Monthly Archives: August 2013

Say Something! (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2010

Say Something!

Just a quick word as I move into some study time this cool, damp, wonderful Friday morning.  Just now I picked up the notes I made while Margaret Kennedy was speaking last weekend.  Her introductory Scripture was John 17:3And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.  [source] And her introductory comment was that God wants us to KNOW Him.  And since He does, He is all about making Himself known to us.  He is NOT into hiding from us. Nor does He hide His will for us from us.  (Truth is we are the ones who do the hiding – we humans have been doing that since the Garden of Eden – but that’s another train and we are not getting on it today!) True, many things about God are mysteries to us. Yet, I dare say some of those mysteries are not due to Him secluding Himself from us but rather our failure to open our eyes and hearts to see what is right in front of us.  So what I am saying is what I heard from Margaret – that for us to KNOW God we have to RESPOND to Him.  My notes say:  God wants us to respond to Him. And for me to be free, to live free, I must respond to Who He reveals Himself to me to be.  And for Him to reveal Himself to me I have to quiet my soul.  That is I must Stop, Look and Listen to Him and FOR Him and then RESPOND to Him according to what He reveals.  And when I do He will reveal more and more and more of Himself to me.  

I know we know, but just for black and white clarification here’s my on-line dictionary definition of the word respond: to say something in return; make an answer

Do you see what I see?  When we open our Bibles and we read, we are expected to say something in return; make an answer.   And when we consistently do that we will KNOW Him – more and more we will KNOW Him.   Is this making sense to anybody?

A lot of hours and a lot of being and doing has gone on since putting those responding words on the screen.  Holy Spirit, You know all the needs in all the lives spoken about here and so I think I can only pray do what is best, LORD.   And there are still other hurts and other illnesses and other disabilities; take our prayers, help us offer them up in faith and love and see You glorified in them all.  I pray for rest for our IDOKs and Readers.  I pray for peace for them.  I pray for them to KNOW You.  I pray for them to desire above all things to KNOW You; to practice daily, moment by moment, living in Your Presence.  We pray for our IDOK Troops, again for their protect and safety; for their well-being in spirit, soul and body; for them to be free of malice in a hostile world and for each one of them to come home safe and sound in spirit, soul and body at the appointed time.  Thank You for being You and for allowing us the privilege of loving You and this greatest of all adventures, knowing You through Jesus our Savior. Amen and amen.

Kathie

 

Nail Gunk (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2010

Nail Gunk

I hope you all do not tire of me bringing our devotion time together from my journaling in my 90 Days with Jesus the One and Only.  In 2003 these IDOK Devotions were born as I one morning quickly shared a nugget from my quiet time study with a few close girlfriends – it seems good that I not stray from that practice too much.

So this morning I read this: I can’t get away from the picture of You bowing before Your disciples and washing their feet.  But help me also not be able to get away from Your following statement to them: “If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  And then I read: Show me those who need their feet washed today, and help me follow through.

And yes I added my own Amen to that, saying yes this is the prayer to pray.  Who in my world needs their feet washed by me?  And am I willing to do it? And does it make a difference to me who? Would I wash some feet happily and some not? 

I know the answer to that.  I knew it when I asked.  And in the course of the conversational prayer this helpful revelation came in the form of another question: And is that because I would be focusing on the wrong feet?  Is it that I should see any feet as YOUR FEET?  And we know the answer to that.  And no doubt it will work – if we will practice. Matthew 25: (New King James Version) 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ [source]

And that being written I am thinking, FEET.  Of all parts of the body to wash – the feet — the part in that time that got SO dirty with all the crude of those dirt paths they walked.  And in sandals, for crying out loud!  Oh my goodness the gunk under the nails must have been — yuck!  The LORD sure knew what He was saying.  We may not be asked to literally wash the feet of others but I dare say we know some folks whose conduct is ‘nail gunk’ for sure!  And so as we encounter their ‘nail gunk’, shall we remember that humbling ourselves to forgive them and minister to them according to the direction of the Holy Spirit is as washing the Feet of Jesus? ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ [source]  Truthfully, would not you consider it an honor and a privilege to kneel and wash His feet?  Luke 7 (NKJV):36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.  [source]

Should it be any less a privilege and an honor to in His Name wash the feet of our Sisters and Brothers?  Something to ponder, I think.

ABBA, I am glad to be here again with our IDOKs and Readers.  This lesson I think is not the easiest to digest; so I pray You will help us be willing to chew on it long enough to get the nourishment from it that You desire for us to have. We want You to be glorified and magnified in the lives of each One whose name we speak here today.  And we pray too for our IDOK Troops for their safety and protection in spirit, soul and body.  Thank You for the plans You have for us; Thank You that You make Your Will for us known to us and I pray we will exercise the courage You have placed in us to do Your Will. I pray for our IDOKs and our Readers, for rest and refreshing.  I pray for our local churches that a desire for individual and cooperate prayer will be renewed and revival will come and Jesus will be exalted.  Amen and amen.

