| ............ | A Word In Due Season Nov 2023 11/1/23 PRIVILEGE OF GOD'S PRESENCE Scripture: Psalms 73:28 "It is good for me to draw near to God." We have all had those moments when we just needed someone we could talk with. Maybe the day has not gone just as we expected, and we have been challenged with trouble, disappointment, and sorrow. Frustrations may have come and continue to be in our path. Traffic did not allow us to change lanes, which forced us to pass our exit. We got caught in the slow line, or our computer crashed and caused us to lose our information. Maybe someone was rude to us for no apparent reason. Our entire day from start to finish was filled with useless delays and turmoil. Yet, in all these stressful situations there remained an awesome privilege available to us, which was a haven of rest in God's presence. Many things come into our lives to cause problems and stress, but amid it all we can stop and take a spiritual break to draw near to God and allow His presence to enveloped us. When we enter His presence, it releases us from the strain of the day as He speaks words of peace and encouragement to our soul. The Lord's quiet and gentle voice stops the pounding of our hearts and causes us to simply rest and feel His gentle heartbeat. It is a privilege to have this benefit and to have a friend that we can go to and cling to, who has promised He would always be there. A moment in God's presence will revive our energy and renew our strength. His counsel will make our path very plain, and His gentle voice will direct us in the way that we need to go. His Spirit will help us make the right decisions when we do not know what to do. He is a good and wonderful God whose presence will enable us to face stress with a peace that passes all understanding. We can experience bitterness, abuse, and hateful actions from others, but because of God's presence in our life, we can still have love in our heart and joy in our spirit. We do not have to walk around in a fog of confusion when His presence walks beside us. When confusion comes our way, we can know exactly what is happening and what should be done because God's presence prevails in our lives. Floods will come and waters will rise, but His presence will draw us out of the waters and place our feet on solid ground. God's presence protects us and imparts wisdom beyond our natural understanding. The power of His presence heals and empowers us with holy authority when we need it. His presence takes care of us when we cannot take care of ourselves. We can be anywhere that we want to be, but for life’s best, we must choose to be in God's presence. If we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). We must acknowledge God and give reverence to His presence in our lives. He is watching over us even as we consider these words. Psalms 16:11 says that in His presence there is fullness of joy. What a privilege it is to have His presence and joy in our lives. Is it any wonder that the psalmist said, "It is good for me to draw near to God?” +++ 11/2/23 PAIN AND PRESSURE Scripture: Job 30:26 "But when I looked for good, then evil came to me, and when I waited for light, there came darkness." We speak of the patience of Job. One bad thing after another happened in his life as he went through a season of overwhelming problems and trials. Yet even though Job did not have anyone on his side to stand with him or to encourage him, he endured the test. It was just him and God in a struggle against evil. From Job's own words, he must have thought the end of his trials would come sooner than they did. This must have been discouraging for Job when things did not change as he thought, and his prayers were not answered. Yet, he never gave up. He continued to trust God with his life even though evil and darkness surrounded him. Job's life proves that "God will not take us to a place where His grace will not keep us, His power will not use us, and His love is not needed." In his season of testing, Job experienced God's amazing grace and found it to be sufficient in every conflict. This included the death of all Job's children, the loss of his possessions, the loss of his honor and self-esteem among his friends and wife, and the loss of his own health. Job also experienced God's power when God delivered him from his trials and restored more to him than that which he had lost. When Job was suffering pain and enduring the pressure of rejection from those around him, he experienced God's intimate love in a fresh and mighty way. As God communed with him personally, Job spoke to God and said, "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see You" (Job 42:5). The light of God's love kept him, and at the end, Job's life speaks of an enormous victory that was birthed out of the great adversity he experienced. Like Job, we experience seasons of difficulty that we think will never come to an end. We look for good, but instead evil repeats itself. It is just one trial after another. We wait for the light but find there is only darkness. We wonder why our prayers are not answered. These times can be confusing, for it seems there is no hope in sight. That is the reason God shares this story of Job with us. He wants these words to inspire us to continue in faith regardless of our situation. God wants us to believe that His grace is sufficient to meet all our needs and that if we trust Him, He will keep us safe in the middle of our adversity. God wants us to understand that He is still on the throne and that His power will deliver us. He will use our victory to be a witness to others. As we continue to believe in Him, good will eventually come and God's light will drive away our darkest season. Though all men forsake us, we will never be alone or without God's love. His love is all that we need to carry us through to the place of light. +++ 11/3/23 HALLOWED BE THY NAME Scripture: Matthew 6:9 "Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name." Hallowed means sacred, holy, and blameless. Jesus taught us that we are to give reverence, honor, and glory to the Name of our Father who is in Heaven. In the Ten Commandments, we are commanded not to take the Name of the Lord our God in vain. This command not only means not to speak His Name in profanity, but also not to dishonor His Name in the way we live, for God’s Name is sacred, holy, and blameless. Names not only identify a person, but also call to mind the character, attitudes, and integrity of that person. For this reason, we try to protect our name. My father was very proud of his name and did not want it to be dishonored. I was taught that everything I did was a reflection on my father and his name. In our community, my father's name was trusted because it was backed up by his character and integrity. Everyone knew that he was a hardworking, honest, person who paid his bills. His word was his bond and his name backed up his word. He could borrow money from the bank on his name alone and made deals with just a handshake. I was given the privilege to use my father's name and charge debts against his name. I was never questioned because I was his child, and I was called by his name. Although I did not personally have any resources, the lender knew that my father would honor and take care of the debt I incurred under his name. This is true in the spiritual realm as well. God gave Jesus a special name that is above every name and Philippians 2:10-11 declares that "at the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow ... and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord". Jesus