Tag Archives: Jacob

Snakes and Birds

This was written April 7, 2010 and to my searching I have not repeated it with you, so I shall today.

IDOK Devotion for Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Snakes and Birds

I am posting a response I received on Monday from a Sister IDOK.  I think you will find it encouraging.   I am meditating on your questions from this morning. I want to encourage you not to give up, or get discouraged, but to press on in prayer and in person. We cannot choose eternal destiny for others, we can only present the Good News and offer the gift of Salvation. The response is up to each person. But we can continue to pray that the Holy Spirit will hover over all of the lost and the Jesus rejecters, revealing the truth to them all!
Jeremiah 32:26-28 (NIV) 26 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 27 “I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
I’ve also read the 3rd chapter of Micah in a few translations and I’ve decided we need an army of Micah(s) in America.
(The Message Bible) 8But me—I’m filled with God’s power, filled with God’s Spirit of justice and strength, Ready to confront Jacob’s crime and Israel’s sin.
See what I mean? Whose names would you fill in for Jacob and Israel? And how ready are we to confront?  How politically correct are we trying to be?  And why? Would you agree there’s a fine line to walk?  This Scripture has come to mind this week – do you think it fits?
Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
A little google-ing rendered this: serpents are prudent and discreet, cautious and avoid danger if at all possible. (http://bible.cc/matthew/10-16.htm )
            Now, harmless as doves: To be harmless is to lack the capacity to injure or to be free from inflicting physical or mental damage. Other translations use “innocent” or “inoffensive” instead of “harmless” for this verse.  Innocent means to be harmless in effect or intention. Inoffensive means to be giving no provocation.  Doves aren’t referred to as the birds of peace for nothing. Their temperament is calm and their disposition is sweet. Doves do not bite. At most they might slap you with a wing if they are guarding the nest or do not want to be picked up. Doves really are harmless.
          This is what I think — it is not too hard for God to enable us by His Spirit and His Might to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves and when we are we can do some good in this world!  We can even affect Washington.  Do you believe this?

 This is encouraging, ABBA, to be wise as serpents.  You know I’m not crazy about snakes but I do respect them and I agree they are cautious and they don’t go looking for trouble.  And doves, I can see that about them, calm and a sweet disposition.  Oh, my goodness, DADDY, what that would do for us – to be calm and have a sweet disposition.  How wonderful that would be if the Body of Christ was full of calm, sweet tempered, cautious, not looking for trouble but willing to stand and defend when Your Word is violated, people.  That is good.  This needs to be so in us.  And Your Word has already told us You can do it in us and through us.  Forgive us for being so distracted that we have not submitted to You for this transformation. I am presenting myself again for You to do this in me.  To empty me of me and fill me with You and I am praying for a bunch of IDOKs and Readers to do the same.   You are so good to us.  So good to never give up on us, and, ABBA, there’s a young man on my mind, he has done some really stupid, stupid, stupid things and now he is trapped, held captive and You are the ONLY ONE who can free him and at this point to my knowledge he is not going to cooperate with You.  But You said nothing is too hard for You, so I am asking You to get him to the place of cooperating with You.  He has a family that loves him; I don’t want to see him self destruct and I pray he will not.   And there are many, many other requests and You know better than I what they are and what is needed.  So we are trusting You to do what is best for all listed here.   I’m still concerned about American politics, America’s rampant sin practices, including greed and insatiable desires for power – the corruption is so bad that without Your help this Nation will be destroyed.  Please have mercy. Please raise up an army of ‘Micahs’.  I get so frustrated, so often – help me stop doing that and trust You and just simply wait upon You and watch You work in me and in my sisters and brothers.  I’m still asking You to raise up people to pray  churches into Houses of Prayer.  And I want in on it.  You know I could go on talking to You until I fall asleep but for this post let me close and ask You to give our IDOKs, visions, personal visions for each of them as to what You want them to do in regards to churches being Houses of Prayer and us being wise as serpents and harmless as doves in this corrupt land and I am asking because I am confident that this is what Jesus is praying for us too. Amen and amen.

Kathie

 

Which?

Nehemiah 8:10   21st Century King James Version (KJ21)

10 . . .  for this day is holy unto our Lord; neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”      via Nehemiah 8:10 KJ21 – Then he said unto them, “Go your – Bible Gateway.

Isaiah 59:1   21st Century King James Version (KJ21)

1 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.   via Is 59:1 KJ21 – Behold, the LORD’S hand is not – Bible Gateway.

And in between verse 1 and verse 19 is a whole lot of rebellion and sin and stubbornness and idolatry and on and on. Shall we not forget the LORD’s Hand is not too short to reach?

To reach to correct.

To reach to save.

Give Him praise today that His Hand is not too short to reach YOU for whatever it is YOU need today.

Spanking or Saving.

Either way He loves you and me enough to reach for us today.  Give Him praise!! You see it’s not just unbelievers who need saving, we His children need saving everyday – saving from bad choices, wrong attitudes, perils and harm that we are often oblivious to, on and on He saves us. Let us JOY in Him and be glad this day!

19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

20 “And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob,” saith the Lord.

21 “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” saith the Lord; “My spirit that is upon thee, and My words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed,” saith the Lord, “from henceforth and for ever.”   via Isaiah 59 KJ21 – Behold, the LORD’S hand is not – Bible Gateway.

How bless o LORD are we that Your Hand is not too short to reach us for spanking or saving!! What a blessed thought to me, ABBA, that You would correct me; that You would love me enough to correct me and save me. Thank You, ABBA, thank You. And I pray for each who come here to read and pray that they too will rejoice in Your Hand that reaches us for whatever our needs. And we have many. We have spirits that are dry and in need of refreshing; we have souls with weaknesses and sins and we cry out to You to come correct us and save us from ourselves; and we praise You that You are able and willing.  Thank You, ABBA.  And we come with our sick and afflicted asking for healing. Asking for safety for brothers and sisters traveling today, particularly a choir group in transit now. And we forget not Israel, praying for peace and safety and our own Nation, ABBA, many needs here. Thank You that Your Hand is not too short and thank You that YOUR STRENGTH is our JOY in JESUS Name.  Amen and amen.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!