May20

............	A Word In Due Season MAY 2020 5/1/20 NO DISTRACTIONS Scripture: Hebrews 2:9 "But we see Jesus." "When Leonardo da Vinci had painted his immortal 'Last Supper,' he asked a friend for an evaluation. The friend heaped superlatives on the masterpiece, and especially praised the wine cup by the Lord's hand. At that point, Leonardo blotted out the cup. He was to have said, 'Nothing should distract one's attention from the Lord.'" ... From More Stories For The Heart - Author Unknown This story makes me wonder what we see when we look at Jesus? Do we see the glory of His presence, or do we get distracted by the material things that will benefit us if we serve Him? Do we look at Jesus as being our Lord and our first love, or do we envision the honor of our own reputations because we are serving Him? Do we give others more honor and adoration than we do to God's beloved Son? Do we tend to view our spiritual leaders almost equal to our Lord and Savior? It is very easy to get distracted from the real picture and see the cup rather than the Savior. Even Peter fell into this trap when Jesus was transfigured before his eyes. He watched as Jesus' appearance was totally transformed before him. Jesus' clothes began to shine, glistening like the snow, and then Elijah and Moses appeared with Him. Peter got caught up in the moment, and focusing on the spectacular, he suggested that three memorials be built; one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. At that moment of distraction, the three were equal in Peter's eyes. Yet when it came to an end, Jesus was the only one who was remaining, and God's voice spoke with validation, "This is My only begotten Son" (Mark 9:2-8). These words remind us that we are never to build memorials in our spirits that will distract us from the only begotten Son of God. Jesus should always be our main interest, and the One that we focus our attention upon regardless of what else or who else shows up in the scene. Other ministries and the spectacular may try to lure and distract us like the cup at the Lord's hand in the painting. Even our own talents, work, and ministries may turn into masterpieces that are admired by the world. But like Leonardo da Vinci's response, we too must blot out any beauty and glory that seeks to supersede and overshadow the glory of the Lord Jesus. We should not allow anything to draw our attention away from Him. Regardless of what is happening around us, whether good or bad, we should declare, "We see Jesus." The lyrics of an old song remind us of this thought; "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace." +++ 5/4/20 GOD ANSWERS PRAYER Scripture: Psalms 143:7 (Message Bible) "Hurry with Your answer, God! I'm nearly at the end of my rope. King David asked the Lord to come speedily to his rescue because his enemies were pursuing him. They were attempting to crush his life into the ground. All of the turmoil that was happening around David caused him to be in a state of deep depression. Because of the darkness that surrounded him, David felt that if God did not come to his aid quickly, he would go down to the pit, which meant that he would just give up, die, and go to his grave. David was at the end of his rope and he was desperate. He needed some kind of answer from God and he needed it right away. We have all heard the expression that when we get to the end of the rope, just tie a knot and then hang on. That expression gives the impression that the knot is supposed to be a source of deliverance for us. Yet, hanging on to a knot in mid air for a long season is a very difficult task in itself. We must understand that the knot at the end of the rope is not our salvation. The truth is that we cannot do it alone. We are only going to be able to hold on for just so long before our own strength begins to fail. It is good to do all that we can do to survive. If we are going to tie a knot at the end of the rope, we are definitely going to need God to strengthen us physically, mentally, and emotionally. That is the only way we can hold on until His supernatural deliverance comes. While David was in his perplexing situation, he told the Lord, "I remember Your glorious miracles that You did in the days past and I reach out for You" (Verse six). God had delivered him many times, so David decided to let go of everything and trust in God. You may be at the end of your rope because of the circumstances that surround you. You may not know whether to let go or hang on, but you do know that things cannot continue as they are. Like David, you need God to hurry and come speedily to your rescue with His answer because you recognize that time is running out. I encourage you to speak to God very plainly as David did and tell Him that you are at the end and that you need Him to come through for you one more time and come quickly. God understands exactly where you are, for He sees your needs and He has answers for you. So set your gaze upon the Lord and stretch forth your arms to Him. Let Him know that you are trusting totally in Him rather than the knot at the end of your rope. As you reach out to the Lord, He will reach out to you. +++ 5/5/20 LEARN OF ME Scripture: Matthew 11:29 "Come unto Me ... learn of Me." Jesus speaks to those of us who are weary and heavy laden and tells us that we do not have to stay in that condition. He tells us that all we need to do is to come to Him and He will show us how to achieve rest in the midst of our labor. This means mental and emotional rest as well as physical rest. The Lord does not want us to be stressed in any area, whether it is in trying to meet our job requirements or doing the work of the ministry. He invites us to take His yoke upon ourselves so that we can enjoy life and find rest for our souls. Jesus said, "Learn of Me." This was a part of His great remedy for our fatigue, our stress, and ridding ourselves of heavy burdens. Jesus is our wonderful counselor, but how could His few words, "Learn of Me," solve our many problems? We must look at the examples of His life and listen to the words that He speaks. Jesus declared that He was meek and lowly. Being meek does not mean to be weak. It means that He kept His emotions intact and disciplined Himself to be gentle. Jesus did not rant and rave about everything that went wrong in His life or allow the petty accusations of the religious leaders to wear on His emotions. He kept His mind focused on His mission and went about doing good and serving others. He also remained lowly or humbly submitted to God the Father. Jesus never tried to prove that He was the Son of God even when He was tempted and challenged by the devil. Jesus simply stood steadfast in the knowledge of who God said that He was and did not put Himself in a bind by acting presumptuously. Instead, He only did what the Father showed Him. That in itself released Him from much pressure and responsibility. Jesus was simply obedient and left the results to Almighty God. Jesus studied the scriptures from an early age so that He could understand the will of God and also be able to come against the strategies of the devil. He was challenged with feeding the multitudes but He never got under the burden that Martha did who found herself anxious about serving her guest. Like Mary, Jesus had chosen the good part and had spent much time sitting in the presence of His Father. When it came time to feed the thousands, Jesus trusted the