Thursday, September 16, 2010 — IDOK Devotion

To review the names of Prayer For These, please click here.

I am just hours from a funeral service and several hours from getting the news that my brother is in the hospital in Jackson, Tennessee.  He was taken there as my sister-in-love (law) feared he was having a heart attack.  The doctors have said no but clearly something is amiss.  Test will be run tomorrow, looking for a blockage or if the two stints he has are going bad.

The memorial service was for Joe Ann Hall.  She was 64. My Baby Girl worked with Joe Ann a couple years ago and when Joe Ann became ill Bethany ministered to her in practical ways.  It’s been hard.

So here I sit wondering what to write when my mind really wants my body to get up and walk.

Hmmm. Walk and mind.  That’s good.  To have the mind to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh.  Make it so LORD. Make it so.

1 Samuel 2 NKJV: ³⁵ Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever.

Raise up a faithful priest to do what is in HIS heart and HIS  mind.  Yes, LORD.

Revelation 1 NKJV: ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, ⁶ and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

And you and I have been made priests to the ANOINTED ONE … may we be faithful priest who do the Heart and mind of Christ.  Let’s keep making ourselves available for training.  Priest Training.  We are His priests and we are being trained to live what we are.

Since beginning here I have heard there is heart damage, don’t know the extent of it; more test tomorrow; I am yearning for my brother to be well.

ABBA, I confess I’m a bit skittish tonight; thank You for loving me even so. Thank You for the good reports on Steve.  I am grateful, thrilled and delighted.  And would You also give us good reports on William too? Please.  And I pray for Joe Ann’s family, separation is hard and I pray they will learn to lean on You.  Thank You for comforting my Baby Girl and thank You for the ease with which she now receives Your comfort.  You are so good!

I pray for our IDOK Troops; for their safety and protection and I pray for each on our Praying For These list — every one of them need a fresh word, fresh contact with You; please do that. And, again, protect Israel and again forgive, have mercy and save America I pray.  And as the priests You have made us we offer up these prayers in Your Mighty and Holy Name. Amen and amen.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010 — IDOK Devotion

I read this today: Then I took my sister’s hand and told her I’d be praying for God to mess with her in ways too bold for her to deny.
And so here goes.

So I’ve been asking Father to mess with some people.  In transparency, I am fresh from asking Him to mess with you, with me, with all IDOK, family, friends … everybody on my list.  Just mess with us, LORD.  Now some of that messing I am asking is ‘Father, show them whether they like it or not, whether they actually believe it or not right now, that they are accountable to You and while You LOVE them, they do have to reckon with You and I ask You to mess with them in such a way that they can’t miss that their sins separate You and them, but the BLOOD of JESUS will reconcile them to You.  I pray You will mess with them until they say yes.  Just mess with them, LORD, mess with them. That’s my messing cry for the lost on my list.

My messing cry for me, for us, is that Father will just get all up in our business, sort out, get rid of, build up, add to, correct, and encourage.  You get the idea.  Just turn us every way but loose. Just move us to absolutely know HE is the GREATEST that has ever or ever will happen to us and live like it 24/7.

For some that’s gonna mean some Lap Time where HE just pours on the love and peace and comfort; for some that’s gonna mean working with Him for healing; for some that’s gonna mean getting serious about getting some junk out of the daily practice; for some that’s gonna mean brand new adventures; for some a return to the past for some purging and finally be done with it; for some it’s a season of waiting quietly and trusting that what you are waiting for will come.

Hebrews 12 (New American Standard Bible) ¹Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  ²fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  ³For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

For me, I have struggled and struggled for more years than I can even remember with time/calendars/schedules and today I have driven down a stake in prayer and you are my witnesses as well as a ‘cloud of witnesses’.  It goes like this.  Father, I am tired of compartmentalized living. The idea of giving You 2 hours and 40 minutes a day as a tithe of time is wonderful.  I like it but I don’t want it. I want more.  I want You living life with me.  I want You doing this life with me. When I wash clothes I want You washing them with me.  When I make the bed I want You making that bed with me. When I go buy groceries I want You buying them with me and when I stop to talk to someone in the store, I want You listening in and talking too. I want You looking at everything I look at.  I want You hearing everything I hear.  I want You commenting on it too and if it does not honor You then it has to go.  I want You to tell me to get up from there Girl and get those dishes done … etc. etc. And I acknowledge that it is likely the time is coming that I will attempt to argue with You about something — please remind me quickly of this day.  And I know me well enough to know I’ll get busy and will ignore You  — please remind me quickly of this day.  So I’m acknowledging this is a process that requires much, much training, but that’s not my worry because YOU are the Trainer.

