IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2009

What if we read this passage seeing the enemies and adversaries the Psalmist is penning about as cancer or some other illness, or some fearful, hurtful circumstance you are living through right now.

ABBA, as our dear and precious IDOKs read this passage I ask You HOLY SPIRIT to make it come alive to them, to apply it richly to their circumstances, to the diseases and illnesses they or family members are experiencing now. Just open this passage I pray. Make it as liquid empowerment pouring over them, saturating every pore and soaking into bones and marrow, giving them strength and courage, joy and peace, a knowing more than before of the height, width and depth of Your Love for each of them and added to that even healing and restoration of minds, bodies and spirits. Holy Spirit, interpret this WORD to them this morning as only You can. Make it personal for each of them I pray.

Psalm 27 NASB

¹The LORD is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the defense of my life;

Whom shall I dread?

²When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,

My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

³Though a host encamp against me,

My heart will not fear;

Though war arise against me,

In spite of this I shall be confident.

⁴One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the LORD

And to meditate in His temple. (wouldn’t doing this cause us to actually LIVE through it all?)

⁵For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;

In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;

He will lift me up on a rock. (look what happens when we believe, HE WILL. We can then say I WILL.)

⁶And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,

And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

⁷Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice,

And be gracious to me and answer me.

⁸When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,

“Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.”

⁹Do not hide Your face from me,

Do not turn Your servant away in anger;

You have been my help;

Do not abandon me nor forsake me,

O God of my salvation! (and when you have been praising and doing well and you get hit again like a ton of bricks and your flesh does not understand and it screams He must be mad at me or He would not have let this happen, you will renew your minds-spirits again with His Word and you will rise to praise Him again.)

¹⁰For my father and my mother have forsaken me,

But the LORD will take me up.

¹¹Teach me Your way, O LORD,

And lead me in a level path

Because of my foes.

¹²Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,

For false witnesses have risen against me, (could this false witness be a test report? Read on!)

And such as breathe out violence.

¹³I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD

In the land of the living.

¹⁴Wait for the LORD;

Be strong and let your heart take courage;

Yes, wait for the LORD.

Our IDOK Sister, Helen, requested that we pray for her for wisdom in an employment decision; a vote is to be cast tomorrow. It is a serious vote that will affect families and their livelihood.

And another request from our IDOK Sister, Jodi: Ashley runs the Ronald McDonald Family Room at the Childrens Hospital here in Columbia. Her mother, Tammy B, found out she had a curable thyroid cancer and was receiving treatment. Yesterday she had a full body scan and they have found that it has spread everywhere. Ashley lives 2 hours from her parents and is having a terrible time with this (as expected). She told me yesterday that she doesn’t know how much longer she can live with all of the things going on in her life. If you could please add Tammy B and Family to the list. And a woman named Jackie K, she has lung cancer and it does not look good. She started chemo today and I just ask that you will add her to our prayer list. Thank you so much! Cancer is such a terrible thing and I feel like its affecting everyone around me.

I feel the same.

And I read this morning a late night email from our IDOK Sister Kathy: Kathie…just an update…Mother went to be with the Lord this morning. It has been a hard struggle for her and she is finally at Peace. I know she has been made perfect and is walking those streets of gold and praising God! Praise God! Thank you….Thank you for all your many prayers, support and kind words of encouragement! We want to continue to pray for Kathy and her family at this time.

We are waiting upon You ABBA and we are allowing our hearts to take on courage. Helen is concerned about this vote, how to vote and what is best. She wants Your Wisdom, she wants to know how to vote and so we are asking You to tell her how to vote tomorrow and we are asking You to cause others to vote that way too so that what is Your Will will be in this situation.

And we pray for Tammy and her family and Jackie, we pray these dear women and their families will be empowered to live this passage of Scripture, particularly in these ‘evil’ reports that have come to them. We know Satan means these reports for evil but You LORD mean them for GOOD and we wait to see Your Goodness this side of Heaven and even more there with You. We know You are comforting Kathy and her family as they attend to a memorial service and all that goes along with this time and we thank You. And we thank You for the practical helps of friends and neighbors to come along side them. And in particular we pray for our IDOK Troops for their safety and protection today; we pray for Israel’s Peace and Protection and for the surrender or defeat of all their enemies and we pray for America. America deserves Your wrath and judgment but I am asking You ABBA for grace. I am asking You to pour out You, HOLY SPIRIT, upon the American People and bring repentance. I am asking You to raise up Your Church as an instrument of Holy Change in this Nation. I am asking You to search me and remove anything in me that is keeping me from affecting more and more people with Your Gospel.

I ask You for traveling mercies for my brother and my sister-in-law(love), get them here in peace and safety tomorrow. Thank You for this visit, my soul is dancing with joy at their coming.

And ABBA as I send this and post it I ask You to let now Your Word come back void but to do what You have sent it forth to accomplish. Amen and amen. A SPECIFIC UNSPOKEN. Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about. Tammy B and Family. Jackie K. Trisha and Jayden. L. Brian T. Ricky M. Chloe Melissa Hennis. 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.

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 74°F and scattered clouds in Al Asad, IQ (Airport) & the time there is 3:57 PM AST on March 19, 2009.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2009

A FaceBook Friend posted a link to her page; thought I would pass it along to you. But first read this text then take a look. (It’s a little longer read than we normally have but so worth it.)

John 4:

7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

9 Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

11 She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?

12 “You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?”

13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;

14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”

16 He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.”

17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’;

18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”

19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.

20 “Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”

21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.

22 “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

23 “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.”

26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

27 At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why do You speak with her?”

28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men,

29 “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?”