same God who had provided manna every day for forty years in the wilderness for Moses and the millions of Israelites. Jesus did not get uptight or face defeat when it became necessary to confront the demon possessed man because He had prepared Himself by prayer and fasting long before the incident occurred. Jesus also showed us some natural things that will ease our burdens and renew our strength. He took time to be totally alone so that He could rest physically and regenerate His own spirit, and He encouraged His disciples to do the same. If Jesus needed physical and mental rest, we surely do. We cannot wait until we have time, we must take time to follow His example. Jesus could perform miracles but He did not try to do all the work of the ministry by Himself. Instead, Jesus surrounded Himself with twelve close friends or disciples and allowed them to help Him carry His load. He was never threatened or became jealous when others tried to do what He was doing. Jesus was truly unique. We must become meek and lowly in heart as Jesus was and learn all that we can from Him. As we do, we will be able to escape the weariness and anxiety that living life creates. +++ 5/6/20 STABLE FEET Scripture: Habakkuk 3:19 "The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me walk upon my high places." Habakkuk who was a prophet of the Lord was in fear when he saw the Chaldeans coming to invade the land. He said, "My whole inner self (or everything within me) trembled and my lips quivered at the sound." There was nothing that he could do to prevent the situation as he waited quietly for the day of trouble and distress to come against his people. Yet in the midst of all this turmoil and the uncertainty about the future, Habakkuk put his trust in God and continued to praise Him. He made a bold declaration that God's strength would help him and his people get through the hard and uncertain times that they were facing. He said, "I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. If the fig tree does not blossom and bring fruit; if the product of the olive fails; if the fields yield no food; if there are no flocks; and if there are no cattle in the stalls, I will still rejoice." He made a decision ahead of time to praise God regardless of what the future held for him and his people. He was determined not to let the circumstances separate him from God. As he depended upon God for strength and help, he held three secrets in his heart that caused him to be able to continue in praise to God in spite of impending danger. 1) The Lord would be his strength. 2) God would make his feet to be stable. 3) God had a personal plan for him and would help him walk in it. Habakkuk knew that the eternal supernatural God that he served was bigger than any natural circumstance that he would have to face. Even though Habakkuk's own natural resources were failing, he knew that God would sustain him so he placed his confidence in the God who was his source and strength. Like Habakkuk, you can also have this same assurance. Regardless of the trouble or distress that you may be facing, you must stop relying on your own strength and lean upon God. As you begin to depend upon God, He will make your feet like the feet of the deer, strong and sure. As you develop your faith by hearing His Word, He will give you the ability to climb your mountain of adversity without fear. You must acknowledge God as your source of strength and praise Him regardless of how bad your circumstances look. As you do, He will then lead you to the places that He has prepared for you and enable you to conquer each cliff, one step at a time. Be assured that the same God who made Habakkuk's feet stable and allowed him to walk in high places is also the same God that is there for you. +++ 5/7/20 OPENING OUR HEART'S DOOR Scripture: Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him ..." When we read this scripture, we often think of the picture that we have seen of Jesus standing and knocking at a door that has no doorknob on the outside. The scene represents the door of our heart, which can only be opened from the inside. It leaves the impression that we must open the door if we want Jesus to come into our lives. We often think of this picture just in terms of our initial salvation and fail to realize that Jesus stands at the door of our heart on a daily basis wanting to commune with us on a personal level. This passage of scripture in Revelation was addressing not the lost, but those in the church who had become spiritually lukewarm and arrogant. They said, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." They thought that they had it all together, but the scriptures tell us that God saw them as wretched, poor, blind, and naked. So, He personally stood at their door and tried to get their attention. He wanted to come into their lives and make them into overcomers (verse 21). God told them that He would come in if they would respond to Him in two ways; by hearing His voice, and by opening the door to Him. God makes those same promises to us because He desires to experience an intimate relationship with us. He knocks on our heart's door to summon us to prayer and the study of His Word, but many times we do not respond for various reasons. We may be so far away spiritually that we actually do not hear Him, or we may be too distracted with the cares of this life to respond to His invitation. It may be that we are depending upon others to hear His voice for us. Then again, we may hear the Lord's voice, but feel we are just too busy to answer. The bottom line is that we will never be overcomers in this life if we are not attentive to God's voice or if we refuse to open the door and allow Him into our lives. He makes His invitation very plain. He says, "I am standing at the door of your heart and I am knocking. Do you hear me? Will you open the door? Can we commune with one another?" If you are willing and desire intimacy with the Lord, wait for Him just as you would wait for a special friend that you are expecting to come visit with you. Listen for His voice and respond to the knock at your heart's door. When Jesus knocks, remember that you are the only one who can open the door because the latch is on your side! +++ 5/8/20 BEING VIRTUOUS Scripture: Proverbs 31:29 "Many daughters have done virtuously, but you excel them all." There is a total difference in "doing" a virtuous act and "being" a virtuous person. Proverbs 31:10-31 list the things that make up the character of a virtuous woman. She is trustworthy with her marriage vows and does good for husband all the days of her life. She takes care of business needs and works willing with her hands. She rises early and prepares food for her family. She takes care of herself and strengthens her own body. She stays up late at night in order to get the necessary things done. She clothes her family and herself with comfortable and beautiful clothing and she also reaches out to the poor and needy. She causes her husband to be known in the city and to have honor in his workplace. Her mouth is filled with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She is never idle but always energetic as she takes care of her entire household. Many are capable of doing some of these virtuous works, but it is quite a challenge to conquer the entire list and do it all with excellence. If you get up early before everyone in the house, fix the breakfast and the lunches