IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 2010

FOR PRAYER AND PRAISE:

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

Beauty for ashes.  We find it in Isaiah 61.

Beauty for ashes

Strength for fear

Gladness for mourning

That’s what the song says: Beauty for Ashes

And at 2:15 this morning in a short window of consciousness I was quickly jotting a note to preserve the thought so I could bring it to you for today.  Yes, He gives us beauty for our ashes and the only fee for this transaction that you and I are asked to pay is to be willing to trust Him. To be willing to trust Him with our ashes. To give over to Him to do as He pleases with us and our ashes.  Ashes from dreams burned to nothing  now but a heap on the floor.  Ashes of a life burned in the flames of disobedience.  Ashes.  Lives in Ashes. Actually a good place to be. Yes, an excellent place to be IF.  IF from that pile of rubble we will allow HIM to lift us and give us

Beauty for ashes

Strength for fear

Gladness for mourning

Peace for despair.

Just think of it. JESUS.  Only JESUS can take our ugly sins of omission and commission and give us a testimony of His beauty. Only JESUS can empower a scared ‘little girl’ to stand and oppose an unregenerate man and regain her dignity. Only JESUS can mend a heart so broken by grief that she feels like she will never laugh again, but she does.  Only JESUS gives peace in the midst of diagnosis that says get your house in order.

And it all starts with a simple decision to TRUST HIM with our ashes.  TRUST that HE knows what to do.  Trust that He loves and cares. Trust that He is kind and good.  Trust.

Beauty for ashes.  Whatever pile of ashes you woke up in this morning, JESUS has your answer. No, JESUS  IS your answer.

Isaiah 61 (Holman Christian Standard Bible) ¹ The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and freedom to the prisoners;

² to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn,

³to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair. And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the LORD, to glorify Him.

ABBA, You know the state, the time in which I come this morning; how I got here, how this day will develop, how I will respond, how You will deliver me from all that seeks to harm me and not just me but every soul who will decide today to trust You with our ashes.  And I pray all our IDOKs will bring all their ashes to You today.

We pray for our IDOK Troops for their safety and protection today; for their families and friends waiting for their returns that they will wait in peace and integrity.   We pray for each soul represented by a name on our Praying For These list, asking You to tend them as You see fit. And we thank You that we can trust You with them.  That just calling their name to You, not knowing the need is enough — You know.   Amen and amen, LORD.

Again, we pray for Peace and protection for Israel and for grace and space to repent for America.  We pray for revival in Your Church LORD and for You, Holy Spirit, to come in power convicting and convincing sinners of their need of salvation to not only miss hell but to have LIFE, here and now and forever.  This we pray in Your Name LORD JESUS.  Amen and amen.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2010

FOR PRAYER AND PRAISE:

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

August 11.  Big sigh. Time ticks by too quickly, particularly without my expressed permission. :)

Soon I’ll be settling into a new routine — at least that’s the plan. I have Grands for a couple days and then they are back to school.  My visit with my dear friend, Bev, was a blast! And R & R days with my beloved were a HUGE blessing and we are so grateful for having had the opportunity.

And now here I sit at 9:30, knowing I need to round up some folks for bed, including myself.  And I will, but first and perhaps, a few words will come to appear on this page.

Recently I viewed, via television, an interview that Alvin Slaughter gave and one thing he said stood out and demanded that I take notice.  He said (my paraphrase): Many of us serve God but we don’t seek Him.

You may recall that one of our verses for Tuesday’s devotion was when we SEEK Him with all our hearts we will find Him.  (Jeremiah 29:13).

I think Alvin is right.  I think we  can keep ourselves really busy with holy activities without much more than an occasional check in with the Father. That is until we have worn ourselves into such a frazzle that some spiritual R & R is no longer a ‘luxury’ but is imperative.

Why do we do this?  Why do we think He wants our ‘service’ more than He wants our ‘company’?   I’ll be the first to admit when I have to run out to a meeting with supper dishes left on the table and laundry in the washer and after my meeting I come home  to a clean kitchen and folded laundry, I APPRECIATE IT!  However, if these acts of service were not coupled with conversation, it would not take long before I would question my hubby’s motives for service.  Now, God does not have my limitations and He does not wonder about my motives; but my analogy makes a point, don’t you think?  Service is great. Service is needed; but service without conversation (intimacy) negates the service to just about worthlessness, wouldn’t you say?

If I were to tell the truth (and I better be) if I give (or even receive) service for an extended period without it being heavily mingled with intimate conversation, I get cranky, irritable and not so pleasant. So to those of you who are ‘privileged’ to share close breathing space with me, should I become cranky, irritable and not so pleasant remind me that I might ought to SEEK my ABBA — that obviously my ‘spiritual tank’ is getting dangerously low.

Psalm 119 New American Standard Bible ²How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart.    ³They also do no unrighteousness; they walk in His ways.

And when you find yourself tired, cranky, irritable and not so pleasant, I wouldn’t be offended if you remembered this lesson and did an immediate check on your SEEKING GOD LEVEL too.  We can’t afford to run on empty or even the bottom half of our spiritual tanks.  Am I telling the truth?

ABBA, I appreciate this lesson.  I appreciate the interview that started it.  Thank You.  And I ask You now to apply it as each of us need it.   And I pray for our IDOK Troops.  Please keep them safe and please bring them home safe and sound.  I pray for the Henderson Family, Kim and the Children, You know the grief they are living right now and I pray they will find their comfort and their own road to holy grieving in You.  And we pray for each name on our list Praying For These, asking You to minister to them with peace and comfort and healing and restoration.  Amen and amen in JESUS NAME.

IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2010

FOR PRAYER AND PRAISE:

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

I am coming to you this morning with the writings of Sarah Young from her book Jesus Lives.

Trials

THOUGH I BRING GRIEF, I WILL SHOW COMPASSION. No matter what trials you are enduring, you can count on My Love and My compassion–neither of which will ever fail.  I can bring good out of everything I allow in your life, but much of what I do is far beyond your understanding.  My children often misinterpret My ways with them.  When adversity strikes, they tend to feel as if I’m displeased with them.  They don’t realize that My most devoted followers are especially targeted in spiritual warfare.  The devil and his demonic underlings delight in tormenting those who live close to Me.  When you are suffering and your troubles seem endless, remember I am tenderly present in your afflictions.  Instead of lamenting the way things are, search for Me in the wreckage of adversity.  You will not fail to find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

I want you to experience more fully the greatness of My overflowing Love.  As you open yourself to My compassionate Presence, this Love flows into you more freely.  Like new wine, My Love expands within you, increasing your capacity for Me.  Another way to expand this capacity is to let My Love flow from you to others. I am so pleased when  you do this that I flood you with more of My living Presence.  As you continue this blessed adventure with Me, I fill you with ever-increasing volumes of unfailing Love.

(New American Standard Bible)

Lamentations 3: ³²For if He causes grief, then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness.

²²The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.

²³They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

Jeremiah 29:¹³‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.  ¹⁴‘I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’

This bears pondering:Instead of lamenting the way things are, search for Me in the wreckage of adversity.  You will not fail to find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Thank You, ABBA.  I pray, Holy Spirit, You will minister these words to every heart as we have need.  I pray for our IDOK Troops, please protect them, keeping them safe in spirit, soul and body.  And our list of Praying For These, we pray Your Will be done. Thank You, ABBA, for Your Goodness, so undeserved but so freely given to us in JESUS NAME.  Amen and amen.