A
Word In Due Season
1st Week of December 2008
12/01/08
HIDING GOD'S WORD IN MY HEART
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12/02/08
GIVING YOUR DESTINY BACK TO GOD
Scripture: Genesis 22:9 " ... Abraham built an altar ... bound Isaac ... and
laid him on the altar on the wood."
God made a covenant with Abraham and called him the father or many nations. God
told him that his seed would be as numerous as the stars in sky. Abraham waited
many years for the promise of God to come to pass. Finally, when Abraham was one
hundred years old, Isaac was born. Abraham enjoyed Isaac for a few years but
then there was a new turn of events. God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on an
altar. The three days journey up the mountain to fulfill God's instructions must
have been the hardest days of Abraham's life. He probably reflected on the good
times that he and Isaac had shared together and was most likely very anxious
about his present state as the time grew nearer for him to sacrifice Isaac. How
was he going to explain this to Isaac and what words would he use to say
goodbye? And surely he must have been dreading the future without his precious
son at his side.
Who knows what other thoughts went through the mind of this loving father as the
pain of the situation gripped his heart? If you have ever walked through the
valley of the shadow of death with a loved one, you may in a small sense know
how Abraham might have felt. Sometimes it becomes very difficult to obey God and
do His will, particularly when you don't understand what He is doing. Yet as
Abraham's obedience prevailed, God rewarded him and provided another sacrifice.
A lamb was found in the brush. God is always faithful and trustworthy. His
original promise did come to pass in Abraham's life. Through Isaac, Abraham's
seed was blessed.
God's will can become very mysterious at times. He speaks a word or plants a
vision in our hearts, then as we try to follow that dream, it seems that He
changes His mind. Like Abraham's situation, God stops us right in the middle of
the process and tells us to give our hopes back to Him. We watch Him as He
builds an altar, binds up our dream, and then lays it upon the wood that is on
the altar. We may question Him in our hearts, "Don't You know that the fire is
going to consume the wood." This is an awesome test and is never easy, but God
wants to find out what passion consumes our heart. What is more important? Is it
our vision from God or the God of our vision?
Our word from God cannot consume our heart and dethrone the God who gave it. If
we cannot place our dream upon on the altar and allow God's fire to consume it,
it has become an idol. There are to be no other God's before Him. When we
discover that our destiny has become bigger than God, we must place it in His
hands and trust Him to be Lord. +++
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12/03/08
REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE
Scripture: Luke 17:32 "Remember Lot's wife."
Jesus used these words to warn His disciples as He emphasized the importance of
being prepared and ready to leave all. When He spoke these words, He was
referring to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, which was a city that God
destroyed with fire and brimstone because of its wickedness. Before God
destroyed it, however, He shared His intentions with His faithful servant,
Abraham. In turn, Abraham pleaded with God, asking Him not to destroy the
righteous with the wicked. Because of Abraham's intercession, God spared Lot and
Lot's wife and his two daughters. But when the angels came to deliver Lot and
his family, Lot lingered (Genesis 19:16). Yet, God is so merciful and even
though Lot hesitated, God remained committed to His covenant. The angels came
and physically took Lot and his family out of the city and gave them
instructions, "Escape for your life, and don't look back."
The angels did all that they could do and took Lot and his family as far as they
could. It was now up to Lot and his family to heed the words that were spoken to
them. Genesis 19:26 records a very sad ending, "But Lot's wife looked back from
behind him: and she became a pillar of salt." Lot's wife had difficulty letting
everything go and leaving it all behind. Her heart was still in Sodom and
Gomorrah. Instead of fleeing for her life with her husband and daughters, she
trailed further and further behind until the effects from the destruction of the
city finally reached her. She was incased in salt and became a pillar of bitter
remembrance instead of a testimony of deliverance.
Like Lot's wife, you may have people, situations, and memories that you need to
walk away from. Regardless of the pain and abuse that you may have suffered in
the past or the temptation that is now pulling at your soul, God wants you to
walk away from all of it. As you leave it behind, He will work His deliverance
in your life. He will make a way of escape for you, free you from bondage, and
give you a new start. But He can only take you so far. Each hesitating step
hinders His work. As He instructs you to "Escape for your life, and don't look
back," you must make the choice not to dwell on the past and all of its hurts or
give in to the present schemes of the devil. God has good plans for you so focus
on the future. Become a testimony of His deliverance rather than a pillar of
bitter remembrance. +++
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12/04/08
RULING YOUR SPIRIT
Scripture: Proverbs 25:28 "He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a
city that is broken down."