then told us that we could also use this special name that the Father had given to Him. In John 14:14 Jesus said, "If you shall ask any thing in My Name, I will do it." Listed below are names of God in the Old Testament. These names were established by God as He met with men and revealed His character, ability, and power to them. YAHWEH, "I AM THAT I AM" - Exodus 3:14 Jehovah Jireh, "The Lord my Provider" - Genesis 22:14 Jehovah Nissi, "The Lord is my Banner" - Exodus 17:15 Jehovah Shalom, "The Lord is Peace" - Judges 6:24 Jehovah Sabbaoth, "The Lord of Hosts" - I Samuel 1:3 Jehovah Maccaddeshcem, "The Lord my Sanctifier" - Exodus 31:13 Jehovah Raah, "The Lord is my Shepherd" - Psalms 23:1 Jehovah Tsidkenu, "The Lord my Righteousness" - Jeremiah 23:6 Jehovah Shammah, "The Lord is There (Present)" - Ezekiel 48:35 Jehovah Elohim, "The Lord God of Israel" - Judges 5:3; Isaiah 17:6 Jehovah Rophe, "The Lord my Healer" - Exodus 15:26 As we think on these names, let us remember that God is all we need. We have no power within ourselves, but we have power in His Name. He is the same God today as He was when He spoke to Moses, "I AM THAT I AM" (Exodus 3:14). Whatever we need today, He says, "I AM." I AM the answer to all of your questions. If you need provisions, I AM your Provider. If you need healing, I AM your Healer. If you need victory, I AM your Banner. I AM your peace. I AM your Shepherd and will lead you through the valleys and restore you. I AM your Righteousness. And, I AM the God that is always present. I AM your God. I AM everything that you need Me to be. I AM THAT I AM! HALLOWED BE HIS NAME! +++ 11/6/23 PLANTED BY THE LIVING WATERS Scripture: Jeremiah 17:8 ".... as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreads her roots by the river." A natural tree that is planted near the rivers of water does not suffer during the time of heat or dry up in the seasons of drought. It is well watered, flourishes all year long, and its leaves remain green throughout each season because its roots have spread themselves underneath the surface of the earth and found the source of nourishment. A tree that flourishes in this fashion is a joy and a source of nourishment to all because it bears fruit and is a shield to those who are experiencing the heat of the sun. The Prophet Jeremiah compared the man who trusted and hoped in the Lord to a tree that is planted by the waters. The psalmist confirmed this in Psalms 1:3. Trees are firmly planted and have no intentions of moving about. They are satisfied because their roots have found water. Likewise, there are two things that are important for a person who desires to flourish in life: their spiritual location and their root systems. Psalms 92:13 says that those who are planted in the house of the Lord will flourish. Our faith remains stable as we hope and trust in the Lord is unwavering, and our heart is fixed on the faithfulness of God's promises. If our spiritual roots receive nourishment, we can be sure that we will be blessed. We can be living in the middle of a spiritual desert or going through a very dry season, but our spirit will remain well watered. Our life will continue to be fruitful because our roots are deep. Others will be amazed as they watch us in seasons of trouble because they cannot see our roots, drawing strength from the Lord and His powerful Words. We can be weathering confusion and frustration but remain calm because our roots have discovered the waters of peace. We can hope in a hopeless situation because we have stayed close to Jesus who is the Water of Life. We have soaked up God's Word and dwelt in His presence before the need ever presented itself. We did not wait until we saw our leaves turning yellow or we felt our branches drying out but sought for God’s living and refreshing water ahead of time. No tree can stand alone or maintain itself without an efficient root system. Jeremiah said the tree itself spreads its roots in an effort to find the water. It is up to us to establish a spiritual root system that will sustain and support us in the seasons of distress and discouragement. When we allow the Holy Spirit to develop a depth within our spirit, we will be able to withstand the dry seasons, the heat, and persecution. We may bend a little, but we will not blow over with every storm. We will not break in the seasons of adversity or wither in the heat. Like Job, we will be able to withstand every test. We will not fall apart each time there is a conflict because we are not trusting in our own fortunes, family, health, or friendships. Our trust is in the Lord God Almighty, and we will flourish because He alone is the Living Water from which we are drawing our strength. +++ 11/7/23 FRIENDS AND BROTHERS Scripture: Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." In this proverb, King Solomon spoke of the loyal love of a friend and declared that our brothers were birthed for the seasons when we face adversity. Loved ones are an important asset in the arena of life. They are more precious than silver and more valuable than gold. The poorest man on earth is the one who does not have friends or family, for money cannot buy the precious treasure of love and bond of commitment. God gave us friends and planned family relationships so that we could love and be loved and share burdens and take on one another's battles. In the times of trouble, friends reach out to friends and family reaches out to family. There is a saying that "When you are in trouble, you find out who your real friends are." Adversity and trouble have a unique way of proving friendships and revealing the strength of blood relationships. A true friend will love us and stand with us when everything goes wrong, and a brother will be there when others rise against us. Both will remain loyal and be a defense against the enemies of our lives even at the risk of being hurt in the situation. Even if a friend or brother is at fault, love will prevail, and allegiance will remain true because love is able to cover a multitude of sins. Real love is not just words or an emotion we feel. True love produces actions, for it is something we do or show. It surpasses disappointment and is always eager to forgive. Love overlooks the injustices that work against it and turns the other cheek to its offender. Jesus is our greatest example of love, friendship, and brotherhood. He loves us always, and He is our brother who will remain close to us in trouble. He came to Earth knowing that His purpose was to die on the cross for our sins. He never turned back from His assigned mission. He was mocked and ridiculed but endured the shame for our benefit. He took the stripes on His back for our healing. For us, He bore the crown of thorns on His brow. His hands and feet suffered the pain of the nails that held Him to the cross of Calvary. He proved Himself and His love for us beyond measure. We can depend upon Him to be there to deliver us in every situation and rescue us in every storm. We can have this assurance in our souls that when all others fail, Jesus will be there. He will never forsake us. He is our friend who loves us at all times, and He is our brother who was born for our season of adversity. +++ 11/8/23 TRIUMPH OVER TRAGEDY Scripture: II Corinthians 2:14 "But thanks be to God, Who always causes us to triumph in Christ." For a short season, I worked with a master craftsman who restored antiques. I was amazed as I watched him take an old tragic piece of furniture and turn it into a triumph of beauty. To me, it seemed like it should have been discarded long ago, but he looked