Monthly Archives: December 2007

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The Day After

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 26, 2007

What a Christmas Day from before breakfast until long after the Christmas Meal was finished! Food and Family, Presents and Paper covering the floor and the precious moments sped by; so quickly that friends I love didn’t even get a phone call – hope you know you are loved!
And so this morning when sugar plums were still dancing in our heads and the clock said … Oh can it really be that late we thought who cares it’s our day off and then we said IDOK cares. And so began our Day After Christmas.
And Jerry began to think out loud about the FIRST Christmas day after. He said wonder what the Shepherds did the day after? Wonder what the Wise Men did the day after they saw Jesus?
Luke 2: 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
And we think the Shepherds were still glorifying and praising God — still talking about Jesus and the angel message long after – probably for as long as they lived after – the day after.
And the Wise Men, what did they do The Day After?
Matthew 2: 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
And the Wise Men departed another way. There is no doubt in my mind the Wise Men went another way The After Day and all their day after(s). How could they ever forget traveling nearly two years after seeing the STAR and then finally arriving and seeing Jesus as a toddler. He must have been the most beautiful child they had ever seen. He must have given them more joy than they could hold THE DAY AFTER!
I’m not a Shepherd and certainly not a Wise Man and yesterday we did not physically see the Infant Jesus or Jesus as a Toddler but we did see Him at work yesterday and we did kneel before Him in prayer and Oh how BLESSED was Christmas 2007 and this DAY AFTER too.
Lord God You are so Awesome! Thank You! Some are back to work, some enjoying a day off from the office, some may be returning gifts that didn’t fit and some well there’s so many varied these we are doing this day, the Day After our Christmas celebration. Father, we want this Day After to be special too, we want to worship and adore You today too and all our Day Afters. Thank You for the GIFT of Life Eternal and Abundant Life here – help us be GREAT stewards of it. And Father, we bring our list of names – precious names and we pray for You to intervene just right for each one. And we pray for protection again today for our IDOK Troops; keep them safe in mind and body and spirit. And Lord, at this very moment others come to mind, folks that say they are looking for You but they are looking in all the wrong places – somehow Lord turn them away from those wrong places. Lord, forgive and rescue them from themselves we pray.
And so protect our Troops and bring them home to us safe and sound; end this war successfully we pray; bring America to Repentance and Israel to Peace and Revive Your Church we pray; cause Your Choice for President to be elected here in America and for each and every IDOK today, love on them for Jesus sake and mine too DADDY. Amen and amen.
The Peace of Israel Mr. Smith. Charles and Renee’. Dall T. Dylan. Taylor. Mark, Margie & Duncan. Marsha’s grand-baby. A care-giver for Emily Grace. Kathy N. Kyle A. Jason, Vicki. Joseph Toomey and Family. Wheeler Family. Mary Ann. Mr. Nash. DeLois. Terri. Leah O. Patsy B. Kim T. Krystee. Rachel B. Kevin and the children. Lisa’s Mother. Janie B. W.C. & Family . Vickie. Lisa W. John Thomas. Cole. Taylor & family. Anita. 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 & Family.
Every IDOK and every IDOK son and daughter and grandchild.
Every IDOK Pastor and Family.
Every IDOK church.
Revival in America.
IDOKs Military Families.
IDOKs Troops – Ethan. Christopher. Raul. Robert. Billy. Josh. George. Buddy. Mark. Josh W. James. Bryan. Nick. Hawk. Brant W. Lyndon A. Christopher R. Travis N. Joshua M.
IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil: Justin G. Albert R III.
Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Tommy T. Shaun. Bay. Danny. Tim. Lee.
Injured and brought State side: Anthony. Hector
Injured Stateside: Edward J.
Hospitalized outside USA: Corpl. Light
Military at home adjusting – Mack. The 226. Troy. Drew. Brad. Tommy. Desi.
Civilian in Country – Mike. Lee.

As I post this it is 49°F and partly cloudy in Al Asad, Iraq & the time there is 7:22 PM AST – on December 26, 2007

HIS MINISTRY TO YOU

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Overcoming Light

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR CHRISTMAS EVE 2007

Great News! The doctor is 99.9% sure Mary Ann’s biopsy mass is benign.

