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Bottom Line or Smack-dab in the Middle (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2010

Bottom Line or Smack-dab in the Middle

Joyce said this (Friday) morning that it took the Hebrews 40 years to make an eleven (11) day journey.  And that is true.  She also said that it took that long because they were continually impatient, murmuring and complaining. And she is right again, they did that.  But why did they do that? Why did they murmur and complain?  Why were they impatient? Was it because they were human?  Not really.  Was it because the days were long and hot and dry?  To be sure they were that; but I don’t think that was the reason for their impatience or the murmuring or the complaining.  So what was it?  I believe ABBA gives us the answer in Hebrews 3.  There He speaks of the People who came out of Egypt with Moses and we clearly know of whom He was speaking. And then we read verse 19 and we have our answer. 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. [source] So what did they not believe?  Here’s what I think.  I think they refused to believe that GOD IS GOOD.  I think they had lies running through their heads and they chose to believe those lies. Maybe thoughts like these: God cannot be good or He would not put us through this.  He would not leave us out here in this wilderness if He loved us.  He would give me something besides this ______ if He cared about me. He knows I am miserable and still He does nothing to change this mess.  My feet hurt and I’m tired of this! What kind of God is He to let me suffer like this? No good God would do this. Maybe He does not exist at all.  How could He even be God and let this happen to me?

See what I mean?  Any soul who entertains these kinds of thoughts will become bitter, they will complain, and they will murmur because they are smack-dab in the middle of UNBELIEF.  And there is only one way out – stop believing the lies and believe God.  Simple, huh? Yes, simple, but impossible to do – alone that is.  Yes, without faith it is Impossible.  But with God all things are possible, even believing Him.

Hebrews 11:5-7 (New King James Version)

5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. [source]

This has been called God’s Hall of Faith and it goes on and on.

The Bottom Line is this: God IS, He is Good and He loves us – believe Him or not, it’s our choice.  And yes we can believe Him if we want to.  To say we cannot believe is just another lie from the pits of hell.  God built into every one of us a measure of faith big enough to believe Him – if we want to.  Faith enough for our eternal salvation and faith enough to withstand whatever He allows hell to throw at us in the here and now.  Say it with me: God is Good, all the time, every time, God is good!

Romans 12:3 (New King James Version) For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. [source]

I have one more verse to offer.  As we read it let us be mindful that the sin of unbelief starts as a ‘temptation’.

1 Corinthians 10: (New King James Version)13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.  [source]

ABBA, Thank You that even the temptation of unbelief can be overcome; that You have made a way of escape for us.  Thank You that You have given each of us the measure of faith that we, individually, need.  You have not left any one of us without the spark to build a roaring fire of faith in You.  Thank You.  This gives me much comfort and I pray it will all our IDOKs and Readers.   And now we come to ask You to minister to all those spoken here; we do not know enough to pray with specifics so I am specifically asking You to heal, and glorify Yourself so much that if there is any lost soul who sees what You do that they will come out of their unbelief and be saved.   And we pray for our IDOK Troops, for their safety and protection, and most of all for them to know You and love You more fully. There are many other things on the minds and hearts of each of us, I pray for Your Will to be done in all of it for Jesus Name sake.  Amen and amen.

Kathie

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Thee and Me (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2010

Thee and Me

            May I tell you I would love to be a poet, but, alas, I am not! However, Calvin Miller is.  I meet him in June of 2004 and he autographed a book for me – When the Aardvark Parked on the Ark.  It’s a children’s book that grown ups can read.  This poem from his book and a verse a two from DADDY GOD’s Book, I think, will be our devotion today.  See if you find a correlation, even a revelation. Does this poem speak volumes to thee, or is it just me?

EATING WITH YOUR EYES OPEN

If a cannibal asks you to dinner don’t groan

Just find out if he ends his dinners alone.

Be sure, above all (if dinner’s at five),

He has it all cooked before you arrive.

Cannibals do have quite excellent taste,

But keep on your side of the table, alert

If your host licks his lips and stares past dessert.

Cannibals are big eaters and terribly strong.

And believe me, their friends never last very long.

Galatians 5: (New King James Version) 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. [source]

This seems to me to be breaking devotional rules,

It’s not something I would normally do.

But I pray this serious subject spoken in what I think, a silly way,

Will ring true in our minds and our souls, this day.

Maybe then we will not pick up a knife and a fork,

To devour someone who should be so close to our heart.