beyond the marred and broken piece and see great potential. He was in his mid-eighties and would often refer to his own age and the disabilities that age had brought. With his many years, he considered each moment of his own life a blessing and he was a sweet fragrance to all who he met. He told me that everything had value, we just needed to look for it. He never hurried but worked very patiently for a few minutes every day on each piece. It was as though he had a personal relationship with the wood and knew just how far to take it in each session. He began by stripping the old wood and then gradually worked with the warped places until they were back in alignment. When he glued parts together, he allowed them to set for several days to insure their strength. I was concerned but learned that the glue composition caused them to be stronger than the original wood. When he felt that the wood was ready and its strength was restored, he would carefully sand the piece. He only finished with the stain when he knew that he had done all that he could do with the wood, and even then, he waited until the humidity level was perfect according to his gage. Many times, I brought him the piece I was working on with the hopes of going to the next step, but most of the time he would look at it carefully, shake his head, and then tell me to start over. I was not able to see the flaws until he pointed them out because I was a novice, and he was a master who had been in the restoration business for fifty years. He had learned early that each step must be completed perfectly if the piece was to be restored to its original beauty and strength. God is much the same as He works with us to turn our tragedies into triumphs. We may look at our battered and abused life and think that we are beyond help and that we are ready for the junk heap like the old antique. We may feel that too much time has passed and we have made too many mistakes to be useful to anyone. We may also look at the broken and bruised lives of others and think that there is no hope of restoration for them, much less beauty. We must remember the words of my friend, "Everything has value, and we must look for it." God sees value in us, and He wants to turn every tragedy of our life, whether past or present, into a triumph for His glory. We may have tried to fix our life by ourselves and failed because there were too many broken pieces and too much heartache and pain from the past. But Jesus is the Master and He can take our lives and make us stronger than we were at the beginning. He can put our lives back together again if we give Him all the pieces, but we must be patient and allow Him to work at His own pace. The process may seem slow, and the season may be long, but we must remember that God is in control. Regardless of how tragic our circumstances may be, we can be sure that all things are going to work together for good because we love God and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28). As we allow God's Spirit to work in our lives He will restore not only our strength, but also our beauty and will bring triumph out of our tragedy. +++ 11/9/23 TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT IT Scripture: John 1:36 "And looking upon Jesus as He walked, John said, Behold the Lamb of God." When John the Baptist saw Jesus passing by, he had several options in the way that he saw and described who Jesus was. John could have told the people that Jesus was his relative. He also could have told them that Jesus was just another local man from the village or that He was a carpenter by trade. Instead, John boldly declared that Jesus was the Lamb of God. John knew the scriptures and recognized that Jesus was the Messiah who was destined to bring life and light to a darkened world. This man who appeared very ordinary would actually take away the sins of the world. John joined his faith with the shepherds who believed the salutation of the angels, and he saw Jesus as the King of Kings. Like the wise men who traveled from the East, John recognized Jesus as the Holy One who would redeem man from the curse of the law. And like Peter who later would be changed on the road to Damascus, John saw Jesus as the Christ and believed that He was the Son of the Living God. There are two ways to look at everything that comes into our lives. The scope of our hope and attitude towards life depends upon what we decide to see. Life presents us with many situations and how we view them is our own personal choice. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses gave a list of several choices. He said that we could choose life instead of death, light instead of darkness, and blessings instead of curses. We could choose to be on the Lord's side or live in the pleasures of the world that last for a moment. We can look at life and see our lack, or we can see the abundance of things that we have and be thankful for them. We can look at others and choose to see their faults, or we can attempt to discern their needs and seek a way to help them. We can see people who are lonely and give them our unconditional love, or we can look at them through judgmental eyes and do nothing about their need. We can look at our past hurts and choose to be bitter, or we can be forgiving. The choices are ours. When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he was looking for more than a relative, a man, or a carpenter. He had a greater vision that he wanted to see fulfilled. We must desire the same because the way we choose to view the person of Jesus will determine the outcome of our lives. We can see Jesus as a mere man, a historical figure, one of the prophets or we can behold Him as the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. There are two ways to look at it, but the choice we make will determine our life’s destiny and our final eternity. +++ 11/10/23 SONGS IN THE NIGHT Scripture: Job 35:10 "God my Maker, who gives songs in the night." If God is going to give us songs in the night, then we must have night seasons to face. Regardless of whether these dark seasons are literal or spiritual, we can count on God to be there and put a song in our heart. The night that Jesus and His Disciples received the Passover meal, they sang a hymn. This occurred shortly before Jesus faced the agony of the garden, the betrayal, and His crucifixion (Matthew 26:30). How the words and melody of that hymn must have lingered in Jesus’ soul while He endured the darkness of His destiny. After Paul and Silas were beaten and put into stocks in the prison, they prayed and sang praises at midnight (Acts 16:25). God put a song into the heart of these men to sing in the middle of their darkest hours. It is in the darkest hours of men's lives that God gives songs that are everlasting. Haratio Spafford and his wife were grieving over the death of their son when they encountered financial disaster during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. They decided to get away from their problems and sail to England to be in the Dwight L. Moody evangelistic services. Spafford's wife and four daughters left ahead of him. On their journey across the Atlantic Ocean, their ship collided with another vessel and sank very quickly. His four daughters were lost in the collision. In grief and shock, Spafford boarded the first ship to meet his wife. As he crossed the Atlantic, the ship's captain pointed out the place where the ship had gone down. Psalm 42:8 says, "In the night God's song shall be with me." In that dark moment, God gave a song to Spafford and he penned these words to