Tag Archives: Christianity

Rejoicing with the Choir (again)

IDOK Devotion for Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Rejoicing With The Choir
          As I was backing out of our drive this morning, I noticed an attractive, modestly dressed, young woman walking toward me, so I stopped, let down the window to hear her invitation and to receive her written inducement.  It was to gather with others and commemorate the anniversary of Jesus’ death.  This commemoration will be held Tuesday, March 30 at 8:15 PM and I am warmly invited.  At this meeting, all will be given Scriptural answers to these questions: How did Jesus, by His death, provide a ransom? Why was this necessary?  For whom did Jesus lay down His life? And what can His death mean for you?
          I received her pamphlet because it would mean she would have one less to give to someone else and because I was on a tight schedule – too tight to engage her in conversation. Perhaps I won’t be so busy next time.  I’ve had some experience with Kingdom Hall Witnesses and have yet to find one that is willing to hear but that does not mean I should not try.  Does it? I’m glad I smiled and waved at the others in her party on my street too. Perhaps next time I will do more.   I think it would be spiritually criminal for any Christian to be unkind to a Kingdom Hall Witness.  But Christians’ conduct toward Kingdom Hall Witnesses is not my major point here.  I read the invitation.  I heard what she said and there was not one word about Jesus’ resurrection.  And I am now about to ‘preach’ to the choir, or maybe we will term it ‘rejoice with the choir’. 
          I submit to you that without Jesus’ resurrection, His death would be meaningless. His death alone will not ransom anyone.  His death alone leaves me in my sins and bound for Satan’s hell. 
          I Corinthians 15 (NKJV)
            12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.
14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.
15  Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.
16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.
17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!
18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
          I serve a risen Savior, I know that He is living whatever man may say … He lives.  He lives.  Christ Jesus lives today.  He walks with me.  He talks with me along life’s narrow way.  He lives. He lives.
          Do some rejoicing today – Jesus lives in His flesh and bone RESURRECTED body and He will return for everyone who has received Him as Savior and Lord in that SAME BODY in which He ascended.  ALL who do not believe this and rest themselves in this Truth, are of all men the most pitiable!
          If you would like more information as to the doctrine of Kingdom Hall Witnesses relative to Jesus’ Resurrection, please see the web page at this link:
            Holy God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thank You that I KNOW You and I know You arose, LORD JESUS, as much as I know I am sitting here in this chair and that You will return even as You left.  That You are the ONLY GODMAN and one day Your FACE I will see.  And not me alone but every man, woman, boy and girl that has said yes to Your gift of salvation, having received Your Righteousness in exchange for their sins.   Cause me grow to never being quiet about this gift another day that I have left here.  And I pray for our IDOKs that not one of us will shut up about it.  
I pray now for rest and refreshing of spirit, soul and body for our IDOKs and Readers and every name listed here.   Again I pray for the protection and safety of our IDOK Troops.  You have been so gracious and so kind to us in this and I thank You for such grace.  Thank You, ABBA.  And now as I prepare to send this message, I pray it shall go where You want it to go and do what You want it to do in Your Name Jesus and in Your Name alone.  Thank You LORD.  Thank You.  I love You too.  Amen and amen.
Kathie

Three Times! (again)

Continuing some search and clean up operations I found this one:

IDOK Devotion for Thursday, April 8, 2010
Psalm 46 (NKJV)
1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
Selah
4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah
Did you notice that three times in eleven verses God said He is our refuge?  Do you think He wants us to get it? I am reaching way back this morning, all the way to high school English grammar classes, or was the junior high?  Whatever — bear with me here.  Do you remember learning about superlatives?  Good, better, best. Crabby, crabbier, crabbiest. Cuddly cuddlier cuddliest.  deep deeper deepest.  zippy zippier zippiest.  holy holier holiest.  However, I am told the Hebrew and Greek languages do not have such superlatives, so when ABBA wants to say something to the greatest degree of emphasis, He says it three times: holy, holy, holy.  Get it?  HE IS OUR REFUGE!  Selah. 
You will also note the word Selah is used three times in these eleven verses.  Perhaps we should take note of that too.  I have been told for years that Selah means ‘pause and calmly think about that’.  I have also been told that in poetry it denotes an interlude, a pause.  But I like what I found this morning.  Selah, [celah], is from the primary Hebrew root word [calah] which literally means ‘to hang,’ and by implication to measure (weigh). This is readily understood because in Biblical history, money, food and other valuables were ‘weighed’ by hanging or suspending them on a type of balance (the equivalent of our measuring scale) to determine their value.
So seeing that this Hebrew word [calah] means to ‘measure,’ as in weighing something in the balances, we better understand how the word Selah [celah], which is derived from it, is illustrating that we should measure or value what has been said.  Taken from URL address:
So this is what I think.  To the highest degree of emphasis ABBA has said: ‘I AM your refuge and I want you to weigh this.  I want you to see how heavy I am with this toward you.’  Do we see here that He is serious?  And that we are to NOT take it lightly – HE IS OUR REFUGE.  ACT LIKE IT!  So what would acting like it, look like in you (and me) today? Selah!  

Again, I like this, ABBA.  And I like that it is not yet 8:30 Wednesday morning and Thursday’s devotion has come.  I am so delighted!  Let me not be so delighted that it has come that I do not see what it is that has come! You are my refuge – complete – none higher, none stronger, none wiser, none better.  This is important.  Holy Spirit, apply it, plant it, grow it in us I pray.  And I pray now for our IDOKs; I want them to be protected today; protected from the evil one, the world and particularly their own flesh.  I want them to make right decisions today.  I want me to KNOW that You can be trusted today.  I want them to KNOW they CAN believe You.  They can be victorious today.  They can make right decisions today.  They can overcome their own fleshly desires today.  They don’t have to give in to themselves.  They can give themselves to You to experience Your Strength, Your Brilliance, Your Glory and Goodness.  Me too, ABBA.  Me too.  Protect too our IDOK Troops; keep them safe from stray and intended hostile or friendly fire; surround them.  Cause it to be that they receive You as their complete refuge today.  And their families too.  And all the Body of Christ, not only in America but around the world today.  Tend the ill, the dying, the living, the wayward, the rebellious, the undecided.  Thank You, ABBA, in Jesus Name and for His Sake. Amen and amen.

Kathie

 

Not Obligated

“You are not obligated to act on every suggestion made by others. Concentrate on your family’s future well-being.”

If I could recall the name of the Author I would surely state the name but I failed to make note of it. Even so, does that statement grab you? Obviously, it did me as I am sharing it with you. Now this was written to parents of young women in the throes of a crisis pregnancy; but I think I could apply it to other areas. How about you?

Further, in some quiet moments with ABBA this morning I confessed to Him that I have some daily hindrances to healthy living. He agreed. I came away with this: There are daily hindrances to healthy living – mind, body and spirit – and when I make friends with those hindrances they become my excuses. It smarts but I think it will be helpful when I call it to remembrance with my next hindrance to healthy living – mind, body and spirit.

Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

via Romans 8:36-38 KJ21;CJB – As it is written: “For Thy sake we – Bible Gateway.

This summer cold or whatever that has attached itself to me is hanging on long. Your prayers to kick this thing would be appreciated.

Be Hidden in CHRIST,

 

May I Ask?

Any The White Stone Readers singing up with Beth Moore for Summer Bible Study? Here’s info:

I have not decided yet – just wondering about you all.

Be Hidden in CHRIST,