Heart & Mouth

On March 15, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 19: 14                      Index Card 1

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

I am beginning a new series today. Many times I recommend that you take really meaningful verses and write them out on 3 X 5 index cards then put them in plain sight so that you can review them frequently. Well, it may please you to know that I take my own advice. Today’s verse is the first in a series of Ivey’s index cards. I hope you enjoy seeing which verses I have recorded in my scripture deck of cards.

This verse is first and foremost in my mind and, in my stack of cards, because my failures so often come out of my mouth. In truth, it is what is in our hearts which bubbles up and out of our mouths (Matthew 12: 34) and often in the most inconvenient of times. So, this verse reminds me to check the content of my heart and set a guard over my mouth (Psalm 141: 3).

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Knowing and Trusting

On March 14, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 13: 5

But I have trusted in Thy lovingkindness; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation.

This is a psalm of David described as a prayer for help in trouble. This part of the psalm certainly does not sound like he is praying for help though. The structure of this prayer is so insightful. David begins with his woes but by verse three he is making his petition to the Lord. Then by verse 5 of this six-verse psalm, he has shifted into trust, thanksgiving and praise. David knows that despite the appearance of some problems in his life, his God will rise up and save him. He confesses that his trust is in the Lord and that ends his troubles. He knows what the end of the story is going to be and he sings his praises to the Lord.

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Provisioned

On March 11, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Mark 6: 7 – 11

And he summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs; and He was giving them authority over the unclean spirits; and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belt; but to wear sandals; and He added “Do not put on two tunics.” And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave town.

Jesus sent out his disciples to preach the gospel. He sent them out without worldly goods yet with all they would need in order to fulfill their commission. Apparently, they had means, i.e. gold, silver, etc., otherwise he would not have instructed them to leave those things behind. Jesus provisioned them with the might and power of God. I notice that they still wore their money belts though. Did he expect that they would acquire money along the way?  

Jesus was teaching them a very important lesson while he was still here on the earth to help them if they failed. He was teaching them that the Lord, our God, would provide for them. When God calls you to a task, it is His responsibility to provision you. It is his job to care for all your needs. They were sent to preach the Word of God and minister to the needs of the people in the name of the Lord. That was the sum total of their responsibility. Whatever God calls you to do, put your eyes on that and take them off of your worldly needs. Learn to trust him for your daily needs and spend your energy going about the task He has set you.

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Serenade for the King

On March 10, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 14: 6

I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Sometimes we really do not slow down enough to take account of all the Lord has done for us. When the world is swirling around you, it can be very difficult to notice all of the kindness your Father has shown on you. When you really do take account of your life and all that you have, you will see His fingerprints on many things. You will see many blessings and many times He has protected you. You weren’t just lucky, you were blessed. When you really stop and take notice of Him in your life, you will find plenty to sing about. You will find plenty to praise Him over. That praise and thanksgiving brings you closer to the Father and you will find more and more to praise Him over.

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Sending

On March 9, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 10: 13 – 15

For “Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?

Some folks rightfully ask how people in lands that have not received the Word of God will get to heaven. First, our God is a loving God and He will (and has) made provision for every person on the earth to hear the Word of God so that they may spend eternity with Him in heaven. Secondly, this passage teaches the primary way God reaches those people. Through you and me he sends preachers into all the earth to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and Him crucified and resurrected. But where there are those who are sent, there are those who do the sending. Not all of us are called to go to far off lands to preach the gospel. Some of us live in very prosperous nations and we get to stay home and use our great wealth to send those who do have that call on their lives. Then when all the peoples HEAR about the goodness, faithfulness and love of our Father, they will have the same opportunity to call upon His name and be saved. Then they can get to know Him as Father. Before you know it, they might be sending more people to preach the good news of Jesus Christ.

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God of Peace

On March 8, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 23: 2

He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters.

Our God is a God of peace, not chaos. He does not lead you into places that are full of bedlam and stress. He leads you into quiet places. He causes you to lie down in green fields; fields which are well watered and with plenty of grass or sustenance. When he leads you, he leads you beside the quiet waters not the raging mayhem the world dishes out. He wants to lead you into a tranquil, quiet place so that he can refresh you and talk with you. You won’t be able to hear him in the pandemonium of the world because it is just too loud and busy. He is leading you into that still quiet spot where the two of you can be alone together. Believe me, it is easier for you to get a much needed drink of water at the quiet waters than from the raging torrent. Find your quiet peaceful place with him and let him fill you back up.

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Servant Master

On March 7, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Mark 10: 43 – 45

But it is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Christianity is unlike any other religion. Really it is not a religion at all but rather a relationship with our Lord and God. While we do worship Him, Jesus came to earth not to be served but rather to serve. No other religious figures laid down their lives in order to redeem us. This is the good news of the gospel; that through the shed blood of Jesus, we have been redeemed and reconciled to the Father. Jesus is the greatest servant of all. By becoming least among men, he became the greatest. He came to serve our need. He came to save us. He gave even his life because of his love for us and for the Father. It was through his deep love that he became the servant of all. Now we serve the Father, not of requirement, but out of appreciation, gratitude and love for Him. We happily serve him as dear children though, not as slaves. We humble ourselves before others because he first loved us. The irony is, we humbly serve others not because we are servants nor have been made slaves but rather because Jesus set us free. He freely served us of his own volition. Now we have been set free from all the bondages that held us captive including those of ego and self-promotion. Because we are learning who we are in Christ we have been set free from having to prove something to ourselves or others in this realm. We have been redeemed from the curse and the only debt we own is to love one another.

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