When this scripture was written, cities were fortified by walls and gates, which
gave the inhabitants privacy and also protected them from the outside world.
Watchmen who were placed on the walls decided who came in and who went out of
the city. A city that was broken down was a city whose walls and gates had been
destroyed by the enemy, leaving it open and vulnerable. This same sort of
situation happens in the spiritual realm. When you do not discipline yourself
and exercise self-control, Solomon said that you become like a city that is
broken down and without walls. Imagine your spirit as a city without a wall
around it. When you are in this state, you are vulnerable not only to the
temptations of sins, but also the evil attacks of Satan. You become less
discerning and watchful because your own addictions, desires, and impulses begin
to take charge and rule over you. And you also lose control of what comes in and
out of your spirit because your flesh is ruling.
How can you take charge and restore your spiritual walls? Galatians 5:24-25 says
that you have to "crucify the affections and lusts of the flesh." Paul said if
you want to "live in the Spirit, you must walk in the Spirit." Walking is a
continual effort, meaning that you rule your spirit step by step by submitting
to the rule of God. You allow His fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace,
patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control) to dictate
your life. They become the walls that not only protect you from within, but also
protect you from the harm that is without, allowing you to live in health and
happiness.
If you allow the enemy's fruit (hate, grief, anxiety, impatience, doubt,
arrogance, and lack of self-control) to rule and control you, you allow yourself
to be destroyed from within. When the enemy is able destroy you from within by
tearing down your walls and gates of protection, he is then able to attack you
from without. He takes advantage of the emotional stress that he has caused in
your life and uses it to plague you with physical illnesses. You must rise up,
resist him, and disallow him to break down your walls. It takes strength to
conquer your passions but God has given you the ability to rule your own spirit
by walking in God's Spirit. When you reach this place, you will be mightier than
one who is able to conquer a city (Proverbs 16:32). +++
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12/05/08
SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE WEARY
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A
Word In Due Season
2nd Week of December 2008
12/08/08
BY FAITH
Scripture: Hebrews 11:8 "By faith Abraham when he was called to go out ... went
out not knowing where he was going."
There are two sides of faith. There is believing and then there is taking action on what is believed. Faith is never fully realized until there is action, for "faith without works is dead" (James 2:17). When God wanted to create, He didn't just believe it to happen. Instead, He spoke words in faith and His verbal actions caused the worlds to come into existence. In every instance where Jesus wanted to heal, deliver, or redeem mankind from sin, He took some sort of action. He prayed, He spoke words of deliverance, and even gave up His life on the cross. Both the Father and the Son's faith were proven by their actions and there were everlasting results.
Abraham believed God when God called him to leave his country and kindred and to go to a land that God would show him. It was a land where God was going to bless him and make him a blessing. Yet, Abraham could not just believe. He had to get up and leave. Abraham had no idea where he was going or how long it would take to get there. He also did not know the challenges or battles that would come up along the way, but he faithfully followed God and his faith was counted unto him as righteousness.
Like Abraham's life, our own lives will not reach their intended destiny or fulfill their purposes by accident. There must be an action on our part for us to be able to accomplish our visions. We can hold big dreams and enormous visions in our heart, but until we act upon them in obedience, they will remain dormant. Sadly, many times we fail to follow through with actions because we are unsure of the future. Thus our hopes and dreams never come to pass.
Look at the important events in your life and you will realize that you had to leave your present place and be somewhere else at a particular time for that event to come into being. You had to accept an invitation to meet that special person who changed your life. You had to go on that certain interview to obtain the job that became your lifetime profession. You had to respond to a call from God to enter the ministry or go to the foreign mission field. You had to reach out in faith to win a soul to Christ or pray a prayer over the sick for them to be healed and delivered. In every case, it was a journey of faith and you had to be at a certain juncture to complete God's will for your life.
God is calling you. His call may be a simple request or a life changing demand upon your life. Your faith may be challenged as you stare into an unknown future like Abraham did. You may have no idea where the path will take you but you can rest assured that God will not send you forth without going before you. His Word will speak to you and His Spirit will guide you every step of the way. Trust God and believe to receive Abraham's promise for your own life. Follow God as He leads you out. He will bless you and also cause you to be a blessing in all the Earth. +++
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12/09/08
WHY PRAY?
Scripture: I Peter 3:12 "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and
His ears are open unto their prayers."