a hymn that has been the source of comfort to millions for over a century. "When sorrows like sea-billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, "It Is Well, It Is Well With My Soul." "Though Satan should buffet, tho' trials should come my way, Let this bless assurance control, "It Is Well, It Is Well With My Soul." The psalmist said, "I am so troubled that I cannot speak," but "I call to remembrance my song in the night" (Psalm 77:4 & 6). The psalmist's mind was troubled, but He allowed God to stir a song in his heart. Haratio Spafford may have had these same feelings when his son died and he suffered financial loss in the fire, which was compounded by the dreadful loss his four daughters. He may have been so troubled that he could not speak, but he allowed God to comfort his heart with a song. God does the same for us. He is with us in our problems and surrounds us with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7). He preserves us during sorrows and shields us from the buffeting of Satan by giving us lyrics and melodies that minister peace, joy, comfort, and encouragement. We must believe that whatever the crisis in our life, God, our maker, will meet us at our point of need. He will surround us with His love and minister songs of deliverance to us. We can then declare as Haratio Spafford did, "It is Well, It is Well With My Soul." +++ 11/13/23 IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:1 "... the righteous, and the wise, and their works are in the hand of God." An illustrated cartoon depicted a large hand that was labeled 'God's Hand.' The palm of the hand was facing upward, and a very small man was standing in the center of the palm of God's hand. The man was fearfully and anxiously looking around for help. There was a bubbled caption coming from his lips that read, "Where's God when you really need Him?" How true this picture is in our own lives. In the middle of our frustration, we often lose sight that God is right there with us, holding us in the palm of His hands. We cannot see beyond ourselves because our heart aches and our weaknesses and distress overwhelm us. In our confusion, we stand in the very presence of the Almighty and cry, "Where is God?" We look in every direction but fail to see God because our circumstances and problems are blocking our view. Disappointment clouds our vision and darkness has dominion over our souls. Even though we have no hope, we need to know that God has never lost control. He holds us in the palm of His hand, protecting us from all danger as He carries us through every situation. As God watches us squirm in His hand, He must wonder at our anxiety. He has made it very plain in His Word that He has every intention of meeting all our needs. God has reassured us many times that He will not give us a burden that is too heavy for us to carry. He told us that His grace will always be sufficient. His mercy will endure in every situation and His joy will be our strength. God cares for us as a father who cares for his own children. All we must do is release everything to Him. God's hand is bigger than our lives with all its problems. Regardless of the storms and adversities that we may be facing, we have nothing to fear because the Lord has given us a promise of security. God is holding us in the palm of His hand and Jesus declared that no one could take us out of that special place of His Father’s hand (John 10:29). +++ 11/14/23 FEEBLE MEMBERS ARE NECESSARY Scripture: I Corinthians 12:22 "Those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary." The body of Christ is one unit, with many members. Each member is significant in themselves and important to the whole body. The body of Christ cannot function without all its members working together no more than a human body can, for each member has need of the other members. God designed us in this fashion, and it pleases Him when we dwell together in unity and become one in purpose as He and Jesus are one. The physical body could not operate if it were only an eye, for how could it hear, speak, or move about. The hand cannot tell the foot that it has no need for it, and neither can the foot make that declaration to the hand. So it is with God's people. We all need each other. The feeble need the strong and the strong need the feeble. In the natural, the least honored members of our physical body are usually the most important and necessary, and so it is with the spiritual body of Christ. Yet, in the physical and spiritual, we tend to esteem the attractive and visible members more than those that are hidden and unattractive. For instance, in our physical bodies, we take a lot of time to care for our hair, when we could live without a head full of hair. While we are taking such pains each day with our hair, we often neglect those members of our body which are hidden but are much more important and necessary. We fail to eat the proper food or do exercises that will strengthen our heart, lungs, and bones. And yet, we cannot live without these unseen and unattractive members of our body, which are vital to our livelihood. Likewise, in the spiritual realm, the members that we fail to honor are usually the most necessary, such as intercessors who spend hours in prayer or those who quietly take care of the widows and orphans or other needy situations. They require and receive little attention. The Apostle Paul said that it should not be this way, for each member is significant and should be honored. There was an interesting sight near my home that reminded me of Apostle Paul's words. The freeway was under construction and the nearby roads were filled with all sorts of huge construction equipment. One of the pieces being used was a crane that reached about sixty or seventy feet into the air. It was worth several thousands of dollars and was very impressive. There was a cable that hung down from the crane, and attached to the end of that cable was a simple inexpensive automobile tire. The tire was being used as some sort of buffer with each swing of the cable. The tire looked feeble when compared to all the other major equipment that surrounded it. Yet, it was necessary for the massive crane to accomplish what it was intended to do. I looked in amazement as this insignificant tire worked with the crane as one unit. Though feeble in size and value, it had found its place of significance. I would encourage you to mark your place in life as significant and be faithful to fulfill the purposes that God has designed for you. No place is too small in God’s great kingdom, so never demean the gifts that God has given to you. You may esteem yourself as feeble, but your presence, like the tire, may add the final touch that is needed for the whole unit to function. +++ 11/15/23 SEEING WHAT GOD SEES Scripture: Psalms 119:18 "Open Thou my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law." I often think it would be great if God opened my eyes and allowed me to see all that He is able to see. That is, to see life as it really is, know what the future held, and to understand His Word completely. Yet, I know that ability would be too enormous for the finite mind to comprehend and would bring a responsibility that would be too great to bear. In God's divine wisdom, He secretly keeps many things hidden until we are prepared for them. He has a way of directing our vision and allowing us to see only what He reveals to us. I had an experience that illustrates this point. I learned that two can travel the same road but experience things so differently. On a mission trip to the Philippines, we