Gracious and Merciful

On April 28, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 145: 8

The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.

Now isn’t that what you want in a best friend? As I read this verse, I thought that is really what we all want in our closest friend and God can certainly be your best friend. Gracious means showing favor, kindness or courtesy; being merciful and compassionate especially to one’s inferiors. Mercy is refraining from harming or punishing offenders or persons in one’s power; kindness in excess of what may be expected or demanded by fairness; forbearance and compassion. An additional definition says that mercy is a disposition to forgive, pity, or be kind. That is all great! In addition God does not get angry easily or quickly. Plus he is loving and kind. I really don’t know what more I would ask of Him. He sounds perfect to me. And His love is perfect.

He is not mad at you. Isn’t that good news? He loves you and wants to show you mercy and compassion. He desires to shower grace on you. He just wants to love on you and set you on high places out of harm’s reach. Get in touch with your best friend today and just let him know that you are really glad He is the way that He is and that you want to be His best friend too.

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Better than Sheep

On April 27, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 145: 21        TPT

I will praise you, Lord! Let everyone everywhere join me in praising the beautiful Lord of holiness from now through eternity!

Now here is someone who really loves the Lord! I bet you can guess who wrote it. If you guessed David, you are right. You can see one reason why God called David a man after His own heart. It was the love David showed Him. I find myself wondering how David developed such a strong affinity for God. The answer is perfect for a trying time of lockdown and isolation.

David was a shepherd. His brothers were older than he and were soldiers. While the brothers were off fighting the Philistines, David was home watching sheep. He spent many lonely nights with those sheep. All that time alone paid dividends though. He learned he was not really alone. He began talking to the one who was with Him, his God. In the lonely watches he learned to communicate with the Father, and he learned to wrap his life around the Father. He fell in love with Father and he also came to know the Holy Spirit, which few in the Old Testament can boast of.

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. In this case, David turned loneliness into a close, intertwined life with the Lord. We can do the same. If you are finding yourself still alone a lot, talk with Dad. You could come out the other side of Covid with more than long hair and an extra couple of pounds. You could become a David, knowing and talking with the Father with ease.

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Happy Days

On April 26, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 146: 5              Good News Bible

Happy are those who have the God of Jacob to help them and who depend on the Lord their God.

This passage reminded me of the post, Fingerprints. How happy are those who have God looking after them. I count my blessings. The story about my storage unit is only one of the recent miraculous deeds Father has worked out for me. Some of the things He does are big things. Some are small. For example, He worked out every minute of my schedule one day so that I “accidentally” ran into two different people I needed to see. Living in those moments was crazy because one minute either way would have made a difference in each of those situations. It was amazing being in God’s hands and watching things unfold. Truly, it was one of those, “You had to be there,” moments. It was obvious Father was orchestrating my day. Just wonderful!

With the storage unit, He was looking out for me without my knowing what was going on. He was on His own taking care of my details. I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am to our Father for the myriad of little things He does, some of which I probably never even realize.

Do I depend on the Lord my God? Increasingly so. Don’t you see how the directive to pray without ceasing is a simple operational procedure. I would never teach this as a burdensome thing. It is not a command to perform a ritualistic service. Instead, it is more akin to breathing. Breathing is automatic. You don’t have to think about it, plan it, be in just the right place, with the right tools. It is a part of everything you do all day and all night. Prayer will likely never be run by our autonomic nervous system, but I do believe it can approach that level of incorporation. We can become people of prayer such that we live in a prayer state and I believe we can do this without becoming weird. Yet, one of the greatest joys of life is that even without this continual prayer walk, Father is on the job looking to the details He knows we care about even when we don’t know there is a matter which needs prayer.

Ivey Ministries is dedicated to the idea that we can live lives intertwined with the Holy One. Part of that is that we might receive a revelation of how we can be plugged into communion with the Father at all times as was Jesus. Happy days, indeed, are ahead for those who depend on Yahweh and who have the God of Jacob helping them.

