The Rock Faucet

On February 19, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Exodus 17: 6

Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

The lesson from this story has to be that if God can get water from a rock for the Israelites He can certainly meet our needs too. We live in a remarkable age. It wasn’t that long ago that people couldn’t just turn on the tap and have water flow out. What a magnificent blessing that is. And, people didn’t build their houses just anywhere; they had to locate a place for a well first. Then, of course, if you live in the desert or were like the Israelites, traversing the desert, water was a major issue. None the less, God has always met the needs of His people.

I wonder sometimes if our great abundance and enormous blessings have made it hard for us to exercise faith. Even if you are not a person of faith there is so much provided for us in this modern age. And our needs have shifted significantly. Besides the modern conveniences we also have food readily available. The issue really has become money these days. We need money to produce heat for our homes, pay for the water being delivered to our houses, and to buy the food that someone else has already raised and harvested. So, we focus on money, but that does not mean that we don’t still need food, shelter, clothing and water. In a sense our needs really haven’t changed but our means of procuring them has and I think that has caused a shift in our faith application. We understand that money will provide these things for us so we focus on that. In reality though, it is still the Father who meets our needs. Jesus told us that the Father knows we need all these things so we shouldn’t worry about them. Look at how He provided for the Israelites. That is the model of the Father’s provision for today. If He could provide water for them by having Moses strike a rock then He is well able to take care of our every need. We can hold this scripture up the Lord and pronounce bravely that we know He will meet our needs because that is what He has always done for His people. This is some good word that you can sow into your life. If there is any lack in your life at all, then use this example of God’s provision and sow that Word into the soil of your life. Hold it up to the Lord and proclaim the victory. Let God show Himself to you. Give Him a little “Word” seed to work with and He will bring you a Harvest. And if there is anything else He instructs you to sow be quick to do it and believe Him for every need met in the name of Jesus.

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The Tail of the Snake

On December 22, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Exodus 4: 2 – 4

And the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he [Moses] said, “A staff.” Then He said, “Throw it on the ground” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. But the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail” – so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand.

I wonder how much time elapsed between when Moses fled and when he picked up the serpent by its tail. I think most of us would have fled when the staff turned into a serpent. What distinguishes Moses from many of us is that he did grab the serpent’s tail. 

Has God ever told you to do something that made absolutely no sense? What was your reaction? I know what I would have done if I was in Moses’ position. I would have said to myself, “That cannot be God telling me to grab the snake. Surely God wouldn’t tell me to grab a snake by the tail.” I would have talked myself out of it. There is an important life lesson in here. God is trying to lead us into the promised land but too many of us don’t obey His commands. When God told me to close my law practice and go into full time ministry I reasoned and thought until I talked myself out of following God. I convinced myself that I was not hearing God’s voice. It took a major event before I conceded that I was being led to leave the practice of law. I reasoned myself out of obedience. Looking back I can see that God had been nudging me for quite a while and I just couldn’t or wouldn’t hear Him. We will never get where we want to go if we do not follow God’s instructions. The road to the promised land is always paved with obedience.

When I think about some of the ridiculous things that God told people in the Bible stories to do it makes me laugh. The thing that makes them great stories, though, is that the people obeyed God and followed those outlandish directions. How many would-be Bible heroes do you think missed inclusion in the greatest book of all time because they reasoned away the instructions of God? Well, just be grateful that I wasn’t the one who was told to grab the snake’s tail. The nation of Israel would still be in Egypt. However, you could be the next great spiritual hero. Just do what God says. Don’t question His logic. Don’t reason. Just be a child and trust your Dad.

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Hope Prevails

On December 12, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 42: 3

A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.

The forty-second chapter of Isaiah is a prophetic foretelling of the coming of Jesus. This passage reveals the gentleness of Jesus. He came that we might all come to the Father. He will not foreclose anyone’s opportunity to come into the Kingdom of God. No matter how dimly the light is burning Jesus will stay there and fan that flame. No matter how weak or damaged a person is, she is never too far gone for Jesus. He will bring forth justice for that person and they will receive their salvation and all of the other gifts the Father has provided. Never give up and never give up on anyone else. Neither Jesus nor the Father has forsaken them or you for God has promised us that he will never leave nor forsake us. 

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Eyes of Expectation

On November 26, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

2 Chronicles 15: 7       NIV

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.

Sometimes you work and work, you give and give and yet you see no fruit from your effort. It can be very frustrating. Well, God has a word of encouragement for you today. “Don’t give up.” He sees your effort and He is guarding every one of those little seeds you are planting. You will have your reward.