We sang The First Noel at evening service — just what is Noel? Certainly we know, we’ve heard it all our lives but maybe this will give us some ‘new light’.
Wikipedia says: The word Nowell comes from the French word No·ël meaning “Christmas”, from the Latin word natal is (“birth”). It may also be from the Gaulish words “noio” or “neu” meaning “new” and “helle” meaning “light” referring to the winter solstice when sunlight begins overtaking darkness.
So Noel is Christmas Birth. Also New Light. I like that. The First Christmas Birth gave The First Light capable of overtaking darkness.
The First Noel. Gives the song even more meaning, doesn’t it?

Follow this link and sing along! http://www.bethanyroberts.com/TheFirstNoel.htm


Merry Christmas! And we can have a Merry Christmas because Our First Light – Jesus the Christ has come to over take the Darkness. To God be the Glory!
Isaiah 9: 2 The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.
Isaiah 60: 1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Matthew 4: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
I Peter 2: 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
John 8: 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 12: 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
Can anything describe Noel better? Jesus, Light of the World came to overtake the Darkness in each of us and none of us are where we need to be but Praise THE LIGHT we are not where we use to be. So keep singing THE FIRST NOEL who is The First Christmas Birth and THE ONLY LIGHT who takes away our darkness!!
Lord Jesus thank You for coming; thank You for overcoming our darkness once and for all in salvation and now daily in sanctification. Thank You Lord for being OUR LIGHT in this overwhelming darkness.
Thank You for Mary Ann’s great report; thank You for other reports of improvements; thank You for every healing on its way. Thank You for every good and perfect gift You give us. Help us worship You Lord.
Bless each and every IDOK on this Christmas Eve, on Christmas Day – help us remember YOU on these days especially – help us give You gifts of blessing. And now I commend to You each and every soul represented by these names and I ask You for Your Best for each of them. And I ask You to keep our IDOK Troops safe and impart Your Peace and LIGHT to them especially in dark and hostile places and bring each of them home we pray safe and sound at the appointed time. Please bring this war to a successful conclusion; bring Peace to Israel, bring America to Repentance; cause people to vote Your Choice for President into the Office of the Presidency and revive Your Church O Lord. Father God, thank You for giving us Your Light – help us keep our globes clean so Your Light will shine brightly through us. Amen and Amen.
The Peace of Israel Mr. Smith. Charles and Renee’. Dall T. Dylan. Taylor. Mark, Margie & Duncan. Marsha’s grand-baby. A care-giver for Emily Grace. Kathy N. Kyle A. Jason, Vicki. Joseph Toomey and Family. Wheeler Family. Mary Ann. Mr. Nash. DeLois. Terri. Leah O. Patsy B. Kim T. Krystee. Rachel B. Kevin and the children. Lisa’s Mother. Janie B. W.C. & Family . Vickie. Lisa W. John Thomas. Cole. Taylor & family. Anita. 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 & Family.
Every IDOK and every IDOK son and daughter and grandchild.
Every IDOK Pastor and Family.
Every IDOK church.
Revival in America.
IDOKs Military Families.
IDOKs Troops – Ethan. Christopher. Raul. Robert. Billy. Josh. George. Buddy. Mark. Josh W. James. Bryan. Nick. Hawk. Brant W. Lyndon A. Christopher R. Travis N. Joshua M.
IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil: Justin G. Albert R III.
Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Tommy T. Shaun. Bay. Danny. Tim. Lee.
Injured and brought State side: Anthony. Hector
Injured Stateside: Edward J.
Hospitalized outside USA: Corpl. Light
Military at home adjusting – Mack. The 226. Troy. Drew. Brad. Tommy. Desi.
Civilian in Country – Mike. Lee.
As I post this it is 36°F and clear in Baghdad, Iraq & the time there is 8:58 AM AST – on December 24, 2007

Blessed Christmas to each of you.