traveled up a mountain and went through a place called the Lion's Head. Two people were sitting in the front seat of the vehicle and had an unobstructed view of the road ahead. I sat on the left side in the back seat and two other people sat next to me on the right side. Out of my window, I could see a small sign that read 'Lion's Head,' which had a small picture of a lion painted on it. Everyone in the vehicle was talking about the Lion's Head, while I was thinking, "What is the big deal? It's just a small picture of a lion." Little did I know, from their vantage point, they were seeing something entirely different on the other side of the road. After we traveled up the mountain and looked back on the scene, they directed my attention to the huge stone Lion's Head several miles below. I was awestruck as I saw the sculpture of a huge lion's head that had been carved out of the stone and painted. I had been a few feet from the Lion's Head, but had missed the entire scene simply because my eyes were focused in the wrong direction. I took counsel from this life lesson and asked God to direct my spiritual vision because I want to see as He sees. Like the Lion's Head incident, we can look back on our life and clearly see the results of the decisions that we have made. We must decide that we do not want to go the way of our flesh and miss God's best for our life. Like King David, we must ask the Lord to point out anything that He finds in us that makes Him sad (Psalms 139:23 Living Bible). Because we have limited vision and can only see what is near, we must ask God to show us the right path and keep us from self-destruction, for He sees the entire picture. We must determine to take a closer look at ourselves when those about us seek to counsel us with words that we may not want to hear. From their vantage point, they can see things differently. We must keep in mind that we may be looking in the wrong direction and away from wisdom and God’s law. God may have shown them a glimpse of what lies or given them a revelation from His Word so that they are more able to counsel and comfort us. Last but surely not least, we should pray the words that David prayed, "Lord, open my eyes that I may see behold wondrous things out of Thy law." +++ 11/16/23 LOVE FILLED HEART Scripture: Matthew 12:34 "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Love comes from the heart, yet it seems almost physical, for it can be seen and felt. It is wonderful to love, and it is wonderful to be loved. There is no soul that does not respond to true love, and love is so overwhelming that it motivates people to do things that they normally would not do. The voice of love is tender yet powerful, and when it speaks everyone listens. Love is so important that Jesus said that it is the basis of the two greatest commandments of God, which are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and then to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). Jesus later told us to, "love as He loved" and demonstrated His love by His personal sacrifice. When my granddaughter was not yet five years old, she asked her mother to write an email to me. In my granddaughter's own words, she ended her message saying, "It's great to have you in our hearts." She signed her name and her younger brother's name. These were such special and endearing words to me. As I reflected on them, I realized that she was speaking out of the abundance of her heart. Her words were not empty, but an expression of love that produced a response of love within my own heart. She said that it was great for her to have me in her heart, but the greater joy belongs to me in knowing that I was in her heart. My grandchildren love me, but I can truly say that I loved them first and anticipated their being before they were ever born. Before they were conceived, there was a hope in my heart and plans in my thoughts for their lives. God's love is the same. The Prophet Jeremiah said that before God formed us in the belly, He knew us. Before we were born, He sanctified us and ordained us for His purposes (Jeremiah 1:5). God had us in His heart from the beginning of time. More than two thousand years before we were born, He sent His only begotten Son to Earth to die in our place so that we could have eternal life. Jesus also had us in His heart when He hung on the cross in shame, allowing His life to escape. Out of the abundance of their hearts, they both made the ultimate sacrifice; God gave His Son and Jesus gave His life. How could we not respond to such an expression of love? A heart filled with love is a full heart that has no room for bitterness, jealousy, envy, strife, or any other negative thing. It is full of kindness, patience, joy, and peace, and possesses everything that is positive. Like God the Father and Jesus, love expresses itself by giving and making sacrifices. I John 4:19 says, "We love God because He first loved us." His love for us caused us to love Him. As we think about God's love towards us, let us respond by opening our hearts and filling it with people that we can love. There are multitudes of people whom we can bless by the abundance of love that is in our hearts. It is important to let them know what they mean to us. So, think of the people that we love and out of the abundance of our heart, tell them, "I love you. It is great to have you in my heart." +++ 11/17/23 IF WE CALL, GOD WILL ANSWER Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you have not known." In the next verses, God continues to speak through the Prophet, Jeremiah, saying, "I will lay upon you, health and healing, and I will cure you and reveal to you the abundance of peace, prosperity, security, stability, and truth. I will cause your captivity ... to be reversed and will rebuild you as you were at the first. I will cleanse you from all the guilt and iniquity because of your sin against Me ... And you shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and a glory before all the nations of the earth ... because of all the good ... that I provide." In this passage, the Prophet Jeremiah shows us that prayer is a prerequisite to miracles and answers from God. He says, "Call unto Me and I will answer." God's blessings will come to us as we pray to Him. We do not have to call on someone else and or have them get an answer from God for us. We can approach God directly. All that we need to do is humble ourselves before God and voice our petitions to Him. As we do, God will forgive us and heal us. James 4:2 tells us very plainly the reason that we do not receive answers from God is because we do not ask. Even Jesus, the Son of God, spent time in prayer and drew strength from the presence of God. He got up early before day and stayed awake all night, communing with the Father. Jesus made His request known unto God and because He prayed, God answered and showed Him great and mighty things. Jesus went about healing various types of diseases and performing all kinds of supernatural wonders. His power was evident, but it came through prayer and communion with the Father. When God instructed us to, "call" it was not meant to be empty words. It was meant to provoke us to action, for God’s Words are not mere literature. They are inspired by the Holy Spirit and God has breathed upon every Word. His Words are alive and powerful, and He uses them to set forth principles that will guide us in our daily life. II Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture is given to us by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." If we need God to supernaturally reverse