IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2010

FOR PRAYER AND PRAISE

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

I’m continuing to read in Matthew.  I picked up today at 5:43 and if we thought 38 through 42 was heavy, we are about to see Heavier.

Matthew 5:⁴³“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’    ⁴⁴“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Why?  Why love them?  And even more than why, how? Why and how can I pray for someone who is persecuting me?  They surely don’t deserve it – do they? Would those be familiar questions?  Want the answer?

⁴⁵so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;

We are not called to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors because they deserve it.  We are called to love and pray for them because GOD said so.  How many times have we answered our son or daughter’s why with ‘because I said so.’?

And beyond that, ABBA knows if we resist and refuse to love our enemies, and refuse to pray for our persecutors, such disobedience will destroy us.  Not them, but us! But we don’t really believe that, do we?  We don’t really believe that hating them is hurting us.  In fact  sometimes we think it even feels ‘good’ to hate them, don’t we?

But there’s more.

Romans 8: (New American Standard Bible) ²⁹For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

Having been birthed into the Family of God, having become His Sons and Daughters, more than anything else in life, more important than anything else we do —  we must be conformed to the image of JESUS.  And who did JESUS intercede for on the cross?  And what did He pray?  What did He pray for the very ones who were crucifying Him?  Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.  (See Luke 23:34)

So, we got the Why.  Now for the How.  How can I forgive them?  How can I pray for them?

And the answer: We can believe God.

Philippians 4: (New International Version) ¹³I can do everything through HIM who gives me strength.

It’s as simple as this: When we really believe, we act on it!

ABBA, I didn’t know Matthew was such a heavy book.  But  it is  TRUTH and it’s worthy to be read, believed and obeyed.  I pray we all will believe and obey.

I pray for our IDOK Troops.  Please keep them safe and protected and bring them home safe and sound.

And I pray for each  on our list for prayer – You know each need.  And I pray for each of our IDOKS and Readers, asking for peace and comfort.  And, ABBA, for JoAnn, I can only ask Your Will be done and for peace and comfort for all those who love her.   You know the cares and concerns of all our hearts; line our hearts up with Yours, ABBA, and all will be well in JESUS NAME.  Amen and amen.

⁴⁵so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  ⁴⁶“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  ⁴⁷“If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  ⁴⁸“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2010

Praise Reports, Prayer Requests and Updates:

Well, Ladies (and Gents) this morning’s Journey just sat me back in my chair! So may I share it with you for Wednesday the 14th?

It is titled The (not so) Express Lane and it tells the story of a woman, name not given, so it could be any one of us — men included — who get in the Express Lane at our local buy everything store and as you are expecting the express lane is NOT express.

Our protagonist in this story is in a hurry.  She has a child to pick up from summer camp and there are 3 people ahead of her in line.  The cashier seems uncommonly slow and it takes a full ten minutes for ‘our friend’ to get her items to the Cashier.  And as you are expecting she was not smiling and she was not smiling ON PURPOSE.  She fully intended for the Cashier to know her disapproval for the slowness with which she had checked out the three previous shoppers.

However, the woman at the register seemed oblivious to our shopper’s curtness and she smiled sweetly.  So cordial!  But our sister shopper was ticked.  Bear in mind just 10 minutes earlier she was concerned about timely getting her son from camp but now she marches herself to Customer Service to voice her complaint.  And then it happened.

The Head Cashier in Customer Service acknowledged that Sheri was a new cashier but that was not the only reason for her slowness — she was recovering from a stroke.  Are we identifying with Sister Shopper?  Oh I am!!  Shall we continue to identify with her?  Yeah.  Been here, done this too.  APOLOGIZE!  And she did.  Humbled herself and went right to Sheri to say she was sorry for her bad behavior.

It is so good of us to apologize when we have behaved badly, but it is excellent of us to behave kindly in our first encounter with ‘Sheri’ or Susie or Rose or Mary or Sam.

