blow the trumpets, and shout, "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon" (Judges 7:20). God told Jehosaphat to appoint singers to go before the army and praise the beauty of holiness. As they did, God ambushed the enemy and caused them to fight against themselves (II Chronicles 20:22). God told Joshua to march around the city of Jericho for seven days and then, on the seventh day, to march around the city seven times and shout. It is recorded that when they shouted, the walls fell down flat (Joshua 6:20). When Moses and Israel were trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptians, God told him to raise his staff and divide the sea so His people could go across on dry ground (Exodus 14:16). All of these men had different instructions from God and all of their actions were sheer obedience to His Word. What do you imagine would have happened if Gideon had acted on Joshua's word or if Joshua had acted on Gideon's word from God? Most probably the battle would have been lost and the walls would still be standing. Just like these men, God enables you for your own personal battle. He teaches your hands to war not with a method, but with His Word. You do not need a formula; you need to hear what God is saying and obey those instructions. His directions will be specifically designed for your situation. When you listen, the Lord will speak to you in a still small voice and His Word that He speaks will be your Sword of the Spirit. +++ 6/25/20 MAGNIFY THE LORD Scripture: Psalms 34:3 "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His Name together." Magnify means to enlarge, make greater, or increase in size. We can magnify something visible with a magnifying lens, but the lens can never make the object actually larger in size. It can only enlarge the image of the object or draw it closer so that it can be seen better. The magnifying lens is an invaluable tool to the scientist. The lens in his microscope can take a particle that is invisible to the human eye and enlarge it into an image that can be seen in great detail. The lens in an astronomer's telescope can draw the stars and moons nearer for observation. Even the eyeglasses that we use magnify the world around us to give us more precise vision. King David said, "Magnify the Lord," but how can we make God bigger, for God is as big as He is ever going to get? We cannot increase the measure of His greatness, for He is omnipotent or all-powerful. We cannot make Him more knowledgeable than He is for He is omniscient and knows all things. He is also omnipresent, which means that He is always present everywhere. These attributes of God go beyond our comprehension. We cannot explain how God's power works because we ourselves are not very powerful. Neither can we share with others the knowledge of an all-knowing God, for the measure of our understanding is limited. And we cannot even think about being everywhere, at all times, because that concept is beyond our own human abilities. Yet our lives either magnify or de-magnify the image of God. Paul said that we are epistles that are known and read of all men. People are looking at our witness daily in the market places and we must understand that our lives become the lens through which they see Jesus. I recently had a conversation with someone who blamed God for their adverse circumstances, and declared the Lord to be unjust in His ways. I literally shook as I heard this person bitterly speak of the evil ways of God, and when I saw God through their eyes, He became a very small God and a terror to the human heart. This individual was seeing a totally different God than I see and know. Even in the hard and painful times that I have experienced, God has always been there to comfort my heart and caress my wounds. He has always put everything that was broken back together again for me and lifted me up in His arms of love. The Lord has been faithful to me in every way. We have a choice with every word that we speak and everything that we do. We can either allow our lives to diminish the greatness of God or we can allow our praise, our good deeds, and our faith to magnify Him. We can make God bigger than the problems and adversities in our lives by standing strong in faith. With our uncompromising trust and peace, we can show others that God is more powerful that any storm that rages about us. Others look at our lives in an attempt to see Jesus, so whether the times are good or bad, let us magnify and exalt the Name of the Lord together! +++ 6/26/20 EVERY WORD AND DEED Scripture: Colossians 3:17 (Amplified) "And whatever you do - no matter what it is - in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in dependence upon His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him." Every word and every deed that we do is supposed to mirror the character of Christ. Yet, we often find ourselves in provoking situations and even though we do our best to remain silent, we usually react in frustration. We make an effort to defend our position and justify our actions. In contrast to the scripture above, our reactions are not done in the name of the Lord, nor in dependence upon His Person, and God surely receives no praise for our actions. James 3:7-8 tells us that every kind of beast, bird, reptile, and sea animal can be tamed, but the human tongue cannot. Our tongues are unruly, undisciplined, and motivated by our emotions. Too often, we react rather than respond. King Solomon, the wisest man of his time, said, "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his own spirit is better than he who takes a city" (Proverbs 16:32). He also said, "He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls" (Proverbs 25:28). When the walls of our spirit are broken down, any element can intrude and provoke us to wrong words or deeds. Jesus was our greatest example of someone ruling His own Spirit. He taught and preached with much authority, calmed the storms with a few words, rebuked the "religious" folks, drove the moneychangers out of the temple, and cast demons out of