Refuge

On December 2, 2024   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

2 Samuel 22: 31

He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

I want you to know that God has provided protection for you nine ways from Sunday. Everywhere you look in His word has the promise of His protection. He is a refuge, a shield, a strong fortress. He sends angels to look after you. He has sent His son and now He has sent His Holy Spirit. Everything He is and has is laid at your feet.

Now here is the rub. There always seems to be a contributory factor for which we are responsible. Last week’s scripture told us to listen to Him and that those who do shall live securely. Today’s scripture tells us that we must take refuge in Him for His protection to operate for us. Now this isn’t meant so that you can become confounded, frustrated and worried. It really is as simple as His building a fortress for you and you deciding whether or not you will avail yourself of it.

Imagine medieval times and God has built a strong, walled city. Some people build their homes outside the city walls though. None the less, in times of trouble they are allowed, even expected to withdraw within the protective walls of the city. This is such a good image of the protection the Lord has provided. Some people actually are going to choose to sit outside as marauding invaders approach rather than take advantage of the protection provided for them. Is that nuts? And then when those brigands fall on them, who do the people blame? They blame God, of course? You hear it all of the time. “Why did God let this happen to us?” He didn’t. He provided a fortified city for you to dwell in. It is not His fault if we are too proud or foolish to avail ourselves of it.

We must look to the Lord as our fortress and our refuge in times of need. If we constantly look to the things of the world for protection and to solve our problems, then we are effectively shutting God out. It is like sitting outside the gates. Just run into His city and allow Him to defend you. Look to Him instead of governments and other human agencies to be your guard. When you see a threat on the horizon, talk to Him first. He has already prepared an answer for you. He loves you and wants to help you in all things.

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Hideaway

On November 18, 2024   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 1: 33

But he who listens to me shall live securely and shall be at ease from the dread of evil.

There has been little security for many people over the last many years. Wars, Covid, threats, political unrest and economic hardship have caused people all over the world to lose their sense of wellbeing and safety. Suicide rates are climbing. People are desperate. Fortunately, we do still have a safe place to hide, our own refuge. We can live safely and with the feeling of security because we have a God who is bigger than all of the trouble the devil dishes out.

You see, as the verse says, if we listen to Him, He will lead us to a place of protection. He will give us the ideas and answers we need in order to live securely, both physically and emotionally. You shouldn’t have to live in dread and worry. Your Father has provided a safe haven for you, but His security is only for those who believe Him and listen to Him. The Good News is, that is only a decision away. You may have been a Christian all of your life but have never quite gotten out of the boat yet and walked by faith. Well, today is your day. Set your mind on Him, completely on Him. Let His word instruct and guide you. Let Him fill you, all of the parts of you, even those places you have walled off before. Those walls are only keeping you handicapped anyway. Now put Him and His word first place in your life allowing Him to flood you with the peace and security. Choose to believe that He is protecting you and call on that protection. Ask Him to surround you, your family and friends, and your properties with His angels. Don’t give in to fear any longer but rather live in the security and peace of mind that comes from living to Him and listening to His instruction. Be free of fear. Be secure in His name and blood.

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Seeking Wisdom

On June 7, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 2: 1 – 5

My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom; incline your heart to understanding. For if you cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God.

I may have told you that Proverbs is one of the first books I discovered when I began my journey with the Bible. This passage grabbed my attention early on. The idea that we could discover the knowledge of God set me on my ear. So began my voyage.

As we go through the proverbs, you may learn some astounding things. I hope you will be inspired and encouraged. The next verses of this proverb reveal that seeking wisdom is the path to success, protection and guidance. Through wisdom, you will stand in the comfort and security of the Lord. You will have assurance and confidence. You will see the way in which you are to go. Peace will flow to you and through you on the waves of God’s wisdom. Without effort you will glean truth.

Seek wisdom. Ask the Father, daily, to show you his ways. Be still and let Him share His wisdom with you. Glory! What a way to begin the week, and the rest of our lives. Go with God my beloved.

