Category Archives: Christian Living

Christian Living

Fire Study

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This has been a study day, but not much IDOK writing. Leah over at The Point began our on-line study of From the Trash Pile to the Treasure Chest – Creating A Godly Legacy today. So I viewed the video, answered two questions and did Day 1 of Week 1 of my workbook and after a walk started background reading for Sunday School.  Nothing of any significance done in the house but the study has been been just what I wanted to do! So let me pull something from my study materials and share a short :) word with you for our Friday time together.

We are in I Kings 16:29 – 22:53 – well that’s the background Scripture – and no I’m not finished reading it all yet.  Got some good notes though.

Read with me I Kings 18:36-39

Verse 36. At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said,

Now let me stop right here to say the prophets of Baal had been calling on him all day, screaming, hollering, yelling, cutting themselves, jumping up and down, even tore down the altar of the LORD with all their hysterics, jumping and dancing around.  And as you know, Baal answered not a word. No fire. Nothing. Zilch!

Lets get back to Elijah. “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.”

They yelled, screamed, begged, pleaded; Elijah talked! That is what prayer is TALKING TO GOD.  Do you love it?

Verse 38. Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.”

Well, it’s about time!

And yet have we not all been so far out there in left field that God had to rain ‘fire’ to get us to get down so we could get up? Have we not all yelled, screamed, danced around the truth, and mutilated our testimony? Well, Praise the LORD! Perhaps not all, but for those of us who have “You (HE) have turned their heart back again.” That’s what Elijah asked for and that is what he got.

Let’s see what else we can learn from Elijah’s prayer. He began by reciting who God is. That always helps. To know Who you are talking to. Especially when we are talking to GOD. To know Who He is and Who He has been to YOU. What His history is with you. It is really good to remember that when we are talking to Him. Now I may be naive but I don’t think Elijah was worried, at this point, about his reputation or God’s; but He was reminding himself by reminding God that GOD always keeps His word and His character never changes. It would be good for us to keep that in mind too when we are talking to Him. And Elijah was concerned about the people. We should be too. All peoples. Family. Friends. People we like. People we don’t like. Concerned enough to pray that the LORD will turn wayward hearts back to Him or to Him for the first time. And may it be that we begin this praying before it takes fire hot enough to burn stone to get their attention or ours.  I’m just saying….

Let me encourage you to visit Leah’s Blog even if you are not doing the study.

And stop by Praying for These and refresh the names in your mind.

Well, DADDY GOD, it’s on the screen. You are so good to me! Do what You will with it in the hearts of our Readers. And thank You for the good work You have begun in each of us. I pray we won’t back down now but keep on keeping on with You. Thank You for reading with me the Names on our list; thank You for loving them and seeing their faces and their hearts and their needs, even the deepest ones. And thank You for working with them and on their behalf. Our IDOK Troops too. Those home and those abroad – we pray for holiness and for transformations as well as peace and safety and protection.  Now thank You for Elaine, she blesses me every time I read at her blog. I do so pray that You will completely heal her and more than make up to her what the cancer has taken. And thank You for Leah and Kimberly and so many other sister Bloggers out there. Thank You for this media of sharing. Help us, help me, be careful with it. Help us value people, treasure them and lift them up and yet at the same time never, ever, ever compromise what You have spoken in Your Word.  To balance hating the sin but loving the sinner. Thank You for loving on our People in JESUS NAME.  Amen and amen.

Holy hugs till Monday!!

Kathie

Assurance - Promise, Christian Living

I Am Glad!

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Psalm 104.

I am uncertain as I begin just how much I will write today because I would rather you invest your time reading it (Psalm 104) than reading anything I might write. I wrote a bit in the margins of my Bible and I prayed I would be  able to share the right portion of it with you.

I’ve been learning some things, I’ve been admitting out loud some things about me today. One of those is I live in a fear. A fear that if I don’t rush to write, rush to share, I’ll forget.  We have begun the process of changing that today.  So I finished 104 and even began 105 before coming to write. AND I am trusting that what appears on this page will be what should appear on this page. God has a perfect memory … mine does not have to be to serve Him. If that is not freeing to some of us, I don’t know what is!!

