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Well Ordered Life

Ivey Rorie On November 8, 2021 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

Proverb 23: 12 God’s Word

Live a more disciplined life, and listen carefully to words of knowledge.

When I read this proverb, this verse immediately sounded like some of that sage advice to which we are supposed to listen. I need to live a more disciplined life myself and this is a good call from the Lord, himself.

For my part, leading a more disciplined life means setting my priorities and working on the most important things first. I have so many irons in the fire that I tend to work on the one that is red hot at the moment. The other thing I tend to do is to work on the “to do’s” that I can complete quickly. Some of my projects require that I get to my desk and pull out the needed source materials before I can even begin. Egads! That is where I sometimes stumble. I can perform 15 other tasks immediately without having to get all settled in so those are the ones I do.

Certainly, listening carefully to words of knowledge/wisdom, helps us mange life and tasks better. Reading helps point the way to a more disciplined life. Perhaps one finds an article on sleep or on time management. We may also glean what we need through conversations. The key, though, is to formulate a plan of implementation.

Sometimes leading a more disciplined life boils down to getting out a calendar and blocking out time for the important tasks of the day. I find the more organized I am, the more I accomplish. The time I spend organizing my time ultimately pays dividends in getting more done, but also in more of the important things getting done. There are so many things in a day to fill one’s time and so many people who have needs and pull on you.

Here is one little discipline of life I will share with you because this is something I fail at routinely. Have a pad and pen near you so that when you think of something you need to do you can write it down. I often fail because of my “Do it now” attitude. Generally, that is a good concept, but sometimes the best thing one can do is continue in the present task rather than jumping around. Write down the other “to do,” finish the task at hand and then move to the next task. You will ultimately get more done. This is a discipline. Discipline yourself to writing out a schedule and then sticking to it. If you are in your reading time, read. Don’t jump on the phone or write a few emails. Get your reading done then pick off the next item.

There is so much we could discuss about living a disciplined life. Often, we talk about diet and exercise, but there is so much more to living in a disciplined way. What is it that you think you need? Where could your life use a touch of discipline. Click reply and let me know.

Advanced Wisdom

Ivey Rorie On November 5, 2021 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

Proverb 1: 8-9

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not ignore your mother’s teaching; For they are a graceful wreath for your head and necklaces for your neck.

Is this the advice every parent wants their teenager to hear? It is advice our society could use because we tend to forsake the wisdom of people older than ourselves, regardless of the age segment. Teenagers think thirty somethings are old and out of touch. Thirty somethings think their parents don’t have wisdom to give. We let the youngest, most naïve, least educated and least experienced segment of our population determine how society should function. That’s nuts! So, maybe we aren’t as wise as we think.

Reality check – this is bedrock. We should learn to lean on those who went before us, but we aren’t built to look for advice from others. Somehow, we grew up not respecting the wisdom of our elders and now we have passed that attitude on to the next generation. I doubt very much we are going to change this behavior socially, but we can affect how we interact with those older, and younger, than ourselves.
Two other ways to think about this admonition from Solomon is to draw on wisdom from old adages and to read books. There is so much knowledge and wisdom stored up on books that we could learn much. Wise people do not rely on their own experiences alone to gain wisdom. They walk in the footprints of those who have gone before. Why should we go through the same learning curve as the previous generation? In this age of electronics, the simple exercise of reading a book has become less common place. Even reading fiction improves one’s grammar, vocabulary and spelling.

One other note, some people have lots of wisdom but will not share it until they know you are a willing recipient. You may have to pull on them a bit. They want to share but do not want to offend. The wise teacher awaits a willing pupil. Man, that is a hard lesson to learn too.

Of Friends and Family

Ivey Rorie On November 4, 2021 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

Proverb 18: 24

God’s Word

Friends can destroy one another, but a loving friend can stick closer than family.

NIV

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

I have been thinking about friendship much lately. To capture what I have been thinking I need both translations above. First, a good friend can be a source of tremendous joy and support. There is a type of friend who loves, accepts and supports better than family. They honor their friends and appreciates their achievements without being judgmental of the failures. If you have the great fortune to have this kind of friend, hang on to them. They are a pure joy, a blessing from heaven. David had a friend like this. King Saul’s son, Jonathan, loved David like a brother, or even better. Their hearts were knit together.

There is also the other kind of “friend” mentioned in the verse above. Some people call themselves a friend but are more likely to bring you to ruin than to help you grow. They truly have the power to destroy and they wield it. It is sad when friends injure friends, but it happens. In those times, you realize they were not truly friends at all. True friends should be as Jesus, sacrificial. They should exhibit the Christ like ideal of serving others rather than being so self-absorbed. One of the problems we encounter in the world is that people are damaged commodities.

None of us get through this world unscathed. It is only the love of the Father and the healing touch of Jesus which repairs the injuries we pick up as we travel through the world. So, those who do not allow themselves to be healed, will often hurt others. It’s not that they intend to cause harm, but they are so busy protecting themselves and looking after their self-interests that they will cause injury to others. Of course, they have a way of justifying their behavior. Mostly, they will blame the person to whom they owe fealty but abandon. To put it plainly, they will stab you in the back, yet blame you. In their brokenness, they must find a way to excuse their behavior because in their hearts, they know they are wrong.