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Awesome Works

On April 23, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 145: 6

They tell of the power of your awesome works – and I will proclaim your great deeds.

It is my turn to proclaim God’s mighty and great deeds. This goes back to the Word of the Day entitled Fingerprints. Fingerprints was about how God takes care of so many details in our lives, many of which we never would have known to pray about. It is the blessing of God which follows us around looking after us. So today I am going to tell you one of the stories which inspired that devotion.

I have been having work done at my house. Because of that I needed to move things out of the way of the contractors. One day I carried a load to the storage unit. While there, I received a phone call. Most of the time I was unloading, I had on my headset and was on this call. My attention was a bit more on the caller than on what I was doing. That night, when I went to bed, I realized I did not remember putting my fold up futon in the storage unit. I remembered taking it off of the cart but not putting it away.

The next day, I went back over to the storage unit and didn’t see it anywhere.  I opened up my unit and, indeed, it was not there. I went to the office and spoke with the attendant who said she didn’t know of anything like that left out or turned in, but recommended I call and speak with the manager. The next day I called and the manager said there was nothing turned in like that. I figured it was gone and just hoped it would bless someone.

Each night when I went to bed my thoughts were haunted by that futon and I tried to remember what happened. I also worried about what else I might have left out. It’s been two months now. Recently, I went back over to the storage unit. As I walked to my unit, I went down the adjacent hallway. To my extreme surprise, laying there in the hallway was my futon, but not only my futon but my camp mat, kayak bag, and a vacuum cleaner. Are you kidding me? Father preserved my possessions for me for two months. No one took my things. I could hardly believe what I was seeing. I didn’t see any of those things when I went back to my unit right after it happened, but there they were right in the hallway.

I have no explanation other than that God is great. It is amazing to me. I promised God not to be so distracted next time and to keep my mind on what I was doing. Mostly, I praised Him. Now you know one of the reasons I wrote Fingerprints. Father is out there taking care of my life when I am oblivious to my actual needs. I am so sorry the unsaved don’t know Him and don’t have Him to help with all the things life tosses at us. It sure is good to have a Father who is paying attention and looking out for us. Amen and praise God!

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Thinking Time

On April 22, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Philippians 4: 8         TPT

Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always.

I should have sent this verse long ago in light of the challenging year we have had. This verse is a key not only to enduring challenging times but to rising above them. I chose the The Passion translation because it tells us to keep our thoughts continually fixed on that which is honorable, pure, respectable, kind, etc. That is an important element. It is so easy to let our thoughts, and our words for that matter, slip into the negative, detrimental, unkind, critical, facetious, etc. We really must set a guard over our lips and focus our attention on speaking and thinking those things which edify and encourage.

The NASB uses the word lovely, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable . . ..” These words create a high standard. God doesn’t want our thoughts wallowing around in the gutter of negativity, conflict, and destruction. It isn’t healthy for us and those thoughts, and subsequent words, are harmful to society. We are supposed to keep our thoughts to those things “that are excellent and worthy of praise.” If a thing is not worthy of praise, it should not be taking up time and space in our minds and spirits. It is like introducing a cancer into your spirit. You don’t want that.

You know, when we were kids, we were told that if we couldn’t say something nice, we shouldn’t say anything at all. I think the adults got that from this verse. If it isn’t praiseworthy, don’t say it and definitely don’t fix your thoughts on it.

We have been through a crazy year, a year unlike anything we have experienced before. It has been such a challenge at every level of existence. It is time, now, for us to pick up the pieces and restore nations and communities. We descended down into pits and wallowed far too much into muck but now we have fought our way out of the pit and back onto level ground. Do not allow ongoing challenge throw you back to the ground. Lift your eyes to heaven and let your thoughts, words and actions glorify God.

