| ............ | A Word In Due Season July 2024 7/1/24 LAWFUL BUT NOT EXPEDIENT Scripture: I Corinthians 10:23 "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient." Life presents us with many choices, which determine our future and create our past. They cause us to become who we are in character and also establish our reputation in the eyes of others. Choices are made because of our hopes and desires, but they also determine our failures. As we follow our choices, they take us down many trails and the options we choose leave behind us a path that others will follow. Sometimes the examples that we provide for others are good but other times we mistakenly lead them down the wrong paths. At the time, our choice may have been acceptable and lawful for us personally because our motives were pure. Yet, they may have caused problems for those within the circle of our influence who may not have known the entire situation. The Apostle Paul addressed this issue by saying, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient." In other words, all things that we could actually do within the realm of the law may not edify or build up those around us. In fact, some things that are lawful in the eyes of God will actually hinder our witness and possibly destroy the faith of those who look to us as examples. It may even hinder God's destiny for our lives. In chapter twenty-five of I Samuel, David was so provoked by an evil man named Nabal that David vowed to destroy Nabal and everything that pertained to him. This act of vengeance would have been lawful for David, but it was not expedient. David was destined to become the King of Israel and this act would have been a major blemish in his character and damaged his reputation before others. David refused to avenge himself or to shed innocent blood in order that this dreadful act would not become an offense in his own heart and also ultimately hinder God's plan for his life. When we know God and His ways, it is very easy to discern which choices are morally and ethically right and which ones are wrong. Yet, we must remember Paul's words that even though things may be lawful for us, not all things are expedient. If we speak lawful words of truth or speak with the tongues of angels and have not love, we are as a tinkling cymbal. If we prophesy without love, we are nothing. We must follow the pattern of Christ and choose to do those things that edify and give a worthy testimony to the world about the God who lives within us. We are epistles read of all men and the law that we follow should be always governed by the spirit of love, for love is always expedient. +++7/2/24 PRAY AGAIN Scripture: James 5:18 "And he prayed again." The Apostle James spoke of the Prophet Elijah who prayed earnestly and asked God to send rain on their nation that was experiencing drought. Six times, nothing happened, but on the seventh time, the heavens opened and the rain began to pour. Elijah could have given up on the sixth time that he prayed, but he did not quit because he was determined to pray until an answer came. What if Elijah had stopped praying after his first prayer because he felt that true faith does not need to pray a second time? What if he questioned himself after the second prayer by wondering if he was righteous enough to go before God? What would have happened after the third prayer if he thought his request may be considered selfish in the eyes of God? After the fourth prayer, what would have happened if he had stopped praying because he felt ridiculous praying about the elements of nature? Surely, he had doubts after the fifth time that he bowed himself before God with the same petition, for the scriptures record that he was a man of like passions just like you and me. When he prayed the sixth time, he may have wondered if God was even listening at all. Yet Elijah did not give up, and when he went boldly before God's throne of grace on the seventh time, he received his answer. Powerful and effective prayer does not just happen. Sometimes you must stand at length before God's throne before you see any results. You must ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, and knock and keep on knocking until God answers. Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah several times and Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord all night before he received his blessing. He wrestled so long and so hard with God that his hip was thrown out of place and he walked with a limp for the rest of life. Jesus, Himself, prayed for a blind man twice before the blind man's sight was totally restored. Jesus also went to God three times for Himself and asked that the cup of suffering be removed from Him. The tenacity of prayer and faith is illustrated in this definition given by three boys. The first boy said, "It is taking hold of Christ"; the second said, "It is keeping hold of Christ"; and the third said, "It is not letting go!" We are not to simply skirt around on the outside of God's presence, but instead we are to take time to venture deep into the Spirit. We are to reach beyond our simple petition and go boldly before God's throne of grace in our time of need. We should take hold, keep hold, and not let go of Christ as we make our prayers of petition. We have been invited to approach God as many times as we need, without any reservations. We must always remain submitted to the Father's will, but never take no for an answer until God says no. Until the answer comes, we must pray and pray again. +++ 7/3/24 JOY THAT IS FULL Scripture: I John 1:4 "And these things write we unto you that your joy might be full." Today we stand on the edge of uncertain days, never knowing what the next news brief will bring. Even though the events are happening