Help is Near

On April 30, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 34: 18

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

I was very surprised today to realize I had not sent this verse. I would have sworn I had. There is never a time when this verse is not appropriate because we all have need of Jesus’ saving grace daily, we have all suffered broken hearts and unfortunately, most of us have experienced at least one time in our lives when we have been crushed in our spirits. What I hear the most in this right now, though, is the high level of stress and anxiety people are enduring right now. People who were fortunate enough to retain their jobs are now doing the work of three people and they were probably over-taxed before the crisis. Health care workers, dear God, I cannot even imagine their stress load. Then there are the tons of people who are emotionally over stay home orders. They probably don’t even realize how stressed they are.

So here’s the deal, Jesus said he is the answer. No really! I don’t mean that in an esoteric way. The only value is if Jesus is the real and present answer. The reality is that he has promised to save us from everyday work and strain as much as the extreme stress situations. Salvation, you understand, is an everyday thing, and thank God for that. We often limit the idea of salvation to a saved from hell perspective but that is only one piece of Jesus’ victory. He whipped the devil so that we have everyday grace.

I am reminded of this verse, “I’ve told you this so that my peace will be with you. In the world you’ll have trouble. But cheer up! I have overcome the world,” (John 16: 33 GW). He was saying to us that because he has overcome the world, we too can experience that victory. His victory is ours. Crushed in spirit? Look up! The power and peace of Jesus is at hand to save you from the stress, worry and anxiety. His love and tenderness is on hand to assuage the pain and hardship. You go through nothing on your own. The secret is for us to learn to lean more heavily on his peace. There are some who only know God’s peace intellectually. “Yeah,” they say, “I know about the peace of Jesus.” That is so not what I am writing to you about. I want you to know the peace of Jesus in an experiential way where you would remove the word “about” from the previous sentence. Instead you might say, “Yes, and thank you Lord. I live in the tender mercies of the Lord. I relax in his peace and feel my heart comforted by his love and care.” The higher the stress load, the more peace and grace the Father has for you and the more you should bathe in it.

This is why the Lord is near, to care for you as a shepherd cares for the sheep. Can you imagine a shepherd who sits against a tree and calls out to the sheep, “I care for you,” but doesn’t stir when the wolf comes, nor never leads them to water or pasture? Don’t care about me, care for me. It is different and that is the Jesus difference. Now, let us make sure that we aren’t standing out in the pasture saying, “I know my shepherd cares about me,” but don’t follow him to water or run to him when the predator comes. Our faith and need connect in Jesus. Be filled with his lovingkindness and peace.

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Believership

On April 29, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 4: 3

For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

So here is my question, would Abraham have become the Father of Israel if He did not believe? He is also called the father of faith. Surely, he would not have won that title without outstanding, radical belief.

Question number two, what is the relevance for today? My answer is that I want to be like Abraham. Think of what God asked him to believe. He and his wife were already old. Sarah was infertile as a young woman. Then God went to them in their old age and said, a father of a multitude will I make you. What? Frankly, that had to sound ludicrous. Immediately the human mind goes to the worldly way of things because that is what we know. What made Abraham different?

Did you know that Abraham’s father, Terah, started out for Canaan? Terah, though, found a pleasing land and settled. That is a metaphor for life. Terah settled for less than God had for him. God was leading him to the land of promise, the land flowing with mild and honey but Terah found a pleasing land and put down stakes. It’s a frightening story. How many of us have done the same thing? How many times have I done that?

What made Abraham different? When God spoke to him, he packed up his belongings and left his family to follow God. What kind of fortitude does that require? So, here we are? What would you have done? What would I have done? I probably would have said, “That can’t be God speaking. That’s nuts!”

To the natural mind, God is nuts. That is how I can sometimes know it is God speaking to me rather than my own mind making up stuff. Some of the things he comes up with I would never in a million years think of. How do we grow to hear God’s voice so well that there is no doubt left in our minds and then how do we grow the intestinal fortitude to do what He says? Dad is telling me these days to spend more time in quite contemplation with Him. What is He telling you? Let’s grow together! You share with the class what you are learning, and we will all become believers by Abraham’s standard of measure.

This is an amazing time in history. What can we become during this time? How can we grow and improve? We finally have the time to dedicate to spiritual pursuits. Can we become like Abraham? I sure want to try.

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Sustaining Trust

On April 28, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Jeremiah 17: 7 – 8

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.”

What refreshing and comforting words we receive today from Jeremiah. The person of faith and trust is represented as a tree. Trees live a long time, longer than humans. In the Bible, they are contrasted with the grass of the field which is here today and gone tomorrow. The imagery portrayed in today’s verse is comforting, I believe, because it paints a picture of something that is not easily swayed by the winds of change or challenge.

He whose trust is in the Lord is connected with the source of life. When our lives are planted near the source of the living water, we, like the tree, draw in sustaining water. Our roots reach out and grasp the Father, Son and Spirit and through that connection they feed and sustain us. Life flows into our root structure through our intertwining with the trinity. This verse says that even in a drought or famine, our leaf shall not wither nor shall we fail to produce fruit.