The farmer plants the field and goes to bed. Each day he checks the field to see if any sprouts are sticking their heads out through the soil. One morning he gets up and finds that the seed has sprouted and there a young plant is growing. For days and days when the farmer checked his field there was no evidence of the work he had done. We sow the seed but then it is God’s job to cause the seed to germinate and send forth fruit. It often looks like nothing is happening but God is working on something. Sometimes when you least expect it fruit will appear. You may have planted a seed twenty years ago. Perhaps you have even forgotten about it or given up on it but God is watching that little seed. He is guarding it and watering it. Then one day, out of the blue, here comes your harvest.

Your job is just to plant seeds. God provides the harvest. There is nothing a farmer can do to make a seed transform into a plant. That is the miracle that God brings forth. Just keep faith in the seed and the one who keeps the seed. Approach every day with a great sense of expectation. I planted grass seed this fall. I put a lot of work into preparing the soil, putting out the seed, watering, and fertilizing. Almost every day I would walk around my yard and look for any signs that my effort was going to take root. Day after day I searched for any evidence of grass. Sometimes I could see the little seeds laying there. They looked dead and parched. Day after day there was no sign of success until I had begun to wonder if my seed was bad. Then one day a few blades became visible. The next thing I knew, there was grass sprouting all over the place. The lawn took on a general green cast like the green of spring and I was ecstatic. The work did pay off. God didn’t let me down. There was a sense of expectation that those little seeds would produce grass and I checked almost daily in anticipation but I almost gave up when I didn’t see the fruit of my effort when I expected to. Don’t do that. Just keep your eyes on Jesus and expect him to bring in the harvest. Every morning let your anticipation be renewed in the light of Jesus. He has not fallen asleep and he has not forsaken your little seed. Just hang in there. God is working under the soil where you can’t see it. All of a sudden you will reap a harvest and it will be an occasion of great joy and celebration.

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Audacious Faith

On November 20, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Romans 14: 23

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.
I’ve got to tell you the truth about this verse. I have been avoiding it for weeks if not months. I wrote it down on my verse list a long time ago and every time I look at it I decide it just seems too negative to write on. I like bringing the good news and words of encouragement. None the less, there is something our Father is trying to say, especially when we combine it with yesterday’s Word of the Day.  

Okay, so now we can finally nail down exactly what sin is. It is everything we do or say that is not from faith. Wow! Pardon me while I go repent……. Alright, I’m back. That is a lot to bite off isn’t? But we just learned yesterday that these are the very things which end up putting us in chains. So, here is why the out pouring of the Holy Spirit was so critical. We are to live every single moment in faith and we can only do that when we become acutely aware of the indwelling presence of God in us and with us. God, in His three persons, is with us every minute of every day. The problem comes in when we do not acknowledge His presence.

What is faith anyway? Well, Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Did that clear it up for you? Perhaps not. I like that definition and I draw upon it often but I also have to translate it for my personal application and this is how I use it. At its base, faith is simply “trust in God.” It is that assurance that God is proactive in my life. I love the word assurance. The American Heritage dictionary defines assurance as freedom from doubt, certainty. You’ve got to love that. It even goes so far as to use the words boldness and audacity. I love it! Am I audacious enough to simply believe God? Or even to believe that God is God? 

People of faith have resolved these big questions in their hearts. Many of us have assented to the idea intellectually but faith arises from your spirit. It does not issue from you mind. Those who walk in faith have a deep, abiding trust in God in their gut. Now, you cannot reason with these people. Don’t even try. Their assurance is not a product of reason. No matter how cogent your argument, it will not prevail because they are not listening with their minds. God has persuaded their hearts and the heart muscle is much stronger than the brain.

How can we become as bold as they? How can we learn to walk step by step in faith and trust? It all begins with that relationship with the Father, doesn’t it? Think of anyone you trust. Haven’t they proved their trustworthiness through the course of your relationship? But also, didn’t you have to extend a little trial trust in the early stages of that relationship? You didn’t begin trusting them with the big things, did you? So it is with God. We try to trust him to give us a new car when we haven’t even trusted Him with finding our car keys yet. So start small. Run some experiments. I literally trusted him to find my car keys once. Then you can try a little bigger test. Keep going. You will soon trust him for big things. Don’t worry if you miss it now and again. You will find that practice helps you hone your hearing and your ability to follow his leading.

I want to live in this space that Paul intimates in today’s passage. Can you imagine if we all walked in audacious faith 24/7? Even when we sleep we would sleep in faith. Let’s give it a go. It sounds like a great way to live.  

We would love for you to share your faith stories on our blog because it will encourage me and others. That site is www.iveyministries.blogspot.com. Come visit and leave us a note.

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Fleeing Fear

On November 6, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 44: 8

Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago?