There are many things in life that I do not understand, but I am not going to do
without these things just because my understanding is limited. I could not tell
you how the engine and all of the parts of an automobile work together, but I
still plan to use my vehicle to get me to the places that I need to go. I can't
explain the seasons and how the soil, water, and sunlight can make things grow,
but I will continue to plant seeds and expect my flowers to bloom. I don't
understand computers, televisions, and radios, but I will use them anyway. And
don't expect me to sit around in the dark just because I don't understand
electricity. It's just not going to happen. I am going to use every tool that is
available to me to enrich my physical life.
My thoughts about God and His words are the same. I can't explain God to you and
tell you how prayer and obedience to God's words work. There is no reasonable
explanation how Moses could stretch out his hand across the Red Sea and cause
the waters to divide and the sea to become dry land (Exodus 14:21). Neither can
I tell you how Joshua could march around the walls of Jericho for seven days and
then give a shout that would make the walls come tumbling down (Joshua 6:20).
Their victories came because of their obedience to God. There are many things
about Jesus and the things that He did that are unbelievable. He healed the
sick, caused the lame to walk, opened blinded eyes, raised the dead, walked on
the water, calmed the seas with His word, and fed thousands of people with a
meager supply of bread and fish. I can't explain any of these things to you, but
I believe that they really happened and are true.
So it is with communication with God. I can't explain how we can live here on
Earth and talk to God in Heaven any more than I can explain to you how I can
live in Texas and talk on the telephone to someone on the other side of the
world. Both are beyond my own comprehension. Indeed, there are people who can
explain the phone system and the other natural tools that we use, but no one can
explain prayer, for it is supernatural. It is spiritual and simply can not be
explained in natural terms. All we know is that when we talk to God, He has
promised to hear us and answer our prayers. Don't get me wrong; God is not some
sort of cosmic bellhop that we can order around. Neither does He grant our every
petition in hopes of receiving a financial tip by our tithes or offerings to the
church.
So why should we pray? James 4:2-3 tells us, "You have not because you haven't
asked for it ... You receive not when you ask amiss." Let us take these words to
heart, and even though we may not understand how prayer works, let us talk to
God and present our petitions to Him because we believe what the Apostle Peter
said, "His ears are open to our prayers." +++
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12/10/08
WHERE'S GOD?
Scripture: Psalms 42:5 "Why be down cast? Why be discouraged and sad? Hope in
God?"
God is your heavenly Father and He wants you to feel safe, protected, and loved.
He wants you to know that you have nothing to fear because He is in control of
every situation in your life. You are to be as a small child in His loving arms.
He said that He would never put more upon you than you could bear, and promised
you grace and strength for every challenge that life has to offer. You will
never have to face hardships and disappointments alone because He said, "I am
with you always, even until the end of the world." (Matthew 28:20)
The writer of this psalm was discouraged and sad because of his circumstances.
He was exiled in a foreign land and his enemies mocked him continually, saying,
"Where is your God?" He longed to return to Jerusalem so that he could worship
God in the temple again. He was so thirsty for the presence of God that he
compared himself to a deer panting for a water brook. He revealed the depth of
his oppression and despair as he spoke of being in tears night and day. There
were times that he even questioned God saying, "Why have you forgotten me?" His
emotions took him on a roller coaster ride. When he was down, he poured out his
soul to the Lord in despair and then when he was up, he remembered the goodness
of God and began to praise Him. He spoke of his adverse circumstances, then
memories of past victories flooded his mind and he rejoiced and sang in the
darkness of his hour. The doubts of his mind challenged the faith in his heart,
but immediately his spirit rose within him and he finally came to this
conclusion and confession of hope. Speaking to himself, he said, "Don't be
discouraged. Don't be upset. Expect God to act! ... He is my help! He is my
God!"
Do you wonder where God is in your situation right now? He wants you to know
that He is in the same place He was when He created you. God is sitting on His
throne and is high above the confusion and turmoil that you are facing right
now. Although you may feel like you are held captive by circumstances that are
beyond your control, remember that God is still God. He is your help! Don't be
discouraged if your finances don't take a sudden turnaround the moment you pray
and don't be confused when your health doesn't spring forth immediately. Don't
allow your emotions to stretch you from high to low because you don't have all
the answers. Isaiah 50:10 says, "Let him who walks in the dark, who has no
light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God." When you have no
answers, submit to God's deeper work and simply trust in Him. Instead of being
cast down or discouraged, be encouraged knowing that God is your Father and He
is there in the dark with you. +++
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12/11/08
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU HEAR
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12/12/08
HIS WITNESSES
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12/11/08
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU HEAR
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A
Word In Due Season
3rd Week of December 2008
12/15/08
FROM THE MOUTH OF CHILDREN
Scripture: Matthew 21:16 "Out of the mouth of babes ... Thou has perfected
praise."
