Watch, Listen, to all 12. Find HOPE.
Monthly Archives: November 2009
Welcome or Keep Away
IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2009
I think I have only a quick observation for us this morning. Yesterday when I was out walking I noticed two signs posted on two lawns; the yards hosting the signs (and I assume two families) were living side by side; close neighbors we could say. One said ‘Private Property, No Trespassing’. The other said ‘Welcome’. I wonder if we as people wear such signs. I wonder if our countenance, our body language, even our words announce loud and clear: ‘No Trespassing – keep away’ or do we say ‘Welcome’ – come on in’ to those we encounter each day? I wonder if we put out such signs for the Holy Spirit of God too. I wonder if we say to Him, ‘Private Property – this part of my heart is off limits to You – No Trespassing – No messing in this, I can handle it just fine without You – I will do this my way’. I hope we don’t say that. I hope I don’t say that. I hope we put out the ‘Welcome’ sign to Him, inviting Him, even pleading with Him to get all up in our business, that He leave not one stone unturned as He lovingly cleanses and heals every crevice of our heart and soul.
‘Private Property – No Trespassing’ can be described this way:
Matthew 13:14-16 (New King James Version)
14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’
The results of hanging out the ‘Welcome’ sign to ABBA:
Psalm 147 (New King James Version)
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.
6 The LORD lifts up the humble;
11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.
12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
He has blessed your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders,
And fills you with the finest wheat.
And if you would like to read the whole chapter here is a convenient link:
One more passage; can we say Amen to this?
Psalm 4:5-7 (Amplified Bible)
5 Offer just and right sacrifices; trust (lean on and be confident) in the Lord.
6 Many say, Oh, that we might see some good! Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord.
7 You have put more joy and rejoicing in my heart than [they know] when their wheat and new wine have yielded abundantly.
Praise Reports and Prayer Requests
ABBA, thank You that Ida is minimal wind and rain; thank You; we bless You and praise You for this quiet hurricane season. And I pray for those parents and grandparents and school kids who are home today due to Ida that they will hang out a welcome sign to You today and experience a day of joy and pleasure and laughter and holy productivity. I pray we will all hang out the welcome sign to You for You to get all up in our business, cleansing and healing every crevice of our hearts and souls. I pray we will be people who hold out welcome signs to every honest and hungry soul we meet, offering the sweet and holy Bread of Life to them. And we pray this morning for Doug and Claudia, You know our hearts for them, You know the needs there. Lord, make these days filled with Yourself, with peace and worship I pray. And we pray for each one named here, each with their individual needs and ask that You meet those needs; that they receive all the help and comfort and joy and healing that You in Your love and mercy have to give them. We pray for our IDOK Troops for their safety and protection today and for their safe returns home to family and friends. You know our hearts for this Nation, for Israel, for the building up, the empowering, the standing boldly that we desire for the Christian Church; make it so LORD in Jesus Name. Amen and amen.
A Specific Unspoken.
Unspoken Requests – situations so close you can only speak to Father about.
Children and/or Grandchildren about whom Moms (& Dads) are concerned that their salvation profession may not be true.
Vanessa. Green Family. Overstreet Family. W.C. and family. Mary M. Danny and Tina. Robert and Kerry L. Ken and Della. Art and Sula. Rudon. Kelly C. Henry P. Dana and Joey and Children. Tracey M. Vicki and Bob. Brady and Chloe. Patti and family. Joyce, John & children. Sparky. Sean. Susan R. Kay B. Rusty & Romney. Johnny McK and family. Katie H. Amber Johns. Joe-Ann. Vickie and Family. Dennis and Lisa J. Jack. Melanie and Jay M. Susanne M. Alice T. Elaine W and Family. Joni and Todd. Roy and Julee. Glenn R and his family. Holly. Donald 2. Ed G. Debra B. Jon E. Brian. Donald 1. Loyce McM. DeLois. Mollie B. Marzelle. KC. Neolle T. Mary F. MH and J. Caleb and his family – Rob, Vaughn, Whitaker and Donoghue. Dora. Mattie. Brenda and her family. Joshua A. Kim T and her parents. Martha McC. Tamra and Family. Rachel and family. Joe and Rose. Darlene’s Sister, Leona. Tammy B and Family. Brian T. Ricky M. Linda and Family. Joe. Michael H. Linda W. Debbie W. Natalie. Jacqueline and Sons (River and Jackson). Sandra. Dot B. Julia O. Ann C. Stan and Jowanna and Family. Susan D. Melissa and daughters. Jason A and his mother. Wayne B. Melinda H. Brennan and his family. Joshua. Heather and Brandon. Darlene and Torkel.. Maggie and Family. Katelyn (H). J Lloyd. Janet and Steve. Bay and family. Bill and Judy. Doug. Larry and Claudia and family. Callie. Ruth. Cynthia. Allyson and Glyn and family. Brittney and Kersten and family. Sheila and Andy. Carrie and Rachel and Jacob and family. Chuck. Helen and Dan and family. Jen and Larry and family. Mollie and family. Andrew and Daughters.