for the day, it is hard to stay up and be the last one to go to bed at night. If you work all day with your hands and take care of business needs, it is difficult to find the time to exercise and strengthen yourself. With everything on your list, you must also factor in time to care for the poor and needy without neglecting your own family's needs. This is not to mention that at the end of the day you must prepare the meal while everyone else is resting from their day of labor. As you accomplish all of these things you must also be an encourager to those around you. Words of wisdom must continually be coming from your mouth and the law of kindness be on your lips. The list is longer than you want to look at and the energy is just not there to complete all of the task. That is why virtue is about "being" and not just about "doing". Even Jesus pulled away from the needs of the people to rest. He did not run to every battle or even make haste to reach Lazarus before Lazarus died. He waited for God. The virtuous woman always excels. She is not in pursuit of natural favor because she has discovered that it is deceitful. She does not seek beauty in itself, for she has found it to be vain (Vs. 30). The key to her life is spiritual. She has gained wisdom because she fears the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). This aspect of her character makes the difference in her life. It governs her natural affairs of life and causes her to be stable in relationships. And because of the godly virtue that reigns in her heart, her husband is able to trust in her and openly praises her. Her children respect her and rise up and call her blessed. Her love and reverential fear of the Lord has created within her a servant's heart and even her works speak out in praise to her. This is a virtuous woman whose price is so far above rubies that she cannot be bought. She serves because she loves and does not love because she is served by others. If you want to be considered a virtuous woman, the conclusion is simple. Seek to be virtuous in your heart and then virtuous acts will follow what your virtuous heart demands and dictates. It is then you will excel above all. +++ 5/11/20 AS YOUR SOUL PROSPERS Scripture: III John 2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." We often think of prosperity in the terms of money and material things, but true prosperity is a far reaching concept that includes success in every area of life. The spirit of prosperity does not depend upon what you have or what you do not have. There are many people who are wealthy and have an abundance of material possessions but are lacking prosperity because their lives are empty and unfulfilled. They are never satisfied and many times complain about what they do have. They are always reaching for more in an effort to satisfy their own lust, and as a result they have little time to think of the needs of others. Yet there are others who have very little as far as worldly goods are concerned, but possess great prosperity in their hearts. They are happy and satisfied and their greatest fulfillment is to share what they have with someone who needs it more than they do. They feel blessed just to be able to be a blessing, even though it may leave them without. Two of God's greatest wishes is that we prosper and that we be in good health. However, our health, our material prosperity, and our personal success is linked to the prosperity of our soul. Matthew 6:33 confirms this thought by saying, "Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." When you seek God, He blesses your life in a supernatural way. Abraham left everything to follow after God and God blessed him and made him rich. God offered King Solomon anything that he wanted, but Solomon did not ask for riches or fame for himself. Instead he asked for wisdom to lead God's people, and God not only imparted wisdom to Solomon, but gave him wealth and fame beyond measure. Isaac obeyed God and stayed in the land where God had placed him and God made him to prosper in the time of famine. God even caused everything that Joseph did to prosper when he was a slave and serving in the prison. These men prospered because their souls prospered. They followed and sought after God's best and trusted His sovereign plan. If you desire to experience true prosperity in your life, then allow your soul to prosper. Take time to wait upon God so that you can draw strength from His presence. Study His Word and listen to His voice as He speaks words of wisdom to you. Seek to accomplish God's will by obeying His commands and following where He leads. Want what God wants. Go where God goes. Do what God tells you to do. As you totally commit your life to Him and trust in His sovereign plan, your soul will prosper and all that God has ordained for your life will come to pass. +++ 5/12/20 BETWEEN THE WATERS Scripture: Exodus 14:29 "The children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left." The children of Israel had no way to escape their enemy. The Red Sea was in front of them and the Egyptians were pursuing from behind. It seemed that the Israelites were at the end, but God took the natural and turned it into a supernatural miracle of deliverance for them. He used two natural elements, the wind and the water, to create a way to deliver His people and at the same time destroy their enemy. God is God. He could have just transported the Israelites across the Red Sea in the Spirit like He did with Philip after he had witnessed to the Eunuch in the desert (Acts 8:39). Instead, God chose to have the Israelites walk right through the middle of the sea. This journey on the dry ground was a miracle in itself because the sea floor should have remained wet and muddy long after the waters were rolled back, but God caused the ground to be dry and stable enough for millions of people to cross. Even though God provided dry ground for them to walk upon, their supernatural walk was between two walls of water that could have possibly come surging in on them at any given moment. This had to be an awesome sight and yet a frightening moment in their lives as they gathered their young children and elderly parents and walked with them between the walls of water. Can you imagine the faith that it took to obey God's command and walk this supernatural walk? Our walk of faith many times is like this, for we can see that God is making a way for us. In the midst of our adverse circumstances, He tells us to go forward and He gives us dry ground to walk upon. We rejoice because it is an awesome miracle. Yet as we begin to make our journey in obedience to His words of direction, we see adversity on the right and on the left like the walls of water that stood in heaps as the Israelites passed through the middle of the sea. It is no less frightening for us than it was for them, for it is a new and strange thing. Thoughts of doubt and fear attack our minds and tell us that it is just a matter of time before everything crashes in upon us. We fail to consider that God is in control and that He has a plan and a reason for the walls of water. He plans to use those walls of water to destroy our enemies forever, just as He did with the Israelites. God has never promised that our walk would be easy, for life itself will always demand faith and trust on our part. When God leads, He will cause the ground to be dry beneath our feet, one step at a time. Our steps forward