far from us, we know that each fiber of news affects all of us in some area. It is as though we sense that we are standing on the edge of eternity. Yet even though we face the truth of these realities, we should never allow a foreboding spirit to overwhelm us, for God is still in control. He has scheduled our life for this time in history and He is well able to protect and take care of us. As we stand facing uncertainties in the physical world about us, we are to be encouraged, for we are also standing on the edge of the glorious miracles and ministries of God’s spiritual Kingdom that is within us. The Apostle John was an eyewitness to the life of Jesus. He had seen Jesus, had heard Him speak, and even had an opportunity to touch His nail scared hands. As John wrote this letter while being inspired by the Holy Spirit, he said that he was sharing with us so that our joy might be full. This letter is an intimate Word from the Father God to His children who are in the world. God has always been there for His people and He will be there for eternity. God knew that we would be facing these days, but He did not leave us without light. He gave us Jesus, the Light of the World, and He told us to walk in that Light and fellowship with that Light. It is only as we follow these instructions that we can truly be full of joy. It is true that we may enjoy the pleasures of sin, but those pleasures will only last for a short season (Hebrews 11:25). Grief, sorrow, and heartache will soon follow because sin brings death and destruction. Sin's cup of pleasure is never full. It is always half empty. It lacks fulfillment and never satisfies. However, when we walk in the Light and Fellowship with the Light, who is Jesus, we begin to discern the differences between pleasures and true joy. As we allow Jesus to show us the things in our lives that make Him sad and seek cleansing from all unrighteousness, He fills our cup. And when the Lord fills our cup, it runs over and we experience "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (I Peter 1:8). +++ 7/4/24 BLESSED NATION Scripture: Psalms 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." The fifty-six men who signed our Declaration of Independence, which was approved on July 4, 1776, committed an act of treason against the British Crown. As they signed this incredible Declaration, they mutually pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Of those who signed, two became Presidents of the United States, three became Vice Presidents, and several others became either State Governors or U. S. Senators. However, there were many signers who suffered greatly. Four died of wounds from the war and five were imprisoned. Several lost their wives and children as their homes were attacked. The oldest signer of the Declaration was 70 year old Benjamin Franklin, whose faith was strong in God. Speaking of God, He said: "Have we now forgotten this powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that 'except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this." Benjamin Franklin was convinced that all was vain unless the Lord was God and Builder of this nation. The freedom we enjoy has been purchased with tears and blood. We have reaped the noble sacrifice of these brave men, and every American life has been touched by the document they signed. Because of their sacrifice, we have experienced a "Blessed nation whose God is the Lord ... And we are STILL one nation, under God. +++ 7/5/24 THREEFOLD CORD Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:12 "A threefold cord is not quickly broken." When you need a cord or a rope, you match its strength with the required task. A single or double corded rope may be okay for a light chore, but it will certainly break under excessive pressure. A rope made with three cords, however, will afford greater strength and be harder to break. Solomon referred to this threefold cord in reference to relationships and declared that it is never easy for us to stand alone in life's situations. We need each other in order to enhance our strength. He said that two are better than one, and that three offer an even greater strength, which cannot be easily or quickly broken. This threefold concept of strength holds true in the spiritual realm as well as it does in natural relationships. We are designed to be part of a threefold spiritual cord. In I Timothy 2:1, the Apostle Paul told Timothy that the believers should pray and make intercession for all men. We must understand that the Lord entrusted us with the responsibility to be part of the process of helping others to get their needs met through prayer. We are given the awesome privilege of approaching the throne of God for them, yet, we do not stand alone in this endeavor. There are two others who stand with us and are continually making intercession for the saints of God. Romans 8:34 tells us that Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, making intercession for us. Jesus is the Mediator between us and God, the Father, and He prays for us while the enemy attempts to sift us as wheat. Also Romans 8:26 says, "The Holy Spirit makes intercession for us." He helps us pray when we do not know how or what to pray. When all that we can do is groan in the spirit, He speaks to the Father on our behalf. How could our strength ever fail with this threefold bond in the spirit? I pray that this knowledge will be a strength to you as you face the challenges ahead. When it seems you are all alone and you do not know what to do, remember there is always someone praying for you. Regardless of the uncertainties and battles that you are facing, you must believe that there is a threefold cord that is working in your favor. God is calling others to stand in the gap for your needs and their prayers will be joined with the intercessions of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. You must also be sensitive to the Spirit because God will call you to this same special place of intercession for others and much of the outcome will depend upon your own prayers. Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, and the believer; the strength of this awesome threefold cord cannot easily or quickly be broken. +++ 7/8/24 REST FOR AWHILE Scripture: Mark 6:31 (Amplified) "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place, and rest for awhile." The Disciples were so busy that they had no time to rest. In fact, they could not even sit and eat a meal in leisure without being interrupted by the needy crowd of people who continually followed them. The masses drew upon their time and energies and left them totally spent. Finally, Jesus called His Disciples away to a solitary place just to rest. Our own lifestyles have become similar to this scenario. We have become exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally because our schedules allow very little time for us to rest and regenerate. Often, if we are not careful and determined, we even fail to make time to pray and study God's Word. Yet, our strength to maintain life's demands and cope with stress depends upon getting physical rest and having fellowship and communion with the Lord. Isaiah 40:29-31 tells us that as we wait upon the Lord and linger in His presence, God will increase our strength, causing it to multiply and making it abound. As we rest in His presence and renew ourselves spiritually, God renews our physical strength and causes us to be able to walk and run without getting weary or faint. Isaiah said even the young men would fall with exhaustion, but those who wait upon the Lord would be like eagles, full of strength, soaring above every situation. Jesus also told us what to do if we become weary, overburdened, and stressed out. He said, "Come to Me, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28-30). Supernatural strength is imparted when we come into the presence of the Lord. He said, "Take My yoke upon you." In other words, "Surrender everything you are to Me. If you will allow Me to pull the load, you will find relief from pressures and be refreshed in your spirit. Get to know Me, for I am very gentle of spirit. If I give you a burden to bear, it will be easy and light, for I will never put more on you than you can bear. Cast all your cares on Me, for I care for you. Come away with Me to a solitary place for a while and rest in My presence. As you become still, you will come to know that I am God (Psalms 46:10) and peace will enter your soul. As My presence surrounds you, you will find refreshing and blessed quietness for I will cause you to rest." +++ 7/16/24 WITNESSING Scripture: Acts 1:8 "You shall be witnesses unto Me." We often make witnessing about Jesus such a big ordeal when in reality it is just talking about Him. It is so easy to tell others about a movie that we have seen and describe the main characters and all of their attributes. We may even quote a few lines that they said and be able to convince our listener that the main character was either good or bad. Witnessing about Jesus and the things of God should come just as easy and natural if we truly know Him. We should be able to talk about Him as a person, and in a simple way tell the facts about His life. God's Word should be so alive to us that we are able to quote our favorite lines that Jesus said or other scriptures pertaining to Him. Witnesses who take the stand in a court of law are only required to tell the facts they know. They do not have to know and understand everything about the circumstances. They only have to reveal the truth as they know it. In Luke 7:20-22 the Disciples of John came to Jesus and asked if He was the Messiah that should come or should they look for another? Jesus replied and said, "Go tell John what things you have seen and heard; how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor." They were to tell only what they had witnessed personally. When you give witness of the things that Jesus has done for you, the facts will speak for themselves and your experience will make your words come alive. Psalms 105:1-5 gives us some instructions about how to witness. The psalmist said in part to give thanks to the Lord and sing. There is a great witness that goes forth when you simply give praise to God and sing songs that honor Him. You are also to remember and make known the Lord’s deeds among the people and talk of all His wondrous works, giving glory to His Holy Name. Your witnessing is not just a formula that you have been taught in evangelism class. It also should never be burdensome but should generate spontaneously from your heart. Jesus said, "You shall be My witnesses." Your message is a real person and that person is Jesus. +++ 07/17/24 INTIMACY WITH GOD Scripture: Psalms 103:7 "He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel." The children of Israel saw God deliver them from Egypt through various signs and wonders. God parted the waters of the Red Sea for them and they experienced dry ground for their crossing. Then God's mighty hand destroyed Pharaoh's army in those same waters. They heard the thunders of God's voice on the mountain as He spoke with Moses, and they were led through the wilderness with a cloud during the day and a fire at night. They drank water from the rock and every day for forty years they ate fresh manna from Heaven. Yet regardless of all of these mighty acts, the children of Israel were never able to comprehend or understand who God really was. They saw God's acts and experienced His miracles but they never knew His ways. They