IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2009

Benjamin Franklin is accredited with saying: ‘early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.’ And at my ‘sage age’ I think he is right which makes me all the more foolish for not heeding his advice.

Time is one of the things I have on my mind this morning. (A stitch in time, saves nine.) And my agenda for today is as I know set to include some hours at the hospital. My beloved’s mother is scheduled for surgery possibly as early as 1:30 this afternoon. She fell yesterday and broke her hip. Your prayers for her are much appreciated.

This must be a morning of sayings and I hope by the end of this something I have said will be helpful and encouraging. SO as I watched the tail lights of the Accord to the end of the street this morning, I thought: ‘I am so glad ‘Love is blind’. But you know what, love isn’t blind. They, whomever ‘they’ are that coined that phrase in my estimation are wrong. Neither is love deaf and dumb. LOVE just loves around stuff, over and through it. I’m so glad! Stuff like slouchy clothes, wet hair, no makeup and coffee breath. Yes, I am praising ABBA for Love that is not blind but loves anyway! I hope you have people in your life that love you warts and all. And if not, ABBA, bring a saint or two alongside these Dear Ones that will love them not blindly, but with full sight and a generous heart. And, LORD, thank You that You always love them, You always love us, warts and all. You are AWESOME! And, ABBA, while You are at it, make me one of those people that love other people warts and all.

1 Corinthians 13

1 IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).

3 Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing.

4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

9 For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).

10 But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.

12 For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God].

13 And so faith, hope, love abide [faith–conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope–joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love–true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.

No, a blind eye is not what it takes to love, it takes the eyes of Jesus and we have them, we only need to USE them. Sayings … We must be made up of more than sayings, doings are what count.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGr8as7pPBE&feature=related

ABBA, thank You. You make me smile. And people You have blessed me with make me smile too. Thank You. It came to me as I watched and listened that I can’t ask You just once to give me Your Eyes to see that I must ask You over and over and over, not that You are not willing but because if I don’t keep asking, I am not willing. Oh LORD make me willing to keep on asking until I am seeing with Your Eyes consistently.

And added to this I ask You for a successful and safe surgerical procedure for Mother this afternoon and we pray for a good and steady recovery. Thank You for Cynthia, bless her today too. And we renew our prayers for Christopher and his family, for Darlene and her Sister, for each one listed here, specifically our IDOK Troops for protection of mind, body and spirit; and for the Peace of Israel and we dare not forget to renew again and again our petition for the repentance of the American People and the Revival of the Body of Christ. Amen and amen. A SPECIFIC UNSPOKEN. Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about. Christopher H and his family. Darlene’s Sister. Mr. Matthews. Tammy B and Family. Jackie K. Trisha and Jayden. L. Brian T. Ricky M. Chloe Melissa. Linda and Family. Joe. Michael H. Linda W. Debbie W. Mike and Vickie. Family of Ann J. Moriah and her family. Natalie. Kathy and family. Tommy and Raye. Doug. Woman of Sadness. Frank. 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, Kevin and 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. 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. Chad B (3/2009)

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.

And specifically those emotional/spirit wounds that only God and Time can heal

The Peace of Israel.

Revival in America.

As I post this it is 66°F and clear in Al Asad, IQ (Airport) & the time there is 3:44 PM AST on March 25, 2009.