I understand that we are living in frightening times but none the less our Father tells us not to be afraid. There is a good reason for this, several in fact. First of all, if we are in fear, then we are not in faith. That is the biggest reason of all. Secondly, though, God has prepared a way for us through all of the trouble of this age. 

You are going to hear a lot of doom and gloom reports but even as you hear them you need to say in the back of your mind, “This report is not for the saved, the holy ones of God.” You will need to remind yourself constantly that the frightening news that you hear is not for you. For every calamity, economic depression and terror threat your Father has prepared a way. Re the 23rd Psalm and integrate it into your being. Even in the midst of your enemies, even if you are living in the valley of the shadow of death, fear not. Your Father has prepared your table. He has prepared a feast for you so that even amidst the turmoil, even when surrounded by enemies you will be dining at a feast prepared for you by the Father of Lights. Your enemies will stand on the side lines and observe the banquet that your Father has prepared. You will sit and dine leisurely ignoring all but the grace and blessing of the Lord.

Don’t fear. Don’t tremble and be afraid. God has prepared a way. If you find fear in your heart or mouth, root it out, spit it out. Do not let fear be a part of your vocabulary or thought process. When you hear yourself say that you are afraid, get your Bible and put this verse in your mouth instead. Your God is much bigger than the monsters under your bed. He always was, He always will be. Fear not! This is the command of the Lord.

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Remedy for Trouble

On August 7, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 27: 4

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate in His temple.

I have used this verse before but the Lord led me to it today and He showed me some new insights which I would like to share. First, though, let us look at the NIV version of it; “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” This psalm, not surprisingly, was written by David. As I read it today I reflected on all the trouble that David had to deal with. In order to really put this verse in perspective you should read the whole psalm or at least the verse before it and the verse after it. Both the preceding verse and the following verse reveal suffering and concerns of David. In the midst of those challenges, though, David focused on his Lord and God.

David experienced tribulation from every angle. His family was a clear thorn in his side. When we first learn about David his father has neglected to present him to the prophet Samuel who approached Jesse saying that one of his son’s would be king and that he, Samuel, had travelled there to anoint the chosen one. Then we see him at the battle lines with the Philistines. David’s brothers were serving in the army and his father sent him to deliver bread and grain to them. When David volunteered to fight Goliath the scripture records that his oldest brother became angry with him and insulted David. Later in life his own sons betrayed him, sought to kill him and take the throne. His wife hotly criticized him for his dancing before the Lord the day they brought the Ark to the city.

Then there is the whole conflict with Saul. David began his relationship with Saul when Saul asked that David be sent to him in order to play musical instruments and sing for him. David served Saul faithfully. He even refused to kill the tormenting Saul when on several occasions it appeared that God had delivered him into David’s hands. He was devoted to Saul but Saul persecuted him. Isn’t that the way of things?

All of these torments were by the people that loved David. Can you imagine how painful this was for David? And supposedly these were not even his foes but rather his friends, his family. But David had other trials too. First as a warrior and then as king David knew what it meant to have many enemies. There is no author who wrote about being surrounded by enemies as much as did David and there is no author who is more inspiring in his expressions of trusting the Lord through the trials.

Imagine yourself surrounded on every side by enemies and then add to that all of the betrayal by friends and family. That is the context in which David writes these inspired words. I believe that he is saying that the only way for him to survive this turmoil is to put his eyes fixedly on the Lord. David’s response to these attacks was to run into the presence of the Lord. In this context re-read today’s verse. Can you see that David learned that the only way to deal with the enemies and challenges of life is to dwell in the presence of God? I doubt that any of us has ever been under more intense pressure than was David and this is the way God taught him to not only survive all of the threats but to triumph. It is no accident, either, that no other Old Testament author speaks about the Holy Spirit as insightfully or as often as does David. He learned that the only way to deal with these kinds of overwhelming problems is to focus all of your life energy on the Lord. You cannot fight all of the battles. You could never have the strength. And you certainly cannot win. There is only one solution. Jesus! He is the way, the truth and the life. He is the breath that we breathe and the morning sun.

David survived impossible odds. Yes, he made some mistakes, even some big ones but I think you will find that the throne of David has been established and will endure forever and the reason why is because he knew who his strength was and he loved the Lord with all his heart.

This is, I believe, what David is teaching us. Don’t fight the battles. Don’t put your eyes on the enemy. Turn your face to God the Father. Let Him be your righteous sword, your unassailable champion. Even when it looks like the battle is lost and you are going down for the third time, keep your trust and faith in your Father. Do not waiver. Run into his presence, lock yourself in the sanctuary of your heart and behold your salvation.

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