IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2009

Proverbs 3:

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

Bind them around your neck,

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

First thoughts: Bind them around your neck like your cherished diamond necklace; worn not for others to see, although they do, but worn because it represents love to you, love received and love given from and to the one who gave you the necklace. We have been given the gifts of love and faithfulness from our ABBA, let us adorn them and wear them today with humble pride for the glory of our Father and to better our world.

ABBA, I pray You will take my brief words and Your eternal Word and encourage the hearts and lives of our IDOKs today. My first prayers this morning are for Bernie and Linda. I am wondering if he is more with You now than with us. You know the plans You have for Bernie and for Linda and they are good and glorious plans. LORD Jesus be exalted I pray in every moment that Bernie remains here with us. I pray for an out pouring of Your love upon Bernie and Linda; I pray that Your Presence will be HUGE and sweet to them. I pray for Your Presence to be so there that strength and comfort abound for all who love and cherish Bernie.

And we intercede too for Linda and Debbie, asking for restoration of body and soul. And not just Linda and Debbie but every dear one listed here by name. Thank You that these are Your priority today; that we are always Your priority and You are always and forever tending us, loving, forgiving and giving to us everything we need to live successfully. We specifically lift up our IDOK Troops, keep them safe in mind, body and spirit. I don’t know what they individually need today but I pray each will be met in You. I pray they will not go looking to any source but You. I pray all of us will refuse to look for hope and comfort and strength in any source but YOU LORD JESUS. I pray for Barack Obama that You will forgive him. I ask You to grant grace and space for him to repent. I pray for Hillary, and Nancy and others that grieve us, that You will forgive them and give them grace and space to repent. I pray for we Your people, especially IDOKs, that we will wear love and faithfulness and that we will refuse to disrobe these gifts no matter what we encounter in others. Train us to be in the world but not of it. And this we pray for Jesus sake and in His Name. A SPECIFIC UNSPOKEN. Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about. 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. 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.

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 73°F and mostly cloudy in Al Asad, IQ (Airport) & the time there is

3:06 PM AST on March 11, 2009

IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2009

As I was out weeding the flower bed recently, you know what I noticed? There were more weeds around the flowers than there were in the open part of the bed where no flowers were growing. Hmmm, I said. Wonder why this is? And would you believe with this observation immediately my thoughts turned to IDOK? Do you think it could be if you are surrounded by many ‘weeds’ (that is tough stuff to deal with in your life), seemingly more than your fair share and certainly more than is found in your neighbor’s garden, maybe there is a reason for that? And just maybe this abundance of weeds indicates something good is going on in your garden. Maybe it means you are producing some ‘pretty flowers’ in Father’s Garden and the Enemy (the god of the weed world) is working hard against your ‘Beauty’ and just maybe that neighbor with less ‘weeds’ is not producing ‘pretty flowers’. This reminds me of Paul when he said he would glory in his infirmities. But you know what? Our dear brother LEARNED to glory in his infirmities. It was a process for him. He did not start out appreciating his infirmities. He wanted those ‘weeds’ gone. He wanted them out of his garden now! And then Jesus gave him a message.

2 Corinthians 12 (KJV):

8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Ps. 37 (Amplified Bible):

7 Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him; fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass.

8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath; fret not yourself–it tends only to evildoing.

9 For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait and hope and look for the Lord [in the end] shall inherit the earth.

10 For yet a little while, and the evildoers will be no more; though you look with care where they used to be, they will not be found.

11 But the meek [in the end] shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

You know what I think? I think as long as we live here in these mortal bodies, we are going to have infirmities and tough stuff is going to invade our lives; there will be weeds attempting to choke the life out or at least mar the beauty of our flowers. But in Christ Jesus we can glory even among the weeds. We can even find glory in the weeds because it just may mean we are disturbing the ruler of the ‘weed world’. And that ain’t all bad, is it? Oh, one more word: this is NOT a license to just let the weeds grow unchecked. Be SURE you CHECK with Father regarding each and every weed in your garden – some of them He in you will pull up quickly and some others will die out in Father’s Time. But HE is the one who makes that decision; not you and not me. And either way He is with us! See you in the Garden!

Father, these are exciting days. Thank You. I do not know what You have in store for us but I know it is for Your Glory and our good and I know that in You we can Glory even when adversities come. Thank You that You are LORD over all and even the god of the weed world bows to YOU. Thank You for all my IDOKs and I speak Your Will over them today. I pray that they will experience more and more Your Joy and Excitement in these days and me too. And Father we bring our IDOK Troops, desiring Your Protection, Your Hedge about them. And Holy Spirit we specifically pray for any soul listed here that is lost that You will make being lost so undesirable to them that they will say Yes LORD forgive and save me. And beyond this we ask Your watch care over each one listed here. We trust You with their lives, their diseases, illnesses, debts, mortgages, food, clothing, transportation needs, legal battles, employment needs, conflicts, grief, anything and everything. Amen and amen. A SPECIFIC UNSPOKEN. Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about. 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. 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.