never truly knew the heart of God and therefore they never were able to trust His Word nor enter into the place of His promise. God is pleased when we acknowledge His acts because they demonstrate His power and glorify Him. Yet, He is more pleased when we acknowledge Him as a person and simply believe that "He is" (Hebrews 11:6). God created us in His image and He wants us to appreciate Him as our Father God. For instance, we appreciate the fact that our children think that we are good parents and we are honored when they trust us to provide for them. Yet, our greatest delight is when they simply love us and know us as Mom and Dad. We want them to recognize our character and understand our ways which are governed by our hearts. Knowing God's ways is a process. The Apostle Paul said that He was determined to know Christ. Yes, he wanted to know the power that flowed from Christ, but more than seeing His acts or signs and wonders, Paul wanted to experience the person of Christ in an intimate way. He said, "That I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Christ, perceiving and recognizing the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly" (Philippians 3:10)." Paul's intimate knowledge of Christ did not come because of a one time experience on the road to Damascus, as great as that experience was. Neither did Moses' intimate knowledge of God come at the burning bush. Both men's knowledge of God and Christ came through their own intimate relationship with God the Father and God the Son. Moses came to understand God and His ways as God talked with Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11). Paul sought this same kind of relationship and through faith he pressed towards Christ. Like Moses and Paul, would you like to know God's ways and not just witness His acts? It is a possibility and it is simple. The way to gain this intimate knowledge of God is to spend intimate time with Him. +++ 7/18/24 YOU ARE SO LOVED Scripture: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." These twenty-five words tell of God's enormous love for us, and in a very simple way they explain the gospel message. The good news of the gospel is that God loved us so much that He came up with a plan to save us from an eternal death. God's love refused to allow us to be held in captivity by the devil, even if it meant the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus. The reason that God made this awesome sacrifice and gave His precious Son to die on the cross was because He "so loved" us. It is difficult for our finite minds to comprehend God's love, for very few of us could give our only son in the place of another. When the Holy Spirit breathed this scripture into the heart of John, the words that the Spirit used to describe God's abundant love for mankind was "so loved." Yet these two words speak volumes. God's love was so great that it's depth, height, length, and breath could not be measured or explained with words. God just so loved! His love knew no boundaries or limits. It reached to the highest mountains and flowed to the lowest valleys. His love passed all human knowledge or understanding (Ephesians 3:19). God so loved that He gave that which He loved the most, His only begotten Son. Any love, divine or natural, that can be measured is indeed little love. If you can put your love in a box, it is not worth much. If you can buy a gift that represents the value of your love, your love is cheap. If you can confine your love to mere words, it is lacking. If you can explain your love with measurements and borders, it is limited. If your love is conditional and controlling, it is not true love. Think about the love in your own heart and then reflect on God's love. Can you measure the love that possesses your heart for your own children? Your wife or husband? Your family? Your pastor and special friends? Measuring and expressing love is an impossible task. So it is with God's love. There are no words to explain the love that possesses God's heart when He thinks of you. If you had been the only one in the world, God still would have given His Son in your place because He "so loves" you. +++ 7/19/24 GOD'S SPECIAL PLACE Scripture: Genesis 40:14 "Think on me when it shall be well with you, and show kindness, I pray thee unto me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house." Joseph was being held prisoner along with Pharaoh's baker and chief butler Both of these men had a dream, which they shared with Joseph. Joseph interpreted both dreams and told the butler that he was going to be restored to his post. He pleaded with the butler to remember him and also to mention him to Pharaoh when this event happened. Yet, the butler forgot to befriend Joseph even though Joseph had graciously interpreted his dream for him. Finally after two full years, Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret. The butler remembered Joseph, who was still in prison, and recalled his divine gift of interpreting dreams. He mentioned the accuracy of Joseph's interpretations to Pharaoh and Pharaoh sent for Joseph to be brought out of prison. When Joseph was able to interpret Pharaoh's dream and give him sound counsel, Pharaoh recognized Joseph's wisdom and discretion and made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. From time to time, we acquire items with the intentions of using them for special occasions. Because we have designated their use for a special time, we usually put them in a special place to save them for their season. God did the same with Joseph. He knew exactly where Joseph was and could have delivered him out of the prison at any given moment, but the Lord kept Joseph hidden in the darkness of this special place until Joseph’s appointed time. When the time was