the possessed. Even though some of these things seemed harsh and bold, Jesus never reacted out of His own will and emotions. Scripture records that He only spoke and did the things that the Father showed Him. Even Pilate marveled greatly when Jesus did not answer the accusations that were made against Him. Our goal is to follow Jesus and resist the temptation to say the wrong thing, at the wrong time, and in the wrong spirit. We were always told to count to ten before reacting. Yet, if we simply follow God's Word and consider the three statements that Paul made in the above scripture, we will be able to rule our spirit and tame our tongues. When you are provoked, ask yourself: 1) Can I say this word or do this deed in the Name of the Lord? 2) Can I depend on the Person and presence of Jesus to back me up in this word or deed? 3) When I say this word or do this deed, will it give glory to God the Father through Jesus? Perhaps by the time you finished asking yourself these questions in your mind, the moment of passion will have passed. Nevertheless always remember, sometimes it is better to hold your peace than to give your peace away. The less you say, the less you will have to repent of. +++ 6/29/20 FOLLOW ME Scripture: Matthew 9:9 "Follow Me." This is a simple command, but with these two words Jesus gathered His Disciples to Him. When Jesus said, "Follow Me", the men who were to become his Disciples and closest friends left their boats, their businesses, and their families to fulfill this special call. They had no idea where their obedience would take them on this journey of faith, but their sacrifice demonstrated their trust and their devotion to the One who was calling them. We hear the same call today, for Jesus said, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24). The Lord's call is not complicated or confusing. In fact, it is a very simple call to follow Him wherever He leads. We are not to linger in the places of nothingness, for our lights are not designed to be hidden under a bushel. We have been called to God's Kingdom for such a time as this to do great exploits in His Name. He has commissioned us to go into all of the world and preach the gospel to every creature and has promised that He would confirm His Word with signs and wonders. The world is changing drastically and we are facing a season of personal change and challenge that will be greater than anything we have seen in the past. This journey demands faith, but also offers great rewards. We cannot have two masters. We must make a decision that nothing will stand between us and the Lord's words that call us to Him. The world looks for the strong, the successful, and the educated, but God looks for those who will simply devote themselves to Jesus in a radical way and be willing to follow Him to the ends of the Earth. The scriptures declare that those whom Jesus called were unlearned and ignorant. Yet because of their personal relationship with Him, God validated their call and anointed them to do mighty miracles in the midst of the people. God gave them gifts that exceeded their natural abilities with results that went beyond their expectations. He gave them His wisdom that comes down from above. You may wonder what you can do or where you will fit into this great plan of God. You may question just how it will happen, but all that He requires from you is your obedience. So when you hear the voice of His Spirit say, "Follow Me," do it without fear or reservation. The Lord goes before you and He will take care of every need and necessary detail. +++ 6/30/20 THE LORD WAITS Scripture: Isaiah 30:18 (Living Bible) "Yet the Lord still waits for you to come to Him, so He can show you His love." The Lord is a faithful friend and a wonderful counselor. Yet, Israel consulted with everyone except God when they needed help and then they ended up rebelling against Him. They yoked themselves with unbelievers and made a decision to go against the desires of God. Instead of depending upon God to help them in their battle, they went to Egypt to find aid and they put their trust in Pharaoh and his swift horses. Yet, God was still gracious to them and waited for them to return to Him so that He could show them His love. This is a picture of a loving Father who never gives up on His children. Just as the Lord watched Israel, He sees us as we gather unwise counsel, and He warns us that our hearts are deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). The Lord sees us when we join ourselves with those who are not our equal in spirit. His heart aches as He watches us being subtly led astray by their words and deeds. God knows that our enemy seeks to devour us, but God is limited by our own attitudes and actions. Yet, in the midst of our rebellion, He continues to leave the door wide open and waits for us to repent and return to Him because He is faithful and He loves us so much. When we leave God's path and begin to experience the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, He still hears our cries and He answers us. He never leaves us without comfort. In the midst of our hardship and pain, He allows us, with our own eyes, to see Him as a Teacher (Isaiah 30:20). Some of the most important lessons of life are learned in the hardest of places. The psalmist said, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray: but now have I kept Thy Word." (Psalms 119:67). The psalmist was saying that affliction brings us back to the feet of our Master. In the most difficult times, we discover that God is there to tell us whether we should go to the left or to the right. We do not have to second-guess the situation. All we have to do is depend upon God for directions. He said that we would hear His Voice behind us saying, "This is the way; walk in it." It is comforting to know that God is on our side; that He is for us, not against us. He is patiently waiting for us to return so that He can show us His love." +++ Copyright © 2020 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com			..............................