IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2008
It would be one of the great joys of my life to see events today such as occurred in Luke 5, verse 1:
So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret,
Last night Jerry and I were privileged to hear Dr. Robert Smith, Jr. preach the Word of God. We had the best time! Dr. Smith’s coming had been publicized as was the ventriloquist who was the speaker for the week before. I enjoyed her too. But I looked over the sanctuary last night and I was sad to see that more folks came out to hear a ‘piece of wood’ than a Doctor of Theology. PLEASE, PLEASE don’t miss-understand me here. Both speakers came with a message from God. However, one was expected to be light and funny and that is the one for which the more folks showed up. Why is that? Yes, light and funny is a gift from God too. Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart does good, like medicine, … .
Maybe America is too ‘blessed’. Maybe we are so blessed, we are too FULL to be hungry.
The text says the multitude pressed about Him to HEAR THE WORD OF GOD. I’d like to see that. I’d like to see multitudes HUNGRY to hear the Word of God. I’d like to see Bibles with worn covers and falling apart because men and women, boys and girls were reading them so much. I am getting a warm fuzzy thinking about my sister in Tennessee (actually she is my brother’s wife) and the way she describes her Bible. Her Bible is her companion and friend. It’s the same one she has had for years. It has no footnotes, no chain reference, no ‘bells’, no ‘whistles’; just The Word that she reads again and again. A particular Sunday evening some time ago she was distracted as she and my brother were leaving the service and she left her Bible on the pew. It was not long after she arrived home that she realized she had left her Bible. She immediately called the Pastor and he was kind enough to step over to the sanctuary and assure her that her Bible was safely on her pew. By Monday afternoon she had convinced my brother he had to drive back out to the church to get her Bible because she could not go another day without it! How often do parishioners return home Sunday mornings, rush in for lunch, leave their Bibles on the seat and the next Sunday they can be heard saying: “Have you seen my Bible? I need to take to church this morning.” Before you jump on me too hard, I know some folks have more than one Bible, (I have half a dozen I think) so leaving one in the car for a week does not necessarily mean they have not read the Word all week. That confession made, allow me my soap box for a moment. Bibles come in multiple colors, sizes, and translations. Some with chain references, foot notes, sermon outlines, life applications – you name it. And all these chain references, footnotes, and the like are words printed on paper with ink and bound in a genuine leather cover, a hard-back cover, a paper-back cover, the variations are almost endless. And these bound pages of paper and ink in and of themselves contain no mystical power and if you leave a copy in your car for a year, a lightening bolt will not come from the sky and zap you for it. But I have to tell you, I am concerned for any soul who can pick up a Bible and not have some sense of reverence, some sense of awe for the Book they are holding in their hands. I am concerned for any soul who can toss a Bible and leave it lay for week. When you pick up a Bible, even though it is paper and ink bound in a cover, it is MORE. It is the WORD OF GOD! It is the Mind and Heart of the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE! And it was written and has been divinely preserved for you and me to read. Can you get your thoughts around that?! Can you just try to fathom the richness of this? In our hands we can hold the VERY WORDS BREATHED BY GOD, PRESERVED BY GOD for us! For the expressed purpose to allow us to KNOW HIM and fellowship with HIM! And we don’t read it?! It’s not our most treasured possession on earth?! WHY?! And let me go one step deeper – if all the Word you get each day is this IDOK devotion — shame on you!! Now stop it, right now! A ‘guilt trip’ is not the intent here nor is it acceptable. The purpose is to get you and me to earnestly pray that the Holy Spirit of God will position us to hunger for Him and His Word. That we can do and that He will do if we will be open to His movement in us. Matthew 5: 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Father God, all I can say to this is have mercy and bring me to a place of hunger for You and Your Word; much, much more than I am now. I pray You will do such a work in me that I hunger and desire Your Word far, far more than I do my next physical meal. Abba, I am asking You in the presence of all IDOK that You bless me with an insatiable appetite for Your Word. Thank You for Your Goodness. You have poured out so much grace and mercy upon us. Thank You. Thank You for great medical reports today and we pray for more great reports to come. We pray for legal situations to be remedied. We pray for satisfying employment positions to be received. We pray for relationships to be made better, for more understanding, for more courage to let go and let You work in the hearts of those we love so much. We pray for grieving ones that their grief will be holy grief; grief that will draw them closer to You. We pray for folks with hopes and dreams for financial adequacies, that You will show them how to realize those dreams. And Father, there is so much more, things we are not privy to – handle those things too please. And Dodie comes to mind. She looked weary and worn, this illness has taken such a heavy toll on her. Please restore her. And there are others, so many sick ones who want to be well again. We want them to be well again and we would love it if You would make them well here and allow us to love and serve with them a longer time. And we think of our IDOK Troops and as every day we pray for their well being, for their wholeness in mind, body and spirit. And we pray for their families’ well being too. And we desire Peace for Israel and ask You to bring it to be. We pray for John McCain as he choose a running mate. We pray he chooses well. And Father, I again ask You that You not allow Obama to be president; that You have mercy on America. Even as Abraham prayed, we pray and we ask that You give America grace and space to repent. And Father, if You can use IDOK to help, please employ us. Amen and amen. Dodie. Tory. Davison and Mosley Families. Danni A. Bernie. Darlene. Edie G. Rachel. W C and family. Maggie and Family. Dylan. Joseph Toomey and Family. DeLois. Terri. Kim T. Kevin and the children. Katelyn (B). Janie B. Pattie S. Vickie. J Lloyd and family. Janet and Steve. Cathy. Caleb and family. Bay and family. Jennifer B. John and Carolyn and Family. Larry and Claudia and family. Taylor & family. David & Allison. Jeanette and Earl and family. Callie. Madie. Ruth. Cynthia. Martha F and Bob. Allyson and Glyn and family. Brittney and Kersten 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 andFamily. Laura and family. John and Sandy. Bill and Judy. Andrew. Lee. Sharron and family, Linda and family, Bev and Family,
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. Sgt. Bozicevich. Bay N.
IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil:
Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Tommy T. Shaun. Bay. Danny. Lee. George.Travis N. Hawk.
Injured and brought State side: Anthony.
Hospitalized outside USA:
Military at home adjusting – Tim. Mack. The 226. Troy. Brad. Tommy. Desi. Edward J. Lyndon A. Jason G.
Still praying but no recent update: Hector. Corpl. Light. Bradley T. Albert R III.
As I post this it is 79°F and clear in Balad, IQ & the time there is 6:08 AM AST – on August 20, 2008
Internet Daughters of the KING
THE WHITE STONE
His Ministry to You
The White Stone 