November 1, 2007!! I can hardly believe it. Nor can I get my thoughts around my oldest grandchild being 13 on Friday!!
I have a couple thoughts – lets just start and see where we go. I heard a preacher say the other day that he is intimate with his wife but hopes he never becomes familiar with her and he suggested that we would do well to be the same with God. And consulting my on line dictionary confirms what I knew – familiar, meaning: Taking undue liberties; presumptuous. And intimacy in this case I believe is best described this way: Essential; innermost; Very personal; Marked by informality and privacy. And with these definitions I can see why the wise preacher said he never wants to become familiar with his wife. And I like this description of intimacy: Informal and private; essential; innermost; very personal. These distinctions with our spouse are essential for a healthy marriage but even more so are they essential for a proper relationship/fellowship with Father God.
How good it is to be ‘informal’ with God but yet not ‘familiar’. That says so much. Ponder it today, if you will.
Psalm 111: 10 The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and skill [the preceding and the first essential, the prerequisite and the alphabet]; a good understanding, wisdom, and meaning have all those who do [the will of the Lord]. Their praise of Him endures forever.
1 Corinthians 8:2 If anyone imagines that he has come to know and understand much [of divine things, without love], he does not yet perceive and recognize and understand as strongly and clearly, nor has he become as intimately acquainted with anything as he ought or as is necessary. 3 But if one loves God truly [with affectionate reverence, prompt obedience, and grateful recognition of His blessing], he is known by God [recognized as worthy of His intimacy and love, and he is owned by Him].
Father, only You know where this day (evening) will take us but as long as we are with You, all is well. Father, we desire to be informal with You without being familiar. We do not wish to take undue liberties or presumptions; we want to be intimately acquainted with You being able to come before You at any given moment without any formality. We want to be free to enter Your Throne Room at any moment – keep us Holy Spirit on a short leash so this is possible – keep us confessed up so we are always ready to speak with You at any given moment. We continue to remember Brenda and we pray for speedy relief from the pain and yes Lord I selfishly pray that she will be able to minister at the Conference on Saturday – I want to hear her teach Your Word – she blessed me so much in 2004; I’d like to hear her heart again on Saturday. And we bring these others too Father for You to bless them with every good and perfect gift that they are able to receive. We pray for our IDOK Troops that they will remain safe and protected in mind and body and spirit and that You will bring each of them home to us safe and sound and that each will come to love you more and more. We pray for the peace of Israel and for America to repent and Father we pray that You would impress upon the heart of every soul who is saved to vote for the man of Your Choice for President of this Nation. Lord, I want ONLY the man that will do Your Will to be elected President – please make it so Lord. And whatever I can do to help make this happen – move me Lord, move me and this I ask in Jesus name. Amen and amen.
The Peace of Israel Patsy B. Joey and Kathy and family. Kim T. Krystee. Sybal W. Brenda D. Rachel B. Kevin and the children. Lisa’ s Mother. Janie B. W.C. The Ellis Family. Ed Litton and family. Vickie. Lisa W. John Thomas. Cole. Taylor & family. Anita. Kathy. J Lloyd and family. Janet and Steve. Cathy. Toy and family. Katelyn. Caleb and family. Bay and family. Jennifer B. John and Carolyn. Larry and Claudia and family. Jeanette and Earl and family. Libby and family. Callie. Madie. Ruth. Martha F and Bob. Rev and Mrs. Carpenter. Allyson and Glen and family and Kaitlyn. Brittney and Kersten and family. Sharron and girls. Frankie and girls. Sheila and Andy. Carrie and Rachel and Jacob and family. Billy and Gina and boys. Lance and family. Grace and family. Tressa and Brad and family. Cindy K and family. Chuck. Jessie L. Windy and Jared and families. Helen and Dan and family. Jen and Larry and family. Chad and Brittany and family. Mollie and family. Jenny. Julia. Bobbie. Tj. Zack. Phillip. Jessica. Larry. Kayla. Trey. Jacob. Ashely. Lance. Candance. Laura and family. John and Sandy. Bill and Judy. Adam.

