Seeking Covenant

On January 28, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

2 Chronicles 15: 12

They entered into the covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and soul.

This is us, entering into a covenant to seek the Lord, perhaps more intensely than ever before. How, though, do we seek the Lord? What are the practical tools at our disposal?

Most of us know the denominational church model of Christian service and worship. It is what we were raised in. Of course, we have watched that model shift over the years but still, it remains largely dependent on our church building. What do we do now that we are on our own? Of all the times, when we need the leadership of our pastors, we are isolated from them. How do these changes affect our answer to God’s call to us?

We must develop our other skills and other methods of drawing close to God. Foremost is one you probably already utilize but could grow into a bigger role for you. That is studying the Bible. Searching the Bible for answers and wisdom is seeking God and I find it always leads to communication with Him. One may simply need a rededication to time in the Bible or, perhaps, a new study tool is in the offing. I remember buying a Strong’s Concordance a long time ago. That was before online searches were available. The point is that it changed my study time significantly. One thing you can do is search out a theme. Using online search engines you can easily find every verse on a given theme or even a given word. Or maybe you are due a new daily devotional. Just be sure it is word-based. These can draw you deeper into the Word.

Another great option is to buy a Christian book. I have been so blessed by various books throughout the years. I remember how some of them stopped me in my tracks. The key is that they have to be Bible based rather than just opinion. I have read some really good books about Bible figures like Paul, Moses and David. The good authors don’t make these dry histories. They use the lives of those sages to reveal truths about our own.

Above all, be sure to stop and talk with God about what you are learning. Don’t let any of this become an intellectual pursuit of the mind. Make it about getting to know the Father better and hearing His thoughts. Don’t make Bible study a dull ritual. Dive in there and find life. Find out what books you enjoy the most. Let your spirit be engaged. That is the key for when you do, you are going to find life more abundant.

Email me and I will tell you my favorite book of all time. Also I might be able to recommend a book or two for you.

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Lost and Found

On January 27, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Chronicles 22: 19

Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God.

I want to tell you a little story today. It is about when I set my heart and soul to finding the Lord and the effect that had. It was July 2005. I was very frustrated at not being able to hear the Lord clearly. I was getting dressed one morning and had Christian programming on the TV in the other room. I heard this minister talking about when he first got saved. In the middle of his story he told about something he heard God speak to him in those early days. He was newly saved, a baby in the things of God and yet God spoke to Him. Worse yet, he heard and recognized God’s voice. That was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. I was incensed that a babe in the woods should hear God’s voice so clearly while I struggled. In no uncertain terms, I told God what I thought, and I did not mince words.

There was a conference coming up in Anaheim. I knew God would be there, so I bought a plane ticket, made a hotel reservation and put God on notice that I was “going to get Him.”

Now when we talk about setting one’s heart and soul, or seeking God with all our strength brother, that described me. I was determined to go to Anaheim and get God. I pursued Him. The result? I sought Him and He found me. I went to get Him, but He got me. He must have been laughing in heaven at my threat to “get Him.”

The end of the story is that I came away from that conference having seen the Holy Spirit with my own eyes, had a prophetic dream, had prophetic words pouring from my mouth and more, more than I can describe. My life changed dramatically because of that event. You can imagine that it would. It turned out that God wasn’t holding out on me. Instead, I had a block in my heart that I couldn’t see but which he resolved through the dream. God touched me and it all began because I sought Him with all my heart and soul.

He is a good God, loving and kind. He wants an intimate relationship with you but as I learned during that week in 2005, we are in the driver’s seat. That is why the scriptures tell us to seek Him. He leaves the power in our hands.

Seek Him with all your heart and soul! What does that look like? Well, there must be persistence in it, right? There has to be determined purpose. I didn’t pray just once. I sought Him with absolute determination. And let me say, the rewards have been well worth the search. More than anything, I now know that God is attentive. He is listening to me but also listening for me. He is awaiting the sound of my footsteps approaching His throne room. I know that if I seek Him, I will always find Him. My desire, now, is for each of you to have this same kind of experience or if you have had one, to have another. Seek Him with all your heart, soul and mind and enjoy the rewards.

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2021 Message

On January 26, 2021   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Deuteronomy 4:29

But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.

There is no doubt that God is calling to His people. Whether or not this is the last of the end times, we don’t know, but we are certainly seeing signs which Jesus gave us as indicators of the last days. God is calling. He is calling you.

In November of 2020 I heard God saying, “Raise an army.” At first, I thought He might go on to instruct me to build the prayer team bigger. I thought He might be speaking of an army of intercessors or simply a prayer army. I thought He might encourage us to prayer again this year. No. As soon as I thought those things, the answer came through as, “No.” Prayer is an important part of any Christian’s life and this year, as last, we are fools if we are not praying continually (1 Thessalonians 5: 17). God is communicating something different this year. He is calling us to a different place in Him.