Philippians 1: (New King James Version) ⁶ being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

And You surely know how to MESS with me and get Your job done.  I am available for this training 24/7, 365.  To get up from sleep and lay down for sleep when You say . . . and I in part know what that means — yikes. And all those minutes in between it’s You and me doing life, Father.

This feels right for me.

You all say your prayers.  See you tomorrow, Father willing.

Holy hugs, kt

Scripture passages obtained from Biblegateway.com

Tuesday, September 14, 2010 — IDOK Devotion

To review names of Praying for These click  here.

In Matthew 15:21, was JESUS playing the ‘devil’s advocate’ as a means to teach, heal and rescue? Would He do that? Let’s examine this together.

Would you agree in certain hard situations we are tempted to think the LORD seems hard, cold, and even mean?  Like in this passage?

Matthew 15: (New American Standard Bible) ²²And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.”  ²³But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.”  ²⁴But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  ²⁵But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”  ²⁶And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”  ²⁷But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”  ²⁸Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.

The Canaanite woman was crying after Him; yet I am wondering was verse 24 directed to the disciples? Is that what they thought; that He came only for Israel?  Is that why they wanted to send her away?  Was she embarrassing them? For in verse 23 the disciples said, ‘send her away’.  He didn’t.

I think the very fact that He did not send her away when the disciples said He should; that encouraged her.  And yet He answered with what seems like coldness.  And still she persisted.  Why did she?  Did she persist because she had heard that He was able to heal? Had she heard He had power over demons? For myself, I am certain that is exactly what she had heard. But now in this moment, how would she process His firmness in the workings of her own ‘gray matter’? (How would I? How would you?) Obviously she was willing to take it to get help for her daughter. She said in verse 25 ‘Lord, help me’! She had heard Him say He was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.  She knew she was not an Israeli.  Why did she ask Him for help anyway? Did she figure He was able and she had nothing to lose by asking?  Perhaps.  So why did she persist and would I? Do I? Would you? Do you?

Verse 26 leaves no doubt in my mind that she was aware that the Jews thought of her as a dog. Did that stop her? No.  I wonder if she thought: ‘Dog or not, Lord, I am here; and besides that in Jewish houses the dogs do get to eat.  Cold, hard folks that they are they let the dogs fed from their tables.  That’s okay with me, I’ll take the crumbs. I’ll even humble myself and get under the table for those crumbs.  That will be enough for me.  That will be enough to heal my daughter and that’s all I’m asking.  I’m not asking to sit AT the table.  I’m just asking You to heal my daughter.’

And then verse 28.  “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish”. And her daughter was healed at once.

Can you imagine? The LORD said to the woman (not dog) – your faith is great! Not only did He heal her daughter but He recognized her! He acknowledged her.  He validated her.  (It’s a whole other lesson, but can you imagine what this happening said to the disciples? To the people standing around?!) There is no doubt in my mind; she knew she was not a dog to Him.

I wonder how often we let the world and the evil one tell us we are ‘dogs’.  I wonder how often we let the world and the devil tell us we are insignificant and we should just keep our mouths shut … don’t come to the table, not even to ask for crumbs, much less SIT at the table?

Would we allow this Passage – would we allow the Holy Spirit to take this passage and teach us that we are the children and the table IS set for us – come, ask, seek, find? Find healing for our souls.  Find healing for our families.  Find healing for marriages.  Find restoration.  Find deliverance from strongholds.  Find whatever – you name it.  Would we be willing to take the gruff and junk of others and even the seemingly gruffness of the LORD when we wait and wait and wait; in order to finally hear Him praise us and give us that very thing we are asking Him to give us?

Would we?  She did.  And in the process she got more than a healing for her daughter; JESUS praised her!  And in His praise  was His love for her and His acceptance of her.  What more could we ask?

This feeds, corrects and encourages me, ABBA, and I am grateful.  And as it reaches the screens of our IDOKs, I pray, Holy Spirit, that You will minister it to their hearts; that You will tend them in the love and mercy as You have tended me.