A controversy regarding a movie to be released on December 7, entitled The Golden Compass, has been repeatedly brought to my attention, so I did some research. I have found it beneficial to me to examine these controversies regarding books and movies for myself rather than immediately jumping on the bandwagon of even people and groups that I admire and respect. I urge you to do the same. We can read reviews (and they may be helpful) but remember a review is only as sound as the one writing the review. So to form my opinion regarding the movie, The Golden Compass, based on the book by the same name and authored by Philip Pullman, I read an interview transcript given by Mr. Pullman. You may use this link and read it for yourself and determine if you want your children or your grandchildren viewing this movie or reading his books.
http://www.surefish.co.uk/culture/features/pullman_interview.htm
IDOKs who have been with me a while know that I respect and admire the works of C. S. Lewis … Mr. Pullman does not.

There are others but with just these two passages of Scripture we can see (if we choose to see) the out come of following after sorceries, witchcraft and the like.

Isaiah 47: 8 “ Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, Who dwell securely, Who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, Nor shall I know the loss of children’; 9 But these two things shall come to you In a moment, in one day: The loss of children, and widowhood. They shall come upon you in their fullness Because of the multitude of your sorceries, For the great abundance of your enchantments.
10 “ For you have trusted in your wickedness; You have said, ‘No one sees me’; Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; And you have said in your heart, ‘ I am, and there is no one else besides me.’
Revelation 18: 21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. 22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. 23 The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”
Father, I know You have brought this to us and so we must examine and we are and we ask You for guidance and we pray for courage and strength and opportunity to speak Your Truth to all that You have prepared to listen. And we pray for Philip Pullman. Father, is seems to me that I have seen it over and over that people who deny You so adamantly are those who for some reason or another have issues with You. As in the case of Philip Pullman, he at one time went to Sunday School, and read Your Word so we know he has been exposed to You and maybe Holy Spirit he has even experienced You speaking to him convincing him of sin, of righteousness and judgment to come and thus far he has rejected Your testimony. That is sad and if it is possible, if he has not gone too far to turn back, Holy Spirit, please keep wooing him and so we pray here and now for this man to be saved. And not only him but others, multitudes of others who have thus far said no to You and we pray that You will allow us the privilege of sharing Your Good News with them. We continue to pray for revival in America and for the peace of Israel. And Father, as thousands of children don masks and costumes reflecting the works of Satan and may even participate in activities honoring him, please forgive and redeem them we pray. And we pray for Churches offering alternatives to this, protect and guide and bless these efforts we pray. Please protect our IDOK Troops, keep them safe in mind and body and spirit; continue to woo the lost and protect them and continue to build a deeper love in them for You. And we pray for Brenda especially, relieve her pain. And for the rest listed here we pray Lord, Thy will be done for Jesus sake.
The Peace of Israel Patsy B. Joey and Kathy and family. Kim T. Krystee. Sybal W. Brenda D. Rachel B. Kevin and the children. Lisa’ s Mother. Janie B. W.C. The Ellis Family. Ed Litton and family. Vickie. Lisa W. John Thomas. Cole. Taylor & family. Anita. Kathy. J Lloyd and family. Janet and Steve. Cathy. Toy and family. Katelyn. Caleb and family. Bay and family. Jennifer B. John and Carolyn. Larry and Claudia and family. Jeanette and Earl and family. Libby and family. Callie. Madie. Ruth. Martha F and Bob. Rev and Mrs. Carpenter. Allyson and Glen and family and Kaitlyn. Brittney and Kersten and family. Sharron and girls. Frankie and girls. Sheila and Andy. Carrie and Rachel and Jacob and family. Billy and Gina and boys. Lance and family. Grace and family. Tressa and Brad and family. Cindy K and family. Chuck. Windy and Jared and families. Helen and Dan and family. Jen and Larry and family. Chad and Brittany and family. Mollie and family. Jenny. Julia. Bobbie. Tj. Zack. Phillip. Jessica. Larry. Kayla. Trey. Jacob. Ashely. Lance. Candance. Laura and family. John and Sandy. Bill and Judy. Adam.