Tag Archives: God

This is Personal! (again)

IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2010
This Is Personal!
            As I begin, this is early Wednesday morning, probably many of you have not read Wednesday’s edition yet as I begin Thursday’s.  I know at least one of you has though, as you were up way early this morning – I pray right now for grand-babies to be well and for rest for you.   
            I want to share portions of Isaiah 43 with you.  I want you to take this passage personally.  It will give you strength! And it may even give you a ‘warm fuzzie’ and a warm fuzzie with JESUS is always WONDERFUL!
            To read the TEXT as it is written in the NKJV go to this link http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=is%2043&version=NKJV
To read it personalized (I really don’t think DADDY GOD will mind) continue on here:
            Isaiah 43
 1 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O _________ (fill in your name),
      And He who formed you, O ________:
      “Fear not, for I have redeemed you, ________;
      I have called you by your name;
      __________, You are Mine.
       2 When I pass through the waters, HE will be with me;
      And through the rivers, they shall not overflow me.
      When I walk through the fire, I shall not be burned,
      Nor shall the flame scorch me.
       3 For (He has said to me) I am the LORD your God,
      The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
4 Since you were precious in My sight,
      You have been honored,
      And I have loved you, __________; . . .
5 Fear not, for I am with you;
I like this practice of making Your Word personal; of reading it as though You spoke it to me personally. And You have. I pray our IDOKS and our Readers will be encouraged; that they will take Your Word personally; that they will KNOW Your promise to never leave them or forsake them is real and You are faithful and Your Word does not fail.
We pray too for all spoken here.  Thank You for allowing us to be a part of the work You are doing in their lives.  And we pray for our IDOK Troops, asking You to again keep them safe and bring them home safe and sound.  Please continue to speak to our hearts.  I pray this IDOK ministry will be made up of people who weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.  I pray we will truly be people of prayer; so much so that the enemies of Your Gospel are turned back and lost people will be rescued from their bondage and slavery to sin.  Thank You for what You are doing in America.  Thank You for the grace and space You have given us; we pray for more; we pray for revival in America.  We pray elected officials that do not honor Your Word will be voted out of office.  We pray that those who have agendas to promote what You hate will be stopped and removed from office and we pray that at least morally sound people will be elected and that this Country will return to the basics.  You know all the unspokens, the specific unspokens, and parents and grandparents with heavy concerns, I pray for Your Will to be made plain and manifested in all these things.  And this I pray in the Mighty and Holy Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.  Amen and amen.
Kathie

A Hope of Becoming! (again)

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

Endings and Beginnings (again)

IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2010
Endings and Beginnings
            Because I am starting this at 1:25 on Wednesday afternoon and because I still have to make a visit to UPS for copying and to the store for elastic, I am hoping to be brief.  It’s not that I have not been studying today.  To the contrary, I think I have put in much more than I have digested.  But let me give you two points, I think, and then it’s out the door for me. 
            I finished my JESUS, 90 Days with the One and Only journal today.  I started it on April 6, 2009 and wrote my last entry a little earlier today.  I was happy and sad to reach the last page and I’ve already picked my next 90 day journal – who knows how long it will take.  It’s entitled, JOHN, 90 Days with the Beloved Disciple.  And following that will be 90 Days with David. So looks like Beth (Moore) may have about 2 years to get another one together as I’d like to have a least 4 of them done before I’m too old to do them.  But I’m off track here.  
            So here’s a paragraph that gave me some sweet emotions and I thought you might like to share them with me.
            “Thirty-three years earlier, the feet of God toddled their first visible prints on earth, a young mother’s footprints chasing close behind.  The walk grew rough, the path strewn with stones and thorns.  Now God incarnate stepped off this planet with feet scarred and bruised.  As God predicted at the fall, the ancient serpent struck Christ’s heel, but on the day He ascended, all things were under Christ’s feet.  Jesus Christ walked the way of humanity so that humanity could walk the way of God. How beautiful the feet that brought good news.”
            Amen and amen! How awesome is that on the screen of our minds?!
            Romans 10: (NKJV)15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “ How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
            Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
            Luke 24: 50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.
            I said two but I think I’ll save the other one because this one is just too good to move on from – we need to linger over it for at least a day!  Sweet blessings to you my sisters and brothers in the name of our Holy Jesus!
            (Just as a side note – my Baby Girl’s name came from this passage.  I named her Bethany to always remind me and hopefully her that He left from a place called Bethany and He would return to a place called Bethany and for her – Bethany.  I am without words to say how grateful this Momma is that my Bethany is looking to ‘Bethany’ for His return… so’s her Momma.)
ABBA, You know even better than I how grateful I am that You have given my sister Beth such words to give me these pictures of You.  This is so good!  These 2000 plus years since Your nailed scarred feet were lifted off this planet that You chose to come to for us – it’s more than I can take it but I am so grateful for what I have been able thus far to comprehend.  My request to You is to comprehend more and more of You, to fully give You all my heart, soul and body, to be utterly head over heels, fully gone, ‘crazy’ in love with You and occupying myself with Your Business while I keep a watchful eye longing for You to come again.  And, Holy Spirit, I pray that too for our IDOKs and Readers.  Thank You that You are forever watching over us and that nothing touches us that You have not already made provisions to cover.  Thank You that no illness or disease or hurt or pain or wayward child, or bondage, or grief, or IDOK Troop, or family, or crisis in Washington or anywhere else or anything else we could name is beyond You – You have it all covered and redeemed for us if only we will believe.  And praise You, praise You we are learning to believe.  Thank You, DADDY.  Thank You in Jesus Name. Amen and amen.
Kathie