And I pray with them now, in union across these screens, for our IDOK Troops, for their safety and protection; for them in spirit, soul and body to be safe; and most of all for them in those hostile places to be guided and filled with Your Peace and for them to live honorably for Your Name sake.   And we together pray too for our Praying for These list; seeking only to please You and for each of them to have the very best You have for them.  And I dare not forget to pray for Israel; for peace and protection and their gathering to You and for them to stand firm and hold in faith what You have already given them. And I pray for we the Church that You will bring us to full repentance and full surrender to Your LORDSHIP and for America I pray for mercy and that we will repent and bless the world again with Your Goodness and Holiness alive and thriving in us.  Amen and amen in the NAME OF OUR GLORIOUS SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

Monday, September 13, 2010 — IDOK Devotion

To review names of Praying for These click  here.

Please click here for a picture of Jackson.

Put.  What a word!  And I have only begun to look at the 887 times it is used in the New American Standard Version of the Bible.  The Hebrew words I have viewed so far are as follows: nuwach   shiyth   shalach   suwm  muwth  shuwb   nasa’   cuwr   labash   nathan .  I am imagining there are more.

And as I consulted free dictionary dot com I discovered that our word PUT has multiple uses as well.  Here’s a link. Take a look.

So it would not be an understatement to say that PUT is an action word, would it?  Now, I did not come up with this idea of PUT by myself.  Joyce (Meyer) had her audience saying PUT several times as I watched her telecast.  I’d like for  us to look at a few of the PUT Scriptures she offered.

Psalm 5:NKJV ¹¹ But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.

So if we will ‘put’ forth the effort; if we will make the decision to trust the LORD; that is PUT our trust in Him, we will be rejoicing!  Does that mean if we are not rejoicing, we are not trusting?  Just ‘putting’ it out there for us to examine.

Psalm 7:NKJV ¹ O LORD my God, in You I put my trust; save me from all those who persecute me; and deliver me,

When we PUT our trust in Him, we should expect Him to deliver us.

Psalm 9:NKJV ¹⁰ And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Look at that!  Those who know Your name WILL PUT their trust in You. When we know HIS Name we will trust.  And that’ s a whole other study.  HIS Names tell us Who He is in our troubles and when we KNOW that Name, the power and love; we will PUT our trust in Him.

Jehovah – Jireh The LORD will provide.

Jehovah – Rapha The LORD who heals.

Jehovah – Roi The LORD my shepherd.

Jehovah – Shalom The LORD our Peace.

Jehovah – Shammah The LORD is present.

Jehovah – Tsidkenu The LORD our righteousness.

El – Roi The God of sight – who keeps watch.

El – Shaddai God Almighty. Two roots for the word: 1) to be powerful; and 2) breast, nourisher, sustainer.                                                      (Names found here)

And that’s not all of them!  Yes, when we KNOW His Name in our situation, we will PUT our trust in Him!  Amen and amen!

ABBA, I enjoyed writing this one.  What a word, PUT.  And there is no better action we could take than putting all our love, hope and faith in You. I pray moment by moment we will trust You to train us to do this.  Thank You that Jackson is home now with his Mom and Dad and we trust You with Jackson; that Your plan for his life is unfolding and will continue to do so.  There were a lot of baptisms today in just two local churches that I am aware of — words don’t come to describe it.  I pray that each one who entered the baptismal waters today will faithfully put their trust moment by moment in You for growing and developing the character You desire.  I pray that for us too.  And Elaine comes to mind, You know the need and the cry of her family and her own desires.  I respect the woman You have grown her to be and I pray You will exalt Yourself in her more and more. And the prayers she lifts to You for her family and herself I ask You to grant.  And as a whole we come with our Praying for These list and we corporately and individually pray for them; we petition You to heal and restore; and to pursue and woo the lost ones until they surrender to You. And we pray for our IDOK Troops. It is our prayer that each one be safe in spirit, soul and body; that each come home to family and friends safe and sound; but that’s not all, we want them to be holy, we want them to honor You even more than they honor America — we pray they will. And my prayer for Israel is the peace You desire for them; for the Nation as a whole to follow after You; for them to be strong and courageous and give up nothing that You have given them and for America to be a faithful ally.  And for America, I still pray that You will pour out Your Holy Conviction upon us and that we will repent and be saved.  And now as we close this session, I pray for rest and peace for all our IDOKs and for each of us to share the Good News that JESUS SAVES with someone who is lost this week. Amen and amen LORD JESUS.

Holy hugs, KT