If it wouldn’t annoy you, I would write this Word of the Day in all caps to emphasize how important this is. I know how challenged your heart and spirit have been. I know how you’ve wanted to lash out at someone for all the indignation you feel you have suffered. We have all been frustrated and angry. That’s on us. However, we have a God who is love and kindness. Therefore, to fuel our recovery we must meditate on thoughts which are congruent with His character. We must stop tearing each other down, pointing fingers and complaining. We really must devote ourselves to prayers for others, kindness and charity. Let us heal and coalesce. Do not let your heart continue in dark thoughts or anger. Let your thoughts be of light and love. Consider the needs and concerns of others and make those a priority, even over your needs and wants. I know that sounds crazy but that is what the Bible tells us to do (Philippians 2: 3). And may the light and life of Jesus keep you.

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It Ain’t Over Yet!

On April 21, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Genesis 37: 5

Then Joseph had a dream.

When God gives you a dream, you have to hold on to it with both fists. In truth, when God speaks to us, or shows us a dream or a vision, we expect to see it begin to unfold immediately. Why does he give us a vision of our future or a promise of prosperity and a good life without immediately putting the plan into action? I think the answer goes back to Jeremiah 29: 11, “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

The emphasis should be placed on the word, “hope.” Joseph had several dreams in which God communicated Joseph’s purpose. He saw himself being elevated above his brothers and even above his father. The dreams were clear and they encouraged and excited Joseph. You have had one of those dreams too, or a word from God. The very next thing that seems to happen is that you are flung down into a pit.

You know the story of Joseph. From the pit he went into slavery. However, the blessing was on him and he prospered his master. Although he found favor with his master, the next thing Joseph knows, he is in prison. From the pit, to slavery, to prison Joseph must have been wondering about the great promises from God. “Did God lie to me? Was He wrong? Have I done something wrong and frustrated the purpose of God in my life?” These are all the same questions we have asked when the vision from God looks nothing like our life.

The story of Joseph is good reading, but it is not in the Bible just to make a good Bible story. It is there to encourage us when our lives are in the pits. I am sure Joseph had his moments of doubt, but he hung onto the promise of God and believed despite his circumstances.

The facts don’t count. When we are in bondage, bowed down with the weight of life, we need to hold fast to the dream God has given us. There may be days of doubt, but we need to remind ourselves that God is not a man that He can lie. He will deliver us to the promised land. When you are feeling like life is the pits, and you wonder where God has gotten off to, remember Joseph. God fulfilled every dream and saved the nation of Israel through Joseph. He became the second most powerful man in Egypt behind Pharaoh. Not bad for a slave boy.

Don’t give up! The story isn’t over yet!

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Freak Out!

On April 20, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Lamentations 3: 41

We raise our heart and hands toward God in heaven.

I well remember the first time I went to a Charismatic church. I was the guest of a friend. It turned out that she and her husband attended the same church as someone I greatly respected. I wonder if she chose our seats intentionally because this man that I admired was right in my line of sight as I looked to the podium.

Imagine my horror when, during the praise and worship, my eye noticed movement and turning towards the movement saw that my “hero” had his hand raised towards heaven. I think God must have nailed my shoes to the floor because, though I was freaking out at this rock and roll church, I couldn’t move.

That church shook up my life. There were lots of people who raised their hands or swayed. There was probably even someone dancing somewhere. As much as it alarmed me, there was something there that, though I couldn’t identify it at the time, drew me. That first service mortified me, but you know what, I began driving over an hour every Sunday to attend services there. When the Associate Pastor started his own church, I went with him. To this day, he is the pastor of my heart. His ministry changed my life forever.

It is funny to remember how alarmed I was at my mentor raising his hand in church. From that initiation to becoming a founding member of the Associate Pastor’s new church is an interesting contrast. And yet, it was the most normal thing of all. I am glad my friend took me to church. Even though it challenged everything I thought I knew, I ultimately found truth and freedom, and after all, that is what we all seek. Just be warned, the truth you need may be cloaked in unusual raiment.

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