Three Magi

On December 15, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 2: 11

Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

In western culture, the gifts of frankincense and myrrh hardly seem on par with the gift of gold. Is this, then, a dialogue on valuable gifts? Or, perhaps, invaluable gifts? It turns out that historically, frankincense and myrrh were at least as valuable as gold and many historians believe them to have been more valuable than gold.

I got this from Dr. Axe regarding these ancient oils. Visit his website at draxe.com.

Myrrh is a resin, or sap-like substance, that is one of the most widely used essential oils in the world. Historically, myrrh was used to treat hay fever, clean and heal wounds and stop bleeding. Studies conclude that myrrh strengthens the immune system with its antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties.

A 2012 study validated myrrh’s enhanced antimicrobial efficacy when used in combination with frankincense oil against a selection of pathogens. Researchers expressed that myrrh oil has anti-infective properties and can help to boost your immune system.

What’s more, new research indicates that these two essential oils are even more effective in combination. Two things of interest I noted as I researched frankincense in myrrh are that they are useful in treating blood disorders. In fact, I was surprised how often blood came up in the articles I read. Secondly, myrrh was used as an embalming fluid. Both of these facts seemed to foreshadow Jesus’ future. How poignant is it that the baby Jesus would be given a gift commonly used in embalming? The two were also ingredients of the incense Jews burned in the temple.
Frankincense and myrrh were very expensive and highly sought after. The trees which produce these resins could not be grown in Israel. Queen Hatshepsut of Egypt greatly sought the two, one article claiming that conquest of foreign lands was sometimes motivated by the desire for the plants which yield the sought after resins. Since the trees would not grow in all climates, the Egyptians would seize territories where they would grow so that they could have their own supply of frankincense and myrrh rather than having to pay exorbitant prices for it.

Today, many medicinal uses have been identified for these two oils. Some believe the potential benefits number in the hundreds. They can be applied directly to the skin but are often burned. Inhaling the essential oils is another healing methodology which has to be a point of interest when considering that the ancient Jews used these two resins in the temple incense. So, going to church really could be good for your health!

I hope as you read the Christmas story this year you will have a better appreciation of how valuable the gifts of frankincense and myrrh really were. It turns out that the offer of gold was likely the lesser of the three gifts. Frankincense and myrrh were very expensive, extremely hard to get and medicinally beneficial. wealth alone, did not secure the valuable oils. Three “Gentile” magi travelled from afar and gave Jesus invaluable gifts. Perhaps the fact that three non-Jewish people travelled a long distance to take the Messianic baby such valuable gifts was a prophetic message in itself.

Back to Top

Father of Forgiveness

On December 14, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   3 Comments

Psalm 130: 1 – 4

Out of the depths I have cried to You, Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the sound of my pleadings. If You, Lord, were to keep account of guilty deeds, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, so that You may be revered.

I always like finding these Old Testament examples of forgiveness. Sometimes people paint God as vengeful and judgmental. Yet, He is casting our sin to His back and forgetting it. We need only to receive it.

The psalmist speaks true, who could stand if the Lord did keep an account of all our wrong doings. Oh My! I am very grateful that He has thrown out the ledger. So, what of “Judgement Day?” That is so easy! Some people have an image of standing before God as He recites every wrong thing they did in their life. To me, that is a silly image. For one, why wouldn’t he also recite all the good things done? But then, do some people think that the Day of Judgement is like a seesaw or a balance? Do they believe that if the balance tips in favor of good deeds they will go to heaven but if it tips the other way, they get a free one-way ticket to hell?

So here is why that cannot be right. Even putting aside the blood of Jesus for one moment, God was always a forgiving God. That is why He sent Jesus. He didn’t send Him to collect the list of our wrongs but rather to save us despite our repulsiveness. Besides that, recall Isaiah 38: 17, “You have hurled all my sins behind Your back.” God has cast our sin behind Him where He cannot see it. He does not keep it before His eyes.

There is forgiveness with God. He embodies mercy and forgiveness. He is love and loves each of us and withholds none of His good gifts.

Back to Top

Immanuel

On December 11, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 7: 14

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel.