right, God moved suddenly in the life of Joseph and called him out of the depths of darkness into the light of his destiny. What would have happened if the butler had remembered to mention Joseph to the Pharaoh two years earlier? If Joseph had been released from prison, he may have went back to his homeland. He surely would not have been in the place where Pharaoh could conveniently find him in order to move him into God's new place at God's appointed time. Joseph had already been in bondage for about fourteen years when God chose to leave him two more years. God may have needed those last two years to instill the finishing touch in Joseph's life in order to prepare him to be ruler over a multitude of people. Sometimes we do not recognize our own personal prisons as special places. We struggle with the darkness of not understanding why we cannot move forward and we become embittered by the difficulties that we face. We grow impatient because the time of our deliverance lingers and we often move out from under God's covering. We try to get others to help us and we make a way of escape for ourselves, which is not in God's perfect plan. We may have been in a marriage that God intended to mend. We may have borrowed money to settle a debt when God had another plan that would have saved us a large amount of interest. We may have tried to accomplish ministry on our own terms by going out before our time, prophesying our own words, or attempting to use gifts that God had not yet imparted to us. Wherever we are and regardless of the darkness and difficulties that we face, we must remember that God knows exactly where we are and that He has His own reasons for keeping us hidden. If we wait for God’s timing, we can rest assured that our season of deliverance will come. At the appointed season, the Lord will take us out of our special hidden place and move us into our destiny. +++ 7/22/24 THE ROCK OF REVELATION Scripture: Matthew 16:18 “ ... upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it." Jesus asked Peter a powerful question, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter answered Jesus saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Flesh and blood did not reveal this knowledge to Peter. God the Father opened Peter's heart, enlightened his spiritual eyes, and granted him the revelation that Jesus was His Son, the promised Messiah. This revelation is the foundation for the Church of the Living God and it is the rock that we build our own personal faith upon. Many recognize Jesus as the Christmas babe in the manger or the Easter Jesus on the cross. Yet they never come to know Him as Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God or discover that He is the Rock of their salvation. The revelation that Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One of God, opens a whole new spiritual dimension in our lives. This knowledge enlarges the borders of our heart and increases our personal influence with others. Jesus becomes the foundation that we place our faith upon and we find that His person is endless, His power is boundless, and His love is without measure. As we continue to look into the chambers of the Lord’s heart, we see His goodness, His mercy, and His grace. In His presence, we experience His joy and His peace, and in each heartache and pain, we come to know His compassion. The more intimate we become with Jesus, the more we realize that our relationship is not about what we have done or can do for Him, but it is about who He is, what He has done, and what He will do for us in the future. He is the Messiah of our lives. Often, however, we develop a Messiah syndrome by taking the weight of the world and our problems upon our own shoulders. We allow ourselves to become bound by the enemy of our souls because we do not lean upon the Holy One of God or draw from His mercy and grace. Our attempt to work ourselves and others free from the bondages of evil creates frustration when all we really needed to do was simply call upon Jesus. As our Messiah, Isaiah chapter sixty-one declares that Jesus came to take our burdens and set us free from all bondage. He came to comfort, restore, and rebuild. He does the work in our individual lives by the anointing of the Holy Spirit and when He ministers to us, it remains eternal. When we recognize that Jesus is our Messiah, the Son of the Living God, the gates of Hell can not prevail against this revelation. +++ 7/23/24 BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT Scripture: Genesis 13:17 “Arise, walk through the land, the length of it and the breadth of it, for I will give it to you." Abraham was given this mighty promise before he left Egypt and started on his journey of faith. God declared that the land belonged to Abraham, but also said that it would not be his until he walked the length and breadth of it. Abraham had to claim every inch of God's promise for himself. So, by faith, Abraham packed up everything that he had and began to search for the fulfillment of this Word from God. He was seventy-five years when he started on this mission to accomplish his destiny and God's divine purpose for his life. Each of us travel our own individual paths and it is only as we experience those paths that we can understand them. We may skirt around on the outside of financial difficulty, but we cannot understand true financial stress and anxieties unless we have walked through the length and breadth of all that financial lack has to offer. We may come close to suffering and physical pain, but pain explained by someone else is no pain at all for us personally. We must suffer the depths of affliction in our own body to comprehend what pain is all about. We cannot understand abuse unless we have been abused and neither can