Kathie

 

The Chief Shepherd (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2010

THE CHIEF SHEPHERD

Today’s writing is being put together in sessions even more so than normal – I’m not in my PJs all day today.  In fact, I’m dressed, hair styled, the whole bit already.  I have a fun appointment at 11:00 so I will be cutting out of here shortly.  But I at least wanted to get started. 

Shall we begin? I Peter 5:4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.  [source]

Well, shut my mouth!  Not really.  That says YOU.  Meaning We.  Will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away!!!! Does that mean what I think it means?  We get the crown?  NO. No. No. No!  HE DESERVES THE CROWN.  Not us! Are you thinking what I am thinking? You are, aren’t you? (Revelation 4:10-11) We get them and we will most gladly lay them at His feet.  Oh how gracious of Him to GIVE us the appropriate offering to give BACK to Him!!  I’ve said it and I’ll say it again and again.  HE IS AWESOME!!

1 Peter 5 (New King James Version) 1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.  5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”   6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. [source]

Lets recap. 

He is the Good Shepherd – feeds and tends His Sheep. 

He is the Great Shepherd – died and rose again for His Sheep. 

He is the Chief Shepherd – rewards His Sheep. And not only rewards, but He IS our REWARD. Genesis 15: 1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” (emphasis mine)  [source]

What an honor, a privilege and a HUGE responsibility to be called to ‘shepherd’ the ‘flock’ until Jesus comes!  We cannot pray too much for our Pastors, Evangelists, Teachers and each other – don’t we ALL have someone to ‘shepherd’?  Let us be faithful!  Ya’ll delight me!

Thank You, ABBA, another day of joy with You.  And, LORD, You truly are our REWARD.  You truly are LIFE to us. 

I have some folks on my mind and I think I am not alone in that.  I figure probably all our IDOKs and Readers have matters on their hearts that they are not really talking about but it’s heavy and were in not for You it could not be borne. We are in this moment entrusting You with these things.   With not only these things but all these listed here too; You know the requests are many and varied and we know You are able; we know You care; we know You are love and mercy and grace and that is enough for us.  We trust You to tend and care for each one.

We trust You with our IDOK Troops; You know better than we their needs in every place and we ask only for Your Will to be for each one.

And, ABBA, I ask You now for peace and rest for all our IDOKs and Readers.  And I pray Your Word will accomplish all that You are sending it forth to do in Jesus Name. Amen and amen.

Kathie

The GREAT SHEPHERD (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2010

The GREAT SHEPHERD

I am REALLY late sitting to write today; it’s scary how close it is to 4 o’clock and supper has not even been planned much less started.  How transparent shall I be??? I’m still in my PJs!  What have I been doing??? Reading – mostly. I am telling you if you think insecurity is not a problem for you, you would not be unlike me before Beth’s book.  But so far this I know, you are a rare, rare specimen of female flesh indeed if you have escaped the land of insecurity.  And I have learned for that matter, so are men – insecure, I mean. Really! So let me again encourage you to get it and read it. 

We have only one place in Scripture to go to see our Savior entitled the Great Shepherd. 

Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. [source]  Amen to that!  How is it that we do not have peace?  How could we miss it? How could we not walk in this peace that this so GREAT A SHEPHERD purchased for us with His very own Blood?  Lets zero in on some of these words in particular.

Everlasting covenant: That means He is not going to change His mind about it – about you, about me.  The GREAT SHEPHERD has the power to keep on loving you, keep on loving me when we mess up.  He even has the power to teach and train us to mess up less and less!

Make you complete: That means He is not going to leave us like He found us when He saved us.  He is going to keep working with us and in us until He COMPLETES us.  NOW that is GOOD NEWS!  

Well pleasing in His sight: Oh my goodness!  Do we get that? The GREAT SHEPHERD in us makes US well pleasing in ABBA’s sight! Well pleasing! Could there be anything, anywhere, any better than that? Heavenly Days! He is the GREAT SHEPHERD!  Not only does HE tend to us, delivers us from parasites, feeds us, waters us, died for us BUT HE AROSE FOR US. He defeated DEATH for us.  Though we may die, yet we will live!  News Flash! Our Eternal Life does not begin when we close our eyes here on this terrestrial ball and open them in Heaven!  Our Eternal Life began when we said, ‘Yes, Jesus, I will ‘marry’-covenant with You and let You be my Savior!’   So do we believe it?  Then let us get up from here and there and act like we do and it won’t be long till we will be FEELING it, not just knowing it!