will demand faith as we walk between the walls of water to receive our deliverance and to experience our destiny. +++ 5/13/20 SIMPLE TRUST Scripture: Psalms 9:10 "They that know Your Name will trust in You, for You Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You." I watched as my 18-month-old grandson jumped from the side of a swimming pool into the arms of his father. My grandson had sensed the danger of the water and had shown much fear of even being in the water. Yet, when he heard the request, “Jump to Daddy,” he put his trust in that name. As he looked at the situation, you could discern a little anxiety as he made his leap. Yet at the bidding of his father's words and outstretched arms, he jumped courageously in the direction of the big pool of water that he had cautiously tried to avoid. The only thing that stood between him and the same water that he had been fearful of was the presence of his father. He found security knowing that his father would protect him from any danger the water presented. His actions manifested his total confidence and trust in his father. He had a pure heart of faith that his father would not bid him to come and then forsake him in the midst of his obedience. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father is no different. God attempts to mature us spiritually and to stretch our faith by bidding us to leap into His everlasting arms with total faith. We may look at the situation with great fear and trembling because we have not experienced the new paths or places that are now set before us. Our vision of the future may be clouded and dim with many factors unknown. The waters may look deep and the circumstances may be over our heads and overwhelming to our minds. Besides those factors, we cannot actually see God or His outstretched arms. We can only hear His still small voice saying, "Come." As we hear God's call, we realize that He alone is the only thing that is between us and the present danger that exists or the failures that could occur. As we step out in faith, we know that He is our only hope and that without Him, we can do nothing. Trust does not come easy or quick. It is earned and can only be built upon relationship. My son had worked with my grandson for 18 months, one step at a time, in developing this unwavering trust within his son’s innocent heart. This simple trust was a mighty witness to me. I thought about how our trust in our Father God must also be a tremendous witness to the world as we act upon His promises and trust in His Name. That trust comes line upon line and precept upon precept. We believe that the Lord will be there when we jump towards the deep waters because we have felt the security of His arms many times in the past. We trust Him in the midst of the raging storms because we have seen Him speak peace into situations that were beyond our control. We expect the Lord to deliver us from our enemies because He has come to our defense in the past, and we know that His Name is above all other names. We look to our Father God to meet all of our needs according to His promises, and because He has never failed us, we have a pure heart of faith. We know His Name and we trust in Him. We know that He will not forsake us but will be there with open arms when we need Him. +++ 5/14/20 UPHELD BY HIS WORD OF POWER Scripture: Hebrews 1:3 "Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power." Jesus was the exact representation of God on this earth. He was the Word of God who became flesh so that He could dwell among men and become acquainted with our personal feelings and infirmities. He was the brightness of God's glory and the essence of God's character. Jesus was the expressed image of God's person. His very being was a mirror of God's nature. Jesus only spoke what God told Him to speak and did nothing unless the Father showed Him. He was in complete obedience to the Father's will. Even when it went against His own desires and wishes, Jesus yielded Himself totally to the Father and said, "Not My will, but Thine be done." Jesus followed the Father's plan all the way to the cross and became obedient to death. After Jesus arose from the dead and before He ascended into Heaven, He declared to His disciples that all power had been given to Him in Heaven and in Earth (Matthew 28:18). The writer of Hebrews now declares that Jesus upholds all things by the Word of His power or by the power filled words that He speaks. It only takes a few words from the lips of Jesus to create a miracle. When He said, "Peace be still" the raging storm ceased and became calm. Thousands were fed at His Word when He blessed the few fish and the loaves of bread. With His Word of power, He called Lazarus from the dead, cast demons out of the possessed, and spoke healing to those who were sick. Even the centurion recognized the power of Jesus' words and told Jesus, "Speak the Word only, and my servant shall be healed" (Matthew 8:8). God's Word never returns to Him void but always accomplishes what He sends it forth to do. No matter what your situation, Jesus is still in control. He is holding everything in your life together by the Word of His power. You have nothing to fear because nothing escapes His notice. He is sitting at the right hand of the Father, but His eyes are upon God's creation. He sees your difficulty, your heartache, and your physical pain. Because Jesus has walked this earth and has experienced the same things with His own flesh that you are experiencing, He understands and He wants to help you. It only takes one power filled Word from Him to change your circumstances. Trust Him as He holds your heart in His hands. The Lord will speak a Word in due season and change your darkness into light and your sorrow into joy. Jesus never fails. As your faith reaches out to Him, He will be there to uphold you with the Word of His power. +++ 5/15/20 LET THE WINTER PASS Scripture: Song of Solomon 2:11-13 "For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of the birds is come ... " We pass through various seasons in our life and with each one we experience God in a different way. The dormant winter seasons are the hardest to endure, for they often become very confusing. There is little understanding about the cold darkness that surrounds us, for during these winter seasons our talents lay buried and our efforts seem fruitless. It seems there is no hope for a brighter day. Our tears pour like rain and flood our soul. And yet, it is during this time that God is doing His greatest work in our lives. Our hearts become fertile as we diligently seek God’s will and allow Him to search our inner most being. Then as He points out the things in our lives that are displeasing to Him, we repent and He forgives. Look back at the seasons in your life and you will discover that spiritual growth and depth came to you during your darkest hours. When your feelings were hurt, you learned to react in love. When you were taken advantage of, you learned to forgive instead of retaliate. When facing tribulations, you learned to rejoice in the knowledge that God was in control and that He was developing patience in your life. When finances were low, you learned to have faith in God's provision. In those dark hours when your body was sick, you saw Jesus as your healer. In the lonely moments, you experienced the Lord's very real and awesome eternal presence. In the spiritual valleys, He became the restorer