Continuing with John 6
9 There is a little boy here, who has [with him] five barley loaves, and two small fish; but what are they among so many people?
Peter said to Jesus that there was a little boy in the crowd that had five loaves of bread and two fish. Wonder how Peter knew that? I don’t really wonder that he did know about the fish and bread because I have experienced God making arrangements for me to have certain information which at the time I did not even know I would later need. And what of that little boy? How is it that he was willing to give his five loaves and his two fish to Jesus? Jesus would not just take them from him. Can you see Peter bringing the lad to Jesus with the loaves and the fish? What about the lad? Wonder how old he was? Did he have a family? Where did he get the loaves and the fish? I can’t answer all that, but the point is he was there and he heard Jesus and he believed Jesus and he surrendered his five loaves (and I visualize these as “roll” size pieces of bread) and two fish to Jesus and look what Jesus did with that lad’s contribution!! A side point is, he had 5 loaves and 2 fish. Five is the number of grace and two is the number of witness. Did not the grace of God bring about a powerful, wonderful, exciting Witness that day?
Had it not been for that lad and his willingness to offer what he had to Jesus, Jesus would have found another way to feed the people, but what a blessing this was to that little boy. Do you think he remembered that miracle for the rest of his life? I think we may find him in eternity and the story will still be fresh for the telling. I hope so. I want to hear him tell it! But let’s not chase that rabbit too far, the focus here is Jesus. He fed the people. He gave them not only physical food but He demonstrated in a tangible way what He would later carry out on a cross for them and for us. He is the Bread of Life, broken and given for you and me. Come, take, eat and live!!!
Matthew 26: 26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.
28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Take, eat and go out with a hymn (with HIM) this morning!
Good Morning Father, thank You for Eternal Life in Jesus our Christ. Thank You for the grace to take and eat and receive LIFE. And this morning we offer ourselves to go out with a song in our hearts. As we gather here this morning we cannot know what this day holds but You know. We are so grateful to know that You KNOW, nothing will surprise You today, nothing will catch You off guard today and because this is so, we are safe today. Thank You Father. Thank You that each of these are in Your Care today, You are loving them and offering Yourself to meet every need they have; we accept on their behalf and pray each will for themselves today too.
Again we pray for protection for our IDOK Troops – mind, body and spirit. We pray for grace and space for America to repent; for the elections that Your will be done; for the peace of Israel; for America to stand strong and firm with Israel and for Your Church to be revived and restored to a love on fire for You. Amen and amen. Allison. Kinard Family. Alla Mae. W C and family. Richard and Emma and family. Oprah. Chris B. Maggie and Family. Josh. Donnie S. Renee’. Cathy’s friend and son. Odessa H. Kathy S. Glen Beck. Tonya and family. Dall T. Dylan. Marsha’s grand-baby. Kathy N. Kyle A. Joseph Toomey and Family. DeLois. Terri. Kim T. Kevin and the children. Lisa’s Mother. Katelyn (B). Janie B. Vickie. Lisa W. J Lloyd and family. Janet and Steve. Cathy. Toy and family. Caleb and family. Bay and family. Jennifer B. John and Carolyn. Larry and Claudia and family. Taylor & family. Jeanette and Earl and family. Libby and family. Callie. Madie. Ruth. Cynthia. Martha F and Bob. Allyson and Glyn and family. Brittney and Kersten and family. Sharron and family. Sheila and Andy. Carrie and Rachel and Jacob and family. Billy and Gina and boys. Lance and family. Grace and family. Tressa. Brad, Lindsay, Karah and Haley. Chuck. Windy and Jared and families. Helen and Dan and family. Jen and Larry and family. Chad and Brittany and family. Mollie and family. Julia. Bobbie. Tj. Zack. Phillip. Jessica. Larry. Kayla. Trey. Jacob. Ashely. Lance. Candance and Baby. Laura and family. John and Sandy. Bill and Judy. Adam & Family. Andrew. Cindy, Sharron and Tonya’s houses to sell.
Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about
Every IDOK and every IDOK son and daughter and grandchild.
Every IDOK Pastor and Family.
Every IDOK church.
The Peace of Israel
Revival in America.
IDOKs Military Families.
IDOKs Troops (foreign soil) – Ethan. Christopher. Raul. Robert. Billy. Josh. Buddy. Mark. Josh W. James. Bryan. Nick. Brant W. Christopher R. Joshua M. Brent. Drew. Justin G. Kyle N. Michael K.
IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil: Albert R III. Bay N.
Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Tommy T. Shaun. Bay. Danny. Tim. Lee. George.
Injured and brought State side: Anthony. Hector
Hospitalized outside USA: Corpl. Light. Bradley T.
Military at home adjusting – Mack. The 226. Troy. Brad. Tommy. Desi. Edward J.Travis N.
On their way home: Hawk. Lyndon A.
Civilian in Country – Lee.
As I post this it is 91°F and haze in Balad, IQ & the time there is 3:39 PM AST – on May 14, 2008
Internet Daughters of the KING
THE WHITE STONE
His Ministry to You