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Ivey Rorie has done it again with an insightful look into all the books of the Bible! She is a truly anointed writer with a wonderful way of applying the Word of God to my everyday life situations – right on my level. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about God’s Word, grow in their walk with the Father, and find practical applications to apply God’s Word in every area of your life.

Connie Hollingsworth, Pastor
Believers Faith Fellowship
Omaha, Nebraska

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Safe Passage

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

Psalm 138: 7

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will reach out with Your hand . . . and Your right hand will save me.

This reminds me of the Twenty-third Psalm. Even as we find ourselves surrounded by trouble, we can rest in confidence knowing the Father’s hand is nearby. As I ponder this verse, I also find myself thinking of Isaiah 30: 21, “Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” One of the ways the Lord saves us is by speaking to us and warning us from paths of danger. During the bombing of the train in England and the 9/11 bombings in the US, multiple reports emerged from people saying they just had a feeling to get off a stop earlier than normal or not to go to work that day. Our Father guides in the way to go, steering us from trouble.

Sometimes, though, it is hard to get out of the path of danger, as has been the case for the last twelve months. Still, your Father is there with you to guide and protect you. He may give you instructions or ideas that keep you safe. It is imperative that we continue to grow in our ability to hear His voice because one thing is sure, there will always be trouble. Jesus said so. In these days it seems the trouble is increasing exponentially so we need Him close, more now than ever before.

He has not abandoned His people. Even as we look back over the last twelve months and the horrible suffering and loss, we can know that our Father was with us. He is with us now and that confidence in His attendance helps guide us deeper into His presence. As we continue to passionately seek Him, we will get better and better at hearing His voice and recognizing His touch.

We certainly need Him walking alongside us day by day and, fortunately, He has promised to do just that. You have His word that He will save you in the midst trouble. It is a promise upon which you can rely. Never tempt the Lord your God by putting yourself in harm’s way. Do not fail to listen to His wisdom for you. It might mean walking home by a different route or any number of seemingly small details, but His hand is there to guide and save you. Bless His name for His good promises and mighty hand.

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Peaceful Ease

On June 5, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Proverb 3: 23 – 24

Then you will walk in your way securely and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

This is a picture of what Christian life should be. It is a life of peace, tranquility and security. The fully realized Christian is able to lie down and sleep in peace because there is no fear or worry. They enjoy sweet sleep. Good sleep alone is a reason this verse is attractive, but I really like the picture it paints of a whole life lived in peace.

One cannot help but think of the Hebrew word Shalom. It is perfect peace. Shalom is not the same as tranquility. We use peace to mean calmness, quiet and serenity. In the Hebrew mindset those are the result of Shalom. When you have God’s kind of peace, serenity and those other things are the byproducts.

The image this verse conjures for me is one of quiet confidence. The person in this verse walks with the Lord from the moment she awakens and continues through the day. Of course she can place her foot securely as she walks her daily path. She is walking hand in hand with God, led by Him.

This verse is about embracing wisdom and understanding. Peace, ultimate, unfathomable peace is the result. Embracing wisdom and understanding means we don’t walk in the light of our own brilliance but in the glory of God’s insights and wisdom. This does have its challenge because it means we must pause to check in with Him. We must begin first thing in the morning getting our hearts and minds aligned in and with Him and then continue in that flow all day. It is the absolute best and most enjoyable way to live but it does not come automatically. We have to dedicate the time and invest the discipline to check in with our Father at the start of the day. This can be a challenge but that is the challenge I hope to encourage you to accept.

Walking in perfect peace, knowing that where you are about to place your foot is good solid ground is a joy. It comes with the Father’s perfect peace, Shalom. All things are as they should be, everything in its proper place. Your steps are divinely ordered, and your heart resides in ease. When you lie down, your sleep is sweet and your dreams, divine. This is the inheritance of the saints.

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Sheltering in Place

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

Psalm 57: 1       NLT

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.