Immanuel – God with us. Of all the things that are unique about this new covenant, the one I like best is that God is present with us all the time. Yahweh revealed the coming miracle to Isaiah. It was bigger than just the Messiah which was promised. In the name Immanuel, God revealed an entirely new type of relationship that humanity would have with divinity. God sent his son here not just to save us from sin but also to create a new temple, the temple of the Holy Spirit which is not made of stones and mortar but of human sinew. What an amazing miracle!

Some people think the virgin pregnancy was the miracle of miracles. That is peanuts compared to the reality that God made us His temple and has come to make His abode in us. Yahweh didn’t just send a Messiah. He transformed the entire spiritual realm. Humans became the living building stones by which the Lord built His kingdom on earth and He is still building that kingdom.

This message of God with us is a Christmas message, sure, but it is so much more than that. I have tried to intimate what a game changer this event was. During this time of Covid-19 we can appreciate “Immanuel” at an entirely different level. God is with us. We have all three parts of the Trinity living with us, integrating their life with ours. Our hearts can be strengthened because God has sent His comfort and joy in the person of Jesus, our Christ. But it doesn’t end there. Jesus also sent us a helper, the Holy Spirit. We are not alone nor are we abandoned. This Christmas let’s all meditate on Immanuel – God with us. Make every day a revelation of Jesus sitting beside you. He is alongside you at work and he is baking cookies with you. No matter what you do this Advent Season, engage your thoughts about God with you. The more we consciously make ourselves aware of God’s presence with us, the more peace we will experience. Blessings!

Back to Top

Comfort and Joy

On December 10, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Jeremiah 31: 13

Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

I told you I spent Monday outside setting up Christmas decorations and singing Christmas music at the top of my voice (sorry neighbors). One song that made a big impression on me was God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. How many times have you heard that song and even sung it for yourself? I especially heard and appreciated the line which wishes us tidings of comfort and joy. This year, as a group, we need comfort and joy as perhaps we have not in recent years.

I told you in yesterday’s Word of the Day that as I sang it was if I was transported to that little town on Bethlehem all those many years ago. I thought about the situation into which the child savior was born. The people of that day were as desperate for God’s help as we are today. The lived in an occupied territory. Think of that in present day military terms. They were not under self-rule accept to the degree that the Romans did not wish to be bothered with what they considered mundane issues. The big questions of the day were decreed by the Roman rulers. The people cried out for the promised Messiah to come relieve them of the burden of Roman rule. They were oppressed. It is into this environment that the babe was born.

Mary should have been home preparing for the birth of her child. Instead, she was forced to journey to Bethlehem because Caesar Augustus decreed that a census be taken. Can you imagine having to travel with those primitive transportation means when you are near your due date. However, the Jews had no choice but to do everything the Romans demanded. Those were some people who needed comfort and joy.

God promised he would send a savior. He promised He would turn their sorrow to joy and their mourning to gladness. He pledged to give them comfort. And He did. He sent His own son so that generations of people could receive comfort and joy in the place of sorrow.

May you be comforted and may your heart receive joy. The Christmas miracle is reborn in you today!

Back to Top

It’s Time for Christmas

On December 9, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 19: 20

And it will become a sign and a witness to the Lord of armies in the land of Egypt; for they will cry out to the Lord because of oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Champion, and He will save them.

We have entered the period of Advent. It begins the fourth Sunday preceding Christmas Day. This year that was November 29th. The Advent is the preparation period when Christians ponder the miracle birth of the Savior as well as anticipate Jesus’ triumphant return in the second coming.

I have felt that I should do more than one Christmas message this year. Perhaps something more in line with the concept of the Advent. This year has held tremendous challenge and we certainly need a little bit of Christmas right now, as the song goes. Truly, I think we need a whole bunch of Christmas beginning right now.

Monday I spent several hours outside putting up Christmas decorations. The weather was a balmy 41 degrees and overcast but I was rewarded with several moments of the sun breaking through the cloud cover. It seemed like a personal bestowment of God’s benevolence and I reveled in it.