When my granddaughter was three years old she sat beside me at the piano,
composing songs. The first one was about Frosty the Snowman ringing his Jingle
Bells at a reindeer. Then, she became serious and began to sing about the roses
that were on the piano. Her words were very simple but also very meaningful. She
sang,
"Roses grow and are beautiful,
But roses do not grow like the trees.
Trees are big and tall but the roses stay little
Because God wanted them to be beautiful for me.
Roses grow but don't make noise.
They just make pretty petals and are always quiet.
I like for God to make roses grow ...
For the Bible told me so."
There was no pretense in this song from the heart of a three-year-old. It was
simple praise to God for the beauty of the roses. It was also recognition that
God had made them to grow and that He had made them different from the trees.
She considered the roses and voiced her appreciation that God had made them
beautiful for her. Little did she know that when she concluded her song with
"For the Bible told me so" that she was speaking a truth and that her mouth was
perfecting praise. Jesus told us to consider the lilies of the field. He said,
"They toil not ... yet King Solomon, who was the richest man of his day, was not
arrayed like one of these (Matthew 6:28-29). Jesus continued to say that our
Heavenly Father knows everything that we need and that we are not to be worried
about any detail of our life because He is in control.
You may look at your life today and be discouraged because it has not developed
into the mighty oak that you had planned. Your dreams and visions had been those
of such grandeur, and yet, they have not come to pass in any way, shape, or
form. Your life has been very quiet and is like that of the roses that grow but
don't make any noise. No one even seems to notice your existence, which to you
seems mundane. You feel there is nothing important going on in your life,
especially when compared to others about you, who seem to be successful in every
endeavor. You wonder why your life is so plain and simple and think that you
have nothing to offer.
Yet, God has placed in your life a beauty that goes beyond the grandeur of the
mighty oak. You don't recognize it because God grew it gradually within you. He
has placed within you a meek and quiet spirit that is as delicate as the petals
of a rose. He has made your life a sweet fragrance to those whom you encounter.
He has caused the beauty of your visible witness to bring peace, joy, and
comfort to a hurting world. God has made you to be the person He wanted you to
be. So even though your life may not be making a very big noise, allow it to
bless others and to give God silent praise. +++
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12/16/08
SEEING JESUS
Scripture: John 12:21 "We want to see Jesus."
Have you ever wanted to watch something on television but missed the program? You may read about it later but it is not quite the same as seeing it and experiencing it as it happened. The Greeks in Jesus' day had a similar experience. Jesus had come into Jerusalem and His fame was at high level because of the miracles that were happening in His ministry. Many of the people that were following Him were there with Him when He had raised Lazarus from the dead. As this news spread, the people responded and ushered Jesus into the city in great triumph. It was a grand and glorious day for the people and for Jesus. There were some Greeks among the people who had come into the city to worship at the feast. When they heard the reports concerning Jesus, they expressed their desire to see Him for themselves.
We read about the miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead and coming out of the tomb and we often even speak about it, but I am sure that it is not the same as being there when it happened. This miracle would never leave our minds if we had witnessed the event first hand, and the impact of the moment would change our lives forever. Seeing Jesus in any capacity sets a new paradigm for our lives, for the vision of the Christ gives new strength and imparts faith. When Simeon saw the baby Jesus in the temple, he recognized Him as the promised Messiah, and Simeon declared that he was now ready to die and depart in peace, for his own eyes had seen the Lord's salvation. When Anna, the prophetess, beheld the baby, she spoke boldly declaring that Jesus was the redemption that was come to Jerusalem. The Wise Men traveled a long way to get a glimpse of Jesus, and when they came into His presence, they presented Him with priceless gifts and worshipped Him. Peter stepped out of the boat when He saw Jesus walking on the water. Each visual encounter with Jesus was awesome and produced a response.
During this wonderful and glorious season, we should not dwell on the temporal tinsel and gifts that Christmas offers. We need to look beyond that and ask God to give us a new vision of the eternal Christ of Christmas. We must desire to experience the same power as those who witnessed His miracles first hand. We must recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah and the redemption for our own personal lives. We must see Him so clearly that we are ready to step out of the boat of mediocrity and follow His lead should He bid us to walk on the water. Like Simeon, we must be so persuaded by His presence that we are ready to depart this life at His slightest bidding. Let us declare that "We want to see Jesus" for ourselves and then follow that desire with a whole heart. If we truly want to see Jesus, God will open our spiritual eyes and reveal Him to us. +++
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12/17/08
GOD'S VOICE IN DIFFICULT TIMES
Scripture: Isaiah 30:20-21 "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity
and the water of affliction ... your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
This is the way, walk in it."
