IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2010

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

My ‘knee’ time was good this morning, but my study time has not been that commendable; although I did make a pass through the den with the vacuum and even a drag across the kitchen floor with a bent broom.  May I say I don’t like bent brooms?  But I have nobody to blame but me for its bentness and for the lack of a new one. Now, aren’t y’all thrilled to have that little tidbit of Thompson Manor trivia?

Hmmm. Wonder if I can get a devotional lesson out of that?!! Could I say that my bent in the wrong direction ways and lack of practice of new, improved, better ways is nobody’s fault but my own?  Yes, I believe I can, and most likely I am not the only one. But we’ll leave that lying right there and move on.  🙂

Sometime between midnight and 1:00 A.M. Monday morning I read these words written by Lsya Terkeurst in her book Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl: Have you ever let yourself dare to believe that Jesus would love to show Himself to you? Not in a physical sense, where we could see Him with our physical eyes.  But rather, wouldn’t it make your soul come alive like never before to see evidence of His presence constantly and consistently all around you?  Interestingly, the more this happens, the more we desire to be obedient and love God the way He desires us to love Him.  It is a beautiful cycle!

A beautiful cycle!  Now that would make a clean sweep of bent broom living, wouldn’t it?

And did she say it starts with daring to let ourselves believe that Jesus would LOVE (my emphasis) to reveal Himself to us?

Reveal.
Free Dictionary dot com says this:

a. To make known (something concealed or secret) b. To bring to view; show. 2. To make known by supernatural or divine means: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven”

Yep! That’s what it says.

Romans 7: ^{(NIV) 19}For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.         ²⁴What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? ²⁵Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!  . . .  .

2 Corinthians 2: (NASB)¹⁴But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

Matthew 13: (NASB) ¹¹Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

I Samuel 3:  ²¹And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, because the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

Acts 10: (NIV) 34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism.
Obtained from Biblegateway.com

Which means to me if He did it for Samuel, and He did, He will do it for you and me.

Bent Broom Living  — not for us!

Some bent broom living is easier to rid from practice than others and I thank You for every time I choose rightly, Father.  Thank You for this lesson.  Thank You for the good accomplishments of this day and thank You for Your mercy and forgiveness for the less-than-wise choices made today.   I pray now for rest and peace for all our IDOKs.  I pray when they awaken to this lesson that it will give them some entertainment as well as food for thought.  And I pray that You will administer and minister this lesson to each heart as is needed.

I pray for our IDOK Troops, asking You to again keep them safe.  To again protect them and woo them to faithful service in hostile lands and friendly ones.  And I again pray for family and friends waiting for them to return, asking that they wait in peace and with integrity.

Our list is still lengthy and I continue to be grateful for the privilege of praying for each of them. Thank You for a means to keep their names and requests before us.  Thank You that You hear us and You are always working on our behalf and theirs.  Thank You for tending to each one.

And now as I prepare to put this to rest to wait for posting, I am asking You to convince each one of us that knowing You, loving You, and worshiping You is our greatest and highest calling.   I dare not forget to pray for Israel for peace and protection for them.  And for America that You have mercy.  Holy Spirit, please rain down conviction upon us and give us grace and space to repent. LORD, I pray for an awakening in this Land.  I pray we will repent.  I pray You will call us to repentance and that we will gladly humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways so You can and will heal this Land.  Amen and amen in JESUS’ NAME.