situations in our life, to forgive us, to heal us, or to meet our financial need, we must take God at His Word and begin to call out to Him. We must expect Him to show us the great and mighty things that we have not known before, for if we call out to God, He has promised to answer. +++ 11/20/23 WAIT FOR THE ANSWER Scripture: Isaiah 52:12 "For you shall not go out with haste, nor by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward." The Prophet Isaiah spoke to the people and told them not to be hasty in trying to leave the situation they were in, but to wait for God to go before them. These words also speak to us today, for there are times we either run ahead of God or take flight and run away from the things that are plaguing our hearts and souls. Because we have been conditioned by our fast-paced society, we find it hard to slow down and wait for answers and directions from God. Many times, our own hasty decisions and actions cause our downfall and defeat. In the end, we find ourselves admitting that in the depths of our souls, we could sense that God was dealing with us, and we are forced to acknowledge that we had refused to patiently wait. A trustworthy minister told a true story. He read an article twice to make sure he understood the facts. The news article declared that a military plane was going so fast that it passed up the ammunition that it had fired, and it ended up shooting itself. Sometimes we feel like this has happened to us. In our haste to achieve answers to our situation or find direction in life, we acted too quickly, and the result brought confusion and defeat rather than joy and victory. Like the plane, we were going so fast in our attempt to solve our problems by our own means that we ended up spiritually shooting ourselves. We sought God for direction, but instead of waiting for Him to show us the way, we followed our own plan and missed the path that He had ordained for us. We prayed for healing but did not wait for His healing to come, and ended up spending money on medical bills that gave no answers. We asked God for provision for our material needs, but before His answer came, we borrowed instead. We sought God concerning the questions in our heart but were too busy to wait for His answers. We must always be conscious that our lives are in God's hands, so we must slow down and wait on Him. Life is difficult as it is, and we cannot afford to be enemies to ourselves. We must allow God time to go before us if we want Him to clear the way. Then we must follow Him if we want Him to lead us down the right path. We cannot be so hasty in our actions that we annul the Lord’s plans. When we wait upon God and refuse to act in haste, He will be there for us, and He will be our reward. +++ 11/21/23 SACRIFICE OF A BROKEN SPIRIT Scripture: Psalms 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” King David made mention of a broken spirit in his prayer of confession to God. David came to God with great repentance in his heart after the Prophet, Nathan confronted him about his sin with Bathsheba, and his part in the death of her husband, Uriah. David was shamed, riddled with guilt, and broken hearted as he poured out his sorrow for the sins that he had committed. He pleaded earnestly for God's mercy and forgiveness and asked God to cleanse him and restore him with the joy of His salvation. David said, "Take not your Holy Spirit from me." In this state of brokenness, David came to realize that this was the true sacrifice that God desired. David acknowledged that the burnt offerings and blood sacrifices that he presented to God meant nothing to God and were of little importance if David’s own heart was not touched and changed. David allowed the brokenness of his heart to bring him into a new strength, and he discovered the truth as he faced his situation. This truth is that we are never to fear brokenness because God makes a special promise to those who pass through this dark emotional valley. In this humble state, God gives a special grace and endows a new strength. David said, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit" (Psalms 34:18). In the next verse, he declared that "the afflictions of the righteous are many, but that God delivers them out of them all." Notice, he said, "them all." God does not deliver us out of some of our problems, but He delivers us out of “them all." Like David, we can take comfort in these words and even rejoice when we are down, knowing that God has promised to do two things for us. First when our hearts are broken, He promised to be near us. He will be there to comfort us with His presence and strengthen us through His bountiful love. Second, when we are in the middle of afflictions, the Lord will deliver us out of all of them. We can depend upon God in every circumstance, for He will never fail. As we come to the end of ourselves, it will no longer be our strength, but God's strength that will prevail. God is not so much interested in what we can give or how great our sacrifices are. He is simply looking for a broken heart to mend and a contrite spirit to whom He can minister. ++ 11/22/23 GOD DIRECTED STEPS Scripture: Jeremiah 10:23 (Amplified) "It is not in man to direct his own steps." There are several things that we must do to reach our desired destination. First, we must know our destination, for if we do not, we will flounder around in a sea of uncertainty. It would be pointless for us to go to the airport and ask for a ticket if we did not know where we wanted to go. The first thing the ticket agent will ask is, "What is your destination?" Without that information, they cannot issue a ticket. A well-known world traveler once said, "If you don't know where you are going - any road will take you there." It is the same in the Kingdom of God. If we do not have a revelation or understanding of where God is leading us, we, we will not know which direction to take, and we will easily be lead astray. Second, in the natural and spiritual, once we know our destination, it is important to follow the directions along the way. In the spiritual, Proverbs 3:6 says, "Acknowledge God in all of your ways, He will direct your paths." We must recognize Jesus as Lord and trust Him with all our hearts. My son said there are two reasons why it is hard for people to stop and get directions. First, they do not want to admit that they have no idea where they are. And second, they do not want to admit that they have no idea of how to get to where they want to go. In our Christian walk there are times when we get into this same situation. It is at those times that we need to acknowledge that we have no idea of where we are in God's plan, and that we have no idea of how to get to where He wants us to be. We must stop and ask the Holy Spirit for directions, then as He speaks, listen, and follow His directions. There are times, we have stopped and asked someone for directions, then asked the person traveling with us, "What did they say?" When God speaks, we need to listen! Third, we must have a determination to reach our destination regardless of opposition. The Apostle Paul said, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (II Timothy 4:7). Jesus said, "It is finished." Both men completed God's destiny for their lives, but it was not easy in either case. Before Paul finished his course he endured labors, beatings, prison, death, shipwreck, robbers, perils with his countrymen and the heathen, weariness, pain, hunger, thirst, and cold (II Corinthians 11:23-28). Then, consider Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of our faith lest you faint in your mind. Because of the joy that was set before Him, Jesus was able to endure the cross and despise the shame (Hebrews 12:2-3). God has a special plan in mind for us, but we must be determined to reach it. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God’s plans are for good and not evil. His plans have a future and a hope. We must receive the vision of God’s destiny for our life and try not to direct our own steps. We must listen to the Holy Spirit and follow His directions along the way until the journey is complete. As we trust in God, He will direct our steps and get us there. +++ 11/23/23 GIVE THANKS ALWAYS FOR ALL THINGS Scripture: Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is the season we set aside to give thanks and even celebrate a special day of Thanksgivings. Yet, for many the meaning of this special day is lost in the celebrations of the day itself. We become so busy cooking, visiting, and eating, that we forget what the day is all about and neglect to truly give thanks in our hearts for all that God has done for us. We may offer a special prayer because of the occasion, but our thoughts are on the feast set before us and our focus is on our fellowship with friends and family. Thanksgiving should be a continual celebration of our gratefulness to God. The Apostle Paul encouraged us to give thanks always for all things. While we recognize and give thanks to God when He does something special in our lives, there are many things that are more wonderful to us than the occasional extra blessings that we celebrate. We get excited when a financial windfall comes our way but forget the blessings that we experience every day in our lives. We take our eyes for granted and fail to give thanks for our sight. We give little thought to our ears or praise God regularly that we can hear, listen to music, or enjoy the sound of a child's voice. We never consider that even our mouths are a bountiful gift from God. Our tongues and lips equip us to communicate with each other, and our teeth make it possible for us to eat food that is set before us. Even our legs that carry us places and the strength in our body is a gift from God. These are daily blessings that we enjoy, yet rarely are they present in our daily list of things to be thankful for simply because we take them for granted. As we think about God's blessings to us, we realize that we cannot attribute any of these blessings to our own success, for who can cause the eye to see or the ear to hear? Who can make the lame to walk or the dumb to speak? Who can infuse strength into our bodies and cause them to function properly? These things come to us because of the graciousness of God our Father and our gratitude should be directed to Him. We must never be so wrapped up in our blessings that we forget the One who blesses us or look at our gifts and forget the One who is the Giver of all things because our blessings come from the hand of God. Let us meditate on these things and be truly thankful to God, for He has dealt bountiful with us. As long as we have air to breathe and lungs to breathe it, let us remember to be grateful and give thanks to God our Father, “Always for All things!” +++ 11/24/23 THE DIFFERENCE ONE LIFE CAN MAKE Scripture: I John 3:16 (NIV) "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." In the portals of time, God sets ordinary men in special places for special times. He takes their natural lives and uses them in supernatural ways to bring about His plans and purposes. In the early 1600's, 102 Pilgrims left England and set out for the New World with the hopes of finding religious freedom and a better way of life. After a dangerous and treacherous sixty-five-day voyage across the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower, the passengers arrived in what is now known in America as the state of Massachusetts. It was a desolate location and the winter proved difficult and devastating. Many died because of the lack of food and inadequate housing. By the spring of that same year, almost half the original group had passed away. It was a painful and discouraging season, yet those who remained relied upon God for help and trusted in Him with all their hearts. Their faith and beliefs are evident in the laws that govern our country today. William Bradford, one of the original leaders and governor of the Plymouth Colony for more than thirty years, wrote of these brave and determined people. He said, "But these things did not dismay them (though they did sometimes trouble them) for their desires were set on the ways of God, and to enjoy His ordinances; but they rested on His providence and knew Whom they had believed." These people of great faith knew in Whom they believed and dedicated their futures to Him. They looked to God for their source of strength. Yet, it is interesting how God helped these struggling Pilgrims to make it through this incredibly difficult time. He sent one man named Squanto, a Native American Indian, to teach them how to plant corn, where to fish, and how to trap animals. His simple instructions sustained them. William Bradford declared that "Squanto was a special instrument sent of God for their good and beyond their expectations." We seldom hear about this simple man with his simple knowledge, but Squanto laid down his own life and agenda to teach others how to live and survive, and in doing so, he saved a nation. As we look at Squanto's life, it helps us to realize that we all have gifts that God can use. Our ordinary talents may not seem too important to us in the light of someone else's glamorous gift, but it may be the one thing that our neighbor needs for his survival. Like Squanto's gift, it may be as simple as knowing how to plant corn, catch fish, or trap animals. Or it may be a kind word, a silent prayer, or a good deed that we can do that will be the instrument that God uses to make a difference. God has called each of us to follow the example of Christ and lay down our lives for others. All we need to do is to dedicate the little that we have to the Lord and allow Him to turn it into an instrument of blessing. We will find that our little can be multiplied into much when it is put it into God's hands. We will also discover the amazing difference our one life can make when we lay it down for others. +++ 11/27/23 TRUST IN THE LORD Scripture: Proverbs 3:5 & 8 (Amplified) "Lean on, trust and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind, and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. It will be health to your nerves...." Webster's Dictionary defines ‘trust’ as "total confidence in the integrity, ability, and good character of another." We hear many faith messages and are taught how to believe and receive the wonderful promises that God has made to us. Faith comes and grows within our hearts by hearing these messages (Romans 10:17). We cannot develop faith without hearing the Word of God. Yet there is another area to think about and that is simple trust in the One who spoke the Word. God made the promise and our trust in Him comes by developing total confidence in His integrity, His ability, and His character. As a youth before I made weekend plans with my friends, I would ask my father's permission. If his answer were yes, it produced faith that when the time came, he would supply the financial need. He knew that I did not have a job or provision. His simple words gave me unquestionable faith. I trusted his integrity because I knew that he would not lie to me, and I had faith and total confidence in his ability to supply the