we understand the pain of a broken heart unless we have experienced rejection and abandonment. We are not able to realize the struggles of cruel addictions or the loneliness of being in prison without having experienced the length and breadth of those emotions firsthand. We cannot share the sorrow of someone who has lost a loved one to death unless we have walked through that same valley of grief before them. The bottom line is that we cannot own the knowledge of any experience until we have walked the length and breadth of it or as the popular slogan goes, until we have "Been there and done that." When the writer of Hebrew 4:15 said that Jesus was touched with the feelings of our infirmities, he spoke the truth. Jesus climbed every mountain of hardship, walked through every valley of sorrow, and battled every temptation that we will every face. He was a man of sorrow and understands the pains of our heart. Jesus knows how it feels to be rejected and despised by men. He was spit upon, physically beaten, mocked, ridiculed, abandoned, and shamed. He was innocent and without sin, but He died a terrible death on the cross. He walked the length and breadth of everything that we will ever experience in this life and through those experiences He learned how to comfort us in our adversities and pains. Because Jesus has been there and done that, He promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. He understands our needs and will be there to help us through each and every conflict of life. We can depend upon Him. +++ 7/26/24 ARISE AND SHINE Scripture: Isaiah 60:1 "Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you." God encourages us to rise to a new life. The Amplified Bible reads, "Arise from the depression ... in which circumstances have kept you." We all face disappointments in life, either in our relationships or circumstances that happen. When we do not deal with the disappointments and issues they create, we become discouraged. Then as we give in to discouragement, depression follows. Depression is like being in a dark room. When you find yourself in darkness in the natural, you must make an effort to turn the light on. When you turn the light on, you do not have to battle with the darkness any more as the light itself dispels the darkness. Likewise, when your inner man is in the darkness of depression, you must do the same thing. God is there with the light of His Word, but you must arise and allow that light to illuminate your spirit and renew your faith. Verse two says that as you arise, "The Lord’s glory shall be seen upon you." It is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit as He draws you out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light. King David faced this darkness when his city was burned and his possessions and family were taken captive. If that was not hard enough, his own men blamed him for the loss and wanted to stone him. I Samuel 30:4 says that David cried until he could not cry any more, but then he began to encourage himself in the Lord his God. He arose and began to allow the light of God to shine in his darkness. As he did, new plans developed. He pursued the enemy and took back what the enemy had stolen. He could have sat there forever in depression and defeat and never regained what belonged to him. The choice was his. I Peter 5:8 tells us that the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. You are in his path, but you are to give him no place in your heart. You must encourage yourself in the Lord as David did. From the beginning, you must refuse to allow disappointment to lodge in your heart until it turns into discouragement. Learn to trust God's Word which says, "All things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose." Arise, shine, and allow God's light to supernaturally dispel the darkness that surrounds you. +++ 7/29/24 EL SHADDAI Scripture: Genesis 17:1 "I am the Almighty God." The Lord appeared unto Abraham when he was ninety-nine years old and identified Himself as the Almighty God, which in the Hebrew is El Shaddai. El Shaddai was derived from a related word that means mountain or overpowering one, but it is also interpreted as the "God that is more than enough." When God spoke to Abraham, He told Abraham that he was going to be the father of many nations. Abraham and Sarah by natural laws were obviously too old to have children and they laughed at this news. Yet, God declared that He was El Shaddai in their lives. He could do what they could not do. Abraham and Sarah did not need the laws of nature working for them because they had the Almighty God who is more than enough. We see all through the scripture that God was truly always more than enough. For forty years, He provided manna for the children of Israel as they journeyed through the desert wilderness. They had plenty for each day's provision and did not have to scrimp and save. In fact, there was manna left over each day that they were instructed not to save. When Jesus fed the 5,000, everyone must have had plenty to eat because there were twelve baskets of fish and bread left over. When He fed the 4,000 men, plus women and children, there were seven baskets left over. His provisions surpassed the needs and were always more than enough. Many times, we limit the Holy One of Israel. Our minds are too small to allow our hearts to have faith to receive God's wonderful and miraculous blessings. Yet, He is able to do exceedingly beyond anything that we could ask or think, and provides for us according to His riches, not according to our own resources. We must stop looking at and worrying over our situations and start looking at God and believing that He can do the impossible for us. The Lord can stretch our funds and multiply our means. You