No one wants to eat the bread of adversity or drink the waters of affliction.
Yet there are seasons in our lives when this seems to be the only diet that is
offered to us. Adversity and afflictions come to us for many reasons. It could
be due to our spiritual walk, as we may have strayed from God's will and
forsaken our covering. Another reason could be because of our geographical
location, like the natural disasters that are happening all over the world. The
adversities and afflictions could possibly be a trial to test our faith so that
we can be promoted to a new level. It may also be an attack of evil forces or
simply be that we have ignored and neglected the laws of nature and caused our
own selves to be physically ill. Nevertheless at some point in our lives, we can
be sure that we will have hard circumstances to face or barren places to endure.
The encouraging thing is that the prophet doesn't leave us with just the bread
of adversity and the water of affliction. He puts a silver lining behind this
dark cloud by giving us an encouraging promise to hold on to when we are in the
midst of these challenges, which were designed to either discourage or destroy
us. He says that the Lord will speak a word in our ears and let us know what we
are to do and which way we are to turn. It is a comfort to know that we are
never without instructions when we trust in the Lord. Isaiah said that God will
be very specific and tell us whether to go to the left or the right. We have
nothing to fear when times are uncertain, for God will make our directions very
clear. We just have to be sensitive and listen to His voice.
Many times we wander around in a wilderness of despair and we cannot find help
because we will not stop and listen to any of God's instructions. We are tired
of the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, but we are too busy
struggling to follow God out of our dilemma. Everything may have been lost in
the fire or swept away in the flood, but God is still God. He has prepared a new
place for us and is guiding us down a new path, but we can't go there if we
don't obey His voice. Things simply cannot and will not change until we follow
God's instruction. So let us determine to be sensitive and listen to God's voice
during these difficult times and trust Him enough to go to the right or left at
His command. +++
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12/18/08
JESUS IS THE WORD
Scripture: John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God."
"Word" in this scripture refers to Jesus Christ, the Son of
the Living God, the Messiah, and the Savior of the world.
This scripture could have read, "In the beginning was Jesus,
and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God." Verse fourteen
tells us that the Word (Jesus) was made flesh and dwelt
among us so that we could behold the glory of the only
begotten of the Father. Everything about Jesus is glorious,
for in Him is life and His life is the light of men.
Darkness cannot overcome His light and death cannot swallow
up His life that He gives to us.
We always think about an eternal future where time will
never end and we all desire and trust that we will spend our
eternity in Heaven with Jesus. Much is said about this
beautiful place. There is talk about mansions, streets of
gold, gates or pearl, and being able to worship God for all
eternity. Yet nothing much is said about the eternal past,
for we have no information about the beginning of God or
where He came from or the beginning of time. We do know that
the Apostle John said that the Word, Jesus, was there in the
very beginning. He was with God when God formed the world
and He also had a part in our creation, for God said, "Let
us make man in our own image." They worked together, Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit to make each one of us into a special
individual design.
The written Word and the Word (Jesus), who became flesh, are
both eternal living organisms and both speak to our hearts
in different ways. The Light of His Word reveals the Life
that is in Christ Jesus and the Life of Jesus imparts His
Light into our spirits. When we hear or read the written
Word, Jesus imparts revelation into our spirit and the
written Word confirms the words that we receive when Jesus
speaks to our heart by the Spirit. They never contradict
each other and we are never left undone about what God is
speaking to our hearts. In the past, Moses gave the law,
which were commandments that were written in stone. Today
the Word of Light and Life is written, not on tablets of
stone, but upon our hearts. God's Word becomes a part of us
and is the grace and truth that we are to live by. Think
about this awesome revelation that the Apostle John shared.
Jesus was with God and He is God. Now this same Light and
Life dwells within us. +++
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12/19/08
A GOD BEYOND MEASURE
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A
Word In Due Season
4th Week of December 2008
12/22/08
THE PERFECT GIFT
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12/23/08
FAITH'S RESPONSE
Scripture: Luke 1:45 "Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a
performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."
Gabriel, a special messenger angel, was sent by God to speak good tidings to two
individuals. As he delivered his message he received two opposite responses to
the words that he spoke. One response was filled with faith while the other was
clouded with doubt. When Gabriel told the priest, Zechariah, that he would
become the father of John the Baptist, Zechariah responded by saying, "How shall
I know this?" He wanted solid proof, but by questioning the validity of the
message, he questioned the validity of the messenger (verse 18). Zechariah's
doubt provoked the angel and Gabriel told him, "You shall be dumb, and not be
able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed, because you
didn't believe my words."