This could work for me! :)

And all that has nothing to do with Psalm 104.

What does have to do with Psalm 104 is that it is a brand new chapter that ABBA just added today.  Of course, I am joking! It’s just that today it is as alive as I have ever known it to be to me.  And it’s about CREATION. His Creation. Which He did! However He did it; He did it! And I am glad.

And I am glad He has command of the elements. All of them.  Clouds, wind, water — all of them. HE is in charge.  (1 – 4)

Of course, I knew that before today but I am immensely enjoying seeing it highlighted on the page of MY Bible.

5. He established the earth upon its foundations, So that it will not totter forever and ever. Will not totter! Secure. Stationed. Man cannot/will not destroy HIS CREATION.

9. You set a boundary . . . . And I stopped right there for a few minutes.  Did you know, of course you do, that our GOD is the GOD of order and boundaries? GOD is the Original Boundary Setter. The ocean can only go so far.  It has boundaries. He set boundaries in His World.  And from that I have concluded that  it  would be a very good idea for us to set boundaries in ‘our world’. Based firmly and completely upon what He tells us from His Word, we can, we must, set boundaries for our world – what we think, what we say, what we do AND what we let others say and do in our presence.

It is alright, It’s a GOD thing for us to set boundaries of conduct for ourselves, for our children, our grandchildren and, yes, even our friends and other family members.  It’s okay to say this is my limit and this is your limit in relationship with me.  As I said, though, ALL based upon what He has shown us in HIS WORD.

Okay. There’ s a whole lot more. But I’m done for today. A boundary. :)

LORD FATHER, You are awesome! I have no words sufficient enough to praise You; but You know my heart. And I am so glad about that. I am glad about today and what You have done today. Thank You. And I pray that as our Readers come to their screens and they read these words that they will be glad too. Glad at You. Glad about You.

As we remember our Praying for These. How precious they are. And how Good You are to allow us this privilege of praying for them. We are not privy to all their needs, all the details and even the guarded things of their hearts  – but You are. And that is so good. So, ABBA, considering all You know and all You are, we pray Your Will be done for each of them. Our IDOK Troops included.  And, ABBA, thank You for this ministry. Let the boundaries of it be YOURS, not mine.

Psalm 103: 17 – 19 But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, To those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them. The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.

Holy hugs,

Kathie

Christian Living

Food!

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Food. Why do we need it? Just what does it do for us?

Those were questions I asked myself when I read John 4:34Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.

Let’s see. Food to the body is fuel.  It builds cells which build tissue, muscles, organs, and our whole body system.  We must have food for the body to function; without it, our bodies die. Rather important, huh?

But that’s not all.  I say food is for pleasure too. How great is to sit around a table with people you love and respect sharing bowls of chili, salad,  and slices of upside-down apple pie? It’s pretty great that’s what it is! Holy fun you could say. :)  Food. Important stuff.

My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.

How’s that verse strike you now?

To JESUS, doing the will of The Father was LIFE to Him.  Doing the will of the Father fueled Him. It gave Him energy. It kept Him going. He LIVED to do the will of The Father. And He ENJOYED doing the will of The Father. It gave Him pleasure. It fed His Emotions, it fed ALL of Him to do the will of The Father.

That’s something to ‘chew’ on, isn’t it?

Food.

Is there anything that crosses our senses that He has not designed to tell us He loves us and that we need Him?

Nope! Don’t think there is! Do you?

Thank You, FATHER. And HOLY SPIRIT, will You take this and light it up for our Readers? Will You speak to hearts and encourage and empower us to be like JESUS? Desiring to do the will of The Father more than anything else? I invite You to; for them and for me.   Amen and amen in JESUS’ name.

Holy hugs, Kathie

The Scripture passages referenced above were obtained at Biblegateway.com.