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Colors (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2009
Colors

I’ve been thinking about something on and off since last Wednesday:  DADDY GOD loves color and variety.  Wednesday I was privileged to attend the Christmas Sing-A-long at Daphne Elementary School and as I sat and watched all the 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders file in and take their places on the shiny hardwood floor I had this beautiful, sweet, pleasant, loving sense of Jesus loving the children.  Can you tell it moved me?  There they sat with various textures and colors of hair and skin tones.  They were beautiful! Every single one of them and Jesus loves every single one of them!  The quiet ones, the mischievous ones, all of them – Jesus loves them and He came so they could live!  There was a sadness there for me though.  No teacher or speaker said Christmas is about Jesus. No songs were sung to ring out His Name. I did rejoice though each time I heard Merry Christmas sang or spoken rather than Happy Holidays; I’ll take my blessings however they come!   And yet this I know even though He was not exalted by name, He was there!  And He overwhelmed me with His love for color and variety in the little frames and faces of those precious little people.  Oh may it be that many saints will be raised up and empowered to demonstrate to children that Jesus loves them!

And then on Friday I attended First Baptist of North Mobile’s Christian School Christmas Pageant.  Now that was a Christmas Celebration!  I worshipped and cried and laughed and loved every minute of it!!  And again I was overwhelmed with that sense that ABBA loves color and variety.  Again there were beautiful children with various textures and colors of hair and skin tones.  Moreover, there was a song wherein the children came up the isles of the sanctuary dressed in costumes representing the country for the flag they were holding.  I loved it!  I am convinced when our God looks at the faces of humankind, He sees beauty in the differences.  He loves the shades and colors of our faces.  He did it on purpose!  

The following comes from this website:

http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Jesus_Loves_the_Little_Children/

  1. Jesus calls the children dear,
    “Come to Me and never fear,
    For I love the little children of the world;
    I will take you by the hand,
    Lead you to the better land,
    For I love the little children of the world.”

    • Refrain:
      *Jesus loves the little children,
      [*Jesus died for all the children,]
      All the children of the world;
      Red and yellow, black and white,
      All are precious in His sight,
      *Jesus loves the little children of the world.
      [*Jesus died for all the children of the world.]
  2. Jesus is the Shepherd true,
    And He’ll always stand by you,
    For He loves the little children of the world;
    He’s a Savior great and strong,
    And He’ll shield you from the wrong,
    For He loves the little children of the world.
  3. I am coming, Lord, to Thee,
    And Your soldier I will be,
    For You love the little children of the world;
    And Your cross I’ll always bear,
    And for You I’ll do and dare,
    For You love the little children of the world.

Of all that we can do is there anything of more value than demonstrating to the children that Jesus loves them? Matthew 19:13-15 (New King James Version)

13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

DADDY GOD, I am late again this morning at many things on my list. Thank You for the impressions You gave me with colors and variety; please, Holy Spirit, don’t let me forget it for as long as I breathe here on this planet.  I pray that You will take this today and do Your Will with it. I pray for all of us this day that we will demonstrate to the children in our lives that You LIVE and You LOVE them; not just children but the big people in our lives too. And we pray too for all these whose names will be spoken, bless and comfort and heal as they need to glorify Your Name to the world.  Comfort and protect our IDOK Troops we pray and bring them home safe and sound at the appointed time.  I pray Your Sweet Presence to be felt and experienced by our IDOKs and our Readers today; keep us safe and holy in walk in this world for Jesus sake. Save America and give Israel Peace, I pray.  Amen and amen.  

Kathie

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A Hope of Becoming! (again)

