Category Archives: Christian Living

Christian Living, Copy Paste Chew Again

Reminiscing

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Day 35
331 days remaining after today.

Thursday is coming on strong and my screen is well blank so I have found another old post that seems good for today.

IDOK Devotion for Thursday, April 29, 2010 

Susie.  She’s our dog.   A yellow lab.  She’s nearly 8 and weighs in at about 90 pounds.  So she is no small dog and she’s as strong as an ox … well, perhaps not, but you get my drift.  Susie has the run of the back yard within the boundaries of a fence.  It’s a nice fence.  Made of three boards spanning about 3 feet top to bottom with American Wire attached to the boards on Susie’s side which prevents her from utilizing the space between the boards to escape the confines of the backyard.  However,  the boards and the wire are not the only things impeding Susie from leaving the back yard.  Actually, I have no doubt that Susie could easily scale that fence.  And I am equally certain she would be thrilled to be on the other side.  I know this because she will knock down a small child or mid-size woman to get out the gate when it is opened.  For this reason I do not open the gate.  Okay. Okay. I’ll get to my point.  Why does Susie remain in the back yard barring someone leaving the gate open?  Clearly she has the body strength and height to come over that fence.  So what’s holding Susie back?  Here’s what I think.  Susie does not KNOW she can jump/climb over that fence.

I think we are like Susie sometimes.  God has given us gifts, talents, skills and His own dear Presence to empower us, yet we stay in our comfort zones. We stay within the boundaries erected around us.  Boundaries that when we walk up to them, clearly we have the strength in Christ to get over them.  But we don’t.  Why not?  Could it be lack of knowledge?  And why don’t we know?  Have we not read the Scriptures?  Do we not well know, can we not all quote Philippians 4:13?  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. And what about Jeremiah 1:19″They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD. [source]

Is there something that God has put in your heart to do?  Are there some boundaries drawn around your heart, your life that He wants you to scale, to get to the other side of and yet you have not?  Be encouraged.  KNOW — no, BELIEVE.  Believe He in you is enough to do the thing and do it!

ABBA, this is another one of those I want to post right now.   One of those that I think, this is good!  This will ‘preach’. This will resonant with some people.  It’ll light up in someone’s heart and they will be encouraged.   That’s what I think.  And that’s what I am praying for now; that when it reaches the screens of our IDOKs and Readers, they will hear from You.  That You, Holy Spirit, will leap this off the ‘page’ and will encourage someone to BELIEVE You and do great things in Your Name in this world.  Even me, DADDY GOD, even me.   I still don’t know why You let me do this but I am so glad You do.  Thank You.

. . .  So many, so many needs, so many problems; but You are able.  Thank You for taking care of all these.  And, LORD, we ask and we ask and I know that’s okay because You told us to ask and yet in this moment I am thinking wouldn’t it be good to just visit with You and love on You and praise and appreciate You.  Like Beth said this morning just fellowship with You, meaning sometimes we just shut up and listen.  I really want to learn to do that.   So here I go petitioning again… teach us how.   And bless and keep safe our IDOK Troops and their families.   Love on our IDOKs and our Readers and best we know how we are listening in Jesus name.  Amen and amen.

Since the writing of this post in 2010 our Susie has passed away. img_5861We still miss her.

We love You, ABBA, thank You for loving us. Thank You for Your forever faithfulness to us. Your forever love for us. Your forever goodness to us. And, ABBA, thank You for puppy dogs that teach us lessons even now and for photographs. I love You , ABBA. 

Until Next Time ~ ~ ~ Kathie
Your Prayer requests welcomed
Christian Living, Copy Paste Chew Again

Betrothed, Still!

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Day 33
333 remaining after today.

This is a post that has been around for a few years. As best I can tell this was initially written in 2003. That is a few years before I began blogging. After the blog, I re-posted it  in 2008. Well how about one more time in 2016?

IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2008
December 29, 2003 

OH, MY!!! It is so good to be back with you!! And I have so many avenues of thought this morning. Something about choices and we are the filters people see God through but the avenue that most thrills me is found in Hosea 2:19 and 20:
And I will betroth you to ME forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy. I will even betroth you to ME in stability and in faithfulness, and you shall know (recognize, be acquainted with, appreciate, give heed to, and cherish) the Lord. [source]
I do not have words to tell you (I know you can’t believe that …) how much this passage of My Father’s Word means to me this morning. I am betrothed to HIM FOREVER! Even when I make poor choices and even when the filter that I am gets fogged up I AM STILL BETROTHED TO HIM… He still loves me. I am still His and He is still Mine!! Hallelujah!! And I can come boldly into His presence (and humbly, thanking Him from the bottom of my heart) anytime…. Especially when I have made a poor choice or me-the filter is fogged up. OH, How AWESOME HE IS! Okay, so what am I talking about this filter business? The thought came to me earlier this morning as I was preparing to come to the computer that we, Father’s daughters (and sons), are the “filters” through whom the world’s people see God. One of the ways they read Him, see His character, become interested in Him is through us… We filter their perception of Him. Is that sobering, staggering or what? What the people around us think of God is influenced by what they see in us. Now do you see why I am so thrilled with Hosea this morning? Cause when we have made poor choices and those poor choices have fogged and dirtied up the filter… WE ARE STILL BETROTHED TO HIM AND HE TO US!! He does not discarded us even then!! WHAT A PICTURE THAT GIVES TO THE WORLD!! When He says that He is betrothed to us HE MEANS it!! And how is He betrothed to us? — in righteousness and justice. He has given us His righteousness and He is perfectly Just in doing so because JESUS PAID IT ALL!! He has given Himself to us in steadfast love, and in mercy. Do you see that Steadfast Love … His love for us will not fail… No matter what – He has given Himself to us in steadfast love and how did He do that — in mercy. It is BY HIS MERCY THAT HE HAS SAVED US! And it gets better and better. He is betrothed to us in stability and in faithfulness. In this world when stability and faithfulness is such a rare commodity, Our God, Our Father, Our Betrothed is STABLE and FAITHFUL to us!! And on top of all that as we walk with Him as we see His righteousness and justice, His steadfast love, His mercy, His stability and in faithfulness, we shall know (recognize, be acquainted with, appreciate, give heed to, and cherish) the Lord. Just look at that! WE SHALL recognize Him, be acquainted with Him, appreciate Him, give heed to him and CHERISH Him.!!! Now that will affect our choices — won’t it? And keep us as clean filters too!! Ask me if I am tickled this morning?!!! One more thing as I was thinking of these avenues: choices and filters and then read the Scripture I had no idea it would all tie together. I thought choices and filters would just have to wait. IS HE GOOD OR WHAT?!!!