DADDY GOD, I confess I am still sick to my stomach thinking about ___________ and family; I feel drained of words.  I just want to sit here in silence.  Oh how that Mother must feel. Oh DADDY, how do You do it?  How do You bear all this?  I know I wouldn’t have the capacity to understand even if You told me. Help these families; help them breathe, hold their souls together, keep them sane with this insane news.

I can’t just keep sitting here, staring at this screen, the hour is late, bodies are tired.  Comfort us and rest us, I pray.  And tend to every soul written here.  And our IDOK Troops, still we pray for protection and safety and comfort and healing of wounds and safe returns home. Amen and amen.

From “Tales From the Hasidim” Rabbi Moshe of Kobryn said, “When a man suffers, he ought not to say, “That’s bad! That’s Bad!” Nothing that God imposes on man is bad.  But it is all right to say, “That’s bitter!”  For among medicines there are some that are made with bitter herbs.

Kathie

 

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Stringing to Freedom (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2010

Stringing to Freedom

Romans 8: (New International Version) 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,  [source]

            Okay, right now I am just thinking out-loud.  If I sense condemnation that should be to me a red flag waving that in that area, I am not FREE, that is I am not experiencing the freedom that Jesus died to give me.  I am enslaved to something or someone other than Him.  Slavery to anyone or anything other than Christ is a death sentence — for a Christian it is the death of our joy, worship, cheerful service and most likely a whole lot more. Galatians 5: (New International Version) 1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. [source] I underlined for emphasis – it means WE have to do something to experience this freedom He is talking about.  True it is a gift but like gifts from human hands, if we don’t put that ‘ring’ on it does not shine on our finger.

So when I feel that condemnation or I hear it in my own head, I know (at least I am beginning to know) that I have become a slave to whatever it is that has caused me to feel condemned. 

            When I sit and allow the screen of my mind to be filled with images of what she said, or what he did; what they think of me; or worse yet, allow myself to sit there looking at images of how they might be thinking that sermon applies to me and not to them – I am NOT free.  BUT in these recent days, I am learning! Praise HIM I am learning to be FREE!  By His Grace, I am learning how to live FREE in a very costly, enslaving, mean, hostile, debilitating society.  Today is a good day and by His Grace, we will string another day to this day, tomorrow and on and on we will go. 

            I am mindful that this is a pretty personal piece to send out to you; but, hey if there is even a chance that sharing some of my steps to learning might help someone else – I’m on it!  If I am anything, LORD, make me REAL!

How do I honor You in addressing You?  How do I even attempt to encompass in a Name Who You are?  The Great I AM.  How can it be that the Great I AM lives and loves within me?  It’s too much for me, but I accept, DADDY, I accept.  Keep the communion coming; keep pouring on the revelation; keep drawing me into intimacy with You.  Stretch me and fill me and stretch me and fill me, again and again and again, all the way, every day till I see You, Jesus.  Till I behold Your very Hebrew Face; till I see and touch Your Holy hands and feet; till feel Your very real Carpenter Strong and yet God Strong Arms around me.  Oh, LORD, I want to be shamelessly, radically with total abandonment in love with You.  Above all things I could and do ask for, give me this, get me there as close as You can before I see Your Holy Hebrew Face.  And, LORD, for my freedom You died and rose again; oh, I don’t want to waste any of it.  I pray for freedom; freedom from every curse of my flesh, the world and the devil; and not just for me but for all Your Daughters and all Your Sons.  

So, I can ask that for every one of our IDOK Troops, that individually they will lean on You as their very best Friend and the Lover and Keeper of their souls and their very great Reward.  You are good to entrust us with so many to pray for; so many lives we can touch with prayer.  Even when we don’t word it all just right, You are mindful of them, not a one of them listed here do You overlook.  You are amazing! So I am just trusting You with them; to individually give them grace and help just like You would if I specifically asked for just what it is they need.   This is includes Israel too and this Nation we call America and Pastors and Local Churches, all of them represented and connected to these names and email addresses.

And, yes, oh yes, I love You, too!  I cannot fathom it how You could love me or how You could even make it so I know You do, but You have and I do.  Oh, I long to see Your Holy, Beautiful, Holy, Hebrew Face, Face to face.  Even so, come, LORD JESUS, come quickly. Amen and amen.

Kathie

I think I shall leave this quote for a few more days – give it time to bear some more fruit.

 From “Tales From the Hasidim” Rabbi Moshe of Kobryn said, “When a man suffers, he ought not to say, “That’s bad! That’s Bad!” Nothing that God imposes on man is bad.  But it is all right to say, “That’s bitter!”  For among medicines there are some that are made with bitter herbs.