of your soul, and in your time of mourning, He became your great comforter. In every weak endeavor, you discovered His omnipotent strength and when you lacked knowledge and understanding, He was your all-knowing omniscient God. Every dormant season that you have encountered was necessary to prepare you for God's greater purpose. The winters that challenge your soul are not destined to be forever. They will pass and God will release you from their embrace. Your tears will cease and the darkness will give way to the brightness of the light. As God’s light comes, you will realize that your tears actually watered the garden of your heart, causing you to flourish with new growth, to find new direction, and to experience new strength. As you let go of painful disappointments and allow the winter to pass, new life will emerge in your spirit. The flowers will begin to appear and give forth a beautiful fragrance just as they do in nature. They will attract the birds that sing and your heart will again rejoice at their sound. God's love will flow as never before and cleanse your heart, washing away the seeds of bitterness that could have taken over. Therefore never give up when the darkness of winter challenges you, for it will soon pass and you will find that God is always faithful. God will bring the spring and He will enlarge your borders once again. He will also restore the song and the beauty to your life and enhance your ministry with His glory. +++ 5/18/20 TARES AMONG THE WHEAT Scripture: Matthew 13:25 "But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat." Jesus told of a man who had sown good seed in his field, but while he and his men were asleep the enemy came and sowed weeds or thistles throughout his field. The man was not aware of the evil deed that had been done against him, but when his wheat began to spring up the tares or weeds also appeared. The man's servant wanted to remove the tares immediately. The master declined the suggestion with the warning that if they tried to remove the tares they might uproot the wheat in the process. He said, "Let both of them grow together until the harvest, then we will gather up the tares and burn them and gather the wheat and store it in the barn." Jesus explains this parable saying that the tares are the children of the wicked one. While Jesus sowed the good seed in the earth, which produced wheat, the enemy sowed bad seed, which produced the tares. It seems that the fields of God's Kingdom are always the targets of Satan's activity. Satan goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and continually mingles his evil seed amongst the good. His goal is to deceive the very elect if possible. His work is so very subtle that in the beginning both the wheat and the tares look so much alike that it is hard to distinguish them from each other. Jesus warned us that the devil himself would appear as an angel of light. He referred to many of the religious leaders of His time as being vipers or snakes. Jesus also told us that there would be those who would do mighty works and even cast out devils in His name, but in the end of time, He would declare that He never knew them. All of these examples manifested themselves as being good. Who could deny an angel of light, religious leaders, or those doing mighty works in the Name of Jesus? Yet, these workers of iniquity were actually tares that were growing amongst the wheat. We must understand that God does not take all the wrong influences out of our lives and give us a perfect world to live in. He said that evil would be with us until the end of time. The devil will make his bid for our attention and for our very life. There will always be those around us who professed to be wheat, when in reality they are tares. It may seem that they are saying and doing the right things but they walk in deception. We must ask the Holy Spirit to open our spiritual eyes and help us walk in discernment so that we are not led astray and tossed about by every wind of doctrine. We must be vigilant and learn to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, wheat and tares, by judging and measuring everything with the Word of God. +++ 5/19/20 A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART Scripture: Acts 13:22 "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My Own heart, which shall fulfill all My will." God led the people of Israel out of Egypt and separated them unto Himself. He then raised up the various judges who judged and guided the people for four hundred and fifty years. After that, He appointed King Saul to rule over them. Finally, God removed Saul from leadership and anointed David to be the king of Israel. God never declared any of these chosen or appointed people to have a pure heart towards Him except for David. Yet, David's pure heart for God cannot be defined as one that was without sin or short comings. In fact, when we look at his life we have to wonder how God came to the conclusion that David was a man after His own heart because David had made many mistakes. He harbored lust in his heart for Bathsheba and committed immoral sin with her. David also arranged for Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, to be killed in battle so that he could hide his own adulterous affair with Uriah's wife. David even tried to deceive Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, when Samuel confronted him and exposed the sin that he had committed against God. After seeing David's pitiful record, we would probably all agree that David did not deserve the recognition of being called "A Man After God's Own Heart." Our eyes would only see David's unwise choices, which were beyond belief. Our limited vision would focus on the dreadful sins that David had committed and their horrifying results. Even after being chosen and anointed to be king over Israel, he still made many bad decisions and suffered many failures. Those things would turn our eyes away from discerning the pure heart that David had towards God and God's kingdom. God's vision is not limited like our vision. He can see that which is not visible to our eyes. He could see into the depths of David's soul and discern his spirit. When God looked at David He saw a man that loved Him with all of his heart. God knew that regardless of David's personal failures that he wanted to obey God and that he was committed to fulfill God's will regardless of the cost. It was true that David fell into nature's trap and allowed lust to rule him for a season. It is also true that he chose the ways of darkness rather than light and self-pleasure instead of self-sacrifice. Yet God knew that in the midst of it all, He was David's first love. The story of David's life was recorded to encourage us. