I received my EWomen e-mail devotion by Julie Clinton, today and it complimented our Tuesday IDOK. This is what she said: “Living in such a confusing world, we can easily miss how beautiful we are to God and how much He really does love us. Learn to long for the love of God. His love for you is unconditional and free. It comes as a gift from the ultimate Giver of all Gifts. All you need to do is open your heart and say, “Yes, Lord.” Those simple words will yield you to God’s love.

But evil hates the fact that you are loved. All hell is trying to get you to believe God doesn’t care about you or doesn’t love you. Evil wants you to believe that you mean nothing to Him. But the truth is that God created you, chose you and loves you with a love that will last forever (Jeremiah 31:3). Fight off your fears and claim God’s love. Reach out, open your heart, and ask Him to tangibly show you His love for you. Let Him fill you with His endless and abounding love. Resting secure in God’s love is an essential element of handling whatever comes your way.”

Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: “ Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

My comment to add is Reach out, open your heart and BELIEVE His tangible love demonstrated in the life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, and His gift of faith delivered to us by the Holy Spirit. That my sisters and brothers is tangible love! And we are foolish in deed to refuse to believe. And that is what we have to do, you know. In order to NOT believe Him we have to REFUSE to believe Him. In order to NOT know that we are loved by Him, we have to refuse to be believe we are loved by Him. In order for us to be faithless we have to refuse the gift of faith that is given to every soul. Romans 12:3 . . . According as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Can you imagine the impact upon this world if every child had a mom or dad or grandma or grandpa or aunt or uncle or friend, just somebody to encourage them, pray with them and pray for them to accept that gift of faith the first time the Holy Spirit reveals to them He is offering it? So! How important is it for you and me to sing and live Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so to our children and grandchildren? Wow! I didn’t know we were coming here at the opening sentence; but I like it!! I love it!! We CAN believe. It is fore-ordained for us to believe the Gospel; to believe all the Scripture and if we will refuse to refuse, we will believe! Maybe not all of it today but step by step from glory to glory we will believe.

Look at this way, Dear One. If you are struggling, you are not struggling to believe, you are struggling to disbelieve. You have the GIFT to believe. Open it!

2 Corinthians 3: 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom).

18 And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.

Happy Wednesday to you!!

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. 

Abba, again this morning I pray for our IDOKs. Thank You for them. Thank You for the good plans You have for them today. I pray that we all will receive and open the gift of faith You have given us. I pray we will receive and open all the gifts of love and mercy and grace and provisions and healing and helps, all those things You have given us to enable us to do this thing today. Thank You for the protection You have given our IDOK Troops and we ask You to continue to protect them today in mind and body and spirit. Again, we present these for healing and helps of various sorts. You know each one perfectly and we rest them in Your perfect love. Amen and amen. Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about. Nathalie. Tommy and Raye. Woman of Sadness. Jeanette. Mia and family. Joy and Evan. Gina. Francis T. Cathy T. Cathie R and family. Jacqueline and Sons (River and Jackson) Emily. Walt. Phillip. Margie and Craig. Sandra. Terry and family. Dot B. Julia O. Ann C. Stan and Jowanna and Family. Carolyn. Mary. Mabel. Amy and her Girls. 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 and Linda. 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. 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. 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. Kyle N. (3/26)

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 64°F and partly cloudy in Balad, IQ (Airport) & the time there is 3:57 PM AST on February 18, 2009.