Not Fair!

On February 5, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 20: 12

These who were hired last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day’s work and the scorching heat.

Do you remember this story, how the landowner bargained with workers at the beginning of the day to pay them a certain wage for a day’s work in his vineyard? Towards the end of the day he took on more workers. At day’s end, he paid all the workers the same wage, even those who came late in the day. The workers who worked all day were upset that the people who worked a half day, or less, received the same wage as they. I might be upset too.

This is a two-fold message I believe. First, it is an obvious salvation message. Those who come into the vineyard, or in this case the kingdom, are rewarded as generously as those who arrived early. Second, it is a message about God’s kindness and generosity. Why are we upset that he chooses to be generous to those who worked one hour?

I believe part of the answer is that we are still locked into an earning mentality. The workers thought they “earned” their wage by their full day’s labor. They thought they earned the reward through their labor. This passage reveals a God who doesn’t make us earn His benefits. He gives freely. If He chooses to bless people who don’t deserve it, we should be happy rather than angry or jealous because we see God’s love in action towards all people.

Then there are the rewards of salvation. Those of us who have worked in the vineyard for years ought to reap a bigger reward than those who show up at the last minute. Right? That is what our worldly self says to us. Moreover, we feel legitimate in that thought. The reality is, though, that God is giving gifts to all. Salvation is free. None of us deserved His grace when He extended it to us but with time, we have begun to feel that we have earned something. Some people live like the devil and then in the eleventh hour pray to Jesus for salvation while other people have served him all their lives. What is the equity between these two groups? The only equity in God is love. Love bestows great gifts without regard for earnings. That does not square with our brains, but we need to allow it to settle into our spirits. Those who come after us are just as worthy and unworthy as we. The only way we receive a wage or salvation is by the free grace of the Father’s kindness and generosity. We didn’t have to earn it and neither do those people who are making their way towards the kingdom.

I think this story rankles within us because it is so “unfair” in the way we were raised to think. However, when we look at this from God’s perspective it begins to help heal our hearts. We needn’t lament God’s kindness towards anyone for it is that very kindness that blesses us today.

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Arm’s Reach

On February 4, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

James 4: 8

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.

I have been trying to answer the question, “Why should we seek the Lord?” God tells us to but at a more basic level, what motivates people to seek God? For me, it was an intense frustration at not being able to hear His voice clearly when other people could. That exasperation drove me 2500 miles to the other side of the country to rectify what seemed wrong to me.

There was a hunger within me to know the Father. Does not everyone have that desire? Was it my pastor who stirred up the desire within me the way the Apostle Paul did with Timothy? This idea that if we seek God, He will reach out to us has been a driving force in my teachings and in my own experiences. The experience I had in Anaheim, CA didn’t satisfy me. It made me want more of Him. I tasted of His presence in a way I never had before and that showed me more of what was possible. You get close enough to see behind the curtain and I want it all. The closer we draw to Him the more we want to draw closer.

This verse reminds me of Michelangelo’s painting of the hands of God and man which is on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Man rather lazily extends His hand towards God. He is almost cavalier in his reach. You get the sense about God that He has been waiting a long time for the man to reach out, that He has been holding out His hand just waiting for us to reach out and take it. It seems God has been enthusiastically reaching out towards man waiting for man to reciprocate.

Looking at the painting makes me want to replace the man. In a sense, we all get that chance. What will we do with it? Will we lounge comfortably reaching only as far as is comfortable? Who will leap to their feet and pursue God? Is that promise that when you seek God, you will get Him sufficient motivation for anyone? What does it take to motivate us? Is it the reward? Probably not. It is more likely the pain of not having what you want. However, imbedded in there is the belief that you can actually have it. I believed God spoke to people and I could not understand why I was not hearing Him speak to me. If there is a gift of God, I want it and I will not be denied so I guess it is the sense of missing out on something that I can have that drives me. Being in His presence is worth everything. It is the greatest of all joys but maybe we need more pain to drive us. Maybe being left out moves us more than the promise of gain.

I don’t know how to motivate anyone but myself. I wish I did. I would do everything I can to get each of you to seek God at a greater level because I know how much it would bless you. For now, I can just say, the rewards are certainly worth it. You will find love and acceptance like you never have before. You will find release and peace within your soul. This message is for Christians. Seek more of God. Insist He give you more. He wants you to make a demand of Him and you have the promise right here in today’s verse. He cannot deny His own word so He must comply. Go Get Him, and don’t stop until He has gotten you.

 

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Touch Him

On February 3, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   1 Comment

Acts 17: 27       NIV

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

It is an interesting thing to think about, but God has made Himself vulnerable to our whims. When He created us, He gave us freewill. He wanted a family, not a cadre of marionettes. Nor did He choose to make us slaves to His will. He left the decisions and choices in our hands. It seems remarkable that He would have developed such an elaborate plan and yet left so many of the pivotal decisions to humans. Remarkable, yes but also laudable. This truth says a great deal about the nature of God and the dynamic of our relationship with Him.

He created paths for us to follow, paths which lead to Him. He gave us the means and the motivation to seek Him. The New American Standard Bible reads, “perhaps they might grope for Him.” What image does that generate for you. A blind people, lost in the dark, reach out searching for enlightenment and understanding. He gave us truths to undergird us so that we might have the ability to seek Him and find Him. He whispered His truths in our ears so that in our moment of epiphany we would know for whom to reach out.