may not choose to believe it, but I have personally seen God multiply soup as I poured it from one container to another in order to share it with those in need. When I finished pouring the soup, there were two full containers, and everyone had plenty to eat. That was El Shaddai, the God who is Almighty, at work nearly forty years ago, and He has not changed. He is still the same today. His simple blessings can overpower the laws of nature and bring miracles into existence. When circumstances challenge our faith, we just need to trust in God and believe that He is still El Shaddai, the Almighty God that is more than enough. +++ 7/30/24 LEARNING TO BE CONTENT Scripture: Philippians 4:11 (NRS) "For I have learned to be content with whatever I have." It is easy to be content when you have plenty and things are going good. It is another story to be content when there is lack, nothing is going right, and your life is falling apart. In all of these situations, the Apostle Paul had learned to be content. Learning is a process that only comes through a mentor, personal study, or experience. Paul had experienced many victories as he shared the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, he had also faced many disappointments and suffered times of hardship and lack. Regardless of the state that he found himself in, Paul had learned the virtue of contentment. He had learned to be content during the times of plenty and he had learned how to be content when he was forced to fast out of necessity because he had no food. Many times we confuse contentment with happiness, but they are not the same. Happiness is contingent upon what is happening around you. When things are going good, happiness abounds. Yet, happiness comes to a sudden halt when adversities challenge and circumstances change. Contentment, on the other hand, is more stable. It is a knowing that God is in control even though your ship is being tossed about in the midst of the storm. Although things may not look good, contentment has full confidence and trust in God. Contentment reports that "It is well with my soul" even though a loved one is passing through the valley of the shadow of death. When you are facing the worst of situations, contentment allows you to say as Job said, "Though God slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15). Contentment looks to God when weaknesses challenge and repeats what Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). In battle contentment says, "I will not fear, for God is with me." Contentment never dwells on evil. Instead it declares, "Whatever things are honest, lovely, and of good report, I will think on these things" (Verse 8). A contented soul does not worry when there is lack but believes, "God shall supply all of my needs" (Verse 19). The contentment that Paul had learned left no space in his heart for murmuring or complaining. He declared that God's grace was sufficient and he learned to rejoice and give thanks in all things. He knew that all things were going to work together for good in his life because he loved God and was called according to God’s purpose. Allow God to work in your heart in this same manner, and like Paul, fix your mind to learn how to be content with whatever you have. As you do, you will find that you have no lack, for God will make up the difference. +++ 7/31/24 SHOW ME MY HEART Scripture: Psalms 139:24 (Living Bible) "Point out anything You find in me that makes You sad." David asked God to search him and to point out anything that was displeasing to Him. God's search was not for God's own benefit, for the previous scriptures tell us that God knew everything about David. In fact, He knew more about David than David knew about himself. God's eyes saw David when he was being formed in his mother's womb. God knew every thought that came to David's mind and even knew what he was going to say before he spoke. God also knew where David was every moment because He was there with him. David told God, "If I go up to Heaven, You are there, and if I make my bed in Hell, You are there." It was impossible for David to escape God's presence. God's search of David's heart was for David's own benefit. David needed God to search him and show him the truth of his own soul. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things ... Who can know it?" The Amplified Translation says, "Who can perceive, understand, or be acquainted with his own heart and mind?" Our heart can easily deceive us. Sometimes we look at others and wonder why they do not change. Like us, they do not see themselves as they really are. In their own minds, they have no faults and are self-deceived. It is only through the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit that we can come to see ourselves as God sees us. Hebrews 4:12-13 tells us that the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power. It is sharper than any two-edged sword. It penetrates, dividing the soul and spirit. It goes into the deepest part of our nature and exposes, analyzes, and judges the very thoughts and purposes of our hearts. As it does, everything about us is naked and exposed before the eyes of God. If we want to be intimate with God, we must be truthful with Him and allow Him to be truthful with us. We must open our hearts to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to search every fiber of our soul, allowing God's light to show us the things that we need to change. We must pray these simple words that David prayed, "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Test my thoughts and point out anything You find in me that makes You sad!" +++ Copyright © 2024 Mary Padgett Ministries. All Rights Reserved www.widsonline.com |
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