IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2010

Praise Reports, Prayer Requests and Updates:

We are asked to pray for Brittany Mothershed.  She was hospitalized today with a chronic condition complicated by pneumonia.  Ours prayers are needed and appreciated.

2 Corinthians 9:⁶Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  ⁷Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

In this Text a gift has been promised and Paul is speaking to the Corinthians about the gift and he says that familiar phrase: God loves a cheerful giver.  Does that mean that God does not love the grouchy giver?  Of course not!  Another familiar truth is God is love; He loves everyone.  So why would Paul pen God loves a cheerful giver?  Because He does.  Because our cheerful giving brings pleasure to God.  It blesses Him.   Here’s the picture I received today while thinking about this passage of Scripture.

Imagine giving a gift to someone you dearly love; a gift that you have prayed over, even sacrificed to obtain, and so even just the thought of presenting it to your friend makes you happy.  The day comes and you give the gift.  Immediately she loves it and as you sit and chat about the ins and outs of it, the fellowship is so sweet for the both of you.   To me that’s an inkling of what ABBA means when He says He loves a cheerful giver.  Of course, He loves the giver!  But there’s more to it — He loves the fellowship we have with Him when we give as the woman in our illustration. Do you see it?

Now lets alter that illustration a tad.  Lets say we bring a gift; we don’t really want to and it’s not the best we can do either, not a sacrifice at all.  But we bring it anyway and she accepts, she’s even gracious about it but she knows.  She knows your heart about it.  So tell me, how’s the fellowship?  Now, think GOD.  Think of our gifts to Him.  How’s the fellowship?

Are we cheerful givers?  How is our sowing?  Is it sparingly or bountifully?  And how’s the harvest?  If we want a harvest to cheer about – well we are gonna have to be cheerful when we are planting those seeds; don’t you think?

How many of your remember the old hymn Bringing In the Sheaves? Click here and take a listen.

To review the list of names for prayer, please click here.

Another day nearly complete, that is the hours have about clicked away; nothing I can do now about how well or not so well I have invested or squandered this day; can only put it under the BLOOD and trust You, ABBA, to love, forgive, reward, renew and empower to go again once we have rested for the night.  I am glad You have given us this lesson and I pray we will take it to heart and stretch ourselves happily to give more; more of ourselves, more resources, whatever it takes to accomplish Your will for each of us.

We pray now for Brittany, asking that You heal her; that she be able to go home  soon and again tend to her family.  We pray for practical helps for her and for peace for Chad and the children and other family members and friends.   I pray too for others on our list and ask that You tend and minister as You know they need.  Thank You for Andrew’s job and I pray for another who desires a job too and ask that You provide it and until You do I pray for peace.  We pray for VBS teachers to rest well and be refreshed to again minister to young hearts and minds.  We pray that young ones will be saved this week.   And we pray for our IDOK Troops.  Please keep them safe and protected.  We pray for Israel for peace and safety and for wisdom to maneuver present waters. ABBA, I am so sorry for the decisions and the attitudes of leaders and people toward Israel.  Please have mercy and help them repent I pray.   And I am reminded of decisions church leaders are making and we pray they will hear You and obey You.  And these things we ask You now in JESUS Name. Amen and amen.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 2010

Praise Reports, Prayer Requests and Updates:

Deuteronomy 4: 15 So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, 16 So that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

You know what I got from this?  If we don’t SEE, we act corruptly.  What happens when folks are in a hurry and they SEE no patrolman?  That speed limit ceases to refrain the foot from pressing the pedal a little lower.  Am I right?

And this no see and do corruptly is not limited to the interstate, it’s upon every ‘highway’ we travel here.  I am firmly convinced we act corruptly because we have failed and/or have refused in whatever the circumstance or issue that is surrounding us to SEE God in it.  To SEE His will, His character, His Way.  For if we were to SEE Him, really SEE Him with eyes of faith, we would obey.  We would in those circumstances and situations, act righteously rather than corruptly.   And that’s the way I ‘see’ it.

As we close, take this verse, also found in Deuteronomy 4, and know you are loved.

31 For the LORD your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.

39 Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and the earth below; there is no other.

By all means let us take heart, be encouraged and allow the Holy Spirit to open our eyes that we may SEE this compassionate God Who will NOT fail us, nor forsake us.  This God Who is in control of it all.  Especially in this time we are living, it’s better than good to know  HE is in control and we are His!  Oh let us SEE Him that we WILL NOT act corruptly!   Amen and amen.

To review the list of names for prayer, please click here.