The fruit from the tree comes from the blessing of the living water. As long as we are tapped into that water, it shall continue to produce fruit in us, even through times of hardship. When our trust is truly fixed on the Lord, we shall not fear nor shall anxiety have a root in us. We are blessed for “blessed is the [one] whose trust is in the Lord.” Even in the time of trouble, blessing flows through the root system of those who trust God.

Fear not, beloved. Your blessing is not from the world, neither is your sustenance. Life is in the water, the living water that Jesus promised us. Even in times of great trial, our trust in our Lord and God fills us with His provision and sustains our souls. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your understanding (Proverb 3: 5), but rather lean, in faith, on Him.

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Seas Roar; Rivers Clap

On April 27, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 98: 7 – 9

Let the sea, everything in it, the world, and those who live in it roar like thunder. Let the rivers clap their hands and the mountains sing joyfully in the Lord’s presence.

Do you ever wonder what happened the day the Lord died? I mean, if he is the life (John 14: 6) what happened to the world when the life died? And then, did the earth rejoice when he came back to life? Did the animals feel something happening in the earth? Did they hide in their burrows when Jesus died? What about the grass? Did it begin to wither and die?

I have a creation theory which may be a bit different from others you’ve heard. This began forming in mind in the sixth grade, so I’ve had a bit of time to think about it. Scientists have been on the hunt for the smallest particle in the natural universe. Everything they find is made of something else, but what? Electrons? Protons? Quarks? What is a quark composed of?

Well, ultimately, I believe that answer is, “God.” This actually goes along with the big bang theory and you will see why. Genesis 1: 3 is where we find the well-known language, “Let there be light.” It’s not until verse 16 that God made the sun, moon and stars, so what was the light that He released? John 8: 12 records Jesus saying, “I am the light of the world.” So that makes me think that he was the light in verse three. We know that Jesus was with God at the foundation of the world, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men,” (John 1: 1- 4.) And there is the reference, again, to him being both the life and the light.

So here is my theory, I believe when God made the earth, he did so by releasing a part of Himself. We see that Jesus was an integral part of the creation process. Perhaps when God said, “Let there be light” He was releasing that part of Himself which is Jesus into the universe and earth. There wasn’t a sun and moon, so it wasn’t that kind of light that he released. What if it was energy, the force of life, that God released. Now, if this is, in fact, a part of Him, one can easily imagine a BIG bang. There is room to think about what that might have looked like and a great opportunity for God to reveal the truth of it to someone. Imagine God releasing a part of Himself.

Now if we are on the trail of creation revelation here, that would mean that everything you see, touch, feel or perceive is made from the most basic, but most essential element of all, God’s living energy. God made everything from the only thing that existed at the time, Himself. Isn’t that amazing? That would mean that even the grass and trees get their life from Him. Well, that really isn’t that large a leap. Intuitively it seems to make sense. And when He formed the animals, did they have a sense of Him? Animals have an inner knowing of things. You can see it when storms approach. Did they recognize that something was amiss the day Jesus died? And did they leap for joy when he arose?

It would be something to see the sea teaming with life and praising God with such exhalation that the sea roars. One gets the sense that the mountains would bow down before our Lord. The Lord’s presence is reason for celebration, not for what He will do but just His presence. In His presence is fullness of joy; joy so profound and prolific that even seas will leap, and rivers clap their hands.

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No Weapon!

On April 24, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 54:17

“No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn.”

I journaled this verse recently and learned quite a bit from what the Lord revealed to me. What this verse gives us, God says, is our heritage. We are entitled to His vindication and victory. Here is what God said to me about this verse. I hope you enjoy it.

Father, what would you say to me about this verse?

“People tend to limit this verse. They rarely address the second part at all. Even the first phrase gets limited in the minds of many. Some will read this verse and only think about human foes. Others think I was only referring to the weapons of Satan. All weapons of destruction are ultimately tools of Satan. He is the destroyer. It is he who desires to kill, steal and destroy life, liberty and joy. So, concern not yourself with who made the weapon.

Next, recognize that all weapons which are formed against you shall fail. It does not matter who or what made the weapon. It matters not how it was formed or when. Regardless of the weapon or its fabricator, there is no weapon which will prosper against you. Anything which destroys, steals or kills is a weapon of destruction. People concern themselves too much with who is wielding the weapon and lose sight of the fact that it is a destructive force. My children should recognize the weapon and speak against that. Don’t worry about whether it is a tool of Satan or a construct by another person. Ultimately, it must bow to my authority in you. You speak to the destructive force whether it be a virus, a storm, a person or even an organization.

Take notice that my children are to raise their voices and condemn the weapon. That includes, but is not limited to, tongues which accuse you. These two phrases are combined in the same sentence because they are speaking to the same issue. They should not be considered two separate thoughts but rather two comments speaking to the same point.

