IDOK DEVOTION FOR FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2010

FOR PRAYER AND PRAISE

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

1 Timothy 2 (New American Standard Bible) ¹First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,  ²for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  ³This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,  ⁴who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

I have said and I have believed – and I still do –  that we the people of America (The Electoral) in our last National Election wanted a ‘king Saul’.  And we got one.  But a Light came  on for me today when I read words in my Journey ( A LifeWay Publication).

“God puts our elected officials in place. No matter if we voted for them or not, agree with their politics or not, or even like them or not, He commands us as JESUS-followers to pray for them. It’s another way to demonstrate our belief that God is sovereign over everything that happens here. Election results, whether they gladden us or make us despair, do not catch God by surprise. (Emphasis mine) And we must always remember that our God  can change the hardest of hearts and make them His own, for the good of all His people. He is always working to bring more people into His heavenly kingdom regardless of any election results.”

‘He is always working to bring more people into His heavenly kingdom regardless of any election results.’  That’s what did it for me!

Elections however they go are designed by God to condition people to LOOK UP.  Not to the capitol; be it Washington DC or Montgomery, Alabama.  Election results are just another means through which God is speaking to people, seeking to save and rescue people.  The bottom line is that DADDY God is all about saving people.  ALL that He does; ALL that He allows is about rescuing people from their sin-filled lives.

I feel better now. I haven’t changed my mind about ‘king Saul’ but I still feel better.  And somehow praying for him is easier now. Hallelujah! Thank You, JESUS!

ABBA, I am grateful for this message.  I am grateful that You turned this Light on for me.  Thank You.  And I pray to be faithful to the Light You have shown.  Thank You for the unsurpassable love  You have for men, women, boys and girls and that You are continually pursuing us, to save us for a relationship with You.  And You know there are folks I am praying to come to know You.  It comforts me to know that You will not fail to send messages to them.  My prayer is they will listen and be saved.

You know the events of this day; You know our whereabouts, You know when we rise, You know when we sleep; You know when we have difficulty doing either and You are our Helper.  I pray we not forget.   And I pray for our IDOK Troops for their safety and protection; for their safe homecomings.  And for our List For Prayer – each one, not our will but Your will be done.  And for America I pray again that You have mercy and send Holy Spirit revival to the saints and Holy Spirit conviction to the unrepentant sinners and for space and grace to repent.  I continue to pray for Israel, for peace and protection. And for President Obama, his family and all persons he has surrounded himself with — You know the need, You know the plan and I pray for Your Will to be done in JESUS Name. Amen and amen.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2010

FOR PRAYER AND PRAISE

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

I’m continuing to read in Matthew.  I picked up today at 5:43 and if we thought 38 through 42 was heavy, we are about to see Heavier.

Matthew 5:⁴³“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’    ⁴⁴“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Why?  Why love them?  And even more than why, how? Why and how can I pray for someone who is persecuting me?  They surely don’t deserve it – do they? Would those be familiar questions?  Want the answer?

⁴⁵so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;

We are not called to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors because they deserve it.  We are called to love and pray for them because GOD said so.  How many times have we answered our son or daughter’s why with ‘because I said so.’?

And beyond that, ABBA knows if we resist and refuse to love our enemies, and refuse to pray for our persecutors, such disobedience will destroy us.  Not them, but us! But we don’t really believe that, do we?  We don’t really believe that hating them is hurting us.  In fact  sometimes we think it even feels ‘good’ to hate them, don’t we?

But there’s more.

Romans 8: (New American Standard Bible) ²⁹For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

Having been birthed into the Family of God, having become His Sons and Daughters, more than anything else in life, more important than anything else we do —  we must be conformed to the image of JESUS.  And who did JESUS intercede for on the cross?  And what did He pray?  What did He pray for the very ones who were crucifying Him?  Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.  (See Luke 23:34)

So, we got the Why.  Now for the How.  How can I forgive them?  How can I pray for them?

And the answer: We can believe God.

Philippians 4: (New International Version) ¹³I can do everything through HIM who gives me strength.

It’s as simple as this: When we really believe, we act on it!

ABBA, I didn’t know Matthew was such a heavy book.  But  it is  TRUTH and it’s worthy to be read, believed and obeyed.  I pray we all will believe and obey.

I pray for our IDOK Troops.  Please keep them safe and protected and bring them home safe and sound.

And I pray for each  on our list for prayer – You know each need.  And I pray for each of our IDOKS and Readers, asking for peace and comfort.  And, ABBA, for JoAnn, I can only ask Your Will be done and for peace and comfort for all those who love her.   You know the cares and concerns of all our hearts; line our hearts up with Yours, ABBA, and all will be well in JESUS NAME.  Amen and amen.

⁴⁵so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  ⁴⁶“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  ⁴⁷“If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  ⁴⁸“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2010

Praise Reports, Prayer Requests and Updates:

Well, Ladies (and Gents) this morning’s Journey just sat me back in my chair! So may I share it with you for Wednesday the 14th?

