IDOK DEVOTION FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2009

I have two words as I begin this devotion. I do not know where we are going with it so lets get started. First, go with me to Romans 15:4. For whatever was thus written in former days was written for our instruction, that by [our steadfast and patient] endurance and the encouragement [drawn] from the Scriptures we might hold fast to and cherish hope. Okay. As I typed that I got one more word. So now we have three: cherish, hope and drawn.

Cherish. First, cherish is a verb. Remember those English courses that taught us a verb is an action word, a doing word, something the subject is doing? And the subject here is ‘we’, you and me. So from this text we are expected to do something with hope. Cherish it. We know what cherish means, don’t we? Hold dear. Treat with affection. Keep fondly in mind. Entertain. To cling to. Care for.

But do we? I confess often I have not. Imagine this with me. An unexpected letter comes and in this letter you are made aware an old debt that refuses to lie quietly in prior years. Instead it is screaming and kicking and tearing its way into not only your today but tomorrow and many tomorrows to come it seems. What do you do? Do you cherish hope? Do you cling to it or do you sling it away from you and in the slinging away reach for and begin to clutch fear and unbelief to your bosom? Can you see yourself? I sure can see me! This picture is NOT given to us to condemn us. So don’t even go there. It is given to us to give us something vivid, something startling to give us strength to keep on holding on, to keep on cherishing HOPE when the event that has occurred says ‘you have no hope’. ‘God doesn’t care; if He did He would not let this happen to you.’ Or when the event says ‘this is too big, this is too hard; you cannot get to the other side of this.’ BUT HOPE says: . . .for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] Hebrews 13:5. HOPE says: 10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9 . And HOPE says: 19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Philippians 3

And now we come to the last word: Drawn. Drawn from the Scripture. In this case, drawn is also a verb, a past participle of the verb ‘draw’. So in this verse, it is not so much something for us to do but something we HAVE already DONE (however, we must continue to do too). Here, we have already extracted, taken for our own use, received on a regular basis from the SCRIPTURES. And because we have; you got it, we have strength to CHERISH OUR HOPE when the event says sling it away and clutch fear and unbelief instead. One more thing. I love it! Another definition for ‘draw’: to pull out a weapon for use. YES! That is what the SCRIPTURE is to us, a weapon for us to draw, aim and fire at the enemy of our soul and all the events he brings into our everyday comings and goings. I hope you like this as much as I do. I am smiling big!! Our ABBA is AWESOME!!

One more thought from Beth Moore’s book Breaking Free Day by Day, page 30: “In gracious contrast, God stands by us until we are free, never forsaking us. He is the only one who is not repelled by the depth and length of our needs.” Oh, that is GOOOOOD!!

 Psalm 145:

17 The Lord is [rigidly] righteous in all His ways and gracious and merciful in all His works.

18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him sincerely and in truth. 

Thank You ABBA for big smiles. Thank You for speaking to us. Thank You for illuminating Your Word to us. Thank You for encouraging us to cherish hope based and drawn from Your Very Own Word to us. This is good LORD. You are GOOD. So good to take care of us, so good to speak to us and give us strength and encouragement. And because we know You are Good, because we know You love us and hear us we now pray for each of these listed here and we speak life and health and provisions and faith and hope into each of them and their varied and multiple situations. We pray for each other, each and every IDOK along with our sons and daughters and sons and daughters in law and grandchildren; we pray for Holy Spirit assistance with each one. Continue to keep our IDOK Troops safe please. And we pray for them to be strong in mind and body and spirit. We so much want them to make right decisions, we want them to know You well. We pray for family and friends, they have needs too LORD and we pray they will have the will and encouragement to find You faithful to them. We pray for Israel for Peace and Protection and for the subduing of enemies. We pray for the President and his family for their protection and for their repentance. We pray You will set up safeguards and prevent this Administration from undoing what has been done for pre-born babies. We pray You will put up roadblocks too strong, too difficult to overcome and so prevent this Administration from legalizing what You have condemned and if You will ABBA please rescue America from destruction. And bring revival to THE CHURCH. And especially bring repentance and revival to the conference. The women have said they are coming, please protect and don’t let Satan or their own flesh or the flesh of any other keep any one of them from attending. We are delighted with You ABBA, delighted that You speak to us. Delighted that You love us and You want to fellowship with us. It is beyond our comprehension but not beyond the faith You have given us. Thank You. We love You LORD Father. Amen and amen.

Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about. Joy and Evan. Gina. Francis T. Cathy T. Cathie R and family. Emily. Walt. Phillip. Margie and Craig. Sandra. Terry and family. Dot B. Julia O. Ann C. Stan and Jowanna and Family. Carolyn. Mary. Mabel. Joan. David T’s Family. Kimberly. Shay and Emma’s Kids (orphanage in Zambia) Ministry. Susan D. Jason A and his mother. Wayne B. Melinda H. Trisha. Patti’s Family. Brennan and his family. Joshua. Branson. The O’Brien family. Kim and her Fiancee. Jonathan. Mabel’s Aunt Lou. Heather and Brandon. Bernie. Darlene and Torkel. 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. 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. Mollie and family. Julia. Bobbie. Erin. Alan. Tj. Zack. Phillip. Jessica. Larry. Lance. Candance and Family. Laura and family. John and Sandy. Bill and Judy. Andrew and Daughters. Lee. Sharron and family, Linda and family, Bev and Family, Mollie B. Friends at work.

Public and Private School Teachers.

Every IDOK and every IDOK son and daughter and grandchild.

Every IDOK Pastor and Family. Every IDOK church.

IDOKs Military Families.

IDOKs Troops (foreign soil) – Ethan. Christopher. Raul. Robert. Billy. 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. T. Palin. John L. Richard M. Adam M. Bobby G. (added 12/16/08) Tommy T.

IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil: Brandon B.

Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Shaun. Bay. Danny. Lee. George. Travis N. Hawk. Justin G.

Injured: Lukas S. (11/30/08) http://www.strafford1st.com/page25/page26/page26.html

Military at home – Tim. Mack. The 226. Troy. Brad. Tommy. Desi. Edward J. Lyndon A. Jason G. Captain Tran Josh.

The Peace of Israel.

Revival in America.

As I post this it is 47°F and haze in Al Asad, IQ & the time there is 7:00 AM AST on January 30, 2009.