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable ... so that we can be complete and thoroughly furnished unto all good works (II Timothy 3:16-17). When we see how God judged David, we realize that God is looking at our hearts and not just our failures. We can then believe that if God forgave David of his sins and use David as a mighty man in His kingdom, He will also forgive us and use us in spite of our short comings. We will also come to understand that when we fail, it does not mean that we do not love God, for David sinned and was still declared to be a man after God's own heart. Our failures show us that we are frail in our humanity and that God understands our weaknesses. Yet, this does not mean that we can continue in sin and cheat God's grace. Instead, it means that we do not have to discount our love for God because God's forgiveness is bigger than any of our failures. So let us always love God and always seek to be men and women after God's own heart. +++ 5/20/20 FROM VESSEL TO VESSEL Scripture: Jeremiah 48:11 "He has settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel ... therefore his taste remains in him, and his scent is not changed." This scripture refers to the country of Moab, which had settled down in its prosperity. And because it was not in captivity or facing adversity, it felt no need to trust in God. This season of ease and the lack of challenges that Moab was experiencing had caused the hearts of the people to become stale in their faith. Jeremiah compared its state to that of the process of wine making, declaring that Moab had "settled on its lees." When wine is being made it must be poured from one vessel to another to separate the liquid from the dregs. This process forces the dregs to settle in the bottom of the vessel, which improves the quality of the wine and produces a fresh scent. Wine that is not poured from vessel to vessel acquires the essence of the dregs that have settled at the bottom or "settled on its lees." It becomes stale and bitter. Through the challenges of life, God works this same process within our spirits. Sometimes we do not understand why good people have to go through bad times. Yet, it is the hard times that teach us how to trust God, and it is the hard times that keep us from becoming like Moab, "settled on our lees," or at ease and undisturbed. It is in the places of no options that our faith is challenged and our hearts learn to believe in God. It is only when we are poured out and emptied that God can fill us with His presence so that He can use us. Through each test and trial, we go through a releasing of our own desires and self. The more difficult the test, the more we release. In reality, we would rather travel the road of least resistance. It is a lot easier to settle on our lees and stay in the blessings or to sit on the pew and receive rather than be poured out on the altar. Often we rebel against being torn away from our desires, but God works with us anyway. He pours us from vessel to vessel and disallows us to settle in our own dregs. He refuses to allow us to become stale. God molds us until we are conformed into His image and then He fills us with His Spirit and causes us to take on His essence. Jesus experienced this same process as He made Himself of no reputation. He emptied Himself of all that He was and allowed God to pour Him out for mankind. He "took the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man: He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:7-8). He poured Himself out for us and challenges us to do the same for Him. His Word says, "Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus." As we yield to the Lord, He does the pouring and takes us from glory to glory with each new experience. As we leave the dregs behind, our lives begin to yield a freshness and a scent that is pleasing to our Maker and not offensive to the world about us. +++ 5/21/20 GOD'S WONDROUS WORKS Scripture: Psalms 26:7 "That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Thy wondrous works." God's creation goes far beyond anything that we ourselves could have ever imagined to create. In fact, our minds can only comprehend a portion of His awesome works, and our most precise words are inadequate to tell of His marvelous wonders. There are no words to describe the majestic mountains whose heights surpass the clouds or explain the beauty of the lush green valleys. Who can tell of the dry barren deserts and wilderness places that are unique and wondrous in their own way, or speak of the vast oceans and enormous lakes? There are also tall trees and small intricate flowers to consider. There is the beauty of the heavens, which goes far beyond what our eyes can behold, and there is also the sunrise and sunsets that no artist could ever duplicate on canvas. God was truly very imaginative when He created this earth and this was just the beginning of His wondrous works. After God finished creating the heavens and the earth, He created man and filled his being with wonders that surpass the wonders of nature that surrounds him. These works of God are awesome and precious to us on a personal and daily basis. God has graciously given us sight, which allows us to behold His wondrous works and enables us to move about unhindered in the earth. He has given us ears so that we may hear voices, music, and the awesome sounds of nature. He has equipped our nostrils with the sense of smell, which not only enhances life but also serves to protect us when there are the hidden dangers such as fire. We have been given the wonderful sense of taste for our pleasure so that we can enjoy all the various foods and drinks that God has created. God made our vocal cords so that we could speak, sing, and communicate with one another. We enjoy the sense of touch and also the ability to feel emotions such as love, joy, and passion. God has also given us a spirit so that we might experience the privilege of communicating directly with Him, for God is spirit. God is awesome and His works are truly wondrous. Yet, many times we neglect to acknowledge them. It is time for us to make a change in this matter. Let us join with the psalmist who desired to publish the wondrous works of God with a voice of thanksgiving. Let us consider all the works of God's hands; the beauty of the mountains, valleys, oceans, lakes, trees, flowers, and all that He has set before us. And then let us speak of these wondrous works to God, to ourselves, and to others with a voice of thanksgiving. God has been so gracious to give us such beauty and wonder to behold and He deserves the glory and praise for all that He has done. +++ 5/22/20 FAITH IS THE VICTORY Scripture: I John 5:4 "This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." Faith is not a mental or emotional feeling. It is your response to the power of God's Word, and your own personal statement that declares, "God said it, so I believe it." Regardless of what is happening around you, your heart is convinced that everything is going to be okay because you know that God is on your side. Faith causes everything within you to believe that you can trust God. Your whole being makes a firm determination to stand upon His promises regardless of what happens, for you know that He cannot and will not fail. This is the victory that overcomes the world. Doubt and unbelief will rob you of your blessings and your peace of mind. When you begin to see things the way the devil wants you to view them, discouragement and despair will fill your heart. Satan's concepts will render you helpless when you face the storms of life, and his seeds of doubt will flourish within your spirit until you have no hope. You will see the mountain instead of your God who can take you over the mountain. You will see the desert instead of your God who can create streams in the desert. You will see your needs instead of the One who will meet your needs and give you abundantly beyond what you ask or think. Instead of your faith overcoming the world, the world will overcome your faith and erase any chance of victory. Faith, however, will change your atmosphere and