30 They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.

It may have been for different reasons, different circumstances, different sins; but we have all been NOON at the well. How grateful are we that JESUS came at our NOON and gave us Living Water springing up into Eternal Life? Shall we offer any less to others who are Noon At their Well? (See you in the morning)

This came in while I was sleeping; so it is FRESH to me this morning and I can’t wait for you to read it. It’s from Emma: Hi Kathie, My son, Captain Eppes, talked to Captain Tran (who had a stroke a while back) and he is still in therapy (back in L. A., CA where he is from). The Commanding Officer did his Officer’s Evaluation Report and Cpt. Tran missed making Major by 2 wks. He told Jonathan that it just wasn’t worth fighting him for it but it is so wrong. Anyway, back to Cpt. Tran. He is improving every day – walking with a cane, I think. He is paralyzed on his right side but his speech is very improved. He told Jonathan that he was doing really well and wants Jonathan to come visit soon. He said that he was a Christian now! How about that! I told Jonathan to be sure and let him know how you have had him on the prayer list – since he had the stroke. Isn’t it wonderful to see the fruits of our labor? Cpt. Tran has a long way to go but his spirits are good and got his faith now too! Because of Him, Emma

Isn’t that the most glorious thing in the world?! I have tears of joy and jumping up and down giggles. Cpt. Tran was added to our list late Summer or early Fall 2008. We prayed for him to come to know the LORD and he has!!! I cannot tell you how thankful I am for us to be a part of what ABBA has done and is doing. The part about the Commanding Officer is really sad but God can change him too! Look again at the last five words of verse 30: and they were coming to Him. Oh yes! That’s what it is to be all about – coming to Jesus! And to think we are privileged to meet people at their wells, especially at NOON. To HIM be all the glory!

OH ABBA, thank You. Thank You for allowing us to be a part of this. Thank You for saving Cpt. Tran and letting us enter into that work with You by praying for him. Oh, help us do this over and over again collectively as IDOKs and individually as we meet people in our day to day walking to and from. And we pray this morning for his Commanding Officer, we have no other information about him than he often refusing promotions for his men. You know his heart, You know what he needs to be at peace with You and his men and we pray he will submit to You and become the officer that You would have him be. Thank You for this news, thank You for this day that is before us, Thank You for saving us when we were at the well at noon, ashamed and alone. You are so AWESOME LORD JESUS. We pray now for every one listed here, for any lost of them to meet You at the well and be saved. We pray for Linda and all here who are grieving, that You will comfort them and make them whole again. We pray with renewed vision this morning for all our IDOK Troops, here at home and on foreign soil, for their protection in mind, body and spirit. And thank You that Drew is due to come home in a couple weeks. We pray for his safe passage and that he will adjust to life at home well and find meaningful work and ministry to do here. We again pray for the Peace of Israel and for the repentance of America and for revival to come upon Your Church. Amen and amen.

As I post this it is 68°F and scattered clouds in Al Asad, IQ (Airport) & the time there is 2:34 PM AST on March 18, 2009.

And this morning we begin again. A new day.

And today is the day we attend a memorial service for Bernie. And today marks five days (earth time) that he has been living, loving and laughing in Heaven. That is something to celebrate!

And yet we acknowledge in our human-ness we have sad-ness but this we know:

Isaiah 25:8-10 (New American Standard Bible)

8 He will swallow up death for all time,

And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces,

And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth;

For the LORD has spoken.

9 And it will be said in that day,

“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us

This is the LORD for whom we have waited;

Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

And until then we abide in this:

Lamentations 3:22-24 (New American Standard Bible)

22 The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,

“Therefore I have hope in Him.”

Amen and amen, ABBA, and it is so. Our hope is in You. You are our portion, Your loving kindness never ceases and we have tested it more often than we can even count and You, LORD, are forever faithful to us. Thank You. Our thoughts are with Linda and the family this morning. A bittersweet day I think. Hold them extra close we pray.

And we again bring Trisha and Jayden, Brian, Ricky, Chloe, the truck driver, Alex. These are to us serious, serious situations and we want to see You glorified in them and we want to see all these made better in minds, bodies and spirits. And we want them to be enabled by You Holy Spirit to receive all the love and mercy and healing and forgiveness that You have for them. Empower them today, we pray.

And Michael’s Family, this is a tough one we think and we pray that Your Presence will invade and be welcomed and will in time heal the grief. As we look over the list we are reminded of Joe and his need of salvation and so we pray for his heart to be tendered and his eyes to be opened to Your Truth. We pray for holy practicing Christians to cross his path as often as needed to lift You up before him.

It’s a long list, many people in need and collectively we bring them all for Your individual touch. And as in other days we specifically pray for our IDOK Troops for their protection today, for their mental and emotional wellbeing, and for their spirits to be renewed and refreshed. We pray for the peace of Israel, particularly the Peace of Jerusalem. We pray for faithful allies and we pray America will remain and even become a stronger and more faithful ally to Israel. And we pray for the American People, for grace and space to repent. Thank You LORD. I remember Bernie specifically let me know one day that he was amen-ing grace and space to repent for America. Thank You for letting me walk the season of life with Bernie that You did. We receive Your love, mercy, grace, forgiveness and every blessing You desire to give us today. We love You, ABBA, for the God and Father You are to us and we praise You LORD JESUS that it is because of You that we say ABBA and Holy Spirit thank You for delivering and sealing this Truth within us. You are AWESOME God and we love You. Oh, one more thing, specifically school children and grandparents on field trips, give them a safe, sweet, precious time today. Amen and amen. A SPECIFIC UNSPOKEN. Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about. Trisha and Jayden. L. Brian T. Ricky M. Chloe Melissa Hennis. 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.

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 2:39 PM AST on March 17, 2009.