The hour is late, ABBA, and rest is needed so let me quickly say Thank You for giving us insight into Deuteronomy 4.  Thank You for Your Sure Word to us.  Thank You that You will never leave us or forsake us. Please continue to keep our IDOK Troops safe and protected. And again we bring our list of names and ask for blessings for each one. Also praying for the peace and safety of Israel and so many other things on our hearts — we pray Your will be done in JESUS Name. Amen and amen.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2010

Praise Reports, Prayer Requests and Updates:

My Little Girl, my Baby Girl and myself read a LifeWay Publication titled Journey.  It blesses the three of us to know the other is reading the same message each day.   What I am about to share with you today from Journey is the Weekend Message entitled Sacred Balance by Cindi Wood.  Cindi can be found on-line at The Frazzled Female.   You can find your subscription to Journey at LifeWay.  Here’s Cindi.

You were never meant to handle everybody’s problems and take care of every situation that unfolds before you.  It’s unhealthy to even try.  Women everywhere are juggling too many roles and finding insufficient time to do all the things they are trying to do. Packing each hour as full as you can leaves you more stressed than ever before.

So, having said all of the above, is the problem that there’s not enough time or that you are trying to do too much? “Sacred balance” is living in a place where you learn to evaluate your time by God’s design and according to His plan.  Consulting with Him is the only way to achieve balance in daily living.

At the time of this writing, I’m a caregiver for my dad and my grandmom. I love them and love to take care of them.  I know it’s a gift/responsibility from God that I do so. There are some weeks, however, that I don’t feel like I give them adequate attention. Obviously I can’t spend all my time with them, and God doesn’t want me to. Only He can instruct me how to balance my time with them with the other things He is calling me to do.

How do I receive that instruction?  By spending time with Jesus, meditating on Scripture, and seeking His counsel. There are times He also impresses me to seek the counsel of wise and godly friends and family.

I don’t take the invitation of Jeremiah 33:3 lightly. I’m training myself to continually seek the Lord, asking His opinion, and expecting Him to lead me through His Word, His circumstances, and His people.

Getting to know Jesus more intimately, and pursuing a lifestyle of talking over the details of every day with Him gives you a new and different perspective on what’s truly important in life.  The Holy Spirit will counsel you (that’s His job) as you seek answers from Him about your daily schedule.   (From Too Blessed for This Mess, © 2007 by Cindi Wood, Published by B&H Publishing Group, Nashville, Tennessee. )

Jeremiah 33: (New American Standard Bible) ³‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

Cindi said she calls upon Him and EXPECTS Him to lead her.  I like that!  But what I like more is that ABBA has given us a written guarantee:  Daughter, Son — you call and I WILL ANSWER you.   Do we need more?

To review the list of names for prayer, please click here.

No, ABBA, we need nothing more than to believe what You have already said.  We call, You answer.  And I KNOW it’s so. You always answer.  I have not always liked Your answers but I have never found You to be wrong.  I’ve never found You to be late or mean or cruel; You’ve always known what is best  and I KNOW it will always be this way.  I don’t understand it but I don’t need to. I believe You.  And thank You for sisters and brothers praying along with us, saying Amen.

ABBA, by the time our IDOKs and Readers come to their respective screens to read and pray, it will be Monday.  Dan and the children, other family members and friends will be laying Helen’s body to rest to wait for You her King to come and awaken that body to join her spirit again and in a twinkling of an eye she will be changed as will so many others.  That is a glorious hope and it is ONLY You LORD JESUS that we have to applaud and thank for this hope.  Thank You JESUS.  And, Holy Spirit, I pray every one who mourns tomorrow will not mourn as one who has no hope.  I pray that the message will be such that those who are there who do not KNOW You will say yes to You when they hear again Your Gospel Message.

I pray for our IDOK Troops again asking You to keep them safe and protected.  I pray for Israel for peace and protection and safety. I pray for each person on our list of names.  Thank You for each of them; that You are answering our prayers, directing and leading and healing  all our diseases and illnesses and mending broken hearts in JESUS NAME. Amen and amen.

Helen L. Smith
(November 12, 1961 – June 16, 2010)

Greenlawn Funeral Services

Helen Louise (Cason) Smith, 48, of Strafford, Mo., passed away Wednesday, June 16, 2010, after complications from surgery. She was born November 12, 1961, in Rolla, Mo. Helen married Daniel J. Smith, October 19, 1984, in Kansas City, Mo., and was a great helpmate in their family trucking business. Her greatest joy in life was her family. She was employed with Springfield Public Schools and was a faithful member of Strafford First Assembly.

She is survived by her husband, Dan Smith; daughters, Tiffany Jane Allen and Summer Joy Smith; sons, Daniel Joseph Smith, Jr., and Walker Johnathon Smith all of Strafford, Mo.; stepdaughter, Dannette Jeaniel (Smith) Myers and husband, Chuck, of Kingman, Ariz.; grandson, Michael Aaron Myers; granddaughter, Makayla Jane Allen; and four brothers.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Dorothy Jane (Hammond) and Theodore Charles Cason, Sr.; and one sister.

Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m., Saturday, June 19, 2010, in Greenlawn East Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held on Monday, June 21, 2010, at 10 a.m., in First Assembly of God, in Strafford, Mo. A pre-service visitation will begin at 9 a.m., in the church. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.