In our hearts, those saved and even those not yet in the household, we know who He is. When we fall to our knees in the dark, we know the truth and it arises from our own spirits where the Father planted a bit of Himself. When we seek Him, when we reach out for an initial introduction or simply because we want more of Him, our searching hands find Him for He is with us. At this very moment, He is not far from any one of us, nor has He ever been. Even in our loneliness, He was there. Had we sought the light we would have found His hand reaching out to us with even greater purpose and determination.

He is here. He is with us and He wants more of us. He wants to be closer to our hearts, more integral to our days, and more intertwined with all that we are. Bless the Lord. Seek His face with all your heart, soul and mind. Reach out your hand and touch Him. Be Blessed!

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Praise Power

On February 2, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 22: 26

The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise him— may your hearts live forever!

There is no better way to a deeper level of communion with God than by praise and worship. A good song of praise can get you unstuck and free your spirit. When I am really struggling, I sing to God, which, by the way, I learned from Him. Funny story: one day I heard Him say, “Sing our song.” I didn’t even realize we had a song but like young lovers, we did, and it only took a moment to realize which song He thought of as ours. What a joyous time together that ended up being and there was no doubt about His presence in the room with me which is always the greatest of all joys.

This verse says that those who seek the Lord will praise Him. Which comes first? Praising Him is a way of seeking His presence. Some people praise in song, others simply speak. It certainly can be awkward at first. Some people are very good at it. Others, not so much. I am one of those who is not quite so eloquent, so I usually sing a praise song. What I find is that even though I may begin in awkwardness, as I stay with it, I relax. As I relax, I get in better touch with my own spirit. Praise lives in my spirit so once I am connected to my spirit, it becomes easy to pour out words about His greatness and His unfailing kindness.

I hope you will employ this way of seeking the Lord and a deeper relationship with Him.

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Bless the Lord

On February 1, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 134: 1

Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord.

I feel like this psalm goes along with the series on seeking the Lord. When I think about blessing the Lord, I am drawn towards expressions of intimacy. It is crazy thinking that the God who created the heavens and earth could be blessed by our spending time with Him but that is exactly what He longs for. As we enter into our second month of 2021, I hope we can focus again on what it means that He is calling to us. He wants us to turn to Him in a more dedicated, devoted way this year. Does that mean prayer? Sure but I think the better answer is an intent to get to know Him better and to draw closer to Him.  And that, amazingly, blesses the Lord.

I welcome your thoughts.

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Methods

On January 29, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 105: 4

Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.

That is some good advice if I have ever heard it and it brings up a good point. This is a message for the ages. This is not the first time God has instructed His people to seek Him. So, the message for 2021 is a message for every day of the Christian life. It isn’t new, just what God wants to focus our attention on for this year. Let’s look at other ways to draw near to the Father as we answer the question, “How do we seek Him?”

Prayer, or better still, communication with Him is another key. What does that mean? We have lots of tools at our disposal but just chatting with Him is number one with me. Often, when we discuss prayer a more formal image comes to mind. Also, we usually think of prayer as a form of solicitation or request. Those are important communiques but in search of intimacy we need normal, not formal, conversation with Him. Yahweh is interested in everything you are interested in. So just talk with Him about those things. You will be surprised by some of His comments.

Here are some other ways to connect you may not have thought of. We can also journal, paint, sing, etc. These can all be ways to interact with God. What if you yielded your spirit to the Holy Spirit as your paintbrush hovered over the canvas? What if you just let what the Spirit is feeding your spirit flow out of the tip of the brush? Can you imagine that?

What about journaling? Is that something you like to do? Here is a journaling method you may not have yet discovered. It is called two-way journaling and you can find out more about it at Communion with God Ministries’ website. You can also go my website to see some of my journaling of scripture. Just click on “Journaling with Ivey.” It is a good jumping off place for your own journaling.

What other ways can you think of to draw you deeper in your relationship with God. What are other ways to seek Him?

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Seeking Covenant

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

2 Chronicles 15: 12

They entered into the covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and soul.

This is us, entering into a covenant to seek the Lord, perhaps more intensely than ever before. How, though, do we seek the Lord? What are the practical tools at our disposal?

Most of us know the denominational church model of Christian service and worship. It is what we were raised in. Of course, we have watched that model shift over the years but still, it remains largely dependent on our church building. What do we do now that we are on our own? Of all the times, when we need the leadership of our pastors, we are isolated from them. How do these changes affect our answer to God’s call to us?

We must develop our other skills and other methods of drawing close to God. Foremost is one you probably already utilize but could grow into a bigger role for you. That is studying the Bible. Searching the Bible for answers and wisdom is seeking God and I find it always leads to communication with Him. One may simply need a rededication to time in the Bible or, perhaps, a new study tool is in the offing. I remember buying a Strong’s Concordance a long time ago. That was before online searches were available. The point is that it changed my study time significantly. One thing you can do is search out a theme. Using online search engines you can easily find every verse on a given theme or even a given word. Or maybe you are due a new daily devotional. Just be sure it is word-based. These can draw you deeper into the Word.

Another great option is to buy a Christian book. I have been so blessed by various books throughout the years. I remember how some of them stopped me in my tracks. The key is that they have to be Bible based rather than just opinion. I have read some really good books about Bible figures like Paul, Moses and David. The good authors don’t make these dry histories. They use the lives of those sages to reveal truths about our own.

Above all, be sure to stop and talk with God about what you are learning. Don’t let any of this become an intellectual pursuit of the mind. Make it about getting to know the Father better and hearing His thoughts. Don’t make Bible study a dull ritual. Dive in there and find life. Find out what books you enjoy the most. Let your spirit be engaged. That is the key for when you do, you are going to find life more abundant.

Email me and I will tell you my favorite book of all time. Also I might be able to recommend a book or two for you.

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