Healing Spirit

On March 17, 2022   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 8:11

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your moral bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.

I would love to be in a room discussing this passage with you. I would like to know what this verse says to you. Is it a strong encouragement or is it a bit outlandish?

I have been thinking about the creation of the universe and the creator. We know Him, of course. We also know that Jesus was with Him in the beginning and that nothing was made apart from Jesus (John 1: 1 – 3). Jesus also told us that he is in us (John 14: 21), and the Holy Spirit too (John 14: 17). So, the power of creation lives within us. He is the source of all life and Jesus is the life (John 14: 6).

Because of these things we conclude that the creative power of God lives within us and also life lives within us because where there is Jesus, there is life. With all of this living within our very cells, you would think that life would bubble forth from us. I think, though, that Paul wrote this verse trying to get people to grasp this amazing truth so they could experience the benefit, thereof.

What do you think God made the earth from? Have you pondered that? Well, I will tell you. He created the earth and everything on it of His own substance. What else was there really? If Jesus is the life, then it took a bit of the life to create life. That makes sense, doesn’t it? At one level this sounds so simple yet at another, it is mind blowing. The key for us is in the simplicity of it. “In the beginning was the word (Jesus) . . . and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being” (John 1: 1, 3). So, the building blocks of the universe, frankly, are resident in our cell structure. Then, above all things, Yahweh breathed into us the Spirit, His own Spirit. With this pedigree it is no wonder Paul saw the great healing potential within us all.

The power which formed us in the first place, and which had enough healing power to raise Jesus from the dead is inside you right now. Further, the power that raised Lazarus from the dead is alive in you. Since you have resurrection power in you and you have Jesus, who is life in you, then that same power can aid your physical body. Isn’t that exciting? The power which raised up Jesus is flowing in your veins. Your very breath is God’s own Spirit moving and breathing in you. You have the trifecta of healing power in you. I reckon if this power could raise a dead body, then it can heal what ails us too, no matter the ailment.

Today could be your day. It only takes one revelation of God’s Word to set off a cascade of miracles in you. I pray the healing of the Lord is fully manifested in you today!

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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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Evidence

On November 26, 2018   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 19: 1

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

Have you heard this verse before? I just recently used this in a conversation about the evidence of God’s existence and His creation of earth. I think you have to convince yourself there is no God because if one just looks around or looks up into a night sky, the evidence is there.

As is the norm, I have taken this excerpt from the New American Standard Bible. It is still my favorite version but when reading the Psalms, it is enlightening to read the Passion Translation after you have read from your everyday Bible. The Passion Translation illumines the psalms like no other translation. Here is today’s passage from the Passion Translation, “God’s splendor is a tale that is told; his testament is written in the stars. Space itself speaks his story every day through the marvels of the heavens. His truth is on tour in the starry vault of the sky, showing his skill in creation’s craftsmanship.” How do you like that reading?

How can one look at a forest, the mountains, animals and nature and deny the existence of God? I think a person must be pretty good at lying to themselves if they are successful in convincing themselves there is no God when His fingerprints are everywhere we look. The Passion Translation says His workmanship, His skill is on tour. Don’t you love that? I think of museum exhibits that tour the country and musical artists as well as other performers. They go on tour demonstrating their skill and artistry throughout the land. Our Father has done the same thing. He has given us a work, greater than the Sistine Chapel, to look upon every night. During the day, His wonders fly overhead. What an amazing thing to see a bird upon the wing. Are you in awe that a fish can breathe underwater? Or have you ever contemplated a spider’s web? How is it that a small spider can spin a thread so small and yet so strong that it remains fixed to a car even at highway speeds?

Yahweh’s creative genius is all around us. He left signs for all to see. He left evidence of His touch so that all might see and come to know Him. Even if an evangelist never reaches some remote part of the world, God has already been there and left signs of His passing. We may not have all called Him by the same name, but every generation of humankind has seen the evidence of God and have called upon Him. In this age in which we live, there seems to be less faith and fewer believers. None the less, I believe that any person who is completely honest within her own heart, knows of the reality of God. We may talk ourselves out of a relationship with Him, we may balk at worshiping Him, but we know, in the depths of our being, that there is a God and that He created the earth and the heavens. He is glorious and worthy of praise. Won’t you share a moment with Him today talking about the things you like most about His creation? Spend a few minutes with Him discussing those things which fill you with awe. He created it all for you and He loves to hear your thoughts on it. Enjoy!

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Creative Power

On January 15, 2018   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Genesis 1: 2

The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

Through this Word of the Day devotional and Ivey Ministries, you are continually encouraged to learn about the Holy Spirit and to develop a relationship with him. This week, I will endeavor to assist you in that pursuit by showing you some of the verses about the Spirit and by sharing some background information.

Today’s verse represents the first time the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Bible. God didn’t wait long to introduce him. In fact, we hear about him before any mention of the Son. Verse one reads, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Then God begins describing the creation of the earth and that formation starts with the Holy Spirit. We find out in the book of John that Jesus was in the beginning and that nothing that was made, was made apart from him, but we see that Holy Spirit is central to creation. Even now, he remains the creative power of God.

The Spirit hovered, many manuscripts say, over the surface of the waters. He was awaiting the Father’s vision and command. Then when God spoke, the Spirit created, or brought into being, that which the Father designed. This process of creation is how things work today also. Father began His book by demonstrating a key principle of life and of the workings of the Kingdom of God. Creation happens in cooperation with the Holy Spirit.