Some southerners might not have enjoyed being outside for hours in coolish temperatures but to our northern friends it might sound kind of nice. The point is, the day was to be what I made of it and I chose to look at putting up decorations as play rather than as work. Second, I have warm clothes and all it took was a polar fleece shirt and a hat to feel toasty. However, the coup de grace was my music, which dealt the death blow to any humbug sentiments. I had my iPod playing one Christmas album after another. The bad news for my neighbors was that it was blue toothed to a headset so that as I sang along, I didn’t have to hear me and so, could sing as freely and loudly as I wished. I had a grand time.

My spirit got a much needed lift singing songs to my Father about the miracle gift of Jesus. As I listened to the lyrics of some of those ancient hymns, my faith was fed and renewed. I was transported to a little town in Israel where a baby was born who would be the life of my soul. I am glad I was born after that great event and thus, get to celebrate Jesus’ birth. I am grateful he came to rescue us.

I hope you are already in the Christmas Spirit but perhaps this message will give you a little boost this Christmas Season; that it will lift your heart and help you ponder both the savior’s birth and his promised return. I am sending you warm Christmas wishes. May music and joy infiltrate your abode and may your heart continually bask in the glow of Christ.

Back to Top

Unto Me

On December 8, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 25: 37 – 40

Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’

I hope you all took advantage of Giving Tuesday. If you haven’t yet, you still can. Regarding giving, I had someone say something very disturbing to me recently. I want to share it with you.

Because things are hard for so many people right now, this believer wanted to do something to help someone in real need. As we talked, she told me her ideas. She said she thought about taking money to the local church, “But,” she said, “I am not sure they will do with the money what I want.” She had doubts that the church would actually give the money to a person in need. How tragic! And yet, I fully appreciate her concern. She said, “I am supposed to give my gifts to the church and then the church is supposed to take care of the needy.” Yep! That is how it is supposed to work. Why do we doubt it actually does work out that way? So, I wanted to let you know some things about this ministry.

First of all, Ivey Ministries tithes. We give at least 10% of every dime that comes into the ministry and always have. Furthermore, we believe in giving and helping others. We give of our time and our resources. Part of the dynamic of ministry is that it is an organization of believers. Because we join together and join our resources, we are able to accomplish more and affect more people than any of us can individually. When five of you give twenty dollars to the ministry, we are able to do more than one person giving twenty dollars, say, to the food bank. Combined we can buy cases of food instead of cans. That is the idea of giving to the church, that collectively we can have a great impact. The church is supposed to be here to serve you and the community.

Now, as Paul Harvey used to say, for the rest of the story. This saint asked if she could send me the money and me use my resources to find someone to help. Absolutely! I will receive her donation within the week and the entire amount is going to help people in need.

If you ever feel like you want to do something tangible to help people with real needs but don’t know what to do, I will do my best to meet your need to be kind and generous and direct your gift to someone who needs God’s touch. Call me, email, put a note with your check. Tell me what you wish to accomplish. We can always find ways to bless people and meet real needs.

Back to Top

Released

On December 7, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   1 Comment

Psalm 129: 4

The Lord is righteous. He has cut me loose from the ropes that wicked people tied around me.

It is my guess that everyone has felt hindered or bound at some point in their lives. Most people experience times when it seems they are being held back and we ask, “What is preventing me from reaching my goals?” The good news is that the answer becomes irrelevant in Christ Jesus.

Here is an Old Testament principle, God has cut the ropes which bound us. Jesus is the new revelation and a sharp sword. I am imagining a movie scene of a person being held prisoner bound with ropes. There is no rope which has ever been fabricated strong enough to withstand the sharp edge of the Word. He has released you.

No matter what has ever hampered you, whether that be a poor upbringing, a lacking self-image, evil people, whatever has stunted your growth and progress, those obstacles are vanquished in the resurrection of Jesus. Doesn’t that thrill your heart? Maybe you did not have all the advantages of others, but you can finish your race proudly. God’s righteousness has severed all the restricting bonds. He has given you freedom. Glory to His most holy name!

Blessing is yours, and liberty, as you meditate on this verse from today’s psalm. See the ropes falling away as you fly on the wings of angels. Be blessed!

Back to Top