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In Christ

Ivey Rorie On September 23, 2014 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

1 Corinthians 1: 30

But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.

By the grace and the formidable power of God you have become one with Jesus. You are hidden away in him, safe and secure. In Jesus is everything you could possibly need. Do you need wisdom for a business decision; he is the wisdom of God in our lives. He provided and his blood pronounces that you are in good standing with God; that is your rightness or righteousness in him. You are sanctified which means that you have been made holy, dedicated to sacred use; consecrated. Did you realize that? That makes you very special. And that is not even the end of it. Jesus also redeemed you from the curse of the law, the shackles of slavery and the death sentence that was upon you. You have been set free indeed.

But by the miracle working power of God you are actually in Jesus. Can you fathom what that means? It sounds a little new age but most of the new age lexicon is just things which have been derived from God and then have had a twist put on them. For example, people think of meditation as New Age. In a way that is just funny. It may be “New” Age but God invented mediation before there even was an earth. He has been teaching his children about visualization and meditation for thousands of years so don’t let today’s idea upset your apple cart. The miracle of Jesus in you and you in him is completely feasible when you understand that there is a spiritual realm which is every bit as real as the physical realm. People adhere to the physical evidence because they are much more skillful with their five physical senses than they are with spiritual discernment. If, however, you can accept by faith that you are in Christ then you will gain an entirely new perspective on life. No matter what situation presents itself picture yourself “in Christ”. Wouldn’t it completely change your point of view if you knew that no matter what the matter is Jesus is every bit as much a part of it as you are? What if you were looking at your current situation through his eyes instead of through yours? Would that matter? Of course it would. Jesus has power to bring to bear on any and every situation. He also has great favor with the father. There is nothing (legal and moral) that God wouldn’t do for you but if you don’t believe that at least believe God would do if for Jesus. If you are in a mess God is interested in helping you and your big brother out of it.

Grab this idea – you and Jesus are an integral unit. When you go to the grocery store, he goes too. When he sits at the right hand of the father, you are right there with him. Your DNA is beginning to intertwine with and duplicate his. You are never without him. Even when you feel alone, you have a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverb 18: 24). In your darkest moments, he is your constant companion. You are a part of him and he wants the very best for you.

War and Peace

Ivey Rorie On September 22, 2014 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

Proverb 17: 19 NIV

He who loves a quarrel loves sin; he who builds a high gate invites destruction.

Have you ever known a person who loves to fight? I certainly have. I have known people who did not seem happy unless they were embroiled in some kind of conflict. I never understood how they could live in the midst of that turmoil. Every time I talked with them there was some new battle. To love to fight and feud with folks is to love sin. Why? Because God is peace. Hebrews 12: 14 tells us to pursue peace. We cannot operate in love with all people and at the same time be in continuous conflict.

Ephesians 6: 15 teaches that our feet are to be shod with the gospel of peace. That must mean that we are to walk in peace. We are not told to put on the mittens of peace or the ring of peace. No, we prepare ourselves with the gospel of peace by putting on our shoes. We need that preparation because many things and people we encounter in the course of the day are going to attempt to cause angst. If we have not properly prepared then we are going to find ourselves in the tumult all day long, struggling for a breath.

Our losing our peace is only one of the casualties of this conflict though. When Jesus left the earth he left us his peace (John 14: 27). That peace was supposed to comfort us so that we would not be troubled or fearful. The other aspect of our having Jesus’ peace is that we can, and should, extend his peace to others. We are not meant to be contentious people. Instead we should be conduits of peace and blessing. We are called to be lovers, not fighters even to the point that we love, bless and pray for our enemies. We are to hold our peace in the face of trouble so that we are a source of peace for those who are in turmoil. We should live in a no conflict zone. Now, I know this is a tall order and most of us are not that advanced in our journey with Jesus but it is a laudable goal. We should shun quarrels and attempt to make and keep the peace. If we are not in peace then we have probably stepped out of God’s presence because there is always the peace that passes understanding when we are in him.

When you find you have lost your peace, your heart is agitated or you are bothered, back up in your memory and figure out when you last felt peaceful. Then move forwards slowly and discern what event, thought or words chased the peace of God from you. Rectify the situation. Repent if it was your act that caused your peace to flee. If it resulted from someone else’s actions then pray for that person immediately. Try to see him or her from God’s point of view. See how He loves them and pray for them from that perspective. Lastly, and this is a tough one, if you find that there is a person with whom you are associated and that you just cannot retain your peace when you are with them, then give yourself some space. You must guard your peace and not be a quarrelsome person. If that person is constantly provoking you into unrest then segregate yourself from them, at least for a time. If it is a family member then try to limit the time you must spend with them and make sure you have prayed for yourself and them before the interaction. Prayer is the great peacemaker.

God likens quarrelsome behavior to sin so we must avoid it. Remember, some people love quarrels so we must guard our hearts and avoid being provoked. Peace is the calling card of the saints. Pursue peace with everyone.

Feeding the Multitude

Ivey Rorie On September 19, 2014 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

2 Kings 4: 42 – 44 NIV

A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said. “How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked. But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.