Last week we shared ‘Food for Thought’ – how important it is for us to bring our thoughts captive to the will of Jesus our Christ. This morning I took a picture I want to share with you. It’s entitled ‘First Fruits’ – Small Beginnings’. And these first fruits are small – could be because they are grape tomatoes but be that as it may – my word to you this morning is CELEBRATE. ‘Congratulate, take pictures, and make scrape books’ of small beginnings. We readily do that for our children and our grandchildren but today I say to you, celebrate your own small beginnings! Remember last week’s lesson – what we think of ourselves, how we treat the walls of our minds, and what we placed on those walls, has a huge impact upon our frame and in the Body of Christ? So today when you take those small steps toward transforming your thought life – celebrate; take a picture and hang it on the wall of your mind as your ‘First Fruits’ offering to your Sweet Jesus!!

Look at this text in Zechariah 4:
8-10 After that, the Word of God came to me: “Zerubbabel started rebuilding this Temple and he will complete it. That will be your confirmation that God-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me to you. Does anyone dare despise this day of small beginnings? They’ll change their tune when they see Zerubbabel setting the last stone in place!”

Let these little grape tomatoes be a big lesson, they are small but they deliver a BIG taste! And as you build and build upon your ‘small beginnings’ one day you will SEE your Father rejoicing over you – His Temple.

It is an exciting morning, Father. Thank You for picture lessons. Thank You for the work You have called Marcia to do and we do pray for not just a lack of rain for those crucial days but the weather that is conducive to attendance and we pray for the Outpouring of conviction to convince precious people to say yes to You for salvation, restoration and healing of mind, body, and spirit. Thank You for Travis’ safe return home and now as he adjusts to being home, we pray he will seek You and Your will for him and how he can serve You now. And we pray for our other IDOK Troops for their protection in mind, body, and spirit. We don’t want to say we pray especially for Michael because all our Troops are special but we are excited with the news of Michael’s salvation and we want to see him grow in You, especially in a hostile environment. Thank You for growing and protecting them all and bringing them home safe at the appointed time. And now this morning we bring these others too and we pray for them – whatever it is they need today Lord we pray they will have it for Your glory and their good. Amen and amen.

As I post this it is 93°F and haze in Al Taji, IQ & the time there is 4:40 PM AST – on May 12, 2008