Shay and Emma’s Kids (orphanage in Zambia) Ministry
Ryan, Sarah, Josh & Caleb Bedenkop – missionaries in Arizona.
The Ministry of IDOK
The Peace of Israel.
Revival in America.
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. Justin G. Michael K. Bay N. T. Palin. Bobby G. (added 12/16/08) Tommy T. Kyle N(3/09). Jessica D. (4/09) Sgt. Vince Barrientos (5/2009) Bill H. (added 9/24/09) Brandon B.
IDOK Troops leaving shortly for foreign soil: Joey H. 10/21/09.
Serving Stateside: Jonathan. Jasmine B. Shaun. Bay. Lee. George. Travis N. Hawk. Justin G. Tommy W.
Injured: Lukas S. (11/30/08)
Military at home, specifically those emotional-spirit wounds that only God and Time can heal – Adam M. Captain Tran. Josh. John L. Drew. Richard M. Matt P. (added 9/24/09)
As I post this it is 86°F and clear in Kuwait, KW (Airport) and the time is 3:46 PM AST on November 10, 2009.
Working the Work Book
IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2009
It is Friday morning and I am already looking to Monday’s devotion. I am interrupting my Day One of Week Seven to make this note for you before I get back to page 151 of The Patriarch workbook (by Beth Moore); this is what she wrote: “An intense encounter with God can give us the courage to do the necessary things we wish we didn’t have to do. We may still be afraid, but we’re more afraid of disobeying God than facing a mess we helped make.”
My initial thought is if we lack the courage to do that thing we know we need to do but have not done yet, then maybe we lack the courage to do it because we have not had a Face to face with Jesus about it yet. Jacob had a Face to face with God in Genesis 32. Here’s a link to read the text in you like:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2032:22-32&version=HCSB
And in the morning Jacob (Israel) arose with a limp but never before had he walked so straight! Oh, my goodness that is good!
Some minutes of Friday morning has elapsed and I am now on page 154. Let me set this up for you a little bit. We are at the place in Scripture, Genesis 33, where Jacob and Esau met again after many years of separation. You may recall that Jacob prior to Genesis 32 was a scoundrel, a cheat, a liar, and a thief, just to name a few of his character flaws and he fled from his home because Esau was mad enough at him to kill him. Remember they are brothers, same Momma, same Daddy. Now, we are ready for page 154 (maybe) and she wrote: “Consider the following quote from The Beginning of Wisdom: “”Jacob’s return to Canaan and especially to his father’s house means, almost certainly, meeting up with Esau. But confronting Esau is more than a practical inevitability; it is also a moral imperative. Failure to settle accounts with Esau and to make amends for his conniving past would leave a permanent blot on Jacob’s supremacy. It would also cast grave doubts on his fitness as the next patriarch under the covenant. For under God’s new way—in contrast to the uninstructed human way—a man cannot properly take his father’s place by denying or destroying his father’s other sons, that is, his brothers . . . Thus, when a man fights with his brother, he is indirectly fighting with his father.””
At least two concluding points come from this quote. First, our unwillingness to make amends can also “cast grave doubts on [our] fitness” for our promised lands. If we cannot humble ourselves and make amends—whether or not we feel we’re chiefly to blame—how are we going to be people who can do “greater works than these.” (John 14:12, KJV)?
Finally, when we fight with our believing brothers and sisters, we are also “indirectly fighting with [our heavenly] father.” Esau and Jacob were ‘blood brothers,’ but no greater kinship exists than the one formed by the blood of Christ. Those of us who are Christians are blood brothers and sisters in the most significant way. We know God has called us to forgive even our enemies and certainly our brothers and sisters.”
Before you wonder – this did not arise from someone confiding to me concerning family or friend conflicts – this is just where I working the work book and unless I misunderstood, the Holy Spirit prompted me to share. After all, I got to have something to write about, don’t I? :-)
Father, Help us keep the faith in all these hard things like loved ones so gravely ill. We know apart from You intervening, the natural order of things will come to pass; help us take none of these natural order of things in the natural way but pass through them supernaturally, depending upon You and giving You glory as we do.
Many hours have expired since the writing of this devotion and I pray You will not only make it fresh to me again but to each of our Readers. I pray it will encourage each of us to do the right thing when the wrong thing is so much more appealing to our ‘natural man’. You know I’ve had the opportunity very recently; thank You that I did not do what I wanted. And thank You that in this moment I am now glad I did not do what I wanted and only You deserve the praise for that.
Thank You for the good news with Joshua and for the rest of his needs, Your will be done we pray. We pray for grace and care and support and LORD unless You do otherwise and bring complete healing here, we pray for sweet transition for some listed here. And we pray for we left behind to accept Your comfort.
Thank You for our IDOK Troops and for their safe keeping and we pray each will return home safe and sound. Thank You for this ministry; grow it, prune it, and develop it as You will for Your glory only. Amen and amen in the Mighty and Holy Name of Jesus.
As I post this it is 54°F and partly cloudy in Balad, IQ (Airport) and the time is 7:19 AM AST on November 9, 2009.