Let me take this story a little further … lets say Sheri is not only slow,  she’s crabby as all get out and she ain’t had no stroke!  What would be excellent of us when after 10 minutes we get to  her register?  You got it!  KINDNESS for CRABBINESS.  Yep! That is what is expected of us.   So are we gonna do it or not?

Psalm 37:⁸Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

Proverbs 25:²⁸Like a city that is broken into and without walls
Is a man who has no control over his spirit.

Proverbs 15:¹A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:¹⁸A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute.

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

I dare not argue with this one, DADDY, it fits like a glove and I am strangely comforted that You would give it.  I really do love You and I thank You so, so much for enabling me to love You.  And  by Your grace next check out line however slow it is I expect You, Holy Spirit, to remind me of this and I will choose kindness over crabbiness, just because You ‘ask’ me to.  Oh You are SO AWESOME!!

I have some others things on my mind which You know.  People I love have some opportunities shaping up and above all I want Your Will for them. And in these opportunities are details to work out and so I am asking You right now to do that.  Thank You, ABBA.

Thank You for reminding me.  Kelsie has no doubt been having a blast with You since Sunday but her Mom and Dad (Jon and Amanda) and others are hurting and I know You are tenderly caring for them.  You know and I suspect they don’t understand and they wanted You to heal Kelsie here and give her a long life here with them.   A few months here just doesn’t seem long  enough or right and in a perfect world with no sin it wouldn’t be this way.  For now it is.  I pray, Holy Spirit, that You will just move right in strongly and amaze them with Your Comfort and Help.  And Rylee, Lisa and Damon are so glad she is still here and yet Damon feels guilty in a way that she is and Kelsie is not and yet so grateful too.  Those are hard emotions to process so I am praying that he let You help him process that and come up with Your Mind on it.  Two families, LORD, in much need.  Thank You for letting us pray for them and thank You for tending them, LORD JESUS.

And there are fun things going on too and a young lady playing basketball.  I pray she will play her best, enjoy the time and I pray You will use this event to speak to her.  I want her to know that You love her so much and You have terrific plans for her.  I pray she will walk Your Way.  Keep them safe and bring the family home safe to rejoice and share memories and stories with family waiting.

And our IDOK Troops, let us at no time forget to intercede for them; for their strength and protection and wisdom and willingness to hear and heed what You say to them.  And we boldly ask that You bring each one home safe and sound at the appointed time.  And we pray now too for each person on our List For Prayer.   We still have a lengthy list, that’s bitter sweet, I think. Sad that so many folks are hurting but so blessed that You allow us the privilege of praying for them.  You really are so AWESOME to let us be a part of this ministry.  Thank You so much.  And now it’s about time to put this post to rest, but before I do I pray right now for every one of our IDOKs and Readers – You know every face, you know every heart, You see them where they are right now and I pray for Your Favor to rest upon them; for them to sense You right now and know that they know that they know that You love them.  Really, really love them and nothing is going to happen to them that You are not controlling in love and grace and mercy on their behalf. Thank You, DADDY, in JESUS NAME. Amen and amen.

ABBA, You know this post was set to automatically post several hours ago and yet just now I got the news of the death of  Elizabeth Thompson, Fairhope High School’s 2010 valedictorian, and that her mother is now in the hospital in Baton Rouge.   I just know You are moved with Your Great Compassion for this family and I know they don’t understand why this happened.  Me either.  She was so young, smart and hoping for a bright future.  But I am praying for Mrs. Thompson and all her remaining family, asking for Your help for them now in JESUS NAME. Amen and amen.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, JULY 13, 2010

Praise Reports, Prayer Requests and Updates:

I have been reading today in Matthew; chapters 4 and 5. And at verses 38-42 in chapter 5 as I read I asked, “LORD what did You mean when You said this?”

Matthew 5:39-42 (New American Standard Bible) ³⁹“But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.  ⁴⁰“If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.  ⁴¹“Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.  ⁴²” Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

And my understanding of what He answered follows.