Father God how can I ever say thank You to You!! Thank You for Your Word that bathes our souls with healing and refreshment and every thing else we need to live and breathe. Thank You. And Lord, thank You to be back here with my email family. Thank You for ministry; without You, life would be nothing and ministry, what a gift! Thank You. So Father this morning as I think of my email family and my natural family, my daughters, my “sons”, my grandchildren, my mom, my brothers, and on and on, I ask You this morning to draw them to Yourself; to shower lavishly upon them Yourself; so they will KNOW they are betrothed to You and You are FOREVER and it is a FOREVER relationship. And we are safe with You FOREVER. Thank You. And Lord, because of Who You are in us, help us make wise and good and holy choices today and when we do that we will be good filters for people to see You through and that is what we really want for people to see You and become betrothed to You too for Jesus sake. Amen and amen.
And Father, more than four years later I again say AMEN this request. And now because of Your Grace and Mercy we have many more souls over which to pray and we are grateful; we bring them now individually and pray for Your Will to be accomplished in each soul for Jesus Sake. We pray for our IDOK Troops, for their protection of mind, body and spirit; for wisdom and discernment as they perform their duties today and we ask You to bring each of them home safe and sound at the appointed time. We continue to pray for Israel, for Her peace; and we pray for Repentance for America; for the election of Your Choice for President and for revival in Your Church for Jesus sake.
. . .

And ABBA, again more years have passed and changes have come again and You have been faithful. People we love have slipped from here to be there with You; we are grateful for the time we had them here; we are grateful they are with You; we are grateful we will join You and them at the appointed time. And until then, ABBA, it is our request and our desire to be faithful; to be holy filters that demonstrate Your grace, Your truth, Your mercy, Your love and Good News that You desire ALL Peoples to be saved in YESHUA’s mighty name.

Until Next Time ~ ~ ~ Kathie
Your Prayer requests welcomed

Christian Living, Guests, You Tubes

Coffee

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Day 32
334 remaining after today.

We experienced the movie War Room again this evening. The turn out was really good for a little place in Lower Alabama on a Sunday evening. We laughed, we cried

and now it’s time to practice what we viewed.

And wouldn’t you know it – when I came to Scripture this is the verse that presented. 

18 as you pray at all times, with all kinds of prayers and requests, in the Spirit, vigilantly and persistently, for all God’s people. [source] Ephesians 6

vigilantly and persistently

The Word doesn’t say perfectly but with His help we can vigilantly and persistently pray. There is certainly no lack for matters to pray over. 

So how’s your prayer life?
Mine needs some heating up.
No room temperature coffee for me! 

ABBA, as in the movie was the request that You would raise up warriors; warriors in prayer. Make it so, ABBA, even here at The White Stone. Open a War Room here. Open our hearts here and our mouths to pray and mentor in Yeshua’s name. 

Until Next Time ~ ~ ~ Kathie
Your Prayer requests welcomed

For further viewing:

Christian Living

Small Ropes

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Day 29
337 remaining after today.

. . . 15 He made a whip from small ropes .  .  . [source]

Perhaps without supporting Text those few words are not enough to set the scene for you. He used small ropes to make a whip. Immediately I thought of another whip.

It has nine straps, probably some kind of leather, attached and/or embedded in these leather straps are sharp objects such as iron and bone. The whip’s purpose: [source] This instrument was designed to lacerate. The weighed thongs struck the skin so violently that it broke open. The church historian Eusebius of Caesarea recounts with vivid, horrible detail a scene of scourging. He says, “For they say that the bystanders were struck with amazement when they saw them lacerated with scourges even to the innermost veins and arteries, so that the hidden inward parts of the body, both their bowels and their members, were exposed to view” (Ecclesiastical History, Book 4, chap. 15). [end]

This whip is often referenced Cat of Nine Tails, also known as a Roman flagellum or a flagrum. It is this instrument that was used on YESHUA during the trials and prior to His Execution.

But that is not the whip noted in John 2:15. Small ropes it says.

The Flagellum is set to exact pain, to punish the offender. To punish to the point of death.

Not so with JESUS.  YESHUA’s whip contained no bone, no iron embeds. He was not out for their blood; He would soon be shedding His own for them (for us),

No. YESHUA’s whip was to clean the Temple, to drive out evil, to correct what was wrong there, to make pure, to make it again a House of Prayer.

Do you see it?
Today. You and I. We are Temples. Temples of HIS SPIRIT (if we are in CHRIST see Romans 8:9) and when we have dirtied up the temple with disobedience, we too will hear the crack of those small ropes plaited together. May it be that just the sound is enough to correct us. May just the sound be enough to clean the temple and bring us to prayer – a prayer of repentance in the House of Prayer.

12 For whom the Lord loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. [source] Proverbs 3:12

Until Next Time ~ ~ ~ Kathie
Your Prayer requests welcomed