IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2010

FOR PRAYER AND PRAISE:

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

Labor Day!

As I sit to write in hours it shall officially arrive.  A day for the American Worker to be recognized, and today,  many American Workers are taking the day off… my beloved being one of them.  If you are interested here is a link to read about the origin of Labor Day. And here is a link to the ORIGIN OF LABOR.

And before I get too secular here,  let us be reminded that work was not suppose to be LABOR.   Were it not for SIN, all our activities of tending the Universe would be FUN.  But alas sin came.  And Praise GOD one day sin will GO and so will the LABOR!  But until then JESUS has given us this promise (and many, many, many more!):

Matthew 11 NKJV:²⁷ All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. ²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

ABBA, thank You for a day recognized to honor honest labor.  Thank You that we can celebrate with family and friends.  And I pray all our IDOKs will utilize this day in the way that YOU will lead us.  And, LORD JESUS, thank You that in YOU we have rest from the LABOR of trying to earn our way to a Right Standing with You, since we could NEVER achieve it however hard we labor.  Thank You  LORD JESUS for giving us Eternal Life.

And before we close we pray for our IDOK Troops, please keep them safe and strong in spirit, soul and body.  And for our Praying for These list, we commend each of them to You in just the way and for the things they need.  And, ABBA, bless America  with conviction and repentance I pray.  Amen and amen in JESUS NAME.

Sat, September 4, 2010 4:54:38 PM

Jackson’s Saturday Update from Melinda: We were so happy to find yesterday that Jackson’s therapist is Kelly, who was Gracelyn’s therapist for so long.  She remembered us and we certainly remember her–she was wonderful with our girl.  She told them that Jackson had improved since she had last seen him.  Thursday Ashley and Steve were shown the massage to use for an hour each day for Jackson.  They are snuggling up with him today and doing the things they are supposed to do and loving him.  Yah!  And, he took his pacifier for an hour yesterday!  What grace he has been given!  Thank the Lord for the good He has done and keep those prayers comin’!  Love to all!  Melinda



IDOK DEVOTION FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2010

FOR PRAYER AND PRAISE:

Thursday morning report on Jackson: Good morning to all!  Yesterday Jackson got the line in his belly button removed and Ashley not only got to hold him but to dress him in an outfit and change his diaper.  How happy the smallest, normal thing can make a mama.  He is still on room air oxygen and has other wires but the parents get to hold him more now.  The nurse has to hand him to them but they can have him in their arms.  Steve says that they are going to request another vision/hearing test.  Jackson flinched when the nurse made a noise when she hit one of the machine arms yesterday.  He still squints in the light when it shines in his face.  We will wait and see and let God and his little body do the rest.  Praying for miracles; knowing the Lord can provide them; leaning on Him, Melinda

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

John Maxwell said: “There are a lot of things in life that are difficult to understand. Faith allows the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see.”

(HCSB)Isaiah 7:⁹ . . .   If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.

Acts 26: (New American Standard Bible) ¹⁶‘But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;

I’m not Paul and I dare say none of you are either but surely these Passages are speaking to someone this morning.

What if with every hard and difficult ‘gift’ that comes into our lives, what if we by faith took a stand and would allow ourselves to  believe and apply: for this purpose I have appeared to you (I have allowed this to come to you) to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you?

If you will share your thoughts.

I am quiet and sober here, ABBA, so much so that I really don’t want to disturb what You are speaking to our hearts now.  Holy Spirit do all as You will in JESUS NAME.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010

FOR PRAYER AND PRAISE:

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

I am grateful to say the day started off well. I was walking by 5:38 and had thoughts forming for Thursday’s devotional before then.  And as life would have it not everything went according to MY plans but all is well despite it.  And now it is nearly 4:00 — here’s hoping morning thoughts will come together this afternoon.

A question arose this morning at Romans 8:35.  Will it? Yes, that’s the question.  Will it?

Lets read.

Romans 8:35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Good question, wouldn’t you say?  Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Will it? Will we let hard times ‘inspire’ us to doubt the love God is and has for us? To be sure our doubts do not separate us from Him; nor do they change His love for us; but don’t we sometimes  allow ourselves to FEEL less loved?   Don’t we often equate love with getting what we want from Him, when we want it?

So, will it?  Will we let hard times drive us to feeling estranged from Him?  Lets read on.

36. Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” 37. But (This is a really important word here — BUT) in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. This is some serious persecution, wouldn’t you say?  Yet our Penman, Paul, confirms he is loved. Why is that? 38. For I am convinced (and there is the key.  He is convinced; he does not doubt JESUS LOVES ME) that neither death, nor life, no angels, nor principalities, no things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39. nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So what it comes down to is Paul was convinced that getting his brand new car scratched to the metal in a parking lot, or finding every checkout lane has 3 or more in line waiting, or being excluded from the lunch click because he prays before eating, or  having  worked all day and there’s not a thing in this house to eat, or not having a ‘thing’ to wear to Mary’s party — none of this would  cause him to entertain the idea that God was holding out on him. None of this would be reason enough for Paul to say woe is me I think I’ll just have a flesh fit.

Neither will it us … will it?

ABBA, You know You delighted me so this morning when You began to form this lesson as I read the TEXT.  And I am so grateful that nothing will ever separate me from You and yet I know that I am susceptible to the darts of the Evil One who would have me believe this is not so.  Who would have me believe that You quickly and easily turn Your Back on me and maliciously withhold good things from me just because You can.  It’s the same old lie he spoke to Eve  and many of us have bought into it even as she did. But Praise You JESUS we are learning better and we are grateful.  Thank You.  So I ask You know to encourage each IDOK and minister this Word as You see fit.  And before we put this post to rest we pray for our IDOK Troops; for peace of mind and for safety and protection for spirit, soul and body of each one of them.  And collectively and individually we pray for Your Will for all those named on our Praying For These list.   We remember too Israel, praying for peace, praying for protection, praying that nothing You have given them will they give over to another. And we pray for America, asking You to forgive us and bring us to repentance.  And praying for Your Church, asking You to revive us, refresh us and consume us with holy love for You and people, desiring above all that they be saved and we be useful to You and them in the rebirth process.  And since Elaine comes to mind, I just lift her up; You are doing a wonderful work in her.  Thank You, ABBA.  My prayer is for her physical comfort as much as possible and for her soul and spirit to display You.  All this we ask in the Name and Merits of JESUS. Amen and amen.