Most of you have experienced both kinds of friends. The one who love you better than your family is a treasure more valuable than gold. The other kind of friend will cause you deep pain, hurt and confusion. Here is my advice for both kinds of friends: thank God for the former and pray for the latter. Certainly, do a self-evaluation and prayerfully consider whether there is something within you which needs addressing but don’t carry other people’s damage in your heart. Pray for them and let them go.

Spend time with Jesus and become close with him. Actually, spend enough quality time talking with him that he feels like a good friend to, you. Tell him your thoughts and invite him to your events. You may find there are times you don’t want to be around other humans because it interferes with your time shared with Jesus. Don’t apologize for that. You need it and Jesus wants to hang out with you.

I want you to have close human friends upon whom you can rely. I want you to enjoy what those special friends can bring to your life. However, I also want you to be so close in your relationship with Jesus that you are never alone. He is the ultimate friend, the friend who loves you even more than family, the friend who will never let you down. He is the best friend any of us can have.

To Jerusalem

Ivey Rorie On November 3, 2021 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

2 Chronicles 11: 16

People from every tribe of Israel who were determined to seek the Lord God of Israel followed the Levitical priests to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their ancestors.

I wrote last week that my impression of Solomon’s offerings to the Lord were a sign that he sought the Lord and His wisdom. Today’s verse seems to support that idea. I am not suggesting that we need to buy the Lord’s favor, not at all. None the less, I also tire of people who want everything for free. I find this particularly true in the church. It seems to me that God and ministers should be honored in a tangible way. The people in today’s verse sought God with their hearts, their feet and their gifts.

The people referred to in today’s passage left their homes and travelled to Jerusalem to seek the face of their Lord. They did not arrive empty handed though. Do you think this is just an Old Testament idea? Maybe we don’t have to give good gifts to God anymore now that He has poured out Jesus for us. Or, do we need to make greater gifts because Jesus has been given for us? I truly believe it is the latter. I don’t think God requires it of us in the sense that He won’t meet our needs or answer our prayers, but I do think it matters to Him. I am sure He likes to be appreciated and honored for all He has done. Praise is more than words lifted up or a nice song. Praise can be very tangible. It can be a gift.

Today’s verse says two things to me: seek the Lord and give good gifts to Him. We fall woefully short these days. Why has the church come to this point? So, few people tithe? Why is that? The church is getting weak and many ministers are afraid to tell their congregants that giving is part of the faith. They do you an injustice and steal from you because giving is part of your livelihood. Look what it did for Solomon. God honored Solomon’s gifts by appearing to him in a dream and granting Solomon’s desire. Is it any mistake these two acts coincide? I don’t think so.

I want everyone who reads the Word of the Day to become very good at giving because I want to revitalize and strengthen the church. If we spend all our money on “stuff” instead of supporting the ministries, we deprive ourselves. It’s true. Giving is a way of life and an important part of serving our Lord. I would love to see the church rise up and show itself generous and loving. This is the way to change the world. We can be like the people in today’s passage who followed their pastor and made sacrifice to their King. They honored God and fed the priests all as a part of seeking God. What a beautiful example. Why can’t we be like them? What would it take and what would be gained? I am sure it would be good for us.

Generous Blessing

Ivey Rorie On November 2, 2021 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

Deuteronomy 15: 10 NIV

Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

Yesterday’s Word of the Day set me thinking, so I ran a search on the word “generous.” This verse from Deuteronomy stood out to me in particular because I know that in a few chapters we will learn explicitly about The Blessing! Clearly, Moses had the blessing in mind when he wrote this because we see its operation.

I will be very honest with you. I want to be under the blessing. I want it chasing me down in the street. My life is much easier with the blessing working in it than without. Actually, something didn’t go exactly my way the other day and I was surprised. It wasn’t a big thing but it was noticeable because it frustrated my purposes slightly. On the other hand, a different matter worked out better than I could have orchestrated. The point is, I have become accustomed to the way life works with the blessing.

Now, do I give just so the blessing will work in my life? Not really, but I will say that God’s thoughts on giving do influence me. The blessing only works when you give freely, not begrudgingly. If you cannot give cheerfully, it is best to take the whole issue to God in prayer or even journal it.

Our challenges with giving sometimes have to do with brokenness in our spirits. So, if I don’t want to give, then I immediately begin to question it. What is wrong with me that I need to hold on to this? I think about people I know who are so generous and people like Sister Teresa and it reframes things in my mind. I see myself positioned differently. Then I imagine how I want to think and feel and I see myself in that posture. I see myself confident in my giving and generous. That helps me. If I am having a hard time letting go, it is a good sign something is wrong with me because that certainly is not God’s Spirit speaking within me. When we are in our right place with God, we are always generous. If we find ourselves hesitant to give, then something has gone wrong in our hearts. The most important thing to do is to ask the Father about it so that he can heal us or mend that which broke.