Does this story sound familiar to you? Sure it does. In Matthew 14: 13 and 15: 32 we read the accounts of two separate times when Jesus fed great multitudes of people with meager supplies. Does it surprise you that Jesus was not the first one to perform this miracle? This shows us three things: 1) there are parallels between the Old Testament and the New Testament, 2) Jesus operated in the earth as others had before him, and 3) that what Jesus said in John 14: 12 is possible.

First, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13: 8). Jesus has not changed since the beginning of time; nor has his father or the Holy Spirit. They are unchangeable. Therefore, the power, the love and the miracles that we see from Old Testament times are just as viable today as they were thousands of years ago. Further, we should not be surprised to see parallels between the two parts of the Bible when we understand the unchangeable nature of God.

Secondly, it is important for us to realize that when Jesus walked the earth he did so as a human being. Philippians 2: 7 tells us that Jesus did not come in his godly power and authority but rather that he “stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being” (Amplified Version). The Living Bible says he “laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men.” This is a very important concept for us to grasp. Many times we hear people say, “Oh, well, Jesus was God afterall” in defense of why miracles are not happening in our modern culture. But that is an inaccurate portrayal. Jesus emptied himself of his divinity and walked the earth as a human being with all the attendant frailties. He just walked with God in a way that most of us do not. Jesus’ earthly ministry proves that we can also walk and talk with God as he did because he was a man and had to interact with the world like any other human being. His deity did not explain his close union with God nor did it account for the miracles that he performed. Today’s passage is proof of that. Jesus’ feeding of the multitudes was not from his own divine power. Instead he relied on the God of Elisha to perform the exact same work that Elisha did.

Lastly, why is this so important? When we comprehend that Jesus had to live and work like any other person it removes the complacency and doubt from our minds and hearts. If Jesus did all that he did without relying on his divinity and instead operated in his humanity then it means that we can see the same miracles today; not only see, mind you, but perform. It makes Jesus statement in John 14: 12 palatable; “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” The uncomfortable part of this is that it also removes our excuses. Jesus performed miracles by relying on the father’s power. We have the same father and His power has not diminished a jot. Not only that but Jesus has now returned to his divinity and we have him in addition to the father. And are you ready for strike three. Jesus also poured out the Holy Spirit on mankind on the Day of Pentecost. So, we have all of the power and all of the help we could ever need. We have only to wrap our minds, and hearts, around the truth and then we too can bless people with miracles of every kind.

In Whom is Your Trust

Ivey Rorie On September 18, 2014 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

Isaiah 2: 22

Stop regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils; for why should he be esteemed?

The prophet Isaiah taught the futility of having our trust in a person or in mankind generally. For an even more clear recitation of this senselessness, let us look at the NIV version of this verse: “Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?” The NIV certainly says it plainly. It is futile, senseless to put our trust in human beings.

The language about the breath in the nostrils is a reference to the short life span of humans. Why put our trust in someone who is but a vapor; here today, tomorrow gone? The only source of true knowledge or wisdom is God Himself. We do not even live long enough to acquire any real wisdom. We can, though, borrow heavily from God who “gives (wisdom) to all men generously and without reproach” (James 1: 5).

Now I know how I approach this verse and others like it. a part of me argues that my reliance is on God rather than on man but I have also learned by now that my quick response is not always accurate. Anytime we are confronted with a verse like this which is so instructional it really pays to slow down a moment and consider from a base perspective. That means that we need to boil down the question to the very root and see what is going on within us. So, here goes. Are we relying on the 6:00 news or the Word of God? Is my doctor’s prognosis the final say or is the Word of God? When I am in need or have a question, who do I call? Do the economic forecasters hold sway over my personal economy or do I trust God for my finances? Who has made a greater impression on my heart, terrorists or God; does fear or faith reign?

We could go on and on. The point is that every area of our lives needs examination in order to determine what or who our source of information is. Are we going to fall susceptible to everything we read on the internet and hear on the news or are we going to stand with God, rely on Him for wisdom and believe His Word? I like what the NIV translation says, what is man that we should take account of him? Here is a free piece of wisdom – only take advice from people who are getting their information from God. If God is not their source then they cannot give you viable advice. Seek God and His wisdom and all will be well.

Said and Done

Ivey Rorie On September 17, 2014 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

Zechariah 12: 10

And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of Grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.

My, how powerful; so much contained in one verse. First we see the promise of the Holy Spirit, the promise of the New Covenant sealed in the giving of the Holy Spirit. Of course, through Jesus we have all been adopted into the family of David so don’t get hung up on the vernacular. The Holy Spirit has been poured out on all who will receive. He is the Holy Spirit of Grace and grace is certainly the hallmark of the new covenant. Jesus ushered in the age of grace through his atoning blood so that we are no longer slaves to the law. We have been freed from all shackles through the victory of Jesus.