Thank You, LORD, You are the GREAT SHEPHERD that lives forever and ever to make intercession for us and we are so grateful.  We are grateful that we can bring every thought, hope, dream, fear, need and want to You and You will tend to us.  You will feed, water and relieve of us guilt, shame, empower us to live victoriously and then when all that is done take us to live with You eternally. It’s more than we can take in but we accept and thank You.

And we come now praying for others; for each one listed here asking for Your best for them; asking for our IDOK Troops to be safe and sound in spirit, soul and body; asking that each IDOK and each Reader be able to hear You speak Your Word to them individually.  I ask for rest and restoration for them and for their greatest desire to be to love You and serve You and, ABBA, this I ask in the Name of Jesus. Amen and amen.

Kathie

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2010

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

As I start this I do not know where it is going.  But truth be known that is not unusual and it’s not that I don’t like it that way – I do.  What to write or what to speak from Scripture is an avenue where surprises please me.  

I am deep into reading So Long Insecurities by Beth Moore.  It’s revolutionizing and in my opinion it’s not a book for wimps.  And other than encouraging you to get a copy I will not say much more.  And NO, you cannot borrow mine – there is a limit to my transparency and you should be VERY glad of that!  I’ve probably written more in the margins of the pages of this book than any book in my life.  It looks more like a ‘workbook’ than some of my earlier workbooks with her and I’m only on page 203.  I said I’d hush, didn’t I?  Okay. Moving on.

My dear sister-in-law, Brenda, and I were discussing Jesus the other day and she told me He is described as the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd and the Chief Shepherd.  She’s right.  I ran an on-line search in the King James Version and, in part, this is what I found.

Only John’s Gospel names Him as the Good Shepherd and that is found in John 10.  And in John 10 Jesus is talking to the Pharisees.  He has just healed a man blind from birth which brought on a verbal exchange and the Pharisees became indignant about it. And in verse 11 He says: I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. [source]

He, the Good Shepherd, most assuredly gave His life for us ‘two-legged sheep’. There is no doubt, He did (does) for us what a good shepherd would do for the ewes, rams, wethers and lambs in his charge – he tends them.  He feeds them, waters them, guides them, protects them from all predators, keeps parasites out of their heads and if need be he lays his life on the line for them.  And for us there was that need be, so Jesus laid down His life for us.

John 10: (New King James Version) 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.  17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”  [source] You know WE are those other sheep, don’t you?

And as I am writing, I wonder what do ‘good’ sheep do?  And I think this: Good sheep eat the food given them – all of it – and ask for more.  Good sheep drink the water offered them. Good sheep stay within the boundaries marked by the shepherd.  Good sheep don’t go traipsing off by themselves, off the path the shepherd is leading them on.  Good sheep submit to parasite inspection and are glad to be rid of them. Good sheep trust their shepherd and will loyally follow him to their own death.  Are you drawing any parallels here?  I sure am!  Am I a good sheep?  Are you a good sheep? We’re working on it and we are better than we were.  Aren’t we? Rejoice in this today!  And if you cannot rejoice because you really aren’t getting better; you really aren’t following Him, you can get His RX for those parasites today and begin the healing process immediately. I’m here if you want to ‘talk’ – you got my email address.

Maybe tomorrow we will look at the passages where we see Him as the Great Shepherd.

ABBA, this is good I think.  Thank You.  And I pray it will resonate with our IDOKs and Readers and that we will be able to rejoice at how far You have brought us and that You are not finished with us yet and that You will not stop until we are that Finished Work, that Finished Masterpiece You have in Your Mind and Heart for us to be.   And if perchance there are some out there that have left the path, have not been feeding and watering and have become parasite infested, I pray that You will reveal this to them and I pray they will agree to let You heal them.  And I pray You will send some sisters (and brothers for the guys) alongside to help them – to give them Your counsel, to love them and pray with them, to listen and care about them. I pray this IDOK Body will be the best we can be, not for our glory, but Yours.  Keep us straight, LORD.  Keep us straight!

And, I dare not forget our IDOK Troops, to ask You again today to keep them safe and protect them from snipers of all kinds; those that would harm spirit, soul or body.  You have been so gracious, please keep on giving them Your grace and bring each one of them home safe and sound I pray.   My heart is still with Israel, for their peace, for their safety and prosperity; thank You for keeping Your Hand upon them.  Thank You for Your Hand upon America too.  Thank You for the ‘grassroots’ that are shooting up all over; keep us thick and healthy enough to get the job done but not overbearing so as to harm others who yet don’t believe the Truth.   I pray we who believe in the Roots, the Foundation upon which America came to be will influence more and more people to believe the Truth and that You will restore America.  And, ABBA, even now in closing out this session, keep my heart stayed on You and all our IDOKS and Readers.  And this I ask in Your Name Jesus, our Savior, our Lord and our King.  Even so Come Quickly, Lord Jesus.  Amen and amen. 

Kathie