First, is it just me or does ‘do not resist an evil person‘ seem like a contradiction of what we on the surface know about JESUS? Of course you know me well enough to know that I will proclaim til my dying day that THERE ARE NO CONTRADICTIONS in ABBA’s Scripture. Therefore, what the Disciples understood on that day that JESUS spoke this in their hearing, some 2000 years later it’s not so easily grasped; at least not by me.  Not until today.

This is not a Blanket Text prohibiting life protecting self and family and property preservation.  This is ‘tit for tat’ control.

First, let us look at the word resist. That Greek word is anqistemi and is transliterated Anthistemi and the meaning to set one’s self against.  Is it still clear as mud? Hang with me.  The mud will dry up in a bit.  Next word evil.  And that Greek word is poneroß and is transliterated Poneros and means full of labours, annoyances, hardships pressed and harassed by labours.  Interesting, huh? Not the usual picture of evil is it?  Causes me to think in tit for tat situations we often assume the worse about a person without knowing the hardships, the labours, the hard pressed annoyances, harassing labourious  things that may influence them to react and act the way they do.  I am not excusing bad behavior by any means! I’m just saying we want mercy when we are having a PMS day, don’t we?  What if they have a PMS life?  Something to think about.

How about this?  It’s a silly word picture but it may help.  Did me.

You are speaking with your neighbor across the back fence, the conversation moves into a sensitive area and unexpectedly your neighbor reaches across the fence and slaps you way beyond a love pat.  Now do you set yourself against him?  That is do you plant, steady your feet, draw back your fist and go way beyond a love pat upside his head?  You do if you are bent on violating this Scripture.  If you are teachable and if you are head over heels in love with JESUS, you turn to him your other cheek.  That is you rally your stunned self, back up, excuse yourself and go in the house; and there you wait and pray for ABBA to intervene, and when HE opens the door for meaningful, repairing conversation, you follow HIM through that door.

Verse 40.  Does that mean no lawsuits ever?  Does that mean we never enlist the court system?  Does that mean we just roll over and give away every penny we got to anybody who wants it?  Of course not! That’s not what I see here.

Again, a silly word picture to help us see the ‘big picture’.  You and your neighbor have a difference of opinion and this time there’s some monetary value at the base of the disagreement.  And he files suit against you. What now? What is the Scriptural thing to do?   I really believe verse 40 holds the answer.

How much is it? Is he suing  you for your shirt or for your whole closet of shirts, coats, slacks and shoes? You see the HUGE difference?

For your shirt? Pay it in JESUS NAME and be done with it!

For your whole closet?  That’s not tit for tat, is it? That’s  time for family resource preservation and you owe it to your family in JESUS NAME to defend them.

41 and 42.  Same principle.  We must do more than the Average Joe.  We must go beyond the normal in conduct, in work ethic.  We must excel.  We must do our best in everything we set out to do.  We must be marked with generosity; being generous in Spirit,  conduct and resources. Again, DO NOT for one moment think I am suggesting, nor do I see JESUS saying to us, to open our checking account and let any Tom, Dick or Harry clean it out.  No! No! No! And right here I am strongly reminded to set forth this Verse to you. 1 Timothy 5: (New American Standard Bible) ⁸But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

If we let Tom, Dick and Harry clean us out, how shall we feed, clothe and educate Junior and Mary as this verse commands us to do? In all that we have looked at today, we prosper when the Holy Spirit controls US AND our bank accounts.  And let me tell you HE has more ‘common sense’ to impart to us in all these areas than we have yet to experience.

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

DADDY GOD, this has been another one of those that was not so easy to write, one You know I have labored over even before coming to this screen to write.  And so as we wrap this up and set it to post, I pray it will help. That it will answer questions, that it will give guidance, that it will bring peace and comfort and even encourage us to do the right thing and to know what that right thing is and trust You to supply the desire and the resources in it all.

And now I am entrusting our IDOKs, our Readers, all named on our List for Prayer and our IDOK Troops to Your safe keeping, to You for provisions and protection, for healing and mending, clothing, educating and just blessings all around.  I love you, ABBA, in JESUS Name. Amen and amen.