I told you that Jesus was in the beginning (John 1: 1). His role is significant but not so obvious. The power of creation begins with an idea or a vision. In this case, God had a design in mind for the earth. We know from Matthew 6: 10 that God’s idea was to create earth in the image of heaven. So, He had a clear picture in mind. The next thing He did was to speak. What did He speak, one might ask. He spoke The Word. That is where Jesus made his entrance. The Word is Jesus and Jesus is the Word. As soon as the Father spoke the Word, the Holy Spirit took that Word and materialized God’s vision.

We can do the same thing. We have an idea in mind, employ the Word of God by speaking it and then the Holy Spirit springs into action. He has hosts of angels and spirit beings who hearken to his command. This is how things get done in the earth. That is why it is so important for us to develop a relationship with the Spirit; to get to know him. Through our partnership with him, all things truly are possible. Jesus said he could do nothing of himself (John 5: 19). It was only through his collaboration with the Spirit that he could do anything. We know how successful Jesus was so there should be great motivation to learn to work with the Spirit as he did.

Today is a step towards knowing him better. We learned that he is the creative power of the Trinity. Knowing that might well change our perceptions of creating what we need in our lives as it probably affects our prayer life as well.

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Calling Things

On September 2, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 4: 17        (KJV)

God … who calleth those things which be not as though they were.

As Christians, there are several ways we can affect the situations around us. One way is simply to pray and ask our Father to intervene. There is another means by which the Lord has meant for us to affect our lives and the entire world. That is through the power of our tongue; the power of confession. God has given us His power so that we might go into all the world doing good even as Jesus did. Our confession is the basic tool for this process. This is the means by which the Father created the earth, the universe and all creation. He spoke them into existence. There is something so primal and so basic here that if we, as the body of Christ, can get a hold of it, we will be the means of change.

God calls those things that aren’t as if they already were. In His confession is creation. Thereby it becomes reality. So, His saying it makes it real. Isn’t that awesome? He has given this same ability to us because we have now been recreated in His image.

I would love to declare a National Words of our Mouth Day. On that day everyone would speak only positive, life giving words about any and every situation. For that one day we would all say aloud those things which we want to see come to pass. I would call you healed and prosperous and you would agree with me. It would be very easy to have the second National Words of our Mouth Day because people would be filled with expectation from the great success they saw in the first one. Expectation would make the second even more momentous. Maybe we could start tomorrow.

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Let There Be … Revelation

On January 13, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Genesis 1: 3, 14 & 16

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

(14) Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years … (16) and God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also.

In verse 3 God said, literally, “Light Be” and there was light. How is it then that we have to wait until verse 14 for God to get around to making the sun and the moon and what happened in verse 3 since it obviously was not the creation of the sun and moon?

One of the lessons I learned while I was away from you on vacation is that you know much more than I have sometimes realized. I spend a lot of time alone in my office reading and writing so when God gives me a revelation it seems to me that I have received it in a bit of a humanity vacuum. Somehow I lost touch with the truth that He gives me revelation in order to support you. So, I have had several creation theories running around in my spirit for several years that I have shared with few people because they seemed kind of “out there.” What I now understand is that God has been ministering the same revelations to you and has just given me the job of confirming what you are already hearing. I was also concerned about blowing away some of the newer believers with ideas that I thought might be beyond them but they are coming into the body with big ideas already. Therefore, I begin this New Year apologizing to you and with the promise that I will not hold back what I hear God saying. 

So, here is what I believe happened at creation. I believe that when God said, “Light be!” He actually released Himself into the cosmos. We know from John 8: 12 that Jesus is the light. I believe Jesus is the light that was released when God said “Light be!” As scientists dig deeper and deeper in the physics of the earth they find that the smallest particles are made from energy. We know that everything we see is made from molecules and that those molecules are made of atoms. And we know that within these microscopic particles is great energy. Nothing is really static, not even iron. All atomic matter is moving even in the hardest materials. No matter what you allow your eyes to fall upon right now, it is moving at the atomic level. So your desk, although stable, has energy in it being expressed through the movement of atomic and sub-atomic material.

Look at Hebrews 11:9 from the New Living Bible: “By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.” Or in other words, that which we can see was made out of that which is invisible or unseen. God essentially made everything out of His own substance. He released Himself into the cosmos and created the entire universe. He is the substance of our lives. He lives within us and is our own substance. We are made up of Him and without Him there is no life. Jesus is the light and he is the life. Everything that has life derives it from our Father who released the life and the light from within Him and created all that see, hear, touch, smell or sense. He is the source. You’ve heard it before. He really and truly is our source and He really and truly lives within us. His life force, His substance is in every cell of our bodies.

This isn’t doctrine. You do not have to believe this in order for us to be harmonious but I need to start giving air play to that which I believe God is speaking to me. If it blesses you, then “Hooray.” It is my hope that as we explore and push our boundaries this year you will find new freedom and new expression for your faith in God. At the end of the day, it is all about Him. He is the beginning and the end and He is the rock upon which all must be anchored. We are not entertaining heretic theories. We are engaging with God and allowing Him to show us more of Himself and how His truths impact our lives. The creation story I presented today only has substantive meaning if it can positively affect your life and most importantly your relationship with our Father. For example, if God is living in every tissue of your body, in every single cell, what does that mean for living in divine health? That is where we are going – into a life of more of Him, and more impact from living with Him.

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