need. The cost of the event was an enormous amount to me, but I knew that my dad was well able to provide the funds. I knew that he would not only meet the need but would give me a little extra. He was a good father with a good character, and he wanted me to enjoy myself. If he forgot at the end of the week, I would simply remind him of his promise, and he always came through without excuses. There were also other areas of trust in which I did not exercise conscious faith. These were my day-to-day needs of food, shelter, clothing, care, and affection. I never asked for these provisions. I always knew these things would be there because he was my father, and he was my provider. I leaned upon him with total confidence. We were not rich. In fact, we were poor by the world's standards, but my dad worked hard to supply all my needs and I never had to fret over these matters. I simply cast all of my cares upon him because I knew that he cared for me. Often, we get ourselves into a "nervous frenzy" and are "on edge" concerning situations that we can do nothing about. These anxious moments should be placed into the hands of our Father God. He loves us and wants us to cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us (I Peter 5:7). He does not want us carrying loads that are too heavy for us to bear. Our Father knows our needs even before we ask (Matthew 6:8). We should lay our understanding aside and totally lean upon the Lord and trust in Him with all our heart and mind. As we do, it will calm our souls and bring a peace that passes all understanding, and that spirit of peace will bring health to our nerves. +++ 11/28/23 EXERCISING OUR SENSES Scripture: Hebrews 5:14 "But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." We understand the meaning of physical maturity and how it comes about through the process of time, training, experiences, proper nourishment, and exercise. Christian maturity is developed in the same manner. First there is the time factor. We are not born into the Kingdom of God as mature Christians any more than we are born in the natural world as mature adults. Spiritual birth is a one-time experience, but spiritual maturity not only through the process of time but as our spirits are gradually transformed by the renewing of our minds through the Word of God, one precept at a time. The second phase of growth is proper nourishment. We have seen malnourished people. Likewise, our spirits develop in an unhealthy manner when we do not take in the meat of God's Word and grow in the knowledge of Him. Verse thirteen tells us that we stay as babes and do not mature if we are satisfied with just the milk of the Word. Because we have no desire for the meat, we are unable to discern right and wrong or teach others because we are unskillful and untaught ourselves. We are content to be complacent. The Apostle Paul exhorts us to study God's Word of truth so that we can understand it and rightly divide or share it with others (II Timothy 2:15). Finally, growth also depends upon exercise because muscles can only become stronger with use. Exercise is an individual process and no one else can do it for us. It is the same with our spiritual senses and discernment. They become stronger as we experience the working of the Word of God in our own life. The ability to distinguish between truth and deception comes only as we develop a relationship with the Author of the Word. It is through experience of a relationship that we come to know God’s character. I had a close personal relationship with my earthly father. If someone had tried to deceive me concerning him, my senses would easily be able to discern the truth because I knew that he was a man of integrity and good moral character. I could immediately identify anything that was said which was contrary to his nature. God wants us to have this same assurance and be able to identify anything that is contrary to His Word and His nature. He does not want us to fall into the same trap that Adam and Eve did, as the devil tempted them saying, "Hath God said?" God has provided the meat of His Word and He wants us to partake of it. He wants us to sharpen our senses by experiencing it so that we will have an answer for every question and be able to boldly face every challenge with the meat of His Words by saying, "It is written." +++ 11/29/23 JESUS IS THE WAY Scripture: John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father but by Me." Jesus is the only way to the Father. He is the truth and there is life through no other. We must lay aside our own ideas and rely totally upon the Lord to reach our eternal destination. On a mission trip to the Philippines, we ministered in some remote villages in the mountains. The way was hard and the roads, if you could call them roads, were very rugged. It took hours to go a few miles, and along the way I realized that I had no idea how to get to our destination. I did not know the way and there was no map or directions. Even if I had known the way I could not have maneuvered my way through the paths. The roads were narrow and most of the time, we were two or three feet from a 2,000-foot or more drop-off with no guardrails for protection. There was water and mud to go through and rocks to travel across. Several times the driver had to get out of the vehicle and scout the road ahead before proceeding on the journey. At other times, he had to pull closer to the edge to yield to another vehicle. I had to place all my faith and trust in this man that I had just recently met, but at no point in the journey did it ever enter my mind to take the wheel of the vehicle or to proceed on my own. Neither did I attempt to direct him from the back seat. I was just thankful that I was not at the wheel. In a sense our driver had become my way. He was my truth, for he had knowledge of the mountain roads that I did not have, so I decided to rely upon his wisdom and driving expertise. He also became my life, for he held the security of my next breath in his hands. He did an incredible job and gained my highest respect as he brought us safely to our journey's end without harm. As we traveled through these remote areas, I thought of these words that Jesus had spoken, for our journey through life is much like my journey to the mountains. Our spiritual future is hidden from our eyes and there is no way to get to our destination by our own means. There is a path set before us, but we cannot travel that path without Jesus. He is our only way. We are lost and undone without His guidance in life. He leads us one step at a time through rugged paths and helps us stay on the narrow passages. He does all that He can to protect us as we travel life's journey, and He warns us that the way which is broad will lead us into destruction. He knows the path that we take, scouts the roads before us, and encourages us not to fear because He is in control. Jesus is our truth and has knowledge that we do not have, so we must trust His Words of wisdom and approach the Father based on His eternal Words. He is also our life because His presence dwells within us, quickening our spirits and our mortal bodies. He shares with us His very being, and He alone can satisfy our souls. We can agree with the words of Mother Teresa, "He is the Life I want to live, the Light I want to reflect, the Way to the Father, the Love I want to express, the Joy I want to share, the Peace I want to sow around me. Jesus is everything to me." +++ Copyright © 2023 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com |
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