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 55°F and overcast in Baghdad, IQ (Airport) & the time there is

6:35 AM AST on March 10, 2009

IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2009

(Excited By A Sudden Surprise)

This is Friday. Yes, it is, as I am typing. I am recording something that just occurred. It is profound, I think. Moments ago I was texting my Baby Girl, and I keyed in the letters for ‘resting’ but when I looked at the screen of the phone it read ‘serving’. I was startled and then a big smile landed on my face with the next thought. Serving Jesus IS resting!! And how true it is!! Okay. I’ll get back to my Bible Study. Just wanted to share that with you. My goodness life in the Holy Spirit is Fun!

It’s me again. In the course of study, I pray and today as I prayed I was startled again at the word that came forth. It was train, not teach. I did not ask my Jesus to teach me. I asked Him to train me. Which brought me to looking as both words. To teach is good, very good. It means to impart knowledge or skill; to give instruction; to tell or show someone how to do something. See that is good and I certainly need Him to do that in me. But, train. Oh, that is very, very good word. To train is to coach in or accustom to a mode of behavior or performance; to cause to take a desired course or shape as by manipulating. Oh, yes! LORD train me! Hmmm. That’s another word for ‘disciple’ isn’t it? To be His disciple I must be more than taught. I must be TRAINED. Oh, I like this. Okay, back to studying again. This is fun!

Okay. We just may finish up with this third time to the screen. Have you ever wondered why it was that Isaiah said I am a man of unclean lips? Read the verse with me. Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. And that undone is a powerful word. It is hmd in the original Hebrew and is transliterated Damah and it means to be cut off, to cause to cease. I see Isaiah wailing, having prostrated himself, as if to crawl back into and become again the dust from which he came because he sees, comprehends and accepts that in his natural state he is rightly cut off from God. Isaiah cannot stand in the presence of God and were he to try to do so he would cease to be. He would be instantly consumed. Isaiah rightly judged the situation. Now to my question. Why say I am a man of unclean lips? Why describe his condition that way? This is what I think. Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. The mouth is often the vehicle or instrument that brings what is in our hearts to a tangible state for our human senses to experience it. And it was Isaiah’s mouth that was going to be delivering God’s message to the people of Israel. So both Isaiah’s heart and his mouth had to be purified in order for him to be the Speaker/Messenger God was calling him to be. If we read on in Isaiah 6 we discover an angel took a live coal from the altar and placed it on the lips of Isaiah. And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Now there’s a whole lot more in there than I understand but this I do know: Isaiah saw, Isaiah believed, Isaiah received and Isaiah said Send me LORD, send me!

One more observation from verse 8. Also I heard the voice of the LORD, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said, I, Here am I; send me. Have you noticed this before, I haven’t, or if I have I have forgotten? The Text says Whom shall I send and who will go for Us? It is the FATHER who issues the call to anyone of us. But it is with all the fullness, power, goodness, and sovereignty of the GOD HEAD that we are sent. Is that AWESOME or what? If we can just catch a glimpse of this, we will gladly shout: send me, LORD!! Send me!!

Startling, isn’t it?

Oh yes, Father God, startling. Startling that You would call us. Thank You. Thank You. Yes, send me LORD. Send me!! Amen and amen. (Friday, March 6, 2009 … 2:32 PM).

And ABBA, You are just as Awesome and since Friday afternoon many hours have been filled. Some hours we believe we honored You and some — well, LORD, we can only thank You for Your grace, mercy and forgiveness. We are adding a name to our list. Debbie. The report to us is bad, very bad. It seems to be certain death. LORD, what do we pray? Family and friends don’t want to give her up, family and friends don’t want to see her suffer agonizing pain. Disease and death are so cruel and yet we have seen it happen again and again. We can’t explain it. We can make no sense of it. We have seen You step in and remove cancer and other diseases; we have seen You not remove it. We don’t understand why at times You do and times You don’t. It is higher and deeper than we could understand even if You told us I think. Thank You that this life we have now is not all there is. I don’t know what You want to do for Debbie or Bernie and any other loved one on this list with terminal disease snatching life away as fast as it can. And I am not wise enough to even know how to pray. This is all I know LORD and that is to pray that in every life and every illness, every gut wrenching hurt represented in this names on this page, be glorified, Jesus. That is the only way to make any of this worthwhile. If Your sovereign goodness is not seen in this, all of it is in vain. Give Debbie and her family and friends eyes to see Your sovereign goodness in this. And for the family and congregation of the pastor murdered today, give consolation to them; undergird them, hold them up, give them courage to keep on breathing and trusting Your love and holiness. We’d like to see You just speak and heal everybody we know and solve all our problems in a moment but we know You love us too much to give any of us less than what is eternally best. So for those extra moments, even years that You are giving to some, thank You, ABBA. And for those You will be taking home to heal, we thank You for the comfort and courage You are giving us. And now we pray for our IDOK Troops, for their protection and safe return to us. We pray for Israel, for protection and defeat of all their enemies. Help us roll our heavy hearts over onto You and continue to fight the good fight of faith till we see face to face. Amen and amen. A SPECIFIC UNSPOKEN. Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about. 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. 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.

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 73°F and mostly cloudy in Balad, IQ (Airport) & the time there is

7:20 AM AST on March 9, 2009.