IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2009

Well, today’s Esther study, day 5, chapter 3, ended with me thinking no, no, we are just getting to the good part. Beth said on page 79 of our work book: ‘What can one woman do? Perhaps you’ve been asking that same question over your own life? Stick around and find out.’ See what I mean? And then this thought came to me and I think it is for us. What can one woman do as ‘queen’ over her ‘kingdom’ (her sphere of influence)? Even without moving on in this Esther study, I know from previous studies that Esther was placed as Queen of Persia for ‘such a time as this’. She was placed in the Palace as an instrument of deliverance for her people, the Jews. Are you so placed for your people? Not one of you reading this IDOK is without a sphere of influence, some larger than others. Some with huge families and extended families; others with smaller families, but ALL with family and/or friends with whom you have influence. How often have you felt I am only ONE, what can I do? I think that often when I think of this Nation and the debacle in which we are now living. But that is not my aim right now. Lets keep this closer to home. Scripture tells us that in Christ we are kings and priests. Revelation 1: 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

So we can safely say I think that as women of Christian Faith we have been placed by ABBA as ‘queen’ in our respective families (our sphere of influence, our ‘kingdom’ if you will). I encourage you to find a quiet place in your palace and sit quietly with ABBA in His Throne Room to survey your ‘kingdom’ and ascertain the State thereof. How’s the ‘king’ in your kingdom? Is he reigning well with you? Has he abdicated? Has there not been a king yet to reign with you? In either case give appropriate praise and prayer. Seek and learn from Father the actions He desires for you to take on behalf of your king? Who are the ‘subjects’ in your kingdom? Are they in peril? Are they living well? Are they in need of deliverance? In either case give appropriate praise and prayer. Seek and learn from ABBA the actions He desires for you to take on behalf of your subjects. How about you? Are you a timid queen? A learning queen? A silent queen? An explosive queen? A demanding queen? A queen in hiding? A queen in training? Or have you thus far been so ‘humble’ you have not even accepted your ‘queenship’? There’s a word for that, it’s not humble. It’s abdicate. To refuse to ‘reign’ as queen pursuant to Revelation 1:5 and 6 may be the greatest of all offenses we commit against our KING, our king and all our subjects. Esther was placed by God with perfect timing for ‘such a time as this’ to rescue and deliver her people. And so have you and so have I been placed. We dare not fail to allow THE KING to live out through us the rescues and deliverance(s) He has purposed for our people.

And my dear IDOK brothers all that has been written above with ‘queen’ as the subject, please, please know it works for you as ‘king’. And I urge you to read it that way, for the text does say ‘kings’ and priests. My love to you all.

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. 

Father, as I sit to pray and put the finishing touches on this IDOK it’s been a full day, a blessed day. You have been faithful, You have been good, loving and kind. You have protected us, You have provided everything we have needed today and as we live and breathe You will do the same again tomorrow. Thank You ABBA. Thank You for the traveling mercies You have given today. And I pray again for Doug’s surgery; rest the doctor tonight and we pray for a text book perfect procedure; we pray all cancer will be removed and Doug will recover. We pray for safety and protection for our IDOK Troops and for provisions for their families. We pray for Israel’s protection and the surrender or defeat of all Her enemies. The news we hear from Washington is not good but we proclaim You O LORD are good and our trust and our hope is in You. Do what You will with the Washington Crowd and whatever way we are to assist we wait for Your directions to us individually and collectively. We pray for Christian missionaries around the world for their strength and faith to fail not. We pray for revival in the Body of Christ. And LORD I pray that every IDOK reader will accept and operate in our respective places as ‘kings and priests’. We close now asking for grace, strength and Your Will to be accomplished in and through every soul listed here now. Amen and amen.

Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about. Moriah and her family. Natalie. Kathy and family. Tommy and Raye. Doug. Woman of Sadness. Frank. Ann J. 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 50°F and scattered clouds in Al Asad, IQ (Airport) & the time there is 6:31 AM AST on February 26, 2009.

Forgive me I am giving you a rerun this morning. From my archives it appears to be the first IDOK that I have a record of. It’s not the first written but is within the first few months of the beginning. It’s date is September 4, 2003. This morning I am entitling it Clean and Loved and I am wondering how did I ever get up and out and get to my work desk by 7:30 day after day??? Was I younger then?

I have so enjoyed reading this morning and I am about to run out of time since I am due at my desk and working by 7:30 this morning. I started out with Rev. 5:12 which reads: ” Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” And then a quote from Andrew Murray:

“Having the Lamb of God as your almighty shepherd and your faithful keeper does indeed make it possible for the thoughts and cares of earth not to prevail and separate you from His love.” Which, of course, lead me to Romans 8:38 and 39 which reads:”For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And from that point I just kept reading. Oh, the Word of God what a joy and balm to the soul and spirit it is!!! I urge you to sit some time today with Your Own Word and enjoy! Chapters 9 and 10 will give you a lot to think about. But there are four little words right in the middle of verse 10 in Chapter 10 that I want to leave you with today: “and so is justified” okay, I’ll read the whole verse with you: “For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) AND SO IS JUSTIFIED (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.”

Is that not the best news ever?! We are JUSTIFIED. Just As Though We Had Not Sinned. ALL BECAUSE OF JESUS! Rejoice in Your Savior this day!! This is the day The Lord hath made we WILL be glad and rejoice in it!! Yes, rejoice today. Rejoice. Our God reigns and in Him we are righteous and clean.

Father, thank you for Jesus, thank you that no evil we have done or shall ever do will ever stop you from loving us and that because of the Precious Blood of Jesus we stand clean before you. That My Father is too awesome for me to take in but I pray that more and more I and my sisters and all who read these words will KNOW BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT YOU LOVE US AND WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY THE BLOOD OF YOUR DEAR SON and that we will tell and live YOUR GOSPEL today and every day and every where we go. Thank you that we have sisters and brothers all over this world and Lord thank you for the work you are doing in hearts, especially in the hearts of those we love so very much. Bless and keep safe our people serving this Nation and guard and protect the President; may he have a keen sense of Your Presence with him this very day for Jesus sake and in His name. Amen and amen.

And ABBA now years later from the praying of that prayer we come to add these dear ones. You have been so faithful, You have grown us so and we are grateful. I ask You this morning for traveling mercies for Larry and Claudia and I ask you for a successful surgery for Doug; for his doctors to be rested and their hands to be held in Your Hands. I pray for Jodi, You know the need. We pray again too for Moriah and her family, You know that need too ABBA. We pray for Jacqueline and her sons, Bernie and Linda, Darlene and Torkel, Natalie, Amy and her girls, WC and his family. LORD, we leave out not one. Step into their situations today and touch everyone of them just as they are needed. Keep safe our IDOK Troops we pray; protect Israel, revive Your Church and spare America we pray from destruction, give us grace and space to repent and I pray we will. Amen and amen.

Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about. Moriah and her family. Natalie. Kathy and family. Tommy and Raye. Doug. Woman of Sadness. Frank. Ann J. 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 72°F and partly cloudy in Baghdad, IQ (Airport) & the time there is 4:27 PM AST on February 25, 2009.