It is impossible, though, not to appreciate the prophetic truths contained in this verse. Long before Jesus was born Zechariah wrote about the one who would be pierced. Are you ever amazed by prophecy? I am. God has always wished to reveal Himself and His knowledge to His people. He has given prophetic utterance throughout the ages and even continues to do so today. The glory of these prophecies is best appreciated in retrospect. Our hearts are moved when we read about the firstborn who is pierced. We know who this person is. Think about the people of Zechariah’s day. They didn’t know Jesus. Were they equally amazed by this prophecy? I somehow doubt it. Hopefully they did appreciate what the Lord told them through Zechariah.

Fulfilled prophecy certainly ministers to us today. Our faith in unfulfilled prophecies is bolstered by seeing fulfilled prophecies like the one in today’s selection. It is amazing in its own right but equally so in the way it points to other prophecy. If this one was so eloquently delivered then what does that mean for other Bible prophecy?

The Son has been pierced, the Spirit poured out. This is the last age before the climatic end of the Biblical story. We can watch the blood moons, the signs in the heavens and actually experience prophecy being fulfilled within our seeing. These are days of which the prophets spoke. It is a time of great triumph and joy as we glory in the victory of our Lord Jesus. The time is at hand for all people to turn their faces toward the light. There is a great looming darkness but greater is the light. We will jump with joy like young gazelles at the coming of our Lord and we will see His light shining brightly. We know the end of the story so fear not. The end is nigh but great is the victory of the Lord Jesus and upon His wings you will ride. Take joy. These are the promised days.

God Remembers

Ivey Rorie On September 16, 2014 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

Psalm 98: 3 NIV

He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

God has not forgotten His first love; the house of Israel. He is faithful to Israel even today. Israel was the seed that was supposed to germinate and spread the love of God throughout the earth so that all would know of the coming of the Messiah. Perhaps Israel didn’t fulfill the entirety of its commission but the Lord’s faithfulness endures. It was not dependent on the faithfulness of men but rather on the love of God. And God’s love has expanded to the ends of the earth so that it fills every nation and every people even if those people do not acknowledge the love and faithfulness of God.

This verse has a present tense and a prophetic tense about it. It declares that the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of God already. That is because God has filled the earth with life, truth and love. Even the ground and plants have been saturated with God’s faith and love. This has been so since the beginning. If God’s faithfulness and love were absent then there would be no life and scientists find life in the most remote places, even places where it was once thought that no life could exist. Life is the product of the love of God. Where there is love, there is life and vice versa.

The prophetic sense of this passage looked forward to the first coming of Christ and even the second coming. Salvation is extended to all who will receive. There is no person on earth that is precluded from the love of God and the resultant salvation. Even where no preacher has gone and preached, there is the knowledge of God. He has put into the heart of every person the knowledge of Himself. He has catalogued the mountains and streams as a testament to His presence. The world around us testifies to His existence even where no person has carried the gospel. His faithfulness has ordained the coming of the Christ to bring salvation to the world and His love is reaching to the ends of the earth. And where no minister of the gospel has gone before God is laying a foundation right now so that no one will perish without having heard the Word of the Lord.

God is not trying to keep people out of heaven. He is endeavoring to get them into heaven. He is faithful to the small and large and to the ends of the earth. Salvation has come. The saving grace of the Lord is and has filled the earth. We may openly partake of salvation from everything which seeks to hinder us. God’s salvation saves completely. He is faithful in the small things and the large things. Let salvation touch your household today and then by the grace invested in you by the Holy Spirit of God, extend that grace to all without reservation.

Truth Be Told

Ivey Rorie On September 15, 2014 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

Proverb 21: 28 God’s Word Translation

A lying witness will die, but a person who listens to advice will continue to speak.

What an uncommon comparison. The first phrase of this sentence talks about a liar. We would expect, then, for the second phrase to reveal the result for a truthful person. First, is there a presumption that the person who listens to advice will necessarily be a person who speaks truth? Is that why his life and voice will continue? Is there something about a person who will humble themselves and listen to the advice of another which makes them less likely to lie?

No one is surprised to learn that the life of a liar is in peril. There are some things which open the door to the devil getting to run around in one’s life. Anger is one. It opens the door to the devil. Speaking words of fear is another. It is an invitation. I don’t think there is anything we can do that invites more interference in our lives by the evil one than lying. Lies belong to the devil. Jesus called him the father of lies (John 8: 44). He said that there is no truth in the devil. Satan is a murderer and a liar. So when we lie we align ourselves with the devil. We have just invited him into our homes. The result is death. Once the devil gets into your house his objective is to kill you. It is what he does. He deceives lies, kills and destroys. Which part of that do you want?

Conversely, the wise person will listen to advice and will live on to speak the wisdom that she gleans from those to whom she has listened. The way of truth is life. Again, no big surprise here. Jesus said, “I am the way; and the truth, and the life” (John 14: 6) Truth and life go hand in hand. The surprise is that so many of us have not made a quality decision to live by truth. When Jesus speaks truth into your life you receive healing in your spirit, health in your body, prosperity and well-being. All things work together for your good. So, Solomon could end his proverb with this simple statement, choose truth and live.

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