It is titled The (not so) Express Lane and it tells the story of a woman, name not given, so it could be any one of us — men included — who get in the Express Lane at our local buy everything store and as you are expecting the express lane is NOT express.

Our protagonist in this story is in a hurry.  She has a child to pick up from summer camp and there are 3 people ahead of her in line.  The cashier seems uncommonly slow and it takes a full ten minutes for ‘our friend’ to get her items to the Cashier.  And as you are expecting she was not smiling and she was not smiling ON PURPOSE.  She fully intended for the Cashier to know her disapproval for the slowness with which she had checked out the three previous shoppers.

However, the woman at the register seemed oblivious to our shopper’s curtness and she smiled sweetly.  So cordial!  But our sister shopper was ticked.  Bear in mind just 10 minutes earlier she was concerned about timely getting her son from camp but now she marches herself to Customer Service to voice her complaint.  And then it happened.

The Head Cashier in Customer Service acknowledged that Sheri was a new cashier but that was not the only reason for her slowness — she was recovering from a stroke.  Are we identifying with Sister Shopper?  Oh I am!!  Shall we continue to identify with her?  Yeah.  Been here, done this too.  APOLOGIZE!  And she did.  Humbled herself and went right to Sheri to say she was sorry for her bad behavior.

It is so good of us to apologize when we have behaved badly, but it is excellent of us to behave kindly in our first encounter with ‘Sheri’ or Susie or Rose or Mary or Sam.

Let me take this story a little further … lets say Sheri is not only slow,  she’s crabby as all get out and she ain’t had no stroke!  What would be excellent of us when after 10 minutes we get to  her register?  You got it!  KINDNESS for CRABBINESS.  Yep! That is what is expected of us.   So are we gonna do it or not?

Psalm 37:⁸Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

Proverbs 25:²⁸Like a city that is broken into and without walls
Is a man who has no control over his spirit.

Proverbs 15:¹A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:¹⁸A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute.

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

I dare not argue with this one, DADDY, it fits like a glove and I am strangely comforted that You would give it.  I really do love You and I thank You so, so much for enabling me to love You.  And  by Your grace next check out line however slow it is I expect You, Holy Spirit, to remind me of this and I will choose kindness over crabbiness, just because You ‘ask’ me to.  Oh You are SO AWESOME!!

I have some others things on my mind which You know.  People I love have some opportunities shaping up and above all I want Your Will for them. And in these opportunities are details to work out and so I am asking You right now to do that.  Thank You, ABBA.

Thank You for reminding me.  Kelsie has no doubt been having a blast with You since Sunday but her Mom and Dad (Jon and Amanda) and others are hurting and I know You are tenderly caring for them.  You know and I suspect they don’t understand and they wanted You to heal Kelsie here and give her a long life here with them.   A few months here just doesn’t seem long  enough or right and in a perfect world with no sin it wouldn’t be this way.  For now it is.  I pray, Holy Spirit, that You will just move right in strongly and amaze them with Your Comfort and Help.  And Rylee, Lisa and Damon are so glad she is still here and yet Damon feels guilty in a way that she is and Kelsie is not and yet so grateful too.  Those are hard emotions to process so I am praying that he let You help him process that and come up with Your Mind on it.  Two families, LORD, in much need.  Thank You for letting us pray for them and thank You for tending them, LORD JESUS.

And there are fun things going on too and a young lady playing basketball.  I pray she will play her best, enjoy the time and I pray You will use this event to speak to her.  I want her to know that You love her so much and You have terrific plans for her.  I pray she will walk Your Way.  Keep them safe and bring the family home safe to rejoice and share memories and stories with family waiting.

And our IDOK Troops, let us at no time forget to intercede for them; for their strength and protection and wisdom and willingness to hear and heed what You say to them.  And we boldly ask that You bring each one home safe and sound at the appointed time.  And we pray now too for each person on our List For Prayer.   We still have a lengthy list, that’s bitter sweet, I think. Sad that so many folks are hurting but so blessed that You allow us the privilege of praying for them.  You really are so AWESOME to let us be a part of this ministry.  Thank You so much.  And now it’s about time to put this post to rest, but before I do I pray right now for every one of our IDOKs and Readers – You know every face, you know every heart, You see them where they are right now and I pray for Your Favor to rest upon them; for them to sense You right now and know that they know that they know that You love them.  Really, really love them and nothing is going to happen to them that You are not controlling in love and grace and mercy on their behalf. Thank You, DADDY, in JESUS NAME. Amen and amen.

ABBA, You know this post was set to automatically post several hours ago and yet just now I got the news of the death of  Elizabeth Thompson, Fairhope High School’s 2010 valedictorian, and that her mother is now in the hospital in Baton Rouge.   I just know You are moved with Your Great Compassion for this family and I know they don’t understand why this happened.  Me either.  She was so young, smart and hoping for a bright future.  But I am praying for Mrs. Thompson and all her remaining family, asking for Your help for them now in JESUS NAME. Amen and amen.