IDOK Devotion for Monday, May 3, 2010
Praise Reports, Prayer Requests and Updates:
We have added Judy Wilkins for prayer. She lives in Portland, Oregon and she is scheduled for surgery on May 10.
It has been a good weekend and as I sit to write it is late and in truth I am distracted by the lateness of the hour. But with DADDY GOD’s help something will come to this screen and just may be it will be helpful. This I know my Pastor nailed it tonight with his sermon. It was goood! And it wasn’t that it was new information, it just fit well, settled around me like a warm embrace. So much so I could have sat in the pew after the sermon was over and just enjoyed my Father’s Presence. That is not to say that He is not here now as I sit here and you sit there …. He is! But wherever and whenever His Presence is like a warm embrace — I want to be there. I experienced that Saturday morning too when six sisters met to pray. I have no doubt I was where I was suppose to be Saturday morning — I like that. I like knowing I am just where I am suppose to be — I don’t always know that with the same certainty. I’m not sure we can feel that every moment of every day, but when it does happen — ENJOY it and linger as long as you can.
Pastor preached tonight from Luke 23, beginning at verse 39 through 43. That’s the account of Jesus on the cross and the two thieves on either side. The one railing on Jesus and the other one receiving salvation. Pastor asked questions — we didn’t answer aloud. But I did answer within the walls of my own gray matter. One of Pastor’s questions was — what is my value in this world? He suggested the world values us according to our ability to perform and how we look. Absent the skill and ability to contribute to society what society deems important and look good while you are doing it … means we are not worth much. As examples he invited us to examine the value (particularly $$$ paid) placed on a teacher of our children and one who can catch a fly ball. I will refrain from climbing up on that soap box, but you know what I mean and I know what he meant. Aren’t you glad that God evaluates differently?
So how did I answer the question what is my value in this world? Obviously you and I are of unfathomable value to God. JESUS is living proof of that. If you and I were only disposable globs of DNA, it would have been unfathomably stupid for God to have done what He did and continues to do for us. Pastor urged us to remember our value — our own and that of others. All others. Those who look like us and those who don’t. Those who like what we like and those who don’t like what we like. Those who act like we act and those who act like we wouldn’t be caught dead acting — you know what I mean.
The thief on the left and the thief on the right deserved to go to hell. One did. One didn’t. Folks we will see today and tomorrow, those who look like us, those who don’t; those who act like us, those who don’t; those who like what we like and those who don’t; ALL of them (including us) deserve to go to hell. Not just some, ALL. But NOT one of them does JESUS want to go there. Do we believe that? This I know and this is how I answered the question: I am only as valuable to this world as I am willing to offer Heaven to souls bound for hell.
To review the list of names for prayer, please click here.
Abba, I am certain I am of unfathomable value to You; else You, LORD JESUS, would not have died and rose again to save me. And as I answered that question tonight as Brother Roy was preaching, this is what I think. I think You, JESUS, are my value to this world – to the degree that the world sees You when they look at me is my value. And not just me, all of us — famous or not, beautiful or not, educated or not, professor or janitor, president or garbage collector – to the degree we reflect You to the people around us is the value we are in this world. My value is totally wrapped up in You. I ask You to keep speaking this to us. Somehow I just know there’s so much more for us to believe and see.
Thank You for what You are doing about this oil spill. Thank You that what was meant for evil, You will turn for good for those who will believe You. You are so totally AWESOME and I am so glad You let me know You.
We have looked over the list of names and You know how needy they and we all are. I ask You to minister to each one of them, individually just as he or she needs. Jason and his mother particularly comes to mind – some tough stuff there – not something that ‘flesh’ can fix. I pray Jason will let You fix him. And Andrew, I am so glad You got a plan for him. I am so glad You are going to encourage him all along this way he is walking right now. And J.Lloyd, he as the sweetest spirit, he encourages me just being him; I ask You to ‘love’ on him in these days and, LORD, please recover him. You have been up to some good things for some ones really close – thank You. I appreciate You being so good to us. I’m glad Donald is doing so well. Thank You.
I hear the thunder rolling; thank You. I am entrusting us all to You — Our IDOK Troops, their families, all our IDOKs and Readers, our respective congregations and our great, great need for revival — all our petitions we bring, ABBA, in the Mighty Name of Yeshua — I love that Name! Amen and amen.