God wants to bless everything you touch. That is The Blessing that Moses wrote about in Chapter 28 of Deuteronomy. The blessing works through our divine connection with God the Father. You cannot be divinely connected to God and also be stingy. It just doesn’t ever happen that way. He is the supreme giver. This verse attests to that. Jesus’ life attests to that but God’s blessing flows according to the streams of life and one of the most significant of those is generosity. When we get in the flow with the Father, life bubbles along smoothly.

Be a generous giver. Not because I say so, but because it is God’s way. Speak with Him and ask Him to help you be generous in your giving and let the blessing flow in your life.

Blessed Beyond Measure

Ivey Rorie On November 1, 2021 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

Proverb 22: 9 NIV

The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.

For some, generosity seems to come naturally. Others of us struggle. I do not believe that this lack of generosity always stems from greed. Sure, some people are tight fisted because they want everything for themselves. They are, in fact, selfish. I think, though, that some of us are generous of heart but fearful. The truth is we are not as generous as we might be because we lack faith in our God and Father. We don’t truly believe He will take care of us. That is why we hold on so tightly.

I have seen much in the scriptures lately about giving and though I consider myself a pretty good giver, I have found myself challenged. I need to do more. One of the things Father has shown me is that sometimes I hold on so tightly to what I have that He can’t get more to me. The expression, tight-fisted, is apropos. My fist is clenched and that is what I present to the Father rather than a hand outstretched and open. He cannot give into a clenched fist.

I am convinced that anyone who really loves God and does a study of the scriptures cannot continue to horde their wealth. These believers give beyond the tithe. They constantly find ways to bless others. I love these folks because they continue to show me ways I can give and I am often overwhelmed by their goodness, which is one of God’s qualities. I am still living in the glow of the outpouring of gifts for the Multiple Sclerosis charity bike ride. Many of you showed the most tender part of your hearts in your giving.

If I may, I would also like to be so honest as to say, some gave nothing. I do not believe it is because they lack kindness. Some may have chosen other charities for the year. That’s fair. Others though, may suffer this depression era mentality that causes us to hold on too tightly to what we have. If that is you, I sympathize because I stumble over that line too. However, there is hope for us and I want us all to be blessed in the full measure that God desires.

Father, bless those people who so demonstrate your kindness in their own giving. Pour out upon them a blessing so large they cannot contain it. And Father, for those who have not become great givers yet, teach us by your gentle Holy Spirit that it is your way and part of our calling. Relieve us of fear and boost our faith in you and your provision. Give us stalwart hearts and bless our giving as you do those who have already learned this important lesson. Father, make us, everyone, givers beyond the ten percent tithe and Father, for those who have not yet learned to tithe, encourage them that this is your way of meeting their need. Give them extra faith in your Word. Challenge them to take this first step. Give us all hearts of the giver, Father that we might be like you, and I thank you for this and bless you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Trinity

Ivey Rorie On October 29, 2021 / Word of the Day / Leave a comment

1 Corinthians 2: 10 – 13 God’s Word

God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, especially the deep things of God. After all, who knows everything about a person except that person’s own spirit? In the same way, no one has known everything about God except God’s Spirit. Now, we didn’t receive the spirit that belongs to the world. Instead, we received the Spirit who comes from God so that we could know the things which God has freely given us. We don’t speak about these things using teachings that are based on intellectual arguments like people do. Instead, we use the Spirit’s teachings. We explain spiritual things to those who have the Spirit.

I well remember the day when I realized that I had a pretty good relationship with Jesus, but almost no relationship with the Father. Actually, it was worse than that for I discovered I harbored resentment deep in my heart towards Father. In my youth I blamed Him for some of the bad things which happened to me. Years later, I discovered those feelings remained hidden in the bowels of my spirit. I immediately began to repair those old hurts and enter into a new relationship with God.

I have since found that I am not alone in this one dimension relationship with the Trinity. Other Christians fellowship with Christ but have almost no communion with the Father. This, we must remedy. Far worse, though, is how few have a relationship with the Spirit.

In today’s passage we learn of Paul’s reliance on the Spirit of God. His writing emphasizes the importance of sharing fellowship with the Spirit of God, explaining that it is only through this fellowship that we will ever truly know God.

I strongly believe we are living in the Age of the Spirit. I have written this before. When Jesus left the earth, he sent us another, a comforter, who would be with us until the end of the age. We must embrace this other, this comforter sent by Christ. It begins with the prayer of solicitation. Just ask. Ask the Holy Spirit to come into your life. Ask him to live in your heart, to intertwine with your own spirit and make himself known to you. Invite him to participate in everything you do and be mindful of him. Quiet your mind and listen to the voice in your spirit for he will communicate with you through that intertwined life within you. You will become one. He will share his thoughts and wisdom with you through that connection. Ask him to become an integral part of your life and your day. Wake up tomorrow and welcome him to your day. Become mindful that God is three persons and be alert for all three parts to be a part with you.

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