Gabriel's second visit was to a young virgin named Mary, who was destined to
become the mother of Jesus. Questions also arose in Mary's mind. However, her
questions were not the result of unbelief, but rather dealt with the information
that she might have needed to fulfill the promise. In Luke 1:34 she said, "How
shall this be, since I don't know a man?" She was possibly wondering if this
great miracle would happen through natural means as she informed the angel that
she was a virgin. Gabriel answered her question with these words, "The Holy
Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you:
therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the
Son of God." When she realized that it would come about supernaturally, she
began to rejoice saying, "Be it unto me according to your word." Mary was
blessed because she believed.
How often do we hear from God and go through great struggles with the words that
He has revealed to us? Like Zechariah, we often ask, "How do I know this promise
is true," rather than saying, like Mary, "How shall this be?" When God speaks,
He doesn't want us to question His word, but He does want us to ask for His
direction to bring about that word. Most of the time there are necessary steps
in the natural that must be taken for God's words to come to pass so God wants
to reveal His plans to us. For instance, when God speaks to a minister to build
a new church, faith arises in the minister's heart. He grasps the vision but
physical actions have to be taken on his part for the word of faith to come to
pass. Regardless of whether God plans to do a natural or a supernatural work
through us, He still desires a faith response to His initial word. In essence,
our attitude should be like Mary's, "I believe You, God. How is this going to
happen and what do you want me to do so that there will be a performance of
those things which you have spoken to me?" +++
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12/24/08
HIS NAME
Scripture: Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and
the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called
Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of
Peace."
These prophetic words were about Jesus, the Messiah, who was to come and be the
Sovereign Lord of all mankind. Isaiah saw that Jesus' character would encompass
several categories and that His name would be called accordingly. He would be
Wonderful, meaning that from the very beginning, His life would be surrounded by
wonders. Jesus would be supernaturally conceived of a virgin and live a sinless
life on this earth. He would perform signs and wonders in His ministry; heal the
sick, restore sight to the blind, and cause the deaf to hear. He would also make
the lame to walk and would have the power to cast out evil spirits. He would
speak life into the dead and He, Himself, would experience resurrection. His
entire life would be a total wonder.
Jesus was also destined to be a supernatural Counselor and would bring words of
eternal life to the multitudes. His words would be filled with wisdom and
authority, as He would only speak the words that the Father gave Him to speak.
Even the doctors in the temple were astonished at Jesus' understanding and the
answers He provided for them when He was just twelve years old. As the Mighty
God, the Spirit of the Lord would be upon Him anointing Him to do the work that
He was sent to do. The enemy would not be able to prevail against Jesus, as He
would conquer evil and take the keys of death, Hell, and the grave from Satan.
Jesus would show Himself as the everlasting Father, loving and caring for the
needs of the people. And He would be the Prince of Peace who would rule in the
hearts of men, bringing them out of their tormenting bondage.
Jesus is a wonderful person who has been given a Name above every name. He is
all that you need, whether it is a Mighty God to perform a miracle for you or
just a friend or Counselor to talk with. He said that He would never leave you
or forsake you, and He is there to care for you and meet your daily needs like a
loving friend or Father. Jesus will guide you through the storms, comfort you,
and give you light when things begin to overwhelm you. He will take every burden
from your heart and bear it upon His own shoulders. He is your Prince of Peace,
your Everlasting Father, your Counselor, your Mighty God, and as trust in Him,
He will show Himself as Wonderful in every aspect of your life. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
www.widsonline.com
12/25/08
ONE SOLITARY LIFE
Scriptures: Luke 2:10 - 11 & 1:31 - 33 "Fear not: I bring
you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
which is Christ the Lord. Thou shalt call His name JESUS. He
shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest
... And He shall reign forever; and of His kingdom there
shall be no end."
He was born in an obscure village.
He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty.
He then became an itinerant preacher.
He never wrote a book.
He never held an office.
He never had a family or owned a house.
He didn't go to college.
He had no credentials but Himself.
While He was still a young man, the tide of public opinion
turned against Him and His friends ran away.
He went through a trial that was a mockery.
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves.
While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only
piece of property He had on earth, and that was His coat.
When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave.
Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today
He is the central figure of the human race.
All the armies that have ever marched,
All the navies that have ever sailed,
All the parliaments that have ever sat,
And all the kings that have ever reigned have not affected
the life of man on this earth as much as that ...