Children, listen to My instruction. Speak to the mountain. Speak in faith and in the authority which I have invested in you and the mountain must move. Don’t beg me to do something. I have. I have given you authority to remove the mountain into the sea. Know of my abiding presence within you. Connect with the power I already put in you and speak to the destructive weapon. Tell it to go into the sea, or into the fire and be destroyed in the name of Jesus. You have the authority to tell it what to do and it must obey. Hear me and move in faith.”

If you would like to see more of what God has to say about specific Bible verses, go to our website and click on the tile titled “Journaling with Ivey.”

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Famine and Fortune

On April 23, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Genesis 26: 1, 12

Now there was a famine in the land. Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. And the Lord blessed him.

I have been thinking about the economic aspect of this corona virus problem and wanting to write on it. This passage has been running through my mind for a couple of weeks now. It has everything to do with our current economic situation. However, this story about Isaac is one of the Biblical passages which can leave you scratching your head.

When Isaac was confronted with a famine, he thought about going to Egypt, but the Lord told him to stay in a town called Gerar, and Isaac did. So, the first thing we learn from this passage is obedience.

Here is the second observation. Isaac, though facing a famine, did not hoard his seed. He didn’t put everything in storage, saved against the effects of the famine. He did quite the opposite. He sowed. Now how is this resonating for our current situation? Wouldn’t it be the easiest thing in the world to hoard all your resources. Aren’t you tempted to stop tithing? You know, some people have. I honestly believe that the better thing to do is to give more. That’s crazy sounding but how is any crop going to come up if we don’t sow?

The last thing we see in this story is that Isaac reaped a hundredfold in the very same year. I am saying that these couple of verses are a message for us today and that if we trust in the Lord, we, too, can reap in this very economically challenging time.

Isaac prospered in a time when it made no sense that anyone could. And this is why this passage leaves me scratching my head, could it work for us too? And if so, what is required? Well, apparently it only works for those who: trust God, obey Him, and sow. I would add that belief is part of that trust component. This only works for those who believe. So here is the problem with testing this theory. If you believe it won’t work, you’re right! If you believe it will work, it will. What do you think?

I think this is a message from the Father to all of us. I believe He is telling us to look to Him as our source of income, blessing and harvest. I think about what Jesus said about the birds of the air. They neither reap nor sow and yet our Father takes care of them (Matthew 6: 26). What will it take from us to receive God’s bounty during this famine? How can we be like Isaac? Can I even hear what God is telling me to do?

I have a friend whose salary has been reduced by ten percent and yet she said she is not going to reduce her tithe? What? That made an impression on me. I want to be an Isaac in this land. I want us to learn how to trust God so that the famine does not defeat us but that we, instead, reap a hundredfold in this very same year. I want God to show up and show off by blessing the socks off of believers. Tell us Lord, what to do and we will obey.

Okay, now do your part. Listen for the voice of the Lord. He is speaking to you. Listen attentively. Second, obey. Yep, that word that no one seems to like these days. Third, trust the Lord and believe that what He did for Isaac, He will do for you. Sow and then gather in your harvest. I am praying that you will increase during this strained economic time and that you will look back and see how the Lord walked with you continually.

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Legionnaires

On April 22, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 26:53

Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

Boy, there is a revelation in that scripture. A legion is 6000 and it refers, specifically, to troops, soldiers. Jesus said if he asked the Father, God would put at his disposal more than 72,000 angelic soldiers. Let that one sink in for a moment. Now, what is the power of prayer?

One of my friends and colleagues received a question regarding covid-19 and angels. The writer wanted to know what the angels are doing during this crisis. I can tell you what they are doing. They are fighting. You see, there are two revelations, at least, in that one sentence from Jesus. First, we see that Father has a lot of angels he is willing to put at our disposal. Second, they are warriors. Look at the references in your own Bible if you don’t believe me. A legion referred to the organization of Roman soldiers. So, angels are not fat little cherubs who float around in heaven playing harps. They are warring spirits trained in the art of warfare.

You may be thinking, “Well, that’s good enough for Jesus but I don’t have that kind of power.” Oh, contraire mon frère. Jesus said, “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,” (John 14: 12). You have all the authority of Jesus. You have his own authority because he gave it to you. Whatsmore, he did not inhabit the earth as the second person in the trinity. He came as a human being (1 Timothy 3: 16) and was the role model for us. He wouldn’t have made a very good role model if he walked the earth as a divine deity. He had to come and live as a person so he could show us the way. He said God would put more than twelve legions at his disposal so from that we can infer that God will put legions of angels at our disposal as well.

Remember, God has given the earth to us to run and manage (Psalm 115: 16). He has also given us the Holy Spirit and He has given us angels who minister to our needs. The angels are standing by right now, ready to receive their marching orders. Through prayer and speaking the words the Holy Spirit gives us (Matthew 10: 20) we authorize angelic intervention and action. You have the authority to ask the angels to work in the earth to eradicate the corona virus. Pray and arm them. Although there are angels waging war right now, there are still thousands of angels waiting to get into the fight. There are legions at our disposal. Ask the father and He will give you even more. Then send them out to fight for us.

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