IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2010

Praise Reports, Prayer Requests and Updates:

As I begin it’s Sunday evening, nearly 8 o’clock.  It’s been a full day, Bible Study (Sunday School), worship, lunch, a great nap, back to church for the LORD’s Supper and home now for the evening.  I think for our time together here at the screen today I’ll share what I said to myself when Pastor Roy commented on a song we sang before the observance of the LORD’s Supper. We sang I’d Rather Have Jesus.  Perhaps you are familiar with the hymn.  The lyrics in part say I’d rather have JESUS than riches, houses, lands or world-wide fame.  And Pastor Roy said would we not give up world-wide fame, houses or lands just to have more of JESUS?  And like a sobering jolt on the wall of mind came these words: Huh! I don’t even give up television so I can go to bed at a decent hour to refresh and take care of this body He resides in; I don’t even say no to that extra dessert I don’t need so I can be healthy. Yea go ahead and sing you’ll give up houses and lands and world-wide fame, like you’re gonna have that opportunity. What about this day to day stuff you really could do?

I’m not dogging television, I’m not dogging desserts, I’m not dogging wealth or any of the great things we get to enjoy.  I’m just saying  I don’t always act like I’d rather have JESUS than doing my own thing.  So! We can all stand in the sanctuary and sing and we can get in our vehicles go home and turn on the television and stay up late watching a good movie or not … tonight we chose NOT!  Maybe singing that song did it’s work after all, at least for today.  Take a listen … I’d Rather Have JESUS.

I admit it is possible that I am slightly prejudice but I esteem the way Pastor Roy conducts the observance of the LORD’s Supper at Satsuma First. I esteem the way he warns us to come NOT to the table unprepared.  And tonight as I prepared to partake, there was something different in it for me.  In the preparation I mean.  I would so love to be perfect and even that desire shows I’m not … a pride thing you see.  But back to my point.  The likelihood that I am going to be sinless this side of heaven is a HUGE ZERO so how can I be ‘clean’  (prepared) enough to partake?  By being honest before Him.  By giving Him praise and thanking Him that even though I am not sinless, I DO love Him and I KNOW I do and I KNOW He loves me.  By honestly admitting any thing and everything that I am struggling with and with as much honesty as I know how to say I agree with You LORD about it and I am willing to do this thing Your Way.  When I do that I am ready.   Not sinless. But guiltless and prepared to partake. Would you agree?

^{Luke 22: 15}And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;

¹⁶for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁷And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves;

¹⁸for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

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

ABBA, I am grateful for this day; for the revelations  You have given; for the preaching of Your Word; for the ministering of Your Spirit in music; for REMEMBERING YOU, Your Body and Blood for me; for us.  And I am grateful that even in the things we witnessed that grieved us, even angered us, we trust You and we pray for solutions and for courage to carry out those remedies for the wrong doings in the lives of people we love and care about.

And for those names recorded on our list, we pray for them.  We want Your best for them and we ask You to help them; help them live and love and worship You.  Help them overcome the obstacles to faith and abundant living.  Please provide for them jobs and hope and courage and helping hands and feet and if any one of us are to be those helping hands and feet, don’t let us ‘rest’ until we obey I pray.

And for our IDOK Troops we pray again for safety and protection for each one.  And, ABBA, please bring each one home safe and sound we pray.  And I pray for Israel.  I do not  like what is going on here regarding them.  I don’t like the lack of support.  I don’t like the evil words and actions toward them and I pray You will correct the behavior of those who are not supporting Israel, especially American leaders.  It is so clear what You have spoken over them.  I am so sorry for the blinded eyes who refuse to see. I pray You will convict and convince them of their blindness and sin and LORD if they will not see, just will not see, will not agree with You, I am trusting You to do what is right regarding them and to preserve Israel and the Body of Christ.  And this I pray in the Name and Merits of JESUS, Your Son, ABBA, and my Savior. Amen and amen.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2010

Praise Reports, Prayer Requests and Updates:

Chris Robinson, a local ‘boy’ will soon be leaving for foreign soil and his Mother, Carol, has asked that IDOKs pray for her son.