I believe with all my heart that what God is telling me to tell others is that He is calling His people to Him. He is asking us to step into a more devoted and immersive relationship with Him. The image I see is of dedication. I see us dedicating more time to seeking the Father and getting to know Him. I believe He is calling every single one of us to draw closer to Him.  The word I cannot escape is, “devoted.”

Let’s be honest with one another without judgment. You know that most of us are not as committed to our relationship with Yahweh as we might be. We used to go to church on Sunday and maybe participate in a Bible Study too. Those were the bigger parts of our connection with God. Christianity is no longer about Sunday church. Covid changed that. Instead of church services, Father is calling us to His bosom. He wants our breath and His interconnected. He wants to live in the midst of us. We need a transformation in our church, but it begins in our own hearts. Leadership come from below which means, it comes from you and me.

What does this look like? In the following days, I will endeavor to show you some of the ways you can deepen your relationship with the Father. To begin this journey, I ask you to seek the Father’s opinion about this message. I believe the 2021 message He wishes me to convey is that He is calling us to a deeper, more personal relationship with Him and that this is begun by seeking Him. Ask Him if I have it right. Is this the call that He has issued? Is this the message He wants you to hear for 2021?

You can use this link to post a question, https://iveyministries.org/ask-ivey/ or contact me directly at irorie@nulliveyministries.org.

 

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Fullness of Joy

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

Psalm 16: 11

You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy.

This passage reminds me of a verse recently used for the Word of the Day. That verse is Psalm 119: 105 and it reads, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” I believe it also goes along with the Word of the Day from Tuesday which encourages seeking God’s wisdom.

It is very easy to believe that fullness of joy exists in the Lord’s presence. How could there be anything else? When we work backwards through this verse, you understand that fullness of joy exists in following Jesus onto the correct path. He is the light which lights our way. He is the way, in fact, and the light of his presence is constantly leading us to fruitful paths. As we seek the light, he leads us onto that path of life where there is always fullness and peace. It leads us into that Jewish concept of peace, Shalom, wherein all things in life work. There is nothing missing nor broken but, in all things, there is perfect wholeness.

The key here is in seeking the Lord’s face, seeking his presence. As we do that one thing, he leads us to that perfect place of provision and peace. Seek the Lord’s face continually. Seek his knowledge and wisdom and may the blessing of his presence follow you daily.

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Seeker

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

Psalm 105: 4

Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face continually.

Perhaps the most important, certainly some of the best advice in the Bible, this verse speaks the essence of the intertwined partnership, a valuable life model. Seeking Yahweh’s face in every event, even in every moment of life establishes a life lived with God Himself. It is the epitome of Christian experience.

The keyword in this verse is, “continually.” Seeking God’s face continually implies an action and denotes where our energy is spent. However, the precursor of seeking God’s face is staying our thoughts upon Him. Having God constantly on our minds is the underlying requirement of seeking Him continually. Seeking the Lord moment by moment can only come to those who are truly enamored with the Lord. In other words, God is already on your mind. So, when you face a situation or question, it becomes a simple thing to inquire of Him because He is already on your mind. It is natural to seek His strength and knowledge because He is already in the room with you.

Think of spending all day with the Lord Jesus or being aware of the Father’s presence all day. Perhaps, though, this is not a day of meditation. Maybe it is just a normal workday, but all day long you are conscious of God’s presence with you. Doesn’t that sound nice? That continuing presence is the fruit of the meditative times you spent alone with Him. Learning to reside in His continual presence is a process the same as learning anything. The practice of communing with God is forged in some of those quiet hours of meditation. It is wrought in the times of intense seeking and it bears fruit in the day to day existence. Truly, nothing is greater than residing in God’s presence. We all know that. Getting there, however, is not always easy. It isn’t a push button system. Living in that knowing presence of God comes from the times of seeking, but before you know it, you find He is nearby all the time.

There will be periods of intense seeking of the Lord, times when you need a specific answer to a specific problem. There is, though, also the day to day abiding with Him, seeking His face continually and that becomes a very comfortable existence. Seeking His face, not only His power, reveals and intimacy and relationship. God isn’t sought only for what He can do but merely for His presence. We can become accustomed to His presence not for what He says or what He does but just because we enjoy being with Him. Seek His face continually and you will enjoy greater and greater companionship with the Lord.

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Kingdom Living

On May 20, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 6: 33               Amplified Version

But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

One of the fundamental principles of faith is to seek God. Seeking God’s face and His presence is never the wrong thing to do but, in this passage, Jesus gave us a more precise instruction. He said to seek the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, the two being closely related.