ONE SOLITARY LIFE ... Copied
May your Christmas be blessed as you celebrate the Birth of
this One Solitary Life. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
www.widsonline.com
12/26/08
DEEPER REVELATION OF JESUS
Scripture: Ephesians 1:17 "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of
Him ... "
These words were a portion of the prayer that Paul prayed for the saints at the
church in Ephesus. You would think that the saints in the church where Paul had
visited personally would have had a deeper revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ.
But knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus in a personal way are two different
matters. When you truly know Jesus, your heart is flooded with light and you
experience the riches of His glory. This is the depth of knowledge that Paul had
of Jesus and he desired the same for the church. He didn't want them to just
have a small glimpse of Jesus. Instead, he wanted them to have an intimate
relationship with Jesus and know Him in the fullness of His power.
Like the saints at the church in Ephesus, there are many today whose vision of
Jesus is limited. He is only seen twice a year during the special holidays.
During the Christmas season, Jesus is seen as the baby in the manger. Then at
Easter, He is seen as the suffering Savior on the cross and the celebrated risen
Lord. The rest of the year, Jesus may be overlooked. After attending church on a
holiday, a lady once asked why the church only used Christmas poinsettias or
Easter lilies in their floral arrangements at the altar. Her limited knowledge
revealed that she only visited the church twice a year. How sad.
God has better plans for you. He never intended for your concept of Jesus to be
just the babe in the manger or suffering man on the cross. Jesus is to be your
constant companion for He said, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). He is
"Emmanuel, God is with you" (Matthew 1:23). Jesus will never leave you or
forsake you. When you face a dark valley, He is your Shepherd that walks beside
you. He will lead you, protect you, and comfort you in the midst of the shadows.
In the darkness, Jesus is your Bright and Morning Star. In the dry dusty desert,
He is your Living Water. In hunger, He is your Bread of Life. In the storms of
life, He is the still small Voice that speaks peace to your spirit and it is His
presence that calms your soul. He is your Friend who is closer than your
brother. And Jesus is so much more. Come to know Him. Pray the same words that
Paul prayed; that God would open your eyes and give you a deeper revelation of
Jesus Christ. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
www.widsonline.com
A
Word In Due Season
5th Week of December 2008
12/29/08
NO NEED FOR FEAR
Scripture: Luke 2:9-10 (NIV) "An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the
glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said
to them, 'Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for
all the people.'"
The shepherds were in the fields keeping watch over their flock of sheep and
minding their own business when the angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to them.
As the glory of the Lord shone around them in the darkness of the night, the
shepherds were terrified. But the angel immediately told them not to fear and
began to tell them the good news of the Savior's birth. Many times in the
scriptures people experienced fear when God sent a message to them through an
angel. When the angel, Gabriel, approached the Virgin Mary, he said, "Do not
fear." The angel also told Joseph, the man whom Mary was going to wed, not to
fear. The same words were spoken to Zacharias, who was to be the father of John
the Baptist.
As we look at these lives, we wonder why these glorious events evoked so much
fear. And yet, we must admit that when God gets involved in our own lives, we
too have fear, for we have created boundaries by our senses. We are afraid that
God will put us into the unknown and unfamiliar. We fear that we won't be in
control of our own lives or that He may tell us to do something that we don't
want to do, maybe even call us as a missionary to a foreign land. Yet, the only
way to exercise faith and trust is by going through the unfamiliar and the
unknown. When God calls, He doesn't show us a complete blueprint of the future
or guarantee our security. His voice just moves us into the unknown. It is
darkness to our natural senses, but a glorious light to our spirit because God
always gives peace to the one that He speaks to. Others may question our
decisions, but God says, "The way that you will know this is from Me is that I
will give you perfect peace. There is no need for you to fear."
God speaks to individuals, not to groups. Even if He is directing or leading a
group, each will hear His voice personally. Each shepherd witnessed the glory of
the Lord and heard the angel speak. God spoke peace to each one individually.
Have you ever had to instruct your own child to do something new or foreign? The
first words out of your mouth were probably, "Don't be afraid." Your words and
the security of your intimate relationship that you had developed with your
child created peace in their heart. We must have the same emotional bond with
Jesus and know that God is a God of His word. We must trust them and surrender
our lives to their bidding. When they speak, it will be good news, so there will
be no need to fear. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
www.widsonline.com
12/30/08
THE PROMISE OF A SONG
Scripture: Hosea 2:15 "And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth."