ABBA, thank You for the privilege You have given us to pray for Chris.  We do not thank You that it is necessary for Chris to go but since it is we thank You that he is willing to go.  We pray not only for his safety and protection from all manners of harm, we pray that we as a body of people we be sensitive to You, Holy Spirit, and will collectively and individually pray for Chris as You lead us in JESUS name. We pray for courage and peace for his mother and others waiting here for his safe return.

Joshua’s Mother writes in part: Joshua did very well in surgery! Praise the Lord! His heart function & numbers were good prior to surgery & that really helped him. We also know that he was covered in your prayers, which helps so much! Thank you!

Joshua has a Care Page where you can read more, click here for a link.  (You will need to set up a user name and password of your own to read his mother’s posts.)

I am borrowing this morning from Journey, a LifeWay Publication.  This morning’s devotion is a warning to consider our choices carefully.  As we are contemplating an action and we get a check in our Spirit it is wise to heed Him and it is sin to ignore Him.   He may be telling us it’s NOT just lunch.  In the story Meg was lonely, feeling sorry for herself, feeling neglected – her husband was out of town – so she said yes to Daniel’s invitation to lunch; telling herself it was only lunch.  It wasn’t ONLY lunch to Daniel.  The Holy Spirit knew that!  He always knows.  And we are only wise when we heed His warnings, not just about lunch with a co-worker of the opposite sex, but ALL the choices and actions of our daily living.

Journey (in part) reads: “Our society’s standards of what is and what is not appropriate have changed over the years, sometimes blurring the line between right and wrong.  As Christians, we need to be clear about where we stand and to remember that we represent the King of kings.  Some things that are innocent in the world’s eyes may be areas in which the LORD calls us to a higher standard.

If you find yourself flirting with a situation that could be harmful, ask the LORD to give you strength to resist temptation. “

I Corinthians10: ¹²Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. ¹³No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. ¹⁴Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Yes, 14 does follow 13.  When we willfully ignore that check in our Spirit and do what we KNOW is sin, we have set up an idol and have bowed down to it. I don’t like it anymore than you do; but truth is truth.

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

ABBA, I ask You to translate this message from what is written here to what is needed in each of our hearts and cause us to desire and receive from You the strength to escape temptation, rather than erecting idols.   Thank You for Your faithfulness to us again this morning and every morning.  You know I hastily scanned our list of names this morning, even so I bring them all to You and pray for them to have Your peace today in all their situations.  I pray that too for each of our IDOKs and Readers. And I pray for our IDOK Troops that You will again today keep them safe and protected from all harm.  I pray for the peace and protection Israel needs.  I pray for churches, three in particular, and ask Holy Spirit that You correct us, that NO idols be set up but rather ALL be torn down in JESUS Name. Amen and amen.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2010

Praise Reports, Prayer Requests and Updates:

Baby Ryder is up to four pounds!!!

About 14 hours ago from this writing the MRI was complete and the doctor said they would get started soon (don’t know what soon means) with Joshua Akin. Will let you know more when I do.  Prayers needed.

Just a thought: When waiting for ‘good news’ in a hazardous situation, keep your hands busy, it helps your mind meditate on God’s promises.

That’s a ‘mouth full’ isn’t it?   And keeping our hands busy and our minds stayed on ABBA’s Word helps us to expect good news rather than ‘bad’.  And should it be when the news comes and it is not as good as we hoped, we are in a better position to take the next step with God.

Proverbs 3: ⁵Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

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

ABBA, I am grateful for the lesson of busy hands; busy hands that free the mind to remember Your Word; busy hands that free the heart to relax, breathe and hear Your Voice in troubled waiting.  Thank You.  I pray Holy Spirit, You will take these few words and make them large help to our IDOKs and Readers.  Thank You for Ryder’s 4 pounds.  Thank You for giving this baby boy life.  And we pray for Joshua and ask that You give him life too. And our IDOK Troops give them life and health and peace and safe returns home we pray.  We pray too for Israel, for peace and safety and protection from all their enemies and I pray America will not fail to align with Israel.  I pray for our churches, three in particular,  You know what is needed — cause it to be I pray.  And now I pray for each listed on our list, for peace and comfort and help in just the way they need You. Amen and amen in JESUS NAME.