Jesus wants us to look at the Kingdom of God and learn how it operates and what spiritual laws control it because once we understand the Kingdom’s operation rules, nothing will be impossible to us. God’s righteousness is similar. It is God’s “right” way of doing and being. It is not about holiness. That is different though how can you do things God’s way and not be holy? Still, this is about “right-ness” and I think this is a much better way for you to think about righteousness. In fact, you will help yourself if every time you see righteousness, you translate it in your mind to rightness. Godly rightness is doing things the way God would do them or how He would have you do them, which can be very different from the rules the world operates by. Understand this, again we are not talking about morality here. Not doing it God’s way does not make it immoral or sinful it just isn’t “right” Kingdom thinking. It’s world thinking which is what most of us were trained in.

Here is a simple example. What is the proper economic response in the time of famine, or in modern language, economic downturn? What if your salary has been reduced or your company is struggling? The world would say this is a time to save for a rainy day. It’s time to stock up and hoard provision for a later time. Kingdom dynamics operate differently. The Kingdom principle is, give in time of famine, sow seed like Isaac did. Now here is an interesting rub. Non-Christians will tap into these Kingdom principles and they will work for them even though they aren’t saved as we understand that term. Kingdom principles are like rain which falls on believers and non-believers. It will water everyone’s seed. The only real question is who has sown seed? So, sometimes non-believers benefit more from Christian principles than we do.

Here is another example. Kingdom principles teach to put other people’s needs and concerns ahead of your own. The world says, this is a dog eat dog world and you need to do unto others before they do unto you. There is a little perversion in that language, huh? I remember hearing a pastor talking about a contract he negotiated. He made sure the other guy got a good deal too. He wasn’t out to just get the best deal he could regardless of who might get hurt. That’s enlightening because a Christian take advantage of someone all the while thinking, “God is blessing me.” That kind of thinking bites back because it isn’t Kingdom dynamics at work. It is worldly thinking. Just get what you can for yourself regardless of the impact upon others.

Jesus wants us to learn to think like he and Yahweh do. They both want us to look at them and do as they do. Jesus said he only did what he saw the Father do. In other words, he totally modeled God and we can do the same by emulating him. We can learn to operate in the Kingdom and have Kingdom blessing working for us. Seek first God’s way of doing and being and in the end, He will give you everything.

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Seek and Receive

On May 19, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 6: 33

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Last week I wrote to you about Matthew 7: 7 – 12 (See Word of the Day, Fish or Snake, May 15, 2020). The substance of that article was asking and receiving, seeking and finding, knocking and the door being opened. We look for God’s blessing and God is not a man that He would give us a snake if we asked for a fish. He gives good gifts to His beloved.

I was out on a bike ride Friday with those ideas still running through my mind. I stopped at a church to pray, as has become my habit. It sort of feels like with all the churches empty and the parking lots vacant, it is good for me to utilize that space to offer prayers. So, I was leaning on my bike praying when I saw this sign. This verse is so familiar that I almost missed the significance but as I prayed, all of a sudden truth dawned on my consciousness. SEEK AND RECEIVE!

Now before we dismiss this as materialism, take note that God said, ALL things. Jesus was talking about our needs being met, so yes, he meant that our Father would meet our material needs but Jesus is the fullness of all things so this would include your need for social contact and friends, needs for peace, tranquility, relaxation, meaningful hobbies, projects and work. No matter what you need, or want, Jesus included it when he said, “all these things will be added to you.”

The key word, though, is “seek.” Ask, seek, knock; receive, find, have opened. The epiphany that went through me Friday was that “seek” is the word that we should hear and which ties these two passages together. It is worthwhile to note that both passages are part of the same presentation. Each is taken from the Sermon on the Mount which is Jesus’ most comprehensive soliloquy.
We are instructed to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness and everything else will be given to us besides. It is almost to say we will not have need to ask for those other things because we have sought, and received, the one thing. Our receiving is tied to our seeking and that which we are to seek is God’s Kingdom. God knows what you need, and He does not want you to seek those things or even worry about asking for them. Seek Him and His way of doing things and He will provide for your needs and everything else for which you ask. That surely makes for a powerful prayer life. And on that note, when you are at the point where your needs are met and you don’t spend your prayer time on those things, and, when you know you will receive what you ask, imagine how big your prayer life can grow and the things you will pray about. Seeking God and His kingdom really opens up life. It creates a great release of spiritual energy. We are changed as we move into the Kingdom because we reside in God’s presence.

Ask, seek and knock, but in your seeking, seek the one with all wisdom. Seek God and His ways.

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