alter the results. It will cause you to look at things with a totally different perspective, as you see your problems as God sees them. You will not see yourself as a grasshopper in the eyes of the giant, but will see yourself as one who is able to take down the giant and possess the promises of God. I recently heard someone say, "A shark in the ocean is dangerous and a lion in the forest is equally dangerous." But listen to the rest of the words, "But a shark in the forest is not dangerous, and a lion in the ocean is not dangerous." The shark and lion were potentially dangerous, but both were rendered helpless when their environment and atmosphere were changed. God is awesome and He is able to change your atmosphere and render the strategies and works of the devil helpless in your situations. God changed the atmosphere for the Hebrew children in the furnace of fire and also for Daniel in the lion's den. He will do the same for you in your situations when you exhibit faith in Him and His Words. The Lord will surround your sharks with the forest and cast your lions into the ocean. All you have to do is look beyond the natural, get a glimpse of God, and allow your faith to be the victory that overcomes the world. +++ 5/25/20 GOD'S MEMORIAL DAY Scripture: Exodus 12:14 "And this day shall be unto you for a Memorial." This scripture is in reference to the institution of the Passover, which began when Moses was leading the people out of Egypt. This event was a shadow or an illustration of the redemptive work that Jesus was to accomplish for us on the cross. At this first Passover, Israel was instructed to take a lamb without spot or blemish, kill it, and apply the blood to the doorpost of their homes. God told them that when He saw the blood, He would pass over them and not kill the firstborn of that house. He promised that death would have no dominion over them if they would simply apply the blood of the slain lamb. God grants us a Memorial Day such as this. Jesus is our lamb without spot and blemish. When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Jesus was slain on the cross of Calvary for our sins and because of His sacrifice, we have a promise of eternal life, and death no longer has dominion over us. However, just like the first Passover, God's work is not complete until we personally apply the blood of Jesus to our lives by receiving Jesus as our Savior and Lord. God gave such simple instructions to His people. They only had to take the lamb, kill it, and apply the blood. Yet, many people in Egypt did not respond to these instructions and faced the judgment of their choice. You also have a choice. Eternal salvation is just as simple, for God has made a way for you by sacrificing His own Son, Jesus. Please respond to His great invitation, for the steps to salvation are as simple as ABC. A) Acknowledge your sin, for all have sinned. (Romans 3:23) B) Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 16:31) C) Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved. (Romans 10:9) Today we celebrate Memorial Day in America in honor of those who have given their lives for this country. So when you see the red stripes on our great American flag think about those who have fought and have paid the ultimate price with their blood for your own personal freedom. And also remember the great sacrifice that Jesus made for your eternal freedom and the crimson blood that He shed for the remission of your sins. +++ 5/26/20 SINCERE LOVE Scripture: Romans 12:9 (NLT) "Let your love be sincere." When I took Latin as my foreign language in high school, I learned the true meaning of the word sincere. When the word sincere was originally created, it meant "without wax." The word came into being because many of the vendors at that time came to the marketplace with the intentions of deceiving their buyers. They often hid pockets of heavy wax within the center of their precious metals in order to increase the weight and increase the value. They overlaid the waxed-filled items with the precious metals and even though it looked good on the outside, the inside was fake. The buyer had to be cautious and able to determine if the wares they were receiving were truly sincere or if they were actually full of wax. Today, we sign letters with the words "Sincerely" in an effort to convey that our words are true and that our affections are genuine. Many of us have entered into contracts and relationships that looked good on the outside, but instead turned out to be "full of wax." These words may even define our own lives if we seek to deceive, so the Apostle Paul encouraged us not to allow this to happen. He said, "Let your love be sincere" or let your love be pure and without wax and deception. We cannot allow hypocrisy in our lives, for the Lord told us to love as He loved. We know that His love was sincere and certainly without wax, for He showed His love by sacrificing His own life on the cross. He loved unconditionally and also loved all creation. He did not pick and choose those whom He would die for, but gave His life for all men whether they were lovely or unlovely. We too must love in the same manner. The Message Bible translates this verse, "Love from the center of who you are." If you are born again, the Spirit of God lives within you and He is love. God, Himself, is harbored in the very center of your being and all that you need to do is to allow Him to manifest Himself in your life. When you do, genuine love will flow out of you to a world that is full of hurting people. The unlovely will cross you path each and every day, but you will not have to pretend that you love them or overlay the judgmental and hateful feelings that you have with a mere cloak of love. Instead, you will see them through God's eyes and you will sincerely love them the way that He loves them. When you submit to God and allow Him to warm your being with His presence, the wax of insincerity will melt away and the Lord will fill those void places with His sincere love. +++ 5/27/20 SINCERE LOVE Scripture: Romans 12:9 (NLT) "Let your love be sincere." When I took Latin as my foreign language in high school, I learned the true meaning of the word sincere. When the word sincere was originally created, it meant "without wax." The word came into being because many of the vendors at that time came to the marketplace with the intentions of deceiving their buyers. They often hid pockets of heavy wax within the center of their precious metals in order to increase the weight and increase the value. They overlaid the waxed-filled items with the precious metals and even though it looked good on the outside, the inside was fake. The buyer had to be cautious and able to determine if the wares they were receiving were truly sincere or if they were actually full of wax. Today, we sign letters with the words "Sincerely" in an effort to convey that our words are true and that our affections are genuine. Many of us have entered into contracts and relationships that looked good on the outside, but instead turned out to be "full of wax." These words may even define our own lives if we seek to deceive, so the Apostle Paul encouraged us not to allow this to happen. He said, "Let your love be sincere" or let your love be pure and without wax and deception. We cannot allow hypocrisy in our lives, for the Lord told us to love as He loved. We know that His love was sincere and certainly without wax, for