HIS MINISTRY TO YOU

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GIVING, TAKING & RECEIVING

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2007
I viewed parts of a movie tonight; one I have seen during other Christmas Seasons. I remember well the first time I heard the song that inspired the movie. Here’s the song:
NEWSONG
The Christmas Shoes

It was almost Christmas time, there I stood in another line
Tryin’ to buy that last gift or two, not really in the Christmas mood
Standing right in front of me was a little boy waiting anxiously
Pacing ’round like little boys do
And in his hands he held a pair of shoes

His clothes were worn and old, he was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn’t believe what I heard him say

Chorus:
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there’s not much time
You see she’s been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight

He counted pennies for what seemed like years
Then the cashier said, “Son, there’s not enough here”
He searched his pockets frantically
Then he turned and he looked at me
He said Mama made Christmas good at our house
Though most years she just did without
Tell me Sir, what am I going to do,
Somehow I’ve got to buy her these Christmas shoes

So I laid the money down, I just had to help him out
I’ll never forget the look on his face when he said
Mama’s gonna look so great

Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there’s not much time
You see she’s been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight

Bridge:
I knew I’d caught a glimpse of heaven’s love
As he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent that little boy
To remind me just what Christmas is all about

Repeat Chorus

To me, the movie is not as ‘spiritual’ as the song but still it has merit. Particularly when the Mom is encouraging her son to not think of her death as God TAKING her but rather that He is RECEIVING her. That makes all the difference!
And what did Jesus say to us in John 14:
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Receive – that’s a great word and there are some comforting passages of Scripture about receiving.
Luke 9: 10 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.
John 20:
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Acts 1: 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
I think our Jesus is not so much about taking from us as He is about GIVING to us – albeit there are texts that talk about Him TAKING.
John 1: 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
And then in John 11 there was another take away: 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
From this I think we can safely say Jesus came to take away two things from us – sin and death. The rest is about GIVING. So what’s stopping us from RECEIVING?
As you know Monday is Christmas Eve — just maybe I will RECEIVE a Special Christmas Devotion for all us IDOKS over the weekend. Lord Willing ‘see’ you on Monday. And until then a Blessed, Holy Christmas to each of you.
Thank You Lord for Giving and for Taking Away and now we pray for strength of each of us to Receive from You ALL that You desire to give us. Position us Lord so we are willing to receive anything and everything You desire to Give us and that which You allow to come upon us. Help us receive each with equal grace. And Lord, we pray for miracles this season, for diseases to be healed, ears to open and hear properly, skin to grow and perform, grand-babies to thrive, bodies so badly broken to mend and minds and hearts bruised and stretched and filled with things that do not honor You – help us rid ourselves of this stuff for Jesus sake. And we pray for our IDOK Troops for their safety and protection in all manner and all ways and we ask that they come home safe and sound at the appointed time and we pray for the Peace of Israel, the Repentance of America, the Election of Your Choice for President, for the Revival of the Church and we pray for each and every IDOK to love You more before this Christmas season sends.
The Peace of Israel Mr. Smith. Charles and Renee’. Dall T. Dylan. Taylor. Mark, Margie & Duncan. Marsha’s grand-baby. A care-giver for Emily Grace. Kathy N. Kyle A. Jason, Vicki. Joseph Toomey and Family. Wheeler Family. Mary Ann. Mr. Nash. DeLois. Terri. Leah O. Patsy B. Kim T. Krystee. Rachel B. Kevin and the children. Lisa’s Mother. Janie B. W.C. & Family . Vickie. Lisa W. John Thomas. Cole. Taylor & family. Anita. 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 & Family.
Every IDOK and every IDOK son and daughter and grandchild.
Every IDOK Pastor and Family.
Every IDOK church.
Revival in America.
IDOKs Military Families.
IDOKs Troops – Ethan. Christopher. Raul. Robert. Billy. Josh. George. Buddy. Mark. Josh W. James. Bryan. Nick. Hawk. Brant W. Lyndon A. Christopher R. Travis N. Joshua M.
IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil: Justin G. Albert R III.
Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Tommy T. Shaun. Bay. Danny. Tim. Lee.
Injured and brought State side: Anthony. Hector
Injured Stateside: Edward J.
Hospitalized outside USA: Corpl. Light
Military at home adjusting – Mack. The 226. Troy. Drew. Brad. Tommy. Desi.
Civilian in Country – Mike. Lee.

As I post this it is 34°F haze and smoke in Balad, Iraq & the time there is 8:44 AM AST – on December 21, 2007

HIS MINISTRY TO YOU