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IDOK DEVOTION FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010
A Hope of Becoming!
            I don’t know that I am going to have a whole lot to say this morning – I didn’t write on Friday for today and neither Saturday or Sunday.  As I begin, I’ve been up for better than an hour, some praying and some reading.  ODB and Breaking Free Day by Day seem to dove-tail for me today.  ODB is talking about going HOME and Beth in her book wrote that as parents it is our job to tend to our children so they can leave the ‘nest’.  BUT GOD – this is what she wrote (see if it does for you as it did for me): He’s not rearing us to leave home, but to come home!
            And since Saturday I have ‘House of Prayer’ on my mind.  ‘Houses’ of prayer should be gathering at the ‘House of Prayer’.   Am I really weird or do you get this?
            Lots of good programs go on at our local churches and they should.  I’m all for beautiful music and fine preaching – got that going on at Satsuma First. BUT churches should NOT be known for their youth programs, children’s ministries, not even their Celebration Choirs. 
Luke 19: 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer, . . . “
Look with me in Isaiah 56:
6 “Also the sons of the foreigner
      Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him,
      And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants—
      Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
      And holds fast My covenant—
       7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain,
      And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
      Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
      Will be accepted on My altar;
      For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
            I am a ‘foreigner’ joined to the LORD.  My burnt offerings and my sacrifices are acceptable on HIS altar.  I can’t tell you what that does for me.  I hope it’s doing a work in you too.  I am praying that ‘our’ respective churches will BECOME a House of Prayer.          

ABBA, I pray I don’t drop the ball here.  I don’t want to fizzle out on this, I want to keep praying until I see You do this – raise up Houses of Prayer.  Churches where You are Present in Power and Glory.  I’m not wanting to be critical here; I want to be encouraging and I am grateful for real worship when it happens in any congregation; yet I don’t see a whole lot of praying going on.  Even in ‘prayer meetings’ at the sweetest congregations there’s more talking to each other than there is prayer.  I want to see real, I want to be a part of real Prayer.  I want Your churches to be real Houses of Prayer.  And, ABBA, if You can use me, if you can use IDOK, to labor toward this, please do it.  And, LORD, we have so many here; every one of them important, every one of them desiring to be better, to be well, something to improve, something to change, more needs than we know to voice – hear our hearts, hear their hearts and respond to each one and we pray each one will respond to You as You desire, LORD.  You are the lifter of our heads.  Our trust is in You and all that is wrong You will make right, until then we pray to serve You and be a blessing to You and others.   Thank You that You are with us; thank You that even when we don’t physically feel well still You are our Strong Tower and we are safe.  Thank You that even when we are troubled You are still our Blessing, our Great Reward and our Peace; in all these things we are well because You are our Rock and our Salvation; in You we are not afraid; in You we are not down, we have victory.  Thank You, LORD. Amen and amen.

Kathie

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The Difference (again)

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IDOK Devotion for Friday, March 5, 2010
The Difference
            I’ve attended two funerals this week – same place, different days.  At one I worshiped, at the other I sat heavy in my seat.  One was young, the other older. One loved gospel music, the other didn’t. One was a giver, the other a taker.  At one there were loud wails, the other quiet tears in confidence.  What made the difference?  At one Jesus was welcomed.  At one He was exalted.  And HE made all the difference.  He always makes all the difference. He is the difference. 
            I’ve decided if I must go by way of the under-taker rather than the Up-taker, I want a really good funeral.  I want Jesus to be front and center.  I want praise and worship.  I want clapping of hands, even raising them, please. I want the ‘mourners’ to leave there talking about Jesus instead of me.  
            My ‘Little Girl’ and I were talking recently about ‘old’ people and how sometimes they are just really cantankerous, just down right unpleasant to be around; and I said to be a sweet old person, you have to start practicing now while you are young (younger).  To have a really good funeral, we have to start practicing now too – dying to ourselves and living to Christ.  That will ensure us a really good funeral and it’ll keep us sweet when we are ‘old’ too.
Matthew 16:(New King James Version)
25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
I Corinthians 15: (NKJV)
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:  “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O Death, where is your sting?   O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

            AMEN and AMEN even so come LORD JESUS and until You do grow us into men and women who are steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work You have called us to do for we know, LORD, any labor done for You will not be in vain.   No prayer prayed in Your Name will be in vain.  No deed done for Your glory will be forgotten by You or go unrewarded.  No life lived for You will be wasted.  ABBA, comfort the grieving I pray.  And inspire us to die to ourselves so we can really live.  Remembering all whose names will be spoken here; we don’t want to leave out even one; that all of them would know You touch.   You know our hearts, You know all the stuff represented here and in it all we just want You glorified.  I love you LORD.  Thank You for making it so. Amen and Amen.

Kathie