He showed His love by sacrificing His own life on the cross. He loved unconditionally and also loved all creation. He did not pick and choose those whom He would die for, but gave His life for all men whether they were lovely or unlovely. We too must love in the same manner. The Message Bible translates this verse, "Love from the center of who you are." If you are born again, the Spirit of God lives within you and He is love. God, Himself, is harbored in the very center of your being and all that you need to do is to allow Him to manifest Himself in your life. When you do, genuine love will flow out of you to a world that is full of hurting people. The unlovely will cross you path each and every day, but you will not have to pretend that you love them or overlay the judgmental and hateful feelings that you have with a mere cloak of love. Instead, you will see them through God's eyes and you will sincerely love them the way that He loves them. When you submit to God and allow Him to warm your being with His presence, the wax of insincerity will melt away and the Lord will fill those void places with His sincere love. +++ 5/28/20 ENLARGE YOUR BORDERS Scripture: Isaiah 54:3 "For you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left." Have your ever felt like your life was barren because your dreams were unfulfilled or have you wondered when you will experience a major breakthrough in your circumstances? The prophet Isaiah spoke to the people of Israel concerning the same issue. He compared their situation to that of putting up a tent. In essence, he told them that even though they had been barren up to this point, they were to sing and cry aloud because things were going to change in their lives. He instructed them to prepare themselves for growth. They were not only to enlarge the place of their tent but were to also lengthen their cords and strengthen their stakes. In other words, make their dwelling places larger and stronger. He then told them that after they had made these preparations, they were to get ready to experience growth on the right hand and on the left, for it was going to break out suddenly. Many of us find ourselves in barren places such as those that the prophet spoke about. It seems that nothing special is happening in our lives and time is passing away too quickly. We are finding that our dreams and visions are fading from view and the light in our spirit is becoming dim by the discouragement that surrounds us. We thought surely by this time in our life we would be further down the road in accomplishing the things that God had placed in our hearts so many years ago. Now it seems almost impossible to reach those goals or complete our destiny that once burned so passionately within our hearts because there are so many other responsibilities that demand our attention. Then we get a glimpse of the examples of Abraham and Sarah and remember that they did not consider their circumstances or the weakness of their own bodies. They trusted God, believed His promise, and continued to hope when things seemed hopeless. God rewarded their faith and Isaac was born to them when Abraham was a hundred years old and Sarah was ninety. What an amazing result of simple faith. God's promises to us are no less sure than the promises that He gave to Abraham and Sarah, for He is no respecter of person. If God has spoken it, it will surely come to pass. As we think about the unfinished goals in our lives, we need to take Isaiah's words to heart and realize that nothing is going to happen until we begin to follow these same instructions that he gave to Israel. Even though we are barren at the moment, we need to sing aloud with praise and thanksgiving in faith for what God has done and what He is going to do. We must look at the future with anticipation as we offer up our petitions to God. It is imperative that we let go of the things that have discouraged us and kept us down in the past, for our hearts and minds must be stayed on the vision that God placed in our hearts for the future. We must begin to enlarge the borders of our heart by turning our eyes from ourselves and looking towards the needs of others. As we stretch forth towards a higher goal and the greater vision that God has ordained for us, the Holy Spirit will move us forward in a positive direction. Like the Apostle Paul, we must press towards the mark of the high calling of God for our lives. We need to make our goals sure by lengthening our cords and strengthening our stakes spiritually through studying God's Word, prayer, and communion with Him. God will not move until we are prepared and ready, but as we do our part and focus on His plan for our lives, He will bring life and hope into our situation and cause us to break out on the right and the left. +++ 5/29/20 MAKE A CLEAR SOUND Scripture: I Corinthians 14:8 "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? The ancient Hebrews used an instrument that was called a shofar, which was a trumpet that was made from a ram's horn. It was used to sound an alarm, to summon the people together, and was also used in other various rituals. It dictated to the people what their response should be, for it made a certain and clear sound with a specific purpose in mind, which was to call the people to war, celebration, or worship. It is still used today by the Jewish people at their New Year's celebration of Rosh Hashanah and their most holy day of Yon Kippur. The shofar was put under much pressure before it became the instrument that could be used in such a manner. It had to be cut from the ram and the inside of it had to be totally gutted and made clean. It then had to be boiled until it was soft and pliable and put under fire so that it could be shaped. After this process was complete, the shofar had to be sanded until it became smooth. Only after this enduring process was it ready to fulfill its purpose and its destiny, which was to make a clarion call to battle, celebration, or worship. The Apostle Paul encouraged us to be like a trumpet that gives forth a certain sound. We all want to fulfill that call and purpose, but most of us do not want to go through the process of becoming the instrument that God can work through, for it is much like the process of refining the shofar. Our souls must be cut away from everything that would hinder our freedom in Christ and we must allow ourselves to be totally cleaned within by God's Holy Spirit. This is not an easy process because God offends our minds in order to test our hearts. Often we do not understand His works of righteousness, for there is much pain that is involved to affect His purposes in our lives. God allows us to experience the fire so that we will become soft and pliable enough to be shaped in His hands. Then just about the time that we think He is finished and we feel that we are ready, He begins the sanding process. We must remember that God is not trying to be cruel to us. He just wants to make sure that our words and lives are making a clear and certain sound to those about us. He said that we were the hope of His glory and His kingdom depends upon our witness and testimony. We are epistles read of all men and we are not to be confusing to those about us. Our lives are to be sure and our sound is to be certain, whether it is a call to battle, celebration, or worship. +++ Copyright © 2020 Mary Padgett Ministries. 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