IDOK DEVOTION FOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2010

FOR PRAYER AND PRAISE:

Edie has asked that we pray for members of her family.  Her Sister is having a difficult time with her daughter and granddaughter.  A heartbreaking situation when doing the tough thing may be the only right thing to do.

And prayers for the McCrary-Biggs family would be appreciated. Loyce McCrary closed her eyes in Eight Mile this morning and opened them in Heaven.  A memorial service will be Friday.

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

Well then, why are you yelling at Me?  She was quickly silenced and then broke into a sheepish grin.  She was sure He did too.  It was a corrective, yet loving moment.

Imagine it with me.

She had determined doggone it today I’m gonna get some stuff done and the day started off well.  She got the bed made and a load of laundry in the machine and took a phone call.  That was okay.  She was expecting that one and had made allowances for it.  She’d go on with her day.  And she did.  But then another call and another.   By late afternoon she was in a real snit!  And so she began to discuss the matter with the LORD.  She told Him how insensitive the callers had been. She poured out how unfair it was and on and on she went and with each bemoaning her volume got louder until she heard that Sweet, Sweet Voice say, Well, if you are so mad at Susie, why are you yelling at Me?

Why indeed!

It’s just a story,  but it reminded me how often I have done that.  To be angry at one and take it out on another.  I’m not suggesting that we ‘take it out’ on the one we are really angry with either; but I am suggesting that we examine our anger under the Leadership of the Holy Spirit; locate the source and let Him defuse it. Who knows we might break out in a sheepish grin and HE might too.

I do so like to make Him grin!

James 3 NASB:  ¹⁰from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.

Ephesians 4 NASB:  ³¹Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.   ³²Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

ABBA, I could be slightly bias but I think the story is cute and I hope it is entertaining but more than that I hope it will encourage us to see more intimately that You are our Glorious Father.  That You are not distant from us but closer than our breath; that You mean for us to behave as You have outlined for us in Your Word but that You are more gracious and understanding and FUN than we have thus far imagined.

There are many things on my mind this evening; Jackson and his family, JoAnn, The McCrary and Biggs Families, Troubled Families, Children enslaved to substances that won’t let them go and children suffering because of it and parents without strength or courage to do what is right to do.  And our IDOK Troops and our Praying for These list and family and friends and more — You know, ABBA, and I am entrusting it all to You.  And trusting You to give direction and correction and step by step instructions to do what we as Your people can do and must do in JESUS Name.

We continue to think of Israel and pray for Peace and Protection. We continue to pray for this Nation and the need for repentance and pray Holy Spirit that we will yet see You pour out life transforming conviction upon this whole Nation of people.   And now I pray for rest and peace for our IDOKs.  And, ABBA, marked improvement and reduction of pain for Steve by morning, please.   There’s so much more but You will still be listening even when we rest this post.  Thank You, ABBA.  You are so good to us in JESUS NAME.  Amen and amen.

This one is especially hard to read, but I KNOW God is good.

Holy Spirit, I pray Ashley and Steve will not waver in KNOWING that You are good and You are God. Still we proclaim that You are able to heal Jackson; that You are able to heal his brain, restore him and give him a healthy, whole life and that is what we desire for You to do and unless You tell us otherwise that is for what we are asking.  Comfort and guard all the family, every precious one that has come to love Jackson so very much.  In the Name of JESUS I pray. Amen and amen.

Tue, August 31, 2010 2:12:08 PM

Jackson update  from Melinda: Well, here’s the news. They did not do the EEG or MRI until last night.  They called at midnight and told Ashley and Steve and scared them to death.  But, they have just called. And the news is bad…What has happened is that during Ashley’s pregnancy the cord has kinked a few times and has cut off oxygen to the back of his brain.  The whole back of his brain is damaged.  He can go from mild retardation to Cerebral Palsy.  They will try to wean him off things in the NICU but he lacks a gag reflex so they don’t know if he will ever be able to eat, take a bottle or nurse.  I know a newborn’s brain can heal and I know God can heal.  So, please keep praying, praying without ceasing.  And, please pray for Ashley and Steve.  They were by themselves for the first time when they heard the news.  Pray for calm, and the ability to cope with this.  Pray for all of us who love them so. Melinda

IDOK DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY, August 31, 2010

FOR PRAYER AND PRAISE:

We have more news from Melinda re Jackson.  The good news keeps coming!! PRAISE THE LORD!! PRAISE THE LORD! Click here for a link to read the update.

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

ABBA, what a glorious day this has turned out to be and it is all because of You and Your wonderful, lavish, outlandish even, grace!  The news of pain relief for someone dear; Jackson not having that dreaded condition and his consistent improvement.  Thank You. Thank You.  And tonight at Satsuma First, the Voices of Mobile singing Your Word, Your Gospel of Salvation and Your imminent return for us!! Hallelujah to You.  What a day! And You know mid to late afternoon I needed so much of your grace and You gave it!  Thank You. Thank You.

And now I sit here at 9:05 P.M. with no devotional thought to bring. But this I know, YOU ARE AWESOME!  This I know, You love me.  You love us all.  This prayer will not show up on any screen that the person looking at it, is unloved by You. Not a soul is unloved by You.  There is no soul that You don’t want a relationship with; not a soul that you don’t want to be their God and them to be Your son or daughter.  And, ABBA, I really am sorry there are so many that don’t love You back.  I really would that all people love You and worship You.  And in this moment I am asking for time and conviction for those that I am acquainted  with that have thus far rejected You.  Holy Spirit, I pray You will tender their hearts however You need to so they will finally see they really don’t have a chance of making a go of this life without You. And in this moment I am thinking about people who go door to door and yet are blind; they have been blinded by the evil one.  I pray their eyes will be opened and they will see Your Gospel and will believe. And I pray for people who have so foolishly bought into the lie that there are no absolutes and moreover they ridicule us who know You are the ABSOLUTE.  And forgive me, ABBA, sometimes that is hard to take.  Sometime I want to wrestle those lies right out of them.  And You remind me that the enemy is not flesh and blood.  So I pray to put on Your Full Armor and wrestle and defeat the real enemy.

And JoAnn Webb.  I don’t personally know her but the testimony I have of her is that she is a precious saint; folks love her and she has a place of service.  It would seem to me that cancer would hamper and could even stop her from serving.  I’d like for You to heal her, so that is what I am asking You to do.  And there are many others on our Praying for These list and even on those days when we don’t read every name and we just bring the list collectively, we are trusting You to individually see and care for each one.

And, of course, my thoughts turn to Israel. I am so grateful for the consistency You call me to pray for them.  I am grateful for the love You have given me for Your People.  I am looking forward to the day they as a Nation receive You, Yeshua, as their Messiah. And as for America.  I don’t know what You plan to do with us but I am asking You for mercy and for space and grace to repent.  I am praying for You, Holy Spirit, to heap on, even flood this place with conviction, that we the people will become repentant and will turn to You for salvation.

And I am thinking about my own neighborhood.  You know my request there and I am looking forward to see what You do with this.   And I’m thinking about so many good services that You could do in us and I just pray to get out of the way so You in me can get it done.  And that reminds me of someone dear, bless her with peace and comfort and health and joy and her hubby too.

There’s so much but I think I’ll rest it here and leave room for our IDOKs to add their heart cries here and I know You will answer.  Thank You, ABBA.  In JESUS, My Savior’s Name I pray.  Amen and amen.

2 Corinthians 10 NKJV:⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Ephesians 6 NKJV:¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.