Tuesday, October 12, 2010 –IDOK Devotion

JESUS loves me.  JESUS does not love me more today than He has loved me any other day; He does not love me less today than He has loved me any other day.  And tomorrow He will love me the same.

And so it is for you. If you have been a good girl today, He does not love you more today than He loved you on the day you were a bad girl.  And one of these days we shall wake up and realize we really do believe this!  We so much believe it, it has transformed us! And rather than getting down on myself today because today I am not 100% there, this dawned on me: I have all eternity to be perfect so today I am in JESUS’ name enabled to stop fretting (sinning) over not being perfect today! How profound is that?

And because it is nearly 12:45 and coming to these profound statements today has been a lengthy battle with principalities and powers — this is our lesson for today.  :)

Ephesians 6:¹¹Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  ¹³Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.  (New American Standard Bible)

You are good, LORD, and Your mercy endures forever and I am grateful.  Thank You.  And, ABBA, if my sisters and brothers are wrestling today I pray for them to have victory.  I pray, HOLY SPIRIT, You will remind them of Scripture at the perfect moment to give them strength to resist the temptation and I pray they will resist the temptation rather than resist You.  For surely when temptation comes we will resist either it or You. That’s good, LORD.  Really good.  One of those in-your-face nuggets that will either make us mad or we will latch onto it so we can resist temptation instead of resisting You and plunging on into evil. LORD, I have some sadness in my heart over this very thing; some folks around me are enslaved and trapped in this thing of resisting You instead of the temptation.  HOLY SPIRIT, please help them and me to learn better quickly.   I know it hurts; I’ve experienced it and knowing fallen nature, I will again; even so, it’s no excuse, LORD.  No excuse. Just because we are hurt gives us no excuse to hurt back.  That only broadens the circle of pain and dims or darkens big time Your Reflection in us.  I don’t want that for me. I don’t want it for them; so please help.  And not just in this but help every person reading here, and our IDOK Troops too; praying for their protection in spirit, soul, and body and safe returns home.  And for Americans to be saved and for the Church to be revived so we will care enough to minister Your Gospel to the Lost with love and mercy and allow You to do such a work through us that Your Gospel becomes irresistible to them. Oh, in my estimation that would be great.  Please do it.  In JESUS Name, ABBA. Amen and amen.

Holy hugs, kt

The Scripture passage above was obtained at Biblegateway.com

We have good news regarding Bob and we have a prayer request for 2 year old Parker Hanks.  He is at UAB in Birmingham and in need of our prayers.  Please visit Notices Given for a picture and the full details of the request.

Prayers, sweet dreams and holy hugs, kt.

Monday, October 11, 2010 — IDOK Devotion

Praying for These–to review, please click here.  Also you may want to review Notices Given for a detailed request for prayer for Bob and Vicki.

I am keenly aware this morning of imperfections — MINE and others. And this ONLY turns out good when I press on through it.

People have ways, people have quirks and from time to time or even often those ways and quirks can irk me.  You know what I mean?

And as I have been thinking along those lines, I determined in my ole Tennessee vernacular that I need to  ‘make allowances’ for them. That is when my beloved can see that I am occupied with important matters but he has thoughts that just have to find expression — so I listen. But do I listen sweetly?  That depends on whether or not I make allowances. It goes something like this.

If I’m not making allowances, he’s interrupting me.  He’s delaying me.  He’s intruding.  If I’m making allowances, he’s sharing his morning with me.  He’s opening up and giving me a gift from his heart and mind. And if I’m not waxing poetically, he’s just wanting to tell me something before he forgets it — how can I fault him for that when I KNOW how that is, oh so very well?!!

And what if I am talking and another interrupts me so that my contribution to the conversation is totally negated — passed off  and over while they go on with their thoughts and I’m left sitting in their verbal dust.  That is a crucial time for me.  I can think I am insignificant to them.  I can think they don’t like me.  I can think, ‘well, fine then; I just won’t say anything.’ I can think any one or all of those things.  And I have!  And I have suffered greatly because of it. Or I can make allowances for them and I can immediately, there in the dust of the conversation, find solace and wisdom in the ONE who made a HUGE allowance for me on the CROSS OF CALVARY.

JESUS paid it all, all to HIM I owe.  Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

But you don’t have to ‘listen’ to me sing … here’s a YouTube.

Galatians 6 (King James Version) ²Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

And so You did, LORD, so You did.  Thank You.  Thank You.

Holy hugs, kt

Friday, October 8, 2010 — IDOK Devotion

Praying for These, click here for review.

Mark 6: ³⁰The apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught.

³¹And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)

³²They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves. (New American Standard Bible)

Come to a secluded place and rest — it’s an invitation from THE MASTER. Let us send in our RSVP in the affirmative.

ABBA, in JESUS Name I am here this morning asking for rest for the BODY OF CHRIST. Rest from our labors of doing life in our strength instead of Yours; rest from disobedience; and yes, for some, ABBA, I am asking a respite from the onslaught of the Evil One and for them to have a vacation from stress and troubles,  meet with them in a holy place and REST them, I pray.

And Legrand comes to mind so I am joining others in praying for a rest, a permanent rest from seizures for him and praying his paintings will accomplish what You have in mind for him and his family. Thank You that we can pray for this precious family; I pray Your very best for them, ABBA.

And Carolyn comes to mind, You know her request, You know the struggle, You know the heart of this daughter caring for her mother and I pray for strength and mercy for both.

And, ABBA, we’ve reviewed our Praying for These, so many hurts and illnesses and struggles, hard stuff to bear and yet I know You are Good and Your heart is for each of them and so I pray for rest and strength and healing for each one.

And we continue to pray for our IDOK Troops to be safe and protected in spirit, soul and body and to come home safe and sound.  And we pray for Israel for peace and for security and protection. And for America, I pray for our salvation.  I pray for the November elections to reprove and replace the ruthless and for people to come to office who will uphold and adhere to the Constitution that You gave us to bless this Country.   Thank You for allowing me to live here; help me help.  Amen and amen.

holy hugs, kt