Monthly Archives: July 2013

Copy Paste Chew Again

The Difference (again)

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IDOK Devotion for Friday, March 5, 2010
The Difference
            I’ve attended two funerals this week – same place, different days.  At one I worshiped, at the other I sat heavy in my seat.  One was young, the other older. One loved gospel music, the other didn’t. One was a giver, the other a taker.  At one there were loud wails, the other quiet tears in confidence.  What made the difference?  At one Jesus was welcomed.  At one He was exalted.  And HE made all the difference.  He always makes all the difference. He is the difference. 
            I’ve decided if I must go by way of the under-taker rather than the Up-taker, I want a really good funeral.  I want Jesus to be front and center.  I want praise and worship.  I want clapping of hands, even raising them, please. I want the ‘mourners’ to leave there talking about Jesus instead of me.  
            My ‘Little Girl’ and I were talking recently about ‘old’ people and how sometimes they are just really cantankerous, just down right unpleasant to be around; and I said to be a sweet old person, you have to start practicing now while you are young (younger).  To have a really good funeral, we have to start practicing now too – dying to ourselves and living to Christ.  That will ensure us a really good funeral and it’ll keep us sweet when we are ‘old’ too.
Matthew 16:(New King James Version)
25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
I Corinthians 15: (NKJV)
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:  “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O Death, where is your sting?   O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

            AMEN and AMEN even so come LORD JESUS and until You do grow us into men and women who are steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work You have called us to do for we know, LORD, any labor done for You will not be in vain.   No prayer prayed in Your Name will be in vain.  No deed done for Your glory will be forgotten by You or go unrewarded.  No life lived for You will be wasted.  ABBA, comfort the grieving I pray.  And inspire us to die to ourselves so we can really live.  Remembering all whose names will be spoken here; we don’t want to leave out even one; that all of them would know You touch.   You know our hearts, You know all the stuff represented here and in it all we just want You glorified.  I love you LORD.  Thank You for making it so. Amen and Amen.

Kathie

Copy Paste Chew Again

Lift a Finger Week (again)

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IDOK Devotion for Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Lift A Finger Week.
         Psalm 63:2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.  4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
            And on the heels of reading that came this:  What does it profit us to lift our hands in the sanctuary on Sunday morning, and go home and fail to lift a finger to help anyone the rest of the week? 
            And Luke 5:  5Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
            But because you say so – I love that!  I love that Peter even though he didn’t see the point in it and didn’t expect the results that Jesus knew would come from Peter’s obedience, he let down the nets. 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
            What if after we leave the sanctuary, even if we don’t see the point, even if our expectations are way lower than what Jesus knows will be, what if we lifted a finger anyway?   Don’t know how to lift a finger?  Oh, I bet we do.  I bet there are some fingers that have been pointing at us for months now — to do this for someone — to do that for someone.  Well, now’s the time. This is Lift a Finger week for IDOKs.  This week is the week for us to go about doing good and here’s our example.
            Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good . . . for God was with Him.   
            When I sat to write, ABBA, I did not expect this one, not at all; but I pray You will use it and that we will ‘lift a finger’ this week to help as many people as You give us.  Thank You for this ministry; thank You for allowing me to continue in it. And for each name spoken here we want them to experience peace and deliverance and healing.  We want their lives to be changed and made full of Your joy and peace.  We pray when portions of answers depend on them and their will that they will, will to do Your Will.  And when what they need is just You and Your timing, we trust You, LORD, to bring it to be.  All this we ask in the Matchless Name of Jesus. Amen and Amen.
Kathie
Copy Paste Chew Again

GOD Waits Too (again)

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IDOK Devotion for Monday, March 8, 2010
God Waits Too
            Good Morning, Dear Friends who keep me accountable; meeting with you daily at this screen is a privilege I do not take lightly as without you ABBA only knows where I’d be.  As my beloved says from time to time, “thanks for putting up with me.”
            We’ve had a busy weekend around here, starting on Friday and so on Friday I didn’t sit to write, nor Saturday nor Sunday.  And this morning 45 minutes have already slipped by and this page is still nearly blank. 
            I often, perhaps you too, think of myself as waiting on God.  This morning Psalm 65 has reminded me that God waits too.   And He’s been waiting longer than you or I ever have or ever shall wait on Him. 
Psalm 65:1 Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;
         And to You the vow shall be performed.
            My Bible study notes tell me this verse describes a time to come for which God has been waiting since the fall of man, when Eve took a bite into sin and mankind and all creation fell beneath the curse.  This event is also described in Romans 8:(NKJV) 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
            Allow yourself as best you can to imagine how long ABBA has been waiting to see His creation restored to what He made and what He intended it to be before we messed it up.  Are you in AWE of His patience? I don’t know how the Holy Spirit might individually apply this to each of us today, but I am trusting He will.
            Let me give you a little more of Psalm 65 – I urge you to go on-line or pick up your own treasured copy of ABBA’s Word to you and read the whole Psalm but until then here’s a few more verses to whet your appetite.
2 O You who hear prayer,
         To You all flesh will come.
 3 Iniquities prevail against me;
         As for our transgressions,
         You will provide atonement for them.        
 4 Blessed is the man You choose,
         And cause to approach You,
         That he may dwell in Your courts.
         We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
         Of Your holy temple.
                Ain’t that the truth!
            Holy Spirit, I ask You to apply this Word to us individually as you will.  You certainly know about waiting and surely You will empower us to wait.  You never ask of us anything that You have not already done.  You really are AWESOME. 
            As we begin this new week, help us begin well and finish well.  I’m starting off with my ‘scheduling’ off, redeem it I pray.  And for anything that is ‘off’ for any of us this morning, I ask You to redeem it.  For Moms whose morning may start off rushed and chaotic I ask You to redeem it.  Somehow sing us a song or recite a portion of Your Word, something that will enable us to step back from jumping into a flesh fit with both feet and instead hold onto Your Peace and refuse to let it go.  
            And now we pray for all  our IDOK and Reader families; as I pray for my own, ABBA, that hedge of protection around my daughters and my sons and my grandchildren, that hedge to keep out anything that would eternally harm them, and those prickly thorns on the inside that is just enough to remind them to back away from sin, that is just enough to remind them to do the right thing today for Your Sake, Jesus.
            We also pray now for each one spoknen here; You know the cry of their hearts and we ask You to be merciful.  We ask You to comfort them; sit and speak peace to them – pour out Your Grace and Sweet Presence to them.  And we don’t want to leave out anyone here.  We pray for strength and help and healing for each one just the way You want to do it, ABBA.  I pray for the peace of Israel and for the redemption of Your Creation just as You have been waiting all this time.  And, thank You, Jesus, for saving us.  Thank You for being the Atonement we had to have to enable us to love You and call You, ABBA. Amen and Amen
Kathie