Did you know God has wings? I didn’t. I never thought about it until now though I have read these passages many times. When you picture Him, do you picture Him with wings?

Have a look at Psalm 36: 7, “How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings,” (NIV). God’s wings are a place of refuge for people. One translation says, “All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings,” (NLV). Not only is He a place of shelter of refuge but this inn is open to all humanity. This shows God’s great, unfailing love as well as His compassion and understanding. He has spread His wings for all humanity to seek shelter in Him. I cannot help but find the play on words interesting as we constantly discuss “sheltering in place.” He is the shelter in which we should hide ourselves until the danger passes.

I am reading a story about a dragon rider and his dragon. They were on a long journey through the wilderness. At night the dragon would cover her rider with her wings. The rider was safe and dry under the protection of those wings. As I read, I could feel the comfort of looking up and seeing the shelter of the wing. That is what made me begin to understand the security of our Father covering us with His wing. We are safe and secure as He shields us from the dangers of the world.

Ask yourself, “How does one hide beneath the shadow of God’s wings or how does one take refuge in the shadow of His wings?” Is this something we do in prayer, meditatively, by the confession of our mouths or in our hearts?” How did David run into the strong tower of God’s protection? I ask you because that was very real for David. The threat to his personal safety was very real so he needed a very real solution. It was neither an ethereal nor a hypothetical question for David. He was saved time and time again by hiding himself in the refuge of God’s care.

This is the part I can answer for you. God is there with you right now. He has His wings extended as an invitation to enter into the shelter of His protection. His love and concern for you are very real to Him and He has you on His mind at this very moment. However, it is clear from these verses and others that David, as well as other writers, were the actors in the passages. They were the ones who hid themselves in the refuge of God. They sheltered themselves under the shadow of His wings. God didn’t kidnap them and put them in the safety of His shelter. We must run into His embrace. So, run – run to your Father. Hide yourself under His wing and stay there until the danger has passed.

If this devotion has helped you, will you forward it to someone else? Most everyone you know needs some comfort right now. Thank you.

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Good Sleep

On October 9, 2018   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 4: 8

I fall asleep in peace the moment I lie down because you alone O Lord, enable me to live securely.

This psalm is titled, “Evening Prayer of Trust in God.” That is a sermon unto itself. This is a good way to end the day, but it also makes me think of bookending my day with a companion prayer in the morning.

I hear two promises in today’s verse. First, there are the obvious trust expressions. David rested in the security that he had in the Lord. He was so convinced of the Father’s protection that he could lie down and sleep without fear. Of course this is from a man who was hunted so it is a loud representation of trust he enjoyed in the Lord.

The second promise is one of sleep. This passage is literally about the trust David had in the Lord’s protection. None the less, I pull this first phase about sleep out separately because I believe it is a promise from my Father to me. I have had trouble going to sleep all my life. As a child, I used to play music at night to help me fall asleep. I even tried singing myself to sleep once. Now, I have a promise from my father that I lie down in peace and fall asleep the moment I lie down.

Theologically, you have to deal with the context of David’s message. His message is that he can fall asleep easily and quickly because he knows the Father protects him. When I saw this passage, though, the Father quickened in my heart that I can have this and use this as a sleep passage, apart from trust issues. If I have any qualms about that at all, I can take it to Him in prayer. I can also journal it.

That is a big lesson about understanding of scripture and its use. We must begin with the passage in its context. We can’t just rip sentences out of context and retain the meaning. We can, however, rely upon the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit quickens something to your spirit you can see and appreciate nuances from the original text and assumptions. It is okay to follow where the Holy Spirit leads. In this case, there is an implication that David has no trouble sleeping apart from the potential of enemies disturbing his sleep. That is the issue he answers in his faith statement.

Also, the Spirit will always confirm the Word to you and if you are unsure, you can always ask him to confirm it. He is the Spirit of revelation. The Father wants to reveal Himself to you. There is life and joy in the Word and much richness. Dive into it and enjoy His feasts.

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