God made a wonderful promise to the people of Israel. Even though Israel had
failed God, He gave comforting words saying that He would restore them. He would
take the trouble they were going through and would turn that trouble into a door
of hope. Salvation would come and they would sing again just as they did in
their youth. Like the people of Israel, sometimes the song in our heart gets
immersed in our sadness and mourning. Other times it gets covered up by the
heaviness of our many problems. When our burdens get too heavy, we tend to stop
singing and worshipping because it takes a certain energy to sing and give
praise. We may try to make an earnest effort to offer the sacrifice of praise,
but it really seems forced. We become like the captive Jews the psalmist spoke
of in Psalms 137:2, who were in exile and couldn't sing.
I was in a season of grief and despair when God revealed this scripture to my
heart and made it a promise for my future. I had lost the song in my heart
because of the heartache, confusion, and abuse that was happening in my life.
Things looked bleak and a spirit of hopelessness surrounded me. This dark season
only lasted for a couple of years but it seemed like an eternity to my soul. I
thought I would never be delivered, much less sing again, but God was faithful
to do both.
You may feel that you are in spiritual exile and the adverse circumstances that
you are in may cause you to think that you will never sing again, but I am
witness to let you know that God is faithful. God knows exactly where you are.
You can't escape His knowledge or exhaust His love and mercy. God sees the
reasons that the song has left your heart and He understands. He will reach down
and lift you up out of the pit of doom and despair. He will speak grace to the
mountains that you are facing and will create a straight and even path in the
wilderness. He will work on your behalf by calling things that be not as though
they were and your song will come again as God begins to reveal Himself to you
in a new and fresh way.
God will use your valley to show you the grandeur of the mountain. He will take
the storm that rages about you and show you His enormous peace. In your lack,
God will show you His bountiful provision. He will replace your confusion with
clear direction and in your weakness allow you to experience His awesome
strength. As God begins to share this fresh revelation of Himself, a new song of
praise will be birthed in your heart. Just like Israel, your valley of
bitterness will turn into a door of hope and new life will come as God
resurrects and restores you. Your spirit will become lighter and your notes will
be clearer as God causes you to sing as you did in the days of your youth. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
www.widsonline.com
12/31/08
NEW BOTTLES
Scripture: Mark 2:22 "New wine must be put into new
bottles."
Jesus taught His disciples a very simple but profound truth
about the dangers of mingling the old with the new. He said,
"Don't sew a new piece of garment onto an old piece and
don't put new wine into old bottles." His message defined
God's principles concerning the separation between the
things of the Spirit and those of the flesh. It spoke of the
difference between responding in faith and just being
obedient to the law. The new teachings of grace and truth,
which came by Jesus Christ, could not be contained in the
old laws, which were given by Moses (John 1:17). Neither
could the Holy Spirit, which is represented by the new wine,
be received into old and unclean vessels. God's Spirit must
only be received into to new bottles, for Jesus made His
point clear, "The old will always destroy the new."
In all of life's experiences, we face this process whether
spiritual or natural. The old must go in order to receive
the new. We would never consider the option of installing
new carpet over the old or wearing old clothing under our
new apparel. Nor can we imagine storing drinks and food in
old and unclean containers. Yet, we tend to follow this
pattern with our spiritual surroundings and relationships.
We refuse to let go of the past and stubbornly store
negative memories in our hearts because it's just too hard
to let go. We then try to cover these past hurts with our
new dreams and fresh visions. We won't get rid of the
bitterness that plagues us and keeps us from experiencing
love again, but instead we try to pile our new hopes onto
the old emotional scars and end up sabotaging our new
relationships. Even though we realize these thoughts hold us
back and deter our growth, we will not let go because we
can't face being hurt again. Distrust and skepticism have
corrupted our vessels so we mask positive attitudes to
compensate for our lack as we face our world.
All the while, God is working desperately to do a new thing.
He has such good hopes and plans for you, but He is limited
because your heart is filled with the clutter of the past.
He looks at your heart and has second thoughts about putting
His new wine into an old bottle. He says, "Don't consider
the former things or the things of old" (Isaiah 43:18). Your
dreams may have failed and your closest relationships may
have disappointed you, but you must make yourself vulnerable
to hurts if you want to experience love and the joy of life
again. You must put yourself in emotional harm's way and
allow yourself to love and trust again even though it's not
easy. You must clean the rooms of your heart and pay
particular interest to the closets where your hurts are
hidden. As you allow the Holy Spirit to shine His light on
all that is dark, He will help you pull out those things
that hold you back so that you can deal with them and
resolve the issues. You can then go on with life and
experience the good plans that God has for you. As you
forget the past and press towards the future, God will pour
out His blessings upon you and it will be as refreshing as
new wine in a new bottle. +++
Copyright © 2008 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights
Reserved
www.widsonline.com