Internet Daughters of the KING
THE WHITE STONE
His Ministry to You

Let me over the course of the next couple days give you some food for thought from the pen of Caroline Leaf, Ph.D. Her article is entitled Stressed…to Death? As it appeared in Life Today Magazine, Spring 2008 Issue.
In a time when life is constantly rushed and details demand more attention than any one person can spare, stress has become the common denominator among us. With busy schedules, it can sometimes seem difficult to cope with the problems the world relentlessly throws our way.
Through research, scientists are discovering just how detrimental stress can be. As your brain processes a perpetual stream of stressful information – expectations, successes, failures, disappointments and goals – it sets off physical and chemical responses within the body. It’s a scientific fact: When you do not train your brain how to react positively to stress, your health will suffer.
You may already be familiar with some of the negative effects – headaches and tense muscles – but unfortunately, the hazards of stress do not stop with symptoms that can be treated with aspirin. Negative thoughts created by stress release negative chemicals into your body. As these negative chemicals course through your body, they make their mark on the respiratory, circulatory and digestive systems, to name a few. Over time, when enough negative chemicals are released, damage takes place on the cellular level, triggering sickness and disease.
While your body is strong and tenacious, it also relies on delicate systems of biochemical feedback loops. Maintaining homeostasis (balance or equilibrium) within the body is vital to your overall health. Stress disrupts homeostasis on various levels, and over time, as the chemical and metabolic balance is disturbed, stress will cause irreversible structural damage.
Eventually, your organs will grow weary of operating on heightened alert. Physically, your health will spiral as your body enters utter exhaustion.
I paint a grim picture, but please know that my intention is not to exaggerate. Stress is dangerous and unhealthy. When your brain is forced to process a barrage of demands, expectations, deadlines and difficulties, it responds accordingly. The negative chemicals it releases hold the real threat, and years of these chemicals could be deadly. The good news is anxiety is a learned life pattern that can be unlearned. It can be replaced with a more positive, healthy lifestyle.
De-stress Your Schedule
In this culture of rush, rush, rush, time is precious and should be spent wisely. Because your mind can keep your body healthy or sick, investing your time into the health of your mind and body is vital to both the longevity and quality of your life. When making your schedule, make a conscious decision to focus on those things that are good for you: exercise, relaxation, healthy diet, love and kindness.
If you look at your schedule and just don’t see any way to cut out the stress, I challenge you to consider this: If you only had six months to live, what things would you insist on doing to be happy and content?
More with Dr. Leaf next time but before I leave you for today, a Word from The Word.
Hebrews 13: 5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say “ The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
Timothy 6: 6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
One more word from me re this: Because your mind can keep your body healthy or sick, — I don’t believe Dr. Leaf is telling us that if we have cancer or other life-threatening diseases it is because we did not think ourselves healthy; and I am CERTAINLY not telling you that by offering you this Food for Thought. I do hope, though, we can gather useful information from the article. See you Monday. Have a ‘healthy thinking weekend’. Our love to you.
Father, again we are thankful and again we are reminded that our battles with our own flesh and with the Evil One are won or lost in our ‘minds’. Help us be willing to yield to the Mind of Christ Jesus. Thank You for the mercy, grace and peace You have given us today and thank You for the promises of forever. Cause these listed here to rely upon You for their strength and comfort and every need in their lives today. Please continue to protect our IDOK Troops, we are depending upon You to do all things well for them. We are looking to You for grace and mercy for America; we are looking to You for grace and space to repent for the peoples of America; we are looking to You for the motivation for we Your Children to live holy lives so that others will believe Your Gospel. Thank You for the abundance You have given us; help us use Your Gifts and Provisions wisely and Lord, curtail the corruption and the greed of powerful people and industry that is causing exorbitant fuel and food costs. Thank You that You will continue to provide for us and we will by Your Grace learn contentment. And all this we ask based solely on the merits and righteousness of Jesus our Savior and Lord.
As I post this it is 68°F and overcast in Balad, IQ & the time there is 6:38 AM AST – on May 9, 2008

My Dear IDOKs I need this message as much as any of you. I have been stressing even this morning before 7:00!! And I won’t even tell you how insignificant in the scheme of eternity the matter really is.

Father, as You and I have already talked this morning, I am a stressor and it is sin. Forgive me and lead me to not stress over that too. I have already heard from two of our precious IDOKs and they too have stress and I am here now to pray for them, for all our IDOKs that we will take this message to our hearts and our minds and that we will begin today to practice believing that You love us and You are trustworthy. Represented today we stress about children and To Do List and our health and the health of others we love – help us relax in Your Love. We cannot do this alone; some of us for many, many years have lived keyed up and stressed out, any other way is foreign to us – help us COME HOME to loving and trusting You Lord Father. And Father, some tests were done yesterday and some tests are yet to be done, we proclaim now, not that we know what they have said or what they will say, but that You are our God, You love us and all is working toward Your Good Plan for each us. Amen and amen.

Enjoy your God, your families and friends this weekend. We must believe – ALL is Well because our Father and our God is on His Throne and He loves us more ‘Dan breafin’ (than breathing).